Prog is not that visible in Finland... but it has a lot of fans!" chuckles Marko Hietala, whose love of all things progressive goes back to a formative experience as a kid in the sub-Arctic Finnish town of Kuopio. "My dad used to be a jazz freak, but he got hooked on Jethro Tull's acoustic music, and after that he started listening to guitar solos. You know, the more the mainstream becomes more about simple music, the more that people who like complex music will move away from it. Maybe it's the same in the UK as well?" It's very much the same, we tell him which is a great thing on this side of the Baltic for Hietala's new album, Roses From The Deep, a hard rock collection with strong prog elements all over it. Highlights include The Dragon Must Die, a prog-metal anthem featuring polyrhythms and celtic melodies; a duet with Charon frontman Juha-Pekka 'JP' Leppäluoto on the anti-war Two Soldiers; and a song called Proud Whore that we ask Hietala to explain.
"That one is about me!" he says with a laugh. "Maybe it's a bit of a controversial title, but that's what we performers are. There's a certain pride in it, even though a lot of people think that we should get a proper job and a haircut. You still encounter those granny attitudes here and there, but you know what? When we go onstage, people go, 'Ooh, great, yeah!' with grins on their faces.
Do you think you'd get the same response if you put a politician or a preacher up there? I don't think so."
Roses... is the second solo release from Hietala, who cut his chops in the metal bands Tarot and Sinergy, the latter of which is wellknown to headbangers worldwide for the presence of Alexi Laiho, the late guitar hero who also founded Children Of Bodom, Finland's second-biggest metal band.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة Issue 157 من Prog.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
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هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة Issue 157 من Prog.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Dig The New Breed
Supergroup collaborator and solo artist Neal Morse has switched things up for his latest album, No Hill For A Climber, and brought in a new team of young talent, referred to as The Resonance. The artist discusses working in a different way, the challenges of lyric-writing, and whether this spells the end of his songwriting partnership with Mike Portnoy.
Tree, Surgin
Formed in Norway in the early 90s, White Willow were among the retro-sounding bands that were at the forefront of Scandinavia's progressive revival, along with Anekdoten and Änglagård. Although they've been inactive for the last seven or so years, their first six albums are in the process of being reissued via Karisma Records. Bandleader Jacob Holm-Lupo revisits those early releases and reveals that album eight could be on the way soon.
An Accidental Decade
Ten years ago, the whimsical stories on Tiger Moth Tales' debut album, Cocoon, captured the imagination of the prog world. Marking the decade with a 10th anniversary edition of the album, TMT's Peter Jones shares some of his personal highlights with Prog and explains why he's still coming to terms with where it all went right.
Rite Here, Rite Now
After a 17-year break, Swedish four-piece Ritual have made a very welcome return with the first part of The Story Of Mr. Bogd. Guitarist/vocalist Patrik Lundström discusses embracing their inner child, the magic of Moomins and the musical journey that led to the creation of the two-part concept album.
LIFTING SHADOWS OFF A Dream
It was the reunion that no one thought would ever happen, but after 15 years of making music without him, Dream Theater have welcomed back co-founder Mike Portnoy on their 16th studio album. The drummer discusses Parasomnia, healing old wounds and touring the classic line-up for the band's 40th anniversary.
Ladies And Gentlemen, We Are Floating In Space
Buckle up and prepare to be taken on the ride of a lifetime. Steven Wilson is back with The Overview, an album that even he admits is prog. Comprising two tracks, the conceptual suite includes lyrics from XTC's Andy Partridge and visuals that are out of this world. Prog visits the musician at home to get the lowdown.
RECURRING DREAMS
On his latest album, Heard Noises, Matt Berry takes a leap of faith musically and brings in a more reflective and, at times, confessional approach to lyric-writing. The actor-musician tells Prog about his mind-shift since entering his fifth decade and the very special gift he received from one of his musical heroes that's also played a role on the album package.
Hell - Ain't A Bad Place To Be
In celebration of three decades together, Mogwai have transformed a difficult period into a blazing post-rock extravaganza. The Bad Fire finds the \"prog curious\" Scots in fine form and taking unexpected inspiration from King Crimson, Jan Hammer and Pink Floyd. Bandleader Stuart Braithwaite admits it's never too late to discover The Dark Side Of The Moon.
DORIE JACKSON
Kaprekar's Constant vocalist on her solo career, her dad's influence and why she's happiest being a team player.
