The Chairman of Jupiter Society, Carl Westholm, known from other Swedish acts like Carptree and Krux, now releases an epic concept album “First Contact - Last Warning”.

In collaboration with people like Leif Edling (Candlemass, Krux) Mats Levén (Krux, ex Therion, Y. Malmsteen) and Declan Burke (Darwins Radio, Frost) among many others, He gives us an album with the ambient but symphonic production known from Carptree and with a clear presence of Heavier elements. Big arrangements, small details, different vocalists and musicians specially chosen for each song make it diverse and intriguing. You are given one hour of music and exclusive 20 page booklet. This is an album about some important days in a distant future. Is this First contact or Last Warning?

Carl Westholm had this to say “On behalf of Jupiter Society and FOSFOR Creation I am happy to announce that I’ve signed a deal with Shawn Gordon, ProgRock records for distribution of ‘First Contact // Last Warning’ in the USA. We are very happy to be working with such a strong and popular label.”

“I’ve long been a fan of Carl’s work with Carptree, so when this promo came across my desk I was very excited to listen to it. I think I was only on the 2nd song before I was writing an email to Carl to see if we could work with him and we quickly came to an agreement, I really think you’re going to love this release.”, said Shawn Gordon, President of ProgRock Records.

Jon Anderson is suffering from respiratory problems, prompting Yes to cancel its summer tour.

The 63-year-old singer, who’s since been diagnosed with acute respiratory failure, was ordered by doctors last weekend to rest for at least six months “or suffer further health complications,” it was announced Wednesday in a statement released by representatives for the band and Live Nation, which was presenting the tour.

That means no hitting the road for Anderson, who was to kick off the band’s 26-city summer tour in Quebec on July 12.

“I’d like everyone (to) know how deeply disappointed I am by this turn of events,” Anderson said in a statement. “I was looking forward to celebrating our music with the amazing family of Yes fans once again; but as we all know, health must come before anything else.”

Bassist Chris Squire, who formed Yes with Anderson in 1968, said Anderson’s health was the band’s primary concern, though he was “especially regretful of the fact that … many of our fans and friends have probably laid out nonrefundable airfares and hotels, etc., in order to enjoy the Yes shows this summer.”

Ticket refunds are available at point of purchase.

The tour, called “Close to the Edge and Back,” the band’s first outing in four years, included concerts in Toronto, Chicago, Detroit, Boston, Miami, Atlanta and Seattle. It was to close in Universal City, California, on August 22.

Anderson and Squire were to be joined by guitarist Steve Howe, drummer Alan White and Oliver Wakeman on keyboards. Wakeman’s father is former Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman.

The band, whose hits include “I’ve Seen All Good People,” “Roundabout” and “Owner of a Lonely Heart,” previously released the album “Magnification” in 2001.

From the music of Project Creation’s mastermind and the beautiful voice and talent of Jessica Lehto, is born Factory of Dreams an incursion into a Fantasy World of Gothic Electronic and Progressive Rock music. ‘Poles’ is the new album by Hugo Flores, the debut for Factory of Dreams.

Story -
The Place: A land with two sides, Positiveness and Negativeness, Dark and Light called POLES.
The World: Ruled by a Generator of illusions, the Factory of Dreams.
The Fuel: Human minds.
The Blood: A river of emotions.
The Ignition: Your CD player.
Album: POLES, the debut release for ‘Factory of Dreams’ brand new Project by Hugo Flores and Jessica Lehto. A CD with a fantastic booklet fully designed for the story told in 11 songs.

Factory of Dreams is:

Hugo Flores - Electric Guitars, Bass Guitars and Synth bass, Synthesizers, Additional Drum arrangements
Jessica Lehto – Lead vocals, Harmonies and Vocal arrangements

The Red Masque have signed with progressive label RER USA and will be releasing their new album, Fossil Eyes, in late June 2008 through RER USA’s own label Ad Hoc Records. RER USA was founded in 2003 by David Kerman as the exclusive North American distributor of the English label, ReR Megacorp, a twenty five year old company that defines the vanguard of experimental, progressive, interesting and genre-defying music.

The Red Masque expect to have the new album available at the North East Art Rock Festival (NEARFest) from June 20-22 at the RER USA vending booth for purchase. Member of the band will be on hand to sign copies. Fossil Eyes will be available through RER USA’s webstore by late June. More details forthcoming.

