UK artist James Clarke Five presents 'Ghost', previewing new album 'Zoom and The Gadflies'

February 22, 2024

"With fantastic diversity, wrapped in a tight layer of suave musical mastery, James Clarke Five's brand of music melds the best of rock and Brit pop, imbued with spirits past and present" ~ Amplify Music Mag

"The sound of the 60’s if 80’s sophisti-pop had been invented, all smooth rounded notes, beautiful production and huge globules of earnest maturity" ~ Jangle Pop Hub

"A pleasure to listen to... a sort of Ben Folds does Sunshine Pop" ~ I Don't Hear a Single

"Best slices of gentle indie pop I’ve heard... with teeth wrapped in velvet, just as the lounge style was for The Specials" ~ Pop in the Real World

"Some kinda locked-in-his-bedroom genius... very listenable pop" ~ Dagger Zine

UK indie rock artist James Clarke Five presents the new single 'Ghost', previewing the album 'Zoom and The Gadflies', slated for release on March 15 via Favourite Recordings. With bittersweet reflections on childhood and the passing of time, this melodious, atmospheric, harpsichord-driven sound is reminiscent of film music by the likes of John Barry, Burt Bacharach, and Pet Sounds-era Beach Boys.

Much like Cocteau Twins was not actually a duo, James Clarke Five is the solo project of James Hughes. He is perhaps best known as keyboardist and vocalist for Liverpool 80's new wave band The Cherry Boys, contemporaries of Echo & The Bunnymen and The Teardrop Explodes, whose members also played with The LA’s, Cast, The Icicle Works and Lightning Seeds. With a slight resemblance to The Fall's Mark E. Smith, Hughes now lives in London.

With sometimes story-driven or politically-edged lyrics, James Clarke Five mixes classic baroque pop with strong melodies and distinctive chord changes, but with a more raw, guitar driven sound with overtones of glam rock and psychedelia. The new album also includes some clear nods to XTCk, Adam and the Ants and Joe Meek.

James explains, "This is a more 'reflective' song inspired by film soundtracks from the likes of John Barry, and also 'vintage' TV themes for which I have a great affection. For me the song adds an extra dimension to what is an otherwise 'upbeat' album".

'Ghost' follows the singles 'Gadfly Groove', celebrating the personal transformation of a quiet, tentative introvert to an outgoing, gadfly-like persona, and '(Who's Been On The) Big Rock Candy', which tells the story of a couple who pursue increasingly daring deeds from roller coaster rides and cliff edges to runaway trains, all to a pounding, feedback-driven backdrop.

Album order https://jamesclarkefive.bandcamp.com/album/zoom-and-the-gadflies
Album pre-save https://found.ee/ZATG-1
'Ghost' single https://found.ee/PUhIv7
Bandcamp https://jamesclarkefive.bandcamp.com/track/ghost

At the age of 12, James picked up a guitar, which he has scarcely put down since. Following The Cherry Boys, Hughes was a founder member of Exhibit B, who released the cult classic album 'Playing Dead' and several singles.

Upon moving to London in the early 2000s, Hughes launched James Clarke Five with the barnstorming single 'Get Out Of Bed' and later found success with his song 'Sexbombe Uber Alles', the main theme of the film 'Last Shop Standing'. Their most recent albums 'Underneath The Lemon Tree' (2021) and 'ParlourSounds' (2018), released by iconic Canadian label The Beautiful Music, garnered rave reviews. His music has also appeared in the film 'Soundtrack to Sixteen' and has amassed over 1.25 million Spotify streams to date.

Recorded in his home studio in London, James produced and mastered this album. He performed all instruments and vocals with the exception of Mack The Sax, who plays saxophone on 'Gadfly Groove' and Karen Bates, who provides backing vocals on 'It's Been So Long'.

As of February 23, 'Ghost' is available from fine digital platforms, including Spotify, Apple and Bandcamp. The full 'Zoom and The Gadflies' album will be released on March 15 and is already available for pre-order.

Ghost Atlas (Feat. Jesse Cash of ERRA) Share "Gaps in the Armoire" — WATCH

January 13, 2024

NEW ALBUM DUST OF THE HUMAN SHAPE ARRIVES JANUARY 26 VIA UNFD

Ghost Atlas, the melodic alt-rock side project from Jesse Cash of ERRA, have shared the lyric video for the new single "Gaps in the Armoire." It's a contemplative, acoustically-driven song with '90s Brit rock influences and it showcases the depth and breadth of Cash's talents.

