Arena-Immortal? (2000)

The British group Arena formed in the mid-nineties thanks to the gathering of a small constellation of musicians from several leading neo-progressive bands. These included keyboardist Clive Nolan (Pendragon), Mick Pointer (Marillion), Keith Moore (Asia), later replaced by John Mitchell (Kino), vocalist Rob Sowden, and bassist Ian Salmon. Their debut album, "Songs From The Lion's Cage" (1995), is a minor masterpiece of neo-progressive rock, followed by other important works such as "Pride" (1996) and "The Visitor" (1998). Two years later came the band's fourth album, "Immortal?", another spectacular record with a magnificent repertoire, most notably the epic suite "Moviedrome", an impressive musical canvas offering a dark vision of life at the end of the 20th century. The style on this new release is darker, heavier, and more aggressive than their previous albums, with sounds that often cross the line from progressive to harder metal. In addition to the aforementioned "Moviedrome", highlights include the majestic and haunting "The Butterfly Man", the chilling "Ghost In The Firewall", and the energetic "Chosen". With this release, Arena once again reached the pinnacle of perfection, recording one of the best progressive rock albums ever made.

Satellite-A Street Between Sunrise And Sunset (2003)

Satellite is a Polish neo-progressive band that rose from the ashes of the legendary Collage, one of Poland's most internationally renowned bands. In many ways, Satellite recaptures Collage's magic, showcasing the delicate vocals of singer Robert Amirian, the sumptuous guitars of Mirek Gil and Sarhan Kubaisi, and the atmospheric keyboards of Krzysztof Palczewski and Darek Lisowski. The immense influence of early Marillion is also undeniable, evident throughout their music, resulting in beautiful, complex, and expansive compositions with a symphonic musicality full of rich textures and elegant instrumental execution. "A Street Between Sunrise And Sunset", released in 2003, was the debut album of this Polish band, a work in which each and every one of the pieces that make up this album are very noteworthy, from the melody of "The Evening Wind", to the extensive "On The Run", passing through the excellent progressive journeys of "No Disgrace" or "Fight", which together form an emotional and delicate album of the best neo-progressive produced in this 21st century. 

Marillion-Clutching At Straws (1987)

Marillion's fourth album, and ultimately the last with their frontman and singer Fish, is undoubtedly their masterpiece, though it's somewhat overshadowed by the commercial success of its predecessor, "Misplaced Childhood". For this album, the band or rather, Fish returned to the concept album format, this time focusing on drugs and alcohol, substances Fish himself was struggling with at the time. Unlike "Misplaced Childhood", this new release lacks a strong musical cohesion. The connection lies more in the mature and coherent lyrics, which emphasize emotional states like sadness and resignation. All of this is captivatingly sung by a compelling Fish who seems to be crying out for help, and this recording appears to be the breaking point for his health (in fact, after recording it, Fish himself checked into a detox and rehabilitation center for a period of time). Musically, it's the perfect balance between progressive rock and more accessible sounds. There's more subtlety, with many emotional and atmospheric moments, where no single instrument overshadows another. The soft keyboards fit in perfectly, and the guitars are delightful, featuring excellent, melodic, and catchy solos. Another highlight is the unusual and significant cover, which, like the previous albums, was created by Mark Wilkinson. He subtly incorporated a different logo and a revealing image of the interior of the British pub Baker's Arms, with famous figures recreated by Wilkinson in the pub's interior scene. They all share a common denominator: serious problems with substance abuse, which they defended as an aid to their later creativity, or in other words, as a crutch to protect themselves from the surreal nature of fame. They are Robert Burns (Scottish national poet), who died at 37 from alcohol poisoning; Dylan Thomas (Welsh national poet), who died at 39 from the same cause; Truman Capote (writer and journalist, famous for his novel "Breakfast at Tiffany's"), who died at 59 from a fatal combination of alcohol, drugs, and pills (probably suicide); and Lenny Bruce (comedian and social satirist), who died at 40 from a heroin overdose. In addition to these, three more figures appear: John Lennon, James Dean, and Jack Kerouac (the first murdered, the second killed in a car accident, and the third from cirrhosis). All three shared the same philosophy of life: living almost on the edge. The stimulating and energetic "Hotel Hobbies" begins this journey through the experiences of Torch (a character portrayed by Fish himself in the third person), in the melodic "Warm Wet Cycle", where the dangers are narrated. From being trapped in the pub after work, all bathed in gentle guitar fills. The more pop-oriented and melancholic "That Time Of the Night" gives way to the atmospheric "Going Under", the energetic "Just For The Record", and the dynamic and politically charged "White Russian". Meanwhile, "Incommunicado" represents the album's most commercial moment, a powerful track with a devilishly addictive rhythm. The irresistible and melancholic "Torch Song", the forceful "Slainte Mhath", the enchanting "Sugar Mice", and the powerful and progressive "The Last Straw/Happy Ending" bring to a close an extraordinary album and a fitting end to Marillion's golden age.

John Norum-Play Yard Blues (2010)

John Norum is primarily known as one of the founders of the Swedish hard rock band Europe, with whom he achieved significant media and commercial success during the 1980s thanks to excellent albums such as "Wings of Tomorrow" and "The Final Countdown", and radio hits like the title track, "Carrie", "Rock the Night", and "Cherokee". But Norum has also always maintained a parallel solo career, releasing eight studio albums. In 2010, John Norum decided to compile some of the songs that influenced his career into an album, producing a collection of his own compositions alongside blues and rock covers. His guitar style has always been characterized by its dark and raw sound, a highly valued trait perfectly suited to blues rock. Songs like the opening hard rock track "Let It Shine" and the powerful "Red Light Green High" and "Got My Eyes On You", alternate with a heavy cover of Thin Lizzy's song. "It's Only Money", the psychedelic heavy rock "Ditch Queen", (another version this time by Frank Marino), or the magnificent blues "Play Yard Blues".

Lee Abraham-The Seasons Turn (2016)

“The Seasons Turn” is a magnificent work created by Lee Abraham, a musician experienced in progressive rock thanks to his work with the band Galahad and his five previous solo albums. With this sixth album, Lee Abraham composed a repertoire of just five songs, some of them quite lengthy, which, while not exactly groundbreaking, offer pure, high-quality symphonic rock. For this endeavor, the multi-instrumentalist enlisted a wide array of collaborators, including Marc Atkinson (vocals), Martin Oxford (flute), Gerald Mulligan (drums), Christopher Harrison (guitar), and Rob Arnold (keyboards), among half a dozen other musicians. Starting an album with a mammoth 25-minute title track is not only a huge gamble, but also a bold move, and Abrahams pulls it off brilliantly, transforming it into a truly progressive structure brimming with diverse sounds, expansive layers of Mellotron, vigorous electric and acoustic guitars, overflowing emotion, and a sense of epic grandeur. Following this overwhelming adventure come "Live For Today", "Harbour Lights", and "Say Your Name Aloud", shorter pieces with a heavier, more direct tone, culminating in the musical extravaganza of the album's other suite, "The Unknown", another epic song with neo-progressive undertones, where harsh guitars and a vast arsenal of grandiose keyboards take center stage. Without a doubt, we are witnessing one of the finest works of modern progressive rock in the 21st century.