No big hoo-hah this year: just a down and dirty list of my favorite releases and reissues of the year, covered in previous Quick Takes or elsewhere on the Web (links are to my original articles)!
Bruce Hornsby, The Way It Is; Scenes from the Southside; Harbor Lights; Here Come the Noisemakers (live); Intersections 1985-2005 (box set); Solo Concerts (live). See my appreciation of Bruce’s career here!
Thanks for your ongoing attention and steadfast support. We at the Rockin’ Republic of Prog appreciate it! Best wishes as we all turn the corner and head into the New Year!
The end of the year is a great time to look back at all the best new music we have discovered in the preceding months. But December’s homestretch is a particularly exciting time. The whirlwind of solstice celebrations presents us with many additional opportunities to discover overlooked albums.
One of my favorite finds during the past few weeks has been Richie Kotzen’s fantastic Nomad album, which I somehow missed earlier in 2024 (despite being a big fan). I’ve been playing it repeatedly as the year closes out. It’s rocketed onto my top ten list, but more on that later.
For the moment, I wanted to mention a cool album from a couple of years ago that I’ve just now gotten into. Clear your headspace and get ready to discover strange new worlds with this little gem from Mi’ens (pronounced “mittens,” but of course with the requisite accent):
Mi’ens is a mathy noise rock duo from Vancouver, Canada, founded in 2012. Experimental, with a side of sparklepop. Mi’ens is the female-fronted shredding of Kim Glennie on guitar/loops/Moog, backed by the polyrhythmic blastbeats of Evan Heggen on drums. Their unique brand of math noise consists of live loops, layered textural guitar and effects, the warm, analog drone of the Moog, coupled with well-placed vocalizations, all atop breakneck beats. Mi’ens veers into the territory of art rock/post rock on their latest, Future Child, a follow up to 2017’s Challenger, their 2014 LP experimentalsparklenoisepop and the 2013 demo EP Mi’ens. Mi’ens has toured the US, UK and Canada, and has opened for Tera Melos, Elephant Gym, LITE and Drug Apts.
Swedish keyboard maestro Carl Westholm, known for his work with Carptree, Candlemass, and Avatarium, has launched his latest venture, Bakelit, with the release of their debut album, Asleep or Insane. This project merges the atmospheric depth of progressive rock with the experimental edge of electronic art rock.
In this exclusive interview, Carl shares insights into the creative process behind Bakelit, the challenges of going solo, the inspiration behind their music, and what fans can expect next from this new project.
Carl, you’ve been involved in many iconic projects like Carptree, Candlemass, and Avatarium. What inspired you to create Bakelit, and how does it differ from your previous work?
This project actually started with an ambition to create something entirely on my own, without involving anyone else. Over the years, I’ve had a folder on my computer filled with songs that didn’t fit into my other projects. It’s not that I don’t enjoy collaborating with other musicians—I do—but sometimes, it’s refreshing to try something different.
At first, I wasn’t sure where this would lead, but as the project evolved, I realized some songs needed input from others—like drums, guitar, and lead vocals. That’s when I reached out to some trusted friends and collaborators from my past projects. Although the songs were already written, their contributions elevated the music to a whole new level.
The songs for Asleep or Insane have had a long journey. Could you share more about how they evolved into their final versions?
The earliest versions were purely instrumental, featuring only synthesizers, drum machines, and my organ or Fender Rhodes. Occasionally, I’d add bass. Over time, melodies emerged, and I began experimenting with vocal arrangements, but I wasn’t satisfied with the results.
I eventually brought in my friends. Lars played drums while listening to the original drum machine tracks, which gave his playing a unique groove. We decided to keep both layers, and it worked better than I’d expected. Similarly, Öivin and Cia added their personal touch to the lead and background vocals, creating something I could never have done alone.
Bakelit blends progressive rock with electronic art rock. What influenced this fusion, and how do you balance these two styles?
It’s always difficult to pinpoint influences, especially with this project. I’d say the process itself shaped the sound more than anything else. There wasn’t a conscious decision about the final style—it emerged naturally as the songs developed.
You brought collaborators from earlier projects into Bakelit. How did these relationships shape the album?
I gave everyone a lot of freedom. The songs and melodies were already written, but I left the interpretation and attitude up to them. For example, Lars and Ulf approached the drums and guitars entirely in their own way, which added a unique character to the album.
The singles “Coolest Place on Earth” and “Remember Who You Are” introduced Asleep or Insane. Why were these tracks chosen, and what do they represent?
“Coolest Place on Earth” was the first single because we all felt it was the most accessible track, with a catchy chorus while still being a progressive rock song. It’s a bit of a departure for me, but I was happy with the result.
“Remember Who You Are” came next. It’s a heavier song that showcases all the band members’ talents. Honestly, I don’t remember exactly why we picked it as the second single, but it felt like a natural follow-up.
The music videos have received praise for their dreamy, surreal aesthetic. How important is the visual aspect to Bakelit?
Thank you! I wanted the videos to feel dreamy and slightly unreal, but still introduce the band without resorting to the typical “five people playing on stage” setup. It’s another mix of two worlds—visual and musical.
You released Asleep or Insane under your revived label, FOSFOR Creation. Why this choice, and what does it signify?
FOSFOR Creation has been my own label for over 20 years. I started it with Nicas (from Carptree) to release our music independently. It feels good to have control over the process, even though working with a major label might have offered more resources. At this point in my career, it’s easier to rely on my own efforts rather than reaching out to labels for help.
