Back catalogue: Progressive Rock

Review: Pioneering Japanese psychedelic rock Acid Mothers Temple & the Melting Paraiso U.F.O. (AMT) were formed in 1995. Their relentless output has spawned various offshoots over the years, such as Acid Mothers Temple & the Cosmic Inferno and Acid Mothers Temple SWR, synthesising and alien cosmo-grammar in sound, one that perhaps only the most acid-casualtied tongues can interpret or speak. Now present through Rolling Heads comes their latest album for 2025: Holy Black Mountain Side comprises three psychedelic pieces, reticulating a series of recording sessions held down between 2021 and 2023, at one point reinterpreting a traditional folk song, and throughout enlisting guest bass from Taigen Kawabe of Bo Ningen. Each record comes wrapped in unique artwork by lead improvisor Kashiwagi Ten, adding an extra layer of veiled mystery to each: no two records are visually alike.

Review: Part of the wider Megami Tensei video game franchise, Persona 4 is a 2008 role playing title that hit Japan, and made a huge impact, in 2008. Set in a fictional version of the Land of the Rising Sun's countryside, players adopt the character of a high school student who moves to the small town of Inaba from the city to experience rural living for 12 months. Mysterious murders ensue, and it's up to you - or whoever's got the PS2 controller - to work out what's happening. It's typically deep dive stuff for a country that has always had a very unique relationship with video games. Atlus, the developer, already had a reputation for making beloved scores for its titles, and this one is no exception, although broke the mould compared with preceding instalments in the saga. Way more upbeat, it's a mixture of bubblegum dance pop, chip music, high intensity synth rock, urban-hued J-pop, and 'toon jazz.

Review: The Persona 5 Megamix Vinyl Soundtrack distils the essence of the game's legendary audio into one electrifying album. It's a curated selection that pulls from hours of jazzy, stylish and emotionally charged music that defines the whole mood and aesthetic of the game. From iconic bangers like 'Wake Up, Get Up, Get Out There' and 'Last Surprise' to atmospheric gems like 'Beneath the Mask' and 'Rivers in the Desert,' these tracks brim with hooky musical character and also plenty of narrative weight. With remixed album art by Drew Wise, this is a sleek, essential tribute to one of gaming's most unforgettable soundtracks.

Review: After a five-year split, Atomic Rooster returned with renewed force on their sixth studio album, Atomic Rooster, pushing into heavier territory sligning au naturel with the emerging new wave of British heavy metal. Released in 1980, the album marked a sharp turn from their earlier, more progressive leanings, favouring a nude, aggressor rock sound. Guitarist and vocalist John Du Cann reworked two tracks, 'She's My Woman' and 'Where's the Show?', from his unreleased 1977 solo work The World's Not Big Enough, breathing into them second life within the Rooster framework. Though the 2005 CD reissue stirred interest with rare demos and extensive sleevenotes, it remains an "unofficial" release due to copyright issues with EMI. 'Do You Know Who's Looking for You?' later found new life via a Finnish-language cover by rock band YUP.