Browsing Tag

Porcupine Tree

Herman Martinez – Introvertebrae: A New Prog Rock Prism

Posted on 18 March 2024

Herman Martinez poured the psychedelic soul of the 70s through his new prog rock prism, Introvertebrae, while tuning into melancholy in the same hauntingly evocative vein as Porcupine Tree.

The endearingly humble New Jersey-based multi-instrumentalist may not be able to brag about his talent which allows his tracks to transcend auditory experiences and unravel as emotionally chameleonic shots to the heart, but we have no reservations about revering his sonic journeys of self-discovery that cocoon his fans in musical chrysalises.

Martinez’s voice, echoing the emotional gravity of Chris Cornell and the octave-spanning prowess of Thom Yorke, serves as the navigator through this orchestrally immense soundscape, which uplifts in one breath and aches in the next as experimental indie meets prog rock. Naturally, the brilliance of Introvertebrae lies in its duality. It’s a nod to the prog rock deities – King Crimson, Rush, Emerson, Lake & Palmer – yet it speaks a language that resonates with the contemporary soul. The piano, heavy with emotion, could easily find a place in Father John Misty’s repertoire, while the 70s melodic undertones offer a comforting embrace to the classic rock enthusiast.

Martinez’s skill with the guitar is not just about showcasing an intuitive understanding of the fretboard. Each riff and melody are a chapter in this immersive rich musical novel. With so many elements, styles and layers, under a less deft hand, it would be easy to feel lost in the labyrinth of Introvertebrae, but by lyrically expositing our most intimate fears, Martinez allows the listener to feel seen and found.

Stream and download the latest single from Herman Martinez via Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Immerse yourself in the artfully metamorphic instrumentals in Blinded By Hope’s seminal prog-rock release, All We Know

Posted on 5 December 2023

Emotion charters the path through the artfully metamorphic instrumental arrangement in one of the standout singles from Blinded by Hope’s debut LP, The Darkness That Surrounds Us.

The Australian innovators found their signature sound between the landscapes of prog-rock, melodic rock, and art rock to allow the seminal single, All We Know, which unravels as an emotionally resonant and sonically complex piece which takes you through the dark depths of human emotion via a backdrop of artfully progressive instrumentation.

From the opening notes, All We Know draws the listener into its profoundly reflective aura which swells around the alt-metal roots in the complexity of musical structures. But don’t let the gravitas in the release fool you, the track is as accessible as it is resonant as it vies for your attention through technical prowess and the emotional odyssey it represents.

The vocals echo the tender yet powerful style of Incubus, adding a soulful depth to the track. This vocal gravity anchors the song’s tumultuous ebb and flow, creating a captivating tension that is both stirring and poignant. The band’s focus on crafting a meaningful song, rather than just showcasing technical skill, shines through every note and lyric, making All We Know a superlatively compelling listen.

Stream Blinded by Hope’s music on Spotify, and keep up to date with news of the release via Facebook.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Star-rove through the desolation in Othenic’s latest single, SUPERSONIC LIGHTSPEED

Posted on 5 November 2023

By using dark and spacey tones as a metaphor for the desolation of alienation and emptiness and pairing them with pensive lyrical iconography, Othenic proved his worth as an evocateur in his latest single, SUPERSONIC LIGHTSPEED.

The trappy nuances that bleed through the backbeat and the sharp delivery of his quasi-harmonised vocals become a sense of gravity in the reverb-swathed atmosphere of the star-roving single that instantly immerses you within the melancholy of the exposition of how inhospitable Earth can be when you’re forced to go through the motions without another soul as a compass.

Emanating the same sense of heart-on-sleeve deeply affecting appeal of Blue October and Porcupine Tree, the Kentucky/Cincinnati-hailing artist, who is quickly becoming our favourite discovery in 2023, is establishing himself as a song crafter with superlative tenacity when it comes to sonically locking into the darkest facets of the human experience.

SUPERSONIC LIGHTSPEED was officially released on November 2^nd; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Bellwether exhibited a tonal melancholic masterpiece with their alt-rock single, Gates of Gold

Posted on 28 October 2023

After an opening sequence of shoegaze-y angular guitar work, the standout single, Gates of Gold, by the US duo Bellwether transitions into a doomy synthesis of melodic prog rock and superlatively matured pop-punk with just enough room for a little bit of Modest Mouse reminiscent twang.

Juxtaposingly, Gates of Gold unfurls like a record you’ve been addicted to since the 00s while very progression is a lesson of scintillation thanks to the pioneering song crafting in the hauntingly spectral single which starts to pull the heavyweight punches towards the mid-way mark. A single which traverses themes of child loss was always going to hit hard, but my God, the melancholy mixed with the atmospherics of the tonal masterpiece is as affectingly raw as you could possibly ask for.

I have no idea how Bellwether evaded my radar up to now, but if I’m certain of anything, it is that I will follow them to the grave after being consumed by their debut EP, gods. Since forming in Atlanta, Georgia in 2021, the duo hasn’t failed to amass momentum with their releases and live performances, which has seen them share stages with the likes of The Mysterines and Manchester Orchestra. We can’t wait to see where their talent takes the duo next.

Gates of Gold was officially released on September 22^ndwith the rest of the debut EP, gods; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Jeff Goldsmith – Tied to the Track: Melt Into the Darkly Ambient Melancholy

Posted on 15 November 2022

Following the resounding success of his former releases, the Minneapolis composer, musical sound designer and producer Jeff Goldsmith unleashed the lamentfully arrestive atmosphere of his latest score, Tied to the Track.

