Steven Wilson - Hand. Cannot. Erase. (2015)

As regular viewers of my blog (assuming there any) are aware of, I'm a huge Steven Wilson fan (I gave The Raven a 10/10), so to say I was eagerly anticipating this is a criminal understatement.

The Raven is a fantastic album on its own terms, but its genius is somewhat marred by a distinct lack of creative progression. With little to differentiate it from Grace for Drowning except its ghost themed song-stories, I see The Raven as a creative step backwards for an artist who's known to push boundaries and avoid repetition. 

While Hand. Cannot. Erase. isn't entirely free of repetition (after all, Steven Wilson does have a particular "sound" that he's come to be identified with), what we see here is a quantum leap in terms of artistic progression, diversity of influences, and overall staying power of the music. 

Classic albums such as Dark Side of the Moon or Wish You Were Here are awarded legendary status not simply because of the music, but mainly because of the music's emotional quality and the lyrics' timeless messages. Concept albums, when executed flawlessly, center the music around a story that the general audience can relate to. For The Raven, there were multiple ghost stories - an intriguing concept, no doubt, but the album as a whole lacks the emotional impact that a single narrative can bring.

Without intending to sound pretentious, I believe that H.C.E. can, at least in some ways, be rightfully called the Dark Side of the Moon of the modern age. The thematic basis of H.C.E. is the film Dreams of a Life, which in turn is based on the true story of a woman who died in her London apartment and lay undiscovered for over two years. These themes of isolation and alienation in society were explored in depth on Dark Side of the Moon, but they are given a modern veneer and a relatable character in Wilson's opus.

From the hopefulness of 3 Years Older and the title track to the boredom of everyday life on Routine to the disconnection from real life on Ancestral to the inconclusive ending to the character's story on Happy Returns, H.C.E. masterfully traces a sketch of life in a postindustrial, urban environment. Through Rush-like guitar passages, psychedelic keyboard noodling, and hypnotic Boards of Canada-esque sampling, Wilson's true creative genius is on display as he marries the lyrics to the music in a way that's immediately relatable for not only his longtime fans, but most likely many new ones to come.

Wilson's previous three albums are all brilliant, but this seems to be the first one where he's truly proved himself as a master solo artist. In my view, this album completely obviates any need to revive the Porcupine Tree project, which so many fans have been clamoring for. Compared to the artistic maturity shown on this record, such a move would be a significant step in the wrong direction. In fact, no other Wilson album has connected with me quite like this one has. That isn't to say that it's my favorite Wilson release (In Absentia and Fear of a Blank Planet are still classic albums for me), but the sheer diversity of every song, as well as the way they connect with each other in a beautiful, yet heartbreaking tale of loss, puts this album over the edge as my favorite album so far this year. Indeed, short of something miraculously good coming out, I foresee this album taking my #1 spot at year's end.

A truly deserved 10/10

Opeth - Pale Communion (2014)

Opeth's 2011 foray into prog-rock and jazz fusion on "Heritage" left many longtime fans with a sour taste in their mouth. I, for one, enjoyed it, but it's still easily the weakest in their discography. It wasn't simply the lack of death growls or metal altogether; it was mainly that I couldn't connect with it like I had with "Still Life" or "Ghost Reveries."

 "Pale Communion," though, is a different story. The meandering fusion-inspired passages of "Heritage" have been trimmed down, and the end product is much closer to their metal days. "Moon Above, Sun Below," with its heavy, distinctly Opeth-ian riffage and harmonized acoustic interludes, could have easily fit on "Deliverance" or "Watershed." Similarly, the driving, Middle Eastern-tinged lead riff in "Cusp of Eternity" echoes back to "Atonement" on "Ghost Reveries." Mikael Akerfeldt and co. are clearly more confident in their songwriting abilities, whereas on "Heritage" it seemed as if they were approaching the writing process with an explicit desire not to make a metal album. And though "Pale Communion" is anything but a metal album, which makes it all the more unique in Opeth's catalog.

This album has something for every Opeth fan. Yes, there are obvious nods to their metal past, a fact much appreciated by old school fans such as myself. However, with songs like the Damnation-esque "Elysian Woes" and "River," Opeth are yet again charting new territory while still retaining the distinct melacholic sound that's defined them throughout their career. "Voice of Treason" and "Faith in Others" are some of my favorite tracks on this album. They both feature string sections that are employed so skillfully that one could hardly imagine the songs without them. "Faith in Others" has a particularly cinematic and even cathartic quality about it that makes it not only Opeth's best closing song, but also some of their most intensely depressing (in a good way) lyrics. 

"Pale Communion" is Opeth at their most honest and emotional, unwilling to care what the press or even their fans expect of them. This is a gorgeous story of loss and betrayal that pays homage to the greats of 70's prog rock with the kind of authenticity and focus that "Heritage" sometimes lacked. It may be difficult for a lot of fans to look beyond Opeth as a metal band, but with this album it's clear that they're more than capable of branching out into different directions and redefining their identity, even at such a late stage in the game. I know of no other band who has changed styles so drastically, yet retained the high quality of their music. Where Opeth goes next is anyone's guess.

9.5/10

 

Devin Townsend - Z2 (2014)

Sky Blue: Side 1 of the immense Z2 is the spiritual successor to "Epicloud." But don't think of this as simply a continuation of that fantastic album (as much as I wouldn't mind an "Epicloud Pt.2"). Rather, it subtly blends elements from "Ocean Machine," "Ki," "Accelerated Evolution," "Terria," and even "Ghost." The result is a more subdued and moody affair compared to the exuberance and reckless abandon of "Epicloud."

Nevertheless, the album starts off with a bang on "Rejoice." Anneke von Giersbergen's ethereal, wordless melody is layered on top of a massive, driving groove. Devy's singing style vaguely reminds me of Chuck Billy from Testament.

The album starts a streak of amazing songs with "Fallout" and "Midnight Sun," the latter strongly reminding me of "Where We Belong" on "Epicloud."

The next song, "A New Reign" is one of the darkest, most melancholic songs Devy's written yet. For some reason the chorus reminds me of The Cure, at least vibe-wise. And the overall atmosphere of the song makes it an intense, emotional thrill-ride. It's a truly brilliant song and possibly my favorite on "Sky Blue."

Skip ahead to "Silent Militia" and you see another side of Devy that hearkens back to his SYL days. It has an infectious, industrial groove that wouldn't sound too out of place on a Rammstein record.

After this, things slow down considerably and we're treated to a very "Terria"-esque treat with "Rain City." It's a very subdued and beautiful track that winds down into a lengthy ambient passage, transitioning seamlessly into the "Ghost"-esque ballad "Forever." Side 1 of Z2 gives us one last rocker with "Before We Die." This track makes excellent use of the Universal Choir with an instantly memorable, anthemic chorus. Like "Rain City," it fades into ambience but not before Anneke delivers some downright unearthly vocals to send you off into the haunting "The Ones Who Love."

"Sky Blue" is possibly Devy's most mature and diverse metal album. It continues in the tradition of "Epicloud" and "Addicted" while refining it and taking it in some new directions. As opposed to the narrative fiction of "Dark Matters," this side gives us insight into Devy's personality and experiences. It's definitely my favorite part of Z2 and, if it were to be counted as a separate album (which it arguably could), is in my top 5 list of Devy albums.

9.5/10

Dark Matters: As the follow-up to "Ziltoid the Omniscient," "Dark Matters" showcases Devy's epic, over-the-top style while continuing the Ziltoid narrative.

To start off, I've honestly never been a big fan of Z1 other than a few tracks. Most of it is tedious, unmemorable, and too wedded to the story to really stand out.

7 years later, Devy has made a record worthy of the Ziltoid name, one whose music shines with or without the narrative (hence the bonus disc).

The serene, Anneke-driven "From Sleep Awake" segues into the "Deconstruction"-esque "Ziltoidian Empire" which sets the tone for the album with wacky choir vocals and an intricate prog section near the end.

And now we get to what I consider to be the most epic song on the album: "War Princess." Featuring the theatrical, sinister vocals of Dominique Lenore Persi from Stolen Babies, this is a bombastic behemoth of a tune that will you have you headbanging like there's no tomorrow. There's not a single second of this track I didn't love. It's probably my favorite on Z2.

"March of the Poozers" is another heavily "Decon"-influenced, circusy song with an infectious, zany chorus. It doesn't quite stick out like "War Princess" but it's quite fun and should translate well in a live setting.

The mostly spoken-word "Wandering Eye" is kind of a filler track that Devy should have either scrapped or incorporated that part of the story into a more musically-oriented track. There is a pretty good riff about a minute in but the potential is wasted as the narrative takes over.

Things pick back up with "Earth" which features one of the catchiest lines on Z2, sung by the incredibly talented Ms. Persi. It does feel a bit too long, but it's still quite enjoyable.

And things REALLY pick back up on "Ziltoid Goes Home" which sounds like a lost SYL track. The verses are very aggressive and thrashy, with Devy's vicious snarls being as powerful as they were back in the early days of his career. The chorus, however, is set in the "Sky Blue"/"Epicloud" style, making for a fascinating contrast.

"Dimension Z" and the Universal Choir round out Z2 with a lighters-in-the-air metal anthem. I won't tell you exactly how the track, and hence the entire album, ends but suffice it to say it'll leave you surprised and smiling.

As I said before, I like "Sky Blue" a lot more than "Dark Matters" but I think a lot of that is due to the narrative. The story is great of course, but it also interrupts the flow of the music in some places, at least for me. That said, I can't wait to listen to the bonus disc.

But as it stands, "Dark Matters" is everything that Z1 and, for that matter, "Deconstruction" should have been. The songs are intricately composed with a lot of moving parts, but are nevertheless highly accessible and engaging.

9/10

Overall: This is easily one of Devy's most ambitious, most diverse, and most accomplished albums to date. No matter which Devy album sits closest to your heart (unless it's "The Hummer"), you're gonna find something you enjoy. It's incredible to think that after so many albums, Devy still has so much creativity and so many new musical avenues to explore. While it's not a perfect album, Z2 is still phenomenal, containing many songs that I already consider to be some of the best in Devy's extensive repertoire. I can only imagine how all this will sound live...

Overall score: 9.5/10

 

Anathema - Distant Satellites (2014)

Since Anathema's return to the music world with 2010's "We're Here Because We're Here" and 2012's stunning "Weather Systems," the band have carved out a well-defined sound that, while similar to that of their older albums, marks a distinct chapter in the band's history. On "Distant Satellites" this sound has been altered slightly to evoke a darker, more brooding mood but the changes are certainly less subtle than one would expect simply based on the beautifully dark album cover. Things are a bit more stripped down on this album with an emphasis on simplicity, catchiness, and directness. This is most apparent on songs like "The Lost Song Pt. 1" and "The Lost Song Pt. 3," both of which are structurally straightforward with a constantly repeating drum beat and crescendo at the end. Yet even though this album is more minimalistic than the band's past releases there's still a whole lot of variety, perhaps more so than in the past. Take the difference between "You're Not Alone," for example, with its repetitive, almost garage rock sound and the ethereal, Radiohead-esque "Take Shelter." Here we see a band that's a little less restrained than before in terms of reaching into other genres while still retaining their trademark sound. While others may disagree, to me the way the album transitions into electronic territory on the last three songs is a brilliant move. One could think of the first portion of the album as signifying one's relations with people whereas the last part of the album takes a more introspective turn and examines our own consciousness and psyche. In any case though, the last three songs certainly give the album breathing space and allow it to end gracefully. If I had to pick some highlights from "Distant Satellites," mine would be "The Lost Song Pt. 2" and "Ariel." These two tracks are to me some of Anathema's greatest artistic achievements even if they sound like they could easily been on the previous two albums. In all, this is an album that's focused on trimming whatever fat was present on "Weather Systems" and further perfecting the band's atmospheric sound. The lyrics may be pretty cheesy but that's they've almost always been for Anathema and since they're coming from a genuine place it's hard to fault the band for that. I'll close by saying that "Distant Satellites" is another fantastic release from one of my favorite bands and it can stand tall in Anathema's discography.
9.5/10

(Special thanks to Kscope for the promo copy.)

Devin Townsend - Casualties of Cool (2014)

After the bombastic, poppy heaviness of Epicloud, the ever-eccentric Hevy Devy decided to pull another 180 and deliver something quiet, emotional, and entirely heartfelt. Casualties of Cool is in many ways the spiritual successor to the awe-inspiring Ghost, albeit with an interesting twist. Devy has experimented with a wide range of genres throughout his career, but his love of country was something previously unknown to many fans and hardly anyone expected him to incorporate it so extensively as he does here. Yet in true Devy style he amalgamates the soulfulness of Johnny Cash-type country music with spacey ambient explorations similar to those found on Ghost. To top it off he brought in Che Dorval (previously the backup vocalist on the Ki album) and she does an absolutely stellar job throughout. Her vocals are at once engaging, as if she's beckoning the listener to embark on a journey into the depths of the human soul, and distant, as if struggling to come to terms with the human condition and therefore ambiguous. While Anneke von Giersbergen, Devin's more well-known female collaborator, has helped contribute to some of his most legendary songs, I think that her more pop-oriented vocals would not have fit the introspective tone of this album as compared with Che's soulful, emotionally fragile singing. Song-wise Casualties has some truly sublime tunes like the Pink Floyd-ish "Moon" which is essentially a gradual build-up into aural bliss with a soaring saxophone complemented by Che's wordless vocalizing (a la "Great Gig in the Sky") and Devy's characteristic half-whispered crooning. Another highlight is the arresting "Flight" where Che is absolutely hypnotizing. "Mountaintop" takes things into a more upbeat, catchy area with an excellent video to accompany it. Finally, there's the sublime ballad "Bones" where Che once again shines like a star. Production-wise, this album features the same engrossing wall-of-sound we're used to and, as always, it makes the music stand out all the more Casualties of Cool is a beautiful, engrossing journey but it's not without its speed-bumps. . Some of the interludes like "Hejda" and "Pier" feel out of place and detract from the album's cohesiveness. Then there are other songs like "The Code" and "Deathscope" which are merely good but pale in comparison with the highlights. So while Che may have given Devy some of his best songs here, the album as a whole suffers a bit from inconsistency unlike the superb Ghost which I fully enjoyed all the way through. Nevertheless, Casualties is still an excellent achievement in Devy's storied career and something he should be very proud of.
9/10

 

Triptykon - Melana Chasmata (2014)

Coming on the heels of 2010's critically acclaimed "Eparistera Daimones," Triptykon, fronted by Tom G. Warrior of Hellhammer and Celtic Frost fame, have returned with another dark, brooding monster of an album in "Melana Chasmata." The oft-repeated phrase "don't judge a book by its cover" certainly doesn't apply to this album as the sick, twisted art of H.R. Giger perfectly matches the music. And the album doesn't waste any time revealing its sinister nature to the listener. Right from the opening of "Tree of Suffocating Souls" with its heavier-than-lead thrash attack and Warrior's trademark commanding grunts through the hauntingly beautiful "Waiting", "Melana Chasmata" is truly a beast of an album that hearkens back to the old days of Celtic Frost. The real genius of the album is its ability to seamlessly weave black, doom, thrash, death, heavy, and avant-garde metal into a singular, monolithic package that almost goes beyond genre classification. In that sense, Triptykon still hold firmly to the pattern established by Celtic Frost on such albums as "Morbid Tales" and "To Mega Therion" which influenced an incredibly wide range of bands and even spawned entire genres. The difference here is that Triptykon, especially on this album, have taken the classic Frost sound and expanded it into the territory of avant-garde with a heaping dose of dissonance and drawn-out, hypnotic tracks that make me think of such nightmarish things as Inferno by Dante. Indeed, the whole album is a trip through hell. "Altar of Deceit" is perhaps the heaviest track on the album, and perhaps the most violent part of the trip through hell, and features gargantuan riffs that sound like Black Sabbath on steroids. Another highlight for me is "In the Sleep of Death" which features some truly demented, almost psychopathic vocals that just plain creep me out (in a good way though). It is also worth mentioning bassist Vanja Slajh's beautiful, siren-esque singing which complements Warrior's fierce growls perfectly. And of course let's not forget Warrior's morbid lyrics which, as usual, fit the music like a glove. While I enjoy this album more than its predecessor, it's not perfect. "Black Snow" is probably my least favorite track here as it goes on for far too long than it should. Otherwise, "Melana Chasmata" is a fantastic achievement that shows not only shows Warrior/Triptykon's relevancy in the incredibly crowded world of modern metal, but also stands out as a uniquely dark and, in a very odd way, beautiful artistic statement.
9/10

(Special thanks to Century Media records for sending me a promo copy.)

Ulver/Sunn O))) - Terrestrials

Both Sunn O))) and Ulver are masters of experimental music, whether it be ambient or drone, and I was fully prepared to have my mind blown when I heard they were collaborating on an album. That didn't exactly happen, but my mind did go on quite a strange and long journey while listening to this. "Let There Be Light" starts off the album with soft, quiet droning pierced by a jazz-like background and, eventually, followed by free-flow drumming. It all goes together very well and creates a distinct sense of foreboding mixed with a certain degree of anticipation. However, once "Western Horn" comes in, that anticipation is gone and all that left is misery. It's an incredibly dark track that has me imagining the darkest scenes of the classic Apocalypse Now film. Everything about it oozes menace and doom. On "Eternal Return" we hear something much more akin to Ulver's most recent album "Messe I.X-VI.X" with strings and dark ambient noodling. The strings let up and eventually we hear the familiar sound of Garm's ethereal vocals which, in my opinion, really complete the album. "Terrestrials," while not as good as "Messe" or Sunn O)))'s most recent album "Monoliths and Dimensions," is a dark, psychedelic trip through the unknown that is sure to send a chill down the listener's spine. It represents the best of what both bands have to offer and I don't think there's much they could have done differently.
8.5/10

 

Transatlantic - Kaleidoscope (2014)

While I haven't listened enough to prog rock supergroup Transatlantic's previous albums to do a proper comparison, I can say that "Kaleidoscope" is great in its own right. It's a catchy, upbeat album strongly influenced by Yes, Genesis, and others. Each song has a unique identity and is extremely well-written. This especially applies to the gargantuan 32 minute title track which flows smoothly and is simply an astonishing piece of musicianship. In fact, it might be one of my all-time favorite prog epics. Another excellent track on the record is "Black As the Sky" which features some truly masterful keyboard playing. The other tracks are quite good too, but there's a fairly significant quality gap between them and the former. All in all, it's a great record and probably Mike Portnoy's greatest post-DT accomplishment.
8.5/10

Cynic - Kindly Bent to Free Us (2014)

Cynic may be best known for their unique blend of death metal and jazz fusion as seen on their critically acclaimed albums "Focus" and "Traced in Air" but as we saw on their EP "Carbon Based Anatomy" the band have shifting their sound in new directions. This shift is even more evident on their third album "Kindly Bent to Free Us" where prog rock has taken the place of metal although there are some vaguely metallic-sounding bits. While many bands still sound great even after shifting genres and, indeed, some bands even need to do this to retain their artistic integrity, in Cynic's case I can't say the results have met my, or many other fan's, expectations as far as quality goes. Whereas the Cynic on "Traced in Air" sounds self-assured and inspired, the Cynic on this album has been reduced to a shadow of itself. Many songs simply meander aimlessly and fail to impress beyond a few interesting bits and pieces. Some of the lyrics even border on self-parody. The exceptions to this are "Infinite Shapes" and "The Lion's Roar" both of which are solid, memorable tunes. However, even those standouts pale in comparison to such legendary Cynic songs as "Integral Birth" and "Veil of Maya." That said, this is by no means a bad album. In fact, for a prog rock record "Kindly Bent to Free Us" is admirable and I think most Cynic fans should find something on here that they truly enjoy. Sean Reinert's drumming is excellent as always and Sean Malone's bass instrumentation is undoubtedly the musical highlight of the record. It's just that by Cynic standards this is a letdown. I'm not necessarily saying they should go back to their previous sound. I just hope they rediscover the same inspiration they had when making their last two full-lengths and go on to make something great again whether it's metal or not.

7.5/10

 

Dead Letter Circus - The Catalyst Fire (2013)

Unfortunately, like the new Karnivool album, this album managed to disappoint me after DLC's excellent debut "This is the Warning." On this one there are definitely some good tracks like "Lodestar" and "I Am" but most of it just doesn't really do much for me. They kinda seem to just go nowhere and fall flat without much replay value or catchiness. Despite the gorgeous cover art, this one was a dud. If you really liked the album feel free to disagree and post a comment. Otherwise, I can't really recommend this one.
7/10

 

Chelsea Wolfe - Pain is Beauty (2013)

I'm not a huge fan of goth rock, but this album definitely manages to get my support. That said, it's much more than a mere rehash of Siouxsie and the Banshees or The Cure, though those bands were almost certainly large influences in the album's overall sound. Rather, Wolfe borrows heavily from folk, doom, drone, and perhaps shoegaze. While this is quite an eclectic mix of genres, the end product is remarkably consistent because she experiments not for the sake of experimentation, bur rather as a means of expressing her emotions and thoughts as she sees fit. And this is an incredibly emotional, beautiful album indeed. Songs like "The Warden," "Reigns," and "Lone" are so simple yet so powerful at the same time. They're absolutely hypnotic and gorgeous. Elsewhere, Wolfe's post-punk influences come in full force on songs such as "Destruction Makes the World Burn Brighter" whose nihilistic title echoes well with the album title itself. Like Grouper and other experimental artists, Wolfe has a knack for establishing a truly haunting atmosphere. Her ethereal vocals linger in the background of every song like a restless spirit. "Pain is Beauty" is by far one of the most unique releases of last year and probably the best in Chelsea Wolfe's discography. For something off the beaten path, you can't do much better than this little gem.
9/10

 

Blackfield - IV (2013)

For their fourth release, Steven Wilson decided to be a lot less present here and mostly leave things up to Aviv Geffen. There's a bit of a decline in quality compared to the last record which, unlike most fans, I loved although whether that's due to Wilson's absence I can't say. However, this is still a very good album with some really memorable tunes. These include the fantastic "Jupiter" with Wilson on vocals and "X-Ray" featuring Vincent Cavanaugh of Anathema. Both are easily some of the best the band have ever done. It's not nearly on the level as Blackfield I but IV is still a very worthwhile album that fans of the band and Steven Wilson in general shouldn't miss out on.

8.5/10

 

The Reign of Kindo - Play With Fire (2013)

Jazz-pop masters The Reign of Kindo are making another splash with what may be their best album yet. Whereas their previous two releases were very good, I can honestly say this one is great. It's very tightly constructed, catchy all around and is quite varied. Songs like "Sunshine" and "I Hate Music" are probably my favorite cuts from the album as I prefer the more upbeat, instantly catchy side of the band. That's not to say that the other tracks are skippable - not by a longshot. "Dust" and "The Man, The Wood, and The Stone" feature the soothing, contemplative side of the band and are simply gorgeous. All in all, the band have yet again accomplished the difficult task of conforming the complex structure of jazz with pop requirements, but this time they've made their most memorable and most satisfying album yet. If you haven't heard of this band before then check out this album for some really unique pop and downright fun music.
9/10

 

The Aristocrats - Culture Clash (2013)

As one of the most talented modern jazz fusion bands out there, The Aristocrats consist of the some of the finest musicians out there including Marco Minnemann and Guthrie Govan. They and the rest of the band amazingly seem to keep improving their craft as this album demonstrates. I really liked the debut, but I think Culture Clash is clearly a better record. The compositions are tighter and catchier with a heavy dose of blues influence. Every member of the band is composing some really interesting and dynamic parts and the band as a whole sounds very tight. My favorite song is probably the title track which has already become one of my all-time favorite fusion tracks.  The rest of the songs are great as well and I'd highly recommend Culture Clash to jazz and prog fans of all types.
9/10

 

Karnivool - Asymmetry (2013)

The long-anticipated third album from alt/prog metallers Karnivool takes a pretty different direction than its two predecessors in terms of relying less on Tool-esque grooves and more on experimental sounds and structures. Unfortunately for most fans (myself included), this does not translate into very memorable songs or even, in some cases, coherent songs. Tracks like "The Last Few" and "Alpha Omega" just seem to go nowhere and at most offer interesting bits but not satisfying songs. Of course there are some very good songs here such as "Nachash," "Eidolon," and "Aeons" but even those pale in comparison to the songs that got me into the band such as "Shutterspeed" and "Roquefort." I'm not arguing that they should have stuck to their old style because artists naturally want to progress their sound, but this simply isn't a very satisfying album. And it really hurts me to say that because I actually liked it a lot when I first listened to it. Since then it's worn off of me a lot. If any album was ever a grower this is the one. Even in the amazing year for music that is 2013 there's bound to be some disappointments. This is one of them.
7.5/10

 

Night Verses - Lift Your Existence (2013)

2013 is a banner year for hardcore and metalcore and this album is probably the primary example of that. It's pretty rare to hear a new band hit it out of the park with their first album, but that's exactly what happens on Lift Your Existence. It's an exciting, dynamic record filled with very proggy riffs and drumming, excellent vocals, and some beautiful post-rock inspired clean parts. It's a very long album (15 songs with one of them topping 10 minutes), but it feels so tight and well-constructed that the length isn't really an issue. Plus, all the songs have catchy moments and are very memorable in their own right. I also detect a heavy dose of inspiration from Tool and Deftones so if you're into those bands then you should definitely give this album a shot. All in all, Lift Your Existence is one of the most technically competent and thrilling hardcore/metalcore albums I've heard yet and might just be my album of the year in that genre (though it does face stiff competition from Absent Light).
9.5/10

 

The Tangent - Le Sacre du Travail (2013)

Just when you might have thought symphonic prog rock couldn't make a solid showing in 2013, along comes this album to prove you wrong. Unsurprisingly, it's a concept album that's highly orchestrated and very intricately constructed. There are three epic pieces, all of them great, with a couple of shorter and not as great (but still good) pieces to even things out. The influences of Yes and Pink Floyd stand out the most to me in this album's brilliant meshing together of classically-inspired song structures with beautiful atmospherics. In fact, this whole album is a modern reinterpretation of Stravinsky's timeless Rite of Spring which was composed exactly 100 years ago. It's an incredibly ambitious project by any measure and I don't think just any prog band could have pulled this off, but Tillison and co. somehow do. For a thrilling prog adventure be sure to give this album a spin.
9/10

 

Koenjihyakkei - Angherr Shisspa (2005)

If you need any more proof of the incredible vitality of modern Japanese rock, then I submit to you this wonderfully bizarre album. If there's any genre that's not over-saturated nowadays, it's zeuhl. And why's that? Because it's so incredibly hard to play and requires so much creativity and open-mindedness that one would be hard-pressed to see anyone interested in playing it at all! But lo and behold, master drummer Tatsuya Yoshida and co. aim to recapture the kooky magic of Magma, Univers Zero and others and make it their own. There are abundant jazz fusion stylings and a good deal of improvisation a la Ornette Coleman or King Crimson. But for the most part, it's pretty structured and not completely random. Rather what makes it weird are the rapid time changes, bizarre vocal stylings, and insane drumming. It's certainly not an easy album, but if you're an experienced fan of prog and fusion, then it shouldn't be too hard to get into it. And once you do, you'll have yourself a very rewarding and fun listen.
9/10

 

The Dear Hunter - Migrant (2013)

The Dear Hunter's latest release is quite a surprising change of style for this highly accomplished band. There are no prog-rock epics on this album, but there is a whole lot of beauty and drama in what may be one of the most beautiful pop albums I've ever heard. The songs are sincere and, at times, even heartbreaking while their composition is elegant and well thought out. Influences range from classical to jazz to traditional pop as well as including modern bands like Radiohead and Arcade Fire. "Migrant" is a gorgeous, introspective album that shows a side of Casey Crescenzo he had hinted at in previous albums, but only fully develops on this one. Though the term "art pop" may sound self-contradictory, I think it's the perfect term to describe this catchy masterpiece of an album. Whether you're a fan of this band or not, you should make a point of checking this album out. While it's not TDH's best work, I'd say it's still an essential piece of their catalog and one of this year's best so far.

9.5/10

 

Spock's Beard - Brief Nocturnes and Dreamless Sleep (2013)

Having enjoyed their fifth album "Snow," I decided to check out Spock's Beard's latest release and I was not disappointed. It's a melodic, catchy, groovy album that's not overly quirky like some prog albums tend to be, but instead focuses mostly on the riffs a la Deep Purple (with some Yes thrown in). Despite some songs feeling a little dragged out, this is an epic, adventurous album written by a band who clearly know what they're doing and are doing it well even this late in their career. "Brief Nocturnes" is certainly worth your time if you're a prog-rock fan.
9/10