Anathema Annouce Extensive North American Tour

Anathema has announced its most extensive North American tour in the band’s celebrated career with co-headliner Alcest and special guest Mamiffer.

Anathema has only performed twice as a full band in North America at the infamous Milwaukee Metal Fest 2000 and 2001, as well as supporting a few dates of Blackfield's 2011 tour as an acoustic duo. The fall 2013 co-headlining tour has the band visiting many cities in both the U.S. and Canada for the first time, beginning September 12 in Philadelphia.

The tour will also coincide with the release of Universal, a concert film on CD/DVD and Blu-ray directed by acclaimed photographer/filmmaker Lasse Hoile (Porcupine Tree, Opeth) out September 17, 2013 on Kscope. The audio / visual release captures a special one-off gig at the ancient Roman theatre of Philippopolis where the band was joined by the Plovdiv Philharmonic Orchestra.

The film and album capture the magic of this unique evening as the band started on its lengthy world tour in support of its most successful album, Weather Systems. Universal will be available as an audio visual CD/DVD and Blu-ray.

 

Anathema and Alcest co-headline dates:

9/12 - Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts
9/13 - West Springfield, VA @ Empire
9/14 - New York, NY @ Gramercy Theatre
9/15 - Cambridge, MA @ The Middle East Downstairs
9/16 - Montreal, QC @ Foufounes Electriques
9/18 - Toronto, ON @ The Opera House
9/19 - Flint, MI @ The Machine Shop
9/20 - Cleveland, OH @ Peabody's DownUnder
9/21 - Chicago, IL @ Reggie's Rock Club
9/22 - Minneapolis, MN @ Mill City Nights
9/24 - Denver, CO @ The Summit Music Hall
9/25 - Salt Lake City, UT @ In The Venue
9/26 - Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory
9/27 - Seattle, WA @ Studio Seven
9/28 - Vancouver, BC @ Richshaw Theater
9/29 - Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theater
10/01 - Oakland, CA @ Oakland Metro Operahouse
10/03 - Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre
10/04 - San Diego, CA @ The Casbah
10/05 - Tempe, AZ @ The Marquee

Robert John Godfrey Diagnosed with Alzheimer's

Sad news on The Enid front. Leader and main composer, Robert John Godfrey, has written on Facebook that he has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. This news comes after The Enid had completed a spring tour, with guest Enochian Theory, in support of their wonderful CD Invicta, the second in a planned trilogy, the first of which was Journeys End. Moreover, Robert John Godfrey had just released his second solo album, titled The Art of Melody, to fantastic reviews.

In his own words:

Dear all,
 
I wanted to let you know that my diagnosis of Alzheimer’s is confirmed and what this is going to mean for the future of The Enid.
 
I suppose I had “known” that I was ill for maybe a year. I began to notice changes with the way I perceived my surroundings and with my day to day activities. I felt there was something wrong and I suspected it might be dementia (or worse).
 
My diagnosis has... come as no surprise. It is just my very short term memory that is different and my ability to recall the names of people I know well. I still have all my long term memories – I probably will have right up to the end. My intellect still seems as good as ever, though that will not last. I have not noticed any changes with regard to my creative abilities and so far nothing has changed with regard to playing the piano.

I am now seeking a successor to take my place in The Enid. I probably have two or three years in which to find him and get him settled. He will need to have a good piano technique with a background in classical/romantic music rather than jazz; a knowledge of music technology; a talent for finding a good tune and a thorough understanding of harmony. Above all he will need to be generous in spirit and willing to collaborate with those who have different but nevertheless just as valuable abilities as his own.

I have had a great life doing nothing but music – I have wonderful friends within the band and I feel very much loved and appreciated – I lost any fear of death many years ago and the story of my life will come full circle as indeed it must. A symphony with a silence at either end.

Yours as ever
Robert

I have had the pleasure of speaking with him at the release of Journeys End, and will probably re-up the interview done for the International Prog Rock Show for listeners to enjoy his wit and intelligence in speaking about his passion: music! I do hope to see them live in the near future, as they are a band like no other.

UPDATE: You can download the interview with Robert John Godfrey, IPRS 68, from the Podcast tab.

