KAIPA Set to Release New Album VITTJAR on August 28

KAIPA Set to Release New Album VITTJAR on August 28

The Swedish progressive folk-rock-fusion band KAIPA will be releasing their new album VITTJAR on August 28 via InsideOut Music.  KAIPA's unique sound is constantly evolving, and regardless of what direction it takes, it always carries a profound breath from the inner-most depths of the ancient Swedish primeval forest.  This time around, KAIPA even uses the Swedish language in the title track to further express and stress these close bonds with their mother country. While recording VITTJAR, each of the musicians recorded their parts separately using several different studios.  As the voice of the band, Hans Lundin led the group in deciding how songs would be assembled,  giving credence to the old-school belief that present day technology - no matter how useful it may be in the studio - is no substitute for experience.  Lundin is as experienced as they come, having recorded his first single in 1965. VITTJAR gives a new and true meaning to the "progressive" stamp and ultimately puts KAIPA outside the genre box.  It's a label that Lundin has lived with for years, and he sees no reason to fight it even as KAIPA's music continues to evolve.  "It doesn't matter what we do, we'll always be placed in progressive rock," says Lundin.  "When I'm writing songs I actually try to avoid a traditional way of writing and playing progressive rock, but at the same time those elements are a part of me and my history. So, I hope the result is something new and fresh. Of course, the special influence of Swedish folk music helps accomplish that, and I think it grows with every Kaipa album."   Track Listing: First Distraction Lightblue and Green Our Silent Ballroom Band Vittjar Treasure-House A Universe of Tinyness The Crowned Hillsides Second Distraktion Line Up: Hans Lundin: Electric and acoustic keyboards, vocals Per Nilsson: Electric and acoustic guitars (Scar Symmetry) Morgan Ågren: Drums (Mats & Morgan, Zappa) Jonas Reingold: Electric basses (The Flower Kings, Karmakanic) Patrik Lundström: Vocals (Ritual) Aleena Gibson: Vocals Special guests: Fredrik Lindqvist: Recorders & whistles (Ritual) Elin Rubinsztein: Violin For more information on KAIPA, please visit:   www.kaipa.info www.myspace.com/kaipa www.facebook.com/Kaipa.music www.insideoutmusic.com

BEARDFISH Set to Release New Album THE VOID on August 28

BEARDFISH Set to Release New Album THE VOID on August 28

Photo Credit: Annie Argen Less than two years after the release of their last record, the critically acclaimed Mammoth, BEARDFISH have returned with a new masterpiece, THE VOID, which will be released August 28 via InsideOut Music. The album is darker and heavier, and in some parts even has a bit of a metal edge to it, while still incorporating all that BEARDFISH and their typical warm retro-sound stand for. The band comments: "We went full-on with this one... We've had some trouble in the past conveying our live energy on the studio albums. This is the one that shines through! It's an album about loss. It's about love. It celebrates both life and death and the struggle in between to heal the wounds that don't show and to actually take the step to move forward in life. We've been waiting to share these songs with all of you for a while now and we, Beardfish, are really proud to present to you 'The Void'."   Track Listing: 01 Intro (by Andy Tillison) 02 Voluntary Slavery 03 Turn To Gravel 04 They Whisper 05 This Matter Of Mine 06 Seventeen Again 07 Ludvig & Sverker 08 He Already Lives In You 09 Note I. Note II. Descending III. The Void IV. Note (reprise) 10 Where The Lights Are Low Bonus Track: 11 Ludvig & Sverker Solo Piano Version Line Up: Rikard Sjöblom - vocals, keyboards David Zackrinsson - guitars Robert Hansen - bass Magnus Östgren - drums Discography: Fran En Plats Du Ej Kan Se (2003) The Sane Day (2006) Sleeping In Traffic: Part One (2007) Sleeping In Traffic: Part Two (2008) Destined Solitaire (2009) Mammoth (2011) The Void (2012) For more information on BEARDFISH, please contact: www.beardfishband.com www.facebook.com/beardfish www.myspace.com/beardfishband www.insideoutmusic.com

MIKE PORTNOY, PAUL GILBERT Featured On New NEAL MORSE Album 'Momentum'

 

Coming off a highly successful 2011 marked by the release of the critically acclaimed "Testimony 2" and an enthusiastically attended tour throughout the U.S., Mexico and Europe, Neal Morse could easily have justified going on a creative hiatus to catch his
breath. But that would fly in the face of his convictions and the sense
that he is being led to build upon the swell of success he is
experiencing.

In January 2012, Morse was pondering the
possibilities of a change in direction. After all, it had been a decade
since he left the progressive rock stalwart SPOCK'S BEARD to
pursue a solo career that would allow him to write more freely about his personal faith. And in that time he had recorded six impressive studio
records that were heralded for their unique hybrid of epic compositions
that tested the boundaries of musicianship while maintaining a
remarkable sense of melody through irresistible hooks and addictive
choruses. He could have taken a break. Or gone in an entirely new
direction. But he felt led otherwise, as summed up in the new record's
title track: "You've got some new momentum, you better keep going."

Morse's long time studio partner and friend Mike Portnoy (DREAM THEATER, ADRENALINE MOB, AVENGED SEVENFOLD) had a small window in January 2012 when he could record. The only
problem was, there was only one song and a few bits and pieces written.
Taking a leap of faith, he scheduled a recording session with the
drumming legend and longtime bass player Randy George in two weeks, hoping that the music would arrive before the musicians. And boy did it ever.

"Momentum" features five exceptional stand alone songs and one longer conceptual
piece. In addition to the accessible title track, there's the quirkily
clever, GENTLE GIANT-inspired "Thoughts Part 5", which follows in the footsteps of the previous "Thoughts" tracks penned by Morse with SPOCK'S BEARD. "Smoke and Mirrors" trods an introspective, acoustic path, while "Weathering Sky" offers a raucous cry for deliverance and renewal from a searching soul. Rounding out the shorter tracks is "Freak", an upbeat, strings-charged song unlike anything Neal has recorded to date. Last comes "World Without End", a near-34-minute, six-part epic that contains everything that defines Morse as a master of the genre.

Another highlight of this record is that, in addition to a masterful solo by guitar wizard Paul Gilbert, there are contributions from Adson Sodré, Bill Hubauer and Eric Gillette — three musicians who were selected as members of Morse's new touring band through an exciting YouTube-driven open-audition process.

While "Momentum" propels Morse forward and further cements his standing as a prolific
progressive rock icon, it steers clear of the potential "more of the
same" trap, and features fresh musical angles and some of the finest
performances to date by the Morse, Portnoy, George team.

The release of "Momentum" on September 11 will be quickly followed up by a North American tour
that spotlights the fresh talent of his new live band, with stops in
such cities as Nashville, Jacksonville, New York, Chicago, Denver, Los
Angeles, Seattle and Mexico City.

Much to the delight of progressive rock fans around the globe, Neal Morse is moving ahead with "Momentum", and there doesn't appear to be any kind of end to his unique creative talent in sight.

"Momentum" track listing:

01. Momentum (6:25)
02. Thoughts Part 5 (7:51)
03. Smoke and Mirrors (4:38)
04. Weathering Sky (4:15)
05. Freak (4:29)
06. World Without End (33:39)
i) Introduction
ii) Never Pass Away
iii) Losing Your Soul
iv) The Mystery
v) Some Kind of Yesterday
vi) World Without End

Total Length: 61:17

* Written and produced by Neal Morse
* "Thoughts Part 5" - Written by Neal Morse and Randy George
* "Smoke and Mirrors" and "The Mystery" - Music by Neal Morse, lyrics by Chris Thompson and Neal Morse
* Mixed by Rich Mouser

Featured musicians:

* Neal Morse - Keyboards, Guitars, Vocals
* Mike Portnoy - Drums
* Randy George - Bass

Additional musicians:

* Paul Gilbert - Guitar solo on "Momentum"
* Adson Sodré - Guitar Solos on "World Without End"
* Bill Hubauer - Clarinet, flute, guitar and additional keys on "The Mystery"
* Eric Gillette - Additional vocals on "Thoughts Part 5"
* Wil Morse - Additional vocals on "Thoughts Part 5"
* Chris Carmichael - Strings
* Rick Altizer - Additional vocals on "Weathering Sky" and "Smoke and Mirrors"

BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME: New Album Details Revealed

 

Progressive rock/cutting-edge metal innovators BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME have set "The Parallax II: Future Sequence" as the title of their new full-length album. The CD, which clocks in at approximately 72 minutes, will be released October 9 and features
artwork from Charlotte, North Carolina artist and designer Chandler Owen (UNDEROATH, SHAI HULUD, HOPESFALL). The group — Tommy Rogers (vocals / keyboards), Paul Waggoner (guitar), Dustie Waring (guitar), Blake Richardson (drums / percussion) Dan Briggs (bass) — is currently preparing for its direct support slot on the Summer Slaughter tour that kicks off in Los Angeles, California at the House of Blues on Friday, July 20.

"The Parallax II: Future Sequence" was recorded at The Basement Studios in Winston-Salem, North Carolina with longtime friend of the band and producer Jamie King. Jamie engineered, mixed and mastered "The Parallax II: Future Sequence", which makes this the sixth release Jamie and BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME have worked together on.

Regarding the concept of "The Parallax II: Future Sequence", the new full-length album picks up where the 2011 EP, "The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues", left off.

"The
two main characters of the story take on a journey through space and
time with the unenviable task of having to cure the flaws of humanity by
any means necessary," comments guitarist Paul Waggoner. "While the EP served mostly as an introduction to the characters, 'Future Sequence' contains the action of the story. The lyrics are written in the stream
of consciousness style, which really helps to capture the perspective
and emotion of the characters. We really enjoyed the challenge of
writing this record, and I think we were all pleasantly surprised with
how well the music and lyrics jived with one another. I couldn't be
happier with how 'Future Sequence' turned out."

Vocalist and keyboardist Tommy Rogers adds his thoughts on the musical direction of "The Parallax II: Future Sequence": "This album is BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME on steroids. I feel like we have created an album that perfectly
mirrors the band we've been trying to create since day one. An album
that has sounds that will stimulate many genres and music fans alike. A
conceptual journey that takes the listener to worlds that seem familiar
and worlds that make you scratch your head. From start to finish this is music we want to create, not music we think people want us to create.
We create songs that keep us (and hopefully you) excited about heavy
music. Keep listening… something new will be there each time. Enjoy the
music… we enjoyed writing it."

"The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues" (released in April 2011) is a three-song strong, 30-minute tour de force of modern heavy music. Produced and engineered by the Grammy award–winning David Bottrill (TOOL, MUSE, KING CRIMSON, DREAM THEATER) with BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME, the record soared to No. 54 on The Billboard 200 chart in its first
week of release while landing the No. 5 spot on the Hard Music chart,
and No. 8 on the Independent Albums chart in its first week of release. "The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues" also debuted in Canada charting at Mo. 62 on the Top 200 Current chart, No. 6 on the Hard chart, and No. 14 on the Independent chart.