Stop what you’re doing! There’s a new Dream Theater track, “Night Terror” with founding member and drummer Mike Portnoy back in the band.
For me, Portnoy has always been the heart and soul of Dream Theater, so I am beyond delighted that he’s back in the fold.
I can’t wait for the new album dropping in 2025.
One of my favourite bands, Amplifier, has just announced they will be playing a live web concert in November or December 2024 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their self-titled debut album which they will be playing in its entirety.
Continue reading Amplifier announces live web concertThis year, musician-extraordinaire Steven Wilson was challenged by a friend why he had never written a Christmas song.
He replied that he didn’t think he had it in him to write Christmassy lyrics.
No problem, his friend told him, we’ll instruct ChatGPT to write Christmas lyrics in the style of Steven Wilson. But don’t mention Christmas. And make it feel more lonely.
This was the result. I like it better than most Christmas tracks.
My annual review of what I’ve most enjoyed listening to during the last 12 months, and my albums of the year.
One of my favourite bands, Opeth, has a new album coming out this year, entitled Sorceress. This is the title track. It’s very heavy, very doom-y, very old-school prog.
I know that Opeth’s move from outright death-metal-style progressive metal to more 70s-oriented prog on Heritage (2011) divided the band’s fan-base. It took a while for me to really get into but I like it. But then I’ve always felt that bands should be free to do what they want, move in whichever direction interests them. And if I, as a fan, don’t like it, then fine—don’t listen to it. Listen to the stuff that you do like.
I’m really looking forward to the album being released on Friday 30 September.
The album was recorded at Rockfield Studios in Wales, where Queen recorded Sheer Heart Attack (1974) and A Night At The Opera (1975), including “Bohemian Rhapsody”.
Guitarist Mikael Åkerfeldt takes us on a tour of the studio.