Category: Progressive Rock

Progressive rock, also known as prog rock or prog, is a rock music subgenre that originated in the United Kingdom, with further developments in Germany, Italy, and France, throughout the mid-to-late 1960s and 1970s. It developed from psychedelic rock and originated, similarly to art rock, as an attempt to give greater artistic weight and credibility to rock music.

NEAL MORSE – MOMENTUM (2012)

Try keeping up with Neal Morse and you may have to catch your breath. The gifted musician and prolific composer is in full stride, seemingly unstoppable. Certainly, that’s what his seventh solo album of progressive of rock, Momentum, would suggest.

Momentum once more proves that Morse, in the company of longtime friends Mike Portnoy and Randy George, is a master of progressive rock. His music is as much as easily identifiable with him as it is also creative and fresh. This is notable on Weathering Sky where heaviness is juxtaposed against a soaring, melodic, vocal arrangement. But also on the following song Freak, which is as much prog as it is accessible melodic rock. It’s also a fine example of how Morse explores his Christian faith with honesty and gentleness. Then there’s the lighter, acoustic driven, Smoke & Mirrors, which takes a page from early English prog.

Progressive Rock
Posted on September 11, 2012 by admin

Marillion – Sounds That Can’t Be Made (2012)

Even though this track list hasn’t been officially announced in this order, I’m going with this, as there are many who’ve heard it, the below video shows the songs in this order, plus the story below it shows it as well.

The British band Marillion has released the first song from its September album, Sounds that Can’t Be Made. The new song, “Power,” is a mid-paced rocker with a prominent burbling bass line, lock-step drums and an intricate lace of chiming guitars and keyboards. Singer Steve Hogarth delivers an anguished vocal about the perplexing ways a lover casually wields power over him. The song’s quiet, rain-sodden middle-eight suddenly shifts into a surging tsunami of an outro, which features torrid soloing by guitarist Steve Rothery. (Hear it, below.)

Progressive Rock
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Prototype – Catalyst (2012)

Let me say that the musicianship displayed is stellar. Sweeping riffs and dazzling leads help to solidify the top notch guitar work this band has. Each song really captures the sci-fi concept that Catalyst portrays. One of the first aspects that grabbed me was how well this album gelled together. With a concept album, many times the pacing can seem forced, almost puzzle-pieced together; not here. Prototype tells a very intricate story that uses all of themselves to convey their seamless message track to track. The three instrumentals, “Inceptum,” “Illuminatum,” and “Impetus” all act as page dividers, as they are breaking points to begin and separate distinct parts of the story being told. Of them, “Illuminatum” is my personal favorite as I find it really gives the picture of the heart and soul of not only the band, but the whole of Catalyst in its scope and precision.

Progressive Rock
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