Deep Purple are setting sail into new waters with their first-ever animated video.
The official video for "The Surprising," one of the fan favorite tracks from the internationally successful album inFinite, takes the viewer on a journey through the magical 50-year history of the band. With high attention to detail, the animated masterpiece follows the five heroes of our story – Ian Gillan, Ian Paice, Roger Glover, Don Airey, and Steve Morse � through a stormy ship cruise full of allusiions and sees them riding off into the sunset.
The video was directed and illustrated by Matt Rooke, alongside director Peter Rogers, who also produced the video together with Craig Hooper and Collin Games, known from the Deep Purple movie documentary From Here to inFinite.
Deep Purple and earMUSIC also announce the release of the 97-minute documentary From Here to inFinite, which is due out in November 2017. It shows the history and origin of inFinite and provides a deep insight into the workings of the band for the first time on Blu-ray!
The Blu-ray further includes two hours of bonus material, including music videos such as "The Surprising," three previously unreleased live videos ("Time for Bedlam," "Birds of Prey," and "Smoke on the Water"), all filmed and recorded at Hellfest 2017, as well as in-depth behind the scenes footage, movie documentary outtakes, interviews, and an audio commentary by Deep Purple themselves; all previously unreleased.
In conjunction with the release of the Blu-ray, Deep Purple and earMUSIC are also releasingThe infinite Live Recorings, Pt. 1 on a special 3-disc vinyl LP, produced by Bob Ezrin. This was recorded at Hellfest 2017, the biggest metal festival in France and contains a brand new previously unreleased 80min live performance.
TRACK LIST FROM HERE TO INFINITE (Blu-ray) ►The Movie "From Here to inFinite (97 min.)
Bonus (132 min.) ►Audio commentary by Deep Purple ►Live At Hellfest 2017
1. Time for Bedlam
2. Birds of Prey
3. Smoke on the Water
►Outtakes From Here to inFinite
1. Full Interview with Joe Satriani
2. Corky - The Recording Engineer
►Official Music Videos
1. The Surprising
2. Johnny's Band
3. Johnny's Band Documentary
4. All I Got Is You
►About inFinite - Interviews
1. About the Album
2. Beyond the Album
3. Track by track
4. Rapid Fire interview
5. Behind the Scenes photoshoot
TRACK LISTING FOR THE INFINITE LIVE RECORDINGS, VOL. 1 (3LP) Side A
1. Time for Bedlam
2. Fireball
3. Bloodsucker Side B
1. Strange Kind of Woman
2. Uncommon Man Side C
1. The Surprising
2. Lazy Side D
1. Birds Of Prey
2. Hell To Pay
3. Key Solo Side E
1. Perfect Strangers
2. Space Truckin’
3. Smoke On The Water Side F
1. Hush
2. Black Night
Gilby Clarke needs no introduction to rock fans. He played in both Guns N’ Roses and the MC5. Who else can claim membership in two of the most life-altering rock ’n’ roll outfits to ever exist on the planet? Clarke hit the stage with his GN’R running buds at the 2012 Rock ’n’ Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony – he appeared on the band’s The Spaghetti Incident, Live Era ’88-’91 and Greatest Hits albums, and spent years on the massive Use Your Illusion world tour in the ’90s – but his proudest GN’R moment is, he says, the Gilby rolls mode on the GN’R pinball machine!
Before joining the GN’R circus, the guitarist bounced from the great Candy to his own, heartbreakingly ignored, big-riff quartet Kill for Thrills. Clarke has, along the way, toured, and/or recorded with everyone from Nancy Sinatra to Heart to Gene Simmons to Slash’s Snakepit. In between touring & recording he was making videos with not only GNR, but Michael Jackson & Slash when MTV was de rigueur. Perhaps you saw him starring alongside Mötley Crüe’s Tommy Lee on Rockstar: Supernova or VH1 Honors with Rob Zombie, Slash & Ace Frehely?
Then there’s his solo career that earned him critical winks and sales for such albums as Pawnshop Guitars (including the American hits “Cure Me ... Or Kill Me,” and “Tijuana Jail”), The Hangover (two songs made Bruce Willis’ The Story of Us), Rubber, 99 Live & Swag.
Clarke, who’s an old school mash-up of Keef, Johnny Thunders, and B.B. King, continues to write fist-jacking rock ’n’ roll songs with fat choruses, and appear on stages around the globe. He produces worthy bands too. He’s also one of the sweetest gents you’ll ever meet. He’s a guitar hero, certainly, but also a gentleman whose heart happens to rush at rock ’n’ roll speed.
Gilby is hitting the east coast of Australia for some intimate, sweaty, raw, totally Rock ‘n’ Roll shows! Gilby will be Will be ripping up a selection of hits from his past bands Guns N Roses, Slash’s Snakepit, RockStar Supernova, MC5 and much more with full band in tow.
Gilby Clarke Australian Tour Dates
Thursday 30th November - Crowbar - Brisbane
Friday 1st Dec - Cherry Bar - Melbourne
Saturday 2nd Dec – The Basement - Canberra
Sunday 3rd Dec – Frankie’s - Sydney
With the final show at Frankie’s in Sydney being a huge party in celebration of their 5th birthday. – FREE ENTRY
A little good news – sales results for MelodicRock Records have been outstanding this year, I truly appreciate the support of every person that has purchased one of our titles. I’d also thank the artists for trusting in the label, the stores and distributors for keeping fans supplied with new music.
I’m excited to announce that the first pressing of BOULEVARD’s comeback masterpiece Luminescence has sold out and a second pressing has been ordered.
Both fan and critical response to this album has been amazing and I’m honoured to be part of the band’s triumphant return.
When it comes to unearthing new heavy music that will stand the test of time, it always pays to observe what the experts are doing. A four-man testament to hard work and creative excellence, Cyhra showcases the pooling of a huge quantity of modern metal talent. Formed in 2016 by long-time friends ex-Amaranthe vocalist Jake E and former In Flames guitarist Jesper Strömblad, these vital veterans are about to light a fire under the contemporary metal scene that promises to blaze for decades to come. The band’s immaculate debut album, Letters To Myself, is the end result of an artistic partnership that was, as Jake E explains, plainly meant to be.
“At the beginning of 2016, Jesper and me sat down to have a cup of coffee, and we were discussing what we wanted to do with our respective careers. Jesper said that he was going to go and record a solo album and I was saying that I was actually walking the same path, although I didn’t know if I was going to leave Amaranthe or just do something completely different. Jesper asked me if I’d be interested in singing on his solo album and then I more or less asked him the same thing, would he play on my solo album? Then we discussed what kind of music we each wanted to do, and after ten minutes Jesper stood up and said ‘What the fuck? We want to do exactly the same thing! Let’s start a band instead!’ That’s how it all started. A couple of months later I decided to leave Amaranthe, and this became my main priority.”
Completing this insanely gifted quartet are former In Flames bassist Peter Iwers and Alex Landenburg, current drummer with power metal titans Luca Turilli’s Rhapsody and a former member of thrash legends Annihilator. As the explosive and exhilarating songs on Letters To Myself reveal, the chemistry between these four musicians has been instant and extraordinary. Sometimes all the pieces of the puzzle just fall into place…
“I always had Alex in my mind for the drum position,” says Jake. “We always bumped into each other when I was out touring. I said to Jesper, ‘I know this guy and you’re going to love him!’ I sent two or three songs to Alex and he loved them and became a member of the band almost right away! We were almost at the point of talking with labels when we thought that maybe Peter would like to be involved too. He was still in In Flames at that point, but he wanted to join. He decided to leave In Flames a couple of months later, but that had nothing to do with us asking him to join Cyhra. But suddenly we had a steady line-up! It was fun that Jesper and Peter ended up in the same band again, too… that’s pretty cool.”
Although by no means repeating past glories, Cyhra’s debut album undoubtedly features plenty of the magic that each member of the band has become known for over the years. From the blissfully melodic thrust of Jesper Strömblad’s riffs and hooks and the soaring, soulful splendour of Jake E’s unmistakable voice to the pummelling, groove-driven precision of Peter Iwers and Alex Landenburg’s rhythmic bedrock, every last moment crackles with the excitement of fresh territory, new challenges and a brand new identity for all involved to embrace. An album of concise anthems, every one of them blessed with a huge chorus, Letters To Myself sets out this band’s stall in no uncertain terms: from the high energy riffing and skittering groove of opener Karma and the monstrous power and melodic finesse of Heartrage through to the overwhelming emotional thrust of grand ballad Closure and the pop-tinged melo-death attack of Holding Your Breath.
“When it comes to a style, I’d just say that this is really catchy metal!” laughs Jake. “You can hear where we’re coming from but we’re not cut’n’pasting anything from our old bands. We have our own ways of singing and playing so yeah, it’s recognisable. I don’t put labels on music. For me it’s either good music or bad music – they’re the only categories I have! I guess we aimed to get some kind of elements from our other bands. I’ve always been focused on choruses, but I also wanted to add some more modern touches, some of that alternative metal vibe. It’s hard to put a label on it, though, and that’s a great problem to have.”
Beyond the obvious thrill of starting a new band, Cyhra also represents something deeper and more profound for guitarist Jesper Strömblad. Having battled with addiction for many years, this latest creative step marks a wholesale comeback for one of modern metal’s most distinguished protagonists, and the songs on Letters To Myself delve deep into the emotional turmoil and quest for inner strength that Jesper has experienced in recent times. Newly invigorated and back to top form, his confident and artistically joyous return is a cause for celebration on every level.
“This album must be seen a little bit as Jesper’s comeback,” agrees Jake. “He’s never been silent about his problems with alcohol and other things. We talked a lot and I listened to what he had to say about his condition and his feelings and all his anxiety problems. I wrote the lyrics a lot from his perspective, but also from mine, writing about being in a bad situation, whether it’s a band or a relationship or a problem with alcohol. The album is pretty true to our life experiences and I think people will be able to relate to it. It’s a dark album but it still has that positive vibe, which is kinda weird!”
With such an impressive collective pedigree, the buzz around Cyhra has been growing at a rapid rate since the band unveiled their plans earlier this year. When Letters To Myself hits the streets, it seems likely that these revitalised metal diehards will make a swift and sudden impact. An exciting new chapter for all concerned, Cyhra are in this for long haul and ready to take their message of hope to the masses.
“We have our own headline show in Helsinki on the 27th of October and that’ll be our first ever live show,” Jake states. “We’re gonna be a band like any other and we’re gonna tour hard. I really don’t want people to think this is some kind of project. It’s a full-blown band and we’re gonna work our asses off!”
Power Quest, the renowned melodic power metal band based in the UK just released a music video for "Lords of Tomorrow", the second single from their long awaited 6th album "Sixth Dimension". The album will be released on October 13th via Inner Wound Recordings in Europe/USA and on October 11th in Japan via Marquee/Avalon.
Thirty-seven years after his first interview with Gene Simmons, Mitch gets his second crack at The Demon from KISS. Gene discusses his Vault Box Set, KISS’ 2018 plans and a possible one-off show... Just listen!
Up next is former Journey drummer Deen Castronovo. He discusses the new Revolution Saints album, compares Journey singers, talks about letting down Neal Schon and more.
Finally, go on a walk with Lynch Mob guitarist George Lynch who discusses the band’s new album, his respect for Dokken, the cheese factor of... well, just listen!
