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0 New CD “Polaris” From Stratovarius on May 26th!
A Finnish Invasion Comes To The States
STRATOVARIUS’ NEW ALBUM POLARIS
To Be Released By Armoury Records
~May 26,2009~
For over twenty years, Stratovarius has played a substantial part of crafting a new sound, mining into the core of metal and adding the elements of a classical symphony. This has made them one of the most well-known symphonic metal bands worldwide, and Armoury Records (a division of Eagle Rock Entertainment) is proud to present Polaris, their new studio album being released stateside May 26.
Their name says it all – a contraction of “Stradivarius” (a high-quality stringed instrument found in orchestras) and one of hard rock’s favorite companions, the “Stratocaster.” Pioneers of progressive metal, Stratovarius blends rock influences with neo-classical passion for a sound so epic and bombastic, that they helped define an entire genre. As such, this heavy-hitting eruption of an album is a collection of eleven songs that thrive with powerful melodies, sophisticated arrangements, and supreme technical prowess. Vocalist Timo Kotipelto explains, “Polaris is a positive, powerful album that Stratovarius fans all over the world are certain to take to their hearts.” A unique blend of rock anthems and heavy fist pumpers, Polaris is a take on metal that is fresh and compelling, sophisticated yet brimming with strength and fire. Polaris was recorded in the fall 2008 at Hästholmen and 5by5 studios, in Helsinki, Finland. It was mixed by the legendary Mikko Karmila, who has a long history with the band. They hid themselves in a secluded cottage in the forests of Finland to focus on making the perfect record, and emerged with not only Polaris, but also a positive new outlook on the direction of their career.
The real power behind this record is that it comes from a band that has seen its ups and down. Formed in Finland in 1984, Stratovarius treaded a tumultuous path on their journey, facing obstacles that should have sidelined the band. After a history of numerous line-up changes, financial problems, and legal woes, Polaris is the opus of a band rising from the ashes of a broken road, claiming their status as rock survivors yet again.
With the addition of new guitarist Matias Kupiainen, Stratovarius (vocalist Timo Kotipelto, bassist Lauri Porra, drummer Jörg Michael, and keyboardist Jens Johansson) are ready to dominate the progressive metal empire. They will hit the road in May, embarking on an international tour that starts in Europe and ends in the States. This includes a stop at the renowned Wacken Rocks festival.
Eagle Rock Entertainment develops, acquires and produces music programming for a wide range of notable and high profile artists, which the company distributes on a worldwide basis. Eagle Rock Entertainment, Eagle Vision and Eagle Eye Media are wholly owned divisions of Eagle Rock Group, LTD.
Track Listing:
1.) Deep Unknown
2.) Falling Star
3.) King of Nothing
4.) Blind
5.) Winter Skies
6.) Forever Is Today
7.) Higher We Go
8.) Somehow Precious
9.) Emancipation Part I
10.) Emancipation Part II
11.) Mountains Fall
North American Tour Dates:
9/16/09 – New York, NY – Nokia Theater
9/18/09 – Toronto, ONT – Opera House
9/19/09 – Quebec, QUE – Imperial de Quebec
9/20/09 – Montreal, QUE – Medley
9/21/09 – Boston, MA – Middle East
9/23/09 – Baltimore, MD – Sonar
9/24/09 – Cleveland, OH – Peabody’s
9/25/09 – Mokena, IL – Pearl Room
9/27/09 – Winnipeg, MB – Garrick Centre
9/28/09 – Regina, SK – The Riddell at University
9/29/09 – Calgary, AB – Warehouse
9/30/09 – Edmonton, AB – Starlite Room
10/2/09 – Vancouver, BC – Plaza Club
10/3/09 – Vancouver, BC – Sugar
10/4/09 – Seattle, WA – El Corazon
10/6/09 – San Francisco, CA – The Grand Ballroom at the Regency
10/7/09 – Los Angeles, CA – Key Club
0 JVC Mobile Announces Their 2009 ‘TURN ME ON 2’ Campaign Featuring Charm City Devils From the Upcoming Crue Fest 2 Tour and Darling Stilettos
JVC Mobile Entertainment, a leading developer and manufacturer of sophisticated mobile, audio, and video products, announces their 2009 “TURN ME ON 2” campaign to promote four new in-car A/V products: the El Kameleon-KD-AVX77 5.4″ wide touch screen multimedia receiver, the KW-AVX720 7″ touch screen multimedia receiver, the KW-NT1 6.1″ touch screen navigation system, and the KW-NX7000BT 7″ touch screen navigation system. The campaign will feature a breakthrough online viral video with placement on the high definition video billboard in Times Square and in an extensive campaign that includes print ads, online banner ads, radio promotions and a summer partnership with the 2009 Crue Fest 2 tour.
Last year, JVC Mobile completely rethought its marketing strategy by dedicating the majority of its marketing and media budget to an explosive online viral video featuring Josh Todd of Buckcherry and Jacoby Shaddix of Papa Roach. Actively promoted throughout the inaugural Crue Fest, the top rock festival of the summer, the video shattered industry records for a product advertisement as it garnered over 5 million views, with video imbeds on thousands of individual community site pages such as MySpace, YouTUBE, and other blog sites.
This year, JVC Mobile has increased the stakes, with a larger production and a more expansive video concept, including over a dozen shoot locations and a cast and crew of over 60 people. The intensive 2-day shoot took place at the world-renowned Universal Studios back lot and the CBS Studios New York Street lot, with creative director/writer, Danny Klein (e2amp) and director, Steven Lippman (Steven Lippman Print + Film) at the helm. “TURN ME ON 2” stars Charm City Devils who are featured on the Crue Fest 2 Tour this summer, and Darling Stilettos, managed and produced by Matt Sorum for One Gun Music Management, along with 7 beautiful women, all of whom race to an impromptu block party guided by their JVC Mobile navigation systems. As with last year’s video, the action in TURN ME ON 2 is driven by a diverse soundtrack emanating from the JVC Mobile in-dash units, which includes new songs from Charm City Devils, Darling Stilettos and The Last Vegas.
“We experienced significant sales growth from last year’s ‘Turn Me On’ video exposure and we anticipate even bigger results from this year’s campaign,” said Bill Turner, Vice President for JVC Mobile Entertainment.
Along with rock stars, entertainment, and great music, the viral video incorporates key interactions with JVC Mobile’s in-car technology, including the revolutionary proximity sensor, iPod/iPhone utilizing a full speed USB connections, Bluetooth compatibility, touch screen controls, and navigation capabilities. “Our new viral video is a great snapshot into JVC Mobile’s core demographic,” said Chad Vogelsong, General Manager of Marketing for JVC Mobile Entertainment. “The video makes our product the ‘hero’ by using it to navigate to a fun destination, while also entertaining everyone on the way to the destination.”
Media partner Spin Magazine has been tapped to assist in marketing, distribution, and hosting of the video at www.spin.com/turnmeon. This exclusive page will include a Behind the Scenes “Making Of” video, with interviews and testimonials from the cast and crew. Users will be able to grab imbed codes and site links from the Spin.com to spread the “TURN ME ON 2” video around the web. The page will include an email opt-in area to capture JVC Mobile fan emails, as well as a “Buy Now” button that will take users to the Dealer Locater page the JVC Mobile’s website. This page will also feature a one-month free MP3 download promotion, which will allow viewers to download music from the viral video soundtrack before it is available for purchase.
JVC Mobile will be an official sponsor of Crue Fest 2 this summer, which stars Motley Crue, features Godsmack, Drowning Pool and Theory of a Deadman and introduces the Charm City Devils. The campaign will be actively promoted on the Crue Fest 2 tour (www.CrueFest2.com) with the viral video featured on the closed circuit venue screens at each show date as well as on the web assets for Charm City Devils, the Darling Stilettos and The Last Vegas.
To view the “TURN ME ON 2” online viral video, log onto:
0 The Bulletboys 10c Billionaire On The Way Soon!
CHAVIS RECORDS announces the wrap up of the new opus 10c Billionaire by CR recording artist BULLETBOYS. After several delays, mixing and mastering were recently completed and the final touches were applied by producer/guitarist Brent Woods (Vince Neil, Wildside). Look for cover art and a teaser track montage in the coming days.
10c Billionaire was written by original founding member and flamboyant frontman Marq Torien. Having reinvented the band and composed one of the most sonically superb and relevant rock and roll records to date, the revitalized BULLETBOYS featuring Marq Torien, Ryche Green, Stephen Allan, and Tory S. are a hard rock force majeure delivering non-stop music mayhem that is winning over new audiences with every performance. Just returning from a very successful show at the Desert Invasion Festival in AZ, the band is headed to Baltimore, MD for the M3 Festival on May 30th. Checkout your chance to get some FREE tickets to the M3 Festival below!
BULLETBOYS will be heading out this summer in support of 10c Billionaire beginning in July with Faster Pussycat on a full summer tour dubbed Dias de Los Muerto Tour 2009. Dates to be announced soon! Visit www.chavisrecords.net for more information.
0 New Video – Sister Sin – One Out Of Ten
Check out the latest video from Sister Sin, “One Out of Ten”. Sister Sin’s new album, Switchblade Serenades is in stores now.
Vodpod videos no longer available.
0 Johnny Lima – Livin’ Out Loud (Release Year – 2009)
Singer/Songwriter/Guitarist/ Johnny Lima is back after a 3 year absence, which he spent producing other bands such as Miss Crazy, Dirty Penny, and most notably the newly released debut from Freakshow. Appropriately titled “Livin’ Out Loud” is the best album Lima has released in the 12 years he’s been a solo artist. Well known throughout Europe, the fact that the U.S. hasn’t caught on to this California native’s music is mind boggling. With a vocal style similar to Tuff’s Stevie Rachelle, Lima takes touches of glam and mixes it with early Bon Jovi and Def Leppard influences to produce catchy, well written songs filled with melody, hooks, gang vocals galore, excellent solos, and enough rhythm a dead man would be tapping his foot along.
“Livin’ Out Loud” starts off with “All I Wanna Do” which is a catchy foot tapping rocker with a excellent solo and chorus. “Wildflower” follows up with a great thumping bass line followed by a great guitar intro, before the vocals kick in. This is the type of songs you would find playing in a hundred strip clubs back in the day. It has catchy sing-a-long lyrics with another great solo. Heavy guitars and keyboards dominate the opening of “Hate To Love You” which I think is a great touch the keyboards also kick back in at the bridge and chorus. Another catchy sing along that is a little heavier than a lot of the other songs included here. If you can’t hear the Def Leppard influence on “I’m On Fire” you definitely need to get your ears checked out this song could have came straight out of the Hysteria/Adrenalize era. Lima slows things just a tad with “Somebody To Love” but this mid tempo track does not lose any of the power or catchiness that has preceded it. “Caught In The Middle” is a tale of a man getting caught with a married woman by her husband, it boasts more great guitar playing and another excellent chorus. “Gimme Some Rock So I Can Roll” pays tribute to 80’s hard rock while trashing the state of the music industry and commercial radio today. On the title track “Livin’ Out Loud” Lima gives another nod to Def Leppard while singing about living life to the fullest because we only get one chance.
With 12 tracks abouts girls, rock ‘n roll, bad relationships, more girls and life in general,13 if you get the import version, “Livin’ Out Loud” is a fun, catchy, well written album that is absolutely filler free and a great summer time album. Any fan of 80’s style hard rock should definitely have Johnny Lima in their collection, not only “Livin’ Out Loud” but the rest of his catalog as well. You will not be disappointed in the least bit. You can check out all things Johnny Lima at www.johnnylima.com or www.myspace.com/johnnylima
Livin’ Out Loud is for sale at CD Baby.com.
Rating: 
Out of 10
Track Listing:
- All I Wanna Do
- Wildflower
- Hate To Love You
- I’m On fire
- Somebody To Love
- Caught In The Middle
- Gimme Some Rock, So I Can Roll
- Livin’ Out Loud
- Still Waiting For You
- Long Way Down
- Hard To Say Goodbye
- ‘Til Love Is Gone
Musicians on Livin’ Out Loud:
Johnny Lima – Lead & Backing Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Keyboards
Craig Takeshita – Lead Guitar
Bernie F. Diaz – Drums
Danny Danzi – Lead Guitar (2nd guitar solo on “Wildflower” and guitar solo on “Caught In The Middle”)
Christian Wolff – Lead Guitar on “I’m On Fire”, “Somebody To Love”, “Still Waiting For You”, and “Hard To Say Goodbye”
Brandon Baumann – additional Backing Vocals on “All I Wanna Do”, “Wildflower” and “Gimme Some Rock, So I Can
Roll”
