Sonic Perspectives

From his work as a guest vocalist in projects such as the metal opera Avantasia, to heading bands such as Masterplan, to running a band under his own name, there are few vocal powerhouses that stay as busy as Jorn Lande. After spending months on the road with Avantasia for the “Moonglow” world tour, Jorn has returned with a new cover album “Heavy Rock Radio II Executing the Classics.” A natural follow-up to his 2016 cover album “Heavy Rock Radio,” this latest work dives deep into the music that has inspired Jorn throughout his life, pulling from the very roots of hard rock, including a number of songs that seem to be fading from collective memory. 

Including his Dio tribute album, this is Jorn’s fourth cover album, and it gives listeners a chance to explore the richness of rock’s storied past in Jorn’s unique style. Featuring covers from well-known artists such as Santana, Peter Gabriel, and Bryan Adams, “Heavy Rock Radio II” is a chance to see history re-imagined for the modern age through Jorn’s experienced eyes. 

Contemplating the changes in songwriting throughout the years, why he gravitates towards covers and more, Jorn discussed the creation of “Heavy Rock Radio II” with Sonic Perspectives contributor Samantha Buckman. To keep up with interviews like this one and more, be sure to follow Sonic Perspectives on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to be notified about new interviews and contents we publish on a daily basis.

The post JORN LANDE on Cover Album HEAVY ROCK RADIO II: “It’s Great to Bring These Songs Into the New Millennium” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Sometimes the most unusual combinations produce the best results – in colors, in cooking ingredients, and why not, in musical partners. Evidence of that can be heard on the new collaboration between Anette Olzon (ex-Nightwish, The Dark Element) and Russel Allen (Symphony X, Adrenaline Mob, TransSiberian Orchestra). Entitled “Worlds Apart”, the album showcases their powerful voices both in solo tracks and in duets, and is a fine example of how artists with such diverse backgrounds can work so well together.

The songs on “Worlds Apart” were written by acclaimed Swedish guitarist, songwriter, and producer Magnus Karlsson (Primal Fear, Magnus Karlsson’s Free Fall), and are in the same vein of Russell‘s collaboration with Jorn Lande. If you’re a fan of symphonic metal, with catchy choruses and high-soaring vocals, this is right in your wheelhouse.

Sonic Perspectives collaborator Rodrigo Altaf had the chance to talk to Anette Olzon about the creation of the album, and the two of them also discussed her other endeavors, her challenges with raising a family whilst maintaining two careers, and much more. Find out their conversation on the links below and remember to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to be notified about new interviews and contents we publish on a daily basis.

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Vocalist Robin McAuley (McAuley Schenker Group / Riding the Rock Vault / Michael Schenker Fest), guitarist Reb Beach (Winger, Whitesnake), bassist Jeff Pilson (Foreigner, The End Machine, ex-Dokken), and drummer Matt Starr (Ace Frehley, Mr. Big) have joined forces in BLACK SWAN, a new band project signed to Frontiers Music SLR. Their debut album, “Shake the World,” is set for release tomorrow February 14th 2020, and is destined to do what’s promise in its title. Through eleven blistering tracks we hear Reb Beach unleashed, Matt Starr‘s thunderous drumming, Jeff Pilson‘s dependable and imaginative bass lines, and of course the glass shattering vocals of Robin himself.

With such a rich history in their collective past, it’s hard for the band members to avoid the Hard Rock / AOR / Metal vibe that permeated the airwaves in the 80’s and that is shown in full display here. Amazingly though, these songs do not sound like a rehash of ideas and past glories, but sees the band moving forward and quickly creating their own identity right off the bat. In fact, as can be seen in our review of the album, this is already one of our candidates for melodic hard-rock album of the year!

Sonic Perspectives collaborator Rodrigo Altaf sat down with Robin McAuley for over 30 minutes, and they discussed at length the creative process of BLACK SWAN ‘s debut, the care with his voice, the expectations for them to tour together, and much more. Listen to this great chat below and remember to stalk us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to be notified about new interviews and contents we publish on a daily basis.

