SYMPHONY X Bassist To Appear On ASHENVEIL Debut

 

ASHENVEIL, the new "ambitious" female-fronted metal band out of New Jersey featuring OPERATIKA drummer Yuri Liakhovitch, has tapped Mike LePond of SYMPHONY X to lay down the bass tracks on ASHENVEIL's upcoming debut album, "Black Of Light", to be released this summer.

Described by LePond as "heavy metal-sounding BLACKMORE'S NIGHT," ASHENVEIL was formed in the summer of 2009 when a group of friends met up for a
jamming session. They clicked and the chemistry between the players was
obvious to all. At that point, the songwriting process began and the
direction of the band was musically defined and established. Eager for
great things to happen, after a series of extensive rehearsals, the band — under its former name, TRACE OF EMPTINESS — performed several
shows locally to get their foot in the door, gain exposure and start
building the fan base. However, it wasn’t until singer and songwriter Christine Greenwood joined in March 2010 to take over the vocal duties that the band was
able to maximize its potential and reach the point where "only sky was
the limit." With Christine's unique voice handling operatic
soprano or alto singing styles, modified and tailored for each
individual song, the band went on to record its first demo that was
completed by the end of April 2010. After a series of lineup changes, Rich Fischer on the guitar joined the band in 2011 and brought much-needed
technicality and versatility to complete the band’s unique and
multidimensional sound.

ASHENVEIL is preparing to film a promotional video for one of the songs on the forthcoming CD.

FATES WARNING's 'Inside Out' Album To Be Reissued As 3-Disc Package

 

Metal Blade Records has set a June 5 release date (one day earlier internationally) for the reissue of FATES WARNING's classic 1994 album "Inside Out". This re-release comes as a double CD plus bonus-DVD. It contains the
classic original album as well as live tracks from a German show FATES WARNING played in Düsseldorf in 1995 and unreleased demo takes. The bonus-DVD contains an assortment of live clips, from 1993-1995.

CD1 - Inside Out (re-mastered original album)

01. Outside Looking In
02. Pale Fire
03. The Strand
04. Shelter Me
05. Island In The Stream
06. Down To The Wire
07. Face The Fear
08. Inward Bound
09. Monument
10. Afterglow

CD2 – Live in Düsseldorf, Germany February 11th 1995

01. Outside Looking In
02. Down To The Wire
03. The Eleventh Hour
04. Point Of View
05. Face The Fear

Demos/Unreleased

01. Outside Looking In (demo)
02. Pale Fire (demo)
03. Shelter Me (demo)
04. Island In The Stream (demo)
05. Face The Fear (demo)
06. Monument (rough mix)
07. Circles (unreleased)

DVD - Inside Out Live

* Outside Looking In (1994/95)
* Pale Fire (1993/94)
* The Strand (1994)
* Shelter Me (1993)
* Island In The Stream (2010)
* Down To The Wire (1994/95)
* Face The Fear (1994/95)
* Monument (1994/95)
* Afterglow Slide Show

Extras:

* Live In Still Water (1994)
* Through Different Eyes (1995)
* Guardian (Mike Portnoy drums) (1994)
* Shades Of Heavenly Death (1995)
* MTV Europe Interview (1995)
* Eye to Eye (1994/95)
* Face The Face Of Fear (1994)
* Don't Follow Me (1994)
* Shortest Fates Warning Show Ever (1994)
* Guardian (Arch/Alder duet) (1994)

In a recent interview with Bulgaria's Tangra Mega Rock, FATES WARNING singer Ray Alder stated about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's
new CD, "We're trying as hard as we can. We have these shows [in Europe] and then we go to Brazil in April. And in the meantime we are working
as hard as we can to finish the album. Hopefully we'll have it out by
the end of this year, If not, the beginning of next year. We're trying
our best."

He added, "We need to finish writing right now. We
finished the first song. The demo version is already done. We'll
continue writing as we have a lot of ideas that we need to put together.
But the first song is done and I can tell you it's seven minutes long.
The recording process itself usually takes about two months and then
after that it's another three more months before the album is released.
So, we are talking five months out there after the album has been
written."

The "Parallels" lineup of FATES WARNING played a number of shows in 2010 in support of the released special edition of the album, which was made available through Metal Blade Records. In addition to remastered audio, there is a second audio disc of live
and demo material. The package also includes a DVD with nearly three
hours of material, including a complete live show from the 1992 "Parallels" tour and a documentary on the making of "Parallels" which includes live, studio, and current day interview footage with all the band members, Terry Brown (producer) and Brian Slagel (CEO of Metal Blade Records).

FATES WARNING's latest CD, "X", was released in 2004 on Metal Blade Records. The follow-up to 2000's "Disconnected" was recorded at Carriage House studios in Stamford, Connecticut and features cover artwork by renowned record-cover artist Ioannis (DREAM THEATER, SEPULTURA, DEEP PURPLE, BLUE ÖYSTER CULT, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, KING CRIMSON, BIOHAZARD, VOIVOD, UFO, OVERKILL).

SAGA To Release '20/20' In July

 

Finally reunited again with their original singer Michael Sadler, Canadian rockers SAGA will release the ultimate AOR/progressive rock album, "20/20", worldwide on July 6.

Since SAGA's foundation in 1977, the band has toured the globe various times, won
many awards and has sold over eight million albums worldwide. Their
musical style is defined by prominent guitar riffs, often in harmony
with a synthesizer, and complex keyboard arrangements.

The title "20/20", first of all, refers to the album being the 20th of SAGA, but in addition, it's a good luck wish to Jim Gilmour, who had to undergo an eye operation during SAGA's latest European tour. 20/20 stands for the perfect eyesight.

The album features ten brand new songs, never missing the distinctive sound of SAGA's legendary hits.

"20/20" track listing:

01. Six Feet Under
02. Anywhere You Wanna Go
03. Ellery
04. Spin It Again
05. Another Day Out Of Sight
06. One Of These Days
07. Ball And Chain
08. Lost For Words
09. Show And Tell
10. Till The Well Runs Dry

With striking keyboard sounds and Michael Sadler's stunning vocals, the album has all that it takes to become an instant fan favourite as well as a worldwide hit. The opener "Six Feet Under" features a dominant keyboard sound, roaring guitars and a chorus you
can't get out of your head. Followed by the catchy, high energy driven "Anywhere You Wanna Go", SAGA clarify that their original trademark sound is still going strong. The emotional ballad "Lost For Words" once again demonstrates Sadler's incredible vocal range.

Michael Sadler reflects his return to the band: "One thing that we agreed on was that, if and when I ever were to return, it would have to feel like it was
exactly the right thing to do and exactly the right time to do it!"

"20/20" will be available on standard CD and special edition, a premium CD+DVD
digipak edition. The exclusive DVD follows the studio recordings of "20/20" and gives a great insight behind the scenes of creating and recording a modern classic.

Following the new release will be summer and fall dates in Canada, USA, Europe and South America.

DEEP PURPLE Taps Producer BOB EZRIN For Next Album

Legendary hard rockers DEEP PURPLE have tapped Bob Ezrin (KISS, PINK FLOYD, PETER GABRIEL, ALICE COOPER, KANSAS) to produce their next album, tentatively due in early 2013. PURPLE guitarist Steve Morse tells GlideMagazine.com, "[This next CD is] probably going to be more of an extravaganza.
Everybody realizes we're not going to do this forever, so to me it feels like this is a really important album to do well."

DEEP PURPLE's 18th studio album, "Rapture of the Deep", was released in November 2005. It was the fourth studio CD from DEEP PURPLE since Steve Morse joined the band in 1994. It was also the second album to feature veteran keyboardist Don Airey.

"Rapture of the Deep" was produced by Mike Bradford, who also worked on the band's previous release, 2003's "Bananas".

RUSH: 'Clockwork Angels: The Novel' Cover Art Unveiled

 

RUSH's long-awaited new album, "Clockwork Angels", is being turned into a novel by Colorado-based sci-fi author Kevin J. Anderson, who wrote on Facebook, "Most of you are aware of my long-standing friendship with (RUSH drummer) Neil Peart . . . For more than twenty years, Neil and I have wanted to collaborate on something MAJOR, a way we could tie together our imaginations, and
at last that's happening. I'm writing the novelization of RUSH's forthcoming album, 'Clockwork Angels'."

Anderson added that he worked with Peart to "flesh out the epic story told over the course of the music," which
involves "lost cities, pirates, anarchists, exotic carnivals, and a
rigid Watchmaker who imposes precision on every aspect of daily life."

The "Clockwork Angels" novel will be released in the fall via ECW Press.

Regarding the book cover, which can be seen below, as well as the rest of the package, Anderson said, "[It is] one of my most beautiful covers ever. The central image is from the forthcoming RUSH album, with the type and cover design by Neil Peart. ECW will publish the hardcover in September (available for preorder now), a full-color volume with paintings and complete lyrics (and the novel
itself, of course).

"From the sample pages I've seen already, this will be a gorgeous book.

"The novel is a colorful steampunk fantasy, and I think it has a great deal of heart. Neil and I are very pleased with how it turned out-the creative synergy was amazing.

"'Clockwork Angels: The Novel' follows the story mapped out in the songs of the album, but the book isn't only for RUSH fans (then again, who isn't a RUSH fan???)."

RUSH's first new collection of original material in over five years and their first studio release via Anthem/Roadrunner Records, "Clockwork Angels" will be released on June 12.

BLACKMORE'S NIGHT To Release 'A Knight In York' DVD, Blu-Ray, CD

 

BLACKMORE'S NIGHT, the renaissance-inspired rock band formed by Ritchie Blackmore and his wife Candice Night, will release a live recording, "A Knight In York", on DVD, Blu-ray, CD and 3-LP set (limited edtion) in late June/early July.

"A Knight In York" was filmed and recorded during BLACKMORE'S NIGHT's British tour at York Opera House on September 30, 2011.

BLACKMORE'S NIGHT's latest album, "Autumn Sky", came out in 2010.

In addition to being known for its unique sound combining traditional instruments, guitars and Candice's enchanting lyrics and vocals, BLACKMORE'S NIGHT is also known for its fabulous live shows, many of which have been
performed at castles and other exceptional venues that add to the
mystique and warmth of its performance.

Recorded during Candice's pregnancy, Candice and Ritchie dedicated the "Autumn Sky" album to their daughter Autumn Esmerelda Blackmore.

Ritchie, 67, and Candice, 41, were married on October 5, 2008 at a small gathering of friends and family at Castle on the Hudson in Tarrytown, New York.