Mini recensie

Törzs is a post-rock band from Hungary. Menedék is the fourth album by this trio. With their experimental rock, they create complex, instrumental songs to which they add shoegaze elements. The calm intro to ‘Egy pillanatban a végtelen’ (‘Infinity in a moment’) is intriguing. The same goes for the rest of the album. Most of … lees verder

‘Högtid’ (2014) is the debut album by Swedish retro prog band Agusa, the re-release of which is out now. With a mix of Scandinavian folk rock and psychedelic influences, they create their own style of music. You can hear the retro right away in ‘Uti vår hage ‘. The music is fittingly joyful in ‘Melodi … lees verder

‘Beyond’ is Moonlight Haze’s fourth studio album. This Italian band makes symphonic, melodic metal. The catchy rhythm, ‘verse-rephrase build-up’ and fairly uncomplicated lyrics make the tracks accessible. The backing vocals are sometimes a bit predictable, but the combination of voices is fine. All songs are in English, with only ‘L’Eco Del Silenzio’ containing a blend … lees verder

Cosmic Cathedral is a new super band. The band members are: vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Neal Morse, dummer Chester Thompson, vocalist/guitarist Phil Keaggy and bassist Byron House. Their debut album ‘Deep Water’ was largely born out of jam sessions. You can hear Christianity in the lyrics, some more clearly than others. Some pieces are sung with a lot … lees verder

Australian composer/multi-instrumentalist Takiaya Reed is a Cherokee woman. She incorporates her indigenous sovereignty, emancipation and experiences into the (instrumental) music of Divide and Dissolve. ‘Insatiable’ is about Takiaya’s vision of a better world. The drumming is droning, her guitar playing sludgy. Especially with her saxophone playing, and all sorts of sound effects, she creates her … lees verder

Avatarium, is a Swedish rock doom/melancholic heavy metal band. ‘Between You, God, The Devil and The Dead’ is their sixth studio album. The release date is scheduled for 24 January. The music is heavier and darker than their recent albums. They combine this with the doom of their debut album.‘Between You, God, The Devil & … lees verder

Robbert Duijf won the European Blues Challenge for bands last year. Robbert plays and sings/tells from the heart, and creates pure, acoustic songs. His music is a mix of delta blues, gospel and a touch of British-American folk. ‘Silver Spoon’ is an old school album with one track recordings and few overdubs. Thus, the pure … lees verder

Italian band Trick or treat mixes happy power metal with classical music and funny, ‘’ghosty‘’ elements. The band has been around for over 20 years, but I had never delved into their music until I became curious about ‘Ghosted’ (due out 25 April). The opening track has sampled sounds, classical music and a slightly spooky … lees verder

Swiss band Kerberos mixes complex orchestral arrangements with death and prog metal. The vocals are also very diverse: classical (choral) vocals, and grunts are alternated/mixed. The songs on the EP ‘Apostle to the Malevolent’ are baroque-inspired. The lyrics, for instance, deal with mental health and trauma’s. In addition, capitalism is criticised. The instrumental ‘Praeludium in … lees verder

‘Blood Dynasty’ is Arch Enemy’s twelfth studio album. After the atmospheric start of ‘Dream Stealer’, the metal (including the grunts of Alissa White-Gluz) erupts. The sudden ending is beautifully tight. ‘Illuminate the Path’ has positive lyrics and a matching, uplifting atmosphere. The music in ‘Presage’ is unexpectedly very calm, I expect much more, but it … lees verder