Tag: John Wenlock-Smith

Review – Flamborough Head – Jumping The Milestone – by John Wenlock-Smith

Flamborough Head is a rocky promontory that lies on the east coast of England between Filey and Bridlington. It is a chalky headland that reminds one of a sleeping dinosaur, it is also a walker’s haven and you can see seals at certain times of the year. We visited it last year and had a great couple of hours enjoying its natural beauty. At that time I was completely unaware of the existence of a band that had the same name, so the opportunity to listen and review this album was too good to pass up. Flamborough Head has been in existence for almost 34 years, being originally formed in Friesland in the Netherlands in 1990, they have been through several different incarnations and line ups, peppered with spells of inactivity over the years, and have produced ten albums during that time, mostly on the Cyclops label, then latterly on the Oskar label, on which we find this latest one, ‘Jumping The Milestone’.

The music the band create falls very firmly into the realm of symphonic progressive rock with excellent use of flute, keyboards and very fluid guitar solos. The band are fronted with the excellent soft vocals of Margriet Boomsma who also provides flute and recorders and Eddie Mulder who was the original guitarist but is now the bass player, with Hans Spitzen providing the guitar fireworks, aided by sublime keyboards from Edo Spanninga. Together they make a very good sound, everything a symphonic prog fan could want, expansive and intelligent with lots of interesting reference points. They combine the style of Marillion, Arena and IQ to great effect, there is much to recommend here.

The album has just six tracks, all are of an excellent standard with much happening musically within. I am reminded of Camel at times with the fabulous flute playing and the very lyrical guitar of Hans Spitzen, who makes every track shine.

The Garden Shed is about the joy of gardening and the benefits it can bring to one’s mental health and how, overal,l it can be of positive benefit, a most different sort of track but with good sentiments expressed within. Tomorrow Is Another Day is a further great track with a good opening section with great flute and a surging Hammond Organ playing throughout. The song is about depression and how it can haunt an individual, robbing them of joy in their life. This is all sensitively handled and in a positive manner and has a graceful guitar solo that really captures you as you listen. The song has good insight into fighting depression and some good advice too, I like that it is real and not patronising in its approach but sympathetic and hopeful too.

Start Of A Nightmare is an interesting track in its subject matter of an unwelcome intrusion and the prospect of injury at the hands of an unhinged, unwanted intruder. This is quite a different sort of song with lots of light and shade to depict the unfolding events making it most memorable with strong performances from each member and more great guitar to help carry the song along. The song expresses the lasting sense of unease that any unwanted intrusion can cause you and how unsettled you can be afterwards for a very long time. Fear Of Failure is about insecurity and how the fear of failure can really impact on one in a negative manner. Again, this is handled delicately and with sympathy and dignity. It’s about handling those feelings and facing them down, believing in yourself and the abilities you have. It talks about applying resilience to your situation and overcoming it for yourself, almost a self-help in reality. The music is very strong and supportive and the lyrics are excellent, making for a great song overall that’s very positive in its outlook.

Penultimate song Walls Of Words is about being left behind, overlooked and unappreciated by those around you. It is rather a sombre and maudlin piece but, once again, this is all handled very well, along with it being a well written and realised track with solid musicianship at its core, especially when the song leads to the suicide of the protagonist in the song. Final and longest song, Jumping The Milestone concludes this superb album. Opening with heavenly piano motif alongside an ethereal flute before Margaret’s delicate vocals begin, the track is about growing older and all the challenges that brings. This song handles its subject matter with great intelligence and good insight, it is a celebration of life as opposed to being rather a depressing slide into twilight. It reminds us all of the journey that is life, being one that we all have to undertake, it talks of the good things in life that we can all gather into our own storybook. This piece also tells us to be grateful that we can have these days in which we can age and that we should value these days. The song moves through different sections and movements with aplomb and style, lots of excellent guitar parts and sympathetic keyboard embellishments pepper the track insightfully. An epic for sure but it’s never a dull one at all, excellent guitar solos take the track forward in different directions, all of which are  strong.

This is a most interesting and tasteful album of deep emotion and content, extremely well presented and performed by an excellent and talented band. I can only but sing its praises to you and recommend that you listen to it, if you do then you won’t regret it.

Released 3rd November, 2022.

Order from bandcamp here:

Jumping The Milestone (CD) | Flamborough Head | OSKAR records (bandcamp.com)

Review – Magenta – The White Witch – A Symphonic Trilogy – by John Wenlock-Smith

I’ve been reviewing albums for over a decade or more now and I still really enjoy doing, hearing some amazing new music in the process. Progressive rock has rather a lot in common with classical music forms, lengthy pieces and the use of recurring motifs, themes and melodies being just a few to start with. Prog has courted classical music with differing degrees of success over the years from Deep Purple’s ‘Concerto for Group and Orchestra’ in 1969 to ELP’s version of ‘Pictures at an Exhibition’ in 1971 and Rick Wakeman’s quasi-classical epics, like ‘Journey to the Centre of the Earth’ and beyond through to ELO and so many more.

In all that time reviewing and commenting on the music before, I have never felt as puzzled and lost by what I was hearing as I am here with this album. I feel remarkably inept, unable and lacking any confidence with this album. I know many other reviewers have a far better understanding and appreciation of the classical than I do but, stil,l I’ll do what I can to unravel this rather interesting concept album from Magenta’s Robert Reed and crew.

