Symfo City ProgPages Review2

SymfoCity Reviews

    Barrock - La Strega

This is the third official album of this Italian band. It has been released in 1999. The main characteristic of the Barrock lies in their musical language, taking direct inspiration from classical music styles, going from small Renaissance ensembles to symphonic openings and using various composition techniques such as choral, fugue, madrigal, theme variations etc. It is a musical language easily moving from hard and electronic rock to gentler camera ensembles or to the most solid symphonic structures.It is an almost exclusively instrumental work, the vocals are used as a kind of instrument. We selected two soundbites for you, one from the emotional "La Mutazione" and one from the opening track "Nell'antro della strega". You can find the website here.
(AH)

    Finisterre - Storybook

This live album is a registration of their gig at the ProgDay 1997 concert at the 'Storybook Farm' in the USA. Their three studio albums are received very well, but the strength of Finisterre lies in their live performances. The repertoire on this album consists of revisited and often extended versions of compositions from Finisterre's first two studio albums ("Finisterre" and "In Limine"), plus a superb cover of PFM's anthem "Altaloma". Finisterre is a band keen to experiment and explore many different musical directions, while managing to establish a unique and recognizable identity.
Available via Moonjune Records.
Website: Official Finisterre Project site.
(AH)

    DFA - Work in progress

Over the last five years DFA has become a household name for fans of progressive/fusion music. This young quartet from Italy has so far released two studio albums, to growing critical acclaim, and a token of their international acceptance was the invitation they received to perform at the prestigious North-East Art-Rock Festival (NEARfest) in Pennsylvania, in June 2000, sharing the bill with the most famous representatives of the genre.
DFA is a band best experienced in a live context, as demonstrated by "Work In Progress Live". The repertoire consists of an equal mix of tracks from the latest album "Duty Free Area" and from their 1997 debut "Lavori In Corso". Sophisticated, complex music served by supreme musicianship - this is a live album to judge others by.
Available via Moonjune Records. The bands website can be reached via this link.

    Entropy - Echoes from the past

Measure of increasing disorganisation of the universe. This is what the dictionary can tell you about the bands name. Well, certainly something happened with the entropy of Entropy. Since the last two albums ('Become a God' and 'Perception') the organisation of the group clearly showed progression. Although strongly inspired by The Gathering, a simple reference to that group is not possible anymore. Entropy developed an own style, which enables them to demand their own place in the music scene. The (female) vocals play a dominant role. The other musicians rise above a supporting role and have their own task in the compositions. Especially the guitar is pulled to the foreground, varying from tranquillising tunes to heavy emotional solos (listen to a soundbite of 'Withheld' MP3 1.2MB).
The albums title is not a measure for the present, we can state that the performance is much more than an 'echo from the past'. Make up your own mind unbiased. The band deserves it!
Available via Xymphonia Records. The official website can be reached via this link.

    Salmon - Decade Reference

This is the debut album of a Dutch group, of which the name fits well with the bands philosophy. Like the salmon, the fish that swims upstream to reach the place to breed, the band is going in a musical direction opposite to the common. They are choosing their own direction, avoiding commercial and musical concessions. The result is a beautiful and varied album, based on honest, elegant and traditional symphonic patterns. It's a set of varied guitar parts (sometimes Steve Hackett-like), synth solos and powerful bass-lines with numerous changes in rhythm and atmosphere. The fine, clear and calm voice of the lead vocalist completes the atmospheric musical picture. Kayak appears to be the bands greatest inspiration, but also elements of Camel, IQ and Marillion can be detected.
You can find several soundbites on the Salmon website
SymfoCity Radio had the opportunity to interview Salmon. See the Spotlight Artist page

Pallas - The Cross & the Crusible

When you hear this album for the first time, it is difficult to recognise Pallas. The band has made a significant progress, although of course the typical Pallas elements are still present. It has become a stunning album, catching your breath from the beginning to the very end (and even beyond..). The music and the sound effects are impressive and sometimes makes you feel you are in a computer game, running around in a dungeon, haunted by the unknown. Pumping guitars and powerful melodic keyboards, create a bombastic atmosphere, supplemented by the great vocal lines and lyrics. You have to listen more often to detect all the elements in this complex but accessible music.
Special attention has been paid to the artwork and logo's. The band's official website is re-designed accordingly. The CD will be available in a regular version (CD jewel case), and a limited digipack edition that contains extra artwork and a video of a session in the recording studio. You can download a soundbite from the website.

