Storm Corrosion: "Drag Ropes"

The kinship between Mikael Åkerfeldt (Opeth) and Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree) goes back to at least 1999, when Wilson produced Opeth's breakthrough, Blackwater Park. A couple of years ago the two announced they would collaborating on a project together, with Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater) providing percussion. The Heavens wept, prog geeks creamed their jeans... and somewhere along the way Portnoy got kicked to the curb. It's not really clear whether Portnoy's ugly exit from Dream Theater really estranged him to either Åkerfeldt or Wilson, but I'm willing to buy the latter two's contention that there just wasn't a lot of call for percussion on what would end up becoming Storm Corrosion... at least not on the 10-minute epic that's been released as single #1. 

Rush: "Headlong Flight"

It's been a long time, Rush. I see you finally have a new tune.

I dig the heaviness and the central riff, but I'm not sure the chorus is quite strong enough to elevate this one to "instant classic" status. Nonetheless, if this is indicative of the overall direction they're taking on the new album it could be one of their best in years. I make no secret of my disdain for Snakes and Ladders: I don't like the "touchy feely" Rush, I like my Rush with balls and a backbone. "Headlong Flight" has both. Bottoms up.

Opeth: "I Feel the Dark"

Yep.  I really think Heritage is going to be the album to get me back on board the Opeth horse-and-carriage.  I don't go so far as to call their more recent albums "selling out", but there has definitely been that sort of phoned in quality of a talented band with chops galore just going through the motions, much the same glaring indifference as Opeth BFF's Dream Theater have toiled under for a decade.  Between this song and previous leak "The Devil's Orchard" I'm definitely down with the virtually metal-free 70s prog sound I'm hearing.

Opeth: "The Devil's Orchard"

I had mixed feelings about Opeth's last album, Watershed, digging the musicianship but questioning elements of the songwriting.  It was one of those albums that, opening track "Coil" aside, I didn't find many things egregiously at fault with, but at the same time I appreciated more as an object than as a feeling, organic collection of music.

THIS has me a bit more stoked.  One of the things I liked most about Watershed was the cover of "Bridge of Sighs" on the deluxe edition, and this upcoming single off of September's Heritage is all the more promising in that it hints at a full blown redirect into 70s prog.  That's something I can get on board with.