ProgPower Europe Updates

ProgPower Europe’s final headliner is now proudly announced - SYMPHONY X from the USA - who will headline the Saturday night.

Hot on the back of what is appearing to be their most successful album release, this five piece will be a very popular choice with regulars at the festival and their appearance will no doubt attract interest in ProgPower from new fans.

Other recent additions to the festival are LONG DISTANCE CALLING (Germany) and SUBSIGNAL (Germany) which leaves just one slot on the Saturday left which should be one of the forthcoming tour partners of SYMPHONY X.

The line up is almost complete and is as strong as ever - seven countries, fifteen bands, three days, no excuses!

A check of the website http://progpower.eu/ will show you links to loads of accommodation as well as a guide to travelling to Baarlo. It’s really easy and today nowhere is really that far. The music speaks for itself. Tickets can be obtained from the same site and have been kept as affordable as possible.

Booked so far - Barstool Philosophers, Subsignal, Seventh Wonder, Schizoid Lloyd, White Walls, In Mourning, Long Distance Calling, Symphony X, Sky Architect, Memento Waltz, Kingcrow, Sole Remedy, Mekong Delta, Redemption, - just one more to be named.

See you there!

More Details Revealed About Ex-THRESHOLD Singer's Passing

Andrew "Mac" McDermott, the former lead singer of U.K. progressive metallers THRESHOLD, passed away in England on Wednesday, August 3. He succumbed to kidney
failure after spending four days in a coma. He was only 45 years old.

McDermott had "serious health problems" in the months leading up to his death,
according to a June 2011 statement from the German melodic metal band POWERWORLD, with whom McDermott recorded the 2010 album "Human Parasite".

Commented THRESHOLD guitarist Karl Groom: "Mac played a large part in the story of THRESHOLD and appeared on five studio albums. He also sang on numerous fan club
releases and live albums. Although I have not seen him since 2007 for
the last video shoot in Leipzig, he still remains in our minds and there is a big sense of loss. I have spoken to and seen ex-members of the
band over the last two days who are all very saddened by this turn of
events. We remember Mac as being so vibrant and full of life, so find this news is hard to accept."

Added THRESHOLD keyboard player Richard West: "Mac had such a big personality and one of the world's greatest rock voices, it's so very sad that we lost him so young. Our thoughts and prayers
are with his family and loved ones."

Stated Ilker Ersin of POWERWORLD: "A friend is gone! We are very sad about our big loss. We can't find
the right words in this moment. Our sympathy and condolence goes to his
family. The world lost a gently, nice, honest and warm-hearted person.
We will miss him."

A condolences page has been launched at this location.

McDermott performed in clubs in England and tried to establish a band there in
his early years before he moved to Germany to join the band SARGANT FURY. After three albums, the band dissolved and in 1998 McDermott joined THRESHOLD as lead singer, replacing Damian Wilson.

Shortly after the release of THRESHOLD's 2007 album "Dead Reckoning", McDermott left the band, resulting in Wilson's return to the group.

McDermott's most recent musical project was SWAMP FREAKS, which "took some of the cool 'n' heavy from the '70s [FREE, LED ZEPPELIN, BLACK SABBATH] and mashed it up with some '90s anarchy [PEARL JAM, NIRVANA, ALICE IN CHAINS] threw in some RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS and a sprinkle of punk rock," according to the band's Facebook page.

New DREAM THEATER Drummer: 'I'm So Happy To Be A Part Of All This Joy'

New DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Mangini has issued the following update from the band's current European tour:

"I'm stunned at the crowds on this tour. I really am having so much fun that I can't wait to get back on stage. One more show: Budapest. As the rest of shows were [great], too, the Athens crowd just rocked the Earth all the way to Africa tonight. EVERY crowd has simply gotten the band's
message loud and clear and I'm so happy to be a part of all this joy."

"A Dramatic Turn Of Events", the much-anticipated new album from DREAM THEATER, which marks Mangini's recorded debut, will be released on September 13 via Roadrunner Records.

In a recent interview with Ultimate Classic Rock, DREAM THEATER guitarist John Petrucci was asked how the recent lineup change affected the songwriting responsibilities for the new CD. "We didn't write the music with Mike Mangini," he said. "We decided to go in and just write it amongst ourselves without a drummer [to] get more in touch with the intimates of the compositional process that every guitarist, keyboard player and bassist does when they're sitting around in a bedroom or hotel room or studio.
Just writing and pulling out the best music that you can, exploring different areas. We decided to do it that way, which was great — a really great environment for being creative."

