The John Hackett Band embodies the spirit of progressive rock. From John’s pastoral flute textures, through the funky interplay between drummer Duncan Parsons and bassist Jeremy Richardson to the intricacies of Nick Fletcher’s lead guitar the group embrace pop, rock, jazz, classical, funk and all stops in-between, from the tenderest of ballads to hair-raising
instrumental workouts!
John Hackett has been a much-loved and admired figure in the progressive rock scene since the mid-70’s; best-known for his flute work with his brother, former Genesis guitarist, Steve Hackett on albums such as Voyage of The Acolyte, Sketches of Satie and Please Don’t Touch, alongside his own solo albums Checking Out Of London, Another Life
John Mitchell is an English musician, songwriter and record producer. A multi-instrumentalist who predominantly sings and plays guitar, Mitchell is a member of several popular progressive rock bands, including Frost*, It Bites and Arena. John releases his solo music under the pseudonym Lonely Robot. John also masterminded the bands Kino and The Urbane and played bass for alternative rock band A. John has performed live with the likes of John Wetton (Asia) and Martin Barre (Jethro Tull) to name a few.
Last Night of the Progs FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/871165237977396 First Night of the Progs FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/334250666382614
Manuel Barbará, an acclaimed metal guitarist and composer, is pleased to announce the release of his new video for the single “Whisper in a Storm”. The track, featuring Thalia Tymowski of Among the Stars and guitarist Millisa Henderson, is the title track from Barbará’s latest EP, released on September 13, 2024. He comments on the collaboration:
“I’ve wanted to have Thalia Tymowski sing a song of mine ever since I met her in 2020. I’m super happy to be able to feature her on something as cool as this. It was very satisfying to pour my fascination with Cyberpunk into a song with Thalia’s help and Millisa’s guest solo at the end made me nervous to record mine.”
Barbará continues to explain that “Whisper in a Storm” is the most “traditional” of the four songs with a typical verse-chorus structure. It still features odd expanding and contracting rhythms and huge stacks of guitars with Tymowski’s powerful voice tying the whole thing together. The final bridge gives way to two melodic guitar solos and a final, crushing riff.
Inspired by the Cyberpunk genre and specifically the film “Blade Runner”, the single showcases Barbará‘s ability to weave complex narratives through instrumental music. His fascination with Cyberpunk as a genre grew out of a few authors in the 80s reinventing the noir genre to talk about the political, social, economic, and scientific shifts that were happening at the time.
The collaboration with Tymowski on vocals adds a new dimension to Barbará‘s typically instrumental approach and is recommended for fans of Keith Merrow, Monuments, and Meshuggah.
Watch and listen to the music video for “Whisper in a Storm” via its premiere on V13 HERE.
Track Listing: 1. Dead Hand (feat. Jody Miller) – 5:43 2. A Different Horizon (feat. Jake Howsam Lowe) – 5:49 3. Aphelion (feat. Michael Nystrom Bala) – 4:13 4. Whisper in a Storm (feat. Thalia Tymowski & Millisa Henderson) – 4:51 5. Whisper in a Storm (instrumental) – 4:51 EP Length: 24:42
“the song (A Different Horizon (feat. Jake Howsam Lowe (Plini)) blends metal heaviness and classical music concepts to create something intricate, unique, and highly technical.” – Decibel Magazine “Berklee trained and steeped in metal music, composing, and shredding, the EP (Whisper in the Storm) is going to unite die-hard metal fans and guitar geeks alike. The first single off this EP is “Dead Hand,” which features Jody Miller, a renowned violinist in the video game music scene.” – Ghost Cult Magazine “If a sophisticated and often elegant variety of mainly instrumental progressive metal is a subject matter of particular interest, and you are fond of such creations exploring the entire span from gentle and melodic all the way towards the extreme, then you will find this EP quite the rewarding experience I’d imagine.” – Progressor “When I came across New Jersey based guitarist and composer Manuel Barbará and his solo debut album “Moonrise” in 2021, I saw myself blown away by his modern instrumental style, combining mighty heaviness with dreamful electronic sounds. Finding inspiration in a wide range of classical, neoclassical as well as contemporary artists and bands, his new EP, “Whisper in a Storm”, lines up here as well, offering epic shredding within a spacey atmosphere fitting to the Blade Runner theme. While the playing is highly sophisticated and not an easy listen due to its dissonance and complexity, there’s still this djenty grooviness that keeps me vibing with it. Recommended ffo modern Progmetal in the veins of Tesseract, Periphery and Meshuggah.” – The ProgSpace “It is no surprise that a composer and big-time guitar player as Manuel Barbará took care of everything on “Whisper in a Storm”: all songs were written and (almost) performed only by Manuel Barbará, and produced and promoted all by himself. The result of Barbará’s musical expertise resonates throughout all the sequences of this musical journey on “Whisper in a Storm”, full of guitar solos and complex string instrument arrangements and impressive drum tempo and captivating Djent riffs. But the cleverness of “Whisper in a Storm” is on the other side of the coin. Even though “Whisper in a Storm” is grounded by lavishing on melodies which are composed in the high level of mastery of Barbará, the fact is that “Whispers in Storm” brings to us five palatable songs. I guess that Manuel Barbará’s main goal was not only to mesmerize guitar-students-amazed-by-complex-solos-lovers on “Whisper in a Storm”, but also to relate with people who love just to listen to good songs. The Progressive harmonies on “Whisper in a Storm” seem to stroll by guitar riffs, with synchronized tempo that resembles experimental Metal bands like Tesseract and Devin Townsend, and shredders players as Yngwie Malmsteen and Steve Vai. 10/10” – Ever-Metal “Prog metal, with a pinch of metal/deathcore musically” – Moshpit Radio 89.9FM WORT (Madison, WI)
Mandoki Soulmates announce a limited deluxe edition of the album A Memory Of Our Future on white vinyl, again in analog. it will also be available on ¼ studio master tape for the ultimate analog audiophile experience. They also announce music video for The Wanderer.