Watch and listen below.

Ghost Atlas is an intensely personal project. Every conceptual part of the music, lyrics, and visuals is an intentional outpouring of Jesse’s mind. The twelve tracks across Dust Of The Human Shape illustrate the internal world of Jesse's fervor and ideology, while allowing the listener to find their own connective interpretation. The album is a culmination of art and tense human emotions, fuelled by a spectrum of life experiences.

It arrives January 26 via UNFD. Pre-order it here.

ABOUT GHOST ATLAS:
Jesse Cash is what you might call an enigma. Though armed with a powerful melodic voice, utterly distinct in its emotion and gravitas, the singer, songwriter, and brainchild behind progressive metalcore pioneers ERRA and melodic alt-rock solo project Ghost Atlas is a reserved, laconic individual. It's not that Jesse Cash has nothing to say. Far from it, in fact; he simply prefers to pour heart, mind and soul into his art, and just one listen to Dust Of The Human Shape, the first Ghost Atlas full length since 2017's All Is In Sync, and There's Nothing Left To Sing About, will make you jubilant of that very fact.

An avid reader and lover of film and a diverse range of music, Jesse Cash weaves these artistic influences, his life experiences and inner landscape into textured musical tapestry that runs the gamut of human emotion. From the rousing, soaring sonics of album opener "Void Voyeur" and lead single "Lesser Gods" to the plaintive yet hopeful '90s Brit-rock-tinged nostalgia of "Gaps In The Armoire" and "Seeker (Stretch The Night)," Dust Of The Human Shape illustrates the internal world of Jesse’s fervor and ideology. An intensely personal project, every conceptual part of Ghost Atlas' music, lyrics, and visuals is both an intentional outpouring of Jesse’s mind and a challenge to the listener to find their own connective interpretation. Just like Cash himself, Dust Of The Human Shape has a lot to give and a lot to say – you just have to know how to listen.

Symphonic Metal Icons XANDRIA Announce Upcoming Album “The Wonders Still Awaiting”!

November 3, 2022

Symphonic Metal Icons XANDRIA Announce Upcoming Album 'The Wonders Still Awaiting', out February 3, 2023 via Napalm Records

Pre-Order Starts NOW!

New Single “Ghosts” + Video Released Today

Following the release of their two latest singles “Reborn” and “You Will Never Be Our God”, symphonic metal icons XANDRIA have finally announced their upcoming new studio album, 'The Wonders Still Awaiting', out February 3, 2023 via Napalm Records.

The legendary German band, founded by mastermind Marco Heubaum, introduces its new lineup after six years of silence. Their first European tour and previous singles proved once and for all that this new arrangement is more than just convincing. With a breath of fresh air and immense talent, XANDRIA re-ascend to the top of the genre, unveiling all wonders still awaiting.

Today, the five-piece have finally released their new single, “Ghosts”, together with a colorful music video that perfectly encompasses the mood of the multifaceted album. Vocalist Ambre Vourvahis not only showcases her creativity as a songwriter, but also her incredible vocal talent - ranging deftly from angelic chants to haunting growls.

XANDRIA on “Ghosts” and the new album:

“Ghosts actually started as a reminiscence to good old Swedish melodic death metal and with that archetypical guitar riff that you hear right in the beginning.

And then we integrated it into our XANDRIA soundscape with lots of film score atmosphere and big choirs, because it was exciting to mix these elements and do our own thing with it (still we kept the working title "Swedish Fire" for a long time...).

It is a good example for how diverse the new album will be and how many different influences we were putting into it. We had a lot of things - little musical dreams - in our minds and hearts that we wanted to realize, and along with what you already heard in the first two new songs this is just one of them. There will be quite some more surprises coming...”

Watch the video for “Ghosts”

'The Wonders Still Awaiting' marks the first record presenting new vocalist Ambre Vourvahis, Robert Klawonn (guitars), Tim Schwarz (bass) and Dimitrios Gatsios(drums).

