Sanctuary ~ USA ~ Seattle, Washington

Into the Mirror Black (1990)

Into the Mirror Black is an improvement on Sanctuary's debut. The tones have more heft and the songwriting has become both more complex and melodic. I really miss this era of metal when it was just as important to craft a composition as it was to demonstrate how complex they can play. Everything here has balance and it never feels like it's going off the cliff. Late 80s Fates Warning comes to mind here, though Sanctuary were more grounded in thrash. And Warrel Dale is the perfect singer for this kind of music. He sings at the higher registers, which was de rigueur back then, but it's well within his range and control. No ball squeezing shrieks here. From here, Dale and bassist Jim Sheppard went on to form the heavier Nevermore, a band that achieved great underground success before Dale's untimely passing in 2017.

Ownership: 1990 Epic (LP)

5/28/24 (review)

Refuge Denied (1987) 

Debut album from Seattle based power metal band that is more famous for their subsequent group Nevermore. The stakes were pretty high for 1987, and while Sanctuary puts in a strong power metal effort, it does pale to some of the competition. Good riffage, but it seems there isn't enough of them. Warrel Dane screams with the best of them, though. Not too fond of Dave Mustaine's hollow and slick production either. Lacks oomph. 

This is one of those albums I feel compelled to keep, primarily because I probably won't find it again. But when the great purge happens, I doubt this one will make the cut. From a release perspective, Refuge Denied was initially issued as a CD, and the LP was an afterthought released a year later. Only one US pressing, demonstrating that Sony didn't expect too much demand, and I'm sure they were right. Hence its obscurity today, like many other albums of its ilk.

Ownership: 1988 Epic (LP)

7/20/23 (review)

7/20/23 (new entry)

Hällas ~ Sweden

Excerpts from a Future Past (2017)

The debut from Hallas clearly draws from the North American proggy hard rock school of the mid 70s. Analog instrumentation rules the day, in particular the Hammond organ and vintage synthesizers. What I like most is the melodic songwriting within this structure, including during the solos. It's interesting to note just how many of these type of bands have emerged from Scandinavia over the last 30 years or so. One wonders the impetus of this phenomena. It's much more acute than here in North America itself. While we certainly have many enlightened folks reimagining the past, they're still a very small part of the overall global prog community. No complaints from me, I think the genre has plenty of room for more mining. It's a type of music that can go in any direction at any time. And those warm analog tones make it just that much more enjoyable to listen to.

Ownership: 2017 The Sign (LP). Gatefold with printed inner sleeve. 

5/28/24 (review) 

Isle of Wisdom (2022)

Hällas (Hallas if searching) are one of many Scandinavian bands playing in the retro progressive rock / hard rock space, doing their part to bring back the mid 1970s. Reminds me some of the debut by Australia's Tarot, but perhaps more progressive oriented. This is their 3rd full length release (4th if counting the EP), and apparently this album represents an improvement in production. Isle of Wisdom is my first exposure to the band, though I'll be sure to check out the others if afforded the chance.

Ownership: 2022 Napalm (LP). Gatefold with lyrics. 

6/8/22 (review)

6/8/22 (new entry)

Caldera ~ USA ~ Los Angeles, California

Caldera (1976)

The CD boldly claims "Masters of Funk & Soul" and "Some of the Greatest Funk Albums Ever!". Generic hype for the series perhaps, but it doesn't really apply to Caldera's debut. Los Angeles based Caldera are in the jazz fusion strike zone. Fastball down the middle. It's a great example of the scene taking some of the more Latin influenced tracks from Return to Forever and giving that style more focus. It's complex yet highly melodic. And well composed. Caldera aren't technical in the same sense as RTF, which is a plus for me. From here they were to add more funk and soul elements similar to the better side of Earth Wind & Fire. All four albums are worth exploring.

Ownership: 2004 EMI / Capitol Europe (CD). Booklet with a short history of the band and album. 

5//05 (first acquired); 5/26/24 (review)

Dreamer (1979)

Most bands don't end a career with their most dynamic and progressive album especially in 1979. Caldera had dabbled with commercialism on their previous two works (both still very good IMO), but this one is primarily a fiery instrumental fusion along the lines of 1972-74 era Santana, with some nods to Return to Forever. They threw caution to the wind and just went for it. If only most bands had a similar attitude back then. Arguably - and probably - their best album.