The album title, Asleep or Insane, suggests duality. What themes or ideas run through the album, and how did you choose the title?
I love the duality in the title—it reflects how I often see the world. Sometimes, you’re not sure if you’re dreaming or just going insane. While the album doesn’t follow a specific concept, the songs are connected by this sense of uncertainty and introspection.
Are there specific tracks on the album that hold special significance to you?
“Coolest Place on Earth” stands out for me because I dared to take a different direction, and it worked. It’s a song I’m particularly proud of.
What has the reception been like for Asleep or Insane, and how does it feel to see this project come to life?
I’m thrilled with the reception, especially in the past few days as the number of listeners has grown significantly. Of course, I’d love for more people to discover it, but the positive reviews we’ve received so far are very encouraging.
What’s next for Bakelit? Can fans look forward to live performances or new projects?
Absolutely! Everyone in the band is excited about the idea of performing live, so we’re working on putting together a live act. I also hope to explore more creative projects in the future.
As a seasoned musician, how do you see the evolution of progressive rock, and where does Bakelit fit into it?
Since the album is so new, I still can’t listen to it objectively or place it within the genre’s evolution. Ask me again in a year!
What do you hope listeners take away from Bakelit’s music, especially this debut album?
I hope listeners give the album time to grow on them and experience its blend of progressive rock and electronic music. It’s a fusion of two styles that I think offers something unique.
Asleep or Insane by Bakelit is out now, offering a fresh and innovative take on progressive music. Check it out on Bandcamp here. Follow Bakelit on Facebook and Instagram, and visit their website.
“Big Big Train’s sound is as tight and lush as ever, but it’s also very much a rock show… There’s an edge to their rich textures. An urgency that keeps even the gentlest moments interesting. Almost everyone has a lead-ready voice… Attributes of a band quietly rewriting the rules for what a rock group ‘should’ be. It’s prog rock in excelsis… but always with a song in its heart, even without words. How cool it is that a group like this exists today.” (Prog Magazine live review, November 2024)
From Inside Out/Sony and our good friend Roie Avin:
Big Big Train are delighted to announce seven further shows to take place in April 2025 in North America. In addition to returning to the United States (following a successful short run of shows in March this year), the band will also make its debut in Canada, with details of two Canadian shows expected to be announced shortly. The majority of these shows will take place following the band’s co-headlining appearance on board Cruise To The Edge. In addition, Big Big Train will play for the first time in Portugal at the beginning of May at the Gouveia Art Rock festival.
At these performances the seven piece band will be promoting their recent studio and live albums The Likes Of Us and A Flare On The Lens, which were released by InsideOut/Sony in March and September respectively this year to great critical acclaim.
Lead vocalist Alberto Bravin says: “We really enjoyed bringing Big Big Train to the United States for the first time earlier this year and playing to such enthusiastic audiences. We’re excited about returning and playing a mixture of recent and older material. As well as visiting some venues and locations that we played in March this year, we’re also bringing the band to some new areas as we seek to build our profile further. With two nights again in New Jersey, we’ll be varying the set list to some extent as well. Roll on April!”
Drummer Nick D’Virgilio comments: “We had an absolute blast last year playing in the States and on board the Cruise, so we were keen to do a longer run of shows this time around, including venturing north of the border into Canada. We’re taking a step by step approach to North America – if we can make this second run of shows successful, then the next step would be to get further west and south.”
Violinist Clare Lindley continues: “I’m looking forward not only to Big Big Train’s return to North America but also to the band playing for the first time ever in Portugal at Gouveia Art Rock. The festival has a great reputation and we relish the opportunity to add to the list of great bands that have played there over the years.”
Bassist Gregory Spawton says: “Over the last couple of years Big Big Train has really matured as a live band. Since September 2022 we’ve played almost 50 live shows and I think audiences have been able to see and hear how strongly we’ve gelled. This line-up works so well together, both musically and socially, and we’re keen to build on our current momentum.”
Keyboardist Oskar Holldorff adds: “On tour in September and October this year it felt as if we grew as a band every night. Alberto, NDV, Greg, Rikard, Clare and I simply love playing together and we feel we’ve found a real gem in Paul Mitchell, who joined us on trumpet in September and October and will be with us again next year.”
For the balance of 2025, Big Big Train will focus on recording their next studio album, expected to be released by InsideOut/Sony in the first half of 2026.
“We’ve got some great material in progress already for the next Big Big Train studio album,” comments guitarist Rikard Sjöblom. “Everyone has been contributing to the writing process to varying degrees and we’re confident about building on the foundations that we laid with The Likes Of Us.”
The band’s shows in North America and Portugal are likely to be their only appearances in 2025.
BIG BIG TRAIN – LIVE IN ‘25 – THE LIKES OF US IN NORTH AMERICA TOUR
Wednesday 2nd April – Sweetwater, Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA Friday 4th April – Wednesday 9th April – Cruise To The Edge Thursday 10th April – Arcada Theatre, St. Charles, Illinois, USA Friday 11th April – The Token Lounge, Westland, Michigan, USA Sunday 13th April – Electric City, Buffalo, New York, USA Thursday 17th April – Regent Theatre, Arlington, Massachusetts, USA Friday 18th April – Rivoli Theater at The Williams Center, Rutherford, New Jersey, USA Saturday 19th April – Rivoli Theater at The Williams Center, Rutherford, New Jersey, USA
Tickets for all shows go on sale at 10am Eastern time on Friday 13th December. A pre-sale open to the band’s 2025 tour patrons and members of the Passengers Club for all shows (except Cruise To The Edge and the Gouveia Art Rock festival) opens at 10am Eastern time on Wednesday 11th December. Ticket links and Tour Patron information are available at www.bigbigtrain.com.
