Category: Progressive rock

Happy Easter

On By Bryan MoreyIn Progressive rock1 Comment

Happy Easter, citizens of the Republic of Progarchy! I typically share Marillion’s song, “Easter” on this day every year. I do that again this year, but I want to point out that this song feels particularly relevant today. A month and a half ago, Russia invaded Ukraine after 8 years of arming rebels on Ukraine’s eastern border. In the weeks since we’ve all seen many of the horrors from this pointless war on social media or TV. Schools, hospitals, train stations filled with fleeing refugees indiscriminately struck by missiles. Streets filled with dead civilians. It’s truly horrific, and I shudder to think what will come of this mess. As is usual in war, the antagonists suffer no physical harm as they direct their attack from halls of luxury while people who already have very little lose everything – even their lives.

Marillion – Easter – Live at the Royal Albert Hall – YouTube

Thirty years ago, something similar was all too common on the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland. Fighting and violence had been ongoing for numerous decades, and even today tensions remain strong, with violent protests breaking out a year ago in Northern Ireland related to Brexit. But like in any war, the most people living on either side simply wanted peace. They likely didn’t share the zealous spirit of the terrorist setting off bombs, yet they have to live with the consequences of the terrorist’s actions.

Over a century ago on Easter 1916, the Irish nationalist groups suffered a stinging defeat by the British. William Butler Years’ poem, Easter, 1916, commemorates this event, and the poem directly influenced Steve Hogarth in writing “Easter” in 1989. The song combines elements of Irish folk music with Marillion’s classic neoprog sound. The opening verse paints a picture of peaceful rural Ireland, with green hills nestled in misty valleys. But the hedgerows and trees hide a bloody secret:

A tattered necklace of hedge end trees
On the southern side of the hill
Betrays where the border runs between
Where Mary Dunoon’s boy fell

The second verse looks at it from the perspective of someone (probably a soldier) being shipped from Liverpool to Northern Ireland. Perhaps his fate will be the same as Mary Dunoon’s boy. Those verses merely set the stage. The real meat of the song is the call to peace and forgiveness.

And Easter here again, a time for the blind to see
Easter, surely now can all of your hearts be free

What will you do?
Make a stone of your heart?
Will you set things right?
When you tear them apart?
Will you sleep at night?
With the plough and the stars alight?

What will you do?
With the wire and the gun?
That’ll set things right
When it’s said and done?
Will you sleep at night?
Is there so much love to hide?

Will the shooting and explosions really solve our problems? They didn’t for Ireland and Great Britain. They finally realized that on Good Friday and Easter 1998 with the signing of a peace agreement. Now we find ourselves with a new bloody conflict many orders of magnitude worse than the Ireland-Britain conflict Marillion sang of with “Easter.” The questions asked in this song need to be asked of the Russians and Ukrainians. Both sides have corrupt governments, but one side (Russia) is solely responsible for the hell they have unleashed on millions of innocent civilians. Things aren’t set right when torn apart. This Easter (which the Eastern Orthodox Church celebrates next Sunday) is the perfect time for them to reflect on this and if what they’re doing is really worth more people dying.

Easter is indeed a time for the blind to see, a time for hearts to be set free, a time for hearts of stone to be softened.  But why is that? Much is made in western culture about Christmas, the holiday which celebrates the birth of Jesus, but Easter is a far more important holiday. On Good Friday, Christians remember Jesus’ death on the cross. We call it Good because without His death, we could never be reconciled to God. You see, our sin (the things we do and think that are morally wrong) creates a giant chasm between us and God. God is holy and perfect, and we can’t enter into His presence in our sinful state. God knows this, and in His unsurpassed mercy, He looked on us with favor and sent His son, Jesus, into the world to become one of us. Both fully God and fully man, He is the only person who ever lived a sinless life. After a three-year ministry, Jesus was crucified by a Roman governor in an effort to placate an angry mob stirred on by religious leaders threatened by the message of salvation Jesus taught. But unbeknownst to that governor and those religious leaders, Jesus’ death served a much higher purpose. In His death, Jesus bore our sin so that we don’t have to.

After Jesus died, He was taken down from the cross and placed in a tomb, which was sealed with a stone and guarded by Roman soldiers. There His body lay until that glorious Sunday morning (Easter) when death discovered it could not contain the creator of the universe. Jesus rose from the dead, defeating sin and death forever! On Easter we celebrate Jesus breaking death so we might live. In response to this lavish gift, Christians are supposed to live lives of service and love to others. We are to show compassion to the poor, mercy to the sick, and love to the unloved. We are to be the hands of Jesus to a suffering world.

Our world is desperately broken. We long for a day without war. A day when little children going to school don’t have to be worried about a rocket blasting into their building because of the whims of a crazed dictator 500 miles away. We dream of a day when people won’t feel the need to numb the pain of living with drugs just to get through another day. We wish for the pain of ongoing depression to be taken away. We dream of futures better than the present. We dream of… so much.

The world will remain broken until Jesus returns, but until that happens, we have the chance to show love. We can find fulfillment in a personal relationship with God, and through that we can spread joy, hope, and love to others. All it requires is making Jesus your lord – repenting of your sin, repenting of your pride, relinquishing control of your life to Him and allowing Him to use you to build His kingdom. Only then can true meaning and purpose in life be found. It isn’t easy. In fact being a Christian is really hard sometimes, but it’s worth it. Unity with God the Father and unity with fellow believers is a precious gift worth far more than any earthly riches. Even if our world literally blows up around us due to circumstances over which we have no control, we might still have internal peace knowing that God loves us and cares for us.

You might think, “I don’t read this site to be preached at,” and that’s fair. But I pay the WordPress rent for the site, so I’ll write what I want ;p And more than that, I care about you, dear reader. Your life matters. Your soul matters more than you can possibly comprehend. The decisions we make in this life really do impact where we spend eternity. We can spend it in eternal bliss unified with God, or we can spend it in eternal torment separated from Him. God ultimately gives us what we want. If we want nothing to do with Him now, then He will give us that after we die. But just like life without God is dark and depressing – full of war, famine, hatred, murder, rape, lust, bitterness, anger, etc. – eternal death will be far darker. The sin in this world is merely a shadow of the death to come. The goodness in this world reflects the goodness of God, and it too is merely a shadow of the joy and peace to be found in Heaven.

Don’t let today pass without giving this some serious thought. We don’t have forever. Time flies by in the blink of an eye, and none of us are promised another day. But through faith in Jesus Christ and His work on the cross and resurrection from the dead, we can have absolute confidence on which side of the chasm we will spend eternity. Even when our world gets rocked by war, sickness, famine, drought, and storm, we can have confidence knowing we are deeply loved by a God who laid down His life for us.

Happy Easter, Progarchy.

Forgive, Forget
Sing “Never again.”

James Labrie Releases New Single – Solo Album Out May 20

On By Bryan MoreyIn Prog, Progressive rockLeave a comment

Dream Theater vocalist James Labrie has released a single, “Give and Take,” off his upcoming solo album, Beautiful Shade of Grey. I just received a promo copy of the album, and after one quick listen I’d have to say it’s pretty good. It’s far more subdued than Dream Theater. At times it reminds me of Glass Hammer. There’s even a cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Ramble On.”

More from Inside Out Music:

James LaBrie, known internationally as the vocalist for progressive metal icons & Grammy-winners Dream Theater, embarks on uncharted waters with his fourth solo album, titled ‘Beautiful Shade of Grey’, out on May 20th, 2022. Today sees the launch of the album’s second single, “Give & Take”, and you can watch the Wayne Joyner-produced video here: https://youtu.be/-cxWibWBi_o

James comments: “This track is a take on the coercive manipulation between the corporate elite and the proletariat class. An atmospheric soundscape with beautiful feel and scope.”

Paul Logue adds: “Musically Give & Take is a nice balance of Dream Theater, Eden’s Curse and a even little Queensryche thrown in for good measure. The dark musical undertones allow James’ vocals to really shine whilst his lyrics take the listener on a journey through the classic tale of good versus evil.”

Watch the previously released video for the track ‘Devil in Drag’ here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwDfh5Mvd0o

The new endeavor sees him traverse personal maturation, loss, a myriad of complex relationships, and most importantly – LaBrie’s burning passion for music. On paper, the latest studio offering from the Canadian singer first took shape shortly after the global pandemic began to emerge. But in reality, LaBrie formed a bond with his fellow collaborator, bassist Paul Logue (Eden’s Curse), nearly a decade earlier.

The two first met in 2011, when James would lend his voice to a feature for Logue’s band, UK melodic metal outfit Eden’s Curse, on the song “No Holy Man”. As years went by the two remained in touch, occasionally kicking the tires on the idea of working together on another project. But when Dream Theater performed in Glasgow during the late winter of 2020, LaBrie and Logue would run into each other at the airport – once again asking the question. But this time, armed with the knowledge that a drastic change in the world was all but imminent, LaBrie made the decision to set things in motion.

