CATEGORIES

THE ANCHORET
Prog

THE ANCHORET

A stranger ina strange land spins a tale of loneliness with help from some new friends.

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2 mins  |
Issue 142
THEY WATCH US FROM THE MOON
Prog

THEY WATCH US FROM THE MOON

Spaced-out US collective reach new heights with their debut album.

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2 mins  |
Issue 142
MONG TONG
Prog

MONG TONG

Taiwanese brothers mix up their native culture with western electronics and global psychedelia to blur genres.

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1 min  |
Issue 142
OSYRON
Prog

OSYRON

Queensrÿche-inspired Canadians take prog metal to darker realms.

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2 mins  |
Issue 142
SELF-MADE MEN
Prog

SELF-MADE MEN

On their new, independently released album, guitarist Misha Mansoor talks of taking Periphery back to the band they always wanted it to be. No longer bending to the pressures of suits or the public, and more comfortable now in their own skin than ever before, this is the story of how Periphery V: Djent Is Not A Genre finds the US group at their defiant best.

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5 mins  |
Issue 141
The Yes Men
Prog

The Yes Men

The Parallax Method say they aren't seasoned musicians when it comes to theory. Instead, they're full of happy accidents that inspire their free-flowing instrumental explorations on, Folie À Trois. This is the story of The Parallax Method embracing the good, the bad and the ugly for the better of their music, resulting in a head-turning debut album.

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4 mins  |
Issue 141
All Tomorrow's Parties
Prog

All Tomorrow's Parties

A familiar name in the Canterbury scene, Dave Stewart's career reached unexpected highs in the 1980s when he teamed up with Spirogyra's Barbara Gaskin for an unlikely pop cover. Forty years on, the pair are still making \"intelligent pop\" with a ninth studio album on the way. Now preparing to play a very special one-off show in London this summer, Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin tell Prog about the unexpected spark that's led to their longstanding musical, and romantic, relationship.

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7 mins  |
Issue 141
THE SEVEN-YEAR ITCH
Prog

THE SEVEN-YEAR ITCH

After a seven-year absence, Seven Impale are back with their third album, the Enslavedapproved Summit. But, despite their name, a delay of that length certainly wasn't intentional. The Norwegian sextet bring Prog up to date on their current four-track, which embraces the myths of Ancient Greece and uses them as a metaphor for the trials of modern society.

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5 mins  |
Issue 141
Argus Panoptes
Prog

Argus Panoptes

Wishbone Ash never set out to create a progressive concept album, but things took an unexpected twist on their third record, Argus. Fifty-one years on, it's been reissued and expanded into a handsome seven-disc multi-format box set. Prog sat down with Martin Turner and Andy Powell to explore the record's genesis and legacy, taking in everything from stolen swords and nascent romances to trance-writing and twin guitars.

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7 mins  |
Issue 141
Universal Numbers
Prog

Universal Numbers

After the stop-start of the last three years, Lazuli have quietly unveiled their 11th studio album, simply called 11. Vocalist, instrumentalist and composer Dominique Leonetti reveals why the French group are buzzing about their new release but choosing to remain fiercely independent, and how it felt to finally play on the same stage as their musical heroes.

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5 mins  |
Issue 141
Wired For Sound
Prog

Wired For Sound

A lot has changed since North Atlantic Oscillation released their last album, the well-stocked Grind Show, in 2018. After a strange five years it feels somewhat reassuring to see the return of the electronic post-prog outfit, and it's now effectively a one-man band as Sam Healy leads the way. Prog catches up with the musician to find out more.

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7 mins  |
Issue 141
Day Of The Dreamer
Prog

Day Of The Dreamer

On their 1978 album, A Song For All Seasons, Renaissance ditched the big concepts and teamed up with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra to give their symphonic sound a bolder and brighter edge. The stunning results yielded their only UK Top 10 single, Northern Lights, which takes centre stage on a new vinyl reissue. Vocalist Annie Haslam revisits the audition, stage invasions and Top Of The Pops appearances that led to the album becoming one of their best-loved releases.

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7 mins  |
Issue 141
The Basement Tapes
Prog

The Basement Tapes

Lars Fredrik Frøislie fought off the blues by giving his imagination free rein: he dreamed of the last battle of the Norse gods, a place in the sun, cosmic omens, and the stark beauty of a Norwegian winter. Now Wobbler's mastermind talks to Prog about singing in his native tongue and staying sane with his solo album, Fire Fortellinger.

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5 mins  |
Issue 141
The Men For All Seasons
Prog

The Men For All Seasons

In September 1989, Marillion unveiled their new album, Seasons End, and new vocalist, Steve 'H' Hogarth. As one chapter ended, a new one opened and with it came new challenges and experiences. To coincide with the release of a deluxe edition, the band revisit the making of the record that helped steer their career in a new direction and prove there really was life after Fish.

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10+ mins  |
Issue 141
IN MEMORY OF FRANCIS MONKMAN
Prog

IN MEMORY OF FRANCIS MONKMAN

Despite a long career, classical musician-turned-founder member of Curved Air, Francis Monkman preferred to avoid the spotlight and allow his playing to take centre-stage instead. A key member of Sky and the supergroup 801, his recent death from cancer at the age of 73 has left behind a remarkable musical legacy that combines his passions for all things progressive and classical. We pay tribute to the pioneering instrumentalist.

