Tag Archives: Insideout Music

New Devin Townsend Project Album Due This Fall- Transcendence

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Devin Townsend Project Transcendance ghostcultmag

Modern progressive rock and metal masters Devin Townsend Project have announced their new album, Transcendence, due September 2nd from InsideOut Music. Further information about the album is pending.

Devin Townsend himself commented about the new music:

“Transcendence, like every record I’ve done prior, is an extension of what’s been going on in my world, represented in a new batch of songs. I’m 44 years old now, and this is where I have been over the past two years since ‘Z2‘. The result of this process is a record that I truly think the intention of is special. I ‘found’ gas to put into the tank and am glad I did. I think the intention, the theme, and the participation of everyone involved allows this album to act like a fulcrum between the past few years and what I intend to do next with the symphony. I am very proud of it and everyone involved.”

 

Devin also commented on the mystical themed artwork for Transcendence created by Anthony Clarkson:

“He presented me the main image of the girl as a painted version, and I was intrigued and asked him to redo it with a girl he knew with photos. I liked the idea that it seemed like a mash up of religious and spiritual imagery, in a sense, representing the idea (to me) that these types of connections to the infinite are often more like identities we can cling to rather than what lies behind. In a sense, the character on the front almost seems like the ideologies she’s representing are more ‘brand names’ than anything else.”

In addition to US tour dates announced with Between the Buried And Me, support of the new album will begin with a tour of Canada with Fallujah.

Devin Townsend Project Canadian tour dates with Fallujah

SEPT 02: Hell Raiser Fest – Kelowna, BC
SEPT 03: The Gateway – Calgary, AB
SEPT 04: Starlite Room – Edmonton, AB
SEPT 06: Pyramid Cabaret – Winnipeg, MB
SEPT 07: Mill City Nights – Minneapolis, MN

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Devin Townsend Project with Anneke Van Giersbergen, by Susanne A. Maathuis Photography

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Headspace- All That You Fear Is Gone

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Headspace All That You Fear Is Gone ghostcultmag

Its hard to believe that its been four years since prog metaller’s Headspace released their debut album I Am Anonymous (InsideOut), as its strength and freshness in a, at times, stagnant progressive metal scene is still so fresh, and yet it feels like an eternity since it came to life. Unfortunately, due to the ever busy schedules of their personnel, which include singer Damian Wilson fronting UK prog metal stalwarts Threshold and keyboardist Adam Wakeman’s live commitments with Black Sabbath, Headspace can’t afford to be full time project, and fans have had to wait a long time. But as they say, absence indeed makes the heart grow fonder, and expectations for a follow up have thankfully been more than matched.

More a heavy progressive rock band than tech-metal or similar, Headspace have branched out further on follow up All That You Fear Is Gone (InsideOut), proving deeper, more detailed and more emotionally resonant than its predecessor. Focused on the subject of outside influences trying to control and individual, lyrically this goes in to the likes of greed and life’s ill distractions, subjects steeped in a dark reality, but does so without sounding cliché or contrived and instead powerful and emotive. Of course when they are sung by one of the most adaptive and excellent vocalists in contemporary prog in Wilson, this really helps their case.

 

headspace band photo 2016 ghostcultmag

Musically this proves as diverse and unpredictable as ever, veering from monstrous hooks to clean acoustics and unexpected dynamic swings, and even bluegrass on the delicate ‘Polluted Alcohol’. The strong collective at play makes for a lot of virtuoso performances and show stealing moments from all, but rather than being a competition for space and attention, once again this is a towering collection from a collective set towards a single, collective goal. There may not be the endless time in the world for all of these guys to give Headspace the full time work it really deserves, but be thankful that any time that is given showcases them as one of the greatest units in modern day prog.

9.0/10

CHRIS TIPPELL

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The Mute Gods- Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me

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You would think that strenuous touring schedules with both Steven Wilson and Steve Hackett would take up enough of one’s time, but somehow Nick Beggs manages to juggle this with studio session work and other projects with the likes of Lifesigns and Lonely Robot, as well as being a general hero of contemporary prog rock. Still not familiar with the notion of a well deserved rest, Beggs has also started up new band The Mute Gods with fellow busy bodies Marco Minneman and Roger King, in which his pop and prog backgrounds seem to come head to head.

