I.D. Company (70)

Obscure German rock with two female vocalists: Inga Rumpf (ex-City Preachers, pre-Frumpy) and Dagmar Krause (pre-Slapp Happy/Art Bears).

I Drive (72)

British-band based in Germany. Pre-LP member Geff Harrison was also in 2066 And Then.

[See 2066 And Then]

Ibio [Spain]

Cuevas De Altamira (78)

Excellent prog one-shot who released the very culturally influenced Cuevas De Altamira. Good stuff.

Originally touted as "the Spanish Strawbs," it's a comparison that fits if you remember that Ibio was not a Strawbs clone, but instead a band that combined elements of Spanish folk music with rock, much as the Strawbs did with British folk. There the similarities end, as in actual musical style Ibio falls closer to some of the '70s Italian folk-rock groups, but with Spanish thematic content. Very worthwhile.

Spanish progressive with delicious keyboard work. The vocals are a bit overwrought, but very much in the traditional Spanish style, so it adds to the charm of the music, which is supposed to be based on Spanish folksongs. But the music is 100% prog, albeit with a strong acoustic guitar presence. Very much worth your while. -- Mike Ohman

Sun Supreme (74), Ibis (75)

Hard rock band where the best album is Ibis with the great Nico Di Palo on vocal and guitar.

Ibis were another member of the Italian prog rock contingent of the mid- seventies, more inclined toward the "heavy" side of that genre, with songs structured around organ and guitar. The closest comparison would be to groups such as Osanna or Focus.

[Ibis were apparently also known by the name of Nico, Gianni, Frank, Maurizio; See New Trolls | New Trolls Atomic System]

Supernova (72)

Percussion-heavy fusion/prog.

The Marvel World of Icarus (71)

More of the early British scene.

City of Tempation (9?), The Speed of Desire (92)

[See Doctor Nerve]

Ice (74), Import/Export (75), Saga of the Ice King (79)

Late 70's superb flowing prog, ex-Affinity. Saga of the Ice King is perhaps the rarest album from 1979!

[See Affinity]

Tutankhamon (75), Coses Nostres (76), Sentiments (77), En Directe (78), Arc En Ciel (79)

Iceberg were easily one of *the* best Progressive bands to come from Spain, or anywhere else for that matter. Their music is a shifting, complex mixture of fusion guitar and symphonic keyboards. Coses Nostres is most similar to Return to Forever's Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy. Anyone who like's that Return to Forever album will flip over Iceberg. Guaranteed! The scorching guitar dueling it out with the sizzling synthesizer will make you drop your jaw. The rhythm section are mind-blowing, riffing non-stop and enjoining battle with the guitar and keyboards. Vocals are too scared to get hear this hotbed so it's instrumental all the way. The subsequent albums reveal a more unique voice for Iceberg though still a very fusionesque form of symphonic progressive. Well worth searching out but the LPs are apt to set you back several dollars. I've seen Coses Nostres go for $50-60. It's worth it. An absolute must if you can find any of the albums. Try for Coses Nostres or Sentiments as they're a bit better than En Directe or Arc En Ciel though any of these are fantastic. I haven't heard Tutankhamon. -- Mike Taylor

Spanish prog has a reputation of being jazzy. This is with good reason, as most of the bands from Spain that I've heard, such as Om, Cai, Guadalquivir, and Azahar, have a strong fusion or jazz element. But Iceberg stands out among them as being a top notch fusion album not only of Spain, but of all time! With a lineup that rivals those of Return To Forever in terms of skill, Coses Nostres is a fusion-lovers wet dream with it's masterful drumming and bass playing, wildly brilliant guitar, and complementing keyboards. Anyone who has been impressed by the guitar styles of Al Di Meola or John McLaughlin should hear Iceberg's Max Suñé play. His searing leads travel the entire neck of the guitar with remarkable fluidity. He avoids the Trevor Rabin-esque playing fast for the sake of playing fast, and instead combines a traditional Spanish style with the modern rock guitar style of the seventies. The drummer plays on the level that you might expect from Lenny White or Billy Cobham. And lets not take anything away from the keyboardist and bassist, both of whom are excellent. The music is a complex, time-shifting combination of riffs and leads, with an all around aura of musicianship that reminds me of Area (only missing are the vocals and the wild experimentation). Iceberg's themes are upbeat and bouncy most of the time, but don't let the jazziness turn you off. If you're into well written and played progressive fusion like Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy-era Return to Forever, or Visions of the Emerald Beyond by the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Iceberg is a must. Coses Nostres easily makes my top ten fusion favorites. -- Mike Borella

Iceberg's Tutankhamon is there only record with vocals, but fortunately they got rid of the singer. It was pretentious and sung in English, Spanish and, maybe, Catalan. -- Manuel De Pinedo Garcia

[See Pegasus | Suñé, Max]

Iconoclasta (85), Reminiscencias (85), Suite Mexicana (87), Soliloquio (87), Siete Anos (88), Adoliscencia Cronica (89), En Busco De Sentido (90?), En Concierto (91), La Reincarnacion De Maquiavelo (92)

Absolutely superb symphonic instrumental band. Imagine the very best of Tony Banks and Steve Hackett (in particular, Trick of the Tail and Wind and Wuthering) and combine it with the power and majesty of Yes ("Awaken," Tales From Topographic Oceans) and you only begin to understand what this band is about. A must.

A steaming hot band with ALMOST enough chops to pull it off. "Cuentos De Arquicia" is a blistering, energetic, complex instrumental built on a tritone chord progression. The players make a fair number of mistakes, mostly in timing. But given the complexity and speed of the music, one can ignore the sloppiness. This tune cooks! The second tune, "Manantial," is a slow, floating, dreamlike instrumental with nice bass work and a melodic guitar part. Not bad. Iconoclasta sounds like a band with great potential. This was their first album, and you can tell.

