Cross - Wake Up Call ($16.99)
Wake Up Call (2012, digipack) is the new CD from Swedish prog band Cross. The band says: Cross deliver their most symphonic sounding work to date. The guys are partly back to the somewhat heavier sound found on Secrets and Playgrounds, with dashes of the softer approach of The Thrill of Nothingness. But there is also the fresh element of multilayered string sections and a true symphonic feel in the overall soundscape. This is not totally new to Cross, but this time they have pushed it to the fore and merged it deeper into their music. Guests include Mats Bender of Introitus (keyboards), Jock Millgardh (lead and harmony vocals), and Hannah Sundkvist (electric violin). Listed as a bonus track is the 10-minute Now, a version of which appears on the 2003 Spektrum CD. This song was initially written for Cross back in 2001, but at the time drummer Tomas Hjort was living in New York, and the 9/11 incident forced them to postpone recording a new album. So Hansi Cross donated it to Spektrum instead. Hansi always wondered how it would have turned out had Cross recorded it, and now they have. Listen to the songs Human Resolution, Remembrance, Falling Beyond, and Racing Spirits on YouTube. See our Scandinavian page for lots more Cross CDs and more info.
Iona - Another Realm (2CD, $24.99)British band Iona established a reputation as the band who married symphonic progressive and Celtic music more convincingly than anyone. Releasing their first album in 1990, they reached the pinnacle of their career with 2006s The Circling Hour. But Troy Donockley, who had become one of the most important members along with Dave Bainbridge, left the band. Troy was replaced by pipes/whistle player Martin Nolan, but Iona changed direction. You might say they were born again. This was very evident on their 2010 tour, as their set completely ignored The Circling Hour, which was at the time their most recent album! In fact they ignored all their most progressive pieces in favor of earlier material. Even at NEARfest, in front of hardcore prog fans, it was no different. The 2011 double-CD Another Realm represents a return to the style of Ionas first several albums, the original vision if you will. The lyrical content has become more overtly Christian (and knowing Troy is a devout atheist, you can see the conflict). So thats where Iona are now. If their previous two studio CDs (and Dave Bainbridges 2004 solo CD) werent so amazing, you wouldnt sense any disappointment at all here. Another Realm is about a third instrumental, and the music throughout is still very accomplished -- the current Iona style is still very compelling and uplifting. Once your expectations are recalibrated, you may find this to be one of the best albums of 2011. Read the Sea of Tranquility reviews. See Page 2 for the rest of the Iona catalog and more info.
Alias Eye - In-Between ($13.99) 
In-Between (2012) is the fourth album for German neo-prog band Alias Eye, who share lead singer Philip Griffiths with the band Poor Genetic Material. Philips father Martin was the singer for Beggars Opera, a Scottish early-70s prog band. In-Between represents a return to the melody-driven arrangements of their debut Field of Names, while retaining the heaviness of In Focus. In-Between highlights Alias Eyes approach to songwriting: strong vocal hook lines are paired with lavish choir arrangements and meticulously arranged instrumental passages. The album includes a new rendition of Beggars Operas classic Time Machine, featuring both original singer Martin Griffiths and son Philip on the vocals. See our German page for more Alias Eye CDs and more info, as well as the CDs of Poor Genetic Material.
The Black Noodle Project - Dark & Early Smiles (2CD, $19.99) The Black Noodle Project are a Parisian progressive rock band who sing in English. They were formed in 2001 and are deeply influenced by Pink Floyd. The double-CD Dark & Early Smiles (2012), limited to 500 numbered copies in jewel box + slipcase, contains 25 unreleased and remastered demos from 2003-2005, including the entire first The Black Noodle Project album Dark Smiles from 2003. See our French page for all the Black Noodle Project CDs and more info.
Profusion - RewoToweR ($13.99) Kind of surprising no one combined progressive and fusion for this band name before. RewoToweR (2012, digipack) is the second album from this Italian prog quintet (vocals in English, keys, guitars, bass, drums). Their drummer is a native of Georgia (the country, not the U.S. state), and there are two tracks based on Georgian folk songs, which you have to admit you dont hear every day. Watch the short album promo video. Read reviews at Prog Archives.
Strawberry Fields - Live PAL DVD ($16.99) Strawberry Fields is a project of Wojtek Szadkowski, the leader of Satellite, working here with a female singer using the name Robin (really Marta Kniewska). Rivers Gone Dry (2009) is their debut CD. The rest of the band is Satellite minus their singer: guitarist Sarhan Kubeisi, bassist Jarek Michalski, keyboardist Krzyś Palczewski guesting, and Szadkowski on keyboards, acoustic guitar and drums. This is Szadkowskis chance to apply his considerable skills to a more contemporary style that incorporates all the trappings of modern music technology, and also to work with a talented female vocalist. Robins vocals are the focus of the music and are especially beautiful when multi-tracked. The result is a blend of the old and the new, more laid-back and atmospheric than Satellite but even more detailed, an excellent example of a prog musician making a more accessible or trendy music without compromising on quality. Read the Sea of Tranquility review. Watch the promo video.
Recorded in April 2011 at the Wyspianski Theatre in Katowice, Poland, Strawberry Fields Live DVD (PAL, all-region) includes performances of eight tracks from Rivers Gone Dry, one previously-unreleased song, plus one Collage and two Satellite songs. Audio is Dolby Digital 5.1 surround and 2.0 stereo. Extras include interviews with Szadkowski and Robin. Note this DVD is PAL, a departure from previous Metal Mind DVDs. Other U.S. retailers may be unaware of this. Watch a video from this DVD of the song Flow.
Nucleus Torn - Golden Age ($21.99) All of these CDs come in non-standard packaging: a 7.5" x 5.5" tri-fold cardboard sleeve. Nucleus Torn is quite a unique progressive band from Switzerland, whose leader has been a member of Thonk and New Grove Project. We previously sold their first full-length album Nihil (2006). Nucleus Torn were eclectic and difficult to describe then, and their style has continued to evolve significantly. Nihil had fragile Celtic-flavored neo-folk, chamber music, dark symphonic prog, and metal, vaguely similar to the likes of Anekdoten. There is virtually no metal on the CDs here, yet youll still see Nucleus Torn categorized as some sort of metal and reviewed mostly on metal sites. Travellers (67-minutes) compiles recordings from EPs that predate Nihil, plus two previously unreleased tracks from the Nihil sessions, all recently remixed and remastered. Presented in chronological order, one can hear Nucleus Torns early evolution. The first four tracks are from 1998 and are bandleader Fredy Schnyder solo on classical guitar. The next four tracks are from the 2000 Silver EP. The energy level ramps up, with vocals (male, in English) making their first appearance, and keyboards, bass, electric guitar and drums joining in. The 2002 Submission demo and the two extra Nihil tracks follow, and the music continues to get stronger.
Andromeda Awaiting (2010, 46-minutes) is Nucleus Torns third full-length album. There are both male and female vocals here, part of a larger lineup that includes flute, cello, violin, drums/percussion, and Schnyder playing piano, organ, electric/acoustic/classical guitars, bass, recorders, bouzouki, hammered dulcimer, saz baglama, oud, and mandolin. So there are a lot of acoustic textures, and the music is a blend of dark folk, medieval flavors, and progressive rock. There are suggestions of the pastoral, early Genesis sound, and Andromeda Awaiting always feels close to the natural world. Like Travellers, this is an album that starts gentle and becomes more intense later on, but it remains calmer than the bands previous work, with no harsh outbursts. It manages to tie early music, classical and progressive music together in an unexpected way, with an almost sacred feel throughout.
The title of Nucleus Torns fourth full-length album Golden Age (2011) is presumably a reference to the golden age of progressive rock, because the label calls it an album that more than any of Nucleus Torns previous works looks back to 1970s progressive rock, paying homage to masters of the form such as King Crimson, Yes, Genesis, and nglagard. Still, it also contains the broadest stylistic diversity you have ever heard on an album by Nucleus Torn. Unfortunately the label also dramatically increased the price to their U.S. distributor. If you ever wanted to know what the link between someone like Kate Bush and female-led folk metal is then you might want to check this band out. This is folk-prog not unlike some of Opeths recent output, but with a very interesting female vocalist. Quite a bit of this music can be quite jarring at times, especially on the title track. While this is not metal, it certainly has a certain heaviness to it that might attract the more open-minded heavy rocker. Some of the tracks are both jarring and beautiful at the same time. Sometimes the band is described as avant-garde, which might be because they have a habit of throwing every type of acoustic instrument into the mix they can possibly find. [Marty Dodge, Blogcritics]
Dark Suns - Orange ($11.99) German one-time metal band Dark Suns have, with their fourth album Orange (2011), emerged from adolescence and completely embraced progressive rock. Theyve brought in the big guns (Hammond, Mellotron). As the label says: The dark tone colors of their previous albums have given way to a more vivid orange hue. Instead of once more serving up complex and elaborate slabs of prog-metal, Dark Suns mode of operation is a lot more spontaneous and rocking in 2011, flagrantly flirting with classic (prog) rock of the seventies and more easy-going than ever before. Read reviews at Alternative Matter and Scorpio Reviews.
Ulver - The Norwegian National Opera Blu-ray+DVD ($19.99) Signed to the Kscope label, Ulver are Norwegian dark music legends, apparently a one-time black metal band who outgrew that, as there is no metal in their music now. War of the Roses (2011) comes in a super jewel box + slipcase. See Kscopes Ulver mini-site for more info. Read reviews at Stereoboard.com and Prog Archives.
Kscopes description: Ulver have continually evolved throughout their career and now inhabit a place entirely their own, blending rock, pop, electronica, symphonic and classical traditions along with progressive and/or avant-garde forms to create groundbreaking material. Until recently, the band had remained exclusively within the studio. This changed in May 2009 when they accepted an invitation to appear at the Norwegian Festival of Literature. The success of this gig lead to a string of other gigs in 2009 and 2010, selling out prestigious venues such as the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, Volksbhne in Berlin, and La Cigale in Paris before they returned to their homeland for this landmark gig at The Norwegian Opera House. The two hour concert marries tracks from throughout the bands catalog to stunning visuals to create a spectacle fitting for such a grand venue. The evening was captured on 6 HD cameras. The set comes in a 32-page hardcover digibook containing both a Blu-ray (all-region) and a DVD (NTSC, all-region). Counts as 2 discs for shipping. Watch the trailer.
Daymoon - All Tomorrows ($14.99) Daymoon is a Portuguese symphonic prog band that on All Tomorrows (65-minutes) includes multinational guests Andy Tillison (The Tangent), Mats Johansson and Thomas Olsson (Isildurs Bane), Hugo Flores (Sonic Pulsar, Project Creation, Factory of Dreams), and many others from Portugal, the USA, Sweden, and Italy. Tillison produced and mixed the album, which was first released as a digital download in 2011, then as this CD on the MALS label in 2012. Daymoon have an early-1970s progressive sound, and while you can say that about numerous current bands, Daymoons retro sound is relatively rare. Much of it has the softer, more mysterious and slightly psychedelic sound that is part Trespass-era Genesis, part Moody Blues, part early Van der Graaf Generator, part Giles Giles & Fripp, and part early Pink Floyd. Along the way there are suggestions of Gentle Giant, Jethro Tull, and King Crimson. Daymoon use flute extensively to get that particular period sound. A surprising release then, and one with great appeal to those fond of that early sound and style. Read reviews.
Moebius Cat - End of Time ($13.99) This CD grabbed us from the get go, simply one of the most aurally attractive albums weve heard in a while. From Toronto, Mbius Cats second album End of Time was released as a digital download in 2010, then as this CD on the MALS label in 2012. Mbius Cat feature beautiful female vocals on some of the songs, male vocals on others. (There are two male vocalists; one sounds like David Bowie.) The songs with female vocals are our favorites. The music here is modern in the best sense: richly-textured and detailed while still leaving space in the mix, often with that seductive, cinematic, ambient feel that Lebowski and Frequency Drift also have. Some songs (Its Over, for instance) would work on an Iona or October Project album, others on an Afro-Celt Sound System or Peter Gabriel album. Accordion, violin, and flute play important roles in addition to the usual guitars, keys, bass and drums. The music is melodic, emotional, and just far enough out of the current prog mainstream to capture the ears of the jaded prog fan. You can preview the entire 57-minute album (mp3 icon above), but at least listen to the title track -- its chorus will lodge in your cranium until you displace it with something else.
Cast - Art ($13.99) Through 2008, Cast released albums so regularly that one had the feeling this Mexican band had always been a part of progressive rock. It might have actually been so had the lack of funds not forced them to wait 20 years before they could begin releasing their works. Now with a huge catalog of CDs and after promoting numerous Baja Prog festivals in Mexicali, Alfonso Vidales and company took some well-deserved rest before returning with Art or Cast Art (2011, 69-minutes, digipack), the first new Cast CD in three years. Casts current guitarist is Claudio Cordero from Chile (check our South American page for his 2007 CD Enlace.) To some extent, Art represents a return to the earlier Cast style, that dense, fast, energetic, everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach where if Cast notice a space in the arrangement, they fill it with another instrumental part. Of course there are some more tranquil passages that do leave room for the music to breathe. The other return to the past is that the vocals are in English on this album and male only, though relatively low in the mix. There is a four-part suite and another four-part suite. A lot of modern bands do something like this style but then forget to state any memorable themes or hooks; Cast on the other hand have gotten rather good at it. See our Mexican page for many more Cast CDs and much more info.
Delusion Squared - Delusion Squared II ($11.99)The self-titled 2010 digipack debut CD for female-fronted French prog band Delusion Squared is a 59-minute concept album sung in English. Through the early part of the CD, the impression is of an alt-rock band making a prog rock album, on a par with The Reasoning in terms of progressiveness. Partly this is because the vocals are often dry (little or no reverb), with that modern female vocal style that we like to call slightly uninterested. But one notices many elegant touches, how Delusion Squared leave more space in the mix and how both guitarist and keyboardist use their acoustic instruments more than their contemporaries. The album gets more progressive as it goes on, with the best material saved for last. The vocals become lusher and the metal-influenced guitar used on a couple early tracks vanishes, such that by the end it feels closer to Yes, Strawbs or Renaissance than to contemporary bands.
This is very Porcupine Tree,... the band settling into a steady groove with subtle variations of tones, textures and colours, and flourishes and embellishments rather than soloing... I found this a mesmerising listening experience, aural hypnotherapy, the trance only broken when the last track finished. This has the makings of a prog classic, 8.5/10 [Ravenheart Music]
Take Porcupine Trees spacey elements as a base, augment them with a strong reliance upon clean acoustic guitar, then bind them all together with compellingly beautiful female vocals and you have a decent idea where neo-proggers Delusion Squared are coming from sonically. ...Delusion Squared held back their very best material until last, for it is during the final trio of atmospheric, beautiful and compelling songs that they soar to their greatest heights, indelibly carving out such an infectious and unforgettable sonic presence that I find myself involuntarily, almost instinctively scrambling for the replay button each time the album draws to a close. [Progpositivity, Prog Archives] Read more reviews at Prog Archives and JerryLucky.com.
Delusion Squared II (2012, 60-minutes, digipack) follows a similar pattern in that the band get their more metal-tinged material out of the way early on, then the music becomes lusher and more elaborated, with more acoustic textures, more real symphonic rock. Unlike the first album, the listener doesnt need to wait as long before the more refined stuff takes over the album. There are a couple official extracts on YouTube.
Agents of Mercy - The Black Forest ($19.99) Back in stock. Agents of Mercy began as a low-key acoustic project that Roine Stolt of The Flower Kings set out to do in 2008, but after getting singer Nad Sylvan of Unifaun on board to do a few guest vocals, it eventually turned into a full prog band with staying power. Agents of Mercys third studio CD The Black Forest (2011, 57-minutes, digipack) is a concept album, as Roine puts it: one mega-tune cut into easily-digestible slices. The music this time is a more rock-oriented path weve taken, for good reasons - we are a R&R band at the core, but we sprinkle in bits of symphonic, ethno, jazz, medieval, and folk. Guitars and drums have moved forward in the soundscapes, but the gnarly Moogs and Mellotrons are still present, this time a bit more haunting and angular. The tunes are longer and more elaborated (prog) but sometimes with a iron fist of raw power riffage that resembles Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, or early King Crimson rather than Yes or Genesis. Dont fret - in this 57-minute journey, there is plenty of symphonic bombast too - in fact, we think there is even more than on previous albums, so youll get your fix of that ol tron, Moog, and Taurus bass. See our Scandinavian page for the rest of the Agents of Mercy CDs and more info. Note Agents of Mercy are scheduled to perform at Rosfest 2012.
Deja Vu - Baroque in the Future ($15.99) This CD had been unavailable long enough that its worth featuring it again. This is the CD reissue of the 1988 album from a great Japanese prog band heavily influenced by UK (Danger Money lineup), with two bonus live tracks. The music is dominated by the keyboards of Motoi Sakuraba and has more instrumental passages than vocals (which are in English). The band became quite popular and the album sold well in Japan during what was the heyday of Japanese sympho-prog.
Twelfth Night - Live at the Target def. ed. (2CD, $17.99) The Twelfth Night Definitive Edition series of reissues continues. Hopefully most of you are familiar with this British band who, along with Marillion, IQ, Pendragon, Pallas, Solstice, and Haze, spearheaded the progressive revival of the 1980s. The first Twelfth Night vinyl release was the classic instrumental LP Live at the Target (1981), highlighted by the 20-minute track Sequences. The 2012 Live at the Target Definitive Edition 2CD contains the original album on the first disc and adds a bonus CD of live tracks from that period plus a couple of extremely rare studio recordings. On that second disc, the tracks Entropy and Keep The Aspidistra Flying were recorded at the Old Five Bells, Northampton, 29 March 1981 and are taken from the archive CD Entropy. Encore Une Fois and (Hats Off To) Freddie Hepburn were recorded at the Bridgehouse, Bracknell, 12 April 1980. Afghan Single was recorded at Woodcray Manor Farm Studios, Wokingham, 25 May 1981. Fr Helene I was recorded at Arnys Shack, Bournemouth, August 1980 and was the B-side of their first single. The Cunning Man was recorded at Reading University, 27 June 1980, taken from the archive CD A Midsummers Night Dream. Afghan Red was recorded at The Target, Reading, 21 November 1980, while Fr Helene II was recorded at Reading University, 13 November 1979. Five tracks are previously unreleased, while a sixth appears on CD for the first time. The 16-page booklet has some new sleeve notes and lots of previously unseen photographs from the archives. Note Twelfth Night are making their American debut at the 2012 NEARfest. Be prepared; check our British page for more Twelfth Night CDs and DVDs.
Diversion Voice - Underwater ($13.99)A Russian quintet of two guitars, sax/synths, bass, and drums, Diversion Voice play instrumental fusion with significant prog and psych influences, especially 21st Century Schizoid Man King Crimson. There are some Frippian guitar leads, while sax has the lead much of the time. Underwater (2011) comes in a mini-LP sleeve. The CD sleeve and booklet are 3D inside and out, and anaglyph (red-green) 3D glasses are included. You need the glasses to view the CD cover graphic here in 3D.
Fusion Point - Morning Rain ($13.99) Fusion Point are a Russian (St. Petersburg) trio of piano/bass/drums whose style you may be able to guess. Morning Rain is their 2012 debut.
Electric Garden Progressive Rock Festival 2011 DVD ($13.99)A new progressive rock festival debuted in May 2011 in Blackpool (northwest England). This 165-minute DVD (NTSC, all-region) contains highlights of all 12 bands performances, recorded to 24-track digital and high quality video. The bands featured are The Tangent, Credo, Also Eden, The Watch, Abel Ganz, Matt Stephens, Nerve Toy Trio, Dropschard, IT, Godsticks, Earthling Society, and SeYes. SeYes (a Yes cover band) perform Close to the Edge. See the Electric Garden site for more info. See our DVDs page for more shiny video discs.
Touchstone - The City Sleeps ($15.99) 
Touchstone - Discordant Dreams ($13.99)Touchstone are one of the current crop of British melodic progressive rock bands, having been voted Best New Band by Britains Classic Rock Society in 2007. Following a 2006 EP, their first full-length (63-minutes) CD Discordant Dreams was released in 2007 and led to Touchstone making their first U.S. appearances at Rosfest 2009 and CalProg 2009. Touchstones second CD Wintercoast (2009) is an excellent, more ambitious follow-up, featuring narration by actor Jeremy Irons. Like most of the recent British prog bands, Touchstones progressive rock has an AOR or melodic rock side to it, with metal guitar more prevalent on Wintercoast. Their great strength is their blended male/female vocals, which brings their sound close to The Reasoning. On Wintercoast, Kim Seviour assumes more of the vocal duties, and she has a very good voice. Relative to The Reasoning, there is a stronger element of the old Marillion/Pendragon neo-prog style in Touchstones music. So if you enjoy the albums by The Reasoning, Darwins Radio, Tinyfish, Strangefish, DeeExpus, and Breathing Space, then Touchstone come highly recommended. Read the reviews of Discordant Dreams at Silhobbit and DPRP and of Wintercoast at Silhobbit.
