New altrock releases:

[thedunno]

I noticed there are three new Alltock releases available: Factor Burzaco, Odysseas and Wrupk Urei
http://altrock.highsite.it/

Normally they are announced in the forum by Marcello but it's been rather quiet around this batch so far.
I only know Factor Burzaco, which is a no-brainer. The other are completly unknown names for me.
Does anyone have any info on them?

[thedunno]

Shitsky, can't edit the title afterwards.

A L T R O C K

[Zalmoxe]

Factor Burzaco and Syndone are autobuys. Don't know much about Wrupk Urei!!!

[thedunno]

aaah... Odysseas is the name of the album, the bandname is Syndone.
Thats why i couldn't find anything on the band through google.

me bad

[Scrotum Scissor]

aaah... Odysseas is the name of the album, the bandname is Syndone.
Thats why i couldn't find anything on the band through google.

If it's the same Syndone who initially released their debut on Vinyl Magic 20 years ago, they are a very good keys-based symphonic rock band with fusion influences, clearly in the tradition of UK and the likes. They released a second album some five years back.

The name Wrupk Urei is sufficiently intriguing to warrant autobuy from me ! Anyway you can hardly go wrong with anything AltrOck issues, and especially the more avant'ish stuff.

[NogbadTheBad]

I realy hate what they've done with their website

[thedunno]

I had the opportunity to listen to these 3 releases a bit over the weekend. First impressions:

Factor Burzaco - 3
I hadn't heared the first 2 so I didn't really know what to expect. This is an odd sounding record. For a large part it is pretty complex chamber rock but They are not afraid to use some heavy power chords now and then (which is a good thing). The female vocals have a naïve childish quality. They more then often remind me of Björk (which is also a good thing). I like this album but I am not quite sure yet how much I like it.

Wrupk Urei - kõik saab korda
When i saw the name I expected something Zheulish. It isn't; this is a kind of heavy space rock. Where a lot of space rock can get dull and self indulgent this band doesn't. This is fresh, energetic, diverse and basically a LOt of fun. It doesn't get dull for 1 second. A warning is in place: This can get highly addictive

Syndone - Odysseas
Keyboard dominated prog. Typical Italian I'd say, if such a thing exists at all. I only heared this once yet ( my attention mainly went to the other two) but it sounded like a fine release.

[thedunno]

you can listen to the album of Wrupk Urei on bandcamp

http://wrupkurei.bandcamp.com/album/k-ik-saab-korda

I noticed that this is actually their first from 2012. Their second is also on bandcamp. Listening to it now

[Marcello]

I realy hate what they've done with their website

Ciao Ian, which is the problem?

[NogbadTheBad]

Ciao Ian, which is the problem?

Hi Marcello

My two main issues are that (1) the news feed is never up to date, currently the last news update is from September 2013 with no updates on the new releases. (2) I use the catalogue feature regularly for any artists you distribute rather than are signed to the label, like Vezhlivy Otkaz. Previously that took you to a list of artists so you can scan and see what is there. The new version of that page reverts to Italian even though I previous clicked the English button and it no longer has a list of artists so if I don't know what I'm looking for I have no idea what you've got. I end up finding that putting the band name (like Otkaz) in the search bar is the only way to track them down. How anyone who didn't know you distributed some artists would ever find them on the new site is beyond me.

I'm looking forward to picking up the new stuff in the near future, sounds like a couple of them will be great for me.

Any news on stocking more Vezhlivy Otkaz - Geranium? I just missed grabbing one of the copies you had at RIO.

Keep up the good work, I love the stuff you release.

[thedunno]

Marcello,

Why hasn't there been any promotion on the last few releases? Normally they are announced here in the forum and I get an email from Altrock (accompinied with a special offer to buy all at once) but this time around nothing. Not even a newsupdate on the Altrock website. I only found out about them because I saw Factor Burzaco reviewed on the german language babyblaueseiten.de

They deserve some promotion; they are great !

[TheH]

Thanks for noting our website http://www.babyblaue-seiten.de/index.php !

Also looking forward to FEM Prog Band's first fulltime album (out soon on Fading (I think))

[Marcello]

Hi guys,

the reason why we didn't spread the news on the new 4 releases is because we have a big delay with one release...so this week we have the last one ready and we can start the promotion.
FACTOR BURZACO, SYNDONE, WRUPK UREI and the new UT GRET are the fourth releases. Soon we'll have ( in a month or so) La Coscienza di Zeno first album (+ 20 minutes of bonus) and FEM "Sulla Bolla di Sapone" (Full lenght album) on Fading records...

@Ian try here http://altrock.highsite.it/ you can find news updated and a track to listen for every release + some ditributed items...
ciao!!

[aplodon]

One thing I find quite annoying on the Altrock site is that the albums are listed after title instead of artist. Makes it more difficult to find what you are looking for, at least if you don't know or remember the album name, which is often the case with me.

[Marcello]

One thing I find quite annoying on the Altrock site is that the albums are listed after title instead of artist. Makes it more difficult to find what you are looking for, at least if you don't know or remember the album name, which is often the case with me.

It's important to know your opinion guys! Thank you Leif! We'll work on this

[Progbear]

Is it me, or is Altrock/Fading turning out to be one of the best modern labels? Several of their releases from last year (Not a Good Sign, Homunculus Res, Camelias Garden) were in my top 10. I'm really excited by these new releases (even Syndone, who have yet to really impress me).

[NogbadTheBad]

Altrock, Cuneiform & Soleil Zeuhl are probably my three favorite labels, consistent winners for the discerning avant-head.

[Scrotum Scissor]

Is it me, or is Altrock/Fading turning out to be one of the best modern labels?

IMHO, they were that right from the start. Although there are releases following a somewhat different path than what corresponds with my personal tastes, I've never heard an AltrOck title that didn't at one level or another impress me. And SOME of them are already modern "prog" semi-classics as far as I'm concerned; Ske, Chance:Risiko, Accordo dei Contrari, Yugen, The Nerve Institute, Not a Good Sign... And although not an AltrOck release per se, the Vezhlivyi Otkaz Geese and Swans album is one of my most listened-to records of the past decade.

[NogbadTheBad]

And although not an AltrOck release per se, the Vezhlivyi Otkaz Geese and Swans album is one of my most listened-to records of the past decade.

Same here, this isone of the stand out records of the last decade.

[Magic Mountain]

And although not an AltrOck release per se, the Vezhlivyi Otkaz Geese and Swans album is one of my most listened-to records of the past decade.

It's funny that you translate the album title to English but not the band's name. I have this one filed under Polite Refusal.

[NogbadTheBad]

Top 10 altrOck (& related) albums, one per band

1. Vezhlivyi Otkaz - Geese & Swans
2. Yugen - Iridule
3. Aranis - Roqueforte
4. Pikapika Teart - Moonberry
5. Nerve Institute - Architects of Flesh Density
6. Dave Willey - Immeasurable Currents
7. miRthkon - Snack(s)
8. Rational Diet - Of Phenomena & Existences
9. Simon Steensland - Fat Again
10. Finnegans Wake - Blue

[Scrotum Scissor]

Top 10 altrOck (& related) albums, one per band

1. Vezhlivyi Otkaz - Geese & Swans
2. Yugen - Iridule
3. Aranis - Roqueforte
4. Pikapika Teart - Moonberry
5. Nerve Institute - Architects of Flesh Density
6. Dave Willey - Immeasurable Currents
7. miRthkon - Snack(s)
8. Rational Diet - Of Phenomena & Existences
9. Simon Steensland - Fat Again
10. Finnegans Wake - Blue

I've got all of these except for the Simon, as I'm still not quite through acquainting myself with Led Circus or Live Gang Gang!

Seems I should pull out my entire AltrOck roster over this upcoming weekend's usual wino wank. Ciccada, Musica Ficta, Autumn Chorus, Homunculus, Yugen/Leddi, Coscienza, Sanhedrin, October Equus, Rhun... Oh well, it's all so damn good!

[Progbear]

That Sanhedrin album is one of my top albums of the past decade. I absolutely love it, and hope it is not the last we hear of them.

[thedunno]

My Altrock top 10

1 Rational Diet - On phenomena and existences
2 Ske - 1000 Autunni
3 Rational Diet - At work
4 Yugen - labirinto D'aqua
5 Dave Willey and friends - Immeasurable Currents
6 Nerve Institute - Architects of Flesh Density
7 Five storey ensemble - Not that city
8 Aranis - roqueforte
9 October Equus - Saturnal
10 Pikapika Teart - Moonberry

[NogbadTheBad]

How did I forget Ske!!