It’s normally the case that it’s the “worst kept secret”, but when it came to Iron Maiden releasing their 17th studio album, Senjutsu, last September, it was quite the opposite. It was the “best kept secret”, as fans around the world were literally in shock while they were hearing the first single, “The Writing On The Wall”, last June. But unlike any other album roll-out in their long and treasured history, they couldn’t embark on the usual jaw-dropping world tour. 



Singer Bruce Dickinson, a man always ready to spring into action, decided to make lemonade out of lemons.  


“That was the reason why I had a really long chat with (manager) Rod (Smallwood) during the lockdown,” he tells BraveWords in an upcoming episode of Streaming For Vengeance, set to air this Saturday (January 15th), just before he embarks on his spoken word tour, An Evening With Bruce Dickinson 2022. 




“And I said ‘Look, it’s not going to happen this summer (2021) is it? Anywhere. It’s going to have to happen next year. But we have to do something. Why don’t we just do an amazing video, something that really knocks peoples socks off. Because we haven’t done one for ages like that. Let’s do something.’”





“That’s when the idea of the animation came up,” Dickinson continues. “I scripted the video out (for 'The Writing On The Wall'). Then we found Andrew Gordon and Mark Andrews, the ex-Pixar guys who then found us the animators from BlinkInk and then we were into the process of making it. Which was fascinating. And we just got such a great result out of that in every single way. There were no negatives from that video at all. And what I love about it, it’s exceeded beyond my wildest imagination, because what I had hoped for was the video to be enough to be everything to everybody. And it kind of is. And if you are a conspiracy theorist, you’ll love the video. If you think that we are all being oppressed and it’s the end of the world, global warming, then it’s for you. There’s something in that video that appeals to absolutely everybody without taking a position. It’s a weird reality we create and it kind of has an ironic happy ending. The ending is a complete nod to the ending of Dr. Strangelove from Stanley Kubrick, with all the bombs going off.”



Fans around the planet are looking at this stunning new Senjutsu artwork and imaginations are running wild as to what it will look like in a live setting. Where are you at with all the designing and building?


“I’ve seen the drawings, I’ve seen the pictures,” the singer reveals. “I haven’t seen it actually up yet, but it’s actually going to happen! My guess is sometime in April or something that we will start dragging the set out and putting it back together. And obviously we still have all the Legacy things that we are going to be doing on the tour as well. It’s all going to happen. The Spitfire is going to be there and Eddie’s going to be there, the sword fight will be there, the flamethrowers, Icarus, it’s all there.”

During the interview, Dickinson also talks about his upcoming solo effort that he's working on with long-time partner Roy Z and reveals the Trooper beer plan for 2022. So grab a cold one 🍻 and watch/listen to Streaming For Vengeance this Saturday, January 15th at 3:33 PM EST on the BraveWords Facebook page or the BraveWords YouTube channel. For more information about Streaming For Vengeance, visit this location.






Dickinson is bringing his spoken word tour, An Evening With Bruce Dickinson, on an extensive US and Canada starting next week in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.


Split into two parts, the first section of the show sees Bruce taking a humorous and often satirical look at the world from his own very personal perspective, treating the audience to private insights into his drive and ambition, peppered with plenty of Maiden anecdotes, and a myriad of other experiences encompassing not just the giddy heights but also the extreme lows, told first-hand in his inimitable anarchic style, punctuated with photographs and sometimes even erupting into song a-capella, to illustrate a point.


The final section of the evening is devoted entirely to a Q&A session, with the opportunity to pose questions on any subject whatsoever. As Bruce’s answers will all be completely improvised – the more left-field and quirky the question, the more interesting and compelling the response is likely to be!





Dates:


January
17 - Ft Lauderdale, Florida - Parker Playhouse
18 - Orlando, Florida - Plaza Live
20 - Tampa, Florida - Theatre
21 - Jacksonville, Florida - Florida Theatre
23 - Atlanta, Georgia - Tabernacle
24 - Raleigh, North Carolina - Meymandi Concert Hall at Duke Energy Center
26 - Nashville, Tennessee - Polk Theater
27 - Columbus, Ohio - Jo Ann Davidson Theatre
29 - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - Carnegie Music Hall of Homestead
30 - Detroit, Michigan - The Fillmore


