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Saturday, March 22, 2014

DREAM THEATER's 'Enigma Machine' Gets BALLET DEVIARE Treatment

 
The New York-based Ballet Deviare, led by dancer/choreographer Laura Kowalewski, created a routine to accompany DREAM THEATER's instrumental "Enigma Machine", from the band's latest, self-titled album. The clip was directed by Katia Spivakova and produced by Derec Dunn; the dancers are Michelle Joy, Lara Koffskey and Shannon Maynor.
Says choreographer Laura Kowalewski, who's previously worked with DÅÅTH, ARSIS and CELESTIIAL: "When I was approached to choreograph a music video for DREAM THEATER, I was really excited. I have always admired their complex musical structure and phrasing."
DREAM THEATER's latest, self-titled album (available for purchase here) sold around 34,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 7 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD arrived in stores on September 24, 2013 via Roadrunner.
DREAM THEATER's "Along For The Ride" tour picked up on March 20 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada following the band's European tour and then continues through the end of April where it will eventually wrap up in Guadalajara, Mexico on April 26.

DREAM THEATER's spirit of adventure and fearless musical virtuosity continues to reap dividends for the progressive metal titans who recently earned their second Grammy nomination, this time for "Best Metal Performance" for their single "The Enemy Inside" from their current self-titled album. The band — John Petrucci (guitar), John Myung (bass), James LaBrie (vocals), Jordan Rudess (keyboards & continuum) and Mike Mangini (drums) — received its first-ever Grammy nomination in 2012 for "On The Backs Of Angels" (from their "A Dramatic Turn Of Events" album) in the "Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance" category.

RUSH To Embark On 41st-Anniversary Tour In 2015

Guitarist Alex Lifeson of Canadian rock legends RUSH has confirmed to RollingStone.com that the band will embark on a 41st anniversary tour in 2015.
"The three of us just had a meeting," Lifeson told the site. "We said, 'Let's not talk about anything band-wise for the next year. Let's separate ourselves and come back rejuvenated.' Unfortunately, the other people at that meeting didn't hear what we were talking about, so there are already plans being made for spring of 2015. It's going to be a 41st anniversary tour, or whatever they're going to call it."
Asked about the specifics of the tour, Lifeson said: "We haven't really talked seriously about what we want to do. But I think we're probably going to lean towards making it a real sort of fan event, and really try to put something together that's very pleasing for the fans across the board. That's always been difficult, for us to sort of balance things."
RUSH bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee told RollingStone.com last September that the band would go on an extended break in 2014. "My attitude is that as much as I'd like to celebrate 40 years, we need a break more than we need a 40th-anniversary celebration," he said at the time. "There's nothing wrong with celebrating 42 years."
He continued: "The plan now is to have no plans. We have had a great 10 years of tour, album, tour, album. I can honestly say that the three of us enjoyed this tour more than any one we've ever done. We left on a high note, but we recognize that we need to pay attention to our families and recharge our batteries. So we decided that we're just not going to discuss anything for a little while.

“It's exciting for me because I get to spend a lot of time traveling with my wife," he added. "We love to do that. I am officially an empty nester now, so my wife and I have time on our hands. We have all kinds of trips planned, things we wanted to do for years but we put off. This is going to be a busy year for us. I'm totally fine with that."

