Progshine's Top 10 2012

By Diego Camargo

2012 was a very good and prolific year for Progressive Rock, no doubt about it! Many good releases and many surprises (some let downs, as usual).

In this article I've chosen my favorite 10 2012 albums to write a few words about them and also show you guys my favorite song of each album.

As usual, lists are very personal, so leave a comment with your top 10 if you don't agree with mine! And as always... Enjoy!
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10. Rush - Clockwork Angels

Rush usually doesn't need any introduction, even the newest Progger knows the band, so I'll skip that part.
2012 was a very expected year for the band's fans, after a 5 years hiatus the Canadians released a new album in Clockwork Angels (2012) and it was worth waiting!

Of course it's the old Rush that everybody expects and for sure it's one of their strongest in the past 20 years, however, I cannot say that it's their best.

Key track: Headlong Flight
 
You can buy it here

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9. Alphataurus - AttoSecondo

2012 was a good year for comebacks and this was one of my favorites!
The Italian band Alphataurus recorded one single album in the 70's, the wonderful Alphataurus (1973) before disband late in the same year.
One year ago they surprised many Proggers (including me) with their comeback and the cherry on the cake is the album released in late November, their second album, after a 39 years hiatus.

AttoSecondo (2012) is a magnificent mix of the 70's Prog with just a tip of the modern times. A must have!

Key Track: Progressiva-Mente

You can buy it here

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8. Seid - Magic Handshake

Space Rock is usually complicated for me, either is very boring or just one more album with nothing that stands out. Not here!

Seid is a Norwegian band and Magic Handshake (2012) is their third album and it was released by the Italian label Black Widow Records.

Their weird mix works perfectly well on this almost upbeat record.

Key Track: Space Pirates Return

You can buy it here
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7. Höstsonaten - The Rime of the Ancient Mariner: Chapter One

Fabio Zuffanti is a very hard-working man! That's for sure. In the eighth album by his project Höstsonaten the bass player gathered lots of great musicians to put music in the English writer Samuel Taylor Coleridge poem 'The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner’, published originally in 1798.

We already published a review of the album here on Progshine. You can check it out on THIS link.

Key track: Part One

You can buy it here
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6. Moon Safari - The Gettysburg Address

I'm not a fan of Live recordings, that's a fact. I prefer studio versions, I've always been like that. But in some occasions bands can surprise me.
This is the case of The Gettysburg Address (2012) by the Swedish band Moon Safari recorded in the RoSFest.

Astonishing Live versions with incredible vocals in this double album.

Key Track: Dance Across The Ocean

You can buy it here
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5. XII Alfonso - Charles Darwin

The French band XII Alfonso always wrote their albums based on concepts. On their previous album they talked about Monet for example, but on Charles Darwin (2012) they went full Prog.

Charles Darwin (2012) is a 3 discs album that tells the story of the famous English Naturalist.
Over 3 hours of music packed in a beautiful digipack with an over 60 pages booklet.

Key Track: Silent Battle

You can buy it here
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4. Violeta De Outono - Espectro

The Brazilian band Violeta De Outono had their best album on Volume 7 (2007), but they were able to go one step further with Espectro (2012).

If you like the mellow sounds of the so called Canterbury subgenre you'll love this album, and you should!

Key Track: Formas-Pensamento

You can buy it here
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3. El Efecto - Pedras E Sonhos

Another Brazilian band to score an album on my Top 10, and what an album!
Mixing everything you could possibly imagine, El Efecto, directly from Rio De Janeiro, got themselves a high spot on the list of best albums of 2012.

The album can be free downloaded on their website through THIS LINK.

Key Track: O Encontro De Lampião Com Eike Batista

You can buy it here
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2. The Flower Kings - Banks Of Eden

The 5 years break was wonderful to The Flower Kings I must say.

While the captain Roine Stolt was busy with his other band Agents Of Mercy, the bassist Jonas Reingold busy with his band Karmakanic and the vocalist Hasse Fröberg with his Musical Companion, The Flower Kings was sleeping and waiting for the right time to come out and play again.

With the addition of the new drummer Felix Lehrmann the band recorded their best album so far, Banks Of Eden (2012).
Key Track: Numbers

You can buy it here
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1. Big Big Train - English Electric (Part One)

The English band Big Big Train definitelly got me on their previous album The Underfall Yard (2009) and what seemed to be impossible happened: they released an album even better!

English Electric (Part One) (2012) it's not just an album with heart and soul but also with the best music in the Prog World in the last 2 decades or so!

The best part of it? Their new album English Electric (Part Two) (2013) is about to be released in March!

We already reviewed English Electric (Part One) (2012) here on Progshine, CLICK HERE and have fun!

Key Track: Judas Unrepentant

You can buy it here
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