Author: Bryan Morey

Public historian and museum professional working with historical artifacts. Music reviewer at Progarchy and Dutch Progressive Rock Page.

ProgJect – The Ultimate Prog Rock Experience – Featuring Michael Sadler, Ryo Okumoto, Jason Bieler, Matt Dorsey, and Jonathan Mover

On By Bryan MoreyIn progressive rock, progressive rock music1 Comment

Press Release:

ProgJect

ProgJect is The Ultimate Prog Rock Experience featuring Michael Sadler, Ryo Okumoto, Jason Bieler, Matt Dorsey, and Jonathan Mover performing the classics and epics of Genesis, Yes, ELP, and King Crimson, along with some Pink Floyd, Rush, Jethro Tull, Peter Gabriel, Gentle Giant and more.

Michael Sadler (SAGA) – Lead Vocals, Keys, Bass & Percussion
Ryo Okumoto (Spock’s Beard, Asia, Chris Squire) – Keyboards & Vocals 
Jason Bieler (The Baron Von Bielski Orchestra, Saigon Kick) – Guitar & Vocals
Matt Dorsey (Sound of Contact, Beth Hart, Hannah Montana) – Bass, Pedals, Guitar, Keys & Vocals 
Jonathan Mover (GTR, Marillion, Joe Satriani, The Tubes) – Drums, Percussion, Samples & Vocals

The brainchild of Jonathan Mover, ProgJect came to fruition out of his love for and childhood dream of playing the ‘Prog’ he grew up listening to. “Prog Rock is the reason I play drums,” Mover explains.

After a last-minute call to tour with the premier Genesis tribute band The Musical Box, Mover returned home waxing nostalgic:

I haven’t had that much fun onstage in a long time and was reminded of the reason I began drumming in the first place–Prog Rock. Playing songs like ‘Robbery, Assault and Battery’, ‘Dance on A Volcano’, ‘Wot Gorilla’, ‘Watcher of The Skies’ and ‘Back In NYC’ had me feeling fifteen again and relit the very same fire I felt when I first picked up sticks.
 
What if I put together ‘The Ultimate Prog Rock Experience’, with top players, and pay homage to our favorite Prog giants–Genesis, Yes, ELP and King Crimson, along with some Pink Floyd, Rush, Peter Gabriel, U.K., Jethro Tull, Gentle Giant and more?

With a two-plus hour set that includes Prog classics and epics such as, “Squonk”, “Cinema Show”, “Firth of Fifth’, “Karn Evil 9 – 1st Impression Pt. I & II”, “Siberian Khatru”, “Roundabout”, “Heart of the Sunrise”, “21st Century Schizoid Man”, “Lark’s Tongues In Aspic”, “Xanadu”, “La Villa Strangiato”, “Have A Cigar”, “Wish You Were Here”, “Solsbury Hill”, “Living In The Past” and more… ProgJect is going to drop your jaw and blow your mind.

Watch the ProgJect video trailer: https://youtu.be/_tDxVrl6qZc

From the first full-band rehearsal in late September, 2019, the chemistry was immediate. Rehearsals continued with the band shaping the songs and arrangements, and with their first tour in the works, ProgJect was set to embark on a two-dozen date run from Northeast Canada, down the East Coast and across to the Midwest… and then came Covid.

Sixteen months later, ProgJect is back in full-production rehearsals, modifying the set and preparing for their first official tour, starting April, 2022.

Sunday Jazz – Benjamin Croft’s “Far and Distant Things”

On By Bryan MoreyIn jazz, jazz rock, progressive rockLeave a comment

Benjamin Croft Far and Distant ThingsBenjamin Croft, Far and Distant Things, Ubuntu Music, 2021
Tracks: Overture (1:13), Far and Distant Things (6:13), Brock (4:47), S.A.D. (Spatial Awareness Disease) (6:21). Tudor Job Agency (6:25), S&R Video (5:07), The War Against Loudness (6:17), How Not To Win The Nobel Peace Prize (6:17), Than You, That’s What I Wanted To Know… (5:35), St Gandalf’s (1:55), The Cashectomy (6:25)

I don’t listen to as much jazz as I should, probably because it is such a diverse genre that I barely know where to begin. I’ve always enjoyed jazz music in live settings. I think the genre excels when played live because it is a highly experimental genre, allowing room for improvisation. When I was in college I loved attending the concerts put on by the faculty jazz band. They were always so much fun. I think I enjoy jazz for some of the same reasons I enjoy progressive rock, which obviously is heavily influenced by jazz. At its most basic, the technical musicality in jazz keeps me interested. 

UK musician Benjamin Croft’s Far and Distant Things has been such an enjoyable CD to listen to over the past month and a half. Croft wrote and arranged all the tracks on the album, and he also played all of the keyboards. In addition to Steinway and Yamaha grand pianos, Croft plays a whole list of various synthesizers and keyboards, thus bringing in a bit of a prog texture to his jazz record. Perhaps those elements are why he sent us his CD for review, but regardless of why, this is an excellent album. At any rate, the artwork is certainly prog, featuring cover art (and other artwork on the CD and in the packaging) by Hugh Syme. 

Beyond Croft on keyboards, the songs have a revolving cast of characters, with Tristan Mailliot or Laurie Lowe playing drums on most of the tracks, except for “St. Gandalf’s,” which features Chad Wackerman. Flo Moore and Henry Thomas share bass guitar duties on the record. Guitars and on the album are played by a few guests, as are the wind instruments. Garthe Lockrane’s flutes on “Overture” and “Brock” are really quite something. It brings in that element of classic progressive rock as well as a fresh classical texture.

As is typical in jazz, there’s a lot of soloing on each track – keyboards, guitar, bass, trumpets, flute. Not each one of those on every track, but you get my meaning. The playing is smooth and easy to absorb. Some jazz can be overpowering, but Far and Distant Things sets you right at ease. The drumming and bass create a smooth yet complex rhythm throughout the entire album. The interplay between piano, keyboards, and the various wind instruments is quite pleasant. 

“How Not To Win The Nobel Peace Prize” is an interesting piece in the way it shifts over the course of the track. It starts off as a more typical jazz song before speeding up and morphing at the end of the song into more experimental territory before fading out. It’s a shame it fades out, because I wanted to hear where they were going. The title of the track, along with others on the album, hints at a bit of sarcasm, which I can always appreciate. 

Benjamin Croft – Far and Distant Things Music Video – YouTube

There are some rock moments on the record. “Far and Distant Things,” featuring Frank Gambale on electric guitar, is perhaps more rock than it is jazz, especially when you take the synths into account. “Tudor Job Agency” has its jazz moments, but the guitar, played by Barry Finnerty, has a Clapton-esque vibe to it. There is also a passage of some incredibly fast drum beats that add a rock element to the song.

Give Benjamin Croft’s Far and Distant Things a listen for a laid back Sunday afternoon or evening. Or for any day of the week. The music is exceptionally well-written and equally well-performed. It brings me back to simpler times when I could enjoy a live jazz show without worrying about… well all the things we seem to worry about these days. This instrumental album will take you a world away, if only for an hour. 

https://www.benjamincroftmusic.com
Spotify

Werke Horse – Yellow Cab

On By Bryan MoreyIn progressive rockLeave a comment

We were recently sent this song by Dan Hereford of the band Werke Horse, and it’s very fun and eclectic. Part prog, part pop, and it may remind some of you of a certain banana-colored submarine. Although this song is far less annoying than that particular song. It has a vintage prog sound befitting the subject matter. Heck when my Dad was a kid, his parents had a Checker for a car. Yes that’s right – the Checker Cab Company made cars that the regular public could buy. They were basically unchanged from the 1950s until the early 1980s.

Werke Horse – Yellow Cab – YouTube

Check out Dan Hereford’s full album, Werke Horse, on Bandcamp: https://danherefordswerkehorse.bandcamp.com/album/werke-horse

And check out their website: https://www.werkehorse.com

Album Review – @Echo_Us – The Windsong Spires

On By Bryan MoreyIn Ambient, art rock, Atmospheric rock, progressive rock1 Comment

a3501667282_10Echo Us, The Windsong Spires, June 22, 2021
Tracks: We Seek the Descending Levers, (8:06), If You Can Imagine… (5:29), The Night Sky (3:19), When the Windsong Spires, (5:49), Squals (3:53), (Fly You Home) (4:41), And When They Dance At Dusk, (4:16), I’ll Wave You In (4:54), (And Acquiesce) (5:41), If We Can Breathe Again… (3:39), Under the Smallest Sky (11:40)

Electronic. Atmospheric. Ethereal. These are just a few of the words I could use to describe Portland, Oregon, music project Echo Us. The band was founded by composer and multi-instrumentalist Ethan J. Matthews 20 years ago. He is joined on the record by drummer Andrew Greene and vocalist Charlotte Engler. Matthews provides vocals, guitars, hammered dulcimer, glockenspiel, percussion, and synthesizers.