Presenting 13 songs in total, XANDRIA's sound emerges harder, darker and more epic than ever before, but holds an intimate setting and range of emotions at the same time. Rich in different styles and genres, the massive album resembles that of a blockbuster movie score at each and every turn - sending its listener on an exciting journey to experience a world of sound never heard before in the universe of XANDRIA.

This is further brought to life by a 40-piece classical choir, authentic Celtic instruments performed by renowned musicians, and delicate violin and cello contributions from SUBWAY TO SALLY's Ally Storch. The new record is topped by the Bulgarian National Radio Children’s Choir, which marks the first collaboration of this kind in the band's history, while none other than Lukas Knöbl is responsible for the orchestrations on 'The Wonders Still Awaiting' - known for working with Hollywood greats like Roland Emmerich, for example. Each song’s colossal soundscapes and cinematic nature create a story that rapidly unfolds in the listener's imagination.

Pre-Order your copy NOW!

The impressive vocal wealth of Ambre Vourvahis - ranging from rock grit, operatic highs and even death metal growls - opens the unit’s sound to a wider palette of colors. Songs like the opening epic “Two Worlds”, “The Wonders Still Awaiting” and “Ghosts”manifest the thematic mood of the album while constructing incredible soundscapes of pure symphonic metal.

"Two Worlds” also sets the record's lyrical concept, dealing with questions of what kind of world we are living in; one in which people deal sensibly with each other and treat it respectfully, or a dystopia dominated by autocrats and controlling technology?

“Paradise” showcases some of the album’s strongest hooks, captivating with great metallic pop melodies. The veil of various influences is lifted once more in “Illusion Is Their Name”, dashing all deception with heavy power metal vibes.

Tracks like “Your Stories I'll Remember” and “Scars” show the intimate side of XANDRIA on one hand, while combining rhythmic heaviness on the other. The latter is reminiscent of a James Bond theme, dressed in a heavy musical soundscape.

The epic nine-minute album closer “Astéria”, featuring Greek lyrics written by Ambre Vourvahis, lands as the album’s exclamation point, proving with a grand finish that the five-piece has fearlessly started a revolution in the symphonic metal genre - commencing an impressive new era of XANDRIA with 'The Wonders Still Awaiting'.

'The Wonders Still Awaiting' will be available in the following formats:

=> 1CD Jewelcase

=> 2CD Mediabook

=> 2LP Gatefold BLUE/BLACK MARBLED

=> Deluxe Box (incl. 2CD Mediabook, Heat-Change XANDRIA Mug, Flower Ball Box (2 pcs.) incl. 1€ donation to "Eden Reforestation Projects", Album Cover Patch (⌀10cm), excl. Golden "Meet & Greet" Ticket (strictly ltd. to 10 pcs.), excl. Autograph Card, packed to a high-quality wooden box)

=> Digital Album

XANDRIA are:

Ambre Vourvahis – Vocals

Marco Heubaum – Guitar

Robert Klawonn – Guitar

Tim Schwarz – Bass

Dimitrios Gatsios – Drums

Stabbing Westward Releases New Music Video For “Ghost” Created By Frontman Christopher Hall; From Upcoming Album “Chasing Ghosts,” Released Next Friday, March 18

March 11, 2022

Stabbing Westward

Releases New Music Video For “Ghost”

Haunting Art Piece Created By Frontman Christopher Hall

Features Full Band In Home Studios

See It below.

From Upcoming Album Chasing Ghosts,

Seminal Industrial Rock Band’s First New LP In 21 Years

To Be Released Next Friday, March 18, 2022

Via COP International Records

Album Also Features Producer John Fryer,

Collaborator On The Group’s Best-Selling Early Releases

Presales Now Available For

Digital, CD, Limited-Edition Vinyl Formats

There’s just one more week until the much-anticipated Stabbing Westward album Chasing Ghosts will be released on March 18 – marking the influential industrial rock band’s first new LP in more than 20 years. And today, the group tides over fans with the release of a new music video for their latest single, “Ghost.”

Created by frontman Christopher Hall, the video is a gripping art piece featuring all four band members – also including co-founder Walter Flakus(keyboards/programming) as well as Carlton Bost (guitars and programming) and Bobby Amaro (drums) – in their home studios.

See the video for “Ghost” below.

Fans can also purchase the single in a physical or digital format, and will be gifted with several additional tracks including remixes of “Ghost” lead by Christopher Hall and Assemblage 23 along with a reworking of early hit “Why,” from 1996 RIAA Certified Gold album Wither Blister Burn & Peel. The single can be purchased at this link: https://stabbingwestward.bandcamp.com/album/ghost

“Ghost” is from the new album Chasing Ghosts that will be out March 18, 2022 via COP International Records. It features 10 tracks that showcase the industrial rock band’s characteristic sound with a modern sheen that picks up right where they left off with their last full-length in 2001. With the new tracks, Stabbing Westward has not only managed stay true to their original sound, but also expanded it to fit the frantic new reality of the 21st century.

“Ghost” follows the single “I Am Nothing” that was released in November 2021, with Loudwire saying, “20 years later, [Stabbing Westward] are back in the studio making the same intense electro-goth bangers they were doing two decades earlier. Now, the compressed crunchy guitar riffs, steady pounding beats, and signature wail of singer Christopher Hall highlight a tension that seems to fit perfectly this day and age.”

Chasing Ghosts will feature brand-new songs as well as re-workings of the band’s acclaimed 2020 reunion EP Dead And Gone that finds original founding members Christopher Hall (vocals/guitar) and Walter Flakus (keyboards/programming) honing in on the incredible partnership that once produced a string of hits that dominated alternative radio and film soundtracks, including “Shame,” “Save Yourself” and “What Do I Have to Do?” – and resulted in two Certified Gold records.

To recreate that original chemistry, the band recruited the legendary producer John Fryer to again helm Chasing Ghosts. Fryer, whose production credits include Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, 4AD, Cocteau Twins and Love and Rockets, originally worked with Stabbing Westward on their best-selling early releases Ungod (1994) and Wither Blister Burn + Peel (1996). Chasing Ghosts was also mastered by Tom Baker who, like Fryer, worked with Stabbing Westward on their early releases and is part of the reassembled production team on the latest album.

Presales for Chasing Ghosts are on sale now here:

https://stabbingwestward.bandcamp.com/album/chasing-ghosts-2

With artwork by David Seidman (who has worked with Coheed And Cambria and is known for his ethereal and surrealistic imagery), formats include digital, 6-panel digipack CD, and limited-edition vinyl including a run of 2,000 double-gatefold 180gr black vinyl with an additional insert. Exclusive limited-edition merch will also be announced soon.

See the full artwork in this exclusive story from Bloody Disgusting:

https://bloody-disgusting.com/exclusives/3705307/stabbing-westwards-chasing-ghosts-all-of-david-seidmans-stunning-artwork-exclusive/

In addition to recently being covered in Loudwire, Consequence Of Sound, Revolver, SPIN, Bloody Disgusting and other top media outlets, Stabbing Westwardhas been receiving rave reviews for their latest material:

The Dead and Gone EP ultimately proves how memorable Stabbing Westward’s industrial rock can be, and it serves as a teaser for a looming full-length album that many are anticipating… they sound just as passionate and exciting as ever.” —Blabbermouth

For both casual listeners and ardent fans of the group, the fire is raging inside Stabbing Westward as the collective enjoys this new chapter in its history.

—MXDWN

About Stabbing Westward

Blending the scathing electronics of underground industrial/rock with the emotive melodies of goth and a decidedly radio-friendly sensibility, Stabbing Westward rose to great heights in the mid-‘90s alternative boom. Formed in 1986 by Walter Flakus and Christopher Hall, the band went from underground cult sensation to the heights of critical and commercial success thanks to such songs as “Shame,” “Save Yourself,” “So Far Away” and “What Do I Have to Do?”. To this day, these songs remain anthems of heartache, dejection, rage, betrayal and depression. With two Gold albums and numerous hit singles, Stabbing Westward fell from grace with the 2001 self-titled album amid personal and professional turmoil, disbanding the following year and leaving a void in modern music that was somewhat filled by Hall’s later work in The Dreaming. However, it was the release of that band’s Rise Again in 2015 that the seeds were sown for a reunion. That album saw Flakus once again making music with Hall, with Stabbing Westward guitarist Mark Eliopulos joining The Dreaming onstage in Chicago for a set of past hits. In 2019, Hall and Flakus came together again to release the Dead And Gone EP, the first new Stabbing Westward material in 18 years. Written and produced by Flakus and Hall over the course of three years, and recorded in multiple states and time zones, these new songs capture the very essence of the Stabbing Westward sound. Adding longtime bandmate Carlton Bost (Orgy, Deadsy, The Dreaming) and new drummer Bobby Amaro (Orgy) to the official lineup, the band has also once again recruited the talent of producer John Fryer—instrumental on early albums “Ungod” and “Wither Blister Burn + Peel”—for a new album, Chasing Ghosts to be released in early 2022 through a new partnership with COP International.

Find Stabbing Westward Online

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stabbingwestwrd

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stabbingwestward

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDSEWAjgbzSaEIdbeCOJWXw

Dark Station Release Re-imagined Version of Their Single "GHOST" + Official Music Video; 'Afterlight Tour' Dates this September!!

August 26, 2021

Buy/Stream Dark Station Music:

https://linktr.ee/darkstation

Dark Station released the re-imagined version of their single "GHOST" to all major platforms. This version of the single will be included on their upcoming 5-song EP titled Afterlight that features re-imagined songs from their previous album Down in the Dark. In addition, the band announced the "Afterlight Tour" in support of the EP that begins on September 11th in Las Vegas, Nevada at Taverna Costera.

"I really wanted to paint a picture of how much effort it takes to make a relationship work. There are ups and downs, but in the end someone makes the ride worthwhile. It can be the most beautiful and the most painful thing ever. This song is about one of those wounds that never fully heals" says the band's vocalist, Nathan Spades.

"We filmed this video in Big Bear, California at a spot called the Dam Keeper's house. The building was constructed in 1890, so it had seen better days, but what's left of it made for the perfect background to our music video. Robyn August handled the directing and editing duties again on this one" adds Kyle Ort, the band's guitarist.

"GHOST" Official Music Video:

Dark Station released their anticipated debut full length album Down in the Dark on October 25, 2019. The band premiered four videos leading up to the release, all of which can be seen below.

DARK STATION - Heroes (Official Music Video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0nWUuUP0gg

DARK STATION - Obvious (Official Music Video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cy6xLeN_kek

DARK STATION - No Life (Official Music Video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFYT24YXnZA

DARK STATION - Villain (Official Music Video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nsnfp6Dsqzc

In the spring of 2018, five Southern California musicians came together, leaving their respective projects behind, to form a new band. A band with the ability to seamlessly transition from crushingly heavy riffs to unforgettably haunting melodies and lyrics. With inspiration drawing from the top late 90's and early 00's rock bands, there's a certain familiarity to the music that's refreshing and yet evolved into what can only be described as Dark Station. With rock on the rise, Dark Station has risen to the challenge of aiding in rock's revival.

This is the new age. This is Dark Station.

Dark Station is:
Nathan Spades- Vocals
Kyle Ort- Guitar
David Bruno- Guitar
Eric Sinful- Bass
Dylan Roy- Drums

For More Information:

https://www.darkstationband.com/

https://m.facebook.com/wearedarkstation/

https://www.instagram.com/darkstationband/

A PRIMITIVE EVOLUTION Releases Official Music Video for "Ghost"

November 9, 2020

From the album "Becoming" https://ingroov.es/becoming-q Synopsis: In a desolate post-apocalyptic dreamscape, two lone survivors search for connection. Radio ...

Toronto, ON based Dark Alternative Rock Band A PRIMITIVE EVOLUTION, fronted by The Birthday Massacrebassist Brett Carruthers, has released the official music video for "Ghost," off of the band's latest album, Becoming. Directed by Terra Joy McNerthney and produced by long time collaborator and friend Bailey Northcott.

A song about love and loss, inspired by the shared grieving process of filial death, the video for "Ghost" takes place in a desolate, post-apocalyptic dreamscape where two lone survivors search for connection. Radio waves call to them, but what will they find at the source of the signal?

