Devin Townsend to release Empath “The Ultimate Edition” in time for Summer Tour

Devin Townsend is pleased to announce the release of ‘Empath – The Ultimate Edition’ on June 5th, 2020. This comprehensive version of 2019’s acclaimed album contains the original record and bonus disc across 2 CD’s, plus 2 Blu-Ray discs. The first blu-ray contains the 5.1 Surround Sound mix by Devin, with visuals for the full record, plus a stereo visualiser. The second blu-ray contains a raft of bonus material, including ‘Acoustically Inclined – Live in Leeds’, a recording from his April 2019 acoustic tour where he performed tracks including ‘Love?’, ‘Deadhead’, ‘Thing Beyond Things’ & more.

It also features the full Empath Documentary, a ‘Genesis 5.1 Mixing Lesson’, a full album commentary & more. The four discs sit inside a beautiful art-book that contains new liner notes and images from the making of the album.

Devin comments of the new 5.1 surround sound mix:
“On a technical level, I guess I have always been dissatisfied with the basic ‘stereo’ format in which the type of music I make gets presented in. Whether its headphones, computer speakers, stereos (or basically anything currently), I have had to figure out ways to get the work to function through TWO speakers. I hear things in a particularly orchestrated way, and with the amount of information that typically gets recorded per song, the result has been the dubious ‘wall of sound’ that I keep ending up with. But my intention has never been to make an oppressive experience, but rather something that is immersive and vast. 

Making it work in two speakers just simply doesn’t quite work for the vision. Although I’ve managed to get the point across, (to varying degrees), things always have to compromise to make it all fit. Making the drums speak at the same time as orchestra, cymbals, guitars, choirs, synths etc.…all with my voice on top, ends up with every conceivable frequency fighting for breathing space between those two speakers.

Therefore, I asked the powers that be in my business world, to tolerate one more ‘kick at the can’ when it came to Empath. I wanted to attempt a surround mix and follow the original vision of it being an immersive, multimedia experience for people in the ways I could best achieve at this stage. And although it’s still pretty ‘dense’, with four more sources for the sound to come from, I feel its significantly closer to the original vision here.”

Tracklisting

CD1: 
01 – Castaway 
02 – Genesis 
03 – Spirits Will Collide 
04 – Evermore 
05 – Sprite 
06 – Hear Me 
07 – Why? 
08 – Borderlands 
09 – Requiem 
10 – Singularity: Adrift 
11 – Singularity: I Am I 
12 – Singularity: There Be Monsters 
13 – Singularity: Curious Gods 
14 – Singularity: Silicone Scientists 
15 – Singularity: Here Comes The Sun! 

CD2: 
01 – The Contrarian (Demo) 
02 – King (Demo) 
03 – The Waiting Kind (Demo) 
04 – Empath (Demo) 
05 – Methuselah (Demo) 
06 – This Is Your Life (Demo) 
07 – Gulag (Demo) 
08 – Middle Aged Man (Demo) 
09 – Total Collapse (Demo) 
10 – Summer (Demo) 

BluRay 1: 
01 – Castaway (5.1 Surround Mix) 
02 – Genesis (5.1 Surround Mix) 
03 – Spirits Will Collide (5.1 Surround Mix) 
04 – Evermore (5.1 Surround Mix) 
05 – Sprite (5.1 Surround Mix) 
06 – Hear Me (5.1 Surround Mix) 
07 – Why? (5.1 Surround Mix) 
08 – Borderlands (5.1 Surround Mix) 
09 – Requiem (5.1 Surround Mix) 
10 – Singularity: Adrift (5.1 Surround Mix) 
11 – Singularity: I Am I (5.1 Surround Mix) 
12 – Singularity: There Be Monsters (5.1 Surround Mix) 
13 – Singularity: Curious Gods (5.1 Surround Mix) 
14 – Singularity: Silicone Scientists (5.1 Surround Mix) 
15 – Singularity: Here Comes The Sun! (5.1 Surround Mix) 
16 – Castaway (Stereo Mix Visualizer) 
17 – Genesis (Stereo Mix Visualizer) 
18 – Spirits Will Collide (Stereo Mix Visualizer) 
19 – Evermore (Stereo Mix Visualizer) 
20 – Sprite (Stereo Mix Visualizer) 
21 – Hear Me (Stereo Mix Visualizer) 
22 – Borderlands (Stereo Mix Visualizer) 
23 – Why? (Stereo Mix Visualizer) 
24 – Requiem (Stereo Mix Visualizer) 
25 – Singularity: Adrift (Stereo Mix Visualizer) 
26 – Singularity: I Am I (Stereo Mix Visualizer) 
27 – Singularity: There Be Monsters (Stereo Mix Visualizer) 
28 – Singularity: Curious Gods (Stereo Mix Visualizer) 
29 – Singularity: Silicone Scientists (Stereo Mix Visualizer) 
30 – Singularity: Here Comes The Sun! (Stereo Mix Visualizer) 

