Under the Radar Music

June 17, 2023

Mar Assombrado, Brazil

Progressive rock

Latest release: Geografias Estranhas (2021). They've announced a 4th album called Muito Além dos Espelhos to be released in early 2024.

---UMR notes

Canções Do Farol (2017)

Along with Mantra, Mar Assombrado represents another independently released progressive rock album from Brazil. And while I loved Proximo, Canções Do Farol is even better for my tastes. It's been forever and a day since a new album came out of nowhere like this and knocked me on my ass. The music is assembled in the same way that the Italian masters of the 70s would do it. Flute is a major component of Mar Assombrado's sound, yet another Italian hallmark. It's a mix of soft and hard passages (but not metal), and the compositions never stop evolving. While Mantra is a bit more eclectic, and could be considered a hard rock band at times, there's no mistaking Mar Assombrado for anything but hardcore progressive rock. The instrumentation is not retro, so again we are dealing with the modern era, but I found the tones here quite pleasing. I heard this album 3 straight times in one evening (I hardly ever do that anymore), and it continued to improve with each listen. A really great album as far I'm concerned, and looking forward to hearing more from this band. Didn't realize until very recently Brazil had so much interesting new music coming out in the progressive rock space!

6/10/20 (new entry)

Il Paradiso degli Orchi, Italy

Neo Italian prog

Bandcamp

Latest release: Samir (2020)

---UMR notes

Il Corponauta (2016)

Il Paradiso degli Orchi are a band I've been reading about here and there, and was intrigued by the descriptions. Especially one that referenced Jumbo. That's like telling my wife there's a shoe sale going on at Nordstrom. At its best, perhaps it'll be the complete surprise that Le Porte non Aperte's Golem ended up being. Well, not quite that, as the vocals are not Alvaro Fella-like. But rather the music is put together in a way that the classic early 70s Italians would do. It all goes together, somewhat haphazardly, but not in the pejorative sense of the word. From the moment you hit play, until 79 minutes later, you will have no idea where it will take you. But it never gets boring or tedious. Like many of you, I also think 79 minutes of music on the same album is daunting. But Il Paradiso degli Orchi pass that test. Il Corponauta is an investment of time, no question about it. But one that is likely to age well on multiple plays.

Il Paradiso degli Orchi already had one release under their belt - one I've yet to hear - before a familiar presence entered their lives. And that would be Fabio Zuffanti, a gentleman who is almost single-handedly bringing Italy back to 1973. So yes, La Maschera di Cera most assuredly belongs in the conversation here. Even though there's quite a bit of mellotron (probably sampled), the instrumentation and production are not necessarily retro, though it's attempting to be so. In that way, Il Paradiso degli Orchi reminds me of early La Maschera di Cera. Flute is another predominant instrument, and played in a manner that does recall the early Italian masters. Nice vocals sung in proper Italian, guitars, and a snappy rhythm section round out the group. Place Il Paradiso degli Orchi in the stack that also includes Ingranaggi della Valle, Unreal City, La Coscienza di Zeno, and Distillerie di Malto. And many others. Lunga vita al prog Italiano.

7/10/20 (new entry)

Superfjord, Finland

Progressive rock

Latest album: For the Moment Vol. 1 (2021)

Still playing live shows in 2024

All Will Be Golden (2018)

This one took awhile to penetrate. Two full listens over 2 nights - with the always illuminating craft beer by my side - yielded nothing but confusion. OK - need to take this one to the car where I'm sober-as-a-judge and hyper critical. Most albums don't survive that. This one did. On a purely superficial level, Superfjord come across as your modern progressive rock band, demonstrating more ennui than enthusiasm. Nihilism at its finest, a philosophy I abhor. But wait, there's way more here than that. Which is why I was confused - otherwise it would have found itself at Purple Peak Records faster than a cat on a chicken bone.

In the mid 1970s there was an obscure Belgian band called Womega - an LP I own and which I have written about here prior - that trail-blazed what Superfjord are doing here. Here's what I said about Womega: "In a nutshell, the album could be characterized as an all-over-the-map type release. But - here's the interesting part - all within the confines of what normally constitutes progressive rock, rather than the usual kitchen sink mentality that represents all facets of music in general. Presented here are pomp, Canterbury, proto, symphonic, fusion, and Zappa styles." And that's what Superfjord is about. Add in post rock, space rock, and Latin fusion, and that's the sum of it.

All Will Be Golden isn't as strong as Womega, mainly because it's not as crisp and succinct. The last two tracks in particular have a great premise, but they just drag it out, verse moving it in different directions. Opener 'Cut and Paste' is the epitome song here (including the name...). Starts off in boring (very boring I might add) post rock territory with even duller vocals only to catch absolute fire about 4.5 minutes in with a brilliant guitar break, recalling Camel at their very best.

In summary, it's a frustrating listen, with some fantastic ideas that makes it worth keeping. For now. Would be great if the band could zoom in a bit more though. Seems they're not sure of their own strengths.

---8/6/20

6/17/23 (new entry)

On the Raw, Spain

Jazz fusion; Instrumental prog

Latest release: Climbing the Air (2019). New album entitled Gravity was announced back in March (2023).

---UMR notes

Climbing the Air (2019)

Modern albums who make a claim to jazz fusion usually don't interest me much these days. But On the Raw play a type of instrumental progressive rock with jazz fusion influences. It's interesting that I had just digested the Scope albums again via the new CD reissues, as On the Raw takes a similar approach. They used to call this music "Euro Rock" back in the late 70s and 80s. The compositions have a focus on melody as well as complexity. On the Raw are a full 5 piece including saxophone and flute, along with some guests on trumpet, violin, and female vocals, so the palette set is varied. While certainly a retro mindset prevails, and the instrumentation is decidedly from a past era, the album doesn't really sound like it's from the 70s. I'm scrambling to come up with a modern band that has traversed the same territory as On the Raw has done here. It rocks harder than fellow countrymen Herba d'Hameli for example. Maybe the debut album by Ingranaggi della Valle is a good guidepost. Sure, we're in obscuroland, but that's where On the Raw resides.

8/6/20; 6/17/23 (new entry)

June 16, 2023

Look who's back?

Who?

Ah, forget that... Alright it's been a full 3 years since this blog had any activity. Life events is the reason - I had other priorities, including in the music world. But as I look at the future landscape, it appears I'm going to have more time to dedicate to online listening and less for crate digging, which dominated the last 4 years. The current job plays a major role in that, though I have to admit to a certain burnout constantly hustling for records. So while I update some older posts - and have already added new ones based on recent albums I've heard - future postings will not necessarily come from an LP or CD. As I look to trim down the collection, there's only so much space. That doesn't mean I won't buy new albums on CD or LP - of course I will - it just means this blog is no longer hamstrung by that limitation.

I still have some cleanup to do here. 3 years is a long time. Lots of dust. Anytime I repurpose a blog, I tend to blow up the old format and bring in something new. And that's exactly what I did here. I plan on leaving many of these as is - especially from bands that are long gone. At least for now.

Plenty of unique content to follow!

Wobbler ~ Norway

Retro prog

Latest: Dwellers of the Deep (2020)

UMR review page for Wobbler

10/15/11 (new entry)

FEM / Forza Elettromotrice, Italy

Italian neo prog

Latest release: Mutazione (2018)

---UMR notes

Mutazione (2018)

Mutazione is the second full album from the band sometimes known as FEM Prog Band. This latter moniker has all kinds of conflicting connotations in English, so it's good to see the band moving towards their actual pre-acronym name. Musically speaking, the album is a bit more subdued than its predecessor, though still very much entrenched in the Italian style. New band members Alessandro Graziano and Pietro Bertoni provide two of the more distinctive sounds of Mutazione. The former brings a strong voice and occasional violin, while the latter adds trombone to the proceedings. Anytime I hear trombone mixed into Italian prog I first think of Jumbo's Vietato, and the instrument is utilized in a similar brassy way here. Primary songwriter Alberto Citterio provides some gorgeous piano lines along with the usual synthesizer kit. Highlight songs include 'Il Cielo Di Sé' and the closer 'Se C'É Una Buona Ragione'. Overall Mutazione proves to be an excellent entry for the genre.

11/2/14; 11/22/18 (new entry); 1/24/21

La Maschera di Cera, Italy

Italian retro prog

Latest: S.E.I. (2020)

S.E.I. (2020)

La Maschera di Cera is arguably the band that best represents the Italian early 1970s progressive rock renaissance. I made that same point a few years ago for my modern Italian prog list. It's been a full 7 years since their last album, the fantastic Le Orme influenced Le Porte del Domani. So has La Maschera di Cera continued to improve or did the rot sit in?

The album gets to business right away with thunderous woody bass, crunchy Hammond organ, complex rhythms leading to Martin Grice's (Delirium) flute, mellotron sounds, and Italian vocals. You just got your answer. Boom! And they don't let up from there. 3 tracks and 45 minutes later and there's nothing but greatness to reflect on and savor. This is an album made by retro prog guys for retro prog guys. No room to negotiate here. You're either in or you're out. With their 6th release in 18 years, I think La Maschera di Cera has somehow managed to top everything they've done prior. They continued to improve with age, and clearly are ardent students of their own native early 70's music culture. Brilliant really.

---1/25/21

LuxAde (2006)

Hard working bassist Fabio Zuffanti has many bands (Finisterre, Hostsonaten, Aries, Zaal, etc…), and each one represents a certain sound that he likes to explore more in detail (his initial band Finisterre is the one that is truly eclectic). La Maschera di Cera is his vehicle dedicated to the early 1970s Italian progressive rock scene, with only vintage gear being deployed. Along with the usual keyboard (Hammond, Mellotron, Moog), fuzz bass and guitar sounds, there’s quite a bit of flute, an instrument that was predominantly featured in 70s Italian music. In the end, the group achieves what it sets out to do, though I’d say LMdC are not quite as complex of some of the finest bands of the 70s (Jumbo, Semiramis, Banco, RRR, etc..). LuxAde is their 3rd album, and is arguably one of their finest (as I update this in 2019). It's really hard to imagine being a fan of Italian prog and not walking away from LuxAde completely satisfied. The style has been well-studied and executed here by the band. There's a reason why I chose La Maschera di Cera as my primary group for the renaissance of Italian Progressive Rock list: Italian prog from 1987 and beyond.

---1/4/19

Other albums heard: La Maschera di Cera (2002); Il Grande Labirinto (2003); Petail di Fuoco (2010); Le Porte del Domani (2013)

6/16/23 (new entry)

Swifan Eolh & The Mudra Choir, Norway

Progressive rock

Latest release: The Key (2019)

---UMR notes

The Key (2019)

Over 30 years ago, there was a new band from Norway that appeared on an also new LP-only imprint called Colours. That group was known as Utopian Fields, who managed two albums, and both of those have just recently received a CD reissue on the Norsk Classic Albums label. Swifan Eolh & The Mudra Choir (these monikers...) is version 2.0 of Utopian Fields, among others. All the newer bands from Norway are very well studied, and the music they produce is excellent, if not necessarily ear catching. You could read what I said about Tusmorke's latest, and apply it here. Unfortunately these Norwegian albums tend to all blur together (excepting Wobbler of course). I probably need a few hours of intense listening to begin to sift them all through my mind. For The Key, I listened to each side twice, but no specific words emerged. I didn't care for 'Tides are Turning' and liked the opener 'Wounded Dreamers' best. ProgArchives for their part make a point to call this "eclectic prog". I wouldn't have a clue what that meant, but Swifan Eolh & The Mudra Choir do seem a perfect fit for such a wide ranging genre. As for that defunct label Colours, Utopian Fields could be seen as the most obscure on the imprint, considering no less luminaries than Anglagard, Anekdoten, and Landberk all debuted there. Swifan Eolh & The Mudra Choir will be even more obscure in the annals of time.

5/9/22; 6/16/23 (new entry)

March 26, 2021

Il Ballo delle Castagne, Italy Inactive

Neo Italian prog; Krautrock styled

Latest: Live Studio (2015)

There was talk of a studio album on this date, but it seems to have fizzled.

Kalachakra (2011)

I'm always on the lookout for modern bands who incorporate psychedelic influences into their progressive rock, and it was clear by the few reviews I saw, plus my sampling of their first album a few months ago, that Ballo delle Castagne are one such band. One only has to look at their label name to pick out a distinct Krautrock predilection.

Given the sitar, echoed acid guitar and overall trippy effects, perhaps it's surprising that Ballo delle Castagne also possess an early 80s maudlin New Wave sound, especially evident in the vocal styling presented. In some ways, I'm hearing that most misunderstood debut album by the Italian group Runaway Totem (Trimegisto). Ballo delle Castagne's second album, for me at least, improves significantly as it progresses on - losing some of the 80's song narrative, while bringing forth their 1970s Krautrock influences. The moody and atmospheric 'La Foresta dei Suicidi' is my pick for best track.

---

Interesting how 13 years can change a perspective. As many albums have lost their space in the collection, an effort like Kalachakra sounds more fresh to my ears now than (apparently) then. The group describe themselves as a mix of hard rock, progressive, and New Wave. The latter was something I wasn't into so much when I heard this. Now I even hear an obscure genre like Italo-Disco which I had no clue about until the last couple of months (think Kraftwerk). One can hear similarities to fellow Italians Il Segno del Comando, another band that seemed to enjoy New Wave, especially the more gothic side of the house. The twist here is Ballo delle Castagne's fondness for early 70s Krautrock. My favorite track remains 'La Foresta dei Suicidi' which recalls Popol Vuh, a band that Ballo delle Castagne clearly has a fondness for. I can't think of another album like this in my collection. That gets you a +1.

---4/29/11; 9/23/24

4/29/11 (new entry)

May 12, 2020

Mantra, Brazil Inactive

Progressive rock; Hard rock

Latest release: Proximo (2018)

---UMR notes

Próximo (2018)

Mantra are a band from Belo Horizonte that have been kicking around for some 20+ years, and released one EP way back in 2001, one that I've never heard. Now they return with Próximo, an album that has sailed way under the radar. The music here is definitely of a retro nature, though they don't really sound like they're from the 70s. In this way they are more like the 90s progressive renaissance bands emulating the past. Also the music is of an eclectic nature, borrowing on many themes, specifically around the progressive and hard rock genres. This is by no means a "kitchen sink" album, a type of making music that I'm not very fond of. It's put together very much like the bands from 1973 would, seamlessly mixing in harder rock passages with obvious progressive rock complexities. In many ways, Mantra sound more like a 70s band from North America - except they fortunately sing in their native Portuguese. I can't think of another band from Brazil that attempted to recreate music such as this. Hopefully this is not the last we'll hear from them

5/12/20 (new entry)

May 1, 2020

Syd Arthur ~ England

Canterbury style; Neo psych

Latest: Nobody's Fault By My Own (2019) (as Jack Hues and The Quartet featuring Syd Arthur)

UMR review page for Syd Arthur

9/21/14 (new entry)

March 25, 2020

Mekong Delta, Germany Inactive

News: New album Tales of a Future Past is scheduled for release on April 24 (Butler). Mekong Delta albums are always welcome news here at the UTR!

Location: Velbert (south of Essen)

Genre: Progressive thrash metal

Overview: One of the pioneers of the progressive thrash genre - and perhaps the longest running and most consistent as well.

UMR notes

March 11, 2020

Ubi Maior, Italy Inactive

News: AMS will be releasing Ubi Maior's 4th album Bestie, Uomini e Dèi on April 3.

Location: Milan

Genre: Italian prog

Overview: Ubi Maior plays in the traditional Italian progressive rock style sung in the native tongue. They've had releases going back to 2005 and have been a consistent presence on the scene.

January 2, 2020

The Worm Ouroboros, Belarus Inactive

News: On December 24 The Worm Ouroboros released their second album Endless Way From You, and have switched labels to Lizard (also Italian oddly enough).

Location: Minsk

Overview: The Worm Ouroboros are clearly informed by the classic Canterbury scene, and it's most apparent with regards to the fuzzy keyboard tones, copious use of flute, complex meters, kinetic electric guitar, and a melodic disposition.

UMR notes

December 16, 2019

Psychotic Waltz, USA

News: After 23 years, Psychotic Waltz will release their 5th album titled The God-Shaped Void. The album is to be released by InsideOut and is scheduled for February 14, 2020. Label says: "US Progressive Metal pioneers and innovators PSYCHOTIC WALTZ finally return with their highly anticipated 5th studio album and first new music in 23 years. Regrouped with all five original members, “The God-Shaped Void” was mixed/mastered by Jens Bogren (Opeth, Devin Townsend, Symphony X) and comes with artwork by longterm visual design partner Travis Smith (Katatonia, Riverside, Nevermore). Featuring their trademarked dual guitar harmonies/leads and distinctive vocals, the album effortlessly picks up right where PSYCHOTIC WALTZ left off, blending accomplished musicianship, a mystical lyrical bent, and a sound that captures the best elements of both vintage and modern eras. “The God-Shaped Void” is available as Gatefold 2LP with bonus track and the entire album on CD as bonus and also as standard Jewelcase CD."

Location: San Diego, California

Overview: Psychotic Waltz were one of the more exciting of the tech/prog thrash bands of the early 90s, churning out 4 highly inventive albums through 1996. They have reformed and it appears their new album will be of a similar mindset.

September 10, 2019

Thieves' Kitchen, England Inactive

News: Thieves' Kitchen will be releasing their 7th studio album Genius Loci on September 23.

Location: Oxfordshire

Overview: Not too many bands where one uses the terms neo and retro in the same sentence, and yet it applies here. Anywhere between IQ and Anglagard one will spot the sound of Thieves' Kitchen.

UMR notes

May 16, 2019

Purson, England Inactive

News: A couple of years ago Purson broke up. But the Facebook page remains alive, and sure enough Rosalie Cunningham has gone solo. Her first self-titled album is now set to be released on July 26th on Cherry Red. As such, I'm going to keep this page alive for both acts. As for the album, here is what her website says: "Rosalie’s eponymous début album – due for release in early 2019 – is the result of an extended period of reflection and will contain her strongest and most daring songwriting to date, ranging from a three minute Blackbird-esque nod to her creative hero Sir Paul McCartney, to an epic prog rock saga that will take the listener on the mother of all sonic journeys."

Facebook (Purson)
Facebook (Rosalie Cunningham)
Website (Rosalie Cunningham)

Samples (Purson)
Samples (Rosalie Cunningham)

Location: Southend-on-Sea, Essex

Overview: The Circle & The Blue Door was an homage to 1971 England, whereas Desire's Magic Theatre seemed more geared toward 1969. They're going in the wrong direction for my tastes, but still intriguing enough to leave as an A-lister.

UMR notes

May 5, 2019

Pholas Dactylus, Italy

News: And here we are again with another band that has gone missing for 45 years. We are getting word that they will have a new album entitled Hieros Gamos, and it's to be released on ~~January~~ June7th of 2019 (thanks Bas!). New cover attached.

Location: Milan

Overview: Pholas Dactylus were a previous "one off" band who released a classic album back in the 1973 heyday. It's most distinguishing feature being that the vocals were narrated/spoken verse sung. I have no notes from UMR to share, though I've owned the album in question for well over 20 years. We'll get to it eventually...

April 13, 2019

Galaad, Switzerland

News: As we noted back in November, Galaad's third album has now been confirmed to be released on May 15. This will be their first new album in 23 years. Frat3r is to be the title.

Location: Moutier (NW of the country near Basel and the French border)

Overview: One of the best bands of the 90s to emulate that French Theatrical Progressive rock sound as originated by Ange and Mona Lisa.

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