Canadian band Direction was formed in 2002. After 3 albums released independently, the band signed and released the album EST in 2008 on the Unicorn Digital Label. The music of DIRECTION is a blend of each member’s influences: Rush, Yes, Genesis, Pink Floyd, Styx, Led Zeppelin and other great music from the 70’s. Direction is not slave to its influences and delivers a true and honest progressive rock sound. The French lyrics tell a story where fiction meets reality.

With this new album, DIRECTION is ready to hit the road and is preparing a series of concerts for 2008.

Snarling Adjective Convention is an adventurous group of talented artists who are fiercely experimental in their approach to music. Combining elements of avant-garde jazz, metal, dark ambient, psychedelic, prog rock, and funk, the ensemble consists of five instrumentalists who are well known in both experimental and progressive rock circles: Roger Ebner (wind synth, sax), Joe Kopecky (guitars), William Kopecky (basses), Dan Maske (keyboards, trumpet, flute, percussion), and Craig Walkner (drums). William’s wife Sophie appears as a special guest on two tracks to contribute haunting spoken word performances en francais.

Snarling Adjective Convention’s spontaneously composed debut CD Bluewolf Bloodwalk is a startling collection of sinister, cutting-edge works of art that bristle with dark energy and virtuoso playing. Invoking the ghosts of

70’s electric-era Miles and gloomy French sound sculptors Shub Niggurath, Bluewolf Bloodwalk offers the fearless listener an unforgettable and visionary musical trip.

Acclaimed American progressive rock legends Rocket Scientists with special guest symphonic rock diva Lana Lane have scheduled two concerts at opposite ends of the country with their first show at the 2nd Annual Bay Area Rock Fest on Friday, June 27th, 2008. The two-day festival will be held at The Independent, 628 Divisadero Street in San Francisco, CA.

Rocket Scientists’ second concert, also with special guest Lana Lane, will be at the 1st Annual Power of Prog Festival in Clinton, NY on Sunday, June 29th. The three day fest kicks off on Friday, June 27th and runs through Sunday, June 29th with Rocket Scientists in concert at 7PM. The event will be held at the Kirkland Arts Center, 9-1/2 East Park Row in Clinton.

Rocket Scientists’ core members Erik Norlander, Mark McCrite and Don Schiff will appear in concert along with select guest musicians including symphonic rock diva Lana Lane and guitarist Jim Williams. This concert follows on the heels of three very successful shows in Mexico, Cleveland, and the UK; and the recent release of Rocket Scientists’ ambitious 5-disc multimedia box set “Looking Backward” through Think Tank Media and ProgRock Records.

Rocket Scientists was formed in the late 1980s by keyboardist Erik Norlander and vocalist / guitarist Mark McCrite. The two released their first CD, “Earthbound”, in 1993 joined by then - session bassist Don Schiff. Schiff quickly became a part of the band for their second release in 1995, “Brutal Architecture”, and the three toured in the US and Europe in 1997 culminating in the live CD, “Earth Below and Sky Above: Live in Europe and America”. In 1999, Rocket Scientists released “Oblivion Days”, raising the bar on already high expectations. At the turn of the century, Norlander, Schiff and McCrite all worked on solo projects in addition to backing symphonic rock vocal icon Lana Lane on several tours around the world. After an eight year hiatus, Rocket Scientists released its fourth studio album “Revolution Road” in 2006 to high accolades from the press and fans worldwide.

In January, 2008, Rocket Scientists released their first box set entitled “Looking Backward”, a 5-disc collection containing remastered versions of their first three studio albums, “Earthbound”, “Brutal Architecture” and “Oblivion Days”, along with a 4th audio CD of new recordings of classic Rocket Scientists songs reinterpreted by the band in 2007. The 5th disc is a DVD-9 containing video of the 2007 sessions along with extensive interviews and historical archive footage from sessions going back to 1993.

RC2 was formed in Caracas, Venezuela (South America) during 1999 as a result of two events: the guts and heart to play the style of music that always ruled the soul of the band members, and Radio Clip’s dissolution. Radio Clip was an emblematic band that released four albums in Venezuela between 1988 and 1994, selling thousands of albums and concerts across the country.

After a number of changes in personnel and geographic location (now located in Spain), the band was able to write and record new material and even managed to open for Dream Theater to a huge audience and was a resounding success.