Ownership: 1979 Capitol (LP). Textured. 

7/19/15 (review); 12/18/17; 5/4/22

7/19/15 (new entry)

Contrevent ~ Canada ~ Montreal, Quebec

Terre de Feu (1993)

To provide context below, I first acquired the CD in 1996.

---Sep 2004

This is certainly better than I remembered! Excellent grooves with violin and guitar (with nice fuzz tone) providing the solos. Nice use of vibes and acoustic guitar too. Keyboards range from atmospheric electronics (excellent) to digital brassy interludes (negative). Rhythms are jazzy scattered with thundering bass (though the rare slapped bass makes me wince). For modern fusion prog, this is tough to beat. If Contrevent would have exploited their more rough edges (like the fuzz bass), this would be even better.

---5/24/24

Having absorbed the album twice last night for the time since (the 2019 listen below was not as focused - I happen to remember), I think I captured the sound pretty well. As the years pile up, I find myself gravitating more and more to these melodic jazz rock outings. On Terre de Feu, the melodies have a naive quality about them that I find endearing. Almost a nostalgic lookback to the late 60s and early 70s from that standpoint. Contrevent successfully brought back the Quebec all-stars of Maneige, Contraction, and Sloche.  Everything here is seamless, and the production a cut above for a private such as this. Contrevent's style was not a common sound in 1993, predicting the retro movement that was only a few years away. I find all the songs here enjoyable, but special mention goes to 'Le Miroir Des Yeux'. 

Ownership: 1993 CTV (CD)

1996 (first acquired); 9//04 (review); 12/26/19; 5/24/24 (update / new entry)

Electric Orange ~ Germany

Abgelaufen! (2001)

I've often referred to this album, their 4th (proper), as their "return to form" work. After a couple of diversions into the world of electronica, Electric Orange go back to their Krautrock roots. At times I feel this is more show than content, but that might be a bit of a cynical outlook. Their stock-in-trade is atmosphere, and they do truly capture the kosmiche kouriere in us all. Rhythms galore, wah wah guitar, heavy Hammond, mellotron overlays, and phased voices all play a role in this. There's even some Klaus Schulze styled electronic rock here. Orange Peel meets Can? Sure, why not.

Ownership: 2001 MPL (CD). Tri-fold with photo collage and recording details. 

2002 (acquired); 5/19/24 (review)

Misophonia (2016)

Misophonia is Electric Orange's 11th proper studio album. They were one of the first Krautrock revivalists from the Fatherland, and have more or less stayed on script throughout their 25+ years career. I started with the band at the beginning, and have dutifully picked up all their albums to date. And the all instrumental Misophonia definitely has the right sounds, with rumbling drums, and grungy Hammond organ to the fore. So it comes as a surprise to me that I really don't enjoy this album very much. It's certainly good enough, but for Electric Orange, it's a sub par effort. I picked up the CD upon release, and heard it last year for the first time - and have stuck with it now for over a year. But the needle isn't moving.

So what gives? Well... I've struggled to put my finger on it, but for one thing there is no songwriting. Now with Krautrock that certainly isn't de rigueur, but most at least intersperse a few melodies among the chaos. Electric Orange did not do that either. But if there aren't any songs, then one would look for a climatic payoff of some sort - a build up to an intense jam for example. Nope, not here. Then there's the lack of tonal diversity. A flute, saxophone, or more electric guitar would have helped immensely. The latter is there primarily to set the tone, but doesn't play a major role in the album. In effect, Misophonia is one of those albums that has all the right ingredients, but doesn't taste right. To be honest, it's a bit dull. If I were to characterize the album - it would be something of a new genre - Ambient Krautrock. Not electronic in the slightest - definitely a rock based album. But it's very static. I do think that's what the band was striving for. To create the mood of the original early 70s Krautrock movement. To that end, they succeeded then. But that's all they did. Overall, I expected more.

