News – Page 8 – Progradar

YES Announce European Dates For The Classic Tales Of Yes Tour in 2024

Following their recent acclaimed tour in the USA, progressive legends YES have announced European dates for The Classic Tales of YES Tour 2024.

Tickets go on sale on Friday 8^th December at 10am GMT/11.00am CET https://www.yesworld.com/live/

Buy UK tickets from https://bookingsdirect.seetickets.com/tour/yes/

The Classic Tales of YES Tour 2024 will include many iconic tracks from the YES back-catalogue covering fifty-plus years. The tour will also include a celebration of the 50^th Anniversary of Tales from Topographic Oceans as well as music from their current album Mirror To The Sky.

YES are: Steve Howe (guitars, vocals), Geoff Downes (keyboards), Jon Davison (vocals and acoustic guitar), Billy Sherwood (bass guitar, vocals) and drummer Jay Schellen.

The evening will begin with an on-site presentation by world-renowned artist and designer Roger Dean, whose masterful artwork of striking other-worldly landscapes has graced classic album covers and posters, most prominently by YES and Asia. Every show will feature a Roger Dean gallery in the venue’s reception/foyer area. His work – which also appears on the cover of their current album Mirror to the Sky – has sold more than one hundred million copies worldwide.

“We’re all excited to be bringing our show home to Europe and the UK!” says Steve Howe, “We’ve selected a new playlist of Yes music but with some firm favourites in there too, of course! To keep our performances fresh, we ‘now’ carry our own lights, so we can present a consistent show each night, designed for us by William …….. Looking forward to seeing you out there!”

“We are very much looking forward to the 2024 European leg of our YES Classic Tales Tour. Having recently completed the US, we are now really excited to bring that out to all our fans in the UK and Europe. It promises to be one of our most interesting sets to date, scanning through much of YES’s history and with some previously unheard pieces as well as music from our latest album, ‘Mirror To The Sky’. Bring it on and see you all out there!” Best, Geoff Downes

The Classic Tales of YES European and UK Tour 2024 dates are as follows: Go to www.yesworld.com/livefor all ticketing information.

Europe

April 2024

Tuesday 30 Portugal Lisbon Sabres Sagres Campo Pequeno**

May 2024

Thursday 2 Spain Madrid Riviera

Friday 3 Spain Barcelona Sala Paral·lel 62

Sunday 5 Italy Rome La Nuvola

Monday 6 Italy Milan Teatro Arcimboldi

Wednesday 8 Italy Padova Gran Teatro Geox

Thursday 9 Switzerland Zurich Kongresshaus**

Saturday 11 Austria Vienna Simm City

Sunday 12 Germany Berlin Theater am Potsdamer Platz

Tuesday 14 Germany Halle Steintor-Variete

Wednesday 15 Belgium Antwerp De Roma

Friday 17Netherlands Arnhem Music SacrumTheatre**

Wednesday 18 Germany Moenchengladbach Red Box**

Monday 20 France Paris Salle Pleyel**

Tuesday 21 Luxembourg Luxembourg Rockhall**

UK Dates

Thursday 23 May Manchester Bridgewater Hall*

Friday 24 May Glasgow Royal Concert Hall*

Sunday 26 May Liverpool Philharmonic*

Tuesday 28 May York Barbican*

Wednesday 29 May Southend Cliffs Pavilion*

Friday 31 May Bristol Beacon

Saturday 1 June Birmingham Symphony Hall*

Sunday 2 June Gateshead Sage*

Tuesday 4 June London Royal Albert Hall

**European shows in bold are rescheduled from 2023 and tickets remain valid

*UK Shows rescheduled from 2023, all tickets remain valid.

