The Guitar Player's Resource
The Pittsburgh based band Persephone's Dream has released their CD Opposition, which spans a number of genres but could be described as neo-progressive. Reviewers have described their music as having a new age feel, while being heavy and hard - if it seems like a contradiction, well, maybe it is. Even though influences of Rush, Yes and Genesis can be heard, the CD on the whole is not particularly guitaristic in nature (there are plenty of guitars from Rowen Poole, they just don't stand out in the way a guitar lover might prefer). Vocalist Karin Nicely seems to carry the show here; on the other hand, the instrumentation is creative and challenging, and a guitarist looking for 'outside' influences and arrangement concepts could get some excellent ideas here. For an all-around solid progressive rock album, fronted by talented female vocalists, give Persephone's Dream a listen.
Persephone's Dream was formed in 1993 when Rowen Poole (guitar/lyrics) and Chris Siegle (bass) began to play and write music together. They recorded their first CD "Evening Mirage" in 1997, and one cut was used repeatedly on the US soap opera "The Guiding Light". In 1998-99, the band added drummer Ed Wiancko and vocalist Karin Nicely and released their second CD "Moonspell". Later adding two more musicians, the band's first live performance was at the 2000 PowerMad. Their current CD has garnered favorable reviews, feature stories and reports of extensive airplay.
In addition to recording the band's CD, Poole and Siegle have recorded and released three other band's albums in their own studio, StarGlider Studios. Currently, they are working on an intensive project with a band called The Grimm, who hopes to have their album out sometime this year.
Pup-in-a-Cup Productions
United States
Web site: www.persephonesdream.com