Warm thoughts and heat filled greetings fellow progheads! Winter waited a while to throw her "polar vortex" at us, and I wish she had held out longer...but one can never be surprised when the mercury falls out of the thermometer during the solstice--just disappointed. Of course, I say that as I bring the Concert Closet and the search for all things prog to a land where February tends to be the coldest month of the year...the Netherlands.
I wanted to stretch the boundaries in my search for all things prog this week; I really needed a jolt that was as much mentally stimulating as it was physically draining...and so the Concert Closet headed north to Amsterdam as we honed in on the multi-layered, cerebral sounds of Amikdla.
Referring to themselves simply as ..."a progressive rock band from the Netherlands" was the hook that lured me in. No fancy window dressing, no marketing ploy to capture the listener's attention...just an honest assessment of who they are. Never being one to walk past a train wreck or a street musician without taking notice, I obviously felt compelled to dive right into this prog feast.
The opening course is a test of the senses; a mind altering tune called "Mutate." The music pulsates right from the beginning...you feel a mild tension as it slowly starts to thump. This song has depth; you find yourself being drawn in then down deep as the vocals start--and suddenly the guitars bring everything to life like a defibrillator to the chest. Solid drumming is the protective shell holding the whole thing together. Amikdla emits aromatics of Genesis and adds top notes of Dream Theater and Tool that waft in the air just strong enough to awaken the metal prog sensors in your brain...until the song winds down and you feel its lifeblood slowly spiraling down the drain...
Now that the opening jolt has awakened the senses, let us step back to the buffet with cautious anticipation..."Inertia" seems just the elixir to clear the head. Amikdla adds musical pieces like a jigsaw puzzle; fitted together the right way, they create an image otherwise unseen. There is a darkness that hangs over this song; not so much a cloud as a long black veil designed to protect the vulnerable listener from a metal beast working extremely hard to break out. Amikdla hammers the edges of reason with a mallet yet manages to stay on the correct side of sanity...turning the heat down two degrees below mental scorch...an art form truly appreciated...
Liner Notes...Amikdla calls Zaandam, Netherlands home and the current line-up appears to be Jasper Schilder on guitar, Joel van Dam on vocals, Chinouk de Haan on bass, and Wouter Ouwehand on drums. A very strong quartet that--unless photos are posted backwards--has two left-handed guitarists in Jasper and Chinouk. Being a southpaw myself I tend to notice these things...not that two lefties alone makes them great--but it certainly does not hurt the cause.
Amikdla flourishes in the eclectic symphonic, techno area of the prog garden, sharing acreage with Seven Impale and Spleen Arcana among others. However; there is also some metal growing amongst and between the pastels poking through the dirt. Like their peers, Amikdla uses subtlety with the right ratio of iron and steel to play off each other and strike a nerve in your soul that hits hard and fast--then backs off like cayenne pepper folded into milk chocolate. There is smoothness and then there is the bright lights that follow a head-butt...
Moving along the buffet line, I find the best ending for this week's feast; a large slice of a sweet morsel called "Escape." Top notes of A Perfect Circle and XTC shine through on this cut; the emotional rainstorm builds slowly and definitely, slamming against the inside of your skull like waves against the jetty. Amikdla reigns down like combustible dust through the headphones...only volatile if mixed with open flame. The band is careful to temper their music with neutralizing levels of guitar, drums, and vocals to make it appealing to those who tend to stay on the fringe.
This week's musical post is especially intriguing...a song that seems filled with the subliminal, "Join the Tribe." Amikdla has a knack for drawing you in with the siren song of musical lust, all the while toying with your emotions. The song opens with a foreboding unheard in previous cuts, yet the calm vocals that cut through the fierce opening sooth your nerves like a morphine shot after a skiing accident. Learn more about Amikdla at https://amikdla.bandcamp.com/ and follow the band on Twitter @Amikdlaband and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/amikdla to keep up with new releases, tour dates/places, and other pertinent information. You can also find the band's music at http://amikdla.bandcamp.com/album/a-small-step. Amikdla brings the black light, candles, and dark mood...all you have to add is the flame. Sit back and enjoy the mental fireworks...
So fellow progheads, I hope this trip to the Netherlands was worthwhile for you. I not only embraced the cerebral sounds of Amikdla, I was able to expand the boundaries of the Concert Closet. Not necessarily our first trip to the shores of the North Sea, but a venture well worth the time and effort! Amikdla tills specific acreage in the prog garden, but don't be put off by the apparent lack of diversity; this is a band that can play in anyone's sandbox. A quartet that assembles a sound seemingly built of far more parts, with the ability to drag the mood meter across many emotional sensors. Now to find other gut pulling sounds in the search for all things prog...until next week...
Good morning/afternoon/evening fellow progheads! Regardless of what time of day you check in--thanks for taking the time to venture over and do just that! 2016 has opened with a barrage of new prog music here in the Concert Closet--my frequent flyer miles bear that out. This week I chose to keep the search for all things prog a little closer to home so as to take NYC by (snow) storm...and become wholly absorbed in the sounds of Moonlapse.
Self-described as "...Experimental/Cinematic/Progressive Metal..," Moonlapse reaches across acreage in the prog garden that almost defies definition and explanation--and that ain't a bad thing. Many a band makes an attempt at unique--and a high percentage of those brave souls fail miserably. Moonlapse takes avant-garde era prog and "not-so-gently" folds in some of today's extreme technology to create a sound that lifts you out of your skin without splitting you open. So...let us venture into the maelstrom that is New York, trust our prog senses, and wander where the music takes us...
The first offering from the buffet this week is a terrestrial piece called "The Old Kingdom." The song opens as if you are on a roller coaster that intermittently picks up speed and slows down...no rhyme or reason and no pattern to discern. Moonlapse throws a vibe of Chick Corea playing jazz standards with Dream Theater on this particular cut. There is a sense of wonder that flows through the entire piece, much like your first date with that cute girl from English class--and it plays out just like you hoped...
Moving back to the buffet for a follow up course, I come away with a heavier, more morose serving of "Shadowform." The drumming on this tune is velvety smooth, and the keyboards echo through your auditory canals like a fading passenger train. Synthesizers add to the mystique; the top notes emitted are heavy on Steve Reich, Philip Glass, and Tangerine Dream, with aromatics of Adrian Belew and Bill Bruford wafting in the air. Moonlapse leaves a mark on the inner lining of your cranium, much like windswept impressions on winter's first snowfall.
Liner Notes...Moonlapse currently calls New York City home, although its origins appear to be somewhere near Chicago. The "band" is comprised of and comes completely from the heart and soul of one Ben Strick. Yes, Mr. Strick lays down all the sounds you hear--and paints a vivid picture while doing so. Moonlapse released its debut "Conscious" in May 2015 and followed that with the recent release of a five song EP called "Fade Construct." Ben bores deep, going under layers of epidermis, enabling him to drill into your inner emotional foundation. Moonlapse can be as profound and absorbing as Peter Gabriel one minute, then come off as flippant and casual as Happy Graveyard Orchestra the next...the key is staying dialed in to find out what mood is about to permeate the headphones.
Searching the buffet at the moment for something strong and robust; something that will sate my appetite for experimental, cinematic, progressive metal...and just like that my plate is filled with "Primeval Nature." This cut is from the debut album and hits hard--but with what seems to be the trademark jazz fusion hammer. The drums are more solid and forceful and the keyboards/synthesizers are in lock-step, taking the listener on a journey through the space/time continuum. Moonlapse has a tinge of Jean Michel Jarre on this cut as the canvas is filled with a wide variety of colors intended to tantalize and mesmerize.
I chose the song posted below to thrust a full dose at you; another cut from Moonlapse's debut called "Ever." The piece opens slowly--almost deliberately so--as it builds an energy that flows from the disc like white water rapids swallowing a kayak cascading over the falls.
While Moonlapse tills acreage in the experimental/metal section of the prog garden, this is a band that stretches its roots across the entire farm, drawing nourishment and inspiration as it goes. Listening to Moonlapse brings a flood of images to the inside of my eyelids, most of which equate to alternating states of ease, ecstasy, acute awareness, and simple laid-back relaxation.
OK fellow progheads, that wraps up another exciting week in the never ending search for all things prog. Moonlapse flows deep through the soul of the prog garden with a sound that inspires. I know I have said it before, and I am sure I will say it again...one of the wonders of progressive music is its ability to transcend other genres with chameleon-like prowess. While I would never mistake the music of Porcupine Tree for that of Moonlapse, I can appreciate both artists on a level other genres of music cannot attain.