European tickets go onsale on Friday 8^th December at 10am GMT/ 11.00am CET from https://www.yesworld.com/live/

UK tickets from https://bookingsdirect.seetickets.com/tour/yes/

About YES

Steve Howe: guitars, backing vocals (1970 –1981, 1990–1992, 1995–present)
Geoff Downes: keyboards (1980–1981, 2011–present)
Jon Davison: lead vocals, acoustic guitar (2012–present)

Billy Sherwood: guitar, backing vocals ((1994, 1997–2000), bass guitar, backing vocals (2015–present)

Jay Schellen: drums and percussion

Formed in 1968 by Jon Anderson and the late, and much-missed, Chris Squire, YES have been one of the most innovative, influential and best-loved bands in rock music history. Their 1970s albums The Yes Album, Fragile, Close To The Edge, Yessongs (a triple live album set), Tales From Topographic Oceans, Relayer and Going For The One were ground-breaking in musical style and content. Their music also became synonymous with artist Roger Dean whose distinctive YES logo design and artwork adorned the lavish gatefold presentation sleeves of many YES albums.

With sales of over 50 million records, the Grammy-award winning YES were inducted into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2017 where they performed Roundabout from the album Fragile and the FM radio-friendly Owner Of A Lonely Heart from the 1985 album 90125.

YES released their 22^nd studio album in 2021, The Quest, produced by Steve Howe and which went to No. 1 in the UK Rock Albums Chart and entered the Official UK Album Chart at No. 20.

In 2022 came the sad news that drummer Alan White, ever-present in the YES line-up for 50 years, had passed away. The news came shortly before the band embarked on their classic, genre-defining album Close To The Edge 50^th Anniversary Tour which they dedicated to Alan.

In February 2023, ahead of the news of the new studio album Mirror To The Sky, YES confirmed Jay Schellen as the new permanent drummer with YES, hand-picked to step into his mentor and friend Alan White’s role. “I had done the 2016 tour on my own for Alan,” says Jay. “From late 2017 onwards, we had a beautiful partnership. I learned and discovered so much about Alan’s style. His passion and creativity was phenomenal. The new album has Alan’s presence all over it. It is inside of us. So, this is still, in my heart, Alan just being present and with us, and with me, in a big way.”

Mirror To The Sky, YES’ 23^rd studio album, was released on 19 May 2023 to universally positive reviews in the music press. ‘Mirror to the Sky is very much a band album, where all five members… have been at the top of their game’, stated The Progressive Aspect. ‘YES will continue to have a role to play in shaping the future sounds of prog.’

Steve Hackett reveals the first single “People of the Smoke” from his new conceptual studio album ‘The Circus And The Nightwhale – Out 16th February, 2024.

Legendary rock guitarist Steve Hackett is set to release his new studio album ‘The Circus And The Nightwhale’ on 16th February 2024, via InsideOut Music. A rite-of-passage concept album with a young character called Travla at the centre of it, ‘The Circus And The Nightwhale’s’ 13 tracks have an autobiographical angle for the musician who says about his 30th solo release: “I love this album. It says the things I’ve been wanting to say for a very long time.”

Today he is pleased to reveal the first single, and the albums opening track, ‘People of the Smoke’, you can watch the video now here:

Steve says of the track: “People of the Smoke spins us all back in time to 1950, when bustling post-war London was stifled with smog from trains, chimneys, industry and smokers. I was born into that world! This song kicks off an album following my life’s journey both literally and metaphorically…”

The new album is available to pre-order on several different formats, including a Limited CD+Blu-ray mediabook (including 5.1 Surround Sound & 24bit high resolution stereo mixes), Standard CD Jewelcase, Gatefold 180g Vinyl LP & as Digital Album. All feature the stunning cover painting by Denise Marsh. Pre-order now here: https://stevehackett.lnk.to/TheCircusAndTheNightwhale

Steve will celebrate the release of his new album with two HMV instore events in London & Birmingham, where he will be taking part in a Q&A and signing albums. Find out more details on those here: https://ow.ly/HUaT50Q7paJ

