Mix up one part Saga, the other part Triumph, another part Rush’s Moving Pictures take the voice down a little more into the area of bass and you have the modern Prog recipe for Nth Ascension. Planted first by Alan ‘Spud’ Taylor as a childhood dream and later joined in the field in 1984 with the likes of Robert Stirzaker (Counterparts) – Drums, Martin Walker (Nth Ascension) – Guitars,Andrew Keeling (composer) –Keyboards, and in 1986 Darrel Treece-Birch (TEN and Nth Ascension) – Keyboards would eventually lead to the origins of NTH Ascension in 2010.
By 2016 the current line up of Nth Ascension would be complete with Alan ‘Spud’ Taylor – Vocals , Darrel Treece-Birch – Keyboards , Craig Walker – Drums & Percussion , Gav Walker – Bass , Martin Walker – Guitars. This line up is full of long progressive atmospheric compositions and instrumentally technical prowess. The band ranges from traditional progressive rock of the 1960’s – 1970’s with the neo-progressive sensibilities of the 1980’s and the more electronic and technical elements of the 1990’s – 2000’s. However what the separating factor is with Nth Ascension compared to their peers and contemporaries is the lower than normal vocal register of its leader Alan’Spud’ Taylor. His vocal register has a little of Michael Sadler (Saga), Matt Barlow, (Iced Earth) with a twist of the legendary John Wetton (King Crimson), this makes for a very distinct vocal apart from the rest in the progressive community.
Nth Ascension have returned with their second album In Fine Initium and are officially making their Melodic Revolution Records debut as well. In Fine Initium’s sound, I believe, is a look into progressive rock’s future by using well established progressive rock and metal staples. You know that power progressive rock, slightly heavy melodic metal. I admire the fact that Nth Ascension can not be pigeonholed nor typecast into a solid particular genre. They are the type of band with the appeal to reach a little bit of everyone within the progressive rock or even classic rock communities.
The album opens up with a explosive epic in Kingdom Keys.
Kingdom Keys opens almost like that of a film score or movie soundtrack with every instrument in harmony with one another to make a bold passage. The band comes out firing on all pistons here. Soon there is a break in the music and the warm vocals come into play. At around the 4:00 mark the track goes through various time signatures and identity that gives the band their unique progressive sound. With thunderous rhythm section on top of a deep symphonic keyboard and guitar stringed section that gives the song two different sides, Kingdom Keys certainly is a great foundation track to begin the album with. On the way towards the end there is a semi spoken word section which the band double tracks. It is a nice bridge keeping the song going.
End Of Days begins with a heavy brooding atmosphere created out of the fingers of Darrel Treece Birch. Soon a traditional straight away progressive hard rock track emerges to open the track up more. Like Kingdom Keys, End Of Days has a very movie soundtrack style to it. On top of the heavy keyboard there is a very deep tuned down feel to the rhythm section. Lyrically it is a song of redemption and positivity About the 4:30 mark the track goes through time signatures that also serve as mood changers for the objective listener. The 4:00 outro takes the listener from the summits of the stringed section to the valleys of the rhythm section equally and at times concurrent to one another.
So, That Was The Apocalypse is a instrumental track. It consists of deep rhythm sections with a flair of vintage progressive rock Hammond style organ. This sounds like old school Bad Company and Foghat meets Yes. It has both the straight up classic rock vibe with progressive elements and standards. This serves as a perfect bridge track for The Cage.
The Cage starts with a beautiful piano intro that is quickly joined by both drums and bass in the rhythm section. The guitar comes in to give the track a added atmospheric passage. Soon all instruments lead into the open lyrical verse and the band sounds like a well oiled machine at this point. The Cage is ‘The Epic’ on the album. This is a true roller coaster of the audio senses as it goes in and out of explosive rock passages met with a taste of ballad. Especially at the 5:00 mark where the track takes on layer upon layer of various atmospheres between the keyboard and bass and cymbals. The vocal takes on a David Bowie ‘Space Oddity’ style during this time. Around the 7:00 mark the instrumental takes various curves along the rhythmic highway with neo-progressive road signs with the various chord progressions and time signatures employed by the band. The instrumental rhythm sections are practically AOR/melodic metal in their very nature.
