Nad Sylvan, known as vocalist with legendary guitarist Steve Hackett, announces his vulnerable & personal new solo album ‘Monumentata’ for release on June 20th, 2025 via InsideOutMusic. Sylvan’s music draws heavily from the golden age of progressive rock while blending in folk, classical, and modern rock influences, resulting in a sound that feels both classic and contemporary. This collection of 8 tracks continues bridging those styles while sprinkling in a few more, from the jazzy-pop feel of “Flowerland” to the 60’s R&B influenced “Monte Carlo Priceless,” to the aggressive rock flavour of “That’s Not Me.”
It is the latter track that is launched today, and you can watch the video for “That’s Not Me” here:
Nad comments of the track: “It’s a very heavy, aggressive song with a strong funk influence—kind of like James Brown meets Deep Purple. It’s got a groovy feel, and I absolutely love it because it represents the heavier side of my music. The song explores the challenges of adapting to another culture while traveling the world.”
Much of the album comes from Sylvan’s life experiences. “This album is much more vulnerable. I’d say about 75% of the lyrics are directly about my life—it’s me laying everything out there, wearing my heart on my sleeve.”
The title track signifies an important moment in the singer’s life when he lost his father, leaving him without both parents. Sylvan explains, “I lost my parents, and knowing that they’re gone—and that one day, I’m probably next in line—that felt “monumental” to me. That’s where the word ‘Monumentata’ came from. “Tata” means “Father” in Hungarian, and my dad was half Hungarian. So, I combined those two words to create something new. It’s about losing someone and the disappointment.”
While Sylvan handles vocals, keyboards and most of the guitar parts, the album features a number of notable guest appearances, including guitarists Randy McStine, David Kollar, and Neil Whitford. The drummers on the record include Marco Minnemann, Mirko DeMaio, and Felix Lerhmann. On bass, the singer is helped out by fellow Hackett band member Jonas Reingold, Nick Beggs, and Tony Levin.
‘Monumentata’ will be available as a Ltd CD Digipak (incl. bonus track), Gatefold transparent green LP & as Digital Album. Artwork was handled by Hajo Müller (Steven Wilson).
With a captivating style of keyboard-driven progressive metal that blends cinematic grandeur with a no-holds-barred approach to genre and convention, American progressive trio Lux Terminus has taken the prog music world by storm since their formation in 2016. Now, with the impending release of their second full-length album, Cinder, due out on April 18th, keyboardist Vikram Shankar (Pain of Salvation, Silent Skies), bassist Brian Craft, and drummer Matthew Kerschner have reached stunning new creative heights.
Written and recorded over four years and produced by the band, Cinder sees Lux Terminus once again embracing the core of their sound — keyboards-driven progressive metal with strong analog synth and cinematic influences — while exploring heavier and more diverse musical territories. The album also features guest appearances from Ross Jennings (Haken), Jørgen Munkeby, Jon Pyres, and Espera (Sleep Token, Exploring Birdsong).
Lux Terminus has now released the energetic and uplifting first single, “P.L.O.N.K.,” from their upcoming highly anticipated sophomore album. “P.L.O.N.K.” blends intricate analog synthesizers and expressive piano with a propulsive rhythm section and fusion-driven technical prowess.
“Our single “P.L.O.N.K.,” the first release from our upcoming 2025 album Cinder, embodies the core of our songwriting: melodic storytelling, complex rhythms, and vibrant emotional energy—all without guitars or vocals. As one of the first songs composed for Cinder, “P.L.O.N.K.” shares strong stylistic ties to our first album, drawing on classic progressive rock and fusion influences. This makes it a fitting bridge between the Lux Terminus of the past and the present and future. As for the meaning of the title, we invite our listeners to uncover its significance.”
“We are thrilled beyond belief to announce our upcoming sophomore release, Cinder. Cinder, for us, is a musical reflection of our core vision as an artist. We aim to create progressive music where the piano and keyboards are at the forefront, breaking free from their usual role as a supporting element in rock and metal. Melody, dynamics, and emotion are also at the core of the songwriting, even as we indulge in technicality and ‘djenty’ heaviness. Cinder is about burning with intensity and risk—creating passionate, vibrant art that challenges both personal limits and conventional boundaries.”
