, , , , , , , , , , ,

News Collection Week Of 10-18

News 13 Oct 09 By

hardnewsupdateheading.gif

The Devil Wears Prada On Headbanger’s Ball
The Devil Wears Prada hosted Headbangers Ball on Saturday, October 10th. The band introduced videos including their own recent one for “Danger Wildman” which was filmed in-between shows performing on the mainstage of Warped Tour all summer. The band has recently announced they will be co-headlining the Napalm & Noise Tour with All That Remains (Support from Story Of The Year and Haste The Day). This tour will be the band’s first headlining run since May when they crushed 43 sold out dates in a row. Following that was a busy summer on the mainstage at Warped Tour supporting their new album With Roots Above and Branches Below on Ferret Music. The album debuted at #11 on Billboard Top 200. The media have rained coverage on the band over the last few months including Hranica on cover of Alternative Press as well as band cover in Outburn, AMP and HM Magazine and stellar review in NY Times.
Tour Dates:
11/23 – Rochester, NY
11/24 – Buffalo, NY
11/25 – Cincinnatti, OH
11/28 – Indianapolis, IN
11/29 – Des Moines, IA
11/30 – Omaha, NE
12/2 – Boulder, CO
12/4 – Sparks, NV
12/5 – Sacramento, CA
12/6 – Santa Cruz, CA
12/7 – Bakersfield, CA
12/9 – Anaheim, CA
12/10 – Ventura, CA
12/11 – San Diego, CA
12/12 – Tucson, AZ
12/13 – El Paso, TX
12/15 – Austin, TX
12/16 – Corpus Christi, TX
12/18 – Nashville, TN
12/19 – Raleigh, NC
12/20 – Norfolk, VA
12/21 – Allentown, PA

Mae Release Features DVD Documentary
Currently in the midst of their U.S. headlining tour, the alternative rock trio MAE just released (M)ORNING physically in stores late last month after selling-out a limited edition run on their tour earlier this spring. The enhanced disc is the first of three separate 8-song collections of music the band is releasing in October–(M)ORNING, (A)FTERNOON, and (E)VENING–and includes a special DVD documentary which explains the evolution of the group’s “12 Songs, 12 Months, 1 Goal” campaign. The project evolved from digital to include physical releases via the band’s own imprint Cell Records which is now in partnership with Tooth & Nail for distribution. Late last year, MAE left Capitol Records to blaze their own trail. Without limitations, the band found a different way to do the two things they love most: creating music and helping others. They created “12 Songs, 12 Months, 1 Goal: Make a Difference,” and decided to release (M)ORNING, (A)FTERNOON, and (E)VENING as well as partner with charitable and humanitarian organizations to make a direct and positive impact in the world. So far in 2009, MAE has raised $55,095.48 and has partnered with both DonorsChoose and Habitat For Humanity. Earlier this year, MAE stepped into their local community of Newport News, VA–in conjunction with Habitat for Humanity–to build a home for a family in need. The trio fully funded the single family home through fans purchasing the new music off (M)ORNING with a minimum donation of $1.00 through the band’s official website. For (A)FTERNOON songs which are up now, MAE has aligned with Donor’s Choose to help teachers across the country directly get the supplies they are lacking for their classrooms. Fans can listen to the songs streaming for free at the band’s website. A limited-edition version of (A)FTERNOON will also be available during the band’s fall tour–only 2500 copies were created–and includes their current single “The Fight Song (Crash and Burn).” At select tour stops this fall, MAE is inviting their fans to join them in getting involved with their community by volunteering at local soup kitchens, homeless shelters, clothing and food drives. Fans can visit whatismae.com for updates on where the band will be helping out in their town. In addition, after each club show, MAE will perform an acoustic set for donations, all of which go directly to the local chapter of Donors Choose. For the (A)fternoon tour, in addition to their stunning 3D projection visuals, the band is including the sensory stimulation of touch into their shows and “rub and smell” scented CDs which first debuted on the Spring tour; the (A)FTERNOON tour-only edition will feature a new scent. The combination of these elements will create a unique experience allowing fans to be transported to another level. MAE’s greater purpose has always been to provide something more–a Multisensory Aesthetic Experience designed to cultivate growth and endless possibility.
Tour Dates:
10/14 – San Luis Obispo, CA
10/15 – San Francisco, CA
10/16 – Stillwater, OK
10/18 – Seattle, WA
10/19 – Boise, ID
10/20 – Billings, MT
10/21 – Salt Lake City, UT
10/22 – Denver, CO
10/23 – Kansas City, MO
10/24 – Minneapolis, MN
10/26 – Fargo, ND
10/27 – St. Louis, MO
10/28 – Chicago, IL
10/29 – Newport, KY
10/30 – Akron, OH
10/31 – Grand Rapids, MI
11/1 – Columbus, OH
11/3 – Philadelphia, PA
11/4 – Philadelphia, PA
11/5 – Cambridge, MA
11/6 – New York, NY
11/7 – S. Hackensack, NJ
11/8 – Washington, DC
11/24 – Tokyo, JP
11/25 – Osaka, JP
11/26 – Nagoya, JP
11/28 – Honolulu, HI

Alice Cooper Releases New Single
Alice Cooper and Shout! Factory announce new single “Keepin’ Halloween Alive” available exclusively on iTunes “Cooper-oke” Video Contest Runs Through October 31st. Alice Cooper, the King of Halloween, has a brand-new single celebrating the macabre holiday: “Keepin’ Halloween Alive.” Alice Cooper’s “Keepin’ Halloween Alive” is available for purchase exclusively on iTunes, as a single, or as a Digital 45 with the “Cooperoke” vocal-free version and a bonus digital booklet. Fans are encouraged to join in on the fun by entering the “Keepin’ Halloween Alive” Cooper-oke Video Contest, in which they upload videos of themselves singing their own karaoke versions of “Keepin’ Halloween Alive.” Three winners, chosen by Alice Cooper, will have their videos posted on AliceCooper.com and elsewhere, and will be awarded one of three cash prizes: First Place: $1,000, Second Place: $500, and Third Place: $250. All videos must be submitted no later than midnight PDT, October 31st, 2009. Alice delivers “Keepin’ Halloween Alive” with the garage-punk snarl he is best known for, ensuring that it will soon be a Halloween classic. “At home my family all gathers around an old spooky tree decorated with skulls and bones in the living room, and we exchange gifts,” says Cooper. “It’s our holiday. We even all have matching black-and-orange Halloween sweaters! I wanted a theme song for people like me, and for us Halloween never ends. In the chorus I say, ‘I’m keepin’ Halloween alive, baby, 3–6–5’… and I mean it!” “Keepin’ Halloween Alive,” was co-written and co-produced by Cooper with Piggy D. (a member of Rob Zombie’s band), who played rhythm guitar/backup vocals. Dave Pino (Powerman 5000) is featured on lead guitar, and David Spreng (Engineer for Bob Dylan, The Bravery) mixed the track and played drums. Of the recording, Cooper says, “We played it live as a band to capture the vibe. It was the easiest work I think any of us have ever done, not to mention a blast!” In addition to releasing the new single, Cooper is busy hosting his “Nights with Alice Cooper” radio program, now syndicated on more than 100 stations worldwide, and staying on the road with his Theatre of Death world tour—tour dates below. Nights with Alice Cooper airs on over 100 radio stations worldwide and is produced and distributed by United Stations Radio Networks, Inc., the nation’s leading independently owned and operated radio network. United Stations distributes and produces multiple format specific services to nearly 4500 rated radio stations across the U.S. in every mass-appeal format including the target format for Nights with Alice Cooper, Classic Rock. The New York-based company was founded in 1994 by radio pioneers Dick Clark and Nick Verbitsky.
For more information on “Nights With Alice Cooper, entry details, & contest rules, visit:
nightswithalicecooper.com
Tour Dates:
10/16 – Lake Tahoe, NV
10/17 – Wendove, NV
10/19 – Idaho Falls, ID
10/21 – San Francisco, CA
10/23 – Las Vegas, NV
10/24 – Las Vegas, NV
10/25 – Las Vegas, NV
10/27 – Fresno, CA
10/28 – Los Angeles, CA
10/30 – Indio, CA
10/31 – Valley Center, CA
11/18 – Kocise, Slovakia
11/19 – Bratislava, Slovakia
11/20 – Plzen, Czech Republic
11/24 – Manchester, England
11/25 – Glasgow, Scotland
11/27 – Newcastle, England
11/28 – Sheffield, England
11/29 – Swindon, England
12/1 – Wolverhampton, England
12/2 – Plymouth, England
12/4 – Nottingham, England
12/5 – Brighton, England
12/6 – London, England
12/8 – Kerkrade, Netherlands
12/9 – Schwerin, Germany
12/11 – Espoo, Finland
12/12 – Oulu, Finland
12/14 – Gothenburg, Sweden
12/15 – Vasteras, Sweden

Onward To Olympas Signs to Facedown Records
Facedown Records is excited to welcome Onward to Olympas to the family. Coming up among such North Carolina bands as Between the Buried and Me, Beloved, and He Is Legend gave the members of Onward To Olympas an appreciation for an array of genres. Since their formation in 2008, OTO has meticulously cultivated their sound, blending progressive metal, straight hardcore, and elements of death metal. That the band can indulge all their musical proclivities, yet produce such consistent results, while making it seem easy is a testament to their craftsmanship. Says vocalist/guitarist Justin Gage, “We like the challenge of including all the genres that we most enjoy without making a song sound like it is being performed by three different bands.” On their new album This World Is Not My Home, recorded with Jamie King (Between the Buried and Me, For Today) Onward To Olympas make sure to bring the intensity, effortlessly melding melodic singing with thick metal-core screams, occasionally bringing a little old school back to the table with crisp gang vocals. The album is polished and impressive, and will be available on Facedown Records in January 19 2010.
Tour Dates
10/16 – Thomasville, NC
10/17 – Gastonia, NC
10/24 – Wilmington, NC
11/13 – Charlotte, NC
11/15 – Charlotte, NC
11/20 – Raleigh, NC
11/21 – Fayetteville, GA
For more information on Onward To Olympus, visit:
myspace.com/onwardtoolympas

MxPx Concoct Special Lineup For Asian Tour
Bremerton, WA’s punk trio MxPx will be embarking on an International tour to Japan and Malaysia, but with a slight twist. An MxPx All-Star line-up has been announced featuring MxPx lead vocalist and bassist Mike Herrera along with Kris Roe of The Ataris on guitar and Chris Wilson of The Summer Obsession on drums. The MxPx All-Stars will perform four dates in Japan with friends, Zebrahead starting on December 4 in Tokyo and ending in Osaka on December 8. The All-Stars will then head off to KualaLumpur, Malaysia for a solo date on December 11. “We decided to change things up a little for some International dates, due to Yuri having another baby recently and Tom wanting to be home through the holidays,” said MxPx lead vocalist and bassist Mike Herrera. “Chris [Wilson] has been our fourth member for awhile covering on select dates, so he was an easy selection. I asked Kris [Roe] to join in because he’s another close friend of ours that plays his own music and I knew he would be a fun addition to the line-up.” For the past decade, MxPx have had a relentless touring schedule. Having traveled to Australia, Israel, Russia, China, Europe, South American, Indonesia, Japan, and now Malaysia, the band finally had this summer off to finish recording and mastering their new EP, Left Coast Punk, which will be released later this year. They will also finish recording additional tunes for their holiday album, which is set to be released in the next few months as well. Ataris front man Kris Roe met MxPx in 1996, when both bands began their first tours together. “We all bonded in the fact that we were all under 21, grew up in small towns and had left school and dropped everything we knew to get in a van to follow our dreams of what we loved and the only thing we likely knew… to play music.” Roe is ready to let go of his normal front man role to fill in for MxPx guitarist Tom Wisniewski. “Being able to just play guitar for an entire set without having to worry about being the singer will be a great relief. It gets a little tiring sometimes.” Chris Wilson is very familiar with MxPx’s set list as he has filled in for MxPx drummer Yuri Ruley in the past on occasional dates as well as being a fan of the band while growing up. “MxPx have definitely been one of my biggest music and lifestyle influences, and when I tour with them it always proves to be a great time! I mean hell…I get to play for one of my favorite bands again! Who wouldn’t want to do that?” The song selection will consist of tracks from MxPx’s massive catalog, and of course, include tracks from their current covers album, On The Cover II; And with Roe and Wilson in the mix, they will also be performing a couple of Ataris tracks, as well as some special surprises. The Ataris, a pop punk band originally out of Anderson, Indiana have released five studio albums and are currently finishing their forthcoming album The Graveyard of the Atlantic. They will be touring the western U.S. throughout September and early October before heading to Jakarta, Indonesia for one show, and then continue on to New Zealand and Australia. The Summer Obsession, a punk band now based in Los Angeles, is also working on a new album. Having last released their major label debut This Is Where You Belong through Virgin Records, the band took some time off, but are now back in the studio working on a new material.
For tour dates and more information, visit:
mxpx.com

Canopy Red Signs With Creative Soul Records
Christian rock band Canopy Red has signed with Nashville-based Creative Soul Records. The band’s self-titled debut 5-song EP, produced by Eric Copeland, will be available on November 3rd at iTunes. The Tallahassee, Florida-based band has been compared to such artists as Sanctus Real, Relient K and The Afters. But it’s not only their sound that draws the comparisons, but the foursome’s common goal to impact this generation with the Gospel. Though only in their teens, frontman Forrest Krazit (19), guitarist Joshua Schmidt (17), bassist Nicholas Cleary (17) and drummer Ryan Harvell (18) are clearly on a mission. “We write songs from the heart and our personal experiences of our walk with Christ in hope of connecting and reaching others,” reveals Krazit. “The theme to these songs is basically the idea that without God we can’t do anything, but His love for us is never ending and He always takes us back.” The members of Canopy Red hope to target their peers with this message through their music. Explains Harvell, “It’s written for Christians, primarily teenagers through young adults. Within the songs, we want to convey God’s plans are always way better than anything that the world has to offer.” “We always want to draw closer to God as a band,” says Schmidt. Adds Cleary, “And like our name says, we want to show more people, both saved and unsaved, what it means to live under the shelter of Christ’s blood.” Canopy Red has released their debut single “Falling Apart” to Christian radio, and a music video has been completed, directed by Billy Brown at Evidential Productions (Rush of Fools, Barlow Girl, Richard Marx). The video premiered at Video Rocket.com on September 29th, where it was the popular website’s free video download of the week. Canopy Red will be featured throughout the month of October at HearItFirst.com as part of their month long contest-filled ROCKTOBER promotion, featuring 13 of the hottest Christian rock acts including Canopy Red, Stryper, Pillar, Manic Drive, Dreampilots, SONSOFDAY and more.
For more information on this band, visit:
canopyred.com

Seabird Beginning to Showcase New Songs on Tour
Credential Recordings piano pop/rock band Seabird readies the release of its highly anticipated sophomore studio project, Rocks Into Rivers, Dec. 15, 2009. The group has jump-started its promotion of Rocks Into Rivers, currently debuting the record live on David Crowder Band’s fall 2009 tour. A follow up to Seabird’s 2008 critically acclaimed label debut, ‘Til We See The Shore, Rocks Into Rivers features top-notch production by Paul Moak (Mat Kearney, Sixpence None The Richer) and Matt Hales from Aqualung. The band split its time between Ocean Studios in Los Angeles and The Smoakstack in Nashville, honing what brothers Aaron and Ryan Morgan are calling their most exciting project to date. “For this album I think we wanted to mature both musically and lyrically,” says Aaron. “We have families now and are experiencing different aspects of life, and we think that our audience has matured with us as well. We want to continue making songs that inspire people to change and grow. There is a musical progression in these songs, they may be a little less poppy but at the same they definitely showcase our rock sensibility.” “It’s been a really good collaboration,” says Hales. “I’ve felt a bit like I’ve been in the band…they’ve been very gracious in allowing me to bring my ideas in. When it’s all together, we’ll have a striking, confident, really enjoyable record.” The project’s first single, “Don’t You Know You’re Beautiful,” is currently vying for adds at CHR/AC radio. The song will be available at iTunes and other digital music outlets beginning Nov. 3. In the meantime, Seabird will join headliner David Crowder band on a 30+-city tour kicking off this month. Additionally featuring Sparrow recording artist Danyew, the tour will visit major markets including San Antonio, Houston, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Seattle, Minneapolis, Chicago, Detroit, Dallas, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, New York City and Atlanta through late November. Cincinnati-based Seabird comprises brothers Aaron (vocals/keys) and Ryan (guitar) Morgan as well as Preston Lane (drums). The band signed with Credential Recordings in late 2007 and released its debut label project,‘Til We See The Shore, June 24, 2008. A collaborative effort with producers Jacquire King (Modest Mouse, Kings Of Leon, Tom Waits, Switchfoot) and Allen Salmon (Mute Math, This Beautiful Republic), the album received phenomenal national publicity, featured on episodes of “Numb3rs,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” and promos for ABC’s 12-time Emmy-nominated series, “Pushing Daisies.” The band was also recognized by its hometown as “Artist of the Year” at the 2008 Cincinnati Entertainment Awards and toured with artists including Barcelona, Meese, and Jars of Clay throughout the spring and summer of 2009.
For more information on Seabird & tour dates, go here:
myspace.com/seabird

Owl City Announce Early 2010 Tour
Owl City announces his first few weeks of 2010 tour dates in support of his incredibly successful label debut – Ocean Eyes – out now on Universal Republic. MySpace will offer an exclusive ticket pre-sale beginning October 16th and running through October 23rd for the tour dates. The tour kicks off January 21st at the Beaumont Club in Kansas City, MO and sees Owl City with full band in tow heading through the Midwest, Southeast and up the East Coast through mid-February. The short US tour will include special guests Lights and Deas Vail and sees the band hitting some of the smaller markets not visited this past fall. In addition, the 2010 dates come on the heels of Owl City’s first trek to China and Japan and comes before the band will make their live debut in Europe as well as Australia where they’ll be hitting the road with Cobra Starship. All of this follows Owl City’s Fall 2009 headlining tour of North America, which has sold out in advance in every city, and earned him a cover of Pollstar (out 10/9/09) after less than a year of touring. In addition to his success on the road, “Fireflies” (the first single off Ocean Eyes) has been climbing the radio charts. As of last week the song reached #27 on Commercial Alternative, #22 on the Top 40 chart and #11 on the Hot 100 – earning him a cover of HITS (out on Wednesday 10/21, dated Friday 10/23, the new and developing artist fall special issue). To top that off, Z100 in NYC added “Fireflies” last week and the video for the song hit the Top 20 on VH1. You can also see the video on MTV, MTV2 and Fuse and the album and single sales go up each week. The album sold 16,727 this past week (#35 Billboard / +26% from LW) and has scanned 115K copies since release. The single sold 124,865 this past week (+83% from LW) with a total of 386,488 sold since release, making this artist one of the biggest gainers on the charts each week. Adam Young started Owl City in the basement of his parent’s house in the small town of Owatonna, MN. He began capturing the hearts and ears of many with his first self-released, digital EP Of June back in 2007. Soon after, in 2008, he self-released the digital full-length Maybe I’m Dreaming and quickly became a MySpace phenomenon. He amassed millions and millions of plays and profile views and the word began to spread. The excitement was building for his Universal Republic debut Ocean Eyes and sales were amazing out of the gate with the album debuting at #27 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart. Having not played out before February 2009, Owl City hit the road and soon spring and fall tours were completely sold out as fans clamored to see the live versions of their favorite songs. Along with the omnipresent hit “Fireflies,” the sky is now the limit for Owl City.
2010 Tour Dates:
1/21 – Kansas City, MO
1/22 – Oklahoma City, OK
1/23 – St. Louis, MO
1/24 – Indianapolis, IN
1/26 – Madison, WI
1/27 – Cincinnati, OH
1/28 – Columbus, OH
1/29 – Towson, MD
1/30 – Norfolk, VA
2/1 – Charleston, SC
2/2 – Jacksonville, FL
2/3 – Tampa, FL
2/4 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL
2/5 – Orlando, FL
2/6 – Athens, GA
2/8 – Birmingham, AL
2/9 – Baton Rouge, LA
2/10 – Little Rock, AR
2/11 – Valparaiso, IN
2/12 – South Bend, IN
2/13 – Grantham, PA
2/14 – Baltimore, MD

The Fold Self-Release New Album
On October 6th, 2009, The Fold released their third studio album, entitled Dear Future, Come Get Me. This marks their first independent release since leaving their label, Tooth & Nail in 2008 to join the ranks of many high-caliber bands in 2009 who are excited to take on the market during this “Wild Wild West” style era in the music industry. Singer Daniel Castady says, “It would have been comfortable for us to stay [with our label], but that’s about it. The way things are now, it’s really up to us to make our mark. We’re finally ready to take responsibility and take this thing where we want it to go.” Accompanying the release, the band dreamt up a contest to promote the album, which successfully fuses YouTube, Twitter and forum-style blogging all in one site, challenging fans to answer one simple question: “If you could stare your future in the face, what would you say?” In the style of the album’s art, fans can submit a picture or YouTube video relaying their message to the future. The band will pick five winners at the end of November 2009. Four runners up will receive a free autographed CD, poster, and sticker. One lucky grand prize winner will receive all of that plus the new game, Tony Hawk: Ride, which features the band’s new single Neverender. Tony Hawk: Ride will be released November 17, 2009 and is expected to sell over four million copies. For more info on submitting your art, head here.
Dear Future, Come Get Me is available both through digital outlets, and CDs can be purchased at shows or through the band’s official merchandise store:
merchdirect.net/thefold

Stream Before There Was Rosalyn’s New Album
VictorStream, the only label-oriented, free, media player that can be hosted on any site, blog, or webpage, is giving an exclusive look into the debut album from BEFORE THERE WAS ROSALYN! Head over to victorymetal.com to hear this collection of dark songs about humanity and our power to create and destroy from BEFORE THERE WAS ROSALYN’s The Fuhrer (An Allegory of a History of Deception). The album will have its world “streaming” premier at 11:00 AM CST on Monday, October 12. Register today so you have your access code in hand once the stream goes live. The album will be streamed in its entirety, only through VictorStream, so don’t miss your chance to be one of the first to hear this phenomenal album! Five boys from Houston Texas who attest that they are a ministry first and a band second, Before There Was Rosalyn is the kind of band that strives to become more than just the sum of their parts. With a passion and sincerity that’s all too real in a world where so many things are not, they invite you into their lives and their struggles, hoping to share in yours. After extensive touring, and a great response to their 2008 release “As Far As The Moon From The Sun,” this post-hardcore act has set out to make a powerful statement with their Victory debut entitled THE FUHRER: An Allegory Of A History Of Deception, an album about humanity’s potential to create and its power to destroy. With a release date of 10/27/09, THE FUHRER is a bold and emotional journey into the heart of a humanity left to its own devices. Characterized by a sound of driving beats, powerful lyrics, and tasteful songwriting, Before There Was Rosalyn is here to remind us that music is still the best way for us to offer the only thing of value we really have to offer one another: our hearts. “This record is for our generation,” Vocalist Carlos Salazar conveys. “It’s for all of us. This is about humanity. It’s not about the black and white lines that divide our morals or our beliefs, but the gray matter that makes up the lives we lead and the importance of the choices we make.”

Gwen Stacy News
Gwen Stacy has released an album teaser for their forthcoming full-length A Dialogue on their My Space page. This album will be released October 20th on Solid State Records and is up for pre-order on Zambooie.com with an exclusive t-shirt and 7”. A Dialogue is the band’s follow up to their debut The Life I Know (2008) which has scanned close to 20,000 copies and earned praise from outlets like Absolute Punk who proclaimed “if you need something to kick your current music rotation in the butt, then The Life I Know is what you want to check out.” Speaking on the new album’s direction drummer TJ Sego says “The entire record is a dialogue; every lyric on the record is in quotations. The entire idea of the record is a conversation between God and man on different subjects, perseverance, asking questions, dealing with doubt, having different trials like abandonment, a lack of compassion and mercy, etc.” A video for the song The First Words will be shot this Thursday by Jeremy Jackson outside of O’Hare Airport in Chicago. If you are interested in participating please e-mail gwenstacyvid@gmail.com

A New Mastedon Album (For Real)
Frontiers Records is pleased to announce the European release of the brand new Mastedon album 3 on November 6. Mastedon is the Hard Rock band put together by ex-Kansas singer John Elefante, together with his brother Dino in the late 80’s. The band’s name was a pachyderm-inspired reference to the brothers’ last name. Although John was an accomplished vocalist and performer, the first two Mastedon albums featured multiple lead singers and performances by other artists, creating an eclectic sound anchored by John’s songwriting. His brother Dino played a prominent role, contributing songwriting and handling most of the guitar work. Some of the collaborators in the band’s first two albums were Dave Amato (REO Speedwagon), Stef Burns (Y&T), bassists John Pierce (Richard Marx) and John Patitucci plus guest vocalists David Pack (Ambrosia), David Robbins (X-Sinner), Tom Bowes (Tower of Power), James Dean Longacre (Life9) and Perry Lee (Tracer Fox). In 1996 John Elefante started a solo career that brought him to release three successful albums more in the Adult Contemporary – Pop Rock vein. After a few years of hiatus, John decided to go back to his roots sound with a brand new Mastedon album that – contrary to the predecessors – would only feature his amazing lead vocals. Musically, the new album, simply entitled “3” harkens back to the best of Mastedon and to his work with Kansas. None other than main Kansas songwriter Kerry Livgren appears on lead guitar on this new release, collaborating on a 11 minute piece of music that any Kansas fan will surely love! More famed musicians and such as Dave Amato (REO Speedwagon), Anthony Sallee (Whiteheart), Dan Needham (Michael McDonald, Neville Brothers, Amy Grant, Garth Brooks etc) and of course John’s brother Dino Elefante contribute to the performance of this superb new release. Rich melodic harmonies and melodies are the keys to a Mastedon record and “3” is clearly an instant winner in all its moments and will remain as an hallmark in John Elefante’s career for many years to come. Final track listing of “3” includes: Revolution of Mind; Slay Your Demons; Nowhere Without Your Love; One Day Down By The Lake (See You Real Soon); Water Into Wine (Fassa Rokka), Questions (It’s About Time); You Can’t Take Anything; Lying; The Western World; That’s What You Do; Dust In the Wind (exclusive bonus track). As a companion to this new release, Frontiers managed to acquire the rights for the re-release of Mastedon’s legendary debut album “It’s a Jungle Out There!”. Released originally in 1989, it charted at #25 in the Billboard Top Contemporary Christian chart. To this day, this album is still considered classics in the genre and has reached some amazing prices in the trades on E-bay. Frontiers new reissue includes full lyrics and three bonus tracks “Wasn’t It Love” (from the compilation “California Metal”) and live versions of “Islands In The Sky” and “Right Hand” recorded live at Cornerstone in 1991. Full track listing: It’s A Jungle Out There; Glory Bound; This Is The Day; Love Inhalation; Islands In The Sky; Get Up; Love That Will Survive; Innocent Girl; Shine On; Right Hand; Wasn’t It Love; Islands In The Sky (Live at Cornerstone ‘91)*; Right Hand (Live at Cornerstone ‘91).
For more information on this upcoming release, visit:
myspace.com/frontiersrecords

©2009 HM Magazine All Rights Reserved

More news from last week:

still fresh (as far as you know)

About the Author

More News from HM Magazine