Debut album Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me (InsideOut Music) certainly shows both sides in abundance, but does so with neither watering itself down or by proving daunting and inaccessible. Far from a massive prog odyssey, DNTYHFM is melodious and song based; strikingly immediate and catchy on the face of it. The opening title track proves an archetype of this, particularly with its easy to follow vocal lines which seem to hide its 7 plus minute duration; whilst sultry ballad ‘Nightschool For Idiots’ wouldn’t seem out-of-place on more straight forward rock acts’ repertoires.

Scratching past its poppy exterior however reveals deeper layers, from drawn out passages, heavy guitar tones, quirky wordplay and subject matter and near psychedelic synths, showcasing the many sides of its personnel but still sounding fluid. The only real drawback here is a lack of consistency, where the strength of its best songs only detract further from lesser counterparts like the weaker ‘Your Dark Ideas’ and ‘Mavro Capelo’ which prove more forgettable.

Aside from small discrepancies however, DNTYHFM is a solid and at times sumptuous début, albeit from a cast of seasoned and experienced personnel with fingers in many pies. Not a perfect album, but one that should be on the radars of anyone who likes catchy rock with a little more depth to jump in to.

7.0/10

CHRIS TIPPELL

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Riverside Guitarist Piotr Grudzinski, Dead At Age 40

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Riverside, photo courtesy of InsideOut Music

Riverside with Piotr Gridzinski (second from the left). Photo Credit InsideOut Music

Word has come down that Piotr Grudzinski, the guitarist of Polish progressive rock band Riverside has died suddenly, according to a release from the band. He was 40 years old. No further details are available at the moment but we will continue to track the story. We send our condolences to  family and friends at this difficult time.

 riverside RIP Piotr Grudzinski ghostcultmag

Z ogromnym bólem i niedowierzaniem informujemy, że nasz kochany przyjaciel i brat Piotr Grudziński odszedł od nas dziś…

Posted by Riverside on Sunday, February 21, 2016

 


Century Media Records Reportedly Sold to Sony for 17 Million Dollars

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Long running specialty metal label Century Media Records has been acquired by Sony Music Entertainment for 17 Million dollars. Although not yet confirmed by the label themselves, this news has been long rumored and now reported by Music Business Worldwide, a reputable industry source of news.

Launching the careers of countless commercial and critically successful rock and metal groups, the label was founded in 1988 by Robert Kampf with co-owner Oliver Withöft coming on a year and a half later. Withöft died in 2014.

Century Media’s parent company, The Century Family has several sub-labels under its umbrella such as Another Century, InsideOut Music, People Like You, and Superball.


Video: RIVERSIDE Release Album Trailer: Love, Fear And The Time Machine

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riverside Love Fear and the time machine album cover 2015

 

Polish progressive band RIVERSIDE have released the new trailer for their upcoming album Love, Fear And The Time Machine (InsideOut Music) You can video the trailer at this link or below:

Releasing on September 4th, Love, Fear And The Time Machine is the bands 6th studio album features cover artwork by longtime design-partner Travis Smith/Seempieces (Katatonia, Opeth, Nevermore)

 

Riverside, photo courtesy of InsideOut Music

Riverside, photo courtesy of InsideOut Music

The band is tour in advance of the album drop, including this coming weekends’ “Night Of The Prog” festival in St. Goarshausen, DE on July 18th. Other bands appearing this coming weekend at NOTP include IOM labelmates Pain Of Salvation, Steve Rothery, Steve Hackett, Haken, Kaipa, Beardfish, Anneke van Giersbergen / The Gentle Storm, Neal Morse and many more. Get tickets here: http://www.wiventertainment.de/projekte/21-notp.html

RIVERSIDE – Love, Fear and the Time Machine track listing

1. Lost (Why Should I Be Frightened By a Hat?)

2. Under the Pillow

3. #Addicted

4. Caterpillar and the Barbed Wire

5. Saturate Me

6. Afloat

7. Discard Your Fear

8. Towards the Blue Horizon

9. Time Travellers

10. Found (The Unexpected Flaw of Searching)

 


The Gentle Storm Streaming Teaser For “Shore Of India (Storm Version)”

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The Gentle Storm, featuring Arjen Lucassen (Ayreon, Star One, Guilt Machine) & Anneke van Giersbergen (The Gathering, Devin Townsend Project) have launched a teaser for the Storm version of “Shores of India,” following the prior release of the Gentle version of the video, off their album The Diary, out via InsideOut Music. Watch it below.

The album concept is a tale of love, loss, and separation told through the story of two fictional seventeenth-century lovers. A Dutch sailor embarks on a two-year voyage, leaving his wife at home in Holland. The only way for the couple to communicate and keep their love alive during the long separation is through letters. These letters form the basis for the songs on the album.

Stream the Gentle version below.

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Fates Warning Confirm Upcoming October US Tour

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Fates Warning. Photo Credit: Stephanie Cabral

Fates Warning. Photo Credit: Stephanie Cabral

Progressive metal veterans Fates Warning have confirmed a US tour run in October 2015. The band released their eleventh album and their Insideout Music debut Darkness in a Different Light.

Oct 09: Webster Theater – Hartford, CT
Oct 10: Palladium – Worcester, MA,
Oct 11: The Chance – Poughkeepsie, NY
Oct 23: Trees – Dallas, TX
Oct 24: Scout Bar – Houston, TX
Oct 25: 210 Kapone’s Live – San Antonio, TX

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Haken Books Upcoming North American Tour

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Prog metallers Haken will be hitting North American for a ten date tour, with Next to None (featuring Max Portnoy, son of prog drummer Mike Portnoy). Spock’s Beard will be on the Quebec City and Montreal dates.

Haken released their third album, The Mountain, on InsideOut Music in 2013 to great acclaim. In late 2014 they dusted off and recorded three early songs for the Restoration EP. Their fourth full-length album is due on InsideOut worldwide later in 2015.

Tour dates are as follows:
Apr 25: Token Lounge – Detroit MI (with Next to None)
Apr 26: Reggie’s – Chicago IL (with Next to None)
Apr 27: TBC – Toronto ON (with Next to None)
Apr 28: Imperial – Quebec City QC (with Spock’s Beard)
Apr 29: Club Soda – Montreal QC (with Spock’s Beard)
Apr 30: Studio at Webster Hall – New York NY (with Next to None)
May 01: Bull Shooters Saloon – Philadelphia PA (with Next to None)
May 02: RosFest – Gettysburg PA
May 03: Empire -Springfield VA (with Next to None)
May 05: Circo Volador – Mexico City

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Tim Bowness Recording New Album

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Tim Bowness has been in NAM Studios recording his forthcoming album, due out late Summer 2015 via InsideOut Music.

The album is a follow-up to 2014’s acclaimed Abandoned Dancehall Dreams and features Bowness’ live band (including Porcupine Tree‘s Colin Edwin), alongside Anna Phoebe, Peter Hammill, Andrew Keeling and other guests (to be announced shortly).

Tim had this to say:

“If Abandoned Dancehall Dreams was something of a bolder and more dynamic extension of No-Man’s ‘Schoolyard Ghosts,’ I’d say that the new album is something of a bolder and more dynamic extension of ‘Abandoned Dancehall Dreams.’ A logical step forward with some surprises, I hope. It’s been really exciting working with the band on most of the pieces and getting some special contributions from the likes of Anna Phoebe, Peter Hammill and Andrew Keeling.”

Tim Bowness is primarily known as vocalist/co-writer with the band No-Man, a long-running collaboration with Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree). In addition to releasing six studio albums and a documentary DVD with No-Man, Tim has worked with popular Italian artist Alice, Robert Fripp, Hugh Hopper (Soft Machine), OSI and Roxy Music‘s Phil Manzanera, amongst many others, and is a member of the bands Henry Fool and Memories Of Machines.

Stream the music video for “The Warm-Up Man Forever” from Abandoned Dancehall Dreams here.

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