Quite recently, Vly guitarist Karl Demata gave an interview in which he said that Italian progressive music is quite complex and bombastic. Well, ladies and gentlemen, I can personally tell you that not only the progressive Italians are complex, the symphonic metal musicians from the Mediterranean country are quite exquisite as well. From the city of Turin comes the symphonic metal formation called Energy Of The Elements and recently they released their debut album called ’30:03 DeHuman Rise’.
When DemiAura keyboard player Jonathan Gabriel Jr. mailed us if we could review the first album by his new band, he mentioned that there was a possibility that vocals were added to the final mix. We replied that he really had to be sure it was done, before the recordings and he replied that the instrumental version would be the final one. Now, after releasing their debut album ‘DemiAura’, I’m curious if that was the right decision.
Independent releases are sometimes a source of terrible production, of bad choices and unbalanced tracks. But there are these independently produced and released records that absolutely blow you away. Vly‘s first album ‘I / [Time]’ is a progressive album from the latter of those two. With the use of amazing progressive sounds and music, the band, united by guitarist and producer Karl Demata, takes steady aim at a high spot in the top ten of 2015. But how does working on a distance go with people from thee different countries? And is it possible to create an album entirely on your own?
In an age where downloading has become the main way to gather music, the internet has made a terrible impression on the music business. But luckily it also makes things easier for musicians all over the world to team up, share and make new music. So now put together a great deal of different artists and let them create a record. That’s how Vly saw its first light. Starting with sending bits and pieces across the Atlantic Ocean, but slowly turning into a very real debut album, called ‘I / [Time]’.
Is it possible to fall in love with a voice? Not the physical kind of love, of course, but the sound, coloring and timbre of someone’s vocals? To me the new album by District 97 has definitely made an enormous impression. Some of the female vocals that grace the new record called ‘In Vaults’ are simply electrifying. Will we be able to salvage more than just the vocals from this record?
A couple of weeks ago I reviewed the latest instrumental rock album by the German My Sleeping Karma. It was a real, relaxing piece of work that tried to kidnap and take you to an instrumental realm. Now the French respond with their view on instrumental rock music. The three piece of Glowsun is ready to rock with their new album ‘Beyond The Wall Of Time’, but are we ready for them?
The band Iris Devine is one that has been talked about, a lot. Through a Kickstarter campaign these Americans succeeded to fund ‘Karma Sown’ and they have now confirmed a one time show with progressive giants Haken. Fans of progressive rock and metal have been talking about this band. Let’s find out if they can deliver.
After listening to this album for the first time, I was ready to destroy it completely. I was to bury it six feet deep into the wet Dutch soil and never to listen to it again. But, as a good reviewer is supposed to do, I listened to it again, and again, and again. And that is when ‘Essence Of Change’ became a good record. The progressive Hungarians of Special Providence have done a pretty good job!
This is a very interesting entry, mostly because a lot of you will not know the band. Need is a Greek band that fell onto my doorstep last summer to be reviewed for the Lords Of Metal e-zine. After having released two pretty bad albums, they return with ‘Orvam (A Song For Home)’ and it is one big succes.