On the album, Logue plays acoustic rhythm guitar (both six & twelve string) and acoustic bass, while guitarist Marco Sfogli, who’s contributed on all of LaBrie’s solo albums since 2005’s ‘Elements of Persuasion’, handled the leads and solos. Logue recruited Eden’s Curse keyboardist Christian Pulkkinen to lend his playing on the record, while the suggestion to recruit James’s son Chance to play drums would also come from Paul. ‘Beautiful Shade of Grey’, as LaBrie describes it, was a title that only came to him once he identified the record’s two core themes throughout its track list. “A lot of these lyrics are dealing with the beauty of human beings, and a lot are dealing with the grey areas of the in between. You’re not exactly happy, but you’re not exactly sad, either.”

The record starts off (and ends) with the track “Devil In Drag”, which emerges as a wall of synthesizers and acoustic strumming before exploding into a full-blown ensemble. LaBrie expresses that the song was written about “someone who started out as a decent human being, but along the way lost touch with their roots – overtime becoming self-serving, narcissistic and devoid of principles or values.” Going on to say, “’Devil In Drag’ is written from the perspective of someone who’s known them all their life and, seeing them now, asking ‘what happened?’”

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Beautiful Shade of Grey will be released as a Limited CD Digipak, 180g LP + CD & as Digital Album, with artwork by Thomas Ewerhard. Pre-order now here: https://jameslabrie.lnk.to/BeautifulShadeOfGrey

The full track-listing is as follows:

  1. Devil In Drag
  2. SuperNova Girl
  3. Give And Take
  4. Sunset Ruin
  5. Hit Me Like A Brick
  6. Wildflower
  7. Conscience Calling
  8. What I Missed
  9. Am I Right
  10. Ramble On
  11. Devil In Drag (Electric Version)

Pink Floyd Fights Fascism

On By Time LordIn Progressive rockLeave a comment

Pink Floyd has long been a powerful artistic voice against fascism. One of their most unforgettable studies of how fascism lurks within the human heart is their unforgettable rock opera The Wall. A cinematic recap of the essentials:

Now Pink Floyd stands in solidarity with Ukraine against today’s incarnation of fascist genocide:

Don’t look away. Add your voice to Gilmour’s guitar solo. Otherwise this is the way the world ends. Tear down the wall.

Keith Emerson – The Official Illustrated Story

On By kruekuttIn Progressive rock1 Comment

The big, big news just keeps on coming this week. From progressive rock-friendly publishers Rocket 88, via The Prog Report:

KEITH EMERSON is a new lavish and fully illustrated book in which family, friends, colleagues, and fans talk to author Chris Welch about the life, work, and legacy of Keith Emerson from before The Nice and ELP through 3 to The Keith Emerson Band. Illustrated throughout with previously unseen photos from family, friends, and professional photographers, this official celebration will tell the remarkable tale of Keith’s musical evolution, his personal relationships, and the creation of his astounding musical legacy. Includes new interviews with Keith’s children, ex-wife, close personal friends, Mari Kawaguchi, Carl Palmer, Rick Wakeman, Lee Jackson, Jeff ‘Skunk’ Baxter, Alan White, Dave Kilminster, Marc Bonilla, Rachel Flowers, Darius Brubeck, Geoff Downes, and others.

The book draws on the private Emerson family archives for photographs of Keith at home, at work and play. Close family and friends share memories and stories from throughout his life, revealing the true man, while fellow musicians from the worlds of prog, rock and classical attest to Keith’s talent and dedication, while others who worked with him tell of his spirit, generosity and sense of humour.

Keith Emerson celebrates the life and legacy of the man who first played the Hammond organ like a lead guitarist, introduced the European classical music tradition to rock fans with The Nice and helped create the template for prog rock with the very first Moog synthesizers with ELP. He also wrote movie soundtracks, performed with world-renowned jazz musicians, and toured the world as a solo artist. All of that and more is explored in this deluxe book.

As a happy owner of last year’s “in their own words” ELP book from Rocket 88, I’m excited about this project. Keith Emerson is one of my two great progressive rock heroes (Robert Fripp is the other), who influenced not just my listening, but also my ultimate vocation as a musician. So I’ve already registered at www.keithemersonbook.com (which gets you a special discount when pre-orders begins, allows you to have a name printed in the book, and puts you first in line for receiving your copy).