Former ownership: 2016 Studio Fleisch (CD)

7/15/17 (acquired); 4/29/18 (review)

Morbus (2007)

So here I sit with Morbus, an album that immediately brought to mind the earlier Platte, except it’s even more heavy, intense, and relentless. And I don’t mean that in the I-can’t-take-it-anymore-noise-fests of Acid Mothers Temple, but rather this is far more measured, where they capture a groove and expand upon it, rather than destroy it to the last note. When the group started, they were more or less an extension of Dirk Jan Muller’s one man show. Now it’s a fully fledged five piece group, armed with the latest in technology and a pile of vintage gear (especially in the keyboard department). I like the addition of the German narration, the wordless female vocals, and even the occasional lyrical song in English. Electric Orange are getting better as each year passes.

Ownership: 2007 Sulatron (CD). Booklet with band photos.

11/13/07 (acquired); 6/6/17 (review); 3/23/22

Netto (2011)

In 1993, Electric Orange almost single-handedly restored the cosmic Krautrock genre back to greatness (with the exception of some truly obscure outfits like Attempt to Restore, Nova Express, and Der Kampf Gegen den Schlaf). They took a detour shortly thereafter into the realms of electronica, realized the error of their ways, and returned back to form in 2001 with Abgelaufen!. Since that time, Electric Orange have gone from amateur to professional status, added more band members, and have released a number of quality albums with consistency.

---9/17/24

I've gone back and forth on this title, but in the end, it's too static for my tastes. A lot of rumblin' and bumblin' but it never seems to take off or go anywhere. It's a fine effort for developing a particular kind of atmosphere, yet I couldn't identify what that is.

Former ownership: 2011 Sulatron (CD)

2/13/12 (acquired / review); 8/18/22; 9/17/24 (update)

Other albums I own and need to review: Electric Orange (1993); Orange Commutation; Platte; Krautrock From Hell

2/13/12 (new entry)

Garden Wall ~ Italy

Principium (1993)

Garden Wall's debut is a rather humble beginning for a band who would eventually blow the doors off of the creativity well. All the same, it's aged quite well for me. I didn't even like it the first time I heard this not long after release. If I recall my headspace back then, it seemed too lightweight for metal, and not complex enough for prog. While it could be called more "typical" prog metal, there are plenty of progressions here that were unusual for the time. A groundbreaking group who continued to improve leaps and bounds from here.

Ownership: 1993 Music is Intelligence (CD). Lyric booklet.

1993 (first listen); 12/14/11; 5/13/24 (review)

Towards the Silence (2004)

---Jun 2005

Not sure where the band would go after Forget the Colours. After a slightly ordinary beginning (for GW at least), the band launched into yet another indescribable opus prog, metal, avant-garde, God knows what classic album. Progressor says this about them: “No doubt, Garden Wall is the most underrated prog-band of the present day. As a matter of fact, these very Italians are, in my opinion, the most innovative and original contemporary progressive band.”. He also says they are the metal equivalent of the RIO movement, which I thought was perceptive. Towards the Silence is definitely not as aggressive as the prior album, and that’s a good thing, or it could’ve been a mess (some say it was anyway). Even a couple of (gasp) mellow tracks. With music like this, I usually start at 4 stars… some stay, some go down, some go way up like FTC did. Really great to hear such innovative composed music with so much muscle.

---1/13/23

  

I've written extensively about Garden Wall in the past. From the brilliant neo Italian prog of Path of Dreams to the insane prog metal of Chimica to the psychotic thrash meets VDGG of Forget the Colours, Garden Wall successfully challenges the realm of possibilities. But I can't get into Towards the Silence (so it went down as the above mentions could happen). It's just too much. Too much of what I dunno, but it's a bit forced in trying to find its muse. If you can't find it, grind it. And grind it they do, for the full length. Just not very enjoyable though admirable all the same. I have enough Garden Wall to satisfy already.

Former ownership: 2004 Mellow (CD)

6//05 (review); 12/30/08; 1/13/23 (update)

   

Path of Dreams (1994)

I've written about Garden Wall in a few posts already, so I won't cover too much of that again. Path of Dreams is their second album, and the one I point to as the beginning of the sound they are most famous for. As I've said before, Garden Wall pretty much marched to their own drummer. While listening, whatever you think might happen, probably won't. Like watching the original Game of Thrones episodes, it defies all normal convention. Looking like a couple of mental patients on the back cover (on purpose I presume...), Path of Dreams fulfills that one expectation, especially considering Alessandro Seravalle's vocal delivery. This is one of those albums that ostensibly gets filed with prog metal, but could just as easily be true progressive rock (though not the kind that what we typically associate Italy with). Any way you slice it, complexity is its calling card. Almost every track here requires multiple listens to absorb. My favorite is 'The Bride of the Wind' as it contains the album's most memorable melody, and its placement in the album order is bizarre and fascinating. Of course it is. The 1990s harbored all sorts of these odd progressive bands that are mostly forgotten today. Rediscovery awaits, but I'm certainly glad to have lived it real time. If you're looking for something different - and very progressive - Garden Wall is a band worth following. And Path of Dreams is one of the easier albums to get into compared to some of their others.

As an aside, can someone enlighten me on the language used in Maj di Muart? I presume it's a regional dialect, as the group's origins are very close to Slovenia and Austria. I tried typing the lyrics into Google Translate but it kept flipping back and forth between Italian and Krio, the latter is a Creole type language spoken in Sierra Leone. Ah wait - I think I answered my own question after further research: Friulian it's called. It's a part of Italy I've never been to. Though I've been on a train through it coming from Slovenia. Need to go there.

Ownership: 1994 Music is Intelligence (CD). Recording details, lyrics, and paintings. 

1995; 8/9/13; 7/25/22 (review)

Chimica (1997)

---8/26/06

On Chimica, Garden Wall’s 4th album, the band had really progressed to new levels of intensity and intelligence. It wouldn’t be too far out of place to state that Garden Wall are a few branches of further growth from the Semiramis tree, demonstrating their Italian progressive rock heritage. Lead vocalist / guitarist Alessandro Seravalle is truly one of the more creative minds to emerge on the progressive music scene in the last 20 years. He pretty much just marches to his own drummer and could be seen as a genius, or insane, depending on one’s perspective. His vocal style is best described as strange, somewhere between Peter Hammill and a madman (some would argue that’s the same thing). It’s a style that’s very appealing for the chaotic music he and the band create. Keyboardist Mauro Olivo plays almost entirely in counterpoint mode, giving the music a disorienting feel. While Garden Wall always had a heavy streak, Chimica is the album where they leaped whole hog into the metal camp concerning the guitar tone. Which is not to say they are a Dream Theater style prog metal group, not even close. This is real progressive music, in the true sense of the word, not just a genre tag. The 34 minute multi-part opening track ‘Chemo’ goes through many different sections while still maintaining the sense of a whole composition (something that is rare to find in modern bands). For fans of their earlier style, Chimica is seen as an album going in the wrong direction, but since there are plenty of keyboards and acoustic sections, it was passable. For folks like myself who love this kind of creativity while still rocking out, Garden Wall were continuing to progress into new exciting realms. It would be five years until their next album, and not only did they continue to polarize the progressive listening audience, they blew a hole in the universe.

---6/6/21

Listening to this tonight. Not much to add to the above. I wish it had more bass - it's very trebly. And Mauro Olivo's keyboard tones are pretty much the same throughout, minus the piano of course. Seems he should have taken advantage of the modern technology at his disposal. All that said, it really is an imaginative album that goes all over the place. Few bands were at this Italian band's level of creativity at the time of release.

Ownership: 1997 Music is Intelligence (CD). Booklet with English lyrics and computer artwork.

1998; 6//05; 8/26/06 (review); 6/6/21 (update)

Assurdo (2011)

For those folks that are constantly asking to hear an album that is truly "progressive" rather than "it's progressive in the 1970s sense of the word", then I offer up to you Garden Wall's Assurdo. Garden Wall has always been a creative bunch, but they've really upped the ante this time. After about five listens, I cannot possibly describe this album. Many others have attempted to do so however. All of them very thorough, and quite excellent. No two are alike. I don't think it's possible for anyone to hear this album the same as someone else. About the only continuity in the reviews I've read is that Assurdo is unique. That's for sure.

They still have the Van der Graaf Generator meets thrash metal backbone of Forget the Colours, but do not be scared by that description. There's so much at play here, that at times you imagine you are hearing the classic Italian progressive rock scene being played out 200 years from now. Is it genius? How could I know - I'm for certain not one, but it is impossible to deny that Garden Wall continues to push the boundaries of progressive rock. This isn't tuneless cacophony in the name of Avant Garde, but rather a fully realized and coherent work. Check it out for yourself. Write a review. It will be different than the others you have read.

