I have had this many many years so sometimes that makes it harder to write a review as over the length of time we are talking it has peaked and troughed in my star rating but we will go with as I hear it now.

Hammill does have a unique voice as in instantly recognisable. Some may say it is well suited to VDGG and their darker/angrier moments, others think it is a brooding menace that gives his more stripped back acoustic songs another layer to unwrap. This, his first solo album, could be called his hippie/Kevin Ayers effort. Imperial Zeppelin, Sunshine and Happy could slot on any of his albums. But then you add Hammills voice and it this album is a little bit more. Child is the track that does the shivers/spine thing for me. I Once Wrote Some Poems does too...although this could be on another Kevins (Coyne) lp and you wouldn't bat an eyelid. Viking is haunting prog/folk. Reawakening is perhaps the most VDGG like although I pick up a bit of Brian Auger in it. Solitude could also be Michael Chapman.

None of this is meant to suggest it is derivative, I am looking for reference points for the review. It isn't meant to say it is a bit all over the place...because the above mentioned unique voice ties it all together. I prefer the differences track to track rather than 12 variations on a theme.

So where do I stand with it now, having had it playing whilst I type? Been a while I must confess but shame on me for that omission. A definite 4++ he says swatting away another lighthouse keeper...

Reports that I had to be dragged music wise into the 2000's and beyond are false. It was the 1980's onwards...but myself, the 15 guys and 2 teams of horses all parted ways on good terms.

So, to accompany the above miracle, I just find it miraculous that young musicians ...and I know t'internet etc helps...are able to explore/listen to/find a genre like Canterbury and it obviously rings bells/strikes chords ( I will spare you the 'old music is best' polemic) and they absorb it into their creative milieu. Marvelous.

So what do we have on the second album from Zopp? I haven't got/heard the first so my reference point with them starts here. The vintage keys conjure up right away Soft Machine and Egg, possibly even Hatfield and the North. This is good! Sometimes the vocal phrasing is very Wyatt minus the lisp but they don't mimic and err find their own voices...plus the guest female singers do their best Amanda Parsons when called upon. I imagine modern recording techniques makes it much easier to layer tracks and perhaps that differentiates it from 70's Canterbury, maybe not quite as 'organic'...but who knows, if they had had the facilities and technology back then, they may well have done the same. There is a hint of Yes in the 14 min+ Toxicity too and it feels like one piece rather than 3 or 4 ideas strung together as can and does happen! If someone told you Amor Fati was a long lost National Health track you wouldn't disagree. The first long song, track 2 You suggests Pink Floyd circa Dark Side (with Yes harmonies!) and I can hear keyboard era Man in a few spots throughout the album.

All in all I can now safely bathe in the post 2020 waters and will be back for another dip as soon as. Just over 4 stars.

Less than a year after their explosive debut, the band led by the Page/Plant duo released "Led Zeppelin II" at the end of 1969, an uninhibited proposal that consolidated them as one of the carriers of the hardest rock sound known up to that time. Conceived and recorded in more than a dozen studios in the United Kingdom and North America in the brief spaces that the promotional concerts of "Led Zeppelin I" and its daily maelstrom allowed, the album was built step by step, and would mean the beginning of a new era for contemporary music.

From the opening chords of Jimmy Page's immortal and distinctive guitar riffs and his subsequent solo on the iconic and powerful "Whole Lotta Love", a track that also features the "freakout section" (so called because of the strange effects obtained from theramin and guitar) in its middle section, the album flows remarkably well, with pieces such as the libidinous "The Lemon Song", which combines blues elements and a Jimmi Hendrix-style improvisation with John Paul Jones on bass to the rhythm of Robert Plant's excesses in his musical duel with Page, and also with recurring acoustic elements in the band's discography such as the delicate "Thank You", Plant's homage to his wife at the time, and the adventurous "Ramble On", a spirited journey into the universe of J.R.R. Tolkien.

And with no respite, Page's saturated, dense riffs return to shape both the mournful "Heartbreaker" (along with "Whole Lotta Love" the album's best) and the bluesy, rough half-time with which the instrumental "Moby Dick" channels John Bonham's profuse, experimental percussion solo, before "Bring It On Home", another bluesy piece featuring Plant's harmonica and the alternation of his portentous voice with Page's guitars, brings the album to a close.

Not exempt from controversy due to the use of songs and fragments of American blues composers like Willie Dixon ("Whole Lotta Love" / "Bring It On Home") and Howlin' Wolf ("The Lemon Song"), "Led Zeppelin II" is undoubtedly a cornerstone and an obligatory reference of hard rock, and a regular resident of any compilation list of the best albums in the history of the genre.

4 stars

"Still in the Sphere" is an EP release by French death/progressive metal act Supuration. The EP was released through French label Reincarnate in 1994. Supuration have existed under a couple of different monickers since 1987 but settled on Supuration in 1990 and released a couple of minor releases in the early 90s before releasing their 1993 debut full-length studio album "The Cube". After releasing "The Cube" Supuration recorded and released a 1994 soundtrack demo (only available through the Supuration fanclub) for the French film "Jacques le Fataliste", but they also worked on the music featured on "Still in the Sphere".

"Still in the Sphere" features five tracks and a total playing time of 27:39 minutes. So it´s a mini-album length release rather than an EP length release. Four tracks are new originals which are exclusive to this release and the closing track is a cover of "Shout" by Tears For Fears. Supuration already turned things on their head on "The Cube", where they produced a pretty unique sounding progressive death metal album, and naturally they continue that trend on "Still in the Sphere". The death metal elements have been scaled back a bit, although lead vocalist/guitarist Ludovic Loez still performs death metal growls. He also sings a lot of clean vocal parts too though, so the two vocal styles are pretty evenly distributed on this release.

The songwriting is quite intriguing and Supuration continue to come up with interesting and unconventional ideas. Not everything works wonders and the relatively weak sounding production job isn´t a positive either. But "Still in the Sphere" is still overall a quality release from a very unique act, which Supuration can be proud of. It´s a varied and dynamic release featuring a subdued death metal element, and otherwise leans more towards progressive metal. Not progressive metal like Dream Theater or Fates Warning, but more just an unconventional type of metal. The original material is of a good quality and the odd futuristic sounding doom/death metal cover of "Shout" is actually pretty great too. It´s definitely not a one to one interpretation of the original song and Supuration deserve praise for that. A 3 - 3.5 star (65%) rating is warranted.

(Originally posted on Metal Music Archives).

"Immense Intense Suspense" is the debut full-length studio album by Dutch death/doom metal act Phlebotomized. The album was released through Cyber Music in September 1994. It follows the release of the 1993 "Preach Eternal Gospels" EP and there has been one significant lineup change since the release of the EP as lead vocalist Barry Schuyer has been replaced by Dennis Geestman. Phlebotomized are therefore still a septet including a keyboard player and a violinist in addition to two guitarists, a bassist, a drummer, and a lead vocalist.

Stylistically they are in the more death metal oriented and brutal end of the death/doom metal scale. They often play faster parts too, and this is by no means your regular My Dying Bride/Paradise Lost clone, although the slow paced sections featuring violin point in the direction of the former. Phlebotomized are a pretty adventurous and creative act and it wouldn´t be wrong to call their music progressive in nature. The songs feature many shifts in pace and a lot of different sections. The atmosphere is gloomy and mournful all the way though. This is not a happy release. It´s dark, grim, and brutal, and it´s only the keyboards and the violin layered sections, which point in another direction and which provide the band´s music with an extra epic dimension. That Phlebotomized happen to write and play some really effectul, brutal, and heavy old school death metal too is just one part of their sound which works well.

The change on the lead vocalist spot doesn´t affect Phlebotomized´s sound much, as Geestman is just as convincing, powerful, and brutal a growling vocalist as Schuyer was. He even adds the occasional (and rare) clean vocal moment which is great for the variation of the album. The clean vocals are delivered in either a showgaze type vocal style or a goth rock ditto. No high pitched epic singing here, but more a subtle monotone/dreamy clean vocal performance, although closing track "Gone" hints at a slightly more regular melodic rock voice performance.