Iconoclasta is part of the "new generation" of progressive music still being produced, and one of the few progressive bands from Mexico. While Mexico is not an obvious hot bed of progressive coals, Iconoclasta makes a worthy attempt at creating quality progressive music. Iconoclasta have several albums and one EP, which have recently become available on CD. Iconoclasta's 1983 self-titled first release represents a developing band that is still trying to find a style. Progressive doesn't come naturally from this band. It seems obvious that the band members have a passion for prog rock, but their overall style still sounds like a smattering of other bands rather than a cohesive whole. I keep getting the feeling that I've heard it all before. "Cuentos De Arquicia," the first cut, sounds almost popish, with a bouncy keyboard line. But Iconoclasta's sound develops in the second cut, and improves with each tune. The main instrument is the electric guitars, with the keyboards secondary, though frequently used. Ricardo Ortegon is a capable guitarist, but needs to find a few more tones for his guitar. It seems that Ortegon's first exposure to electric guitar was the "two slightly distorted guitars" from Mike Oldfields Tubular Bells. That tone is predominant throughout the album, though Ortegon breaks out from that tone somewhat in Reminiscencias. By "Memorias De Un Hechicero," I was tapping my foot and bouncing my head, despite myself. That is a good sign. "Estudio VI" is a guitar study over a progressive keyboard rhythm. Flamenco and other Mexican styles really surface in this tune, though other Mexican rhythms can be detected throughout. But fortunately, this album isn't JUST flamenco guitar and progressive rhythm. Reminiscencias is a far better conceived thematic work than Iconoclasta, addressing the band's pacifist anti-nuclear stance and their criticism of the arms race. However, I couldn't detect this by listening to the new singer, since the lyrics are falsetto Spanish. Fortunately, the focus is on the instruments and not the voice. The music is thoughtful and introspective, progressing toward a unified whole rather than a slapped together amalgamation. The 16'40 opus, "Reminiscencias De Un Mundo Sin Futuro" (Reminiscences Of A World Without A Future), is the centerpiece of this album. Though I think this epic cut starts out a little slow, the tune develops rather nicely, again showing Mexican influences throughout. This tune is a very good piece that definitely has its moments. I really would like to hear some of the later Iconoclasta. After listening to their first two attempts, I can definitely see a decent band in development, one that could become excellent with maturity. If Iconoclasta continues in the same direction, they may forge a unique, quality style of their own that pays homage to the best of the Italian progressive stylings and the band's Mexican origin. I haven't heard the others, but Soliloquio is supposed to have a fusion tinge, while remaining symphonic, and Adolescencia is supposed to be squarely in the rock-jazz vein. -- Mike Taylor

Mexican progressive group. Largely instrumental, but the occasional Spanish vocals are very good. With the exception of intentional use of Mexical folk instruments, there is no trace of Mexican music (e.g., mariachi), the sound is much more like the Mahavishnu Orchestra or one of the Italian progressive groups.

The best-known Mexican progressive, and for good reason! Their first two albums are true classics, with intricate arrangements for double guitar (electric and acoustic) and virtuosic keyboards. The first album emphasizes the guitar, and quite well. The second one features some great keyboard playing by Rosa Flor Moreno, especially on "Era De Metabolismos Tecnologicos", in which she plays some stunningly complex synth parts. The 18-minute "Remeniscencias de un Mundo sin Futur" features some uncredited vocals. Both highly recommended. -- Mike Ohman

Suite Mexicana/Soliloquio combines a hard-to-find EP called Suite Mexicana combined with the full-length Soliloquio. The music is more flavoured with Mexican influences than their other material, but still recalls the spirit of the Italian bands of the seventies. La Rencarnacion De Maquiavelo is the latest release from what is regarded as Mexico's premier prog rock band. The music continues in the same style as their prior material, very much influenced by the mid-seventies Italian sound, though somewhat updated, with the presence of digital-sounding keyboards. The sound is a little more aggressive, with the lead guitar operating with more prominence than previously. As always, the music is mostly instrumental, underpinned by keyboards and guitar, and strewn about with fast-paced, symphonic passages.

I have the CD of their first two releases. Not only is there over 80 minutes of music on it, but it's all good. It's almost all instrumental with chants and vocals occasionally thrown in. Definitely a step above the average symphonic band, Iconoclasta features polyrhythymic guitar/keys/bass lineup. The guitar is a bit sloppy (kind of like Steve Hackett's early sound) and heavily distorted which makes me think this was a low budget recorded but the overall quality is good. Very few tracks have vocals. Those that do are in Spanish or seem like orchestrated choruses. The self titled debut is one of the *very* best albums recorded in the 1980s. Highly recommended.

La Rencarnacion de Maquiavelo is the recent release from Mexico's premiere band. However my first question, after noting that the band is now ten years old, was, "Have they sold out yet?." Seems like all the best do eventually. I'm happy to say that La Rencarnacion de Maquiavelo is *not* musically compromising at all. They may have lost a bit of an edge over the years, but not enough to warrant any complaints. In fact, this release is very much in the same style of the rest of their albums. That is where I have a problem. While Iconoclasta remains one of the best instrumental ensembles recording today, their style is no longer fresh. When they released their debut in 1983, in was an innovative, adventurous and unique departure from the dominant sound of the time. In 1992 they sound largely the same. While this is better than a commercial sell-out, it is still stagnation. But La Rencarnacion is a very good CD to add to your collection and I recommend it, especially if you've heard and enjoyed earlier Iconoclasta releases. As for personnel, the band is now a four piece, with former guitarist Ricardo Moreno taking the keyboard chores his sister Rita used to handle. While Ricardo is a very accomplished musician, he lacks Rita's virtuousity. Not to mention that it sounds like he's playing a casio on most cuts (get a Moog, Ricardo!) Bassist Nohemi D'Rubin performs spectacularly as usual. I'd vote her in as top female bassist anyday. Her vocals grace the only non-instrumental track on the CD. The band is rounded out by guitarist Ricardo Ortegon and drummer Victor Baldovinos. Baldovinos is key in the jerky time changes that makes this band so likeable. While he falls back on the double-bass more than he used to, he remains a quality percussionist. Overall, I give it a thumbs up.

People raved and I succumbed. I regretted it. The first two albums sound like kids messing about...really sloppy and obvious.

1983 And She Told Me I Was... (83)

1980's prog private pressing.

El Cielo Entre Vega No Es Gris (94?)

Instrumental prog with influences ranging across Dead Can Dance, Bloque and Pink Floyd.

If (70), If 2 (70), If 3 (71), If 4 (72, aka Waterfall), Another Time Around (73), Double Diamond (73), Not Just Another Bunch Of Pretty Faces (74), Gold Rock (74), Tea Break is Over, Back On Your 'eads (75)

The driving force behind this band, at least in their early stages, was the saxes of Dick Morrisey and keyboards of John Mealing, along with the crack rhythm section of Jim Richardson (bass) and Dennis Elliott (drums) they also had a guitarist, second reedsman and lead vocalist. I've only heard the first two albums, those could sort of be described as a progressive Blood, Sweat & Tears, very jazz-rock oriented, but not "fusion."