Limited Edition Album & Music Video Announcement
MANDOKI SOULMATES announce new limited edition LP A Memory Of Our Future on deluxe audiophile white vinyl; new cinematic music video for The Wanderer coming 13th November
1st November 2024; On 29th November, a limited deluxe edition of the album A Memory Of Our Future will be released on white vinyl, available to pre-order from 1st November. Again this album will be produced completely in the analog domain, and audiophiles have lauded the production quality. The album will also be available on ¼ studio master tape for the ultimate analog audiophile experience. Pre-order here: https://mandokisoulmates.lnk.to/MOOFVinyl
Mandoki Soulmates, who include amongst them, UK artists Ian Anderson, Nick van Eade and John Helliwell, will also launch a cinematic video for their new single The Wanderer on 13th November. This will be followed later on by additional music videos and a full concert video recorded live during the summer tour with 16 cameras and high-end audio.
Mandoki Soulmates’ album A Memory Of Our Future: Heres what the media say:
Fireworks (UK) An exemplary exercise in how to bring together the very best within the Progressive world and product a cohesive album that sits very comfortably with some of the very best collective projects out there.
Now Spinning Magazine (UK) Musically, A Memory of Our Future is a diverse and immersive experience. The album defies easy categorization, blending elements of 70s soul, progressive rock, jazz fusion, and more. From the soulful grooves reminiscent of the Average White Band to the lightning-fast guitar lines of Al Di Meola, I found the album an absolute joy to listen to.
The Prog Report (UK) Featuring a whos who of prog, jazz and rock luminaries, the new record doesnt just bridge stylistic boundaries it blows them up entirely.
Goldmine Magazine (USA) A modern-day Jazz Fusion/Progressive Rock masterpiece;
Forever Music (USA) it could be the album of the year.
For bandleader Leslie Mandoki, this album is not just a collection of songs, but a musical manifesto for today’s world. Every song has a special genesis, he says, because it’s not we composers and lyricists who write the songs, it’s life! Some songs on A Memory Of Our Future clearly have autobiographical echoes. For example, The Wanderer reflects Leslie Mandoki’s own story and struggles in his youth, his dangerous and adventurous escape as a young musician from the oppression and censorship of Soviet communist dictatorship in Hungary through the Karawanken tunnel (past guards with orders to shoot), to freedom and artistic self-realisation. The message is universal across all generations and speaks to everyone who is searching for their path in our crisis-ridden world.
Like many other artists – from REM and David Bowie to Beyoncé and Taylor Swift – Leslie Mandoki felt inspired to extend the expression of his creative impulses to the visual realm by taking a leading role in the conceptualisation and creative direction of the music video. As a child I wanted to be a painter, later a poet. Today I still paint designs for our album artwork and write the lyrics for all our songs. But his father, a musician himself, recognised Leslie’s potential and steered him towards studying music, not least because his father thought music offered better career opportunities at the time. His final advice to his son was: Don’t dream your life, live your dream! With the expansion of his creative expression through the music video for The Wanderer, Leslie feels he is following his father’s advice in a special way, because this is exactly the message the song and the video convey to the young protagonist and the younger generation. In this respect, he is coming full circle with The Wanderer, both artistically and biographically.
Through the end of 2024, Mandoki Soulmates will be releasing more videos for songs from their current album, A Memory Of Our Future. Regular postings on the bands YouTube channel will include the video for the song I Am Because You Are, as well as new concert videos.
Leslie Mandoki states, The wonderful thing about A Memory Of Our Future and this way of making music is that we can overcome the melancholy of current issues together. Music also opens our eyes to the future, encourages positive thinking and optimism. That gives us strength and drives us forward.
