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Spriggan Mist - 2025 - "The Glare" (43:40; Progrock.com's Essentials) I am not quite sure how I have managed to miss this band for so many years, but this pagan progressive folk band are now back with their latest studio album. I found it interesting to read they were out of the pagan scene as when I listened to this the very first time, when I am just trying to get a feel for the music and overall sound as opposed to concentrating on the lyrics, I found they reminded me of both Legend and Incubus Succubus (yes, I know Candia and Tony now spell the name differently, but this is how it was when I first came across them touring with Legend), perhaps with the odd element of Gryphon added as well. Based around the husband-and-wife team of Maxine Cilia (keytar, alto saxophone, backing vocals, guitar, descant recorder, whistle, keyboards) and bassist Baz Cilia the rest of the line-up is Fay Brotherhood (vocals, acoustic guitar), Neil Wighton (guitar) and new drummer Ali Soueidan. Having a multi-instrumentalist in any band is always interesting as it allows the sound to be greatly expanded (and you can never have too much keytar), but what makes this work so well is the way each of the nuances and additions are important and not just put in for the sake of cleverness. One thing which struck me from the beginning is the way the melodic bass is so important to everything that is going on, with Baz obviously never content to just sit back in the pocket with the Ali but instead has a major part to play. Neil reminds me a great deal of Paul Thomson from Legend in that he can sit back and nary play a note, allowing the folk elements to really shine, and then can come crunching in with power chords which totally change the dynamic. Then at the front we have a wonderful vocal performance from Fay who is more Candia than Debbie, who provides a very clear sound, always in control even though there is often a lot going on beneath her, the result being an album which is wonderfully inviting and interesting the very first time it is played. BTW, apparently a Spriggan is a Cornish cousin of the playful and pleasant Piskies – being from Devon myself I am very aware of Piskies and the Faery world, but I don’t recall Spriggans, who are both guards of the realm and tricksters. I would say it is best to stay away from them, but not from Spriggan Mist as this is a delight from beginning to end. Progtector: January 2026 Related Links: Spriggan Mist Progrock.com's Essentials