Childwood "Opalessence"

Country: Multinational
Genre(s): Fusion, Progressive Rock
Format: CD, digital
Release date: January 12, 2020
Tracklist: 
1. Eyes Wide Open (6:49)
2. Mirage (8:40)
3. Moonburst (5:10)
4. Constellation (7:34)
5. From Beyond (8:15)
6. Hear The Angels Sing (6:23)
7. Alex Vansalen - A Forest (5:55)

Total Time 48:46

Line-up: 
Isabel Bermejo - Vocals
Alex Vansalen - Guitars, Live Electronics
Burcu Ramazanoglu - Violin
Wietse Voermans - Alto Saxophone
Alessio Bruno - Double Bass
Ruud Voesten - Drums

Media/Samples 
Bandcamp

Universal Sigh "Cherish"

Country: USA
Genre(s): Progressive Rock, Fusion, Funk
Format: CD, digital
Release date: January 10, 2020
Tracklist: 
1. Bedrock & Paradox (5:19)
2. The Latter (3:51)
3. Blindside (5:18)
4. Leftovers Life (5:40)
5. Sunday Painters (4:28)
6. Peaceful Lee (6:01)
7. Calypso (6:28)
8. Cherish (5:02)

Total Time 42:07

Line-up: 
Steve Terry - Guitar, Keys, Vocals
Pace Maynard - Guitar, Vocals
Austin Parker - Bass, Vocals
Jones Maynard - Drums, Percussion
   With
Will Clark - Additional Percussion
Jacob Selvagi - Saxophone (6)
Jennifer Zuiff - Backing Vocals (7)
Joshua Seckman - Synthesizers

Media/Samples 
Bandcamp

Links:
Web page
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The Cardinal Endeavor "Somewhere In Between"

Country: USA
Genre(s): Instrumental Progressive Metal
Format: digital
Release date: January 9, 2020
Tracklist: 
1. Oubliette (1:22)
2. Joule (4:22)
3. Marooned (7:11)
4. Chrysalis (4:41)
5. Emergence (4:58)
6. Silk (1:32)
7. Departure (4:36)
8. Schizophrenic (6:04)

Total Time 34:46

Line-up: 
Andrew Reavis - Guitars
Jacob Hall - Guitars
Hogan Gammons - Drums
Tyler Monday - Bass

Media/Samples 
Stream

Links:
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Home Brewed Universe "The Time Thief"

Country: India
Genre(s): Instrumental Progressive Post Rock/Metal
Format: digital
Release date: January 8, 2020
Tracklist: 
1. Divergent Boulevard
2. Mind Tree
3. He Who Cannot Be Remembered
4. Loop In Translation
5. The Joker And The Thief
6. Silhouettes Rising
7. Surrender And Exist Everywhere
8. Never Forever. Ever Whomever.
9. Loop In Translation (Ambient Chill Remix)
10. Mind Tree (Acoustic Nirvana Remix)

Line-up: 
Arka Sengupta - everything

Media/Samples 
Bandcamp

Links:
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Anoushbard "Mithra"

Country: Iran
Genre(s): Progressive Metal
Format: digital 
Release date: January 7, 2020
Tracklist: 
1. Inevitable Death (3:41)
2. The Man Who Rides Through The Fire (6:16)
3. Life Lady (Green Temple) (10:46)
4. Gates Of Ctesiphon (10:57)
5. The Ward (7:50)
6. Haoma (Instrumental) (3:34)

Total Time 43:04

Line-up: 
Sherwin Baradaran
Siavash Motallebi

Description/Reviews: 

The album starts off with a folky drumming tune, which turns into proggy death metal in “Inevitable Death”. The harsh vocals verge on black metal (slightly reminiscent of the Saudi Arabian AL-NAMROOD) in that they remain fairly non-melodic and raw-sounding. Meanwhile, the guitars are where the band really shines as they drive the song forward with a fast, melodic tempo, revealing influences from modern melodeath as well as classic progressive death metal bands such as OPETH.

Clean vocals are utilised much more on the second track, “The Man Who Rides Through the Fire“, a calmer song that gives a feeling of introspection. The standout song on the album, however, has to be “Gates of Ctesiphon”, a ten-minute behemoth wherein the band showcases all of their skill, spearheaded by proggy guitar passages, which then progress into a softer, dreamier part.

Read the full review at tuonelamagazine.com

Media/Samples 
Inevitable Death
Gates Of Ctesiphon
Stream

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Luiz Amadeus "Spiritual Evolution"

Country: Brazil
Genre(s): Instrumental Progressive Metal
Format: digital
Release date: January 7, 2020
Tracklist: 
1 - Terrible Logic (03:11)
2 - Winding Thoughts (03:47)
3 - Breaking Paradigms (04:09)
4 - My Darker Side (04:08)
5 - Nightmares of Programmed Dreams (03:46)
6 - Imperfect Perfections of My Unconscious (03:59)
7 - Inexplicable Aspects (04:16)
8 - Simple as Everything I Think (03:30)

Total Time 30:46

Line-up: 
Luiz Amadeus - guitars, bass
Niko Teixeira - drums

Media/Samples 
Stream
Deezer
3 tracks

Links:
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Dyscordia "Delete / Rewrite"

Country: Belgium
Genre(s): Progressive Power Metal
Format: CD, digital
Release date: January 7, 2020
Tracklist: 
1. Delete / Rewrite (5:53)
2. This House (4:52)
3. Rage (5:35)
4. The Curse Of Mediocracy (5:29)
5. Merry Go Round (5:34)
6. Castle High (5:18)
7. The Cards Have Turned (4:27)
8. Stranger To The Dark (6:45)
9. Silent Tears (7:46)

Total Time 51:39

Line-up: 
Piet Overstijns - Vocals
Stefan Segers - Vocals & Guitars
Martijn Debonnet - Guitars & Backings
Guy Commeene - Lead guitars
Wouter Nottebaert - Bass & Backings
Wouter Debonnet - Drums

Description/Reviews: 

Although guitarist Stefan Seegers contributes a fair bit of deathly grunting throughout the album, the band’s outlook is generally on the melodic side; Second track This House manages to combine muscle and melody quite nicely, with all three guitarists playing with sufficient restraint in the service of the song. Things might get a little ‘over beefy’, if you follow my drift, with eighteen strings ploughing away at the same time, but never do you walk away from a song feeling battered by overkill. And that’s a good sign.

Read the full review by Ferry Templeton at sentineldaily.com.au

Media/Samples 
Bandcamp
Delete/Rewrite

Links:
Web page
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Dave Brons "Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost"

Country: UK
Genre(s): Symphonic, Prog Folk
Format: CD, digital
Release date:January 6, 2020
Tracklist: 
1. The Song Of Illuvatar (4:56)
2. EÄ (6:09)
3. Into The Perilous Realm (5:10)
4. Awakened By Starlight (6:19)
5. Under The Same Sun (5:02)
6. The Shire : A Long Expected Party (4:46)
7. The Pass Of Caradhras (3:36)
8. A Prayer For The Fallen (2:11)
9. The Riders Of Rohan (4:18)
10. Minas Morgul (4:30)
11. The Ring Bearers (6:56)
12. The Houses Of Healing (3:50)
13. All The End Of All Things (3:35)
14. White Shores And A Swift Sunrise (6:03)

Total Time 67:21

Line-up: 
Dave Brons (Celestial Fire): Electric guitar, orchestration, arranging, and easy piano (7,8,9)
John Biglands: Drums and cymbals, acoustic guitar ( 11)
Daniel Day: Bass, low whistle, and classical guitar (5)
Mark Swift: Piano and organ
   With
Dave Bainbridge (Iona, Celestial Fire): Mixing, additional keyboards, electric guitar and percussion
Sally Minnear (Celestial Fire): Lady Galadriel narration, lead vocals, ethereal vocal looping,
Catherine Ashcroft: Uilleann pipes and low whistle and tin whistle (14)
Maria Mullen and the Great Yorkshire Chorus: Choir and improvised vocal textures.
Jane Bryan: Flute, alto flute and piccolo.
Ian Brons: Cello
Stephen Bradnum: Trombone, french horn, bass trombone, euphonium, tuba.
John Dey: Trumpets
John Clay: Cornet
David Hogan: Clarinet and soprano saxophone
Frank Van Essen (Iona, Dave Bainbridge, Celestial Fire): Violin, violas and the violin solo (5)
'Red' Rich Davenport: Gandalf narration.
Jaiden Vai Brons: Vocals (9, 11)
Kai Rohan Brons: Frodo's narration (12)

Description/Reviews: 

Sally Minnear, as the voice of Lady Galadriel, opens the album and The Song Of Illuvatar. The haunting guitar theme is reminiscent of Scarborough Fair and Catherine Ashcroft's evocative Uilleann pipes soloing is in the fine tradition of Troy Donockley. In contrast, EÄ is the first of several tracks that incorporate heavy guitar riffing, bringing Haken to mind. Given the album's 'Celtic symphonic' aspirations, the metal tendencies came as a surprise, but it works nonetheless. Tracks like The Riders Of Rohan and The Ring Bearers boast soaring instrumental flights, demonstrating Bron's virtuoso guitar playing and inventive soloing.... If I had to cite comparators, in addition to those already mentioned, I would add Iona, Mike Oldfield, Solstice and, for sheer audacity, Arjen Lucassen.

Read the full review by Geoff Feakes at dprp.net

Media/Samples 
Bandcamp

Links:
Web page
Facebook
Progarchives

Stefan Haasbroek "Spheres of Influence"

Country:  South Africa
Genre(s): Instrumental Progressive Rock/Metal
Format: digital
Release date: January 4, 2020
Tracklist: 
1. Blue Tomato (8:00)
2. Alien Space Jungle (8:56)
3. Odyssey (14:24)
4. The Knights Of Mare (16:48)
5. Spheres Of Influence (14:00)

Total Time 62:08

Line-up: 
Stefan Haasbroek - all instruments

Media/Samples 
Stream 1
Stream 2

Links:
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Tyler Kamen "Voyage Through The Intermediate State"

Country: USA
Genre(s): Progressive Rock
Format: digital
Release date: January 3, 2020
Tracklist: 
1. Walking With The Ghost Of Samsara: Part 1 - She Walks Around (3:59)
2. Walking With The Ghost Of Samsara: Part 2 - The Stone Of Eternal Balance (1:24)
3. Walking With The Ghost Of Samsara: Part 3 - Shine A Light (1:29)
4. Walking With The Ghost Of Samsara: Part 4 - Walk Out (3:41)
5. Battle Of The Hemispheres: Part 1 - The Anarchist Vs. Yama (4:33)
6. Battle Of The Hemispheres: Part 2 - Cerebrum/Cerebellum (2:26)
7. Battle Of The Hemispheres: Part 3 - Venus In Virgo (2:53)
8. Battle Of The Hemispheres: Part 4 - When Left Becomes Right (1:44)
9. Dawning Of Eternal Summer: Part 1 - The Tome (3:06)
10. Dawning Of Eternal Summer: Part 2 - Yamantaka's Incantation (2:33)
11. Dawning Of Eternal Summer: Part 3 - Passing Through (1:05)
12. Dawning Of Eternal Summer: Part 4 - Dance Of The Dead (3:33)
13. The Final Road: Part 1 - Black Cadillac (5:15)
14. The Final Road: Part 2 - Highway Light (1:02)
15. The Final Road: Part 3 - The Others (2:17)
16. The Final Road: Part 4 - Taking The Form Of Demetrius (2:00)

Total Time 43:00

Line-up: 
Tyler Kamen - everything

Media/Samples 
Bandcamp

Links:
Facebook