Check out the Dutch Progressive Rock Page’s Top 20 of 2015 – based upon the top ten lists of the writers, including yours truly. The individual lists of top 10s will be coming out there shortly.
http://weekendprog.blogspot.fr/2015/12/the-best-progressive-rock-albums-of-2015.html
Vanden Plas, “Chronicles of the Immortals: Netherworld Path 2” (Frontiers Music)
Tracks: 1. Vision 11even *in My Universe (6:26), 2. Vision 12elve *Godmaker’s Temptation (5:05), 3. Vision 13teen *Stone Roses Edge (6:38), 4. Vision 14teen *Blood of Eden (*All Love Must Die)[*the Rite][*This Is the Night] (13:18), 5. Vision 15teen *Monster (7:41), 6. Vision 16teen *Diabolica Comedia (6:38), 7. Vision 17teen *Where Have the Children Gone (4:42), 8. Vision 18teen *the Last Fight (7:34), 9. Vision 19teen *Circle of the Devil (7:59)
German prog metal outfit Vanden Plas recently released part two of their masterpiece, “Chronicles of the Immortals: Netherworld.” Part 1, released last year, was one of my top albums of 2014, and Part 2 has already promised to be high on this year’s list as well. Since the release of Part 1, I have had the chance to delve more deeply in to this amazing band, and I have not been disappointed. Everything I have heard by Vanden Plas has been stunning. They take their work very seriously, and they put their all into everything they do.
So who is Vanden Plas? Stephan Lill on guitars, Torsten Reichert on bass guitar, Andy Kuntz on vocals, Andreas Lill on drums, and Günter Werno on keyboards. Every member of this band is at the top of their game. Stephan Lill’s shredding on the guitar is mind-blowing, and Werno’s keyboards rank with the best efforts of any of Dream Theater’s outstanding keyboardists. Above all, however, soars Andy Kuntz’s spectacular vocals. In my opinion, he has the best voice in progressive metal, by a wide margin. He is smoother than James Labrie (who often fails to recognize his own limits), and he brings more power and clarity to the lyrics than any other metal vocalist I have heard. He fully recognizes his range and ability, and he does not try to exceed it, which may explain why his voice still has such power after years of singing metal. Also, the fact that he doesn’t scream probably helps too.
Truth be told, after being blown away by Part 1, I was a little apprehensive about hearing Part 2. I wasn’t quite sure that Vanden Plas could equal Part 1. Thankfully, I had nothing to worry about. Part 2 is every bit as good, maybe even better. It picks up right where Part 1 left off, with a few seconds of quiet followed by roaring and driving metal riffs, symphonic epic-ness mixed with choral beauty, and continued female vocals from someone whose name I can’t find anywhere. She sang on Part 1 as well, and her voice matches Andy’s perfectly. When they sing together, the angels themselves stop to listen. Vanden Plas perfectly straddle the zone between heavy metal, prog metal, and progressive rock. They can be heavy one minute and hauntingly beautiful the next. The way in which they do that is simply breathtaking.
The story itself (since this is a concept album, after all), is based off of the highly successful novels written by German author, Wolfgang Hohlbein, who helped write the lyrics for both albums. He happens to be a big fan of Vanden Plas. The story itself is really difficult to nail down. I’ve been listening to Part 1 regularly since it first came out, and I still struggle to figure out what the heck is going on. That fact is remarkable, considering how catchy their music is. I’ve probably annoyed the crap out of my roommate by singing along to these albums. The whole story is about a vampire and his cohorts traveling through Europe in an attempt to discover the truth of their origins. I feel I am doing you a disservice by not detailing the story a little more, but I’m having trouble finding a clear narrative, likely since it is a German band. The lyrics are in English, but I don’t think the books have been translated. Nevertheless, the vagueness of the story (for me, at least) makes listening to the albums that much more interesting because I discover something new with every listen.
Obviously, Part 2 picks up where Part 1 left off, with the numbering of the protagonist’s “visions” picking up at eleven. This is another long album, but it never drags on. In fact, like at the end of Part 1, I am left wanting more at the end of Part 2. The crunch of the guitars, the wail of the bass, the skill of the drums, and the atmosphere of the keyboards, all layered with Andy’s voice, as well as choral and orchestral additions, makes “Chronicles of the Immortals: Netherworld” a joy to listen to. These two albums just don’t seem to get old.
I’ll warn you, if you have never listened to Vanden Plas, start with Part 1, and then listen to the new album. Musically, it will make more sense, since the band reintroduces motifs in Part 2 that were developed in Part 1. While I have yet to hear a bad album from this band, the Chronicles of the Immortals saga takes their playing and storytelling to a whole new level. Unlike some metal bands, who often try to experiment with too many different sounds, Vanden Plas have firmly discovered/created their sound, and they don’t deviate from it. This ensures that they don’t have catastrophic failures when experimenting with a new sound. After all, why mess with a sure thing.
If you are a fan of progressive metal, symphonic prog, metal, or just amazing music, check out Chronicles of the Immortals, parts 1 and 2. It is well worth your time. I don’t normally rate albums here on Progarchy, but I am giving this one a solid 10/10.
In an effort to avoid lame homecoming activities and pathetically drunk alumni hitting on poor freshmen ladies, I decided to spend last night curled up on my bed listening to Rush (Caress of Steel through Signals) while reading Brad Birzer’s new book on Neil Peart. I’m not going to offer a full review because I don’t think I could do it justice, but I highly recommend it to all of you. It helped me greatly understand both Neil Peart the man and the musician.
After reading Dr. Brad’s book, it is clear that there is a lot Mr. Peart and I disagree about, particularly when it comes to religion. However, I deeply admire him much in the same way I admire other anti-religious or anti-Christian greats of the western tradition. Despite his aversion to Christianity, Peart doesn’t come out and attack Christians for their beliefs. He is very much live and let live, and I can completely support that.
The structure of the book is chronological, beginning with Peart’s beginnings with the band and ending at the present. Brad includes in depth analysis of Rush’s lyrics, Neil Peart’s written prose, and looks at his personal life in order to understand the band’s music. Brad rounds out his look at the intellectual study of Neil Peart with generous interview references from all three band members, as well as personal interviews with masters of current prog, such as Andy Tillison. While Brad didn’t get the opportunity to conduct any new interviews with Peart himself, he makes up for that loss by looking at essentially every pertinent interview, book, and magazine article available.
In short, Neil Peart: Cultural Repercussions is a must read for fans of Rush, Neil Peart, progressive rock, literature, the western tradition, and cultural criticism. Brad paints Peart as the great western man of our time, continuing the culture of the past, all the while doing it with the enthusiasm that only Dr. Brad Birzer can provide. It really is an outstanding book, well worth your time.
Order Neil Peart: Cultural Repercussions from Amazon, here.
Bone Bash is the annual super gig put on by KSAN 107.7 The Bone. I had always wanted to see Tesla and Def Leppard perform, more so Def Lep. To me they were one of the few groups that successfully married pop and metal, even though calling them pop could be an insult to most fans. The first opener was the mighty Tesla and they didn’t disappoint. I’ve been wanting to see these guys for a while now, I kick myself for missing a local gig a couple years ago. Tesla is unique because they emerged during the mid 80s hair metal/glam era and remained down to Earth the whole time: authentic rock n’ roll – no frills, no bullshit, blue collar rock. While the Sunset Strip acts were sporting spandex, make-up, lace and leather, Tesla retained an almost hippie throwback kind of look and philosophy. Jeans, t-shirts, solid playing ability (and good hair) were all they needed. Tesla plays…
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Vanden Plas recently released a new music video for a song off of their upcoming album, “Chronicles of the Immortals: Netherworld II,” the sequel to last year’s album. I don’t know about you, but I am really looking forward to this album. “Netherworld Pt. I” was my introduction to the band, and since then, I have listened to many of their earlier albums, and I am astounded by how amazing these guys are. This new music video is no exception. Check it out.
And happy birthday, Progarchy!!!
The highly anticipated thrash metal album from Metal Allegiance has finally been released! Featuring Mike Portnoy on drums, David Ellefson (Megadeth) on bass, Alex Skolnick (Testament) on guitars, and a host of guest musicians and singers, this album may be the best thrash metal album in a long time. Never before has Mike Portnoy played in such a heavy and powerful manner, and it is remarkable. However, do not think this album is simply Mike Portnoy and friends. This is truly a collaborative work of power metal.
Check it out, and get your thrash on!
As Dream Theater quietly celebrates their 30th anniversary as a band this year, I bring you a look back at what is likely the group’s best album, Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From a Memory. Many might argue that Images and Words is their best, but I believe that Dream Theater reached unmatched levels of brilliance on their 1999 album. It is also one of the greatest albums ever created, in my humble opinion.
In the grand scheme of things, I’m a very recent fan of Dream Theater. I didn’t really “get into” the band in earnest until early this year. Somehow, though, I feel as if I have been listening to the band for years. Their music seems to transcend time and emotion, particularly on Scenes from a Memory. This album manages to capture so much emotion, feeling, and spirit through both the lyrics and the music itself. From the seemingly strange concept of a man discovering he is a reincarnation of a woman murdered in the 1920s to the blisteringly brilliant musicianship, Scenes From a Memory grabs the listener and doesn’t let go. The album also manages to reach back to the band’s first album with James Labrie, 1992’s Images and Words. As many of you know, Scenes From a Memory is an extension of the song, “Metropolis Pt. 1: The Miracle and the Sleeper,” and the album manages to include and build upon many of the themes and musical motifs introduced in that song. Continue reading “Metal Mondays – 30 Years of Dream Theater – Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From a Memory”
After a long hiatus, Chicago metal band Disturbed secretly recorded their latest album, Immortalized, which came out towards the end of last month. It was well worth the several year wait. While it isn’t really progressive (well, the song about weed could be considered “progressive,” but that would be a different connotation of the word), the band experiments in a couple new directions. They retain their awesome, heavy sound, while dropping in some keyboard sounds that add to the overall layering.
What struck me most about the album, however, was their cover of Simon and Garfunkel’s “The Sound of Silence.” This cover is more of a David Draiman (lead singer of Disturbed) cover than a Disturbed cover, because there are no metal elements at all. It is just him singing with symphonic music, with a little bit of acoustic guitar. He demonstrates his fantastic vocal abilities, in a way unlike any other Disturbed song he has made, and he brings just enough of his signature grit to the song without overdoing it. I like this version more than the original! I’ll admit, it gave me chills. Check it out.
Muse, “Drones” (Warner Music)
Tracks: 1. Dead Inside (4:24), 2. [Drill Sergeant] (0:21), 3. Psycho (5:17), 4. Mercy (3:52), 5. Reapers (6:00), 6. The Handler (4:34), 7. [JFK] (0:55), 8. Defector (4:33), 9. Revolt (4:06), 10. Aftermath (5:48), 11. The Globalist (10:07), 12. Drones (2:52)
Muse have returned to their heavier, progressive roots with their latest album, “Drones.” After venturing into pop rock and dubsteppy techno pop garbage on 2012’s “The 2nd Law,” the three piece, made up of Matt Bellamy on guitars, vocals, and keyboards, Chris Wolstenholme on bass, and Dominic Howard on drums, decided that they wanted to hit number 1 on the US charts. To accomplish this, they turned to veteran AC/DC producer, Robert John Lange. It worked, and “Drones” became the band’s first #1 album in the US.
Now, you wouldn’t really expect a concept album to go to the top of the charts in this day and age, but that is exactly what happened. “Drones” is indeed a full fledged concept album about a dystopic society controlled by a government that dictates its citizens’ every move. Thus the title, “Drones.” The funniest part about all this is that the majority of people listening to this don’t even realize that it is prog, much less know what prog is. Some reviews I have read claim that the concept doesn’t really work, but I disagree. I think it works just fine, and it is incredibly applicable to today’s changing governmental policies in the West.
The story begins with despair and rage against a government that won’t allow its people to think. In the middle, we see the main character(s) (there really isn’t a character like in “2112,” but there is first person, implying a character) attempting to defect and revolt. In “Aftermath,” that character wishes everything were over. The album ends with survivors of the destruction (caused by the revolt) learning to live in the new world they have created.
The jewel of this album is the song, “Aftermath.” This song is to 2015 what Flying Colors’ “Peaceful Harbor” was to 2014. Muse really nailed it with this song – it is incredibly beautiful. The guitar work combined with haunting vocals and orchestra make this one of the top songs of the year. “The Globalist,” Muse’s longest song to date, is quite progressive, merging from quiet to a heavier rock towards the end. The album ends perfectly with Bellamy singing a sort of a cappella hymn (he sings several different parts that are overlaid). It is stunning.
The second half of “Drones” is much stronger musically and lyrically than the first half, although “Mercy” and “Reapers” are excellent tracks, with the latter having enough time signature changes to make even the most ADD prog fans happy. However, the poor lyrics in the chorus of “Pyscho” are offensive and sophomoric. The short “[Drill Sergeant]” intro to the song is rather annoying as well, creating more of a distraction. The re-emergence of the drill sergeant in the song itself also draws away from the music. The short JFK speech later in the album works, however (despite my great distaste for the President as both a politician and a human being).
