domingo, janeiro 31, 2016

THE PINEAPPLE THIEF FRONTMAN BRUCE SOORD RELEASES SELF-TITLED DEBUT SOLO ALBUM ON KSCOPE

New tracks "Familiar Patterns," "Willow Tree" streaming online
 
ENGLAND - Bruce Soord, the frontman and creative force behind The Pineapple Thief, has released his self-titled debut solo album on Kscope. The new album can be purchased now on iTunes at: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/bruce-soord/id1051861503 and through the Kscope webstore at: www.kscopemusic.com/store.

Fans can here the first track "Familiar Patterns" on YouTube at:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYBB2iHfutE&feature=youtu.be and SoundCloud at:

Bruce Soord was recorded during the summer of 2015 at Soord's U.K. studio. All the tracks were written and performed by Soord with Darran Charles (Godsticks) playing additional guitar.
 
Having wanted to make a solo album for many years, Soord found himself taking surprising paths to create this record; here he has explored the softer, dreamier side of his song-writing - more acoustic in nature, while retaining depth in its arrangement.

Revisiting his life to find inspiration for the songs, this record is a celebration of the past as much as it is an epitaph of times past. While the songs describe a sense of the past that has been lost, it is also pays homage to Soord's wonderful and artistically decaying childhood town.

Soord recently premiered the songs live with a U.K. tour supporting label mates Sweet Billy Pilgrim.
 

1. Black Smoke
2. Buried Here
3. The Odds
4. A Thousand Daggers
5. Willow Tree
6. Born In Dilusion
7. Field Day Part 1
8. Field Day Part 2
9. Familiar Patterns
10. Leaves Leave Me

Soord's mainstay band The Pineapple Thief, which he founded in 1999, has continued to evolve and refine its sound and is seen by many as one of the most interesting and innovative rock bands the U.K. has produced in recent years. Albums like Magnolia(2014), All the Wars (2012) and Someone Here Is Missing (2010) have made the band's reputation and fan base stronger, gathering interest from a wider spectrum of alternative rock followers. Bruce Soord also collaborates with other Kscope artists, joining forces with Katatonia's Jonas Renkse on the 2013 Wisdom of Crowds project and joining Katatonia on its Dethroned & Uncrowned Unplugged acoustic European tour. Soord is also working on various other projects creating 5.1 mixes, including the new TesseracT album Polaris and remixing Opeth's album Deliverance.

Stay tuned for more information on Bruce Soord and his self-titled debut solo album, out now on Kscope.

Bruce Soord online... 
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Progressive Rock & Progressive Metal - E-Zine

A Previously Unreleased Live Album From Mercurial Bauhaus Frontman Peter Murphy To Be Released By Cleopatra Records!


Los Angeles, CA - Peter Murphy is one of the most revered and recognizable figures in the dark side of art rock, having fronted the legendary gothic post-punk quartet Bauhaus in the late '70s and early '80s before pursuing a distinctive and creatively rich solo career starting in 1986. His success as a solo artist, amazingly enough, nearly eclipsed his previous stint with singles such as "Indigo Eyes" and the massive smash hit "Cuts You Up" elevating Murphy to center stage before a larger audience than he could have ever imagined possible. And it was indeed on the stage where Murphy truly shined, investing every phrase and note of his vast repertoire with unparalleled passion and poise. At the turn of the century, Murphy would take a moment to reflect on his solo career, releasing a greatest hits compilation calledWild Birds and embarking on an extensive world tour where he brought many of those highlights to life on stage. 

Now a superb double album capturing a single, majestic and magical evening on that tour - one April 4, 2000 at the House Of Blues in Los Angeles - will be made available for the first time on both CD and vinyl this February 12 courtesy of Cleopatra Records. Wild Birds Live Tour features incredible and haunting live versions of "Cuts You Up," "Indigo Eyes," "A Strange Kind Of Love," "Marlene Dietrich's Favourite Poem" and many more! The 2CD set comes in a super deluxe mini LP-style gatefold digipak while the double vinyl package comes in both white and black vinyl.

Track List:
DISC 1
1. Final Solution
2. Scarlet Thing In You
3. Wild Birds
4. Mirror To My Woman's Mind
5. Subway
6. Disappearing
7. Deep Ocean Vast Sea
8. I'll Fall On Your Knife
9. Crystal Wrists
10. The Sweetest Drop

DISC 2
1. Hit Song
2. Indigo Eyes
3. Marlene Dietrich's Favourite Poem
4. A Strange Kind Of Love
5. Cuts You Up
6. Surrendered
7. Roll Call - Recall
8. Huuvola

Download on iTunes: http://flyt.it/PeterMurphyDig

11041 Santa Monica Blvd #703
Los Angeles CA 90025
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Progressive Rock & Progressive Metal - E-Zine

quinta-feira, janeiro 28, 2016

Symphonic Rock Icons Renaissance To Tour The US & UK In Support of New DVD Release “Live at The Union Chapel”


Symphonic rock icons Renaissance featuring legendary singer Annie Haslam will be performing in the US & UK in support of their new DVD release "Live at The Union Chapel"! Filmed at The Union Chapel in London UK on April 16, 2015 by Paul Green Productions, with lighting by Russell 'Tigger' Matthews, the DVD features Renaissance performing such favorite classics as "Carpet of the Sun", "Ocean Gypsy", "Mother Russia", "Ashes are Burning" and newer pieces "Symphony of Light" and "Grandine il Vento" to an ecstatic audience! The DVD is NTSC all-region, with LPCM stereo and Dolby Digital surround audio tracks. A Blu-Ray version is planned in 2016.

Watch the trailer: https://youtu.be/0xVnuRTzN60

Renaissance Winter 2016 US & UK Tour Dates:

USA
Feb 12 - The Birchmere - Alexandria, VA - tickets
Feb 13 - Keswick Theatre - Glenside, PA - tickets
Feb 19 - The Newton Theatre -  Newton, NJ - tickets
Feb 26 -  Renaissance on the Moody Blues Cruise Miami, FL - tickets

UK - (dates April 17 through 26 with Curved Air)
April 14 - Trading Boundaries - Fletching
April 15 - Trading Boundaries - Fletching
April 17 - Opera House - Buxton
April 18 - The Stables - Milton Keynes
April 19 - Robin 2 - Wolverhampton
April 20 - Academy - Newcastle
April 21 - ABC - Glasgow
April 24 - Academy - Bournemouth
April 26 - Shepherds Bush Empire - London


Renaissance is a band with a rich history unique unto themselves as progressive rock pioneers who rose from the ashes of the seminal UK rock band, The Yardbirds. Acclaimed for their unique blending of progressive rock with classical and symphonic influences, the band's career has spanned forty plus years spearheaded by the 5 octave voice of Annie Haslam and the masterful songwriting skills of Michael Dunford. They are widely considered to be the band that most successfully and routinely utilized the sound of a full orchestra in their recordings.

In the early years Renaissance toured Europe extensively. It wasn't long before influential progressive rock stations in the US, such as WNEW (NYC), WMMR (Philadelphia) and WHFS (Washington) were turning on America to Renaissance. Before too long the band started thrilling concertgoers on the world's most distinguished stages, from Carnegie Hall in NYC with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, to the Royal Albert Hall in London with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Royal Chorale Society. In 1978 they had a top ten hit in the UK with 'Northern Lights', which has become a classic radio favorite, still demanding regular airplay to this day.

The band eventually disbanded in the late 1980's at which time Annie Haslam launched a solo career. In celebration of the 40th anniversary of the original founding of Renaissance, Michael and Annie in 2009 decided to form a new touring band. More recently they have toured the UK, Belgium, Holland, Israel, Portugal, North America, Canada, Japan and South Korea and produced their first album in 13 years entitled "Symphony of Light". The album is a testament to the unforgettable melodies that Michael Dunford infused into his work, Michael died prematurely in 2012.

Renaissance toured Europe in April 2015, the first in over 35 years! The tour was very successful and the fans loved every minute!

The current personnel of Renaissance include: Annie Haslam lead vocals, Rave Tesar keyboards, Tom Brislin keyboards, Mark Lambert acoustic guitars, Leo Traversa bass guitar, and Frank Pagano drums.

Watch Renaissance's new video for Cry to the World: https://youtu.be/finJd6nNo84

To purchase Renaissance "Live at The Union Chapel" DVD: http://renaissancetouring.com/store ;
The DVD will also be sold through Amazon. A signed copy by Annie Haslam will be available through Renaissance online store. 
The Audio version of Renaissance "Live at The Union Chapel" will be available at Renaissance online store, Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music, Google Play, Amazon, Rdio, Deezer, Tidal, YouTube Music, Microsoft Groove, and MediaNet
For more information:
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Progressive Rock & Progressive Metal - E-Zine

quarta-feira, janeiro 27, 2016

“An Evening With Wild Man Fischer” To Be Released On CD For The First Time Ever!

For Immediate Release

"An Evening With Wild Man Fischer" To Be Released On CD For The First Time Ever!

London, UK - For the first time ever, legendary underground classic "An Evening With Wild Man Fischer" produced by Frank Zappa will be released on CD by Gonzo Multimedia! The album has been out of print for decades and original vinyl copies are highly sought after!

Born Larry Wayne Fischer in Los Angeles, California, Wild Man Fischer was institutionalized at age 16, and later diagnosed with two mental disorders, severe paranoid schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Following his escape from the hospital (he said no one ever bothered to take him back there), Fischer wandered Los Angeles singing his songs a capella for 10 cents each to passers-by. Discovered on the street by Frank Zappa, with whom he recorded his first album in 1968, Fischer became an underground concert favorite. Zappa was responsible for Fischer's initial foray into the business of recorded music, an album called "An Evening with Wild Man Fischer", which contained 36 tracks, some of which contained musical accompaniment by Zappa and some of the Mothers of Invention members, and others featured Wild Man Fischer solo.

The CD will be released on January 29, 2016

Tracks:
Disc One

The Basic Fischer

1. Merry-Go-Round
2. New Kind of Songs for Sale
3. I'm Not Shy Anymore
4. Are You from Clovis
5. The Madness of Ecstacy Larry's Songs (unaccompanied)
6. Which Way Did the Freaks Go
7. I'm Working for the Federal Bureau Of Narcotics
8. The Leaves Are Falling
9. 85 Times
10. Cops and Robbers
11. Monkeys Versus Donkeys
12. Start Life over Again
13. The Mope
14. Life Brand New
15. Who Did It Johnny
16. Think of Me When Your Clothes Are Off
17. Taggy Lee
18. Rhonda
19. I Looked Around You
20. Jennifer Jones

Disc Two

Some Historical Notes

1. The Taster
2. Story of the Taster
3. The Rocket Rock
4. Explanation and Dialog
5. Dream Girl
6. Dream Girl Explanation
7. Serrano Beach
8. Success Will Not Make Me Happy
9. Wild Man on the Strip Again

In Conclusion

10. Why Am I Normal
11. Wild Man Fischer Story
12. Balling Isn't Everything
13. Ugly Beautiful Girl
14. Larry and His Guitar
15. Circle
16. Larry Under Pressure

For more information:
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Progressive Rock & Progressive Metal - E-Zine

Wishbone Ash - News From The Road

So we're deep into the 2016 Road Warriors Tour for Wishbone Ash. Holland is a distant memory (we had a great time there) and we're well into snowy days traveling the autobahns of Germany venue by venue.

We're gradually heading east and the temperature is dropping but not the audience numbers. On the contrary, our agents keep telling us that it's quite remarkable how so few bands can tour consistently year after year like Wishbone Ash does AND with such a loyal audience support. For that we thank YOU!

We'll have a short break in the middle of it all to play the Monsters of Rock show in Minehead. The folks there are doing a great job bringing in some good rock acts and we'll be looking forward to our 11.30pm slot there. Just hope you guys can stay awake for us!

