Tag Archives: Heavy Metal

EWINIAR – Burning The Night Interview

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EWINIAR is a new band from Croatia, consisting of Marin and Katarina Tramontana (husband & wife). They have recently released their independent debut album Burning The Night, which has received plenty of great reviews and following. In this interview Marin and Katarina talk about their influences, as well as various aspects of their new album. *Check out my previous review, as well – check out the links below.

  • First, can you tell me a bit about the band name, what it means or where it came from?

Marin: Ewiniar is the name of the Micronesian god of thunder. Since we share a love for rain and heavy rhythms it seemed very interesting to us. Also, it does not suggest a style of music that we play, so we have extra freedom of expression that is very important to us.

Had you been making music together prior to this, and how did it evolve in to Ewiniar – the sound and direction your album has taken?

Marin: We were both in a few bands that played mostly covers, but we wanted to go in a different direction and start something on our own. That’s how the idea of Ewiniar was born. It all started with a few demos, but later we realized we wanted to make a complete project. We weren’t targeting a specific style; we were just looking for a sweet spot between our musical possibilities and our musical tastes and I think we achieved that on our debut album.

What influences have you both as singers, musicians, songwriters?  [favorites of each, as well as a few favorite albums each]

Katarina: I adore music and I understand it very broadly so I have been and still am influenced by artists from different genres. It’s definitely not easy to pick some favorites from everything I listen to, but let’s say these are artists I’ve been listening to for years: Paradise Lost, Dead Can Dance, Depeche Mode, AIR, The Sisters of Mercy, Nick Cave and Vangelis.

As for the albums, the choice is also not easy as I could choose many of them. The first that come to my mind are: Type O Negative – October Rust, Candlemass – Epicus Doomicus Metallicus, Tiamat – Wildhoney David Sylvian – Secrets of the Beehive, Mark Lanegan – Blues Funeral, Nightwish – Century Child.

Marin:  I can say that that I grew up with classic metal bands like Iron Maiden, Metallica, Black Sabbath, Slayer and I still like them very much, but later I discovered some of the bands that Kate already mentioned and that was my way to go. My albums would be in no particular order:  Type O Negative – October Rust, Paradise Lost – Icon, Amorphis – Tales From the Thousand Lakes, Alice In Chains – Dirt, anything from Dead Can Dance…

Can you tell me a bit about how songs were put together — what they started with and how they developed?

Marin: Usually, I have a bunch of short ideas, that can be musical part or some vocal line and everything starts from there. From there I add new things, while trying to keep the flow of the song. Sometimes it goes smoothly, sometimes I need to rearrange songs multiple times before the balance is reached. Once song is musically done, I am forwarding it to Katarina for the lyrics. Our roles are fairly divided. I make the basic construction of the songs and the vocal lines. Once the song is ready, Kate works on the lyrics, in the end we work together on the vocal arrangements and details.

What influences or inspires the lyrics or lyrical topics? Any stories behind any songs you can tell me about? 

Katarina: I write about everything I feel, see and hear. Sometimes inspiration comes from my own experience, and sometimes it’s from other people’s experiences. Sometimes it’s just a feeling I draw from a book I read or a film I watch. Honestly, I tend to over-analyze everything, so from that tendency comes the inspiration for the lyrics I write. As for the context, I don’t like to say what the song is about but I prefer the listeners to interpret as they want and find their own meaning in it. But, since you ask, I can tell you a secret that the film Scream for me Sarajevo was a great inspiration for me while I was writing the lyrics for the song Mother.

Do you plan on playing this album live? If so, presumably you’ll be adding players to the band for live shows.

Marin: Regarding live gigs, we were slowed down by corona virus situation, but once everything goes back to normal (at least to some extent), we will hopefully be able to be active in that way, as well. Of course, we want to perform live, but until the conditions for that are met, we will continue to release new material as duo.

Did you have a hand in choosing the album’s artwork? and can you tell me a bit about the cover? [what’s it about and about the artist who created it]

Katarina: Artwork was done by English artist James Hutton. In search for something that will be interesting and suit our style we found his sketches and drawings on social networks and immediately fell in love with them. His works are brilliant, mostly in occult folk style with pen and paper. There is no specific message behind the cover, it is more like a glimpse of the visual atmosphere that can be heard in our music, mix of the good and evil, hope and sadness, dream and reality sharing the same space, or in this case, burning fingers of the hand.

What is the hard-rock / metal scene like in Croatia?  And the music scene there in general? Any fellow Croatian bands you’d recommend to rock fans?

Marin: I would say that Croatian scene is not too big, but those who are there are very passionate about what they do. Before COVID-19 it was just fine, concerts were being held very often with good communications between the bands. There are always some enthusiastic promotors who are willing to push scene little bit further, but unfortunately, Covid made everything worse and there are lot of bands quitting these days. The bands I would recommend are: Act of Denial, Kryn and Manntra. These are great musicians; you may even know some of them.

Have you started thinking about or writing a follow up album?  When might that happen and how might it differ?

Marin: Our future plans are to be active as long as possible and to produce new songs and albums. As soon as we were done with the debut album we started to work on new songs, so I can say that it is already in progress, but for now we are still promoting current album and hopefully later in the year we will be able to talk about follow up album with more details.

Links:

https://ewiniar.bandcamp.com/album/burning-the-night

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Ewiniar&i=digital-music&search-type=ss&ref=ntt_srch_drd_B09FYQ623W

https://www.deezer.com/en/artist/145169492

https://www.instagram.com/ewiniarofficial/

https://www.facebook.com/ewiniarofficial/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUsjnpNGqkRMkPj7DL7yMyw

ENTREVISTA CON KATARINA TRAMONTANA

VANDERLUST To release debut album

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For fans of Maiden, Helloween, and Angra, among others. Italian band Vanderlust will release their debut album next month. The album features fast and metallic rockers, as well as using some acoustics on the stand out cuts “The Last Ganymedian” and “Zima Blue”. Fave rockers being “High Hopes” and “Ten Years Black”, great sounding heavy guitar, and the latter should appeal to fellow Maiden fans.

*Check out the press release below

Cosmic metallers VANDERLUST (ft. members of S91, Dreal) will be rocketing their self-titled debut album on April 15th, 2022 via Rockshots Records

Birthed to travel the cosmos, Italy’s Vanderlust is a power-heavy metal band with prog-thrash influences that tells tales of space travels, astronomy, space engineering, and sci-fi adventures.

“We tried to mix a prog-thrashy riffing in the roots of Megadeth, Vektor and Tool with epic vocal parts like Iron Maiden, Helloween, Angra, and Lione’s Rhapsody. We also put sci-fi elements in our songs, so you can hear also something from Voivod.” adds the band.

This debut recording is like a stellar system with 12 different planets. The star at the center of the system represents the heavy-power metal around all the songs revolving. Despite all the tracks being irradiated by the same light, they are all different from each other. Vanderlust has fast thrash, slow and doom, shiny and brilliant to grunge, and darker songs. Like planets, which appear like simple small bright spots, but in reality, are all big worlds, Vanderlust‘s songs are more complex than they sound at first listen. In fact, you can easily sing along to some of the choruses even if there are complex riffs in the background. Vanderlust is particularly proud of the participation of opera singer Letizia Cappellini who does vocals on select tracks and helps the band further expand the vocal register of their compositions. The band also adds the presence of synths and electronic elements to the compositions to set the sci-fi mood of the lyrics.

“The main goal was to start a metal band that could be an inspiration for young people, a band that could tell them stories from the future when mankind will have overcome its limits and the solar system will be an entire human colony. This idea came to mind to founding members Francesco and Santo when they began their search for other members that could fit. Drummer Giacomo Mezzetti joined the space odyssey right before the covid-19 outbreak. Vocalist Riccardo Morello joined the band during the first lockdown in Italy, so the first song was entirely composed online, using videocalls and file sharing.” adds the band.For their live aspect, Vanderlust is currently working hard to create a thrilling spectacle, giving all their energy to the fans and letting them join them on the space journey.

Track Listing:
1. Intro (0:58)
2. High Hopes (3:34)
3. Orphan Planet (3:41)
4. Forgotten Breed (5:13)
5. The Last Ganymedian (3:45)
6. Scavengers Of Kuiper Belt (4:02)
7. Mass Effect Destruction (2:04)
8. Requiem For An Ancient World (4:59)
9. 3 Suns (4:44)
10. Dyson’s Swarm (4:00)
11. Ringworld (3:26)
12. Ten Years Back (3:38)
13. Zima Blue (4:39)
Album Length: 48:49

Rockshots.eu | Facebook.com/vanderlustofficial | Instagram.com/vanderlustband | Spotify

Album CD pre-order – https://bit.ly/Vanderlust_CD

Digital – https://bfan.link/vanderlus

Vanderlust is recommended for fans of Iron Maiden, Angra, Tool, Helloween, and Vektor.

LEADER OF DOWN – Former IRON MAIDEN guitarist guest’s on new single

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British rock heavyweights Leader of Down, who are the final band of the late great Würzel (Ex Motörhead) recently announced that following the bands critically acclaimed debut album “Cascade into Chaos” in 2018, they are ready to unleash a second album entitled “The Screwtape Letters” on April 8th 2022.  Mixed by long-time Motörhead producer and Grammy winner Cameron Webb and mastered at Abbey Road Studios, the album will be available worldwide through US label Cleopatra Records and will be released on all formats including a special limited edition red vinyl and CD with full color 20 page booklet, featuring 10 blockbusting tracks with titles such as “Cat’s Eye Night” and “Holloway Motel” that will take no prisoners with their own brand of heavy rock ‘n’ roll. 

Leader of Down launch the first single and video from the album Hitman on 3rd March.   Hitman features special guest and long-term friend, ex Iron Maiden guitarist and member of Lionheart Dennis Stratton. “It was a great pleasure to be asked to provide a solo for Hitman and having guested on stage with Leader of Down on a recent UK show it was great to be back with the boys and appear in the video as well”

Leader of Down’s career so far has seen them headline shows across Europe as well as supporting the likes of Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons and Nitrogods receiving rave reviews for their live shows from around the world. Leader of Down will be supporting Tank on their spring UK tour before headlining the Heavy Metal Mayhem Festival in England, many more shows will follow throughout 2022 and the band have now been added to the Hard Rock Hell Festival in January 2023. The new album will see the band take a new journey as we sail out of the unfortunate circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Leader of Down are:  Matt Baker – Vocals  / Alex Ward – Guitar / Tim Atkinson – Bass  / Daniel Akaoui – Drums 

*Leader of Down’s 2018 would also feature a guest vocal appearance from the late Lemmy –

https://facebook.com/leaderofdownofficial. https://leaderofdown.com/home .  https://twitter.com/leaderofdown  . https://instagram.com/leaderofdown . https://open.spotify.com/artist/48llR4uRL1F33GWJrQkin3  . https://music.apple.com/us/artist/leader-of-down/1435415599 

03/’22

BIBLE BLACK: 80s Recordings featuring members of Rainbow, Manowar, Anthrax

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BIBLE BLACK was a New York based band that featured former ELF / RAINBOW members Craig Gruber and Gary Driscoll, who after playing alongside Ronnie James Dio in the ’70s, formed their own band in the early ’80s. The band survived a few years, fronted by such singers as Jeff Fenholt (Joshua, Driver), Eric Adams (Manowar), and Joey Belladonna (Anthrax) and recorded a number of tracks with them. Keyboard player Mickey Lee Soule (also ex of Elf) was also in the band at one point, though there’s not a lot of keyboards here. This was a great heavy 2 guitar band, as evidenced by the songs here. Standouts include “Gone”, “Down On The World”, “Ain’t No Crime”, and “Deceiver”. Highly recommended as a great set of early ’80s American metal, and not just for the big name connections here. More in tune with the NWOBHM stuff happening at the time, along with ’70s Judas Priest and Dio than what was happening in the US at the time (IMO).

Press Release:

Bible Black was an East Coast American band formed by former Elf/Rainbow musicians Gary Driscoll and Craig Gruber, along with Andrew “Duck” McDonald.
 
 The bands longest tenured singer was Jeff Fenholt, well known for his very brief stint with Tony Iommi/Black Sabbath and his work with the band Joshua.
 
 The band also featured in its ranks 2 well known vocalists:
 Lou Marullo who later became known as the one and only Eric Adams…and Joey Belladonna who of course went on to join Anthrax.
 
 All three vocalists recorded demos with Bible Black between the periods of 1981-1983. This cd for the first time compiles all recorded works of the band in one place.
 
 Sadly Gary Driscoll, Craig Gruber and Jeff Fenholt have all since passed away, making this release a fitting epitaph to their time together as Bible Black.
 
 Restored and remastered by Patrick Engel and licensed directly from the last surviving member Andrew “Duck” McDonald” we can now hear one of the great “lost bands” and a piece of Heavy Metal history.

Track list: 1. Gone, 2. Metal Man, 3. Back To Back, 4. Down On The World, 5. Ain’t No Crime, 6.Fighting The Wind 7. Back Door, 8. Paint It Black, 9. Fires Of Old, 10. You Got Me Where You Want Me, 11. Deceiver, 12. Midnight Dancer, 12. Gone (Jeff Fenholt vocals), 13. Metal Man (Jeff Fenholt vocals)

Links:

http://jeffcramer.blogspot.com/2009/11/very-candid-conversation-with-craig.html

https://www.rockeyez.com/interviews/int-joey_belladonna.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duck_MacDonald

KJ, 02/’22

SAXON – Metalhead (Revisited)

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Released in November of ’99 Metalhead was the first SAXON album I actually got – and really liked! I vaguely remember a track from the Rock The Nations album received some radio play over here at the time (“Northern Lady” or “Waiting For The Night”), and I picked up that album in a cut-out bin not too long after. It didn’t make a huge impression on me and through a few moves the album was lost or given up (I hated packing things up, so on a few occasions parted with some records). Anyway, Saxon was not on a major label here, nor did I hear much else from them, aside from that cover of Christopher Cross’s “Ride Like The Wind”. In late ’99 I received the Metalhead CD (and bio) and put it on. The title and cover was certainly appealing to me, as a metal fan, and one looking for a great ‘new’ (old) band to discover and pick up on. Metalhead featured the founding members – Biff Byford and Paul Quinn, along with guitarist Doug Scarratt, bassist Nibbs Carter, and German drummer Fritz Randow (ex of German prog bands ELOY and EPITAPH).

From the opening build-up leading in to the title track I was expecting something big, and by the time I got to the end of the 4th song – I had to go back and re-listen! “Metalhead”, “Travelers In Time”, and especially “Conquistador” (love the acoustic intro before the band kicks in and the song takes off). These had my hooked and I listened to the first 3 songs repeatedly before I even got to the rest of the disc. And after that there’s really no duds here, this is a full-on classic metal album, with further great tracks like “All Guns Blazing” (killer intro) , “Watching You”, and epic finale “Sea Of Life”. Love the production, the big guitar sound, Biff’s distinctive voice; it all worked so well. A great album, and the follow up (w/ the same line up) made for a fine pair. Killing Ground featured another outstanding title track, as well a cool cover of King Crimson’s “In The Court Of The Crimson King”.

KJ, 02/’22

SAXON – Carpe Diem out soon!

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 Saxon may not have caught on in North America the way fellow NWOBH leaders Iron Maiden did in the ’80s, but for the past few decades the band has consistently released solid albums, toured regularly, and also released live gems from their archives. Battering Ram [from 2015] got me back on track with the band, and then I saw Saxon in 2017 [w/ UFO] and it was a real eye opener. So, following the excellent Thunderbolt, a few side projects, such as Biff Byford’s solo album, the band’s covers’ album – Inspirations (released earlier this year), a slew of reissues and live releases, we get a brand new album Carpe Diem. By now most Saxon fans would be familiar with the title track issued a while back, a classic heavy riff & anthem based around the song “Carpe Diem (Seize The Day)” and a fine opener to an even better album, Saxon may be a heavy metal band who should’ve peaked decades ago, but here they are still coming up with an album full of songs amongst their best, offering not only their own thundering approach, but enough changes to keep things fresh from their previous records. On Carpe Diem, there is no shortage of tunes that will appeal to the Saxon faithful, from those big dark sounding riff rockers like “Super Nova”, “Black Is The Night”, “Dambusters”, and speedier “Living On The Limit (do I hear a twist on Sabbath’s “NIB” in there?). And Saxon never shy about timely topics and anthems deliver “Remember The Fallen” and “All For One”. Favorites here are the slightly slower “The Pilgrimage” which sits in that same class as “Lionheart”, (for me) and “Age Of Steam”, the best of the heavies here, killer intro and solo, with one of Biff’s historical content tales. Fantastic album from a band who’s still delivering their best. *Available on CD, vinyl (+colored0, cassette, and in Box set form!

*See the press release below for track-listing and more info…

.

Life hath no fury like a legend in full roar… and on February 4th, 2022, Saxon will show just that to the world when they release their 23rd studio album, Carpe Diem, through Silver Lining Music, serving notice to anyone who ever felt otherwise that they remain both vanguards and masters of British Metal. Comprised of 10 titanic tracks bristling with steel-clad riffery and proud intent, the Barnsely (UK) born band draw on a variety of ingredients from their career to forge what is their most dynamic release in many a year. 

“It all starts with the riff,” says front man and co-founder Biff Byford, “if the riff speaks to me, then we’re on our way. It’s a very intense album, and that’s all down to the fact that the essence of a great metal song is the riff that starts it, and this album has loads of them.”

Unleashing today the title track’s roll-back attack, this is Saxon at their purest and most definitive; aggressively parading the pure metal flag and imploring fans old and new to gather and celebrate the very best of both Saxon and the genre itself.

“In Latin it means ‘seize the day’ and I think it’s a great thing to say;” continues Biff “it’s what the Romans used to say to each other on a regular basis, apparently, never having met one, I wouldn’t know! But we’re gonna do the Seize the Day world tour, the album’s Carpe Diem, this song’s called “Carpe Diem (Seize the Day)” and it’s such a powerful thing to say.”

Produced by Andy Sneap (Judas Priest, Exodus, Accept and Priest guitarist) at Backstage Recording Studios in Derbyshire with Byford and Sneap mixing and mastering, Carpe Diem strikes the ear as one of the most essential British metal statements of the last few years and not lacking in pace or bite, an album which will ignite the joy in stalwart supporters and attract a whole new legion to the Saxon fold.

“We want every album we make to go platinum,” says Biff defiantly. “We never make an album that we don’t expect to be fantastic because there are no laurels around here, and as a band, we’re always trying to do something a little bit new, a little bit daring. I love fast metal like “Princess of the Night” and “20,000 Feet”, and I try and bring that style of Saxon into the music now, but in a more modern style. We don’t sound like an old band on records because we’re not sitting back on our past success, we’re always trying to make a great album.”

The genesis of Carpe Diem’s fierce intensity lies in two extremely significant life events – “It’s been a difficult two years,” offers Biff with considerable understatement, “because I had the heart attack back in September 2019, so things went a bit pear-shaped for the band. And then Covid hit two or three months later, but luckily, we started writing and recording this album before Covid.  We did the drums in Germany and we did the guitars in various places. I was doing a lot of writing while I was in the hospital bed, and we spent quite a long time writing and arranging the ideas that we all had. I do think it’s a very intense album, and maybe some of that intensity comes from the frustration of not being able to do anything in the Covid period.” 

Carpe Diem Track Listing:
Carpe Diem (Seize the Day)
Age of Steam
The Pilgrimage
Dambusters
Remember the Fallen
Super Nova
Lady In Gray
All for One
Black is the Night
Living On the Limit

SAXON
BIFF BYFORD – Vocals
PAUL QUINN – Guitar
NIGEL GLOCKLER – Drums
DOUG SCARRATT – Guitar
NIBBS CARTER – Bass

Produced by Andy Sneap and Biff ByfordAlbum mixed and mastered by Andy Sneap

 Guitars recorded by Andy Sneap at Backstage Recording Studios, Derbyshire (UK); Vocals recorded by Seb Byford at Big Silver Barn, York (UK); Drums recorded by Jacky Lehmann (Audiosound) at Velbyproductions, Grünenplan (Germany).

