Progfreak.com Progressive Music Ratings & Reviews

Wow! Very nice, and a pleasant surprise after I had read a couple of reviews. This piece of rock is pretty much in opposition, and not for the faint of heart in terms of dissonance and roller-coaster-like changes in style and mood in rapid succession. But I'm buying the package, and I especially like the entire flow of the album, and appreciate the odd harmonic parts here and there that provide a nice and necessary contrast to the otherwise relentless onslaught.

Calm, gentle, symphonic ... somehow the whole album feels like a comfy chair, if that makes sense. Very harmonic and always cleverly shifting gears. Excellent vocals. Will be put on repeat ...

The unofficial best Thrash album of all time. What else is there to say? Stunning musicianship, brilliant songs, relentless pace.

Awesome! The album really has this sort of "tangential flow" going, meandering from theme to theme, but without getting repetetive or boring. Well done!

A decent effort! But then again I found nothing that stands out, and the songwriting is quite predictable. The band needs to find their niche and then try to fill it more boldly.

This flows nicely! Quite captivating, really tasty composition and an eclectic mix of moods.

A brilliant return! It is difficult to come out of a 10+ years hiatus. I really like that Steven chose to look forward, and the result sounds pretty unique. Reminiscent of old PT at times (e.g. Herd Culling harkens back to In Absentia days), but more often refreshingly aggressive and harsh, departing from the somber melancholy that had (threatened to) become a trademark.

Another incredible authentic stoner rock full of deep, heavy psychedelic aspects.

A California-oriented unit PETYR were founded as a stoner rock quartet by a professional skateboarder Riley HAWK. The second album "Smolyk" was released on April 30, 2018, following their first eponymous one, via Outer Battery Records. We can find their strong dignified positive intention massively inspired by stoner rock pioneers like Kyuss or Sleep, heavy rock vanguards like Black Sabbath, or psychedelic masters like Flower Travellin Band. Exactly we can say Heaven gives Riley two talents, skating and rocking. Through the whole creation, the magnificent hollowing-out sound gravity by the rhythm section - the bassist Luke DEVIGNY and the drummer Nick McDONNELL - should shape and determine their serious stoner appearance. Of course we must not avoid such a sarcastically hallucinogenic dissonance created with twin guitars by Riley and Holland REDD.

The crazy propagating combination mentioned above explodes from the very beginning of the titled masterpiece "Smolyk". Fantastically violent sound explosions cling to our heart and never let go. Such an energetic distortion in "Part 1" launched by four strengthened instruments is also addictive. In "Part 2" repetitive passion plays and loose, relaxing vocals ... -> show full review

Greatly distorted but smooth attacks for my ears. AL_X aka Alex DUNFORD's solo project has launched dissonant atmospheric ambience for about a decade. This album "Low Clouds" was released as his third full-length creation in 2020 via a post-rock / ambient label Fluttery Records. This album gives us an opportunity to touch and enjoy his sensitive but magnificent fantasy. A bit thin rock-like texture is in his opus but we can enter his different-dimensional soundscape without any resistance.

Around him is something critical, just like the third track "Onwards", but no hoax-y conspicuous vibe cannot be heard all over. Every single phrase is simple, sticky, and hallucinogenic, but the collective of such repetitive moments produces comfort and pleasure. On the other hand, the complicated melodic structures created by his electric piano in "The Wait" sound delightful, beautiful but slightly tragic. The titled track possesses a well-matured, well-balanced combination of melodic dissections and pessimistic movements, as if we would watch him leading a lonely life. Anyway we can touch another pop / catchy potential of Alex in the following "Leaving The World Behind". This is the moment to find his colourful appearances amongst sincereness, seriousness, delicacy, and distortion.

As mentioned above, not enough rock-ish but pretty enchanting one, I'm sure.

The second side isn't quite as strong as the first, but this is otherwise up there with the band's debut.

Strong first outing from these neo-proggers. The title track is a masterpiece.

Not as adventurous as their previous LPs, but worth a serious listen.

Compilation of live cassette recordings. Includes excellent version of "Nocturnal Blond"

A grab-bag of radio appearances, soundboard recordings, and audience tapes, this album includes a lot of good material, but will likely prove inscrutable to those not already familiar with the band.

Compiled from various cassette sources, this album is a treat for fans, but likely inscrutable to anyone else.

 

 

 

 

Kinda fascinating heavy-tinged rock sound seasoned with pop / catchy spices should be acceptable for me. A French rock project HELIUM STATION were founded in 2019 in Toulouse mainly by the frontman / multi-instrumentalist Fabrice LACOURT. "Sanctuary" was released in May 2021 as their second full-length album featuring Fabrice's incredible guitar technique and Benjamin MARMIER's superbly strict drumming. Though some tracks, especially the first two "Simple Life" and "One Night Pain" have drastically heavy / metallic texture flavoured with progressive essence, this album is created with decent rock structure plus apparent pop aroma.

"Simple Life" could be called a masterpiece for them I imagine. Fabrice's uptempo, energetic, vivid guitar playing definitely leads themselves to artistic progression. Female vocals are powerful too. Guess the audience would get drenched in their incredible fantasy and absorbed perfectly. Via "One Night Pain" we could feel that Haken meet Journey ... heavy rock with tasty understandable digestive melodic appearances. "Heaven's In Your Eyes" is one of my favourite blues rock tracks of theirs crystallized with powerful voices based upon deeply bluesy melody lines. "Be Yourself", that possesses delicious, delightful light touches, reminds me of a similarity to 70s discotheque music or something. The titled track involves quite mysterious, stable, settled atmosphere all around. On the whole, this opus is an excellent rock one with full digestive melody lines and acceptable rhythmic bases, not progressive enough though. A good creation, nonetheless. :)