BluRay 2: 
01 – Empath Documentary 
02 – Empath Album Commentary 
03 – Genesis 5.1 Mixing Lesson 
04 – Acoustic Gear Tour 
05 – Intro (Live in Leeds 2019) 
06 – Let It Roll (Live in Leeds 2019) 
07 – Funeral (Live in Leeds 2019) 
08 – Ih-Ah (Live in Leeds 2019) 
09 – Deadhead (Live in Leeds 2019) 
10 – Love? (Live in Leeds 2019) 
11 – Hyperdrive! (Live in Leeds 2019) 
12 – Terminal (Live in Leeds 2019) 
13 – Coast (Live in Leeds 2019) 
14 – Solar Winds (Live in Leeds 2019) 
15 – Thing Beyond Things (Live in Leeds 2019) 
16 – King (Official Video)

Pre-orders are now available here:
https://www.omerch.eu/shop/devintownsend/
https://Devin-Townsend.lnk.to/Empath-TheUltimateEdition

Devin will head out on a Summer festival run mixed with club shows in Europe, which includes a headline appearance at Bloodstock Festival in the UK.
 
04.06.2020 Sweden Rock Festival – Solvesborg (SE)
05.-07.06.2020 Rock Im Park  – Nürnberg (DE)
05.-07.06.2020 Rock Am Ring – Mendig (DE)
10.06.2020 Majestic Music Club – Bratislava (SVK)
10.06.2020 Mystic Festival – Krakow (PL)
11.06.2020 Nova Rock – Nickelsdorf, (AT)
13.06.2020 The Roman Arenas -Bucharest (ROU)
14.06.2020 Mixtape 5 -Sofia (BGR)
15.06.2020 A38 – Budapest (HU)
18.06.2020 Copenhell – Copenhagen (DK)
20.06.2020 Graspop Metal Meeting – Dessel (BE)
21.06.2020 Hellfest – Clisson (FR)
23.06.2020 Rockhal – Esch-sur-alzette (LUX) Co-Headline with Meshuggah
24.06.2020 Xtra – Zurich (CHE) Co-Headline with Meshuggah
26.06.2020 Rock The Night Festival – Rivas-Vaciamadrid (ES) – CANCELLED
28.06.2020 Tuska – Helsinki (FI)
29.07.2020 MetalDays, Tolmin (SLO)
30.07.2020 Wacken Open Air – Wacken (DE)
05.08.2020 Brutal Assault Festival – Jaromer (CZE)
07.08.2020 Bloodstock Open Air – Walton-On-Trent (UK)
09.08.2020 Into The Grave – Leeuwarden (NL)
12.08.2020 Summer Breeze, Dinkelsbuhl (DE)

Find the full list of upcoming dates here: https://www.hevydevy.com/tourdates/

DEVIN TOWNSEND online:
http://www.hevydevy.com
http://www.facebook.com/dvntownsend
http://www.omerch.com
https://twitter.com/dvntownsend
https://www.instagram.com/dvntownsend/
https://www.youtube.com/user/poopynuggeteer/

INSIDEOUT MUSIC online:
www.insideoutmusic.com
www.youtube.com/InsideOutMusicTV
www.facebook.com/InsideOutMusic
www.twitter.com/InsideOutUSA

INSIDEOUTMUSIC Spotify Playlist: 
http://spotify.com/progrockessentials
http://spotify.com/progmetalessentials

Sonic Divide’s Second Studio Album “The Other Side” Now Available Worldwide!

