Top Country låter fra Bob Kåre og Dolly Berit

Vår etter hvert så mye omtalte venn Bob Kåre har en søster. Hennes navn er det velklingende Dolly Berit. Begge søsknene har en forkjærlighet for country musikk! I tillegg så elsker de begge å skrive låter innen nevnte musikksegment. Titlene de da tryller frem er jo velegnet som materiale for en psykiaterkongress nitidige analyser. Se bare selv på de 12 mest suspekte.

    12. I Hate Every Bone In Her Body But Mine.

    11. It's Hard To Kiss The Lips At Night That Chewed Your Ass All Day.

    10 If The Phone Don't Ring, You'll Know It's Me.

     9. I Liked You Better Before I Got To Know You So Well.

     8. I Still Miss You Baby, But My Aim's Gettin' Better.

     7. I Wouldn't Take Her To A Dog Fight 'Cause I'm Afraid She'd Win.

     6. I'll Marry You Tomorrow, But Let's Honeymoon Tonight.

     5. I'm So Miserable Without You, It's Like You're Still Here.

     4. If I Had Shot You When I First Wanted To, I'd Be Out Of Prison By Now.

     3. My Wife Ran Off With My Best Friend And I Sure Do Miss Him.

     2. She Got the Ring And I Got The Finger.

     1. I Ain't Never Gone To Bed With Ugly Women But I've Sure Woke Up With A Few.



 

TAT

Quinta Essentia

TAT is a classical guitarist named Antoine Aureche who has, in Quinta Essentia, composed “a deep reflection in ten movements on the alchemical lore,” as his website tells us. A neat idea, to be sure, and – on its own terms, which it will be my business here to define precisely – it’s a pretty interesting success. It’s not rock, or progressive, or progressive rock, but I think it may well appeal to many readers of DPRP – but you’ll have to read on to see if you’re one of them.

You have to imagine ten distinct compositions that sound quite a bit alike, all with classical guitar as their main instrument – but nothing here is what I’d call a traditional song, nor in all the compositions does the classical guitar provide anything like a basic melody or even an underpinning (though admittedly in parts, at least, of most it does). The instrument is mainly used for colouration, to create a mood – and a dark mood, at that. That dark mood is enhanced by organ, timpani, bells, tabla-like percussion, and synthesizer and by mournful vocals – some by a male and others by a female guest vocalist – and even some growling vocals that would be considered death-metal singing if this were death metal: check out especially Digression Du Bouffon & L’Eau De Bilocation for those. But whatever the orchestration or vocal style of each song, the mood is what’s paramount here, and it’s gloomy and oppressive throughout.

So that’s what I mean by saying that the album is successful on its own terms. It’s slow, even ponderous at times; the subject is, in the broad sense, occult; the vocals are often spoken (or rather intoned) rather than sung; and the songs aren’t much differentiated from each other. Frankly, this is the kind of music a vampire (about one of which there’s a song here – Vampyr) might listen to if he decided to stay in for the night and listen to music on his iPod while hanging out in his coffin. Seriously – that’s the vibe. If that kind of sound appeals to you, I can’t imagine you won’t like this CD.

TAT himself is an excellent guitarist, too. Most impressive is the tastefulness with which he ornaments each of these compositions. We all know that classical guitarists are very little less prone than are solo rock guitarists to indulge in displays of virtuosity at the expense of the song as a whole; but TAT plays only and just what’s needed at each point in each song. And he’s also in full command of the dynamics of his instrument, able (like all good classical guitarists, of course) to move instantly from loud to quiet and back simply in the way he attacks the strings. So I should amend what I said earlier. You don’t have to be a vampire or even a vampire sympathizer to enjoy this album: it will appeal to fans of well-played classical guitar, too.

I believe I’ve talked myself into giving this album a DPRP Recommended rating. But I’ll remind you again of the qualifications I’ve stated. This is NOT progressive rock: it’s a dark, gloomy, atmospheric album more concerned with creating and maintaining a gothic mood than with impressing with instrumental virtuosity or establishing a catchy melody (nope, none of that here!). On those terms, then, it’s a very good album – even, I think I can say, unique.

Tracklist: Thalidomide: Réminiscence (4:23), Quinta Essentia: Part I (2:24), Rian Iridiagmar (2:55), Mon Rève Est Une Chêne Creux (4:17), Quinta Essentia: Part II (1:07), Vampyr (4:27), Quinta Essentia: Part III (4:24), Le Testament de Flamel (3:35), Digression Du Bouffon & L’Eau De Bilocation (1:32), The Emerald Tablet (4:55)

Togreisen til Happaranta

Tenk deg at du skal reise med tog til Happaranta. Foran deg har du en lang temmelig monoton reise. For å gjøre reisen litt mer lystelig så har med deg en discman. Du har bare lov til å ha med EN cd. Hvilken velger du? Her er mitt valg.

Hamadryad

Conservation Of Mass ( 2001 )

Av og til så kommer det et oppsiktsvekkende debutalbum, og deretter langt dårligere oppfølger, eller ingen oppfølger. Yerzda Urfa med nydelige Sacred Baboon er et eksempel på sistnevnte. Hvor Hamadryad går vet jeg ikke. Det jeg vet er at deres debut-CD Conservation Of Mass som ble sluppet på Unicorn Record i 2001, var en utgivelse jeg hadde tatt med meg på en lang togtur til Happaranta. Den har absolutt alt et ”Proghead” kan ønske seg. Var bare måtelig imponert ved første gangs gjennomhøring. La den så til side, men tok den så frem igjen. Da var jeg fanget, og den har siden ikke vært ute av spilleren min. Nå skal det tillegges at jeg har magasin med fem CD-er. At den har bosatt seg i spilleren er et kvalitetsstempel, da jeg er en rastløs sjel, stadig på jakt etter ny og spennende musikk.

     Der er et enormt vell av stilarter, noe som ofte gjør at en CD blir uten sammenheng. En underliggende stil avverger denne faren her, og skaper et helstøpt kjempealbum. Åpningen Eternal Loop, en 49 sekunders deilig støyende tape loop. Denne følges av Amora Demonis som er en prog-metal låt, men med psykedelisk citar, noe som gir en indikasjon om hva som følger. De fire påfølgende sporene flyter sammen i et slags egent konsept. Gjerne en slags dukke i dukke konsept. Starter med et al cappella stykke på 23 sekunder som heter Carved In Rust, med klare hint til Gentle Giant eller Echolyn. Denne glir smygende over i Still They Laugh Part 1. En dash av Izz kan anes i dette sporet, som best kan oppsummeres som psykedelisk. Neste ut er The Second Round, som starter med nydelig Hammondorgel, for så å alternere mellom metallisk raspende gitar, og Echolyn-vokal. Siste del av dette konseptet er Still They Laugh Part 2. Her blir det rimelig psykedelisk, og den glitrende avslutningen får en til å lure på om en har fått i seg noen sentralstimulerende midler!

