At the beginning of this month, Swedish Melodic Metal outfit Dynazty released 'The Dark Delight', their biggest and most engrossing album so far, spearheaded by their first single 'Presence Of Mind'. Following on from 'Titanic Mass', a chunk of an album, and the hit machine 'Firesign', its successor sees the band entering the new decade with a bang. With guitar riffs like machine gun fire, fast and snappy as a shark combined with Nils Molins (Amaranthe) eminent voice soaring over orchestral arrangements and huge background vocals, 'The Dark Delight', will leave you begging for more. As well as Nils, the band is also comprised of highly respected and sought after Metal scene musicians, including bassist Jonathan Olsson (Lindemann, Pain), guitarist Love Magnusson plus drummer Georg Härnsten Egg (Dee Snider) and guitarist Mikael Lavér (Joe Lynn Turner).

At the end of last month, Music Theories Recordings/Mascot Label Group released ‘Ayreon – Electric Castle Live And Other Tales’, a spectacular live performance last year of the third Ayreon album ‘Into The Electric Castle’, of which 'Amazing Flight' is today's Video Of The Day. Over four nights at Tilburg’s 013 venue (the scene of Arjen Lucassen’s Ayreon Universe series of live shows in 2017) Lucassen, his band and one of modern Progressive music’s most emphatic of casts celebrated the 20th anniversary of the album in front of 12,000 adoring fans from 64 different countries who had flown in from around the world. In fact, it all went so well, that Lucassen was planning to take the show to headline the prestigious German Night Of The Prog in June, however, unfortunately the ongoing Corona crisis has resulted in the festival being postponed to 2021 (16th – 18th July).

Iron Maiden Legacy band Gypsy’s Kiss will release their EP, ‘Heat Crazed Vole: Re-tailed’, on Friday 1st May through Roulette Records and digitally distributed worldwide by Cargo Distribution, of which the title track is today's Track Of The Day. Maiden founder/bassist Steve Harris and David Smith were founder members of Gypsy’s Kiss and in April 1974 they had their first paying gig at the Cart and Horses, Stratford, when they were orginally named Influence. Smith had been asked to reform the band many times over the years and finally did so for a charity festival in March 2018. The reaction from the Maiden Family and audience was so incredible that they decided to continue recording and playing. This EP was originally self-released in 2019 but has since been remastered and now contains new tracks ‘Settle the Score’ and, radio single ‘Don’t Ask the Question’, that both signal a change in direction for the revived Gypsy’s Kiss, moving to a more modern sound whilst staying true to their 70's Classic Rock heritage.

Another Isolation Music Festival is being streamed here from 12.50pm to 6pm UK time today featuring Sheri Kershaw, Richard Townend, Trevor Gentry, Bob Collum, Nigel Baker, Rob Falsini, Steve Morrison, Izzie Thatcher, Tony De Meur (Fabulous Poodles), When Rivers Meet, Starlite Campbell, Tim Edey, Callum Morgan (Morganway), Dom Pipkin and Andrew Black. Other live streams tonight include Dan Burnett who is back at 6.30pm as part of his World Tour here plus Redfish who are also performing a Live Stream here at 8pm.

Katatonia return with their brand-new album 'City Burials' this coming Friday 24th April, on Peaceville Records, and the album’s second single 'Behind The Blood' is today's Video Of The Day. The track bursts into life with a trademark screaming guitar solo before dropping into an upbeat distinctive and hugely memorable Katatonia chorus. Katatonia was formed in 1991 by Jonas Renkse and Anders Nyström, transitioning from early pioneers of the rising Black/Death/Doom movement, to powerhouses of the Progressive Metallic Rock genre. Taking an unexpected break, following the conclusion of their 2016 'The Fall Of Hearts' album tour, they are not only back, but newly armed with arguably their finest album to date. Also consisting of Niklas Sandin - bass, Daniel Moilanen - drums and Roger Öjersson - guitar, the enormously vivid and powerful 'City Burials' is indeed an opus of absorbing, soaring Progressive Rock and meticulously crafted doses of melancholy.

"It’s classic Ash in that respect, with melodic harmonised guitars flowing in and out and beautifully fat toned and equally tuneful solos everywhere; the vocal sound is the same, with Andy Powell sounding unchanged from his youthful self; however, the addition of Mark Abrahams as a co-writer with Andy Powell has resulted in a strong set of songs that have more focus than some of the older material, and seem more accessible, with great hooks, one after another." Today read another one of our self-isolating album reviews here, as Simon Green gives his take on Wishbone Ash's CD 'Coat Of Arms' that was released at the end of February, plus check out our Track Of The Day.

Last Tuesday, singer-songwriter and bassist Tal Wilkenfeld released her video for 'Killing Me', a standout single taken from last year's BMG debut solo album, ‘Love Remains’, which is also today's Video Of The Day. The Hard-Rocking cut sees the formidable musician exploring her perspective on isolation and self-reflection. The Marielle Tepper (Gaslamp Killer, Lapalux) directed clip sees the formidable instrumentalist and vocalist in a small unadorned room, fighting a physical representation of her dark side by way of a body double in a black suit. From 'Corner Painter', her rollicking debut single featuring Blake Mills and Benmont Tench, to 'Haunted Love', a soft selection of melodious yet prolific bass and orchestra, to the warm ballad 'Under The Sun', with yearning sounds from an Indian classical violinist, the album showcases a transcendent balance between instrumental prowess and exquisite song-craft.

Inventive, distinctive German Progressive Rock/Metal group Cryptex recently signed with Steamhammer/SPV to release ‘Once Upon A Time’ their irrefutably excellent third album, on Friday 8th May, of which 'Bloodmoon', the potent, atmospheric first single from the album, is today's Track Of The Day. Packed with unpredictable time changes and a host of genius musical moments, the new album is their most emotional, profound and uncompromising piece of work yet, and is a swaggeringly diverse, mesmeric delight. Comprising of multi-instrumentalist Simon Moxon, bassist/co-lyricist Marc Andrejkovits, guitarist André Jean Henri Mertens and drummer Simon Schröder, the band describe the consummate songs on ‘Once Upon A Time’, as an “unrestrained, autobiographic psychograms full of ambivalent feelings and approaches in self-reflection”, and are indubitably set to win over hordes of new fans worldwide with this astonishing, arresting, inspired album.

Not only is cellist, singer, songwriter and composer, Calum Ingram performing a live stream here at 8pm UK time tonight, but also later at 1am UK time (5pm Los Angeles and 8pm New York), there's the little matter of the ‘One World: Together At Home’ Global Special which will be streamed live online on multiple global platforms, including Youtube, whilst BBC One will broadcast a recording of the virtual concert later on Sunday. Organised by WHO, it will celebrate and support brave healthcare workers doing life-saving work on the frontlines and will include Joe Armstrong of Green Day, Eddie Vedder, Elton John, Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder.

"Off to Latin America with the Flamenco spark of 'I Wish' with lyrics based on the words of Christina Rossetti’s 1862 poem 'I Wish I Was A Little Bird'. Christina Rossetti is a poet, activist and the subject of some of the most famous paintings of the Pre-Raphaelite movement. The track features Prog Rock legend Steve Hackett on acoustic guitar. The single is accompanied by a video featuring Amy and a mysterious Flamenco guitarist each represented in stunning origami stop motion piece, created by Susan Raybould (Origami Om) and pushed the boundaries of traditional origami design." Today, not only read another one of our self-isolating album reviews, as Steven C. Gilbert gives us his take hereon Ms Amy Birks 'All That I Am And All That I Was' CD that was released earlier this month, but also check out today's Video Of The Day.

Rikard Sjöblom's Gungfly is coming to the UK for three select live dates, co-headlining alongside the Robin Armstrong-led Cosmograf on Friday 2nd October at London's Dingwalls and Manchester's Academy 3 on Saturday 3rd October, before continuing on to Chepstow's Summer’s End Festival on Sunday 4th October. Gungfly released their most recent album ‘Friendship’ in 2018, and were last seen supporting The Flower Kings on their December 2019 European tour. Rikard Sjöblom is perhaps best known as the multi-instrumentalist frontman of Beardfish, who established themselves as one of the most consistently brilliant modern-day Progressive Rock bands over the course of eight studio albums. In recent years, he has also become known for his work with English Progressive collective Big Big Train, playing live with them as well as performing on their recent studio albums.

Today's latest Blues Club Podcast Track Of The Day is another two hours of non stop Best in Blues and beyond with More Music and Less Chat, featuring new releases, classic tracks, and UK IBBA Presenters' Picks, including music from The Proven Ones, Izo Fitzroy, Canned Heat, Kandace Springs, Jimmy Smith & Dr. John, Crystal Shawanda, Nathaniel Rateliff, Jo Harman, Fleetwood Mac, Mary Jo Curry Band, Ryan Perry, Gary Moore (pictured), Robert Jon & The Wreck, Albert Castiglia, Chasin' The Train, Keb' Mo' and many more.