progressive rock

"The workaholic patron saint of modern prog rock isn't slowing down. With "4 ½", his fans will definitely find it a lot easier to wait for the maestro's next studio album."

"»Transcience« is a rare double LP that gathers some of the most vivid moments of Steven's career between 2002 and 2015."

"Steve Hackett came, played, conquered, leaving the packed-to-the-rafters Gran Teatro Geox in Padua utterly spellbound."

"The return of a music legend to the world's stages made the whole crowd happy in Pula, especially the younger fans who never had the chance to see Pink Floyd live. "

"»Four of a Kind« is a classic Goblin album that keeps the magnificent »Roller« legacy alive and carries it forward, so you can safely rank it right now among the highlights of their long and turbulent career. "

“Love, Fear And The Time Machine” is a new top-shelf album confirming that Riverside keep reaching, very successfully, for fresh challenges, which they masterfully work, in a melting pot of absorbed big ideas, into a format of absolute…

" An outstanding album that, alongside Feedback from Tolmin, delivers a badly needed progressive rock link on the Slovenian scene between the new generation and the look and spirit of the seventies bands (Izvir, Predmestje, September,…

"Steven Wilson remains the guiding light of modern progressive rock even after the excellent »Hand. Cannot. Erase«, where, while blending a whole range of musical influences, he uses a moving concept to deliver some very welcome and…

"Even live, Fish remains indestructible and rock-solid when it comes to delivering his gut-wrenching messages, and he's still a top-notch entertainer too, so we didn't mind at all that the set list that night leaned mostly on his newer…

Location: Graz / Stadthalle / AustriaDate: Sunday, 23.11.2014 This time around, Graz's Stadthalle played host to Peter Gabriel, one of the most colorful musical artists and vocal icons of all time. The hugely charismatic Gabriel…

"“Tellurian” is basically a jazzed-up, metalized upgrade of the artistry on the band's debut. Soen build on their recognizable stylistic sound, which can be traced back to the final era of Lopez's time in Opeth. "

"Into The Electric Castle" was the defining work of the one and only Arjen Anthony Lucassen, setting brand-new standards for the modern rock/metal opera and helping revive interest in a concept-album genre that was all but buried.

"Kansas's show in Holzkirchen was a top-notch experience for every fan of the American prog-rock titans and for anyone who loves some of the most beloved evergreens in the history of rock music."

"Mr. Hackett has no intention whatsoever of stopping spoiling his followers. "Live At The Royal Albert Hall" is already the second superb official live album from the 'Genesis Revisited' tour."

"Watching Hackett's band run through some of the greatest achievements in the history of progressive rock is always an unforgettable, almost transcendental experience, like hopping into a time capsule and landing in a far more romantic…

"In all honesty, Saga were the absolute winners if you compare the two bands' sets. Besides a fascinating setlist, the whole band was in phenomenal form from start to finish, and they were rewarded accordingly with longer applause than…

"Next time Wilson comes around, though, Vienna will have to move the show to a bigger, classier hall, because judging by the crowds he pulls, Steven has clearly outgrown venues on the level of Ottakringer Brauerei, no matter how much the…

Location: Bluesiana Rock Cafe / Velden Am Wörthersee (Velden) / AustriaDate: Wednesday, 19.03.2014 With so-called all-star lineups, the first question is usually: what can musicians coming from such different genres even play…

Location: Munich / Muffathalle / GermanyDate: Friday, 07.03.2014 The Muffathalle, located pretty much in the heart of Munich, played host this time to the international supergroup Transatlantic. Prog rock fans really don't need a…

"You could write a truly exhaustive analysis of this show and still miss the point. The point is that a Steven Wilson concert, just like Porcupine Tree, is something you simply have to experience."

Location: Faak Am See (Faaker See) / Harley Davidson Bikers Week / AustriaConcert date: Friday, September 6, 2013 This year's edition of the bikers' week at Faaker See, by the village of Faak Am See near Villach, kicked off the…

"One of the biggest surprises was a superb rendition of Hammill's solo masterpiece »Flight«, which comes from the album »A Black Box«. Along with »Meurglys III« and »A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers«, it was one of the epic suites of the…

Location: Ljubljana / Gala Hala (Metelkova) / SloveniaDate: 06.06.2013 The progressive rock scene is in full bloom. So full that it's seriously closing in on its golden years, the seventies of the last century; if nothing else, it's…

"Even though both Beardfish and Sound of Contact lived up to the big expectations, the Spock's Beard guys proved in the end who the 'main men' were, more than justified their status as the evening's headliners, and above all confirmed once…

"The mission to bring the Genesis magic back to life on stage, with maestro Hackett in the heart of Vicenza, was more than a success. Over roughly two and a half hours, we got a proper fill of some of the most beloved classics from the…

Label: K-Scope Records Year of release: 2013 Production: Steven Wilson and Alan Parsons Album length: 53.03 Genre: Progressive Rock / Art Rock Steven Wilson, the ultimate workaholic of the progressive rock scene and, when he's not busy…

"With this album Riverside have once again outdone their predecessor, reached a new point in their artistic evolution, masterfully risen to the challenge of a fresh artistic temptation, and come out of it as artists who, together with a…

"After this show, Vai remains a born stage entertainer, a grand wizard and master of shock-and-show excess, spiced up with the elusive playing of a unique six-string, even seven-string, theory! But that's enough, I'll save a few more words…

"Mr. Hammill, one of the greatest and most unique vocal authorities of the second half of the 20th century, showed up solo this time in the middle of Trieste's Teatro Miela."

"Grace for Drowning" is not a progressive rock album. "Grace for Drowning" isn't even a music album per se. "Grace for Drowning" is simply art. Art of sounds, letters and, last but not least, images.

"Bands with a 40-plus-year career that can still surprise you with an album on par with their best work could be counted on the fingers of both hands. With "Osee Yee", which can rightfully be declared their best effort since "Heads" (1972),…

"A Steve Hackett concert is an experience that pulls you into a musical world all its own, one you never want to leave. Sadly, it lasts "only" two hours."

"Despite Waters' grumbling and contempt for the album, it deservedly got a warmer reception and more enthusiasm than "The Final Cut" from both fans and critics at the time, so Gilmour and Mason came out of this battle of egos as the winners…

" Three and a half hours of out-of-this-world playing from a Canadian band of modest size (a trio), brimming with a first-class feel for good, honest rock n' roll fun. Pure musical perfectionism in human form, on stage!"

"Seeing these unyielding prog rock legends live in Italy is always an extraordinary, unforgettable and deeply emotional experience, because these thunderous heralds of the post-apocalypse have always enjoyed the greatest respect among…

Label: EMI RecordsRelease date: 2. 6. 1972Production: Pink FloydAlbum length: 40.08 minGenre: Progressive Rock/Psychadelic RockRating: 8.0/10 "Obsured by Clouds" is one of those Pink Floyd albums that doesn't come up all that often…

"This is more than a decent debut. The band is still searching for the right sound, and for now maybe still lacks a bit of creativity and ideas. The tracks are pretty similar to one another, with too much repetition of "riffs" and certain…

"Let's just hope Riverside keep spoiling us for a long time to come, in this peak period of their own artistic creativity, just like they do with "Anno Domini High Definition.""

"VDGG made us happy with a fantastic show, pretty much as expected, and the real feat was how an elated individual in a sea of seats managed to stay seated at all. "

Album length: 1:55:14Production: Frank ZappaRelease date: 1979Label: Rykodisc RecordsRating: 5/5 "Joe's Garage", a progressive rock opera in three acts built around the concept of what could happen if music became illegal, ranks among…

"Hanging out with Steve and Djabe was one of those magical concert nights that everyone there, especially those of us who got a short chat with the legend, won't forget anytime soon."

""The Missing Piece" as the opening act of a painful pop era, one in which Gentle Giant slowly fell apart and lost their artistic identity, doesn't come off badly as a whole, but it's way below their usual artistic standards."

"Interview" shows a few signs of vulnerability, mostly down to the breakneck pace at which it was written, but it's still a very good album with plenty to enjoy for fans of eclectic progressive rock and highly virtuosic instrumental…

"Besides the staggering range in songwriting and instrumentation, what blows you away again and again is the production, which was phenomenal for its day and makes the album sound like it was recorded yesterday. "Free Hand" gave the band…

"The Power And The Glory" ranks among the studio peaks of the legendary clowns of eclectic progressive rock. With their one-of-a-kind sonic mix and vivid philosophy, they warned about the pitfalls of absolute power and putting too much…

"Moving Pictures" always holds a special place in the universe of rock music. The place of a rock masterpiece! The most important album of Rush's career."

Running time: 35:25 Production: Rush & Terry Brown Release date: 1980 Label: Atlantic Records "Permanent Waves", or the Rush album of transition, slowly walks away from the band's fantasy-world stage and prog-rock…

""Brain Salad Surgery" is the crown jewel of the great trio at the peak of their artistic powers, and it belongs in the collection of every honest rock fan."

"King Crimson have every right to be proud of this album, which in many ways even outdid its far more commercially successful predecessor. Musically, stylistically and in its message. "In the Wake of Poseidon" is also another masterpiece…

""In The Court Of The Crimson King" is a legendary, now-cult record for every prog rock fan, and the very one that laid the foundations of the genre."

""Hold Your Fire" is the peak of Rush's "synth eighties" era. After it, the guys started reviving the rock-style placement of the individual instruments in the production. The keyboards began sliding into the background, and the guitar…

Label: EMI RecordsRelease date: March 1, 1973Production: Pink FloydAlbum length: 43.09 minGenre: Progressive Rock/Art RockRating: 10/10 What on earth is there left to write about "the dark side of the moon"? It's an extraordinary…

Location: Bratislava / Divadlo Arena / SlovakiaDate: 05/31/2008 Fortified with some noble Slovak hop liquor and Slovak sausages, we found ourselves face to face with the band at exactly 8:00 PM at the Divadlo Arena theater, a venue…

Label: EMI RecordsRelease date: October 31, 1971Produced by: Pink FloydAlbum length: 46.48 minGenre: Progressive Rock/Art RockRating: 9.0/10 Steeped in esoteric atmosphere, "Meddle" may well be the most important album in the…

Label: EMI RecordsRelease date: October 2, 1970Produced by: Pink FloydAlbum length: 51.54 minGenre: Psychadelic Rock / Progressive RockRating: 9.0/10 Lulubelle III, the cow on the sleeve of "Atom Heart Mother", the fifth studio album…

Label: EMI RecordsRelease date: 7. 11. 1969Production: Pink Floyd & Norman SmithAlbum length: 86.11 minGenre: Psychadelic Rock/Progressive Rock/AvantgardeRating: 8.5/10 The first years after the departure of the "crazy diamond"…

Label: EMI RecordsRelease date: June 13, 1969Production: Pink FloydAlbum length: 44.57 minRating: 8.0/10Genre: Psychadelic Rock/Progressive Rock In the period after the departure of the "crazy diamond" Syd Barrett and the release of…

"I'd call this Fish show very good, not phenomenal like the one in Augsburg, but still more or less in line with what I expected anyway."

Label: EMI RecordsRelease date: June 29, 1968Production: Norman SmithAlbum length: 39:42 minGenre: Psychadelic Rock/Space Rock/Progressive RockRating: 8.0/10 "A Saucerful Of Secrets" is the second studio album by Pink Floyd, hands…

"A trio of three highly charismatic gentlemen, whose chemistry is built on rich experience, long road mileage and years of knowing each other, still runs like a well-oiled, relentless machine after more than 30 years, carrying the Rush…

Label: Inside Out MusicRelease date: 24.09.2007Production: RiversideAlbum length: 55.51 minGenre: Progressive Rock / Progressive Metal Poland's champions of progressive rock and metal are back after four years with a new album,…

Label: Charisma RecordsRelease date: 12/14/1970Production: John AnthonyAlbum length: 47:15 minGenre: Progressive RockRating: 9.5/10 With their third album, “H To He, Who Am The Only One,” Van Der Graaf Generator wrote themselves…

""The Least We Can Do Is Wave To Each Other" is one of those albums that was, in a way, at least ten years ahead of its time. Over the following year Hammill would push the band to the very limits of what it could do, and with the next two…

Label: Bloodfish MusicRelease date: June 21, 2007Production: Gabriel MoffatAlbum length: 66.59 minGenre: Progressive RockRating: 9.5/10 Whenever Rudi the foxy little devil has naughty brats like Hansel and Gretel firmly under his…

"The show by the "depleted" Genesis, whose lineup shortfall of two progressive heavyweights barely showed in the setlist (honestly, it's almost impossible to compare two completely different bands), turned out to be one of the most magical…

Label: Chrysalis RecordsRelease date: 8/29/1980Produced by: Ian Anderson & Robin BlackAlbum length: 42:30 minGenre: Progressive RockRating: 8.5/10 After the end of the »Stormwatch« (1979) tour, Ian Anderson, a distant descendant…

"The Aerosol Grey Machine" is by no means a revolutionary debut, and it's even the least conspicuous record in their history, but it's more mature than many a first album from their peers, which says a lot about the remarkable consistency…

" "Thick As A Brick" is a timeless progressive rock masterpiece that has stood the test of time all these years later and still remains an unattainable benchmark for plenty of creative musicians who'd love to get anywhere near the lofty…

"Aqualung" is the pivotal album in the band's history and one of the greatest works in the story of rock music, the record that cemented Jethro Tull among the immortal giants of rock. At the same time, it pushed the band up to a higher…

Label: Bloodfish MusicRelease date: September 14, 2006Production: Gabriel MoffatAlbum length: 54.08 minGenre: Progressive RockRating: 9.0/10 Phideaux Xavier is a hyperactive American multi-instrumentalist, singer, composer and TV…

Label: Island RecordsRelease date: 20. 11. 1970Producer: Greg LakeLength: 41.13 minGenre: Progressive RockRating: 9.0/10 When keyboard wizard Keith Emerson broke up The Nice, one of the best proto-prog bands around, because it had…

Label: Island Records / Atlantic RecordsRelease date: December 10, 1970Production: Robert Fripp & Peter SinfieldLength: 42.30 minGenre: Progressive RockRating: 9.5/10 In mid-1970, King Crimson were still in an unenviable spot,…

" "Benefit" is not only better produced, it's a far more mature album than its predecessor. It's where the band finally shaped its signature identity. "

"Even though Jethro Tull only showed their true musical direction and full potential on later albums, "This Was" is a thoroughly likable "progressive blues" record that shines above all in its remarkable originality."

"I sure hope this was only the beginning of our concert-going and friendship with the "father" of neo-progressive rock: a Scottish giant with a gentle heart and a sharp pen."

"With "Duke", a huge hit worldwide and their first "gold" album on the UK charts, Genesis made a very good record. It sails successfully between prog and pop, and it still has enough progressive elements that it doesn't water down into a…

Label: Atlantic RecordsRelease date: February 19, 1971Production: Eddie OffordAlbum length: 40.56 minGenre: Progressive RockRating: 9.0/10 (for an English version, scroll down the bar)Aaaaaaa! Forgive me, but this review is going to…

Label: Charisma RecordsRelease date: October 23, 1970Production: John AnthonyAlbum length: 42.56 minGenre: Progressive RockRating: 9.0/10 With "Trespass", their first proper prog record, the band took a massive step forward from…

"With their birth, Riverside became an outstanding addition to the prog rock scene. They're marked by a completely their own voice, built on a fantastic knack for expressing emotion through a musical sermon."

"The title track Salisbury is basically a Uriah Heep manifesto of exceptional artistic ambition, instantly comparable to Pink Floyd's notorious Atom Heart Mother suite. They were a hair's breadth from breaking through into the ranks of…

" Magic was born. "

"Four hours!!! Madness! Satriani + Vai + Fripp = G3 2004!"