Messenger - Threnodies

Monday, erm well Sunday here atleast, 1st of May, spring is here. Time to introduce "Record Of The Week"

"Threnodies" is the second release from the London based progressive/psychedelic rockers MESSENGER.

MESSENGER is a musical troupe from London formed in the spring of 2012 by Khaled Lowe and Barnaby Maddick. They booked a session with producer/drummer Jaime Gomez Arellano at Orgone Studios that gave birth to their debut album "Illusory Blues" a cosmic ode to the forces of nature and the inevitable cycle of life. Tonally, they dwell equally in the earthly realm of folk music and in the celestial void of progressive psychedelia. Rounded off by Daniel Knight and James Leach, the lineup of MESSENGER is now complete.

MESSENGERs music is pretty hard to label, as there is pretty mysterious mix of progressive rock, doom rock, hard rock, classic rock, folk rock and some psychedelia. The album was released in April 2016 and entered Tune Of The Day's Top 100 list, somehow I never have written a single line except when the year was summed. Strangely the album got lost in the pile of records that was bought last year and finely it saw it's light and came out from the darkness. It has been spinning a lot during this holiday and kept me company during my painting session I had during the last few days. The music flows greatly in the space together with a glass of rich, pretty heavy, red wine.

"Threnodies" is an musical journey with an amazing atmosphere, goose bumps deluxe. The album is almost 50 minutes, 7 wonderful tunes that all have it's own agenda. The production is top notch, very clear and crisp, pick an instrument and follow it, you will hear every single note, touch, hit, stomp, flare, almost to hear the breath from the musicians.

"Calyx" today's tune and the first track, brilliant choice, melodic piece with great eclectic guitars, soulful and melodic vocals. The second tune "Oracles Of War" is the heaviest piece on the album, doomish and progressive. "Balearic Blue" & "Nocturne" is two really wonderful atmospheric tunes, progressive, folkish with a musicianship that would rise any progger giants eyebrows. "Celestial Spheres" have a more classic 70's approach, a blues rocker with great riffages. "Pareidola" is the most straight-forward progressive rock tune, with elements of classic blues rock and the most sensational guitar work of the entire album, vocals part sounds partly as BLUE OYSTER CULT. The last tune "Crown Of Ashes" is a half pace melodic tune with dual vocals, beautiful and touching, almost like SIMON AND GARFUNKEL.

Musical references is of course some of the giants like PORCUPINE TREE, BLUE OYSTER CULT, PINK FLOYD, SIMON AND GARFUNKEL and even LED ZEPPELIN.

Sum: "Threnodies" is very joyful and ambitious, give you goose bumps from start to finish, don't miss this!

Vinyl

Khaled Lowe / Guitars, Vocals

Barnaby Maddick / Guitars, Vocals

Jaime Gomez Arellano / Drums, Percussion

Dan Knight / Guitars, Keyboards

James Leach / Bass

Toyday's tune "Calyx", taken from the album "Threnodies". Inside Out Music 2016.



More info @

Official Messenger Web

Listen to ”Messenger - Calyx" on Spotify!



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Tune Of The Day - Top 100 - 2016 (100-91)

Now we almost reached the end of this year, it's December 12th and around this time of the year it's time to sum all the best that 2016 have given us.

Once again it has been a really good year album wise. More than shit loads of money have been spent on records this year, all of them is now going to fight for the top spots on Tune of the days Top 100 list, yes top 100 this year :) It's freaking crazy, but I had really, I mean really hard to choose this year, to many good records have been released. But after some hours of agony, my music heart have decided and now when I look at it, it was not quite what I had expected from the beginning, but what the heck it's my choices and hope that some records might hook you up, might even find a few new favourites and that you buy a few of them to support the artists that have put all their soul into the creation of all the wonderful tunes that serves here. Another thing that I notice that It's pretty heavy this year, not many outsiders that usually slides in here and there.

First up we present this year's best albums between 100 - 91. Where you get the first 10 at once. Today's tune will be publish later on this evening. So here we go!

100. Architects - All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us

ARCHITECS have managed to craft a sound that sounds like them and this is their strongest release so far. 

99. Port Noir - Any Way The Wind Carries

 An album that is full of emotions and pretty atmospheric.

98. Omnium Gatherum - Grey-Heavens

 

 

The 7-th album from the Finish rockers, an album that needs to be consume as a complete package to magic, bit's and pieces it will fall into the shadows.

97. Messenger - Threnodies

An excellent progressive rock album, interesting and complex beast.

96. Magnum - Sacred Blood "Divine" Lies

 Another great album from MAGNUM, and quite easily to listen to.

95. Grand Magus - Sword Songs

Even if the machinery is running at half-mast, GRAND MAGUS can kick ass.

94. Dust - Soulburst

 Swedish blues hard rockers have released a 70's classic rock influenced album that rocks!

93. Wolfmother - Victorious

 

 

An album that's easily good enough to keep WOLFMOTHER in scope.

92. Wo Fat - Midnight Cometh

 Midnight Cometh is a further proof that patience is a virtue.

91. Tygers of Pan Tang - Tygers of Pan Tang

 The self titled album of TYGERS OF PAN TANG has everything you want from an old-school record.

Today's tune will be posted soonish.