 | Fear of a Blank Planet by Porcupine Tree
Buy new: £6.98 It always surprises me how Steven Wilson outdoes himself on each new release. This, along with the Nil Recurring EP are the work of one of the best British rock bands full stop!
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 | Rapid Eye Movement by Riverside
Buy used from: £35.77 The third album from this ever impressive Polish band. On a par with the previous instalments in this trilogy, it will be interesting to see where they go from here.
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 | 10,000 Days by Saga
Buy new: £11.98 / Used from: £7.50 A more than fitting finale to Michael Sadlers career with Saga. The band are all playing to their max and it all sounds so fresh.
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 | Sleeping in Traffic Part One by Beardfish
Buy new: £13.98 / Used from: £6.37 More structured and focussed than their earlier two albums, this band have a rough and ready sound which is quite retro in a proto prog sort of way. The overall result is a very exciting album.
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 | The Hemulic Voluntary Band by Ritual
Buy new: £11.98 / Used from: £8.76 Another Swedish band (been a good year for them) brings this unusual album. Quite acoustic and quite Gentle Giant, but this is one of the more individual albums of the year.
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 | Systematic Chaos by Dream Theater
Buy new: £6.48 / Used from: £5.05 Maybe not as prog as Octavarium, but the band are as technically impressive as ever and still stretching themselves.
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 | RED PLANET BOULEVARD by Lana Lane
Buy new: £5.89 The first woman of American symphonic rock has returned with a real winner here. Back to a more heavy rock style, with guitarist Peer Verschuren shining throughout.
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 | The Sum Of No Evil CD2 Digi by The Flower Kings
Buy new: £11.98 / Used from: £7.94 Their most fully consistent album in many years. No filler at all, just the band on top form and Stolts writing controlled and flamboyant.
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 | Time of Day by Anekdoten
Buy new: £10.79 / Used from: £10.77 Beautifully melancholic Swedish prog. The usual glacial mellotron sound is this time augmented with some synth lines. Achingly nostalgic and sad and I love it!
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 | Snakes & Arrows by Rush
Buy new: £9.98 / Used from: £0.69 A very welcome return to form. To me their best since Moving Pictures. After the disaster production and mastering job on Vapor Trails, this one thankfully sounds good!
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 | Dead Reckoning by Threshold
Buy new: £7.48 / Used from: £6.69 On a new label, but the same high quality prog metal. Maybe more harder edged than on recent albums, but the epic Pilot In The Sky Of Dream is a career highlight.
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 | Gothic Kabbalah by Therion
Buy new: £11.98 / Used from: £8.00 Epic, 2 disc symphonic metal. This shouldnt work but it does. Bold and huge sounding and beautifully produced.
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 | Angular Perceptions by Thought Chamber
Buy new: £12.69 / Used from: £8.10 Complex, technical prog metal of the highest order on this impressive debut album. Beautifully played and produced and features the excellent vocals of Enchants Ted Leonard.
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 | Four O'Clock and Hysteria by Alan Morse
Buy new: £12.98 / Used from: £7.77 Solo effort from Spocks Beard keyboardist really showcases what an exceptional player he really is. Some very nice fusion style playing, with guest musicians including ex Mahavishnus Jerry Goodman .
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 | Angling Feelings by Kaipa
Buy new: £11.98 / Used from: £5.77 No Roine Stolt this time, but the sound is still very much Kaipa. The keyboard work of Hans Lundin is expressive and has now plenty of room to breath. Another consistent effort.
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 | Frames by Oceansize
Buy new: £16.49 Maybe a bit indie-prog for some tastes, but this third album is their strongest yet. The songs are focussed and the arrangements are ambitious.
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 | Heart Full Of Sky by Mostly Autumn
Buy new: £10.98 / Used from: £7.50 Now on their own label, this new album sees the band getting back to their prog-folk roots with some of their most ambitious songs for quite a while!!
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 | Sola Scriptura by Neal Morse
Another sprawling, ambitious album from ex Spocks Beard leader. This may be his darkest effort yet!
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 | Paradise Lost by Symphony X
Buy new: £15.68 / Used from: £5.99 A darker, heavier sound this time around, but the symphonic splendour of the writing and musicianship remain intact.
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 | No World For Tomorrow (Deluxe Edition) (Clean) (CD/DVD) by Coheed and Cambria
Buy new: £18.59 / Used from: £8.50 Tighter and more structured than previous albums in the series, but just as engaging and a fitting end to the saga. What next then?
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