‘The Circus And The Nightwhale’ is Steve’s first new music in over two years. Recorded between tours in 2022 and 2023 at Siren studio in the UK – with guest parts beamed in from Sweden, Austria, the US, Azerbaijan and Denmark. The line-up for ‘The Circus And The Nightwhale’ includes some familiar faces alongside Steve on electric and acoustic guitars, 12-string, mandolin, harmonica, percussion, bass and vocals. Roger King (keyboards, programming and orchestral arrangements), Rob Townsend (sax), Jonas Reingold (bass), Nad Sylvan (vocals), Craig Blundell (drums) and Amanda Lehmann on vocals. Nick D’Virgilio and Hugo Degenhardt return as guests on the drumstool, engineer extraordinaire Benedict Fenner appears on keyboards and Malik Mansurov is back with the tar. Finally, Steve’s brother John Hackett is present once more on flute.

The full tracklisting is as follows:

1. People Of The Smoke

2. These Passing Clouds

3. Taking You Down

4. Found And Lost

5. Enter The Ring

6. Get Me Out!

7. Ghost Moon and Living Love

8. Circo Inferno

9. Breakout

10. All At Sea

11. Into The Nightwhale

12. Wherever You Are

13. White Dove

Summing up ‘The Circus And The Nightwhale’, Steve says: “It’s a lovely journey that starts dirty, scratchy and smoky and becomes heavenly and divine. How can you resist it?”

Steve recently completed his North American Tour where he continued his ‘Foxtrot At Fifty + Hackett Highlights’ run. Next year he will tour the world extensively, including a brand new UK tour ‘Genesis Greats, Lamb Highlights & Solo’, which will see him return to the legendary Royal Albert Hall. For the full list of dates, head to: http://hackettsongs.com/tour.html

Kindred Spirit Band Announce Further Details of New Concept Album – “The Journey Within” – To Be Released In 2024

The Kindred Spirit Band have a revitalised and excellent sound with their almost completely renewed, “post Covid” line-up and they have been working hard, putting this sound into some powerful, new recordings, which have a real relevance to the current generation. The band’s music has rightly been described as,

“all about facing up to the hidden dangers and the stored-up menaces presented to us in the modern world. But salvation is offered by the band. Through music. The sounds and words invite us to think freely…written for our generation”.

Neil Mach, Ad Pontes, Staines

New Concept Album – ‘The Journey Within’, An Album for Our Generation:

Many of us have friends or family members battling with mental health issues. It could well be the rise of “the machine” and the complexity and fast pace created in our lives, by our computer driven world, which is driving this malaise. A full length, concept album is well underway, called ‘The Journey Within’, which we hope to release in 2024.

In this album, faced with dark visions and feelings of persecution, we manage to escape deep within our own minds to an “Alice In Wonderland” kind of dream world. Here, we know we want to escape back to the loving embrace of our family and friends, in the real world, but we don’t want the dark thoughts to follow us back and we need to find healing and salvation somehow.

Why This Album Will Be Unique:

In the story, deep within our own minds, we know we are looking for something. We encounter obstacles and meet several characters on the journey, all of whom are guardians of something as well as guides. These characters are one of the things which will make this album so unique; These characters are all personifications of a number of prog rock bands’ title characters! They come alive, in the songs in which they feature, on the album and all the prog rock bands involved have agreed to add some instrumentation and / or, vocals to their characters’ songs!

The bands involved, in the order in which they appear in the story, are:-

Haze (and Treebeard)
Spriggan Mist
Gryphon
Stuckfish

Elaine has been researching mental health conditions and reading autobiographies of suffers, who describe their difficult journey from the inside and how they managed to eventually recover. She has drawn inspiration from a variety of real life stories to create the darkness and feelings of persecution in the start of the story. At the beginning, we find ourselves trapped in a large, old house full of distorted mirrors. Dark, shadowy, faceless beings emerge from the mirrors. They speak directly into our minds, with whispery voices and we know they are coming for us! Fans who have heard us sing these songs live already are telling us that they are, indeed disturbing yet enjoyable; so we know we are achieving our aims!

