Huminoita - All is Two

It’s hard to describe about Huminoita’s music. They are a group from Finland that for me, in my opinion, combine the essence of Progressive Rock, Post-Rock, Stoner Rock, Space Rock, and Doom Metal rolled into one gigantic hot and spicy burrito with a dosage of wasabi and Tabasco sauce. This is their second album released on the label, Luova Records which is a follow up to their 2010 sole self-titled debut album. Now I’m new to the band’s music, but I have to say, the moment I put the album on my little portable CD player, I knew something magical and mysterious was about to happen.

It is ominous, atmospheric, and shattering. Almost as if you are looking through a crystal ball and exploring that have eruptive power. There are vocalizations featuring some Jazzy blues into the mix as if it was recorded in 1973 that reminisces of early Pink Floyd, Ash Ra Tempel, Jimi Hendrix, and the Houses of the Holy-era of Led Zeppelin. The band considers; Ville Makarainen on Guitar, Flutes, and Vocals, Timo Keranen on Guitar and Percussion, Ville Makinen on Bass, Jonne Ketola on Drums, and Matti Solo on Sax, Keyboards, and Synthesizers. And not to mention that include additional members Laura Lehtola on Vocals, and Oula Karppinen on Sax and Trumpet.

Opener, The Sheriff is a chilling introduction. Echoing guitar structure with a wind-blowing atmosphere that is a darker vibration as if you could feel a pin drop as you walk into a ghost town as if something went horribly wrong. There’s a spaghetti western score to it as if both Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin had worked together with Sergio Leone to create that sound for a continuation of The Man with No Name.

Hymn 23 is a touch of the John Paul Jones-sque electric piano going through a leslie speaker. The band give each other free-rein on the vocalizations that reminded me at times of Diagonal’s The Second Mechanism-era which is very awe-inspiring while Goliath has fuzz-tone Bass riffs, hyper driving into outer space as both Ville and Timo channel Manuel Gottsching with thundering blasts into the sky.

But then they create a chance for a calming movement but with asceding roars as if the beast to let out with The Pilgrim. At first it starts off very relaxed with a jazzy rhythm between flute and sax and then moving into a blaring yet sooth finale as if John Coltrane had teamed up with King Crimson and Radiohead with a psychedelic-twist. The 10-minute and 43 second epic, King of Hearts is where it comes full circle.

Pounding-train guitar rhythm section that strikingly resembles Space/Post-Rock with a Doom Metal combination of Black Sabbath meets Hawkwind that features different movements with exciting thrills with petrifying results. The closer, Hymn 24 features mellowing bluesy guitars with a subduing rhythm score as if it was set during a dystopian post-apocalyptic world with a haunting end.

My eye-brows went up from the moment I’ve listened to their music on their bandcamp site and just hearing those sounds, just took me on the edge of my seat. I can’t wait to hear more of the band’s music and what they might have in store next for the next years to come. 

Uriah Heep - Totally Driven

This 2-CD set was originally re-recorded 14 years ago as they were getting ready for both the Acoustically Driven and Electrically Driven concerts. They were released under a puzzled title, “Remasters”, but it soon was out of print very quickly. Now released last year on the band’s first on their own label, Uriah Heep Records via Cherry Red label and it is the band’s full input. And the moment I put on the CDs on my portable CD player, it’s like a trip back in time to the golden era of the Hard Rock, and Progressive format they bring.

It’s also a symphonic and orchestral side to Totally Driven thanks to the Uriah Heep Classic Rock Ensemble. In this line-up recorded in 2001, was considered; Mick Box on Guitar, Trevor Bolder (David Bowie, Wishbone Ash) on Bass, Bernie Shaw on Lead Vocals, Lee Kerslake on Drums, and Phil Lanzon on Keyboards. The album artwork done by Igor orski and the graphic designs by Wieslaw Wiszowaty, has a steampunk atmosphere of the beginning of the early 20^th century which is a mind-blowing cover like something straight out of either a Jules Verne or H.G. Wells’ story.

But let’s get straight to the music. The classical choir’s gives some of the Uriah Heep classics an epic roar as Shaw himself nails those vocals very well to capture the essence of both David Byron and John Lawton while guitarist Mick Box himself shows that there is no sign of stopping. He is still growing stronger and stronger without stopping. And the ten centerpieces on here, shows that Uriah Heep are still keeping the flaming fire’s burning.

