The album opens with “Drowning,” an engaging track that draws listeners in with a relentless rhythm. It creates a nocturnal atmosphere infused with hints of the 1980s. The song features a rich progression and enveloping sounds, ensuring it captivates from the first note.
Following “Drowning” is “Bones,” which presents a truly intense rhythm. This track carries a rebellious spirit. The singer’s raspy voice brings an authentically raw energy. The ambiance is once again nocturnal but incorporates more adventurous elements. It has a cinematic quality, reminiscent of a score that could easily belong in a Quentin Tarantino film.
Next comes “One Night in Nashville (Is Not Enough),” a song that exudes American vibes, instilling a strong urge to travel. This track is a poignant homage to road trips, evoking images of cruising through the streets in a car. The slide guitars introduce an unmistakable country feel, enhancing the overall experience.
The ballad “Addicted to You” follows, showcasing the band’s characteristic retro sound. This group’s musicianship is undeniable, paying tribute to their roots on the Isle of Wight, a historical location cherished by rock enthusiasts. Their ability to merge tradition with freshness shines clearly through this song.
Another compelling inclusion is “Sad Old Country Boy,” which stirs up feelings of the Appalachian spirit. This track encourages listeners to unwind, conjuring visions of leisurely sipping moonshine and engaging in wild dancing. The atmosphere is both inviting and lively, making it difficult not to get swept away.
“Devil’s on the Highway” brings forth another burst of energy, marked by a driving rhythm that keeps listeners on their toes. The fast-paced nature of this song flows seamlessly, appealing to anyone who enjoys an energetic musical experience. It acts as a reminder of the band’s dynamic style.
The album concludes with “Someone That Isn’t You,” a beautiful ballad featuring a lovely interplay between male and female vocals. The minimalist arrangement highlights the guitar and harmonica, creating a simple yet uplifting rural atmosphere. This final track serves as a sublime closure to a well-crafted album, leaving audiences with a sense of satisfaction.
Fractured Hearts – Performance and Production
“Fractured Hearts” by Kindred Found is an excellent collection of songs. The tracks explore various themes, from adventurous journeys to emotional reflections. Each song stands out, showcasing diversity within a unified framework. This album demonstrates the band’s broad musical range while paying homage to traditional sounds, making it a must-listen for fans of authentic music.
The craftsmanship in “Fractured Hearts” highlights the versatility of Kindred Found. Their ability to transition between genres is impressive, creating an engaging experience without losing focus. With strong narratives woven throughout the album, listeners will find much to relate to and appreciate.
This album celebrates artistic integrity. Kindred Found has crafted a work that resonates on emotional and musical levels, connecting with audiences deeply. “Fractured Hearts” yields a refreshing take on country/blues-influenced music while maintaining a contemporary feel. It is a vital addition to any music lover’s collection.
Chasing the traditional and the modern, this album finds a sweet spot that many strive for but few achieve. From its vibrant beginnings to its reflective closure, “Fractured Hearts” is an impressive statement from Kindred Found. It deserves recognition and respect in the ever-evolving landscape of music.
So, here it stands, a collection of tunes that anyone can enjoy. It is undoubtedly a celebration of musical harmony and a tribute to versatile storytelling. This is an album ready to connect with hearts and minds.
KERRY KING is giving fans more. The iconic SLAYER songwriter/guitarist is releasing an Extended Deluxe Edition of his acclaimed debut solo album From Hell I Rise via Reigning Phoenix Music on June 19, 2026, expanding the record with five previously unheard demos and new visual elements, including cover artwork by James Bousema and a revamped […]
Static Dress have shared the third track from their upcoming new album ‘injury episode’, and it shows off how they can nail the melodic as much as the chaotic.
Titled ‘…hospice’, it slows the pace from previous singles but doesn’t skip on any of the drama and decadence. Pulling from the sort of soaring songwriting that bolstered the likes of My Chemical Romance when they wore their hearts even more firmly on their sleeves back in the day, it ebbs and flows between tear-stained and tenacious, with vocalist Olli Appleyard pushing himself into even more delicate and devastating fields.
The result is truly beautiful and reminds you to expect the unexpected when it comes to a band as multifaceted and exploratory as SD.
‘injury episode’ will be released on May 29 via Sumerian Records.
It will also feature the Underoath-guesting ‘Nostalgia Kills’, which sounds a lot like this:
The band are set to hit the road in all four corners of the world in the coming months. Here are all the shows they will be playing and who they will be playing with:
APRIL
04 – NEW YORK Rough Trade 30 – BROOKLYN Chatroom @ Elsewhere (Live Death Display Screening)
MAY
02 – LOS ANGELES Midnight Hour 03 – LOS ANGELES The Hunt (Live Death Display Screening) 09 – PERTH Magnet House $ 11 – ADELAIDE The Gov $ 13 – MELBOURNE Forum Theatre $ 14 – SYDNEY Metro Theatre $ 15 – NEWCASTLE King St Bandroom $ 16 – BRISBANE The Tivoli $ 17 – MELBOURNE Stay Gold 23 – HATFIELD Slam Dunk South 24 – LEEDS Slam Dunk North 26 – LYON Le Transbordeur ^ 28 – ZURICH Komplex 457 ^ 29 – OBERHAUSEN Slam Dunk Germany
JUNE
01 – MILAN Slam Dunk Italy
JULY
11 – MANCHESTER Bowlers Exhibition Centre & 12 – MANCHESTER Bowlers Exhibition Centre &
14 – BRIDGEPORT Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater * 16 – GILFORD BankNH Pavilion * 18 – BRISTOW Jiffy Lube Live * 19 – MANSFIELD Inkcarceration 21 – CHARLOTTE PNC Music Pavilion * 22 – ALPHARETTA Ameris Bank Amphitheatre * 24 – DALLAS Toyota Music Factory * 25 – HOUSTON The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion * 26 – AUSTIN Germania Insurance Amphitheater * 28 – ALBUQUERQUE Isleta Amphitheater * 29 – PHOENIX Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre * 31 – LOS ANGELES Kia Forum *
AUGUST
01 – WHEATLAND Toyota Amphitheatre * 04 – PORTLAND Theater of the Clouds * 05 – AUBURN White River Amphitheatre * 07 – SANDY The Plaza at America First Field * 09 – MORRISON Red Rocks Amphitheatre * 11 – OKLAHOMA CITY Zoo Amphitheatre * 12 – ROGERS Walmart AMP * 14 – INDIANAPOLIS Everwise Amphitheater * 15 – STERLING HEIGHTS Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill *
* with Motionless In White &with Bring Me The Horizon ^ with Knocked Loose
The single “earthbound” begins in a very atmospheric manner with pads that feel like they originate from another dimension. This ethereal introduction paves a unique tone for the track. Soon after, a pressing and intricate groove enters the mix. This element demonstrates the artist’s inclination to experiment with unconventional rhythms. The tension inherent in this song keeps listeners engaged.
As the groove solidifies, the vocals emerge, modified with effects that evoke a ghostly quality. The voice sits delicately on the groove, resembling snow falling gently onto a meadow. This comparison aptly expresses the song’s serene yet eerie feel. Rather than a traditional song structure, “earthbound” feels more like a ritual. The atmosphere created leans into a dystopian and futuristic ambiance, inviting listeners to lose themselves in this unique experience.
From the production standpoint, modernity shines through. The choice of sounds is meticulously curated, enhancing the overall quality of the piece. One can confidently say that this musician showcases great talent and thoughtfulness in crafting this work. With each passing note, it appears clear that the artist is striving to create timeless spaces, drawing us into a dreamlike bubble.
earthbound – Sound and Atmosphere
The composition reflects cinematic qualities that strongly suggest it could serve as the soundtrack for a science fiction film. The blend of atmospheric pads, intricate grooves, and haunting vocals creates an immersive journey. Moments of tension release into expansive sound, allowing listeners to explore the depths within the arrangement.
“Earthbound” beckons to those who appreciate experimental music. The carefully designed elements invite a sense of introspection while also encouraging exploration. Those familiar with genre-bending sounds will find much to admire here. As the song unfolds, it reveals layers that deserve repeated listens.
The artist’s ability to balance innovation and emotion is striking. Each component complements the others, forming an integrated whole. The relationship between ambiance and rhythm is particularly noteworthy. This dynamic interaction generates a sense of movement throughout the song.
earthbound – Performance and Production
Listeners are taken on a journey through various emotional landscapes. Moments shift from tranquil to tense, evoking a wide range of feelings. The entire composition resembles a dream, where listeners float between reality and fantasy. The intricate details encourage observers to engage deeply with the music.
“earthbound” stands out for its innovative approach and meticulous production choices. The marriage of ghostly vocals and a rich sonic landscape creates a unique listening experience. This single challenges the norms of contemporary music, inviting fans to embrace something different. Each listen unfolds new layers, prompting reflection and intrigue.
The artistic vision shining through emphasizes a strong commitment to quality and creativity. With “earthbound,” the artist undoubtedly affirms their skill as a composer and songwriter. Those who come across this piece should dive in and appreciate the complexities offered.
It’s been a long stretch between drinks, but Swedish hard rock royalty Europe have finally broken their nine-year silence. The band have just announced their 12th studio album, Come This Madness, which is set to land on 25th September via Silver Lining Music (pre-order now). To get us in the mood, they’ve dropped the first … Continue reading Europe return after nine years with new album “Come This Madness”
In the copious and prolific world of 2026 Prog, it is easy to miss an important release. When the editor of The Prog Report invited me to write a review for the new Advent Horizon album ‘Falling Together’, I had to confess – to his horror – that I had not listened to it. I immediately and remorsefully committed to correcting this by packing in an intense week of listening. As I proceeded to do so, it became clear to me that he had done me a huge favor. What a week it was, and what a privilege it has been to get to know this album.
Advent Horizon are Rylee McDonald (lead guitar, lead vocals, main composer), Mike Lofgreen (drums and co-composer), Grant Matheson (guitar, vocals and keys), Cason Wood (bass and keys) and Kristen Mcdonald on additional vocals. The band’s last studio release, 2023’s ‘A Cell to Call Home’ was very well received and it alerted the Prog community to the fact that this was a superior band not to be ignored. I loved that album, but after my own personal week of discovery of ‘Falling Together’, it is my feeling that the new album has more than fulfilled the lofty expectations created by its predecessor.
The concept of the album is the challenging of traditional childhood beliefs and the interrogation of the question whether these beliefs are authentic or simply instilled. Heady and philosophical stuff indeed, but this theme is never delivered in a sanctimonious or perjorative way. On the contrary, the delivery is humble, genuine, searching and couched in singular personal references and revelations. Even followers of the most die-hard dogmas will find something here with which to resonate.
I need to get this off my chest right now: I have a deep dislike of, and even disdain for, growling ‘cookie monster’ vocals. (As I think about it, perhaps, subconsciously, this may be a reason why I neglected the album.) However, presumption is the mother of all disasters, and insofar as that type of vocal – or rather a variety thereof – occasionally appears on this album, it is somehow different to the usual roaring metal fury that is so regularly to be heard out there. On this album it is always counterpointed by melody, of which there is much, and it is rarely and strategically placed to be as tasteful and effective as possible. These harder vocals, occasional as they are, somehow work, even for me, and I am not entirely sure how or why. I guess that this is all about treatment and balance – a balance that is partially created by having both male and female vocals, but also by counterpointing aggression and melody in just the right way,. This becomes increasingly apparent on every listen, so I request all readers, please, if you are like me, do not let the prospect of the occasional harder-edged vocal put you off. You would be missing a lot.
Rylee McDonald is an immense talent. His guitar work is brilliant and his vocals are top-drawer. It also goes without saying that he is a highly accomplished composer and producer. But this is not a solo project, and the other members of this band are not to be overlooked. They are all superior musicians. Lofgreen is to be commended for his compositional contributions and precise percussive flair, multi-instrumentalist Matheson is far more than just a side man, Wood’s highly tonal bass playing is beyond thunderous and Kristen Mcdonald has the perfect melodic voice to create the balance required by this music.
The album, overall, has a very modern sound, but it also features emotional and compelling performances that are reminiscent of some of the older doyens of classic Prog (and neo Prog.) The songwriting is consistently excellent: apparently parts of the album were conceived during the recording of ‘A Cell To Call Home’, and the following twelve months were dedicated, in the Utah mountains, to refining and expanding these ideas into a complete album. The intent was to create a distillation of the band’s style into into something even tighter, even heavier and even more representative of the band’s now distinctive direction. This was the mission of co-composers Rylee McDonald and Mike Lofgreen, and they have succeeded.
The opening track is an epic of almost twenty iconic minutes with the not-so-cheerful title ‘In a Lone and Dreary World’. Opening with this lengthy production is a brave move, and a statement that no short musical introductions will be necessary here. The track makes it immediately apparent that Advent Horizon do not intend to gently coax the listener into the album. The opening passage (together with some other moments) could easily be early Porcupine Tree, and this gives way to an angular metal guitar riff as powerful as any in the current Prog-metal scene. But when Kristen Mcdonald’s fine voice comes in, the listener realises that this will be something varied and special. The oscillations and dynamics of the track are quite mind-boggling. There is Prog, there is metal, there is melody, there are straight-ahead four-on-the floor rhythms, there are mind-bending time signatures. There is growling, there is angelic singing, there are male and female vocals, there are solos galore and there is an abyss and a peak. There is even a Flamenco section. But whichever style happens to prevail at any particular point, everything – absolutely everything – is eminently listenable and pleasing to the ear. This mammoth track makes a statement that Advent Horizon intend to dispel any doubts about their musical maturity, and what an irrefutable statement it is.
Second track ‘Faiths Window’ poses the conundrum of whether to return to organised religion when given the opportunity to do so. It starts as a slow and melancholy ballad, but soon the huge rhythm section lends several levels of gravitas to the melodic vocals. The lead solo and keyboard refrains are divine (pardon the pun) and the track builds into a Prog-metal pageant of note. The vocals in the crescendo section do walk the growling tightrope, but in my opinion they are better described as ‘anguished’ rather than ‘cookie monster’. There is an added dimension to them that somehow makes them more acceptable to these ears than plain old metal growling, and Kristen McDonald’s melodic and counterpointed vocals save the day by the end of the song. ‘Faiths Window’ may not be the high point of the album, but that balance I spoke of is very evident in it.
We are taken up a level into emotional, complex melodic Prog with ‘Patience’ which is an introspective journey of hope delivered through virtuoso performances in various styles and musical themes. The often frenzied arrangement is super-tight, but the hooks in the pre-chorus and chorus are, well, super-engaging, and the harmony lead passage is just triumphant. A beautiful balance is created, and this song will no doubt become an important part of the band’s live set.
‘Past Life Parable’, already released as a single, is one of my favorite moments on the album. Rylee McDonald’s vocals soar like an angel’s and the guitars, always tightly arranged, sear like burning embers. The song builds into something that is somehow more than the sum of its already brilliant parts, and this track becomes a moment of simple crowning glory for Advent Horizon.
The acoustic intro to ‘Gravity I’ will deceive you in the best possible way. It is breathtakingly beautiful, but there is so much more to this instrumental track than just acoustic splendor, as is revealed by the the suspense-filled outro. This expansive grace gives way to ‘Gravity II’ – an absolute masterpiece of a track that has everything you would want from the greatest veterans of Prog, let alone these young up-and-comers. Just when you thought (by now a few times) that you had heard the best moment on this album, along comes another one, and ‘Gravity II’ is just that. Heavy but melodic, rocking but complex, instrumentally massive but equally huge in the vocal department, this one puts paid to any notion that this album will be anything but a masterpiece.
But yet again, just when you thought that this album couldn’t get any better, ‘Animals’ brings it all home with the most gorgeous and heartbreaking lament to the end of the protagonist’s journey of discovery. This heavenly 6-minute track allows this record, somehow, to top itself yet again. ‘Animals’ is genuinely one of the most beautiful and emotive arrengements of the decade, built around a stunning acoustic guitar riff and one of the finest, most exquisite electric guitar solos you will ever hear. I am generally not one that is moved by lyrics, but these are somehow different: ‘All roads must lead to the final bend…Sometimes we all fall out of order… shut down to try again another day… and as we look back…we’ll see the beauty of it all’. Amidst the glory of the guitars, melodies, echoing keyboards and perfect rhythm parts, these beautifully-delivered lyrics will echo in your mind for days after you turn off your music player. They are certainly still echoing in mine.
The album’s production is exceptional, with perfect sound separation, massive power and great attention to detail. Co-produced by the band, engineered and mixed by Zach Boorman and mastered by Jens Bogren, the record is pretty much sonically perfect, and the artwork of Travis Smith completes its bold thematic focus.
We have had a lot of dystopian albums in the past few years. This one is the opposite – it is utopian and very uplifting, whatever your views on traditional religion might be. Musically, it is certainly true that ‘Falling Together’ is at times influenced by the genius of Steven Wilson and a few other vanguards of Prog, but that influence is far from an issue, at least in this reviewer’s opinion. Just as ELO, in order to be ELO, needed at times to sound like the Beatles, and Transatlantic, to be Transatlantic, occasionally needed to sound like Yes, Advent Horizon sound just as they should – a perfect mix of influence and innovation. That, together with largely superior and consistent composition, virtuoso performances, authentic delivery, humble exploration and sheer overwhelming talent, make for something special.
As I said, it is easy to get distracted and lost in all the excellence that constitutes the 2026 Prog scene, but this album deserves to stand out, to be heard, and to receive the most enthusiastic reviews. It is an absolute winner. Thank-you to our Editor – the process of coming to recognise this fact has been a privilege indeed.
1. In A Lone And Dreary World (19:03)
2. Faiths Window (5:20)
3. Patience (4:53)
4. Past Life Parable (5:03)
5. Gravity I (2:35)
6. Gravity II (4:49)
7. Animals (5:34)
ADVENT HORIZON is:
Rylee McDonald – Vocals, Guitars, Keys
Mike Lofgreen – Drums and Percussion
Cason Wood – Bass, Keys, Trombone
Grant Matheson – Guitar, Keys, Vocals
Kristen Mcdonald – Vocals
If you love this music: Discover More
KERRY KING is giving fans more. The iconic SLAYER songwriter/guitarist is releasing an Extended Deluxe Edition of his acclaimed debut solo album From Hell I Rise via Reigning Phoenix Music on June 19, 2026, expanding the record with five previously unheard demos and new visual elements, including cover artwork by James Bousema and a revamped […]
