WELCOME TO Progressive Rock & Progressive Metal

.......................................A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FEATURED ARTIST AND CD REVIEWS - 2004

LAST UPDATE 11/07/2004..

TOWERSOUND - "Same"
The members of Towersound coming from the south of France, their family decided to move to the Auvergne province in 1999, they were in need of change, and winds brought us right into a great abode owning an old tower. Their name band and the "Blazon" have been inspired by the place where’re still living in and it’s the real origin of the member´s inspiration too. In first, Towersound is a great family story, indeed, the band was created by 3 guys: Laurent, Florian and Jean-Christophe Lecomte, during the year 2001. From July to March 2002, they decided to slave away: improving their instruments techniques, write enough songs to make an album, and prepare theirselves to invest stages. Established in the Cantal department (in the middle of France) for 4 years, they worked really hard last summer to record their first 10 titles album in their home-studio, following to a 5 titles demo. A blend of different influences, from classical music to metal. Since April 2003 some contacts gave them the opportunity to play on some stages in the country, like "Le Printemps de Bourges". But the band is still looking for contacts and in need of dates, gigs, labels, producers, managers, anything relative to the music world in order to start a serious and professional carrier... We are reviewing a new discovery in Progressive Rock Metal and It´s very pleasant to hear new features emerging as Towersound, mainly when we find three brothers and young musicians, a new generation that was influenced by famous musicians adding all the best styles around the Prog music. They blend Classic Music, Progressive Rock, Melodic Metal, Hard-rock, Celtic Music and Metal, everything sounding very creative and spiritual. Comparisons are hard to make, because they have a pretty and energetic sound and a positive music, with lots of inspired and clean guitars solos, including a fantastic keyboards and solid drums sounds, all the instrumental are so perfect but not very complicated, the main highlights on this band are the clean and pleasant vocals, in some ways it reminds me somewhat of the vocals of the "Strawbs", just in the "Hero and Heroine" recordings. "Towersound" is the new release, with ten tracks of pure inspiration. Currently, they’re working on a second album containing about 14 songs is in progress. Among the nine tracks on the almost 50 min we find songs that really define the Towersound style: "Towersound", "Shine Over Me" (Fantastic song), "Hell Is The Speedway", "Let Me Run", "It's A Good Day To die", "March Of War" and "One Step Further". The band are today: JeanChristophe Leconte (Jon) - Vocals, Studio microphone Rode: NT2 Synthesiser Yamaha: PSR9000 Live microphone Shure: Beta 87C HF Effects processor T.C. Electronic: M-ONE XL Dual, LaurentLeconte (Lonn) - Electric guitars ESP: KH-2 Ibanez: RG550 EX Ibanez: JEM 555 BK Multi-effects pedal Boss: GT-6 Ampli Marshall: JCM 2000 DSL Semi-Acoustic guitar: EPIPHONE: PR5E Artiste Classical guitar Luis Martinez: E3 and Florian Leconte (Flod) - Drums Pearl : BRX Master Studio Platinium with Remo Pinstripe Skins Cymbals ZILDJIAN: Crash Thin 17" Avedis, Rock 18" Avedis, Rock 19" Z Custom. China 18" ZXT. Hit-Hat 14" Z Custom. Ride 20" ZBT+ Toms Alto 10", Medium 12" et 13", Bass 16". Kick 22", Twin Pedals Pearl : P100 TW. Snare 14.6/2. 9 Micros Sennheiser: Evolution Shure. Excellent and indispensable work, highly recommendable... (Comments by Carlos Vaz)

01/01/2004..................Want to learn everything about the band and its members, Go to TOWERSOUND HOME PAGE...

CONQUEROR - "Istinto"
The Conqueror coming from Palermo, Italy, and their history starts in november 1994, from an idea of Natale Russo (drums). At the beginning, the band turned to the cover… Suddenly, with the entrance of Salvatore Chillemi (keyboards), it turns to original musical excerpts that moved away from the traditional songs, putting together harmonic variations and change of beat, that showed a great originality and baroque mannerism. For years, Natale and Salvatore agreed on the musical choices and widened the group with the entrance of Gaetano Scarcella, guitarist (1995) and the bass player, Sandro Pavone (1995-96). The Conqueror had the problem to find a singer who could be able to perform their pieces of music; from 1994 to 1999 the singers were: Antonella Colosi, Adele Tirante, Giovanni Molino. From 1997 to 1999 Carlo Nicita joined the group and fixed, together with the 2 founders, the musical style, including flute and acoustic guitar to make the general sound more refined. At the same time Sergio Camelia (guitar) and Fabio Ucchino (bass) joined to the band. From 1997 to 1999, the group lived one of the best periods, meeting with outstanding success. After 3 years, Natale Russo, with the help of Simona Rigano (keyboards and voice), started to revival of the Conqueror. Moreover, Gaetano Scarcella, the first guitarist, came back to the group. They composed music, always on the same style of the beginning; the big difference was finally represented by the voice that gave serenity and firmness to the musical excerpts. Conqueror is another fantastic discovery that emerge and, comes from the Italy. They blend styles around of the Progressive Rock, Symphonic Rock, Melodic Metal and Neo- progressive, some their songs are long, and having a competent rhythm section, including very creative arrangements, all female vocal performances given by Sabrina Rigano, singing in italian, are incredible, giving a very special sensation for the listener, complementing multiple and awesome instrumental lines as inspired, fantastic and inventive sounds that leave the guitars and are an important highlights on the band, including hypnotic an inventive drum lines, but not forgetting the adventurous and atmospheric sounds that echo from the keyboards. The band has an authentic italian progressive spirit where some musical passes reminds me something very close or seemed with "Nuova Era", "La Maschera Di Cera", "Malibran", "Monte Feltro", "H2O", "Premiata Forneria Marconi" and "Le Orme". Conqueror is one of those bands that is truly hard to forget, with an impressive debut album bringing together a variety of musical style that expresses the best progressive rock from all times. Istinto is the self and the first official recording and was recorded in 2003. Including eight tracks. A special and particular attention to and my favourite songs are: "Quartar", "Pensieri Fragile", "La Strada Del Graal", "Cristalli Di Solitudine", "Porte Straniere" and "Entropia". The musicians on Conqueror are: Simona Rigano - Keyboards and Voice, Salvatore Chillemi - Keyboards, Sabrina Rigano - Flute, Sax, Vocals, Fabio Ucchino - bass and Natale Russo - Drums. Excellent and indispensable work, highly recommendable... (Comments by Carlos Vaz)

01/11/2004..........................................,.....Interested to know more about the Band? Visit CONQUEROR HOME PAGE...

FREEWILL - "Never Act"
We are in Kyoto, Japan, whem Masahiro "vmo" Lee and Kozo "george" Tsuji were been looking for members (Vocal/ Bass/ Drums) to form a band, which plays technical-rock. Well on taht time they'd met Shingo "sin" Uchida+geddy (bass) + Tahira (vocal) through any times of auditions. This five people owned a kindred spirit, after playing DreamTheater/UK... etc with. Tahira has got out. They'd been looking for a vocalist, and had auditions again and again. And some vocal-songs was composed. Each member polished himself in supports for other bands. In 2001, Geddy has got out, and the band was dissolved on purpose of polishing each, in every free fields. In this term, "Vmo" - TribalJazzRock, George - Yotarou Teikoku (prog-band), "Sin" - many sessions as support...etc, every members in every fields. An accidental meeting - Hisashi "sisyo" Nakao was contacted on the web. Now the first formation it´s ok but the band´s name was called of the "Doripon" planed to play DreamTheater ("A Change Of Seasons") at the end of the year (planed-live-event). Sisyo played bass as a support member. In 2002, "Doripon" planed to play Dream Theater ("Leraning To Live") in a Rock-event, with ex-Vo; Tahira. And...for the other set lists, "Doripon" has needed instrumental numbers, and they've begun to compose full-scale INSTs. "Doripon" changed its name into Freewill, to quest one of the style (INSTs) of music professionaly. They held 1st live as Freewill. Get back years later when the east Progressive Rock scene was very active with bands as Mugen, Outer Limits, Ain Soph, Pageant, Bellaphon, Black Page, Asturias, Vermilion Sands and others, where all them explored not a specific style but all instrumental musical inspirations. Now, we have new bands that come from the same place and, bringing new ideas with inovative musical performance, filled with powerful and modern instrumental sound, we are talking from Freewill. Their music oscillate between Progressive Rock, Progressive Metal with some touchs of the Avant-garde, however in some parts, they use an instrumental and magnificient sound style as a Symphonic Progressive Rock band, where all instruments sound very impressive, adding their own style into every song. The main highlights are on the guitars sounds reminding me a bit of influences from Frank Zappa with touches of King Crinson,followed of symphonic sounds that flow from the keyboards and present an impressive melody, bass and drums work perfect, without vocals, disclosing that every instrument have a attractive and special sound with dynamic compositions. A new east band certainly capable of creating some elegant and enjoyable Progressive Rock. "Never Act" is the the second release but first official full self titled album, includind eight tracks, recorded at Osaka Sangyo University Multi Media Studio, mixed by Masahiro Lee. A special and particular attention to and my favourite songs are: "Izanai", "Maelstrom", "Law", "Kaff" and "Cave". The musicians on the band are: Masahiro "vmo" Lee - Guitars, Synthesizers, Shunsuke Yagi - Synthesizers+Electronics, Toshio "social" Ueda - Synthesizers+Electronics, Hisashi "syo" Nakao - Bass and Shingo "sin" Uchida - Drums. Excellent and indispensable work, highly recommendable... (Comments by Carlos Vaz)

01/18/2004..............................................,.....Interested to know more about the Band? Visit FREEWILL HOME PAGE...

