progressive rock

Despite a far-from-cheerful setlist, Leprous managed to conjure up a genuinely special atmosphere at Graz's Explosiv club, keeping the crowd on their feet right to the end. And credit where it's due — support acts Klone and Maraton were…

"An album where you run into everything, and one you won't get to the bottom of any time soon. From metal to blues, electronic music, jazz, even classic prog rock and psychedelic shenanigans. Want a surprise? Expect the unexpected."

"“Coat Of Arms” is another superb studio achievement from a legendary band that stays true to its traditional (chiseled) style. On the new album, Wishbone Ash radiate expressive freshness, creative sparkle and even a cheeky playfulness,…

"This year marks 50 years since the album that "saved" Van Der Graaf Generator's career and clearly set the compass needle for the band's further evolution. An album that arrived ahead of its time and, with its avant-garde weirdo swagger,…

"With Friends from the Orchestra" is aimed first and foremost at all the loyal Marillion faithful who have long wondered how some of the best pieces in the prog-rock champions' story would sound with string and wind arrangements.

In this article we pick ten lyrics by the iconic Canadian prog rockers Rush that best capture the guiding principles of their legendary drummer Neil Peart (09/12/1952–01/07/2020).

"Permanent Waves", the seventh studio album from the mighty Canadian prog-rock fortress Rush, came out on 14.01.1980 on Mercury Records, which means exactly 40 years ago. On this album, Rush started approaching arrangements in a more…

»Re-Visited Live!« will delight longtime Arena fans, who get to hear the whole of »The Visitor« played by the current lineup of the cult band, plus a few unforgettable classics, old and new.

Anyone who loves the grand sweep of Hackett's music, both his solo work and the pieces from his Genesis days, is going to have an absolute blast with his first live collaboration with an orchestra.

Even though it was made while the cult band was already falling apart at speed, "Daughter of Time" was a thoroughly solid effort, serving up plenty of interesting and fun moments and pulling Colosseum further away from their blues roots.

The North America-only release “The Grass Is Greener” can hardly be counted as a proper Colosseum studio album. With its calculated moves and recycled earlier material, it comes off as anything but innovative.

"On another occasion, Mattias invited the locals to help him sing the verses of 'Freak of the Week.' He suggested they make it easier on themselves and replace the tricky English words in the chorus with the names of some Italian pizzas."

“Manifesto of an Alchemist” is in many ways a Stolt solo outing on steroids, one that at times leans hard into his The Flower Kings material.

The first The Flower Kings studio album of the "post-Bodin era," and their thirteenth overall if you don't count "Manifesto of an Alchemist," turned out great, even if it lacks a bit more ambition to reach masterpiece status and join the…

With "Resistance," IQ have made another masterpiece and a leading contender for the best progressive rock album of 2019.

Opeth have once again crafted a masterpiece full of standout moments: in the songwriting, the lyrics and the atmosphere alike, and in two different languages at that. For anyone who knows the life and work of Mikael Åkerfeldt and his…

"Wembley Or Bust" sounds like it was recorded in 1977, right at the peak of ELO mania, not forty years later. That's probably the best way to sum up how good this live document is, because at times it sounds like a musical time machine.

"Over 66 minutes, the new album has Flying Colors serving up top-notch musical rhetoric, without a single solitary moment that steals the listener's time"

"From Out of Nowhere" is like a time-machine trip back to the golden days of Lynne's ELO, which means the seasoned musician has once again made an album that's totally to the taste of the longtime faithful.

Most longtime fans will surely think, while listening to "All Aboard the Skylark," that the best creative days of these English space rock legends are back.

"Let him keep teasing Anderson this effectively."

"In other words, you got a sense of what Jethro Tull would sound like without the flute — or even what some of the originals from the late sixties and early seventies sounded like without it."

With the closing chapter of their concept about France's most famous national heroine, Eloy have proven that, despite the respectable ages of most of the band's members, they still have plenty of energy left to make great music.

With a setlist running over two hours, Between The Buried And Me delivered an excellent cross-section of their entire career while showcasing incredible tightness and extreme stamina.

