Four surrpising CD's three new finds plus one unexpected comeback
Aftermath - No Time To Waste
Aftermath came to me via a mailing list I am on. It described the band as Technical Progressive Thrash Metal. Well that got me interested as within thrash I am most drawn towards the technical progressive bands. Listening to the videoclip that was attaced We Can Do This Together I found Aftermath not all that technical, but something did grasp my attention and interest anyway. The album is angry pointing towards many things that are wrong in the world, which is a very thrash ting to do. Most songs have a catchy shouting choruss where the songtitle is often repeated. I can see Aftermath playing live for an audience knowing their songs and an absolute party emerging. They even manage to turn Give Peace a Chance into a reasonable heavy song (see clip on Youtube). Not the tech fest I expected, but as different and interesting in my collection. Bought the previous album (2019 Ther is Something Wrong) along, now chasing their 94 debut Eyes of Tomorrow for completion reasons as the three make up a trilogy apparently.
Ice Age - Waves of Loss and Power
Now this was a surpise. I thought Ice Age long ceased to exist. They came with two strong albums in 1999 and 2001. In 2004 they played Headway Festival, but due to family circumstances I only went one day and opted for the Watchtower/Death Machine day. Then it went quiet. Until this album was suddenly announced. Ice Age sound still the same being either a heavier Styx or a lighter Dream Theater. As I like both bands this also suits me fine. I forgot a bit about them, but when I read the tracklist including Perpetual Child Part II lots came back. Perpetual Child the opener of their debut album is one of the best opening tracks in progmetal from that time. With To Say Goodbye Part IV and V they further refer to their first two albums. The two short songs on teh album have a double meaning. It is nice to hear them more to the point, but the chorusses lack expression to me. Still a very welcome return and one fine album this is.
Lunar - The Illusionist
This band came to me via Jon Asher's hints and is at the moment the album that I play most. With this one more playing means discovering more and you will be rewarded. What an absolute gem of a progmetal concept album this is. An ilussionist questioning his path in life and choices made. This all packed in nine stunning songs. The band starts off instrumental, but goes from grunts to jazzy intermezzos to all out progmetal. Already their third album the members and guests come also from all kind of ranges. OK one line of bandname dropping being it either full members or guests just to point at an impossible direction: Exmortus, Witherfall, Obscura, Caligula's Horse, Mors Principium Est, Thank You Scientist and Gleb. So no common ground there and still the album is very focussed and flowing smoothly. This really is one to check out yourself and get thereafter on CD. Well I was lucky here as shipping doubled CD price, but I won a pricedraw for their second album and could add this one without postage costs. So what you see on the picture above must one of the few CD's that made it to Europe. For now I am guessing this one will return very high on my end of year list. Check them out on Bandcamp or Youtube.
Martin Miller - Maze of My Mind
Sometimes it only needs one raving review and one song on Youtube to convince me. Especially if the review is written in depth by Matt-the manofmuchmetal. So I ordered one of the 300 availale CD's immediately as I understood this might well turn into a collectors item if Martin breaks big. It seems that he is known on Yotube from cover versions of eighties bands in the pop/prog/hardrock corner. He even comes to Utrecht playing in May, but I am attending Toxik that night. Also Martin informed me, that this will be an evening of covers with his band. Musically two bands are mentioned often as comparison, but read Matt's review to find out who they are. I would like to add Boston as the mix of AOR with hardrock and often stunning guitars is here. Martin also sings and does so very well. The album holds only five songs, but lasts 40 minutes so that's a nice average, without any second you find yourself drifting away. Definitely one of the more interesting finds for those who like there prog rock heavy or progmetal light, while not shying away from a healthy dose of AOR either. Now hope he comes back playing his own material, since who needs covers, when the originals are this strong?
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