What Are You Listening To Now? 6.0

[Blind_Justice]

I'm looking forward to the new Enslaved album. I've known them since "Frost", but seriously got into them around the time "Ruun" came around. Now, the new one plays with interesting sounds and as an aspiring musician myself, I totally dig what they're doing with Urjotun. The song starts almost like a forgotten '80s synthwave song, only to gain both a Motörhead bass line and some truly epic vocal bits.

When not scouring Youtube for new stuff to listen to, my lady love and I are working on our first EP ourselves. Four songs are in the bag, even one with vocals. Links soon.

 

[litfan10]

I'm looking forward to the new Enslaved album. I've known them since "Frost", but seriously got into them around the time "Ruun" came around. Now, the new one plays with interesting sounds and as an aspiring musician myself, I totally dig what they're doing with Urjotun. The song starts almost like a forgotten '80s synthwave song, only to gain both a Motörhead bass line and some truly epic vocal bits.

When not scouring Youtube for new stuff to listen to, my lady love and I are working on our first EP ourselves. Four songs are in the bag, even one with vocals. Links soon.

Congrats! So cool.

If you haven't heard it, I recommend checking out bandcamp - you can preview entire albums and the prices are very fair with a major portion going to the band itself. Right now during the Covid nonsense Fridays it all goes to the band.

 

[litfan10]

Dead Elysium

Vanishing Point

New Metal Prog from Australia. Much more metal than prog. This band has been around since the 90s.

 

[litfan10]

Red Planet

Rick Wakeman

 

[Haulover]

Congrats! So cool.

If you haven't heard it, I recommend checking out bandcamp - you can preview entire albums and the prices are very fair with a major portion going to the band itself. Right now during the Covid nonsense Fridays it all goes to the band.

Strongly agree

Red Planet

Rick Wakeman

I gotta get me that!

A good friend of mine interviewed Wakeman about the new album 2 weeks ago. I haven't yet listened to the interview, though...

 

[Blind_Justice]

Litfan&Haulover: I do know about bandcamp and have a handful of artists who get my money that way (Scandroid and Lukhash, just to name two of my synthwave faves). It will be some time before I'll be selling my music though. I feel there's a lot of room to improve still, especially in the mix and mastering department. I'd also like to work with a proper guitarist at some point for some decent solos. Until then, we're just megalomaniacal hobbyists.

 

[litfan10]

Litfan&Haulover: I do know about bandcamp and have a handful of artists who get my money that way (Scandroid and Lukhash, just to name two of my synthwave faves). It will be some time before I'll be selling my music though. I feel there's a lot of room to improve still, especially in the mix and mastering department. I'd also like to work with a proper guitarist at some point for some decent solos. Until then, we're just megalomaniacal hobbyists.

I for one can't wait to hear your work

 

[litfan10]

Panther

Pain of Salvation

 

[Blind_Justice]

Okay then.

The Pandemic EP:
Flight: https://soundcloud.com/christian-pohl-911553212/flight
Anthem: https://soundcloud.com/christian-pohl-911553212/anthem
The Lost Icon: https://soundcloud.com/christian-pohl-911553212/the-lost-icon
Project Earth: https://soundcloud.com/christian-pohl-911553212/project-earth

 

[litfan10]

the Pandemic EP

Blind_Justice

 

[Blind_Justice]

the Pandemic EP

Blind_Justice

I hope it wasn't too painful.

 

[litfan10]

Okay then.

The Pandemic EP:
Flight: https://soundcloud.com/christian-pohl-911553212/flight
Anthem: https://soundcloud.com/christian-pohl-911553212/anthem
The Lost Icon: https://soundcloud.com/christian-pohl-911553212/the-lost-icon
Project Earth: https://soundcloud.com/christian-pohl-911553212/project-earth

Honest opinion - loved, loved The Lost Icon - the feel, the beat and the great vocals - loved it. Flight and Anthem reminded me slightly of Vangelis in a good way - liked both. Project Earth was good but didn't resonate with me as much as the other three, partly the drums didn't sound as good as on the other three. All four are very impressive, and you should be very proud of your accomplishments. I would certainly pay for this (but I am a music whore so that goes without saying.)

Thank you for sharing

 

[litfan10]

Premorbid Intelligence

Okyr

New Metal Prog from Brazil. For once Metal Prog means metal and prog here (Usually it's just metal without prog I find.) Never heard of this band before and I am enjoying them.

 

[Blind_Justice]

Honest opinion - loved, loved The Lost Icon - the feel, the beat and the great vocals - loved it. Flight and Anthem reminded me slightly of Vangelis in a good way - liked both. Project Earth was good but didn't resonate with me as much as the other three, partly the drums didn't sound as good as on the other three. All four are very impressive, and you should be very proud of your accomplishments. I would certainly pay for this (but I am a music whore so that goes without saying.)

Thank you for sharing

Thank you for the honest review. For Project Earth I wanted to move away from the semi-acoustic metal kits I used that far and try out something heavy electro. Maybe I overdid it with the delay and effects processing. Every new song is a learning experience for us.

 

[litfan10]

Thank you for the honest review. For Project Earth I wanted to move away from the semi-acoustic metal kits I used that far and try out something heavy electro. Maybe I overdid it with the delay and effects processing. Every new song is a learning experience for us.

Experimenting is the only way to grow and become better I think. You are being "progressive."

 

[Handley_Page]

Beethoven 9th Symphony 4th mvt.

 

[litfan10]

Beethoven 9th Symphony 4th mvt.

Beautiful. Thanks

 

[litfan10]

In the Absence of Light

Pencarrow

New Pink Floyd like prog from New Zealand. Really nice so far

 

[litfan10]

Premorbid Intelligence

Okyr

Giving this a second listen.

This is a new band from Brazil with their first album. The guitarist and bassist come from a Dream Theater cover band.

This shows strongest on the song "Man in White."

I am not a fan of death growls and the singer, who does a good job, breaks into a brief growl section that didn't thrill me.

At the end of Man in White they do a vocal section very reminiscent of Spock's Beard's vocal dynamics, but I found this didn't work nearly as well, in fact, honestly, by the end of it I was getting annoyed.

The next song more than made up for it as did the rest of the album. Overall, other than those two sections for me this is a good new band worth checking out.

 

[litfan10]

A lot of new prog came out this week. Of course top of the prog heap is the new Rick Wakeman album The Red Planet. Loved this instrumental album heavy in keyboards of course, as well as his choice of bassist with Lee Pomeroy.

next was Pain of Salvation with PANTHER (for some reason the album title and all song titles are in caps.) Huge departure as this is very electronic. Worked real well and was very good.

New Zealand's Pencarrow released In the Absence of Light and I really, really liked this. Very moody and melodic. A lot of instrumental sections and soft areas with some rocker moments. Real nice mix up.

Australia's Vanishing Point came out with Dead Elysium. Good, solid heavy album.
Pretty much what you would expect from Vanishing Point. Nothing new but done well.

Tim Bowness released Late Night Laments. I was excited as he had Porcupine Tree (who I miss A LOT) members Richard Barbieri and Colin Edwin. It was good and smooth with great production but Lament was a perfect choice of title. It is very soft and laid back.
I appreciate it but won't be listening to it that much as I am leaning much heavier than this as of late.

Speaking of heavy: Dream Theater's guitarist John Petrucci released his second solo album with Terminal Velocity. First off after a decade he is back working with drummer Ex Dream Theater Mike Portnoy and Dave Larue from Flying Colors and Dixie Dregs. All instrumental and not at all like Dream Theater though the speed and technique are here in spades. Excellent album that exceeded my expectations a lot. great album

Finally, Motorpsycho from Norway released "The All Is One." Honestly, haven't listened to this one yet. College started up this week and somehow they convinced me to teach a class again so I didn't have all the free time I would have liked. It is listed as eclectic so I look forward to hearing it.

Edit: listening to Motorpsycho now. Wow, wow. Really impressive. I don't know how I missed this band. They have been around since 1989. Their sound covers a lot of territory very well. Very strong musicianship. Solid vocals. Great compositions. The album starts with that nice hollow sound of the seventies and the playing reminded me of early progressive but through the songs and different songs they mix things up a lot. This is the kind of album that gets me to track down a band's catalog and binge listen to everything.

Be safe and well

 

[litfan10]

All Is One

Motorpyscho

 

[litfan10]

Chasing Light

Built for the Future

 

[Handley_Page]

Isao Tomita: Snowflakes are Dancing.

 

[Haulover]

A lot of new prog came out this week. Of course top of the prog heap is the new Rick Wakeman album The Red Planet. Loved this instrumental album heavy in keyboards of course, as well as his choice of bassist with Lee Pomeroy.

next was Pain of Salvation with PANTHER (for some reason the album title and all song titles are in caps.) Huge departure as this is very electronic. Worked real well and was very good.

New Zealand's Pencarrow released In the Absence of Light and I really, really liked this. Very moody and melodic. A lot of instrumental sections and soft areas with some rocker moments. Real nice mix up.

Australia's Vanishing Point came out with Dead Elysium. Good, solid heavy album.
Pretty much what you would expect from Vanishing Point. Nothing new but done well.

Tim Bowness released Late Night Laments. I was excited as he had Porcupine Tree (who I miss A LOT) members Richard Barbieri and Colin Edwin. It was good and smooth with great production but Lament was a perfect choice of title. It is very soft and laid back.
I appreciate it but won't be listening to it that much as I am leaning much heavier than this as of late.

Speaking of heavy: Dream Theater's guitarist John Petrucci released his second solo album with Terminal Velocity. First off after a decade he is back working with drummer Ex Dream Theater Mike Portnoy and Dave Larue from Flying Colors and Dixie Dregs. All instrumental and not at all like Dream Theater though the speed and technique are here in spades. Excellent album that exceeded my expectations a lot. great album

Finally, Motorpsycho from Norway released "The All Is One." Honestly, haven't listened to this one yet. College started up this week and somehow they convinced me to teach a class again so I didn't have all the free time I would have liked. It is listed as eclectic so I look forward to hearing it.

Edit: listening to Motorpsycho now. Wow, wow. Really impressive. I don't know how I missed this band. They have been around since 1989. Their sound covers a lot of territory very well. Very strong musicianship. Solid vocals. Great compositions. The album starts with that nice hollow sound of the seventies and the playing reminded me of early progressive but through the songs and different songs they mix things up a lot. This is the kind of album that gets me to track down a band's catalog and binge listen to everything.

Be safe and well

Wow!

My business life just got very busy again and I don't have much time to listen to (or get) new releases. But it seems I'll have to make time for this list. Many thanks for posting!

I've also been tracking posts in this thread:
https://www.progressiveears.org/forum/showthread.php/25643-Best-Releases-Of-2020-So-Far

Some interesting recommendations there, too. Let me know what you think...

 

[litfan10]

Wow!

My business life just got very busy again and I don't have much time to listen to (or get) new releases. But it seems I'll have to make time for this list. Many thanks for posting!

I've also been tracking posts in this thread:
https://www.progressiveears.org/forum/showthread.php/25643-Best-Releases-Of-2020-So-Far

Some interesting recommendations there, too. Let me know what you think...

Very cool thanks!