quarta-feira, setembro 26, 2018

Oak - from Karisma records



Oak is a Norwegian progressive pop/rock band that originally emerged from a folk-rock duo. The four members have a diverse background spanning from classical piano to electronica, prog- and hard-rock, with references to the alternative scene as well as progressive rock – something that has combined to make a distinguished and unique sound. Mixing this with great musical skills and a vision of being accessible to a wide audience resulted in their debut album "Lighthouse" in 2013.
 
Five years later, they are back with the stunning follow-up "False Memory Archive". A natural continuation from "Lighthouse", to which it has several small nods and referances. The album has been meticulously crafted, with more use of electronics and low bass frequencies. It is both darker and groovier than its predecessor, while still sounding familiarly like Oak. They have taken several steps as songwriters and musicians, and ended up in a slightly darker and progressive territory – where the light still shines through in shape of catchy elements and stunning vocal harmonies, which creates the duality that defines them as a band.

The band has a wide source of inspiration - Opeth, Ulver, Pink Floyd, Porcupine Tree, Depeche Mode, Mew, Simon & Garfunkel, John Martyn, Massive Attack, Jeff Buckley – And also classical composers like Chopin, Bach and Dvořák; and film composers like Hans Zimmer, Harry Gregson Williams, James Horner and John Williams. No wonder that Oak really doesn't sound like anything else.
The album was recorded in Ljugekroken Studio and Tøyen church, and was mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren with Oak at Fascination Studios


Label website: www.karismarecords.no
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Progressive Rock & Progressive Metal - E-Zine

domingo, setembro 16, 2018

Guitar Legend Peter Banks's Harmony In Diversity “The Complete Recordings” Now Available!



London - Peter Banks was one of the original members of YES and an accomplished guitarist, but sadly passed away in 2013. This set is being released in his memory, by his Estate, during the 5th anniversary of his passing and the 50th Anniversary of YES.

This is the FIRST EVER mainstream release of the "Harmony in Diversity" recordings.

The set features ALL the recordings of the band and has been overseen and mixed by Andrew Booker and Nick Cottam with the additional approval of Dave "Jick" Speight who appeared on the final disc of the set.

The set also features new artwork, an extensive booklet and the audio has received a 2018 remaster. The albums are also available in their original individual form digitally.

"It was tragic that few realised just what an incredible guitarist Peter was, his approach was off the wall yet so beautifully emotive. A truly expressive musician" - Nick Cottam

"It was surprisingly rewarding going back over old recordings and finding good things everywhere. It was pleasure to rediscover music I had long neglected and forgotten, and turn it into pieces that I now enjoy listening to again and again. I can still hear Peter cackling at his effects unit as yet again he turns single sustained guitar note into one of those old ambulance sirens. I can still see Nick jutting his head backwards and forwards as he cheerfully pounds out his bass riff over and over. Meanwhile, drowned out by the other two, I'm reaching for the volume control on my electronic kit, and realising it won't go any further. A lot of effort at the time, and a lot of effort recently too, but in the end, effort that was well worth it." - Andrew Booker

Released on the 14th September 2018 via Cherry Red Records.

To Purchase on Amazon: http://geni.us/PBME4
To Purchase on iTunes: http://geni.us/PeterBanksiTunes

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Progressive Rock & Progressive Metal - E-Zine

quinta-feira, setembro 13, 2018

Bassist Jason Everett to Release New Live Album With Deep Energy Orchestra Feat. Trey Gunn of King Crimson & Selvaganesh of Shakti


World-class musicians record intimate performance concert blending
classical music, jazz, rock, and Indian fusion 

During the first week of October 2017, world-class musicians from many genres came together in an ambitious project…to record and perform a full night of music…in a week. The Deep Energy Orchestra were brought together by local composer and fretless bassist, Jason Everett who had been named an "Artist in Residence" by the prestigious non-profit Jack Straw Cultural Center in Seattle, WA. The project captured high-quality audio and video performances of his compositions which are inspired by his love for classical, jazz and Indian Fusion music. The live recording took place at Jack Straw Cultural Center, located in the University District, over a two day period.

Says Jason, "I love instrumental music, and started as a classical musician at eight. I was playing jazz clubs professionally at sixteen, and feel in love with Indian music at eighteen. This project is an exciting culmination of that history and my love for those musical styles." 

Another well-known musician in the project who plays an unusual instrument is Trey Gunn, who is best known for his work with King Crimson and the Security Project. "I was really excited to play with Trey…we are both bassists with extended range instruments who play melodically; so we were able to trade off roles as lead and rhythm players," explained Jason. "Trey is really exciting to watch as he is performing on his Warr Guitar which is a 12-string instrument that he plays almost like a piano."

"I was surprised how easily these pieces flowed out of us when rehearsing and recording. It is a clear testament to Jason's writing that music this challenging felt so natural." - Trey Gunn 

Also featured on the album is Indian musician Selvaganesh, best known for his work with Shakti, John McLaughlin and Jonas Helborg, who plays kanjira and his custom drum kit.

"It is my pleasure to be part of Deep Energy Orchestra, everyone was flying, especially Trey!  I had a great time playing the music and was impressed with Jason's pieces, especially those in odd-meters. This is one of my favourite groups!" - Selvaganesh 

More-strings-than-usual might be a theme for this group as lead violinist Radhika Iyer, from San Francisco played her seven-string electric violin and Everett himself is known for his unique seven-string fretless bass. Other local musicians who rounded out the sound included tabla player Anil Prasad, and classical musicians, Rachel Nesvig on violin, Aleida Gehrels on viola, and Phil Hirschi on cello.
 

 Jason Everett, Trey Gunn & Selvaganesh

Jason Everett (aka Mister E) is a performer, composer, and producer who plays a variety of stringed and percussive instruments with his primary instruments being his seven-string fretless bass and acoustic six-string bass. Jason attended Northern Arizona University on a full scholarship for bassoon and started playing jazz professionally at sixteen years old.

Jason has played music outside of the mainstream for most of his career including with the avant-garde space-jazz ensemble, Little Green Men; Flamenco fusion groups, Machete', Deseo Carmin, and Acoustic Fantasy; world fusion groups, Avaaza, Tarana, and Andre Feriante; and Kirtan artists, Gina Sala' and Girish. Jason has also been recently performing and recording with Bay Area world jazz fusion groups, Facing East and Ancient Future. Jason has created his own groups including Taal Maya, a Shakti inspired Indian fusion project and Pandamonium, which is described as "Prog Rock Jazz Funk." 

"Jason Everett's intonation on his signature 7-string fretless bass is exemplary, and he is a well-spring of melodies and musical ideas. Keep your eyes and ears out for Jason Everett aka Mister E!" - Stu Hamm 

Jason's recording work has recently included producing a four-movement, 20-minute composition called "Moksha: The Elimination of All Duality" that features world-class artists including Selvaganesh (Shakti, Masters of Percussion), Fareed Haque (director of Jazz Studies at Northern Illinois University), Suhail Yusuf Khan, Radhakrisna Neyvili, Vishal Nagar, and Ujwal Nagar.

Jason is also performing as a solo bass artist and has recently performed at NAMM (the National Association of Music Manufacturers) convention in LA, the International Solo Bass Competition hosted by bass amplifier manufacturer, Phil Jones Bass in NY, and as a headliner for Bass Bash in Denver, CO for the last several years.

Finally, Jason was name an Artist in Residence by Seattle non-profit, Jack Straw Cultural Center for 2017 and recorded his new album, "Playing With Fire" which is due for release October 2018 and has recently started a new collaboration with the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber Orchestra who have commissioned Jason to arrange his music from the "Playing With Fire" album for their full chamber orchestra. Jason is an endorsed artist for Bartolini Pickups, Kalium Strings and Conklin Guitars, who have created a signature model instrument for Jason called, the "OM Bass."

"Jason's impressive bass work will dazzle, but his playing transcends the instrument to become a pure source of expression. His compositions are equally full of wonder and atmosphere for a sonic journey. A top-notch musician!" - Kevin Johnson No Treble Bass Magazine 

In closing Jason has this to impart, "My music is a combination of the styles that move me. Classical, Jazz, Groove, Funk, Prog Rock, and World music (particularly Indian and Flamenco). Music is a language and it is always amazing when musicians from different genres and training can come together to create something new, unique and beautiful. My music is nearly always instrumental, and often in odd-meters."

To purchase Deep Energy Orchestra's "Playing With Fire": https://deepenergyorchestra.bandcamp.com/ 

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

Leader Of Down Feat. Final Recordings From Motörhead Guitarist Würzel To Release “Cascade Into Chaos”


Featuring guest appearances by even more Motörhead alumni including Lemmy Kilmister, Fast Eddie Clarke, and Phil Campbell along with Cliff Evans (Tank), Bruce Foxton (The Jam), Whitfield Crane (Ugly Kid Joe), and Lee Richards (Ex Godsmack)! 

