The Gift was all set to release their fifth album, the conceptual ‘Seven Seasons’, by early autumn last year. But life (as John Lennon so aptly put it) ‘is what happens when we’re busy making other plans’! Stef Dickers (bassist of ten years’ standing) was the last remaining original member aside from Mike Morton. He was reluctant to leave the lineup, but was forced to for personal reasons. At the same time, GabrieleBaldocci (the band’s long-serving and hugely talented keyboard player) simply found balancing his jobs as piano professor in three music schools with playing in a band too much to manage, so he bowed out with both regret and good grace.
The core team of Mike Morton (vocals), Cris Tortoioli (guitar/production) and Chris Taylor (drums) went in search of fresh talent to be reborn as the quintet they really wanted to be.
The next 5 months were spent searching for replacements. After multiple auditions and a few false starts, The Gift finally found a solution within ex-BEM label mates The Far Meadow. Mainstays of the outfit, Eliot Minn (keyboards) and Keith Buckman (bass) agreed to join. It is a very sweet experience to combine forces with musicians whom they both like and have full respect for. Now, regrouped and revitalised, The Gift is in the final stages of tracking, mixing and mastering for their imminent realise, the story of a life. It is due to finally emerge in late summer of this year.
On Monday 14th April, the single Sweet Bird Of Youth will be released as a taster for what’s to come.
Finnish doom metal icons SWALLOW THE SUN are dropping their digital-only SHINING DARK DELUXE today, along with a new live release, “Innocence Was Long Forgotten (Live At Hellsinki Metal Festival 2024)”. This exclusive edition offers fans an immersive, atmospheric experience, featuring fresh renditions of selected studio tracks that highlight the band’s signature somber tones and raw live intensity.
STREAM THE SINGLE “INNOCENCE WAS LONG FORGOTTEN (LIVE AT HELLSINKI METAL FESTIVAL 2024)” Here:
SWALLOW THE SUNShining Over Europe – After dominating North America, the band is preparing for a massive European tour with Before The Dawn and Stam1na. The tour kicks off this next Monday in Antwerp, Belgium on April 14th and will make its way through major cities, concluding in Hamburg, Germany on May 6th.
More than two decades of despair, beauty, and heartache have not only shaped but fueled Finnish melancholy torchbearers, the chart-topping and Finnish Grammy winner Swallow The Sun. Formed in Jyväskylä in 2000, the quintet has enjoyed numerous fan-lauded music videos (10+ million YouTube views) and streaming dominance (50+ million Spotify plays), while also embarking on a four-continent, 900-show run over the course of their 25-year career. Their new music, however, is the group’s first step on the new path to the unknown.
Ahead of the release of their new album Stygian Wavz (28th March, Kscope), American/Canadian fourpiece Envy Of None have shared a brand-new single today. The second track from the new album, ‘The Story’ holds a special place in each of the band member’s hearts and is brought to life with a stunning new video by Jaden D.
Speaking about the new single and inspiration behind the video, songwriter and vocalist Maiah Wynne shared “I wrote about wanting to be better, to grow, and the sense of desperation that comes with that desire. To me, the song is about the struggle of not being able to break bad cycles. I had been stuck for a very long time and was trying to be better. I think it’s a theme a lot of people can connect with in some way. Whether it’s habits, addiction, self-sabotage, or just unhealthy patterns, we all are trapped by something we are trying to break away from. If I had the power to write my own story, I’d want to be the hero, but so often I am my own villain.”
Envy Of None announced their new album back in January and have so far shared 3 standout singles, ‘Not Dead Yet’, ‘Under The Stars’ and ‘Stygian Waves’. To promote the album, the band recently appeared on Talk Shop Live in the US with host Steve Harkins to discuss the creation of Stygian Wavz, the writing and recording process and plans for the future. Check it out here.
Though they’d never describe themselves as such, Envy Of None are the living, breathing definition of a supergroup. No other band on earth could rightly claim to have Alex Lifeson – one of rock’s most influential visionaries – heading up guitar duties, with Andy Curran of Coney Hatch and Soho 69 overseeing bass/programming as well as producer extraordinaire Alfio Annibalini on keyboards. However, the star in this band could very well be its youngest member – American singer-songwriter Maiah Wynne – whose wonderfully emotive vocals are able to spin the music in new exciting directions that thrill to the core.
On their self-titled debut of 2022, the group were able to prove that they were a lot more than the sum of their parts, with an abundance of panache and finesse poured into a contemporary alt rock sound that was hard to predict and even harder to categorise. This year’s sophomore release, Stygian Wavz, is the sound of a band basking in the radiant glow of creative confidence and coming into their own, staggering the listener with every twist and turn encased within their heady mix of genre-splicing brilliance.
Envy Of None’s new album Stygian Wavz is set for release on 28th March 2025
Envy Of None – Stygian Wavz
1. Not Dead Yet [03:29]
2. The Story [04:41]
3. Under The Stars [04:32]
4. Thrill Of The Chase [03:40]
5. Handle With Care [04:14]
6. That Was Then [03:46]
7. Raindrops [03:33]
8. New Trip [03:55]
9. Clouds [04:02]
10. The End [03:58]
11. Stygian Waves [03:37]
Stygian Wavz will be released on a selection of formats including coloured vinyl, standard black vinyl, CD, Blu-ray, digitally and as a special deluxe edition boxset –
Limited Edition Stygian Wavz Box Set Includes CD and Blu-ray (with Dolby Atmos, 5.1 Surround & Hi-Res Stereo Mixes and 4 promo videos), plus Gatefold Green & Black Marble LP with individual band member prints. Also includes 12-page booklet featuring track-by-track notes from the band and exclusive photography.
In addition to the green & black marble vinyl, contained within 5 randomly packed copies of the box set is a special, super exclusive pressing of the album on galvanised metallic blue vinyl. Similar to a traditional commemorative silver or gold presentation disc, these have been made using a revolutionary new process which not only looks sensational but still plays and adds longevity to the pressing. Outside of LPs for the individual band members, these are the only copies in existence and come packed in poly-lined inner sleeves signed by Alex, Maiah, Andy and Alf.
Stygian Wavz Pink Vinyl Edition: North America Exclusive Stygian Wavz Blue Vinyl Edition: Kscope Store + Independent Retailers Stygian Wavz ‘EON Purple’ Vinyl Edition: Envy Of None Store Exclusive
Stygian Wavz Black Vinyl LP Edition, mastered at half-speed
Stygian Wavz Digipak CD with 16-page booklet
Pre-order all formats, released 28th March, 2025, here:
‘Playing The Fool: The Complete Live Experience’2CD, 2CD+BluRay, Triple Vinyl To Be Released on 2nd May 2025
The brand new reimagined, remastered and remixed version of Gentle Giant`s classic 1977 live album ‘Playing The Fool: The Complete Live Experience’ is set to be released.
‘Playing The Fool: The Complete Live Experience’, will be released across several formats including double CD, triple vinyl, Blu-Ray and digital download. The album has been remastered and painstakingly remixed from the original source tapes by Dan Bornemark with the Blu Ray containing a stereo 96/24 bit mix, 5.1 surround sound and Dolby Atmos mixes. You can purchase the album here:
Containing new sleeve notes by Alan Kinsman together with a plethora of photographs along with a track list that reflects the original running order of the setlist played on the tour including three previously unreleased songs and the between song banter from Derek Shulman, this represents the most accurate account of Gentle Giant live at the very peak of their powers.
Check out trailer for the album here:
Derek Shulman: “Effectively what you’re hearing on this album is the whole show with all the bells and whistles included with me speaking to the audience and to the band just like it was on the night.”
‘Playing The Fool: The Complete Live Experience’
1. Intro [1:24]
2. Just the Same / Proclamation [10:40]
3. On Reflection [7:31]
4. Interview [7:06]
5. The Runaway / Experience [9:54]
6. Sweet Georgia Brown (Breakdown in Brussels) [1:54]
7. So Sincere [10:42]
8. Excerpts from Octopus [15:58]
9. Band Introduction [1:23]
10. Funny Ways [8:58]
11. Timing / Violin Solo [11:40]
12. Free Hand [8:20]
13. Peel The Paint / I Lost My Head [8:01]
Derek Shulman: “This is a warts and all recording. It’s important to have a live album, which is live. There were no overdubs afterwards in the studio. So what you saw and heard is what you have on the album.”
ABOUT GENTLE GIANT
Gentle Giant was a British progressive rock band formed in 1970 in London by three brothers Derek, Ray and Phil Shulman along with Gary Green, Kerry Minnear and drummer Martin Smith who was latterly replaced by John “Pugwash” Weathers in 1972.
The group was renowned for its complex and eclectic musical style, blending elements of rock, jazz, classical, folk and medieval music. The band played a diverse array of instruments between them and their intricate arrangements and exquisite vocal harmonies gave them their own unique, instantly identifiable sound.
