Author: Bryan Morey

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

Avenged Sevenfold Embrace Their Inner Prog

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Avenged Sevenfold released a surprise album a few months back, but I hadn’t listened to it until this week… when iTunes dropped the price into a reasonable range. New drummer Brooks Wackerman is a huge improvement over Arin Ilejay, bringing a punch to A7X’s music not heard since Mike Portnoy was drumming for them following the tragic death of Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan. Personally, I’m more of a fan of early Avenged Sevenfold, but I enjoy music from across their catalog.

Well, with their most recent album, The Stage, the band finally embrace their inner prog metal souls. They have always been great musicians, and “The Rev” was one of the best drummers in metal. His style was heavily influenced by Portnoy, and it always showed in his playing. This is why it is so awesome to hear these progressive influences worn on their sleeves with their new album. The final song happens to be the longest song the band has ever written, and it almost sounds as if Dream Theater wrote it. It is over 15 minutes long, but the way it is written makes it fly by. As you sail into the new year, enjoy this little piece of brilliance by A7X:

Bryan’s Best of 2016

On By Bryan MoreyIn progressive rock4 Comments

2016 has been a pretty horrible year: terrorism, deaths of way too many musical heroes, the recent loss of Prog magazine and the total screwing of all Team Rock employees, personal inability to find a job… Yeah, this year has sucked.

Thankfully, despite these trials, progressive rock has continued to be the most creative and innovative genre in the music business. I always enjoy writing a “best of” list, mainly because it gives me a chance to look over the best music of the year. We prog fans really are spoiled.

Like last year, my 2016 list will be pretty big, and the order is completely arbitrary. I have a numbered top 4, but my top 3 picks for this year are essentially tied for first place. Without further ado, my favorite albums of 2016:

Continue reading “Bryan’s Best of 2016” →

6:00 On a Christmas Morning – Dream Theater at Their Best

On By Bryan MoreyIn progressive rock9 Comments

Dream Theater, Awake, 1994

Tracks: 1. 6:00, 2. Caught in a Web, 3. Innocence Faded, 4. Erotomania, 5. Voices, 6. The Silent Man, 7. The Mirror, 8. Lie, 9. Lifting Shadows Off a Dream, 10. Scarred, 11. Space-Dye Vest

1993dream-theater-awake-delanteraSome might say that I am unqualified to discuss a twenty-two year-old Dream Theater album, especially since I’ve only been listening to the band for three years. Indeed, I’ve received similar comments on the negative review I wrote of the band’s most recent piece of… er… album. However, I believe my recent discovery of the band allows me to bring a fresh perspective to their catalogue.

I was introduced to the band through their self-titled 2013 album, which I happen to enjoy. I think it is their best “Mangini-era” production. Furthermore, I see that album as being in a special category of Dream Theater’s heaviest albums, alongside Awake and Train of Thought. If it were its own album, I would add the Twelve-Step Suite to this list. Other than the Twelve-Step Suite, however, the other albums on my little list pale in comparison to Awake. This album set the standard for what a progressive metal album should be.

Continue reading “6:00 On a Christmas Morning – Dream Theater at Their Best” →

@FlyingColors to Begin Work on Next Album @MikePortnoy

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cy7ptfaxuaabkxl-jpg-largeMike Portnoy has shared on his social media that he is off to Florida to begin writing a new Flying Colors album with his bandmates. I’m very excited to hear this, to say the least. I love their music, and I was blown away when I saw them live. I’m definitely looking forward to their new album.

 

Muse’s B-Sides and Rarities – A Must Have For Any Muse Fan

On By Bryan MoreyIn progressive rock6 Comments

Muse, B-Sides and Rarities, 2012

Tracks: Disc 1: 1. Coma 2. Jimmy Kane 3. Agitated 4. Twin 5. Host 6. Forced In 7. Do We Need This 8. Pink Ego Box 9. Con-Science 10. Ashamed 11. Yes Please 12. Recess 13. Sober (The Saint Remix) 14. Nishe 15. Nature I 16. Execution Commentary 17. Map Of Your Head 18. Piano Thing 19. Sunburn (Timo Maas Sunstroke Remix) 20. New Born (Paul Oakenfold Perfecto Remix) Disc 2: 1. Shrinking Universe 2. Spiral Static 3. Hyper Chondriac Music 4. Screenager (Live) 5. The Gallery 6. Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want 7. Futurism 8. Shine 9. Cant Take My Eyes Off You 10. Dead Star 11. In Your World 12. The Groove 13. Eternally Missed 14. Fury 15. Crying Shame 16. Easily 17. Glorious 18. Neutron Star Collision (Love Is Forever) 19. Prague 20. Resistance (Tiesto Remix)

