KANSAS, America’s legendary progressive rock band, has released a new song and music video for their song “Memories Down the Line” taken from the band’s highly anticipated new studio album “The Absence of Presence” out June 26, 2020, through Inside Out Music.
Listen and watch the music video here
“‘Memories Down the Line’ starts out as a piano-based rock ballad; It builds dynamically to a more powerful sound that still has a sense of longing to it,” comments KANSAS keyboardist Tom Brislin. “Lyrically, I was intrigued by the concept of not only passing down one’s physical traits from generation to generation, but also the experiences that shape us. As with a number of coincidences occurring with this album, I had no idea we would be living through unforgettable times, when the song would be released.”
“We are living during a time when people are doing a lot of reflecting – reflecting on past memories, or the memories they are making right now,” adds KANSAS Lead vocalist Ronnie Platt. “‘Memories Down the Line’ really makes one consider the importance of sharing our experiences with those who come after us. I love the sincerity of the song.”
The band gave fans a sneak preview of what they can expect to hear on the album with this sampler video: https://bit.ly/KSTAOPprev
Last month they released the song and music video for “Throwing Mountains”, which can be seen here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMOX5rSFb18
“We are really excited for our fans to be able to get a taste of what is to come from ‘The Absence of Presence,’” says KANSAS lead vocalist Ronnie Platt. “I think people will really be surprised by the album. ‘The Absence of Presence’ shows the band firing on all cylinders.” Billboard.com first announced the new album during an exclusive interview with KANSAS drummer and “The Absence of Presence” co-producer Phil Ehart: http://bit.ly/KansasBillboardTAoP
“The Absence of Presence” follows-up 2016’s “The Prelude Implicit,” which debuted at #14 on Billboard’s Top 200 Albums chart. KANSAS has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide, and is famous for classic hits such as ‘Carry On Wayward Son’ and ‘Dust in the Wind’ to the progressive epic ‘Song for America.’
“The Absence of Presence,” released by Inside Out Music, features nine all new tracks written by the band, produced by Zak Rizvi, and co-produced by Phil Ehart and Richard Williams. KANSAS’s signature sound is unmistakable throughout. The album showcases Ronnie Platt’s towering vocals, David Ragsdale’s searing violin, Tom Brislin’s dazzling keyboards, Williams and Rizvi’s electrifying guitar riffs, Ehart’s powerful drums, and Billy Greer’s rocking bass.
“The Absence of Presence” will be released 26th June 2020, on Inside Out Music. The album will be available on CD, Double LP 180 Gram Vinyl, Limited Edition Deluxe CD + 5.1 Blu-Ray Artbook, and digitally on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and all other streaming services.
“The Absence of Presence” Track Listing: 1.) The Absence of Presence 2.) Throwing Mountains 3.) Jets Overhead 4.) Propulsion 1 5.) Memories Down the Line 6.) Circus of Illusion 7.) Animals on the Roof 8.) Never 9.) The Song the River Sang
Songs from the new album will be performed during this fall’s Point of Know Return Anniversary European Tour. For more information on KANSAS, “The Absence of Presence,” The Point of Know Return Anniversary European Tour: www.kansasband.com
Point of Know Return Anniversary European Tour Dates October 18 – London, England – Palladium October 20 – Frankfurt, Germany – Jahrhunderthalle October 21 – Hamburg, Germany – Docks October 23 – Tampere, Finland – Tamperetalo October 24 – Helsinki, Finland – Culture House October 26 – Stockholm, Sweden – Cirkus October 27 – Oslo, Norway – Sentrum Scene October 29 – Berlin, Germany – Tempodrom October 31 – Brussels, Belgium – Cirque Royal November 3 – Munich, Germany – Circus Krone November 5 – Heilbronn, Germany – Harmonie November 9 – Bochum, Germany – RuhrCongress November 10 – Amsterdam, Holland – Carre Theatre
“I’ve always loved live sessions. There’s something so thrilling about taking a band and throwing them in at the deep end, especially when their studio work is typically meticulous in preparation and tracking. As a teenager, I spent hours glued to my stereo, taping and absorbing every Peel and Radio One session I could get my hands on. From the icy blasts of Napalm Death to the feral assault of Nirvana’s epic Aneurysm, it always felt like you were listening to something special, something intimate in the way that a normal studio recording could never be, and I always wanted to do something similar for Final Coil.
So, with the release of Convicted Of The Right, I wanted to do something special for the fans who have journeyed this far along the road with us. The idea of producing a limited-edition cassette (along with suitably compelling artwork) came first, but what about B sides? We didn’t have anything left from either of our trips to the studio, and demos just wouldn’t cut it. I wanted to do something that was new, and so the idea of a live session returned. It felt like the right time, not least because Barry, our drummer, hadn’t played on our debut album, and this was an opportunity for him to put his own stamp on a couple of tracks from that record. Of those, the one on which I was particularly keen (and the one being premiered here) was You Waste My Time. The studio version is just fine, and I am really proud of the juxtaposition of live and sampled drums; but live, it has always taken on a much rawer aspect and Barry hammers the hell out of the kit during his fills… it was the ideal choice.
The studio session was great. We cut the whole thing live, doing a couple of takes of each song and steadfastly avoiding any studio trickery or overdubs. I think it came out really well, capturing a touch of our live spirit, yet proving a little tighter than our typically chaotic performances and I really hope fans get a kick out of it.”
Watch The Worldwide Premiere Of “Waste My Time” Here
About The Music Last year Final Coil released their incredible second album, The World We Left Behind For Others. This sprawling, complex, emotionally charged concept piece captured the hearts of fans and critics alike, as the band told a story both intensely personal and yet universally relatable; inspired by particular past events, but so relevant to the paths our modern society is following. The whole cycle of The World We Left Behind For Others has been a story in itself: from a personal bereavement that lead to the discovery of a collection of treasured letters, which inspired the creation of the album, to the band’s journey to Italy to record at Real Sound Studio. As the glowing reviews cascaded in, in ever-growing numbers, Final Coil played some wonderful shows – appearing at the HRH Metal: Metal Meltdown festival with Decapitated, the Fusion Festival with Focus and playing prestigious London shows with Shonen Knife and then Marky Ramone. From melancholy beginnings, the tale of The World We Left Behind For Others has grown into something incredible for Final Coil – and there is still one last chapter left in this particular book…
On May 1st the band, in conjunction with their label, Wormholedeath, will release the Convicted Of The Right EP. Convicted Of The Right itself is one of the most powerful tracks from The World We Left Behind For Others, both musically and lyrically and the EP’s title track is backed by an array of exciting, exclusive material. The band traveled down to The Lab in London where they recorded three tracks live in the studio. These vibrant versions of ‘Empty Handed’, ‘Spider Feet’ and ‘You Waste My Time’ will all appear on the new EP and were all captured on film for video release, the first of which we present here – ‘You Waste My Time’.
Track Listing: 1 – Convicted Of The Right 2 – Empty Handed (Live In At The Lab) 3 – Spider Feet (Live At The Lab) 4 – You Waste My Time (Live At The Lab)
About Final Coil They began their musical life in howls of feedback and chaos, a raging entity that tore up the stages of endless small clubs as they slowly found their direction. Gradually, that energy and electricity were channeled into smoother paths as the band looked deeper into themselves and their music, discovering how much more their individual abilities could create; realizing they had so much more to say, that a fleeting impact wasn’t all they wished to achieve – they wanted to carve musical monuments that would stand the test of time and stand for something as well. Under the guiding hand of founding member Phil Stiles, the line-up of the band morphed and shifted to reflect that change in focus and the first recorded output from the new look Final Coil was released in 2015. The Closed To The Light EP highlighted the significant developments in the band’s style so effectively that it caught the ear of Italian record label WormHoleDeath, who immediately signed the band up. Throughout 2016 Final Coil worked on their debut full-length album, which was then unveiled by their new label in 2017…
