Melodic Revolution Records Featured Album | April/May 2016 Kristoffer Gildenlow | The Rain
Label : Melodic Revolution Records Release Year : 2016 Country : Sweden/The Netherlands Genre : Atmospheric Progressive Rock
Band Members
Kristoffer Gildenlow – Vocals/Electric/Acoustic Guitars/Keyboards/Piano/Bass Guitars/Double Bass/Percussion/Glockenspiel Lars Erik Asp – Drums/Percussion Paul Coenradie – Electric Guitar Fredrik Hermansson – Piano/Electric Piano Anne Bakker – Violin/Viola/Vocals Maaike Peterse – Cello
Special Guest Musicians
Norman Ebicillo – Vocals on (Drizzle) Cees Pouw – Accordion Theo Tuesien – Church Organ Popkoor Zuilen – Choir Rienk Speelman – Conductor
Inside a mans beating heart lies a cause or concern they must address and create awareness of. This comes in many forms through the arts and sciences. It gets so strong and deep within in their mortal soul that they must find a outlet to express and address such concern to the particular cause that keeps them awake at night. The expression even requires them to step outside themselves out of love so they can reach their desired target demographic. This is certainly the case with Kristoffer Gildelow and his 2016 album The Rain.
The Rain examines the life of a ageing man in the latter stages of dementia. The only comprehension of what he is experiencing comes through the elements of clouds and rain. The Rain also sets itself apart from most of Kristoffer’s work with DIAL, Pain Of Salvation and even his last solo album Rust in 2013. Where most concept albums in music serve as a escape from any reality with stories of science fiction, horror and fantasy, The Rain causes us to journey within the soul and heart of a man suffering things he does not much understand. Any listener with a open heart and mind can see themselves in this situation.
To the listener, The Rain is a very easy concept to get into. There is nothing too instrumentally overwhelming to where the listener gets lost in any virtuosity leading them away from the lyrical conceptual journey Kristoffer intended it to be. Every track on The Rain represents a memory or emotion within the man’s mind. The acoustical backdrop allows the listener to get captivated with the project where the lyrical content can better sink in to the psyche of the listeners understanding.
The concept begins with the effects of a thunderstorm followed by rain drops with a orchestral sound on After The Rain Part 2. Thereafter the track takes a lyrical self evaluation of where the man in at in the stage of his illness. It continues with Holding On Pt 1 through to Breathe In, Breathe Out. The female vocal best represents a dialogue between the man and family member. Tracks like Breathe In, Breathe Out , Drizzle, She, Seeking The Sun Pt 1 serve as eureka tracks where the concept actually starts to make sense to the listener. There are also many beautiful segue tracks that make the continuity of the album flow with gentleness between both instrumentally oriented and lyrically oriented tracks.
Kristoffer Gildenlow’s The Rain was well thought over, written, recorded, arranged and mastered. It is one of those albums that come along once in a generation and has such profound effect on the lives of the listener. Kristoffer Gildenlow has created a masterpiece by which will be talked about a few generations from now. The Rain has instantly entered into my top 15 albums of all time. The Rain also joins other concept albums of self conviction and reflection such as 2015’s Amadeus Awad’s Death Is Just A Feeling and 2004’s Areyon The Human Equation. It would not surprise me that this shows up as a Top 5 album of 2016 when the year end lists start coming out in November and December. This gets a 5/5 on content and development alone.
Hope you all enjoy the release of the 360° immersive video for the new song, “Love of Avalanches” – the second single release from the upcoming album, “Love Will Heal”.
The 360° fully immersive virtual reality environment was created without a 360° camera and reverse-engineered from a cubemap and a fusion of handcrafted equirectangular panoramic images sequenced with custom textures, video and music.
“Love of Avalanches” 360-degree video will launch on YouTube Wednesday, March 23, 2016.
To really enjoy the 3D and the immersive 360° effect, please use VR headsets or Google Cardboard and a smartphone.
The track will be available through iTunes, Spotify and other music distributors on April 7, 2016.
Note: Video uses new technology and has to be viewed on YouTube or a smartphone with Google Cardboard. Click here: https://youtu.be/1XJi5VxAC3A
Melodic Revolution Records Featured Album March 2016 | Time Horizon | Transitions
Label : Melodic Revolution Records Release Year : 2015 Country: USA Genre : Christian AOR Progressive Rock
Band Members
Ralph Otteson – Keyboards/Vocals Allen White – Electric 5 String Bass/Fretless Bass/Upright Acoustic & Bass Pedals Dave Miller – Electric Acoustic Rhythm/ Lead Guitar Bruce Gaetke – Drums/ Vocals
Contributing Musicians
Rich Reif – Vocals Jeff Garner – Lead & Rhythm Guitar Dan Eidem – Drums on River of Sorrows Michael Mullin – Violin on Love is Here Gary Gehman – Background Vocal on Only One
Guest Artists
Lang Bliss – Drums/Percussion David Wallimann – Lead/Rhythm Guitars Tony Kaye – Hammond B3 organ on Prisoner Billy Sherwood – Lead Guitar on The Moment Is Here Jake Livgren – Vocal on Love Is Here
It seems like quality progressive AOR rock does not discriminate as far as audiences are concerned. It seems over the last thirty years or so starting with bands like Petra, White Heart, Mylon Lefeverand Brokenheart, Proto-Kaw, John Elefante, Kerry Livgren etc … that this genre and style of music has found a home in the Contemporary Christian market as well. In 2016 this rich tradition continues with California’s own Time Horizon.
Time Horizon were built on the foundation of charity. 100% of their proceeds off the first 1000 CD’s goes towards Living Water International, a charitable ministry dedicated to building fresh water wells in third world countries. It is certainly something rare and unique in today’s music climate in the face of adversity of illegal downloads and non lucrative streaming services.
The music portion of the band goes back to the days of the 1980’s where many progressive rock bands from the late 1960’s and mostly 1970’s had to adopt a more modern pop sensibility to remain relevant in the public eye. Many bands such as Yes, Genesis, Asia and Emerson, Lake and Powell went the way of the AOR of bands like Journey ,Survivor , Styx, Passenger, etc … Time Horizon include the AOR element as well as elements of progressive rock and even neo progressive rock making for a unique distinctive sound all their own.
All these elements are present in their very latest effort Transitions . With the engineering and production assistance of legendary Billy Sherwood, Time Horizon have crated a well polished and clean project that will appeal to many listeners both old and new. Transitions suffices the audio pallet’s of the older listener more familiar with progressive AOR oriented rock while being easy enough to follow for a newer generation just discovering these brands or the brand collective of this genre of music. Now a brief yet to the point break down of Time Horizon’s Transitions.
Transitions has some very up tempo rockers on is Only One.
Only One starts as a straight away progressive rock track. It has some nice softer breaks within the verse and bridges before picking it back up with the chorus. The rhythm section is very tight and the guitar solo is very welcomed. Only One has a beautiful segue into the albums first instrumental track Only Through Faith.
Only Through Faith comes into its own with a very fluid keyboard atmosphere. For 3:10 of the track moves in and out of atmospheres as if it were a soundtrack of a filmscore to a movie or television show. Only Through Faith sets up the following track Only Today perfectly.
Only Today opens up with a nice guitar solo followed by a thunderous bass/drum rhythm section. Only Today is a heavier track based on the fact it is more rooted in the bass/drum section. Pieces of neo progressive keyboard elements present themselves in a subtle yet well presenting manner. It has a nicely executed guitar solo about the 3:00 mark before being met with a rich keyboard passage at the 3:50 mark. The vocals and harmonies are very present in harmony with the instrumental.
Prisoner the longest track on Transitions, opens up with a deep bottom rhythmic section. There is a lot of 4 and 5 string bass going on here. The keyboard section is in a more nostalgic vein with the hammond organ reminding the listener of progressive rocks roots. The vocal harmonies are totally executed in a united matter. The deeper bottom bass in harmony with the hammond organ and guitar give it a little darker touch. Although the Prisoner is one of the darker tracks on the album it still presents positive hope.
