My list of Essential Prog Metal Albums caused a bit of a stir, and so as a way to rectify that, I decided to create a new list of the albums that I ultimately cut to make a shorter, condensed, and more focused list.
My next list, The Essential Neo Prog Albums was extended to 18 albums to avoid this problem, and it actually seemed to work and flow better, so here are what would have been the honorable mentions had the Prog Metal list gone on.
In just a quick reminder, that these are strictly bands in the Prog metal genre, and there were many more bands I took into consideration before ultimately deciding on the 18 (these 3 and the original top 15).
With that said, here are album 16 – 18.
18. Circus Maximus – Arrival
I have to start this list with one of my favorite albums from high school. When this album came out, it seemed like Circus Maximus was gonna carry the touch padded by Dream Theater and Symphony X. Now we know that torch has actually been given to Haken for better or for worse, but there’s no denying the brilliance of this release.
In 2020 it seems like it’s all but been forgotten. But even a recent listen brings back good memories of the sheer amount of catchy melodies on this album. In addition to the two bands mentioned, you can also hear a good amount of power metal influence. From moments of classic influenced shredding to Helloween and Queensryche inspired hooks, this album has it all.
From memorable songs like “A Darkened Mind”, “Abyss”, and “From a Childhood’s Hour…”, to the instrumental track “Sane No More”, and its two epics “Ultimate Sacrifice” and “Mouth of Madness”, if you’ve never heard this album, it is a must listen to.
17. Shadow Galley – Digital Ghosts
Shadow Gallery had a lot to live up to on their 6th album. Every album thus far was getting bigger and better. Sadly, original singer Mike Baker passed away from a heart attack. Continuing with Brian Ashland, the boys were able to honor Mike’s memory, and then some.
They had already done two albums containing long songs, and three of their albums that flowed through as one. They even had James Labrie contribute vocals to their 3rd album. But Digital Ghosts is perhaps their strongest group of songs as a whole. 3 songs 9-10 minutes in length, and 4 songs 6-7 minutes long. This balance of splitting up the long songs flowed so nicely, and each song really demonstrated a different facet of the band.
“With Honor” goes from Queensryche like riffs to Queen like harmonies and demonstrates everyone’s ability to solo as well as some great drumming. “Venom” has an 80s groove with middle eastern sounding solos. “Gold Dust” is among the catchier tunes, and the final two songs (the title track and “Haunted”) are a strong conclusion.
16. Redemption – The Fullness of Time
Choosing a favorite Redemption album is a painful decision for me. Since high school, this band has meant so much to me. From seeing them open up for Dream Theater, to opening up for them at The Whiskey-a-go-go, I have always felt a strong connection to Nick and the boys.
Their emotional music has touched me deeply, and many of their albums are classic to me. But in side by side comparison, I had to go with their 2nd album, and debut with Fates Warning singer Ray Alder. After a debut with singer Rick Mythiasin, Ray stepped out of the role of producer/guest vocalist, and into the spotlight. And while it might have been their follow-up that was more noticed, this was the band firing on all cylinders.
From a fan favorite, “Threads” with its memorable opening of thrash riffs and piano/keyboards during the chorus, to a song about the innocent eyes of children when viewing tragedies such as September 11th, to the crushing riffs of “Scarred”, the songs increase in length and complexity. This is seen by the 15 minute epic of a relationship coming to an end, which would be referenced by songs on future albums.
But the album’s biggest accomplishment is the 4 song suite that acts as the stages of grief. From the anger of “Rage”, the depression of “Despair”, the bargaining of “Release” and the acceptance of “Transcendence”, it is brilliantly constructed from the opening soundclip to the counter melodies which tie all four songs together simultaneously.
Emotional lyrics and vocals, talented musicians, great songs. What more could you want?
