None other than Mike Portnoy (songwriter/drummer/backing vocalist for supergroups like The Winery Dogs, and Sons of Apollo as well as the co-founder of Dream Theater) said of this quartet that they are “A perfect blend of prog and metal.” I’d offer that yes, here on Abandoned In the Stranger’s Room Epic Tantrum do mix the styles well, but they also add in a whole lot more; great playing, tight songwriting, and what seems like a wild abandon to rock hard.

Ptolemea certainly swrils the listener round to the dark corners and melodic byways of their Maze.

“Want To Believe,” another high-clicking percussion and flunky guitar riff tune (probably the best acoustic rhythm playing on Liveness for me), allows Ames his most wry lyric here. The backing vocals chant a subtle blues feeling behind the groove, as Ames wraps this all up in what might be the best tune for me on a pretty brilliant little EP.

Anti-Flag 20/20 Vision (Spinefarm Records UK) “The same masters who made us their fucking  slaves are now our saviors…so sick of needing […]

Surely Ianuzzi is a singular talent who knows his landscapes. In all fairness, Olga in a Black Hole is just a taste of what I imagine the man can, and will, deliver.

The concept that holds these 15 songs close sees Fury taking elements from his Apache, Pueblo, and Hispano heritage, plus the environment and history of his home in Colorado and New Mexico, and mixing it all with futuristic, sci-fi and romance themes

Songs like the sly piano bass line of modern jazz noodle “S Mitchell St,” (again showcasing some crazy Parker drumming), the crazy overdriven runs of bee-bopping “Change Of Pace,” with Cotelo coming across as a true standout guitar wailer, and ender “That Sums it Up,” one of the best melodies here for me, round out the album as a standout jazz piece.

One could call what Todd Brozman’s Proud Creatures solo moniker delivers psychedelic electronica/jazz/ambient…or one could just enjoy the deep dive into this this 5-track EP, Opening Creature.

Six years ago, Jersey Shore-native Tom Sless moved to L.A. Playing around the sunny city, honing his songwriting and playing with performing and schooling (and coming out just when this album did), he has now found his California Dream.

Tangerine Dream Recurring Dreams (Kscope Import) For over 50 years, Tangerine Dream has given us hundreds of albums ranging from the experimental […]