Band Bio Courtesy (Midnight Eternal Official Facebook Page) Midnight Eternal is a symphonic metal band based out of New York City. It was formed in March of 2014 when two members of Operatika (Richard Fischer and Boris Zaks) invited Daniel Prestup (Rivera Bomma, Spider Rockets) and Mike LePond (Symphony X) to join them in recording a two-song demo. During the recording, the band acquired the talents of vocalist Raine Hilai based on her previous work in theater and her solo endeavor. The planned demo quickly evolved into the formation of a full-time band when it became apparent the group had something special on their hands. Shortly thereafter, Greg Manning (of Spider Rockets, Zamora) joined the band as permanent member taking over bass duties.
Shortly after releasing their demo, which featured the songs “When Love and Faith Collide” and “Masquerade of Lies”, the band began to receive numerous offers and booked a number of high caliber shows. In the years 2014 and 2015, Midnight Eternal shared the stage with Kamelot, Dragonforce, Sonata Arctica, Delain, Xandria, Doro, The Agonistand Quiet Riot, among others. Late 2015, the band hit the studio to record their debut album.
My Review
There are symphonic metal bands, power metal bands, progressive metal bands, classically influenced and trained metal musicians. Then there are bands that know how to take all those elements and disciplines and perfectly balance them into their own unique sound. This is what New York’s own Midnight Eternal have done on their self titled debut Midnight Eternal. Founded in March of 2014 Midnight Eternal have already had a crash course like multiple year veterans sharing the stage with bands such as Kamelot, Dragonforce, Sonata Arctica, Delain, Xandria, Doro, The Agonist and Quiet Riot.
It was sharing those stages and hours of rehearsals that gave the band that unique quality to forge their own sound that would manifest itself into one of the strongest debut albums I have heard in 15 years. It was if they have taken a concerto orchestra and transcribed it on to heavy guitars, bass, drums and vocals. Not like a opera but like a supporting multi piece instrumental orchestra in the supporting act of a musical.
Although the tracks seem short in length at times, the listener still has a epic listening experience through various time signatures and change progressions. The first track Till The Bitter End there are some various spoken word portions blended within the composition. Then you have a power metal clinic with track 2 Repentance . There is a anthem vibe track 3 Signs Of Fire.
There is always a hook or unpredictable harmony or melody around the corner of every track on the album. The harmonies are executed with clarity and the instrumental melodies compliment those harmonies with grace and poise. The rhythm sections and blast beats are insane and tight in some places especially on the track Shadows Fall. Midnight Eternal Midnight Eternal is definitely a band for fans of Kamelot, Blind Guardian, Delain, Nightwish and Xandria. This album gets a 4.5/5 and could be a heavy contender for Debut Album Of 2016.
Lets face it honestly, 2015 will go down as another pivotal year for the growth of Progressive Rock, Metal, AOR, Post Metal , Psychedelic Rock and Djent. There so many bands doing music on such a original level that the music did not seem to be recycled, imitated or sound like the same thing over and over again with the same chord progressions and passages polluting the various compositions and constructs.
This was the toughest list I have ever pondered on. Normally I would take a online poll somewhere, however I did not want the typical snob drama or pissing contests that are sometimes associated with the said polls. I reviewed 30 albums this year over at my new writing home Power Of Prog. Many of those will be included in this list and some I did not get the chance or time have made this list.
Before I get going on my list I would like to acknowledge some people in the prog and rock world in general. I would like to thank Nick Katona “The Mad Platter” owner of Power Of Prog and the host of 33 and 1/3, Vinyl Confessions and The Mad Platter show over at House Of Prog, The Prog Doctor himself Marty Dorfman at House Of Prog and The Waiting Room with The Prog Doctor at House OfProg,Ian Beabout host of Prog Rock Deep Cuts at House Of Prog. I would also like to thank Rick Henry at House Of Prog, Rob Pociluk at Progressive Music Planet, Nem Nol and RJDunn and Matt Vicente at Lady Obscure Magazine for their continual radar. Without the LadyObscure staff I would not of discovered Native Construct.IO Earth manager Wendy Vissers-Hagenbeek and Abstrakt Agnieska Cz for their support and continual cooperation. Without anymore delay here is my Top 15 of 2015 !!
