Eternal Essence (Progressive, Instrumental, Rock/Metal)


Let me start out by saying that Eternal Essence absolutely rocks. This is so good, I have to grab my pair of Sennhiser headphones for another listen while I write. My initial impression of this band was that it was heavily influenced by Dream Theater. You can just feel it in the mix–especially if you focus on EJ’s machine like tight drum work, which is just all around superb. The use of piano and synth throughout, which provides a backdrop to work with, helped to give each piece a lot of genuine atmosphere and character. Even the bassist brings something to the table, interjecting subtle details of noted intricacy that add a nice touch when needed. The guitar work, which is oddly well tempered for a band of this genre of music, keeps with the spirit of the overall thematic approach that this band has crafted so well from one song to the next. And if I had to hazard to go out on a limb, I would risk saying that this band is going to continue to put out more awesome sounding tracks. In fact, I look forward to it. But, don’t take my word for it. I urge you to have a listen for yourself. And be sure to drop me a message to let me know what you think about Eternal Essence.

To check out Eternal Essence, please visit:
http://www.myspace.com/eternalessence

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Jonas Tamas (Progressive/Instrumental Rock)


It is time for all my loyal readers to join me inside the fall out shelter for a special announcement. It is my pleasure to present to you the axe master from Budapest Hungary, Jonas Tamas. In the short time I’ve known about Jonas, I’ve just been amazed by his ability to handle a guitar. Normally, I tend to be quite critical of instrumental guitarists. Many who go down the instrumental path tend to spend too much time focusing on extreme lead playing and forget that the goal is to actually bring a balance to the music that aims to be appealing to the audience. What makes Jonas different is that he has a very deep sense of how to develop the landscape he intends to play against from one song to the next. When he brings up the lead, you can really hear him deliver a flawless performance as he dazzles you with engaging musical phrases and a superior picking technique that will leave you speechless.

On the occasions that I have had the pleasure to speak with Jonas over email, I have found him to be a person who truly appreciates his fans. And it is because he exhibits this quality, along with being a superb musician, that I believe he is deserving of your support. Recently, Jonas has released a new album called, “Sharp Guitars From A Flat Planet.” It’s a project that I know Jonas has put a lot of hard work and effort into, as I followed his updates on the various stages of the recording project over the last few months, reading the many comments he left for his fans on Facebook along the way. The somewhat haunting lead on Mosquito Bite and the emotional energy in the track Tight Squeeze, really stand out as works that demonstrate that Jonas has a dynamically melodic side as well as an ability to shred with the best instrumental guitarists around. So, be sure to pick up the album from CDBaby by following the link on our main page.

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Theocracy (Metal, Christian, Progressive)


After listening to this band, you might want to talk your pastor into booking them to play at your next church function. Okay, that might be a little too much for the old blue haired folks who sleep in the back rows. The reality is that Theocracy truly rocks. The rhythms are powerful and tight, the singing is melodic and orchestral, and you can’t help but move to the music. Before I forget, it is about time that someone put Frosty and Rudolph in their place. You will just have to listen to their Christmas song to know what i mean. Although, I would have liked to have heard them put Santa in his place too. They sound like Dream Theater meets Savatage with richer vocals. So, I definitely recommend checking these guys out, if you are into fast heavy metal with great singing.

To check out Theocracy, please visit:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=150053352

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Spiral (Progressive rock, Alternative)


  When I first ran across the band Spiral, I half expected their music to be modeled after the Japanese anime by the same name.  The dark disposition of their music would seem to suggest that they might be Blade children in disguise, but we would have to check to see if they are missing a rib to be certain.  On a more serious note, this fabulous group comes to us out of Poland.  Their music at times strikes me as sounding rather tribal, not what i would expect to be a huge focus of Polish culture from the homeland of my own ancestry.  I would even go as far as to say that their sound verges on being a little psychedelic at times, which makes this band all the more interesting to listen too.  Their songs definitely retain an alternative flavor.  So, be sure to check out Spiral and let me know what you think.

To check out Spiral, please visit:
http://spiral.pl

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Hour Band (Progressive, Soul, Lyrical)


There are times when I feel it is just good to get out of my element and listen to music that really doesn’t make much sense to me. And that is why this week my blurry eye is trying to focus on Hour Band. The singing is amateurish, the feel is rather poorly done psychedelic than progressive, and the guy mastering the tracks couldn’t resist the urge to pan left and right every five seconds. The play on audio dimensionalism was a nice touch on the first song I listened to, but relying on that trick over and over again from one song to the next made it seem more like a gimic than anything else. But, this is where it is difficult to review a band like this. For all my negative criticism, one may imagine that Hour Band is using this technique to develop some sort of a signature sound. And to some extent, that may actually be a justifiable objection. However, I think this is a situation where less is more applies, which is certainly easy for me to say from the sidelines. Nevertheless, I urge my readers to check out Hour Band and judge for themselves, even though this group is not my cup of tea.

To check out Hour Band, please visit: http://www.myspace.com/hourband

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