‘The White Witch’ consists of three pieces, two of which have been revived from earlier Magenta albums, along with a newly commissioned piece of music. All three are linked by a common theme and also with a narrative from Les Penning, whose dulcet, measured tones open each piece of music.

The first piece is called Sacrifice and is about the time of the civil war and the plague that came four years into the war, devastating communities in the land. The music opens with a soft woodwind and strings before a bold brass fanfare leads to a classical guitar softly playing along with the lush vocals of Christina Booth. There is much beauty in her vocals, with touch of Kate Bush in places and the guitar from Chris Fry is excellent. Be aware the woodwinds that weave in and out of the music alongside sweeping violins and violas, good use of penny whistle and strong percussion embellishments. This is musically fascinating to listen to, you can hear how artfully composed this piece really is, with a really clear production that allows everything to breathe and leaves lots of space in the music. This sensitively handled with great skill and strength and really impressed me. The acoustic guitar really shines in this track playing with urgency and yet with delicacy, supporting and underpinning everything to create a masterful soundscape.

The album has it origins in two earlier recordings, namely their debut ‘Revolutions’ from 2001 and also ‘Seven’ from 2004 from which parts have been reimagined for this release. The theme of the album is benign witchcraft as practised by Sara, the main character of the album, and how she uses it for good rather than evil or harm. This in itself is an interesting concept and one that is developed especially well throughout the album with the third part, Survival, being an entirely new composition that concludes it all together well.

Part 2, Retribution, concerns itself with the defeat of the plague and the return of prejudice that is shown toward Sara and those who practise a different way of living. Emotions are stirred and the arrival of the witch finder general makes Sara fear for her life as the rise of intolerance emerges. It is this climate that begins the second part of the trilogy. Again, the music is lively with a strong folk type sound and a strident brass part that leads to Christina’s excellent vocals. This style of singing really suits her voice well and she excels here in this setting with lots of space for her voice to be clearly heard. The confess section of the song is actually rather delightful and almost cheerful to hear despite it somewhat dark subject matter. The track is well developed with more dexterous guitar lines from Chris that really evolve well. Sara pleads for light to guide her way and to allow her to reach new ways and new paths to follow that will help everyone get to a better place. The track ends with her treatise to the moon Luna to help her find her own way forward, the orchestrations in this section are especially sublime and sympathetic to the story.

Survival is the third part of the trilogy and talks of how Sara is leading the way to survival by doing new things in new ways and that how reaching out helps everyone. This is another excellent passage and the whole album is really quite gentle with no Bass or drums. Yet it is still a wonderful listen and repeated plays will reveal the hidden textures and treasures the album contains. It is all very much a soundtrack for an as yet unmade film or production. One can only wait and see what direction and indeed opportunities this album will afford the band. The album closes with a dignified flourish as we see Sara’s magic has worked, bringing peace and harmony back to her community, all’s well that ends well. This is a triumph for Mother Earth and the the album ends on a gentle guitar outro.

This album is not a simple listen and requires commitment to work with the music and to allow its delicate beauty to shine through. If you do this, you will find the reward of some great music, committed performances and a gentle tale told with style and commitment. Don’t be expecting rock rhythms and instrumentation, however but it is a richly orchestrated and well produced folk/classical hybrid with strong instrumentation and melodic themes and the glorious voice of Christina Booth aided by Chris Fry and Robert Reed. I may not return to this album often but I’m certainly glad to have fallen under its spell and charm, give it a listen for yourself and see what you think.

Released 31st October, 2022.

Order from Tigermoth Records here:

Magenta (tigermothshop.co.uk)

Review – Fluctus Quadratum – The First Wave – by John Wenlock-Smith

I first came across this band whilst browsing another prog website and reading a fellow reviewer’s comments about them. I went to the band’s website and downloaded the free track Portalis, a demo version. I was definitely taken with what I heard there, I contacted the band and asked if I could review the EP as well. Thankfully they agreed and sent me a download to work from with the promise of a physical copy to be sent to me. All of this whilst on holiday in the Canary Islands no less!

Oh the wonders of this modern technological age eh?

This EP consists of merely three tracks with the thirty six minutes of music introduced via Portalis, a song hinged on an really great guitar line with a great tone to it, strong bass lines from Mark Piercy and a syncopated drumbeat from Rick Burtonshaw that slithers around like a snake. There’s lots going on musically with great keyboards and that glorious guitar. A guitar and keyboard interplay section at the 4.05 mark catches the attention before Curtis Adamczyk’s vocals reconvene and a brief but soulful guitar solo leads to a strong keyboard section, all of this with very busy percussion syncopation happening simultaneously. The song, despite being nearly fifteen minutes in duration, moves through several different sections and parts and manages to impress throughout. There’s great performances from all involved, especially the fluid and supple guitar work of Alan Trower and Ben Ellis and sumptuous keys of Jopheus Burtonshaw (who also is responsible for acoustic guitars and writing the music, truly a man of many talents).