If is a jazz-rock band from the United Kingdom. In this case, jazz-rock doesn't mean fusion ala Mahavishnu Orchestra but something akin to early Chicago or Blood, Sweat and Tears. Also comparable to Isotope and Nucleus. It's also a bit more progressive than either of those two bands. The music is very good and something I like a little better than Chicago. Fairly well balanced between guitar, sax, keyboards, and singing. The lead vocalist (on their first two albums, the ones I have) remind me a bit of Pete Townsend. Perhaps this band isn't for those into heavy prog, but if you also enjoy jazz this may be a good band to seek out. Dave Quincy left If to form Zzebra. -- Mike Taylor

[See Zzebra]

Igginbottom's Wrench (69)

UK jazz/prog featuring Allan Holdsworth.

[See Holdsworth, Allan]

Igra Staklenih Perli (79), Vrt Svetlosti (80), Inner Flow (9?, recorded '75), Soft Explosion Live (9?, recorded '78), Drives (9?, recorded '78)

This band was from Zagreb and this was part of Yugoslavia when they recorded their LPs. Igra Staklenih Perli (79) is a real collectors item here in Europe, and you have to pay some $100 if you find a mint copy of it. But it's worth that! They made some Psych-Prog stuff, maybe like Hawkwind, but much more intense and with better vocals (somewhere i read they have trippy guitars and a spacy organ!). There is also a bit of Pink Floyd (Meddle) in this music, but nevertheless they are quite unique. Highly recommended!! (if you can't find the original, there was also a repro available by Kalemegdan Disc one or two years ago!). Vrt Svetlosti (80) is said to be quite bad, but its impossible to find, so i can't tell you more about it. -- Achim Breiling

Avant-garde space-rock, compared to Can. First 3 are archival material released in the '90s.

Ihre Kinder (69), Leere Haende (70, aka. Empty Hands), 2375004 (70), Werdohl (71), Anfang ohne Ende (72), Pop History Vol. 24 (72)

Seems to be some sort of flute-focused band. 2375004 is said to be the best, Werdohl the most progressive, whatever that means.

Ikarus (71)

Heavy Prog.

Periodikmindtrouble (78), 10 Suicides (80), Polaroid/Roman/Photo (85)

Ilitch is Thierry Muller, who made an a couple of albums in the early 80's in the electro-acoustic vein, at times comparable to Robert Fripp and Brian Eno, Richard Pinhas/Heldon and Philip Glass, using guitars (both electric and acoustic), synthesizers, and lots of effects.

Circle (89)

Out Of The Mist (77), Illusion (78), Enchanted Caress (79/Rel.90)

This was a reformation of the original Renaissance lineup in the mid-70's with vocalist Jane Relf, Jim McCarty on guitar and vocals, Louis Cennamo on bass, John Hawken on Keys, plus some new faces on guitar and drums. (original Renaissance member Keith Relf had died a few years earlier). The basic sound on the first album is similar to early Renaissance, but with less of the classical riffing, and more song oriented. The second album is more refined, the songwriting is better, and Paul Samwell-Smith stepped in as second lead vocalist. The first two are very worthwhile finds, while the third seems a little pale by comparison.

[See Armageddon (UK) | Renaissance | Stairway]

Ilous & Decuyper (71)

Bernard Ilous (vocals, guitars, keyboards) and Patrice Decuyper (vocals, acoustic guitar) are a folk/rock duo who recorded just this one album of 13 songs. Musea's CD reissue includes two bonus tracks from a second single comprised of songs not on the LP. Ilous & Decuyper is a surprisingly strong album of experimental folk/rock/prog. Ilous and Decuyper shared common interests in the Beatles as well as folk and country rock artists like Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, and Crosby Stills Nash and Young. The duo also shared a common desire to fully exploit the 16-track studio to their fullest extent, as well as push their own musical limits. In fact, Ilous and Decuyper took one year to record this album, quite a long time for that era. Because of their love of vocal harmonies, the two spent a great deal of time arranging and recording subtle voicing and instrumental details, as well as layering harmonized voices one on top of the other. To achieve the sound they envisioned, they played most of the instruments themselves, often processing them in various ways to achieve new timbres. Occasionally, they drew help from some friends. On their only cover song, a very nice rendition of the Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby," Jean-Pierre Alarcen (future Sandrose guitarist) provides a fantastic guitar solo. Alarcen also appears in a duet with Ilous on "L'espoir," the B-side of the second single. Here, Ilous played a guitar solo run through a Leslie cabinet draped with felt to achieve a very distinctive tone. But, the vocal harmonies are the real attraction of this album. Ilous, the main lyricist, chose the French lyrics based on their sound, not their meaning. (Recalls Jon Anderson, no?) With attention to engineering and production details, Ilous and Decuyper created harmonies of striking beauty and subtle detail. Unique as a "folk/prog" album in 1971, the album is still very fresh today.

Iluvatar (93), Children (95)

Iluvatar is a Baltimore-based neo-prog band, one of the many Prog bands that takes its name from J.R.R. Tolkein's writings. In this case, the name comes from "The Silmarillion." Iluvatar, in the book, was the "Father of All," who created his children, the Ainur, by his thought. Iluvatar gathered together the Ainur and said to them, "Of the theme that I have declared to you, I will now that ye make in harmony together a Great Music." In this case, the Ainur are Gary Chambers (drums, percussion, vocals), Glenn McLaughlin (lead vocals, percussion, bass pedals), Dean Morekas (bass, vocals), Dennis Mullin (guitars, bass pedals) and Jim Rezek (keyboards). Tolkein's Iluvatar set up a tall order for his children. Do the Baltimore Ainur live up to the expectations? The nine songs on the 57 minute Iluvatar range from the 2.5 minute instrumental introduction to the 10 minute, three part "In the Eye." The opener ("Iluvatar") creates a Pink Floyd ambience of breathy synth pads, low digital synth notes and sustained guitar, which soon breaks into the first part of "In the Eye." And here is the stage set for the rest of the album. During the instrumental sections, there are nods to Yes, Duke-era Genesis and Marillion. When McLaughlin begins to sing, the songs become a very accessible mix of Kansas, Marillion, Genesis, Rush-styled hooks, etc. Lyrically, the music is usually a verse/chorus format, with an obligatory guitar or keyboard solo falling after a chorus and before the next verse. McLaughlin has a pretty nice voice, with a delivery style that often reminds me of Phil Collins. For example, listen to "Through the Eye," the third section of "In the Eye." Not only does his vocal delivery compare to Collins, much of this section is comparable to Genesis' "Turn it on Again." "In the Eye" falls squarely into the round holes of Genesis-influenced neo-progressive rock. Other songs, such as "New Found Key," "Exodus" and "Wait for the Call" are accessible, even radio-ready songs that have little development or progression. "Emperor's New Clothes" ends the album with one of the best instrumental passages heard anywhere on this album, changing direction every so often, with the guitars and synths building tension before releasing into back into the chorus. In short, Iluvatar are a likeable band and it is easy to see why they have developed a loyal following. For me, however, I just couldn't get very excited about Iluvatar. They're just a little too mainstream for my tastes during the vocal passages and the instrumental passages, though nice in some places, aren't exactly brimming with originality. Still, although I think the "Father of All" might be a bit disappointed, fans of Jadis and other decent neo-progressive bands should find Iluvatar to be quite satisfying. -- Mike Taylor

