As many of you probably already know, Mike Portnoy–drum and compositional demigod–turns 50 in April. Mike, Happy Birthday! We love you, man!!!
I’ve had the great privilege of seeing Portnoy live many, many times, and it’s never anything but an absolute treat. For 25 years, Mike has been driving prog rock forward and bringing to the fans, delight after delight. My wife (who has gone to all of the concerts with me) agrees completely.
This entire two-hour episode of Progarchy Radio is dedicated to the inspired genius of Mike Portnoy. I play the entire twelve-step suite as well as music from Flying Colors, Big Elf, Transatlantic, the Neal Morse Band, Yellow Matter Custard, and the Morse-Portnoy-George Cover-to-Cover project.
Just received some fine news from Insideout Music.
Prog metal wizards BIGELF have been through tough times during the past years including the tragic death of former guitarist A.H.M. Butler-Jones resulting in a “spontaneous hiatus” in 2011 as mastermind Damon Fox calls it.
Marking the BIGELF debut of drum god Mike Portnoy (ex-Dream Theater) the Californian band’s fourth album “Into The Maelstrom” is also the first for new label home InsideOutMusic and takes their melodic prog-doom to new heights profiting from an inspired and reinvigorated Fox: ” Making the record has been a certain kind of journey. A few years ago I had to completely let go of BIGELF, which was painful but it came back with force and vision. As such, the music began to shape from a different perspective and I have been able to see an alternative way of accomplishing my goals. To me, ‘Into The Maelstrom’ is a genesis, a bridge between the band and a larger audience. Strap yourselves in ladies and gentlemen, you’re in for a wild ride.”
The band just released a first track, „Control Freak”, in form of a lyric video. Check it out below in the media section. ‘Into The Maelstrom’ will be available on a limited 2CD digipak which includes exclusive re-mixes & demo versions, as well as a gatefold 2LP vinyl edition which includes the full album on CD. The full track-listing is as follows:
1. Incredible Time Machine
2. Hypersleep
3. Already Gone
4. Alien Frequency
5. The Professor & The Madman
6. Mr. Harry McQuhae
7. Vertigod
8. Control Freak
9. High
10. Edge of Oblivion
11. Theater of Dreams
12. ITM
I. Destination Unknown
II. Harbinger Of Death
III. Memories
