Dillinger ~ Canada ~ Toronto, Ontario

Dillinger (1974)

In some ways, Dillinger's debut is darn near the perfect early 70s progressive hard rocker, with grungy organ and loud guitar, fronted by an extra-testosterone-laced lead vocalist. One can easily see this band being label mates of Spirit of Christmas (both were on Daffodil), though Dillinger were certainly not as ethereal. But there are a couple of downers – one is their rancid rendition of a Spirit track ('Nature's Way')  – and, gasp, the obligatory over long drum solo on the side long 'Live and Return'. Still, a great example of the Midwestern progressive sound. They were to improve on their second Don't Lie To The Band album.

Ownership: 1974 Daffodil (LP). I'm wondering why this album isn't known as A Lease of Love? That's what shows on the label. Acquired in 2022.

First copy: 1998 Unidisc (CD). Acquired in 2005.

2005; 8/31/13 (review); 1/27/23

Don't Lie To The Band (1976)

Don't Lie To The Band is the second and last album by Dillinger before evolving into The Hunt. The music is at the crossing path of unabashed FM radio hits and off-the-hinges radical complex progressive rock.

This title front loads all the bad tracks. In fact, the first ten minutes are pretty rough to be honest. It opens strong enough with a hard rockin' cover of Spooky Tooth's 'Two Time Love' from The Mirror' album. This is followed by a funky version of The Beatles great composition 'Taxman'. Downright blasphemous if you ask me. And finally we get the awful 'It's Not All Mine', a hideous ballad that represents everything that was wrong with FM radio in 1976. Well... isn't this exciting? I'm thinking sell bin at this point.

Enter nine and a half minute 'Munchkin Men' which introduces us to 35 minutes of great music. It's a completely different album. This track is a highlight and demonstrates to us the band is willing to pull out all the stops, recalling every great Midwestern album from Albatross to Yezda Urfa. Fat Hammond organ solos, shredding guitar, emotional vocals, wild flute, acoustic guitar, a thousand meter changes. It's a heart stopper to be sure. The next three tracks continue in this manner, three of which pass the six minute mark, and are all clinics in mixing the commercially accessible with an academic approach - and mixed with serious chops. It's what all of us underground heads, if we are entirely honest, wished Journey, Styx, or REO Speedwagon to have done in the late 70s.

---7/6/26

I did not realize until now that the last track was not on the album. It's a bonus cut taken from the b side of the 'Two Time Love' 45. It's very much like the second half of the album. The CD didn't mark it as a bonus nor did the booklet make mention of it. Looks like the label just threw it in. Glad they did though. Excellent addition!

Ownership: 

1976 Daffodil (LP). Gatefold. Acquired in 2019.

2001 Unidisc (CD). With one bonus track. The booklet shows the original album cover except it's now colored in. Acquired in 2006.

3//06; 7/6/11 (review); 7/6/26 (update)

7/6/11 (new entry)

Groon ~ England

Refusal to Comply (1994)

An obscure one-off from England, Groon present a very powerful instrumental guitar fronted power trio. Make no mistake, this isn't a guitar hero album. All fully composed with a very unique rhythm section, almost jazzy, and always scattered. Somewhat Crimsonish - Red era - in their approach of mixing jazz, progressive, and the avant-garde. You could almost say that Groon is to the 90's what Red (the UK group) was to the 1980's. What separates Groon from the crowd is the brilliant drumming of Steve Clarke which is both active and forceful. And what is the background of bassist Algy Ward and drummer Steve Clarke? The unlikely NWOBHM band Tank! Who knew? I recommend this album to all looking for something different in the too worn out genre of the guitar power trio.

Ownership: 1994 Progressive International / Dissenter (CD). Acquired in 1995.

4//95; 8/15/13 (review / new entry); 5/24/19

Lothlorien - Il Sale Sulla Coda. 1998 Italy

A fresh listen tonight reaffirms my position below.

For my tastes, Lothlorien were one of the finest of the late 90's Italian progressive rock bands, of which there were many. The differentiators are the strong keyboard work (in particular the piano), the flute, and the fantastic vocals in Italian. The music is constantly on the move, and the guitarist isn't afraid to take the proceedings into the 90s. Musically, the band's melodic style recalls the pastoral Errata Corrige - except as met up with 1989 period Nuova Era perhaps. This is a really fine effort, with a compositional style similar to the original 70s masters, but there's no mistaking this is from 1998. If I had a complaint, it would be the overly bright 90s production. Otherwise, excellent in every way. I would love to see this band reform for a second effort.

Ownership: CD: 1998 Lizard. Jewel case with nice fold open lyric booklet.

1998; 8/13/13 (new entry); 6/5/21

Rhun ~ France

Fanfare du Chaos (2013)

Like Caillou, Rhun are a new French band that fits squarely into the Zeuhl tradition. While Caillou were looking outward to the jazz side of the medium, Rhun sits very comfortably with the master creator of the genre itself: Magma. There are both jazz and classical references presented on Fanfare du Chaos, a CD from AltRock that combines the previous year's EP (first three tracks) with a 2008 unreleased demo (last three). The music is rough and tumble for the most part, with the expected operatic Kobaian used as the vehicular language. Soft flute and bassoon are often juxtaposed against a blitzkrieg of fuzz bass, electric guitar, pounding drums, and squealing sax. Hard to imagine fans of both 1001 Centigrades and Mekanik era Magma - as well as the great Weidorje - not lapping this one up. It's a straight play for the hearts of traditional Zeuhl fans everywhere, of which I'm one. And they succeed for the most part. Rhun fortunately avoids the excess of modern bands such as early Koenji Hyakkei and second album Scherzoo, though I wouldn't mind if they traded a few of those pure noise improvisational parts (especially some of the atonal sax squonks) for actual songwriting. This is a band with tremendous potential. Let's see where they go next.

Discogs has quite the argument going over what the band name and title is! I'm going with how it was originally when released.

Ownership: 2013 AltRock (CD). Acquired in 2013.

8/7/13 (review)

8/7/13 (new entry)

Orne - The Tree of Life. 2011 Finland

I haven't heard Orne's debut, so we'll dig right into their second The Tree of Life. Orne are yet another retro prog band on Black Widow. And honestly, at least from my viewpoint, you really can't have too many of those. In some ways, Orne are really like a 1970 band from the United Kingdom. That is, it can be a bit dirgy and slow. The English vocals are a bit flat, and not sure they're entirely necessary to be honest. On the plus side, the all analog instrumentation (though they cheat and use a Memotron rather than an actual Mellotron) is much welcomed, and includes some lovely Hammond B3 and flute, and that will always warm the cockles of my heart. Plenty of fine guitars leads as well, with the appropriate effects on display. But one does hope for a good meter break - the moment that transcends the composition to another level. Even Pink Floyd did that from time to time, at least through their Meddle era. Orne is an offshoot group to the doom metal band Reverend Bizarre, who I've not heard prior. I'm a casual listener to the doom metal genre (for example, I have all the Candlemass albums, and a handful of others from the genre - and of course I know Black Sabbath inside and out), but it's not something I've done a deep dive on. Some doom metal can be excruciatingly slow and monolithic. And there's some of that kind of pacing here as well. It's a style thing, but I prefer a bit more kinetic energy. All that said, I hear plenty here to a) recommend to fans of the old Vertigo Swirl bands (Still Life comes to mind in particular) and b) they clearly have the talent to release a more dynamic album. I also credit Orne for not falling into the typical Stoner Rock traps (90's styled metal slabs for example), that many bands of their background tend to do. Let's see if this project continues, and what they do with it.

CD: 2011 Black Widow (Italy)

7/30/13 (new entry)

Keep - II (Rock'n Rocked Rock). 1982 Japan

Despite the subtitle Rock'n Rocked Rock, Keep's second album is definitely a fusion affair, similar to their contemporaries like Crosswind, Prism, and Casiopea. But the separator here is the ferocity of the instrumental work - recalling edgier outfits of the early 70s like Mahavishnu Orchestra. 'Aristocrat Bachelor' is the definite highlight here, and is closer to heavy progressive rock than jazz.

CD: 2011 Clinck
LP: 1982 Trash
CD: 1999 Vivid Sound

The original LP is a typical single sleeve with requisite obi. I sold my copy of the LP when the first edition CD came out (1999 Vivid Sound). And it was a bear to find. I finally had to ask a friend who worked at Marquee in Tokyo to send me one.