Gentle Giant released a series of highly regarded albums including ‘Acquiring the Taste’ (1971), ‘In a Glass House’ (1973), and ‘The Power and the Glory’ (1974) across which they pushed their musical boundaries to the limit. Their live album ‘Playing The Fool’ (1977) remains a testament to their stunning live shows.
In 1980 Gentle Giant called it a day and have refused numerous calls to reform since then, perhaps this is why their reputation remains intact to this day. Widescale chart success may have eluded them but their fiercely loyal fanbase followed them right through their career and beyond. Their legacy has remained undiminished within the Progressive Rock world being major influences on Porcupine Tree`s Steven Wilson, Neal Morse of Spock`s Beard, Michael Sadler of Saga and Opeth`s Mikael Akerfeldt, who cites ‘Acquiring The Taste’ as one of his favourite albums.
Derek Shulman: “We were a rock and roll band that played interesting music and we wanted to have fun for ourselves and have the audience go out with a smile on their faces.”
Nad Sylvan, known as vocalist with legendary guitarist Steve Hackett, announces his vulnerable & personal new solo album ‘Monumentata’ for release on 20th June 2025 via InsideOutMusic. Sylvan’s music draws heavily from the golden age of progressive rock while blending in folk, classical, and modern rock influences, resulting in a sound that feels both classic and contemporary. This collection of 8 tracks continues bridging those styles while sprinkling in a few more, from the jazzy-pop feel of “Flowerland” to the 60’s R&B influenced “Monte Carlo Priceless,” to the aggressive rock flavour of “That’s Not Me.”
It is the latter track that is launched today, and you can watch the video for “That’s Not Me” here:
Nad comments of the track: “It’s a very heavy, aggressive song with a strong funk influence—kind of like James Brown meets Deep Purple. It’s got a groovy feel, and I absolutely love it because it represents the heavier side of my music. The song explores the challenges of adapting to another culture while traveling the world.”
Much of the album comes from Sylvan’s life experiences. “This album is much more vulnerable. I’d say about 75% of the lyrics are directly about my life—it’s me laying everything out there, wearing my heart on my sleeve.”
The title track signifies an important moment in the singer’s life when he lost his father, leaving him without both parents. Sylvan explains, “I lost my parents, and knowing that they’re gone—and that one day, I’m probably next in line—that felt “monumental” to me. That’s where the word ‘Monumentata’ came from. “Tata” means “Father” in Hungarian, and my dad was half Hungarian. So, I combined those two words to create something new. It’s about losing someone and the disappointment.”
While Sylvan handles vocals, keyboards and most of the guitar parts, the album features a number of notable guest appearances, including guitarists Randy McStine, David Kollar, and Neil Whitford. The drummers on the record include Marco Minnemann, Mirko DeMaio, and Felix Lerhmann. On bass, the singer is helped out by fellow Hackett band member Jonas Reingold, Nick Beggs, and Tony Levin.
‘Monumentata’ will be available as a Ltd CD Digipak (incl. bonus track), Gatefold transparent green LP & as Digital Album. Artwork was handled by Hajo Müller (Steven Wilson).
Gravity Dream Music is thrilled to announce the release of the tenth Cosmograf al- bum – The Orphan Epoch on 23rd May 2025.
The Orphan Epoch is a set of songs that speak of a refusal to conform, align, or coa- lesce. It’s an expression of discontent, a statement of our times, but maybe also an instruction to refuse to accept binary choice and choose a path to walk alone. This is a new era of disconnection, disillusion and disinformation. Your perception will de- fine your reality…
“It was an easy album to make, in writing terms. I can’t even tell you where the songs came from, but they just arrived and seemed to want to tell a story them- selves.”, says Cosmograf’s Robin Armstrong. “Instead of setting out to write anoth- er concept album I wanted these songs to exist in their own space and time. This was the result…” I think it’s my most diverse work to date”.
We are also pleased to release the lead track and video for ‘Kings and Lords’ on YouTube now.
“The video was created from an old Italian Western film ‘‘Se incontri Sartana Prega Per La Tua Morte’ which is now in the public domain. My son, Sam is a media studies student and huge fan of film and we found it mirrored the song’s themes of greed, power and nefarious intent, so he re-edited it to fit the music.”
The Orphan Epoch will be available in Vinyl, CD Digipak and Digital formats and is pre-ordering now from the Gravity Dream Music website at:
1. Division Warning [Track / 2. We Are The Young / 3. Seraphim Reels 4. Kings And Lords / 5. You Didn’t See The Thief / 6.Empty Box 7. The Road Of Endless Miles
Featured Musicians:
Robin Armstrong: Vocals, Guitars, Keyboards, Bass Kyle Fenton: Drums, Backing Vocals Peter Jones: Saxophone (Seraphim Reels)
LOVE will be released on May 2nd, 2025, via InsideOutMusic
Album Pre-Order Open Now!
