Kettlespider "Avadante"

Country: Australia
Sub Genre: Instrumental Progressive Metal/Rock
Release date: April 30, 2012
Tracklist: 
1. Introduction (0.37)
2. Discovery (4.38)
3. Avadante (4.52)
4. Comatose (5.55)
5. Revelations (6.32)
6. New Eyes (1.36)
7. Reflections (8.46)

Line-up: 
- Colin Andrews / bass guitar
- Scott Ashburn / guitars
- Haris Boyd-Gerny / guitars
- Geoffrey Fyfe / keyboards
- Simon Wood / drums and percussion

Description/Reviews: 

While a wholly instrumental album, we learn from the short opening track, ‘Introduction’, that Avadante charts the journey of a man confined to a comatose state. Of course, this is not new thematic material for a metal or progressive band to explore. What is unique, however, is that rather than weaving a dark tale of loss and despair, Kettlespider have created an album that is not only quite uplifting, but is also emotionally sophisticated and devoid of the melodrama that often undermines the impact of lighter progressive rock and metal. 

Read the whole review at heavyblogisheavy.com 

Media/Samples 
Bandcamp

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iamthemorning "~"

Country: Russia
Sub Genre:  Symphonic, Chamber, Neo-Classical
Release date: April 27, 2012
Tracklist: 
1. ~ (Intermission I) (2:48)
2. Inside (4:15)
3. Burn (4:39)
4. Circles (3:18)
5. ~ (Intermission II) (0:51)
6. Weather Changing (3:04)
7. ~ (Intermission III) (0:48)
8. Scotland (3:52)
9. Touching II (4:03)
10. ~ (Intermission IV) (0:47)
11. Monsters (3:58)
12. Serenade (2:27)
13. ~ (Intermission V) (0:55)
14. Would This Be (4:20)
15. ~ (Intermission VI) (1:46)
16. I.B.Too (11:41)

Line-up: 
- Marjana Syomkina / vocals
- Gleb Kolyadin / piano
- Diakov/ violin
- Filipp Buin / viola
- Alina Shilova/ cello
- Maxim Rudenko/ bass
- Mikhail Istratov / drums
- Evgeniy Abzalov / guitars

Description/Reviews: 

Russian based outfit iamthemorning describe themselves as ... a neo-classical vocal indie band... that ...combine non-typical but easily perceived vocal parts of progressive rock with a distinctly classical musical approach. All band members have a higher education in classical music and are still studying this craft as of 2012.

 The songs are well written, and it has a great mellow quality that is lacking in a lot of new music these days. I love the very effective use of piano as the main instrument: very little (if any) synthesizer to be found. The female vocals are very well done, and not distracting at all from the music. My favorite track is probably the more upbeat "burn", but all of the "intermissions" are right behind.Overall a great listen. -  Apollo2112 (progarchives.com)

Media/Samples 
Bandcamp (name your price)

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Ping "The Hurricane Spoof"

Country: Norway
Subgenre: Prog-pop, Eclectic
Record Label: Brown Lagoon Records
Release date: April 27, 2012
Tracklist:

1. Ave Pingus
2. Surfing Microwav
3. Surfing Microwaves
4. Chocolate Tower
5. Sunblock
6. Lame and Lumber
7. Lily
8. The Pervert and the Virgin
9. Not Another Nutcase
10. The Hurricane Spoof

Description/Reviews:     Inspiration from unequal artists like Zappa, Melvins, Fred Frith, Ween, dEUS, Tom Waits and Wilco can be hear through the album, combining elements from 60s roots to modern metal and electronica.

Read DPRP review

Media/Samples:
Ave Pingus
Surfing Microwaves

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Bryan Scary "Daffy's Elixir"

Country: USA
Sub Genre: Prog-pop
Label: Paper Garden Records
Release date: Аpril 24, 2012
Tracklist: 

1. The Wicked Frontier 03:45
2. Ziegfield Station 03:53
3. Cable Through Your Heart 05:07
4. The Silver Lake Mining Company 04:30
5. Diamonds! 05:41
6. Ballroom Kid 04:01
7. You Might Be Caught In Tarantella 03:45
8. The Tale Of Opal Dawn 03:12
9. Faintess Moody: Outlaw 04:40
10. Another Ace In The Hole 01:51
11. Red Baron (Of Arizona) 07:36
12. Owe Mister O 04:12
13. Day-Glo Waterfalls 04:29
14. Quicksilver Daisy Day 05:14
15. Data Mountain 07:58

Line-up: 
Bryan Scary, Graham Norwood, Paul Amorese, David Ostrem, Mike Acreman, Bryan Smith, Rick Snell, Giulio Carmassi, Ward White, Ali Blake, Victoria Liedtke

Description/Reviews: 

Bryan Scary tells fantastic tales. His art-pop songs may paint him as a schizophrenic musical oddball, but the eccentricities are hardly frivolous. They stem from a carefully tailored vision, an ambitious and well-honed mutation of the rock and roll storytelling tradition. 

The completed "Daffy's Elixir" is an epic double album featuring cons, quacks, cow-gal robots, spurned lovers, villains and bandits, all set in the Old West. Euro-centric art-pop meets Spaghetti-Westernisms and old-timey yarn spinning, a unique stew congealed by Scary’s most ambitious musical arrangements yet. 

Media/Samples 
Bandcamp

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These Curious Thoughts "Building Mountains From The Ground"

Country: USA/UK
Sub Genre: Psychedelic, Alternative, Prog-pop
Label: Viaduct Records
Release date: April 1, 2012
Tracklist: 

1. I’ve Got God on the Phone
2. Uncivilized Society
3. Dark Star
4. Building Mountains from the Ground
5. Nothing Is Supernatural
6. The Illusionist
7. Arctic Heart Attack
8. A World of Dirty Water
9. Days After
10. I’m a Simple Man
11. I’m Not Insane
12. Charles Darwin
13. Animals
14. Get Along
15. When God Was a Boy

Line-up: 
Sean Dunlop - Vocals, All instruments
Jamie Radford - Bass

Description/Reviews: 

It combines progressive rock and psychedelia (the most prominent elements) with occasional hints of things as far reaching as punk rock. However you slice it, though, this is stronger than the previous one and  a real winner.

Read the whole review by G. W. Hill at musicstreetjournal.com 

Also read a review at dprp.net

Media/Samples 
Three songs online

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