Earn 1 Loyalty Point With Every $1 Spent!

Page not found

The requested page "/cd/machine-fking-head-live-2cd-blow-out-price" could not be found.
Laser Pic

customers also bought

SEE ALL
  • Four years after their latest studio album, now finally "I Am The Storm" arrives - an intense slice of heavy music, evoking the presence of one's inner strength. Like a force of nature, every lover of sophisticated metal music with depth will fall in love with Englund's inspired vocals, the sheer power and exquisite arrangements.The masters of song-oriented progressive metal are back! Los Angeles- based band REDEMPTION, fronted by charismatic vocalist Tom S. Englund (also Evergrey) are one of the most respected and critically acclaimed bands, highly praised in prog- as well as melodic/power metal circles. Four years after their latest studio album, now finally "I Am The Storm" arrives - an intense slice of heavy music, evoking the presence of one's inner strength. Like a force of nature, every lover of sophisticated metal music with depth will fall in love with Englund's inspired vocals, the sheer power and exquisite arrangements. 
    $16.00
  • Third album from Sam Vallen and Jim Grey.  Plain and simple another triumph.  The great thing about this band is the way they assimilate different influences and make a cohesive whole.  Vallen's guitarwork touches on djent riffing as well as fluid clean lines and Grey's vocals...well they are spectacular as usual.  You get a little bit of Opeth here and Haken there.  Maybe even a little Dream Theater and Pain Of Salvation.  Naturally if you are a fan of Jim Grey's other band, Arcane, you are going to love this one as well.  Very dynamic and dramatic.  Essential 2015 purchase.  BUY OR DIE!"There are certain albums that require more than just open ears. Sometimes, you need to close your eyes in order to sharpen up your senses, to be able to really consume and obtain the musical message delivered throughout the record. So before pressing the ‘play’ button on Caligula’s Horse newest release, Bloom, pour a glass of your favorite drink, put your headphones on and close your eyes.Consisting of 8 tracks, Bloom delivers something deeper than a compilation of technical riffs; it sets an atmosphere, driven by emotion and by the story line, as the sound and production correlate towards that notion. From the very beginning, with the theme song being the opener of the album, you can see how the band sets the mood for the entire record. Mysterious, dark, heavily Opeth influenced, and yet still having its own characteristics to the story.Right from the beginning of the album, one cannot miss how Opeth deeply affected the band’s music. The vocal ideas and implementation, the guitar sound and the general image that’s created, can immediately drift the listener to many of the Swedish group’s finest works. Nevertheless, I do feel that within these carried elements still lies a large chunk of originality that separates this album from being another Opeth-imitation attempt, which can easily be found on a variety of past-releases of different bands.One impressive thing to notice on this record is vocalist’s Jim Grey. It is easy to fall in love with the color of Grey’s voice, as can be heard on The Tide, The Thief & River’s End (2013), but he did manage to improve a certain and essential vocal ability for this album: I’ve always felt that when hitting the higher notes, he needed to “shout” those notes just a little bit too much, having immediate impact on the tenderness and vibrations of his voice. On this album, it seems that Grey feels much more comfortable on higher scales, and that vocal freedom affects his entire range. Grey has turned it up a notch, becoming not only great a singer, but a great storyteller. His vocal movements are probably the most interesting thing to follow on this album, as it escorts the listener throughout each and every song.Another thing that immediately stands out is the band’s cooperation while putting Grey’s vocals as the leading musical idea of the album. Nothing is over-pressed, and it seems that band took a great care of composing the songs mostly to create an atmosphere, to set the right stage to deliver the story in the best way. It is impressive, since many bands tend to miss this very idea, with every musician trying to overlap the other, which mostly leads to a confusing blend that misses the main idea. This shows great maturity of the band, which helped them carry their music to the next level.Many bands these days try to force their music in to a hidden musical horizon just to be different. What’s so great about Bloom is that the band did not try to reinvent the wheel, but only used the tools they had, mixed just a little bit of everything to create something unique. Every song