Progressive rock--and the artists who produce it--by definition should be evolving with each new release. That is the motivating force behind the Concert Closet and my search for all things prog...the reason I re-visit bands and post interviews. Prog artists seem to be on a different "wavelength" if you will, and I simply aspire to tap into that process. So onward once again fellow progheads, as the search for all things prog continues...until next week...
Hello once again fellow progheads! Seems like we put Christmas back in the attic just yesterday and already we find ourselves knocking at the door of Valentine's Day, holding a dozen roses in one hand and our favorite prog album in the other--or maybe romance just looks different to me. In any case, the search for all things prog has brought the Concert Closet back to one of the hotbeds of the prog garden, Italy...hence I anticipate something deep, rich, and filling. To that end the next seven days will be spent immersed in the alternative/post prog sounds of Koneskin.
Koneskin is a trio of musicians playing progressive/alternative/instrumental rock. This is a descriptor I have heard time and again when bands try to "broaden" their appeal to the multiple
sub-genres within the prog garden. Thankfully, the Concert Closet is not afraid to venture anywhere and everywhere in the search for all things prog--so clear some landing space, Turin...
My initial venture to the buffet this week serves up an intense morsel of "To Fall Apart-To." This is the first of what sounds like a dark, haunting trilogy to lead off the album. The gloomy foreboding mood is undermined by vocals that bleed hope through despair--an almost intuitive sense of knowing it will be a tragic ending yet still holding out for the best. I pick up strong top notes of Gentle Giant throughout as well as aromatics of early Genesis. Koneskin pushes the emotion needle into the red as the entire three-song piece plays out. Guitars are bleeding into keyboards as the drums plunge deep into the far reaches of your skull. Vocals don't just pierce--they impale.
Venturing with a cautionary stride back to the buffet, I sample a dark slice of "Maya (Fer Au D'Sol)." The steady heart/drum beat that floats just under the surface of this piece is understated enough to hold my attention and subtle enough to works its way into my frontal lobe, where it takes root. The vocals are much softer as well; like creamy peanut butter melting on a hot bagel. The keyboards and acoustic guitar gently penetrate your auditory canals, keeping you locked in emotionally; you need to know the outcome before it's too late. Koneskin paints with dark hues on this cut...the canvas is splattered with grey, brown, rust, and black. Interesting how it all bleeds together to pull you in...never fatal but just menacing enough...
Liner Notes...Koneskin hails from the northern Piedmont region of Italy; Turin to be precise. This prog threesome consists of Feryanto Demichelis on keyboards and vocals, Gabriele Zoccolan on guitar, and Sergio Ponti on drums. Koneskin formed in 2013 and released their debut "Liberty Place" November 2015.
While Koneskin occupies acreage in the darker section of the prog garden, their music cannot be summed up simply as bleak, dark, or angry...the feelings and emotions go much deeper. This is a band with baggage much like Radiohead, determination in the manner of Beardfish, and inner soul searching a la Talking Heads. Koneskin builds on a foundation laid by others--but the design is strictly their own.
My final take this week is the third leg of the opening trilogy, "To Fall Apart-Apart." You get a sense right away that there is a macabre dance playing out and it is just a matter of time until everything crashes down--and as the music moves toward its climax you are not disappointed. Koneskin toys with your emotions much the way a tiger does with its prey and yet you can never look away. The pull gets stronger as the end draws near...
The post I saved for publication this week is called "Velvet Starry Night." An alarming worry strikes you between the eyes as a siren-like wail is hurled from the headphones. Calm and a sense of rationale begin to enter the soundscape--but you realize it is short-lived. The night may be filled with stars--but there something ominous waiting behind them. Learn more about Koneskin at https://koneskin.bandcamp.com/. While you are there you will be tempted to purchase their music; follow that impulse. Koneskin can also be found on Twitter @koneskin and that New Age marketing tool, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/koneskin1.
Once again fellow progheads the Concert Closet has uncovered a true gem buried in the rich soil that is the prog garden. Koneskin plays to an unconventional crowd--nothing new in prog circles, but in doing so they manage to blend top notes of King Crimson, Porcupine Tree, and Gentle Giant with aromatics of Radiohead, Transatlantic, and Opeth. They never strike as a pure metal band and do not emit any earthy, cerebral overtones either. Koneskin is more a sound to enjoy when the need arises to cleanse the head but not the mind...
The search for all things prog continues on as the Concert Closet seeks to discover what else lurks just beneath the surface...until next week...
Good evening one more time and thanks for sticking with me fellow progheads! Moving into the February section of the 2016 calendar, my search for all things prog continues to shine a light on fresh, new, and unique music and artists taking root in the prog garden. I extended my London stay an additional seven days so as to explore one such band that is unique in several ways...
Hats Off Gentlemen It's Adequate has a sound that roams through many sub genres of progressive rock; confining them to one area of the prog garden is not only impossible it would be unfair to the talents and abilities of the band's founder Malcolm Galloway. But aside from their distinctive sound, Hats Off Gentlemen It's Adequate does a lot of "extra curricular" work and gives back to the community from which it draws...more on that later. This tour through London I decided to not only dive into the sounds of Hats Off Gentlemen It's Adequate, but also peel back a layer of the onion and have a chat with the aforementioned Mr. Galloway, the mastermind behind the curtain. So a bit of a melange here as I intertwine an interview with a music review...
The prog buffet is the best place to start and a serving of "Head In A Jar" is the right antidote for what ails ya... The vocals are piercing as the drums and guitar almost plead with you; keyboards slide through the middle like the creme brulee hiding under a layer of caramelized sugar...one pleasure after another. There is a sense of urgency riding the under current here; I get a scent of Uriah Heep jamming with Atlas Volt on this cut. Hats off Gentlemen is definitely forging their own identity...
Closet Concert Arena: First off, the name of the band...unique is an understatement. Any back story here?
Malcolm Galloway: The band originally started as a vocals/guitar and flute duo with my wife Kathryn Thomas. We had a gig the day before our youngest son was born and had to give a band name for the introduction. I'd always had an image in my mind of Victorian gentlemen throwing their top hats in the air and shouting, "Huzzah!"; not because they think something is amazing, but because it is adequate. It is also a playful reference to Robert Schumann's review of Chopin (hats off gentlemen, a genius). I'm pretty self-deprecating so the name suits my personality. But on the other hand it might not suit the sound of the music very well--and is poorly suited to Twitter. Once the band name is written, most of the 140 characters are gone.
CCA:Malcolm, you are listed in the music credits as as either playing alone or with colleagues...is the band a full time gig for everyone involved or are you the driving force and bring others in for live performances and recording when necessary...in other words; who is Hats Off Gentlemen It's Adequate? MG: I'm very fortunate in that I get to play with a group of outstanding musicians. Our flautist Kathryn Thomas is a professional classical flautist who is regularly heard on the BBC with her wind quintet The Galliard Ensemble. I met Mark Gatland (bass) in school; we have been playing together for decades. Rudy Burrell (drums) is an extremely musical drummer and has an excellent ear for song structure. Ibon Bilbao (guitar) is a much more technical/pyrotechnical guitarist than I am; his background is classic rock and metal. Live we play in any combination of me solo or with one or more of my colleagues. For recordings so far, it is initially me composing on a laptop. Some tracks remain that way multi-tracked while others feature one or more of the band.
CCA: How long have Hats Off Gentlemen It's Adequate been around and how many albums on the resume? MG: We've been going for about four years and released two albums; "Invisible" (about invisible disabilities) and "When the Kill Code Fails" (about artificial intelligence). I have also released a couple of albums of contemporary classical minimalist music under my own name.
CCA: Your sound has flavors of jazz, metal, ambient, and classic prog just to name a few. Who/what do you consider the biggest influences on your writing? MG: Pink Floyd/David Gilmour, Marillion, and Steve Reich are big influences for me. In terms of lyrics I am inspired Philip K. Dick.
Time to give a listen to a song that wanders off the "standard" prog path; a piece with an electronic bent a la Tangerine Dream called "Freerunning." The sci-fi connection hits you right out of the gate (thank you Philip K. Dick), and the pulsing drums carry the heavy-laden bass line and strong layer of guitar quite nicely. The terrestrial-like keyboards hover overhead and reign down like shards of crystal...Hats Off Gentlemen defies categorization with pieces like this. Imagine Geoff Downes collaborating with Pat Metheny and a mellow Carmine Appice and you start to get a feel for this tune...
CCA:You perform a lot of charity gigs and do a lot of fundraising for very worthwhile causes...what is the connection to this side of your music? MG: There's a lovely atmosphere at an event where everyone has come together as volunteers to make something happen. We put on an annual "Save The Children" fundraiser at The Fiddler's Elbow. Even small donations can make a big difference to vulnerable children. For example; it only costs about 50p ($78USD) for a sachet of rehydration medicine to prevent a child from dying of diarrhea. We've also done events for Ehlers-Danlos Disease charities (my link with that is I have the condition), Brain Tumor UK, and Marie-Curie.
CCA: You play regularly in London and the UK; any opportunities on the horizon to add to your frequent flyer miles? CCA:We are exploring the possibility of playing gigs in France in 2017, and would be very happy to to explore other opportunities to perform in other countries.
CCA:What can fans expect from the band as 2016 progresses? MG: Next we are on to playing in Camden's Dublin Castle on February 11th, while simultaneously working on our third album as well as the music for the comedy/horror feature film "Rock Band vs. Vampires."
CCA: That is a fairly full schedule...
CCA:If you could play a gig with anyone alive or dead, who would you be on stage with? MG: That's tricky. It would be lovely to do something with Steve Hackett, David Gilmour, or Steve Rothery; they are very inspiring musicians. I'd quite fancy a jam with Eminem. I am though quite spoiled already in having incredible and supportive musicians in my band--and very grateful for that.
Liner Notes time...As Malcolm mentioned earlier, in addition to himself on guitar, vocals, and keyboards, Hats Off Gentlemen It's Adequate will consist at one moment or another of Kathryn Thomas on flute, Mark Gatland on bass, Rudy Burrell on drums, and Ibon Bilboa on guitar. Malcolm has shed some light on what drives Hats Off Gentlemen It's Adequate as well as what separates them from others in the prog garden. More than simply music, this is a band with a cause--a worthwhile cause.
What makes Malcolm and the rest of Hats Off Gentlemen It's Adequate unique is their understanding of the role the music plays in the bigger picture...and their ability to make the music a vision one can "see" with eyes and ears. Hanging in the jazz/metal/ambient corner of the prog garden means there are few direct peer to relate to, but an incredible opportunity to expand on a point of view.
The band's latest release is called "When The Kill Code Fails." I found a gem quietly inserted into this concept album called "I Still Remember You." The song opens with gentle drum and keyboards as a backdrop to painful vocals appealing to the emotions buried deep in a heart coming to grips with the reality of who/what he is. The soft layers of sound continue throughout and belie a dark gripping pleading that leaps through the vocals. Hats Off Gentlemen emit top notes of Marillion and Alan Parsons Project on this tune...I detect traces of Gentle Giant permeating the air as well.
CCA: What else do you want the world to know about Hats Off Gentlemen It's Adequate? MG: Our live gigs are fun and playful, even if the lyrics are quite dark--defiant rather than bleak. We tend to play our "rockier" tracks live. If you join our mailing list you get a free mp3- http://www.hatsoffgentlemen.com/index/. We also have quite a few videos that showcase more of who we are at https://www.youtube.com/user/itsadequate, including some Lego animated music videos I did with my kids. We are aware there is a lot of music out there, and we are extremely grateful to all those taking the time to listen to what we do.
And that in so many paragraphs, words, videos, and explanations, is Hats Off Gentlemen It's Adequate...or is it? Being of the cynical variety, I tend to doubt that anything is as simple and obvious as it seems. Here is a an up and coming band, tending its own little acreage in the prog garden. Upon first listen you find a sound that is distinctive...coming from nowhere in particular yet bouncing through your prog consciousness like Tommy's pinball...stirring up images and emotions you weren't aware of prior. That, my fellow progheads, is why I so enjoy the search for all things prog.
The prog garden is quite lush with quality bands that push the envelope and musicians that push the genre in new directions. It is not, however, flowing over with bands and musicians that understand the frailty of it all...that everything can be taken away in a second so best to enjoy the moment in the moment and give back what you can while you can. Enter Hats Off Gentlemen It's Adequate and the prog world's axis tilts just a bit...you can feel the difference in the emotions; much like the difference between velvet and corduroy.
One last music link for your enjoyment; "Solace." The laser no sooner starts to read the disc than you pick up a Pink Floyd vibe...this is a song that will burrow deep into your emotional lock box. The gentleness and innocence that lead you down a friendly path of ferns and moss slowly morphs into a dark trail fraught with uncertainty and suspicion. Hats Off Gentlemen ride the pendulum back and forth from dark to light in a way that might have taken Edgar Allan Poe off his game.
So fellow progheads, we have traveled yet another tangent road in the prog garden. Malcolm provided quite the glimpse behind the curtain, and Hats Off Gentlemen It's Adequate illuminates a side of prog not often glimpsed--the human side. Progressive rock is an outlet for so much, providing the artist the opening necessary to walk the listener into the labyrinth that is prog...so just relax, open your mind, and prepare to be transfixed...you're welcome...
...and the search for all things prog continues on its way...rummaging through the garden for still more as yet undiscovered treasures...until next week...
Warm greetings fellow progheads! Winter continues to keep a firm grasp on the thermostat but I am hopeful the needle will soon start moving to the right. In the meantime I am stoking the prog fire for a little extra heat...with that thought and a desire to relax a bit carrying me through the week, I am
re-visiting some old friends--Ivan Perilli and The Happy Graveyard Orchestra.
There is always something underfoot with this band; Ivan is a musician who refuses to take himself too seriously...but don't let the footloose, nutty exterior fool you--there is plenty of serious musician underneath all the frivolity. The Concert Closet traveled to London twice last year specifically to spend time with this prog/avant-garde band; first in March and again in April when I was fortunate enough to interview Ivan and the band.
The Happy Graveyard Orchestra are to prog today what Pink Floyd was in the late '60s; a shot of different. Theirs is a unique approach to progressive music at a time when so many bands are
hell-bent on identifying with the standard-bearers. Happy Graveyard Orchestra refuses to march in lock-step with the masses--they prefer instead to keep their own beat--which just happens to be one inconsistent half-step behind (or ahead of) the sound everyone else seems to be dialed into.
So let us march right up to that buffet and check out the latest release from Happy Graveyard Orchestra, "I'm the Waitress." This is a two-song EP, so being logical-minded (sorry Ivan) I am starting with the title cut. The bass line hits you first...then the vocals...then some drumming...then some more vocals...and suddenly a beat comes out of nowhere sounding like a jazz guitar improv session, and I realize this is just par for the course with HGO. Peel back the layers of this song; go under the vocals, past the pulsating bass; dig below the drumming and you discover something serious going on behind the mask of absurdity. Happy Graveyard Orchestra has packed so much into less than four minutes you need more than one listen to capture and appreciate it all. Horns float through the piece like cotton candy strings caught in a breeze; I feel Andy Mackay being channeled through my headphones, and there are top notes of Talking Heads wafting in the air.
Moving down the line, I bump right into the other slice on this release, "The Moon Rabbit." The opening is very reminiscent of earlier Happy Graveyard Orchestra work, right down to the oboe. Happy Graveyard Orchestra starts down the ambient path with this tune and then veers right as they give in to their inner Ebn Ozn, put everything in a Cuisinart, and pour the concoction out like so much hot fudge on an ice cream sundae.
I am intrigued by Happy Graveyard Orchestra's minimalist approach to the prog genre. There are no multi-layers of over dubbed sound, nothing ornate. The music is laid out for you the listener to simply experience for yourself. Like a dry wine, Happy Graveyard Orchestra is best savored in small sips at first..rolled around on the tongue and ingested intentionally. Watch the music slither back down into the glass when you are done swirling it around...
Liner Notes...Happy Graveyard Orchestra has expanded its membership since my last writings. The band still consists of Ivan Perilli on bass and cryptic vocals, Debbie Teo on oboe and pitched percussion, Saif Ur-Rehman on steam punk guitar, and Pablo Verez Vich on drums. Joining this quartet are Kasjusz Lipkowski on saxophone and Gabriella Graziano on vocals. Happy Graveyard Orchestra is now a party of six haunting the local scene in and around London.
OK fellow progheads, we are just about one-twelfth of the way through 2016. Despite the absolute disbelief at how fast time seems to fall off the calendar, I am pleased with what the Concert Closet has unearthed thus far. The prog garden is rich with fertile soil and continues to expand on its crop. Walking the rows I see many off shoots of the genre that have helped shape the garden into what is best described as a melange of sound. Artists like Happy Graveyard Orchestra push the boundaries while never really leaving the couch--using minimalist ideas and expanding on Jamie Muir's ability to pull music--not just sound--from any inanimate object.
In my never ending search for all things prog, Happy Graveyard Orchestra represent an important part of the life cycle of the prog garden because they don't allow themselves to be hemmed in by someone else's definition of what prog is. Instead, HGO expands on the theme and pushes the limits, taking you two steps past the imaginary safety net you erected...
Yes, prog is alive and well and my search for all things prog marches on...until next week...