OPETH Hopes To Release New Studio Album In June


Swedish progressive metallers OPETH have completed work on their 11th studio album for a tentative June release via Roadrunner Records.
The last OPETH album, 2011's "Heritage", received mixed reactions, with some fans claiming that the group had detached itself from its death metal past and gone for a more experimental approach, changing its sound in various new ways.
Speaking to Loudwire, OPETH guitarist/vocalist Mikael Åkerfeldt stated about the band's as-yet-untitled new CD: "If it sounds like us, that's good. And if it sounds like something we don't know, that's also good."
He continued: "This album has some parts that sound like us and some parts that sound kind of new too. It's a bit heavier than 'Heritage' at times and it's a bit more melodic. I think it should be a bit easier to get into this record because there's a lot of focus on the melodies.
"We're a progressive band. Sometimes we sound like a metal band and sometimes we don't."
Åkerfeldt previously told U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine about the musical direction of OPETH's new album: "[It] is going straight into the territory of 'all over the place!' I think that's our strength, that we can do all these different things. We have a couple of calm songs, a couple of really heavy songs, one proper heavy metal song and I have one epic old-school OPETH song that reminds me of the first two records, with lots of riffs stacked up! I'm really happy with it all. I think we have something big on our hands this time."
As always, Mikael is not at all bothered about how his band's new material will be received.
"I can't say if 'Heritage' haters will love or hate this album," he told Metal Hammer. "I don't want to accommodate anyone, Like, 'Oh, sorry guys! We made a mistake! We'll make a proper record for you this time so you're all happy!' I don't think along those lines. This isn't going to be a death metal record. If you know me and what I like, it won't be such a big surprise. It's a metal record and a progressive record and something else too. Each song is representative of OPETH. It's what I want to listen to, so it's business as usual."
Åkerfeldt revealed to Decibel magazine in a separate interview that he plans to enrich at least a few of the new OPETH tracks with strings.
"Some of these things could easily be done with synthetic sounds or effects," he said, "but recording the STORM CORROSION LP with Steven Wilson made me realize what a massive difference it can mean to incorporate the real shit. I'm semi-pretentious in my songwriting and sometimes I go all in. I think it's time for 'all in' with strings and the full monty. Hopefully it won't be a mess."
One of the songs that will appear on OPETH's forthcoming album was previously described by Åkerfeldt as a "crazy rip-off" of Italian prog outfit GOBLIN, which formed in 1972 and ran for ten years before splitting (the band has since reformed).
"It's a jam I came up with during the MASTODON/GHOST tour," he told Decibel, "that we ended up soundchecking. After a few days, you'd hear people in the corridors humming it. It's a fucking hit! But basically it's a not-so-subtle headbanging-type nod in GOBLIN's direction. And to avoid confusion, the song is even called 'Goblin'. My rip-off deteriorates mid-song and becomes fusion-esque darkened prog rock like MAHAVISHNU or ELP (yikes!). But it swings! It really does."
Asked if the forthcoming effort will be heavier or softer than 2011's "Heritage", Mikael told the Swedish newspaper Expressen in September: "Maybe a little bit heavier. Not death metal heavy, but hard rock/heavy metal heavy. There's also lots of progressive elements and acoustic guitars, but also more sinister-sounding riffs."
Åkerfeldt also revealed that he was going to produce the new OPETH album himself, explaining: "I love the way DIO's 'Holy Diver' sounds, this early-'80s sound where you can still hear the '70s, but the production is heavier. Right now I'm into having a similar production that isn't retro but it still sounds like real instruments and it's heavier than 'Heritage'."

"Heritage" sold 19,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 19 on The Billboard 200 chart. The band's previous studio CD, 2008's "Watershed", opened with more than 19,000 units to land at No. 23.

Official Illustrated History Of OPETH In The Works

To celebrate their 25th anniversary, Swedish progressive metallers OPETH have teamed up with book publisher Rocket 88 to work on the official OPETH book.
In this amazing book, the band will tell you their full story for the first time — the good, the bad, the ugly — in their own words, with a little help from former members, label bosses, management, producers, and anyone else that's been there for the key moments in the band's illustrious career.
OPETH's long and winding story will be illustrated throughout with rare and unseen images of life on the road, working in the studio, and other unique glimpses into the world of OPETH.
Rocket 88 Books is inviting fans to get in touch if they have any items of visual interest: photos, posters, ticket stubs, flyers, anything!
Don't send images yet, just let Rocket 88 know what you have and they will review all that's sent in with consideration for inclusion in what will be a truly exceptional book about one of metal's most important bands. Your stuff could be in the book!
Please e-mail Rocket 88 at: info@opethbook.com.

OPETH's last album, 2011's "Heritage", sold 19,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 19 on The Billboard 200 chart. The band's previous studio CD, 2008's "Watershed", opened with more than 19,000 units to land at No. 23.

