Dubbed “…one of the country’s most intriguing, innovative outfits around” by XLR8R Magazine, STS9 steps out this summer armed with their brand-new, highly anticipated studio album,Peaceblaster.STS9 releases their fourth studio album Peaceblaster, available online and at independent retailers beginningJuly 8th, 2008 on their self-owned record label, 1320 Records (visit www.thinkindie.com) to find a store near you). The new album features never-before heard tracks that artfully mirror the intensity of STS9’s live shows, while preserving the musical intricacies of past studio albums that critics and fans have touted.

Consider the title of the California-based outfit’s long-awaited fourth album: Peaceblaster. The two words rub against each other to create an image that is simultaneously utopian and violent, fraught with the very contradiction that permeates America circa now. The result is a tour-de-force of gut-punching rhythms and textured, shimmering tones. The songs don’t seem to have been written so much as plucked from the sky. It’s as if the beats and melodies have always existed, just waiting for STS9 to channel them. STS9 already has a tremendous fan base, but Peaceblaster is perhaps more accessible than the band’s previous efforts. Peaceblaster is, of course, dense with the Eno-esque layering of live and electronic instruments that STS9 is known for-the chords and samples swirling atop the pulsing bass and drums. But between the beats there is a distinctly human element absent from past records.

With Peaceblaster, the band has honed their studio chops, but STS9 made their bones on the live stage. Consistently ranking in Pollstar’s Top 50 American touring acts, the torrid roadwork continues this summer with an itinerary that takes the band from headlining gigs at legendary venues like Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre and Berkeley’s Greek Theatre, to stops on the festival circuit, where they’ll join acts as diverse as Snoop Dogg and The Flaming Lips. This diversity works to shatter the boundaries of genre and scene.

For the month of July, touring heavyweights STS9 and Umphrey’s McGee team up for what promises to be one of the hardest-hitting tours of the summer. This co-bill will feature extended sets by both bands, and will stop in Midwest and east coast cities throughout the month of July. Look, also, for very special late night sets by each band in select markets, including Philadelphia, Raleigh, Madison, Chicago, and NYC. A complete list of STS9’s U.S. summer appearances follows.

STS9 and Umphrey’s McGee tour stops in the following cities:
July 10 Willow Island Centre Madison WI
July 10 Barrymore Theatre Madison, WI (STS9 AFTER PARTY)
July 11 Live on the Levee St. Louis MO FREE SHOW!
July 12 Westfair Amphitheatre Omaha NE
July 15 Moonlite Gardens Cincinnati OH
July 16 Innsbrook Pavilion Glen Allen VA
July 17 Lifestyle Communities Pavilion Columbus OH
July 18 White River Lawn Indianapolis IN
July 19 Charter One Pavilion Chicago IL
July 19 House of Blues Chicago IL (STS9 AFTER PARTY)
July 23 Higher Ground Burlington VT (STS9 Only)
July 24 Roseland Ballroom New York NY
July 24 Blender at Gramercy New York NY (STS9 AFTER PARTY)
July 25 Festival Pier at Penn’s Landing Philadelphia PA
July 25 Fillmore at TLA Philadelphia PA (UMPHREY’S AFTER PARTY)
July 26 Bank of America Pavilion Boston MA
July 27 Pier 6 Concert Pavilion Baltimore MD
July 30 House of Blues Myrtle Beach SC
July 31 Koka Booth Amphitheatre Cary NC
July 31 Lincoln Square Theatre Raleigh NC (UMPHREY’S AFTER PARTY)
August 01 Masquerade Music Park Atlanta GA
August 02 Masquerade Music Park Atlanta GA

With western U.S. headlining shows including:
August 15 The Independent San Francisco, CA (SOLD OUT)
August 16 The Greek Theatre Berkeley, CA with Bassnectar and special guest TBA
August 22 McMenamin’s Edgefield Portland, OR with special guests Blackalicious
August 23 Marymoor Amphitheatre Seattle, WA with special guests Blackalicious
September 04 Boulder Theatre Boulder, CO (SOLD OUT)
September 05 Red Rocks Amphitheatre Morrison, CO with special guests Talib Kweli and Flying Lotus
September 06 Red Rocks Amphitheatre Morrison, CO with special guests Ghostland Observatory and Bassnectar
September 20 San Diego Street Scene San Diego CA

All shows on-sale now at www.sts9.comand on-sale locally through TicketMaster at www.ticketmaster.com.