After that, the band will all chill out at their respective homes in the UK except for Pauline and I. We'll be visiting friends and family in the UK and also taking in a few theatre productions, the London scene being so much cheaper than what we're used to in New York. Then it's back on a plane to Vienna to rendevous with the band for the ongoing dates. We are really looking forward to those - Austria, Switzerland and Poland where the audiences are always so warm, unlike the weather this time of year. Before all of that, we're going to the Vienna Opera House, not for some Queen tribute show, as you might think but actual opera. I'm totally psyched because, like my old dad, I have a soft spot for the genre and what better place to experience it than there in Vienna.

On to more down to earth matters; 100 pre-release copies of the brand new Wishbone Ash DVD "Live In Paris" are now available on the webstore. First come, first served!
Please note that these are in the PAL format (for Europe) and very fine quality they are too.

We have some US copies remaining which can be delivered in early March. If you'd like to be on the list to get hold of one of those please check out this link.

There are also 30 copies left of the limited edition Metropolis Live Vinyl recording. These are the only remaining copies of a strictly limited pressing and when they're gone, they're gone. Don't miss the opportunity to own a true Wishbone Ash collectors' item - a recording of the band from last year's invited audience presentation at one of London's last great remain commercial studios.

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V-Promotion is proud to announce the release of the Ep "Voices" by La Strange

LA STRANGE:  NEW EP "VOICES"



V-Promotion is proud to announce the release of the Ep "Voices" by La Strange.

Angela Castellani, aka "LA Strange" started her career as a vocalist, singing in local cover bands where she began to build a reputation that led to work as a session singer for various dance productions. Along side this she began writing her own songs and started  performing her own material at many well attended gigs and earning herself a loyal following before meeting up with UK Producer James D. Bell. A meeting that led to a development deal with All Out Music UK thorough wich her first album was born. 

"Queen of Disguise" is her first full length album which contains 10 tracks, sung in English, and that blend rock catchy melodies with Gothic-romantic atmospheres. La Strange is the actual writer of the songs and lyrics while Mr. James D. Bell wrote all the arrangements.

The originality of the project attracts the attention of magazines such as Rock Hard and Metal Hammer that positively and emphatically review her first job. After the first release, La Strange and her band , Mauro Meneghello on guitar, Tommaso Turella on bass and Paolo Perazzani on drums starts a long live tour period, around Italy and UK. 

In 2015 the singer and the British producer James D. Bell started to work on brand new material releasing the new EP "Voices", wich has been recorded between London and Italy. Four tracks that are the evolution of the rock, dark and dramatic sound of the first album "Queen of Disguise". 

The artwork for the ep cover has been created by the young and talented Italian artist

Elena Caldera, who's well known in UK as a freelance artist at the International Times

magazine. The cover is an allegory of the tragic accident that happened on January 13th

2012 which La Strange survived to the sinking of the Italian ship Costa Concordia.

 "Voices" borns after three years of live gigs in Italy and several tours in England where La Strange and her band have achieved the approval of the audience and of the reviewers.

The new Ep "Voices", has been released on November 14th, 2015 by All Out Music Uk of London.

The promotion and the press office will be managed by V- Promotion www.v-promotion.com

More information about the band and contacts are available here: http://www.lastrangemusic.com

The link to the video of the single "Voices" is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSVksfLRAuw
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Progressive Rock & Progressive Metal - E-Zine

SPIRITUAL BEGGARS - Unveil "Sunrise To Sundown" Artwork, Tracklist and more Tour Dates

Swedish vintage style hard rock pioneers SPIRITUAL BEGGARS return with their 9th studio album entitled 'Sunrise To Sundown', which will be released on March 18th, 2016 in Europe as well as March 25th, 2016 in North America via InsideOutMusic.
 
The album's fantastic cover artwork (which can be now seen above!) has been created by Costin Chioreanu / Twilight13Media (At The Gates, Grave, Arcturus, etc.) and here is the album's tracklisting:

 
SPIRITUAL BEGGARS - "Sunrise To Sundown"

1. Sunrise To Sundown
2. Diamond Under Pressure
3. What Doesn't Kill You
4. Hard Road
5. Still Hunter
6. No Man's Land
7. I Turn To Stone
8. Dark Light Child
9. Lonely Freedom
10. You've Been Fooled
11. Southern Star
 
The album's limited edition version will be released as 2CD Mediabook with a bonus disc including 7 tracks (2 covers versions and 5 live songs) and an expanded booklet. The LP format will be on 180gr. vinyl and come in gatefold packaging with a double-sided poster as well as the full standard album on CD as bonus. More details about the album formats and pre-order links will be announced soon...

Just like on their previous two album releases, "Return To Zero" (2010) and "Earth Blues" (2013),SPIRITUAL BEGGARS stellar line-up is consists of bandleader Michael Amott (Arch Enemy, ex Carcass) on guitars, teaming up with Apollo Papathanasio (ex Firewind) on vocals, Sharlee D'Angelo (Arch Enemy, Witchery) on bass, Per Wiberg (Candlemass, ex Opeth) on keyboards as well as Ludwig Witt (Grand Magus, Firebird) on drums.
 
After a busy couple of last years with Arch Enemy, Michael Amott and his bandmates have once again found the availability and inspiration to lay down 11 dynamic and uplifting new songs, which not only easily demonstrate how much on top of their game SPIRITUAL BEGGARS still are after over 20 years of activities, but also add a fresh and spontaneous vibe to their impressive catalogue.
 
Supporting the release of 'Sunrise To Sundown', SPIRITUAL BEGGARS will also be hitting the road on the following club-dates as well as festivals (* New shows since last update!):
 
SPIRITUAL BEGGARS - Live 2016:
27.03.2016 Schijndel (The Netherlands) - Paaspop *
28.03.2016 Köln (Germany) - Club Bahnhof Ehrenfeld
29.03.2016 Aschaffenburg (Germany) - Colos-Saal
31.03.2016 Leipzig (Germany) - Hellraiser
01.04.2016 Hamburg (Germany) - Logo
02.04.2016 Essen (Germany) - Turock
04.04.2016 Pratteln (Switzerland) - Z7
06.04.2016 Kortrijk (Belgium) - De Kreun
07.04.2016 Rouen (France) - Le 106
08.04.2016 Brest (France) - Sale Odissey / Plougarock Festival Warm Up *
09.04.2016 Nantes (France) Le Ferrailleur *
10.04.2016 Paris (France) - Backstage By The Mill
12.04.2016 Munich (Germany) - Strom
14.04.2016 Karlsruhe (Germany) - Substage
28.04.2016 Berlin (Germany) - Desert Fest
08.07.2016 Oulu (Finland) - Jalometalli Festival
09.07.2016 Ballenstedt (Germany) - Rock Harz Festival
More dates to be announced soon...
 
A first single for 'Sunrise To Sundown' will be released soon, so stay tuned....

In the meantime, feel free to check back to two videos launched for the previous album "Earth Blues":
"Turn The Tide" here: http://youtu.be/tvi2V6mFlYM

SPIRITUAL BEGGARS online:

:  
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Progressive Rock & Progressive Metal - E-Zine

sexta-feira, janeiro 22, 2016

District 97 Tour Dates+If you missed the Kickstarter....

Happy 2016! Firstly, we want to let you know you all know how
incredibly grateful we are for the response the Kickstarter received
at the end of 2015. What an incredible campaign it was! As if that
wasn't enough, we then received several requests from people who had
missed the deadline but still wanted to support the tour and receive
some of the perks. Then, we were contacted by Indiegogo, another
crowdfunding site, who took notice of the campaign's success and
requested to host some of the remaining perks on a limited-time basis.
Taking all this in totality, we decided to take up Indiegogo's offer
so that anyone who would still like to be involved has the chance. So,
if you missed the Kickstarter but would still like to be a part of the
#D97WorldTour you can do so at our Indiegogo InDemand Page.

Tour Dates

Our World Tour starts in just about 2 months, and we're in full
preparation-mode right now with lots of rehearsals to break in the new
lineup. Leslie says:

I am grateful for the opportunity to tour with this fantastic new
line-up and energized to perform this music with them. It's exciting
to return to some of the same venues we have played at before and I'm
very much looking forward to checking out some new places as well.
Having my baby boy with us should definitely keep things interesting!

Here's what we have so far. We're honored to be joined by other great
artists like Dave Kerzner, IQ, RPWL, Three Friends, Tiles, IZZ and
more joining us on some of these shows.

February 26th, Chicago, IL @ Reggie's http://www.reggieslive.com/
(Debut Show of new lineup) w/Hood Smoke

March 25, Cheltenham, UK @ The Cotswold Inn
https://www.facebook.com/The-Cotswold-Inn-78271291341/

March 26, London, UK @ The Borderline (w/Dave Kerzner Band)
http://www.ticketweb.co.uk/event/ygb2603y

March 27, Leicester, UK @ The Musicians Pub (w/Dave Kerzner Band &
Oktopus) http://www.wegottickets.com/event/339099

March 28, Bilston, UK @ The Robin 2 (w/Dave Kerzner Band &
Oktopus)http://www.therobin.co.uk/whats_on/giginfo.asp?gigid=4290

March 29, Manchester, UK @ Sound Control (w/Dave Kerzner Band)
http://www.soundcontrolmanchester.co.uk/events/dave-kerzner-band-district-97/

March 31, Russelsheim, DE @ Das Rind (w/Dave Kerzner Band &
Effloresce) More Info

April 1, Reichenbach, DE @ Art Rock IV Festival (w/IQ, RPWL,
Effloresce) http://www.bergkeller-reichenbach.de/index.php?seite=konzerte

April 2, Nürnberg, DE @ Luise-The Cultfactory (w/Effloresce)
http://www.luise-cultfactory.de/

April 3, Zoetermeer, NL @ Progdreams V-Boerderij (w/Three Friends &
More) http://cultuurpodiumboerderij.nl/en/programme/progdreams-v-2/

May 13th, Chicago, IL (w/Tiles) More Info TBA

May 15th, Detroit, MI @ Token Lounge (w/Tiles) http://thetokenlounge.com/

May 16th, Baltimore, MD @ Orion (w/Tiles) http://www.orionsound.com/

May 17th, Dunellen, NJ @ Roxy and Duke's (w/Tiles) http://www.njproghouse.com/

May 18th, Boston, MA More Info TBA

May 19th, New York City NY @ NYC Prog Rock Night w/IZZ, Tiles,
3RDegree More Info TBA

May 20th, Akron, OH @ Musica (w/Tiles) http://liveatmusica.com/

We should be confirming all the venues within the next couple weeks,
so be sure to check http://www.district97.net/shows for the most up to
date info.
We hope to see you on the road, either on this run or sometime in the
near future!
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Progressive Rock & Progressive Metal - E-Zine
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ProgPower Europe 2016


And the award goes to....
After a thrilling evening in De Oosterpoort, Groningen, the award for best indoor festival was awarded to: 
Les Transardentes (BE)
 
Of course we would have liked to take home the award but feel it was an honour to be invited to this event. We congratulate Les Transardentes with their win! Because we have been organizing ProgPower for over 17 years, we know there is a lot of hard work and attention involved in putting forward an indoor festival.
 
In the meantime we will continue the preparations of the 18th edition of ProgPower Europe, hope to see you there!
9 bands announced for ProgPower Europe 2016
So far we have announced 9 bands for this years festival:

6:33 (France)
Out of the ordinary, metal meets Tim Burton. catchy melodies. How can we better described the roller coaster ride that is the Avant-Garde metal band 6:33.  
Atmospheres (Belgium)
Post rock meets progressive rock, young,new and talented Belgian outfit. 
Chaos Divine (Australia)
After 7 years, Australian Chaos Divinie return to the ProgPower stage. Since then the band has released 2 albums, the latest, Colliding Skies, earlier in 2015.
Distorted Harmony (Israel)
Distorted Harmony is one of the most requested bands in our feedback survey. So it is about time for them to climb the ProgPower stage. 
Earthside (USA)
Although a relatively young and unknown name, Earthside is taking the prog metal scene by storm. Their album, "A Dream In Static" is receiving very positive reviews on the internet. It shows how focused this band is. 
Jolly (USA)
Jolly have already shown their abilities on the ProgPower stage. It is because of that that we welcome them back on our stage to play their therapeutic auditory experience
Nordic Giants (United Kingdom)
Instrumental post rock from the UK. Music supported by cinematic projections, making a Nordic Giants performance is a stunning experience. 
Subterenean Masqurade
A band with many different nationalities on board, formed by Tomer Pink (from Israel). Music with middle-eastern influences, played on instruments not normally used in metal, grunts and clean vocals. Different but very catchy. 
Threshold (United Kingdom)
A band that needs no introduction to prog metal fans. They were the headliner on the first ProgPower in 1999. And it has been eight years since they last played at ProgPower, about time they returned.