 Velger å avslutte den mer inngående beskrivelsen her. Som nevnt har denne utgivelsen absolutt alt for et ”Proghead”. Det er masse luftig mellotron, pirrende basspilling, Canterbury partier, spennende gitarsoli som kan høres ut som Allan Holdsworth spiller speedmetall. På kuttet The Second Coming er det vokal og gitar som har hentet elementer fra folkprog. Dette er bare et utrolig album, som jeg kan anbefale på det varmeste. Og tro meg, jeg har hørt mange album. Er det noe på denne CD-en du ikke blir like henrykt over, så bare vent, og noe nytt og spennende dukker snart opp.

Så var det ditt valg. Send inn bidraget ditt her: SKRIV TIL MERLIN

Triangle

Square Of The Circle

After a period of successful Dutch bands like Egdon Heath, Marathon and PTS in the first half of the nineties, it's become relatively silent in the Dutch prog-scene recently. Now there's a new act: Triangle. Triangle is a Dutch fourpiece, consisting of Roland van der Stoep (guitar), Jan-Willem Verkerk (bass) and Paul van der Zwaal (drums), and Martijn Paaschens (vocals/keyboards). Paaschens originally was the singer of the band, but soon he started playing keyboards as well, which added much to the progressive sound of the band. After two demo-CD's. ("Nature's Window" and "Pygmalion") they now release their first official CD "Square The Circle".

Square The Circle opens very bravely with a big instrumental piece, called Foreword To The Elements Of Life. These four 'elements' are illustrated in the beautiful artwork by Mattias Noren. The composition starts very atmospheric, with a prominent role for a melodic bass-line, but soon drums and guitar kick in with a fast and sweeping theme, which is repeated several times. It's a great opener, with much contrast between the more quiet and the heavier parts. This contrast remains throughout the album, which keeps the music interesting, but at the same time asks for the use of your volume button at moments.

Chasing The Shadows starts with a very gentle vocal/piano-part. Paaschens voice can best be compared with Jadis' Gary Chandler's and shows both power and subtlety. Chasing The Shadow has a faster second part with a prominent role for piano and bass, with sweeping guitar-solos in between. This song will certainly appeal to IQ-fans and at some moments it reminds me of No Name's latest album. The end is just as beautiful as the beginning.

The Center Shines is one of the four (!) '10 minute plus' songs. A spooky vocal with fast but melodic guitars opens the track. Van der Stoep's guitar-sound is very clear and very Hackett-like. A break leads to a quiet Marillion-like part with a great crescendo much alike this band. Slowly this builds to the chorus 'I scream at the sound of my alarm-clock' which sticks in your mind. After that, a deep 'musical breath' is taken before the next chorus. A very impressive song.

The Saddest Show opens with some high, almost Adrian Belew-like vocals. A slow ballad develops, with a returning guitar-pattern. Many TV- and Radio-sounds are used and a dark English spoken text creates the atmosphere for a very threatening part with haunting guitars, showing a strong resemblance to Steve Hackett's Spectral Mornings album. A quiet part with beautiful keyboards forms the middle part of the song, until the rest of the band joins for the finale. Drums and bass are slowly faded out and the listener is left with relaxing keyboard-sounds.

The shortest song on the album is Amy, but it lacks a straight verse/chorus structure. It leans heavily on guitars and complex rhythms. This doesn't make this song very accessible and maybe that's why I cannot get into this track. The melody isn't very clear either. Well, you can't satisfy all, can you?

A piano-part introduces the longest composition on the album, Pygmalion. A high guitar part and slow drumbeats accompany the vocals during the next minutes. A shivering guitar-solo marks the center of this track. It leads to a break, followed by atmospheric keyboards, building to a faster part where the rest of the band returns for a sort of 'chorus'. From a melodic point of view this part echoes elements of some of the previous songs. The finale features heavy drums and breaks that eventually lead into a quiet ending.

Soft sounds lead into a nice guitar-rhythm, which brings you to a beautiful part, which bursts into the (by this moment) familiar, bombastic Triangle sound. Nature's Window combines some heavier bombastic parts with fragile melodic parts in a nice. Nice guitar-riffs go hand-in-hand with lovely keyboard-chords in the middle part. This part of the song ends with a thunderstruck and sounds of nature, followed by a dreamy guitar-line, played with much reverb. This slowly leads to a bit rawer sounds and a long solo finishes it all...

Although some improvement can be made in the variety of vocal-melodies, Triangle already show they're a mature band with this album. Intelligent music can be made in an accessible way and Triangle do this. All four of the musicians combine technical skills and emotion in their playing, which makes their music very enjoyable. With the beautifully packed Square The Circle they've made a great debut album and I'm sure they have the potential to even progress. Although the year 2000 has just started I guess Triangle is a candidate for 'newcomer of the year'. Let's hope this will push Dutch prog-rock in general to greater heights as well.

Tracklist: Foreword to the Elements of Life (6:34), Chasing the Shadows (7:29), The Centre Shines (11:08), The Saddest Show (10:28), Amy (5:36), Pygmalion (13:11), Nature's Window (11.07).

Tangerine Dream

Exit

When Virgin Records issued Tangerine Dream’s Exit in 1981, the death throes of progressive rock’s mainstream glory days weren’t fully obvious, yet. Still, a significant number of important prog-rooted albums appeared the same year, a few of which were solid sellers for the acts that spawned them: Moving Pictures by Rush; Worlds Apart by Saga; Fire Of Unknown Origin by Blue Oyster Cult; Discipline by King Crimson; Nude by Camel; Magnetic Fields by Jean-Michel Jarre; Audion by Synergy; 1984 by Rick Wakeman; and the critically-panned Abacab by Genesis. /_|^|_/ Exit — arguably the best studio album from Tangerine Dream’s 1980-1985 lineup of Edgar Froese, Christoph Franke, and Johannes Schmoelling — was a bit of a sleeper and moved only a modest number of units upon its release. As far as actual money-making went, the seminal German trio didn’t have to worry. Not only did the band gig steadily in Europe, but film work was calling: additional recognition had been won by furnishing the musical score to Michael Mann’s epic crime saga and box office smash, Thief. To this day, the latter remains the group’s very best score, selling extremely well and lasting nearly twelve weeks on the soundtrack charts. Risky Business performed exceptionally, and so did the platinum-selling, Grammy-nominated Canyon Dreams. After a lukewarm reception for the score to William Friedkin’s suspense thriller, Sorcerer, this was a major step forward; the Dream hadn’t exactly had a “hit” since 1973’s pivotal Phaedra.

On the heels of Thief came the new album: for the first time since Stratosfear (1976), six tracks of variable length and purposive cohesion replaced side-length compositions anchored by freely roaming sequences and spatial vistas linked by interstitial segments. Christoph Franke’s own Polygon Studios was band HQ, and when it came to the latest synthesizer technology, the Dream had it — be it common or custom. Each album had become something of an event, an unveiling of new sounds and textures to be relished side by side with the compositions themselves. Gearwise, the focal point of Franke’s concert rig was his modular setup [Erik Norlander is a current modular advocate], which consisted of one or more polyrhythmic sequencers and adjoining modules — Froese also had a modular system behind him. In ’81, Franke & Froese had PPG’s (Wolfgang Palm’s) Wave 2 synth before anybody, and a Fairlight, and were always keen on bolstering their general sound banks. In one exercise, Mellotron tape segments were sampled & looped (stitched together), then fed through a processor to achieve facsimiles of much longer duration (plus, the ‘Trons could remain at home while the masters were away). Franke and Froese both had SC Prophet 5’s; Froese and Schmoelling (who brought along his Mini-Moog when he’d joined the previous year) both likely had Roland Jupiter 8’s. The Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer was used to cook up nifty drum parts. Synth-lovers worth their salt know how valuable the Jupiter series was for their rich string sounds and otherworldly pads. Other synthesizers in residence at Polygon included an Oberheim OB-X, the ARP Odyssey and Pro/DGX, an Elka string synth, other Moog models and a Synclavier — from whence the very first sound heard on Exit came!

Speaking of Schmoelling, his own rig may have been diminutive in scale next to Froese’s and Franke’s PE towers and “walled-in” schemata, but he was the foot in the derriere Tangerine Dream needed. As the band motioned to continue in a somewhat more conventional format — though side-length forays would return on White Eagle and Hyperborea — another player like [Schmoelling’s predecessor] Peter Baumann probably wouldn’t have been a good idea. Baumann’s role reportedly was that of “synthbassist” and “additional colorations” (whether that’s 100% completely true is another matter). Froese was the self-appointed melody man; as evidenced on Force Majeure’s title suite, Froese was no slouch on the piano, in addition to already being a respectable guitarist who came close to collaborating with Bowie. The classically-trained Schmoelling brought even more chops to the table: now there were two who could handle melodies, chordings and scalar vamps. This allowed Franke to pretty much rule the roost when it came to the custodial sector: sonicraft, canvassing and the lion’s share of sequencing. By the mid-1980’s, quite the foundry had been developed!

Exit unfolds like two three-scene acts on vinyl, and the effect isn’t lost on compact disc. “Exit” means to leave, or represents a departure, but the word also means death. The uniformly abstract cover leans towards the latter, but is open to interpretation. The opener, “Kiev Mission” was Edgar Froese’s response to the nuclear arms race; three of its nine minutes contain lyrics of a forward-looking nature sung by a Russian actress. Froese is not credited with writing the lyrics, but “supplying” them [Source: Tadream.net]. The track opens with the ringing of a spectral gong which represents a series of explosions, each reverberation sending ripples through the air as on water. The wispy sonic scrawlings from Thief engage the bridge chords and precursory sequence — a jazz-rock drum pattern emerges. The aforementioned transposed Mellotron samples sound authoritatively in the track’s subtler second stage that echoes the Baumann era [’73-‘79] and its aversion to borders. “Pilots Of Purple Twilight” officially marks the shift to a tighter format that approaches verses and choruses, and full starts versus gradual lead-ins. Bright pads, rounded, bubbling bass timbres and a beautiful Baroque melody transport the listener off of this sphere. Another technique for adding or reducing tension is noticeable — the temporary muting of a sound or pattern. “Choronzon” is most well-known Exitune, and for good reason: it’s the unofficial “single.” The BPM counter rises in favor of a basely funky motif, an unrelenting tempo, and organic-sounding drums. A most infectious melody rises from this broth and rides the start-stop bassloop. In concert, the overall effect was magnified threefold and this particular composition, barely over five minutes on the album, graduated to a ten-minute plus version with a prolonged intro and additional improvised leads!

Act II begins with the moody title cut (which was used in Risky Business), propelled by a menacing bassline. Filters flutter and chalky greys and ashen blues descend over a fogged sea of glass. A probably theme for shadows and the world beyond, its ominous sheen eventually diminishes in aspect and the ambience of a rainshower drifts across the scene. Another upbeat toe-tapper, though less involving than “Choronzon,” “Network 23” coasts down the backalleys of memory on an electro-funk magic carpet; the economical melody is buoyant and radiant. One of Franke’s famous custom sounds, dubbed “the seagulls,” is used here. The inobtrusively sumptuous “Remote Viewing” brings the album to a most satisfying conclusion. Library sounds are quickly browsed as in a gallery before we are spirited away to yet another plane. Density and mechanoid rhythms are replaced by a phantasmal air, a “Dali-esque Fuse” to set alight across the sequential soundscape that echoes segments of Phaedra and Encore. The synth-flute is squarely Froese’s, validated by a listen to his stunning ’79 solo, Stuntman. Embraced or shunned by longtime Dreamers alike, Exit is, in retrospect, a work that continues to age gracefully, short but decadently sweet.

Note: just recently, a very exciting piece of news was announced — Edgar Froese and Johannes Schmoelling are working together again, and plan to record music written nearly twenty-five years ago. In doing so, expect a few vintage synthesizers to be dusted off. Between this and Froese’s ambitious re-recording of his first six solo albums, and his first new solo album in over twenty years, Dalinetopia (a tribute to his mentor, Salvador Dali), 2005 looks to be an exciting year!

Tracklist:

1. Kiew Mission (9:18) a
2. Pilots Of Purple Twilight (4:19)
3. Choronzon (4:07)
4. Exit (5:33)
5. Network 23 (4:55)
6. Remote Viewing (8:20)

Total time – 36:32

For tons more information on Germany’s seminal electronic music entity, visit Tangerine Dream’s Official Web Site, TangerineDream.org

Experience EdgarFroese.com

For general information on analog synthesizers, visit VintageSynth.org

Time Symmetry

Fate In Grey

This is a very impressive debut album from a young Spanish band that before the days of the internet would, in all likelihood, never have been heard of outside of their home town or village.

Time Symmetry tread a very listenable middle ground in the progressive metal field. The guitar work tends to keep the rhythm rather than overload the sense with deep heavy riffs. There's plenty of ever-changing time signatures and a smattering of extended solos, but there's also a lightness to the band's sound that has the potential to appeal to rock fans in general. Yet there's also enough hard edges to please the more metal-orientated among you.

If you can ignore the accent, then the singing of David Rubio is emotive, and carries some really good melodies. The instruments meanwhile control the mood of the song rather than act as a showcase for the skills of their owners.

It took a few listens for me to fall into the pace of this album but it's had a constant place on my CD player for a little while now. There's just a certain charm in the melodies and groove that grows on me with every play. A couple of guest musicians are brought in to add an extra depth to the sound. Woman From Loneliness, includes some cool saxophone playing by Daniel Centeno, while the last two tracks feature female vocalist, Mamen Castano.

A lot of thought also seems to have gone into the band's website which is one of the most original designs I've yet to see. There are tracks to download as well as purchasing information. However I can't tell you too much more as it's sadly all in Spanish - which is a bit of a missed opportunity, as an English option would be a great way to spread the word about this excellent new band to music lovers outside of their own country. And that, I think, is where we started.

Tracklist: The Game (5:24), When The Voice Is Gone (6:50), Cold Mountain Train (6:29), Woman From Loneliness (6:40), Autumn (4:36), Alone He Wanders (7:49), Fate In Grey (6:23), The Portrait (1:19), Sibyl Vane (7:28), Naiad (5:24)

To-Mera

Transcendental

 Finally - a female-fronted progressive metal band with something worthwhile to say for themselves - and they're British too! If you're becoming rather tired of the music-by-numbers approach of many of the gothic-tinged, female-fronted bands that have flooded the metal market on the cloak tails of Nightwish and the like, then To-Mera certainly offers something more than a little different.

Arriving on the scene only a year ago, the band left a lasting impression with a demo that prompted 25,000 people to sign up to their MySpace site and led to a deal with Candlelight Records.

To-Mera is based around the talents and lyrics of vocalist Julie Kiss, previously known for her role in the Hungarian progressive band Without Face. Unlike her former band, which knew where it wanted to go but didn't have the means to get there, To-Mera has both the musical direction and the ability to reach its desired destination.

The diversity to be found on this record can be explained by the wide range of backgrounds of the other members. Bassist Lee Barrett has played with Extreme Noise Terror, guitarist Tom MacLean has worked in the avant-garde jazz/rock ensemble Fubar, Hugo Sheppard's roots lie in classical piano and Akos Pirisi's inspiration from Meshuggah dominates a lot of the drum work.

Those not familiar with the more obscure ends of the metal spectrum could make easy comparisons to bands like Edenbridge and Lacuna Coil. But these couldn't be further from the truth, as Transcendental's roots are planted nowhere near the gothic scene.

The eight tracks presented here, each have a very different personality and shape. The more immediate songs include the fantastic opener Blood. The main thrust is all meaty guitars and flowing melodies, but with a sharp change of mood for the rather Flower Kings-esque instrumental section. Even more accessible are the power metal guitars, symphonic synths and beautiful vocals that makes Born Of Ashes my favourite track. Phantoms takes a similar path to the opening track but with a lighter, All About Eve influence and the tribal drums to be found on Parfum ties everything together perfectly.

Elsewhere though, you have to suspect that this won't be to everyone's taste - especially those wedded to the more straightforward, melodic sides of metal. The band makes little effort to blend its sharp changes of mood and style, and in that respect, the music may stop and start a bit too much for some. Progressive in the true sense of the word, tracks like Obscure Oblivion and Dreadful Angel jump schizophrenically between melancholy, jazz fusion, thrash, prog and sympho. Rather like the avant-garde music that the independent American Sensory and Manga Carta specialise in.

But while the instrumentation is diverse, the soothing voice of Julie Kiss ties everything together beautifully. With no male vocals to share the burden, Julie has the confidence and a distinct tone of voice to maintain the listener's attention. Add to this, the fact that the album really shows its main ideas through her lyrics, which are emotive, poetical and deal with intimate, personal subjects.

Aside from Julie - and I don't often say this - it's the keyboards that really grab my attention. Hugo Sheppard's classical influences, introduce a playing that is rarely found on a metal album. His work on the piano has some wonderful time keys. When mixed with more graceful cadences, they create some of the album's best passages.

On the whole though, Transcendental is a complexly-ambitious, epic and somewhat ground-breaking offering, that will appeal to a wide array of music lovers. Most of the songs are a sum of many parts, so this is an album where you have to give the music time to unfold its delights.

Fans of Lacuna Coil and Nightwish may find it too left field, but followers of Opeth, Porcupine Tree, Meshuggah, The Gathering, Riverside and Anathema should take time to add To-Mera to their shopping list.

Tracklist: Traces (3:13), Blood (5:36), Dreadful Angel (6:52), Phantoms (7:18), Born of Ashes (7:04), Parfum (6:32), Obscure Oblivion (6:17), Realm Of Dreams (9:44)

Threshold

 Threshold are currently recording the follow-up to their award winning 2004 album Subsurface. Recording is taking place at Thin Ice Studios and Bray Studios in the south of England, produced by Karl Groom and Richard West.

The new album has a working title of Pilot In The Sky Of Dreams, and the song titles are: Slipstream, This is your life, Elusive, Disappear, Fighting for breath, Hollow, Safe to fly, One degree down, Landing lights.

Mac, in the middle of vocal sessions at Bray, said: 'If I thought it would be this good I'd have joined Threshold sooner! I've got a good feeling about this album. I think things are going to snowball for us next year, I thought so even before I heard the demos. I'm having a brilliant time!'

Recording and mixing of Pilot In The Sky Of Dreams is expected to be complete in November, with a release planned for early in 2007.

Tuna Laguna

If the word ”fudge” means something sweet and tasty to you, then the title of Tuna Laguna’s debut is a very fitting one. This release, which I’m not sure whether to call an album, but rather a mini-album or an EP (as the band members are not quite sure themselves), consists of five songs and a small hidden track, totalling about forty minutes of amazed listening. Although the uniqueness of the band’s sound is evident from the very beginning, all the songs have their own personality.

This purely instrumental outfit consists of three guitars, bass, Rhodes, analog synths and drums, creating a warm, unique and varied sound. The songs are intelligently composed, and although mostly utilizing a simple ABA pattern, structured to provide interesting stretches of constant development, making the return to the A-part always a surprising and unsuspected one. The album is very profesionally and tastefully produced, and bits and scraps of sampled noises are interspersed with the songs, creating a somewhat disturbing and contrasting background for the precomposed material to gain colour from.

Stylistically these guys are really hard to put a stamp on, as they make no concessions to anyone’s taste but their own. Although they have been characterized (by their local press among others) as sounding a lot like the Chicago post-rock style of bands like Tortoise, I perceive them as stylistically belonging closer to some some of the less commercial styles of the progressive rock of the ’70s than of any particular modern style of rock . Their tone language has a taste of jazziness to it, but the lack of improvisation and the extreme sophistication of the compositions make the term ”jazzrock” very misleading. I would rather describe them as having a lot in common with some aspects of Canterbury, even if the spirit of British eccentricity normally associated with the genre is lacking in

 the style of this exciting new Norwegian band.

It’s a Fudge is an unusually strong debut from a band with an unusual depth of personality; their music communicates on many levels. Everyone who has a slight interest in observing the genre of progressive rock – in the wide sense of the term – being reexplored and reinvented to form an exciting and delightful new style no one has imagined before are warmly recommended to give this one a good listen.

Threshold

Hypothetical

It's been three years since Threshold released its highly acclaimed album Clone (1998). So it's been a bit of a wait for the fifth studio album Hypothetical. It's the first release since the band left IQ's Giant Electric Pea label and the first official release on the InsideOut label, which already handled distribution for the previous album.
The bands line-up is again different from the time of the previous release, although this time they've retained their vocalist, Andrew "Mac" McDermott. The hard core of the band are still Karl Groom (guitars), Nick Midson (guitars), Jon Jeary (bass) and Richard West (keyboards). But Threshold changes drummers more often than Spinal Tap! Johanne James is the fourth drummer on five albums. On the last two albums, Clone and Extinct Instinct, drums were played by Mark Heaney, who left shortly after recording of Clone was completed.

This is a release I've been looking forward to anxiously. Threshold is one of my favorite progressive bands and ranks among my top-3 best loved prog metal acts. The band pleasantly surprised me with their last album, Clone, on which they trod some new and exciting paths. Of course, I was wondering if they could improve on it with their new CD Hypothetical. To be blunt, they haven't. But Threshold again succeeds in producing an excellent progressive metal album, which also shows a remarkable, though in final analyses not very promising new softer side.

Hypothetical is by no means as gloomy as Clone (one of the strenghts of the 1998 album) and could best be described as a cross between Clone and their earlier Psychedelicatessen (1994).
With Light and Space the band is off to a flying start. Solid progressive metal with good melodic vocals. Shifts to and fro from more clear cut prog to harsher metal. Turn On Tune In is another typical Threshold track with powerful intro. This hangs very close to Clone, it's feel not unlike Lovelorn. The last in a threesome of Clone-style tracks is The Ravages of Time, the first of two long (10 minutes+) tracks. Dark and moody intro gives way to splendid guitar play. Pure progressive metal, not unlike Goodbye Mother Earth in structure, but also reminiscent of earlier Threshold albums. Here we find the first use of vocoder which features on the latter long track (Narcissus) more prominently. Of the two tracks The Ravages of Time is much more a single composition than Narcissus.

Fourth track, Sheltering Sky, opens in the vein of Arena's Friday's Dream until the typical Threshold guitar play sets in. In fact, there's quite a lot to this album which reminds me of present day Arena. Oceanbound sees the band edging into Vanden Plas terrain, while Long Way Home shows evidence of strong influences of Metallica in the verses. The combination with a more standard Hypothetical style makes for a strange, though not unwholesome combination. Instrumentation is truly majestic during the bridges and solos.

With the poppy ballad Keep My Head Threshold goes out on a limp, but I feel they've lost this balancing act. Is the band perhaps hoping to score a successful single with this song? This sounds more like pre-Blues Gary Moore than Threshold. It's not half bad, but not what I would like to find after having bought this album. Not at all the typical kind of Threshold track which (former) DPRP-member René Janssen once labeled as "semi-ballad", this composition is an unnecessary addition to Threshold's discography.

But the band retaliates hard with the next track, Narcissus, which I found to be the best track on this CD. It opens instrumentally, again not unlike Arena. As composition it seems more like three combined pieces than the product of a single composition. The second part sung with vocoded vocals and the third is largely instrumental. The softer touch of the previous tracks is discarded and with that the true magic returns, while the second section has the more delicate arrangements.

Hypothetical may not be as good as Clone and does not pack a real knock-out track like Voyager II (although Narcissus comes close), but nevertheless Threshold again prove they're among the very best in the genre. I miss the kind of Threshold track which (former) DPRP-member René Janssen once labeled a "semi-ballad"; Keep My Head is but a poor substitute. Mac confirms his place as best Threshold vocalist, which is quite an accomplishment as Damian Wilson has long been a favorite of mine. The album is again professionally produced and mixed by Karl Groom and Richard West.
In closing, you might find the references above to various other bands somewhat redundant, but they're here for a reason. I get the feeling Threshold has been looking across boundaries of the genre in composing this album. While the end result is overall quite good, I hope they don't take this too far. Leave the mushy ballads to someone else, guys.
Of interest to Arena fans also, much more than previous albums.

 Tracklist: Light And Space (5:52), Turn On Tune In (6:12), The Ravages Of Time (10:19), Sheltering Sky (5:37), Oceanbound (6:37), Long Way Home (5:58), Keep My Head (4:01), Narcissus (11:14)

Tangent

The Music That Died Alone

What originally started out as a solo album by Andy Tillison-Diskdrive from Yorkshire's Parallel or 90 Degrees, somehow evolved into a collaboration involving Sam Baine from PO90D, Roine Stolt, Jona Reingold and Zoltan Csorsz from The Flower Kings, solo artist Guy Manning (who had worked with Andy in PO90D precursor Gold, Frankincense and Diskdrive) and the delightful talents of none other than Van der Graaf Generator's saxophonist and flautist David Jackson. The Tangent should be considered more of a project than a band, as the seven musicians recorded their contributions separately, in several different studios and even different countries. One supposes that in modern jargon they could be called a virtual group!

The first thing one notices about the album of music they have created is that it doesn't sound as if it was assembled in different studios, more like the group got together in a studio and just blasted through the material while the tape was running. There is a fluidity to the pieces, but with the ever-present threat that at any moment things may delve into chaos. Naturally, this adds to the tension and excitement of the music and is an obvious nod to the musical anarchy that characterised Van der Graaf Generator when they were in full flow.

The album contains four pieces although, in fine prog tradition, three of the tracks are split into subsections. The album opens with the twenty-one minute epic In Darkest Dreams. With an immediate assault of wailing guitars and saxophones and some terrific Hammond organ there is no doubt of the intention - classic no-holds barred progressive rock. There is no mistaking David Jackson whose characteristic playing dives in and out of the mix, drawing from his saxophone sounds that only he knows how. But it is not all complete armageddon, some fine jazz-tinged piano from Sam Baine during The Midnight Watershed, a very melodic In Dark Dreams with subtle swathes of mellotron and a flute-driven middle eight that has hints of early Camel and the acoustic guitar and mandolin of The Half-Light Watershed that bears more than a passing resemblance to a section of Yes' Close To The Edge. With a final reprise of the Night Terrors section and a last note that hangs on forever (again, think Close To The Edge) this is a stunning opening piece.

The Canterbury Sequence is a loving tribute to the bands of the Canterbury Scene of the late sixties and early seventies. Cantermemorabilia combines the best elements of Caravan - the wry humour of Pye Hastings' lyrics, the light and airy flute of brother Jimmy Hastings, the bass of Richard Sinclair and the staccato organ of Dave Sinclair - in a song whose refrain you'll be singing for a long while after the album's over. Chaos At The Greasy Spoon is an expanded cover of the Richard Sinclair and Pip Pyle composition from Hatfield and the North's second album, The Rotter's Club. Captain Manning's Mandolin closes the piece in a gentler fashion with some fine guitar work from Roine Stolt underpinned by Guy Manning's mandolin.

Up-Hill From Here is the track most reminiscent of Parallel Or 90 Degrees, but more in structure than style. Dominated by guitar and Hammond organ (with a solo straight from the stable of Jon Lord), this very energetic piece is more of a direct rock song and proves that not every progressive song has to be written in complex time signatures!

The title tracks rounds off the album, starting with a piano solo the piece moves on to one of the highlights of the album for me, Playing On...... Jackson's flute and soprano sax are all over this piece and he really makes it his own. With an instrumental intermezzo, the album draws to a close with a reprise of Playing On..... before gradually fading out with an extended coda of synth and saxophone.

In conclusion a wonderful album that presses all the right buttons for me. Although rooted in the classic progressive rock style of the 1970s, it stands up fully to the prog scene of the new millennium. The lyrics are from the top drawer (as would be expected from one of the most pertinent lyricists writing today), the playing and arrangement can't be faulted and the production is impeccable. If you only buy one progressive album a year then The Music That Died Alone should be the one!

Tom's Review

Roine Stolte seems to appear on every second album released on Inside Out at the moment, so people could almost be forgiven for being somewhat apathetic at the arrival of this new prog ‘supergroup’ – but I would urge prog fans (whether their particularly fond of the Flower Kings or not) to give this album a listen, as it is undoubtedly one of the best progressive rock releases of the year so far.

Although Stolt is perhaps the best known musician here, The Tangent is actually the brainchild of Andy Tillison, keyboardist/ vocalist of the cult (and underrated) British group Parallel Or Ninety Degrees. Tillison’s bandmate Sam Baine supplies piano, whilst Stolt’s fellow Flower Kings’ Jonas Reingold and Zoltan Czorsk provide the rhythm section. Guy Manning handles acoustic guitars and mandolin, whilst the final piece of the puzzle is the return to prog of legendary Van der Graf Generator saxophonist David Jackson. In fact, its perhaps Jackson, with his excellent and readily identifiable playing, who really adds that extra ‘something’ to the album.

The Music That Died Alone is basically made up of four (very distinct) suites. The opening one, the twenty-minutes odd epic In Darkest Dreams is a real gem which will have most prog fans in raptures. Riding in on some ELP-esque keyboard work, this track moves smoothly through a variety of styles and moods, from the almost jaunty, Flower Kings-esque Night Terrors, to the darker strains of In Dark Dreams (which features saxophone playing from Jackson that brings to mind his work on VDGG’s Still Life album); the quiet, acoustic The Half Light Watershed, with its massed backing vocals, has a feel reminiscent of Yes at their peak, whilst A Sax In The Night is a wonderful sax solo that immediately transports you to a smoky nightclub at 3 in the morning. Yet despite the fairly transparent influences and the fact that many of the parts may seem disparate, the band manage to create a sound very much their own and the song really does flow well as a whole. The decision to split the vocal duties between Stolt, Manning and Tillison is also a good one, as it adds some extra variety to what is, in anyone’s books, a cracking way to open an album.

The Canterbury Sequence covers a completely different musical sphere – its title, the fact that Tillison sings (on this track at least) in a style very reminiscent of Richard Sinclair, and namechecks Caravan and Hatfield And The North in the first sentence of the lyrics perhaps indicates where this track is coming from! The first section has a pleasantly light and breezy feel with Jackson’s wonderful flute playing floating over stabs of Hammond. Elsewhere there’s room for all the musicians to stretch out – typically fluid bass work from Reingold, great jazzy piano from Baine, a fine moog solo from Tillison and, in the final part, a wonderful tradeoff between Stolt’s soaring lead guitar and Manning’s melancholy mandolin. Everything fits together so perfectly, with the musicians appearing to play off each other, that its difficult to believe that many of the ‘band’ were never actually in the same room (or even in the same country!) together.

Up-Hill From Here has a more modern feel, a generally upbeat rocker that almost plays like a slightly skewed alternative rock track – again given that extra kick from Jackson’s punchy playing. Stolt’s solo work in the middle of the track is reminiscent of Dave Gilmour at his most aggressive.

Things drop down a gear in both tempo and mood, as a flourish of grand piano introduces the title track. This suite has a melancholy feel throughout (appropriately for a song which appears to lament the ‘death’ of progressive rock) with Jackson’s flute and saxophone playing driving the track for its first part, whilst the middle half picks up the pace a little, and reminded me of Camel circa Nude. Prehistory features some great jazzy improvisation work led by Baine’s faultless piano playing, before the album ends very evocatively with some haunting sax and shimmering keyboards.

Although this album is ‘only’ 48 minutes long, I think this works in its favour as the tracks never outstay their welcome and you’re left wanting more, always a sign of a good album. So in conclusion, this is a very strong release which I have no hesitation in recommending to all fans of progressive rock.

Tracklist:
In Darkest Dreams [Prelude - Time For You (2:27), Night Terrors (3:27), The Midnight Watershed (3:05), In Dark Dreams (4:03), The Half-Light Watershed (1:18), On Returning (0:49), A Sax In The Dark (1:14), Night Terrors Reprise (3:38)]; The Canterbury Sequence [Cantermemorabilia (3:21), Chaos At The Greasy Spoon (3:03), Captain Manning's Mandolin (1:41)]; Up-Hill From Here (7:10), The Music That Died Alone [A Serenade (1:38), Playing On..... (4:45), Pre-History (2:38), Reprise (3:43)]

The World That We Drive Through

British / Swedish collective The Tangent return with their second album The World That We Drive Through, a year on from the startling debut The Music That Died Alone. The first album came as something of a surprise to the progressive world and was widely considered to be the album of the year. From a prospective Andy Tillison solo album, The Tangent has evolved into a fully-fledged group (of sorts) with international live dates recently announced for later in the year. Maintaining basically the same line-up that appeared on the first album (Sam Baine and Andy Tillison on keyboards, Guy Manning and Roine Stolt on guitars, Zoltan Csorsz on drums and Jonas Reingold on bass) only David Jackson couldn't make the reunion due to his frantic recording and touring schedule this year. Providing sax and flute accompaniment this time round is the ubiquitous Theo Travis, probably best known in the progressive world know through his work with David Sinclair, the reconstituted Gong and Porcupine Tree (not to mention the two CDs he contributed to by notorious spoon bender and Michael Jackson buddy, Uri Geller!). Ostensibly a concept album about how self-involved people have become that the world outside the window is largely ignored, the five epic tracks resume the musical adventures first explored on the debut. This time round there is a bit more modern approach, whereas The Music That Died Alone was firmly rooted in the style of classic progressive rock of the 1970s, The World That We Drive Through brings things rather more up to date.

"The Winning Game"

MARK: Opening tack The Winning Game was initially a bit of a disappointment. Having really rated the first Tangent album and considering it something a bit special, the song seemed a bit ordinary. It starts off well enough with multi-layered saxophone and flute lines blasted out of the way by some huge keyboards before the vocals start. Stylistically, the intro is very Parallel or 90 Degrees although it seems to be lacking something. Perhaps it was Roine Stolt's voice that put me off (I have never been a fan of The Flower Kings or Transatlantic or seemingly anything that Stolt has been involved with, until The Tangent came along that is!). Things do improve as the song progresses, having always preferred the sound of a steaming organ over that of a guitar Tillison doesn't let me down. The inclusion of the vocal line and melody from Burt Bacharach's What The World Needs Now Is Love is a nice touch and emphasises the  lyric of segregation and division. Tillison's lyrics (and I am presuming they are his) are always thought provoking and more politically aware than a lot of bands these days (no dungeons and dragons here!). However, as they were not included with the promo disc supplied to DPRP I am looking forward to reading and digesting them when the album is officially released.

TOM: The World That We Drive Through immediately gets off to a good start with The Winning Game. Powered along by a lively Jonas Reingold bass line, this song, whilst certainly fitting in to the ‘retro prog’ category, has something of a darker feel than is the norm for the genre (something that resurfaces later on A Gap In The Night). This is at least partly due to the lyrics, which seem to take a rather cynical look at the manoeuvres of those in power (politicians and the like). These are strongly delivered by Roine Stolt, who takes the lead vocal here, and does a very fine job; in fact I’ve rarely heard his voice utilised so well – it fits the material like a glove. The overall rather bleak tone is leavened a little by the middle section, where the pace slackens and there’s some soaring Stolt guitar work, and even an (assumedly ironic) working in of the well-known refrain ‘what the world needs now, is love sweet love’. A strong opening gambit which bodes well for the rest of the album.

BART: To say that this is one of my most anticipated albums of the year is a sheer understatement. After all, I was overwhelmed by last year's The Music That Died Alone and had high hopes for the next outing of this occasional band.
Opener The Winning Game does not disappoint at all. Starting with an almost eastern sounding flute intro, it echoes classic Genesis when it really breaks loose. It immediately struck me how Roine Stolt's guitar sounds more like Roine Stolt on this album, in other words, the music sounds more Flower Kings-ey than on the predecessing album. This feeling is only emphasised by the fact that Stolt takes care of most of the lead-vocals on this song. Yet Andy Tillison's keyboards also seem to have taken a clear shift into a more 'neo' direction of prog.

"Skipping The Distance"

MARK: Skipping The Distance is overall more satisfying with everyone giving their all. Each of the musicians gets an opportunity to shine with each instrumentalist taking the preceding riff and adapting and developing it in the manner of some cosmic progressive jazz band. Travis is dominant with initially his flute and then sax playing and there is even a more gentler section that harks back to the Canterbury scene with Sam Baine's vocals being eerily reminiscent of Hatfield and the North. Having so many vocalists in the group (Tillison, Stolt, Baine and Manning all provide lead vocals at some point or another) adds to the variety, although Tillison is arguably the best of the bunch and does sterling work on this very enjoyable track.

TOM: Skipping The Distance can be seen as the successor to the previous album’s The Canterbury Sequence. With a whimsical flavour, lots of organ and flute and Andy Tillison’s very English delivery (with his vocals this time slightly reminiscent of Caravan’s Pye Hastings), any fans of the Canterbury style are sure to enjoy this. This is a nice, relaxed piece with some great melodies and (again) excellent work by the rhythm section. I did feel it meandered a bit towards the middle, where there are several solo spots, and could probably have been cut down a bit in length, but I should say that it’s pleasant meandering, and overall this is a strong track.

BART: This track is closer to the music of The Music That Died Alone; a nice jazzy piece not unlike The Canterbury Sequence. It has a very catchy melody, which becomes all the more catchy as it is repeated by organ, flute, synth and guitar. There is also a bit of a déjà vu feeling when Sam Baine and Theo Travis do a little piano/flute interlude, much like she did with David Jackson on The Canterbury Sequence. In all a great, fun track.

"Photosynthesis"

MARK: The tempo is taken down for the more reflective Photosynthesis which begins with a solo piano. As the title would suggest, the theme of the song is light which keeps away the fears of the dark. An achingly beautiful chorus is linked to some very sympathetic guitar playing from Stolt in the most gentle song that The Tangent have come up with to date, although they can't resist throwing in a more aggressive, in relative terms, keyboard solo towards the end! But who's complaining, it is not incongruous to the overall feel of the song which provides a nice contrast to the preceding two tracks.

TOM: This is probably the most instantly accessible track on the album, a nice ‘prog ballad’, perhaps a little in the mid-seventies Wind And Wuthering-era Genesis vein, with strong melodies and a good chorus, which is enhanced by excellent use of vocal harmonies. Its not exactly ground breaking stuff, but it’s a quality track all the same.

BART: A ballad in the vein of early Collins-era Genesis follows. Photosynthesis is a nice interlude, but not overly special. Roine Stolt deserves special mention here for his excellent (and subtle) E-bow work.

"The World That We Drive Through"

MARK: Title track The World That We Drive Through continues in a similar manner to the end of Photosynthesis with prominent piano, accompanying flute and gentle vocals. With a gradual increase in tempo and volume the song develops through the introduction of drums, sax and additional keyboards. Throughout the album Csorsz's drumming is very proficient, particularly on this track and the earlier Skipping The Distance. Five minutes into The World That We Drive Through things suddenly take off with some classic progressive moments, the group even sounding almost like ELP at times. The arrangement is top notch and there is always something going to grab the attention.

TOM: The title track has a heavily melancholic feel to it, and a naggingly catchy main melody that soon embeds itself into the memory. Its an enjoyable track, although as with Skipping The Distance I did feel that the fairly simple structure of the song didn’t necessarily warrant such a lengthy running time, and that the relatively few different musical ideas are stretched a little thin in places - again a bit of pruning wouldn’t have gone amiss.

BART: It wouldn't surprise me if this track came from Roine Stolt's hand, rather than Andy Tillison, as it is certainly the most Flower Kings inspired track on the album. This track features pretty much everything a prog classic should: a catchy vocal melody, long instrumental passages, guitarsolos aplenty, even more keyboard solos, great basslines, solid drumming and a couple of pages of interesting lyrics.
The track revisits some parts from The Winning Game (or is it the other way around?), which adds to the concept album experience.

