VENUE: GrieghallenDATE: 28.01.2023 ORGANIZER: Stageway What better way to spend the early part of a Saturday evening than witnessing the immensely talented The Nordic Floyd Show pay tribute to their heroes, Pink Floyd? It has actually become a tradition of sorts to attend one of the act’s performances in Bergen, Oslo, or some other…
RELEASE YEAR: 2022 BAND URL: https://tusm-rke.bandcamp.com/album/intetnett We would be remiss if we did not mention this charming and quirky children’s album by the Norwegian purveyors of psychedelic prog rock known as Tusmørke. Entitled Intetnett and consisting of 21 tunes and a rather brilliant concept and storyline, this is a hugely entertaining and inventive opus that is…
RELEASE YEAR: 2022 BAND URL: https://www.facebook.com/ArcOfLifeRockBand/ I was quite enamored with the self-titled debut album from last year by these gentlemen and thought that it contained some superbly written and exciting prog rock tunes with heaps of atmosphere and cracking good ideas to them. In many respects, Don’t Look Down offers more of the same, and…
RELEASE YEAR: 2022BAND URL: https://mesaverde.bandcamp.com/album/ky The musically shape-shifting Norwegian quartet known as MesaVerde released this adventurous and playful opus of theirs via Apollon Records quite recently, and the result is a remarkable listening experience that weaves prog, indie rock, and strong hints of art rock and psychedelia together to great effect. The thing about KY…
RELEASE YEAR: 2022 BAND URL: https://jordsjo.bandcamp.com/album/jord-sessions This remixed, expanded, and slightly reworked version of Jord by the Norwegian prog rockers Jordsjø is a nice addition to the outfit’s already impressive discography and a must-have for those who cherish folk-inspired prog rock with an original twist to it. The aura of surrealism and mystery that pervades much…
RELEASE YEAR: 2022 BAND URL: https://oakinoslo.bandcamp.com/ The brilliant Norwegian prog rockers OAK are back with a new and deeply satisfying full-length album that encompasses everything that made their previous offerings great while also looking to the future. The hauntingly bleak and emotive opening track, ‘Highest Tower, Deepest Well’, is a masterclass in light and shade, and…
RELEASE YEAR: 2022 BAND URL: https://www.pinkfloyd.com/ It has been a long time coming for this much discussed and eagerly anticipated remix of Pink Floyd’s hauntingly bleak Animals opus, and four years since the actual remixing took place, it is finally out and reaching the ears of fans, critics, and casual listeners. The visual presentation of this…
RELEASE YEAR: 2022 BAND URL: https://www.facebook.com/WIZRDTHEBAND/ Fancy something different? The musically enticing new act named Wizrd is about to release this spirited and energetic slab of utterly cool and catchy rock music via Karisma Records, and let me start out by saying that you should add it to your list of albums to check out if…
RELEASE YEAR: 2022 BAND URL: https://www.bjornriis.com/ What a lovely surprise this beautifully crafted 4-track EP by the ridiculously talented Bjørn Riis (Airbag) is. It seems like only yesterday that he released the near-flawless Everything to Everyone opus, so I did not see A Fleeting Glimpse coming. Musically and stylistically speaking, these four new and sparkling compositions…
RELEASE YEAR: 2022 BAND URL: https://adventure1.bandcamp.com/ The follow-up to the first part of the dark Tales of Belle musical narrative has arrived, and as with its predecessor (Part 1 is also from 2022), Part 2 is a riveting journey through brooding prog rock landscapes where the terrible deeds of the loathsome Norwegian serial killer are emphasized…
RELEASE YEAR: 2022BAND URL: https://www.facebook.com/zerohourtowers Progressive metallers Zero Hour are back following a long hiatus and knowing that these guys are capable musicians, I was curious as to how this brand-new effort of theirs would sound. After countless spins and listening sessions, I must admit that I find “Agenda 21” somewhat uneven and a bit…
RELEASE YEAR: 2022 BAND URL: https://caligonaut.bandcamp.com/album/magnified-as-giants Caligonaut is the brainchild of the wildly skilled guitarist/vocalist Ole Michael Bjørndal whose name you may or may not associate with such stellar outfits and artists as Airbag, Oak, and Bjørn Riis. This epic 4-song LP originally came out in early 2021 but has now been reissued due to popular…
RELEASE YEAR: 2022BAND URL: https://www.facebook.com/knekklectric/ This quirky and musically adventurous prog rock gem by the wonderfully cool Norwegian outfit sporting the creative moniker Knekklectric is a most inspired and fascinating listening experience. Why is that? Well, for one thing they are singing in their native language using an Aalesund dialect, which is charming as hell,…
The 5-track EP entitled We Mourned You, which is the latest output by the weird post-rockers and formless noise-makers known as Picture Ann, is a musical exploration of disillusion consisting of thick and dense soundscapes that create an oppressive and claustrophobic feel. Inspired by the idea of the Byronic hero, the majority of compositions are…
RELEASE YEAR: 2022 BAND URL: https://www.facebook.com/Adventureprog/ Symphonic prog rockers Adventure recently released this ambitious concept record revolving around the infamous Norwegian serial killer dubbed Belle Gunness (born Brynhild Paulsdatter Størset back in 1859) who emigrated to the US in the 1880s only to disappear from view in the beginning of the 1900s. In short, the woman…
RELEASE YEAR: 2022 BAND URL: Datadyr – Startside | Facebook The Norwegian trio known as Datadyr is a musically enticing one, and this dynamic group shows impeccable skill here with respect to delivering powerful tunes that are rooted in jazz but where prog, blues, and traces of Americana are expertly woven into the mix. What amazes…
RELEASE YEAR: 2022 BAND URL: http://www.pymlico.no/ Norwegian prog(-ish) rockers Pymlico have returned with an elegantly structured album that brilliantly showcases that the 7-piece band are on peak form and know exactly how to craft admirably sparkling songs that crackle with energy. “Supermassive” is close in spirit to the group’s previous outputs, which is to say that…
RELEASE YEAR: 2022 BAND URL: https://www.facebook.com/tronosonic/ How on earth this one snuck right by me back in March is beyond me, but the most important thing is that I recently got my hands on this psychedelic-looking digipak by the Norwegian jazz/prog/avant-garde noisemakers The Tronosonic Experience. Let me tell you right here and now that “The Shadow…
RELEASE YEAR: 2022BAND URL: https://www.marillion.com/ The British prog rock legends Marillion surely need no introduction, and after forty years they still manage to bring something that sounds fresh, daring, and vital to the table. This powerful new musical tour de force of theirs is a case in point, and as much as I love and…
RELEASE YEAR: 2022BAND URL: https://lordsofform.bandcamp.com/album/flying-chromium-society What we have here is an incredibly diverse and musically eclectic space rock opus that conjures up a uniquely surreal atmosphere. Masterminded by the talented Niall Hone (ex-Hawkwind) and backed by a stellar cast of musicians, the song arrangements are never anything but inspired, and just the sheer quality of…
