It is with great pride and enthusiasm that MelodicRock Records can announce the addition of two super stars of the melodic rock scene to the label. We’re talking none other than Vic Rivera and Jamie Rowe, collectively known as ADRIANGALE!
AdrianGale has signed to MRR for their next studio album, which is under way currently, with plans to take it slow, get everything perfected for a release in early 2018.
And of course, with a new start comes a new logo, commissioned by MRR and designed by the label’s long-time collaborator Nello Dell'Omo.
Andrew McNeice, MRR: “I’m so excited to have these two fine gents involved in the label. Vic and Jamie are two of the nicest guys in the business and my friendship with both goes back as far as the very first AdrianGale release. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Vic on the Poley/Rivera album, but now I get the chance to work with one of the finest names in melodic rock. We will all work together to make the new AdrianGale album their most exceptional yet. I’ve given orders to both Vic and Jamie to just go crazy. Go nuts. Make it big, make it loud and make it a statement.”
Vic Rivera: “It’s been a long time coming, but I’m elated that Jamie and I have joined forces with our great and trusted friend Andrew and MelodicRock Records to herald in a new era for AdrianGale!
It already feels like home - we’ve cultivated a tremendous amount of respect and friendship for one another over the course of the last 17 years, and it’s with those principles in place that we set upon this endeavor. Jamie and I have a unique and undeniable chemistry on all levels that we feel has translated to the music we’ve made and we’re eager to continue on with that tradition. Of course, we have you, our incredible fans (friends, really), to thank for liking what we do in the first place – words can’t express the amount of gratitude and love we have for you all, and we can’t wait to bring you new music!”
Jamie Rowe: “It’s a really great feeling to know that our long-time friend, Andrew with Melodic Rock Records, is going to release the next chapter of AdrianGale music!
Over the years, I’ve had my hand in a number of projects and AdrianGale is clearly a stand-out amongst them. The chemistry that Vic Rivera and I share is evident and I feel we make some of the best melodic hard rock in the modern era. What started as a studio project in 2000 has evolved into a true collaboration based on a strong friendship, mutual respect, and a love for what we do. It’s always a joy to record music that people want to hear… and the A/G fans are worthy of our best! We plan to give it to them.”
Stay tuned for progress updates and teasers into the recording process and look for the band to pop up for select live appearances.
MelodicRock Records is very pleased to announce an extension of the relationship with S.A.Y mastermind Jan Akesson, working with the guitarist/vocalist/songwriter/producer on his debut solo album ‘Ascension’, set to be released August 26 under the moniker Jan Akesson’s Shadow Rain.
Jan Akesson's Shadow Rain is an intense, in your face hard rocking rollercoaster that is both unique and melodic as well as very familiar to fans of the debut S.A.Y album, released on MRR in 2015.
Guitars and menace run through the album’s 10 tracks, whilst each throws in a hook and melody that draws you back in for more.
Sweden based multidimensional musician Jan Åkesson, was born in October 1965 and is known for his works with hard rock band StoneLake. Åkesson started playing guitar in 1978 and became a songwriter early in his life. In 1984 he got to know singer Peter Grundström while playing lead guitar in the band “Ravage”. Grundström was lead singer of the band “Whitelight” which Åkesson became a member of in the fall of the same year.
In 1987, Åkesson left Whitelight and wanted to pursue a career and a sound that was more guitar-oriented and harder. He went on to form new bands: “Why Not”, “Perfect Stranger” and “Dr. Blue”, playing many very successful gigs and making several acclaimed recordings.
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. The studio he created in 2005, was called “UMP”, which is an abbreviation of: “Unlimited Music Production”.
After the split from Whitelight, who later changed their name to “Kee Avenue”, singer Peter Grundström was enrolled to join “StoneLake”. Åkesson and Grundström became a successful songwriting team and released several albums and singles on different record labels.
In 2008 they were invited to write all the music for the project “Solna” and shared the credits with well-known artists from the industry such as Ralf Scheepers (Primal Fear, Gamma Ray), Alex De Rosso (Dokken), Rob de Luca (Lynch Mob, Sebastian Bach) and Pamela Moore who is known for her work with classic band Queensrÿche.
In 2015 the duo formed the project “S.A.Y.” and released the critically acclaimed album: “Orion”. Reviewer Kieran Dargan of the site “Rocktopia” wrote: “... the musical class on show here is simply too good to ignore. A rather fabulous little album that is well deserving of a home in your collection”.
Åkesson has been busy as a songwriter for different genres of music as well as hard rock, and has written pop music for numerous artists in Japan, but also hard rock music for artists such as “Liv Moon” and produced punk covers that were released on the album “MAX! - Punk it!”.
Look for ‘Ascension’, from Jan Akesson’s Shadow Rain to be released wide and far by MRR on August 26 alongside the debut Fiction Syxx album ‘Talk Dark Secrets’.
Xtasy second album "Second Chance" has just been released in Japan on June 16th through Anderstein Music and as a celebration, the new single "Saind and done" has also been released.
The video was recorded on the 13th of January at Sala Totem in Pamplona, Spain.
Next saturday, June 24th, Xtasy will be playing at its hometown at Sala Zentral.
Not only do we have some great interviews with the likes of Mr Big, Kobra & the Lotus, Warrant, Jethro Tull, Harem Scarem, Ritchie Kotzen, Jorn Lande, Ten, Seether, Dragonforce, Bonfire, Iced Earth and many more, we also have OVER FIFTY pages of reviews, the largest reviews section of any music magazine in the UK, with in-depth, intelligent discussions and opinions.
Do you remember the 80s and early 90s, in a time before the internet dominated our lives, when there was a large number of Rock fanzines giving us all the latest news and reviews that you wouldn’t find in the majors? Titles like AOR Basement, Boulevard, Voltz, Frontiers, Hard Roxx and many more. We surely do, and in this issue Rob Evans takes a look back at those titles and chats with some of those involved, in Part 1 of ‘Read ‘Em And Weep’.
Keeping Rob company on Memory Lane is Dave Reynolds as he takes a detailed look back into 1974, a year that saw debut releases from the likes of KISS, Rush, Bad Company and Kansas!
Add in our usual features: Sisters In Rock, Breaking Bands, The Vinyl Countdown, Unsung Heroes, Take 5, The Expert’s Guide and Bands That Time Forgot, along with our free 52 page pdf on our CD (download link for outside UK) then there is an insane amount of reading packed into 200 pages … plus 90 mp3 songs to listen to – and all for the crazy low price £5.99 plus postage!
Weekly syndicated US radio show Noize In The Attic - Where Your Past Comes Back To Haunt You (www.noizeintheattic.com) goes in-depth with Eric Martin of Mr. Big. We discuss the new record, early Eric Martin Band history, the current drama with Journey and much more!
On the new Mr. Big album "Defying Gravity";
"I was frustrated as hell because I didn't feel I had enough pre-production for these songs"..
Listen to the full episode here (interview starts at 16 minutes)