Sonic Divide returns with their highly anticipated and long-awaited new collection of rock grooves, a follow-up to their 2013 self-titled album. The new album boasts 12 new tracks that deliver plenty of melody and punch, these new songs will fast become classics and fan favorites. The album is available worldwide in both CD and Digital formats

The Sophomore album was completed late 2019 in Adelaide, Australia and produced by Sean Timms at Timms Tunes Studio. The album features the singles “Come Back Again” “Alive” and “When It Bleeds” Listen to the sampler here


Track Listing
1. Vicinity 03:58  
2. Hero 03:29
3. Come Back Again 04:20
4. When it Bleeds 04:55
5. Roll The Dice 05:46
6. Alive 03:11
7. Final Stage 04:50
8. Shot In The Dark 04:02
9. I’ll Run 04:19
10. When No One’s Watching 03:54
11. I Still Believe 04:32
12. Stay 04:50

The Band
Wayne Holden – Lead Vocals
Glenn Johnson – Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals
Andy Young – Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Ian Slade – Bass, Backing Vocals
Evan Johnson – Drums, Backing Vocals
Steve Pirie – Guitars, Backing Vocals

Follow Sonic Divide
Website: www.sonicdivide.net 
Facebook: www.facebook.com/sonicdivide/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/sonicdivide/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SonicDivideBand
Melodic Revolution Records: https://mrrmusic.com/sonic-divide/

Melodic Revolution Records Online:
https://mrrmusic.com/
https://www.facebook.com/MelodicRevolutionRecords/ 
https://www.facebook.com/MelodicRevolutionRecords/
https://www.youtube.com/c/MelodicRevolutionRecordsMusic 
https://twitter.com/MusicIsOurVoice 

Melodic Revolution Records Spotify Playlists:
https://open.spotify.com/user/melodicrevolutionrecords

Eclipse Announces Streaming Concert “Live From The Quarantine” After Postponing World Tour Due to Covid -19 Outbreak

Swedish rockers take their show online including the debut performance of brand new single!

After having to postpone gigs all over the world due to the recent Covid-19 outbreak, Swedish band ECLIPSE has organized an online gig that will be streamed LIVE from Stockholm on Wednesday, April 1st at 8 pm CET.

Lead singer Erik Martensson:” In the last few weeks we have had to cancel shows in Japan, Australia, the UK, Spain and a bunch of other places. So we started talking about what options we had. We could, of course, set up a phone in our rehearsal space and stream a gig from there but to be honest so could anyone else. We wanted to do something really special. We have joined forces with a team of professional broadcast producers to be able to deliver a unique live experience complete with multiple HD cameras and grade A sound, produced on the fly!”

Guitarist Magnus Henriksson:” I am really excited! Playing a show only in front of cameras will be a completely new experience for all of us. I guess the only thing we know for certain is that there will be no crowd surfing… We are taking the opportunity to perform a few songs we rarely play but more importantly we will play our brand new single that is yet to be released!”
Erik Martensson:” We have tried to keep ticket prices as low as possible. For 8 Euros we feel we can deliver awesome value to fans and at the same time make sure the production team gets compensated fairly. Musicians are not the only line of professionals getting hit big time by this freaking virus.”

