This is one of the bands who actually discovered me through my review work, and asked me if I was interested in writing an album review for their second album named Rise Of The Waterfowl. This was a though album to review, because these gentlemen made something quite brilliant. I love the album sleeve, the […]
via Farmhouse Odyssey – Rise Of The Waterfowl (2016) — Grendel HeadQuarters
Italian metal sextet Rome in Monochrome has recently presented their EP titled “Karma Anubis.” In an interview with Prog Sphere, the band tells us about their work. Define the mission of Rome In Monochrome. Write music to feel alive. Tell me about the creative process that informed your new EP “Karma Anubis” and the themes…
Two unexpected beauties arrived in the mail today–the latest releases from Riverside and Karmakanic. Well, I write unexpected because 1) I had completely forgotten that I’d pre-ordered the Riverside; and 2) I wasn’t expecting it to show up with Karmakanic, which I’d also forgotten was a two-disk affair. Truly serendipity.
The Riverside release is really a re-release of last year’s LOVE FEAR AND THE TIME MACHINE. This special edition includes a second disk, a DVD, with the album presented in hi-res stereo as well as 5.1 surround (mixed by Bruce Soord). It also includes a hi-res version of five tracks from the recording sessions, and the videos made to accompany the album. From what I can tell, the booklet that comes with it contains no new information from last year’s release except for an update on who mixed the DVD.
Not surprisingly in the least, everything here is outstanding–from the packaging to the re-released music. If you haven’t yet, make sure you check out Erik Heter’s review as well as his interview with the band last year.
I’m especially taken with the five additional tracks labeled as “day sessions.” These add up to nearly 28 minutes of extra music. If you remember how The Pineapple Thief often released bonus material of their jam sessions a decade or so ago, you know exactly what to expect from these “day sessions.” Frankly, they’re stunning, sounding as much like Lunatic Soul as Riverside. The atmosphere created and presented by these tracks is really exceptional. It’s worth ordering this new package just for these five songs alone. I’m sure I will be spending many hours listening to these songs.
When I pre-ordered the new Karmakanic (already reviewed–several days ago), I didn’t remember having ordered the special edition. While the artwork–provided by Rush’s Hugh Syme–is simply stunning, I can’t say the same about the packaging. Mostly plastic, my new case came pre-crushed! The booklet is in good shape, but the innards that hold the two disks are just lots and lots of flaky pieces. Ugh. Thankfully, the disks are ok, but the packaging is weak and poor. Too bad, as this release deserves the highest treatment possible. The extra disk is also a DVD. It has five songs recorded at RosFest 2012, a “making of” documentary, and several interviews.
Both albums come from Insideout.
 NOSOUND LAUNCHES NEW VIDEO FOR “SOGNO E INCENDIO” FEAT. ITALIAN SINGER ANDREA CHIMENTI
Fifth studio album “Scintilla” out September 2 on Kscope
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 ROME, Italy – Ahead of the release of its fifth studio album Scintilla on September 2 via Kscope, Nosound has launched a new video for the song “Sogno E Incendio” featuring acclaimed Italian singer Andrea Chimenti. Stream the clip on YouTube at:
Nosound’s Giancarlo Erra explains: “The video was directed by Erika Errante. She was introduced to me by Andrea [Chimenti] via his son, as she had produced a few videos for his band and I wanted a video done by someone else for once, not myself. For this reason I wanted to give her full freedom. All we knew is that we didn’t want to go too literal with the lyrics in the song, but instead expressing the concept in another way. So the concept is explained through the idea of lost and found people and feeling, and transformation from one into the other. It is a more loose and artistic connection, and I liked it a lot for that reason.”
Giancarlo Erra co-wrote the song with Andrea Chimenti: “Working with Andrea was extremely easy; we discovered we have a common emotional ground, so the theme of my album immediately vibrated with him and together we quickly arrived to the meaning this song was meant for. The song is all about the spark (scintilla) that can ignite a fire, but for that to happen there’s a need for dead dried leaves, or branches, or old paper, so the old and dead stuff that seems useless is what is really needed for the fire to start again.”
