ECLECTIC PROG

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2021/01/14/top-50-prog-albums-of-2020-part-2-25-1/

I consider this to be the black sheep of Motorpsycho's Gullvåg trilogy due to some factors, such as it being only a mere 40 minutes in length, and the fact it feels a lot closer in vein to their older early 90s sound than The Tower ever did. I think if the Tower was the spiritual successor of The Death Defying Unicorn, The Crucible is the spiritual successor to their first three albums of Lobotomizer, Demon Box, and Timothy's Monster. I say this since this album is very heavy, and I'd say it takes more cues from stoner rock and grunge than progressive rock, though this isn't without looking at the 20 minute titular epic.

The sound here has a lot of heavy riffs, trucking drums, and a very clear sense of massive scales, while still keeping things down to size. This is best shown with the first track of Psychotzar, which happens to be one of my favorite Motorpsycho tracks ever. It is so rambunctious, with an almost perfect layout and progression that makes it a joy to listen and go through in my opinion. I also have to take a moment to give my appreciation to the two other tracks of Lux Aeterna, and the title track as they showcase tiny moments of more progressive rock flavors here, with the title track obviously gonna be the most evident of this as it composes this lofty jam that is similar to Gullible Travails from Heavy Metal Fruit, though with a clearer focus on jamming, and I think this more hard hitting sound being a more primary focus here than the proggy aspect of it all actually makes this one of my favorite Motorpsycho albums.

I think Motorpsycho, as a band, can totally make sounds like this not only work in most contexts, but in most progressive rock ideals. While the more intricate proggy sounds take a backseat, I think this album still has some amazing performances, and as such I don't really mind.

This is quite an underrated album. Sure, compared to The Tower and The All Is One it might not be the most grand adventure, nor is it the longest, but even then when you have 3 tracks that are pretty much all stellar in sound and layout, I think this record should get a bit more love, because I certainly think it is one the band's most endearing records yet.

East Of Eden's debut is considerably less proggy than their follow up records, and definitely a bit more bluesy, but what is found here is some nice early prog in my mind.

What I like about this album is the more heavy psychedelic format these songs create, usually also combining with a more folk rock sound to create this very rocking, and driving record that I think, for the most part, works out very nicely, especially on tracks like Northern Hemisphere and In The Stable of the Sphinx. I like it a lot.

That said, though, I do not think this album has any really interesting moments. Obviously very early prog rock won't have stuff that excels to the heights of Close To The Edge or A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers, nor is the genre refined enough to really get those enigmatic sweet spots, but I still feel like by 1969, especially after works came out and about from bands like Procol Harum, The Moody Blues, and The Mothers of Invention, which their albums have had some rather interesting moments up until this point, and so should be blueprints, if you will, for bands like East Of Eden to follow, I just still think East Of Eden's debut never really has any big moments that I truly adore. The songs are good, but they don't have that kick that makes me want to listen to them over and over again, unlike other albums around this time, which is rather disappointing.

An album that isn't really bad, but not really great either. I guess if you like the more rock side of prog than this album might actually be quite the treat. However, for me anyways, I feel like this doesn't quite get the spices rolling to really make this a stand out album in my mind. You can definitely see the proggy seeds growing on here, but they are still quite deep underground that only in certain moments will you might see them.

Matt is primarily recognised as a guitarist, and is one of a select few of New Zealand musicians to have been recognised by the larger prog community and be signed to an UK label, yet here there is not so much of a concentration on that instrument but instead there are far more keyboards. Historically much of their music has reminded me of Cardiacs, as Matt has obviously been influenced by them, but here he is stretching in different directions, and for a release which is so short, with plenty of numbers less than a minute, he really is pushing himself into different areas. He also recognises that, which is why this release is indicated as something of a spin-off as opposed to his normal repertoire. However, there are also enough similarities that those who come across this will investigate his earlier works to understand something of what The Bob Lazar Story is all about. There may be jokey release titles, along with his weird fascinations, but underlying it all is a musician who is creating prog which is somehow both easy to listen to (preferably on headphones) yet is also pushing boundaries with no desire whatsoever to conform to expectations of either the prog field or whatever is happening musically here in Aotearoa.

It has been four years since the last album, Vanquisher, and let us hope that this EP is a portent of more music to come, as this multi-instrumentalist continues to delight as he follows his own path, and long may he continue to do so. Inspired by the likes of Allan Holdsworth in his noodlings, here he has brought the synths far more to the fore to create an EP which is both immediate and compelling.

I wasn't even aware Diagonal were still together?it had been seven years since their last album. So, it was a pleasant surprise when I learned about their forthcoming third album, Arc. I was even happier when I listened to the first pre-release song and found they'd decided to reintroduce vocals to their music. The jazz influences on Arc loom large, in both the rhythms and the textures. The drumming is deft and often light, while organ and electric piano tend to be the lead instruments.

"9-Green" opens the album with a funky conga rhythm and shimmering organ. The bassline is jerky and impactful, yet it somehow facilitates a smooth, flowing atmosphere. The song's second half consists largely of a guitar solo over an increasingly intense backdrop.

