Hailing from the cold, unforgiving wastelands of Hollywood, California, Ashen Horde is a two-piece band that strives to embrace a multitude of extreme metal sub-genres, without being bound to any one of them. Drawing influence from metal’s crème de le extreme, from Enslaved and Devin Townsend to Ihsahn and Opeth, Ashen Horde (aka Trevor Portz and Stevie Boiser (Vale of Phath, Inferi)), may have a sound rooted in death and black metal, but can’t truly be called either.
Originally launched as a one-man project in 2013 by writer and multi-instrumentalist Trevor Portz, Ashen Horde has released two albums, as well as several EPs, over the past three years. Beginning with the ambitious Sanguinum Vindicta trilogy, Portz has worked tirelessly to develop a sound that is both challenging and unique.
The band has just completed its third album, Fallen Cathedrals and has signed with Extreme Metal Music/Rockshots Records for its release on CD and vinyl in Europe and North America on March 22nd.
The duo has unleashed the concept album's first single and video "Profound Darkness".
The band explains the track:
"We slow things down a bit for this one, it is a song that is much grimmer and dark. The power has gone out across the entire poor part of the city, and the inhabitants—wary and distrusting of their wealthy neighbors—have decided that it must surely be the fault of the rich. Thus, they determine that the peace between the two sides is over and that they must get revenge."
A concept album in the vein of J.G. Ballard’s dystopian novel High Rise, Fallen Cathedrals explores class warfare and a society’s descent into primitive, warring tribes. Musically, the album expands further on the complexities of the band’s earlier releases, but with even more emphasis on progressive and melodic elements, even incorporating clean vocals for the first time. It will appeal to fans of the more progressive side of extreme metal, from Ihsahn and Borknagar to Opeth and Enslaved.
Portz states: "The forthcoming album, Fallen Cathedrals, is the perfect illustration of what Ashen Horde is all about. Musically, it draws influence from across the metal spectrum. There is hyper speed, blast-beat-fueled black metal that runs alongside pummeling death metal riffs; clean-sung melodic passages juxtaposed against face-melting screams, and headbanging beats intermixed with progressive odd-time signatures."
Tracklisting:
"Parity Lost"
"Profound Darkness"
"Retaliation-Regret"
"The Vanishing"
"Atavism"
"Cages"
"Final Ascent"
"Face Of The Enmity"
"Primal" (bonus track on CD only)
"Profound Darkness" video:
- Music and lyrics by Trevor Portz, with additional lyrics by Stevie Boiser
- Recorded and mixed by Trevor Portz at La Maida Vale Studios, Hollywood, CA
- Mastered by Dan at Mammoth Sound Mastering
The masked mutants of Creepsylvania, Ghoul, are pleased to undrape their hilarious, animated visual accompaniment to "Shred The Dead". The track comes by way of the band's Dungeon Bastards full-length, released in 2016 via Tankcrimes.
Director Zak Kirwin comments, "When I talked to whoever runs Ghoul's social media, I was itching to animate a Ghoul song. The music and aesthetic are right up my alley. When they came back with the idea of doing 'Shred The Dead', things really kicked off. Skateboarding, zombies, riffs, and grievous injury... what more could you want? After that, I was chained to a desk in a Creepsylvanian 'animation' studio, drawing till my fingernails cracked and bled, subsisting on nothing but corpse juice and old hot fries. I lost two fingers and partial vision in my right eye. Do I regret it? Of course not! Do I wake up screaming every night? Yes, but I always did that; it's just louder now."
Ghoul's Dungeon Bastards is out now on CD and digital formats. Tankcrimes recently repressed the LP edition (now available limited-edition splatter or blue vinyl) which includes a gatefold jacket that opens into the Dungeon Bastards board game. Players take turns advancing through a Creepsylvanian map; the first one to get to end of the map and jump the Wall Of Death wins. CD orders are available here, with vinyl at this location.
"Astorolus - The Great Octopus", the new video from Swedish doom metal legends CANDLEMASS, can be seen below. The track, which features a guest guitar solo by none other than BLACK SABBATH's Tony Iommi, is taken from the band's 12th album, "The Door To Doom", due on February 22 via Napalm Records. The disc unsurprisingly follows the plotline mastermind, songwriter and bass player Leif Edling established in the past years: epic world-class doom metal that relies on slow mammoth riffing.
Edling states: "Here's the video for 'Astorolus'. Monsters and Gods come in different shapes. The eternal wheel of birth and death portrayed in a cool video and great song. Talking about gods, the master himself Tony Iommi is playing the solo here (part 1+2 out of 3). Immense feeling, wonderful tome, so much presence! Just incredible! Hats off to him for helping us out. A dream coming true! Looking forward to play it live on the tour with GHOST. We're rehearsing it right now. New stuff and the old classics. Can't wait to go out on this tour. Johan is back singing, 'The Door To Doom' is getting brilliant reviews, the band is in great form... Will be a blast!"
Comments Iommi: "CANDLEMASS are a major force in Scandinavian heavy rock and have always acknowledged the influence we had on their music. They asked if I'd contribute to a track which sounded pretty good so I thought, 'Why not?'"
Adds Edling: "We feel very honored that Tony Iommi said yes to play the solo on 'Astorolus'. The song was sent to the management and amazingly enough, the master agreed to let his mighty SG sing on the track! For me personally, this is a dream come true. Tony Iommi has always been my hero and guiding light when it comes to heavy music, so to hear that he likes the song and also would like to play on it gave me chills down the spine! I'm still in shock! But kudos to him to be so cool to even listen to it. Hats off! Tony Iommi is and will always be God!"
"The Door To Doom" marks the recording comeback of newly returned singer Johan Längqvist, who recently replaced CANDLEMASS's frontman of the past six years, Mats Levén.