See you in Illinois or Michigan, fellow Passengers?
Where have the last two months gone? And how many new releases have I enjoyed in the interim? Enough that I’ll be shooting to summarize each one included below in two to four sentences, max! (Though I can’t guarantee they’ll be short sentences.) Purchase/streaming links embedded as usual, so here we gooo . . .
New Music
As teased in our October interview with mainman Jem Godfrey, Frost*’s Life in the Wires(listen here) is the conceptual album of a prog fan’s fondest dreams; the storyline is vintage dystopia (1984 meets Who’s Next), the music a full-on sonic assault from the get-go (replete with widdly synthesizer solos). Pitted against the required cybernetic supervillain, in search of freedom out there in the fields, can Godfrey’s protagonist Naio escape permanent lockdown in teenage wasteland? The ultimate answer is well worth the winding journey; powered by the heady backing of John Mitchell, Nathan King and Craig Blundell, Godfrey easily conjures up the equal of previous band high points Milliontown and Falling Satellites.
On his fresh solo album Bringing It Down to the Bass, Tony Levin launches 14 low-end odysseys with (to quote the hype sticker) “too many virtuoso collaborators to list.” But whether proving that “Boston Rocks” with Bowie guitarist Earl Slick and Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy, “Floating in Dark Waves” below Robert Fripp’s soundscapes, or reuniting with fellow Peter Gabriel bandmembers on multiple jams, Levin always grabs the ear with his supremely melodic bass, Stick and cello work. And his low-key, half-spoken vocals prove surprisingly effective, especially on dry barbershop throwbacks “Side B/Turn It Over” and “On the Drums” and the moving John Lennon tribute “Fire Cross the Sky.”
Pioneer garage rock guitarist Wayne Kramer had one more winner in him before his passing earlier this year. Credited in tribute to Kramer’s seminal Detroit collective MC5, Heavy Lifting(listen here) rages against the political and cultural machines still standing since the band’s original heyday, agitating for a better deal with 13 brash, irresistible helpings of punk (“Barbarians at the Gate”), rock (“Edge of the Switchblade”) and soul (Edwin Starr cover “Twenty-Five Miles”). For the full skinny on why Kramer & company finally snuck into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame through the back door this year, the newMC5: A Oral Biography of Rock’s Most Revolutionary Band is essential reading.
As his long-time collaborators spin off in other directions, Neal Morse just keeps on keeping on! Teaming with The Resonance, a purpose-built quartet of young Nashville hotshots, Morse’s latest No Hill for a Climber(listen here) is a bit of a throwback; instead of full-blown rock opera, Morse builds a multi-faceted album, sandwiching creepy swinger “Thief”, head-down rocker “All the Rage” and melting ballad “Ever Interceding” between twin epics (opener “Eternity in Your Eyes” and the closing title suite). The more straight-on vibe Morse embraced on his Joseph duology predominates here, but with enough detours to keep long-time listeners coming back and intrigue new hearers.
Straight-on is a pretty good description of the new The Pineapple Thief EP Last to Run(listen here) as well; far more than leftovers from the fine It Leads to This, the five songs included here strike hard and deep. As Gavin Harrison weaves enticing rhythmic illusions on drums, Bruce Soord spins up dark, pensive vignettes of personalities in crisis (“All Because of Me”), relationships snarled by dysfunction (“No Friend of Mine”) and societies on the brink (“Election Day”). Another band that mines a familiar vein repeatedly, yet consistently leaves listeners craving more.
Speaking of dysfunction, The Smile’s Cutouts(listen here) resembles nothing so much as a numbed comedown, trailing the apocalypses unflinchingly depicted earlier this year on their Wall of Eyes. Thom Yorke’s nonsense lyrics and bleached-out vocal affect sound light-years away from the redemption Radiohead intimated even at their most jaundiced; Jonny Greenwood spins up orchestral/electronics, evoking distant, forgotten nightmares; Tom Skinner holds down the spare, spacey beat, blithely driving into nothingness. If not as gripping as this trio’s first two albums, Cutouts can still compel with its chill.
But where The Smile chills, Tears for Fears seeks warmth; the four fresh tracks on TfF’s mostly-live Songs for a Nervous Planet(listen here) home in on healing (“Say Goodbye to Mom and Dad”), lasting love (the lush “The Girl that I Call Home” and the psychedelic “Emily Says”) and self-actualization (the quirkily glib “Astronaut”). And there’s plenty more catharsis in concert, as Roland Orzbaal, Curt Smith and backing band blast out the hits of yesteryear and revisit the highlights of their fine 2022 comeback The Tipping Point, all with plenty of enthusiasm and aplomb.
(Live albums and archival releases – box set time! – follow the jump.)
Progressive metal quartet from Atlanta, Sight of Theia are launching their first full-length album entitled The Great Dreamer on January 11, 2025. Bringing together influences from Meshuggah and Mastodon, and packing it all together with a touch of southern stoner metal, the band are determined to continue experimenting with different musical elements in the future.
In this interview Alex Buhlig (guitars, synths) tells us about the band’s work on The Great Dreamer, experimenting, influences, and more.