Well, it looked like my last list caused a bit of controversy but also was helpful to a few people. So I’ve decided to speed up the process for my next list. The difference between Prog Metal and Neo-Prog Rock is essentially that while Prog Metal (as the name would suggest) is a combination of the progressive genre with heavy metal (that started with Dream Theater, Queensryche, and Fates Warning but has grown substantially from there), neo-Prog is essentially a resurgence of the classic 70s Prog sound of Yes, King Crimson, Genesis, and many others.
Neo-Prog started in the 80s with Marillion, and still continues to this day. I must admit (at the risk of losing my credibility) that I did not include albums from a lot of other founding neo-Prog bands, because they didn’t have the same widespread influence, so let me give them a shoutout right now (I’m so sorry Jadis, Pallas, IQ, Arena, Pendragon, Twelfth Night, and a few others. You all deserve better). The reason I choose to specifically focus on Neo-Prog is because…
Well… frankly…. the progressive genre has expanded so much that there are so many different kinds of Prog these days. Bands that have very different approaches and inspirations are all kind of lumped together, from Muse to Opeth, from Mastodon to King’s X, to Karnivool and Periphery, Prog has become kind of blurred. And that’s not a problem for people who are now learning of new bands that way. But for a reviewer making a list, I strictly want to focus on bands that created albums that have a very direct link to the 1970s classic Prog sound.
Now many of these bands may still have their own approach, and may have included techniques or styles that would never have happened in the 70s or appeared on a 70s album, but that’s ok. as long as the link is direct and make sense, I’ll allow it.
Also, I’ve decided to split this up into two parts because of how long the last list came out to be. So here we go! Here’s my list of the 18 essential Neo-Prog Rock albums!
18. Dredg – El Cielo
Dredg had one of the more interesting string of albums to look at (5 from 1998 to 2011). What makes them so interesting is how much they changed from album to album while still retaining the band’s character. From the harsh heavy sound of their debut, Leitmotif (which looking back isn’t too far off from that of their good friends Deftones), to the alternative rock on Catch Without Arms, to the electronic pop sound on their final album Chuckles and Mr. Squeezy.
But it was their 2nd album El Cielo that is considered a crowning achievement. A concept album about dreams and sleep paralysis, it is inspired by one of Salvador Dali’s most famous paintings. It is a diverse album with unique transitions (done mostly by a series of interludes). It ranges from pop, hard rock, and post rock influences, but is always focused. From the catchiness of “Same ol’ Road” and “Sanzen”, to darkness of “I’m Sorry But it’s Over”, and ends on the glorious high note of “Whoa is Me” and “The Canyon Behind Her”. It starts off strong, ends strong, and takes you through many wonderful places throughout.
17. The Dear Hunter – Act II: The Meaning of, and All things Regarding Ms. Leading
We continue this list with a band who is more likely to be called indie rather than prog, but that doesn’t take away from the truly progressive things that these guys are doing. Multi-album concept albums based on a story that the singer created, 9 EPs with 4 songs each based off of moods and feelings associated with each color in the color spectrum, live transitions/jam sessions between songs that would make any band jealous, and a lack of fear when it comes to attempting/incorporating new styles of genres into their already diverse sound.
Act II is the 2nd in a 5 album concept cycle. Musically and lyrically picking up where the first part left off, we follow a boy who travels to the city after the death of his mother. There he falls in love with a prostitute and encounters heartbreak, one of many tragic events in this characters life. The band compliment with hard rocking tunes like “The Procession” “The Church and the Di’e”and “Dear Ms. Leading”, vaudeville style songs like “The Oracles on the Delphi Express” and “Vital Vessels Vindicate”, progressive moments (“The Lake and the River” and “The Bitter Suite”), ballads (“”Evicted”, “Where the Road Parts”, “Black Sandy Beaches”, “Red Hands”), and even upbeat pop tunes like “Smiling Swine”.
It is a phenomenal record, worth every second of every listen, and blends genres like folk, rock, blues, and jazz like it’s nobody’s business. The lyrics are emotional and require multiple spin to full digest.
