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Artist News: News Bits for December

Posted on Tuesday, December 31 @ 19:00:00 UTC by nightowl

So... we almost came back in October... and then things went sideways again. I'm beginning to feel like a crab (and my friends 'n' family would agree that I've been crabby, to say the least). Anyway, aside from the myriad of items already posted, here's a quick catch up on some other items that we found worth mentioning (or felt we oughta mention for various reasons) -- beyond the usual album release date stuff and band announcements for festivals (which, if we didn't post to news, we just plugged into the appropriate page):

Mirek Gil sent us news that "the legendary Polish prog rock band Collage reunited" in August. "Collage has just started heavy rehearsals for the upcoming international tour," he writes. "There are also plans for a brand new album next year. Collage 2013 reunion line up is a classic one from the Moonshine period, with one exception. Robert Amirian has been replaced by awesome vocalist Karol Wroblewski, already known from Believe and Mr. Gil."

Line up: Karol Wroblewski - voice, Pior Mintay Witkowski - bass, Mirek Gil - guitar; Krzysztof Palczewski - keyboards, and Wojtek Szadkowski - drums. [Source: Mirek Gil/Collage]

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In Trettioåriga Kriget's August news update, they shared that their fourth and fifth albums Mot Alla Odds (1979) and Kriget (1981) will be released digitally and on CD, starting with digitally via iTunes, Spotify, and others at the end of September (at least they planned to), and then on CD later. Also, the band will begin work on a new album this fall. [Source: Trettioåriga Kriget]

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Two other prog artists were honored with awards over the last month or so (see our main item on Echo Us in October) - Steve Hillage, who was awarded the "Visionary" award by the Progressive Music Awards 2013 (held at Kew Gardens, West London, on September 3). As the press release states, "The Visionary Award is about the spirit of independence and for those who make their own niche in a progressive direction. From the psychedelic anthems from Gong to the futuristic dance rhythms of the ambient techno duo System 7, Steve Hillage is one of the most unique guitarists the world has ever seen. Experimental and groundbreaking throughout his career, the Canterbury-affiliated icon is still much sampled and admired today.

"Hillage continues to push the envelope with new project Rovo and System 7 - the perfect synergetic between techno and Japan's leading prog rock band Rovo, whose collaborative new album Phoenix Rising was released on September 23. They will perform two special concerts at London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire and Manchester Ritz in March 2014."

In a separate (and brief) news release, the other honoree is Marillion, who was awarded the "Band Of The Year" honor. Their most recent studio album is Sounds That Can't Be Made, which was released in September 2012. And out this Monday, October 14, the band release Brave Live 2013, a recording from March 2013 of the band performing the whole Brave album live. It will be released on DVD and Blu-Ray, as well as a 2-disc audio only version. (See a trailer here). [Source: Noble PR (Hillage), Marillion e-Web]

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Mind Key have begun recording work on their third album. "Drums recording sessions will start in early December," the write. "Considering our long silence, we'll give you some preview of song titles so you can forgive us:

"Nonexistence
Vertigo (Where The Cold Wind Blows)
Angry Men
Oblivion
Hank (The Blazing Eyes)
Alien In Wonderland
Hands Off Cain
Bepolar

"We'll reveal [to] you the other songs during the recording sessions and we'll try to update you with pictures and funny videos from the studio!" [Source: Mind Key]

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British progressive metallers Threshold are back in the studio, working on the follow-up to their most current album March Of Progress, which was released on August 24, 2012 via Nuclear Blast. With March Of Progress, Threshold did not only come to the end of a five year interlude since putting out Dead Reckoning in 2007, but also reached the following chart positions on its release in 2012: #28 Germany, #30 Switzerland, #43 Sweden, #55 Austria, #70 Netherlands, #102 France. The band’s forthcoming tenth studio album is tentatively scheduled for a 2014 release on Nuclear Blast.

Guitarist Karl Groom commented: "It's good to be working on a new Threshold album and cut the time between releases. Our touring for the March Of Progress album inspired Rich and I to get writing not long after the main set of dates. We want to thank everyone for their support during that time. I should add that other members of the band have also have been writing! Right now I am tracking rhythm guitars and Johanne is due in the studio as soon as we put the finishing touched on a couple of songs. Hopefully 2014 will be another memorable year for Threshold."

In the meantime you may also check out the following video of Threshold’s appearance at this year’s Rock Hard Festival: http://www.wdr.de/tv/rockpalast/extra/videos/2013/0519/threshold.jsp [Source: Nuclear Blast]

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Mistheria noted last month, among a variety of updates, "My upcoming new instrumental Metal album Gemini is under recording process, things are moving really well, the band is doing an awesome job! Actually, virtuoso Bass player Dino Fiorenza is recording some "monster" takes, click here to watch some short videoclips... [Source: Mistheria newsltter]

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Aisles have released their third album, 4:45AM via Presagio Records. "4:45AM was recorded between July 2012 and August 2013 in several studios in Santiago[, Chile]. It was mastered by the three time Grammy winner, Adam Ayan (Rush, Foo Fighters, Rolling Stones, Pearl Jam, Incubus) at Gateway Mastering, Baltimore, MD. The album is available from the band's website, iTunes, Amazon, and CD Baby.

Stream 4:45AM here: soundcloud.com/aislesproject/sets/4-45-am-2

"4:45AM" official video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSQjJnz2qe4&feature=youtu.be

Bio: Aisles are a progressive rock band from Santiago, Chile. They have been considered one of the most interesting acts of recent years. So far they have released three albums, the widely acclaimed The Yearning (2005) and In Sudden Walks (2009), and 4:45AM, which has been warmly received by the most prestigious publications of progressive rock.

Aisles’ music is characterized by its eclecticism, combining elements of progressive rock, art rock, fusion, and world music, drawing comparisons to Rush, Yes, Genesis, and Porcupine Tree, amongst others. The band has toured South America and Europe, and their albums have been published in Europe, United States, and Japan. In 2009 their second album, In Sudden Walks was nominated for Best Foreign Record in the Italian Prog Awards and the band was invited to open the 11th Progressive Rock Festival Crescendo in France.

The band is currently working on a series of live date to promote its new album.


[Source: Presagio Records]

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Quatermass Records And We Do Band Stuff Are Proud To Announce The Release Of The First Regal Worm Album Use And Ornament On 02 December 2013. Jarrod Gosling’s (Henry Fool, I Monster, Skywatchers) love letter to Progressive Rock Regal Worm releases its first album Use And Ornament on 02 December 2013 through Quatermass Records via Burning Shed and Bandcamp.

This album is the culmination of months of fevered work in Jarrod’s "Pig View" studio beavering away on dangerous vintage machinery (including his prized Mellotron M400), to bring Prog Fans a highly detailed but accessible and colourful music, mixing prog, jazz, and folk genres with an anarchic post-¬-punk strand and sensibility.

The emergence of The Worm from the Apple of Invention is already causing ripples in the fabric of the music world, with plays on BBC6 Music’s Stuart Maconie's FreakZone and other radio stations worldwide. Fans of anarcho-jazz-punk psychedelic prog the world over will be able join in the fun now the album is for sale via Burning Shed for physical CDs and Bandcamp for digital downloads.

For a FREE EXCLUSIVE DIGITAL DOWNLOAD (not available anywhere else) go to regalworm.bandcamp.com.

Burning Shed customers will also be able to download a DIFFERENT EXCLUSIVE track with CD orders. [Source: We Do Band Stuff]

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As part of the Kscope 5th anniversary celebrations, Nosound's breakthrough second album Lightdark has been re-released on heavyweight double white vinyl in a gatefold sleeve and as a deluxe 2 disc (CD+DVD-A/V) rigid digibook set.

Completely remastered for CD and vinyl, and featuring unreleased DVD audio/video 24bit 48kHz high resolution stereo and surround mixes, new artwork for vinyl and the 24-page photographic booklet.

Recorded in Italy, England and the US throughout 2006 and 2007 - Lightdark developed further the promise of debut album Sol29 and exhibited a stronger group identity, revealing a greater contrast between atmospheric detail and the walls of sound created by the band on stage.

Highlights include the 15 minute epic "From Silence to Noise," the ethereal "The Misplay" (with cellist Marianne DeChastelaine), and the epic piano/mellotron driven ballad "Someone Starts To Fade Away" (featuring guest vocals from No-Man's Tim Bowness).[Source: Nosound]

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Lion Music is pleased to unveil a video for the track "Huldra" taken from Pictures From A Time Traveller, the incredible debut instrumental album from guitar-master Marcus Jidell (Avatarium, ex-Evergrey, ex-Royal Hunt). View the video now at youtu.be/b9f-oDns1Yc

Marcus wanted something a little different to the thousands of "mimed" guitar videos and with the help of video producers Steff Granström and Andreas Hillerborg came up with a video which both manages to deliver the feel of this particular track but also give fans something new. Marcus Jidell has the following to say about the video:

"To catch a different vibe I brought a mobile studio and a Marshall stack to the country side one early morning in November where we recorded and filmed a one take of 'Huldra.' I didn't want the regular 'mimed' video thing so I just played it once again, I wanted it to be raw and honest and to show how I improvise around themes when playing guitar live. I think that we captured the spirit of the song both playing wise and with the way it was filmed and I hope people who see this will think the same."

Lion Music and Marcus would like to say a big thank you to Steff Granström and Andreas Hillerborg for making this video and would also want to thank Martin "E-type" Eriksson for providing the location and Sigge Viking for assistance.

Pictures From A Time Traveller is out now on Lion Music with full album info (plus online ordering links) at lionmusic.com/cd/timetraveller.htm.[Source: Lion Music]

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Adrenaline Mob featuring Russell Allen, Mike Orlando, John Moyer, and new drummer A.J Pero have signed a North American deal with Century Media which connects with their existing ex U.S. deal with the label to create a worldwide pact. The initial release in this deal will be the band's second full length album, Men Of Honor, which will be released February 18 in North America and February 24 internationally.

The album features 11 new Allen/Orlando original songs and was produced by Allen and Orlando. Starting today [Dec 3] the band will stream a track a week each week, starting with album opener "The Mob is Back," leading up to the release of the album. The link to the band's site is www.adrenalinemob.com. On Dec 10, the second track was made available for streaming, along with a lyric video for the track "Come On Get Up," which can be see at Revolver Magazine's website.

Adrenaline Mob plans extensive touring worldwide throughout 2014. [Source: Century Media]

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Viajero Inmovil Records announces the availability of the new CD release: Láquesis - Láquesis, the debut outing by this Argentine quintet established in the city of Rosario (province of Santa Fé), which has really made a name for itself within the Progressive / Symphonic Rock and Prog Fusion with a very Contemporary-sounding style. The group's music is dynamic, varied and mostly Instrumental, and also featuring sporadic passages tinted with shades of Hard Rock and Jazz-influenced climaxes.

Tracklisting:

01 - Efecto Placebo - 7:13
02 - Tema X - 5:24
03 - Hamacamatic - 8:17
04 - Puestas de sol - 12:06
05 - Lemuria - 6:38
07 - Las Moiras (Suite) I - Láquesis - 5:40
08 - Las Moiras (Suite) II - Cloto - 3:30
09 - Las Moiras (Suite) III - Atropos - 3:45
10 - Las Moiras (Suite) IV - Requiem - 3:10

Members featured in the album: Diego Actis - Keyboards; Guillermo Carminer - Guitars; Ariel Loza - Bass and Vocals; Martín Teglia - Drums and Percussion; Martín Puntonet - Vocals and Chorus

Stream here: soundcloud.com/laquesis-rock-progresivo. [Source: Viajero Inmovil]

