Issue 2025-062
exo-X-Xeno — Luminous Voyage
Sergey Nikulichev
A combination of a tricky band name of many “X”-es with an “epic” skyscape cover seems to suggest yet another journey of an intrepid high school guitarist and his faithful notebook on a (hopeless) quest to become a new John Petrucci or Misha Mansoor. Well, fortunately not this time! As unlikely as it is, the misleading cover hides an offspring of the large Yes tree of bands – with such names involved as Billy Sherwood, Jae Schellen (in case you are spending time in areas outside of western civilization, this is actually the current rhythm section of Yes themselves), and Patrick Moraz. The uniting force, however, is a man unrelated to the band. Introducing here Craig Maher, the voice and axeman of this project, and its mastermind, employing what could be the largest crowd of Yes members outside of the title band since AWBH.
Is the team gathered to be an umpteenth Yes copy? To some extent, yes. But no, at the same time. The music doesn't mimic the original, and there are techniques, that the all-too-serene “hegemon” band, in all honesty, may borrow from here. Less “new-age-y” and truer to the rock spirit of the Yes' 70s albums, the band adds more groove to support familiar harmonies and keeps the polyvocal approach intact. On the downside, Luminous Voyage, while not lacking excitement or nice sightseeing, so to say, seldom takes its tourists to wild uncharted territories. The music comes straight from the Yes “workbooks”. The fact should please the fans of the prog giant, but outside of the Yes realm the release risks passing more or less unnoticed.
Back to what might attract progheads to give a try to exo-X-Xeno: in the press release, Patrick Moraz a bit overconfidently called the album a “masterpiece” and stated “the more we listen to it, the more discoveries and sonic explorations there are! Unbelievable!” While I may not share the same level of enthusiasm with the great keyboard player, I bow to the fact that the band's ideas were worth exploring.
For instance, Vitruvian Man introduces Craig Maher's bright and high vocals (quite distinguishable from those of Jon Anderson) and allows Billy Sherwood's pulsating bass to shine, making the late Chris Squire benevolently smile from a Fragile universe. Onward, Love would easily fit on Drama and, while Into the Night disappoints, Live Life has just the right balance between optimistic upbeat harmonies and a mean thick groove.
Again, I cannot stress enough how fabulously Billy Sherwood performs throughout the record, and on the closing track his bass is the driving force uniting all other instruments in a small rocking orchestra, just what the bass player is supposed to do.
At first, it may not seem so, but Liminous Voyage is quite a focused record, bringing it in my eyes above almost any Yes-copying “epic” prog including the likes of Glass Hammer or Anima Mundi. Almost none of the songs sound longer than they have to, and this allows the record to keep a steady pace, with its humble running time of 35 minutes (but hey, Drama runs 36 minutes, and it's still great!). The band may not be quite there in terms of releasing a masterpiece, contrary to Mr. Moraz conviction, but the sound does add something important to the Yes treasury.
Summary, then. This record has: 3 members of Yes (ex- and current), 2 different covers, 1 rhythm section to stretch their muscles. This record doesn't have: a Roger Dean cover, djent breakdowns, a single epic.
Galahad — Alive At Loreley
Mark Hughes
On the occasion of the Galahad's fortieth anniversary, a dip into the archives has unearthed a stonkingly good recording of the band's appearance at the Night Of The Prog Festival V on 4 September 2010 at the famous, and beautiful, Loreley Amphitheatre. In retrospect, the festival was a somewhat bittersweet appearance as it was the final performance of the band's long-term bassist Neil Pepper who sadly succumbed to oesophageal cancer almost exactly a year later. The group were still touring 2007's Empires Never Last album and the show featured two tracks from that fine album. Even though the next studio album, Battle Scars was still a couple of years away, they also performed one new song as they had been busy writing and recording before Pepper's illness became too advanced. Indeed, Loreley was only the band's fifth concert that year and the last for 23 months.
