Reviews Archives - Page 30 of 41

Mark’s Quick Review: Deeexpus Projects’ – Half Way Home.

by Mark Monforti | Sep 2, 2017 | News, Reviews

This is an amazing debut album and it was strong enough to get them a gig at RoSfest. The lead singer at this time channels the voice of Paul Carrack. The song Pttee is a whimsical song full of Porcupine Tree licks and well they translate well into this fun and crunchy song. The rest of the album is above average rounded off by the sad Half Way Home which was written about an expected mother who stopped taking her anti-depressants because she didn’t want to effect the fetus, but tragically she killer herself on a bridge half way home.

PREVIOUS BAND RATING:	(0.0 / 5)
ACCESSIBILITY:	(4.0 / 5)
HEAVINESS:	(3.0 / 5)
MELODIC:	(3.0 / 5)
ARTWORK & PACKAGING:	(3.0 / 5)
DRAMA:	(4.5 / 5)
OVERALL RATING:	(4.5 / 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

ALBUM HIGHLIGHTS: Pttee

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: Emerald Dawn’s – Vision

by Mark Monforti | Sep 2, 2017 | News, Reviews

The first track which is epic in size has some great sax work reminiscent of Pink Floyd. The work is wonderful and atmospheric. Full of interesting bits and drama. I think this would be great for fans of melodic prog and should be a stand out album for fans of IO Earth and Renaissance thanks to Tree’s haunting vocals. I think that many other people the rate albums are going to give this 5 out of 5. So don’t let my rating fool you. I reserve the 5 star rating for albums I would pay the band to come play live at our house and this isn’t quite there.

PREVIOUS BAND RATING:	(0.0 / 5)
ACCESSIBILITY:	(3.0 / 5)
HEAVINESS:	(2.0 / 5)
MELODIC:	(3.5 / 5)
ARTWORK & PACKAGING:	(3.0 / 5)
DRAMA:	(4.0 / 5)
OVERALL RATING:	(4.0 / 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

ALBUM HIGHLIGHTS: Musique Noire, Stranger in a Strange Land

Click the link to request the song.

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: Circus Maximus’s – The 1st Chapter

by Mark Monforti | Aug 31, 2017 | News, Reviews

So as at this time as I have just started doing reviews I have had Windows Media Player pick album for me at random. I am down to 590 hours of music to review from albums previously released.

I was excited that this album was selected. I already had some songs highlighted as 5 stars. I was happy to listen to it again for this review. I was even more excited to find that despite having songs like Sin and Glory to the Empire that this was not a christian band. I mention that only because I really liked this album even though, as a person who has walked out on Neal Morse twice that I didn’t let my bias about the perceived subject matter of the album get in the way of liking this album.

This debut album of this Norwegian Heavy Metal band sets a very high standard that they are really going to struggle to match I have to say. Michael Eriksen on vocals is wonderful and reminds me of Tommy Karevik or maybe Joe Walsh on the song Fight Fire with Fire.

This is album is just the perfect blend of metal and melodic for me. Once in a while like in the song prophecy I hear a little Spock’s Beard. This band is making albums I wish Dream Theater would make. The Epic Title track is also one of the highlights on this album.

The band is a must for fans of of Seventh Wonder and Pain of Salvation and anyone that likes progressive metal should have this album in their collection.

This album was edged out of debut album of the year by Magic Pie’s Motion’s of Desire.

ALBUM HIGHLIGHTS: Glory to the Empire, The Prophecy, The First Chapter.

PREVIOUS BAND RATING:	(0.0 / 5)
ACCESSIBILITY:	(4.0 / 5)
HEAVINESS:	(4.0 / 5)
MELODIC:	(3.0 / 5)
ARTWORK & PACKAGING:	(3.5 / 5)
DRAMA:	(5.0 / 5)
OVERALL RATING:	(5.0 / 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: Dick’s – Dangerous Dreams

by Mark Monforti | Aug 30, 2017 | News, Reviews

So I received this album in my inbox in June and I gave it a spin. This Finish band headed up by multi instrumentalist.

I have to say I would give this album a pass. If you want to check it out try the song Hand in Hand, but for the most part this is album is very vanilla. I just can’t get excited about it or recommend it.

My favorite thing about the album is the credit “Dick logo by Niina Helimaa and Escileus”

PREVIOUS BAND RATING:	(0.0 / 5)
ACCESSIBILITY:	(2.0 / 5)
HEAVINESS:	(2.0 / 5)
MELODIC:	(3.0 / 5)
ARTWORK & PACKAGING:	(3.0 / 5)
DRAMA:	(2.0 / 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 Review: Red Spectrum’s – Self Titled Album

by Mark Monforti | Aug 29, 2017 | News, Reviews

So this album featuring Mars Hollow’s keyboard player and composer Steve Mauk has a lot to live up to with the outstanding work created by the Mars Hollow team. I seriously think so much of that band that I flew to see them in LA, RosFest and their last show in Quebec. Not only that but I got Steve and John to play Mars Hollow songs at my house.

As would be expected I personally think that this is not quite the caliber of the a fore mentions group. I do once again like to song writing on the whole but I don’t really hear and 5 star moments on this album. I can’t say I really am in love with the lead singer at times. I have a feeling they did not know who they were writing for and maybe they can do a better job staying in his range going forward.

This is a must buy I think for Mars Hollow fans but I think that this is in no way “Gateway Prog” like the other Mars Hollow albums were.

ALBUM HIGHLIGHTS: Final Song.

PREVIOUS BAND RATING:	(0.0 / 5)
ACCESSIBILITY:	(2.0 / 5)
HEAVINESS:	(2.0 / 5)
MELODIC:	(3.0 / 5)
DRAMA:	(2.5 / 5)
OVERALL RATING:	(3.0 / 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: Coheed and Cambria’s – The Afterman: Ascension

by Mark Monforti | Aug 28, 2017 | News, Reviews

This band I knew about but didn’t actually hear until I played Rock Band. The song on Rock Band was Called Welcome Home and is a great track and a lot of fun to play on rock band actually.

This Album from 2012 came up on random and I decided to give it the quick review treatment.

So this relatively popular band that deserves their popularity as their albums are very good. They are a great intersection of literature and Rock. This album is really the first half of a double album that the label made them split into two separate releases.

This album is under 40 minutes long and

The deluxe version of the album came out with companion book written by band member Claudio Sanchez.

This album is for any fan of C & C and if you have never heard the band before I think that all fans of Rush should give this band a shot. In some ways the band does remind me of a modern day Rush.

PREVIOUS BAND RATING:	(4.0 / 5)
ACCESSIBILITY:	(3.0 / 5)
HEAVINESS:	(4.0 / 5)
MELODIC:	(1.5 / 5)
ARTWORK & PACKAGING:	(5.0 / 5)
DRAMA:	(4.0 / 5)
OVERALL RATING:	(4.5 / 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 Review: Deeexpus Projects’ – Half Way Home.

Mark’s Quick Review: Emerald Dawn’s – Vision

Mark’s Quick Reviews: Circus Maximus’s – The 1st Chapter

Mark’s Quick Reviews: Dick’s – Dangerous Dreams

Mark’s Quick Review: Red Spectrum’s – Self Titled Album

Mark’s Quick Reviews: Coheed and Cambria’s – The Afterman: Ascension

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