Anti-Depressive Delivery - Feel. Melt. Release. Escape. 2004 Norway

On my first listen nine years ago I wrote: "To my ears, most of Anti-Depressive Delivery's debut sounds like progressive metal. I hear it more in the way the tracks are composed, with that clear post 90s vocal harmony sound, and we're never too far away from some heavy riffage. The differentiators here are the sole use of 70s analog keyboards, especially Hammond organ, but also Mini Moog and Mellotron. That's not a common recipe, and the overall mix works well. The one track that breaks from the metal standard is the 15 minute plus closer 'Bones & Money', which is a spot on classic Kansas styled number. As good as anything Livgren and the boys ever came up with. Solid album from Norway, with enough distinction to warrant investigation."

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Last night's +1 listen confirms the above. The album takes a bit to get its sea legs, but about halfway through the 70s progressive quotient begins to outshine the 90s tendencies.

Ownership: CD: 2004 The Laser's Edge. Jewel case release with lyrics and top obi/ad strip.

7/9/14 (RYM); 10/7/23 (new entry)

Magrathea - Legends. 2004 England

Magrathea are one of these bands that play in the oxymoronic "retro neo prog" style. This had come up through the weed out stack, as it seemed entirely unnecessary for me to possess such an album when I already have plenty of the real deal. Speaking of that, the irony here is that I just listened to one of those "real deal" bands (Twelfth Night), an early album which had nothing to do with the neo prog style. 

As I was listening, I pretty much had convinced myself that my prophesy of it belonging to someone else would be fulfilled. But then I began to realize just how perfect this album is for the style it is emulating. I mean if Anglagard can ape 1973, then why can't Magrathea copy 1982? And that's really your story line here: This is a pitch perfect realization of the early 80s NWOBPR. And just as Anglagard represents the ideal verse the reality of the scene, so does Magrathea. Everything about this screams some obscure cassette that was sold through Lotus Records and some dive bars throughout London. The cover, the sound, the compositions. It's IQ, Tamarisk, and Lahost all wrapped up in a stencil drawing of some Grendel like creature up to no good. I don't need to load up on albums like this, but since it's already here, I see no reason not to keep it. It's neo prog extract of the finest kind.

Ownership: CD: 2004 private. Online acquisition (2017). The packaging is as basic as it gets, and I suspect that's by design.

7/2/17 (first listen); 11/14/22 (review/new entry)

Black Bonzo. 2004 Sweden

Black Bonzo were a Swedish retro band who distinctly went for the early 1970’s progressive hard rock sound. Think Uriah Heep mixed with some Caravan and early King Crimson. Definitely more of the former, warts and all. Opening track 'Lady of the Light' lays it out clearly: The fat Hammond organ, driving rhythms, fuzz guitar, and plenty of progressive rock styled changes. Vocalist Magnus Lindgren even manages to nail that super cool David Byron tone. Nicklas Åhlund plays an arsenal of analog keys including the aforementioned Hammond, mellotron, Moog, and various other synthesizers. 'Brave Young Soldier' sets a haunting mood, before breaking into a very cool wah-wah bass, mellotron, and Moog sequence. The vocals even have that Pye Hastings lilt, and thus the Caravan connection is solidified. On 'These Are Days of Sorrow', guitarist Joachim Karlsson obtains some great wah-wah guitar sounds. 'Sirens' opens in heavy mellotron/organ mode, and comparisons to Anglagard are inevitable. And first era King Crimson also rings a bell. 'New Day' and 'Freedom' have more of a 70’s rock-n-roll feel as does 'Jailbait' though with a heavier, almost metallic sound. Tracks like 'Fantasyworld' and 'Leave Your Burdens' strike a balance between straight ahead rock and progressive breaks, with moody acoustic guitar and the usual heavy analog ivory dose. Mellotron laced 'Where the River Meets the Sea' is an apt, if not overly melancholic, closer. Once again, the ghost of classic 70's Uriah Heep is called for one more encore. It's easy to do some band spotting throughout as each track has different influences, but the cool thing is they don’t really sound like anyone exactly - so they manage to open a new door. Certainly one of the best retro hard prog rock albums I've heard to this point (2005). Proves there’s plenty of oil left in that well. It’s not a stoner thing either, or a tribute band. Just exploring a genre they like. I’d prefer more emphasis on their progressive tendencies, where the instrumentation and creative ideas explode with reckless abandon. Still a winning album that shows even more potential. Exciting.

Ownership: CD: 2004 B&B Records. Jewel case release with lyric booklet. I first received the album from the band in 2005 and wrote the above review (since modified a bit) not long after. While Lady of the Light is the first track, there's no indication anywhere that the album is titled that. Not sure where that came from. 

2005; 7/18/06 (Gnosis); 10/15/11; 3/5/19 (new entry)

Threshold - Subsurface. 2004 England

Subsurface is the 7th studio album from the English prog metal band Threshold. This is a band I've heard about for 25+ years, but inexplicably never heard a note of their output until today. Ostensibly a Dream Theater styled prog metal, Threshold manages to separate themselves from the pack rather nicely. Instead of a million-notes-a-second, Threshold restrains the impulse to do so, and rather puts that energy into songwriting instead. There are times the band falls into all-too familiar tropes, and during the chorus sections, I find myself asking them to put a sock in it. But otherwise there's quite a bit of thought within these compositions. 'Ground Control' is the winner of the bunch, and I heard snippets ranging from Voivod to... early 80s UK synth pop! All within the familiar confines of a progressive metal song. 'Opium' has some slight Supertramp references. And so it goes. Subsurface is a fine entry into the there-are-just-too-many-prog-metal-bands genre. I found subsequent listens more enjoyable than the last, always a hallmark of an excellent album.

Ownership: CD: 2012 Nuclear Blast. Recent acquisition from an online retailer. This version contains one new bonus track and 2 live renditions.

1/18/19 (first listen / review / new entry)

Ring of Fire - Lapse of Reality. 2004 USA

Ring of Fire is a band that features top talent, and they go out of their way to make sure you know that too. As such, much of the material found here lacks quality songcraft. If the technical aspects of music interest you, then Ring Of Fire provides lots of "activity" that will delight. I'm sure this is very difficult music to perform, but that really shouldn't be the point. Makes for good music theory study, not necessarily enjoyable listening. And when the band does try for something other than massive chops, they produce a track like 'You Were There', which sounds like every other banal mid 1980s AOR hair band trying desperately for a "screaming inner thigh sweat" moment. Certainly the album is good - and very professional - as one would expect from seasoned musicians such as these. I think the reviews that call out Planet X are on the right track. That's the oeuvre we're talking about here.

CD: 2004 Frontiers (Italy)

Litmus - You Are Here. 2004 England

Litmus' debut You Are Here blazes out of the gates with a monolithic guitar riff, twee-twee-twee Moog knob twiddles, and a neanderthal 4/4 rhythm, I was immediately reminded of those 90s aggressive festival rockers Omnia Opera, minus any of their Floydian cosmic buildups. Or, of course, I could have mentioned the real inspiration at work here – which would be primo early 70s era Hawkwind, if Lemmy ran the band that is. They put the “B” in subtle, and pulverize most of the songs right through the wall. The keyboardist is the same gentleman who runs the excellent Planet Mellotron site, and so no surprise the mellotron gets more than its share of studio time. Though good luck in hearing it over the racket. I like my space rock a bit more cosmic and trippy meself, but OK, that’s not their bag.

Ownership: CD: 2004 private

2008; 10/20/17 (new entry)

The Coalition - Naked Movies. 2004 USA

Larry Coryell jams with Joe Farrell, as played by The Lumerians with a dash of St. Germain, while trying to emulate Medeski, Martin & Wood. The kind of modern fusion that was all the rage in the early 2000's, and now goes for a penny if you look in the right place. And will be highly collectible in 20 years - when my copy goes for sale. So get those 1 cent copies while you can. The Coalition consists of band members culled from New York City's late night TV scene (Conan O'Brien, Saturday Night Live), so they are highly trained and seasoned. This is with their hair down and presuming no one was looking. With the tapes rolling. Lucky us.

Ownership: CD: 2004 Midlantic

Originals are on the Midlantic label, which is no longer around. Band and label websites are kaput. Album was reissued on Hudson City, which appears to be keyboardist's Scott Healy's own label. Not sure there was a need for a reissue, but if looking for a new copy, it is easy to find on either label.

10/2/15 (new entry)

Crime in Choir - The Hoop. 2004 USA-California

San Francisco's Crime in Choir are like a number of bands to appear in the second millennial landscape. The music is exceptional, and the audience for it at the time was nil or fleeting. Especially here in America where creativity was at a high, but the data to find such gems was hard to filter. I only knew of the band because they wrote me directly to review their 3rd album Trumpery Metier, which impressed me on impact (2006). So a little exploration had me going back one album further, which would be The Hoop. This was many years ago that I bought the CD, probably for all of $2 on ebay or something similar. A quick look around suggests that a similar experience awaits the buyer.

As I arrive on RYM's entry, I see math rock as the genre. Crime in Choir is math rock in the same sense as an instrumental Soft Machine and Egg are. Don Caballero, Crime in Choir is not. And thus lies the problem with our modern situation. I can certainly understand the assertion (perhaps the band themselves made it for all I know), but for those of us raised in a different generation, instrumental progressive rock is what we would have thought on first listen. And so had it been marketed to such an audience, the end result would have probably been the same from a financial perspective. And totally different from an artistic one.

The music found on The Hoop is highly melodic, and keyboard driven. Even space rockish at times. No, Crime in Choir are not Canterbury, and they are certainly modern. And yet my comparisons hold. And my grade of 4 stars stands. So if you're a prog rock guy or gal, then perhaps the next $3 you spend could go to giving this one a whirl. Not much to lose, now is there?

Ownership: CD: 2004 Frenetic

Rogue Element - Premonition. 2004 England

Not only is the duo of Rogue Element's debut influenced by Tangerine Dream, but very specifically 1976 and 1977 era Tangerine Dream. There's gobs of mellotron (as played by both gentlemen), "Modular System" sequencer action, and electric guitar soloing. If you love everything about Stratosfear, Sorcerer, and Encore, and the multitudes of bootlegs (official or not) from this era, then Rogue Element will fit in perfectly with your listening routine. Make sure the CD is labeled, or you may confuse it with your existing Tangs collection. From my perspective, this is a style that allows for multiple interpretations, so other variations are much welcome.

Ownership: CD: 2004 Acoustic Wave

11/2/15 (new entry)

Yang - A Complex Nature. 2004 France

Amazing how many new sounds the guitar-guitar-bass-drums instrumental quartet can come up with. Former Shylock and Philharmonie guitarist Frederic L'Epee goes for the throat on this, Yang's debut album. Seems to me this is what we were expecting from Djam Karet during this era – let it loose and bang that head that doesn't bang. What separates this from other albums of its ilk is the inventive use of the rhythm guitar. Nice melodic structure as well. Good album that delivers what it promises.

Ownership: CD: 2004 Cuneiform

10/20/15 (new entry)

Wicked Minds - From the Purple Skies. 2004 Italy

I had originally written that Wicked Minds was one of the better of the new stoner rock bands to have happened onto the scene. But as I relisten to this 10 years later (2015), it's clear that Wicked Minds were ahead of the curve when it came to retro prog/hard rock. This is a band that truly captures the essence of the early 1970s, while still moving the ball forward into the modern age. Fantastic hard progressive rock, with great period instrumentation such as Hammond organ, mellotron (samples), and fuzz bass/guitar. Long tracks with experimental bits also point to an adventurous heritage typical of the early 70s. All roads lead to the UK non-symphonic school of progressive rock (aka proto-prog). It's nigh impossible to escape talking about From the Purple Skies without at least a mention of Uriah Heep, who they are most clearly imitating. Deep Purple and Atomic Rooster are in the conversation, but distant comparatively speaking. Along with one killer Heep cover, there's also one from Pentagram's early years. If you're into newer bands such as Tarot, don't miss Wicked Minds while doing your research.

Ownership: CD: 2004 Black Widow

7/28/15 (new entry)

Eccentric Orbit - Attack of the Martians. 2004 USA-Massachusetts

A long time ago, I reviewed a then new album by the Israeli group Trespass for Gnosis. The review basically states that if you like keyboard trio proggy prog circa 1972, then you must own Morning Lights. Well... same deal here. Maybe less similar to the Dutch group Trace and more like the Japanese virtuoso Motoi Sakuraba, but this still delivers the goods all day and all night. With some added and varied instrumentation, these guys could create that extra dimension similar to how Pochakaite Malko did on Laya. Special recognition to bassist Bill Noland, who likes to rip out some fuzz bass from time to time. Fuzz bass + mellotron = me like. Opener and closer are the definite highlights, as the aggressiveness plays well for Eccentric Orbit. This album drew almost straight 10s from the Gnosis rat pack (of which I'm part of), and I'm guessing that’s more a reflection of the nothing new assessment. But I tend to be generous to these kind of musical cheeseburgers and grade it a point higher. Big League stuff from the next iteration of Pye Fyte, itself a much neglected late 90s winner.

Ownership: CD: 2004 private

2006; 11/2/14 (new entry)

Hidria Spacefolk - Balansia. 2004 Finland

Picking right up from Symbiosis, Hidria Spacefolk deliver another set of smoking space rock tunes. All of the first 5 tracks are near or above the 7 minute mark, and each add a unique twist to their classic Ozric/Hillage/Gong inspired sound: 'Kokkola' features heavy percussion; 'Modus Operand Hermetik' goes east to India (at the break) for inspiration; 'Astroban' loads up on the wah-wah funky guitar and features some wild extended jamming; 'Pajas' adds bluesy Krautrock styled guitar and sampled organ; 'Pako Originaux' shows a remarkably researched track, full of classic 1970s French references (Clearlight, Heldon, and a host of obscurities). And then there's 'Tarapita', Hidria Spacefolk's one attempt to date at the extended atmospheric and exotic early 70's Kosmiche Kourier styled composition, with plenty of high energy jamming at the finish to polish it all off. Agitation Free meets Ozric Tentacles. An amazing album by an amazing band.

Ownership: CD: 2004 Silence. Purchased new upon release. Comes in a cardboard digipak with a unique opening. This Silence is not related to the more famous 70s Swedish label. They later changed their name to Silenze.

11//04; 5//05; 11/13/12 (new entry); 6/12/22

THTX - Ultimately. 2004 USA-Michigan

THTX are a group (though primarily a vehicle for multi-instrumentalist Matthew Smith) from Detroit who play in the space rock bag. In general, despite the rather small duo lineup (+ guest on keyboards), they avoid the usual trappings that the noise-makers of today tend to fall into. So rather than an Acid Mothers Temple wank-fest, THTX provides novelty items like structure, dynamics, texture and atmosphere. Much of this is accomplished via non-traditional instruments such as acoustic guitar and trumpet. And, oh sure, there's the electric guitar all fuzzed out and wah-wah'd to ensure you get blown to oblivion. But the latter can only happen when the stage is set properly - something the majority of modern bands don't seem, or want to, understand. Ultimately is the second album by THTX and they succeed for the most part, but there are sections that can still become nauseating with the sonic overload.

'Application for Explosion of Time' is a bit much in places (non stop assault), but at less than 6 minutes, one can appreciate a sledgehammer opener. 'Voyage Into Space' is where THTX really shines. Acoustic guitar, haunting keyboards (from special guest Keir McDonald), slow burning fuzz guitar and pounding drums. It builds to a raga like intensity, recalling Ummagumma era Pink Floyd, or its many Krautrock imitators. Incredible! 'Supersonic Phoenix' has a killer groove with an infectious rhythm, but again the sonics can be a bit much towards the end and it's hard to appreciate the song textures underneath. THTX could have benefited from taking their foot off the gas for most of this. The title track wisely starts off with acoustic guitar, calming the proceedings down considerably. But it doesn't take long and the group is painting the walls with Moog swirls and guitar fuzz. Quite honestly it becomes annoying after awhile and it makes me recall the all-time wankers: Acid Mothers Temple. Finally, at around the 15 minute mark, the jam begins to take some shape and becomes listenable. It actually finishes quite strong, but it took too long to get there. A good dose of editing is usually required for bands like this, and I'd like to see THTX get the scissors out more.

Ownership: CD: 2004 Cosmo-Revolution Technologies

3/5/10 (new entry)