on April 19th, "Tides of War", the second full-length of the German traditional heavy metal act SACRED GATE, will be released. The band created a truly captivating and epic concept album about the Battle of Thermopylae, where 300 Spartans and their allies fought for freedom against invading Persians. Not a surprising choice of subject, considering that 2 founding members (vocalist Jim and guitarist Nicko) have Greek origins. The new album is undoubtedly a more mature, more epic and more confident effort showing the band crystallizing their own style, with strong, melodic but rough vocals, outstanding guitar work and rock solid rhythm section.

When Vicious Rumors returned from a long, strenuous and immensely successful world tour in autumn 2011, the musicians – least of all band mastermind and main songwriter Geoff Thorpe – couldn’t really see themselves mustering the energy to release a new studio album in the foreseeable future. “2011 was a monster year for Vicious Rumors in the most positive sense of the word,” he says, looking back at that time with surprise and some satisfaction. “We were on the road non-stop for more or less…