Thursday, March 20, 2014

RoSfest 2014 Lineup To Feature Prog Legends Caravan, Beardfish, Collage, Sound Of Contact, Clepsydra and Others - May 2-4, 2014

RoSfest 2014 Lineup To Feature Prog Legends Caravan, Beardfish, Collage, Sound Of Contact, Clepsydra and Others – May 2-4, 2014

Featuring Caravan, Beardfish, Clepsydra, Elephants of Scotland, Sound of Contact, Thank You Scientist, Fright Pig, Red Sand, Subsignal and Collage!

Gettysburg, PA - The most anticipated music festival of 2014, the legendary RoSfest, will take place this year May 2-4, 2014, and will feature progressive rock icons Caravan, Beardfish, Collage, Clepsydra, Sound Of Contact and others! The Rites of Spring Festival, or RoSfest as it's commonly called, is an annual progressive rock festival held every spring in Gettysburg, PA. RoSfest is in its 11th year, and are thrilled to be presenting UK prog icons Caravan, who has not performed in the US in many years, along with 9 other amazing bands this year. RoSfest has always been at the forefront of bringing new and upcoming progressive rock bands to an American audience, while also bringing in bands that were at their peak during the heyday of prog rock in the 70's. This year's lineup features 10 bands over three days, with Friday night's show featuring Clepsydra (Switzerland) and Caravan (UK). Saturday's show features Elephants of Scotland (US), Sound of Contact (UK), Thank You Scientist (US), and Beardfish (Sweden). Sunday's lineup features Fright Pig (US), Red Sand (Canada), Subsignal (Germany), and Collage (Poland). All three days feature a strong lineup with a mix of different sounds and styles within progressive rock.

Says George Roldan, founder of RoSfest, “It's really an honor to be featuring a classic band like Caravan at RoSfest. They are so well known in the genre, and they have been very instrumental in developing the Canterbury sound that has become familiar to prog fans. We really are thrilled to host Caravan's first show on American soil in years. Our Sunday night headliner, Collage, is one of the most famous bands in Polish progressive rock, and indeed Polish music in general. They’ve just reunited, and this will be their biggest show in years, so we are honored that they agreed to perform at RoSfest for this special occasion. In addition to the classic bands, we also continue to bring in new rising stars of progressive rock, such as Sound of Contact, which is a project from Simon Collins, Phil Collins' son, and they bring a refreshing modern sound to the genre. This whole lineup is incredible, and we’re looking forward to bringing all of these wonderful bands to the stage!”

With a history going back to 1968, Caravan is one of a dwindling amount of bands around that merits a description as living legends. They were one of the two principal bands in the Canterbury Scene, a movement that saw bands blending elements from progressive rock and fusion with whimsical lyrics, quirky instrumental movements and a distinct English sound - but often without any major superficial likeness shared between the bands subscribed to this style. Caravan peaked commercially early on, with 1971's 'In the Land of Grey and Pink' their best-selling album. Their early 70's albums in general are all considered classics today, and while they never made much of an impact in the UK or US in these early days their stature have continued to grow following the resurgence of interest in progressive rock. Following spells of inactivity in the 1980's and 90's Caravan have been a mostly going concern since 1995, albeit with a number of line-up alterations along the way. The current incarnation of the band dates back to 2010 and consists of Pye Hastings, Geoffrey Richardson, Jan Schelhaas, Jim Leverton and Mark Walker. Twelve years have gone by since Caravan had their last triumphant return to the US at Nearfest.
Caravan official website: http://www.caravan-info.co.uk/

While Beardfish is still regarded by many as a fairly new band on the scene they have actually been around for more than a decade already, with seven full length albums to their name. Initially renowned for their fairly eclectic take on retro-progressive rock they have developed towards a harder edged variety of that sound in later years, firmly documented on their 2012 album 'The Void'. An album they finished promoting in October 2013.
Official website - http://www.beardfishband.com

Says George Roldan, “As many will see from the bands we have signed for 2014, RoSfest is in development. There's a steadily increasing number of fine new bands that comes forth that we feel deserve the chance to play at a festival such as ours. Some established with a small following already, others are fresh entities just starting out. We feel we have an obligation to the best of those new artists to make them somewhat better known, especially when conditions for recording artists in general and new artists in particular are as challenging as they are. All of them represent the finest quality in music of course, we do owe our audience a high quality festival after all. They are just not that well known yet. We do take care to sign better known bands too. Newly reunited Clepsydra and Collage for instance, Beardfish as one of the top names among the new generation of progressive rock bands, and in Caravan we managed to sign one of the few remaining giants from the golden age. But all in all RoSfest 2014 has a somewhat higher percentage of lesser known bands than before. We hope our audience understand and support this slight alteration in approach.”

Multinational band Sound of Contact is a new player on the scene, so to speak, but with a potential that secured them a contract with prestigious label InsideOut for their first release. The instigator of this band is one Simon Collins. As a solo artist he has released three full length albums over the past decade, establishing his credentials firmly prior to venturing out into band and progressive rock circles. A vital part of his music resume and presumably more important for him than many others. Simon Collins is a vocalist and drummer both, just like his father Phil was. And Phil Collins is a musician that easily merits a description as famous. With an already established career, Simon has seen to it that he isn't merely regarded as the son of his father when now following in his footsteps. The reception given to Sound of Contact's debut album 'Dimensionaut' in 2013 emphasize that clearly, with a steadily growing number of glowing reviews following in it's wake. Sound of Contact live, for live purposes consisting of Simon Collins (vocals, drums), Bill Jenkins (keyboards, vocals), Matt Dorsey (bass, vocals), Randy McStine (guitars) and Ronen Gordon (drums).

RoSfest once again will be held at the Majestic Theater in Gettysburg. Eighty years ago, the doors of the Majestic Theater opened for the first time, welcoming audiences to the largest vaudeville and silent movie theater in south-central Pennsylvania. Built by Henry Scharf as an annex to the historic Gettysburg Hotel, the theater seated 1,200 patrons and proudly served as the cultural crossroads of commerce, college, and community.
MAJESTIC THEATER
25 Carlisle Street
Gettysburg, PA 17325
Majestic Theater website - http://www.gettysburgmajestic.org/  and click BUY TICKET Tab and scroll down to the show to purchase tickets.

RoSfest Schedule:

Friday May 2nd
Clepsydra – 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm
Caravan – 9:00 pm to 11:00 pm

Saturday May 3rd
Elephants of Scotland – 11:00 am to 12:30 pm
Sound of Contact – 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm
Thank you Scientist - 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm
Beardfish – 8:30 pm to 10:30 pm

Sunday May 4th
Fright Pig – 11:00 am to 12:30 pm
Red Sand – 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm
Subsignal – 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm
Collage – 8:30 pm to 10:30 pm

Also, doors will be opened at 5:00 pm on Friday, 10:00 am Saturday-Sunday; doors will be closed every night at 11:30 pm.

Gold Tickets for RoSfest 2014 are on sale. The order link can be found on the RoSfest homepage Direct link: http://rosfest.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=79&Itemid=120
Regular seat tickets may only be purchased on the Majestic Theater website or through the box office by calling (717) 337-8200, or in person at 25 Carlisle Street during box office hours (Sunday: 3-7:30 pm, Monday-Saturday: 12 noon-7:30 pm).
Single day passes go on sale Friday March 14th at the Majestic Theater box office for all three days and online.
For more information: http://www.rosfest.com

RoSfest Poster.jpg

Monday, March 17, 2014

ANUBIS GATE ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM WITH ALBUM ART, TRACKLIST AND RELEASE DATE!

For Immediate Release
February 17

ANUBIS GATE ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM WITH ALBUM ART, TRACKLIST AND RELEASE DATE! 

Finally the eagerly anticipated sixth album of Danish Prog-Metallers Anubis Gate is on the Horizon. They're new album "Horizons" is unquestionably the bands most mature work to date. Combining their signature epic songwriting with the brilliant production team of Kim Olesen and Jacob Hansen yet again. Being released on Nightmare Records distributed by Sony/RED, release date is April 15th, 2014.

