Italian singer/musician, vocal coach, record producer, songwriter MR.JACK has released a revised version of the famous song of John Lennon, IMAGINE!
Remembering the great John Lennon, in a version that is a mix, between the classic sounds, and new ideas of the artist, who wanted to create this version, thinking about the bad period we’ve been living, hoping that there is always a light at the end of this horrible tunnel and that music always gives you that wonderful hope to go forward! This tribute from Mr.Jack, also shows his love and respect, towards a timeless and unique song in the world!
When feeling, passion, joy and love, meet music and unite! Peace and Love!
The new single ‘Winter Storm’ by SYMPHOSIUM is released on December 12th, led by Bassist Francesco Pisana, a tribute to the famous Antonio Vivaldi in the reinterpretation of one of the works of the 4 seasons L’INVERNO and the disc containing the 1st tracks will be released next in February 2022.
With a view to change, variations on the themes followed one another even in the very vast and rich context of classical music. Not necessarily by canceling all that repertoire of excellent and unforgettable as well as timeless composers, who with their works are still extremely modern and current today; but more than anything else trying to give a new panache to the classical panorama of music, perhaps also to make it more captivating and interesting in the eyes of the youngest, since some of them still do not approach very often the music thus interpreted, because it is “boring”, or worse still “soporific”. So in the eyes and ears of all, an artist like Francesco Pisana, an Italian pianist, bassist and composer born in 1978 in Catania, who since 1998 has become the bearer, together with other musicians, of a new musical genre, where they meet two very different styles. This young boy reinterprets with his instruments (Piano Forte and Electric Bass) the most famous pieces of classical music, transforming it into modern rock, then ranging from Beethoven, Bach, Vivaldi and many others, even going so far as to combine two songs together in an imaginative mash up. , giving a new sense and rhythm to known pieces and compositions. Who would not at least want to listen to Vivaldi’s Winter or Beethoven’s fifth or even a Tchaikovsky medley revisited in a Prog-rock key?
A young man full of smiles, who when he plays frees energy from every note, from every sound, and perhaps also from every fiber of his being; cordial and polite in interviews, even alone and accompanied exclusively by his faithful companion the electric bass can give strong emotions and heartbeat, probably thanks to his savoir-faire. But what Francesco Pisana clearly demonstrates is that he is a masterful pianist and bassist. excellent performer even of purely and simply classic pieces, this is the opportunity to attend the performance of an artist a little out of the canons, who manages to convey all the joy of playing his instrument to the public, whatever his age. With the hope that perhaps he will indulge in some of his most virtuous and particular pieces, perhaps as an encore at the end of the concert. It has a past rich in musical collaborations with world-famous artists, today dedicated to re-proposing the great works of classical composers in a modern key. His debut as a soloist was born with Frame, who is the founder, but driven by the search for more thrilling and captivating sounds and interpretations, also in terms of technique and absolute knowledge of the works, he founded a super band in Germany formed by musicians of various nationalities the SymphosiuM passing precisely from Italy, Germany, Austria and Russia, driven by the desire to continue to improve and experience new knowledge and different cultures especially in the musical field.
Music is a gift and I thank God for this magnificent gift he has given me”, this is how Francesco Pisana sees music as a divine gift. The new single WINTER STORM is released on 12 December, a tribute to the famous Antonio Vivaldi in the reinterpretation of one of the works of the 4 seasons L’INVERNO and the album containing the next tracks will be released in February 2022. We just have to wait for this new SymphosiuM masterpiece.
Photo by Jarno Terho – Edit by Wiitanen Visual Designs
Finnish progressive metal alumni ODDLAND return with a second digital single and video from their upcoming studio album “Vermillion”. Just like their previous released track from the same record, “Unity” shows a tight and intense-sounding approach, rhythmically complex and rich in melodies and emotions. Another strike before the full-out progressive attack that will be the Finnish band’s full-length album in March 2022.
