Symphony X - new album released(Underworld) and some new discovered songs from (Iconoclast)

My last post was precisely about Symphony X, so what a better way to restart than with symphony X new material?
 Well there are Two Reasons, to which I decided to bring back Symphony X so soon after my post in late 2014, The first one and most important to me, they are back in Portugal, Lisbon, on February 28, 2016 and finally a good chance to hear them live, only dependent of some logistic problems, I went recently to 4 concerts and always buying something in the merchandising becomes expensive, but so worthy
The second good reason is the new album Underworld

 I haven't heard yet the new album as a whole, I like to hear the albums with ease to detect all there is to detect and because a lot of albums don't enter in our minds at the first audition, so I have so much to hear in these days, that I have to catch an opportunity.
I already heard several times the first lyric video for this album Nevermore, It makes me remember the power on Set the World on fire, and knowing Russel Allen was in a parallel project called Adrenaline Mob, that sound a bit alike this nevermore, A strong and powerful song, check it

Here it is another lyric video, lyric videos are a common thing now, they understood they promote better a song than just the music, another song from Underworld, this song is musically near the sound of When All is Lost, Candelight Fantasia, I love bands wich can produce a wide range of emotions in songs, this one is called Without You

I talked about Adrenaline Mob, a side project from Russel Allen, check this one to, maybe some of you will enjoy it, maybe even more than Symphony X.

 At last I am going to share another song from Iconoclast That I am becoming addicted, because of the lyrics, music, and all the musical environment around, the song is called, Electric Messiah, being a fan more of metal guitars than of drums as a lot of people I know, a messiah that's electric, almost like the guitar as the messiah, good connection

Almost a year passed since my last post

Yeah a lot happens in one month, sadly not professionally, but musically so much changed in this period, and I checked the way I was writing the posts here is not the smarter way. Makes the posts dated and harder to read later. so From now on despite keeping the old posts and editing to correct some huge english flaws, mainly cause by mistypes. However even if needed be to make more posts in a day it's better, not only to not keep this blog outdated but to be able now to post new stuff I found and to post all it's coming out.

 What can I say of what's about to come is some of the already posted bands released new material, some bands I was already to post something of released also new material, but the major point is some cool stuff I found in progressive, out of metal. and some out of metal stuff that are really enjoyable, to keep the pace balanced between heavier and soft sounds.

I am yet to decide the new post structure, but I will think about that tomorrow. Wait for it...

ProgCenter - Symphony X - one of the main references

Today I will talk about one of the main stars of Progressive Metal - SYMPHONY X

 Formed in 1994 in New Jersey by it's guitarist Michael Romeo. They immense strength comes from several elements, some from the core of progressive metal, others more from prog rock, and a lot of influences from power metal.
The vocals on this band are also amazing, the voice of Russel Allan, today I can say that in my top 10 singers there are two USA singers DC Cooper and Russel Allan

 Russel Allan - Symphony X vocalist 

Who know my musical roots, will know which album brought me to Symphony X. The divine Wings of Tragedy from 1997. And why? would you ask? because for me is the one where the power metal influence is more clear.

Talking only about one song is really hard, cause being the songs in the album:

1.	Of Sins and Shadows	04:58
2.	Sea of Lies	04:19
3.	Out of the Ashes	03:40
4.	The Accolade	09:51
5.	Pharaoh	05:29
6.	The Eyes of Medusa	05:26
7.	The Witching Hour	04:15
8.	The Divine Wings of Tragedy	20:43
9.	Candlelight Fantasia	06:45

I Can say that all the songs are special on its genre. I started with Of sins and Shadows and Out of the Ashes, probably if you came from Power metal to, this are the ones that resemble more that kind of style. 

However The Accolade is really really strong, power guitar and bass but then a lot of emotion put in the lyrics. It's a story for sure. Then recently I discovered Pharaoh, Sea of Lies and The Eyes of Medusa. These 3 are more power progressive metal, you clearly see the pace changing on these songs.

But for me as they say here in my Land, the last ones are always the first.

And Candlelight Fantasia is just too perfect, simply amazing. From lyrics, to music to interconnection of the sounds. A true masterpiece to close a fantastic album. This is the one I will share with you here from this album, it's because of this songs that sometimes hearing a song years later can make a difference. a Song can simply mean nothing to you today, but in some months, years, specially after having the maturity to enjoy that music you simply ignored once, now is the best of all the ones you heard from that album. Trust me when I say, the songs which take longer to enter in your mind through your ears are the ones you will remember later, the other ones that are easily catchy one day or another you will probably grow tired of them, I use the term "musicas orelhudas" in a very direct translation Songs with big ears, are song design to enter our ears not for it's complexity but because it has simple elements that make them easier to remember.

Another album that I also love now, but which I avoided for too much time is Iconoclast from 2011 (don't stop on this two all their discography is worthwhile to be heard. I just have to narrow a bit and I pass directly to another album which is clearly more progressive metal, not so power as before. Here I will share with you also the last song of the album When All is Lost, A continuously changing pace, that will defy a lot of what you conceive as metal or not, as melodic or speedy, another piece of art as Symphony X used us to.

Just to mention another great song, Try Paradise Lost, from the album with the same name, the same album from Set the World on fire, the official videoclip. Hear also both of them and then you also understand that sometimes symphony x, also add heavy sounds to power and progressive metal

Symphony X - Paradise Lost

Symphony X - Set the World on Fire (Lie of Lies) Official Album

Progressive elements - Industrial/Gothic Metal - Deathstars - Night Electric Night(2009) and The Perfect Cult(2014)

Sorry for the long Silence. Sometimes the strength to write is not much, and i'm in a time of my life of discovering some new stuff in music and on my professional life.

But today I BRing you the Swedish band Deathstars.

Don't expect on Deathstars the kinf of sound from Rammstein, Turmion Kätilot or sonorities near Static-X. Deathstars know how to mix good old industrial, with gothic elements and even with some progressive(some guitar weight present, good rifs) and black metal elements. However despite all that mix, we have also another important element, it's maybe the best band to mix metal and electronical elements without making it too much. If you have an eclectic taste and you are looking for something different, than Deathstars is what you're looking for. I first met Deathstars in Night Electric Night, Death Dies Hard song and became totally addicted to deathstars sound, some mystic sound with somewhat godly environment is amazing. Don't get stuck in this album check the previous ones, has there is also talent and well made songs.
The band is formed by:

• Andreas "Whiplasher Bernadotte" Bergh (b. May 2, 1977) – lead vocals
• Emil "Nightmare Industries" Nödtveidt (b. November 11, 1976) – lead guitar, keyboards
• Jonas "Skinny Disco" Kangur (b. July 29, 1979) – bass guitar, backing vocals
• Oscar "Vice" Leander (b. February 5, 1990) - drums

This year they released the new album Perfect Cult, in June. The sound is more mature maybe some naivety that was left was substituted with that mature song. The song All the devil's toys are worth listening.
So the songs I will share with you today are official video from Death Dies hard and the video, also official, of All the Devil's Toys

PostMetal Prog Metal - Blut Aus Nord - 777 – Cosmosophy

Continuing in France Let's talk about great band, Blut Aus Nord

Blut Aus Nord are clearly heavier than Alcest, their sound is not so crystalline is really more harsh, sometimes more violent, but it's still amazing. When you start listening them, your mind starts floating, and one finds oneself Daydreaming. You get your mind lulled by their sound. you even get sad when it ends.

The band members are:
Vindsval - vocals, guitar (also in: Children of Maani, The Eye) 
W.D. Feld - drums, electronics, keyboards 
GhÖst - bass guitar


It's clearly a post metal sound with progressive elements not excluding some black and doom metal influences, check it out, I leave you "Epitome XVIII" from Cosmosophy

PostMetal/Prog-Rock Alcest - Les Voyages De L'Âme (2012)

Today I bring you a Enormous French band, Alcest

This is a very special band, all how know what post-metal or post-rock is, may already have a hint of what is this band about. But saying they are post metal is really not enough, cause here we add the mystic sound of Post.Metal to a progressive evolution in the musics, a good cadence, then with some dark ambience. In all of this they only have two members maybe the most important one Neige - lead vocals, guitars, keyboards (2000–present), drums (2000-2009), bass (2001–present) and Winterhalter on drums, percussion (2009–present).

Clearly the sound is pure, crystalline, don't expcet to hear some growl or screaming here, but you can expect to hear guitar and bass riffs or vocals that are true masterpieces.

This french band is clearly one of the best ones in this kind of sound, a lot of friends from all around metal, with Blut aus Nord and Les Discrets they are three bands that are worth-hearing

I Leave you with Autres Temps from Les Voyages de L'Âme from 2012.

ProgCenter Andrew MacDermott - Yargos - To Be or Not to Be

Hi folks. Today I will post about the band I mentioned that had a singer who I already talked about before. That Band is Yargos.

The most known material of this band is from 2005, with the album To Be or Not to Be. Here as he did in Threshold in all the albums he appeared (Critical mass, Dead Reckoning, Subsurface, Hypothetical and Clone, is Andrew MacDermott that is well noticed. The band sound is a good mix between progressive metal environment and some retro sounds, some sound that resembles the early 90's/late 80's in metal and rock. The guitar is really present, some speed up in some parts, chorus more elaborated, check it out.

Here I leave you with The Guilded Cage:

Next post will be about a black metal/progressive metal band from Sweden, and then I will pass a bit out of metal to show you a good French band, stay tuned of Progressively Metal and around