Live in the USA is a double-CD containing 14 live tracks from Touchstones 2009 appearances at RoSfest and CalProg.
The City Sleeps (digipack) is Touchstones 2011 studio CD. Read the Classic Rock Presents Prog, Sea of Tranquility, and DPRP reviews.
Cosmograf - When Age Has Done Its Duty ($15.99) Cosmograf is a project led by British multi-instrumentalist Robin Armstrong, who cites Steven Wilson, Roger Waters and David Gilmour as some of his inspirations. So not surprisingly, When Age Has Done Its Duty (2011) is an ambitious Pink Floyd-style concept work. It features a number of special guests from the UK prog community including Bob Dalton (It Bites), Steve Thorne, Simon Rogers (Also Eden), Steve Dunn (Also Eden), Huw Lloyd-Jones (Unto Us), Lee Abraham (The Lee Abraham Band), Luke Machin (The Tangent) and Dave Ware. Watch YouTube videos of the title track and White Light Awaits. Read the Progmeister review.
Arenal - Cabernet Sauvignon ($15.99) The 2011 second CD by this Chilean band contains high-energy, high-chops symphonic prog with touches of fusion, instrumental aside from vocals in Spanish on one song. A keys/guitar/bass/drums quartet, both their guitarist and keyboardist are responsible for the compositions, but by the standards of todays prog where true keyboardists are at a premium, Arenal are driven by their keyboardist. Arenal operate in a territory between traditional prog bands such as Camel, Genesis or Yes; modern bands such as Planet X; and an indigenous Chilean prog style represented by Congreso. This is colorful music, one of the best releases on the Mylodon label in recent years. Here is a video for the song Vientos de Vino y Cueca.
Tricantropus - El Sueo de Arsinoe ($15.99) This instrumental symphonic prog band from Madrid features former members of the great 1970s band Azahar. Their music is in the flowing, intricate style of a number of other Spanish prog bands, e.g., Omni, Onza, Senogul (first album). Camel is the closest Anglo equivalent, with touches of Pink Floyd and fusion. Recuerdos del Futuro (Memories of the Future) is their 57-minute 2008 debut. Among several guest musicians is a flute player on three tracks, which reinforces the Camel comparison. Their second El Sueo de Arsinoe (2011, 68-minutes) is even more refined and elegant, with various guests expanding the instrumental palette with oboe, violin, sax, female vocals and more.
Mr Hyde - Reflejos de un Encierro ($15.99) Reflejos de un Encierro (2011) is the second album by this instrumental Chilean guitar/keys/bass/drums quartet, plus guests on flute, percussion and vibraphone. There are some bursts of metal, but that is just one of Mr Hydes facets. Some of their music is fusion-y, some has a retro hard rock + organ style, while one track is strongly acoustic and jazz-inflected. That latter-day Pink Floyd guitar style is sometimes featured, while the label mentions Edhels and Djam Karet, both reasonable comparisons. Here is the official video for the song Rebaos.
Magicfolk - Tales of Power ($15.99) Tales of Power (2011, digipack) is the second CD for Norwich, Englands Magicfolk, whose style is suggested by their name. Faerie Festival Prog would be good too but is unwieldy as a band name. Wonderful stuff by any name, Magicfolks sound is centered on the beautiful vocals of Michelle Glover, supported by acoustic & electric guitar, keyboards, bass, drums, flute, violin, mandolin, and harp. Magicfolk sound like the legendary Mellow Candle, but proggier. The folk here is mythical rather than traditional; all the songs are originals. Another band Magicfolk could be compared to is Kara, especially considering Kara and now Karnataka guitarist Colin Mold plays on most of the songs here. There are elements of the west coast psychedelic style of Jefferson Airplane, the folky side of Mostly Autumn and Jethro Tull, Solstice, Capercaillie, Clannad, Iona, Loreena McKennitt, Mary Jane, Spriguns, Spirogyra, Mermaid Kiss, and October Project. You really ought to have some idea by now.
Read the Expos and Sea of Tranquility reviews of the 2007 first Magicfolk CD.
Edisons Children - In The Last Waking Moments ($12.99) Edisons Children is Marillions Pete Trewavas and American musician Eric Blackwood. Their 2011 debut In The Last Waking Moments (71-minutes) includes guest appearances by Mark Kelly, Ian Mosley, Steve Rothery, Steve Hogarth, Andy Ditchfield (DeeExpus), and Robin Boult (Fish). The music is closer to Porcupine Tree than Marillion, darker and more psychedelic, with Pink Floyd the dominant influence. Vocals are somewhat low-key but are an important part of the music. This is very much music composed by guitarists, with keyboards/synths used only for texture, but what a difference those textures make. The album builds to the long penultimate track, which is majestic in that Floydian way and is probably the one that remains in memory after the disc has finished spinning; the short final track is an aftermath and wind-down. Pink Floyds melancholic and dystopian view seems more in line with the current zeitgeist than the utopian view of Yes or the more positive energy of the other classic prog bands; In The Last Waking Moments is another example of that, and an excellent album in its own right. Watch the promo video.
Dream the Electric Sleep - Lost and Gone Forever ($9.99) Dream the Electric Sleep, or DTES for short, are a progressive rock band from Kentucky debuting in 2011 with Lost and Gone Forever (77-minutes, digipack). DTES belong to that cadre of modern prog bands typified by Oceansize whose only strong connection to classic prog is to Pink Floyd, though DTES also mention Genesis and King Crimson as influences. This is music composed by guitarists, and they build up a big sound by layering guitars with different tones, while keyboards play a very minor role. OK, that last bit also describes some of Rush, and Rush is part of the DTES sound. There are also aspects of modern Marillion and Americana flavors (banjo is used sparingly). Within that framework, it is all quite ambitious and accomplished for a debut, or for a third or fourth album for that matter.
This one gets an easy 5 out of 5 stars -- did I say epic? One of the best albums of the year and one of the best debuts I have heard in a while. Read the entire Sea of Tranquility review. Swollen with ambition, Lost and Gone Forever is a precocious first effort from a band who have clearly embraced four decades of progressive rock in their convoluted entirety. The main reference points here are more recent sonic explorers like Radiohead and Cave In, but there are flashes of everything from It Bites-style pomp right back to Floyd-esque space blues floating around in this colorful quagmire. First and foremost, DTES deal in huge melodies and arena-filling crescendos, and from the opening track onwards this album exudes a dogged desire to stir the soul and tug the heartstrings. The finest moments are simply beautiful. [Classic Rock Presents Prog] Also read the Dantes Prog Blog Inferno review.
Druckfarben - Druckfarben ($11.99) This is the 2011 debut for Torontos Druckfarben, a superb band of accomplished musicians including American singer Phil Naro (who sounds like Jon Anderson) whove bonded over their mutual love of classic progressive rock. Their major influence is Yes (all periods), also ELP, Bruford, and others. Not to be too cynical, but its nice in this decade to hear a new band who can really play, who have songs, who have a real keyboardist, who dont allow metal anywhere near their music, who arent terminally depressing, you know, the sorts of things that define progressive rock. Read reviews at Proggnosis, Sea of Tranquility, and Prog Archives. Digipack.
Nine Stones Close - Falling to Pieces (CD-EP, $6.99) Traces (2010, digipack) is the second CD by British band Nine Stones Close but their first as a full working band. (Their 2008 CD St Lo was really a solo album by bandleader Adrian Jones.) Jones apparently lives in Leiden in The Netherlands, but is probably an expat given his name and the fact the other musicians are British. This is very melancholy, brooding, remorseful music, with the obvious reference points being Pink Floyd, Brave-era Marillion, Porcupine Tree, The Pineapple Thief, and Gazpacho. The best reference of all may be the American band Product. Read the Prognaut and Prog Archives reviews.
Falling to Pieces (2011, 35-minutes) is a seven track CD-EP consisting of reinventions and reworkings of tracks from the Traces album. As part of the initial release of Traces, there was a limited edition version available with a bonus CD called ReTraced. There has been renewed interest in those tracks on the bonus disc by new fans who are only just discovering Nine Stones Close. In order to fill the gap between Traces and the new album, we decided to release some of those versions of the tracks from Traces alongside two newly recorded reworkings of Falling to Pieces and two remixes of Threads created by a talented friend of the band. It comes in a printed cardboard sleeve and counts as only one-half CD for shipping. Not just a lazy remix of Traces, so different it sounds like a completely different album. Some truly astounding reworkings on here, each one a very distinct yet worthy departure from the original. [Prog Archives] Also read the Progmeister review.
DeeExpus - King of Number 33 ($14.99) DeeExpus are a prog band from County Durham in the northeast of England who debuted in 2008 with Half Way Home, a CD that emphasized strong pop songwriting and quality vocals, with elements of Marillion and Porcupine Tree. Their follow-up King of Number 33 (2011, digipack) features Marillions Mark Kelly on keyboards, while Nik Kershaw sings on the final track. The album is centered on the 27-minute, six-part title suite. Those needing more audio preview can find it on YouTube with a little effort. Check our DVDs page for DeeExpus Far from Home DVD. Note DeeExpus are scheduled to perform at Rosfest 2012.
Karfagen - Lost Symphony ($13.99) 
Ukrainian band Karfagen is the first and more instrumental band of Antony Kalugin, the rather busy man also in charge of day-to-day operations at Sunchild and Hoggwash. The 2009 double-CD The Key to Perception is billed as the definitive history to date of Karfagen: 39 tracks and a booklet providing comments on each track. This 2CD contains the entire first two Karfagen albums: Continium (2006) and The Space Between Us (2007), plus 12 tracks (~55 minutes worth) of new material and alternate versions.
Continium is an elegant and classy album of instrumental symphonic prog. Camel and Genesis sound like the strongest influences, and the standard instrumentation is augmented by flute and at times bayan (accordion), duduk (an ancient wind instrument), and wheel lira (another ancient instrument). (What do we look like, ethnomusicologists?) The bonus track is a tender song with male and female vocals in English. Keyboards have the primary role, and the emphasis throughout is on beautiful melodies and music that flows gracefully. The Space Between Us (2007, 65-minutes) is again instrumental, though there are some wordless vocals. It continues in the same general style, but even more original. Camel is a reference point only to the extent that the music is usually flowing and melodic. There is a strong classical influence, and the bayan and flute are again welcome touches. Both albums are highly recommended to sympho lovers of the 1970s persuasion. Read reviews.
Solitary Sandpiper Journey (2010, 75-minutes) has Antony Kalugin joined by a large percentage of the musicians in the Ukraine, the instrumentation including cello, flute, oboe, bassoon, viola, violin, sax, and bayan in addition to keys, acoustic & electric guitars, bass and drums. As before, the music lies roughly in Camel (The Snow Goose) and Genesis territory, but is more eclectic than that. The music is still predominantly instrumental, with Kalugin singing on one track, while female vocalist Marina Zacharova adds a Renaissance feel to a couple others. The lyrics are in English. This is a finely-crafted progressive rock album, the best Karfagen album to date; those whove heard the Sunchild and Hoggwash albums would expect no less. The 22-minute track Mystery that concludes this long album is a real tour-de-force. Read reviews.
Lost Symphony (2011, 63-minutes, digipack) is, in Kalugins words, for all who endorse and savor instrumental art-rock from the 1970s, something like Camel, Focus, Happy the Man, and Pat Metheny. Those references are accurate enough, though the classical instrumentation and especially the bayan (accordion) makes Lost Symphony unique. This is a remarkable work, really one of the great rock symphonies, full of warmth and humanity. Here is a 35-minute making-of video.
Sunchild - As Far as the Eye Can See ($13.99)Antony Kalugins musical empire continues to expand rapidly, with four-and-a-half Karfagen CDs, the 2007 Hoggwash CD, and now four Sunchild CDs. Kalugin has half the musicians in the Ukraine on the Sunchild albums, which continue to develop the style of Karfagen and Hoggwash, with vocals in English. This is melodic symphonic prog that draws from all eras of progressive rock and establishes Kalugin as one of the top contemporary composers in the genre. As Far as the Eye Can See (2011, 62-minutes) sees vocalist Olga Chernova joining the Sunchild regulars; her voice brings Kate Bush to mind. Anima Mundis guitarist Roberto Diaz guests on the title track. These mp3 excerpts of the tracks Stars of Cardiff Bay, Ring of Eternity, March of Fate, and As Far as the Eye Can See should fairly quickly convince prog fans that this is a must-have CD. The rest of the Sunchild CDs as well as the Hoggwash CD are on our East European page.
Landscape - Outside of Nowhere ($15.99) Outside of Nowhere (2011) is the debut for Polish band Landscape. This is typical modern prog influenced by Porcupine Tree, Riverside, and Sylvan, guitar-dominated with keyboards primarily playing filter-swept pads for texture and spaciness, vocals filtered to sound distant, as if theyre being heard over a telephone line. Landscape are more hard rock than metal, employing hard rock guitar sounds/styles that alternate with ethereal passages, dark, moody, and emotionally somewhat cold.
Quantum Fantay - Bridges of the Old Fishingmine ($14.99) 
Quantum Fantay - From Herzberg to Living Room (2CD, $17.99) 
This Belgian bands name results from a typo on their first demo and the decision that it was simpler to change the band name than to correct the demo. Quantum Fantay are a space rock band that have people as excited as when they first heard Ozric Tentacles. If these Quantum Fantay CDs dont make you jump around the room, well then youre probably not prone to jumping around rooms. But if youre a fan of Ozric Tentacles, then its a good bet these CDs will excite you like no Ozrics CD has in many years. Maybe ever. Give the Ozrics credit for doing it first, and they are a huge influence, but Quantum Fantay are more melodic and include elements of symphonic prog which takes this style to a new level. Their sequential electronics are outstanding. They breathe new life and energy into a genre that many thought had exhausted its possibilities. Believe every superlative you read about this band; they are the current progressive space rock kings.
Agapanthusterra (2005), Ugisiunsi (2007), Kaleidothrope (2009), and Bridges of Kukuriku (2010) are their first four studio CDs. This is the special edition of Kaleidothrope, which adds a DVD (NTSC, all-region) recorded at the Fonnefeesten festival during summer 2008 using five cameras. In addition to the concert, there are two featurettes of behind-the-scenes footage, one in the studio, one on tour. Here is the DVD trailer.
From Herzberg to Living Room delivers bang-for-your-buck, a double live CD recorded in front of 7000 people at the 2007 Burg Herzberg festival in Germany. It includes much of the material from their two studio albums plus two new compositions. Read the ProgressiveWorld.net review of Ugisiunsi.
Bridges of the Old Fishingmine contains 78-minutes of Quantum live madness from the Belgian Fonnefeesten on 1 August 2011, heavy on songs from Bridges of Kukuriku. Watch the album trailer video.
Brighteye Brison - The Magician Chronicles Part I ($16.99) 
Brighteye Brison are a melodic Swedish symphonic progressive band that you can file alongside The Flower Kings, Carptree, Twin Age, Ageness, Spektrum, and Magic Pie. Following a 2001 demo EP and a 2003 debut CD (out-of-print), Stories (2006) has much better production and every aspect of the music is improved. The primary influences are 1970s Genesis and Yes, a little Beatles and possibly Kayak, and they use only vintage analog keyboards. One of their signature sounds is their harmony vocals, something of a lost art in modern rock, progressive or otherwise. This really is an outstanding sympho-prog album. Their melodic sense is excellent and their overall sound unique enough that this should have great appeal to a large segment of the prog rock audience. Read reviews here.
Believers & Deceivers (2008, 68-minutes) is not only Brighteye Brisons best album to date, this album alone could be used to argue that the Swedish progressive scene is the strongest in the world now. Their sound is pure classic symphonic prog with a solid melodic foundation. The commonality with The Flower Kings, Moon Safari, Maze of Time, etc. is immediately obvious, and yet all these Swedish bands have a distinct sound. On Believers & Deceivers, Yes is the major influence, and whether early Kayak is an influence or not, some of the music certainly has that style. The Genesis and Gentle Giant passages are easy to spot. Brighteye Brison have two keyboardists, and both stick to vintage keyboards. Three band members sing, and the Yes-like ensemble vocals are a big part of their sound. That is one thing the current crop of Swedish and Norwegian prog bands embrace while the rest of the world seems to have forgotten how. An essential CD. Read reviews here.
The Magician Chronicles Part I (2011) revisits the mythology of the character who shares a name with the band and who first appeared in The Battle of Brighteye Brison on the Stories CD. The story unfolds through three long tracks featuring Brighteye Brisons symphonic sound of analog synths, Mellotron, intricate arrangements and dazzling harmonies.
In the Labyrinth - One Trail to Heaven ($12.99) In the Labyrinth are a fairly unique Swedish band who mix Indian and Middle Eastern motifs with symphonic rock, medieval sounds, and elements of Swedish folklore. The instrumentation is diverse: Mellotron, sitar, flutes, mandolin, violin, accordion, woodwinds, zither, assorted ethnic percussion, not to mention vocals, electric & acoustic guitars, and bass. The music itself is still largely western and conventionally melodic, its just the instrumentation thats unique. While the music is heavily instrumental, the warm male vocals in English and beautiful female vocals are a strong point. About the only reference that comes to mind is a more proggy Dead Can Dance. Mystical, melancholy, mesmerizing, magical stuff that will have you transfixed.
One Trail to Heaven (2011, 60-minutes, digipack) is a compilation, but the music has been remastered, resulting in significant sonic improvements, and about 40% of the CD is previously-unreleased. This CD draws from the previous ITL CDs: The Garden of Mysteries (1994), Walking on Clouds (1999), and Dryad (2002). Three of the tracks are actually different versions than what appeared on those CDs, and there are two previously-unreleased tracks plus a cover of The Moody Blues Cities.
Siddhartha - Trip to Innerself ($12.99) The labels description: Amazing and colorful rock sutra from Turkey! Siddhartha is an interesting blend of progressive and space sound like Pink Floyd or Porcupine Tree with trippy rock ballads. This album is full of major mood swings from very serene and tranquil moments to all-out blitzkrieg jam sessions. Siddhartha is full of surprises and each song carries its own colors and characteristics, always sounding highly original. The music was first released in 1998, but this 65-minute CD was released over a decade later, Siddhartha having since disbanded. The music was remastered in New York. Read the Prog Archives, Sea of Tranquility, and Prognaut reviews.
Millenium - Puzzles (2CD, $19.99) The Polish band Millenium have been releasing CDs since the late 1990s. Their style of late has been most influenced by Pink Floyd, and the double-CD Puzzles (2011, digipack) is Milleniums attempt at an epic concept album in the vein of The Wall. Watch/listen to the album trailer and read the bands description of the album there. See our East European page for lots more Millenium CDs and more info.
After - No Attachments ($13.99) 
After - Endless Lunatic ($15.99)After are an excellent Polish progressive rock sextet singing in English. It was the case that most of the Polish prog bands that appeared during the 1990s were influenced by Collage, and during the early 21st century, most of the new Polish prog bands bear some resemblance to Riverside. Afters 2005 debut Endless Lunatic features guest appearances by Colin Bass (Camel), Josef Skrzek (SBB), and Jacek Zasada (Quidam). Here After kind of split the difference between Riverside and Satellite. There is a strong Pink Floyd influence, with the expected dark, melancholy moods and lush spacey textures, but updated to the modern moody aesthetic one can hear in Riverside, Porcupine Tree, and Sylvan, to name just a few. After have some heavy guitar, but they also have strong melodies and some of the symphonic qualities of Satellite. Their second CD Hideout (2008) shifts a bit toward Riverside but is essentially similar, and of very high quality.
Live at Home (2011, 79-minutes, digipack) is a live CD containing performances of the best tracks from the first two studio albums. 32-page booklet.
No Attachments (2011, digipack) is Afters third studio album, which features some cooperation with British band The Pineapple Thief. Afters guitarist Czarek Bregier explains how that came about: While working on the new album, we wanted to change something, give it a new and different sound. We wanted someone to look at our material from a different perspective. We decided to have the album mixed and mastered at a different studio, though we had no idea where that should be. We very much liked the production of the last The Pineapple Thief album, so we decided to contact the Audiomaster studio where it had been recorded. It turned out that The Pineapple Thiefs keyboard player Steve Kitch actually worked there, and so our cooperation started in a very natural way. The bands singer and guitarist Bruce Soord also started to work with us on those recordings, which certainly made the albums sound richer. Mastering was handled by Steve Kitch and Mark Bowyer.
Tim Hunter - The Pathway of Light ($11.99) Tim Hunter is an English singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who also presents his own prog rock radio show. Tim has been writing and performing songs since the early 1970s. The Pathway of Light (2011) is his eighth album, some tracks played entirely by Tim, others featuring additional musicians on bass, drums, sax, and keyboards. This is progressive pop that is unusual in that it seems to be influenced most by intelligent pop of the early 1980s, the point when 70s prog had turned into mainstream rock. The music suggests Anthony Phillips circa Invisible Men, Rupert Hine / Thinkman, Genesis circa Invisible Touch, late Pink Floyd, and the more commercial Peter Gabriel songs. Here is a video of the track Psychic Voyager.
Mandalaband - AD: Sangreal ($15.99) 
The British progressive rock band Mandalaband released two semi-legendary albums during the 1970s: their self-titled 1975 album and The Eye of Wendor: Prophecies in 1978. Resurrection (2010, digipack) reissues both, remixed and remastered by bandleader David Rohl from the original 24-track multitrack masters. Rohl also reinforced the sound in places. Six bonus tracks have been added. Both are wonderful symphonic rock albums that are essential to any collection of 1970s progressive rock, but they were recorded by entirely different lineups. The original Mandalaband actually was a band, and its members went on to become Sad Caf. The first album is highlighted by the Om Mani Padme Hum suite, which took up the first side of the LP. The Eye of Wendor was a Tolkienesque affair that was to have been the first of a trilogy. It was an all-star studio project featuring a huge number of musicians including all of Barclay James Harvest and 10cc, Justin Hayward, Maddy Prior, Paul Young (Mike and the Mechanics), and an orchestra.
In one of the most unlikely comebacks in the prog world, Mandalaband returned in 2009 with their third album BC: Ancestors. But after all, the story in their second album ended with the words to be continued, so they planned this all along, though Ancestors is not a continuation of The Eye of Wendor story. David Rohl is back in charge. Returning Mandalaband members include Woolly Wolstenholme (Barclay James Harvest, Maestoso), Ashley Mulford (Mike and the Mechanics), and Kim Turner (Maestoso). Also onboard are the ever in-demand Troy Donockley (formerly of Iona), Geoffrey Richardson (Caravan, Penguin Cafe Orchestra), Craig Fletcher (Maestoso), and several others. Ancestors is a majestic, melodic symphonic rock album that manages to cover 5,000 years of human history in 68-minutes. It is a richly-orchestrated work, adding Celtic and ambient touches to the Mandalaband sound to reflect the ancient-world subject matter. Imagine a combination of Barclay James Harvest, The Moody Blues (both with orchestra), Maestoso, later Camel, Troy Donockleys own albums, and Clannad (circa Legend). While the lead vocals are mostly male, the male/female backing vocals are very Clannad-like. Read the Background Magazine review.
While BC: Ancestors focused on the pre-Christian era of ancient Egypt, Israel and Mesopotamia, the even better AD: Sangreal (2011) takes the first one thousand years of early Christianity as its theme, specifically the legend of the holy grail or Sangreal. The large cast of musicians includes many returnees from BC, notably Woolly Wolstenholme who passed away during the late stages of recording. There is one bonus track that features Woolly as lead vocalist on Mandalabands rendition of the classic Barclay James Harvest song Galadriel. Here are videos for the tracks A Bloodline Born, Palatium Britannicum, and Galadriel. Read the ProgNaut and Progmeister reviews.
Blue Mammoth - Blue Mammoth ($15.99) This is the 2011 debut by a Brazilian band founded by the leader of Octohpera. Octohperas 2002 debut was one of the best South American prog albums of that decade, but the band broke up shortly after the release of the CD. Blue Mammoth sing in English, and their music is more bombastic and harder-edged than Octohperas. Read the Sea of Tranquility and progVisions reviews.
Kayak - Anywhere But Here ($19.99)Kayak are our favorite Dutch band, based on their first five albums (1973-1977), after which things got a bit dodgy. The reformed, post-2000 Kayak is not the equal of the first incarnation of the band, nor are they anywhere near as unique, but were fortunate Kayak is going at all, still adding new fans who hopefully work their way back to the early albums. (Some of those CDs are in need of reissue.) Letters from Utopia (2009, 2CD in super jewel box) was the final album with founding member Pim Koopman, who unexpectedly passed away shortly after.
Keyboardist Ton Scherpenzeel is the only original member remaining on Anywhere But Here (2011), and these are mostly his compositions. Kayaks second vocalist Edward Reekers is still the singer here. YouTube has a promo video for this album and the songs Life Is Good and Behind the Scenes.
PBII - PBII@Boerderij.org DVD ($17.99) The Dutch band Plackband was formed in the mid-1970s and was most influenced by Genesis. They took an 18-year holiday, reuniting in 2000. After 30 years, Plackband rebooted as PBII with three of the original members and the desire for a more modern sound. They had to find a new bass player, and keyboardist Michel van Wassem assumed lead vocal duties. Guests include John Mitchell and John Jowitt, two guys who never met a neo-prog band they didnt want to play with, and singer Heidi Jo Hines. Its not a radical change from Plackband, as the old Genesis influence is still present most of the time. PBIIs desire for a more modern approach has more to do with the use of modern sounds, modern production and the sound of the mix than a change in musical style. Frost is not a bad comparison in terms of that marriage of classic prog and modern execution.
In addition to a standard CD (69-minutes), this Dutch edition of Plastic Soup includes a DVD (PAL, all-region). (The U.S. version lacks the DVD.) The packaging bears the DVD-Audio logo in two places, the only problem is that it is not a DVD-Audio disc. It is a DVD-Video disc containing a Dolby Digital 5.1 surround mix of the entire album, plus two videos (16:9). The 2-disc package comes in a tri-fold eco-friendly digisleeve. Read the Background Magazine and DPRP reviews.
The PBII@Boerderij.org DVD (2011, PAL, all-region) contains the launch concert for Plastic Soup. PBII perform the entire album plus additional songs that include covers of Here Comes the Flood and Have a Cigar. The concert features performances by John Mitchell, John Jowitt, and Heidi Jo Hines. It was shot by six HD cameras. The band says: You will enjoy this concert in High Definition picture and sound, and of course you wont because this is a DVD, which is standard-definition picture and sound. (There is no Blu-ray.) The extras include behind the scenes material and the trailer of the new PBII project 1000Wishes. 104 minutes, Dolby Digital 5.1 surround.
Cliffhanger - Dug Out Alive! 1993-2001 PAL DVD ($20.99) This Dutch progressive rock band go for a pure 1970s sound, with vintage keyboard sounds, guitar, bass pedals, Rickenbacker bass, and drums. More complex than the other Dutch prog bands to appear during the 1990s, Cliffhanger draw from Genesis, Van der Graaf Generator, and King Crimson. Circle (2001) is their fourth studio album.
Dug Out Alive! 1993-2001 requires some explanation. It is a DVD-Video disc, but the content is primarily audio. In fact, there is almost 10 hours of content here! Putting this material on a DVD was a wise decision by the band, because the alternative was a 7CD+DVD set for which wed be charging a frightening price. And the audio is 48kHz, 16-bit PCM stereo, a step up from CD audio. The content here is mostly live material spanning Cliffhangers career, plus some studio audio: a five track 1993 demo (remixed in 2011) and an unreleased 1997 song. There is some video: a 48-minute 1994 concert shot with multiple cameras. With a 16-page booklet, this is quite a package. Read the Sea of Tranquility review for more info. The DVD is PAL all-region, though some NTSC-only players may still play the audio-only content, while other NTSC players will balk at loading.
Presto Ballet - Love What Youve Done With the Place ($9.99) 
Presto Ballet - Peace Among the Ruins ($14.99) out-of-stockPresto Ballet is led by Kurdt Vanderhoof, guitarist of Metal Church, which were going to guess is a metal band. But Peace Among the Ruins (2005) is old-school progressive rock, with only a wee bit of metal influence poking through, manifesting more as a touch of stadium rock rather than metal. The band has consciously gone for the classic 1970s feel, as the album is full of analog synths, Hammond organ, Mellotron, tasteful guitar, and rich harmony vocals. And it is an analog recording. Presto Ballets main influences are probably Kansas and Yes, plus a little ELP or Deep Purple. Vanderhoof summarizes his new band as a modern 70s progressive/rock band. Sounds about right.
After their very successful debut, Kurdt Vanderhoof and Presto Ballet returned in 2008 with their second CD, full of the same analog synths and everything else as the first album. The Lost Art of Time Travel is an even stronger album though, most influenced by Yes, but with an American approach that naturally suggests Kansas. There are again touches of ELP and Deep Purple, and this time a little pastoral Genesis. If the time travel referred to by the album title is back to the 1970s, then the lost art may be lush-sounding symphonic prog such as this. Read the DPRP review.
Presto Ballets third CD Invisible Places (2011) features a new line-up, but youll hardly notice as this is another album of high-quality, 1970s-style sympho-prog. Read reviews at Prog Archives.
Kurdt may be calling Love What Youve Done With the Place (2011, digipack) an EP, but the playing time is 40:42. Given how utterly convincing this is as a classic 1970s album and the fact a whole lot of classic albums come in under 40 minutes, theres no way were calling this an EP. Just the same, Kurdts giving a break on the price. This one has some 1970s hard rock, in particular a cover of The Sensational Alex Harvey Bands The Faith Healer (listed as a bonus track). The CD is mostly a continuation of the symphonic prog of Invisible Places, and Presto Ballet are doing that better than ever. The music sounds completely British now, with Yes the dominant influence, also Genesis and other 70s prog bands, plus the aforementioned 70s hard rock. Love what theyve done with this CD.
Dec Burke - Paradigms & Storylines ($14.99) Destroy All Monsters (2010) is the first solo CD from the singer/guitarist formerly of Darwins Radio, who has also been a member of Frost and guested on a Jupiter Society album. Dec also plays almost all the keyboards on this CD, with Carl Westholm (Carptree) guesting on one song, while other musicians handle bass and drums. Consistent with most of the current generation of British prog bands, the music is a blend of pop and prog, with the typically excellent British melodic sense. Burkes mixes are dense with a slightly more synthetic sound than most.
The Carptree connection is much stronger on Decs second CD Paradigms & Storylines (2011, 56-minutes), as Carl Westholm handles all the keyboards and keyboard arrangements, allowing Dec to concentrate on electric & acoustic guitars and lead vocals. Drummer Mikael Wikman and Carptree members Stefan Fandn (bass, additional guitars) and Cia Backman (backing vocals) round out the band, with Fandn also handling production and mixing. Paradigms & Storylines is a big step up from Monsters, blending Decs typically British songwriting and melodic sense with the current bombastic Carptree sound. Whereas Monsters had some overt pop influences, Storylines is a purer (neo-)prog album. Fans of Carptree will want to snap this up, as its closer to being a Carptree album than either Jupiter Society album (Carl Westholms side project).
Vos Voisins - Vos Voisins ($17.99) Quality progressive rock LPs are still making their first appearence on CD in 2011, in this case the 1971 sole album by Quebecs Vos Voisins. The album was originally titled Holocauste Montral and had a different cover, but it was pulled from the market (lawsuits) and issued with the more attractive cover shown here. The CD booklet features both covers. Some of the music is organ-driven, hard progressive rock typical of the era, early Uriah Heep or Deep Purple for an Anglo reference; Dionysos is a better reference for those familiar with the Quebec scene. But there are instrumentals and ballads with greater panache and classical influence that place the music closer to early Italian and French prog. Le 3 4 de l archeveque for instance is regal. Shortly after this album, it would become unnecessary to reference bands from other countries as Quebec prog blossomed into a unique scene. The CD includes two 1970 bonus tracks.
Subsignal - Touchstones ($14.99) The German/Dutch band Subsignal was founded in 2007, originally intended as a side project of Sieges Even members Arno Menses (vocals) and Markus Steffen (guitars). But Sieges Even is no more, and Subsignal is now a fully functional quintet who can be viewed as Sieges Even goes to grad school. Sieges Even were at the height of their progressive powers when they disbanded, and Subsignal advance further in this direction, using a full-time keyboardist, something Sieges Even usually lacked. The Yes influence that was introduced on the final two Sieges Even studio CDs is now much stronger. Read the Dantes Prog Blog Inferno review.
Manning - Margarets Children ($14.99) The 12th Manning album Margarets Children (2011) is the sequel to 2006s Ansers Tree. Among the guest musicians is Marek Arnold (Toxic Smile, Seven Steps to the Green Door) on woodwinds. For those already acquainted with Guys work, you will embrace this album with open arms. For those unfamiliar, I can only suggest that he is an artist you get to know as soon as possible as it really is artists like this that make a difference in the world of music. Read the full DPRP reviews. Watch the album trailer. See our British page for the full Manning catalog and much more info.
Also Eden - Think of the Children! ($14.99) 
Also Eden are one of the best of the latest crop of British neo-prog bands. Its great that there is a crop at all. Prog rock isnt exactly popular in the UK, yet each year new prog bands emerge. What usually distinguishes the British prog bands of late is not only that they actually write songs and put melody first, but they have quality singers whose vocals are up in the mix where vocals normally are, and who can carry a song. Also Edens Huw Lloyd-Jones is such a singer, his voice having a slight John Wetton character. Along with Lloyd-Jones, the other core member of this quintet is keyboardist Ian Hodson, so keyboards occupy their rightful place in the arrangements, with many nods to Tony Banks. About Time (2006) and Its Kind of You to Ask (2008) are symphonic rock, free of modern metal ugliness, in the vein of Abel Ganz and, to a lesser extent, Marillion, Pallas, and IQ. On these first two CDs, the distinguishing characteristic of Also Edens music is an emotional warmth that makes them the coziest of the British neo-prog bands. Put the kettle on and read reviews.
Lloyd-Jones left prior to Also Edens 2010 EP Differences as Light, replaced by another fine singer in Rich Harding. That EP signaled the start of a slightly different direction for the band. Think of the Children! (2011) is the bands third full-length album, their first for the Festival Music label. The music is a bit heavier now, closer to recent Pallas, Galahads Empires Never Last, and a modern take on early Marillion, though the blustery passages are sometimes alternated with delicate segments probably influenced by the Genesis pastoral 12-string sound. You can also hear references to Rush and Twelfth Night, among others. Overall, some of the charm and songwriting of the first two albums has been supplanted by an ambitious, serious-sounding and somewhat theatrical long-form approach that demands several listens. Listen to the album sampler mp3.
Steven Wilson - Grace for Drowning Blu-ray ($16.99) Grace for Drowning (2011) is the second solo album for Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree). Its available as a double-CD in jewel box + slipcase, the UK edition double-CD in deluxe mediabook (hardcover) packaging (counts as 1.5 CDs for shipping), and the version Steven wants you to hear: Blu-ray (all-region). Wilson has realized what should be obvious to more people, that Blu-ray is the perfect audio format, capable of more channels of high-resolution audio than even the 5.1 and stereo Wilson uses here. It makes DVD-Audio and arguably SACD obsolete. So dont get too focused on the Blu-rays extras, which include five films by Lasse Hoile, two bonus tracks and six work-in-progress demo versions, plus new Bass Communion music during the menus. The Blu-ray is about hearing the music the way the artist intended, in hi-res surround, and Wilson is the man championing that against a sea of indifference. The Blu-ray features DTS-HD Master Audio and 96/24 LPCM (both are lossless formats). Be sure to read Steven Wilson Owns the Future.
Among the other musicians on Grace for Drowning are Jordan Rudess, Steve Hackett, Nick Beggs, Theo Travis, Tony Levin, Pat Mastellotto, Trey Gunn, and Markus Reuter, with some string and choir arrangements by Dave Stewart. Wilsons work mixing the King Crimson albums in surround led to the participation of some of these musicians. Wilson says that, without being retro, this album is his homage to the spirit of the golden period of rock, that time from the late 1960s through the early 1970s when the album became the primary means of artistic expression, when musicians liberated themselves from the 3 minute pop song format and started to draw on jazz and classical music especially, combining it with the spirit of psychedelia to create journeys in sound.
Grace for Drowning is billed as the first-ever new rock album released primarily as a Blu-ray disc... What about Wilsons own 5.1 mix of the album, coming from an artist who has proven himself multiple times in the multi-channel music arena? Its another unqualified success... As when Kate Bush, having guested on the third Peter Gabriel, made her astonishing album The Dreaming, so Steven Wilson, having remixed the bulk of the King Crimson catalog in surround for DVD-Audio, has taken elements of that band, merged them with his own artistry, and come up with the extraordinary Grace for Drowning. [Sound+Vision Oct 2011] You can find Wilsons first solo album Insurgentes on Page 2.
The Pineapple Thief - Variations on a Dream remastered (2CD, $13.99) 
The Pineapple Thief - Someone Here Is Missing ($13.99) The Pineapple Thief is the band led by Bruce Soord, a very creative musician who was the guitarist in Vulgar Unicorn. The Pineapple Thief (TPT) combine 1970s progressive styles and sounds (Mellotron, Rhodes, analog synths, orchestral instruments) with a mlange of modern pop/rock styles, recommended to fans of Radiohead (though TPT are much proggier) and especially Porcupine Tree, though TPT generally avoid the heavy elements that Porcupine Tree have gravitated to of late. TPT have more in common with the bittersweet, song-oriented side of Porcupine Tree, and have a similarly spacious sound and that sensual melancholy.
After a half dozen CDs on the indie prog label Cyclops, TPT signed with the Kscope label, so now they are label-mates of Porcupine Tree. Tightly Unwound (2008, 60-minutes, super jewel box) has much in common with the previous album What We Have Sown, as both albums were written during the same session. The foundation of TPTs sound here is strummed acoustic guitar mixed with electric leads, while the keyboards are generally Mellotron strings and synths used as pads. Much of the material is in atypical time signatures, frequently seven, but TPT pull it off without drawing attention to it, adding a layer of complexity without sounding contrived. Tightly Unwound can only add to the reputation of this remarkable band.
Someone Here Is Missing is TPTs 2010 studio CD, which comes in a super jewel box + slipcase. Read the detailed Philadelphia Rock Music Examiner review. Kscopes album montage video is here.
Kscope are in the process of reissuing remixed/remastered/repackaged versions of TPTs Cyclops label CDs. They began in 2009 with Little Man, the fifth TPT CD, originally released in 2006. Relative to the previous albums, Little Man is darker and more deeply personal, featuring some thicker electric guitar textures and a guest violinist.
10 Stories Down is the fourth The Pineapple Thief album, originally released in 2005. This 2011 2CD edition on Kscope is presented in the same way as the original limited edition 2CD, with the 8 Days Later album (never released separately) as the second disc. This Kscope edition has been remixed and remastered and adds a slipcase. As Cyclops described it: This stunning set of songs is easily the best produced by the band to date. Lush arrangements sit alongside the traditional sonic canvas of guitars, bass, drum, vocals, and keyboards (Mellotron, Hammond, Prophet 5, Fender Rhodes). Pieces here consist mostly of song-based material of a melancholy nature with more than a little alternative influence. Bruce Soords tell-tale guitar work has never been so cutting, with some soaring soloing amongst the memorable songs, especially on the 15-minute ending epic. On completing the 10 Stories Down recording, the group had eight days of studio time left and used each day to compose and record a track from scratch. The result is the extra album 8 Days Later. Like the 8 Days album available in the 2CD version of Variations on a Dream, this material is way too good for a limited CD. It is much more instrumental than the 10 Stories Down disc, showcasing another side of the band. The atmosphere and mood this band can create on demand is remarkable.
This is Kscopes 2011 remixed and remastered 2CD edition of The Pineapple Thiefs Variations on a Dream, which includes the 8 Days bonus CD and adds a slipcase. When it was first released, Bruce Soord said: Recorded throughout 2003, this is a more somber work than previous releases and is certainly not 137, Part 2. More emphasis was made on orchestral arrangements, the best of which can be found on We Subside, Part Zero, and Remember Us. The studio has been through a major upgrade and this is reflected in the sonic qualities of the album. I would say this album is part Abducting the Unicorn, part 137 The 8 Days bonus CD includes many great songs which in retrospect are too good for a limited CD! The whole point of the 8 Days project was that I was never to stray beyond the parameters - this was an experiment. 8 Days was written, performed, recorded and mixed over eight days during early November 2002 by Bruce. One track was started and completed each day, with two tracks finished on Saturday and Sunday respectively. Each track is linked using ambient sounds from outside the studio on each specific day. Check our British page for the related Persona Non Grata 2CD.
Konchordat - The New Crusade ($14.99) Konchordat is a relatively new name to add to the British neo-prog pantheon. Their debut English Ghosts (2009, 63-minutes) is mostly in the classic 1980s neo-prog style (e.g., Marillion, Pendragon), though since singer Lee Harding has a somewhat Gabriel-like voice, Citizen Cain or the more Genesis-like Ad Infinitum tracks also come to mind. Nick Magnus mastered the album. Read a gushing review at Eurorock.
The New Crusade (2011) is their second. The New Crusade marks a significant surge in confidence and artistry for Konchordat. Still entrenched in lavish symphonic prog, albeit tempered by brief excursions into neo-prog pastures, founder member Steve Cork and now permanent singer and guitarist Stuart Martin have begun to forge a distinct identity of their own. The opening title tracks shimmering keyboards and potent six-string sustain certainly betrays a penchant for Fish-era Marillion, and maybe even a dash of Pallas, but that is the last time on The New Crusade that this band sound wholly indebted to anyone else... This is a purposeful and precise reinvention of a thoroughly British strain of prog, replete with spine-tingling guitar solos, some elegantly poetic lyrics, and enough pathos to force tears from the eyes of a stone statue of Stalin. [Classic Rock Presents Prog] You can find several songs on YouTube; start here.
Gazpacho - London (2CD, $15.99) 
Norwegian band Gazpacho originally allied themselves closely with Marillion. One can assume they took their name from the Marillion song and not from a love of cold soup, and the title of their first full-length album Bravo is only a vowel shift away from a well-known Marillion album. They were on Marillions label for a time and have supported Marillion on tour. Certainly their style shares a lot with Marillion from Brave on. Their music is in the serious-sounding, deliberately-paced modern progressive style that emphasizes atmosphere, texture and melody over demonstrative playing. Other bands frequently mentioned as reference points are Porcupine Tree and Radiohead. Gazpacho came of age with 2007s Night, at which point the guest violinist of the previous three albums had been promoted to a full member. Their fifth album Tick Tock (2009) is a natural evolution from Night and of equal quality. Read the roundtable DPRP reviews.
After initially releasing Missa Atropos (2010) in Germany, Gazpacho signed to Kscope who released this digibook edition. Missa Atropos is described as a concept album dealing with the ever-popular themes of death, fear and loneliness. Consequently the music is darker than their previous two albums, while still displaying the Gazpacho trademarks, including ambient passages, violin and classical influences, and elements of world music. Read the DPRP roundtable reviews.
The double-CD London (2011) captures Gazpachos gig on their Missa Atropos tour at the legendary Dingwalls venue in Camden. Classic Rock Presents Prog described the evening as sublime, going on to state, with new album Missa Atropos to draw from as well as a catalogue of songs that draw favourable comparison with both Radiohead and a more sedate Muse, they fill the best part of two hours with invention and brio.
Unitopia - One Night in Europe 2DVD ($19.99) The 2011 double-DVD One Night in Europe (NTSC, all-region) is the first DVD for Unitopia, a document of their live show at The Boerderij in Zoetermeer, The Netherlands in October 2010. The concert runs 122 minutes and features Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 surround audio. All the important Unitopia songs are played. The second DVD includes additional live material, unplugged performances, behind-the-scenes footage, and an interview. The companion double-CD includes the same songs as the first DVD. Read the Sea of Tranquility review.
Unitopia - Artificial digipack+3 ($14.99) The Garden (2008) is a double-CD, the second release by Australian progressive rock band Unitopia following a 2005 debut. We felt all along that Unitopias first album was unjustly overlooked, and The Garden remedied that, as it is a really fine melodic prog album. Unitopias greatest strength is their vocals, which are well ahead of the average progressive rock band, both the lead vocals and the vocal harmonies. Singer Mark Trueack sounds like Peter Gabriel when he sings in his lower register, and like the guy from Men at Work at other times. While Unitopia dont sound all that much like Transatlantic, Spocks Beard or The Flower Kings, they will almost certainly appeal to fans of those bands.
Artificial (2010) elevates Unitopia to the top tier of the current generation of melodic prog bands. The digipack edition adds three bonus tracks totaling over 16-minutes. Read the Prog-Nose and DPRP roundtable reviews, which will tell you everything you need to know and then some. Read reviews of all the Unitopia CDs.
Paidarion - Behind the Curtains ($12.99) Hauras Silta is the 2009 debut by a 9-person Finnish prog band using both female and male vocals. This is one of Kimmo Prstis bands; Kimmo is also in Mist Season, Maahinen, and The Samurai of Prog. The music of Paidarion is closely related to Mist Season and Maahinen. It is somewhat retro, no question. I hear the echo of Renaissance, chiefly, but then also Jethro Tull, Holdsworth-era Gong, fusion, and even Steely Dan in some of the blistering, crafty, perfectly tailored guitar solos. But Hauras Silta is retro in the clean, appealing sense of the term as we might apply it to, say, Anglagard. In other words, Paidarion takes its genre tradition seriously, resides within it, but then also offers clever interpretations, subtle blends and bends, and the freshness of modern studio embellishment to end with a truly fine album -- the best new prog release Ive heard in a very long time... If more contemporary prog rock scaled these heights, Id be a bigger fan. Read the full review at Progressive Ears.
Paidarion have a new line-up on Behind the Curtains (2011, 60-minutes), the band now a live act and not just a studio project. The lyrics have switched to English, the female vocals courtesy of new member Elina Hautakoski; there are also some male vocals from guest Rob Price (Supernal Endgame). Among the other guests are Americans Michael Manring (bass) and Steve Unruh (violin). The music is about half instrumental, where Paidarion can often be compared to early Isildurs Bane, between the symphonic rock with Scandinavian folk melodies of the first two Isildurs Bane albums and the upbeat symphonic jazz-rock of their third and fourth. There are also moments where an ELP influence can be heard, other moments that recall Pekka Pohjola, while some of the vocals tracks tend toward jazz song. Even with the switch to English, Paidarion sound like a Scandinavian prog band. Their music has a sense of place, of terroir, a quality far less common now than in the first generation prog bands. Read the Progmeister review.
The Anabasis - Back from Being Gone ($12.99) The Anabasis is a new prog rock project headed by American multi-instrumentalist and composer Barry Thompson and featuring Ryo Okumoto (Spocks Beard) as full-time keyboardist and arranger. The band is rounded out by Per Fredrik PelleK sly (Damnation Angels) on lead vocals, Gerald Mully Mulligan (The Lee Abraham Band) on drums, Gordon Tittsworth (Images of Eden, All Too Human) on lead and backing vocals, Lee Abraham (The Lee Abraham Band) on bass, Stefan Artwin (Relocator) and Brick Williams (Hourglass) on lead guitar, plus several guest musicians. Lee Abraham also served as producer and mixer. The lyrics are by professional author George Andrade, whose sociopolitical narrative is based on three ancient civilizations: Roman, Norse, and Egyptian.
Lunatic Soul - Impressions ($13.99) 
Lunatic Soul is the solo project of Riverside singer Mariusz Duda, who we all know has a great voice. Helpfully, the first two CDs are labeled simply Lunatic Soul, the idea being that together they form a double-album. The black one is the first, from 2008, while the white one is the 2010 sequel. Duda is assisted by several other musicians including Riversides keyboardist and friends from Quidam and Indukti. The music is beautifully textured, and the mood is much the same as Riverside (and Porcupine Tree, and all the other modern prog bands whove jumped on this particular bandwagon): dark, lush, melancholy and moving. Its easy to draw parallels to the music Steven Wilson creates outside of Porcupine Tree. With the metal element of the parent band downplayed (Lunatic Soul contains no electric guitar at all), the music is more ambient, and the more refined and progressive elements are allowed more room to be heard. The second album is even more refined than the first. Duda says its a blend of everything he likes, in particular Dead Can Dance and Peter Gabriel on IV or Passion.
Impressions (2011, digipack) is considered to be the final part of a trilogy of Lunatic Soul albums. As Duda says: Impressions is a collection of instrumental compositions which act as an addition to the story told on the black and white Lunatic Soul albums. These songs without lyrics, with scarce vocal parts, are more ambient in style, resembling a soundtrack to a film or a video game. Read the Reflections of Darkness review.
Glass Hammer - Cor Cordium ($12.99) Cor Cordium is Glass Hammers 2011 follow-up to the highly acclaimed IF. Singer Jon Davison and guitarist Alan Shikoh returned with Glass Hammer co-founders Steve Babb and Fred Schendel to create the bands 14th studio album. We never set out to make IF Volume 2, reveals Babb. But we are definitely heading in the same direction musically. Fans that loved IF are going to be equally excited about Cor Cordium. See Page 2 for the rest of the Glass Hammer catalog and more info.
Brian Malone - The Mechanical Voices ($15.99) First self-published in 2008, this is the 2011 Musea edition of Brian Malones The Mechanical Voices. Malone is a multi-instrumentalist from Dublin who lists Pink Floyd, Mike Oldfield, Sigur Ros and Puccini among his influences. This is richly-textured, very melodic instrumental progressive rock with an epic, cinematic feel. A reasonable comparison is early Yanni, updated with the use of current sample libraries. (Yanni originally made progressive rock before his music became overly romantic and he became a new age icon.) YouTube has the tracks The Big Noise, Spiritus Domini, and The Elf.
Seven Steps to the Green Door - The? Book ($17.99) 
The Puzzle (2006, 74-minutes) is one of the most intriguing modern takes on progressive rock that weve heard. In true postmodern fashion, this German band integrate many different styles into a cohesive whole, but there is little doubt that it is symphonic progressive at its core. The classically-influenced piano playing of Marek Arnold is a key feature of the music, and he also adds some woodwinds. There is a good deal of metal influence, and prog-metal fans owe it to themselves to give this a spin. Most prog-metal bands alternate rather than integrate the prog and the metal. Seven Steps to the Green Door on the other hand blend the two well. They are able to maintain the melody and the song when adding the crunchy guitar, and the music never gets ugly. They have excellent male vocals (and some female vocals) in English. The whole thing is surprisingly sophisticated and very well recorded.
Step in 2 My World (2008, 66-minutes) is even better. It is more melodic and the metal guitar plays only a minor role, but where the band have really taken things to the next level are the vocals. They use one female and two male singers, both in lead and harmony roles, plus a guest spot for Larry B., the singer from the current Stern Combo Meissen and Toxic Smile.
The? Book (2011) comes in the mediabook (digibook) format, hardcover with 52-page booklet (in German and English). Larry B. again guests, as well as Flaming Row leader Martin Schnella. This concept album is the bands most ambitious to date, more intense than the first two. While its their most mature work, its still tainted by metal in spots, so theres still room for more maturation. The conclusion this time is simple: the best (retro)-progressive album of the year. Melodic but never dull, diverse without being unstructured, both gentle and fierce, sustained by an elaborate story that focuses on what seems for a lot of people to be currently burning in their soul. [Musikreviews.de, translated from German] ...the album offers everything the proggies heart desires: springy melodies, complex rhythms, delicate vocal harmonies, fast-paced keyboard and guitar riffs, and a pinch of metal for seasoning here and there... Certainly one of the best German (prog) rock releases of recent years. [Babyblaue Seiten, translated from German] Seven Steps to the Green Door have clearly reached the premier league of the German prog scene... My absolute buy recommendation! [proggies.ch, translated from German] Check our German page for the related band Toxic Smile.
Legend - Cardinal Points ($15.99) Cardinal Points (2011) is the first new studio CD from British band Legend since 1996s Triple Aspect. Legend formed in 1988 and released their first CD in 1991. They bill themselves as a pagan prog rock band in that they draw upon the folklore and pre-Christian mysticism of the British Isles. They have always had a female lead vocalist. The 59-minute Cardinal Points is divided into four long tracks in the 13-17 minute range, following an earth, wind, fire, and water theme. Legend sometimes integrate a heavy, plodding Hawkwind-ish approach, though neo-prog best describes their music. As this CD progresses, the music becomes more nuanced and open, approaching Renaissance level in the last and longest track. Hopefully Legend continue in that direction, as it may be the best thing theyve recorded. Read reviews at Prog Archives and JerryLucky.com.
Airbag - All Rights Removed ($15.99) Airbag are a five-man prog band from Oslo, Norway. Classic Rock Magazine hit the nail on the head when they described their 2009 debut Identity as: Prog at its most chilled, honeyed and soothing... reminiscent of Coldplay doing Pink Floyd covers. Believe us, thats a recommendation. Airbag are also reminiscent of Porcupine Tree at their most sensual, as well as Gazpacho, RPWL, and modern Marillion. The music is lush and dripping with atmosphere, with omnipresent synth pads and some of the guitar work sounding like EBow, plus top-notch vocals. Gorgeous, melancholy stuff.
All Rights Removed (2011, digipack) is their second. Read the review at Dantes Prog Blog Inferno.
DAccorD - Helike ($15.99) DAccorD are a Norwegian quintet along the lines of Black Bonzo, trying to recapture the essence of early 1970s progressive rock, with an authentic sound. Amongst their weaponry are such diverse elements as fear, surprise, flute, Hammond, Mellotron and sax. The band mention Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, Queen, Deep Purple, and Uriah Heep as some of their influences. On their 2009 debut album DAccorD, there is also an obvious Genesis influence on the first track, later a short section where Van der Graaf Generator comes to mind. Read reviews at Prog Archives.
Helike (2011) is their second, containing just two side-long pieces of music (20:44 and 23:30). If this thing could reference vintage seventies prog any more than it already does, it would have a Roger Dean logo on the front... it is the collective sound of DAccord summoning the ghosts of prog past that make Helike so likable. Read the rest of the Sea of Tranquility review and the ProgNaut review.
Knight Area - Nine Paths ($13.99) Nine Paths (2011) is the fourth studio album for Dutch neo-prog band Knight Area. Read the Sea of Tranquility and Dangerdog reviews. See our Dutch page for more Knight Area CDs and more info.
Haken - Visions ($12.99) Visions (2011) and Aquarius (2010) are the two CDs by British symphonic prog-metal band Haken. Read reviews.
Ozric Tentacles - Paper Monkeys ($13.99)Paper Monkeys (digipack) is the 2011 studio CD from the Ozrics, still a force after 27 years or so. You can find most of the tracks from this CD on YouTube. See our British page for more Ozrics CDs.
King Crimson - Discipline: 40th Anniversary Ed. (DVD-A+CD, $21.99) |        |
Discipline - To Shatter All Accord ($12.99) To Shatter All Accord (2011, digipack) is the latest studio release from Discipline, the band that has rightly been hailed as the American Van der Graaf Generator. This new CD features the same lineup that recorded their masterpiece Unfolded Like Staircase way back in 1997. Just five tracks span 57-minutes. For a band to return after 10+ years with an effort this strong is a rarity. To find a band firing on all cylinders, almost like they never broke up, is nothing short of amazing. To Shatter All Accord not only matches the bands previous effort, but with Parmenters engineering skills improving substantially since Horror Express in 2008, this may be Disciplines greatest statement yet. [Examiner.com]
If youve been holding off buying Unfolded Like Staircase for 14 years because you wanted it in a digipack, the wait is over. Its been reissued in the waning days of 2011 in a digipack (same data, different packaging). The rest of the Discipline and Matthew Parmenter catalog are on Page 2. Note Discipline are scheduled to perform at Rosfest 2012.
Magenta - Chameleon ($14.99)Chameleon is Magentas new 2011 studio CD. See the Chameleon website for info. See our British page for the rest of the Magenta catalog.
C-Sides - Devitrification ($14.99) The C-Sides were formed in 2007 by Magenta members Martin Rosser, Allan Mason-Jones, and Dan Fry. Devitrification is their 2011 debut. The C-Sides combine modern rock elements with the Rush format, featuring layered guitars, bass, drums and vocals. The band probably overstate the Rush influence in their sound (and most retailers just copy and paste the press release as their description, so youll see Rush mentioned everywhere). But there isnt all that much here that sounds like Rush. Or at least weve all heard bands copy Rush much more closely, while the C-Sides inject a lot of their own personality and vary things more. We have to draw the line somewhere, and our definition of progressive rock requires tone colors beyond just guitar, but this is very good progressive-ish rock with aspects of both classic and modern rock. Though uncredited, Rob Reed is believed to have lent a hand, while three other musicians add backing vocals, percussion and guitar.
Sanguine Hum - Diving Bell ($14.99) 
Careful! Its Tepid (2009, 18:50) and Double Egg with Chips and Beans (2006, 19:13) are the second and third of a trio of CD-EPs by British band Antique Seeking Nuns. These are wonderful, warm and witty works mostly in a Canterbury (Hatfield and the North) style, with some Gentle Giant and Zappa, but also an original take on it all that makes it sound fresh and exciting.
Antique Seeking Nuns gave way to Sanguine Hum, a band with the exact same lineup but a slight change of direction. Their debut Diving Bell was released in 2010 as a digital download, 2011 for this CD. If you listen to the A.S.N. CDs in chronological order, then the transition to Sanguine Hum appears relatively smooth. Its the same singer and a similar sound palette. That Canterbury pedigree can be heard, but the music feels more modern. Now often there is a pejorative context to modern in front of prog, but not here. There is no metal, this isnt glorified alt-rock, and Sanguine Hum can hold a candle to the classic bands. While probably widening their appeal to the Radiohead and Muse crowd, Sanguine Hum restore some of the essential elements of progressive rock often missing from modern prog. Sanguine Hum leave out the most angular and demanding instrumentals of A.S.N., and in their place is a sensuous, even soothing style of prog that retains the intricacies and stellar ensemble work but moves them slightly out of the foreground. The result is that the listener may not notice the odd time signatures and sophisticated arrangements because the music is so melodic and captivating. The music does what prog is supposed to do -- transport the listener somewhere that transcends everyday life. Read reviews of both bands, plus the ProgNaut review which may not yet be on that first list of reviews. Note Sanguine Hum are scheduled to perform at RoSfest 2012.
Marillion - Somewhere in London 2DVD digibook ($23.99)
Beginning in the late 1990s, a string of increasingly dull albums caused many of Marillions original progressive fans to lose interest. But Marillion began a resurgence with Marbles (2004). This is the 2011 2CD re-release on the Madfish label, which comes in the hardcover digibook format with 36-page booklet bound in, the booklet reworked by original designer Carl Glover. This set includes the second disc that was previously only available in the Racket Records (Marillions own label) edition. The bonus songs are more then-new tracks from the same recording sessions. Counts as 1.5 CDs for shipping.
Marillions 2007 studio album Somewhere Else continued with similar strengths as Marbles, spawning two hit singles and giving the band their first UK top 30 album in ten years. This 2011 Madfish edition comes in a 36-page digibook reworked by the original designer and features unseen pictures not used in the original artwork.
For 1999s Marillion.com, Marillion used the Internet to ask fans to send them passport pictures of themselves; 732 of these were then used to make up the artwork for this album. Five of the nine tracks were mixed by Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree). This 2011 Madfish edition comes in a deluxe 36-page digibook with artwork reworked by the original designer. The book features unseen pictures not used in the original artwork. Check our British page for more Marillion CDs.
The Somewhere in London concert DVD (NTSC, all-region) was filmed over the final two nights of Marillions Somewhere Else album tour at the London Forum in June 2007. Disc One of this double-DVD extended edition is the feature-length concert film including 15 songs. Disc Two includes seven more songs played during the two nights at the Forum, a featurette of a tour rehearsal at Marillions Racket Club studio, and four 5.1 surround mixes of Somewhere Else album tracks (The Wound, A Voice from the Past, No Such Thing, Somewhere Else). 223-minutes, 5.1 surround and 2.0 stereo audio. This is the 2011 Madfish edition that comes in a deluxe 36-page hardcover digibook reworked by original designer Carl Glover. Counts as 2 CDs for shipping.
After the Fire - Signs of Change ($17.99) The British band After the Fire began as a keyboard-driven progressive rock band in the Genesis, Greenslade, and Beggars Opera veins. Their debut LP Signs of Change was released in 1978 on the bands own Rapid label. It was deleted when they signed to CBS, changed styles to new wave and had some hit singles, making the LP a rarity. This CD on the Angel Air label adds four bonus tracks totaling over 30 minutes that are of equal quality to the album proper.
ExCubus - Lagauchetire ($17.99) One of the missing bands from Quebecs progressive rock history is Incubus, who were part of the early Quebec prog scene along with Necessite, Contraction and Maneige. They played out quite a bit between 1970 and 1974 but broke up while in France recording what would have been their first album. Four of the recordings survived and make up the first half of Mmoires Incubusiennes. The second half was finished in 2008 by three of the four original members plus two other musicians. The music is a mix of instrumentals and songs sung in English, early-70s style symphonic rock that reminds one of bands such as Van der Graaf Generator, Le Orme, Trace, Ange, Goblin, and Pollen. The group is now called ExCubus to avoid confusion with the California-based band.
Lagauchetire (2011) is the second release of 1970s-era compositions from Incubus/ExCubus. ProgQuebec say that this second CD is even better. Lagauchetire shows ExCubus broadening their compositional palette and sound. While the album includes compositions dating back to the groups first lineup, it also showcases pieces written by band members during their participation in subsequent progressive bands such as Coenobium, Igor and Polygone. The result is an excellent album of broader compositional styles melding into a cohesive whole, demonstrating these musicians continued evolution on Quebecs progressive scene.
White Willow - Terminal Twilight ($13.99) Terminal Twilight (2011, digipack) is the sixth CD for Norwegian prog band White Willow. It finds them with a new lineup, now with Anglagard drummer Mattias Olsson and the return of vocalist Sylvia Erichsen. Tim Bowness (No Man) makes a guest appearance. All of the White Willow trademarks are in place: chiming guitar chords, flute, Mellotrons, and songs about sad people. This North American edition features an exclusive bonus track. Several of the earlier White Willow CDs have gone out-of-print, at least in North America; see our Scandinavian page for what remains and for more info.
Timo Laine & Symphonic Slam - SSII ($15.99) The Canadian band Symphonic Slam was led by Timo Laine, a native born Finn. He pioneered the use of the guitar synthesizer, and the 1976 Symphonic Slam debut album featured it heavily. Timo also plays standard guitar and sings. There was a second album by the group, SSII (1978). Less renowned but deserving of a better fate, this second album still highlights the instrument dear to Timo Laine, the guitar-synth. The band personnel varies on a track-by-track basis, featuring several musicians such as the famous bassist Jimmy Haslip (Allan Holdsworth, The Yellowjackets) on three tracks. Mostly instrumental, the CD adds four bonus tracks.
Absente H - Vagalume ($15.99) Absente H are a superb Spanish band debuting with Vagalume (2011, 65-minutes), a CD of pure 1970s style melodic symphonic prog sung in Spanish. (Vagalume had been the band name until recently.) The keyboard sounds are vintage, violin and flute are used, and the guitarist plays sympathetically -- its so refreshing to hear a new European prog band with a progressive rather than metal guitarist. With a band such as Absente H that intrinsically understand and embrace the aesthetic central to progressive rock, comparisons to other bands should be unnecessary. YouTube has the song Yo No Lo Se.
Ignatius - Lights from the Deep ($15.99) Lights from the Deep (2011) is the debut CD for Ignatius from Barcelona. They play 1970s style symphonic prog with Genesis and Pink Floyd as certain influences, also early King Crimson and maybe Camel, slightly heavier than any of those on some tracks. Ignatius sing in English but their music is heavily instrumental. During the denser passages, you may not be able to discern the lyrics without opening the booklet, but Ignatius are otherwise very good. Over the six long tracks spanning 57-minutes, the music is richly-textured and pushes the right buttons for fans of classic prog. You can find the songs Emptiness and Lights from the Deep on YouTube.
Oneira - Natural Prestige ($15.99) This is the 2011 debut by a melodic Italian prog band, with four instrumentals and six tracks sung in English. This isnt a Rock Progressivo Italiano album but rather an Anglo style prog album along the lines of IQ, Marillion, and Rush. Still some Italian flavor filters through, particularly when acoustic guitar is used. The keyboardist says his passion for rock began by listening to Genesis, Pink Floyd, and Yes, and those influences are there, but the music feels more neo-prog, and the Rush energy is obvious when present. In part Natural Prestige is a suggestion of what Rush might sound like with a real, full-time keyboardist, but there is also Oneiras other side, a more delicate, layered, Genesis-oriented sound that has little to do with Rush. Its a very good CD that should have great appeal to mainstream prog fans. YouTube has the first track Intro.
Little Tragedies - Obsessed ($15.99) Little Tragedies is arguably the best current Russian symphonic prog band. Obsessed was recorded in 2009 but not released until 2011. After establishing their range with The Sixth Sense and Chinese Songs Part One and Two, Little Tragedies are with Cross (2008) and Obsessed back to the ELP-style power symphonic/classical prog that is their forte. Stylistically again closer to New Faust, they are once again celebrating their full-blown, wonderfully over-the-top and classically inspired prog rock including the quirky Russian vocals that makes all this just so unique. Anyone who knows Little Tragedies wont need any further description of what this sounds like. To anyone else, I would just recommend listening to the sound samples. What I really like here is that despite all the pyrotechnical wizardry, there is also a fine display of composition/songwriting which is a craft that does not always stand at the center with many bands. [ProgArchives] See our East European page for all the Little Tragedies CDs and more info.
Quaser - Delta Flux ($15.99) The Japanese band Quaser traces its roots to 1976, but their first album appeared in 1994. Their fifth album Delta Flux was recorded between 2006-2009 though not released until 2011. A violinist guests. Always influenced by ELP and UK, on this album Quaser include an arrangement of Prokofievs The Enemy God, as Carl Palmer did on Works Volume One. Thats only part of their sound however, as Quaser cover much more prog ground, including some flowing, mellow songs (something bands such as Ars Nova or Gerard never could). Quaser feature male vocals in Japanese. While some Japanese vocals present a problem to western ears, theres no issue here as the vocals are mellifluous, comparable to those of Outer Limits. There are some nods to modern tastes, but by and large this is a classy album of 1970s style symphonic prog. YouTube has the song Wild Ocean.
Q - Abduccin ($15.99) Abduccin (2011) contains bombastic instrumental symphonic prog from Chile, very Anglo-American in style. The band is led by keyboardist Nicols Quinteros, who is joined by a guitarist, bassist, and drummer, all prominent musicians on the Chilean scene. Quinteros can certainly play, yet the glory is shared between keys and guitar, very much the sound of a quartet playing together. The music is mostly very high energy, and though Quinteros and the bassist are also members of the metal band Delta, the music here flirts with metal but doesnt linger there long enough to become annoying. So while Planet X is one comparison, Q are more melodic, less metallic, and include more classical elements. It sounds like Quinteros is familiar with Genesis, Yes, and ELP, but his approach is modern, favoring modern synths (not counting his theremin) for both fast lead lines and lush chords. This is impressive sympho-prog designed to get your heart racing.
OVNI - Salvadoreo / Alien (2CD, $19.99) 
OVNI - La Experiencia ($15.99) OVNI is El Salvadors top (only?) progressive rock band. Their name is the Spanish acronym equivalent to UFO. Salvadoreo / Alien is OVNIs 2011 studio double-CD. (Description to be added.) YouTube has videos for the title track and Himno Nacional de El Salvador; definitely listen to these if possible.
Humans But Not Terrestrials (2004), also known as Humanos Pero No Terrestres, was a huge step forward for the band. This 79-minute sci-fi concept album is sung mostly in English, with a few songs in Spanish. OVNI come closest to Yes on this album, though thats only an approximation. The songs sung in Spanish tend to have a slightly different feel, sometimes suggesting Italian progressive rock, and some of it could probably be called neo-prog. One might spot ELP, Jethro Tull, or Pink Floyd here and there, but OVNI have their own melodic prog style. There are some epic statements here, the longest track a 23-minute suite. The usual keys/guitar/bass/drums instrumentation is augmented by mandolin, flute, and various South American stringed things.
The True Purposes of God / Los Verdaderos Propsitos de Dios (2006) is a 74-minute concept album which is also sung in both English and Spanish, with English in the majority. The description of Humans But Not Terrestrials also applies here, though this album seems to emphasize the pop side of OVNIs songwriting a bit more, an aspect of the band that has been present from the beginning. OVNIs melodies tend to sound more British than those of other Latin American prog bands, from a Beatles influence on some tracks to a 1980s neo-prog influence on others. Another very good album.
La Experiencia (2001) is a 72-minute live CD that includes concerts from 1987, 1989, and 2000. Here OVNI play melodic symphonic progressive rock with a standard guitar, keys, bass & drums lineup plus vocals in Spanish. Its prog all right, though theres also a bit of an AOR feel, like a Spanish-language Asia. There are songs, the vocals are prominent, but there are also long tracks with plenty of instrumental work.
Entre Seres y sus Raices (2000) is a double-CD and a very long one, each disc 74-minutes long. This is the strongest of OVNIs earlier albums, romantic symphonic rock sung in Spanish that holds up well over the 2.5 hours, with some references to Italian progressive and 1970s South American prog, and several epic statements.
Avalon Rising - Elbows & Antlers ($13.99) 
Avalon Rising, from the San Francisco Bay area, play progressive Anglo-Celtic folk-rock with some medieval music and world fusion. They use male & female vocals, electric & acoustic guitars, electric & acoustic violin, flute, Celtic harp, recorder, mandolin, bass, and drums. The arrangements are complex, the rhythm section powerful, and there is plenty of high-energy instrumental content and impressive musicianship. They have the big, expansive sound of a progressive rock band as opposed to the smaller sound of a folk band. Storming Heaven (2004, 74-minutes) and Elbows & Antlers (2011, 77-minutes) are recommended to fans of Tempest, Wolfstone, Loreena McKennitt, Pentangle, Blackmores Night, Horslips, the folky side of Jethro Tull, Azigza (also from San Francisco) and, if it means anything to you, Pyewackett. We might also mention Breton bands such as Sonerien Du, but then wed probably have lost you. Start with Elbows & Antlers, just take the Peter Tosh song that opens the CD with a grain of salt. Its the finest American album weve heard in this genre.
Their first CD predates their second by nearly a decade, so its not too surprising that Avalon Rising (1995, 52-minutes) is a slightly different beast. There is some of the Anglo-Celtic folk-rock that would carry forward to the later albums, but much of the material is more atmospheric and psychedelic/progressive, like a blend of Loreena McKennitt, Popol Vuh, Jade Warrior, Dead Can Dance, and early Strawbs. A beautiful and sometimes mesmerizing album, as accomplished as the work of any of those artists mentioned as reference points.
Jaime Rosas - Flashback ($16.99) 
Consisting of members of the Chilean prog band Entrance, the Jaime Rosas Trio is a keyboard power trio a la ELP or the final UK lineup, though their bassist does play some guitar. Extremos (2004) is their second CD, a mostly-instrumental affair. It mixes predominantly fast, high-energy, technically-adept classical rock workouts with a few breathers centered around classical piano. The material is well-composed and not just flash and bombast. Read reviews.
With Creciendo (2005), theyve added a guitarist to become a quartet. This album is again heavily instrumental, with quality vocals both wordless and in Spanish. Much of the instrumental material is in a high-energy, fast and demonstrative symphonic prog style, leaving no doubt that JRC can play. The electric guitar gives this material a harder edge. But this is balanced by more sensitive tracks employing vocals and acoustic guitar. Rosas keyboards are still the highlight, often very classically influenced. Read reviews.
Flashback (2011, digipack) is not a Rosas solo CD; in fact the number of musicians participating is up to ten. While heavily instrumental, Jaime Scalpello adds some quality vocals. This is our favorite of Rosas CDs, maybe the best keyboard-centric symphonic rock album of the year. While the previous two studio CDs had some prog-metal influence (Entrance has even more), Flashback is purer. And yet it isnt retro. When Rosas is in ELP and Rick Wakeman mode, the music is still a more energetic, modern take on those styles, heavy without stepping over the taste line into metal (which separates Flashback from the work of, say, Derek Sherinian). Guitar is not ignored, and one piece is more Genesis and Steve Hackett influenced. Read reviews.
SETI - One Giant Leap ($15.99) 
SETI is the other band of Claudio Momberg, keyboardist of the Chilean band Subterra, with singer Jaime Scalpello and the participation of the other Subterra members as well as other musicians. We would say that SETI is now the better band (a moot point if Subterra are no longer active). The music on Life Signs (2005) is dark symphonic prog generally in the Genesis, early Marillion, and Pink Floyd styles, with strong vocals in English. Read reviews at Prog Archives.
The line-up for Discoveries (2010, 66-minutes) includes members of the Chilean bands Subterra, Entrance, and Angulart, plus Damian Wilson singing lead on one track. The Genesis influence here is stronger, with lots of Mellotron. Momberg even adds a bit of accomplished space music a la Tangerine Dream or Jarre. There is enough heavy guitar to place the music in 2010, for better or worse. The English-language vocals from Scalpello and Wilson are very strong, making SETI one of the better current South American bands.
One Giant Leap is a 66-minute live CD recorded in October 2010 in Santiago. It includes two new 2011 studio tracks as a bonus. As Momberg notes, SETI was originally going to be one and done with Life Signs, with no plans to perform live. But the positive response to that album combined with Subterra going dormant meant Mombergs energies would now go into SETI. That lead to this live CD, which draws from both studio albums. SETI are at their darkest and most ponderous here, emphasizing their heavy Floydian and early Marillion sides, though the Genesis stylings didnt go away. There is extra vitality in these renditions.
Taurus - Opus II: Impressions ($14.99) Taurus is Claudio Momberg solo, a hybrid of classical music (performed on keyboards) and progressive rock, sort of Tony Banks meets Synergy. Dimensions is from 2010, Impressions from 2011.
Eldberg - Eldberg ($16.99) Eldberg (2011, digipack) is the debut for this retro, early-1970s style prog band from Iceland. Eldberg sing in Icelandic. (Even the language is retro; it resembles 12th century Norse). The music is comparable to Trettioriga Kriget on the self-titled album and Krigssang, though the Eldberg members are too young to have been around when those albums were made. Pretty incredible to hear younger musicians so successfully capture the spirit of that music, though the Scandinavians are unusually adept at it. YouTube has a video of the song Enginn friur.
FreddeGredde - Thirteen Eight ($15.99) This is the CD that White Knight Records (co-founded by Magentas Rob Reed) have been champing at the bit to let the world hear. The FreddeGredde debut Thirteen Eight (2011, 71-minutes, digipack) is the work of Swedish wunderkind Fredrik Larsson, assisted by a drummer. As the story goes, the young artist initially rose to prominence in the early days of the viral video revolution where his great musicianship gained attention on YouTube and generated millions of views on some of his most popular videos. Larssons YouTube channel quickly became the number one subscribed channel in Sweden. But Larssons real dream is represented by this CD. The first thing that strikes the listener is the voice. The first generation of prog bands had some great singers, but the best singers of later generations by and large did not join prog bands. So male vocals of this quality are not common in todays prog. The music is energetic modern symphonic prog that is both complex and accessible. Larsson may be young, but he knows the 1970s bands -- watch his video cover of Queens Killer Queen on his YouTube channel. This is one of the best debuts by a prog artist this millennium, and assurance that the future of prog is in good hands. The fastest way to preview the CD is via this video.
Bloody hell!!! How good is FreddeGredde??!!! Totally bloody amazing! What a voice! [Jem Godfrey of Frost]
Steve Hackett - Beyond the Shrouded Horizon jewel box (2CD, $14.99)Beyond the Shrouded Horizon is Steve Hacketts 2011 studio CD. These 2CD editions add an all-instrumental second disc with nine more new tracks. (The hardcover digibook edition contains the same tracks as the jewel box edition.) Chris Squire plays bass on several tracks. Read the reviews at ThisIsNotAScene and Dangerdog.
Live Rails (2CD digipack) was recorded in New York City, Paris and London in 2009-2010, on Steve Hacketts tour promoting Out of the Tunnels Mouth with his current six-piece band. The setlist includes several Genesis songs and many Hackett classics going all the way back to Ace of Wands. See our British page for more Steve Hackett CDs.
The Tangent - Comm ($11.99) SALE!The Tangent are one of todays top-tier progressive rock bands, centered on talented composer/keyboardist/singer Andy Tillison, also of the band Parallel or 90 Degrees (Po90). Comm (2011) is The Tangents sixth studio CD. This jewel case special edition includes two bonus tracks, one of which is a cover of Genesis Watcher of the Skies. Comm represents The Tangents best and most powerful work to date. Read the full Progmeister review and the Dangerdog review.
This is the jewel box edition of Down and Out in Paris and London (2009), The Tangents fifth studio CD, the name borrowed from the George Orwell novel, though the music and lyrics are not related to the novel. At this juncture, The Tangent consisted of Tillison, Guy Manning, Theo Travis, drummer Paul Burgess (Camel, 10cc) and bassist Jonathan Barrett (Po90). As Tillison notes: For the first time since 2003, all the members of the Tangent are English. I think thats an important thing, because one of the most defining things about The Tangents sound has been a certain Englishness - an affinity with the roots of prog rock. The CD concludes with the 13-minute The Canterbury Sequence Volume 2, this time sounding less like Caravan, more like Hatfield and the North, National Health, and Gilgamesh. Read the review at Bills Prog Blog. Check our DVDs page for The Tangents Going Off On One DVD.
Anathema - Falling Deeper ($12.99) Falling Deeper (2011, digibook) contains reworkings of older Anathema tracks, executed with more acoustic instruments and a 26-piece string orchestra. Anathema had already outgrown their metal past, but they wanted to show that their older songs were real songs with haunting melodies that the new arrangements now showcase. The orchestral arrangements are by Dave Stewart, who worked so successfully with Anathema on their previous album. This is the work of a very refined progressive rock band.
Theres little here to link these new reworkings to the band of old, so in a sense with Falling Deeper Anathema have rewritten their own history backwards... Falling Deeper is even more impressive because of the nature of this early material and the manner in which it is now portrayed. [Classic Rock Presents Prog]
John Wesley - The Lilypad Suite ($11.99) Since 2002, John Wesley has been part of Porcupine Trees live band as guitarist and backing vocalist. This followed several world tours with Fish, and before that, he was the opening act for Marillion on several tours. In addition to this, he is a respected songwriter and performer in his own right. This is the Madfish edition of Wesleys sixth studio album The Lilypad Suite (2011), which comes in jewel box + slipcase and adds two bonus tracks to the edition released by Wesley himself. Read the reviews at GuitarInstructor.com and Real Gone.
Mawwal - Sight Up ($11.99) 
Paranoise - Ishq ($11.99) 
Paranoise are the Deep Forest of heavy progressive rock. On eight of Private Powers (1999) twelve tracks, the vocals are sampled artists from third-world cultures. Paranoise have reharmonized and rearranged these for western ears, and of course added aggressive rock timbres and rhythms. They also throw some ethnic instruments into the mix, creating one of the first progressive world rock albums. The prog rock underlying it all stands on its own, solid and infectious, dominated by guitar and violin and owing a debt to King Crimson. Its the ever-present violin that elevates it from the ordinary to the extraordinary. All in all, a great idea that works, and unlikely to sound quite like anything youve heard before.
Ishq (2001) perfects the style established on Private Power. This one is simply astounding, as the band take traditional songs from Morocco, Afghanistan, Kenya, Bulgaria, and elsewhere and turn them into powerful progressive rock. In addition to the sampled vocals, Paranoise add their own vocals, including an appearance by a Slavic singing group from Yale. Several guest musicians on various percussion instruments shift some of the tracks into rhythmic overdrive. Even if you have no interest in world music per se, keep in mind that Paranoise is to world music as progressive rock is to ordinary rock.
Paranoise is now Mawwal. Black Flies (2007) is a further development of Paranoise, not as heavy but just as energetic, and probably more melodic. The ethnic percussion is stronger, but the major addition is the ensemble female vocals. Percy Jones (Brand X) plays bass on most of the tracks. For fans of Peter Gabriels brand of world music, Mawwal should be the next step, as this is the most advanced fusion of Middle Eastern and western progressive music weve heard.
Percy Jones also appears on several tracks on the second Mawwal CD This Is All There Is, There Is No Other Place (2008), which continues the trend toward more acoustic timbres, ethnic percussion and vocals, at the expense of the rock side which was more dominant in Paranoise. 17 musicians participate on Sight Up (2011), which continues in the same direction as the previous CD. More info at Jim Matus site.