In a world of ever-shifting trends and fashions, where it’s always time to move on to the next thing and the value of anything and everything is fleeting, it’s a beautiful moment to find an album that stops you in your tracks. A combination of musicianship, songcraft, depth of emotion and attention to detail that holds you transfixed while the rest of the world continues its unthinking charge into oblivion. An album where the lyrics invite thought and reflection and the artwork fires the imagination as the music brings it to vibrant life. Final Coil’s debut album, entitled Persistence Of Memory was just such an album; an island of color and beauty in the ever-flowing grey tides of modern life. The band joined forces with Imperative PR to promote the album and the reaction from the music press was outstanding. The band finished 2017 with a flurry of well-received live shows and returned to Imperative PR once more – this time for a long term management deal. The press continued to pick up on the brilliance of Persistence Of Memory throughout the early months of 2018 and away from the stage, the band began to work on their most ambitious material to date. As summer neared its end Final Coil set off for Italy and Real Sound Studios to record their second full-length album. Featuring the skills of session drummer Barry French (ex-Sarpanitum) blending beautifully with the flowing bottom end of bassist Jola Stiles and the twin guitars of Phil Stiles and Richard Awdry the new songs that Final Coil has created are going to stun everyone who hears them. Before the end of the year, the band also managed to fit in live shows with OHHMS, Boss Keloid, Zero Point Zero, and Staghorn. Aside from his work with Final Coil, Phil Stiles was invited to make a guest appearance on the latest album from prog-rock royalty, Glass Hammer (the band where Yes discovered vocalist Jon Davison). 2019 began with an appearance at the massive HRH Metal III: Metal Meltdown event at the O2 Academy in Birmingham, with Final Coil playing alongside Decapitated, Devilment and many more, to a large and appreciative audience. Next up for the band was a place on the bill of the Fusion Festival 2019, which took place at the Stourhead Civic Centre on March 22nd – 24th and featured prog legends like Focus and IO Earth. Hot on the heels of these two major shows came the April 12th release of Final Coil’s second full-length album, the momentous concept album The World We Left Behind For Others. The World We Left Behind For Others, inspired by a collection of family letters discovered by frontman Phil Stiles, made a powerful impression on fans and critics alike and the band celebrated the success of their new album with two prestigious London dates, firstly with Shonen Knife at the Underworld and then with the legendary Marky Ramone at The Garage. As 2020 dawned Final Coil’s stock was higher than ever before. So, before turning the page and leaving this wonderful chapter in their story behind, they decided to release the Convicted Of The Right EP. Convicted Of The Right featured the title track, taken from The World We Left Behind For Others and three Final Coil classics recorded live at The Lab studios in London. As the positive press began to flow the band returned to the studio and began work on album number three…
“We love performing Barracuda. It’s a song that pays homage to Heart and their influence on modern rock and we have a lot of fun with it at the same time. It’s one everyone can get into.” says Eve Naylor.
Barracuda is originally performed and recorded by the amazing band, Heart and features the iconic vocals of Ann Wilson and classic guitar riffs of Nancy Wilson. We have always been huge fans of Heart and especially the song Barracuda and hope that Ann and Nancy Wilson, as well as everyone out there, will really enjoy this cover of the song from their album Little Queen. Enjoy this trip back over 40 years to one of Heart’s greatest songs! Infinite Eve is an original melodic rock band from Raleigh, NC and features the vocals of Eve Naylor and guitar performance of Paul Warren. If you enjoyed this cover, you can listen to their EP, The Story, here:
PLUS An All-Acoustic Version Of “Babe, I’m Gonna Leave You!”
Los Angeles, CA – Vocalist and co-founder of legendary ‘80s hard rock group Great White, Jack Russell, is proud to announce the release of a very special acoustic album revisiting the band’s 1987 multi-platinum masterpiece Once Bitten featuring some of their biggest and most recognizable hits including “Save Your Love” and “Rock Me!” Aided by the likes of guitarist Robby Lochner (who also produced and mixed the album), longtime Great White bassist Tony Montana (now on guitar), bassist Dan McNay and drummer Dicki Fliszer, these songs have been stripped to their emotional core, spotlighting the intensely passionate story at the heart of each song. Just check out the new version of the unforgettable ballad “Save Your Love,” which has been shorn of all rockstar pomp to reveal a heartfelt hymn yearning, love and loss.
Or just watch the new video, directed by Vicente Cordero of Industrialism Films (Queensrÿche, Tom Keifer), which communicates the song’s message powerfully:
Jack Russell explains “Once Bitten is one of my favorite albums that we did. I always wondered what it would sound like done acoustically. The experience recording this unplugged version was really neat. It brought back a lot of memories of the original recording session, things I had forgotten about. Interestingly, the songs that I thought wouldn’t translate acoustically like ‘Livin’ On The Edge’ and ‘Never Change Heart,’ the heavier songs, came out the best. Now, I’m looking forward to doing it again for …Twice Shy!”
Once Bitten Acoustic Bytes will be available everywhere starting May 1 on digital as well as CD and a limited edition BLUE vinyl LP from Deadline Music, a division of Cleopatra Records, Inc.
TRACKLISTING
SIDE A 1. Lady Redlight 2. Gonna Getcha 3. Rock Me 4. All Over Now 5. Mistreater 6. Never Change Heart 7. Fast Road 8. Livin’ On The Edge 9. Save Your Love 10. Babe (I’m Gonna Leave You) (Bonus Track)
Band Members Jack Russell (Vocals) Tony Montana (Guitar) Robby Lochner (Guitar) Dan McNay (Bass) Dicki Fliszar (Drums)
Once Bitten Acoustic Bytes will be available everywhere starting May 1 on digital as well as CD and a limited edition BLUE vinyl LP from Deadline Music, a division of Cleopatra Records, Inc.
Lonely Robot, the project masterminded by producer, guitarist and singer/songwriter John Mitchell (Kino, Frost*, Arena, It Bites), is currently finishing work on their fourth full-length album due out later this Summer.
During the campaign for their acclaimed last album ‘Under Stars’, a full animated film was created by Crystal Spotlight and screened at two very special cinema events in the UK. Now the full visual accompaniment is available to stream, and you can watch it now here: https://youtu.be/slyM9ZUzr6U
John comments: “It has always been an ambition of mine to have a full-length visual accompaniment alongside an album of music I have written. With Under Stars and the help of Miles at Crystal Spotlight, this dream was finally realized last year. I’m very proud of the results and I’d like to thank Miles for all his hard work and patience in bringing this to fruition. I hope you enjoy it.”
‘Under Stars’ featured drums by long-time collaborator Craig Blundell (Steven Wilson, Steve Hackett), plus bass contributions from Steve Vantsis (Fish). All other instrumentation on the album was performed by Mitchell himself.
John comments on the album: “It is the final part in the astronaut trilogy, and was recorded over an intensive month and a half period. This time I wanted to reference my love of 80s synthwave pop a little more – so beware the 808! The title is derived from the belief that we as humans spend far too much time not noticing the beauty around us and far too much time tethered to technology.”
1. Terminal Earth (1:56)2. Ancient Ascendant (5:47)3. Icarus (5:21)4. Under Stars (5:16)5. Authorship Of Our Lives (5:39)6. The Signal (3:20)7. The Only Time I Don’t Belong Is Now (5:16)8. When Gravity Fails (5:03)9. How Bright Is The Sun? (6:03)10. Inside This Machine (3:28)11. An Ending (2:40) 12. How Bright Is The Sun? (Cosmic Mix) (5:59) * bonus track13. Under Stars (Cosmic Mix) (5:16) * bonus track14. Lonely Robot – Chapter One – Airlock (7:00) * bonus track
‘Under Stars’ was released as a limited edition digipak CD (featuring 3 bonus tracks), gatefold 2LP + CD & as digital album. Order now here: https://lonelyrobot.lnk.to/UnderStars/
Under Stars is the final part in Lonely Robot’s ‘astronaut trilogy’. Musically, the album expands upon its two predecessors and finds a balance between heavy edges and lush choruses (which have been John Mitchell’s trademark since day one). Mitchell says, “This time I wanted to reference my love of 1980s synthwave pop a little more, so beware the 808!”, Mitchell
‘Under Stars’ is the final album in a trilogy for Lonely Robot, John Mitchell’s visionary project. This began in 2015 with the ‘Please Come Home’ album and continued two years later with ”The Big Dream’. “I always saw this as a trilogy, and it feels like the third part of the Lonely Robot master plan has reached a natural conclusion.” As with the two previous albums, there is a theme running across the songs here, as Mitchell explains. “On ‘Please Come Home’, the theme was about the idea that life on Earth didn’t originate from this planet, while for ‘The Big Dream’, I was really giving everyone the benefit of Zen musings according to John Mitchell. This time things are a little more down to earth. What I am doing is looking at the millennial generation, and the fact that kids today are so tied to their phones and to technology. They really have no clue what is actually going on around them, and I find that worrying.”
John Mitchell is a man with a rich musical heritage and history – from musician and vocalist to songwriter and producer. With bands like Arena, Frost*, Kino, It Bites and Lonely Robot, to name but a few, Mitchell has left his mark on the current progressive rock scene and has been involved in dozens of recordings. He is also a respected producer & mixer, running Outhouse Studios in the UK and working with artists as diverse as You Me At Six, Enter Shikari, Alter Bridge, Asia, Don Broco, Funeral For A Friend, McFly & much more.
Caligula’s Horse had previously announced their first ever North American tour, which has unfortunately had to be postponed to January-February 2021. Look out for more details on that soon.
Caligula’s Horse had previously announced their first-ever North American tour, which has, unfortunately, had to be postponed to January-February 2021. Look out for more details on that soon.
Pure Reason Revolution’s first new studio album in nearly 10 years, ‘Eupnea’, is out now. To celebrate the band have launched a video for the track ‘Ghosts & Typhoons’. Watch the Thomas Hicks-created video here:
Jon Courtney comments: “In 2018 Chloe & I chatted in a London café about the notion of reforming Pure Reason Revolution. Although we’ve already done our first live show back, today feels like it’s really real. Close to the heart experience kick-started the genesis & we stuck to our manifesto of creating under no restrictions, no boundaries. The result was ‘Eupnea’ & we hope you like it. “
‘Eupnea’ is available as a Limited CD Digipak, Gatefold 2LP + CD (with etching on Side D) and as a digital album.
Jon Courtney and Chloë Alper recently sat down to discuss the new record and how it came together, and you can watch them chat all things ‘Eupnea’ in this brand new interview: https://youtu.be/QaxajIoO7xs
At the end of January they launched the epic 10-minute ‘Silent Genesis’, a track which Jon Courtney co-wrote alongside original PRR member Greg Jong. Listen to the song here: https://youtu.be/5khMXtZ6YjE
The full track-listing is as follows: 1.New Obsession 05:09 2.Silent Genesis 10:20 3.Maelstrom 05:44 4.Ghosts & Typhoons 08:45 5.Beyond Our Bodies 04:28 6.Eupnea 13:23
Eupnea’, the long-awaited return from the band, sees them harking back to their earliest days, while rolling in all of the musical experiments and experience they’ve gathered in the intervening years.
The cinematic soundscapes of Hammer and Anvil? Check. The dark atmosphere and synths of Amor Vincit Omnia? Check. The gauzy psych-prog of their debut? Ch-check.
It’s sprawling, with three tracks hitting the 10 minute mark and one notching up against 15 minutes. Sure, track length does not equal ambition, but still, it’s quite the statement of intent.
The band currently have two confirmed Summer festival dates, performing at Night Of The Prog Festival in Germany on the 17th of July, and Ramblin Man Fair in the UK on the 18th of July. They will then head out on a co-headline tour with Gazpacho at the end of the year: 16.10 Warsaw (PL), Progresja 17.10 Poznan (PL), U Bazyla 18.10 Berlin (DE), Columbia Theater 20.10 Cologne (DE), Die Kantine 22.10 Zwolle (NL), Hedon 23.10 Breda (NL), Mezz 24.10 Paris (FR), Petit Bain 25.10 London (UK), Islington Assembly Hall
Pure Reason Revolution originally parted ways in November 2011 following touring in support of their 2010 album ‘Hammer and Anvil’. Since then, Jon Courtney started Bullet Height and released their debut album ‘No Atonement’ in 2017, while Chloë Alper began a new band called Tiny Giant as well as playing live with the likes of Charli XCX and James.
The band originally formed back in 2003, releasing their much-loved debut album ‘The Dark Third’ in 2006 via Sony BMG. They went on to release the albums ‘Amor Vincit Omnia’ in 2009 and ‘Hammer and Anvil’ in 2010.
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