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Ad Maiora! from Ad Maiora – Rock Progressivo Italiano

The phrase Ad Maiora means “to greater things” in Latin and that’s where, in my opinion, the Italian Prog Rock band, who chose that expression for their name, is headed. Yes, based on their self-titled debut album. I think that Ad Maiora will be moving on to greater things!

The band was formed in 2009 in Milan, as a progressive rock project. During the period between 2009 and 2013 Ad Maiora was writing their own compositions, all of which appear on their debut album Ad Maiora! which was released in January of 2014. It was also in this time period that the band contributed the track “Whaling Stories” to a Procol Harum tribute album, and played in support of Italian bands like Ubi Maior and Shylock. read more

Exploring the Music of Mostly Autumn

Mostly Autumn – Folk Prog – United Kingdom

Update: Since I wrote this post in 2014, Mostly Autumn has released six new albums. I have only listened to two of those albums. First Sight of Day released in 2017 and then 2019’s White Rainbow, White Rainbow even became a soundtrack for one of my runs. After listening and writing about Karnataka, whose music is similar to Mostly Autumn’s, I’m looking forward to listening to Mostly Autumn latest release Studio 2. As well as, other albums in their discography.

Dressed in Voices (2014)

Mostly Autumn is Prog Folk band, Prog Archive d read more

Exploring the Prog Rock of the UK’s IQ The Road of Bones!

The other day I saw an interesting album on Progstreaming IQ’s The Road of Bones. I went to Spotify put the album on, listened to a few minutes of the opening track “From the Outside In” really liked it and quickly downloaded the album to the iPhone. I had a chance to listen to the album more fully this morning, and I love it. I see after reviewing band information at both IQ’s website and ProgArchives that IQ is a neo-prog band from the United Kingdom. IQ was formed in 1981 and seem to tour mostly in the UK and Europe, which partially explains why I have never heard of them. read more

Gandalf’s Fist A Forest of Fey

There have been some changes in the Neo Prog rock band Gandalf’s Fist, since their last release A Day in the Life of a Universal Wanderer. The new release A Forest of Fey, is Gandalf Fist’s first release as a four-person band! What hasn’t changed is the stellar progressive rock delivered by the band!

Gandalf’s Fist was formed in 2005 and was originally a creative collaboration between multi-instrumentalist Dean Marsh and lyricist/vocalist Luke Severn. The name Gandalf’s Fist, which conjures up images from J.R.R. Tolkien’s work, actually originated, when a friend of theirs invented the name to try to impress a geeky girl one night in a bar!! After the success of their first four albums, in particular A Day in the Life of a Universal Wanderer, The band appeared on the bill at Planet Rockstock ’13. After that performance, touring musicians Stefan Hepe and Chris Ewen were promoted to full-time band members read more

“Into the Morning” with New Music from Netherland’s Knight Area – Hyperdrive

So back in May of 2013, I had a good music listening day that ended with the discovery of Knight Area from the Netherlands. I have patiently been waiting for the release of a new album and that happened on October 14th when they released Hyperdrive. Since the day of the album’s release, it has been in my music rotation, and I have enjoyed it a lot!! I will be writing about it in the next few days, but until then you can read my old post about the band here and let’s go into the morning with the video for the song “Hypnotized” from Hyperdrive! read more

Exploring the Neo-Prog of the UK’s Cosmograf – Capacitor – Electrifying!

So once again I listen to a band, I like their music , I go to read about the band and I find, the band is mostly a one-person band and the music fits into the Neo-Prog sub-genre!! In this instance, the band is Cosmograf and the rock project leader is Robin Armstrong, a multi-instrumentalist from Waterlooville (near Portsmouth) in the United Kingdom. (We pause now to give in to my ADD and to find out more about Waterlooville)

Waterlooville is a town in Hampshire, England, near the southern cost of England, approximately 8 miles north of Portsmouth. From Wikipedia: read more

Exploring the Crossover Prog of Umphrey’s McGee – Similar Skin!

One of the albums that has been in my rotation for a couple of weeks now is the latest release from Umphrey’s McGee Similar Skin. Umprhey’s McGee is a crossover prog band with a large following known alternately as “Umphreaks” and “McGeeks. Here’s what they say on their website about the band…..

Umphrey’s McGee has risen to the upper echelons of the improvisational-rock scene through their seamless compositing of diverse musical influences, from progressive-rock to metal to funk to folk to jazz-fusion to classic song-based rock-and roll, all woven together with infectious melodies, thought-provoking lyrics, pristine harmonies, blistering musicianship, and rollicking grooves that keep dem bones a-shaking throughout the course of their patented sonic sagas. read more

Exploring the Psychedelic/Space Rock of the UK’s Amplifier – Mystoria!

So yesterday the soundtrack for my run (you can read about the run here) was the latest release Mystoria from the UK psychedelic/Space rock band Amplifier. Amplifier plays highly original material using deeply personal lyrics with walls of noise and stunning melodies. Mystoria is the fifth studio album from the band. They have also released several singles and EPs and one live album. The original members of the band were Sel Balamir lead guitarist and vocalist, Matt Brobin on drums and bassist Neil Mahony. After there 2011 release the band members changed with former Oceansize guitarist Steve Durose and bassist Alex “Magnum” Redhead joining the band in 2011 and 2012 respectively. The last two years have been a very prolific period in the band’s history. Between Echo Street and Mystoria the band released the EP Sunriders, which was followed by Live in Barcelona 2013. This contrasts with the release of only one EP Eternity that they release in the five years between Insider (2006) and The Octopus (2011). Balamir explains it like this…. read more

Exploring the Ambient,New Age, Prog of Netherlands’ Forest Field- Onwards and Upwards!

On Tuesday of this week the soundtrack for my run was Forest Field’s second release Onwards and Upwards. According to their website……

Forest Field is not a band
Forest Field is a project
Forest Field is lead by Chinawhite guitarist Peter Cox
Expect some guests announcements soon…
The music is a combination of ambient, new age, progressive rock
with vintage sounds like mellotron, piano and organ
but also electric and acoustic guitars
and bass and drums where the song needs it

The project is the child of Chinawhite guitarist Peter Cox of the Netherlands. Onwards and Upwards is a combination of instrumental tracks (odd-numbered) and vocal tracks (the even-numbered ones). Central theme is “it´s not the falling down, it´s the getting up again” (from Stronger)..All of the instruments are played by Cox with the exception of the Native American flute on the song “Hope”. The flute is played by Sue Straw. The vocals are ably provided by Phil Vincent. I knda’ like the instrumental tracks more than the vocal ones, but I really do like Vincent’s vocals, so I guess it’s really a toss-up. Cox is more than able on all the instruments, but I do think that he is at his best when his guitar is soaring through a track!! read more

Category: Prog Rock ekr4