A quick roundup of a handful of the many, many new releases coming your way!
Armonite
Armonite, the instrumental rock collective led by composer Paolo Fosso and violinist Jacopo Bigi, signed with LA-based indie label Cleopatra Records for the release of their new album, And the Stars Above on May 25th (today!).
Armonite’s instrumental music is perfectly in line with the spirit of the label, especially now that Cleopatra expanded in the movie industry. With the film division, Cleopatra Entertainment, the company has distributed, developed, and produced several films, including The Devil’s Domain (starring Michael Madsen), The Black Room (starring Lin Shaye), Halloween Pussy Trap Kill! Kill! (featuring the voice of Dave Mustaine from Megadeth), The 27 Club (featuring Todd Rundgren), England Is Mine (Steven Morrissey bio-pic), and A Street Cat Named Bob.
“Working with Cleopatra has been great”, says Fosso, “They’re skilled and competent, I’m sure they will take Armonite to the next level. I’ve always been a great lover of movies and videogames, I was just moving forward to the composition of soundtrack music, so this collaboration comes right on cue”.
Throughout the album, lingers a ghostly female voice, appearing and disappearing here and there before fully emerging in the band’s first song with lyrics, “Clouds Collide”. The track tells the story of a girl between time and memories.
Tarja
Following up the worldwide top 10 video chart success Act I, Tarja and earMUSIC are happy to announce the release of the long-awaited follow up Act II this summer.
Filmed during Tarja’s world tour “The Shadow Shows”, during which the influential heavy rock singer circled the world 7½ times with over 300.000 km travelled and played over 200 shows in 40 countries in front of 1 million people, Act II consists of the singer’s very intimate 75 minute set filmed and recorded live at the Metropolis Studio in London, UK and the breathtaking live performance of one of her shows in Milan, Italy, and previously unreleased interviews and photo galleries.
The theatrical rock adventure “Act II”combines two incredible, yet slightly different live performances on video:
The first chapter, “Metropolis Alive”, was filmed two months prior to the release of Tarja’s 2016 success The Shadow Self. 20 winners from all over Europe were lucky to witness Tarja’s intimate, yet rocking 75 minute set at renowned Metropolis Studios in London, UK where the singer performed songs from her then unreleased album – for the first time in front of an audience.
Act II’s second chapter has been recorded on November 29th, 2016 at the magnificent Teatro della Luna Allago in Milan, Italy and includes numerous hits from all four Tarja albums such as “Innocence”, “Die Alive”, “Until My Last Breath”as well as an incredible cover of Muse’s classic “Supremacy”. That night’s set list also enchants the soprano’s long-time fans with a medley consisting of the distinctive Nightwish evergreens “Ever Dream”, “Slaying The Dreamer”and “The Riddler”. All topped off with a remarkable acoustic set which presents Tarja classics in a brand new way.
A wide variety of exclusive, limited fan items and bundles can be found on Tarja’s official web shop.
Lux
Lux is the product of a chance meeting in Paris between eminent blues/rock guitarist Sylvain Laforge and New Yorker Angela Randall.
Their self-described “Velvet Rock” combines elegant lyrics, thrilling vocals and consistently stunning guitar work that slides forward from the blues/folk/pop/rock influence of the ‘70’s into a sound that is at once analogue and contemporary. Lux lies somewhere between Tom Petty and R.E.M.
Lux’s first full (10 track) album is a beautiful follow-up to their 5 track EP released in 2014. Then and now, the duo that is Lux chose live analog recording at Studio Black Box – this time with Peter Deimel of Black Box as producer.
Super 8 is out today.
Disowning
Free EP alert! Born with the firm will to create something true to the death metal roots yet to bring some freshness to it with elements of brutal death metal and progressive death metal formula yet avoiding the “modern metal” trend, Disowning, featuring ex-Offending singer Jesus “the Butcher” worked hard to forge its own identity based on very dark melodies, heavy riffing and a dense atmosphere, all topped with a very above-average musicianship.
Adding to the aural darkness a concept based on humanity’s downfall and the darkest days of our specie, Disowning is all about praising the fall of mankind and fully embracing it as a work of art and the celebration is just starting.