April 2017 update: I recently discovered another mini-LP version, this time as part of a 4 CD box set called J-Fusion Masterpiece Collectors' Box, which I now possess.

Not a Good Sign ~ Italy

Not a Good Sign (2013)

Not a Good Sign (NAGS), though from Italy, have really nothing to do with their own heritage in progressive rock. NAGS, a band that could also be called the AltRock Label All-Stars, clearly have their sights up north towards Scandinavia, where the instrumentals recall Anglagard, Sinkadus, and Wobbler. The English vocals, sung in a somewhat commercial style, recall the Swedish group Anekdoten - especially on their later efforts. This is a band who wear their "prog patch" proudly on their collective jackets. We're pretty much at ground zero here for the style, so if you don't like this, then you probably have to question whether or not you like progressive rock as a genre. It's all very well done, but misses the reckless abandon and youthful excitement that perhaps only the amateurs can pull off - not knowing any better I suppose. It's "professional prog" for a lack of a better term. Hard to diss. Hard to get excited about. But it is very good... of course.

---9/4/22

I really struggled with this title. Truth is this album came up on the weed out report. The percentage of survival at this stage is very low. Looks like my latest elaborate rating system is doing a great job of identifying what I want to keep versus not. But this one I just couldn't pull the trigger (finally I did). And interestingly enough my rating remains the same. As I say above, one begins to question if you like progressive rock at all when albums like this come up. 2013 was a very special year for Italian prog rock. 

Former ownership: 2013 AltRock (CD). Booklet with lyrics, artwork, and recording details. Acquired in 2013. Downsized in 2025.

7/21/13 (review); 9/24/22 (update)

7/21/13 (new entry)

Arabs in Aspic ~ Norway

Pictures in a Dream (2013)

Robert Fripp has stated that Larks' Tongues in Aspic means: "Something precious which is stuck, but visible. Something precious which is encased in form."  So with that heady bit of insight, it's obvious to me that Arabs in Aspic means... yea, I have no idea either.

But what is "in aspic" is the band's ability to recreate the sounds of the 1970s. Specifically the American FM sound of 1975 and '76. Despite being from Norway, Arabs in Aspic are yet another band that would fit well in my USA Midwest / Ontario Progressive Rock (1970's/early 80s) list. Sounds odd doesn't it? Well... it's not as strange as it may first appear.

In 1990, in my European backpacking days, I was on an overnight train from Oslo to Bergen. And I befriended a nice looking couple who I thought might be American. They didn't look American (jeans and white tennis shoes were still strictly the provenance of Americans in those days), but they sure did sound like it. So I ventured into conversation with them - both college kids and only a few years younger than I at the time. They went on to explain that they not only learn English, but "American English" in school. Crap - they spoke the language better than I did (do)!

So a band from Norway being able to immerse themselves completely into the American mindset isn't that far fetched at all. Note I said the FM sound of America - not just bands from the USA. To me Arabs in Aspic have carved a niche out of something very familiar - somewhere between Pink Floyd, Kansas, Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, and Led Zeppelin. It's a fascinating blend - like mixing a new drink with common ingredients.

Sure, you say, but most of those bands were British and they were popular everywhere, right? True. But Arabs in Aspic remind me of those US bands that tried, successfully or unsuccessfully, to copy them. A deep diver may call out other 70s Norwegian bands like Host, Aunt Mary, or Ruphus, but that's not it... I hear the music here as something created in North America - not in Europe. Even more so than Black Bonzo, who came close, but still sounded "English". Seriously.

Of note, they threw in two tracks with Norwegian vocals, that completely changes the tone of the music. For me, I'd like to hear more of this trend.

To approach the album properly, I would probably avoid thinking of it as "progressive rock". More like "classic rock".