Ownership: 2011 Lizard (CD). Lyric booklet.

3/13/12 (review); 1/22/24

Other albums I own and still need to review: The Seduction of Madness; Forget the Colours

3/13/12 (new entry)

French TV ~ USA ~ Louisville, Kentucky

The Violence of Amateurs (1999)

The Violence of Amateurs is too much embracing the Avant Prog model trying to appease that crowd. Ruins the flow of a perfectly good progressive rock album something that French TV excels at, and proves that here on occasion. Their highest rated album, but not in my world it isn't. 

Former ownership: 1999 Pretentious Dinosaur (CD)

2001 (acquired); 7/22/15; 5/12/24 (review)

10: I Forgive You For All My Unhappiness (2010)

My opinion of this album is pretty similar to Panzerpappa's Astromalist. I can appreciate the structure of notes and arrangement of instrumentation. But I don't necessarily "get into it". I went too far with French TV's catalog, continuing to buy without giving it much thought. They start to run together after awhile. I think they peaked during the mid 2000s and I probably should have stood pat at that point. Oh well, they're worthless, so might as well keep it.

Ownership: 2010 Pretentious Dinosaur (CD)

10/22/10 (acquired); 9/12/23 (review)

 

11: Ambassadors of Good Health and Clean Living (2016)

Ambassadors of Good Health and Clean Living is the 11th album from French TV. Their patented brand of instrumental music typically straddles the fine line between Avant Prog and Canterbury styled fusion. On this effort, the needle definitely points to the former. Even though they are joined here by the fine Japanese band TEE, a band deeply rooted in the European progressive rock tradition, French TV's sound doesn't seem to be affected much by their presence. As is often the case with Avant Prog, the music is intricately composed and superbly executed. All the same, it lacks groove and soul, something I tend to champion more as I get older. Music like this seems charted for performance at a symphony hall. One wishes they'd let their hair down, and kick out the jams brothers and sisters. Oh well, still a fine effort despite the cold calculating disposition. However it does appear the band is on the slow decline to irrelevancy. This one was predictable in its unpredictable metric style.

Ownership: 2016 Pretentious Dinosaur (CD). Digipak

5/28/16 (acquired / review); 2/19/24

 

After a Lengthy Silence (1987)

Fine sophomore album from French TV, a band that continued to grow leaps and bounds from album to album. After a Lengthy Silence is mostly an instrumental progressive rock, heavily influenced by jazz fusion, with a surprising space rock ending. The production is typical of the muddy late 1980s, and holds back the potential of the material. This aspect of the band would also improve as time went on.

Ownership: 1987 Y Records (LP)

1990 (acquired); 1995; 2009; 11/14/15 (review)

9: This Is What We Do (2006)

Another new album from French TV. Another great album from French TV. There are few bands that can match French TV's consistent high quality over a long period of time. For 20+ years, French TV has produced and continues to produce complex, challenging progressive rock. Even more amazing, they actually get better with each release. Now they didn't set the bar real high in their early years, but they never put out a bad record either. But they seem to be getting better almost exponentially. I’m in awe of a band who can release nine albums in a 23 year time span, and never sound stale, retro or trendy. They never mail it in. And they are what one would want from a band that carries the heady term of progressive around. French TV are a mix of Avant Prog, Canterbury, big name UK symphonic, French and Scandinavian styles, even some of the more obscure over the top US progressives like Cathedral and Mirthrandir (and yes, they would have had access to these bands since their inception). But mostly they sound like French TV. In fact, as I hear This is What We do, I recall another elder statesman of creative rock music: Patrick Forgas and his Forgas Band Phenomena. Commercial success was never part of the blueprint for these gentleman. The material they compose is both complex and mature, yet still maintains the edge of youth. We have so few role models in rock music that carried the creative banner for decades, so we must look to jazz and icons like Miles Davis to see this kind of pushing forward as the years go by.

This is among my favorite releases by French TV. I've never listened to all of their albums back to back, but it would probably be interesting to note the ascension.