16. Coheed and Cambria – In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3
Like The Dear Hunter, Coheed is probably more well known as an indie or “emo” rock band due to the pop punk aspects of their first album. And while those aspects are still a part of the band to this day, they have more than proven their Prog credentials.
This second release (and continuation of their “Amory Wars” saga) by the band not only shows improved songwriting and production, but also longer songs, and concepts within concepts. Starting with the epic battle cry that is the title track, we are treated to a few shorter tracks ranging from upbeat happy tunes, to darker songs with great dynamics and transitions like “The Crowning”. And aside from the well-known hit single “A Favor House Atlantic”, the second half sees the band channeling the attitude of bands like Rush.
From “The Camper Velourium” Trilogy which gets darker and angrier with each song, to the two 9+ minute epics “The Light and the Glass” and “21:13”, the band shows their knack for melodies, harmonies, instrumental moments, riff-writing, chord progressions, and tie-ing stories together by bringing back motifs from earlier songs.
15. 3 – The Ghost You Gave to Me
Poor 3. This band has never been given the recognition they deserve. Perhaps they were cursed with the hardest band name to “google”. But anyone who’s seen them live knows that they are a talented group of musicians, who interestingly blend funk, flamenco, hard rock, and space rock, all in a tight package that sounds like no other band.
Going into this list, I thought I was going to put their 2007 release The End is Begun. That or 2004’s Wake Pig perfectly showcase the balance between the band’s early sound and their later darker and heavier style as well. But their most recent release (which is now 9 years old) is the most focused released in terms of their Prog side. With a string of catchy hard rock tunes, they showcase their odd times and syncopation. But the real champions of the album are “One With the Sun”, “It’s Alive”, and “Only Child”, which showcase the band’s transitions, bright and ambient tones, build ups, and songwriting.
Plus, ending with the brilliant all-encompassing lyrical ballad of “The Barrier” really brings the album closure, as it almost acts as a recap of everything the band had done so far. The world needs more 3!
14. The Flower Kings – The Sum of No Evil
Going into this list, I knew this was going to be one of the most challenging tasks: picking a single album by The Flower Kings. These prog masters not only have an extensive catalog, but consistent as well. Known for long albums, double albums (Paradox Hotel, Unfold the Future, Stardust We Are), albums that flow through like 1 long song (Flower Power, Space Revolver) it is impossible to pick an essential album by the band.
So out of pure bias, this one has always stood out in my mind as my personal favorite. The problem with most albums by the band is that with so much material and lots of short interludes, their albums can sometimes feel overbearing and all over the place. In my opinion, this is the band at their most focused. No filler. Just 6 great songs.
With only one song written by Thomas Bodin and the rest written by frontman Roine Stolt, it doesn’t have as much diversity as some of their albums do, but it is no slouch. The album is full of beauty, melody, technicality, musicianship, moments of flash, moments of much needed rest, and hints of the darker tone the band started using. This is one of the best starting points for a new fan and is still a fan favorite as well.
13. Beardfish – Destined Solitaire / Mammoth
Since this is unlucky #13, I’m gonna go ahead and cheat on this one. Actually it has nothing to do with the number and everything to do with the fact that I literally can’t pick a winner between this two. It’s not that these are the most perfect albums ever, but they are so equally matched together that it would be a great injustice to separate them. These two albums represent the band’s transition from their sprawling double albums to the dark and heavy albums they ended their career with.
Beardfish are a Swedish progressive rock band with traces of everything 70s. From Genesis and Zeppelin, to Deep Purple and Frank Zappa. Perfectly blending the hard rock elements with the quirkiness and technicality of their heroes, they reached acclaim with Sleeping in Traffic Part 1 and 2.
Both albums start with strong progressive instrumentals, “Awaken the Sleeping” harkens back to Gentle Giant and Focus, “The Platform” showing hints of modern metal like Mastodon. Both albums have their signature songs (“Destined Solitaire”/“And the Stone Said: If I Could Speak”) ballads (“Tightrope”), grooves (“In Real Life There is No Algebra”), and plenty of epics that showcase so many styles of the band. They always know when to bring it down with a short time, but there’s so any catchy melodies on these albums that it’s hard to even know how to summarize them.
RIP Beardfish. Many hopes that the world gets to see you again some day.
12. Antimatter – Fear of a Unique Identity
This might be a divisive choice. Some might say that this band isn’t even progressive. Some might say that this isn’t even the band’s most progressive album. Antimatter started out as a collaboration between Mick Moss and Duncan Patterson, formerly of Anathema. This album was the first without Duncan, and was Mick’s time to prove that he could lead the band all on his own.
He exceeded all expectations, with an album that was heavier than anything the band had done thus far. Combining the electronic, dark wave, gothic, and acoustic elements of previous albums, Mick tied it all together in a very Pink Floyd-like way. A clear and focused theme of modern life, excellent production, beautiful tones, emotional delivery, and a strong album from start to finish.
While it may not have anything to do with Yes or Jethro Tull like many of these albums do, it is a rare treat to hear such a well put-together album, and that is very 70s of Mick and the boys. One of my all time favorite albums and worthy of the recognition.
11. Spock’s Beard – Beware of Darkness / X / Brief Nocturnes and Dreamless Sleep
If you thought my answer for Beardfish was cheating, you’re gonna hate this one. Spock’s Beard is one of the most loved American progressive rock bands to be influenced by the 70s style. Coming out of Los Angeles in 1992, they had the talent, the counter-melodies of Gentle Giant, and a twisted/dark sense of humor. They’ve also been blessed with the ability to reinvent themselves multiple times.
After a string of successful albums with Neal Morse, they pulled a Genesis and had their drummer Nick become their singer. After he left, the band recruited Ted Leonard from Enchant. And so I give you my pick of the essential albums from each era of the band, because each accomplished singer deserves a shoutout for what they all brought to “The Beard”.
Beware of Darkness is their second album with Neal and the most balanced in my opinion. I could have picked any from the Neal era really because they are all so unique, but this one has always stood out to me. It features a George Harrison cover in their style, the quirky “Thoughts” which continued in parts on later albums, the epic “The Doorway”, a showcase of the band’s classical style guitar sounds, a ballad, a band staple in “Walking on the Wind”, and a heavy and epic closer with “Time Has Come Today”.
Nick took a while to fit in, if you ask me. Some of the albums drag on and don’t gel quite right. But X shows the band at the most confident that they had been in quite some time. Three epics full of introspective lyrics, technicality, and beautiful moments (“Edge of the In-Between”, “From the Darkness”, and “Jaws of Heaven”), a fun song in “The Emperor’s Clothes”, the excellent instrumental “Kamikaze”, and the remaining two or three songs (based on the version you get) are catchy and memorable. From start to finish it’s a joy to listen to.
Ted Leonard made quite the impression with his first album with the band. Continuing the confidence and strong songwriting of the previous album, it felt like he had been in the band for years. His emotional and heartfelt delivery highlighted the band’s playing. From Enchant sounding songs like “Hiding Out” and the ballad “Submerged”, to the Nick led Spock’s Beard sound of “A Treasure Abandoned” and “Something Very Strange” even back to the Neal era sound of “I Know Your Secret” and “Waiting For Me”. It even has another edition in the “Thoughts” saga.
If I had to pick just one I’d give the Neal album the nod for the classic sound, but I have to give props to all three eras/singers.
10. Marillion – Misplaced Childhood
Picking a single album from Marillion’s discography is not an easy task, and yet, Marillion fans would most likely gravitate towards this one. Despite its love and acclaim, it doesn’t truly show all sides of Marillion. The first two albums were straight Genesis worship. The next two was the band’s “classic sound”, the next few saw the band’s new singer trying to continue that sound while also trying to be more mainstream, and since then the band has balanced long progressive albums with the introspective alternative rock sound similar to U2, Coldplay, and Radiohead. And while not every album is a classic, they’ve adapted beautifully with the times.