Imán Califato Independiente (78), Camino Del Aguila (80)

Imán's second album falls somewhere between the Arabesque symphonic Prog of Mezquita and the Return to Forever-styled fusion of Iceberg, two other bands from Spain. Imán are a four-piece of Kiko Guerrero (drums and percussion), Urbano Moraes (bass, percussion, backing vocals), Manuel Rodriguez (guitar, vocals) and Marcos Mantero (synths). The album opens with the 10 minute "La Marcha de los Enanitos," an excellent symphonic piece with many Arabian overtones. Velvet-smooth keyboards alternate with electric guitar in solo space. Beneath them is a solid rhythm section. Drummer Guerrero knows that the snare drum is for more than the 2nd and 4th beat. While he doesn't riff as much as, say, Furio Chirico (of Arti E Mestieri), Guerrero certainly likes to take an active role in the music. The star of the show, I think, is Moraes. His bass work is essential to the melody, playing tasteful and memorable melodies while the guitar and keyboards duel overhead. He uses the entire fretboard throughout, and functions as a lead melody intrument, even while keeping rhythm. Like Mezquita, Imán draw from Arabian music and it is noticed here and in the 14 minute title track. The second song is "Maluquinha," a seven minute fusion piece akin to Al Di Meola circa Elegant Gypsy. Guitarist Rodriguez shows a strong Di Meola influence on his solo, alternating sustained notes with swift note runs. He's not as fast as Di Meola but he is more melodic. Comparisons could also be made to Carlos Santana. Congas are used to enhance the Latin feel. "Camino del Aquila" carries on similar to the opening track though there are more melodically diverse passages, including a brief, Steve Howe-like guitar passage in the middle. Also, this track is much jazzier than "La Marcha de los Enanitos," but with a dash of flamenco. The closer is the only vocal track, a ballad of Spanish guitar against a synth backdrop. The only real drawback to this release is it totals less than 35 minutes of playing time. I have no problems recommending it to everyone into Spanish, Italian and South and Central American symphonic prog. -- Mike Taylor

Live 86-89 (91), Live In Japan (93), Recent Discoveries (95), Parallel (97)

Phil Miller project with Elton Dean, Pip Pyle and others.

[See Dean, Elton | Hatfield and the North | Miller, Phil | National Health]

Typewriter concerto in D (84), Antidolerium (??)

Estonian symphonic jazz-rock band. Their album (the one with the girl running down the beach in a long dress - actual title is in Cyrrilic) features the sidelong track "Concerto For Typewriter," which is excellent. The second side is not as inspired, though. Another album Antidolerium exists, and possibly an even earlier one, although I can't comment not having heard them.

The intriguing Typewriter concerto in D by modern composer Alo Mattisen comes from Estonia. Apart from his keyboards, a whole ensemble is featured which includes flutes, bass, guitar, percussions, vibes, synthesizers, horns and even a typewriter. The style is a curious fusion of classical, jazz and rock elements and the sound ranges from Frank Zappa-type arrangements (vibes & flutes) to meditation music. With such an unconventional sound, this production is for adventurous listeners with a taste for something else than the usuall symphonic rock. -- Paul Charbonneau

Morio Inada and Be Mi Family (??)

Karma (74)

Hard Prog.

Indexi (74), Indexi (77), Modra Rijeka (78)

Interesting organ-based prog. Modra Rijeka features narration on a couple of tracks, but fortunately it doesn't go overboard. Guitar work is mainly acoustic, analog synths/string-synth round out the sound. Vocals tend to be harsh, and are the band's most irritating feature. This is worth looking out for, similar to Smak, only less commercial. -- Mike Ohman

Herbstwind (81), Indigo (84), Short Stories (91), A Collection of Tales (92)

Austrian band formed by Gerald Krampl and Norbert Morin several years after the demise of Kyrie Eleison. The sound is (unlike Kyrie Eleison) a song oriented progressive pop with (pretty lame) English lyrics sung with a heavy German accent. Too many minuses: there are too many great albums to waste your money on these for the two or three good songs apiece you'll get. A brand new 1993 album has supposedly just been released which is purported to be very progressive with sidelong cuts. I'll believe it when I see it.

Infinity (96)

Bay-area band that existed from the late '70s to the early '80s, although the recordings from that period did not get released until late 1996. Comparisons can roughly be made to Yes and Dice with a someone more commercial appeal. -- Mike Taylor

The Insect Trust (68), Hoboken Saturday Night (70)

Insect trust were a New York area five piece of electric/slide guitar, alto sax, baritone sax, banjo, and a female lead vocalist. Session men handled bass, drums and rhythm guitar. The two sax players doubled on recorders, flute, piccolo, kalimba, etc. Their music could be described as psychedelic jugband country blues, but the odd instrumentation made it pretty unique. There was also a jazz element in their sound, plus some trad bluegrass influences, etc. Vocalist Nancy Jeffries is excellent, but comparable to nobody I can think of. This is an excellent late sixties fusion of many styles. The first album is the best, but the second is almost as good. Lots of great guitar jams, squawking saxes, great ideas.

The Intergalactic Touring Band (77)

This one-off sci-fi project from 77 was masterminded by Steven Galfas and Marty Scott, and featured David Scance (guitar), Larry "Synergy" Fast (keys), Pete Sobel (bass), plus a large cast of vocalists and supporting musicians including Rod Argent, Annie Haslam, Anthony Phillips, Dave Cousins, Arthur Brown, Percy Jones, Meatloaf, Pepe Marchello and others. Some of the tracks are great (the ones with Cousins and Annie Haslam come to mind immediately) and others, well... It's a very mixed bag overall, mostly good, something for everybody I guess.

[See Argent | Brand X | Renaissance | Strawbs | Synergy]

Durazno Sagrando (??), two others

Durazno Sagrando is the middle release and the best of the three. -- Tom (AshRaTemp)

Iona (90), The Book of Kells (92), Beyond These Shores (93), Journey into the Morn (95)

Iona have four albums out, all excellent. Celtic music with traditional and electronic instruments, ethereal vocals by Joanne Hogg, incredible extended jams and solos, tight production, deep spiritual and historically based lyrics, and guest appearances by Robert Fripp and the lead singer of Clannad. Need I say more? -- Dave Taylor

I.P.Son Group (75)

They sound like Aktuala but not as good.

Seven Stories Into Eight (82), Tales From The Lush Attic (84), The Wake (85), Nine In A Pond Is Here (85), Living Proof (86), Nomzamo (87), Are You Sitting Comfortably? (89), J'ai Polette D'Arnu (91), Ever (93)

Excellent band that really has two phases and can almost be viewed as two different bands. (And is in fact now embarking on the third phase of their career). First few albums heavily influenced by Genesis and feature keyboard work much in that vein, with some attempts at mini-epics, most notably "The Last Human Gateway" on Tales from the Lush Attic. They later changed lead vocalists and produced what can only be called progressive pop. Are You Sitting Comfortably? is perhaps the best example of this featuring excellent harmonies, and a rather majestic keyboard sound. In a way this band has truly captured Genesis. ..Attic perhaps being their Foxtrot or Nursery Cryme and ....Comfortably? being their Duke.

Heavily Genesis influence neo-prog band. I liked their first two, but wouldn't call either one of them a "classic." I guess it's the lack of feeling and depth that hurt these guys, and in The Wake of all of the millions of bands that sound like them, I get kind of lost. Later albums are ridiculous pop/synth that would fit neatly on AOR radio.

The best of the neo-prog genre. Sounds a lot like Genesis, maybe this is what Genesis might be like if they hadn't sold out to pop in the '80s. The first two albums Tales from the Lush Attic and The Wake are outstanding, thats all I own. Better than Marillion! I've only heard newer material live, more pop sounding but there were a couple of nice songs.

Their first album Seven Stories featured mostly instrumental cuts and is overall not that interesting. Their classic "Genesis like" period began with Tales and ended with Living Proof and the departure of lead singer Peter Nicholls. Although these albums are not the pinnacle of originality, they still remain classics of the mid-'80s UK neo-progressive movement, and as such are quite good, although the recordings leave much room for improvement. Nine in a Pond and Living Proof are both live albums from "The Wake" tour, the first taken from a fan-club bootleg, the latter from a TV appearance. The band's "modern pop" period began with the enlistment of new lead singer Paul Menel, and the album Nomzamo. This album and its followup Are You Sitting Comfortably are honestly quite good, but generally despised for not sounding enough like the "old IQ." Get them if you can find them. J'ai Polette D'arnu is half live tracks and half old studio B-sides and outtake material that fell through the cracks somehow.

Most of you should be familiar with IQ, an '80s progressive band from the UK. Nomzamo was released in 1987, and marked a slight change from their earlier works in that the compositions shortened, presumably in an attempt to reach a mass market. Yet, they didn't lose much of the melodic quality and depth of their earlier works. Are You Sitting Comfortably?, released in 1989 went further in that direction, sounding at times like their counterparts Pendragon, and, perhaps, at times, like the current incarnation of Marillion.

One of the better-known and more popular of the British neo-prog bunch. Also one of the best. Though their sound is obviously Genesis-derivative, no one else does it as good as this. Centre of attention are singer Peter Nicholls, who has an up-front, histrionic, yet likable singing style, and keyboardist Martin Orford, who uses mellotron and ARP Odyssey alongside latter-day polyphonic synths. Tales From The Lush Attic is supposed to be the first good album, with a long track called "The Last Human Getaway" as its centerpiece. The Wake goes full-force with the mellotron to give it a 1973 feel in 1984. This is probably as good a neo-prog album you're ever likely to find. Living Proof draws mostly from The Wake, plus a couple of songs from Tales (notably the excellent "Awake And Nervous") and some EPs. Makes a good introductory sampler. In a misguided attempt to break through commercially into the U.S. market, they really pop-ified their sound on Nomzamo and Are You Sitting Comfortably, which include more "alternative"-sounding singer Paul Menel in place of Nicholls. Still, these manage at least one good song each: "Nostalgia/Falling Apart At The Seams" on the former, the nine-minute "Wurensh" on the latter. Reportedly, their latest album Ever finds them back to form, with Nicholls back behind the mic. -- Mike Ohman

IQ is one of the bigger names in the neo-prog genre. Why neo-prog, I don't know. What I've heard of them sounds like traditional progressive, VERY similar to that of early Genesis. There are two stages of IQ, soon to be three. Tales From the Lush Attic is VERY reminiscent of Gabriel-era Genesis. Very good. The first track, "The Last Human Gateway," is their attempt at a mini-epic. Works well, but not perfectly. Their label then told them to make something that would sell. They dropped their vocalist, got a new one, and did two albums, Are You Sitting Comfortably? and Nomzamo. Both are decent efforts in their own right, sitting squarely in the prog/pop category. Some are prog, some are pop, some are both. Worth getting, as long as you don't compare it to their other stuff. And if you don't have to pay too much.

These veterans of the British scene play a melodic and symphonic rock rooted in the same tradition as Genesis. They actually contributed to the redefinition of the style during the 80's. With the usual names on keyboards, guitars and drums, Ever features the return of P.Nicholls on vocals an the replacement of the bassist. A return to slightly longer tracks favours a more progressive developments of compositions but the music remains very accessible. Beautiful melodies, a strong vocal presence and tasteful instrumental episodes will delight fans of the style. -- Paul Charbonneau

[See Jadis]

Crossing the Desert (96)

This is the project of French guitarist S. Gouvernaire (Arrakeen) joined by the bassist and drummer of Marillion. This instrumental music features a guitarist who's work is no stranger to the tradition that ties Steve Rothery to Steve Hackett. It is supported by keyboards that provide a rich symphonic texture and also relies on the expert precision of the rhythm section. Here, the simplicity of the compositions makes way for the extremely rich production and the dramatic delivery of performances. The tracks include smooth parts aswell as more active ones but often convey a feeling of melancholy. An instrumental feast for fans of current British symphonic rock. -- Paul Charbonneau

[See Arrakeen | Marillion]

Irish Coffee (71)

Hard rock w/ lots of heavy organ and guitar.

