Tristema “Dove Tutto è Possibile”

Country: Italy
Sub Genre: Prog-pop
Release date: June 30, 2012
Tracklist: 
1 Dove tutto è possibile 3:54
2 L'impercorribile 3:54
3 L'assenza (Roses and Thorns) [feat. Daniel Gildenlöw] 3:32
4 Nel silenzio 3:51
5 Maryland 3:13
6 La penisola che non c'è (feat. Fuossera) 3:10
7 Vortice 3:19
8 L'eclissi (feat. P. Salurso, F. Citera, R. Basile & M. Bruno) 3:07
9 Constanze 3:49
10 Gli spazi della mente 3:28
11 Immagini riflesse 3:17
12 L'istante 3:16

Line-up: 
Candido Di Sevo - Vocals, Bass
Alessandro Galdieri - Guitars, Vocals
Romolo D'Amaro - Guitars
Dario Bruno - Drums
   With
Daniel Gildenlöw (ex-Pain of Salvation): vocals on track 3

Fuossera:  on track 6
P. Salurso:  on track 8
F. Citera:  on track 8
R. Basile:  on track 8
M. Bruno:  on track 8

Description/Reviews: 

One of the qualities in any band that I find extremely important in terms of being able to enjoy their material is the vocalist. I’m not the kind of person that needs to hear a singer with a strong range or a particular style of delivery, but he or she needs to be in tune with the main melody and opting for a harmonic based rather than emotional based delivery. And Tristema has such a singer indeed. He’s got a pretty good range as far as I can tell, which is a bonus for me personally, but the important parts are there in purebred manner: Always in perfect tune and pitch with the melody, always with the perfect choice for when and how to utilize a more intense delivery, always opting for the best possible use of his voice as far as I can tell. The kind of singer whose contributions in themselves is able to lift and elevate a musical experience.

As for the music itself, this band is something of a revelation for me also in this department. Short, catchy tunes of the kind that begs for radio play, tight, energetic and generally uplifting in nature. But made with that sly touch of sophistication that makes a progressive rock reviewer like myself really take notice of what’s going on. These guys are fond of blending subtly contrasting passages, gentle verse parts followed by harder edged intermissions or chorus passages. The latter by and large always of the singalong variety, sporting compact, melodic riff constructions of the kind that will get this band a fair few descriptions containing the words indie and alternative I guess. But there’s a bit more going on here too.

 Read the full review by Olav Martin Bjørnsen at houseofprog.com

Media/Samples 
8 tracks online

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Acidente "Ainda"

Country: Brazil
Sub Genre: Symphonic
Release date: June 6, 2012
Tracklist: 

1. 6/6/11 (Six, Six, Eleven) - 4:41
2. Navidalouca - 4:04
3. Trilhos, Dormentes e Homens - 5:43
4. 1987 - 3:54
5. Elsewhere - 9:36
6. A Nova Onda - 3:37
7. Let's Play - 4:04
8. Só Eu Sei - 3:27
9. 7 Quedas - 3:32
10. Gravidada - 5:21
11. O Tronco - 3:26
12. Ruas Torturantes - 4:03
13. Mala de Influência - 6:07
14. Resistant - 1:07
15. Trevas - 5:50
16. Venham Cá - 3:20
17. The End - 1:01

Line-up: 
Zunga Ezzaet - guitars, bass (except 12), drum programming, keyboards (1, 4, 13, 17), lead vocals (3, 9), backing vocals and keyboards
Paulo Malária - keyboards, lead vocals (5, 8, 11, 16), backing vocals
Hélio 'Scubi' Jenné -  lead vocals (2, 6, 8, 12) and backing vocals
With:
Raul Branco:  bass (12)

Media/Samples 
Entire album online

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KingBathmat "Truth Button"

Country: UK
Sub Genre: Psychedelic, Progressive Metal
Label: Stereohead Records
Release date: June 6, 2012 (UK), January 21, 2013 (worldwide)
Tracklist: 
1. Behind The Wall 9:15
2. Abintra               8:37
3. Book Of Faces  7:06
4. The End Of Evolution  9:00
5. Dives And Pauper       5:56
6. Coming To Terms With Mortality in the face of Insurmountable Odds 10:30

Digital release includes bonus tracks
7. Slipstream
8. Lines and Dots
9. Dives and Paupe

Line-up: 
-John Bassett / bass,vocals
-Lee Sulsh / guitar
-Bernie Smirnoff / drums

Description/Reviews: 

While exhibiting a diverse array of influences, the end result is nevertheless very coherent and effective. For example, the first song “Behind the Wall” begins with a classic heavy metal style riff, which suddenly transitions into a dreamy arrangement of spacey guitars and delicate synths, yet the transition doesn’t feel jarring. Each change is perfectly accentuated by the drums, and the bass alternates between grooving through dreamy guitar-keyboard psychedelia and doubling the guitar parts with heavy forcefulness. This excellent instrumental cake is then iced with rich vocal layers, often with a catchiness that any pop artist would envy.

Read the whole review by Kyler Stoneman at progulator.com

Media/Samples 
Bandcamp

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The Aaron Clift Experiment "Lonely Hills"

Country: USA
Sub Genre: Symphonic, Hard Rock
Release date:  June 1, 2012
Tracklist: 
1)  Seven (3:23)
2)  Arsonist Games (3:21)
3)  Lonely Hills (3:52)
4)  My Andalusian Love (4:46)
The Castaway Saga:
5)  Part 1: Shipwrecked (6:35)
6)  Part 2:  The Shell (6:24)
7)  Part 3: I.  Low Tide (2:54)
8)  Part 3: II. Staring at Fruit Out of Reach (9:38)
9)  Part 3: III. High Tide (3:25)
10) Part 4: Eye of the Storm (6:16)

Line-up: 
Aaron Clift: vocals, keyboards
Jim Ragland: guitar
Joe Green: bass
Joe Resnick: drums
With
Leila Henley: flute on “Eye of the Storm”
Kevin Butler: shaking and rolling
Matt Noveskey: knee slapping and clapping

Description/Reviews: 

Think of bands such as Styx, Kansas, Genesis, Pink Floyd and not forgetting Jethro Tull (the band and not the man who invented the seed drill) and The Moody Blues, and then throw in a chunk of experimentation (no pun intended) and you get a sound that encompasses symphonic prog rock, hard rock, classic rock and also a little AOR. Not what you would refer to as “classic” prog rock but the music on Lonely Hills is certainly nearer that genre than some recent releases.

 Read the full review by Jim Lawson at muzikreviews.com

Media/Samples 
Several tracks and samples

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