EINAR SOLBERG – frontman of Norwegian rock mavericks Leprous – released his debut solo album ‘16’ earlier this year. But back at the beginning of 2022, he took on an entirely different solo endeavour. For a special live streamed performance, he reinterpreted the Leprous album ‘The Congregation’ in full, just piano and voice. Now that performance will see an official audio release as ‘The Congregation Acoustic’ on February 16th, 2024.
Listen to Einar perform the track ‘The Flood’ now here:
Einar comments of the release: “I’m both super excited but also kind of terrified for me to release this live version of “The Congregation”. It’s raw and unedited and exactly how I did it on my livestream. Usually all musicians these days (myself included) are used to fixIng stuff in post-production, but on this one we’ve done nothing! I think it’s cool sometimes to dare to show a more fragile and less “perfect” side of yourself. “The Congregation” is probably the least suitable album we’ve ever done to make an acoustic version of, but I think it turned out surprisingly OK!”
Einar Solberg is as renowned for the tender honesty of his lyrics as he is for the eccentric majesty of Leprous’ music. But even by his usual standards, ‘16’ is an extremely emotional and dynamic piece of work. Einar describes the record as “the closest I’ve ever come to writing a concept album” and explains that the new songs are about a very specific and transformational period in the musician’s life. This is the sound of a restless spirit in his absolute element.
’16’ finds Einar collaborating with everyone from modern prog contemporaries like Bent Knee’s Ben Levin and Agent Fresco’s Toti Gudnason, to experimental cellist (and regular Leprous live musician) Raphael Weinroth-Browne and Magnus Børmark, best known as a member of Norwegian alt-folk troupe Gåte. He also once again collaborates with Ihsahn and Star Of Ash amongst many others. The record was mixed by mixed by Adam Noble (Placebo, Biffy Clyro, Nothing But Thieves) and mastered by Robin Schmidt (The 1975, Placebo, The Gaslight Anthem, etc.). The cover artwork was designed by Elena Sihida. ‘16’ is out on Ltd CD Digipak, Gatefold 180g 2LP + LP-booklet & Digitally. Order here: https://einarsolberg-artist.lnk.to/sixteen
Einar & his solo live band have announced some festival shows for 2024. You can find the full list below: 19.06.2024 Rock Imperium (Spain) – Cartagena 28.06.2024 Hellfest Open Air (France) – Clisson
Leprous have also recently announced further European live dates for February & March 2024. Find the full list below: 29.02.2024 Bochum (Germany) – Zeche 01.03.2024 Nottingham (UK) – Rock City 02.03.2024 Leeds (UK) – Project House 03.03.2024 Dublin (Ireland) – Academy 05.03.2024 Lyon (France) – La Rayonne 06.03.2024 Pratteln (Switzerland) – Z7 Konzertfabrik 07.03.2024 Vienna (Austria) – Arena 08.03.2024 Leipzig (Germany) – Täubchenthal 09.03.2024 Krakow (Poland) – Kamienna12 10.03.2024 Lublin (Poland) – Radio Lublin 12.03.2024 Helsinki (Finland) – House of Culture 13.03.2024 Jyvaskyla (Finland) – Lutakko 14.03.2024 Oulu (Finland) – Kantakrouvi 16.03.2024 Hamar (Norway) – Festiviteten For tickets and further info check here: https://leprous.net/tours
Finnish art rock group Naryan releases a cover of a Mike Oldfield classic “Nuclear” on Friday, December 8th. The track will be included in Naryan’s upcoming fourth album, due to be released in 2024.
“We wanted to craft a version of this great song with a fresh vision while maintaining the spirit of the original. The fact that the track celebrates its 10-year anniversary in 2024 is just the cherry on top“,states vocalist Tommi Niemi.
“The song is also frighteningly topical in the current political climate“, adds guitarist Raino Ketola.
Naryan’s own production is melancholic rock with touches of cinematic, progressive and classical music. On Nuclear, the violin brings a new haunting layer to the track, keeping the band’s trademark sound intact.
Video game references
The original Nuclear is a part of Oldfield’s Man on the Rocks album, but many a fan recognizes the track also from Hideo Kojima’s Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain trailer.
“Our own back catalogue features plenty of tracks suitable for cinematic and game productions. It would be great if our version of Nuclear led people to discover our work in more depth“, reflects pianist Linda Kuoppala.
A combination of beauty and darkness
Naryan’s active presence in social media TikTok has brought swathes of new listeners to the band during recent months.
“Feedback from new listeners has pushed us to develop our new material even further. Our fourth album is shaping up to be our best to date“, states guitarist and founding member Lauri Kovero.
Naryan’s next original single is set to be released early 2024. More live dates including domestic and a select few European shows will be released shortly.
About Naryan
Naryan is a Finnish band, founded in 2005, playing melancholic rock. In addition to their homeland, they’ve played in the Netherlands and Belgium. The band has released 3 full length albums so far and the fourth is currently under construction. Naryan’s music is a combination of beauty, darkness and melancholy.
Line-up:
Tommi Niemi -Vocals Lauri Kovero -Guitar Raino Ketola -Guitar Tommi Tanhuanpää -Drums Linda Kuoppala -Piano Jarno Forsman -Bass Henriina Marin -Violin
Ten years in the making, the day is finally here. the long-awaited new album from Moon Safari, Himlabacken Vol. 2. is officially out. Their 5th studio album is being heralded as one of the best in the group’s already outstanding discography.
“A veritable pomp-rock-meets-melodic masterclass.” – Classic Rock
“Moon Safari have exceeded any and all expectations with Himlabacken Vol.2.” – The Prog Report
“With ‘Himlabacken Vol. 2’, Moon Safari have delivered the most wonderfully uplifting collection of songs I have heard this year.” – Progradar
“Arguably their best release yet” – Sonic Perspectives
“An absolute stone-cold masterpiece, 10/10!” – The Prog Corner
The band share this message about the album’s release: “It’s been a decade! A decade of real highs and lows. There was a 50/50 chance that this album wouldn’t exist, and a 50/50 chance that Moon Safari wouldn’t persist. Yet here we are, with an album that satisfies almost all of our musical dreams. And hopefully yours too.
What eventually tipped the scales was love, pure and simple. The love we put into the music and didn’t want to abandon. The love between the members (that we sometimes have to remind ourselves about). And, above all, the love you’ve showed us over the last 10 years.
You’re the reason we kept going. This album is now yours! HAPPY RELEASE DAY!
CHEERS / MOON SAFARI”
Track Listing: 1. 198X (Heaven Hill) (3:55) 2. Between the Devil and Me (10:38) 3. Emma, Come On (3:19) 4. A Lifetime to Learn How to Love (8:28) 5. Beyond the Blue (2:12) 6. Blood Moon (5:44) 7. Teen Angel Meets the Apocalypse (21:03) 8. Forever, For You (10:08) 9. Epilog (3:22)
Moon Safari is: Petter Sandström – Lead and Backing vocals, Acoustic Guitar Simon Åkesson – Lead and Backing Vocals, Piano, Organ, moog. Pontus Åkesson – Lead and Backing Vocals, Electric and Acoustic Guitar Sebastian Åkesson – Backing Vocals, assorted keys, percussion. Mikael Israelsson – Backing Vocals, Drums, percussion, keyboards, piano Johan Westerlund – Lead and Backing Vocals, Bass Guitar
Special guest performance by Jamison Smeltz – saxophone on “Forever, For You”
The award-winning progressive rock band Big Big Train will release their 15thstudio album ‘The Likes Of Us’ on March 1st, 2024. The album is the internationally-based group’s first full collection of songs since the unexpected passing of long-serving lead vocalist David Longdon in late 2021. Besides marking the debut of new frontman Alberto Bravin, a former member of the Italian band Premiata Forneria Marconi, ‘The Likes Of Us’ also heralds the beginning of a new relationship with InsideOutMusic, the group having self-released their music for almost two decades.