The Great Dreamer is your first full-length album, following your 2021 EP Lighthouse. How does this album represent the evolution of Sight of Theia’s sound?
When “Lighthouse” came out we noticed that the EP’s closer, “Black Magic” really got the crowds going at our shows. So we tried to explore the rhythmic and meditative nature of that track more. That song also featured us tuning lower, so we ditched the 6 strings for seven string tuned to Drop A.
The album’s title track is described as a “séance for Cthulhu.” Can you dive deeper into how H.P. Lovecraft’s themes influenced the song and the album as a whole?
Before we had named the track the ominous and psychedelic nature of the track was apparent. Before we played it live, we asked the crowd if they were ready to summon a demon. Once we started to collaborate with Mezzianna on Vagabond and the general outline of the narrative took shape, summoning a demon turned into summoning space Cthulhu.
You’ve mentioned the album combines progressive metal with Southern stoner metal influences. How did you find the balance between technicality and raw, earthy riffs?
For us it’s all about creating tension and release. If everything is always at a ten out of ten technically there is no release and the song doesn’t ‘go’ anywhere. Adding moments of simpler but more ethereal riffs creates movement, crescendos, peaks and valleys. We really want to create music that takes the listener on a journey.
Tracks like “Children of the Uplift” and “Alea Iacta Est” showcase a range of moods. How did you approach crafting such contrasting soundscapes within the album?
I am a big Steven Wilson fan and have always loved how he tackles a wide variety of genres in his work so I try to take the same approach while arranging. When starting an arrangement I generally have a direction I want to go in, whether it’s more technical and progressive or rhythmic and vibey. Regardless of the approach we like trying to introduce dynamics to our songs with different techniques, effects or influence from genres outside our beaten path.
“Vagabond” stands out with Mezzianna’s vocal contribution. What inspired you to include a vocal track on an otherwise instrumental album?
The arrangement of “Vagabond” feels like it lends itself to vocals, when writing it we were all admittedly going through a bit of a Sleep Token phase and it made sense to try to incorporate vocals. Mezzianna had been a friend/fan of the band for a while and wanted to try his hand at the vocals. So we cooked up some lyrics and some melodies for him to try out and he knocked it out of the park in our opinion.
Mezzianna’s lyrics on “Vagabond” set the stage for the album’s story. Can you share more about that narrative and how the music reflects it?
Children of the Uplift starts our narrative out with trying to capture the excitement and wonder that would be felt by a crew of space explorers setting out from earth to settle amongst the stars. Gravity Well captures the chaotic nature of their journey and the rigorous nature of their journey. Vagabond is the realization that the ship they’ve been given for their journey is faulty and they were set up to fail essentially. The Great Dreamer is the entrance of Cthulhu offering to save their souls from dying alone in space. Mad Hatter is the manic energy of someone desperate enough to take Cthulhu up on their offer. Parhelion is the ritual and awakening of Cthulhu. Alea Iacta Est is the realization, and remorse of our explorers. Followed by the destruction of the universe.
You worked with John Douglass, Alexa Parra, and Christoffer Borg during the recording, editing, and mastering process. How did their expertise shape the final product?
John Douglass brought his expertise to our drum tracks and got a fantastic drum performance out of Ricky. Editing is always a tricky, time consuming process and we’re thankful that Alex Parra was able to use his years of experience to discern what needed to be edited and what didn’t. As for the mixing, I appreciate having an objective ear when it comes to the mix. It’s pretty easy to think that your parts should be louder because they are your parts while completely ignoring the bigger picture of the song. I think Chris did a great job seeing the bigger picture of what the songs were going for.
Recording in Atlanta must bring a certain vibe to your work. How did the city’s music culture influence The Great Dreamer?
Atlanta has such an incredible music scene filled with many diverse genres. When you have access to such a wide variety of shows to check out it’s easy to let it work its way into your work. The stoner metal influence in our music definitely comes from the regional metal scene here in Atlanta. I’ve spent some time at warehouse raves in Atlanta which inspired me to work synths and more electric elements into our music.
With influences like Meshuggah and Mastodon, what aspects of their styles inspired you the most when crafting this album?
We find the rhythmic phrasing of bands like Meshuggah to be really compelling and wanted to try to blend that with rich harmonies that bands like Mastodon incorporate into their work.
Stoner metal isn’t often combined with progressive metal’s technical elements. What challenges did you face blending these genres, and how did you overcome them?
Combining more technical moments with some of the more laid back sensibilities that stoner metal bands have creates a sense of dynamics in our music we think creates more of a journey for the listener to go on. It’s all about creating a sense of tension and release. You can absolutely sometimes try to cram too much into one song and need to cut it down. Certain musical ideas can be so much more impactful if they only occur once in a piece though.
You’re celebrating the release of The Great Dreamer with a performance at Smith’s Olde Bar. What can fans expect from the live show? Any surprises planned?
Our show at Smith’s Olde Bar has a line up absolutely stacked with some of the best underground prog that Atlanta and the South East has to offer. We’ve got something special in the works for that show but it wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I gave it away now. Come to the show and find out!
How do you approach translating the album’s complexity into a live setting, especially for instrumental tracks?
We make use of backing tracks to make our live shows as seamless as possible. We try to invoke a mood or vibe that doesn’t stop between songs. Whatever is happening between songs might be minimal but it’s there and makes everything feel more immersive. We’ve included some of the transitional pieces on the album as palate cleansers so to speak.