Given the sparsity of recent live activity, the band are in fine fettle with singer Stu Nicholson in particularly fine voice. The band kick off with the classic Sleepers which sounds completely fresh given that by that time it was 15 years old. Part of this is down to the fact that the song, like Richelieu's Prayer that followed later in the set, had been rearranged ready for new versions of the songs that would appear as bonus tracks on the next two albums, both released in 2012 and the last to feature Pepper.
Sleepers is far heavier and rocking version serving as an excellent set opener with the band sounding as if they are having great fun, Nicholson even interpolating a few lines from The Door's The End into the song. Spencer Luckman's drums are well to the fore pounding the audience into submission. Richelieu's Prayer', a song stretching back to the earliest recording days of the band, is more of a showcase for keyboardist Dean Baker whose delicate piano introduction is somewhat of a highlight of the set with the Baker's organ and Roy Keyworth's guitar providing a dramatic, if a little clichéd, ending.
Between the two is Empires Never Last, one of my favourite Galahad songs, where Pepper's bass provides the driving force throughout the song and which, for those with any hair remaining, would be a fine headbanging song! Bug Eye from 1998's Following Ghosts is a truly progressive song that incorporates dance-type beats, Gregorian chants, copious synths alongside a healthy dollop of guitar prog. When I first heard the song, I was rather unsure about it, but I have to say that it works well as a piece and I have grown to appreciate it more as time goes by.
The new song is Seize The Day, which I feel sounds rather tentative and something that has, obviously, not had time to mature as a live number. Baker's synths again display his penchant for more dance-flavoured musical aspects, although that is not to dismiss, it just shows that the band are open to different approaches to prog.
Final number Termination is also from Empires Never Last and this version is beefed up by the addition of Mark Spencer (who was performing with Twelfth Night at the festival) on additional guitar. Somewhat ironically, Spencer would take over Pepper's bass role between August 2010 and June 2014 and again from March 2018 to the present day.
There is real authenticity to the performance, with no tweaks and totally as the audience heard it on the day, even if it does mean there are a few bum notes and the odd vocal fluff. But that is all totally irrelevant given the clarity and quality of the performance and a fine tribute to the late Neil Pepper.
La Nouvelle Musique — La Nouvelle Musique
Martin Burns
La Nouvelle Musique's self-titled full-length debut album is a beautifully melodic, melancholy-tinged, collection of psyche-folk, psyche-rock and psyche pop has been a delight to review. From the delicate but intense The Mirror onwards, this duo of Joanna Beck (vocals/bass/piano) and Ian de Silva (guitar/vocals) have produced a wonderful collection of songs that channel Nick Drake with a vocalist who mixes Françoise Hardy with Nico. There is additional instrumentation on the album but unfortunately no credits were provided for the drums, trumpet, cello or violin.
La Nouvelle Musique delve into psyche-pop on New Blood, the impassioned Catalonia and the farewell kiss of the closer Epitaph. The duo run café style folk into mellotron drenched psyche on Ballad Of A Broken Wing with drums, bass and electric guitar moving this along into a dramatic build and release before it returns to where it started.
When they step into psyche-rock, it is an unalloyed joy to listen to. Three tracks are absolute standouts. Spirit Level, here Ian de Silva's warm baritone takes centre stage along with forceful electric guitars and lyrical trumpet, it's psyche-rock with blues. Polestar has the two vocalists in a duet and lovely piano in the coda. Still Life varies the tempo with drums, bass and reverberant electric guitar and a well-placed violin. All tremendous stuff.
La Nouvelle Musique's La Nouvelle Musique has been for me a surprisingly effervescent release staving off the on-rush of Autumnal gloom.
Leap Day — When Gravity Wins
Greg Cummins
Leap Day is yet another band from The Netherlands that I have been following since they released their debut album, Awaking The Muse, in 2009. Since then, the six later albums they have released have been considered decent slabs of neo-prog without any of them actually being labelled a masterpiece. That may change with this, their seventh studio release as I detect a much more focused and thoroughly absorbing effort from the band.
From the first seconds of the opener VOID (Voices Over Infinite Disputes), the band immediately signals that this is not “just another prog-rock” entry. There's a crispness to the production with the keyboards and guitars weaving in a kind of sonic foil. The keys provide shimmering pads and subtle arpeggios while the guitars deliver more direct melodic lines. The vocal presence is confident, the lead voice sitting forward without dominating, and the rhythm section locks in with conviction. It might be just me, but I also detect the opening song takes its cue from Saga, without being derivative.
What struck me most about Leap Day on this album is how they balance technical facility with emotional immediacy. There are moments when you hear multi-layered keyboard textures (sustained chords, shimmering leads) that underpin the more overt melodic work from the guitar. At times the guitar solos avoid being flashy for the sake of flashiness; instead they serve the song. The production is spacious enough to allow the riffs and harmonies to breathe, yet it is cohesive enough that the transitions feel organic rather than jarring. The accompaniment is refined: you can hear articulate bass runs, crisp cymbal work, and keyboard voicings that move beyond simple triads.
With Viral Cage the band introduces a bit more urgency. The tempo edges up, there are more frequent shifts in texture from quieter keyboard interludes to full band excursions with a definitive edge. The riffing becomes a bit sharper and when the dynamics drop for a bridge, you hear some ambient keyboard arpeggios over subdued drums before the return of a fuller band sound. It's one of the more immediately thrilling tracks on the album. It also slightly reminded me of Triumvirat, but that could just be me feeling nostalgic.
Winter is a more introspective track. The keyboards dominate more here, creating a chilly, open soundscape, when the guitar gently adds warmth. The rhythm is more relaxed, giving breathing space. The chord progressions lean into melancholy — there's a sense of seasonal fading or passing time. It offers a contrast to the more gritier tracks. The violin passages (possibly sampled) also add plenty of subtleties and charm.
Falling Star opens with a more expansive introduction giving space for instrumental reflection before the vocals settle in. I noticed some nice interplay between guitar and keys where they echo each other with a call-and-response style of effect.
Pride Before The Fall is the ultimate closer and epic journey that takes the album to another level. Despite being over twenty minutes long, it never feels bloated. It opens bombastically with a full band using broad strokes on the canvas. You can hear the keyboards and guitars trading motifs before the rhythm section introduces a new groove. This is followed by a contrasting, quieter passage where piano/keys carry the mood, before the guitar solo emerges. I particularly liked how the solo sections aren't just showcases: they tie back into the themes introduced earlier. This is underpinned by an interesting passage where the tempo relaxes into something more reflective, before building again towards a multilayered climax.
The use of recurring motifs gives it coherence: a melody introduced earlier, returns near the end in a transformed guise. For fans of long-form compositions that balance structure and exploration, this is the one to keep on repeat as it certainly delivers on all fronts. I also thought that Guy Manning (Damanek, Parallel or 90 Degrees, The Tangent, United Progressive Fraternity) had guested on vocals as there are many sections whereby I could have sworn he was holding the mike. Not so!
Listening to this album felt like meeting an old friend who has grown and matured without losing what made you like them in the first place. There's the familiar progressive rock scaffold — shifting textures, instrumental proficiency, extended pieces — yet there's also maturity in pacing and emotional clarity.
For me, the standout moments were those quieter transitions: when after a full-tilt section the band lets the sound drop to just keys + bass + vocals, creating space to breathe, before building again. That kind of dynamic is something I always appreciate because it shows a band that knows when not to play at full volume. The closer, Pride Before The Fall, was a total delight as it demanded the listener's full attention.
If I'm honest, there are moments where I felt the band leaned a bit into familiar territory (in the sense that some melodic hooks or structural turns reminded me of other neo-prog acts). Also, the vocals occasionally struck me as “safe” when perhaps a bigger risk could have been taken (this is subjective, of course). In the context of the epic track, there were maybe one or two places where I thought the pacing lingered a little longer than strictly necessary — but that's part of the charm if you're willing to go there.
When Gravity Wins is still a strong album. It is thoughtful, well-executed, musically rich without descending into self-indulgence. It's ideal for someone who enjoys immersive listening sessions from a band that takes you on a journey rather than a short sprint. For me, it lands as one of my favorite prog-rock albums of the year (so far). Solid, with room to revisit and discover more each time.
Enric Pascual — Tarraco
Jan Buddenberg
Tarraco is the ancient Roman name for the modern-day city of Tarragona, located in the Province Tarragona of Catalonia, Spain. Once a significant Roman settlement and capital of the province of Hispania Tarraconensis, it is believed that its name finds origin in the Phoenician language and possibly means "The Aragona". Or otherwise refers to the elevated position of the city's citadel. 10 kilometres to the south lies the city of Salou; birthplace of multi-instrumentalist Enric Pascual (vocals, drums, mellotron, keyboards) who as founder of Harnakis and DocTorNo is a proud citizen of this Spanish region.
At least, that's the distinct impression received when I take Pascual's most recent musical project Scaladei, which alludes to the Scala Dei monastery from Priorat (Catalonia), and the transporting music of Tarraco into consideration. And proud he should feel. Because Tarraco may well be his finest musical achievement to date in a career that started around 1988, when Harnakis contributed the composition Temps D'Esser to the 1989 compilation release of Exposure '88. A vinyl album that's still available in limited quantity here for those interested, by the way.
Entirely composed, recorded and performed by Pascual, apart from a memorable guest appearance by Mike Starry of Omni fame in the final composition, it is Camp De Mart that starts Tarraco's artful sonic excursion with peaceful EM atmospheres. With cinematic appeal, it dreamily envision the works of Tangerine Dream and Klaus Schulze. The rhythmically up-beat Medusa harmoniously travels onwards with some medieval folk and lavish Mellotron designs sometimes recall the retro symphonic style of Protos.
Further upscaled production values as those recently accomplished on Scaladei efforts, the entrancing journey then truly begins with the epic Tarraco Suite which comprises five scenic movements.
Graciously flowing with ambient Daal, piano romanticism and expressive vocals, Movimiento I hints attractively at late 70s Eloy. An influence that is also frequently found in Scaladei's efforts. This wonderful piece of music with rhythmic pudency and glowing synths expedites onwards with grand melodic variety. The great sense of composition offers beautiful alternating moments of energetic intensity and minimalist beauty. Some Arabesque influences reminiscent of Prog Andaluz convey the impression of honouring the cities' heritage.
These elegant Prog Andaluz elements also appear in Movimiento II after its spacious Pink Floyd opening. Combined with engaging neo-prog developments that distantly recall the keyboard-driven style of Leviathan, IQ, and early Marillion, this all works out rather nicely from a musical point of view. And quite possibly from a lyrical perspective as well. But I'm afraid the Spanish language is not my forte, so I cannot really comment on this. I do, however, wonder what a real guitar sound could have done for the excellent constructed symphonic ending that finalises this song on a high.
This pondering also lingers somewhere at the back of my mind in the uptempo Movimiento III. It is again nicely designed with lush synth and Mellotron plus standout organ parts and some mild space-rock elements. However, this fully drifts out of sight during the two subsequent extraordinary Movimiento parts.
I especially find Movimiento IV to stand out. It's astonishing how it has been crafted with first-class piano virtuosity, elegant bombast, and wonderful symphonic orchestrations that bring both ancient classical composers and the sophisticated Japanese prog of Vienna and Terutsugu Hirayama to mind. It is also thanks to its opulent cinematic John Williams appeal and the composition's stylish waltzing melodies that ultimately slide into a conclusion of heavenly atmospheres elevated by divine ethereal choirs.
The likewise captivating Movimiento V is a very close second, as this beautifully captures the imagination with a beguiling build-up that incorporates modest chamber music plus classical symphonies that shine bright from prog influences out of the mid 70s.
The passionately performed Encontré Tu Amor follows these highlights with a grand emotional marriage of progressive rock and temptingly arranged melodies sparkling with Genesis on the one hand and seductive piano romantics on the other.
Pascual bids farewell with the excellent Algún Día El Edén in which a diverse piano, Mellotron and other vintage keys. together with the soul-stirring guitar of the aforementioned guest-starring Mike Starry, ultimately merges into a breathtaking symphonic apotheosis.
If Tarragona, whether this be the city or province, is only half as beautiful as this final composition and the two Movimiento sections that conclude the Tarraco Suite, then an explorative trip to this Spanish region is certainly warranted. This visiting recommendation I, in conclusion, also very much like to give to this splendidly worthwhile effort by Enric Pascual.
Sistra — From Moods To Mutations
Jerry Kranitz
Sistra is Italian musician Fabrizio di Vicino. Originally a quartet with female vocals, since the third album it has been Fabrizio's solo instrumental improvisational project. From Moods To Mutations is the seventh Sistra album and my introduction to Fabrizio's music. (Fabrizio explains that Sistra is plural for sistrum, a primitive rattle instrument used during religious ceremonies in ancient Egypt to frighten away evil.)
We've got 18 tracks and well over two hours of music. Prepare for some strange and wildly varied descriptions...
Set opener Moods is an avant-noise-punk-psychedelic rocker with bashing angular guitar strum blasts and crashing cymbals. Vimana then surprises, being tastefully melodic, with slightly fuzzed and sometimes surf-like and even bluesy guitar, though we also get those crash-bang chord blasts too. And what starts off as a militant vibe transitions to a rickety underlying beat with light freaky effects. Skrik is next, with a mixture of trippy pagan psychedelia, ambience, and an effects collage that is just as spaced out as it is spooky.
Readers should already be getting a sense of the offbeat variety. The improvs are freeform on the one hand, yet attentive listening sometimes reveals an unfolding soundtrack quality. Pacemaker mixes gothic-industrial psychedelia with acid dosed Carl Stalling soundtrack, with a clockwork rhythmic pulse that supports its title. We've even got two acoustic-driven tunes, like the nicely melodic 3AM, and the beautiful acoustic guitar of One More Christmas, which might be at home on a Steve Hackett album.
There are some 'relatively' straightforward psych rockers, but I'll focus on tracks that inspired what seem like head-spinning descriptions. Like Hidden, with its whimsical alien effects, screwball drones, and a plodding bass beat that could be the soundtrack to a 1960s sci-fi beach party movie. And Insect Machine, which starts off sounding like the Residents if they were a psychedelic freakout band, striking me as Mark Of The Mole meets Throbbing Gristle, eventually taking on an electro-rhythmic space-industrial groove. Similarly, I like the groove and effects on Chameleon, which comes off like a freak flag flying blend of the Residents' Smelly Tongues and Discipline era King Crimson. Pollution begins with a country-ish feel, like a rawer than raw Neil Young with Crazy Horse jam, eventually taking on an acid-metal feel. And Minor Sin is like Richard Pinhas playing guitar along with the Forbidden Planet movie soundtrack.
In summary, hardcore prog fans will be forgiven if they struggle with this music. There's a lot here to appeal to open-minded fans of improvisational psychedelia and freewheeling kosmiche sound constructions. I like music that challenges my descriptive abilities, and this was a fun one, though a lot of the tracks are interesting ideas that could stand some fleshing out and tightening up. In an email exchange, Fabrizio shared that he would like Sistra to become a band again, but assembling one hasn't been easy. I think he would benefit from working with sympathetic/compatible musicians, with or without vocals.
The Sorcerers — Other Worlds and Habitats
Owen Davies
Twilight currents, deep pool ripples, thigh tap twitch. Cheek jowl sax recedes. The last Transmission softly fades.
The seven tracks which precede the beautifully formed concluding tune of The Sorcerers' latest album are equally evocative. I thoroughly enjoyed this appealing album. The music is always accessible. The album has an abundance of melodic and richly formed motifs. Every musical nuance is extracted from the principal melody of each tune, using repetition and the outstanding ensemble arrangements.
The Sorcerers draw heavily upon the stylistic traits of Ethio-Jazz. If you appreciate the music of bands such as Azmari and Black Flower, then much of Other Worlds and Habitats will probably appeal.
If the sound of an authentic Farfisa Compact duo organ compels you to twist and salivate in delight, then you will be satiated by tunes like Echos of Earth and The Infinite. If that was not enough to awaken your lurking retro cravings, Ancestral Machines features a Jen 73 synthesised piano. Its easily identifiable tones embellish proceedings to great effect.
In fact, keyboard player Johnny Richards excels in several of the tunes. In this respect, it is his work as part of a tightly formed ensemble rather than as a virtuoso soloist that his thoughtful embellishments add so much to the band's music. I just love the keyboard sound of the slowly evolving The Great Belt. It creates a contemplative atmosphere and facilitates an expansive dreamscape of dark sky nights amid the exhalation of awestruck frosted breath.
The other instruments featured in this album are also very evocative. The vibe playing of Richard Ormerod is delightful and offers another set of delicate colours in tunes such as the quirky rhythmically rich. Abandoned Satellites. His reed work in the strident Echos of Earth is propulsive, hard-hitting, and relentless. Whilst his blowing in the delightful The Last Transmission is measured, full of controlled tone and superbly crafted.
As might be expected in music that stylistically leans on Afro Jazz, the rhythm section has an important part to play. The gently rounded tones of Neil Innes bass adorns the music in an enchanting manner and is particularly noticeable alongside the crisp drumming of Joost Hendrickx in Beneath The Dunes.
Whilst Other Worlds and Habitats may not be as outwardly complex as some progressive Jazz fusion music, its wonderful sound quality, excellent musicianship, well-constructed tunes and appealing hooks, ensure that it is an invigorating, and enjoyable experience from start to finish.
As The Last Transmission fades and thoughts of twilight currents recede, I find myself compelled and drawn to experience the uplifting tunes and melodies of Other Worlds and Habitats again.
Uragh — Stalemate
Calum Gibson
Back in 2022, a group of four got together to form a new band called Uragh. Describing themselves as coming together to create a new sound, with a focus on complex structure, rhythms and heavy grooves. It certainly seems to be working with them having reached the finals of Bloodstock Metal to the Masses twice, and winning the Wacken Metal Battle Ireland – resulting in a slot at the 2024 edition of the festival.
Perpetual kicks off this EP with a paint-by-numbers intro. While aggressive and energetic, the riffs and vocals sound fairly standard for this style of metalcore. Although, there is an attempt to add some progressive and atmospheric elements. Unfortunately, it ends up sounding a bit disjointed and cliché. Crimson Dove comes next with some change to the riff, but the vocals and levels of the instruments tend to drown out a lot of what is actually happening. An interesting bridge nearly comes about, but then switches back after a couple of bars into more standard shouting over repetitive chugs.
Time Heals Nothing introduces us to the second half, with a 4-and-a-half-minute gentle track. Quiet drums and a soft bassline along side guitars going from minimalist cleans to the crescendo at the end coupled with screams of anguish. I would have thoroughly enjoyed this one, but sadly, the generic voice over lamenting about how awful everything is took away from what could have been a great wee number. Finally, Stalemate brings this to an end. At nearly 9 and a half minutes, I am hoping for something to grab me here. Unfortunately, I found nothing.
All in all, if you are a fan of metalcore with some progressive influence, you will likely really enjoy this. I can see why they got to the Bloodstock M2TM finals and why they won the Wacken one. For fans of that style, this would probably rate highly for them – However, it would appear that this group is not for me. If they stick with what they are doing, though, I can see them doing well in their field.