Artist: Teramaze Album Title: Her Halo Label: Mascot Label Group Year Of Release: 2015 Another day, another good news story. Before I was sent a promo for this release, I knew very little about Teramaze if I’m honest. However, a quick look on that there Internet showed me that there was a definite buzz surrounding […]
https://manofmuchmetal.wordpress.com/2015/09/26/teramaze-her-halo-album-review/
Prog metal youngsters from Bologna, Prospective released their debut EP titled “Chronosphere” earlier this year. About the release, the working relationship within the band and more, guys talked with Progarchy.
In March this year you released your debut release titled “Chronosphere.” What can you tell me about it?
Chronosphere contains all our influences, emotions and ideas that we wanted to give to other people.It contains anger, rage but also happiness and joy, it’s groovy and catchy and these last adjectives will be a significant part in our new material.
In some reviews, the reviewer said we are Core but also near Between The Buried And Me style, we just make our music, the genre is up to you!
Is the EP’s name inspired by “Command and Conquer” franchise?
(laughs) No, we’ve just heard of it! It comes from an alteration of “Chronos Speaks”, the last song of the EP. We think that the time has a big influence on humans. Chronos was the mythological god of time, and the word Sphere refers to the universe which we are in.
I have a question for Pietro- which vocalists have influenced your style?
The recording process of the EP was really interesting for me cause i had to work fast and do “one shot one kill”. My influences are mainly Spencer Sotelo and Dan Tompkins.
How do you guys go about sharing guitar duties in the band?
That’s an interesting question. In our songs we often play different parts, Davide plays the “reverb and delay” parts and arpeggios, while Luca does the groovy stuff and solos. All the different guitar parts complete each other, harmonically speaking.
Who in the band generally brings an idea for a song? What is your working chemistry like?
Prospective has been an one-man-band for a while, so the ideas came from Flavio only. When the band was complete, Luca gave a lot of inspiration and he composed 3 (of 6) songs in the EP. The working chemistry goes like: Luca sends a GPX file to Flavio, he says “I like it!” or “Meh”, then the composing process can begin.
Is there anything new that your are working on at the moment? When can we expect a Prospective full-length record?
We’re working on the pre-production and rehearsal of new songs, in 2016 we’ll start recording a full-length album and hopefully release an official video.
What have you been listening to lately?
We’ve been listening to Polaris by Tesseract. We’re completely addicted to that album.
In which measure the music you listen influence your songwriting?
In the band there are 2 songwriters, Luca and Flavio. Luca tries to listen every possible genre to make every composition the more personal and different from the others. Instead Flavio tends to absorb every artist he listen to. You can hear a big difference between Increase and Karma’s Lesson, they correspond to a “Proggy listening” and a “Metal listening”.
Which bands from the scene influence your work?
There are many, like: Periphery, Tesseract, Monuments and Meshuggah.
Do you think if djent as a genre has a bright future?
We don’t use it a lot, but we think binary code is a great thing.
“Chronosphere” is available from Bandcamp. The band is on Facebook too.
Dear Readers,
First, as always, thank you! As we’re only about a week and a half from our 3rd birthday, it’s nice to remember how much you’ve supported us and allowed us to grow. The growth has been steady, in terms of readership, and I think our writing just gets better and better. And, we’re getting to a point at which we’re having trouble getting everything reviewed. Not a bad problem to have.
Regardless, thank you so much for the kind support you’ve shown.
Second, you’ve probably noticed the layout of the site is different. This is most likely a temporary layout, and we’ll keep shifting things around until we’re satisfied. I (Brad) have almost no training in design, and I have even less training in website creation. We’ve been using WordPress templates thus far, but we’ve found these too limiting as we’ve grown. As of today, we’ll be working with a third-party web provider, one that specializes in WordPress sites. I’m not exactly sure how this transition will work, but I have faith in the provider. Already, they’ve proven quite excellent in customer relations. If there’s a problem, it’s that my 48-year old brain can’t quite get the terminology down. But, it will come. Much like the graying of my hair.
