Showing posts with label Prog Metal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Prog Metal. Show all posts

5/11/2021

Canadian Prog-Metal Ensemble Derev To Release Debut EP “Leap of Faith” May 21, 2021

Derev is a progressive Rock/Metal band from Toronto, Canada, formed by the Italian/Armenian guitarist Armando Bablanian and the Syrian/Armenian drummer Michel Karakach. Derev’s sound combines the energy and intensity of metal music with the atmospheric sound of old-school progressive rock, while incorporating elements of their Arabic and Armenian heritage.

The plan for what eventually became Derev was in the works since Michel and Armando met in high school while living in Kuwait. At the time, they were unable to pursue the project due to circumstances of living in the Middle East.

After obtaining his dental degree during the war in Syria and seeking asylum in Canada, Michel joined Armando in Toronto to form the band after an eight-year hiatus, where they met the bassist Liam Horrigan who recently joined the project.

In anticipation of their debut EP “Leap of Faith”, Derev has already released two singles and an animated music video in early 2021. “Leap of Faith” features Adel Saflou (Ambrotype) on vocals and will be released on May 21st. The band will also be releasing a video for the track “Turab” on the same day.

Says Derev, “‘Leap of Faith’ is our debut EP. It’s meant to introduce the band’s diverse style and unique sound, merging the heaviness of metal music with the atmospheric feel and rhythms of old school progressive rock, while experimenting with middle-eastern scales derived from the band’s origins. Even though the EP is not a concept album and each song aims to discuss a different topic, the common theme is about seeing things from a different, unconventional perspective and taking the risk of action to make a change, rather than accepting the status quo, thus the EP’s name.”

The main themes, melodies, and riffs came out of prolonged jam sessions between Armando and Michel. From there, they were slowly developed into full songs through numerous iterations of rehearsing, adjusting, and recording demos. Once the structure of a song was ready, they wrote lyrics and worked on the general vocal melodies and harmonies. The entire EP was recorded at home. Guitars and bass were recorded in the band’s home studio in Toronto. Adel Saflou (guest vocals) took their demos, added his own character and sound to it and recorded the vocals in his home studio in Amsterdam. Michel tracked the drums on his electric kit, and then fine-tuned it to preserve his performance, while keeping everything sounding organic. Once everything was tracked the band sent the songs to James Zhan who mixed and mastered the EP.

Derev:

Armando (guitarist/songwriter), an engineering graduate from the University of Toronto, has been an active musician for over 10 years. His most notable work is with the Canadian metal band “Till I Conquer” with whom he has released an EP and 3 singles.

Michel (drummer/songwriter) has been an active drummer for the past 10 years. He was constantly organizing and playing shows while obtaining his dental degree in Syria. Fortunately for him, he had the opportunity to immigrate to Canada and pursue his musical career with Armando to bring Derev to life.

Liam (bassist) who’s also an engineering graduate from the University of Toronto, started his musical career with Ottawa-based act “Open Season”. He has diversified across instruments, genres, and locations (including performances throughout southern Ontario and the release of an alternative rock solo EP as @t_ii_f), Liam is excited to be returning to his bass playing roots with Derev.

Track listing:
1. Tunnel Vision (1:04)
2. Turab (5:15)
3. Futile (8:22)
4. Delayed (7:07)
5. Slipping Down Again (5:59)
6. Ghost of Guilt (8:35)

To purchase: https://www.derevmusic.com/store

For more information:
https://www.Derevmusic.com
https://www.facebook.com/derevmusic
https://www.instagram.com/derevmusic
https://www.twitter.com/derevmusic
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1lbmuZcISd67b_t7hLfuXw

Press inquiries (North America): Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Canadian Prog-Metal Ensemble Derev To Release Debut EP “Leap of Faith” May 21, 2021

Derev is a progressive Rock/Metal band from Toronto, Canada, formed by the Italian/Armenian guitarist Armando Bablanian and the Syrian/Armenian drummer Michel Karakach. Derev’s sound combines the energy and intensity of metal music with the atmospheric sound of old-school progressive rock, while incorporating elements of their Arabic and Armenian heritage.

The plan for what eventually became Derev was in the works since Michel and Armando met in high school while living in Kuwait. At the time, they were unable to pursue the project due to circumstances of living in the Middle East.

After obtaining his dental degree during the war in Syria and seeking asylum in Canada, Michel joined Armando in Toronto to form the band after an eight-year hiatus, where they met the bassist Liam Horrigan who recently joined the project.

In anticipation of their debut EP “Leap of Faith”, Derev has already released two singles and an animated music video in early 2021. “Leap of Faith” features Adel Saflou (Ambrotype) on vocals and will be released on May 21st. The band will also be releasing a video for the track “Turab” on the same day.

Says Derev, “‘Leap of Faith’ is our debut EP. It’s meant to introduce the band’s diverse style and unique sound, merging the heaviness of metal music with the atmospheric feel and rhythms of old school progressive rock, while experimenting with middle-eastern scales derived from the band’s origins. Even though the EP is not a concept album and each song aims to discuss a different topic, the common theme is about seeing things from a different, unconventional perspective and taking the risk of action to make a change, rather than accepting the status quo, thus the EP’s name.”