has that thing that sticks to your head; whether it’s a defying chord, a vocal movement, mesmerizing vocals and at times – some really catchy, groovy guitar riffs. That alone helps the fluency of the record, making it an album, 44-minutes of which you listen to from the top to the bottom, rather than just a collection of different songs.Overall, it’s easy to see how the band feels more comfortable with their work with every passing release. With time, Caligula’s Horse understands what they look for while composing their music, yet something still feels held back. It’s funny, because even I, after countless of times listening to the album, still cannot really put my finger towards what it is that is missing. Perhaps it is something that cannot be described by simple words, but it is that something that turns a 9 into a 10. That something that transforms an album which is great to hear, to a one that really dives into your deeper cells, and stays there. Rest assured: You cannot turn a blind eye in regard of the band’s progress, and you absolutely must give this album a try." - It Djents
    $15.00
  • "If you’re talking about modern progressive rock and don’t bring up Haken, you’re doing it wrong. Since the south English sextet started jamming together in 2004, they’ve been one of their genre’s most loyal yet, simultaneously, adventurous forces. And how do you honour such an eclectic, unpredictable career? You make Fauna: Haken’s most genre-busting and conceptually fascinating album to date. “The premise of the album when we started writing it was that every song would have an animal assigned to it,” explains singer and co-founder Ross Jennings. “They all have something related to the animal kingdom that we could write about, but they also connect to the human world. Each track has layers, and some of them are more obvious than others.” Musically, Fauna represents Haken at their most diverse. Taurus commences the album with its scraping heavy metal chords, as polyrhythmic as they are jagged. However, Ross’s melodic croon and the triumphant chorus are true Haken. Eyes Of Ebony is pure math rock, delicate in its start-stop clean guitar picking and chiming cymbals, while Island In The Clouds flaunts its bouncing bassline. Eighteen years deep, they’re still evolving and keeping their fans on their toes. Is there any truer definition of what making progressive rock means than that?"
    $33.00
  • I can't remember a buzz on a band's debut since Circus Maximus.  Perhaps due to the album being released in Japan a year ago and its unavailability elsewhere, maybe because they are lined up to play ProgPowerUSA.  Whatever the reason the album finally gets a wide debut and it was worth the wait.  Damnation Angels is a British symphonic metal band fronted by a Norwegian singer.  He goes by the name PelleK and was a contestant on Norway's version of X Factor.  The band's stock in trade is epic sounding metal that pays a huge debt to Kamelot.  The instrumental passages take on the grandeur and scope of Nightwish.  PelleK does a sold job out front - he's obviously listened to a Khan quite a bit.  Highly recommended.
    $14.00
  • “Known/Learned’ is the third album from this thought provoking progressive band from Brisbane, Australia.  It’s a sprawling 2CD collection of themes and moments, captured between recurring characters. While never explicitly told in the traditional vein of the ‘concept album’, the imagery of Known/Learned depicts fragmented moments in the lives of a father and his daughter, their loss, their love, their journey. A bittersweet love song for life.Occupying a unique place in the Australian progressive music scene, Arcane’s transcendental live performances and 2009’s critically acclaimed, dark and enigmatic concept album 'Chronicles Of The Waking Dream' have earned them a inimitable reputation as one of Australia’s premier progressive rock bands.Sharing stages with artists as diverse as Anathema (UK), Soilwork (Swe), Queensryche (USA), Dead Letter Circus, Ne Obliviscaris and hundreds more, Arcane's live show, often accompanied by a backdrop of staggering visualizations, is a vast sensory experience.Arcane's immersive sound, and the vocals of Jim Grey quickly found favor throughout Australia, headlining the annual Progfest tour, providing touring support for Ne Obliviscaris, and performing to capacity crowds at Sonic Forge Festival in Melbourne. A crowd funding campaign in July, 2013 heralded the 2015 release of 'Known/Learned' a 16 track conceptual double album. Arcane blends the technicality of progressive metal with the atmospheric intensity of bands like Tool, Riverside and Anathema.  The world is about to discover what their Australian fan base already knows – that Arcane is a rising star in the world of progressive music.