February
1 - Buffalo-Niagara Falls, New York - Buffalo State Performing Arts Center
2 - Albany, New York - The Egg
4 - New York City, New York - The Town Hall
5 - Boston, Massachusetts - Schubert Theatre at the Boch Center
7 - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - The Fillmore
8 - Washington, DC - Warner Theatre
10 - Cleveland, Ohio - MGM Northfield Park
11 - Chicago, Illinois - Vic Theatre
13 - Minneapolis, Minnesota - Pantages Theatre
14 - Milwaukee-Racine, Wisconsin - Pabst Theater
16 - Des Moines, Iowa - Hoyt Sherman Place Theatre
17 - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma - Rose State College Hudiberg Chevrolet Center
19 - Kansas City, Kansas - Uptown Theater
20 - Denver, Colorado - Paramount Theatre
22 - Dallas, Texas - Majestic Theatre
23 - Houston, Texas - Stafford Centre
24 - Austin, Texas - Paramount Theatre
26 - Phoenix, Arizona - Mesa Arts Center
28 - San Diego, California - Balboa Theatre


March
1 - Los Angeles, California - Orpheum Theatre
3 - San Francisco, California - Palace of Fine Arts
4 - Portland, Oregon - Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
6 - Seattle, Washington - The Moore Theatre
12 - Las Vegas, Nevada - House Of Blues
14 - Vancouver (New Westminster), British Columbia - Massey Theatre
16 - Victoria, British Columbia - Royal Theatre
18 - Edmonton, Alberta - Winspear Centre
20 - Winnipeg, Manitoba - Burton Cummings Theatre
21 - Calgary, Alberta - Jack Singer Concert Hall
23 - Montreal, Quebec - MTELUS
26 - Ottawa, Ontario - Algonquin Commons Theatre
27 - Quebec City, Quebec - Palais Montcalm
29 - Hamilton, Ontario - FirstOntario Concert Hall
30 - Kitchener, Ontario - Centre in the Square

(Photo credit Bruce live: Thomas Mazerolles)

For their 20th band anniversary in 2022, Dutch symphonic metal titans EPICA have prepared a massive celebration from January to December, with plenty of surprises, new projects and of course some new music too that will all be revealed throughout the year.

After announcing plans to re-release their first three albums, the now-classic "The Phantom Agony", "Consign To Oblivion" and "The Score 2.0" via Nuclear Blast, on CD, vinyl, as well as strictly limited earbooks and boxsets later this year, EPICA has started the year with launching its own "universe."

"We truly feel like there's a universe within the band, a world of our own, and we want to invite our lifeblood to be citizens — Epicans, if you will," the band explains. "Think of it as a sequel to past EPICA fan clubs like 'The Fantom Agony' and 'The French Crusade' but updated for the modern era; it's more fan community than club. Epica Universe will give Epicans insight into our lives, both personal and professional, through exclusive behind-the-scenes photos, podcasts, polls, vlogs, live hangouts and much more. There's even a (super limited) tier that includes one-on-one video calls with a band member each month!"

Join the Epica Universe at www.epicauniverse.com.

Get a first glimpse of what to expect via a trailer below presented by the whole band.

And what would a 20th anniversary be without a proper celebration live and in full color? The massive anniversary show will take place on September 3, 2022 at the same venue as EPICA played their first show back in the day, supporting ANATHEMA: the 013 in Tilburg, The Netherlands.

EPICA was formed by composer Mark Jansen after leaving AFTER FOREVER in 2002, and the band quickly gained attention outside their home country, taking big steps towards becoming the leading symphonic metal superpower they have long proven to be. After their ambitious debut "The Phantom Agony" (2002) and the surprisingly eclectic sophomore work "Consign To Oblivion" (2005), the road took them to new heights via their first concept masterpiece "The Divine Conspiracy" (2007) and their global breakthrough "Design Your Universe" (2009). 2012's opus "Requiem For The Indifferent", 2014's bedazzling "The Quantum Enigma" and their finest, most embellished effort yet, "The Holographic Principle" (2016), cemented their reputation as not only one of the hardest-working metal bands in the business but also as one of the best. Period. With "Omega", the final part of the metaphysical trilogy they began with "The Quantum Enigma", they reclaim the throne without so much as the blink of an eye, amassing three million-plus streams during the first week of the album's release.