And 5 more bands to be confirmed!

About ProgPower Europe
ProgPower Europe is a Progressive Metal festival held in Baarlo, Limburg, The Netherlands. Last year's edition (2015) saw the celebration of 17 years of ProgPower Europe. In its history bands like: Opeth, Anathema, Fates Warning, Shadow Gallery, Symphony X, Evergrey, Threshold, Jon Oliva, Riverside and many many more have played the festival.

The Mute Gods launch video for 'Father, Daughter'; debut album out now


The Mute Gods, a brand new band from the mind of renowned bassist, chapman stick player & vocalist Nick Beggs, have released their debut album 'Do nothing till you hear from me' and to celebrate, they have also released a video for the track 'Father, Daughter'. This is the closing song on the album, and features Nick's daughter Lula Beggs on vocals. Nick had this to say: "Possibly the most important song on The Mute Gods album, a real father/daughter dialogue that was not easy to have."

Watch this brand-new video here: 

Joined on this track by guest Ricky Wilde (Kim Wilde) the band also consists of drummer Marco Minnemann (Steven Wilson), and long-time Steve Hackett collaborator & keyboardist Roger King, The Mute Gods deliver engaging, expansive rock that bridges the gap between prog and pop. 

The band also recently released a clip for the track 'Feed The Troll'. Watch that video here:https://youtu.be/7oinol5pNWY

The enigmatic artwork for the record, created by Lars 'Zeituhr" Tellmann, can be viewed above and the album arrives on CD, gatefold 2LP with CD & digital download. 

Track-listing:
1.Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me
2.Praying To A Mute God
3.  Nightschool For Idiots
4.  Feed The Troll
5.  Your Dark Ideas
6.  Last Man On Earth (Bonus Track)
7.  In The Crosshairs
8.  Strange Relationship
9.  Swimming Horses
10.  Mavro Capelo (Bonus Track)
11.Father Daughter
 
Buy the album on CD, LP & digital download from the links below:


 
 

 
Nick has most recently been involved with Steven Wilson's solo band, both in the studio and on tour (and is currently touring with him across Europe), whilst also playing live with legendary guitarist Steve Hackett as part of his Genesis Revisited run of shows. In recent years he has contributed to projects such as Lifesigns, Fish On Friday & Lonely Robot, as well as playing live with Rick Wakeman. 

The Mute Gods Online: 

:  
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Progressive Rock & Progressive Metal - E-Zine

The Newest Generation Of Stoner Rock Bands Got A Whole Lot Of Love For Led Zeppelin On Dazed & Confused - A Stoned-Out Salute To Led Zeppelin!


Features performances by Dead Meadow, Mothership, Fireball Ministry, Siena Root, The Fresh & Onlys and more!

Los Angeles, CA - You may search but you will not find a band more responsible for the birth of modern hard rock and heavy metal than Led Zeppelin. Over the course of a mere 8 studio albums, this quartet of Londoners forever transformed the musical landscape mixing a wide variety of genres - from folk to blues, psychedelic to reggae - into a heady and heavy sonic concoction all their own. Now, on February 5, Cleopatra Records will release a new collection of exclusive recordings from a hand picked selection of modern hard rock, stoner rock and psych rock bands, who offer a head trip like no other through the greatest moments of Page, Plant & Co. Dazed & Confused - A Stoned-Out Salute To Led Zeppelin features reinvigorating takes on such classic tunes as "Stairway To Heaven," "Immigrant Song," "Kashmir," and others!

For the bands who participated in this project, it was an opportunity to honor a longtime musical hero as well as a chance to sneak a little contact high. Kyle Juett of Texas trio Mothership, who recently completed a national tour with Corrosion Of Conformity, acknowledge the heavy debt his band owes, exclaiming "The heavy blues sorcery of Led Zeppelin has made a great impact on who we have become as musicians and as a band over the years. It was an honor having Cleopatra Records ask us to be part of such a killer compilation album!" Jim Rota of L.A.-based rebel rockers Fireball Ministry also enthuses, "Being a part of this comp is a dream come true. Paying tribute to Zeppelin is something we all do everyday in Fireball Ministry, so it's an honor to be able to do it in song!" While some bands chose to remain true to the structure and feel of the original recordings (how do you perfect perfection?), others such as Norway's Electric Eye took a different approach, "Led Zeppelin have been a huge influence and inspiration for Electric Eye. We chose to cover the coolest song of them all, 'Immigrant Song.' Instead of trying to rock as hard as Zeppelin do, we figured we had to make our own version. The sessions were held during a heavy storm in Bergen, on the west coast of Norway, home of the Viking gods of the song. Singing about "the hammer of the gods" while thunder and lightning were shaking the walls of the studio felt pretty epic! Hope you like it! Valhalla we are coming!"

The album will be available as a digipak CD and in a special limited edition 2LP set as well as digital download on iTunes!

Track List:
1. Whole Lotta Love - Siena Root
2. The Rover - Fireball Ministry
3. Heartbreaker - Mothership
4. We're Gonna Groove - JOY
5. No Quarter - Dead Meadow
6. Dazed And Confused - The Cult Of Dom Keller
7. Communication Breakdown - Lostage
8. The Ocean - Brutus
9. Nobody's Fault But Mine - The Machine
10. Immigrant Song - Electric Eye
11. In The Light - The Fresh & Onlys
12. Kashmir - Indian Jewelry
13. Stairway To Heaven - The Tulips
14. Thank You - The Black Moods
 

CLEOPATRA RECORDS, Inc.
11041 Santa Monica Blvd #703
Los Angeles CA 90025
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Progressive Rock & Progressive Metal - E-Zine

Utopia - "Corpus Caeleste" (Lyric Video) on line

Corpus Caeleste is the first video taken from "Mood Changes", Utopia's second album, out in January 11th.
"It's a sci-fi song about the end of the world. But it is also a song about a new beginning. 
When everything is corrupted, the end is the price to pay for every brand new start" - Utopia

Utopia Corpus Caeleste (Lyric Video) 

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Progressive Rock & Progressive Metal - E-Zine

Messenger sign to InsideOutMusic for second album 'Threnodies'


London-based progressive, psychedelic rockers Messenger have signed to InsideOutMusic for the release of their forthcoming second album 'Threnodies' due on April 22nd, 2016. They had this to say about the signing and new album:
 
"We're very excited about our new journey with InsideOut and we hope that this new venture will take the band to the next level. Our new album 'Threnodies' was written and recorded over three months at Orgone Studios in London with our drummer Jaime Gomez Arellano handling the production and engineering duties. We like to think of it as an evolution of our first release 'Illusory Blues'. We went to places we haven't been before, while still keeping our identity.  It's a modern day mix of progressive rock, hard rock and psychedelia."
 
The 5-piece band released their debut album 'Illusory Blues' in 2014 to much acclaim, with the band winning the 'Limelight' award at the Progressive Music Awards that year, and being nominated for Best New Band at the Classic Rock Awards in 2015. Q Magazine called their debut "an intriguing and impressive first album", while The Guardian said "they straddle the supermassive black hole between prog and folk."
 
Messenger will be hitting the road in advance of the new album's release, with the band joining Finnish rockers Von Hertzen Brothers on their UK tour in March. The full list of dates is below:

17th March - Waterfront, Norwich
18th March - Brooklyn Bowl, London
20th March - Academy 3, Manchester
22nd March - The Duchess, York
23rd March - Oobleck, Birmingham
24th March - The Fleece, Bristol
 
Messenger comprises:
Khaled Lowe: Guitars/Vocals
Jaime Gomez Arellano: Drums/Percussion
Barnaby Maddick: Guitars/Vocals
Dan Knight: Guitars/Keyboards
James Leach: Bass
 
Look out for more information on the album in the coming weeks.

MESSENGER online:
 
  
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Progressive Rock & Progressive Metal - E-Zine

US 70's Proto-Metal Power Trio BANG To Tour Europe For First Time Ever!


Free Download of "Questions" Now Available!

Philadelphia, PA (USA) – Often called America's answer to Black Sabbath, one of the most unsung bands in the history of US hard rock music, BANG, is back! With the heaviness of Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, coupled with the groove of Grand Funk Railroad, BANG released three critically acclaimed albums on Capitol Records in the early 1970's before disappearing for a number of years. 2016 marks the 44th anniversary of BANG's critically acclaimed debut album and the band is celebrating with a major European tour! This will be the very first tour of Europe for the legendary power trio, which will take them through the UK, Germany, France, Netherlands, Denmark. Sweden, Spain and Portugal!

Says lead vocalist and bassist Frank Ferrera, "BANG is extremely grateful for the opportunity to play in front of our European fans...this will be our 1st time overseas and we're excited to share our music with you..."

Bang European tour dates:

April 14 - Roadburn Festival - Tilburg, The Netherlands
April 15 - Immerhin - Wurzburg, Germany
April 16 - Kulturbahnhof - Jena, Germany
April 19 - Borderline - London, UK
April 20 - Truckstop Alaska - Gothenburg, Sweden
April 21 - OCCII - Amsterdam, Netherlands
April 22 - Bassy - Berlin, Germany
April 23 - Goldgrube - Kassel, Germany
April 24 - Glazart - Paris, France
April 26 - Loppen - Copenhagen, Denmark
April 27 - Grand - Malmo, Sweden
April 28 - Geronimo FT - Stockholm, Sweden
April 29 - Rocksound - Barcelona, Spain
April 30 - Sound Bay Festival - Lisbon, Portugal

Says Frank Ferrara, "Needing one more song for the BANG album...we had Questions....our producer didn't think the song was strong enough to be on the record... we disagreed and convinced him  to add it to the BANG album...Lo and behold it became our first single....it goes to show that sometimes the "BAND" knows best...."

The 1971 self-titled debut album 'BANG' is considered an important forerunner to the early Doom Metal genre. Undoubtedly one of America's heaviest 'proto-metal' bands from the period, BANG also had a strong sense of melodic power. The band's versatility and songwriting skills are second to none. Highly regarded as a cult act by many for years, it's now time for this truly amazing rock band to be enjoyed by a new audience worldwide!

Back in the spring of 1972, BANG was shaping up to be the proverbial 'next big thing'. Signed a few months earlier to Capitol Records, the band's first single "Questions" was taking off in the Billboard Hot 100. With the enthusiastic support of their record label, the trio's self-titled debut album was also climbing in the charts. The group's management had them opening shows for just about every major band of the era. Moreover, BANG had recently opened for their all time favorite band Black Sabbath, and by common consensus of opinion, stole the show! With two band members, guitarist Frank Gilcken and lead singer/bassist Frank Ferrara, still in their teens, and drummer/lyricist Tony Diorio, BANG seemed to be unstoppable!

Somehow, though, it didn't quite work out. Even as "Questions" was charting, a corporate shakeup at Capitol saw the band's supporters moving on and replaced by A&R men who had their own signings to promote. With the band's producer, Michael Sunday, also leaving the label, BANG's support system was crumbling. Their new producer engineered a change in personnel that led to drummer/lyricist Tony Diorio's departure. Meanwhile, the label insisted that BANG develop a more mainstream, pop oriented sound. Trying to keep the dream alive, they changed management companies. With a much more commercial approach, the group released a 3rd album, 'BANG Music' in 1973, which, although did contain some great songs and performances, failed to chart. By 1974, just a couple of years after their initial success, a tired and disillusioned BANG had lost their direction, momentum and self-belief. They went their separate ways.