STS9’s Peaceblaster comes nearly three years after their acclaimed 2005 releases, Artifact& Artifact: Perspectives, both of which were named in iTunes list of top albums of the year. After a flurry of industry attention, STS9 retreated from the limelight to do what they love most: play music. On the touring front, STS9 reached number 29 on Pollstar Magazine’s “PULSE Charts” of the country’s top touring artists. The band has shared the stage with a diverse range of acts including James Brown, Jurassic 5, Tortoise, Digable Planets, RJD2, De La Soul, The Brazilian Girls, Prefuse 73, Blackalicious, Saul Williams, Soulive, Cut Chemist, and many others, and has played such festivals as Austin City Limits Festival, Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, Winter Music Conference, and Vegoose Festival. Recently, the band sold out a 4 night headlining run at Atlanta’s Tabernacle, and a 2 night run at Denver’s Fillmore Auditorium.

ProgDay is thrilled to announce the addition of MIRTHRANDIR to this year’s lineup. With a style in the tradition of classic symphonic, melodic, driving progressive rock, the band also features a unique twin lead guitar attack that allows for added complexity and density.

The band formed back in the early 70’s and released “For You The Old Women” in 1976, generally ranked as one of the top American progressive rock albums of the time. For a while it looked like MIRTHRANDIR would join the top tier of U.S. based progressive rock acts, but unfortunately the band broke up before that happened.

Reunited in the new millennium, critically acclaimed performances at the New Jersey Proghouse, Baja Progressive Rock Festival, and The Rights Of Spring Festival have gained the band a whole new generation of fans. ProgDay is proud to welcome this classic ensemble to the Storybook stage.

ProgDay, the world’s longest running progressive rock festival, takes place this year on August 30th and 31st at Storybook Farm near Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Other bands announced so far are Ain Soph (Japan), Canvas Solaris (US), CHEER-ACCIDENT (US), Holding Pattern (US), VonFrickle (US) and Abigail’s Ghost (US).

In June, prog-rock powerhouse Umphrey’s McGee will release Jimmy Stewart 2007 - an ambitious double-live album comprised of some of the band’s most inspired improvisations, sequenced into two seamless 70-minute “mixtapes.” Several times each performance Umphrey’s McGee delves into the “Jimmy Stewart” creation process. They aim to generate melody-rich, spontaneous compositions, utilizing a Zappa-inspired language of body gestures and hand-signals which allow the band to create structure on-the-fly.

As Umphrey’s McGee’s sound continues to evolve, each live performance is increasingly a showcase for their “Jimmy Stewart” approach to progressive improvisation, which they utilize as a breeding ground for new material. Fan favorites “In the Kitchen”, “Intentions Clear”, “Bridgeless”, and many more have come from such sessions. In fact, the newest original to the Umphrey’s McGee live repertoire is “Waist Down”, a song with firm roots in the Jimmy Stewart 2007 track “Eat - 2.17.07 - San Francisco”.

Umphrey’s is a band always on the cusp of fresh technology and music distribution, and the trendsetting Umphrey’s McGee Podcast serves up two 75-minute sets of live UM each month to its 20,000 subscribers. On June 10th, the Podcast offered it’s 66th broadcast, a Jimmy Stewart 2007 companion piece of an extra CD’s worth of material from the cutting room. That past weekend weekend, a limited pressing of 2,000 Jimmy Stewart 2007 CDs were available at the Bonnaroo Music Festival, with remaining copies to be distributed at shows and though the band’s online store. Beginning June 17, the record is available digitally via iTunes and UMLive.net.

