Space rock
Latest: Tystnad (2026) Sep 25
2/14/13 (new entry)
October 4, 2026
September 28, 2026
Zero Hour ~ USA ~ Pleasanton, California
Prog metal; Tech thrash
Latest: No Man's Land (EP) (2026). Oct 16.
I need to spin up a UMR page. Next time I hear one of their albums, I'll do just that.
Specs of Pictures Burnt Beyond (2006)
This CD is what made me think of the band in the first place. I haven't heard any Zero Hour in many years, and these CDs (I have four of them) are gathering dust on the shelf. I had this one rated as the lowest. Well, then, I guess I'm in for a treat when I get back to the other three! The best comparison I've read about the band in general is that of Watchtower meets Meshuggah. You get the technicality, melodicism, and high pitched voice of the former with the sheer heaviness and calculating rhythms of the latter. Nothing sits still for too long, and the music will challenge your synapses.
---2/3/24
Other albums heard: The Towers of Avarice (2001); A Fragile Mind (2005); Dark Deceiver (2008)
2/3/24 (new entry)
M-Opus ~ Ireland
Progressive rock
Latest: Negatives (2026). Sep 29.
Apparently this is their homage to 1982, and the tracks are radio length. A lot of great music came out of the early 80s, but for the more known bands, they all went pop rock. The album is on Bandcamp for the curious. I'll dig in at some point.
5/1/15 (new entry)
September 22, 2026
September 18, 2026
Astrolabio ~ Italy
Neo Italian prog; Retro Prog; Hard Rock
Latest: Una Volta Qui Era Tutta Campagna Pubblicitaria (2026) Mar 8
UMR review page for Astrolabio
3/15/17 (new entry)
Il Bacio della Medusa ~ Italy
Neo Italian prog; Eclectic
Latest: Tarlo (2026) Sep 12
UMR review page for Il Bacio della Medusa
12/15/13 (new entry)
September 2, 2026
August 29, 2026
Runaway Totem ~ Italy
Progressive rock; Zeuhl; Progressive Electronic
Latest: Metaform Tetraphirm Featuring Andromaca (2025). Dec 31
I missed this announcement when it came out.
UMR review page for Runaway Totem
2/4/24 (new entry)
August 25, 2026
Ozric Tentacles ~ England
Space rock; Psychedelic; Electronic
Latest: Harmonic Mind (2026). Sep 18
12/21/11 (new entry)
August 19, 2026
Hadal Sherpa ~ Finland
Space rock; UK Festival styled psych
Latest: Mountains (2026). Jun 4
UMR review page for Hadal Sherpa
7/18/18 (new entry)
August 6, 2026
Flor de Loto ~ Peru
Progressive rock; Prog Metal; World Fusion
Latest: Beyond the Cosmos (2026). July 31
11/17/12 (new entry)
July 4, 2026
Jordsjo ~ Norway
Retro prog; Progressive rock
Latest: Pestkrønikene (2026). July 24
2/12/18 (new entry)
May 31, 2026
Rhùn ~ France
Zeuhl; Jazz rock
Latest: Evil Erbez (2026). June 3
After a decade of silence, Rhun has become very active and are releasing their third album in four years.
12/14/13 (new entry)
Polis ~ Germany
Heavy prog
Latest: Pilger (2026) June 7
Weitklang (2020)
Funny to see the name of Polis, as that's the name of our current governor here in Colorado. I'm guessing it's a German word meaning "raise your taxes."
Speaking of which, language plays a major role in the sound of Polis. They sing defiantly in their native German, and from my perspective that's a positive development. Indigenous languages offer up one more ingredient to the stew. Because of this, the first thought one might have is Weitklang is Deutschrock, but that's certainly not the case here. Because they are located in the former East Germany, it's also been suggested they represent the sounds of the late 70s and early 80s GDR progressive rock bands. I don't hear that either, primarily because the guitars are of the modern variety. The heavy guitar tone conjured up on Weitklang is very much of a post 90s sound. It's this same guitar that also keeps it from the retro prog realms, that I originally thought it might fit comfortably with. The real stars of the show are the analog keyboard beasts of yore, primarily Hammond organ and analog synthesizers. This keeps the balance nicely and the album avoids falling into the stoner trap. Apparently Polis started as a blues rock band, and that's apparent in some of the guitar solo parts. I'm not so keen on the songs themselves, but most of the tracks have some fine instrumental mid sections.
2/5/24 (review)
2/5/24 (new entry)
May 19, 2026
Quantum Fantay ~ Belgium
UK Festival styled psych; Space rock
Latest: The Butterfly EffeX (2026)
UMR review page for Quantum Fantay
9/14/12 (new entry)
April 28, 2026
Hex A.D. ~ Norway
Retro Hard Rock; Progressive rock
Latest: Surgical Cuts in the Cosmos (2026). May 22.
Astro Tongue in the Electric Garden (2020)
I wasn't sold at first on the 3rd album by this Norwegian band. The first track sounds like Candlemass and 'Astro Tongue' has all the trappings of a typical Stoner album. While those two genres are welcome here, it's not something I'm on the lookout for. I have plenty already and will likely trim some off the collection. Ah, but not so fast. Things get much more interesting on the proggy 'The Day the Sky Exploded', where keyboards and meter and thematic changes add a whole new dimension to their sound. The other two tracks on side one are pre and postludes. Fortunately all of Side two maintains the momentum, and there's even some Iron Maiden like riffing. The album sits at the border of hard rock and metal, with more than a nod to progressive rock. The difference maker is keyboardist Mags Johansen who brings a raft full of vintage keys, most notably mellotron and Hammond. The band's image is also mixed - the album cover demonstrating psychedelic prog, whereas the fonts and titles are Stoner all the way. The hype sticker is misleading as well, where it states this album is for fans of: Rush (huh?); Rainbow (que?); Iron Maiden (yes, but only Side 2); Opeth (well maybe, I know little about this band beyond Blackwater Park). In addition to the fine cover, there's a 4 page insert with band photos, lyrics, and album credits.
3/5/22 (review)
10/14/23 (new entry)
April 5, 2026
Trion ~ Netherlands
Progressive rock
Latest: Terra Tiempo (2026) Mar 30
Yet another band making a return that I thought was long gone.
2/8/11 (new entry)
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