The band had this to say about joining ProgRock Records: “We are very happy to be working with a very important force in progressive music. Progrock Records is the label of some of our favourite contemporary prog artists, and we feel privileged to be in their roaster and release our next album, “Future Awaits” with them. Where else could you be if you play prog rock these days?”

“I knew of RC2 actually from their being on Mindawn and it turns out I also knew a couple guys in their original incarnation as Radio Clip. I was very pleased to hear from them and their new album, I do enjoy some Latin flare in my music.”, Shawn Gordon, President of ProgRock Records said.

”Future Awaits” is the ProgRock Records debut release from RC2. A mixture of raw and classic progressive sounds, traditional Latin American rhythms and instruments and a strong lyrical content, documenting the band’s journey from their country to their new homeland, Spain. From the opening track, it’s evident that the sound of RC2 has changed. Their metal edge now collides with more classic sounding prog elements, and the compositions are more sophisticated and complex. The album is available for immediate order and will ship in early-June 2008 and be available at your favorite brick and mortar retailer on July 29, 2008. Presales are discounted $2 on the ProgRock Records site until the album starts shipping.

Get ready for a one-of-a-kind experience: an exquisite blend of structural intricacy, fantasy and madness, an intriguing mixture of classical music and progressive rock presented by the Swedish Pär Lindh Project on their first DVD release! “Pär Lindh Project in Concert” presents the footage from the band’s outstanding performance at Wyspiański Theater in Poland, which proves the band’s virtuosity as well as cleverness in devising remarkably intelligent compositions. The DVD also includes an interview with Pär Lindh, photo gallery, biography, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and more! Also available in a limited swing case edition, including a bonus audio CD.

Tracklist:

DVD:

1. Night on Bare Mountain (incl. The Black Stone)
2. Baroque Impression
3. Mundus / Veni Vidi Vici Medley
4. Suite in Progress
5. Montagues & Capulet
6. Bill’s Solo
7. Gradus ad Parnassum

CD:

1. Night on Bare Mountain (incl. The Black Stone)
2. Baroque Impression
3. Mundus / Veni Vidi Vici Medley
4. Suite in Progress
5. Montagues & Capulet
6. Bill’s Solo
7. Gradus ad Parnassum

As previously announced Metal Mind Productions will release the first live DVD by Oliver Wakeman Band entitled “Coming To Town – Live in Katowice”.

Oliver, the oldest son of Rick Wakeman (Yes), is a great prog-rock musician known for his many artistic collaborations, including the one with Clive Nolan (Pendragon, Arena, Neo, Caamora) which resulted in the creation of two genuine masterpieces of the genre: “Jabberwocky” and “The Hound of the Baskervilles”. Oliver Wakeman already has a cult status in the progressive rock community. His latest studio project – album entitled “Mother’s Ruin” from 2005 - marks a progression in Wakeman’s musical career. The album sees a change in direction from Oliver’s recent instrumental releases and draws heavily both from his progressive roots and also the experience performing live with his band. It’s a collection of hard-edged yet melodic songs, showcasing Wakeman’s writing skills. The album also allows room for the dynamic instrumentation which has become a trademark of his work. In mid March 2008 Yes confirmed their world-wide tour with Oliver Wakeman taking the position of the keyboardist.

Oliver Wakeman comments: “In October last year, my band and I were invited to perform in Poland by Metal Mind Productions. The show took place in a beautiful old Theater in Katowice and was filmed for the ‘Coming to Town’ DVD. The band and I had a wonderful time meeting so many new friends and really enjoyed our visit, we also put on a performance which we were all very proud of. Metal Mind have done a wonderful in job capturing the essence of the concert and hopefully watching the DVD will give the people who didn’t attend a chance to experience it. And for those who did attend, hopefully it will bring back memories of a great evening - I know it does for me!”

The band performed in the following line-up: Oliver Wakeman (keyboards, piano), Paul Manzi (vocals), David Mark Pearce (guitar), Paul Brown (bass) and Dave Wagstaffe (drums). The DVD includes an interview with Oliver Wakeman, photo gallery, biography, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and more! DVD is also available in a limited swing case edition, including a bonus audio CD with songs recorded during the gig at the theater.

“Coming To Town – Live in Katowice” DVD will be available on 9th June 2008 in Europe and 10th June 2008 in USA (via MVD). But today you can see a sneak preview of the DVD. Track “Mother’s Ruin” is available on the official Metal Mind Productions’ site on YouTube: