Canadian thrash metal band INFRARED have a new album out now. Check out the 3 videos from it below. From Ottawa, these guys formed in the 80s, broke up in 89, then reformed in 2014, and Manifestation is there 4th album since coming back.
Having emerged from the 80s thrash scene, Infrared‘s music is steeped in the same intensity that defined the genre’s pioneers. “Manifestation” continues this tradition, offering a streamlined, intense listening experience that captures the essence of classic thrash. It is recommended for fans of Anvil, Exciter, and Sacrifice.
*Check out new band EARTH LUX, who include MICHAEL SCHENKER BAND’s Steve Mann and alumni Michael Voss, as well as former Yngwie Malmsteen vocalist Mark Boals. Bio below, as well as the band’s first 2 videos, and links. Earth Lux will be out later this month.
EARTH LUX is a new band formed by French composer, singer, and multi-instrumentalist Steph Honde and Brazilian composer and drummer Fred Mika. Both musicians had previously worked together in the band Sunroad.In early 2023, Steph and Fred decided to form a parallel band focusing on melodic hard rock, but also incorporating some ’70s influences. Shortly after songwriting began, Fred contacted his German friend, singer, composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist Michael Voss (Michael Schenker Group, Mad Max, Casanova) to take over the bass guitar for EARTH LUX. And, close to the other musician partnerships, such as the British musician and producer Steve Mann (Eloy, LIONHEART, MSG), who lives in Germany, for keyboard-line recordings, and the last member was completed by the Irish singer Robin McAuley (Grand Prix, Survivor, Black Swan and also MSG). A short time later, McAuley was suddenly called to rejoin MSG as the definitive singer, replacing Ronnie Romero, who decided to leave the group to pursue a solo career.Fred contacted another friend, American composer, singer and bassist Mark Boals (Yngwie Malmsteen, Ring Of Fire, Uli Jon Roth) to replace Robin (who had even completed one of the album’s lyrics). So by mid-2023, EARTH LUX was fully formed and hungry for the first album.The album artwork was created by well-known British designer Tristan Greatrex, who has already worked for LIONHEART, MSG, UFO and many other artists.
EARTH LUX are: Mark Boals – vocals, Steve Mann – keyboards, Michael Voss – bass, Fred Mika – drums, Steph Honde – guitars
MR BIG have a new album coming out next month. Check out the first 2 videos below, as well as the press info & bio, tracklisting and artwork (below)!
MR. BIG will release it’s tenth studio album, ‘Ten’, on Friday, July 12 featuring 11 new original tracks! In a tribute to their late drummer Pat Torpey, Martin, Gilbert, and bassist Billy Sheehan have enlisted the exceptional talents of Nick D’Virgilio on drums for ‘Ten’, which was produced by Jay Ruston and MR. BIG.
In the midst of their final tour – The BIG Finish – MR. BIG, inspired by the legions of fans that shared in their goodbye over the past year, wanted to say a final farewell with the undertaking of a brand-new studio album. Culminating over three decades of musical partnership, Martin, Gilbert, and Sheehan, with the help of D’Virgilio, ignite their spark once more and take a new form with the forthcoming ‘Ten’. The first single and accompanying video from ‘Ten’, “Good Luck Trying”, is a loud, raw, ‘70s blues rocker that pulls influence from MR. BIG’s earliest musical inspirations.
Eric Martin comments on ‘Ten’: “This new album doesn’t copy anything from the 9 previous studio records its all new stuff from scratch.. this is raw, unadulterated riff rock and blues with all the Mr. Big trimmings.”
Paul Gilbert explains the meaning behind the lyrics: “Overall, it’s about being overwhelmed with life, and realizing that you won’t win many of the battles, but still fighting to the end. And keeping a sense of humor about it by saying to anyone nearby, ‘Wish me good luck trying!'”
As a session musician and touring artist, Nick has worked with many different kinds of artists and bands, from Tears for Fears, Sheryl Crow, and Kevin Gilbert to Peter Gabriel and Eric Burdon and the ANIMALS. In 1996, Nick took Phil Collins’s place in GENESIS and played on their ‘Calling All Stations’ album. He has also carved out a major presence in the progressive rock world with his bands, Spock’s Beard and Big Big Train. Before joining the Sweetwater team, Nick spent almost five years touring with Cirque Du Soleil’s “Totem” as a drummer, vocalist, and assistant bandleader. The entirety of the album, recorded both live in the studio and on the tour bus, showcases the band’s unique ability to compose homegrown hard rock ‘n’ roll and their consistent success in climbing new musical heights.
MR. BIG recently completed the South American leg of its farewell tour, dubbed The BIG Finish, which sees the veteran band performing MR. BIG’s 1991 album, ‘Lean Into It’, in full and other cuts from the group’s history.
When MR. BIG announced The BIG Finish tour last year, the band members said that it was “time to mark the end of this chapter of their legacy” after Torpey lost his battle with Parkinson’s disease in 2018. The first leg kicked off in Japan and Southeast Asia in July and August 2023, where the band performed for hundreds of thousands of loyal fans at 11 sold-out shows including Budokan in Tokyo, Japan.
The band continues its tour in the US throughout the month of May before wrapping up in Buffalo on June 6. Additional European dates kick off on July 13 in Bulgaria. For a full list of tour dates visit HERE.
TRACKLIST: 1. Good Luck Trying 2. I Am You 3. Right Outta Here 4. Sunday Morning Kinda Girl 5. Who We Are 6. As Good As It Gets 7. What Were You Thinking 8. Courageous 9. Up On You 10. The Frame 11. 8 Days On The Road (Bonus Track)
The fourth album from Nashville rock trio Sound & Shape features a dozen hard and progressive rock tunes that all make for a good listen from the soft opening symphonic title piece to closing acoustic “Peace In Destruction” (largely instrumental). Between those 2 short pieces there’s some excellent riffs, rockers, acoustic guitars…. Best tracks include “Is A Wilted Rose Still Red” (great riff, and changes throughout this one), the fairly hard rockin’ “Don’t Make Me Make Believe” (another cool lead intro), and the summertime ballad “Sun Haired Sky Mother”. Lots of light and shade throughout the songs.
Love the cover-art btw! For fans of Porcupine Tree, King’s X, A Perfect Circle, Steven Wilson, The Pineapple Thief…. Check out the clips, the press info, and the links below!
Sound & Shape isn’t just any band, though, and with their latest LP – ‘Pillars of Creation’ – they’ve set a whole new benchmark not only for themselves, but for the genre as a whole. Recorded in just eight days at their Nashville home studio alongside Grammy-winning producer/engineer “Greazy” Wil Anspach (Metallica, Muse, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Killer Mike), the grippingly affective and symphonic opening title track symbolizes how the sequence finds frontman/songwriter Ryan Caudle, drummer Ben Proctor, and bassist Pat Lowry taking listeners on an even more impactful, cohesive, and ambitious ride.
From the adventurous arrangements and daring complexities of “Look For Me in the Sky” and “Is a Wilted Rose Still Red?” to the sing-along folk splendor of “Peace in Destruction”; the majestic lusciousness of “Sun Haired Sky Mother”; and the fierce changeups of “Dance Neath the Fairest Moon,” Pillars of Creation ups the ante by fusing the group’s already winning chemistry with a double dose of the baroque/prog rock sophistications of The Dear Hunter, Dirt Poor Robins, and The Reign of Kindo.
Beyond being Sound & Shape’s magnum opus, Pillars of Creation is an awe-inspiringly meaningful and multifaceted journey that’s destined to be hailed as one of 2024’s greatest albums.
Axel Rudi Pell has a new single from his soon to be released Risen Symbol album. Check out the press info and the video below!
On his 22nd (!) studio album ‘Risen Symbol’, Bochum-based guitarist and songwriter AXEL RUDI PELL continues to fly the melodic hard rock flag without watering down his style with pseudo-modern stylistic variations or expendable studio gimmicks. At the same time, he is constantly looking for new influences, exciting inspirations, and catchy hooks.
One of the best things about ARP’s anthems is that they are perfectly tailored to the charismatic voice of frontman Johnny Gioeli. The American vocalist is one of the most eminent rock singers worldwide and, together with PELL, former Rainbow drummer Bobby Rondinelli, and the two longstanding ARP members Ferdy Doernberg (keyboards) and Volker Krawczak (bass), has been an integral part of a perfectly oiled machine for more than ten years, wowing fans and media alike.
“For fans of classic metal, I think ‘Wild Nights’ is a taste of what’s to come on the album. It’s a full-throttle journey that blends the spirit of old-school anthems with a modern edge. We’ve got face-melting riffs, soaring vocals, and catchy choruses that’ll stick in your head long after the last note fades. Honestly, I can’t wait to release it to the world and see how fans react. I think it’ll be a headbanging good time for anyone who craves a fresh take on classic metal.”
New classic sounding metal from Venezuela. A cool, fast paced rocker with influences of Maiden and early Rainbow. Check out the press info, the video and the links below!
Venezuela’s Lyonen is a full-throttle journey that blends the spirit of old-school anthems with a modern edge. With their latest single “Wild Nights” They reinvigorate the classic metal sound with a modern twist. The single delivers face-melting riffs, soaring vocals, and catchy choruses that will stick in your head long after the last note fades. With an album in the future planned, the band shares what listeners can expect:
“This album is a sonic middle finger to the mundane, an anthem for the misfits and the dreamers, a soundtrack to the unforgettable nights that become the stories we tell for years to come. This is more than just music – it’s a feeling. It’s the feeling of belonging, of letting loose, and of screaming your heart out with your closest companions under a sky full of stars. This is Wild Nights.”
This single marks a significant evolution in Lyonen’s sound, with the band pushing the boundaries of traditional metal to create something fresh and exhilarating. Guitar tuning has been dropped to a low C for a heavier bottom end, while the drumming style has been completely revamped to lay a more aggressive foundation. Combined with a new edge to the vocals, the result is a sound that’s both familiar and thrilling, injecting the classic metal spirit with a modern dose of adrenaline.
*For fans of Helloween, Primal Fear, (early) Rainbow, Iron Maiden
About The Single Artwork: As a total metalhead who lives for concerts, I catch every show I can. “Wild Nights” captures that electric feeling perfectly. The artwork explodes with energy, just like a killer live performance. A giant fiery skull, a true metal symbol, rages in the background. It’s the peak of the concert – pure sonic power that unites the crowd, like a powerful melodic chorus where everyone sings along. In the front, a lone figure dives into the moshpit, silhouetted against the flames. It’s all about freedom, and exhilaration – a visual anthem celebrating the intense, unifying power of heavy metal. This is the kind of experience that keeps me chasing the next concert – pure metal magic!
Single Credits: – Engineering, Production, Mix and Master: Tato Rivas. – Music and arrangement by Tato Rivas. – All songs written by Tato Rivas. Session musicians. – Guitars and Keyboards by Tato Rivas – Bass: Luca Nicolasi – Drums: Cezary Borawski – Vocals; Tasos Lazaris
Discography: 2018 – Single – Nehme die Sünde 2019 – Single – Angels of Freedom 2020 – Single – No Borders 2020 – Album – This is Lyonen 2024 – Single – Wild Nights
DAVID GILMOUR has released a new single from his forthcoming album Luck And Strange , to be released September 6. The single “The Piper’s Call” features classic Gilmour guitar work, with that distinctive sound that fans will easily recognize.
*Check out the video below and details in video description. Ordering link below.
British rockers PRAYING MANTIS have been going for decades, but it’s the last couple of decades that have been most productive and impressive recording-wise. Like fellow British legends Uriah Heep and Magnum, and Swedish rockers Europe it is the band’s string of later releases that make them worthy of checking out still, Mantis’ best stuff IMO. Since 2000’s Nowhere To Hide album (my introduction to PM) this band has released 5 other must-hear albums, and now Defiance is another Praying Mantis disc to dig into. Defiance continues on with that melodic hard rock sound that Praying Mantis has become known for, as opposed to the ‘heavy metal’ route that the band was tagged as in their early days. A solid 11 tracks here, including an excellent take of Russ Ballard’s “I Surrender.” lots of cool guitar rock here, with favorites coming near the end in “Standing Tall” and “Let’s See” (these 2 jumped out early on for me). Anyone who’s followed these guys in recent years will easily dig this, with well-produced melodic rock tunes like “From The Start”, “Give It Up”, “Defiance”, and the instrumental “Nightswim”.
Love the guitar sound, the occasional use of keyboards, and the band’s backing harmonies which are always a big part of the ‘Mantis sound. Jaycee Cuijpers vocals are strong, like this guy sounds great on everything (see Arjen Lucassen’s Sonic Revolution too!), and the band now has a string of albums with the same singer. As always awesome cover artwork (Stan-W Decker), making Defiance stand out upon first glance. Get it on CD or red vinyl!
SAXON have issued a new lyric video for the track “Witches Of Salem”. Taken from their latest album Hell, Fire And Damnation, the video appears as the band begins their US tour co-headlining with URIAH HEEP (tonight). Check out the song at the end, and see my previous post for dates as well!
“This is an American story, but the witch trials started in Scotland, spread into England and across the sea to the colonies in America. Those poor women in Salem,” explains Biff Byford“they weren’t ‘witches’ more than just unfortunate women really, blamed for everybody’s ailments… whether your horse died, or the milk went sour, they blamed women. Maybe because they were jealous of them, or maybe it was because some guy had made some advances and she’d told him to piss-off, so he’d declare that she was a witch. And once a person was declared a witch, I don’t think there was any way back from that; very few of them were found innocent.”
Outsider Rock 