I must admit that, in my work, I sometimes get a bit bored with listening to one album after another of progressive rock bands that, even if they are good, tends to sound quite much the same, so this one was a very pleasant surprise.

From out of nowhere (well…Switzerland actually) come this new band, and they deliver a splendid debut album with high quality progressive rock containing most of the usual ingredients but nevertheless with a fresh approach, a unique sound and compositions that can not easily be compared to the 70's great bands (which themselves at the time had the same qualities). The music is melodic but raw, very inventive at times, and has a vital energy which I sometimes find missing in many of today's releases. Another aspect that makes this band special in a most positive way is the vocalist who sounds kind of like a unique mix of Noel MCalla (Mike Rutherford & Manfred Mann's Earth Band) and a young Elvis Costello, and it works very well! The band plays very well together with drums and bass perfectly backing up the interesting keyboard themes played by the band leader himself and also worth mentioning is the guitar player that without problem switch between different styles but yet keeping it together and creating a RAK sound.

A brilliant debut that comes with a nice Mark Wilkinson designed booklet. It might take a couple of listens to get into their music but don't let that stop you from repeated listening, as you most likely will be greatly awarded.
(review by Hansi Cross)

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Heavy! Very heavy! In fact it is, most of the time, a bit too heavy for me when I try to listen to the entire album in a row, but in smaller doses it is highly enjoyable stuff going on here. Musically it is kind of like if Rush gone berserk, which of course is a cool thing that is more than welcomed as a positive adrenaline kick thrown in here and there between other tracks on some of my "Various Artists CD-R's". Listening to it that way always creates a smile upon my face and then I highly enjoy this new project featuring Chris and Brett Rodler together with the fine, until now unknown to me, guitarist Mike Ohm. There are also some King Crimsonesque parts thrown in for good measure (which of course also is a cool thing to do). These guys have fun! If you are into heavy progressive rock crammed with odd signatures, wild drumming and technical almost-metal guitars this one comes highly recommended. (review by Hansi Cross)

A new polish contribution to the progressive rock scene is here with their debut album. The intro is very Pink Floydian starting with a sound from somebody browsing through the channels of a radio set and then some atmospheric synth chords and a Gilmouresqe guitar enters which made me wonder: Is this another Pink Floyd wannabe band? But the answer to this is "No". A couple of minutes in to the album the style changes into something more of their own and we get modern, well played progressive rock with a bit dark atmosphere based on lush keyboard layers, soaring guitars and fine vocals. Compositions are good and are nicely holding together throughout the album which ranges from mellow atmospheric parts to driven and rather heavy stuff occasionally interrupted by some softer acoustic guitar playing, a bit in the vain of Kevin Gilbert. Very nice! What we got here is another really fine prog act from Poland of which we can, not only enjoy a strong debut album, but a one that convinces me that RIVERSIDE has the potential to develop into a really brilliant band because it's a hell of a debut they have come up with.
(review by Hansi Cross)

Here's the short story of how I at last realised that also a "cloneband" can create albums of great value. 1st impression: "God! This is ridiculous! How can any band want to be such a clone?" 2nd impression: "Hmm..well it's rather nice actually. And the way of using Pink Floyd song titles in the lyrics is a cool way to make a tribute" 3rd impression: "Well…I must admit that I really like this" 4th impression: "This must be the best Pink Floyd album that Gilmour & Co never made!" I love this!" RPWL's debut ended up being my most played album of the year 2001.
(review by Hansi Cross)

Saga's singer has put out a new solo record. Michel has delivered a solid pop-rock-prog record. From the start with the driven "Who's sorry now" to the ending song "Clear" Michael keeps you interested nearly all the time. Nearly you might think. Well, there's a couple of ballads that I'm not so fond of since they tend to sound quite banal at times, but on the other hand most part of the album is really a brilliant mix of pop and rock in a quite prog-ish way. So if you're into the poppier side of Saga, this record really belongs in your collection.
(review by Göran Johnsson)

Here we got one of the strongest and most interesting albums in a long time. A band that is truly inventive but at the same time don't get too far from the roots. This makes them kind of hard to describe by comparing them to other better known groups, but I'll make a try anyway.

At times they are very pompous and symphonic with big layers of synthesisers and gigantic choirs just to suddenly take things down to a mellow state again. Also small portions of fusion inspired pieces are thrown in as nice counterparts Saens is a 4-piece unit where all members are playing several instruments. Three of them play keyboards and two of them are obviously shifting between keyboards and guitar. Lead vocalist (and bassplayer) Pascal Bouqillard sometimes reminds me of Andy Sears (Twelfth Night 1984 - 87) with an emotional and sometimes dramatically expressive style. Guitars are often melodic and sometimes reminding a bit of Brian May (Queen) and are mainly played by, I think, Benoit Campedel while the symphonic sounding keyboards are mainly taken care of by Vynce Leff who also plays some guitars and are responsible for some vocals along with most of the compositions. Finally we got Damien Gadenne who's drumming are backing up the songs very nicely without too much interference.

If you are into adventurous symphrock I strongly advice you to try this one out because, as I mentioned in the beginning of this review, here we got one of the strongest and most interesting albums in a long time. (review by Hansi Cross)

Strong, dramatic symphonic rock with a dark atmosphere and a desperate feel which is enhanced by minor chord changes and the very emotional vocals of Pascal Bouquillard (also taking care of the bass), who's style is a bit reminding of Andy Sears (Twelfth Night), is the trademark of the second album from the French outfit Saens. Well, it's not really that simple. Their music is also switching moods and bares a sense of comforting and a feeling that it might be a light somewhere at the end of the tunnel.

Vynce Leff's bombastic and rather complex keyboard playing are nicely balanced by the, at times, a bit Steve Howe-influenced (and at other times a bit Mike Oldfield-like) guitar playing of Benoit Campedel and the competent and suitable drumming of Stephen Geille. This brilliant 76 minutes work is divided into 2 pieces. Part 1 is named "Dystopian dreams" and Part 2 is titled "Prophet in a statistical world".

Lyrically the album is about seeking freedom in today's controlled (and very "statistical") way of living and the music is very symphonic and even includes a prelude from Bach. It is strong, emotional and inventive at the same time and I like this one as much as their debut. Maybe even more.
(review by Hansi Cross)

The new album has only one similarity with their previous albums and that is that it sounds completely different from the rest. This time it's a little heavier/harder, much more progressive but with an extremely personal touch. The first things on my notepad after the first listen includes similarities to Echolyn, Queen, Kevin Gilbert with hints of Beatles. This band is constantly changing, yet again they maintain a high quality and an almost childlike, adventurous approach to music. It's too early to say if this is their best album yet, but I can safely say that it's in my top 10 for 2003. I can guarantee that there isn't a dull moment in sight on this album. If you haven't discovered Salem Hill yet it's about time you did. (review by Olov Andersson)

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A symphonic/progressive musical is perhaps the best way to describe this epic double-CD. This concept-album-project is one of the nicest musical surprises that I've heard this year. A very varied piece of work with loads of nice keyboards such as Mellotron, Hammond and Moog and with powerful vocals, beautiful violin-pieces and melodic guitar-parts. It's truly "Big Music". Each song has it's own characteristic and there isn't a dull moment here. When the last song ends you just want to go back and listen to it one more time. And you will do that. Over and over again. A masterpiece like this can't be overlooked and I feel it's my duty to let you know about it.
(review by Olov Andersson)

The guitarist from Holding Pattern is back with his second solo album. The style is not at all the same as on the 1981 Holding Pattern album. This sounds more like Dixie Dregs or Steve Morse Band. Tony seems to be greatly influenced by Steve's guitar-playing. The CD also contains a cover of "Sleaze Factor" by Steve. Tony Spada has no problem playing this style and the album is filled with nice instrumental numbers in the melodic rock/fusion vein, with a few nods towards electronic country & western. If you haven't discovered any of his music yet, it's about time that you did. Let's hope for more nice albums, both from Holding Pattern and Tony Spada.
(review by Olov Andersson)

Spektrum is a semi-supergroup in that it contains members of Galleon, Cross and Grand Stand as well as vocalist Lizette von Panajott. I was immediately taken by just how commercial-sounding this album is as it comes across as a mix between It Bites and 'And Then There Were Three' era Genesis. Certainly nothing that could be construed as being a bad thing. It has a definite Eighties feel and yet is also very fresh and quite different to much that is currently on the underground progressive scene. There aren't many bands that use similar musical references and this is surely going to be an album that is going to make them many friends.

