Metropolitan Detroit-based band Eyestrings released their 2nd album
"Consumption" (7 tracks, 64 min) on October 15, 2005. Formed in 2001
under a different name, Eyestrings chose the band's name just prior to
releasing their CD, "Burdened Hands", an eclectic debut which has earned significant critical praise within prog rock circles and beyond. Primary tracks for the 2nd album by Eyestrings were recorded at Windfall Recording in Hammondsport, New York, engineered by Benjamin Ridley. Eyestrings recorded the remainder of the tracks at their home studio, where they also mixed the album. The CD was mastered by Jonathan Wyner at M Works Mastering Studio in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
The debut album by guitarist and composer Alan Williamson is titled "Across Angry Skies" and is out for release now. For more information, please visit the artist's website. The CD is available for purchase from Allan Williamson and .
Benefit Compilation CD for Survivors of Hurricane Katrina:
Djam Karet's Gayle Ellett has spearheaded an effort to raise money for the survivors of Hurricane Katrina. Gayle posed the idea of a compilation album to the co-founders of the popular North East Art Rock Festival (NEARFest), Chad Hutchinson and Robert LaDuca. Hutchinson and LaDuca gladly offered to fund the project and take the reins with regards to coordinating the effort. To date, 17 artists have agreed to donate music to the album. The amazing response has pushed the compilation to become a 2CD set. The progressive rock community both old and new is well represented by the likes of Kansas, Camel, Caravan, Nektar, the newly reformed FM, Happy the Man, Mike Keneally, IQ, Pendragon, Spock's Beard, The Flower Kings, Echolyn, Anglagard, California Guitar Trio, Mostly Autumn, and Cuneiform Records' own The Muffins and Djam Karet. Produced by Mr. Ellett, the music for the album will primarily consist of unreleased studio and live material, which will make this compilation extra special. All proceeds from the sale of the compilation, entitled "After the Storm", will be donated directly to the relief efforts in the Gulf Coast region of the United States that was ravaged by Hurricane Katrina on August 29th. The music for the compilation is currently being collected and artwork is in progress. The album will be released on NEARfest Records, hopefully before the end of November.
Officials at Progulus Radio announced that their new Internet radio station has begun broadcasting. The station is free to use, and broadcasts a diverse selection of the best new and old progressive rock and metal music from around the world, 24 hours each day. The station emphasizes the harder edge of the progressive music spectrum. Progulus Radio listeners can make on-line requests from a large and growing library of music, composed of a diverse mix of classic prog and metal, and the newest progressive, epic, symphonic, and power rock and metal. Progulus Radio streams live at 64kbs MP3Pro, resulting in nearly the equivalent sound quality of standard 128kbs MP3. Although less than two months old, Progulus Radio has already attracted enthusiastic listeners from around the world.
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First hits collection spotlighting both the Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins Years
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Complete video collection on DVD for the first time
Plus, Mike + The Mechanics - "Hits" and New Album "Rewired" OUT September 13th on Rhino Records
New York, NY: On September 13th, Rhino Records released the 3 CD career-spanning "Genesis Platinum Collection" and "Genesis Video Show" as well as a new album and a hits collection from the side project Mike + The Mechanics.
"Genesis Platinum Collection" is the first and only retrospective to cover both Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins eras. The four hours of music on three CDs is the most comprehensive collection to date featuring everything from earlier Gabriel-era favorites like "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway" to Top 40 hits like "Hold On My Heart" and Billboard Top 10 chart smashes "Invisible Touch". "Follow You Follow Me" and "Counting Out Time" are a few of the 24 newly remixed tracks. Favorites "I Can't Dace", "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight" and "Turn It On Again" round out the set. A twenty-page booklet with liner notes by Hugh Fielder accompanies the discs. Founded in the late '60s in Surrey, England, Genesis rose out of the ashes of earlier bands formed by schoolmates Peter Gabriel, Tony Banks, Michael Rutherford, and Anthony Phillips (who departed after 1969's Trespass, the album providing the final track on this stellar retrospective). Guitarist Steve Hackett soon signed on, as did drummer/vocalist Phil Collins, who'd later emerge (as would Gabriel) as a solo superstar. Following Gabriel's 1975 departure, Genesis grew from a progressive art-rock outfit into one of the biggest arena rock acts ever, with a long string of platinum-sellers and chart smashes.
Additionally, all of the Genesis promo videos will be released for the first time on DVD with "Genesis Video Show. The digitally remastered videos include MTV staples "Land of Confusion", "Invisible Touch", and "I Can't Dance" as well as the 1999 version of "Carpet Crawlers" featuring Gabriel. Rare BBC footage of "Paperlate" is also included.
Simultaneously, Genesis bassist/guitarist Rutherford reunites with Paul Carrack for the first Mike + The Mechanics album since 1999, Rewired. "Rewired" finds Mike + The Mechanics in top form with nine powerful new original songs including the driving electronic track "One Left Standing (Version A)," the sublime ballad "If I Were You", and the adventurous title track. Re-mastered versions of Top 10 singles "The Living Years", "Silent Running" and "All I Need Is A Miracle" are three of the 13 favorite tracks on another new disc 'Hits'.
Martin Orford (IQ) has now written about 75% of the new album and plans to start recording drum tracks this month. Work will then continue through the winter with a view to a release in May/June 2006. The working title of the new CD is "The Old Road". Special guests are still to be confirmed for this project, but once again expect some star names!
The recent IQ shows at NEARFest and Burg Herzberg were filmed with professional crew, so it is to be hoped that at least one concert DVD will result from this in 2006. There is also a plan to record some of the shows in Europe in November. A higher priority is the release on DVD of "Forever Live". The 5.1 surround-sound mix has now been completed for this and the band are currently looking for some juicy "extras" to make it a really stunning package. Likely release: early 2006.
King Diamond (Denmark) - 1987/2005 - "Abigail" (Special Edition)
This metal classic is being re-released and features a CD and DVD. CD includes 4 bonus tracks with expanded booklet and liner notes. DVD contains 7 unreleased songs recorded live in 1987.