In Search Of The Rider (Clanaan Part 4) picking up where Nth Ascension’s first album Ascension of Kings, In Search of The Rider (Clanaan Part 4) is a epic song that will span over several albums much like Dream Theater did with the Bill W. AA Suite over several albums. The band does a excellent job picking up in the continuation of this story. This also is a very good middle track in that it feels like more of a transitional track towards a much bigger portion to the epic. This also serves as the perfect ‘batton-track‘ in that In Fine Initium continues the story appropriately where Ascension of Kings left off.
Forever (Clanaan Part 5) continues the epic journey with a great rhythm drum fill and a lush atmospheric keyboard passage. The guitar work borders along the lines of Pink Floyd meets Saga. This track is very well balance and also serves as a bridge track within the greater picture of the epic that is Clanaan as a collective. This track has a lot of modern progressive elements as well.
When The Rainfalls (Clanaan Part 6) is the paradox, it both ends the album and continues the ongoing story of Clanaan. This is a lush semi electric guitar track met with warm vocals much like a full ballad.
Nth Ascension have sure opened up more possibility of how progressive rock and music in general sounds. In Fine Initium is yet another evolution into progressive rock’s future by blending the past with the present. This album should provide for a solid set list in live settings. Nth Ascension’s In Fine Initium gets a 4.5/5.
Robert Ernlund – Lead vocals Anders Wikström – Lead Guitars and vocals Pontus Egberg – Electric Bass and vocals Patrick Appelgren – Keyboards and vocals Jamie Borger – Drums
Over the last 30+ years AOR, melodic hard rock, melodic heavy metal have certainly interchanged and mixed from time to time. In the United States and North America in general we have seen bands like Journey, Styx, REO Speedwagon, Survivor, Toto etc , gain world wide success on the AOR front. Some progressive acts from the 1970’s like Yes and ASIA even adopted elements of the AOR sound to remain relevant on the charts. Then something began to happen with the pop metal or glam metal started developing really high quality yet sometimes cheesy videos.
Some heavy metal and aspiring hard rock bands that did not want to be branded with the cheese factor morphed into Melodic Metal/AOR bands. Soon bands of the older guard like Bad Company with Holy Water,Joe Lynn Turner era Rainbow(1980-1984), later Honeymoon Suite, Bohnam and Giant would begin to add some heavy metal elements, some progressive elements and the real backbone of melodic emphasis. By melodic emphasis I mean big range lead vocals and backing vocals to match note for note harmony to any given composition. Finally you had bands that were able to combine all these elements like Bad English, Firehouse, Steelheart, Mr. Big and Treat.
Although they may of went a little under the radar here in North America, Treat were huge in Europe and especially Japan. In 2016 Treat are better, heavier, and more melodic than they ever have been. Their Frontiers release Ghost of Graceland has proven that Treat are still a powerhouse band to be reckoned with. Ghost of Graceland proves that a band can age really well like a fine wine and still write, record and produce a album on their terms without it sounding dated.
Treat’s Ghost of Graceland has a little bit for the pure melodic rock, AOR, melodic metal fan. It is compiled 12 tracks for the standard release or 13 tracks for the exclusive Japanese Edition. This review is brought to you courtesy of the Japanese Edition. The band opens up the album with a straight away blistering yet melodic self titled track Ghost of Graceland. The track Ghost of Graceland starts with thunderous riffs and rhythm section before going into a more level melodic passage. Ghost of Graceland is very tight on the harmonious interchange between lead vocal to backing vocal.
Moving forward the vocals of Robert Ernlund– vocals are done with such precision and clarity. He has certainly maintained his range while many of his contemporaries have started to struggle. Anders Wikström: Lead Guitars and vocals Pontus Egberg: Electric Bass and vocalsPatrick Appelgren Keyboards and vocals all join Robert Ernlund with a mini choir and such spot on accuracy throughout tracks like I Don’t Miss The Misery, Better The Devil You Know, Inferno and Alien Earthlings, etc… that carry a very heavy melodic riff and rhythm section that all focus around the backbone of the band Jamie Borger: Drums.
On Ghost of Graceland you will find many more straight away melodic metal, AOR and some heavy metal throughout the entire album. There is really only two true ballads Do Your Own Stunts and the other on the album being Together Alone, which on the Japanese Edition that I am using on this review, shows up as a piano based track as a extra Japanese release only at the very end. The one main focus I keep hearing on the album is the storytelling element within each song and composition.