    $14.00
  • "The release of official live material is a project that is long overdue and we know our existing fans have been crying out for this for some time now. Whilst we have filmed and recorded many shows in the past we have always felt there were elements of our shows that could be improved 'visually' before we documented and immortalised this for the world to see and that the timing for a live release never felt right for us. This is just our nature as creative people to be so extremely self-critical and constantly strive for perfection. It is largely due to the will of the people that the idea of this project became a reality. Both the band and the label were inundated with emails requesting a live release in some shape or form, and it was actually rather flattering, so giving the people what they wanted just felt like the right thing to do" - Haken"Following the release of the bands much-acclaimed fourth studio album 'Affinity', they embarked upon their 10th anniversary tour across Europe & North America. Recorded and filmed on the 13th April 2017, at the legendary Melkweg venue on the Amsterdam stop of that tour, this represents the band's first ever live document with tracks from across the band's discography.'L-1VE' will be released as a 2CD/2DVD Digipak package & as digital download. The DVD will include 4 bonus tracks filmed at ProgPower USA 2016 that also includes Mike Portnoy's cameo appearance on gong, as well as all of the official videos from the 'Affinity' album."
    $20.00
  • “This smells strongly of British Progressive rock, some Quintessence, some Deep Purple (with flute instead of vocals). The organ and flute, and gung-ho attitude, remind me a bit of both Focus and Out of Focus…” – Daniel Dellamorte, music historian and author of the book Swedish Death Metal"In April 2018 Agusa embarked on a short tour in Italy. The first stop was at Stazione Birra in Rome where the show was recorded by the resident sound technician Alex Di Nunzio. The full gig – without any overdubs – will now be released on a double vinyl and CD by Kommun2 Records. The songs on "Ekstasis - Live in Rome" contain much of the playfulness and improvisational bravado that fans have come to expect from these Swedish rockers. This is the sequel to the live album "Katarsis", but twice as long and with previously unheard renditions of some of the tracks performed exclusively for these Italian gigs. The "Ekstasis" cover features a simple, pencil-drawn picture of the “flower woman” that has become synonymous with Agusa in 2018. I was made by Swedish artist Robin Gnista and was originally sketched out to reflect the complex, yet raw approach of the music. This is the first Agusa album featuring the organ playing of Jeppe Juul and it was mixed by bass player Tobias Petterson together with sound technician Emil Isaksson. This may very well be looked back upon as the most ambitious release from K2."
    $15.00
  • "Norwegian prog-rockers Jordsjø are something out of the ordinary as evidenced by the stunning quality of their previous releases (the flawless Nattfiolen in particular) and the band’s entirely unique sound and spirited compositions. Yours truly can think of no other act out there who sounds even remotely akin to Jordsjø or inhabit those same traits and characteristics that one associates with said outfit. With respect to their upcoming opus titled Pastoralia, words and phrases are heartfelt and original, intriguingly layered and infinitely captivating, and exquisitely crafted from top to bottom, constantly present themselves when in the company of this oftentimes pastoral-sounding effort where superb melodies are beautifully interwoven with each other.Pastoralia is a musically cohesive yet playful and loose affair that incorporates a myriad of different influences, elements, and vibes. There is something almost rural and earthy about their folk-tinged passages and there are certainly also parts that are drenched in a thick, passionate sense of melancholy. But what about those slightly eerie and unnerving sections that occasionally creep into the mix? Those delightfully jazzy tones that sneak into the eclectic soundscape also? What exactly is this LP? Perhaps it is the most suitable soundtrack to unearthing the secrets of the past that you will come across this year – that’s what this is. Personal favourites and highlights include the Baroque-ish ‘Fuglehviskeren‘ and the sprawling (not to mention dazzling) epics that are ‘Skumring i Karesuando‘, ‘Beitemark‘, and closing track ‘Jord III‘. Every tune contains plenty of light and shade and so things never turn stale or boring here; there is always something exciting going on. The lyrics and words are in their native tongue, which lends an air of authenticity and authority to the compositions, and the title of the record, Pastoralia, is meant to signify a fictional place where the forest people dance around campfires on warm nights in northern Norway.While there are subtle parallels and nods to Jethro Tull, Van der Graaf Generator, and Camel throughout, Jordsjø possesses a musical identity that is entirely their own. Pastoralia does require time and patience on the part of the listener as there is an awful lot to absorb here and it only really starts to makes sense once you have spun the disc several times. It is darkly magical and strangely enchanting albeit with ever so slightly sinister textures shimmering underneath it all. This is the perfect album to immerse oneself in if you require solitude and/or escapism, and this eight-track offering is one of the finest and most adventurous and musically explorative Norwegian works within the field of progressive rock yet, which is saying something. I simply cannot detect any flaws here and this is Nordic prog rock with a folk-ish twist to it that leaves nothing to be desired." - Velvet Thunder
    $11.00
  • Redemption is one of the leading progressive metal bands in the world today.  Formed in Los Angeles, California in 2000 by guitarist / keyboardist / songwriter Nicolas van Dyk, the band features legendary progressive metal vocalist Ray Alder of Fates Warning, as well as guitarist Bernie Versailles (Agent Steel), and the phenomenal rhythm section of Chris Quirarte (drums) and Sean Andrews (bass).Redemption’s combination of heaviness not usually found in progressive metal, irresistible melodies and emotional urgency has created a unique and resonant voice for this band that sets them apart from the many clones in the genre, and which has gained them the attention of fans, critics and musicians.Through the band’s first three studios CDs (2002s self-titled first release, 2005’s The Fullness of Time, and 2007’s The Origins of Ruin), Redemption gained a loyal fanbase and garnered rave reviews worldwide from critics, who describe Redemption’s music as“one of the best progressive metal acts to emerge in the past decade” – DPRP“magical aura and incredible songwriting” – BLABBERMOUTH“it's powerful, catchy, enslaving, technical; it's the whole bunch” – LORDS OF METAL“the new star on the US prog-metal sky” – SQUEALER ROCKSAfter touring in support of Dream Theater and documenting at headlining show at tour’s end entitled Frozen in the Moment, the band returned to the studio to release 2009’s Snowfall on Judgment Day and 2011’s This Mortal Coil.Performing in support of that record, in 2012 Redemption co-headlined the world-famous ProgPower Festival in Atlanta, where the band recorded a unique show featuring nearly 80 minutes of material and staged with complementary visuals that drive home the compelling emotional impact of this band.   That performance is now being released as a CD/DVD set with additional bonus material through Sensory Records, the band’s original label.  From fan favorites such as the never-before-performed Parker’s Eyes to the crushing emotional weight of Stronger than Death, Redemption’s performance captured the special ability of its music to deeply connect with fans.  In the words of one concert-goer, Redemption’s show “was definitely the most exhausting, personal and emotional musical experience I’ve ever had.” 
    $17.00
  • Get ready to rock out to the latest album from Swedish Prog-Rock legends, THE FLOWER KINGS! In their nearly 30-year career as a band, they return with their 16th studio album, "Look At You Now". This record is all about vintage vibes, with a warm and inviting sound that's reminiscent of legendary and classic 70's albums. And forget about processed, metallic sounds – "Look At You Now" is all about that analog feel that will transport you to a bygone era of rock. Experience the magic of "Look At You Now" in the following formats: Limited CD Digipak, Limited 180g double LP. Don't miss out on this new milestone from one of the most iconic bands in Prog-Rock history! 
    $14.00
  • Fourth studio album from Leprous reinforces the fact that they are one of the most innovative and cutting edge bands working in the prog metal idiom.  The music of Coal has already kicked up a bit of controversy from the early listeners.  The music isn't quite as angular and frenetic as Bilateral.  Atmospheric passages similar to Tall Poppy Syndrome are perhaps a bit more prevalant as well.  All in all it's clearly identifiable as Leprous.  Ihsahn guests on one of the tracks - don't forget Leprous is his backing band.  Nice guys - great band.  Highly recommended."Considering Leprous‘s previous album Bilateral is considered by many to be a masterpiece of progressive metal; Norway’s Leprous had a tall order in front of themselves. Coming up with a followup to such a critically acclaimed and beloved album is no doubt a daunting task. Despite that, after two long years of waiting, Leprous have conjured the successor to Bilateral, and it’s called Coal. Usually, when bands release an album after their magnum opus, the result is either a “version 2.0″ of the previous album, or it’s a return back to the normal style of the band. Leprous have taken a bold turn instead, and they have reinvented themselves. Coal is clearly a Leprous album, carrying all their trademark touches, but it’s also very fresh and unique.With Bilateral, the band were clearly rooted in a sound that has been defined by the big names of progressive metal. By applying their characteristic syncopation, moody riffs and singer Einar Solberg’s haunting and powerful vocals, they were able to perfect an already existing sound. With Coal, the band have taken a different direction. The album is very dense, emotional, and quite avant-garde at times. While there are some more traditional songs similar to Bilateral, there’s also an air of neo-80s on some songs, while others carry some characteristics of modern Scandinavian indie bands. Longtime fans of Leprous will definitely see the direction that has been present since the band’s inception, but listeners who know of them only via Bilateral might be slightly confused. In the end, Leprous have always been about mood, and Coal is oozing with it.In terms of structure, Coal is more similar to Tall Poppy Syndrome than Bilateral (but not too similar to either in the end). The songs are slow burners, setting up a mood, then deliberately building on it until overwhelming the listener with the climax. Everything is very subtle, the production making every hit of every instrument matter. Each song is an exercise in building an atmosphere by slowly adding layers to form a very powerful sound. Einar Solberg is at his best here, he has taken his voice to the next level. He was already an amazing vocalist, but Coal sees him becoming a master of expression. There are many progressive metal bands nowadays with clean singers who can hit insanely high notes and execute amazing melodies. But what is often lost is the soft touch, the control over timbre that makes one’s voice special. Einar is a master of timbre, and he uses his abilities to their full extent in Coal. While this is an album about the big picture and constructing an ambiance with the convergence of all instruments, his unparalleled vocal skills definitely deserve a special mention, because he is what hammers down the emotions and makes this album so special.As mentioned before, Coal is a deliberate album, where attention is paid to every instrument. And the production, by Ihsahn (who also has a stellar guest appearance on the closing track), is perfect for this. Especially of note are the drums, they sound very real and quaint. The intimate feeling of some of the songs can directly be attributed to the unconventional drum sound. The drumming has also taken a turn for the more subtle, with small flourishes and cymbal runs building tension in the more atmospheric sections of some songs. The bass is also clearly audible and adds to the sound. The guitar work isn’t as flashy as Bilateral for the most part, but it also has more character because of that. It should come as no surprise to longtime followers of the band, but Leprous are masters of doing more with less, and all of the instruments reflect this. Another production detail worth noting is the presence of keyboards. The keyboard work is more prominent now. In Bilateral it was used mostly to add some extra layers to parts driven by the guitars, but here the keyboards form the building blocks of the sound. This is perhaps what sets the album apart from Leprous’s previous work, the heavier focus on atmosphere and a dense aural landscape. This might be disappointing to some who preferred the more direct approach of Bilateral, as Coal is less “metal”, but the more developed sound suits the band.In terms of songs, Coal is a very diverse album. The first three songs and the closer can be interpreted as a direct evolution of the band’s sound from their previous work, then there is the extremely moody and emotional masterpiece “The Cloak”. This is where the album takes a turn for the introspective, as the rest of the songs are quite experimental and ethereal. Overall, the album has a very clear journey with a defined start and end, and it works quite well. Some of the later songs can feel like they last half a minute too long, but the deliberate pacing of the album makes more sense as is.In the end, it’s hard to deny that Coal is yet another masterpiece by Leprous. The songs ooze character and deliberation. Coal is expressive, emotional and brave. It might not be what everyone expected after Bilateral, but Leprous have defied expectations and raised the bar again." - Heavy Blog Is Heavy
    $14.00
  • Edensong is a progressive rock quintet from New York City.  The band's self-released 2008 debut "The Fruit Fallen" was hailed as a "masterpiece" by critics, and helped to pave the way for live shows and notable festival appearances throughout North America.At over 70 minutes of new music, their 2016 followup, "Years in the Garden of Years" is even more ambitious than it's predecessor, and will be sure to appeal to fans of both classic progressive rock and metal.  The concept album features an extended song cycle on themes of time, each song a different scale and perspective.  The melodies are more memorable, the riffs more powerful, the flute playing more inventive and propulsive.  The songs prominently feature immersive new textures, from lush keyboard and orchestral arrangements to esoteric percussion from around the world, such as hang drum and Balinese gamelan.   "Years in the Garden of Years" is mastered with audiophile precision by Grammy winning engineer Bob Katz, and the CD release features stunning original cover art and booklet illustrations from beloved surrealist painter Dan May. 
