Reviews Archives - Page 17 of 41

Mark’s Quick Reviews: Steve Walsh’s – Black Butterfly

by Mark Monforti | Jan 25, 2018 | News, Reviews

If you have never read the key for my ratings below please do so one time. I feel my ratings are tougher than my peers. Also Check my last.fm link to see how compatible our music tasts are.

Steve Walsh, possibly the best prog rock voice of the 70’s, has released a another solo album. Good news. Steve sounds wonderful which makes this is a must for any Kansas fan. I would say that the song skew less progressive than I personally would like to hear. I think between the fact that 4 songs he is not lead vocals and some of the songs are typical rock structure is why I am not totally in love with this album.

Check it out for yourself. We have links below so you can request it.

PREVIOUS RATING:	(4.5 / 5)
ACCESSIBILITY:	(4.0 / 5)
HEAVINESS:	(3.0 / 5)
MELODIC:	(3.0 / 5)
ARTWORK & PACKAGING:	(4.5 / 5)
DRAMA:	(4.0 / 5)
OVERALL RATING:	(3.5 / 5)

ALBUM HIGHLIGHTS: Request The Piper Here
Request Tanglewood%20Tree Here

Click Below to purchase at Amazon US or Amazon UK and we’ll get a little referral bonus on your whole order. Even if you don’t order this album

Key:
These ratings are just attributes and may not have correlation to the most important: OVERALL RATING

PREVIOUS BAND RATING
0: Never heard of them or debut album.
1: Someone recommended. I give them another shot.
2: Some good moments in the past but never put together an album I really liked.
3: Some 4 or 5 star songs but albums can be hit or miss for me.
4: I like 80% of their songs and probably went to see them live.
5: I would, and probably have gone on a plane to see them live.

ACCESSIBILITY EXAMPLES
1: Weather Report
2: Zappa
3: Genesis – Selling England by the Pound,
4: Marillion – F.E.A.R
5: Kino – Picture

HEAVINESS EXAMPLES
1: IQ – Seventh House
2: Discipline – Unfold Like a Staircase
3: Porcupine Tree – In Abstentia, Shadow Gallery – Tyranny
4: Vanden Plas – Chirst 0, Dream Theater – Scenes From a Memory
5: Opeth – Black Water Park

MELODIC EXAMPLES:
1: Opeth – Black Water Park
2: Vanden Plas – Chirst 0, Dream Theater – Scenes From a Memory
3: Porcupine Tree – In Abstentia, Shadow Gallery – Tyranny
4: Discipline – Unfold Like a Staircase
5: IQ – Seventh House

OVERALL RATING:
1: Will Never listen to again and deleted under no circumstances should you buy this
2: Not my thing maybe one redeeming song.
3: I like parts of this and I would check them out if they were near me.
4: I would get in the car and road trip to see this album live
5: I would get on a plane to see this performed live

See if our likes are similar See my Last.fm Page

https://www.last.fm/user/mon40/library/artists

Mark’s Quick Reviews: Monarch Trail’s – Sand

by Mark Monforti | Jan 24, 2018 | News, Reviews

If you have never read the key for my ratings below please do so one time. I feel my ratings are tougher than my peers. Also Check my last.fm link to see how compatible our music tasts are.

Monarch Trail’s sophomore release. It is a nice crossover prog album as I look around they have been getting a lot of buzz for this album, except for their website which does not have the album in their discography.

I thought the album started out a bit cheesy, but each song was better and better. I have listened to it 3 or 4 times now because I was wavering on how much I liked it. I think, although some of it sounded like a poor man’s IQ to me at first, I really came around to liking this album.

I think had I gotten around to hearing this album sooner I would have considered their epic for epic of the year.

I do ultimately like this album, I added a link so you could request a track and listen to it right here.

PREVIOUS BAND RATING:	(0.0 / 5)
ACCESSIBILITY:	(4.0 / 5)
HEAVINESS:	(1.0 / 5)
MELODIC:	(4.5 / 5)
ARTWORK:	(4.0 / 5)
DRAMA:	(3.5 / 5)
OVERALL RATING:	(4.0 / 5)

ALBUM HIGHLIGHTS: Request Charlie’s Kitchen Here

Click Below to purchase at Amazon US or Amazon UK and we’ll get a little referral bonus on your whole order. Even if you don’t order this album

Key:
These ratings are just attributes and may not have correlation to the most important: OVERALL RATING

PREVIOUS BAND RATING
0: Never heard of them or debut album.
1: Someone recommended. I give them another shot.
2: Some good moments in the past but never put together an album I really liked.
3: Some 4 or 5 star songs but albums can be hit or miss for me.
4: I like 80% of their songs and probably went to see them live.
5: I would, and probably have gone on a plane to see them live.

ACCESSIBILITY EXAMPLES
1: Weather Report
2: Zappa
3: Genesis – Selling England by the Pound,
4: Marillion – F.E.A.R
5: Kino – Picture

HEAVINESS EXAMPLES
1: IQ – Seventh House
2: Discipline – Unfold Like a Staircase
3: Porcupine Tree – In Abstentia, Shadow Gallery – Tyranny
4: Vanden Plas – Chirst 0, Dream Theater – Scenes From a Memory
5: Opeth – Black Water Park

MELODIC EXAMPLES:
1: Opeth – Black Water Park
2: Vanden Plas – Chirst 0, Dream Theater – Scenes From a Memory
3: Porcupine Tree – In Abstentia, Shadow Gallery – Tyranny
4: Discipline – Unfold Like a Staircase
5: IQ – Seventh House

OVERALL RATING:
1: Will Never listen to again and deleted under no circumstances should you buy this
2: Not my thing maybe one redeeming song.
3: I like parts of this and I would check them out if they were near me.
4: I would get in the car and road trip to see this album live
5: I would get on a plane to see this performed live

See if our likes are similar See my Last.fm Page

https://www.last.fm/user/mon40/library/artists

Mark’s Quick Reviews: paganHARVEST’s – Sacred River

by Mark Monforti | Jan 23, 2018 | News, Reviews

If you have never read the key for my ratings below please do so one time. I feel my ratings are tougher than my peers. Also Check my last.fm link to see how compatible our music tasts are.

You know how we all love the spoken word portion of Nights in White Satin? Well imagine 55 minutes of that.

This is more suited for incidental music for a Tim Burton remake of Giligan’s Island than a 70 minute album. Also the Sacred River Chant is possibly a rip off of the Radiophonic Workshop’s song on Doctor Who. Where the sisters of Kahn sing something quite similar on the Brain of Morbius episode.

Seriously though I do like the music, but it’s just a bit much to listen to 70 minutes of this. We added it to the station so give it a listen. As for me I have to give this album a pass.

PREVIOUS BAND RATING:	(0.0 / 5)
ACCESSIBILITY:	(2.5 / 5)
HEAVINESS:	(1.0 / 5)
MELODIC:	(5.0 / 5)
ARTWORK & PACKAGING:	(3.5 / 5)
DRAMA:	(2.0 / 5)
OVERALL RATING:	(2.0 / 5)

ALBUM HIGHLIGHTS: Request pagenHARVEST Here

Click Below to purchase at Amazon US or Amazon UK and we’ll get a little referral bonus on your whole order. Even if you don’t order this album

Key:
These ratings are just attributes and may not have correlation to the most important: OVERALL RATING

PREVIOUS BAND RATING
0: Never heard of them or debut album.
1: Someone recommended. I give them another shot.
2: Some good moments in the past but never put together an album I really liked.
3: Some 4 or 5 star songs but albums can be hit or miss for me.
4: I like 80% of their songs and probably went to see them live.
5: I would, and probably have gone on a plane to see them live.

ACCESSIBILITY EXAMPLES
1: Weather Report
2: Zappa
3: Genesis – Selling England by the Pound,
4: Marillion – F.E.A.R
5: Kino – Picture

HEAVINESS EXAMPLES
1: IQ – Seventh House
2: Discipline – Unfold Like a Staircase
3: Porcupine Tree – In Abstentia, Shadow Gallery – Tyranny
4: Vanden Plas – Chirst 0, Dream Theater – Scenes From a Memory
5: Opeth – Black Water Park

MELODIC EXAMPLES:
1: Opeth – Black Water Park
2: Vanden Plas – Chirst 0, Dream Theater – Scenes From a Memory
3: Porcupine Tree – In Abstentia, Shadow Gallery – Tyranny
4: Discipline – Unfold Like a Staircase
5: IQ – Seventh House

OVERALL RATING:
1: Will Never listen to again and deleted under no circumstances should you buy this
2: Not my thing maybe one redeeming song.
3: I like parts of this and I would check them out if they were near me.
4: I would get in the car and road trip to see this album live
5: I would get on a plane to see this performed live

See if our likes are similar See my Last.fm Page

https://www.last.fm/user/mon40/library/artists

Mark’s Quick Reviews: Veio’s – Infinite Light // Desperate Shadows

by Mark Monforti | Jan 22, 2018 | News, Reviews

If you have never read the key for my ratings below please do so one time. I feel my ratings are tougher than my peers. Also Check my last.fm link to see how compatible our music tasts are.

This heavy prog album from Portland is packed with energy. I actually was not that enamored with the beginning of this album, but by the third track my ears perked up and I really started enjoying their sound which could be said to be reminiscent of Audioslave.

