Heart of The Woods (Sykofant, 2026)

Norwegian prog rock band Sykofant released their "Leaves" project in two virtual EPs: "Red Sun" (2025) and "Leaves" (2026) and a single final physical release. Let me say that both installments are beautiful, full of well found melodies, unpredictable changes and skillful solos. This is my favourite track from their second EP, the final song. It's simply perfect in its own, fascinating way. Acoustic and electric instruments, perfect vocal harmonies (a foursome choir is credited), rhytmic shifts and robust guitar solos are just a few of this 16-minute track's highlights. 

                                                                A Fairy cover, isn't it?

I like the way they merge their own ideas with many '70s and '80s influences spanning from Yes to Pink Floyd and from neo-prog to prog metal. Such a diversified palette brings to a refreshing, personal, lively interpretation of the deepest progressive rock roots. They have a stunning way to create sonic worlds and to exploit all instruments' tones to enrich each and every mood shift. Highly recommended, IMHO.

The River I & II (This Winter Machine, 2023)

English vocalist and song-writer Al Winter started this West Yorkshire-based quintet in 2016 and even if you could label it as a neo progressive act, I'm happy to say that those musicians had their own signature sound since their debut album. A mildly distorted electric guitar marks their rock moments, full of energy and beautiful changes, but I admit that their atmospheric songs and passages are my favourites by far. 

This is the band's fourth studio album.

This 11 minutes song is the opening mini-suite of their 2023 album, titled "The Clockwork Man", a concept around a future society where human clones are enslaved to perform hard and dangerous jobs. "The River" includes both sides of their production: after an electronic crescendo, the first part is a tough mid-tempo  prog rock, while part II is an awful, poignant piano driven ballad, something really, really well written and well sung with a perfect guitar solo. This Winter Machine seem to like a  thorough but also essential prog rock and they skip any useless ornament. That's not so common, after all, and certainly is a refreshing approach.

A Way out (Unifaun, 2008)

Same old question: should we like bands like Unifaun that explicitly revive classic prog bands' style? Well, the answer is simple to me: yes, if they know how to write good songs and to play them. This is the case with Swedish duo Unifaun, whose only album to date include some very good and very Genesis oriented songs. This Swedish duo includes singer and multi-instrumentalist Nad Sylvan of Steve Hackett live band fame and keyboardist Christian Thordin, AKA Bonamici. 

Above: the dark original 2008 cover art. Below: the Genesis-oriented 2023 reissue painting.

Their self-titled album features many musical solutions related to the ex Charterhouse pupils, but with a distinctive nordic and slightly folk taste I appreciate. The track I choose here is a prog ballad full of dreamy passages and based on really good melodies. The overall effect is mostly similar to Genesis' "Selling England by The Pound" era. Is this a good reason to despise such a song? I don't think so, but let me know your opinions.

Kontraster (Jordsjø, 2025)

Here you are another Norwegian brilliant band, progging away between pure symphonic rock, folk hints and some experimental, even dissonant moments. Jordsjø released their first album in 2015 and this track comes from a 2025 split record including this Jordsjø's title track on vinyl version side A and another side-long track by Breidablik, an electronic prog project by Morten Birkeland Nielsen on side B. "Kontraster" ("Contrasts", in English) does as its title says and offers an awesome variety of moods, arrangements, instruments and musical ideas. 

This is the second joint venture of Jordsjø and Breidablik.

It is a rather low tempo collection - maybe a suite - of inner reflections and by such a rich palette you could hardly guess that  Jordsjø is formed by just two musicians: multi-instrumentalist Håkon Oftung and percussionist Kristian Frøland. Be as it may, this duo leads the listener through a fantastic and unpredictable trip, flowing very deep inside their souls (our souls, I daresay). It is an enriching and entertaining listening, something you won't easily find nowadays.

Wake up (Coheed And Cambria, 2005)

I know, I know... Coheed and Cambria are famous for their long, hard and intricate tracks, with fast electric guitar and keyboard solos... and after all they're among the best prog metal acts out there! So I apologise for choosing one of their slow tempo and rather acoustic ballads for my blog, but some of you may know how mellow I can be and - most of all - I like this track so much. Many metal and even more-than-metal bands come up with love songs from time to time and when they do so, they're so sweet and sappy than yhey make the likes of Barry Manilow or the Carpenters sound harsh. 

As the number suggests, this album is part of a longer SF concept.

This is not the case with "Wake up" here: it surely is a lovely ballad, but it never goes maudlin and everything in it has an edgy side: the vocals, the guitar touch, even the lyrics, so that the listener swings between love and loneliness, hope and fear all along the song. That said, the main virtue of this track obviously is its melody, so lovely and nonetheless never too predictable. What else? Just enjoy.

North (John Lees' Barclay James Harvest, 2013)

 Maybe John Lees' version of BJH doesn't change the story of his original band, band he still knows how to write beautiful songs and this is the case with the title track of JL-BJH's 2013 album. The usual pastoral sound is there, along with a tense musical background and - of course - a beutiful guitar solo. Most of all, the tune flows fresh and nice, and the instrumental parts are simply perfect. 

"North" was the first studio album released with the moniker 

John Lees' Barclay James Harvest

The way Mr. Lees regales his listeners by adding new ideas and lushing interludes always amazes me. Just try this track's coda: it's like following Alice into a musical Wonderland, in my humble opinion. The apparent simplicity of those songs underlines the skills of both the composer and the performers and that's why such a song really can light up a dull day.

Lady Time (Numen, 1998)

Numen are a Spanish band whose musical consistency, so far from any commercial benefits and strongly rooted in the neo-prog soil, I surely appreciate. Since their debut album "Samsara" they displayed a nice bend for melodies and considerable instrumental skills. This song comes precisely from "Samsara" and I know many of you would have singled out other and more complex compositions from this album... but I hope you'll forgive me as you know how much I like a well done and well played pastoral song.

Didn't I say that Numen also like beautiful artworks for their releases?

This is exacly the case with "Lady Time", where a well found theme lies on a smooth sonic carpet and the listener can also find some beautiful guitar solos and a delicious flute work. Furthermore, there is a very clever and unpredictable change of mood around minute 3:25, when the Camel-esque pastoral song becomes more Marillion-esque and, believe me, this is simply perfect for my ears.