TEE "The Earth Explorer"

TEE is a five piece flute front progressive rock band from Tokyo, Japan. Their so-called 'European' sound is unique considering their far-east origin. The imaginative tunes with complex ensembles and rhythms will definitely catch the attention of prog lovers all over the world. Their sound will remind you bands like Camel, King Crimson, Asia Minor or even Frank Zappa on some parts. The band was formed in 2004 when... more

Kevin BARTLETT

You may not know his name but you have definitely heard his music more than once or twice in your life. Maybe on HBO, or on MTV, or on VH1, Comedy Central, Discovery Channel. Doesn't ring the bell? How about American Idol Rewind, or Dr. 90210? We had interviewed Kevin Bartlett a couple of years ago when his second solo album GLOW IN THE DARK was released. Bartlett has been quiet since that time but but he has been secretly brewing new projects. A few months ago he had put a new song...more

Peter Hammill, founding member of Van Der Graaf Generator, released his 28th solo album " nearly 3 months ago. He recently got back home from a short tour covering North America, Canada and Italy. In the 70's when bands like...more

FRIGHT PIG Barque At The Lune *** REVERSAL OF GRAVITY Scuba Gear ***

SYMPHONY X / Paradise Lost

Symphony X has somehow slipped under my radar all these years. Sure, I've heard of them in passing and have even caught the tail end of a song or two, but never really gave them the attention due. That is until the success of Paradise Lost. In fact, I couldn't ignore their presence any longer if I tried. I gave the album a full listen through and was immediately struck by their outstanding musicianship. The most immediate & obvious trait that catapults them a notch above other progressive metal bands are the superior vocals. That is not at all an attempt to minimize the bone-crunching guitars or polished mixes, but let's be honest... progressive bands typically suffer from sub-standard vocals generally due to a guitarist or keyboardist who “thinks” they can sing just as good as the next guy. Not to go off on a tangent here, but it's high time prog bands recognize the vocal layer on par with the other instruments that make up a composition – obviously Symphony X respects that.

As far as Paradise Lost goes, I've been forewarned by others that this is not their best release. So to be fair, and not to gauge my review on this one album alone, I DID go back to listen to The Odyssey & Twilight In Olympus, Divine Wings of Tragedy & V: the New Mythology Suite. With those four previous discs fresh in my memory, I took a dive right into Paradise head first and found myself tired from the swim and wishing to get out of the pool and dry off. What I mean by that is this: Symphony X, as the name implies, utilizes bombastic orchestration and interchangeably uses violas etc. Pumping each track full of striking obbligato type arrangements synonymous with Classical Music Greats, the band sets the stage for being the “classical meets metal band”... but they let the listener down on this album because the nature of Classical music lends itself to variety, decrescendos as well as accelerandos and the like. Unfortunately, as good as they are at what they do, they fail to offer the highs and lows that would keep my attention. I got the feeling I heard all they had to offer by the 6th track. This is not their normal repertoire. If you're going to release a disc nearly an hour in length, you should have the diverse material to warrant it.

I still give this album 4 stars because it's undeniably a great album. The musicians are unquestionably virtuosos and have spent years honing their craft. The arrangements are labored over and not recorded until perfect. The guitars are reminiscent of Malmsteen, vocals remind one of Rob Tagley of Warrior and the double bass drum assault will leave you bewildered. While maintaining their own identity, you cant help but recognize elements of Kansas. This is a must buy CD, but if you have to buy only one – choose The Divine Wings of Tragedy.

Dale Juday