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Trollheart · 01-07-2023, 10:49 AM

Okay then, time to check out another of the Progsphere discs.

Which as you can see, is number 19 in the series. So let’s see what’s on it.

(Videos where I can find them...)

Track 1: “Pulse” by Death of an Astronomer
Sounds a bit like a metal Status Quo if I’m honest; quite catchy in a harsh sort of way. Now it’s sped up and I would not be at all surprised to hear death vocals, unless this is an instrumental, which it may very well be. Yeah I think it is. Pretty damn good I have to say. There’s a “Balance” in brackets in the title, but I have no idea what that’s supposed to mean. I don’t see the artist on ProgArchives, nor on Metal Archives, so no idea what they’re supposed to be. How about Discogs? No, nothing there either. Quite enjoyed that actually. Good start.

Rating: 7/10

Track 2: “Harbor City” by Victor Lee

Another guitar-centric tune, and I would say again instrumental. And again I don’t see him on PA, nor MA. Good kind of guitar virtuoso style of thing with some keyboards too, and this certainly sounds a lot more progressive than just about anything I’ve heard on either of these discs to date. No information on him anywhere.

Rating: 8/10

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laQWdpf0ibU

Spoiler for You're being jovial with an album image that size! No I didn't say Joviac...:

Track 3: “Straws” by Joviac

Another sense of if not quite heavy metal then hard rock, with a driving beat and growling guitar, and indeed the first vocals on the disc. Ragged, raspy voice but not anywhere close to death vocals. Quite AOR in its composition; good harmonies, nice hook, like this one a lot too. Sort of reminds me of a slightly heavier Magnum maybe? Well okay: for once this guy is on PA - hold on, guy or band? Band, it would seem, from Finland. This is from their second album, Here and Now, released in 2020. Good stuff, very catchy. PA calls them heavy prog, but I would not agree: this is far closer to AOR than anything else, maybe melodic rock.

Rating: 9.3/10

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74szjFyLMmw

Spoiler for An infirm size I'm afraid.:

Track 4: “Shadows of the Past” by Infirmum

Death vocals here in a dark, doomy style of music which ambles along slowly like maybe Pallbearers or something. The vocal is raspy and next to unintelligible but not aggressive, almost whispering in a way. Great guitar work. I imagine I’ll find these guys on MA? Yep, there they are: doom/death metal it says, so what that has to do with progressive rock or metal I don’t know, but this is from their debut album, the cheerily-titled Wall of Sorrow. It’s all right to be fair. Another Finnish band, and seems like it might be a one-man one.

Rating: 7 /10

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sHME_i3hBA

Spoiler for Faith and begorrah! Tis huge, I tell ya! Huge, so it is! No no no! This won't do at all, so it won't!:

Track 5: “Boisterous Silence” by Fate of Faith

Now this sounds straight metal to me. Sharp bouncy guitar, kind of a hoarse vocal, chugging and shredding abound. Kind of sounds a little like something from the late seventies. The guy isn’t much of a singer I must say. Closing track from their debut album, Black Heaven. They’re Swiss, in case you care. I don’t.

Rating: 4/10

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbn0UxUOuzs

Track 6: “Show Your Temper” by Gone Are the Days

Sounds more hardcore or post-hardcore or some fucking thing with hardcore in it somewhere. A little limited in the lyrics department, basically the title repeated over with a lot of shouting and growling. Not for me. Guitars are good, but if this is progressive I’m off to compete in Miss World. Gone Are the Days of good music, if left to these guys. Sorry.

Rating: 3/10

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4iuLuloBPk

Track 7: “Deadlock” by Conflict

Feel like I’m listening to the Pet Shop Boys when this starts. Darkwave? Gothic rock? Gothic Metal? Metal Hardcore Gothic Death Rock? Certainly, again, not anything I could consider in the least progressive. The singer is decent - the one doing the clean vocals, if we assume there are two. If not, then he’s VERY good. Too many bands using the name Conflict, and I’m really not that bothered. Good instrumental passage in the middle, shows they can certainly play. Love the piano piece and the whole atmosphere that builds around it as they head back to the main melody. Actually, that will raise its rating considerably. I was about to dismiss them but this is another level, unexpected.

Rating: 8.4/10

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B80oh5FKGBY

Track 8: “My Sexual Tool” by NUDZ

Now before it even starts this sounds more like a hip-hop/gangsta band/song, but to be fair when it does start it’s pretty bitchin’ (Copyright The Batlord, MMXV) with a real groove about it, though whether it’s djent or stoner or what the hell it is I don’t know. See if I can find out. Ah. Stoner says Discogs. Also grunge. So tell me what that has to do with being prog rock? Hello? Hello? Is there someone there? From Brazil apparently, and from their one and only album.

Rating: 5/10

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMszsF7sdA8

Spoiler for I harbour no grudge (sorry) but this is too big:

Track 9: “Svalbard” by South Harbour

Well this sounds more like it. Chingly guitar with a female vocal, soft but I don’t think a ballad. With a title like that I’m assuming Scandinavian? Yeah: Danish. Kicks up after about a minute into almost a post-rock style of guitar, better and better. This is from also their own album, A Withered World in Colour. Says on PA they’re experimental/post-metal. I’d listen to more of this, for sure.

Rating: 9.7 /10

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wot5efc4x20
Overall average rating for this disc: 6.8/10

Better than the last one we looked at/listened to, but there’s still far too much metal and basic rock here that to me makes no sense to call progressive. There’s nothing wrong with the bands or artists, but I feel their inclusion is denying exposure to perhaps better bands, or at least those with more claim to prog credentials.

