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30.VI+ Tony Martin
30.VI+ Tony Iommi
30.VI+ Voivod
30.VI+ Queen
30.VI+ Tool
30.VI+ Melodic Revolution
30.VI+ Inside Out
30.VI+ Frontiers
30.VI+ Lizard
30.VI+ Parma


BANDS & PERFORMERS:

Tony Martin
(UK) / June 30, 2017

Latest News:

Ex Black Sabbath singer Tony Martin has confirmed that the making of his long awaited third solo album has begun. Teamed with drummer Danny Needham of Tony Martin’s Headless Cross and Venom, and American guitarist Scott McClellan, Tony says this collection of songs is currently under the working title of "Thornz". It was previously going to be under the moniker "Book of Shadows", but this was dropped because of other works under the same name. Tony says this is heavier than he has attempted in the past due to the prolific writings of unknown guitarist Scott McClellan who contacted him by chance on social media some 4 years ago. He sent Tony a guitar track to check out and this chance meeting grew into a very productive writing period that has resulted in this solo release for Martin. He said "Scott really surprised me with his energy. I found that I could pull out the riffs that really work for my voice so I was more than happy to have him involved in the Tony Martin project". The album will have 10 tracks, mostly written by Martin and McClellan and some by Martin alone. Apart from the title track of "Thornz" – the story of a woman struggling with being abused, there is the previously cited 'Book of Shadows' and 'Damned by You' amongst others. The recording is missing keyboards completely in favour of guitar based riffs, which, Tony says: "…was hard to lose Geoff Nicholls" and felt he could not attempt to replace that part of the sound. Martin says at 60 years old it is likely to be his last solo project, but doesn’t rule out future embellishments to his solo career. He added that it would not affect any re connection with Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi if and when that happens.

Related Links:
Tony Martin

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Toni Iommi
(UK) / June 30, 2017

Latest News:

Fans may not have seen 'the end' of Black Sabbath. It's only been a few months removed from the final show of their farewell tour and guitarist Toni Iommi is already floating the idea of the band playing together again. Iommi sat down for an interview with UK publication EON Music and was asked about the rumor of the band possibly playing a one-off show in their home city of Birmingham. Tony responded, "It was me talking about that, I started it! I think it would be nice to do that at some point. I haven't spoke to the others about it, but it would be, honestly, and they'd be up for it. It's early days yet, really. It hasn't even sunk in as far as we've finished".

Now, that Tony Iommi has some free time, he’s turned back to an earlier-discussed collaboration with Brian May. But it remains on hold for now, while May completes ongoing tour dates with Queen. “Brian came up to my house a couple of weeks ago, and we started talking about it again – but it’s quite possible,” Iommi told EON Music. “We’d like to do it, but now he’s going on tour. But yeah, I’d like to do something with him”.

Related Links:
Toni Iommi

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Voivod
(Canada) / June 30, 2017

Latest News:

In a brand new interview with Rock Sverige, drummer Michel “Away” Langevin of the Canadian progressive sci-fi metal innovators Voivod spoke about the status of the band's long-awaited follow-up to 2013's "Target Earth" album. He said: "It's almost done in terms of writing and we are recording in August and September. We have a few shows before that. After the European tour, we have festivals in Quebec with Metallica, and as soon as we're done with that, we go into the studio and to finish up and record the album. I would say it will be out early next year. It's probably going to have to be a double album vinyl-wise, because the songs are really long and progressive. They're seven-or-eight-minute-long songs and we just realized it might have to be a double vinyl album and it's a concept album as well. Musical parts are coming back into other songs and it took a bit longer than expected, but we're almost finished".

Related Links:
Voivod

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Queen
(UK) / June 30, 2017

Latest News:

After all these years — and all these compilations — it’d be easy to assume the Queen vault has long since been purged of interesting artifacts. But according to guitarist Brian May, some particularly interesting previously unreleased recordings could be on the way. May, making the rounds to promote his new Queen in 3-D book, recently told Mojo that the sessions for the band’s hit 1981 collaboration with David Bowie, “Under Pressure”, didn’t stop with that one song. “It wasn’t easy”, May admitted of their time together in the studio. Describing Bowie and the members of Queen as “all precocious boys” and Bowie as particularly “forceful”, he recalled that Bowie and Queen singer Freddie Mercury “locked horns, without a doubt”. All that being said, May not only remembers the sessions as fruitful, but enjoyable. “Those are the things that happen in a studio”, said May. That’s when the sparks fly and that’s why it turned out so great. “They locked horns in subtle ways, like who would arrive last at the studio. So it was sort of wonderful and terrible. But in my mind, I remember the wonderful now, more than the terrible”. At some point, fans may get to hear more of that work. Much the same way the band released long-vaulted tapes of Mercury singing with Michael Jackson, May seemed to entertain the idea of putting out more from their Bowie collaboration. “Not all of what we did in those sessions has ever come to light”, he added.

Related Links:
Queen

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Tool
(USA) / June 30, 2017


RECORDING COMPANIES:

Melodic Revolution
(USA) / June 30, 2017

Forthcoming release:

  • Aethellis – “A Home in Your Thoughts”

    “A Home in Your Thoughts”, the new EP (28 mins) by the US neo-prog band Aethellis, will be released by Melodic Revolution Records within the next two months. Tracklist: 1. A Home in Your Thoughts / Second Home in Your Thoughts 15:08, 2. Janice 8:13, 3. Believe in Somebody 4:34. Line-up: Ellsworth Hall – keyboards, guitar, vocals; Mark Van Natta – guitar, vocals; Erik Marks – bass; Mike Harrington – drums; Joe Dwyer – saxophone. Format: digital.

