We are pleased to announce that Melodic Revolution Records will return to RoSfest (Rites of Spring Festival) May 6th thru May 8th 2016. We will be located in the upstairs Vendor Area at the Majestic Theater in Gettysburg, PA.
This will be our 5th year attending this prestigious music festival and as usual we have a theme. This years theme will be known as Upload Me, Download Me. As in the past we will offer a Free Download Card this years card will feature Thirteen tracks by Thirteen of our brightest bands/artists. New to this years festival we will also have a CD Sampler that people can get Free with the purchase of two or more CDs or one can be purchased for a very low price. The CD will feature Fourteen tracks by our brightest bands/artists three of the tracks will not be on the download card as they are CD only bonus tracks.
We will have some great giveaways as well; Buttons, Stickers, CDs, Download Cards, plus a few other surprises.
Please make sure you visit the MRR Booth, oh! did we mention we are your Official Comedy Of Errors Headquarters.
In Related News! Melodic Revolution Records Recording Artist Kinetic Element to perform and delight fans at RoSfest after party on May 7th at the Aspire Hotel located at 2634 Emmitsburg Rd, Gettysburg, PA 17325. This is the second night of the 3 day festival. The band will be fronted by Dimetrius LaFavors of Odin’s Court.
Kinetic Element is a neo/symphonic progressive rock band from Richmond, Virginia that harbors musical roots in classic artists like Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Yes, Asia and Genesis and blends those influences with philosophical and spiritually powerful and uplifting lyrics. The band have just recently released their 2nd studio album Travelog which is getting high praise by both fans and media alike.
Kinetic Element is… Mike Visaggio: Keyboards & Vocals Michael Murray: Drums & Vocals Todd Russell: Guitars Mark Tupko: Bass
We are proud to announce the new Kracked Earth single “Everlastin’ Love” featuring former Electric Light Orchestra Vocalist Kelly Groucutt, the single will be released later this month. “Everlastin’ Love” originally appeared on the album “Andy’s Diner” by Andy Kinch and Friends.
According to Andy Kinch: Back in ’97 when I recorded my album Andy’s Diner, I’d written this little song that had a Mavericks/ELO vibe, but no-one to sing it. Step forward my little brother Martin who reckoned that he might be able to persuade ELO’s Kelly Groucutt to sing it. Well, sing it he did, beautifully. Unfortunately, we were compromised by limited recording resources, and my keyboard setup really wasn’t up to delivering authentic sounding string parts. But, the final mix was as good as we could do at the time.
2009 saw the sudden and tragic death of Kelly, and those who knew him, and his fans throughout the world had to come to terms with his loss. Roll forward to 2012, and I had the pleasure of working via the Internet with NS stick player extraordinaire Don Schiff on our debut Kracked Earth album “Splash”
It recently occurred to me that if only Kelly were still with us, we could re-record it in the way that I originally intended, as Don is a one man string section! Besides bass, he also plays Cello, Viola, and Mandlin! Add a dash of Mellotron violins and brass and we have backing track. Well, the advancement in technology, has allowed me to isolate Kelly’s original vocal from the 1997 session, and fully integrate it into the new version. I hope you enjoy this brand new version of “Everlastin’ Love” Andy Kinch
Everlastin’ Love will be released digitally worldwide on April 28th, 2016
Everlastin’ Love Cast Kelly Groucutt: Lead Vocal. Andy Kinch: Keyboards, Guitars & Drum Programming. Don Schiff. NS Stick, Bass, Viola, Cello & Mandolin. Backing vocals by Mick Lister & Andy Kinch.
Music & Lyrics Andy Kinch 2016 Vocal Restoration and Production by Andy Kinch Mastered at Abbey Road by Miles Showell Cover Art by Nick Katona
COINCIDE VICTORIAN NOSTALGIA with HARD ROCK & PROG SOUND, which is where KULAK will TRANSPORT YOU!
AND NOW, AN ANNOUNCEMENT, FROM THE MASTER HIMSELF:
“ Friends, I have finished the work on the album, ‘ Vladimir, ‘ for the album was named ‘ Moonflower, ‘ adapted for the CINEMA COMPOSITIONS, although the names of those were working, I’ve decided not to change anything. “
“ The recording was attended by wonderful musicians: BILL BERENDS, KERRY CHICKONE, JAN ZHENCHAK, ALEXANDER DYACHENKO, MARIA LILIA ADELIN LOGUNOVA, and ARINA KIRYUSHINA. “
“ All songs are almost INSTRUMENTAL, however, you’ve heard some of them, from the album ‘ AZAZELLO MEGADREAM. ‘ “
Label : Inner Wound Recordings Release Year: 2016 Country: International Genre: Progressive/Melodic/Power Metal
Band Members
Elina Laivera – Vocals Henrik Bath – [Darkwater] – Vocals Michael Alexander – Guitars/Growls Alex Landenburg – [Luca Turilli’s Rhapsody, Octayne 21] – Drums
Guest Musicians
Nils K Rue [Pagan’s Mind] – Vocals on “Bargain of Lost Souls” Mark Jansen [Epica, Mayan] – Growls on “Anthem For Freedom”, “Truth” and “Dreamstate” Charlie Dominici [ex. Dream Theater] – Vocals on “The Jaguar Priest” Diego Valdez [Helker] – Vocals on “Awakened By The Light” and “Seven” Alessandro Bissa [Vision Divine] – Drums on “Dreamstate”, “Anthem For Freedom”, “Awakened By The Light”, “Bargain Of Lost Souls” and “Truth” Mike LePond [Symphony X] – Bass on “Truth” and “The Force Of Our Creation” Emanuele Casali [DGM] – Keyboards on all tracks Johan Reinholz [Andromeda]- Guitar solo on “The Force Of Our Creation” 07:08-07:30
Track listing:
01. Anthem For Freedom 02. Truth 03. The Bargain Of Lost Souls 04. Dreamstate 05. Awakened By The Light (Universal Mind) 06. A World That Burns 07. Seven 08. The Jaguar Priest 09. The Force Of Our Creation 10. Xibalba
Ever since I heard about the Universal Mind Project back in 2013 my anticipation has been nothing short than exiciting. The anticipation and wait were well worth it. The Universal Mind Project is very well appropriately named. The core of Elina Laivera , Michael Alexander , Henrik Bath and Alex Landenberg carefully selected the right talent as guest musicians on Universal Mind Project The Jaguar Priest. Considering the line up of vocalists as Nils K Rue [Pagan’s Mind] – Vocals on “Bargain of Lost Souls” , Mark Jansen [Epica, Mayan] – Growls on “Anthem For Freedom”,“Truth” and “Dreamstate” , Charlie Dominici [ex. Dream Theater] – Vocals on “The JaguarPriest” , Diego Valdez a [Helker] – Vocals on “Awakened By The Light” and “Seven”and on the instrumentalists side, Alessandro Bissa [Vision Divine] – Drums on “Dreamstate”, “Anthem For Freedom”, “Awakened By The Light”, “Bargain Of Lost Souls” and “Truth” , Mike LePond [Symphony X] – Bass on “Truth” and “The Force Of Our Creation” , Emanuele Casali [DGM] – Keyboards on all tracks , Johan Reinholz [Andromeda]- Guitar solo on “The Force Of Our Creation” 07:08-07:30. It makes for the perfect tools for the canvas of such masterpiece.
On Universal Mind Project The Jaguar Priest,Elina Laivera has clearly established herself as a force to be reckoned with as a vocalist, songwriter and lyricist. It is also good to see Elina Laivera find a home and outlet for her genius and talent. Her partner in crime in the songwriting department Michael Alexander has definitely set himself up as well to be a force in progressive metal or metal music in general. What I appreciate the most about the writing team of Laivera/Alexander is their uncanny genius and ability to write towards the strengths of their guest vocalists.
They write towards the strengths of the guest musicians so much that it is as if the guest vocalists and instrumentalists are playing totally on point in their own element as if they are performing with their primary bands or outfits. That was something that really impressed me as I was listening to this. Elina Laivera and Michael Alexander tailored every passage and progression where the guests players could be distinguished. They appear to have a intricate knowledge of talent and just how to display it perfectly on the canvas that is The Jaguar Priest.
In the tracks Anthem For Freedom, Truth and Dreamstate the listener can clearly distinguish Mark Jansen’s legendary growls that he has used in After Forever, Epica and Maya. Even throughout Anthem For Freedom and the rest of the album Emanuele Casali [DGM] – Keyboards’ . The instrumental portion is stellar and matches the talent perfectly. On Bargain Of Lost Souls, Nils. K Rue of Pagans Mind really turns it loose. I almost feel for a brief second I am listening to PagansMind however I am not. That is another testament of the great songwriting that carefully went into consideration on this album.
On the title track The Jaguar Priest I have a appreciation of the writing democracy they band had allowing Charlie Dominci to write the lyrics . Without giving too much away Universal Mind ProjectThe Jaguar Priest is thematic concept. Every song represents a story that all 10 tracks tie into a common story. Universal Mind Project The Jaguar Priest is one of the finest and well written albums of artistic expression since I first heard Ayreon’s Into The Electric Castle in 1998 or even Explorers Club 1 & 2. It has the appeal of a rock/metal opera yet with so much more conviction. This album will be a album talked about for many decades to come. I declined to do a track by track analysis on his album because it needs to have the listener’s entire attention without preconceived scrutiny.
The hooks and melodies and harmonies are world class and some of the very best in the world. I hope they consider a follow up to The Jaguar Priest. I also believe The Jaguar Priest is part of the further posterity and life of progressive metal and metal in general.In a year where we have lost so many Icons of rock already, I believe Universal Mind Project’s The Jaguar Priest and all its participants are poised to carry the torches into the future left by those Icons. This album gets a 5/5 and is potential Album Of The Year 2016 material. Some of the best progressive metal I have heard in 30 years.
Ihsahn’s Arktis is a melodic dark playground for those who love to listen to progressive avant-garde ambient black metal. It is certainly one of those albums that comes along that totally changes every conventional notion on how we think about the musical elements I just mentioned. Arktis is a album that can not even be imprisoned within the walls of those respective genres due to its every changing nature between the individual tracks.
The more you listen the more noticeable his intentions are on Arktis. Ihsahn simply and deliberately refuses to be pigeonholed. His writing and intentions make Arktis a very interesting melodic journey for the listener. His songwriting and content has definitely matured since being a founder of one of black metal’s pioneers Emperor in the late 1980’s to early 1990’s. Much like his peers in Enslaved and even his once band mate in Tchort with Green Carnation, Ihsahn has incorporated ambient, avant-garde, progressive and even some fusion and jazz influences into his own modified form of extreme black metal. Arktis is a perfect example of all these influences coming together as we will now see when I break this down for you.
Disassembled starts with a thunderous bass section with a great old school hammond organ along with a heavy rhythm guitar. This is very soon followed up with a very rhythm guitar groove laden progression with a perfect black metal vocal. There is also some very melodic clean vocal sections that give the track a lot more depth than just a extreme vocal fest. Between the extreme black vocal sections and cleaner vocal sections it gives the track the appearance of a harmonic dialogue.
Mass Darkness has almost a djent backbone to it. There are definite intricate rhythmic trade offs in between the rhythm guitar and bass. On top of the greatly executed extreme vocals there are also so great clean backing vocals. The track is very up tempo within the rhythmic structure.
My Heart Is Of The North begins with a great drum intro followed by a beautiful hammond organ blended in with a great guitar passage. The extreme vocals are very melodic, The rhythm section of guitar/bass/drums melt well with the hammond organ. It is a Deep Purple style passage with a heavier metal sensibility. At the 2:57 mark the track takes a nice mellow melodic break with a cleaner vocal before exploding again at the 3:30 mark.
South Winds begins as a ambient intro with quiet whispering echo style vocals before taking a straight away direction towards a more avant – garde progression. The vocals and instrumental are subtle trading on and off. The rhythm section again appears as a more djent progression. Very tuned down and bleak yet smooth to the listener. About the 3:50 mark the instrumental portion takes on a light orchestral passage with the cleaner vocals dark ambient.
In The Vaul starts off as a straight up metal track. There is so great trade off melodies between the clean and extreme vocal. At times this track reminds me of early Opeth on Still Life with tracks like The Moor and Serenity Painted Death however in a more blackened metal ambient progression.
Until I Too Dissolve begins like a semi industrial track until the guitar kicks in and then takes it to another dimension. From there it is a straight away driving groove laden heavy metal track. There is some nice breaks before the clean vocals appear. This is one of the more melodic tracks both on the clean vocal and extreme black metal vocal parts. The clean vocals are like a light power/progressive vocal, strong and harmonic. The guitar solo is very intricate it its time measures and signatures making the progressions unpredictable.
Pressure is one of the more progressive metal tracks on the album. Both lyrically and instrumentally it deals with some of the darker material Ihsahn is more noted for. The instrumental portions are very intricate and the time signatures very dark yet ever changing. With all the progression changes the tracks still stays on point where you can follow it. The double blast beats of the drums are very black metal in their nature. Video to Pressure will be included at the end of this review.
Frail begins as a beautiful acoustic track. Suddenly it takes a weird path of various time signatures. The progressions sound very old school with the rhythmic section. The keyboards are a more rhythmic instrument than a stringed section instrument. The harmonies have a beautiful and dark nuance about them as well. The guitar solo bridges the first half to the second of the track perfectly.
Crooked Red Line is perhaps one of the most unusual tracks I ever heard on a extreme progressive black metal album of this nature. This track ventures more towards the jazz and fusion direction especially with the heavy appearance of a saxophone. It is progressive black metal fusion something that is barely heard in today’s extreme progressive metal scene. The saxophone takes the instrumental into another dimension and a welcomed one at that.
Celestial Violence has a heavy ambient atmospheric intro. Then the track explodes into a blackened progression with the extreme vocals. Soon it changes again in its time progression and the progressive passage takes on a cleaner vocal. This seems to be the main dynamic on the album where there is a extreme progression running side by side or playing off one another in a wicked time signature.
Til Tor Ulven (Soppelsolen) is basically a instrumentally avant-garde ambient track with the entire vocal portion being a spoken word section within another language. It is arranged perfectly as the final track allowing the listener to absorb what they just experienced.
Ihsahn really created a masterpiece on Arktis. He put on a clinic on how true progressive black metal should be written, recorded and produced. Arktis is a album that is one of those recordings where through word of mouth can introduce newer fans to Ihsahn and his body of work. I give Ihsahn’s Arktis a 4.5/5 .
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