Reviews Archives - Page 24 of 41

Mark’s Quick Review: Chaometry’s – Mental Projection

by Mark Monforti | Dec 11, 2017 | 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.

Yet another instrumental submission to your’s truly. This is a bit of a different situation for me. I actually know them pretty well. I first met their keyboard player when she was part of Grand Parade, a Genesis Cover band. She was the first person I ever saw play Firth of Fifth.

Their first album I saw performed live at a studio on the south side of Chicago. The set was great and their first album is wonderful, but the band took a back seat to life and the lineup changed and then 10 years later I get an email from one of their members about this new album.

So, after giving it a listen I don’t think this album is quite up to par with their first release. I think there are some good moments on this album especially on the back 1/2 of the album.

Request it below and see if you like it or check out their bandcamp site linked via the album image.

PREVIOUS BAND RATING:	(4 / 5)
ACCESSIBILITY:	(2 / 5)
HEAVINESS:	(2 / 5)
MELODIC:	(3 / 5)
ARTWORK :	(4 / 5)
DRAMA:	(3 / 5)
OVERALL RATING:	(3 / 5)

ALBUM HIGHLIGHTS: Request Handelbar 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: Lunatic Soul’s – Fractured

by Mark Monforti | Dec 10, 2017 | 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.

As I am reviewing this people are starting to put out their top 10 list for the year despite the year having 30 days left. This album is showing up on a lot of peoples’ lists. I think If I made a top 10 list for this year, it would probably just miss the list. This is a good album in another exceptional year of prog rock. Mariusz Duda’s vocals are iconic and as usual add so much to the mood of the album. This is a must purchase for any Riverside or Lunatic Soul fan.

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

ALBUM HIGHLIGHTS: Request A Thousand Shards of Heaven 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: Infinien’s – Light at The End of Tunnel

by Mark Monforti | Dec 9, 2017 | 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 the east coast strikes again, here we are with another exceptional female lead vocalist that preceded Bent Knee, that I am only now discovering. There are some great moments on this album and Chrissie Loftus is quite a singer. Chrissie also plays keys and co-wrote some songs and wrote most of the lyrics for this album.

If you like Bent Knee i think this album would be a great edition to you collection as for me, I am looking forward to seeing them live sometime.

PREVIOUS BAND RATING:	(0.0 / 5)
ACCESSIBILITY:	(2.5 / 5)
HEAVINESS:	(4.0 / 5)
MELODIC:	(1.5 / 5)
DRAMA:	(4.0 / 5)
OVERALL RATING:	(3.5 / 5)

ALBUM HIGHLIGHTS: Request Off The Tracks 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: Yves Potin’s – Future Tribes

by Mark Monforti | Dec 7, 2017 | News, Reviews

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

So this very ambient jazz album is just not my thing. I think that this would be great in two minute intervals between other songs. But for me this sub genre of prog is like 50 minute’s of whale song. I think that Yves would make wonderful contributions on albums but a whole album of this is just too much for me. My review of this album is probably more about the genre than the album.

I suggest this album for musician looking for some creative ambient sounds but not for listeners to listen to straight though. Which unfortunately for Yves is my criterion for a great album.

PREVIOUS BAND RATING:	(0.0 / 5)
ACCESSIBILITY:	(1.0 / 5)
HEAVINESS:	(2.0 / 5)
MELODIC:	(5.0 / 5)
DRAMA:	(1.0 / 5)
OVERALL RATING:	(1.5 / 5)

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: Corciolli’s – Ilusia

by Mark Monforti | Dec 6, 2017 | News, Reviews

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

So again I am sent an instrumental album that I typically am not into. But I do like this album. It actually reminds me of Kitaro when Kitaro is at his best. Still not something I would personally say would be a “go to” album for me, but if you like ambient instrumental music this is a great choice.

Corciolli is a Brazilian composer and producer of electronic, ambient, contemporary progressive, world and orchestral music and I think this album does show off his talents very well. I think I will be playing tracks from this album on our podcast.

So request a track below and decide for yourself. For me this is a slight thumbs up.

PREVIOUS BAND RATING:	(0.0 / 5)
ACCESSIBILITY:	(2.5 / 5)
HEAVINESS:	(1.0 / 5)
MELODIC:	(4.5 / 5)
DRAMA:	(2.5 / 5)
OVERALL RATING:	(3.5 / 5)

ALBUM HIGHLIGHTS: Request Distant Here Request Ghosts 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: Fibonacci Sequence’s – Cinema Finis

by Mark Monforti | Dec 4, 2017 | News, Reviews

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

Well it took me three months to get to this album after they submitted it but I finally got to it and I am really glad I did. This Milwaukee band put out a solid album. The quality is consistent throughout.

The scene is set with Tickets Please, and the musicianship of the second track Obeah hooks you right away.

The Christopher’s Plan is another winner. This ProgDay alum has not put out an album in almost 10 years but it was worth the wait. Give this album a spin.

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 Obeah Here Request Christopher’s Plan 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: Chaometry’s – Mental Projection

Mark’s Quick Review: Lunatic Soul’s – Fractured

Mark’s Quick Reviews: Infinien’s – Light at The End of Tunnel

Mark’s Quick Reviews: Yves Potin’s – Future Tribes

Mark’s Quick Reviews: Corciolli’s – Ilusia

Mark’s Quick Reviews: Fibonacci Sequence’s – Cinema Finis

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