Normally at ProgPower many of the festival goers spend the Saturday and Sunday morning sitting in the courtyard of the splendid castle, chat, listen to music and generally recover from the night before. The rain came this year, so on Saturday morning the courtyard was empty and people emerged like vampires in the night for the first band at the distinctly day time hour of 1.30pm. There’s a lot to get through, and each band has a good hour long slot or more to peddle their wares. That first band this rainy Saturday to perform in the nice, dry JC Sjiwa club was A Liquid Landscape from Holland. Spooky sounds preceded a patient and mellow build-up. Liquid Landscape would appear to be from the factory of Dutch prog bands which Rene and his team draw from each year. The band took their time, supporting the mellow mood with delicate touches and invoking melancholy. The singer had a great voice – very smooth and full of subtle feelings. They then spoilt it a little but following the text book and launching into a sharp and heavy prog passage. It was a bit clichéd but for the most part this was interesting from a band who wanted to play with feeling, did so and surrounded it with light breezes to interest us some more. On top of that the band and the quietly-spoken lead singer and spokesperson had a natural charm and presence. My initial thought was that this music reminded me of Haken. Impressively A Liquid Landscape continued to develop their supporting sound structures. Funky sounds came our way. The drums were magnetic and the guitars were used to create sound waves. The overriding mood was a quiet one, and this suited the singer’s voice and stage personality perfectly, but inventively post-rock sections were added to heighten tension but not to shock. A clockwork rhythm served to soothe us. The singer’s mellow voice was delightful, reminding me in its range and impact of his counterpart from Day Six. There were also recurrent touches of The Gathering in the form of those dreamy, hypnotic sounds. A Liquid Landscape did not need to go upbeat. Their skill lay in broadening the quiet soundscape. Every twist meant something. The quality meant something. The singer had a wonderful voice. Lighthouse Family vocals combined with the ambiance of The Gathering in a prog band. It all worked so well. The set finished with “Secret Isle”. A stormy and mysterious side emerged. A Liquid Landscape showed they were capable of extending their range, but had the nous to realise that a soft and mellow base suits them best. They proved there is plenty they can do with it. The vocalist was pleased, appreciative and almost surprised that so many of us in the audience “get it”. Yes, we did. This was a truly magical performance.

Many people, myself included, had carried out some research before the festival. Although largely unknown, there was a quiet expectation about Shattered Skies from Ireland. The youthful-looking singer Sean and his band mates set about their rigorous workout with the energetic “Saviours”, a fluid piece of pop metal with progressive traces. “Chasing After Time” followed. Hard-hitting and djenty with lots of bass sound, this one had the makings of an Arabian adventure. Sean showed off his impressive vocal range. “If anyone wants to head bang at3 o’clock in the afternoon, bang it” was the invitation from the guitarist. There were plenty more opportunities during this lively set. The music was powerful, catchy and melodious. Sean looked down. He spilt his beer. It was an Irish tragedy. This apparently is a regular event. “Many a floor in Europe has been soiled” commented his guitarist drily. But the music blasted on and “Attrition” contained another exotic blend of elements. The sound was funky, catchiness mixed with emotion, a guitar solo and the customary thunder. A newly composed track was announced and we were treated to another song with an Arabian Nights feel from the Irishmen. Sean bounced up and down and was infectious with his energy and his charm. But there was a serious problem – a lack of beer. Håkan Lundbom came to the rescue and supplied Sean with the drinking fuel he craved. The guitarist was magnificent, treating us to passages of intricacy and skill. The guitar and drum continued to provide a crunchy sound, while Sean amazed us with his boundless energy and enthusiasm. My only reservation was after the first four songs, the material was weak. The band still kept the momentum going however through their monumental instrumental and vocal skills and their natural and audience-friendly stage presence. I understand that they are writing new material but here they could have done with balancing the set list and maybe throwing in a cover song to make up. But this was a performance full of positives too. If evidence were needed that they went down well, all their cds sold out within seconds of the end of the performance. As my fellow Progperson Erik perceptively observed, if Liquid Landscape was about the listening experience, Shattered Skies was about energy.

I reviewed Alarum at a previous ProgPower and was not impressed. Here they were again, having come all the way from Australia with their very technical take on heavy progressive metal. Alarum’s music is about progression. It never stands still. To impressive leads from the drummer, roars combine with silky passages, guitar solos and occasional jazz sections. It’s heavy. As it moved forward, I found that the individual parts were not making up a whole. It was losing me. I stepped outside and returned for a fresh outlook. In my mind I pictured where each passage was going next. Without exception, the music took an entirely different direction than I expected. There’s plenty there. The guitarist announced that the next song was super difficult. I was already finding it challenging. I appreciated the heaviness, the harsh Entombed-style vocals and the instrumental skill but this all went over my head. Alarum were telling a metal story which I didn’t get.

I looked up and saw the lead man from Alarum on bass guitar. He plays for Levitation Hex, who were next on the bill. From the first song, it was clear that this was more melodic than Alarum. It was also very dark. It’s real stand-up-and-be-counted metal with the lead singer preaching harsh words. This was aggressive, sinister and increasingly dark. In fact this was a blackened version of Alchemist, from whom the core of the band comes. Anger poured from the vocalist’s lips. The stage was swathed in darkness and deep atmospheric sounds went with this metal blast. Levitation Hex were making an impact. Yet at the same time it was melodic and easy to move to. The singer screamed about “voices in my head”. There were traces of modern Norwegian black metal here – Vreid come to mind. The assault was utterly relentless. Between songs the dark sound waves continued, the imperious drums rolled and off we went again on another rock and rolling dark metal anger fest. The riffs, which curiously at one point had me thinking of Robert Plant’s “Gifted for Love” were irresistible. I know some spectators found this too militaristic and mechanical but I agree with the lead guy’s definition of it as “something different”. I think he was surprised at the lack of response to this comment but that’s what happens when you have a thick Australian accent and most people don’t understand you. Maybe the spectators were overwhelmed. Even when slowed down, it’s intense and in-your-face. “Dream Defecit”, with which the set finished, is such a track. Replete with contrasts, it started in a mellow and moody tone with measured vocals. War-like drums and aggressive and U2-like guitar work take us through. It all amounts to an overpowering atmosphere. This is what Levitation Hex are good at. Good on yers, mates.

I’d been led to expect great things from Sweden’s Nightingale. Led by the ubiquitous and legendary Dan Swanö, this melodic progressive rock band has released 6 albums already. Their reputation is of a band which plays soft, precise and deliberately crafted music for our absorption and enjoyment. Dan the Man appeared, and started to sing in the relaxed and languid way that you would expect from Riverside. He was joined by his guitarist who played with class. The balance was right. Neither the pure vocals nor the smooth guitar sound dominated. And so it should be. The music got a little bit funky but never strayed from the rock roots. “The Fields of Life” was flawless. The promised “Something romantic” took us into acoustic territory. The ambiance was slightly upset when the guitarist got into a panic over the fact that he could not get power for his electric guitar, but these things happen. Another funky US west coast style rock track followed. Was this supposed to sound like 70s rock? Because it did. I heard this stuff from The Free and the like. Someone mentioned the band Ten to me. It’s very familiar.  I struggled to identify with this music as the set went on. The guitarist performed tricks and the vocals were sublime but I actually found it rather dreary. “Still Life” was rockier but no boundaries were being pushed here. Then came a moment of unforeseeable entertainment. After a nice vocal solo, the guitarist came out stripped to the waist and wearing a Russian hat. I understand it’s warm on stage but what was that hat about? Was the song about soldiers or communism? The song continued acoustically. The guitarist laid down his guitar carefully and plugged in the electric guitar. The song continued, then the focus turned to the guitarist for a majestic and climactic guitar solo. Nothing happened … no bloody power supply. Panic. The guitarist and Dan the (Repair) Man scrabbled around on the floor. Problem sorted. That’s £30 sir, minimum call-out charge. The track continued. The show went on. The mysterious Russian hat was thrown away in disgust. Haven’t I heard this collection of songs before or at least something like it?

The sound seemed to be getting fuzzier, which didn’t help. Nevertheless some people in the crowd were getting their rocks off, literally. Then there was one of those “left out” moments: “This is only for the diehards”. Let me guess it was called “Better Safe than Sorry”. It was good rock but I was getting nothing out of it and had come to realise that my musical interests lie elsewhere. Some songs were of course harder than others. It was all steady and moody in its way. The performance for me was noteworthy for its guitar solos and funky rhythms. I didn’t get the impression that there was much in the lyrics. Some of the crowd nodded their heads in time. This wasn’t the place for delirious enthusiasm. Clearly this was born out of a love of rock. It was steady and comforting with subtle atmospheres but I came to the conclusion after watching Nightingale that this wasn’t my cup of tea.

Vanden Plas, this evening’s headliners, are a well-established band, but this does not stop me from thinking it is brand of car or the name of a midfielder for Holland. They also divide opinion. There is a strong view that their material amounts to a regurgitation of the same base product. Personally, I’m fine with such regurgitation in principle as it is to those people who consider they maintain a consistently high standard. Others write them off as being “a clone of Dream Theater” or “like boiled beer” (W. Kutyla, who else). I thought they got off to a good start – consummate and controlled power metal, good singing and songmanship, an integrated guitar solo, and majesty from the drummer. It quietened down, then space was found for a melancholic orchestral sample in the progressive section of the next song. The thumping and marching melody returned for “Holes in the Sky”. The keyboard added a layer of drama, while singer went through the roof with the chorus. At this point it was as if the band saw it as “job done” and it went downhill for most of the rest of the set. A number of slower songs combined with what I can only describe as progressive “scenarios”. The portly singer waved his arms as if he was guiding an aeroplane at Schipol, while his guitarist remained expressionless as if he’d had a face lift. Vanden Plas did all the things they are supposed to do in a progressive / power set but it was if they were operating on 75% power and just going through the expected motions. The singer stood next to the guitarist and gestured during a solo widdle not once, but twice. Various members disappeared off the stage and re-appeared so many times that any semblance of climax was lost. The only impressive parts were the heavy power sections. It took the last song “Silently” for the band to burst into action. This long track was powerful and for the first time since the beginning, the clinical delivery was replaced by a series of twists and movements which were full of life. The momentum was continued on the two encore tracks, “Christ O” and the classic “Rainmaker”. After a flying start, Vanden Plas saved the best until last and arguably saved the day, but in between times during this 75 minute set, it was a case of posing, posturing, cliché-ridden presentation and not much substance.

Review Andrew Doherty  Photos Paul van der Wolf  and Håkan Lundbom