Anubis Gate hit the studio the summer of 2013 recording their new opus “Horizons” which is unmistakably Anubis Gate’s sound yet goes again to new places. Places perhaps one would call daring.  From the liquid grooves to uneven time signatures, trademark soundscapes and heavy, sometimes even thrash metal riffing you will know this is both in the tradition of the band yet breaks new ground. Anubis Gate blend 80’s melodic heavy rock, epic ambience and a contemporary dark layered progressive metal. Inspired by the likes of Savatage, Genesis, Iron Maiden, Queensryche, King Crimson, Iced Earth, Crimson Glory, Fates Warning, Lord Bane & Tad Morose yet always sounding completely unique.  New guitarist Michael Bodin’s heavy riffing works exceptionally well in a duel with long time guitarist Kim Olesen.  The forward driving drums, courtesy of new drummer Morten Gade Sørensen, are a treat in themselves. Henrik Fevres melodic vocals are even more amazing and heartfelt than ever before. “Horizons” showcases the band on it’s highest peak. Anubis Gate 2014 is: Henrik Fevre, Kim Olesen, Michael Bodin and Morten Gade Sørensen.

***The CD version will contain a hidden fan treasure not found on the digital sites.  There will be a CD-ROM EP recorded live in 2005, the EP includes 4 tracks and dedicated artwork.   The tracks are live versions of songs from their first two albums “Purification” and “A Perfect Forever”.  
UPC: 734923006602
Cat #: NMR-577
Style: Rock/Metal/Progressive


www.AnubisGate.com  /  facebook.com/AnubisGate / twitter.com/anubis_gate
Pre-Order Now at www.NightmareRecords.com 

TRACKLIST: 
  • 01 Destined To Remember
  • 02 Never Like This (A Dream)
  • 03 Hear My Call
  • 04 Airways
  • 05 Revolution Come Undone
  • 06 Breach Of Faith
  • 07 Mindlessness
  • 08 Horizons
  • 09 A Dream Within A Dream
  • 10 Erasure

ANIMALS AS LEADERS To Release 'The Joy Of Motion' In March


Progressive instrumental pioneers ANIMALS AS LEADERS will release their new album, "The Joy Of Motion", on March 25 via Sumerian Records. This offering is quickly going to be hailed by fans and media alike as the group's career-defining release that will ultimately redefine the progressive world as we know it.
ANIMALS AS LEADERS' third full-length release is a bombastic, dynamic and innovative explosion that incorporates elements spanning across the entire musical spectrum. It also marks the recording debut of drummer Matthew Garstka, whose technical proficiency and unique style allows ANIMALS AS LEADERS guitarists Tosin Abasi and Javier Reyes the room to push their boundaries to previously unthinkable heights.
A trailer for "The Joy Of Motion" can be seen below.
States Reyes: "I think some of the new tracks are some of ANIMALS AS LEADERS' strongest and musical material yet, and [I am] extremely happy with how the album came out.
"Everyone who took part in this album — Misha Mansoor (PERIPHERY), Adam Getgood (PERIPHERY), Diego Farias (VOLUMES) and Navene Koperweis — is extremely talented and I think we've done a great job of capturing it onto what is now the third ANIMALS AS LEADERS album."

ANIMALS AS LEADERS kicks off the New Year with a massive headlining North American tour on February 24 with AFTER THE BURIAL, NAVENE KOPERWEIS and CHON.

SYMPHONY X, Ex-DREAM THEATER Members To Guest On UNIVERSAL MIND PROJECT Debut

Founded in 2012 by American guitarist and composer Michael Alexander, UNIVERSAL MIND PROJECT is a collaborative project between musicians from all around the globe.
Musically, moving on progressive metal paths, combining features of melodic death and symphonic metal in a modern and fresh way, UNIVERSAL MIND PROJECT counts some great names of the metal music industry in its ranks, including:
* Charlie Dominici (vocals; ex-DREAM THEATER)
* Mike LePond (bass;)
* Alex Landenburg (drums; RHAPSODY, ex-ANNIHILATOR, ex-STRATOVARIUS)
* Henrik Bath (vocals; DARKWATER)
* Emanuele Casali (keyboards; DGM, ASTRA)
* Elina Laivera (vocals; ex-SEDUCE THE HEAVEN)
* Johan Reinholz (guitar; ANDROMEDA)
* Theodore Ziras (guitar; HAND OF GOD)
* David Valdes (guitar)

UNIVERSAL MIND PROJECT is currently working on the project's debut album, "The Jaguar Priest".

In the clip below, Alexander sheds light on the creating process of the homonym track and presents the lineup of guest musicians appearing on it.

DEEP PURPLE Keyboardist DON AIREY Releases 'Keyed Up' Solo Album

 
Legendary keyboardist Don Airey (DEEP PURPLE, OZZY OSBOURNE, RAINBOW) has just released his new solo album, "Keyed Up", via Music Theories Recordings.
Don has played with pretty much everyone worth playing with, and is currently working and touring with DEEP PURPLE. This new solo CD draws from a range of influences from his past. And while he has a solid band, there are a few notable guests appearing on the album, including one of the last pieces of work by the late Gary Moore.
"Keyed Up" mixes jazz, rock and blues, and some instrumental passages allow some rightly deserved self-indulgence from Don; whether intricate playing or use of effects, it's all enjoyable.
One of the highlights of the album is a remake of RAINBOW's "Difficult To Cure". While it lacks Ritchie Blackmore's finesse, the guitar sounds fantastic and Don's keyboards are bright. The programmed orchestral break is a good touch too. "Mini Suite" sees some good guitar interplay, before switching to piano. There are touches of Gary Moore here, and more on "Adagio", where his guitar work stands out.
The band on this record was Don Airey on keyboards, Darrin Mooney (PRIMAL SCREAM) on drums, Laurence Cottle on bass, Rob Harris (JAMIROQUAI) on guitar and Carl Sentance on vocals. Guest performers include the aforementioned Gary Moore, Graham Bonnet, Simon MacBride, Alex Meadows and Tim Goodyer. The engineer was Ewan Davies.
Don said: "I loved having the responsibility of pulling together the sessions at Chapel Studios.
"The album was basically laid down live, no overdubs, no redoing; we don't do filesharing.
"There are wonderful musicians on this record. I call them 'the band that never was,' as it's a true pleasure to work together, but opportunities are so limited.
"Being in a band like DEEP PURPLE, especially with the success we've had [last] year, should be enough; but I need another outlet.
"Some of the music is straight-ahead rock, a tribute to where I've come from, but there's variety — 'Blue Rondo A La Turk' was the piece I played on my first radio performance aged 14. There are plenty of weird sounds too, most from the Hammond; a lot of it wasn’t planned, I just got carried away with the moment!"
"Keyed Up" track listing:
01. 3 In The Morning
02. Beat The Retreat
03. Blue Rondo A La Turk
04. Solomon’s Song
05. Claire D'Loon
06. Flight Of Inspiration
07. Inside
08. The Godbox
09. Difficult To Cure 2013
10. Mini Suite *
a) Lament/Jig
b) Restless Spirit
c) What Went Wrong
11. Adagio *
12. Grace
* featuring Gary Moore on guitar
Musicians:

Don Airey - keyboards
Darrin Mooney - drums
Laurence Cottle - bass
Rob Harris - guitar
Carl Sentance - vocals

MASTODON's BILL KELLIHER Speaks To HYSTERIA TV

Hysteria TV conducted an interview with guitarist Bill Kelliher of Atlanta progressive metallers MASTODON during this year's Soundwave festival in Australia. You can now watch the chat below.
MASTODON's spring headlining tour with support from GOJIRA and KVELERTAK kicks off April 28 in Seattle and criss-crosses the U.S. before culminating in a performance at the Rock On The Range festival on May 18.
MASTODON is putting the finishing touches on its sixth album at a Nashville studio with producer Nick Raskulinecz (FOO FIGHTERS, RUSH, ALICE IN CHAINS).
Speaking to ARTISTdirect.com, MASTODON singer and bassist Troy Sanders was asked if the band's new material picks up where "The Hunter" left off or if the group is "on a whole new trip." "I think, to a degree, it picks up where we left off," he said.
"As always, nothing was really pre-determined and spoken of beforehand, like, 'Okay guys, we need to write a lot of long epic songs and a lot of short sweet songs. We need to have a couple of slow ones.' Nothing like that was predetermined verbally amongst the four of us. We go in there and we kind of pick up on whatever comes through Brent [Hinds] and Bill's [Kelliher] fingers and their guitars and build and build.
"I guess it's going to be more of a continuation of where we left off with 'The Hunter'. Hopefully, it's just a collection of good MASTODON rock 'n' roll songs. That's where it's headed."
Asked what it's been like working with Raskulinecz on the new album, Kelliher told Metal Hammer magazine: "It's something that we totally need — a cheerleader to get our asses in gear. There he is saying, 'Come on, you're MASTODON… you're one of the biggest bands in metal… Smash that hammer down and write some heavy shit. It's time to do or die!' He's that kind of a guy."