You can check out the bass and drums playthrough video here:
Cinder’s ten tracks showcase Lux Terminus’s evocative exuberance through an impressive array of soundscapes. Lead single “Mosaic Mind” concisely highlights the trio’s musical hallmarks, meticulously blending mind-bending riffs with anthemic and infectious melodies. “Natsukashii” exemplifies their uniquely emotional approach to progressive music, pairing asymmetric meters with retro aesthetics for an effervescent tribute to the memory and the beauty of yesteryear. Three-part opener “Jupiter” steadfastly prioritizes mood and atmosphere over displays of technicality, reflecting on the serendipity of life’s journey with metaphors of theoretical physics and sublime vocal contributions from Espera (Sleep Token, Exploring Birdsong). And album centerpiece “Catalyst” traverses diverse stylistic ground – melding musical theater with cinematic prog and synthpop – while conveying a potent narrative about the peaks and valleys of mental health, featuring emotive performances from Ross Jennings (Haken), Jon Pyres (Threads of Fate, Violet Sin, Lost in Reverie), and Jørgen Munkeby (Emperor, Ihsahn, Shining, Periphery, et al.).
TRACKLISTING: 1. Jupiter I: Starless (feat. Espera) 2. Jupiter II: To Bend a Comet (feat. Espera) 3. Jupiter III: Perihelion (feat. Espera) 4. Mosaic Mind 5. Neon Rain 6. P.L.O.N.K. 7. Catalyst (feat. Ross Jennings, Jørgen Munkeby & Jon Pyres) 8. The Devil’s Eyes 9. Apparent Horizon 10. Natsukashii
Cinder is available for physical pre-order now through Glassville Records in multi-colored vinyl and CD digipak formats.
Lux Terminus, the project of keyboardist Vikram Shankar (known for his work with Pain of Salvation, Silent Skies, and Redemption, as well as scores for video games like Space Marine II, Evil Dead: The Game, and the upcoming Jurassic Park: Survival), was formed in 2016 as an instrumental trio with drummer Matthew Kerschner and bassist Brian Craft.
The band pushes the boundaries of progressive metal by omitting electric guitars, instead using pianos, synthesizers, and orchestral arrangements to create a sound that balances technical complexity with melody and emotional depth.
Their debut album, The Courage to Be (2018), showcased this unique approach, with its bold use of pianos and synths to replace the traditional guitar-driven framework of progressive music. The record featured guest contributions from Timo Somers, Raphael Weinroth-Browne, and Anneke van Giersbergen. After a brief hiatus during which Shankar focused on other projects, Lux Terminus is now preparing to release their highly anticipated sophomore album, Cinder.
Lux Terminus are: Vikram Shankar – Keyboardist Brian Craft – Bassist Matthew Kerschner – Drummer
New album In Search of Being out on June 6th, 2025.
After the successful release of the song “Becoming, (R)evolution,” progressive metal trio Phase Transition, are now set to release the new single, “Veil of Illusions.” The track comes from the group’s forthcoming debut album, In Search of Being, due out on June 6th, 2025.
The band comprised of violinist/vocalist Sofia Beco, guitarist Luís Dias, and drummer Fernando Maia, say this about the track: “The song explores themes of self-doubt and personal discovery that are part of adulthood, including progressive guitar riffs and virtuosic solos that elevate its intensity.”
Watch the video here:
Writing for the album started in 2023 when guitarist Luís Dias was in Barcelona for a while. The band worked on the music remotely which took about a year and a half to lay down, then another six months to produce and record everything. The final production, mixing, and mastering was done with the help of former Anathema member Daniel Cardoso, at Öhme Studio.
Tracklisting: 1. Dichotomy 2. Becoming, (R)evolution 3.Veil of Illusions 4.Shadows of Grief 5.The Other Side
Pre-order here: In Search of Being Sofia Beco, Luís Dias, and Fernando Maia began playing while at university, in the middle of their studies for exams, with Dream Theater covers. While trying to pass their courses, they managed to release their first EP called “Relatively Speaking”, in 2020. Since then, they have been playing in several venues like HardClub and festivals such as Comendatio Music Fest. The band combines influences ranging from classical music to technical progressive metal, as a result of the eclectic backgrounds of the members.
Today sees the release of a live version of The Last English King by Big Big Train.
While live and studio versions of the song feature on the forthcoming re-issue of the band’s third studio album Bard on 21st March 2025, the live video features a different performance recorded in the Netherlands in September 2024.
Originally released in 2002 and after many years of being unavailable as a physical CD, Bard has been completely re-mixed by the band’s longstanding engineer Rob Aubrey. Its release will be simultaneously accompanied by a digital EP entitled Scop.