Elaine has also been researching books about the positive evolution of the human spirit, along with real life, alternative views on medicine, the body and healing therapies. She has pulled together and integrated a raft of contemporary thought on the question of improving mental, physical and spiritual health and hopes that anyone suffering with, or caring for someone suffering with, mental health issues might both enjoy the story and the music, as well as find some comfort and useful insight, from listening to “The Journey Within”. Music also plays a big role in our salvation and return to the real world too!

The songs for this album are almost complete. The story described in the songs can be read, along with illustrations being drawn by Elaine, and live performance video of some of the songs, on the Kindred Spirit Band web site here:-

http://www.elainesamuels.co.uk/journey-p1.htm

Steve Hackett celebrates over 50 years of music with his new conceptual studio album ‘The Circus and the Nightwhale’

Legendary rock guitarist Steve Hackett will release his new studio album ‘The Circus And The Nightwhale’ on 16th February 2024, via InsideOut Music. A rite-of-passage concept album with a young character called Travla at the centre of it, ‘The Circus And The Nightwhale’s’ 13 tracks have an autobiographical angle for the musician who says about his 30th solo release: “I love this album. It says the things I’ve been wanting to say for a very long time.”

‘The Circus And The Nightwhale’ is Steve’s first new music in over two years. It follows the beautiful acoustic LP ‘Under A Mediterranean Sky’ from January 2021 – which rose to No 2 in the UK Classical chart – and, in September of that year, his metallic masterpiece Surrender Of Silence, which hit the UK Top 40. His 2023 live album, ‘Foxtrot At Fifty + Hackett Highlights: Live in Brighton’, reached No 2 in the Rock & Metal Chart. Steve’s new LP promises ballads, blues, blistering progressive rock… and healthy measures of theatre and fantasia.

Recorded between tours in 2022 and 2023 at Siren studio in the UK – with guest parts beamed in from Sweden, Austria, the US, Azerbaijan and Denmark, the line-up for ‘The Circus And The Nightwhale’ includes some familiar faces alongside Steve on electric and acoustic guitars, 12-string, mandolin, harmonica, percussion, bass and vocals. Roger King (keyboards, programming and orchestral arrangements), Rob Townsend (sax), Jonas Reingold (bass), Nad Sylvan (vocals), Craig Blundell (drums) and Amanda Lehmann on vocals. Nick D’Virgilio and Hugo Degenhardt return as guests on the drumstool, engineer extraordinaire Benedict Fenner appears on keyboards and Malik Mansurov is back with the tar. Finally, Steve’s brother John Hackett is present once more on flute.

The new album will be available to pre-order from the 1st December 2023 on several different formats, including a Limited CD+Blu-ray mediabook (including 5.1 Surround Sound & 24bit high resolution stereo mixes), Standard CD Jewelcase, Gatefold 180g Vinyl LP & as Digital Album. All feature the stunning cover painting by Denise Marsh.

The full tracklisting is as follows:

1. People Of The Smoke

2. These Passing Clouds

3. Taking You Down

4. Found And Lost

5. Enter The Ring

6. Get Me Out!

7. Ghost Moon and Living Love

8. Circo Inferno

9. Breakout

10. All At Sea

11. Into The Nightwhale

12. Wherever You Are

13. White Dove

Summing up ‘The Circus And The Nightwhale’, Steve says: “It’s a lovely journey that starts dirty, scratchy and smoky and becomes heavenly and divine. How can you resist it?”

Steve is currently on tour in North America, continuing his ‘Foxtrot At Fifty + Hackett Highlights’ run. Next year he will tour the world extensively, including a brand-new UK tour under the name ‘Genesis Greats, Lamb Highlights & Solo’, and that will see him return to the legendary Royal Albert Hall. For the full list of dates, head to: http://hackettsongs.com/tour.html

OPETH RELEASE PREVIOUSLY LOST VIDEO FOR ‘WINDOWPANE’

VINYL REISSUE OF ‘DAMNATION’ OUT ON 15^TH DECEMBER (MUSIC FOR NATIONS)

To mark the 20th anniversary of Opeth’s ground-breaking 2003 album ‘Damnation’, a special vinyl re-issue was recently announced, which has been meticulously crafted to pay homage to a pivotal and trailblazing moment in the band’s illustrious history. Originally recorded in the serenity of Åkerfelt’s native Sweden, with additional production from Porcupine Tree’s Steven Wilson, the album acclaimed by fans and critics alike has since received a re-mix and master in 2015, pressed to vinyl on a double LP together with the dichotomous ‘Deliverance’.

Now just a month away from its release, Music For Nations have re-discovered the long lost video for the single ‘Windowpane’. Originally released in 2003, the Fredrik Odefjärd directed video has been digitally processed from the archival tape for 2023.

Watch the video now:

Released on 15^th December (Music For Nations) this marks the first time exclusive and deluxe vinyl pressings have been given to ‘Damnation’. A record that represents a paradigm shift in the band’s approach to composition, seeing them side-line their metal roots from the forefront of their arsenal. Instead replacing it with an additional insight into ambience, atmospherics, and progressive rock, this together with Åkerfeldt’s signature lyricality and musicianship creates a unique record of ethereal beauty and longing, and one which remains top of mind for many Opeth fans.

The 20^th Anniversary versions sees the 2015 re-mix and remaster pressed to standard black vinyl, as well as being available on deluxe and limited colour finishes, and for the very first time available on an exclusive picture disc that highlights and reflects the album’s ethereal and bleak visual world.

Pre-order now: https://opeth.lnk.to/Damnation20

Speaking on the release, the band’s lead vocalist Mikael Åkerfeldt comments,

“Hello folks! Our old “partners in crime” Music For Nations are planning a 20th-anniversary re-release of one of our odd records, this time ”Damnation”. We want our records available on vinyl at all times, and it turns out we can’t keep stock! Our vinyl editions are flying out. I’ve seen it with my own eyes when I helped out in a record shop during the pandemic. Some customers didn’t know they’re buying it from one of the people responsible for the music. Of course I went: ”Good record, good band!”. So before there’s any moaning about ”another reissue, another cash grab” I want to stress out that it really comes down to public demand. We’ll present Steven Wilson’s updated mix (first available in 2015 or thereabouts) on limited edition opaque and transparent vinyl as well as on a picture disc, which I believe is the first time ever.

”Damnation” is a special record, even if they’re all special to me. I remember hearing the first mix on headphones in a crummy hotel somewhere in the UK. I had trouble believing it was us, myself, Peter, Lopez, Mendez (as well as ol’ Steve on keys). It was completely different from anything we’d done up to that point, and quite frankly, since. Out of all of our records, I think this one is most suitable for the vinyl format due to the fact that it is not really cluttered with stuff. A pretty airy recording with 5 musicians and done on 2 inch tapes as well. It’s a record I’m immensely proud over and it also remains a fan-favourite I believe.

Commenting further Steven Wilson adds “At the time I remember getting death threats from metal fans for “ruining” the band! As if it could be anyone’s intention but Mikael’s to do a record like that anyway. Damnation was when everyone understood that he was not going be trapped within the confines of any genre or label, and that the band’s importance and influence would be far reaching. Rightly so Damnation is now seen as a timeless masterpiece, and I’m very proud to have had my part in making it.”