"A Gap In The Night"

MARK: Final track A Gap In The Night is a hang over from the earliest days of Parallel Or 90 Degrees. Originally released on the limited edition 1996 CD The Corner Of My Room with the inimitable Hugh Banton (Van Der Graaf Generator) on organ, Tillison has always said that he wanted to re-record the track. I guess that the majority of people who buy The Tangent album will not have heard the original so it is rather pointless comparing the two versions. In truth, the two recordings are not too dissimilar, the new recording is a bit more developed and has a slightly different arrangement in parts. The use of Tillison, Manning and Stolt as separate and disparate lead vocalists in different sections of the song gives the piece a more narrative feel whilst Travis' contributions add in some more overtly psychedelic moments. Probably one of the more darker pieces that The Tangent have recorded it has to be said that considering the song was originally written almost nine years ago the overall sound is not too disparate from the rest of the album. Again, each of the musicians have their moment, and throughout the soloing is very effective but never over indulgent. It is a great song and very well played and is sure to be massively popular, particularly if they can transfer it to the stage. But having said that, I can't help wondering if I actually prefer the Parallel or 90 Degrees version. That may be because I am more familiar with it and the fact that it is always difficult to hear a new version of a song you have known and loved for a long time, no matter how well recorded and played, and not to retain an affection for the original. Still, not complaining about having a new version and perhaps it's inclusion on this album will encourage more people to check out the glorious PO90D back catalogue.

TOM: A Gap In The Night returns to the rather dark world view of The Winning Game, and along with that track its the highlight of the album. Its not an immediate number, and takes many listens to appreciate, after which the many disparate sections finally begin to gel and make sense. The basic framework of this song was apparently written over a decade ago by Tillison and Guy Manning, and an early version appeared on the limited edition of the (long since deleted) Parallel Or 90 Degrees album In The Corner Of My Room. Listening to the first section of the song, this fact doesn’t come as a surprise, as one of the main PO90 influences, Van der Graaf Generator, can be clearly heard – it could almost be one of those classic Hammill torch songs. The song moves skilfully through various sections, almost grinding to a halt towards the middle of its length where there’s an eerie, slightly discordant ambient section reminiscent of Genesis’ The Waiting Room, before the song builds towards a power-house final section which again features some superb vocal interplay between Stolt, Manning and Tillison, who all take a lead vocal at some point. Also, some of the most skilful and intense playing on the album is featured here, with Tillison’s Hammond work a particular standout. An excellent piece.

BART: Album closer A Gap In The Night is in fact the only up-tempo song on the album. Even the jazzy Skipping The Distance was so laid-back that you could hardly call it 'rock'. A Gap In The Night -by Tillison's words a pre-quel to In Darkest Dreams off the previous album- is the only song on the album where the drums really bang and the guitars really break loose. For about half the song, that is, as it still contains lots of mellow atmospheric interludes.
Tillison's love for Hammill and Van Der Graaf is very evident in both lyrics and music, and my guess is that this song will once again feature high in the best song of 2004 list of this year's poll.
Again, we got some stellar keyboard solos from Tillison and soaring guitar solos from Stolt, combined with clever lyrics sung by Tillison, Stolt and (I think) Manning. There is also a big nod to IQ with a very typical IQ rhythm with a great, fat bass. Towards the end there is a very nice mellow interlude which sounds very mid-seventies Oldfield or even Jarre, with extensive use of sequencers. It's this combination of styles that make The Tangent the great listening experience it is.

CONCLUSIONS

MARK: So, have The Tangent managed to live up to the promise of their debut and come up with another classic album? On the whole I'd have to say yes, although I think the debut still holds the edge and use of the word 'classic' may be a bit premature. But it is a damn fine album and is worthy of the DPRP recommendation I will award it. Fans of the first album will not be disappointed.

TOM: It certainly can’t have been easy following up a work of the quality of The Music That Died Alone, especially as that album came as such a pleasant surprise to many in the prog community. In contrast, by the release of this album The Tangent are now a known quantity and expectations (no least my own) were high. By and large, I think they’ve been met. All five songs here are of merit, with The Winning Game and A Gap In The Night being of particularly note. The compositions are varied whilst still managing to retain a unified feel, no doubt helped by the common lyrical themes. All the musicians are at the top of their game here, and special credit must go to Theo Travis for ably stepping in to David Jackson’s shoes and doing a fine job. I must say that, as of now, I probably prefer the debut album a little – it just somehow felt slightly ‘fresher’, and you never felt like a minute was wasted; here, with the longer running time, I did feel that a couple of the songs could certainly have been shorter, which would (I believe) have increased the album’s impact. However, this is to an extent nit picking – in the end synopsis, The Tangent have created another excellent retro prog album, and I would have thought that any fan of the genre (and in particular of any of the bands that the main protagonists play in for their day job) will find much to enjoy here.

BART: It was a difficult task to equal their excellent debut album, but with The World That We Drive Through The Tangent have proven that this wasn't just a one-off project. It has to be said though that this new album misses the surprise element of The Music That Died Alone. The music is still solid retro prog, but while the first album ventured mainly in the bands of the seventies, and more specifically the Canterbury Scene, this new album sounds a lot more like eighties' neo prog. Still great though, all the individual songs are little masterpieces, yet on the whole the album misses the punch of its predecessor.

Tracklist: The Winning Game (11:09), Skipping The Distance (8:55), Photosynthesis (7:39), The World That We Drive Through (12:57), A Gap In The Night (18:22)

Trashmetall veteranene

Annihilator

"Schizo Deluxe

La meg bare si det med en gang, Annihilator har levert! Dette lukter mye bedre enn det som var tilfelle sist.

Vel er det oppdatert, men det er også masse godbiter og riff som påminner om debuten! Og da er jeg med på lasset. :)

Jeff Waters har vært ujevn på å levere skiver i de senere årene, men når det gjelder å kunne spille, har det aldri, aldri vært tvil om at fyren er en av de beste.

På "Schizo Deluxe" overbeviser mannen og klarer å gjenerobre mye av det han hadde av status på de par først skivene. Det er røffere, litt mer hardcore i kantene, men ikke fortvil, core-delen har null mulighet til å skyve metallen og thrashen til side. Vokalen er hard, melodiøs og faktisk tidvis genial, sjekk Pride. Evnen til å dra i og låte som klassisk Annihilator og samtidig fylle inn med gode hyl, fine choruser og power, gjør at jeg anbefaler de fleste med sansen for Waters og metall generelt til å kjøpe.

Det er en kul produksjon, som har blitt til i Jeff’s eget studio i Canada - man får en tight og ren gitardominans, men samtidig er bassen/trommene veldig godt plassert. Og Jeff er så fornøyd at han til og med takker den enkelte i hver låt for å sjekke ut hva han driver på med. :)

Og bare for ordens skyld, om ikke låta som er linket i tracklista overbeviser, er det liten grunn til å fortvile, det er 100% power hele veien uten stopp.


Tracklist:

1. Maximun satan
2. Drive
3. Warbird
4. Plasma Zombie
5. Invite It
6. Like Father, Like Gun
7. Pride
8. Too Far Gone
9. Clare
10. Something Witchy