Just based upon the variety of instruments Matthews plays, you might guess that his music has a rather eclectic mix, and you’d be right. Their sound ranges from atmospheric to classical and folk, all within a subtle rock context. I even picked up what sounded a bit like a Pacific Northwestern Native American influence in the opening moments of the album. Piano plays a prominent role on the record, along with clean electric guitar. 

The vocals contribute to the ethereal tone of much of the music, but the drums keep the music grounded here on earth without allowing the album to get too heady. In that way there’s a nice balance between the various sounds. The mix of male and female vocals also contributes to the balance of the sound on the record. Matthews’ voice reminds me of Tim Bowness, and Engler’s voice reminds me a bit of Kate Bush or Amanda Lehman. 

The Making of the Windsong Spires – Youtube

The music helps tell a story. “The Night Sky” is primarily piano with synth sounds swirling around it and ghostly vocals at times throughout the brief track. The listener is left picturing a calm, cool night sky away from the hustle and bustle of the city. 

Greene’s drums and percussion on the record might sound relatively straightforward at first notice, but when you dig in you notice there’s a lot going on. One moment it might be a simple drum part, but the next might have a military-style snare drumming, such as on a portion of “When the Windsong Spires.” This conjures up new images in the mind, adding to the musical tapestry Echo Us create. 

I’m not positive that this is intentional, but I get the feeling that the names of the tracks are meant to be read together as you might read an imagist poem. Since the names of the songs include punctuation, I suspect I’m right.

We Seek the Descending Levers, If You Can Imagine… The Night Sky
When the Windsong Spires, Squals (Fly You Home)
And When They Dance At Dusk, I’ll Wave You In (And Acquiesce)
If We Can Breathe Again… Under the Smallest Sky

This is a pretty cool way to add texture to a record. You have the poetry of the lyrics, but to use the very names of the songs to create another poem is unique. 

One might classify The Windsong Spires as ambient music, but there’s a lot more going on than just ambient sounds. The drums and guitars bring in elements of rock, although I don’t know if I can call this outright rock ‘n roll. At the end of the day genres can be rather meaningless categories to which we assign music. What really matters is whether or not the music is good, and Echo Us is very good. Their music has had a calming effect on me, which has been much appreciated and needed lately. When everything else seems to be crashing and burning, it’s nice to settle back into something that slows you down and makes you think. 

https://echous.net
https://echous.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/echous.net/
Twitter

Mandoki Soulmates Perform “Utopia For Realists: Hungarian Pictures” Open-air Concert in Budapest

On By Bryan MoreyIn progressive rockLeave a comment

It’s nice to see concerts coming back a bit, even if it’s very far away from me. From Inside Out Music:

Under the motto “Utopia for Realists”, thousands of enthusiastic fans celebrated the stage return of the Mandoki Soulmates in front of St. Stephen’s Basilica in the heart of Budapest last Saturday, where they performed ‘Utopia For Realists: Hungarian Pictures’ in full, ahead of its release in September. After the pandemic break, this was the legendary band’s first performance since their show at the Berlin Concert Hall to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Get a taste of this incredible evening here: https://youtu.be/upwS8kAkxd8

“I am happy and proud that despite the travel restrictions, many of my soulmates were able to arrive in Budapest,” enthused producer Mandoki, who presented an impressive line up of international rock and jazz icons such as Al Di Meola, Mike Stern, Randy Brecker, Bill Evans, Till Brönner, Tony Carey, Richard Bona and Italian bandoneon virtuoso Fausto Beccalossi as vocalist and drummer. Also on hand was Budapest music legend Szakcsi, professor at the Franz Liszt Academy and icon of Roma music. Mandoki: “It was overwhelming to finally be able to make music together again after such a long time.”

The Mandoki Soulmates also delivered goosebump moments for music lovers of all stripes in front of St. Stephen’s Basilica with their progressive jazz-rock suite “Utopia For Realists: Hungarian Pictures” (soon to be released via InsideOutMusic), based on themes by Béla Bartók and the greatest Soulmates hits. “Bartók mixed sounds and traditional melodies from a wide variety of regions in the Carpathian lowlands to send a signal against the threat of National Socialism with the power of music to unite people. This idea of uniting people has been a lasting inspiration for me,” Mandoki explains. 

InsideOutMusic recently announced the release of a brand-new expanded version of Mandoki Soulmates ‘Hungarian Pictures’ suite, released under the title ‘Utopia For Realists: Hungarian Pictures’ on September 24th, 2021.

Continue reading “Mandoki Soulmates Perform “Utopia For Realists: Hungarian Pictures” Open-air Concert in Budapest” →

Big Big Train Release New Track: “The Connection Plan”

On By Bryan MoreyIn Big Big Train, progressive rockLeave a comment

Hot off the release of their most recent album, Common Ground, Big Big Train released another new track today: “The Connection Plan.” Why? Greg Spawton comments,

”In the lead-up to our tours in 2022, we wanted to share a series of single  streaming releases. The ‘Stay Tuned’ streaming series will feature newly recorded compositions, we hope listeners will enjoy them”.

It sounds like this track, and presumably future ones, will only be available on streaming sites for now. I wouldn’t be surprised if they end up as either a special download for the Passengers Club or on a future record or EP.

Big Big Train – The Connection Plan – YouTube

Check out Progarchy’s interview with David Longdon about Common Ground: https://progarchy.com/2021/06/29/big-big-trains-david-longdon-the-progarchy-interview/

Check out my review of Common Ground: https://progarchy.com/2021/07/18/big-big-train-common-ground-2/

And see this page for more Progarchy reviews of Big Big Train’s music: https://progarchy.com/album-reviews/review-index/b/big-big-train/

Kerry Livgren’s Long-Awaited Cantata, “The Resurrection of Lazarus,” Now Available to Order

On By Bryan MoreyIn progressive rockLeave a comment

After decades of work and contributions from 18 vocalists, including Robby Steinhardt and John Elefante as well as many musicians, Kerry Livgren’s cantata, The Resurrection of Lazarus, is now available to order at his website: http://www.numavox.com/cd.htm. This album has taken 35 years for Livgren to complete, and I for one am excited to hear it. I believe I first heard about this project about a decade ago, so even my young self has been waiting a long time. 

Details are a little vague, since to my knowledge no music from it has been released. I assume they’ll be shipping CDs soon after you order them. I wish I could tell you more about it, but I will once I receive my CD. It doesn’t appear to be for sale on Amazon yet (a website I loathe), but I imagine it will be soon since his other music is for sale there. 

In case you missed it, Kerry Livgren released a new book last year, which you can also purchase on his website (see link above). Check out my review: https://progarchy.com/2020/11/01/a-life-of-miracles-kerry-livgren-and-the-art-of-storytelling/

Rob Reed and Peter Jones Resurrect CYAN Band

On By Bryan MoreyIn progressive rock4 Comments

Press Release:

Magenta’s Rob Reed and Camel’s Peter Jones come together to resurrect the band CYAN with reimagined and reworked material from the band’s debut album. CYAN features Luke Machin, Pete Jones, Dan Nelson. New album ‘For King and Country’ due out on Sept 24th.

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Keyboardist and composer Rob Reed, known for his work with Magenta, Kompendium and Sanctuary solo albums, is pleased to announce a brand-new album from Cyan – For King and Country, due out on the 24th of September 2021.

Prior to Magenta, almost 30 years ago, Reed release three albums with his then band Cyan. Out of the ashes of that band, Magenta was borne.  Now, on this new Cyan album, Reed has rewritten, rerecorded and reimagined material from the early days of Cyan, and this time with a brilliant new lineup. The group features vocalist Pete Jones (Camel, Tiger Moth Tales), guitarist Luke Machin (Maschine, The Tangent), and bassist Dan Nelson (Godsticks, Magenta).  The band will be playing their first show at Summers End Festival, Sunday, Oct. 3rd.

The album is available for pre-order here:
https://www.tigermothshop.co.uk/store/Cyan-c117062595

Watch the video for the 15-minute opening track and first single “The Sorceror” here: https://youtu.be/x578hquw9nw

Rob Reed on the new album:  
Little did I know in 1983, sitting at the school piano writing these songs, that almost 40 years later those same songs would sound like they do on this album. I remember the original Cyan, made up of school mates, pooling our money, £35 to record them at a local 4 track studio with basic equipment. It’s been amazing to finally hear the songs at their full potential, with modern recording techniques and an amazing line up of players.
  