"Omega" is an album of unity, of friendship, of the close bond the members share. An album that naturally came together as a group effort. And no wonder: Mark Jansen, Simone Simons and keyboard player Coen Janssen have been playing together since EPICA's conception in 2002, with drummer Ariën Van Weesenbeek joining as early as 2007, lead guitarist Isaac Delahaye following in 2009. In 2012, bass player Rob Van Der Loo marked the latest addition to their ranks. For eight years, three records and hundreds of gigs, this band has formed an indestructible unit.

In the middle of a world in turmoil, of a cataclysmic change in society, EPICA somehow managed to create their most spectacular album yet. An album that is seamlessly bringing together metal and orchestra, choir and oriental instruments to a perfect storm constantly emitting goose bumps. A record with specifically written suites for orchestra and choir, featuring a wide range of ethnic instruments recorded around the world by some of the best native musicians out there. In short: They outdid themselves. Once again. And still managed to keep the songs approachable and wickedly catchy.

Since forming in 2002, the band has amassed an incredible amount of success, "Omega" entered the album Top 10 in Germany, Holland, Belgium and Switzerland. EPICA has toured the globe, performing at venerable festivals including Wacken Open Air, Hellfest, Heaven & Hell festival, Heavy MTL and Download, while also staging shows in countries where many metal bands have not played including South Korea, South Africa and Venezuela.

British heavy metal legends SAXON have released the second single, "Remember The Fallen", from their upcoming album, "Carpe Diem", due on February 4 via Silver Lining Music.

SAXON singer Biff Byford states: "I wanted to write a song about COVID, about the people that have died, and give my perception of how it seemed to happen. Certain aspects of it all are quite mysterious, and of course, it hasn't finished yet, has it?

"We should all remember those who have died as a group of people not really knowing why they died, because the information wasn't there."

The release of "Remember The Fallen" is accompanied by a reportage-style video montaged with footage of the band's individual recording sessions.

Produced by Andy Sneap (JUDAS PRIEST, EXODUS, ACCEPT) at Backstage Recording Studios in Derbyshire with Byford and Sneap mixing and mastering, "Carpe Diem" strikes the ear as one of the most essential British metal statements of the last few years and not lacking in pace or bite, an album which will ignite the joy in stalwart supporters and attract a whole new legion to the SAXON fold.

Sneap, himself a guitarist and producer of some metal repute, ensures that "Carpe Diem" does not lack one ounce of grit or sharpness. "Andy's obviously a very good guitarist," says Biff, "but he's not a blues-based guitarist like our guys are; he's more of a modern-style player. And that means the boys (Paul Quinn and Doug Scarratt) love working with him because, again, it's all about the intensity. Andy's always pushing the envelope; he doesn't let them get away with anything. They have to play it for real, full speed. He gets great sound, and we want that Gibson/Marshall '80s sound even if they’re not Gibsons and Marshalls. We try and retain that British metal guitar sound that we created for SAXON, and he's definitely an '80s child."

Despite a career which has spanned 44 years with over 15 million albums sold, including four top 10 U.K. albums, and having played to hundreds of thousands of fans worldwide, SAXON are revving up for one of their busiest eras yet.

"We're gonna be quite busy this year," says Biff. "There are festivals which have been rescheduled from two years ago, we're looking to go to America, we're also going to tour U.K. and Europe later in the year and like everyone really, we're just keeping our fingers crossed that everything works out and we can do it all. We're also recording the second 'Inspirations' album, and as we do that, you never know, we might write a few songs for the next SAXON album…"

The genesis of "Carpe Diem"'s fierce intensity lies in two extremely significant life events.

"It's been a difficult two years," offers Biff with considerable understatement, "because I had the heart attack back in September 2019, so things went a bit pear-shaped for the band. And then COVID hit two or three months later, but luckily, we started writing and recording this album before COVID. We did the drums in Germany and we did the guitars in various places. I was doing a lot of writing while I was in the hospital bed, and we spent quite a long time writing and arranging the ideas that we all had. I do think it's a very intense album, and maybe some of that intensity comes from the frustration of not being able to do anything in the COVID period."

"Carpe Diem" track listing:

01. Carpe Diem (Seize The Day)

02. Age Of Steam

03. The Pilgrimage

04. Dambusters

05. Remember The Fallen

06. Super Nova

07. Lady In Gray

08. All For One

09. Black Is The Night

10. Living On The Limit

"We want every album we make to go platinum," says Biff defiantly. "We never make an album that we don't expect to be fantastic because there are no laurels around here, and as a band, we're always trying to do something a little bit new, a little bit daring. I love fast metal like 'Princess Of The Night' and '20,000 Feet', and I try and bring that style of SAXON into the music now, but in a more modern style. We don't sound like an old band on records because we're not sitting back on our past success, we're always trying to make a great album."