It has been released on the Swedish Progressive Records label but it should be easy to find in this country or through the label site at www.progressrec.com (where there are many other albums also available). This is music that is melodic, and often quite different from one song to the next. I really like "Land Of Longing" and can almost imagine that being released as a single while the following number "Now" moves from space and gentleness to some driving guitar. This is an album that has so much going for it yet at the same time is not only intricate yet is also so very listenable. The vocals are different to the norm, which gives the music an added edge.

It is a debut album yet given the background of the players it is of little surprise that this is of such high quality. A superb album that progheads need to search out.
(review by Kev Rowland, Ghostland)

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I first saw Sphere (as they were called then) in Rotherham September 1995 and at the gig they announced that an album would see the light of day shortly. Now seven years later the album is here and they now are called Sphere3 (for reasons I don't know). The music is as I expected and hoped for, maybe a bit jazzier and not as funky that it was back then. The instrumental quintet blends jazz, fusion, rock, funk, progressive rock and ambient stuff into something very unique, different and highly enjoyable. Check them out! (review by Stefan Polzer)

On their first release "Deliverance" from 1998 this fine outfit sounded as a typical neoprog band (one of the stronger one's from that year) but since then they've managed to develop their style into something rather special. On this, their fourth effort, we get a fully developed style that is hard too compare to anything else. But to give you a picture I'll try to anyway. The band consists of highly competent musicians with skills to incorporate several of musical styles - all in a very natural way - into the arrangements of the well-written pieces. In Marco Glühmann they got a vocalist with a strong voice and an expressive style, whether he sings in a soft way or a hard doesn't matter, it's straight to the heart all the way.

"X-Rayed" takes off from the former, third album, "Artificial Paradise" with a mix of today's progressive indie rock (Mew, Radiohead, Mars Volta) and some heavy but melodic riffing and roaring choruses (which is not too far from how some NU metal bands sound from time to time) and some more traditional symphonic rock. This is an album with broad and strong compositions ranging between about 3 to 13 minutes long all nicely and well balanced put together to a superb 68-minute journey in Sylvan-land. Modern progressive rock at it's best.
(review by Hansi Cross)

Starts out with a very powerful track titled "Universe" and continue with nine more songs of heavy progressive rock; at times sounding not too far from what, for example, Flower Kings does today. It seems to me that this album was kind of head of its time. I believe this is one is of great interest to those who want to find out more about the "second generation" of progressive rock acts.
(review by Hansi Cross)

The opener titled "M.O.T.H." (11,20") starts out with a growing, atmospheric synthesiser cut by a rather ELP-like part which leads into the first verse based on acoustic guitars and mellow harmony vocals interpreted by some progressive boogie stuff sounding somewhat like ELP with Steve Howe imitating Robert Fripp (!), and then back to the verse again but this time developing into an energetic guitar-solo backed up with nice keyboard layers and some rather busy drumming. A fine starter which is followed by "Beggar's tale" (2,47"), a short acoustic guitar/vocals ballad giving us a necessary break before entering the pompous and rocky "Distant light" (5,35"). A very nice instrumental track sometimes reminding me a bit of The Flower Kings. Again we get some quite busy but suitable drumming and 70'ish sounding guitar playing with more timelessly sounding keyboard work. Track 4, "Zinjanthropus" (12,31") continues with some, again, ELP-like keyboards and also this one is a great track. Also the rest of the album is mainly in the same style ending up with the superb epic track "The journey of Myrrdin" (17,29"). A very fine album filled with well-performed symphonic rock delivered in a not-too-slick production, which is definitely to my liking. As you can tell by the namedropping above we get influences from the 70's masters but also a dose of freshness in the way these guys perform and a way in composing and arranging giving them an identity of their own. A highly enjoyable release which is often played here at the Progress Records office. Not to be missed!

PS. 10 years ago the same guys released another fine album under the band name WITSEND but was forced to change due to legal rights owned by someone else. DS.
(review by Hansi Cross)

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