I’d held off releasing this album because I couldn’t find a vocalist to do it justice. Meeting Pete ticked that box, as soon as I heard him sing the first track. His voice just blends so good against Angharad Brinn, who I’d worked with on the Sanctuary solo albums. Having Luke play the guitar parts was just the icing on the cake. He is such a great player, with technique and feel. What a line up!
Pete Jones had this to say about the project:
I had known about the reworking of For King And Country for a while, so it was a great thrill to be asked by Rob to work with him on the project, alongside the other amazing musicians such as Luke and Angharad. The songs are fantastic. They have a youthful and yet vintage quality to them, as well they might, given that they were first done in the early 90s. But with the benefit of Rob’s experience, they have been reworked into an album which I feel is right up there with the classics.
 
Tracklisting:
 
1.The Sorceror
2.Call Me
3.I Defy The Sun
4.Don’t Turn Away
5.Snowbound
6.Man Amongst Men
7.Night Flight
8.For King and Country
 
Featured in photo:
Rob Reed
Dan Nelson
Luke Machin
Jimmy Griffiths
Peter Jones
Magenta/CYAN/TigerMothTales Website
https://www.tigermothshop.co.uk/

LEPROUS – Announce “Aphelion” preview livestream – Album Out Next Week

On By Bryan MoreyIn progressive metal, progressive rock1 Comment

Press release from Inside Out Music:

Norwegian Rock outfit LEPROUS are releasing their 7th studio album “Aphelion” next week, on August 27th, 2021 worldwide via InsideOutMusic.

In order to further promote “Aphelion”, LEPROUS have announced a special entire album preview concert livestream, which will take place on Wednesday 25th of August at Notodden Theater in Norway. LEPROUS will actually be performing two full “Aphelion” shows, suitable for different time zones: The 1st live stream starts at 7 PM CEST (EU Time Zone) and the 2nd live stream starts at 7 PM EDT (US Time Zone).

For further info details and ticket options, please check here: https://munin.live/x-event/aphelion/
Ticket bundles (With merch or album) are available here: https://www.omerch.com/shop/leprous

Feel free to check out the singles/videos for “Aphelion” so far:
“Running Low”: https://youtu.be/QKmaG5f9Zsg

 

“Castaway Angels”: https://youtu.be/85drl9-lqRU

“The Silent Revelation”: https://youtu.be/S7bOg3oercg

Following up on 2019’s highly acclaimed “Pitfalls” album, LEPROUS recorded “Aphelion” throughout the last year at three different studios: Ghost Ward Studios in Sweden, Ocean Sound Recordings in Norway and Cederberg Studios in Norway. The album was once again mixed by Adam Noble (Placebo, Biffy Clyro, Nothing But Thieves, etc.), mastered by Robin Schmidt (The 1975, Placebo, The Gaslight Anthem, etc.) and its front cover artwork was designed by Elena Sihida, based on photography by Øystein Aspelund.

The album’s track-listing reads as follows:

LEPROUS – “Aphelion”
1. Running Low
2. Out Of Here
3. Silhouette
4. All The Moments
5. Have You Ever?
6. The Silent Revelation
7. The Shadow Side
8. On Hold
9. Castaway Angels
10. Nighttime Disguise

You can pre-order “Aphelion” in its various formats here:
https://leprousband.lnk.to/Aphelion

Next to the Jewelcase CD and Digital Album versions, “Aphelion” will also be available as limited edition Mediabook CD (with expanded booklet) and as Gatefold 2LP+CD with two bonus tracks:
11. A Prophecy To Trust and 12. Acquired Taste (Live 2021).

The album’s 180g 2LP vinyl version, which comes in Gatefold packaging and with the entire album on CD as bonus, is available in the following variants and limited editions:

Black 2LP+CD – Unlimited
Ultra Clear 2LP+CD – 500x copies via IOM Webshop & CM Distro
Bright Gold 2LP+CD – 200x copies via JPC
Transparent Light Blue 2LP+CD – 200x copies via EMP
Creamy White 2LP+CD – 400x copies via O-Merch
Deep Blood Red 2LP+CD – 200x copies via Band

LEPROUS line-up:
Robin Ognedal – guitars
Tor Oddmund Suhrke – guitars
Baard Kolstad – drums
Einar Solberg – vocals/keys
Simen Børven – bass

