The Rare Sound Machine - Beauty Machines

The Spanish band The Rare Sound Machine released their first recording "Beauty Machines" (downloadable from their My Space site) an EP with six splendid pieces of instrumental progressive rock, powerful and determined, in which they don't beat around the bush and from beginning make it clear what they do: progressive hard-rock, with guitar always at front and clear references to bands like Dream Theater and Tool. With power chords and great solos, enough to let clear the technical soundness of Alvaro Diez and company, but avoiding cloying virtuosity, this guys from Madrid makes intense and dynamic music, maybe a little austere for progressive standards, that over 40 minutes gives no truce nor rest with songs like "Temazo", vigorous and sharp, "N", with metal and Tooleans flashes, or the masterful "Jorge's", dedicated to disastrous George W. Bush who "participate" with fragments of his extremists speeches. Besides being an excellent presentation and overwhelming sample of what The Rare Sound Machine can do, "Beauty Machines" is one of those progressive rock albums that, from time to time, assert the "rock" part to "progressive rock" label. -CORANNIEIT-

The Rare Sound Machine, Beauty Machines
TRSM-Indie, 2009

Links:
Official Site
My Space Site

madhatteR - Universal Thinking Stops Time

In a so fucking arid scene, as the national rock is (i'm talking about mexican rock scene), an effort like "Universal Time Stops Thinking", from the Queretaro's band madhatteR, should be, at least, a remarkable occasion. Unfortunately works like this, away from commercial standards and which did not originate in Mexico City, Guadalajara or Monterrey, often go almost completely unnoticed. Moving between post-rock, progressive rock and post-metal accents, "Universal Time Stops Thinking" (by the way, it can be downloaded from the band's site on last.fm) is a record composed by 7 pieces, almost all of them instrumental, in which madhatteR runs over the same roads of bands like Mogwai or Indukti making music in which a punchy and intricate bass is guiding powerful guitars, that in songs like "God Hates Ugly Music", acquires a dark and sinister touch, approaching, keeping all proportions, to the style of the masters of Tool. On the other hand, the quartet also shows its friendly face in light themes such as "Anderson Council" while in "Daemonieke Reprise" they experiment with electronic music. Perhaps just with vocals as weak point, and despite the limited studio production, madhatteR delivers a cerebral, well done and full of good moments record. -CORANNIEIT-

madhatteR, Universal Thinking Stops Time

madhatteR-Indie, 2007

Links:
My Space Site

That Fucking Tank - Tanknology

When a band proclaims that works "challenging the assumption that 'good' music has to be made 'professionally' " and also has songs with names like "Keanu Reef", "Dave Grolsch" or "Bruce Springstonehenge" is not unusual not being taken seriously. Fortunately this seems not to be a concern for That Fucking Tank, English duo formed by Andy Abbott on guitar and James Islip on drums, who in "Tanknology" delivered 10 songs of instrumental psycho-hard rock with touches of stoner and progressive rock, so close of bands like Monkey 3 or, nowadays disappeared, The USA Is A Monster. By combining progressive structures, of some complexity, with catchy, almost metal, riffs, the couple link up pieces to create long passages that sometimes sounds as if Abbott is playing in his living room testing his new effects processor while Islip drums sounds impetuous and ease. Taking the do-it-yourself philosophy for a fun and carefree (but not careless) road, That Fucking Tank delivers a record with playful, powerful and imaginative music. -CORANNIEIT-

That Fucking Tank, Tanknology
Gringo Records, 2009

Links:
Official Web Site
My Space Web Site

Muse - The Resistance

Among the army of Radiohead clones that emerged last decade few bands can today claim to have found his own style. Fewer can boldly stand alongside the Oxford masters (to overcome them is so much to ask for, remember that Thom Yorke and company are cooked separately). One of these bands is Muse that just had delivery "The Resistance" their fifth studio album. There is not much new to say about Muse music. Everything in their work is excessive and still yet it sounds perfect. Keeping almost the same sound of "Black Holes And Revelations", the trio deliver intense, ambitious, elaborated and perhaps a little more bombastic, if possible, music. The guys from Teignmouth left behind the "floydians" album covers but keep their epic style with a progressive rock touch on tracks like "The Resistance", "Unnatural Selection" or "United States Of Eurasia/Collateral Damage" (with an obvious wink to Queen) songs in which they carry their rock/pop to cinematic limits by combining monumental orchestral arrangements with the powerful guitar and passionate interpretations of Matthew Bellamy. The album closes with "Exogenesis" a 3 movements mini-symphony in which Bellamy gives vent to his classical piano accompanied by Edodea Ensemble. "The Resistance" is an impeccable album that assures Muse to be on all "Best Of The Year" lists. It is also a great opportunity to take a rest of the low-fi/do-it-yourself fashion and enjoy a little bit of glamour. -CORANNIEIT-

Muse, The Resistance
Warner Music, 2009

Links:
Official Site
My Space Site

Crippled Black Phoenix - 200 Tons Of Bad Luck

In what moment the sound of a band change from have influences of to it's a copy of? Is it "bad" to copy the sound of a band if the result is pretty good? This kind of questions come to mind after listen "200 Tons Of Bad Luck" the second album from Crippled Black Phoenix, the British collective group founded by Justin Graves (Electric Wizard, Iron Monkey) and its membership includes Mogwai bassist Dominic Aitchison. Covered all the way by an evident and permanent floydian shadow "200 Tons Of Bad Luck" is a good album in which we will not find an original sound, but high-level music ranging from post-rock to progressive rock. Music with long instrumental passages, peppered with incidental sounds and voices, mostly of it relaxed but also with moments full of enthusiasts Gilmourean guitars. While the first part of the album have a complete and shameless Pink Floyd sound, with songs like "Burnt Reynolds, with an introduction very close to "Shine On You ...", "Rise Up And Fight", almost a "One Of These Days" clone and "Time Of Yer Life / Born For Nothing / Paranoid Narcoleptic Arm Of Empire ", a long suite of 18 minutes with noticeable evocations to "Wish You Were Here" and "Dark Side Of The Moon" albums, towards the middle it tends more to Mogwai sound playing a little bit more obscure and aggressive songs like "444" and "Whissendine" just to close with the ethereal and instrumental "I Am Free Today I Perish." A very good album that could make happy to any Pink Floyd fan. -CORANNIEIT-

Crippled Black Phoenix, 200 Tons Of Bad Luck
Invada Records, 2009

Links:
Official Website
My Space site

The USA Is A Monster - Space Programs

"Space Programs" is the fourth and probably last album of American duo The USA Is A Monster who recently announced their separation and even have shutdown both their official and My Space websites. An album composed by 7 pieces with an anti-solemn and casual/funny character ranging from psychedelia to progressive rock, and from RIO to space rock, developing a surprising complex and powerful sound in despite of the austere instrumentation that is limited to the guitar of Colin Langenus and the Tom Hohmann drums (plus some keyboards). With a remarkable interest in Native American cultures, reflected in many of their lyrics and also permeating the music, the sometimes mantrics interpretations by Hohmann and the sharp and vigorously stoner guitar of Langenus assemble electrifying passages where the music acquires a "mystical" and hallucinating touch. With pieces such as the impetuous opener "Cocaine Weeding", the splendorous and trippy "Frozen Rainbows", and specially "Tulsa," almost a religious experience, "Space Programs" is progressive rock without ornaments, solid and delirious. A trip. -CORANNIEIT-

The USA Is A Monster, Space Programs
Load Records, 2009

Links:
Load Records