Ed’s Letter

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INTRO

IF IT’S OUT THERE, IT’S IN HERE

OSYRON

Queensrÿche-inspired Canadians take prog metal to darker realms.

THEY WATCH US FROM THE MOON

Spaced-out US collective reach new heights with their debut album.

THE ANCHORET

A stranger in a strange land spins a tale of loneliness with help from some new friends.

IHLO

Studio project-turned-band proper deliver dark, poppy and synth-infused prog metal.

Q & A

RAY ALDER

THE PROG INTERVIEW

IVAR BJØRNSON

VOYAGER

They may not have won Eurovision, but the Australian keytar kings (and queen) deliver the feelgood prog metal sound of the summer.

Take a bow

PETER GABRIEL Peter Gabriel: always looking forward,

MY PROG

FERNANDO PERDOMO

Filling The Empty Spaces

– EIGHT YEARS THAT CHANGED PINK FLOYD FOREVER

THE SPACE CADET GLOW: LIVE TOP 10

Pink Floyd’s greatest hits, viewed from the audience.

DanceTo 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.

The Voyage Beyond Eurovision

Many artists would follow a mainstream moment with the most accessible music of their career. However, weeks after finishing in the Top 10 at the Eurovision Song Contest, Voyager have doubled down on their heavy synth-prog with new album Fearless In Love. Singer Danny Estrin, guitarist Simone Dow and bassist Alex Canion tell Prog about life after playing to more than 160 million people.

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.

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.

Music The Begins Here

Canterbury mainstays Soft Machine are back! As the group herald a new era without their longtime drummer John Marshall and bassist Roy Babbington, the current line-up tell Prog all about their latest studio album, Other Doors, and we find out more about their new drummer, Asaf Sirkis.

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 Feazey join Prog to lift the lid on how the quartet are enjoying a new lease of life.

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.

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’.

Thrill And Terrify

A ghost train, aliens, Captain Nemo’s famous submarine and much more besides inhabit I Am The Manic Whale’s Bumper Book Of Mystery Stories. Frontman and founder Michael Whiteman talks to Prog about giving voice to his lifelong love of the uncanny and the inexplicable.

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…