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That time is long gone. Progressive rock and metal bands are everywhere now, popping up like mushrooms after a very, very long rainfall. People everywhere are shredding it up on their guitars and odd time signatures are pretty much commonplace in metalcore and other modern genres. Basically, anyone can go like "Let's start a prog band, man!", and most of the time it doesn't sound bad. But needless to say, it takes a very great effort (or a very high amount of inborn originality) to become actually groundbreaking. Honestly, how many of the progressive bands that you have heard lately haven't reused classic Dream Theater riffs? How many fiddly, wanky keyboard solos with Jordan Rudess lead patches have you not heard recycled over and over and over and over again?
You get the point.
And this is where The Extended Mind comes in. This album by New Jersey based band Athem is an example of a musical project that manages to stand above the rest. Let me describe to you in a few words, to start with. This album is characterized by orgasmically ginormous, soaring vocals, very addicting melodies, melancholic vintage synths and very original lyrics.
First off, for anyone who hasn't heard Will Shaw yet, go to his YouTube channel (under the name UnflexableGrace). He has always impressed me and I was very happy to hear he had finally joined a proper band. Let me say this simply: this is without the doubt the best new progressive metal vocalist out there right now. I would like to try to compare him to other greats like James LaBrie, Russell Allen or Geoff Tate, but it is impossible. Though he cites them as influences, he sounds nothing like them, and, in quite a few ways, he surpasses them. With an impressive vocal range, incredible timbral versatility, beautiful vibrato and a hint of Broadway opera, he wails and harmonizes his way through the labyrinthine compositions on the album. For me, at least, this is the highlight of the album.
My other favorite part of The Extended Mind is the keyboards. Being a fan of old analog synths and vintage sounds, this CD is a big surprise for me in a prog world dominated by Rudess and Sherinian clones. The keyboard sounds are somewhere between analog Minimoog style sounds, 80's wavetable synths (Korg Wavestation, anyone?) and more modern stuff, but overall very vintage sounding. It sounds very, very original to me, and I absolutely love the keyboard melodies, especially in the song Wake Up Screaming. Excellent job on the keyboards.
On to guitars. I am going to have to be perfectly honest, I am not a big fan of the guitar tone. It is a bit fizzy, but not any worse than what you would hear on a Symphony X or Andromeda album. It is far from Petrucci chocolatey goodness or Ayreon-ey chugginess.But. The absolutely wonderful melodies and counterpoint, coupled with great harmonized parts and unisons between the great keyboards and the guitars are absolutely delightful. The guitar functions as more than just background riffing and a base for the singing to stand on. Together, the two guitarists work as a single voice, providing an almost symphonic layer of melody. Very nice. Being a debut album, I can forgive the tone. I don't remember the first Queensryche or Dream Theater album having an amazing guitar tone, and it is after all a matter of taste.
The bass (as is to be expected with a prog record) doesn't have a very noticeable presence during the dazzling guitar passages, and follows the riffing most of the time, but thankfully there are many parts where the bass is given the spotlight, and it is here that it shines. It's very hard to provide any kind of criticism for bassists, because they are mostly there to support the rest of the band, but Athem gives Mike Haas quite a few chances to show off his boomy bass skills. The importance off the bass guitar has been greatly reduced since the times of Rush and Geddy Lee, and it is nice to hear a new band that knows how to show give it a chance, at least in a subtle way.
Drums is where I probably have the most criticism, but not aimed towards the drummer, who does a great job. My gripe is with the choice to mask the drums with somewhat repetitive samples, especially on the snare. This worked very nicely on Dream Theater's Images and Words, but on this album there are parts where the rapid fire machine gun effect is apparent, and it is really too bad because the drumming is absolutely monstrous, especially coming from an 18 year old drummer.
A few words on the production. For an album produced in a rag-tag studio, this sounds pretty good. The vocals especially, have a very nice quality to them, a very mysterious moony, indigo quality to them. The signal to noise ratio is quite good, and the overall sound doesn't screetch and scratch at your brain. There are passages of ambient, angelic female backing vocals and soft, moving pads, combined with very good orchestral arrangements. In fact, the intro (unsurprisingly called Overture) is completely orchestral and serves as, well, an overture to the album. This symphonic sound pops up here and there on the album, and it's a nice completing touch.
