Monday, May 20, 2013
Pressed for Press
Beacause of my various wafflings on here about anything that takes my fancy, a friend of mine decided to ask me if I could whip up a press release for their new album. Bribing me with an early copy of said disc, along with copious wine and Indian food, I found it difficult to resist! It was all a bit hush hush at first, but now the album has seen the light of day I can share with the you my pearls of wisdom, trusting I am not casting them before swine, for you possible enjoyment and delectation.......
From the era defining Son of Odin to the classic metal of All Hallows Eve, for 25 years Elixir was one of the most enduring and respected of all the NWOBHM bands, gracing stages across the globe and thrilling audiences with their incendiary live shows.
With positive reviews for their latest opus, a string of live shows arranged and their own British Steel Festival growing bigger every year, the future for the band looked set. It therefore came as a surprise to everyone when in early 2012 the band decided to call it a day.
With an album’s worth a material written, the creative heart of the band, Paul Taylor (vocals) and Phil Denton (guitars), felt the new songs were too good to leave on the shelf and decided to put a band together that could do the new songs justice. It wouldn’t be under the Elixir banner, but with a sound that was more evolution than revolution, a link to the past and a nod to future was needed. And so, taking its name from a firm fan favourite, Midnight Messiah was born.
To complement the band and complete the sound Phil and Paul turned to the experienced duo of Dusty Miller on bass and Aussie sticksmith Darren Lee, formerly of the Gwyn Ashton band, to form a formidable rhythm section.
The icing on the cake was then provided with the recruitment of hot shot young guitar slinger Dave Strange, whose crushing rhythms and searing chops round off the classic metal of the new songs perfectly, while allowing old favourites a new lease of life.
With the line up completed the band spent several weeks rehearsing the new material before decamping to The Lodge studios in Northampton
From the thunderous opening to Thirty Pieces of Silver to the sublime finger picked acoustic outro to You Put Me Through Hell - via the staccato rhythms of The Evil One and the epic, synth fuelled Destiny, this is an album the grabs you by the throat and never lets go.
With its soaring Byfordesque vocals, and influences from the classical sound of Rainbow, the darkness of Sabbath, the melody of Zeppelin, and the gallop of Maiden -along with, of course, the signature Elixir twin guitar attack - the record is one that will sit happily alongside its peers, while retaining an identity all of its own.
This first CD release on the CTR label comes as a hand-numbered limited edition in a 6 page full colour digi-pack and is due for release on 5th April 2013 .
# posted by Bucko! @ 2:59 AM 