TRACKLISTING

Side A

1 – Windowpane

2 – In My Time Of Need

3 – Death Whispered A Lullaby

Side B

1 – Closure

2 – Hope Leaves

3 – To Rid The Disease

4 – Ending Credits

5 – Weakness

Opeth – Damnation;

Mikael Åkerfeldt – vocals and lead guitar

Peter Lindgren – rhythm guitar

Martin Méndez – bass guitar

Martin Lopez – drums

Glass Hammer Release Video For ‘The Return Of Daedalus’ On Halloween To Celebrate Release Of New Album ‘Arise’

Glass Hammer Release “The Return Of Daedalus” Official Video

Glass Hammer’s Steve Babb will release the nearly 17-minute-long epic, “The Return Of Daedalus,” in video form on Halloween to celebrate their ARISE release.

“Books have always been a big influence on the concepts behind our albums,” says Babb. “Besides fantasy and historical fiction, I’ve been a big fan of the cosmic horror genre. The works of H. P. Lovecraft have been a favorite since I was twenty, and recently, I’ve gotten into the works of his protégé, Clark Ashton Smith.

“ARISE was conceived as a cosmic horror story, or at least one that would evoke that particular sort of dread. It’s about a deep-space mission meant to glorify the achievements of man. But the android they commission encounters a rift in space. All sorts of nasty beings are emerging from this anomaly, and rather than being glorified, humanity finds its very existence at stake.”

The album’s finale is The Return Of Daedalus, Daedalus being the name of the android’s spacecraft. It’s divided into three distinct parts: Battle At MARS-001, Reentry, and The Doom Of The World.

Arise was released on October 27^th.

Order the album direct from the band:

Glass Hammer official website

Swedish proggers Moon Safari share first single from long-awaited album ‘Himlabacken Vol. 2’

Pre-order begins today!

After a near decade-long recording process, Swedish progressive rockers, Moon Safari are set to make a comeback this winter with their 5th studio album Himlabacken Vol. 2.The album will be released on December 6th through Marquee Inc. in Japan and worldwide on December 8th through the band’s own Blomljud Records Inc.

The band are pleased to share the album’s first single “Between the Devil & Me’.
You can see the lyric video now here:

“It took us ten years, for a million different reasons. But we’re not dead yet. We return with what we know is a worthy comeback album, filled with our own special brand of symphonic rock cultivated over 20 years as an antidote to the long, dark winters of northern Sweden, with those trademark vocal group-inspired harmonies, uplifting melodies and soulful romantic lyrics that our fans have come to expect. With the addition of ex. Black Bonzo drummer Mikael Israelsson to the band we’ve totally revamped and boosted the low end of our sound, tightened it up, and that attitude shift is felt through our entire arrangements.Tying it all together is the mix by the great Rich Mouser. He’s been the go-to guy for the big boys in the genre for many years, and now we understand why. The mix is clear and punchy, booming and never flat. It just sounds expensive, and we couldn’t be happier. You’ll get almost 70 minutes of this heady brew, spread over nine tracks, with zero fillers. And of course there’s the obligatory epic. The whole thing is a banger, and we’re immensely proud of it.

“The first single from the album, ‘Between the Devil and Me,’ is at it’s core a story of self-exploration. It rides the pendulum swings of an unbalanced human mind from confusion to clarity. And it rocks, hard.

“We’ve all wanted to quit at some point during the last decade. It’s been a real test of our patience and our commitment to the music. But in the end, we were pardoned by the Gods of Rock ‘n’ Roll and we’re back in great form. To hear the whole thing in one go is absolutely liberating, and well worth the wait. If this thing won’t fly, nothing we’ll ever do will.

“So welcome back to Heaven Hill, dear friends! We hope you’ll enjoy the ride.
All our love / MS”

The album is available for pre-order here:

UK – (Exclusive Double Vinyl):
https://burningshed.com/store/moon-safari/moon-safari_himlabacken-vol-2_cd-and-vinyl-bundle

USA:
https://thebandwagonusa.com/collections/moon-safari/products/moon-safari-himlabacken-vol-2-cd-pre-order
and
https://www.lasercd.com/cd/himlabacken-vol-2-preorder

Germany:
https://justforkicks.de/detail/index/sArticle/16103

Track Listing:
1. 198X (Heaven Hill) (3:55)
2. Between the Devil and Me (10:38)
3. Emma, Come On (3:19)
4. A Lifetime to Learn How to Love (8:28)
5. Beyond the Blue (2:12)
6. Blood Moon (5:44)
7. Teen Angel Meets the Apocalypse
(21:03)
8. Forever, For You (10:08)
9. Epilog (3:22)

Moon Safari is:
Petter Sandström – Lead and Backing vocals, Acoustic Guitar
Simon Åkesson – Lead and Backing Vocals, Piano, Organ, moog.
Pontus Åkesson – Lead and Backing Vocals, Electric and Acoustic Guitar
Sebastian Åkesson – Backing Vocals, assorted keys, percussion.
Mikael Israelsson – Backing Vocals, Drums, percussion, keyboards, piano
Johan Westerlund – Lead and Backing Vocals, Bass Guitar

Special guest performance by Jamison Smeltz – saxophone on “Forever, For You”

Amarok Release First Single – Hope Is – From New Album Due In Spring 2024

Amarok, known for its fusion of progressive rock, ethno and ambient, puts a slightly more predatory side on its latest single “Hope Is.” The track is based on a distinctive guitar sound and a characteristic drum rhythm, complemented by electronic additions that give the whole composition a modern twist. The message is based on the concept of hope understood as a force that shatters the safe but illusory order, giving a new direction to reality and the present. Hope as an almost cosmic force lends its energy, nourishes and saturates. It stimulates one to move forward, to live.

Hope Is is not a regular song, but rather a track with vocalizations from a distance, with lyrics sung by Kornel Poplawski and Marta Wojtas’ voice somewhat reminiscent of the sound from a space station. In the sound layer, in addition to the aforementioned ring modulator guitar sound, we will also hear small elements of 90s-style drum & bass.

The single Hope Is will open Amarok’s latest album, scheduled for release in spring 2024.

Music by Michał Wojtas, Kornel Popławski

Lyrics by Marta Wojtas

Produced and mixed by Michał Wojtas

Mastered by Robert Szydło

Michał Wojtas – guitar, keyboards, perc, e-drum

Kornel Popławski – vocal, bass

Marta Wojtas – vocal

Konrad Zieliński – drums

OPETH TO REISSUE ‘DAMNATION’ ON VINYL FOR 20TH ANNIVERSARY

RELEASED 15^th DECEMBER (MUSIC FOR NATIONS)

To mark the 20th anniversary of Opeth’s ground-breaking 2003 album ‘Damnation’, a special vinyl re-issue has been meticulously crafted to pay homage to a pivotal and trailblazing moment in the band’s illustrious history. Originally recorded in the serenity of Åkerfelt’s native Sweden, with additional production from Porcupine Tree’s Steven Wilson, the album acclaimed by fans and critics alike has since received a re-mix and master in 2015, pressed to vinyl on a double LP together with the dichotomous ‘Deliverance’.

Pre-order now:

Damnation20 (lnk.to)

Speaking on the release, the band’s lead vocalist Mikael Åkerfeldt comments,

TRACKLISTING

Side A

1 – Windowpane

2 – In My Time Of Need

3 – Death Whispered A Lullaby

Side B

1 – Closure

2 – Hope Leaves

3 – To Rid The Disease

4 – Ending Credits

5 – Weakness

Opeth – Damnation;

Mikael Åkerfeldt – vocals and lead guitar

Peter Lindgren – rhythm guitar

Martin Méndez – bass guitar

Martin Lopez – drums

Magenta’s Robert Reed and Camel’s Peter Jones join forces once again with new Cyan album ‘Pictures From The Other Side.’

Alongside Luke Machin and Dan Nelson, the second Cyan album will be released on Nov 17^th 2023.

