You’ve gotta hand it to the Swedes. No matter how many great albums they throw at us, there’s always more coming up right behind.
The latest purveyors of the fine classic AOR/melodic rock tradition is Care Of Night a group formed out of the demise of heavy rockers Seven Tears.
After a couple of lineup changes the band that would record this debut album was locked in.
What we have here is another wonderfully produced slice of Swedish AOR perfection.
Erik & Anders Wigelius (of fellow Swedish AOR favourites Wigelius) are responsible for the slick sound and mix, while the band themselves have written some classy traditional AOR songs with an updated feel so as not to date the music.
Vocalist Calle Schönberg has a touch of Peter Cetera in his tone, while the rest of the band simply delivers another lesson in ‘how Sweden does great music’.
Think Wigelius, State Of Salazar, Work Of Art, Houston, FM, the original Heat and you get the picture – happy, easy going pomp/pop AOR with layers of vocals and keyboards in that uptempo feel good style we all love.
The metal roots from a couple of the guys means that there’s some extra punch on occasion here, but the majority is very commercial AOR.
The free flowing lushness of Cassandra and Heart Belongs gets the album off to a perfect start. But it doesn’t stop there, with Those Words equally catchy and a big ballad Dividing Lines delivering sentiment in spades, even throwing in some saxophone.
Say A Prayer is impossibly catchy in that Work Of Art style of AOR; Please Remember adds a bit of tempo; Give Me Strength reminds me of British rockers FM and Say You Will is a 7 minute epic to close out the album, featuring a soft acoustic guitar and lead vocal until near the 5 minute mark when the band kicks in for a raucous climax.
You got it folks – if you’re a paid up member of the Swedish Ministry Of Melodic Rock – then you know what to do.
Another wonderful example of a genre that refuses to grow old and die.
Going one better than Level 9, but not quite turning the dial to 11, the partnership of vocalist Russell Allen and Bassist/producer Mat Sinner form the new project Level 10.
Joining in is powerhouse guitarists Roland Grapow and Alex Beyrodt; Randy Black on drums and Alessandro Del Vecchio on keyboards (yes, him again!).
Mat Sinner doesn’t produce bad sounding records and Russell Allen doesn’t deliver substandard vocals, so there are two big ticks.
Songs is what it is all about. On this 12 track debut songs are provided by Sinner & Allen, Alessandro del Vecchio, Magnus Karlsson, Alex Beyrodt, Carsten Schulz, Sander Gommans & Amanda Somerville. Thing is, there’s no credits assigned to each track, so you have no idea who really wrote what.
The collection of names indicates that things could be quite varied on the album, and so it turns out to be. But apart from a few real highlights, while the album sounds great, I found most of the material lacked a real spark or hook to draw me back in.
The album opens with Cry No More - an absolute blinder of a song - a full metal blast with a great hook and some awesome vocals.
Unfortunately it’s followed by Soul Of A Warrior - possibly the worst track on the album - a near 6 minute plod fest that never seems to end and kills the momentum of the opening track.
When The Nighttime Comes picks things back up with an improved pace and better chorus hook.
But then once again, another plodder. One Way Street has a pretty forgettable chorus and not much life to it.
As if going back and forth between good and not, Blasphemy is a more hard hitting metal.
Last Man On Earth then follows the pattern, with a pretty drab and forgettable chorus while In For The Kill cranks things into high gear, even if only for 4 minutes.
Of the last 4 tracks, the metal ballad All Hope Is Gone stands out as an album highlight; Demonized a solid melodic metal track following straight after.
The others I don’t care for unfortunately.
A great looking project on paper and I expect there might be a sequel at some point – as the album title suggests, but the participants will need to ensure a more consistent group of songs to make a lasting impression in a crowded market.
Dallas, TX - April 2, 2015. North American syndicated Rock radio show website www.inthestudio.net celebrates Robert Plant, one of rock's premiere voices, in a special solo career retrospective.
Quite coincidentally, two of Robert Plant's post-Led Zeppelin solo albums, Spring 1985's Shaken'n'Stirred and March 1990's Manic Nirvana, are each marking significant anniversaries, so no better time to examine them via the impressive Nine Lives box set which chronicles Plant's prolific solo output.
It was Robert's second solo album, 1983's The Principle of Moments, which convinced us that Plant could sustain a viable solo career outside of the legendary Led Zeppelin, with whom he fronted for twelve fabled years. Angular extended songs 'In the Mood' and the cryptic 'Big Log' became rock radio staples in the States, followed by 'Little by Little' from Shaken and Stirred in 1985.
Not until 1988's Now and Zen, however, did Plant shed the self-conscious shadow of Zeppelin by exorcising his ghosts with the song 'Tall Cool One', brilliantly sampling the 'thunder of the gods' iconic Led licks and employing Zeppelin mastermind Jimmy Page on guitar. 'Heaven Knows' and 'Ship of Fools' made Now and Zen a blockbuster, with 'Hurting Kind' in 1990 from Manic Nirvana twenty-five years ago and the tender heartfelt '29 Palms' on Fate of Nations.
Robert shares with InTheStudio host Redbeard how Plant views himself and how he continues to evolve as an artist.
'I can't really stand in middle ground and be showered with confetti and compliments. The most important thing to me is to expand what I'm doing and take people with me' or not.' - Robert Plant
MelodicRock Records is very excited to be able to announce the signing of new Swedish band S.A.Y., featuring two veteran artists under the new band name, reflecting their decision to record a melodic hard rock album together.
S.A.Y. is guitarist Jan Åkesson and singer Peter Grundström, musical partners since 1984 and teamed in StoneLake for six studio albums from 2006-2013.
Deciding to record an album with power and finesse, but in a more commercial melodic vein, Jan and Peter settled upon a new name for the project – S.A.Y.
The album contains 11 tracks of polished and powerful melodic rock and features the distinctive vocals of Peter Grundstrom and the hard edged guitar work of Jan Akesson; which will immediately bring comparisons to TNT, Westworld and Final Frontier.
S.A.Y. are:
Peter Grundstrom – Vocals
Jan Akesson – Guitars, Keyboards, Bass, Backing Vocals
With: Jens Westberg – Drums
“Orion” is set to be one of the noted debut albums of 2015.
Time to check out one of the tracks from 'Orion', the anthemic "Broken Wings":
History:
The duo got to know each other after performing at the same show in different bands; Jan was lead guitar in Ravage and Peter was fronting Whitelight. Their meeting led to the conclusion of Jan’s work with Ravage and he became a new member in Whitelight in the fall of the same year.
Whitelight’s focus was melodic hard rock, initially influenced by Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin and Bad Company and then by a “new wave” of English, American and Canadian bands such as Whitesnake, Van Halen, Journey, Toto, Riot, Wrabit and Dokken. Whitelight played many gigs and produced many demos in search of that elusive record deal.
After 3 years with Whitelight, in 1987, Jan decided to leave the band and went his own way to spread his wings with tougher, more guitar-oriented hard rock. Peter stayed in Whitelight, who changed their name to Kee Avenue.
Jan went on to form new bands Why Not, Perfect Stranger and Dr. Blue, playing many very successful gigs and making several acclaimed recordings.
Kee Avenue split up in 1991 after the bass player and the keyboard player left the band. After this final breakup Peter went on to play and sing with several different, mostly cover bands, though he kept on writing songs, always looking for the right project to showcase his talent.
In 1994 Jan decided to step back from live performance to concentrate on writing and producing songs in his new studio on the emerging digital recording platforms that would soon come to dominate the music industry.
Finally, 15 years after the two first played together, Jan decided to give Peter a call, thinking that it was time for a “reunion”. A good meal and a few beers was the spark that lit a new beginning. Their reunion became the band StoneLake with 6 albums released to date.
Now the guys have set themselves a fresh new challenge with S.A.Y. and their stunning debut “Orion”, Out May 22.
LOS ANGELES, Mar. 31, 2015 / Nearly five years after their debut release and first performance in Los Angeles, Starfire announces their new Drummer: Jake Michael Hayden.
Hayden comes to the band from Ohio and for almost 20 years, has worked with some of the biggest and best names in the business, having toured with Adam Lambert and was hired by American Idol judge and A&R/producer Randy Jackson to record and perform with "The Canyons" as well as other new acts like Ryan Cabrera. However, it was Jake's other work that really appealed to founder and frontman for Starfire, Dairenn Lombard
"I was looking for a change," said Lombard. "I'd been in the market for a new drummer and, in my opinion, the drums is one of the most important parts of a rock song. The biggest difference between what you might call heavy metal and 'indie' could sometimes hinge on the style of drums being played. So, I needed someone who really 'gets it,' and gets the sound of Starfire. A musician who knows and appreciates the bands that fit the style that our fans want to hear. When I took one look at Jake's background, I knew I'd found the drummer."
Jake Michael Hayden has shared the stage with Steel Panther, Rick Springfield, Toto's Steve Lukather and performed with New Wave/Rock act Missing Persons. He has also recorded with producer Tom Fletcher (Ozzy Osbourne, Steve Lukather) and Ross Hogarth (Van Halen). Jake Michael Hayden's musical backgrounds also includes a degree from the Berkelee Musical Institute, rounding out experiences gained from studying drummers like Duran Duran's Dave DiCenso and Dream Theater's Mike Mangini.
"It was clear that any drummer that understands and appreciates the style of bands and artists like those will play the music of Starfire exactly the way it was meant to be played. I am so excited and really looking forward to performing with Jake at the next Starfire concert."
Starfire is Dairenn Lombard (studio keys, guitars & vocals), Greg Pajer (guitar, backing live vocals), Andrew James (bass, backing live vocals), Neara Russell (keys, backing live vocals), and Jake Michael Hayden (drums), one of the only new Melodic Rock bands from southern California, featuring three studio albums where ever CDs are sold, and a live DVD available now from their website at www.starfiremusic.net.
Dallas, TX - March 31, 2015. North American syndicated Rock radio show and website InTheStudio: The Stories Behind History's Greatest Rock Bands celebrates the 35th anniversary of Billy Joel's Grammy Award chart-topping album Glass Houses.
Billy Joel took a big risk in March 1980 by following blockbusters The Stranger and 52nd Street with the surprisingly stripped down garage rock arrangements of Glass Houses. But lest you get the wrong idea, it was the approach that was lean, not the material. Some of Joel's best songs are here including 'You May Be Right', 'Sometimes a Fantasy', 'Don't Ask Me Why', 'Close to the Borderline', the under-appreciated 'All for Leyna' and the timeless 'It's Still Rock and Roll to Me'.
In a rare conversation, Billy opens up to InTheStudio host Redbeard about his musical influences, seeing the Beatles perform on TV's Ed Sullivan Show, the British Invasion bands that followed, garage rock, and the New York City punk scene which inspired his approach to the making of Glass Houses.
'I think what I was doing with the Glass Houses record in the studio when it came time to get together with the band was becoming a garage band all over again. I wanted to have fun ,and I wanted to make music that all the musicians enjoyed playing, as if we were in a bar.' - Billy Joel
MelodicRock Records has been bringing new and fresh talent to the fore for several years now and is proud to announce signing yet another high-class new artist to the label’s roster.
Please welcome ROOM EXPERIENCE to the MRR family.
ROOM EXPERIENCE’s self-titled debut is truly going to be an experience for fans of high-class European AOR and melodic rock!
This is perhaps the most star-studded MRR release yet.
ROOM EXPERIENCE is:
David Readman (Pink Cream 69, Voodoo Circle) - Lead & Backing Vocals
Gianluca Firmo - Keyboards, Backing Vocals & Lead Vocals on "Only Goodnight"
But that’s not all… Making special guest appearances are:
Alessandro Del Vecchio (Revolution Saints, L.R.S, Three Lions, Shining Line) - Hammond on “Rainbow In The Rain"
Ivan Gonzalez (Secret, 91 Suite) - Guitars on "Another Day Without You", "No Sign of Summer" & "Tomorrow’s Came"
Sven Larsson (Street Talk, Fergie Frederiksen, Lionville, Charming Grace) - Guitars on "The Only Truth"
Stefano Zeni (Wheels Of Fire, Charming Grace) - Guitars on "Queen Of Every Heart"
Boris Matakovic (Human Zoo, Charming Grace) - Sax on "Tomorrows Came"
Elena Aurë (Charming Grace) - Backing Vocals on "Rainbow in the Rain" & "Tomorrows Came"
ROOM EXPERIENCE will release their debut album “Room Experience” via MelodicRock Records/Cargo Distribution on May 22.
For the first time, MelodicRock Records will be offering something special and exclusive for this release.
For those tired of those deluxe/special editions appearing months after the original release – this is for you!
Available exclusively via MelodicRock.com pre-orders will be a very limited ROOM EXPERIENCE Special Edition CD featuring exclusive bonus tracks and an exclusive variation on the regular release cover art.
Pre-orders will be available right here very soon.
For those fans of Lionville, Shining Line, David Readman (solo), Charming Grace and Street Talk comes the debut AOR masterpiece ROOM EXPERIENCE!
Time right now to check out a full track from the album: “Tomorrow Came”
History:
Born in Brescia in the early seventies, Italian keyboard-player and songwriter Gianluca Firmo begun to develop his love for melodic rock music during the eighties, following chart-breakers like Bon Jovi, Europe, Bryan Adams and many others.
It didn't take too long before Gianluca felt the need to lay his hands on his keyboard and start writing some original music, spending entire days and nights inside his room to try to capture the magic coming from the legendary melodies present in the albums of his personal idols in music.
After more than two decades of passionate love for the melodic rock world and way more than 100 songs written, he decided that it was time to collect some of them in a professional recording, an idea that took place in late 2013 when he approached Davide "Dave Rox" Barbieri (Wheels Of Fire, Charming Grace) and Pierpaolo "Zorro11" Monti (Shining Line, Charming Grace, Lionville) asking them to produce his debut album.
The synergy was immediately strong from the first meeting, so in January of 2014 they started arranging the first songs of what would have become an international high-profile melodic rock project, named "Room Experience" to pay tribute to the endless hours that Gianluca spent at home, writing all those tunes.
With a songwriting spectrum able to cover a wide range of melodic rock styles and influences coming from classic AOR to more up-to-date melodic hard-rock, a powerhouse and versatile vocalist was needed. Extraordinary British singer David Readman (Pink Cream 69, Solo, Voodoo Circle) was officially approached to perform all the songs of the project, introduced to the trio by a common friend: the international star producer Alessandro Del Vecchio (Revolution Saints, Hardline, Edge Of Forever, Shining Line).
With a production team ready to work and a superstar singer waiting to give his best in every single song of the album, a line-up of skilled musicians was needed in order to carry songs to completion, so guitar player Steve De Biasi (Gunshy, Charming Grace) and bass player Amos Monti (Shining Line, Charming Grace, Lionville) were recruited to build a solid instrumental backbone, which was completed by a huge list of talented artists that joined them in the making of Room Experience: Iván González (Secret, 91 Suite), Sven Larsson (Street Talk, Fergie Frederiksen, Charming Grace), Stefano Zeni (Wheels Of Fire), Boris Matakovic (Human Zoo), Andrea Gipponi (Enrico Ruggeri), Aurë (Charming Grace), Minna Ora (The Electric Lady) & Nicoletta Tona.
In December 2014 recording sessions ended and Alessandro Del Vecchio gave his final magic touch to the album in his Ivorytears Music Studio in Somma Lombardo (Va, Italy), taking care of mixing and mastering to deliver a bombastic melodic rock release ready to reach for the passion of all the fans of the genre, all over the world.
On May 22 Room Experience will be finally released worldwide through Melodic Rock Records, with artwork and graphics provided by Antonella Astori (Charming Grace).
The key is in the hole and turning... the doors are about to unlock: are you ready for the "Room Experience"?
"Clearly there were difficulties between the manager and Axl. They were having problems with Slash."
BLACK STAR RIDERS' Damon Johnson and former GUNS 'N ROSES manager Doug Goldstein join Mitch in celebrating 100 episodes of One On One With Mitch Lafon. The episode is co-hosted by Talking Metal's Mark Strigl.
Our first interview is with guitarist extraordinaire, Damon Johnson who discusses Black Star Riders, the decision to not use the well established Thin Lizzy brand name, their fantastic second album The Killer Instinct, their upcoming UK tour opening for WHITESNAKE and DEF LEPPARD, the Damon Johnson Trio, his upcoming solo dates, working with ALICE COOPER , his work on the the unreleased third DAMN YANKEES album called 'Bravo' (he replaced Tommy Shaw to work alongside Jack Blades and Ted Nugent) and more.
April
1 - New Hope, PA - Havana New Hope
2 - Northampton, PA - The Gin Mille & Grille
3 - Pittston, PA - Bar On Oak
4 - Queens, NY - Blackthorn 51
8 - Moline, IL - Rascal's Live
9 - Berwyn, IL - The Wire
10 - Pekin, IL - Twisted Spoke
11 - Middletown, OH - Old Crow Bar
12 - Richmond, IN - Firehouse BBQ and Blues
In our second interview with sit down with former GUNS 'N ROSES manager Doug Goldstein (current CEO When Pigs Fly) for an epic two hour chat discussing the entire history of the band including the feuds, lawsuits and riots. More specifically we talk about AXL ROSE becoming the sole owner of the GNR name, the firing of Steve Adler, working with KISS' Paul Stanley and Bob Ezrin, the Montreal Riot and why it was Metallica's Lars Ulrich's fault, the 2 1/2 years of documented yet unreleased Use Your Illusion Tour film, Yoda aka Sharon Maynard, Iron Maiden's manager Rod Smallwood (and his potential involvement in a GNR reunion tour), controversial songs One In A Million and Look At Your Game Girl, working with Black Sabbath featuring Glenn Hughes and current KISS drummer Eric Singer, the ROSE FESTIVAL featuring Van Halen and Guns N Roses, his letter to Axl, the 'Denver Incident', John Reese, are there 100 unreleased songs sitting in a vault, Slash, Duff and MUCH MUCH more.
As a member of the Legendary Rock Band RATT, Bobby Blotzer has headlined arenas the world over, selling over 20 million records worldwide!
In 2015, the acclaimed drummer affectionately known as "The Blotz" plans to introduce the world to his own one of a kind RATT Experience Live Show.
While the members of RATT are currently on hiatus, Blotzer has assembled a group of world class musicians that will perform not only the RATT hits fans have come to expect, but also several deep album cuts as well, including many songs that have never been performed live!
The Experience is rounded out by Josh Alan (Sin City Sinners), Scotty Griffin (Ex LA Guns), Doc Ellis (Jizzy Pearl's Love/Hate) & 21 Year Old Guitar Hero Blaze.
Each Bobby Blotzer's RATT Experience show will include (depending on venue & time slot)
*Performing "Invasion of Your Privacy" in its entirety to commemorate the records 30th Anniversary
*A never before seen video history introduction
*A Tribute to Robbin "King" Crosby
*Over 20 songs including some that have never been played live before
*Exclusive VIP Meet & Greet packages & opportunities to hang out with The Blotz!
SPACE Invades TOWNSVILLE APRIL 21st 2015 - Peforming Solo Anthems and Kiss Classics The Spaceman himself, the legendary ACE FREHLEY is invading Townsville in April! You heard it right KISS founding member ACE FREHLEY is coming to Townsville. When Ace decided to head to Australia early to rehearse for his upcoming Australian Tour he got the word the Townsville was one of the best and most rocking cities in Australia, Ace decided to set up base in Townsville to relax and get the band fully firing by rehearsing for a few days before heading off on tour. And as a special gift to Townsville, Ace has decided to put on a show at the Townsville Civic Theatre on April 21st! Yes Ace and his killer band will perform a full show top heavy with KISS Classics and Solo Anthems. So Townsville will be the first show on the Australian & New Zealand sojourn. Townsville this may never happen again so dont miss this one! From Kiss classics to tracks from his newest album, and everything in between, fans would be hard pressed to leave wanting much more. Fangoria magazine Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee ACE FREHLEY has announced his first Australian shows since 2010 his First Ever New Zealand Solo Shows! "I can't wait to get down to New Zealand and Australia with this new lineup. I'll be performing ACE classics as well as songs off my new CD 'Space Invader' for the enjoyment of the fans. Let There Be Rock!" Joining ACE on stage will be Richie Scarlet, who rode shotgun performing rhythm guitar and vocal duties on ACEsTrouble Walking platter and has toured with Sebastian Bach; bass guitarist Chris Wyse (Ozzy Osbourne & The Cult); and Scot Coogan (Lita Ford & Nikki Sixx).
It cannot be denied how many fledgling guitar players he has inspired over the years, or how many established players name Ace their favourite! Uber Rock
The 2-hour set features everything an ACE or KISS fan could hope for. Included are all his Solo Anthems New York Groove (a bona-fide Top 20 Hit in Australia and NZ), Snowblind, Rock Soldiers and highlights from his latest Top 10 Billboard album Space Invader. Plus KISS diamonds such as Strutter, Cold Gin, Love Gun, Deuce, Shock Me & Detroit Rock City. Plus as a special treat for KISS fans, some rare KISS gems that you simply wont hear anywhere else Talk to Me, Rocket Ride, Strange Ways, Parasite & King of the Night Time World.
ACE FREHLEY Live is absolute must for concert goers looking for a night of fun, no holds barred Rock-n-Roll with excellent guitar work, and wall to wall energy and excitement, look no further than ACE FREHLEY live on stage. Concert goers looking for a night of fun, no holds barred Rock-n-Roll with excellent guitar work, and wall to wall energy and excitement, look no further than Ace Frehley live on stage. Cryptic Rock
Full Ace Frehley Tour Dates: Tuesday 21st April TOWNSVILLE Civic Theatre Friday 24th April WELLINGTON James Cabaret Saturday 25th April AUCKLAND The Studio Wednesday 29th April BRISBANE Tivoli Theatre Thursday 30th April SYDNEY Metro Theatre Friday 1st May HOBART Wrestpoint Showroom Saturday 2nd May MELBOURNE Forum Theatre Wednesday 6th May ADELAIDE The Gov Thursday 7th May PERTH Astor Theatre
Atkins May Project Feat. Original Judas Priest Singer Al Atkins Release New Anthology With Unreleased Bonus Track
London, UK - The Atkins May Project, featuring original Judas Priest vocalist Al Atkins and guitar virtuoso Paul May return with this superb compilation. For the last four years the rock world has been buzzing about former Judas Priest vocal legend and Holy Rage heavy metal frontman Al Atkins and Christian guitarist and music artist Paul May's new music. Together they have created three excellent records available on Gonzo Multimedia. There are enough doses of melody and metal madness to entice all fans of the genre, and while it is solid, honest, working-class heavy metal, it also has its roots in contemporary metal with some fine axe-work and killer choruses.
This marriage of Metal Mayhem has earned them stunning reviews from the worlds' press and has seen them gain a steady momentum of fans globally since their initial release back in 2011. After the worldwide success of “Serpents Kiss”, “Valley Of Shadows” and “Empire Of Destruction” once again coming straight from the “Home of Metal,” out of the heart of the UK's “Black Country”, Atkins May Project return with “Anthology” (volume 1). This collection of Classic Rock and British Metal is an essential addition to all who love this genre that's no afraid to merge metal moments with progressive thought.
Al Atkins is known for being founder member and original vocalist with Judas Priest, notably writing such classics as “Victim Of Changes” & “Never Satisfied”, which the band still perform to this day. This laid the foundations for Priest to go on to sell over 40 millions albums! In 2010, Al teamed up once again with longtime friend, guitar virtuoso and producer Paul May to form AMP and record their critically acclaimed debut album “Serpents Kiss”.
Paul May was born to play guitar! Respected for his passionate, soulful guitar work and his explosive, exciting solos, Paul is a world class professional guitarist and songwriter playing and recording sessions across the globe, appearing on over 50 albums and featured in both the secular and Christian arenas.
“Anthology” marks their own territory in rock with this selection of excellent songs! This exciting compilation also features an unreleased bonus track a cover of Phil Collin's “In The Air Tonight”!
Paul says, “It was quite a task to choose which songs would make it onto this compilation as there's such a diversity in the styles of tracks, but I hope this reflects the wider view of the rock and metal we love doing”
Al says, “The reviews from the first three albums were great and said it all, so it was difficult to select the songs for the album, but I think you'll agree that we made the right choices, and 'Anthology' for me ticks all the right boxes!”
Tracks:
Here Comes The Rain
Bitter Waters
A World At War
Dream Maker
Whisper To The Wind
Harder They Fall
The Shallowing
Enslaved To Love
Theatre Of Fools
Valley Of Shadows
In the Air Tonight (unreleased bonus track)
This week on the Double Stop Podcast is Rowan Robertson (Dio, Violets Demise, DC4, Bang Tango):
Rowan Robertson (Dio, DC4, Bang Tango) walks us through his career - from joining Dio at onlyy 17 years old, to having his album with Oni Logan (Violets Demise) shelved - all the way up to current projects such as DC4 and Bang Tango. Frrom the writing sessions for “Lock Up The Wolves” to preparing for his years Monsters of Rock cruise, it’s all covered.
DEF LEPPARD have completed the recording process (mixing and mastering to follow) for their all-new studio album due later this year - an album guitarist Vivian Campbell has described as the best of his career with the band.
And if you read the fine print on the new 2015 UK Tour graphic, you'll see it looks like the new album will be titled 'Def Leppard'.
Pre Order the new album 'Venom' now and get 'Face the Enemy' and 'Empire of Lies' downloads immediately!
New Album Out In Europe 17/4 and North America on 21/4
Frontiers Music Srl has announced an April 17th release date for IMPELLITTERI new album 'Venom' in Europe, with North America to follow on April 21st. Fans can now enjoy the new video for the title-track here:
At the same time 'Face the Enemy' and 'Empire of Lies' have been made available as an Instant Gratification Track beginning today on iTunes worldwide when you pre-order : http://geni.us/ImpellitteriTunes
'Venom' is IMPELLITTERI's tenth full length studio album and is a record filled with addictive and memorable riffs, guitar solos that feature Chris Impellitteri's blistering shredding technique coupled with strong melody and taste. Rob Rock vocals are mesmerizing, melodic, and will make the listener sing along with each song long after the record is over. Lastly, the band boggles the mind with brutal drumming (featuring John Dette, ex TESTAMENT, SLAYER etc) filled with speed and groove and beastly bass playing (curtesy of James Pulli) that supports IMPELLITTERI's sonic madness! The result is a record that excites and musically satisfy every Metal and Rock fan, and every musician around the world. To add to their quest, IMPELLITTERI also wanted to create music that would take the listener on a musical journey through different time periods of metal and rock.
Chris Impellitteri is heralded as one of the world's greatest guitar shredders. He has won Best Rock Guitarist Awards on several magazines during the years for his guitar soloing. He is the first guitarist to be branded as the fastest guitarist in the world by the international media. Recently and without any promotion, Impellitteri was officially voted 2nd fastest guitarist in the world by 'Guitar One' magazine; and 'Guitar World' magazine recently listed Chris Impellitteri within their top 50 fastest guitarists of all time!
Rocktopia Records recording artists TEN are proud to announce that the release of their eagerly awaited 12 studio album is scheduled for May 20.
The new album is titled ‘Isla de Muerta’ and follows hot on the heels of their ground-breaking and highly lauded 2014 opus ‘Albion’.
Named after the mythical 'Island Of The Dead' from Pirate legend and as the title would suggest, this time around the album has a very 'piratical, seafaring' feel.
In true classic Ten style, the album opens with the atmospheric ‘Buccaneers’ instrumental and segues straight into the cinematic ‘Dead Men Tell No Tales’
Other track titles will be released as we approach the release date.
Any fans of TEN and their expanding catalogue will not be disappointed.
‘Isla de Muerta’ will be the second outing for this current line-up and sees the boys build upon the foundation stones laid by their ‘Albion’ release.
Expect all the trademark TEN essences: Great songs, Big choruses, stunning solo work and twin leads with the British seven piece once again raising the bar and firing on all cylinders.
‘Isla de Muerta’ promises to inspire the imagination, with songwriter Gary Hughes once again delving into a rich and varied array of subject matter this time around.
Delivered in the classic TEN manner and conjuring images on a simply cinematic scale.
The wait is almost over...
In related news, TEN announce that they have released a video trailer for their upcoming live performances in Athens, Greece, which will take place this May. You can check out the trailer via this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDMighWyMl8
AOR Heaven proudly presents the re-issues of the much sought after first two Drive, She Said albums 'Drive, She Said' and 'Drivin' Wheel'. Both are as usual re-mastered by Chris Lyne and with liner notes by Dave Reynolds, strictly limited to 500 units ea. and with additional bonus tracks (see track listings below).
Drive, She Said: 01.If This Is Love 02.Hard Way Home 03.Don't You Know 04.But For You 05.Love Has No Pride 06.Maybe It's Love 07.Hold On (Hands Around Your Heart) 08.If I Told You 09.I Close My Eyes 10.As She Touches Me (Why Can't I Believe) 11.Crossed My Heart * 12.It Must Be Love * / * = bonus track
Drivin' Wheel: 01.Think Of Love 02.Drivin' Wheel 03.Hard To Hold 04.When You Love Someone 05.Can't Get Enough 06.Veil Of Tears 07.It's Gonna Take A Miracle 08.It Just Keeps Comin' 09.Just For The Moment 10.Do You Believe 11.Never Say Never *12.You Never Know With Magic * 13.Hold My Heart * / * = bonus track
Please check also www.aorheaven.com for our completely new designed homepage with many new features!
DEF LEPPARD & WHITESNAKE will co-headline a UK & Ireland Tour in December 2015 with BLACK STAR RIDERS joining the party.
Dates are as follows:
Sunday 6 Dublin 3Arena Monday 7 Belfast Odyssey
Wednesday 9 Newcastle Metro Radio Arena
Thursday 10 Glasgow The SSE Hydro
Saturday 12 Birmingham Genting Arena
Sunday 13 Nottingham Capital FM Arena
Tuesday 15 Manchester Arena
Wednesday 16 Cardiff Motorpoint Arena
Friday 18 London The SSE Arena Wembley
Saturday 19 Sheffield Motorpoint Arena
Tickets go on sale at 10am on Wednesday 1st April priced £45.00 Newcastle to Sheffield & £49.50 for Belfast & €59.50/€64.50 for Dublin (subject to per-ticket charge plus order processing fee) and are available from www.livenation.co.uk
The Swedish melodic metal band Harmony will release a new EP entitled "Remembrance" on May 22nd in Europe and on May 26th in North America through Ulterium Records.
The 6 track EP includes four re-recorded songs from the Harmony debut album “Dreaming Awake” as well as two new songs. "Remembrance" features the legendary vocalist Daniel Heiman [ex. Lost Horizon] on vocals on all tracks. The EP is mixed at Studio Fredman [At The Gates, In Flames, Hammerfall] in Gothenburg, Sweden.
earMUSIC PARTNERS WITH ENTERTAINMENT ONE DISTRIBUTION (eONE DISTRIBUTION) FOR EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTION IN THE U.S.
NEW RELEASES FROM ASH, DEEP PURPLE, ANGRA, THUNDER, GAMMA RAY + MORE ON THE WAY
(New York, N.Y.): earMUSIC has signed an exclusive deal with Entertainment One Distribution for distribution in the U.S., it was announced today. The deal is the first of many planned elements that will further nurture the earMusic label, brand and artists in the United States in 2015 and beyond.
Max Vaccaro, General Manager of earMUSIC comments, "During the first five years of earMUSIC, we have seen our label becoming a constant presence on the charts all over Europe. After some excellent years with our close friends at Eagle, we now feel its time to 'walk on our own two feet' and start developing our own presence in the United States. We approach this step in the most important market in the world knowing how challenging it will be to be as successful as we are in Europe. In a market where some of the best companies operate, we feel strong with having met a partner like eOne to share this ambition with."
Michael Healy, Executive Vice President of eOne Music, states, "We feel very fortunate to be able to add EarMUSIC to our strong list of labels and artists. It will be exciting to be a part of their continued success as they take these next steps to expand their footprint in the U.S. marketplace."
Scott Givens, VP Metal of eOne Music, adds, "I am thrilled to have earMUSIC join eOne Distribution and look forward to working with Max and his staff. This is another example of eOne's ongoing commitment to the rock and metal genres."
earMUSIC is the international record company of Edel Group. The label features an impressive repertoire of rock, pop, metal, and alternative rock artists. earMUSIC fuses the experience and tradition, a product of Edel's 25-plus years of worldwide success, with a renewed musical direction and a fresh approach to further artist's careers and to foster their new releases.
Additionally, earMUSIC offers artists a strong network of owned affiliates and long-term international partners. These top professionals and highly-regarded companies have been responsible for the success of countless independent labels and artists, all of which have benefitted greatly from their marketing, promotion, and distribution services, as well as their expertise, their experience, and their "know how."
Domestic label management for earMUSIC will be provided by the U.S. team of international promotion and marketing firm International Solutions, headed by Elias Chios in New York.
Internationally, earMUSIC's roster in Europe boasts some of the biggest names in rock music, including Deep Purple, Chickenfoot, Status Quo, Ash, Foreigner, Tarja, Thunder, Joe Jackson, Dragonforce, Gamma Ray, Kevin Costner & Modern West, Stratovarius, Baby Metal, Christopher Cross, and many others.
eOne Distribution is the largest independent music and video distributor in North America and holds the highest market share of any independent. The company boasts an unparalleled roster ranging from leading independent labels to major Hollywood studios covering a wide spectrum of genres in both music and video. In addition to offering traditional wholesale and managed inventory services to some of North America’s largest retailers, the company’s fully staffed digital team operates its own in-house digital suite and provides a wide range of digital strategic services.
The first set of releases for May under this new deal are as follows:
May 12:
Deep Purple, Long Beach 1971: The release is the latest in earMUSIC's Deep Purple live series of the past two years, boasting rare material. Recorded at the Long Beach Arena on July 30, 1971 and broadcast on KUSC, 91.5 FM, this is a "must own" for fans of Deep Purple, spanning over 70 minutes of music that was remastered in 2014. earMUSIC has reached Gold Status with Deep Purple latest release "NOW What?!" in Germany where it charted at No. 1, and achieved over 10 top 10 positions worldwide, four of which were No. 1.
Angra, Secret Garden: Brazilian metal icons Angra, who have been a unit for two decades, are releasing their first music in over four years in the form of Secret Garden. It's a concept album which asks a critical question: Can something that does not exist to the eyes, or is not perceived by the senses, be considered as non-existent?
SOTO, Inside the Vertigo: Soto casts vocalist Jeff Scott Soto, formerly of Journey, amidst talented young turks who know their way around their instruments. The album is cathartic, as it finds Soto releasing the buildup of tension and frustration he has dealt with over the past several years, making for a fascinating listen that rock fans will love and be unable to turn away from.
May 26:
Thunder, Wonder Days: One of the most enduring British bands of the past two decades, Thunder roar again with their 10th studio album - their first in six years. Their sound is a tiimeless marriage of unforgettable melodies and sheer rock power and they have rightfully ascended into the rock pantheon. The album entered the UK Top 10, a first for the band in over 20 years.
ASH Kablammo!:A brand new studio album from the pop-punk sensations Ash, one of the most successful bands to emerge from Ireland in the last 20 years, is upon us. The album offers a great collection of instant classics for a band that has managed to stop time. It's a return home, as Ash had enjoyed great success in collaboration with the Edel network for their first three seminal albums.
June 9:
Gamma Ray, Best Of: The German power metal institution offers a selection of their best, most representative songs on one album! It's a collection of true greatness preparing the way to a complete catalogue reissue with extra disc made of brand new exclusive material.
MIKE TRAMP returns with a new solo album 'Nomad' this August.
Following his first live appearance in Russia, Mike Tramp have completed his next album in Medley Studio in Copenhagen, Denmark. As on his previous 4 albums, co-producer and engineer, Guitar player Soren Andersen, is once again Tramps partner in crime.
The new album will be a full band album from first song to last, and Tramp & Andersen are joined by Morten Hellborn, who played with Tramp and Andersen in the Rock n Roll Circus and bass grooving is being handled by fellow Dane Jesper Haugaard. Hammond B-3 organ will be another Tramp family member, Morten Buchholz.
Tramp says about the new album, "a full rock album was always just amatter of when and this sees once again a natural progression from Cobblestone Street and Museum", but Tramp hints that this is for sure a pure rock album of classic origin and the word acoustic will not be part of the description of it. Fans of Tramp's debut solo album Capricorn, Recovering the Wasted Years and More To Life than this should rejoice. "This is not a departure, it is a contiuing journey onward."
The Album will called Nomad and out late August, followed by a European tour, September onward.
New Studio Album Returns Band to Classic Melodic Rock Format.
To Be Released By Frontiers Music Srl in May
In their 25 years as a musical duo, Gunnar & Matthew Nelson, collectively known simply as Nelson, have grown from Pop music idols to seasoned songwriters and performers. Now, as the brothers celebrate a quarter century at the forefront of the international music scene, they return with Peace Out, their most ambitious studio album to date.
Released in Europe on May 15th and North America on May 19th by Frontiers Music Srl. Peace Out marks a return to the well crafted pop songs that put the band at the top of the Billboard charts in the 1990s. From the anthemic “Invincible” to the rollicking soon-to-be pop classic “Back in the Day,” Peace Out is quintessential Nelson from start to finish.
“We set a pretty high standard with our previous release with Frontiers – Lightning Strikes Twice. That record received by far the most critical acclaim of any Nelson record to date... Peace Out was expected to be even BETTER, The so the goal was to push ourselves to the very limit- past what we believed we could do,” says Gunnar Nelson. “We wanted to write and record the most exciting, authentic, uplifting, and rockin’ Nelson record ever made! The mission: to make a classic.”
The brothers have always had their work cut out for themselves, being the third generation in one of America’s most celebrated entertainment families, who came into US households every week from 1952 through 1966 on the ABC sitcom, The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet. Their grandfather, Ozzie Nelson, was a celebrated big band leader, whose orchestra featured their grandmother, Harriet; and their late father, Ricky, was one of Rock’n’roll’s earliest superstars, a member of The Rock N Roll Hall of Fame, and generally credited with creating the country-rock format.
When the Nelson twins burst onto the music scene with the Billboard #1 hit “(I Can’t Live Without Your) Love & Affection,” in 1990, they set a Guinness World Record by being the only family to have three generations of #1 hits on the charts! Nelson went on to release a half dozen Rock albums selling nearly 7 million records, beginning with the multi-platinum After The Rain.
Peace Out marks their fourth release on Frontiers since 2010. Look for Nelson to embark on a world tour upon the album’s release. “We're putting the live show together as we speak... And it will incorporate the very best live songs from our career... Focusing heavily on the Peace Out album,” tells Gunnar.
The Nelsons have worked in a number of musical styles including pop, hard rock and even country. Now, Peace Out takes them to the musical home they have known the best: harmony-driven pop Rock whose melodies are as infectious as they are lasting.
Peace Out tracklisting:Hello Everybody; Back In The Day; Invincible; Let It Ride; I Wanna Stay Home; On The Bright Side; Rockstar; Autograph; What’s Not To Love?; You And Me; Bad For You; Leave The Light On For Me.
"This year marks the 50th Anniversary of The Scorpions. To mark the occasion they have just released their 18th studio album "Return To Forever" as well as embarking on a celebratory world tour. For those you that want the scoop on this years Scorpions plans (and who doesn't) we have a guy with the inside scoop, drummer James Kottak on the show this week. James called us direct from tour rehearsals and graciously gave us a nice chunk of time out of his very hectic schedule."
"In a press conference today at in Berlin, the band explained how being in a-ha was “a bit like a marriage” with keyboard player Magne Furuholmen adding “what was right in 2010 is wrong is 2015, I’m prepared to admit it”.
The album will be issued on 4 September 2015 and a ‘Cast in Steel’ tour will follow in 2016. Maybe disappointingly for fans, Morten Harket makes it clear that ‘we are not getting back to stay together. We’ve agreed to come back for a set period: one album, one tour. It’s a great opportunity and allows us to write another chapter.’
The band’s debut Hunting High and Lowis being reissued as a super deluxe edition box set this year along with deluxe editions of Stay On These Roads, East of the Sun West of the Moon, and Memorial Beach."
New Deal Covers Recordings and Videos by Fight, Two and Halford
March 25, 2015 - New York, NY - SONY Music Entertainment and Legacy Recordings, SME's catalog division, have signed a worldwide rights deal to with the Metal God, Rob Halford. Frontman of the legendary heavy metal band Judas Priest, Rob Halford brought his iconic charisma and influential vocal style to a variety of side projects since 1992, notably his bands Fight, 2wo and Halford. The new SONY/Legacy agreement with Rob Halford will include individual album catalog titles and audio-visual releases. Upcoming Rob Halford anthology titles will include an Essential and Playlist collection with plans for a definitive Complete Albums Box.
Born Robert John Arthur Halford on August 25, 1951, Rob Halford rocketed to fame as the lead singer for the Grammy Award-winning heavy metal band Judas Priest. One of the genre's most powerful, distinctive and influential vocalists, Halford set the standard for generations of metal singers. After leaving Judas Priest in 1992, Halford formed the band Fight and, between 1993 and 1995, recorded two albums, War of Words and A Small Deadly Space, and an EP, Mutations, with the band. Following Fight, Halford moved into the realm of industrial metal with his Two project. In 2000, he launched the straight-ahead no-nonsense pure metal ensemble Halford. The SONY/Legacy release agreement includes virtually all of Rob Halford's work with Fight, Two and Halford from 1992 onward. Coming on March 31, Columbia/Legacy Recordings will release The Essential Rob Halford (2 CD-30 tracks).
Rob Halford Catalog includes:
Fight Albums
War of Words
Mutations
A Small Deadly Space
K5 The “War of Words” Demos Audio/Visual
War of Words: The Film
Live in Phoenix
Two
Voyeurs
Halford
Metal God Essentials: Volume 1
Resurrection
Live Insurrection
Crucible
Live at Rock in Rio 3 (album and audio/visual)
Live in Anaheim (album and audio/visual)
Winter Songs
Made of Metal
Live at Saitama Super Arena (album and audio/visual)
Live in London
Live 2010 North & South America Tour (album and audio/visual)
Metal God Essentials: Volume 2
Available Today Along With the album's title track When You Pre Order the new album 'Risk Everything'
New Studio Album Out In Europe 17/4 and North America on 21/4
Frontiers Music Srl has announced an April 17th release date for PETERIK/SCHERER new album 'Risk Everything' in Europe, with North America to follow on April 21st. Fans can now enjoy the new video for the lead single 'Cold Blooded':
The new video features none other than Lee Ann Marie, the girl-now woman who is featured on the original SURVIVOR video 'Can't Hold Back'.
'Risk Everything' is PETERIK / SCHERER anticipated new album which introduces the world the talents of 5 octave singer Marc Scherer on songs specifically penned for his abilities by SURVIVOR founding member Jim Peterik.Co-written by both artists and produced by Peterik, the new album provides the perfect frame for Scherer's gift ' a voice of such astonishing clarity and glass-shattering power that it is hard to believe he isn't already a major star.
Marc Scherer will appear as a special guest of Pride of Lions when they headline at Frontiers Rock Festival II on April 12 in Trezzo Sull'Adda (Milano), Italy. For details, visit www.frontiersrockfestival.com.
