Browsing Tag

progressive rock

Embrace the Dark Symphony: Euphorium’s ‘This Thing’ Review

Posted on 5 June 2023
https://soundcloud.com/johnlistermusic/this-thing?in=johnlistermusic/sets/euphorium

Euphorium, the Canadian indie band known for their progressive rock roots, takes a bold step forward with their latest release, “This Thing.” Infusing black metal elements with intriguing “Phantom of the Opera” sounds, the band showcases their evolution into a symphonic metal powerhouse. Led by the captivating vocals of Anni, Euphorium delves into a darker, harder-edged sound while maintaining the melodic sweetness that defines their music.

“This Thing” opens with a haunting orchestral arrangement, setting the stage for the sonic journey that lies ahead. The fusion of gothic rock and progressive hard-edged rock creates a unique musical tapestry, enveloping the listener in a realm of both darkness and beauty. The juxtaposition of heavy guitars and symphonic elements adds depth and intensity to the overall composition.

Anni’s vocal performance is nothing short of mesmerizing. Her voice possesses a delicate sweetness that beautifully contrasts with the aggressive instrumentation. With impressive range and control, she effortlessly navigates through the song, captivating the listener’s attention and infusing each lyric with raw emotion.

The lyrics of “This Thing” delve into themes of inner turmoil, personal growth, and the struggle to overcome one’s demons. Euphorium’s songwriting shines through, as they craft thought-provoking verses that resonate with authenticity. The lyrics, combined with the powerful instrumentation, create a deeply immersive experience for the listener.

Euphorium’s ability to seamlessly blend orchestral and operatic sounds with their progressive metal influences is commendable. The production quality is top-notch, allowing each instrument to shine while maintaining a cohesive sonic landscape. The dynamic shifts throughout the song add an extra layer of excitement, keeping the listener engaged from start to finish.

With “This Thing,” Euphorium showcases their growth as a band, embracing a darker and heavier sound without losing the essence of their melodic charm. Fans of Evanescence, Nightwish, and Epica will find solace in the band’s ability to weave together genres seamlessly. Euphorium’s exploration of symphonic metal territory is a testament to their musical versatility and creative vision.

The Cinematic with Soul Alt-Rock Originators, Underblue, Will Wrench Your Heart Strings with ‘Hold On’

Posted on 9 May 2023
https://soundcloud.com/officialunderblue/hold-on-1/s-559ighovA93?in=officialunderblue/sets/maybe-now/s-BpdS4Ok66Bd&si=8916f5a5546a4993b9827910ab17ed9c&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

‘Hold On’ is the latest slice of filmic funk born from the ingenuity and superlative talent possessed by the NYC alt-rock outfit, Underblue, who have been creating inner-city waves since 2016.

This seminal release is an undeniable testament that it is their time. The soulfully smoky siren-ESQUE vocal lines from Kimberly Torres, the devilishly jazzy basslines from Simon Luk, and the ornate flourishes from keyboardist Ilvi Calderon is almost too much alchemy to handle – almost. Entwined with the guitars that straddle the timbres of the Cramps and My Bloody Valentine and the drums that punctuate the soundscape with flair, Hold On is a progressively interstellar triumph.

With heavy, hopeful, happy, and heart-wrenching being the cornerstones of the ethos behind the upcoming LP, you’re damn right you should save space on your radar for the powerhouse, which has enough innovation between them to rival Mars Volta – not an overstatement.

Hold On will officially release on May 19th followed by the full album on June 9th. Hear it on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

THE PALE HORSES rolled with the punches in their soulfully heavy progressive blues single, Shallow Dive

Posted on 28 April 2023

THE PALE HORSES raucously reimagined blues with their latest feat of heavy progressive blues, Shallow Dive. The shimmering tones spilling from the Hammond organ remain definitively bluesy, as do the harmonised backing vocals, but everything else in the innovated hit came straight from the Toronto-hailing artist’s very own heavy rock n roll drawing board.

Even if you can take or leave blues and heavy progressive rock, there’s enough exhilarant substance in the release to affirm THE PALE HORSES are one of the most original acts on any scene. The jazz-inspired drums and vocal lines from Dane Hartsell transform this ode to 70s vintage tones into a riot of rock renovation, which may make traditionalists itch, but anyone who appreciates experimentalism will want to bask in the heat of this scorching sonically salacious release.

Shallow Dive is now available to stream on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Psychosomatik showed their psych-rock ‘Roots’ in their progressively electric single.

Posted on 19 March 2023
Psychosomatik by Psychosomatik

Miami psych rock pioneers Psychosomatik warmed up the vintage overdriven tones to match their sun-bleached climate in their latest progressively surfy single, Roots.

If Pavement saw a little more sun, I’m entirely convinced that Brighten the Corners would have emanated the same colourful radiance of Roots, which hit the airwaves on March 13th. The influences of The Doors and The Beatles are also easy to note in the kaleidoscopic grooves of the release from the independent duo, which amalgamates influences from a wide range of artists and genres to orchestrate a sound that couldn’t be more authentic.

Experimentalism and accessibility don’t always come hand in hand; it stands as a testament to Psychosomatik’s songwriting chops that Roots is a hit that you’ll want to dig deep to immerse yourselves in from the first hit. The vibe couldn’t be sweeter.

