Necronomicon, Germany

News: Well, forget what I said. There is a new album (see cover above)! It's noted as such in the comments but I missed the meaning. Oh my goodness, this band is something else...

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Location: Aachen

Overview: Necronomicon released one famous album (in the underground that is) in 1972, and only reappeared with some archival releases in 1990s. Then completely out of nowhere they released an album in 2012 that was even better than their original release!

UMR notes

ARC, England ***Disbanded***

Unfortunately Mark Shreeve passed away on Aug 31, 2022.

To the best of my knowledge, there is no centralized website or Facebook for the band. There's plenty of samples, mostly under the Ian Boddy name. I have no idea why the band's name is capitalized. As far as I know, ARC is not an acronym that stands for something. Maybe the progenitors will inform us?

Overview: One of the premier Berlin School electronic revivalists going today. Mark Shreeve already is enshrined in the school's hall-of-fame with Redshift, so ARC makes it 2 for 2. And Ian Boddy needs no introduction either to fans of the genre.

UMR notes

Taipuva Luotisuora, Finland

News: Taipuva Luotisuora have returned in 2017, after a two year break, playing live concerts well into the summer. No word yet on a new album. September 28, 2018 update: Posts pretty much stopped after the above. Oh well...

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Location: Turku

Overview: Taipuva Luotisuora started as an Ozric like band before incorporating post rock and space rock elements in their sound.

UMR notes

El Circulo de Willis, Spain

News: El Circulo de Willis are active and playing live shows in their native Spain. No word on a new album. I've only heard the latest from 2015 called Retales, but I was mightily impressed with the music and will certainly explore their back catalog as opportunity affords.

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Location: Madrid

Overview: El Circulo de Willis play an exciting instrumental progressive music driven by flute and guitar, with some sax, synthesizer, and metal touches. Like a blend of Ozric Tentacles, Naikaku, and Dream Machine with a bit of Kong thrown in.

Universal Totem Orchestra, Italy

News:  Universal Totem Orchestra are celebrating their latest album release Mathematical Mother, and playing the odd festival. The album itself is brilliant IMO, and is at, or near, the top of my favorite releases from 2016 - and of all the 2010 decade! Don't miss it.

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Location: Rovereto (north of Verona in the mountains near Trento)

Overview: Universal Totem Orchestra are an offshoot group of Runaway Totem, and features a larger scaled group and a trained soprano vocalist. Their music is heavily influenced by Mekanik era Magma, with a dose of heavy instrumental prog fusion. All 3 of their albums to date are fantastic.

Ayahuasca Dark Trip, Peru

News: Ayahuasca Dark Trip have released their latest opus in September entitled Upaya. It's download only so far, but there's talk of a vinyl issue.

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Location: Lima

Overview: Ayahuasca Dark Trip are a psychedelic ambient band from Peru that use guitars and soft vocals to achieve a hypnotic affect.

UMR notes

Litmus, England

News: Litmus are active playing festivals throughout the summer of 2017. There seemed to be talk of a new album, but nothing more has surfaced. I haven't personally heard anything since Planetfall so I'm way behind anyway.

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Location: London

Overview: Litmus are an aggressive space rock band that sound like a hyped up Hawkwind meets Omnia Opera.

UMR notes

Quaterna Requiem, Brazil

News: Quaterna Réquiem are very active on the live front in their home country of Brazil. No word on a new album though.

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Location: Rio de Janeiro

Overview: Quaterna Réquiem were one of the first bands of the late 1980s/early 90s progressive rock renaissance to review the works of the Mediterranean bands such as Quella Vecchia Locanda and Gotic, rather than the standard English "Big 3" of Genesis, Yes, and ELP.

UMR notes

Deformica, Argentina

News: Deformica are very active and playing many live shows in Argentina. No word on a new album, though I haven't heard their latest, which is the 2013 album I'm displaying here. (last check: Oct 8, 2018)

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Location: Buenos Aires

Overview: Deformica are a mix of instrumental King Crimson combined with post rock tendencies. Anywhere from Tortoise to Djam Karet one will spot the sound of Deformica.

UMR notes

Anglagard, Sweden

News: According to the band's website from October 8th: "The band has gone into songwriting mode after several concerts in North America (which happened to include full renditions of "Hybris"). In related news, Jonas, Johan and Erik have apparently started a side project with Thomas Johnson playing some sort of progressive jazz music. In terms of website news, the recent DVD releases have finally been added to the discography." Great - add a distraction there. These guys are hilarious. Probably by 2024 we can expect a new album then...

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Location: Stockholm

Overview: Probably the foremost contemporary post 1990 band to capture and recreate all that was great about the early 1970s original progressive rock movement.

UMR notes

Omnia Opera, England

News: Omnia Opera are still kicking! They're actively looking for a new keyboard player, so it seems they're ready to get going again. They also have an offshoot band called 7Shades and they recently played with The Oroonies - yet another blast from the past. Both of these bands have old cassettes that are in dire need of reissue.

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Location: Kidderminster (SW of Birmingham)

Overview: Omnia Opera can best be described as a heavier and more in-yer-face variation of the classic UK festival space rock sound. More Hawkwind and less Gong that is to say. About the only band I can think of that rocks harder than Ozric Tentacles in this genre.

UMR notes