When asked if the band ended up writing things that were really hard for Mangini to play, Petrucci said, "It's funny that you say that, because I programmed all the drums with a program, which was a lot of fun. I came up with some wicked stuff. When we finished, I sent it, asking, 'Is this something that you can actually play? I don't know, I'm not a drummer, is this a physically possible thing?' But then he came in a couple of months later, and here he was, a human being doing this stuff. I was blown away. It's fun doing that kind of thing because you can just come up with stuff that's
beyond your wildest imagination, drum-wise, and then make it happen in real life."

SOURCE: RNRCOLA

BLACKMORE'S NIGHT Singer CANDICE NIGHT To Release Debut Solo Album

Part fantasy, part weaver of magic, part willow the wisp: singer and song writer Candice Night releases her debut solo single, "Call It Love". The single is the first taste of Night's first solo adult contemporary album, "Reflections", set for release on September 27. "Call It Love" is now available for purchase on iTunes.

Commenting on "Call It Love", Night states, "So many people are so afraid of the word 'love.' It's
all-consuming, life-changing and can leave you so open and vulnerable
that saying 'I love you' for the first time can be a scary moment. We
hide behind so many other words to describe the emotion: fate, a dream,
luck that we met the right one... but once you give in and surrender to
the truth of being in love, there is a comfort and a warmth of
completion that doesn't come until you give yourself fully to that
incredible feeling of being in love. And there is nothing else like it."

Night was born and raised on Long Island, New York, and is often dubbed "one
of the most beautiful women in the world" by the international media.
She is frequently identified as a mix of Karen Carpenter's voice and a young Stevie Nicks, for her flowing skirts, but her ethereal voice and lyrics are all her own. As a frontwoman for the band BLACKMORE'S NIGHT, she also plays seven medieval instruments on stage, lending to the excitement and mysticism of the music of her group.

Night sang background for DEEP PURPLE in 1993; and on RITCHIE BLACKMORE'S RAINBOW CD "Stranger In Us All", she co-wrote four songs. She received a gold record in Japan for her co-writing efforts and one of her songs, "Black Masquerade", was chosen as "Best Song Of The Year" in 1995. Her song "Ariel" won accolades in Europe and charted at #2, as well as being the official German soccer song, and "Black Masquerade" was #1 in Japan.

Night is the lead singer and writes all the lyrics for the songs for her current group BLACKMORE'S NIGHT. Their first album, "Shadow Of The Moon", earned Night a second gold record in 1997. Since then, she has been
awarded gold records and other many international awards for her writing and performances in BLACKMORE'S NIGHT. In addition, Night has appeared on a PBS special. The most recent BLACKMORE'S NIGHT album, "Autumn Sky", entered the Billboard New Age chart at No. 1. Many celebrities have gathered to see Night perform live in concert, including Sarah Brightman, Cuba Gooding Jr. and many others.

Night is now releasing her first solo project, "Reflections", which is an adult contemporary album that showcases a different side to her extraordinary talent and voice. "Reflections" is emanated from Night's personal experiences as a woman, devoted mother and musician.

Allow yourself a chance to get lost in the passions, the mysteries, and the ever-changing kaleidoscope of Candice Night — reflected in her vocals, her lyrics and her music.

SOURCE: RNRCOLA

MASTODON Partners With TOTAL IMMERSION To Create Augmented Reality Experience For 'The Hunter'

"The Hunter", the new album from Atlanta progressive metallers MASTODON, will be released in several configurations that feature an exciting
interactive 3D experience known as Augmented Reality. The technology,
created by Los Angeles-based company Total Immersion, combines
virtual and real worlds to create a 3D one-of-a-kind interactive
experience that users can control. Just by using a camera on a computer, their own face and the cover art on "The Hunter", the user can turn themselves into "The Hunter" sculpture that is pictured on the cover.

Though the track "Black Tongue" from "The Hunter" has already made its presence known, "Curl Of The Burl" will be the first official single from the album and will be digitally
released worldwide on August 16 through all digital music retailers. A
video for the track will be filmed in the near future.

The physical configurations for "The Hunter", which will be released by Reprise Records on September 27, are as follows:

*
Standard CD: Includes the album's 13 tracks, plus a basic Augmented
Reality Experience in which the users head becomes the "creature" on the
album's front cover in full 3D.

* Deluxe Physical CD/DVD: Sold
as a 13-song digipack with an alternative cover, this package includes
the standard CD, with the basic Augmented Reality Experience, plus a DVD
that includes a track-by-track, psychedelic visualizer, the "Deathbound" and "Black Tongue" videos.

*
Direct-To-Fan Package: This exclusive package will be comprised of the
complete 13-song digipack album. Additionally, buyers will receive two
digital bonus tracks on day of release (more on that soon). An
exclusive insert will be included which triggers an enhanced Augmented
Reality Experience and contains additional embedded content (again, more
on the subject to be revealed shortly). Also included is a 20" x 30"
lenticular poster of the standard album cover artwork.

"The Hunter" track listing:

01. Black Tongue
02. Curl Of The Burl
03. Blasteroid
04. Stargasm
05. Octopus Has No Friends
06. All The Heavy Lifting
07. The Hunter
08. Dry Bone Valley
09. Thickening
10. Creature Lives
11. Spectrelight
12. Bedazzled Fingernails
13. The Sparrow
14. The Ruiner (limited-edition bonus track)
15. Deathbound (limited-edition bonus track)

"Curl Of The Burl" will make its online debut on August 6.

The follow-up to 2009's "Crack The Skye" will be MASTODON's third studio CD to be made available on Reprise Records in the U.S. and Canada and the band's first to be issued through Roadrunner Records outside of North America.

The visual companion to the song "Black Tongue", featuring contemporary American folk artist A.J. Fosik, creator of "The Hunter" cover art piece, can be seen below.

When asked about the sound of MASTODON's forthcoming album, drummer Brann Dailor told the German edition of Metal Hammer magazine, "When you listen to the songs, they don't sound as 'fun' as
we perceive them to be, I guess; it's still pretty extremely heavy
material." He added, "We had a few songs that were kind of, not left
over from 'Crack The Skye', but just stuff that we wanted to be
on that album, but that album kind of took on a whole different thing of its own and there were a few stragglers that were super-heavy and crazy that didn't make it, and we finally got to put them on this record. And then we wrote a whole bunch of brand new stuff. There's, like, 14 songs that we recorded. And it's sort all over the place — a lot of different sounds. Some straight-up classic-rock-sounding songs, straight-up death metal-sounding songs and some completely bizarre, weirdo rock songs
that we're not really sure what they are, but we love them."

"The Hunter" was recorded at Doppler Studios in Atlanta with producer Mike Elizondo. Drum tracks were previously completed in Los Angeles at the legendary Sound City Studios where NIRVANA's masterwork "Nevermind" was recorded.

Former THRESHOLD Singer ANDREW 'MAC' MCDERMOTT Dies

Andrew "Mac" McDermott, the former lead singer of U.K. progressive metallers THRESHOLD, reportedly passed away in England yesterday (Wednesday, August 3). A condolences page has been launched at this location.

McDermott had "serious health problems" in the months leading up to his death,
according to a June 2011 statement from the German melodic metal band POWERWORLD, with whom McDermott recorded the 2010 album "Human Parasite".

"I'm very sad about our big loss," POWERWORLD bassist Ilker Ersin stated about his former bandmate's passing. "I can't find the right words in this moment."

McDermott performed in clubs in England and tried to establish a band there in
his early years before he moved to Germany to join the band SARGANT FURY. After three albums, the band dissolved and in 1998 McDermott joined THRESHOLD as lead singer, replacing Damian Wilson.

Shortly after the release of THRESHOLD's 2007 album "Dead Reckoning", McDermott left the band, resulting in Wilson's return to the group.

McDermott's most recent musical project was SWAMP FREAKS, which "took some of the cool 'n' heavy from the '70s [FREE, LED ZEPPELIN, BLACK SABBATH] and mashed it up with some '90s anarchy [PEARL JAM, NIRVANA, ALICE IN CHAINS] threw in some RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS and a sprinkle of punk rock," according to the band's Facebook page.

SYMPHONY X Bassist Joins SLEEPY HOLLOW

Reunited heavy metal band SLEEPY HOLLOW has recruited Mike LePond (SYMPHONY X) as its new bassist.

LePond will make his live debut with SLEEPY HOLLOW on November 5 at Metal'cuse at the Fusion Room in Syracuse, New York. This will be SLEEPY HOLLOW's first show in over 20 years. The band is also planning a few more concerts for later this year in mid-November and into early December.
Commented SLEEPY HOLLOW: "Our original bass player, Steve Brink, was not able to commit to us in any capacity. He did contribute the artwork for our new album and we thank him with the understanding that although he will not participate in any future projects with us, he
will, however, always be a part of the SLEEPY HOLLOW family. We wish him the very best in his future endeavors. As for Mike LePond, he has graciously accepted to step in for us until a permanent member is found and needless to say we are thrilled to have him with us for our live shows later this year."

"Midnight", the new video from the SLEEPY HOLLOW, can be seen below. The song comes off the group's new album, "Skull 13", due this fall via Pure Steel Records/High Roller Records. The CD was recorded primarily at No Oulet Studio in Chester Springs, Pennsylvania with producers Steve Stegg and Eric Fisher.

