Go To Blazes

The last decade saw a strange phenomenon: many acts of the past returning from their grave and some that were absent for a long time came back. Of course, some bands aren’t worthy of attention, but there’s always some band that one didn’t know that is surprisingly amazing. And in this last category is the German quintet CZAKAN. After the reissue of their 1989’s album “State of Confusion”, here they are with their new album, “Unreal”. Their music can be described as a melodic form of Hard Rock that’s usual for German acts of the genre, where the melodic and accessible appeal of the music is filled with refined sets of arrangements and some heavy touches (pay attention on “Free Line” to check this aspect, especially on the guitars). This album brings the minds and hearts of the fans to the 70’s and 80’s due its appeal (this form of music is natural from those days), but in an updated form that is full of life and hooks.

2nd album from the truly impressive USA Prog Rock band founded by the talented multi-instrumentalist/composer/producer/engineer Shane Atkinson! EVERSHP are a league ahead of much of the new Prog bands we get to hear these days – with influences from the divide that crosses between GENESIS, YES, KANSAS and QUEEN, this band are something SPECIAL! The EVERSHIP sound just oozes quality - The keyboards are melodic and symphonic, yet edgy and dramatic at the same time; the guitars range from powerful to sensitive and the rhythm section – much in the same way as YES – runs the gamut of tight and driving to sensitive and atmospheric. The standard of musicianship is high; the compositions are classy with quality production, ranging through melodic, hook-laden songs with incredible anthemic choruses and gentle ballads, with plenty in the way of bombastic, complex arrangements with extended instrumental arrangements going on in-between.

It doesn't get much better than this. We've got Yoshida(KOENJIHYAKKEI, RUINS) on drums, Kido(BONDAGE FRUIT) on lead guitar, and Nasuno(ALTERED STATES, GROUND ZERO) on bass.To say this is a power trio is a big understatement…

Ars Nova: This female keyboard trio started in the next line-up: Keiko Kumagai (keyboards), Kyoko Kanazawa (bass) and Akiko Takahashi (drums). In '92 ARS NOVA released their promising debut-album "Fear & Anxiety", a tribute to ELP with floods of powerful Hammond organ and flashing synthesizer solos, supported by a strong and adventurous rhythm-section…

Frank Peter Zimmermann, who in 2010 was awarded the international Paul Hindemith Prize of the City of Hanau, makes a great case for these works. His Trio recently won the 2013 BBC Music Magazine Award for their Chamber recording of Beethoven’s Trio Op. 9. In the concerto Zimmermann teams up with Paavo Järvi, another recipient of the Paul Hindemith Prize and principal conductor of the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra.

Remixed and expanded (with two additional tracks recorded but chopped off the vinyl version) for its debut on CD in 1999, this is a sturdy, workmanlike Rory Gallagher release. Reverting back to a trio, Gallagher toughens up his sound and blazes through some robust blues rockers like "Last of the Independents," "Shadow Play," and "Brute Force & Ignorance" (one of his best hard rock riffs) with nervy energy. Gallagher's swampy side emerges on "Cloak & Dagger," another song that explores his fascination with B-movie gumshoes, a common theme for the Irish blues-rocker. His guitar work is typically excellent throughout, especially on "Overnight Bag," as he overdubs himself on acoustic.