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August 27, 2006 August 22 was the last update made to this page, all future news updates will appear at our new site.
August 22, 2006 Sphere of Souls Confirmed For ProgPower Europe 2006 | IZZ Added To ProgDay Lineup | ProgAwards 2006 Debuts | Bruce Main on Modern Prog CD | F2 Releases Magenta/Haslam Duet, Chimpan A | F2 Night - Magneta, Credo and Ezra | ProgRock.co.uk Greg Lake Competition | Icon Do That | Björn J:son Lindh To Guest At IB Expo 2006 | Maybe I'm Pyramazed | 7 Hours Of Unreleased And Live vidnaObmana | Thessera Signs To ProgRock Records | Q2K OK'd For Reissue | Releasing A New Prototyp | Into Eternity Gets Revealing | Project Creation's Expanded Movie Trailer Debuts | Noddy's Puncture Oozes Live Release | Christopher Scott Cooper | Notes | News 8/12 SPHERE OF SOULS
CONFIRMED FOR PROGPOWER EUROPE 2006 Dutch prog metallers Sphere of Souls, who released their acclaimed debut album From The Ashes… through Finland's Lion Music earlier this year, have been added to the bill for ProgPower Europe 2006, which will be held at J.C. Sjiwa in Baarlo, the Netherlands between Friday 29 September and Sunday 1 October. This year's line-up features such names as Riverside, Mercenary, Scar Symmetry and Textures. Sphere of Souls will open the proceedings on the final day of the event. For additional information on ProgPower Europe 2006, please visit http://www.progpower.com Sphere of Souls' appearance at ProgPower will be preceded by a performance at the annual Sleutelrock MS benefit festival at De Peuk, Valkenburg, Zuid Holland, the Netherlands on Saturday, 30 September. The event will be headlined by Sinister. Further information regarding Sleutelrock is available at http://www.monstermusic.nl. In addition to their homepage at http://www.sphereofsouls.com, Sphere of Souls recently opened a MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/sphereofsouls. [Earlier, the previously announced Pantomind cancelled -ed.] [Source: ProgPower Europe] New York based prog rockers IZZ have been added to the ProgDay lineup. IZZ will close out the festival on Sunday Sept 3. IZZ has been gaining a deserved reputation for excellent live performances over that past several years with gigs all over th east coast. One of the band's more memorable performances came at ProgDay 2001 when a power outage forced them to pull out their acoustic instruments and play "unplugged" for part of their set. Since that time the band has been featured at both the Rites Of Spring Festival in Pennsylvania and twice at CalProg in California. ProgDay is happy to announce the addition of IZZ to the lineup. Due to the late nature of this announcement ProgDay will be extending the sale of advance discount tickets 24 hours through Monday night Aug 21. Tickets may be purchased through the ProgDay web site at www.progday.com . Progday takes place September 2 and 3 at Storybook Farm near Chapel Hill North Carolina. In addition to IZZ ProgDay 2006 features: Echolyn We hope to see you there! [Source: ProgDay] The newly formed ProgAwards Organization announces that from September to December of this year voting will take place in a new event: Prog Awards 2006, where the best prog rock band of 2006 will be decided. For more info about this event you, visit www.progawards.it, available in both English and Italian [though for me, the English was only partially working, the core text not showing up -ed]. Or you can contact the Organization's staff at organizzazione@progawards.it. More info on this as we get it. [Source: ProgAwards] Bruce Main writes, "It has just come to our attention ( somewhat belatedly) that "Celebrity Circus" from the Layers CD has been included on the iTunes Essentials compilation Modern Prog along with such luminaries as Dream Theater, Salem Hill, Porcupine Tree, Frogg Cafe and Glass Hammer! Quite an honor to be featured with bands like these. Wait till they hear the new CD, Elements! I took a side trip to Nome, Alaska last week to see how climate change is working out for the folks snug up against the Arctic Circle. Got some great snaps for the new CD cover. Brian Phraner (Phreeworld) has finished almost all of his bass parts and declares the CD "the best so far" assuming correctly there will be more. If I can keep myself from wandering any more it should be done in late September and pressed for release in October. Halloween maybe?" [Source: Bruce Main] F2 RELEASES MAGENTA/HASLAM
DUET, CHIMPAN A
Night And Day with Annie Haslam The collaboration with Annie Haslam Night And Day has arrived. This four track EP contains three versions of the song written by Rob and Christina especially for Annie, plus a lovely instrumental written and performed by Rob called "Essence Of Love". The Annie Haslam painting of the same name, which adorns the cover of the single, inspired this piece. The song also features the entire Magenta live band plus a stunning contribution from Troy Donockley on Uilleann pipes and whistles. Track listing: 1. Night And Day (lead vocal by Annie) The EP costs just GBP 4.00 (including postage to anywhere in the world) and can be purchased from www.progrock.co.uk. chimpan A chimpan A is a new project co-written, performed, produced and engineered by Rob Reed which also features the vocal talents of Steve Balsamo (The Storys, Jesus Christ Superstar) and Rob Thompson (The Storys) on guitar. The CD also features vocals from Christina (Magenta), Sam Brown (David Gilmour, Jools Holland, solo) and well-known Welsh classical soprano Shan Cothi. London-based poet Tony Dallas also contributes some remarkable spoken word passages. The band has made innovative use of samples from Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells and the choral work of British composer John Tavener and while the project is very different to Magenta - it should ppeal to anyone who enjoys Massive Attack, Peter Gabriel, Zero 7, Bjork or Jakatta particularly - there is certainly a progressive spirit to it that we are sure Magenta fans will enjoy. You can hear samples of the CD at www.progrock.co.uk's samples page and complete songs at the bands' Myspace site www.myspace.com/chimpana. The chimpan A official web site is now up and running at www.chimpana.com. Check out the video section for a few very familiar faces! We hope that the project will have considerable commercial appeal and it will be released through traditional distribution channels in October. However it is in stock and available to buy now at progrock.co.uk. We really hope you enjoy both of these exciting new projects! [Source: F2 Music] F2 NIGHT - MAGENTA,
CREDO AND EZRA As previously announced, F2 will be holding a special night of Prog featuring 3 great bands from the label. Ezra will open, followed by Credo and headlined by Magenta. A night of fun, great music and some surprises, including one or two interesting tracks! Don't miss it! Details below. Sunday 26 November 2006 6:00pm (Ezra on stage at 6:30pm) [see our Concerts page for more Magenta, Credo and Ezra dates -ed] [Source: F2 Music] PROGROCK.CO.UK
GREG LAKE COMPETITION Progrock.co.uk has 3 SIGNED copies of Greg's new DVD to give-away. All you have to do is answer a VERY simple question! Please visit www.progrock.co.uk/acatalog/competition.html - you never know, you may win!! Closing date for entries is 02 September 2006. [Source: F2 Music]
Also, in Asia related news … that is to the band, not the continent, ex-Asia member Guthrie Govan has finally released his long-awaited first solo album, Erotic Cakes. For details, check out the label's website - http://www.cornfordrecords.com/. [Source: Asian Armada newsletter and Geoff Downes website] BJÖRN J:SON
LINDH TO GUEST AT IB EXPO 2006 Isildur's Bane writes: We are very proud to announce that our final prominent guest at IB Expo 2006 will be our dear friend Bjöorn J:son Lindh. For our Swedish subscribers, he is a household name, of course, but to our foreign readers, here's a brief presentation. Björn J:son Lindh:stellar musician, highly regarded composer, award-winning composer of film music, unique improviser. Having studied at the prestigious school of music at Ingesund and later the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, Björn started his career in the 60s playing flute and piano in jazz and rock groups. In the early 70s, he became the first call studio musician on flute in Sweden and worked with such diverse but renowned names as singer/songwriter Cornelis Vreeswijk, US legend Lee Hazelwood, pop icons ABBA, and distinguished art music composer Bo Nilsson. Despite his heavy studio schedule, Björn managed to record and release five albums under his own name during the first half of the 70s. While working as a session musician, Björn met and befriended guitarist Janne Schaffer, with whom he formed a one-of-a-kind team that has been going on for more than thirty years now with various line-ups. His music stretches from classical via fusion and world music to atmospheric laid back music. In various settings, he has played with such luminaries as Staffan Scheja, Jan Akkerman and Mike Oldfield. Having released more than 20 CDs, Björn music is well known to most Swedes. But the fact is, most people don't realize that they have heard a lot of Björn music without knowing it. Earlier this year, Björn Lindh was the first composer to be awarded the film music prize at the Gothenburg film festival. Millions have heard his soundtracks to movies such as Kjell Berglund's Jägarna; Susanne Osten's Bröderna Mozart; Pelle Berglund's Den Demokratiske Terroristen; Lasse Åberg's Hälsoresan and two movies by the late great Bo Widerberg, Mannen På Taket and Mannen från Mallorca. As a flute improviser, he is second to none. With a vast range of expressions, from a percussive breath in his flute to a shrieking recorder note that will ring with you for a long time after you heard it. Here's what Mats has to say about Björn J:son Lindh: "I am really pleased to have Björn come to IB Expo. To me, he is one of Sweden's most original musicians with a musical language of his own, and a brilliant composer to boot. Björn J:son Lindh is probably the most Swedish-sounding music around today, and his music will survive us all. Timeless, dramatic, romantic, technically complex and with an outstanding feel for improvisations. Always with complete control over his instrument. "Few composers write such beautiful melodies as Björn and his humbleness is contagious. If you mention a striking crying theme he wrote, his answer might be 'yes, well, you know, I nicked that from Puccini' accompanied by a smile. 'Working with Björn is always a joy. The first time I met him was when we recorded Cheval, which Janne Schaffer produced, hence Björn's presence on the record. I especially recall recording 'The Aged' where Janne and Björn did a first take of a free improvisation. Time stood still in the studio. One take was all that was required. Björn left the recording room with the words 'You can't do that twice.' Since then, he has been a returning guest on most of IB's albums. "His personality is such that I sometimes wonder whether it was me or Björn who composed the music. He takes command of the music in a very positive way. By his way of playing, he has taught me that there is so much outside the score in IB's music. His sound has become a part of Isildurs Bane's sound, which makes us very proud and happy." A magnificent Swedish composer and musician comes to IB Expo 06. Great!? Björn's also a crossword-whiz and a painter. Go to his website: http://www.bjson.se/. The IB Expo concert will take place on Saturday, October 21 at 19.30 at Kulturhuset in Halmstad. You will hear individual performances by the acts and unheard-of interactions between the musicians involved. Make sure you get a ticket, by pre-ordering your ticket. Simply e-mail me at thomas (at) isildursbane.se leaving your name, address and e-mail address. I will then reserve tickets for you to be picked up on the day of the concert, October 21, 2006. I will send a reminder to those of you who have reserved tickets. Tickets are priced 150 Swedish kronor. Please note that there are only 166 seats in the house and reservations have started to roll in. [Source: Isildur's Bane] Nope, nothing to with Macca… just another cheesy headline from the cheesy head/ed of PW. Here's the news item: Metal band Pyramaze will be recording a live DVD at this year's prestigious ProgPower USA in Atlanta on the 15th and 16th of Sept. This will include an equal mix of songs from both of their releases Legend Of The Bone Carver and Melancholy Beast. Glenn Harveston, ProgPower USA's promoter wanted to do something special this year and invited Pyramaze vocalist Lance King to join Jorn Lande among a few other vocalists from the bands appearing this year for a special song close at the end of the show on Saturday Night. This year's lineup at ProgPower USA has exceeded expectations once again with this fabulous lineup: Epica, Evergrey, Freak Kitchen, Jorn, Mercenary, Savage Circus, Thunderstone, Pyramaze, Vision Divine, and Zero Hour, not to mention the pre-party bands that are all astoundingly cool, too! [ Circle II Circle, Circus Maximus, Leatherwolf and Theocracy] [Source: Silent Planet Promotions] 7 HOURS OF UNRELEASED
AND LIVE VIDNAOBMANA It's with great pleasure to announce that Dutch radio Concertzender will broadcast on August 28, 2006 a 7 hour special about the music of vidnaObmana. vidnaObmana himself selected 7 hours worth of unreleased studio and live music, from the early industrial music till the very recent fusion of styles on the Dante Trilogy for Relapse Records. The broadcast is either available on cable in The Netherlands or directly as streaming on the internet (click on "listen live"). Click here to get access to the special :www.concertzender.nl/ And to make it even more special... on that same evening there'll be a small portrait of Fear Falls Burning as well, focusing on the recently releases vinyl release on Tonefloat and Ikon. Don't miss out on this unique time document and vidnaObmana's new alter-ego Fear Falls Burning. [Source: vidnaObmana newsletter] THESSERA SIGNS
TO PROGROCK RECORDS Brazilian Prog Metal band Thessera has just signed to the North American label ProgRock Records, well-known for releasing and discovering talents such as Frameshift, Chain, Oliver Wakeman, and Guy Manning (The Tangent). Three songs from the Brazilians' debut album Fooled Eyes are available in their complete versions at Thessera's Official MySpace Page: http://www.myspace.com/thessera Thessera was formed in the early days of 2003, with the idea of playing Prog Metal with Brazilian rhythms and elements from different music styles such as fusion, and blues. The band is composed of Marcelo Quina (voice), Nando Costa (guitar), Raphael Lamim (guitar), Marcelo Mattos (bass), Rodolfo Amaro (keyboards) and Fernando Cerutti (drums), and has been performing live in a number of shows, taking part in festivals, workshops and cultural events, and having played as an opening act for Angra in September 2004. Fooled Eyes tells the story of young artist, Andrew Hesser, who finds himself in the most fulfilling moment of his life: the celebration of his engagement to Jeanne Seamus. During the engagement party, he starts to feel sick and faints before a friend. He then starts a journey throughout his unconscious mind, traveling across a real gallery of memories. There, Andrew recalls the family conflicts of his childhood, his dreams, disappointments, and his love for Jeanne. Hours later, at home, Andrew is awakened by his friend. Impressed by the dream he just had, Andrew answers a phone call, only to find that this is where the real nightmare begins... [Source: Thessera]
1. "Falling Down" * Previously unreleased [Source: Rhino] As posted to our message board: Some News about Adrian Iowa and his Band Prototyp! We're hard at work on our album called The Snow Star and we hope that the CD-Material will be finished in the middle of November. (We working hard on this album to give you the best we have to offer). If we can keep that time schedule there is a big chance that the album will come out in December 2006. I'll keep you updated on this, so stay tuned! VIDEO FOR DOWNLOAD: We got something for you: a promo video (13 min.) Prototyp live in concert at Museum Hall, Hechingen, Germany. So check it out!!!! http://www.prototypmusic.de/html/videowmv.html Hope you enjoy the site, and keep coming back! Don't forget to sign the guestbook, please. Thanks! Official MySpace site: www.myspace.com/officialsiteprototyp Love, Peace & GOOD MUSIC [Source: Adrian Iowa, Prototyp] To follow up our earlier item on Into Eternity, the 11 tracks that make up Into Eternity's Oct. 3rd release, The Scattering Of Ashes, have been revealed: Novus Inceptum (intro) Not since Into Eternity's 2004 release, Buried In Oblivion, has a collection of songs so undeniably bridged the gap between Dream Theater and Death. Individual performances herein never overwhelm the compositional whole, reaffirming Into Eternity's perfect blend of technicality, memorable songwriting, traditional heavy metal and sheer savagery. Mixed and mastered by Andy Sneap (Killswitch Engage, Arch Enemy), the album is a sonic Molotov cocktail that's already been hailed as "a landmark triumph" (BW&BK). Kicking off their 2006 North American assault on Megadeth's Gigantour 2006, information here, the hard working band is soon destined for your town. Keep checking www.intoeternity.net, the Century Media website, and the band's MySpace page for up-to-the-minute information, tour dates, MP3s and more. [Source: Century Media] PROJECT CREATION'S
EXPANDED MOVIE TRAILER DEBUTS Shawn Gordon at ProgRock Records posted the following to the CalProg newsgroup: "There is a full length animated movie coming out in the near future for the amazing CD Project Creation Floating World, we've had a short teaser up for some time, but now we have a nearly 5 minute preview that is up and available for viewing, it's really pretty cool. The video is on this page http://www.progrockrecords.com/shop/view.php?id=82 or you can link directly at http://www.progrockrecords.com/audio/82/preview_2512K_Stream_002.wmv." [Source: ProgRock Records] NODDY'S PUNCTURE
OOZES LIVE RELEASE Well, that headline seems icky in many ways, doesn't it? Like the cheese has gone moldy… Anywhoodle… Tom of Noddy's Puncture, the ELP tribute band, announced on E-prog, "I just wanted to let you all know that our new live CD -- Thank You, Masked Man! - which actually has Keith Emerson playing with us -- is now available. Please visit our website to download a sample or two. Ordering instructions are also on there, should you like a copy...;^) [Source: Tom/Noddy's Puncture] 2006 has turned into a banner year for engineer/producer Christopher Scott Cooper here at Blue Seven Audio with several major CD releases and even more projects forthcoming this Fall. In January CSC completed mixing Footnotes To Fairytales by Peter James. The CD was released in March to excellent reviews. Called "lush, cinematic folk music" by one critic the CD has gone on to rave reviews in Guitar Player magazine, the Guitar Nine website, and live performances on NPR. This is an artist and CD to pay attention to in the future. See Peter's website for more reviews and information: http://www.peterjamesmusic.com, In April and May CSC worked on transferring, re-recording, and re-mixing the recordings of Fontain's Muse from their original source media to create a new release for their extensive tour of the West Coast. Incorporating traditional Indian/Middle Eastern music with contemporary pop sensibilities. Spiral Dance is for those who enjoy trance like music with soaring vocals. For more info: http://www.fontainsmuse.com. In June, after 3 years of hard work, CSC finished Mind Furniture's sophmore release Hoop Of Flame with an expected release in the Fall. This project is more straight ahead rock, but has elements of their Prog-rock beginnings, with amazing lyrics by lead singer John Mabry. CSC engineered and co-produced and this was the first recording done at Blue Seven Audio when it opened in 2003. http://www.mindfurniture.com Also in June CSC mastered the first release for SF based indie muses Needle. Recorded and mixed by Steven Beck of OnLineRock.com who met CSC through eBay. (Welcome to the modern world) For more info: http://www.myspace.com/needlemusic. This past month of July saw the final mixing of Genre Peak's Ends Of The Earth CD. Produced by GP and CSC and engineered/mixed by CSC this is electronica/rock/textural soundscape music at its best. Think Depeche Mode meets NIN with no keyboards! Drum programming by Martin Birke (Casualty Park, Sandbox Trio), stick and bass by Dan Panasenko (Sandbox Trio, Peter James), and guitars and synth guitars by Steve Sullivan. This was a chance for CSC to stretch his producing muscle and give GP a big open sound. Look for release this Fall on Jet Speed records. More info: http://www.genrepeak.net. Currently in progress at Blue Seven Audio, with CSC engineering and co-producing, are Prog rockers Metaphor, who are working on their third CD The Sparrow, a concept CD based on a sci-philosophy novel by Mary Doria Russell. It's a novel about humankind's first foray to another inhabited planet. Basic tracking was started in June 2005 and CSC will begin mixing this September. This promises to be a very different project for both Metaphor and CSC. More info at: http://www.metaphor.org. In between these projects CSC has been working with 2 local cover bands on their demo CDs. The long standing well-known The Hitmen (rock/pop/R&B covers) from San Jose, and the Ron Gariffo Octet (jazz standards/disco/ pop covers with full horn section and custom arrangments by Ron himself) from Redwood City. [Source: Christopher Scott Cooper/Blue Seven Audio] And in the notes this time, just some musings about things that I did not know. For instance, that Pluto's status as a planet was even in question… Or that -- get this -- that Rhapsody, the progressive-ish power metal band has decided to change their name to Rhapsody of Fire to avoid legal complications with the name? I'm guessing because of the music service, but… methinks the band existed before then, shouldn't they have first dibs? I mean, they elected to make the change, seeing it as a new beginning, I read. That it more closely described what they're about. Just some bit o' news I saw while poking around the Internet…. And while it has nothing to do with prog, I find it interesting that just as Southern California is being swept up in NASCAR fever (willing or not), the LA area's only country station has flipped and become a "rhythmic pop" station. Of course, I didn't really know since I don't listen to country music, but… what surprises me is that it didn't A) become another Spanish language station or B) another Jack (or Jack-like) station. Now the first isn't a racial comment, just several of the rock stations I've listened to over the past 30-something years usually flipped to Spanish language. Two exceptions were one that went all-talk and the other that went Jack last year. And… given that I see country-music and NASCAR as being somewhat in the…racecar together… the ten-gallon hat… whatever… that also seems strange. … I'm sure there's lots more I don't know now… Also… this will probably be the last news update here, on this page. Ever. Don't panic. Progressiveworld.net isn't going anywhere. We're just going to have a facelift and some other changes, which means… well, you'll see in a week or so. And there'll still be news, and I'll still try to be my same sarcastic, cheesy and thoroughly annoying self that I sometimes am… This news will be archived there, except for this paragraph, which would just confuse things. And if you didn't panic but breathed a sigh of relief at my first sentence of this para… then you aren't a regular, are you? Or you don't like my sarcastic, cheesy annoying self. [Source: The editor's twisted mind and the Internet…] |
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Two
new releases are now available from 
"That"
is this: 
The
complete tracklisting for Q2K is: