Welsh post-hardcore quintet BREATHE IN THE SILENCE are thrilled to announce that they'll be releasing their brand new EP Hold My Heart on the 2nd September 2016 via Crooked Noise Records.
To coincide with the announcement the band have revealed the video for the EP title-track. Premiered last week via Rock Sound, check out 'Hold My Heart' here: https://youtu.be/bauyJndBqwE
‘Hold My Heart’ is a fitting introduction, a more mature side of the band evident with soaring vocals blending with softer melodies. That’s not to say that the five-piece have left their heavier roots behind as the EP welcomes back grittier post-hardcore elements: harsher riffs and guttural vocals at times juxtapose with vibrant melody to create an innovative blend of layers.
Breathe In The Silence will tour as main support to Swedish rockers Normandie next week, dates are as follows:
18.07.2016 - Boston Music Rooms, London UK
19.07.2016 - Fuel, Cardiff UK
20.07.2016 - Retro Bar, Manchester UK
21.07.2016 - The Central, Newcastle UK
22.07.2016 - Queens Hall, Nuneaton UK
23.07.2016 - Frog & Fiddle, Cheltenham UK
24.07.2016 - Joiners, Southampton UK
The band's live resume is one to be desired having already made appearances at Download Festival, Merthyr Rocks, Oxjam Festival and Butserfest. That’s not to mention the support that they've received from BBC Radio One, Kerrang! Radio and Metal Hammer off the back of their previous single ‘Feathers’, an impressive feat for such a young band.
Expect more UK/European live dates later this year!
For more information:
https://www.facebook.com/BreatheInTheSilence/
https://twitter.com/OFFICIAL_BITS
Young British tech-metallers Fraktions are delighted to announce their upcoming EP, Anguish,out August 12.
To celebrate the news, the band have released a new video for 'Freedom of the Conscious Mind'. First premiered via The Circle Pit, you can watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoMCDlmkQGc
Pre-order the EP here: https://fraktions.bandcamp.com/
Anguish is a highly compelling new release from a band equally influenced by classical music, the jazz noodlings of Tigran Hamasyan and the progressive metal of TesseracT and The Contortionist; Fraktions are an exciting addition to the burgeoning second wave British tech-metal scene.
Having played alongside Drewsif Stalin, No Consequence (whose frontman features on the EP), Kadinja, and Bleed from Within, Anguish is a irresistible new take on technical metal. Inspired by songwriter and pianist Joel Pinder’s classical leanings, the EP presents an impressively mature approach from such a young band.
A concept EP, Anguish is about the final chapter of a schizophrenic woman’s life. The protagonist suffers from aural hallucinations as a result, a condition translated musically into the EP’s frantic and unpredictable style, veering between piano-led dissonance and guitar-led technical off-kilter riffing. The multiple sound-worlds of the EP mark Fraktions out as a band to take notice of – a young group with a promising future ahead of them.
The EP was recorded and mixed by Daniel Reid of No Consequence and mastered by Acle Kahney of TesseracT.
Catch the band's album launch show at Surya, London, on August 14th.
Elusive international prog rock powerhouse AN ENDLESS SPORADIC is set to return on 16 September 2016 with a new album, Magic Machine.
Magic Machine is a showcase for mind-bending musicianship and rich expressiveness via avante garde film-score soundscapes. An abstract journey through different styles of music and environments, the album offers a coruscating kaleidoscope of colours and joy, flashes of stylistic innovation featuring ensemble work that is staggeringly packed full of drama yet still meaningful from a compositional standpoint. This is an aurally challenging album with an experimentally wide sound palette, but as a whole is assuredly palatable, mesmerising and resides in a class paralleled by none.
Hailing from the hallowed halls of Berklee College of Music in Boston, the brains behind An Endless Sporadic, Zach Kamins, is no stranger to the synergy or intuitiveness that his particular brand of prog-rock-jazz-fusion offers. Anyone who has ever played Guitar Hero can attest to the beauty of An Endless Sporadic and their songs. The band gained most of their popularity with the song, “Impulse,” which was placed on Guitar Hero 3. After that they recorded, “Anything,” which was placed on Guitar Hero World Tour. From here they produced more songs to create their first EP, “Ameliorate.” And so An Endless Sporadic was born.
Comments Zach: “I feel that Magic Machine was created out of a strong desire to bring out the true intention of the name, An Endless Sporadic. I have always had a passion for music that was part of a bigger story, where ideas can take time to develop and be presented in many different ways. “
Magic Machine's visually stunning cover art was created by Costin Chioreanu (Arch Enemy, Ihsahn, Opeth, Hexvessel), which can be seen below along with the track-listing.
Joining master multi instrumentalist Zach Kamins on this album is a stellar line-up of virtuoso musicians (we stopped counting at 30 instruments…all recorded live and including hand hammered Lasagne trays!) and special guests including Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater, Liquid Tension Experiment), Roine Stolt (The Flower Kings), Michael Iago Mellender (Sleepytime Gorilla Museum) and Navene K (Animals as Leaders, Entheos) to name just a few!
Comments Jordan Rudess: "Zach has an enormous musical talent that I've been aware of for a long time. It was my pleasure to play some tracks on Magic Machine as well as to be part of this important step in his career journey. The album is filled with awesome compositions and great playing!"
Magic Machine drops into Earth's orbit on 16th September 2016.
Find out more about An Endless Sporadic
Facebook || Twitter || Bandcamp || Youtube || Website
Read more about An Endless Sporadic in our Introducing Blog.
Magic Machine track listing:
- The Departure
- Magic Machine
- Galactic Tactic
- Finding The Falls
- The Assembly
- Agile Descent
- Sky Run
- Through The Fog
- Sea Voyage
- Impulse I
Canadian prog-metal maverick Aaron Marshall aka INTERVALS has released a new video 'I'm Awake'.
Premiered on Metal Hammer, check the video out here:
The video features live footage of the INTERVALS live band performing with Australian rising talent PLINI on guitar, which serves as a great taster for the upcoming UK/EU tour featuring both bands this July / August. Both the INTERVALS and PLINI bands will share players for both sets, Including Aaron and Plini backing each other up on guitar. The bands will be supporting progressive pioneers ANIMALS AS LEADERS.
Tour dates:
7/08/2016 UK Tech-Fest Winthorpe, United Kingdom
7/11/2016 Cathouse Glasgow, United Kingdom
7/12/2016 O2 Academy 2 Newcastle Newcastle, United Kingdom
7/13/2016 SOUND CONTROL Manchester, United Kingdom
7/14/2016 The Rainbow Courtyard Birmingham, United Kingdom
7/15/2016 THE GLOBE Cardiff, United Kingdom
7/16/2016 The Hub Plymouth, United Kingdom
7/17/2016 Sub 89 Reading, United Kingdom
7/18/2016 Engine Rooms Southampton, United Kingdom
7/20/2016 Patronaat Haarlem, Netherlands
7/21/2016 Valkhof Festival Nijmegen, Netherlands
7/22/2016 ROCKPALAST Bochum, Germany
7/23/2016 Colos-Saal Aschaffenburg, Germany
7/24/2016 Free & Easy Munuch, Germany
7/25/2016 Wizemann Stutgart, Germany
7/26/2016 GRILLEN Colmar, France
7/28/2016 Dynamo Zurich, Switzerland
7/29/2016 Centre Culturel Oecuménique Lyon, France
7/30/2016 CONNEXION Toulouse, France
8/01/2016 BUT Madrid, Spain
8/02/2016 RAZZ2 Barcelona, Spain
8/03/2016 Rats Puget Sur Argens, France
8/04/2016 Phenomenon Fontaneto D'agogna, Italy
8/05/2016 Il Deposito Pordenone, Italy
8/09/2016 Szene Wien Vienna, Austria
8/10/2016 A38 Budapest, Hungary
8/11/2016 Brutal Assault Josefov Fortress, Czech Republic
8/12/2016 Musik & Freiden Berlin, Germany
8/13/2016 Knust Hamburg, Germany
8/14/2016 Kulturzentrum Schlachthof e.V. Wiesbaden, Germany
8/15/2016 GARAGE Saarbrücken, Germany
8/16/2016 DIVAN DU MONDE Paris, France
8/18/2016 The Craufurd Arms Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
8/19/2016 Arctangent Festival Bristole, United Kingdom
8/20/2016 Key Club Leeds, United Kingdom
8/21/2016 GARAGE London, United Kingdom
INTERVALS is a window into the mind of guitarist and composer Aaron Marshall. Founded in 2011, INTERVALS is a progressive and forward-thinking staple in modern instrumental music with roots firmly planted in all things traditional, and an open eye on the future. The new album The Shape of Colour is the natural evolution of Aaron's sound and a testament to his knack for infectious melody and engaging compositions.
Buy The Shape of Colour here:iTunes or intervalsmusic.net
For More Information:
Intervals Website || Intervals Facebook || Intervals Twitter || Intervals Youtube
Tell us a bit about your band – how long have you been going, why you do what you do, what you want to achieve.
An Endless Sporadic began in 2004 as a recording duo between Andy Gentile on drums, and myself on guitar, bass, and keyboards. We sparsely made recordings over the years while I was attending college and Andy was working at a video game company called, Neversoft. We loved making instrumental prog rock that would work well for video games and through the Neversoft connection, we were able to get our music placed in Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland, Guitar Hero III, Guitar Hero World Tour, and Guitar Hero V.
After gaining attention through the video games, we recorded a full length album and played local shows around Los Angeles. We later released a few singles and played on Progressive Nation at Sea, which is a prog-rock music festival on a cruise through The Bahamas, organized by Mike Portnoy.
The main reason I continue to create music for An Endless Sporadic is because I truly love working on this kind of music. I enjoy the technical challenges and especially love to find way to make a rock context, feel like similar writing for an orchestral piece or film score. I find that An Endless Sporadic is the best outlet for me to explore my writing, while also getting to work on my playing chops.
What I’m reaching towards is continuously finding ways to blur the lines between different genres, textures, and feels. I want to make sure my sound palette is always growing and am always finding ways to bridge the newer sounds into the context of all the previous material. In addition to creating brand new pieces, I want to extend and/or re-arrange older pieces to either fit into a new album or live show. This way there are recurring familiar themes mixed with the new music and all the pieces blend and evolve together.
You have a new release coming out soon – without giving too much away tell us what listeners can expect from it.
You should expect it to sound more grandiose and cinematic than the previous releases. It stays true to the An Endless Sporadic style that we’re used to, but now has even more drastic shifts to other styles of music. This is the first album that incorporates orchestral writing and live players were recorded for those parts. It’s also the longest, most complete sounding record to date. I think that the playing and writing has matured a lot since the last release. There’s also a remake of our most popular song, Impulse. I think this will really help clarify the direction that I’m trying to take with evolving the older songs to work well with the newer songs. Overall this is the highest quality, most detailed An Endless Sporadic production to date.
Plans for the next 12 months?
Following the release of the album, I will be doing everything I can to help promote the recording, There are a lot of videos taken from the studio that I will periodically release. In conjunction with looking for all possible opportunities for the growth of An Endless Sporadic, I’m also looking for new collaborations whether it’s composing for film/tv/video games, producing recordings for other artists, playing for other artists, as well as teaching.
Tell us a bit about what it's like to experience your live show.
It’s energetic, very well rehearsed, and there are always twists and turns to the arrangements. We go very out of our way to not use backing tracks. We like every part to be accounted for visually, and if there are too many parts to cover, we find a new way to play it so it fits the size of the group.
We haven’t played that many shows. Maybe only around 12. In the future, I want to collaborate with visual artists to create a great projection show to go along with the music.
How does the band prepare for a gig?
I’ll plan out a set of music to rehearse and the first thing I do is set up all of the sounds for my keyboard and guitar rig. Then we all get together at a rehearsal space and start rehearsing the set, at first with a significantly slower tempo than we would play live. We speed up as we get comfortable. Usually we play through each song twice and then move onto the next. Once we are really comfortable, we play each song once in the set order, and then we reverse it.
We are very precise for rehearsals but when it’s showtime, we relax and just have fun with it. I don’t like when it sounds too on rails. I just like for us to be so prepared, that everything feels like second nature and leaves a lot of room to sound more natural when really performing. There’s something about the mistakes during a show that I like. It’s kind of like dirtying up guitar tone with distortion, where the band is pure in the rehearsal space, and the venue is the drive knob.
