CD/DVD Releases: More Upcoming Releases From ProgRock Records
Several new releases are on the calendar for release by ProgRock Records, beginning with Dante. Dante was founded in 2006 by keyboardist Markus Maichel and guitarist Markus Berger after a chance encounter at a Dream Theater concert. All members of Dante have been fascinated by progressive music ever since, starting with influences like Pink Floyd, ELP, the early Genesis and Yes, up to present artists like Porcupine Tree, Neal Morse and Dream Theater. Saturnine features beefy riffing, astounding melodies, huge orchestrations as well as intimate moments, culminating into the epic nineteen minutes closing track "Vanessa."
The Players: Alexander Gohs - Vocals; Markus Berger - Guitar; Markus Maichel - Keyboards, Backing Vocals; Michael Neumeier - Bass; Christian Eichlinger - Drums, Backing Vocals
Tracks: All My Life / Drifting / Last / Never Return / Maybe On Day /Modal Acousma / Vanessa
Release Date: July 13th 2010, Price $16.95
Next up is FramePictures: Originally formed in 2004 as a group of session musicians backing up a pop vocalist, the band realized that prog was where they wanted to be and ventured out as an instrumental group similar to Planet X. After some time in this configuration they decided that having a vocalist was what they needed and found Tiago and started working on their first album.
The debut album of the Portuguese band brings to the 21st century the same non-conformism and artistic expression without boundaries that was so fresh in the past, through musicians like Robert Fripp, Brian Eno, Thom Yorke and Steven Wilson. Varying from the most aggressive up-tempo guitar riffs to the intimate warmth - of the grand piano, Remember It is stretching from left to right of the rock repertoire, including the 25 minutes conceptual seven-part epic song "My Will To Live."
The Players: Tiago Delgado - Vocals; Artur Jorge - Drums; Helder da Silva - Guitar; Ricardo Drumond - Bass; Mafalda Brogueira - Keyboards
Tracks: 1. Memories Faded Away / Remember It / Call For Me / Don't Trust My Eyes / Why Nobody Cares / Shadows Black And Grey / My Will To Live
Release Date: July 13th 2010; Price $16.95
Plastic Soup is the first album of the new Dutch Progressive rock band PBII, the successor to the well known Plackband of the 70's and 80's, often called the Dutch Genesis. Plastic Soup however, has a sound that is absolutely 2010: modem, fresh and rocky but still with some great symphonic influences of the past. Stylistically, you could place it somewhere between Spock's Beard, Porcupine Tree, Frost*, Marilion, Linkin Park and Genesis. Special guests include John Mitchell (Arena, It Bites, Frost*), John Jowitt (IQ, Frost*) and Heidi Jo Hines (daughter of Denny Laine of Wings). Though not a concept album, the central theme of the album is the environment. Plastic Soup is another name for the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, floating in the ocean with a size twice that of the US. Discoverer of this plastic soup is captain Charles Moore, who also did some voice overs on the album. PBII wishes to get more attention to this environmental problem.
The Players: Tom van der Meulen: Drums ; Harry den Hartog: Bass, backing vocals ; Michel van Wassem: Lead vocals, Keyboards ; Ronald Brautigam: Guitar, backing vocals
Tracks: Book Of Changes / In The Arms Of A Gemini / Ladrillo / Loneliness / The Great Pacific Garbage Patch / Criticize The Critics / It's Your Life / Fata Morgana / Living By The Dice / Cradle To Cradle
Release Date: Ju;y 13th 2010; Price $16.95
Excavations Of The Mind [by Sky Architect] can best be described as symphonic, complex, dynamic, versatile and ambitious. Thriving to revive and reinvent the progressive style and sound of the 70's, the album hopes to reclaim a place for symphonic rock-music in the 21st century. The album dives into the dark and disturbing psyche of a mentally troubled man, while staying true to the concept oriented nature of progressive rock music. The music has a complex structure with a lot of instrumental freedom. Vintage keys add to the warm, symphonic character of their sound. You can often hear a hint of bands such as King Crimson, Gentle Giant, The Flower Kings, Porcupine Tree and Pain of Salvation in their music. The epic magnitude of the album takes the listener on a journey into ones vivid imagination. Renowned rock illustrator Mark Wilkinson, famous for his work with Marillion, Fish and Judas Priest has created the artwork for the CD.
The Players: Tom Luchies - Vocals, Guitar; Wabe Wieringa - Guitar; Rik van Honk - Keyboards, backing vocals; Guus van Mierlo - Bass; Christiaan Bruin - Drums, backing vocals
Tracks: Deep Chasm part 1: Charter / Deep Chasm part 2: Chime / Deep Chasm part 3: Changeling / Deep Chasm part 4: Chasm / The Grey Legend / Russian Wisdom / Excavation Of The Mind / Gyrocopter
Release Date: July 13th 2010; Price $16.95
And finally in this round up (which also included Roswell Six see earlier posting), is Wolfspring and their self-titled release. Wolfspring is a new band created by JP Louveton, guitarist and singer of the progressive French band Nemo. Motivated by the creation of new musical surroundings, this new project surrounds JP with musicians of various influences: Julian Clemens (vocals), Ludovic Moro-Sibilot (Metal drummer) and Guillaume Fontaine on keyboards, who also played in Nemo.
Mixing in a new Metallic sounds, acoustic atmospheres and symphonic music, Wolfspring belongs to that kind of modern progressive bands that does not hesitate to experiment with genres, all while keeping a musical coherence and a personal sound.
The Players: Julian Clemens - Vocals; Jean-Pierre Louveton - Guitar, Bass, Vocals; Guillaume Fontaine - Keyboards; Ludovic Moro-Sibilot - Drums
Tracks: The Haunting / 24/7 / Carpathian Wolves / Train's Gone / Now Or Never / Mutation / Howling With The Banshee / Our New MediaEvil World
Release Date: July 13th 2010; Price $16.95
[Source: TSM Productions]