The Flower Kings are set to release their 17th studio album on May 2nd, 2025, titled LOVE. With “How can you leave us now!?”, the quintet unveils the first track from their upcoming record that is available for pre-order now.
The band will debut the material from LOVE live in Stockholm, May 29th followed by a European tour together with Neal Morse & The Resonance.
When The Flower Kings played their first show on Aug 20th, 1994, they likely had no idea they would go on to make music history worldwide. With 17 studio albums, numerous live albums, and performances at festivals and countless tours across the globe, their legacy is unmatched in the rebirth of progressive rock. They remain titans of melodic prog, brimming with creativity and vitality, placing them firmly in that royal reign that their name suggested 30 years ago.
Their first song “How Can You Leave Us Now!?” can be listened to here:
The album features the three original members—Roine Stolt, Hasse Fröberg, and Michael Stolt—alongside relative newcomers Mirko DeMaio and Lalle Larsson. Together, they have crafted an album that embodies the essence of progressive rock from the late sixties and early seventies. This era was marked by a departure from the norm of seeking hit singles, embracing creativity with bell-bottoms, Mellotrons, Moogs, phasing, flanging, and epic compositions. The Flower Kings have always had a knack for writing songs that blend pop sensibilities with experimental and jam band influences.
This new album showcases the Swedish royals with newfound confidence, delivering progressive rock second to none. It promises to take listeners on a journey to the hidden corners of their musical world. Fans can expect to hear more of the experimental side and wild guitar and synth solos reminiscent of the band’s early albums. The album, with a runtime of 75 minutes, features 12 tracks ranging from 3 to 12 minutes, designed to be listened to as a whole.
LOVETracklist:
1.We Claim The Moon 2.The Elder 3.How Can You Leave Us Now!? 4.World Spinning 5.Burning Both Edges 6.The Rubble 7.Kaiser Razor 8.The Phoenix 9.The Promise 10.Love Is 11.Walls Of Shame 12.Considerations
The album will be available in the following versions:
Ltd. CD Digipak Ltd. CD Digipak (US version) Standard CD Jewelcase (Japanese Version) Ltd. Gatefold Black 2LP Ltd. Gatefold Neon Orange 2LP– Limited to only 500 copies worldwide Ltd. Gatefold Transp. Light Blue 2LP– Strictly limited to only 300 copies worldwide
The Flower Kings will bring their new album LOVE to the live stages in Europe during May/June. The tour is accompanied by Neal Morse & Resonance.
Progressive pioneers Haken spent 2024 celebrating their most recent acclaimed studio album, ‘Fauna’, in the most comprehensive way possible, as part of their ‘An Evening With’ run throughout the world. Playing two full sets each night, the band performed ‘Fauna’ in full, before returning to the stage to run through a selection of the best-loved cuts from their catalogue. In a homecoming of sorts for Haken, on the 21st September 2024 the band played London’s legendary O2 Forum, and the document of that special evening is what’s witnessed on ‘Liveforms: An Evening With Haken’ – released 9th May 2025 (InsideOutMusic).
To coincide with this announcement, the band have launched a video clip of their performance of ‘Beneath the White Rainbow’ which you can watch now here:
The band comments of the release: “The Evening With Haken tour across North America and Europe was without a doubt one of our favourite tours we’ve done, showcasing 3 hours of music from our entire discography, including our latest record ‘Fauna’ performed in full which was an absolute blast! Conducting an ‘evening with’ format is something that we’ve seen tried and tested by some of our favourite artists, and it felt like an important band bucket list item to tick off at this stage in our career, to celebrate all we’ve achieved in the last 15 years. When discussions arose as to which show we might document on film, it was a no-brainer for us that our homecoming show in London, at the legendary 02 Kentish Town Forum, should be the one. And the home crowd did not disappoint, on what turned out to be such an electric atmosphere, we just so happened to capture one of our best performances from the entire tour for our fans to relive again and again.”
Filmed by Paul Green Productions (Devin Townsend, Steve Hackett) & mixed by Jens Bogren (Between The Buried and Me, Ihsahn), the 3CD+Blu-ray release comprises all the music played on that evening, in both stereo & 5.1 Surround Sound, as well as bonus behind the scenes interviews with each band member. The Gatefold 2LP edition features the entirety of the ‘Fauna’ album performed that night. Both formats featuring iconic artwork from Dan Goldsworthy, whose work also graces the cover of ‘Fauna’.