The band comments: “We are delighted to announce the release of ‘The Likes Of Us’. After the events of the last few years, this is a particularly important album for us, both as a band and individually. We’re very proud of the new songs, which we recorded principally in a studio in Italy. Working together in one room brought additional inspiration, real energy and a clear sense of purpose. We’re thrilled with the results.”
To coincide with this announcement, the band have launched the first single from the album, a track titled ‘Oblivion’ which the band were seen performing on their UK and European tour in August and September 2023. The video was filmed by Tim Sidwell of Toward Infinity at Urban Recording Studio in Trieste, and you can watch the clip here:
‘The Likes Of Us’ will be released on several different formats, including for the first time as Dolby Atmos mixed by The Pineapple Thief’s Bruce Soord, while the stereo mixes were undertaken by the band’s regular engineer Rob Aubrey together with Alberto Bravin. The Dolby Atmos mix will come as part of the Limited CD & Blu-ray Mediabook edition that also contains the album as 5.1 Surround Sound & 24-bit high-resolution stereo. The album will also be available as a Gatefold 180g 2LP (available in black, sky blue, olive green and orange formats), Standard CD Jewelcase and Digital Album. The stunning artwork was created by the band’s longstanding collaborator Sarah Louise Ewing, with layouts by Steve Vantsis.
In May 2023, six members of Big Big Train left their homes in England (bassist Gregory Spawton, guitarist Dave Foster and violinist Clare Lindley), the United States (drummer Nick D’Virgilio), Sweden (guitarist/keyboardist Rikard Sjöblom) and Norway (keyboardist Oskar Holldorff) to gather for a week in lead vocalist Alberto Bravin’s home town of Trieste in north eastern Italy. They convened at Urban Recording, a studio recommended by Alberto, to lay down the basic tracks for the band’s new studio album ‘The Likes Of Us’. Being face to face in a room, as opposed to emailing sound files, the intimacy of the process generated moments of inspiration that would otherwise have gone unheard.
The process would prove emotional. “There were some tears; I cried a few of my own,” recalls D’Virgilio. “There are many reasons to explain why we hadn’t worked that way in quite a while, but the process brought out the best in everybody.”
“These were stories from our lives and we have a deep, personal connection with them,” Spawton remembers. “If there was blood on the tracks, we did everything possible to let that sink into the music.”
On the group’s most recent tour, two selections from ‘The Likes Of Us’ – first single ‘Oblivion’ and ‘Love Is The Light’ – were introduced to an ecstatic audience response. During a tidal wave of rebirth and celebration for Big Big Train, Alberto Bravin was accepted as one of the family. Indeed, the chemistry of the band’s latest line-up has delivered mouth-watering results. “We’ve got a great mix of people that want to be here and go the extra mile to do something very special,” D’Virgilio concludes. “There’s a big world of talented musicians out there, and luckily some of them want to hang out with us.”
ALBERTO BRAVIN – Lead vocals, guitar, keyboards NICK D’VIRGILIO – Drums, percussion, vocals, 12-string acoustic guitar, vocals DAVE FOSTER – Guitars OSKAR HOLLDORFF – Keyboards, vocals CLARE LINDLEY – Violin, vocals RIKARD SJÖBLOM – Guitars, keyboards, vocals GREGORY SPAWTON – Bass guitar, bass pedals, 12-string acoustic guitar, Mellotron
Australian progressive metal outfit Caligula’s Horse release their new single “The World Breathes With Me” from their upcoming album Charcoal Grace, due out on January 26th, 2024. “The World Breathes With Me” is the second single and the 10-minute opening track from the new albumand takes the listener through the emotions and vibe of the new album.
The band shares about “The World Breathes With Me”: “’The World Breathes With Me’ is a powerful musical journey that sets the stage for Charcoal Grace as a whole. It pulls right back to a bird’s eye view of what we saw and experienced during the years of the pandemic. While we did lose our faith in humanity, we ultimately reconnected in the understanding that we are all forever connected to one another through breath and to the world through each other.”
Listen to “The World Breathes With Me” here:
Stream The World Breathes With Me on your favorite DSP’s here: https://ffm.to/twbwm
In November, the band released its first single Golem, which served as the first glimpse of the thematical depth of Charcoal Grace.
The band says about Golem: “Golem is about how we all struggled with the weight of expectation through the pandemic. We felt that weight acutely as musicians, being trapped with no notion of when, or even if, we would return to the life we knew, all while feeling the pressure to create our next work rising. While that’s our specific experience, the themes of Golem are something we can all relate to. It’s a heavy song with an emphasis on riffs and driving rhythms.”
Charcoal Grace is the 6th studio album of the band, and it combines raw rock power with immense emotional depth. Charcoal Grace is borne of the static hopelessness that the pandemic forced upon the band and, indeed, much of the world, these past few years. It is an album reckoning with the experiences and outcomes of this time geared, ultimately, towards catharsis – moving towards a more hopeful future.
The title Charcoal Grace is described by the band as “the grim allure and strange beauty in stillness, silence, and loss”. This can be heard through the album’s 10-minute opening track “The World Breathes With Me,” a mission statement for the album’s main themes. Musically, it’s a work of contrasts, moving from the lightest ebb to the heaviest flow. Meanwhile, the second track and first single from the album, “Golem,” examines struggling with the weight of expectation through the pandemic. It’s a heavy song with an emphasis on riffs and driving rhythms.
At the center of the album is the 4-part title track suite, a 24-minute opus that pushes deeper into the album’s foundational themes: connection, alienation, and the ways humanity acts under duress. Musically, it covers every facet of the band’s vocabulary, from heavy and dense orchestral-accompanied intensity embodying the song’s darkest lyrical ideas, through to soft acoustic-driven moments and introspection.
Tracklist:
Side A
The World Breathes With Me (10:00)
Golem (05:20)
Side B
Charcoal Grace I: Prey (07:48)
Charcoal Grace II: A World Without (06:48)
Charcoal Grace III: Vigil (03:22)
Charcoal Grace IV: Give Me Hell (06:13)
Side C
Sails (04:31)
The Stormchaser (05:57)
Mute (12:00)
Charcoal Grace is available as Ltd. CD Digipak, CD Jewelcase (US only), Gatefold 2LP in various colours & Digital Album.
Pre-Order Charcoal Grace here:
https://caligulashorse.lnk.to/CharcoalGrace-Bio
The band recently announced their Charcoal Grace North America Tour 2024 with special guests Earthside. Tickets available at caligulashorse.com.
US:
01/31 Union Stage – Washington,DC 02/01 Underground Arts – Philadelphia, PA 02/02 Boston, MA – Brighton Music Hall 02/03 New York, NY – The Gramercy Theatre 02/04 Montreal, QC – Le Studio TD 02/06 The Axis Club – Toronto, ON 02/07 Thunderbird Cafe & Music Hall – Pittsburgh, PA 02/08 Lincoln Hall – Chicago, IL 02/10 Exit – Nashville, TN 02/12 The Underground – Charlotte, NC 02/13 The Masquerade (Hell) – Atlanta, GA 02/15 Come Take it Live – Austin, TX 02/16 Granada Theatre – Dallas, TX 02/18 Nile Half House – Phoenix, AZ 02/19 Brick By Brick – San Diego, CA 02/20 The Echoplex – Los Angeles, CA 02/21 Cornerstone – Berkley, CA 02/23 El Corazon – Seattle, WA 02/24 Hawthorne Theatre, Portland, OR 02/25 Rickshaw Theatre, Vancouver, BC
John Mitchell (Arena, Frost, Lonely Robot, It Bites, Kino…) will be delighting audiences with acoustic shows just before Christmas.
John will be performing acoustic versions of songs from his multiple bands and projects (It Bites, Frost*, Lonely Robot, Kino…) as well as a selection of his favourite covers, sharing personal anecdotes and stories throughout the evening. He will be joined by Jez Fielder (Indigo Down) on guitar and backing vocals. This will certainly be a very special show and a great opportunity to experience a privileged evening not to be missed!
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