Mini review

British guitarist Dave Brons released ‘Based on a True Story’, his instrumental debut album, in 2015. Since then, his music has evolved. Uilleann pipes and Irish flutes feature prominently. Add string instruments and the brass section, and you get rich, complex music. His inspiration comes from Tolkien’s ‘Lord of the Rings’, among others. After three … Read more, available in English and Dutch

English alternative metal band Raze combines grooves from modern metal with 1990s raw grunge, among other things. Their debut album ‘Pyrography’ (2023) was appreciated by fans as well as critics. Their tour was followed by a one-of-a-kind acoustic show featuring reworked versions of ‘Pyrography’. A string section and an orchestral percussionist joined the band on … Read more, available in English and Dutch

The (gothic) rock band Crippled Black Phoenix celebrates their 20th anniversary with ‘The Wolf Changes Its Fur But Not Its Nature’. CD 1 features songs the band previously released.The quirky ‘Forgotten Who We Are’ is the first track. The atmosphere in ‘You Put The Devil In Me’ is totally different. There is that variation both … Read more, available in English and Dutch

The scattering of leaves is often seen as negative. But actually this is a beginning of a new bloom. Change leads to growth. ‘The Scattering of Leaves’ is a way of thanking those closest to us who shine like stars in the dark, supporting and guiding us.The instrumental opening track is melancholic. The vocal ‘The … Read more, available in English and Dutch

English prog.rock band Ruby Down recently launched their second album, ‘Blood on Water’. The lyrics, for instance, deal with corruption, love, war, and humanity’s position in the universe. But there are also references to classic literature. Their sources of inspiration include Pink Floyd, Porcupine Tree and Massive Attack, so their style is varied. You can … Read more, available in English and Dutch

The album ‘Live On Tour’ was recorded during several concerts (in the spring and summer of 2024). No overdubs have been added, and nothing has been corrected. Most of the songs come from the latest, highly acclaimed album ‘Unchained’. In addition, there are some “old” crowd favourites such as the cover ‘She’s Got The Devil … Read more, available in English and Dutch

Anne-Claire Rallo founded the project Frant1c after the loss of her partner Eric Bouillette (Nine Skies and The Room, among others). The core line-up consists mainly of members of these bands. This debut album is about Charlie and Hope; they are inseparable. Charlie wakes up alone in a different, devastated world. During his search for … Read more, available in English and Dutch

‘In the face of the unknown’ is the fourth album by Canadian band Huis. The band plays a mix of melodic rock, AOR and Progressive Rock. There are no less than four keyboardists, especially they are important for the rich sound and beautiful melodies. As expected, there are a lot of keyboard sounds, in addition … Read more, available in English and Dutch

Canadian prog rock band Kaos Moon was founded by singer/multi-instrumentalist Bernard Ouellette. After 20 years, they have a new album: ‘The Goldfish’. It features several guest musicians, including Jean-François Bélanger on and sitar and nyckelharpa (keyed fiddle). The sound of the latter is a bit like a violin used to play a folk sound.The album … Read more, available in English and Dutch

TheDEEPstate is a musical project by Drifting Suns guitarist Ralph Cardall. Teaming up with James Sedge on drums and percussion, he produces eclectic instrumental and vocal music. ‘Veil’ is (so far) Drifting Sun’s most successful album. ‘Days of Delirium’ is a reissue of this sold-out album. From the opening track, you can already hear that … Read more, available in English and Dutch