Prog Doom band Awake the Sun streams full first album

So the year is winding down quickly. Time to make plans for 2016. What shall happen in the upcoming time? One thing I'll keep doing is looking forward to new releases.

One of these records that I'll keep a eye upon is the one of the Progressive Doom metallers Awake the Sun. The band from Venice, Italy has just announced the release a new album in Europe on February 2016 through Sliptrick records.

(c) by Awake The Sun, used with kind permission

The band is a project created by the founders of the Italian avant-garde metal band Ensoph (active for more than 13 years with 4 albums released and many gigs played around Europe) and members from Alkemic Generator, Cube and Howl of Minerva.

The project blends together dark progressive metal and electronic/ambient influences with the aim to create unique misty melancholic atmospheres and to obtain a personal interpretation of the classic European Dark/Doom metal sounds. In some ways they remind me of a mixture of the heavier musical side of Paradise Lost with the unconventional arrangements of bands like Vanden Plas.

Gloomy and technical riffs, dismal scores, unconventional rhythmic patterns enhanced by a range of melodic vocal arrangements are the trademark of the band.

The debut album of the band is titled The Barren Sleep, 8 tracks of sad emotional landscapes, a journey through broken hopes and inquietudes, heavy and sharp riffs on polish rhythmical structures entwined with bittersweet melodies and haunting feels. Make sure to have a listen to the band's debut record while we wait for the new album to arrive.

Make sure to see the band's web-presence on Facebook or the record company's website to stay up to date about the impending album release.

Vanden Plas to release Netherworld II album soon

Vanden Plas is such a dedicated progmetal band, I love the song structures and vocals so much. It feels to me as if their music goes somehow deeper, it has more depth to offer and most of all the tracks are played with a lot of power, always giving it a good balance between progressive elements and the needed agressive and direct parts that keeps the music moving forward and enjoyable for fans of the heavy music style.

They've for years now put out one strong record after another yet it seems not many recognize them. I remember having hear them first on a sampler CD of the german Rock Hard megazine back in 1999 which featured the track "I can see" and was overwhelmed by the way the vocals came out on that one. Over the years I've always had a eye on them, every here and there. Now the time is getting closer for the release of a a new record - the follow up to last years "Netherworld" album. This first trailer gives me chills offering a wide overview on the new CD.



The new release will be called "Chronicles Of The Immortals: Netherworld II" and will see the light of day on 6th November 2015 through Frontiers Records. Here is the tracklist:

VISION 11even * In My Universe
VISION 12elve * Godmaker´S Temptation
VISION 13teen * Stone Roses Edge
VISION 14teen * Blood Of Eden (* All love must die) (* The rite)(* This is the night)
VISION 15teen * Monster
VISION 16teen * Diabolica Comedia
VISION 17teen * Where Have The Children Gone
VISION 18teen * The Last Fight
VISION 19teen * Circle Of The Devil

A first full song "Stone Roses Edge" along with a fine band-performance has been installed on Youtube as well. Make sure to connect with the band through Facebook or see their website from time to time to keep for more news, tourdates and so on.

Easter-Gift: Progmetal Double CD from Neverdream for free download

Time is running really fast, by now we've left the first quarter of the year behind us. It's time for the tradition to send all the old ghosts of winter to rest and to celebrate easter it with a easter fire here in germany.

And it's the time to give away little presents mostly to children but also adults surely are happy when they receive a little gift. These time I'm glad I've run across a tip that lead to the website of the band Neverdream. It's a italian progmetal band with a very unique style. Lyrically they always focus on one topic to each record, which is mostly a dark-themed one.

Most recently the band did put out a double (!!!) CD under the title of "The Circle" telling a dark thriller story. They were able to get the support of Andy Kuntz, who is the vocalist of the german progmetal band Vanden Plas. The sensation is that the band is giving away the whole record as a free download! There are also pdf files available that tell the story of the record as well as files that contain the lyrics in it's original (italian) language and in a translated english version.

Just jump over to the download page to get your copy. The older records are also available from the same page. If you like to have a physical copy of the album then click on Buy now button directly under the download images. You will get two CD's along with a 16 sided booklet.

As a alternative to that please also pay attention to the donate paypal button on the right site of the linked website directly under the website banner. Making music and recording stuff ain't free so please consider at least giving back some bucks for the stuff you've taken. If you want to stay in touch with band head over to their Facebook page and give some a like.

For all of you that like to listen to some snippets first of the record I've added the trailer to the album below. Enjoy this piece of fine music and happy easter to all of you!

Liquid Horizon

I remember having run across this band by pure chance - I surfed around on youtube and after I watched a video by Vanden Plas youtube offered me a video by Liquid Horizon and since the starting picture of the video did look fine I gave it a click. Well, I wasn't disappointed with my choice since it got me fastly, it's this part of something beeing so very special and unique in their sound that made me notice down the band's name quickly so I won't get lost in the dust of times.

By now I've checked their site and found out through the media tab on the site that they do follow the modern progressive way of Heavy Metal in the style of Vanden Plas and the like. Anyway, their vocalist Oliver Kilthau and the performance of drummer Chuck West do have found their very own style which gives the band a unique touch which makes it a band to be remembered . So if you like progmetal in the modern style take some minutes and check out the video of "Daily Dose".



You can also follow them on facebook to keep up with all the latest news about the band.

Vanden Plas

Nowadays most people discover new music through the various possibilities of the internet. But back in the day the only chance was listening to cover CD's from magazine's such as Rock Hard or Metal Hammer.

One day I listened to the track 'I can see' from Vanden Plas featured on the Rock Hard cover CD. It fastly got me through the killer riff along with the great atmosphere the refrain provided with the special long stretched vocals mixed up with backing vocals. Ever since the band's on my mind and they did even made me more interested in their music in the following years.

By now they have their first ever videoclip put out. It's a song from their latest album entitled 'The Seraphic Clockwork'. Let's see if it will make you interested in more of them.



For more info on the band visit their homepage at:

http://www.vandenplas.de