    Related Links:
    Melodic Revolution Records

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    Inside Out
    (Germany) / June 30, 2017

    Forthcoming releases:

  • Caligula’s Horse – "In Contact"
  • Leprous – "Malina”

    "In Contact", the new album by the Australian alt-progressive rock band Caligula’s Horse, will be released on September 15 via InsideOut Music. Tracklist: 1. Dream the Dead, 2. Will's Song, 3. The Hands are the Hardest, 4. Love Conquers All, 5. Songs for No One, 6. Capulet, 7. Fill My Heart, 8. Inertia and the Weapon of the Wall, 9. The Cannon's Mouth, 10. Graves. Line-up: Sam Vallen – various instruments; Jim Grey – lead vocals; Zac Greensill – guitars, vocals; Dave Couper – bass, vocals; Geoff Irish – drums. Format: CD, vinyl, digital.

    "Malina", the new album by the Norwegian progressive rock-metal band Leprous, will be released on August 25 via InsideOut Music. Tracklist: 1. Bonneville 5:28, 2. Stuck 6:48, 3. From the Flame 3:51, 4. Captive 3:43, 5. Illuminate 4:21, 6. Leashes 4:09, 7. Mirage 6:48, 8. Malina 6:15, 9. Coma 3:55, 10. The Weight of Disaster 6:00, 11. The Last Milestone 7:30. Line-up: Einar Solberg - vocals, synthesizers; Tor Oddmund Suhrke – guitar; Oystein Landsverk – guitar; Simen Daniel Borven – bass; Baard Kolstad – drums. Format: CD, vinyl, digital.

    Related Links:
    InsideOut Music

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    Frontiers
    (Italy) / June 30, 2017

    Forthcoming release:

  • World Trade – “Unify”

    Led by singer, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Billy Sherwood, the US progressive rock band World Trade will release its new album “Unify” on August 4, 2017 via Frontiers Music. This is the third item in the outfit’s discography. Billy Sherwood has been a fixture of the LA studio and recording scene since the mid-‘80s. His talents range from producing a Grammy nominated album for Paul Rodgers to being the current bass player of Yes, handpicked by Chris Squire to replace him before his untimely death. He also recently joined up with Asia as a replacement for John Wetton after his passing for the band’s current US tour with Journey. The new World Trade album will appeal to fans of Toto's most recent releases and the Trevor Rabin-era Yes, as well as fans of other progressive rock bands that value musicianship and songwriting craft. Line-up: Billy Sherwood – vocals, bass; Mark Williams – drums; Guy Allison – keyboards; Bruce Gowdy – guitars. Track listing: 1.The New Norm, 2. Where We're Going, 3. Pandora's Box, 4. On Target on Time, 5. Gone All the Way, 6. Unify, 7. For the Fallen, 8. Lifeforce, 9. Same Old Song, 10. Again.

    Related Links:
    Frontiers Music

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    Lizard
    (Italy) / June 30, 2017

    New release:

  • Quarto Vuoto – "Illusions"

    "Illusions", the new album by the Italian neo-progressive rock band Quarto Vuoto, is out now via Lizard Records. This is a concept album made up of six long suites, namely: Coscienza Sopita, Impasse, Apofis, Due Io, Nei Colori del Silenzio and Tornero. The music is neo prog with elements of psychedelic rock and space fusion. Line-up: Mattia Scomparin – keyboards; Luca Volonnino – guitars; Giulio Dalla Mora – saxophone, Edoardo Ceron – bass; Nicola D'Amico – drums; with: Mauro Spinazze – violin.

    Related Links:
    Lizard Records

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    Parma
    (USA) / June 30, 2017

    New releases:

    The US chamber music-oriented label Parma Recordings presents:

  • Demetrius Spaneas – “From a Far-off World”
  • Sergio Cervetti – “Triptych Revelation”
  • Les Delices – “Age of Indulgence”
  • Jan Jirasek – “Parallel Worlds”
  • Allen Brings – “Music for Voices”
  • Allen Brings – “Music for Keyboard Instruments”

    “From a Far-off World”: Saxophonist and bass clarinetist Demetrius Spaneas performs compositions for woodwinds and electronics.

    “Triptych Revelation”: Composer Sergio Cervetti showcases works written over four decades of his career, featuring explorations of apocalyptic themes, inspired by themes drawn from the New Testament, nineteenth-century French literature, and Flemish art of the sixteenth century.

    “Age of Indulgence”: Early music ensemble Les Delices presents an exquisite compendium of rare instrumental music from the last generation of French Baroque composers.

    “Parallel Worlds”: Czech composer Jan Jirasek, with the Czech children’s choir Jitro performing, provides a varied collection of sacred and secular choral music for non-traditional sounds, as well as vocal forms rooted in Renaissance and Medieval traditions.

    “Music for Voices”: Composer and pianist Allen Brings presents a collection of pairings for vocals and instruments, often marrying the forces of chorus and orchestra.

    “Music for Keyboard Instruments”: Composer and pianist Allen Brings explores a musical family tree featuring compositions of solo pieces for harpsichord, piano, and organ, as well as a harpsichord-led string ensemble.

    Related Links:
    Parma Recordings

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