Also this month, Umphrey’s McGee debut a digital-only live series called CompendiUM. The first ten releases in this iTunes series are comprised of the band’s favorite ten shows of 2007, showcasing the incredibly diverse range of the Umphrey’s McGee live experience.

CompendiUM releases:
CompendiUM: Live in Boulder, Colorado - 03.06.07
CompendiUM: Live in Pontiac, Michigan - 03.16.07
CompendiUM: Live in Madison, Wisconsin - 03.22.07
CompendiUM: Live in Rochester, New York - 04.15.07
CompendiUM: Live in Portland, Oregon - 06.07.07
CompendiUM: Live in Portsmouth, Virginia - 06.28.07
CompendiUM: Live in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota - 07.19.07
CompendiUM: Live in Bloomington, Inidiana - 11.09.07
CompendiUM: Live in Milwaukee, Wisconsin - 11.10.07
CompendiUM: Live in Chicago, Illinois - 12.30.07

Look for the band on tour this summer:
July 05 Saturday in the Park Sioux City IA
July 06 Weesner Amphitheater - Minnesota Zoo Apple Valley M
July 10 Willow Island at Alliant Energy Center Madison WI Co-Headline with STS9
July 12 Westfair Amphitheatre Omaha NE Co-Headline with STS9
July 15 Moonlite Gardens Cincinnati OH Co-Headline with STS9
July 16 Innsbrook Pavilion Glen Allen VA Co-Headline with STS9
July 17 Promowest Pavilion Columbus OH Co-Headline with STS9
July 18 The Lawn at White River State Park Indianapolis IN Co-Headline with STS9
July 19 Charter One Pavilion at Northerly Island Chicago IL Co-Headline with STS9
July 24 Roseland Ballroom New York NY Co-Headline with STS9
July 25 Festival Pier at Penn’s Landing Philadelphia PA Co-Headline with STS9
July 25 Fillmore at the TLA Philadelphia PA
July 26 Bank of America Pavilion Boston MA Co-Headline with STS9
July 27 Pier 6 Concert Pavilion Baltimore MD Co-Headline with STS9
July 30 House of Blues Myrtle Beach SC Co-Headline with STS9
July 31 Koka Booth Amphitheatre Cary NC Co-Headline with STS9
July 31 Lincoln Theatre Raleigh NC
August 01-02 Masquerade Music Park Atlanta GA Co-Headline with STS9
August 09 Up North Music and Arts Festival Hiram ME
August 31 Red Rocks Amphitheatre Morisson CO With Gov’t Mule
September 01 The Fox Theatre Boulder CO
September 13 Mulberry Mountain Harvest Music Festival Ozark AR
December 11-15 Caribbean Holidaze Jamaica IA

Through a license deal with Progress Records (Sweden), ProgRock Records (US) will release both Magic Pie albums “Motions Of Desire” and “Circus Of Life” for the US-market. Distribution will be handled by RYKO Distribution, and the official date for the American release is 29th August 2008.

The agreement will contribute to a great improvement in the availability of Magic Pie albums.

Canadian progressive metal titans, INTO ETERNITY, kick off their American touring cycle for The Incurable Tragedy on Sept. 21st with genre leaders Iced Earth. The North American trek follows the album’s Sept. 2nd release and fans can expect to hear a lot of new material from the band’s first conceptual offering. Be sure to visit www.myspace.com/officialintoeternity now to view their current touring schedule.

Tim Roth (guitars, vocals) further comments: “Iced Earth is a band that we have been waiting to tour with. I have been a fan since the early CM days and even wore a shirt of theirs in our album sleeve of our Dead Or Dreaming album. I know Justin Bender (guitars) even traveled to Minneapolis to see the band years ago. It’s a 25 hour round trip, so he has to be a fan! Ha!

“Playing with a band that you actually love makes all the touring we do a lot more fun. It will be my first time ever seeing the band so I personally can’t wait! A big thanks to Jon for giving us this chance. It will be a perfect tour to kick start our new cycle in support of The Incurable Tragedy. Fans can expect lots of fast drumming, high singing, shredding solos and hate filled death vocals. We look forward to seeing you all soon.”

INTO ETERNITY’s first concept album, The Incurable Tragedy, also marked the first recording effort with Justin Bender (guitars) and Steve Bolognese (drums), who came aboard shortly after the band finished Gigantour ‘06. This offering was inspired by the deaths of Roth’s two best friends, brothers who succumbed to cancer within two months of one another. To make matters worse, Roth’s father was diagnosed with cancer as well. Showing no mercy, the disease claimed his life last year, just 10 days before Christmas.

Roth channeled his emotions into a moving and riveting album which is sure to propel the band to new heights within the genre. The Incurable Tragedy features a slew of tracks with the band’s trademarked heavy grooves, stop-on-a-dime time changes, reflective lyrics, memorable choruses, shredding solos, and vocals that range from guttural growls to soaring harmonies. This album proves to be the perfect cure for those suffering from a lack of progressive metal perfection and is sure to rank upon many top ten year end lists.

INTO ETERNITY w/Iced Earth

09/21 Harpo’s – Detroit, MI

09/24 Trocadero – Philadelphia, PA

09/25 9:30 Club – Washington, DC

09/26 Amos’ Southbend – Charlotte, NC

09/28 House of Blues – Lake Buena Vista, FL

09/29 The Orange Peel – Asheville, NC

09/30 House of Blues – Cleveland, OH

10/14 The Norva – Norfolk, VA

10/15 The Palladium – Worcester, MA

10/16 Nokia Theater – New York, NY

10/22 Hawthorne Theater – Portland, OR

10/23 Regency Center at The Grand Ballroom – San Francisco, CA

10/24 The Avalon – Los Angeles, CA

More dates TBA

Werner Herzog’s new feature film, ENCOUNTERS AT THE END OF THE WORLD, which opens THIS MONTH, JUNE 2008 in cities across the USA, features the music of HENRY KAISER - a longtime Cuneiform associate - in collaboration with his pal David Lindley.

A widely respected avant garde guitarist and improviser, Kaiser has released numerous recordings on Silver Spring/Washington DC-based Cuneiform Records, his most recent being *Healing Force: The Songs of Albert Ayler*. His other Cuneiform recordings include two double disc recordings by *Yo Miles!*, a group dedicated to the late/electric music of Miles Davis that he co-leads with trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith; a double disc compilation of his guitar improvisations with Fred Frith, called Friends & Enemies; a CD of his solo improvisations, called *Lemon Fish Tweezers*, and a various artists compilation of acoustic guitar music called *156 Strings*, which he both curated and appears on. In addition to his work on Cuneiform, Kaiser has released numerous recordings on other labels, including Shanachie. Most notably, Kaiser and Lindley released 3 CDs in the A WORLD OUT OF TIME series of Malagasy collaborations on Shanachie, which was nominated for a Grammy. Very recently, Kaiser released a recording of shakuhachi-guitar duets with Kiku Day: ZEN KAIJU. Imagine that Hiroshi Teshigahara directed GOJIRA (GODZILLA), instead of Inoshiro Honda, with a soundtrack by Toru Takemitsu, to get an idea of the nature of the unusual ZEN KAIJU project….

But Kaiser is not only a musician whose music is internationally acclaimed - he is also a professional underwater videographer AND a movie producer and filmmaker. Besides supplying the music with Lindley for Herzog’s Encounters, he also produced the movie and did all of the underwater photography; as well as appearing as a character on camera.

Whether it be experimenting with guitar riffs from outer space or experimenting with science, deep beneath the ice of Antarctica’s Ross Sea, Henry Kaiser is no stranger to pushing the limits. Now, Kaiser is at it again with his new project. *Encounters at the End of the World.* Henry Kaiser again takes on a new challenge by not only producing the film and composing the music for the film’s soundtrack, but also by taking on the role of cameraman down in the frigid climate of mysterious Antarctica.

For decades Henry Kaiser has been known as a world renowned avant-garde musician. He has been widely recognized as one of the most creative guitar players and improvisers. His music has been described as unique, exciting, and adventurous. Before his recording career began, Kaiser was a professional film and TV director. Recently Kaiser had several projects where he has made great strides working with Werner Herzog. Kaiser and Herzog explored life with a pack of grizzly bears and then dove down deep into the sea.

Now, working on their fourth collaboration, Kaiser and Herzog decided to invade the secret sides of Antarctica and uncover some of the polar mysteries, human and inhuman, of one of Earth’s last unexplored territories. *Encounters* has already earned rave reviews at the Telluride Film Festival and it opens to the public this summer.

Sensory Records is proud to announce the signing of New Jersey’s up-and-coming prog metal all-stars Suspyre. Formed in 2001, these talented, young musicians have discovered an energetic and gifted way of combining progressive rock and symphonic metal with classical and jazz fusion. The bands’ new album When Time Fades… will be released September 30, 2008.

“We are all very excited about signing to Sensory Records” says Gregg Rossetti, guitarist and founder/composer of Suspyre. “The high-caliber musicians on this label have inspired our band to become what it is and we are now proud to be a part of their family.”

October 2005 marked the release of the band’s first full-length album, The Silvery Image. Response to the album was so positive that the band was signed to Nightmare Records and followed up with the release of their next album, A Great Divide, in March 2007. The album hit the top 2007 prog metal album charts on websites such as USA Progressive Music, ProgPalaceRadio.com, and Beyond Ear Candy.

To further their goal to develop and perfect their fusion of varied musical inspirations and influences, Suspyre has recorded a third album, When Time Fades… This album is a groovier piece of art with a bit more metallic crunch, and even more variety in the song styles, including an acoustic piece. No one can accuse this band of being formulaic in their composing. When Time Fades… has set the bar even higher than the band’s previous albums, not only in music creation but also in the artwork done by Gustavo Sazes (Firewind, Dark Empire, Mystic Prophecy) , and featured guest artists that include drummer Charlie Zeleny (Behold the Arctopus, Blotted Science, Jordan Rudess), and female vocalist Trisha O’Keefe (Amaran’s Plight).

Suspyre is also currently trying out musicians for two new positions, seeking a drummer and a keyboardist to fill the line-up of their band for live performances (see below for full audition info).

———————

INFORMATION ABOUT AUDITIONS

Applicants MUST possess the following:
1. A demonstrated ability to play with impeccable timing and accuracy. Knowledge of music theory is a plus.
3. Confidence in themselves but also a willingness to be a team player.
4. Proficiency in playing songs with odd time signatures.
5. Residency in the United States (NJ/PA/NY residency is preferred).
6. At least 18 years old.
7. A familiarity with the SUSPYRE catalog.
8. A flexible work schedule, since should you land the gig you will be asked to do extensive touring with the band and weekend recording sessions.

Drummer must be able to play double bass pedal at the speed of 170 to 180.

Applicants should contact Suspyre’s Manager, Jill Hughes at jill@suspyre.com for more information about the audition process. Auditions will be held until positions are filled.

When one thinks of music from Louisiana, progressive rock is not usually the first thing that comes to mind. With a few exceptions, like ProgDay alumni WOODENHEAD, the state is best known for jazz, blues and zydeco. So it was a bit of a surprise in 2007 when the album “Selling Insincerity” burst out of the bayou by a young band that went by the moniker of ABIGAIL’S GHOST. The album drew rave reviews on the Internet and in both the prog and mainstream rock press.

Founded by childhood friends JOSHUA THERIOT and KENNETH WILSON, both former students at the Berklee College Of Music, the band draws influences from a wide array of both modern and classic progressive rock and art rock. Often compared to PORCUPINE TREE, shades of OPETH, RIVERSIDE and PINK FLOYD can also be found within the framework of the band’s material. The songs are emotional and atmospheric, encompassing both soft acoustic interludes and bombastic heaviness bordering on metal.

ProgDay is proud to welcome ABIGAIL’S GHOST to the Storybook Farm stage. We are sure they are going to be a major highlight of the weekend.

ProgDay, the world’s longest running progressive rock festival, takes place this year on August 30th and 31st at Storybook Farm near Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Other bands announced so far are Ain Soph (Japan), Canvas Solaris (US), CHEER-ACCIDENT (US), Holding Pattern (US), and VonFrickle (US).

Next week Dutch progressive metalband Cirrha Niva will enter the studio to record their new album.

After an intense process of exploring new directions in song writing and band line up, Cirrha Niva is ready to record a new collection of fine progressive metal songs. It will be the first release for the band with new vocalist Michel LeGrand. The band is very confident about Michel’s voice and influences, which has lifted the band’s sounds to a complete higher level.

The upcoming yet untitled album will become Cirrha Niva’s first new release after their 2001 rock opera album “Liaison De La Morte” (distributed by Suburban rec (Eu), & The End Records (usa). The band has put their earlier theatrical en gothic influences aside in order to develop into a modern style and sound. In the new songs influences and cross references can be made with names like Faith no More, Opeth, Psychotic Waltz, Meshugga or even the Beegees to the Banshees….

Raw melancholic metal riffs, groovy drums and dark grunts will be enlightened with the powerful clean sometimes almost poppy and soulful, lead vocals of Michel LeGrand. Plural chorus lines by the other band members and guest vocalists will complete a wide range of sound. Demo outtakes of 2 new songs can already be found on www.myspace.com/cirrhaniva

The complete album will be recorded & produced under the experienced guidance of producers Jochem Jacobs and Bouke Visser at Split Second Sound Studio (Textures, Autumn). Excess Recording Studio (Ayreon, After Forever, Gorefest) is chosen for capturing drums and bass guitar.

Seven songs will be part of the yet untitled album:
(In no particular order)
1) Framed
2) Self chosen
3) Spring Before Winter
4) Running From The Source
5) Golan Heights
6) The Fooling
7) Dreamon

Cirrha Niva in 2008 is formed by Michel LeGrand (vocals), Rob Willemse (guitars, backing vocals), Carlo Heefer (guitars, backing vocals), Daniël Huijben (bass guitar, backing vocals) and Tommy White (drums).

CANVAS SOLARIS have defied the constraints of their beginnings in the death/mathcore scene to evolve into one of the most cutting edge instrumental bands to hit progressive rock in many years. Initially a vocal quartet playing an unusual and experimental form of death metal, by the time they recorded their first official release they had shed their vocalist and shifted focus to intricate instrumental arrangements. TRIBUNAL RECORDS called it “…genius level stuff.”

The evolution continued as CANVAS SOLARIS incorporated additional elements in their work. Their sound became eloquently expansive as more prominent keyboards, integral acoustic arrangements, and ethnic percussion widened their musical vocabulary.

Signing with SENSORY RECORDS (The Laser’s Edge) in 2005, they began a series of releases that has shown just how far they have come from their origins. Contrasting intense hyper-technical passages with introverted, spacey, quiet and acoustic-based interludes, today CANVAS SOLARIS have established themselves as one of the bands pointing a new direction for the heavy progressive and progmetal scenes. As Tribunal Records has said, “We guarantee it will blow your mind!”

ProgDay, the world’s longest running progressive rock festival, takes place this year on August 30th and 31st at Storybook Farm near Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Other bands announced so far are Ain Soph (Japan), CHEER-ACCIDENT (US), Holding Pattern (US), and VonFrickle (US).