— Rick Krueger

The Bardic Depths “Promises of Hope” out June 24th

On By kruekuttIn Progressive rock1 Comment

From Prog Magazine:

Melodic prog rock outfit The Bardic Depths have unveiled a new-look line-up as they announce they will release their second album, Promises Of Hope, through Gravity Dream Music in June 24. You can watch a video teaser for the new album below.

The band, led by multi-instrumentalist Dave Bandana also originally featured noted US historian Brad Birzer, who many here will know from the respected Progarchy website. Birzer once again has devised the concept for the new album, which centres around the horrors of suicide and the possibilities of redemption.

The new line-up sees Tiger Moth Tales/Camel man Pete Jones join the band, who were the very first signing to Gravity Dream Music last year, alongside Gareth Cole (Paul Menel/ Fractal Mirror) and Tim Gehrt (The Streets/ Steve Walsh). As previously the core band are ably supported by a number of guest performances including Robin Armstrong (Cosmograf) who also co-produces the album.

“Our two Bards this time are Virgil and C.S Lewis who both wrote about the complexities of suicide,” says Bandana. “However, our story is simple in that a young queen tries to kill herself but Heaven will not allow it and instead offers redemption. The listener can decide the outcome.”

“Working with everyone again was a joy. Gareth, Peter and Tim contributed to every track and it was a logical conclusion to ask them to become The Bardic Depths band. I didn’t want this album to sound the same as the first. Essentially it is a prog album but with a few surprises. I let the music flow where it wanted as the guys contributions were added to the palette and I think we have created a diverse and absorbing album.”

Preorder Promises of Hope from Gravity Dream Music. The CD will also be available through The Band Wagon USA.

— Rick Krueger

We Still Have Time – Marillion’s Message of Hope: “An Hour Before It’s Dark”

On By Bryan MoreyIn Progressive rock6 Comments

marillion-ahbitd-1Marillion, An Hour Before It’s Dark, March 4, 2022
Tracks: Be Hard On Yourself (i. “The Tear in the Big Picture, ii. Lust for Luxury, iii. You Can Learn) (9:27), Reprogram the Gene (i. Invincible, ii. Trouble-Free Life, iii. A Cure for Us?) (7:00), Only a Kiss (0:39), Murder Machines (4:20), The Crow and the Nightingale (6:35), Sierra Leone (i. Chance in a Million, ii. The White Sand, iii. The Diamond, iv. The Blue Warm Air, v. More Than a Treasure) (10:51) Care (i. Maintenance Drugs, ii. An Hour Before It’s Dark, iii. Every Cell, iv. Angels on Earth) (15:18)

I may not be the most avid Marillion fan in the world, but of all the bands out there making music, they force me into deep reflection more than anyone else besides Devin Townsend. But where Devin Townsend forces me to be introspective, Marillion draws me outside myself. I disagree with their politics, yet generally I’ve found their perspective and the way they present it to be helpful in drawing me out of my own bubble. Their 2016 album, F.E.A.R., was a masterpiece in that regard, and it has been an album that has stuck with me since its release. I’m not ready to say that their latest record An Hour Before It’s Dark is on that level, but it is very good. I expect it will grow on me as time goes by. I’ve been slowly digesting it for a few weeks now, and I’ve been compelled to return to it more than any other album in that time.

Musically there are few bands that can match Marillion. Steve Rothery is one of the finest guitarists in the business. Pete Trewavas’s bass booms throughout, taking a primary role in various parts of the mix. Ian Mosley’s drums will no doubt win him awards, and Mark Kelly’s keyboards round out the Marillion sound. This is an album that sounds like a Marillion album. In many regards it sounds very similar to F.E.A.R. It’s a continuation, not a progression, but what did we expect? Marillion is doing what they do best, and who would fault them for that?

At first glance An Hour Before It’s Dark appears to be a rather dark album, although Steve Hogarth says despite the lyrical themes, the album is rather upbeat. I agree in part. There are dark and brooding elements of the music that are a lot like F.E.A.R, but there are also peppy tracks that defy their lyrical doom. “Murder Machines” is about the frustrations during Covid of not being able to be near loved ones for fear of killing them with love.

I put my arms around her
And I killed her with love
I killed her with love

Marillion – “Murder Machines” – YouTube

The opening track, “Be Hard on Yourself,” is a cutting critique of our culture of excess. The band extol the listener to “Be hard on yourself / You’ve been spoilt for years.” Like much of Marillion’s catalog, the melody and lyrics work their way into your ears. It’s catchy, yet the music is still unashamedly progressive. On the musical side of things, Kelly’s keyboards are particularly noticeable on this track. Hogarth’s signature style of speak-singing is in full force, bringing the lyrics into the forefront.