MASTODON drummer Brann Dailor recently told RollingStone.com about the band's forthcoming CD: "It's gonna be massive and insane, lots of epic greatness. There will be lots of huge riffs and new directions. It's real weird, real math-y, real straightforward. It's up, down and all around. It's a culmination of everything for the band. The snowball keeps rolling and collecting snow."

STREAM OF PASSION To Release 'A War Of Our Own' In April


Dutch/Mexican symphonic/progressive metallers STREAM OF PASSION will release their new album, "A War Of Our Own", on April 18 via PIAS/Rough Trade. The CD is described in a press release as "the result of the struggle the band had to endure after they decided to part ways with their record label and continue on their own path."
Comments STREAM OF PASSION singer Marcela Bovio: "A corporate impasse such as this affects your peace of mind.
"The idea of crowd funding changed everything. It was heart-warming to see how many people were prepared to support us and what they were willing to do to secure our future. Through this, we've grown closer to our fans; they played a major part in creating this album."
The red thread of the album is conflict in all its forms: personal battles, like disease and depression, corporate battles the band was confronted with themselves, but also the turmoil that destroys a land, mainly the drug wars of Mexico, the native country of Bovio. Musically the band has perfected their sound by ambitiously pushing their boundaries; "A War Of Our Own" is more progressive and melodic than ever, with symphonic elements and an emotional undertone, heavy with Latin-American influences.
"A War Of Our Own" track listing:
01. Monster
02. A War Of Our Own
03. The Curse
04. Autophobia
05. Burning Star
06. For You
07. Exile
08. Delirio
09. Earthquake
10. Secrets
11. Don't Let Go
12. Out Of The Darkness
13. The Distance Between Us (digipack bonus track)
STREAM OF PASSION performed three new songs — "Earthquake", "The Curse" and "Secrets" — during its September 27, 2013 concert at Gigant in Apeldoorn, The Netherlands. Fan-filmed video footage can be seen below.

The band's last CD, "Darker Days", was released in North America in July 2011 via Napalm Records. The effort was recorded at Sandlane Recording Facilities in Rijen, Holland.

DEEP PURPLE: First Trailer For Deluxe Edition Of Seminal Live Album 'Made In Japan'

 
After forming BLACK SABBATH in 1969, Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Terry "Geezer" Butler and Bill Ward went on to record one of the most influential canons of music in the history of rock and roll.
Universal Music has announced the deluxe release of DEEP PURPLE's seminal live album "Made In Japan" in multiple formats on May 19.
The first in a series of trailers promoting the upcoming release can be seen below.
Together with LED ZEPPELIN and BLACK SABBATH, DEEP PURPLE has been referred to as the "unholy trinity of British hard rock and heavy metal" in the early to mid-Seventies. One of the most influential and important guitar bands in history, they have sold over 100 million albums worldwide.
"Made In Japan" was recorded live over three nights during August 15–17, 1972 at Festival Hall, Osaka and Budokan, Tokyo. Four of the tracks come from the band's 1972 "Machine Head" album. It featured what many consider the classic DEEP PURPLE lineup — Ian Gillan (vocals), Ritchie Blackmore (guitar), Roger Glover (bass), Jon Lord (organ) and Ian Paice (drums). Originally recorded only for the Japanese market, the album has since become seen as one of DEEP PURPLE's seminal albums, and one of the greatest live albums of all time (A Rolling Stone magazine readers poll in 2012 voted "Made In Japan" as the sixth greatest live album of all time).
May 19, 2014 will see the album newly remastered and released in a number of special formats. The format options include previously unseen footage on DVD, bonus material and mixes, memorabilia and a hardback book.
The "Made In Japan" formats:
* Limited Edition Super Deluxe 4 CD+DVD+7" Boxed Set and Limited-Edition Super Deluxe 9LP Boxed Set
* Deluxe Edition 2CD
* 180g 2LP
* Blu-ray Pure Audio
* HD Download
* MFiT
* Standard Digital format
METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich last year told writer Peter Makowski that he is working on getting his all-time favorite band, DEEP PURPLE, a long-overdue spot in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Asked why the creators of "Smoke On The Water" were not in there yet, Ulrich said, "What you've got to understand is that a lot of the people that have run the selection process are critics, and DEEP PURPLE, as you know, were never a critic's band — especially in America, because their influence was probably felt more in Europe."

But Ulrich added, "It's only a matter of time. Rather sooner than later. We've already lost one member. The fact that LED ZEPPELIN and BLACK SABBATH are in and PURPLE is not is one of the crimes of that whole institution. We'll get them in soon enough. I'm working on it."
Founding PURPLE keyboardist Jon Lord passed away in July 2012. Ulrich, who wrote a tribute to Lord on METALLICA's web site, told Makowski, "I'm not sure that the people in today's hard rock world really truly understand how innovative this guy was . . . he really did something nobody had done before with the sound of the keyboards and I think that's probably the biggest thing to remember him for."
At their own induction in 2009, METALLICA's James Hetfield included PURPLE on a list of acts they wanted to see in the Hall. "We're somewhat of a heavy band and we have a small list that we'd like to also put some nods out and maybe plant a little seed, it's a band called DEEP PURPLE, THIN LIZZY, RUSH, KISS, TED NUGENT, IRON MAIDEN, JUDAS PRIEST, MOTÖRHEAD... who we would love to invite through the door now."
DEEP PURPLE was denied entry to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2013 — losing out to such artists as American pop singer-songwriter Randy Newman and R&B singer Donna Summer.
The members of PURPLE, who released a new album titled "Now What?!" on April 30, 2013 in North America via earMUSIC, say it is no big loss.
"I fought against, all my life, becoming institutionalized. So it really does not affect me," singer Ian Gillan told Noisecreep. "But on the other hand, my family and friends and everyone that has stuck with us all these years, it means something to them. They love that recognition.
"To analyze it, and I'll try not to sound cocky or anything, I will say it as respectfully as I can, it's sort of like the Oscars and Grammys and the other awards like that — in the States, just like it is in England, and other places — these awards and honors are usually not decided by the fans, but by a cartel of influential people. These are the same people that decided THE MONKEES were America's answer to THE BEATLES. [laughs]

"So I'm not too concerned about it. Maybe it will happen one day, bit if not, my diary is full and I'm very happy. It hasn't affected our career but it does concern the fans — that's who I feel for."

Sunday, March 16, 2014

ELDRITCH: 'Alone Again' Video Released

"Alone Again", the new video from Italian progressive metallers ELDRITCH, can be seen below. The song comes off the band's ninth studio album, "Tasting The Tears", which was released on February 17 in Europe and February 18 in North America via Scarlet Records. The CD was produced by Eugene Simone at ES Studios in Livorno, Italy. Mixing and mastering duties were handled by Simone Mularoni (DGM) at Domination Studios in San Marino, Italy.
This time the whole band worked together as a team, arranging 11 brand new tracks melting each member's influences into one direction. The result is 100 percent ELDRITCH: powerful guitars, melodic tunes and technical instrumental parts perfectly blended into a classic Progressive album with hard rock influences, thrashy and dark at intervals but, most importantly, remarkable in its own, unique way. The lyrics talk about love. Not standard love between two partners, but love in all its forms. Something the band have never done before. '
ELDRITCH is:

Terence Holler - Vocals
Eugene Simone - Lead and Rhythm Guitar
Rudj Ginanneschi - Rhythm Guitar
John Crystal - Bass
Raffahell Dridge - Drums
Gabriele Caselli - Keyboards