Despite the relative briefness of their career, BANG left behind a powerful recorded legacy: four albums, including their unreleased 1971 concept album 'Death Of A Country', as well as a trio of non-album tracks that were recorded as singles when their deal with Capitol was about to expire. In 1996, much to everyone's surprise, BANG reunited! The band recorded and released in 1998 a new album titled 'Return To Zero', with the more metal-oriented album titled 'The Maze' (featuring new versions of old favorites "Love Sonnet" and "Bow To The King") following in 2004, proving once again that the band still had the magic that made them great back in the early 70's!

And now, much to the excitement of their fans, BANG will be performing live in Europe in 2016! Says Frank Ferrara, "The three of us realized that BANG was still a musical force. And even though a lot of years have passed, we were writing songs as if it were yesterday. The dream is alive, and with renewed thirst and love of the music, we are resuming our quest." With drummer Jake Leger, and the Franks, the band will remain a three piece, sounding just like the records!

Finnish label Svart Records is re-releasing Bang's 4 classic records: Death of a Country, Bang, Mother/Bow to the King , Music Album. They are being re-pressed on both vinyl and CD and will be available early 2016.  

Please visit http://www.bangmusic.com to explore and download BANG's complete record catalog, including the band's latest CD releases 'Return To Zero' and 'The Maze'. Also the website contains never seen videos of BANG! http://www.bangmusic.com/videos/ as well as the BANG story – a must read and see! http://www.bangmusic.com/bangstory/

For more information:
Instagram: @bang_the_band

Santana IV Reunites Legendary Band Lineup




April 15th, 2016 marks the release date of Santana IV, the wildly anticipated studio album that reunites the revered early '70s lineup with Carlos, Gregg Rolie, Neal Schon, Michael Carabello, and Michael Shrieve. The album marks the first time in 45 years -- since 1971's multi-platinum classic Santana III - that the quintet has recorded together.
 
The First Single "Anywhere You Want To Go" to be released February 5th, 2016. 
 
Santana IV features 16 all-new tracks written and produced by the band that burst with the same unparalleled energy and superlative musicianship that made Santana a pioneering force in world music and a household name across the globe. Joining the core Santana IV band in the studio are current Santana members Karl Perazzo (percussion) and Benny Rietveld (bass), with guest appearance from the legendary vocalist Ronald Isley on two cuts.

Few bands can pick up a musical dialog after 45 years apart, but on Santana IVeach band member reaches a new level of virtuosity and communal intuition on a collection of songs that easily stands side-by-side with the group's treasured early work. 

1.Yambu
2. Shake It
3. Anywhere You Want To Go
4. Fillmore East
5. Love Makes The World Go Round (Feat. Ronald Isley)
6. Freedom In Your Mind (Feat. Ronald Isley)
7. Choo Choo
8. All Aboard
9. Sueños
10. Caminando
11. Blues Magic
12. Echizo
13. Leave Me Alone
14. You And I
15. Come As You Are
16. Forgiveness  


Pre-Order Today on Amazon

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Progressive Rock & Progressive Metal - E-Zine

Amoth from Helsinki, Finland releases their second album "Revenge"

Progressive toned metal band Amoth from Helsinki, Finland releases
their second album "Revenge" on 22.1.2016 in Finland and 19.2.2016
internationally.

Album is a continuum to their 2011 released debut "Crossing Over",
which got great reviews around the globe. One common factor among
critics was the "uniqueness" and "own sound" of Amoth's music.

This time around they keep paving their own path and prove that they
belong to the forefront of Finnish progressive metal scene. With new
singer on the line-up and experience from the first album all the
pieces truly lock into place.

To celebrate the album release Amoth has released a new music video to
track "Tattered Wings"
https://youtu.be/3AqNnJuYriw

Amoth
https://www.facebook.com/amothband
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Progressive Rock & Progressive Metal - E-Zine
http://www.progressiverockbr.com
http://progrockmetal.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/carlosvaz.ferreira

quinta-feira, janeiro 21, 2016

LONG DISTANCE CALLING - (re)sign with InsideOut Music, announcing new album "TRIPS" and new line-u



After releasing three highly successful albums, "Avoid The Light", "Long Distance Calling", "The Flood Inside", via SuperBall Music, LONG DISTANCE CALLING have moved to InsideOut Music for future albums including their upcoming one, "TRIPS", which will be out on April 29th, 2016.
 
After working on "TRIPS" together with Vincent Sorg at Principal Studios the band is looking forward to breaking the news about the album as well as their new line-up: "Since he wanted to focus on his private life Martin 'Marsen' Fischer has decided to step back from LONG DISTANCE CALLING, but he didn't leave without recording most of the keyboards and sound effects on 'TRIPS'. In true LONG DISTANCE CALLING fashion we have another surprise up our sleeves and would like to introduce Petter Carlsen on vocals. About half of the new songs come with vocals and Petter did one hell of a job. We are really happy to have him on board for 'TRIPS'! In case his name rings a bell you are totally right: He already did vocals on the song 'Welcome Change' on the album 'The Flood Inside'. We are sure that you'll love the new stuff with him singing!"
 
Petter has the following to add about him doing the vocals on "TRIPS": "I instantly became a fan ofLONG DISTANCE CALLING the moment we met on tour with Anathema back in 2010 - both their music and their personalities. I am grateful that they made a long distance calling to Norway, asking me to join in on this album, and I am very proud to be a part of it. We had a great time at Principal Studios, it was a focused, relaxed and very creative atmosphere at the same time. It was a pleasure to add my color to these well-crafted songs."
 
LONG DISTANCE CALLING are already itching to present songs from "TRIPS" live: "More news and details about 'TRIPS' will follow shortly and we cannot wait to hit the road again and bring you some love! Florian, Dave, Jan & Janosch" 

LONG DISTANCE CALLING online:
 
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Progressive Rock & Progressive Metal - E-Zine

Lunden Reign's Debut Album “American Stranger” Receives Multiple “Best Album/Songs of the Year” Awards for 2015!

"A bunch of top-notch rock songs that feel both fresh and timeless." - Chris C., BloodyGoodMusic.com


Los Angeles – Alternative rock ensemble Lunden Reign's debut album "American Stranger" was released in March 2015 to critical acclaim across the globe. Along with a multitude of positive reviews worldwide, the album received multiple "Best Album/Song of the Year" Awards in 2015!

"We are truly appreciative and flattered by all the incredible interviews, reviews and airplay we've received for our debut album, 'American Stranger'," says band leaders Nikki Lunden & Laura Espinoza-Lunden. "Now we are so humbled and appreciative that 'American Stranger' is making multiple music magazines year-end top album and song lists! THANK YOU to those that are helping to support and showcase Lunden Reign's music and messages to the world!"

Bloody Good Music's Top Ten Albums of the Year – New York
"Not many bands begin their career with a concept album, but that's what Lunden Reign did here, and the result is an album that brings the classic Heart sound to a new generation. This is a tightly-wound album of classic rock that features some glorious guitar tones, and well-crafted songs all around. Concept album can also get bogged down in the gimmick, but that doesn't happen here, as the album can be taken on face value as a bunch of top-notch rock songs that feel both fresh and timeless. It's the kind of record that's easy to overlook, but well worth the effort to give it a try. The only thing I can't speak to is the story of the record, as I was only sent a download without any of the lyrics or liner notes."

Bloody Good Music's Top 12 Songs of the Year "Mary" – New York
"This is classic rock done the right way. It sounds like the love child of Heart and Led Zeppelin, and rocks just as much. The way the vocal strains just enough in the chorus drives home the emotion of the song, while the hook has a way of sticking with you more than you'd expect."

Highwire Daze Magazine #9 Top Albums of 2015 – Hollywood, CA
The band has an interview in the 25th Anniversary print version which includes the top 10 listing and features photos by rock photographer Jack Lue.

AKADEMIA MUSIC AWARDS "Best Alt Rock Album" – Hollywood, CA 
In July, 2015, "American Stranger" was Voted "Best Alt Rock Album" by AKADEMIA MUSIC AWARDS (Hollywood, CA). "Lunden Reign's album 'American Stranger' has all the compositional invention and production competence required for radio greatness – and a frayed emotional filament that travels deep in the hinterlands of true art, as well."

Also, Lunden Reign's "Hear Me" will be the first entry in Warren Kurtz "Fabulous 2015 Songs" feature for Goldmine Magazine (Wisconsin), covering 20 songs from 2015.

Says Nikki and Laura, "We believe 2016 for Lunden Reign is going to be an even more incredible year! We are already back in the studio creating our 2nd album 'Confessions' and once-again teaming with platinum-selling producer co-writer Luis Maldonado (producer and co-writer of 'American Stranger'. We also hope to be performing in more festivals around the country this summer and crossing our fingers for increased airplay of our songs. FYI, watch for us as we will be in the audience of the 58th Annual Grammy Awards! Next year we hope we will be on the stage as well! Thank you all for you support!"

The band will be headlining at the legendary Whisky a Go Go on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles on Saturday February 6th!  (http://www.whiskyagogo.com/site/event/lunden-reign/) Already some of rock's legends have joined Lunden Reign on stage including TERRI NUNN of BERLIN, PRESCOTT NILES of THE KNACK and DALE BOZZIO of MISSING PERSONS. Some of these performances are available on YouTube.

Lunden Reign is composed of two core members: Nikki Lunden (Lead Vocals/Guitar/Composer) and Laura Espinoza-Lunden (Guitar/Composer). Producer Luis Maldonado joins as guitarist on select shows and the duo tours with some of LA's top musicians including: Matt Denis (bass) & Matt Lucich (drums). Lunden Reign's music is described as 'Big Beat Alternative Rock' or 'Modern Classic Rock'. Some say it's the signature album for "ROCK's REBIRTH". The band's debut concept album "American Stranger" was released on Cleopatra Records March 17, 2015 and began receiving world-wide critical acclaim almost immediately. The 10 original songs are scored with layers of haunting melodies, uplifting guitar riffs blended with a sharp edge and a massive beat.

Here's what's being said about Lunden Reign:

Dale Bozzio (Frank Zappa, Missing Persons): "'American Stranger' is a masterpiece! Every song is great!"

Terri Nunn (lead singer of Berlin): "Laura is a great songwriter and musician. I listened to (American Stranger) a couple of times. My favorites are 'LOVE IN FREE FALL,' 'HEAR ME' and 'THE LIGHT.' I loved the passion of 'HEAR ME' …that's my most favorite one."

Prescott Niles (The Knack): "Every so many years an album comes out that redefines modern music. 'AMERICAN STRANGER' is that next album. Today the cycle goes full with a long-awaited return to music that touches the soul and embraces the test of time."

Candice Marshall (BongoBoy TV 6-15) "This is the kind of (video) I would wait up all night for as a young girl with shows like 'Saturday Night Videos' and eventually, 'MTV'. They are quickly becoming a favorite in my collection!"

Ray Shasho (Classic Rock Music Review 3.5.15) "(American Stranger) is an extraordinary-high-energy- esoteric rock gem, integrated with profound lyrical content, that I felt compelled to applause this exciting new progressive-rock powerhouse."

Gary Brown (ClassicRockRadio.co.uk) "…For a modern rock band publicly described as being, big beat / alternative rock, I decided what we have here is a new rock band with an appreciation for the rock and roll before them. Touching on old school vibes, yet emitting their own fresh, and unique sound."

Luc Ghyselen (Keys & Chords Magazine/Web Belgium 2.14.15): "'American Stranger' is one complete story. Lunden Reign brings melodic rock that also fans of mainstream rock and even pop should appeal to."

Chris C. (Bloody Good Music NY 3.18.15) "'American Stranger' is a strong outing for a debut album, and a needed statement to redefine the ways we see women in rock music.... Lunden Reign defies expectations, and they've made a strong case for themselves. 'American Stranger' is a fantastic example of modern classic rock."

More Information/Social Sites About Lunden Reign:
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