MUSIC STATION - "Shaping"
Music Station came from Bulgaria, the members’ activity as “Music Station” is short, but every member play an active part in Bulgarian music scene as a member of several rock groups, as a support member of famous bands, as an arranger, and as a studio musician in Bulgaria. They started actively writing songs and rehearsals from September 2002. In the first term Ventzi, Bobby, Boris and Jordan started to play, the drummer and singer had been changed several time during this period. In October 2002, Radoslav has been fixed as the drummer, and in January 2003, Pavlin has got a position of the singer. During this period 2 songs were recorded as a demo with other singer, but it had not been distributed. From February 2003, the band had started recording with Tony Grapes (producer) of a technical rock band “Millennium” in studio AHAT. The recording was very complicated even used max 76 tracks. But Tony Grapes succeeded to mix it down for a quite short term. Music Station can be described such as a new generation in Classic Hard Rock with strong influences of Progressive Rock blending, in some songs, Melodic Progressive Metal, but in their music we can find wide ranging of musical styles, and very familiar, from such guitar virtuosos as "Joe Satriani", "Steve Vai", "Tony McAlpineand" and "Marty Friedman", but at the same time, extracting a variety of sounds from their own sources, we can hear lots and lots of powerful guitars riffs, where the solos sounds are very nice, including the virtuous keyboards, adding a sonic texture with many progressive symphonic ambitions, the vocalist "Pavlin Manev", singing in english, has an interesting articulate voices and an emotional vocal style, giving the music a special power. Of course as talented young musicians, they have got playing some musical influences around some giants as "Dream Theater", "Rush", "Yes", "Journey" and "Asia", also found similarities with "Shadow Gallery", "Queensrych" and "Fates Warning", including some influences of Bulgarian traditional music, where these influences make an unique sounds of band, and where the songs are pretty ambitious. Certainly soon they will be among the famous bands. "Shaping" is their debut album with ten tracks, was released in Bulgaria by UBP International Records. Produced by Tony Grapes and executive producer Koji Fukita. Recorded and mixed at Ahat Studio, Sofia, Bulgaria. A special and particular attention to and my favourite songs are: "Intro", "Shaping", After Twilight", "Home", "Alone", "Painting Souls", "Inside" and "Gamble Away". The musicians are: Ventzislav Velev - Guitars, Bobby - Bass Guitars, Boris Zashev - Keyboards, Jordan Donov - Guitars, Radoslav Haralampiev - Drums, Pavlin Manev - Vocals and additional Vocals - Tony and Danny Grapes. Brilliant and indispensable work, highly recommendable... (Comments by Carlos Vaz)

01/18/2004.....................................,.....Interested to know more about the Band? Visit MUSIC STATION HOME PAGE...

SOMA.PLANET - "Soma.Planet"
Soma.Rec Is an Experimental Music Band born in the mid 90's. Initially it was integrated by musician and painter Ivan Jordà and Guitar player and composer Tete Pérez; both the ones to set the bases of the group, composing the first songs and structures of Soma.Rec music. At the end of the 90's bass and double bass Player, and also painter, Marc Prat joins the band along with drums player Angel Abad. In all this period all the efforts and time were dedicated in finding formulas to play music that permitted at the same time breaking with traditional harmonies and structures following improvisational patterns built slowly in time, starting in understanding music as a "Game", and having as a result an always fresh show and, over all, always different. February 2001 Ivan Jordà Leaves the band, after two great concerts in Library-Bar Arcadia, and the band keeps on playing but some times in duo or Trio. May 2001 Soma.Rec records a live concert in Argentona, in where piano and keyboards player Marc Trullàs joins the group, as well as Saxophone player Furmi, resulting the "Free Action" improvisation, also recorded. In the concert that took place in Jem Casey's of Figueres Drums player and percussionist David Xiberta Joins Soma.Rec, becoming a sextet. Nowadays Soma.Rec, so called Soma.Planet, originally they are a quartet. Fantastic new group bringing all the best influences from the different lines around all the great 70's pomp bands. Soma.Planet is a band that prove easily that they are adepts of Experimental Music, Fusion Rock and Avant-Garde scene (Kraut Rock), a musical style developed in Germany, including a little bit of Progressive Rock passages. The song writing and the musical performance are diverse, the compositions have complex arrangements, many parts have heavy Sax, power bass and frenetic Guitars sounds, alternating quickly and playing different elements simultaneously, where each composition takes us on a different orchestral journey, elegant and amazing instrumental precision creating an incredible musical improvisation, exploring all the instruments sounds. This band follows the traditions of pure musical style very influenced by bands such as "Embryo", "Can", "Guru Guru", "Gong", "Pink Floyd" and also "King Crimson", but rapidly showing a personal style where they can express their strong musical feelings. Soma.Planet the first and very impressive album, featuring eleven tracks, almost 74 minute long album, that illustrate the best Experimental Music. A special and particular attention to and my favourite songs are: "Secret Triangle", "Action", "Moments Before Tea", "Kaleidoscope Visions", "Reaction" and "Cerebrum". The main musicians on Soma.Planet are: Andreu Tete Pérez - Electric Guitar, Vocal and Theremin, Francesco Furmi Gómez - Alto Sax, Slide Guitar and Flute, Marc Prat - Bass and Vocals and Àngel Abat - Drums. Brilliant and indispensable work, highly recommendable... (Comments by Carlos Vaz)

01/18/2004...................Want to learn everything about the band and their history, go to SOMA.PLANET HOME PAGE...

PRAVDA - "The Echoing Sounds"
Pravda is a new generation in Progressive Rock outfit hailing from the Pacific Northwest, U.S.A. The group consisting of veterans of the Austin, Orlando and Northwest music scenes, is realy to take on the musical enclaves of corporate rock, with a bold and invigorating sound, where their sound combines the best of Old & New Progressive Rock with some touchs of Jazz adding the power of Progressive Metal. Pravda is another extraordinary revelation, the band sounds really impressive in a beautifully constructed powerful Progressive Rock, where in some parts they mix Hard Rock, Melodic Metal with Symphonic Rock. They have a combination of musical elements creating innovative, atmospheric and heavy music, all compositions feature a mix among the vocals and lengthy instrumental sections, where certainly you will love all guitars solos, the drums sounds are full of rhythmic evolutions, where all is combined with wonderful sounds from the keyboards. It´s very hard to draw comparison between them and other bands, but Pravda represents an old school approach, with a variety of musical styles in a very professional way, which I can feel influences around "Yes", "Alice Cooper", "Genesis", "Moody Blues", "Kansas" and others. "The Echoing Sounds" ia a stunning debut CD, the album was released by Sonus West Records Northwest Progressive Rock Label, engineered by K.C. Thomsen and Dave Thomas. Including fourteen tracks. There are no special and particular attention to the songs because all them are amazing, there is an interesting history around the lyrics, but to the best reference you will love "Prelude/Expatriate´s Lament", "The Program", "The Echoing Sounds Of Life", "Can You Hear Me", "Saving Your Soul", "Revolution", "Omnipotent Struggle", "For I Am" and "As One", This is one release that must be heard carefully and many times. The musicians on Pravda are: Dave Thomas - Drums, Percussion and Backing Vocals, K.C. Thomsen - Keyboards, Piano, Vocals and Guitar, Tom Svanoe - Four and Five String Fretless Bass, Chris Holman - Lead and Rhythm Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar and Steve Brown - Lead and Backing Vocals. Brilliant and indispensable work, highly recommendable... (Comments by Carlos Vaz)

02/15/2004.................................................,.....Interested to know more about the Band? Visit PRAVDA HOME PAGE...

X-TERRA - "Demo"
In the fall of 1984, Bob and Anne Kachline seemed to arrive at an impasse. Each of them had played a part in various bands over the years, with each band folding for one reason or another. Anne was by then already a veteran songwriter and an experienced bass player both on the road and in the studio. Meanwhile, her partner Bob was a veteran of 18 years playing drums in a vast array of musical settings, but feeling mostly at home in jazz and rock genres. Yet each opportunity seemed to have its limits. After a lot of prayer, Bob and Anne felt they needed to use their God given talents to start a band together. They called the band X-Terra which implied the band’s goal, based on the scripture John 15:19 “If you belong to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you“. This is not a new band. X-Terra is in activities since 1985, having released 4 cd's through the world, as a rock band which writes about Jesus and the world, in a special care of being before all a rock band. This is a little piece of the new cd "Wolves"(after some line up changes) , with three tracks: "Wolves", "Calm Before the Storm" and "Don't Curse the Darkness". If you like hard rock, strong and very well done, this is for you. Bill Hunt (Vocals/Guitars) has a special voice for hard, very contagiant and strong. And the work of Anne Kachline (Bass) and Bob Kachline (Drums) is fantastic. "Wolves" is a great tune, and I can say that "Calm Before the Storm" will keep in your mind for a long time. What more can I say? Jesus, please help them to release the new cd fastly! More come by Mark Blair Glunt and Silent Planet Promotions. Today X-Terra are: Bill Hunt - Vocals and Guitar, Anne Kachline - Bass and Vocals and Bob Kachline - Drums and Vocals. (Comments by Rafael Carnovale)

02/15/2004.....................................................,.....Interested to know more about? Please visit X-TERRA HOME PAGE...

KING DIAMOND - "The Puppet Master"
Kim Bendix Petersen is born in Copenhagen, Denmark on June 14th 1956. He began his musical career in 1973 when he entered as a guitarist in a cover band called Brainstorm. It was with Brainstorm that he did his first concert, in 1976. He then left this band in 1978 to join another local band called Black Rose, but this time, as a vocalist. It's in this band that the character of King Diamond took shape. He first had the idea of wearing make-up after seeing the Alice Cooper show Welcome To My Nightmare way back in 1975. In 1980, King left Black Rose to join a punk-metal band called Brats, which featured members Hank Shermann and Michael Denner on guitars and Timi Hansen on bass. After only a few gigs, Brats split into pairs; King and Hank went on one side forming a new band while Michael and Timi collaborated on Danger Zone. Neither teams accomplished much on their own, so when Danger Zone requested King and Hank's assistance on their demo, it gave a new opportunity for the 4 guys to work together again. Kim Ruzz then entered as the drummer; Mercyful Fate was born. The band then recorded 2 demos. The first one contained Walking Back To Hell, Running Free, Black Masses and Hard Rocker. The second one contained Curse Of The Pharaohs, Return Of The Vampire, A Corpse Without Soul and Burning The Cross. These demos received some attention from the underground tape-trading circuit. In spring 1982, the English company Ebony Records asked the band to record 2 songs: Black Funeral and Walking Back To Hell. Black Funeral was included on the Metallic Storm compilation album, while Walking Back To Hell was never released until 1984 under the title A Dangerous Meeting. SSSSSsssssssssssshhhh...... make silence... lights out.... let'me tell you a horror history. I'm a human being, but i don't control myself.... at "Midnigh", "The Puppet Master" will start his show. With traditional heavy metal and the famous Kind Diamond vocals (in falsetto, or his agressive style), but don't you thing this puppets are so strange? It seems they're so real, so "Magic", kinda like human beings... I love it, but I saw the evil in his "Blue Eyes", and his wife brings me to the reality. Heavy metal is the law!!! Mr Diamond is back with a horror history, and something worse than a scary movie. The style is the same, heavy metal with fantastic solos, with Mr. Andy La Rocque and Mr. Mike Wead. "The Ritual" shows me that i'm not a human being anymore, i'm a Puppet, and the Master controlls me, with his horror style of making puppets, but what can i do? This record is fantastic, one of the best things Diamond has done recently, with a heavy style and a fantastic concept. Hear tracks like the ones above and "So Sad", and "Living Dead", and discover that the Puppets' Show you see can be more than just one entertaining night! Hail Mr. Diamond. The album, Puppet Master, was released on october 21st 2003 on limited digipak and CD, both including a bonus DVD on which King tells the story of the album in full make-up! (Comments by Rafael Carnovale)

02/15/2004......................................,.....Interested to know more about the Band? Visit KING DIAMOND HOME PAGE...

GLOBAL WARNING - "Digital Black"
This four boys from Snohomish, Washington, U.S.A. decided to form a band to express their feelings about the world and their religious thinking. That was the way Global Warning was formed in 1998. With Steve Carlson in bass, Brian Tomer in guitar, Alan Boyd in Vocals and Rich Weaver in Drums, they released "Global Warning" in 2000. This new cd continues with the musical objectives of his predecessor, kinda lika Pantera and Korn became a White Metal ones. The guitar riffs are such inspired in the 80's trash metal and Alan sounds like a Phil Anselmo more melodic, but no less agressive. Songs like "Follow", "Thrown Away", "Disconnect" (which has one foot in the New Metal) are very heavy and intense, but there is some melodic moments kinda "Digital Black" (one dark moment). The music is a mix of trash and some New Metal elements. It's a good way for the band, and a definitve proof that make music for Jesus is a good one, when you know what you're composing and writing. Good Luck Boys! "Digital Black" album was released by Mark Blair Glunt and Silent Planet Promotions, including eight tracks. The musicians on Global Warning are: Steve Carlson - Bass, Brian Tomer - Guitar, Alan Boyd - Vocals and Rich Weaver - Drums. Highly recommendable... (Comments by Rafael Carnovale)

02/15/2004................................,.....Interested to know more about the Band? Visit GLOBAL WARNING HOME PAGE...

XD OUT - "Awakening"
Josh and Chris are two musicians from Pasadena (US), are huge fans of hard rock and Jesus. Why don't join both in a project. That's how "XD Out" ("Out of Christ") came to the world in 1999. After a self-titled cd in 2001, they release "Awakening", rocking with some melodical tunes like "Soil me Down" (a little piece of Alice in Chains), "Save Me" (almost a poppy-punk tune), "Phillippians 1:21" (very spped rock, good tune!), and some interesting songs like "For You", the almost punk "Take a Chance" and the special "Salvation", which is more progressive and mind-traveling one. One greatest cd, which contains a lot of good rock songs and good musicians. They know what they're doing, and it's very consistent work and continue to make Real Music for a Real World. "Awakening" album was released by Mark Blair Glunt and Silent Planet Promotions. XD Out are: Chris Haynes - Voice, Bass and Drums, Josh Haynes - Guitar and Vocalsand Bob Kachline - Live Drummer. (Comments by Rafael Carnovale)

02/15/2004...................................................,.....Interested to know more about the Band? Visit XD OUT HOME PAGE...

AMY ABDOU - "The Girl Who Has Everything"
Amy Abdou is an innovative Lebanese and Irish singer/songwriter from New York’s Capital District, creating dark and melodic pop with a nod towards the ethereal. In addition to extensive live performance, she has composed soundtracks for two films and recorded three critically acclaimed releases that received national and international recognition, airplay and distribution. Amy Abdou is also an active voice in the promotion of underground arts. She produced the first compilation of female artists from the Hudson Valley, and founded Grrr Records, an independent label dedicated to raising the profile of women artists. For their first two years, she was the host of Time Warner’s "Sounding Board", the show spotlighting musical talent in New York’s Capital District. Amy Abdou is also a regular contributor to The Hidden City (www.thehiddencity.com), a web magazine that serves as a gallery to a myriad of talented artists. Amy Abdou and her band have strong influence around styles as Classic Rock, Pop Rock, Melodic Rock adding some blends from Progressive Rock, her vocals have a different tone, full of wonderful sensations where the voice gives a strong but much kind sound into the music, at the same time adding a mystery dark moments and including a sensitive feeling, working together with Amy Abdou, we can find three talented musicians, to which they have developed nice arrangements denoting an amazing instrumental with interesting progressive style. In fact, she has a beautiful and strong voice that reminds, but not always, "Patti Smith", "Kate Bush", "Joan Baez" and "Kim Carnes". "The Girl Who Has Everything" album was recorded at Amy´s house except "Seeing Is", "Real Love" and "Invisible Armies" which where recorded at 66 sound by Rich Palaski. Produced by Amu Abdou and Alan Okey. Engineered and Mixed by Alan Okey. A special and particular attention to and my favourite songs are: "The Olive Tree", "Leave Him Alone", "Birds", "Stick Around", "Seeing Is" and "Real Love". The musicians on the band are: Amy Abdou - Vocals, Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Violin and Keyboards, Alan Okey - Bass, Matthew Tierman - Guitar, Danny Whelchel - Drums and Percussion. Guest musicians: John Rodat - Background Vocal, Adrian Cohen - Piano and Keyboards. Brilliant and indispensable work, highly recommendable... (Comments by Carlos Vaz)

02/29/2004.............;;;;;;;..............................,.....Interested to know more about Amy? Visit AMY ABDOU HOME PAGE...

AQUAPLAN - "Paperimeri"
Aquaplan was founded in Oulu, Finland in 1999. The idea was to create music containing the challenging song-structures & time-signatures used in Progressive Rock, rich harmonic tradition of jazz, accessibility of pop-tunes and sensitivity of folk-music. The group was built around song-writer/ guitarist Ari 'Suti' Sutinen, who has been involved in many bands & projects before this. It was in one of those projects, where he first met the singer Maarit Saarenkunnas, and asked her to join the new band just being founded. Maarit already knew the band's drummer Tuomas Erkkilä, with whom she had performed in various theatre related music-productions. Tumppa had played with Ari also in 1996, when they started a tribute band performing music of Frank Zappa. Ari Kivelä was a natural choice for the bassist, as was Pasi Korhonen for acoustic guitar, both having played together with Suti in many of the previous groups. The keyboard player in one of Pasi's numerous other bands was certain Juha Anttila, who was asked to join in and complete the Aquaplan line-up. Year 2000 saw the first public performance of the Band, who played mainly their own material, where the music was composed by Suti, over lyrics written by his wife Terhi and Maarit. The language used was Finnish, although later they would start shifting towards English. In the mean time, songs were written, arranged & practiced, and the group decided to start recording a full length CD. However, in year 2002 the line-up saw its only change to date. Bassist A.Kivelä wanted to pursue a carrier in classical music & double bass, and decided to leave the band. The replacement was luckily close at hand, as the training facilities were co-hosted by another local group Trusties. Their bassist Ville Veijalainen, who was familiar already since the days of the Zappa-project, agreed to join the group, and so recording could continue. The new formation made its first gig in the autumn of the same year. The two bands were now quite closely linked as Suti had joined Trusties a year earlier. Finland was the land of fantastic Progressive Rock in the 70's as: "Wigwam" and "Tasavallan President", may be them very known from all progressive lovers around the world, but now appear new references as Aquaplan. They have a style blended around Progressive Rock with strong Folk Music influences. The instrumental arrangements which consist of softs passages among the guitars strings and the keyboards, creating an intensive instrumental atmosphere, giving a magnificent and dynamic power to the music, all together with a rhythmic drums and pompous guitar bass sound. One of the highlights and, considered as one of the keys on this band is the singer "Maarit Saarenkunnas", performing a strong spiritual quality around the folk style, given a special tone to the lyrics, presented with a melodic Progressive Rock touch, singing the songs with a great feel and with a smooth voice. Aquaplan sometimes, remind "Karnataka", "Turquoise" and "Mostly Autumn", but there is something special on this band who I think no other group has, they play music that is sincere and meaningful, not a specific style but an universal Progressive Rock music, with sensitivity and impressive arrangements, a soft flavor that touch something comfortable on the listeners. Paperimeri was recorded, mixed and mastered by Ari Sutinen at Studio 1&2, songs written by Ari Sutinen and lyrics by Maarit Saarenkunnas and Terhi-Liisa Sutinen. Including ten tracks. A special and particular attention to and my favourite songs are: "Metsä", "Päiväkirja", "Puun Suojaan (sinä vierelläni)", "Syli", "Paperimeri" and "Colouring Her". The musicians on Aquaplan are: Maarit Saarenkunnas - Vocals, Ville Veijalainen - Bass, Ari Sutinen - Electric Guitar, Pasi Korhonen - Acoustic Guitar, Juha Anttila - Keyboards and Tuomas Erkkilä - Drums & Percussion. Brilliant and amazing an indispensable work, highly recommendable... (Comments by Carlos Vaz)

03/15/2004...............................,.....Interested to know more about this fantastic Band? Visit AQUAPLAN HOME PAGE...

DAEDALUS - "Leading Far From A Mistake"
As usual the Progressive Rock music never stops taking me by surprise, and fortunately I know more delightful surprises will still be on the way continuously, at last the progressive scene has really been stronger than ever. So this time the great surprise to reach my knowledge is a band from the ever fertile italian ground, a progressive scene that for ages has become a true legend for all of us who appreciate quality music. The band to be mentioned here is Daedalus, a five-members’ band formed in Genova in April of 2000, that proposes at first a sophisticated Progressive Metal filled up with complexities, thus building a lot of intriguing themes not so easily performed by everyone of course, and therefore for being their debut album, it’s worth mentioning the members of the band have really faced the challenge and won it, revealing consequently a unique skill on what they firstly proposed themselves to do in fact. The album in question calls ‘’Leading Far From a Mistake’’, which consists of eight remarkable tracks, all of them really worth playing ‘till the end of the album. The music of Daedalus is that of a constant glittering, that keeps itself harmoniously close to gift and knowledge, thus making the listener to perceive clearly what he now gets around his ear is the outcome of something carefully made by people who were not only interested in recording an album and thow it on the market, but affording the listener, the pleasure of having their music around. This time I prefer not to quote any similar band to make comparisons between a band and another, I would just say if you know any Progressive Rock band that’s able to join a complex harmonic texture with melodic lines, culminating in an exciting musical journey...this is such as Daedalus for sure. The line-up of the band is: Alessio Brunetti - Vocals, Fabio Gremo - Bass, Davide La Rosa - Drums, Andrea Rinaldi - Guitars and Giuseppe Spanò - Keyboards. ‘’Leading Far From a Mistake’’ is brilliant and indispensable work, highly recommendable... (Comments By Sergio Motta)

03/21/2004................................,.....Interested to know more about the new the Band? Visit DAEDALUS HOME PAGE...

PANZERPAPPA - "Farlig Vandring"
Coming straight from Norway, a new masterpiece brings forward. The will of originating a progressive rock band that started far back in 1996 by the musician Trond Gjellum, now begins to bear fruits at last. He who kept himself quite persistent over the years by recording some demos on their own expense with a view to make his way through, and in the very end of the last decade Panzerpappa finally began to see overseas on releasing their debut whose title is ‘’...Passer Gullfisk’’, and also to take part in concerts along with known bands as "Anekdoten" and "White Willow" for instance. Anyway, the album in question here calls ‘’Farlig Vandring’’ a majestic work, totally instrumental, that I would certainly classify it as a masterpiece released officially last month, an album that brought me quite a good feeling right after the very first listening, and even reminded me of that golden era, of old Progressive Rock releases, seen that Panzerpappa also seems to be one more band among others from current scene that tries to rescue a bit of that old Progressive essence, mostly that once built up by the bands from the Canterbury scene, and in this case I would say that a bit of "Soft Machine" and "Matching Mole" would really be the strongest reference to describe the sonority of this stunning norwegian band. ‘’Farlig Vandring’’ besides offering the listener an all-time delight by the beauty of its songs, it also affords us the chance of appreciating some unusual instruments as melodica, glockenspiel, trondophon and balaphone, creating quite a fascinating musical atmosphere overall, also the bass passages strongly put forward enchant the ears, turning this band into a referential. Panzerpappa is still a band for sure to be discovered by most of prog fans outside of Scandinavia, maybe now after releasing this masterpiece the band can finally finds its foothold and go ahead bound for triumph. The line-up of Panzerpappa is: Steinar Børve - Saxophones and Keyboards, Trond Gjellum - Drumkit, Acoustic and Electric Percussion, Balaphone, Glockenspiel, Metalophone, Sampler, Trondofon and Melodica, Anders Krabberød - Electric Five String Bassguitar, Electric 4 String Fretless Bassguitar, Chapman Stick, Additional Keyboards and Jarle Storløkken - Electric and Acoustic Guitars, Keyboards, Accordion. ‘’Farlig Vandring’’ is brilliant and indispensable work, highly recommendable... (Comments By Sergio Motta)

03/21/2004............,.....Want to learn everything about the band and its members, Go to PANZERPAPPA HOME PAGE...

HÖST - "Live & Unreleased’"
‘’Giant’’ - this is the best way that I truly find to describe the greatness of this legendary band from norwegian progressive scene, that although they have just released two official studio albums in the 70’s ‘’Pä Sterke Vinger’’ and ‘’Hardt Mot Hardt’’, even today no one in its homeland and also in the adjacent countries that once appreciated so much this musical style that very occasion can still get rid of the old memories left by this great band, mainly upon its live appearances where the band members didn’t measure any effort to afford the audience thrilling moments, of pure delight at every concert, and it is still said that the members’ pleasure in performing live was so hugely that they didn’t even mind toward the number of the people on the premises because both, the pleasure of playing and the respect for the fans were always taken by the band as a question of principle overall. After long years since the band broke up, an album titled ‘’Live & Unreleased’’ was then introduced to the market. With a view to keep the old memories alive, the label Research records went for some unreleased material, tracks never listened by anybody previously, except the band members themselves of course, and then a real treasure was fortunately found, an arduous search that took the personnel at Research Records over five years to carry this project out, fortunately all this material was awfully found still in mint condition, and now the old and new fans of the band are also going to have the opportunity of checking this treasure, which was within an ace of never coming to the surface. "Live & Unreleased’’ consists of 13 tracks where the large majority of the songs are beautifully sung in norwegian language, and the whole content of the album are live recordings picked off from three different concerts in Norway and Sweden, Besides 4 songs sung in english picked off from a live appearance on a TV show in Norway a bit before ceasing its activities. To sum it up, this album is quite a find, and worth being checked by every Progressive Rock fan, that appreciate a music made and performed with the purest feeling, giving shape to a fusion between emotion and talent, that together were both changed into a perfect work of art. The line up of the band in this album is: From track 1 to 9: Bernt Bodahl - Bass, Knut R. Lie - Drums & Percussion, Svein Rönning - Guitar & Keyboards, Lasse Nilsen - Guitar and Geir Jahren - Lead Vocals & Harmonica. From track 10 to 13: Bernt Bodahl - Bass, Halvdan Nedrejord - Keyboards, Willy Bendiksen - Drums, John Hesla - Guitar, Flute & Vocal and Geir Jahren - Lead Vocals & Harmoinica. Excellent and indispensable work, highly recommendable... (Comments By Sergio Motta)

03/21/2004.......................,.....Interested to know more about the Band? Visit PROGROCK NORWEGIAN HOME PAGE...

RIVERA/BOMMA - "Invisible Force"
Rod Rivera (influences are: Ritchie Blackmore, Deep Purple, Rainbow, Michael Schenker, UFO, Carlos Santana). and Johnny Bomma (guitar and vocals where the influences are: Ronnie James Dio (Rainbow, Black Sabbath) Steve perry (Journey), Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden) and of course "The King") formed the band in 2000, having recorded this first cd in 2001 with the helpful work of Edward Faust in drums, Sean Faust in keys and Dave Incognito in bass. It's is a good piece of hard rock, when they relate their experiences and life and their love for Jesus Christ and God. Good rock songs like "Victory", "Tarot Reader" (sounds like Deep Purple, with the Hammond, oh... I like this organ), the 5 piece "Eclectic" suite (the best moment ih the cd, with some rock and progressive parts), the 70's rock "No Win Situation" and the pop-rock present in "Hold On" make this record special for who likes a very well done hard rock, doesn't matter your religion or something else. You get a bonus track (a beauitiful acoustic "Cry of Love") to close this masterpiece. They are working in a new cd, to be released soon. I think they will rock the house! The musicians are: Rod Rivera - Guitars, Johnny Bomma - Vocals, Mizael "Taz" Robles - Live Bass Player and Steven D. Riker - Live Drummer. (Comments by Rafael Carnovale)

04/18/2004.................................Is there.an interested to know more about them? Visit RIVERA/BOMMA HOME PAGE...

MEYVN - "Introduction Demo Cd"
Meyvn formed in the summer of 2003. Guitarist Drew Creel and keyboardist Charles Shultz, both previously of the band Divine Ruins, decided to start a band that combined the technical, "progressive" metal sound with memorable hooks and a passion for unconventional sounds and ideas. Drummer Brad Olson joined the group after answering an ad in the newspaper and bassist Ken Liao joined soon after. After searching high and low for a vocalist, the band received a call from Richard Clark in respone to their newspaper ad, and turned out to be a perfect fit. This band from Pasadena, leaded by Jeremy Wu, like a lot the prog-metal made by "Dream Theater" and their side-projects (Transatlantic, Playtplus...). So this demo CD is a 3 song compilation of pure progressive metal. "Revolution", "Last Rites" and "Cadence" shows a great keyboard oriented band, with some strong riffs in the 3rd song, but more progressive than heavier. They do a great job, althoug I would like to hear something different, with some vocals for example. It's not a bad CD, you can believe. This band works well and knows how to do great progressive suites with heavy elements, but it seems a lot with many bands we can hear in the scene today. More work can be a good idea, more ideas can make a best work. Currently, Meyvn is recording songs for their first full length CD and preparing to play shows all over Texas. Meyvn's first demo! Introduction was recorded on a mobile Pro Tools setup in Meyvn's practice room. The songs turned out well, especially considering that all the engineering and mixing was done by the band. The members on the band are: Drew Creel - Guitar, Brad Olson - Drums, Ken Liao - Bass and Richard Clark - Vocals. Go for it Meyvn!! (Comments by Rafael Carnovale)

04/18/2004...................................................,.....Interested to know more about the Band? Visit MEYVN HOME PAGE...

BLUSHING WELL - "Fragile Human"
Blushing Well is a North-American band, formed in 2002, wants to celebrate the glory of Jesus with a modern rock sound. The Redding Brothes (Heather-Keyboards,Joshua-Vocals,Jeremy-Bass,Jeff and Jared - Guitars) with the helpful work of Brad Cole on Drums and Brad Shelton and Brent Sanders as special guests in Drums and Bass, reborn the grunge from 90's from Seattle with extreme hability. They Believe: God is a person, eternally existing as trinity in unity -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit -- three persons, yet One God, Creator, Sustainer, and Ruler of Heaven and earth. Inexpressible in His glory and fearfully wonderful in His holiness. "Impressionable", "Safe" and the 70's hard "Rescue" remind our minds to Alice in Chains (with good vocal duets) and slow hard songs like "Rest" and the strong "Freedom I Need" (a sweet piece of southern-rock) are the best moments of this great cd. I have to tell you that i don't like the grunge style, but the personality of this talentous band have sounded very good to me. Great Riffs, a good work on the drums and bass, and the correct use of keys make this CD something special. Blushing Well are: Joshua Redding - Vocals and Programming, Jared Redding - Guitars, Jeff Redding - Guitars, Jeremy Redding - Bass, Heather Redding - Keyboards and Brad Cole - Drums. Good luck Boys!!!... (Comments by Rafael Carnovale)

04/18/2004..................................................................More about them please go to BLUSHING WELL HOME PAGE...

SONIQ THEATER - "A Second of Action"
Alfred Muller born in 1962, taking organ lessons since the age of 12 and first synthesizer when he was 17. At the age of 18 he had his first band. Played in bands of different styles, in 1992 he won the rock-contest Headliner in Germany with his band Rachel’s Birthday, in 1998 he received the Award First Class from the Preston University for his compositions 1999 start his actual project. Soniq Theater is a one-man band, presenting a mixture of progressive styles, mainly Symphonic Progressive Rock with elements of metal, electronic and classical music, jazz, world music and traces of other styles. As it is a one-man-project, the music only exists on CDR’s and is not planned to be played live. Alfred Muller is a great musician from Germany and a rock workaholic, with so many bands and projects. He formed the one-man-band Soniq Theater in 1999, with his influences of progressive rock as "Pink Floyd", "Genesis" and "Yes". Having released three CDR's (YEAH! the band will not record something in a CD, because Alfred has no plans to play live), this great work, from 2002 brings all the prog-metal fans want: great keys, great mid-tempo songs, and an impressive guitar working. Songs like "The Gold Rush", the eletronic "Elephant Race" the Dream Theater influenced "Centaurus" and the Sweet "Transsiberian Road" make this album a piece of gold to hear if you like progressive bands or new wave. Another great moment is the heavies "Halcyon Days" and "Gulliver's Travel's" (this one could be in a movie). Alfred still createad a beatiful song for the victims of the September 11th, the progressive "Phoenix". Good Job, Alfred. We'll be waiting for a new one. Why don't you play this live? "A Second of Action" Music composed, performed, produced, recorded and mixed by Alfred Mueller. Alfred Mueller uses a midi-system, contsisting of: Ensoniq TS10 as a masterkeyboard, Ensoniq EPS sampler, Yamaha SY85 Synthesizer, Roland JV1080 soundmodule, EMU Vintage Keys and EMU Orbit soundmodules, Alesis DM5 drummodule. Effect processors: Digitec Studioquad Multieffectprocessor, Alesis Microverb III, Ibanez SDR1000 Digital Reverb and Deltalab Effectron I Digital Delay. Tascam 788 8-track harddisc recorder Mixing console: Behringer Eurorack MX2802 and Sony DAT-Recorder. Brilliant and indispensable work, highly recommendable... (Comments by Rafael Carnovale)

04/25/2004............................,.....Interested to know more about the this project? Visit SONIQ THEATER HOME PAGE...

FLIGHT09 - "Forbidden Lullabies"
Flight 09 was formed in 1986 in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan (formerly USSR). Since 1986 they have played exclusively Progressive Metal. Recently however, they were forced to return to their proto-progressive Hard Rock roots due to the unpopularity of complex music in their hometown (unlike Samarkand, for instance). Now Flight 09 is very proud to announce their new work, titled "Forbidden Lullabies", released by the US' Neurosis Records label and managed by the well-known guitarist/ composer "Rick Ray". Flight 09 has a special touch in their music, they know how to create a special Progressive Rock using some musical feelings from "USA" Hard Rock style, decorated around European Classic Rock, also including Melodic Rock parts and Symphonic elements, everything together but with different ways, some time they play a magic symphonic instrumental moments and, in other parts using classics and hard instrumetal passages. The main highlights are the amazing guitars sounds with tastier´s solos, where they demonstrate their potential into their music, also the heavy drums sounds go on in typical bands around the years 80 but some times blend more modern passages, completing with exceptional and powerful vocals, the singer lay down over the music an inspired voice, giving a special effect to the music. Even though it is difficult to compare their musical style with other bands, but Flight09 could be classified as a modern Progressive Hard Rock band. "Forbidden Lullabies" album was released by "Neurosis Records" and Starless Records (for Russia, etc.). All music & lyrics by I.Savitch, Produced by Progressor, Engineered by Flight 09, Cover artwork by Vladimir Finkilstein and Booklet design by Vlaclmir Impaler. Eight tracks and almost 50min for the best and amazing songs. A special and particular attention to and my favourite songs are: "You Got My Love", "Look Around", "Something´s Wrong", "Both To Be Alone" (Is the best), "Shade" and "In The Darkness". The musicians on Flight09 are: Igor Savitch - Guitars, Keyboards, Lead Vocals, Constantine Savitch - Bass, Backing Vocals and Art Piyanzin - Drums, Backing Vocals. Brilliant and indispensable work, highly recommendable... (Comments by Carlos Vaz)

04/25/2004.................................................,Interested to know more about the Band? Go to FLIGHT09 HOME PAGE...

SIX-FING THING - "Self-portrait As A Venerable Shrub’"
It’s quite interesting to listen to an album whose style is almost unique, revealing a strong character of a musician or even a band, that just want to get rid of the daily sameness and express your musical view thru a different way without worrying about any musical trend given to his art. This is Six-Fing Thing, which is led by the texas’ multi-instrumentalist James Cobb. The album in question is called ‘’Self-portrait As a Venerable Shrub’’ released in the year of 2002, and whose musical direction is a bit hard in fact to find similar due to the strong desire of its performer in crossing a lot of sounding borders, thus affording the listener the possibility of coming along, and see how far we can go through his fertile musical knowledge. To be honest, I was not able to understand it at first listening, however, after having another try even more carefully than before, I could finally latch onto the real sense of the album, and appreciate it as it is indeed, even being a little bit different from what I’m generally used to listening to on my daily prog auctions’. ‘’Self-portrait As a Venerable Shrub’’ is really far from following any familiar tendency, nevertheless it doesn’t really dim its shine at all, mainly because that must be the most probably intention of his performer, following his own way without looking back to see what was done already by the others. Musically, the album is presented under diverse interplays, mostly between the keyboards as moog, mellotron, piano; And also, it is quite possible to find a lot of stunning interventions of flute, vibraphone, saxophone, and clarinet, besides being plenty of horns too. I would further say it is also possible to find some percussion instruments over the tracks as well. At times some of the songs even seem to verge upon a most familiar musical direction, reminding me of any other progressive rock act, but some of the constant rhythmic changes soon rush forward, and again the introspection flows out, returning to the same starting-point, and the very same originality as well. In spite of all this sonority seemingly disharmonized, the album really took a hold on me, keeping it in fact a shine of its own. However I would say ‘’Self-portrait As a Venerable Shrub’’ is mostly recommended for that kind of listener who is not attached to any familiar prog trend, but that listener who is often attentive to the most inovative musical projects. As I told previously, it is hard to describe the sonority of the music proposed by this band, otherwise, I can surely say the James Cobb’s musical view trends toward an avant garde direction, and as I use to be loyal to my convictions, I better believe in what I have said ever since. ‘’Self-portrait As a Venerable shrub’’ consists of 9 tracks rather long whose longer song is 16:40 and the shortest one is just an introduction of 1:51, and the total timing of the album is 69 minutes. The line-up of Six-Fing Thing in this work consists of the following musicians: James Cobb - Alto, Soprano, Baritone, Bamboo Saxes, Maui xaphon, Chalumeau, Clarinet, Flutes, Guitar, Vocal, Keyboard and Drum programming, James H. Sidlo - Guitars and Cello, Gabe Herrera - Drums, Johnny Rodriguez - Vocals, Keyboards, Handclaps, Russel Hoke - Banjo and Vocals, Forrest Cobb - Vocal and Bobdog Catlin - udu and vocal. (Comments By Sergio Motta)

05/02/2004.....................................,.....Interested to know more about the Band? Visit SIX-FING THING HOME PAGE...

