Category: New album releases

TESSERACT PREMIERE VIDEO FOR THE NEW SINGLE “KING”

Ahead of the release of TesseracT’s highly anticipated new studio album Sonder the band have revealed their first official video, for their new single “King”.

The emotive and viscerally challenging clip, was directed by Kyle Kadow & Steven Cleavland and shot in a snowy Wisconsin following a brutal storm, which all added to the atmospheric footage as bassist Amos Williams explains “We have been very lucky to work with two cinematographers of such vision and quality as Kyle and Steven. We gave them free reign with the creation of the first story board. They chose to explore the theme of claustrophobia and how fear can control our lives. Using a luminary figure as a beacon of hope and escape for the characters.”

Listen to ‘KING’ here: https://www.tesseractband.co.uk/

Lyricist and vocalist Daniel Tompkins expands on the song’s concept by saying “Far too often we find ourselves lead into conflict and inner turmoil. Life is surely a battle, history has a bad habit of repeating itself and when living with the constraints of an onerous life it’s easy to overlook the greatest gift we’ve ever received: life itself”.

onder due to be released through Kscope on 20th April, adds significant firepower to the band’s arsenal, blending the harsh abrasiveness of One (2011) and progressive ethereal elements of Altered State (2013) with the accessibility of Polaris (2015). Sonder is streamlined, honest and direct with all the trademark TesseracT dreamy atmospherics and bending grooves. Sonder was recorded in the UK at 4D Sounds, Celestial Sounds and Project Studios, engineered by the band and Aiden O’Brien with mastering by Acle Kahney, and cover artwork designed by Amos Williams.

Sonder will be released on CD / 2CD – featuring binaural album bonus disc / black LP / Crystal Clear vinyl LP / picture disc (exclusive to the band’s webstores) and digitally (with digital album pre-order receiving “Luminary” & “King” as an instant downloads) and is available to pre order HERE

TesseracT are gearing up to begin their worldwide Sonder Tour in North America in April, with summer festivals across Europe before hitting stages in Europe towards the end of the year.

Ticket details for all shows can be found on  http://tesseractband.co.uk/

Sonder 2018 Tour Dates

North America w/ Plini & Astronoid 

Apr-19                     Boston, MA – Paradise Rock Club

Apr-20                     Philadelphia, PA – TLA

Apr-21                     Baltimore, MD – Baltimore Sound Stage

Apr-22                     Greensboro, NC – Arizona Pete’s

Apr-24                     Tampa, FL – Orpheum

Apr-25                     Atlanta, GA – Masquerade

Apr-27                     Dallas, TX – Gas Monkey Bar & Grill

Apr-28                     Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall

Apr-29                     San Antonio, TX – Alamo City Music Hall

May-01                    Albuquerque, NM – Sunshine Theater

May-02                    Phoenix, AZ – Club Red

May-03                    Los Angeles, CA – Regent

May-04                    San Diego, CA – House of Blues

May-05                    Berkeley, CA – The UC Theatre

May-07                    Portland, OR – Hawthorne Theatre

May-08                    Seattle, WA – El Corazon

May-09                    Vancouver, BC – Rickshaw Theater

May-11                    Edmonton, AB – Starlite

May-12                    Calgary, AB – Marquee

May-14                    Salt Lake City, UT – The Complex

May-15                    Denver, CO – Summit

May-16                    Lawrence, KS – Granada

May-18                    Minneapolis, MN – Skyway

May-19                    Chicago, IL – Metro

May-20                    Detroit, MI – Majestic

May-22                    Toronto, ON – Opera House

May-23                    Montreal, QC – Club Soda

May-24                    New York, NY – Irving Plaza

 

EUROPEAN DATES W/ Between The Buried & Me + Plini

Nov-09                    DE – Cologne, Live Music Hall

Nov-10                    NL – Nijmegen, Doornroosje

Nov-11                    BE – Vosselaar, Biebob

Nov-12                    FR – Paris, Le Trabendo

Nov-13                    DE – Aschaffenburg, Colos-Saal

Nov-14                    DE – Hamburg, Gruenspan

Nov-15                    DK – Copenhagen, Pumpehuset

Nov-16                    NO – Oslo, Parkteatret

Nov-17                    SE – Stockholm, Kägelbanan

Nov-19                    DE – Berlin, Lido

Nov-20                    DE – Stuttgart, Im Wizemann

Nov-21                    AT – Vienna, Flex

Nov-22                    DE – Munich, Backstage

Nov-23                    CH – Aarau, Kiff

Nov-24                    IT – Parma, Campus Industry

Nov-25                    LU – Esch, Rockhal

More dates to be announced ..

Summer Festivals:

26/05/18 – CH, Monthey – Irreversible Festival (http://www.irreversiblefestival.ch)

08/06/18 – UK, Donington, Download Festival

22-24/06/18 – BE, Dessel, Graspop Festival

22-24/06/18 – FR – Clisson – Hellfest (https://www.hellfest.fr )

22 – 28/07/2018 – SI – Tolmin – Metal Days Festival (http://www.metaldays.net)

28-30/06/18 – ESP, Madrid, Caja Magica, Download Festival

15/07/18 – SWE, Gavle, Gefle Festival (http://www.geflemetalfestival.se/

(photo credit: Steve Brown www.stevebrowncreative.com )

TesseracT are:

Daniel Tompkins – vocals

Amos Williams – bass

Acle Kahney – guitar

James Monteith – guitar

Jay Postones – drums

 

LUNATIC SOUL ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM ‘UNDER THE FRAGMENTED SKY’ AS THE FOLLOW UP TO 2017’S EMOTIONAL OPUS ‘FRACTURED’ WITH A TEASER VIDEO

MARKING THE 10th ANNIVERSARY OF THE SOLO PROJECT FROM RIVERSIDE’S CREATIVE FORCE 

Lunatic Soul is Mariusz Duda, the talented creator, singer and multi-instrumentalist behind some of the finest and most captivating progressive music coming from Europe, including his output on UK label Kscope and with Poland’s shooting stars Riverside. Duda is now releasing his sixth studio album, the companion to 2017’s ‘Fractured’ and the pinnacle of the first decade of Lunatic Soul.

Following on from last year’s material, which covered content about grieving, hope and a fractured society, ‘Under the Fragmented Sky’ rebuilds Lunatic Soul as we know it, with dark and haunting atmospheres coming to the forefront, taking its name from the lyrics of the 12-minute epic “A Thousand Shards of Heaven” from Fractured. Duda explains “Fractured is not a full picture of the latest Lunatic Soul recordings. These more classical pieces have been waiting for their own time which has now come. “Under the Fragmented Sky” will be both a supplement to “Fractured” and an artistically independent release with its own character and identity.”

“It’s a very unexpected and spontaneous release” – says Mariusz Duda – “Initially, I was thinking about a maxi single “A Thousand Shards of Heaven” with a couple of other tracks but the material had evolved so beautifully in the studio that I ended up with 36 minutes of brand new music. It’s a truly enchanting album. 

“UTFS” is a music journey with very subtle electronics and vocal experiments, it’s incredibly coherent and much closer to the mood of the earlier Lunatic Soul albums. Thanks to “Under the Fragmented Sky”, the last red album will gain a fuller meaning and the whole Lunatic Soul discography will be enriched with another shade of my music fascinations, which have been suspended somewhere between life and death from the very beginning.”

The album was recorded during the Fractured sessions at Serakos Studio, Warsaw from June 16-17, and finalised December 2017 and February 2018. The final track “Untamed” sees a guest appearance on drums for Wawrzyniec Dramowicz (aka Vaaver). The album was designed and illustrated by Polish artist Jarek Kubick.

Under the Fragmented Sky will be released in the following formats on 25th May and is now available for pre-order here: http://found.ee/UNDER_FRAGMENTED_SKY

 •CD
•LP – 180g heavyweight clear vinyl as a single LP in gatefold packaging.
•Digital
Follow Lunatic Soul online:
Photo of Mariusz by Oskar Vramka.

