Turning 50 last May was more than just an age thing for Matt Berry. His half-century milestone also happened to coincide with the end of his successful run in TV comedy-horror What We Do In The Shadows. Berry had been a central part of the series, playing pansexual vampire Laszlo Cravensworth, for more than five years.
"I turned 50 on the last day that I filmed anything for that show," he tells Prog. "So, that was a significant day for me. I hadn't done it consciously, but everything I'd been writing from the year before was all geared around that. When I look back, it's all pointing in that direction. I think certain things happen to you that force you to progress." This subconscious reassessment of life and work fed into what eventually became Berry's new album, Heard Noises. As did the recurring dreams.
"This obsession with nostalgia was creeping into my subconscious. I was having a repeated dream of basically seeing my younger self in the distance and working out whether I should run up to him or just let him get on with whatever he was doing. But it felt so real. I could see him and all my friends, exactly how we were about 10 years ago. And it kept happening, so I couldn't ignore that." One new song in particular feels like a direct result of that experience.
To Live For What Once Was finds Berry wrestling with notions of past and present, of living in the here and now as opposed to some idealised memory palace. 'No matter what I do I'm trapped' he sings, 'Like a man in a jail of his own.' Other pieces, such as Stay On The Ground, serve as a kind of self-support device, its protagonist negotiating a path through fear and bullshit until he can simply 'ignore the sound'.
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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.
The Hiet Is On
The Finnish musical everyman Marko Hietala has been through it all: mental-health issues, leaving the mighty Nightwish and even a stint on reality TV. Fortunately his new album, Roses From The Deep, reveals that he's still as much of a force as ever. Prog caught up with him to find out more.
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.
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.
