Life 2.0

Life 2.0 - Musikalische Kompetenz für ein neues Genre:

Können ehemalige Profis der Rock-Coverszene noch kreativ sein? Life 2.0 ist als Antwort auf diese Frage zu verstehen. Im hauseigenen Aufnahmestudio haben Songwriter und Gitarrist Ralf Link, der innerhalb des lokalen Musikgeschehens bereits durch verschiedene Progressivrockbands erfolgreich und bekannt war, zusammen mit Sänger Chris Weddig ein neues Sub-Genre des Progressiv-Rocks kreiert.
Chris taufte es Kommerz-Prog. Tatsächlich versteckt sich dahinter eine Verschmelzung von progressiver Rockmusik, Art-Rock und Industrial-Elementen. Zusammen mit der charismatischen Stimme von Chris, die in manchmal schon poppiger Manier immer wieder Gänsehautmelodien zwischen den Instrumentalpassagen findet, wird ein Klangfeuer erzeugt, das zwar bisweilen eine melancholische Atmosphäre erzeugt, jedoch durchaus eine breite Masse anzusprechen vermag.
Großen Anteil daran trägt auch Keyboarder Markus Neser, der als eigentlicher Blechbläser bei Life 2.0 seine musikalische Unberechenbarkeit beweist. Es sei darauf hingewiesen, dass Keyboards bei Life 2.0 nicht nur Atmo-Flächen bedeuten, sondern ausdrücklich auch als Soloinstrumente zu verstehen sind.
Alfred Herlitz am Bass sowie Hannes Lang am Schlagzeug geben letztlich noch eine gehörige Prise „Donner“ dazu, damit das Ganze auch richtig rumst. So entzünden beide, ebenfalls bekannte Namen in der lokalen Coverszene, ein Feuerwerk, das im großflächigen Umkreis seinesgleichen sucht.

Zu bieten hat Life 2.0 eine solide, sehr abwechslungsreiche CD mit 13 Songs sowie jede Menge Live-Erfahrung und musikalische Fertigkeit, wie es für „Alte Hasen“ zu erwarten ist. Wer Life 2.0 einmal live gesehen hat, wird wieder kommen. Dabei ist es der Band eine hohe Direktive, den Sound der CD möglichst 1:1 auf die Bühne zu zaubern. Nicht ohne Grund belegte Life 2.0 beim Deutschen Rock- und Poppreis 2013 in der Kategorie „Beste Progressivband 2013“ den zweiten Platz.
Bei allen Aktivitäten arbeitet die „Hitfabrik“ im Hintergrund jedoch stetig weiter. An der zweiten CD wird bereits gearbeitet.

http://www.life-two-point-zero.com 

Karnataka

Karnataka were formed in 1997 by founding members, Ian Jones (bass/acoustic guitar), Jonathan Edwards (keyboards) and Rachel Jones (vocals). The band started as a project to record songs in Ian's home studio, that had been written and performed by Jonathan, Rachel and Ian in earlier bands. The project was augmented by additional musicians, Paul Davies (electric guitars) and Gavin Griffiths (drums), who had played with other members of Karnataka in earlier bands. At the end of the recording the decision was made to continue the project as a band. The name Karnataka was chosen by the band, from a suggestion by Ian, following his trips to that region of India.
Karnataka are survivors. Since their inception at the tail end of the 1990s, they have most definitely had their ups and downs: they found some success fairly rapidly, helped in no small part by a scorched earth gigging mentality and some fairly prestigious support slots with the likes of progressive rock favourites Porcupine Tree and the much-loved, oft-lamented All About Eve.

Released in March 2015 "Secrets Of Angels" is the band’s first studio album with a new line-up, and it’s a testament to Jones’ deep understanding of the music he’s making that the new look Karnataka are so evidently a force to be reckoned with.

8 stunning new tracks including the 20 minute opus title track...this is a work of art!
This album is incredible. This band should be on a major label and stratospheric.
Special mention must go to Hayley Griffiths. Have you ever sat down and written lyrics songs and vocal for a progressive symphonic rock album? I thought not. As you will discover this album is exceptional in every facet so to have created such a masterpiece at her first attempt is truly amazing. Great credit to all artists appearing here to create such an epic piece of work from the ground up – so good you would never know this was a first album written together.

Current line up:
Ian Jones - bass, acoustic guitars, keyboards, percussion (1997–2004, 2005–present)
Enrico Pinna - guitars (2006–present)
Hayley Griffiths - lead vocals (2011–present)
Cagri Tozluoglu - keyboards (2011–present)
Jimmy Pallagrosi - drums, percussion (2014-present)

Discography:

Studio

    Karnataka (1998)
    The Storm (2000)
    Delicate Flame of Desire (2003)
    The Gathering Light (2010)
    Secrets of Angels (2015)

Live

    Strange Behaviour (2004)
    New Light Live in Concert (2012)

Video

    In Concert (2002)
    Live in the USA (2003)
    New Light Live in Concert (2012)

"It doesn't get better than this... this is Karnataka."
(Rick Wakeman) 

Red Rose

Red Rose band was founded in the beginning of 2010 in Israel. The musicians already had years of experience in songwriting and performance at various concert venues in their country. Together they created a new project with the aim of recording their debut album. The musical style of Red Rose was based on combination of melodic power metal, heavy metal and classic hard rock, with a light progressive touch. The band name was chosen without any doubts. This name most accurately reflects the ideology of lyrics and music of the band.

The debut album - “Live the Life You’ve Imagined” - was recorded in September of 2010, in the Danish “Jailhouse Studios” under the guidance of the legendary producer Tommy Hansen, who is known for his work with ‘Helloween’, ‘Jorn’, ‘TNT’ and others. The album’s lyrical concepts and ideas were skillfully transferred into visual arts by the Brazilian master – Jobert Mello (‘Sabaton’, ‘Primal Fear’, ‘Bad Company’). ‘Live the Life You’ve Imagined’ was released in 2011 under Italian label ‘Bakerteam records’, and received a lot of positive feedback both from critics and fans.

Shortly after promoting the debut album, guys decided to go for another one.
In September 2012 Red Rose have come back to Denmark to work with Tommy Hansen once again, recording a new album entitled “On the Cusp of Change”. The band’s self confidence was confirmed, when the master himself has pointed out at the band’s improvement in songwriting and performance. The album artwork duties were handled once again by Jobert Mello. And the job of a drummer for this album was taken by an honored guest, Matan Shmuely, member of a known Israeli band ‘Orphaned Land’. The album “On the Cusp of Change” was released in 2013 under Italian ‘Scarlet Records’ worldwide.

In the same year Red Rose has taken part in a big European festival ‘Bastion’ in Ukraine, sharing the main stage with such international names as ‘Bonfire’, ‘UDO’, ‘Rasmus’ and ‘Secret Service’.

In 2015 the band celebrates its 5th anniversary, and to honor this special event, guys decide to release a new EP album. This time they choose to go for a local studio to make the recording. And the choice falls on ‘Retro Studios’, run by Amir Harony & Amos Itach. The job of mixing and mastering was taken by a great sound engineer, Igor Korolev from ‘KIV Records’ studios, Russia. The cover artwork is handled by an American artist, Trevor Niemann from ‘Visual Entropy’ (‘Motley Crue’, ‘Meat Loaf’, ‘Korn’). The new studio EP album bearing the title ‘Anniversary’, was released on March 20th, 2015.

http://www.redrose.co.il

Brassé

Brassé is the solo project of Marc Brassé who runs Dutch record label LaBraD'or.

Marc is also known for his successful project/album "The Reading Room", which features a string of neo-prog artists such as The Night Watch, Aragon, Galleon, Like Wendy, Final Conflict, Galahad and Cliffhanger to name a few. Various guest musicians appear on Brassé's albums, whose material is penned by Marc himself. Quite well produced, the CD's mostly feature spacey melodies with good old-fashioned Clive Nolan-like keyboards and floydian guitar solos. The dark themes and atmospheres easily evoke Pink Floyd; the vocals, shared by both female and male artists (mostly Brassé's own), are interspersed with narrative passages.

"Sand, Water and Heroes" ('88) and "Pawn" ('93) are rather tame but still contain a few good tracks.
Like a dark impressionist painting, "Dante's Inferno" ('97) is a modern musical adaptation of the famous 'Divinia Comedia' - some sort of modern version of hell. Its musical contents is varied but constant in quality. On the concept album "Turbulence" (2001), Brassé is joined by various artists from some of the bands mentioned above: LIke Wendy's guitarist/vocalist Bert Heinen, Vertigo/Jacob's Ladder guitarist Maarten Huiskamp, Cliffhanger's drummer Hans Boonk, Vertigo's vocalists Leny Caanen and Frans Hermans, Aragon's guitarist John Poloyannis as well as guitarist Peter Heinen. This CD features a 20-minute epic that encompasses just about every facet of BRrassé's répertoire.

Discography:

Progressive/Art Rock:
S.G. / Monolith (2006)
Turbulence (2001)
The Reading Room (2000)
Dante's Inferno (1997)
Pawn (1993)
Sand, Water & Heroes (1988)

Electronic music:
Zamisdat Suite (2013 / 2014)
Balance (2012)
(Post)Modernisms (2007 to present)
Voyages (1983-1985)

The whole discography is available for FREE download from his homepage.

Napier's Bones

Second album out...