And while I wanted to pick one album that showcased singer Steve Hogarth and all he’s done for the band, I just couldn’t pick one album that reaches the same level of acclaim of this Fish-era masterpiece. Breaking away from just their love of everything Phil Collins and Peter Gabriel, the band showed that they were competent songwriters with Fish’s emotional lyrics and Steve’s Gilmour-like solos. The first of two Marillion concept albums written by Fish, the album looks at love, success, acceptance, and lost childhood.
The album starts with the gentle and delicate “Pseudo Silk Kimono” and travels through some of the band’s most memorable songs: its biggest hit “Kayleigh”, the touching “Lavender”, the multi-part “Bitter Suite”, and the triumphant “Heart of Lithuanian”. The second side flows as well as the first side, not as mainstream but equally as memorable. The upbeat “Waterhole” and “Lords of the Backstage” lead to the epic “Blind Curve” and the album ends on a high note with the title track and “White Feather”.
I would love to do an in depth review of this one and a few of the Hogarth releases such as Brave, Afraid of Sunlight, Marbles, and Somewhere Else. For now, enjoy this album and my in depth review of Clutching at Straws, which is also on this blog spot.
That’s it for part 1. Stick around for part 2 with albums 1-9. I should have it up soon.
The Flower Kings have been a force in the progressive rock seen since 1994. That is the year that Roine Stolt, famous for his work in Swedish band Kaipa, put together a live band for his third solo album. The band released their debut album the following year. Over the years, the band has done about everything you can imagine a band influenced by 70s Prog rock to do:
Double albums, 20+ minute songs, 30+ minute songs, whole album length songs that flow together despite different tracks, jazz, blues, rock, circus music, ballads, interludes with field like recordings, etc.
But most importantly, these guys know how to write a song, as they’ve proven in the past with some very catchy selections from their catalogue. Even with the different lineup changes, with Roine at the helm, they’ve continued to release interesting albums. And while I definitely enjoy every album by them In some form or another, there are some that just stick out way more than others.
That is because some of these albums can kind of forget the songwriting in order to focus on the flashiness. Those albums suffer in my opinion. But that is ok, because if their discography has shown us anything, it’s that they always bounce back. They always make an album for every kind of fan in their fan base. And in the instance of their latest release, I didn’t expect it to be so soon!
To give a bit of backstory, the band started out consistently releasing an album every year or two, before their first major rest period from 2007 – 2012, after what is probably my favorite by them, The Sum of No Evil. Focusing on touring and solo albums, the band bounced back with The Banks of Eden and Desolation Rose with new drummer Felix Lehrmann. Whether his influence or the influence of the Prog metal around the band, they signified a darker/heavier influence while still sounding like the band.
The band then went onto hiatus #2, this time not only returning with a new drummer Mirko DeMaio, but also a new keyboardist, replacing longtime contributor Tomas Bodin. Zach Kamins on paper seems like an interesting choice for keyboardist of the Flower Kings, receiving acclaim for his own instrumental/progressive metal band An Endless Sporadic. But his wide range of influences and technicality fits right in.
Their first release with these two members, Waiting For Miracles, came out about a year ago at the time of this review, and while his technicality worked well (and I admittedly need to give it a fairer chance with more listens), I wasn’t initially grabbed the same way I was with many of their other albums.
When they announced ANOTHER new album less than a year later, I was surprised, but also captivated by the YES-influenced album cover, as well as some of the details about the album. Written and recorded during the COVID pandemic, it was assembled by the members from their homes all over the world. The lyrics of loneliness and isolation, inspired by these events, and the fact that the songs were short but made to flow through as one, made me think of a darker more modern version of their classic Flower Power. This made me excited to delve in.
The 21 short songs, split into two CDs, are all very unique, and very much their own parts. This really helps boost this album’s memorability above many of the more technical and tedious Flower Kings albums. There’s no 20 minute songs to try and remember all 5 or 6 of its movements. This will help the band as well when they start playing live again and have a wealth of songs at their disposal instead of having to decide which epic to play next.
I can see why some fans won’t like this album, because they will see a lot of these songs just coming and going with no real substance. I can agree to some extent. I feel like some of these movements might have actually benefited from stringing them together. That way, some cool transitions would have given the songs a bit more purpose rather than just starting and stopping randomly. I’ll explain that a bit more in my quick (at least I hope it will be) rundown. But I will say that as fan who was fatigued by a few of their albums, this one was a really welcome surprise.
It all starts with”Racing with the Blinders On”, which after 14 seconds of silence starts off with some random jazz/funk style hits before delving into an overture leaded by Roine’s guitar and Zach’s keys with the bass and drums holding it down behind them. 2 and a half minutes in, we have a catchy melody that builds and ends with the next song slowly coming in (a transition that could have been fixed in my opinion).
“From the Ground” is a beautiful pop/hippy style Flower Kings song that made me nostalgic of their early albums. Definitely a highlight. “Black Swan” is a quirky vaudeville style song with enough memorable melodies, and early on we know a few things. Zach and Mirko feel very comfortable on this one. Hasse and Roine’s vocals are gel-ing the best that they have done in years, and we are in for a treat with the rest of this album.
From the country style of “Morning News”, which they do an excellent job of, to the perfect blend of classic Prog and modern rock of “Broken” which was released as a single. This song has an excellent middle section that shows their talent, but is almost among the catchiest the band has released in a long time. The lyrics of the album as a whole were apparently written during the writing sessions which can be seen while listening, but is also a part of the charm. If they were more fleshed out, maybe there’d be more focus on the melodic parts and the memorable lyrics, but there is also a very raw, honest, and open style that we have only seen glimpses of in their discography.
“Goodbye Outrage” is Roine’s voice singing emotionally over an orchestra arrangement for 2 and a half minutes, and “Journeyman” is a quick jazz fusion jam session that shows not only Zach’s chops, but also his writing ability. “Tangerine” is a simple, smooth, and soulful tune, “Solaris” is the longest song on the album with an excellent spacey middle section, “Heart of the Valley” is another 70s pop/Prog tune and “Man in a Two Piece Suit” is an instrumental guitar solo that closes Disc 1.
If you need to take a break before continuing to Disc 2 I understand. I need a break before I continue writing about it.
Ok! I’m back! Almost a week later, and ready to tackle Disc 2. So let’s get on with it!
Disc 2 starts right away with an upbeat, almost alternative rock song written and sung by Hasse, called “All I Need is Love”. A unique song, different than much of their catalog. Also, my girl told me it kind of sounded like Mana, and now I can’t I hear that, so it had to make its way into the review. This is followed by a true Prog instrumental called “A New Species”, with space tones and unique transitions.
The next song, “Northern Lights” takes its time to build up with hints of middle eastern and Spanish touches behind the vocals, and a wonderful fret less bass tone. It returns to The Flower King Sound on the chorus and is a very catchy tune once it gets going. It also has an excellent drum break towards the end. It is followed by a short progressive sounding transition called “Hidden Angels” which is another one of those moments that felt like it could have been touched up a bit, but also showcases more of Zach’s amazing talent and knack for fusion inspired compositions.
“Serpentine” is one of the most interesting pieces on either disc. It is complete with syncopation, jazz style saxophone solos, vocal effects, counter-melodies, and an upbeat, almost frantic pace. Maybe not the best songwriting or lyrics, but it’s stand-out sound might make this a fan favorite in live settings, just to watch the band pull it off. And honestly, who won’t crack a smile during its “are you happy?”section?
“Looking For Answers” is another excellent Prog jam session, that’s almost instrumental until it’s repeated phrase towards the end. “Telescope” is an emotional ballad with memorable lyrics, catchy melodies, and some of the lyrics especially tie together ideas that we’ve already heard in the album. “Fool’s Gold” is another upbeat and driving song with some funky rhythms that is good on its own, but honestly, this is where the album starts to drag a little bit.
