Now Playing Thread

[Teunis]

jp: IQ - Live On The Road Of Bones
np: Profuna Ocean - In Vacuum

[PH]

Dream Theater - "The Astonishing"

I'm starting to get some favourites among all of the tracks.
I can already say that this album will end up high in my top ten of 2016. As of now, it's number 1 in my top 2.

[PH]

And again:
Dream Theater - "The Astonishing"

It's hard to sit the whole thing out, not because it's boring (quite the contrary), but it's so long and the chance of interruption is big.
Anyway, I'm enjoying this album a lot. Man, I almost can't believe they put this out after their (to me) disappointing self-titled album.
There are hints of "Scenes From A Memory", "Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence" and "A Dramatic Turn Of Events" (which I think was a good album).

This album is defying my favourite DT albums....

Maddox? Nicky? Tom?
What are your views?

[maddox]

And again:
Dream Theater - "The Astonishing"

It's hard to sit the whole thing out, not because it's boring (quite the contrary), but it's so long and the chance of interruption is big.
Anyway, I'm enjoying this album a lot. Man, I almost can't believe they put this out after their (to me) disappointing self-titled album.
There are hints of "Scenes From A Memory", "Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence" and "A Dramatic Turn Of Events" (which I think was a good album).

This album is defying my favourite DT albums....

Maddox? Nicky? Tom?
What are your views?

Really like The Astonishing.
Some cheesy lyrics though, reminds me of Ayreon from time to time, specially the story itself.
It's quite hard to 'believe' the story, since all the characters of the story are sung by James laScream.
Ayreon does that better.

[Nicky007]

Maddox? Nicky? Tom?
What are your views?

I'd like to spend some more time with Mayhem & Co., before I turn to something else.

DT continue to be one of my fave groups, so I'll get there when the time is in. Give ya my take then, Paxi ....

... disappointing self-titled album.

I certainly don't agree with you on that, Paxi

Maybe you need to play it a bit more.

I find all DT-albums from Awake on adventures

James laScream

You won't get away with that in the Room, Mad. I'll barge into your nighttime dreams and turn'm into nightmares. Got some friends who can help me - see below. Then we can talk about Mad laScream


NP  Mayhem:  GDOF, Chimera & Ordo

Man, what formidable music !!!

Noone else here got b*s big enuff ?

- Nicky

[PH]

Really like The Astonishing.
Some cheesy lyrics though, reminds me of Ayreon from time to time, specially the story itself.
It's quite hard to 'believe' the story, since all the characters of the story are sung by James laScream.
Ayreon does that better.

The lyrics range from really bad to acceptable. Most of the times acceptable for me. When you read the story it's alright. James is terrific here. Really like his singing on this album! I was also reminded of Ayreon sometimes. About the believability: it's fantasy/science fiction. And I think James does the different personalities really well.

[maddox]

James is terrific here. Really like his singing on this album!

Agreed.
Though I have some issues with his personality, he finally sings less metal and more melodic, like we heard on most of his guess-performances, like in Ayreon, the Explorer's Club or Leonardo, the Absolute man.
This is how I want to hear it, less Hetfield-ish.

[Teunis]

jp: Subsignal - The Beacons Of Somewhere Sometime
np: Lonely Robot - Please Come Home

[PH]

Agreed.
Though I have some issues with his personality, he finally sings less metal and more melodic, like we heard on most of his guess-performances, like in Ayreon, the Explorer's Club or Leonardo, the Absolute man.
This is how I want to hear it, less Hetfield-ish.

Yup. I think this is one of his best performances.
What personality issues do you mean? You mean his metal attitude? Or is it Portnoy related?

[PH]

Yesterday I read some reviews of "The Astonising". People's views are very much divided on this album. Not metal enough, not prog enough, not enough real songs, not enough technical stuff, it's too long... etc.

Someone remarked that it was the same when "Tales Of Topographic Oceans" came out back in the 70s. Some people love that album, some loath it.

So I listened to "Tales Of Topographic Oceans" again this morning.
I love it.

[Teunis]

jp: The Pineapple Thief - Magnolia
np: Vanden Plas - Chronicles Of The Immortals: Netherworld II

[Teunis]

Seventh Wonder - Mercy Falls 

[Teunis]

jp: Comedy Of Errors - Spirit
np: Leprous - The Congregation

[gelert]

Uriah Heep - Totally driven.
Followed by Richard Harvey - Shroud For A Nightingale (1996 version - 2015 version on the way from Amazon as of this morning).

Question: does my signature still exist from back in the day...?
Answer: YAY! Get IN....!! 

[PH]

Seriously...

Gelert?

Wow man, it has been eight years... You can't just show up like nothing happened!
Tell us what you think of "The Unquiet Sky"! And "The Seventh Degree Of Seperation".
What's going on in your musical world?

Welcome back!! Love to see more of you here in this (rather quiet) part of Prog World.

[Bupie]

NP Shaman - Ritual

When Angra split at the turn of the century, three members of the original band left to create Shaman and released this very convincing debut album ... while Angra released the equally convincing Rebirth.

Here is a live version of Angra's Carry On performed by Shaman including an outstanding guitar solo : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkmuqq4TBQ8

[Teunis]

jp: Steve Lukather - Ever Changing Times
np: Dream Theater - The Astonishing

[PH]

Dream Theater - "The Astonishing"

I'm playing the lite edition now.
I made myself a playlist with what I see as the essential songs of the album, to make it a bit less long (78 minutes).
Would still count as a double album if it was released in the 70s...

[PH]

Gazpacho - "Molok"
This is really working for me today. I'm not always in the mood for Gazpacho, but when I am, it's delicious. Talking about the band, not the soup.

Glass Hammer - "The Breaking Of The World"
There's some Genesis and some Yes here. What a surprise. Beautiful stuff and sometimes annoying stuff too. Hard to get into.

[Bupie]

NP Magenta - Seven

What can I say ? Musical Genius ...

[PH]

NP Magenta - Seven

What can I say ? Musical Genius ...

Yes I really need to try Magenta properly. Is that album the best way to start? Robert Reed probably is some sort of a humble genius. I love the Mike Oldfield album that he did.

Opeth - "Pale Communion"
It's been a while since I played this. Really enjoyed this masterpiece. But I hope they will release a metal album again next time.

Nick Magnus - "N'Monix"
I haven't heard any of you ever mentioning this album. It's brilliant! This is for people who like Genesis, Steve Hackett, Arena... OK OK not Arena, but try it. There's probably something on YouTube. Was really surprised when I heard it.

Steven Wilson - "The Raven That Refused To Sing (And Other Stories)"
Retro Prog. In fact, it's all a bit Retro Prog for me today.

[maddox]

Seriously...

Gelert?

Wow man, it has been eight years... You can't just show up like nothing happened!
Tell us what you think of "The Unquiet Sky"! And "The Seventh Degree Of Seperation".
What's going on in your musical world?

Welcome back!! Love to see more of you here in this (rather quiet) part of Prog World.

And he's gone again!

Swift as the wind.

NP> Black Country Communion

[PH]

And he's gone again!

Swift as the wind.

He'll probably be back in 2024.

Steven Wilson - "Hand Cannot Erase"

Did this man ever release a truly bad album?

[PH]

Marillion - "Misplaced Childhood"

This album has a lot of atmosphere.

[PH]

Arena - "The Unquiet Sky"

This is a fantastic album! I cannot help it, but I think this album is musically "Immortal?" part 2. There are so many parts that remind me of that album. Lyrically it's more like "Contagion" I guess.