A Japanese outfit that creates a very lush, melodic, symphonic form of progressive rock that follows in the lines of Vermilion Sands, Maria, and other similar bands, with female vocals. The vocalist is reminiscent at times of Kate Bush or Annie Haslam, and the music may be compared with Renaissance, with a more aggressive electric guitar edge.

Sagan om den Irlandska Algen (84), Sea Reflections (85), Eight Moments of Eternity (87), Sagan Om Ringen (88), Cheval (89), The Voyage: A Trip To Elsewhere (92), Lost Eggs (94)

Fantastic symphonic/fusion band from Sweden. symphonic fans should try Sagan Om Den Irlandska Algen or the classic Sagan Om Ringen (their chronological first and fourth).

This is a difficult one to describe. Isildurs Bane isn't really like any of the other bands I'm familiar with on this list. They are very percussion oriented, with a lot of keyboards and some guitar. The only vocals on the stuff I have are chants in some other language. Undeniably progressive, and I was surprised at how much I liked the sampler tape that I was sent. For the adventurous and open-minded.

Isildur's Bane are a diverse and highly unique band that haven't stuck to any discernable style. Obviously Scandinavian in the sense that Ragnarok, Kaipa, and all those were, these guys created two symphonic albums - both that start with Sagan (Lord), two jazz fusion albums (the inferior of the five) and one symphonic/modern classical concept album Cheval. Start with Sagan Om Ringen, probably their best.

Began as sort of a symphonic folk outfit, their first album is on the quiet side, mostly instrumental, but some tracks feature vocals in the native language. Very original stuff. By the third album, the band had taken a sharp turn in the jazz-rock direction, with more uptempo cuts and bright melodies, and completely instrumental. At this point, and by (Eight Moments) their sound was reminiscent of the Canadian band Maneige in their middle period, a smooth, almost symphonic jazz-rock rich with color and depth. By 1989's Cheval, the band had again switched directions somewhat, opting for a heavily classical symphonic sound, leaning in the direction of bands like The Enid, but with their own unique twist of instrumentation and percussives. The Voyage, is a 2CD set with special packaging, and carries the band forward in the direction they were headed with Cheval. Since the band has had three fairly distinct periods, where you begin with them is simply a matter of preference of one style over another. All are highly recommended.

Isildurs Bane's eclectic mixture of jazz, chamber rock, and progressive rock has won them acclaim. Sagan/Sagan contains their first work, Sagan Om Den Irlandska Algen, in the French symphonic style ala Edhels, Minimum Vital, etc., with vocals, and their interpretation of "Lord Of The Rings," Sagan Om Ringen. The latter is slightly mellower, with the emphasis on keyboards and acoustic guitars, with, perhaps, hints of Anthony Phillips' style thrown in. These are just general comments, and, on a track-by-track basis Isildurs Bane show that they are capable of a wide variety of styles. This is strengthened by the Reflections/Eternity set, their 3rd and 4th releases, in which the music takes a "jazzier" turn, and vocals, which were intermittent on their earlier material, are completely dispensed with. Those who enjoy the French bands mentioned earlier should find this set worthwhile. Their next release, Cheval, was recorded with an orchestra and is an unusual, but effective blend of chamber rock and classical music. The Voyage is a 2CD set that is packaged in a suitcase-shaped box. Sub-titled "A Trip To Elsewhere," this is a concept work, based on the travel fantasies of a gentleman named Adolfo Wolfi, and includes an insert with substantial text and illustrations to accompany the music. The presentation is very ambitious, and the music does take the band a league up in the true "progressive" sense. The chamber rock influence persists, with contributions by a choral ensemble, and the John Zorn trio, all within a rock music framework. In addition, Bjørn J:Son Lindh contributes flute and Janne Schaffer plays guitar on a few tracks. If you liked Cheval, this one is sure to please, but the release stands on its own merits, for being challenging from a musical and presentational point of view.

Sagan om den Irlandska Algen/Sagan Om Ringen is in fact a compilation of two releases, similar in style, from their debut period. This ensemble includes keyboards, guitars, bass, drums, flute, saxophone and few vocals (in Swedish). The delicate work on compositions and arrangements is also remarkable. This light symphonic rock, with its jazzy grooves, remains fresh and original despite the abundance of short tracks. The music is based on the keyboards/guitars combination but its development usually goes beyond this simple framework. A production without much flash that can take a few listens before appreciating its qualities. Sea of Reflection/Eight Moments of Eternity features two recordings from the same period where the group proposed a light jazz-rock fusion with symphonic touches. The group of eight musicians uses the usual electric instruments but also relies on percussions and brass. The short format of the many tracks favours arrangements where the role of the instruments alternates between solo and accompaniment. Despite an electric sound, rock elements are pretty discrete in this music, inspired by jazzy rhythms, that makes sustained use of a brass section. A Trip to Elsewhere offers a conceptual work with a very ambitious presentation (see booklet and case). The music is also very special with its curious mix of symphonism, rock, jazz and chamber music. The unpredictable arrangements include a trio (piano, violin and cello), electric rock (guitar, keyboards, bass and drums) and jazz (with vibes and saxophone). Passages with a choir and flute are also part of the package. In fact, this rich production offers quite an adventure to people who appreciate an often quiet music with sonic configurations alien to the usual symphonic rock. -- Paul Charbonneau

[Sagan Om Ringen was recorded in 1981. Lost Eggs is a collection of unreleased songs from 1973-1993.]

Isis (91), Image (91)

Sound like a cross between the two editions of Renaissance, with some Euro and British folk influences as well. Piano is prominent, as in the Relf/McCarty Renaissance, but some grand symphonics as in the later version. Female singer sounds like neither, and there are some very nice harmonies throughout.

Isis (74), Ain't No Backin' Up Now (75), Breaking Through (77)

Mid 70's All female jazz rock group from the New York City area. I've never heard their album, but I did catch a gig once, and the musicianship was of a high caliber.

