Queensryche Best-Of CD Coming Aug. 28

On August 28, Capitol/EMI will release Sign of the Times: The Best of Queensryche in CD, 2-CD Collectors Edition packages and digitally. The new career-spanning hits collection features 17 of Queensryche’s best singles and album tracks, including seven Top 10 Mainstream Rock hits, packaged in a jewel case with a 16-page booklet featuring custom artwork, a discography, and track notes from the band’s singer, Geoff Tate. The Collectors Edition, presented in deluxe digipak packaging, adds a second disc of 15 rare and previously unreleased demos, outtakes, remixes, live recordings, television performance audio, recordings for soundtracks and a new, never-before-heard song.
Among Sign of the Times: The Best of Queensryche’s 17 hits and favorites are the #1 smash "Silent Lucidity," "Jet City Woman," "Eyes of a Stranger" and "Another Rainy Night (Without You)," and more than a dozen other well-known songs. The 15 tracks on the Collectors Edition’s rarities disc include three demo recordings by Myth (lead vocalist Geoff Tate's band prior to Queensryche), three demo recordings from The Warning, three bonus tracks from the reissued Empire album, bonus tracks from the reissued Promised Land and Q2K albums, an intoxicating live version of "Silent Lucidity," a previously unreleased version of "Della Brown” recorded for MTV Unplugged, and a new track making its release debut, "Justified," recorded with original Queensryche guitarist Chris DeGarmo.

SIGN OF THE TIMES: THE BEST OF QUEENSRYCHE (CD & Digital Album)
1. Queen of the Reich (from the EP Queensrÿche)

2. Warning (from the album The Warning)

3. Walk in the Shadows (from the album Rage for Order)

4. Take Hold of the Flame (from the album The Warning)

5. The Lady Wore Black (from the EP Queensrÿche)

6. I Don’t Believe in Love (from the album Operation: Mindcrime)

7. Eyes of a Stranger (from the album Operation: Mindcrime)

8. Silent Lucidity (from the album Empire)

9. Bridge (from the album Promised Land)

10. Jet City Woman (from the album Empire)

11. Another Rainy Night (Without You) (from the album Empire)

12. Sign of the Times (from the album Hear in the Now Frontier)

13. I Am I (from the album Promised Land)

14. Real World (from the Last Action Hero soundtrack album; also a bonus track from the reissued version of the album Promised Land)

15. Some People Fly (from the album Hear in the Now Frontier)

16. Until There Was You (bonus track from the reissued version of the album Q2K)17. All The Promises (from the album Operation: Mindcrime II)

SIGN OF THE TIMES: THE BEST OF QUEENSRŸCHE

(2-CD Collectors Edition)(Contains Disc 1 + 2nd Disc of Rarities)
DISC 2

1. Take Hold of the Flame - Myth (Original Demo Version) (previously unreleased)

2. Walk in the Shadows – Myth (Original Demo Version) (previously unreleased)

3. Before the Storm - Myth (Original Demo Version) (previously unreleased)

4. Waiting for the Kill (previously unreleased: demo for The Warning)

5. No Sanctuary (previously unreleased: demo for The Warning)

6. Prophecy (previously unreleased: demo for The Warning)

7. I Dream in Infrared (1991 Acoustic Remix: bonus track from the reissued version of the album Rage for Order)

8. Dirty Lil Secret (bonus track from the reissued version of the album Empire)

9. Last Time in Paris (from the soundtrack album The Adventures of Ford Fairlane; also a bonus track from the reissued version of the album Empire)

10. Scarborough Fair (bonus track from the reissued version of the album Empire)

11. Della Brown (previously unreleased: “MTV Unplugged,” New York, NY 4/27/92)

12. Someone Else? (with full band: bonus track from the reissued version of the album Promised Land)

13. Silent Lucidity (live at The Astoria Theatre, London 10/20/94: from the "Bridge" CD single)14. Chasing Blue Sky (bonus track from the reissued album Hear in the Now Frontier)15. Justified (NEW TRACK)

source of www.guitarworld.com

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Arch Enemy announce new CD title and release date

Arch Enemy have completed work on their new album. The new disc, Rise of the Tyrant, is the follow-up to 2005's Doomsday Machine, the band's most successful album to date. They have once again enlisted the duties of acclaimed producer Fredrik Nordström (Dimmu Borgir, In Flames) at Sweden's Studio Fredman, where the band recorded all of their albums through Wages of Sin (2001). Look for Rise of The Tyrant everywhere on Sept. 25 and see below for its track listing.
Arch Enemy guitarist Michael Amott comments on the new album and the upcoming touring activities as follows: “To all Arch Enemy fans! So how does it sound, you ask? Well, I am of the opinion that we have made the 'ultimate Arch Enemy album!' To me, this album sounds like the perfect mix of melody and brutality. This album is a an organic and honest statement from the band-it's pure f**king metal at its absolute best, the Arch Enemy way.
“Fredrik Nordström did a killer mix on the record-the sound is big and intense! This album has everything that Arch Enemy represents in my mind. I can't wait to release it and play these songs live for you, the fans! Actually, we have to start rehearsing at some point this summer. We will be playing a couple of festivals in the U.K. (Bloodstock) and Germany (Up from the Ground). These will be the first shows with my brother Christopher (Amott, guitar) back in the band! We also have to work out how to play these new songs, so we will have a very busy summer with Arch Enemy, that's for certain!
“The touring plan for Arch Enemy will start full on after the summer, and we can confirm we will joining the European Black Crusade tour package with Machine Head, Trivium, Dragonforce and Shadows Fall-yeah, that's a pretty impressive tour. Equally exciting for us is the Australian Black Crusade tour, which we will be doing with Trivium and Machine Head.
“Lot's of other cool touring ideas are flying around at the moment-looks like we also might be visiting places on this planet where Arch Enemy has not yet had the pleasure of playing. Let the madness begin.”

Rise of the Tyrant track listing:
1. Blood on Your Hands

2. The Last Enemy

3. I Will Live Again

4. In This Shallow Grave

5. Revolution Begins

6. Rise of the Tyrant

7. The Day You Died

8. Intermezzo Liberté

9. Night Falls Fast

10. The Great Darkness

11. Vultures

source of www.guitarworld.com

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Robert Plant Denies Zep Reunion

File this one under “Communication Breakdown.”
Earlier this week, rumors of a Led Zeppelin one-off reunion show and possible 2008 tour circulated throughout the internet.
Yesterday, at a press conference in Greece for this weekend’s RockWave Festival, headliner Robert Plant denied the rumors and said he hadn’t heard anything about a Zep reunion.
When asked about the one-off show, Plant joked, “I don’t know if there would be enough doctors to support it.”
Previously, sources close to the Zeppelin camp had said that members Jimmy Page, Plant and John Paul Jones were planning to reunite for a memorial concert in London for Ahmet Ertegun, the Atlantic Records founder who died in 2006, and that if all went well, a full Zeppelin tour (with Jason Bonham on drums) would commence next year.
The RockWave Festival is happening June 29 and July 1 and 3, and will feature such artists as Plant, Metallica, Chris Cornell, Europe, Mastodon, My Dying Bride, Heaven and Hell, Dream Theater, Iced Earth and others. For more information, visit rockwavefestival.gr.

source of http://www.guitarworld.com/

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The Pink Floyd and Syd Barrett Story Gets Royal DVD Treatment

MVD Visual has announce the September 18 DVD release of The Pink Floyd and Syd Barrett Story, a personal and candid profile of the once effervescent musician and now cult figure of Syd Barrett. This new definitive edition includes two discs with over 2 1/2 hours of DVD extras, including lengthy unedited interviews from all members of the Pink Floyd. It's a limited edition run of 5,000 in the Oyster Box packaging with 10 items of reproduction memorabilia in a special printed envelope. After the limited edition has sold out, the double disc version will be then packaged in a standard plastic double DVD box.
The Pink Floyd and Syd Barrett Story retells the fascinating story of the start of one of the largest and most influential bands in rock and the drug induced breakdown of their original song writer and lead man. Roger Waters, Dave Gilmour, Nick Mason and Rick Wright retell how Syd's slip from reality haunted the band for many years and this is clearly demonstrated in the tracks "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" and "Wish You Were Here." The film incorporates rare early footage of the band performing; including a live show at the UFO Club, and an appearance with former landlord Mick Leonard on Tomorrow's World. There are also insights from former girlfriends, landlords, flat mates, producers, managers, friends and famous fans.
As one of the most famous creators and characters of the psychedelic era, Syd Barrett had not conducted an interview or released music between the early seventies and his recent passing, yet his self-imposed anonymity still fascinates fans old and new. The original songwriter for Pink Floyd was only with the band for a vibrant three years when he left in 1968, yet when the band released their greatest hits album in 2001 Syd had written over a fifth of the tracks. It's been nearly 40 years since Syd Barrett left the band, yet mystery still surrounds this prodigy of rock.
This fascinating documentary traces the creative and personal tumult of Barrett's days with Pink Floyd, and the fallout from his psychedelics induced breakdown.
EXTRAS INCLUDE:
Roger Waters on Syd Barrett: An extended sixty minute interview of Roger Waters talking about Syd, which includes Syd's musical influences, his illness, the last time he saw Syd.
Dave Gilmour on Wish You Were Here: Extended interview of Dave Gilmour talking about how Wish You Were Here came to be written about Syd.
Robyn Hitchcock performing “Dominoes” and “It Is Obvious”
Graham Coxon performing “Love You”
Detailed biography of Syd Barrett
These extras consist of never-before-seen footage and the sound quality of the DVD is outstanding in Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS surround sound.

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History of Western Music

The history of music predates the written word and is tied to the development of each unique human culture. The development of music among humans occurred against the backdrop of natural sounds such as birdsong and the sounds other animals use to communicate. Prehistoric music, once more commonly called primitive music, is the name given to all music produced in preliterate cultures (prehistory), beginning somewhere in very late geological history

Ancient music

The earliest records of musical expression are to be found in the Sama Veda of India and in 4,000 year old cuneiform from Ur. Instruments, such as the seven holed flute and various types of stringed instruments have been recovered from the Indus valley civilization archaeological sites. The Indian music is one of the oldest musical traditions in the world, and Indian classical music (marga) can be found from the scriptures of the Hindu tradition, the Vedas. Chinese classical music, the traditional art or court music of China has a history stretching for more than three thousand years. Music was an important part of cultural and social life in Ancient Greece. In ancient Greece, mixed-gender choruses performed for entertainment, celebration and spiritual ceremonies, and musicians and singers had an important role in Greek theater. Music was part of children's basic education in ancient Greece.

Medieval and Renaissance music

While musical life was undoubtedly rich in the early Medieval era, as attested by artistic depictions of instruments, writings about music, and other records, the only repertory of music which has survived from before 800 to the present day is the plainsong liturgical music of the Roman Catholic Church, the largest part of which is called Gregorian chant. Several schools of polyphony flourished in the period after 1100. Alongside these schools of sacred music a vibrant tradition of secular song developed, as exemplified in the music of the troubadours, trouvères and Minnesänger.
Much of the surviving music of the 14th century in European music history is secular. By the middle of the 15th century, composers and singers used a smooth polyphony for sacred musical compositions such as the mass, the motet, and the laude; and secular forms such as the chanson and the madrigal. The invention of printing had an immense influence on the dissemination of musical styles.

Baroque music

The first operas, written around 1600 and the rise of Counterpoint musical compositions define the end of the Renaissance and the beginning of the Baroque era that lasted until 1750, the year of the death of J.S. Bach, today the most generally known of the Baroque composers (though many composers embraced the Baroque movement in music during those years).
German Baroque composers wrote for small ensembles including strings, brass, and woodwinds, as well as Choirs, pipe organ, harpsichord, and clavichord. During the Baroque period, several major music forms were defined that lasted into later periods when they were expanded and evolved further, including the Fugue, the Invention, the Sonata, and the Concerto.

Classical music

The music of the Classical period is characterised by homophonic texture, often featuring prominent melody with accompaniment. These new melodies tended to be almost voice-like and singable. The now popular instrumental music was dominated by further evolution of musical forms initially defined in the Baroque period: the sonata, and the concerto, with the addition of the new form, the symphony. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, well known even today, is among the central figures of the Classical period.

Romantic music

Ludwig van Beethoven and Franz Schubert were transitional composers, leading into the Romantic period, with their expansion of existing genres, forms, and functions of music. In the Romantic period, music became more expressive and emotional, expanding to encompass literature, art, and philosophy. The late 19th century saw a dramatic expansion in the size of the orchestra, and in the role of concerts as part of urban society. Later Romantic composers created complex and often much longer musical works, merging and expanding traditional forms that had previously been used separately. For example, counterpoint, combined with harmonic structures to create more extended chords with increased use of dissonance and to create dramatic tension and resolution.

Impressionist music

The impressionist movement in music is a movement in European classical music that had its beginnings in the late nineteenth century and continued into the middle of the twentieth century. Musical Impressionism focused on suggestion and atmosphere rather than strong emotion or the depiction of a story. Impressionist composers favored short forms such as the nocturne, arabesque, and prelude, and the use of unresolved dissonance and uncommon scales such as the whole tone scale. Musical Impressionism was based in France, and the French composers Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel are generally considered to be two of the most well-known Impressionists.

source of www.wikipedia.org

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