Some have said it is all production. I disagree with that. I believe the band placed a higher emphasis on the writing and tracking thus making the production much easier. The band not only focus on good storytelling but they also place a emphasis towards the melody, vocal harmony and even the instrumental to vocal harmony elements. The sound is a modern sound no doubt. Not too many bands of their genre or community from 30 years back can really claim that their sound has progressed forward in maturity and structure. Treat are one of the few that have not went backwards. 30 years later they still continue to leave their mark on melodic metal/AOR/progressive rock. Treat Ghost Of Graceland gets a 4.5/5 for progression and maturity.
Melodic Revolution Records | Feature Album August 2016 Leon Alvarado | The Future Left Behind
Label: Melodic Revolution Records Release Year: 2016 Country: USA Genre : Progressive Rock
Band Members Leon Alvarado – Keyboards/Sequencing/Drums/Percussion/Launch Control Voices Billy Sherwood – Lead and Rhythm Guitars On All Tracks Except “To Be Loved” Rick Wakeman – Moog Solo on “The Launch Overture” and Additional Keyboards Johnny Bruhns – Acoustic Guitar on “To Be Loved” Steve Thamer – Narration
In today’s progressive music climate and culture, it would be arrogant to hold on to the notion that every conceptual album has to have lyrical content to tell a story effectively. Rick Wakeman with ‘Journey To The Centre Of The Earth’ , Kraftwerk with most of their library and even guitar virtuoso’s like Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and Eric Johnson have all certainly destroys this ‘Myth’ . Now comes Leon Alvaroado with his soon to be released The Future Left Behind. With a open imagination and a objective mindset, the listener can easily allow the narrative throughout this album to set up the instrumental pieces that flow with such masterful and thoughtful continuity.
Some artists have a very uncanny ability to create their own worlds that invite a true objective listener to become enveloped within that world and carry their minds and souls into a place of brief escape or even a small melodic vacation for the hour or so of the album. Leon Alvarado has done a brilliant job doing this on The Future Left Behind. The album certainly has strong cinematic film score elements that blend in well with all the traditional progressive rock and fusion hallmarks.
Leon Alvarado’s The Future Left Behind, is a conceptual piece that describes what the future of the Earth and humanity maybe. The cinematic elements easily rank up there with legendary science fiction film scores as Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, 2001 A Space Odyssey. At the same time ranking right up there with the likes of Jordan Rudess, Derek Sherinian’s PlanetX,Genius A Metal Opera and Ayreon’s Actual Fantasy. Anchored with a very articulate narrative eloquently spoken by Steve Thamer, Leon Alvarado’s brilliant use of sequencing and effects along with the instrumental melody holds the album within the confines of a consumable audio pallet for both progressive purists or those newer and more curious listeners.
Despite the all star line up on this album, Leon Alvarado in a very tasteful and appropriate way allowed for the respective talents to be displayed while maintaining a unique ability to focus more on strong song structure rather than ego carrying it in its duration. First he paints a clear focus with every narrative piece on the album so the instrumental pieces are magnified ten fold allowing the listener to paint the vivid images of the story in the theater of their minds. The all star line up do a brilliant job working within the vision of Leon Alvarado on this project.
Each instrumental track carries its own emotion and paints some very vivid melodic strokes throughout the album. Every layer of sequencing, every rhythm section and keyboard section has its own broad strokes of audio bliss. This is also a album that can translate well to a live atmosphere in concert on stage. In a era where compressed music is force down the throats of the general public, Leon Alvarado’s The Future Left Behind allows every note, progression and passage to breathe allowing the listener to absorb the project with grace. With every listen and rotation there seems to be something new coming to the light of day or something there that has not been noticed before with previous listens.
In conclusion , Leon Alvarado has made a very intricate and artistic statement without compromising his initial vision. It take a lot of courage and risk to make a almost strictly instrumental conceptual piece. Although they are not for everybody they certainly have a niche audience that wants to sit back, chill and allow the theater of their minds to paint a picture alongside the music. I give Leon Alvarado’s The Future Left Behind a 4.5/5 for complete organic vision. This is set for release on July, 30, 2016 on Melodic Revolution Records.
For well over 30+ years Fates Warning have time and again proven why they are one of progressive metal’s staples. Not only are they pioneers of progressive metal, they are the apostles of the genre. There influence is undeniable. Many would agree that without Fates Warning there may not of been a Dream Theater and Symphony X from the USA, Vanden Plas from Germany, Threshold from the United Kingdom, Circus Maximus from Norway and Evergrey from Sweden.