"The Door To Doom" track listing:
01. Splendor Demon Majesty
02. Under The Ocean
03. Astorolus - The Great Octopus (feat. Tony Iommi)
04. Bridge Of The Blind
05. Death's Wheel
06. Black Trinity
07. House Of Doom
08. The Omega Circle
Längqvist sang on CANDLEMASS's debut album, 1986's "Epicus Doomicus Metallicus", before exiting the group and being replaced by Messiah Marcolin.
CANDLEMASS's most recent full-length album, "Psalms For The Dead", came out in 2012 via Napalm Records. It was the last CANDLEMASS album recorded with singer Robert Lowe, who left the band just days before its release.
Tom Morello has released the Sean Evans-directed music video for his rendition of "Every Step That I Take". The song, which features guest appearances by Portugal. The Man and Whethan, is taken from the guitarist's latest LP, "The Atlas Underground", which was released last year. The disc finds the RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE guitarist also collaborating with artists like Marcus Mumford, Vic Mensa, Big Boi and GZA as well as EDM acts like BASSNECTAR, KNIFE PARTY and Steve Aoki.
Morello previously revealed that "Every Step That I Take" was dedicated to his late AUDIOSLAVE bandmate Chris Cornell, and that he had partnered with the SAVE (Suicide Awareness Voices of Education) organization.
"With the passing of Chris [almost two years] ago, and the momentum towards removing the stigma from mental health issues and suicidal thoughts, it was very important to have a song from that point of view," Morello told the Chicago Tribune.
The guitarist continued: "I've had mental illness issues in my family and among my friends in the past, and there's a current trend toward this demystification to encourage people, among your friends, loved ones and professionals, there is help and there are ways... 'Every Step That I Take' is about how the dreams, and depression, and love and the lack of it on the emotional steps of the gallows are processed."
Regarding the musical direction of "The Atlas Underground", Morello told Rolling Stone: "I wanted to make a record that was unapologetically a guitar album, but that had the sonic imprints of 2018." He added of the album's EDM influence: "What I heard in their music was very simpatico with the analog rock and roll music that I love best… It was the tension and release, it was the huge drops, it was the communal frenzy that they created, for me in the mosh pit, for them on the dancefloor."
Kane Roberts's video for the song "Beginning Of The End" can be seen below. The track, which features guest appearances by Alice Cooper and ARCH ENEMY singer Alissa White-Gluz, is taken from Kane's new solo album, "The New Normal", which was released on January 25 via Frontiers Music Srl.
Kane has involved some really amazing friends in the making of "The New Normal", including Cooper, White-Gluz, Nita Strauss, BABYMETAL drummer Aoyama Hideki, Kip Winger, Paul Taylor and Ken Mary. Three years in the making, "The New Normal" melds the old and new in metal for a truly outstanding album.
Kane comments on how the collaborations came to be: "I noticed artists that were busting down doors and at the same time kickstarting new ways of thinking about life and creativity. I knew I wanted to try to work with some of them. Nita Strauss is a killer guitarist. She really tore it up on the song 'King Of The World'. Her work on it woke me the fuck up and forced me to explore new guitar techniques to compliment her insane skills!
"Alice Cooper... no one individual has scorched the earth like my former boss. I started getting into recording 'Beginning Of The End' and realized I needed Alice to sing a duet with me. Not just a line, not just an intro, but sing throughout the song. I took the shot that he might be available at some point to get involved and when I called, he said, 'I'm in Hollywood. I'll be right over.' Full on stroke of luck.
"My approach to much of the album was cinematic in the hope that sounds and lyrics would create imagery and emotion beyond what I had done before. Keeping with that idea, I had Alissa White-Gluz (ARCH ENEMY) fall from the sky like some pissed-off dark angel in the middle of the song with Alice and I and burn the place down. Her attitude and singing prowess is stunning and I was so jazzed when she agreed to participate.
"I was obsessed with getting drum monster Aoyama Hideki from BABYMETAL. After he heard the song, he immediately came on board and played with controlled fury like only he can.... AMAZING!
"I also was also able to work with Brent Smith (SHINEDOWN) and Lzzy Hale (HALESTORM) on songwriting and they were, of course, a blessing to the entire process.
"Upon hearing a few of the early recordings, Michael Alago (the A&R guy that discovered METALLICA and WHITE ZOMBIE, to name just a few) offered to executive produce the project for me and got a lot of things done for that otherwise would have been impossible for me to accomplish.
"Last, but certainly not least, no one plays bass like Kip Winger or sings quite the way he can. Didn’t think twice about asking him to join up and he delivered, like always.
"My music has evolved over the years, even though I was out of the spotlight. Stepping into this new project, there are new styles and sounds evident, but I haven't made some false effort to distance myself from the past. People will notice a blend of influences from classic rock and metal to the hot bands that are emerging more recently. ZEPPELIN to VOLBEAT to ARCH ENEMY… they're all bringing crushing energy to rock/metal while creating truly awesome music.
"I was lucky to have found Frontiers because they allowed me three years to make this album and sort through my truest feelings and vocal/guitar skills to create something meaningful to me. There is a real concern for preserving the creative process at Frontiers, and to my way of thinking, there's no better place for me right now."
"The New Normal" track listing:
01. King Of The World (feat. Nita Strauss)
02. Wonderful
03. Beginning Of The End (feat. Alice Cooper, Alissa White-Gluz, Aoyama Hideki, Kip Winger)
04. Who We Are (feat. Katt Franich)
05. Forever Out Of Place (feat. Kip Winger)
06. Leave This World Behind
07. The Lion's Share (feat. Kip Winger)
08. Leave Me In The Dark
09. Above And Beyond (feat. Kip Winger)
10. Wrong
Kane previously recorded a total of four solo albums (also including the PHOENIX DOWN project released on Frontiers in the late '90s).