“'Ghost' was a song we took a chance on. We’d never written an epic long piece like this before and it really helped seal the album together for us. I wrote this song when I was having a lot of dreams of my father who we lost when I was 14. Funny how certain years these “ghosts”seem to come back and haunt you. Often times you almost feel as though they’re communicating with you or something along those lines. It’s a really beautiful moment where you feel like you’re with them again, the disappointment is waking up to reality.” - A PRIMITIVE EVOLUTION

"The song opens with an atmospheric, The Edge-esque guitar riff and lead singer Brett Carruthers’ singing in a hushed tone. As the song progresses through the first verse, he appears in the video, sitting besides a vintage car playing a beat up acoustic guitar. “Ghost” continues to add musical elements as it progresses and after a few minutes has morphed from an sparse arrangement to a shoegaze-inspired wall of sound with distorted guitars, a shuffling drum beat from Stu Dead and moody synth tones. The song maintains this dynamic between quiet and loud, though the most intense portion of the song comes at the end when the trio launch into an extended jam, moving into a more hard-rock inspired sound with Carruthers concluding the passage with a fiery guitar solo." - Matt Matasci - mxdwn

Click to Purchase 'Becoming' Physical CD

A Primitive Evolution is:
Brett Carruthers on Vocals, Guitars and Synths
Steph Misayo Seki on Bass and Synths
Stu Dead on Drums, Percussion and Dirty Beats

Out of the primordial soup comes A Primitive Evolution (A.P.E.). Given the gift of sentience, they are here to create a constantly evolving soundtrack to our world with their dark, alternative rock music. With its current release of full length recording “Becoming” the bands next mutation is underway. Recorded at their self-built Desolation Studios in Toronto, ON the album features collaborations with Writer / Producer Ian D’Sa (Billy Talent) and Audio Engineer Kenny Luong(Metric, Cancer Bats). In partnership with Metropolis Records, the band and label unleashed Becoming together, worldwide on October 5th. 2018. Known to be raw and visceral, with soul and beauty: A Primitive Evolution is best consumed at extremely loud volumes!

Awarded "Best Rock Band" by the 2015 Toronto Independent Music Awards, A Primitive Evolution has toured extensively, showcased at prestigious festivals CMW, NXNE & Indie Week Canada and received strong support from Canadian Music Industry stalwarts Alan Cross (CFNY 102.1 The Edge, ajournalofmusicalthings.com) and George Stroumboulopoulos(MuchMusic, CBC).

Pulling together a complex array of influences including Nine Inch Nails, Muse, The Cure, Tool, The Prodigy, Ministry, Radiohead, U2, Vivaldi, Alice in Chains, Guns N’ Roses and more, A Primitive Evolution’s rhythm-based attack blurs the lines of rock, electronica and all aspects between.

“Creation is evolution” observes A.P.E. singer Brett Carruthers, “that’s what I figure we're trying to say with A Primitive Evolution. As evolved as we think we are as humans or animals, we are very much at the beginning of the evolution of mankind. We have so much to learn and yet so much has changed in the last hundred years. We have a long way to go as a species. We want our band to reflect that too, showing our raw emotions, doing it out of instinct and evolving naturally; not overthinking, just having some fun existing on this planet.”

SAINT ASONIA LAUNCH "GHOST" VIDEO

October 28, 2020

VIDEO IS COMPRISED OF FAN-SUBMITTED FOOTAGE

Saint Asonia, featuring former Three Days Grace frontman Adam Gontier and Staind guitarist/founding member Mike Mushok, have shared the video for "Ghost."

The video is a collaboration between the band and its fans, featuring clips and art submitted by fans from around the world.

"We invited our fans to show us what the song means to them and we wanted to work with them to create the visual to go along with it," Gontier says about the video's creation, which was new territory for him. "I've actually never done something like this in the past. It's been a great process, and the video turned out awesome."

As for the song itself, Gontier continues, "It's about losing someone in your life — whether it be to death, drugs, sickness. It's about trying to put the pieces back together after going through something unbearable. Sonically, it's got a different feel. It's not just a straightforward song written around a specific riff. It's probably one of my favorite songs we've ever written as a band."

"Ghost" appears on Saint Asonia's sophomore effort Flawed Design, out now via Spinefarm Records. The single "The Hunted," featuring Godsmack's Sully Erna, was a Top 5 radio smash.

SAINT ASONIA ONLINE:

https://www.facebook.com/saintasonia

https://twitter.com/saintasonia

https://saintasonia.com

https://www.instagram.com/SaintAsonia/