In the decade that The Dear Hunter has existed, Casey Crescenzo, the mastermind behind the concept, has been nothing short of both prolific and creative. Now past the halfway point in this 6 part series, The Dear Hunter sounds more cinematic and opera-esque than ever, while still being very much a prog-rock listen at its core. At over 70 minutes and songs as long as 9 minutes, there’s a wealth of sounds here, including jazz, orchestral, dance and rock, and it isn’t uncommon for guitars to take a backseat to keys, flutes, trumpets, etc. If you’re a fan of Crescenzo’s harder moments, there’s enough here to keep you satisfied, but the classical and softer moments dominate and illuminate the album.
New Jersey’s Seven Witches, featuring guitarist Jack Frost (Bronx Casket Co.), is back with new LP «Rebirth,» which is targeted for release this summer. The band has a completely new lineup joining Frost, which now consists of new vocalist Anthony Cross (Shadow Image), drummer Johnny Kelly (Ex-Type O Negative/A Pale Horse Named Death) and bassist Ronnie Parkes.