Redemption – “I am the Storm”

 Posted by on March 14, 2023 at 14:36  No Responses »
Mar 142023
 

Redemption are back with their eighth studio release I Am the Storm, an album filled with progressive metal goodness and not to be missed.

Those into progressive metal have enjoyed Redemption since the early 2000s, with the band performing at Progpower USA IV in 2003, the same year their debut album was released. In 2005 the band started gaining a following with the release of The Fullness of Time featuring Ray Alder (Fates Warning) on vocals and then released their third album two years later and toured with Dream Theater. More touring, a live album and three more studio albums followed and then in 2016 the band released The Art of Loss on Metal Blade records which featured ex-Megadeth guitarists Chris Poland , Marty Friedman, and Chris Broderick as well as some vocals by John Busch (Armored Saint, Anthrax). Orignal vocalist Ray Alder left the band in 2017 and was replaced by Tom Englund (Evergrey). The band originally started by guitarist Nick van Dyk has seen some lineup changes over the year in addition to the recent change in vocals and now features, Chris Quirarte on drums, Sean Andrews on bass, and Vikram Shankar on keyboards with Chris Poland and Simone Mularoni (DGM) adding in some guitar parts along with Henrik Danhage (Evergrey). I Am the Storm was produced by Nick van Dyk and Simone Mularoni at Linda Flora Studios Produced by Nick van Dyk and Simone Mularoni at Linda Flora Studios. Chris Poland (ex-Megadeth), Henrik Danhage (Evergrey).

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Jan 192023
 

Redemption recently released the new single ‘I Am The Storm’, the title track from the band’s new album, which will be released March 17th. 2023 via AFM Records. Check out the official lyric video below.

The band comments on ‘I Am The Storm’:

“The life of a human being is many things, among them an ongoing stream of challenges and opportunities. We choose to face them with enthusiasm or indifference, with resistance or resignation. Sometimes we pick our battles, knowing when to push and when to acquiesce. But the important thing is that each human being is an individual infused with dignity and the ability to be an author of their story. This song is about perseverance, and daring to spit in the face of the odds.”

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Jan 152022
 

Swedish progressive metal juggernauts, Evergrey, have released an official live video for ‘King Of Errors’, taken from the album “Before The Aftermath – Live In Gothenburg”, out on January 28 on Digpak BluRay/2CD and vinyl editions via AFM Records.

Watch the video below.

Evergrey, like every other artist, suffered heavily from the pandemic in 2020 and after much deliberation decided to stream a concert live from Gothenburg.

“We want to bring some music and positivity back into our lives, because we miss playing live, and we miss playing music for YOU. Playing is our life, and it has been for quite some time,” says Tom Englund.

The result is now almost two hours of pristine live material with classics and treasures that in great Dolby 5.1. Surround quality pull the listener directly deep into a great concert experience.

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Dec 092021
 

Swedish progressive metal juggernauts, Evergrey, have released an official live video for ‘Weightless’, taken from the album “Before The Aftermath – Live In Gothenburg,”  out on January 28 on Digpak BluRay/2CD and vinyl editions via Napalm Records.

Watch the video below.

Evergrey, like every other artist, suffered heavily from the plandemic in 2020 and after much deliberation decided to stream a concert live from Gothenburg.

“We want to bring some music and positivity back into our lives, because we miss playing live, and we miss playing music for YOU. Playing is our life, and it has been for quite some time,” says Tom Englund.

The result is now almost two hours of pristine live material with classics and treasures that in great Dolby 5.1. Surround quality pull the listener directly deep into a great concert experience.

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Evergrey – “Escape of the Phoenix”

 Posted by on February 10, 2021 at 21:21  No Responses »
Feb 102021
 

Evergrey take advantage of the time available with tours being canceled to focus on the recording of their 12th album, Escape of the Phoenix, which adds to their already impressive collection of progressive metal.

Since the release of The Dark Discovery in 1998, the Swedish band Evergrey has been putting their mark on progressive metal. Being a productive band, now in their 26th year, the band has released 12 albums including a live double cd with the Gothenburg Symphonic Orchestra, all the while enduring lineup changes and touring the globe, and dealing with recording during a global pandemic. With the release of The Glorius Collision in 2011 guitarist Marcus Jidell and drummer Hannes van Dahl departed the band and were replaced by Henrik Danhage (guitar) and Jonas Ekdahl (drums). This lineup has remained constant and produced Hymns for the Broken (2014) and The Storm Within (2016). Early 2019 saw the release of The Atlantic, which was one of my top albums in 2019 and thought by many to be the third album in a trilogy from this lineup. Enter Covid-19 and 2020 and the band’s tours canceled, giving them the opportunity to record Escape of the Phoenix with Grammy-nominated producer Jacob Hansen (Volbeat, Amaranthe) and without the usual distractions.

After the epic nature of The Atlantic, which made so many Top 10 album lists, my hopes were impossibly high for I. Following a quick, short drum burst, the lead track “Forever Outsider” basically picks up where The Atlantic ended. Interesting drum work, heavy main riff, great guitar solo, and Tom Englund’s heavy, dark, and smooth vocal delivery matched with a strong sense of melody make the opening track a great listen and raise the expectations for the rest of the album.

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