Renowned rock/fusion power trio THE ARISTOCRATS (guitarist Guthrie Govan, bassist Bryan Beller and drummer Marco Minnemann) take an unexpected orchestral turn on their new collaborative release The Aristocrats With Primuz Chamber Orchestra, releasing worldwide on June 3. The album reveals a lush and lavish musical reimagination and sonic reinvention of compositions from throughout the band’s storied catalog. Pre-orders are available now at various outlets listed here (details below).
Check out the visualizer video and preview the album track “The Ballad Of Bonnie And Clyde” here:
“This project began when we randomly stumbled upon a YouTube video of Poland’s Primuz Chamber Orchestra performing one of our songs, as reimagined by composer/arranger Wojtek Lemański,” the band says in a unified statement. “Their flawless execution of a highly challenging arrangement (which was startlingly inventive and yet remained entirely faithful to the spirit of the original composition!) inspired us to reach out and propose a collaboration.”
That process ultimately led to this album, developed over the course of 2021. The complete work comprises nine trio performances taken from the band’s previous studio albums, remixed from the ground up by award-winning engineer Forrester Savell and utterly transformed and reinvented by the orchestra’s stirring rendition of Wojtek Lemański’s string arrangements.
The band continues: “This approach enabled Wojtek to create orchestrations which treated many of the spontaneous, improvised elements from our original ‘band in a room’ takes as if they had been part of the actual compositions… yielding some unique results!”
The AristocratsWith Primuz Chamber Orchestra will drop just two weeks before the start of the band’s first tour in over two years – the 10-week, 50-date North American DEFROST tour, on which new material from the band will be debuted. All dates and ticket links are available at https://the-aristocrats-band.com/shows.
The Aristocrats conclude thusly: “We’re truly proud of the way this project turned out… and we’re profoundly grateful that serendipity somehow brought us all together for this collaboration. Enjoy!”
Track Listing
Culture Clash
Stupid 7
The Ballad Of Bonnie And Clyde
Dance Of The Aristocrats
Through The Flower
All Said And Done
Jack’s Back
Ohhhh Noooo
Last Orders
The AristocratsWith Primuz Chamber Orchestra is available for pre-order now in all purchase formats (along with special commemorative t-shirts through the band’s webstores), releasing as follows:
June 3 – CD & hi-res digital download (hi-res digital via Bandcamp)
July 1 – limited run double-vinyl deluxe gatefold (via Diggers Factory)
Early July – streaming worldwide
The AristocratsWith Primuz Chamber Orchestra and all studio and live releases by The Aristocrats can be purchased at:https://linktr.ee/AristocratsBand, and on merch tables during the summer 2022 North American DEFROST tour.
Emmy Award-winning singer-songwriter LITTLE BIHLMAN presents the video for “Lay Your Burdon Down”. The song is the first single from the upcoming studio album “The Legend Of Hipster Billings” (Metalville Records – release 17.06.). A melancholic song in the tradition of Americana Rock, which Bihlman gives a contemporary touch. Watch the official “Lay Your Burdon Down” video below.
“The Legend Of Hipster Billings”, is an Americana influenced rock album. The original songs and stories are carved from life’s struggles and triumphs, inspired by motorbikes, sunshine, coffee, dust, whiskey, rain, tattoos, scars, gasoline and heartbreak. “The Legend of Hipster Billings” invites you on a musical journey through the heartland of America. From Chicago, to Nashville, across the great Mississippi into the badlands of South Dakota, up into the majestic mountains of Utah and down into the lights of the big city of Las Vegas only to be resurrected into the arms of Los Angeles.
“The Legend of Hipster Billings” was recorded and produced by Miles Fulwider (Wynton Marsalis, Willie Nelson, Norah Jones and Chick Corea) and Andrew Glasmacher. Little himself looks back on his own personal journey as well as collaborations with such prominent artists as John Fogerty, Trey Anastasio (Phish), Dug Pinnick (King’s X) and legendary bluesman Son Seals.
Little puts a new contemporary spin on Americana rock by using deep lyrics, dirty guitar riffs, gospel harmonies and infectious grooves that give this album a special power.
Bihlman’s songs embody an authentic approach to the essence of heart and soul that binds us all together.
Throughout his career to date, Little has been featured in more than 50 songs on TV/movies worldwide. Including such major networks as FOX, ABC, CBS and Netflix. Including the award-winning series “Sons of Anarchy”, “Days of Our Lives” and most recently “Big Sky”.