"The Spectrum Explodes" is a more forceful piece of music than I would have expected from these guys. It's not often that guitar is the primary instrument in a Diagonal song, and paired with the propulsive drumming, it makes for an immediately engaging listen. Organ and sax manage to imbue no small amount of jazz flavor into this hard rocker. The second half of this song sees the band shift into a weird, technical riff reminiscent of math rock topped by an airy synth solo.

The title track is probably my favorite on the album. Fuzzy guitar and electric piano share the lead on the smooth verses, while the chorus features an odd riff that adds a sinister subtext. The gentle "Celestia" is a suiting album-closer, ending everything on a light, hopeful-sounding note.

This album isn't without its flaws, though. The eight-minute "Citadel" drags on and on and on with little development. The lethargic tempo is not helped  by the extended bouts of drowsy soloing, and the two-note organ line underpinning the whole song grows tiresome. "The Vital" suffers from almost identical ills. Despite being seven-and-a-half minutes, there's almost no development. It languishes in jazzy, atmospheric torpor for its full runtime?breathy sax bleats float over droning organ and noodling bass improvisations. Diagonal have proven themselves very good at including jazz elements in their music, but these songs demonstrate such elements are best paired with dynamism.

I'm glad Diagonal are back, and I hope they have an uptick in productivity?I don't want to have them be on Tool's or Änglagård's recording schedule. However, I hope they also temper some of their more long-winded, drone-flavored tendencies. Their jazzy, Canterbury-style prog is an uncommon subgenre I'd love to hear more of from modern acts.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2019/09/30/album-review-diagonal-arc/

Guruh Gipsy were a one-off project. All the music was written by artist Guruh Sukarnoputra (a son of Indonesia's first president, Sukarno), and he worked with the band Gipsy to record the material. Unlike the previous acts I've written about, Guruh Gipsy's sole album was a widely-acclaimed and highly-influential success upon its release in Indonesia. However, as of the time of publishing, I've had exactly zero Indonesian readers of my blog, according to Wordpress's stats. It's probably a safe bet that this is a rather unknown album to most of my audience.

Released in 1977, Guruh Gipsy offers a fascinating look at how well rock could fuse with non-Western musical traditions, including uncommon instrumentation and scales. There's a striking mixture of keyboard-heavy Anglo-prog and Javanese and Balinese gamelan music, and the balance of each of those two competing styles varies from one song to the next. Western classical influences abound as well.

(For the unaware: a gamelan is a traditional ensemble of mostly percussive instruments found in Javanese and Balinese music. The primary instruments in these ensembles are gongs and chimes, which are struck with mallets. [Here is an example.](PROVIDE LINK))

The album opens with the huge suite, "Indonesia Maharddhika" ("Independent Indonesia"). This is the most overtly-Anglo-prog song on the album, being filled to the brim with huge, majestic organ, fluid synths, and soaring guitars. Here, the gamelan is kept to a minor role, acting almost like another keyboard instrument. (Fun fact: the opening melody is based on KC and the Sunshine Band's "That's the Way (I Like It)" but with the accentuation reversed.)

Following that grandiosity is a much quieter, more reserved piece, "Chopin Larung" ("Floating Chopin"). This is a fairly straightforward ballad during the verses, but the middle section of the song demonstrates some impressive instrumental skills.

"Barong Gundah" ("The Depressed Barong") offers one of the fullest integrations of Western and Indonesian sounds. The gamelan provides a persistent, off-kilter rhythm which is complemented by the funky, awkward bassline. Guitar and burbling synth battle it out over this backdrop. This weirdness, though, is followed by "Janger 1897 Saka", the weakest track on the album. It's a folk-flavored ballad that's a bit sweet for my taste and drags on for too long. (Wikipedia didn't have a translation for this song title, and Google Translate didn't help, either.)

The blending of Western and Indonesian styles resumes on "Geger Gelgel" ("Commotion in Gelgel"). It's a high-energy, anxious song powered by the aggressive, metallic clanging of the gamelan and a speedy, nervous guitar line. The song builds to a chaotic climax, evoking the commotion referenced in the song title.

"Smaradhana" ("Passion") is a mercifully brief brief ballad that leads in to "Sekar Ginotan" ("The Ginotan Composition"). This closing song, in stark contrast to the album opener, is purely Indonesian. Bassy gongs and wooden percussion provide a backbone as flute and chimes play a dizzying, technical melody.

This album was my introduction to Indonesian music, and I think it is likely the best way to introduce many people to such traditions. Guruh Gipsy showed that gamelan could be effectively integrated into rock music both in a leading role and as a supporting element. (If you're interested in another example of gamelan in rock music, I'd recommend RTA by Rudra, a Singaporean death metal band. Its use is much less pervasive in that context, but it's definitely there on a couple tracks.) In doing research for this piece, it was clear to me that Guruh Gipsy casts a long shadow over Indonesia's history of pop and rock music, and it's abundantly clear why.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2019/08/12/lesser-known-gem-guruh-gipsy-guruh-gipsy/

Emergence is the fourth full-length release from this Colorado quartet, and it's a logical progression from their last release, 2017's A Wake in Sacred Waves. AWISW was among my favorite albums from that year, so this was a highly, highly anticipated release for me. I'm pleased to say it lived up to my hopes and exceeded my expectations. The sound on this album is massive?far more imposing than would be expected of four musicians. The guitar attacks in thick walls of guttural distortion, while the piano thunders and adds a certain weightiness rarely heard in metal.

"Besieged" sets the tone without hesitation. The verses feature gentle, almost pastoral vocals and piano set against growling, churning guitars. This contrast of delicate and harsh is a cornerstone of Dreadnought's sound, but it's not the sole component.  Vocalist Kelly Schilling can let loose with shrieks to rival the best during the heaviest moments, and there is no shortage of clean, jazzy and folky interludes. "Still", the second track, is one such interlude, which features an ominous atmosphere augmented by flute (provided by Schilling) and saxophone (played by drummer Jordan Clancy). Such a short song doesn't try to do too much, but it fits into the flow of everything, building tension and cultivating a menacing aura.

Following that interlude, "Pestilent" opens with pummeling drums and more enveloping guitar. Harmonized vocals add a hint of folk influence, while an aqueous synthesizer fleshes out the overall sound. Flute and sax emerge once more in a calmer moment, and the flute line imparts an Indian feel in its melody. The song's middle is calmer: the tempo is slower, and distortion is minimized for a spell. The tail end of "Pestilent" shows just how effective piano can be in a metal setting. In most metal bands, the instrument seems to largely be relegated to saccharine ballads; but in Dreadnought, keyboardist Lauren Vieira uses the instrument's bass register to add another layer of percussive impact.

Emergence ends on its most dynamic track. Fittingly, "The Waking Realm" opens calmly, as if first rousing from sleep. Lush guitar and synth are complemented by the occasional flash of saxophone as an insistent bassline keeps the music from aimlessly floating. When the drums eventually come in, it's a skittering, jazzy pattern that feels urgent but restrained. It's not until the halfway point that distortion arrives and this becomes a metal song. Even then, it's not some sudden cliff-edge of intensity, but a gradual, gliding ascent. This song continues to build, with the occasional contrastive ebb: rolling inevitably forward, growing into a crushing, distorted frenzy.

Dreadnought released their best album yet with Emergence. It takes all the strengths of their previous releases and matures and focuses them, resulting in a lean, powerful, impactful, emotive release that brims with the intensity of doom metal and the ambition of prog.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2019/06/09/album-review-dreadnought-emergence/

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2019/06/20/odds-ends-june-20-2019/

Folk influences are pervasive. Mandolin and acoustic guitar are often given prominence, and the technical skill combined with the tempo can give some echoes of bluegrass at times. There's even the occasional flash of 1980s-Rush-style-vaguest-hint-of-reggae touches.

"Letter" opens the album with a flurry of high-tempo arpeggios and oddly-metered strumming patterns. The rhythmic effect is off-kilter and disorienting, a recurring theme on Wanderlost. "Shindigjig" draws on folk sounds, giving mandolin prominent placement among the high-octane riffage and dramatic vocals. The bass, here and elsewhere, slaps and bounces with funky levity. The songs regularly display some impressive structuring. Despite their (relatively) short lengths, Dizzy Mystics move beyond simple verse-chorus structures.

Glimpses of metal do arise on occasion. "The Anti-Dream" is one of the heavier songs on the album, based around a strange, highly propulsive riff, though song's second half slows down somewhat. This latter section is noticeably spacier and more psychedelic, leveraging an expansive guitar tone. "Diamond Duller" similarly displays some of the band's most transparent Tool influence. The riffs are weird but melodic, and the vocals are especially reminiscent of Maynard's.

I do have a few gripes with this release, though they're mostly minor. "The Scythe Pendulum Swing" tries to be a slow-builder, but it comes off more as seven minutes of aimless meandering. Dizzy Mystics are never quite able to get the intensity up to a point that it feels like the song has progressed meaningfully. The jazziness of "Rester (Analog Chameleon)", along with a few other quieter moments here and there on the album, doesn't work well, either. This isn't a band that can make an impact by taking it down a notch. Their strengths reside in frenzy and high-tempo theatrics. They also probably could have shortened this album by about 7-10 minutes, and it would be stronger; some songs run a hair too long.

Wanderlost closes on its epic title track, and Dizzy Mystics play to their strengths here. The riffs are fast, finger-twisting feats of technicality, and the song flows seamlessly overall. In addition to the band's instrumental prowess, the vocals are impassioned and dramatic without coming off as ridiculous or overwrought.

Dizzy Mystics offer a unique take on progressive rock. Aside from some of the more common influences, like psychedelic rock, they integrate high-tempo folk, funk, and '90s alt-rock. It results in a distinct sound that sets them apart from most bands in the progressive rock scene.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2019/05/26/album-review-dizzy-mystics-wanderlost/