Produced by Andy Sneap and Biff Byford

Album mixed and mastered by Andy Sneap

Guitars recorded by Andy Sneap at Backstage Recording Studios, Derbyshire (U.K.); vocals recorded by Seb Byford at Big Silver Barn, York (U.K.); drums recorded by Jacky Lehmann (Audiosound) at Velbyproductions, Grünenplan (Germany).

All lyrics by Biff Byford. Backing vocals by Seb Byford

OPETH frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt has paid tribute to vocalist/bassist Burke Shelley of legendary Welsh rockers BUDGIE who died on Monday, January 10 at the age of 71.

Earlier today, Mikael took to OPETH's social media to write: "I almost choked on my coffee this morning when I read that one of my idols, the great Burke Shelley of BUDGIE had passed away. What a terrible loss!

"Most people know BUDGIE as the band that METALLICA covered ('Breadfan', 'Crash Course In Brain Surgery') ages ago. They remained underdogs in the scene even if they're there right in the beginning of the creation of hard rock/heavy metal music.

"I think Burke was one of those guys who was quite uncomfortable with the heavy metal tag, but it's undeniable that they were instrumental in bringing it to the masses. I stumbled upon them in the 80's. A friend of mine (thank you Stefan!) played me 'Bandoiler' from 1975. It wasn't the heavy side of their music that sucked me in, but rather the gentle side. Songs like 'Slipaway' are beautiful. And the majestic 'Napoleon Bona-Part 1 & 2' showcased dynamics that a lot of their peers simply didn't have. Since then I have rather impressive BUDGIE section. Their softer side remains my favorite part of their music. 'Everything In My Heart', 'You And I', 'Make Me Happy', 'Young Is A World' and so on. Burke had a jazzy quality to his voice as well as the ability to scream like the best of them. I think he was a big fan of Paul McCartney, or at least that's what I hear.

"We recorded 2 albums at the Rockfield studio in Monmouth/Wales, which was kind of the go-to studio for BUDGIE. I remember waiting for them to drop by, but they never did. Why would they? Childish dreams on my behalf. So I've never met them unfortunately. I did however manage to see them live twice, and they're fantastic!

"Thank you Burke, for all your fantastic music! And our sincere condolences to the Shelley family as well as to the remaining band members, past and present."

The news of Burke's passing was shared Monday by his daughter Ela. She wrote on Facebook: "It is with great sadness that I announce the death of my father, John Burke Shelley. He passed away this evening in his sleep at Heath Hospital in Cardiff, his birth town. He was 71 years old. Please respect the family during this time.

"With love, His four children: Ela, Osian, Dimitri and Nathaniel."

Two years ago, Shelley said that he was suffering from aortic aneurysm — a dangerous and abnormal swelling of the main artery that supplies blood to the body. He was also batting Stickler syndrome, a genetic disorder that can cause serious vision, hearing and joint problems. At the time, he told Wales Online that he turned down surgery because of the risk that it would cause irreparable spinal damage.

"I want to live what life I have left and not be crippled," he said. "I've got faith in God and have no worries about where I'm going. So I'll just go when He decides to take me and, in the meantime, I'll carry on doing what I want to do. Simple as that."

Shelley said the surgery he had in 2010 for aortic aneurysm resulted in damage to his diaphragm, leaving him unable to sing properly.

Often thought of as a cross between BLACK SABBATH and RUSH, the underappreciated outfit has influenced countless acts, despite enduring countless line-up shifts throughout their history.

The group originally formed in 1967 in Cardiff, Wales, comprised of Shelley (vocals, bass), Tony Bourge (guitar) and Ray Phillips (drums), and by the early 1970s they'd inked a deal with MCA Records.

This early lineup remains BUDGIE's most definitive, due to the fact that it spawned three of the group's finest albums — 1971's self-titled debut, 1972's "Squawk" and 1973's "Never Turn Your Back On A Friend" — while the group's quirky song titles became somewhat of a trademark for the trio (such ditties as "Nude Disintegrating Parachutist Woman", "Hot As A Docker's Armpit", "In The Grip Of A Tyrefitter's Hand" and "You're The Biggest Thing Since Powdered Milk").

