Belgian band Fossil Evolution is a family effort by singer/bass player Arnold de Schepper, who played in Isopoda, the ‘Belgian Genesis’ in the 1970s. The opening track of the band’s debut album World in Motion, Beautiful Colours, is a great example of what the band can do – and how much of the Isopoda inheritance is still there amongst the modern influences brought in by De Schepper’s sons, who form 3/5 of the band.
The debut album Light Damage, of the Luxembourg’ band of the same name, was a pleasant surprise in 2014. For me at least, as they are still relatively unknown. Neo-progressive rock with an edge, and full of unexpected moves.
H.E.A.V.E.N. is only one example of the great material on their album.
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/172723781″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]
Chile has seen a lot of progressive rock bands over the past 4 decades, and one of the more recent ones is Aisles. Their 2013 release 4:45AM tells the story of what a man sees when he gets up late at night and wanders through the city. All in a modern version of neo progressive rock, with some interesting surprises mixed in.
A highlight on the album, sound wise and musically, is Sorrow.
[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=122128859 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small track=2757503125]
Finnish rockers Progeland created a classic rock album that borders on progressive rock in 2014, Gate to Fulfilled Fantasies. They are a 21st century evolution of Uriah Heep, and then a bit more – as the wizard and the elf boy on the cover indicate (art work by Sonia Mota).
Solar Boat from this album is an 8 minute story expressed in music, about men going to war and loosing their life.
[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=865825537 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small track=1550329292]
The album Mother from the Sun by Marco Ragni shows what a modern day Pink Floyd could sound like, by mixing their influences with a 21st century concept and matching compositions (think PF meets PT). Definitely worth checking out for all fans of modern (progressive) psychedelic and space rock.
The opening track of the album, Into the Wheel of Time, is a perfect overview of what to expect.
[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=1454596572 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small track=2021451449]
If you like The Doors, and Lynyrd Skynyrd like Southern Rock, and The Stooges, Murky Red is a band to check out. They once described themselves as the marriage between blues and Pink Floyd, but their influences and style mix a lot of things from the past 40 years. Rocking, free and full of humor – maybe the best thing from Belgium since Gentse waterzooi.
This track, Last Chance Hotel is a great example of what to expect, from their album Time Doesn’t Matter.
[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=1269851606 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small track=1658942743]
Since mid november I have been posting a daily ‘Track of the Day’ on my Facebook wall. To make the tracks of the day easier to find, and to keep track of which ones I used already, from now they will be coming from my music blog – and from there be broadcasted to my Facebook wall, my Twitter account and the Google+ page of my blog.
The coming days, I will be publishing a track from each of the albums I reviewed since October of this year, in reverse order of reviewing. After that, it will be random selections again, with a short background note on each of them.
My reviews will appear in all these same places, and some of them also on Background Magazine. For those looking for some of their music (progressive rock or related) to be reviewed, feel free to contact me through either one of the above channels – I buy a lot, but can’t afford, nor keep track of all new releases.