2013 Black Widow (CD) Contains a 12 page booklet with lyrics and individual band member photos. Acquired in 2013.

Other albums I own: Far Out in Aradabia

6/28/13 (review); 1/10/25 (update)

6/28/13 (new entry)

Willowglass - Book of Hours. 2008 England

What do you do with a guy who is enamored with the European Medieval past of stained glass windows, Celtic crosses, and towered villages - and who has an obsession with 1970-1973 era Genesis? Someone who distills those ideas, reshapes it in his own image, and then pushes back out to the wilds for all to critique. It's easy to pan such an effort, but when it is done this well and with this kind of passion, one really does have to admire the final product. If early Genesis is your thing, and you're OK with no vocals being present in such a setting, then it's highly likely you will enjoy, or at the very least appreciate, Andrew Marshall's Willowglass. 

Ownership: CD: 2008 private. Jewel case

LP: 2018 private. 2xLP gatefold. Acquired in 2024.

6/27/13 (first listen / review / new entry)

Netherworld ~ USA ~ San Jose, California

In the Following Half-Light (1981)

Netherworld were the quintessential American band from the late 1970s and early 80s - a band that mixes complex progressive rock with FM sensibilities. Had they been from the Midwest rather than California then they would have been a perfect fit for my USA Midwest / Ontario Progressive Rock (1970's/early 80s) list. Tracks like the opener 'Too Hard to Forget' will instantly make one think of the original NWOBPR movement. By the time we get to side 2 and 'Isle of Man' all pretension of this somehow being a radio friendly album are thrown to the wind. We're in full blown Selling England era Genesis, and it only gets more progressive from there. By the time we hit the three part closer 'Sargasso', Netherworld are in the same off-the-rails league as Yezda Urfa, Pentwater, and Mirthrandir. And, oh by the way, it's also a mellotron feast for the analog gear heads out there. 

The Past-Present-Future compilation adds a ten minute instrumental 'Cumulus Nimbus'. Word down at the soup kitchen says Netherworld has plenty more where that came from. Perhaps urban legend, perhaps absolute truth. We all live for the Queen's Court gossip don't we?

Ownership: 1981 REM (LP). Acquired in 1997.

1997; 6/26/13 (review / new entry)

Il Cerchio d'Oro - Dedalo e Icaro. 2013 Italy

Despite having a heritage that dates back to 1974, Il Cerchio d'Oro seem to be paying homage to the 90's Italian renaissance rather than the original 70s movement. Odd, given that many of their peers are looking back 20 years further. Il Cerchio d'Oro reminds me of bands such as Malibran, Barrock, and Nuova Era. In my estimation, certainly better than the former two but not quite up to the standard of the latter. The analog instrumentation isn't convincing, the drums are more rock oriented rather than jazz, and Dedalo e Icaro definitely has that bright, digital sound. All the same, there's no doubting that Il Cerchio d'Oro plays in the classic Italian style. The constant thematic shifts within each composition, the lengthy instrumental interludes, and the rough hewn vocals (in Italian of course) all underscore the region's characteristics. There are better albums from Italy being created now, but Il Cerchio d'Oro's sophomore release is no slouch. Conditionally recommended to fans of the style.

Former ownership: CD: 2013 Black Widow. Jewel case. Booklet has recording details, lyrics, and photos. Also has a bonus video.

6/26/13 (first listen /  review / new entry); 12/20/24

Sezon Dozhdei (Rainy Season) ~ Russia

Vozvrashenie (The Return) (1992)

Sezon Dozhdei were definitely a product of the early 90s progressive rock scene. With just three tracks, they leave plenty of room to experiment within each composition. Keyboards are what dominate here, with waves of dense sounds that penetrate deep while sonorous guitar lines glide on top. The rhythm section keeps it all together and there are plenty of meter changes to make it interesting. Some nice flute to enjoy on the opening track as well. At times, this reminds me a bit of Djam Karet's Reflections of the Firepool.

Ownership: 2001 Boheme (CD). Liner notes in English (and Russian) and sounds fantastic. Acquired in 2002.

