sábado, abril 09, 2011

APOCALYPSE - 25th Anniversary Box Set + 2012 Light Years From Home

APOCALYPSE is, definitively, one of the all time biggest names in Brazilian progressive rock scene. It's a 25 year career! Uninterrupted! Its vast discography includes 10 albums released in Brazil, Europe, USA and Asia - including a double album recorded live in the United States during the first international tour of the band and the DVD Live In Rio from 2006, with an impeccable production.

And when everybody thought that the band had already done everything, they announced the release of 25th Anniversary Box Set, a commemorative box in celebration of the band's 25th anniversary.

Unpublished work in the national progressive rock, the commemorative box-set includes book, DVD and two CDs, one being the band's new studio album. "Apocalypse's 25th Anniversary Box Set is the most daring project of the band's career", says the keyboardist, Eloy Fritsch. "Since our double CD recorded live in USA in 1999, we had no other hard-working project than this. With this box-set we celebrate this beautiful career guided by the musical identity created by the band during 25 years. Moreover, the project also presents our new studio album."

Titled 2012 Light Years From Home, the new APOCALYPSE album is for sure the highlight of this Box-Set. The album was recorded at Refugio Studios in Porto Alegre and produced by the band. This is the successor of the high acclaimed The Bridge Of Light from 2008 (Musea Records) and marks the premier of the new drummer, Fabio Schneider.

The second CD in the box is Magic Spells that brings old APOCALYPSE's classics played by the band's previous line-up and sung in English. The recordings were extracted from live performances during the "Magic Tour" in 2005.

The DVD The 25th Anniversary Concert is other great feature of the box-set. It registers the show APOCALYPSE played in September 2009 at Acts Lounge of the Rio Grande do Sul Federal University in Porto Alegre. On the occasion, the band presented the show of the "The Bridge Of Light Tour" and also songs from Live In Rio DVD. They counted with the special participation of the Brazilian musician Hique Gomes from the duo 'Tangos & Tragedias'. Lastly, the book that comes in the box was written in Portuguese and English by the journalist and producer Eliton Tomasi and tells the complete history of APOCALYPSE. The book recalls the great moments of the group and includes unpublished photos. The book also contains a chronology of APOCALYPSE written by the author of the Brazilian Progressive Rock Encyclopedia, Leonardo Nahoum, beyond statements of musicians, staff and complete discography.

The content of 25th Anniversary Box Set comes accompanied by a very special package. An exclusive poster is also part of the bill. All the artwork of the CDs, DVD, book and package is signed by the vocalist Gustavo Demarchi.

APOCALYPSE's 25th Anniversary Box-Set is a product funded by the project "Financiarte" from the city of Caxias do Sul and its distributed by Musea Records in Europe and Kinesis in USA. The box-set is also available for sale worldwide through the band's official website.

ABOUT APOCALYPSE
APOCALYPSE came up in 1983 in Caxias do Sul when the keyboardist Eloy Fritsch started a rock band with his schoolmates. Inspired by the bands Yes, Genesis, Rush and Led Zeppelin, since the beginning the band's proposal was to do their own music. Even before releasing its first album, APOCALYPSE gained notoriety and did concerts and performances at the major festivals of Rio Grande do Sul. The first self-titled LP was released in 1990. Perto do Amanhecer, the second album, was out in 1995 in France and marked the first contract with Musea Records that would be APOCALYPSE's record label in Europe during years. Aurora dos Sonhos hit the stores in 1996 preceding Lendas Encantadas which featured re-workings of the band.

In 1998, APOCALYPSE was invited by the record label Rock Symphony to play with the renowned British band Pendragon at the "Rio Art Rock Festival", in Rio de Janeiro. Direct reflection of success abroad, in 1999 APOCALYPSE was one of the attractions of "ProgDay 99", one of the biggest progressive rock festivals from Unites States. The ProgDay Festival performance had been recorded and originated Live In USA, APOCALYPSE's first live album. That was the first time that a Brazilian rock band recorded a show in the USA and released a double CD format!

Rock Symphony released in 2003 the fourth APOCALYPSE album titled Refugio. Two years after, the band took part of the festival "Rock Symphony For The Record" at the Niteroi Municipal Theater. The band's performance was filmed and originated the band's first DVD, Live In Rio, also released in CD.

In 2006 APOCALYPSE played another very important show with Uriah Heep in Rio do Janeiro. In 2008 APOCALYPSE released The Bridge Of Light, the most prized album of its career. The album brought to the band several indications as 'Best of the Year': "Best Album", "Best Cover", "Best Show" and "Best Keyboardist" to Eloy Fritsch. In March of 2009, Eloy Fritsch also won the "Premio Acorianos de Musica – Mencao Honrosa", for his contribution to the southern music scenario. At the same time APOCALYPSE also got the "Vasco Prado Trophy" in honor to the band's 25 years of career.

In 25 years, APOCALYPSE was story on the biggest magazines in the world, and appeared in several TV and radio programs, including national broadcast.
CONTENT
CD MAGIC SPELLS
Live From Magic Tour 2004
1- Refuge; 2- Crying From Help; 3- Mirage; 4- Magic; 5- Cut; 6- South America; 7- Tears; 8- Blue Earth; 9- Time Traveller; 10 – Freedom; 11 – Peace In The Loneliness

CD 2012 LIGHT YEARS FROM HOME
New Studio Album
1- New Sunrise; 2- Set Me Free; 3- Take My Heart; 4- The Angels And Seven Trumpets; 5- On The Way To The Stars; 6- Till Another Side; 7- Morning Light; 8- Find Me Now; 9- A Cry In Infinity; 10- To Kiss The Tears Your Cry; 11- Blue Angel; 12- 2012 Light Years From Home.

DVD The 25

th Anniversary Concert
Live from The Bridge Of Light Tour 2009
1- Cut; 2- South America; 3- Follow The Bridge; 4- Dreamer; 5- Blue Earth; 6- Not Like You; 7- Magic; 8- Refuge; 9- Last Paradise; 10- Ocean Soul; 11- Waterfall Of Golden Waters.
LINE-UP:
Gustavo Demarchi (vocal and flute)
Gustavo Demarchi (vocal and flute)
Ruy Fritsch (guitar)
Eloy Fritsch (keyboards)
Fabio Schneider (drums)

DISCOGRAPHY:

Apocalypse (1991)
Perto do Amanhecer (1995)
Aurora dos Sonhos (1996)
Lendas Encantadas (1997)
The Best Of APOCALYPSE (1998)
Live in USA (2000)
Refúgio (2003)
Live in Rio - CD & DVD (2006)
The Bridge Of Light (2008)
Magic Spells (2010)
The 25

th Anniversary Concert (2010)
2012 Light Years From Home (2011)

OFFICIAL ADRESSES ON INTERNET:

http://www.apocalypseband.com
http://www.myspace.com/apocalypsebr
http://www.twitter.com/apocalypseband
http://www.youtube.com/apocalypseprog

RECORD LABELS:

http://www.musearecords.com (Musea - Europe)
http://www.kinesiscd.com (Kinesis - USA)

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Progressive Rock & Progressive Metal - E-Zine