Reviews Archives - Page 35 of 41

Mark’s Quick Review: Karibow’s – From Here to the Impossible

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

So here is a band that I already liked with some of my favorite artists guest staring on it.

The album has one of my favorite vocalists on the last track in Mark Trueack, a wonderful keyboard player on another song in Sean Timms, Daniel Lopresto does vocals and guitars on yet another song.
These three who I consider great musicians, and have all played my house were out done by guest artist Marek Arnold, who’s sax is wonderful on this album. It really does remind me of his work on UPF and Damanek.

Daniel Lopresto also does really well on lead vocals. I may have the opportunity to see them live later in the year and it will be interesting to see how they cover these tracks if they do indeed play them live.

The album is wonderful but I never had any spine chilling moments that I reserve for my 5 star reviews. Pick this album up and enjoy it. I am sure you will.

ALBUM HIGHLIGHTS: My Time of Your Life, Never Last, Black Air, The Impossible.

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

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: Ars Nova – Biogenesis Project

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

So this is still the only Ars Nova album I have heard. I do remember shawn the station manager at the thedividinline.com saying wow they’re singing. So if you have heard of this band before this is not an instrumental album.

The album is very steady nothing to great nothing I feel like I need to skip. The subject matter is one I typically like and could be used for the theme of an Ayreon project and is pretty close to the subject matter of a certain Star Trek movie.

The first song called introduction has a lot of plot by exposition which some might find off putting but I like the music around it enough to enjoy even that track

The album has a nice epic to end it called Trust to the Future.

ALBUM HIGHLIGHTS: None

PREVIOUS BAND RATING:	(0.0 / 5)
ACCESSIBILITY:	(2.5 / 5)
HEAVINESS:	(3.0 / 5)
MELODIC:	(3.0 / 5)
ARTWORK & PACKAGING:	(4.0 / 5)
DRAMA:	(4.0 / 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: Carptree’s – Emerger

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

So I heard and earlier album by them called man made machine and I thought it was wonderful right at first listen. It started, well not a love affair, but a like affair with the band. I was able to see their first live performance at RoSfest in support of that album. I think their lack of stage presents was noticeable and might have distracted people from their great album.

I think this album like their two before it are well worth a listen.

I am a fan of Karl Westholm as I think Carptree and Jupiter Society are both above average progrock bands.

I happen to think that Nicklas Flinck vocals are memorizing and they pair very well with the music.

PREVIOUS BAND RATING:	(4.0 / 5)
ACCESSIBILITY:	(3.5 / 5)
HEAVINESS:	(2.0 / 5)
MELODIC:	(4.5 / 5)
ARTWORK & PACKAGING:	(4.0 / 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

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: Ghost Toast’s – Out of This World

by Mark Monforti | Jul 27, 2017 | News, Reviews

So if you have seen my previous reviews or looked at my last.fm account , you would realize that I rarely listen to instrumental music.

This band and album of which I have never heard of before was quite a treat.

The band put out a very enjoyable album. As you will in the ratings below it is very accessible. It may get better with more listens but if you don’t find yourself liking at least parts of it on first listen I don’t think you need to try it again.

But I am guessing you will like it on first listen this album is full of crunchy guitars, nice changes with many different instruments leading different parts of each song.

ALBUM HIGHLIGHTS: Ka Mai, Gordius,

PREVIOUS BAND RATING:	(0.0 / 5)
ACCESSIBILITY:	(3.0 / 5)
HEAVINESS:	(4.0 / 5)
MELODIC:	(2.0 / 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

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: Phideaux’s – Doomsday Afternoon

by Mark Monforti | Jul 26, 2017 | News, Reviews

So back when this came out I had never heard of the band. I heard it on the Wednesday night show about Interstellar Overdrive back in 2007. My wife and I both where amazed at the album. It became a staple of our show which was called Sounds of Muzak back then.

Valerie Gracious does a great job for the female lead vocals, Matthew Parmenter of Discipline. plays violin on this album the orchestra for Microdeath Softstar is amazing.

This really is progressive rock at its pinnacle. Thanks to amazing song writing skills of Phideaux Xavier.

We liked this album so much we got on a plane to see them at 3RP. Later on we saw them many more times including the joint in LA, RosFest, Terra Incognita, Summers End, and twice right here at our Chicago house.

So when you look at our Key for Album reviews you can see we really do mean what we say about 5 star albums.

ALBUM HIGHTLIGHTS: Micro Softdeathstar,Crumble, Formaldehyde, Microdeath Softstar

PREVIOUS BAND RATING:	(0.0 / 5)
ACCESSIBILITY:	(4.0 / 5)
HEAVINESS:	(1.0 / 5)
MELODIC:	(4.0 / 5)
ARTWORK & PACKAGING:	(4.0 / 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 Review: Galahad’s – Quiet Storm

by Mark Monforti | Jul 25, 2017 | News, Reviews

So here is a band I heard for the first time at Rosfest 2009 where they were a last minute replacement. I went in there with no expectations and saw a wonderful performance. At the time they were supporting what became my favorite Galahad album, Empires Never Last(ENL). I was immediately captivated by Stu’s vocals and stage presence where I was knocked on my back side to their rendition of I Could be God Since then this band has been very prolific and for my money maybe has never made an album as good as ENL but everyone has been well worth the purchase. Like all the other albums I highly recommend this album.

This particular album as is inferred by the title is much mellower than their predecessors.

This is one of the few bands that have an open invitation to play Chicago if they ever decide to take me up on that offer we will let you know here. To give you an idea of my taste in music, other bands that have taken me up on that offer are Phideaux, Guy Manning, Unitopia, Unreal City, Discipline.

If you are wondering why Guardian Angel sounds familiar it was on their live release Solidarit. This life Could Be My Last is also from the a fore mentioned ENL.

ALBUM HIGHLIGHTS: Guardian Angel, Iceberg, Willow Way,Easier Said Than Done, Marz (And Beyond)

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

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: Karibow’s – From Here to the Impossible

Mark’s Quick Review: Ars Nova – Biogenesis Project

Mark’s Quick Reviews: Carptree’s – Emerger

Mark’s Quick Review: Ghost Toast’s – Out of This World

Mark’s Quick Review: Phideaux’s – Doomsday Afternoon

Mark’s Quick Review: Galahad’s – Quiet Storm

Upcoming Shows