"Immense Intense Suspense" features a well sounding production job, which suits the material well. The keyboards are sometimes placed a little high in the mix and the clean vocals are placed pretty low, but other than that it´s a powerful, raw, and detailed sound production. Upon conclusion it´s one of the more unique sounding death/doom metal albums from the early- to mid-90s. Calling it progressive death/doom metal isn´t always true because of the brutal old school death metal sections and higher pace, but evaluated overall that´s probably still the best description of the content of "Immense Intense Suspense". A 3.5 - 4 star (75%) rating is deserved.

(Originally posted on Metal Music Archives).

I feel like I'm trespassing here as I've checked out this style of music years ago and I just have trouble appreciating it. Mind you if your going to take one album from this style you can't go wrong with this one. A trio with OREGON's Collin Walcott playing a variety of ethnic instruments, and how about Free Jazz legend Don Cherry along with Nana from Brazil playing a variety of ethnic percussive instruments.

It's like ethnic folk music really and I don't have the patience for it. I did think it was cool naming a track "Colemanwonder" it's only 3 1/2 minutes but opens with two Ornette Coleman pieces and ends with a Stevie Wonder bit, all unrecognizable. The opener and closer wre well over 10 minutes and this is where they stretch out but again I don't have the patience. Some might call this spiritual jazz because of who is involved and I should have mentioned this was released on the ECM label and that is a good home for this band, of course OREGON was there at the time.

They released three studio albums with this being the debut from 1979, and most feel this is their best. I do not like the album cover.

"Sunburst Finish" was one of two studio albums that Bill Nelson and BE BOP DELUXE released in 1976. Most Prog fans prefer this record and the one that follows "Modern Music" to the 1975 record "Futurama" but I have to disagree. I do feel that the two '76 albums are more mature but there's something about that Glam style I prefer to "Sunburst Finish" which is more Pop Rock. The guitar isn't as flashy here, for me the songs aren't as memorable although I wish I could say that about "Ships In The Night" a minor hit of theirs that gets stuck in my head. Not a fan.

The production isn't as good here either but one thing they did do here was try different things like bringing in some orchestral stuff along with guest sax on one track. The guitar solos tend to be near the end of the songs on this one and this seems to be more consistent than "Futurama", but I am not connecting with this record at all. I'm actually surprised at this after enjoying a lot of "Futurama".

One track that works for me is "Sleep That Burns" with that galloping start and chorus. "Crystal Gazing" is another good one where they slow it down which is a nice change. The closer "Blazing Apostles" does little for me along with "Beauty Secrets", I mean come on. Love the guitar in "Heavenly Homes", pretty sure my house number will be 63. The other track that was pretty good was "Life In The Air Age" with percussion galore to start as guitar joins in. I like when it settles with vocals.

I am scratching my head over the love for this one, but keep in mind I did not know this band at all back in the day so there's no nostalgia for me it's just the music which is worth 3 stars.

I dunno....it may be slightly fewer bands....and as all the Canterbury bands claim, it was never a conscious scene...but I always thought there should be a defined 'Welsh Scene' that tended to radiate from Man usually. It has a definite sound and vibe ....and guess what, it is exemplified on this second and final album from Neutrons.

The jamming stoned feel reeks of patchouli and other substances. The good time hippy groove of the opener here No More Straights is infused by Mans C'Mon (with past and future Maners Phil Ryan and Will Youatt on board are we surprised...oh and see just like the Canterbury Scene, revolving door band members!) and guitar interplay throughout is very Jones/Leonard. I have to be honest, I find Caromay Dixons vocals a bit fey and folky and they don't quite work for me. The keys intro to The Jam Eaters is top draw prog but it then flows into the Welsh Scenes (did you see what I did there?) laid back atypical 'which band is it' style. Welsh R Blunt gives the 3 main players chance to shine and you even hear slight hints of Steely Dan.

All in all a Sunday afternoon at the Roundhouse 3rd of a 5 band UA/Welsh Scene bill. And all the better for that too!

