Today (June 4th, 1990) Entombed released their debut, ‘Left Hand Path’. Descending from Venom and Hellhammer — that perfect ensemble of atmosphere, aggression and blues like melody. The hardcore punk cross over to metal was complete — “And you better prepare yourself for an equaling death”.
“This is so hardcore”, responded one of my colleagues at work. At that time, ‘Left Hand Path’ CD was running in my Jeep stereo. So, along with the engine, ignition turned on some Swedish death metal also. My usual reflex is to adeptly switch the channel, but he insisted on listening. Perception is really an evolutionary product; going headlong into the margins of a genre might just inspire bewilderment, not fascination. So, without that musical context, he was also quite puzzled about the incoherent riffs and that defiant buzz saw guitar sound.
Early death metal is a blend of punk like structures with melodic guitar. But, 90s Swedish scene exhibits significantly more punk influences. Someone evolving from hardcore punk to metal would certainly find Entombed and Dismember more familiar than Obituary. One of the main hurdles to grasping Entombed is also that punk like dissonance. It’s that same dissonance which…
If you think you know what The Sea Within will sound like just from knowing who’s involved — The Flower Kings’ guitar/bass team of Roine Stolt and Jonas Reingold, Pain of Salvation’s Daniel Gildenlöw and Flying Colors’ Casey McPherson singing, Tom Brislin on keyboards and Marco Minnemann on drums — think again. Sure, put these six proggers together in a studio, and they’ll work from their signature sounds and strengths. But they also play off each other in unique ways, stretch out in unexpected directions, and come up with a rewarding, thoroughly listenable debut.
Adam Sears and Fernando Perdomo with their prog capes on at Cruise to the Edge ’17
“Looking at it from a musicologist’s point of view, genre anomalies can be fascinating. Most music genres have their rules and parameters by which a standard band operates. In the world of progressive rock, or prog rock, or simply ‘prog’ if you know your stuff; expansiveness is a virtue. Your average prog album is 60 minutes and 4 tracks, or so the cliche goes. What ATTT is all about this week is the anomaly – the ‘short’ prog song, and for our intents and purposes all of this week’s tracks are under 5 minutes long. No suite sections, no interludes, absolutely no radio edits!
Of course if it’s a progressive rock episode, we have to be joined by 2 of the biggest prog nerds we know – Certified Prog Wizard and leader of SoCal prog titans Lobate Scarp Adam Sears is back; as well as Prog Sorcerer-In-Training Fernando Perdomo. To devotees of the genre, we hope we did you proud, although the inevitable nitpicking will surely commence immediately. *eyeroll* The picks are outstanding and the conversation is as hilarious and nerdy as you’d expect. Enjoy!
Fernando has just released his first all-prog album Out To Sea, and is a featured performer at next year’s upcoming Cruise To The Edge. Find out more at https://www.fernandoperdomo.com . Adam’s band Lobate Scarp has new music coming out soon.”
-Ben Eisen, Host of All Time Top Ten.
Listen to All Time Top Ten’s Prog Songs Under 5 Minutes here:
The story of Prog is as much the story of The Blues, Jazz, Classical and just about every other musical genre that has been captured into the orbit of this wonderful form of sound. That’s not to say that this is a Prog album, per se, (it’s not) but it does lend itself to our well-comforted ears that likes something different, “alternative” as Aussie Bluesman and traveling picker, Gus McKay describes it. He went and recorded a 10 track album (“Talisman” is his 5th Studio recorded album) with a group of talented musicians behind him which by the look of the titles of these songs on there are a reflection in parts on his self and surroundings out there in Freemantle, Western Australia.
You can feel that right from the first track “Art Of Living,” a song of two halves starting off with an almost surreal, out-of-body vibe aided by slide guitar and haunting vocals. The second part has a rocking bluesy upbeat feel but continuing with the same theme with sax and trumpet complimented by organ. Each song travels to the next as if a story is being told from the deepest part of his life’s experiences. In a way it’s not so much Blues as philosophical in a typical rural and stoic way of life. And there is a story to be told. The 2nd track, “Fallen Down” with lyrics such as ‘My heart is in your hands, it’s just stopped beating...’ you just know he’s coming from a hard, familiar place filled in places with “these are the cards I was dealt with” and allowing it to slowly come out through the pours of his songwriting.
Gus McKay, hails from, as stated, Western Australia where he has spent twenty most of his life farming. That’s rural to you and me and includes a great stretch of outback dividing the cities and towns along the way. The land is as much a part of him as he is a part of it and it shows on this album. Just as he likes to confess he’s “a picker,” (an earlybird who hunt swap meets, estate sales, thrift stores, etc and scoops up the good deals – Urban Dictionary), Gus will find abandoned farms and either “pick” up the odd left behind to rust item, or take photos of said items for his collection. Let’s not forget he’s a guitarist as well so the title is apt depending on the occasion. As Gus says, “If you like my music… I would assume you are somewhat of any “Earthy” person/listener. Its gritty and real… Hence my interests other than music, well I guess reflect my tastes and personality.” There’s that Cat Steven’s “On the Road To Find Out” aspect to his recordings, kind of taking you with him as a passenger in a beat up truck traveling the dusty, lonely roads on cloudless warm days with a standing sun towards new stories along the way. He’s also got 20 years as a seasoned recording artist and performer/producer behind him, and as said, this is his fifth album to date recorded over a seven month period mostly in a live setting. As Gus said, “the magic happened, in a converted 1950’s Service ( Gas ) station in the hills of Perth, West Australia. and mastered at the world famous Abbey Rd Studios, London. if that’s not surreal then I don’t know what is.
Memories are also collected and put into these songs which also incorporate aspects of Peter Green and dare I say Led Zeppelin at their rawest in small doses, if you’re looking for comparisons. Raunchy guitars come out of nowhere at an angle and you’re left there trying to latch onto it before some other sound, be it sax or cello grabs your attention. There are elements of Jazz and Psych Rock woven into some of these pieces, but it’s more often than not hard to peg any genre other than this album speaking form the heart and the soil. The album title suggests journeys not only in distance but also experiences, and it is as Gus puts it “your own Talisman to guard you, and bring good things into your life.” There are characters here in the lyrics if you care to sit a while and here them. An overdressed salesman, sharing a beer in the early morning, the rusted skin of cars in the openness…. it’s outback.
To purchase Gus McKay’s latest album and others visit his website to view and order.
“Well it’s 1969 OK all across the USA It’s another year for me and you Another year with nothing to do” — 1969, The Stooges
I was 7 going on 8 in 1969. But my brother was ten years older — and Detroit was a prime location to explore rock as it turned psychedelic, then progressive, still with plenty of punk attitude. Our cousin from Lansing was about the same age as my brother — so they did a fair amount of concertgoing together.
The other day, out of the blue I got a letter from our cousin, reproduced below with my random thoughts interspersed:
Dear Cousin Rick,
I’m sending along a copy of the program from the festival I attended in the south of England summer of 1969. I thought you might it interesting.
(Hmmm … The 9th National Jazz and Blues Festival. Waitaminute: Pink Floyd? King Crimson? Peter Hammill performing solo before the first Van Der Graaf Generator album? Yes? The Who? Keith Emerson with The Nice? Not to mention Soft Machine and Pentangle? And he was there? Doggone straight I find it interesting. Please continue, cousin!)
I’d seen both The Who and The Nice at the Grande Ballroom in the spring before. The Who played the entire Tommy opera both times. The Nice as I remember had some kind of revolving organ at the Grande. At the Plumpton fest they closed the show on Sunday backed by a large orchestra. At the final song the stage opened and a regiment of bagpipers marched off the stage and into the crowd. Those were heady times.
There’s also a copy of the Isle of Wight festival flier which I missed as it was the weekend which we were heading home. Such fond memories.
(Bob Dylan & The Band? The Moody Blues? More from King Crimson, The Who and Pentangle? Stop torturing me, cousin!!! Actually, no — please continue as I wrestle with envy and wish Doctor Who’s TARDIS was real.)
The day we arrived in London the Rolling Stones played in Hyde Park celebrating the life of Brian Jones who had just passed.Couldn’t quite get there but almost. (Another King Crimson show!!)
I’d like to hear more about your music blogging/reviews. P.S. We didn’t arrive at the fest until Saturday so we missed all the Friday acts. Booo!
Fortunately, the sounds of the Plumpton Festival aren’t completely lost in the mists of time; I plan to direct my cousin to Soft Machine’s and Pink Floyd’s sets online, and send him a copy of King Crimson’s set.
Dissociative Identity Disorder, a new album by obscure French band DID, is the best example I’ve heard recently of how diverse the genre of Progressive Rock is. It encompasses a wide range of musical styles, from frantic and heavy to light and symphonic. I guarantee that you won’t ever be bored listening to the album, as the music is varied enough to stay fresh throughout its entirety. I find myself enjoying the album more and more each time I listen to it – the band has a great blend of creativity and skill, and Dissociative Identity Disorder is both unique and impressive.
DID’s musical style can be split into two distinct categories: dense and melodic. Each is present in every song, and each song switches fairly frequently between the two. It’s not uncommon for any song to dive suddenly from a light piano melody into a heavy guitar riff. Unfortunately, while the wide range of genres is one of the album’s best qualities.
Each of the album’s styles is executed well in its own right. The musicians are all very capable of adapting to different genres. Most notable among the instruments are the keyboards, played by Christophe Houssin, and guitars — courtesy of Patrick Jobard. There’s a notable keyboard presence throughout the album that is nothing short of excellent. The guitar, as well, is excellent – the guitar parts are incredibly varied, and, as I said before, will never leave you bored. I feel bad for not having much to say about Regis Bravi, the drummer. The drum part is very, very good, but I’m not much of a drum person and can’t really tell you anything further than that. Didier Thery, the bassist, is also very skilled. Unfortunately, the bass doesn’t come through as often as I’d like. This is, I’m sure, an incredibly nitpicky complaint – as a bassist myself, I felt that the bass was a little too low in the mix. Thery is, however, fantastic when he comes through, and there are a few melodic bass riffs throughout the album that I enjoyed immensely.