Kane's name and abilities first came to prominence on Alice Cooper's "Constrictor" album, which was soon followed by his self-titled debut solo album in 1987. More albums and tours with Alice followed, making Kane a well-known face in the business especially for his guitar skills, but also for his body-builder image and his now iconic machine-gun guitar.
As a solo recording artist, he landed a few Top 40 hits, and his varied musical background includes recording, writing and touring with artists such as Rod Stewart, Alice Cooper Desmond Child, KISS, Diane Warren, ALICE IN CHAINS, BERLIN, GUNS N' ROSES, Garland Jeffries and more. He's also written or recorded music for films like "Light Sleeper", Penelope Spheeris's "Decline Of Western Civilization", "Friday the 13th IV Jason Lives", John Carpenter's "Prince Of Darkness", and more. In 1991, his second solo album, "Saints And Sinners", for Geffen Records included the Top 40 Billboard hit "Does Anybody Really Fall In Love Anymore?", originally written by Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora.
"Wrath Of Asgard", the new video from THE THREE TREMORS, the new project featuring acclaimed heavy metal singers Tim "The Ripper" Owens (JUDAS PRIEST, ICED EARTH, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN), Harry "The Tyrant" Conklin (JAG PANZER) and Sean "The Hell Destroyer" Peck (CAGE, DEATH DEALER, DENNER/SHERMANN), can be seen below. The clip was directed by Rich Varville from RSVP Films in San Diego, California.
THE THREE TREMORS' self-titled debut LP was relesaed on January 18. The band nourishes in heavy metal anthems, and features the illustrious chops of guitarist Dave Garcia, whose tenacity fuels the fire, allowing the music to naturally flow in complimentary tone. Second guitarist Casey Trask picks up the pace and pushes the boundaries alongside bassist Alex Pickard, who highlights a melodic sensibility giving character to the overall tonality. On drums, the thrash machine Sean Elg adds in his perfectly placed fills and signature double bass patterns.
"Sean's band, CAGE, opened for JUDAS PRIEST on the 'Jugulator' tour in San Diego — that is where I first met him," recalls Ripper. "He hit me up about resurrecting the idea and actually doing a record, and then a band, to put this out in the live setting also, and I thought it sounded really cool. The record came out really strong and I think the fans deserved to have a thing like this actually exist. We performed two of the songs live already when I was out in San Diego shooting the video for the first single, and it was a blast."
"It was about five years ago, I was camping and thinking about the whole THREE TREMORS urban legend from long ago and what a shame it was that it never happened," says Sean. "Then I started thinking about if there was a resurrected 2018 version of it, who would I get, and Tim and Harry were at the top of my list. I immediately reached out to Tim, who agreed to embark on this adventure and Harry quickly joined next. It took a long time to put it together, create the right songs, and get it properly arranged, but the results are beyond my wildest expectations. I think the fans are really going to freak out on what we have done with this record, and live it's going to be almighty I assure you!"
"Sean and I ended up at a party together in Germany, where we were both playing the same festival, and he told me about the THREE TREMORS album he was putting together and asked if I would be into it," adds Harry. "He described the concept and how he wanted to bring this old idea to actual life and I said I was in. Once I started hearing the songs that were being sent over for me to record, I knew this thing was going to be really powerful. Then when I got sent the final mixes with all three of us on it, my jaw hit the floor on how well it all came together. For heavy metal fans, this is the ultimate."
THE THREE TREMORS' self-titled debut highlights artwork ingeniously created by renowned artist Marc Sasso (DIO, HALFORD, ADRENALINE MOB, DEATH DEALER), to showcase an apocalyptic battle between demonic hyper-wolves and the Three Tremors, who marched into an underworld overshadowed by evil forces only armed with bullets powered by heavy metal sorcery to reclaim the dystopian lands.
THE THREE TREMORS will kick off their first-ever U.S. tour on February 14 at El Corazon in Seattle. The trek will wrap up on March 11 at The Crafthouse Stage & Grill in Pittsburgh.
Brazilian symphonic metal band, Lyria, have released a video for the single "Let Me Be Me", featured on the band's recently released second album, Immersion.
The message is very clear: each person is unique and it is foolish to try to change for the others. In "Let Me Be Me", the band shows that it takes courage to be who you are and to live your inner truth. Recorded at the top of a building, the video was directed by Lyria in partnership with CS Music Videos, producer already known in the independent scene.
"Music speaks about freedom, how to get out of the other's eyes and see yourself as your own, with your defects and qualities, that make you a unique being. Some people project themselves into the other, pointing out defects", says Aline Happ, the lead singer and songwriter of the band.
The "Let Me Be Me" video was edited and produced by CS Music's Vinicius Hozara, who also directed and directed the film with Lyria. The capturing of images by means of drones was of Glauber Barros and CS Music Videos. CS Music Videos is an independent production company that has worked with Lyria on other occasions, such as the "Jester" video. The company has also worked with bands like Hatefulmurder, Cara de Porco, Ágona, among others.
"Brokenhearted Daydream", the new video from JETBOY, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's new album, "Born To Fly", which is being released today (Friday, January 25) via Frontiers Music Srl.
Founded in 1983 by guitarists Billy Rowe and Fernie Rod, JETBOY continues to crank out its brand of rock 'n' roll in the 21st century with the same passion that has existed from the beginning.
"Born To Fly" — put together by the band's core of guitarists Billy Rowe, Fernie Rod and vocalist Mickey Finn, alongside former FASTER PUSSYCAT bassist Eric Stacy and drummer Al Serrato — is the first full-fledged set of new material from JETBOY since 1990.
"The band wasn't working on any new material when Frontiers approached us," says Rowe. "Mickey and I had written one or two songs a few years back, but that's about it. For myself, I've been very into writing music and got very into recording, so I had a good amount of complete musical songs that I always felt could end up as new JETBOY material, and some of it did. But the majority of the songs on this album were written within a couple of months after we got the offer from Frontiers."