New video for ‘I Don’t Know Why’ by KINO featuring Pete Trewavas, John Mitchell and Craig Blundell

Kino are set to release their new album ‘Radio Voltaire’ on March 23rd, 2018, arriving 13 years after the band’s much-loved debut ‘Picture’ back in 2005. It sees John Mitchell (It Bites, Lonely Robot) & Pete Trewavas (Marillion) teaming up once more, with Craig Blundell (Steven Wilson) on drums & John Beck (It Bites) guesting on keyboards.

Yesterday saw the release of the third and final track to be taken from the album prior to release, titled ‘I Don’t Know Why’:

Pete Trewavas comments: “This is a kind of Jellyfish/Queen inspired song which I wrote just towards the end of the first Kino album sessions. It was just too late to be on the record but I remember playing it to John Mitchell while we were at his finishing off the ‘Picture’ album. At the time I expected it to be on the second album, which never happened until all these years later.”

The album will be available on Limited CD Digipak (including bonus tracks), Gatefold 180g Double Vinyl (incl. CD) & Digital Download. Digital pre-orders on iTunes and Amazon receive ‘The Dead Club’ immediately. Pre-order now here: www.insideoutmusicshop.com

ecorded at the end of 2017, writing began at the end of that Summer. “We actually began the writing process in late August” says John Mitchell. “Pete had a few tunes and so did I, and we went from there.” Mitchell and Trewavas were both a crucial part of the original band more than a decade ago, with the former providing lead vocals and guitar parts, while the latter played his trademark bass lines and also contributed backing vocals.

Keyboard player John Beck, who is also a bandmate of Mitchell’s in It Bites, has been brought back. But while he was fully involved on the debut album, this time his role is that of a guest musician. “Yes, I am delighted to say we’ve gone John on board. His keyboard playing is splattered throughout the album, and I’ve also done the odd keyboard part myself.” The task of drummer this time fell to Craig Blundell, as Mitchell explains: “This time around Craig was the obvious choice to be the drummer, as far as I was concerned. I have worked with him so much that there was nobody else in the frame.”

Of the albums direction, Mitchell illustrates: “The title sounds very cool and obviously there’s a connection with the band Cabaret Voltaire. But Voltaire himself (the 18th century French philosopher) had a fascination with death, which appealed to me. He also stood for freedom of speech and freedom of religion. On top of that, I love the idea of a radio station that would reflect his views on life and cut through the bullshit which seems to be all over politics. Now, that is the type of radio station I think would reflect what a lot of us want to hear.”

The album cover has been designed by Paul Tippett, who is one of the most in demand artists of the modern era. “I like what he’s done with this sleeve. It reminds me of Moulin Rouge meets ‘Live And Let Die’. It is very striking, and I am sure everyone will have their own interpretation of what it reminds them of.”

The tracklisting can be found below:

1.Radio Voltaire
2.The Dead Club
3.Idlewild
4.I Don’t Know Why
5.I Won’t Break So Easily Any More
6.Temple Tudor
7.Out of Time
8.Warmth of the Sun
9.Grey Shapes on Concrete Fields
10.Keep The Faith
11.The Silent Fighter Pilot

Bonus Tracks

12.Temple Tudor (Piano Mix)
13.The Dead Club (Berlin Headquarter Mix)
14.Keep The Faith (Orchestral Mix)
15.The Kino Funfair

YES confirm Trevor Horn as Special Guest for London & Paris Shows

#YES50 TOUR commences Tuesday 13 March – Latest Tour News

  • Bristol and Manchester have now sold out. Other venues have extra tickets released. 
  • Trevor Horn confirmed as special guest at London [both shows] and Paris.
  • Fans considering Paris are advised to check the Olympia Box Office as this show has had a few more seats released which will sell out rapidly.
  • Founder member Tony Kaye is unable to appear on this side of the Atlantic but is slated to join the band in the USA in June and July.
  • Yes fans know how lucky they are that Yes music is still available to watch live, in these uncertain times. Don’t miss out on these shows.
  • This is the last chance for fans to see YES perform sides 1 & 4 (and an excerpt from Side 3) of iconic 1973 album Tales from Topographic Oceans – the first YES album to top the UK charts. Yes will, of course, be performing classic hits as well! It will also be the last chance for fans to experience Roger Dean’s spectacular Tales From Topographic Oceans video artwork, as it is set to be retired after the current run of dates.
  • The Officially endorsed not-for-profit Yes Fans Convention has some tickets available at £30 a head. It takes place over the weekend of March 24th & 25th at the London Palladium; the venue for the UK tour’s final two shows.
  • The convention includes 2 Yes tribute bands, Yes authors, displays, merchants, alumni, Roger Dean and Yes fans from around the globe.
  •  It will also host the launch party for the remixed version of YES’ 2011 album Fly From Here – Return Trip featuring newly recorded vocals by the album’s legendary producer Trevor Horn, as well as a bonus new track. It is the much-anticipated return of the ‘Drama’ line-up.

This new version of Fly From Here – Return Trip is being released independently by the band via the Pledge Music platform (pre orders available at: https://yesthedramalineup.pmstores.co), alongside being available for sale at the convention.

YES50 MARCH 2018 TOUR (UK & Europe) TOUR DATES
Tues 13th        Bristol Colston Hall SOLD OUT
Weds 14th        Sheffield City Hall
Fri 16th        Glasgow SEC Armadillo LAST FEW TICKETS
Sat 17th        Manchester Bridgewater Hall  SOLD OUT
Sun 18th        Gateshead Sage
Tues 20th        Birmingham Symphony Hall LAST FEW TICKETS
Weds 21st        Brighton Centre
Fri 23rd        Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
Sat 24th        London Palladium LAST FEW TICKETS
Sun 25th        London Palladium (Gig and fan convention)
Tue 27th        Tilburg 013
Wed 28th      Antwerp De Roma
Fri 30th         Paris Olympia LAST FEW TICKETS
Tickets available from BookingsDirect.com. 24hr Ticket Hotline 0844 249 2222 (subject to fee). Also available from venue box offices and select authorised ticket agencies.
Front row, Meet & Greet & VIP packages are available from YESWORLD.com
(Band picture by Gottlieb Bros.)

TESSERACT ANNOUNCE EUROPEAN TOUR DATES – NEW STUDIO ALBUM ‘SONDER’ COMING 20TH APRIL 2018

TesseracT who are set to release their fourth studio album Sonder on April 20th 2018 through Kscope have announced details for their European headline tour with support from Between The Buried and Me and Plini. Vocalist Daniel Tompkins comments:

“To have such a strong support bill with us means the SONDER European Tour could be the event of 2018 for many progressive rock fans! We’re bringing an exciting new production, which properly represents TesseracT in a live environment. Joining us are our friends in Between The Buried And Me – it’s been a long time since we last toured with them and it will definitely be worth the wait. To cap it all off we’re also bringing along the mighty Plini – this will be our second tour of 2018 with him, he’s an amazing musician and gives the tour a great dynamism!”

TESSERACT – SONDER EUROPEAN TOUR 2018  

November 09, 2018     DE – Cologne, Live Music Hall

November 10, 2018     NL – Nijmegen, Doornroosje

November 11, 2018     BE – Vosselaar, Biebob

November 12, 2018     FR – Paris, Le Trabendo

November 13, 2018     DE – Aschaffenburg, Colos-Saal

November 14, 2018     DE – Hamburg, Gruenspan

November 15, 2018     DK – Copenhagen, Pumpehuset

November 16, 2018     NO – Oslo, Parkteatret

November 17, 2018     SE – Stockholm, Kägelbanan

November 19, 2018     DE – Berlin, Lido

November 20, 2018     DE – Stuttgart, Im Wizemann

November 21, 2018     AT – Vienna, Flex

November 22, 2018     DE – Munich, Backstage

November 23, 2018     CH – Aarau, Kiff

November 24, 2018     IT – Parma, Campus Industry

November 25, 2018     LU – Esch, Rockhal

Tickets are on sale 9th March at 9am GMT / 10am CET. See tesseractband.co.uk for details.

