The Mercury Tree – Permutations

by Gabriel Riccio

The Mercury Tree is one of the rare bands that has managed to constantly grow and improve with every record they put out. On their fifth record, Permutations, they are barely recognizable as the same band that created their radio-friendly alt-rock debut nearly a decade earlier. Permutations is an extremely dense and challenging listen that demands and rewards multiple listens; it is one of the rare records which combines technicality and innovation with a strong emotional core.

Bandleader Ben Spees has been the only constant throughout the band’s discography, and he manages to be the lead vocalist, guitarist and … Read more

Monthly Recommendations: May 2016

by Dæv Tremblay

monthlyrecommendations
Here’s the best, the best, the best, the best of Mayyy.

“Both discs of this album are fantastic, and get better with each listen. For an Instrumental album, Set Course For Andromeda is full of substance, without a need for vocals. If the rest of Sithu Aye’s discography is close to the level of quality of this album, then I’m in for a treat. Do yourself a favor and do not pass this one by.”
Read the full review.

“Projects II is Travis Orbin‘s third solo EP, and is somewhat a sequel to 2014’s Projects. This really is mathematical metal, … Read more

Anderson/Stolt – Invention of Knowledge

by Jeff Nixon

Press_Cover_01The Flower Kings is a band that really helped carry the torch in the 90’s that bands like Yes lit during the 60’s and 70’s, taking that style of Progressive Rock to a new level and continuing to help it grow. So it’s quite a treat to hear a collaboration between the leader of The Flower Kings, Roine Stolt, and the former lead vocalist of Yes, Jon Anderson. If you’ve ever wondered what a new Flower Kings album with the vocalist from Yes would sound like, Invention of Knowledge is it, as Anderson/Stolt make a perfect combination! As much as … Read more

OSR: May 30th, 2016

by Dæv Tremblay

Sans titre

Zygoma‘s The Highest Court is a progressive death metal album with mathcore elements to it that came out on May 17th. It’s got the heavies, it’s got the melodies, it’s got the mathies… It’s pretty good, check it out! Kel Valhaal‘s New Introductory Lectures on the System of Transcendental Qabala will release on July 15th, but the album was briefly available on Soundcloud so I got to listen to it in its entirety. Coming from Liturgy’s mastermind, it really doesn’t sound too different, except it’s all-electronic. Actually, it’s quite close to The Ark Work if it was programmed… Read more

Follow the White Rabbit – Endorphinia, an Analysis Of

by Dæv Tremblay

a3247440373_10I’ve been a huge fan of this band since November 2012, just a couple of weeks after the release of Endorphinia, their latest – and last – album. I can’t exactly remember how I discovered Follow the White Rabbit… Was it a friend’s recommendation? A blog mentioned it? A post on some music forum? I don’t know, but I just want to thank that person. Endorphinia has followed me through three years and a half now, and yet I never wrote a fully detailed review on it. I did mention it a couple times, here and there, … Read more