CD Reviews | Progressive Rock Central.com

A soft, painterly landscape shows arid hills and brush under a swirling sky, with bold red lettering reading In The Rain Shadow.

CD Reviews

MVI Invites Listeners to Pause, Reflect, and Stay Awhile

MVI – In the Rain Shadow (self-release, 2023) On In the Rain Shadow, composer, and guitarist Mark Vickness’ third album, delivers both a musical travelogue…

CD Reviews New CDs and Digital releases

No Sound – “To the Core”

Professor Mark May 29, 2025 No Comments Daniele Michelacci electronic music Giancarlo Erra Italy Marco Berni No Sound – "To the Core"Orazio Fabbri Paolo Vigliarolo Progressive rock rock progresivo italiano

…And then…out of nowhere, NoSound is back! And with a new epic and impassioned EP, To the Core. The EP will be released June 27,…

The album cover for Drop (Remastered) by Soft Machine features a black-and-white photo of the band members—Mike Ratledge, Hugh Hopper, Phil Howard, and Elton Dean—leaning over a pool table. The band's name appears at the top in bold lettering, with each member's name below it. The title Drop is centered in a minimalist font, while a red "Remastered" stamp appears below.

CD Reviews

Storm Warning: Soft Machine Unleashed on ‘Drop’

Angel Romero May 27, 2025 No Comments free jazz jazz-rock Soft Machine

Soft Machine – Drop (remastered) (Moonjune, 2025) In late 1971, Soft Machine entered a period of intense stylistic flux. Following the departure of founding drummer…

The album cover for Monumentata by Nad Sylvan features a grayscale, close-up photo of Sylvan’s face, obscured by a grid or mesh overlay. The artist's name appears in small white text in the top left, while the album title is rotated vertically in the bottom right.

CD Reviews

Nad Sylvan Ponders Mortality on a Less-than-Monumental “Monumentata”

Kevin Baker May 27, 2025 No Comments classic rock hard rock Nad Sylvan soft rock

Nad Sylvan – Monumentata (InsideOutMusic, 2025) For those of us who’ve followed Nad Sylvan’s theatrical arc, from his captivating vampiric persona in The Vampirate Trilogy…

The album cover for Life Force by Darkyra features an illustration of a white dove and a black raven locked in a dynamic, circular dance. Set against a radiant background that shifts from soft pinks to deep purples and reds, the imagery is framed by intertwining branches and cosmic elements. The band’s name appears in a bold, calligraphic script in the top right, while the album title is written below in cursive.

CD Reviews

Darkyra – “Life Force”

Professor Mark May 26, 2025 1 Comment Australia Darkyra Fab Jablonski Garry King Gina Bafile Gus Mansur Life Force Lucio Manca Maaz Manik metal symphonic Perth Progressive rock symphonic rock

I found out about Darkyra because of their concert with one of my favorite metal bands Ammify. Ammify and Darkyra will be playing a concert…

The album cover for Age of Fragility by Marco Mattei features a young boy standing in shallow water, facing a futuristic city skyline in the distance. The waterline cuts through the middle of the image, symbolically dividing nature (grass beneath his feet) and urbanization.

CD Reviews

Fragile Times: Marco Mattei’s Age of Fragility

Aiden Robinson May 26, 2025 No Comments classic rock Marco Mattei Progressive rock

Marco Mattei – Age of Fragility (M.P. & Records, 2025) Italian composer and singer-songwriter Marco Mattei returns with Age of Fragility, a concept album that…

The album cover for Mythologies II by Danaë Xanthe Vlasse features a mythic female figure with golden, serpentine headpieces and elaborate jewelry. Her piercing gaze and symmetrical features are framed by dark, flowing hair, set against a textured, shadowy background. The typography is classical, highlighting the collaboration with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and featured soloists.

CD Reviews

Danaë Xanthe Vlasse Reimagines the Greek Gods in Mythologies II

Kevin Baker May 25, 2025 No Comments Danaë Xanthe western classical music

Danaë Xanthe – Mythologies II (Studio Hall Records, 2024) Few composers working today summon the majesty of myth quite like Danaë Xanthe Vlasse. With Mythologies…

The album cover for Spellbound by Shez Raja features a deep maroon background with a gold, intricately designed lotus mandala at the center. Within the mandala’s core is the “Om” symbol, also in gold. The artist's name and album title appear in the top left corner in gold serif typography.

CD Reviews

Shez Raja’s Spellbound, a Vivid Journey Through Global Jazz Terrain

Angel Romero May 25, 2025 No Comments fusion jazz jazz-rock

Shez Raja – Spellbound (Gearbox Cut, 2025) With Spellbound, Shez Raja invites listeners into a world where cultures collide, not with clamor, but with coherence.…

The album cover for Decimo Cerchio (L’Inferno 1911 O.S.T.) by I Sincopatici ft. Claudio Milano features a dark composition dominated by deep reds and blacks. Angular, fractured textures evoke a fiery, chaotic atmosphere. The band name appears in distorted red text in the upper right, while the title is subtly placed at the bottom in a small, gray font.

CD Reviews

Burning Bright: A Futurist Descent into the “Tenth Circle”

Angel Romero May 23, 2025 No Comments ambient Claudio Milano contemporary classical dark ambient electronic music I Sincopatici Progressive rock Zeuhl

I Sincopatici ft Claudio Milano – Decimo Cerchio (L’Inferno 1911 O.S.T.) (Snowdonia, 2024) With Decimo Cerchio (L’Inferno 1911 O.S.T.), the Italian trio I Sincopatici, joined…

The album cover for Andy Pratt Trio features a red-and-black color scheme with a moody, jazz-club ambiance. On the right, guitarist Andy Pratt is shown mid-performance under a starburst-style ceiling light. On the left, three red circles contain minimalist black slashes, with “Andy Pratt” in the top circle and “Trio” in the bottom.

CD Reviews

Andy Pratt’s Trio Takes the Scenic Route Through the Standards

Charlie Melville May 22, 2025 No Comments Andy Pratt contemporary jazz jazz

Andy Pratt – Trio (Thrift Girl Records, 2024) Chicago virtuoso guitarist and vocalist Andy Pratt returns to the spotlight with Trio, a stripped-down, straight-ahead jazz…