Band: END! Begin | Album:The END! | Genre: Progressive folk | Bandcamp
This collection of four instrumental pieces is a solid follow-up to END! Begin’s fantastic debut LP. The overall mood is a bit more energetic and less torporous here, and I really appreciate getting to see this other side of the band. “Cherry Blossoms” in particular draws a lot from rock music, which is a very exciting blend.
Score: 78/100
Band: Mellow Beast | Album:Grimble, The Worm | Genre: Psychedelic rock | Bandcamp
Mellow Beast’s latest record sees him expand upon the musical universe he has established. The story of this record takes place right after Reactor, his 2023 release. Throughlines are obvious in the music, and there are even connections to earlier releases. The mood is spacy and often-hypnotic while also imbuing some Gong-ish fun and whimsy.
Band: Hällas | Album:Panorama | Genre: Progressive rock, Hard rock | Bandcamp
I saw this record getting a lot of hype online, and I can’t say that I get it. On a structural level, at least, the opening epic is well-built, and the occasional fun twist does occur. But my biggest issue with this release is the sound palette. This sounds like schlock-rock acts from the ‘70s and ‘80s tried their hand at prog. The vocalist reminds me of Dave Cousins of Strawbs, which is different, at least. But I don’t particularly like Journey or Foreigner or Styx, and these guys are clearly drawing a lot of influence for that particular vein of cheesy arena rock. Everything is overblown and uses trite, tired musical tropes. That results in an exhausting listen. Oddly, the four shorter songs on this album feel much more tedious and drawn-out than the 21-minute opener.
Score: 62/100
Band: JUZZ | Album:JUZZ (II) | Genre: Progressive rock, Jazz-fusion | Bandcamp
Juzz, a jazzy instrumental six-piece from Galicia, has put out their sophomore album. It’s similar in tone and style to their debut, if perhaps a bit more rock-oriented. Moods morph fluidly across this album’s runtime, ranging from hard-rocking numbers to Tangerine Dream-inspired space-synth passages. These songs also show greater focus than their debut, so I am happy to see that evolution in their writing style.
Artist: Unda Alunda | Album:Dark Wonderful World | Genre: Progressive metal, Djent | Bandcamp
This is one of the better djent records I’ve heard in a while. Djent still isn’t my favorite style of metal, but this album has a lot to offer. There are fun, jazzy riffs, exciting builds, and dazzling solos. The soullessness common to djent is minimized here, as these feel like actual compositions and not just instrumental wank-fests. Certain songs run a bit long, but aside from that, the record is a success overall.
Score: 76/100
Band: Cervello | Album:Chaire | Genre: Italian progressive rock | Links
Two things first: Firstly, I had a hard time finding this album. I don’t know who is in charge of marketing for Cervello, but they’re doing an awful job. Secondly, this was released with a live album, which I will not be reviewing.
Cervello is one of many Italian prog bands who put out one album in the 1970s before vanishing. Cervello’s sole release prior to this was the 1972 album Melos, and it’s one of my favorites from the era. I didn’t have high hopes going into this, especially considering other dull reunion records I’ve covered recently, but I was pleasantly surprised by Chaire. That may also be because almost the whole original band returned for this. Everyone except their original drummer appears on this album. (Compare that to Semiramis’s recent “reunion” where the drummer was the only original member to return.)
The music here is surprisingly vital, energetic, and original. That classic Italian prog flair is omnipresent, and the compositions are mostly engaging. Some cuts are better than others, and the record sags a bit in its second half.Synth tones can sound a bit dated, or the production can be too glossy, but this is a solid record on the whole. I especially love the more energetic tracks, where the connections with their first record can really be heard.
Band: Doom Gong | Album:Megagong | Genre: Psychedelic rock | Bandcamp
Doom Gong’s latest record is by turns exhilarating and idyllic. The band nimbly alternates between speedy instrumental antics and moments of lush abstraction. In general, the tempo is upbeat, and the easiest stylistic comparison here would be King Gizzard. These guys have a bit more fuzz to them, often channeling Ty Segall and Ty Segall-adjacent acts, like Wand or Fuzz. The sound is maximal, often bordering on suffocating, but Doom Gong makes it work.
The debut record from this instrumental duo is an engaging excursion. Riffs are speedy and complex, and song structures are often surprising. The synth inclusions are a lot of fun, and the band demonstrates a good knack for knowing when to take their foot off the gas for a moment.
The debut album from this Finnish quartet is a highly melodic brand of proggy alt-metal. The riffs are powerful, and the vocals are strong. The band demonstrates a strong ear for catchy melodies. There are a few moments in the second half of the album I’m not nuts about; the overly-pop-infused “Ocular” and the butt-rock influenced “Rover” are the main culprits. Overall, though, this is an enjoyable record. The musicianship is top-notch without being needlessly flashy, and there are plenty of great structural twists.
