Storm Corrosion – Storm Corrosion (2012)

Album artwork for Storm Corrosion

Anyone who follows the progressive rock scene even a little bit will most likely have heard the names Steven Wilson and Mikael Åkerfeldt.  The former is most well known for his brainchild Porcupine Tree, while the latter is the frontman of the notable Swedish prog metal outfit Opeth.  Both groups have released ten studio albums over a two-decade period.  Both have achieved outstanding success and critical acclaim in their respective fields.  Both frequently cross the line between intense heavy riffs and delicate melodic passages.  Yet they are two very distinct musical identities.  Thus, it came as somewhat of a surprise and much of a thrill when it was announced that Wilson and Åkerfeldt would be collaborating on a brand new musical project known as Storm Corrosion.

The eponymous first album released by the newly formed duo in 2012 was not necessarily what we might have expected, though.  In an interview back in 2010, Wilson stated “…we have this kind of passion [for] very experimental, obscure records, almost orchestral in their scope.  And we wanted to make a record like that for a long time.  It’s a long way from metal and it’s a long way from anything that, I think, Mikael has ever done…it’s actually a long way from anything I’ve done…The one thing we didn’t want to do is get together and do a prog metal supergroup, which would have been so easy to do – and kind of expected, in a way.”

Act III: Life and Death – The Dear Hunter (2009)

Album artwork for Act III: Life and Death

What is the music composer or songwriter, if not a storyteller? That has been the transcendent role of the musician throughout the many ages of human history.  From the first note that is struck, plucked, bowed, blown, or whatever else, we (typically) allow the performer to take over our attention until his story has finished.  While this is true for just about any kind of music, some artists have perfected the art of storytelling in a way that not only warrants our attention, but enables us to temporarily let go of everything else plaguing our mind while we surrender ourselves to its enthrallment.  Today we take a look at The Dear Hunter, one such group that has achieved mastery in this field.  The Dear Hunter originally began as a side project of Casey Crescenzo, who was a lead vocalist and guitarist for the post-hardcore band The Receiving End of Sirens at the time.  After writing the original demos for the first album to be released under this new name, Crescenzo elected to take leave of his old band in the interest of devoting his full attention to pushing The Dear Hunter forward.

This first EP, which was released in September 2006, came to be known as Act I: The Lake South, The River North.  This was the opening volume of a planned six-act story written by Crescenzo.  To quote his own words, “The Dear Hunter is the story of a boy, from his creation to his untimely end; the beautifully rapturous to the truly tragic.  Set at the dawn of the 20th century, the debut EP gives birth to a story, and attempts to make sense of the future by explaining.  Simply put, The Dear Hunter sings of things to which we can all relate: lust, deceit, greed, and hunting.”  I will not go too much into the depths of the intricately-crafted world of the story (that is something that you must do for yourself), but I can assure you that it is the kind of world that transcends time and exists completely in the surrealism of your own consciousness.

In Time – Intervals (2012)

Album artwork for In Time

I’d have to say that some of my favorite musical experiences are when I get to connect with a brand new artist for the first time.  There’s always something indescribable about the feeling – you have the opportunity to glimpse inside the creative soul of a wholly unique human being whom you’ve never previously met.  I believe that when approaching any artistic work, it is essential to understand that there is an irrefutable truth behind it.  Put in other words, music is an undiluted form of communication between humans, conveying the accumulation of an artist’s entire life’s journey.  Every influence and moment of inspiration – whether it be musical, philosophical, existential – is a molecule in the genetic code that makes up their art.  Music is not just a product of one’s consciousness; it is equally representative of the darker mysteries of the subconscious mind.  We, as artists, are channeling the terrifyingly enigmatic power of nature through our music.  We are the filters through which the energy of the universe is manifested into artistic creation.

Alright, time to tone down the existentialism.  The inspiration for such philosophical musings is my recent discovery of a wonderfully exceptional band known as Intervals.  I’m going to tell you my favorite thing about them right here in the first paragraph: they have a remarkable talent for fusing heavy, high octane instrumentation with colorful, jazz-inspired harmony.  With the release of their latest EP, In Time, the group builds off of their established djent metal sound by incorporating elements of jazz, melodic progressive rock, and electronica.  The result is an intensely focused and highly refined musical product that captivates the listener from beginning to end.

Square Pegs Round Holes – Ultraviolet Hippopotamus (2011)

Album artwork for Square Pegs Round Holes

I’ve always thought of the term “music blogger” as being somewhat restrictive.  It seems like such an unimaginative term for an overlooked cornucopia of enlightenment.  It is, unfortunately, far too easy to become numb to the everyday processes of searching for new music, weighed down by the sheer banality of it all.  On the other hand, I have witnessed an uncomfortable number of music bloggers fall victim to the competitive, quasi-political nature of the cutthroat world they live in.  I believe it is essential to leave both of these attitudes behind.  Rather than a “music blogger,” I think the term “aural adventurer” might be more appropriate, or perhaps even “sonic expeditioner.”  Why do I remain passionate about finding new music?  It’s about the journey, not the destination.  This is a core philosophy that applies to the world of music as much as it applies to life itself.  The other night, I walked out the door with nothing but my iPod and a pair of Sennheiser headphones, eager to embark on such a journey.  As my legs took me across the beautiful campus of the University of Miami, I retreated into my mental space – my inner theater – and embraced the sonic landscape that was beginning to form.

The album of choice for the night was Square Pegs Round Holes by Ultraviolet Hippopotamus, a band which I had never heard of before.  I stumbled upon them quite by happenstance, thanks to the wonders of the Internet.  The first words used to describe the group that I read were “improvisational progressive rock band.”  Boy, did that get me excited.  I knew from that moment on that I owed it to myself to at least check out some of their music. Approximately 67 minutes later, I found myself in a state of amazement as the full splendor of Square Pegs Round Holes sank in.

The Afterman: Descension – Coheed and Cambria (2013)

Album artwork for The Afterman: Descension

This past Tuesday was an important day for Coheed and Cambria fans across the world.  It was the day that The Afterman: Descension, the final installment of the band’s two-part concept album series, was released.  This album continues the storyline established in The Afterman: Ascension, which was released in October of last year.  If you haven’t yet listened to the Ascension album, I would highly recommend that you do so immediately, and ideally before listening to this one.  Not only is it an exceptional album, but it is also the necessary prequel to Descension in both music and plot.  With that in mind, the release three days ago was understandably a highly anticipated event.  Even with all the hype that was created, it still soared above expectations with flying colors.  This is an album that will be sure to simultaneously satisfy longtime fans and convert new disciples.

One of the most unique and defining characteristics of Coheed and Cambria is undoubtedly the science fiction universe, known as The Amory Wars, within which the storylines of all seven of their albums are set.  This is a highly impressive feat, considering the amount of detail used in defining such a universe.  This is a band that has recognized the immense storytelling power of music, and is harnessing it for the purpose of creating an incomparable musical journey.

Milliontown – Frost* (2006)

Album artwork for Milliontown

In the progressive rock scene, it is often hard to rise up above the continuous stream of new music being released.  The problem is certainly not that too many groups end up sounding the same.  After all, this is a genre that prides itself on being unique.  No, the usual problem is that there isn’t enough substance in the music.  It can be a surprisingly difficult task to write intricate and musically complex songs that also feature strong, memorable material.  As a result, any artist that can accomplish such a task often stands out amongst their contemporaries.  It is for this reason that I discovered Frost*, a neo-prog outfit from England. From the first time I heard Milliontown, their debut album, I was hooked.  It contains all of the crucial elements to appeal to several different musical followings; it’s got crunchy guitar riffs for the rockers and rollers, lighter material with a poppier edge to appeal to a more mainstream audience, and of course it has heaps of intense instrumental breakdowns that attract all the prog fanatics.

From the first moments of “Hyperventilate,” featuring an open-ended piano solo that climaxes into a powerful 7/4 groove that quickly establishes the group as a prog powerhouse, it is easy to tell that Milliontown is going to be an exciting ride.  It is beautifully produced, thanks to the meticulous work of Jem Godfrey, who is the keyboardist, main vocalist, and producer.  The guitar tracks work extremely well with the rest of the rhythm section to fill up the entire sonic field, whether it’s with polished distortion or raw acoustic simplicity.  The real star of the show, however, is the multitude of synth sounds.  Whether it’s with a subtly-effected piano sound or a soaring synth lead, Godfrey packs a punch that easily distinguishes the band’s sound.