News - Page 292

Austin’s The Sword has changed up its sound profile yet again on its fifth studio album, High Country, which marks a departure from 2012’s Apocryphon. As a review in Blabbermouth puts it, “this album freaking swings as much as it strains speakers.” The review also singles out Bryan Richie’s bass work, particularly on what it deems the “Thin Lizzy-esque” “Empty...

Death metal band Rivers of Nihil has released its sophomore effort, Monarchy. The album came together after extensive touring following the Pennsylvania-based band’s debut album and the addition of several new members. It also marked a different recording method for the band, which, instead of heading directly into the studio to record, worked on songs at guitarist and primary songwriter...

Progressive rockers Spock’s Beard are back with the band’s twelfth studio album, The Oblivion Particle. “I think the opening track ‘Tides of Time’ is classic Spock’s in terms of arrangement and style, but everything else is fairly different,” said bassist Dave Meros. “That said, the whole album is still within the parameters of what people expect to hear from us.”...

Fourplay founding member Lee Ritenour’s guitar work is all over popular music — he’s played more than 3,000 sessions, with everyone from Pink Floyd to Dizzy Gillespie, earned a Grammy for his 1986 collaboration with Dave Grusin, and netted 17 more Grammy nominations besides. The jazz player’s latest album, A Twist of Rit, sees him join with an all-star band...

Famed bassist Gary Willis, well known for his work with the band Tribal Tech, has released his fifth solo record, Larger Than Life. The fusion-funk record pairs Willis with drummer Gergo Borlai, Tribal Tech band mate Scott Kinsey (keyboards), Steve Tavaglione (saxes and EWI), Claudia Bardagí (voice) and Llibert Fortuny (tenor sax and voice). Willis, Borlai and Kinsey form the...

If you missed Nate Watts laying it down on Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life tour, you’ve got one more chance. The R&B legend has announced 20 new North American dates to the tour, which celebrates the ground-breaking album by performing it in its entirety. The trek continues on September 30th at Montreal’s Bell Centre and focuses on...

Cannibal Corpse, anchored by metal bass legend Alex Webster, have announced a fall tour in continued support of 2014’s A Skeletal Domain. The tour kicks off October 8th at Underbelly in Jacksonville, Florida before snaking up the East Coast, heading west to California, and back east across the South. While most of the performances will be in theaters and clubs,...

Prepare to up the irons: Iron Maiden has released their first new music in five years. “Speed of Light” is the first single from the band’s upcoming album, The Book of Souls, which is due out September 4th. Of course, the legendary Steve Harris provides his snarling bass lines to the album in addition to writing contributions on seven of...

Session bass ace Vail Johnson has returned with The Seventh Son, a thirteen-song album that brings together several genres to create a style the bassist calls “JazzAmericana.” Johnson, whose has worked with artists from Herbie Hancock to Whitney Houston, fuses country, blues, R&B, folk, and jazz for an eclectic yet cohesive sound. “This mix of originals and covers of timeless...

Welsh metal band Bullet For My Valentine has released its fifth studio album, Venom. Frontman Matt Tuck handled bass on the record, which is the group’s first following the departure of longtime bassist Jason “Jay” James. The album deliberately shies away from any melodic or pop sounds, Tuck said. “We wanted to keep this as dark as possible. It was...

Soulfly has released its last album with bassist Tony Campos (former Static-X), who left the band to join Fear Factory. Archangel, the metal band’s 10th album, is the band’s most mystical one since its 2004 record, Prophecy, says Max Cavalera (ex-Sepultura), the band’s founder, guitarist and vocalist. He says the record reflects diverse influences, from Biblical themes to death metal....

Chicago bassist Pennal Johnson (PJ) combines jazz, funk, adult contemporary and rock and roll on his album, Cissy Strut. The bassist for The Chicago All-City Jazz Band from 1984-87, Johnson began playing bass at age 8. During his career, he has performed with artists like Andre and Sandra Crouch, Kurt Carr and Abraham Laboriel. Johnson is also working as part...