Changeling - Cosmograf - Imminent Sonic Debris - Ophelion

 A prog extravaganza of four albums you must hear and I have only digital on my bandcamp app.

Changeling - Changeling

If I have to thank Obscura it is mainly for two reasons. During their live tours they tend to bring ecxcellent support acts (who outplay them mostly) and the number of offpsins that are awesome is evergrowing (Alkaloid, Obsidious). Changeling is a band formed by Tom Geldschläger and gives us a beautyiful mix of prog and death metal. The number of albums within this mix is growing fast in my collection. Why? because they won't stop to amaze me. This is another high anyone with a mild interest in prog or death metal should give a try. I bought this one online at bandcamp and now saw that Seasons of Mist holds CD copies still. Maybe one day I go after the physical CD still. Highlights? check for yourself from 1 minute instrumentals till a 17 minute epic closer they present a bit fro everyone.

Cosmograf - The Orphan Epoch

Cosmograf is the project of multi-instrumentalist Robin Armstrong. Together with Dec Burke, Frost* and Lee Abraham he represents to me the hope of British prog rock in the current century. This is album number 10 and I own 6 on CD. This one not (yet?), but what a beauty this is. Cosmograf loves to tell us stories with their music. Either being it full concept albums (The Man Left in Space: tip) or in epic songs. On this album there is no general concept nor a song over 10 minutes. Still there are plenty of stories and nostalgia best represented in the longest track We Are The Young. Kings and Lords holds a nice videoclip with images of a spaghetti western seeming to be shot for the purpose. Further there is lots to love for anyone into one of his previous albums. If by 9 albums you did not get the beauty, I doubt you suddenly change your mind.

Imminent Sonic Destruction - Floodgate

In 2022 I discovered Imminent Sonic Destruction through their album The Sun Will Always Set. That album ended very high on my end of year list. Now I got to listen to Floodgate many times, my conclusion is that they probably did it again. ISD play progmetal of the modern kind based around strong melodies. Opening song is part I of the title track. I challenge anyone not to sing along with the chorus after getting to know this gem. The good news is that ISD do not drop the ball throughout the eight songs and this album I am sure comes back frequently when I play from my bandcamp app. Next week ISD are part of the best progmetal festival line-up of 2025 (sorry PPE, but it's true) I so wish I could be there, but you can't win them all. Progmetal fan? get this album now.

Ophelion - The Jaunt

Newcastle bands make me think of NWOBHM immediately. Now they give us a progmetal band Ophelion. Formed in 2018, but releasing their debut only now. Only format so far is digital, and you can get it for a bargain at bandcamp. The Jaunt is based upon a story by Stephen King. I believe Redemption also had a long track on their debut based upon a story by Mr King. And surprisingly that debut album springs to mind at times. Ophelion have two vocalists one clean and one for the grunts. Well those afraid of grunts do not need to worry as most grunts blend in with the music while clean vocals are dominant. That voice reminds me of Mac the former Threshold vocalist. The album itself holds four long songs in the 10-14minute range with one short instrumental break halfway. Another must listen album for progmetal fans and as they are nearby I expect to see them perform this story next year in Baarlo at a certain festival.

A-Z - Dessiderium - Eight Lives Down - Hyena - Katagory V - Rivers of Nihl

Long time since I recommended CD's. With my two months under Brazilian sun I did get some music in still. Today some CD's I bought since April and next week I mention some albums I so far only have on my bandcamp app.

A-Z - A2Z2

A-Z or Apple Zebra turning into Alligator Zipper, while still being Alder Zonder. Anyone following my posts knows that these two can do little wrong to me when releasing music. Now to up the fun they even added the Redemption guitar duo of Nick van Dyk and Simone Mularoni. So it came as little surprise that compared with their debut this album moved a bit more to Redemption sounds. This comes out in a notch heavier songs. Ray Alder over the past years sings lower, but with so much feel and emotion that he alone makes this a must buy album. But let me not forget the band as everyone seems to be on fire. Now A-Z or late Redemption won't be the most surprising albums released, but for me definitely one I shall play among most of all albums I get ths year. So If you love Redemption, Fates Warning or the debut a must have album for you.

