Ray Alder and Jim Matheos' musical legacy is vast and lauded, both as collaborators and individuals.
Alder has been the vocalist and main co-writer for prog metal heroes Fates Warning for the past 35 years. With them he has recorded 10 albums between 1988 (No Exit) and 2020 (Long Day Good Night). Further rounding out his discography are seven albums with Redemption, two solo albums, and the band A-Z with Mark Zonder, which debuted in 2022.
Prolific and pioneering guitarist/producer Matheos is a co-founder of Fates Warning, the lineup debuting with 1984's Night on Bröcken on Metal Blade. In addition to 13 albums with Fates, Matheos' myriad other work includes several solo albums, four albums alongside former Dream Theater keyboardist Kevin Moore, under the name OSI, and new band, Kings of Mercia, a lineup that's been termed "a hybrid; it's heavy, but not metal."

On North Sea Echoes' debut album, Really Good Terrible Things, out today, the duo embarks upon a fresh musical journey, a new chapter of intimate, moody, and evocative songs highlighted by the singles "Open Book," "Empty," "Unmoved."

"Throughout Really Good Terrible Things, Matheos and Alder serve up the kind of seductive melancholy Fates Warning fans will recognize," says Jeff Wagner, author of the Fates Warning book Destination Onward. "Yet there's a thoroughly different approach here: vocals are delivered with a sort of nostalgic sadness, and the guitar work is layered in such a way as to feel dreamlike. These are rich sonic landscapes, visiting places haunting, beautiful, spectral and secret. The Matheos/Alder partnership is taken to some new and wonderful places here," Wagner concludes.

Matheos and Alder began talking about working together again as soon as they completed Fates Warning's Long Day Good Night. "We just didn't know what, when, where" says Matheos. "I had begun work on another Tuesday the Sky record, which is an ambient, mostly instrumental, pet project of mine. But the first songs I'd come up with felt like they were more set up for vocals. Ray and I had done something similar on Long Days Good Night, a song called 'When Winter Falls,' and we both really liked the outcome. So, I asked him if he'd be onto doing a whole record with a similar approach."

The resultant Really Good Terrible Things was produced by Matheos with cover art from Simon Ward (Kings of Mercia, Marillion). The songwriting process was as familiar one for the Fates Warning vets: Matheos demos music, then passes it along to Alder. "If he likes the song, he'll start coming up with lyrics and melodies. After that, the song will tend go through further changes, sometimes minor, sometimes major, as the final form starts to take shape," explains Matheos.

Really Good Terrible Things shows the breadth and versatility of the acclaimed pair, along with a freshness that belies their long musical partnership. "We both still love making music and we really enjoy working together. There's a good amount of chemistry there, I think," Matheos concludes. "We both know what to expect from each other."

Vancouver based metal band 2 Shadows are heading into the New Year in high gear with their blistering new track Mad God on Rock Shop Records.

The song starts with a brief acoustic interlude before bludgeoning the listener with crushing down-tuned guitars and staccato snare sounds, underpinned by  thunderous bass drums and piercingly intense vocals. The song laments how people blindly follow the rules to get ahead in life - often without ever really knowing why they are doing it.

2 Shadows Glen Bridden says "When Tryst and I wrote the song Mad God we were inspired by the Phil Tippett film with the same name. We were blown away by the apocalyptic dystopian setting and the delivery of the horror elements in the movie and it got us excited to try exploring those vibes musically. Our song Mad God ended up being the easiest and most fluid song to write and we didn't make many changes after the first demo."

He continues "When it came to the lyrics of the song I focused on the dissonance visible in everyday urban life, like how lonely you can feel in a densely populated area and how common it is for people to numb themselves with prescription drugs and the like. It would seem people feel more comfortable ‘under an influence’ and that’s where the lyric “overdosed on sanity” comes from and where the dystopian horror begins to show itself and come full circle".

2 Shadows are veteran road warriors and are planning a tour for later this year. The band plans to release more new music in 2024.

Skilled singer-songwriter Eric Sleeper is set to enchant indie music enthusiasts with his new single, Magnolia. Embarking on a musical voyage through the realms of nostalgia and personal evolution, the poignant track transports listeners to a melancholic world while delving into themes of growth, societal stagnation, and the bittersweet moments of life. Sleeper masterfully weaves together introspection and relatable narratives to establish a truly mesmerizing musical experience. The dreamy and ambient artistic depiction Eric Sleeper creates with Magnolia is now available to stream on digital platforms.

