Points North "Points North"

Country: USA
Genre(s): Instrumental Progressive Rock, Fusion
Label: Magna Carta Records
Format: CD, digital
Release date: April 21, 2015
Tracklist: 

1. Ignition - 3:58
2. Northstar - 4:37
3. Child's Play - 5:18
4. Sky Punch - 3:25
5. Rites of Passage - 5:25
6. Colorblind - 3:52
7. Harlequin - 5:08
8. Turning Point (La Villa De Villers) - 7:15
9. Redeye - 4:42
10. Foxes & Cougars - 5:19
11. Killer Pounder - 3:43

Line-up: 
Eric Barnett – guitar
Kevin Aiello – drums
Uriah Duffy - bass

Description/Reviews: 

The trio return with a recording that will grabs you from the first bar and won't let you go 'till it's finished. Points North serve up a bold mix of rock, jazz and rock fusion, carefully balancing fury and serenity in a soundscape of consciousness. The compositions are creative and the playing is energetic. The album opens with, "Ignition" an explosives piece of music that will stimulate your senses to overload. "Northstar"is a great piece as it also features a stunning buildup towards the end. "Child's Play" is simply stunning. For the first time the band serve up a vocal track with the stimulating, "Colorblind". Eric Barnett's guitar playing on "Turning Point (La Villa De Villers)" is out of this world. Lastly, "Killer Pounder", a instant shot of adrenaline that highlights the tight chemistry this trio exhibits and closes the album in the best way. (thededicatedrockersociety.blogspot.com)

Media/Samples 
Ignition
Samples

Links:
Web page
Facebook
Progarchives
Proggnosis

CHATO! "Prog Fusion With Balls"

Country: Germany
Genre(s): Progressive Rock, Fusion
Format: CD, digital
Release date: April 21, 2015
Tracklist: 
1. Intro (1:22)
2. Pulsh-Hit (3:44)
3. Silverliner (6:29)
4. Chicksy Dicks (4:51)
5. Intermission (1:30)
6. Inner Peace (9:30)
7. Overture To Suzy Speedfreak (1:59)
8. The Story Of Suzy Speedfreak Acts I, II & III (7:54)
9. Outro (0:32)
10. Remembering Good Times (3:38)
11. I'm only in you for your money (3:26) (CD only)

Line-up: 
Chato Segerer - vocals, guitar, keyboard, slide whistle, bass, drums, guitar synthesizer, piano, cowbell, soundeffects
Adrian "Ad Man" Müller - bass
Sebastian Berg - drums
    With
Sophie Lefeber - vocals
Marco Zügener - alto sax
Dave Tiedtke - piano, keys, synth, drums
Jovana Wolf - glockenspiel, percussion
Christopher Lange - synth solo
Isabel Rößler - bass

Description/Reviews: 

Chato Segerer ... [i]s an admitted fan of Frank Zappa and that is apparent in his songwriting.  If you are a fan of Morglbl and Panzerballet I think you'll lose it over Chato's disc.  The humor is there but its very subtlely woven into the fabric of the music.  So overall what might appear to be some wacked out over the top album turns out to be a rather tasteful album of prog fusion with balls! (lasercd.com)

Media/Samples 
Bandcamp

Links:
Facebook

Wei Zhongle "Nu Trance"

Country: USA
Genre(s): Experimental, Art Rock, Avant Prog
Label: Hairy Spider Legs, NNA Tapes
Format: vinyl, digital, cassette
Release date: April 21, 2015
Tracklist: 
1. A Gift. (4:22)
2. Fortunate 2. (6:00)
3. To Man. (3:17)
4. Darting Fish. (3:21)
5. Pledge. (4:00)
6. To Woman. (5:06)
7. Return Of Bright Stream. (4:50)

Line-up: 
Rob Jacobs - prepared guitar, vocals, violin
John McCowen - clarinet and electronics
Sam Klickner - drums

Description/Reviews: 

...Nu Trance is both one of the best and one of the silliest records that I’ve heard in years.
It’s just so much fun. And goddamn, it sure is silly.
It’s got the lot; Wei Zhongle seem to have a huge metaphorical crate of toys to play with. Sometimes they use just three or four of them, sometimes it sounds like they’re all being played at once. You name it, it’s exists somewhere in the mix – delayed drum machines that seemingly originate from cheap keyboards, synthesiser lines that go around and around and around, whale-song drones that burble and bubble, weird noise walls almost textural enough to touch, electronic Sesame Street melody lines, tick-tock clicking-clock beats, loops loops loops, playful and out-there vocals that sometimes behave as just another instrument and sometimes seem to be singing in tongues, obscure world instruments filtered through fx-pedals, disintegrating soundscapes and out-of-phase delays, gentle moments of empty space, sudden barrages of sound that threaten and overwhelm…