Despite building a sizeable following in their homeland (while never breaking out of cult status stateside), Phillips left the group prior to their fourth album, 1974's "In For the Kill!", replaced by newcomer Pete Boot, which would in turn set off a flurry of steady lineup changes over the years for the group (the only constant BUDGIE member from the beginning was Shelley). Further releases were issued throughout the '70s, including 1975's "Bandolier".

Shelley and company would remain together for a few more years before splitting up quietly by the mid-'80s. But almost as soon as they disbanded, several high-profile groups began covering BUDGIE classics, including METALLICA ("Crash Course In Brain Surgery" and "Breadfan"), IRON MAIDEN ("I Can't See My Feelings"), while back in their early club days VAN HALEN was known to cover the title track from "In For The Kill!"


I almost choked on my coffee this morning when I read that one of my idols, the great Burke Shelley of Budgie had passed...

Posted by Opeth on Tuesday, January 11, 2022

METALLICA's Lars Ulrich has paid tribute to vocalist/bassist Burke Shelley of legendary Welsh rockers BUDGIE who died on Monday, January 10 at the age of 71.

METALLICA was one of several high-profile groups who covered BUDGIE classics over the years: "Crash Course In Brain Surgery" appeared on 1987's "Garage Days Re-Revisited", and "Breadfan" was the B-side to the "Harvester Of Sorrow" single in 1988.

Lars took to his Instagram to write: "Thank you Burke for everything you did for heavy music and much next level appreciation for co-writing and creating two songs that METALLICA were honored to record over the years, 'Breadfan' and 'Crash Course In Brain Surgery'."

The news of Burke's passing was shared Monday by his daughter Ela. She wrote on Facebook: "It is with great sadness that I announce the death of my father, John Burke Shelley. He passed away this evening in his sleep at Heath Hospital in Cardiff, his birth town. He was 71 years old. Please respect the family during this time.

"With love, His four children: Ela, Osian, Dimitri and Nathaniel."

Two years ago, Shelley said that he was suffering from aortic aneurysm — a dangerous and abnormal swelling of the main artery that supplies blood to the body. He was also batting Stickler syndrome, a genetic disorder that can cause serious vision, hearing and joint problems. At the time, he told Wales Online that he turned down surgery because of the risk that it would cause irreparable spinal damage.

"I want to live what life I have left and not be crippled," he said. "I've got faith in God and have no worries about where I'm going. So I'll just go when He decides to take me and, in the meantime, I'll carry on doing what I want to do. Simple as that."

Shelley said the surgery he had in 2010 for aortic aneurysm resulted in damage to his diaphragm, leaving him unable to sing properly.

Often thought of as a cross between BLACK SABBATH and RUSH, the underappreciated outfit has influenced countless acts, despite enduring countless line-up shifts throughout their history.

The group originally formed in 1967 in Cardiff, Wales, comprised of Shelley (vocals, bass), Tony Bourge (guitar) and Ray Phillips (drums), and by the early 1970s they'd inked a deal with MCA Records.

This early lineup remains BUDGIE's most definitive, due to the fact that it spawned three of the group's finest albums — 1971's self-titled debut, 1972's "Squawk" and 1973's "Never Turn Your Back On A Friend" — while the group's quirky song titles became somewhat of a trademark for the trio (such ditties as "Nude Disintegrating Parachutist Woman", "Hot As A Docker's Armpit", "In The Grip Of A Tyrefitter's Hand" and "You're The Biggest Thing Since Powdered Milk").

Despite building a sizeable following in their homeland (while never breaking out of cult status stateside), Phillips left the group prior to their fourth album, 1974's "In For the Kill!", replaced by newcomer Pete Boot, which would in turn set off a flurry of steady lineup changes over the years for the group (the only constant BUDGIE member from the beginning was Shelley). Further releases were issued throughout the '70s, including 1975's "Bandolier".

Shelley and company would remain together for a few more years before splitting up quietly by the mid-'80s. But almost as soon as they disbanded, groups began covering BUDGIE classics, including IRON MAIDEN ("I Can't See My Feelings"), while back in its early club days VAN HALEN was known to cover the title track from "In For The Kill!"

Danish heavy metal singer King Diamond has paid tribute to vocalist/bassist Burke Shelley of legendary Welsh rockers BUDGIE who died on Monday, January 10 at the age of 71.