Cause of death: Lust for luxury
Cause of death: Consumption

The first two sections of the track examine the culture of consumption, but in the final section Hogarth offers a solution: get up and do something positive. He ends the song with such a call:

You can do better
You can do better
But do it now

We haven’t got long
We haven’t got long
To the end of the song

Be hard on yourself

Strap in
Get ready
Foot down
Push the button
Blow it all up
Blow it all up

Paint a picture, sing a song, plant some flowers in the park
Get out and make it better
You’ve got an hour before it’s dark…

As the late David Longdon told Progarchy last summer, “That’s the beauty of being human, we don’t get forever.” Make a change before it’s too late. Say a kind word, or at the least don’t say that unkind word. Lend a helping hand. We all can make a difference before it gets dark. The hope in this message alone makes the album worth listening to.

Continue reading “We Still Have Time – Marillion’s Message of Hope: “An Hour Before It’s Dark”” →

The Best Prog Bands You’ve Never Heard Of (Part Thirty-Four): Fuzzy Duck

On By Connor MullinIn Progressive rock4 Comments

Don’t let the afro and fringed pouch fool you: Fuzzy Duck packs quite a punch. Hailing from England, this rare bird of a band managed to release only one album before falling into obscurity. Like Steppenwolf and Atomic Rooster, Fuzzy Duck produced organ-driven music with an edge to it. Here are some of the highlights:

The opening number “Time Will Be Your Doctor” begins with a groovy bass line and drum beat courtesy of bassist Mick Hawksworth and drummer Paul Francis, who provide a solid foundation throughout the album. Guitarist Graham White and organist Roy Sharland also show off their chops on their respective instruments, and it is the latter two gentlemen who truly carry this album.

“Mrs. Proust,” the following piece, will probably remind many listeners of Steppenwolf’s “Magic Carpet Ride”: Sharland shreds on the organ during a superb solo, but White is never far removed from the scene with his crunchy, distorted guitar providing an extra edge to this song.

White does his best work on “Country Boy,” a dynamic song that has a “rushing through the city” feel to it. Robin Trower’s influence can be heard on this – arguably their heaviest – track.

The album closes with the tongue-in-cheek “A Word from Big D,” an organ-led instrumental punctuated with (somewhat annoying) duck calls. It doesn’t hold up well compared to the other tracks on the album, but it’s not the worst attempt at levity I’ve ever heard.

Aficionados of organ-driven hard rock and prog – especially Vincent Crane’s work in Atomic Rooster and Goldy McJohn’s in Steppenwolf – will appreciate this solid effort. It may not blow anyone away, but as far as early proto-metal bands go, Fuzzy Duck is one of those under-appreciated worth a listen or two.

Stay tuned for number thirty-five!

Album Review – Fairy Tale’s “That Is The Question”

On By Bryan MoreyIn Ambient, art rock, Atmospheric rock, Progressive rockLeave a comment

a0043426731_10Fairy Tale, That Is The Question, 2021
Tracks: Wasting The Sound 1 (1:36), That Is The Question (3:48), Time Heals Nothing (4:37), Wasting The Sound 2 (1:42), Wake Up (4:13), Girl Of The Opera (3:24), Wise Men Keep Silent (5:00), Wasting The Sound 3 (1:14), Sophie (11:19), Dot (0:24)

While Slovakia’s Fairy Tale may be a new band to Progarchy, the group has a long history making music dating back to the mid 1990s. The longtime project of Peter Kravec has seen a couple iterations, but the current version was created in 2003 when Kravec met singer Barbora Koláriková. They have since made five albums, including this one, released at the end of October 2021. Kravec plays guitars and produced the record, and Koláriková plays bass guitar in addition to handling all the vocals. They are joined by drummer L’ubomír Pavelka, and Marek Škvarenin and Adam Lukáč play keyboards on various tracks. 

The album ranges in tone from ambient and electronic sounds to a harder progressive rock edge. The band describes themselves as art rock and prog with elements of ambient. At under forty minutes, it’s a short record, which means the disparate sounds of ambient music with heavier rock sometimes clash, although I don’t think the album is necessarily meant to be a concept album. 

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The heavier parts of this record, such as the title track, have a very upbeat tempo, which contrasts with the more ambient elements. With that said, even the title track has a deeper moment with heavy bass and an overlay of Fripp-Like guitar. This smoothly blends into “Time Heals Nothing,” which opens with quieter keyboards and clean electric guitar. 