    $6.00
  • MY BROTHER THE WIND is an improvisational cosmic rock collective consisting of members of widely known Swedish acts Makajodama, Magnolia, Animal Daydream and most notably Anekdoten, one of the more widely recognized names in the 1990s prog rock revival.Recorded live in the studio with no overdubs during a single day in January 2013, Once There Was A Time When Time And Space Were One captures the collective's progressive soundscape qualities with incredible analogue studio production. The band utilized 6 and 12 string acoustic and electric guitars, Mellotron, flute, bass, drums, congas and more to complete the task. Expect 45 minutes of the band's most succinct material to date, recorded deep in the snowy, forested, Swedish wilderness.In 2013, MBTW expanded into an even wider fanbase, having been invited to play the mighty Roadburn Festival in Tilburg, Holland, as well as at Duna Jam in Sardinia.  At the invitation of Opeth’s Mikael Okerfeldt, guitarist Nicklas Barker returned to Roadburn to perform an improv set with Dungen guitarist Reine Fiske.Those who frequent the works of Popol Vuh, Amon Duul, Sun Ra, Träd, Gräs Och Stenar, Albert Ayler, Ash Ra Tempel, Gong, Pink Floyd and other visionary, psychedelic rock artists are advised to investigate this act. "Lush and instrumental for its duration, My Brother the Wind‘s third full-length, Once There was a Time When Time and Space were One (released by Free Electric Sound/Laser’s Edge), rolls out of the speakers much easier than its title rolls off the tongue, though both title and the work itself satisfy rhythmically. The Swedish four-piece — they now seem to be a bass-less trio with Nicklas Barker (Anekdoten) and Mathias Danielsson (Makajodama) on electric/acoustic 12-strong guitar and Daniel Fridlund Brandt on drums, but Ronny Eriksson plays bass on the album — reportedly recorded live to two-inch tape on a vintage machine, and the passion they put in bleeds readily into the nine-song/45-minute outing, fleshed with liberal splashes of Mellotron courtesy of Barker to play up a ’70s prog feel in a piece like the 12-minute “Garden of Delights.” That’s hardly the only point at which those sensibilities emerge, but even more than that, the primary vibe here is one of gorgeous heavy psych exploration, the band adventuring and feeling their way through the material as they go.On peaceful moments like the title-track, which arrives as the penultimate movement before “Epilogue” leads the way back to reality — accordingly, “Prologue” brings us in at the start — that exploration is positively serene, the 12-string complemented by spacious electric tones spreading out across vast reaches, but Once There was a Time When Time and Space were One offers more than drone and psychedelic experiments. Subtly pushed forward by Brandt‘s drums, pieces like “Into the Cosmic Halo” and even “Epilogue” enact classic space rock thrust, and even “Song of Innocence Part 1,” the first part of the journey after the backward atmospherics of “Prologue” introduce, has some cosmic feel amid its echoing solos. Its subsequent complement, “Song of Innocence Part 2,” swells to life on an even more active roll, waves of amp noise up front while drums and bass groove out behind, waiting for the guitars to catch up, which they do in a suitably glorious payoff, relatively brief but masterfully engaging, setting a momentum that continues well into “Garden of Delights,” a focal point for more than its length.Because the songs flow so well one to the next, some directly bleeding, others giving a brief pause, and because later cuts like “Thomas Mera Gartz” — named in honor of the drummer for ’70s Swedish proggers Träd, Gräs och Stenar — and the title-track have a quieter take, it’s tempting to read some narrative into the shifts of Once There was a Time When Time and Space were One, but with the material not being premeditated, I’m not sure that’s the intention so much as a signal it’s well arranged. In any case, the album offers an immersive, resonant listen, with tonal richness to spare and the presence of mind to keep a sense of motion even in its stillest parts and a balance of organic elements — Danielsson‘s recorder and Brandt‘s percussion on “Misty Mountainside,” the 12-string, etc. — amid a wash of effects and swirling psychedelia. This attention to sonic detail makes Once There was a Time When Time and Space were One more than just a collection of jams, and adds further purpose to the already worthy cause of My Brother the Wind‘s thoughtful musings, wandering and not at all lost." - The Obelisk
    $13.00
  • "English neo-progressive rock spear-header IQ has been furthering the genre in the 21th century with much acclaim. Sound-wise the band hasn't changed much since ' The Seventh House', but on this album the band has finally revolutionized their composition style, arrangements and production. The symphonic layering by Neil Durant has this adult feel, reminding me of 'Tilt' era Scott Walker or 'Blackstar' era Bowie ' yet drenched in a Bladerunner like delicate sci-fi universe. Somehow this album sounds like a collaboration of the band IQ and... well a new 'force' that can look beyond its songs, its verses, its solo's and its refrains. Because of this 'force' the band has also given new meaning to the prog epic. On 'Resistance' a prog epic isn't just a multi- song. Don't take me wrong ' I really like a track like 'The Narrow Margin' ' but on this album the longer tracks really make sense from a songwriting point of view. Bare with me. Like a in a small song, where a bridge can add to strengthening the final refrain ' IQ manages to intelligently intervene and keep the song growing towards that final refrain. Furthermore, the first cd, which is 'the album', flows like a continues experience. Almost like a movie, including some modern cinematic sound-effects. What also becomes apparent after a few spins is the absence of leaning on catchy refrains, which gives the music a modern feel ' at times almost hinting at modern classical music. Peter Nicholl's voice doesn't allow for much variation, but because of the distinctive atmospheres of the songs his performances do tick the box every time. This material doesn't need catchy line A or B, it needs a performer. The rhythm section of the band has found a perfect balance between fusion styled sophistication and adding to the effectiveness of the material. Guitar player Mike Holmes somehow comes off as a bit left behind in the old IQ with his Marillion/Floyd styled guitar solo's. On acoustic guitar his contributions strike me as more imminent ' like on 'Perfect Space'. If the band ever aims to top this album in the future ' which would prove extremely difficult I guess - the electric guitar will need to contribute in more diverse ways. Now about that second disc, which I will describe in a bit more detail because most reviewers will probably focus on the first disc. If that were an album; the 22 minute 'The Great Spirit Way' alone would suffice for an indispensable purchase. Personally, I think this song is placed right after the rather dark and soundtrack-like first disc because it matches best stylistically. 'Fire and Security' is a more traditional IQ piece ' albeit a bit bleak - with a balled type opening, some darker passages and a melancholy ending section with some strong lead guitars. On 'Perfect Space' the band drives its jazz/fusion influences to the max, which will perhaps turn of some ' but I like it. The second epic, the 20 minute 'Fallout' is a bit more relaxing, abstract and dreamy. In its second halve the band experiments beautifully with sophisticated chord progressions, which also allows for Holmes' most interesting guitar solo. Conclusion. Without a doubt this will become the progressive album of 2019 and I hope it will inspire a lot of other neo-progressive bands to elaborate and expand on their Marillion/Genesis/Floyd roots and take the music to a next level of artistry. This album will probably outshine the nostalgic likings of many of its listeners, but it may also attract listeners that have previously written off the neo-prog genre. " - ProgArchives
    $15.00