thePULSEBy Staff
2Cellos Return with Their Second Album, IN2ITION
Featured Guest Artists Include Elton John, Steve Vai, Naya Rivera, Lang Lang, Zucchero and Sky Ferreira
New Music Video Featuring “Glee” Star Naya Rivera on Muse’s “Supermassive Black Hole” Out Now
Croatian cellists Luka Sulic and Stjepan Hauser, together known as 2CELLO, are back with a new album. 
Entitled IN2ITION (pronounced Intuition) and produced by the legendary Bob Ezrin, the album is set for release on January 15 through Sony Masterworks.
The label released 2CELLOS’ self-titled debut album last year, establishing Sulic and Hauser as an innovative classical-pop/rock duo who took their classical instrument to a contemporary repertoire.
On IN2ITION, 2CELLOS take their original concept even further by including guest artists like Elton John, guitarist Steve Vai, Glee powerhouse Naya Rivera, classical superstar Lang Lang, legendary Italian vocalist Zucchero, and pop artist Sky Ferreira. IN2ITION was recorded in Zagreb, Rome, Nashville, Las Vegas and Los Angeles.
“Both Luka and I love classical music and have studied it since childhood,” shared Hauser. “But we are really excited to put our own take on some of our favorite pop and rock songs.”
The 2CELLOS’ career received a substantial boost in January 2012 when they performed “Smooth Criminal” with actress Naya Rivera’s character Santana on the “Glee” Michael Jackson tribute episode. It was the first time that the blockbuster hit show featured an instrumental group as the guest artist.
While on set, the duo struck up a friendship with Rivera, who appears on Muse’s “Supermassive Black Hole.” “We love Naya’s sexy voice ~ it’s perfect for this song!” raved Stjepan. “We recreated Muse’s amazing guitar riff on the cello and by using different sound effects, we gave this traditionally classical instrument a more contemporary, rock sound.” 2CELLOS recently released the music video for the song to rave reviews from both fans and the press. The galactic- themed video for their second single is a flirtatious and “come-hither” version of the Muse hit and showcases Rivera on vocals ~ as you’ve never seen nor heard her before.
The new 2CELLOS album offers a fresh and unique twist on classics from Fleetwood Mac (“Oh, Well” feat. Elton John), The Prodigy (“Voodoo People”), Coldplay (“Clocks” feat. Lang Lang), Rihanna (“We Found Love”), AC/DC (“Highway To Hell” feat. Steve Vai), Muse (“Supermassive Black Hole” feat. Naya Rivera), Cher and Nancy Sinatra (“Bang Bang” feat. Sky Ferreira), The Police (“Every Breath You Take”) and Elton John (“Candle In The Wind”).
“Elton suggested that we cover ‘Oh Well’ because he thought it would be perfect for the cello. We said we’d do it if he sang on it and he agreed!” recalled Stjepan. “It’s a fairly unknown Fleetwood Mac song and Elton’s voice sounds amazing on the track.”
The first music video released from IN2ITION was a powerful and intense rendition of AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell” featuring guitar great Steve Vai. “Our fans love this song at our live shows and we really wanted to add it to the album,” said Stjepan. “It was very exciting to work with an amazing musician such as Steve and we really want to show the people that the cello can rock as hard as the guitar!” added Luka.
IN2ITION also features 2CELLOS original track, aptly named “Orient Express.” The Orient Express was a legendary train that ran from Paris to Istanbul and passed through the Balkans, including Croatia. “We drew our inspiration for the melodies from our Balkan roots,” explained Luka. “The continual persistent rhythm of the track resembles a train, hence the title.”
Summing up the entire experience, 2CELLOS “We’re extremely happy to have collaborated with such great guest artists and we believe that this is just the beginning. We’ve practiced all our lives, and in this project we’ve succeeded in extending the possibilities of the cello and bringing it to a wider audience.”
Tracklisting
| 1. Oh, Well (feat. Elton John) |
| 2. We Found Love |
| 3. Highway to Hell (feat. Steve Vai) |
| 4. Every Breath You Take |
| 5. Supermassive Black Hole (feat. Naya Rivera) |
| 6. Technical Difficulties |
| 7. Clocks (feat. Lang Lang) |
| 8. Bang Bang (feat. Sky Ferreira) |
| 9. Voodoo People |
| 10. Candle in the Wind |
| 11. Orient Express |
| 12. Il Libro Dell ‘Amore (feat. Zucchero) |
| 13. Benedictus |
“Highway To Hell” music video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTQ-QycaBmQ&list=UUYpdHLYhFchZ1tKO9TaOqWw&index=1&feature=plcp
“Supermassive Black Hole” music video: youtu.be/jbLEA0AmfAw
2CELLOS.com – facebook.com/2cellos – twitter.com/2cellos
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Focus’s X
With their unique style of progressive rock, Focus made a name for themselves at the start of the seventies as the most successful and the most appreciated of all the Dutch pop-rock exports.
The band was fronted by the much admired duo of Thijs van Leer on the Hammond organ/flute and Jan Akkerman on the guitar. Their hit potential came in the form of a couple of instrumentals, “Hocus Pocus,” “House of the King,” and “Sylvia,” but we shouldn’t forget their timeless albums Moving Waves, Focus 3 and Hamburger Concerto. But like all good things, it couldn’t last and internal wrangling ended this legendary group.
After an initial cautious comeback which resulted in the well-received album Focus 8, the band is now back on the frontline with a fantastic line-up! Of course the founder member and musical genius Thijs van Leer is still holding the fort, and back in his old spot is Pierre van der Linden, the drummer who is internationally renowned for his rhythmic skills, and who was and still is a defining factor in the whole Focus sound. Together with Bobby Jacobs ~ who comes from a well- known Dutch musical family, they are responsible for the rhythm section and that unmistakable Focus groove. The talented Niels van der Steenhoven stayed with the band from 2005 ‘til January 2011. Menno Gootjes, who participated in Focus in an earlier stage, completes the band’s line-up.
Now, a new Focus era has arrived. There is a rejuvenated passion in the new compositions that drive the band’s latest album, Focus 9 / New Skin, which has been released on the famous Red Bullet label of Willem van Kooten. This album ~ and the upcoming following gigs ~ will surprise Focus’s many loyal fans. They will hear once again all the classic Focus tunes and be surprised at the strength and depth of the new material. “Our music is evolution, not revolution,” Thijs van Leer once said about the music of Focus, and that evolution is at full pace.
Thijs van Leer ~ Hammond-orgel, flute and vocals
Menno Gootjes ~ guitar
Bobby Jacobs ~ bass
Pierre van der Linden ~ drums
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Killswitch Engage Announces Disarm The Descent as Title of New Album out April 2
First Single ~ “In Due Time” ~ Available Digitally on Feb. 5
Grammy-nominated Massachusetts-based hard rockers Killswitch Engage ~ singer Jesse Leach, guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz, bassist Mike D’Antonio, guitarist Joel Stroetzel and drummer Justin Foley ~ have announced Disarm The Descent as the title of their upcoming sixth album. The 12-track record is due out April 2 on longtime label Roadrunner Records and is the follow up to 2009’s self-titled release. Disarm The Descent is the band’s first album with original singer Leach at the vocal helm since 2002’s now classic, genre-defining Alive or Just Breathing. Leach returned to the band in January 2012 after a decade-long absence.
The first single, “In Due Time,” will be made available digitally on February 5. Album pre-orders will kick off in early February as well ~ stay tuned for details!
Disarm The Descent was selected by Alternative Press magazine for its “Most Anticipated Albums of 2013” issue and the band was profiled in Guitar World as “One to Watch” in 2013. Clearly, buzz from fans and the metal and hard rock community regarding new KsE remains deafening.
“It is with a grateful spirit that we prepare for this record’s release,” Leach said. “From the music, to the lyrics, to the artwork, we are all proud of what we have accomplished. To me this is by far my best vocal performance, much thanks to Adam’s guidance and faith in my abilities. I am very grateful to be where I am in life, back in an amazing band with a record we are all excited for the world to hear. Thanks to all the fans for their warm welcome back and their undying love for Killswitch Engage.”
2012 marked a busy year for KsE; with Leach firmly installed as the frontman for the last 12 months, the band spent its summer on the road. KsE shook the bedrock of venues across the country as part of the first-ever Trespass America tour alongside Five Finger Death Punch.
The band recently embarked on a tour that celebrated the 10th anniversary of Alive or Just Breathing. They performed the album in full, with a few fan favorites and hits from their gold-selling albums The End of Heartache (2004) and As Daylight Dies (2006) sprinkled into the setlist. KsE were also profiled by Decibel in the magazine’s highly respected “Hall of Fame” feature for Alive or Just Breathing.
In between tours, the band put its nose to the grindstone to work on what would become Disarm The Descent, with Dutkiewicz producing. The wheels have been turning for the past year, as the band supplemented recording with touring. The time is upon us for the next chapter of Killswitch Engage, who were at the forefront of the New Wave of American Heavy Metal resurgence that defined the ’00s and have remained vital into the new decade.
Disarm The Descent Track Listing:
“The Hell In Me”
“Beyond the Flames”
“New Awakening”
“In Due Time”
“A Tribute to the Fallen”
“The Turning Point”
“All That We Have”
“You Don’t Bleed for Me”
“The Call”
“No End in Sight”
“Always”
“Time Will Not Remain”
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Stay connected to Killswitch Engage at their official website or on Facebook.
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Tegan And Sara’s Heartthrob Out January 29th
Duo Booked to Perform Their Hit Single “Closer” on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”January 31st
As Tegan and Sara‘s new album release date is getting closer, excitement is growing, and with good reason: Heartthrob, their seventh studio album, may very well be the best work of twin sisters Quin’s thirteen year career.
Heartthrob, on Warner Bros. Records, was produced mainly by Greg Kurstin (The Shins, Kelly Clarkson, Ke$ha), the master of polishing up an indie cool sound and taking it to the next level ~ without compromising the integrity of the music. Heartthrob is arguably the girls’ finest album to date, and they’re incredibly proud of it. Fresh off performances on both “The Late Show with David Letterman” and “Conan,” Tegan and Sara will be performing on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” during its new earlier time slot on January 31st.
Tegan and Sara were true road warriors this past year. After putting the finishing touches on Heartthrob, they hit the road with The Black Keys and performed at Austin City Limits before heading out on a two month UK and US tour with The Killers. They’re set to headline their own tour this year, highlighted by shows at NYC’s Beacon Theatre later this month.
WATCH the official video for “Closer.”
LISTEN to their new song, “I’m Not Your Hero.”
LOOK at Tegan and Sara’s Vanity Fair photo diary from The Killers tour.
READ the in-depth interview with W Magazine.
The press is loving Heartthob and “Closer”…
“An arena suits the enormous new aural landscape of ‘Heartthrob,’ which finds new space and depth for the girls’ lyrics, adding pulsating synths and stadium-filling drums.” ~ Nylon
“It’s become clear that Tegan and Sara are indeed readying some of their most accessible and interesting material in years.” ~ Spin
“Tegan and Sara are only getting better as time passes.” ~ KEXP
“Obsessed. [“Closer”] is excellent, radio-ready synth-pop.” ~ Glamour Magazine
“[“Closer”] the first taste from January’s upcoming ‘Heartthrob’ record is a dazzling display of blips, bloops, and a soaring electro-pop chorus that needs no remix treatment.” ~ Boston Phoenix
Pre-Order Heartthrob Now on iTunes andTeganandSara.com
Official Website: www.teganandsara.com
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/teganandsaramusic
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TeganandSara
Twitter: twitter.com/teganandsara
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Peaceville Records Will Reissue Mysticum’s Debut In The Streams of Inferno This February
Cult classic debut of genre-defining cold industrial black metal remastered with bonus tracks and extra DVD
Peaceville Records is proud to announce the reissue of Mysticum’s debut album, In the Streams of Inferno, on February 26th. The band was one of the pioneering industrial black metal forces to emerge in the early 90s and the reissued version of In the Streams of Inferno will feature an extensive remastering (courtesy of Tom Kvålsvoll at Strype Studios in Oslo, Norway), two bonus songs, and a bonus DVD. The packaging also contains new artwork made in close association with the band to fully reflect the intended vision, plus liner notes and additional lyrics. The release will be available in both CD and vinyl format.
The bonus DVD will contain two live shows from 1996. “Grotten” in Asker, Norway has until now been totally unknown to the masses except for the few that were present at the show. The other show is the more well-known Bradford, UK set from Mysticum’s European tour with Marduk and Gehenna. Combined, the two gigs give a great glimpse into the pure atmosphere and intensity of this cult act.
A perfect concoction of cold, primitive, black metal and envelope-pushing ideas from an act unafraid of breaking boundaries, the hell of In the Streams of Inferno has had a lasting and profound impact on many since 1996.
The band was originally signed to Euronymous’ Deathlike Silence Productions label (Mysticum even featured Hellhammer from Mayhem in their line-up for a brief period); however, this venture was cut short following his death, forcing Mysticum to look elsewhere for the release of their eventual debut album. In the Streams of Inferno finally surfaced in 1996.
Unifying the core trio of Herr General Cerastes, Svartravn and Mean Malmberg in late 2011, Mysticum has commenced work on its follow-up album, Planet Satan, to be released 2013 on Peaceville Records.
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The Godspeed’s Society’s Killing Tale on Raging Planet Records
2012 marked the release of The Godspeed Society’s long awaited debut album Killing Tale.
Comprised by 15 tracks, Killing Tale tells the story of a young woman murdered by her lover in a town called Bloody City. All the mystery around her death is marvelously recreated in a 24 page book that accompanies this great record.
Musically, this album is a pretty diversified affair, encompassing a wide range of styles including Gothic-
Rock, Jazz Noir, and Blues. Using an impressively varied combination of strings, piano, and guitar as well as saxophone and accordion, Killing Tale has a dark, intriguing beauty that evokes the burlesque ambient of Parisian-inspired cabarets. The most immediately striking aspect of their sound is the warm, seductive voice of Baby, which floats among powerful guitar riffs and an enthralling, dark atmosphere created by the Parisian accordion and wind instruments like the saxophone, clarinet and flute.
A full-fledged soundtrack to a dark, intriguing and passionate story, Killing Tale is a startling record that will surely dazzle those with an open mind for music.
The Godspeed Society are:
Baby (Silvia Guerreiro) ~ Vocals
NoFace (Filipe Luis Inácio) ~ Bass
Jack (Manuel Silva) ~ Guitar/Keyboards
Father Mac (Rolando Amaral) ~ Guitar
Louie (Pedro Calhas) ~ Drums
Peggy (Ana Sofia Campeã) ~ Accordion
Mr. Whistler (Gustavo Teixeira) ~ Saxophone/Clarinet/Flute
killingtale.wix.com/thegodspeedsociety
www.facebook.com/pages/The-Godspeed-Society/205456995906
www.ragingplanet.pt
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Tom Keifer Set to Launch First-Ever Solo Tour In Support of The Way Life Goes, The Highly Anticipated Debut Solo Album Due out April 30
Best known as the singer/songwriter/guitarist of the Philadelphia-based Blues-Rock band Cinderella, Tom Keifer is making his debut as a solo artist with the release of his long-awaited solo album, The Way Life Goes, April 30 via Merovee Records (through Warner Music Group’s Independent Label Group).
The collection of 14 new songs ranges from intimate, organic, acoustic songs to driving, hard rock tracks. It embraces the blues, rock and country roots that have always been present in his unique sound that has generated the sale of over 15 million records worldwide for Cinderella. Rolling Stone praised Keifer as “a gritty, bluesy [rocker] with enough genuine swagger to draw comparisons to Mick Jagger.”
“The Flower Song,” the album’s first single, will be serviced to AAA radio stations nationwide on February 4, while “Solid Ground” will be serviced to all Rock formats on March 11.
The Way Life Goes is a raw, introspective look at the roller coaster ride that has been Keifer’s life for the past 15 years. From being told that he would never sing again as a result of a partially paralyzed left vocal cord to the emotional and personal battles that followed, his solo debut is a story of perseverance, a testament to the power of passion and will and a true love of music.
Tom recently spoke with HuffingtonPost.com about The Way Life Goes: “The idea for a solo record started in the nineties when the band parted ways and we left Universal,” he said. “There was just a changing of the guard in the industry at that time and I started thinking about a solo record. I wrote for it for many years and the songs just kept going on the pile and I never got around to actually making a record…We started cutting tracks for this record in 2003 and I went to the pile of songs that had been building up and picked some that I liked and I’ve just been working on it ever since. It was produced independently of a label, because the idea from the beginning was to just work and record until I was happy with it. I wrote with a lot of different people–my wife, Savannah, who’s a great writer, co-wrote a lot of the songs on the record and also co-produced the record with me, and a good friend of ours, Chuck Turner who’s a great engineer and producer. So from the beginning, the attitude was, ‘Let’s have fun and just make a great record and it’ll be done when it’s done.’ Little did we know it’d be nine years later…it’s done and we went through some crazy stuff and mixed and remixed and reworked things over and over and probably made a lot of mistakes along the way, but finally got it where we were all happy with it, so here it is.”
Here’s the complete track listing for The Way Life Goes:
1. Solid Ground
2. A Different Light
3. It’s Not Enough
4. Cold Day In Hell
5. Thick And Thin
6. Ask Me Yesterday
7. Fool’s Paradise
8. The Flower Song
9. Mood Elevator
10. Welcome To My Mind
11. You Showed Me
12. Ain’t That A Bitch
13. The Way Life Goes
14. Babylon
Check out Tom Keifer on Sat, 2/16 at Blue Ocean in Salisbury, MA.
www.facebook.com/TomKeiferOfficial
Photo Credit: Thomas Petillo
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Giant X Release Third Song Sample from Debut Album I, Out January 29th on Steamhammer/SPV
Giant X is the spectacular new band founded by Running Wild`s Rolf Kasparek and Peter J. Jordan has released another song snippet from their debut. Check out a preview of the song “Don’t Quit Till Tomorrow” HERE.
The first snippet from the song “On a Blind Flight” can be heard HERE.
The second snippet from the song “Rough Ride” can be heard HERE.
Giant X’s debut album I will be out on Steamhammer / SPV as a super jewel case and download on January 29th in the USA/Canada and is set to delight particularly fans of traditional hard rock.
A video trailer for the album is available for viewing HERE. In addition to the video trailer, Giant X has released an EPK for I. Check out part one HERE and part two HERE.
www.facebook.com/pages/Giant-X/457176387661550
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Heaven’s Cry Premiere “Komma” from Primal Power Addiction on Lambgoat.com
Canadian progressive metallists Heaven’s Cry will be premiering the song “Komma” from the upcoming reissue of their second album, Primal Power Addiction, exclusively on Lambgoat.com HERE.
Heaven’s Cry’s first two releases, Food For Thought Substitute and Primal Power Addiction, will be reissued by Prosthetic Records on January 8th, following the success of the band’s recently released comeback album Wheels of Impermanence.
Both of the reissues feature revamped artwork and have been remixed by Yannick St-Amand (Despised Icon, Beneath The Massacre, Kataklysm) and remastered by Jens Bogren (Opeth, Katatonia, Symphony X) in addition to Primal Power Addiction being re-sequenced.
You can pre-order both on the Prosthetic IndieMerch albums HERE (www.indiemerch.com/prostheticrecords/item/17436).
Wheels of Impermanence marked the first new music from the band (which was originally formed in the early 90s) in the past seven years. The band currently consists of Pierre St-Jean (Vocals/guitar), Sylvain Auclair (Vocals/bass), Eric Jarrin (Guitar, ex-Despised Icon), and René Lacharité (drums). They were most recently seen headlining the prestigious Prog-Power Festival Europe in the Netherlands and have since announced that they’ll appear at the 2013 ProgPower USA Festival.
For more information on the band, please visit www.heavenscry.com.
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New Philip Anselmo / Warbeast Split EP, War Of The Gargantuas, Hits Stores on Jan 8!
Warbeast Set to Release New Full Length Album Destroy in Early 2013
Heavy metal legend Philip Anselmo and Texas thrashers Warbeast are pleased to announce today’s release of their new split album, entitled War of the Gargantuas. The split, released via Housecore Records, 
includes two songs from each artist. This album serves as the first release of any solo work by Philip Anselmo during the span of his nearly 30-year legacy. Also, the two Warbeast tracks on the split feature former bassist Alan Bovee before his amicable departure from the band. Since then, Dre Karst has joined on bass.
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What the press is saying about War of the Gargantuas:
“Veterans of the scene, Warbeast don’t simply rely on the ’80s template. Rather, they blow it up and rebuild it into an even more vicious and vital monster… This is everything Anselmo fans and metal fans have been hoping for and so much more. As with all of his projects, you’ve got to hear it to believe it.” ~ ArtistDirect.com, 5/5 Stars
“The combination of Philip Anselmo and Warbeast makes War of the Gargantuas a vicious, brutal onslaught of metal that creates the ultimate teaser for both bands.” ~ Bloody-Disgusting.com
“…Anselmo’s solo contributions to an upcoming split with Warbeast, War of the Gargantuas, so delight me: they sound just, like, completely f**king f**knuts… It sounds as though Anselmo is about to release the aural equivalent of a broken glass bath.” ~ MetalSucks.net
“…absolutely killer.” ~ MetalInjection.net
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Warbeast also recently announced the upcoming release of their second full-length album, Destroy. The album is scheduled to be released early this year via Housecore Records and is currently in the mastering stages. Stay tuned for more information on Destroy coming very soon.
In addition to this week’s release of War of the Gargantuas, Down and Warbeast will head out on “The Weed & Speed Tour: West Coast Throwdown in the Year of XIII,” dedicating the entire tour to the memory of the late Mike Scaccia.
To donate to the Mike Scaccia Family Fundraiser, head here and follow the link: www.warbeast.org/?p=156
Elton John approves of the 2CELLOS?! Pretty legit. I love the new album. The Muse cover is awesome, too! www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbLEA0AmfAw&feature=youtu.be. Naya Rivera was the perfect addition.