From the album PARADIGM. Buy or Stream: https://orcd.co/eclipse

Tickets to ECLIPSE LIVE FROM THE QUARANTINE are available NOW at:
https://play.staylive.se/blackbox/l/26509

For More Info Visit:
www.eclipsemania.com
https://www.facebook.com/EclipseSweden/
https://www.instagram.com/eclipse_sweden/

Abel Ganz to Release Long-Awaited Album “The Life of The Honey Bee, And Other Moments of Clarity“

The Life of The Honey Bee, And Other Moments of Clarity is the eagerly and long-awaited new album from Scottish prog maestros Abel Ganz.  A concept album comprising of six thematically linked pieces exploring our relationship with memory and loss. The liminal space between a fading ‘what was’ and an anticipated ‘what is to come’.

The album recalls the hazy technicolour of long remembered summers and the sepia of a love forgotten. A place where we blur the boundaries of returning and renewal.  The lyrics chart the course through recollection to premonition. These words are both deeply personal and universal, hope for what is next and a lament for what we have lost.

The new album has taken six years to realise and follows on from the self-titled 2014 opus Abel Ganz which was both critically acclaimed [topping several ‘best of’ lists for that year], and universally acknowledged as the band’s best, most mature album to date.

The influences on the new album continue in a similar vein – further developing their eclectic mix of folk, rock, metal and Celtic styles. The album’s trajectory shifts between crunching guitars, subtle acoustic instruments, strings, soaring Hammond and emotive grand piano all connected by lyrical storytelling and timeless vocals and harmonies.

Produced by Denis Smith, mixed by the legendary Simon Vinestock [Texas, Blur, Robert Plant, Simple Minds] and mastered by Jacob Holm-Lupo [White Willow / Opium Cartel] the album also includes a beautiful guest performance from multi-award-winning, former ‘Scots Singer of the Year’, and acclaimed solo artist Emily Smith.

NB!  Since the global outrbreak of coronovirus, we have been struggling with the dilemma over what to do. Should we press ahead with our pre-sale – or shelve the whole thing for a couple of months? As you can no doubt appreciate, we have been working incredibly hard on this project [literally for years!] and we are itching to get it out – but we do recognize that we are living through an uncertain period and that, for some, right now might not be an ideal time for us to ask for help with a fundraiser / pre-sale.

As I say – we have been struggling with this a great deal and after much deliberation and soul searching, we have finally made the decision to press ahead!

However, given there is a question mark at the moment when manufacturers and suppliers will be able to take [and process] any orders from us we have decided to push back the actual release date [we had been planning an early May release] of the album to June 15th and make this a very, very long pre-sale indeed! We hope that by then the situation will allow deliveries to be made safely.

The Life of the Honeybee and other Moments of Clarity
Davie Mitchell: Electric guitar, Nashville acoustic guitars, Lead guitar,
Jack Webb: Piano, Hammond B3, Electric piano
Mick Macfarlane: Vocals, Electric guitars, Bouzouki
David King: Acoustic guitar, Electric guitars, Additional keyboards
Stephen Donnelly: Bass guitars,
Denis Smith: Drums
Alan Hearton: Minimoog
Fiona Cuthill: Fiddles, Recorders
Alex Paclin: Harmonica
Snake Davis: Saxophone

One Small Soul
Jack Webb: Pianos, Hammond B3
Mick Macfarlane: Vocals, Acoustic guitars,
Emily Smith: Vocals
David King: Electric guitars, Lead guitar,
Stephen Donnelly: Double bass
Denis Smith: Drums

Arran Shores
David King: Acoustic guitar

Summerlong
Jack Webb: Yamaha C3 grand piano, Hammond B3
Mick Macfarlane: Vocals
Stephen Donnelly: Bass gtr
Denis Smith: Drums
All strings arranged and performed by Frank van Essen*

Sepia and White
Davie Mitchell: Electric gtr
Jack Webb: Piano, Hammond B3, Electric piano, Synth keyboards
Alan Hearton: Moog synthesizer, Vibraphone, Additional keyboards
Mick Macfarlane: Vocals, Electric guitars,
David King: Electric guitars, Lead guitar,
Stephen Donnelly: Electric bass guitar, Acoustic double bass guitar
Denis Smith: Drums