Throughout its history Fates Warning has certainly endured with many line up changes. At the center of the various changes has always been two constants, that being Jim Matheos and RayAlder. It is almost very certain that Jim Matheos and Ray Alder have not lost any vision for Fates Warning. Even before Dream Theater’s Change of Seasons, Symphony X’s The Odyssey and even Green Carnation’s Light of Day, Day Of Darkness, Fates Warning would yield progressive metal’s first true epic in Ivory Gate Of Dreams from 1988’s No Exit album.
In 2016 Fates Warning still have a hand on the banner of progressive metal. This is very apparent with their brand new album and second on the Inside Out Music label called Theories Of Flight. With Theories Of Flight, Fates Warning continue to influence and grow as a band and prove why they are still a standard in the progressive metal community. Theories Of Flight has a little bit of everything Fates Warning has done as a band collective and its various side projects such as OSI, Redemption, Engine, etc ..
Theories Of Flight has a vast collection of elements from straight away progressive metal to avant garde and even ambient elements. The band seems much more rested than they did with their 2013 offering Darkness In A Different Light. The band appears to get right to the point and still allow for the individual compositions to breathe and stand on their own merit. Nothing seems compressed nor hurried in anyway whatsoever.
From The Rooftops opens the album with a very deep ambient tone between the rhythm section and the guitar effects along with the warmth of the vocals of Ray Alder. The intro is definitely filled with emotion before breaking and taking off with a very fierce yet brutal in your face progressive passage. The track definitely has a Jekele and Hyde personality about it. Bobby Jarzombek has added a vicious rhythm intensity at the drums as well.
Seven Stars continues where From The Rooftops left off with a blistering intro before going into a more melodic and harmonic balanced track. The harmony between the vocals and the instrumental portions is as tight as it gets. This track reminds me very much of Fates Warning past with Silent Cries from 1988’s No Exit album. This track is very heavy in its conviction on the vocal harmonies as well.
SOS starts with a crunchy distorted guitar intro before once again going with a all out assault to the audio senses. It also contains some very light thrash elements to it before going into various time progression passages. The bass/drum rhythm section is insanity.
The Light And The Shade Of Things is a more traditional progressive metal track both for its 10+ minutes and its extended intro. The vocals start out very warm to hook the listener into a mini journey throughout the composition. The guitars are very ethereal and ambient in their deliberate nature. The Light And The Shade Of Things is like two tracks going on at once. It is a song of both self reflection and just a straight up kick ass progressive metal track. This is also a ‘gateway track’ for a newer generation of listener and potential fan. It has a tender side and a very aggressive side.
White Flag begins with a very heavy intro before going into a blistering progressive passage. This track is a truly tradition Fates Warning track and a song that can easily translate to visual form for a video if the band chooses. White Flag is very essential to who Fates Warning have grown into song wise. The guitar solo’s are very aggressive.
Like Stars Our Eyes Have Seen continues the deliberate assault on the senses. The bands aggressive vision continues for Theories Of Flight. Among all the aggression the band allows for the song to breathe and beautiful melodies to be on display. The band also ventures towards newer time signatures and various effects as well.
The Ghost Of Home opens up with a very non traditional spoken word intro. It is as if a person is changing stations on a television or radio. The vocals draw you in with ease. The Ghost Of Home is the second 10+ minute track on the album. This one certainly has a very heavy OSI influenced progression on it. It reminds me a lot of The Thing That Never Was from OSI’s 2003 deluxe 2 CD edition Office Of Strategic Influence meets a earlier Fates Warning album Disconnected married together. There are areas where their is a ambient element running with perfection with the vocal harmonies.
Theories Of Flight the self titled namesake track begins with some special interstellar space effects. The intro opens in a almost Pink Floydian nature. It also has a deep underlying spoken word effect again. Theories Of Flight is the more eclectic track in tone and nature on the album. It contains very heavy experimental and ambient elements before coming to an sudden end.
In a year where a lot of bands are making ambitious conceptual pieces to remain relevant, or Astonishing, Fates Warning have chosen to make a direct more to the point progressive metal album. This is to satisfy both long time fans and even newer ones. Theories Of Flight is another reminder of who Fates Warning truly are and embody as a band. This album gets a 5/5 for excellence. It also proves why Fates Warning have been fixtures in the progressive metal community over the last 35 years.