You can watch The Last English King here: https://youtu.be/e53QcRGoyHg “On the tour last autumn and at our forthcoming shows in April and May, our focus is on playing songs from our most recent studio album The Likes Of Us,” lead vocalist Alberto Bravin explains. “But we also always want to celebrate the great Big Big Train back catalogue and so we decided to dust off The Last English King, a song that the band had never played live until last September.”
“It has been such a blast to delve into ancient history with The Last English King”, adds drummer Nick D’Virgilio. “I really dug the song the first time I heard it and knew that this line-up could do something very special with the arrangement. I love the way it starts out acoustically and then has a very psychedelic section before the huge, powerful ending.”
Keyboardist Oskar Holldorff comments: “The Last English King is great fun to perform. The extended keyboard solos gave me a chance to stretch out and play something slightly different every night. Hopefully we will play the song many more times in the future.”
Big Big Train’s The Likes Of Us In North America tour commences on 2nd April and runs until 19th April, with 10 shows in the United States and Canada as well as a co-headlining appearance on board Cruise To The Edge. The band then co-headlines the Gouveia Art Rock festival in Portugal at the beginning of May.
BIG BIG TRAIN – LIVE IN ‘25
THE LIKES OF US IN NORTH AMERICA TOUR
Wednesday 2nd April – Sweetwater, Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA Friday 4th – Wed 9th April – Cruise To The Edge Thursday 10th April – Arcada Theatre, St Charles, Illinois, USA Friday 11th April – The Token Lounge, Westland, Michigan, USA Sunday 13th April – Electric City, Buffalo, New York, USA Monday 14th April – Fairmount Theatre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Tuesday 15th April – Algonquin Theatre, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Wednesday 16th April – Salle Dina-Bélanger, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada Thursday 17th April – Regent Theatre, Arlington, Massachusetts, USA Friday 18th April – Rivoli Theater at The Williams Center, Rutherford, New Jersey, USA Saturday 19th April – Rivoli Theater at The Williams Center, Rutherford, New Jersey, USA
Sunday 4th May – Gouveia Art Rock, Gouveia, Portugal Tickets for all shows are on sale now via www.bigbigtrain.com/live.
March 4, 2025 – Portuguese musicians Álvaro Silveira, Paulo Chagas, and João Nuno Represas have come together to release Cloud Silver Rain, their first album as a trio. The album, launched on February 20, 2025, blends progressive rock, psychedelia, and experimental textures, creating dynamic and poetic soundscapes.
Recorded between December 2023 and January 2025 the album showcases the trio’s ability to explores the balance between composition and improvisation and fuse elements of jazz, folk, world music, electroacoustic and progressive psychedelia into a deeply immersive listening experience and intelligent songs.
“This album is about fluidity, about embracing the unknown without leaving your own senses as a human being,” says Álvaro Silveira. “We wanted to create something that exists in the space between composition and improvisation, between sound and silence.”
Paulo Chagas, known for his innovative approach to wind instruments and electroacoustic music, and which creative production plays a key role in shaping the album’s beautiful textures, adds, “The interplay between the three of us is what shapes the album. Each sound is a conversation, an exploration of sonic possibilities.”
João Nuno Represas highlights the immersive nature of the work: “Cloud Silver Rain is best experienced as a whole. It’s an album that rewards deep listening, where every detail reveals something new upon each encounter.” The album features 13 evocative tracks, including “Drowning,” “Evening Sun,” “Landscape Invention,” “She” and “Neverland (Dedicated to David Lynch)” each offering intricate layers of sound and shifting moods.
Between other guest musicians, Cloud Silver Rain also benefits from the unique musical approach of Armindo Neves, one of the most virtuous and recognized Portuguese electric guitarists.
Cloud Silver Rain is available now on Bandcamp, Spotify, Tidal, and other major streaming platforms.
About the Artists Álvaro Silveira is best known for his work with Miosótis, an avant-folk-prog band from Portugal, with his unique approach to vocal delivery and acoustic guitars. Paulo Chagas is also a prominent member of Miosótis and has participated in numerous musical projects across different genres, from experimental jazz to contemporary classical and electroacoustic music. His versatility as a multi-instrumentalist has earned him recognition in avant-garde circles worldwide.
João Nuno Represas gained prominence as a percussionist with Trovante, one of Portugal’s most iconic folk-rock bands. He has also contributed as a percussionist to many musical projects throughout Portugal, bringing his clever rhythms and innovative sound textures to diverse genres.
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