The Light Shines Out
David King: Keyboards, Drum Programming, Guitars
Alan Hearton: Grand piano, Minimoog, String synthesizer
Denis Smith: Vocals
Stevie Lawrence: Low whistles
Signy Jakobsdottir: Congas, Percussion
French horns arranged and performed by Marc Papaghin*

Recorded at: Ganz Mansions, Gorbals Sound Studios, Maybank Studios, Toy Town Studios.
Engineers: Denis Smith, David King, Matt Harvey, Gordon McNeil
Mixed by Simon Vinestock at Mixfarm Studio
Mastered by Jacob Holm-Lupo at Dude Ranch Studio
Art direction and design by Stephen Donnelly, front cover painting by Vvildr, internal illustrations by Katy Levin.
Produced by Denis Smith

All music written and arranged by Abel Ganz except* © 2020 Abel Records

Follow
https://www.abelganz.com
https://www.facebook.com/abelganzband/

Listen to the new Abel Ganz HoneyBee Promo below

Dropkick Murphys Release New Single “Mick Jones Nicked My Pudding” With B-Side “James Connolly” Direct To Fans

Dropkick Murphys have just released a new single, “Mick Jones Nicked My Pudding”–along with a B-side “James Connolly,” written by the band’s friend Larry Kirwan–direct to fans via www.DKMStore.com and dropkickmurphys.bandcamp.com. The band debuted the new single live during their Streaming Up From Boston St. Patrick’s Day concert on March 17.

Streaming Up From Boston has now been watched more than 10 million times across multiple platforms, and was featured on the NBC Nightly News (March 18), CBS This Morning Saturday (March 21), CNN (March 23) and The Late Show With Stephen ColbertDropkick Murphys’ charity The Claddagh Fund raised over $60,000 for the city of Boston’s Boston Resiliency Fund in connection with the live streaming event. The free streaming concert was a #1 YouTube Trending Page, #2 Twitter Trending Topic across the United States, and a homepage feature on Twitch, as well as streaming concurrently via Instagram and Facebook Live. Streaming Up From Boston was sponsored by Boston-area tech company Pegasystems.

Watch NBC, CBS and CNN coverage of Streaming Up From Boston here:

NBC Nightly News
www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/musicians-practice-social-distancing-by-streaming-concerts-80942661638

CBS This Morning Saturday:
www.cbsnews.com/video/musicians-hold-virtual-concerts-to-entertain-fans-while-social-distancing/

CNN
www.cnn.com/videos/entertainment/2020/03/23/musicians-reach-out-amid-coronavirus.cnn

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert: 
https://youtu.be/eWPKrGJ7ksI?t=702

Dropkick Murphys’ originally scheduled hometown St. Patrick’s Day Week Boston Blowout shows have been postponed until later this year.

In addition to Mick Jones Nicked My Pudding” / “James Connolly,” Dropkick Murphys recently released the single “Smash Sh*t Up,” and will release a new album on September 11 through the band’s own Born & Bred Records. “Smash Sh*t Up” is available digitally and on limited edition colored vinyl paired with B-side “The Bonny,” a cover of Gerry Cinnamon’s 2019 song.

For more information on Dropkick Murphys visit:

Website: www.dropkickmurphys.com
YouTube: www.youtube.com/DropkickMurphys
Facebook: www.facebook.com/DropkickMurphys
Instagram: www.instagram.com/dropkickmurphys
Twitter: www.twitter.com/DropkickMurphys

Dropkick Murphys

11 Short Stories Of Pain & Glory
Biography

Al Barr lead vocals
Tim Brennan guitars, accordion, mellotron, whistles and vocals
Ken Casey lead vocals and bass guitar
Jeff DaRosa banjo, bouzouki, mandolin, harmonica, acoustic guitars and vocals
Matt Kelly drums, percussion and vocals
James Lynch guitars and vocals
 
From the early days at the Boston landmark The Rathskeller (aka The Rat) beneath Kenmore Square, to 80,000-plus on the main stages of European festivals, the Dropkick Murphys have spent a large chunk of the last 20 years touring the world. All that travel has only strengthened their love and appreciation for their hometown. When they finally get back home from a tour, it’s hard to pry them away again. When the band is off the road, they spend most of their time with family, or working with The Claddagh Fund, the charity foundation they launched in 2009.