ODDLAND have spent the Corona-lockdown, writing their first album in 5 years, excelling in a deeper and deeper internal insight about how to expand their impressively unique sound. A hybrid between bands like Tool, Leprous, Pain Of Salvation and Soen, but with their own trademark-sound that makes ODDLAND stand out.
The album, with the title “Vermilion” is set for release through new German label Uprising Records, who spotted the band’s talent and immediately signed them, upon hearing the new album. “Vermilion” is set for release in March 2022.
Uprising Records is a sub-division of the Danish label Target, which also houses sub-labels, such as Emanzipation, From The Vaults and Mighty Music.
ODDLAND toured Europe alongside Persefone in 2018, and plans are in the making, of having the band, once again, hitting the European roads as soon as Corona allows for it to happen.
ODDLAND from Finland has previously released two critically acclaimed albums, “The Treachery Of Senses” from 2012, released on Century Media records and “Origin“, released in 2016 through Sensory Records.
BIG BIG TRAIN have released the animated video for “Proper Jack Froster”, the latest single taken from the forthcoming WELCOME TO THE PLANET album. Proper Jack Froster is based on a story from Gregory Spawton’s childhood in the Midlands in the UK in the 1970s.
Work on the video by Swedish animator Love Andreas Gson Fagerstedt began before the untimely, tragic passing of Big Big Train’s singer David Longdon on 20th November 2021. David’s partner and the band have decided that the video should still be released to help to promote the forthcoming album to the fullest extent possible.
Big Big Train’s March 2022 UK tour will now not take place; ticket holders should contact their point of purchase for information on refunds. Prior to David’s death the band had been on the verge of announcing a North American tour consisting of over 20 shows in May and June 2022. This projected North American tour will also not be taking place.
The band will be making an announcement next year about its future, including regarding the September 2022 shows that are scheduled to take place in the UK. Ticket holders for these September shows are encouraged to retain their tickets for the time being pending that further announcement. No further comment will be made about the band’s future before next year.
The release of WELCOME TO THE PLANET will continue on 28th January 2022, six months after the band’s critically acclaimed top 40 album COMMON GROUND.
As with COMMON GROUND, WELCOME TO THE PLANET sees Big Big Train retain their progressive roots but also take influence from all spheres of music. The four recent singles “Proper Jack Froster’, ‘Made Of Sunshine ‘The Connection Plan’ and ‘Lanterna’ are also included along with keyboard player Carly Bryant’s first Big Big Train writing credit and lead vocal on the captivating title track. The album is completed by the delicate acoustic ‘Capitoline Venus’, the beautiful ‘Oak And Stone’ and a pair of dazzling instrumentals, ‘A Room With No Ceiling’ and ‘Bats In The Belfry’, written by guitarist/keyboardist Rikard Sjöblom and drummer Nick D’Virgilio respectively.
BIG BIG TRAIN – ‘WELCOME TO THE PLANET’ Part One Made From Sunshine The Connection Plan Lanterna Capitoline Venus A Room With No Ceiling Part Two Proper Jack Froster Bats In The Belfry Oak And Stone Welcome To The Planet
‘WELCOME TO THE PLANET’ is released 28th January 2022 on English Electric.
Rockshots Records is proud to announce their signing of cosmic metallers VANDERLUST (ft. members of S91, Dreal) for the release of their self-titled debut.
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.
Today, the band unveils their first single “Scavengers of Kuiper Belt”, which they explain its story in further detail: “In the Vanderlust Universe, The Scavengers are the employees of a large corporation that operates on many planets and colonies throughout the solar system. Their story begins in the 21st century when their main task was to capture all the space debris in Earth’s orbit. Due to the particular business organization and the bizarre recruiting rules, the company turned into a sort of tribe during the centuries. The importance of the Scavengers got bigger and bigger and, at the time of our story, they perform several important tasks, including fathoming the Kuiper belt in search of Ices (large orbiting frozen objects from which extract energy and precious materials). The main characters of our story are two scavengers during a typical working day. To alleviate the boredom of the day they decide to start a competition to find the most profitable Ice in the shortest time. But suddenly, here’s something they’ve never seen… A really strange object, a very precious object… very precious… can I see it? Today it’s my birthday… maybe you should give it to me… Do you feel like you’ve heard this story before? Yup! It’s the story of Smeagol and Deagol … transposed into space!”
