Mile Marker Zero "The Fifth Row"

 As always, a pleasure to welcome you back to the Closet Concert Arena fellow progheads!  Thus far 2018 has been a banner year and the calendar has just recently moved into season two.  Recently I had the good fortune of connecting with a musician on Facebook who is a member of a band I was
up-to-that-moment unfamiliar with.   By now you (hopefully) know me enough to understand I am  incapable of walking past without checking out...so the Concert Closet took the search for all things prog to the Nutmeg State--that's Connecticut for you spice-deprived--and a check-in with Mile Marker Zero to unwrap their latest release, "The Fifth Row."

 Self described as an "Audio explosion...driving, powerfully progressive modern rock..."  How did I miss this gem walking through the prog garden as often as I do?  Not sure, but this is as good a time as any to broaden my listening skills, so to the prog buffet we go...leading off with "Source Code" and allowing it to bleed into "2001."

This is eerily magnificent; the album opens with a Big Brother-like overview of society flashing across your auditory sensors...from an age of innocence to a time of regret...or perhaps simple remorse.  As "2001" begins to erupt through the headphones you start to make the connection; we humans are beginning to outsmart ourselves.  With top notes of Muse wafting throughout, the adrenaline pumping through this song has the guitars pinging off the lining of my skull using the drum kit for bumpers...this is an adult dose...

Moving along, I find "Building a Machine" forcing its way through my headphones.  Mile Marker Zero is nothing if not intense; yet another sound explosion racing through your blood stream with enough force to burst through your chest, but with a calculated rhythm to the mayhem.  The vocals build a ferocity that showers down all around like a July hail storm...complete with accompanying calm. The song moves through a season of emotions as it unfolds; aromatics of Transatlantic and perhaps a scent of Rush stir my senses.

 Liner Notes...coming together in 2005, Mile Marker Zero originated in New Haven, CT and is comprised of Dave Alley on vocals, John Tuohy on guitars, Jaco Lindito on bass, Mark Focarile on keyboards, and Doug Alley on drums.  After meeting at college, the band spent much time honing their craft the old fashion way; practice and performance.  Mile Marker Zero has been on stage with  Porcupine Tree, Underoath, and
Spock's Beard among others.

"The Fifth Row" is MMZ's third full-length LP, released in March (their 2006 debut was an EP) and is a concept album dealing with Artificial Intelligence and its affect on society.  Not the first band to dabble in this subject matter, but quite an alternative view through an entirely different lens. Mile Marker Zero lets you catch your breath just long enough to suck the air out of your lungs...audio explosion indeed.

You can purchase "The Fifth Element" and other entries in the Mile Marker Zero catalog at
MMZ Bandcamp as well as the band's website Mile Marker Zero.  Music can also be found on iTunes.  Fans can follow them and learn about new releases, tour info, and all things MMZ on Facebook at MMZ Facebook and Twitter @mmzofficial.

Another bit of intrigue etched into plastic is this next cut, "Propaganda." Once again Mile Marker Zero crashes through the starting gate leaving a scorched earth and lavender aroma...Johnny and Doug paved a section of the prog garden to ensure no weeds got through; they gave this song a very solid foundation.  Dave's vocals come riding across the top like flames on a grease fire; all you need do is sit back and admire the explosive canvas on display.

The clip below is called "The Architect."  I chose it to for a peek behind the curtain that allows  you to discover for yourself what it's like to have sound travel that fast through a set of headphones.  The needle is pushing toward the red yet all the while the music is tight; this isn't loud for the sake of being loud.  Mile Marker Zero is enlightening (or warning?) us about the dangers of AI taking control of all we think, say, and do...and everything is self-inflicted.  You may sleep with the lights on after this...

                      

Just like that seven days finished a lap around the sun.  Another week gone by and another bumper crop from the prog garden.  Mile Marker Zero is a breath of fresh air--which is apropos considering the time of year.  There has been much debate about what is and isn't prog; many people seem to believe that the entire genre is stuck in a bubble that started somewhere around 1968 and sealed itself off in 1980 or so...and I could not disagree more.

