Grace and Fire – Elysium

In 2019, André Saint and Aaron Gidney founded the prog/melodic hard rock band Grace and Fire. Bassist Tim Ashton (founder of Galahad) and drummer Graham Brown (Paradox Twin, Cairo) complete the lineup. Their debut album ‘Elysium’ was released in November, but only recently crossed my path. It is actually too late for a review, but … Read more, available in English and Dutch

Magnum – The Monster Roars

The English melodic rock band Magnum exists almost 50 years! Of course, there have been several changes in the line-up, but guitarist Tony Clarkin and singer Bob Catley have been there from the beginning. Their artwork has always looked beautiful. After a number of quite colourful album covers, the artwork of new album, ‘The Monster … Read more, available in English and Dutch

Vendetta Drive – Vendetta Drive

The band members of the blues band Vendetta Drive previously played in other bands. Sometimes bands break up, and a new one is formed. Just like this band from Horst, Limburg (The Netherlands). ‘Move’ is the opening track, but it starts the way a song could have ended, which is already the first surprise. After … Read more, available in English and Dutch

Esther’s top 10 2021

01 – Epica – Omega02 – Dave Bainbridge – To the Far Away03 – Blank Manuskript – Himmelfahrt*04 – 7even Bridges – Million Voices*05 – Ben Poole & Guy Smeets – Acoustic duo live*06 – Swallow the Sun – Moonflowers07 – Franck Carducci – Oddity08 – Nick Fletcher – Cycles of Behaviour *09 – Drifting … Read more, available in English and Dutch

TDW – Fountains

Tom de Wit is a well-known name in the prog metal circuit. He is the man behind the band ‘Dreamwalkers Inc’. Occasionally he releases a solo album under the name of TDW. Early this year, there was the physical release of his personal album ‘The Days The Clock Stopped’. Also with his new album ‘Fountains’ … Read more, available in English and Dutch

Drifting Sun – Forsaken Innocence

Drifting Sun is a studio band from England. Their prog rock contains both atmospheric elements and heavier pieces. Formerly Peter Falconer was the regular singer, he has a remarkable voice, which not everyone appreciated. On their album ‘Planet Junkie’ (2019), there were three guest vocalists. On the latest album ‘Forsaken Innocence’, the Greek Jargon is … Read more, available in English and Dutch

Mostly Autumn – Graveyard Star

The English band Mostly Autumn has been around for about 25 years and it is hard to imagine the prog rock circuit without them. The band consists of seven people, some of them are multi-instrumentalist. The keyboards give this album an atmospheric opening. After a few soft, peculiar sounds, there is a gradual change. The … Read more, available in English and Dutch

Dave Bainbridge – To the Far Away

Dave Bainbridge is mainly known for the folk-prog band IONA, which he co-founded with David Fitzgerald. Dave is not only a composer and multi-instrumentalist, he is also a producer, arranger and sound mixer. Like many other musicians, Dave started composing and recording music during the pandemic. Several guest musicians contributed to the album ‘To the … Read more, available in English and Dutch

Swallow the Sun – Moonflowers

Death-doom metal band Swallow the Sun was formed 21 years ago in Finland.The artwork for ‘Moonflowers’, their new album, is much more special than it seems. Guitarist Juha Raivio painted the moon with his own blood. He added ‘everlasting flowers’ to it. This album was born from deep wounds, which is something Juha doesn’t like … Read more, available in English and Dutch

Karibow- Age of amber 2 cd

Some 25 years ago, singer/multi instrumentalist Oliver Rüsing founded the prog band Karibow. He is enormously productive, Karibow has made (including re-releases) more than 20 albums. The latest album is called ‘Age of Amber’. The lyrics of this double album are inspired by the impact Covid has (had). The artwork (as always) is beautiful again. … Read more, available in English and Dutch