Legendary American rockers Dokken release the mesmerizing video for the new single ‘Over The Mountain’, taken from the band’s 13th studio album, Heaven Comes Down, out this week via Silver Lining Music.“‘Over The Mountain’ is a metaphoric song lyrically about people searching for better times and better days” explains Don Dokken. “It seems everybody is always looking for their Shangri-La.” “My studio in the Sangre de Cristo mountains has wrap-around windows staring at three mountains ranges and the city lights of Santa Fe below,” continues Don. “Your environment affects what you write. I’m not staring at a black soundproof wall, I’m looking out ten windows where I can see Sandia, Ortiz and Jemez mountains, looking at the sunset every day, purple, yellow and pink, and it affects you… very inspiring.” Watch the captivating video for ‘Over The Mountain’ . Video by Above The Void
RELEASE SINGLE / VIDEO ‘OVER THE MOUNTAIN’NEW ALBUM, HEAVEN COMES DOWNOUT THIS WEEK VIA SILVER LINING MUSIC
Previous videos from Heaven Comes Down – Watch/listen to ‘Gypsy’ here. and ‘Fugitive’here.
Heaven Comes Down will be released this Friday October 27th 2023, on CD Digipak, 12” Vinyl Album in Black and color variants, digital formats and special D2C products and bundles. Pre-order now at this location
DOKKEN has a brand new album out next week. The band was one of the best that came out of the LA ‘metal’ scene in the ’80s with hits like “Breaking The Chains”, “In My Dreams”, “Just Got Lucky”, and “Alone Again”. They definitely built an impressive catalogue of albums throughout the ’80s, but over the years the ‘original’ band members would come and go, and for the past several years vocalist / songwriter and namesake Don Dokken has been keeping the Dokken name alive (rightfully so). The rest of the band consists of guitarist Jon Levin (for some 20 years now), and the longtime rhythm section of BJ Zampa and Chris McCarvill. Heaven Comes Down was produced by Don Dokken and Bill Palmer, and mixed by Kevin Shirley (Iron Maiden, Aerosmith…). Don Dokken’s health issues over the past decade plus have been documented, and the guy’s taken criticism online on occasion over his voice in later years, but really the guy is 70, still out there, and listening to Heaven Comes Down – he can still write good songs and delivers them fine by me! In going back and checking out the band’s previous few albums, I would say this is much better. The songs and production suit Don’s voice well; he sounds good throughout this, not overdoing it, but still rockin’. Heaven Comes Down is not ‘metal’ (was Dokken ever really metal?), but it rocks, and offers a good range of songs, with a few surprises. “Fugitive” was the lead off single, and it’s the first track on the album, a great opener with Jon Levin’s guitar notes, and the band coming in, easily a favorite here. I also dig the 2nd single “Gypsy”, a cool story behind it, and well – gotta love the title (thinking of all the classic bands that have used the same title & idea — Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, Black Sabbath). There is a good mix of rockers and a few ballads here, with favorites being “Saving Grace”, “Lost In You”, and the ballad “Never Give Up”. Plenty of cool intros and hooks throughout this, with Jon Levin being outstanding on this. Heaven Comes Down closes with the most interesting and perhaps best non-rock Dokken tune ever – “Santa Fe”, a memorable acoustic ballad, biographical lyrics , as Don sings about packing up and moving on. Is it a sign that this is Dokken’s last album (as Don has suggested in interviews)? Let’s hope not, as Heaven Comes Down is a great return after a decade. Check it out!
With a new album – Heaven Comes Down due out October 27, DOKKEN have released a 2nd single & video for the track “Gypsy”. It’s a very good song, which gets better each listen. Dokken’s new single has an interesting story behind it from singer/songwriter Don Dokken. Read the story when you check out the video below . The video was created by Natalia Jonderko Śmiechowicz, who’s also done recent videos for Elegant Weapons, Alcatrazz and Uriah Heep.
One-man band RISING WINGS releases their first full album on September 22 via Pride & Joy Music, titled Reach. The ‘band’ is multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Florian Bauer, who’s used a few drummers on Reach as well. A solid 10 track set of hard-rock and AOR. There are 3 videos released so far, the latest being the ballad “Remember”. Favorites include the lead off rocker “Ride On”, as well as “Whatever It Takes”, “Keep Going On”, and “Reach The Sky”. An excellent 10-track melodic hard-rock album that’ll appeal to fans of Giant, Harem Scarem, Coney Hatch, H.E.A.T., Bonfire, and Eclipse . Reach will be out on CD and Vinyl LP (in gatefold) *Check out the clips below, as well as the bio, and links.
Rising Wings was founded in 2006 by Florian “Flo” Bauer in Schrobenhausen in the Ingolstadt region, as a melodic rock one-man-band. Florian Bauer has been playing in various rock formations for years, such as the AOR band Youringa and the hard rock cover band Saviors Cry.
In 2006 the first steps were taken with the 3-track EP “Rising Wings”. The second 5-track EP “Higher” followed in 2008. Both releases received consistently positive feedback. Since then, various singles have been released.
In autumn 2023 Rising Wings will release the first full-length album “Reach” via Pride & Joy Music. The album features Florian Bauer on vocals, guitars, bass and keyboards and Franz Raßhofer (Joe Leila), Falco Münch (Reload), Markus Herzinger (2nd East) and Bobby Santiago (Bloodwork) on drums.
The album was recorded by Ray Balconis at Studio Ray Recording in Queens, New York, by Rolf Beyer and Peter Hillinger at Klangwasserstudios Halsbach, Germany and by Chris Lausmann at MS Productions Studio in Poing, Munich.
“Reach” was produced by Florian Bauer with Chris Lausmann (Bonfire, Voices Of Rock) co-producing and mixing the album at MS Production Studio. The album was mastered by Rolf Beyer (CD & digital) and Ludwig Maier (Vinyl).
California artist Spencer Caligiuri has created the artwork for Wings Of Steel’s debut EP as well as their fist full album Gates Of Twilight, released earlier this year. Both covers are fantastic and give the band a theme and cool logo from cover to cover. In this episode of Story Behind The Album Cover, Spencer Caligiuri details his art & early days, as well as a few of his favorite album covers, And his creating and work on the Wings Of Steel covers. WOS are fairly new hard-rock / metal band from LA, who will play big ’80s influenced rock, for fans of Whitesnake, Dokken, Michael Schenker Group, Great White, and numerous others. Check them out! For more on Spencer Caligiuri’s work, check out the links at the end, You can find a review and interview on Wings Of Steel elsewhere at this site.
What is your art background, and have you done any other album covers or artwork for bands?
Going back into the past, I’ve been an artist of some sort for as long as I can remember. I started by drawing of course. Doodling animals as a child, trying to copy exactly as they looked, encouraged by my mom, aunts and grandmother. My grandma was a landscape oil painter. I think seeing her paintings hanging around the house was something that made painting feel within reach, and not just something produced by the great masters. I continued this for all of childhood through highschool. I studied portrait and figure drawing late high school at a local art school before doing a brief, unsuccessful attempt at the Art Institute of CA for graphic/animation. This was stunted by my overwhelming urge to choose partying and drugs over getting serious about my future. But I got back on my feet, albeit taking me multiple years of falling on my face, and got very into writing and oil painting in 2009. I gravitated toward anything with water, and the weirder and more psychedelic the better. Painting was all I cared about until l found tattooing which is a long story in itself. But that is my life now. For the last 10 years I tattoo 5 days a week so most of my extracurricular artistic passions have taken a back seat.
I’ve done a few album covers. Buffalo Trance is an incredibly talented 3 piece progressive rock band from Ventura, CA. I grew up with these guys and they’ve been killing their respective instruments since we were in early high school. The other cover is a 36” X 36” physical oil painting I did for a San Diego reggae band called Burning Wave.
How did you get connected/involved with Wings Of Steel?
I started working with WOS through an email they sent me inquiring my help bringing their EP cover to life. I was instantly intrigued. these dudes knew exactly what they wanted and as soon as they sent me their demo I was fucking blown away. We instantly set up a meeting at the tattoo shop and we’re off and running. I really couldn’t believe two young musicians in their mid/early 20’s were writing music like this. The first track I heard was their self titled track “wings of steel.” As soon as I heard Parker’s guitar sound I knew I was in. if that wasn’t enough, Leo’s vocals and lyrics hit and I was instantly a fan, determined to be part of what they were channeling.
Can you tell me about the design for their new album — what inspired it, did anyone in the band offer ideas, etc..
Their new album “Gates of Twilight” was definitely riffing on the concept of the EP. the two stallions which would seem to be a recurring fixture of their image and representation of Leo and Parker. The dark and light, for sure present in their opposing dark and light hair. At least this is my interpretation. Leo and Parker both knew exactly what they wanted to see in this and were super clear on their thought process for it. I tried to bring what I had from the EP into this, yet incorporating the Gates of Twilight, represented by a towering staircase flanked by columns, and silhouetted by the heavens. I thought the standard wrought iron gate has been done so many times and might get lost in the background noise. There’s Some darker tones in this album as well, reflected in many of Leo’s lyrics and song titles, hence the apocalyptic landscape of collapse, fire, and decay. But still punctuated by the contrast of the ever-prevailing light. A true heaven and hell landscape and motif that will never die.
Did you hear the Wings Of Steel music beforehand, and did that have a part in the cover design?
When I started the concept for their EP they sent me their demo which I blasted constantly while drawing for that one. The same went for the full length. this time even more fueled after seeing them deliver such a powerful live performance. Their first ever as Wings of Steel. It absolutely drove my hand to bring the same fever, melodies and aggression their music does.
Can you tell me a few of your own favorite albums and album covers? bands and album artists you liked? (maybe a short list of each)
Oh boy, this is a tough one. A tough question for anyone who loves music especially with so much easily at our fingertips now.
Let’s start with Tool. One of the first bands that helped me discover music in my formative years of the mid/early 90’s. Still all of them making my list of favorite albums and covers to this day.
Both of these albums have a completely interactive covers or jewel cases. Aenima was like a hologram when you moved it the eyeballs would waver in and out.
The Lateralus cover was composed of like 6 clear pages that you could scroll through to see the individual layers, that when it was fully closed you could see the full image here.
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard: Nonagon Infinity, All them Witches: Baker’s Dozen
Any other album covers or projects you’re currently working on and links you’d like to share?
I am a full time Tattooer and oil painter. You can find Me on Instagram at @artofspencer @artofspencerfinearts and artofspencer.com
A new Dokken album coming, will be the band’s first in over 10 years. The first single is out, and it sounds good. Don Dokken has gone though a number of health issues, and there’s been many comments about his voice over the last several years, but he sounds fine on “Fugitive”. The guy’s not in his 20s or 30s, but still has that recognizable voice here. Longtime bandmate Jon Levin does an outstanding job on this one. A memorable chorus, big solo, looking forward to hearing the rest of the album. Dokken and Levin are joined by longtime drummer BJ Zampa, and bassist Chris McCarvill (both ex House of Lords). Heaven Comes Down will be available on blue vinyl, CD, and cassette HERE. *For more info check out the new video for “Fugitive” , and read the bio/press info in the details.
Track Listing:
Fugitive
Gypsy
Is It Me Or You?
Just Like A Rose
I’ll Never Give Up
Saving Grace
Over The Mountain
I Remember
Lost In You
Santa Fe
Don Dokken – Vocals / Jon Levin- Guitar/ Chris McCarvill- bass/ BJ Zampa- drums. +Bill Palmer: acoustic guitar on ‘Santa Fe’. Mark Boals: special guest (background vocals).
Dokken Upcoming Dates:
Saturday 19 August – Shoshone Bannock Casino Hotel – Chubbuck, ID
Wednesday 20 September – The Big E – West Springfield, MA
Saturday 14 October – RCU Theatre – Eau Claire, WI
Saturday 21 October – The Piazza – Aurora, IL
Saturday 11 November – Piere’s – Fort Wayne IN,
Friday 17 November – Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino – Las Vegas, NV
Saturday 18 November -Whisky A Go Go – West Hollywood, CA
Before there was the LA metal scene, before there was the likes of Motley Crue, Quiet Riot, and even Van Halen – there was Yesterday & Today. Originally from Oakland, Dave Meniketti (guitar/vocals), Joey Alves (guitar), Phil Kennemore (bass), and Leonard Haze (drums). The band released 2 albums as Yesterday & Today in 1976 & ’78 (on London Records), before signing to A & M and releasing 5 studio albums and 1 live set from 1981 to ’85. The band released 2 more albums by 1990, and by then Haze had been replaced by Jimmy DeGrasso and Stef Burns had replaced Alves. With changes in the music scene and no record deal the band played farewell shows and released Yesterday & Today Live in 1991, on MetalBlade.
Originally released with 13 tracks, Live has been expanded to 15 tracks, with a set that features (almost) every album up until then. Absent was the band’s 1985 hit “Summertime Girls”, but as far as a live recording and document of a legendary band that should’ve been something bigger – Live is a ‘must hear’ classic hard-rock/metal set. Classics like “Mean Streak”, “Midnight In Tokyo”, “Beautiful Dreamer”, “Don’t Stop Runnin”, and “Forever” sound great here, and if you don’t know this band, this is a good place to start (as well as the 4-CD Earthquake: The A&MYears) This reissue also comes in various colored vinyl editions, as well as a 2-CD set. Dave Meniketti still carries on with Y & T. *For more on Y & T check out the press info and the links below!
Yesterday and Today Live features 15 songs and more than 84 minutes of live Y&T recorded in 1990, with never-before-seen photos and two bonus tracks, ‘Earthshaker” and “Rescue Me.” “Earthshaker” was originally on the first Yesterday and Today (self-titled) album in 1976, and “Earthshaker” was also the title of Y&T’s 1981 third studio album; “Rescue Me” appears on the “Earthshaker” album. Both bonus tracks appear on all versions/variants of Yesterday and Today Live.
The iconic songs on Yesterday and Today Live (initially released in 1991) were written by the classic lineup of Dave Meniketti, drummer Leonard Haze, bassist Phil Kennemore, and guitarist Joseph Alves.
Singer/songwriter and guitarist Dave Meniketti says of the album: “Very happy to have this vinyl re-release of Yesterday and Today Live come together. This was recorded at a time when the band had decided to disband–however temporary that was–and these tracks were taken from what we considered were to be the last shows Y&T would perform. Because of our state of mind at the time, songs like “Hard Times” were especially poignant. Even though the changing music industry had us in turmoil, the band was at the top of our game and these tracks give a good window into that time of our lives. I believe this is truly one of our finest Y&T live recordings.”
Yesterday and Today Live (Expanded Edition) Tracklisting: 01. Mean Streak 02. Hurricane 03. Don’t Stop Runnin’ 04. Struck Down 05. Winds of Change 06. Black Tiger 07. Midnight in Tokyo 08. Beautiful Dreamer 09. Hard Times 10. I’ll Cry 11. I Believe in You 12. Squeeze 13. Forever 14. Earth Shaker (Bonus Track) 15. Rescue Me (Bonus Track)
Recorded in 2018, Postcard From Germany was kept in the can for a few years, and is being released this week. It follows the recording & release of Live At The El Mocambo (2020/21). Postcard From Germany was recorded at the HEAT Festival, in Ludwigsburg, consisting of 13 songs. BUT, a few interesting things that make this a ‘must have’ for Coney fans. First, the set-list does differ from the El Mocambo show, with an emphasis on the band’s 3rd album Friction. That album was a big hit over there, so this set includes 5 cuts from it. The show sounds energetic, and the Friction tunes (with Dave Ketchum on drums, who wasn’t on that album), as well as with then-new guitarist Sean Kelly, and minus the keyboards(!) they rock a bit more (IMO). The band’s other albums are all represented, though there’s the glaring omission of “Hey Operator” – which was not performed that night (for whatever reason, really!?). The band gets a nice intro in German (their first time in Germany), and seem to have enjoyed themselves. But this album has the added bonus of including 2 new studio tracks, the first Coney Hatch tunes to feature Sean Kelly, and finished around the time of the El Mocambo show in 2020. “It’s About A Girl” has already been released as a (digital) single and video, a fun pop-rocker from Carl Dixon, with a catchy chorus; a song that could’ve been a major hit … in another time. The other new track features Andy Curran on vocals, “Heaven’s On The Other Side” is a heavier rock tune, the intro reminds me of “Boys Club” (from CH Four), lots of cool guitar throughout this; old school Coney fans will dig this one!
HURRICANE were a short-lived ’80s band, known for featuring members with more famous brothers at the time (Robert Sarzo and Tony Cavazo, who both had brothers in Quiet Riot). Hurricane also featured 2 others who would be much more known years later – Kelly Hansen and Jay Schellen. They recorded an EP, and 2 LPs, the first LP Over The Edge being somewhat successful with the hit “I’m On To You”, as well as a cover of Alice Cooper’s “I’m Eighteen”, with the album being produced by Bob Ezrin! The band’s 1990 follow-up featured Doug Aldrich on guitar (replacing Sarzo). The band split, with Hansen joining Schellen for one Unruly Child album in 1998, as well as singing on Stuart Smith’s debut Heaven And Earth, and then collaborating on an album with Tim Donahue (Into The Light, 2000). In 2001 Hansen and Schellen recorded a new album under the Hurricane name, but without Sarzo or Cavazo, instead using bass player Larry Antonino (Unruly Child) and a number of guitar players, mostly Sean Manning. With all the hoopla over Kelly Hansen’s time with Foreigner coming to an end with the ‘farewell tour’, I pulled this out a while back and had it in the car. I forgot just how good this album was!
Certainly better than the previous Hurricane album, and more guitar heavy, less polished, with lots of really good songs on it. Liquifury opens with what sounds like a guy driving in the rain and flipping radio channels – of which each is playing an old Hurricane song, before tuning to the next one and the rocking opener “River Gold” kicks in. A shame this album likely didn’t get a lot of attention at the time, tracks like “Heart Made Of Stone”, “New God”, and “Torn” are some of the best songs ever released under the Hurricane name. This album definitely sounds more ‘live’ than the previous ones. Best pick for a hit single here is the heavy power ballad “Happy To Be Your Fool”. A solid album, well worth revisiting if you can find it.
Soon after this Hansen would go on to join Foreigner and sang on the Can’t Slow Down album, which I don’t think is as good as Liquifury! Schellen went on to work with Asia (featuring John Payne), GPS, Unruly Child, and eventually YES. Sarzo and Cavazo have recently resurrected Hurricane with a new singer and drummer (and the drummer’s last name is Hansen!). I imagine due to Kelly Hansen’s commitments to Foreigner and Schellen’s commitments to YES, neither were available for this, a shame I guess as I think of Hansen’s vocals when I think of Hurricane… (the same way some may think of Lou Gramm and Foreigner 😉 ). But anyway, the new Hurricane album is called Reconnected and is out this month, so I’ll be checking that out soon.
John Wetton’s solo catalogue is being released in box set format in November. This comes after the book An Extraordinary Life, as well as the John Wetton Tribute concert this week (August 3), which can also be live-streamed! Check out all the info below on the box set.
On 24th November the first in a series of box sets commemorating the life and music of one of the UK`s most extraordinary and prolific musicians, John Wetton, will be released.
The An Extraordinary Life box set contains 8 newly remastered CDs, featuring the six solo albums Wetton released between 1980 and 2011. Each album now includes special bonus tracks. Additionally, two further discs are included which feature a gold mine of rare, live and unreleased material from the vaults, compiled by John`s archivist, Rick Nelson.
*Check out trailer for the box set here:
Housed in a sumptuous 12” by 12” box, this set includes a 64-page book with an introduction by legendary artist, Roger Dean and contains comprehensive sleeve notes by Nick Shilton, author of Wetton’s biography, ‘An Extraordinary Life’, published earlier this year. The book also features a raft of photographs taken from the Wetton archive and has been designed by John’s long-time friend, Michael Inns.
This whole project has been lovingly crafted and compiled with the full blessing of John`s son Dylan and his wife Lisa and is endorsed by the Wetton estate.
With a career spanning more than four decades, John Wetton`s rich baritone voice and accomplished bass playing has adorned many recordings. In this ‘An Extraordinary Life’ his extensive solo career is captured for posterity all in one sumptuous box set, making this a fitting tribute to one of the UK most loved and respected artists.
Outsider Rock 