 All lyrics by Biff Byford. Backing vocals by Seb Byford

https://saxonrecordshop.com/

www.facebook.com/SaxonOfficial/ 
www.instagram.com/saxon.official
www.twitter.com/SaxonOfficial 
www.youtube.com/PlanetSaxon
www.saxon747.com

M.ILL.ION – Back On Track, out now.

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Swedish hard-rock/metal band who released 7 albums from 1992-2011, before taking a break, but returned last year with Back On Track, a 15 song CD of hard rock, melodic rock, and metal. A well produced album, with attention to detail on song intros, solos, backing vocals, and well placed keyboards. Lots of hooks, melodies, and changes from song to song. I will say that I am not a fan of long albums, 10 tracks i enough for me, but hey, fans of the given band will appreciate more.

The title track leads off this album with a brief intro leading in to the heavy crunchy riff. A fine opener and first video released from this album. Favorite tracks rocks include rockers “Narrow Mind Land”, “Get Down To Biz”, “Doctor Lööv”, and “Rising”.

*check out the press release and links below …

It’s time, not just to celebrate the 30:th anniversary of the first M.ILL.ION album, but also to get back to that pure feeling of joy of the early days! Take note, people: This is not a reunion of tired middle aged men for nostalgic reasons. This is for real and a serious attempt at creating great new rock music, to kick some classic ass on stage again and to have lots of fun doing it all!
Four original M.ILL.ION members reunited in the autumn of 2020: Hans Dalzon (Lead Vocals), CT Rohdell (Guitar) Marcus Berglund (Keyboards) and B.J Laneby (Bass Guitar). New, and very talented recruits Henrik Andersson (Lead Guitar) and Magnus Rohdell (Drums) completes this powerful six piece.
Founder & bassist B.J Laneby comments: ”It’s so much fun, creativity & energy again! It’s really like the title track says: ” BACK ON TRACK – Time to make boys out of men!” The band has spent the spring of 2021 working on the reunion album BACK ON TRACK. This 15 track production includes three brand new songs and two re-recordings/re-arrangements of tracks from the No.1 album. Adding to this: Rare recordings have been found, remixes have been done + remasterings of songs from the first three albums; ”No.1”, ”We, Ourselves & Us” and ”Electric” as well. All very highly praised albums, all getting updated sounds.
Indeed, quite a cool package of classic melodic hard rock!
The new recordings on the Back On Track album were mixed by the world famous British producer Simon Hanhart (David Bowie, Bryan Adams, Saxon, Marillion, Asia, Yngwie Malmsteen, Waysted. a.o). Mastering was handled by another world class guy: Tim Debney of Fluid Mastering, UK. (Deep Purple, Rod Stewart, Judas Priest…)
M.ILL.ION recently signed a deal with the well known German label AOR Heaven for the European release.

Track list: 1. Back On Track, 2. Rising, 3. Circle Of Trust, 4. 90-60-90, 5. Sign Of Victory, 6. Judgement Day, 7.
Eye Of The Storm, 8. Narrow Mind Land, 9. Lovely Eyes, 10. Burn In Hell, 11. Doctor Lööv, 12. Mother Earth, 13.
Get Down To Biz, 14. Tear Down The Walls, 15. Candyman
.
So, ladies & gentlemen, rockers & rollers: Get Ready! M.ILL.ION is BACK ON TRACK! http://www.millionsweden.com // http://www.facebook/Millionbackontrack

FLAMES OF FIRE – Debut Album Coming in March.

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With members hailing from Sweden, Norway, and Finland, one can expect something pretty heavy, and pretty good. Flames Of Fire, fronted by singer Christian Liljegren [Narnia] and made of experienced metal players, debuts with this album, featuring plenty of power and heavy tunes. The band members site such influences as – Europe, Yngwie Malmsteen’s Rising Force, Michael Schenker, Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow, Iron Maiden and Thin Lizzy.
After a brief light intro [“New Dawn”], this disc kicks off with first video release “Gloria”, that has a definite classic Iron Maiden feel to it, fast paced, strong vocals, big guitar solo… A great start. The band’s lyrical content is Christian belief, with references to the end of time, Jesus, the bible, etc….if you deal with that, you’ll dig this album . Excellent metal tracks like “Flames Of Fire”, ‘Madness” [cool drum & guitar riff intro reminds me of WASP’s Crimson Idol era], and “Time To Live” . A good listen throughout, well produced.

Line-up:
Christian Liljegren – Vocals
Mats-Åke Andersson – Guitars, composer
Jani Stefanovic – Guitars, keyboards, drums & producer
Stephen Carlson – Guitars
Per Schelander – Bass

Track-listing: New Dawn, Gloria, Flames Of Fire, Madness, I Am, Time To Live, Solution, Soldiers Of The King, End Theme.

Links:
Link to all streaming services: https://orcd.co/flames-of-fire-gloria
Artist / EPK: https://melodicpassion.com/artists/flames-of-fire/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flamesoffireofficial
Pre-order album: https://melodicpassion.com/produkt/flames-of-fire-s-t-cd/
Merchandise: https://melodic-passion.myspreadshop.se/

NESTOR – Album Success & Live Dates

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Press Release:

The success story continues for NESTOR, consisting of five childhood friends from the small town of Falköping, Sweden, who chose to restart the band they once formed back in 1989, that’s been lying dormant for just over three decades.

Their debut full-length album Kids In A Ghost Town was released on October 22 and reached first place on the Swedish Hard Rock Album Chart as well as an honorable second place on the list for Physical Album Sales. The album has been unanimously acclaimed by rock press and media, both at home in Sweden and abroad in Europe, the UK, and the US, where many have mentioned it as a given candidate for Album Of The Year.

Their music has already reached close to 1,5 million streams on Spotify and more than 500 000 views on YouTube of their music videos, among them the one for the single “Tomorrow” – an epic ballad duet with 80s icon Samantha Fox, that together with the videos for the two prior singles “On The Run” and “1989” showcase the band’s love for the 80s and all its attributes, with a sense of detail that is hard to match.
With their live debut accomplished in conjunction with their album release at a sold-out gig in Stockholm, where the only real complaint was that the crowd wanted more, NESTOR have several upcoming live performances, both at the big arenas in Sweden and on the trustworthy summer rock festivals.

NesTOUR DATES 2021-22:Nov 20 – Keep It True Rising, Würtzburg, GermanyDec 10 – Scandinavium, Gothenburg, Sweden (w/ Takida)Dec 11- Hovet, Stockholm, Sweden (w/ Takida)Dec 17 – Malmö Arena, Malmö, Sweden (w/ Takida)Feb 4 – Vulkan Arena, Oslo, Norway (w/ H.E.A.T)Feb 5 – Berns, Stockholm, Sweden (w/ H.E.A.T)Feb 18 – Amager Bio, Copenhagen, Denmark (w/ H.E.A.T)Feb 19 – Trädgår’n, Gothenburg, Sweden (w/ H.E.A.T)Feb 26 Folkets Hus, Blomstermåla (w/ H.E.A.T)June 4 – Atlas Rock, Gävle, SwedenJune 11 – Sweden Rock Festival, Sölvesborg, SwedenAug 3 – Sabaton Open Air, Falun, Sweden
Many more dates to be added.

NESTOR embraces influences from the 80s in their nostalgic rock, with tongues-in-cheek and a lot of heart along with great passion. The album Kids In A Ghost Town is produced by Tobias Gustavsson, mixed by Sebastian Forslund (The Night Flight Orchestra), and mastered by Thomas “Plec” Johansson at The Panic Room.

NESTOR ARE: Jonny Wemmenstedt (guitar) Mattias Carlsson (drums) Tobias Gustavsson (vocals) Marcus Åblad (bass) Martin Frejinger (keyboards)

11/’21

Barnabas Sky – Inspirations

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Much like Ken Ingwersen’s latest album The Future Looks Bright, Barnabas Sky is a project put together by a guitarist / songwriter, and assembled with an outstanding cast of great singers for each track, from bands Markus Pfeffer admired [hence the title]. A solid collection of heavy rockers and a few lighter melodic numbers. Great hefty sounding guitars, and lots of good songs. Really liking the opener “Legends Rise” and “Say Goodbye To Darker Days” [both featuring Danny Vaughn of Tyketto], as well as the heavy riff rockers “Yesterday’s Gone” [featuring Bob Rock of Impellitteri], and “Youngblood” [w/ Jesse Damon of Silent Rage]. Love the sound and production of this album; nice big guitar sound, well placed keyboards where needed. And pretty cool songs, which I’m looking forward to hearing more of.

The new all-star hard & heavy project BARNABAS SKY comes from the mind of guitarist, composer and multi-instrumentalist Markus Pfeffer (Lazarus Dream, Winterland, ex-Scarlett) from Kaiserslautern/Germany. 
 The debut album full of catchy hooklines, edgy-groovy rocking guitar riffs and filigree guitar solos is titled “Inspirations” for a certain reason: Pfeffer was able to hire singers from internationally known bands for it, which had influenced him significantly during his musical beginnings: Jesse Damon (SILENT RAGE), Steve Grimmett (GRIM REAPER/LIONSHEART), Danny Martinez Jr. (GUILD OF AGES), Rob Rock (IMPELLITTERI/AXEL RUDI PELL), Zak Stevens (SAVATAGE) and Danny Vaughn (TYKETTO) do the lead vocals on the album.  


TYKETTO’s “Don’t Come Easy” was one of the first CDs Markus Pfeffer listened to on an endless loop as a schoolboy in 1991. Three decades later, he composes two songs together with TYKETTO’s golden throat Danny Vaughn, the appropriately titled epic opener “Legends Rise” and “Say Farewell To Darker Days” with elaborate vocal arrangements and poignant lyrics. 

SAVATAGE singer Zak Stevens contributed lyrics about the psychological effects of the pandemic for the heavy stomping track “What Lies Beneath”, which is underpinned with down-tuned guitar riffs and subtle orchestral arrangements, and he sings about a legendary figure of Russian folklore in the form of a bird with a woman’s head on “The Alkonost”. 

GUILD OF AGES frontman Danny Martinez Jr. from Denver/Colorado dominates the melodic hard rock songs “Breathe Again” and “In My Mind” with his very own timbre and velvety voice. The latter is the album’s first video track with a more than hooky guitar riff and lyrics about the increasingly important attention to mental health.

SILENT RAGE’s smoky-throated frontman Jesse Damon carries the epic ballad “Till The End Of Time” and the rocker “Youngblood”, with AOR legend PAUL SABU contributing backing vocals for both tracks. Nostalgia fact on the side: Interestingly, the Hollywood classic movie “The Thief of Bagdad” starring Sabus’s father was Markus Pfeffer’s favourite film during his childhood. Damon recorded his vocals in North Hollywood at the studio of Bill Metoyer (FATES WARNING, ARMORED SAINT etc.).

Melodic metal siren Rob Rock (AXEL RUDI PELL, IMPELLITTERI, M.A.R.S. etc.) takes over the mic on the riff monster “Yesterday’s Gone” and GRIM REAPER’s Steve Grimmett’s unmistakable voice convinces on the straight rocker “Never Enough”.

As a tribute, Pfeffer has adapted the title tune of the seventies TV series “Timm Thaler” in a “GARY MOORE way” and provided it with deliberate sonic and stylistic reminiscences of Moore’s classic “The Loner”. 

Musical guests on the album are keyboardist Thomas Nitschke and pianist Michael Weickenmeyer, drummer/percussionist Thomas Rieder and bassist Bernd Schreiber. The album’s artwork was designed by well-known French artist Stan W. Decker (RAGE, BLUE ÖYSTER CULT, MASTERPLAN) and mastering was done at Rolf Munkes’ (CREMATORY) Empire studios in Bensheim, Hessia. 

The names of the contributors speak for themselves – there can hardly be more arguments to lend BARNABAS SKY’s debut album an attentive ear.

Tracklist: 1. Legends Rise, 2. What Lies Beneath, 3. In My Mind, 4. Yesterday’s Gone, 5. Till The End Of Time, 6. Say Farewell To Darker Days, 7. Breathe Again, 8. The Alkonost, 9. Timm’s Theme, 10. Youngblood, 11. Never Enough, 12. Till The End Of Time (Piano Version)

https://www.facebook.com/barnabasskyband

KJ, 10/’21