Third, you’re seeing our first ad appearing at the top of the page. Don’t worry, we won’t sell Chia pets or anything “As Seen on TV.” Promise. We’ll only accept ads for and from companies that believe in art, integrity, and, of course, understandably, profit. We’re not anti-market. Quite the opposite, actually, but we want the market to produce the best. The best for the artist and the best for the listener.
Consequently, we’re extremely proud to work with InsideOut. This is a real company, this is a real label. One that has promoted some of the very best of Third-Wave Prog. Already, relations with Jeff Wagner and Roie Avin have been nothing short of outstanding. I’m rather excited to get to know each of them better and to promote the truly artistic and quality work each embodies and represents. Please join us in supporting InsideOut whenever and wherever possible.
I’m very much looking forward to all that is coming in our fourth year.
Thanks for enjoying the ride with us!
Yours, Brad (ed.)
My September 2015 issue of PROG arrived today in Michigan. Wow, do I love this magazine. The iPad app/version is wonderful, but it’s so very nice to hold a tangible issue in my hands. Even the distinctive magazine smell is nice.
Much to my delight, PROG also included a copy of the PROGRESSIVE MUSIC AWARDS PROGRAMME 2015 with the issue. Definitely thoughtful and well done.
Excellence is . . . well . . . excellent in whatever form it takes.
Thanks, Jerry and PROG!
On this Prog Rock, I will build my Church. Or something like this.
The Pope–yes, THAT pope–is releasing a prog album.
Who wouldn’t love the sound of Billy Reeves! He possesses an immaculate, educated English voice. And, of course, there’s a great brain and soul behind that voice.
Enjoy Podcast 67.
The TesseracT Special
We speak to guitarist James Monteith about what makes this new album (their first for Kscope, Polaris) different from the predecessors.
Plus: how to vote for Steven Wilson in the Classic Rock magazine awards, and details of a new album from Norweigan art-rock masters, the mighty Gazpacho.In this podcast (all from Polaris):
Dystopia
Hexes (collaboration with Martin Grech)
Survival
Seven NamesORDER ALBUM:
UK & Europe: bit.ly/1IjRAHn
North America: bit.ly/1KLUuHU
Australia: bit.ly/1SVJZng
Digital iTunes: smarturl.it/Polaris_Digital
Digital Amazon: smarturl.it/Polaris_AmazonMP3
CHECK OUT THE VIDEO FOR SURVIVAL: bit.ly/1NJ8wwt
www.kscopemusic.com/tesseract
There is a saying about an artist’s difficult second album that usually applies to bands whose debuts gained a very little of recognition. Advent Horizon from Salt Lake City are in a similarly difficult juncture. They knew that if they wanted to start making waves they had to create an album who would wake people up, an album that would take attention from a bored music listener.
Advent Horizon haven’t gone out of their way to entirely distance themselves from 2011’s debut “Immured,” but instead they have refined and honed their strengths. The energy from the mentioned debut is still present and is multiplied by better songwriting, performance and production.
Using the “progressive” tag to describe “Stagehound” really does very little to explain Advent Horizon’s instinctive grasp of melodicism. They’ve made decision to stay away from everything that is nerdy on the modern progressive rock/metal scene, and have instead stuck close to the softer, more focused songwriting. Instead of muddling Rylee McDonald’s vocals, Advent Horizon use heavy, tonal guitar lines and atmospherics to lose the listener in the album’s sweetness.
The album opens with “Invasion Theorem,” a decent display of the band’s vows to address themes in a more direct way. Much more successful is the mid-album instrumental peak “Magic Chef,” which shows Advent Horizon’s multifaceted surface.
Perhaps unsurprisingly for an album written by prog youngsters, this is a record best listened to as a whole. The second half of “Stagehound” has all sorts of really amazing sections. It’s worth spending the time with the record again to reveal them. This is a sophomore effort that truly outplays its predecessor.
Listen to “Stagehound” on Bandcamp. Advent Horizon are on Facebook too.
A must watch and listen. Oh, sheesh, why didn’t I make it across the Atlantic for this???
I’ve always been an audiophile (rather snobbishly), but I’ve also never quite understood the technology behind good audio. Thank the good Lord for friends such as Craig Breaden, Kevin McCormick, and Carl Olson who have so patiently explained the details to me. If I understood what they so kindly told me, I only did so for a moment or two. My fault, not theirs!
I do, however, very well know what I like and what I don’t like.
A few albums have rather happily blown my ears away over the years. I can think of many, but a few stand out rather dramatically. The production on 90125, Songs from the Big Chair, Skylarking, Afraid of Sunlight, Space Revolver, Night, The Underfall Yard, Fog Electric, and Le Sacre du Travail never in anyway become boring or tiresome. There’s always something new to discover in the production of each. And, each listen reveals a new aspect of beauty in the art.
And, the same is true of every single thing Steven Wilson has released, whether with Porcupine Tree or solo. For what it’s worth, I think Rob Aubrey and Steven Wilson are the two most important engineers and mixers of our day.
The only thing better than Wilson on CD? Wilson on blu-ray. Having fallen rather in love with Wilson’s fourth studio album, HAND.CANNOT.ERASE., I decided to order the blu-ray. Holy schnikees, am I glad I did. I’d write something cliché such as “music to my ears,” but that would be cheesy. Still. . . .
The good. The sound is nothing short of amazing with the blu-ray. Even though I can’t quite understand the technology as to why this is so much better (though, of course, there’s gobs more data on the blu-ray), it is. The sound is perfectly crisp. This is especially important given how precise every note is—written as well as played—on Hand.Cannot.Erase. The opening track echoes the sound of three well-known Canadian proggers. This is Rush done with no English reserve! Just pure imitation in the most flattering sense.
The album, of course, has been reviewed and reviewed—including by two progarchists. So, I won’t rehash what’s been said and written. I’ll only note, that I love this album almost as much as GRACE FOR DROWNING—my favorite album from Wilson and one of my top 25 albums of all time.
The good, part two. Extra tracks and bonus features. The blu-ray includes a number of additional tracks, though these are generally variations on the original album. Still, quite enticing. It’s interesting to listen to the instrumental version of the album as I have a hard time not hearing Wilson’s distinctive vocals and profoundly moving lyrics.
The good, part three. As always, the documentary that accompanies the album is equal parts enlightening and weird.
The bad. The only bad thing is the HAND.CANNOT.ERASE. booklet. The booklet that comes with the CD is far superior to the one that comes with the blu-ray. The blu-ray booklet only has about half of the photos the CD booklet has. Considering that the blu-ray booklet is quite a bit larger per page, this is just bizarre. Indeed, while the CD booklet feels lovingly crafted, the blu-ray booklet feels a bit like something Costco might produce. Good, but middling. I really love what Kscope produces in terms of musical quality, but the company never seems to have gotten its packaging down to an art or a science. I’m quite gentle and protective of everything I purchase for my music collection, but my Kscope CD packaging ripped open when I lovingly removed the booklet to read. It wasn’t as much a rip as it was a pop that turned into a huge and ugly rip. As OCD as I am, this is quite unsettling. And, unfortunately, this isn’t the first time I’ve had this happen with Kscope releases. As often as not, the digibooks booklets—held by only staples—fall out all too frequently with Kscope products. I hope they work on this. Those of us who are willing to pay large sums of money for physical products want the physical products we deserve.
If you’ve not purchased the album yet, I highly recommend getting the blu-ray. Though the printed material that comes with it isn’t up to the perfection of the music, it is sturdier than what you’ll get with the CD packaging. And, the sound of the blu-ray outweighs any objection or deficiency.
Thank you, Mr. Wilson. I continue to learn from you, your art, and your excellence.
Behold, the Tarantella is a project of 24 year old Matty Apel who released his debut EP “Resonance” last year, and have just put out two singles for his upcoming full length titled “The Particle Rendition.” Matty is also involved with a band Phi, and about this all he talks in an interview with Progarchy.
How would you describe the first two singles taken from the upcoming album “The Particle Rendition”?
I would have to describe them as experimental in many ways. Each song is part of a developmental process in my writing style. I’m experimenting with different techniques I’ve learned and taught myself over time while trying to allow them to fit the story line I have in place for this album.
What can be expected from the rest of the material that will take place on “The Particle Rendition”?
Quite a bit, actually. The plan is for it to be a concept album that not only has in depth description of what’s taking place, but has music guiding your emotions through each scenario in the album. I want people to really paint a picture of what’s happening.
I suppose that you record your music in a home studio environment. What are the drawbacks and benefits of working in such surrounding?
Is it that easy to pick up on? Haha! Honestly, I don’t really find any drawbacks in recording my own music. I don’t have a time frame to record my music and I have the ability to mix and master it the way I want it. It’s not perfect, but I’d take it over something that’s been over-processed.
What are the themes you explore in your lyrics?
“Resonance” was all about the expansion of your mind and becoming comfortable in the body you inhabit. “The Particle Rendition” will still touch on that subject, but will go further by giving you a storyline and characters to follow. I’m basically writing this new album as a movie script or a play. At this point in time, I don’t want to reveal too much about the story and the ideas I’m playing around with, but I’m hoping to make it well worth the wait.
How much the music you make is the actual reflection of your personality?
I particularly enjoy this question, because art should be a reflection of who you are in some way. That’s why we all seem to have our own unique touch on the things we do. I’d like to say that the music is a pretty good reflection of who I am and the things that cross my mind on a daily basis.
Are you satisfied with Behold, the Tarantella’s position, and what would you love to change and improve?
It may seem cheesy, but I’m extremely satisfied with my current position, because I’ve gathered a larger fan base than with any other previous project. 500 likes on Facebook may not seem like much, but I’m grateful for every single one of them. So THANK YOU to all of you fans out there. I really appreciate all of you.
Have you ever experienced those moments when a song, or an album can change your views on something?
All of the time! Painted in Exile’s “Revitalized” is the best example, because the chorus contains a metaphor that I live by every day. The Contortionist’s album “Language” is also another incredible album that really spoke to me on a personal level. The flow of the music was extremely beautiful as well.
What do you do in your every-day life?
My life consists of music, video games, hanging out with my girlfriend and other friends, enjoying nature and the outdoors, chilling with my cats. I take it all day by day and I’m just grateful for what I have, because I know it’s more than some other people have even though it may not seem like much.
Are you involved in any other bands or projects beside Behold, the Tarantella?
I actually am involved in another project. The project is called “Phi”. We are a 5-piece band with influences like Animals as Leaders, The Contortionist, The Helix Nebula, Plini, and many more. You can check us out on our Facebook page. http://www.facebook.com/PhiBandia
What do you think about djent?
If it’s music, I give it a chance. I’ve jammed Meshuggah, Volumes, and Aristeia to name a few. I really enjoy the way they throw some crazy time signatures and tempo changes at you.
What are your plans by the end of the year?
My plans by the end of the year are to hopefully get out and play, release some new material, and just enjoy life. I haven’t been on the stage for over 3 years and it’s calling my name, so hopefully I can find a way to make things work out for both Behold, the Tarantella and Phi. A lot of people tend to set goals without enjoying the journey to hitting their goals, and I personally don’t want to be the kind of person that forgets what it took to get there.
Listen to Behold, the Tarantella on Bandcamp, and like the project on Facebook. You can also follow Matty’s other band Phi on Facebook.
Progarchy 