As someone has already stated, there are way, way too many to list - but some not yet mentioned that you may consider trying -
Archive (my current favourite is Controlling Crowds I-III) a British based band that for some reason beyond me just go nowhere in the UK yet are truly massive on the continent. Completely under my radar until recently.
Don't make the mistake of picking on individual tracks as their style varies totally throughout the album. Try and compare (you tube) collapse/collide (live in Athens is worth hunting out on you tube)with Bastardised Ink, you'll see what I mean. Well written / crafted and more important to me, well recorded.
Just taken delivery of Controlling Crowds part IV today, and they have a new album in the wings.
Another well worthy of finding out is Crippled Black Phoenix.
Truly amazing album titles, fantastic writing, but very mediocre recording / mastering. They have a new one out that is apparently much better on the recording front - I have yet to recieve my copy so cannot comment.
200 tons of bad luck & I vigilante are good starting points
With regard to Steve Wilson - you may be aware that he is shortly releasing a collaboration album. The following arrived in my email last week :-
STORM CORROSION is the long-discussed and highly anticipated collaboration between two of the current music scene's most innovative and multi-talented artists: PORCUPINE TREE's Steven Wilson and Mikael Åkerfeldt of OPETH. The pair have been friends since the late '90s, when Wilson co-produced OPETH's revered 'Blackwater Park' album. Over the years, they'd often spoken of working on a project together, but it wasn't until recently that they managed to make something happen, when Mikael flew over to visit Steve in the UK and they ended up in Wilson's home studio throwing ideas around.
That visit was the nascence of a whole self-titled album, written and produced by the pair and mixed by Wilson.
The sound of STORM CORROSION can best be described as enchanting, orchestral, ambient, epic (half the album's tracks clock in around the ten-minute mark) and nothing short of surprising to the new ear. However, the musicians' respective fanbases will be primed to appreciate the new output, with Wilson's recent solo album, 'Grace For Drowning' and OPETH's 'Heritage' having brought them to a logical place to understand STORM CORROSION. This eponymous collection is almost viewed as one side of a musical triangle.
Says Wilson: "If you'd asked me three months ago about the music, I would have said, 'Expect the last thing you would expect.' But actually, now that 'Heritage' and 'Grace Of Drowning' have come out, I don't think it's going to be that much of a shock to people, because it's almost like a third part of the trilogy, in a way. If anything, it's even more orchestral, even more stripped down, even more dark, twisted and melancholic... but it certainly feels like it comes from the same place as 'Heritage' and 'Grace For Drowning', which indeed it does because it was written during the same period."
"Some of the music on this record I think is the most beautiful music I have participated on ever," adds Åkerfeldt. "There's some magical sections on there. Musically I think we've created something earthy, a bit frightening, exhausting, profound and rather intense - All at the same time. I can safely say I don't know any other band or artist that sounds anything like STORM CORROSION. I guess that was also one of our goals, so to speak."
Wilson also said that on the album, Akerfeldt did most of the guitar work, while Wilson concentrated on the keyboard parts and arranging the music. He described it as containing a lot of orchestral parts, and as "Mellow, strange, and disturbing". Akerfeldt has confirmed that the album will contain 6 tracks, with each one being over ten-minutes long.
According to the label's VP, the album is a beautiful piece of work that will appeal to fans of Steven and Mikael's past records, while at the same time exploring new avenues for both artists.
Bet you can't wait!
Track List: TBA
You also need to be aware of this:-
STEVEN WILSON - Catalogue / Preserve / Amass (CD)
Price: AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER SHORTLY
http://www.swhq.co.uk/headphone_dust_mailorder.cfm Description : Limited edition of 3,000 copies. Live CD in 6 panel digipack, featuring highlights from SW's first solo tour of Europe, with the band of SW, Marco Minnemann (drums), Nick Beggs (bass/stick), Adam Holzman (keys), Theo Travis (flute/sax), and Aziz Ibrahim (guitar). 7 tracks, 70 minutes of music remixed into pristine sonic audio, capturing all the energy and beauty of this audio visual spectacular. Note that this CD will be exclusively available at shows on the forthcoming tour and via mailorder from Headphone Dust, it will not be available from Burning Shed or any other store.
1. No Twilight Within the Courts of the Sun (10.54), 2. Index (5.03), 3. Deform to Form a Star (8.29), 4. Sectarian (7.22), 5. No Part of Me (6.04), 6. Veneno Para Las Hadas (7.28), Raider II (24.47)
Dont worry, more are being made available.
That should keep you busy for a while?
