*. Searching for Reason .* (Album + EP)

Album: Inward (2012) + EP: The Road to Obscurity (2011)
Genre: Prog Metal (Prog Rock/Instrumental)  /  USA

Arizona instrumental act Searching for Reason has released the debut full-length album "Inward" digitally today, with the album to see a physical release on January 4th, 2013 through Within The Mind Records.Artwork for the release was handled by Daniel Racines, and Searching for Reason is: Ricardo Racines (Guitars, Keyboards), Daniel Racines (Bass), Andy Luffey (Drums, Percussion), and Morris Sevada (Guitars). The album mixes elements of metal, rock, and Latin music with progressive and ambient tendencies.

Songs / Tracks Listing - Inward
01.Its Beauty is a Cruel Deception
02.My Heart, My Head (They Both want me Dead)
03.The Disappearing Man
04.Hombre sin Tierra
05.Tangled Abstract Fallacy
06.Mal de Muchos, Consuelo de Tontos
07.You Didn't Fail
08.Will I Remember?

Songs / Tracks Listing - The Road to Obscurity EP
01.Searching for Reason
02.Just Another Moment
03.Hope?
04.Alma Mia
05.Doomed to Repeat

RATING:  ??????????

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*. Folque .*

Album: Landet Ditt (1981)
Genre: Prog Folk (Crossover/Symphonic)  /  Norway

Songs / Tracks Listing
01.Min Sjel, Min Sjel
02.Landet Ditt
03.Gesellvise
04.15 Mil Til Oslo
05.Kvinnemorderen
06.Liti Kjersti Og Herreper
07.Fanfare
08.Gamle Olaves
09.Heks
10.Knut Liten Og Sylvelin
11.Reinlender Fra Amot
12.Opiumsdrum

Line-up / Musicians
Jenn Mortensen / vocals
Lars Helljesen / vocals, guitar
Øyvind Rauset / fiddle, keyboards
Morten Bing / mandolin, guitar, dulcimer, banjo
Roald Thommesen / bass
Pål Søvik / drums

RATING:  8 / 10

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*. Mantric Muse .*

Album: Picks In Space (1998)(EP) 
Genre: Prog Rock (Psychedelic Space Rock/Jam Band)  /  Denmark

Songs / Tracks Listing
01.Narnia (5:12)
02.Mystic Union (DMU) (6:39)
03.Ouverture (5:34)
04.Shaque-Da-Sheeba (Sufi Mix) (2:47)
05.Aslan (Dub Mix) (5:09)

Line-up / Musicians
Magnus Hannibal / guitar, synthesizer
Rune Svoller / flute, keyboards, percussion, guitar
Michael Kroglund / bass
Jeppe Elmer / drums

Additional Musicians:
Tahir Shah-Jee / vocals (4)
Marie Louise Bahn / vocals (2,5)

RATING:  7.25 / 10

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*. Leuku .*

Album: Blindfolded (2011)
Genre: Prog Metal (Prog Rock)  /  Chile

"Blindfolded" es el primer larga duración de la banda chilena Leuku ("Entes Navegantes" en lengua nativa), un trabajo que explora terrenos sonoros/visuales, de imaginación y añoranza con un amplio abanico musical que aborda Rock, Metal, Progresivo y tonalidades Folk con bastante naturalidad. Atmósferas fantasmales de historias legendarias, que habitan justo entre la oscuridad y la niebla, como recogiendo la mejor tradición de los bosques del Sur de Chile, envueltos en melodías explosivas que denotan la fragilidad del mundo y el ser humano. Lo que nos presenta el disco debut de Leuku, es un blanco y negro musical de diversos colores. "Aurasphere" es una bellísima pieza instrumental que como carta de presentación, da cuenta de los matices musicales que posee la banda y es además la encargada de abrir "Blindfolded". En este instrumental se advierte la capacidad que posee el grupo para crear atmósferas y al mismo tiempo estremecer... Algo que desarrollan en extenso en los siguientes cortes de la placa, en la que predominan las conjunciones ambientales, un buen trabajo en percusión, intensos pasajes acústicos y explosiones progresivas. A la distancia se perciben ecos de bandas como Opeth, Empiryum y Tool, de los que Leuku en lo estrictamente musical alcanza a proyectar su propia concepción, aunque hablar de influencias directas es arriesgado. Cabe señalar que el punto de discordia de "Blindfolded" se encuentra en el trabajo de su vocalista, que aparece a partir del segundo track, pudiendo decepcionar a quienes esperaban voces guturales más afines al Metal extremo. Algo que podría entenderse desde dos puntos de vista antagónicos: El positivo, la banda no cae en la obviedad vocal para un proyecto de características metaleras, atreviéndose a desafiar al género; El negativo, la voz no calza con el entorno musical, produciendo distracción en quien se aventura a escuchar el disco con ideas preconcebidas. De cualquier forma, este es un álbum para oír sin prejuicios y disfrutarlo de principio a fin, porque en la suma de sus aciertos e imperfecciones el resultado es tremendamente positivo. Destacan en el álbum canciones como "Abstracta", "Filmatiz" y "Teardrop", con letras en español e inglés, buenos cambios de ritmo y la acertada intención de crear algo propio y con identidad. Reseña por "Tilo Nurmi" (www.absentamusical.com).

