Year : 2011 (Japan Limited USB Edition)
Style : Melodic Hard Rock , AOR
Country : United Kingdom
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans
Size : 152 mb
Bio:
The bands origins can be traced to Cardiff, where in 2007 keyboard player Gareth David Noon and original bassist Gareth Vanstone were introduced to guitarist Chris Gould and a songwriting partnership was formed. Over a period of around twelve months, the band forged ahead recording demos with American vocalist Greg Flores (formerly of the Indiana-based AOR band Kamera) before parting ways due to distance related issues. The trio's attempts to find a suitable replacement vocalist based in the UK proved troublesome until the band were put into contact with Birmingham based singer Tony Mills, whose reputation with other melodic rock acts such as Shy and TNT made him an obvious choice for the band.With a vast catalogue of demos already recorded during the band's stint with Flores, the four set about creating a new collection of songs in the beginning of 2009 for what would become their 2010 debut album "A Touch Of Heaven". Around this time, two additional members were recruited - guitarist John Clews and drummer Charlie Skeggs - to complete the line-up for the album's recording at M2 Studios. The album was produced by Sheena Sear and Mark Stuart, a well known British producer having worked with Hard Rock act Magnum as well as rock icons such as Robert Plant and Phil Lynott. Serpentine subsequently inked deals with German based label AOR Heaven and the Japanese label Marquee/Avalon and the album was released in March of 2010 to much critical acclaim, especially in Japan where the band hit number 72 on the HMV chart as well as scoring a 92% review in the rock magazine Burrn!. Prior to the album's release, the band confirmed that they had parted ways with young drummer Charlie Skeggs who was replaced in December 2009 for the video for ‘Whatever Heartache’, shot at the Victoria Baths in Manchester, by Birmingham-based drummer Roy Millward.In the summer of 2010 work began on the follow-up album, with the early demos being written including ‘Cry’, ‘Forgotten Heroes’, fan favourite ‘Philadelphia’ and a track called ‘Crystal Eyes’ which never made it to the final album sessions. In the December of that year, with the band geared up to return to the studio, Mills announced his departure following a heart-attack at a Norway airport but committed to finish the ‘Living & Dying in High Definition’ album with the band. Not resting upon their laurels and with live work in the offing Serpentine quickly moved to recruit Matt Black, a singer working in the rock covers band ‘Six Of The Best’ and who they felt had the stage presence and vocal range to pull off the Mills material live. As the band entered the studio to lay down the instrumentation they found themselves in the tricky situation of finishing an album with a vocalist already on his way out, while making preparations for the first live dates; Serpentine hit the road with Black in March 2011 first appearing at a showcase in London with Houston, and later as part of a tour with Crashdiet. ‘Living & Dying in High Definition’ was released in September 2011 with sections of the press gushing that the band could well have “delivered the album of their lives”. Festivals dates at Firefest, Hard Rock Hell, Rockfest Madrid, HRH AOR and HEAT Festival in Germany followed as well as tours with Ten, Romeo’s Daughter and FM while Noon and Gould worked up musical ideas for their third album.After having toured with Gary Hughes of Ten during the summer of 2012, the band met with him several months later in the north-west of England with their management to play him some of the demos they had amassed over the previous year to iron out details of a collaboration/producer role for their next record. A year later, and with the material all but finalized, Matt Black left the band citing his will to move in a different direction musically. A few weeks later and after a period of ill health, Gareth Vanstone also bowed out. Noon, Gould and Millward quickly moved to recruit Adam Payne, a singer who they had discussed working with and had seen live after hearing his voice on a track with his former band ‘Tidal’, and prodigiously talented bassist Owen Crawford from ‘Triaxis’. The new look Serpentine entered Gary Hughes’ Doghouse Studio in Blackpool to record what would become the ‘Circle of Knives’ album. The band had also lined up Neil Kernon to mix the record, but after a short time working together the sound emerging from the mixes were not what the band had envisaged, and so Sheena Sear who had produced and mixed the bands previous two records stepped in to finalise the mix.Payne and Crawford made their live debuts with the band at Planet Rockstock and warm up date at EVI in Ebbw Vale in late 2014 and the band are now approaching a release date for their new album ‘Circle of Knives’ on AOR Heaven and live dates in 2015.
Album:
SERPENTINE was one of the most interesting UK Melodic Rock / AOR acts from the present decade. Unfortunately, after 3 strong albums Serpentine disbanded last year, but as legacy to their music they released a USB stick containing everything they recorded before the last, final third album.
This USB / flash memory includes in digital format the following material:
* first album "A Touch Of Heaven Album" in its Japanese version with a bonus track
* second album "Living And Dying In High Definition" / Japanese version with its 2 bonus tracks
* digital copies of all the artwork from the albums
* Living And Dying In Acoustic Definition, previously unreleased studio acoustic versions
Described by the press as 'one of the most impressive new names on the melodic rock radar' this British quintet fronted by great vocalist Tony Mills were riding a resurgence in melodic rock.Originally founded in Wales around the talents of keyboard player Gareth David Noon, guitarist Christopher Gould and bassist Gareth Vanstone, the band were keen to capitalize on their burgeoning reputation and returned to the studio for this second effort "Living and Dying in High Definition" at M2 Studios, Wolverhampton, England.Keyboard flourishes, lush harmonies and breathless vocals provide the opening of "Deep Down (There's A Price For Love)" before the main riff kicks in aided by some surging guitars and Serpentine make an immediate impact. "Philadelphia" is one of the highlights, a keyboard driven melodic rocker with a catchy chorus and heavenly harmonies."Dreamer" will delight fans of Journey, an anthemic, sweeping epic track with galloping guitars and great vocals by Tony Mills.On the moody midtempo "Where Do We Go From Here?" the band sounds very British reminding you the best Heartland and the ballad "Love Is Blue" both sounds natural and from the heart.Emotional is the word to describe "Best Days Of Our Lives", while "Cry is like a summer AOR breeze to your ears.The band offers something different on the rocking "Nuremberg" featuring interesting lyrics.The album ends on a high note with the long and melodic epic "Forgotten Heroes", a track with fantastic variations and instrumentation.With "Living and Dying in High Definition" Serpentine has improved on all aspects; better songwriting, catchy choruses and more hooky arrangements. Playing an unashamedly keyboard led, yet guitar infused brand of melodic hard rock, Serpentine has delivered a terrific recording. Tony Mills shines on his best performance in years."Living and Dying in High Definition" is one of finest Melodic Rock / AOR albums of this decade without a doubt.
Line Up:
Tony Mills - Vocals
Gareth David Noon - Keyboards, Vocals
Christopher Gould - Guitars
Gareth Vanstone - Bass, Vocals
Roy Millward - Drums
Tracklist:
01. Deep Down (There's A Price For Love)
02. Philadelphia
03. Dreamer
04. Love Is Blue
05. Where Do We Go From Here?
06. Cry
07. Best Days Of Our Lives
08. Heartbreak Town
09. Nuremberg
10. Forgotten Heroes
11. Lonely Nights 2011 (featuring Matt Black) (Japan Bonus Track)
12. Dreamer (Radio Mix) (Japan Bonus Track)
Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/