TRUSTIES - "We Just Want to Rule the World"
Trusties is a Irish band and was founded sometime around 1989 by Marko Oikarinen and Matti Ylilauri, who wanted to create minimalistic acoustic rock music where for the first few years the instrumentation of the group consisted of two acoustic guitars, percussion and vocals, the 3rd person in the line-up was at first Juha Lintunen, soon replaced by Mika Kamula. Until 1994 Trusties had released 3 tapes with almost 3 hours of original music, and played over 100 gigs. Late 1994 Ville Veijalainen replaced Mika Kamula, and the group immeadetly started recording their first CD, "Growing Smaller", which was released in 1997. In 1998 it was time to start to record the next album. This time they wanted to use a wider range of expressions & sounds than previously. The core line-up was still the same, but they extended the instrumentation quite dramatically, as they started to use drums, electric guitars and keyboards. The wide palette of acoustic instruments and vocal harmonies were not abandoned, and the result was music, which combined many styles and influences in totally new ways. To be able to perform the new material live, and to explore new musical directions, a fourth member was added to the line-up in 2001. Ari Sutinen , the guitarist from another Oulu-based prog-band Aquaplan, joined in and the group made many gigs in this four-man format. Trusties is not in fact an original Progressive Rock band like "Genesis", "Pink Floyd" or being able to be like "Yes", it would not be correct to make comparisons with these bands. Their music oscillates between influences starting around the Art Rock with some ideas of Irish Folk, adding Hard Rock and Classic Rock elements, also blending some melodic and Heavy Progressive textures and finally they use some rhythmic balances around the drums. But you do not have to deceive yourself, because we can find important highlights on this band and, one of them is the capability to change the instrumental arrangements all time, creating different musical directions on the songs, some of them starting very soft and melodic, almost symphonic and, at the same time acoustic, basically the acoustic guitars, basses and percussions dominate almost all songs, although some times they change a little for a hard instrumental. For one better indication, Trusties has some similar musical feelings with: "Pink Floyd", "Crosby Stills Nash & Young", "Gentle Giant", "Anthony Phillips", "The Beatles"..."We Just Want to Rule the World" was recorded and mixed between early '98 to 2003 in Oulu, Finland. All songs written, arranged, performed, produced and engineered by Trusties. The CD contain 13 songs ranging from a minute and a half to over ten minutes. A special and particular attention to and my favourite songs are: "Overture", "Universe's End", "Your God", "Messages", "The Ultimate Decision", "A Different White", "In the Forest" and "Everything". The musicians on Trusties are: Ville Veijalainen - Bass, Keyboards, Backing Vocals and Clarinet, Matti Ylilauri - Lead Vocals and Percussion, Marko Oikarinen - Electric & Acoustic Guitars, Backing Vocals, Keyboards, Percussion and Drums, Ari Sutinen - Electric guitar and Janne Ervelius - Drums. Brilliant and indispensable work, highly recommendable... (Comments by Carlos Vaz)

05/02/2004..............................................,.....Interested to know more about the Band? Visit TRUSTIES HOME PAGE...

DEIN SCHATTEN - "Das Ewige Elis"
I really think mr Bornzero (the Brainstorm behind Dein Schatten from Germany) is a great fan of Rammstein. This cd is a pure industrial piece of action. Totally sung in deutsch, is a great tune for fans of Depeche Mode ("Dein Schatten" and "Das Tier") and fans of atmospherical music ("Free" is a trip behind our mind and "Tranen Der Sleele" is a soundtrack to your darkiest dreams, or nightmares if you want). Some people can see some elements used by some black metal bands like the eletronical effects of "Gester in Mir" (The Kovenant used a lot of this in their recent cd) and the use of more eletrical guitars in the curiosly named "Wah Wah" (I think Mr. Satriani could have written this one). It is a difficult cd to hear, because it shots in a lot of styles, and some shots worked very well, so.... if you want something very different for industrial and eletronic songs, here's your choice, go into Dein Schatten... (Comments by Rafael Carnovale)

05/02/2004.....................................,.....Interested to know more about the Band? Visit DEIN SCHATTEN HOME PAGE...

ODESSA - "Stazione Getsemani"
Speaking about the current italian progressive rock scene is surely as exciting to me as it were probably for those who formerly used to write as well some articles about this musical style on its very golden era; that occasion stunning bands like Le Orme, PFM, Goblin, Ibis, Il Balleto di Bronzo between others were just beginning to show the world how powerful and respectable that scene should really be from that very moment on; Decades went by and all the seeds are grown, and one of the fruits is a fine quartet called Odessa that really came to follow the steps once trodden by its masters and create a music of the very same excellence. The album to be spoken about now is called ‘’Stazione Getsemani’’ issued by Mellow Records in 1999, which I’m sure it hit the market such as a gift for those overall, who have never renounced their affection for that old sonority once eternized mainly by the captivating sound of the old harmmond organ, which have for ages become a real characteristic of the large majority of italian bands, therefore it seems to me that Odessa’s mainly goal is actually to give sequence to such a tradition, keeping themselves always faithful to their roots; this way ‘’Stazione Getsemani’’ easily becomes that kind of album that can never cover up its origin. The album consists of 9 beautiful tracks, most of them energically performed, at times verging upon a slight jazzy touch in a song or another, but it keeps itself quite faithful overall to its real progressive direction. Also, another important point to be mentioned concerning the album, the songs are all sung in their native language, thus turning this work into a very original one and much more interesting too, seen that this language fits quite well to progressive music. As it generally takes place as well to the most of the italian bands, some corking flute interventions were also introduced to the album, brightening it up quite a lot. Definitely, listening to Odessa’s music is such as a splendid return to the glorious past of italian progressive scene, and who knows this is just the start! Although Odessa makes use of some old instruments as the Harmmond oregan for instance, the band really walks on its own legs, having its way well paved upon all its compositions, otherwise, as the band members come from a very influential country on the sphere of progressive rock music, no wonder if you happen to listen to one song or another that may sound a bit familiar to your ears, that’s quite possible, seen that these boys probably grew up by listening to the greatest progressive rock bands from its country over all these years, so it happened to me, upon listening to one of its songs whose title is ‘’Caronte’’ I could swiftly remember that piece was a bit familiar to me, mainly due to the splendid harmmond organ passages, and the old italian progressive rock band L’uovo Di Colombo was surely its stronger inspiaration overall, nothing bad at all. Odessa’s music is surely going to enchant the listeners who are fond of italian progressive rock scene, mainly those who are still attached to the bands of the stately 70’s. ‘’Stazione Getsemani’’ features the following musicians: Lorenzo Giovagnoli - Vocals & Keyboards, Boris Bartoletti - Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Valerio de Angelis - Bass, Federico Folonzi - Drums, also, Gianluca Milanese as a guest on the Flute. This album is highly recommendable! (Comments By Sergio Motta)

06/06/2004.........................,.....Interested to know more about this fantastic Italian Band? Visit ODESSA HOME PAGE...

KALO - "Spiral Dream"
Love at first listening! this is the way I truly ought to refer myself toward this thundering surprise coming straight from Japan, that hit me last week, and really freaked me out. The band name is Kalo, and the album, which is its debut calls ‘’Spiral Dream’’. This project was previously accomplished some 20 years ago by the skilful multi-instrumentalist Masahiro Uemura, born in Osaka in the year of 1963, and who began playing the guitars at sixteen; Also, by the female vocalist Miori Naritomi, among other musicians not mentioned namely. Meanwhile Uemura was actively involved with other two successful bands as IO and Fairy, whose both bands, released an only album each ‘’Glass Castle’’ and ‘’Hisperia’’. In 2001 Uemura and Miori Naritomi made up their mind about bringing their sleeping project back to life, and began buckling themselves to it again by re-recording the tracks and also working upon the artwork. Fortunately all this effort resulted in the release of a top-flight album, which sure as shooting I dare to say this album is one of the best releases out in 2004, and I’m sure that I’m not talking through my hat, seen that it has been issued by two renowned record labels, the InterMusic and also Muséa; So that really clinches matter. ‘’Spiral Dream’’ consists of twelve wonderful songs, which only three of them are beautifully performed by Miori Naritomi, who is owner of a crystal clear voice, keeping in fact the very same tradition of the several japanese progressive rock bands that brightly use to opt for having a female singer as their leading vocals, and as usual, the vocals are originally enacted in their native language, which sounds fine indeed. The other remaining songs on the album are purely instrumental, featuring a lot of standout symphonic themes, really able to afford unmeasured delight and emotion to every kind of listener that truly appreciates a good quality music, such as that listener, who is more into the piercing compositions that use to go straight to the heart, by giving vent to the most beautiful feelings often held up inside himself. Since I got this album, it has been on for three times over, and this doesn’t only happen because I’m writing a review about it, the album is captivating in fact and also dynamic, making me realize I may go to the most fascinating spots in the world with no restriction at all. The opening song on the album is simply an epic, whose title is ‘’Dharani’’ that soon features Uemura’s virtuosity in a clear way; obviously giving the listener a hint of what’s just about to come henceforth. Summing it up, the album is musically magnificent on all aspects, not letting at all any true fan of Progressive Rock music indifferent to it, and I’m sure on the long run that everybody is going to come to the same conclusion as I did, seen that the album is performed brillantly by a grade A quartet. The line-up of Kalo consists of the following musicians: Masahiro Uemura - Guitars, Keyboards & Programming, Yan - Bass, Koro Uemura - Drums & percussion and Miori Naritomi - Vocals. ‘’Spiral Dream’’ is highly recommendable! (Comments By Sergio Motta)

06/06/2004......................................................,.....Interested to know more about the Band? Visit KALO HOME PAGE...

CONXIOUS - "Between Arrival and Departure"
ConXious is an Austrian band and was born around 1991, with three more or less experienced musicians start a band-kind-of-thing, not really knowing, which way to go. Inspired by very different kind of stiles and bands like "Dire Straits", "Santana, "Al DiMeola" and "Bob Dylan" (no hard stuff yet), their music becomes a mixture of these influences. In 1994 a new musician takes over the bass-guitar. The band now is called "Brainstorm". 1996 was the year where Max Kainz (guitars) and Clemens Faerber (vocals) join. With them, everything gets more and more professional and for the next years Brainstorm plays in almost every location in Vienna. Their music evolves more and more to a very individual kind of Progressive Hard-Rock. After the first work, a new name was found, more fitting to their progressive style: "Mindgallery". Then Clemens Faerber (vocals) leaves the band and Max takes the challenge of singing and playing guitar. They begin with the work on "Portraits ... " In 2000 "Portraits" was released in march. Due to the fact, that there was another Prog-band from Canada called Mind Gallery again they change their name into ConXious, In that time, Max and Ina leave the band. At a "Yngwie Malmsteen" concert a conversation between a maniac-headbanger and Alexander starts with the legendary words: Do you play bass? Victor Gabriel joins the band, which adds even more virtuosity and wild live-performance to the band. Around 2002 ConXious are: Alex Ranic Dimoski, Alexander Ghezzo, Victor Gabriel and Michael Ghezzo, with this line up the work on the new album "Between Arrival and Departure" begins, and it was released in the end of 2003. ConXious is a new name around musical scene at the present time. A Progressive Metal made by up four young talented musicians, who know how to represent the honest, elegant and traditional Progressive Metal style. However, we can hear some connections with the traditional Heavy Metal also. The band create strong compositions using special musical ingredients, stuffed with many speed guitars lines including hard riffs, combined with a heavy drums sounds, vocals and bass complements with a special cover to the songs. ConXious can be considered as an innovative, atmospheric and heavy band with style and influences around of legendery bands such as "Queensryche", "Fates Warning", "Running Wild", "Accept", "Thin Lizzy" and "Dream Theater". "Between Arrival and Departure" is the second release, the first one was published under the band´s name "Mindgallery". All songs and lyrics by Alexander Ghezzo, including twelve tracks. A special and particular attention to and my favourite songs are: "How Could You", "Don't Fear The Dark", "Manifested Lies", "Turn Around", "Too Many Times", "Since Winter '72" and "The Departure". The musicians on th band are: Alex Ghezzo - Guitar, Victor Gabriel - Bass, Michael Ghezzo - Drums and Albert Leibel - Vocals. Get the new experience of Progressive Metal to your home. Excellent and indispensable work, highly recommendable... (Comments by Carlos Vaz)

06/13/2004...............You was curious in knowing more about this band? Then, please visit CONXIOUS HOME PAGE...

NAILED - "A Face to Hide the Show"
Nailed, is the brainchild project of Hank (Rain) Irving, who in the past formed his first metal Band "Seventh Gate". Lead vocalist for Magna Carta/Roadrunner recording artist "Altura". The actual concept of Nailed was developed years before it would ever surface as a recording act. Hank had always been a major fan of extremely heavy metal music and wished for the opportunity to begin writing and developing a side project that would be extremely heavy, as well as, melodic. Time, however, was not so easy to come by. It would be years before he would be able to get his side-project off the ground. The summer of 2003 provided Hank with the time he needed to begin writing the music that would eventually become Nailed. Upon searching for members to write and record with, Hank continually ran into brick walls. Frank from Altura, Brian Cox from Aether, and Jamie Holt were those that Hank looked to recruit for the project, however, it seemed that time was not just hard for Hank to come by, but for Frank, Jamie, and Brian to come by as well. After coming to the conclusion that he would have to begin the project alone, Hank began to fashion the idea of writing and recording each individual instrument. This idea, considered ridiculous by some, turned out to be the greatest of creative avenues for Hank. While writing and recording in his home studio, Hank began to craft the sound of what was to become a progressive metal masterpiece. Firmly entrenched in big brother Alturas' progressive and often-syncopated styling's, Nailed maintains more of a bruising rhythmic structure, while at the same time, incorporating odd time signatures over dark and beautiful melodies. Aside from the obvious heavy musical and technical prowess of Nailed, the lyrics go against the grain of everyday metal. Instead of perpetuating the negative, Nailed's lyrics accentuate the positive, while at the same time, remind the listeners to maintain a heightened awareness of the dark side. Nailed is, a perfect blend of different ways of metal rock, filled with a variety of all styles where the Power Metal - meets Classical Rock - meets - Epic Metal - meets - Symphonic Metal - meets - Metal - meets - Progressive Metal - meets Progressive Rock - meets - Melodic Metal, in fact Irving uses a varied compositions, in what refers all styles, leaving behind all new and old musical parameters. The main highlights on this progect are the quitars works, where Irving shows his versatility and also skills with distorted metal guitars solos that really gives the music a special shine, vocals, keyboards and all other instruments into the compositions are full of explorations, disclosing an extreme maturity and talent. Hank Irving wants to play music that is sincere and meaningful, not a specific style but an universal music. "A Face to Hide the Show" chronicles a personal journey. This journey is one in which our subject seeks strength, not only through friends and family, but through growing in his spirituality as well. This record is a collection of experiences that range from falling down numerous times to being utterly disgusted at those who do the same. The idea that "what often disgusts us the most, we are guilty of ourselves" is the driving inspiration behind "A Face To Hide The Show". The album contains ten tracks and was released on February 17, 2004. A special and particular attention to and my favourite songs are: "My Necessity", "Seas Of Empitness", "Its What it Seems", "Nailed", "So Far" and "Because Of You". The main musician on Nailed is: Hank Irving - Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Keyboards, and Drums. Brilliant and indispensable work, highly recommendable to all Progressive Metal fans... (Comments by Carlos Vaz)

06/13/2004.............Would you like to have more informations about this musician? Then, visit NAILED HOME PAGE...

ALAN WILLIAMSON - "Another Kind Of World"
Alan Williamson is a first class guitar player with over 16 years experience of playing the guitar, he has performed with a number of local top class bands and is currently working with the band "Tyla Gang" In the studio and on the road. A tour of the U.K will be going ahead at the end of 2003 followed by a tour of Europe in March of 2004 and 10 dates in Sanfrancisco at the end of 2004. Alan Williamson is highly trained in the Electric, Classical and Acoustic guitar, has a qualification in the "Music business" and as a "recording engineer". He teaches students privately, at Schools, Seminars & Workshops and at the "Hartlepool recording studios" working with the Teesside Tertiary College, taking students through a "National BTEC in Popular music" and will be giving lectures in the near future on music in general. He is also a member of the musicians union and therfore offers only the very best in tuition, session playing and performing. Alan Williamson will also feature on the "Jools Holland" show at the end of the year 2004 with the "Tyla Gang". Alan Williamson is also working with his own outfit playing and recording his own material. What can I write about this musician? I can write some words and many adjectives as: exceptional musician, amazing guitar player, fantastic, incredible, exciting and energetic music... but I want to say, all written adjectives here are true. Alan is more than a guitar player or, more than a guitar teacher, I could say that it is a magician of the guitars, his music has a powerful atmosphere and, his influences and their musical inspirations comes from around styles as Classic Rock, Progressive Rock, Melodic Metal and Progressive Metal, he uses his musical technical abilities, creating fantastic solos that leave from his guitars, adorned with amazing keyboards, drums and bass sounds. Sometimes the rhythm guitars indicate Progressive Metal, but in otherwise indicate Progressive Rock. There is no comparison with other famous guitar players, but we can say that Alan studied at the same school of "Steve Vai", "Satriane", "Marty Friedman"... More one thing to tell: Alan, please on the next CD add more songs and "long" tracks, we will be waiting for next work. "Another Kind Of World" was recorded between February - April At "Another Kind Of World" Studios Hartlepool 2001, including six tracks. Engineered and Produced By Alan Williamson. All Music Written & Arranged By Alan Williamson. A special and particular attention to and my favourite songs are: "Wheels In Motion", "Another Kind Of World Pt I", "Another Kind Of World Pt II" and "Fictional Reality". The Alan´s band comprises: Alan Williamson - Lead, Rhythm, Classical, Acoustic Guitars, Bass, Drums & Keyboard Programming, Ken Ward - Drums and Darren Croft - Rhythm Guitars. Brilliant and indispensable work, highly recommendable... (Comments by Carlos Vaz)

06/13/2004......................Interested to know more about this great musician? Visit ALAN WILLIAMSON HOME PAGE...

THE AMBER LIGHT - "Goodbye to Dusk, Farewell to Dawn"
From Germany to the world. The Amber Light was formed at first by Lous Gabbiani, Jan Sydow and Rabin Dasgupta on the very threshold of this decade, and soon being together they began developing their own ideas concerning their music, besides being working upon some self-composed pieces since then. After performing along with some guest musicians, all drummers, Peter Ederer was finally teamed up in the year of 2001, and upon the following year The Amber Light got already a 4-track EP on its credit, whose title was ‘’As They Came They Slightly Disappeared’’, which was warmly received by those who had the opportunity of knowing it, and from that moment forth the band decided to go ahead, and show although the road was long, but not quite impossible to reach there, and after persevering a lot indeed, the result is really this fine album called ‘’Goodbye to Dusk, Farewell to Dawn’’, that I’m now having the pleasure of listening to it. This such expected full-length album was released officially on late February 16th, and it consists of 8 beautiful songs, where most of them are rather long, and always expressed with a lot of sentiment while being performed slowly, however such a calmness is briefly changed into storm at every change on the rhythm session, making anyone of us to wake up from a wink; Thus, on familiarizing a bit more to the album, I could see the band really attempts to make that, calmness and storm to walk together, such as a living characteristic of the band itself. And as mentioned above, all the songs on the album are enacted with a lot of sentiment by Louis Gabbiani, making of his crystal clear voice one of the most important predicates in his band. And although most of the songs are sung in englsih, in a jiffy I could perceive that one of the them was not being sung in that language, but spanish I guess. So far I would say that The Amber Light, along with "Alias Eye" are two united forces, and worth being the most illustrious representatives of the current german progressive rock scene. ‘’Goodbye to Dusk, Farewell to Dawn’’ is quite a fine album, and I’m sure it will be welcomed by the fans of Landberk overall, seen that the music proposed by both can properly speak the same language upon some aspects, as the junction between serenity and strength on most of their pieces for instance, moreover such Louis Babbiani as Patric Helje are quite alike when enacting themes that demand such a melancholic behaviour with a view to elucidate a bit more their art. The Amber Light line-up consists of the following musicians: Louis Gabbiani - Vocals, Keyboards & Guitar, Rabin Dasgupta - Bass, Jan Sydow - Guitar and Peter Ederer Drums. ‘’Goodbye to Dusk, Farewell to Dawn’’ is highly recommendable!... (Comments By Sergio Motta)

06/20/2004.................................,.....Interested to know more about the Band? Visit THE AMBER LIGHT HOME PAGE...

NELKO KOLAROV - "The Day of Wrath"
Again the doors of bulgarian progressive rock scene are opened by the "UBP International Records", that has faithfully trusted in their countrymen’s art, and decided splendidly to spread it all around the world. Thus, not only giving us the opportunity of appreciaiting the music of their country, but also helping us widen our musical knowledge. Lucky guys we are in fact for having access to such releases. The album in question here is called ‘’The Day of Wrath’’ by the bulgarian composer, conductor and keyboard player Nelko Kolarov, born in Varna in the year of 1959, who graduated from bulgarian state conservatory in Sofia, in orchestra conducting specialty in the year of 1985, and became afterwards the conductor of Varna Philharmony. One of Nelko kolarov’s most successful projects on progressive music sphere was along with Nikolo Kotzev’s rock opera ‘’Nostradamus’’ that resulted in an album released by SPV Records in the year of 2001. The ‘’The Day of Wrath’’ album, of which I’m now writing about, is the first Nelko Kolarov’s solo project, which consists of eleven tracks, where its total timing is 57 minutes. The album is richly performed by six gifted musicians, one of them is the guitar player Ivan Lechev ex-FSB member, quite a familiar band on progressive rock scene. The music proposed by Nelko Kolarov is best denominated as a Prog-Metal, always emphasizing complex themes, that often demand talent, and also a very diversified musical experience, that surely culminates in somewhat really fair, so this is the very outcome of this album. Nelko Kolarov and his band-mates have surely originated a fine work, that speaks fairly the real language of a high-grade music, through a very well-elaborated work overall, where even its heavier scales are able to transcend the listener to the most distant spheres, and I must really say this is not an easy task for a musical direction that goes halfway between tenderness and rowdiness, so this is the most intriguing stuff, and captivating too. Some of the heavier guitar riffs even remind me of something formerly heard already, sometime in the 80’s I suppose. Concerning some of the songs performed by the vocalist Ognian Tsolov for instance, he reminded me at times of Jeff Scott Soto’s performance, not on the whole album obviously, but in a song or another, and in this case specifically, it should be even amazing to see Jeff Scott Soto singing in the Bulgaria’s native language; At all events, jokking apart, I must take the vocals in fact as an essential point on the development of such a fine work. And just to close this review, I would like very much to congratulate Nelko Kolarov, not only upon his incontestable talent, but also upon his humbleness overall, for never exposing any sort of selfishness or unecessary exhibitionism on his album, thus giving his band-mates a fair opportunity to show their talent; Moreover he also showed through such an attitude a meritous respect for all those who followed up with him in his musical project; Therefore according to my slant, listening to ‘’The Day of Wrath’’ doesn’t only mean to listen to an album by Nelko Kolarov solely, but a band, whose founding father is Nelko Kolarov himself, of course. The musicians who accomplished this project are: Nelko Kolarov - Keyboards, Ivan Lechev - Guitar, Ognian Tsolov - Vocals, Dimitr Dimitrov - Bass, Konstantin Djambazov - Guitar) and Orlin Radinski - Drums. This album is highly recommendable! (Comments By Sergio Motta)

06/27/2004............,.....Interested to know more about this Bulgarian Musician? Visit NELKO KOLAROV HOME PAGE...

HIDRIA SPACEFOLK - "Symbiosis"
As good as the british masters! That’s the way I found to describe one of the most interesting bands that I have happened to know upon these last two months, whose music is both, pretty and daring. And this is a band, that could well have become almost the pioneer on such a musical proposal if their members were born straight before their masters. The band in question here calls Hidria Spacefolk, which was formed in Finland, most specifically in Hiidenlinna Community in the very end of the last decade, and although they are rather unknown to the most fans of Progressive Rock, I can securely say this band really shake up the masses through their lively music. Well, the band story is rather as follows, after performing numberless jam sessions on Hiidenlinna wintertime, the promising boys decided to drop the rehearsal room to climb the stage, where a lot of gigs took place in fact; At the same time otherwise, the finn boys were also joining forces to begin recording their debut, which originated a five-track EP as the result of their primary endeavour; nevertheless this nearly home-made release became the open door for the band’s progress, that were shortly after taken by their fans to the highest top for the brillant choice of such a musical direction to follow, whose style is strongly supported ever since by the british masters as "Hawkwind" and "Ozric Tentacles", and in this case, I personally take the Hidria Spacefolk’s musicianship closer to "Ozric Tentacles" than "Hawkwind", except upon the space synths tapestry, though. After releasing their first EP, that was called intimately as ‘’HDRSF-1’’, the band came even so to release another resultful remix material under the title of ‘’Violently Hippy’’ , whose release only took place in Finland, thus becoming a rare material. Finally in August of 2002, a full-length album by the band saw the light, and its title is ‘’Symbiosis’’, of which I’m referring right now on this review. ‘’Symbiosis’’ was released by a small local company called Silence. The album consists of nine exciting tracks, full of beauty and energy from the very start to the end, a real find in fact for every fan of Ozric Tentacles overall. And I personally daresay this band is the closest parallel that I have had already the opportunity to know until then. The total timing of the album is approx 60 minutes, and the music proposed by this great band is basically instrumental, however it’s possible to find some very infrequent vocals performed by male and female in a song or another, and this really happens very sporadically, whereas the band have mostly concentrated their strength on their portly instrumental base, seen that their music is plenty of unusual instruments as mandolin, sitar, jawharp between others; Besides being of course, chocke-full of flutes, synths, organ and guitars. Due to it all, I may only say the Hidria Spacefolk’s music is simply captivating on many aspects, seen that it is well-performed, and richly diversified; how so? diversified into its own context of course, on that has given this band the very status as being almost a self-styled one, and I just say ‘’almost’’, seen that bands like Hawkwind and "Ozric Tentacles" came ahead of them with such a musical proposal, and when I say diversified, I say that, seen that such as "Ozric Tentacles" for instance, the personnel of the Hidria Spacefolk also appreciate crossing a lot of musical borders, and much of their experiment is obviously introduced to their songs, thus making this band also a referential anyway, mainly for those who will come from now on, such as Ozric Tentacles have probably been one day to these gifted finn boys anyway. If you are that kind of listener who’s always in search of somewhat new and daring, whose human being is often challenging