Name 3 bands you would love to tour with and why
Animals as Leaders - I know Tosin and Javier and it would be a lot of fun to be traveling around with them. AAL has an audience that is receptive to instrumental music, and I think that our styles would be a nice contrast.
The Flower Kings - TFK is one of my favorite bands. I’ve gotten to know the band over the years. The bassist, Jonas Reingold, has now played on two An Endless Sporadic album and lead guitarist and singer, Roine Stolt, produced AES’s self titled record and guest solos on Magic Machine. Being such a huge fan for so many years and having the pleasure of working with Roine, and Jonas, it would be an honor to be on the same bill as TFK. Also, I think their audience would enjoy an AES show.
Jordan Rudess - Jordan has been a huge inspiration to me ever since I discovered Dream Theater 15 years ago. He played on a couple of spots on Magic Machine. So, it would be amazing to have a situation where he could guest on those spots live. I also think that most projects he plays in, has an audience that would be receptive to An Endless Sporadic.
Name a band you'd love to give a shout out to and think people should listen to (not your own band)
I would like to give a shout out to Free Salamander Exhibit! If you’re a Sleepytime Gorilla Museum fan you’ll go crazy over this. It consists of some of the original members of SGM and the music is just as clever, strange, and organic as SGM. Their first album is in the works. I’ve seen them live twice and my mind was blown both times.
How much has the internet and technology helped your band to get to the point it is today.
It’s been a huge help! It is well known that marketing music is difficult. It’s even more difficult when it’s instrumental, prog-rock. The song that really helped us get attention was, Impulse, because it was on Guitar Hero. I’m not sure that Impulse would have grabbed many of our fans attention, if it wasn’t a fun challenge for the game. The mixture of GH3 bringing attention to our music and having all of the social networking tools to promote everything else, enabled us to have an audience without ever touring.
What music are you listening to right now?
Now He Sings, Now He Sobs - Chick Corea
Ok you have a few lines to tell us why people should listen to your band. GO.
It’s really fun to listen to! It has a great lineup of players. It’s well produced. There is a great blend between prog, metal, fusion, and contemporary orchestral writing with a cinematic flair.
Find out more about the band
Facebook || Twitter || Bandcamp || Youtube || Website
UK Cult Rockers SERVERS join Hobgoblin Artist Roster, announce competition and video teaser
The UK's dirtiest rock ‘n’ roll cult, SERVERS, have announced their addition to the Hobgoblin Band's roster, ahead of the release of their sophomore album ‘Everything is OK’ on the 19th August 2016 via Undergroove Records.
To celebrate the band have launched an album teaser video which can be viewed here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xf9fNxpwmzs&feature=youtu.be
Comments bassist Lee Wilde: "We're excited to be joining the Hobgoblin Bands roster and look forward to working with the team at Hobgoblin on the future of Servers."
To mark their collaboration the band, along with Hobgoblin, are launching a competition to win top prizes fit for music-lovers everywhere. Just head to the band's Facebook page for more information.
Adds Hobgoblin Brand Manager Luke Hearm: "Hobgoblin are delighted to be supporting Servers, a really exciting band with a great future. They will no doubt prove a hit with our legendary fans!"
Everything is OK will be released on August 19 via Undergroove Records and is a vociferous call to arms from the Northern rockers. 10 brooding tracks unleash a healthy dose of melancholic beauty with equal amounts of haunting disposition, sonic drama, captivating hooks and 43 minutes of mood-building tension, succinctly enveloped by vocalist Lee Storrar's evocative, untouchable vocal delivery.
Find out more about the band
Facebook || Twitter || Join the Cult || Hobgoblin Bands
UK TECH-FEST announces its after party line-up, stage times and a workshop programme offering musician masterclasses, PR and marketing sessions, product demos and loads more.
The after party shenanigans for this year's UK TECH-FEST are:
Thursday: AGHAST + Whitmore VS Craft-D (rap battle) + Pteroglyph
Friday: Koala Cage Riot + Sean de Burca + Super Jam
Saturday: Seething Akira + HERITAGE + ChuggaBoom
Sunday: We Are Carnivores, Techeoke + Balls On Parade (No Consequence covering Rage Against The Machine)
Workshops across the weekend are as follows:
Thursday
1pm: Jordan Harris - Life with a Strandberg
2pm: Steph Knight (Domino PR) - PR Workshop
3pm: Double Slit Guitars – Luthier Luke Sedman Q+A
4pm: Sithu Aye – Guitar Masterclass
Friday
1pm: Meyrick de la Fuente (Exist Immortal) – Vocal Masterclass
2pm: Colin Bentham (No Consequence) – Drum Masterclass
3pm: Ollie Rooney – Bass Master Class
4pm: Ola Strandberg – Q+A
Saturday
1pm: David Maxim Micic (Destiny Potato) – Guitar Masterclass
2pm: KLANG:technologies – Product Demo
3pm: Dan Thornton (No Sin Evades His Gaze) – Guitar Masterclass
4pm: Double Slit Guitars – Product Demo Sam Butterfield (Hieroglyph)
Sunday
1pm: Lulu Davis – Management/PR Insights
2pm: Amanda Follit - Digital Marketing
3pm: Pedram Valiani (Frontierer) – Disgusting Guitar Noises
4pm: Carillion Guitars (Chris Delia) - Demo/Q+A
This year's raffle prizes include some serious gear which you could get your hands on. They are:
Strandberg Red-Rosewood 7-String with EMG 707X pickups
Carillion Guitars Custom Polaris 7-String
Zilla 2x12 Fatboy Cab
All will come with a pair of Shure SE215s In Ear Monitors Provided by HD Pro Audio.
Line up changes:
Unfortunately we have to announce that Humanity's Last Breath, Port Noir and She Must Burn have had to cancel at the last minute due to a mix of logistical issues! Our sincere apologies go out to anyone who was looking forward to seeing them this year. However they have been replaced by No Consequence, Osiah and The Five Hundred.
Vendors:
This year Tech Fest has the addition of utilities stall stocking everything from camping equipment to fruit, tobacco, toiletries, medical goods, hygienic goods, sweets, grips, rolling papers, lighters, torches, sleeping bags, mats and more!
The food vendors for this year have grown in size with delicious stalls from: Shmoo's Wood-Fired Kitchen (Pizza), Mexican Catering, Burger/Breakfast Van, Fish & Chips, Chinese, BBQ/Grill, Dutch Pancakes and an Ice Cream Van. The Smoky Tentacles are back this year providing a Shisha Lounge chill out area with Teas/Coffee/Toasties/Tea Cakes/Breakfasts! And Redditch Bumper Balls UK are providing a Sumo Zorb Arena at this year's festival.
Prodigious pop-rockers ROOM 94 have unveiled their new video for single 'Wild Ones' taken from their top-40 charting recent album Lost Youth.
Premiered via Kerrang!, you can watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prELNaZMJaw
Room 94 are a rare phenomenon. Unsigned and DIY, the band's first three albums have all charted, landing as high as #27. Having previously headlined Koko and with a giant fanbase pushed by huge social media momentum Room 94 are a modern-day success story. With an fanbase across Europe, playing to thousands of fans, the band's triumphs transcend national boundaries.
For fans of All Time Low, 5 Seconds of Summer and Fall Out Boy, Room 94 are made up of Dean (drums, vocals), Kieran (vocals), and Sean Lemon (guitars, vocals), with Kit Tanton (bass).
Catch the band at the following:
22/07: London, The Garage, Islington
24/07: Manchester, Sound Control *sold out*
For more information:
https://www.facebook.com/ROOM94/
https://www.twitter.com/ROOM94
https://www.instagram.com/room94band/
German metalcore band Annisokay have today released 'Annie Are You Okay?' via Long Branch / SPV. In recognition of the legendary singer's death, 'Annie Are You Okay?' is a covers EP of 4 of Michael Jackson's most celebrated songs.
Stream the EP here: https://soundcloud.com/longbranchrecords/sets/annisokay-annie-are-you-okay-ep/s-Jk7z1
The record will appear in physical format as a bonus CD accompanying the band's album boxset, scheduled for October 14th.
For more information:
http://www.annisokay.com/
http://www.spv.de/portfolio/long-branch-records/
https://www.facebook.com/annisokay