Another misstep for this album is the packaging. I decided to pony up and buy the cd, thinking it would come in a nice jewel case. Instead, it came in a cardboard sleeve, which I found to be quite lame, particularly from such a major record label like Warner. However, the booklet has artwork for each individual song, and it is quite stunning. The artwork really adds depth to each song. I’m sure the vinyl package is probably pretty nice.
Despite the few minor missteps in “Drones,” Muse created one of the best albums of their career with their most recent output. The fact that it is one of their most successful gives me hope for a possible growing popularity of prog, although I assume most people are ignoring the best songs in favor of the more radio friendly “Dead Inside” or other such pieces. “Aftermath” and “The Globalist” are transcendently awesome in a way most people might gloss over. The balance of hard rock, piano, keyboards, classical music, and Chris’s awesome bass riffs (the dude is a beast) make this an incredibly enjoyable album to listen to, faults and all. It is definitely one of the top releases of 2015, across any genre.
Next to None, “A Light in the Dark” (Inside Out Music)
Tracks: 1. The Edge of Sanity (9:40), 2. You are Not Me (4:55), 3. Runaway (4:59), 4. A Lonely Walk (5:32), 5. Control (9:59), 6. Lost (6:13), 7. Social Anxiety (3:44), 8. Legacy (3:56), 9. Blood on My Hands (8:15), 10. Fortune Cookie (Bonus Track) (4:14), 11. Deafening (Bonus Track) (4:21)
Next to None are an intriguing teenage prog metal band that play like musicians twice their age. After spending late spring touring with Haken on their American “Restouration” tour, Next to None released their first album on June 29 of this year. It did remarkably well, hitting number 13 on the iTunes metal charts for its first day. The band members are:
Max Portnoy: drums
Thomas Cucé: keyboards, vocals
Ryland Holland: guitars
Kris Rank: bass
Seeing as Max Portnoy is Mike Portnoy’s son, there is the obvious comparison of Next to None’s music to Dream Theater. While that is a fair comparison, as the music often resembles that of DT, a more interesting comparison is to Slipknot, a metal band that N2N sites as a major influence. In fact, N2N can be described as Dream Theater meets Slipknot, minus the often horrible, depressing suicidal lyrics of Slipknot.
For their first album, Next to None decided to make a concept album, which is entirely refreshing coming from the younger side of prog and metal. The album is about a guy with a mental illness struggling to decide what to do with his life. While deciding what to do, he loses control, and the rest of the album looks at the character struggling to cope with the gravity of what he has done. The way in which the concept is presented demonstrates a great deal of maturity on the part of these young musicians.
The music itself, which features guest appearances by Neal Morse (mellotron) and Bumblefoot (of Guns N Roses), traverses the wide range of prog metal. There are heavy metal songs, complete with some screamo and traditional singing, to quiet, piano driven songs with softer lyrics (“A Lonely Walk”). Some listeners might be turned off by the screaming, but it isn’t overdone, and it certainly fits the concept. It is used to emphasize the increasing insanity of the main character. Furthermore, Cucé is actually quite good at the screaming – it isn’t the type of screaming you would get from a doom metal band, but rather the type that Avenged Sevenfold employed on their early albums.
The musicianship on this album is superb. Max Portnoy is incredible on the drums, which comes as no surprise. He has been playing since he was 5 years old, and he currently attends a music school. Having Mike Portnoy as a father probably doesn’t hurt either. Thomas Cucé’s keyboards add a nice layering to the music, as well as wonderful piano in the quieter parts. The keyboard solo in “Control” is awesome, reminiscent of Jordan Rudess’ always fun solos. Ryland Holland is excellent on the guitars, and it was a blast watching him play live. Kris Rank’s bass is superb as well. One of my favorite songs on the album is “Lost.” At the midpoint of the story, the lyrics and the music perfectly reflect desperation. The music is driving, pounding, and the guitar solo sounds like something John Petrucci would crank out.
I really am blown away by the musicianship in this band. These guys aren’t just good for teenagers, they are excellent musicians period. They are better than many metal bands that have been around for 20 years. There are a few points in the music where the band sounds like it could use some polishing (which can only come from the experience of touring, recording, and learning on the job), but those are few and far between. Plus, the band is gaining that experience with every chance they can, playing live shows often.
Progarchy got the chance to sit down (via email) with Max Portnoy to discuss the band and their new album.
Progarchy: Can you give a bit of background on the band.
Max Portnoy: I met Ryland and Kris in first grade and we have been friends ever since. We always used to jam but we never knew a singer to form an actual band. It was about fifth grade when we met Thomas who was the first kid we knew that would sing, so we took him on board and formed Next To None.
Progarchy: Dream Theater’s influence upon your music is clear, for obvious reasons, but what other bands, artists, or musicians influence your style as a band and as individuals? Are your influences strictly metal, or are you drawn to a wide range of music, progressive or otherwise?
Max Portnoy: My favorite band is Slipknot. I’ve been listening to them my whole life basically, my dad showed me Vol. 3 when I was 4 years old and I loved them ever since. And lately I’ve been listening a lot to Meshuggah. So to me I think I come from a more metal oriented background.
Progarchy: Some might see the release of a concept album as a first record, particularly for musicians as young as yourselves, as a very bold move. It appears that “A Light in the Dark” truly stands as a single album, not merely a collection of songs, which is becoming increasingly rare these days in the music industry. What drove you to create a concept album as opposed to more standard heavy metal tracks?
Max Portnoy: We liked the idea of a concept since nobody really does it anymore, and it really makes your album feel like a story and not just a collection of songs.
Progarchy: Can you also talk about the concept as a whole?
Max Portnoy: There’s a six song concept through out the album about a guy who struggles with mental illness and the mere fact that he’s not happy with his life and what he’s doing with it. The first two tracks he is basically arguing with himself over what is right and what is wrong. Track 4 (A lonely walk) he comes to a cross roads. By the end of the song he has convinced himself that he needs to do something with his life. Track 6 (control) he loses control of himself. Tracks 8 and 9 (Legacy and Blood on My Hands) are after the incident when he reflects on what he has done.
Progarchy: How would you describe your process of writing lyrics and music?
Max Portnoy: We get together on the weekends and we jam and someone would bring up a riff and when we hear something we like, we write around it. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t, but basically we just try to have fun when we get together, which makes the whole process very enjoyable.
Progarchy: Can you talk a little bit about your collaborations with other artists on this album?
Max Portnoy: Well, we saw Bumblefoot performing at the Progressive Nation At Sea Cruise and we were blown away, and we really wanted to work with him. We were very lucky to have him on board.
When we were recording ALITD, the last track was A Lonely Walk and we weren’t satisfied with the sound of the mellotron, and after re doing it several times we realized that we wanted it to sound like Neal Morse’s mellotron, and then we asked ourselves… “Well, why don’t we ask Neal himself to do it for us?”
Progarchy: I know you probably get asked this question a lot, but… how extensive was Mike Portnoy’s involvement as producer for “A Light in the Dark” and your subsequent tour?
Max Portnoy: Well, the truth is that MP is touring most of the time, so when he is at home he doesn’t really do much drumming related stuff and we focus on just having quality family time. But he got involved once we were ready to record everything and it was basically written already. I would say that his most important contribution to the album was driving us back and forth to the recording studio, hehehe.
Progarchy: What was your experience touring with Haken like?
Max Portnoy: It was incredible. We learned so much, from how to soundcheck and how to kick ass on stage and then how to interact with the fans. They are an amazing group of musicians and probably one of the top representatives of the genre right now. We can’t thank them enough for the opportunity to tour with them.
Progarchy: How do you manage or balance creating music, practicing, recording, and touring with your high school responsibilities?
Max Portnoy: Well, my high school is actually a music school so when I’m not at home jamming in the afternoons, I’m putting in 6 hours of playing at school every morning… and since music is one of my biggest passions, it actually makes me want to go to school.
Progarchy: What’s next for Next to None?
Max Portnoy: We plan on touring as much as we can with as many musicians as we can. Hopefully we can successfully promote this album for the next year and then we can begin to work on our next album.
Progarchy: For the last question, would you share your favorite albums and/or bands?
Max Portnoy: In no particular order:
Vol. 3 – Slipknot
Train Of Thought – Dream Theater
Ride The Lightning – Metallica
Progarchy: Thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview with Progarchy. We wish you nothing but the best of success on the start of your career, and we look forward to seeing what the future holds for you and Next to None!
A special thanks to Inside Out Music for setting up this interview!
Check out “A Light in the Dark.” In a year that is jam packed with awesome new metal music, either already released or due to be released later this year, Next to None stand out as an incredible new band intent on making great music.
Progarchy 