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About a year and a half ago, Sonic Perspectives contributor Mark Boardman messaged Martin Schnella.  He’s a wonderful guitarist and singer and songwriter.  And with his partner, the great vocalist Melanie Mau, in recent years they’ve produced some beautiful acoustic music… including some amazing covers of bands you’ve heard of.

Boardman asked Martin if he would be doing prog-rock anytime soon—he’d been in several progressive bands and had shown remarkable talents in that area.  “No”.  That was about all he said.  Flat out, no.

And now, here we are about 18 months later…and Martin and Melanie are the core members of a band called Flaming Row.  Their new album is “The Pure Shine.”  And it is a progressive-rock concept album.  Things change.  But the duo continues to do their acoustic covers as well.

Mark sat down with both Martin and Melanie and discussed a myriad of topics. Listen to their interesting conversation below and remember to stalk us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to be notified about new interviews and contents we publish on a daily basis.

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Few bands have been as enigmatic as Psychotic Waltz. A casualty of the grunge/ alternative era, Psychotic Waltz were perfecting progressive metal at the same time that most of the Magna Carta roster was too busy aping a certain New York quintet to do anything, you know, progressive. Sadly, the group imploded during the Dark Ages of Metal that also saw the rise of powerhouses like Nevermore and Opeth, releasing their swansong, “Bleeding” in 1996. “I take a lot of the blame for the split because not much has changed except for my ability to withstand conflict,” admits Devon Graves, the front-man formerly known as Buddy Lackey. “We didn’t break up over music. We broke up over stupid politics. I wanted to write my music and explore my abilities without having to go through Congress for every decision.”

Graves eventually made his dream come true when he launched Dead Soul Tribe, an avenue that afforded him the freedom to experiment. “What I was missing [in the old days],” reflects Graves, “was the big picture of what makes a song awesome. The most mystique that a singer can have is in the spaces of silence. That’s where all the charisma is.”

He pauses to for emphasis before continuing: “Especially if you interrupt your sentence with a space.”

“That space gives you the time to digest what was just said, to let it register, and to wait for how it’s going to resolve. I’m doing that more methodically with Psychotic‘s new material, and I have our guitarist Dan Rock to thank for that.”

Psychotic Waltz‘s first offering since “Bleeding” incubated for nearly a decade before its scheduled release on Valentine’s Day 2020. “We all agonized over this music,” Devon admits. “We argued, we disagreed. It’s a painful process, but that’s what makes Psychotic Waltz what it is.”

“The God-Shaped Void” is exactly the album an educated listener would expect from a band whose famous volatility had such a generous stretch to subside. It’s complex, but not showy; provocative, but not self-indulgent. And most importantly, it sounds like the volatile substances took their sweet time maturing like a fine añejo in aged Merlot barrels. The eleven cuts that make up “The God-Shaped Void” are the very essence of progressive, yet does so with the wisdom that only personal and emotional growth can earn. The entire band – not just Graves – holds back when the song requires them to do so, and launches an aural assault before the listener even realizes what’s happened.

“It wasn’t until someone turned me on to Jeff Buckley that I realized that high notes aren’t the problem; starting with high notes is the problem,” Graves offers. “High notes aren’t the bad guy, it’s just where you put them, and if you do it right, you can even do them when you’re my age.”

“I want to slap the shit out of twenty-year-old year old Buddy Lackey and shout YOU’LL HAVE TO SING THIS WHEN YOU’RE FIFTY” he laughs.

Graves offered Sonic Perspectives scribe Gonzalo Pozo nearly two hours of his time to discuss life, the universe, and everything, and even plugged his band and their new album once or twice. The two had a ridiculously great chat full of laughs and insights into one of progressive metal’s most misunderstood bands. Listen on if you doubt this even a little. Listen to their conversation below and make sure to follow Sonic Perspectives on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to be notified about new interviews and contents we publish on a daily basis.

Slideshow photographs by Stephen Schmidt, Jim Wilkinson, and Joel Barrios

The post PSYCHOTIC WALTZ’s Front-man DEVON GRAVES Talks New Album: “I Wouldn’t Have Done The PSYCHOTIC WALTZ Reunion If The Guy Who I Had the Hardest Feelings For Wasn’t Involved” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

AEGIS –-ˈē-jəs.  A shield or breastplate emblematic of majesty that was associated with Zeus and Athena. Also – protection.

About eight years ago, the folks at Ulterium Records had a suggestion for one of their artists.  Matt Smith, they said, why don’t you put out a song for charity—with all proceeds going to some worthy cause?  Matt liked the idea, being a proponent of faith without works being dead (and he’s got a lot of faith).  So the founder/mastermind/front-man of THEOCRACY plowed straight ahead.

He reached out to a number of singers and instrumentalists, provided a song and directions and mixed it all together.  The end result: “Collide and Spark”, a melodic metal tour de force with a message.  And the song was released under the aegis of Project Aegis.

That went so well that Smith tried it again four years ago—with some different singers and players and charity.  “Angel in the Ashes” followed in the footsteps of its predecessor but had its own unique spark of life. 

This was – is – becoming a regular thing.

So two years ago, while THEOCRACY was chilling, Matt Smith went back to the Project Aegis well and pulled up a new, refreshing sip called “And the Rest is Mystery”.  It’s taken until now for it to make its debut. No mystery here; this is a great song.

As always, the vocalists take center stage.  The piece starts with acoustic guitar (by Smith) when Neal Morse (Neal Morse Band, Transatlantic, Flying Colors, ex-Spock’s Beard) comes in, singing plaintively about a young girl in distress.  Then Smith joins him—and I have to say, these guys work well together (as you may know from the Morse opera “Jesus Christ The Exorcist”).  Then the electric guitars and drums kick in and the urgency takes over.  Swede Daniel Heiman (Dimhav, ex-Lost Horizon, Heed, Harmony, Crystal Eyes) matches Smith’s upper range.  And Celtic/Metal goddess Leah takes her turn as well.  By the end, you have four contrapuntal vocal arrangements (a la Savatage) that hammer home the message:

 “Reborn Unto a brand new day

Two members of THEOCRACY get a chance to show their stuff in a slightly different project.  Guitarist Val Allen Wood and drummer Ernie Topran are essential to the overall flow and power.  They provide a melodic heat—for just like their regular band, Project Aegis’s music is filled with hooks, enough to grab and keep you for the full 9:06.  “And the Rest is Mystery?” is an epic in the best sense of the word.

If that’s not reason enough to get the single today, then here’s something for the heart.  All the proceeds will go to Legacy Music, an operation that brings music and instruments and lessons to at-risk kids in Northern California.  These include depression, anxiety, and trauma; physical, emotional, and sexual abuse; psychological disorders; and substance and alcohol abuse. Some of their students are foster youth, and others have been rescued from human trafficking. And there’s a recognizable name attached to that: Spock’s Beard singer Ted Leonard and his very talented wife Denise are the founders and operators, and they’ve done amazing things in their community.

So Project Aegis pushes all the right buttons.  Great music, wonderful performances, and a chance to help a worthy cause.  The real mystery:  why not get “And the Rest is Mystery?” The single can be purchased at Bandcamp, iTunes and Amazon.

We also took the opportunity to interview Matt Smith, and contributor Mark Boardman sat down with him to know as much details as possible about Project Aegis and the inception of “And the Rest is Mystery?”. Listen to their insightful conversation below!

PROJECT AEGIS are:

The post SINGLE REVIEW and INTERVIEW: Watch and hear PROJECT AEGIS’ New Single Featuring LEAH, NEAL MORSE, and Members of THEOCRACY and LOST HORIZON appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

New storytellers have joined the ever-expanding ranks of Frontiers Music srl, but this metal quartet brings music of a much heavier variety than the label’s usual offerings. Drawing on the cinematic grandeur of symphonic metal, while hardening their bite with tastes of melodic death and blackened atmospheres, Seven Spires are dazzling stars that transcend the simple classification of any one subgenre as they weave their majesty. On February 14th, the friends that first met in music school will be releasing their sophomore album titled “Emerald Seas,” the thirteen-track conceptual prequel to their 2017 debut album “Solveig.” 

Despite their recent entry to the scene, Seven Spires has moved forward with confidence and poise, enlisting the role of seasoned expert Sascha Paeth to mix “Emerald Seas.” Vocalist Adrienne Cowan made her mark on 2019 with her role in Sascha Paeth’s Masters of Ceremony, but continues to demonstrate her vocal prowess within the varied folds of “Emerald Seas.” But proof of Seven Spire’s versatility expands ever wider as they prepare to serve as a supporting act for two wildly different bills. Shortly after the album’s release, the band will embark on a spring tour as a supporting act for Insomnium and Omnium Gatherum, but will hit the road again in the fall as support for Amaranthe and Battle Beast.

“Emerald Seas” is the result of a bold step forward in a thrilling musical journey and provides yet another chance for passionate artists to reveal the complexity of their unique musical vision. Co-founders Adrienne Cowan and guitarist Jack Kosto spoke at length with contributor Samantha Buckman on the songwriting process, the story behind “Emerald Seas,” and on the many emotions surrounding the upcoming tours. Listen to their conversation below and make sure to follow Sonic Perspectives on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to be notified about new interviews and contents we publish on a daily basis.

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One of the longest-standing names in thrash, Annihilator continues their relentless pursuit of all things hard and heavy with more than thirty years and sixteen full-length albums to their name. Driving force of the band, taking on the roles of vocals, bass, guitar, and production throughout its history is frontman Jeff Waters. As though their career were not already fabled enough, on January 24th Annihilator will release their seventeenth album, titled “Ballistic, Sadistic.” This release comes just months after a two-month tour that spanned 43 stops in the fall of 2019. 

Given his involvement in every aspect of the band’s songwriting and production from its very inception, and a rotating cast of musicians for both live performances and studio albums, Annihilator has always been somewhat of a Jeff Waters project. After reprising his role as vocalist in 2015, Waters has taken the lead on “Ballistic, Sadistic” as not just vocalist and guitarist, but as producer. Though it is far from his first foray into production, it is an album that is derived in both spirit and concept from his many years of experience and experimentation. 

“Ballistic, Sadistic” is also an opportunity to reach out more to the North American market after leaning heavily on releases and tours in Europe over the last two decades, even after Waters moved from Canada to England, taking his studio with him. Sonic Perspectives contributor Samantha Buckman spoke with Waters to discuss the new album’s concept and inspiration, but also spoke at length about his career as a musician in business, songwriting, and production. Listen to their interesting conversation below and remember to stalk us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to be notified about new interviews and contents we publish on a daily basis.

The post ANNIHILATOR Leader JEFF WATERS Talks New Album and RUSH Influence: “They Are Our National Heroes, Part of the Fabric of Canada and Its Culture” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

One of the pioneers of American heavy and progressive metal, Queensrÿche have been riding the waves of resurgence ever since they teamed up powerhouse vocalist Todd La Torre. The band’s first two efforts with La Torre at the mic – 2013’s “Queensrÿche” and 2015’s “Condition Hüman” – received praise for feeling reinvigorated and reminiscent of the troupe’s former glory, and their third outing together, “The Verdict” surpassed those benchmarks by delivering a collection of songs sporting all of the hallmarks of the band’s early classics – the heavy metal power and prog rock finesse, the majestic twin-guitar harmonies and glass-shattering vocals. Praised by fans and critics alike, “The Verdict” – which we reviewed here – propelled Queensrÿche once again to the forefront of the melodic prog-metal scene, a place they should have never left in the first place. With clenched fists, playing and singing like they still have something to prove, Queensrÿche is approaching their 40th anniversary of existence in extraordinary shape, literally firing on all cylinders. 

Ever since the album came out, the Queensrÿche machine has been moving non-stop. Breathing new life into a recognizable formula, and showcasing how much drive and quality they still have in the tank, the quintet has been touring incessantly, and last Friday they started the second part of the tour supporting “The Verdict” at Culture Room in Fort Lauderdale, a trek that would take them across North America until February 27th, with a final show at in Orlando, Florida (VIP tickets are available for select dates at this location) Then the band will play a couple of dates in May and will jump on the train of the Scorpions Las Vegas residency. They have also been confirmed in the Rock Fest event happening in Wisconsin on July 15th of this year.

Mere hours before the initial show of the tour, our contributor Joel Barrios took the opportunity to talk backstage with band’s guitarist and founder Michael “Whip” Wilton, and they discussed the upcoming tour, the possibility of a live release, the inception of new material while touring, the collective most immediate plans and more.  Listen to their interesting conversation below and remember to stalk us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to be notified about new interviews and contents we publish on a daily basis.

Slideshow photographs by Norrsken Photography and Design.

The post QUEENSRYCHE Guitarist MICHAEL WILTON Talks Current Tour And Band’s Philosophy: “There’s No Denying Our Past, But We Want to Keep Evolving QUEENSRYCHE” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

It goes without saying that the global metal scene would not be the same without SEPULTURA. For 35 years now, the Brazilian icons are not only a band revered worldwide; they have been, are and forever will be at the very forefront of Thrash Metal, trailblazing ever since they released their long-since legendary debut album “Morbid Visions” in 1986.

While quickly establishing themselves as leaders of the second wave of Thrash already in the late eighties, to this day they never came even close to stagnation. “Quadra”, their mighty new undertaking, is proof of a will unbroken, a thirst un-quenched and a quality so staggeringly high it’s a wonder this band doesn’t implode. Now three albums deep into what may very well be their strongest incarnation yet – uniting the talents of old-school members Andreas Kisser (guitars, vocals) and Paulo Xisto Pinto Jr. (bass), vocal force of nature Derrick Leon Green (vocals) and drummer Eloy Casagrande – SEPULTURA are an unleashed power to be reckoned with, uniting bucket-loads of experience and youthful vigor in a totally revived way.

In many ways, “Quadra” broadens the vision the Brazilian thrash troopers had on “Machine Messiah” (2017), again relying on the impeccable talent of Swedish producing giant Jens Bogren and his Fascination Street Studios. Bringing together a monumental grandeur and a wild, untamed ferocity, SEPULTURA stepped up their game musically – and conceptually as well. “We were possessed by the number four, by the numerology of it”, Kisser starts to explain. “I divided the album into four parts as if we were doing a double vinyl. Side one is the pure and raw thrash side. Side two brings in the rhythms and percussion from our ‘Roots’ era. Three is getting a bit experimental and four brings forth the melodies and the acoustic guitars.” With John North’s book “Quadrivium” as a further source of inspiration, SEPULTURA dive deep into a mystical world full of hidden meanings. “You have four seasons and twelve month in a year just to pick one example. A lot of stuff in our culture is divided like that.”

The old SEPULTURA echo through the very fibre of the songs in all its raw and morbid splendour, but yet it’s the present, the experienced and refined beast that is SEPULTURA in 2020 that’s blasting out thrash metal anthems for a f**ked-up age. To know much more about how such a landmark album in the life of Sepultura as a band came to life Samantha Buckman sat down to talk at length with the band’s front-man, American vocalist Derrick Green. Listen to their interesting conversation below and remember to stalk us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to be notified about new interviews and contents we publish on a daily basis.

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