Browsing Tag

prog rock

Pandoras Shadow Have Recently Dropped Their Latest Progressive Hit “7 hurts”

Posted on 30 November 2019
https://pandorasshadow1.bandcamp.com/track/7-hurts

Hereford, UK Rock artist Pandoras shadow released their latest single “7 hurts” on October 29th adding to their collection of ominously immersive tracks which any fans of Prog Rock are sure to appreciate.

Kicking off with a droning doom-laden Sweet Dreams (Marilyn Manson) style prelude, the single evolves into a feat of tight, driving, eclectic Rock where each new evolution is unpredictable yet seamlessly executed. There was no preparing for the absorbingly epic guitar solo where the true instrumental talent in Pandoras came into crystal clear view.

When you think about Prog Rock, the first thing which comes to mind isn’t striking dynamic vocals, but that’s exactly how Pandoras shadow sets themselves apart. You’d be hard-pressed to find more nuanced vocals which soar just as high as the guitar notes. If anyone ever tells you that everything has been done with Rock, slap them in the face with this single.

You can stream and download Pandoras shadow’s latest single 7 hurts by heading over to Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Halcyon Fields – Black Maps of Light: Intricately Arrestive Alt Rock

Posted on 11 November 2019

“Black Maps of Light” is the intricately arrestive latest single from up and coming Columbia, US Alt Rock artist Halcyon Fields.

There are very few ways to aptly allude to how much catharsis spills as you listen to the technical guitar progressions as they weave their way through the snappy unpredictable time signatures. But my own rhythmic pulses felt the relief to being handed over to the command of Black Maps of Light.

The momentum deftly ebbs and flows, but the immersive exhilaration of listening to a powerhouse carve a brand-new sound by using a smorgasbord of heavy vintage elements remains a constant. And if that weren’t enough, the lack of restraint in the vocals and the way the passionate artistic expression bleeds through brings yet another captivating element to Black Maps of Light.

You can check out Halcyon Fields’ latest single Black Maps of Light for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Project Vela has released their latest progressively powerful Alt Rock single “Watch You Leave”

Posted on 5 November 2019
https://projectvela.bandcamp.com/track/watch-you-leave

There’s little room to wonder why so many people have jumped on the pioneering work of Colorado-based up and coming Alt Rock duo Project Vela.

If you haven’t already been introduced to their sound, their latest single “Watch You Leave” is the perfect introduction. The single kicks off with a contemporary yet cinematic Synth Pop prelude before introducing arrestive layers of stylistic Alt Rock complete with semi-orchestral swells.

Project Vela made the momentum of Watch You Leave constantly in flux, so you’ll get plenty of rhythmic reminders of just how immersive the soundscape is.  The instrumental melodicism and vocal harmonies switch to high-octane riffs in a chaotically concordant style which you definitely won’t be accustomed to.

Fans of Linkin Park, Bring Me the Horizon, Enter Shikari, and Incubus will all find plenty to love about Watch You Leave.

You can check out Project Vela’s single Watch You Leave for yourselves by heading over to Bandcamp now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

AXIOM – Slumber: Because There’s More to Prog Rock than Tool

Posted on 12 September 2019

Instrumental Prog Rock artist AXIOM are set to release their debut EP “Metathesis” at the end of 2019. The demo recording of the standout single “Slumber” is going to get you sharing in the same anticipation as those who have been blown away by AXIOM’s melodically momentous energy live.

On record the progressions are mesmeric, I can only imagine how transfixing the tight rhythms become when they’re blasting out of monitors in venues such as Birmingham’s O2 Institute and HRH Prog Festival’s main stage. Clearly, the release of their debut EP is just the beginning for the Birmingham-based Alt Rock artist. Get them on your radar before your mates ask you if you’ve checked them out and you’ll have to feel a little bit stupid.

You’ll have to wait a little longer before you can check out the EP which will drop later this year. In the meantime, you can head on over to AXIOM’s YouTube channel and delve into the demo recording of Slumber.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

| HORLA |Follow Up Their Debut Single with the Cinematic Hit “Lifeblood”

Posted on 11 September 2019
https://soundcloud.com/h-o-r-l-a/lifeblood-radio-edit-mix-230719-l2/s-6PJUK

With their second single “Lifeblood”, up and coming Manchester-based powerhouse | HORLA | has made my job feel slightly redundant. There’s simply no alluding to the deftly rhythmic ferocity which is included in the follow-up to their debut single “Into the Void”.

Lifeblood kicks off with an intensely cinematic prelude which Ramin Djawadi himself may as well have composed. Lifeblood then evolves into overwhelmingly dynamic Alt Rock which will throw you right back to the 00s when Indie Rock still had teeth which would clamp down on you and compel you to scream the lyrics in whichever sticky venue you happened to find yourself in. But despite the raw, unadulterated power of Lifeblood, | HORLA | has still allowed the single to run through under captivating, melodious choruses.

You can check out | HORLA |’s single Lifeblood for yourselves by heading over to Spotify now

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Sleep Tactics – Herniated: A Debut of Hard Prog Rock Complete with Alchemic Fretboard Mastery

Posted on 5 August 2019

If you appreciate caustic progressive guitars in an instrumental bed of grinding collisions to the tune of filthy Rock and Roll, it’s safe to say that you’ll want to tune into what Sleep Tactics have cooked up with their single “Herniated”.

Herniated is just one of the tracks to feature on the up and coming artist’s debut self-titled LP, and if Herniated is anything to go by, the album will be a frenzied feat of tactual fretboard mastery. Fans of Thurston Moore/Sonic Youth will definitely want to have Sleep Tactics on their radar. Yet, with the vocals, the Philadelphia-based 3-piece have chosen to go with an all-American raucous bite bringing a new dynamic the noisy Prog Rock soundscape.

You can check out Sleep Tactics latest single Herniated for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud now.

Keep up to date with all the latest releases from Sleep Tactics via Facebook.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

DEARBONES deliver Multi-Faceted Prog-Rock Melodies with latest single “THE SLEEP”

Posted on 25 July 2019

Funnily enough, the first lyric in the latest single “THE SLEEP” from up and coming Alt Rock artist DEARBONES perfectly describes what is in store for you when you hit play. “These scales peel razor sharp wires from the spine” is fairly telling of the alchemy which spills from the less than archetypal guitar progressions as they scream throughout the mix yet constantly find new melodic ways to leave you mesmerised.

The Massachusetts fourpiece was founded in 2017 after converging with the aim of offering intellectually compelling lyricism (which borders on ominous poetry) entwined in a blistering Alt-Rock soundscape. For Prog Rock and Post Rock fans, THE SLEEP is a playlist essential, each time you immerse yourself in the track you’ll find new shards of resonance which affirm that DEARBONES are perceptively a band worth getting excited about.

You can check out the official music video to the latest track by DEARBONES by heading over to YouTube now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Alta Cura – Burn: Experimental Prog Rock Worth Losing Your Mind Over

Posted on 13 May 2019

While every track on up and coming Irish-based act Alta Cura’s debut EP is a testament to the collective talent from the 5-piece powerhouse, there is absolutely no better introduction to their indulgently fresh style than their standout single “Burn”.

With some freeform instrumental dabbling serving as a misguiding Jazzy prelude, the track evolves into some of the most powerful progressive experimental Rock I’ve heard this side of the 00s. Any fans of Against Me! are definitely going to want to pay attention thanks to the gritty unrestrained bite of the lyrics.

The intricacy alongside ingenuity of Burn goes beyond any amount of expectation, as the single treats you to an earworm of a melody that isn’t going to burrow its way out until long after the single has faded out.

Every guitarist listening to Burn is going to end up wishing they came up with that riff themselves. Yes, it really is that infectious.

You can check out Alta Cura’s single Burn for yourselves by heading over to Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Pirlo – Nonchalant af: Psychedelic Alt Prog Rock

Posted on 14 February 2019

“Nonchalant af” is the latest single to be released by Alternative Prog Rock artist Pirlo. With the single the up and coming artist managed to weave a ballad out of apathy into his Psychedelic mix of Indie colliding with Pop and Rock.

Kicking off with a tentative piano melody and progressing into an intricately immersive Rock soundscape Nonchalant af is a quaint single which won’t fail to leave you enamoured which mainly falls down to the playfully pensive lyricism.

Naturally, the vocal style to Nonchalant AF runs like muted poetry allowing the theme of jadedness flow right through the track. But clearly Pirlo wasn’t nonchalant about the production of his latest single. The extended 8-minute mix allows for plenty of room for you to slip into the mix and explore the constantly evolving soundscape.

You can check out Pirlo’s latest single Nonchalant af for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

MAXSEL – Shy Landscapes: Lucidly Pioneering Instrumental Prog Rock

Posted on 30 October 2018
Trip To The Lost World by MAXSEL

With a prelude that would be fitting in any Tarantino film, MAXSEL’s progressively psychedelic single “Shy Landscapes” unfolds. The snaking rhythm of the guitar guides you through the smoky, reverb-soaked mix in an approach to solo guitar instrumental music that is uniquely refreshing.

Don’t get me wrong, whilst I love an intricate screaming riff, we’ve pretty much heard all the Power Metal guitar tracks we ever need to thanks to DragonForce. With Shy Landscapes you’re guided through a lucidly pioneering Rock solo the experimentalism remains as a constant throughout the track with its sinister undertones and breakdowns similar to Sonic Youth’s earlier sound.

If I have sold MAXSEL’s cinematically arresting style, you can check out Shy Landscapes for yourselves by heading over to Bandcamp now which is just one of the tracks from MAXSEL’s 2018 release “Trip to the Lost World”

Review by Amelia Vandergast