1) IO Earth – New World
Label: IO Earth Shop/Independent Release Year: 2015 Country: Birmingham UK Genre: Art Rock / Symphonic / Progressive Rock Band Other Genres IO Earth Use:
Rock, Ambient, Jazz, Classical, World, Progressive Rock, Dance, Celtic, Contemporary, Folk, Metal, Symphonic Rock, Crossover Prog and many many more! Basically, IO Earth is GENRE DEFYING! Band Members Linda Odinsen: Lead & Backing Vocals Dave Cureton: Lead, Rhythm & Acoustic Guitar, Lead & Backing Vocals, Keyboards, Programming Luke Shingler: Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Flute & EWI Adam Gough: Keyboards, Theremin, Acoustic & Electric Guitar, Lead & Backing Vocals, Programming Jez King: Violin & Rhythm Guitar Christian Jerromes: Drums & Percussion Christian Nokes: Bass Guitar & Double Bass 2a) Forgotten Suns | When Worlds Collide
Label: Premiere Music Release Year : 2015 Country : Lisbon, Portugal Genre: Progressive Metal/Rock Band Members Ricardo Falcão – Guitar J.C Samora – Drums Nuno Correia – Bass Nio Nunes – Vocals Ernesto Rodrigues – Keyboards
2b) Arcane Known|Learned
Label : Independent through Bird’s Robe New Zealand/Australia Sensory Records Worldwide Release : 2015 Country: Brisbane Australia Genre: Progressive Metal/Rock Band Members: Jim Grey: Vocals Michael Gagen: Guitars Matt Martin: Keyboards Adrian Goleby: Bass Blake Coulson: Drums Guest Bass Players CD 1/Known: Brendan Brown CD 2/Learned: Mick Millard
3) Unified Past | Shifting The Equilibrium
Label: Melodic Revolution Records Release Year: 2015 Country: United States Genre: Progressive Rock Band Members Phil Naro – Vocals Stephen Speelman – Guitars, Synths, MIDI Sequencing Victor Tassone – Drums, Percussion Dave Mickelson – Bass Guitar
4) Amadaus Awad’s | Death Is Just A Feeling
Label: Melodic Revolutions Records Release Year: 2015 Country: Beruit, Lebanon Genre: Progressive Rock, Metal, Post Rock Band Members Amadeus Awad – Acoustic, Electric & Bass Guitars, Keyboards and Orchestration Anneke Van Giersbergen (The Gathering, Ayreon, The Gentle Storm) – Vocals Arjen Lucassen (Ayreon, Guilt Machine, Stream of Passion, The Gentle Storm) – Vocals Elia Monsef – Vocals Marco Minneman (Joe Satriani, Steven Wilson, The Aristocrats) – Drums ( 2, 3, 5 & 6) James Keegan (Spocks Beard, John Waite, Santana) – Drums (4) Nareg Nashanikian – Cello Rafi Nashanikian – Clarinet Dan Harper – Narration
5) Abstrakt | Limbosis
Label: Niezależna Release Year: 2015 Country: Poland Genre: Post Progressive Metal/Rock Band Members
Krzysztof Podsiadło – Vocals Michał Fiałka – Guitar Maciej Dados – Keyboard Jakub Puszyński – Bass Łukasz Simiński – Drums
6) Steven Wilson | Hand Cannot Erase
Label : Kscope Release Year: 2015 Country: UK Genre: Progressive Rock Steven Wilson – Guitars & Vocals Guthrie Govan – Guitar Adam Holzman – Keyboards Theo Travism – Flute / Saxophone Nick Beggs – Bass / Chapman Stick Marco Minnemann – Drums
7) Lonely Robot | Please Come Home
Label : InsideOut Music Release Year: 2015 Country: UK Genre: Progressive Rock John Mitchell (Kino, It Bites, Arena) – production, guitars, vocals Nick Beggs – bass Craig Blundell – drums
Guest Musicians: Peter Cox (Go West) Nik Kershaw,
Steve Hogarth (Marillion) Heather Findlay,
Kim Seviour (Touchstone) Jem Godfrey (Frost*) Lee Ingleby (Master & Commander, Harry Potter) Rebecca Neew-Menear Kim Seviour
8) Karnataka |Secrets Of Angels
Label : Immrama Records Release Year : 2015 Country : United Kingdom Genre : Progressive/Symphonic/Celtic /Metal Band Members Haley Griffiths – Lead Vocals Enrico Pinna– Lead Guitar/Vocals Jimmy Pallagrosi -Drums Ian Jones -Bass/Keyboards/Guitars Cagri Tozluoglu – Keyboards
9) ‘The V’ ‘Veronica Freeman’ |Now Or Never
Label: Frontiers Release Year: 2015 Country: USA Genre: Melodic Hard Rock, Heavy Metal
Band Members
Veronica Freeman – Lead Vocals Leather Leone – Duet Vocals “Kiss My Lips” Tony Martin – Duet Vocals “King For A Day” Melissa McDonell – Additional Vocals “Starshine” & Acoustic Guitars Derek Kerswill – Drums Jeff Pilson, Mel Brown, Garry Bordonaro, Aric Avina, John O’Boyle & Mike Lepond – Bass Pete Wells, Michael Sweet ,Peter Tentindo, Jimmy Durkin, Mick Tucker, Jordan Ziff, Michael Harris – Guitars Produced by John Herrera except for:
“King for a Day” (produced by Kenny Lewis)
“Love Should be to Blame” & “Again” (produced by Michael Sweet)
10) Edge Of Paradise| Immortal Waltz
Label: Pure Steel Records -World /Twin Peak Records -AU, NZ, parts of S.E.A. Release Year: 2015 Country: USA Genre: Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Band Members Magarita Monet -Vocals/ Piano Dave Bates – Guitars Nick Ericson – Bass John Cominsky – Drums
11) The Murder Of My Sweet| Beth Out Of Hell
Label: Frontiers Release Year: 2015 Country: Sweden Genre: Cinematic Melodic Rock Band Members
Angelica Rylin – Vocals
Christopher Vetter – Guitar Patrik Janson – Bass Daniel Flores – Drums and Keyboards
12) Kore| Evolve
Label: Independent Release Year: 2015 Country: Poland Genre: Progressive Post Metal, Extreme Metal
Band Members Karol Piwowarski – Vocals, Guitar Darek Adamczyk- Guitar Łukasz Usydus – Bass Kuba Mikulski – Drums
13) Abnormal Thought Patterns | Altered State Of Consciousness
Label: Lifeforce Records Release Year: 2015 Country: California USA Genre: Progressive, Technical, Shred, Metal instrumental,Djent
Band Members Jasun Tipton – Guitars and Keys Troy Tipton – Bass Jason Montero – Guitars Mike Guy – Drums Guest Musicians Tommy Rogers -Vocals – Between The Buried And Me Jeff Loomis – Guitars- ex- Nevermore Michael Manring – Bass John Onder – Bass Tim Toth – Into Eternity – Guitars
14) | All Is Not For All
Label :Melodic Revolutions Records
Release Year: 2015 Country: United Arab Emerites Genre: Progressive Power Thrash Metal
Band Members
John Bakhos – Guitars Nadeem Bibby – Vocals Imad Dahleh – Drums Jay Jahed – Synth Rany Battikh – Bass
15) Kinetic Element | Travelog
Label: Melodic Revolution Records Release Year: 2015 Country: Richmond, Virginia, USA Genre: Progressive Rock
Band Members Mike Visaggio: Keyboards Michael Murray: Drums Todd Russell: Guitars Mark Tupko: Bass Guest Vocalists Dimetrius LaFavors (tracks 1, 2 & 5) War Song, Travelog, Vision Of A New Dawn Michelle Schrotz (track 3) Into The Lair Mike Florio (track 4) Her
When you talk about stronghold regions for progressive rock certain countries come to mind. You have the United Kingdom, the birthplace of progressive rock, Germany with the minimalist style of Krautrock and even the more hard rock based progressive rock from North America. However over the last 15 years Poland has set itself up quite well as a modern strong hold for progressive rock. The band that has held the banner and standard in this leading the way has been Riverside.
With seven studio albums and two live releases, Riverside have positioned themselves as a force to be reckoned with in the progressive rock and metal communities. This has strengthen the bands resolve especially with its newest offering Love, Fear And The Time Machine courtesy Inside Out Music in 2015. In this review I will be covering the limited edition 2 CD release. CD 1 being the actual Love, Fear And The Time Machine album and CD 2 being a total offering of strictly instrumentals.
CD 1
Lost (Why Should I Be Frightened By A Hat ?) opens up with a ambient atmospheric vibe combining a ambient progressive instrumental with ambient style vocals. There are some minimalist elements with thick rhythms before the keyboard kicks in like neo prog and guitars take off with a heavy dark progression. The vocals are very dark yet illuminating. Mariusz Duda gets partially Floydian in his vocal.
Under The Pillow begins with a great semi electric guitar passage before Duda’a vocals kick in. Once again the band are playing with various layers and atmospheres. Once again they invite neo progressive keyboard passages with deep rhythm layers. Piotr Kozieradzki – drums and Mariusz Duda sound tighter than they ever have with the rhythm progressions. Piotr Grudziński – guitars, adds a beautiful layer with a guitar solo in the middle. The track contains a nice break that incorporates a nice bass solo.
#Addicted comes in with some heavy bass work followed by great rhythm guitar and deep drums. The drum work is less percussive and more instrumental. About the 1:28 mark there is some good backing vocal work. #Addicted is one of the heavier rhythmic tracks on the album with great atmospheric effects on the keyboard. Lyrically the song talks about the end result to addiction. Closing this track is a great guitar passage as a accent.
Caterpillar And The Barbed Wire starts with a seriously deep rhythm section passage. The deep heavy rhythms are likened to Yes’ Roundabout. The heavy rhythm section definitely carries the entire track. There are some great snare and cymbal combinations performed wonderfully by PiotrKozieradzki. The guitar solo is subtle and creeps in adding more additional layers. You can clearly hear the growth and maturity of the band in Caterpillar And The Barbed Wire.
Saturate Me opens with a odd rhythm progression. This is followed by a series of dark and twisted time signatures going in and out trading off between the rhythm section and stringed section. About the 2:00 mark there are some lush vocals with good echoes for effects. It is as if the vocals are in a vacum somewhere bouncing off a very acoustic friendly warehouse. The keyboard has a ebb and flow of modern keyboard and hammond organ style from porg’s past. The ebb and flow of the keyboard will appeal to both the old school prog purist and modern just introduced to prog rock fan.
Afloat has a profound melancholic opening intro. The acoustic guitar gives it both a stringed and deep rhythm quality about it. Afloat has heavy krautrock minimalist elements while managing to satisfy the prog listener with old school elements in the vein of Camel and Caravan.
Discard Your Fear has a killer hammond/mellotron intro with it like in the vein of the legendary JonLord. Soon this is followed by some very intricate time signatures with fluid vocals. At the 3:23 mark there is some nice rhythm breaks with isolated vocal tracking for accent and flavour. Towards the end there some nice drum fills.
Towards The Blue Horizon opens up with some great finger fret work on the acoustic guitar that reminds me a lot of Kansas’ Dust In The Wind. Another highlight to come from this track is the very detailed snare, cymbal, tom tom work by Piotr Kozieradzki giving this one a very unique sound. The bass also has a very unique sound as if the strings are strummed instead of plucked. Michał Łapaj – Keyboards, really laces old school hammond organ flare in many areas as effects. The vocal melodies are very warm and inviting on the listener as well.
Time Travellers seems like the band have intentionally wanted to open tracks on this album with acoustic vibes and working the listener into the track gently. Time Travellers contains a very heavy folk background both instrumentally and lyrically. On the lyrical end of the spectrum it is a track of looking back and reflection on life. Time Travellers can serve as a great single for the band off the album and is probably the most commercial sounding track Riverside wrote for this album.
Found (The Unexpected Flaw Of Searching) starts with some great finger fret work compounded quite nicely with vocals that are both vocal and instrumental in nature. Once again the band really allows the guitar solo work to stand out. A lot of this track reminds me of 2004’s Pain Of Salvation’s12:5 which in fact was a total acoustical live set. Found (The Unexpected Flaw OfSearching) has a vibe as if the band did it together live in the studio instead a piece tracking and engineering it on the back end.
CD 2
Heavenland definitely has a minimalist intro with minimal keyboards and chants. Michał Łapaj –Keyboards really has a heavy atmospheric presence. Heavenland is a track where one can float off and lose themselves in melodic immersion of the senses. The guitar serves like more of a chime effect on this one.
Return has a intro much like a church service that completely has a mood all its own. At the 1:00mark it appears to be a detuned bass and guitar serving as special effects as the keyboard and slight drum cymbals and beats carry this one. This a heavily ambient based track. Return is a track that the psychedelic listener can identify with as well.
Aether is another ambient offering. It reminds me of early Floyd. Mariusz Duda starts to really establish himself among the best of his peers like John Myung – Dream Theater, Nick Beggs –Steven Wilson, IONA, Lonely Robot, or even Mike LePond – SymphonyX. Aether sees some big bass drum work wonderfully crafted by Piotr Kozieradzki . Riverside fit more notes, effects and passages in the 8:44 time frame than some prog bands do with a 15-20 epic time frame. Aether is certainly a atmospheric jam.
Machines opens up with with heavy krautrock like keyboard atmospheres. The keyboard passages remind me a lot of early Kraftwerk. In Machines the band have manage to manipulate the drum to sound like a electronic drum.
Promise ends the epic limited edition with a great guitar intro. Promise is much like Aether and Machines before it. Riverside have a high experimental quality.
Riverside’s Love, Fear And The Time Machine is a true ambient progressive rock journey full of spirit and emotion. It contains a lot of old school progressive rock elements with a lot of modern sensibility about it. Although not as heavy as their previous works, Love, Fear And The Time Machine still adheres to the darker atmospheres Riverside have come to be known for. I give this a 4/5.
RIVERSIDE – Found (The Unexpected Flaw of Searching) (OFFICIAL VIDEO). Taken from the album “Love, Fear and the Time Machine”. Inside Out Music 2015.
*Writers Note* This review is dedicated to the memory of late Iron Maiden drummer Clive Burr- (March/8th/1957-March/12th/2013) & Robin Williams – (July/21/1951-August/11/2014)
Label: Parlaphone/Sanctuary BMG Release Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom Genre: NWOBHM/Heavy Melodic Metal
Band Members
Bruce Dikinson – Vocals/ Piano
Steve Harris – Bass
Dave Murray – Rhythm / Lead Guitars
Adrian Smith – Rhythm/ Lead Guitars
Janick Gers – Rhythm/ Lead Guitars
Nicko McBrian – Drums/Percussion
2015 marks the 40th Anniversary of one of the most influential, prolific, and global heavy metal bands of all-time Iron Maiden. With very little radio and MTV video type airplay, Iron Maiden’s grassroots efforts have led the band from going to selling out arena’s of 20,000 people to major open air festivals in Rio De Janeiro Brazil where they played to almost 250,000 people. In my 38 years in metal success has never been measured by how many hits on Billboard top 200 you have nor how many platinum albums one band can sale. It is measured more on a supply and demand basis.
Iron Maiden have certainly made very quality music on the supply side of the business and have been rewarded richly on the demand half of the business. I can not ever remember going to a heavy metal, progressive rock or any other genre in heavy metal and hard rock where I did not see quite a few in Iron Maiden t shirts or a patch sewn to a vest of some kind. No matter how segregated the heavy metal genre in its 30 sub-genres, Iron Maiden have been the most consistent act that both the fans and their peers in the music industry have come to agree upon. They have been the glue to hold it all together over 40 years, even more than your Sabbath’s, Zeppelin’s, Purple’s Priests and they contemporaries from the New Wave Of BritishHeavy Metal.
Now in 2015 more than 40 years after their creation they continue to solidly their position as the band we all can agree upon and their newest album The Book Of Souls is certainly no exception to this rule. The Book Of Souls is Iron Maiden’s first ever double conceptual album and their first concept album since 1988’s Seventh Son of A Seventh Son. The Book Of Souls also demonstrates that Iron Maiden are as tight as ever never having any writing or recording rust whatsoever. The Book Of Souls also taps heavily into Iron Maiden’s progressive rock influences like Yes, Genesis, KingCrimson, ELP, etc… Especially with the 18+ minute epic Empire of the Clouds replacing their current record holder 1984’s 13+ minute epic , Rime of the Ancient Mariner off 1984’s Powerslave. Let’s now explore The Book Of Souls.
If Eternity Should Fail a rare killer intro with a keyboard creating an atmosphere much in the vein of early Rainbow and Tony Carey especially Stargazer. Then Bruce Dickinson’s voice perfectly compliments it with a echo effect perfectly executed by producer Kevin Shirley. Thereafter the track takes the traditional Iron Maiden galloping signature led by the very distinctive signature bass work of Steve Harris combined with the drums of Nicko McBrian. The tracks ends with a very unusual spoken word passage.
Speed Of Light fires up in the traditional Maiden/NWOBHM fashion. With killer guitar work between Dave Murray, Adrian Smith and Janick Gers, in tandem with the signature rhythm style between Harris and McBrain and Dickinson’s traditional soaring vocals Speed Of Light suffices the audio pallet of for the long time listener and introducing a new generation to the traditional Iron Maiden sound.
The Great Unknown begins rather eerie with a heavy bottom rhythm section that reminds me of earlier Maiden tracks like The Number Of The Beast, Powerslave in the like. At the 1:37 mark it kicks in with Bruce’s soaring vocals and a traditional Iron Maiden signature. Adrian Smith has some great solo work within the track.
The Red And The Black opens up with a deep heavy acoustic bass that has not been heard on recent Maiden works. The Red And The Black has elements of Rime Of The Ancient Mariner combined with Alexander The Great from Somewhere In Time. The background vocals make this one anthem in nature with a more chant like vibe employed as a instrument. The Red And The Black also contains a very heavy keyboard atmosphere that is noticeable yet subtle at the same time. This is a one of the many tracks heavily bathed in progressive rock elements incorporating certain passages that Rush and King Crimson used in the 1970’s but with a modern sensibility.
When The River Runs Deep has a blistering guitar intro. It soon has a break and goes into a heavy rhythmic section. The backing vocal adds a nice accent to the main vocal. This track is a very traditional NWOBHM with up tempo passages. It is a little on the thrash metal side in scope. There are definitely various guitar solos being trading off and on going in and out complimenting the composition perfectly.
The Book Of Souls the title track of the album begins with a sweet acoustical guitar passage with keyboards. Then the track takes a heavy rhythm turn before the keyboard once again kicks in and creates a sort of backbone for Bruce’s soaring vocals. The track has a very blistering galloping middle with some wonderful guitar solo’s
Death Or Glory carries rhythmic elements like Where Eagles Dare from 1983’s Piece Of Mind in the intro. The standard Iron Maiden signature is in full effect here in all its integrity the long time fans have come to expect. The solo’s remind me a lot of The Evil That Men Do from Seventh Son OfA Seventh Son.
Shadows Of The Valley definitely opens up as if it were a sequel to Wasted Years from Somewhere In Time. You can tell Adrian Smith is very present in the intro. After the intro the track takes a turn with elements in the vein of Fear Of The Dark album. This track has some powerful backing vocal chants as well.
Tears Of A Clown was written and inspired by the life and last days of late comedian and actor Robin Williams. Lyrically it contains elements of a person feeling isolated and lonely feeling hopeless. These emotions ultimately result into the unthinkable suicide that frankly nobody expected.
The Man Of Sorrows begins with a semi electric guitar passage almost like a solo. The guitar lays back and the vocal comes to the forefront. It has a vibe that the band may of recorded this live old school in the studio. The composition takes a progressive turn into a modern fresh yet traditional Maiden sound. The vocals and solo’s once again soar in typical Iron Maiden fashion without the appearance of sounding dated.
Empire Of The Clouds opens up with something new in the Iron Maiden arsenal that of BruceDickinson’s piano work. Frankly I would of never expected a straight up piano passage in a IronMaiden song. This is a testament of the band’s growth and maturity in song writing over the oast 40 years. Between the piano and guitar the band managed to in fact bring a orchestral element to Empire Of The Clouds. Nicko McBrian has some very nice orchestral drum vibes that serve a more subtle melodic instrument than a percussive beat. This is also a new element for the band. The song structure in of itself leaves the listener with anticipation of how it might sound in a live version.
Empire Of The Clouds is heavily steeped in progressive elements that are a reminder of early Yes compositions like Close to The Edge or Genesis’ Suppers Ready. At the 8:35 mark the track settles in and takes the more traditional Iron Maiden approach yet with some heavy progressive solo’s that take the listener on a journey of musical significance. At the 10:00 mark it has another hook with a guitar solo that is followed up by a nice rhythmic balance. About the 11:00 mark it has a beautiful keyboard synth underbelly before going into another powerful guitar solo at the 12:05 mark. Bruce sounds just as good or better than he ever has. At the 13:00 mark it trades off from a 5/8 signature to a 4/4 running side by side of one another. The 14:00 mark highlights the wonderful piano work of Bruce Dickinson. Empire Of The Clouds has very lush and beautiful instrumental harmonies laced and laid perfectly throughout its 18+ minutes.
Iron Maiden certainly surprised me in more ways than one with The Book Of Souls. This is by far the most ambitious project they have ever taken on. It is also the most progressive in nature and the first ever studio double album in Iron Maiden’s 40 year history. The Book Of Souls is also the bands most mature album as well. Although rumors are spreading this could be the bands last album, I find that hard to believe due to the tightness and detail to The Book Of Souls. This gets a rating of 5/5 and in ‘heavy metal’ circles could be Album Of The Year of 2015.
My first introduction to Amadeus Awad was 2014’s EON – The Book Of Shadows. I walked away so blown away by what I heard I thought this was his opus. Well, sometimes what we think and actual reality are two different things. I believe 2015’s Death Is Just A Feeling could be his Magnus Opus. Whereas EON- The Book Of Shadows was more progressive metal in its nature, 2015’s Death Is JustA Feeling carries some of the most progressively diverse character and instrumental content I have heard since 2004’s, Pain Of Salvation’s – Be or 2000’s Ayreon’sThe Universal Migrator Part 1 : where the Dream Sequencer was more the progressive rock side and Part 2: Flight Of The Migrator was the heavier progressive metal half. On Amadeus Awad’s – Death Is Just A Feeling you get a lot of both worlds.
The album’s diversity is also properly supported by a very diverse support cast this time around. You have Ayreon himself Arjen Lucassen on vocals, Annke Van Geirsbergen vocals and Eli Monasef on vocals. This one also carries 2 world class drummers in Marco Minneman and James Keegan. With a cast like this Amadeus Awad has allowed himself a lot of creative freedom in Death Is JustA Feeling. This concept is about suicide addiction and what life is like in the one perperson’srld who suffers from drug addiction with suicidal thoughts.This will resonate with the one who listens to it and think of themselves in the same situation.
Opia begins with a power synthesizer and guitar creating a atmospheric signature. This is accompanied by a wonderful narrative piece eloquently done by Dan Harper. The narrative is a person really on a journey of soul searching. The instrumental atmosphere is very Pink Floydian in nature. Annke’s feminine vocal gives it a delicate balance diverse off the heavily brooding narrative the intro produces.
Sleep Paralysis opens with a more progressive metal side with a killer straight away riff compounded with great time signatures and hooks that continue the journey the project takes the listener in. A some points it is almost a neo progressive metal vibe. Lyrically it introduces you to the initial effects of when a stimulant based drug begins to consume the person physically, mentally and spiritually. There are some very old school hammond/mellotron elements in the backdrop that are on point.
Monday Morning begins with a very Ayreon vibe especially carrying elements of The Human Equation and 01011001. With some killer rhythm fills from the dums and the keyboards gradually taking you into the track makes for a very easy yet perplexed listen. At times it carries some StevenWilson type atmospheres with it.
Tomorrow Lies has a wonderful piano acoustical guitar intro with a heavy brooding bass drum rhythm progression. This carries many Floydian elements. Eli Monsef has a very unique and distinctive vocal. It often reminds me of Jonas Renske later Katatonia albums in its influence. Tomorrow Lies also contains a wonderful thought out and written orchestral section in the middle. This is followed up by a beautiful guitar solo passage. Tomorrows Lies also carries some various vocal effects that perfectly compliment the orchestral sections.
Lonesome Clown a unusual flamingo style acoustical vibe as it opens. This is supported wonderfully by Annke’s chant like vocals that are used more as a instrument. Amadeus Awad executes a double overdubbed vocal of Anneke in this one making her sound like many more than one. The vocal is almost choir like in nature while maintaining the lead vocal integrity. Then the track takes on a various series of neo progressive time signatures and hooks. This is followed by a beautiful bass guitar rhythm drum combination before going into a nice guitar solo. Lyrically it is as if the person is finding a way of escape from their predictimanet.
Temporary effectively ends the concept in the arrangement. It opens with a wonderful cello section on top the semi acoustical vibe. Arjen Lucassen soon comes in with his distinctive voice. Temporary carries a very Beatle-esque atmosphere to it. The clarinet solo is beautiful in the middle section. Temporary is the most orchestral based track on the concept that sounds like a symphony orchestra throughout the track.
There is track 7 – Time of The Equinox and track 8 – Poetry of Time that are pre order bonus tracks that effectively wet the curiosity of the listener waiting on Death Is Just A Feeling. While both are still heavily armed with orchestral atmospheres, Time of The Equinox is strictly instrumental while Poetry of Time contains lyrics.
Not since 2004’s Ayreon – The Human Equation where Me is in a coma for 20 days evaluating his life in his psyche, have I heard such concept with such personal conviction attached to it. Death Is JustA Feeling is a very emotionally driven and heavily atmospherically armed concept with many twists and turns within the human experience. Many feel this is possible Album of The Year material for 2015. I have to agree it is a strong heavy contender for it. I give this a 5/5 .
Anekdoten| Until All The Ghosts Are Gone Release Year: 2015 Label: Virta, Kscope, Stickman, Disk Union Genre: Progressive Rock, Experimental, Psychedelic Country: Sweden
Band Members:
Nicklas Barker – Vocals, Guitar, Mellotron, Keyboards
Anna Sofi Dahlberg – Vocals, Mellotron, Violin, Synthesizers
Jan Erik Liljeström – Vocals, Bass Guitar
Peter Nordins – Drums, Percussion
With Special Guests:
Per Wiberg (ex-Opeth) – Keyboards
Theo Travis (King Crimson, Steven Wilson) – Saxophone, Flute
Marty Wilson-Piper (The Church, All About Eve) – Guitars
This album has a little of both past and present elements in it. Picture the legends of the past such as Van Der Graaf Generator, Renaissance, King Crimson with the modern styles of Opeth, PorcupineTree, Steven Wilson Solo. That is what Until All The Ghosts Are Gone carries throughout it. I believe Anekdoten at times were born 500 years too late given their atmospheric medevil sound on this particular outing. However that is not a bad thing and can serve as a education to any progressive listener or aspiring musician.
The keyboards and mellotron definitely serve as the backbone of the composition. This gives this album a sweet consistency to the listener to be immersed in this journey. The rhythm section between drums and bass are as tight as any album I have heard in a while. Normally I would do a track by track breakdown on a review however Until All The Ghosts Are Gone has such a fluid flow to it that doing so would defeat the purpose of the journey this album beholds.
I very rarely give these out and do not do so lightly, however Anekdoten’s Until All The Ghosts AreGone gets a 5/5 due to its very original elements.
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