Los Angeles - The brainchild of Grammy nominated former Motörhead guitarist Würzel and bass player Tim Atkinson who after forming the band Leader of Down in 2008 busied themselves in a London rehearsal studio writing dozens of tracks in preparation for recording an album. They then recruited drummer, Steve Clarke (Ex Fastway) to join the ranks and continue preparing for the debut album "Cascade Into Chaos" (scheduled for release on Cleopatra Records September 2018).

The name Leader of Down came from Würzel mishearing the lyrics to the Status Quo track "Down, Down". Würzel found this extremely funny as he had been singing the wrong words "Down Down, Leader of Down" for over 30 years.

"Cascade into Chaos" is named after a phrase that Würzel and Tim liked during the initial songwriting sessions, it seemed a very obvious choice and was the only title that the two of them ever really discussed.

The band started recording the initial tracks for the album which included a reworking of Würzel's solo release from the 80's "People Say I'm Crazy". These initial sessions also included a track that was always intended for Lemmy to sing on, as Würzel said "We think it would suit him". This track eventually became "Paradise Turned Into Dust" with Lemmy finishing his recording at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles in 2015 shortly before his own passing, at a very emotional session with Tim Atkinson and Steve Clarke. Unmistakably Lemmy Kilmister with his unique voice on "Laugh At The Devil".

Although there are several guest vocalists on the album such as Whitfield Crane, the line up of Leader of Down is completed by vocalist Matt Baker and guitarist Alex Ward who have slipped seamlessly into the line up.

After Würzel's tragic death in 2011 the band continued to finish the album and enlisted the help of some friends to honour the great man. With guest appearances from Lemmy, Phil Campbell (who joined Motörhead on the same day as Würzel in 1984), Fast Eddie Clarke who has also sadly passed away beginning of 2018, Whitfield Crane from Ugly Kid Joe, Lee Richards (Ex Godsmack), Bruce Foxton from The Jam, and Cliff Evans from Tank.

Says Tim Atkinson, "It is a very bittersweet feeling now that the album is being released. It feels very strange without Würzel being here, and I know he would be thrilled with the final result. It was a real pleasure writing with Würzel, as we instinctively knew what both of us were thinking when we put our ideas forward. We always wanted Lemmy to sing on 'Paradise turned into Dust', and it was a very emotional session in Los Angeles when Lemmy completed the track and I just wish that Würz had been there to see it. It was amazing that so many friends helped us to finish the album with guest appearances and I can only thank them from the bottom of my heart. To hear Phil playing with Würzel again was absolutely fantastic".

The album features 10 blockbusting tracks, all mixed by Motörhead Grammy winning producer Cameron Webb at Maple Studios in California.

The album is of course a tribute to Würzel and the other fallen Motörhead heroes but it is also just the beginning for Leader of Down who after a successful appearance at Hard Rock Hell are embarking on a tour with Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons in November 2018, and will be very busy next year with live shows already planned. Leader of Down have signed a worldwide deal with Los Angeles based label Cleopatra Records.

As Lemmy once shouted from the stage at Hammersmith Odeon, shortly after Würzel and Phil Campbell joined, "Well, are we back?" We can safely say that Würzel is back, we just wish that he was with us for the ride.
 

Track listing  
1. Paradise Turned Into Dust ( Lemmy vocals, additional bass  Tim Atkinson)
2. Cascade Into Chaos
3. People Say I'm Crazy
4. Serial Killjoy (Bruce Foxton on additional bass with Tim Atkinson)
5. Children of Disease (Whitfield Crane vocals, Lee Richards and Richards/ Crane) backing vocals, Phil Campbell 2nd guitar solo)
6. Snakebite (Fast Eddie Clarke all guitars and vocals)
7. Punch and Geordie
8. Feel Good  (Cliff Evans first guitar solo)
9. The Killing Rain (The last song Würzel ever recorded)
10. Laugh at the Devil  (Lemmy vocals and all guitars by Fast Eddie Clarke)

To purchase: 

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

Day of the Dreamer Tour - Music Legends Renaissance Featuring Annie Haslam in Support of Their New DVD Release to Play Select US Dates Fall 2018!

Including a Special Date With The Renaissance Chamber Orchestra


Music legends Renaissance featuring Annie Haslam will be back in the US Northeast playing select dates in November 2018. Based on the great success in 2017 with the addition of a "10-piece Chamber Orchestra" on four of their shows, the band has been invited to once again bring this special line up to the Scottish Rite Auditorium, Collingswood, NJ. November 17th. 2018 marks the 49th year since the band's formation and its tenth consecutive year of touring since their reactivation in 2009.

Renaissance leader and vocalist, Annie Haslam remarks, "The band keeps getting stronger and stronger and the addition of the chamber orchestra has been the most exciting development for the band in years. This addition of 'live' orchestral musicians adds an incredible dynamic to our big numbers like 'Mother Russia,' 'Carpet Of The Sun' and 'Song For All Seasons,' Day of the Dreamer, all of which included an orchestra on the original recordings."

Ms Haslam will be joined on stage by long time musical director and associate; Rave Tesar on piano, along with Geoffrey Langley on keyboards, Mark Lambert on guitars, Frank Pagano on drums and percussion, and Leo Traversa on bass.
 

photo by Esa Ahola

Tour dates: 
NOV 8 THU - THE KENT STAGE - KENT, OH
NOV 9 FRI - THE TRALF - BUFFALO, NY
NOV 11 SUN - YMCA BOULTON CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS - BAY SHORE, NY
NOV 15 THU - BALTIMORE SOUNDSTAGE - BALTIMORE, MD
NOV 16 FRI - NEWTON THEATRE - NEWTON, NJ
NOV 17 SAT - SCOTTISH RITE AUDITORIUM - COLLINGSWOOD, NJ (With The Renaissance Chamber Orchestra)
NOV 18 SUN - TARRYTOWN MUSIC HALL - TARRYTOWN, NY

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.

The band has toured throughout the world and has performed at Carnegie Hall with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra and additionally at the Royal Albert Hall with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Royal Chorale Society. Renaissance had a top ten hit in the UK with their song Northern Lights that still demands airplay to this day.

On September 14th Renaissance will be releasing their new DVD entitled 'A Symphonic Journey'. The DVD was filmed in October of 2017 and included for the first time the addition of The Renaissance Chamber Orchestra, a hand-picked group of 10 musicians, including strings, woodwind, brass and percussion. This is their third DVD release preceded by the 2015 'Live at the Union Chapel, London, England' and the 'Turn of the Cards/ Scheherazade and Other Stories' 2011 release 'Live' at the Keswick Theatre, Glenside, PA. For this new DVD the band once again returned to the Keswick Theatre, this time employing the use of track and boom mounted cameras to create more up close and personal shots of the band and orchestra. The concert also featured large screen projections of original paintings by Annie Haslam, with corresponding titles to each song performed throughout the concert.

The DVD/2CD set will be available from Amazon USA, Europe, and Japan. Also, 'Annie Haslam' signed copies will be available through the band's website: www.renaissancetouring.com

Click on the links below to watch samples from the new DVD: 
Carpet of the Sun w/Renaissance Chamber Orchestra - https://www.facebook.com/pg/RenaissanceTouring/videos/?ref=page_internal 
Song for All Seasons w/Renaissance Chamber Orchestra - https://www.facebook.com/RenaissanceTouring/videos/1835487619824141/ 

You can learn more about the band by visiting: 
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King Crimson Guitar Legend Trey Gunn Presents “Intro to Modes” 8-Week Music Course - October 15 to December 8, 2018


Work directly with Trey Gunn on a weekly basis in this group course. 

King Crimson guitar legend Trey Gunn is presenting "Intro to Modes"; an 8-week music course that runs from October 15 to December 8, 2018. 

For all instrumentalists and singers. 

In this course we will break down one of the basic building blocks of music - the modes - into digestible parts, both sonically and theoretically, so they can be used with ease. 

www.originalvoice.coach/modes-course/ 

This course will: 
Help you to immediately find your ground in a piece of music
Give you flexibility when improvising
Give you greater color choices when developing your own compositions
Help you grasp command of the core material of music
Give you a long-term pathway to hear deeper into the relationships of the notes

This course is designed to work for all players: 
Beginning players - We'll start with the basics.
Intermediate players - Hone the fundamentals in your hearing for improved playing and writing
Advanced players - Find the gaps in your melodic hearing. Apply practices to close the gaps and take your playing further

Learn to play confidently while capturing the unique quality of each mode in your improvisations and compositions. This ease only comes from the deep exploration based on how you hear, in your own particular way. This course breaks down that exploration into its core essence, step-by-step.

- - -

When most musicians play by thinking in modes, or scales, they tend towards using all the tones equally and without their full meaning. This results in bland musical lines. Lines that come across like white light where, instead, there could be gorgeous color.

How a painter uses color is a useful analogy for working with the modes. Any musical idea can be tinted with one of the modes. The idea remains essentially the same; but the color of the music changes based on which mode you are using.

This course is designed to establish these "modal" differences in your ear so you can use them as you need to, much as a painter pulls from his or her palette of colors.

- - -

Learning about modes isn't about the information. The information is easy. Learning this material, the way I think we should, is about getting to know each tone intimately within its context - the mode's center of gravity, or tonal center.

This course will use a progression of practices to develop our sense of each note and how that note fits into its mode.

This is an oversimplification; but based on many years of practice, study and playing I have honed an approach to go directly into the sounds.

First, we learn the sounds. The information can come afterward, simply to help us organize.

- - -

This will be a type of correspondence course with info/practices being presented each week and all of us digesting it together via a Google Group. There is no real-time participation, so any time-zone or personal schedule will fit with our work together.

The course will adapt to the people participating and how things develop as we go along. But the general curriculum will be based on the following progression: 

Week 1 
General Concepts of Modes
Language And Method For The Course
Root, Fifth, Octave (+ listening/singing)

Week 2 
Thirds (+ listening puzzles)

Week 3 
Sevenths (+ extra singing)

Week 4 
Sixths (+ playing)

Week 5 
Seconds (+ composition)

Week 6 
Fourths (+ audiation/memorization)

Week 7 
Full Modes (+ pentatonics/hexatonics)

Week 8 
Locrian/Pathway to Exotics (+wrap-up)

Cost: $299.00 
50% discount for Early Registration before October 1, 2018 

For more information: www.originalvoice.coach/modes-course 
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Progressive Rock & Progressive Metal - E-Zine

quarta-feira, setembro 05, 2018

Cleopatra Entertainment Secures North American and UK Distribution Rights for Conny Plank Documentary Film


Los Angeles - Cleopatra Entertainment has secured the North American and UK distribution rights to the 2018 SXSW Film Festival Official Selection CONNY PLANK: The Potential Of Noise documentary.

The U.S. Theatrical Premier is slated for 6:00 PM on Friday, September 28th at the Arena Cinelounge Theater, 6464 Sunset Blvd. Lobby Level, Los Angeles, CA 90028  (323) 924-1644 and the film will run the entire week for a seven day engagement. In attendance at the premier will be the film's Director and son of the late Conny Plank - Stephan Plank - and the film's Berlin-based Producer Milena Fessman, who will participate in an exclusive Q&A session following the screening.

One of the greatest studio engineers and record producers of the 20th century, a world without Conny Plank's influence on music is unfathomable. Instrumental in shaping the early sound of Kraftwerk, Plank would go on to work with legends such as Neu!, Cluster, DAF and Devo, eventually breaking through to the mainstream with the likes of Ultravox, The Eurythmics, and the legendary Scorpions. Conny's son Stephan Plank, who co-directed this film with Reto Caduff, set out to discover the side of his father which he did not know, whilst at the same time, through interviews with such luminaries as Michael Rother, Daniel Miller and the late Holger Czukay, providing an appreciation of a man and his craft.

The 95 minute documentary also traces the history of Stephan's father Conny through the viewpoint of the artists he worked with. It also examines the legacy the West German producer, sound engineer and musician left behind following his death at the age of 47. Ranging across progressive, avant garde, electronic and krautrock, Plank was also a regular collaborator with Cluster's Dieter Moebius. Born Konrad Plank in Hütschenhausen in 1940, Conny died of cancer in 1987, leaving behind his wife, the actor Christa Fast, and son Stephan, then aged 13.

"I discovered his work in the early 80s when albums by Eurythmics or Ultravox, Les Ritas Mitsouko, Freur or by German new wave acts such as Ideal, Rheingold or DAF had the Conny Plank credit on the cover," comments Reto Caduff via email. "Little did I know at that time of his earlier influence: that he brought Kraftwerk to the recording studio for the first time, that he was working with the band up to their "Autobahn" hit, and all his contribution to the krautrock genre and early electronic music. I only discovered really Neu! when the albums were reissued in the early 2000s. He really was a pioneer and his untimely death at 47 in 1987 only added to the legend.

"To me, the idea of co-directing the film made a lot of sense since Stephan could approach the artists whom he met as a kid in the studio (his home) differently than a regular documentary director. My hunch proved correct over and over again. Meeting the artists brought the memories and stories to a complete different level and enabled us to paint a very unique picture of this extraordinary artist behind the mixing desk. I also felt the timing was right since a lot of the people were still active.

"I hope we made a film that appeals to the fans who grew up with his music as much as to a younger generation interested in the genesis of electronic music," he concludes.

For more information about Conny Plank: The Potential of Noise and other films from Cleopatra Entertainment, please contact Tim Yasui 310-477-4000 or tim@cleorecs.com or visit our website atwww.cleopatra-entertainment.com 

Anneke van Giersbergen announces ‘Symphonized’ – live with Residentie Orkest The Hague




In May 2018, Anneke van Giersbergen performed two career-spanning concerts with orchestral arrangements together with Residentie Orkest The Hague. Now those special concerts will be available for all to hear when they are released as 'Symphonized', an 11-track live album due out on November 16th, 2018.

Taking in material from across her career, she performs stunning versions of songs by VUUR, The Gentle Storm and The Gathering as well as solo material. Anneke comments: "'Symphonized' was recorded last May in Dutch venues 013 (Tilburg) and Paard (The Hague), as I performed alongside the wonderful Residentie Orkest The Hague conducted by Arjan Tien. The orchestra is one of the leading Dutch symphony orchestras and regularly initiates cross-over projects. When artistic director Sven Arne Tepl invited me to create new renditions of songs I have previously recorded, I was immediately enthusiastic. I thought it was the perfect prelude to my 25-year anniversary next year, as I made my stage debut with The Gathering in 1994. The compelling arrangements were written by Marijn van Prooijen and Gijs Kramers. Instead of a band with additional symphonic accompaniment we chose to solely use the instruments of the orchestra and I'm very proud of the result!"

The album will be available as CD Digipak, Gatefold 2LP + CD & as digital audio download, and you can find the full track-listing below:

1. Feel Alive
2. Amity (originally released by The Gathering)
3. Your Glorious Light Will Shine - Helsinki (originally released by VUUR)
4. Two Souls (originally released by Lorrainville)
5. When I Am laid In Earth (aria by Henry Purcell)
6. Travel (originally released by The Gathering)
7. Zo Lief (unreleased song in Dutch)
8. You Will Never Change
9. Freedom - Rio (originally released by VUUR)
10. Forgotten (originally released by The Gathering)
11. Shores Of India (originally released by The Gentle Storm)



Dutch vocalist Anneke van Giersbergen is easily one of the hardest working people in music, and an artist that defies being pigeonholed by genre. She will forever be known as the vocalist for melancholic metallers The Gathering, but since striking out on her own in 2007, she has solidified a solo career, recorded and performed multiple times with Canadian metal genius Devin Townsend, and lent her honey-sweet, yet powerful voice to the likes of Anathema, Icelandic folk group Árstíðir, Within Temptation, Ayreon mastermind Arjen Lucassen, Moonspell, John Wetton and Napalm Death.

Residentie Orkest The Hague was founded by its first principal conductor Henri Viotta in 1904 and quickly attracted composers like Richard Strauss, Igor Stravinsky and Maurice Ravel. The orchestra's reputation as one of the finest orchestras in Europe makes it an appropriate figurehead for Dutch city The Hague as a cosmopolitan place of justice, peace, and culture.

Having proven her credentials and immense vocal talent for 13 years as front woman of The Gathering, in 2007 Anneke van Giersbergen felt it was time to begin her own solo career. Along with her new band Agua de Annique the charismatic singer quickly established herself as a solo artist, releasing several albums to critical and popular acclaim.

2012's 'Everything is Changing' was something of a milestone in Anneke's solo career. The album, which was the first to be released under her own name got her nominated for two Edison awards – Holland's most prestigious music prize – in the categories 'Best Female Artist' and 'Best Album'.
On March 20 2015, Anneke van Giersbergen and Arjen Lucassen (Ayreon) released their collaborative album 'The Diary' under the name The Gentle Storm.

Anneke's new progressive metal band VUUR released their much-anticipated debut album 'In This Moment We Are Free - Cities' on October 20 2017. The album entered the Dutch Album Top 100 at number 2, Van Giersbergen's highest-ever chart position. Watch the bands video for 'My Champion – Berlin' here: https://youtu.be/gAwDw5zXtLI 

ANNEKE VAN GIERSBERGEN online:

RESIDENTIE ORKEST THE HAGUE online:

INSIDEOUT MUSIC online:
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