The Wall

Michael Sweet: The Master Plan (2026) When one sees the name Michael Sweet on an album cover there will always be certain expectations such as the lyrics will be heavily Christian, the vocals […]

Riverflame: Lunar Crusades (2026) This is the debut album from a band which could in many ways be thought of as metal supergroup given they are comprised of Abro (bass, Ponte del […]

Red Sand: The Sound Of Silence (2025) Canadian progressive rock trio Red Sand are back with their twelfth album, but I note there has been a line-up change since I reviewed 2021’s ‘The Sou […]

Nazareth: Born Under The Wrong Sign [1976-1979] (2026) There is no doubt that the proud sons of Dunfermline are one of the very finest hard rock bands of all time, still treading the boards today. Bassist […]

Malum: From The Voids (2026) Not to be confused with the Czech or Finnish black metal bands of the same name, here we have the Norwegian band back with their second album, following […]

Martin Archer & Claire McAllister: Mast Year (2026) I have often said I never read a press release before I play an album, as this allows me to form my own opinion before reading about it, so when I first […]

Karfagen: Omni (2025) Once this has been played it is easy to understand why it is rated on ProgArchives as one of the top albums from 2025 as it captures the proghead from […]

Lightnin' Hopkins: Blues in My Bottle [Remastered] (1961) I first came across the music of Samuel John “Lightnin'” Hopkins more than a decade ago, and there is no doubt I have more albums by him than another […]

John Lee Hooker: That's My Story [Remastered] (1960) I am really enjoying these blues and jazz reissues from Craft and Concord, and here is another fine example with this remastered reissue of his third […]

Mourniaty: Musta Maa (2025) Drummer Metällinen and singer/guitarist Karulainen started Mourniaty as a project all the way back in 2015, but it is only in recent years they have […]

Manraze: Lock, Stock & Barrel (2026) Back in 1980 I discovered a band had released a cover of “Do You Love Me?” and given my then desire to hear all things related to Kiss I promptly bou […]

CASTLE MOUNTAIN MOON (GERMANY) A Layman’s Guide to Unobtainium This German band’s debut album caught me, as well as many others by surprise, an unexpected delight. ‘Six Tales of Perception’ came out in 2024, and I […]

Carmine CAPASSO & Giorgio Fico PIAZZA (ITALY) Vi Suoniamo una Storia Carmine Capasso is a young and ultra-talented guitarist, making quite a name for himself not only in the Italian prog community with The Trip and solo […]

Dave Whetstone: Winding To You (2026) There is no doubt whatsoever that Ashley Hutchings is responsible for more music and creation within the folk-rock scene than anyone else, and even […]

Chris Marksberry: The Perry Vale Sessions (2026) I missed out on last year’s debut, ‘End of the American Dream’, but Chris Marksberry is back with his second album already, and I am very glad indee […]

GREEN DESERT TREE (GERMANY) Fighting Dragons Oooh, this may be quite a tasty discovery, even though I did get the previous 2019 debut but never gave it a thought . But thankfully this one caught my […]

ARCHIVE (UK) Glass Minds Okay, I will take the plunge. I do have another album (‘You all Look the Same to Me’ from 2002) from this lot that did not bowl me over, but I do als […]

Darkthrone: Pre-Historic Metal (2026) Can it really be 40 years since young Gylve “Death” Nagell (now better known as Fenriz) was a founder member of Black Death? After two years they changed […]

Motu: Idiot at the Wheel (2026) Dr Richard Michelson (stage name: MOTU which stands for Music Of The Universe), is back with his 25th album, but I am pretty sure it is only the second […]

James Houlahan: On A Wing (2026) This is the seventh album from American singer/songwriter James Houlahan and is based on Hieronymus Bosch’s triptych, ‘The Garden of Earthly Del […]