John Adams’ vast and varied output has earned him a wide audience, uncommon among contemporary classical composers. The works on this disc span his entire career to date, and illustrate his many different styles of writing for the piano. Phrygian Gates and China Gates – “gate” here referring to a type of electronic switch – could be regarded as his first “minimal” works, but are more tonal and expressive than the music of his contemporaries such as Steve Reich and Philip Glass. As a teenager Adams had played clarinet in his father’s marching band, and his Hallelujah Junction reflects his love of …….

From Naxos

Although Finland's extraordinary Jean Sibelius may be foremost among Nordic composers, his contemporary, Carl Nielsen – best known for six highly original symphonies and simple popular songs – holds an honored place as Denmark's foremost post-Romantic musical ambassador, and has found considerable acclaim amongst musicians and audiences alike. A painter by profession, Nielsen's father spent as much or more energy on his secondary activities as a violinist, and it was in this way that young Carl received his first musical instruction. At 14 Carl auditioned for a position with a military wind ensemble at Odense (he was hired as a bugler, despite his lack of formal training on the instrument). During a visit to Copenhagen ……….

From Allmusic

In a career that has spanned 24 years (and counting), Paradise Lost have sold over two million albums worldwide. Their constant reinvention and brazen attitude towards musical experimentation has always allowed them to maintain a constant relevance despite the myriad fads and short-lived scenes that have emerged over the last two decades. Indeed few bands that prove so very influential in their infancy maintain the quality of output that this band have. In 1991 Paradise Lost set the blueprint for a whole genre with their album 'Gothic' and their new masterpiece, 'Tragic Idol,' easily and proudly continues this successful tradition and clearly underscores that Paradise Lost remain as vital as ever.

Sweden's unstoppable Unleashed have forged the blood and spirit of their Viking ancestry into a modern weapon of death metal mastery. A true rallying cry for the dedicated metal legions around the globe, 'Odalheim' raises the band's intensity level while telling of the future of Yggdrasil and those who survive Ragnarok. Unleashed's 11th album is an epic story steeped in history and mythology, and of course, their unmistakable sound as forefathers of true Viking death metal.

Let's Dance is an album by David Bowie, released in 1983, with co-production by Chic's Nile Rodgers. The title track of the album became one of Bowie's biggest hit singles, reaching number 1 in the UK, the US and various other countries. Further singles included "Modern Love" and "China Girl", which both reached number 2 in the UK. "China Girl" was actually a new version of a song which Bowie had co-written with Iggy Pop for the …

Brother to Brother is the sixth studio album by Canadian singer Gino Vannelli. The album was released in 1978. The album featured "I Just Wanna Stop", Gino's highest-charting single to date in both the US and Canada, where the single reached #4 and #1 respectively, as well as the singles "Wheels of Life" and "The River Must Flow".