About

Manticora was formed in 1997 by Lars F. Larsen (vocals), Kristian Larsen (guitars) and Mads Volf (drums) – the young guys laying the foundation of the Manticora-trademark sound; hard hitting progressive power metal with both epic and thrash elements. In the early days the band was a foursome but with a round of line-up changes, the band, which includes long-time members Kasper Gram (bass) and Stefan Johansson (guitars) were established as a five-piece.

In 1999 the debut full-length disc, “Roots Of Eternity” was released, and received a tremendously good response from both media and fans around the world. Since then, eight more critically acclaimed albums were released over the following two decades, establishing Manticora as one of the most respected bands in the European progressive power metal scene.

Over the years, the band has played countless tours and has stepped on the biggest festivals’ stages, including Wacken Open Air, Sweden Rock Festival and Copenhell.

With a year of writing, tuning and concept-developing, Manticora is ready to record their 10th album and is also signing a record deal with the Danish label Mighty Music for the release. Manticora is finally returning to their home country.

Line-up

Kristian Larsen – guitars
Lars F. Larsen – vocals
Stefan Johansson – guitars
Kasper Gram – bass
Lawrence Dinamarca – drums

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British/Danish rock singer Michael Catton has teamed up with guitar virtuoso Soren Andersen, releasing Catton’s debut solo album “Point Of No Return”. Immersing themselves in their common love of 70’s and 80’s hard rock, they are bringing the style, spirit and swagger of the golden age of rock to the modern day. 

Catton has already made his mark on the rock scene with multiple critically appraised albums and having performed on some of Europe’s biggest stages as lead singer of the Danish rock band Tainted Lady, his screeching flamboyant vocals matched only by the wailing guitars of Andersen, long-time guitarist for Deep Purple’s Glenn Hughes. Catton and Andersen have written the album together with the Englishman’s brother Chris Catton, frontman of the AOR band Boys From Heaven, who also plays keys and sings backing vocals on the album. Completing the band are Grammy Award-winning bassist Michael Gersdorff and Pretty Maids drummer Allan Tschicaja, bringing plenty of experience, talent and prestige to the group.  

Catton on the album “Point Of No Return”:
“The album is a culmination of everything that has influenced me as a musician and all the bands that shaped me throughout my life. Some of these songs originated in my teenage bedroom over a decade ago, and some were written as recently as during the recording sessions with Soren. As a result, the album is a perfect representation of who I am as an artist and the music that I love.” 

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The origin of Big Sun goes back to the beginning of the 19th century and refers to a secret lodge founded by Jean-Baptiste Jules Bernadotte, also known as Karl Johan the 14th of Sweden, who before he ascended the throne of Sweden, was field marshal under Napoleon. After much internal strife, Jean Baptiste and Napoleon were reconciled in 1804, and he swore allegiance to Napoleon’s famous quote: “If I had to choose a religion, the sun as the universal giver of life would be my god“.

After the Swedish coronation, Karl Johan created a secret lodge for Scandinavian and North German nobles, powerful lords, and future industrial magnates – Loge du Grand Soleil, which over a number of years held secret meetings in castles and manors throughout Scandinavia. The Lodge sought to be a kind of shadow cabinet and exercise their power on a political, cultural, and artistic level. The lodge was ruled with a heavy hand by a Grand Master who was the guardian of the lodge’s secrets and who was given “carte blanche” to protect and spread the message of The Big Sun to the chosen ones.
 
Big Sun’s members are all direct descendants of the absolute pinnacle of the Loge du Grand Soleil’s heyday and are now ready to lift the lodge’s vision of a return of the big truth and true art – borne forth in the essence of music – under the new lodge name Big Sun.
 
“In the beyond, when the sun goes out – music,  the invisible thread of the universe,  continues in eternity“
Big Sun is a heavy rock force of nature driven by the vision of a tribute to creation. Knife-sharp precision and heaviness make up the big sun’s enormous musical powerhouse. The musical lodge creates a melodic expression with sky-high ambitions, while staring into the abyss and the animal impulses are given free rein. Big riffs, melodic choruses, and virtuosic instrumental passages consistently seek to complement the vocals and the songs’ messages.

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Friday night. The weekend is still a brilliant prospect and the tiredness suddenly transforms into an energetic urge to have fun, to go on the prowl, to just LIVE. That’s when NIGHTHAWK’s perfect blend of classic AOR and world-class hard rock kicks in best. Unapologetic, in-your-face and brilliant-as-fuck. “Prowler”, their new album, delivers exactly what it promise: first-class rock’n’roll.

Then again, this band has the right pedigree to deliver the goods. Nighthawk started out as a solo project by Robert Majd (bass player in Metalite & Captain Black Beard). The idea was just to have some fun, play guitar and write some energetic rock’n’roll. The debut album featured a bunch of different singers. After that first album release in the summer of 2021 Robert got an itch to do more.

This time the stakes would be higher. With the world famous Abbey Road Studios booked, a band and a collection of songs needed to match the caliber of the studio. Björn Strid (The Night Flight Orchestra, Soilwork & Donna Cannone) joined on lead vocals, Magnus Ulfstedt (Ginevra) on drums, John Lönnmyr (The Night Flight Orchestra) on keyboards and Christan Ek (Captain Black Beard) on bass. Nine original tunes together with two covers (of Kiss and Bruce Springsteen classics!) were recorded live in the studio in just two days.

So, fasten your seatbelts. You’re about to take a rock’n’roll trip to the good ol’ Friday nights that are still to come!

“Prowler” will be released on LP (black vinyl, limited to 500 copies), CD and digital formats via Mighty Music on May 12th, 2023.

Line-up

Robert Majd – guitar
Björn Strid – vocals
Magnus Ulfstedt – drums
John Lönnmyr – keyboards
Christian Ek – bass/backing vocals

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