Prog
Far Beyond The Lighted Stage
One of metal’s biggest bands has thrown caution to the wind, embracing psychedelics, absurdity and a wilful disregard for the limits of genre. Avenged Sevenfold’s frontman M Shadows gives Prog an insight into the philosophy, sound and pursuit of discomfort that all shaped Life Is But A Dream…
4 min |
Issue 142
Prog
Read All About It!
The Fierce And The Dead haven't had it easy in recent years, but they're ready to put all that behind them with their fourth album, News From The Invisible World. It's striking in many ways - not least that, for the first time, they've recorded with vocals. Guitarist Matt Stevens and bassist Kevin Feażey join Prog to lift the lid on how the quartet are enjoying a new lease of life.
7 min |
Issue 142
Prog
Filling The Empty Spaces - EIGHT YEARS THAT CHANGED PINK FLOYD FOREVER
The two shows Pink Floyd played at London’s Earls Court in May 1973 marked a quantum leap for the group out of the ballrooms and theatre circuit into the arenas, stadiums and fields, where their concerts would remain for the rest of their career. Thanks to the worldwide allure of their eighth album, The Dark Side Of The Moon, their controls seemed to be set; any intimacy and direct connection with the audience – never something highest on Floyd’s priority list – was over. Prog explores those shows and their impact on the group in the following years.
10+ min |
Issue 142
Prog
EVERYONE'S A WINNER
Almost 15 years into their career, Godsticks are still winning new fans with their blend of dark and complex music. Bandleader Darran Charles talks through the highs and lows of making their sixth studio album, This Is What A Winner Looks Like, and tells us why he doesn’t mind if you call them ‘prog metal’.
7 min |
Issue 142
Prog
Mystery Lessons
Montreal-based Mystery put their planned ninth studio album, Redemption, on hold in 2020. The ensuing break enabled Michel St-Père, who founded the band 37 years ago as a studio project, to write some of its more grandiose tracks. He explains how a heroic Canadian soldier found his way onto the album and why coming to the UK has always been a costly business for the Mysterons.
5 min |
Issue 142
Prog
MONG TONG
Taiwanese brothers mix up their native culture with western electronics and global psychedelia to blur genres.
1 min |
Issue 142
Prog
OSYRON
Queensrÿche-inspired Canadians take prog metal to darker realms.
2 min |
Issue 142
Prog
THEY WATCH US FROM THE MOON
Spaced-out US collective reach new heights with their debut album.
2 min |
Issue 142
Prog
THE ANCHORET
A stranger ina strange land spins a tale of loneliness with help from some new friends.
2 min |
Issue 142
Prog
Dance To The Music
Norway’s self-proclaimed “retro-prog” trio are back with an album inspired by an abstract dance performance! Ring Van Möbius reveal why they jumped at the chance to move away from their comfort zone with the project that led to Commissioned Works Pt II – Six Drops Of Poison, and their plans for future releases – which could even include a recording of the soundtrack to the horror flick Suspiria.
5 min |
Issue 142
Prog
Q&A RAY ALDER
The Fates Warning vocalist discusses his complex second solo album, the future of his main band and playing live without his ‘brothers’.
4 min |
Issue 142
Prog
Rebel Rousers
After the seriousness of Ayreon and Star One, Arjen Lucassen is ready to let his hair down with Supersonic Revolution. The Dutch polymath is shaking things up and heading back to the 70s for some serious fun, and he's gathered together a fantastic group of musicians to help him.
5 min |
Issue 142
Prog
THE PROG INTERVIEW - IVAR BJØRNSON
Every month we get inside the mind of one of the biggest names in music. This issue it’s Ivar Bjørnson. Enslaved’s guitarist and synth player discovered Pink Floyd at an early age and found an unlikely prog mentor in one of the founders of Bergen’s controversial black metal scene. His first group was a brass band, but he quickly moved from more traditional to extreme sounds, eventually finding his place as one of the pioneers of modern progressive metal. In 2015, he and Wardruna’s Einar Selvik reignited the Nordic flame with their By Norse label, and more recently Enslaved celebrated their 30th anniversary with the even proggier Heimdal. Here, the multiinstrumentalist takes a break from touring to recount his curious and unexpected musical journey so far.
10+ min |
Issue 142
Prog
HAPPY OLD WORLD...
In 1970, Barclay James Harvest caught the critics' attention when they experimented with rock and orchestra on their bold self-titled debut. Half a century later, John Lees' Barclay James Harvest are preparing for their final live shows before the bandleader retires, including a special orchestral concert in Huddersfield in September. John Lees discusses the band's incredible career and the tracks that made up their recently reissued second album, Once Again.
7 min |
Issue 142
Total Guitar
"I'm on a journey as a guitarist to achieve perfection"
Heavy rock heroes Greta Van Fleet are on a mission to explore new territory. For guitarist Jake Kiszka, this means different techniques, random guitars and all-improvised solos. "Stagnation," he says, "Is a form of death."
9 min |
August 2023
Total Guitar
"The strat sound is the most inspiring”
The Lemon Twigs' power-pop has a new sense of refinement - plus some classic guitar heroics
7 min |
August 2023
Total Guitar
"It sounds like a cyborg hungover and vomiting!"
Inside the 'sonic craziness' of punkmetal project Mutoid Man
2 min |
August 2023
Guitar Techniques
MITCH DALTON
The studio guitarist's guide to happiness and personal fulfilment, as related by our resident session ace. This month: Forgive Me Father, For I Have Sinned.
2 min |
September 2023
Guitar Techniques
JAM TRACKS TIPS
Use these to navigate our bonus backing tracks
1 min |
September 2023
Guitar Techniques
EXPRESSIVE SOLOING WITH PAUL GILBERT
In this exclusive video lesson, the legendary Paul Gilbert treats you to a37-minute overview on transferring vocal phrases to the guitar, with Jon Bishop as your guide.
10 min |
September 2023
Guitar Techniques
BONNIE RAITT
This month Stuart Ryan looks at the acoustic side of a Grammy-winning legend who's usually more at home with a Strat and a bottleneck!
2 min |
September 2023
Guitar Techniques
VINNIE MOORE
Guitar instrumentals have supplied some of music’s most evocative moments. Jason Sidwell asks top guitarists for their take on this iconic movement. This month, American virtuosic rock legend, Vinnie Moore.
7 min |
September 2023
Guitar Techniques
CHRIS DUARTE: 5 Texas Blues Licks
We invited the San Antonio-born blues master to record five of his favourite Texas blues licks. Prepare to turn up the heat, with Jon Bishop as your guide.
2 min |
September 2023
Guitar Techniques
SIX SOUTH AMERICAN RHYTHMS
Latin music combines exciting rhythms with a vibrant feel and can be both challenging and rewarding to play. So get ready, says Jon Bishop-it's Carnival time!
5 min |
September 2023
Guitar Techniques
GASPAR SANZ: Canarios
We take a journey to 17th-century Spain this month to explore Declan Zapala’s arrangement of this uplifting miniature originally written for the baroque guitar.
2 min |
September 2023
Guitar Techniques
MICHAEL ROMEO
Join Charlie Griffiths on an Odyssey through the divine strings of Symphony X, to encounter a multitude of picking and tapping techniques.
2 min |
September 2023
Guitar Techniques
ALBERT KING
This month Phil Short explores the sound of a blues guitarist who used minimal notes but maximum feel to create unforgettable music.
2 min |
September 2023
Guitar Techniques
THE CROSSROADS: John Scofield
This month John Wheatcroft investigates the playing of a true contemporary jazz great who mixes bluesy-rock tone with sophisticated harmony and dazzling technique.
3 min |
September 2023
Guitar Techniques
TASTY SOLOING
Andy G Jones looks at a phenomenon of bluesbased music. John Mayer wears his influences well, but always brings his own twist to things.
2 min |
September 2023
Guitar Techniques
WOLFGANG VAN HALEN
A minute’s all it takes to find out what makes a great guitarist tick. Before he jumped into his limo to the airport, we grabbed a chat with the Mammoth WVH frontman, who carries guitar-playing history on his shoulders.
4 min |