Sonic Perspectives

For guitarist Chris Caffery, best known for his work with Savatage and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, the release of 20 Years of the Music Man means much more than a career milestone. It’s a reflection of perseverance, humor, and the need to keep moving forward despite shifting musical landscapes.

“Well, basically what had happened was I had been releasing a couple of singles, and for me that kind of became sort of easy to do, ...

Joe Deninzon has got to be one of the busiest guys in rock music. For over a year, he’s been the violinist for the legendary band Kansas — which is in the midst of an extensive 50th-anniversary tour.

But Joe’s other focus is his group Stratospheerius… which melds rock, jazz, classical, and a bit of anything else. Stratospheerius has a new album which came out on October 11 (check out our review HERE).

Their new album is cal...

After the Mandoki Soulmates‘ 30th Anniversary Tour, the band retreated to singer, songwriter, composer, and drummer Leslie Mandoki‘s studio on Lake Starnberg in Germany to work on a brand-new prog rock album. The result was “A Memory of Our Future,” released worldwide on May 10, 2024.

Leslie and his Soulmates have long been revered for their unwavering commitment to the principles of peace, respect, and resilience. ...

The Gavin Evick Band has been riding high on critical acclaim following the recent release of their highly-anticipated new single, “Young, Wild & Free.” Debuting on June 20th, the song has already made a significant radio impact, capturing the attention of music fans with its driving anthemic rock.

Frontman and songwriter Gavin Evick has crafted a song that celebrates the carefree spirit of youth, with lyrics t...

Somewhere between the organic feel of 70s hard rock and the wild technical craze of 80s heavy metal exists a middle ground where true magic resides. This is the realm occupied by Axel Rudi Pell, German virtuoso guitarist, and longtime solo artist, alongside one of the most prolific artists in the business at present.

Originally cutting his teeth in the European rock scene in the mid-80s with the Wattenscheid-based Steeler (not ...

The Prog/Metal/Rock project Harpazo has been 16 years in the making. Back in 2008, Marc Centanni began taking guitar lessons from former Shadow Gallery axe-man/keyboardist/background singer Gary Wehrkamp. Centanni was something of a writer, and a poet, with an interest in religion.

He showed some of his work to Wehrkamp, who was suitably impressed. He decided to put the words to music, just to see what would happen.

Nei...

One of the pioneering acts of the Gothenburg/Swedish metal scene, along with In Flames and At The Gates, Dark Tranquillity has remained a steady force in the realm of melodic death metal.

On August 16th, the band will unveil their 13th studio album, “Endtime Signals”. Building on the success of previous releases such as “Atoma” (2016), which climbed up to #2 in the Swedish album charts, and “Moment” (2020), which ea...

For 40 years, Hasse Froberg has been putting out quality music. For 30 of them, he’s been a part of Swedish prog band The Flower Kings. Therefore, 2024 is a banner year for him. And he’s celebrating that with a new album from his band Hasse Froberg and Musical Companion (HFMC). “Eternal Snapshots” is the sixth record by the group, and it is a wonderful examination of the ups and downs of life—both musically and lyrically.

Frobe...

In the realm of hard rock and guitar virtuosity, few names resonate as profoundly as Rik Emmett.

Renowned for his masterful fretwork and distinctive vocals, Emmett has left an indelible mark on the music world through his solo career and tenure with the iconic Canadian rock band Triumph. Recently, he unveiled “Diamonds – The Best of the Hard Rock Years 1990 – 1995,” a compilation featuring tracks from his first thr...

As the bassist for Armored Saint and Fates Warning, Joey Vera has carved a unique legacy in the genre, spanning decades of uncompromising musicianship and reliable low-end on both these bands. With Armored Saint, he’s been an integral force behind the band’s dynamic blend of power, melody, and raw energy, while his tenure with Fates Warning has seen him contribute to the band’s progressive metal soundscapes, push...

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 Within the Man”. All hail the new “King of all Media” with ...

Ihsahn has established himself as the cutting edge of extreme metal creativity for more than three decades, and this seasoned maverick shows no sign of slowing down with his self-titled double album “Ihsahn.” Featuring one album with his renowned black metal finesse, and a complimentary album built upon horror-cinema inspired orchestrals, “Ihsahn” is a magnanimous endeavor set to take 2024 by storm. Not onl...

On January 26th, 2024, Caligula’s Horse released their long-anticipated sixth studio album “Charcoal Grace,” and just days thereafter embarked on their headlining tour across North America. To enhance the talent onstage for the eager American metal scene, Caligula’s Horse is joined on this tour by supporting act and progressive metal compatriots Earthside.

The band’s prior studio album, 2020’...

Get ready to embark on a sonic journey with legendary guitarist and composer Scott Henderson as he prepares to release his highly anticipated album, “Karnevel!”, on February 2, 2024. Following the triumph of his previous album, “People Mover,” which clinched the title of the best fusion album of 2019 by Jazz Times Magazine, Scott is back with a musical revelation that promises to captivate and innovate.

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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 it to the world.

Entitled “Sweet Oblivion Tour”, this run of dates consists of mo...

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 Michaeli [keyboards], and Ian Haugland [drums] continuing to be one of the most influe...

Since forming in 1992, Everclear has enjoyed a lengthy career by any measure, spanning 11 studio releases, including four that have been certified Gold or Platinum, selling over 6 million records, and achieving 12 Top 40 Hit Singles on Mainstream Rock, Alternative, and Adult Top 40 radio, including “Santa Monica,” “Father of Mine,” “I Will Buy You A New Life,” “Wonderful” and “Everything To ...

Earlier this year, Ihsahn released his latest EP, “Fascination Street Sessions.” The thirteen-minute EP included two original tracks and a cover of Kent’s “Dom Andra,” and featured the vocal talents of Jonas Renske (Katatonia) and Øystein Aadland (Avkrvst). Critics unanimously praised the rich sound, high-quality production, and continued excellence from one of metal’s most beloved artists. 

As though a new EP wasn’t exciting ...

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 on to sell over 46 million albums, with 19 releases making them.

They are arguably one of the world...