Keyboardist and composer Rob Reed, known for his work with Magenta, Kompendium and Sanctuary solo albums, has once again joined forced with Peter Jones, along with Luke Machin and Dan Nelson for a new Cyan album titled Pictures From The Other Side. The second album from the resurrected project is due out on the 17^th of November 2023. The new album contains 6 songs, including the epic 17-minute track ‘Nosferatu’. The CD is accompanied by a DVD with a full 5.1 surround mix of the album and a live acoustic performance of songs from the previous album For King And County.

Watch the video for the album’s opening track “Broken Man” here:

Pre-order Pictures From The Other Side here:

tigermothhosting.co.uk/CYANCD2023/

Cyan was originally formed by Robert Reed (Magenta) when in school, back in 1983. After recording some demos at a local studio, the band went their separate ways. Years later, those demos led to the release of ‘For King And Country’ on the Dutch SI music label. It was the first of three Cyan albums released in the 1990s before the project was shelved and Rob went on to form Magenta.20 years later Rob Reed, along with a killer line-up, decided to brush off the cobwebs and successfully release a completely re-worked version of the ‘For King And Country’ album. Cyan has since performed at the 2023 Night Of The Prog festival in Germany, and at the 2022 Summers End and Fusion festivals in the UK.

Rob Reed:
“I remember that the first Cyan album ‘For King And Country’ was written when I was still in school with a band I formed with some school friends. After I left school, we went our separate ways and it was several years later that I was approached by the record company. After the success of the first album, they wanted a follow-up so I wrote new material for what became ‘Pictures From The Other Side.’ It was more song-based, but included a couple of long epics.

Obviously, I was influenced by the classic Prog of Genesis and Yes when writing this originally, but I was also listening to a lot of other bands of the time like It Bites, Simple Minds and Marillion. It’s been great to finally hear this material played by this line-up, it’s a completely different album. Re-written, re-recorded and re-arranged. Hopefully, I’ve brought to the album, everything I’ve learned in my career.

Pete Jones:
“It’s a joy to be involved in the ongoing resurrection of the Cyan canon and the vision Rob has for these new interpretations. As a vocalist, there’s so much to work with on the new album, with epics like “Broken Man,” which really let me dig deep into my inner Genesis prog vocals. The title track has some great hooks, as does the rest of the album. Tracks like the dark but beautiful “Solitary Angel,” and the vampire world of “Nosferatu,” really call for some vocal gymnastics where I can stretch myself and really go for it. Then there’s “Follow The Flow,” which is just gorgeous. As with all Rob’s stuff, it’s the feeling and emotions which are key to the whole thing. I hope I’ve managed to do my bit with the vocals.

We’ve now got a few gigs under our belt, including the recent fabulous time we all had at Night Of The Prog in Loreley. That was a real highlight of the year for me. The live band is sounding really great, with Luke, Dan, Jiffy and the man himself Rob Reed all at the top of their game. As well as doing the vocals, I play sax and whistles, and rhythm guitar which Rob asked me to do in a moment of madness. Ha-ha. All being well, we’ve got some rather special shows in the pipeline for next year. So I’m looking forward to the album coming out, and taking it to the stage!”

CD tracklisting:
1- Broken Man
2- Pictures From The Other Side
3- Solitary Angel
4- Follow The Flow
5- Tomorrow’s Here Today
6- Nosferatu

DVD consists of:
Full album in Dolby Digital and dts 5.1 surround
Promo videos
The Quiet Room session (live acoustic performance)
1- I Defy The Sun
2- Don’t Turn Away
3- Call Me
4- Man Amongst Men/The Sorceror
5- Snowbound
6- For King And Country

Cyan is:

Robert Reed
(Magenta / Kompendium / Sanctuary / Chimpan A)

Peter Jones
(Tiger Moth Tales / Camel / Francis Dunnery’s It Bites)

Dan Nelson
(Godsticks / Magenta)

Luke Machin
(Maschine / The Tangent / Karnataka / Francis Dunnery’s It Bites)

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