Emissary have their second single of the year out now. With “Caldera,” the stoner-prog metal band go entirely instrumental, getting loud and clangorous just as the name of the track would suggest. Resonant guitars crash like a volcanic eruption, with midtempo riffage rolling like rivers of lava. We can imagine that this song and previous single “Line of Sight” are
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Stoner/prog metal band Emissary released their first single of 2023. It’s a slow burner, gradually embellishing the patient melody with louder and tighter dynamics, a guitar solo, shifting rhythms and roaring vocals. The band has demonstrated their versatility over the years; this tune may not be as heavy as a lot of their previous stuff, but it embraces the band’s
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Stoner-prog rockers Emissary have out yet another single. This one’s a pounding exercise that blazes a trail into bloodthirsty guitar solos and mercilessly growled vocals, feeling like one’s judgment day. Emissary are likely working on something bigger with this being their third new track since last summer’s album “Cerulean,” so be on the look out for more heaviness from them
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Progressive metal artist Nick Hill released a new album this week. It’s eight tracks of gnarly instrumental riffage, complete with rattling drums and thrashing speed. There’s a keen sense of epic adventure here, like you’re embarking on a treacherous journey through a storm or getting ready to head out to battle. Whichever scenario you envision, Nick Hill delivers your soundtrack
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Progressive metal band Lost Tribes of the Moon have their first single out in three years. Inspired by Clive Barker’s “Nightbreed,” the song spans over eight minutes, blazing a trail of epic riffage and occult vocals. The lyrics detail the lives of cursed underground monsters that are awakening and hungering for flesh. Hopefully it’s the sign of more to come
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Atmospheric black metal project Golyat, a solo endeavor of Bob Schaab’s, has a new single out today. Featuring drums from The Black Dahlia Murder’s Alan Cassidy, this track boils with madness and bloodthirsty urges. It’s about failing God because you’re fueled by greed and sin. If you’re looking for something ferocious yet textural, give Golyat’s new track a listen.
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Bluesy prog rockers Wonderful Bluffer are out with their debut single. They tell the story of an ancient people calling upon a goddess to aid them in the struggle against invading forces. Joe Joe Scott’s guitar solo symbolizes the peoples’ secret weapon, while Christian Fritz-Klaus’ vocals are the war cries that the people stand fast from. It’s a tale of
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Post-prog metal project Arctic Sleep has two new original compositions out, inspired by the Scout Comics series “By the Horns.” The first track, “Blade Through Your Heart,” revolves around being unable to move past painful memories and being tempted to bring everyone down with you, while the second track “Maybe Magic Won’t Die A Horrible Death Today” is more vague
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Funk-prog rockers Wurk have a new song out this week. Written during the 2020 election, it’s about how American politicians lie to and deceive the people. Many of us have become apathetic towards the bipartisan capitalist system in the last year, but Wurk is here to turn those sentiments into a funky uptempo jam. With a wicked saxophone solo in
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Both songs bring a relentlessly tortured, hellish energy from vocalist Tom Olwig.
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Prog-psych rockers Conundrum are out with their long-awaited sophomore EP. Beginning with a vibrant and ambient soundscape, the first track features space-like vocals that bring us into an intergalactic daydream. The second track, featuring Mike Neumeyer on vibraphone, is shorter but brings more complex and jazzy instrumentation. The third track had been the EP’s lead single and is a satire
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The psych-prog rockers deliver a single from their upcoming EP.
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Chief explore the seas in an epic concept album that was four years in the making.
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Ben Slowey talks with the psych-prog-jam band.
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Ahab’s Ghost bring the power on their first record in four years.
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Neocaveman blend intricacy with energy on their latest full-length.
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We talked to the band ahead of their show on Wednesday at the Johnson Controls World Sound Stage.
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Tapebenders explore a slightly stripped down version of their sound on their new EP.
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The band returns with a live single recorded at WMSE.
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The adventures of a touring band is something that a lot of local acts have yet to experience. For Illinois band Flaccid, however, the adventure has been the road, and welcoming bands to play in their home state, as well. On April 29th, Flaccid’s road comes through Up & Under for a show with Milwaukee’s The Young Revelators, and we
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When discussing genres like progressive rock, the use of visuals can help a band out tenfold as opposed to more mainstream genres. However, in the case of Long Island based band Time King, both their new single, “Main Street” and the video for it are absolutely stunning, and the two compliment each other well. Filmed by Nico Moreno, the video
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With a mix of the best of punk rock energy and prog rock style, Milwaukee’s Gauss is a breath of fresh air. The band has put out a release annually for the last four years, but for many, “Thalweg”, which was released earlier this month, will serve as a fitting introduction to their eclectic blend of indie. “Thalweg” is a
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After building a name for themselves through several shows and appearances, Neocaveman have put together their self-titled debut EP. Complete with progressive guitar licks and soothing vocals, this is five tracks that you’ll keep on repeat. You can definitely hear some influences from both the indie rock and prog rock worlds, and that comes seeping out of every song. There’s some
Read moreWednesday was my first experience seeing Milwaukee’s extra-large Group of the Altos, and it was definitely just that; an experience. The 15(I think?) piece group has multiples of just about every instrument, making for a larger-than-life sound that translates to their live performance. The group features Milwaukee emcee Klassik as well, both for his verses as well as his saxophone
Read moreChicago’s Royale is back, with some brand new music that is as catchy as ever. “Inland Sea” starts off softer, but builds up to a bang. This is a band that knows how to bring you into a song. While it feels like they’re just jamming their way through this one, it’s all one big build up. This is all
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