Little Bihlman has blazed a trail down the American rock highway, establishing himself as a versatile musician and singer-songwriter. A touring veteran, Little has played with many of the great rock and blues legends at world-famous venues, including the White House with legendary bluesman Son Seals. Over the years, Little has worked with Grammy award-winning producers such as Jim Gaines (Journey, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Huey Lewis and the News), Roy Thomas Baker (Queen, The Cars) and Bruce Robb (Cherokee Studios), to name a few.
Like a lost lover from your past, these songs whisper in your ear to live immediately and ravish life’s mystery.
TRACK LISTING Tooth And Nail Gotta Get Money, Lies, Hate And Drugs It Ain’t Easy Lay Your Burden Down Radio Straight Time Shine On The Game De Nouveau Isla Lay Your Burdon Down (Radio Edit)
MUSICIANS Little Bihlman: Lead Vocals/Guitar/Drums & Percussion Dug Pinnick: Bass Josh Paul: Bass Ron Meyers: Guitars/Bass/Backup Vocals David Detweiler: Keys/Organ Alicia Faith: Backup Vocals
Swedish Blues Rockers CIRKUS PRÜTZ will release their brand new studio album “Blues Revolution” on 29.07. on Metalville Records.
When was the last time you heard a blues-rock record that paid tribute to the Ramones and Lemmy alongside Howlin’ Wolf and Chuck Berry?
On their new album “Blues Revolution”, Cirkus Prütz want to disarm the world with the combined support of blues and love.
With their roots in blues, hard rock and punk, the band is not afraid to break the rules. No one tells them what they should or shouldn’t do. They push the limits and break new ground.
Cirkus Prütz take us from their Swedish home without detours on a hot road trip through Texas with Queens Of The Stoneage, Muddy Waters and ZZ Top on the car radio.
All songs on “Blues Revolution”” were composed by the band together. As was the case with 2019’s previous album “White Jazz – Black Magic”, guitarist Franco Santunione (Electric Boys, Glory Bells Band) took over the production.
It’s bluesy, it swings and it’s in the here and now.
TRACK LISTING
Blues Revolution
Boogie Woogie Man
Modern Day Gentleman
Let´s Join Hands
The Devil and Me
Howl Like The Wolf
Headache
Gotta Quit Drinking (Before The Drinking Quits me)
THE DREADNOUGHTS have just announced their new single Problem to support the release of their upcoming full length out June 24th on Stomp Records. The new album “Roll & Go” was written primarily by singer/guitarist Nicholas Smyth in his one bedroom apartment in New York City at the peak of the first wave of the pandemic, with a newborn infant, during lockdown. With band members based in New York, Vancouver, London, and Edmonton, the band decided to record in the unlikely location of Norwalk, Connecticut at the Factory Underground Studios. After ducking and weaving through countless travel restrictions, the Dreadnoughts managed to learn, record and mix an entire album in nine days. It was a harrowing, intense experience, one made even more intense by the fact that six guest musicians were recording their own parts in six different cities around the world, and that all of this had to be coordinated with virtually no time. But they got it done! The result is Roll & Go: the Dreadnoughts fifth, and possibly finest, studio album.
Problem on all Streaming Services, here.Order New Color Vinyl LP “Roll and Go” at this location.
Reflecting on the meaning behind the advance single Problem, Smyth remarks, “This song is about our love-hate-mostly-love-but-sometimes-really-hate relationship with Poland, a country we’ve toured many times. In particular, it’s about a winter tour we did where everything just kept breaking and going wrong, and we kept fighting it and raging against it until we realized that this was normal in Poland, and that you needed to just do what everyone else did: sit back, have a beer and a smoke, and say “to hell with it.” The Poles are amazing at this, it’s actually a really healthy attitude to have in a lot of situations. The song’s title comes from a word that means the same in English and Polish, and we quickly realized that we were going to hear it from our tour manager (who spoke no English) about 18 times a day. ‘Ah…’ he would say, his face scrunching up and worry-creasing his forehead… ‘Problem’.”
With over 80 MILLION streams on Spotify alone, The Dreadnoughts are the biggest band you’ve never heard of. Formed in the dirty and violent back rooms of Vancouver’s infamous Ivanhoe Hotel back in ’06, they’ve been on a cider-fueled bender across the globe bringing their furious brand of celtic polka punk klezmer mayhem to an ever growing legion of obsessed fans.
‘Not the F*cking Game Show’ is the brand new EP from British indie rockers THE CHASE, available now on all digital platforms via Golden Robot Records.
‘Not the F*cking Game Show’ is a light-hearted title that pokes fun at the band often hearing the words “Oh, like the game show?” after introducing themselves. The EP itself is a 6-track journey through the mind of songwriter/frontman Tyler Heaney. With a touch of social commentary, it combines the band’s experiences as they manoeuvre through the trials and tribulations of life.