Italy has had a very long standing tradition of invention, innovation and engineering. They have used these principals in industry, the arts and sciences and even within the parameters of music. Italian people have a uncanny ability to exert minimal effort and yield maximum results. IfSounds totally fits this definition especially where their 2015 album Reset is concerned. For only five members in ifSounds, their sound gives the listener that there is far much more going on than there really is.
Now to be honest there have been bands in the past use very minimalist elements and come out with a fully layered and warm project. It began with Krautrock in Germany in the late 1960’s to early 1970’s and has continued to more recent genres such as post rock with TOOL and even post metal bands. However ifSounds is one of those bands that come along with the talent enough to blend all those styles I mentioned before, styles that all now have found themselves within the progressive rock/metal banner.
“ifSounds are the images of our dreams and our nightmares. Music is just the shape we give to our stories, our hopes and our fears.” This is how the band describes themselves over on their website. From my observation this could be somebody’s reality or situation with a family member, co worker, boss, friend, etc… ifSounds lyrical content matches the emotion of the instrumental content to a point where people can have time for self reflection. Although their music may not speak to the almost 7 billion people on Earth, it certainly has the quality for those with a opened minds and hearts of objective perception.
Here is a some highlights from Reset.
When I Was Born Again comes in slowly like a impending thunderstorm with the keyboards. Soon the bass heavily comes in and takes the song in another direction. By the time the band comes in with all their parts between the vocal and instrumental there is a minimalist vibe about it. IfSounds have a excellent disposition. They appear to channel early TOOL and Radiohead with a heavier progressive side to the track. This song has a very dark appeal to it. The track ends with a beautiful harmony vocally.
FR9364 opens with some serious drum hi hat work and executed quite well by Lino Mesina . As he carries the heavier progressive passages, the keyboards come in with a sweet ambient sound that gives the song a wash of ambient flair. In some backhanded way the track reminds me of 1970’s WAR with Low Rider with heavier progressive elements.
40-14 is another straight away heavily executed drum/bass rhythm section that is soon matched by a slightly tuned down rhythm guitar. 40-14 is almost like a progressive version of The Who’s My Generation meets much of what the Ray Davies was doing with the kinks. Half way through this track it takes on a heavy heavy psychedelic progression much like in the early Pink Floyd meets Velvet Underground. The band really continues to utilize heavy minimalist passages to perfection here.
Laura begins with a beautiful mandolin with wonderful warm vocals. It is very heavily influenced on the more folk and classical elements. The tracks takes on a real heavy vocal harmony almost like a small choir based folk track like what was coming from New York in the early to middle 1960’s.
I’ve Never Hated Anyone is certainly the anomaly of Reset. This track contains more in your face bombastic elements both in the instrumental and vocal. There is anything from straight away hard rock elements to even very light punk elements. This is also the most metal track on Reset. Finally about the mid point of the song it takes a more progressive hard rock approach with great melody and harmony.
Run Away opens with a beautiful warm and inviting acoustical guitar passage that is soon met in harmony with warm vocal melodies. This track is really led more by the rhythm section of bass/drum and the lyrical content about it. The keyboard at times acts like another guitar in the song.
Flashback opens up with a very Cream like guitar riff. bass and drum rhythmic section. This track is very much rooted in the blues at the start before getting slightly psychedelic. This is very 1960’s old school Prog Rock Italiano. The vocals really carry it.
Fading To Blue opens to a warm almost in the fashion of early darkwave acts like Bauhaus and The Church yet with a 1970’s progression like Popol Vuhl. The back up vocals are almost as instrumental as the warmth of the acoustic guitar. This track adds layers upon layers of various time signatures blended perfectly with the instrumental melodies. This is also a very heavy ambient track in nature.
Reset the namesake of the album opens up as a flow in segue effect from Fading To Blue with a heavy dark atmospheric progression. Reset is like the total collective of the various points that band has executed throughout the album. Reset opens with serious progressions and avant garde time signatures. For five members this track in particular sounds like their are much more members than there actually are. It goes back to the start of this where I said minimal energy maximum distribution. The Tide continues in the vein of both Reset and Fading To Blue with the heavy atmospheric intro’s giving the listener the appearance that the last three tracks may be part of a trilogy. This is definitely heavy on the rhythm section. The Tide closes out the entire Reset album with a extended and wonderful guitar solo. The Tide is the perfect conclusion to Reset.
After a closer listen and spending much time with this album, I have concluded that ifSounds transcend typical progressive rock labels and cliche’s. They can definitely play on more than just a progressive rock live bill. IfSounds Reset gets a 5/5.
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