On the collaboration and creative thought process Chimenti adds: “Giancarlo Erra had long ago sent me an instrumental song to listen to. It struck me immediately and I liked very much the idea of working with him, but as often happens we were busy with various things and that tune remained in the drawer for a while … maybe it was not the time to deal with it because everything happens when it has to happen. At the beginning of this year, after a series of events that have transformed my life, the text and singing for that song were born. The extraordinary piano sequence of Nosound, with its perpetual motion, rolled out the words, one after another like a string of pearls and the album title ‘Scintilla’ was the thread on which they walked.
“The crescendo of the second part suggested to me fire as a purifying element that from a spark turns into a real fire. I love music when it manages to be evocative, calling into dreams and images. The music of this song has in it all that strength and not just that of the dream, but that of the spark, the fire prelude.”
Inspired by personal upheaval and a desire for change, Scintilla is an emotionally complex and musically direct work, presenting a stripped-down set of compositions that mark a major departure from Nosound’s trademark symphonic lushness and production precision. Taking in influences from post rock, shoegaze and alt-singer-songwriters, the album imaginatively utilizes a mostly organic and acoustic sound palette.
In addition to Andrea Chimenti, Anathema’s Vincent Cavanagh lends his distinctive vocals to two of the album’s tracks, and cellist Marianne De Chastelaine returns once more to the Nosound fold (this time in a more free-flowing and improvisational capacity).
An additional Scintilla track and video, “Short Story,” can be streamed on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLtfb-HcTz8&feature=youtu.be and Vimeo at: https://vimeo.com/167108079.
Scintilla is available to pre-order via the Kscope webstore at: https://www.burningshed.com/store/nosound as a deluxe CD/Blu-Ray in Mediabook (with 24 page booklet and Blu-Ray containing HD stereo and 5.1 surround sound mixes, plus additional video content) and audiophile double 180g vinyl edition (mastered at 45rpm to ensure quality) in a gatefold cover with booklet and poly-lined inner bags. Download and streaming versions will be available to pre-order at: http://smarturl.it/SCINTILLA_DIGITAL with instant downloads of “Short Story” and “Sogno E Incendio.”
 1. Short Story [02:24]
2. Last Lunch [07:00]
3. Little Man [04:38]
4. In Celebration of Life [05:34]
5. Sogno E Incendio [04:44]
6. Emily [03:19]
7. The Perfect Wife [07:27]
8. Love is Forever [02:51]
9. Evil Smile [04:33]
10. Scintilla [06:27]
Regarded by critics and fans alike as one of the most interesting up and coming alt/art rock bands in Europe, Nosound inventively combines influences from ’70s psychedelia, ’80s/’90s ambient and contemporary alternative, progressive and post rock. The project started as a one man studio project in late 2002 by Giancarlo Erra, but has since grown into a five piece band, evolving into something unique, focused and powerful. The music is evocative and intense, with personal songwriting.
A cathartic album of emotional extremes, Scintilla marks the brave beginning of the second phase of Nosound’s fascinating career. Stay tuned for more information on Nosound and Scintilla, out this September on Kscope.
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Nosound is:
Giancarlo Erra – vocals, guitar, keyboards
Marco Berni – keyboards, vocals Alessandro Luci – bass, upright bass, keyboards Paolo Vigliarolo – acoustic/electric guitars Giulio Caneponi – drums, percussion, vocals Nosound online:
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I had no idea this was forthcoming, Steven Wilson mixing Yes’s most misunderstood masterpiece, TALES FROM TOPOGRAPHIC OCEANS. The following is from Burning Shed:
The ultimate way to enjoy Yes’s most controversial album!
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The towering Tales From Topographic Oceans is the fifth in a series of remixed and expanded Yes albums.
Presented in a 2 x mini vinyl replica gatefold card sleeves in a slipcase with booklet featuring new sleeve notes by Sid Smith along with rare photos and archive material, the album has been mixed for 5.1 Surround Sound from the original studio masters and is fully approved by Yes.
The 3 CDs feature a 2016 mix of the album by Steven Wilson plus an alternative extended Dance of the Dawn (mixed from multi-track by SW) and 5 single edits. The CDs also include a complete alt. album with High The Memory (unreleased studio run-through) and Ritual (live in Zurich, April 1974) – fully restored audio from original sources.
The booklet includes elements of new interviews with Jon Anderson, Steve Howe and Alan White.
The blu-ray (Region 0, NTSC) features:
– 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio Surround (24bit/96khz) mixed from the original multi-channel recordings.
– the new stereo album mix in DTS-HD Master Audio (24bit/96khz).
– the original album mix in a DTS-HD Master Audio flat transfers from the original master tape source. (24bit/192khz). We believe this is the earliest master of the original mix to be issued in the digital era. (This master was also used for the original stereo on the CDs).
– full alt. album featuring: sides 1 and 3 from the 2003 Rhino CD, previously unreleased studio run-through of Side 2 and previously unreleased live version of Side 4.
– exclusive needle-drop of an original UK vinyl pressing transferred in 24bit/96khz audio and US branded promo pressing.
– exclusive instrumental versions of all new mixes in DTS-HD Master Audio stereo (24bit/96khz).
– 2016 stereo and 5.1 remix of Dance of the Dawn plus 5 single edits (stereo only) all mixed from multi-track by Steven Wilson.
Original artwork expanded, restored and approved by Roger Dean.
“I worked on and off for about 3 years on this new mix in my quest to do it justice. I hope it will satisfy the people who agree with me that it may just be Yes’s pre-eminent masterpiece.” Steven Wilson
Pre-order for 26th September release.
Steven Wilson and band were going to perform on North Sea Jazz Festival The Netherlands on the 9th of July, but keyboardist/pianist Adam Holzman had arrived a few days earlier and was actually looking to do a solo performance somewhere in the area. Arne van Os van den Abeelen and Monica Scheepers made it possible […]
via Adam Holzman, Live at De Twee Spieghels Leiden, 7 July 2016 — Grendel HeadQuarters
Atmospheric metal quintet from Jyväskylä in Finland, Trauma Field released their second studio album titled “Changing Tides” in May this year, a versatile release that has a lot to offer. Prog Sphere talked with singer and guitarist Jaakko Pesu and keyboardist Antero Jokinen. Read below what they told us about the mentioned release, influences, technology, and…
2016 marks the monumental return of one of heavy rock’s most unique, revered and fearless bands of the last three decades, Opeth. Over the years, the experimental, prog veterans have continuously reinvented themselves, pushing the boundaries of their craft and expectations of fans and critics alike. Today, Opeth announces their 12th album, Sorceress, will be released…
via OPETH Reveal Track Listing and Artwork for “Sorceress” — Prog Sphere
Wow, after just posting my praise of Andy and Jonas (previous post), Andy posted this at the exact same time on Facebook. Nothing like a little synchronicity to get the blood flowing.
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Really, who doesn’t admire wild Scandinavian hippies? One can only imagine those Viking lovers of peace returning in their long boats to establish a loving order upon all the conquered, asking for forgiveness! Even the clever name of the band, Karmakanic reveals much about the very intentions of ever-amusing Jonas Reingold (The Flower Kings, The Tangent). The band’s outstanding 2008 album, WHO’S THE BOSS OF THE FACTORY, especially exemplified the best ideals of the late 1960s.
IN A PERFECT WORLD (2011) did as well, but despite the opening track, “1969,” the album didn’t cohere as well as the previous one.
Whatever the case might have been, Reingold has just released the best of the Karmakanic albums, DOT (officially out from Insideout on July 22, 2016). It is an extraordinary release in every single and imaginable way. Not only its structure and flow, but its lyrics, especially, are quite moving.
Continue reading “Scando-Anglo Hippiedom: A Karmakanic Album in Six Parts”
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