The band will be performing on Cruise To The Edge 2025, before heading to Latin America for a run of shows. Following this the band will continue work on a brand-new studio album
4th-9th April – Cruise To The Edge 2025, Miami, USA
25th April – Club Peppers, San José, Costa Rica
27th April – Sale Puebla, Mexico City, Mexico
29th April – El Teatro Flores, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Karisma Records announced earlier the release of the highly anticipated fourth album from OAK, “The Third Sleep”, which will be out on the 25th of April. An album that contrasts light and darkness, both thematically and musically, seamlessly blending folk-inspired acoustic passages with the raw intensity of progressive metal, evoking echoes of Opeth and beyond.
The first single from “The Third Sleep” is the track “Shimmer” which is out on the 27th of February. It can be streamed following this link:
Those who have listened to Oak’s previous releases will probably notice the clear nods, both harmonically and lyrically, to “Stars Under Water” from the album “Lighthouse”. The themes of conformity and condemnation are treated in a gloomy soundscape that can send the mind to dark film music. Both harmonically and lyrically, “Shimmer” builds a bridge from the band’s first release to the latest, before towards the end you are led into a suggestive, ostinato-like coda that gives room to process and to move on both concretely and metaphorically.
With a rich musical foundation that spans classical piano, electronica, progressive and hard rock, Oak has carved out a distinctive sound—both captivating and challenging in equal measure. Recorded in Ljugekroken (Oslo), the album was mixed by David Castillo (Katatonia, Leprous, Opeth) and mastered by Jacob Holm-Lupo (White Willow, Donner) at Dude Ranch Studio, Sandøya.
Prepare to experience “The Third Sleep”, a thought-provoking journey through sound and emotion.
Tracklisting for “The Third Sleep” is as follows:
1. No Such Thing 2. London 3. Run Into the Sun 4. Shimmer 5. Shapeshifter 6. Borders 7. Sensory Overload
“The Third Sleep” will be available CD, Digital and Blue/Purple Smash Vinyl LP formats, and can now be pre-ordered at:
OAK originated as a duo, which expanded into today’s line-up of Simen Valldal Johannessen on vocals, piano and keys, Øystein Sootholtet on bass, acoustic and electric guitars and Sigbjørn Reiakvam on drums, percussion, programming, keys and guitars. The fact that OAK’s members come from diverse backgrounds, which range from classical piano, to electronica, to prog and hard rock, with references to both the alternative scene as well as the progressive rock scene, has allowed OAK to create a unique sound.
Esoteric Recordings is proud to announce the release of a newly remastered and expanded 2CD edition of Sail The World, the evocative 1994 album by celebrated composer and guitarist Anthony Phillips.
Originally composed and recorded for the UK television coverage of the Whitbread Around the World Yacht Race, Sail The World became a fan favourite, capturing the vast, cinematic beauty of the open seas.
Now in this definitive edition, Sail The World has been newly remastered and expanded into a 2CD set, featuring an entire second disc with 15 rare and previously unreleased bonus tracks, including additional material and alternate mixes, featuring collaborations with Joji Hirota and Martin Robertson. This special release also comes with a beautifully illustrated booklet, complete with a brand-new essay by respected writer Jon Dann.
With its sweeping melodies and atmospheric textures, Sail The World remains a stunning work from one of progressive music’s most revered composers.
DISC ONE 1 Opening Theme 2 Fast Work 3 Dark Seas 4 Cool Sailing 5 Wildlife Choir 6 I Wish This Would Never End 7 Salsa I 8 Roaring Forties 9 Lonely Whales 10 Icebergs 11 Majestic Whales 12 In the Southern Ocean 13 The Fremantle Doctor 14 Long Way from Home 15 Wildlife Flotilla 16 Big Combers 17 Cool Sailing II 18 Cape Horn 19 Amongst Mythical Birds 20 Salsa II 21 Into the Tropics 22 In the Doldrums 23 Heading for Home & Victory Bonus tracks 24 Paradise 25 Eastern Magic 26 Closing Theme
DISC TWO Previously unreleased bonus tracks 1 Opening Theme (original version) 2 The Dream Race 3 Starboard Drift 4 Epic Whales 5 World Piece 6 Temple 7 Ocean Life 8 Cool Sailing (alternate mix) 9 Playmaker 10 Another Day 11 Fast Work (alternate mix) 12 Journey’s End 13 Tokyo Nights 14 Paradise (alternate mix) 15 Heading for Home & Victory (alternate mix)