The Moment Is Here opens in a more traditional AOR style. The vocals at times reaching that of Chicago’s Peter Cetera. Much of the track has a great dynamic between the lead vocal and the background vocal. The background vocal serves as a echo vocal before meeting in perfectly harmony with the lead. The Moment Is Here is another of the more heavier tracks off the album. The are even vocal portions accentuating the guitar solo.
About Time begins with a great straight away progressive rock track with heavier rhythmic licks matched by a opening guitar solo serving as a instrumental passage in a melodic narrative. This is another instrumental where the band can show skill however under the umbrella of humility and appreciation. There is a sick rhythm solo about the 3:20 mark. At 4:30 mark it takes a very traditional very hard rock direction in the Outro solo.
You’re All I Need picks up where About Time left off with a blistering section of straight driving hard rock. Just like About Time before it, You’re All I Need is one of those tracks that could hold its own in any decade from the 1980’s through 2010’s.
Water Girl, River Of Sorrows, & Love Is Here are more of the softer side bordering on ballads. These three tracks are a great and peaceful way to settle into the end of Transitions. They all have great guitar solos with great rhythm sections running in perfect harmony inside the melodic structure of each track. These three tracks are also perfectly arranged where the listener can reflect on the entire project as a whole.
I believe Melodic Revolution Records signed a great overall talent in Time Horizon. Not only are the band are generous with their resources, they also focus on quality progressive AOR oriented rock that can appeal to listeners across the generations. I give this a 5/5 for that alone.
Since the death of ELP’S Keyboardist Extraordinaire, KEITH EMERSON, fans had wondered, ” WHY DID HE COMMIT SUICIDE and WHY?! ”
It so happens that THE JIMI HENDRIX of KEYBOARDS, had suffered from REOCCURING DEPRESSION, with the incentive that HE WAS NOTIFIED THAT HIS COLIN CANCER had spread….. :((
Even if he would’ve retired, he would’ve had to undergo CHEMOTHERAPY, for NUMEROUS MONTHS, with DIFFUCULITIES & MORE SUFFERING…………… 🙁
Here’s a few words, from an EXTRAORDINARY PIANIST, whom derived from CALIFORNIA, named LARRY KUTCHER:
“Very shook up about the news of Keith Emerson’s apparent suicide. It hits way too close to home for me as a fellow Pianist / Keyboardist, struggling with health issues for nearly two years now. “
“ I understand the INTENSE WEARINESS, DEPRESSION, and HOPELESSNESS of having your ability to physically play and create music, become more and more difficult with the passing of time. Playing and creating music is like breathing for me. It is essential to my life. “
“ Having a diminished capacity to do so is devastating. There are days when I feel that I just can’t do this anymore. Sadly, I understand all too well, what can bring one to such a devastating decision. “
“ What I want to share next is not a commentary or judgement on what Keith did or what Robin Williams did…I am speaking only for myself here. “
“ Because of my personal relationship with Jesus Christ… because of His STRENGTH, GRACE, WISDOM, and LOVE, ( Which He freely gives me, ) I am able to keep on keeping on, even when I feel that I have nothing left. It is He that sustains me. He reminds me that I am not defined as a human being, with an eternal soul, by my ability or lack thereof, to play music. My music is a personal expression of who I am deep within, NOT who I am. There is a profound difference here. “
“ I pray that my body will heal and there’s a good chance it will in time. It just seems like it’s taking forever and I’m so very weary from it all. That being said, the good news is that I have always placed my life in the loving hands of my Lord Jesus Christ, and trust in His will for me completely. I take refuge and find peace in His Holy Presence. I find my strength in Him, when I no longer have it. “
“ So, I share this with you, Dear Friends, with great sadness tonight. Keith had a huge influence on me early on in my musical development. I have a very fond memory of meeting him many years ago at a Namm show. I was playing the keyboards for a small crowd and folks were waving at me to look behind me. I turned around and there was Keith, just behind me, listening to me play and smiling. It was wonderful to talk with him a bit, and thank him, for the inspiration he was to me as a very young pianist. “
“ RIP Keith… and THANK YOU, for the musical pebbles, which in turn, created the ripples that unfolded into me. “
Label : InsideOut Music Release Year : 2016 Country : International Genre : Progressive Alternative Rock
Band Members
Nick Beggs – Bass/Chapman Stick/Guitars/Keyboards/Vocals/Programming Roger King – Keyboards, Guitars/Backing Vocals/Programming/Production Marco Minnemann – Drums/Percussion/Guitars/Sound Design
Nick Beggs has been a true tour de force in music for the better part of 35 to 40 years now. In recent years he has shed his pop rock wings in the 1980’s for a more progressive flight in his musical and creative journey into the 21st century. He has had a dream resume playing with the likes of IONA, Steven Wilson, Lonely Robot and Steve Hackett to name a few. However up to this point he had never done anything of his own accord. Finally Tomas Waber at Inside Out Records brought the idea to Nick Beggs himself.