SOURCE: RNRCOLA

DREAM THEATER Announces North American Tour Dates

Progressive metal giants DREAM THEATER will release their new album, "A Dramatic Turn Of Events", on September 13 via Roadrunner Records. The CD, which marks the recorded debut of new drummer Mike Mangini, will be made available in the standard version; a special edition CD/DVD set will include "The Spirit Carries On" — a 60-minute movie documenting DREAM THEATER’s much-discussed drummer auditions; a double LP set in gatefold jacket; and a limited deluxe collector's edition box set. The "A Dramatic Turn Of Events" deluxe collector’s edition box set includes the "A Dramatic Turn Of Events" album; instrumentals of the entire album; the DVD of "The Spirit Carries On"; a double-LP set of "A Dramatic Turn Of Events" (180-gram vinyl in gatefold jacket); DREAM THEATER-branded custom turntable slipmat; and a litho print of album. Also, 50 lucky winners will find a DREAM THEATER "Ticket For Life," which is randomly inserted into packaging. All the content will be housed in a custom box and those who purchase will
receive a digital download of the album the day prior to release.

"It's a really cool collection dedicated to the art and music of our
forthcoming release, along with a few awesome goodies," guitarist John Petrucci said.

DREAM THEATER is also planning to embark on a massive world tour, where they will play selections from "A Dramatic Turn Of Events", as well as classic, staples and fan favorites. Labelmates TRIVIUM will appear on many dates, supporting their new album, "In Waves".

"We are all very pumped about the release of 'A Dramatic Turn Of Events' this September, as well as the world tour we'll embark upon in support of the album," said Petrucci. "Our first leg will bring us throughout North America where we'll showcase songs from the new album along with tons of fan favorites and a brand new tour production unlike any other that we've done before.
We're equally excited to have our friends in TRIVIUM join us. It's sure to be an incredible tour. We're looking forward to seeing all of our friends on the road this fall!"

The initial confirmed run of dates is below, with more to be announced imminently.

Sep. 24 - San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield
Sep. 25 - Los Angeles, CA - Nokia Theater
Sep. 27 - Seattle, WA - Showbox SODO
Sep. 28 - Vancouver, BC - Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Oct. 03 - Royal Oak, MI - Royal Oak Music Theatre (no TRIVIUM)
Oct. 04 - Pittsburgh, PA - Trib Total Media Amphitheatre
Oct. 06 - Toronto, ON - Massey Hall
Oct. 07 - Montreal, QC - Place des Arts
Oct. 08 - Quebec City, QC - Pavilion de la Jeunesse
Oct. 10 - Boston, MA - Orpheum Theatre
Oct. 11 - Morristown, NJ - Mayo Performing Arts Center
Oct. 12 - New York, NY - Beacon Theatre
Oct. 22 - Clearwater, FL - Ruth Eckerd Hall (no TRIVIUM)
Oct. 25 - Houston, TX - Verizon Wireless Theater
Oct. 26 - Austin, TX - Bass Concert Hall

"A Dramatic Turn Of Events" deluxe collector's edition:

CD1

01. On The Backs Of Angels
02. Build Me Up, Break Me Down
03. Lost Not Forgotten
04. This Is The Life
05. Bridges In The Sky
06. Outcry
07. Far From Heaven
08. Breaking All Illusions
09. Beneath The Surface

CD 2

01. On The Backs Of Angels (instrumental)
02. Build Me Up, Break Me Down (instrumental)
03. Lost Not Forgotten (instrumental)
04. This Is The Life (instrumental)
05. Bridges In The Sky (instrumental)
06. Outcry (instrumental)
07. Far From Heaven (instrumental)
08. Breaking All Illusions (instrumental)
09. Beneath The Surface (instrumental)

You can now pre-order this set at this location.

In a recent interview with Revolver magazine, DREAM THEATER guitarist John Petrucci stated about the departure of the band's drummer and founding member Mike Portnoy, "I love Mike. We've known each other for so long… I met him when I was, what, 17? We
went to Berklee [College Of Music] together. We went through everything. He's an awesome guy.

"It was a heartbreaking chapter in our
lives, but it's just one of those things in life where there's a big
change, and you don't expect it, and what matters is the way face that
change. You can embrace it or you can run from it. We just chose to move
on."

On the topic of "A Dramatic Turn Of Events", Petrucci said, "It's everything that makes DREAM THEATER what it is. It's all our elements — metal elements, progressive
elements, melodic elements, and all the playing and fusion elements
we've always had. I try to stay pure to the initial conception of our
band; we're a progressive band and we're a metal band, mixed.

"We
always try to push some sort of boundary and do something that's a
little bit different, some sort of element we haven't done before.
You'll hear that for sure. You don't want to repeat yourself, but at the
same time it's important to stay focused on what makes up the sound of
the band.

"My favorite bands growing up were YES and RUSH, so 'Hemispheres', 'Close To The Edge', 'And You An I' — those big, dramatic songs are a huge part of what we do, married with the metal sound and melodic sound that makes us unique. That's always
be there."