Music has always been humanity’s greatest unifier, and now more than ever we need it to unite us Together, across generationsfor a common future in a better world.
The song “LOVE CRAFT” is track 10 of 10 stellar compositions on CLOUD OVER JUPITER’s fourth studio release, Atomic Jupiter, out now via Melodic Revolution Records. Led by multi-instrumentalist Jerry King and featuring long-time Jupiter member Michele King, the music boldly explores the future of progressive rock, moving from lush orchestrations to unveiling a mesmerizing sonic world filled with Lovecraftian horrors.
Production Notes: The album was arranged and written by Jerry King, with this track co-written by Jerry King, Michele King, and Dave Newhouse. Performers include Fred Hodshon on bass and synth bass, George Newhouse on drums and percussion, Michele King on vocals, Dave Newhouse on lyrics, vocals, keys, horns, and synths, and Jerry King on all guitars.
Produced and arranged by Jerry King, Atomic Jupiter was mixed and mastered at The Rec. Room by Ian Beabout. The album features striking artwork by Dan Sauer Design and is dedicated to the memory of Ric Parnell, who passed away in May 2022.
{The video, created by Thornswrath, utilizes NASA imagery through their Creative Commons distribution. All still images are courtesy of NASA/public domain/Creative Commons license, with animated sequences generated on DDG by Shaun Lawton’s Deep Dreamer. Special thanks to Jerry King for the opportunity to create a video that elevates the music to a new dimension. Stay tuned for the next video!}
Dawnwalker’s forthcoming 6th album, The Unknowingdraws from influences of classic prog, art-rock and current day pop. The Unknowing follows their widely acclaimed 2022 album House Of Sand, inviting talented new players from Pupil Slicer, Deathbloom, Lure In plus flautist Bella Band to create an experience which is lively, epic, spooky and heartfelt in equal measure. The Unknowing has been specially recorded across three studios favouring vintage analogue equipment, natural performances, and minimal edits or overdubs in the vein of their prog heroes. The album has been co-recorded at Holy Mountain in London, as well as with Joe Clayton (Pijn) and Scott McLean (HealthyLiving, Ashenspire). The Unknowing explores deep themes of trying to understand our place in the universe.
THE UNKNOWING 1. Thema Mundi [4:10] 2. Capricorn [4:07] 3. Novus Homo [3:41] 4. Heaven & Earth [5:19] 5. Mirrorpool [3:16] 6. Sword Of Spirit [4:55] 7. Cancer (Rising) [4:26] 8. Fall To Earth [4:17] 9. The Law [3:58]
UNDERGROUND CONTEMPORARY PROG DARLINGS DAWNWALKER DAZZLE WITH THEIR LATEST OPUS THE UNKNOWING
For the past twelve years, underground British progressive champions DAWNWALKER have built up an impressive and explorative discography see-sawing between the fringes of metal and rock, with no two records helming a similar approach. Remaining triumphantly independent, the visionary project of Mark Norgate has blossomed from their origins as a collaborative studio project into a revered live entity. Once again, Dawnwalker re-invent themselves with a new cast of talented musicians for their sixth observation – THE UNKNOWING– a concept album meditating on grand themes concerning our shared search for belonging, and our desire to know our place in this vast, hostile and unknowable universe. “Dawnwalker absolutely nail their unique sound. That sense of beauty in dreadfulness, and it’s a journey well worth taking.”
~ Angry Metal Guy
Conceived across three recording studios and featuring exciting new players, Dawnwalker’s sixth album The Unknowing finds a sharply tuned focus on songwriting, harmony and sonic finesse. Joining mastermind and guiding light Mark Norgate are seasoned talents including Luke Fabian (ex-Pupil Slicer) on bass, Chris J. Allan (ex-Malefice) on drums, flautist Bella Band, and vocalist Sofia Sourianou (Deathbloom, Lure In) bolstering Norgate’s lead voice with wonderful counter harmonies. Recorded largely by Stanley Gravett at Holy Mountain Studios (which has helmed records by Idles, Jane Weaver, Spiritualized, Green Lung and many more), additional sessions also took place with Joe Clayton (Pijn, Leeched) at Manchester’s No Studio (Mastiff, Mountain Caller, Ithaca) and with Scott McLean (Ashenspire, HealthyLiving) at Neon Fable Studios in Edinburgh – all captured with organic approaches, minimal edits, and a vintage analogue sound in the spirit of prog’s original heroes, favouring naturalistic performances without click-tracks. Through shaking up their methodology more than ever, these risks have rewarded Dawnwalker with one of their most consistent and cohesive offerings to date. “An extended kaleidoscope of clashing crescendos suspended in a constant state of flux.“
~ Pit Of Plagues
With no ten minute epics and no ambient interludes, The Unknowing is a concise single LP disc experience built from nine individually memorable tracks, with only one breaking the five minute mark. In Mark Norgate’s own words, The Unknowing is “a conscious move away from post-metal towards something spacier and more progressive; and probably more pop too.” Hitting the nail on the head, these songs are proggy without being indulgent, challenging without being overly complex, catchy and melodious with enough weird and off-kilter moments. A progressive rock sound, but with a bubbling metallic DNA intact. A boiling pot of great contradictions and contrasting flavours falling sweetly into place. Norgate prepared for the writing of the album researching and meeting with mystics, Tarot readers and astrologers, driven by a divine desire to trace humanity’s evergoing ways of understanding the hands of time, the cosmos, and where we fit into that space.