At its core, Magnolia is an introspective exploration of emotions and a reflection of challenges that come with resistance to change. Eric Sleeper draws upon his personal experiences to craft a relatable and emotionally charged piece that resonates deeply with listeners. The dreamy ambiance contrasts with the underlying desolation, creating a unique sonic environment that draws listeners in its first notes. Beyond the personal narrative, Magnolia also tackles broader societal issues. Sleeper explores the concept of individuals who resist change and cause harm to themselves and others in the process. From a broader societal standpoint, Magnolia is meant to tackle people who aren't willing to change and hurt others as a result, explains Sleeper. This is reflected in the line, "Maria expects a second kid, still, she smokes same as before, well maybe more." This theme is evocatively portrayed again in the chorus, "Another cigarette. A melancholy dream, another cloudy day in Jersey City." It serves as both a reflection of the artist's own life and a representation of the struggles many face. Sleeper adds that "the song's hook ties into that notion, but also, for me, it represents that time in my life."

The track's unique blend of emotional storytelling and melodic prowess shines through in Magnolia. As an indie singer-songwriter, Eric Sleeper has consistently demonstrated his ability to create authentic and thought-provoking music. Magnolia showcases his talent both as a skilled lyricist and a captivating vocalist, further solidifying his place as a rising star in the singer-songwriter scene. The haunting harmonic vocals seamlessly intertwine with the infectious guitar riffs, teleporting listeners to a somber sonic atmosphere.

With Magnolia, Eric Sleeper expands his talents by working as a producer on this track to fully channel the blue-feeling soundscape that the story evokes. With several exciting singles unveiled this year, fans await the riveting music to come from the evocative songwriter, as he works on his debut full-length album.

Indie-rockers Winterbourne are releasing their new album Act Of Disappearing today on Island Records Australia.

The band's own words about the new release: "Second albums are notoriously difficult things, and I think the reason goes far beyond weight of expectation. In our case the second album has been a difficult thing to wrap our heads around because of the crazy amount of freedom it has offered us. For Echo Of Youth we tried to sum ourselves up as a band as much as we could in 12 songs. Our entire music making career until then had been geared towards the creation of our debut album, and once that was accomplished we found ourselves with all the time in the world and an opportunity to do just about anything we wanted to - an exciting and daunting prospect."

"This album ended up coming together extremely naturally. Many of the songs have been floating around for years, and what songs we still needed we were able to create by our tried and true method of getting in a room together and making sounds. Perhaps the thing that aided our process the most was our commitment to the setting of Angelo - a fictional place that embodies the nonsense of the real world. Placing the songs within this world allowed us to explore them from an objective point of view, and also gave them all some common ground so they could connect musically. Angelo became the home of Ally and Daniel, the star-cross’d lovers around which the narrative of the album could develop. We were able to put our thoughts, feelings and questions into those characters and see what they could do with them, which freed us up to write the music while they dealt with the heavy stuff."

Overall, Act Of Disappearing is a journey towards understanding, oscillating between reality and fantasy, balancing on the edge of chaos through the masquerade of life and towards the truth within it."

Bail Out is the debut single from Big Wreck's eighth studio offering, Pages, a 6-track EP that sees the canuck band once again rewrite the code for rock music.

At the start of 2023, Ian Thornley (guitar/vocals) started workshopping the songs for the band's eighth studio effort. After sharing the music with longtime friend and producer Nick Raskulinecz, it became clear that he was not only excited about the direction, but that he was the only choice to lead the production charge on this effort.

In May 2023, the band began pre-production with Nick, and entered the studio with Chris Holmes at the desk, and Nick directing the sessions. Over the span of two weeks, the band tracked 18 songs. Longtime mixing engineer Eric Ratz was the natural fit for this first EP, and rekindled the 'dream team' of Eric, Ian, and Nick. (Fans will remember the magic that was created when Albatross was born in 2012 — an album that has delivered multiple chart-topping singles, and is now Gold-certified.)

Following up on the 7 releases of 2021 and 2022, the band will once again visit the EP model. The first EP in this collection covers all the bases of what fans have come to love about Big Wreck. The EP leads off with the 7+ minute track, In Fair Light, which explores new textures and new territories for the band. It then takes a right turn into the driving alt-rock track, and first single, Bail Out. The core of the EP is filled with a blend of rich colour and artistry with tracks Summerlong, Weightless, and White Lies. The final track is a tip of the hat to some of the biggest influences of Ian and Big Wreck with the track, Bird Of Paradise.

Pages is set to be released next November 24 on Sonyc Union Records. Meanwhile, click on the image to stream/download Bail Out.

London-based indie rock band The Boxer Rebellion, consisting of Nathan Nicholson (vocals/guitar/keyboards), Andrew Smith (lead guitar), Adam Harrison (bass) and Piers Hewitt (drums), returned today with their new song and single Powdered Sugar.

Powdered Sugar marks the London-based indie-rockers' first new music in five years, following a hiatus that began after the release of their 2018 album, Ghost Alive.

Nathan Nicholson said about the new track: "This is a song about love and having the perfect partner, when your relationship is in its infancy and there's a constant adrenaline with butterflies in the stomach - the anticipation of what could be. I just wanted to try and capture some of that feeling of optimism in the lyrics."

Piers Hewitt commented: "There had been a long time since we had even been together much at all, let alone made music and played in the same room. A lot has happened since for all of us, but there is an unshakable feeling of togetherness in this band when we create something new. Recording Powdered Sugar, and other tracks this year has been almost cathartic in one sense, but also it just felt amazing to be back in a place where we can do what we love doing all together again. And with the journey we have shared up until now it also felt like the most natural thing in the world and almost as if no time had passed at all. To create new art is a joy. To do it with brothers that you love is a privilege."

The song, written and produced by the band and mixed by Sam Duckworth, will appear on their upcoming 4-track EP, which is expected to be released in early 2024.

Today, Arkells release their new studio album Laundry Pile via Universal Music Canada, alongside the music video for the new single Quiet Love.
"Anyone who keeps a journal will tell you that writing is one of the best ways to work through the chapters of your life," says frontman, Max Kerman. "Our new album Laundry Pile is a chapter that documents some of the messy parts that end up teaching you a lot: love, regret, desire, shame, and the longing to get it right. The title track is out first, and it's a memory honouring the little moments that represent a true partnership."

A brand-new album was not in the works for Arkells. Having been steadily releasing new music over the last few years, the band wasn't actively planning the next record to come this quickly. What became Laundry Pile caught the band by surprise and began to take shape. 

At the top of the year, Arkells got together with a goal to work on acoustic renditions of recent material, jam and hang out, but very quickly started ruminating on other little ideas. "I brought in some demos I had been working on - they were little conversations with myself," continues Kerman. "I had no expectations to do anything with the material, but then the band came to the rescue. It was very all-hands-on-deck. The more we meditated on the music, the more connected we became to the songs and to each other." 

Much of Arkells' most recognizable material aims to be spirited and anthemic, but this collection of songs are more personal, pensive, and reserved. It's the kind of album that is one cohesive listening experience - in keeping with the spirit of the classic singer-songwriter tradition. 

"After a few weeks, we took a look at the white board with the growing number of songs scribbled on it and became excited to share these songs immediately," Kerman adds. "It was one of the most deeply creative experiences we've had as a band so far. It's important to simply honour the moment you're in, and that's what we did."

Laundry Pile is available now for streaming or download.

Long Beach, CA based Rockers OF LIMBO have released their provocative new single California Demon. The heavy and sinister groove-laden track explores the concept of making a Mephistophelian bargain for diabolical favors to achieve your Hollywood dreams.

The song was recorded at Fab Factory Studios and produced by Mike Pepe (Taking Back Sunday, Plain White T's), with mixing and mastering done by Grammy Winner Jett Galindo.

The song features wicked & sinewy dark guitar riffs, thunderous drums, a throbbing bass line, and a chorus as addictive as it is memorable. The band's influences from 90's stalwarts like Alice in Chains and Soundgarden shine through on the track.

The band's Luke Davies says "The song explores the concept of "selling your soul for fame and fortune" but in a literal sense. As if the devil was real and young, innocent and corruptible people are actually coming to Hollywood and selling their soul to become a star. There's a large section of the population, like our conspiracy theory loving uncle, who believes this to be 100% fact/reality. He sends us videos of stars in interviews implying they sold their souls, or the latest Grammy performances, etc. from Sam Smith or mumble rappers dressed up as Satan. He doesn't believe this is just pageantry. He thinks it's all some kind of televised satanic ritual. It's a concept we always felt was perfect for a rock song. Innocent girl comes to Hollywood with wide eyes and high hopes, only to find she has to sacrifice a lot more than she bargained for… HER SOUL!"

The video for California Demon was directed by Tony Vercelli and filmed at Baur Films in Long Beach and Nuvisions Studios in Santa Ana. It was produced by Todd Grilli of 4th Street Productions. The band's Jake Davies says "Yes, we DID actually set Luke's guitar on fire while he played it at the end. We had to douse Luke in flame retardant spray and pray to sweet baby Jesus that he didn't get 3rd degree burns. It was definitely super sketchy at times!  On a few takes I had to run in with a wet blanket to extinguish the flames." Watch the video now clicking on the image.

The band will be announcing new tour dates in September. The band will be playing live throughout the fall, with plans to release more new music and tour throughout 2024.