When it comes to vocals, being a concept album — Dissociative Identity Disorder features guest vocal contributions from some of the genre’s finest vocalists, including Saga’s Michael Sadler, Sylvan’s Marco Glühmann, Everon’s Oliver Philipps, Opium Baby’s Alan Szukics, and Maggy Lyuten who worked with Ayreon. All of them share certain roles in telling the album’s story, which is “the story of a man.” Find more about it on the band’s official website.
I’ve said pretty much all there is to say – Dissociative Identity Disorder is fantastic, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys Progressive Rock. I’m looking forward to seeing their future work, and hoping for the best. The album is available from Bandcamp.
I stupidly violated two of my own rules recently, and, not unpredictably, I regretted both “indiscretions” immediately. First, whenever a band I love releases a new album and it’s available on blu-ray, I always buy the blu-ray. The sound quality of blu-ray done properly is just extraordinary, at least to my untrained ear. Second, whenever Marillion offers a deluxe version of a new release, I buy the deluxe edition. Stupid, stupid me. When Marillion announced its release of ALL ONE TONIGHT, I unthinkingly ordered the CD version. I feel so deeply in love with it that I decided to order the blu-ray version of it, only to realize that had I originally just ordered the deluxe version of ALL ONE TONIGHT, I would’ve had the CD and the blu-ray in one gorgeous package.
Bless me, Father Prog, for I have sinned. . . . Ok, confession over.
New Releases from Haken, Fates Warning, The Sea Within and Devin Townsend Project!
This summer marks the release of exciting new albums from InsideOut Music, including live albums from Devin Townsend Project, Fates Warning and Haken, plus the debut album from the newly-formed The Sea Within.
Each band is available for interviews, so please let me know if you are interested in setting up a call or if you need the music for any reviews.
If you have missed any of the news on these releases, here is a recap.
Haken – L-1VE, June 22nd – ‘L-1VE’ is the band’s first ever live album. Following the release of the bands much-acclaimed fourth studio album ‘Affinity’, they embarked upon their 10th anniversary tour across Europe & North America. Recorded and filmed on April 13th, 2017, at the legendary Melkweg venue on the Amsterdam stop of that tour, this represents the band’s first ever live document with tracks from across their discography.
The Sea Within – self-titled, June 22nd – The Sea Within is the new art-rock collective comprised of Roine Stolt(Transatlantic, The Flower Kings), Daniel Gildenlöw (Pain of Salvation), Jonas Reingold (Steve Hackett, The Flower Kings, Karmakanic, The Tangent), Tom Brislin (Yes Symphonic, Renaissance, Spiraling, Deborah Harry) & Marco Minnemann (The Aristocrats, Steven Wilson, UK, Joe Satriani) along with vocalist Casey McPherson with guests such as Jordan Rudess and Jon Anderson making appearances.
Fates Warning – Live Over Europe – June 29th – Culled from the group’s most recent European headlining run for FATES WARNING’s much acclaimed latest studio album “Theories Of Flight” in January 2018, “Live Over Europe” includes recordings from 8 different cities (Aschaffenburg / Germany, Belgrade / Serbia, Thessaloniki and Athens / Greece, Rome and Milan / Italy, Budapest / Hungary as well as Ljubljana / Slovenia) and a total of 23 songs in over 138 minutes of playing time, spanning 30 years of the group’s seminal career.
Devin Townsend Project – Ocean Machine:Live at the Ancient Roman Theatre Plovdiv’ – July 6th – The concert film from the special show at the Ancient Roman Theatre in Plovdiv, Bulgaria on September 22nd, 2017,, celebrating the 20th anniversary of the landmark Ocean Machine album in full, as well as a set of fan-requested tracks alongside the Orchestra of Plovdiv State Opera.
Decapitated stands out within the pantheon of death metal Gods. They are simply one of those gatekeepers of this sub-genre — the one bridging the old with the new. The cross-over blend of old school death metal meets the newer 200 time-signatures-per-min technical brawl.
Recovering from a tumultuous past and successfully restructuring the sound is not trivial. Anticult is easily among the best illustrations of those stunning groovy prog elements within death.
Dimebag Darrell like riffing, downtuned uniquely melodic leads, and vocals bordering between screams to growls. Decapitated successfully integrates groove metal into their pristine Polish death terrain. Seamless switches between musical traits are numerous, and they span divergent eras — from Entombed like leads to Gojira like towering riffs. With everything layered on top of precision blast beats, these compositions are as sharp as a guillotine. Getting Decapitated has not been this blissful in a long time. The band has evolved from Vitek era tech death, but they are still absolutely about adapting old school structures to stunningly creative musical contexts.
(Hmmm … 
There’s also a copy of the Isle of Wight festival flier which I missed as it was the weekend which we were heading home. Such fond memories.
And talking with my brother later, I heard the story of how he and my cousin somehow got permission to go to the 1969 Detroit Rock’n’Roll Revival (with the MC5, Chuck Berry, Dr. John, The “Psychedelic” Stooges and many more acts) the night before my sister’s wedding. Maybe I should rethink missing 
Progarchy 