The idea to end the album with so many ballad-like songs is probably its greatest downfall. Even though they all have their own unique styles and they come and go in their own directions, Disc 2 just doesn’t end as strongly as Disc 1. “Between Hope and Fear” is saved by its majestic melody that kind of acts like a chorus and an outro, otherwise the quirky verse with the vocal effect is a bit forgettable.
The album ends with its title track, which like the ending of Disc 1 is another excellent guitar solo piece. That being said, we’ve seen Roine do this a million times by now, and the fat could have been trimmed a bit if you’ve looking at the entire experience. If you’re only looking at each disc separately, then it works because the discs compliment each other so well and both albums give you a little bit of all that the band has to offer you.
Both discs have their catchy choruses, their Prog moments, their beauty, their solos. Both showcase the talents of all the members. So listening to either disc on its own is exceptionally easy and enjoyable. But if you’re supposed to listen to it all together like the band intended it to be, it might just be a bit too much to digest all in one sitting.
If they really wanted to sell a two disc – 1 song concept album idea, it could have used some smoother transitions, trimmed the “fat”, or a few more memorable moments.
Still, I can’t complain too much. It’s one of my favorite albums by them, and definitely their best in a long time. While the last few albums seemed like they were just trying to capture the magic of the album before, this one feels new, unique, and yet, strangely familiar. It reminds you of the old Flower King output. And that’s a good thing. Because sometimes it’s necessary for bands to remind you why you got into them in the first, even during times of experimentation.
This album allows them a lot of freedom. It allows them the chance to keep taking risks on future albums, cause its gives fans so much catchy material in the meantime. It is their easiest listen in a very long time, and will have a lot of playability. You can listen to it over and over again and still enjoy it. Even with the faults that I’ve mentioned, I’ve found it hard to take it out of my CD player and listen to other albums I need to review.
So overall, it’s got its faults, but for an album that was written so quickly, it actually was very close to being perfect. It will excite their old fans, and will be the perfect introduction for new fans just discovering them. Let’s hope it ushers in a new era for the band. One without any 5 year breaks!
KATATONIA released Dethroned And Uncrowned in 2013, which was an acoustic reworking of their 2012 album, Dead End Kings. To promote the album, they embarked on a tour consisting of songs from Dethroned And Uncrowned as well as acoustic renditions of older KATATONIA songs. The band has recently released a live album from one of those shows, entitled Sanctitude. The show was recorded at Union Chapel in London. Because KATATONIA had recently lost some band members, Bruce Soord of The Pineapple Thief filled in on guitar, vocals, and keyboards. In addition, the show has a special appearance by Silje Wergeland, lead singer of The Gathering, during the encore. The track listing is a great mixture of fan favorites and songs that are rarely or never played live. In addition to expected songs such as Teargas or Lethean, the set list contains Gone and Day, which have never been played live before. It also includes an excellent rendition of one of my favorite KATATONIA songs, One Year From Now. Jonas handles the slightly distorted lead guitar so that Bruce and Anders can focus on the acoustic guitar playing. Niklas plays an acoustic bass and newcomer JP Asplund handles all different kinds of percussion. In addition, there are background keyboards and electronic drums to fill moments of silence when Anders or Bruce is not playing their instruments. One of the highlights of the show is where Jonas and JP both play percussion before the band goes into Evidence. The chapel creates an incredibly beautiful atmosphere. The audience sitting down is an interesting image for a band that usually plays heavy music. Bruce really impressed me with his beautiful background harmonies, but every member of the band demonstrates their talent in this 80-minute concert. The concert is released in a DVD/CD combo or as a blu-ray disc. The blu-ray version contains a download code so that you can get a digital version of the CD straight from the KScope website. It is definitely a must-have for any KATATONIA fan or for anyone who is trying to get into their music.
View of the Sunrise 