The shorter, seven minute, track Acquiescence II follows, which has many nods and throwbacks to 80’s music and also an element of electronic ambient soundscapes with some soaring guitar lines playing their part too. The song moves with a stately pace and with the hint of power and this all works together well, the track shimmering with suppressed energy. It’s a really strong track, the sort of thing Steven Wilson would offer. There is a particularly fine synth melody that takes the song forward and it all ends with strong organ sounds.

The EP closes with Convergence which, at nearly fourteen minutes in duration, is a bit of a monster of a track fuelled by a strong bass line and excellent piano, Curtis’ vocals also being very strong and interesting. The song has lots of keyboards and another fine guitar line with echoes of Pink Floyd, the guitar soaring over everything with great sustained notes and great fluidity. There is then a lute type stringed sound that impresses greatly before a return to the rippling piano lines and synths that dance across the track. I’d say that this track is possibly best heard on headphones or rather loud so you can pick up all the subtle touches and sounds contained within. The band deliver another really impressive track and I think anyone who is going to the Fusion festival in March are in for a real treat as I’m sure they will invariably be making a rather fine impact and impression. The keyboards really impress on this track, especially in the latter section, where an almost military drumbeat ushers in an exciting section where everyone is surging forward, the bass leading the charge strongly.

This is stirring stuff, simply fantastic and invigorating to hear such energy being played out in what is a really epic and strong rhythm. You can hear elements of Pink Floyd, Camel and Marillion here, Jopheous cites Mark Kelly as an influence, along with Keith Emerson, Rick Wakeman and Tony Banks, and it shows clearly here, although he puts his own stamp and style to the songs. The whole EP serves as a great introduction to what is a band of real promise and excitement and I personally can’t wait to hear their debut album when it emerges as, based on the promise of this EP, we can hope for something really fresh and inspired indeed.

Released 22nd November, 2022.

Order from the band’s website here:

Fluctus Quadratum – Store

Review – Caravela Escarlate – III – by John Wenlock Smith

This album represents modern Brazilian progressive music that looks back to the halcyon days of the 1970’s and it also reminds you of, well, everyone to be honest. So you can go either through this album and play spot the influence or you could just sit back and enjoy this great new release that does wear its influences on its sleeve for sure. But don’t they say that imitation is the greatest form of flattery or something like that?

The band are a three piece trio comprising of keyboards, bass and drums (sound familiar?). The keyboard player Ronaldo Rodriguez  is joined by multi-instrumentalist Davia Paiva  on bass guitar and vocals along with Elcio Cáfaro on drums and together these three make a tremendous sound, all three being very talented musicians who can play up  a storm. Their name, Caravela Escarlate, translates as Crimson Ship, an alien being from Sidereal space than can transform into its own means of transport, in this instance a ship. The music is 70’s style prog but with touches of Brazilian music this means most tracks swing along nicely, it is very heavily reliant on keyboards.

There are 7 tracks on the album with all but two being over 7 minutes in duration. I can detect lost of recognisable influences, and some less obvious ones like Greenslade, as well as Genesis and Kayak, along with ELP. The bass playing throughout the album is magnificent with an almost virtuoso style that really propels the track along. In tandem with the dazzling keyboards on display really, this is all very impressive and of an excellent standard.

In the opening salvo of Bússola do Tempo you get a prime slice of Emerson, Lake and Palmer in the best song ELP never recorded. This track hurtles along with a driving rhythm and great bass alongside the busy drums of Elcio Cáfaro. Castelos do Céu ploughs a path well trodden by any Canterbury based band you could think of, it has that type of sound almost whimsical at times and reminds one of early Caravan. With the vocal being in Portuguese, it is quite difficult to comprehend what is all about but it certainly sounds good musically, although my research shows several tracks refer to historical eras and phases.

Fifth track Cruz Da Ordem is the longest at over ten minutes duration, this is hinged on a busy bass line and lashings of Hammond Organ and synths. It makes for a gloriously over the top track with stunning bass and sympathetic keyboard sounds. Synths, organs and mellotrons abound on this album, it’s mostly instrumental and with all but one song in Portuguese, makes for a strange and different sort of album but a very impressive and compelling one nonetheless. An unusual album to listen to but one that mines a very rich vein extremely effectively and for that we should all be glad. Standouts for me being the opener and the epic fifth track Cruz Da Ordem, both of which make for highly memorable and impressive music for you to enjoy.

Of special note is just how damned brilliant bassist David Paiva is, he is a real tour de force without whom this music would be less dynamic for sure. His blending in and bonding as the rhythm section is sheer joy to behold, a definite star in the making. When you couple this to the explosive excellence of keyboard player Ronaldo Rodriguez you can tell their 12 year existence is time well spent to hone their skills to this level and hopefully, with the support of the Karisma label, bodes well for a very bright future indeed.

This album is most definitely a  grower and I very much look forward to hearing how this band develop from here going forward. All in all this album has proved to be a very rewarding listening experience for the braver prog fan. Maybe a slot at a fusion type festival could be a way forward, time will tell I guess. Either way it will be interesting to see their next steps forward.

Released January 27th, 2023.

Order the album from bandcamp here:

III | Caravela Escarlate (bandcamp.com)

Review – Transatlantic – ‘The Final Flight: Live at L’Olympia’ – by John Wenlock Smith

This live album is a bit of a question mark in that it may be the final musical statement that the band make. Transatlantic feel that they may have reached the end of their own particular road and they also all have their own musical outlets and outputs to return to. The band has been in existence for over 24 years now so they owe us nothing really, do they?

This new live cut is taken from the final show of the short European tour taken in support of ‘The Absolute Universe’ album issued in 2021. This album offers another version of that album along with a synopsis of ‘The Whirlwind’, ‘We All Need Some Light’ and a final medley which all together gives a healthy running time of over three hours. For some this may be too much but folk who, like me, love overblown and extended works such as Transatlantic deliver, this is sheer heaven. Hopefully this won’t be their last ever effort but only time will tell on that, if it is then this is a very dignified manner in which to bow out.

The album is long so you’ll need to settle down and simply enjoy and appreciate the sheer quality and talent of these four musicians and of Ted Leonard whose vocals and guitar help complete a very fine sounding set of performances.

The album opens with The Absolute Universe intro that sets the scene for what is to come. Eerie keyboards, haunting guitar lines and a blast of symphonic sounds lead into the Overture proper, this has everyone really pushing the sound with over the top drums, bass and keyboard’s all surging like a tsunami, battering everything in their way. This is so gloriously overblown that it’s just sheer exhilaration and you know this will only get even more so on its journey, simply astonishing to hear this level of intensity and intent. This overture really lets everyone shine in their own parts but, taken together, is all the more amazing to behold. Yet, in all this, there is so much melody on offer, it’s gorgeous and  sumptuous fare indeed. The excellent guitar of Roine Stolt carries the piece to a glorious conclusion in tandem with Neal Morse’s keyboards, leading to the first real song, the symphonic Reaching For The Sky. This is an exuberant track and you can hear how happy the band are to be there, performing this album in this extended version, you can really hear this coming over strongly.

Higher Than The Morning sees Roine Stolt on vocals, although helped by all in the chorus, to good effect too! This is a blistering performance which really captures something special. This album may be long but if you like symphonic prog you will find so much to enjoy and savour herein. Sadly Paul Hanlon, one of their biggest fans is no longer with us to enjoy this and he would truly have loved this. The Darkness In The Light has another vocal from Roine, this one powers along nicely too with strong bass from Pete Trewavas and the never less than solid drums of Mike Portnoy pushing the track forward, a brief bass solo from Pete captures the moment as does a fiery guitar part from Roine. This is proving to be an excellent recording of what must have been a really magnificent evening of music. Take Now My Soul slows things down a little, they probably needed to as the opening salvo of songs couldn’t be maintained without injury surely! This more laid back track cools everyone down well this is followed by the shorter track Bully. This is only brief and leads to Rainbow Sky which has an element of the Beatles to it. It is a very fine song and has great performances throughout

This is only the first disc and already I’m sold on it, so much so that I’ve ordered the CD and Blu-Ray for myself, yes it really is that impressive! Looking For The Light continues the winning streak with growling bass from Pete and great music from all parties with a particularly great guitar line from Roine. We are then offered the lengthy epic The World We Used To Know which is the last track on disc one and yes, it’S rather good! It begins with thunderous drums from Mike Portnoy and some fine guitar from Roine but really Mike is all over this one, driving the track as only he can, he is an absolute powerhouse and his presence is definitely felt here. There follows another great guitar line that carries the song further along, it’s great to hear such beautiful melodies in this music, sheer bliss for symphonic prog nerds like me. Everything is so well orchestrated here, there is real depth and gravitas and it’s wonderful to hear this expressed so eloquently by this group of extremely talented musicians who are working at the top of their game.

Disc 2 opens with an introduction from Mike in which he outlines the evening’s entertainment and he tells how they aren’t sure of what happens after this, also he reveals this this is the fourth version of ‘The Absolute Universe’. We continue with an accapella opening to The Sun Comes Up Today which coalesces into the actual song via a fluid guitar line from Roine and some great organ from Neil before a prelude of Love Made A Way. Next up is Owl Howl which is a medium length track and one which features an extended keyboard vamp from Neil, it’s all rather worthy though and once again shows why this ensemble can be rightly called a ‘super group’. Solitude opens with rippling piano lines along with an earnest, questioning vocal from Neil, also included is a snippet of Love Made A Way again to good effect. This is an assured performance from the band, mixing delicate melodies with thunderous and lively recitals of very strong material.

Belong follows, another great version with keen guitar from Roine. There’s fabulous ensemble playing in this track too. Lonesome Rebel has some sumptuous acoustic guitar and another Roine vocal, this is a gentler song and the change of intensity works to their favour here, you cant go at it hammer and tongs for three hours, that’s not right or fair really and this measured approach is especially rewarding. Can You Feel It ups the energy level a little bit, again most effectively and includes lots of opportunities for solos from Neil and Pete. A reprise of Looking For The Light is an epic shorter track but one which really grabs the attention with its lumbering bass line over which hangs an angular organ sound and great harmonies. A commanding recital which leads into the rollicking romp of The Greatest Story Never Ends. This one is full of great keyboard textures and has lots of urgency as the band hurtle towards the finishing line which is presented with a great performance of Love Made A Way. The use of repeated motifs and refrains through the album helps cement the concept of the album and really works well here.

That concludes the album proper but the show isn’t over yet as the group continue for another hour by providing two amazing medleys, one of The Whirlwind and another called The FINAL Medley which includes Transatlantic classics such as Duel With The Devil, My New World, All Of The Above and Stranger In Your Soul. Also included is a beautiful version of We all Need Some Light, personally I’d like to have seen shine as a tribute to Paul who all the band knew very well but you can’t have it all. This selection of oldies works very well indeed and the medley of The Whirlwhind is especially enticing as a mammoth album is whittled down to a manageable duration without loosing its impact.

Overall this album is a resounding triumph for Transatlantic and one I would strongly urge you to consider as its an excellent package.

Released 17th February, 2023.

Order here:

Transatlantic – We All Need Some Light (Live in Paris 2022) (lnk.to)

Review – Heavy Metal Kids – The Albums 1974 to 1976 – by John Wenlock-Smith

The history of rock is strewn with endless tales of wild antics, excessive outrageous behaviours, substance & alcohol abuse and sheer unmitigated heartbreak and sadness. This was certainly the case with the Heavy Metal Kids who were a force while also being touted as the next big thing and the possible progression from the premier league of Pink Floyd, Yes and Led Zeppelin and the ilk to a rapidly changing musical scene, one with the emerging, inevitable and possibly much needed paradigm shift to a simpler, angrier and punk fuelled regime that shook the musical world significantly.

So it was into this maelstrom and vortex that Gary Holton and his crew set sail, emerging in 1973 and garnering the attentions of Dave Dee (yes, him of 60s pop idols Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich) after being spotted by his staff at a speakeasy in London’s West end. Holton having beenextricated from his previous group Biggles, who were a jazz rock outfit with connections to Emerson, Lake and Palmer, their drummer being Carl Palmer’s brother,

Holton was from Wembley and had been a member of the touring Hair ensemble and also has his sights on an acting career, he had been in theatre at the Old Vic and had done some Shakespeare along the way. Atlantic Records saw something in this lot and they were offered a contract with Dave Dee as producer, this resulted in their first two albums, ‘Heavy Metal Kids’ and ‘Anvil Chorus’.

Their name was, however, misleading as their music was not heavy metal at all but was in fact more a mixture of hard rock, glam and, unsurprisingly, vaudeville. This was a very different sound to what their name suggested, however the band live were certainly powerful and this is clearly shown on tracks like Rock ‘N’ Roll Man and It’s The Same, both of which have a definite swagger to  them. The album was critically acclaimed yet, as is often the case, this didn’t translate into record sales. The band set off on an ambitious touring schedule and were well received in America and Japan. The debut is a good album in parts and when they rock they do so convincingly with the added bonus of having a great keyboard player, Danny Peyronel, who’s honky tonk piano embellishments added much to the groups sound. That the album is largely overlooked and unknown by the masses is a tragedy as there is much to appreciate, the four bonus tracks here are being very good indeed.

For the second album, their name was shortened to The Kids , although there was a sticker that said ‘Featuring The Heavy Metal Kids’, the album is a little more consistent and is more rock oriented. You Got Me Rollin‘ is carried on a lumbering bass line that carries the song along wonderfully as does the following track On The Street, bass player Ronnie Thomas really shining on the tracks, indeed his prominent bass really impresses throughout. The songs are stronger and sound energised and inspired with great guitar fills and a solid rhythm section, all with the added colours of Danny’s keyboards to make a cohesive sound. This is sublime and worthy music, however, despite more US touring with the likes of Rush, Kiss and Alice Cooper, the album still failed to gain traction and had disappointing sales which led to them being dropped by Atlantic.

Help came from an unexpected quarter as Mickie Most of Hi Ho Silver Lining fame and teenyboppers Mud, Suzie Quatro and the RAK organisation offered to record their next album in France for his label. The resulting album appeared many months later in 1977 and again failed to really make an impact, even a Top of the Pops slot for She’s No Angel couldn’t save them and the band, despite touring with Uriah Heep on their high and mighty tour, had pretty much called it a day by 1978 when Holton quit for a short and ill feted solo career and also a more successful venture into TV & Film. A final gig at the Speakeasy with a difficult and unruly Holton brought things to a less than glittering close. The band decided to continue without Holton and went through a succession of singers, including a short return by Holton, and, thereafter, by the likes of Phil Lewis and John Altman.

Looking back to ‘Kitsch’ again, you can hear how new keyboard player John Sinclair changed the sound, making it more classical at times, and tighter than before. The album is more symphonic and more musical, this is certainly the case with the opening Overture and Chelsea Kids, in which the band marry punk aggression and rock sensibility to make an intriguing hybrid of styles. From Heaven To Hell And Back Again is another good track with the inclusion of other instruments to round out the sound further used to good effect, it really impacts well. Cry For Me has some superb guitar played to great effect along with tubular bells chiming.

The album was mixed and partly reconstructed by Mickie Most as his final statement and a kind of reaction to modern pop music, he wanted something grander and saw the Heavy Metal Kids as part of that statement and, to be honest it, it does have some very good moments and the 5 bonus tracks make interesting listening. All this is embellished with a very informative booklet that tells the whole story in fine detail. This set is really very good and an excellent reminder of the vagaries of life and that things that look good and sound good are sometimes beyond the ordinary person. Mass appeal music has its place but sometimes what is overlooked and undervalued can actually be of more worth and value.

Released 20th January, 2022.

Order from Cherry Red here:

Heavy Metal Kids: The Albums 1974-1976, 3CD Expanded Edition – Cherry Red Records

Review – Damanek – Making Shore – by John Wenlock-Smith

‘Making Shore’ will lift your spirits from any post new year blues that you might be troubled with, for this album is simply glorious. Well, it’s been a long time in is its realisation and, finally, the third Damanek album is nearly upon us. It will physically be released on the 13th of January 2023 and I can envisage big success for the band with this fantastic collection of songs, eight in total, in two distinct sections. Part one has seven songs of middling length and with various themes, part two is one thirty minute epic, consisting of five parts, which is an exploration of alternative realities and time travel.

The band consists of a core unit of Guy Manning (lots of keys, lots of acoustic instruments (guitar, mandolin, bouzouki), percussion and vocals), Marek Arnold (saxophone, keyboard) along with Sean Timms (keyboards, vocals, percussion, mixing and production duties). They are aided by a veritable who’s who of modern Neo-Prog. These include half of Southern Empire, that’s Cam Blokland on guitar and Brody Green on drums, also present are Ralf Dietsch of Cyril, Jonathan Barrett (ex The Tangent bass player), Riley Nixon-Burns (trumpet) and Linda Pirie on flute and piccolo.

Together these folks make truly special and spacious music that has a familiar feel alongside new sounds and textures. The music is rich and lush with melody woven strongly throughout. It is an album that will draw you into its orbit and will give you a satisfying musical journey that will take you from Mount Everest through the Great Barrier Reef , an American heartland and finally on a journey into a world of memories, hopes and desires. All are to be discovered within it tracks so buckle up for the ride of the month if not the year, such is the strength and stature of this album.

The albums first track is A Mountain Of Sky, a song about that most famous of summits, Everest. The sound is very clever in that it captures and conveys Tibetan sounds and is very evocative of that area, the song has a driving beat and rhythm to it and is as epic as the mountain itself, with a strong chorus and some strong guitar lines woven within its running time. The soundscape is everything you could want from Damanek making this epic track a superb statement of intent and it bodes very well for the rest of the album. The ethnic feeling percussion, woven with the expressive sax work of Marek Arnold, is a joy to hear and means this song really has a swing and a groove to it, even the cod reggae section works well. There is so much to enjoy before the song ends on a graceful guitar break, simply a brilliant opening to the album, it’s fabulous stuff. Back2Back is about how humanity has pushed the world into a difficult situation regarding the climate of the earth and its repercussions for us. There are very thought provoking lyrics within this song and there is also a further fantastic guitar solo. Noon Day Candles is a plea for a fairer share for all and contrasts our scientific and technological achievements with our unwillingness and inability to feed the worlds children. This is a very fine song and whilst it’s words are earnest and challenging the music is well balanced with the questions and pleas the song asks and raises.

This album is proving to be challenging in its subject matter and lyrics, never a bad thing in my opinion, it is good to have to think about these issues. Americana is a song about a fictitious American farm in the heartlands that is struggling with the demands of the present age, climate Change and poverty. Farming is not easy as anyone who has watched Clarkson’s Farm can attest, the song is short and direct.

There are then two songs of the sea interrupted by a song about dementia, In Deep Blue (Sea Songs Pt.1) is a very personal one for Guy as it about his youngest son who, despite having Asperger’s, decided whilst on holiday in Greece to go scuba diving. This song is Guys musings on his bravery and determination to have a go at it. He managed to accomplish his goal and this made Guy very proud of his son’s achievements. Reflections On Copper is a more sobering song, focusing as it does on the increasing number of people who are being affected by, and living with, dementia. Dementia is a cruel illness and disease that can take many forms, I personally am affected by vascular dementia as the result of a stroke meaning my neural pathways have been damaged by the stroke and whilst that dementia is mild at the present time, it may not stay that way, only time will tell so the sentiments expressed are certainly relevant to my own life. Crown of Thorns (Sea Songs Pt.2) is about how the Great Barrier Reef is being affected and how, again, climate change is affecting the balance with an increase in the Crown Of Thorns starfish who normally eat that faster growing coral which gives slower growing species an opportunity to catch up. Climate change has affected this though as the coral eating starfish have increased in outbreak proportions. This song concludes the first half of the album

The second section is the multi part Oculus, split into an overture and four acts. This is a very interesting and somewhat difficult song to digest but is best heard as a complete track (about thirty minutes in total). The song is about alternate dimensions and realities. This is a most interesting concept and this piece reflects that curiosity in a very well balanced manner. It is also a cautionary tale in that we can hear a warning that we perhaps need to heed and to consider. Of the four acts One is the scene setting, Two is the adventure, Three is the consequences of the action and, finally, Four is the redemption and return to normality. The song is epic and the story is illuminating and yet cautionary at the same time. The music in all acts is subtle and exciting and the piece ends with urgent horns and a dazzling guitar solo that bring it all together in a gracefully and satisfying manner with a well executed door slam to conclude proceedings.

This album has so much to commend it, great subject matter, challenging & thoughtful lyrics and superb & inspired playing. It certainly is a winner to these ears, a sublime, intelligent and articulate work of art, I urge, nae demand, you to pay attention and add it to your listening pleasure.

Released 13th January, 2023.

Order from GEP here:

Damanek – Making Shore – Pre-Sale – GEP

Further information can be found at the band’s website here:

DAMANEK – the official website (guymanning.com)

Review – Verbal Delirium – Conundrum- by John Wenlock-Smith

Verbal Delirium are a Greek progressive rock band who formed in 2006. They have released four albums to date ‘The Imprisoned Words of Fear’ (2016), ‘From The Small Hours Of Weakness’ (2013) and ‘So Close And Yet So Far Away’ (2010), with ‘Conundrum’ being the latest, and second with Bad Elephant Music. This release is definitely interesting, mixing heavier elements with articulate vocals and sounds to create great music. This is my first exposure to the band and here are my thoughts on the album.

The album has eight tracks which vary in length and in style, ranging from brief vignettes like Falling with its Saga like sounds, especially in the vocals by Jargon, through to epic pieces like The Watcher and Neon Eye Cage, which are both over nine minutes in duration. Musically the sounds range from semi-choral to Beatles-like parts, elements of prime Queen through to jazzy inspired sections with saxophone and clarinet and violin and epic, partially ambient, soundscapes all tied together with a solid rock beat and groove. All this together makes for a unique and satisfying listening experience. The team of Jargon on vocals, George Pagidas on bass, Stratos Morianos on keyboards, Vasilis Armaos on drums and George Kyriakidis on guitar are a sensationally tight and focused unit who together bring this great music to life.

This jazzy element is most clearly espoused in title track Conundrum which really has a bounce and a spring in its step. Likewise, The Watcher also impresses with its use of Hammond Organ to swell the sound along with its Saga like vocals and the fiery guitar of George Kyriakidis, whose playing enlivens and grabs the attention throughout the track. The song is epic in style with a growing intensity that runs through the track. It’s a song you need to hear for yourself as it really makes a statement for the band, showing their dexterity in the composition and their skills to realise the piece. It really is a slow burner of a track but certainly impresses me, as does Neon Eye Cage, which opens with gentle electric piano and a graceful vocal from Jargon sounding not unlike Mika on this section. The song gains both pace and power with a unique guitar and keyboards exchange taking the song forward. I really like this sound, it’s different and fresh sounding, adding great dynamics to an already intriguing sound palette, there is also a fine guitar break at the six minute point which I find very melodious. This ends with strong bass and keyboards before resuming again to reach greater heights with more doubled guitar lines moving to the piano to take us to the end. The return of the electric piano tones and even more ‘Mikaesque’ vocals conclude this most fascinating piece.

Fall From Grace is the album’s last track, this reintroduces the Saga like vocals over graceful piano lines and orchestrations before a sturdy drumbeat begins. This song is a slower paced track but it has a strong melody and is very impressive sounding with another scorching guitar break lifting the track significantly. The guitar is very expressive and striking with lots of space and time allowed for it to soar as the song plays, it is all rather fine really. The vocalist Jargon is fabulous on this album and his vocals are both clear and strong with great phrasing and articulation and these really do make an impression.

I would say this album is rather fine indeed and is a grower that warrants attention and one that really is deserving of a wider audience. The prog world can be very insular at times and its fans can sadly be closed to great new music. Hopefully they will discover that which can be heard on this very rewarding album. I was certainly taken with it and can recommend it to open minded music lovers, it is highly impressive and deeply rewarding.

Released 25th November, 2022.

Order from bandcamp here:

Conundrum | verbal delirium (bandcamp.com)

Review – Tribe of Names – Evolver – by John Wenlock-Smith

This album has been quite a long time in arriving so its title, ‘Evolver’ is very apt. In real terms this is the follow on from the Valdez album, ‘This’, from 2017. Their plans for recording the follow up were drastically altered, initially by a line up change and then followed by the impact of the pandemic, which meant everything changed. The result being a name change for the band to Tribe of Names. ‘Evolver’ is the delayed result and what an album it has turned out to be, the new line up and name seem to have worked out well as this album is full of genuinely progressive music and some fine tracks.

Opener Tribe Of Names begins like an 80’s synth pop number but this is soon replaced by some solid bass lines and jangly guitar then latterly by some solid, meaty guitar riffery and an epic soaring guitar line which is all underpinned by that funky bass line and that’s all in the initial 3 minutes of starting! This is solid and exciting music to hear, it has lots of Rush type elements and guitar playing reminiscent of Alex Lifeson. I believe guitarist Karl Eisenhart started by learning Rush songs and still plays in that style, well he certainly learned his chops! The song is a great one with lots of odd time signatures and a great solo from Karl that plays toward the end of the track, a very strong opener. They Live To Cry is a more subdued piece, again this has elements of Rush running throughout but is all so well handled that it doesn’t really matter, This in not a tribute though, more it feels influenced by Rush, although not overly so. The song has great melody and music and I really like it.

Liar Liar has a strong and dominant bass part with touches of guitar arpeggios and linear playing. This is a shorter but no less interesting track and is great sounding too. Everyday Haunted is another brief track filled with sustained guitar tones over a swelling keyboard, an echoed vocal adding menace and interest. This is an intriguing piece of music with tremolo  guitar notes adding to the weirdness, all very strange but brilliantly so. We are then back in somewhat familiar territory with White Nile, a track that builds in intensity with lots of drum crashes and rumbling bass over guitar tones that could be straight out of La Villa Strangiato, another great track to be influenced from. The strident opening part gives way to a more mellow section of moody music, this is a highlight of the album thus far, excellent performances and solid and inventive playing from all parties.

The Last Unsung Girl is slightly different with a quirky sound, rhythm and melody. Coupled with its mixed time signatures this is certainly distinctive and yet oddly compelling with a great guitar line after which we get a funky bass and guitar section leading to a fine solo from Karl. This is an album whose songs will creep up on you and take a real grip on you, it’s certainly stirring stuff. Mayfly is another guitar led piece with more crunching guitar lines underpinned by a sympathetic bass. There is much beauty to enjoy here, it is very accomplished and well delivered by the band and another somewhat satisfying song. The final and longest track, Dirt On The Inside concludes this excellent album with its extended run time giving lots of room for the music to evolve without constraints, the slower opening section being allowed to build in its intensity for the initial four minutes. This leaves you waiting for the track to explode into life, which it does around the four minute mark where the guitar line surges forward with power in a dramatic manner before some solid bass runs are joined by guitar unison lines with tremolo again. The pace increases again to another excellent solo with the band firing on all cylinders. This is a most impressive track with lots going on musically and it all sounds really effective, there follows a slower, less intense, part which allows guitarist Karl to play some sustained guitar lines before reprising the earlier solo as the song draws to a solid close.

This album should appeal to folks who miss Rush as it explores similar territories. Overall, this is a very strong and musically diverse album with powerful statements and an excellent sound. The sleeve by Mark Buckingham is also very noteworthy and interesting, I heartily recommend this great album.

Released 4th November, 2022.

Order from bandcamp here:

Evolver | Tribe of Names (bandcamp.com)

Review – Arc of Life – Don’t Look Down – by John Wenlock-Smith

It doesn’t seem to be that long since the Arc of Life debut album that introduced the world to the venture formed by Billy Sherwood and Jon Davison of Yes, along with Dave Kerzner and Jimmy Haun on keyboards and guitar respectively. Well, this album is more ‘Yes’-like than the previous record was and I loved that album. ‘Don’t Look Down’ is more familiar sounding with Jon Davidson being in especially good form and giving Billy Sherwood a fine platform for his inner Chris Squire to shine through, as it does here on the opening track Real Time World. This song has quite a nod to Tempus Fugit from Yes’ ‘Drama’ album and features a rather muscular bass part to propel the track along with some spacey guitar lines from Jimmy that together add up to a very strong and engaging piece from all concerned. When you add Dave Kerzner’s epic synths, you have an excellent slice of this latest Yes offshoot, in fact if Yes decided to call it a day, Arc of Life could quite easily fill that particular void easily and would continue to create challenging new music of their own, as this album of six tracks can testify. I really like this song and feel its authenticity is commendable in being ‘Yes’ like without being derivative and it has enough of its own strength to warrant attention on its own merits.

Don’t Look Down follows and has strong vocal harmonies and a suitably gracious guitar line from Jimmy. Again, Jon sounds flawless on this song and much attention to detail has been used here to make a truly harmonious sound, creating a memorable song with a strong chorus. All Things Considered is quite a funky little piece with excellent bass runs from Billy and good keyboards from Dave, although it’s tone is a little lighter in touch. There is a lot happening musically within its five minute duration, including a very ‘Howe-ish’ guitar tone and solo that has touches that Steve would be proud of. The track is fairly understated but has substance as does Colours Come Alive that follows. this is a brooding track that slowly builds into its intensity and depth until towards the end where it gatherers pace and intensity. It’s another good song with great keyboard textures and tones, a fabulous guitar section from Jimmy and an elegant bass section towards the end that captivates you.

The penultimate song, Let Live, is another mid length track that opens with dynamic guitar and bass parts and has a strong rhythm to it. It is satisfying to hear this band firing on all cylinders and with heaps of energy. This is a faster paced song with much urgency to it. Again. the bass is fairly pivotal to the track and it is welcome for that alone, it really is good to hear the energy and craft to these songs as this bodes well for the future of the group. Maybe this will have an impact on the activities of their parent group, giving them some much needed impetus to their own activities? Arc Of Life concludes the album and is the longest track on the album which gives lots of room for some interesting musical passages. This is definitely the case for the opening minutes of the track which again include some powerful bass playing, something the main Yes band has been missing for a couple of years now, Billy’s bass growls like a wild bear on the prowl and it really makes the overall sound full and prominent. The song moves through several phases but with that prominent bass running throughout, reminds me of Awaken from ‘Going For The One’ for some reason. Jon is in very fine voice once more, this track is really impressive and it certainly has the time to explore its sound, making this an intriguing conclusion to Arc Of Life’s second album, will there be a third? That remains to be seen but, hopefully, there will be a positive enough response to this album that will encourage further activity.

Released 18th November, 2022.

Order the album here:

Don’t Look Down (burningshed.com)