 Read the full review by Lach Walter at cyclicdefrost.com

Media/Samples 
Bandcamp

Links:
Facebook

Lasers From Atlantis "Lasers From Atlantis"

Country: UK
Genre(s): Psychedelic, Space Rock
Label: Extreme Ultimate
Format: cassette, digital
Release date: April 20, 2015
Tracklist: 
1. Oscillation Bomb (7:12)
2. Reverb City (6:18)
3. Illuminated Trail (7:43)
4. Hopi Lore (8:39)
5. Protectress (7:21)
6. Slaves (9:44)

Total Time 46:57

Line-up: 
Theo Alexander - Guitars, Vocals
Volkan Kiziltug - Synthesizers
Aubrey Jackson Blake - Synthesizers
Pat Oddi - Drums

Description/Reviews: 

Running a line somewhere between extendo-heavy-psych jamming and more concrete heavy rock and doom impulses, London foggers Lasers from Atlantis seem more than content to play one off the other on this Extreme Ultimate issue of their self-titled, originally recorded in 2010. Classic prog and kraut-ish space idolatry rules the day on “Reverb City,” down to the Hawkwindy thrust out of the atmosphere, but by the time they get down to “Protectress,” track five of the total six, they’ve completely given over to low-end rumble, feedback viciousness and a still-swinging-but-much-much-darker groove. That might make the middle two cuts, “Illuminated Trail” and “Hopi Lori,” the most interesting of the bunch, and it’s especially on the latter where the two sides seem to meet, but it’s in “Hopi Lori” even more that the transition seems to take place and the band make the turn toward consuming darkness that continues to ooze forth in “Protectress” and closer “Slaves,” which though it’s somewhat faster than the cut before it, is pure, high-order psychedelic doom. (theobelisk.net)

 Also read the review by John Reppion at thesleepingshaman.com

Media/Samples 
Bandcamp

Links:
Facebook

Nordic Giants "A Séance Of Dark Delusions"

Country: UK
Genre(s): Post Rock
Label: Kscope
Format: digital, CD, vinyl
Release date: April 20, 2015
Tracklist: 
1. Elysian Dreams
2. Evolve Or Perish
3. Rapture ft. Beth Cannon
4. Give Fight To The Imagination ft. Freyja
5. Dissolve ft. Saturday Sun
6. Illuminate
7. Futures Dark ft. Nadine Wild Palmer
8. Black Folds
9. A Thousand Lost Dreams

Line-up: 
Loki - Keys, Synth, Loops, Trumpet
Roka Skuld - Cymbals, Drums, Bowed Guitar, Loops, Samples

Description/Reviews: 

The elusive duo Loki and Roka bring their beautifully apocalyptic soundscapes alive in a rich project exploring the deep breadths of sonic and visual art.
Largely instrumental, A Séance Of Dark Delusions reflects the inspired musical experimentation and atmosphere of Sigur Rós, 65daysofstatic, Bjork and Pink Floyd. Nordic Giants bring a heavy orchestral brutality through progressive guitar, drum and brass, which are paired with beautiful and haunting electronics as they warp loops and end of the world samples through pattered keys.
When they pull lyricism from the human world, Nordic Giants enlist the vocal features of artists, Saturday Sun (‘Dissolve’), Nadine Wild Palmer (‘Futures Dark’), Freyja (‘Give Flight To The Imagination’), and Beth Cannon (‘Rapture’).
As the first track to be lifted from A Séance Of Dark Delusions, ‘Rapture’ is an enigmatically provoking wonderment. Operatically charged by Beth Cannon’s vocals, the song’s cavernous holy sentiments crawl beneath the skin with their poignant key chimes, creeping synths and chorus choir.
Mixing dark and light with ambience and raw power, the dynamics of A Séance Of Dark Delusions mark the changing moods of the human spirit. Nordic Giants take that spirit into even further ethereal realms as their complex electronic post-rock stretches from fiery industrialism (‘Evolve Or Perish’), to angelic mournful minimalism (‘Illuminate’), while the duo intertwine progressive experimentation throughout.