Ambeon - Fate of a Dreamer

Ambeon is a new project of Arjen Lucassen. The name Ambeon is a combination of ‘ambient’ and ‘Ayreon’. The songs on this CD are based on Ayreon songs, with new lyrics and melodies written and performed by a very talented 14! year young singer, Astrid van der Veen. The musical style can be described as a mixture of atmospheric, Celtic, electronic, Gothic and metal music. Soundbite from 'Cold Metal' (925kB MP3)
Arjen Lucassen: "Originally I set out to record an ambient instrumental album based on certain electronic patterns, chords and melodies derived from the recorded tracks of existing Ayreon songs. In the process some new songs evolved, and I figured it would add a warm human touch to feature female vocals on one or two songs.
At that time I heard a recording of a 14 year young Dutch singer named Astrid van der Veen. This was exactly the voice I was looking for, and I asked her to write lyrics and melodies to go over some of these re-constructed ambient tracks and then sing them. This arrangement worked out extremely well. So before I realised it the album had developed from an instrumental album with two vocal songs to a vocal album with two instrumentals!"
Ambeon page on Ayreon website

The Watch - Ghost

Simone Rosetti, the charismatic front man of The Night Watch, continues his impressive work in the new band The Watch. Already in the first minute of the first song you are caught by the vintage Genesis sound (Nursery Crimes, Foxtrot). And during the next 46 minutes it's like you are listening to Peter Gabriel's twin brother. A high grade of perfection is reached, which makes this album a must for every fan of this kind of music. One of our progfans called it "The best album Genesis never made!". Convince yourself: Soundbite from 'The Ghost and the Teenager' (728kB MP3)
Website: www.thewatch.it

Grey Lady Down - Star-crossed

As we announced before, Grey Lady Down decided to restart. The new album "Star-crossed" contains a few new elements compared to the previous records. They used a real Mellotron, some wah-wah bass and invited some special guests, a flautist and Bernie Marsden (Whitesnake, UFO) providing a breathtaking guitar solo on "Crossfire". But for the rest it is an album in the known tradition of GLD. Not the best in their career, but songs like "Fallen" and "New Age Tyranny" prove that we should carefully monitor the work of this Brittish band. Grey Lady Down website

Mostly Autumn - The last bright light

Mostly Autumn plays powerful atmospheric music with Celtic influences. They have an own style, but their music is associated with Pink Floyd, Genesis, Iona and groups from the 70s like Fairport Convention and Fleetwood Mac. The composition is well balanced and played with a large range of instruments like Hammond Organ, several kinds of guitars and flutes, bodhran and tambourine. Also the vocals are quite versatile (from the beautiful voice of Heather Findley to a Gregorian choir). This album is a worthy successor of 'Spirit of the autumn past'! Mostly Autumn website

Pendragon - Not of this World

Five years we had to wait after the success of 'The Masquerade Ouverture' until Nick Barrett and his friends could please us with a new album. But it was worth while! 'Not of this World' is a masterpiece as we can expect from them. All Pendragon ingredients are present again, and the compositions are of high quality. You can feel the emotions which originates from the difficult time Nick had (divorce). The nice artwork depicts several song themes. Click here for a large image. or visit the Pendragon site.

Marc Brasse - Turbulence

Basically this is a Brassé project but the list of people participating almost reads like a who is who of LaBraD'or Records. The line-up is: Marc Brassé: vocals, keyboards, Electronic Wind Instrument. Bert Heinen (Like Wendy): bass, acoustic guitar, vocals on 2 tracks. Hans Boonk (Cliffhanger): drums. Maarten Huiskamp (Brassé, Vertigo, Jacob's Ladder): electric and acoustic guitars. Leny Caanen (Brassé, Vertigo): lead vocals. Frans Hermans (Vertigo): lead vocals on 2 tracks. John Poloyannis (Aragon): guitarsolo on one of the tracks.
As always on a Brassé-album the material is diverse and the ideas are Grand. The artwork is simply stunning (you'll just have to see the real thing to fully appreciate it). But even more important is that this album is the most "happening" Brassé-project yet in a purely musical sense. The bonuses of a human rhythm section, acoustic guitar parts and some fine old-fashioned keyboard playing add a layer of real, down-to-earth musicianship. TURBULENCE is the most soulful, driven, groovin Brassé-album as yet. Strange terms for a prog-album, we know, but just listen and you will know what we mean. A good example would be "Storm", an epic 20 minutes long track. You'll never take the weather for granted anymore.

