Some Progressive Metal recommendations.
Teramaze - Are We Soldiers
Australian band Teramaze are back and convince yet again. Return of an old vocalist, same old style of accessible progressive metal with good melodies. The main strength of this album to me lies in the fact that you can go all directions. Put on headphones read along with the lyrics, or just play it on the background while reading the papers. This album is pleasant to the ears under all circumstances. In Aardschok they even made it to album of the month. I do understand that it might appeal to many, but there is a but to me. Their previous album Her Halo was even better. Maybe a bit of time makes this one grow and for sure seeing them live at PPE shall help. Good old progmetal packed in catchy songs is always welcome really. So check this one out.
Howling Sycamore - Seven Pathways to Annihilation
Howling Sycamore are back fast after releasing their self titled debut album last year. Now that album made it to number two of my favorites of the year list, so hopes were high. Well Howling Sycamore does not disappoint as again they released a killer album. Contrary to Teramaze here above, this definitely is no easy listening progmetal. You need all your senses on alert to get these seven pathways (or songs) to annihilation fully. Jason McMaster on vocals is in top form, just listen to the first minute of opener Mastering Fire and the emotion in his screams does get under your skin. Davide Tiso is all over the place again and Hannes Grossmann is filling up the basis with his marvelous drumming. This music is hard to describe, and hard to get into (explaining the low position on Aardschok reviewers panel probably). Yet if you take the time, like me you might find an album among your favorites of the year to treasure. And when you read the booklet you find that the beautiful guitar closing almost ballad Second Sight is played by none other than Marty Friedman. They did it again!!
Nocturnus AD - Paradox.
This is an old band who made a come back. Now I missed them completely thirty years ago as I was not ready for grunting vocals yet at the time. In comes Rune with his online Progfiles show. I only found out recently and can not listen every last Monday of the month, yet I do discover many new bands each show. So this is on the heavier end he likes and plays on the show and technically it is way more Tech Death than progmetal. Anyway I loved the song The Return of the Lost Key and decided to find out more about them. Well that resulted in a quick order of this album. Mixing the Death Metal with futuristic themes a band like Atheist comes to mind for me. Their also is a certain story telling in both songs and lyrics, and the total just works for me. Thanks Rune for the tip and I might be digging into their past anytime soon.
Australian band Teramaze are back and convince yet again. Return of an old vocalist, same old style of accessible progressive metal with good melodies. The main strength of this album to me lies in the fact that you can go all directions. Put on headphones read along with the lyrics, or just play it on the background while reading the papers. This album is pleasant to the ears under all circumstances. In Aardschok they even made it to album of the month. I do understand that it might appeal to many, but there is a but to me. Their previous album Her Halo was even better. Maybe a bit of time makes this one grow and for sure seeing them live at PPE shall help. Good old progmetal packed in catchy songs is always welcome really. So check this one out.
Howling Sycamore are back fast after releasing their self titled debut album last year. Now that album made it to number two of my favorites of the year list, so hopes were high. Well Howling Sycamore does not disappoint as again they released a killer album. Contrary to Teramaze here above, this definitely is no easy listening progmetal. You need all your senses on alert to get these seven pathways (or songs) to annihilation fully. Jason McMaster on vocals is in top form, just listen to the first minute of opener Mastering Fire and the emotion in his screams does get under your skin. Davide Tiso is all over the place again and Hannes Grossmann is filling up the basis with his marvelous drumming. This music is hard to describe, and hard to get into (explaining the low position on Aardschok reviewers panel probably). Yet if you take the time, like me you might find an album among your favorites of the year to treasure. And when you read the booklet you find that the beautiful guitar closing almost ballad Second Sight is played by none other than Marty Friedman. They did it again!!
This is an old band who made a come back. Now I missed them completely thirty years ago as I was not ready for grunting vocals yet at the time. In comes Rune with his online Progfiles show. I only found out recently and can not listen every last Monday of the month, yet I do discover many new bands each show. So this is on the heavier end he likes and plays on the show and technically it is way more Tech Death than progmetal. Anyway I loved the song The Return of the Lost Key and decided to find out more about them. Well that resulted in a quick order of this album. Mixing the Death Metal with futuristic themes a band like Atheist comes to mind for me. Their also is a certain story telling in both songs and lyrics, and the total just works for me. Thanks Rune for the tip and I might be digging into their past anytime soon.
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