The strongest part of the record comes in the second half of “Time Heals Nothing,” which features a seriousness and an intensity in the music and the lyrical delivery that is more pronounced than on other songs. The song gradually builds towards the end into a wonderful “wall of sound” effect, which blends the ambient with the rock in a seamless way. I also think this song also has the best lyrics of the album. It deals with themes of joy and suffering, forgiveness and grace. There is an element of nihilism in the second half of the song, which can be gleaned from the title. For example:

Souls are burning
And we are boring
Time heals nothing

Souls are burning
Knowledge is boring
Time heals nothing

The electric guitar opening to “Wise Men Keep Silent” has a soothing atmospheric quality that reflects the shorter instrumental tracks, although these more ambient qualities are not tied in throughout as well as they could be. “Wise Men Keep Silent” demonstrates what Fairy Tale does best: ambient and atmospheric music sprinkled with rock influences. The instrumental track includes Barbora using her voice as an instrument, which adds a calming sensation. As I’ve been listening to Devin Townsend’s late 2021 ambient record, Snuggles (which I really should review at some point) recently, I’ll add that I hear similar elements in this song, as well as in other parts of That Is The Question.

At just over eleven minutes in length, “Sophie” is the epic of the album. It has a more electronic influence to it, and it allows the varying musical influences to dance with each other more so than on many of the other songs. There are moments where it feels disjointed, particularly in the transitions, but overall it works well. 

If the artwork looks familiar, that’s because it’s by the great Hugh Syme, who is perhaps most well known for his work with Rush. The artwork throughout the CD digipack is characteristic of his work, and it is quite good. It adds an extra layer of professionalism to the overall packaging. 

While the individual musical elements on the album are all quite good, I think the album could use a bit more focus, or a longer running time with extended songs that tie the various musical elements together better. The shorter songs help serve that purpose, but I’m not entirely convinced that their style of upbeat rock works with more melancholic ambient tones, apart from the ending of “Time Heals Nothing,” which addresses this concern very well. My concerns may be a matter of taste, however, and you should be the judge of that for yourself. Overall I still say the music is very good and worth checking out.

https://fairytaleartrock.bandcamp.com/album/that-is-the-question
https://fairytale.peterkravec.com
https://www.instagram.com/fairytale_artrock/
https://twitter.com/FairyT_artrock

Glass Hammer’s Steve Babb Releases Fantasy Novel

On By Bryan MoreyIn Progressive rockLeave a comment

Glass Hammer seem to get better with age. Their most recent album, Skallagrim, is phenomenal. Now Steve Babb has released the first of four fantasy albums to go along with the fantasy story created in that album and in 2020 record Dreaming City.

From Babb’s website: “Stephen R. Babb’s novel, Skallagrim – In the Vale of Pagarna, is a deep dive into a world of epic fantasy. The book is a tale steeped in all of the classic elements of the Sword and Sorcery genre and will no-doubt delight fans of the work of Robert E. Howard, J.R.R. Tolkien, and C.S. Lewis (with maybe even a hint of H.P. Lovecraft for good measure).”

And those monsters saw not a young man with a sword but a scarred and screaming horror with the rising red doom of the sun at his back and a hellishly shrieking, flashing, living sword in his hands.

Read more over at Prog magazine: https://www.loudersound.com/news/glass-hammers-steve-babb-releases-debut-skallagrim-novel. Or read more about it at Steve Babb’s website: https://stephenrbabb.com/books/

Ego Path

On By Mahesh SreekandathIn Heavy metal, Progressive rockLeave a comment

The Silent Wedding has covered this song called “Diamonds and Rust”, for almost everyone that means Joan Baez, but for ageing metalheads it simply channels mighty Judas Priest. We all have our own aesthetic preferences, and The Silent Wedding successfully appeals to those very classic metal predilections. That essentially means, Ego Path is rife with melody, neo-classical shredding, NWOBHM riffs, and all the other essential signatures reminding us of that classic lineage.

It’s that time-honored sonic tradition running from UFO and Judas Priest, to 80s British heavy metal, eventually mutating into that melodic power metal path via the great Ronnie James Dio. Obviously, all these influences are not complete without those omnipresent progressive tendencies. Add those clean vocals with adequate range, meandering melodic ballads, and passages tailored for arena rock — The Silent Wedding becomes that exquisite expedition every classic metal fan and prospective classic metal fan seek!