Greetings from the cozy confines of the Concert Closet fellow progheads! The mercury suddenly fell out of the thermometer after climbing to record highs recently...but as they say, you can only be disappointed--never surprised! After watching the weather report these past several days I packed the Concert Closet with blankets and heavy wool socks as the search for all things prog took me to previously uncharted territory...Russia! As if it weren't cold enough here in the states, I decided to follow my ears and expand my prog metal horizons as I listen in on the sounds of Mechanical Man...
Mechanical Man plays progressive metal...kinda vague but enough to make me want to get ears deep in some rough and tumble sounds. Let us wander over to the metal offerings at the prog buffet and check out what Mechanical Man is serving up...part of their claim to fame is having performed with Dream Theater, Leprous, and Blind Guardian...
...and taking that as a tip-off for what to expect, I approach said buffet prepared to do some heavy
carbo-loading. I start with a piece of music that is a bit surprising, "Wonderful World." The song opens with a melodic guitar and keyboard riff that floats like fog across a meadow early in the morning...then rough-edged vocals creep in and begin to define the irony of the song title. Dark colors emerge on the canvas as the fog gives way to storm clouds and heavy rain. Mechanical Man emits more top notes of Transatlantic and Spock's Beard on this cut, but I am definitely walking through the section of the prog garden framed with wrought iron fencing...
Making my way back, I find a morsel from an earlier album release called "White Out." The tempo builds as smoothly as trust between warring nations--the BOOM comes at you full throttle and you are powerless to stop it or step out of the way. The vocals on this piece cut more like glass than a dull knife and penetrate in deep swift thrusts. Mechanical Man has a swagger that is a bit unusual for a group in its youth--but they back it up quite well. Each member of the band is pushing the needle toward red as the song comes together like Hulk's fist to the cranium...you saw it coming and yet you feel pleasure in the pain.
Liner Notes...Mechanical Man has given me the opportunity to place a new push pin on my prog map; first visit to Moscow Russia. I am assuming that even Vladimir Putin is a fan of this band, consisting of Alex Zefiridis on lead vocals, Serj Danilov on guitar, Alexander Lee on bass, Evgeny Komarov on keyboards, and Vitaly Ostrov behind the drum kit. Mechanical Man formed in 2012 and released their first album in 2013. Their complete resume now boasts two full length albums and a single EP. Not bad for a quintet from behind the iron curtain...although I doubt that curtain is still hanging on the rod Stalin put up all those years ago...
My final serving for the week is an eerie piece that keeps you looking over your shoulder; a haunting tune called "Nightmare Master." The song opens with a Liquid Tension Experiment feel; you know something is lurking behind the door--and as much as you want to see it--you aren't quite sure if you're ready. Everything about this song is ominous; the canvas is dark and foreboding as the mood goes deeper into an abyss you thought was previously unoccupied. Don't flick the lights on just yet however; Serj rides his guitar hard and fast and Evgeny follows him straight into the den of the beast followed by Alex, Vitaly, and Alexander as they wrest sanity from the jaws of utter madness. Mechanical Man leads you across the battlefield laid out from eardrum to eardrum and gets you safely to sanctuary...but oh the emotional war that was fought in between!
Mechanical Man is not afraid to get knee-deep in the marshy end of the prog garden; but at the end of the journey they drop you in neutral territory. Learn more about Mechanical Man at http://mechanicalmanband.com/ and https://soundcloud.com/mechanical-man-1. You will find their music ready for purchase at iTunes and Googleplay as well as their website. Of course in keeping with the times the band also has a Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/mechanicalmanband so you never have to miss a beat. Twitter will allow you to stay current with all their musings, rants, and whatnot, @mmband_official.
The clip below is taken from a live performance in Moscow of the song "Madhouse." Assuming the "female voice of approval" that hits you as the song opens and carries throughout is just an overzealous fan, the sound quality is actually better than expected. Mechanical Man commands a stage and can seemingly swim in the deep end of the pool. C'mon and take a stroll through the dark section of the prog garden...
Once again fellow progheads we have reached the end of an extraordinary week. Mechanical Man did more than test the boundaries of the Concert Closet's GPS and expand my search for all things prog, it proved that progressive music has no boundaries; the music is its own lifeblood.
Progressive rock-- be it metal, neo, classic, retro, alternative, ambient, or any other prefix someone cares to slap on on the genre--is fully capable of surviving on its own merits. Mechanical Man is just confirmation of the obvious; progressive music continues to thrive the world over.
Of course to drive that point home I must continue the quest the Concert Closet has been on and further the search for all things prog...until next week...
Welcome back to the closet fellow progheads! Unusually warm weather we are having--but I am certainly not complaining! Twelve days into January 2016 and the ground has yet to freeze in these parts, which means heating the Concert Closet has been quite economical thus far...I can deal with that...
Keeping with the "Warm-in-the-Winter" theme, I decided to take the Concert Closet to California for a little rest, relaxation, sunshine, and some prog time with Gekko Projekt, a band I have been listening to for a while now and enjoying what I have been hearing. So many aromatics, top notes, and essences I am not sure where to begin...so let us touch down in Orange County--the "OC" to the outside world--and let the music take us where it will...
The buffet opens with a tune that spreads across the prog garden like so many mushroom spores on a breezy afternoon. I am struck by the simple complexity of "Particle Dance." The guitar hits you first; subtly of course--in a Roine Stolt kind of way. Gekko Projekt leaps off the disc at full speed yet manage to pace themselves. The tempo flows like flotsam and jetsam, leaving the listener comfortably unsure of where the next bolt of energy will come from. A scent of Transatlantic and Be Bop Deluxe permeate the room as the song burns deeper into your temporal lobe...
Moving farther along the serving line I discover a piece of music reminiscent of an early Alan Parsons Project jam session; "Cognitive Dissonance." With top notes of Yes wafting through the headphones, the music is smooth as icing on a birthday cake. The members of Gekko Projekt flow perfectly together on this cut; everyone sensing the other's emotions and playing to them. I get a Ronnie Laws '70s kinda vibe...all I need now is a black light and my night is complete.
Liner Notes...Gekko Projekt hails from the warm confines of Orange County in southern California and is comprised of Peter Matuchniak on guitar, Vance Foster on keyboards and vocals, Rick Meadows on bass, and Alan Smith on drums. JoJo Razor has also joined the band and sings vocals on their latest album. Gekko Projekt formed sometime around 2010, releasing their debut "Electric Forest" in 2012. These first two cuts for review were taken from that album, an outstanding work that intertwines vocal pieces with instrumental gems quite beautifully. Their second--and
latest--release, "Reya of Titan," hit the streets in 2015.
With but two albums on their resume, Gekko Projekt may seem like relatively new growth in the prog garden--au contraire! These artists have been fine tuning their progressive rock skills patiently and skillfully, with past connections to Mach One, The Coot, Evolve IV,and WZMG. Like a fine wine, Gekko Projekt has matured with time, reaching a level of distinction yet not quite at the
apex--there simply must be more in the making...
My final selection for review this week is from the aforementioned "Reya of Titan," a deep, astral piece called "This Is Now Our Home." The scent of maturation is immediate and profound; Gekko Projekt has expanded their universe and elaborated on a theme. The mood and tempo swing from graceful and serene to fast-paced and energetic, and they volley back-and-forth over a ten minutes plus cruise through your cranium. Gekko Projekt has strong top notes of Yes and Genesis with a hint of early Jethro Tull in the music here; I feel a pull in the back of my mind, drawing me inward...to the more elaborate and ornate section of the prog garden. This is a band for those who miss the old FM radio days, when an hour of uninterrupted music consisted of three or four cuts from great prog masters...
The cut posted below is from a live performance in 2012 called "Avatar Jones." Go deep...beyond the video and focus on the music--you won't be disappointed. Vance handles the keys and vocals quite nicely as you are immersed in a jazz fusion sound a la Weather Report, followed up by some lightning fast guitar work. Of course, Gekko Projekt just toys with your spinal cord and auditory canals as they run through the prog garden stirring up all kinds of growth...enjoy...
OK fellow progheads, time to surface for air. Gekko Projekt is to progressive rock today what Atomic Rooster was to progressive rock in the 1970s; consistently playing at the top of their game, finger on the pulse of the genre, and able to keep up with the best of them. This is a band that moves through the garden with precision, having the ability and talent to hit all the right notes in all the right places. Southern California has much more to offer than jammed freeways and smog...prog rock is doing just fine in the Golden State, and Gekko Projekt stands in the forefront.
Time once again to continue my search for all things prog. Depending on the weather I will pack the Concert Closet with blankets and parkas...or sunscreen, T-shirts, and a cool pair of Ray-Bans...until next week...