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The Ocean's Collective Oblivion triple DVD made waves on December 10 (was released, that is); the DVD includes "multiple camera shots of three full live concerts [...] 21 individual song performances, 130 minutes of The Ocean's history [ah, but which 130 minutes? -ed.] as told by band members, past and present; 175 minutes of tour documentaries and live footage filmed in North America, Asia, Russia, Australia and Europe; 2 previously unreleased video clips of "Anthropocentric" songs; old video clips and live visuals; 10 extra individual song performances filmed around the globe" all for a total run time of 500 minutes and packaged in a "hardcover/book-style" with "brass-foil print. The book contains 3 DVDs and a 30+ page booklet, with loads of tour diaries and writings by band members and by director Alex Kraudelt [...]." View the trailer here

In addition, The Ocean will playing in North America in 2014; two dates already scheduled - March 13 at SXSW in Austin, TX and South By So What Festival in Dallas, TX.

[Source: Metal Blade]

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Italian metallers The Moor have released the official video for the song "Year Of The Hunger." A short film starring Italian premium actor Guido Laurjni; Enrico Longhin, vocalist/guitarist of the band and director of the short film (together with Andrea Livieri and Alberto Businari), says:

"We shot the video exactly one year after the release date of the album Year Of The Hunger, and this video represents what everyone of us is forced to do everyday... It's a metaphor about life and struggle. The best thing was to work with such a great artist like Guido Laurjini, he acted in several famous Italian movies, theatres, musicals and also TV commercials, he's a really eye-catching actor. On the other hand we had the pleasure to work with one of the best photographers around, Andrea Livieri, just to give you the best result we can afford, like The Moor does every time."

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Swedish folk metal standard-bearers, Falconer, have completed the songwriting for their upcoming eighth album. Prepare yourselves for some classical Falconer quality with all of their trademarks and their most metal album in years!

Guitarist Stefan Weinerhall explains: "The 8th album Black Moon Rising is finally written. This time we have even made some preproductions of the material to test it out in advance. Some titles are: 'There's A Crow On The Barrow', 'Age Of Runes', 'Scoundrel And The Squire'. We will enter the studio in January and release it in June 2014. As said before, all songs are in English this time after the last album's one-off with only Swedish songs.

"It's for sure the most riff based album in many years and there are certainly some furious moments of brow-raising on the album! If I would sum up the material with two words they would be: Intensity and revitalization.

"We will keep it quite basic with no guest musicians and almost no keyboards to keep it raw, natural and unpretentious. Can't wait to enter the studio and put the finishing touches on the songs!"

[Source: Metal Blade]

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And some quick notes:

- HammerFall will release a new album in August 2014, with a single planned for a June release to leading up to the album's release. Fredrik Nordströrm will return as main producer with James Michael producing the vocals
- Daniele Liverani will release a new album, Fantasia, on January 10 via SG Records
- Ilvcia, a progressive rock band from Barcelona, Spain have released their debut CD, Nature Of Reason
- The Arc Light Sessions will release a new CD in early 2014. Previously working as Synthology (reviewed here back in 2004[, which can be found here]), this is the new project of keyboardist and composer John Alarcon, working with a new singer and guitarist Michael Dionne. Some very early samples can be found on their YouTube page. The release will be in the symphonic progressive vein. [In my review of The Fairest Of Moments, I made many comparisons to ELP and Yes]
- French Canadian opera metallers Liva released their third full-length album Human Abstract; "Desert Places" lyrics video can be viewed here. With the addition of two new members, Liva has given itself new wings. After having moved listeners with the poetry of antique Latin, Liva now adopts the language of Shakespeare. The texts of great English and American poets such as William Blake, Robert Frost and Emily Brontë among others are used in this opus, letting the beauty of their lyricism take flight, transported by the solidity and power of metal
- Sonata Arctica will release a new album in March 2014, and plan to tour Europe in April into May (scheduled dates on our calendar)
- Luca Turilli's Rhapsody will start recording their next album with a planned 2014 release. A trailer for the new album can be found here

Posted in Album Release News

Associated Topics

Band News (tours, comings/goings, etc)

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