Earlier today, King took to his social media to write: "Sad news that one of my true heroes, Burke Shelley, has left us.

"I had the extreme pleasure to meet in person, Burke Shelley and Tony Bourge of BUDGIE, in Copenhagen Denmark, December 1975 during the 'Bandolier' tour. They gave me after the show a promo postcard of theirs which I asked them to sign, and which is still one of my most prized music related possessions.

"BUDGIE has always played on my stereo, and that's not going to change."

The news of Burke's passing was shared Monday by his daughter Ela. She wrote on Facebook: "It is with great sadness that I announce the death of my father, John Burke Shelley. He passed away this evening in his sleep at Heath Hospital in Cardiff, his birth town. He was 71 years old. Please respect the family during this time.

"With love, His four children: Ela, Osian, Dimitri and Nathaniel."

Two years ago, Shelley said that he was suffering from aortic aneurysm — a dangerous and abnormal swelling of the main artery that supplies blood to the body. He was also batting Stickler syndrome, a genetic disorder that can cause serious vision, hearing and joint problems. At the time, he told Wales Online that he turned down surgery because of the risk that it would cause irreparable spinal damage.

"I want to live what life I have left and not be crippled," he said. "I've got faith in God and have no worries about where I'm going. So I'll just go when He decides to take me and, in the meantime, I'll carry on doing what I want to do. Simple as that."

Shelley said the surgery he had in 2010 for aortic aneurysm resulted in damage to his diaphragm, leaving him unable to sing properly.

Often thought of as a cross between BLACK SABBATH and RUSH, the underappreciated outfit has influenced countless acts, despite enduring countless line-up shifts throughout their history.

The group originally formed in 1967 in Cardiff, Wales, comprised of Shelley (vocals, bass), Tony Bourge (guitar) and Ray Phillips (drums), and by the early 1970s they'd inked a deal with MCA Records.

This early lineup remains BUDGIE's most definitive, due to the fact that it spawned three of the group's finest albums — 1971's self-titled debut, 1972's "Squawk" and 1973's "Never Turn Your Back On A Friend" — while the group's quirky song titles became somewhat of a trademark for the trio (such ditties as "Nude Disintegrating Parachutist Woman", "Hot As A Docker's Armpit", "In The Grip Of A Tyrefitter's Hand" and "You're The Biggest Thing Since Powdered Milk").

Despite building a sizeable following in their homeland (while never breaking out of cult status stateside), Phillips left the group prior to their fourth album, 1974's "In For the Kill!", replaced by newcomer Pete Boot, which would in turn set off a flurry of steady lineup changes over the years for the group (the only constant BUDGIE member from the beginning was Shelley). Further releases were issued throughout the '70s, including 1975's "Bandolier".

Shelley and company would remain together for a few more years before splitting up quietly by the mid-'80s. But almost as soon as they disbanded, several high-profile groups began covering BUDGIE classics, including METALLICA ("Crash Course In Brain Surgery" and "Breadfan"), IRON MAIDEN ("I Can't See My Feelings"), while back in their early club days VAN HALEN was known to cover the title track from "In For The Kill!"


Sad news that one of my true heroes, Burke Shelley, has left us. I had the extreme pleasure to meet in person, Burke…

Posted by King Diamond on Tuesday, January 11, 2022

Pollstar is reporting that Gérard Drouot, whose career as a French promoter spanned more than 40 years, passed away on Monday, January 10.


A statement sent out on the morning of his passing by Gérard Drouot Productions, the company he launched in Strasbourg, France, in 1986, reads: "It is with immense sadness that we report the passing of our founder Gérard Drouot at the age of 69 while battling leukemia."


Drouot dropped out of medical school when he first heard Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, and followed his passion for music and live performances. His first events in the east of France included concerts by Nico and Tangerine Dream at Notre Dame de Reims cathedral in 1974.




The rock and jazz legends, who have put their trust in Drouot since, include AC/DC, ZZ Top, Asaf Avidan, Bruce Springsteen, David Gilmour, Diana Krall, Sir Elton John, Joan Baez, Joe Satriani, Lenny Kravitz, Luciano Pavarotti, Melody Gardot, Ray Charles, U2 and many more.  


Neil Warnock MBE, Global Head of Touring at UTA, worked with Douot on several artists, including Pink Floyd and David Gilmour, George Benson, Deep Purple, Yusuf/Cat Stevens, King Crimson, Katie Melua and Alice Cooper.


