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 [...]...

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 [...] The post RAIDING THE ROCK VAU...

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 [...] The post FLAMING ROW’S MAR...

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 [...] The post PSYCHOTIC WALTZ’s Front-man DEVON GRAVES Talks New Al...

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?  [...] The post SINGLE REVIEW and INTERVIEW: Watch and hear PRO...

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 [...] The post ADRIENNE COWAN and JACK...

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 [...] The post ANNIHILATOR Leader JEFF WATERS Talks Ne...

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 [...] Th...

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 [...] The post SEPULTURA’s Front-man DERRICK GREEN Talks “Quadr...

Few artists are as busy as drummer Mike Portnoy in the music industry today. A proud “member of 83 bands” – a fictional number which might just as well be true eventually – this year he has toured with Metal Allegiance, The Neal Morse Band, The Winery Dogs and Flying Colors, and did a tour [...] The post MIKE PORTNOY Talks New SONS OF APOLLO Album: “MMXX Is Us Taking the Band Into The Presen...

Not many metal acts can look back at as comprehensive, multi-faceted and varied a career as Rage. Founded in spring 1983 in Germany, the band surrounding vocalist/bassist Peavy Wagner has integrated a wide range of stylistic nuances into its musical concept. There have been releases which focused primarily on hard thrash sounds, but also recordings [...] The post RAGE Mastermind PEAVEY WAGNER Talk...

Hugh Syme is a graphic artist whose name has been indelibly linked to Rush since he did his first work for the band, the cover of “Caress of Steel”. He is responsible for ALL but the first 2 of Rush‘s album cover artwork. He also created Rush‘s famous StarMan logo, though he never imagined the [...] The post World Renowned Graphic Designer / Art Director HUGH SYME Talks Working with RU...

It’s that time of year again, when I solidly insert my earbuds anytime I enter a retail space, avoid shopping centers like the plague, and the both the suburbs and the sorority girls next door begin to reek of pumpkin spice. You know what that means… It means everyone who thinks they know more than [...] The post TALKING PERSPECTIVES: A 90 Minutes Chat About Our Favorite Progressive Ro...

On November 22, doom metal wizards AVATARIUM released their heavy and emotionally dense new album “The Fire I Long For”. The new effort sees them return to their epic doom roots whilst paying their respects to rock legends like RAINBOW, LED ZEPPELIN and THE DOORS. Born from epic doom laden mastermind known as Leif Edling [...] The post MARCUS JIDELL Discusses New AVATARIUM album: “We Wanted...

Molly Hatchet, the unstoppable ambassadors of Southern Rock, are back again with a new live offering, entitled “Battleground”. Their last album of original material might be too far back in the rear-view mirror now, but their relentless touring schedule proves that they’re still a force to be reckoned with. The musicians surrounding guitarist Bobby Ingram [...] The post BOBBY ING...

After four or five years of discussions about a possible collaboration with Frontiers Records, renowned German producer, guitarist, and songwriter Sascha Paeth agreed to join forces with the Italian label and launch his new band, Masters Of Ceremony. The resulting and recently released album “Signs of Wings” (you can check our review of the album [...] The post Renowned Producer SASCHA PAETH Talks...

Bruce Soord started The Pineapple Thief twenty years ago, but almost feels like they have become a new band in the best sense of the word. The group has been reinvigorated by drummer extraordinaire Gavin Harrison joining the band as a full-time member, who also collaborates with Bruce on their new material. This has brought [...] The post PINEAPPLE THIEF Mastermind BRUCE SOORD Reflects On the Band...

Drawing influences from the origins of metal as much as from alternative rock, Prong has always been a difficult band to categorize. They rose to fame in the mid 90’s when songs like “Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck” and “Beg to Differ” got a lot of rotation on MTV. Refusing to be pigeonholed, their [...] The post PRONG Mastermind TOMMY VICTOR Reflects on Upcoming E...

November 1st represented a new chapter in Voyager‘s already extensive career: their seventh full length, “Colours in the Sun”, was unveiled, bringing all the classic elements that their fans learned to love. Catchy choruses, crushing riffs, tasty keyboard lines and an expansive sound, which is heavy and yet captivating. Having played ProgPower US and ProgPower [...] The post VOYA...

“It’s getting really hard to book headliners,” laments ProgPower Festival Day 2 honcho Milton Mendonça… so the motherf**ker booked TWO. Tease that he is, ou outro terror do brasil (o primeiro terror being our very own Rodrigo Altaf) has spent the better part of two months posting minute-long videos on ProgPower’s Vimeo page. Thoroughly whetting the [...] The post...

A month ago hundreds of progressive rock fans gathered together at New Jersey for three days of music and friendship. For a festival younger than my kindergarten-aged nephew, Progstock sure has brought some incredible talent to New Jersey. Having already featured such luminaries as In Continuum, Glass Hammer, the Dave Kerzner Band, and Enchant, the [...] The post TALKING PERSPECTIVES: A Recap of P...

In the fall of 1994, multi-talented musician Kevin Gilbert had an idea.  He and some friends would perform the Genesis classic The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway for Progfest in Los Angeles. He had just two weeks to put it together. So he called in some guys who are now well-known but, back then, were just [...] The post DAVE KERZNER and NICK D’VIRGILIO Remember KEVIN GILBERT and GIRAFFE on...

Like it or not (and I kinda don’t), there’s been an upswing in 80s nostalgia going for a few years now. I personally suspect that two bands will remain when the dust settles after this resurgence: The Night Flight Orchestra, and a raucous little collective called Iron Kingdom. Hailing from British Columbia, childhood friends Chris [...] The post IRON KINGDOM Members Talk New Album and...

Certain artists simply transpire versatility, and refuse to be pigeonholed in a single style. That’s the case with guitarist Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, whose career has taken a million twists and turns since he decided to play an instrument, after listening to “Kiss Alive!” at the age of six. Having toured the world with Guns N’ [...] The post Concert Review / Interview w...

In March 2019 ECLIPSE main songwriter Erik Martensson was voted one of the top 10 songwriters in the world by renowned Japanese metal magazine BURRN! In the years following the release of the 2012 album “Bleed & Scream”, ECLIPSE has become one of Sweden’s most prolific heavy rock bands. Together with guitar virtuoso Magnus Henriksson, [...] The post ECLIPSE Singer ERIK MARTENSSON R...