Expect more dates to be added over the coming months.

Sonder adds significant firepower to the band’s arsenal, blending the harsh abrasiveness of One (2011) and progressive ethereal elements of Altered State (2013) with the accessibility of Polaris (2015). Sonder is streamlined, honest and direct with all the trademark TesseracT dreamy atmospherics and bending grooves. Sonder was recorded in the UK at 4D Sounds, Celestial Sounds and Project Studios, engineered by the band and Aiden O’Brien with mastering by Acle Kahney, and cover artwork designed by Amos Williams.

 

 

MIDAS FALL REVEAL LATEST TRACK ‘BRUISE PUSHER’ / ANNOUNCE UK TOUR DATES

Taken from forthcoming album ‘Evaporate’

Scottish duo Midas Fall (Elizabeth Heaton and Rowan Burn) release their fourth album, ‘Evaporate’, on 27 April.

“Bruise Pusher”, the opening track from the album, is a visceral display of ferocious beauty which alternates between Elizabeth Heaton’s delicate vocals and a savage cacophony of guitar, drums and synths, to create a disconcerting atmosphere.

“Bruise Pusher is about living in a volatile environment, constantly anticipating the underlying tension erupting into something hideous and unsettlingly familiar”, says Heaton. “The song started with just a simple piano melody, so to develop the track we used a lot of guitars with rumbling, saturated reverbs and gradually added heavy synths to create textured, expansive choruses.”

Produced and recorded by Elizabeth Heaton, ‘Evaporate’ shimmers with a dark, gothic grace, conjuring stunning soundscapes at every turn. The album will be released worldwide by Monotreme Records on April 27th on CD and digital formats, as well as a limited pressing of 500 LPs on 180-gram vinyl (200 black and 300 clear blue/black).

Pre-orders of the album are available from the Monotreme Records web shop: http://monotremerecords.limitedrun.com/products/610709-midas-fall-evaporate-album-cd-180g-vinyl-lp-or-digital-download-pre-order

The band have also announced UK tour dates for May to support the release of the album.
04/05 Evil Eye, Liverpool
 
05/05 Cavern, Exeter
 
06/05 The Vault, Leicester
 
08/05 The Star Inn, Guildford
 
09/05 Aatma, Manchester
 
10/05 Bannermans, Edinburgh
 
11/05 13th Note, Glasgow 
 

 

Marillion Release Live DVD – All One Tonight on 2nd April – Live Screenings at 6 Everyman Cinemas on 26th March

2nd March 2018 – On 2nd April Marillion release ALL ONE TONIGHT the live DVD of their Royal Albert Hall Show filmed in October 2017. On 26th March, there will be screenings of the show in 6 Everyman Cinemas across the UK. Marillion will host the screening at the Kings Cross Everyman. Tickets available from:

www.everymancinema.com/film-info/marillion-live-at-the-royal-albert-hall#scroll

On October 13 2017 Marillion played the Royal Albert Hall for the first time in their near forty year career. The show sold out in minutes, a full year before the band took to the stage at the iconic London venue. The audience, many of whom had travelled over oceans for the show, were treated to a Marillion show like no other.

In two parts, ‘All One Tonight’ firstly showcases the band’s acclaimed 2016 studio album ‘F E A R’ in full. Accompanied by an awe inspiring light show and films, Marillion perform their incisive and era defining zeitgeist with unparalleled passion and power.

The second half introduces In Praise of Folly and guests, a string quartet with flute and French horn that throughout the rest of the show inject an extra depth and emotion to some of Marillion’s best loved live material. Once again, with amazing lights and audience participation, Marillion steal the night, proving that they more than belong on the stage that has been trod by the most acclaimed musicians. Directed and edited by Tim Sidwell, recorded and mixed by Michael Hunter, ‘All One Tonight’ is a Racket Records and Toward Infinity production.

Marillion embark on their UK tour on 8th April.
FULL 2018 Tour Dates are:-

Date City Venue

Sun 8th April Belfast Ulster Hall – NEW DATE
Mon 9th April Dublin Vicar Street – NEW DATE
Wed 11th April Gateshead The Sage – last few tickets available
Fri 13th April Cambridge Corn Exchange – SOLD-OUT
Sat 14th April Birmingham Symphony Hall – SOLD-OUT
Mon 16th April Brighton Dome – last few tickets available
Tue 17th April  Bristol Colston Hall – SOLD-OUT
Thu 19th April Reading Hexagon – SOLD-OUT
Fri 20th April Liverpool Philharmonic Hall – SOLD-OUT
Sun 22nd April York Barbican – NEW DATE

 

Tickets available from myticket.co.uk, seetickets.com & venue box offices.

 

That Joe Payne – Debut Single

Ex-Enid frontman, Joe Payne relaunches as soloist “That Joe Payne”, announced direct from his website, published Friday 1st December 2017. He states, “After months of hard work, writing and recording, I am delighted to announce my return to music after a long and much needed rest.” Referencing to his updated name, Payne explains “If you’re wondering where “that” came from… It’s a reminder to myself never to allow my anxiety to break me again.”

Payne is best known for his work as frontman of progressive rock outfit, The Enid (2011-2016). In April 2016, shortly after the release of their last album, Dust, Payne fell ill with depression and anxiety. Unable to work, he officially announced his departure from The Enid in September 2016. His personal achievements include being voted Best Male Vocalist for two years running in the Prog Magazine Readers’ Poll (2014 & 2015) and three Progressive Music Award Nominations.

The singer songwriter has launched pre-sales for his debut single, ‘I Need a Change’ via his online shop. He describes the song as “the most heartfelt thing I’ve ever done” and “8 minutes and 23 seconds of pure unadulterated me.”
The music, written and arranged entirely by Payne, was brought to life in the studio with the help of three other recently retired Enid members; Max Read (singer and producer), Nic Willes (drums and bass) and Duncan McLaughlan (guitar). Artwork and typography have also been credited to Louis Sidis and Martin Kielty.

Pre-order link for ‘I Need A Change’

The record will be released in sync with the artist’s first live performance in almost 2 years. A re-launch show in his hometown of Northampton, at a converted cinema called The Picturedrome. Payne tells his followers he’ll be performing “the best of my back catalogue” for this one-off event, including songs from The Enid and other collaborations.
Tickets on sale now at www.seetickets.com.

I Need a Change (Single)
Track List:
A: I Need a Change
B: Moonlit Love
Bonus Tracks (CD ONLY):
3. I Need a Change (45 Edit)
4. I Need a Change (Piano & Lead Vocals)
5. I Need a Change (String Quintet & Lead Vocals)
6. I Need a Change (Choir & Lead Vocals)
7. I Need a Change (Full Arrangement, no Lead Vocals)

 

Rising UK Prog Metal Band HeKz Confirm Eagerly Awaited Third Album

Described by Prog magazine as sounding like “Queen having a barney with Dream Theater as Rush and Iron Maiden duke it out on the sidelines,” UK Prog Metallers HeKz have announced that their third album, “INVICTA”, will be released on Friday 20th April 2018 via BMH Audio.

Taken from the Latin word for “unconquered”, INVICTA is a celebration of perseverance and resilience. The ten songs come together to form a story of betrayal, loss, reconciliation and hope. Far from straying into the realms of fantasy, the songs are rooted in real experiences, reflecting the triumph and defeat that we all encounter on our journey through life and, in the case of the latter, how we can choose to be consumed by it, or fight on and emerge stronger.

“Each time we start a new album, it feels like we learn a little bit more about the DNA of HeKz and, at the same time, find new elements to add to it,” says Matt Young (lead vocals/bass).

“I feel that INVICTA is a great reflection of that, as you’re going to hear all of the things you’d expect from us but with some flavours we’ve never explored before. We’ve drawn on new influences for some of the songs, some of which would seem like an odd combination with the sound we’re known for, but we’ve tackled them in our own way and it blends superbly with what we do to create for some exciting moments in the album.”

“I think that this experimentation comes from allowing ourselves a little bit more time to collaborate on the songs this time, and the results of that combined effort have really lifted the album. I can’t wait for everyone to hear it!”

INVICTA was recorded at Liscombe Park & Visconti Studios, and the band’s home studios in and around London, and was mixed by producer extraordinaire John Mitchell (Lonely Robot, Kino, It Bites, Frost*, Arena) at Outhouse Studios, UK.

The album is currently available for pre-order from www.hekztheband.com, and will be released worldwide on Friday 20 April 2018. Fans who pre-order before Friday 23rd March will receive their copy one month before the official release date.

INVICTA Tracklisting
1. Quetzlcoatl (6:08)
2. For Our Lives (4:13)
3. The Light Fantastic (4:44)
4. To The Lions (5:10)
5. Ultimatum (6:07)
6. Line in the Sand (9:42)
7. Trecena (4:49)
8. Pariah (4:12)
9. The Devil’s Coin (15:03)
10. Victorious (5:39)

HeKz will be performing a select number of live shows to launch the new album:
Friday 23rd March – Parkvilla Theater, Alphen a/d Rijn, Netherlands
Friday 27th April – Winter’s End Festival, Chepstow, UK w/ MYSTERY

To keep up to date with all of this and more, join the band on social media and subscribe to their newsletter at www.hekztheband.com.

Web links:
www.facebook.com/hekztheband
www.twitter.com/hekztheband
www.youtube.com/hekztheband

HeKz are:
Matt Young – Lead Vocals, Bass
Al Beveridge – Guitars, Backing Vocals
Tom Smith – Guitars, Backing Vocals
James Messenger – Keyboards
Kirk Brandham – Drums

Spock’s Beard announce 13th studio album ‘Noise Floor’

Legendary US progressive rockers Spock’s Beard have announced the release of their 13th studio album ‘Noise Floor’ for May 25th, 2018. As announced previously, for this album Ted Leonard, Alan Morse, Dave Meros & Ryo Okumoto are joined in the studio once again by drummer & original member Nick D’Virgilio.

Spock’s Beard is a band that is in a continual state of evolution, as is always the case with genuinely creative musicians. And their new album, ‘Noise Floor’, fits perfectly into this process.

We are always about evolution, not revolution. But what we have done this time is make the songs more melodic,” believes vocalist/guitarist Ted Leonard. “We still love our crazy prog, but now appreciate how important it is to grab people’s attention early on.”

As with all Spock’s Beard songs, most of the new album was written by the individual members, and then brought to the rest of the band as high quality demos. “We all do this type of thing in our home studios,” adds Leonard. “So, by the time they reach the stage where the entire band get to judge them, they are really developed, and therefore everyone can make a reasoned judgement.”  Much of what you will listen to here is very much the product of fresh inspiration from the Californian band.

One key change on this album sees the return of drummer Nick D’Virgilio, who originally left in 2011. There are also two violinists, a cello player, a viola player and an English horn featured on the album, thereby giving the sound a slightly more evocative and persuasive twist.

The album was once again engineered by long-time collaborator Rich Mouser and will be released as a 2CD digipak (featuring an EP of material from the same sessions), gatefold 2LP + 2CD & as digital download.

The track-listing is as follows:

Disc 1 – Noise Floor

1.     To Breathe Another Day
2.     What Becomes of Me
3.     Somebody’s Home
4.     Have We All Gone Crazy Yet
5.     So This Is Life
6.     One So Wise
7.     Box of Spiders
8.     Beginnings

Disc 2 – Cutting Room Floor

1.     Days We’ll Remember
2.     Bulletproof
3.     Vault
4.     Armageddon Nervous

SPOCK’S BEARD Online:
http://spocksbeard.com/
https://www.facebook.com/spocksbeard/
https://twitter.com/SpocksB
http://www.youtube.com/Spocksbeard