All-female eight-piece (!) fusion group, expanded to a nine-piece for their second album with the addition of keyboardist Margo Lewis. -- Mike Ohman

Overture (84), Boheme (86), Mental Touch (88), Another Life (90)

Solid symphonic Germans, who actually can be quite good and quite bad at times. Try Boheme with the stunning 18 minute opener.

German band who have released three albums of Camel-influenced progressive rock, on private labels. They sound somewhat inadequate compared to Camel, though they have that tag. Their CD's are worth the price of admission, since they contain about 70 min. of music apiece. Titles are Boheme, Another Life and Mental Touch. By and large, their music is non-vocal.

Melodic, refined progressive rock, very much in the Camel vein. Half of their music is instrumental. Start with Mental Touch.

This band plays a symphonic brand of progressive rock, reminiscent of the likes of Camel, Moody Blues, and the quieter side of early King Crimson. Boheme even shows some overt Gentle Giant influence on the tribute track "Eltneg Tnaig," but it also has a couple off-the-wall screwball (ala later Grobschnitt) type cuts ("Lang lebe Amerika," "Ocsid Gnicnad") that destroy the cohesiveness of this otherwise fine album. Mental Touch is their masterpiece, featuring a more refined style and several cuts in the 10-15 minute range. Both Boheme and Mental Touch are predominantly instrumental, and both clock in at over 70 minutes. Another Life is different from the others only in that it is a normal length album, and contains all vocal cuts, in fact several tracks from Boheme and Mental Touch are reworked with vocals. There are some fairly interesting tunes here as well ("Strong But Tame," "Signs of Love," "Time To Forget") and the vocals actually enhance their basic sound. Definitely start with Mental Touch.

Another Life is the most recent (1990) release by a German band, whose work has followed the melodic trend influenced by bands such as Camel and Rousseau. In this release, however, the electric guitar is a bit more prominent, though the melodic influences remain.

Pictures (77)

This is extremely powerful music, hard driving, jagged, complex and unusual, the overall feeling is very dark. There is really nothing that compares to this, although something like Il Baletto Di Bronzo's Ys or Tale Cue is comparable in intensity, while the instrumentation might be closer to the likes of Univers Zero meets ELP. The band's frontman and exceptionally powerful vocalist is Benjamin Jager, who also co-writes most of the tracks with keyboardist Peter Scherer. The band is rounded out by Rene Fisch on sax, flute, clarinet and voices, and Guje Jurg Meier on drums and gongs. That's right, no guitars, no basses, although pedal bass is used throughout. The strong presence of the woodwinds and keys in the lead role makes the absence of guitar go unnoticed, and the keys and drums provide the powerful ever-changing rhythm dynamo that keeps this album interesting from beginning to end. The album consists of essentially four long tracks. "Introduction" and "Zero" comprise the 8 minute instrumental album opener, followed by the stunning 17 minute title track; this dark masterpiece would alone be worth the cost of the album. Side two consists of two 12 minute tracks "Herold and King - (Dloreh)" and "Here and Now." "Herold" may be the album's most sinister moment, complete with some distorted unintelligible vocal passages, dark instrumental stretches, and twisted arrangements. Wonderfully unique stuff.

Island's Pictures is easily the best reissue The Laser's Edge has put out since the Schicke Führs and Fröhling two-disc set released in 1993. As I listen to Pictures the band that comes to mind is another Swiss national: Circus and their wonderful album Movin' On, which came out the same year as Pictures. While some comparisons can be made between Circus and Island, it's not for musical comparisons that I think of Circus but more for band structure and level of talent. Circus was a parsed down ensemble of percussion, bass, sax, vocals and a little acoustic guitar and flute. With a sparse ensemble, each musician in the band must possess a robust talent to create a full sound. Indeed, Island is a parsed but very talented ensemble of keyboards (Peter Scherer), percussion (everybody!), vocals (Benjamin Jager) and sax with a smattering of clarinet and flute (Rene Fisch). In addition to the drummer (Guge Jurg Meier), all the other members play percussive instruments. And this doesn't even count the piano as a percussive instrument! Meier is a great drummer and does, in fact, remind me of the excellent Fritz Hauser from Circus. Meier must carry the band because, except for the bass pedal work played by Scherer, he is the base rhythm section, supplemented by the other percussion. While on the subject of percussion, a special mention should be made of Bob Katz and Digital Domain, who mastered the CD. His wonderful work fully brings out the propulsive forces of the percussive and bass pedal work that drives this music. But no single man is Island. Equally import is the keyboard and bass pedal work of Scherer. His bass pedals are as much a force as the percussion and is classical and jazz-influenced keyboard work is marvellous: tasteful, energetic and imaginative. The sax work is easily as talented: fluid and often used as another layer of instrumental depth rather than as a mere solo instrument. All of the six songs, which includes a 23 minute bonus track, are excellent. Of them all, "Pictures" is perhaps a pinnacle among tall peaks and representative of the entire album. "Pictures" is a 16 minute masterpiece from the opening gong to the final sustain of the keyboards. "Pictures" begins with triangle, tambourine and other percussion. After several moments, the keyboards join in and the vocals arrive. After the first couple of verses, the real fun begins. The long instrumental passage between now and the final verses begins quietly. Layers of percussion are surrounded by quiet "ooh"s. This is followed by keyboards, sax, driving bass pedals and wonderful snare work, marking an increase in the energy level. In fact, this general structure marks all of the songs, alternating between pulsating drive and deep, wide-open spaciousness. Again, I can't stress enough how excellent the depth and layering of percussion is, drawing the listener ever deeper into the album. You may have heard of Island being compared to Happy the Man. Only for "Zero," the "short" six minute tune, is there a real Happy the Man comparison. The rest is uniquely Island. The bonus track, rescued from some dank, dark vault by The Laser's Edge, is well worth the inclusion, despite the "good bootleg" sound quality. The quality of the performance more than makes up for this deficiency. The original cover art, by H.R. Giger, only adds to the package. An important reissue and *very* highly recommended. -- Mike Taylor

Isotope (74), Illusion (74), Deep End (76), Best Of (78)

Excellent jazz/prog ala Soft Machine, Nucleus, etc. Features Hugh Hopper on bass on Illusion and part of Deep End.

I have Illusion, which features ex-Soft Machine bassist Hugh Hopper. It's a superb album of Canterbury/Mahavishnu Orchestra-inspired fusion. Centre stage is guitarist Gary Boyle, whose perfomance on "Spanish Sun" is not soon forgotten. Fans of this the aforementioned, try this!. -- Mike Ohman

[See Hopper, Hugh | Soft Machine]

Viaje (76)

Experimental and electronic Music.

The Big Lad in the Windmill (1986), Once Around the World (1988), Eat Me in St Louis (1989), Thank You and Goodnight (1991)

I heard their big hit: "Calling All The Heroes". Decent pop music, possibly 10cc-influenced, but not progressive for a second. -- Mike Ohman

It Bites hailed from Egremont in Cumbria, and grew up together. After doing the pub circuit, the lead singer/guitarist Frank Dunnery quit to seek fame in London, the rest of the group followed and they quickly reformed to sign for Virgin records. Big success came with their second single "Calling All the Heroes" which went top 10 in the UK. The first album also did well, after that the national radio stations stopped playing their stuff as much and subsequent singles and albums failed to do as well. The band split in 1991, Dunnery went solo, the rest of the band changed their name to Navajo Kiss, got a new singer and became heavy metal. As far as classifying the music goes, it is prog rock with the emphasis on the rock. Some tracks are just straight AOR, though some are truly progressive. Check out "You'll Never Go to Heaven" on the first album, "Yellow Christian,""Old Man and the Angel" and "Once Around the World" on the second, their most progressive and best album. The third album is more straight guitar rock, but is still worth checking out. Trivia: Roger Dean completists, the band logo for the third album is Dean. Steve Hillage produced most of the second album. Frank Dunnery has recently joined Robert Plant"s band.

Kick arse rock/pop band. Perhaps too poppy for rockers and too rocky for poppers. Album Once Around The World is the most progressive with its 15 minute title track. Fantastic.

I know everyone is going to say they bite, but I kinda like them. The vocalist sometimes sounds just like Peter Gabriel, and the music is typical of prog-rock bands that try to go mainstream, like some Pendragon stuff. If you find It Bites in the bargain bins, give 'em a try if this description doesn't repulse you.

Itoiz (78), Ezekiel (80), Alkolea (82)

Outstanding group from the Basque region of Spain. This is certainly up there with the best Spanish bands. I have their first two albums. Their style is a mixture of folk (Basque folk, that is, not flamenco), prog-rock and a little jazz. They have excellent vocals, but as they sing in the Basque language, I have no idea what they are saying. (The Basque language has no similarities to Spanish or to any other known language and nobody knows where it came from.) The musicianship is top notch and includes generous flute. Highly recommended. -- Juan Joy

It's A Beautiful Day (69), Marrying Maiden (70) Choice Quality Stuff/ Anytime (71), Live At Carnegie Hall (72), Today (73), 1001 Nights (74, comp.)

San Francisco area band toured with likes of the Grateful Dead, New Riders of the Purple Sage... Music style could best be described as psychedelic folk. Also, some members of the Santana band appeared on one album, which shows a strong Santana rhythm influence.

The origins of IABD go back to the 1967 timeframe, when a band called "Orkustra," led by Violinist/Vocalist David Laflamme, released an extremely obscure independently produced LP that is so rare that it's not even listed in any of the collector books I have lying around. Anyway, personnel changed and so forth, and promoter Matthew Katz picked them up for his brand new label "San Francisco Sound," gave them the cool name "It's a Beautiful Day," and began grooming their sound. In these early years they consisted of Laflamme, his wife Linda on keyboards, vocalist Pattie Santos, Hal Wagenet on guitar, Mitch Holman on bass and drummer Val Fuentes. The first album is a masterpiece of finely crafted classically inspired folk-rock, with a wide range of influences; accesible, inspired and idealistic, it lent strong evidence of musical credibility to the otherwise haphazard and self-indulgent San Francisco music scene of the late 60's. Two years later, after Fred Webb had replaced Linda Laflamme on keyboards (who left after being struck in the head by a bottle thrown from the audience), they were back in the studio recording their second album Marrying Maiden. The new album had far more variety, with some country influence, some cajun, jazz, folk, and good-timey rock n roll, with guest appearances by Jerry Garcia and other Bay Area musicians. Where their first album seemed to be an excersize in perfection, the new one was a step out in many new directions. Then the problems began to take over. David, now embroiled in a nasty divorce, seemed to lose all his creative energies, and yielded to other less skilled writers within the band to take over the task of writing new material. Katz was suing the band for the rights to their name (that's a whole story in itself), and wholesale personnel changes became the order of the day. It was no surprise that after Maiden, the band went downhill fast. Their third, Choice Quality Stuff/Anytime attempted to present two sides of the band on opposite sides of the LP, but unfortunately, all it presented was a band coming apart at the seams. Definitely start with the first album, and don't go beyond the second.

Their eponymous release is a classic of the "San Francisco" psych sound. Many of you may have heard "Hot Summer Day" or "White Bird" on FM radio. The band is lead by the violin and vocals of David LaFlamme and his (now ex-) wife Linda. I've never heard, nor do I know anyone who has heard, their other albums. Lots of folk influences plus some acid guitar leads. This was one of my favorite tripping albums.

A Game For All Who Know (73)

Ithaca released one album called A Game for All Who Know. It is considered pretty rare as "those in the know" say only 55 copies of the LP were pressed. However, it has been pressed on CD so it's much easier to hear. There is also a bit of controversy surrounding the album. Apparently some people think the original LP was fake by a worthless record dealer. So, is it worth it? Yes, if you are into folksy psychedelic ala Trees, Mellow Candle or Pink Floyd's "If" or "Grantchester Meadows." Really nice vocals that make me think of the three voices of the Wilson Philips ladies all rolled into Lee Menelaus, the female vocalist. Her voice is *very* sweet. Alternating with her are the vocals of John Ferrdinando whose voice is also quite pleasant and gentle. Instruments include mandolin, flutes, recorders, classical guitar and autoharp. The music is gentle, dreamy and very laid back. This is a great summer evening kind of album. Overall, a very nice sound and worth a listen if you like folk/prog. -- Mike Taylor

Itziar (79)

Rare Basque psych/prog.

Sad Cypress (79)

I heard a couple of tracks from this, one of which was pretty good. Vocalist suggests Jerry Berkers from Wallenstein and has a very thick accent. Music is keyboard orientated ala Ramses, Pancake, etc. -- Mike Ohman

Ivory (73)