ProgRock Records and Progress Records are proud to announce their new strategic partnership where ProgRock Records will distribute various Progress Records titles beginning in summer 2008 starting with the Magic Pie releases “Motions of Desire” and “Circus of Life” followed quickly by the long awaited self-titled release from Unifaun. ProgRock Records has commissioned the acclaimed distributor Ryko to extend its reach into all of the major chains and online shops in North America.

Shawn Gordon, President of ProgRock Records had this to say, “Hansi and I have been friends since my early days of founding ProgRock Records and he has been a great partner for selling our music in Scandinavia, it seemed time to return the favor and help his label get a broader North American audience, and I’m very happy to be doing this now with him.”

Hansi Cross, President of Progress Records adds, “Here at Progress Records we highly value partners who have integrity and the ability to make things happen. During the years we have been working with Shawn there has been no problems. Integrity and an ability to make things happen is what Shawn stands for. We are happy about this next step in our partnership.”.

ProgDay is pleased to announce Pennsylvania based PINNACLE for ProgDay 2008. PINNACLE first formed in 1997 when guitarist/vocalist KARL EISENHART met drummer GREG JONES and they began performing together as DREAD PIRATE ROBERTS and later as LANDSLIDE. After several lineup changes, multi-instrumentalist BILL FOX became the magic third person they needed to complete the band.

PINNACLE’s musical goal is to write accessible songs that are firmly rooted in the best progressive rock traditions. Both vocal and instrumental tracks are featured on the band’s two albums, “A Man’s Reach” (2003) and “Meld” (2006). PINNACLE’s live shows have underscored their place as one of the best up and coming symphonic bands in the US, including their performance at PROGOCTOBERFEST in Saratoga, New York, and a headlining appearance at THE NEW JERSEY PROGHOUSE. PINNACLE are sure to please with their modern take on classic progressive rock.

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), Abigail’s Ghost (US) and Mirthrandir (US). One more band to be announced.

Few bands inspire such fanaticism among their fans as Dream Theater. The best way to satiate this dedicated legion is to provide them with even more material to devour and Dream Theater are doing just that this September. The band will release Chaos In Motion 2007/2008, which documents their “Chaos In Motion” world tour, which kicked off June 3, 2007 at the Monsters of Rock Festival in Milan, Italy and concluded almost a year to the day later on June 4, 2008 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It’s essentially a travelogue of their most recent touring experience and it hits shelves on September 23. Chaos In Motion 2007/2008 will be available in two configurations: as a double DVD set and as five disc collector’s set which includes two DVDs and three CDs, containing 14 live tracks featured in the DVD set and expanded artwork.

The Chaos in Motion Tour was a trek that found the band traversing the globe, playing 115 shows in 105 cities in 35 countries on five continents to hundreds of thousands of fans. It also included the first annual Progressive Nation Tour, an idea that the band had kicked around for a few years and finally launched into action this past spring.

Chaos In Motion 2007/2008 is the latest in a series of DVDs from the band and it features performances captured throughout the entirety of the tour, unlike their last three RIAA-certified Platinum DVDs, Metropolis 2000: Live Scenes From New York, Live at Budokan and Score, all of which focused on as single concert event.

Drummer and DVD creative director Mike Portnoy plumed his personal archives for footage in order to provide fans with the ultimate tour souvenir. He assembled over three hours of complete live performances, taking footage from shows in Rotterdam, Buenos Aires, Toronto, Boston, Bangkok and Vancouver. The tracks were mixed and effectively brought to life by Kevin Shirley. The second disc is packed with bonus material, including promo videos, live screen projection films, a photo gallery and a 90-minute documentary that’ll make you feel like you’re riding in the passenger’s seat of the band’s tour bus, as it takes you on the road and behind the scenes with the band and crew. It’s like a virtual backstage pass that grants fans further unprecedented access.

The official content and tracklisting for the DVD are as follows and are subject to change:

Double DVD Set

Disc One:

“Around The World In 180 Minutes” Live Concert Footage

1. Intro/Also Sprach Zarathustra
2. Constant Motion
3. Panic Attack
4. Blind Faith
5. Surrounded
6. The Dark Eternal Night
7. Keyboard Solo
8. Lines In The Sand
9. Scarred
10. Forsaken
11. The Ministry Of Lost Souls
12. Take The Time
13. In The Presence Of Enemies
14. Medley: I. Trial Of Tears II. Finally Free III. Learning To Live IV. In The Name Of God V. Octavarium

Disc Two:

“Behind The Chaos On The Road” Documentary

Promo Videos: Constant Motion, Forsaken, Forsaken (In Studio), The Dark Eternal Night (In Studio)

Live Screen Projection Films: The Dark Eternal Night (N.A.D.S), The Ministry Of Lost Souls, In The Presence Of Enemies Pt. 2

“Mike Portnoy Stage Tour”
“Mike Portnoy Backstage Tour”

Photo Gallery