Rowe continues: "Writing and recording this album came so naturally, there was no struggle at all. We feel it happened at the right time and was meant to be.
"The spirit of the band has been at an all-time high ever since we started this new album. We shared ideas via e-mail and then demoed every song before enteringthe studio. Once we started tracking this album, we all felt something special was going on."
Best described as a blend of edgy rock and roll with a traditional blues-based influence, "Born To Fly" is the perfect vehicle to exploit the commanding style of JETBOY's classic rock 'n' roll sound.
"The musical inspiration for the "Born To Fly" album came from a lifelong list of influences from bands we all grew up on from the 1970s," states Rowe.
"JETBOY has always approached its writing with a simple, stripped-down, no-nonsense rock 'n' roll structure, starting with a great riff and a catchy hook.
"This album flowed so organically, everything felt like it was meant to be. We've also all really grown as musicians, which really helped capture what we feel is some of our best work to date."
Vocalist Mickey Finn says the "lyrics flowed amazingly fast, with most songs being written in one sitting. My feelings were to stay true to JETBOY's roots and style, but to also incorporate where we are at today, pleasing old and new fans alike.
"My wife was the inspiration for 'Every Time I Go' and my firstborn son inspired 'The Way You Move Me'. Our life struggles as a band and lifelong friends inspired tracks like 'Beating The Odds' and 'Born To Fly'. 'Inspiration From Desperation' covers our political climate in America these days, 'Brokenhearted Daydream' reminds us that love is sometimes fickle and hearts get broken, but don't let it destroy your heart — we have to learn to move on and allow love to come into our lives again.
"So, all in all, lots of inspiring messages on the record, as well as some good old rock 'n' roll fun and 'Party Time!' lyrics make it a well-rounded listen!
"Good Morning Midnight", the new video from Swedish rockers BACKYARD BABIES, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's upcoming album "Sliver & Gold", which will be released on March 1 via Century Media Records. The disc will contain 10 sizzling new songs following the exact same recipe that has made BACKYARD BABIES one of the most consistent rock bands of our time: a perfect balance between sleazy, punky, all-out party rock 'n' roll on the one hand, and decidedly mature, thoroughly melancholic tunes on the other.
While catchy sing-a-long smashers like the first single "Shovin' Rocks", album opener "Good Morning Midnight", the anthemic "Bad Seeds" or "44 Undead" will have you fist-pumping and foot stompin' along with your left foot in a cowboy boot and your right paw in a Chuck Taylor sneaker, the beautiful ballad-like album closer "Laugh Now, Cry Later" will cause you to shed a tear or two into your Jack and Coke.
"Sliver & Gold" track listing:
01. Good Morning Midnight
02. Simple Being Sold
03. Shovin' Rocks
04. Ragged Flag
05. Yes To All No
06. Bad Seeds
07. 44 Undead
08. Sliver And Gold
09. A Day Late In My Dollar Shorts
10. Laugh Now Cry Later
According to BACKYARD BABIES guitarist Dregen (real name: Andreas Tyrone Svensson), the "Sliver and Gold" title is a play on words.
"It is going to be a bit like if you cut yourself with a piece of sliver," he told Metal Casino. "It's a bit like our career. It's been golden moments, but it's also been kind of rough times. It's going to be hopefully the greatest BACKYARD BABIES album [yet]."
Regarding first single "Shovin' Rocks", Dregen said: "Since we're celebrating thirty years together as a band, the single is a bit like... it's kind of like a statement about how it is to play in a band in a three-minute song, which is kind of hard," Dregen said. "I think that the whole next album is going to be like the gold watch then you're at a [job] for a long time. It's going to be our own kind of, like, celebration — not just to our own band, but to the music form of rock 'n' roll."
Dregen said that the group approached the album's recording sessions in an unfamiliar manner. "We've done it for the first time after thirty years in a different way," he said. "Before, we've been writing the whole album, and then when we're ready with the songs, [we] choose the songs, enter the studio and start recording it. Now, we're writing songs, but when we have three or four songs that we think are great, we're entering the studio, we record these three or four songs, and we mix the songs and master the songs and they are, like, totally ready. Then we go back into writing, and we write new songs. We record, like, four EPs, and then we put it together as an album."
He added that he prefers the abbreviated studio sessions to more traditional album-length recording process. "Sometimes when you go into the studio and you have, like, 14 songs, it gets a little bit industrial," he said. "It's almost like going to work — it's like, 'Okay, drums for this song, next...' You lose kind of the heart of the song, because it gets very mechanic [sic]. Recording three or four songs, I always like. I love recording EPs or singles, because you have full control over what you do."
BACKYARD BABIES officially reunited in 2014, five years after they announced that they were going on an "indefinite hiatus." A new album, "Four By Four", arrived in 2015.
"Dead End Ride", the new video from former WHITE LION singer Mike Tramp, can be seen below. The song is taken from his upcoming studio album, "Stray From The Flock", which will be released on March 1 via Target Records. Staying true both to the timeless roots of rock 'n' roll and his own roots, it is a record that won't disappoint fans of previous releases from the Danish singer/songwriter.
With more than a hundred shows planned in 2019 to support the new album — starting off in the U.S. in February and March with 22 shows — this will be another great year for Tramp.
Stadium concerts. Number one chart entries with solo releases. History of rock'n'roll written all over him. Tramp has had it all. Right now, however, after spending the last two decades studiously carving out a solid solo career for himself, Tramp is happy being Mike Tramp.
"Many years ago, I realized that going back to basics, demanding nothing and being surprised if there was a tray of sandwiches in the dressing room was the way forward," he says.