Impulse Ensemble is Jim Matus on Laoutar and vocals; Derrik Jordan on electric violin, percussion, and vocals; and Tony Vacca on balafon, gongs, percussion, and spoken word. The Laoutar is a custom instrument made for Matus by Renaissance Guitars, based on an acoustic-electric laouto (Greek instrument in the lute family) and an altered mandocello. Initiation (2011, digipack) is Impulse Ensembles debut.
Salva - Thirst ($15.99) 
Thirst (2011), Left to Burn (2007), and A Handful of Earth (2004) are the three CDs released by Swedish prog band Salva, now signed to White Knight Records, the label run by Rob Reed of Magenta and Will Mackie of Hoggwash and Caerllysi Music who say: Salvas unique trademark sound combines symphonic prog, hard rock/metal and folk/singer-songwriter. The bands influences range from the 70s prog of Yes, Genesis, Jethro Tull and Pink Floyd to hard rock/metal by Black Sabbath, Deep Purple and Rainbow to Scandinavian and Celtic folk mixed with pop sensibilities and even the odd splash of jazz for good measure. On the new album, the symph has become grander, the riffs have become heavier, and the melodies are as elaborate and melancholy as always. The combination of compositional and thematic focus, great musicianship and seldom heard variety in both writing and sound makes this a must-have for all lovers of melodic, adventurous and at times heavy symphonic rock. Read reviews at Salvas site.
Mary Jane - Brigits Daughter (2CD, $17.99) 
Eve (2010) is the fourth studio album for Mary Jane, a band formed in Southampton, England in 1993. Mary Jane (who are related to the band Zaney Janey) are the current kings of progressive/psychedelic/electric folk-rock, and by that we mean the style of Spriguns, Mellow Candle, and Spirogyra, and Eve is as good as any album by those bands. Except that with a playing time of 63-minutes, its as good as any two albums by those bands. Mary Jane have female vocals, use lots of violin as well as flute, mandolin and recorders alongside electric & acoustic guitars, bass and drums. About half the songs are traditional, half self-penned. One must mention Steeleye Span and Pentangle, though Mary Jane are proggier. This music brushes up against the folkier side of Renaissance and should appeal to most fans of Jethro Tull and Solstice. Watch YouTube videos of Eve, Twa Corbies, Clonakilty, and Let the Fire Begin.
To the Prettiest One (2002) is Mary Janes third studio album. Brigits Daughter is a 27-song double-CD compilation released in 2011, subtitled The Early Years 1996-2002. The tracks were chosen by the band and are drawn from the albums Hazy Days, Zaney Janey, The Gates of Silent Memory, Tacit (which contained live sessions), and To the Prettiest One, plus one previously unreleased track. The Mary Jane history may put these albums in some sort of perspective. Reviewers often compared Mary Janes earlier albums to those of the legendary band Trees.
Man on Fire - Chrysalis ($12.99) out-of-stock 
Man on Fire improved significantly over their debut album with The Undefined Design (2003), their sophomore effort. Featuring guest David Ragsdale (ex-Kansas) on violin on three tracks, The Undefined Design is a fresh and innovative take on modern progressive rock. With a wide range of influences, the Man on Fire sound crosses several musical genres, combining melodic vocals, fluent fretless bass, layered keyboards, polyrhythmic grooves, heavy guitar soundscapes, and a dose of something resembling funk into a cohesive whole, fully utilizing the latest studio production techniques. The songs are accessible, the complexity often coming from the many layers of sound. There are moments of aggressive guitar, but always in small bursts. Eric Sands fretless bass work is exceptional, while Ragsdales violin provides much needed grounding, as the Man on Fire sound on this CD is otherwise rather synthetic and hard-edged. This complex approach to what are essentially melodic rock/pop songs makes Man on Fires brand of modern prog unique.
Habitat (2005) is a 69-minute concept album that again features David Ragsdale on violin and a new contributor, Adrian Belew on guitar. Not just a guest spot, Belew is the primary guitarist on this album and plays on most of the tracks. Man on Fire continue to make great strides with each album. Ragsdale is utilized even more on this one, and the tracks he plays on are again the standouts. To their credit, Man on Fire avoid any obvious influences, and there are some great hooks on this album.
After a long hiatus during which members of the band got the 10T Records label up and running, Man on Fire returned with Chrysalis (2011, digipack). The label says: Chrysalis sees Man on Fire significantly stretching their sound, which has always been described as refreshingly free of obvious influences. For Chrysalis, the band has expanded to a six-piece. In addition to founding member Eric Sands, once again providing his signature and distinctive elastic fretless bass and dynamic guitar work, and vocalist/keyboardist Jeff Hodges on grand piano, vintage organs, synths and samples, the new line-up features the soulful voice of Elise Testone on co-lead and backing vocals, percussion phenom Quentin Ravenel on drums, internationally renown trumpeter Cameron Harder Handel, and classically-trained virtuoso violinist Jenny Hough. Together they create a sound that is more natural, yet ornate, organic and darkly cinematic than previous Man on Fire releases.
Soniq Circus - Reflections in the Hourglass ($17.99) The self-titled CD is the 2007 debut album from Swedish quintet Soniq Circus. Consistent with other current Scandinavian progressive rock bands (Magic Pie, Beardfish, A.C.T., Carptree), Soniq Circus blend all sorts of mostly British, mostly 1970s influences in a timeless way. The music is symphonic prog with a bit of 70s hard rock and strong pop songwriting and melodies, sort of Yes meets City Boy, but with a distinct identity. Not only the vintage keys but also the production harkens back to the 70s -- instead of a hyper-real but sterile modern production, this has a bit of welcome grit to it. Here is an mp3 of the complete 9-minute track Chain of Consequences.
There were line-up changes for Reflections in the Hourglass (2011, 60-minutes), including singer. The Progress label says that, compared to this new CD, the first Soniq Circus CD sounds like a well-recorded demo. Musically, there is less of the Saga, A.C.T. or City Boy style now, a reduction of the pop side of the band without sacrificing too much melody. The CD is full of long tracks of fairly complex, melodic symphonic prog notable for guitar work that is often in an energetic hard rock style, not metal (at least not in the modern sense) but rather an upbeat, hard-edged style. Its positive evolution for the band, and apart from a slight similarity to labelmates Brother Ape, Soniq Circus are distinct from the other Swedish prog bands, a reflection of the depth of the current scene. Soniq Circus now deserve some of the success of the better-known Swedish prog bands. Here is an mp3 of the complete track Actor (5:11), or watch the video. Read reviews of both CDs.
Medea - Room XVII ($15.99) Medea is a project of Henry Meeuws, the keyboard player of the Dutch symphonic prog band Casual Silence. Meeuws is also a guitarist. The second Media CD Room XVII (2005, 62-minutes, digipack) is a symphonic rock opera in the Ayreon sense, with a multitude of male and female vocalists as the various characters in the story, as well as a large mens choir. The large cast of other musicians includes members of Casual Silence and other Dutch bands. There is metal guitar present, but the album is much more prog than metal, not as heavy nor as over-the-top bombastic as Ayreon. Medea has been overlooked, but Meeuws has a third concept album in the works, so even if Casual Silence have called it quits, Medea lives. Read reviews at Prog Archives.
Casual Silence - Vertical Horizon ($15.99) 
Dutch prog band Casual Silence formed in 1993 but called it quits not long after the release of their 2011 sixth CD Vertical Horizon. Even after 18 years they arent well known to prog fans on this side of the Atlantic, but better late than never. Lost in Life (2007, digipack) is their fourth, Once in a Blue Moon (2003) their third. (As for their other releases, their 2009 CD contains acoustic cover versions of other bands songs, their 1999 CD was only a 21-minute EP, and their 1997 debut had no keyboardist.) Read reviews at Prog Archives and the DPRP review of Lost in Life.
Strawbs - Hero & Heroine in Ascencia ($14.99)This is a new version of Strawbs 1974 masterpiece Hero and Heroine recorded by the current Strawbs line-up. In 2010, Strawbs toured Canada and the UK playing Hero and Heroine for the first time in its entirety, which was the impetus for this modern interpretation. It features Dave Cousins, Dave Lambert, and Chas Cronk, the core of the Strawbs line-up at the time the original album was released. Drummer Tony Fernandez returns to the line-up along with keyboardist John Young (Greenslade, John Wetton, etc.) to deliver the most intense, powerful, and poignant performance the band has produced in its remarkable forty-year history. Reviews and more info on the Strawbs website. Here is an mp3 of Lay a Little Light on Me, with Dave Cousins singing within an inch of his life.
A 2011 release for Acoustic Strawbs, Acoustic Gold is a selection of key tracks from earlier (in some cases no longer available) Witchwood releases plus live versions of two songs never released before in acoustic form: Jesus and Grace Darling, and two Cousins/Willoughby tracks: an unreleased version of Beat The Retreat recorded in Italy, and the stunning acoustic version of Ringing Down The Years (the B-side of The King 45). Here is a detailed song-by-song overview.
Strawbs - 40th Anniversary Celebration Vol. 1: Strawberry Fayre (2CD, $19.99)These 2-disc digipack releases are from Strawbs 40th Anniversary Celebration weekend at Twickenham Stadium in September 2009. Vol. 1: Strawberry Fayre is a double-CD containing 28 live tracks performed by Strawbs members past and present as well as guests, including Sonja Kristina, Rick Wakeman, Brian Willoughby, John Ford, Blue Weaver,... see the Strawberry Fayre track list for all the participants. Even Fire, Dave Lamberts pre-Strawbs band, perform two of their songs.
Strawbs was Rick Wakemans first professional band. Volume 2 contains only the second concert Wakeman and Dave Cousins have played together. The CD in this set contains the eight songs they performed, while the 75-minute DVD (NTSC, all-region, 16:9) contains the same songs plus all the banter and anecdotes. Among the extras is a performance of the song Evergreen by Strawbs with The Royal Artillery Orchestra conducted and arranged by former Strawb Robert Kirby, who passed away just weeks later. The CD and DVD track lists are here along with a preview of the DVD. More Strawbs titles can be found on our British page.
Tenmidnight - The City of Angels ($15.99) Run (2008) is the second CD for Italian band Tenmidnight, released on the Mellow label following a self-released debut. The lyrics are split between Italian and English, and likewise this album is split between the Italian tradition and the North American one (Kansas, Saga). One track is listed as an homage to Kansas, which would explain why the central riff from Carry On Wayward Son is cloned; another track is an homage to Led Zep. Flute is used in addition to the usual symphonic rock instrumentation. This one is energetic sympho-prog with pomp and AOR flavoring.
The City of Angels (2010, 61-minutes) is a marked improvement. Though the song titles are all in English, the lyrics are almost entirely in Italian, and the North American influence is limited to a suggestion of symphonic Kansas. The City of Angels often sounds close to an early 1970s Italian symphonic prog album. Guests add flute and violin in spots, and the vocals are strong, with characteristic Italian vocal harmonies. We could fill up a lot of space listing similar Italian bands, both first-generation and 1990s prog revival, so suffice to say the music is played with passion and conviction and should make most fans of Italian prog very happy. Read reviews of all of Tenmidnights CDs.
Flaming Row - Elinoire ($15.99) Flaming Row is an international band project organized by German multi-instrumentalist Martin Schnella. His idea was to create a concept album with many different musicians, particularly singers, both male and female. Marek Arnold (keyboards, sax) of Toxic Smile and Seven Steps to the Green Door is one of the four core instrumentalists in Flaming Row, while this 80-minute 2011 album has at least 17 singers and around 30 musicians total participating. Among those are Gary Wehrkamp and Brendt Allman from Shadow Gallery (they play or sing on most of the songs), Billy Sherwood (Circa, Yes, World Trade), and Jimmy Keegan (Spocks Beard). The results are impressive. The music is in the modern prog rock and prog-metal styles, so if that all sounds like Ayreon, then consider Flaming Row the German Ayreon, or as Music in Belgium described Elinoire in a very positive review, a cross between Ayreon and Caamoras She. Read the Sea of Tranquility review.
Frequency Drift - Ghosts ($13.99) 
Bavarian band Frequency Drift create atmospheric, melodic yet challenging music that they call cinematic progressive rock. Personal Effects part one (2008, 61-minutes) is a concept album set in a dystopian future. The band say they are influenced by movies or television series such as Ghost in the Shell, Blade Runner and Cloverfield, and their music aims for similar moodiness. The Musea label compares this album to Marillions Brave or Sylvans Posthumous Silence, if those two bands had a female singer as Frequency Drift does. It isnt as accomplished as those two albums, nor would one expect that of a debut album. Personal Effects part one has a somewhat sparser sound, with most of the keyboard work done on piano, which is essential to the mood. The album has compelling atmospheres, a solemnity and melancholy that are maintained even through the heavier passages, with Floydian tempos and deliberate pacing. The booklet contains a storyboard-like picture for each song that helps illustrate the story.
Frequency Drift drifted over to the Cyclops label for Personal Effects part two (2010, 64-minutes). The promise of the first CD is fulfilled here, with the band showing the hoped-for growth and a unique style emerging. The surreal atmosphere here is fantastic, spacier and denser than Part One. The music is more intricate, with more musicians involved. The use of classical musicians on violin, harp, and woodwinds adds new dimensions to the sound, while the female vocals keep the music grounded -- these are extended arrangements of songs rather than abstract soundscapes. Now were completely won over.
Making the rounds of prog labels, Ghosts (2011, digipack) is on ProgRock Records. While the story of Personal Effects was set in a dark urban and futuristic setting, the new songs are connected by a different theme. They are about things that haunt us, things that cannot fully be grasped, things we carry with us, emotions that echo from former times. The band conveys this with a slight change in their music and in the atmosphere created. Although the cinematic approach is still there, the music is enhanced by increased use of guitar. Furthermore, there is now an even larger variety of stylistic influences such as jazz or even heavy metal. Other highlights are the new hauntingly beautiful yet adventurous violin solos, 1970s style flute parts, and intriguing electric harp sections. Read reviews at Prog Archives.
Everwood - Without Saving ($13.99) Without Saving (2011) is the third studio album for Everwood, a very melodic Hungarian prog-metal band singing in English, and their first on ProgRock Records.
Peter Gee - East of Eden ($15.99)
Peter Gee - Heart of David ($15.99) Peter Gee is best known as the bassist for Pendragon. These four CDs are his prog albums; he also has a gospel CD. Heart of David dates to 1993; after being unavailable for 12 years, it was re-released in this 2009 edition. It includes performances by a large number of other musicians, notably Pendragon members Nick Barrett, Clive Nolan, Rik Carter, Nigel Harris, and Fudge Smith, as well as Tracey Hitchings, Karl Groom and many others.
A Vision of Angels followed in 1997 with Simon Clew on vocals, Ian Salmon on guitars, Tina Riley on backing vocals, and Steve Christey (Jadis, John Wetton) on drums, with contributions from Nick Barrett and Clive Nolan. While not too far from Pendragon and the whole neo-prog thing, Gee brings in a fresh jazz-pop element on some of the tunes. Also a more evident Genesis influence (Duke era) prevails than one might find on a Pendragon release... The more pop-oriented tracks tend to have a definite Pink Floyd meets Steely Dan feel about them, though that could also be the influence of any number of British eighties bands. In all, this is a good, refreshing album thats full of nice surprises. [Expos]
The Spiritual World (2008) has Christey on drums and Steve Thorne on vocals, with one track sung by Simon Clew.
The vocals on East of Eden (2011) are divided between Steve Thorne and Damian Wilson, with Steve Christey again handling the drums. Across the albums 72-minutes, Gee has room for several styles. The first song Arabia was probably inspired by Led Zeps Kashmir, while most of the vocal songs are in Gees soft symphonic rock style, with heartfelt lyrics. Some of these are not far from later Camel. (Gee names Moonmadness as the album that influenced him most.) Our favorites are several tracks (mostly instrumentals) where the influence of Mike Oldfield is hard to miss. You can find songs from East of Eden on YouTube: One Day Well Meet Again, I Want Out, Eyes of a Child, Emma, and others, as well as plenty from Gees other albums.
Karmakanic - In a Perfect World ($11.99) Whos the Boss in the Factory is the 2008 third CD from the band led by the busy Jonas Reingold (The Flower Kings, ex-The Tangent). Guests include Andy Tillison (The Tangent), Theo Travis (The Tangent, Gong, Porcupine Tree), and Tomas Bodin (The Flower Kings). The album is of the style and quality one would expect from the personnel involved. Most of it is in the Spocks Beard and The Flower Kings styles, though the two-part Eternally that concludes the album is more personal and moving, Reingolds eulogy to his late parents. After their first album which was marred by some metal, Karmakanic are now committed to progressive rock, and this is their best work to date.
In a Perfect World (2011) is the new Karmakanic CD. It includes some bonus material: a radio edit of one song and a 22:34 video of Send a Message from the Heart, the epic from the previous album. Read the Sea of Tranquility and Dangerdog reviews. Note Karmakanic are scheduled to perform at Rosfest 2012.
Yuka & Chronoship - Water Reincarnation ($15.99) Yuka & Chronoship is a Japanese progressive rock band formed in 2009 by female keyboardist/vocalist/composer Yuka Funakoshi along with three leading Japanese studio musicians: bassist Shun Taguchi, guitarist Takashi Miyazawa, and drummer Ikko Tanaka. Water Reincarnation (2011) is mostly instrumental but does have lovely (English-language and wordless) vocals and vocal harmonies. The Japanese symphonic prog scene has been relatively quiet of late, but Yuka & Chronoship are in the same league as Kenso and Mr. Sirius, though distinct from either. Their music is highly reminiscent of late 1970s progressive rock, very European-sounding, but not retro. The key (pun accidental) is that they are led by a keyboardist who can play and who can compose, who is versed in classical as well as jazz. There is technical virtuosity, but it isnt about technical virtuosity. This is a fantastic album and a necessary one in an era where what passes for progressive rock often lacks the classical foundation, depth and class of Yuka & Chronoship. YouTube has an album montage.
Ring of Myth - Ring of Myth ($15.99) 
Ring of Myths 1996 debut CD Unbound was released on the Kinesis label and is now mid-line priced. The follow-up Weeds (2005) was released on the Canadian Unicorn Digital label. As one reviewer of Unbound described them: When considered simplistically, Ring of Myth are sort of the perfect marriage of Yes and Rush, merging the classical symphonic sound of Yes into the trio format of Rush. See our dedicated Ring of Myth page for more information.
The self-titled Ring of Myth CD is actually their third, from 2011, with the band on their third prog label, this time the French Musea label. Here is a full-length mp3 of the track Closer.
Anyones Daughter - Calw Live (2CD, $19.99)Anyones Daughter was Germanys best Genesis-style symphonic rock group, who sang their first two albums in English, then switched to German for the last three (of the original lineup). Why this band isnt much better known among prog fans is a mystery as there are few newer bands producing music on this level. With more than 30,000 copies sold, Piktors Verwandlungen (1981) is Anyones Daughters most successful release. Based on the Herman Hesse fairy tale, it was their first German language album, though on this album it is primarily spoken word, and the album is heavily instrumental. It is widely considered a masterpiece of German progressive rock, packed with grandiose atmospheric music and magical passages. In the summer of 2002, on the 125th anniversary of Herman Hesses birth, Anyones Daughter performed Piktors Verwandlungen in Hesses birth town of Calw in the Black Forest region. They performed the entire concept album, framed by three older songs and a few tracks from their latest release Danger World. German master poet Heinz Rudolf Kunze, himself a fan of Hesse and with his charismatic timbre destined to recite Hesses text, joined the band for this concert. A rapt audience of over 9000 witnessed this historic spectacle on the market square of Calw. Kunze spoke Hesses words which had been fluidly woven into the piece. The unforgettable concert reached its finale with the John Lennon song Imagine. This 2011 double-CD contains the entire concert. See our German page for more Anyones Daughter CDs and more info.
Solstice - Kindred Spirits (DVD+CD, $18.99) Kindred Spirits is Solstices first live album since The Cropredy Set in 1998. They launched their last studio album Spirit in 2010 and filmed the show, and its that film that forms the Kindred Spirits DVD (NTSC, all-region) along with a couple of tracks from their set at the Loreley Festival in Germany the same year. The Kindred Spirits CD is a compilation of live tunes from 2007-2008 and covers a lot of older material that they didnt get to play at the Spirit launch. Both the DVD and CD have superb sound and capture the energy of the performances. A month or so before Kindred Spirits was due to be pressed, Andy Glass of Solstice got an email from someone saying how much they were enjoying their recently purchased copy of Spirit. That someone turned out to be veteran Marvel artist and prog fan, Barry Kitson. The result of this moment of synchronicity is the brilliant art that runs through the album. Barry is a phenomenal artist and lovely bloke, and the band are greatly indebted to him. Another discovery that preceded the release of Kindred Spirits was the discovery that Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree is a Solstice fan. Steven very kindly agreed to contribute to the sleeve notes, and his chat with Festival Musics David Robinson fills a couple of pages of the booklet. See our British page for the rest of the Solstice catalog and more info.
Sky Architect - A Dying Mans Hymn ($15.99) After hearing the band 5bridges, we didnt expect to learn of another Dutch band playing classic progressive rock so soon, since for the past 20+ years, Dutch prog bands have taken their cues from Marillion or, more recently, metal bands. Excavations of the Mind (2010) is the debut for Sky Architect, a quintet of relatively young Dutch musicians including three from a Rotterdam conservatory. They come right out and state that they are interested in reviving the symphonic progressive style of the 1970s. While 5bridges are more Genesis-influenced, Sky Architect are a bit harder-edged, a bit darker, quirkier and more technical. Maybe more original too, because beyond a vague sense of King Crimson or Gentle Giant, they dont really call to mind specific bands. There are lots of vintage keys including Mellotron. It would have been nice to hear some suggestion of Focus, Kayak, Supersister, Trace, Finch, or any other Dutch 70s progressive rock instead of only British influences, but its not uncommon today to find young European progressive rock musicians unaware of their own heritage. (So is it any wonder music is more homogenized now?) Nevertheless, this is a very promising debut by a band whove gone back far enough in their listening to find the real, undiluted prog. Mark Wilkinson created the CD artwork. Note drummer and backing vocalist Christiaan Bruin is the guy responsible for the Chris CDs.
Probably just coincidence, but Sky Architects 2011 follow-up A Dying Mans Hymn does at times sound like the great Dutch prog band Finch! And how many later bands have ever been compared to Finch? A Dying Mans Hymn is quite an extraordinary album, more mature than their debut. It is more instrumental than vocal, not without some contemporary aspects but primarily classic prog, with a dark, Van der Graaf Generator vibe. The band relocated to the woods of Sweden to record this album, woods known to be full of prog magic. Read the review at Dantes Prog Blog Inferno.
Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe 2CD ($15.99)Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe was for most intents and purposes Yes in 1989. ABWH wouldnt exist for long before being merged with the other Yes for the Union album and tour. This remastered and deluxe edition of the ABWH studio album now includes a second disc of bonus material that includes rare mixes and single edits and, more importantly, three live tracks recorded on the British leg of the bands world tour.
Jon Anderson - Survival and Other Stories ($15.99)Survival and Other Stories (2011) is a new Jon Anderson album, the first of three planned for the next two years. As Jon says, About four years ago I just put an ad on my website: Musicians Wanted... this is the result. Writing the songs for Survival and other Stories was uplifting for me on many levels. I was working with musicians from around the world via the Internet, its a new world, music is a healing energy, I had a tough 2008 through illness, and the music Ive been writing since is a celebration of life on many levels. I hope you get the chance to hear the album. Read the review at NewAgeMusic.nu. As for audio samples, YouTube may be your best bet - to get you started, listen to New New World.
Anderson/Wakeman - The Living Tree ($15.99)Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman have toured together outside of Yes a couple times. The Living Tree (2010) is their first studio album together, featuring nine new songs. Read reviews at Prog Archives.
Yes - Union Live DVD ($16.99)This 2011 double-CD and DVD (NTSC, all-region, 4:3) contain Yes August 1991 concert at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California. This is the concert of the 8-man Yes lineup that was released on Laserdisc back in the day. The tracks: Intro/Firebird Suite, Yours Is No Disgrace, Rhythm of Love, Heart of the Sunrise, Clap/Mood for a Day, Make It Easy/Owner of a Lonely Heart, Ive Seen All Good People, Sollys Beard, Saving My Heart for You, Whitefish/Amazing Grace, Rick Wakeman Solo, Awaken, Roundabout. The DVD features Dolby Digital 5.1 surround and 2.0 stereo audio. More Yes DVDs.
Time Traveller - Chapters III & IV ($15.99) Chapters I & II (2008) is an album out of Finland recorded as the solo project of multi-instrumentalist Juhani Nisula, though he has since formed a quintet for live performance. Chapters I & II sounds like a full band as it is, with a great analog 1970s sound. This is exciting, energetic instrumental symphonic prog with the glory more from the accomplished 70s-style guitar work, but ably blended with an array of vintage keyboards: Hammond; Mellotron; Moog, ARP and Oberheim synths; Clavinet; Crumar string ensemble and more. The bass playing and drumming hold up their end as well, while a guest adds violin on one song. It is really amazing for a solo project to achieve the sort of live energy heard on this CD. The Time Traveller MySpace page used to list Nisulas influences; suffice to say his knowledge of progressive rock runs deep. Read the Sea of Tranquility review.
Chapters III & IV (2011) is the follow-up, which features Nisula on most instruments, a drummer, and guests on keyboards, tenor sax and flute. To date, Juhani Nisulas Time Traveller project has yielded almost eighty minutes of fabulous music that is designed to take the listener back to a period in time (i.e. the 60s and 70s) when classic/progressive/psychedelic music of this nature really flourished. If you really want to find out what Time Traveller is all about, I encourage you to play both albums back to back for a truly mind blowing experience. Kudos to Juhani for once again delivering the goods. This is one reviewer who seriously hopes that Time Traveller continues well beyond the next chapters, because resplendent music of this nature should be considered an ongoing journey, with no destination. Read the full Sea of Tranquility review.
Jakszyk, Fripp and Collins: A King Crimson Project - A Scarcity of Miracles CD+DVD-A ($21.99)Robert Fripp says: A Scarcity of Miracles is one of my favouritist albums, of those where I am a determining element. This 2011 release from almost-but-not-quite-King Crimson features Fripp (guitars), Mel Collins (saxes, flute), Jakko M Jakszyk (guitars, vocals, keys), Tony Levin (bass, Chapman Stick), and Gavin Harrison (drums). It relates more to Jakszyks last solo album than to the last King Crimson album, but then the latter was 2003. The CD-only version comes in a jewel box, while the CD+DVD-Audio edition comes in a fat digipack + slipcase. The DVD-Audio disc (NTSC, all-region) contains 24/96 lossless surround for the elite listeners, DTS surround for those who willingly throw bits away, 24/48 PCM stereo for those with only two speakers, while some will make do with the CD. The DVD-A has some bonus material as well: alternate mixes of five album tracks in hi-res stereo, a video of the title track, and two Jakszyk/Fripp improvs.
This album simply is fantastic. It is unbelievable how the musicians play through the songs in such a seemingly simple manner but actually the songs are very complex. It might not be King Crimson as usual but so many elements are present. This music really is something special and another huge development in the Crimson history but it is even more: here we have a new aspect of progressive rock, something which hasnt been heard before at all. Read the full review at Alternative Matter.
A Scarcity of Miracles returns Fripp to a nearly all-English lineup for the first time since the 70s, and while impossible to define why, possesses the most decidedly British feel of any group project in which Fripp has participated since his 1990s work with David Sylvian. It may lack the sharp corners, jagged-edged and harder surfaces of latter-day Crimson, and theres none of the overt symphonic prog of early Crim, but Jakszyks refined vocals, soft-spoken playing and haunting songwriting, Fripps searing lines and orchestral soundscaping, and Collins soaring melodies make for the best group record, Crimson or no, to come from the Fripp camp in nearly 30 years. Read the full review at All About Jazz.
Jakko M. Jakszyk - The Bruised Romantic Glee Club (2CD, $14.99) This is the 2009 digipack edition of The Bruised Romantic Glee Club (2006) by Jakko M. Jakszyk (21st Century Schizoid Band, The Tangent, The Lodge, Level 42, Stewart/Gaskin, to name a few). The first CD in this 2CD set contains Jakkos compositions, while the second CD contains cover versions of songs by Henry Cow, King Crimson and Soft Machine. The guest musicians include Robert Fripp, Ian McDonald, Ian Wallace, Dave Stewart, Mel Collins, Gavin Harrison, Hugh Hopper, John Giblin, Danny Thompson (Pentangle, many others), Nick Beggs (Steve Hackett, Iona), Clive Brooks (Egg), Caroline Lavelle, Gary Barnacle (Level 42, many sessions), Mark King (Level 42), and Pandit Dinesh (Dizrhythmia). Read reviews at Bills Prog Blog and All About Jazz.
Mist Season - Reflections ($12.99) 
Mist Season is a Finnish quintet including former members of Kaamos and Tasavallan Presidentti, playing music between fusion and progressive rock that sometimes brings to mind Pekka Pohjola as well as Isildurs Bane during their jazz-rock phase (Sea Reflections, Eight Moments of Eternity). Read the reviews at Prog Archives of Mist Season (2004), Woodlands (2006), and Reflections (2011). If there arent any reviews there yet of Reflections, head to Sea of Tranquility. Mist Season can also be heard on a number of Museas various artists CDs such as Rkstenen, Tuonen Tytr II, Dantes Divine Comedy: Purgatorio and Paradiso, Cani Arrabbiati, and A Flower Full of Stars.
Annie Haslam - Still Life 2CD ($16.99) This is the 2011 remastered edition on Gonzo (formerly Voiceprint) of Annie Haslams second solo album, one of the highlights of her solo career. Still Life was recorded with Louis Clark and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in 1985 and consists of light classical pieces set to lyrics by Renaissance lyricist Betty Thatcher. Louis Clark had previously done the orchestral arrangements for Renaissances A Song for All Seasons. In addition to the orchestra and Annies stunning vocals, there are musicians on harp, piano, bass and drums. This new edition adds a bonus disc containing instrumental versions of all tracks (for your karaoke parties).
Comedy of Errors - Disobey ($12.99) Superb new CD from the other Scottish neo-prog band (after Pallas and Abel Ganz). Comedy of Errors are calling Disobey (2011, digipack) their debut, but the band formed in 1984 and released a vinyl mini-album in 1986 that compiled their demos to that point. These tracks were later combined with 1987 demos to form the eponymous CD released in 1988 by the French UGUM/MSI label. (Good luck finding that now.) The 2011 reformed Comedy of Errors features the three core members from those days, a new drummer, and a bit of assistance from Hew Montgomery (ex-Abel Ganz). Rob Aubrey did the final mixing and mastering, almost a requirement for a UK neo-prog CD. If youre a fan of UK neo-prog and didnt know of Comedy of Errors before, you are in for a treat. And if you do know Comedy of Errors, you are in for a treat. Read reviews at Prog Archives.
Eureka - Silverware: The Best of Eureka 1997-2010 ($14.99) 
Eureka is the project of German multi-instrumentalist Frank Bossert, best known for his fourth album Shackletons Voyage, which was released by InsideOut. That album operated at the interface of progressive rock, symphonic electronic, and Celtic music, the two biggest influences being Mike Oldfield and Vangelis, while also containing some mainstream symphonic prog in the later Yes mold, and a couple tracks with pipes and whistle in Iona territory. The compilation Silverware: The Best of Eureka 1997-2010 is drawn from all four previous Eureka albums and includes a new song and three re-recordings. Bossert put a lot of effort into this retrospective, as the 20-page booklet guides the listener through Eurekas history, providing a story and background information for each track.
The Full Circle is the second Eureka album, first released in 2002, later reissued in this 2008 edition. The third Eureka album The Compass Rose (2005) features over a dozen guest musicians. These are musts for Oldfield and Celtic-rock fans.
Akin - The Way Things End ($13.99) The Way Things End (2011, 61-minutes, digipack) follows a 2001 debut CD and 2003 EP for this French band. Akin are definitely a contemporary prog band, i.e., the lead guitarist sometimes plays metal, there is nothing in the music to suggest theyre French, and we wouldnt be surprised if theyd never heard of Atoll, Mona Lisa, Pulsar, Magma, etc. The core of the band is seven persons including female lead vocals (in English), keyboards, flute, guitars, bass and drums. What elevates this album above the pack is the presence of a string quartet, not used for a chamber music flavor but rather in the manner of any rock band that features violin, viola, or cello prominently. Other guests add third world instruments. File Akin somewhere in the vicinity of The Reasoning, though Akin are distinct. When they add metal to the mix, they begin to sound as pedestrian as any prog-metal band, but when they leave it out, they stand above their peers. Read the Sea of Tranquility review.
Neal Morse - Testimony Two (2CD, $17.99) Nearly a decade earlier, Neal Morse released his landmark autobiographical progressive rock epic, Testimony. Now (2011) he returns with an extraordinary cast of musicians to tell the rest of the story in Testimony 2. And hes saved the best for last. On this sequel, he dives deeper into unchartered musical and lyrical territory. Incorporating legendary drummer Mike Portnoy and brilliant bassist Randy George, this breathtaking album is a prog epic with breadth that dazzles and melodies that reach into the soul. The first disc is autobiographical and picks up where the first Testimony left off, in the mid-1990s when Spocks Beard begin to experience unexpected success. Neal sings about their glory days in Time Changer, with the original band members joining in for a vocal extravaganza in their classic style. The second disc includes a 25-minute prog rock epic featuring Steve Morse! Note there is a much more expensive edition that adds a DVD; however it is not a concert DVD but rather a behind-the-scenes making-of documentary.
It really is an amazing story and the music that is found on this recording is equal to the task of telling the tale... CD 2 holds three tracks and its the highlight of the set, all three emotionally power-packed tracks. This is Morse and his band at their very best, pumping out prog rock classics Absolute Beginner, Supernatural, and the nearly 25-minute tour de force Seeds of Gold to wrap up the session. This set is fantastic and similar to the kind of music and presentation that Neal is accustomed to in recording with Transatlantic. Neal Morse has made the musical and spiritual statement of his life and career with Testimony Two. Read the full review at Progressive World. See below for Transatlantic, Page 2 for more Neal Morse CDs, and our DVDs page for Neal Morse DVDs.
Mars Hollow - World in Front of Me ($12.99) The self-titled album is the outstanding 2010 debut from a quartet of veteran southern California musicians, and the best album released to date by the 10t label. Aside from its 58-minute length, Mars Hollows CD could pass for an American 1970s symphonic prog album -- Kansas obviously, but also the indie bands such as Lift, Pentwater, Easter Island, etc. Like those bands, the primary influences are Yes and ELP, who had a chart presence in the U.S. that secondary influences such as Genesis, Renaissance, or Gentle Giant did not. (Of course, Genesis the pop band would later.) The music is song-based but with extended arrangements that include substantial instrumental developments. Keyboards and guitar are in balance. All were really describing is what symphonic progressive rock is supposed to be, where the guitar is sympathetic to the arrangement, not usurping it. File under Essential. Read the Sea of Tranquility review.
World in Front of Me (2011) is the second Mars Hollow CD, produced by Billy Sherwood (Yes, World Trade). To put it succinctly, this is what Yes should sound like now.
Yak - Journey of the Yak ($11.99) This 2008 instrumental CD is one of the best British progressive rock albums in recent memory, pure classic prog, close to Genesis (or Steve Hackett solo) and Camel. Yak are a keys/bass/drums trio, but their sound is bigger than that -- after hearing this, you will swear that there is a guitarist in the band, one who has the expressive Hackett/Latimer lead style nailed! In fact, keyboardist Martin Morgan is playing the guitar parts from a keyboard, the best emulation of that sustained electric guitar style weve ever heard. Of course a guitarist or two will be required live, as the guitar and keyboard sounds are layered. Just when youve despaired of ever hearing a British prog band create the real thing again, you are rescued by a Yak. Sounds like Dave Greenslade jamming with Genesis. [Classic Rock Presents Prog] Read reviews at Yaks site and at Prog Archives.
Alex Carpani - The Sanctuary ($14.99)Classically trained at the University of Bologna in composition and piano, composer/arranger Carpani continues the great Italian keyboard-centric prog rock tradition. On Waterline (2007, digisleeve), his fluid and inventive keyboards are accompanied by an American rhythm section. Waterline is mostly instrumental but does feature Aldo Tagliapietra (Le Orme) on vocals and is between the Italian and British 1970s progressive rock styles. Dan Shapiro (Clearlight) and Ken Jaquess (K2, Atlantis) play bass, while Neil Bettencourt (Clearlight) plays drums. A number of guitarists contribute, among them Tony Spada (Holding Pattern). Read lots of reviews. Counts as only one-half CD for shipping.
On The Sanctuary (2010, digipack), Carpani is assisted by two members of his live band: Ettore Salati on guitars and Fabiano Spiga on bass, while drums are handled by Gigi Cavalli-Cocchi (Mangala Vallis, Moongarden). Read lots of reviews; youll also find an album preview on that page. The cover art for both CDs is by Paul Whitehead.
Credo - Against Reason ($14.99) Eleven years after their debut Field of Vision, British neo-prog band Credo returned with Rhetoric (2005, 70-minutes), a big improvement over Field of Vision but still solidly in the early Marillion vein, with Mark Coltons very Fish-like vocals. It also resembles Grey Lady Down, early Arena, and Pallas and is of comparable quality. Against Reason (2011, 70-minutes) is another significant step forward for Credo, who have taken up the mantle of Marillion as they were on Script... and Fugazi, that bombastic, weighty style, here with larger-than-life production. Read the Sea of Tranquility and Progmeister reviews. Check our DVDs page for Credos This Is What We Do DVD+2CD.
Sean Filkins - War and Peace and Other Short Stories ($14.99) From the Festival Music label (Manning, Tinyfish, Solstice, Steve Thorne, etc.) comes another album of classy British neo-prog, this one in the early Marillion, Pallas, and Jadis veins. Sean Filkins was a member of Big Big Train for eight years and is the singer you hear on Gathering Speed and The Difference Machine. War and Peace and Other Short Stories (2011, 69-minutes) includes contributions from Gary Chandler (Jadis), Dave Meros (Spocks Beard), John Mitchell (It Bites, Frost, etc.), Lee Abraham, and many more. This isnt just paint-by-numbers prog. Its a monster of an album that will satiate all your bombastic neo-longings, and it shows that the Southampton area is still ground zero for English neo-prog.
Big Big Train - Goodbye to the Age of Steam 2011 ($12.99) This is the 2011 digipack reissue of Big Big Trains 1994 first album. As the band says: It isnt representative of where we are now as a band and it wasnt something we intended to go back to, but Rob Aubrey had a window in his schedule last year and offered to remix it from the master tapes. The 1994 version of the album was recorded and mixed on a very tight budget and the opportunity to achieve the best possible sound quality with a complete remix was something we could not resist. We have also added three bonus tracks to the album to ensure the 2011 version of Goodbye to the Age of Steam is a value-for-money release. Firstly, there is an extended version of Losing Your Way, featuring an instrumental section which was edited out of the album version; then a track called Far Distant Thing which we recorded for a radio session in 1993, and finally, an instrumental track called Expecting Dragons which reworks some of the album themes and motifs and which features the bands modern line-up. Those of you who are familiar with the original release will also notice that we have used new artwork for the reissue. The painting for the 1994 cover was sold at auction and we have no idea where it is. So we asked our artist, Jim Trainer, to paint some new images. Cracking job he made of it too. (The reissue features a 12-page booklet which includes a number of Jims paintings.) ...Its certainly not up there with The Underfall Yard or Far Skies Deep Time, but its part of the Big Big Train story.
Big Big Train - Far Skies Deep Time ($10.99) out-of-stock 
Big Big Train - Gathering Speed digipack ($12.99) English band Big Big Train began in the early 1990s as a soft neo-prog band. Their second album English Boy Wonders was originally recorded on a limited budget and released by GEP (IQs label) in a semi-complete state in 1997. It had been unavailable for several years. For this 2008 digipack re-release, Big Big Train returned to the original multi-track tapes but also re-recorded much of the album. Additional sections of music were written to complete the album as it was originally intended. A bonus track featuring Martin Orford has been included and the album has been completely remixed and remastered by Rob Aubrey. Across its 80 minutes, English Boy Wonders tells the heartbreaking story of a doomed relationship.
Big Big Train made what we consider their breakthrough album in 2002 with Bard (currently out-of-print). The band almost called it quits at that point, but the overwhelmingly positive response to Bard encouraged them to continue. For Gathering Speed (2004, digipack), they added a new singer in Sean Filkins. The music on this CD is more intense than past efforts and far more connected to early Genesis than to the 1980s prog bands, with tasteful use of Mellotron and that characteristic mix of the pastoral and the majestic. A concept album set in the summer of 1940 during the Battle of Britain, it tells the story of a fighter pilot who is shot down during a combat patrol. If you want to re-experience the way English bands once made progressive rock, this is an essential album of very English music full of finesse and grace.
Big Big Trains fifth album The Difference Machine (2007, digipack) features significant contributions from Pete Trewavas (Marillion) and Nick DVirgilio and Dave Meros from Spocks Beard, and was mixed by Rob Aubrey. The band describes this CD as a combination of classic progressive influences (Genesis, Van der Graaf Generator, King Crimson, PFM) and influences from alternative rock (Sigur Ros, Oceansize, Mew). It does represent a significant evolution of their sound from previous albums, and is one of those albums like Marillions Brave that defies expectations and may require several listens before it begins to sink in. The great chord changes and powerful melodies are still there, more so in fact than before, but the music is much more upbeat, more proggy if you will than previous albums. In fact it doesnt even sound like the same band as earlier albums, except for some of Gathering Speed. This is in fact one of the most powerful and beautiful albums I have heard in years. This is one of those albums that sound better and better with repeated listens, and the addition of sax and cello give the overall effect of a true classic, somewhere between Yes, Genesis and Pink Floyd in their primes. Mellotron abounds as well, in the short breaks that divide the three long songs that make up the bulk of the album. [Bill Gillham, Prog Archives] One thing is reasonably certain: Big Big Train have gone from being a second-tier neo-prog band to a band that is now breaking new ground. This is the 2010 digipack edition, which adds one bonus track.
The Underfall Yard (2009, digipack) is the most ambitious Big Big Train album yet, an astonishing work, dare we say their masterpiece. New singer David Longdon, whose voice is similar to that of Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins, is the final piece now in place. Longdon also plays many instruments on this album: flute, mandolin, dulcimer, psaltery, glockenspiel, and keyboards. Longdon worked with Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford for half a year on what would become Genesis Calling All Stations album before losing the job to Ray Wilson. More recently, Longdon sang on Martin Orfords The Old Road, an album also recorded by Rob Aubrey, and with Martin and Robs recommendation, Longdon boarded the Train. Nick DVirgilio plays the drums, and there is a small orchestra worth of other musicians contributing, including Dave Gregory (XTC, Peter Gabriel), Jem Godfrey (Frost), and Francis Dunnery (It Bites, solo). While The Difference Machine added modern influences, and some of that is still present on The Underfall Yard, this feels much more like a classic prog album. And yet different. The pastoral Genesis and PFM influence is still present, with flute, acoustic guitar, and cello, all bathed in a warm Mellotron glow. But there is more Yes influence than on any previous Big Big Train album. Dont finalize your Best of 2009 list until youve heard The Underfall Yard. Read the Progressive Land review.
Big Big Train are promoting their 41-minute Far Skies Deep Time (2010, digisleeve) as a CD-EP. If this is an EP, then there are a number of other good EPs we can recommend such as Close to the Edge. It probably has more to do with the fact that Big Big Train like their albums to be conceptual, and Far Skies Deep Time is a mere collection of five lyrically-unrelated songs. The lineup is similar to that on The Underfall Yard, with Nick DVirgilio still the drummer and Dave Gregory now working full-time. Among several guest musicians, the otherwise retired Martin Orford contributes two spectacular keyboard solos. The music is in the same vein as The Underfall Yard, full of 1970s Genesis and Yes inspiration, often mellow and pastoral before erupting into symphonic glory. The first track Master of Time is actually an obscure Anthony Phillips composition that had only reached the demo stage. Big Big Train give it the full band treatment. (No wonder we thought we were hearing Trespass.) Hope you left a slot open on your Best of 2010 list. Read the review at Prognaut.
Vienna Circle - White Clouds ($11.99) White Clouds is the 2008 debut CD by an overlooked British neo-prog band. Vienna Circle operate in Pendragon and Marillion territory, but the band they really remind us of is Castanarc, the soothing lead vocals having much to do with that. Vienna Circle tend to be more atmospheric than those bands, and are more serious and profound-sounding than Castanarc, without getting bogged down in it as many modern bands do. That is, the music remains uplifting, with a spiritual quality. (As opposed to certain bands who believe theyre documenting the decay of western culture, unaware that theyre hastening it.) So this is what Castanarc would and should sound like in 2008 in an ideal world, and Vienna Circle are a band with the potential to be the next star in the UK neo-prog scene. Theyre working on a second album, so no time like the present to feature their first. Read the DPRP review.
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Zen Rock and Roll - Undone ($13.99) 
End of the Age (2002) is the debut CD from Zen Rock and Roll, composed and recorded in the spirit of the British symphonic rock movement of the early 1970s. It reminds us a bit of the American band Netherworld, who were similarly inspired. There are just three long tracks spanning the albums 45-minute length, but Zen Rock and Roll are able to sustain interest throughout the compositions, with plenty of twists and turns and good instrumental interplay, while themes are well developed and pleasant melodies recur. Its full of Mellotron and flute and the usual symphonic goodies. The Birthright Circle (2004) is another fine CD in the same vein, with only four tracks spanning 45-minutes, culminating in the 23-minute Circle.
Finally 2011 sees the third Zen Rock and Roll CD Undone. Composer Jonathan Saunders sticks mostly to normal length songs here, and his old-school pop songwriting skills are in evidence right off the bat -- the tracks are really catchy and display his love of English 1970s prog. The keyboards suggest Tony Banks, while the harmony vocals and some of the more pop-oriented sections remind one of Todd Rundgren and Utopia. There is an epic though, the 14:42 instrumental Concerto for the Original Sinners, which has several distinct sections, leading into the final song Lament, almost a lullaby and a perfect close to an album that is more personal than the first two, has stronger vocals and invites repeated listens (imagine that!).
TCP - Fantastic Dreamer ($12.99) TCP, short for Temporal Chaos Project, are a U.S. progressive band, a collaboration between several east coast musicians with a number of guests helping out on The Way (2009), their 74-minute debut. The music draws primarily from classic early 1970s symphonic prog but doesnt strongly resemble any one band. The dark, slightly Gabriel-esque vocals are one element that suggests early Genesis, and the keyboard sounds (mainly organ, piano, Mellotron strings) tend to be of that vintage. The music features extended instrumental passages with layers of keys and guitars over shifting and complex rhythms. OK, we cribbed some of that last sentence from the press release, but its accurate. The Way could be grouped with the first Deluge Grander CD.
Fantastic Dreamer (2011, 61-minutes) is TCPs second. The album opens with a short and heavy track combining King Crimson and Black Sabbath, after which TCP stick to their true style, which is sort of an amalgam of Genesis, Renaissance (lots of piano on this album), Marillion, and various other prog influences, not quite as refined as those bands, but then who is? The music is also darker and a bit heavier, so the one contemporary band that sounds closest to TCP may be Carptree (on their later albums), especially given the similarities in the singers voices. Fantastic Dreamer is easily an early candidate for Prog Album of 2011, so make sure to dig in deep to what this exquisite banquet has to offer. [Sea of Tranquility] Read reviews of both albums.
From.uz - Quartus Artifactus (DVD+2CD, $13.99) From.uz are a world-class instrumental progressive rock and fusion band from Uzbekistan. The 2CD+DVD combo Quartus Artifactus (2011, digisleeve) is a newly-recorded collection of songs from all three of the bands previous studio releases, rearranged and played in a progressive-chamber format with a less electric, more acoustic sound. The album includes a full concert DVD (NTSC, all-region) with behind the scenes supplemental material and two CDs of the individual music tracks. The sound is a gentler, friendlier From.uz but retains the intensity of the originals while bringing in some beautiful acoustic interpretations. Filmed and recorded live in June 2009, this is not the typical unplugged sound -- there are drums and synths and plenty of energy, just the more open sound youd expect when replacing distorted electric guitar with acoustic and 12-string. It is still very much progressive rock and fusion; it is still very much From.uz. See our East European page for the rest of the From.uz catalog.
Pendragon - Passion (CD+DVD, $12.99) The 2011 studio album for the resurgent Pendragon is their first on the Madfish label (Snapper Music). It comes with a DVD (NTSC, all-region, 81-minutes) featuring a Pendragon Progumentary, behind-the-scenes footage of the making of Passion. This set comes in a super jewel box + slipcase. Few 33-year-old bands are reaching new fans, but with Pure and now Passion, Pendragon are doing it with some of their best material ever. See our British page for the rest of the Pendragon CDs and our DVDs page for their DVDs.
Blackfield - Welcome to My DNA deluxe ed. digibook ($15.99) This is the third studio album for Blackfield, the collaboration between Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree and Israeli star Aviv Geffen. This is the deluxe edition, which comes in the hardcover digibook format. Read reviews here.
This is the Israeli edition of Blackfields 2007 second album, with a slipcase for the jewel box. Check our DVDs page for Blackfields Live in New York City CD+DVD.
Horslips - The Road to the O2 PAL DVD ($19.99)The boys are back in town! Irelands beloved Horslips reunited as a full electric band and in December 2009 played their first real concerts in nearly 30 years in Belfast and Dublins main arenas, the Odyssey and O2 (10,000 and 14,000 seat venues, respectively). The Road to the O2 DVD (PAL, all-region) is the film of the Dublin concert. It includes an oversize booklet and a poster, comes in a deluxe box rather than a plastic case and counts as 1.5 CDs for shipping. The double-CD (tri-fold digisleeve) contains the entire Dublin show and is head and shoulders above Horslips previous live albums.
Horslips - The Belfast Gigs ($14.99) 
Horslips - Aliens ($14.99)
Horslips - Live (2CD, $15.99)
Horslips - Dancehall Sweethearts ($14.99)These are all the 2009-2010 remastered digipack CD reissues on the bands own Horslips Records label, with lots of live bonus tracks added to each except for the Live 2CD and Drive the Cold Winter Away. Now only the first Horslips album Happy to Meet, Sorry to Part has yet to be reissued in this series. Horslips were the Irish folk-prog band and may have invented Celtic rock. Prior to U2, they were arguably the Irish band period (and Bono was a fan). Formed in Dublin in 1970, the Irish folk aspect of their style was strongest early on. By the end of their career (1980), they had become almost purely a rock band. The first CD reissues of the Horslips albums looked and sounded terrible. They were reissued with better sound circa 2000 but didnt stay in-print long. These are the definitive editions.
Horslips second album The Tain (1973) is one of their two best, the other being their masterpiece The Book of Invasions (1976). The latter is more polished, but both are essential. Read the VintageProg.com reviews for more info.
Dancehall Sweethearts (1974) and The Unfortunate Cup of Tea (1975) followed The Tain, with more of a 70s hard rock element and less Irish folk, even though every song on Dancehall Sweethearts had a traditional song concealed within. Dancehall Sweethearts produced several tracks that would become live favorites.
Drive the Cold Winter Away (1975), released in Ireland for Christmas, is their most traditional album, perhaps a response to critics at the time who maintained that Horslips had gone too far to the rock side at the expense of their trad folk side. The double-LP Horslips Live was released in 1976, a powerful document of Horslips in concert even though it could have had better sound.
Tracks from the Vaults (1977) compiles Horslips rare singles, unreleased tracks, alternate versions, and two tracks by Beatles tribute band Lipstick, who were in fact Horslips!
The excellent Aliens (1977) followed The Book of Invasions, and progressive rock fans were taking notice, for not only did Horslips often sound like an Irish Jethro Tull at this time, these albums actually charted in the U.S. From Aliens until the end of their career, each subsequent album contained less folk and more rock, and the quality dropped off as the commercialism increased. Well, the story was much the same for most progressive bands during the late 70s. The Man Who Built America (1978) was still a good album, really Horslips last good album. Its subject matter is the life of Irish immigrants in America, conceptually the sequel to Aliens which is about the emigration from Ireland during the potato famine. Horslips final albums prior to their reunion were their last studio album Short Stories / Tall Tales (1979) and the 1980 live album The Belfast Gigs, the latter a sort of a greatest hits live album. By this time, Horslips were a hard rock band embellished by keyboards and traditional instruments (fiddle, mandolin, flute), so its not the place to start. See Prog Archives for reviews of all these albums and far more detail than can be presented here.
At one point in the mid-70s, Horslips seemed poised to become Irelands answer to Steeleye Span. But they also had a shot at being the next Jethro Tull (only a better hard rock outfit), or maybe Genesis, or even Yes in their folkier moments. Those events never quite happened, but Horslips released half a dozen superb albums along the way, becoming Irelands most acclaimed folk-rock and progressive band. Read the full bio at iTunes where youll also find more audio samples.
Phideaux - Snowtorch ($11.99) The 2011 studio CD from one of Americas top progressive rock bands comes in a heavyweight gatefold mini-LP sleeve. (Rest of the world, note that CDs dont need to sell for 20% more just because the jacket is made of paper. Italy, were looking at you.) Read the advance reviews at The Leviathan and Sideburns Movement. See Page 2 for the rest of the Phideaux CDs and more info.
The Watch - Timeless ($16.99)It was a busy 2010 for Italys The Watch as they toured most of Europe and North America performing their Genesis tribute show. Counting their first CD when they were The Night Watch, Timeless (2011, digipack) is their sixth studio CD. It contains seven original songs plus three reinterpretations of very early 1969-70 Genesis tracks (In the Wilderness, Let Us Now Make Love, Stagnation). John Hackett guests on flute on one. Stagnation is live, taken from the 2010 shows, giving newcomers an idea of how incredible and timeless that music and this band sound when performing Genesis. Here are mp3 excerpts from the tracks One Day, Soaring On, End of the Road excerpt 1 and excerpt 2, and Thunder Has Spoken excerpt 1 and excerpt 2. Read the Sea of Tranquility review. Check our Italian page for the rest of The Watch CDs.
Transatlantic - Whirld Tour 2010 2DVD ($19.99) 
Transatlantic - SMPT:e ($14.99)The prog rock supergroup of one-time Spocks Beard leader Neal Morse, The Flower Kings Roine Stolt, Marillions Pete Trewavas, and Dream Theaters Mike Portnoy have a new extravaganza. The double-DVD (NTSC, all-region) Whirld Tour 2010 captures Transatlantic at their peak, expanded to a quintet with Daniel Gildenlow (Pain of Salvation). This is a six-camera shoot of the full three-hour concert performance at Londons Shepherds Bush Empire, as well as a high quality two-hour behind-the-scenes documentary. The entire The Whirlwind album is performed along with much of the best music from the previous Transatlantic albums. Bonuses include a 22-minute interview with the guys backstage at the High Voltage festival in London as well as a five-camera shoot of their encore from High Voltage, the Genesis classic Return of the Giant Hogweed with Steve Hackett! 5.1 surround and 2.0 stereo audio. Tall super jewel box, counts as 2 CDs for shipping.
The Whirlwind (2009) is Transatlantics third studio album. The 2CD Special Edition comes in a digipack and includes the 77-minute The Whirlwind on disc 1 and a 56-minute second disc containing four new Transatlantic studio tracks and four new studio covers: The Return of the Giant Hogweed (Genesis), A Salty Dog (Procol Harum), I Need You (America / The Beatles), Soul Sacrifice (Santana). The 3-disc Deluxe Edition (counts as 2 CDs for shipping) comes in a box and adds a 105-minute DVD (NTSC, all-region) containing The Making of The Whirlwind documentary.
SMPT:e (2000) is the album that started it all for Transatlantic. This is the Radiant Records / Metal Blade edition. The Spocks Beard CDs are on Page 2.
Mostly Autumn - Go Well Diamond Heart ($15.99) 
Mostly Autumn - Passengers Remastered ($15.99)This is the single disc edition of Mostly Autumns 2010 studio album Go Well Diamond Heart. There is a limited 2CD edition available only directly from the band (and be prepared to open your wallet wide). Heather Findlay left to focus on family and solo career, but Mostly Autumn were ready to promote from within. Olivia Sparnenn has taken over as lead singer. (Olivia is also the singer for Iain Jennings band Breathing Space.) Not only have Mostly Autumn lost nothing with this transition, theyve arguably made their best album since The Last Bright Light. We wish we could say you arent missing anything by having only the single CD version, but you are. However, the best of those songs that appear only on the 2CD are likely to end up on a live CD or DVD, since Mostly Autumn tend to release one or both from each tour. Read the reviews at SoundLust and Harmonic Lizard.
Between them, the Live 2009 Part I and Part II CDs present the entire set of Mostly Autumns 2009 live show, in the same order that the songs were performed. The band says they seriously believe these are the definitive versions of many of their songs, that they have just evolved beautifully with the strength of this line-up. Part I contains Fading Colours, Caught in a Fold, Flowers for Guns, Unoriginal Sin, Simple Ways, The Spirit of Autumn Past - Part II, Half the Mountain, Evergreen. Part II contains Winter Mountain, The Dark Before the Dawn, Answer the Question, The Last Bright Light, Above the Blue, Nowhere to Hide, Broken Glass, Never the Rainbow, Pocket Watch, Tearing at the Faerytale, Carpe Diem, Heroes Never Die. Each CD comes in a fold-open cardboard sleeve and counts as only one-half CD for shipping.
This is the 2010 remastered edition of Passengers, Mostly Autumns 2003 studio album. After the sonic success the band had remastering all the songs on the Pass the Clock 3CD compilation, they thought Passengers would benefit from the same treatment throughout. They also added three bonus live Passengers tracks from shows played in the winter of 2009, and some additional artwork. See our British page for many more Mostly Autumn titles and much more info.
Moon Safari - Lovers End ($15.99) 
This Swedish quintet debuted with one of the freshest, most likeable symphonic prog albums youll hear. The summer in A Doorway to Summer (2005) is apt as Moon Safari display none of the long-dark-winter Scandinavian melancholy and gloom. Instead they have a warm, Yes-like positivism, though their sound here comes closer to England, Druid, or Sebastian Hardie. They have harmony vocals that sometimes reach Beach Boys level, and some Beatles flavoring (closer to Klaatu actually). They use all analog keyboards including Mellotron and lots of acoustic guitar. The openness of their sound and their outstanding melodic sense give the album a 1970s feel and set Moon Safari apart from most of the other current prog bands. Tomas Bodin (keyboardist of The Flower Kings) guests and co-produced, and Moon Safari will almost certainly appeal to fans of The Flower Kings, though their style is distinct. Just five long tracks, one of which is 24-minutes long. Here is an mp3 from the track Dance Across the Ocean. Note the band intend to reissue A Doorway to Summer in late 2011 with one bonus track.
Despite the Swedish title, the double-CD Blomljud (2008) is again sung entirely in English. The title apparently translates to sound of flowers, and so the CD title again gives a clue to the music. Or maybe its an oblique reference to The Flower Kings. The style is a continuation of the first CD, but those wonderful harmony vocals are even more striking here, reminiscent of Queen, Yes, The Beach Boys, and Fireballet (second album). Its almost a lost art these days. The first disc has the lighter, vocal-heavy material, while the second disc tends to have the more energetic material, as if the first disc was warming the listener up for the second. It is all symphonic prog close to Yes with some Genesis influence, the latter felt particularly in the pastoral passages. Its sunny optimism is again in stark contrast to the prevailing mood of darkness, cynicism and metal in todays music.
Lovers End (2010) is Moon Safaris third studio CD. Mike Holmes of IQ and The Lens wrote recently that no progressive bands make summer albums anymore. Mike needs to hear Moon Safari, because Lovers End sounds like vintage Yes infused with the endless summer spirit of The Beach Boys. Speaking of great harmony vocals, Moon Safari are now the new champions: Beach Boys, CSNY, Queen, fuggedaboudit! This is the most powerful anti-depressant you can buy without a prescription, but be forewarned, it is highly-addictive. Watch Moon Safari videos.
The Lens - Regeneration ($14.99)As all IQ fans ought to know, The Lens was the predecessor to IQ. Today The Lens is an occasional project under the command and control of IQ guitarist/producer Mike Holmes. Regeneration (2010) contains all new instrumental material, with Holmes assisted by IQ drummer Paul Cook, original The Lens drummer Niall Hayden, and sax player Tony Wright (who appeared on IQs Subterranea and The Seventh House). In addition to the familiar IQ style, there is some wonderful Camel-like stuff, some Pink Floyd, and chilled-out progressive trance a la Ash Ra or mellow Ozric Tentacles. Hell, theres even symphonic techno. Its just about a perfect instrumental album. Read Mikes explanation of Regeneration. Here is a video for the track To the Power of Five.
A Word in Your Eye contains 2001 recordings of The Lens old material and provides an insight into a missing link between 1970s and 1980s British progressive rock. See Page 2 for the IQ catalog.
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