July Morning has the Rare Bird-sque feel with a haunting and moving rhythm section thanks to Phil’s roaring Organ, the late great Trevor Bolder’s bass lines and Mick Box’s ascending improvisations on the lead guitar and it’s such a powerful, eruptive, emotional, and strong like an explosion to hit at the right exact moment. And then, the roaring rocking tempos continue on with a bullet-driven speed in searching for hope on Sunrise, Return to Fantasy and Easy Livin’ while the acoustic side on the second disc, is a very interesting and at times ascending, balladry, and catchy.

There’s the journey into the unknown with Wonderworld and the Spooky Tooth in your face power for More Fool You. But it’s The Golden Palace that shows their classical side with a haunting intro that feels almost as if Uriah Heep have done an epic score and then the wonders inside the palace gives it a chilling atmosphere and feeling the tension that sends shivers down the spine before it rises to a heavenly rhythm.

But then back into the Electrical drive with the flaming fire for the revving ready to rev into the night. The thumping and eruptive Look At Yourself and Traveller in Time are audiences crowning achievements and Bernie himself nails those chops on his vocals and staying true to both the vocalists I mentioned earlier. And then the closing on the second disc of Lady In Black, is in true honor of the original with the symphony orchestra, that shines brightly and the backing vocals blend very well.

This is my eighth time listening to Totally Driven. I have to admit, I’m not a wild Uriah Heep fan, but I really appreciate and respect both the talent, the power, and the glory that the band brings into the live recordings, they really take the Prog and Hard Rock levels up a notch. This here is a true gem for Uriah Heep fans to delve to see where both Electric and Acoustic work together with the Classic Rock Music Ensemble to have an orchestral rock take on the classic hits.

Vasil Hadzimanov Band featuring David Binney - Alive

This live CD released on the MoonJune Records label this year, shows the Vasil Hadzimanov Band at their finest. Since the formation of the band 15 years ago and recorded in October of 2014 during the Serbian tour in Belgrade, it contains eight tracks that you can imagine yourself by closing your eyes and imagine yourself being at their concert and witnessing something special and breathtaking before your very eyes from start to finish.

Keyboardist/Pianist Vasil is a graduate at the Berklee College of Music at Boston. He also performed with artist such as David Gilmore (not the guitarist from Pink Floyd, but a different name), Antonio Sanchez, Matt Garrison, and Nigel Kennedy to name a few. And featuring guest musician Dave Binney on alto sax, the band considers; Miroslav Tovirac on Bass, Bohan Ivakovic on Percussion and Vocals, Branko Trijic on Guitar and Percussion, and Peda Milutinovic on Drums.

The opening 11-minute track, Nocturnal Joy is a riveting Jazz Fusion stunner that starts it off with a gigantic bang. There are bits and pieces that the band pay tribute to Weather Report’s Heavy Weather-era by channeling both Jaco Pastorius, Joe Zawinul, and Wayne Shorter to name a few. At the 5 minute and 10 second mark, Binney’s alto sax goes into arpeggiated sections in a Free Jazz improvisation with Shorter meets Coltrane vibe.

You can imagine the audience being jaw-dropped and also applauding, cheering and standing up for them as Binney is going in for a home run as he blares like a twisting tornado with the driven forces with the Vasil Hadzimanov Band following in to see where he would go to next for the last 2-minutes in a climatic end to roaring cheers. Zulu is this combination fast-driven rhythm between The Mahavishnu Orchestra meets Primus.

There is a lot of mind-blowing improvisations between Branko, Miroslav, and Peda as they pay tribute to The Inner Mounting Flame with the first two minutes that reminded me of The Noonward Race before Bojan creates this insane-like vocalizations that is almost going through a Leslie Speaker as audiences clap for more as tempo changes. Then, Dave Binney does an eerie yet intense sax improvisation with rapid momentum as the VH band give him free-rein on where Binney goes into.

Dolazim starts off with a Bitches Brew-era and Clock-ticking guitar effect that brings into mind of Steve Hackett. There is crescendos on the Rhodes before the African Rock vibration in the midsection as the results for a blending excitement between percussions, bass, and keyboards working like a team while Odlazim reminiscent's The Mars Volta’s Frances The Mute-era with swirling/spooky moog improvisations and a stomping finale to clap along to the heavy riffs.

It’s time to give the electric instruments a chance for a relaxation as Vasil and Dave do a duo together with Razbolje Se Simsir List. It’s classical jazz with the spirits of both George Gershwin and John Coltrane thrown in together with the bits of Rhapsody in Blue meets A Love Supreme featuring a lullaby at the very end and they create magic between each other.

But on Vaiya, Binney is giving the sax the ecstatic energy it needs with a power of voltage as the band gives him a chance to be in center stage. He improvises throughout the movements of various sections sad, emotional, and happy at the same time before Miroslav brings the Bass to a Jaco funk groove to a “T”. Once you add the percussion/drum sections to the mix, it adds in the Brazilian bossa-nova rhythms to close it down and doing one more number with Otkrice Snova.

Vasil creates this futuristic introduction with a Synthesized Organ between the ARP 2500 and EMS VCS3 that the essence of Pete Townshend’s Lifehouse project comes to mind before moving with the Fusion blast that audiences have a blast and closing off the album to roaring applause. I’m very new to the world of Vasil Hadzimnaov and Dave Binney, and I had a blast listening to the Alive album.

MoonJune Records always have scored a huge home run and of course the super bowl for me when it comes to releasing amazing Jazz and Prog music. And this here you can imagine yourself closing your eyes and imagine yourself being at one of their shows just being in awe and jaw-dropped of what is going to happen next of the Vasil Hazimanov Band’s music along with Dave Binney. 

Sri Hanuraga - To The Universe

Sri Hanuraga is a name that just took me by surprise. His second album, To The Universe which was recorded in Amsterdam, is a Jazz album that deserves some attention and showing that is growing and surviving from the pianist himself. He has been performing Jazz piano from day one in Indonesia as he studied at the age of 17 with Indra Lesmana. He won the first prize at JGTC competition and performed in various Jazz festivals in Indonesia.

When you listen to this second album you can get a feel of the inspirations he has from his instrument from the realms of Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner, and Dwiki Dharmawan to name a few. And a few of the center highlights on here, shows how much he is bringing the spirits and influences like a flaming fire that just won’t go away and keeping the smoking flames go for a long time and seeing where it would head into for the years to come.

Opener, Teka-taki is a reminiscent of Thelonious Monk’s Monk’s Quartet as Sri captures Monk’s essence and momentum on the Grand Piano. It reminded me of Well You Needn’t as the band come into play to create the magic with the beats and rhythm as if Sri is a conductor and letting them know when the time comes into hit the right notes on their instruments.

The two tracks Amadeus and Schoenfeld, here Sri brings the sounds of Vince Guaraldi on here. I can imagine Sri doing the score for The Peanuts Movie and staying true to honor both Guaraldi and Peanuts creator Charles M. Schultz. There’s a gentle warmth beauty with a very relaxing classical mid-tempo structure. It’s almost as if you are walking in Central Park and watching the leaves fall to the clean-cut grass as the Autumn is about to begin.

Suwe Ora Jamu starts with a concerto-classical intense piano thump as Sri hums along to the Melody whilst going into a whole new world. Kristijan Karanjncam is going all over the drums as the intense string bass playing in the midsection by Mattia Magatelli as they reach loud climatic finale battle between both the Bass and Drums before Sri comes to calm down with a gentle calming end.

But it’s the three-part suite of Ever Changing that is the center highlight and almost like putting cherry on a hot fudge sundae. The first part starts with Rodrigo Parejo Mateos folky flute improvisation with an ascending beat before Kristijan’s galloping drum section with the cymbals while the second part has an ominous mourning atmosphere for the sun to come down as the flute is crying in the sky for a loss one. But it’s third part that is the real killer.

Sri goes into the sounds of the Canterbury scene with the Fuzz-tone sound from the Rhodes as he channels both Dave Stewart and Mike Ratlege as if the two of the collaborated with each other of The Polite Force-era of Egg working with the Third-era of the Soft Machine. It is a reminiscent as if it was recorded in 1971 with time signatures going off the wall and you can hear between Facelift and A Visit to Newport Hospital.

Released last year on the Indonesian record label De Majors Records and distributed by MoonJune Records. When something from MoonJune comes in for me in the mail, I know something special comes in through my ears when I put it in my portable CD player. 

With To The Universe, it is for me, a mind-blowing and breathtaking Jazz album with a touch of Folk, Classical, and bit of Prog into the mix. Sri brings it and nails it down very, very well. I can’t wait to hear more from Sri Hanuraga. So if you love Hancock, Guaraldi, and Canterbury Prog, this is the real deal!

Billy Sherwood - Citizen

Billy Sherwood is a bassist and vocalist who worked with bands and artists such as Motorhead, Deep Purple, Air Supply, Paul Rodgers, Def Leppard, and Yes. He is also following in the footsteps of the late great Chris Squire and it’s a huge amount of shoes to fill in the mastermind of the heart and soul of Yes. And he knows to make sure to stay true and honor Chris’ legacy and keep the flaming fire of Yes, going on for years and years to come and making sure it doesn’t burn out.

Now I’m very new to Sherwood’s music. It has a symphonic, pop, and progressive flavor to it when I listened to his eighth album released last year on the Frontiers Records label entitled Citizen. And this is a very emotional and breathtaking album to feature alongside Chris Squire, but also; Geoff Downes, Jon Davison, Steve Hackett, Alan Parsons, Rick Wakeman, and Tony Kaye to name a few and giving Sherwood a helping hand.

It’s also a concept album in which it deals various histories, time travel, and infinite universes. The opening title track begins with a dystopian fanfare symphonic introduction that gives a reminiscent of Within Temptation’s Mother Earth-era. Yes members that include Organist Tony Kaye and Bassist Chris Squire, play on this composition as Sherwood himself plays not just Bass, but Guitar and Drums. And he plays them very, very well which is not bad at all.

Kaye’s Organ is momentum as the song deals with the historical times through the different centuries the travelers go through those moments in time. The Great Depression deals with the Wall Street Crash of 1929 and the piece goes into a moving ballad of the downfall. Rick Wakeman’s piano sets the emotional tone on what was happening during the crash while Empire has this mid ‘80s atmosphere that delves into the sounds of Pink Floyd’s A Momentary Lapse of Reason.

Alan Parsons takes over the lead vocal arrangements as the song touches on someone taking over the city. At first it seems that everyone can live their dreams, but it comes with a heavy price. It crashes down like a ton of bricks as the story has the similarities between Ayn Rand and George Orwell mixing in together of them writing a story together that would make the novelists very proud of.

Jerry Goodman from the Mahavishnu Orchestra, his electric violin ascends into heaven from the improvisations in the midsection and the sounds through Sherwood’s backing vocals and futuristic keyboard sections gives he and Jerry, creative shining freedom between each other. And they work along with Parsons himself, wonderfully together. It’s not just Billy, but lending a helping hand with one another.

All in all, this is perhaps one of the most mind-blowing and powerful albums Billy has released. I have returned more than a few times of listening to Citizen so far and it shows that he really shines a light throughout the album as a professor of time travel with amazing conceptual brainstorming ideas.

La Curva Di Lesmo - La Curva Di Lesmo

La Curva Di Lesmo is a side project by Fabio Zuffanti (Finisterre, Hostsonaten, La Maschera Di Cera) and Stefano Agini (La Coscienza Di Zeno). It is a concept album based around the erotic comic strip series that launched back 51 years ago by the late Guido Crepax on the character Valentina who is based and inspired by the looks of silent film actress Louise Brooks. The music that duo created, is to share the elements of mystery and the darker side of the character.

Released last year on the AMS Record label, the album is an emotional, strong, and fascinating concept that would have made Guido Crepax himself very proud of what Zuffanti and Agini have done. And with help from people such as members from Analogy, Latte e Miele, il Tempio Delle Clessidre, and Saint Just to name a few, it is an album that will be played for years and years to come. When I first heard about it and listened to some samples of the album, I knew this was the album I was looking for and I bought it and I fell in love with it.

The textures of Progressive, Electronic, Avant-Rock, Orchestral, Pop, and Folk, blend in very well together. For example on the 17-minute composition of L’isola Delle Lacrime, is one of the most electro-experimental turned soaring pieces that capture the late ‘70s/early ‘80s that Fabio and Stefano created. An homage to the late great David Bowie’s Low-era, which starts off as a surreal atmospheric introduction between Electronic Drums, Organ and Moog creating a spooky melody that reminded me of Warszawa.

And then Jenny Sorrenti of Saint Just and Max Manfredi of Latte E Miele come into the picture on the vocals, knowing that it’s a special moment before the dooming guitar rhythm and riffs by Laura Marsano, brings the elemental wonder of Tony Iommi. Jenny sings beautifully on her vocals and reaches those notes higher in the different areas of the song that she reminded me of Doris Norton and Annie Haslam combined into one in a surreal interesting way.

The last 7-minutes of the track begins with an operatic rock between Max and Jenny duetting with each other and it just hits you very well for the goosebumps and chills on where they hit the note before the driven forces with the thumping tempos come in. I can hear the Celtic Folk with an electronic vibe thanks to the flute of Edmondo Romano of Eris Pluvia. Unexpected, but at the same time just for me, one word: Wow!

La Posa Dei Morti in which opens the album off, Beatrice Antolini who gives an astonishing performance to start the composition through her beauty and ecstatic vocal arrangements as the warmth and vivid surprising keyboard work between Mellotron, Moog, and Organ, it’s almost like opening the doors to see what will happen next to see what will give us a real special treat. And Beatrice who is a part of the Indie underground scene in Italy, she nails it down to a “T”.

The closing 26-minute five-part suite Ho Rischiato To Di Vivere, begins with ominous organ sounds, militant funeral drum beats, hypnotic keyboards, and mellotron-like vocalizations before Claudio Milano of NichelOdeon comes in with his voice that almost gives it a darker atmosphere. His voice reminded me at times of Alessio Calandriello of La Coscienza Di Zeno and it just took me to a level that I’ve never heard before in my entire life. Then we delve into the essences of the late ‘60s adventure into space between Guitar and Moog that has a psychedelic twist to the piece before a stirring piano piece comes into play.

Through the mysterious orchestral rock vibration thanks to the string arrangements, followed by a hard guitar-lines, keyboards, and vocal-lines through the instrument, makes me almost saying more of the composition. Fabio and Stefano brought a lot of energy and amazement with this side project and the help from the various band members along with Beatrice Antolini, it is a spectacular dark, and mind-boggling album they brought here.

I really enjoyed this album and I hope they do a follow up for the Valentina stories because it’s almost a continuation on what happens next. Even though it ran from 1965 to 1996, it would be neat to see where the character goes into next and the music itself is like the soundtrack, score and movie inside your head. I imagine that the Valentina stories could have been used for the adult illustrated fantasy magazine, Heavy Metal, but off-topic, this is Italian Prog at it’s best!

Yuka & Chronoship - The 3rd Planetary Chronicles

Launched seven years ago from the Land of the Rising Sun, Yuka & Chronoship are a quartet featuring keyboardist and vocalist Yuka Funakoshi who is the driving force behind the band which considers; Shun Taguchi on Bass, Takashi Miyazawa on Guitar, and Ikko Tanaka on Drums and Percussion. The band have released three albums so far from 2011 to 2015 in which their new album released on UK label, Cherry Red Records in the fall of last year entitled, The 3^rd Planetary Chronicles.

This was an album that just not only put me on the edge of my seat, but it completely took me by surprise and blew me away from start to finish. Throughout the entire album, it is magical, visionary, and ingenious. Almost like an alternate score for Hayao Miyazaki’s 1984 classic, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. Yuka is in the realms of composer Leopold Stokowski when she conducts and arranges the compositions, knowing where the band will go into with harmonizing melodies.

The evidential ambient structure, are shown with the atmospheric and calming piano warmth to On the Radio. It starts off with radio static as Yuka’s piano is heard in the background during the dystopian society that is shows on what the future shows what it was once fine, now it is not. Takashi Miyazawa’s guitar playing, is eye-brow lifts, jaw dropped, and blaring on what he gives to the listener.

It’s shown on pieces like the symphonic adventure of E = C#m. Here, Takahi channels both Steve Howe and Franco Mussida where the two combinations meet and blend between the Yes Fragile-era and Premiata Forneria Marconi’s Photos of Ghosts while channeling the birth of the blue planet with Birth of the Earth (Magma Ocean). He then delves into the styles of David Gilmour with a tribute to the Wright brothers on Wright Flyer 1903.

Here, Shun Taguchi gives some talent of the ascending bass lines he shows to the forefront as Ikko himself, lets his drums go into a relaxing mode before the Moog workout with a Wakeman-sque touch. Yuka is no fluke when it comes to the conducting and orchestral side of the beginnings of planet earth. She goes through various motions whether it’s Progressive Rock, Post-Prog, and Classical boundaries.

Here on Stone Age, you have a pastoral-orchestrated beat with dramatic percussion work, synths between Moog and Flute. It’s a flying rhythm showing the creation of the dawn of man as if James Horner was in awe and imagine working with the group to create ideas for James Cameron’s 2009 sci-fi film, Avatar. The lyrics in the booklet for Age of Steam, is uplifting and spiritual and Yuka sings beautifully through the Acoustic Guitar, Flute touches and Mellotron wonders that makes it staggering and stunning.

The Landmarq influences are in there followed by the Arena Rock late ‘70s reminiscent of Kansas. Finale, Birth of the Earth – Embryonic Planet, begins with a quiet haunting piano introduction before kicking into high gear with a volcanic rhythm section, waltz-bluey part with a progressive punch. The lead and rhythm sections that Takashi gives driving beats with hypnotic results.

I have listened to The 3^rd Planetary Chronicles about 10 times now. I was blown away again, and again, and again. Yuka & Chronoship are the real thing when it comes beautiful Progressive Rock sounds and Yuka herself is a master. So if you love the late ‘70s Prog and bands and artists such as Landmarq, Steven Wilson, Yes, Gentle Giant, and Kansas, then delve into the world of Yuka & Chronoship.