Here’s some music that various members of the Prog team have been grooving to this week…
EDITOR - JERRY EWING
DREAM THEATER - PULL ME UNDER
Which arose from a conversation with Classic Rock about the forthcoming Dream Theater album The Astonishing, and what was the one Dream Theater song that could really draw in non-prog fans. And of course, we all decided it’s this one, from the band’s second album Images And Words from 1992…
DEPUTY EDITOR - HANNAH MAY KILROY
AVATARIUM - THE GIRL WITH THE RAVEN MASK
It can be difficult to drag punters out to Sunday gigs, but I was pleased that Avatarium’s London show at the Underworld this week had such a good turnout. And listening to songs like the title track from their new album on Nuclear Blast, it’s easy to see why. Frontwoman Jennie-Ann Smith’s bluesey vocals fit perfectly with the band’s doomy prog.
ART EDITOR - RUSSELL FAIRBROTHER
CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX - ECHOES PART 1
Thursday night I had the opportunity to see Crippled Black Phoenix in concert. As ever they were effervescent, calling the audience to arms in a typically boisterous yet tight performance. And amongst the heartfelt polemic was the ever-persisitent nod towards David Gilmour’s more eloquent Floydian guitar moments. So even though they didn’t play this track from the new EP it was there in spirit. Hey you weren’t planning on going anywhere for next 20 minutes were you?
NEWS EDITOR - NATASHA SCHARF
LACROIS DESPHERES - SCIVIAS
A number of Japanese rock acts are naturally very progressive, and ‘visual kei’ band Lacroix Desphères are no exception. Their rock opera sounds like a baroque-influenced version of Nightwish! This song,_ Scivia_s is taken from their 2010 album Dernier Paradis Act 2 - they’re currently working on the third and final act which is due out very soon. Catch them live this weekend at London’s Tobacco Dock.
REVIEWS EDITOR - GRANT MOON
Guess what?
LIVES EDITOR - MALCOLM DOME
BRUCE SOORD - FAMILIAR PATTERNS
From The Pineapple Thief mainman’s debut solo album, this showcases the dreamier, more introverted side of the man’s talents. What Soord does is create an almost surreal soundscape, one that you’re unable to resist, as it draws you into a rather dark world.