 

Robert John Godfrey - The Mirror Of Love from Max Read on Vimeo.

The Enid's website: http://www.theenid.co.uk/

 Robert John Godfrey's website: http://robertjohngodfrey.org/index.php

 

New Manning CD Due Out in November

True to form, Manning have released a new album every year since its formation without missing a beat and this year is no exception. The new Manning album will be release this November. The Root, the Leaf & the Bone will be a return of the full electric band after the wonderful Akoustik released last year. The new album also has a real live string section, not a synthesized one, with a variety of guest musicians, including Chlöe Herington (of Knifeworld) on bassoons, Ian'Walter' Fairbairn (of Jack the Lad / Hedgehog Pie) on fiddles, Kathy Hampson on cellos, Marek Arnold (of Seven Steps to the Door) on saxes, Steve Dundon (of Molly Bloom) on flutes, John Young (of Lifesigns) on organs, David Albone on drums, Joss Allsopp of trumpets, Jo Manning on violins, and Martin Thiselton on violas.

The band from Leeds consists of David Million (electric guitars), Rick Henry (drums & percussion), Kris Hudson-Lee (bass), Julie King (keyboards, percussion &  backing vocals), Martin Thiselton (keyboards & violin), and of course Guy Manning on a bunch of instruments and lead vocals.

Plans for a November gig at the CRS are under way as it will be the official launch of the new CD. But you can still catch them live before that since they will play on July 6th at The Met, on Market Street, in Bury, with Also Eden. In the meantime you can still download the Guy Manning Interview, IPRS show 114, from the podcast page.

The Root, the Leaf & the Bone (F2 Music)
1. The Root, the Leaf & the Bone
2. Decon(struction) Blues
3. Autumn Song
4. The Forge
5. Old School
6. Palace of Delights
7. The Huntsman & the Poacher
8. Mists of Morning Calling to the Day
9. Amongst the Sleepers

UPDATED: The Manning band's lineup has been updated with correct information. Thank you Guy!

RPWL to Release DVD of Beyond Man and Time Tour

German prog band RPWL will release a DVD of their latest tour in September. Recorded on the last night of their European tour in Katowice, Poland, this past February 22nd, the DVD will offer the whole Beyond Man and Time show and some other tracks. There will be extras but they are keeping mum on this.

RPWL's last two shows were here in Quebec City for the Terra Incognita festival, but do not despair, they are scheduled to play at the Progressive Promotion Festival in Russelsheim on September 13th. The DVD will probably be out by then.

Here's a taste of the show taken from their webpage, Somewhere In Between. Enjoy!

Maschine's Debut CD Coming in July

Inside Out announced this today:

The young and hotly-tipped UK-based progressive rockers Maschine have announced the release of their debut album entitled Rubidium on the 29th July 2013. After being in the studio for several months, the band are ecstatic for the album to finally see the light of day, and band leader Luke Machin had this to say about its release: "I am extremely happy with the way this album has come together, I wouldn't have changed a thing. We cannot wait to bring this album to the stage and start performing this material at live shows in the near future, it's gonna be killer! An album is a documentary of ones life at the present time and finally I can now share this experience with you all on record."

 
The track-listing for the album is as follows:
1. The Fallen
2. Rubidium
3. Cubixstro
4. Invincible
5. Venga
6. Eyes Pt.1
7. Eyes Pt.2

The album will be available as a limited edition digipak CD with two bonus tracks, and digital download.
Formed in 2008 by guitarist/vocalist Luke Machin at the Brighton Institute Of Modern Music,
UK-based prog rockers Maschine are the new young stars on the InsideOut roster. “Young” in this case doesn’t mean inexperienced or amateurish, however, as Machin and bassist Daniel Mash logged in a solid three years as members of The Tangent while preparing to go off on their own with their own brand of music. Now with a fantastic five-piece line-up, the band is ready to make their mark in the progressive world.

Voted Prog Magazine’s Tip For 2013!

Current Band Line-Up:
Luke Machin – guitar/vocals
Elliott Fuller – guitar
Daniel Mash – bass
James Stewart – drums
Georgia Lewis – keyboards/vocals


Maschine online:
facebook.com/maschineuk
 twitter.com/maschineukhttp://www.maschineuk.com/

Moon Safari New CD in August

Moon Safari are set to release their new CD in August. Bearing the title of Himlabacken Volume 1, it promises a second volume soon after. They are also set to play a couple of dates in the United Kingdom in September on which they will play Lover's End, Part III, the 23 minute opus only available as a download.

Here's a teaser of the intro to the new CD.

Jon Anderson's Olias of Sunhillow Sequel

Still one of Jon Anderson's best solo effort, in my opinion, 1976's Olias of Sunhillow was a "tour de force" for Jon at the time. It came out after Yes' Relayer while the band was on hiatus and each member had decided to work on solo projects. Jon wrote the music and lyrics, played all the instruments, and of course sang all the vocals. The original LP contained a beautiful booklet with fantastic art, and had the whole story of Olias and the Moorglade. Of all his bandmates' solo efforts, this one was the best.

Jon Anderson is now ready to unveil his follow-up to this classic album, by creating an interactive online audio-visual album called Zamran Experience. It’s "A journey filled music, stories and visuals. A true library of information about worlds of Zamran – son of Olias Of Sunhillow."

Of the project, Jon wrote, in his inimitable style: "Ancient history is not known in our everyday thinking. Yet at the back of our consciousness, we seem to remember events and structure and dreams and music. It’s as if we are meant to know and remember and rejoice”.

Unlike Olias of Sunhillow, Zamran Experience is a collaborative effort where Anderson worked online with people all over the world.

To get access to the preview, go to http://www.sevendragons.org/zamran/

Nektar to Release New Studio Album

Prog legends Nektar return with their triumphant 13^th album Time Machine on June 18, 2013 on Purple Pyramid Records – the first album of new material in over 4 years – that band leader and founding member Roye Albrighton is calling “The best album Nektar has ever made!” Time Machine showcases a new depth of songwriting, melodic complexity and musical exploration that hearkens back to early Nektar releases such as Remember the Future and A Tab in the Ocean.

 

Nektar, featuring Albrighton, founding drummer Ron Howden, keyboardist Klaus Hentasch and bassist Lux Vibratus, is British, but was formed in Hamburg, Germany in 1970. Their early albums featured a heady, exhilarating mix of progressive, experimental rock sounds that soon caught on worldwide at the height of the international prog-rock boom. Touring the world behind numerous album releases throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s helped to cement the band’s reputation as an influential prog-rock legend. Having undergone a variety of personnel changes over the past decade or so, the band now boasts its strongest lineup in years and is ready to prove so yet again to its many fans throughout North America. In celebration of the 40^th anniversary of the original release date of the band’s classic album, Remember the Future, Nektar is looking to perform in its entirety this most heralded release from its vast catalog, a rarity in that the band has not performed the entire album live in years.

 

Nektar Time Machine CD is available for pre-order now at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Time-Machine-Nektar/dp/B00CGUSM16

 

Nektar / Son's Of Hippies US Tour Dates:

June 20 – Sully's – Chantilly, VA

June 21 – Altar Bar – Pittsburgh, PA

June 22 – Sellersville Theatre – Sellersville, PA

June 23 – B.B. King Blues Club & Grill – NYC

June 26 – The Winchester Music Hall – Cleveland, OH

June 26 – The RockPile Bar & Nightclub – Toronto, ON, Canada

June 28 – Shank Hall – Milwaukee, WI

June 29 – Viper Alley – Lincolnshire, IL

June 30 – Famous Dave's Blues Club – Minneapolis, MN

July 02 – Rogue Pizza Co. - Fayetteville, AR

July 03 – Cheer Up Charlie's – Austin, TX 

July 04 – The Grotto – Fort Worth, TX 

 

For more information visit Nektar's official website: www.nektarsmusic.com

James Labrie Announces New solo Album

After his much acclaimed Static Impulse release in 2010, Dream Theater frontman James LaBrie returns with a powerful new studio album entitled Impermanent Resonance, to be released August 6in North America and July 29 in Europe via InsideOutMusic.

 

Impermanent Resonance was once again conceived with LaBrie's songwriting partner for over a dozen years, Matt Guillory. Guillory not only took the leading role in composing the material, he also handled all of the keyboards and background vocals.    

 

The album's lineup is intact from the previous recording, featuring Marco Sfogli from Italy on guitar, Ray Riendeau (Halford, Machines of Loving Grace) on bass and Swedish drummer Peter Wildoer (Darkane, Majestic, Arch Enemy, etc.), who was a finalist in the Dream Theater drum auditions. Additionally, former Soilwork guitarist Peter Wichers came into the foldto contribute songwriting and studio guitars.

 

"To me this album incorporates and continues with the styles and musical direction that we have created with the previous releases," says James LaBrie. "The difference being that the music on this disc is to me a true telling of the songs evolving and taking on a sense of identity that is every band's ultimate goal. It is powerful, memorable, hook-driven and above all extremely musical. It shows how the writing and the band itself have matured. I truly feel that this is our quintessential album."

 

Impermanent Resonance was once again mixed and mastered at Sweden's Fascination Street recording studios (Kreator, Opeth, Paradise Lost, Symphony X) with Jens Bogren and this time also Tony Lindgren. Visually, Canadian LaBrie hooked up with Gustavo Sazes / abstrata.net (Arch Enemy, Firewind, Kamelot, etc.) to capture and translate the album's atmosphere into the striking artwork.

Some of the songs included on Impermanent Resonance, which combines the heaviness of Gothenburg-sound influenced progressive metal with the catchiness of contemporary rock, are Agony, Back On The Ground, Undertow, I Got You and Amnesia.

 

More details about the upcoming new album and first sound samples will be revealed soon...

 

Impermanent Resonance Line-Up:

James LaBrie - Lead Vocals

Matt Guillory - Keyboards, Background Vocals

Marco Sfogli - Guitars

Ray Riendeau - Bass

Peter Wildoer - Drums, Screams

 

James LaBrie online: 

www.jameslabrie.com

www.facebook.com/officialjameslabri

www.myspace.com/officialjameslabri

Anekdoten Recording Album #6

Swedish band Anekdoten are presently in the studio working on album number 6. Coincidentally, it's been six years since their highly acclaimed A Time of Day hit the record shops. From their website:

As can be seen in the first posting to this new blog we have finally started the recordings of our new album!

4 backing tracks (drums, bass, guitar) were recorded during 3 days at Atlantis. Since 1959 many of the most famous Swedish recording artists have passed through the doors of the old cinema and it was a fond return for us as we recorded most of From Within and Gravity there.

Next up is overdubbing in the rehearsal studio (i.e. Sisu Sound). Much has happened since we recorded A Time Of Day and it became evident that Sisu Sound needs both soft- and hardware upgrading. But we should be up and running recording Mellotron and assorted keyboards next week.

We’re thrilled to put new material onto tape again. It’s been a long time coming, but finally we’re on our way!

Anekdoten have also released a remastered version of A time of Day on the 26th of May. Incredible improvement in sounds by audio genious Hans Fredriksson and housed in a beautiful glossy paper sleeve . Available in the Official Anekdoten Webshop  for only 12 Euros.

The Tangent Reveal Exclusive Track

The Tangent have premiered a track from their much anticipated new album Le Sacre Du Travail on the Prog Rock magazine website. Evening TV is the name of this section, since the finished product is one long symphonia, and is taken from Andy Tillilson's most ambitious forthcoming work, intriguingly subtitled ‘An Electric Sinfonia’.

Listen to it right here!

This is one of the most anticipated CDs of 2013, so you must pre-order now from The Tangent's website.

Transatlantic Nearing Completion of New CD

From the Transatlatic front comes news that bassist Pete Trewavas will complete recording bass today, then off he goes to "Castle Edison" to complete the recording of the next Edison's Children CD.

So far Transatlantic have recorded the basic tracks for nearly 60 minutes of original music, plus 6 cover songs. Which ones is anybody's guess right now since they are not divulging this tidbit of information.

As mentioned by Neal Morse earlier this year, they are looking for an early 2014 release.