I picked this up very cheap at a car boot when I realised Rose Kemp was very much 'a relation' and it surprised me when I gave it a spin....but in a good way! I guess we shouldn't be taken aback that she started out having been steeped in mum and dads influences (is that dads violin in Dirty Glow?)...and I still maintain there are 'folk' stylings in some of the songs here...Milky White and its use of eastern scales meets old school prog/folk with a hint of kraut drone as one example. But, to my ears, the overall feel is of Jeff Buckley (Bitter and Sweet especially) fronted...ok, ok a solo artist can't be fronted...by the singer/s from Mostly Autumn on a very heavy prog day....having just listened to Jan Dukes de Grey....and this is no bad thing. Just don't expect any acoustic interludes and fingers in ears but lashings of a darker more gothic atmosphere....and next to zero 'space rock/psychedelia'...what's that categorisation all about?!

A fine album that blends influences into a coherent whole and better than the early average rating it has (currently 3.18) but I can't quite give it a 4...it is more a 3.5 ish.

The fourth installment in the universe of French zeuhl / heavy avant-proggers UNIT WAIL offers surprises for the first time in the band's complex and noisy career. Escaping the colorful psychedelic album cover art that the previous album "Beyond Space Edges" offered, UNIT WAIL once again reengages the black and white abstruse business of the album covers that began its career. ÉGARÉS has numerous meanings in French ranging from lost, missing, distraught and wild-eyed to simply referring to an ashtray! However i think the definition that fits best is "haunted" as UNIT WAIL's musical approach has always taken on a spookier than average mix of sonic experiments designed to startle and titillate as well as just pummel your senses with unceasing chaos and discord.

There has been a major disruption of the band at this point with ex-Shu-Niggurath founder Franck Fromy being relegated to a mere two tracks (designated merely as the soloist) on the album with keyboardist and main songwriter Vincent Sicot-Vantalon picking up the vacant guitar slot only not really performing up to Fromy's high energy standards. In addition ÉGARÉS finds the surprise addition of ex-Art Zoyd trumpet player Jean-Pierre Soarez The album features nine tracks that clock in at around 46 minutes and despite the continuation of the basically stylistic approach laid down on "Pangaea Proxima" which showcases the band's unique mix of Shub-Niggurath, Univers Zero, heavy 70s King Crimson varying traces of zeuhl inspired rhythms, ÉGARÉS is a noticeably less impactful album in relation to the excessive wildness the previous three efforts.

Noticeably absent are the excellent guitar contributions of Fromy and while Vantalon can get the job done as far as keeping the rhythmic aspects going, his forte clearly isn't in the guitar playing department. It's clear the band is giving it their all in crafting an album as worthy of soaking in as the previous three but the quality marker has clearly fallen a few notches despite a noble effort to spice things up with more clever moments of psychedelic keyboard events, moments of super funky bass and excursions into where the sonic textures of the trumpet can lead but none of it seems as satisfying as the unabashed noisy skronk-fest that constituted the band's first three albums. While not inherently bad per se, ÉGARÉS very much feels like a band that lost a key member and is grasping at straws in how to fill the void. Unfortunately the void wasn't filled. The album is noticeably tamer with less freneticism and more moments of just straight forward avant-prog moments. The guitar tones that Vantalon implements are also much softer and tame in comparison which makes the album feel like its lost that edge.

OK, i see that perhaps i had it all wrong and that the title ÉGARÉS actually refers to LOST after all as the band truly does sound like it lost some ground and is struggling to regroup. It could be that the band's formulaic run has simply run its course and Fromy lost interest as any particular band sound especially of the instrumental ilk does become stale after a while if considerable effort into reviving and infusing new creative efforts aren't pursued. On ÉGARÉS the members of UNIT WAIL seem like they're all basically performing business as usual and the moral has been upset in a major way. This is definitely the least compelling album of the band's four album run in their canon and more easily understood once it becomes clear of the crack in the chemistry that made UNIT WAIL an extremely well-oiled machine. It's an OK album that is perfectly listenable but in comparison to its predecessors seems like the band has lost its footing in many ways.