Title: From the Ashes of Vesuvius

Produced by: Joseph Shingler

Label/ Date: Self release/ 2002

Tracks:

1. Virgin Sacrifice []
2. The Four Horsemen []
3. Caught in the Quagmire []
4. Living in the House of Funkenstein []
5. Introducing - The Velveetatones []
6. Gremlins with Power Tools []
7. Memories of a Mechanical Man []
8. The Appointment []
9. Ignatius Possum' Jones - Private Eye []
10. Palomino []
11. Eyes Behind the Veil []
12. Just Happy To Be Alive []
13. Le Garage Symphonique
14. The Mintral, The Duje & The Highwayman
15. Raptors Lair
16. Kaleidoscope
17. To Grow Old With You
18. When Souls Entwine

The Review:

From The Ashes Of Vesuvius, the seventh studio cd from Ghosts of Pompeii was quietly released in mid-2002. I’m going to help make a big noise about it now in 2003. Better late than never.
Joseph is the sole driving force behind the Ghosts moniker but it sounds like there are more people involved. He pushes the boundaries of modern day progressive rock by infusing other styles such as old school progressive rock, well placed aggressive guitar riffs, new age ambience, and hard driving electronics.
This was the latest in the Ghosts discography, prior to the Last Days compilations done in 2002/2003. One of the amazing things with this home studio recording is that it doens’t sound like it. Joseph does a solid production and complex layered arrangements throughout the disc.
He also adds some humor to the music to stir up people’s ears, which can be heard throughout the disc especially on “Introducing – The Velveetatones” is a cheesy 40s’ style acappella scat number to the “Living In The House Of Funkenstein” which pays dues to P-Funk.
But don’t let that scare you away, the core of this and any other Ghosts cd is a wonderful blend of prog/rock instrumentation that fans of Joseph’s music have come to expect.
One of my favorites from this recording is a song called “To Grow Old With You”. the other is "When Souls Entwine". Both sounds like they can belongs on a soundtrack with it’s beautiful and haunting melodies.
From The Ashes Of Vesuvius contains the musical diversity that is much needed in music today. It stays away from anything “processed” or “formula” driven progressive music. Highly original and recommended. Please do yourself a favor and pick up a copy today!
~Ron for ProgNaut.com [September 21st, 2003]

Band Members:

Joseph Shingler - All instruments

To get to the artist's website, please click on the CD cover.

Tracks:

1. Kaliedoscope [4:53] (#7)
2. Voyage of the Gold Dabloon [2:21] (#1)
3. A Fistful of Smoke [3:42] (#6)
4. Number 13 Miller's Court [4:42] (#3)
5. Bloodlust And Bedlam [3:36] (#4)
6. Night of the Druid Moon [3:11] (#3)
7. Chaos Reigns Supreme [3:01] (previously unreleased)
8. Midnight AT The Necroplis [4:09] (#8)
9. In The Footsteps Of Ghosts [7:13] (#6)
10. Words of Wisdom [2:13] (previously unreleased)
11. Marbles On A Spiral Staircase [6:28] (#1)
12. Carnivour [3:43] (#5)
13. A Voyage Beyond The Looking Glass [2:54] (#5)
14. Sniper In The Clocktower [4:03] (#1)
15. The Appointment [4:12] (#7)
16. Baroque N' Hearts [2:58] (#6)
17. Soldier of Misfortune [3:15] (#4)
18. The Underworld Overture [8:21] (#3)

Ghosts Of Pompeii Albums are:
1.) Our Past Is Cast In Stone
2.) Awaken The Ghosts
3.) Angels…Devils…And The Fork In The Road
4.) Themes From The Secret Cinema
5.) A Voyage Beyond The Looking Glass
6.) A Fistful Of Smoke & A Pocketful Of Promises
7.) From The Ashes Of Vesuvius

The Review:

I am very honored to have been sent these special 'custom cut' copies of The Last Days Of Pompeii & The Last Days of Pompeii Vol II, that were specifically made Joseph Shingler for ProgNaut.com.
Due to the time restriction at MP3.com, the songs on these versions differ slightly. (MP3.Com has a time restriction of 60 minutes per CD).

Joseph deleted two songs from Vol. I ("St. George & The Dragon" and "To Grow Old With You") but they were included on Vol. II. The special version of "Vol. II" has 6 songs unavailable on either volume.

The original version of "The Last Days of Pompeii" is also available from Joseph directly with the two deleted songs. So there's two versions of the first volume to chose from. Please click on the CD cover above to get your hands on this and the first volume!

~Ron for ProgNaut.com [July 15th, 2003]

Band Members:

Jospeh Shingler - All Instruments

To get to the artist's website, please click on the CD cover.

Tracks:

1. Midnight Carousel [3:00] (#1 & #6)
2. Seven Heads of The Hydra [3:12] (#6)
3. Spirits of The Anasazi [2:49] (#5)
4. Legend of The Loch [5:04] (#4)
5. Whispers of Autumn [4:34] (#5)
6. Escape From the Ant Farm [4:52] (#2 & #6)
7. Virgin Sacrifice [2:52] (#7)
8. Rainmaker [3:29] (#5)
9. St. George & The Dragon [8:28] (#2 & #6)
10. Girl In The Streelight [3:49] (#4)
11. Temple of Hatshepsut [7:02] (#6)
12. Never Smack A Rhino With A Whiffle Bat [4:33] (#1)
13. When Souls Entwine [4:38] (#7)
14. The Minstral, The Duke & The Highwayman [3:57] (#7)
15. These Clowns Came To Kill [3:54] (#5)
16. To Grow Old Wth You [1:41] (#7)
17. We Are All Called Home [3:16] (#5)

Ghosts Of Pompeii Albums are:
1.) Our Past Is Cast In Stone
2.) Awaken The Ghosts
3.) Angels…Devils…And The Fork In The Road
4.) Themes From The Secret Cinema
5.) A Voyage Beyond The Looking Glass
6.) A Fistful Of Smoke & A Pocketful Of Promises
7.) From The Ashes Of Vesuvius

The Review:

Just like another of Americas hidden gems, Glass, keyboardist Joseph Shingler is part of a recent resurgence of past progressive musicians coming into the modern-age, thanks in part to the growing interest in progressive music on internet.
Last Days of Pompeii is a collection of music done by Joseph under the moniker of Ghosts of Pompeii.

The music comes from his previous 7 instrumental based CDs, with the keyboards as main instrument.

All of the 17 songs are like short mini-conceptual peices, clocking in around 3-5 minutes, which stylistically lies between progressive and several related genres. including new-age, ambient and techno beats. There are some long tracks that push the 8 minute mark.

While adding modern touches to his music, Joseph draws his inspiration from prog pioneers such as Yes, ELP, King Crimson, Pink Floyd and Genesis without imitating or "cloning' them.

Run, don't walk and get this CD before it goes the way of the original Pompeii!

~Ron for ProgNaut.com [July 15th, 2003]

Band Members:

Joseph Shingler - All instruments

The Last Days of Pompeii is not a prophetic title. And for those of us that are fans of the Ghosts of Pompeii, we are very thankful for this. What it is though is the title of the latest compilation released under Joe Shingler's project name. A wonderful place to start if you want to journey to Pompeii. It has more than doubled the material of it's predecessor Seven from 7, containing seventeen tracks as compared to just seven.

Those who might already have a copy of Seven from 7 will recognize six of the tracks. Both releases start off with "Midnight Carrousel" which is a great space/electronica piece. The wonderful "Legend of the Loch", the sweet suite "St. George & the Dragon", and medieval electronica "The Mistral, the Duke, & the Highwayman" also make an appearance. Also along for the ride are what this reviewer considers two of the best from Ghosts. "Temple of Hatshepsut" takes a middle eastern flavor and adds it to some great modern electronic sounds. An incredibly well written and arranged piece. Then there is "These Clowns Came to Kill", which makes an excellent effort to sound like a four-piece.

The other eleven tracks that make up this compilation are very accessible for new fans. They give a hint of the Ghosts eclectic nature of influences highlighted by his great arrangements. "Spirits of the Anasazi", "Virgin Sacrifice", "Rainmaker", "Girl in the Streetlight", "When Souls Entwine", and "Escape from the Ant Farm" are all very good tunes. Mostly pointing in the direction of a Tangerine Dream-ish like nature, but also showing flares of various other influences. There is even some room for a couple of ballads with "To Grow Old With You" and "We Are All Called Home". Though there is something dark or brooding hiding below the surface of "Called Home", which gives it a rather mysterious sound. Very nice.

"Seven Heads of the Hydra" dare I say has flashes of a Joe Satriani tune. No, it is not actual blistering guitar gymnastics like the virtuoso, but the sounds that are used, plus the melodies and arrangements surely give a nod to Satch. "Whispers of Autumn" has an 80's Asia like melody with Tangerine Dream overtones about it. Then there is one of the best song titles of all time. "Never Smack a Rhino with a Wiffle Ball Bat"; a great tune, but also some good advice.

Ghosts of Pompeii has a very strong base in electronic music, but there is so much more to be heard. Shingler's jazz, folk, and rock backgrounds are heard very fluently throughout his releases. His arrangement ideas are excellent. And his own voice comes through. Obviously fans of electronic or keyboard led music would enjoy the Ghosts of Pompeii. And The Last Days of Pompeii is an excellent starting point.

Ghosts of Pompeii is the "one man band" of Joe Shingler, one of our fellow Prog Ears members. This is GoP's seventh release, which was completed in April of 2002.

I have always been a fan of keyboard driven music. Not only that, I enjoy listening to the soundscapes that artists like Tangerine Dream and Klaus Schulze have created over the years, which rely almost solely on synthesizers. Even the areas of electronica and ambient I find much enjoyment out of. Those are all good places to start a description of GoP's material. But that is ONLY the start. Shingler adds many influences and genres into his music, that it becomes very eclectic. Jazz, rock, dance, funk, ska, baroque/classical, space, a cappella harmonizing,Latin and tribal, and even just a smidgen of country/western all get their chances to be heard. But this happens all with his one sound and style coming through. Shingler is not an artist that takes himself too seriously that this becomes an over blown statement of music. On the contrary, it comes across with the love of someone that just wants to play and is having fun creating music. It is mostly evident in the bits of humor that get shown throughout the album. Shingler has created some intelligent music that can challenge the listener, yet still have them tapping their feet.

The album's opener "Virgin Sacrifice" shows off one of Shingler's best qualities, arrangement of sounds. The album is full of pieces that are very well put together. He seems to have a knack for using many different sounds, but woven together in a manner that fits well, and gives each track a very full sound. He also doesn't let songs go too far. If anything the listener might even think that some songs might be too short. And in a genre where songs can seem very repetitive this quality is a good thing.

The second track "The Four Horseman" continues to show off Shingler's arrangement abilities, yet not forgetting melody and hooks. "Caught in a Quagmire" adds some amble guitar work that shows off more through what is added to the sound of the track from the tone. Later his performance on "Kaleidoscope" adds to the list of very well arranged songs, all of these being the strongest on this release.

Other highlights on the album include "Introducing - The Velveetatones" which is all vocal. Though one can only assume that it is very realistic sounding samples and not actual voices. It is songs like this that break the album up in a well rounded and intelligently arranged track layout. "Gremlins With Power Tools" adds the eeriness of a dark subject manner juxtaposed with dashes of humor that the title would suggest. "Ignatius Possum Jones - Private Eye" adds almost 50'/60's surfing/rockabilly sound, while still sounding modern. "Eyes Behind the Veil" is more proof of Shingler's keen sense of genre mixing, here taking a middle eastern motif and adding an almost Pink Floyd like drone to the mix, very hypnotic.

"Just Happy to be Alive" gives you a taste of how good the sound can be. It starts off with driving drums (that sound very good for being programmed) ala "Rumble Fish Twist" by The Flower Kings. Then the song gets moving in another direction with horns giving it almost a Latin appeal or maybe even ska. The "Raptors Lair" tribal drumming is just plain cool! Yes, it would be more spectacular if it were not samples, but Shingler shows great attention to rhythms created and it is that which can be admired.

Joe Shingler's project Ghosts of Pompeii is quite a treat with it's wide array of sounds. His music will lead you to other places. You will soon find out just how many different places you can travel in a shade under an hour. If you are a big fan of the electronic genre and style, or just like good keyboard lead music, you need to hear Ghosts of Pompeii and this would be an excellent album to start with.

Ghosts of Pompeii is a one-man band that has been getting a lot of attention as of late on this forum. In listening to the album, A Fistful of Smoke and a Pocketful of Promises, the diverse influences that composer Joseph Shingler brings to his work (from Latin music to Baroque to Tangerine Dream-esque electronics to ELP style keyboards) is refreshing to listen to when confronted with many so-called progressive acts that stay safe within their Genesis/Yes/Gentle Giant roots.

In A Fistful of Smoke...., Shingler's compositions would work very well as soundtrack material, as his expressive use of keys range from madcap organ to spacey atmospherics to analog-sounding experimentation. The keyboard/synth playing on this album is excellent; soundwise, Shingler uses the gamut of analog to synthetic sounds--perhaps to make up for the fact that the album sound palette consists entirely of keyboards, sampling and drum machine. While I personally prefer more analog and "organic" sounds from keyboards, Shingler utilizes his sound textures quite well and his use of more synthetic sounds should only bother the technophobes.

My only real compliant about this album is the use of canned drums. Being a one-person project, Ghosts of Pompeii suffers from the lack of a real drummer to either a) play real drums or b) program less repetitive drumbeats. However, that being said, Joe Shingler did a remarkable job for what he had to work with. Perhaps in future recordings, he could intermix the canned drums with acoustic percussion instruments (djembes, tambourines, bongos, etc.), which would help alleviate the "tinny" sound of the canned drums. Also, I have to admit this is a personal preference on my part as I dislike electronic drums. Those who don't mind electronic drums may not have a problem with them on this album.

For all of this, however, this album shows some inventive and fresh compositions. Fans of Tangerine Dream, ELP, or electronic or classical music would do well to purchase this album. On Fistful of Smoke and a Pocketful of Promises, Joe Shingler delivers his end of the bargain: damn good music.

A few months ago, this section's moderator Floyd had approached me on whether or not I would be willing to write a review on some of the lesser known bands of this genre. Out of a list of about ten bands/musicians, I chose to listen to review two CDs, A Voyage Beyond The Looking Glass was one of the two.

Ghost Of Pompeii is the brainchild of keyboard whiz, Joseph Shingler, whom handled the instrumentation on each track with his multi arsenal of keyboards and synthesizers.

A Voyage Beyond The Looking Glass is a stunning revelation of a CD, which avoids the pitfalls of other one man albums, as for it is never overtly pretentious, and with the excellent engineering, the album is far from sounding like any stale New Age act.

On this recording, Joseph Shingler whom cited many of the well known progressive acts of the Seventies as major influences on his work, Joseph's compositions are first rate with the playing just being plain magnificent.

I would highly recommend Ghost Of Pompeii's A Voyage Beyond The Looking Glass to anyone whom is willing to invest time listening to highly imaginative progressive music that falls more in the vein of Brian Eno/Tangerine Dream with hint traces of Emerson, Lake and Palmer instead of your typical Genesis/Yes/Marillion clones.

Charles