Dessiderium - Keys to the Palace

Countless are the great albums released over the past few years, where prog is combined with extreme metal. Clean vocals and grunts sharing duties and the songs tend to be long. An absolute favourite in that genre is released by Dessiderium. Released in March, but it never arrived before I left home end April. A welcome surprise upon return it was as what Alex Haddad is presenting here is definitely a highlight of the year. Now I missed the first four full lenghts released between 2013 and 2021. This one I luckily did get and what a blast it is. This mix of prog and death here seems to become my new favourite genre. Alex Haddad did not ring a bell for me, but I saw him last year with Atheist on stage (and this year again). Definitely worth checking out this one.

Eight Lives Down - Fates

Eight Lives Down are an international bunch who released with Fates their second album. A new band to me I bought this album based upon their videoclip for the opening track Void.I totally loved the fast song mixed with female vocals that reminded me of Azusa or Ram-Zet. Yes the more hysterical ones that don't go operatic on you. Aliki Katrou shines throughout the whole album with her vocal performance. The songs themselves might need some more spins as now the 12 songs don't stand out indvidually yet. Still a refreshing new sound and with band members coming from Rio or living in Leiden I hope to see this band one day in Garage Grindhouse, Nobel or Lazarus.

Hyena - About Rock and Roll

Hyena are an up and coming Heavy Metal band from Peru. Now my collection of Peruvian bands is not huge, so a first good reason to get thsi CD. Real reason was I saw them opening day two at Keep It True and they did so in great style. This is the fast heavy metal with the screams and the haunting guitars. A flashing live set made me run to the merch boot to get this album and the baseball Tee with the very blue sleeves. Great that this band got the chance to tour Europe and I hope they return afer their next album. I will be there.

Katagory V - Awaken a New Age of Chaos

Katagory V formed in 1999, yet this album sounds very much like 1986. US metal with prog touches is what we get and in wonderful style I can add. They released four albums between 2001-2007. Came back n 2015 and now again in 2025. I must check out these first five albums based upon what they present here. This album is filled with nods to what is possibly the best era in music, when during the mid to late eighties one after another classic US metal album was released. Ten songs to bring you back in time and if like me you love that style, put a huge smile on your face. Maybe old age made me nostalgic, but does a better sort of metal even exist? (no).

Rivers of Nihil - Rivers of Nihil

Rivers of Nihil are a growing band. I saw them some nine years ago opening a four band tech death party with Obscura headlining. March this year I saw them headlining such a four band tech death party over bands like Cynic and Beyond Creation. So they must be doing something right. This tour happened before the release of this fifth album, so we got some prereleased singles live. Now having the full album I can say that Rivers of Nihil steeped a bit less on the gas here. More calm intermezzos and clean vocals, but I do like the overall result. Live there were some tapes, but a live saxophne. On album you don't get distracted by these things and this album sounds very complete and full. Next month they are back in The Netherlands, but to me the DMF line-up does not justify the ticket price

 

 

 

Nahville Pussy & The Prince Albert & Drunktank - Musicon The Hague, 12 July 2025

Nashville Pussy I saw before I remember. Where and when I forgot, but it might have been Bospop when that festival still was build around metal and heavy rock. Anyway a tour passing Musicon, where I had not been since Festerfest meant I wanted to go and see them.

Niels and Ingrid were going too so I proposed to them the double line-up. As a result we let Drunktank open the evening for us at 18:00 hrs at Zeeheldenfestival. For over 40 years now one of The Hague's finets free festivals. Drunktank proved agin to be a nice live band now with six and the sun was out too, so a good start indeed.

At 20:00 we got our bicycles and moved on to Musicon. Well in time in to see a local band opening here. The Prince Albert played rock and roll. I had never heard of them before, but I guess we shall  see lots more of them on local festivals as they were good at what they are doing. While they sang about Rock & Royalty I wondered why they did not call themselves the Prince Andrew for bigger shock effect. Afer all they flirt with shock rock too.

Nashville Pussy are also good at what they doing. Play some mean and dirty Rock and Roll. This is music to see and feel live on stage as on record for me it is not all too exciting. Live there were no reasons to complain though and a packed Musicon loved what they saw here. I enjoyed seeing a show in Musicon again and with the early start we decided to leave not too late and by midnight I was home. This meant six hours well spent.