Tag: Progressive rock

ProgSphere News: Opus of a Machine

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rock musicLeave a comment

OPUS OF A MACHINE to Release Debut “Simulacra” on November 16th

Upon their inception in 2013, Opus of a Machine has been stripping away the macho pretence of modern metal unlike any other band today. Their debut, “Simulacra” is fast, energetic, expressive and emotive. An explosion of high-energy heavy rock and colourful, progressive elements that infers little of the current paradigm of heavy music today. Taking with them the raw conviction of bands separate from the zeitgeist of progressive rock, Opus of a Machine bends the traditional, stares down the barrel of experimentation and explores sonic landscapes too fearful for most.

Formed in 2012, Opus of a Machine began as a labour of love for guitarist Zac Greensill and vocalist/guitarist Mitchell Legg, who over a large period of growth, laid the foundations for their debut LP. With bassist Dale Prinsse and drummer Trevor Gee joining in mid 2013, the energy and passion that lifts their recorded work made it’s way to the live arena. Following a string of successful, high-intensity live shows with the likes of Caligula’s Horse, Jericco, Guards of May, Mass Sky Raid, The Orchard and other outstanding bands throughout 2014 in anticipation of their debut album, Opus of a Machine is forging a path onto the Australian and international stage.

With influences such as Opeth, Tool, Radiohead, Devin Townsend, Karnivool, Metallica, Dead Letter Circus, TesseracT, Thirty Seconds to Mars, A Perfect Circle, 12 Foot Ninja, Oceansize, Rage Against the Machine, Voyager, Alter Bridge, Katatonia, and many others, Opus of a Machine is a limitless exploration of the vigour and intensity of metal fused with the subtleties of experimental rock.

Opus of a Machine’s debut “Simulacra” is out on November 16th. The album is available for pre-order on Bandcamp, where two songs taken from the album are available for streaming.

Opus of a Machine is:

Mitchell Legg – vocals, guitars

Dale Prinsse – bass

Trevor Gee – drums

Zac Greensill – guitars

Opus of a Machine online:

https://opusofamachine.bandcamp.com

https://www.facebook.com/OpusOfAMachine

Press contact:

Nikola Savic / Prog Sphere PR

info@prog-sphere.com

Gentle Storm Cover Art

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rock musicLeave a comment

Everyone’s favorite Arjen has just released this on Facebook.  Looks gorgeous.

I’m very proud to present you the front cover of our upcoming The Gentle Storm album with Anneke van Giersbergen! The album title is “The Diary” and the image was made by the very talented Alexandra V Bach. More about the concept soon!–Arjen Lucassen, November 4, 2014

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A Little Oingo Boingo for Halloween

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rock music2 Comments
Oingo Boing, Dead Man's Party, 1985.
Oingo Boing, Dead Man’s Party, 1985.

I’ve toyed with the idea of writing an uber-long post about Oingo Boingo over the past two years.  Obviously, I’ve never actually taken the plunge.  Partly because–as fascinated as I am by the band, the more I read about them, the less I like them.  Yet, for thirty years now, I’ve come back to their music at least once if not twice a year.  So, it might still be a while before I write on how faux 1980s-California psychedelic New Wave grew into pure dark progressive rock by the early 1990s.

Someday, maybe.

But, as we approach All Hallows’ Eve, who can’t resist the following?  Enjoy.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3z7n_oingo-boingo-just-another-day_music

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x15n439_oingo-boingo-dead-man-s-party_music?from_related=related.page.int.gravity-only.b9463cc4503db7775e50b60235c83367141463137

Kingbathmat News

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rock music1 Comment

Amen, amen, amen.

kingbathmat

New Album “Arcade Messiah” Incoming

Hi, everybody, I have a new album coming out next month, called Arcade Messiah.

After the last years KingBathmat album and this years acoustic solo John Bassett album “Unearth”, I decided I wanted to make an instrumental album that was quite heavy, bleak, full of riffs and that also flirted with a number of unusual time signatures. This coincided with me having to upgrade my home studio, so the last 4-5 months I’ve been busy learning some new hardware/software whilst making this new album. I’ve decided to release it under the the different name of Arcade Messiah as its purely instrumental and it is slightly different to the KingBathmat style.

It is now finished and will be released next month. There will be a pre-order for both digital download and CD next week, which will be slightly different from what I’ve done recently as it will be available exclusively through bandcamp alone.

But in the meantime here is a 2 min sample preview of the album

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCEUCa-u6_c

Arcade Messiah can be found on these links across social networks
http://arcademessiah.com/
facebook – https://www.facebook.com/arcademessiah
twitter – https://twitter.com/arcademessiah
instagram – http://instagram.com/arcademessiah

Thanks for your continued support
John Bassett and all at KingBathmat HQ
Facebook Personal Profile –https://www.facebook.com/john.k.bassett

http://www.johnbassettmusic.com
http://www.facebook.com/johnbassettsolo
http://www.kingbathmat.com

RUSH and the Western Tradition

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rock musicLeave a comment
Freedman's book on the meaning of Rush. I've loving this book--BB
Freedman’s book on the meaning of Rush. I’m loving this book–BB

Rush’s lyrics over the decades put its point of view firmly in the great Western intellectual tradition of Aristotle, John Locke, and Adam Smith. So when you listen to the band’s 165 original compositions, you’re hearing the same ideas that animated Thomas Paine and Thomas Jefferson—only a lot louder.

–Rob Freedman, RUSH: LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE, 2014

Billy Reeves Strikes Again!

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rock musicLeave a comment
Kscope, Podcast 56, and Billy Reeves.
Kscope, Podcast 56, and Billy Reeves.

I must happily admit, every month I really look forward to iTunes informing me that a new Billy Reeves/Kscope Podcast has arrived in my podcast box (“area”? I have no idea what it’s called–something in iTunes).  This month’s–no. 56–is especially good.

http://www.kscopemusic.com/Podcasts/

Make sure you check it out.  It features music and news from Lunatic Soul, NAO, Iamthemorning, Anathema, and Steven Wilson.

Steve Babb’s Lay of Lirazel

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rock musicLeave a comment
The Lay of Lirazel by Steve Babb.
The Lay of Lirazel by Steve Babb.

Steve Babb’s rather stunning Lay of Lirazel (closely related to the story as told in Glass Hammer’s Inconsolable Secret) is now available as an ebook.  Only $2.99 at amazon.  Well worth it!  It’s a gorgeous story.

http://www.amazon.com/Lay-Lirazel-Stephen-R-Babb-ebook/dp/B00NFSDKBK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412721798&sr=8-1&keywords=lay+of+lirazel

Pledge for Lifesigns

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rock musicLeave a comment

Dear progarchists,

I received a very kind (every note from John is kind!) note from John Young yesterday.  He and his band, Lifesigns, have decided to raise money for their forthcoming CD/DVD.  I can’t encourage this enough.  Why?

1.  These are great, great guys, and their music is equally great.  Melodic prog–gorgeous compositions and equally gorgeous vocals.  Viva, Lifesigns!

2.  Every one of us knows how quickly the music market is changing and has been over the past two decades.  The explosion of the internet has undermined record companies.  This, to my mind, is ultimately a good.  Good riddance to corporatizing music.  But, it also means that we as fans and consumers must support the music we love in every way possible.  I will go as far as to claim we have a duty to make the new world work and work well.

3.  Forgive me for being a historian, but I can’t help but note that the greatest art of western civilization prior to the 19th century was through a patron.  Sculpture, painting, and music all came from a charitable aristocrat.  That world has long gone.  As the western world democratized–prior to being corporatized in the early 20th century–art came from subscription.  The corporate may rule much of the western world (blech!), but it most certainly does NOT have to rule us.

4.  progarchy has proudly thrown whatever influence it has toward supporting the present and future of metal, Leah McHenry, and she was able to raise $50,000 for your forthcoming album.  We’ve done much the same for Andy Tillison, though he is, thankfully backed by a good label.  Again, very proudly.

5.  I would like us to do the same for John and co.  Lifesigns is more than worth supporting.  So, please go to the link below, click it, and give what you can.  http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/lifesignsdvd

Sincerely,

Brad Birzer

P.S.  To make all of this even more glorious, Lifesigns will donate a portion of what they raise to “Save the Children.”  Win, win.

The first album was nothing short of glorious. Let's help make the next release equally so.
The first album was nothing short of glorious. Let’s help make the next release equally so.

*****

John Young

here from Lifesigns, please excuse the generic letter but we need your help.

We hope you enjoyed our first album, and we are pleased to announce that we are looking at further writing and recording in the months to come.

We decided the best way forward is crowdfunding. As such YOU become our record company and give us the freedom to make the music we believe in, unhindered by industry opinions and trends.  To this end it is vital that we work with the friends and fans who appreciate our efforts.

You can pre-order anything from the download to the DVD/CD. Should you wish you can even become an executive producer the choice is yours.

It should be quite a ride:-)

To pre-order/pledge for our new DVD please feel free to join us

here:http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/lifesignsdvd

kindest wishes
Lifesigns

John Young, Frosty Beedle, Steve Rispin, Jon Poole and Niko Tsonev.

You are no. 6.
You are no. 6.