Bantamweight – The Prog Metal Find of the Summer

On By Bryan MoreyIn Atmospheric rock, Heavy metal, progressive metal, progressive rock1 Comment

Bantamweight_Sounds+HapticsBantamweight, Sounds + Haptics, June 19, 2021
Tracks: Contact (4:17), Apparition (1:15), Hellion (5:12), Phoenix (2:04), The Weight (5:39), Interim (4:22), Terminus (1:15), Fall Away (4:55)

Prepare to be blown away by the best half hour of progressive metal you’ll hear this year. Los Angeles-based duo Bantamweight released their sophomore record, Sounds + Haptics, back in June, and it absolutely slays. My apologies to the band for not reviewing it sooner – it’s been a busy summer with my vacation time from my regular job spent doing another job. 

I went back and checked out Bantamweight’s first release, 2019’s EP Fear, and it’s far more atmospheric. It’s still quite good, but it doesn’t have the progressive metal complexity, heaviness, and drive that Sounds + Haptics has. Nevertheless that first release has a lot of interesting synth elements and thick bass tones, which the duo have retained in the big step forward they’ve taken with their second release. With Sounds + Haptics, the band have firmly placed themselves in the halls of contemporary progressive metal. I hear elements of Haken, Pain of Salvation, Leprous, Caligula’s Horse, and the Devin Townsend “wall of sound” effect. With that said, Bantamweight make their own sound in a way that only a metal band made up of a drummer and bassist could. 

Yes, that’s right – only drums, bass, and the synths/keyboards both members play. Max Kelly plays drums and keyboards (at the same time!) and Keith Shacklett slays on bass, vocals, and keyboards. Watch one of their music videos or live videos (see below) and be amazed. When playing live, Kelly plays the drums with his right hand and feet while he plays complex keyboard riffs with his left hand. That’s absolutely insane, and he does it all with more skill than most drummers or keyboardists have. Shacklett has a huge gritty bass tone that more than makes up for the lack of electric guitar. His playing style can be compared to someone like Connor Green (Haken), but the role his bass plays in the music is more comparable to Mariusz Duda from Riverside. His voice is perfect for this kind of metal. It has the grit needed in distorted moments, but the mid-range cleans keep their music from becoming overly aggressive. 

“Hellion” – YouTube

On this short record, each of the longer, heavier songs is spaced out by shorter instrumental tracks that highlight their more atmospheric edge (except for “The Weight” and “Interim,” which are back to back). These tracks tie all of the songs together, helping it all to sound like one longer epic track. Those synth sounds, which also appear on their longer songs, give their music a fuller sound reminiscent of Riverside or Devin Townsend. But again, they sound like themselves. The syncopated drumming, complex bass riffing, and Shacklett’s distinct voice bring Bantamweight to impressive heights. 

“The Weight” is probably my favorite track on the record. I can’t help but headbang to that heavy drumming. With that wonderful mixture of synths, drums, bass, and vocals, I don’t miss the lack of lead guitars. I love the way the song goes from heavy to calm in parallel passages.

“Hellion” and “Fall Away” are two more standout tracks, with musical complexity and catchy choruses abounding. In a nice handwritten note Max Kelly sent me along with the CD the band sent me, he noted that “Fall Away” has over 400 layers in the mix. That’s a Devin Townsend-level of dedication, and also where DT gets his “wall of sound” effect. And much like Hevy Devy, these guys can also play all of that live through the use of multiple synthesizers and sample pads. Most impressive. 

“The Weight” – Youtube

I honestly can’t recommend Bantamweight highly enough. Sounds + Haptics is fantastic. It pulls far above its weight. The band name is fitting since there’s only two members of the band, yet they create a sound that larger bands have taken years to perfect. This is the prog metal album of the summer for me. Even though the band’s influences are clear, their sound ends up being totally unique because of the core drum and bass sounds. These guys could hold their own in a music festival featuring the top names in progressive metal. Record labels take note – Bantamweight could (and should) be the next best thing in prog metal. I can’t wait to hear what’s next. 

As a side note, the album is name your own price for a digital download on Bandcamp, so you’ve got no excuse to not check them out: https://bantamweightofficial.bandcamp.com/album/sounds-haptics. They also have CDs for sale on Bandcamp.

https://bantamweight.band

Sounds + Haptics Live – Full Album – Youtube