»Grand Tour« is noticeably less gloomy and melancholic in that quintessentially English way, but it's still unmistakably a Big Big Train achievement. Thanks to its remarkable variety and sheer epic scale, it'll delight every longtime fan of…

Location: Kranj / Transtation SubArt / SloveniaDate: Saturday, 07.09.2019 Swedish progressive metal outfit Soen grows more popular with every passing year. The band first caught attention largely through drummer Martin Lopez, who…

Location: Vienna / club Flex / Austria Date: Saturday, 10 August 2019 American progressive rockers Coheed And Cambria are pushing hard to promote their latest album Vaxis I (review HERE). The focus is mostly on the US leg of the…

With »The Universe Also Collapses«, Gong prove once again that they remain a prog rock powerhouse even without Daevid Allen. Their latest studio treat stands shoulder to shoulder with their best work from the »Radio Gnome Invisible« trilogy…

With their ninth studio album, Coheed And Cambria return to the sprawling concept they kicked off with their debut. The record has every trait the band has shown so far, so fans won't be able to skip it.

PFM's stellar show, packed with evergreens from the golden era of Italian progressive rock, flew by way too fast in the gorgeous atmosphere of Carpacciov trg. We could be more than happy with what we heard and saw over a good two hours.…

"Plenty of people were moved to tears that night by the sheer intensity of it all, as Steve Hackett used his magic to stir up, in the corners of their souls, the days when they were teenagers listening to prog rock led by Genesis and…

Even though the unpredictable summer weather played a nasty trick on them this time, King Crimson didn't leave their loyal followers in the middle of Palmanova out to dry, pulling off the shortened show just as it should be done and just as…

On the predictably eclectic "Pop Sided," Mr. Belew captures the more accessible side of his creative voice in his trademark energetic, witty way, though fans of more experimental sounds will find plenty to chew on here too.

The (almost) classic Gong lineup returning on the super-eclectic "2032", which proved to be one of their finest achievements and a worthy successor to the 'Radio Gnome Invisible' trilogy, must have been a pleasant surprise for many a…

Moerlen's farewell, “Pentanine”, was recorded with three Russian musicians who were a complete enigma to most people before this album. Even so, it ranks among the best moments of his colorful, fascinating career. It was also a dignified…

"Acid Motherhood," born from the fusion of three different but kindred bands under Allen's genius-slash-eccentric leadership, was a one-of-a-kind experiment in Gong's long and thrilling history.

With »Zero to Infinity«, Gong, under Allen's brilliant leadership, pulled off one of the most interesting achievements of their rich and varied career.

»Shapeshiter« was a surprisingly strong return of the 'real' Gong under Allen, who successfully blended their classic space rock approach with some more modern sonic touches and slick modern production.

With its occasional dance and house touches, "Gongmaison" was an unusual experiment in Allen's already wildly varied musical career, but the album is still stylistically diverse enough to deserve a more respected spot in the Gong…

Compared with its more synthetic predecessor "Breakthrough," »Second Wind« was a noticeable step up, but it still ranked among the less exciting efforts from Moerlen's Gong, especially when set next to Pierre's albums from the seventies.

“Empath” takes us on a fun, thrilling ride through every corner of Devin's restless soul and all his many musical mutations, then wraps it all up with an epic masterpiece that's exactly what you'd expect from a musical genius like him.

With "The Secret", Mr. Parsons has made a very likable album that turned out almost exactly as most of his fans wished and expected. Even though it mostly doesn't reach the high standards of The Alan Parson Project's golden years, it's one…

“Breakthrough” had a few interesting ideas, but it was light-years away from Moerlen's Gong at their best.

Location: Ljubljana / SOHO klub / SloveniaDate: Thursday, 25.04.2019 Šinobusi are a rock band from Novi Sad who hit Slovenian club stages every year. The band formed in 2001, and in not quite two decades it has put out five albums,…

If you've been following modern-day Focus and liked their previous three studio outings, you'll find plenty to enjoy on "Focus 11."

On "Strange Times," The Moody Blues finally showed their age as songwriters and arrangers.

"Home Invasion", also out on Blu-ray/DVD, is a real live treat for anyone who loves everything about the one-of-a-kind Steven Wilson, who was in great spirits at the Royal Albert Hall and served up a near-perfect selection from his colorful…

Phideaux Xavier and his crew of seasoned musical aces, who are also people he grew up with and has known almost his whole life, remain masters of modern progressive rock on "Snowtorch" too, and on every new album, his take on the genre…

"Keys of the Kingdom" is one of those 'late-period' The Moody Blues albums that prog rock fans can pretty much write off, with only rare flashes of the old atmospheric magic that once made them one of rock's most innovative bands.

"Leave It Open" wasn't the most groundbreaking chapter in the Moerlen's Gong story, but thanks mainly to its title-track masterpiece, it's remembered fondly by fans of Pierre's musical legacy.

A half-empty Kino Šiška hall got a gig that will stay etched in memory. With their superb tightness, inventive setlist, stage lights and sound, Riverside made it clear they're no accident as one of the most respected prog rock bands around…

"“Lotus” is yet another excellent studio album from Soen. With it, the band keeps hardening its artistic focus and expressive stance. It feels remarkably unified, and it's the most focused of everything they've released so far."