As much as Dropkick Murphys love Boston, they were determined to start their third decade with a bang. They wanted to take it to the next level. For that, they knew they’d need to make a record that blew people away. To do that, they’d need to focus. To do that, they’d need to remove all distractions. To do that, they’d need to go to…El Paso?

You heard that right! They packed up their gear and hit the road, joining longtime producer Ted Hutt at a studio 30 miles east of El Paso. Sonic Ranch Studios, whose property abuts the U.S./Mexico border, is a place where the only cell service is the occasional bar that pops up from a Mexican carrier. This bold move, this dedication, this desolation – and this amazing studio – helped the band capture something magical on their new album, 11 Short Stories Of Pain & Glory

“To me, the whole journey starts with the fact we actually agreed to go – and then went – to Texas. Because we’ve never left home to make a record,” says bassist and founder Ken Casey. “As everyone’s lives have become crazier and busier with kids and families, it’s gotten harder to buckle down at home. We decided to leave Boston, go down to literally the middle of nowhere and lock ourselves in a room.”

“There was nothing around us for miles,” says guitarist Tim Brennan. “It was just us and the studio. I think it gave us the ability to work without distractions in a way that we’ve never really been able to before. All we could do was focus on music. It was one hundred percent devotion to the songs. Once we started to put everything together in El Paso, the songs took on a whole new life and exceeded our expectations.”

From the start of the songwriting process there was a sense of urgency and passion in the room. The opiate epidemic ravaging the country – in particular Boston and New England – was hitting closer than ever to home. Sadness, anger, and dismay fed the writing process. This was personal. The crisis directly struck the band’s family circle in 2014 when Barr’s brother-in-law died of an overdose. 

“Between Al’s loss and all the friends and people that I know, I’d say I’ve been to 50 wakes in the last three years,” Casey says. “The state has decided to almost give up on kids in a way with prescribing Suboxone, which is like the methadone of our generation. Of course, that doesn’t work either. You can’t give up on the people society has deemed will fail.”
 
One of the main focuses of the band’s Claddagh Fund is to support addiction recovery. The band is hands-on in raising funds, mentoring, and lending a helping hand in the fight. Many of the songs reflect these experiences. “Rebels With A Cause” was written about kids who are given up on and left behind by a system that has written them off as hopeless. “Paying My Way” is about the way up and out of addiction and the dream of bigger and better things in life.

But the first song that was on the docket for this record was the daunting cover of “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” the Rodgers and Hammerstein song made famous by Gerry and The Pacemakers. “I was leaving another overdose wake and the song came on in the car,” says Casey. “My music was on shuffle, and ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ randomly played. As I heard the chorus, ‘Walk on, walk on with hope in your heart and you’ll never walk alone,’ it struck me how powerfully the song related to the struggle and how you don’t have to do it alone.” 

With no fanfare, the members of Dropkick Murphys get into the lives of other people. With financial resources from The Claddagh Fund, they have helped many men, women, and teens who have found themselves in the depths of addiction. They stand with the families to help them navigate the life-altering road to recovery. It’s something Dropkick Murphys are dead serious about.
 
With all of this in mind, it’s fitting that 11 Short Stories Of Pain & Glory is a soundtrack to tragedy and triumph alike, and by the time these songs made it to tape in Texas there was a power to them unlike anything the band had captured before. On this album, Dropkick Murphys carry on the tradition of rough and tumble storytelling – the kind of writing that never leaves fans wondering whether the band have lived what they’re singing about. 

A look back at childhood life, a snapshot of a clueless Masshole, a stop-you-in-your tracks reflection on a terrorist tragedy…it’s all there across the record’s 11 tracks. There are moments of ass-kicking Celtic punk attitude, ball-busting wisecracks, tear-jerking confessions, and the kind of upbeat words of wisdom that can be chanted loud and proud across arenas and stadiums worldwide. It’s real. It’s raw. It’s Dropkick Murphys.

 
The album begins with the band’s interpretation of classic Irish staple “The Lonesome Boatman.” Driven by a whistle and tribal drum that wouldn’t be out of place in The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly, the instrumental quickly ramps up with a gang chorus punctuated by gnashing guitars. “It’s got that loneliness of being out there in the desert outside El Paso, which sets the tone for the record,” says Casey. “Our version has that Southwest influence to it.”
 
11 Short Stories Of Pain & Glory quickly snaps into the anthemic, punked up clarion call of “Rebels With A Cause.” For the first time in years, Casey and lead singer Al Barr trade verses, painting a picture of “Dead end kids you don’t want ‘em // you don’t need ‘em // and you’ll always find a reason when you need to write ‘em off,” before announcing, “Kid–you got heart.”
 
“Like the title says, this album is everything from pain to glory,” affirms Casey. “It’s the successes, the failures, the heartache, and the laughs. It’s like a chapter book, and each song is its own part of that story. They’re different feelings, moods, and emotions, but they’re still Dropkick Murphys.”

“Blood” lands a one-two punch of traditional bagpipes and crunching riffs, culminating with the chant, “If you want blood // we’ll give you some.” Brennan goes on, “It’s old style Dropkicks, but the delivery has evolved. There’s a lot more space to it musically. We’re still doing what we’re known for doing, but in a more sonically expanded manner.” “Blood” is the story of the band’s 20-year career, and the mutual respect and dedication the band and its fans have for one another.
 
What started as a catchy piano melody developed into one of the more stirring songs on the album. Hinging on a bombastic drum loop, “Paying My Way” swings from a commanding piano riff into the powerful refrain, “But my hopes are so much higher // don’t count me out I’m a survivor.” The song is as uplifting as it is undeniable. 

“Paying My Way is not just about paying your bills,” says Casey. “It’s about doing what you have to do in order to be a good person. But at the end of the day, never losing sight of the fact that doing the next right thing may lead to great things one day.”
 
“First Class Loser” calls out a lovable lout. “Before I play that song for people, I say it’s about them. Then they get pissed once they hear the words,” chuckles Casey.
 
11 Short Stories Of Pain & Glory seizes on idyllic summers of childhood mischief on “Sandlot,” a sun-drenched look back at youthful disobedience. The song developed on the road over the past few years. Even without a recording, fans at the biggest European festivals could be heard carrying the tune loudly on their own, sometimes drowning out the band as they played the acoustic version.
 
“4-15-13” stands out as one of the most emotional pieces in the group’s catalog. With its traditional instrumentation and somber folk-inspired elegy for their hometown’s innocence, the track pays homage to the victims of the Boston Marathon Bombing, most of whom the band grew to know personally after many visits to their hospital rooms in the aftermath.
 
“Since that day, we felt like not taking the challenge to write a song about what we all went through would be taking the coward’s way out,” Casey reflects. “We put more importance on writing that piece of music than anything we’ve ever done, because if you’re going to touch that day, it has to be done right. We went through so many emotions with that whole experience, as did everyone in Boston. It changed the city forever.”

11 Short Stories Of Pain & Glory represents a high-water mark for Dropkick Murphys as they invite listeners everywhere to once again take an active part in their story. “We’ve stayed true to what the band is and has always been. And we’re still expanding on our sound and lyrical content,” offers Brennan.
 
“There is lots of messed up stuff going on in the world but you can’t let it take you down,” Casey continues. “The only way to survive in life is to enjoy it and make the most of it. That’s what this record is. There’s good times. There’s bad times. There’s happy times. There’s sad times. In just 40 minutes, you feel all of that. We truly put our heart and soul into every record we’ve ever made. This is no exception. We wouldn’t let it go down any other way. We’ll break up before that happens.”
 
11 Short Stories Of Pain & Glory is the perfect way to kick off another 20 years of Dropkick Murphys. Hold your head high, and crank it up.