How would I describe the sound of this album in a few abstract ways? I am going to go ahead and call it mysterious, gloomy, bathed in sonic twilight, experimental, dynamic, flowing, crushing, sophisticated.
Closing words... I definately recommend this album to anyone who wants to hear a new facet of progressive metal. I have listened to a lot of prog, both rock and metal, as well as more experimental varieties, and this album was a very nice treat, and you will love it. I can see this band going very far, and I can't wait to see and hear the songs played live on their tour.
Also, if you buy this album, girls will like you and make love to you.
Daniel Vera signing out.
PANTOMMIND - "Lunasense"
Pay heed to the siren calls! Run to the nearest antinuclear shelter!!!
A new danger is falling down over you - and it is coming from the unsuspected Bulgaria! The name of the new menace is Pantommind, and - beware! Like a biological warfare germ it will infect your mind, turning you immediately into an addicted fan. Few times I have suffered such devastating effect - but this band really rocks! The history of Pantommind began in 1993 in the small town of Gabrovo, Bulgaria, when Pete Christ (guitars and keyboards), "Floyd" Rossen (guitars) and some friends founded a band called "Lavender Haze". In 1995 Tony Ivan (vocals) and Drago (drums) entered the band that switched the name for Pantommind. In 1999, with Dean "the Boss" on bass, and former "Lavender Haze" member Jiip Randam as engineer and producer, the band recorded a full length demo, "Farewell", that was reviewed first hand here at Progressiverockbr (see under "Reviews 2000"). In 2003 the band had some line-up changes: Dean and "Floyd" Rossen left, and were replaced by Dido (bass) and Peter Vichew (guitar); and SunnyX (keyboards) was admitted. With this line-up, Pantommind released the first album in 2005 - "Shade of Fate" (Lucretia Records/Sensory Records), welcomed both by public and specialized press.
The new release - "Lunasense" (2009 - Spectastral Records, USA) brings a pounding and aggressive sonority, performed by matured and top-skilled musicians that exude the highest loyalty to True Metal. The influences are mainly from the "Golden Age" (70's to 80's), covering many subgenres - from Traditional ("Black Sabbath", "Dio", "Judas Priest", "Rainbow") to Power-Speed-Thrash ("Jag Panzer", "Queensryche", "Crimson Glory", "Savatage", "Helloween", "Megadeth", "Annihilator" ); and from Black-Doom ("Mercyful Fate", "Candlemass", "Memento Mori") to the elaborated Neoclassical ("Malmsteen") and Progressive ("Rush" and "Fates Warning"). Pantommind, however, has a style of its own, standing shoulder to shoulder with other exponents of Power Progressive Metal, such as "Symphony X", "Dream Theater", "Redemption", "Evergrey", "Vanden Plas", "Psychotic Waltz", "Shadow Gallery" and "Threshold". And they deserve a place on that podium, for "Lunasense" will, from the very beginning, blow your mind out of your brains and implode the rest down to pieces of subatomic size. The album opens with the instrumental "Transmission Part 1", followed by one of the best metal songs ever - "Erasable Tears" - unveiling the band's style. The keyboards of Sunny X are more climatic and supportive than virtuous, and stay on the distant horizon, hovering above clouds that are pregnant of electricity, forecasting the thunderstorm that is to come. Tsunami-sized waves of guitar solos roll over, introducing the guitar duo Pete Christ and Peter Vichew, who act together with the same biomechanical precision of the jaws of a Jurassic predator. Nervous and malevolent killing riffs are molten with light-speed solos that run to meet Tony Ivan, whose high-toned voice and interpretative skills are not heard very often. On the third track - "Wolf" - Tony uses his steel-made vocal chords to rocket up his voice to unbelievable stratospheric levels, reaching the highest notes - a deed only achieved by one chosen by the Metal Gods to incarnate both Harry "The Tyrant" Conklin ("Jag Panzer") and Midnight ("Crimson Glory"). Meanwhile, the rhythm section is carried out by Drago, whose drumming is at the same time technical and "earthquaking". The resounding bass of Pete Christ helps to fill the empty spaces. The cannonading allows a quick truce for the slower-cadenced and heavy "Sandglass" and "Letter to No One", which rescue from the limbo that spooky mood of "Crimson Glory" and "Memento Mori". Things turn lighter on "To the Days of Old" (with guest vocalist Colleen Gray) - a progressive track that revive old "Fates Warning" (album "Awaken the Guardian"). "Transmission Part 2" is a tranquil interlude, with piano and keyboards, before "Blank" - a song like "Jag Panzer", with excellent vocals of Tony Ivan. The story-telling "My Home (Into Infinity)" approaches Pantommind to the current Power Progressive Metal of "Symphony X", including some guitar solos that would let Michael Romeo sleepless. The album finally ends with "I'll Never be the Same" - a dark song inspired by "Crimson Glory" that has the perfect title to describe the album's side-effect - I will never be the same after having listened to... Pantommind.
Pantommind is Ultra-highly recommended for Progressive Metal fans and everybody else.
Marcelo Trotta (Progressive Rock & Progressive Metal E-Zine)
Cloudscape: Global Drama
Global Drama is the third release from Sweden's Cloudscape, a stunning display of melodic progressive metal that will instantly appeal to fans of Pagan's Mind, Kamelot, Circus Maximus, and Pathosray. If you thought that 2006's Crimson Skies was good, you are really in for a treat here. Plenty of sizzling guitar solos & crunchy riffs abound from Bjorn Eliasson & Patrik Svard, and with the powerful vocals of Mike Andersson, intricate rhythms, and lots of symphonic keyboards, Global Drama is a CD you won't want to miss.
Opener "Mind Diary" starts things off in grand fashion, power metal rhythms supporting a host of massive riffs, keyboards, and plenty of catchy vocal melodies. From here, you get treated to one memorable cut after another, the soaring melodies sure to please the most picky melodic metal lover, but there's tons of tricky progressive metal moments and symphonic elements for the prog crowd. "Darkest Legacy" is just great, catchy, complex prog-metal, Andersson pulling in a wonderful vocal, and expect lots of tasty guitar solos, while "Cloak & Daggers" is simply a symphonic metal treat, somewhere along the lines of Kamelot or Nightwish, complete with loads of orchestral synths and squealing pinch harmonics from the two guitar aces. The more aggressive "Paid in Blood" sees the band digging deeper into speedier rhythms and chugging guitar riffs, while the darker and more atmospheric "The Silence Within" brings to mind Evergrey at times. Again, the vocal melodies are just wonderful, and the dark synth tones just add to the overall dramatic effect.
Other highlights include the two epic numbers "Alagoas" and "Eyes of Jealousy", the majestic ballad "Fragile", and the quirky, complex prog number "Ritual of the Blade". The truth is, there's not a weak track here, Cloudscape putting together a very strong work from start to finish. Once you catch a glimpse of the amazing artwork from Mattias Noren that adorns this CD, you'll instantly be pulled in, ready to be enveloped by the powerful sounds that Global Drama has to offer. Now that the band is on Roastinghouse Records/Golden Core Sweden, a division of Universal Music, can wider recognition be far away? Let's hope not-this band deserves the attention of the masses.
Pete Pardo (Sea of Tranquility)
The music has an Arabic vibe, but is overcome by a pummeling array of high-energy musicianship. The production is amazing and the music is a delight to the ears. Wasn't sure what to expect but MYRATH is an explosive band. The opening track "Forever And A Day" has so many elements that you never hear on other releases. The bass lines by Anis Jouini are pronounced and the guitar work by Malek Ben Arbia slices the membranes; love these guys' performances. Vocally Zaher Zorgati has great range and pours soul into the tracks giving the songs life.
MYRATH has the feel of DREAM THEATER and actually take it a step future. Listening to the CD, I think with some good exposure MYRTAH could reach great heights. The musicianship is just unbelievable and the thing is, each member has the chance to shine. The title track "Desert Call" is outstanding and the background chants adds depth. I can't say enough about these guys. The songs and arrangements are by far some of the best I've heard in a while. I wasn't sure I would get into "Desert Call" but it has made me a believer.
Talk about power ballads; check out "Silent Cries". It's just amazing! I feel a spiritual uplifting with listening to MYRATH and they bounce right back with a full ballad called "Memories". This is a CD that I could listen to over and over again as it's just so enjoyable. Zaher Zorgati's vocals have a calming feeling yet he can bust out with power at any moment. Just listen to "Memories" you just want to spread your arms wide open and let the light in. It gives me chills!
And just when I let my guard down a bit they drop some pure adrenaline with "Ironic Destiny". I hear elements of JUDAS PRIEST's "Pain Killer". What a great tune!
"Shockwave" is a hard-edged track that also shows the aggressive side of MYRATH. The band still show supremacy over a huge amount of artists of today plus "Shockwave" splits the dimensions of metal with progression and rises above others.
This is a killer CD to check out. I loved it. Pick this one up! No fillers to be found here.
Brian Rademacher, ROCK EYEZ Webzine
AniLo Projekt - Miracle
The Ani Lo Projekt are a female fronted Bulgarian Symphonic/Progressive metal band that consists of Straho Antoniev (bass), Kossy D (drums), Kalin Zhechev (keyboards), Vlado Todorov (guitars) and Ani Lo (vocals) aka Ani Lozanova who already has two solo albums behind her.
It would be quite easy to categorise and dismiss this band, putting them in bed with the likes of Within Temptation, Nightwish, Lacuna Coil or The Gathering but to name a few without hearing them, seeing them as wannabe's, but that would seriously be doing the band and your good selves for that matter a disservice. This band maybe female fronted, but the Ani Lo Projekt needs to be looked at with an open mind; sure there are some slight similarities to the mentioned bands, but that was always going to inevitable. Importantly ALP have managed to not become a clone of those bands, being inventive, something that is worth listening to, not a regurgitation of formulaic passages that have been heard a thousand times before, a pitfall that a lot of these bands succumb too.
This is a band that has hit that right formula; their music is bombastic, melodic, powerful, hooky, intense, possessing a commercial presence too. Ani Lo's vocals are powerful, full of range, taking a metal/operatic approach with her presentation, although let me just say, an approach that doesn't grate on your nerves, which has been richly complemented by Ian Parry's stunning production work.
The album is book ended by A Miracle Is All We Need, the opener a pure musical powerhouse, the closer a piano led ballad, a duet with Ian Parry, he of Crystal Tears, Consortium and Elegy fame, which adds another dimension to the song. There is nothing new about this approach or style but the Ani Lo Projekt does bring something slightly different to the table, something that I just can't put my finger on, that I really like and I mean REALLY LIKE. I just think that it is not so much that its formulaic, it is probably that they have managed to incorporate several other genre approaches within their structures that really work effectively. You can hear their influences that include power metal, industrial, gothic, classical and opera which have all been married with the prog metal elements.
Their take on Michael Jackson's Give It To Me rocks like the proverbial, taking the song to the next level. Ark Of The Covenant is a heavier and darker approached song, featuring some awesome guitar breaks, both lead and rhythm, its beat and time backline functioning perfectly, still retaining that stunning quality, vocally sublime sounding like Nikki Lamborn, (Never The Bride), in places. Industrialised Cannot Fall Asleep retains a sultry sound musically and vocally, that memorably bounces around your head. I could just go on and on here.
You may have noticed that I've jumped about picking songs out randomly, commenting on how good they are, this is something that can be done with this album as the songs on offer here are that strong. In all honesty this is just a stunning album full of stunning music from beginning to the end.
The whole mix of the album is perfect, bright and crystal clear, whether Todorov's guitars, Antoniev's bass, Kossy D's drums or Zhechev keyboards, they can all be heard in their full glory. The whole package is nice presented too in a very nice digi-pak.
If female fronted prog metal bands are your thing, then this is an album that needs to be added to your collection, make no mistake about that. If you were to ask me what a female prog metal band should sound like then I would seriously be able to tell you in four words "The Ani Lo Projekt" it really is that simple; be there from the ground up; if this band continues creating albums this good then they are going to be massive.
Conclusion: 8 out of 10