This year marks fifty years since the release of "In the Court of the Crimson King," the debut from English band King Crimson, now recognized as the album that laid the cornerstone of the progressive rock movement. A musical phenomenon from…

In Vienna, Maestro Wilson reminded us once again why he's the driving force of modern progressive rock with no real competition, and why catching his show is a must for every music lover with eclectic taste and every fan of experimental…

With "At the Edge of Light," Steve Hackett proves once again why he enjoys the greatest respect among prog rock fans of all the former members of the unforgettable Genesis, especially when it comes to studio work, which remains at an…

The Roxy Music debut built a strange and wildly innovative bridge between progressive rock and glam rock, and along with Sinfield's superb production and Ferry's half-metaphysical, half-lovesick lyrics, that was one of the key ingredients…

“Land of Cockayne” was in many ways a product of its time and a reflection of where the eighties jazz fusion scene was at. Even though it's not without its charms, it's light-years away from the classic Soft Machine approach to jazz fusion…

The Canadian masters of unconventional art rock feats, who have always had their strongest backing in Germany, are in superb form throughout the whole set captured on “So Good So Far”, a live document that will delight fans of every…

Listening to "Alive & Well," you'd never guess Soft Machine were on the verge of (a temporary) split, because even while playing brand-new material, the band still sounds like a well-oiled machine.

"Softs" was a thoroughly solid effort from the Jenkins-era Soft Machine, but a few less inspired ideas kept it from making the leap into their canon of classics. Still, they weathered Ratledge's departure pretty well.

Soft Machine are back! Along with Gryphon's new record, »Hidden Details« is another big surprise of 2018: a hugely successful comeback studio album from a legendary prog rock band we thought would never set foot in a studio again

In the early nineties, Jade Warrior enjoyed a minor sonic renaissance with the thoroughly solid "Breathing the Storm".

"“Live At Red Rocks Amphiteater” is a true snapshot of where Opeth's creativity stood in 2017 and 2018. With a bit less of Akerfeldt's chatter between songs and a better-balanced setlist, it could have delivered more. As it is, it's still…

“Time Is The Key” was a thoroughly decent album that cemented Moerlen's approach to melodic, ambient-rich jazz fusion with the odd prog rock element, but there was (no longer) much to say about any great innovation, since the basic recipe,…

»Another Fine Tune You've Got Me Into« was a slightly less exciting but solid follow-up to the Gilgamesh debut, and it closed the book on a short but fun Canterbury story. The album came out in 1978, when Gilgamesh were already history.

With "Raingods With Zippos," the Scottish prog rock veteran created one of the shiniest gems of a solo career, and it's still something to be immensely proud of today.

With the crushingly dull "In the Hot Seat", their last and probably worst studio effort, ELP hit their creative rock bottom, and even though they kept going as a live outfit for another four years, it was clear that this was now really the…

With »Valentyne Suite«, thanks to its title-track masterpiece, Colosseum hit their artistic peak and delivered the defining album of their career. For a short while they found themselves among the elite of the best and most important…

With "Waters of Change", where every track was crafted with exceptional fire, Beggars Opera created the crown jewel of their discography, an album that can stand up even to the best work of their better-known symphonic prog rock peers.

“Turn of the Tide” confirmed that BJH had pulled off a fairly successful transition into the eighties as a slimmed-down lineup. Despite a few ugly misfires and some shortcomings, especially on the keyboard front, it was still a solid and…

"Amar Caballero" couldn't live up to the standards Babe Ruth set with "First Base," but it's still a solid effort, and these days it'll appeal mostly to prog rock fans who like a quality female lead vocalist.

The often-overlooked "Silent Nation", which boasted excellent production from Payne, was in many ways not your typical Asia album, and that's exactly what remains one of its biggest draws today.

Brimming with untamed energy, Colosseum's debut »Those Who Are About to Die Salute You« was a hugely important album in the story of early progressive rock and jazz fusion, and it's still of interest to most blues rock fans today.

Allan Holdsworth is the main reason "Bundles" is now counted among the classics of English jazz rock fusion.

»The Time Machine« was one of the better moments of Alan's solo career and a worthy part of the legendary The Alan Parsons Project legacy, even if it had a few less dazzling moments too.

It's hard to believe that "Broadway the Hard Way" came out of a grueling, cut-short tour after which Zappa wrote off the whole rock-band concept for good, because listening to it, Frank's crew sounds like a well-oiled machine having the…

"Sur la Mer," which had nothing to do with the classic The Moody Blues sound, landed squarely in the 'quickly forgotten' category, thanks to the label's burning desire to cater as much as possible to the trends of the MTV generation.

»Crossing the Tracks« was a bold undertaking and a totally atypical album for Cross's solo career so far. After some possible initial hesitation over a few unexpected moves, it will probably win over most of his followers

At a time when new, quality releases in the prog folk rock world are almost chronically missing, the new Gryphon album arrived right on cue, even though it took a full forty-one years to get here.

A jam-packed Dom sportova hall in Zagreb got a helping of eternal Jethro Tull classics, with a well-executed show and a nicely stitched-together setlist, but it never quite hit the peaks.

Big Big Train were in outstanding form at Cardogan Hall, backed by an extra brass section, and you can hear it all the way through "Merchants of Light", which is stuffed with a varied selection of some of their best moments from the past…

"With "Wasteland", Riverside have kept all of their musical brilliance and credibility, passing the big "artistic endurance" test with flying colors. Without the key man in the lineup, no less. Inspired, sensual and bursting with artistic…

»Swan Hunter« is basically a teaser for the most impatient Big Big Train devotees, who needed a fresh musical 'fix' from their favorites before the release of the current live offering »Merchants of Light«.

"Live At Rockpalast" is a stunning live recording that catches the maestro Hammill and his three bandmates in unbelievable live form, right in the short-lived window just after the reunion.

"The biggest strength of “Somewhere to Elsewhere” is that the compositions lodge themselves in your ear incredibly well, and the album as a whole flies by in a blink. There are no potentially boring moments on it, although no composition…

"Every time you spin it in the CD player, Lanzon's perfectionism and his layered musical polish will keep you busy, gratefully, and suck you right back in."

place: Vienna / Gasometer / Austria date: February 14, 2018 No question about it! Whenever Steven Wilson goes on tour, it's pretty much a given that you have to catch him live at least once! Steven is an outstanding musician,…

With "Chicago V" in 1972, Chicago sat on top of the American jazz rock scene. It was, without a doubt, one of their finest moments.

Location: Pordenone / Palazzetto dello Sport / Italy Date: Saturday, 07.10.2017 Procol Harum, the legendary English pioneers of progressive rock, have hit the road on a new tour for their fiftieth anniversary, one that was meant…

"After Verona in 2016, another amphitheater has "fallen" – this time in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, where Marillion once again glowed in all their majestic performing magic!"

Label: K-Scope Year of release: 2017 Production: Steven Wilson & Paul Stacey Album length: 59.46 Genre: Progressive Rock / Art Rock Steven Wilson, the leading patron of modern progressive rock, returns with his latest studio album,…

Location: San Daniele del Friuli / Piazza Vittorio Emanuele / Italy Date: Friday, 06/23/2017 San Daniele Del Friuli is the prosciutto capital of Friuli. On Friday, June 23, 2017, the town once again threw its big annual day devoted…

Location: Udine / Teatro Nuovo Giovanni da Udine / Italy Date: Thursday, 09.02.2017 Udine's Teatro Nuovo Giovanni played host to a world-class music legend. Rick Wakeman, the English keyboard wizard who made his name as a member of…

"»Lykaia« is yet another gorgeous album, full of polished melodies that are ambitiously, experimentally loosened up with the exploratory value of progressively and technically complex musical figures. "

"With »The Prelude Implicit,« Kansas rose from the ashes like the mythological phoenix pictured on the not exactly aesthetically successful cover, and made a much better album than most would have expected, given that Walsh and Livgren,…

"Marillion surprised us way more with a performance of the more than fifteen-minute title masterpiece, that is "This Strange Engine", with which they closed their fantastic show in Verona in epic fashion."

Location: Trieste / Teatro Politeama Rossetti / Italy Date: 26.04.2016 So much ink has been spilled over the past ten years on the English multi-instrumentalist, singer, composer, producer, computer wizard and sound engineer Steven…

"Steven Wilson made sure that anyone at Graz's Orpheum came away remembering his show for a long time. With outstanding musicians, projections, great stage lighting, and varied, epic songs, his concert was a real little spectacle."

"With the kind of playing and devilish rock'n'roll sorcery the legendary lineup delivered this time in Vienna, there's no fear of the band thinking about retirement. "

Location: Pordenone / Il Deposito Giordani / Italy Date: Monday, 08.02.2016 The international instrumental trio The Aristocrats, made up of British guitar alien Guthrie Govan (Steven Wilson, ex-Asia, GPS), American bass oddball…