News 2014
19.12.2014: Another interesting interview
Check out this interview with Urban. Of course, most of it is regarding his work with Serious Black, but there is also some more intersting stuff like Project Arcadia, his influences and a possible duet with a female singer...
...Criss
12.12.2014:
Serious Black - "Sealing My Fate" Single out now!
Today, the second single from the forthcoming debut album called "Sealing My Fate" is released. Really an interesting and great song: after starting out slow this song gets heavier with nice hooklines and melodies throughout. You can check it out here and below. If you like it, support the band by buying it (e.g. on iTunes).
...Criss
09.12.2014: Serious Black - more great news!
This friday, the next single called "Sealing My Fate" will be released - and relying on what Urban says in his most recent interview (check it out on yoututbe here) it is one of the slower songs on the album. In this interview he also covers lots of other things regarding Serious Black.
...Criss
27.11.2014: Project Arcadia - the fourth video!
The fourth video supporting Project Arcadia's new album "A Time of Changes" was released today. The song is called "I Am Alive" and is truly one of the gems of the album. Check it out here or below.
...Criss
25.11.2014: Serious Black - the first (short) review
The first review for As Daylight Breaks can be found online here (in German). I made a quick translation:
Review by Markus Eck (EMP): An equally illustrious and competent Melodic Metal team has gathered: Roland Grapow (Masterplan, ex-Helloween), Thomen Stauch (ex-Blind Guardian), Mario Lochert (ex Visions Of Atlantis), Dominik Sebastian (Edenbridge) and Jan Vacik (ex-Dreamscape). They pooled their long-standing trained musical fortunes with former Tad Morose vocalist Urban Breed. And quite right too! This way, the full band Serious Black arose, which hereby release their surprisingly strong debut album "As Daylight Breaks". By listening to the clever structured songs, one can notice that all members were fully involved in the songwriting and recording process. The often damn powerful songs - some very close and virtuosic classic Melodic Power Metal like - sound wonderful organic and hermetically self-contained in themselves. The latter is reinforced again and again in the most emotional moments, e.g. the eighth track, the title song "As Daylight Breaks": A really wonderful dreamy and very sensitive sung ballad of highest quality. But master Breed shows throughout that he still has the right touch. Excellent!
Sounds promising, right?
...Criss
21.11.2014: Serious Black - first single released
Alright, it's out now! Serious Black just released their first single of the upcoming debut album As Daylight Breaks. The song is called "I Seek No Other Life", will be the opening track of the album and is availble on youtube. Go check it out, it's a pretty solid start: a fast paced song with great riffs, a nice solo and of course... Urban breed on vocals! :) This song my seem very straight forward at first glance, but listen to it more closely and you'll hear some pretty amazing stuff (discreet backing vocals, intresting keys right after the guitar solo,...), not only the average power metal! Though from what I learned through the studio report in Rock It magazine, the album will feature some variety, so don't expect the whole album to exactly sound like this song. Curious? Find out a bit more here...
...Criss
09.11.2014:
"The Secret Deal" is online
The promised extra page has been added now and contains one song never available before. It is hidden a bit, but still should not be too hard to find. If you need help to find it just let me now. :)
...Criss
06.11.2014: Serious Black - As Daylight Breaks
The debut album of Serious Black (featuring Roland Grapow and Thomen Stauch in their ranks) is called "As Daylight Breaks" and will be released on 16. January 2015 in Europe and on 20. January 2015 in the USA. Don't forget to check the tour dates here.
EDIT: find out more details about the album here.
...Criss
17.10.2014: Serious Black - Studio Report
You can find a studio report about the recordings for the Serious Black debut album in the latest issue (#84) of the rock and metal magazine Rock It. As far as we can trust the journalist (Andreas Schöwe) it all sounds quite promosing - as one can expect with the names involved. The titles of 5 songs are revealed in the article:
- I Seek No Other Life
- Trail of Murder
- As Daylight Breaks
- Sealer of Fate
- Funeral and Pride
If you want to know something more about what the songs sound like go check out the article in the magazine (link to the magazine: http://www.rock-it-magazine.de/blog/2014/10/15/rock-it-nr-84-ab-heute-am-kiosk/).
