Sonic Perspectives

Sebastian Bach will release his long-awaited studio album, “Child Within the Man”, on May 10th via Reigning Phoenix Music. With a career that has spanned over 35 years and tens of millions of albums sold, billions of streams, chart-topping songs, and packing arenas/theaters worldwide, Sebastian is back with a vengeance with the release of “Child [...] The post SEBASTIAN BACH Talks New Album “Child Within The Man”: ‘It’s Mindblowing To Have My Songs Played On FM Radio In 2024’ appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Celebrating twenty years of existence, Baroness released their critically acclaimed sixth album, “Stone”, on September 15, 2023. As discussed in our review (which can be read here), this is one of their most cohesive pieces of work, although there’s plenty of room for experimentation. And obviously, now is the time to promote “Stone”, and showcase [...] The post Rhythmic Revelations: A Backstage Encounter with BARONESS’ Bassist NICK JOST and Drummer SEBASTIAN THOMSON appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Europe has recently released its new single, “Hold Your Head Up,” ahead of a 2024 documentary film about the band’s meteoric rise to becoming one of the greatest rock bands in history. The song is a vibrant rocker reminiscent of their early hits and captures Joey Tempest [vocals], John Norum [guitars], John Levén [bass], Mic [...] The post JOEY TEMPEST of EUROPE Reflects On New Single “Hold Your Head Up”: ‘We Always Like to Take Fans On an Adventure' appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Spirit Adrift are back with a new full-length, entitled “Ghost at the Gallows”. The follow-up to 2020’s “Enlightened in Eternity” comes out on August 18 via Century Media, and delivers the band’s most fully realized work to date. This is a record that confidently stands at the crossroads of heavy metal at its most epic [...] The post SPIRIT ADRIFT'S Main-man NATE GARRETT Talks New Album And Musical Mission: “I Wanna Write Songs That Sound As Lush And Massive As Possible” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

It’s 2023, and the music industry has totally changed. While 30 or 40 years ago musicians focused on the one band they were a part of, nowadays having a side project is almost mandatory. The revenue streams are different, file sharing and instant messaging allows for multiple music outlets for anyone, so it’s natural that [...] The post MICHAEL POULSEN of VOLBEAT Explores Death Metal On New Project ASINHELL: “My Love For Old School Death Metal Has Always Been There, You Can Hear The Inspiration On This Album” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Some bands just take consistency to the next level. That is definitely the case with death metal stalwarts KATAKLYSM. Originally formed in Quebec, they have put out one album every two years since their debut, 1995’s “Sorcery”. The band went through some lineup changes, the most notable of which was the departure of founding member [...] The post MAURIZIO IACONO of KATAKLYSM Shares His Recipe To Keep Inspired And Energized After Three Decades In Music: “It’s All About Being Consistent In Your Approach, And Using Music In A Therapeutic Way” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

The old saying “good things come to those who wait” is one that FIFTH ANGEL fans have become rather used to. After twenty years of dormancy, the band reunited in 2010 for the Keep it True Festival, but plans to record new material were scrapped. In 2017  they returned to the same festival and then the [...] The post KEN MARY And JOHN MACKO Reflect On The Intensity Of New FIFTH ANGEL Album “When Angels Kill”: “We're More Progressive And Aggressive, But Maintaining Our Core” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Not many bands can leave a lasting impression and legacy like Black Sabbath have done over the last 50 years. They have been flying the flag for heavy metal throughout their career to legions of fans around the world since their eponymous debut album, “Black Sabbath”, which was released on February 13, 1970. They went [...] The post BLACK SABBATH's GEEZER BUTLER Talks Upcoming Book “Into the Void”: ‘There Have Been Terrible Fall-Outs; You Forget Them and Come Back Together' appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

On September 26, 2021 in Louisville, KY, JUDAS PRIEST guitarist Richie Faulkner had a brush with death. He suffered an onstage aortic aneurysm during the performance of the band’s “Painkiller” encore. Somehow finishing the set, Faulkner was rushed to hospital and put through ten hours of emergency surgery. “I’m just lucky to be alive. And [...] The post JUDAS PRIEST Guitarist RICHIE FAULKNER Talks New Band ELEGANT WEAPONS, Upcoming JUDAS PRIEST Record and More: ‘I’d Like To Do A Big Four Tour Of British Metal, As A Fan I Couldn't Imagine A Better Tour Than MAIDEN And PRIEST' appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Often wonder and been intrigued by what life is like working, managing or being an artist, a rock star? Traveling to foreign countries, seeing the sights, feeling the energy of live audiences, night after night, and experiencing firsthand the screaming fans? It’s not always glorious or glamorous; in fact, there is more to it than [...] The post Music Industry Veteran & Longtime DREAM THEATER Tour Manager RIKK FEULNER Talks New Book, Life on The Road and Upcoming DREAM THEATER Summer Tour: “DREAM THEATER Don’t Get to Play Any Festival in the US, So They Created Their Own” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Multi-platinum rocker Theory Of A Deadman will release their eighth studio album, “Dinosaur”, on March 17th via Roadrunner Records. The track “Dinosaur” is currently at #12 on the Top 10 at U.S. Active Rock Radio and quickly approaching the Top 10. This album marks a return to form stylistically while growing and learning to solidify [...] The post DEAN BACK of THEORY OF A DEADMAN Discusses Upcoming “Dinosaur “Album: “It Will Take You on A Roller Coaster Ride Between The Rockers and Ballads” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

The achievements of rock n’ roll heavyweights The Trews are many and mighty, highlighted by multiple radio hits drawn from seven critically acclaimed studio albums plus several EPs, a pair of live records, and a retrospective. The band’s 2021 release, “Wanderer,” emerged with their fiercest and most accomplished songs to date, taking the band further [...] The post JOHN-ANGUS MACDONALD of THE TREWS: “I Want to Write Songs That Mean Something to People” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

August 19th marked the release of the self-titled debut of SiX by SiX. The collaboration between Saga‘s guitarist Ian Crichton, singer, producer and bass player Robert Berry, and Saxon‘s drummer Nigel Glockler will impress the most demanding progressive rock fans out there. Six By Six was born when Robert and Ian started exchanging ideas and [...]

A lone soldier on the front-lines of creativity, John Mitchell has been at the forefront of forward- thinking and progressive rock for decades now. As a member of such revered prog ensembles as It Bites, Arena, Frost* and his own projects Kino and The Urbane, he has become a uniquely vital contributor to the modern [...]

On September 29th, the German metal kingpins Accept will embark on their first U.S. tour in ten years. The tour supports their 2021 studio album, “Too Mean to Die,” which they were not properly able to tour in support of due to Covid-19. This U.S. tour will cover 21 cities starting in Nashville and ending [...]

“Beer commercials, car commercials, and Cobra Kai.” I straight up thought that legendary drummer Mark Zonder’s reference point for his new band would have been Toto or Journey. There aren’t really any sonic similarities between them and A-Z, but they all share these very key traits: at their core, they’re expertly-written, hook-saturated pop songs performed [...]

John Norum is most famously known around the globe as being the lead guitarist and a founding member of the band Europe. Together they are Sweden’s most prominent rock export selling over 10 million albums worldwide with songs like “The Final Countdown,” “Carrie,” and “Rock the Night.” Recently the song “The Final Countdown” reached 1 [...]

Derek Sherinian seems determined to make up for the lost time. Having spent nine years working with the super-groups Black Country Communion, PSMS and Sons of Apollo, and touring with Billy Idol, Joe Bonamassa and others, he is now focused on his solo career. 2020 saw the release of “The Phoenix”, Derek‘s first solo record [...]

While the pandemic seems like a thing of the past at the moment and many artists are going on extensive tours, there are still albums coming out which were written at the height of Covid-19. That’s the case with Eric Johnson‘s two upcoming releases, “The Book of Making” and “Yesterday Meets Today”. Blue Élan Records [...]

Vinny Appice is a metal legend, plain and simple. Having started his career playing with Rick Derringer and with his band Axis, Vinnie rose to fame after joining Black Sabbath on the Heaven and Hell Tour. With Black Sabbath he recorded the follow up album “Mob Rules,” before leaving to become the drummer of Dio‘s [...]

Released on March 18, 2022, “Postcards from the End of the World” is the sophomore effort of Shining Black. The band was formed as a collaboration between vocalist Mark Boals (Yngwie Malmsteen, Ring Of Fire, Royal Hunt) and guitarist Ölaf Thorson (Labyrinth, Vision Divine). Completing the lineup are Oleg Smirnoff on keyboards & piano, Nik [...]

What do you do when your band is on a break, and you’re used to playing a million notes every night? If your name is Jordan Rudess, the answer is: you go out on a solo tour and play a million other notes per show.  Dream Theater finished a successful run of shows in Europe and North America, [...]

For 37 years, TESLA continues to write, record, and tour to the excitement of their fans. In 2014 they released a stellar straight-up, hard-rocking album, “Simplicity” and then in 2019 released “Shock,” a rock album but with a bit more polished and shine. It was written and recorded while on tour in hotels, backstage, and [...]

“This whole trip was chaos,” confides a visibly exhausted Timo Kotipelto. The reserved but charismatic Stratovarius front-man and I are tucked away in a corner at the lobby of the Sonesta Midtown hotel, spitting distance from popular ProgPower USA breakfast spot The Silver Skillet. The pair and their band-mates are about twelve hours removed from [...]

Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators will be releasing “Live At Studios 60”, exclusive vinyl for Record Store Day on June 18th. It’s their first-ever double live LP featuring their entire 2022 album, “4;” plus performances of the group’s Top 5 Rock Radio Hits, including “You’re A Lie,” “World on Fire,” “Anastasia,” and “Driving [...]

Michael Monroe has long been at the forefront of breaking musical barriers from Hanoi Rocks to his successful solo career. He returns with his highly anticipated album; “I Live Too Fast to Die Young,” due out on June 10th via Silver Lining Music. In an era where the pandemic and war are seamless bookends to [...]

Just over a year ago Evergrey released “Escape of the Phoenix,” an album that was not only the band’s greatest commercial success, but was also widely acclaimed as one of the best albums of 2021. At Sonic Perspectives, we rated it number one. While many other bands would have been content to rest and revel [...]

Skid Row has always been one of the hardest working bands in the metal / hard rock circuit, but their touring schedule in 2022 is absolutely insane, even for their standards. With over sixty shows booked until the end of the year and hitting all corners of the world, it seems that nothing can stop [...]

John5 is one of the hardest working musicians on the planet, and to prove it, he will be heading out on his Spring/Summer 2022 Sinner North American Tour before a Rob Zombie tour this summer. Johns‘ tour starts in California on April 19th and takes him through June, ending in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Supporting [...]

Some collaborations do take time to mature and to come into fruition. In the case of James LaBrie and Paul Logue, it took 11 years for their album to finally be concluded. Their story began in 2011, when James lent his voice to a song called “No Holy Man”, from Paul‘s band, UK melodic metal [...]

The march of time may bring about change, but the memory of those who lived the glory days of thrash metal in the 1980s don't have to settle for a future that doesn't possess the music they love, at least if Germany's own thrash titans Destruction have anything to say on the matter. Having been [...]

PROGJECT also dubbed “The Ultimate Prog Rock Experience” is the brainchild of drummer extraordinaire Jonathan Mover. Jonathan is not only a session drummer to the stars but has performed with some heavyweight artists like Alice Cooper, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, GTR, and Marillion, to name just a few. The idea for PROGJECT came to fruition [...]

There is no such thing as being too late to the party when it comes to hard rock, and few know this better than Kurt Deimer, who seemingly came out of nowhere a few months back and unleashed an EP's worth of familiar yet highly unique odes to the aforementioned style. More discerning minds may [...]

ENVY OF NONE, the new band from Alex Lifeson (RUSH), Andy Curran (CONEY HATCH), Alfio Annibalini and singer Maiah Wynne, will release its self-titled debut album on April 8 via Kscope. Through its 11 tracks, the group explores a wide array of styles, with enticing vocal melodies, pop hooks and atmospheric passages. The genesis of [...]

There is something to be said for sticking to one's proverbial guns when times get tough, and few know that better than Cage and Death Dealer screamer Sean Peck. Sharing a birth year with the godfather of grunge Kurt Cobain, his would be a far different path of swimming against the tide of detractors of [...]

Michael Romeo is back! Four years after his first proper solo album, “War of the Worlds, Pt. 1” was released, the sequel is finally among us. Romeo kept the same rhythm session as the first album – bassist John ‘JD' DeServio and drummer John Macaluso – but added singer Dino Jelusick to the fold. The [...]

With 43 years of music under their belts and a demanding yet extremely dedicated fan base, MARILLION‘s approach to making music remains fresh to this day. Granted, the pandemic made their writing process a little bit more complicated than usual, but they came out of it with yet another incredible offering. Entitled “Ah Hour Before [...]

Andy Timmons is gearing up to add another highlight to his storied career by releasing his newest solo album “Electric Truth” on April 1st as an independent release. The upcoming album features all-new material from Andy since “Resolution” in 2006 and “Theme From A Perfect World” with the Andy Timmons’ Band in 2016.  “Electric Truth” [...]

When the collaboration between Neal Morse, Nick D'Virgilio, and Ross Jennings was announced, prog fans worldwide received the unexpected association with great excitement. Even though we already know the outstanding results that the partnership between Morse and D'Virgilio usually provides, the presence of Ross Jennings, vocalist for prog-metal powerhouse Haken and Novena, gave the project an unpredictable and exciting appeal. From the beginning, it was announced that “Troika”, [...]

The thrash metal wave that took the West Coast of the United States by storm may have crashed down and receded with the onset of the 1990s, but you wouldn't know it by how the original Bay Area sound has been continually cropping back up of late. While there is no shortage of new blood [...]

Aldo Nova is back and better than ever, releasing two albums this April. The first album features ten brand new studio tracks from this 25 song Rock Opera, “The Life and Times of Eddie Gage,” due out on April 1st. His second release, “Aldo Nova 2.0 Reloaded,” features nine of his classic songs re-imagined and [...]

Less than two years after the release of Ayreon‘s “Transitus”, tireless Dutch musician Arjen Lucassen is back with new music. This time, the prog-metal/rock icon opted to revisit the Arjen Anthony Lucassen's Star One project, which until now was held in hiatus. With “Revel in Time”, almost twelve years of drought under the Star One moniker are broken, and it does so with [...]

Nick D'Virgilio is one of the most versatile musicians in rock.  Drummer par excellence, who has handled sticks for Big Big Train, Spock's Beard and more sessions than one can count.  A top singer-songwriter, whose 2020 solo album “Invisible” was one of the best of the year.  And vocalist?  The man's sweet leads and background [...]

“Have you ever worked on something and been really proud of it, and the next day you feel like the worst in the history of humankind?” Why yes, Carlos, I know that feeling rather well. “It’s like that,” Carlos continues. “When we write the music, we double-check everything. We want to make every second of [...]

With their recently released album “Epigone,” Boston-bred aural imaginauts WILDERUN take a deeper and darker step beyond their expansive, prog-leaning metal scores that so skillfully came together on 2019's “Veil of Imagination.” The result is a record that is at once grandiose, complex, sophisticated and unexpectedly human. “This is certainly a “meta” record for me,” [...]

Canadian progressive thrashers Voivod have a new album in the can, the intense “Syncro Anarchy”. Recorded during lockdown, it was produced by Francis Perron at RadicArt Studio, and just like all their other albums, it features a cover artwork created by their drummer Michel “Away” Langevin. Written and recorded in just over a month, “Syncro [...]

A little over 2 years to the day that ANNIHILATOR unleashed their 17th studio album and mad thrashing foray “Ballistic, Sadistic”, seasoned veteran Jeff Waters has opted to revisit an older and largely unsung effort from his recent past, resulting in a retooled and revamped retread of 2007's collaborative effort “Metal”, aptly dubbed “Metal II”. [...]

If you’re a fan of 80’s hard rock, chances are that you heard Terry Ilous‘ voice and might not even be aware. He rose to fame with the French-based XYZ and released two albums with the band, before they were swallowed by the grunge movement in the early 90’s. They have since reformed, and continue [...]

If there’s one person that can be called a prog-rock icon, that’s Ian Anderson. Having started his first band in 1963, he went on to form Jethro Tull in 1967, and became the band leader and the sole member to have been on all lineups of the group. He also released several solo albums which [...]

One of the most prolific bluesmen of our generation, Eric Gales is back with a new album, entitled “Crown”. More than a simple collection of songs, “Crown” is an artistic statement, which showcases Eric's talent and sees him throwing the gauntlet to other musicians and claiming his place in the pantheon of best guitar players [...]

“…There's no better feeling than when your inner ear tells you to go some place and you get there…” – Steve Vai Steve Vai is gearing up for a very productive year in 2022. The first shows of his “Inviolate World Tour” have already been booked, with over 50 shows booked for North America. This [...]