DROPKICK MURPHYS HISTORY

Dropkick Murphys have become ambassadors for their city. In Boston, it seems like everybody knows someone connected to the band whether by blood, friendship, or the time they shared a brew at a Bruins game. They’ve built a legacy that does Beantown proud. Since their 1996 formation, they’ve sold a staggering 4 million albums worldwide with 2005’s The Warrior’s Code achieving an RIAA Gold certification and its smash single “I’m Shipping Up To Boston” nearing double platinum and appearing during a key moment of Martin Scorsese’s Academy Award-winning The Departed. Most recently, 2013’s Signed And Sealed In Blood netted their second consecutive Top 10 debut on the Billboard Top 200, and debuted at number 6 in Germany. The album spawned standout tracks “The Boys Are Back,” “Out Of Our Heads,” “Prisoner’s Song,” and “Rose Tattoo,” a fan favorite that has accumulated 24 million views on YouTube – without the aid of being a radio hit. A special version of this song featuring the band’s buddy Bruce Springsteen was released as a benefit for the Boston Marathon bombing victims. They’ve hosted sold out concerts at most of the city’s landmarks, including Fenway Park, TD Garden, the Boston Pops, and even the last voyage of the USS Constitution. They updated the Boston Red Sox anthem “Tessie” in 2004, which may or may not have had something to do with the team’s first World Series win in 86 years…

 
Discography
Do Or Die (1997, Hellcat/Epitaph)

The Gang’s All Here (1999, Hellcat/Epitaph)

Singles Collection (2000, Hellcat/Epitaph)

Sing Loud, Sing Proud! (2001, Hellcat/Epitaph)

Live On St. Patrick’s Day From Boston, MA (2002, Hellcat/Epitaph)

Blackout (2003, Hellcat/Epitaph)

On The Road With the Dropkick Murphys DVD (2004, Hellcat/Epitaph)

Singles Collection: Volume II (2005, Hellcat/Epitaph)

The Warrior’s Code (2005, Hellcat/Epitaph)

The Meanest Of Times (2007, Born & Bred)

Live On Lansdowne, Boston MA (2010, Born & Bred)

Going Out In Style (2011, Born & Bred)

Signed And Sealed In Blood (2013, Born & Bred)

New LITTLE VILLAINS Album Celebrates The Crazy Life Of MOTÖRHEAD Drummer Phil “Philthy Animal” Taylor!

Los Angeles, CA – Phil Taylor put the motor in Motörhead for 13 incredible years, recording drums for that iconic band on 11 studio albums as well as 4 live albums. His stage presence became the stuff of rock legend and the ferocity with which he attacked his kit (as well as offstage antics) earned him the moniker Philthy Animal. Under appreciated in his later years, Taylor continued to play hard-driving rock n’ roll in various outfits, including the superb Little Villains project, formed with producer/musician James Childs of Airbus fame. The group made several studio recordings overseen by Childs, some of which were released in 2019 as the album Philthy Lies.

And now a new Little Villains album is hitting the streets, this time featuring the talents of former Hawkwind bassist and Lemmy prodigy, Alan “Boomer” Davey, who joins Childs on this celebration of the life and talents of Phil Taylor. Featuring the remaining studio recordings Taylor made prior to his passing in 2015, the album Taylor Made bursts with the power and energy of those early Motörhead albums. Childs expresses his enthusiasm for the project saying “I grew up on Motorhead and Hawkwind and to actually work with key members of each group is a milestone in my lifetime that I never could of imagined.”

Taylor Made will be available on digital, CD and limited edition RED vinyl beginning April 3 courtesy of Cleopatra Records!
To order: https://orcd.co/littlevillains

Track List:
1. Taylor Made
2. Model B
3. Aeroplane
4. All The Flak
5. We All Toil
6. Melony Blue
7. In A Mess
8. Over The Moon
9. Control Yourself
10. Soon

Check out the first single, the title track, and its inventive animated video here:

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team.

You have Successfully Subscribed!