81s4ggwbo6l-_sx425_Muse is such a brilliant band that it is hard to imagine them creating anything that isn’t wonderful. Even the controversial (for die-hard fans, at least) The 2nd Law has grown on me – after all, it is a concept album. It should come as no surprise, then, that an album of rare songs and B-sides from Muse is excellent. I didn’t even know this collection of songs existed until our loving founder shared them with us last week. After listening to them, I’m amazed at the sheer number of songs – 40 of them across two discs. What’s even more amazing is the number of songs here that I had never even heard before.

While there are a few remixes, such as “Sober,” “Sunburn” (both originally from Showbiz), “New Born” (Origin of Symmetry), and “Resistance,” as well as a live version of “Screenager,” the vast majority of these songs are rarely heard tunes that never featured on an official album. The first disc largely reminded me of their earlier, more progressive sound, as found on Origin of Symmetry. There are a few others that don’t strike me as being like Muse at all, particularly a few of the remixes. They have a bit of a Dubstep sound that grates on me – I really hate the contemporary party scene and the music that accompanies it. I’m not sure why they decided to have these songs remixed like this, but it is only a few selections from this whole album.

“Neutron Star Collision (Love is Forever)” is definitely my favorite song from the album. It has all the makings of some of the strongest songs in the band’s catalog. Sadly, this song was made for one of those dog-crap awful Twilight movies. The less said about that the better – it is still a great song.

Many of the other songs strike me as being worthy of inclusion on albums such as Origin of Symmetry, Absolution, and Black Holes and Revelations. These songs aren’t as politically motivated as their more widely regarded work, but I believe they stand well with songs like “Hyper Music,” “Falling Away with You,” “Blackout,” “Butterflies and Hurricanes,” and many other overlooked Muse songs. “Piano Thing” (track 18 from disc 1) finds Matt Bellamy at his absolute best on the piano. I wish the band would include interludes like this in their music a lot more than they do. His piano work takes their music to a whole other level.

So, who should check out this collection of B-Sides and Rarities? Certainly any big fan of Muse and definitely fans of their Origin of Symmetry sound. If you can’t tell, that’s my favorite album by them, and it is probably why I find this collection of songs so appealing. I’m amazed that even the songs that few people hear by this band are of such a high quality. This collection could easily stand up against other similar bands’ best albums.

The Mute Gods Release Video for “Nightschool For Idiots”

On By Bryan MoreyIn progressive rock1 Comment

The Mute Gods have released a music video for their song, “Nightschool For Idiots,” which happens to be my favorite song off of their album, Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me. This song was certainly written from the heart. I’ve read mixed reviews on it, but I love it. Enjoy.

Dream the Electric Sleep: “Flight” Music Video

On By Bryan MoreyIn progressive rock1 Comment

Dream the Electric Sleep is a band that has really impressed me over the past few years. For some reason, they remind me of Haken. Not necessarily in the way they sound, but rather in the way they write music. Their lyrics are inventive and interesting (like Haken), their music is certainly progressive (like Haken), yet they are still easily approachable. This band should be a staple of rock radio, but that’s wishful thinking on my part.

Their song “Flight,” off of their most recent album, Beneath the Dark Wide Sky, is one of my favorite songs from this year. This song blends the brilliance of prog with the catchiness of pop hooks, much like Flying Colors do. Check out the music video below.

The Rising Brilliance of Mike Kershaw – What Lies Beneath

On By Bryan MoreyIn progressive rock1 Comment

Mike Kershaw – What Lies Beneath (Bad Elephant Music, 2016)

Tracks: Gunning for the Gods (9:30), In Floods the Light (4:20), Dice (4:42), The City Revealed (6:53), Two Eyes (4:20), Wounds (4:45), Another Disguise (5:23), The City of My Dreams (7:04)

a0097340229_16I’ve been following Mike Kershaw’s work for a few albums now, and I’m truly impressed with how he has grown as an artist over the past few years. His earlier music, while displaying excellent insightful lyrical content, wasn’t the easiest music to get into. It required a lot of effort on the part of the listener, although that effort was rewarded. What Lies Beneath, however, finds Kershaw at his best to date. Fans of Fractal Mirror will find this music remarkably familiar, yet more upbeat than FM’s music. Featuring a diverse, yet progressive sound, Kershaw’s music sounds fresh and unique.

The similarities between Kershaw and Fractal Mirror exist because FM contributed to this album, much as they did on Kershaw’s previous EP, Departure. In addition to providing lead vocals, backing vocals, and playing keyboards, Kershaw collaborated with quite a number of people on this album:

  • Gareth Cole – electric and acoustic guitars, piano
  • Leopold Blue-Sky – bass, pedal steel, keys, drums
  • Leo Koperdraat – guitar, keys, backing vocals
  • Tom Slatter – vocals (track 6), acoustic guitar
  • Frank Urbaniak – drums
  • Rohan Jordan-Shah – drums
  • Joshua Leibowitz – drums
  • Marco Vàsquez – keys
  • Allyson Blue-Sky – backing vocals
  • Stuart Stephens – backing vocals
  • Clare Stephens – backing vocals

These collaborations have brought a breath of fresh air and diversity to Kershaw’s wonderful lyrics. This spark of energy shines clear in every aspect of the music, including Kershaw’s vocals. While I believe he still underestimates his vocal abilities, this album showcases his best vocal work to date. One of the best examples of this is on the upbeat track, “Two Eyes,” one of my favorites from the album. The lyrics to this song find the narrator searching through old family photos trying to figure out where he came from in order to find his purpose in life. The drums, courtesy of Urbaniak, set a wonderful rhythm for the song.

“Wounds” features lead vocals from Tom Slatter, whose voice reminds me of Andy John Bradford. Kershaw’s backing vocals work perfectly here, and the change up adds a nice variety to the music. Kershaw’s keyboard solo in the middle of the song is a great high point, as well, bringing back some of the sounds of his earlier albums.

While often keyboard oriented, What Lies Beneath does have its more rock-oriented elements. Throughout the album, the bass guitar keeps a steady, yet complex, flow. Excellent guitar work appears throughout, with some of the best coming at the end of the album with “Another Disguise” and “The City of My Dreams.” The instrumentation is solid throughout, although these songs are definitely lyric oriented.

“The City of My Dreams” builds wonderfully through both the music and the lyrics, and they meld together perfectly, with Kershaw’s vocals taking the spotlight towards the middle. Kershaw ends the album by contemplating on the passage of time through a city, yet it is so much more than that. The beauty of Kershaw’s lyrics is their depth – the more you listen, the more you get out of the music. Indeed, Kershaw is one of the most thought provoking lyricists of the last few years, and he is someone deserving of attention.

This album marks a wonderful step forward for Kershaw, and any fans of Fractal Mirror (whose recent album was also magnificent) should particularly take notice. Fans of prog in general should also take note, for Kershaw’s lyrics continue to impress. Now, with excellent musical collaborations, these lyrics can be appreciated by a more diverse crowd.

https://mikekershaw.bandcamp.com

http://www.kershmusic.com

Don’t miss James Turner’s interview with Mike Kershaw: https://progarchy.com/2016/08/28/what-lies-beneath-bad-elephant-special-part-2-an-interview-with-mike-kershaw/

Another Belated Review (Sorry Colin): Corvus Stone Unscrewed

On By Bryan MoreyIn progressive rock1 Comment

Corvus Stone, Corvus Stone Unscrewed (Melodic Revolution Records, 2015)

Tracks: Brand New Day (3:52), Early Morning Calls (3:52), Joukahainen Without Chips (2:53), Horizon (Remixed) (1:52), Landfill (3:44), After Solstice (Remix) (4:05), Jussi Pussi (Remix) (2:45), Scary Movie Too (special release) (7:38), Petrified in the Cinema Basement (3:10), Lost and Found Revisited (3:29), Cinema Finale (6:02), Pack Up Your Truffles (2:07), Moustaches in Massachusetts (4:18)

corvus-stone-unscrewed600x600
Another great album cover by Sonia Mota

Here we are, yet again, with another belated review of a great Corvus Stone album. It seems I’m off by about a year. But no matter, the music is wonderful! From the pounding of the opening bassline to the uniquely Colin Tench guitars, Unscrewed has it all and more. Nobody was really expecting a new Corvus Stone album last year, but that didn’t stop the band from making a good one. 

Much like in the first two albums, Unscrewed is hard to nail down to any one genre. It has clear jazz influences, but the guitars definitely have a Floydian touch to them, much like in Tench’s work with Andy John Bradford’s Oceans 5. The keyboards offer a nice proggy vibe from all eras of progressive rock, courtesy of Pasi Koivu. The jazziest part of the music definitely comes from Robert Wolff’s amazing drums. Steady, yet understated, bass throughout, courtesy of Petri Lidström, keeps everything together.

Like earlier Corvus Stone albums, Unscrewed is primarily instrumental, even more so than the first two albums. However, when they do use vocals, they do a great job of breaking up the album. The vocals are often used as an added instrument, rather than the lyrics being the focal point of the song. Take the chanting of the line, “Early morning call” on the second song, “Early Morning Calls.” The singing melts into the music rather than standing apart from it.

As you can see from the tracklist, several of the songs are remixes from earlier songs. This is a nice way a revisiting earlier material while displaying the songs in a new light. “Scary Movie Too” provides a sequel to a song off of the first album, as well as a darker turn to the music. “Pack Up Your Truffles,” a new song, is driven by an almost bluesy guitar line, further demonstrating the wide variety of styles present in Corvus Stone’s music. My one complaint with this song is its length – I could have listened to it for a lot longer than 2 minutes and 7 seconds.

As usual, Sonia Mota did a beautiful job with the artwork. The raven is a recurring theme in the band’s artwork, and I love how the movie posters in front of the theater are all Corvus Stone artwork. There’s a lot going on, and it matches the music perfectly.

Corvus Stone Unscrewed is another great album from the obscure band. Their music is a lot of fun to listen to, and it is generally pretty lighthearted. The band has a lot of fun writing goofy names and lyrics, and their love of music shines through.

http://www.corvusstone.com

Neal Morse Band Announce Epic Concept Album: “The Similitude of a Dream”

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a072010e-c952-475b-955f-0d3386f1fcc7Courtesy of the folks over at Prog, the Neal Morse Band officially announced their upcoming double concept album, The Similitude of a Dream. According to Morse, the concept is loosely based upon the beginning of John Bunyan’s classic story, Pilgrim’s Progress. The first song released, “Long Day/Overture,” features both the quiet and proggy sides of Neal Morse’s career. From the get-go, this song captures your attention and leaves you wanting more. It is definitely one of the proggiest new songs I’ve heard this year.

The Neal Morse Band is made up of, obviously, Neal Morse, as well as Mike Portnoy, Randy George (bass), Bill Hubauer (keyboards), and Eric Gillette, who is quickly proving himself to be one of the best guitarists in the prog world.

Mike Portnoy has said that this is the greatest album of his entire career, even surpassing Dream Theater’s classic Scenes From a Memory. He has gone so far as to compare The Similitude of a Dream to The Who’s Tommy, Genesis’ The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, and Pink Floyd’s The Wall. Those are bold words, and time will certainly judge whether or not those statements are true. If the first song is any indication, though, this album may very well be the best yet by Neal Morse.

The album is set for release on November 11, but you can pre-order the album from Radiant Records now: http://www.radiantrecords.com/products/634-the-neal-morse-band-the-similitude-of-a-dream.aspx.

The band embarks on a four month tour across the US, Canada, and Europe (and a show in Israel) in the beginning of 2017.