Critics' Choice 2015 - Von Hertzen Brothers

Every day over the festive period we’ll be bringing you some music from the 2015 Critics’ Choice…

Word had it that the new Von Hertzen Brothers album_ New Day Rising_ had ditched the proggier aspects opf their sound in favour of the rawk! But when we played it in the office for the first time the general concensus of opinion was that the new record was actually proggier than previous album Nine Lives. “A poppy edge but their audacious spirit is strong,“ commented reviewer Rich Wilson in Prog 54. “We’re very particular that our songs have a life of their own,” the band told us, and they proved their adaptability with a fine performance at the 2015 Progressive Music Awards.

So in at No. 15 are Finland’s Von Hefrtzen Brothers, and from New Day Rising, here’s the anthemic Hold Me Up.

Writer and broadcaster Jerry Ewing is the Editor of Prog Magazine which he founded for Future Publishing in 2009. He grew up in Sydney and began his writing career in London for Metal Forces magazine in 1989. He has since written for Metal Hammer, Maxim, Vox, Stuff and Bizarre magazines, among others. He created and edited Classic Rock Magazine for Dennis Publishing in 1998 and is the author of a variety of books on both music and sport, including Wonderous Stories; A Journey Through The Landscape Of Progressive Rock.