The album will be available on major platforms and Bandcamp. Why is Bandcamp still an important platform for a progressive metal band like yours?
I think Bandcamp still offers the most direct way for fans to connect with bands. Bandcamp Fridays are a great way to put money in the pockets of musicians you are a fan of.
Looking back at the journey from Lighthouse to The Great Dreamer, what lessons have you learned as a band?
I think we’ve learned how to better communicate with each other, which creative battles are worth fighting and how to creatively problem solve during the songwriting/recording process.
Where do you see Sight of Theia’s music heading in the future? Are there new directions or ideas you’re excited to explore?
I kind of hope we get to go further in all directions. I’d love to write heavier songs, more complicated songs, more straight-forward and accessible stuff. I did really enjoy collaborating with a vocalist and we are talking to some more vocalists about other guest spots to release later as singles to hopefully flesh out the story of the album a bit more.
If you could collaborate with any other progressive or stoner metal band, who would it be and why?
I’d say Night Verses, I feel like the ethos of the bands are similar, primarily instrumental progressive metal with the occasional guest vocalists.
How do you hope The Great Dreamer resonates with listeners? What do you want fans to take away from the album?
Hopefully, fans can get a sense of the narrative even if the music is primarily instrumental. If someone listens to the songs and just thinks, “dang these are some sick riffs,” that’s great too!
Instrumental music relies heavily on listener interpretation. Have fans ever shared interpretations of your music that surprised or inspired you?
I had a friend come out to one of our shows who told me that seeing us play made him feel closer to his late father who was a musician. Which might be one of the most sincere and meaningful compliments I’ve gotten for our music.
BEAT, Copernicus Center, Chicago, Illinois, Friday, November 1st, 2024
Halfway through a three-month North American tour, Adrian Belew and Tony Levin’s 40th anniversary remount of 1980s King Crimson readily commanded the stage of this vintage Art Deco theater, slamming into the ecstatic audience like a truckful of bricks spontaneously rearranged as abstract sculpture. BEAT’s reinvention of this cutting-edge music offers much more than fresh trim on a classic chassis; with virtuosi Steve Vai and Danny Carey at the stations originally manned by Robert Fripp and Bill Bruford, there was power to spare under the hood, and the edgy thrill of exploration that Belew and Levin’s previous celebration (first known as Two of a Perfect Trio, then as the Crimson ProjeKct) only mustered intermittently back in the early 2010s.
With both Fripp and Bruford retired from Crimson (and publicly supporting this venture), the new recruits leapt into their roles with gleeful abandon. At stage left, Carey straddled his monolithic drum set, cutting loose with both the confident drive he brings to Tool and the innovative riot of percussive colors Bruford brought to bear. The overall effect was devastating: electronic drums, boo-bams, rototoms, and more danced in head-spinning polyrhythmic patterns above rock-solid odd-time grooves. To Carey’s right, Vai’s stage presence couldn’t have been more different than Fripp’s buttoned up demeanor — leaning into the riffs with an easygoing strut, taking the original finger-busting licks to the next level, topping ferocious solos with distinctive, showy flourishes beloved by fans since his days with Frank Zappa. For all its fearsome complexity, the music was remarkably free and exceptionally fiery — to the extent that the newbies even accelerated a bit ahead of Belew and Levin on a few occasions!
But if the Crimson veterans were surprised by occasional mess-ups, they really didn’t seem to mind, grinning and bopping away as they caught up, Carey and Vai decelerated, and everyone locked in to the mesmerizing weave once again. I’d argue that Levin’s role in 80s Crimson was both essential and underrated, and this show offered fresh evidence for my case; alternating between Chapman Stick and bass, he simultaneously dished up both the low-end foundation and the hypnotic rhythm figures that give these pieces shape and harmonic direction. And with the beautiful noise of the other three players to carry him along, Belew was in his element. Duetting with Vai on fiendish bursts of counterpoint, wrestling every possible noise made by animal or power tool from his cubist array of guitars, yelping out proto-rap or firing off riveting arcs of vocal melody, the man was eager and energetic throughout the night, obviously delighted to do his thing, committed to keep the fun going.
When I saw King Crimson live for the first time back in 1984, “fun” would not necessarily have been the descriptor that sprang to mind; Fripp and Bruford were publicly feuding in the music press, Levin had programmed a click track to keep everyone in sync onstage, and Belew was doing tour publicity pretty much on his own. It was no surprise when Fripp declared that innovative incarnation finished at the end of the run, so I’ve always considered the subsequent regroupings across the decades unpredictable bonuses. And in the same way that the “chamber ensemble plus drum corps” Crimson of the 2010s gave Fripp a final run at the band’s entire history with a simpatico crew of colleagues (including Levin), I’d argue that BEAT gives Adrian Belew the version of Crimson that suits him best, focused on the slice of repertoire he values most. Belew, Levin, Vai and Carey are far from uptight or perfectionist, yet they’re unquestionably up to the demands this mighty music presents them, and absolutely dedicated to giving its fans their due. The results in Chicago were every bit as satisfying to me (now a 12-timer in catching KC’s various versions) as they were for long-time fans who’d never got to see the 1980s team in action (like my eloquent concert buddy Cedric Hendrix – check out his take here). If you’re ready to have your face melted, mind blown and heart stirred, catch BEAT while you can!
