This debut recording by Swedish prog metal band Pain of Salvation proved to be a well-needed breath of fresh air for a genre that was full of self-parody and self-indulgence. Led by vocalist/lyricist Daniel Gildenlow, their unique style draws from influences such as Dream Theater, Queensrÿche, Faith No More, King's X, Pink Floyd, and Frank Zappa, to name a few. Their theatrical, concept-like approach is offered in three chapters and is delivered with emotion, intelligence, integrity, passion, and poignancy. These qualities, which are often strived for but rarely attained, seem to come from the number of years the band spent together honing their craft. Their fine musicianship serves the music first and rarely falls into self-aggrandizing. While their fastidious approach would eventually push them to even greater creative heights, Entropia marked the arrival of one of the genre's few innovators.
“Sleep my angel, my child, see how the city spreads.” Under Franz Treichler’s wings, huge, breathtaking panoramas unfurl like beautiful dreamscapes on the edge of sleep. A weightless dream that is both comforting and blackened with darkness. A return to known land, whose topography has been modified by time and age. Three human beings in the matrix of Data Mirage Tangram, the new Young Gods album.
Handels Messiah is already very well-represented on the market with dozens of existing recordings and new productions appearing at regular intervals. Yet this is a very special version, carefully crafted, Halle Handel Edition in hand, by a Basel-based selection of fine vocal soloists and instrumentalists who have all graduated from the world-famous Schola Cantorum Basiliensis. Under the fine direction of Daniela Dolci, singers Miriam Feuersinger, Flavio Ferri-Benedeti, Dino Luthy and Raitis Grigalis join the ensemble Musica Fiorita for a moving studio recording made in October 2015.
This is the second leader-session by the acclaimed Norwegian composer and bassist Eivind Opsvik for Fresh Sound New Talent. Since moving to New York in 1998 Eivind has been working on his own compositions and concepts and, in early 2002, he assembled some of his favourite musicians in the city, some of whom he's played with for years and some who are more recent acquaintances, with the intention of doing gigs around the city and to record a CD. In selecting musicians for his band Eivind favoured open-mindedness, individuality and musicians with experience from the free music scene who would give his music a certain edge and energy.