In Nomine - Mutatis Mutandis

In Nomine is a new Spanish symphonic/neoprog rockband. Their music is a revival of the traditional rock in the vein of IQ (The Wake), Marillion (Fugazi), Yes, Genesis, and Emerson Lake & Palmer. Concentrated on worked-out melodic lines, the band provides lyrical and bombastic guitar solis, refined and subtle keyboards, guitar arpeggios, syncopated or dynamic rythms. A lot of ideas, new harmonies, an incredible talent: it must be heard!

Scythe - Divorced Land

Early 1999 the new German band Scythe released their demo-CD. It was received very well by fans and critics. In the spring of the year 2000 the band set out to record their first official album, titled 'Divorced Land'. Impressed by the strength, Galileo Records offered to take care of the international release, it will be available from February 15 2001 onwards.
Scythe play what they themselves call 'symphonic progressive rock with an edge'. They draw from a wide variety of influences without one of them dominating their compositional approach. Therefore their sound remains fresh and original while at the same time recalling the great days of progressive rock. Visit the Scythe website for more information and to download a few samples from this remarkable record.

Within Temptation - Mother Earth

This Dutch band has a background in the grunt style, but with this record they obviously try to break with the former style, and push themselves in the progressive rock direction. It was immediately accepted by the sympho/prog scene, and got very positive reviews in the renowned magazines. Sharon den Adel plays an important role in this success. Her powerful and pure voice guides the listener through a world that could be described as 'progmetal meets the Classics' with Celtic influences. References can me made towards Metallica (S&M), Iona, Enya and Kate Bush. Start this CD and you will be caught until the end, 53 minutes later! The CD also contains CD-ROM material, an introduction of the band with a picture gallery and more information. Within Temptation web site

IQ - The Seventh House

The new CD of one of the best progressive rock bands is available now! Again the band proves to belong to the top. Build out of their strong base of compositions, this CD has the recognisable style and technical top level we are used to get from these artists. Eight songs, from 5:43 to more than 14 minutes long, are all fascinating, especially the title song. Complex riffs of more instruments at the same time are very difficult to play, but in their first concert of the recent tour they played in perfectly. If you like "Subterranea" and earlier records, this one may not be absent in your collection.
The Official IQ Internet Site (with MP3 samples)

Spock's Beard - V

If we compare this album with the previous ones like "Day For Night" and "Don't Try This at Home", we can conclude that Spock's Beard continued to deliver high quality work. Again the band shows their trademark, playing with an enormous energy and pleasure. However, if you expect a fresh new set of tracks you probably will be disappointed. This album is more a continuation of the style of the previous work. It all sounds very familiar, they did it all before, although maybe now a bit more mature. Maybe this explains the different responses on this album, very positive by those who can't get enough of this particular style, disappointing for those who where expecting a real progression. Listen to this album and find out on which side you are.
Official Homepage of Spock's Beard

Martin Orford -
                         Classical Music and Popular Songs

Don't fool yourself to take this awful title serious. Although Martin states that it is nothing more than that, this album is really a fine one. Of course, he is well known in the progressive rock world, he earned his credits for the keyboards and backing vocals and compositions in top bands like IQ and Jadis. On this solo CD there are a lot of fine tracks with many tunes in various styles. Martin is supported by many of his musical friends, all members of IQ (including Tony Wright who played saxophone on IQ's 'Subterranea' album) and Jadis appear in one or more tracks. Even John Wetton himself contributes to this CD. So with this fine quality and quantity of artists, the basis is perfect. It resulted in a wonderful mixture of some light classical piano pieces, a couple of lost IQ tracks, some nice pop songs and a few prog rock pieces with folky influences. Convince yourself!

La Tulipe Noire - Shattered Image

Marillion is clearly a reference in the world of symphonic/progressive rock. They influenced many other bands. Some bring a copy, others use it as a basis for their own creativity. La Tulipe Noire is one of latter. Variations on the theme of 'Script for a jesters tear' may be seen as a kind of blasphemy by some of you, but if you are open for this kind of continuation of a golden era you can really enjoy this second album of the Greek band. Even the cover picture has a resemblance to Marillion's artwork. Although there are two guitar players, the music is centered around keyboards. The female vocalist Ima enhances the special atmosphere with here rather monotonous voice. Recall the early eighties days of Marillion, and enjoy it like we did in those days!
For more info, browse to this Internet site

Flamborough Head -
                                        Defining the legacy

After their remarkable debut CD "Unspoken Whisper" (number 12 in our 1998 poll) the successor has been released. This record shows that the band has certainly grown. Without loosing the typical FH sound of "Unspoken Whisper", they brought in more variation and showed more guts, which makes the music more interesting to listen to. The song text is impressive and the sad story will stay in your mind long after the record has ended.
Unfortunately this album is also the "say goodbye" to Andre Cents (lead guitar) and Siebe-Rein Schaaf (vocals & keyboards), who were not able to continue their contribution. We hope that the band can recover from this loss, because we are already looking forward to the next album!
On the internet site are some soundbites.
SymfoCity Radio had the opportunity to interview Flamborough Head. See the Spotlight Artist page.