A period of thought and consideration finally resulted in the name The Mute Gods. After settling on The Mute Gods for a name, Nick Beggs would proceed to to hunt band members to share his musical and creative vision. On drums he did not have to search too long. He would enlist his Steven Wilson band mate Marco Minnemann. To round out the band he would enlist the services of world renowned musician known for his work with Steve Hackett, Roger King – Keyboards, Guitars/Backing Vocals/Programming/Production . The Mute Gods were set.
In 2015 and throughout portions of touring with both Steven Wilson and Steve Hackett the respective members would come up with the debut album The Mute Gods Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me. The thematic concept of the album is basically the world view of Nick Beggs. While some listeners may come to the conclusion that the project is a list of conspiracy theories out of the strange, I see it as the creativity of a true modern musical genius with a lot to say. Another thing I appreciate and respect with this album is Nick Beggs refuses to be pigeonholed in to genre stereotyping. For the true progressive fan or fan of great music in general, there is a lot going on through the duration of Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me. Lets look a little at The Mute Gods Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me.
Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me opens with a special effects passage that mirrors and appears as someone is tuning in a radio or television set. It contains a great fluid rhythm section that is in a very heavy post progressive rock element. For a band whose members are more accepted for their instrumental prowess, their is some really tight harmony happening within the vocal structure and the relationship of the vocal and instrumental as well.
Praying To A Mute God has a nice fluid rhythm opening section. The bottom rhythmic passage is very heavy. Not in metal heavy, but in heavy prog. The chorus and verses have a very clean pop sensibility without defeating any purpose to those listening for progressive rock reasons. Roger King’s hammond organ reinforces the heavy rhythmic passages and elements. The track takes a wicked off time signature solo about the 3:38 mark. The rest of it is a straight away progressive rock track.
Nightschool For Idiots is one of those tracks that is melancholic instrumentally but full of life lyrically. On many levels both as a musician and just a individual the listener can identify with the track. Lush keyboard atmospheres meet with heavy rhythm elements throughout the duration of the song. The vocals may be soft however serve the greater purpose of the story being told.
Feed The Troll begins as something out of science fiction with certain keyboard generated effects before exploding with the main backbone passage. That main backbone passage is one of a thunderous bass/stick oriented rock met with more synth atmospheres. Science fiction effects and elements move in and out with grace throughout the track and arrangement. About the 2:25 mark the track presents some wicked effects as one breathing through the vacum in interstellar cyber space. The story is very much of that of cyber stalking on all levels.
Your Dark Ideals starts in a heavy prog rhythmic sensibility. It relies more on the verse /chorus /verse in a straight up progressive rock track. There is some great harmony and melodies happening all through the track. There are some perfect backing harmonies playing off the main harmony vocally.
Last Man on Earth opens as a ballad. It has a basic song structure of opening verse to bridge that builds towards the chorus. The story can be construed in a few ways. The track is very easy to listen to , even to those unfamiliar with progressive rock or the bands members and their work. Last Man On Earth serves as a great gateway track.
In The Crosshairs is a really heavy prog laden track. This opens with a towering thunderous rhythm section with a sleek keyboard running side by side in harmony with the main rhythm section. It is the only instrumental on the album. It is very well crafted.
Strange Relationship starts out with a almost jazz drum passage before the bass , keyboards and vocals come in. It is also a bit of classical fusion blended smoothly with the jazz drumming of Marco Minnemann. If you listening closely it is almost two songs going on at once, however not loosing the attention of the listener. At about the 3:30 mark the keyboard gives it a great fusion style atmosphere.
Swimming Horses starts with a almost space rock vibe on the keyboards. It soon picks up with a more eclectic passage of stick pumped through a bass processor. About the 1:50 mark the vocals take on a chant before the chorus kicks in. This is a track that builds upon every passage. The vocal harmonies are lush and beautiful. The echoes compliment the main vocals perfectly. The solo in this takes a very late 1960′ to early 1970’s appeal.
Marvo Capelo starts out with a simple semi acoustic guitar and vocal harmony. Then it totally explodes with rhythmic atmospheres and and keyboards that carry a vintage prog sound with a modern sensibility. There are several atmospheric passages and elements that all come together under a perfect melodic banner. This track even has small hints and elements of metal at certain points. The tracks’ towering rhythms really carry the track through.
Father Daughter is a tender song , almost ballad, about a father and daughter communicating through the melodic filter of song. It is a song about regret and reconciliation. To some listeners this could be a real tear jerker of a track. Lula Beggs , the daughter of Nick Beggs has a stellar performance complimenting the male vocal done by her father.
What I liked about The Mute Gods Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me is that you can not compare the tracks or passages to anything out there. It is one of the most original albums to come down the pipeline over the last 30 years. The album is so well written and produced you can not even place the title of ‘Supergroup’ on the band as well. There are individual stories that really capture the vision Nick Beggs articulated on the album. I give this a 5/5 on the above mentioned alone.
Hint: With an ALL-STAR CAST of BRITISH & SWEDISH PROG ROYALTY, here’s one SUMMER TREAT to LOOK FORWARD TO.
What dose the VOICE OF YES and THE FLOWER KINGS’AXE MAN have in common?
PEACE, ONENESS WITH GOD, & LOVE FOR ALL!!!!
MUSIC FOR THE SOUL, MUSIC FOR LIFE!!!
As read on THE FLOWER KINGS’ website:
ANDERSON / STOLT,the brand new duo of legendaryYESVocalist & Singer/SongwriterJON ANDERSONand Progressive Rock VeteranROINE STOLT(The FLOWER KINGS,TRANSATLANTIC), have announced the release of their collaborative album“ THE INVENTION OF KNOWLEDGE, “for 24th June 2016 viaInsideOut Music.
Jon Anderson had this to say: “…..Music is always the driving force in my life…Working with such a wonderful musician as Roine Stolt, made the creation of this album very unique, we are very excited with the release of ‘ Invention of Knowledge. ‘ “
Roine Stolt adds: “ It is not aiming at being new Yes music;JUST NEW MUSIC,modern and classical, rock and ethno, tribal and orchestrated, grooving and floating. Hopefully in the true spirit of “PROGRESSIVE.” – Leaning forward, surprising and also comforting with familiar run-arounds. “
“ We’ve been “inventing” as we go along – Jon is an endless source of new ideas. We’ve been bouncing ideas back and forth, for months and as a result, there are probably dozens of versions of these songs. It’s been a very interesting and rewarding time and the result is just insanely detailed. ”
InsideOut label-headTHOMAS WABERcomments: “ I have been talking to Jon for ages about making an album of ‘ Yes music ’ – as Jon calls it – and Roine seemed like the perfect guy for him to work with. I am really happy that it has finally happened and I am also thrilled with the material they have come up with. I think it will please a lot of fans! ”
TO FIND OUT HOW THIS PROJECT HAD EVOLVED, WHO ELSE IS PART OF THIS PROJECT, THE TRACK LIST & MORE, CLICK ONTO THIS LINK:http://www.flowerkings.se/
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