With the art rock nuances of Radiohead, the progressive feel of Fear of a Blank Planet era Porcupine Tree and deserty Josh Homme-Esque vocals bleeding into the darkly ambient neo-classic electronic arrangements, succumbing to the cinematic melancholy of Tied to the Track is non-optional.

Goldsmith started his venture into creativity aged four at the Suzuki Music Academy, where he learned to play the violin by ear. In 2020, he made his debut with the album, Vodu, subsequently followed by his poetically titled scintillating sophomore album, May You Find the Light Before the Devil Knows He’s Right, in May 2021. In addition to his solo work, Goldsmith scores for TV and film and works with a myriad of other artists, such as Austin Texas’s Sparta.

After hearing Tied to the Track, I know I will never stop turning to Goldsmith’s visceral sonic proclivities which innovatively amalgamate ambience with exultant ingenuity. He isn’t just one in a million, his presence on the airwaves can’t be quantified. I can’t recommend him enough.

Tied to the Track is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Mar Palafox lead the vanguard in his latest spacey hard rock single, Battle.

Posted on 14 July 2021

After a string of successful singles, the alt-rock solo artist Mar Palafox has released his debut self-titled album; expect an adrenalizing ensemble of power metal, prog rock and spacey hard rock.

Any fans of Dir En Grey, InMe and Porcupine Tree will be easily absorbed by the atmospheric textures in the soundscapes that coincide with frenetic solos as they blaze through the complex time signatures. Each single on the album is a feat of ingenuity, but none more so than the standout single, Battle. The slightly lo-fi feel to the single gives Battle a punky garage rock edge that is cutting, to say the least.

You can check out Mar’s debut album for yourselves by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Prog rock meets grunge and flirts with hardcore in Touch by Mirror’s latest single, Something New.

Posted on 13 June 2021

Prog rock meets grunge in South African artist Touch by Mirror’s single, Something New; it’s exactly what it says on the tin. So, if you have heard enough ripped-off Nirvana riffs to last a lifetime, you will definitely appreciate the alternative artist’s explorative instrumental inclination and complex time signatures.

If you could imagine what it would sound like if the styles of Porcupine Tree, Thrice and Alice in Chains merged, you will get a good idea of how Something New unravels. While, lyrically, Something New is the perfect track to vent your societal angst through; it unravels as a poignant snapshot of the tension that has turned social discourse into a cesspit of distraction and senseless misdirected anger.

After entering Cape Town’s alt-rock scene in 2020 with his debut EP, ‘Solitude’, Touch by Mirror is well on his way to bringing his soulful take on hardcore into the mainstream.

Check out Touch by Mirror via Facebook.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Quentel the Cryptid – Ghost Trap: Obsession-Worthy Dark Alt-Rock

Posted on 18 January 2021

When the prelude to a previously unheard track demands maximum volume, you know you’ve just stumbled across a gem, which is exactly what happened when we dove into the cataclysmically superlative single ‘Ghost Trap’ by Alt-Rock artist Quentel the Cryptid.

Fans of the darker side of the Alt 90s sound will definitely want to indulge in Ghost Trap which offers the same atmospheric effects as Cradle of Filth, the same progressive momentum as Porcupine Tree and vocals carrying the cutting reminiscence of Brian Molko. But that isn’t where the dynamism ends, the heavy use of psychedelically-laced synths allowed Quentel the Cryptid to well and truly stamp down their ensnaring sonic signature sound in Ghost Track.

It’s an obsession worthy track from the first hit.

You can check out the official video to Ghost Trap for yourselves by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Superflush deliver a bitter-sweet romantic kick with their Alt Indie debut single ‘Answer’

Posted on 19 December 2020

Californian Alt-Indie trio Superflush have made their 2020 debut with the stunningly hazy Shoegaze single ‘Answer’, expect plenty more than just another My Bloody Valentine or Slowdive derivative as Superflush weave their way right across the tonal palette.

With a progressive feel to the ode to the Alt 90s sound, the dreamy melodies synergise with the lucid vocals which come with a bitter-sweet romantic kick. Everyone from fans of Radiohead to fans of Porcupine Tree will want to jump on this authentically crafted, served straight from the soul feat of Alt-Indie. As far as debuts go, they don’t come much more promising than this.

You can check out Answer for yourselves by heading over to Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Oliver Cheung – Remembrance: Pacifying Progressive Rock

Posted on 22 December 2017

Remembrance by Oliver Cheung

Oliver Cheung is a solo artist from Hong Kong who has assembled his skills to produce his latest ensemble titled Remembrance in which he created the perfect track to accompany the worn-out meditation tracks on your chill out playlists.

The deftly talented guitar player has mastered a melodic track with minimalist entrapments that lead you into a transgressive cacophony of sound through the duration of the 8-minute track which turns into an overpowering discord of annalistic rock that even the most pretentious metal fan couldn’t turn their nose up at. Throughout his standout track Remembrance, he demonstrates that his ability to manipulate the strings is a straight up match with Prog Rock giants such as Dream Theatre, Tangerine Dream and Porcupine Tree.

This instrumental track couldn’t be long enough. Lucky for me, it comes off the Remembrance EP which has just been released. Throughout the EP Cheung demonstrates his versatility over arrangements, with each moment of his EP more captivatingly sonorous than the last.

The Remembrance EP is available for you to check out and download via Bandcamp right now!

https://olivercheung.bandcamp.com/track/remembrance

or you can head on over to Spotify to sample some of his earlier sounds!

https://soundcloud.com/olivergtrhk