The 80s Compilation market is a minefield - a lack of variety, re-recorded versions, poor sound quality among the pitfalls - but Demon Music Groups' "100 Hits" series have been the pick of the bunch in recent times…

Parkway Drive’s digital deluxe version of their latest album IRE, is out today. The digital deluxe edition will feature 2 brand new tracks “Devil’s Calling” and “Into the Dark”, plus a remix of “A Deathless Song (featuring Jenna McDougall).” As previously reported, Parkway Drive is nominated for an Alternative Press Music Award in the category of Best International Band. IRE has been certified gold in Australia and it is clear why. The Australian powerhouse tapped deep into its reserves of talent and creativity, and have taken their craft as musicians and songwriters to another level. IRE is clearly something brave and new as heard in the band's new found musical depth and urgency in front man Winston McCall’s vocal deliverance. They are a band that will continue to challenge themselves; and in doing so they will again redefine what has been thought possible for a metal band from Australia to achieve.

Conductor, composer, violinist, and pianist Mantovani was one of the most popular and prolific easy listening artists of all time. His trademark "cascading strings" (or "tumbling strings") effect gave him an instantly recognizable sound, and his heavy reliance on the string section in general helped map out the blueprint for much of the light orchestral music that followed in his wake. His repertoire did feature original compositions, but was built chiefly on lush adaptations of familiar melodies: TV and movie themes, show tunes, pop hits (chiefly of the MOR variety), classical material, and the like. Starting his career in the '20s, Mantovani was very much a product of the recording age: he focused almost entirely on recording, instead of live performance…

All three here are equally credited, as composers as well as players, on the opening track and the pervasive title track. Carrothers is credited for a further six, and his known ability to ferret out the improbable from the available for the rest of it offers the sense of his overall control. He's a fine pianist technically, never flashy for the sake of it; Stewart's worked with him before and is always on his wavelength; Denner I know nothing about except what's here and he's always intriguing.

The Phantom Agony is the first full-length studio album by Dutch symphonic metal band Epica. It was released in 2003 by the Dutch label Transmission Records. It is the first album recorded by guitarist Mark Jansen after his departure from the band After Forever. On this album, Jansen continues with the collection of songs that make up The Embrace That Smothers. The first three parts can be found on Prison of Desire (2000), After Forever's debut album, and the following three parts can be found on The Divine Conspiracy (2007), Epica's third album. These songs deal with the dangers of organized religion.

Maretimo Records presents Spring Time Vol. 9 - 18 Premium Trax: Chillout, Chillhouse, Downbeat, Lounge. Let the sunshine & springtime in your heart. Beautiful chill music trax will warm your body, mind & soul.

With this pairing, Christoph Spering continues his exploration of some of the byways of the choral and vocal repertoire. Schumann’s choral music is desperately neglected, even by the standards of a composer who is still often misunderstood. That said, the two works recorded here don’t perhaps on paper present his best side. Richard Wigmore has described Der Rose Pilgerfahrt (‘The Pilgrimage of the Rose’) as ‘German Romanticism at its most sickly sweet’ (3/11) and it is clear how the tale of a rose becoming human to experience love might appeal more to 19th-century sensibilities than to our own.

Unico musicista italiano ad aver piu volte suonato e registrato nello storico Village Vanguard di New York, Enrico Pieranunzi propone alla Casa del Jazz, una performance col suo trio europeo. Saranno con lui il contrabbassista olandese Jasper Somsen ed il batterista francese Andre Ceccarelli, suoi partner in una sua recente registrazione live in Germania per la serie "European Jazz Legends". Brani originali scritti per l'occasione e libere improvvisazioni saranno il filo conduttore di un viaggio affascinante all'interno del trio, formazione con cui da sempre Pieranunzi ha dato il meglio di se, guadagnandosi una reputazione di assoluto valore internazionale.

In this seventh volume of Music for Brass Septet, Septura survey two of America’s greatest and most representative composers. Gershwin’s An American in Paris charts a visitor’s stroll around the French capital, absorbing the city’s atmosphere and charm, whereas the synergy of classical form and jazz animates Gershwin’s unique Preludes. Copland’s Quiet City depicts a contrasting and more understated cityscape, while the suite from the ballet Appalachian Spring displays Septura’s luminous virtuosity.

In 1990, the GRP record label took over MCA’s jazz artists, and as a result, Spyro Gyra had changed labels. Their next effort, Fast Forward, was released on GRP. After the release of Three Wishes in 1992, Spyro Gyra recruited Scott Ambush on bass. The following year, Dave Samuels decided to leave the band, although he periodically contributed to subsequent studio recordings. In 1997, Spyro Gyra celebrated their twentieth album release in 20 years with 20/20. Despite the ever-changing lineup, Beckenstein remained committed to the project over the years, as did their audiences.

After the Zombies broke up, keyboardist/songwriter Rod Argent formed his own band in 1969, which incorporated more classical, jazz, and art rock influences in accordance with Argent's musical training. The group's other members were guitarist/songwriter Russ Ballard, bassist Jim Rodford, and drummer Bob Henrit…

Fifteen tracks from 1967-1969 (some from the very end of that span were recorded when the group were known as "Leviathan"). "Children of Tomorrow" and its B-side are the only two of these items that saw official (and very limited) release; the rest are taken from demos and a 1968 session for John Peel on the BBC. While "Children of Tomorrow" is the unquestioned highlight, much of this is pretty fair pop-psych. It takes a more raucous guitar-based approach than many of their psych contemporaries, only faltering when the band occasionally opts for a hard blues/soul approach. If you like British cult bands of the time such as Tomorrow, or are in the market for psychedelia that dips the usual spacy lyrics and full harmonies in guitars that owe a lot to late-'60s Who and Yardbirds, you'll be satisfied with much of what's on tap here.

The truly definitive singles collection of this living legend – featuring all of Shaky’s singles released as a solo artist, highlighting the broad umbrella of styles from rock and country blues, to Cajun, and Americana to classic rock – and including all the classics hits. Stevens shares with the Beatles (60s) and Elton John (70s) the distinction of being the most successful UK singles chart performer of a decade (80s), as confirmed by the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles and Albums. This 3CD collection of singles is unique, in that it is the only release ever to feature all of Shaky’s singles from throughout his solo career. Exclusive to this release is also a brand new single ‘Wild At Heart (Neros Single Version)'.

A superb cornetist with faultless taste who started with Glenn Miller and was featured on Jackie Gleason's Easy Listening albums.
Bobby Hackett's mellow tone and melodic style offered a contrast to the brasher Dixieland-oriented trumpeters. Emphasizing his middle-register and lyricism, Hackett was a flexible soloist who actually sounded little like his main inspiration, Louis Armstrong.