Trillium - Symphonic Progressive Metal (Neitherlands)

Amanda Somerville is an American singer-songwriter and vocal coach best known for her collaborations with various European metal bands (Avantasia, Epica, Kamelot, After Forever). Since 1999 she has resided and worked mainly in Germany and the Netherlands. With a vocal range from tenor to soprano and stylistically diverse, Amanda's solo career has thus far been primarily comprised of soft and elegant pop/rock with some hard rock, folk and soul music influences. TRILLIUM is something new, exciting and very diverse for Amanda, who describes it "more like an expedition with my musical family to explore and celebrate the metamorphosis I've gone through as an artist over the past several years. Quite simply, it's my new baby". The TRILLIUM name came about since it "symbolizes a trinity because things are always showing up in 3s in my environment and there are a number of triads occurring in this project, as well" tells Amanda. "The name of the album, "Alloy," is symbolic and metaphorical. An alloy is a substance composed of two or more metals, or of a metal or metals combined with a non-metal, intimately mixed. It also means standard; quality; fineness and is an admixture, as of good with evil. I'm a Pisces, so I'm all about duality and combining known elements - sometimes opposing each other - to create something different. Though I've been working myself further and further into the metal scene, I still always feel the need to add an extra element to make it shine, bling, stand out".

Musically, TRILLIUM is a hybrid of rock and metal: it's riffy, has a heavy hand instrumentally and is quite different from anything Amanda has ever worked on so far. The creative team on the album includes the acclaimed Sascha Paeth & Miro (KAMELOT, AVANTASIA, EPICA, AFTER FOREVER, ANGRA etc.) on production, songwriting and performances with the participation of Sander Gommans (ex After Forever) and also features Jorn Lande on a very special duet with Amanda. Amanda's sound is eclectic yet particular, sweet yet raw and commercial yet conventionally-challenged. Singer-songwriter metal with bling. Think Annie Lennox, Doro, Rob Zombie and Sade thrown into a blender and whipped into a frothy concoction.

2011 - Alloy

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Freedom Hawk - Rock (USA)

Hailing from the barrier dunes of Virginia, this quartet blends heavy riffs, a rolling groove, and soulful guitar melodies to produce the sound that is Freedom Hawk. Their brand of heavy rock coupled with a high energy live show, leaves many wondering if they’ve stepped through a time warp that has taken them to rock’s heyday of the 70’s. The origins of Freedom Hawk began in 2003 when friends Mark Cave (bass) and TR Morton (guitar; singer) were introduced to Lenny Hines (drums) through a mutual friend. Mark and TR had been jamming together for some time and could not find the right drummer to match what they were playing. Once they brought Lenny into the fold, the two knew they found the drummer they were looking for. Now a trio, the three realized their songs were missing a certain dynamic that would be required to achieve what they wanted to hear. In comes Matt Cave (guitar). Matt had been working with another band in the Virginia Beach area at the time and knew his brother Mark was looking for a second guitar player. After a few successful sessions and the eventual request by his brother Mark to join the group, Matt decided to be the fourth and final addition...

Holding On

VERSUS X - Crossover Prog • Germany

Versus X biography (http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=345)

German VERSUS X plays symphonic and intricate progressive rock in the vein of the best bands of the seventies (KING CRIMSON, ELP, VDGG, .) with influences of classical music, heavy rock, jazz-rock and the music of contemporary classical composers. The songs are lenghty with fantastic arrangements and great musicianship.

Unlike their second excellent work "Disturbance", the level of complexity on "Versus X" is moderate, though the absolute majority of themes and arrangements shows that their authors were full of wish to create really original production within the frame of Progressive Rock. As a result, "Versus X" become one of the most ambitious albums in 1993. All the basic "parameters" of "The Turbulent Zone" album such as composing in general and arrangements particularly, musicianship and performance, overall sounding and the sound as such, at last, entirely correspond with my perception of this album as of a Classic Art Rock masterpiece. If you're a fan of that classic '70's prog, it's hard to beat VERSUS X.

1997 - Disturbance

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Soundtrack For Martin Scorsese’s HBO Series ‘Vinyl’

Volume 1 of the soundtrack is stuffed with soul, blues and rock’n roll, with tracks by Otis Redding, The Meters, Edgar Winter, Foghat, Ruth Brown, and more. It also feature original music by the critically acclaimed country singer-songwriter Sturgill Simpson (who provides the show’s theme song “Sugar Daddy”) and The Nasty Bits, a group fronted by Mick Jagger‘s son James Jagger, who also appears on the show. Meanwhile, David Johansen has re-recorded some jams by New York Dolls. Beyond that, HBO will release a digital EP featuring songs from and inspired by each upcoming Sunday episode the preceding Friday, with Julian Casablancas, Iggy Pop, Charli XCX, the Arcs, Chris Cornell, Trey Songz, Jessie J, Nate Ruess, Royal Blood, Jess Glynne, DJ Cassidy, Alex Newell and Charlie Wilson all set to contribute music.

Vinyl: Music From the HBO Original Series — Volume 1

Tracks:

01. Ty Taylor: “The World Is Yours”

02. David Johansen: “Personality Crisis”

03. Kaleo: “No Good”

04. Sturgill Simpson: “Sugar Daddy” (Theme from ‘Vinyl’)

05. Ruth Brown: “Mama He Treats Your Daughter Mean”

06. Otis Redding: “Mr. Pitiful”

07. Dee Dee Warwick: “Suspicious Minds”

08. Mott the Hoople: “All The Way From Memphis”

09. David Johansen: “Stranded In The Jungle”

10. Chris Kenner: “I Like It Like That”

11. Ty Taylor: “Cha Cha Twist”

12. The Jimmy Castor Bunch: “It’s Just Begun”

13. Soda Machine: “Want Ads”

14. The Meters: “Hand Clapping Song”

15. Soda Machine: “Slippin’ Into Darkness”

16. Edgar Winter: “Frankenstein”

17. Nasty Bits: “Rotten Apple”

18. Foghat: “I Just Want To Make Love To You”

Vernisage - Progressive Metal (Germany)

Vernissage was a progressive metal band from the Lower Rhine city of Krefeld. It was founded in 1991 and released their first two demos Vernissage and Candide in 1996. The music on the second demo judged the Eternity magazine as "demanding Power Metal". The 1997 debut album "Intensive" was released in 1998 via AFM Records. As a small surprise, "Assisted Proggen" was interpreted as saying that two of the 14 songs had German lyrics. Nevertheless, despite the "really interesting approaches" and "handmade music", a lack of sensitivity was criticized.  Due to internal tension with the singer, the band dissolved in the late 1990s. Guitarist Jens Pesch, bassist Bernd Gross and percussionist Klaus Spangenberg founded the Thrash-Metal band Blood Red Angel, also in Krefeld, together with the former Ferngully guitarist Robert Balner, where Spangenberg moved to the position of the singer.

1998 - Intensiv

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MAVARA - Crossover Prog • Iran

Mavara biography (http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=6655)

Mavara, is Iran's first premier progressive rock band. The name Mavara translates to "beyond everything you think" which speaks to the essence of their music. The band was formed in 2001 by composer/keyboardist Farhood Ghadiri and over the years has had a fluid line-up of members, performing extensively in Tehran and Karaj. Currently Mavara is comprised of Ghadiri along with Ashkan Hamedi/vocals,Sina Khodaiefer/bass, Anis Oveisi/keyboards and American Jim Welch/Drums Because of their unique sound and talent, Mavara quickly gained notoriety in Iran, receiving acclaim from the Tehran Industry and Science University as "Best Rock Band at a Live Performance". Additional honors include an invitation to perform for the internet music festival, "Teheran Avenue" in both 2003 and 2005. Their music is best described in terms of their influences, with a generous helping of Pink Floyd, Porcupine Tree and Marillion being the first bands that come to mind. In other words, more on the melodic side of Progressive Rock. Mavara began recording their first Persian language album, "Ultimate Sound" in 2003 which was released in 2005, and gained recognition in an article published on the website Zirzamin.se. Later in 2005, Mavara teamed up with the band Aavaar for a benefit show in Iran to promote the new album. It wasn't long thereafter that the band began recording their first English language album, "Forgotten Inside", which was released at a private concert in 2009. Among their first tour stops, was the "Crescendo Music Festival" in France during the summer of 2010. In 2013, Mavara released their epic third album "Season of Salvation", on Transit Music Group Records [TMG] and is currently based in New Hampshire, promoting the album here in the United States. Since arriving in the American soil, the band has been the subject of television programs [NH Chronicle/ABC Television, 'Stir It Up' on MCTV, etc], College radio live appearances [Tufts University, etal ] and countless magazine articles, The Hippo, The Union Leader etc, and most recently were featured in Spotlight Magazine where they graced the cover of the weekly magazine. Mavara was also invited to be one of 8 bands to perform at the prestigious "ProgDay Festival 2013" the longest running progressive rock festival in the world. Additionally in 2013 they performed by invitation at the "NJProghouse Music Festival." A recent review of the new album states: "Season of Salvation" never rests on its laurels, it is quite impressive in structure, style, and overall atmosphere"; "These guys (and gal) impress whether they are focusing on ambiance or on a great jam"; ".. a fantastic album." Jason Spencer on Progarchives, Aug. 2013 (4 out of 5 stars).

Mavara – Consciousness (2017)

Xandria - Symphonic Prog Metal (Germany)

Xandria is a German symphonic metal band, founded by Marco Heubaum in 1997. India is the third studio album by German symphonic metal band Xandria. It was released on August 22, 2005 via Drakkar Entertainment label. The album also released one single, "In Love with the Darkness". In comparison with its predecessor Ravenheart, the album presents a larger variety of musical ideas and a more powerful and dynamic sound, a clear progression for the band. The album features the Deutsches Filmorchester Babelsberg and several guest musicians: the Irish folk band Sceal Eile, musicians and the female singer of the band Lyriel and the Australian Grant Stevens. The producer José Alvarez-Brill is the same of Ravenheart. The recordings took place with some interruptions used for further song writing and arranging from December 2004 to June 2005. The album was released on August 22, 2005 and reached #30 in the German album charts.

2005 - India

Thanks Magal