Roots is now available to stream and purchase on Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Immaculate Crows honoured the memory of a family lost to domestic violence with deep solemnity in ‘For Hannah’

Posted on 25 December 2022
For Hannah by The Immaculate Crows

In their latest single, For Hannah, The Immaculate Crows mourned the senseless loss of Hannah Clarke and her three children, Aaliyah, Laianah, and Trey, murdered by Hannah’s ex-partner in February 2020.

After a compassionately sombre instrumental prelude, deep in its solemnity, the lyrics are at a loss with the cruelty of trapping the family in a car and burning them to death. Passers-by who attempted to intervene were prevented from saving the family from the act of domestic violence that has scarred the history of humanity.

“If this is life, I’d rather go away to where angels call out my name” is an all too efficacious exposition of the feelings that plague the people horrified by battered children and wives and broken lives. The soulful reprise “don’t let this happen again” reminds us that we all have a role to play in society to fill perpetrators with shame.

There is plenty to separate the culture of where I am in the UK and where the Immaculate Crows are in Australia. Yet, the statistic of one in four women being victims of domestic violence remains the same. Culturally stigmatising the prevalent phenomenon, as The Immaculate Crows did so gracefully in For Hannah, may save lives as mirrors are held to the insidious reflections of monsters who parade themselves as ordinary upstanding citizens. The single is one that I won’t get over easily. So, it is safe to say that The Immaculate Crows succeeded in what they set out to achieve.

For Hannah is now available to stream and purchase via Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Cash Machine delivered 70s prog-rock perfection with their soul entwined single, Digital Zeus

Posted on 17 October 2022

After dropping their raunchy funk-sliced prog rock debut single, Promises, the Upstate SC outfit Cash Machine subverted our expectations entirely with the sophomore follow-up, Digital Zeus.

The seamlessly progressive single starts as a smoky, lounge-y feat of late-night bluesy soul before progressing into a riff-led prog rock epic that would leave any Genesis fans kneeling at Cash Machine’s unholy alter.

The screeching guitar riffs to the almost thrashy percussion builds an immersive 70s prog-tinted crescendo before the timbre temporarily winds back down to a Jeff Buckley-style serenade. Naturally, we can’t wait to hear what follows this solid feat of ingenuity and technical ability.

Digital Zeus officially released on September 28th; check it out on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Hunting Giants unleashed another mythological monolithic monster with their proggy hard rock single, Too Big to Kill

Posted on 29 September 2022

Too Big to Kill is the latest mythologically-inspired monolithic hard rock single to be released from the progressive four-piece outfit Hunting Giants’ upcoming album, Mythos.

With vocals as gnarled as the salaciously ferocious guitar riffs, Too Big to Kill makes no apology before it ravages your attention with the lyrics relayed to instrumentals which refuse to pigeonhole themselves into just one genre. The complexity easily matches the ferocity in this melting pot of grunge, groove metal and prog rock.

Not many tracks could warrant a comparison to Static X’s no Submission, but Hunting Giants easily match the intensity and cataclysmic etherealism between the melodic Godsmack-Esque increments.

Too Big to Kill was officially released on September 9th. Check it out on Spotify, and await the arrival of Mythos, which is set to be unleashed on September 30th.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Nick Campbell constructed a monolithic rock masterpiece in his instrumental single, Mission Undertaken

Posted on 26 September 2022

Starting with a melodic rock prelude, Mission Undertaken is a masterfully progressive exhibition of Nick Campbell’s ability to construct an immersive instrumental rock track. Mission Undertaken drives through tension-fraught build-ups and monolithic breakdowns to put you psychologically at the centre of his world-building doomy lead guitar work and the arrestive furore of his buzzsaw riffs.

Much more than just a technically talented instrumentalist, Nick Campbell is clearly also gifted when constructing an atmosphere that you will want to get lost in time and time again. Mission Undertaken is somewhat of a departure from the rest of his electronically composed works but whatever sonic tools are at hand, he’s deftly fluent in speaking to the rhythmic senses.

Mission Undertaken is available to stream on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Shake Yourself From Complacency with Control Shift’s Proggy Hard Rock Hit, Awake

Posted on 20 May 2022

If the past few decades have taught us anything, its that there is no better breeding ground for hard-hitting rock than LA – case in point, the solo project of multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Ali Rizvi.

The latest single from Control Shift, Awake, exudes a Velvet Revolver & Stone Sour-Esque seductive angst while asserting its originality via its progressive nature that runs in the same energetic vein of A Perfect Circle, Tool & NIN. It isn’t every day that we find commercial potential against complete authenticity, but notably, Control Shift is unapologetically the full package.

Awake will officially release on May 20th; you can check it out by heading over to SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Birdeatsbaby – Ribbons: A Silver Screen Post-Rock Lullaby

Posted on 18 May 2022
Birdeatsbaby

The coven, Birdeatsbaby, has reconvened to conjure the witchy alchemy found in the first single released from their occultist album, HEX. While I probably haven’t heard them all, it is still safe to say that ‘Ribbons’ is one of the most cinematic dark progressive lullabies ever scored.

By the time the outro hits, it’s hard not to feel desperation to hear what else is in store from the forthcoming LP. Whatever they’ve poured into their unique transfusions of baroque rock and metal is sure to beguile just as much as anything that In This Moment has produced. Notably, they’ve got a talent for balancing gravitas with catharsis.

Ribbons is due for official release; you can check it out for yourselves via Birdeatsbaby’s website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast