The Cryptex "Nimbus"

Country: Germany
Genre(s): Progressive Rock/Metal
Label: Phonotraxx / Broken Silence / The Orchard
Format: CD, digital, vinyl
Release date: September 29, 2023
Tracklist

CD:

01. Fall Down

02. Cobra

03. Sugarleaf (EXTENDED)

04. Holy Ground

05. Nimbus

06. Devils Casino

07. Somanoid *BONUSTRACK

08. How Many Days

09. Nevermore Creek

10 Abyss

11. The Day We Will Meet Again feat. Jonna Jinton (EXTENDED)

12. Son Of Fortune

 

Vinyl:

01. Fall Down

02. Cobra

03. Sugarleaf (EXTENDED)

04. Holy Ground

05. Nimbus

06. Devils Casino

07. Nevermore Creek

08. Backdoor Lover *BONUSTRACK

09. How Many Days

10. The Day We Will Meet Again feat. Jonna Jinton (EDIT)

11. Son Of Fortune

  

Digital

01. Fall Down

02. Cobra

03. Sugarleaf (EDIT)

04. Holy Ground

05. Nimbus

06. Devils Casino

07. How Many Days

08. Nevermore Creek

09. Abyss *BONUSTRACK

10. The Day We Will Meet Again feat. Jonna Jinton (EXTENDED)

11. Son Of Fortune

Credits

Simon Moskon - Piano,Vocals

André-Jean-Henri Mertens - Guitar, Backing Vocals

David Silesu - Bass, Backing Vocals

Markus Kleiner - Drums, Percussions

   With

Jonna Jinton 

Description/Reviews:

Fans and new listeners can expect a surreal, boundary-breaking, usual untamed, and extremely original mixture of rock, pop, alternative, metal, art, and prog rock.Wonderfully lively, pulsating compositions that subliminally want to animate you to “break out” and “scream,” as only this band is able to bring across credibly.

Media/Samples
Bandcamp (from release date)
Cobra

Links:
Web page
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Progarchives
Proggnosis

Mother Black Cap "Caveman TV"

Country: UK
Genre(s): Progressive Rock
Format: CD, digital
Release date: September 28, 2023
Tracklist

1. Caveman TV (15:09) 

2. Memory Layne (2:22) 

3. Norfolk (Graveyard Of Ambition) (9:41) 

4. Three Fools (4:56) 

5. Last Chance (9:49) 

6. Caveman TV Reprise (1:23) 

Total Time 43:20

Credits

Andy 'Fizz' Bye - Lead vocals, Bass

Martin Nico - Electric Guitars, Acoustic Guitar, Nylon string Guitar, 12 String Guitar, Piano, Keyboards, Sound effects

Bob Connell - Organ, Keyboards, Grand Piano, Backing Vocals

Dave Neilsen - Drums

   With

Emma Clayton, Emily George, Erin Burgess - Backing Vocals

Jeff Scantlebury- Percussion

Riccardo Alemanno - Orchestration

Graham 'Grammo' Pilgrim - Bass pedals, 12 String Guitar, Orchestration, Keyboards, Sequencer, Sound effects

Lyrics and album concept by Martin Nico

All music written by Mother Black Cap (Except track 1 by Mother Black Cap & Graham 'Grammo' Pilgrim)

Recorded at Wendy House Studios, engineered by Matt George 

and Pyebush Studios, engineered by Martin Nico and Graham 'Grammo' Pilgrim

Mixed by Graham 'Grammo' Pilgrim (www.grammofonico.com)

Mastered at Close to the Edge studios

Thanks to Roy Curtis

Produced by Graham 'Grammo' Pilgrim & Martin Nico

Original Artwork - Sue Leech

Graphic Design - Cara Watling

Management - Anne Watling

Media/Samples
Bandcamp
 
Links:
Web page
Facebook
Proggnosis

Zolar Czack "Warm" EP

Country: Ukraine
Genre(s): Instrumental Jazz-Rock, Fusion
Format: digital
Release date: September 22, 2023
Tracklist

1. Tangerine Grope (3:27) 

2. What Are Oysters Doing In Church? (4:10) 

3. Intolerant Crocodile (3:15) 

4. Undulathus Asperatus (3:25) 

5. Fallstreak Hole (3:34) 

Total Time 17:51

Credits
Dennis Fursov (Quiet Observer) - everything

Media/Samples
Bandcamp

Links:
Facebook

Sistra "Zero"

Country: Italy
Genre(s): Psychedelic
Label: Psych Up Melodies
Format: digital
Release date: September 20, 2023
Tracklist

1. Atonalist (7:20) 

2. Backbone (5:09) 

3. Marte (6:20) 

4. Rasoi (6:17) 

5. Stranded  (8:13) 

6. Stalemate (7:15) 

7. Promises (6:11) 

8. Shutlock (6:11) 

9. Far Away (6:17) 

10. Mild (7:10) 

11. Shard Of Summer (5:15) 

12. Incontro (6:11) 

13. Anomaly (10:26) 

14. Turni (6:21) 

15. Opposti (7:11) 

16. Hypnose (6:17) 

17. Zero (6:28) 

18. Friction (7:27) 

19. Disbanded  (8:11) 

20. Feathers (12:13) 

Total Time 142:23

Credits
Fabrizio Di Vicino (Zaum): bass, guitar, flute, keyboards, percusion, voice

Media/Samples
Youtube

Links:
Progarchives
Proggnosis

Zhorhann "Ainsi Parlait Hominina"

Country: France
Genre(s): Instrumental Jazz-Rock/Metal
Label: Luminol Records 
Format: CD,digital
Release date: September 15, 2023
Tracklist

1. L'homme à la tête de gélule (09:28)

2. Les filleuls ancestraux - partie 1 (03:45)

3. Intro - (si si...) (04:03)

4. Le flamant rose (03:35)

5. Les filleuls ancestraux - partie 2 (05:52)

6. Egoduc (07:28)

7. Sweet acid (M'Z cover) (03:16)

8. Dieu sirote le sang (8:16) 

Total Time 45:43

Credits

Vincent Blandeau - Bass 

Heiva Arnal - Drums

Mathieu Torres (La Théorie des Cordes, M'Z)  - Guitar, composition, mastering

Mixing: Hugo Lemercier at the 'La Mercery' studio in Mirepoix (09)

Description/Reviews:

Genre tags include, but are not limited to, Rock in Opposition, Jazz Fusion, Jazz Metal and even Jazz Punk. The raw punk-y spirit reminds me a bit of the dearly missed fellow Frenchies of Taal, albeit decidedly less folky. Kind of like a less oriental, jazz based instrumental version of the mysterious Aussies of BAK. Equal parts deeply philosophical as the album title suggests, yet very much tongue-in-cheek musically, the trio concocted an exhilaratingly fun album and I can’t wait to witness this musical madness live.  (Dario at theprogspace.com)

Also read the review by Diego Pinheiro.com

Media/Samples
Bandcamp

Links:
Web page
Facebook
Proggnosis

Hats Off Gentlemen It's Adequate "The Light of Ancient Mistakes"

Country: UK
Genre(s): Progressive Rock
Label: Glass Castle Recordings
Format: CD, digital
Release date: September 9, 2023
Tracklist

1. Sold the Peace

2. The Light of Ancient Mistakes

3. Avrana Kern is Made of Ants

4. The Anxiety Machine (Part 1)

5. Sixteen Hugless Years

6. The Requisitioner and The Wonder

7. The Glamour Boys

8. Gothi and Gethli

9. I'm Tired and Everything Hurts

10. The Anxiety Machine (Part 2)

11. Walking to Aldebaran

12. Goodbye Cassini

13. The Anxiety Machine (Part 3)

14. The Man Who Japed

15. Burn the World

Bonus tracks

16. 16 Hugless Years (Radio Edit)

17. The Requisitioner and the Wonder (Radio Edit)

18. I'm Tired and Everything Hurts (Radio Edit)

19. The Man Who Japed (Radio Edit)

Credits

Malcolm Galloway - vocals, lead guitar, keyboards/synths, programming, additional percussion/drums.

Mark Gatland - bass guitar, additional and slide guitars, keyboards/synths, Chapman Stick, backing vocals, additional percussion/drums

Kathryn Thomas - flute

1, 3, 5-9,14, 15 - Written and performed by Malcolm Galloway and Mark Gatland.

2, 11, 12 - Written and performed by Malcolm Galloway, Mark Gatland, Kathryn Thomas.

4, 10, 13 - Written and performed by Malcolm Galloway.

Cover art by Malcolm Galloway, using AI assisted art creation software

Booklet art by Malcolm Galloway and Mark Gatland

Media/Samples
Bandcamp

Links:
Web page
Facebook
Progarchives
Proggnosis

Pixie Ninja "Hypnagogia"

Country: Norway
Genre(s): Instrumental Progressive Rock
Label: Apollon Records
Format: CD, digital, vinyl
Release date: September 8, 2023
Tracklist

1. Thanatosis (7:53) 

2. Silver Paper Unicorns (5:10) 

3. Pandæmonium (2:35) 

4. Dance Macabre (4:51) 

5. Ora Antarctica (4:38) 

6. Alpha Waves (6:13) 

7. Oneironaut (9:03) 

Total Time 40:23

Credits

Marius Leirånes

Jostein Haugen

Mattias Olsson (Änglagård, White Willow, Molesome)

    With

Jørgen Munkeby

All songs written and performed by Pixie Ninja in Nobø Studios, Rognan, Norway.

Additional recordings done at Roth Händle V, Sollentuna, Sweden.

Album recorded between April 2021 - July 2022.

Produced by Pixie Ninja

Mixed by Mattias Olsson & Stefan Fandén.

Mastered by Thomas Plec Johansson at the Panic Room.

Cover by Henning Lindahl.

Description/Reviews:

Yet again fully instrumental and more ambitious and experimental then ever, Pixie Ninja dives into the different stages of Hypnagogia, which describes the transitional state of consciousness between wakefulness and sleep.

Consisting with a variety of instruments bigger than ever, this album is a rollercoaster ride into the unknown.

Again Pixie Ninja have their minds set on blending the old and the new, the vintage and the modern, creating a sound and style so unlike anything you have ever heard before.

Mellotron and samples, saxophone and arpeggios, glockenspiel and string-sections, vintage guitars and raw explosive bass is just some of the correlations you can expect from this crucible of an album.

Media/Samples
Bandcamp

Links:
Facebook
Progarchives
Proggnosis

Lyft Trio "Nord"

Country: Switzerland
Genre(s): Instrumental Jazz, Fusion, Psychedelic
Label: Sulane Records
Format: CD,digital,vinyl
Release date: September 1, 2023
Tracklist

1. Escape (5:41) 

2. Arvenstübli (6:17) 

3. Aus Gutem Grund (4:04) 

4. Iso (4:40) 

5. Birds (4:58) 

6. On Point (4:21) 

7. Back Or Forth (4:01) 

8. Gefestigte Persönlichkeit (5:16) 

Total Time 39:18

Credits

Mario Castelberg - guitar

Janic Haller - drums

Joël Banz - bass

Recording & Mixing – Joël Banz 

Mastering – Klaus Scheuermann

Description/Reviews:

Led by guitarist Mario Castelberg, the Lyft Trio has created a fascinating mix of electronic jazz, psychedelic rock, and cinematic landscapes on their third studio album "Nord". The music simmers and boils and offers an exciting genre blend. The improvisation and composition merge seamlessly and form a unity. The Lyft Trio draws from the various musical influences of its members and combines the freedom of jazz, the atmosphere of psychedelic rock, the electronic sound aesthetic, and the song craft of pop. They always find a balance between consonance and dissonance, clear melodies and atmospheric sounds, and simplicity and complexity. If one had to name names, a mixture of Radiohead, Tonbruket, Bill Frisell, and Supersilent comes closest to the music of the Lyft Trio. 

The album "Nord" contains a total of eight compositions by Mario Castelberg, which tell different moods and stories. The song "Das Arvenstübli" invites you to dream and tells the story of someone who is stranded alone in a snowy mountain house. The consonant harmony and dreamy groove create an atmosphere of peace and relaxation. "Aus gutem Grund", on the other hand, gets psychedelic and rocky, with a krautrock-like beat and quirky scales and sounds. With "Iso" and "Birds", the album returns to dreamier and more atmospheric sounds and creates expansive landscapes through sweet melodies. "On Point" then brings a sharp contrast with a tricky rhythm and an electronic improvisation before getting lost again in the endlessness. With "Back or Forth", the album briefly says goodbye to jazz and brings a good-natured pop tune. The ironically meant title "Gefestigte Persönlichkeit" ("firm personality") follows no firm structure but meanders and loses itself, provocatively ending the album and leaving it in silence. Overall, "Nord" is an impressive album that showcases the musical range of the Lyft Trio and underscores their ability to unite different genres and moods.

Media/Samples
Bandcamp (5 tracks)

Links:
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