“…[
Dawnwalker] reinvent themselves while maintaining a distinctive and consistent identity. There’s a classiness and scholarliness to it all that keeps you coming back for more.”~ Metal Injection
Each of these nine tracks expresses a yearning and an ever present search, which is reflected sonically with a brighter sound palette than on any previous records. The album begins with Sofia Sourianou’s siren-like voice luring in the listener as glistening piano and soft spattering drums set the scene on opener ‘Thema Mundi’. ‘Capricorn’acts as a mantra for the entire record with its chorus, “Called forth on that lonely road, / March on further into the unknown”as a dramatic organ stutters alongside swirling, crunchy guitars. ‘Mirrorpool’ is a dynamic and eerie centrepiece showcasing two complimenting voices weaving around each other. ‘Sword Of Spirit’ and lead single ‘Cancer (Rising)’ are amongst Dawnwalker’s most jaunty and energetic tracks, whilst the irresistible ‘Fall To Earth’ is a straight up headbanging air guitar rager. The Unknowing is yet another spectacular and engrossing entry into the lore of Dawnwalker, presenting them at their most spacious and detailed. Dawnwalker sound full of adventure and whimsy, neatly capturing a pastoral playfulness, whilst keeping their occult and folklore influenced spirit intact.
“The album deals with grand themes that we’ve been reaching for throughout our whole discography. It is a doomed attempt to solve the grand mysteries of existence that pays homage to so many astrologers, soothsayers, mystics, faith healers, cult leaders and charlatans. It’s about the attainment of knowledge, but also an acceptance of a kind of un-knowing, making peace with your own insignificance in the grand scheme of the universe and yet still being able to gaze in wonder at it all.” ~ Mark Norgate, Dawnwalker
FFO: PORCUPINE TREE, PETER GABRIEL, OPETH, ENGLISH TEACHER, ANATHEMA.
Dawnwalker continue to build their legacy independently and will self-release The Unknowing on October 18th in-house on classic black Vinyl, plus a limited blue marbled vinyl variant. The striking and gothic painted cover art depicts a Victorian astrologer, completing a beautiful and thorough album package evoking the themes of the songs within. Collaborating with House Of Sand artist Mitchell Nolte once again, The Unknowing is a relic for record collectors. In late 2023, Dawnwalker completed a short double-headlining UK tour with HealthyLiving, initiating some of this new recording line-up ahead of the album writing and studio process. The band have also shared stages with the likes of <Bruit, Sacred Son, Bodies On Everest, Sugar Horse, Novere, and more. Their malleable sound and adventurous subgenre melds have confidently seen Dawnwalker nestle comfortably within progressive rock, post-metal, experimental and heavy music scenes.Dawnwalker will celebrate the album’s launch with a hometown show at Islington’s Hope & Anchor on December 15th, with ambitions for bigger support slots and festival appearances in 2025.
THE UNKNOWING IS AVAILABLE FOR IMMEDIATE COVERAGE.
WE HOPE YOU ENJOY AND LOOK FORWARD TO READING YOUR THOUGHTS.CREDITS Written and performed by Dawnwalker. Music and lyrics by Mark Norgate. Recorded and engineered by Stanley Gravett at Holy Mountain Studios, London. Vocals recorded by Joe Clayton at No Studio, Manchester. Mixing and overdubs by Scott McLean at Neon Fable Studios, Edinburgh. Additional editing by Joe Clayton. Mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege. Melody and Greek lyrics on ‘Mirrorpool’ by Sofia Sourianou. Cover art by Mitchell Nolte. Live photography by Oculus Sinistra.
DAWNWALKER (2024)Mark Norgate – Vocals, guitar and keyboards Luke Fabian – Bass Chris J. Allan – Drums and percussion Sofia Sourianou – Vocals Bella Band – Flute
PREVIOUS DISCOGRAPHY XIII (Redux) – Album – 2012 Dawnwalker – EP – 2014 In Rooms – Album – 2016
Mandala – EP – 2017 Human Ruins – Album – 2018 Crestfallen – EP – 2020 Ages – Album – 2020 House Of Sand – Album – 2022
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