2025 Work in Progress..ive

[nicola]

AGROPELTER











ABOUT

AGROPELTER

.AGROPELTER
from official website

Agropelter is a progressive rock project from Norway. It is the creative outlet of Kay Olsen, a new contender on the blossoming norwegian prog scene. The music lends as much inspiration from the classic prog groups like Genesis, Camel, King Crimson and Eloy, as it does from classic composers Rachmaninoff, Beethoven, Bach along with Vangelis and Terje Rypdal.

On the debut album you can expect lots of Mellotron, Hammond organs, cembalo, ARP and Moog synthesizers and bass pedals. Kay Olsen have played all guitars, bass, Hammond and church organ, and keyboard leads.
Also contributing:

Jonas Reingold (Steve Hackett, The Flower Kings) on fretless bass.

Mattias Olsson (Änglagård, White Willow, Molesome) on percussion, Mellotron, overdubs and atmosphere.

Andreas Sjøen (Umpfel, VÅDE, Sean Ashe) on drums along with lots of classical musicians on various strings and woodwinds.

The record is mixed and mastered by Jacob Holm-Lupo (White Willow, Donner, Solstein) at Dude Ranch Studios.




















These are my best tracks of 2025


Track Title-Group or Artist-Album

King Kong-AMPLIFIER-Gargantuan

Night Terror-DREAM THEATER-Parasomnia

Panopticon -GHOST OF THE MACHINE-Empires Must Fall

The End of Days Suite: 1. The City Lights at Twilight -THE JOHN IRVINE BAND-HERE COME THE ROBOTS!

Lucifer, Bringer of Light -MOTORSPSYCHO-MOTORSPSYCHO

Marvelous World-CHEAT THE PROPHET-Redemption

The-Shoreline-EYE 2 EYE-Lost Horizon

End of the Road-KARMAKANIC-Transmutation

These Hands That Build-BLACK NARCISSUS-There Lingers One Who's Long Forgotten

Objects Outlive Us-STEVEN WILSON-The Overview

Far From Here-IQ-Dominion

Sleeping on a Cloud-LET SEE THIN-Machine Called Life

Gone-BJØRN RIIS-Fimbulvinter

Deep Water Suite IX-COSMIC CATHEDRAL- Deep Water

Another Holy Grail-PATTERN-SEEKING ANIMALS-Friend Of All Creatures

Seraphina Moon-CEN-PROJEKT-Carnival Of Lost Souls

Demain a l’aube-GERALD MASSOIS- Demain a l’aube

-Considerations-THE FLOWER KINGS-Love

-The Passing-JACOB ROBERGE-The Passing

-Ordinary Gods-KARIBOW-PanTerrania

-Division Warning-COSMOGRAF-The Orphan Epoch

-De Tre Gratier-Lars Fredrik Froislie-Gamle Mester

-Terraforming-AMBIENT DEN-Ambient Den

-Fall Away-DAVE BAINBRIDGE-On The Edge (Of What Could Be)

-Remnants of Memories-DORACOR-Unexpected Intersections

-Insurrection-CRAYON PHASE-Synthetic Mind

-The Book of Hours Pt I-AGROPELTER-The Book of Hours






























The Book of Hours Pt I-AGROPELTER
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LT8...tart_radio =1


GOOD LISTENING

[nicola]

ATOMIC TIME









ABOUT

ATOMIC TIME


A neo-prog band from Bauru, Brazil, Subsounds is a very interesting album that includes five excellent long tracks. I'll definitely continue to follow this band because I think they have the ability to create a lot of great prog music in the coming years.
The band lineup includes: Roger Lopes, on lead vocals; Gabriel D'Incao, who plays keyboards and synths; Pedro D'Incao, who plays lead guitar and creates the band's sound design; Fernando Lima, who plays bass; Humberto Zigler, who plays drums; and Kim Chandler, a formal session singer from the UK, who sings lead and backing vocals. Most of the tracks on this album were written, composed, and arranged by Gabriel D'Incao and Pedro D'Incao.




















These are my best tracks of 2025


Track Title-Group or Artist-Album

King Kong-AMPLIFIER-Gargantuan

Night Terror-DREAM THEATER-Parasomnia

Panopticon -GHOST OF THE MACHINE-Empires Must Fall

The End of Days Suite: 1. The City Lights at Twilight -THE JOHN IRVINE BAND-HERE COME THE ROBOTS!

Lucifer, Bringer of Light -MOTORSPSYCHO-MOTORSPSYCHO

Marvelous World-CHEAT THE PROPHET-Redemption

The-Shoreline-EYE 2 EYE-Lost Horizon

End of the Road-KARMAKANIC-Transmutation

These Hands That Build-BLACK NARCISSUS-There Lingers One Who's Long Forgotten

Objects Outlive Us-STEVEN WILSON-The Overview

Far From Here-IQ-Dominion

Sleeping on a Cloud-LET SEE THIN-Machine Called Life

Gone-BJØRN RIIS-Fimbulvinter

Deep Water Suite IX-COSMIC CATHEDRAL- Deep Water

Another Holy Grail-PATTERN-SEEKING ANIMALS-Friend Of All Creatures

Seraphina Moon-CEN-PROJEKT-Carnival Of Lost Souls

Demain a l’aube-GERALD MASSOIS- Demain a l’aube

-Considerations-THE FLOWER KINGS-Love

-The Passing-JACOB ROBERGE-The Passing

-Ordinary Gods-KARIBOW-PanTerrania

-Division Warning-COSMOGRAF-The Orphan Epoch

-De Tre Gratier-Lars Fredrik Froislie-Gamle Mester

-Terraforming-AMBIENT DEN-Ambient Den

-Fall Away-DAVE BAINBRIDGE-On The Edge (Of What Could Be)

-Remnants of Memories-DORACOR-Unexpected Intersections

-Insurrection-CRAYON PHASE-Synthetic Mind

-The Book of Hours Pt I-AGROPELTER-The Book of Hours

-Voice of God-ATOMIC TIME-Subsounds




























Voice of God-ATOMIC TIME
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trKk...tart_radio =1


GOOD LISTENING

[nicola]

STEPHAN THELEN










ABOUT

STEPHAN THELEN

.STEPHAN THELEN
from official website


Stephan Thelen

Born May 12th 1959 in Santa Rosa, California, USA. He lives and works in Zürich, Switzerland as a musician, composer, producer and mathematician.

Education: Studies in classical guitar; Guitar Craft Seminars with Robert Fripp (founder and guitarist of King Crimson) during the 1990s; studied mathematics at the University of Zürich (PHD in 1990)

Musical activities: plays or played guitar and electronics in various bands and ensembles in and around Zürich that concentrate on music at the fringes of rock, jazz, experimental and classical music. (Sonar, Radio Osaka, License to Chill, Broken Symmetry and Root Down). Many CD Productions (No No Diet Bang, Peter Schärli Sextet, etc.). Many Theatre-, Dance- und Filmproductions.

Since 2004 he has been concentrating more and more on compositions for modern Classical Chamber Music and since 2010 on work with the minimal-progressive band Sonar.



















These are my best tracks of 2025


Track Title-Group or Artist-Album

King Kong-AMPLIFIER-Gargantuan

Night Terror-DREAM THEATER-Parasomnia

Panopticon -GHOST OF THE MACHINE-Empires Must Fall

The End of Days Suite: 1. The City Lights at Twilight -THE JOHN IRVINE BAND-HERE COME THE ROBOTS!

Lucifer, Bringer of Light -MOTORSPSYCHO-MOTORSPSYCHO

Marvelous World-CHEAT THE PROPHET-Redemption

The-Shoreline-EYE 2 EYE-Lost Horizon

End of the Road-KARMAKANIC-Transmutation

These Hands That Build-BLACK NARCISSUS-There Lingers One Who's Long Forgotten

Objects Outlive Us-STEVEN WILSON-The Overview

Far From Here-IQ-Dominion

Sleeping on a Cloud-LET SEE THIN-Machine Called Life

Gone-BJØRN RIIS-Fimbulvinter

Deep Water Suite IX-COSMIC CATHEDRAL- Deep Water

Another Holy Grail-PATTERN-SEEKING ANIMALS-Friend Of All Creatures

Seraphina Moon-CEN-PROJEKT-Carnival Of Lost Souls

Demain a l’aube-GERALD MASSOIS- Demain a l’aube

-Considerations-THE FLOWER KINGS-Love

-The Passing-JACOB ROBERGE-The Passing

-Ordinary Gods-KARIBOW-PanTerrania

-Division Warning-COSMOGRAF-The Orphan Epoch

-De Tre Gratier-Lars Fredrik Froislie-Gamle Mester

-Terraforming-AMBIENT DEN-Ambient Den

-Fall Away-DAVE BAINBRIDGE-On The Edge (Of What Could Be)

-Remnants of Memories-DORACOR-Unexpected Intersections

-Insurrection-CRAYON PHASE-Synthetic Mind

-The Book of Hours Pt I-AGROPELTER-The Book of Hours

-Voice of God-ATOMIC TIME-Subsounds

-Atomic -STEPHAN THELEN-WORLDS IN COLLISION




























Atomic -STEPHAN THELEN
https://stephanthelen.bandcamp.com/track/atomic



Palermo-STEPHAN THELEN
https://stephanthelen.bandcamp.com/track/palermo


GOOD LISTENING

[nicola]

LUNATIC SOUL









LUNATIC SOUL

.LUNATIC SOUL
from official website


Bio

Lunatic Soul is the solo outfit of the creator, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist Mariusz Duda. Duda is best known as the frontman of the Polish progressive rock band Riverside, where he is the main composer, lyricist, vocalist, and bassist. In 2008, he launched a separate outlet in which, as he says himself, he wanted to create something different and uncompromising.

Lunatic Soul is inspired by artists such as Dead Can Dance, Peter Gabriel (especially his “Passion” album), Mike Oldfield, Clannad, Hedningarna and Depeche Mode. It’s an attempt to blend ambient music and electronic music with folk and rock influences. Duda plays almost all the instruments himself, with occasional guest appearances from invited musicians.

While the artist doesn’t reject the label of progressive rock, he believes that “Lunatic Soul gives me more room for musical originality than Riverside”. For this reason, he doesn’t like Lunatic Soul being referred to as a “side project”. “To me, there’s nothing secondary about Lunatic Soul. Musically and conceptually, it’s an equally important musical world – if not more important. Here, I can do literally anything.”

Since its inception in 2008, Lunatic Soul have released seven full-length albums and 2025 will see the release of the 8th album “The World Under Unsun” via Inside Out Music internationally and Mystic Production in Poland. All eight albums form what is known as the “The Circle of Life and Death”, a cohesive story in which a solitary artist-traveller journeys between life and death.




















These are my best tracks of 2025


Track Title-Group or Artist-Album

King Kong-AMPLIFIER-Gargantuan

Night Terror-DREAM THEATER-Parasomnia

Panopticon -GHOST OF THE MACHINE-Empires Must Fall

The End of Days Suite: 1. The City Lights at Twilight -THE JOHN IRVINE BAND-HERE COME THE ROBOTS!

Lucifer, Bringer of Light -MOTORSPSYCHO-MOTORSPSYCHO

Marvelous World-CHEAT THE PROPHET-Redemption

The-Shoreline-EYE 2 EYE-Lost Horizon

End of the Road-KARMAKANIC-Transmutation

These Hands That Build-BLACK NARCISSUS-There Lingers One Who's Long Forgotten

Objects Outlive Us-STEVEN WILSON-The Overview

Far From Here-IQ-Dominion

Sleeping on a Cloud-LET SEE THIN-Machine Called Life

Gone-BJØRN RIIS-Fimbulvinter

Deep Water Suite IX-COSMIC CATHEDRAL- Deep Water

Another Holy Grail-PATTERN-SEEKING ANIMALS-Friend Of All Creatures

Seraphina Moon-CEN-PROJEKT-Carnival Of Lost Souls

Demain a l’aube-GERALD MASSOIS- Demain a l’aube

-Considerations-THE FLOWER KINGS-Love

-The Passing-JACOB ROBERGE-The Passing

-Ordinary Gods-KARIBOW-PanTerrania

-Division Warning-COSMOGRAF-The Orphan Epoch

-De Tre Gratier-Lars Fredrik Froislie-Gamle Mester

-Terraforming-AMBIENT DEN-Ambient Den

-Fall Away-DAVE BAINBRIDGE-On The Edge (Of What Could Be)

-Remnants of Memories-DORACOR-Unexpected Intersections

-Insurrection-CRAYON PHASE-Synthetic Mind

-The Book of Hours Pt I-AGROPELTER-The Book of Hours

-Voice of God-ATOMIC TIME-Subsounds

-Atomic -STEPHAN THELEN-WORLDS IN COLLISION

-The Prophecy -LUNATIC SOUL-THE WORLD UNDER UNSUN



























The Prophecy-LUNATIC SOUL
https://insideoutmusic.bandcamp.com/track/the-prophecy



Loop of Fate-LUNATIC SOUL
https://insideoutmusic.bandcamp.com/track/loop-of-fate




GOOD LISTENING

[nicola]

YAK









YAK

.YAK
from official website


So just who are YAK anyway?

YAK were formed following the collapse of cult band Acid Fantasy who toured in and around, but mostly in, Toot Hill Village Hall in Essex between '78 & '81. Although ‘the Fantasy’ never made it big, never in fact gigging at all, it is interesting to note that following the demolition of the said village hall, a themed housing estate has now been constructed on the site - albeit on a different theme.

The Drummer, John Wynn was determined to move on, and soon got together with old school chum and ex-Blohm und Voss guitarist Robin Hodder. The keyboard player from the Fantasy was contacted and together with bassist Simon Snell from Theydon Bois, the four piece took shape.

Playing was initially at the River Way Rehearsal Studios in Loughton. However, after John's mother's neighbours complained, operations were moved to a detached property on York Hill - on the proviso that Robin's parents were out. A few recordings exist of the early rehearsals at York Hill, and these have been carefully archived away for quality reasons. These early recordings are now available to the specialist YAK connoisseur reasonably priced from Ruskin Studios, Northampton although a medical certificate will be required before these can be purchased :-).

The music was initially a mix of Rolling Stones covers, well one anyway, the first few bars of several Santana tracks and ruthless jamming mainly in the key of A and occasionally D minor. Then the YAK ideas and riffs started to emerge. These were a radical departure from the till then standard time signatures, as musical ideas in 7/8, 5/4 & 3/4 time emerged. The bands followers, mainly Nigel Astell and Andy Nettleton were enthralled by the new sounds - so much so that they were later moved to relocate respectively to America and Arabia!

Rehearsals were regular, occurring every few weeks in Loughton and even on two occasions in a remote cottage in the depths of the Suffolk countryside - incidentally the cottage has since been re-developed into a housing estate.

The cottage moments before being bulldozed to make way for a bypass - L-R John & Martin

Finally in 1984 after about four or five YAK ideas had been practised to some degree the band split after a bitter row over whether it really was necessary - let alone practical - to play in 37/8 time. In protest, Robin retreated to his college town of Northampton where he lives now. Sy Snell moved to Walthamstow and John disappeared from my contact for many years. Thanks however to the internet and the investigative IT excellence of Mr Snell, John has been re-discovered living on Mars.
More recent history

Following the release of the first album in February 2004, we decided to get back together and have a ‘jam’. Sadly, Sy Snell was unable to join us, so we drafted in the services of Max Johnson on bass. We spent a weekend in Nottingham playing at a rehearsal studio and the session was recorded in Lo-Fi - the highlights of which were released in 2005 as the live album ‘Does Your Yak Bite?’

L-R: Robin Hodder, Max Johnson, Martin Morgan & John Wynn

The following year we had another Jam at a remote cottage in Rutland with the same line up. A second live album was released being the highlights of the weekend’s recording. This one was called "The Rutland Chronicles".

The remains of the cottage following the all night session
Even more recent history

I had planned to record another studio album - the same way as I had recorded the first album with me doing all the music, and whilst doing this I streamed the new pieces on the newly created YAK Myspace page. In the latter half of 2007 I was contacted by a drummer called Dave Speight who had heard the material and wanted to work with me. Dave was already playing in a number of bands - namely ‘Harmony in Diversity’ which is Peter Banks' band. Peter was the original guitarist with YES. Dave was also playing for ‘Whimwise’, the band of Nick May - Nick was the guitarist with ‘The Enid’ for several of their albums. Additionally, Dave was also working with 'Yesterdays' the Hungarian Progressive Rock Band.

So, together with Gary Bennett on Bass (Dave and Gary have worked together for years) we started to record the new album as a three piece.

The 'Journey of the Yak' album was recorded between April and October 2008 and mixed and mastered in October. The album was released on 14th November 2008 - at about half past eleven.

As appearing in the Classic Rock Presents Prog magazine
Fairly up to date history

​’Quest for the Stones’ was based on an idea I had initially had in my youth, but it was not until 2005 that I started to work on some of the melodies and themes that would later become the music for the album released in 2015.

Recorded between 2012 and 2014 the album again features Dave Speight on drums and Gary Bennett on bass together with an array of vintage & some not so vintage keyboards and synthesisers.

Quest for the Stones - album cover by Laura Knight

Review of Quest for the Stones
Latest Developments

Since I retired from work in 2016 I find that I have even less time available than I had whilst in full time work - which makes absolutely no sense, but hey - I hear people say this all the time & previously thought wtaf? but guess what its true !

Although I imagine most people dont have 400 rescued animals & 4 locations to travel to each day to see to their needs.

This being said, I am working on new material and already have a couple of tracks more or less finished.

I have moved over to the “dark side” and am experimenting with recording on a computer! shock horror etc - My initial incursion into this arena was with a PC - a powerful one - but netherless a PC & frankly I gave up after issue after issue prevented me from actually doing any music - blue screen of death, freezes & continual failure to recognise the controllers for 20 minutes on start up almost drove me to give up completely, however I started again in 2023 & this time with a Mac Studio - Why oh Why didn’t I move over to Mac earlier???

I’m using Reason 13 now - only scratching the surface - but - bloody hell - wow

All 3 of the YAK studio albums are now available online at a plethora of streaming services - Journey of the Yak has been on there a long time, but I finally got round to uploading Dark Side of the Duck and Quest for the Stones at the beginning of 2025

Please be aware that only Journey of the Yak and Quest for the Stones were mass produced and available (whilst stocks last) shrunk wrap on CD.

Dark Side of the Duck exists only as ONE master copy - orders are burnt from this copy onto a CDR and artwork printed and prepared Blue Peter style.

Does your Yak Bite and The Rutland Chronicles are again only in existence as master copies and will be burned to CDRs on request - these two albums are literally jam sessions recorded in Lo-Fi.

Best to listen to the sample below before you buy. The suggested donation per album is £10, but if you want to donate more you can. All funds donated go towards the feed costs of the 400 rescued animals - nothing goes on ‘expenses’ or ‘salaries’ as we have no paid staff - it’s just Fiona Oakes and me who look after the rescues.

If you are outside the UK, please add a few pounds to cover the impact of the postage as the postage costs have escalated ludicrously in the past year or so - at least £6 for Europe and USA alike.

If you would rather send a cheque (drawn on a UK bank) that’s fine too - Payee is Tower Hill Stables Animal Sanctuary, Address - Tower Hill Stables, Asheldham, Essex, CM0 7DZ






















These are my best tracks of 2025


Track Title-Group or Artist-Album

King Kong-AMPLIFIER-Gargantuan

Night Terror-DREAM THEATER-Parasomnia

Panopticon -GHOST OF THE MACHINE-Empires Must Fall

The End of Days Suite: 1. The City Lights at Twilight -THE JOHN IRVINE BAND-HERE COME THE ROBOTS!

Lucifer, Bringer of Light -MOTORSPSYCHO-MOTORSPSYCHO

Marvelous World-CHEAT THE PROPHET-Redemption

The-Shoreline-EYE 2 EYE-Lost Horizon

End of the Road-KARMAKANIC-Transmutation

These Hands That Build-BLACK NARCISSUS-There Lingers One Who's Long Forgotten

Objects Outlive Us-STEVEN WILSON-The Overview

Far From Here-IQ-Dominion

Sleeping on a Cloud-LET SEE THIN-Machine Called Life

Gone-BJØRN RIIS-Fimbulvinter

Deep Water Suite IX-COSMIC CATHEDRAL- Deep Water

Another Holy Grail-PATTERN-SEEKING ANIMALS-Friend Of All Creatures

Seraphina Moon-CEN-PROJEKT-Carnival Of Lost Souls

Demain a l’aube-GERALD MASSOIS- Demain a l’aube

-Considerations-THE FLOWER KINGS-Love

-The Passing-JACOB ROBERGE-The Passing

-Ordinary Gods-KARIBOW-PanTerrania

-Division Warning-COSMOGRAF-The Orphan Epoch

-De Tre Gratier-Lars Fredrik Froislie-Gamle Mester

-Terraforming-AMBIENT DEN-Ambient Den

-Fall Away-DAVE BAINBRIDGE-On The Edge (Of What Could Be)

-Remnants of Memories-DORACOR-Unexpected Intersections

-Insurrection-CRAYON PHASE-Synthetic Mind

-The Book of Hours Pt I-AGROPELTER-The Book of Hours

-Voice of God-ATOMIC TIME-Subsounds

-Atomic -STEPHAN THELEN-WORLDS IN COLLISION

-The Prophecy -LUNATIC SOUL-THE WORLD UNDER UNSUN

-Aragorn (Extended Version) (Bonus Track) -YAK-THE PINK MAN & THE BISHOP






























Aragorn (Extended Version) (Bonus Track)-YAK
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdTP...i7yV4&index=14




The Best Years -YAK
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sq3I...tart_radio =1







This is the other bonus track on the album


The Flight of the Noldor (Bonus Track) -YAK
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ghq...i7yV4&index=11




GOOD LISTENING

[nicola]

The Black Cat's Eye










The Black Cat's Eye

.The Black Cat's Eye
from official website

THE BLACK CAT'S EYE – these are glaring fuzz, bass and drum riffs, interwoven chord pickings and lead guitars rooted in the blues – sometimes screaming, singing or rough. And above everything, the instrumental and song melody hovers almost like a hymn.

With their musical style, the band, founded in Frankfurt am Main/Germany in 2018, is directly linked to the '60s and '70s – the great era of psychedelic rock. In this way, the five-member musician collective approaches their songs with a keen sense of experimentation. The result is a world of sound lands into which you can completely immerse yourself. Time plays no role here, which is why a single piece can last 13 minutes.

The best listening experience comes at their live concerts, where THE BLACK CAT'S EYE pulls their audience into the hypnotic vortex of real psychedelic rock music. Concert highlights so far: Herzberg Festival, Zychedelic Konzertreihe (Nürnberg), DasRind (Rüsselsheim), Centralstation (Darmstadt), Backyard Club (Recklinghausen), Nordparkfestival (Frankfurt).

Released on October 31, 2025, the new album “Decrypting Dreams of Weird Animals and Strange Objects” is available via the Tonzonen Records online shop and from all major retailers – on 180g vinyl, Digipack CD, and digital download/streaming.

THE BLACK CAT'S EYE are:

Christian Blaser – Electric Guitar/Vocals

Wolfgang Schönecker – Electric Guitar

Steffen Ahrens – Electric Guitar

Jens Cappel – Electric Bass

Stefan Schulz-Anker - Drums























These are my best tracks of 2025


Track Title-Group or Artist-Album

King Kong-AMPLIFIER-Gargantuan

Night Terror-DREAM THEATER-Parasomnia

Panopticon -GHOST OF THE MACHINE-Empires Must Fall

The End of Days Suite: 1. The City Lights at Twilight -THE JOHN IRVINE BAND-HERE COME THE ROBOTS!

Lucifer, Bringer of Light -MOTORSPSYCHO-MOTORSPSYCHO

Marvelous World-CHEAT THE PROPHET-Redemption

The-Shoreline-EYE 2 EYE-Lost Horizon

End of the Road-KARMAKANIC-Transmutation

These Hands That Build-BLACK NARCISSUS-There Lingers One Who's Long Forgotten

Objects Outlive Us-STEVEN WILSON-The Overview

Far From Here-IQ-Dominion

Sleeping on a Cloud-LET SEE THIN-Machine Called Life

Gone-BJØRN RIIS-Fimbulvinter

Deep Water Suite IX-COSMIC CATHEDRAL- Deep Water

Another Holy Grail-PATTERN-SEEKING ANIMALS-Friend Of All Creatures

Seraphina Moon-CEN-PROJEKT-Carnival Of Lost Souls

Demain a l’aube-GERALD MASSOIS- Demain a l’aube

-Considerations-THE FLOWER KINGS-Love

-The Passing-JACOB ROBERGE-The Passing

-Ordinary Gods-KARIBOW-PanTerrania

-Division Warning-COSMOGRAF-The Orphan Epoch

-De Tre Gratier-Lars Fredrik Froislie-Gamle Mester

-Terraforming-AMBIENT DEN-Ambient Den

-Fall Away-DAVE BAINBRIDGE-On The Edge (Of What Could Be)

-Remnants of Memories-DORACOR-Unexpected Intersections

-Insurrection-CRAYON PHASE-Synthetic Mind

-The Book of Hours Pt I-AGROPELTER-The Book of Hours

-Voice of God-ATOMIC TIME-Subsounds

-Atomic -STEPHAN THELEN-WORLDS IN COLLISION

-The Prophecy -LUNATIC SOUL-THE WORLD UNDER UNSUN

-Aragorn (Extended Version) (Bonus Track) -YAK-THE PINK MAN & THE BISHOP

-Everywhere I Rest My Head the Ground is Shifting -The Black Cat's Eye-DECRYPTING DREAMS OF WEIRD ANIMALS AND STRANGE OBJECTS
































Everywhere I Rest My Head The Ground Is Shifting -The Black Cat's Eye
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LDL...tart_radio =1



The Magic Balloon-The Black Cat's Eye
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDDj...tart_radio =1



GOOD LISTENING

[nicola]

HOOFFOOT










ABOUT

HOOFFOOT

...HOOFFOOT
From Progarchives.com

Hooffoot biography
Founded in Malmö, Sweden in 2009

How long is your attention span? Do you prefer McDonalds over slow food? Do you even have the time to read this? Not all music consumers want instant 3 minute satisfaction from a sexy sing‐a‐long chorus on Spotify. Luckily, there are musicians out there who can deliver both foreplay and climax during an elongated intimate musical meeting. Meet HOOFFOOT, an all instrumental jazz/rock band, from Malmö Sweden.

Strange things may happen when a SLAYER fan forms his own jazz group. Late in life band leader and bass player Pär HALLGREN discovered 70´s jazz and Italian Progressive Rock.

HOOFFOOT was formed in 2009 but the band wasn´t planned to be what it is today. From the start it was a Sunday forum for three men to meet, try weird musical ideas, drink coffee and complain about back ache. The band carefully expanded step by step inviting musicians of various musical background. It took three years to reach six permanent members. Live performances are flavored with guest musicians (saxophone, trumpet, violin).

Pär HALLGREN, bass, THE CARPET KNIGHTS, DEATHENING, SGT SUNSHINE, ØRESUND SPACE COLLECTIVE

Joakim JÖNSSON, guitar, THE CARPET KNIGHTS, BLAND BLADEN, ØRESUND SPACE COLLECTIVE

Jacob HAMILTON, drums

Bengt WAHLGREN, keyboards, SIBIRIEN

Ola ERIKSON, keyboards, SIBIRIEN, BLAND BLADEN, ØRESUND SPACE COLLECTIVE, DERANGO

Mikael ÖDESJÖ, guitar, AGUSA

First live appearances were long jams at psychedelic multi‐art events and happenings. Live appearances with shorter sets followed e.g. as opening act for Swedish cult fusion group FLÄSKET BRINNER. The band wanted to continue to present a wide spectrum of sounds and moods also during these more restrained circumstances. Therefore the band started to put more effort into arrangements. The focus was now on musical storytelling and small melodic themes soon grew to 15‐30 minute arrangements. The material worked really well live but how could this energy be transferred to a recording? It is a question of both technology and psychology.

There was an unsuccessful attempt in a studio in Copenhagen during 2013 where both the above failed. In 2014 the band met award winning producer Christoffer LUNDQUIST. He is well known for his commercial success with mainstream artists but less known for his knowledge of analog recording and his personal love for symphonic compositions2. Christoffer and the band connected in a fantastic way. He used psychology to push the band to the edge of performance, and willingly over the edge. He used old school state of the art analog technology to create a warm and detailed sound.

The resulting self‐titled debut album was released on Feb 23rd 2015. Swedish National Radio has played the massive opening track in its entirety. Speaking of attention span, when was the last time national radio played uninterrupted instrumental jazzrock for nearly 20 minutes?

During the summer of 2015 HOOFFOOT has been booked to play festivals in Sweden, Denmark and Germany.

Sounds and philosophy

Over the years the band has grown and transformed from a vision and into a self‐sustainable organism. The musicians all have different musical background. Keyboard player Ola is a wellrespected composer of electronic music, often appearing on festival stages all over Europe, while basist Pär has released 5 albums in genres of Death Metal / Progressive Rock / Blues Rock. Jocke has been touring Europe with a group that has released some 15 albums and played over 100 shows with 100% improvised space rock. In the analogy of Frankenstein it is obvious that the unique blend of people in Hooffoot has built a monster. HOOFFOOT wasn't planned to be what it is. HOOFFOOT has just developed a mind of it?s own. It started as a strange but easy to control little three‐piece. Now it has grown into something bigger than sum of its parts. Now, it is an independent lifeform on the loose.

The music may be difficult by some standards but it is certainly not difficult to listen to HOOFFOOT. Other heavy sounding rock bands wanting to challenge their musical capabilities often tend to end up with stiff and metallic compositions. Innovative rhythmic patterns need to be smooth and groovy. After a HOOFFOOT concert a voice from the audience once commented: ?It swings but I don´t know how!?

HOOFFOOT does not necessarily want to impress the intellect of the listener. HOOFFOOT wants to bring the listener on‐board for a journey through seas of sound carrying the listener from pleasant harbors of melody and into the unholy waters of mad improvisation.

For the old music lover, tired of the tidy sounds of modern recordings, HOOFFOOT is a breeze from past times when jazz used to be evil and when live musicians didn´t play it safe. For the rocker, HOOFFOOT is an ear opener, showing that Miles DAVIS lives right next door to BLACK SABBATH. However, the objective is not to recreate the music or the sounds of the 70?s. Hooffoot is firmly of the opinion that the spirit of the 70?s can only be properly honored by embracing the attitude that there are no rules.

Only conform to non‐conformity!

SANTANA loved MILES. MAGMA loved COLTRANE. SOFT MACHINE loved pop (OK, perhaps only for a while). PINK FLOYD loved SOFT MACHINE. WEATHER REPORT loved African grooves. The Italian progressive bands loved classical music. RETURN TO FOREVER loved Brazilian stuff. Frank ZAPPA loved BLACK SABBATH, and BLACK SABBATH loved to smash people?s preconceptions. Hooffoot love them all. Forget about labels like ?rock?, ?jazz?, ?progressive? and ?kraut?. Who cares? Rejoice in the spirit of the 70?s. HOOFFOOT ? paura di niente!

::biography provided by Pär Hallgren::






















These are my best tracks of 2025


Track Title-Group or Artist-Album

King Kong-AMPLIFIER-Gargantuan

Night Terror-DREAM THEATER-Parasomnia

Panopticon -GHOST OF THE MACHINE-Empires Must Fall

The End of Days Suite: 1. The City Lights at Twilight -THE JOHN IRVINE BAND-HERE COME THE ROBOTS!

Lucifer, Bringer of Light -MOTORSPSYCHO-MOTORSPSYCHO

Marvelous World-CHEAT THE PROPHET-Redemption

The-Shoreline-EYE 2 EYE-Lost Horizon

End of the Road-KARMAKANIC-Transmutation

These Hands That Build-BLACK NARCISSUS-There Lingers One Who's Long Forgotten

Objects Outlive Us-STEVEN WILSON-The Overview

Far From Here-IQ-Dominion

Sleeping on a Cloud-LET SEE THIN-Machine Called Life

Gone-BJØRN RIIS-Fimbulvinter

Deep Water Suite IX-COSMIC CATHEDRAL- Deep Water

Another Holy Grail-PATTERN-SEEKING ANIMALS-Friend Of All Creatures

Seraphina Moon-CEN-PROJEKT-Carnival Of Lost Souls

Demain a l’aube-GERALD MASSOIS- Demain a l’aube

-Considerations-THE FLOWER KINGS-Love

-The Passing-JACOB ROBERGE-The Passing

-Ordinary Gods-KARIBOW-PanTerrania

-Division Warning-COSMOGRAF-The Orphan Epoch

-De Tre Gratier-Lars Fredrik Froislie-Gamle Mester

-Terraforming-AMBIENT DEN-Ambient Den

-Fall Away-DAVE BAINBRIDGE-On The Edge (Of What Could Be)

-Remnants of Memories-DORACOR-Unexpected Intersections

-Insurrection-CRAYON PHASE-Synthetic Mind

-The Book of Hours Pt I-AGROPELTER-The Book of Hours

-Voice of God-ATOMIC TIME-Subsounds

-Atomic -STEPHAN THELEN-WORLDS IN COLLISION

-The Prophecy -LUNATIC SOUL-THE WORLD UNDER UNSUN

-Aragorn (Extended Version) (Bonus Track) -YAK-THE PINK MAN & THE BISHOP

-Everywhere I Rest My Head the Ground is Shifting -The Black Cat's Eye-DECRYPTING DREAMS OF WEIRD ANIMALS AND STRANGE OBJECTS

-Last Letter Home -HOOFFOOT-PHANTOM LIMB





























Last Letter Home-HOOFFOOT
https://hooffoot.bandcamp.com/track/last-letter-home



GOOD LISTENING