Metaphor - Starfooted

After two years as a classic-era Genesis tribute band, Metaphor embarked on their own progressive rock journey. Creative, artistic, and un-compromising in their compositions, Metaphor has produced a unique style drawing upon their diverse influences from early Genesis to the Flower Kings, from IQ to Gentle Giant, from Camel to King Crimson to the Beatles, and beyond. Metaphor borrows elements from Genesis in their early phase, but by adding elements of their own and by the personality of the singer they arrive at something both recognizable and unique.

Forgotten Suns - Fiction Edge

Do you like the early-Marillion? Then you should certainly listen to the debut album of Forgotten Suns. The name of this new band from Portugal already indicates where the major influences come from. The vocalist Linx uses the same kind of style and emotion that Fish (ex-Marillion) used to do. But it doesn't result in a clone. The band has an own sound, sometimes heavy, aggressive and angry, but also more laid back, modest and sensitive parts.
In the reviews Rush, Dream Theater, IQ and Pendragon are indicated as other references. The album is completed by a brilliant artwork. Forgotten Suns touch the soul, 'make your day'!!
The band has an own Internet site with very nice graphics and several soundbites.

Sylvan - Encounters

This is the second album of the German band Sylvan from Hamburg. Their debut album 'Deliverance' was very successful, and ended on the sixth position in our ProgPoll 1999. And again they succeeded in delivering a high quality album, Hovering guitar sounds contrast with more aggressive parts - bombastic keyboards meet atmospheric melodies and complex rhythms. And it is the extraordinary and charismatic voice of Marco Glühmann that is the finishing touch that makes Sylvan so unique.
The story on this concept album is about the elemental forces between two extremely different characters. They feel attracted to each other in a mysterious way, they find each other and eventually they merge into a totally new kind of life. Taste the fresh spirit of this young band, that already earned a place among the best in this genre: soundbite of "Essence" (1 MB MP3). You can find the Sylvan site here.

sQuare 4 - Eveningwater

"sQuare 4" is a young and ambitious Dutch band, playing melodic progressive rock (ref: Dream Theater, Ozric Tentacels and Marillion). The songs have a complex structure, with fusion and funk elements. Their first (mini-)CD "Eveningwater" was released in April, and contains four songs that gives a good overview of the style and capabilities of the band: from ballads to creative powerful music with a lot of variations.
SymfoCity broadcasted a live interview with the band on June 5th, supplemented by tracks of their debut album. If you missed it, download a part of the track "Eveningwater" to get an impression of their music. For more info see this site.

Anomaly - Anomaly

Anomaly is a Dutch group of enthousiatic musicians, playing complex powerful progressive rock. Ivar Pijper (19 years old) is the main composer and plays the piano and keyboards. Rory Hansen shows his skills on the guitar, and is already compared with Alan Holdsworth. The drummer John-Paul "Animal" Munoz and John Aponno the bass player complete the quartet. The music is fully instrumental, and the most important influences are metal (some fans call them the successors of Dream Theater, which they don't confirm by the way) and fusion, and is definitely not to be used as background music.
Their first album will be released the end of June (soundbite (1MB MP3)). SymfoCity broadcasted a live interview with the band on June 19th, of course supplemented by tracks of their debut album. For more info see the Distribee site.

Glass Hammer - Chronometree

The positive sounds of Yes' "Going for The One" era and the famous "Close to the Edge" album are fueled with Keith Emerson-like groovy organ playing in for example "Revelation". Whilst on other tracks I can just imagine Steve Hackett playing with Rick Wakeman. This quotation from the review of this CD in Background Magazine gives a clear indication of what you can expect from this remarkable concept album. It tells the story of Tom, a progfan who believes that aliens communicate through music. They are telling him about the science of Chronometree, timetravel.
The band from the USA is supported by Arjan Lucassen (Ayreon) on guitar on this album, their fifth since they started in 1980.
Listen to a soundbite: Track 8 sample (1318kB MP3). More information can be found on the Glass Hammer site.

Ayreon - The dream sequencer
Ayreon - Flight of the migrator