Ownership: 2006 Pretentious Dinosaur (CD)

4/24/07 (acquired / review); 9/30/11 (update)

Other albums I own and need to review: French TV (1984); The Case Against Art; Operation Mockingbird

Other albums once owned: Virtue in Futility; Intestinal Fortitude; Pardon Our French

9/30/11 (new entry)

Samla Mammas Manna (& related) ~ Sweden

Kaka (1999)

I bought this when it came out and gave it quite a few listens on my commute to work back then. I had high hopes that it would have aged well for me. But unfortunately it didn't. It's true to their legacy, and mixes progressive rock with carnival like sounds and motifs. I kept a few of the classic 70s / 80s Samla / Zamla works, so this one becomes superfluous. 

Former ownership: 1999 Amigo (CD)

1999 (acquired); 5/1/24 (review)

Klossa Knapitatet (1974)

I go back and forth on this title. Some of the instrumental work is divine, but there's plenty of room for circus and silliness too. Those styles don't age as well for me. What was I saying about some albums don't inspire me to write much? Still - it's a keeper for certain.

Ownership: 1974 Silence (LP). No insert.

1999 (acquired); 2/1/22; 1/17/23 (review)

Måltid (1973) 

Samla Mammas Manna are a difficult band to pigeonhole, somewhat like contemporaries Arbete och Fritid and Archimedes Badkar in that way. They mix rock, folk, humor, jazz, and other unidentifiables into a very satisfying stew of progressive rock goodness. At times they seem ready to rip off a cool jam, but always pull back, never really wanting to associate with traditional rock tropes. It's not surprising to know they were a charter member of Henry Cow's Rock in Opposition troupe. They answer to nobody, and sound like no one. With any kind of music like this, there are some off bits to endure (including some cartoonish vocals), but mostly this one stayed in the rails. Which can't necessarily be said for all of their albums (though most are satisfying). In later years, the avant prog tagged would be appended to bands such as these, but I hear Samla far more organic than the usual cold and sterile albums that proliferate that scene. Great album artwork as well.

The CD offers bonus tracks, but it's weird how the label (or the band) did them. The first one 'Minareten II' is a shorter version of a track on the album, and a bit rawer. It's quite good. The last track 'Probably the Probably' is definitely bonus fodder, and not something to make you want to keep it. The middle of these three is the opening track on their debut album, which makes no sense.

Ownership: 1973 Silence (LP)

2000 (acquired); 1/8/22 (review)

Von Zamla - No Make Up! (1983)

Second album from international version of the zany S/Zamla Mammas Manna bunch with ties to Albert Marcoeur’s group. Featuring an expanded lineup of six, including Univers Zero reeds man Michel Berckmans, No Make Up! is undeniably an avant progressive tour de force. The album opens, interestingly enough, with ‘Forge Etude’, a rework from Zamla’s (then) final album Familjesprickor. A rarely mentioned fact, possibly due its obscurity, is the relationship of Von Zamla with the German fusion band Munju during this period. Both recorded for the German based JA&RO label (aka Exil). And not only do they share a full time member, bassist Wolfgang Saloman, but Berckmans also played extensively on Munju’s Le Perfectionniste album. This collaboration is reflected on the third track ‘Für Munju / Indojazz’, one of the livelier pieces on No Make Up!. Throughout the album, it’s once again Lars Hollmer’s familiar accordion, that drives most of the Nordic European style folk melodies. The ensemble work is tight, in typical chamber music fashion, with the aggressive rock edge provided by guitarist Eino Haapala, the same role he played for the Zamla clan prior. It’s fair to say that most of the groups in the Rock in Opposition camp find it hard to avoid some crazy improvisation, sort of their bitchslap to the establishment. Here Von Zamla only utilize one piece for that, the unbelievably irritating (and mercifully short) ‘Voice Improvisation’. Fortunately the remainder of the tracks remain composed, energetic and satisfying. No Make Up! was slotted to be reissued on CD in 1998, but for reasons unknown, did not happen.  Highly recommended to fans of the original RIO movement, the collective avant progressive sound, and those who have recently arrived through the Nordic front door via the Northside label.

Former ownership: 1983 JA&RO (LP)

Still no CD as I update this (5/12/25).

2008 (acquired); 1/9/20 (review)

Albums I own and still need to review: Familjesprickor; Von Zamla 1983

1/9/20 (new entry)