Podcast Summary
Modern Progressive Rock Artists: Zap's radio show ProgSecure introduced modern progressive rock artists Fusion Syndicate and Visigoth, showcasing the diversity and talent of modern progressive rock scene.
ProgSecure, hosted by Zap Niles, is a progressive rock radio show dedicated to playing music by lesser-known bands from the past 50 years. Zap's goal is to introduce listeners to new groups and expand their musical horizons. While the focus is primarily on progressive rock, occasional songs from more famous groups or outside the genre may be played. In this episode, Zap deviated from his usual format to feature only modern-day artists due to a backlog caused by health issues. The show included a supergroup called Fusion Syndicate, led by multi-instrumentalist Billy Sherwood, and a heavy metal band called Visigoth based in Salt Lake City, Utah. The episode showcased the diversity and talent of modern progressive rock artists.
Music Genre Fusion: Music genre fusion results in unique and captivating sounds, as demonstrated by artists and bands like Saturna, Bart Schwartman, and Squeaky Feet, who combine heavy metal, stonerock, blues, jazz fusion, prog, and prog metal in their works.
The discussed music spans various genres, including heavy metal, stonerock, blues, jazz fusion, prog, and prog metal. Artists and bands mentioned, such as Saturna from Spain, Bart Schwartman from the Netherlands, and Squeaky Feet from Boston, showcase impressive talent and unique styles. Notable projects include Saturna's Atlantis, Schwartman's Theater of Grief, and Squeaky Feet's Cause 4 Alarm. These albums display a fusion of genres, with standout tracks like "Distant Shores," "Supernatural Forces," and "Progress." Artists and musicians involved in these projects have experience in renowned bands, including Deep Purple, The Doors, Maha Vishnu Orchestra, Yes, Gong, Megadeth, and Kayak. Overall, the discussed music offers listeners a diverse range of sounds and styles, showcasing the creativity and innovation of the artists and bands involved.
Unique progressive rock and metal bands: Boss Keloid, Nuclear Bird, Ribosima, and Wilson Project are unique progressive rock and metal bands offering diverse sounds from sludge and stoner rock to neoprog, hard rock, and symphonic prog.
There are several unique and intriguing bands creating diverse and captivating music in the realms of progressive rock and metal. For instance, Boss Keloid, an oddly named band from the UK, offers a mix of sludge, stoner rock, and Prague influences with their oddly titled song "Orange of Noine" from their album "20 21's Family the Smiling Thrush." Nuclear Bird, another band with an intriguing origin, consists of Japanese musicians with English names who have connections to Atomic Rooster, and their debut album showcases a collection of melodic neoprog material with a bit of electronica and new wave quirks. Ribosima, a Norwegian band, combines hard rock and metal with a darker tone and rebellious sound, while Wilson Project, an Italian female-fronted group, delivers bright, playful, and complex symphonic prog with a concept album titled "Adriagio D'afasi." Each of these bands adds to the rich tapestry of progressive music, showcasing the genre's limitless creativity and innovation.
Progressive Rock Bands: Mark discussed three diverse progressive rock bands: The Mousetrap Factory with their quirky sound, Eymoth or Amoth with their heavy metal blend of traditional and thrash elements, and Polish with their blues-based, psych, and prog influences.
During this episode of Frogrock.com, Mark Korani introduced listeners to several progressive rock bands and their unique sounds. The first was The Mousetrap Factory, a group that originally called themselves a "better mousetrap" and whose debut album, "The Beauty of Routine," features old tunes updated from the 1980s. Their style is lighthearted and quirky, with a distinctive sound. Another discovery was Eymoth or Amoth, a Finnish heavy metal band with traditional elements, thrash influences, and prog moments. Their latest album, "The Hour of the Wolf," showcases their diverse sound. Mark also dedicated a 20-minute spotlight set to a German retro-style prog band called Polish, which blends blues-based hard rock, psych, and prog touches. Their trio of albums harken back to the 1970s and the semi-prog bands that ruled the roost during that era. Overall, Mark highlighted the richness and diversity of modern progressive rock, featuring bands that draw from the past while pushing the genre forward.
German Bands Polis and RPWL: Discover two German bands, Polis with a retro seventies vibe and RPWL, a Pink Floyd inspired group, each offering unique sounds within the realms of retro hard rock and psych, and Neo Prague music.
Today's discussion introduced us to two German bands, Polis and RPWL, each offering unique and captivating sounds within the realms of retro hard rock and psych, and Neo Prague music, respectively. Polis, formed a decade ago, has released three albums with standout tracks like "Ogen anzena," "Danke," and "Sendsucht." Their music evokes a seventies vibe, with the Hammond Organ transporting listeners back in time. RPWL, on the other hand, started as a Pink Floyd cover band in the late nineties and has since released ten studio albums. They recently performed live in Chicago, showcasing their original songs and Pink Floyd covers. Both bands offer distinctive musical journeys for prog fans and can be explored further through their social media pages, websites, or Bandcamp.
Progressive Rock Bands: RPWL offers neoprog with neo-progressive and progressive rock elements, Orange Goblin delivers retro-styled stoner rock, and Darkness is My Canvas combines prog with metal and alternative rock influences, showcasing the diverse range of progressive rock.
The discussion highlighted the impressive musical journey of various progressive rock bands. Starting with Germany's RPWL, their songs "Spring of Freedom" from God Has Failed (2000), "Wasted Land" from World Through My Eyes (2005), "This is Not a Prog Song" from RPWL Experience (2008), and "I Don't Know" from Trying to Kiss the Sun (2002) were showcased. RPWL offers engaging and melodic neoprog with a mix of neo-progressive and progressive rock elements. Next, the UK's Orange Goblin was introduced, delivering retro-styled stoner rock since the late nineties. Their song "Shine" from Time Traveling Blues (1998) was featured. Orange Goblin is known for their heavy psych and stonerock, with influences ranging from hard stoner rock and metal to doom metal. Lastly, Finland's Darkness is My Canvas was presented, showcasing their prog track "Inverted" from White Noise (2023). This group combines prog with metal and alternative rock influences, creating moody and atmospheric music with adept musicianship and commanding vocals. These bands demonstrate the diverse range of progressive rock, offering something for all prog fans to enjoy. To explore more, visit RPWL's Facebook page (rpwl.net) or website, Orange Goblin's website, or your favorite music retailer.
Chris Aussey's impact on AOR and pop rock genres: Chris Aussey's contributions to various bands, including Virginia Woolf, Heartland, and The Chronicles of Father Robin, have significantly impacted the AOR and pop rock genres with their top-quality music and numerous albums.
Throughout the decades, certain vocalists in the AOR and comp rock genres have left indelible marks on bands and albums, contributing significantly to their success. Chris Aussey, a UK singer who fronted Virginia Woolf in the 1980s, is one such artist. His presence led me to discover Heartland, a UK group he's fronted for three decades, known for their top-quality AOR and pop rock music. With 11 full-length albums, they join the ranks of bands like FM, Strangeways, Slammer, and Dare. A standout track from their self-titled debut album is "Paradise." Another unique group, The Chronicles of Father Robin, also features Chris Aussey and has released an epic 12-minute song called "Elysian Forrest" on their debut album. Despite having a lengthy name and unmemorable title, their music is noteworthy. Heartland's latest album dropped in 2021, featuring ex-City Boy, Streets, and 7th Key member, Mike Slammer, on guitar. Overall, discovering these bands and their music through Chris Aussey's work has been a delightful journey in the AOR and pop rock genres.