Muziekrecensies
‘Empty’ is the new album by singer/multi-instrumentalist Kristoffer Gildenlöw.The quiet start of ‘Time To Turn The Page’ touches me immediately. The vocals sound distorted and are sometimes quite sharp and cynical in sound. Suddenly, the tempo and volume of the music are higher, a cynical laugh is heard. The music remains intense, this flows into … Read more, available in English and Dutch
Films, TV series and Iceland inspired ‘In Between’, the debut album by Japanese composer/pianist Emi Nishida. The first tones of ‘Yanse’ are subdued but intense; they touch me immediately. It stays that way also when the cinematic elements are added. The extraordinary sequel is totally different from what was expected. Partly due to the Asian … Read more, available in English and Dutch
Hekz is an international prog rock/metal band, Terra Nova is their fourth album. In a nutshell, this double album is about the personal struggle regarding ambition, duality and personal development. Part one of the title track has a catchy opening. Frontman Matt Young’s voice is less heavy than you might expect in this genre, but … Read more, available in English and Dutch
‘Foxtrot’ is perhaps Genesis’ most beloved album. In honour of the fiftieth anniversary of this album, guitar virtuoso Steve Hackett planned a tour. He was joined by Rob Townsend, Nad Sylvan and Amanda Lehmann, among others. On ‘Foxtrot at Fifty + Hackett Highlights: Live in Brighton’ you will not only hear tracks from the album … Read more, available in English and Dutch
Blank Manuskript is an Art Rock band from Austria. All five band members have a part in vocals. The passion of these multi-instrumentalists can always be heard in their live concerts, as on ‘A Live Document’. This album was recorded last year during Night of the Prog – Loreley The tender singing of ‘Foetus’ is … Read more, available in English and Dutch
Irish progressive rock band M-Opus drew inspiration from Irish mythology for their third album, ‘At The Mercy Of Manannán’. The Sea God Manannán was the king of the ‘Other World’. The album is about sailors who encounter ancient Celtic gods during a dangerous mission. As with their previous albums, their inspiration comes from the 1970s, … Read more, available in English and Dutch
Multi-instrumentalist Rick Miller draws inspiration from bands like Pink Floyd, The Alan Parsons Project and The Moody Blues. His latest album is called Altered States, meaning changing states of mind. The title track is directly the opening track. With its soft, mysterious start (with all sorts of details), you are immediately drawn into the music. … Read more, available in English and Dutch
Multi-instrumentalist Duncan Parsons is known, among other reasons, as a drummer in the John Hackett Band. ‘On Earth, As It Is’ is Duncan’s sixth album. The songs discuss such topics as forgiveness, responsibility and temptation. Music styles include minimalist, folk, fusion and rock. Several guest musicians participate, including John Helliwell ( (Supertramp) and Dave Bainbridge … Read more, available in English and Dutch
Dave Brons is a prog rock guitarist from England. His instrumental debut album, ‘Based on a True story’ (2015) was a success. ‘Not all Those Who Wander are Lost’ followed almost seven years later; this album also received rave reviews. Fortunately, fans didn’t have to wait that long now, as his third album ‘Return to … Read more, available in English and Dutch
Looking at the cover of ‘The Alchemy Project’, I suppose this album by Epica will be very special again. Epica has collaborated with all kinds of singers and musicians from the broad metal scene. As a result, the songs range from melodic metal, to the more extreme metal. ‘The Great Tribulation’ has a slightly theatrical … Read more, available in English and Dutch