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  • Pain Of Salvation started it, Opeth followed, and Steven Wilson capped it...we thought. Dark Suns continues to evolve with no two albums sounding alike. Grave Human Genuine found them moving into an avant metal/progressive rock direction. Orange now finds the band wholly embracing 70s progressive rock. There are heavy moments but the band shows its hand offering up Hammond organ and Mellotron. The heavier tunes feature angst driven vocals that will scratch that VDGG itch. Melodic and intricate Dark Suns has somehow managed to come up with an album that will appeal to fans of old school prog, modern prog, and even the quirky side of metal. Highly recommended.
    $11.00
  • After a 10 year absence Enchant are back.  The band started in 1993 making them one of the earliest prog metal band.  Actually they are sort of an interesting band in that they seem to exist in both the prog rock and prog metal realms.  Some metal fans think of them as a bit lightweight and some prog rock fans think they are too heavy!  One thing is for sure they are wildly successful.  This is definitely prog but it never loses sight of the melody.  Fronted by the great Ted Leonard (who is now doing double duty with Spock's Beard) this one is a no-brainer - whether you are metal or prog head.  "irst impressions are the similarities to Spock’s Beard. Hardly surprising since Ted Leonard has been singing with them since 2011. He’s been with Enchant longer; their first CD came out in 1993. And familiarity doesn’t breed contempt here, fortunately.Bay area progressive rockers, they steer a straight course composing guitar-structured songs that they extemporise over. Guitarist Douglas A Ott is also the band’s main producer, with The Great Divide having been recorded at his own studio, but if in the past the band’s followed his direction they’re now more involved after a ten year gap working on other projects. Also, while integral, Ott doesn’t dominate Enchant’s sound but flows in and out adding a hard rock bias to their generic musical flavouring. Drummer/percussionist Sean Flanegan and bassist Ed Platt have the solidity of early Kansas and musically there are some pretty snazzy and often too brief keyboard solos from Bill Jenkins.A rolling cyclical bass line forms the basis of opening number ‘Circles’ with Leonard pondering life going round well, like a circle – while the lyrics aren’t profound they feel right and though this isn’t a concept album, despite the band stating otherwise, there are common themes concerning the human condition in a loosely existential manner. Mainly straight verse and choruses ‘Circles’ breaks out into more complicated time signatures before an acoustic comes to the fore, vocals return, an electric guitar take over and it concludes with a nicely warm keyboard solo. ‘Within An Inch’ follows with a steady rock backbeat over which Ott’s playing echoes Camel’s Andy Latimer interrupted briefly by some John Ellis punk-styled sirening. ‘The Great Divide’ follows suit in a more epic manner, the arrangement akin to Genesis in their golden period.Enchant don’t play with the fairies, despite what their name suggests. If anything they’re two steps removed from an AOR sound leaning in towards early Asia with some latter day Beatles thrown in, and a less grandiose take on Spock’s Beard. One might refer to them as technically proficient rather than emotionally overwrought, meaning there is a heartfelt flavour to their songs, and they tend to grow on you.The subdued opening to ‘Life In A Shadow’ throws a brief curveball echoing the Canterbury sound of Hatfield & The North before a heavy chorded chorus takes this into a rocking tune with soulful harmonies. ‘Deserve To Feel’ pours on the technical drumming and dribbling triplet bass figures with some flashy pyrotechnics predominantly on guitar but with keen keyboard flourishes, moving into a more intricate musical score as Jenkins and Ott trade inspired lines towards its conclusion. Likewise, ‘Here And Now’ builds reflectively moving towards emotional drama.Finely composed, played well, Enchant’s The Great Divide might not have you falling under its spell, but you may well be surprised how you find yourself being drawn to playing it." - The Midland Rocks
    $13.00
  • “You can expect a beefy rock album, freak style. I think that Cooking with Pagans finally has the sound and energy of Freak Kitchen live; the energy and rawness. It is anything but overproduced, stripped down, drums, bass and guitar. To the point.” – Mattias “IA” EklundhIt has been 5 years since Freak Kitchen graced us with a new album.  Since the release of 2009’s Land Of The Freaks, the band has toured the world – making stops in Europe, USA, and Asia along the way.  Finally the band was able to settle down in their home base of Sweden to record the long awaited follow up Cooking With Pagans.The album finds the band collaborating with Blacksad comic book creator and former Disney animator Juanjo Guarnido.  In addition to creating the amazing packaging for the album, Mr. Guarnido has created an incredible animated video to support the album release.Freak Kitchen consists of world renowned guitarist Mattias “IA” Eklundh, bassist Christer Ortefors and drummer Bjorn Fryklund, The trio offers an intense blend of progressive metal and rock, often served up with a wicked dose of humor.  RIYL Frank Zappa, Steve Vai, and Bumblefoot. 
    $6.00
  • Rare and fairly brilliant material from the period 6/72 to 1/75. Unfortunately none of this was recorded in the studio so the songs solely exists as this fairly miserable sounding live historical document.
    $16.00
  • This one has been out of print forever and has now been properly remastered by EMI. At this point the band experimented with a more direct sound bordering on metal at times. I always loved that great Rodney Matthews cover.Please note this disc incorporates EMI copy control technology which seems to allow you to do whatever it is you would normally do with a CD but you can't rip it. Bummer.
    $11.00
  • "It is summer and it's hot in California. For the recording musician it means that air conditioners are causing problems and are generally too loud. So, the musician can either sit on their ass and do nothing or simply switch gears and record an album with sounds that are louder than the air conditioners. This is what Henning Pauly decided to do when he realized that moving on to his rock-opera "Babysteps" was not possible right now. He called up the singer of the new band of his bandmates from Chain, Transmission, in Germany and asked if he was available. Juan Roos immediately said yes to the project, but he only had a two week window and it was two weeks from that phone call. Henning loves deadlines and so he started writing to have the album written and recorded, minus vocals, within two weeks.Henning describes Juan's voice as a perfect blend between Geoff Tate and David Coverdale: "Juan can give you the high stuff, but he can also be really raspy and rocky...his voice just kicks you square in the nuts!"Because of the very limited time frame for the conception and production of "Credit where credit is due" Henning asked his proven writing team to join in when it comes to lyrics and melodies, so Matt Cash is on board again, as are Edward Heppenstall and Jason McSheehy. Several songs on the album loosely deal with the world of rockstars, scandals and getting credit for what one has done. No need, really, to point out here that everyone involved will get credit where credit is due.The music is loud, heavy and realism has been shoved behind production value on the list of priorities. Heavy Industrial Drum sounds are interspersed with acoustic sets. The banjo finds its way into metal again and sometimes you can draw clear parallels to the work of Trent Reznor and Marylin Manson. There's more to it than just that, but the production is clearly more modern than anything Henning is done so far.This CD was about having fun with music and production and it gives Henning a chance to be back in the studio and have fun doing what he loves the most...making music, not talking about it."
    $3.00
  • "At Vance have been around since 1998, and since then they have started have released 8 albums and 2 compilations, and they are now about to release “Facing Your Enemy”.The current line up consist of guitarist and original founding member Olaf Lenk, vocalist Rick Altzi, bassist “Wolfman” Black and Drummer Alex Landenburg.“Heaven Is Calling” kicks off this album, the galloping beat accompanied by technical guitar riffs and powerful vocals lead the listener into the album and gives just a small idea as to what the rest of the album will be like.“Facing Your Enemy”, the title track on this album, starts with an almost industrial feel before the guitars then begin their chorus and the vocals kick in and a truly powerful song is born. A power ballad that makes you want to raise your glass to the sky and sing along. You can see why they chose this song as the title track.“Eyes Of A Stranger” jumps into gear with opening riffs reminiscent of “Suicide Solution” by Ozzy Osbourne, before heading straight to their roots that is power metal, reminding you of fellow bands Primal Fear and Angels Of Babylon. This song leads perfectly into “Fear No Evil” which slows the pace but includes strong vocal lead choruses.“Live and Learn” explodes through the speakers, once again with a heavy Ozzy sounding opening riff, a voice pierces through the guitars and another great song takes hold. “Don’t Dream” and “Seeing Me Crying” are the two slowest songs on the album and lulls the listener into a false sense of security because when “Saviour” kicks in with traditional power metal the listener is rocked to the foundation.“Tokyo” takes you away on a helicopter ride, with synth, panpipes and a tale of falling in love with a Japanese girl. This is certainly a love song with a difference. An AOR sounding song that still fits in perfectly on this album. We are then met with “March of the Dwarf” which is the only instrumental on this album, but shows off the talents of the guitarist, bassist and the drummer.At Vance don’t stay away from power metal for long when “Fame and Fortune” bursts into life. We are then sadly come to the last song on the album “Things I Never Needed”. It is a definite contrast to anything else on this album. A slow, acoustic song it really does show the versatility of these talented musicians.It’s not hard to see why this band is still around and still going strong, and I for one cannot wait to see what their next album has in store." - Planet Mosh
    $15.00
  •  · NEW REMASTERED EDITION OF THIS CLASSIC 1968 ALBUM BY PROCOL HARUM· WITH 3 BONUS TRACKS· REMASTERED FROM THE ORIGINAL TAPES· FULLY RESTORED ARTWORK AND PHOTOGRAPHSEsoteric Recordings are proud to announce the release of a newly re-mastered and expanded edition of the classic 1968 album by PROCOL HARUM.Released in the UK in December 1968, "Shine on Brightly” followed on from the huge international success in 1967 of the band’s debut single ‘A Whiter Shade of Pale’ and the follow up single "Homburg” and built on the creative path begun on Procol Harum’s self-titled debut album issued in January 1968. Gary Brooker (voice, piano), Robin Trower (lead guitar), David Knights (bass guitar), B.J. Wilson (drums) and Matthew Fisher (Hammond organ) took the music of the band to new heights with this, their second album. Dominated by the 17-minute epic suite ‘In Held ‘Twas in I’, Procol Harum re-wrote the rule book of popular music with the material written and recorded for "Shine On Brightly”.Newly re-mastered from the original tapes, this remastered edition of "Shine on Brightly” includes 3 bonus tracks and restores the original album artwork. 1. QUITE RIGHTLY SO2. SHINE ON BRIGHTLY3. SKIP SOFTLY MY MOONBEAMS4. WISH ME WELL5. RAMBLING ON6. MAGDALENE (MY REGAL ZONOPHONE)7. IN HELD TWAS IN I    a. GLIMSPES OF NIRVANA8. IN HELD TWAS IN I    b. TWAS TEA TIME AT THE CIRCUS9. IN HELD TWAS IN I    c. IN THE AUTUMN OF MY MADNESS10. IN HELD TWAS IN I     d. LOOK TO YOUR SOUL11. IN HELD TWAS IN I     e. GRAND FINALE BONUS TRACKS12. IL TUO DIAMANTE ("SHINE ON BRIGHTLY” ITALIAN VERSION) (MONO)RECORDED IN SEPTEMBER 196713. QUITE RIGHTLY SO14. IN THE WEE SMALL HOURS OF SIXPENCEA & B SIDES OF SINGLE 
    $16.00
  • The North American Freak Kitchen catalog reissue program continues.  Freak Kitchen is Mattias Eklundh (guitar.vocals), Christer Ortefors (bass) and Bjorn Fryklund (drums). The band describes their album as "A corny little heavy-pop-rock-Latin-world-jazz-avant-garde-metal-blues-record straight from hell!". "Organic" is the band’s sixth album.  It features a guest appearance by Guns N Roses guitarist Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal.  Pure guitar driven insanity with tongue firmly planted in cheek.  Essential for fans of Frank Zappa, Bumblefoot, and Steve Vai."If there was such a thing as indie metal, Freak Kitchen would define the genre perfectly. This metal band hails from Sweden and was formed back in 1992. Their outstanding musicianship and authentic musical style makes this power trio a real treat for those of us lucky enough to find their music. The bands’ distaste for big corporate labels has not prevented them from getting their music out, just not on a scale one would expect them to be considering the high level of quality music that they put out. So, as they state on one of their songs: “I’m so alternative, I am so independent, this is the way to live the independent way of life.” I guess one could say the guys walk the talk!Frontman Mathias IA Eklundh is considered a premier guitar player, having himself released several instrumental solo albums, Freak Guitar (1999) and Freak Guitar - The Road Less Traveled (2004). Also of some importance I guess is the fact that I’ve read in several live performance reviews that Eklundh will often play his guitar using foreign objects, some of which are described as vibrating dildos! Oh yeah, and he can really sing too! Eklundh is also the founder of Mattiasology, of which Steve Vai (peace prophet) and Paul Gilbert (space prophet) are listed as members of the Grand Church of Freakiness.Organic is Freak Kitchen sixth studio album, which was released in different parts of the world on April 27, 2005, just don’t expect to find it in North America yet. When you hear them for the first time, and believe me - you will eventually hear them - it’s really like nothing you’ve heard before. It’s like mixing a heavy metal guitar sound with alternative rock and adding mild progressive elements and a clearly indie rock vibe. It’s going to turn your head as it did mine. If you’re into metal you’re going to wonder “what the hell is this” and if you’re into indie rock, you’re going to wonder the exact same thing? It’s a blending of styles that requires time to soak up. But after you get over the initial impact of it all, it grows on you very quickly and I mean that in an exponentially freaky kind of way.The album opens with the single “Speak When Spoken Too,” which also features the eccentric Bumblefoot (Ron Thal - another Mattiasology prophet) on back up vocals and guitar. The Pantera style guitar riffs will have you questioning the bands musical style and the evident alternative rock vibe will probably remind you of System of a Down. There's a whole lot of humour spread out throughout the album as well.The band plays hook laden guitar driven songs full of interesting arrangements and cool little guitar antics and solos. The crystal clear production, the occasional blast beats, the crazy guitar sounds, the humorous lyrics about everyday life (infidelity, racism, the role of parenting) and the radio-friendliness of it all makes this a very memorable listening experience." - Sputnik Music
    $6.00
  • Considered by many to be the first fusion album. This kicked off Miles' electric period and what a lineup: Miles Davis (trumpet), Wayne Shorter (soprano sax), Chick Corea (electric piano), Herbie Hancock (electric piano), Joe Zawinul (organ), John McLaughlin (electric guitar), Dave Holland (bass), Tony Williams (drums). With the exception of Holland all of these musicians played key roles in the fusion scene for years to come. Groundbreaking.
    $8.00
  • "Australian progressive rock band WITHOUTEND delivers a debut album offering a very original interpretation of modern Progressive Metal/Rock. The album's main concept of change and consequences is conveyed through a blend of dark melodic progressive music with very dark and emotional lyrical content. The opening track "Again" is based on the idea of coming face to face with temptation and living with your consequences and sets the scene for the rest of the album. "In Transit", perhaps the most commercially accessible tracks on the album deals with the life changing aspects of moving on to a new chapter of ones life and looking at life as being a silent movie. "Analyse" and "I Still Remember" both explore the breakdown in relationships in response to major life changes. "Searching for Meaning" and "Descend" are based on a persons quest for answers and questioning people's beliefs while living/existing in artificial and predetermined surroundings. "Comfort Zone" deals with one's personal battle against their comfort zone. "Compulsion" closes the chapter opened by the opening track and tries to solve and understand ones compulsive desires. The idea behind the last track, "The Third Day" was to express the time heels all wounds/solves all problems concept in a ballad which closes the album." - Prog Archives
    $3.00
  • Under the Red Cloud marks the 12th studio album from Finland’s grandfathers of extreme metal, the band’s sixth LP with Tomi Joutsen as vocalist and his 10th year in the band. The string of Tomi’s six records started with 2006’s Eclipse and had an absolutely epic beginning. Eclipse, Silent Waters and Skyforger  showed the band’s new found drive and energy, reclaiming some of their death metal heritage, while veering further into what Nuclear Blast has fittingly labeled ‘melancholy rock.’ Unfortunately, Angry Metal Guy’s Law of Diminishing Recordings™ is a fickle mistress, and The Beginning of Times and Circle were both records that were good, but lacked the urgency of that initial trilogy. These records saw the band pushing into newer territory—heavy Jethro Tull influences bled through on the former, while Circle developed some of the band’s folky elements in cool ways. Neither album gripped me. But when Amorphis releases an album, it’s hard for me not to get excited, and upon seeing the cover art for Under the Red Cloud, all that warm anticipation came back. And fortunately, they didn’t disappoint.Under the Red Cloud is a return to form for Amorphis, and the most cohesive album the band has released since 2009’s Skyforger. Clocking in at 50 minutes, it’s made of ten thematically cohesive tracks. The album isn’t a story though. Instead, the lyrics (written, as always, by Pekka Kainulainen) are conceptually foreboding; about living under a red cloud in troubled times. The music matches this feel, and while I wouldn’t say the album is necessarily so much heavier than previous records, it may have been influenced by the 20th Anniversary of Tales from the Thousand Lakes, because the band has certainly produced the most growl-heavy material of the Joutsen-era.You wouldn’t notice that on the opening title track, however. “Under the Red Cloud” starts with an atmospheric piano bolstered by throbbing bass and a clean guitar in harmonic minor before merging into prime Amorphis territory: a chunky, groovy riff with Tomi’s cleans augmenting the sound perfectly. This format—the classic hard rock song-writing—is the stamp with which the band’s newer material has largely been pressed. “Sacrifice” is similar, breaking in with a “House of Sleep” intro, and a heavy, syncopated verse before giving way to a hooky chorus and a slick guitar melody. “Bad Blood” features Tomi’s growl in the verse, but it’s heavy on the groove and light on the melody before giving way to an epic chorus and beautiful bridge.Amorphis isn’t afraid of their death metal side here. Between “The Four Wise Ones” and “Death of a King,” every single track starts with growls, and the former doesn’t feature any clean vocals from Joutsen at all—instead there’s a short bridge with a haunting, effected vocal line that evokes Elegy. “The Four Wise Ones” and “The Dark Path” both feature crescendos with a ’90s black metal feel—wet with keys and a trem-picked melodies—only undermined by Rechberger’s refusal to use blast beats and Tomi’s growls. The death-laden material works well, though moments like the verse in “Bad Blood” or “Death of a King,” which is one of the singles from Under the Red Cloud, are places where I would have chosen clean vocals rather than growls.There is a danger, however, in Amorphis‘s modern sound, in that it’s pretty easy to fall into a rut. A fairly close listen to Under the Red Cloud reveals that the songs pretty much all follow the same structure, which when the band isn’t producing their sharpest writing can become repetitive. When the album hits its stride, though, it’s an extremely well-crafted record. From “Sacrifice” to “White Night” is a stretch of pure enjoyment—each song flowing into the next, while peaking on the final two tracks. “Tree of Ages” features a folky Celtic theme that has been stuck in my head since the first time I heard it, and “White Night” is a moody track that closes the album out with a surge.Under the Red Cloud is a very good album and a return to form. The record simply sounds like Amorphis; the band has developed a sound that bridges the gap between their old material and the new—with plenty of moments on here that remind me of Elegy and Tuonela with sitar (“Death of a King”) or bong water keyboard solos (“Enemy at the Gates”). And it’s incredible how the band’s riffing can still be so idiosyncratic. “The Skull” and “Enemy at the Gate” have riffs you only hear in Amorphis and Barren Earth; and after 12 records they still pull them off without feeling like they’re ripping themselves off. Consistency is a virtue for big bands if they’re any good, but I think there are hints on UtRC that Amorphis could get more adventurous going forward, and I hope they do. Until that time, though, I’ll be sitting here enjoying these tunes under the red clouds." - Angry Metal Guy
    $15.00
  • First album for this Finnish band, recorded for the Christian based metal label Rivel Records. OK...so is it any good? Well if you are fan of Stratovarius I would think you would go insane for this band. It's melodic power metal with just the right amount of crunch. Not original by any stretch of the imagination but it fits neatly into that niche of melodic but slightly speed filled bands like their Finnish brethren.
    $14.00
  • This is the band's fourth album and second from their progressive rock phase. This is the band's finest moment - a 48 minute conceptual work highlighted by the 26 minute title track. Dramatic vocals, monolithic keyboards that would make Tony Banks blush, gorgeous flute, and fluid guitar solos. One of the best Canadian prog albums of all time. Comes with detailed liner notes, photos, and two bonus tracks. First time on CD. BRAVO!!
    $12.00