Somewhere beneath the level of timeless masterpiece status lies a group of albums whose quality and merit deserve categorization of something like "near-masterpiece." These are albums that have either achieved a Fishermetric score of between 90.0 and 87.0 or whose high points or quality level make it remarkable enough to remain affixed in my memory.
From the Year 2013, you will find below 17 albums releases deserving, in my opinion, of the "near-masterpiece" designation.
4.5 Stars; Near-Masterpieces
(Ratings of 90.00 to 86.67)
17. ULVER Messe I.X-VI.X
A haunting album of dark ambient music on which the enigmatic masters of doom and gloom team up with the Trømso Chamber Orchestra to produce a soundtrack of majestic and impactful heaviness. Full of subtlety and breathtaking beauty, the album is most unusual for the fact that Kristoffer "Garm" Rygg only sings on two songs--one, "Son of Man" (8:25) (9/20) on which he almost sounds as if he is trying to reach operatic heights, yet, which unfortunately renders the song perhaps the weakest on this powerful album. As a fellow reviewer has written, Garm's vocals almost seem out of place with the song, with this music, with this album. All songs are amazing and reveal more layers and nuances with repeated listens. They all seem to run together into a whole, perhaps this is a concept album? I've heard reference to the Western liturgical forms imitated (or honored) here. The Mozart references in the second half of "Son of Man" seem pretty obvious to me. Perhaps this is the case. Regardless, this is a stunning album--one that can easily suck you in! I love it!
Favorite songs: all but the "X-Files Theme"/trip-hoppy "Glamour Box (Ostinato)" (6:11) (10/10), "Shri Schneider" (5:35) (9/10) and the Eno/Ambient-like "Noche Oscura del Alma" (5:21) (9/10) get me every time.
I go months without listening or even remembering that this album exists, but then every time I do listen I find myself getting sucked in and getting blown away all over again. This is a truly amazing album!
90.0 on the Fish scales = A-/five stars; minor masterpiece of progressive rock music.
18. EMPTY DAYS Empty Days (7 songs + 7 instrumentals)
Another stunning gem from YUGEN/AltrOck/NOT A GOOD SIGN geniuses FRANCESCO ZAGO and PAOLO “SKE” BOTTA this one presenting a collection of gorgeous near-neo chamber music songs focusing on the extraordinary vocal talents of ELAINE DI FALCO (CAVEMAN SHOESTORE/HUGHSCORE, THINKING PLAGUE, Yugen’s Iridule) using musical stylings varying from straight medieval to dark ambient to the avant garde stylings of Iridule and then to straight ahead prog rock of Not a Good Sign as well as a kind of slowed down, vocal-oriented of SKE’s 2011 masterpiece, 1000 autonni.
Five star songs: 1. “Two Views on Flight” (4:17) with its incredible weave of multiple layers of vocals (10/10); 3. the Satie-with-vocals “Words Lurking” (3:12) (10/10); 4. the hauntingly atmospheric “Kurai” (5:50) (9/10); 5. the Kurt Weil-like presentation of John Dowland’s “Flow My Tears” (4:17) with operatic vocalist Rachel O’Brien (9/10); 7. the gorgeously sensitive and melodic, GENESIS-like rendering of the Seamus Heaney poem, “Running Water” (5:04) (10/10); 8. the ALAN STIVELL-like instrumental, “The Ghosts of Dawn” (4:14) (9/10); 9. Elaine De Falco’s utterly haunting rendering of John Dowland’s “In Darkness Let Me Dwell” (4:55) (9/10); 11. the acoustic, female vocal-led remake of NOT A GOOD SIGN’s awesome “Come Back Home” (3:56) (9/10); 12. the awesome interpretation of the sounds of an apocalypse “Waiting for The Crash” (2:08) (10/10); the hauntingly beautiful and richly emotional ambient masterpiece, “This Night Wounds Time” (12:04) (24/25).
Four star songs: the eerie scaled down avant-Nektar-like instrumental 2. “Ankoku” (4:55) (8/10); 10. “A Knife Under The Pillow” (1:22) (4/5); 13. the musical rendering of Viktor Nabokov’s, “A Dark Vanessa” (3:03) (8/10);
An awesome year-end surprise from my favorite music label (AltrOck), one of my favorite modern composers (Francesco Zago), and one of my favorite teams of musical collaborators (Zago and Botta-with the not insignificant contributions of the remarkable Elaine Di Falco).
An immediate hit to my ears, mind and soul, I shall have to wait to see how high Empty Days ends up on my Year End Top Albums list. Probably pretty high.
90.0 on the Fish scales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece out of the AltrOck stable! Thank you, AltrOck for nurturing and promoting the artists that are paving the way for the future of music!
19. NOT A GOOD SIGN Not A Good Sign
This is definitely one of the most melodic, symphonic prog albums I've ever heard released from the AltrOck stable--especially considering the band's members have all previously contributed to some pretty unmelodic, dissonant, experimental Avant/RIO. As others have already pointed out, the keyboard work on this album is stunning; Paolo "SKE" Botto has already proven himself with his contributions to both YUGEN and his own solo project, SKE, but here he really shines--which is saying a lot because all of the instrumental contributors to this album are stellar!
Despite the exemplary, virtuosic play on the album's opener, "Almost I" (6:37) (8/10), I do not find myself really drawn in to the song until the Section beginning with the eery arpeggios (around the 4:31 mark). From there through the end of the KING CRIMSON ITCOTCK-like"Almost II" (3:11) (10/10) the band achieves, IMO, pure prog perfection.
For me, the other highlights of the album are: song 6, "Coming Back Home" (5:49) (10/10), which has a highly melodic and memorable vocal while remaining full-bore prog in its musical flow and attack; the beautiful Genesis-like 4. "Making Stills" (6:41) (10/10); 7. "Flow On" (6:05) (9/10); the album's King Crimson-esque (Red-era) title song (7:54) (9/10); the album-ending instrumental, "Afraid to Ask" (3:05) (8/10); the unusual 'song-within-a-song,' 5. "Witchcraft By A Picture" (7:35) (13/15), featuring the gorgeous voice of North Sea Radio Orchestra's Sharron Fortnum, and; "The Deafening Sound of The Moon" (4:31) (8/10). Wow! That's a 9/10 average over the entire album! It doesn't get much better than that! Guess this one's a real winner!
Fans of 60s-70s King Crimson and Genesis will definitely find a lot to love in this excellent AltrOck/Fading Records release.
90.0 on the Fish scales = 5 stars; a minor masterpiece of progressive rock music. Great consistency, great performances throughout, amazing production.