Score: 74/100
Band: Khan | Album:That Fair and Warlike Form/Return to Dust | Genre: Heavy psych, Post-metal | Bandcamp
The latest release from Khan, an Australian trio, consists of just two massive tracks. The first is the overall heavier of the two, providing a cavalcade of evolving musical themes that weave prog rock, psychedelia, alternative metal, and post-metal. “Return to Dust” features more contrasts with quieter, cleaner passages. Both epics hold together very well and have lots of small things that reveal themselves on subsequent listens.
Artist: Gianni Carlin | Album:In nessun luogo | Genre: Progressive rock | Bandcamp
In nessun luogo features a mildly-lo-fi sound, but it works well. Flute is always prominent, providing some great, breathy contrast to the fat and rubbery bass that underpins much of the music. The songwriting is overall solid, though the 21-minute album opener is a bit unfocused at moments. There are some surprisingly catchy passages mixed in, and with the occasional dash of jazz and blues, it makes for a well-balanced record.
The debut record from this Chilean ensemble features intricately structured epics that unfold slowly. Delicate moments contrast heavier passages. Post-punk and art rock influences abound, and there is also clearly a deep debt to Windmill scene bands like black midi and Squid. While I overall like this record, it does have one glaring flaw, and that it is way too damn long. 78 minutes across eight songs leaves a lot of fat to trim, even when taking into account the fact that this is a post-rock record. This band is at their best during their heavier moments, like on “A. Latur”.
This instrumental release heavily incorporates jazz and classical elements into its compositions. Reed and wind instruments can be found among the many slinking themes present here. Things swell and retreat fluidly, and there are a lot of great tonal and textural choices. While I enjoy it overall, this isn’t the most distinctive record. It’s solid, jazzy instrumental prog, if that’s what you’re looking for.
Score: 74/100
Band: An Abstract Illusion | Album:The Sleeping City | Genre: Progressive metal | Bandcamp
An Abstract Illusion’s latest record is a noticeable step down from their last release, 2022’s excellent Woe. The Sleeping City isn’t a bad record, by any means, but it’s unimpressive. The biggest problem for me on this record is the production. Everything is very clean and clear in a way that robs the band’s death metal of its impact. The clean parts of this record also come off as overly glossy and sterile, with many of the synth tones sounding out of place. There are still good ideas in the compositions, but the sound of the album itself is lacking.
The new record from this one-man instrumental act draws quite heavily from Pink Floyd. Drifting rhythms and wavering guitars float about, occasionally interrupted by sharper tones. Acoustic guitar is deployed for the occasional bit of earthiness, balancing out this record’s more astral moments. “Maha Nakhom” sees creamcheese dabble in some semi-electronic Ozric Tentacles worship, for a nice change of pace. And though overlong, the closing “3L3K7R0K4CK3” is a charmingly diverse cut.
Score: 74/100
Band: Flowʍolꓞ | Album:Téboly | Genre: Progressive rock | Bandcamp
Flowwolf is a Hungarian band that blends psychedelic textures with progressive song structures for a very satisfying EP on Téboly. The instrumental tones are great, and there are smart contrasts between rich textures and grittier passages. The vocal performances are strong and melodic, and I also really enjoy the dashes of alternative rock that crop up here and there.
Drone is a genre that I largely dislike but do occasionally dabble in. When I run across a drone artist that I do enjoy, it’s usually because they’ve melded those influences with something else. With Neptunian Maximalism, they married drone with heavy, experimental metal. And with William Covert, he has blended it with post-rock and avant-garde jazz. Textures are wide and airy, but it’s not just aimless ambience. Drumming helps give this record a sense of direction, and there are clear structures and throughlines in the individual compositions. The music is spooky, spacy, and artful.
Cratophane’s sophomore album sees this self-described “angular rock” band take a lot of stoner and doom metal influences into their music. There are still jagged riffs and irregular rhythms aplenty, but the band also slows down significantly for extended periods of time. Magma’s influence looms large here, but so does that of bands like Pelican. This is a dark, moody, and semi-psychedelic record that goes to some interesting places. As with many instrumental records, I feel a number of the songs are longer than they need to be, but it’s not too bad.
The title of Agabas’s latest record is quite fitting. This record is heavy, hard-hitting, and angry as hell. The riffs are punishing, lashing the listener’s ears. There’s a neverending sense of forward momentum, with almost no breathing room. Everything here is maximal, with shouted vocals, pummeling guitars, and squalling saxophone filling up every available inch of auditory space.
Score: 76/100
Band: Ahles | Album:Between Dreams and the Waking World | Genre: Progressive metal | Bandcamp
The debut album (well, sorta; they previously released a record in 2010 under the moniker Born from the Ashes) from this Australian quartet showed a lot of promise. The opening few songs featured a lot of strong melodies, exciting playing, and intelligent structuring. Unfortunately, the second half of the album is quite a bit wobblier, and it’s only hampered by some less-than-amazing lyrics that even I couldn’t zone out. However, they show a lot of ambition and promise, so I’m optimistic they can refine things more on their next release in 2040.
The Elite Extremophile 