• Banda Elastica - 1997 - "Catalogo de Tiraderos"
• Baywolf - 2003 - "Baywolf"
• Black Jester - 1994 - "Welcome to the Moonlight Circle"
• Black Sabbath - 1973 - "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath"
• Black Sabbath - 1975 - "Sabotage"
• Black Sabbath - 1976 - "Technical Ecstasy"
• Bondage Fruit - 1999 - "IV"
• Boomerang - Short Overall View
• Braindance - "Redemption"
• Brand X - 1975 - "Missing Period"
• Burnin' Doll - 2003 - "Surgical Doll"
• Butzmetz Lingeriez - 2006 - "Somewhere Between"

Already after a few listens to this album of "outtakes, unreleased live tracks and parts of the jams recorded during the rehearsals" it becomes obvious that Banda Elastica is probably one of the best North American bands playing RIO with distinct influences from Jazz Fusion and some avant-garde tendencies. There are some 20 tracks on the CD, though a few of them are just short snatches. Most of these compositions represent totally improvisational jams with a lot of various brass (trumpets, saxes, trombones) and "electric" instruments as well, virtusic powerful drumming, etc. A few others have actually rather spacey flashes with synth and varied percussives. Overall, an interesting excursion into the creative roots of one of the most exotic experimental bands. Recommended for all adventurous listeners, including RIO and Jazz Fusion lovers.

Baywolf (USA) - 2003 - "Baywolf"
(12 min CD-R, Rock Works)

Baywolf is a duo represented by Earthly people of different sexes whose names are unknown to me, as they aren't mentioned in the 'booklet' of their eponymous debut EP nor in its press kit. The EP features three songs ranging from three to five minutes in length. The first two of them are about an accessible, very slightly Prog-tinged Hard Rock with elements of Folk Rock, while another, with its blend of Hard Rock and Art-Rock, sounds a bit more pretentious. There are some definite progressive features on "Baywolf", and female vocals are OK. Overall however, there is nothing interesting. The recording is homemade and is amateurish. The sound of the music, and especially that of a drum machine, is terrible, and the overall production of this production, which is the production of Rock Works Productions, is more than merely poor. Potboiler is the word.

Black Jester (Italy) - 1994 - "Welcome to the Moonlight Circle"

This is the second album from this very promising Italian Prog-metal band, and it is more mature than their debut, however some of the distinctive traits of Dream Theater or Yngwie Malmsteen are retained. Also, the voice of Alexis "The Jester", as usual, is impressively weak. Nevertheless, positioned somewhere between Neo and complex Prog-metal, the band with this album will probably appeal to those of you who are firm on getting into the Prog-Metal genre. Release of obscure yet essential German "Music Is Intelligence" label.

Black Sabbath (UK) - 1973 - "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath"

Are you still remember of this the very first Big Step of Prog-Metal? Together with the excellent acoustical parts, various innovative arrangements, there are also you can hear some very good "invasions" from conducted by Will Malone Symphonic Orchestra. Bandleader guitarist Tony Iommi also plays on keyboards all over the tracks here, excepting Sabbra Cadabra, where are various keyboard themes were played by... Rick Wakeman. Of course, not for the sake of money already so important person as Yes' keysman done it... Critycally acclaimed everywhere as an excellent "Hard-Rock" album "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" was the first full-blooded work announced the New Progressive Realm, but unnoticed from the direction of Prog-reviewrs, and ignored by them up to now, as well as following three masterpieces made by this band.

Black Sabbath - 1975 - "Sabotage"

With this album Black Sabbath opened up another door into heavy progressive realm. Except for the first track and the first half of the second, this yet another underrated masterpiece sounds symphonic rather than metallic. One of the band's prog-hallmarks Supertzar featured an outstanding choir supported, of course, with the famous Malone's Orchestra. Hey, young lovers of Dream Theater! Take a look back, listen to "Sabotage" and love it to death!

Black Sabbath - 1976 - "Technical Ecstasy"

The authentic founders of progressive metal with their next album move into a faster and heavier direction and, for the first time, in company with incredible polyphonic keyboards playing here not a supporting role at all. She's Gone remains up to now one of the most magical Prog-ballads. The level of complexity on tracks like Dirty Women, You Won't Change Me, and Gypsy is quite compared to many songs from works of Genesis, Yes, Van Der Graaf, released at the same time Read my heartfelt opinion on "Never Say Die" (1978) in "B" section of Detailed Reviews. These three Black Sabbath albums were released on "Phonogram"'s labels, and they were excellently reissued by British "Castle Communications" in 1996.

Bondage Fruit (Japan) - 1999 - "IV"
(55 min, "Gazul", a division of MUSEA)

I haven't heard this band until now, though I am acquainted with their biography and know that in the beginning of their activity they had a female vocalist in the line-up. Guitarist Kido Natsuki is the band's absolute leader and he composed all of the material on the completely instrumental album "IV". Musically, it represents a unique blend of RIO, Classic Art-Rock, and Avant-garde, though it's all wrapped up in guitar heavy riffs and improvisations or improvisation-alike solos. The last two are ingredients of two genres more, - Prog-Metal and Jazz-Fusion, - so the music of Bondage Fruit is really a kind of phenomenon on the progressive scene. What's the main thing, however, is that music is very interesting, but at the same time so complex and intricate that only the most adventurous and profound Prog-lovers will be able to comprehend it after several attentive listens. I'm close to considering Bondage Fruit a band of the Fifth Element of Progressive, as it is impossible, in my view, to squeeze their innovative and practically indescribable music into the frame of any of the four progressive genres, the elements of which are employed here.

Boomerang (Kazakhstan) - Short Overall View

Discography:

1983 - "Boomerang"
("Melodiya")

1985 - "Ornament"
("Melodiya")

1986 - "Mirage"
("Melodiya" / "Musea"?)

The first and the second albums by Kazakhstan's best band Boomerang (now defunct) contain a profound, strong, and very tasteful music, the best definition of which would be a fusion of Classic Jazz-Rock and the most complex forms of Kazakh Folk music. It is more than merely difficult to comprehend any of the first two albums by the band at the first listen to them. So, I am almost sure that they will never be re-released on CD, but remain the hard-to-get LP rarities even in the CIS. Boomerang's third album, "Mirage", is less complex than both of its predecessors and, unlike them, consists of the relatively short instrumental pieces. Here, a traditional Jazz-Rock is excellently intermixed with Middle-Asian tunes and those Neo structures that, for example, are typical for most of the instrumental compositions by The Alan Parsons Project. So I wasn't surprised when I learned that the people at "Musea Records" rejected both of the first two albums by Boomerang. While "Mirage" will most likely be reissued on CD by the label next year.

Braindance (USA) - "Redemption"
(pre-production CC)

As a matter of fact, I have obtained this pre-production tape a long time ago. Only the side "A" contains short samples from the upcoming second album by Braindance - probably, that's why I have forgotten about it (and I am sorry for that). Nevertheless, I must admit, the style of the duet (a man and a woman) is very original, especially in singing, but although the structures of music are not too complicated, an overall sounding is really unique. This is a kind of quite a dark Progressive music with hard-to-find analogies. I believe that such music can easily become even more or less public, despite the fact that to understand Braindance clearly a few listening sessions are necessary. This is quite a promising unit of the genre.

Brand X (UK) - 1975 - "Missing Period"

I'm sure, very few people know about this Brand X' album, therefore I decided to put some info on it. These are the earliest recordings of the band which just showed the potential of these incredible British musicians: guitarist John Goodsall, bassist Percy Jones, keyboardist Robert Lumley, and of course, Phil Collins, the drummer. It is quite possible, this LP will never be reissued on CD (but maybe I am just wrong, and it has already happened?). Incidentally, I like their latest works much more, and my cassette copy quite suits me.

Burnin' Doll (Italy) - 1975 - "Surgical Doll"

Burnin' Doll is the new > Garden Wall related band led by guitarist Raffaello Indri (Garden Wall). The other band members are bassist Alessandro Seravalle (Garden Wall's main man: he is a multi-instrumentalist, in fact), drummer Camillo Calleluori (Garden Wall), and singer Marco Sandron. The 19-minute "Surgical Doll" is a demo consisting of four songs. All of them are about a highly virtuosi Progressive Thrash-Metal in the vein of the early-to-mid period of > Mekong Delta. Although the music on "Surgical Doll" isn't as complex as that by the said pioneers of the classically influenced Prog-Metal (and Garden Wall, too), it hardly diminishes its value. The vocals on the demo are in English (of course!) and are excellent, as well as the musicianship of each of the band members.

The official > Garden Wall homepage.

Butzmetz Lingeriez - 2006 - "Somewhere Between"
Vital Rcds

"Somewhere Between" is the second album by BUTZMETZ LINGERIEZ - a Japanese quartet comprising Koh Yoneyama on guitar, Nobuyuki Shiori on bass, Wataru Endo on drums and Hiro Takano on flute and saxophone. This 55-minute album includes five long tracks, all of which were recorded live in the studio on June 17, 2006, with no overdubs. The title track, which opens the recording, is as compelling as any of the subsequent ones, all drawing intense, almost continuously developing Jazz Rock / Fusion, abundant in blistering improvisations, yet never losing its inner integrity, as all the tunes (meaning their basic themes) were scrupulously composed before being performed. Unlike many other done-at-a-stretch recordings, "Somewhere Between" doesn't convey any sense of spontaneity, but depicts its makers as a group of well-rehearsed musicians who, moreover, so masterfully manage their instruments that their joint performance appears to be as both intricate and beautiful as a spider's web or, perhaps, as a snowflake. However, it's Hiro Takano who is the real star in this show - not just because he is a former member of brilliant Japanese band with an Italian name, Il Berlione. When Takano ventures on his positively wild saxophone trills, these just send shivers down my spine - I do really love turbulent Prog, especially when not only traditional rock instruments are involved. The only drawback of this disc is its rather poor sound quality; hence the rating is lower than the music as such deserves.