01-07-2023, 10:49 AM	#119 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,971	Okay then, time to check out another of the Progsphere discs. Which as you can see, is number 19 in the series. So let’s see what’s on it. (Videos where I can find them...) Track 1: “Pulse” by Death of an Astronomer Sounds a bit like a metal Status Quo if I’m honest; quite catchy in a harsh sort of way. Now it’s sped up and I would not be at all surprised to hear death vocals, unless this is an instrumental, which it may very well be. Yeah I think it is. Pretty damn good I have to say. There’s a “Balance” in brackets in the title, but I have no idea what that’s supposed to mean. I don’t see the artist on ProgArchives, nor on Metal Archives, so no idea what they’re supposed to be. How about Discogs? No, nothing there either. Quite enjoyed that actually. Good start. Rating: 7/10 Track 2: “Harbor City” by Victor Lee Another guitar-centric tune, and I would say again instrumental. And again I don’t see him on PA, nor MA. Good kind of guitar virtuoso style of thing with some keyboards too, and this certainly sounds a lot more progressive than just about anything I’ve heard on either of these discs to date. No information on him anywhere. Rating: 8/10 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laQWdpf0ibU Spoiler for You're being jovial with an album image that size! No I didn't say Joviac...: Track 3: “Straws” by Joviac Another sense of if not quite heavy metal then hard rock, with a driving beat and growling guitar, and indeed the first vocals on the disc. Ragged, raspy voice but not anywhere close to death vocals. Quite AOR in its composition; good harmonies, nice hook, like this one a lot too. Sort of reminds me of a slightly heavier Magnum maybe? Well okay: for once this guy is on PA - hold on, guy or band? Band, it would seem, from Finland. This is from their second album, Here and Now, released in 2020. Good stuff, very catchy. PA calls them heavy prog, but I would not agree: this is far closer to AOR than anything else, maybe melodic rock. Rating: 9.3/10 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74szjFyLMmw Spoiler for An infirm size I'm afraid.: Track 4: “Shadows of the Past” by Infirmum Death vocals here in a dark, doomy style of music which ambles along slowly like maybe Pallbearers or something. The vocal is raspy and next to unintelligible but not aggressive, almost whispering in a way. Great guitar work. I imagine I’ll find these guys on MA? Yep, there they are: doom/death metal it says, so what that has to do with progressive rock or metal I don’t know, but this is from their debut album, the cheerily-titled Wall of Sorrow. It’s all right to be fair. Another Finnish band, and seems like it might be a one-man one. Rating: 7 /10 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sHME_i3hBA Spoiler for Faith and begorrah! Tis huge, I tell ya! Huge, so it is! No no no! This won't do at all, so it won't!: Track 5: “Boisterous Silence” by Fate of Faith Now this sounds straight metal to me. Sharp bouncy guitar, kind of a hoarse vocal, chugging and shredding abound. Kind of sounds a little like something from the late seventies. The guy isn’t much of a singer I must say. Closing track from their debut album, Black Heaven. They’re Swiss, in case you care. I don’t. Rating: 4/10 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbn0UxUOuzs Track 6: “Show Your Temper” by Gone Are the Days Sounds more hardcore or post-hardcore or some fucking thing with hardcore in it somewhere. A little limited in the lyrics department, basically the title repeated over with a lot of shouting and growling. Not for me. Guitars are good, but if this is progressive I’m off to compete in Miss World. Gone Are the Days of good music, if left to these guys. Sorry. Rating: 3/10 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4iuLuloBPk Track 7: “Deadlock” by Conflict Feel like I’m listening to the Pet Shop Boys when this starts. Darkwave? Gothic rock? Gothic Metal? Metal Hardcore Gothic Death Rock? Certainly, again, not anything I could consider in the least progressive. The singer is decent - the one doing the clean vocals, if we assume there are two. If not, then he’s VERY good. Too many bands using the name Conflict, and I’m really not that bothered. Good instrumental passage in the middle, shows they can certainly play. Love the piano piece and the whole atmosphere that builds around it as they head back to the main melody. Actually, that will raise its rating considerably. I was about to dismiss them but this is another level, unexpected. Rating: 8.4/10 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B80oh5FKGBY Track 8: “My Sexual Tool” by NUDZ Now before it even starts this sounds more like a hip-hop/gangsta band/song, but to be fair when it does start it’s pretty bitchin’ (Copyright The Batlord, MMXV) with a real groove about it, though whether it’s djent or stoner or what the hell it is I don’t know. See if I can find out. Ah. Stoner says Discogs. Also grunge. So tell me what that has to do with being prog rock? Hello? Hello? Is there someone there? From Brazil apparently, and from their one and only album. Rating: 5/10 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMszsF7sdA8 Spoiler for I harbour no grudge (sorry) but this is too big: Track 9: “Svalbard” by South Harbour Well this sounds more like it. Chingly guitar with a female vocal, soft but I don’t think a ballad. With a title like that I’m assuming Scandinavian? Yeah: Danish. Kicks up after about a minute into almost a post-rock style of guitar, better and better. This is from also their own album, A Withered World in Colour. Says on PA they’re experimental/post-metal. I’d listen to more of this, for sure. Rating: 9.7 /10 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wot5efc4x20 *Overall average rating for this disc: 6.8/10* Better than the last one we looked at/listened to, but there’s still far too much metal and basic rock here that to me makes no sense to call progressive. There’s nothing wrong with the bands or artists, but I feel their inclusion is denying exposure to perhaps better bands, or at least those with more claim to prog credentials. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018 Last edited by Trollheart; 01-07-2023 at 11:56 AM.