The Ghost of Hope feels like a transitional album, and while not without flaws it leaves one eager to see where this new iteration of the band will head next.

Whilst plenty of music released this year has dwelled on anger or depression, despite the bleak circumstances of its creation Rejoice! I’m Dead! is unrelentingly uplifting. It embraces the need to be fully present and promotes self-examination, even while calling for the end of capitalism.

Back in September, Keneally released the long-awaited sequel to 2009’s Scambot with Scambot 2 (along with Inkling, made up of other pieces from the Scambot sessions). As Keneally has already written incredibly detailed track-by-track liner notes for both Scambot 2 and Inkling, this interview focuses more on the themes and approaches to making the albums, as well as Mike’s musical influences. By Cameron Piko

Prog Noir is by far the most well-crafted and accessible set of songs Stick Men have written thus far. The fact it manages to be so without sacrificing the members’ astonishing musicianship or penchant for syncopation and odd rhythms is a success in and of itself. By Cameron Piko

With each song The Display Team have created a self-contained, manically fun little universe and as soon as the record finished, I found myself wanting to listen all over again. By Cameron Piko

A look at the role of revolution in the music of Fela Kuti, as inspired by Albert Camus. By Cameron Pikó

Kavus Torabi talks with Cameron Piko about the latest Knifeworld album and the upcoming UK tour. They also chat about a potential 40-minute Knifeworld epic, his work with Guapo and Gong, sea shanties and the value of playing Magma at a rave.

“Excluding voluminous posthumous releases, Frank Zappa released over 60 albums between 1966 and 1993. Composer, conductor, guitarist satirist with an obscene and juvenile bent – how does one even approach such an intimidating and potentially impenetrable discography?”. This piece tries to answer that question, with input from a range of musicians. By Cameron Piko

How do you sum up a band like The Residents? Most famous for their eyeball masks and an almost anti-music approach to music making, the band members have insisted on staying anonymous ever since their beginning in the early 70s. I spoke with Homer Flynn of The Cryptic Corporation, spokeperson and manager for The Residents. Given that Homer has been asked countless times about the identity of band members and of eyeball masks, I leave that aside in order to talk about the band’s history and future. By Cameron Piko

In the midst of The Aristocrats’ European tour, bassist Bryan Beller took some time out to talk via Skype. We talk about the band and their latest album Tres Caballeros, Bryan’s solo work and The Aristocrats’ upcoming London show. By Cameron Pikó

Mundo Nuevo finds Markus Reuter playing interesting, challenging music with similarly minded musicians. By Cameron Piko

The two set approach seems to be working for Hackett and, even though I would happily see a show of purely solo material, being able to finally hear some songs that I would normally never have been able see live was a great experience Regardless of what material he chooses to focus on, one thing is abundantly clear: Hackett and his band still have it and are a delight to watch. By Cameron Piko

A diverse and interesting album and one that doesn’t overstay its welcome with its six tracks. Needless to say, bring your best headphones – you’ll be rewarded. By Cameron Piko

The Golden Communion is the first release in quite some time for multi-instrumentalist Thighpaulsandra, perhaps best known for his work with Coil, Wire, Spiritualized, Julian Cope and countless other artists. It’s an absolute beast of an album, and Cameron Piko managed to speak with the man behind the music.

Exodus has some promising tracks featuring playing by masterful musicians. But for the most part, it descends into an album of unmemorable prog metal tropes, and that’s disappointing. By Cameron Piko

“For me, music was the perfect private rebellion”. In the second of our new feature series, Cameron Piko talks about the influence his parents had on the music he both listens to and makes

“Rebellion in art can appear in many forms and with different intents, but can generally fall into two main varieties: a rebellion that promotes personal growth and internal change, and one that promotes an environmental or external change” – Cameron Piko looks at a band that truly fit the former label of rebellion: the duo of John Balance and Peter Christopherson that is Coil.

This is challenging, uncompromising music that demands attention from its audience. But go in with an open mind, and you’ll find plenty to discover. By Cameron Piko

I thought I would never get to see King Crimson, but I did. I cannot accurately convey the personal importance of this, or how wonderful the night was – even if that’s literally the job of a concert review. If you get a chance to see them, take it – who knows when they will hold court again? By Cameron Piko

Celebration is a surprisingly cheerful, inventive album that finds Marco Minnemann honing his song writing craft further while still being obsessed with creating grooves and having fun. By Cameron Pikó

Since we last spoke to Marco he has played on the incredibly well-received Hand.Cannot.Erase by Steven Wilson, toured with Joe Satriani and is about to tour with his other band The Aristocrats. In the midst of all this, Marco took the time out to briefly answer some questions about his latest solo record, Celebration, out now through Lazy Bones Recordings. We talk about his song writing process, and how weird I am for finding this music happy. But he randomly says OINK, so we’re even. By Cameron Pikó