If you are a fan of heavier rock I think this is a good album for you. I would even consider it gateway prog for fans of Audioslave and Sound Garden.

I have a few of my favorite songs listed below. Why not request one and check it out for yourself.

PREVIOUS BAND RATING:	(4.0 / 5)
ACCESSIBILITY:	(3.0 / 5)
HEAVINESS:	(2.0 / 5)
MELODIC:	(3.5 / 5)
ARTWORK & PACKAGING:	(4.0 / 5)
DRAMA:	(4.0 / 5)
OVERALL RATING:	(4.0 / 5)

ALBUM HIGHLIGHTS:
Request In Peril Here
Request Ghost Here
Request Wolves Here

Click Below to purchase at Amazon US or Amazon UK and we’ll get a little referral bonus on your whole order. Even if you don’t order this album

Key:
These ratings are just attributes and may not have correlation to the most important: OVERALL RATING

PREVIOUS BAND RATING
0: Never heard of them or debut album.
1: Someone recommended. I give them another shot.
2: Some good moments in the past but never put together an album I really liked.
3: Some 4 or 5 star songs but albums can be hit or miss for me.
4: I like 80% of their songs and probably went to see them live.
5: I would, and probably have gone on a plane to see them live.

ACCESSIBILITY EXAMPLES
1: Weather Report
2: Zappa
3: Genesis – Selling England by the Pound,
4: Marillion – F.E.A.R
5: Kino – Picture

HEAVINESS EXAMPLES
1: IQ – Seventh House
2: Discipline – Unfold Like a Staircase
3: Porcupine Tree – In Abstentia, Shadow Gallery – Tyranny
4: Vanden Plas – Chirst 0, Dream Theater – Scenes From a Memory
5: Opeth – Black Water Park

MELODIC EXAMPLES:
1: Opeth – Black Water Park
2: Vanden Plas – Chirst 0, Dream Theater – Scenes From a Memory
3: Porcupine Tree – In Abstentia, Shadow Gallery – Tyranny
4: Discipline – Unfold Like a Staircase
5: IQ – Seventh House

OVERALL RATING:
1: Will Never listen to again and deleted under no circumstances should you buy this
2: Not my thing maybe one redeeming song.
3: I like parts of this and I would check them out if they were near me.
4: I would get in the car and road trip to see this album live
5: I would get on a plane to see this performed live

See if our likes are similar See my Last.fm Page

https://www.last.fm/user/mon40/library/artists

Mark’s Quick Reviews: Обійми Дощу’s – Сон

by Mark Monforti | Jan 21, 2018 | News, Reviews

If you have never read the key for my ratings below please do so one time. I feel my ratings are tougher than my peers. Also Check my last.fm link to see how compatible our music tasts are.

This FREE album is really remarkable. One of the best submissions I have received all year. 8 years in the making with 15 musicians including a string quartet, and mixed by Bruce Soord.

Songs from the album tell a story about the struggle and difficulties a person faces in a modern urban, globalized world, a journey from the lowest point of fall to a free flight, from death to rebirth.

For fans of Phideaux and Decemberists.

PREVIOUS BAND RATING:	(0.0 / 5)
ACCESSIBILITY:	(3.5 / 5)
HEAVINESS:	(2.0 / 5)
MELODIC:	(3.5 / 5)
ARTWORK:	(4.5 / 5)
DRAMA:	(4.0 / 5)
OVERALL RATING:	(4.0 / 5)

ALBUM HIGHLIGHTS: Request Razom Here

Click Below to purchase at Amazon US or Amazon UK and we’ll get a little referral bonus on your whole order. Even if you don’t order this album

Key:
These ratings are just attributes and may not have correlation to the most important: OVERALL RATING

PREVIOUS BAND RATING
0: Never heard of them or debut album.
1: Someone recommended. I give them another shot.
2: Some good moments in the past but never put together an album I really liked.
3: Some 4 or 5 star songs but albums can be hit or miss for me.
4: I like 80% of their songs and probably went to see them live.
5: I would, and probably have gone on a plane to see them live.

ACCESSIBILITY EXAMPLES
1: Weather Report
2: Zappa
3: Genesis – Selling England by the Pound,
4: Marillion – F.E.A.R
5: Kino – Picture

HEAVINESS EXAMPLES
1: IQ – Seventh House
2: Discipline – Unfold Like a Staircase
3: Porcupine Tree – In Abstentia, Shadow Gallery – Tyranny
4: Vanden Plas – Chirst 0, Dream Theater – Scenes From a Memory
5: Opeth – Black Water Park

MELODIC EXAMPLES:
1: Opeth – Black Water Park
2: Vanden Plas – Chirst 0, Dream Theater – Scenes From a Memory
3: Porcupine Tree – In Abstentia, Shadow Gallery – Tyranny
4: Discipline – Unfold Like a Staircase
5: IQ – Seventh House

OVERALL RATING:
1: Will Never listen to again and deleted under no circumstances should you buy this
2: Not my thing maybe one redeeming song.
3: I like parts of this and I would check them out if they were near me.
4: I would get in the car and road trip to see this album live
5: I would get on a plane to see this performed live

See if our likes are similar See my Last.fm Page

https://www.last.fm/user/mon40/library/artists

Mark’s Quick Review: Galahad’s – The Seas of Change

by Mark Monforti | Jan 20, 2018 | News, Reviews

If you have never read the key for my ratings below please do so one time. I feel my ratings are tougher than my peers. Also Check my last.fm link to see how compatible our music tasts are.

So here we are with an album with one 42 minutes song. Not sure if it’s been done or not before but its the first album I have come across. There is a live Dream Theater album with one album tracked as only one song, but that’s the closest I know.

‘Seas of Change’ features just the five main Galahad members plus long-term honorary member Sarah Bolter who makes an appearance on flute, clarinet and soprano sax.

Well, as you can see by my ratings that I really liked Galahad prior to this so does it affect my opinion of this album. Are my ratings influenced by the Halo Effect?

Well, maybe they are as I absolutely love this album. The track is a great ride with plenty of changes. Heavy guitars some very subtle electronica, which in my mind is their trademark sound. Run don’t walk and pick up this album.

You may want to think twice about getting a vinyl version as it breaks the song in two

Track listing:

LP (Black/Turquoise/Picture Disc)

Seas of Change – Part One (20:57)

Seas of Change – Part Two (21:54)

Digipak CD

Seas of Change (42:43)

Dust (Extended Edit) (5.57)

Smoke (Extended Edit) (7.14)

Download

Seas of Change (42:43)

Dust (Extended Edit) (5.57)

Smoke (Extended Edit) (7.14)

PREVIOUS BAND RATING:	(5.0 / 5)
ACCESSIBILITY:	(3.5 / 5)
HEAVINESS:	(3.5 / 5)
MELODIC:	(3.5 / 5)
ARTWORK & PACKAGING:	(5.0 / 5)
DRAMA:	(5.0 / 5)
OVERALL RATING:	(5.0 / 5)

ALBUM HIGHLIGHTS: Request Dust Here
Request Smoke Here

Click Below to purchase at Amazon US or Amazon UK and we’ll get a little referral bonus on your whole order. Even if you don’t order this album

Key:
These ratings are just attributes and may not have correlation to the most important: OVERALL RATING

PREVIOUS BAND RATING
0: Never heard of them or debut album.
1: Someone recommended. I give them another shot.
2: Some good moments in the past but never put together an album I really liked.
3: Some 4 or 5 star songs but albums can be hit or miss for me.
4: I like 80% of their songs and probably went to see them live.
5: I would, and probably have gone on a plane to see them live.

ACCESSIBILITY EXAMPLES
1: Weather Report
2: Zappa
3: Genesis – Selling England by the Pound,
4: Marillion – F.E.A.R
5: Kino – Picture

HEAVINESS EXAMPLES
1: IQ – Seventh House
2: Discipline – Unfold Like a Staircase
3: Porcupine Tree – In Abstentia, Shadow Gallery – Tyranny
4: Vanden Plas – Chirst 0, Dream Theater – Scenes From a Memory
5: Opeth – Black Water Park

MELODIC EXAMPLES:
1: Opeth – Black Water Park
2: Vanden Plas – Chirst 0, Dream Theater – Scenes From a Memory
3: Porcupine Tree – In Abstentia, Shadow Gallery – Tyranny
4: Discipline – Unfold Like a Staircase
5: IQ – Seventh House

OVERALL RATING:
1: Will Never listen to again and deleted under no circumstances should you buy this
2: Not my thing maybe one redeeming song.
3: I like parts of this and I would check them out if they were near me.
4: I would get in the car and road trip to see this album live
5: I would get on a plane to see this performed live

See if our likes are similar See my Last.fm Page

https://www.last.fm/user/mon40/library/artists

Mark’s Quick Reviews: Steve Walsh’s – Black Butterfly

Mark’s Quick Reviews: Monarch Trail’s – Sand

Mark’s Quick Reviews: paganHARVEST’s – Sacred River

Mark’s Quick Reviews: Veio’s – Infinite Light // Desperate Shadows

Mark’s Quick Reviews: Обійми Дощу’s – Сон

Mark’s Quick Review: Galahad’s – The Seas of Change

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