“Scavengers of Kuiper Belt” is a speed-power metal song in the vein of Blind Guardian style, fast and powerful. It has some technical sections (especially in the midsection). The singing is heavier and mighty, along with some thrashy riffs, a soft-fusion bridge, and a prog-thrash ending.
Listen to “Scavengers of Kuiper Belt” at the following links:
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.
Although it is now quite a while since SVARTSOT have released new material, the band is still very much alive and kicking. In the interim since 2015’s “Vældet”, the beer-soaked folk metallers have been active on the live scene in Denmark and abroad, including appearances at various major festivals as well as at the prestigious 70000 Tons Of Metal cruise in 2019. After a change of bassist and the decision to shelve an album’s worth of material in 2017/18, the idea of releasing a collection of traditional folk songs that have inspired the band, reworked in Svartsot’s characteristic style, was spawned.
The original idea was to release this fifth album, entitled “Kumbl” (an old Danish word meaning ‘monument’ or ‘memorial’), in 2020 to coincide with Svartsot’s 15th anniversary. However, due to various practicalities, the album was first recorded — by none other than the band’s drummer and up-and-coming producer, Frederik Uglebjerg (www.uglebjerg.com) — during the pandemic. The release also marks the band’s first collaboration with Danish metal label, Mighty Music.
“Kumbl” features 12 tracks that present a mixture of some relatively unknown and other more popular folk and late medieval songs from Denmark and across Northern Europe. Two songs feature guest vocal appearances by Andrea Uglebjerg, vocalist in the Danish punk band Situationsfornærmelse and sister of aforementioned Frederik. Three singles will be released: “Liden Kirsten” is a traditional Danish folk ballad telling the tale of how a king decided to make the lady of his desires the mother of his children and his queen without telling her first; “Carmen Vernale” is a song from around 1500, written by Morten Børup, cantor at Aarhus Cathedral, praising the arrival of spring and performed in the original Latin — the melody is played each hour by the bells of Aarhus Townhall; “Drømte Mig En Drøm” is an elaboration on the oldest recorded Danish song, being handed down to us in a runic manuscript from ca. 1300. A music video will be released for “Liden Kirsten”, while a lyric video version of “Drømte Mig En Drøm” will also be available.
In support of the album, Svartsot have been booked for a series of concerts across Denmark. Whilst only a few European shows are booked or planned at the moment, more will hopefully follow, if travel regulations permit.
“Kumbl” will be released in CD, LP (two different colours, each limited to 300 units) and digital formats via Mighty Music on February 25th, 2022. Pre-orders available here.
“Kumbl” Tracklist:
Den Hoboeken Dans
Nu Stander Landen I Våde
Carmen Vernale
Ebbe Skammelsøn
Kragevisen
Villemand
Liden Kirsten
Rottefængeren
Den Store Stygge Stimand
Drømte Mig En Drøm
Ramund
De To Ravne
A first digital single from the album, “Liden Kirsten”, was already released. Stream it here.
Line-up: Simon Buje: bass Frederik Uglebjerg: drums Michael Alm: rhythm guitars Cris J.S. Frederiksen: lead guitars, acoustic guitars (studio), mandolin (studio) Hans-Jørgen Martinus Vork Rosenwein: tin whistles, electric bagpipe, mandolin (live) Thor Bager: vocals, mandolin (studio)
THE ROCK ALCHEMIST – Italian Rock Band from Turin with a strong sonic identity that blends modern rock with progressive, hard, alternative, and pop elements!
Kimmo Kuusniemi’s SARCOFAGUS return with a Historic 2010 Concert Video Premiere on YouTube! Click image to watch the video
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 