Lest we forget, prog is short for progressive, and bands like Mile Marker Zero help progress the genre along, keeping it fresh and evolving for the next generation.  That can only be a good thing, because stagnation is a painful death.  The search for all things prog has opened my eyes and ears to some incredible music and some fantastic artists, and I hope my sharing with you has broadened your horizons as well.  Now as always, time to pack up the Concert Closet and continue the journey...until next time...

Karmamoi

Sprinter greetings fellow progheads!  Now that winter and spring have "officially merged" to wreak havoc across the globe, I thought it the perfect time to take The Closet Concert Arena on a trip to one of my favorite prog places; Italy.  Home to many an ornate and elaborate prog rock band, Italy has produced some of the finest innovators, albeit underrated, in the genre.

This week the Concert Closet stops in Rome to check in with Karmamoi, who refer to themselves simply as a progressive rock band.  Not like the Italians to be humble, introverted, or understated, so already my attention has been grabbed...

Karmamoi has three full length albums and an EP in their current catalog and their latest release "The Day Is Done" is due in May.  Like many bands in the "modern era," Karmamoi is taking a less traditional approach to making this album a reality; reaching out directly to you the fans/listeners.  More about that later, time to start in on the prog feast...

Looking over all the offerings Karmamoi has out there now, I start with a slice of "Nashira."  In typical Italian prog style the music saunters across most of the prog garden with a focus on the brighter, more ornate sections.  Mood and tempo changes are as common here as mosquitoes at a summer picnic; so many and from all directions.  A strong foundation built on splendid piano and solid drum work allows for vocals smooth as softened butter to coat your inner ear...the week is shaping up quite nicely...

Moving around the catalog randomly I discover a cut called "Labyrinth."  Once again those siren vocals ooze through the headphones, sticking to the auditory canals as they echo through your head.  There are top notes of Porcupine Tree and a gentler side of Opeth ringing out from the disc.  Karmamoi likes to keep you focused as they come right at you, and like the proverbial train wreck, it is impossible to look away.

Liner Notes...Coming to be in 2008, Karmamoi is officially a two-man operation with Alex Massari on guitar and Daniele Giovannoni sitting behind the drum kit and playing keyboards; the founding duo splits time between London and Rome.   Karmamoi has several alumni that have left for various reasons and they list several guest musicians on their album credits; the woman with the killer pipes on "Nashira" is Sara Rinaldi for the curious among you...

About that reaching out to the fans thing; you can pre-order the new release "The Day Is Done" at
www.pledgemusic.com/projects/karmamoinewalbum. There are different packages you can
pre-order with some cool options.  Or you can simply go to Karmamoi to learn about the band.  You can purchase albums currently in their catalog at Karmamoi bandcamp.  Check out all their music and all things Karmamoi at Karmamoi Soundcloud  and Karmamoi FB.  If that doesn't slate your thirst there is also Twitter @karmamoirock .


 One more serving from the Karmamoi buffet; "If I Think Of The Sea."   The song is very ethereal as it opens with another incredible vocal performance...this time Serena Ciacci is the captivating siren.  Aromatics of Bent Knee waft through the room--which is crazy since Karmamoi recorded this gem first.  The song soothes your nerves as it arouses your senses...even the drums crash around you gently...
                             
This week a bit of a twist; yes I have a clip to whet your appetite...but...it's just a teaser from the new album.  Get an idea of what Daniele and Alex are up to as you listen to a waltz across the prog garden on electrified feet...walk tall, hold on, and wait for the drums to release the pressure...

                   

One more week comes to a crashing halt fellow progheads.  Karmamoi is that sparkling gem laid bare as the sun shines brightly on the prog garden, glinting off the soft stones in the soil.  Bask in the glow that burns through the dark clouds raining down a color storm on a streaked prog canvas.

  Progressive music casts a wider net these days it seems; some say too wide.  I, on the other hand, say that perhaps it isn't wide enough--there is always someone out there looking to push the envelope, skirt the edge, and look through a different lens.  It is for them the search for all things prog continues...until next time...

Autumn Moonlight "Passengers"

Good evening and thanks for the return visit fellow progheads!  My calendar broke this week; never a pleasant thing...so time for a road trip!  Spring travel is always fun so I decided to take the Concert Closet to a place I have not been in  awhile...Buenos Ares, Argentina.  Autumn Moonlight, two talented musicians who have been putting out some incredible prog, recently released their latest album, "Passengers."

Calling themselves a progressive post rock band, Autumn Moonlight challenges boundaries as they blend a post-modern jazz feel with progressive overtones.  You may remember Autumn Moonlight being in the spotlight of  The Closet Concert Arena just about two years ago; they return now for us to witness first-hand how the band has grown and flourished while cultivating their unique sound in the prog garden...

 For no particular reason, we'll start the prog buffet with some lighter fare; "Transcend."  The song peels the curtain back gently with an acoustic opening that builds momentum on drums that explode in your head like roman candles...semi-bright colors everywhere against the backdrop of a dark, moonlit sky...and the festivities have begun...

Moving along the buffet line I find a cut that strikes a bit harder right up front; "Last Stand."  The drums and guitars try to one up each other as the tension begins to build.  The crescendo of sorts strikes as guitars "win" the battle and the dust settles a new calm over everything.  There is a jazz fusion meets prog metal thing going on; think Jaco Pastorius and George Benson meet Dream Theater.  Autumn Moonlight throw mostly dark colors at the canvas--but they do include a few bright hues to expound on the imagery.  This piece winds down delicately yet there is a tension in the air...not quite the Robert Fripp guitar solo in "Red" but enough to keep you looking over your shoulder...

Liner Notes..."Passengers" is the third album in the quiver of Autumn Moonlight, released November 2017.  Founding members of the band Tomas Barrionuevo and Mario Spadafora have developed a sound that cascades over you with an unsuspecting force; you don't feel overwhelmed or shocked, although you never did see it coming.  Listening to their earlier music I have an appreciation for how they have developed.  Not that the early works were less deserving, but like a great single malt, one of the key ingredients is time.

Learn more about Autumn Moonlight at their website Autumn Moonlight.  You will find "Passengers" as well as the rest of their catalog available for purchase at Autumn Moonlight bandcamp and Autumn Moonlight iTunes.  You can follow the band on Twitter
@AuMoonlight  and Facebook Autumn Moonlight FB.

My final selection to savor from this album is "Breathe."  The opening throws you at first; is this a dark mellow cut or a storm about to wreak havoc?  Perhaps a bit of both so you may be better off doing as suggested and inhale...then release.  The guitar works beautifully with the drums as they both alternate between a gentle touch and penetrating blows.  The canvas is flush with dark hues trimmed with striking primary colors, a contrast that belies an inner turmoil...and all this in sixty seconds.  Autumn Moonlight waltzes down the center aisle of the prog garden dabbling in the control section of all your senses.

Your aperitif this week is the title cut, "Passengers."  Once again Autumn Moonlight opens the door with trepidation only to leap out and hit you straight on.  Top notes of God Is An Astronaut are filling the room, interwoven with a touch of the introspective/instrumental side of The Alan Parsons Project.  Ironically,  there is a sense of motion as you close your eyes and just melt into the music...perhaps we are all passengers riding through the prog garden, searching for inner peace...

                       

All of a sudden the week is in the rear view mirror and while we are seven days closer to the end, we are also seven days richer thanks to another splendid find on the search for all things prog.  Autumn Moonlight plays with a passion that seeps through the headphones and massages your temples while  working its way down your spine; the jolts are there to keep you focused.

Now it's time to prepare for the next leg of the journey as the search for all things prog seeks out more music worthy of your listening and attention...until next time...

Bob Katsionis "Prognosis and Synopsis"

As always, a pleasure to welcome you back to The Closet Concert Arena fellow progheads!  The search for all things prog pulls a bootlegger's turn of sorts this week, traveling a trajectory I have not been on for a while.  Now that winter seems to finally be in the rear-view mirror, the time seems right to open the windows and crank the volume, allowing the wind to blow all that pent up dust out of the Concert Closet.

Stepping into some acreage in the prog garden with a bit more adrenaline running through the soil, this week the search for all things prog heads to Greece and a visit with Bob Katsionis to check out his latest release, "Prognosis & Synopsis."  Bob resides in acreage rich with new age sounds; Vangelis, Jean Michel Jarre, Jordan Rudess,  and Keith Emerson have roots in this section as do many others.  A different travel log for the Concert Closet so hold tight and get ready for an
ear-opening week...

Starting with Prognosis, I am immediately struck by lightning as the needle shoots dead right toward the red; not so much as to break glass, but you won't be nodding off anytime soon either.  As the curtain is drawn back you can almost feel yourself needing to grab hold of terra firma; the headphones are filling your auditory canals with a cacophony of sound your mind needs a minute to digest.  There is so much here; top notes of Liquid Tension Experiment and Yngwie Malmsteen are whizzing past my olfactory sensors at a record pace. Bob Katsionis  certainly knows how to make a grand entrance...

Next up is Asymmetric Parallels.  If, for some unexplained reason, you need a shot of Red Bull after that first cut--here you go.  I sense a Trans Siberian Orchestra vibe wafting through this cut.  The guitar work would make John Petrucci drop a gauntlet, and the drum work sets a healthy foundation on which the entire production sits.  Bob Katsionis seems like an adrenaline junkie and the prog garden is where he finds his fix--nothing wrong with that.  Let this one crash over you like a Rocky Mountain avalanche...

Liner Notes...hailing from Neo Irakleio, Athens, Greece, Bob Katsionis keeps a busy schedule.  He plays guitar and keyboards for the bands Firewind, Serious Black, and Outloud.  Did I mention Bob also played all the instruments except the drums on his new album?  The sticks were handled deftly by one Vangelis Moraitis...many hats indeed.

Bob has had a full ledger since 1993 when he began playing at this frenetic pace.  He also runs a video making company and tutors the next generation of guitarists and keyboard players.  Somehow (between students I assume),  he also found time to put together some pretty impressive solo work.  Five albums by my count...oh yeah; that's why we're in the prog garden this week in the first place...

Bob started with keyboards at the age of ten and then dabbled with the guitar as a teenager.  In addition to being a member of the bands listed previously, Bob Katsionis was involved with no less than sixteen previous bands and/or projects...prodigy comes to mind...maybe over achiever...

The final serving this week is the last cut on the album, Synopsis.  Here Mr. Katsionis pulls out all the stops, exploring the prog garden from an entirely different vantage point.  If this piece truly is a synopsis of Bob's career thus far, he has had one helluva joyride across the prog garden.  Close your eyes and you can feel the wind on your face as the dry ice clouds waft in the air, the intensity level hitting its stride and cruising along that delicate edge where tranquility meets insanity.  Top notes are reflective of a Jordan Rudess/John Petrucci duel, with Keith Emerson throwing lighter fluid on the entire thing; the flame is controlled and burning ever so brightly...

You can find out more about Bob Katsionis and purchase the CD at Bob Katsionis bandcamp.  I would encourage you to purchase this disc and everything else in Bob's catalog.  Just a heads-up; the disc/download will not be available at iTunes, Spotify, or other streaming services.  I respect an artist who protects his work...

The clip posted below is only here to educate you to the uncanny ability and serious talent Bob Katsionis delivers.  The keyboards are almost hypnotic as they float through the background of the entire cut.  There is a haunting voice that starts to follow you down the path, like an extra terrestrial that isn't there when you turn your head suddenly...the fervor picks up once again and then the song fades to black...and you're out of breath...

                     

Thus concludes another week in the Closet Concert Arena fellow progheads.  It has been a while since the heat reached these levels; Bob Katsionis can definitely work up a lather.  This is a section of the prog garden I have always enjoyed but never seem to write enough about...perhaps it is time to broaden the scope and vision.  This section of the prog garden is always in full bloom and filled with vibrant color, the canvas exploding with vivid emotions that rain down like a summer hail storm.  So while I fumble through the prog garden exploring the next destination in the search for all things prog, you can just sit here and melt into the cacophony...until next time...