The Osiris Current’s One is a progressive rock/metal album that grabbed my attention from the first listen. The California-based band blends heavy desert rock with occasional oriental influences, creating a sound that is extremely expansive. With five tracks, each offering its own unique experience, One proves to be quite a dynamic and unpredictable journey.
The album opens with “Touching the Void,” a track that would undoubtedly shine in a live setting. The explosive vocal delivery, combined with crushing riffs and a thick desert rock atmosphere, immediately establishes The Osiris Current’s distinct sound. The energy is palpable, drawing you into a world where the heaviness of the music feels like an unstoppable force.
“The Plan” continues this intensity, with pounding drums, sharp vocals, and a relentless groove that builds into something almost cinematic in its power. The track’s blend of progressive metal elements and raw aggression is impressive, but it’s “Sanctuary” that really shows the band’s range. The song shifts effortlessly between moods, with guitar melodies flowing like water, perfectly capturing the album’s fluidity. It’s this seamless integration of heaviness and melody that makes One so engaging.
One of the most striking features of the album is the way The Osiris Current balances intensity with moments of beauty. “Mud” is a prime example, where delicate, ethereal female vocals weave through gritty, tank-like riffs. The contrast between the soaring vocals and the heavy instrumentation creates a mesmerizing effect, demonstrating the band’s ability to craft complex soundscapes that don’t sacrifice aggression.
The closing track, “Around the Bend,” is an epic 11-minute journey that encapsulates everything the band excels at: atmospheric tension, aggressive grooves, and soaring melodies. The song’s layers of vocals, riffs, and drums come together in a way that feels epic and intimate, a perfect finale to an album that’s anything but predictable.
One is a stunning debut that showcases the band’s ability to mix heaviness with beauty, intensity with subtlety. The songwriting is impeccable, the performances are top-notch, and the production is flawless. This is a progressive metal album that will likely find its way onto many year-end lists, providing it reaches right ears. If you’re a fan of forward-thinking metal with a unique sound, One is a must-listen.
Music for Broken Elevators stands out among recent experimental releases, and few bands compare to the unique vision of !GeRald!. This EP departs in a way from the guitar-heavy intensity of their previous release, The Lost Tapes, opting instead for expansive arrangements and a raw, electrifying feel. While guitar freakouts occasionally make an appearance, the focus here is on dynamic compositions that chart unconventional, mesmerizing terrain.
The songs are more structured and concise, with classic track lengths that complement eccentric titles like “The Blissful Little Fire of Frank Bigbof.” and “Glory Whole.” !GeRald! strike a balance between whimsy and complex artistry, blending playfulness with depth.
“The Blissful Little Fire of Frank Bigbof” moves through vibrant, cinematic segments, combining classical and ambient influences with flashes of jam-like intensity. “The Short Way Home” feels fragmented and unpredictable, balancing eerie spoken vocals with a trippy blend of synths, piano, and guitars, creating an atmosphere that’s surreal and captivating.
Enter “Glory Whole,” and we get !GeRald! offering variety for a fast-paced sense of mystery and menace, with instruments weaving in and out of the mix while never losing the central feel of the song. The band’s chemistry shines in “Letter to Sandrine,” a playful yet musically tight piece. After a textured intro of swirling synths and guitar effects, the track builds to a unified melody, with all members aligning to deliver a bold, uplifting rush that feels like a sonic flight.
The closing track, “Atmosphere,” centers vocals against a lush, psychedelic soundscape. There is a swamp of psychedelic effects, and moments of synths meeting with bubbling guitars and blistering explosions of rock power.
!GeRald! is a rare breed—musicians who play from the heart, unbound by genre or convention. Music for Broken Elevators is a refreshing example of their open-minded creativity and stands out for its artistic spirit in today’s music scene.
Progressive metal band Gladiolus is turning heads with their debut album, Inertia. Formed by guitarist and vocalist Dan Hendrex and multi-instrumentalist Anson Nesci, Gladiolus blends elements from classic prog influences with modern djent and atmospheric metal, creating a sound that’s at once familiar and refreshingly unique. Their music is heavily inspired by pioneering bands like Karnivool, Devin Townsend, and Opeth, yet Gladiolus forges a distinct sound through dense vocal harmonies, ambient soundscapes, and layered instrumental passages.
In this interview, Dan discusses the paths that led each member to join forces, the journey of creating Inertia—a project years in the making—and their thoughts on the evolving progressive metal scene. Dan reflects on the personal musical evolution that ignited his love for prog metal and the collaborative process with Anson and the rest of the band. Read on to discover the story behind Inertia and what makes Gladiolus a band to watch in the world of progressive metal.
Describe your personal musical journeys that led to Gladiolus.
Dan: I’ve always been a musical being – I’d listen to pretty much anything growing up, and I’d always fall asleep with the radio on. Stuff like Jet, Live, Powderfinger, Linkin Park, Alien Ant Farm, The Gorillaz and System of a Down shaped the soundtrack of my early childhood.
I picked up guitar around age 10 and kinda coasted for a while, but then a friend showed me prog metal at 16… I latched on pretty much immediately. Hearing Tool for the first time really kickstarted an actual deeper interest in guitar and music as a whole. Some other friends through the following few years put me onto bands such as Karnivool, Twelve Foot Ninja, Caligula’s Horse, Devin Townsend and Periphery, and I was hooked.