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6 mins  |
Issue 141
GALEN AYERS & PAUL SIMONON
Prog

GALEN AYERS & PAUL SIMONON

The unlikely duo discuss art as inspiration, tapping into the creative spirit of Mallorca and the forthcoming Kevin Ayers' reissues.

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4 mins  |
Issue 141
THE ENIGMA DIVISION
Prog

THE ENIGMA DIVISION

Former Xerath members reach for the Sky(net) with sci-fi-inspired project.

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2 mins  |
Issue 140
COVET
Prog

COVET

Life-affirming and joyful storytelling from a modern-day guitar master.

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2 mins  |
Issue 140
POLINSKI
Prog

POLINSKI

Futuristic soundscapes from the electronic mind of 65daysofstatic noise-maker.

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2 mins  |
Issue 140
US AND THEM
Prog

US AND THEM

Scandinavian pair tap into British folk horror for a spooky but intimate experience.

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2 mins  |
Issue 140
PHIL STUCKEY (STUCKFISH)
Prog

PHIL STUCKEY (STUCKFISH)

The great and good of progressive music give us a glimpse into their prog worlds.

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3 mins  |
Issue 140
The Depths Of The Ocean
Prog

The Depths Of The Ocean

On their latest album Holocene, The Ocean dive deeper into prog rock while philosophising over the post-pandemic world. Mastermind Robin Staps tells Prog about its story – and the near-death experience that almost derailed everything.

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5 mins  |
Issue 140
LOST KINGDOMS
Prog

LOST KINGDOMS

On her latest album, The Last Kingdom – Destiny Is All, Eivør Pálsdóttir revisits her powerful collaboration with the Emmy-winning composer John Lunn for the Netflix/ BBC TV show, The Last Kingdom. Now its final chapter has been turned into a feature- length movie, Seven Kings Must Die, Eivør and Lunn have teamed up with Danny Saul to create an album of music inspired by it. The Faroese singer-songwriter discusses throat singing, her love for Enya and returning to her birthplace.

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5 mins  |
Issue 140
The Impossible Dream
Prog

The Impossible Dream

Despite the success of 2020’s acclaimed Love Over Fear, the last few years haven’t been an easy ride for Pendragon. Mainman Nick Barrett tells Prog about the new mini-album, North Star, and how the band are rising to the challenges of touring in the 2020s with their very own ‘VIP’ weekenders.

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7 mins  |
Issue 140
The Remains Of The Day
Prog

The Remains Of The Day

After a seven-year gap, Canadian occult rockers Blood Ceremony are back with The Old Ways Remain. Inspired by 70s soundtracks, folk and women’s literature, its 10 tracks of esoteric goodness are definitely worth the wait. Vocalist, organist and flutist Alia O’Brien discusses the benefits of recording local, her teenage passion for Jethro Tull and her new-found joy for foraging.

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5 mins  |
Issue 140
Alive And Amplified
Prog

Alive And Amplified

It’s been six years since Trippin’ With Dr Faustus, and Amplifier have returned with mini-album, Hologram. But behind the scenes, everything’s changed – or has it? Even as the band wrestle with the monster they’re building for their full-length follow-up, mainman Sel Balamir tells Prog how the spirit of Amplifier remains constant through line-up changes, moving studios, and discovering fresh ways of making music.

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7 mins  |
Issue 140
NOT SO FRAGILE AFTER ALL
Prog

NOT SO FRAGILE AFTER ALL

As Yes achieve their quickest turnaround between studio album projects for more than half a century, Prog holds up a mirror to the soul of the seemingly unstoppable progressive giants as they consider their immediate – and long-term – future with Mirror To The Sky.

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10+ mins  |
Issue 140
Whatever happened to the teenage dream?
Prog

Whatever happened to the teenage dream?

Following on from 2021’s acclaimed Aphelion, Leprous frontman Einar Solberg has dipped a toe into solo waters on his debut, 16. The accidental concept album finds him flexing his collaborative muscles with some familiar names as he revisits the life-changing events of his formative years that eventually led to him becoming a musician.

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6 mins  |
Issue 140
GOLDEN BELLS
Prog

GOLDEN BELLS

In early 1973, a 19-year-old musician from south-east England was on the cusp of mega-stardom as he prepared to release his debut solo album. Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells was unlike anything else at the time and went on to transform the former folk artist into a multi-platinum-selling global sensation. In an exclusive interview for Prog, Oldfield celebrates the groundbreaking ambient record’s 50th anniversary reissue with the story of its creation and the sequels it inspired.

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10+ mins  |
Issue 140
IN MEMORY OF RAY SHULMAN
Prog

IN MEMORY OF RAY SHULMAN

He was the youngest of Gentle Giant’s three brothers and was regarded as the glue that held the band’s incredible music together. Bassist and violin player Ray Shulman’s influence can be heard all over the group’s best-known work, which includes The Power And The Glory, Free Hand and Octopus. His death at the age of 73, has left behind an impressive legacy for aspiring artists who prefer their music to have a more adventurous streak.

time-read
6 mins  |
Issue 140