Stay tuned for more news.
...Criss
05.10.2014: Site updates and new layout.
I finished my updates of the site today. One more page will be added as soon as it is approved by Urban himself. Much work went into this site and I hope you will like it. If you find any errors (links not working properly, misplaced pictures etc) please let me know. Any comment is welcome. :)
...Criss
02.10.2014: Project Arcadia - the 3rd video!
The third video to support the new album "A Time of Changes" is already available on youtube. It is the opening track Here To Learn and it hits you right away with a fast paced guitar riff... watch out for the solo: Despite Urban's sublime singing the solo kicks this song to another level.
...Criss
27.09.2014: Project Arcadia - Listening party with Urban!
This evening there will be a listening party with Urban at Prog Palace Radio from 7 to 11.30 pm EST. You can tune in via this link: http://www.streamlicensing.com/stations/progpalace/listen.html. And you can also join the chat here: http://www.progpalaceradio.com/ppr-chat.
So, see you later, hopefully!
...Criss
PS: I revamped the look of the site, I hope you'll like it. Unfortunately I am facing a few troubles here and there that will be solved soon. So please be patient if one or another site is not working properly at the moment.
26.09.2014: Project Arcadia - Album out now & new shop!
The album "A Time of Changes" is available now worldwide. Some ways to get it: Nightmare Records, Amazon or the brand new Project Arcadia Shop here: http://www.projectarcadiabg.com/shop/index.php/. Check it out, the album is truly amazing. Most reviews online gave it 8-9/10 points.
...Criss
02.09.2014:
Project Arcadia - new video!
"The Ungrateful Child" is available now on youtube! It is the second video to support the new album "A Time Of Changes. Check it out, it is an truly emotional and amazing song!
...Criss
31.08.2014: Project Arcadia - the next video!
Another video promoting the new Project Arcadia album "A Time Of Changes" will be made available the day after tomorrow.
Stay tuned and check it out then. :)
...Criss
06.08.2014: Project Arcadia - the waiting is over! Samples and first video available!
The new Project Arcadia album is available for pre-order now. Follow this link to grab your copy now: http://www.nightmarerecords.com/online-store/project-arcadia-a-time-of-changes. The official release dates are September 9 for North America and September 26 worldwide.
If you pre-order the digital download you get one track (Beggars at the Door) right away. Seriously, this song is pretty amazing and if the rest of the album keeps this high level we are in for a real treat! There are also short samples for each song as well, check them out too!
EDIT: The video to the first single Formidable Foe is alreday available on youtube. Please see below. So, crank up the volume, sit back and enjoy! :)
More news to come, stay tuned.
...Criss
02.08.2014: It's serious... Serious Black!
Finally some news again... and some unexpected I might say. There is a new power metal band on the horizon, with well known members and a singer you most probably might guess. :) The band is called Serious Black and they are currently working on their debut album which will be released in early 2015, just in time for their first European tour supporting Hammerfall in January and February 2015. I'll add some band infos and tour dates on this site these days. For a first hint of what can be expected check out the video below.
In the meantime we all are eagerly waiting for some news about the release of the Project Arcadia album, A Time of Changes. Trust me, this album features Urban's best performance to date (and this means something, thinking about Shades of Art).
Stay tuned!
...Criss
04.04.2014:
What's up?
Trail of Murder will play at the Sabaton Open Air in Falun, Sweden on 15th August. As they are currently working on new songs, we might maybe get to hear a new one there. One can always hope. :)
Some news about the release date of the Project Arcadia album should be available soon, so some more waiting, but then again, it will be worth the wait.
Urban will also announce some other news soon, guess you will be pleased about them...
...Criss