First copy: 1992 private (LP). Acquired in 1994. This LP is surprisingly well made (Capitalist style), and demonstrates that the last throes of the Soviet Union had been fully realized.

aka Сезон Дождей - Возвращение

1994; 6/23/13 (new entry)

Mosaic - Miniatures. 1995 Italy

Progressive rock for the short-attention-span listener. Mosaic is the brainchild of former Arti + Mestieri keyboardist Beppe Crovella, who was all over the place in the 1990s. And just like the composer himself, this unusual album from his project Mosaic is "all over the place". To Crovella's credit, these aren't 40 sketches of music similar to a TV/Film library album. They are fully composed pieces - a beginning, middle, and end - with the majority of the tracks between 1 and 2 minutes each. Problem is, obviously enough, there's little continuity between the tracks themselves and the album lacks cohesiveness. That is the purpose of the album, but one has to question whether the premise is the best of ideas? Hard to knock it really, given the artist's intention, and I'll grade it a relatively high rating considering everything. But the concept will not allow personal growth with the album, and it cannot possibly go higher. File under: Interesting.

Mellotron seems to be the dominant instrument. Now whether it's authentic or sampled, is entirely another question. I'm guessing the latter, but as of this writing, Planet Mellotron hasn't weighed in on it.

CD: 1995 Vinyl Magic

1995; 6/13/13 (new entry)

Sunscape ~ Italy

Sunscape (1999)

Here's another installment of  the 90's Italian progressive renaissance. This one comes from the tail end of the decade, and is geared more towards space rock. Mellow turned up all sorts of interesting acts in the 90s, and their catalog is a good place to start if looking for other such gems (we have a few already listed here on UMR). But do your homework first, not everything is up to par on the label.

Though originally marketed as an Ozric Tentacles styled group, Sunscape were more tuned into both the modern space rock scene, as well as the original 1970s cosmic Krautrock movement. Perhaps the only other band from Italy similar to Sunscape during this era were the unorganized and unpredictable band Mary Newsletter. I also hear elements of Porcupine Tree, Groovector (Finland), and a bit of the aforementioned Ozric. The guitarist dominates and is supplemented nicely by modern synthesizers, flute, hand percussion, didgeridoo, and occasional voice (both male and female). A promising debut from a band who disappeared all too quickly. Hopefully they will reform for an encore.

Ownership: 1999 Mellow (CD). Acquired in 2006.

2006; 6/9/13 (review / new entry)

Tale Cue ~ Italy

Voices Beyond My Curtain (1991)

Tale Cue were of the earliest bands to participate in the Italian progressive rock renaissance. For the era and location, they were wired closest to Ezra Winston. That is to say, a strong neo progressive sound with English vocals. So early in fact, it's quite apparent Tale Cue were pre-Google Translate as well. I haven't the slightest idea what 'Voices Beyond My Curtain', 'Prisoner of Cutting Light', and 'Flying to Fade' can possibly mean. No matter though, as I probably wouldn't understand the Italian variations either, though I would have preferred the local language had been applied. Still it's apparent Tale Cue have quite an imagination, and the six lengthy tracks here allow them to expand those ideas in unique ways. This is definitely a guitar based album, and the instrument dominates along with the shrill female vocals - vocals that somehow fit the music perfectly.

As stated by other reviewers, it is a tragedy the band stopped after this one fine effort.

---9/22/26

This is one of those albums where the parts are greater than the sum, to flip the common saying. There sure is a lot of great music on this CD, yet they just don't always come together and flow as expected. A time and place album for me, and it remains special for that reason.

Ownership: 1991 Musea (CD). Acquired in 1992.

1992; 6/8/13 (review); 9/22/26

Tale Cue have reemerged in 2025. I'm most curious how they sound now.

6/8/13 (new entry)

New List: USA Midwest / Ontario Progressive Rock of the 1970s and early 80s

Took me awhile to get this one all together, but I finally published it on Saturday. As you all know from my CDRWL blog, I constantly refer to this unique progressive rock genre. So I finally put a small article around it and published it in RYM. You can read my thoughts and who I can consider participants of the scene here.

Thanks for reading!

The Cosmic Dead ~ Scotland

The Exalted King (2012)

The Cosmic Dead are a Scottish quartet who've been around a couple of years, and whose raison d'etre is improvised space rock. The Cosmic Dead are yet another one of these new bands who seem to be content to issue their albums via download, along with the archaic cassette format (which, to be fair, does allow for 90 and 120 minute albums). They have 6 albums to date but only two are on the more durable and desirable formats like the LP and CD. 

The Exalted King is a sprawling 2 LP set of droning keys, echoed guitars, and pounding rhythms. Hawkwind and the more cosmic moments of Amon Duul II are the obvious comparisons. This is music to turn the lights off, sit back / lay down, and take in the aural kaleidoscope provided. Wake up, turn the vinyl over, and repeat. By the end of Side 4 you're ready for a blissful sleep.

Ownership: 2013 Cosmic Eye (2xLP). Gatefold. Acquired in 2013.

6/1/13 (new entry)

Temple of the Smoke - The Lost Art of Twilight. 2013 Serbia

Temple of the Smoke are a four piece psychedelic spacerock band from Serbia. The country itself has spawned perhaps one of the greatest progressive psych bands of our time in Igra Staklenih Perli. Well, Temple of the Smoke certainly won't remind you of the great ISP, but they are carving out their own niche in the genre that is just as exciting. It's rare to hear a band that mixes early 80's Tangerine Dream sequencer based Berlin School electronic with modern day slabs of riffing metal, ala classic Kyuss or Colour Haze complete with lengthy psychedelic blues guitar solos tagged to the end. There's some Ozric Tentacles reggae inspired space rock bits mixed in. Elsewhere, long tracks driven by woody bass, steady drums, and soaring synthesizer solos. Late 70s Eloy meets an instrumental Manilla Road? Wow - that's a comparison that'll have me mailing in a check for a copy as fast as possible! Am I exaggerating? I don't think I am.

Ownership: LP: 2013 Cosmic Eye (Greece)

5/31/13 (new entry)

Papir ~ Denmark

Papir III (2013)

Papir's third album is like a bridge between Ash Ra Tempel's Join Inn and New Age of Earth. From the latter, the guitar playing perfectly emulates Manuel Gottsching's shimmering, yet tropically sunny, spatial sound. From the former, the band as a whole gets down to no-nonsense cosmic psychedelic jamming. Papir are a guitar trio with keyboard accompaniment, and no doubt are influenced by the original early 70s Krautrock movement. Even the motorik sounds of Can are apparent here. Certainly more an accurate portrayal of Papir than the "West Coast" jam band motif of The Grateful Dead and Quicksilver Music Service. I also appreciate the high melodic quotient applied here, something many jam bands today completely miss out on. I only wish Papir had been around 25 years ago, when bands such as this were non-existent, and most assuredly would have been a favorite of mine back then. Today, they get lost in the shuffle.

Ownership: 2013 El Paraiso (LP). Side 2 has the times reversed. It is, in fact, the last track that is over 15 minutes long.

5/31/13 (acquired / review)

Papir has many othe releases but this is the only one I picked up to date.

5/31/13 (new entry)

Blood Ceremony - The Eldritch Dark. 2013 Canada-Ontario

The Eldritch Dark sees Blood Ceremony improve on the already excellent Living with the Ancients. The doom metal Black Sabbath component has been reduced, and a decidedly more typical 1969/70 tone has been adopted in its stead. Oh yes, it's still a heavy album - just not as overt as prior. Organ, mellotron, acoustic guitar, fiddle, and flute are more prominent than prior. From a compositional perspective, the band took a page from the early 70s UK folk rock playbook of Mellow Candle and Fuchsia. And Blood Ceremony are now fully admitted into the Post psychedelic, proto progressive with female vocals club. As I said on my Living with the Ancients review, Ian Anderson wasn't the only one walking around with a flute in England in those days - it was a fairly standard instrument in the 1970 English rock landscape. So you may find comparisons to Tull compulsory, rather than accurate.

Now a word about Alia O'Brien's vocals. Throughout the album, I was reminded of someone very specific. But I couldn't figure it out. Then it hit me. All I needed to do was look at my own list above. It's Silvana Aliotta of Circus 2000, who no doubt was influenced by Grace Slick herself. And the first time I read a description of Circus 2000, her vocals were said to be "witchy". How appropriate, then, that O'Brien has a similar voice. Not sure if it's intentional (probably not), but definitely a cool voice to possess.

All the changes Blood Ceremony implemented on The Eldritch Dark are for the better as far as I'm concerned. Even the lyrics have improved. It's still witch stuff, but at least they seem to be taking it more seriously and professional than prior.

Ownership: CD: 2013 Metal Blade (USA)

5/28/13 (new entry)