*. AlanG .*

Album: Around Us (2013)
Genre: Prog Rock (Crossover Prog/Pop/Rock)  /  Australia/France

Born in Brisbane (Australia) and living in France, AlanG, since his childhood, prefered to listen to rather than to be listened ; when he was five years old, he kept himself hidden in the garage to listen to his brother playing with his high school friends piano, guitar, drum kit… and all these instruments got inside his head and never came out of it. As Jaco Pastorius said: "keep your ears open", for his eleventh birthday, he received his first record … Steve Hackett "Voyage of the Acolyte" it was a shock…since then, his music comes to him from multiple influences such as: Genesis, Supertramp, Yes, Weather Report, Pat Meteny, Chucho Valdes, Chico Buarque, Steve Howe, Sergueï Rachmaninov, Mozart, Eric Satie, David Gilmore …Guitarist, looking for the combination of the chords, he composes and serves the music rather than shining with endless solos. Separated from his band since 2008, he continues however to compose. Ending up alone, he undertakes his project of album “Around Us”. 
(https://myspace.com/alang-music/bio)

Songs / Tracks Listing
01. Around Us
02. Salty and Very Tasty
03. Man With Hope
04. Vertigo
05. Barcelona
06. Indian Project
07. August 63
08. The Flight of the Butterfly
09. Through Your Eyes
10. The Waiting Room
11. Your Smile Around the World
12. Back to Home

RATING:  ?????????????????

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*. Saqqarah .*

Album: The Awakening (2005)
Genre: Prog Rock (Symphonic/Neo Prog)  /  France

SAQQARAH produced their first album "Genèse" in 1996, an ambitious concept-album based on the mysteries of the universe (Extra-terrestrials, lost civilizations, paranormal, etc.). The music was influenced by PINK FLOYD but with no excessively obvious borrowing. The good quality vocals remind of the melodic French school (CAFEINE, NAOS, ELOHIM...). A quite good first effort. After nine years of stand-by, SAQQARAH is back against all odds, with a second album entitled "The Awakening". The band has seen a few changes after the replacement of their singer, which led to rewriting the lyrics in English, now better integrated to the neo Progressive style that the band love. The album's theme is a reflection about global issues such as pollution ("Tears Of The Earth"), drugs ("White Powder"), intolerance ("Promised Land"), Amerindians' genocide ("Red Skins"), extra-terrestrial space ("Mission Apollo"), madness ("Crazy"), misdemeanors of television ("Dreams Factory") and break-up ("Goodbye"). Two PINK FLOYD covers ("Time" & "Comfortably Numb") conclude the album, providing a wink of the musicians to their reference band. Not to be missed ! (www.musearecords.com)

Songs / Tracks Listing
01. Tears Of The Earth
02. White Powder
03. The Promised Land
04. Cursed Country
05. Red Skins
06. Misison Apollo
07. Behind The Moon
08. The Awakening
09. Crazy
10. Quiet
11. The Dream Factory
12. Goodbye
13. The Break
14. Time To Breathe
15. Comfortably Numb

RATING:  8 / 10

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*. Uthull .*

Album: Ultrasonic (2007)
Genre: Prog Rock (Jazz Fusion/Exp./Metal)  /  Greece

Songs / Tracks Listing
01. Eternal Sword - Part II
02. Eternal Sword - Part III
03. Lust
04. Testosterone
05. Journey To THe Unknown
06. Tonight
07. Astral Goats
08. Vanessa Del Rio
09. Liquid Time
10. Big Mak

Line-up / Musicians
Kostas Domenikiotis / bass
John Tsoulfaidis / drums
Sakis Bandis / keyboards

RATING:  7.5 / 10

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*. Vivalma .*

Album: Human Effect (2013)
Genre: Prog Rock (Crossover/Heavy Prog)  /  Brazil

Vivalma is a contemporary progressive rock band, formed in São Paulo (Brazil) in 2008. The line-up consists of singer Marco Petucco, guitarist Odilon Gonçalves, keyboardist Gus Martins, bassist Raphael Filt and drummer Lello Araújo, musicians with different musical backgrounds and influences, that make Vivalma's compositions something unique. The band was originally formed in 2005, under the name Envision, and was renamed Vivalma after the departure of drummer Felipe Abud and bassist Gabriel Vianna, back in 2008. In 2009, guitarist Wilton dos Santos left the band, which brought Vivalma to its current line-up, with one guitar. Bands like Pain of Salvation, Muse, Rush, Yes, Porcupine Tree, Opeth, Dream Theater and Symphony X are some of the main influences in Vivalma's music. (http://vivalma.com.br/en/)

Songs / Tracks Listing - CD1
01. Envision, Pt. I (Genesis)
02. Envision, Pt. II (Young Blood)
03. Over the State
04. Solitude
05. Proudhome
06. Deviant
07. Envision, Pt. III (Echoes)

Songs / Tracks Listing - CD2
01. Locked and Fading
02. Touch, Feel and Flow
03. Vivalma

RATING:  ??????????????

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*. Sound Horizon .*

Album: Elysion - Rakuen Gensou Monogatari Kumikyoku (2005)
Genre: Prog Rock (J-Rock/Symphonic/Metal/Rock Opera)  /  Japan

Songs / Tracks Listing
01. El no Rakuen
02. Ark
03. El no Ehon (Majo to Lafrenze)
04. Baroque
05. El no Shouzou
06. Yield
07. El no Tenbin
08. Sacrifice
09. El no Ehon (Fuefuki Otoko to Parade)
10. StarDust
11. El no Rakuen

Line-up / Musicians
Revo / guitars, keyboards, accordion, bass, mandolin, percussion etc.
Key Suzuki / saxophones
Shigeru Ohara / cello
Kazuhisa Kojima / clarinet
Masayo Miyata / English horn, oboe
Hiroaki Kimizuka / fagott
Remiko Kawase / flute, piccolo
Takuya Handa / trombone
Miki Iwatuki / trumpet
Mutumi Suzuki / violin
Yukari Shinozaku / violin
Aramari / vocals
Haruka Shimotsuki / vocals
Hazeri / vocals
Jimang / vocals
Yasrow / vocals

RATING:  7.75 / 10

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*. Highlight Kenosis .* (Re-Post / Request)

Album: Change (2012)
Genre: Prog Metal (Prog Rock)  /  Romania

Their band name is rather interesting, some may say perplexing: Highlight Kenosis. Kenosis is not exactly a word one may have in their vocabulary, let alone know the meaning of. It's a word specific to Christian theology meaning 'the relinquishment of divine attributes by Jesus Christ in becoming human.' (It's developed from the an interpretation of Philippians 2:5-9.) One wonders if this is just one of two words they picked to put together for the name or it has some significance to the band. If it's the former, I'm glad they didn't pick 'uranus hurts.' Actually, it's the latter as guitarist and composer Matei Damian-Ulmu calls Jesus one of his heroes. Highlight Kenosis offers their second album Change, an interesting mixture of melodic rock and metal with prog nuances. Female vocalist Oana Maria Stoica has a strong and clear presence, with neither an operatic, common in the genre, or metal style. She seems mostly a rock singer, with a pop timbre. This is notable on Change the World. Yet she can also be quite ethereal, even haunting as on the closing piece Outro ... With Angels. As for the music, its often edgier and sometimes a bit more intricate. Mostly this comes from Matei Damian-Ulmu's composition which feature a dense guitar structure peppered with good solos. There's a light use of keyboards, but it merely provides atmosphere. Likely the best tracks for prog accents come on Change the World and Loving a Ghost. The larger dilemma for Change is that its a rather short album, at 32 minutes, with only eight songs, two being an intro and outro. Let's hope for something more expansive the next time around. Otherwise, recommended. Review by "Craig Hartranft" (www.dangerdog.com).

RATING:  7.75 / 10

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*. Gordon Giltrap .* (Remaster 2013 + Bonus)

Album: Fear Of The Dark (1978)(Remaster 2013 + 7 Bonus)
Genre: Prog Rock (Folk/Art Rock/Symphonic)  /  UK

Another year passing by and another worthy album from this underated but in same time excellent guitarist and composser. Fear of the dark from 1978 is almost in same elague with previous 2 album, better then Visionary but little less inventive as Perilous in my opinion. Beggining by saing that the line up is the same as on previous two album, that means solid musicianship and damn fine moments overall. Again some passages are impressive like on Innera dream, Nightrider or Fast aproaching. If the previous 2 albums were entirely instrumental, on this one appers Shirlei Roden on Weary eyes a beautiful melacholical track. Again he was able to combine in great manner symphonic parts with acustical and electric resulting some fine moments. Mike Oldfield can be proud of such competitor in late '70s, both were at their peak of their career, similar one to each other in musical terms very much. The gentle, intelligent passages showing that Giltrap was and is one of the most respect guitarist ever. Orchestrations are grandious as always with memorable passages. Well, I can say that this is my second fav album from them after masterpiece Perilous journey. Review by "b_olariu" (Prog Archives).

RATING:  8 / 10

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