“If my mind was a TV and you were flicking through the channels, each track on this EP would be a different TV show. From drama to comedy to biopic, it’s an anthology of what it’s like navigating through your 20s”– Tyler
“Not the F*cking Game Show is a snapshot of the band throughout the turbulent ups and downs of the last few years. It’s an insight to us as people and the band’s personality is imprinted on every song from start to finish”– James
Black Cloud Opening track, Black Cloud punches through with its high energy, post-punk sound.
“Although brit-pop has had a huge inspiration on our sound, we take a huge influence from 1960’s northern soul, rock ’n’ roll and psychedelia, all the way to punk, post-punk and indie. Not being able to gig during the pandemic was a killer for the band, but we diverted that energy to writing and recording. The high energy music video for Black Cloud, which was released the week after the track, gives a taste of our onstage presence.” – Tyler Heaney
“I remember when it was written in Dion’s smoked out bedroom in the middle of practice years ago and Tyler was just strumming away at some chords. We all clocked on to what he was playing and kicked in and the song was pretty much done by the time we finished playing it through. It’s always been the first song to kick off our gigs so it only felt right to have it at the start of the EP. It’s got a raw energy that’s unapologetic.” – James Cahill
I’m the Man Raw, intense and full of swagger.
“This is an out and out rock ’n’ roll slammer. It’s the total opposite end of the spectrum to our last single ‘Set the World to Rights’, which was an emotive ballad that showed my vulnerable side. Lyrically, ‘I’m The Man’ is the most arrogant song I’ve ever written and I like that. The term is often thrown my way, but I’m not sure why!? I think the track is also James’s best performance to date, the e-piano really gives the track a dark and bluesy vibe. Dion also needs a shout out, not only for the drumming but his backing vocals really add to the chorus and give it a lift.” – Tyler Heaney
“‘I’m The Man’ was inspired by a lot of northern soul records I was listening to at the time and you can hear that in the music. When me and Tyler brought it to the rest of the band I remember we all gave each-other that dirty skank face look and we all knew it was gonna be a keeper.” – James Cahill
Live to Die Punchy, indie, rock ’n’ roll, but with zombies.
“This track was a bit of a weird one in terms of writing for me. We went into the studio with the key elements of the track but had no idea of arrangements, etc, but knew we still wanted to record it. At our level that’s not really the done thing, you pick a song and record it, you don’t ever have the time or money to throw around to write in the studio, so we knew we were taking a bit of a gamble. As the song began to form, hearing it through the speakers we all got a bit excited cause we knew we were on to a winner. Ideas were flying and the song was complete that day. It was nice to kinda collaborate in the room with everyone as opposed to me presenting the track. Lyrically the song is not what you think either… struggling for lyrics (as per usual), I was pissed off and having a rant when someone in the room said “I don’t know, why don’t you write the song about zombies or something?” me being me, I said, ‘F*ck It!’ – So the death/time/biting necks thing, that’s where that all comes from!” – Tyler Heaney
“‘Live To Die’ is pretty much the sequel to our 2019 single ‘Chain Gang’. It’s in and out before you know it and leaves you with a slap in the face. Out of all of the tracks, this one took the longest to finish and we must have about 100 different voice notes of various versions, but we eventually got there in the end. It’s my favourite performance from Luke yet – his bass hits heavy in this one.” – James Cahill
Set the World to Rights An emotional and vulnerable ballad.
“This track, for me, is our best song. I am the most proud of these lyrics out of all of our tracks to date. The song was inspired by classic ballads such as ‘Nobody Loves You’ by John Lennon, ‘Only You Know’ by Dion and ‘This Guy’s in Love with You’ by Burt Bacharach, but with a real modern feel. The song lyrically is a tale of two sides – the verses speaking about hard times and loneliness but the chorus speaking about finding someone and changing your perspective. It reflects on a particular time in my own life and is a very personal song.” – Tyler Heaney
“To me, ‘I’m The Man’ is the Saturday night of our songs and ‘Set the World to Rights’ is the Sunday morning. It was written on a hangover so that might be why. It’s by far my favourite song we’ve ever written and Tyler’s best vocal and lyrics so far – the bridge rips me up man. I don’t look back and feel proud often but I always feel proud of this one.” – James Cahill
La La La An infectious, ska-driven, indie banger.
“This track was a long time in the making, various elements on the record today were written years and years ago, I just couldn’t find the correct path and finish the track. I think our previous single ‘I Just Can’t Believe The We Share The Same Name’ opened my eyes to a new element of the band and a new form of song writing (with the ska influence) and when combining all of this together with the previous ideas, this track was formed. When I say ‘this track’ it’s because for the life of me, I couldn’t come up with a name, we referred to it as ‘La La La’ because of the La La La’s, and after a few back and forths with the band, we agreed to keep that as the name!” – Tyler Heaney
“‘La La La’ is one of those proper knees up tunes. It always goes off live so we had to have it on the EP. The song is rude but funny as f*ck all at the same time” – James Cahill
In the Queue Acoustic live version, one-take, recorded at 2Fly Studios.
“I’d had this tune for a LONG LONG time, I must have written it when I was maybe 15/16. It (as mentioned at the beginning of the track) is dedicated to Luke, our bassist, and his years of signing on at the Job Centre, it was always done as a bit of a laugh and it’s sort of just stuck with us. We never wanted to make the song a hit, we just felt it is a nice little acoustic track and would be the perfect way to end the EP. What I’ve always loved about the track is that it’s a very happy yet cynical track, and a tad offensive, bit like myself.” – Tyler Heaney
“This song always makes me laugh. I remember Tyler showing it to me years back as just some song he wrote when he was 14 or something and finding it funny as f*ck, even way back then! Bands take themselves way too seriously these days so it’s good to have a laugh on the EP” – James Cahill
‘Not the F*cking Game Show’ available on vinyl CD and cassette HERE
Metropolitan and melodic, THE CHASE’s music is a blend of cultural influences that pays tribute to their council estate roots. In the space of a few short years, the four-piece have amassed a dedicated fanbase that has propelled them into the stratosphere of the UK indie music scene.
From debut performances at some of the best UK festivals (Isle of Wight, Y Not, Truck, The Great Escape), to sold out nationwide tours & landing support slots with The Rifles, The Skinner Brothers and The Clause. The lads have been tipped as one of the biggest breakthrough bands on the scene by press, promoters, radio & anyone who sees them live.
Formed in their pre-teens, the multi-instrumentalists have a multicultural background that has inspired their sound. Brothers Tyler (songwriter/frontman) & Dion (drums) were born and raised in Nottingham with Scottish and Caribbean heritage. THE CHASE are a melting pot of the musical genres that the boys were exposed to when growing up. With cousin Luke on the bass and keyboard warrior/co-writer James, the result is a sound that is both uniquely British and undeniably infectious.
From The Beatles to Oasis & The Specials to Damien Marley, if you listen to the music, you will hear the unmistakable impact their upbringing has had on their song writing and performance. As a frontman, Tyler is equal parts rugged, glam and real. By day he is a labourer on a building site, but by night he is on stage in a leopard print shirt bringing out strong Marc Bolan vibes that draw in any audience. He best describes his fashion sense as “Champagne taste with a lemonade budget” – which is the most accurate thing we have ever heard.
“Our live show is theatrical, full of personality & showmanship, I couldn’t do it any other way. We want to get the crowd involved, we love it when they’re singing the tunes back at us, it’s all part of the experience for us and them.”
THE CHASE TOUR DATES
12.05.2022 – Birmingham – The Rainbow 13.05.2022 – Manchester – Night People 14.05.2022 – Liverpool – Jacaranda
VOLTURIAN have released a video for ‘Empty World’ – third single taken from the new album ‘Red Dragon’, set to be released on May 20th via Scarlet Records. Watch the video below.
The second Volturian effort is a truly inspired and stylish rendering of the modern metal blueprint. A blend of the gothic & melancholic feeling of the exceptional debut ‘Crimson’ with an even more refined pop vein and some extra subtle electronic layers.
Each ‘Red Dragon’ song displays a very contemporary sound, intriguing arrangements and charming sonic dynamics – not to mention the always masterful Federico Mondelli trademark songwriting.
Graced by the heartful interpretation of frontwoman Federica Lanna, lyrically and aesthetically inspired by Thomas Harris’ ‘Red Dragon’ (the novel who gave birth to the Hannibal Lecter myth) and Alan Moore and Frank Miller’s graphic novels, the new Volturian record will wrap the listeners into a warm blanket to open their eyes in a thrilling scarlet light.
Kimmo Kuusniemi’s ASA unveil the long-overdue release of "Collective Failure" + first music video for title-track! Check it out and stay tuned for more news! Click image to watch the video
Kimmo Kuusniemi’s SARCOFAGUS return with a Historic 2010 Concert Video Premiere on YouTube! Click image to watch the video
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Visionary artist KIMMO KUUSNIEMI's ANCIENT STREAMING ASSEMBLY (ASA) have released “Aurora Nuclearis”, a powerful 12-minute audiovisual experience, dedicated to the Late Keyboardist Esa Kotilainen. - Click image to watch the video
Click image to watch the video
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 