Welcome to "In Defense Of"! Where I defend albums nobody seems to like but I have always appreciated.

First up is Test For Echo, Rush's 1996 attempt at grunge-prog. It's still an anomaly in the band's career that came at a weird time and has a sound they haven't tried before or since. It's a strange record that has earned the ire of many a Rush fan, and often ends up near the very bottom rankings of the group's discography. So what's worth defending here? From inukshuks and perseverance to old dogs and gangster boys, I think there's a lot to salvage here!

*Sounds and music courtesy of Soundtrap.

Today a discussion of Tiamat's Gothic prog masterpiece, Wildhoney. Often revered as a classic of gothic rock and metal, it also deserves a solid shoutout as a fantastic prog record due to its dark, dense atmosphere, cohesive yet experimental songwriting, and for being a 42-minute psychedelic odyssey into nature and the cosmos.

*Sounds and Music Courtesy of Soundtrap.

Welcome to the world of the Crimson King!

We begin our exploration into the work of Robert Fripp and co. with Larks' Tongues, one of the band's most revered and experimental efforts. Much of avant-garde and classic progressive music can be traced back to this record with its unique production, improvisational feel, and overall sinister, unsettling atmosphere.

*sounds and music courtesy of Soundtrap

Today we look at Rise Radiant, the 2020 Release from Caligula's Horse, a progressive alternative metal band from Australia. The group has drawn acclaim from around the world for their colourful, technical compositions, elaborate concepts, and sense of melody. Rise Radiant represents the most concise and focused record in their discog, and is a great record for fans of progressive metal and all music.

*Sounds and music courtesy of Soundtrap.

Continuing our journey through Stratovarius's discography, we move into the band's golden era, where they release Episode, Visions, and other power metal classics when the genre was arguably at its zenith. Power and Progressive meet in a string of classic releases that earned the band their rightful legendary status.

Next: The final chapter, beginning with the diminishing quality of the band's releases and the inner turmoil that almost tore them apart, and finishing with them regrouping and coming back, potentially, stronger than ever!

*Sounds and music courtesy of Soundtrap

Opening up the new "Standout Songs" segment, where I pick songs in particular that stand out to me among respective albums.

First up is "Darker Thoughts" by Paradise Lost. The opener to 2020's Obsidian has been hailed as one of the band's best opening tracks or best tracks, period. It is a fantastic example of emotional music, metal or otherwise, absolutely nailing the atmosphere, lyrics, and with tons of powerful music to match. Easily one of my favorite tracks in the genre.

*Sounds and music courtesy of Soundtrap

Our discussion and review of Tarkus, sophomore record of ELP (Emerson, Lake, and Palmer). This is a landmark progressive rock record that showcases a lot of ambition, technical instrumentation, and inventive songwriting. Great starting place for those looking to get into classic progressive rock, particularly the epic 20-minute title suite, but may also be an overlooked hidden gem to others. Wrap it up in William Neal's distinctive cover art and you have a blast of a record!

*Sounds and music courtesy of Soundtrap

PHD Thesis discussing Emerson's Composition style, Peter T. Ford. Great read!

https://scholars.indstate.edu/bitstream/handle/10484/3914/Compositional%20Style%20of%20Keith%20Emerson%20in%20Tarkus%20%281971%29%20for%20the%20Rock%20Music%20Trio%20Emerson%2C%20Land%20and%20Palmer%20Peter%20T.%20Ford.pdf?sequence=2&isAllowed=y

Tonight we discuss Paradise Lost's Icon, an incredibly important album in the development of the gothic metal genre and a powerful statement of intent for the band. With excellent songwriting, soaring melodies, and a heavy, dark undercurrent, Icon is a vital record in understanding the genre and very accessible to newcomers. We also include history on the inception of gothic rock/metal, and a review of how the new reissue, Icon 30, carries on the legacy 30 years later.

*Sounds and music courtesy of Soundtrap