Galahad-Empires Never Last (2007)

From a mere cover band of some of the great groups of the 70s, to becoming one of the most prominent acts today, Galahad has championed the neo-progressive style of bands like Pallas, Marillion, Pendragon, and IQ, with a career full of superb works focused on modern progressive rock. Founded in the mid-eighties in the UK, their original lineup consisted of Stuart Nicholson (vocals), Roy Keyworth (guitars), Mark Andrews (keyboards), Tim Ashton (bass), and Spencer Luckman (drums). In 1991, they released their debut album, "Nothing Is Written", followed by other highly acclaimed albums such as "Sleepers" (1995) and "Year Zero" (2002), although they always remained somewhat in the background and were consistently considered one of the most underrated bands within the neo-progressive genre. With their eighth release, "Empires Never Last" (2007), Galahad finally achieved mainstream recognition, delivering their best and most acclaimed work. On this album, they subtly departed from neo-progressive metal, delving into a dark and progressive heavy metal soundscape. A solid and well-structured musical foundation, theatrical vocals, harsh guitar riffs, and atmospheric keyboards drive an album brimming with intense and aggressive sounds. Tracks like the portentous "Termination", "I Could Be God", "Sidewinder", "Empires Never Last", and "This Life Could Be My Last", reflect the grandeur of this monumental work of 21st-century modern neo-progressive metal.

Joe Bonamassa-Black Rock (2010)

"Black Rock" is another memorable work by the great American bluesman Joe Bonamassa. This, his eighth solo album, is packed with covers, a fact that in no way detracts from the enormous quality of his rich repertoire. Recorded in studios located in Santorini, Greece, the guitarist enlisted a number of Greek musicians for its creation, including Manolis Karadinis (bouzouki), with whom he performs a blues version of "Athens to Athens", as well as another magnificent duet with B.B. King himself on the splendid "Night Life", a Willie Nelson classic. Among the other standout tracks are covers such as Leonard Cohen's "Bird on a Wire", John Hiatt's "I Know a Place", and Jeff Beck's "Spanish Boots". Original compositions include the energetic "Blue and Evil", "Quarryman's Lament", and "When the Fire Hits the Sea", all performed with the feeling, emotion, and intensity that only Joe Bonamassa can coax from his guitar. A number one hit on both the US and UK Billboard blues charts are well-deserved recognition for this outstanding blues-rock album.

Ronnie Montrose-10x10 (2017)

Released posthumously, "10x10" is an album that guitarist Ronnie Montrose recorded during the last years of his life with a huge cast of collaborators. Released in 2017, this superb classic rock album features luminaries such as Eric Martin, Rick Derringer, Edgar Winter, Glenn Hughes, Steve Lukather, Tommy Shaw, Mark Farner, Joe Bonamassa, Ricky Phillips, Dave Meniketti, Eric Singer, Gregg Rolie, Phil Collen, Sammy Hagar, Brad Whitford, and Marc Bonilla, among many others. The result is undeniably an awe-inspiring album, brimming with feeling, great compositions, and breathtaking virtuosity from all involved. Tracks like "Heavy Traffic" (featuring Eric Martin and Dave Meniketti), "Love Is An Art" (Edgar Winter & Rick Derringer), "Head On Straight" (Marc Bonilla & Davey Pattison), "Any Minute" (Mark Farner & Ricky Phillips), and "One Good Reason" (Bruce Turgon & Bard Whitford), make up an exciting work of great hard rock. Ronnie Montrose passed away five years before the release of this album due to a self-inflicted gunshot wound on March 3, 2012.

Franck Carducci-Oddity (2011)

Clearly in tune with the baroque style of early Genesis, and particularly with Steve Hackett's guitar playing, Franck Carducci is a French multi-instrumentalist with an impressive musical career that began in the early 2000s, contributing to a dozen projects for other artists. In 2010, encouraged by Steve Hackett himself, Carducci decided to launch his solo career, releasing his debut album, the splendid "Oddity", a year later. This recording featured Steve Hackett's brother, John Hackett, among other musicians from the European rock scene. On this first album, Carducci perfectly emulates the pastoral, progressive, and symphonic sounds of Genesis, and to a lesser extent, Pink Floyd and The Alan Parsons Project, with music inspired by British literature and Greek mythology. This is one of those albums where different styles merge in perfect harmony, making songs like the mini suites "Achilles", "The Quind" or "The Last Oddity", with their passages full of elaborate melodies, great acoustic textures, grandiose sections and epic atmospheres, turn it into a modern version of classic progressive rock and art rock.