"Stray From The Flock" is the latest in a stellar collection of records written and released by Tramp since 1997. From the excellence of his solo debut "Capricorn" to "Maybe Tomorrow", the Danish singer has been on a distinctive, solo journey that has seen him reinventing himself and reach a consistency in look, feel and a sound that centers on some of the finest, acoustic-based-yet-hauntingly melodic songs you'll ever hear.
Recorded at Ark Studio in Denmark and mixed in Sweden by Peter Masson, "Stray From The Flock" essentially takes the template of the 2013 release "Cobblestone Street" one step further. It’s also an album that pretty much wrote itself. "I picked up the guitar and the songs just started flying out of me," Tramp says. "I thought, 'Fuck! There's an album that wants to come out of here."
Mike will, of course, be touring in support of "Stray From The Flock", but, as with his previous solo excursions, there won't be any explosions, moving drum risers or confetti bombs on stage. There will just be a guy standing in the middle being the real deal.
"Stray From The Flock" will be released on on CD, double gatefold LP on black 140-gram vinyl, limited double gatefold LP on orange color LP, 180-gram (500 copies only), digital and cassette.
THE NEAL MORSE BAND — Neal Morse (lead vocals, guitars, keyboards), Mike Portnoy (drums, vocals), Randy George (bass), Bill Hubauer (keyboards, vocals), Eric Gillette (guitars, vocals) — is taking fans on "The Great Adventure" with its latest double concept album, which is being released today (Friday, January 25) on Radiant Records via Metal Blade worldwide. It is available in three formats: a two-CD package, two-CD/DVD special edition featuring behind-the-scenes video clips of the making of the album, and three vinyl LPs.
The official music video for the song "I Got To Run", taken from "The Great Adventure", can be seen below.
The follow-up to 2016's critically acclaimed "The Similitude Of A Dream" is the ninth studio album with Morse, Portnoy and George, and the third as a true collaboration with this current lineup. Together, Morse and Portnoy have launched four bands, but the one that has endured the longest and thus with the most musical output has been THE NEAL MORSE BAND.
"Let the great adventure now begin…" The closing line of "The Similitude Of A Dream" has proved to be strangely prophetic. The new album is exactly that: a perfect companion piece to "The Similitude Of A Dream"'s partial retelling of John Bunyan's "The Pilgrim's Progress". It has everything that fans would expect from an album by THE NEAL MORSE BAND, and more: rock, metal, classical and jazz elements appear throughout, as well as some killer melodies, all played faultlessly by some of the greatest rock musicians on the planet.
As Neal Morse explains: "This band continues to amaze me! I have to say it was a little daunting to follow up 'The Similitude Of A Dream' as it was such a special album and it delivered every night at our concerts, but I believe that 'The Great Adventure' will have a tremendous impact as well. This new double album is everything that I hoped it would be! I listened through last night and I was in tears at the end!"
Mike Portnoy emphatically agrees. He says: "How do you follow an epic double concept album??? Well, create another epic double concept album!! Hahaha. I always knew topping 'The Similitude Of A Dream' was going to be difficult, if not impossible, as I held it in such high regard, but alas, I am absolutely blown away with what we achieved here! We've created what is the ultimate companion to 'The Similitude Of A Dream'."
"Sometimes there are things that you just can't mess with," Randy George continues. "On 'The Similitude Of A Dream', we tapped into something special. I was sure that the follow up should be something quite different, but you have to follow your heart and follow the music where it wants to go. 'The Great Adventure' is nothing short of a miracle. It's similar to 'Similitude' in concept and form, but yet it's tougher and deeper in its tone! This is a powerful work and I look forward to playing it live!
True to the album's title, the creative process was indeed a "great adventure." Unlike many previous Morse albums, which have often been written and arranged within weeks, this time around these prolific and world-class musicians spent almost a year working on the end result, producing an abundance of top-quality material. This meant some ruthless decision-making: some already completed songs and characters had to go, and — with studio time running out–new links and ideas were being composed and recorded up to the eleventh hour. "A lot of work and re-work has gone into this," says Morse, "but I know that some of the most successful and far-reaching albums I've been involved with have been just like that. 'Sola Scriptura' and SPOCK'S BEARD's 'Snow' album come to mind."
Another key question that had to be addressed in the studio was how to pull all the ideas together into a coherent whole. In the end, what unlocked this "adventure" for Morse was the realization that 'The Great Adventure' needed a new voice and perspective. This time, it is that of the Pilgrim's abandoned son, a younger, perhaps angrier, voice than was heard on "The Similitude Of A Dream".
THE NEAL MORSE BAND will bring "The Great Adventure" to fans worldwide with a new round of headlining tour dates, which begin February 2 in Nashville at City Winery.
"Beating The Odds", the new video from JETBOY, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's new album, "Born To Fly", which will be released on January 25, 2019 via Frontiers Music Srl.
Of the new single, guitarist Billy Rowe says: "'Beating The Odds' features a spoken-word piece by the late, great Lemmy Kilmister. In 1990, Lemmy became friendly with us and jumped on stage at the Cathouse for our second album-release party to cover a rocked up version of Jerry Lee Lewis's 'Great Balls Of Fire'. A year or so later, Lemmy ended up helping out with some backing vocals on a demo, along with a spoken-word piece titled 'The Reading', which was written by Lemmy and Mickey [Finn, vocals]. In the breakdown of this new single, we edited a portion of the reading as we felt it was such a perfect fit for the track. The video was also inspired by Lemmy, with an animated story of a war pilot in a dog fight and beating the odds to survive."
Founded in 1983 by guitarists Billy Rowe and Fernie Rod, JETBOY continues to crank out its brand of rock 'n' roll in the 21st century with the same passion that has existed from the beginning.
"Born To Fly" — put together by the band's core of guitarists Billy Rowe, Fernie Rod and vocalist Mickey Finn, alongside former FASTER PUSSYCAT bassist Eric Stacy and drummer Al Serrato — is the first full-fledged set of new material from JETBOY since 1990.
The band wasn't working on any new material when Frontiers approached us," says Rowe. "Mickey and I had written one or two songs a few years back, but that's about it. For myself, I've been very into writing music and got very into recording, so I had a good amount of complete musical songs that I always felt could end up as new JETBOY material, and some of it did. But the majority of the songs on this album were written within a couple of months after we got the offer from Frontiers."
Rowe continues: "Writing and recording this album came so naturally, there was no struggle at all. We feel it happened at the right time and was meant to be.
"The spirit of the band has been at an all-time high ever since we started this new album. We shared ideas via e-mail and then demoed every song before enteringthe studio. Once we started tracking this album, we all felt something special was going on."
Best described as a blend of edgy rock and roll with a traditional blues-based influence, "Born To Fly" is the perfect vehicle to exploit the commanding style of JETBOY's classic rock 'n' roll sound.
"The musical inspiration for the "Born To Fly" album came from a lifelong list of influences from bands we all grew up on from the 1970s," states Rowe.
"JETBOY has always approached its writing with a simple, stripped-down, no-nonsense rock 'n' roll structure, starting with a great riff and a catchy hook.
"This album flowed so organically, everything felt like it was meant to be. We've also all really grown as musicians, which really helped capture what we feel is some of our best work to date."
Vocalist Mickey Finn says the "lyrics flowed amazingly fast, with most songs being written in one sitting. My feelings were to stay true to JETBOY's roots and style, but to also incorporate where we are at today, pleasing old and new fans alike.
"My wife was the inspiration for 'Every Time I Go' and my firstborn son inspired 'The Way You Move Me'. Our life struggles as a band and lifelong friends inspired tracks like 'Beating The Odds' and 'Born To Fly'. 'Inspiration From Desperation' covers our political climate in America these days, 'Brokenhearted Daydream' reminds us that love is sometimes fickle and hearts get broken, but don't let it destroy your heart — we have to learn to move on and allow love to come into our lives again.
"So, all in all, lots of inspiring messages on the record, as well as some good old rock 'n' roll fun and 'Party Time!' lyrics make it a well-rounded listen!
"Out Of Mind (It's Outta Sight)", the new video from Seattle progressive rockers PRESTO BALLET, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's sixth studio album, "The Days Between", which was released on December 14 via Rat Pak Records.
Founded by METAL CHURCH guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof in 2005, PRESTO BALLET combines the melodic and harmonic old-school aspects with the neo-progressive rock sound of today. While its sound is often compared to the early works of KANSAS, RUSH and YES, PRESTO BALLET still maintains its own identity.
In regards to the musical direction of "The Days Between", Vanderhoof comments: "This new album is a mixed bag of musical influences, ranging from the '60s to the '70s but done in a modern context. The songs are a little more focused on melody, hooks and song structure. It's definitely more on the melodic rock side and it has all the elements of the things that this band loves most about music."
"The Days Between" track listing:
01. Out Of Mind (It's Outta Sight) [6:29]
02. Earthbound [3:57]
03. Tip Of The Hat [ 5:47]
04. I Just Drive [ 6:22]
05. Hard Times For Dreamers [ 7:30]
06. I Am Wire [10:09]
07. The Man With The Plastic Face [7:00] (bonus track on CD version)
08. Brand New Minute [4:57] (bonus track on the download card that comes with vinyl edition)
The official music video for the song "Kakistocracy" from Northern Ireland rockers THERAPY? can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's 15th studio album, "Cleave", which was released in September via Marshall Records.
THERAPY? vocalist and guitarist Andy Cairns says: "Michael [McKeegan, bass] actually sent me this riff. It was mid-paced, with a heavy groove, a bit like HELMET.
"We've had a song idea kicking around for a while based around the line, 'It's okay not to be okay' and when we got this riff it was such a great head-nodder that it reminded us of something like 'Unbeliever' from 'Troublegum', with that same kind of chunky riff."
He adds: "Lyrically, it's about division again — the division between the haves and the have-nots. There's an awful lot of anger and frustration out there right now, and you look at this wealthy country and how it treats people, and so this song is kinda saying, 'You've got a right to be pissed off.'
"People in our country don't kick off against injustice enough."
Roughly themed around notions of duality and division, the band's follow-up to 2015's acclaimed "Disquiet" — and their first recording for Marshall — is a sharply focused, fiercely intelligent, impassioned and empowering set of songs from a band operating at a creative and artistic peak. A scathing, incisive state-of-the-nation address, investigating the schisms in contemporary society and the motivations of those seeking to propagate disjuncture, it's a powerful, challenging, uncompromising collection from a band never afraid to confront and dissect humanity's darkest impulses.
From the thrillingly propulsive assault of "Wreck It Like Beckett" via the addictive "Callow" and the unsettling "I Stand Alone" to the disquieting, bleakly beautiful "No Sunshine", the ten tracks which make up "Cleave" coalesce to paint a portrait of a fractured, dislocated world rent by unprincipled, mendacious masters.
Cairns is justifiably proud of the unified drive and restless creativity evident in this powerful, questing collection and says this about the opus: "I know that we can be a difficult sell, because we have no particular niche and no desire to conform, but THERAPY? have always been the kind of band that when people discover us, they immerse themselves deep and keep us close to their hearts. We've never been part of a trend, so we've never been cast aside when fashions changed.
"'Cleave', to me, is THERAPY? at our most focused. I love our more experimental side, but I also love that this record sounds like it was made by a band who're all reading from the same script and moving forward with the same determination and hunger."
"We're living in a time riven by conflict," Andy Cairns states baldly. "You look at what's happening in the United States at present, what's going on with Brexit in the U.K., with North and South Korea, with Palestine and Israel, and it's impossible not to see turmoil and turbulence. Some of these conflicts have been going on as long as I can remember, but they seemed to really reach a head again around the time we were writing the album. 'Cleave' is our response to the divisions we see all around us."
Cairns credits producer Chris Sheldon (FOO FIGHTERS, BIFFY CLYRO, FEEDER), who worked with the band on 1994's "Troublegum", 1998's "Semi-Detached" and 2003's "High Anxiety", for keeping the band fixated upon delivering their new material with maximum impact, streamlining arrangements and stripping away extraneous fat, setting aside ego in service of the songs.
The result is one of the most formidable, provocative and impactful albums of THERAPY?'s storied 30-year career, once again proving that the band's pre-eminence as one of the U.K.'s most inventive, fearless and individualistic musical artists.
SEVENDUST has released a music video for the next single from its 12th studio album, "All I See Is War". "Risen" is a live performance montage clip for the latest single that is impacting Active Rock radio. The video was filmed during the band's recent show in London at the Brixton Academy. Dan Sturge, known for his work with ALTER BRIDGE, directed the clip.
"All I See Is War" came out in May 2018. The follow-up to 2015's "Kill The Flaw" was recorded at Studio Barbarosa in Gotha, Florida with producer Michael "Elvis" Baskette, who has previously worked with ALTER BRIDGE and SLASH, among others.
SEVENDUST's new disc is the group's first for Rise Records, the Oregon-based metal and hard rock label which was purchased by BMG in 2015.
SEVENDUST recently wrapped a successful tour of the United Kingdom and closed out 2018 with three hometown shows in Atlanta at The Masquerade. The New Year's Eve show was broadcast live via SiriusXM and the band performed its sophomore release, "Home", in its entirety, another career first for the band.
SEVENDUST will head to the high seas on this year's ShipRocked cruise before headlining a tour of the United States with special guests TREMONTI. CANE HILL, LULLWATER and KIRRA will also be on the upcoming run of dates. The tour kicks off February 1 in Houston, Texas and wraps on March 3 in San Antonio, Texas.
In 2016, SEVENDUST received its first-ever Grammy nomination after two decades together as a band. "Thank You", the debut single from "Kill The Flaw", got the nod for "Best Metal Performance".
The music video for "Release The Soul", a brand new song from Florida death metal veterans MALEVOLENT CREATION, can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's latest album, "The 13th Beast", which was released on January 18 via Century Media.
"The 13th Beast" introduces a new lineup consisting of Phil Cancilla (drums), Josh Gibbs (bass), Phil Fasciana (guitar) and vocalist/guitarist Lee Wollenschlaeger (THRONE OF NAILS, IMPERIAL EMPIRE).
"No one can destroy this MALEVOLENT CREATION" is a legendary line by the late, great Bret Hoffmann, who passed away on July 7, 2018. Renowned and revered for his vicious vocal style and unique onstage presence, Hoffmann is impossible to replace, but co-founder Phil Fasciana decided to face the challenge and affirm the truth behind this lyric from the group's 1991 debut "The Ten Commandments".
"This is the biggest honor I could ever be given," says Lee. "The opportunity to front one of my all-time favorite bands, and an even bigger pleasure of jamming with such great people.
"We have created one of the most relentless albums of MALEVOLENT CREATION's history. As a fan, I know we are going to shock a lot of people at how intense this new album is. Done in a way only MALEVOLENT CREATION can.
"I can't wait to see all you guys on the road in 2019 and beyond, playing songs from all the albums, including our new album, 'The 13th Beast'!"
"Lee was the missing link when I was searching for a new vocalist and guitarist," adds Fasciana. "Each new member is a solid musician and songwriter sharing the same passion for extreme music MALEVOLENT CREATION has been striving for since 1987.
"I'm very proud of this album and look forward to present it live as well as songs from our massive back catalog, including stuff that hasn't been played live in a long time or ever."
Musically, "The 13th Beast" expands upon 2014's "Dead Man's Path" yet also incorporates a brutality known from albums such as "The Will To Kill" and "Eternal", which is further accentuated by Wollenschlaeger's understandable-yet-deeper vocal tone and songwriting contributions. Just like "Dead Man's Path", the record offers artwork by German Latorres, and was mixed and mastered by Dan Swanö at Unisound.
"The 13th Beast" was released as black and limited colored LP plus four-page LP booklet, CD, and digital album.
Track listing:
01. End The Torture
02. Mandatory Butchery
03. Agony For The Chosen
04. Canvas Of Flesh
05. Born Of Pain
06. The Beast Awakened
07. Decimated
08. Bleed Us Free
09. Knife At Hand
10. Trapped Inside
11. Release The Soul
MALEVOLENT CREATION is (from left to right in photo):
DEF LEPPARD guitarist Vivian Campbell spoke about the band's decision to record a a heavy cover of DEPECHE MODE's "Personal Jesus", at Spotify's studio for the streaming service's "Spotify Singles" series. The track was also included on DEF LEPPARD's latest greatest-hits collection titled "The Story So Far - The Best Of", which was released in November.
"Mike sent out an e-mail to all of us, asking us to come up with an idea of a song, a cover song, for the Spotify sessions," Vivian explained (see video below). "They wanted a classic DEF LEPPARD song, which we decided was gonna be 'Hysteria', and something that was a little bit outside of our genre — not a hard rock band. Don't be covering AC/DC or something like QUEEN or whatever. My first choice was ABBA. I thought that we would rock the hell out of ABBA because of our vocals. So I wrote back to everyone. I said, 'Knowing Me, Knowing You' by ABBA. I think we could do a good rock version of it. Plus, there's a little harmony line in it, an instrumental line, that would have been a great rock guitar line. I know it's a bit of a happy song, but I think we could have darkened it up a bit. Anyway, that got shot down in flames. But, fortunately, my second suggestion was, 'Why don't we do 'Personal Jesus' by DEPECHE MODE?' And everyone picked up on that. So, we did it. And, to be honest, it was probably a much, much easier song to do than anything by ABBA. But I still think we could rock the shit out of ABBA. Someday."
