As the co-founder of Glass Hammer, multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Steve Babb has been at the forefront of American progressive rock for around 30 years. In fact, he’s helped pen some of the genre’s most celebrated modern works, including 2005’s The Inconsolable Secret, 2011’s Cor Cordium and 2016’s Valkyrie. The band’s latest conceptual release, ARISE – which stands for Android Research Initiative for Space Exploration – fits right alongside them, as it’s a cosmic horror narrative packed with the group’s trademark melodic and musical specialities. Babb tells Prog about the influences and ambitions behind ARISE’s amazing path.