RATING:  7 / 10

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*. Tucana .*

Album: Tucana (2012)
Genre: Prog Rock (Rock Opera/Heavy Prog)  /  Sweden

The band was formed in 1989 when the band took their new name Wistaria. With the new name change from Tucana, there was also a line up change where Jonas Nitz left the band, leaving Niclas Birgersson (vocals and writer) and Magnus Carlberger (keyboards, guitar and writer) searching for new members. Shortly after the reformation, Mikael Larsson joined in on Guitars, followed by Magnus Andersson on drums. In March 1989 Johnny Rosengren joined as the new bass player and the band was almost complete. Because of the complexity of the music, a second keyboardist was needed. After Wistarias first 5 song Demo, Mikael Gullmes joined the band late 1989 by showing of his talents in a very extreme way. In 1990 the band was recording their 12 song demo and rehearsing for the coming shows, but in April the same year, after their debut concert, Johnny left the band after disagreements. A new bass player, Uffe Johansson, was recruited for a coming demo and some more shows, but shortly after, Mikael Larsson also left the band. Wistaria continued for a while longer, but the air had gone out of the band, as well as the lust to play. When Niclas decided to leave, the end was imminent. The story could have ended there, but it didn’t. When it looked like the band had totally dissolved, Niclas Birgersson reunited with guitarist Mikael Larsson. Together they started working with the new guitarist Stefan Lindgren, although at this time, they didn’t call themselves Wistaria. A demo was recorded in 1992 bringing in the old bass player Johnny Rosengren for old times sake. There where other constellations as well during this time, with Magnus Carlberger and Mikael Larsson. This continued for a couple of years. By the end of the millennium, Niclas and Mikael, who had continued to work together, decided that it would be under the name of Wistaria, although they never really got out there. Many years later, in 2008, the very first original keyboard player from when the band was still named Tucana arrived as the new keyboardist. Jonas Nitz started helping the band to restructure the songs. Shortly after, they recruited the original bass player Johnny Rosengren to the band once more. In 2010 the new drummer Jari Katila joined the band. Shortly after that, the recordings for the debut album began. But with recording issues and other problems lining up, the band who re took the name Tucana, so they would not be mixed up with another band with the name Wistaria, have been struggling to get the recording down. The first single "A Dream Within A Dream" ArtP015 (Digital single only) was released 31st October 2012 by Art Performance Production and the full lenght self titled album "Tucana" ArtP017 will be released the 5th December 2012. (www.facebook.com)

RATING:  7.75 / 10

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*. Argos .*

Album: Cruel Symmetry (2012)
Genre: Prog Rock (Symphonic/Neo Prog)  /  Germany

"Cruel Symmetry" is the third album by the german band ARGOS. They are german, but their sound is very british. Not only the words (Robert Gozon is an english teacher), the whole direction of the music, the themes and concept is pure british-progressive-rock. On "Argos", the 2009 debut, they made their statement to their influences: Genesis and Gentle Giant, the Canterbury-scene and the adult Beatles. The second album "Circles" was again a successful mixture of seventies spirit and temporary sound. The mellotron and analog synths meets "Cubase" and "Logic". And now in 2012 "Cruel Symmetry" is out. The cover (as always by Thomas Klarmann) is once more a perfect mirror to the spirit, themes, lyrics and music of the album. It starts with the title track, a 13 part- suite over more than 20 minutes (they never reached the 10-minute border before). This centerpiece has all the necessary ingredients: strong melodies, floating intrumental parts, combining themes, a textual concept and a hymnic conclusion. All the trademarks of the band were shown. The composition is sophisticated, arrangements are elaborated, the sound floats between a magic flute, prominent keyboards and guitars, opulent bass and drums and at least very individual vocols. The other six songs are on the same high level. The lyrics are well-thought-out and humorous ("flying Robert"; "his hat goes North"). The songwriting is elaborate and consequent, the music is thrilling and exciting all the time. A delicate album, tender in mood with a little heavy edge in "Caught within the light". 
Review by "progflame" (Prog Archives).

RATING:  ????????

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*. Koska .*

Album: Bihozkadak (1979)
Genre: Prog Rock (Folk/Symphonic)  /  Spain

Songs / Tracks Listing
01.Ehun urte
02.Esnaera
03.Gurea
04.Xurgatu egin zituzten
05.Zaramagako boza
06.Ama esnez

Line-up / Musicians
Gabi Agirregomezkorta / guitar
Txerra Gurrutxaga / guitar, vocals, flute
Luis Diego / guitar
Endika Iriondo / percussion, drums
Alfonso Guillo / bass
Natxo Garate / keyboards

RATING:  7.75 / 10

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