"The Story So Far - The Best Of" was made available in multiple configurations: a 2-CD set comprised of 35 tracks, 1-CD set comprised of 17 tracks, 2-LP vinyl, and digital. Among a blockbuster track listing loaded with timeless smashes, all four versions feature three new songs, including "Personal Jesus", "Rock On (Remix)" and the original holiday song "We All Need Christmas". As a bonus for collectors, the first pressing vinyl copies of "The Story So Far" feature an exclusive seven-inch single of "Personal Jesus" and "We All Need Christmas".
DEF LEPPARD will be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame this spring. The honor comes after the British rockers got the most votes in the Rock Hall's online fan poll.
One of the top-selling rock acts of of all time, DEF LEPPARD has been eligible for the Rock Hall since 2004.
The 34th annual Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony will be held March 29 at Brooklyn, New York's Barclays Center. HBO will broadcast a truncated version of the ceremony later in the year.
On January 18th, Last Union performed at Florentia Rock Live in Porto D'Ascoli, Marche, Italy. They have posted a full multi-angle live clip of the song "Back In The Shadow", taken from their full length debut, Twelve.
Last Union have been confirmed to support Delain for two shows in Russia in February. Dates are as follows:
February
16 - Moscow, Russia - Известия Hall
17 - St. Petersburg, Russia -Зал Ожидания
Last Union recently released a new music video and single for "President Evil". The track is taken from their debut album, Twelve, released on December 21st, 2018 via ROAR! Rock Of Angels Records. Watch the clip below.
The album was mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren, best known for his work with Arch Enemy, Symphony X, Devin Townsend, Angra, and Opeth, to name a few. The album artwork was created by Thomas Ewerhard (Avantasia, Rage, Threshold).
The quiet city of Tolentino in the Marche region of Central Italy not only boasts a rich historical background, it is also the place progressive metal band Last Union calls home. Founded by vocalist Elisa Scarpeccio, guitarist Cristiano Tiberi and keyboardist Claudio Feliziani in 2007, the band - originally known as Blazing Ice - embarked on their journey in the pursuit of sharing their thoughts and feelings about life, and ultimately their art, with the world. With the assistance of professional session bassists and drummers, the trio established themselves on the Italian scene with a string of shows that helped them evolve and refine their craft. Over the course of 20 shows, Last Union presented songs that would eventually make the final cut for their debut album.
Strong and positive reactions to their music spurred Scarpeccio and Tiberi on to take the first of many bold steps. The first was to invite drummer Uli Kusch to join the fold, who expressed interest in joining the band as a full member rather than just a touring drummer after hearing the music. A similar scenario played out with Symphony X bassist Mike LePond and Last Union was officially born. The icing on the cake, however, was getting Dream Theater vocalist James LaBrie to sing on three tracks.
Tracklisting:
"Most Beautiful Day"
"President Evil" (Feat. James LaBrie)
"Hardest Way"
"Purple Angels"
"The Best Of Magic"
"Taken" (Feat. James LaBrie) - Radio Edit
"18 Euphoria"
"A Place In Heaven" (Feat. James LaBrie)
"Ghostwriter"
"Limousine"
"Back In The Shadow"
"Taken" (Feat. James LaBrie)
"President Evil" (Feat. James LaBrie) - Video Version
Rising out of Phoenix, Arizona, Angel Black will be releasing their debut record Killing Demons via Rockshots Records. As the band blasts into their first single "Black Heart", one thing is clear, nothing is subtle about Angel Black. Big sound and melody set the mood for this classic heavy metal band. Angel Black doesn't look to re-invent heavy metal, they clearly go after their fans with an aggressive assault for the ages.
The band comments on the upcoming debut:
"The concept of Killing Demons is that everyone has some kind of demon. Money, Drugs, Sex, Power. They can all be a demon if you let them. We feel we touched on a lot of them with the songs on the album. Strikeforce, touches on the armed forces that keep us a free world. Cyber Spy, talks about how much we let government into our private lives. Black Heart, is about those evil women that take you down. We play honest pure heavy metal from the heart and we think that Angel Black will be well received as a band that gives the fans what they expect. Music that you turn up loud and play over and over again."
Las Vegas-based hard rock band, Bravo Delta, is slated to release their first full-length album, Unbreakable, on February 1st. A video for the title track can be seen below.
“This new album and single is three years in the making and features the best material we’ve ever created. Being broken, disconnected, kicked to the ground…and still having the will to get up, fight, and learn from it is the spirit of Unbreakable. And I think you can feel that in the music, the artwork, and everything about this new album," says Brandon Davis.
Bravo Delta was formed in 2011 and is comprised of Brandon Davis (vocals/guitar), Andy Ingraham (guitar), Brian Scott (drums), and Roman (bass). The band’s previous independent releases include two EPs Shutdown Sequence (2013) and Sunset Wasteland (2012). Their music has been distributed worldwide via all major online retailers, and has been heard on Sirius Octane, Pandora, and several terrestrial radio stations in the US.
Bravo Delta has shared the stage and toured with Nothing More, The Used, P.O.D., Corey Taylor (Slipknot/Stone Sour), Adelitas Way, Saliva, and Alien Ant Farm.
Tracklisting:
"Unbreakable"
"Fire"
"Numbers"
"Dark Room"
"Sleepless Dream"
"Karma"
"Virus"
"Modus Operandi"
"Lost At Sea V.1"
"Lost As Sea V.2"
"Insignificant"
"Dreamless Sleep"
"Knights Of Desire"
США
Ashen Horde![=]](/img/news-bord-shr.gif){kind=small}
Швеция
Бразилия
Дания
?
Великобритания
Италия
