Having released their latest and most accomplished album to date Inescapable, to media and fan acclaim in February, Godsticks proudly present their new single and video “Breathe”.
The track ‘Breathe’ is another prime example of frontman Darran Charles contemplating his inner demons, bringing them out of his mind and into the lyrics of this hauntingly tranquil song. Combined with one of the band’s more restrained performances, they project the eerily prescient tale of someone wanting to leave this troublesome world behind.
As Charles notes, “‘Breathe’ is the story of wanting to escape from stress by running away from it, but then being faced with the eventual realisation that no matter how far you run, there can no escape; because a lot of unhappiness and stress is caused by how we internally react to external problems. I suppose it’s the story of learning how to recalibrate my emotional responses, or it could also be interpreted as my stealing some of the tenets of cognitive behavioural therapy and passing them off as my own!”
The video, created by guitarist Gavin Bushell, was filmed at Llantwit Major beach in South Wales (the same location the band used for their ‘Surrender’ music video), the beautiful but harsh surroundings perfectly capturing the mood of the song.
Inescapable – The Album
With Inescapable the band have channelled their energy and technical ability into the melody, phrasing and vocal performance, allowing emotion to take centre stage. Their mix of heavy rock, progressive and alternative metal with a dynamic range of angular riffs and emotional depth is leaving listeners reeling. On this release Godsticks found a definitive theme running through the songs, one of being more open and more personal; ultimately one that shines an inquisitive light on Charles’s struggle with inner demons which give the songs a new level of intimacy. Inescapable was produced by James Loughrey (Skindred) and recorded at the famed heritage Monnow Valley studio.
13 Winters, a comprehensive sonic journey through the dynamic, daring and exciting past releases of UK’s FROST* will be released through InsideOutMusic on November 20, 2020. Spanning eight discs, the group’s mastermind Jem Godfrey is looking forward to share this anthology artbook.
“It’s been a long time coming and has been a lot of work, but we’re finally there! My thanks to everybody at InsideOut for all their hard work on getting this together and also to Paul “Vitamin P” Tippett for the amazing new take on the album art!”
The “13 Winters” artbook is limited to 3.000 copies worldwide and also features liner notes by Nick Shilton (PROG). Presales are available now: https://frost-band.lnk.to/13Winters
Check out a trailer for this massive set here:
In addition to the limited physical edition, all discs included in this set will be available digitally on November 20, 2020.
A new album by FROST* is expected to be released in Spring 2021!
FROST* – 13 Winters
Disc 1 – Milliontown (2006) Remaster 2020 1. Hyperventilate (Remaster 2020) 2. No Me No You (Remaster 2020) 3. Snowman (Remaster 2020) 4. Black Light Machine (Remaster 2020) 5. The Other Me (Remaster 2020) 6. Milliontown (Remaster 2020)
Disc 2 – Experiments In Mass Appeal (2008) Remix/Remaster 2020 1. Experiments In Mass Appeal (Remix/Remaster 2020) 2. Welcome To Nowhere (Remix/Remaster 2020) 3. Pocket Sun (Remix/Remaster 2020) 4. Saline (Remix/Remaster 2020) 5. Dear Dead Days (Remix/Remaster 2020) 6. Falling Down (Remix/Remaster 2020) 7. You/I (Remix/Remaster 2020) 8. Toys (Remix/Remaster 2020) 9. Wonderland (Remix/Remaster 2020) 10. The Secret Song (Remix/Remaster 2020)
Disc 3 – Falling Satellites (2016) Remaster 2020 1. First Day (Remaster 2020) 2. Numbers (Remaster 2020) 3. Towerblock (Remaster 2020) 4. Signs (Remaster 2020) 5. Lights Out (Remaster 2020) 6. Heartstrings (Remaster 2020) 7. Closer To The Sun (Remaster 2020) 8. The Raging Against The Dying Of The Light Blues In 7/8 (Remaster 2020) 9. Nice Day For It (Remaster 2020) 10. Hypoventilate (Remaster 2020) 11. Last Day (Remaster 2020)
Disc 4 – Falling Satellites – Instrumentals (2016) Remaster 2020 1. First Day (Instrumental/Remaster 2020) 2. Numbers (Instrumental/Remaster 2020) 3. Towerblock (Instrumental/Remaster 2020) 4. Signs (Instrumental/Remaster 2020) 5. Lights Out (Instrumental/Remaster 2020) 6. Heartstrings (Instrumental/Remaster 2020) 7. Closer To The Sun (Instrumental/Remaster 2020) 8. The Raging Against The Dying Of The Light Blues in 7/8 (Instrumental/Remaster 2020) 9. Nice Day For It… (Instrumental/Remaster 2020) 10. Hypoventilate (Instrumental/Remaster 2020) 11. Last Day (Instrumental/Remaster 2020)
Disc 5 – Falling Satellive – Live 2017 1. Numbers (Live at Dingwalls, London, 24th November 2017) 2. Towerblock (Live at Dingwalls, London, 24th November 2017) 3. Signs (Live at Dingwalls, London, 24th November 2017) 4. Lights Out (Live at Dingwalls, London, 24th November 2017) 5. Heartstrings (Live at Dingwalls, London, 24th November 2017) 6. Closer To The Sun (Live at Dingwalls, London, 24th November 2017) 7. The Raging Against The Dying Of The Light Blues In 7/8 (Live at Dingwalls, London, 24th November 2017) 8. Nice Day For It… (Live at Dingwalls, London, 24th November 2017) 9. Hypoventilate (Live at Dingwalls, London, 24th November 2017) 10. Last Day (Live at Dingwalls, London, 24th November 2017)
Disc 6 – Others – EP 1. Fathers 2. Clouda 3. Exhibit A 4. Fathom 5. Eat 6. Drown
Disc 7 – The Philadelphia Experiment – Live 2009 1. Intro (Live at The Keswick Theatre, Glenside, 2nd May 2009) 2. Hyperventilate (Live at The Keswick Theatre, Glenside, 2nd May 2009) 3. Wonderland (Live at The Keswick Theatre, Glenside, 2nd May 2009) 4. Black Light Machine (Live at The Keswick Theatre, Glenside, 2nd May 2009) 5. Snowman (Live at The Keswick Theatre, Glenside, 2nd May 2009) 6. Saline (Live at The Keswick Theatre, Glenside, 2nd May 2009) 7. Milliontown (Live at The Keswick Theatre, Glenside, 2nd May 2009) 8. The Other Me (Live at The Keswick Theatre, Glenside, 2nd May 2009)
Disc 8 – This And That – B-Sides And Rarities 1. The Dividing Line 2. Lantern 3. British Wintertime 4. The Forget You Song 5. Numbers (Day 1 Demo) 6. Towerblock (Day 1 Demo) 7. Heartstrings (Demo) 8. Closer To The Sun (Demo) 9. The Raging Against The Dying Of The Light In 7/8 (Day 1 Demo) 10. Last Day (Demo) 11. Hyperventilate Hypoventilate Paulstretch Test
Devin Townsend will release ‘Order Of Magnitude – Empath Live Volume 1’ on 23 October 2020, a document of his Winter 2019 European tour that saw him taking on possibly his most ambitious live show to date.
Today sees the launch of the second clip from the release, and you can watch Devin and the Empath Volume 1 live band performing the track ‘War’ here:
Devin comments: “Hello folks, here’s another song from the Order Of Magnitude Blu Ray. Amidst the chaos of recent times, I look back at this concert as being another world in a lot of ways, and although the DVD has many different feels throughout the concert, this song, ‘War’ is indicative of the beginning vibes of the show. The whole idea with this concert was to experiment with playing songs from my catalog that didn’t rely on backing tracks or clicks, so assembling 10 people onstage to do this was no small feat. I wanted to create an experience for band and audience alike that was creative and without boundaries (to the best of our abilities), and I am very proud of it. The next song we will release will be a different vibe, but for now, please enjoy this take on a song of mine from the Infinity era. It was originally about fighting back against your own self destructive mechanisms and thoughts, so maybe that’s appropriate for what has been going on recently. Again; Thank you for the support and I hope you are finding the strength to get through this chaotic year.”
Watch the previously released clip for ‘Genesis’ here:
Recorded in December 2019 in London, UK on the penultimate night of the tour in support of his latest album ‘Empath’, this run of shows saw Devin joined by an incredible line-up of musicians. The band was made up of guitarists Mike Kenneally (ex-Frank Zappa) and Markus Reuter (Stick Men, The Crimson Project), drummer Morgan Ågren (Kaipa, Mats & Morgan, Frank Zappa), bassist Nathan Navarro, Haken keyboard player Diego Tejeida, and guitarist/vocalist Ché Aimee Dorval, as well as vocalists Samantha & Anne Preis and Arabella Packford.
Devin’s plan for the Empath touring cycle was to divide it up into three ‘Volumes’, and this was Volume 1. The idea behind the shows was a simple one: none of the backing tapes or click tracks that had long been necessary to bring the kaleidoscopic cacophony in his head and on his records to life in the flesh. This would just be Devin Townsend and a band of genius-level musicians getting up there and trying to keep it from spinning off into outer space. Or maybe just letting it spin-off into outer space for the sheer hell of it.
“The whole objective was that I wanted to make that statement: This is by the seat our pants,” he says. “Because it’s important to me to represent this hyper anal-retentive music that I’ve made over the years, but in a human way. Rather than it just being, ‘Well, here it is, perfectly done.’”
“I was overwhelmed by the fact that all these brilliant people that I have so much respect for were willing to come together and play this weird shit with me,” says Devin. “I had these unique players and this interesting instrumentation that allowed us to interpret the music in different ways. It was clear to me that I could just have fun and be me and know that they would be effortlessly be able to follow that.”
That sense of fun and freedom was evident to anyone who was there on the night. Visually, it was an assault on the senses in the best possible way. A digital screen projected vivid images throughout the show. A giant gleaming mirrorball hung from the ceiling. There were multiple costume changes and a tiki bar onstage (a tiki bar!).
‘Order Of Magnitude – Empath Live Volume 1’ will be released as a Limited Deluxe 2CD+Blu-Ray+DVD Artbook (including expanded artwork & photos), Limited 2CD+DVD Digipak, Standalone Blu-Ray, Gatefold 3LP+2CD vinyl box-set & as a Digital Album. The Blu-Ray disc includes a bonus behind the scenes documentary, and both DVD & Blu-Ray feature a 5.1 surround sound mix. Pre-orders are now available here: https://Devin-Townsend.lnk.to/EmpathLiveVol1/
The track-listing is as follows:
Borderlands Evermore War Sprite Gigpig Jam Coast Gato Heavens End Ain’t Never Gonna Win Deadhead Why? Lucky Animals Castaway/Genesis Spirits Will Collide Disco Inferno Kingdom
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