The main themes, melodies, and riffs came out of prolonged jam sessions between Armando and Michel. From there, they were slowly developed into full songs through numerous iterations of rehearsing, adjusting, and recording demos. Once the structure of a song was ready, they wrote lyrics and worked on the general vocal melodies and harmonies. The entire EP was recorded at home. Guitars and bass were recorded in the band’s home studio in Toronto. Adel Saflou (guest vocals) took their demos, added his own character and sound to it and recorded the vocals in his home studio in Amsterdam. Michel tracked the drums on his electric kit, and then fine-tuned it to preserve his performance, while keeping everything sounding organic. Once everything was tracked the band sent the songs to James Zhan who mixed and mastered the EP.

Derev:

Armando (guitarist/songwriter), an engineering graduate from the University of Toronto, has been an active musician for over 10 years. His most notable work is with the Canadian metal band “Till I Conquer” with whom he has released an EP and 3 singles.

Michel (drummer/songwriter) has been an active drummer for the past 10 years. He was constantly organizing and playing shows while obtaining his dental degree in Syria. Fortunately for him, he had the opportunity to immigrate to Canada and pursue his musical career with Armando to bring Derev to life.

Liam (bassist) who’s also an engineering graduate from the University of Toronto, started his musical career with Ottawa-based act “Open Season”. He has diversified across instruments, genres, and locations (including performances throughout southern Ontario and the release of an alternative rock solo EP as @t_ii_f), Liam is excited to be returning to his bass playing roots with Derev.

Track listing:
1. Tunnel Vision (1:04)
2. Turab (5:15)
3. Futile (8:22)
4. Delayed (7:07)
5. Slipping Down Again (5:59)
6. Ghost of Guilt (8:35)

To purchase: https://www.derevmusic.com/store

For more information:
https://www.Derevmusic.com
https://www.facebook.com/derevmusic
https://www.instagram.com/derevmusic
https://www.twitter.com/derevmusic
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1lbmuZcISd67b_t7hLfuXw

Press inquiries (North America): Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

1/15/2018

Melodic Rock Band Odin's Court Releases Sixth Studio Album Turtles All The Way Down: Vol II


Progressive Rock and Metal for fans of Pink Floyd, Dream Theater, Devin Townsend, Porcupine Tree, HIM, Iron Maiden, Journey, and Queen

Baltimore, MD, USA based progressive rock and metal band Odin’s Court are excited to announce Turtles All the Way Down: Vol. II is available as of 2018 January 5 through Melodic Revolution Records!

Turtles All the Way Down: Vol II is a continuation of Odin’s Court’s 2013 concept album Turtles All the Way Down. Turtles All the Way Down explores deep issues about mankind’s understanding of the universe, the individual, and how each new discovery may challenge what we think we understand about our surroundings.

Brookins comments on the latest release: “This album takes it up a notch from where Dimetrius, Rick, and I left off with the previous album. I think Turtles II has our best material and production yet. I know artists often say these types of things when talking about a new release, but I think Gary Raub’s drum style adds a nice vibe to the sound we previously established. We also went for some ‘epic’ sounding choruses on this one with layered choirs, which are nicely supplemented by the beautiful voice of Michelle Loose Schrotz (of mid-Atlantic based band Brave). I think this album also has a big, ambient, and dense sound, but even with that big sound, we still maintain focus on ‘the song’ because that’s what it’s all about – the messages and emotions that music attempts to deliver.”

The new album features 8 tracks of melodic hard rock, prog, and metal, including an epic piece that is over 20 minutes long with full orchestration.

Track Listing:
 1. A Brief History of Time
 2. Will I See you Again?
 3. Unmoved Mover
 4. Killing Curiosity
 5. Event Horizon
 6. Infinite Regression
 7. The Burning Tides of Time
 8. My Final Journey

To purchase Odin's Court Turtles All the Way Down: Vol II:
CD Baby: bit.ly/2CMoady
MRR Bandcamp: bit.ly/2kcgskr
Odin’s Court Bandcamp: bit.ly/2zF9NSE
iTunes: apple.co/2CYC9d0
Amazon USA: amzn.to/2Axzzb6
Amazon Japan: amzn.to/2CJJlgt
Amazon UK: amzn.to/2CFKTY5

Odin's Court:
Matt Brookins – Guitar, Vocals, Keyboard, and (Studio) Bass
Rick Pierpont – Guitar & Backing Vocals
Dimetrius LaFavors – Vocals
Gary Raub – Drums, Percussion, and Backing Vocals
Jason Pierpont – (Live) Bass Guitar

Official Sites:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/odinscourtband
YouTube: www.youtube.com/odinscourt
MRR Artist Profile: http://mrrmusic.com/odins-court/

Press inquiries: 
Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com
Melodic Revolution Records, Info@melodicrevolutionrecords.com

Melodic Rock Band Odin's Court Releases Sixth Studio Album Turtles All The Way Down: Vol II


Progressive Rock and Metal for fans of Pink Floyd, Dream Theater, Devin Townsend, Porcupine Tree, HIM, Iron Maiden, Journey, and Queen

Baltimore, MD, USA based progressive rock and metal band Odin’s Court are excited to announce Turtles All the Way Down: Vol. II is available as of 2018 January 5 through Melodic Revolution Records!

Turtles All the Way Down: Vol II is a continuation of Odin’s Court’s 2013 concept album Turtles All the Way DownTurtles All the Way Down explores deep issues about mankind’s understanding of the universe, the individual, and how each new discovery may challenge what we think we understand about our surroundings.

Brookins comments on the latest release: “This album takes it up a notch from where Dimetrius, Rick, and I left off with the previous album. I think Turtles II has our best material and production yet. I know artists often say these types of things when talking about a new release, but I think Gary Raub’s drum style adds a nice vibe to the sound we previously established. We also went for some ‘epic’ sounding choruses on this one with layered choirs, which are nicely supplemented by the beautiful voice of Michelle Loose Schrotz (of mid-Atlantic based band Brave). I think this album also has a big, ambient, and dense sound, but even with that big sound, we still maintain focus on ‘the song’ because that’s what it’s all about – the messages and emotions that music attempts to deliver.”

The new album features 8 tracks of melodic hard rock, prog, and metal, including an epic piece that is over 20 minutes long with full orchestration.

Track Listing:
 1. A Brief History of Time
 2. Will I See you Again?
 3. Unmoved Mover
 4. Killing Curiosity
 5. Event Horizon
 6. Infinite Regression
 7. The Burning Tides of Time
 8. My Final Journey

To purchase Odin's Court Turtles All the Way Down: Vol II:
CD Baby: bit.ly/2CMoady
MRR Bandcamp: bit.ly/2kcgskr
Odin’s Court Bandcamp: bit.ly/2zF9NSE
iTunes: apple.co/2CYC9d0
Amazon USA: amzn.to/2Axzzb6
Amazon Japan: amzn.to/2CJJlgt
Amazon UK: amzn.to/2CFKTY5

Odin's Court:
Matt Brookins – Guitar, Vocals, Keyboard, and (Studio) Bass
Rick Pierpont – Guitar & Backing Vocals
Dimetrius LaFavors – Vocals
Gary Raub – Drums, Percussion, and Backing Vocals
Jason Pierpont – (Live) Bass Guitar

Official Sites:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/odinscourtband
YouTube: www.youtube.com/odinscourt
MRR Artist Profile: http://mrrmusic.com/odins-court/

Press inquiries: 
Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com
Melodic Revolution Records, Info@melodicrevolutionrecords.com

7/21/2017

Concert Review: Iron Maiden and Ghost In Concert

Iron Maiden and Ghost In Concert
Xfinity Center Mansfield, Massachusetts
July 19, 2017
I can tick one off the bucket list now. I finally got my opportunity to see the iconic metal legends Iron Maiden in concert. I have been waiting for many years for this night and it was worth the wait. On a steamy July night, an over capacity crowd at the Xfinity Center in Mansfield, Massachusetts reveled in their time witnessing the heavy metal giants perform. 

I have never seen that many people in sync like that, the admiration and respect was evident all night long. You would expect a raucous crowd, and I know we are all stereotyped like other groups of people, but this was an orderly crowd and when we all left there were no issues. So much for the stereotypes, you can throw them right out the window. We love our metal and our bands, and as Bruce Dickinson said, prior to a short dissertation of the world before a song, we are all “Blood Brothers.” One people enjoying each other’s company and the music.

The opening band Ghost is one I was anticipating as well. I had already purchased all their music and found their presentation onstage very theatrical. Of course, Maiden takes that element to entirely different level when they get on the stage. The music of Ghost is heavy and precise. The band’s lead singer “Papa Emeritus III” has put together a well-oiled machine, and he looks menacing as hell (no pun intended there). The “Nameless Ghouls,” the rest of the band, all have their devil masks on while the lead singer is a moving skeleton working the stage all night. The act is a tribute to the dark side and Satan. It is entertainment, an act yes, and I do not believe for a second they are worshipers of Lucifer. When you talk about being happy and prosperous as the lead singer did last night, well, worshipers of the dark master just don’t discuss such things, so there you go. The music is as awesome as I expected in a live setting. I would expect this band to continue to grow a large following and eventually be headliners.

Ghost was a superb warm up band for Maiden and I think everyone in attendance really enjoyed their music and presentation.

Iron Maiden’s stage sets the tone for their shows. With mascot Eddie and the backdrops for whatever album they are touring under, it always makes it a total multimedia event. This was the next to the last show for the incredible masterpiece The Book of Souls

All the members look to be in terrific shape physically and Bruce is still running around the stage all night long. He was totally soaked in sweat after only a few songs (as was I all night long). The energy he commands onstage is something to behold. The band has been together so long it is like watching a family joining together to celebrate what they love. You can feel the honesty in their performance. With three excellent guitarists and the phenomenal founder and bass player Steve Harris uniting them to make their way through fan favorites and the most recent recording, it really was something people in attendance will never forget.

The large video screens were amazing. The shots of the band on stage were HD quality, you could see the sweat on their arms and watch their fingers blazing away on the guitars. It made a difference for all of us in the upper sections. It was hard not to keep looking at the screen!

The one thing I did notice that was a blemish on an otherwise excellent show, was how Bruce’s mic kept cutting out last night. It happened frequently, so hopefully that is something that would be corrected by the venue or their own team on the mixing board. I am not sure where the problem was originating from.

The venue is in an off the beaten path area and by the time we made it through the incoming traffic, the only parking left was the very last lot with a 2 hour wait to get out. I learned my lesson when attending such a major event there. You should either get there when they open the lots or pay the price to park outside the venue! Fair warning to those who have not been there yet.