Media/Samples 
Stream
Rapture

Links:
Web Page
Facebook

Mime Fight "Mime Fight"

Country: USA
Genre(s): Instrumental Progressive Rock
Format: CD, digital
Release date: April 20, 2015
Tracklist: 
1. Slight Of Hand (5:23)
2. Rufio (3:26)
3. Chemical Butter (1:13)
4. Theories (4:40)
5. Lab Rats (6:03)
6. Easy Street (1:41)
7. Royal Slap (4:34)
8. Lot'sa Vodka (1:05)
9. The Warden (6:03)

Total time 34:08

Line-up: 
Ryan McDonough - Guitars
Dennis Dempsey - Bass
Cory Sokolis - Drums, Percussion

Media/Samples 
Samples

Links:
Facebook

Maat Lander "The Birth Of Maat's Galaxy"

Country: Russia
Genre(s): Instrumental Psychedelic, Space Rock
Label: R.A.I.G.
Format: CD, digital
Release date: April 20, 2015
Tracklist: 

1. The Comet Rider 05:37
2. Alnilam 07:55
3. Spiral Arms 06:05
4. To Johannes Kepler 09:24
5. Aquarius 07:09
6. Gliese 581 06:06
7. Lunar Rocket 06:36
8. Two Keys To The Sky 06:35
9. Coma Berenices 09:10
10. The Birth Of Maat's Galaxy 09:44

Line-up: 
Arkady Fedotov (Vespero) – keys and synths, bass, fretless bass
Ilya Lipkin (The Re-Stoned)  – guitars, mandola
Ivan Fedotov (Vespero) – drums, percussions, wave drum, school bell

Media/Samples 
Bandcamp

Links:
Facebook
Progarchives

The Tangent "A Spark In The Aether – The Music That Died Alone Volume Two"

Country: Multinational
Genre(s): Symphonic
Label: Inside Out
Format: CD, digital, vinyl
Release date: April 20/21, 2015 (EU/US)
Tracklist: 

1. A Spark in the Aether
2. Codpieces and Capes
3. Clearing the Attic
4. Aftereugene 
5. The Celluloid Road
6. A Spark in the Aether (Part 2)
7. San Francisco Radio Edit (bonus)

Line-up: 
Andy Tillison - keyboards and vocals
Luke Machin - guitar
Jonas Reingold - bass guitar
Theo Travis - saxes and flutes
Morgan Agren - drums

Description/Reviews: 

The first track on the album A Spark in the Aether is unashamedly full on, uplifting and in your face. Andy’s signature keytar sound introduces the track and then you are a passenger on a fantastic sonic thrill ride. There are hints of Marillion’s ‘Incommunicado’ and ‘Hooks in You’  but this is definitively a Tangent song. Fast paced and with a sack load of joie de vivre at its core, it is a superb modern pop/rock delight with a brilliant keyboard and guitar play-off running throughout. It is entirely obvious that a whole load of fun must have been had recording this track and it will be a stand out in a live set especially the catchy, sing-along chorus.

 Read the full review by Martin Hutchinson at progradar.org

Media/Samples 
A Spark In The Aether
San Francisco Radio Edit

Links:
Web page
Facebook
ProgArchives
Proggnosis

The Choir Hates Us "Seven Black Clouds"

Country: Denmark
Genre(s): Instrumental Progressive Rock / Metal
Format: digital
Release date: April 20, 2015
Tracklist: 
01. Rupture (05:25)
02. Mellifluous (04:25)
03. Retro Rocket (05:02)
04. Lead Me Out (03:52)
05. Seven Black Clouds (07:50)
06. The Chorus (01:44)
07. A Curious Verb (06:14)
08. Shift (04:02)

Line-up: 
Mads Trebbien - All  instruments

Media/Samples 
Bandcamp (name your price)

Links:
Facebook

ni "Les insurgés de Romilly"

Country: France
Genre(s): Avant/Math Rock
Format: CD, vinyl, digital
Release date: April 20, 2015
Tracklist: 

1. Bouif 04:12
2. Cuistre 04:51
3. Rodomont 05:52
4. Butor 05:00
5. Marpaud 03:48
6. Flaquadin 04:08
7. Gringuenaude 05:52
8. Torfesor 05:41

Line-up: 
Anthony Béard : guitar, trinquenicques
Nicolas Bernollin : drums
Benoit Lecomte : bass
Fançois Mignot : guitar, calembredaines
   With
Antoine Arnera, Mathilde Bouillot, Boris Cassone, Alexandre Girard, Santiago Marti, Jessica Martin Maresco, Guilhem Meier, Luce Meier: choir (8)

Description/Reviews: 

With a name that will ring a bell with Monty Python fans, it is not surprising that French quartet Ni inject a healthy dose of humour into their high-octane, Crimson-hued brand of Avant prog crossed with math rock’s razor-edged polyrhythms. (Raffaella Berry at weekendprog.blogspot.com)

Media/Samples 
Bandcamp

Links:
Web page
Facebook
Progarchives