Hollywood Vampires

The Hollywood Vampires was a group of famous male rock stars in the 70's.
In 2015, the "Hollywood Vampires" is a supergroup hard rock band formed by Alice Cooper, Johnny Depp (the actor!) and Joe Perry feat. a heavy load of well know names as session musicians.

Their s/t debut album was released on September 11, 2015 and will be composed mainly of covers from the 70's with the exception of two new tracks written by Cooper titled "My Dead Drunk Friends" and "Raise the Dead".
Also included is a voice-over titled "The Last Vampire" voiced by Christopher Lee. Being recorded shortly before his death, this marks Lee's final appearance on a musical record.

Members

Touring Band:

    Alice Cooper – vocals
    Joe Perry – guitar
    Johnny Depp – guitar
    Tommy Henriksen-guitar,vocals
    Duff McKagan – bass
    Matt Sorum – drums

Session Musicians:

    Alice Cooper – vocals, harmonica, backing vocals
    Johnny Depp – guitar, backing vocals, keyboard
    Dennis Dunaway – bass
    Bob Ezrin – piano, keyboard, backing vocals
    Perry Farrell – vocals, backing vocals
    Dave Grohl – drums
    Tommy Henriksen – guitar, backing vocals, programming
    Brian Johnson– vocals
    Charlie Judge – keyboard
    Robby Krieger – guitar
    Abe Laboriel Jr. – drums, backing vocals
    Paul McCartney – vocals, piano, bass
    Orianthi – guitar
    Joe Perry – guitar
    Slash – guitar
    Neil Smith – drums
    Glen Sobel – drums
    Zak Starkey – drums
    Joe Walsh – guitar
    Kip Winger – bass guitar
    Duff McKagan – bass guitar
    Bruce Witkin – guitar, bass guitar, keyboard, piano

Hollywood Vampires 

The Black Codex

The Black Codex is a musical series in 52 episodes conceived by multi-instrumentalist, composer & producer Christiaan Bruin (Sky Architect, Adeia, Nine Stones Close, Mayra Orchestra, Chris).

It tells the story of a young man (Ezio) who sets out to draw a map of the world, from a wooden flying machine. However, from the moment he meets Lev, his plans go completely awry.
Lev has a mysterious insight in the patterns in which people behave and is a master of secret plans and schemes. Lev involves Ezio in his quest for an ancient book called The Black Codex.

 

The whole series of The Black Codex will be released on 4 double CD’s, packaged in a mini-album sleeve.

A must for all fans of melodic progressive concept albums.

The Black Codex

Riverside

"Love, Fear and the Time Machine" by Riverside out now!!!

Arguably the band's most mature work, the album sees the band return to the melodic and atmospheric Progressive Rock stylings of its debut "Out Of Myself".

The Polish progressive quartet’s sixth album sees a slight shift in attitude and direction as they delve deep to challenge their modus operandi.

Seems there’s something about prog rock and time travel at the minute. On their new album, you’ll find fellow Inside Out label mates Spock’s Beard singing about Bennett Lamb building a time machine and travelling back to the dawn of civilization…or 1983 as we know it. Now we find Riverside adding the time machine/travel notion into their new album.

Lyrically, there’s a loose thread running through the songs, carrying a message about the impact of making life changing decisions; transformations which on the one hand are exciting and liberating yet on the other, carry the fear of the journey into the unknown. A far cry from Dr Who and Back To The Future, more philosophical and thought provoking and if you’re going to have some sort of theme, why not go for it big style. ‘Love, Fear And The Time Machine’ also continues the playful little idea with this, the sixth album, having six words in the title (the first three had three word titles, while the fourth and fifth followed suit with, you’ve guessed it, four and five word titles).

Having cleared up all the necessary details, how’s the music? By contrast to earlier Riverside it’s arguably verging on mellow and many will feel all the better for it. Also by reining in the length and essentially softening the vocals to a level it makes you wonder why you’d want to hear anything which involves dark screaming . There’s also what sounds like quite a contemporary mix and production – not as metallic as the nu-prog of Leprous and not as old school as Spocks, but more, well relaxed and comfortable in its own skin. Everything seems expansive, open and light – the brightness and space and the calm vibe – maybe in their dabblings into a fresh approach they’ve stumbled upon their niche.

For those who consider album sequencing an art form, this one’s a perfect example of the one that starts with an absolute belter, a real bobby dazzling peach of a track. ‘Lost (Why Should I Be Frightened By A Hat?)’ – a brilliant enough title if ever there were one – has all the hallmarks of a classic album/gig opening song. Building deliberately and atmospherically before the drums kick in combo with a killer guitar phrase and for an added thrill to see how it translates into live performance, check out the uplifting set opening version at the end of the review. Michal Lapaj’s organ, simple yet effective and not for the last time on the album – see ‘Caterpillar And The Barbed Wire’ and the lower key ‘Afloat’ where it’s most effective in setting up the anticipation and mood. Even where the music takes a journey along a slightly more heavy path like it does at times during ‘Under The Pillow’ and ‘Discard Your Fear’ it appears much more subtly rather than a jarring invasion.

Mariusz Duda’s vocals on the album are a revelation. He’s talked about “an optimism and willingness to change for the better” in their attempt to leave behind the expected template set in the seventies and eighties and both musically and vocally Riverside have carried that optimism off to a tee. Some fans may bemoan the fact that nothing on the album which hits double figures in terms of track length yet they show that seven and eight minutes are long enough to make the point. Not so much a case of less is more or clockwatching, but when they go longer on ‘Saturate Me’ and ‘Toward The Blue Horizon’, the latter reminiscent of the direction taken by the more prog orientated Opeth, they show that they can effectively combine the light and the shade without it being too contrasting or grating – more a gentle blurring of the two extremes. It’s also the pick of the two longer pieces although both impress with some nice instrumental sections.

Bringing things to a end is ‘Found (The Unexpected Flaw Of Searching)’ closing off an hours journey through the lost and found circle, delivering ‘Love, Fear And The Time Machine’ as the album that the fans have asked for. But be careful what you wish for. There’s no display of pretentious instrumental virtuosity but a real band energy all combining to show that listening to the fans while at the same time sticking to your own vision is a lethal combo. An unmitigated success and an album which must see Riverside becoming one of Inside Out’s flagship bands.

Discography

albums

2003: Out of Myself
2005: Second Life Syndrome
2007: Rapid Eye Movement
2008: Reality Dream (live)
2009: Anno Domini High Definition
2011: Reality Dream Trilogy (6CD-Boxset)
2013: Shrine of New Generation Slaves
2015: Love, Fear and the Time Machine

EP's & singles

2003: Riverside (Promo)
2003: Loose Heart
2005: Voices in My Head
2005: Conceiving You
2007: 02 Panic Room
2008: Schizophrenic Prayer
2008: Reality Dream Tour 2008
2009: Egoist Hedonist
2011: Forgotten Land
2011: Memories in My Head
2012: Celebrity Touch

Riverside

Aeneas

Aeneas are a five-piece band from Augsburg/Germany which combines rock music, electronica, and epic orchestral sounds – a unique style mix which has attracted many followers outside of Bavaria.

The band members are mainly influenced by modern rock groups such as Muse and Coldplay, but also by classic 70s prog acts such as Genesis and Yes. Moreover, they are huge fans of classical music and soundtracks and therefore they decided early on to integrate many orchestral elements. The results are absolutely stunning, not only because Aeneas are real masters in terms of arranging, but also because they are equally capable of writing radio-friendly songs as well as highly emotional longtracks.

Their outstanding debut album "New-Renaissance" is available now!

Apart from that, Aeneas have proved numerous times that they can recreate their complex arrangements live on stage.
Last but not least, Aeneas have an outstanding frontman: Stefan Krause (winner of the “German Rock & Pop Award 2009” in the category “Best singer”) has a distinctive voice which perfectly suits the different characters that he portrays.

Aeneas – this is Epic Rock for the new millennium.

 Aeneas

Abigail's Ghost

Hailing from Louisiana, Abigail's Ghost are a progressive rock band that have just released their new album "Black Plastik Sun".

Founded as a five-piece founded by two high school friends, Joshua Theriot (lead vocals, guitars) and Kenneth Wilson (bass guitar, backing vocals), who had already played together in local bands.

Theriot and Wilson both left Louisiana in 2003 to study at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston; however, soon afterwards Wilson moved back to his home state to study biology. The two friends, however, kept in touch via e-mail, and continued writing music together. This is when they decided they needed some additional members to play the parts they had written for drums and keyboards; so they contacted another long-time friend of theirs, keyboardist Brett Guillory. The band lineup was completed when they enlisted the services of Theriot's Berklee roommate, drummer John Patrick, who brought along his friend and musical partner, Randy LeBoeuf (rhythm guitar).
Abigail's Ghost debut album, "Selling Insincerity", mainly based on the material written by Theriot and Wilson during their long-distance correspondence, was recorded in a week in New Orleans, and released in 2007 on the band's own label, Aesperus Music. Their sound has been often compared to that of Krautrock bands, as well as modern prog giants Porcupine Tree.

Discography
2007 Selling Insincerity
2007 Cerulean Blue (EP)
2007 Seeping (EP)
2009 D_Letion
2009 Live Rosfest 2009 (DVD)
2014 Unmastered (EP)
2015 Black Plastic Sun

Abigail's Ghost 

Big Big Train

Big Big Train returns with its first release since the universally acclaimed English Electric albums.

The "Wassail" EP contains three new songs (two of which are exclusive to the EP) and a live bonus track, and demonstrates the band confidently expanding its musical palette. The title track is a memorably melodic and anthemic fusion of Folk, Progressive and Rock music, while Lost Rivers Of London and Mudlarks are evocative evolutions of BBT's trademark 'English pastoral' sound. The EP is completed by a powerful performance of Master James of St George (live at Real World studios).


Big Big Train is an English progressive rock band, founded in 1990. Based in Bournemouth, England.
Having released eight studio albums and five EP's, they were an independent band for most of their career (although they were signed to the Giant Electric Pea record label from 1993 to 1998, distributing releases through their own website. Up to 2009, Big Big Train worked mostly as a studio project band headed by Spawton and Poole with changing line-ups and guest musicians. Since their sixth album The Underfall Yard, which received critical acclaim from the progressive rock community, a more stable lineup has been established, and the band's first live concerts in over ten years have been announced for August 2015. Big Big Train were the winners of the Breakthrough Award at the Progressive Music Awards held at Kew Gardens, London on 3 September 2013; their album English Electric Part Two was nominated in the best album category.

Discography:

Albums:

    Goodbye to the Age of Steam (1994)
    English Boy Wonders (1997)
    Bard (2002)
    Gathering Speed (2004)
    The Difference Machine (2007)
    The Underfall Yard (2009)
    English Electric Part One (2012)
    English Electric Part Two (2013)

Demos and EP's:

    From the River to the Sea (1992)
    The Infant Hercules (1993)
    Far Skies Deep Time (2010)
    Make Some Noise (2013)
    Wassail  (2015)

Big Big Train

Deep Limbic System

Single "A Ceiling Of Stars" including two new songs.
This will precede the Full Length album to be released in 2016.
Recorded in May 2015 at AudioLab Studios in Ciudad Juárez, México; released 28 July 2015.