20. LIFESIGNS Lifesigns
I've held off posting a review or rating for this album for months because I knew, upon first listen, that herein was something special, something that required time to seep into my brain cells. There is such professionalism, such polish and thought and detail gone into this album that it is hard to not want to give it the five star "masterpiece" rating. Yeah, "Telephone" may well be my favorite song of the year and "Carousel" is not far behind, but I have to admit it that the album's other three songs are lacking something. Call it memorable 'hooks' or 'magic' if you like but, despite wonderful compositional and performance displays throughout--and awesome production--and one of my favorite album covers of the year--this album still comes up a bit short of "essential" and "masterpiece." Actually, I find this album most intriguing for the way three things keep drawing my attention (and I have listened to these songs dozens of times): 1) the backup vocalist (whom I believe is Nick Beggs) and vocal arrangements that are so reminiscent of one of the most magical groups at vocal arrangements of all-time, AMBROSIA, 2) the masterful bass/Chapman stick play, and 3) the incredibly alluring flute contributions (which, I believe, are courtesy of Thijs Van Leer).
I wanted so much to find the same magic in all of these well-polished songs that I find in the above two but, alas! it is not to be. I hope against all hopes, however, that John, Nick and "Frosty" feel compelled to give their collaboration one more try. I, for one, will be looking for that release with high interest.
Line-up / Musicians:
- John Young / keyboards, lead vocals, composer & co-producer
- Nick Beggs / bass, Chapman Stick, backing vocals
- Martin "Frosty" Beedle / drums, percussion
- Steve Rispin / co-producing, recording & mixing
With:
- Steve Hackett / lead & acoustic guitars
- Jakko Jakszyk / lead & acoustic guitars
- Robin Boult / lead & acoustic guitars
- Thijs Van Leer / flutes
1. "Lighthouse" (12:51) (21.5/25)
2. "Telephone" (9:16) Nick Beggs gives one of the most amazing ChapmanStick demos in history. (20/20)
3. "Fridge Full Of Stars" (11:18) (17.75/20)
4. "At The End Of The World" (8:23) awesome chords and acoustic guitar and ChapmanStick play. (17.75/20)
5. "Carousel" (11:46) What a Steve Hackett opening! Great keys--from multiple instruments--throughout the middle. Also can't help but love Thijs van Leer's contributions on flute. (22.5/25)
Total Time: 53:34
90.0 on the Fish scales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of progressive rock music. and one of the finest bass/ChapmanStick performances ever put to tape.
21. UNREAL CITY La crudelta di Aprile
A delightful album of new music in the vein of the best musics of the prog rockers of the 1970s except with the energy, awareness and instruments and recording acumen of the 21st Century. As I listen to this collection of melodic, wonderfully constructed and performed songs I am reminded of two of my favorite albums from the past five years: 2009's Preda by Italy's MAD CRAYON and last year's 's Espectro by Brazil's VIOLETA DE OUTONO--the latter which remains my favorite album from 2012 due in large part to the amazing KHAN Space Shanty (my all-time favorite Canterbury album) sounds and feel that no one else, in my opinion, has ever managed to capture and convey so well. Powerful, emotional vocals with the usual Italian flare for bombast and very interesting instrumental mixes.
1. "Dell'innocenza perduta" (7:31) starts with two minutes of uptempo instrumental before a dramatic shift makes way for the listeners treat: an Aldo Tagliapietra (LE ORME)-like vocal set to some gorgeous music. At 5:00 the song shifts again, heading more into a vaudeville-blues rock section--a more rag-time-jazzy almost country rock instrumental section--which eventually includes some wonderful violin playing by guest Fabio Biale. Great ending to an unusual and interesting song. (13.5/15)
2. "Atlantis (Conferendis pecuniis)" (9:51) reminds me so much of C.A.P. (CONSORZIO ACQUA POTABILE)'s amazing "Sulle ali del sogno Odissea" from 2005's Odyssey: The Greatest Tale. It has that epic operatic kind of feel to it. (18.5/20)
3. "Catabasi (Descensio ad Inferos)" (8:00) opens with some powerful church organ accompanied by awesome drum, tubular bells and, later, mellotron and vocal work. At the three minute mark a cello ushers us into an uptempo section which quickly (and unexpectedly) evolves into a kind of SOUIXIE AND THE BANSHEES-performs-The Rocky Horror Picture Show's "Time Warp" section. A very fun song with great performances--especially the vocal and organ. (13.5/15)
4. "Dove la luce e piu intensa" (7:03) is another very dramatic song with great piano/keyboard and vocal performances. (13.5/15)
5. "Ecate (Walpurgisnacht)" (9:00) is full of some very fun Broadway/French cabaret/early BILLY JOEL schmaltz. Very playful, catchy and yet, at the same time, unpredictable. The heavier drum-and-electric-guitar section beginning in the sixth minute culminating in the punk-BOWIE-like rockin' shift at the 7-minute mark is quite sobering--and powerful. (17.75/20)
6. "Horror vacui" (17:53) uses production/engineering treatments on the vocals which I do not enjoy, and just generally just misses on one cylinder or another throughout its epic length. (30.75/35)
90.0 on the Fish scales = A-/five stars for this minor masterpiece of well-crafted, well-performed, entertaining mini-dramas. Keyboard-vocalist Emanuele Tarasconi has one of my favorite singing voices ever.
22. MIDAS FALL Wilderness
Awesome female-led Post Rock with singer/songwriter/guitarist Elisabeth Heaton and Rowan Burn on lead guitar. Ms. Heaton definitely has in her possession one of the most powerful, beautiful, emotionally expressive voices I've heard in a long time. Her voice is so nimble and her singing style so unpredictable that I find myself often thinking that there must be a second voice--or second track--being sung. But it's not so! It's all her! Brilliant and refreshingly different song-writing throughout. Special shout-out to the drummer, Chris Holland: Mark Heron rules!
Five star songs: the haunting, heavy, heart-wrenching, triphoppy opener, 1. "The Unravelling King" (5:37) (10/10); the surprisingly layered, textured 4. "Our World Recedes" (5:21) (10/10); the power vocal and TORI AMOS sound of 9. "BPD" (4:27) (10/10); the sensitive, dreamy and careful finale, "Wilderness" (5:42) (10/10) 6. the short but packs a punch 6. "Fight First" (2:12) (9/10); 3. "Carnival Song" (5:04) (9/10); and, the deceptively delicate, Sarah MacLachlan-like; "The Moon and The Shine" (5:50) (9/10).
90.0 on the Fish scales = five stars; a minor masterpiece of progressive rock music.
The best Math Rock/Post Rock album of 2013.
23. DJAM KARET The Trip
Line-up / Musicians:
- Mike Henderson / electric guitars, EBow, effects
- Mike Murray / electric & acoustic guitars, EBow, effects
- Gayle Ellett / analog & digital synths, organ, Mellotron, Greek bouzouki, flute, field recordings, effects, mixing
- Aaron Kenyon / electric 5-string bass, effects
- Chuck Oken, Jr. / drums & percussion, analog & digital synths, live samples, processing- Mike Murray / electric & acoustic guitars, EBow, effects
- Gayle Ellett / analog & digital synths, organ, Mellotron, Greek bouzouki, flute, field recordings, effects, mixing
- Aaron Kenyon / electric 5-string bass, effects
1. "The Trip" (47:08) (87/95)
Total Time 47:08
Total Time 47:08
At 47 minutes in length, this is a very difficult (though, ultimately, rather enjoyable and sedating) listen and, therefore, also a challenging album to rate. Despite my relatively high rating for the song, I can't say that this album should be counted as a true or even minor masterpiece. It belongs her with the 90.0 "near-masterpieces." Highly recommended though with the caveat that one should definitely be well prepared for the chunk of time one must be willing to dedicate to its proper listening.
24. BEYOND-O-MATIC Relations in the Border Between
Part Canterbury fun, part Komische space rock, this is an eminently enjoyable album, start to finish. With a psychedelic sound reminiscent of the 60s and 70s San Francisco scene (which is, coincidentally, from where this band hails).
1. "In the C" (5:14) is a very GONG-sounding jam with plenty of wild electronic gadgetry playing around in the background throughout. (10/10)
2. "Tick Tock" (2:29) Again, Daevid Allen's GONG is all that comes to mind while listening to this one. (4.5/5)
3. "Wish" (15:38) With this song the band move into the realm of space/psychedelia. (Not that Canterbury bands--especially Gong and Steve Hillage--didn't use space/psychedelia sound palettes and techniques.) (27/30)
4. "In Two Os" (12:57) (21.5/25)
5. "Turn Switch to Trust" (10:43) is a very cool, very spacey, slow and ethereal journey into nether worlds--like a shamanic journey. Wonderful vocal layering throughout this beautiful song. (18/20)
6. "But the Love" (10:04) I love the slow build, "Hurdy Gurdy Man"-wavering of the guitar tracks and poetic lyrics of this one. (17.75/20)
7. "Out the C" (15:52) with all of the stream-of-consciousness chanting and ranting over the first eight minutes I feel like I'm present for a hippy-Gypsy séance. Then it slowly turns into something that sounds like it comes out of the film score of the Coen Brothers' O Brother, Where Art Thou?--becoming a kind of proggy/psychedelic Country/Western-Bluegrass song! Intriguing, gripping song. (27/30)
89.82 on the Fishscales = 4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of progressive rock music.
25. THIEVES' KITCHEN One for Sorrow, Two for Joy
I love Thieves' Kitchen! Vocalist Amy Darby is so unique--kind of a cross between THINKING PLAGUE's vocalist from 1996-2008, Deborah Perry, and the great ANNIE HASLEM. She has a strong, soothing voice that delivers her lyrics clearly, cleanly and yet with a melodic styling that is both unusual and interesting. On this new album the band is joined by some (ex-?) ANGLAGARD members to great effect--Thomas Johnson's keyboards, though mostly serving in a support role, and Anna Holmgren's flute contributions are quite welcome and provide a warmth and fullness that support Amy's vocals quite wonderfully. As always, I absolutely adore the pastoral themes--both musically and lyrically--that Amy and Rob explore.
Favorite songs: the gorgeous epic 5. "Germander Speedwell" (14:32) (30/30) which is a welcome addition to my all-time favorite prog epic list; the simple yet perfect folk song "The Weaver" (4:33) (10/10) and 2. "Deor" (7:51) (13.5/15). 3. "Hypatia" (8:56) (16.5/20), the rather out of place but interesting rocker, 4. "A Fool's Journey" (8:19) (17/20), and the jazzier "Of Sparks and Spires" (12:49) (20.5/25) are each solid, interesting, and pleasurable but only average songs.
89.58 on the Fish scales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece--an album that I'm not (yet) willing to elevate to "masterpiece" status. Give it some more time. Highly recommended.
26. T Psychoanorexia
Ambitious. Clever. Creative. Familiar. Mysteriously (dis-)organized and emotionally distant. This album reminds me quite strongly of 2009's The Underfall Yard by BIG BIG TRAIN, 2011's War and Peace and Other Short Stories by SEAN FILKINS as well as a large part of THE FLOWER KINGS discography in that the musicianship is top notch, the songs are very elaborately constructed, the engineering and production is excellent but, ultimately, something is missing--something in the music that fails to connect with the listener. Whether that is melody, repetition and/or recapitulation, or meaningful/comprehensible use of its extreme dynamics I am not sure. While I connected with the album opener, "The Aftermath of Silence" immediately--and continue to enjoy it start to finish?and liked and now love the third song, "The Irrelevant Love Song", repeated listens under many varied conditions (car ride, headphones, at the computer, iPod while working) to the albums other two epics, "Kryptonite Monologues" and "Psychoanorexia" always leave me numb, irritable, or dumbfounded. Sure, there are many impressive quirks, tricks, and instrumental displays, but the short-term and overall effect of the two songs leave me completely disengaged and disappointed. I cannot criticize or fault their ambitiousness and amazingly mature "band"-like feel to the instrumental performances and mixes, but M. Theilen's complex, meandering music seems to serve a purpose known wholly only to him.
1. "The Aftermath of Silence" (18:13) begins in outer space (Maybe Major Tom's capsule?) before descending into an eight-minute tribute to THE CURE's 1989 masterpiece, Disintegration. At the 9:50 mark, the song's feel shifts rather dramatically, though continuing in a slow, Cure- ish manner, only with treated drums, arpeggiated electric guitar, higher-register bass play, and background Mirek Gil-like blues guitar soloing in the background. In the fourteenth minute there is a brief presence of Jon Anderson's voice before some "strings" and then piano and "brass" take over (how BB TRAIN-ish!) The collaborative weave builds to a nice crescendo at 14:53 before falling away to piano arppegios and the sound of children's voices on a playground in the background. At 15:38 the now familiar--and quite-well- hooked into our brain--vocal melody returns for a minute before a brief cyber-glitch pause ensues before a searing, if brief, guitar solo breaks loose, only to quickly disappear as the song fades out with only the piano's arppegiated chords slowly fades among the background noises of space and playground children. Excellent song start to finish and not overly clever or complicated, with plenty of recurring themes to help us stay engaged. (34/35)
2. "Kryptonite Monologues" (20:47) begins full blast and continues to deliver music at a volume and urgency that reminds me quite a lot of France's NEMO--rocking on the harder edge with quirky, complicated twists and turns in the music, literally stopping and starting on a dime, changing directions (mystifyingly and often frustratingly, even gratingly). I have to admit that I feel somewhat disappointed and almost cheated with M. Theilen's use of effects to mask his natural voice (which I quite like). The sixth minute is quite reminiscent of some of Gabriel-Era GENESIS' more grating, quirky moments ("Get 'em Out by Friday," "The Battle of Epping Forest"). The song's highlight comes at 8:15 when "full orchestra" accompanies a powerful vocal section in a Broadway moment. Alas! It is all too brief. (The most common theme in this and the album's last song.) The vocal babeling of the eleventh and twelfth minutes is mystifying (Oh! So MARILLION!) The next three-chord rock section is a bit over-the-top but then an interesting SIMPLE MINDS/PSYCHEDELIC FURS sections sneaks in and then a quirky synth solos along with Thomas's Bowie voice! Quite a little NEKTAR feel to this fifteenth minute. Then it, too, is gone, replaced by a kind of 80's FIXX guitar strum sound. Then a ROY BUCHANAN/RANDY BACHMAN-like guitar sound solos while a radio-like voice talks in the background. And here is my complaint: All these changes are just so odd! Too what end--what purpose, what reason? At the 15:48 mark begins another SEAN FILKINS/BIG BIG TRAIN section of delicate floating, horn-supported music. Another highlight--and this time T actually sustains it for a full two minutes before drums and other instruments begin joining in. The song then floats down and away into the final two minutes' peaceful section with piano gradually joining in as synth washes and a very-background treated voice continues to sing to the end. Unfortunately, the beauty of the last three minutes cannot make up for the confusion of rest of the song. (34/40)
3. "The Irrelevant Love Song" (8:09) is a rather straightforward song that reminds me quite a little of some of the more recent work of PHIDEAUX or STEVEN WILSON. Great use of rhythms, more gradual dynamic shifts and the best vocal on the album--such a strong voice in this mid- to low- range--all built over a very insistent low chord progression (anyone else here LED ZEPPELIN guitar chord progression?) Solid song start to finish. (13.5/15)
4. Like PORCUPINE TREE's Fear of a Blank Planet, T's fourth and final song, the album's title song, , I think this will be remembered for being so perfectly exemplary of its day and time. The catch words and colloquialisms (in English) from our current cyber-world as well as the chaotic, high-stress edgi-ness to the music does give it some power. In bursts and segments. (34.75/40)
Again, though I appreciate the tremendous effort and skill that went into the creation of this album of sophisticated music, there are too many twists, turns, and sections that fail to take me in and keep me engaged. And I miss the blatant David Bowie-like vocals T employed more (and with great effect) on Anti-Matter Poetry. Obviously there is some personal, subjective reasoning for this, but at the same time, not unlike the albums mentioned in my opening paragraph, the flaw of failing to achieve and maintain personal attachment makes this album difficult for me to rate "a masterpiece."
89.42 on the Fish scales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of progressive rock music.
27. THE WORM OUROBOROS Of Things That Never Were
Another Belarus band supported by the AltrOck Productions umbrella (though, officially released under the AltrOck subsidiary, Fading Records), here releasing their debut album.
Line-up / Musicians:
- Sergey Gvozdyukevich / keyboards, acoustic guitar, bass, flutes, vocals
- Vladimir Sobolevsky / electric & acoustic guitars
- Alexey Zapolsky / bass
- Eugene Zarkhin / drums
With:
- Vitaly Appow / reeds
1. "L'Impasse Sainte Bérégonne" (4:26) pompous and jagged, this is a prog song with avant-jazz leanings. (8.75/10)
2. "Shelieth" (8:28) coming across like a Canterbury style song--though more in the SETNA style--here is a song that soothes in an old 1970s smooth jazz-rock fusion kind of way. Jazz electric guitar takes the lead over the first three minutes before relinquishing it to a spacey synth in the fourth and a nose-flute-like synth in the fifth. Despite the overall Canterbury feel that the underlying Fender Rhodes gives this, there are instances in which I'm reminded of other bands like Focus and Styx and Camel--this latter especially in the searing "Rhyader"-like guitar solo of the seventh minute. Nice song! (18.75/20)
3. "Ladybird on a Moebius Strip" (1:47) electrified acoustic guitar being picked while flutes play over the top. Very pretty. Again, kind of CAMEL-esque. (4.5/5)
4. "The Pear-Shaped Man" (5:16) pensive foundation to this before accented English voice enters and sings about the pear-shaped man. A cross between Camel and Focus that entertains but will not get many rotations into my playlists despite its nice instrumental third minute. (8.5/10)
5. "Dawn Angel" (2:03) acoustic guitar and electrified acoustic guitar weave a nice little English-sounding folk tune with their interlaced picking. Nice though nothing extraordinary. (4.25/5)
6. "Pirates in Pingaree" (7:43) more instrumental symphonic music sounding very much like CAMEL and FOCUS--sounds and shifting motifs quite like both bands. There's even a little JTULL and KCRIMSON in there. (13/15)
7. "The Magi" (1:43) electrified acoustic guitar and flute weaving a little English folk tune together. At 0:45 Sergey Gvozdyukevich enters singing in a bit of a Ian Anderson or Scottish folk singer's lilting voice. Again, I am surprised to be hearing English. (4.25/5)
8. "Soleil Noir" (6:10) gentle four chord progression within which dirty Fender, electrified acoustic guitar, maletted toms and simple bass support Sergey's Gentle Phil Collins-like voice in a very "One for the Vine"-like performance. For the first four minutes, the music is disappointingly simple--again, not unlike the music of half of Wind and Wuthering--but then it gets harsh as Sergey and Co. try a kind of "The Knife"-like breakout of aggression. It kind of works. Still, nice performance by Sergey. (8.5/10)
9. "The Curfew" (7:42) ominous muscal base over which Sergey enters singing in some low Native American-sounding chants. Interesting! This is theatric in a kind of PETER HAMMILL kind of way. At 2:28 there is a shift into a more full-band structure to support Sergey's continued attempts to channel his dead Siberian ancestors. Too bad the music is so simple, otherwise this could be interesting. inNot even the LAtimer/Akkerman lead guitar melody and solo in the fifth minute can save this one (the foundational music established and maintained by the rhythm section is too disco-corny). Okay Hammond solo in the sixth and seventh minutes, nothing special. (13/15)
10. "Return to the Cold Sea of Nothing" (9:50) nice late-1960s bluesy psych rock sound established in the first minute that includes Wurlitzer organ and reed winds. Sergey enters singing in a theatric kind of voice reminiscent of classic prog artists like Eroc! (Grobschnitt), Doroccus (Babylon), Geoff Mann (Twelfth Night), Fish, Dave Cousins, Frank Bournemann, Greg Lake, Ian Anderson, and Peter Gabriel. The music has quite an early GENTLE GIANT feel to it due to the strong presence of the various reeds. (18/20)
11. "Hope" (2:22) another folk song with nice acoustic guitar and flute interplay. Very pretty. (4.5/5)
Total Time 57:30
Boy! AltrOck sure knows how to pick 'em! And the production is always of the very highest quality, which helps. The musicians here are quite proficient performing these fairly sophisticated songs--many of which are quite melodic and engaging.
89.38 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of retro sounding symphonic progressive rock music that would be a welcome addition to any prog lover's music collection.
28. INGRANAGGI DELLA VALLE In hoc signo
These are some of the things I find myself thinking over and over during my dozens of listens to this amazing album:
1. Is this album introducing us to the "new" Bill Bruford--young drummer extraordinaire, Shanti Colucci? (Answer: We shall see!)
2. What if the lineup(s) of mid-1970s JEAN-LUC PONTY (Aurora, Imaginary Voyage, Enigmatic Ocean, and Cosmic Messenger) and that of late 1970s BRUFORD (Feels Good To Me, One of A Kind) merged? (Answer: It would sound like a lot of this album!)
3. What if George Duke or Jan Hammer had played with Jean Luc Ponty, Allan Holdsworth, Jeff Berlin, Dave Stewart and Bill Bruford? (Answer: It would sound like much of this!)
4. What would a progressive rock album trying to seriously and intelligently convey the concept of Christian Europe's mediæval Crusades sound like? (Answer: This!)
5. Isn't it great and wonderful that intelligent, talented, young musicians of today are getting into playing/performing prog?! (Answer: YES! It's awesome!)
6. What is in the air/water/food of Italy that so many great prog albums are being released there in the past couple years? (Answer: Unknown/Yet to be determined.)
Perhaps later I will go through a detailed, song-by-song, moment-by-moment account of my experience while listening to this incredibly rich and diverse album, but for now just suffice to say that I consider this not only a masterpiece of progressive rock composition but also a masterful rendering of a very challenging historical concept and a breathtaking and refreshing introduction to a brilliant and virtuosic group of young musicians. There is certainly room for these guys to grow (i.e. better transitions within songs, better vocal layers/harmonies, let those amazing end-of-song jams play out instead of fading them out on the mixing board) but then, what "classic" prog "masterpiece" from the 70s is without its flaws. (I know that I have yet to meet a flawless album.) Mega kudos to Igor, Mattia, Flavio, Marco, Shanti, and others. I hope you will consider staying together to do some more prog--you are so talented!
89.10 on the Fish scales = 4.5 stars--a near masterpiece. Check out these YouTube links: "Kairuv'an" (6:08) (10/10); "Musqat (Masqat)" (5:18) (9/10); "Mare in tempesta" (3:16) (9/10), and; "Finale" (9:33) (18/20).
A collection of very strong crossover Prog songs with wonderful melodies, great structural and instrumental hooks in the vein of PORCUPINE TREE, AIRBAG, PINK FLOYD, and even a little bit of THE WHO. 2. "Go" (3:02) (7/10) takes me back to the 70s Fripp-assisted work of Peter Gabriel or Brian Eno. Some of the songs (like 3. "Out There" [6:00] [8/10], 6. "Everywhere Face" [4:37] [9/10], and especially 8. "Breathless" [8:20] [18/20]) sound so much like STEVEN WILSON/PORCUPINE TREE that it almost could be. (Is "Flicker" yet another Steven Wilson project??!!) Listening to the gorgeous Satie- and Rachmaninoff-inflected 9. "Is This Real Life?" (6:35) (9/10) I thought I was listening to RADIOHEAD (or STEVE WILSON)!
- Ellis Mordecai / vocals, guitars
- Andrew Day / guitars
- Peter Coussens / bass
- Andrew Day / guitars
- Peter Coussens / bass
- Vaughan Abrey / drums
1. "Out There" (6:00) (8.25/10)
2. "My Empty Head" (6:43) one of the more original sounding songs on the album (13.5/15)
3. "Counting Time" (7:31) the other most original sounding song and one of my top Three. (14.5/15)
4. "Breathless" (8:20) (18/20)
5. "Intro" (1:45) (4.5/5)
6. "Go" (2:59) (8/10)
7. "Falling Down" (5:48) sounds like either ANATHEMA or Marco Glühmann/SYLVAN (8.75/10)
2. "My Empty Head" (6:43) one of the more original sounding songs on the album (13.5/15)
3. "Counting Time" (7:31) the other most original sounding song and one of my top Three. (14.5/15)
4. "Breathless" (8:20) (18/20)
5. "Intro" (1:45) (4.5/5)
6. "Go" (2:59) (8/10)
7. "Falling Down" (5:48) sounds like either ANATHEMA or Marco Glühmann/SYLVAN (8.75/10)
8. "Is This Real Life" (6:35) orchestra hall Radiohead? (8.75/10)
9. "Everywhere Face" (4:37) (9/10)
Total time 54:08
9. "Everywhere Face" (4:37) (9/10)
Total time 54:08
I have to admit that this is a very, very nice set of songs--especially for a debut album. Though often a bit familiar, they all stand on their own--are not total 'remakes' or ripoffs of the groups that they sound like.
88.81 on the Fish scales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of progressive rock music.
P.S. Anyone else out there think they're hearing the voice of Pete Townsend singing on "Out There"?
30. KARNIVOOL Asymmetry
Warning: This is an album that requires headphones or a very good speaker system in order to fully appreciate! With Karnivool’s third release, Asymmetry, I am seeing a lot of growth, a lot of branching out in terms of influences and styles. There is still a lot of TOOL/MAYNARD JAMES KEENAN similarities-especially in the wonderful voice of singer, Ian Kenny--but add to that more THE MARS VOLTA/OMAR LOPEZ-RODRIGUEZ, OPETH/MIKHAEL AKERFELD, and OCEANSIZE as well as an incredibly full palette display of engineering techniques, all the while maintaining clear access to the individual instrumental tracks in what could have been a murky, soupy mess.
In my opinion this is an aural and sonic masterpiece; the band has easily surpassed their wonderful 2009 album, Sound Awake. New producer, Nick DiDia, has helped the band achieve incredible new heights.
1. “Aum” (2:22) is a kind of spacey meditative intro. Not much really to like or dislike.
2. “Nachash” (4:50) (Link to video of live performance from Moshcam) sees the band move straight into its TOOL-like territory but then they back off into some very delicate, spacey territory. There is an awesome vocal section beginning at 3:25 with “Wait!” and then culminating in a great guitar scream before the return to the original high octane pace and sound. The two guitars battle it out with Judd’s drum play for the finale. Awesome. (9/10)
3. “A.M. War” (5:18) opens with a catchy metallic guitar arpeggio riff before the bottomed-out bass and rest of the band join in full force, full throttle. The song overall reminds me of OCEANSIZE Frames era. (9/10)
4. “We Are” (5:56) begins with a little bit of techno-funk similar to some of Omar Rodriguez’s solo work. I just love Jon Stockman’s bass play throughout this song. I also love the impassioned vocal, the background keyboard flourishes and the almost “incidental” electric guitar embellishments. Great engineering/production on this, one of the most impressive songs I’ve heard all year! (10/10)
5. “The Refusal” (4:54) has a very heavy edge to it, like something I’d hear on OCTANE radio—Skillet or TMV—even in the bare bones section beginning at 2:05 there is a MAYNARD-like edge. Again, awesome engineering and production throughout the last two minutes. (8/10)
6. “Aeons” (7:18) begins with some spacey, echoed tremolo guitar notes before synth and amazing bass and drums join in. Incredible beginning! Delicate singing voice enters at 1:15 to tell us that he doesn’t feel so well. Amazing use of heavy, thick instrumental sounds balanced by an empty spaciousness that is simply stunning! Gorgeous floating guitar in the first mid-song interlude before the TMV-like barrage of sound enters again. Another stepped down section fills the sixth minute as the vocalist sings about chemical fires signaling our death. Another favorite. (10/10)
7. “Asymmetry” (2:36) uses an odd sound loop to gradually set up some heavily distorted free form guitar play. The top-notch engineering of this album again comes shining through. (9/10)
8. “Eidolon” (3:45) offers a very catchy MUSE-like song—rather sedate when compared to the previous lineup. Again, I love all of the amazing incidentals running through the spaces and background of the music. (9/10)
9. “Sky Machine” (7:49) opens with some gorgeous multi-layered singing supported by delicate guitar and awesome drumming. A little EDGE/U2 feel to this song though the vocal is like some of MAYNARD JAMES KEENAN’s most sensitive. Even the more amped up section beginning at 5:30 is quite extraordinary for its beauty and sensitivity. Awesome song. Love this guitar work. (9/10)
10. “Amusia” (0:54) is another off-kilter sonic interlude which bleeds into/sets up
11. “The Last Few” (5:15) opens up Karnivool’s new TOOL/TMV meld style: quite intricately planned, complicated, layered music with a more polished version of the raw freneticism of Omar and co. The vocal and melody is, unfortunately, a little weaker than the previous offerings, giving the song a bit of a flat feel to it. (8/10)
12. “Float” (4:17) carries over a psychedelia feel from the ending of the previous song for its first 30 seconds before emptying out with a spacey treated guitar almost as if KLAUS SCHULZE were manipulating the delicate guitar play of 1974 STEVE HACKETT. Kenny’s masterful vocal remains in his highest registers throughout the song. The space-treated instrumentation is quite effective. (9/10)
13. “Alpha Omega” (7:57) put an emotional Maynard James Keenan singing over some acid drawn out Led Zepellin being played by OPETH and I think this is what you might get. (9/10)
14. “Om” (3:52) is another odd, spacey instrumental using dissonance and random piano notes tied together only through their chromatic commonality to bookend. In the second half there is being played a tape recorded interview RE empathy and bliss, the common sound and color beneath it all. (9/10)
Unlike some of my fellow reviewer here on PA, I am finding that this album is haunting me—staying with me and drawing me back for more plays of “We Are” and Aeons” and “Float” and “Alpha Omega” and “Nachash” and even the poppier “Eidolon.” Asymmetry is easily one of the most unique and memorable albums I’ve heard this year. I think special mention must go out to each of the individual musicians involved with this album—including the engineer and producer. Steve Judd’s drumming is always solid and idiosyncratic. Jon Stockman’s bass stylings are amazingly diverse and always interesting. Guitarists Goddard and Hosking are amazing in their sound palettes, temperaments, and mature ability to hold back, reserve, instead of always flash and flourish. The “risks” taken in these compositions and performances can only be described as mature and virtuosic. The “asymmetry” of heavy mixed with delicate and subtle, virtuosic flash mixed with astoundingly simple is masterful. In my humble opinion, these are some of the finest, freshest proggers on the planet and they have created one of the best albums of 2013.
88.6 on the Fish scales = 4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece.
31. KOSMOS Salattu Maailma
Salattu Maailma is an album of diverse folk-rock from Finnish band, Kosmos, stretching from outright progressive rock of the opener to more of a country-folk of “Loitsu,” to pastoral prog folk like “Simpukka,” then to a more eerie ballad form of “Tuuli” and then to the realm of psychedlia with “Uni.” All of it is very nicely composed, performed and recorded.
“Salattu Maailma” (“A Hidden World”) (6:59) begins with a very MOODY BLUES/IN THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING feel and sound. When lead vocalist, Päivi Kylmänen arrives, the instrumental support includes beautifully finger-picked acoustic guitar, simple drum and bass with intermittent flute. Mellotron returns during the harmonized chorus. The instrumental C section between 3:05 and 4:30 is gorgeous and surprises us with a treated spoken voice in its middle. I cannot imagine a prog folk song being more beautiful or perfect than this one. (15/15) (Sorry that the YouTube link is only to a sample--the first three minutes--of the song.)
“Simpukka” (“Seashell”) (4:07) opens with the sound of waves and seagulls at the seashore. A finger-picked acoustic guitar gently introduces a “Here comes The Sun”-like melody and sound before Päivi joins in to punctuate this George Harrison theme. A very pretty folk song accented by flutes and a little Mellotron. (8/10)
“Loitsu” (“Incantation”) (4:13) incorporates a much more straightforward folk-rock sound with strongly strummed acoustic guitar accompanied by drums, bass and, of course, the delicate vocals of Päivi Kylmänen. In the third minute a fiddle pops in for a folksy solo. Nothing very proggy, exceptional or even memorable about this one. (6/10)
“Pelli” (“The Mirror”) (3:28) is a traditional sounding folk song which happens to beautifully showcase Päivi’s extraordinary vocal talents. I am here reminded of Sandy Denny, Jane Relf, and the other female masters of the 60s folk rock tradition. (9/10)
“Tuuli” (“The Wind”) (7:04) opens sounding very much like a classic JOHN MARTYN song—complete with that haunting Echoplex guitar sound. The chorale voice approach used here is also incredibly effective for reinforcing the eery feel of the song’s opening. At 2:30 the song shifts as strumming acoustic guitar and bass and drums take over instrumental support for the “chorale” vocal singer/story-tellers. Melotron sneaks in during the fifth minute in a MOODY BLUES kind of way. Fiddler reappears for a pleasant solo in the sixth minute, giving the song more of a Celtic feel than it may have had before. (9/10)
“Uni” (“A Dream”) (7:35) opens with the sounds one would associate with war-time air raid: sirens, bombs, screams, and the surprising silence and stillnesses of the bewildering aftermath. At 1:30 a male spoken voice begins telling a story over the sparse and discordant musical notes and sounds lilting in the back- and foreground. Near the three minute mark a gentle bass, almost imperceptible organ, Hammond synth/organ take over the song’s soundscape—periodically joined by a n early-FRIPP-like fuzz guitar. (13.5/15)
“Takaisin Virtaan” (“Back to The Stream”) (5:21) has very much the same feel and sound as the Rolling Stones’ classic “You Can’t Always Get What You Wanted”—same melody line and same pace, hand percussion use. Nice song but a little too familiar. (7/10)
Salaattu Maailma is a beautiful, though short album with some quite pleasant and memorable music by the angelic voice of 60s throwback Päivi Kylmänen. Back to the beginnings of Prog Folk.
88.125 on the Fish scales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of progressive rock music.
32. ANNA VON HAUSSWOLFF Ceremony
An early album by this future master of gothic psycho-spiritual expression. Here she was in her 27th year but, methinks, only still learning how to navigate through collaborative "band" formats and studio album recording techniques in a leadership capacity.
Line-up / Musicians:
- Anna von Hausswolff / vocals, grand piano, church organ, synth, composer
With:
- Xenia Kriisin / zither, vocals (10,12)
- Maria von Hausswolff / vocals (8-10,13)
- Karl Vento / guitar
- Daniel Ögren / guitar, clavioline
- Filip Leyman / synths, percussion, production & mixing
- Christopher Cantillo / drums
1. "Epitaph Of Theodor" (5:25) a little too simplistic for its first half. Then as guitar and other instruments are added it starts to come to life. (8.5/10)
2. "Deathbed" (8:38) brilliant organ work precedes a vocal that Grace Slick would be proud of. Great tune. A portent of things to come (as she continues to grow in confidence). Uplifting final minute (perhaps reflective of Anna's philosophy of death?). A t0p three song for me. (18/20)
3. "Mountains Crave" (3:35) bouncy organ chords with syncopated claps and Anna singing about her wonderment of the possible conscious perspectives of mountains. How do we know? I like the way Anna's mind works but the musical structure is a bit too simplistic, not even minimalistic--like early Dead Can Dance. (8/10)
4. "Goodbye" (6:16) the pipe organ music here is so beautiful, so nuanced, that, in my opinion, it would have been enough to just isolate it as an instrumental. The engineering "placement" and effects chosen for her singing voice are, in my opinion, a poor match for the pipe organ--at least until the very end where it gets all garbled (intentionally) and sinks into the organ weave. More like this ending, please! (8.875/10)
5. "Red Sun" (3:17) now here is a song that is fully built around the vocal--and perfectly so. This is a sign of Anna mastering her craft--mastering her gifts--learning how to package them into a harmonious whole. Another top three song. (9/10)
6. "Epitaph Of Daniel" (3:10) gentle minor organ arpeggi chords support dreamy, floating "Hawaiian" guitar. The inclusion of snare drums is genius. (9/10)
7. "No Body" (2:33) very cool droning low notes and industrial effects. This definitely conveys the possibility of spiritual life as heavy and thick. Again, I love the way this artist thinks! (4.5/5)
8. "Lithurgy Of Light" (5:01) floating soundscape of multiple finger-picked arpeggiating guitars beneath Anna's rather bluesy vocal. Nice. Anna showing that she can definitely crossover into other musical styles and subgenres--this one American torch song. Nice harmony vocal from Maria (sister? mother?) von Hausswolff. (8.5/10)
9. "Harmonica" (4:22) hand-on-body percussion supports finger play with what sounds like an old, dismembered and untuned piano or zither-like instrument. In the second minute strummed guitar and Anna and Maria's haunting voices take over. Lap-held clay drums join in with the second verse. This sounds totally like a traditional folk song. Pretty. (8.75/10)
10. "Ocean" (5:44) multiple piano tracks sounding Brian Eno/Harold Budd-like (like wind chimes blowing on the porch) with horn-like sound of a hunting horn making wolf-like sounds in the background. I get the title's reference, but this feels so much more about the sounds one might hear from a rustic coastal cabin--until Anna (and Maria) enter with their singing voices. There is, again, a feel of a kind of Americana folk tradition going on here--like the Old Time music represented in the Coen Brothers' O Brother Where Art Thou? or by the Blind Boys from Alabama. (8.75/10)
11. "Sova" (3:24) pipe organ and effected percussives open this before Anna's celestial voice adds accents and operatic flourishes---playing on the title word. Beautiful! What a voice! Again, I am reminded of early Dead Can Dance here. Nice "raw" guitar sound used in the instrumental final minute. A top three song for me. (9/10)
12. "Funeral For My Future Children" (4:42) starting with a more Celtic hand- and bass-drum percussion track, pipe organ and incidental guitar strums and picking join in to support Anna's dirging singing. Once again, her song and performance conjure up old (even ancient) musical traditions. (à la DEAD CAN DANCE.) Great percussion performance. (8.75/10)
13. "Sun Rise" (4:52) more floating guitar and synth play to create another very soothing, dreamy soundscape. Anna and Maria come in singing in a melody and style that fully imitates that of Elizabeth Fraser's famous cover of Tim Buckley's "Song to the Siren" (in the guise of the 4 A.D. record label's This Mortal Coil configuration). Well met! (8.75/10)
Total Time 60:59
Total Time 60:59
87.59 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; and excellent addition to any prog lover's music collection.
33. INNER EAR BRIGADE Rainbro
COS and STEREOLAB comingled and recorded for the first time!
Just kidding. This album is, however, for our times, quite unusual. At first I thought it "cute" and "interesting" but as I've given it many more listens I hear so much of two of my favorite "recent" or rather late in life joy-bringing discoveries in Canterbury styled music (of which there is so little coming out in the 21st Century) and, more specifically, the music of the unique Belgian group, COS. Actually, if you took 1970s COS and 2000 STEREOLAB you would have INNER EAR BRIGADE. Vocalist Melody Ferris sounds stylistically a bit like Kitchen Thieves’ AMY DARBY or Thinking Plague’s ELAINE DI FALCO, though the PASCALE SON (COS) and LAETITIA SADIER (STEREOLAB) comparisons are unavoidable. And these guys are from West Coast USA!
This is an album of pure joy and fun. Even the extended jazz grooves with their serious and accomplished horn play and solos are fun.
The opener, 1. “Knee” (5:02) is such an ear catcher! Sounds a bit like an ELVIS COSTELLO song as it might be performed by STEREOLAB. (9/10)
2. "Oompah" (5:07) has some KC AND THE SUNSHINE BAND riffs and influence as well as feeling like some of FROGG CAFE's most CHICAGO-ishness. (8/10)
3. "Missing the Train" (3:41) feels a lot like a song coming from the 1960s Brazilian-influenced period of U.S. pop jazz. (8/10)
4. "Rainbro" (5:01) is perhaps my least favorite song on the album. It has more of a "bland" Stereolab feel to it--the melodies and chord changes are not quite as catchy as other songs--though I love the final 30 seconds. (7/10)
5. "Too Good to Be True" (4:12) has some social-political commentary like that commonly found in Stereolab songs as well as some nice XTC-like jazz guitar sound/work. (8/10)
6. "Somnambulist Subversion" (4:36) uses two long-out-dated instrumental effects: the cheesy synth and the ragged distortion strum of a punk-like guitar that begin the song. Once voice, horns and percussives, tuned and untuned, join in, the song takes on a more early Elvis Costello sound and feel. (9/10)
7. “Nutjob" (3:14) is an instrumental that begins in a tight Canterbury fashion: whole band chord staccato progression before settling down into a pleasant kind of jazz beat to support trade off solos from horns, Farfisa organ & crazy synths, distorted and jagged guitars, tuned percussives. (9/10)
8. “Forgotten Planet” (6:02) is my favorite. It begins with flute and tight Stereolab-like rhythm bass with vocalist Melody Ferris’s scatting Pascale Son (COS)-like. Wonderful Canterbury song! (10/10)
9. “Dirty Spoons” (5:13) begins with an acoustic guitar playing an arpeggiated chord sequence that is just heart-wrenchingly beautiful. Bandleader Bill Wolter is gradually joined by the rhythm section, keyboards and horns--which take over the presentation of the melodies on this awesome instrumental. Parts have an almost Acid Jazz feel to it, only without the house downbeat. Another favorite. (10/10)
10. “25 Miles to Freedom” is notable for both its length (10:31) and its different jazz beat--like a kletzmer-meets-Philip-Glass or like the 1988 Pat Metheny-Steve Reich collaboration on “Different Trains.” Melody Ferris’s jazzy vocals aren’t quite as warm or alluring on this one--and actually make it obvious that on this particular song it’s the instrumental sections that are the standouts--like the violin, sax, and vibraphone trio in the seventh minute, or the STEELY DAN-like sax solo in minute number eight. (18/20)
My favorite songs in which Melody’s voice shine are the wordless “Forgotten Planet,” “Missing The Train,” “Oompah,” “Knee,” and “Rainbro.” The more I listen to this album, in a variety of locations, the more I think that this is, in fact, a masterpiece of progressive rock music. (My favorite listening venue thus far has been in the car, uninterrupted highway driving.) This could be slightly tainted by the fact that the album gets better and better with each song, but could be also because I am so craving upbeat, happy prog--kind of like what we lost with the fadeout of the Canterbury Scene.
87.0 on the Fish scales = 4.5 stars of fun, intelligent, joy and for resurrecting fresh, jazzy, Canterbury music.
The Rankings for 2013
1. HOMUNCULUS RES Limiti all'eguaglianza della Parte con il Tutto
2. SETNA Guérison
3. AIRBAG The Greatest Show on Earth
4. EDISON'S CHILDREN The Final Breath Before November
2. SETNA Guérison
3. AIRBAG The Greatest Show on Earth
4. EDISON'S CHILDREN The Final Breath Before November
5. FIVE-STOREY ENSEMBLE Not This City
6. MIDLAKE Antiphon
7. TIRILL Um Himinjǫður
8. THE GABRIEL CONSTRUCT Interior City
9. CORDE OBLIQUE Per le strade ripetute
10. STELLARDRONE Light Years
11. BROTHER APE Force Majeure
12. MIDDAY VEIL The Current
13. SOLSTICE Prophecy
14. THE PSYCHEDELIC ENSEMBLE The Tale of The Golden King
15. LIZARD Master & M
16. VOTUM Harvest Moon
17. ULVER Messe I.X-VI.X
18. EMPTY DAYS Empty Days
19. NOT A GOOD SIGN Not A Good Sign
20. LIFESIGNS Lifesigns
21. UNREAL CITY La crudelta di Aprile
22. MIDAS FALL Wilderness
23. DJAM KARET The Trip
24. BEYOND-O-MATIC Relations in the Border Between
25. THIEVES' KITCHEN One for Sorrow, Two for Joy
26. T Psychoanorexia
26. T Psychoanorexia
27. THE WORM OUROBOROS Of Things That Never Were
28. INGRANAGGI DELLA VALLE In hoc signo
29. FLICKER How Much Are You Willing to Forget?
30. KARNIVOOL Asymmetry
31. KOSMOS Salattu Maailma
32. ANNA VON HAUSSWOLFF Ceremony
33. INNER EAR BRIGADE Rainbro
Honorable Mentions:
THE GATHERING Afterwords
HAMMOCK Oblivion Hymns
HAKEN The Mountain
MOTORPSYCHO Still Life with Eggplant
ARABS IN ASPIC 2 Pictures in a Dream
SCARLET STORIES Scarlet Stories
FROMUZ Sodom & Gomorrah
STEVEN WILSON The Raven That Refused to Sing (and Other Stories)
VIENNA CIRCLE Silhouette Moon
THE WORM OUROBOROS Of Things That Never Were
LA COSCIENZA DI ZENO Sensitivà
No comments:
Post a Comment