The inconveniences were not welcomed but dealt with in good spirits by all in attendance. And why not? We got to see phenomenal heavy metal in one evening so it was worth it. I had always watched the DVD sets over the years of Maiden and now understand the energy level and commitment of the band and their fans.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck
July 20, 2017

Founder of:

Ghost Set List:
Masked Ball
(Gregorio Allegri song)
Square Hammer
From the Pinnacle to the Pit
Ritual
Cirice
Year Zero
Absolution
Mummy Dust
Monstrance Clock

Iron Maiden Set List:
    Doctor Doctor
    (UFO song)
    If Eternity Should Fail
    Speed of Light
    Wrathchild
    Children of the Damned
    Death or Glory
    The Red and the Black
    The Trooper
    Powerslave
    The Great Unknown
    The Book of Souls
    Fear of the Dark
    Iron Maiden
    Encore:
    The Number of the Beast
    Blood Brothers
    Wasted Years

5/04/2016

When Punk Meets Prog Metal – The Last Ditches Feat. The Heartbreakers Walter Lure & Black Sabbath/Rainbow's Bobby Rondinelli


NYC - Could there be two more disparate musical genres than Punk and Prog Metal? And… Could those oil and water categories ever mix? The answer… The Last Ditches…A respected Prog Metal rhythm section meets 'Real Deal' CBGB/Max's Kansas City guitars and singing.

The Last Ditches sprang into being thanks to the animal cunning and persistence of Funk Metal bassist extraordinaire and studio owner, Randy Pratt. See, Randy had a deep conviction that he, along with actual no-kidding punk legend, New York's Heartbreakers' Walter Lure, The Planets' long time guitarist, Binky Philips, and another genuine music icon, Rainbow and Black Sabbath's Master Prog Metal drummer, Bobby Rondinelli, would make an amazing sound together; a blending of two rock styles that usually want nothing to do with each other…It took over four years to prove his point, but, Randy was oh, so right.

For those who need a remedial, Walter Lure was “the other guitarist” in Johnny Thunders' Heartbreakers, rightly considered one of the Top Five All Time Great Punk bands. While the toxically charismatic Johnny took up most of the spotlight, Walter's guitar playing made up the bulk of the band's incredible music, as did Walter's songwriting. To wrap Walter's justified legend up in one neat sentence… “Walter Lure also played un-credited guitar on four albums by The Ramones”.

Ask any serious drummer playing arena-recording level drums and they will all not only know who Bobby Rondinelli is, chances are, they own some of his world famous instructional DVDs. World Famous is not glib here. Mr. Rondinelli travels the globe giving sold out drumming seminars in Tokyo, London, Scandinavia, Moscow… In addition to Bobby being a member of Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow for their albums “Difficult to Cure” (1981), “Straight Between the Eyes” (1982) and “Finyl Vinyl” (1986), Bobby recorded and toured with Black Sabbath on and for the “Cross Purposes” album and two albums and one DVD with Blue Oyster Cult, easily three of the all time most influential Metal bands. Mr. Rondinelli's other recordings number in the literal hundreds.

Binky and Randy are decades-long veterans of the New York City Music Scene. Randy played with the likes of The Funky Knights and is currently the harpist in the reconstituted Cactus, yes, that Cactus, and the internationally acclaimed funk-metal band, The Lizards. Meanwhile, Binky, who, back in the day, shared NYC stages with The New York Dolls, KISS, The Ramones, Blondie, et al, has stuck to his Planets guns all this time while writing a weekly column for Huffington Post. Tommy Ramone even called Binky “a virtuoso”.

Every aspect of The Last Ditches' music (Walter Lure came up with the name), are extraordinarily successful examples of kitsch painter, Bob Ross's Happy Accident approach to art. All thirteen songs on “Spilt Milk” were learned on the spot in the studio and recorded the moment “the ducks lined up”. Adding to the immediacy of the basic tracks, in every case, all the many guitar overdubs were cut with nothing worked out in advance, ever. What Walter and Binky achieved was almost entirely by instinct, attitude, and a strong musical empathy. This is music for Guitar Freaks. Bobby and Randy laid down over-the-top granite-hard fist-tight foundations for Walter and Binky's careening guitars and voices. The band's dear pal, Paul Gifford, added gorgeous harmony vocals.

Eight of the thirteen songs recorded were written by Walter and Binky and Randy, expressly for the “Spilt Milk” album. The remaining five cuts are from untapped back catalog.

It is The Last Ditches' great good fortune (and yours) that this project was headed up by the dazzling Master Engineer, JZ Barrell (who shares Producer credit with Binky) behind the recording console. The band's magic might have been accidental, JZ's was emphatically not. The truth is, everything took so damn long and at times seemed to be happening in a vacuum, that The Last Ditches themselves had no idea they had recorded such an utterly visceral and exciting rock and roll album until JZ finished it.

Okay, it's time for you (and your neighbors) to enjoy this music.

The Last Ditches “Spilt Milk” will be released on Hyperspace / Rocker Records: https://www.facebook.com/Hyperspace-Records-158124194256116/

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

12/21/2015

Prog Metal Band Odin's Court Release Deathanity (R3)


Progressive Metal for fans of Pink Floyd, Dream Theater, Devin Townsend, Porcupine Tree, Iron Maiden, King’s X, Metallica, HIM, and Journey, Enchant, Queen

Baltimore, MD - USA based progressive rock and metal band Odin's Court's announced the re-release of their 2008 album Deathanity (R3) for March, 1 2016. Deathanity (R3) is a “reboot” of the original ProgRock Records album, consisting of a remix (original recording), new recordings (e.g., vocals), and a re-master.

Band leader Matt Brookins commented on the decision to revisit Deathanity: “This was an important album to the band – we worked hard independently, and then shopped it to labels. It was picked up by ProgRock Records (2008), and to date remains our best selling and most popular release. While we were, and still are, proud of what we did, there are some factors that made us want to revisit and improve the quality of the album…mainly, the addition of Dimetrius LaFavors (lead vocals), but also my improvements as an engineer and producer. Additionally, the concept of the album is becoming increasingly important in today’s world, so hopefully we will reach even more ears with this re-release. Stylistically, this album is heavy, progressive, and artsy.”

Deathanity was well received when originally released:

“There's wonderful variety from section to section, the instrumentation and the songwriting are clearly the album's strengths.” – Sea of Tranquility

“The sound of the group is quite personal with a lot of quality, and fantastic production for their music, very pleasant to the ear, nothing strident, with guitars and smooth refining where all instruments are in a place where you can distinguish each of them with complete ease.” – Hall of Metal

“Matt Brookins has succeeded in serving a fantastic album to the inclined listener. From the first minute until the last there is insanely much to discover, and the protagonists are true masters of their instruments.” – Rock Times

Check out the first single “Manifest Destiny” from Deathanity (R3) here:


The band is continuing off the momentum gained from the positive press received on their latest album Turtles All the Way Down (2015):

“Odin’s Court has quietly become one of the best bands in the American Progressive Rock scene, and this album is a perfect example of why that is the case.” – Hard Rock Haven

“Terrific melodic prog/metal that gets better with every listen!” – USA Progressive Music

“The band plays heavy rock inundated with catchy guitar riffs, cool keyboard passages, and excellent lead vocals…the music is so well played, upbeat and catchy as any rock/metal album I have heard in a while.” - Sea of Tranquility

“The strengths are undoubtedly the singing, orchestration, and the work on the guitars. It is highly recommended listening!” – MusicInBelguim.Net

Odin's Court:
Matt Brookins – Guitarist, Keyboardist, Vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist
Rick Pierpont – Guitarist and Backing Vocalist
Dimetrius LaFavors – Vocalist
Gary Raub – Drummer, Percussionist, and Backing Vocalist
Jason Pierpont – Bassist

CONTACT:
Email: band@odinscourtband.com

OFFICIAL SITES:
Band: www.OdinsCourtBand.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/odinscourtband
YouTube: www.youtube.com/odinscourt

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Prog Metal Band Odin's Court Release Deathanity (R3)


Progressive Metal for fans of Pink Floyd, Dream Theater, Devin Townsend, Porcupine Tree, Iron Maiden, King’s X, Metallica, HIM, and Journey, Enchant, Queen

Baltimore, MD - USA based progressive rock and metal band Odin's Court's announced the re-release of their 2008 album Deathanity (R3) for March, 1 2016. Deathanity (R3) is a “reboot” of the original ProgRock Records album, consisting of a remix (original recording), new recordings (e.g., vocals), and a re-master.

Band leader Matt Brookins commented on the decision to revisit Deathanity: “This was an important album to the band – we worked hard independently, and then shopped it to labels. It was picked up by ProgRock Records (2008), and to date remains our best selling and most popular release. While we were, and still are, proud of what we did, there are some factors that made us want to revisit and improve the quality of the album…mainly, the addition of Dimetrius LaFavors (lead vocals), but also my improvements as an engineer and producer. Additionally, the concept of the album is becoming increasingly important in today’s world, so hopefully we will reach even more ears with this re-release. Stylistically, this album is heavy, progressive, and artsy.”

Deathanity was well received when originally released:

“There's wonderful variety from section to section, the instrumentation and the songwriting are clearly the album's strengths.” – Sea of Tranquility

“The sound of the group is quite personal with a lot of quality, and fantastic production for their music, very pleasant to the ear, nothing strident, with guitars and smooth refining where all instruments are in a place where you can distinguish each of them with complete ease.” – Hall of Metal

“Matt Brookins has succeeded in serving a fantastic album to the inclined listener. From the first minute until the last there is insanely much to discover, and the protagonists are true masters of their instruments.” – Rock Times

Check out the first single “Manifest Destiny” from Deathanity (R3) here:


The band is continuing off the momentum gained from the positive press received on their latest album Turtles All the Way Down (2015):

“Odin’s Court has quietly become one of the best bands in the American Progressive Rock scene, and this album is a perfect example of why that is the case.” – Hard Rock Haven

“Terrific melodic prog/metal that gets better with every listen!” – USA Progressive Music

“The band plays heavy rock inundated with catchy guitar riffs, cool keyboard passages, and excellent lead vocals…the music is so well played, upbeat and catchy as any rock/metal album I have heard in a while.” - Sea of Tranquility

“The strengths are undoubtedly the singing, orchestration, and the work on the guitars. It is highly recommended listening!” – MusicInBelguim.Net

Odin's Court:
Matt Brookins – Guitarist, Keyboardist, Vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist
Rick Pierpont – Guitarist and Backing Vocalist
Dimetrius LaFavors – Vocalist
Gary Raub – Drummer, Percussionist, and Backing Vocalist
Jason Pierpont – Bassist

CONTACT:
Email: band@odinscourtband.com

OFFICIAL SITES:
Band: www.OdinsCourtBand.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/odinscourtband
YouTube: www.youtube.com/odinscourt

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Prog Metal Band Odin's Court Release Deathanity (R3)


Progressive Metal for fans of Pink Floyd, Dream Theater, Devin Townsend, Porcupine Tree, Iron Maiden, King’s X, Metallica, HIM, and Journey, Enchant, Queen

Baltimore, MD - USA based progressive rock and metal band Odin's Court's announced the re-release of their 2008 album Deathanity (R3) for March, 1 2016. Deathanity (R3) is a “reboot” of the original ProgRock Records album, consisting of a remix (original recording), new recordings (e.g., vocals), and a re-master.

Band leader Matt Brookins commented on the decision to revisit Deathanity: “This was an important album to the band – we worked hard independently, and then shopped it to labels. It was picked up by ProgRock Records (2008), and to date remains our best selling and most popular release. While we were, and still are, proud of what we did, there are some factors that made us want to revisit and improve the quality of the album…mainly, the addition of Dimetrius LaFavors (lead vocals), but also my improvements as an engineer and producer. Additionally, the concept of the album is becoming increasingly important in today’s world, so hopefully we will reach even more ears with this re-release. Stylistically, this album is heavy, progressive, and artsy.”

Deathanity was well received when originally released:

“There's wonderful variety from section to section, the instrumentation and the songwriting are clearly the album's strengths.” – Sea of Tranquility

“The sound of the group is quite personal with a lot of quality, and fantastic production for their music, very pleasant to the ear, nothing strident, with guitars and smooth refining where all instruments are in a place where you can distinguish each of them with complete ease.” – Hall of Metal

“Matt Brookins has succeeded in serving a fantastic album to the inclined listener. From the first minute until the last there is insanely much to discover, and the protagonists are true masters of their instruments.” – Rock Times

Check out the first single “Manifest Destiny” from Deathanity (R3) here:


The band is continuing off the momentum gained from the positive press received on their latest album Turtles All the Way Down (2015):

“Odin’s Court has quietly become one of the best bands in the American Progressive Rock scene, and this album is a perfect example of why that is the case.” – Hard Rock Haven

“Terrific melodic prog/metal that gets better with every listen!” – USA Progressive Music

“The band plays heavy rock inundated with catchy guitar riffs, cool keyboard passages, and excellent lead vocals…the music is so well played, upbeat and catchy as any rock/metal album I have heard in a while.” - Sea of Tranquility

“The strengths are undoubtedly the singing, orchestration, and the work on the guitars. It is highly recommended listening!” – MusicInBelguim.Net

Odin's Court:
Matt Brookins – Guitarist, Keyboardist, Vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist
Rick Pierpont – Guitarist and Backing Vocalist
Dimetrius LaFavors – Vocalist
Gary Raub – Drummer, Percussionist, and Backing Vocalist
Jason Pierpont – Bassist

CONTACT:
Email: band@odinscourtband.com

OFFICIAL SITES:
Band: www.OdinsCourtBand.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/odinscourtband
YouTube: www.youtube.com/odinscourt

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

9/07/2015

Prog Metal Band Odin's Court Launch Crowd Sourcing Campaign to Release Two Albums


Progressive Metal for fans of Pink Floyd, Dream Theater, Devin Townsend, Porcupine Tree, Iron Maiden, King’s X, Metallica, HIM, and Journey, Enchant, Queen

Baltimore, MD - USA based progressive rock and metal band Odin's Court's announced a crowd sourcing campaign to release 2 albums: Deathanity (R3) and Turtles All the Way Down Vol, II. Deathanity (R3) is a “reboot” of the original ProgRock Records album released in 2008, consisting of a remix (original recording), new recording (e.g., vocals), and a re-master. Turtles All the Way Down, Vol. II continues the concept started in 2015’s album by the same name.

Rewards for campaign backers include CDs, digital releases, shirts, signed drum heads, vinyl banners, coasters, picks, an invitation to a listening party, and more. Samples and more details may be found at the following link:  https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/odinscourt/odins-court-deathanity-reboot-and-turtles-ii

By launching this crowd sourcing campaign, the band wishes to continue the momentum gained from the positive press received on their latest album Turtles All the Way Down (2015):

“Odin’s Court has quietly become one of the best bands in the American Progressive Rock scene, and this album is a perfect example of why that is the case.” – Hard Rock Haven

“Terrific melodic prog/metal that gets better with every listen!” – USA Progressive Music

“The strengths are undoubtedly the singing, orchestration, and the work on the guitars. It is highly recommended listening!” – MusicInBelguim.Net

Band leader Matt Brookins commented on the decision to revisit Deathanity: “This was an important album to the band – we worked hard independently, and then shopped it to labels. It was picked up by ProgRock Records (2008), and to date remains our best selling and most popular release. While we were, and still are, proud of what we did, there are some factors that made us want to revisit and improve the quality of the album…mainly, the addition of Dimetrius LaFavors (lead vocals), but also my improvements as an engineer and producer. Additionally, the concept of the album is becoming increasingly important in today’s world, so hopefully we will reach even more ears with this re-release. Stylistically, this album is heavy, progressive, and artsy.”

Deathanity was well received when originally released:

“There's wonderful variety from section to section, the instrumentation and the songwriting are clearly the album's strengths.” – Sea of Tranquility

“The sound of the group is quite personal with a lot of quality, and fantastic production for their music, very pleasant to the ear, nothing strident, with guitars and smooth refining where all instruments are in a place where you can distinguish each of them with complete ease.” – Hall of Metal

“Matt Brookins has succeeded in serving a fantastic album to the inclined listener. From the first minute until the last there is insanely much to discover, and the protagonists are true masters of their instruments.” – Rock Times

Turtles All the Way Down, Vol. II continues where the last album left off, exploring the concept of infinite regression and individuals’ methods of finding their place and coping in such a vast universe. Brookins comments: “The creation of 2015’s album was therapeutic to me. I was so enthusiastic about the concept, that I ended up writing two albums worth of music and lyrics. While we discussed putting out a double album, our financial situation and time constraints prohibited it at the time. Rather than letting these ‘extra’ songs go unheard, we thought it would be nice to complete them. While some songs didn’t make the final cut, many did – and I wrote some new ones as well. We also have a couple of alternate versions of songs from the 2015 album. Stylistically, this album strikes me as a bit AOR with a hard edge.”

Odin's Court:
Matt Brookins – Guitarist, Keyboardist, Vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist
Rick Pierpont – Guitarist and Backing Vocalist
Dimetrius LaFavors – Vocalist
Gary Raub – Drummer, Percussionist, and Backing Vocalist
Jason Pierpont – Bassist

CONTACT:
Email: band@odinscourtband.com

OFFICIAL SITES:
Band: www.OdinsCourtBand.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/odinscourtband
YouTube: www.youtube.com/odinscourt

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com 

Prog Metal Band Odin's Court Launch Crowd Sourcing Campaign to Release Two Albums


Progressive Metal for fans of Pink Floyd, Dream Theater, Devin Townsend, Porcupine Tree, Iron Maiden, King’s X, Metallica, HIM, and Journey, Enchant, Queen

Baltimore, MD - USA based progressive rock and metal band Odin's Court's announced a crowd sourcing campaign to release 2 albums: Deathanity (R3) and Turtles All the Way Down Vol, II. Deathanity (R3) is a “reboot” of the original ProgRock Records album released in 2008, consisting of a remix (original recording), new recording (e.g., vocals), and a re-master. Turtles All the Way Down, Vol. II continues the concept started in 2015’s album by the same name.

Rewards for campaign backers include CDs, digital releases, shirts, signed drum heads, vinyl banners, coasters, picks, an invitation to a listening party, and more. Samples and more details may be found at the following link:  https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/odinscourt/odins-court-deathanity-reboot-and-turtles-ii

By launching this crowd sourcing campaign, the band wishes to continue the momentum gained from the positive press received on their latest album Turtles All the Way Down (2015):

“Odin’s Court has quietly become one of the best bands in the American Progressive Rock scene, and this album is a perfect example of why that is the case.” – Hard Rock Haven

“Terrific melodic prog/metal that gets better with every listen!” – USA Progressive Music

“The strengths are undoubtedly the singing, orchestration, and the work on the guitars. It is highly recommended listening!” – MusicInBelguim.Net

Band leader Matt Brookins commented on the decision to revisit Deathanity: “This was an important album to the band – we worked hard independently, and then shopped it to labels. It was picked up by ProgRock Records (2008), and to date remains our best selling and most popular release. While we were, and still are, proud of what we did, there are some factors that made us want to revisit and improve the quality of the album…mainly, the addition of Dimetrius LaFavors (lead vocals), but also my improvements as an engineer and producer. Additionally, the concept of the album is becoming increasingly important in today’s world, so hopefully we will reach even more ears with this re-release. Stylistically, this album is heavy, progressive, and artsy.”

Deathanity was well received when originally released:

“There's wonderful variety from section to section, the instrumentation and the songwriting are clearly the album's strengths.” – Sea of Tranquility

“The sound of the group is quite personal with a lot of quality, and fantastic production for their music, very pleasant to the ear, nothing strident, with guitars and smooth refining where all instruments are in a place where you can distinguish each of them with complete ease.” – Hall of Metal

“Matt Brookins has succeeded in serving a fantastic album to the inclined listener. From the first minute until the last there is insanely much to discover, and the protagonists are true masters of their instruments.” – Rock Times

Turtles All the Way Down, Vol. II continues where the last album left off, exploring the concept of infinite regression and individuals’ methods of finding their place and coping in such a vast universe. Brookins comments: “The creation of 2015’s album was therapeutic to me. I was so enthusiastic about the concept, that I ended up writing two albums worth of music and lyrics. While we discussed putting out a double album, our financial situation and time constraints prohibited it at the time. Rather than letting these ‘extra’ songs go unheard, we thought it would be nice to complete them. While some songs didn’t make the final cut, many did – and I wrote some new ones as well. We also have a couple of alternate versions of songs from the 2015 album. Stylistically, this album strikes me as a bit AOR with a hard edge.”

Odin's Court:
Matt Brookins – Guitarist, Keyboardist, Vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist
Rick Pierpont – Guitarist and Backing Vocalist
Dimetrius LaFavors – Vocalist
Gary Raub – Drummer, Percussionist, and Backing Vocalist
Jason Pierpont – Bassist

CONTACT:
Email: band@odinscourtband.com

OFFICIAL SITES:
Band: www.OdinsCourtBand.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/odinscourtband
YouTube: www.youtube.com/odinscourt

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com 

12/11/2013

Brazilian Prog Ensemble IMAGERY Release Debut CD 'The Inner Journey'



Los Angeles, CA - From the earliest days of human thought, the theme of Duality has been widely debated among philosophers, scientists and spiritual seekers. The ambiguity of the concept still serves as inspiration for endless artistic musings about love and hate, life and death, happiness and sadness. The Brazilian progressive rock/metal band IMAGERY follows these endless seas of intellectual thought to trace their musical identity, personified by the debut album, 'The Inner Journey' released in the U.S. by powerhouse metal label Deadline Music.

Formed in 2008 by Joceir Bertoni (vocal/guitar), Ricardo Fanucchi (bass) and Luciano Neves (drums), IMAGERY was born from the ashes of the bands G.A.F. and Revolt, two groups from the city of Londrina, Parana state. From its inception, IMAGERY had a dual character, combining classic prog rock and metal. The uniting of these two disparate genres was no easy feat. After all, if progressive rock is emotional, heavy metal is visceral; if prog rock is technique, heavy metal is attitude; if prog rock is sensibility, heavy metal is aggressiveness.

And it was in transmuting these opposites – sometimes conflicting, sometimes complementary – that IMAGERY came upon their unique sound. Recorded at PlayRecPause Studios in Londrina under the experienced production talent of Julio Anizelli (Mamaquilla, Terra Celta, Lixo Extraordinário), 'The Inner Journey' brings eight tracks that not only extol the technical ability of the musicians, but, above all, the quality of the band's compositions.

“Fourth Secret” is a perfect prelude and shows the different faces of this dynamic album. The second song, “Imagery,” doesn’t take the name of the band in vain; it is the band’s fingerprint and shows some of their core characteristics, like the absence of compositional patterns. Over the course of nearly six minutes, the song almost doesn’t repeat itself, marking an unreturnable journey through different environments and sonic textures.

Carl Gustav Jung might say that “Perception” is the archetype of progressive metal. However, when IMAGERY play prog metal, they sound like no other band from this style. In this same track it's possible to notice the strong influence of jazz, classical and even Brazilian bossa nova.

Musically, “Start The War” offers a stunning deconstruction of its titular theme, passing from thrash metal riffs to an atonal style. “The Rain” keeps the heaviness in evidence, but never in a minimalist or cheap way. In the musical universe of IMAGERY, nothing is predictable. “Show Me” is an invitation to see the beauty of introspection. Indeed, this song synthesizes the title and the central concept of the album's lyrics that are all based on personal reflections of the musicians.

Joceir Bertoni also shows that he is a consummate vocalist. His unique timbre has an important impact on the musical personality of IMAGERY as a whole. With “Stranger” IMAGERY shows how it's possible to build a heavy metal composition using the main characteristics of this musical genre without sounding cliché. Strategically, “Last” closes the album, and just like “Imagery”, the song embodies the main characteristics of IMAGERY. It doesn’t repeat, but even so it sticks in the mind for hours. “Last” was released as a digital single before the physical release of 'The Inner Journey' – along with the other digital single “Perception”.

The pre-release party of 'The Inner Journey' happened during a historical gig in March of 2012 at Pedreira do Icatu in Votorantim, Sao Paulo state, aside the worldwide progressive legend, FOCUS. More than 3 thousand people attended the event, making it one of the biggest shows of the band’s career – up there with the “Prog Union Tour” that IMAGERY did in 2009 with the veteran progressive band Apocalypse.

FORMAT: CD
TRACKLIST:
1- Fourth Secret
2- Imagery
3- Perception
4- Start The War
5- The Rain
6- Show Me
7- Stranger
8- Last

LINE-UP:
Joceir Bertoni (Vocal/Guitar)
Ricardo Fanucchi (Bass)
Bruno Pamplona (Drums/Vocal)
Henrique Loureiro (Keyboards)

DISCOGRAPHY:
The Inner Journey (2013)

OFFICIAL ADDRESSES ON INTERNET:
www.imageryprog.com.br
www.facebook.com/imageryprog
www.youtube.com/imageryprog
www.twitter.com/imageryprog
www.myspace.com/imageryprog
www.orkut.com.br/Main#Community.aspx?cmm=37004372

To purchase IMAGERY - 'The Inner Journey' CD: http://georiot.co/3c9m

MANAGEMENT, BOOKING, PRESS & PROMOTION: Eliton Tomasi (Som do Darma): eliton@somdodarma.com.br / +55 (15) 3211-1621

Press inquiries:
Glass Onyon PR
Billy James
PH: 828-350-8158
glassonyonpr@gmail.com

CLEOPATRA RECORDS, INC.
11041 Santa Monica Blvd #703
Los Angeles CA 90025
www.CleopatraRecords.com