Read more at Pollstar.

Following their powerful single “The Last Crossing”, Dagoba’s brand new track, “On The Run”, marks a melodic moment for the French modern metal upstarts on their upcoming album, By Night, out February 18 via Napalm Records. A harmonic duet of soothing juxtaposed vocals shows Dagoba breaking free from genre limitations once more, proving them to be on the cusp of entering the hall of fame of modern metal.


Dagoba on the new single “On The Run”:  “I always wanted to release a track which verses only contain a piano and vocals and now it’s done! The main idea was to create a contrast between the calm of the vers and the huge chords leading to the chorus, where the voice is the main line. From the begining of the writing process, I knew that a female vocalist would join me on that track, and that is also brand new for us. On The Run is a daring track, but it will make you want to play it on repeat!”


After putting their stamp on the metal scene with their unique blend of metal and neckbreaking grooves, and relentlessly touring and sharing the stage with legendary acts like Metallica, Machine Head and In Flames, the French four-piece is gearing up to reach the next level with their most ambitious material yet.




Watch the music video for “On The Run”:





Dagoba deftly aces the balancing act between harsh breakdowns, dense walls of sound and grooving passages with ease. Even in its hardest passages, the album never gets too overwhelming - one smashing track is followed by the next, moving breathlessly with ease. By Night is a beast of an album showcasing how far Dagoba can take a multitude of influences and styles and combine them effortlessly. This is a must-have for true fans of searing modern metal.


Dagoba on the creation process of By Night: “We live in challenging times, and that’s not only because of the strength-sapping pandemic. Sometimes the world seems to be a dark place. We know it’s an ambitious project, but we really want our fans to feel good, and contribute to their happiness. Therefore, we deliver our blend of metal music. During the weeks and months in the lockdown period we had so much time to have a focus on the album production. We could look at every detail in each track, and after all By Night has become our most accomplished album so far. We are really happy with the new record and cannot wait to share it with our fans and the world.”





Varying in individual territories, By Night will be available digitally, as a CD (bundled with an exclusive t-shirt), as well as black and exclusive red transparent vinyl. Order here.





Tracklisting:


"Neons"
"The Hunt"
"Sunfall"
"Bellflower Drive"
"On The Run"
"Break"
"City Lights"
"Nightclub"
"Summer's Gone"
"The Last Crossing"
"Stellar"


"The Last Crossing" video:





"The Hunt" video:





Dagoba is:


Shawter - vocals/machines
Ritch DM - guitar
Kawa - bass
Theo - drums





(Photo - Morgane Khouni)

ENVY OF NONE, the new band from Alex Lifeson (RUSH), Andy Curran (CONEY HATCH), Alfio Annibalini and singer Maiah Wynne, will release its self-titled debut album on April 8 via Kscope.

Lifeson is no stranger to the concept of evolution. As a founding member of RUSH, he's been able to explore more musical ground than just about any other guitar player out there — taking rock to new progressive heights throughout the decades and always in the most wildly inventive of ways. His influence can be heard on countless bands around the world, from indie shoegaze and math rock to heavy metal and beyond. Over the last few years, Lifeson has been focusing on a new project that, no matter how well-acquainted you are with his discography, will undoubtedly shatter all seeds of expectation and blow the mind. That project is ENVY OF NONE.

"Envy Of None"'s 11 tracks — which ricochet between various shades of alternative, experimental and synth rock — throw surprises at every turn, twisting dark melodies against contemporary pop hooks. Lifeson himself is proudly aware of how little of it crosses over with the band that made him famous.

However, it was only when Wynne became involved that this truly started to feel like a band destined to go somewhere. Her haunting melodies and soul-baring intensity is — by the admission of her own bandmates — what truly brought this music to life. All things considered; she is a star in the making.

"I sent over an early version of the song 'Shadow'," explains Curran. "When I played what she'd done back to the others they were like, 'Who is this crazy talented person?!'"

The album's first single, "Liar", is out now. Its industrial beats, driving fuzz bass and atmospheric guitars concoct a seductive swirl indeed — thrilling in ways closer to the darker art rock of DEPECHE MODE, NINE INCH NAILS and A PERFECT CIRCLE than anything these musicians have been known for prior.

"Maiah became my muse," says Lifeson. "She was able to bring this whole new ethereal thing through her sense of melody on tracks like 'Liar' and 'Look Inside'. After hearing her vocals on 'Never Said I Love You', I felt so excited. I've never had that kind of inspiration working with another musician. When we say she's special, it's because she's really fucking special."