Seeing that influx of people recording music that sounded good in their bedroom around 2013-14, I figured “why not give it a shot?” I bought a shitty guitar link cable from some store and downloaded a free DAW with some trial plugins, just to mess around. At some point, I saved up enough from my job at Bunnings to pick up something a little more serious, and bought myself an AX8. The stuff I was writing at the start was pretty average, but practice, time and inspiration by seeing so many cool bands in Brisbane inspired more interesting compositions.
How did you both first connect and what made you want to work together?
Dan: Eventually, the approach turned from “hey, this is fun” to “hey, what if I actually tried to write some original music and release it? That’d be a cool story to tell at the old folks home when I’m 72” and so I put some feelers out to see if anyone wanted to collaborate.
It was a bit of a revolving door at the start, until Anson got in touch with me around 2017. He’d just moved back up to Brisbane from Melbourne, and saw a post I’d put up on a Facebook group looking for musicians with an early demo of Inertia attached. We clicked pretty much immediately, and quickly started piecing the bones of the album together as a team. It was so easy to bounce ideas off of Anson, so I knew I’d struck gold with that connection – a real camaraderie that you just know from minute one is going to be a lifelong friendship.
We met Joe through one of the earlier band members, and we shot him some demos. A week later we took our gear down to his place and auditioned him. Same deal, pretty much instant broship was formed. Dude’s just so chill, and he’s got the chops to throw around when he needs to! Tracking with him has been a breeze, and every time we ask for a little bit of Joe secret sauce on top, he delivers in spades.
Anson and I were both studying at Griffith University in the Gold Coast at the time – I studied Mechanical Engineering, and Anson was completing his Bachelor in Popular Music. We used the space to record some tracks and hone our skills, submitting some as production assignments for Anson’s courses. Zak was in Anson’s cohort at the time, and we all bonded from our love of prog metal, stopping to chat as we passed by each other roaming the halls and studios. He helped us with our first drum engineering session, and I jumped in to assist him with composing some pieces for his assessments. The slot opened up and it just made sense to us. We already connected really well and his style melded perfectly with the tracks we’d put together for Inertia, so we asked him to come aboard!
Reflect on realizing Gladiolus’ debut album Inertia.
Dan: It was a very gruelling process. I started demoing stuff around 2016 on my own, and had large swathes of the album’s tracks mostly together by the time the others had joined. Anson came in towards the tail end of the main writing sessions and helped contribute to the structures of a bunch of existing songs, as well as giving us the entire structures of what became Disintegrator and The Wanderer. We demoed out pretty much the whole album as Joe joined, and then go to tracking drums, bass and rhythm guitars.
We went through a couple of vocalists to try and find what was the right fit, and it took probably 1-2 years of trying out different angles before the boys pushed me to give it a shot myself. There was a lot of momentum loss due to people joining/leaving at critical moments. Once we had a stable lineup, the pandemic hit. We all got very busy as well… Anson got married, we all finished school and moved multiple times, and life got in the way of us completing the album.
We’d find gaps of time to get together and collaborate, but since it had been so long since we started, a lot of the momentum (or maybe you could say… Inertia?) had been lost. We’d also spent a large amount of time thinking about the intent of the album, and moulding its intricacies to convey the right emotions and progressions.
Lead guitars and vocals were the last things to be done, and didn’t fully come together until early this year. I think the main reason those took so long was fear. I’m pretty new to being a vocalist, and I was TERRIFIED of ruining the record with bad vocal delivery/melody or cringey lyrics, so it took a lot of deliberate collaboration with Anson to shape those elements. A lot of what was needed was already in my head, but because I was so new to vocals, I really needed that extra brain to bounce things off of and affirm my feelings towards what made sense harmonically and structurally.
The same can be said for lead guitars, which were very much so a collaborative effort between Zak and myself. We both worked hard to build parts that fit sonically with the established structures and provide additional dimensions to them, while also allowing space for the vocals to stand out where needed.
Describe the creative process for Inertia.
Dan: Most of the album was constructed during our time together at university. Anson would come hang out and sometimes sleep on my couch, and we’d just chill out. We’d have a session open in Reaper and just play with different ideas or noodle until something stood out as interesting, and then try and develop it further with stream-of-consciousness part creation/layering. After enough time experimenting and chopping/changing, we built the rhythmic and structural skeletons of the songs. We used synth and drum sampling plugins to lay down the foundations of those parts as well.
Lead guitars and some very vague ideas for vocal progressions were constructed along with these initial demoes. Joe took the drum parts we’d made and tried his best to learn them, while changing them if they didn’t make sense or spicing them up where some sauce was needed. A lot of the intricacies of the drums were developed in the studio whilst we were tracking them. We’d tracked drums at university, but we felt we could get a better source tone so we rented out Studio Circuit for three days, and Joe absolutely smashed through the whole album’s recording. Poor bugger thought he was done, and then we made him do it again!
Vocals and lead guitars were done ad-hoc at multiple locations… Anson and I would trade off the travel, meeting up at one anothers’ places with the vocal gear to smash out some layers when we had time. Similarly, Zak and I caught up when we could to try and shape the lead parts together. Some of it was done solo, but we’d pretty much always meet up and do the final takes with one of us engineering the other.
Tell me about the different instrumental aspects that you explore on these new songs.
Dan: Inertia is very much so a record that celebrates all the pillars of what makes prog so interesting. A lot of our sound is rooted in the vibes that you can find in progressive rock and metal from the mid-00s to early-10s, but we’re not afraid to poke our heads out of that box when it feels right.
We’ve got a lot of modern djenty-sounding tonalities that might be likened to Periphery or Tesseract in tracks like Myopic and The Precipice, but you’ll also find more atmospheric/textural soundscapey stuff ala Devin Townsend/Porcupine Tree/Karnivool in tracks like Tremors and Inertia. Disintegrator was a fun little foray into a more post-metal/desert rock sound, and we played with duelling stereo guitar solos that wrap around each other in The Wanderer. You’ll find our longer compositions evolve and shift a lot, and we love to play with textures and dynamics to move the listener where we want them to be emotionally.
The album is peppered with bucketloads of vocal layering, to really fill in the sonic space and make the high points massive. We utilise a lot of reverb on guitars and synth pads to evoke certain feelings as well, such as the dip after the second chorus in Tremors, the soaring chorus of Inertia or the ending of Downtrodden.
Inertia was very much so an journey of exploration/self-discovery, and we think that the tracks on the record reflect that in their juxtapositions with each other.
What is your opinion about the progressive metal scene today, both in Australia and worldwide?
Dan: Metal has seemingly experienced a massive resurgence in the public eye over the last few years. Maybe the pandemic brought people’s willingness to explore more intense emotions out, or maybe it’s just the fabled 20-year cycle that fashion/trends are rumoured to go through, but it’s really exciting either way. We have bands like Bring Me The Horizon and Knocked Loose leading the charge in showing the larger population just how good heavy music can be, and it’s super awesome to see those gates being pried open again. You simply wouldn’t see stuff like Megan Thee Stallion’s collab with Spiritbox or Doja Cat’s rock/metal adaption of Say So pre-pandemic!
It’s also really exciting to see the boundaries of what defines metal being challenged in ways we haven’t seen in yonks. The early 2010s gave way to a new wave of metal with djent and the accessibility of bedroom recording gear, and I think that we’re seeing a similar level of genre-shift happening before our eyes now. You have bands like Loathe and Thornhill bringing back a lot of the timbres/tonalities that we loved in the early 00s nu-metal, reminding people why we loved Deftones and Limp Bizkit so much back then, and you’ve got the resurgence of 80s synthwave, 90s electronica and 2010s EDM sliding into metal through bands like Northlane and Haken. Sleep Token are bringing RnB into the mix in a way I’ve never seen in the genre before, and Bilmuri are making f**king COUNTRY tracks with breakdowns that make me wanna scream HELL YEAH BROTHER!
There’s never been a better time to be a metal fan if you ask me. There’s such a broad range of stylistic exploration happening, and people merging genres together that seem like they should be the antithesis of each other. It’s no wonder that we’re seeing an increased interest in the scene – I love it so much and I’m all for it. It’s so f**king prog, man.
Let me know about your influences — the artists that in a way shaped and continue to shape your music.
Dan: We’ve been inspired by so much music that it can be hard to pick key influences to our sound sometimes, but there’ a few stand-outs that are definitely worth a mention.
Karnivool have always been a favourite of ours. We love the way they build their songs to tell a story and convey emotions so effectively. The push and pull of their compositions are unmatched, and a huge inspiration to our music. We also love their approach to guitars, with there often not being a clear-cut lead/rhythm separation, using stereo guitars playing equally important parts to add layers without one necessarily being more up-front than the other. Their ability to allow the rhythm section to breathe and drive songs is also something we strive to be even half as good at!
We draw inspiration from bands like Opeth, Caligula’s Horse and Porcupine Tree for similar reasons. I think a lot of the tracks we have that are through-composed or built with multiple separate parts such as Flicker, The Wanderer and Inertia are all informed in some way by how these bands navigate these challenges in their own compositions. Tracks like Ghost of Perdition, Graves and Anaesthetize come to mind when thinking about this.
Devin Townsend’s music has always been extremely inspiring to me, and his world-class vocal abilities are what I try to emulate with my own vocals. We utilise a lot of similar techniques in layering of backing tracks. I’ll record 4+ takes of each harmonic layer, and we’ll pan them to give a choir-like effect. We also love his use of reverb tails and how they feed into his music’s distinct vibe – definitely something we’ve taken to doing as well with big synth pads and massive verb tails on guitars/vocals.
We love a bit of sludge and grind every now and then, and we can’t think of better bands that capture this aesthetic than The Ocean and Cult of Luna. Both strongly influence areas of Inertia that delve into the muddier side of metal – tracks like Disintegrator and the end of Inertia really lean into this vibe. It’s something that really came into the picture with Anson’s involvement in production, and I’m so glad for it. Really keen to play with these tonalities more in the future.
What are your top 5 records of all time?
Dan: This is a cruel question. You can’t make me pick favourites! I’ll try for you though. In no particular order:
Karnivool – Sound Awake
Devin Townsend – Ki
Meshuggah – Nothing
The Ocean – Phanerozoic I
Caligula’s Horse – In Contact
Besides the release of Inertia, are there any other plans for the future?
Dan: It’s been a long road getting to the release of Inertia, so we’re keen to bask in the satisfaction of its completion for a bit. That said, I don’t think we’re gonna be able to keep ourselves away from the temptation of writing. I’m excited to get back into the chair at home and put some songs together for fun, then see where that might naturally lead us once we’ve got a few demos under our belt. Who knows what the next release will look like – I don’t wanna put a label on it just yet!
Playing some more shows definitely isn’t off the cards, either. We’ll jump at pretty much any opportunity to get up onstage and share our tunes with a live audience… hopefully we can book a few gigs interstate soon! That’d be awesome.
Progarchy 