This is the third album from Belgian post-metallers Hemelbestormer.
I’m not the biggest fan of instrumental music, but sometimes a band comes along and makes it work notably well. With 2016’s Aether and 2018’s A Ring of Blue Light, Hemelbestormer were just one such band. Now they’ve returned with Collide & Merge, which boasts a whopping 73 minutes of new material. Can Hemelbestormer continue their upward trend? We shall see. Continue reading “Hemelbestormer – Collide & Merge (Review)”
This is the fourth album from Year of No Light, a French post-metal band.
Having really enjoyed 2013’s Tocsin, it has been a long wait for another album from Year of No Light, but the wait has been worth it. Across 55 minutes the band expose the listener to an idiosyncratic creative experience consisting of five thoroughly engaging soundscapes. Continue reading “Year of No Light – Consolamentum (Review)”
Intervals are a Canadian progressive metal band and this is their fourth album.
Following on from 2017’s The Way Forward, Circadian delivers high quality modern progressive metal. This is essentially a solo album, only with guests and session musicians. It’s an instrumental release, which is a style I normally shy away from, but Intervals is Continue reading “Intervals – Circadian (Review)”
Russian Circles are an instrumental post-rock/metal band from the US. This is their seventh album.
2016’s Guidance was another sterling addition to Russian Circles’ quality discography, and Blood Year continues this trend with 40 minutes of new material. Continue reading “Russian Circles – Blood Year (Review)”
Pelican are a post-metal band from the US and this is their sixth album.
Pelican play an instrumental post-rock/metal hybrid, and have been crafting affecting and enjoyable material for 18 years at this point. As their first new album in six years, I think it’s fair to say that Nighttime Stories has been greatly anticipated by fans of the band’s work. Continue reading “Pelican – Nighttime Stories (Review)”
June saw the release of the second Sons of Alpha Centauri album – Continuum. An infectiously layered and immersive trip into space, the band’s progressive tendencies truly shine on this album, and it’s an enjoyable and substantial collection of tracks.
Check out the interview with Nick Hannon below, and make sure you give the album a spin too… Continue reading “Interview with Sons of Alpha Centauri”
Sons of Alpha Centauri are from the UK and this is their second album. They play instrumental stoner rock.
We have met Sons of Alpha Centauri before, and they made a very good impression. With that in mind, we now turn to Continuum. Continue reading “Sons of Alpha Centauri – Continuum (Review)”
Arcade Messiah is a one-man progressive metal project from Ireland. This is his third album.
Although there are some vocals on this release, it’s mainly instrumental, with the man behind the band making sure that the music has the starring role.
The songs are the kind of modern, progressive Continue reading “Arcade Messiah – III (Review)”
Júlio Stotz is from Brazil and plays piano-heavy instrumental Progressive Metal. This is his second release.
His previous EP was an enjoyable atmospheric blend of Progressive Metal and Djent, and this latest EP carries on where his previous one left off.
Once again we get 4 songs lasting 17 minutes in total. It’s replete with lashings of Classical influences and orchestral moments, all backed up by an ultra-modern take on Progressive Metal.
I have quite a low-tolerance level for this kind of thing by-and-large, but there’s something about Júlio Stotz’s work that makes it quite palatable. I think the fact that it’s so very atmospheric easily raises the Djentisms above their normal levels, plus the fact that the Djent influence is only part of the equation.
This release feels more accomplished and grander than the previous one, and it’s good to hear him progress in his chosen style.
Very enjoyable instrumental Atmospheric Metal that doesn’t outstay its welcome.
Recommended.
Effa Lente is a one-man Irish project that plays Instrumental Progressive Rock. This is his first release.
Apparently inspired by watching a Quentin Tarantino film, this is noticeably cinematic music that has a lot of different moods and themes throughout its 45 minute playing time
Did I mention that it’s just one 45 minute track? Well it is.
Various moods, emotions and feelings play out during this extended playing time and the impression is very much one of a Progressive Rock film score.
It’s as if Steven Wilson, Anathema, Opeth, Queen, King Crimson, Glorie and The Monroe Transfer all got together to score a film. It’s a very impressive listen that manages to fully engage and hold the attention despite not having any vocals to act as a focal point.
The music jumps around all over the place in a seemingly natural way, rather akin to how the different scenes in a film move from one to the next. It never seems jarring and almost has a narrative feel to it as different themes are taken, explored and then left until we meet up with them again at a later point for either a resolution or a cliffhanger.
70s moods and contemporary Rock sounds merge together in a cinematic melange that is very impressive. Considering this is the brains behind the outfit’s first attempt at doing something of this nature it’s a huge success.
Not just a listen, but an experience.
Wonderbox Metal 