"One of my favorite things about these songs is the intimacy of them," reveals Wynne. "It makes them feel different and more honest. There are some heavier songs too, like 'Enemy', and then tracks like 'Kabul Blues', that sound completely different to anything else."

The album closer, "Western Sunset", which was penned by Lifeson in tribute to his dear friend Neil Peart. It's a highly emotive piece of music to honor a man deeply missed by the rock community at large, and even more so by those who were lucky enough to know him.

"I visited Neil when he was ill," says Lifeson. "I was on his balcony watching the sunset and found inspiration. There's a finality about a sunset that kinda stayed with me throughout the whole process. It had meaning. It was the perfect mood to decompress after all these different textures… a nice way to close the book."

ENVY OF NONE is:

* Alf Annibalini - Guitar, Keyboards, Programming

* Andy Curran - Bass Guitar, Synthesized Bass, Programming, Guitar, Background Vocals, Stylophone

* Alex Lifeson - Guitar, Mandola, Banjo, Programming

* Maiah Wynne - Lead Vocals, Background Vocals, Keyboards

"Envy Of None" track listing:

01. Never Said I Love You [04:06]

02. Shadow [03:21]

03. Look Inside [04:44]

04. Liar [03:13]

05. Spy House [02:23]

06. Dog's Life [04:36]

07. Kabul Blues [03:12]

08. Old Strings [05:15]

09. Dumb [04:19]

10. Enemy [04:16]

11. Western Sunset [02:25]

Nick D’Virgilio (Big Big Train, ex-Spock’s Beard), Neal Morse (Transatlantic, NMB, ex-Spock’s Beard), and Ross Jennings (Haken, Novena) will release their debut album, Troika, on February 25.  


Today, the band share the new video for the album’s second single and opening track, “Everything I Am”, directed by Christian Rios.


Neal Morse had this to say about the track: “A long time ago my parents allowed my brothers and I to go see the “Woodstock” movie in the theater. It was rated R and that was kind of a big deal at the time. I was rather overwhelmed with all the great music in that film and one of the groups that I fell in love with and stayed in love with was Crosby, Stills And Nash. You can definitely hear their influence in this song as the vocal blend that we got I believe almost gets to that level! I wrote this song one morning when my wife was having a bad day and it’s about how no matter what happens our lives are fully intertwined no matter what."







Recorded during lockdown, the process began with Neal Morse writing some acoustic songs that he thought would be enhanced by strong vocal harmonies. He already knew how well his voice blended with former Spock's Beard band-mate and Big Big Train drummer/ vocalist, Nick D'Virgilio who came on board and, considering a third man, the Americans sought out Haken's Ross Jennings from the UK to complete the trio. All three found they had songs that would benefit from the three part harmonic blend, and so they pooled their resources, inputting creatively into each others compositions.





Neal comments: “What a great pleasure it’s been to work on this album with these amazing artists! It was kind of funny… We had been working on the songs remotely for several months before I finally heard all of us singing together at the same time. The first time I brought the faders up, I knew we had the magic!“


Nick adds: “I've known and worked with Neal for over 30 years and I've been a big fan of Ross and the music he makes for a long time. I felt confident right away that this would be a fun project to be a part of. I was so right.”


Ross comments: "Receiving ‘The Call’ from Neal to participate in this project was somewhat of a prayer answered… As a long time fan of their work, I’ve been singing along to Neal’s & Nick’s records for years, so it felt really natural for my voice to slot right in."


The tracks took shape with the musicians recording all of the music and vocals separately, yet the eclectic performances burst with the energy and excitement of the collaboration. Acoustic anthems, charged rockers and sensitive ballads are all part of the mix, and the unique blend of Ross, Neal and Nick's voices and styles have created an album in which you will encounter these musicians in a way you've never heard before.


Troika will be available as Ltd. CD Edition / Gatefold 2LP+CD / Digital Album. Each format includes a bonus alternative version of the track "Julia" and is available for pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


"Everything I Am"
"Julia"
"You Set My Soul On Fire"
"One Time Less"
"Another Trip Around The Sun"
"A Change Is Gonna Come"
"If I Could"
"King For A Day"
"Second Hand Sons"
"My Guardian"
"What You Leave Behind"


"Julia" video: