THE NEAL MORSE BAND - Slave To Your Mind (6:26)
Album: The Similitude Of A Dream (2CD, 2016)
Label/Distribution: Radiant/Metal Blade/Sony
www.nealmorse.com
John Bunyan's two-part allegory "The Pilgrimage" (1678/1684) is about a journey to the afterlife and forms the basis for "The Similitude Of A Dream". The tension is maintained for a good 100 minutes, highlight after highlight, whereby "Slave To Your Mind" reflects the complex thoughts of the hero. Album of the month!
ERIK COHEN - This isn't Hollywood (3:54)
Album: White Noise (2016)
Label/Distributor: RYL NKR/Rough Trade
www.facebook.com/erikcohenofficial
A Lonely Caller in the Desert? Erik Cohen proves on his second solo album that it is possible to combine classical rock music and German lyrics to a convincing result. In addition there is a pinch of wave, as the unmistakable The-Cure influences on the catchy tune "Hier ist nicht Hollywood" show.
OSAKA RISING - Rising (6:40)
Album: Osaka Rising (2016)
Label/Distribution: Osaka Rising
www.osakarising.de
The debut album cover of the Erfurt organ drum heavy rock duo Osaka Rising is as striking as this. Musically, the whole album is often powerful. The ambitious duo, however, acts equally joyfully and atmospherically as with this track.
EYE - Dweller Of The Twilight Void (3:56)
Album: Vision And Ageless Light (2016)
Label/Distributor: The Laser's Edge/Alive
www.heavymindseye.com
This band from Ohio combines on their third studio album in a very exciting and original way the spirit of 70s prog/art rock bands like Pink Floyd or Yes with the power of the metal pioneers of that time like Black Sabbath or Deep Purple. In addition, as in this song, there is a pinch of melancholy and psychedelic.
ANDY WILSING - Silent Chords (3:00)
Album: Reconcile (2016)
Label/Distribution: 7music/Membran
www.andywilsing.de
The singer and multi-instrumentalist ANDY WILSING has been on the road in Stuttgart so far. "Reconcile" is his debut and breathes a lot of atmosphere with which Wilsing wants to harmonize with the universe. "Silent Chords" reminds in voice and instrumentation with Klampfe of the hymn-like prog ballads of John Wetton.
SONAA (SONS OF NOEL AND ADRIAN) - Perses (5:25)
Album: Turquoise Purple Pink (2016)
Label/Distribution: K&F/Broken Silence
www.sonsofnoelandadrian.co.uk
The Brighton-based ensemble has been releasing their albums (every four years) on a regular basis. It also continuously dries out the Folk Bay, from where it sets sail to its Odyssey lakes. With the third CD SONAA present themselves more than ever as explorers of chamber music waters.
MORUDES - I Believe (3:57)
Album: Sinister Beat (2016)
Label/Distribution: Snaxville/Broken Silence
www.morudes.com
On their first album "Sinister Beat" the Norwegian brothers Amund and Henrik Maarud alias MORUDES let the skin crack in such a way that hearing and seeing pass you by. Their incessantly grooving desert rock develops a rhythmic suction effect in "I Believe" and rolls over the listeners like a steamroller.
VANILLA JUNCTION - Little Miss Sunshine (3:27)
EP: Vanilla Junction (2016)
Label/Distribution: Vanilla Junction
www.vanillajunction.com
Energetic on the level of The Brew and sound completely in the here and now, but stylistically often in Led Zeppelin regions, that's how the young trio from Southern Hesse can be described. As an appetizer for the hopefully still big things to come, there is now a 4-track EP.
SHERPA - Sherpa (3:38)
Album: Tanzlinde (2016)
Label/Distribution: Sulatron/Cargo
www.sulatron.com
SHERPA come from Abruzzo, Italy. They play wonderful psychedelic rock with Indian echoes. Nevertheless you stay in the classic song format. In the track that gives the band its name, the band climbs to light psychedelic heights as an expression of their closeness to nature - meandering guitars, wide sound spaces, orgiastic.
PETRELS - Seithenyn Sleeps (11:55)
Album "Jörð"(2016)
Label/Distribution: Denovali/Cargo
www.denovali.com/petrels
Sound adventurer Oliver Barrett alias PETRELS has struck again. The "Jörð" final track builds up leisurely, but with all its power and finally forms an irresistible sound stream close to the white noise. In the end, Lou Reed's overdrive symphony "Metal Machine Music" echoes from Ferne.
