Tag Archives: demons & wizards

Features, Tours and Festivals

ProgPower USA Reveals 2019 Day 3 & 4 Lineup

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progpower usa 2019 logo

Though placed on their Official Vimeo Page just the other day, I could not attend to this news until right now but not to worry, its nothing that’s late at all when it comes down to it. We’ve arrived at the time of the year where hundreds and hundreds of Progressive and Power Metal fans converge in a single location in Atlanta, GA for the annual ProgPower USA Festival. The four-day affair is ticketed as the first two days and then the second two days. Generally speaking, the weekend shows are the biggest draw and the announcement video is online for all to examine. I think they reveal this for the audience on the second day of the happening so let’s take a look at it. Please be advised that while this is a long clip, it’s got a lot of awesome music to enjoy so here we go.

The Lineup: Wind Rose, Subsignal, Barren Earth, Psychotic Waltz, Orden Ogan, Seventh Wonder, Sorcerer, Jad Panzer, Caligula’s Horse, Poets Of The Fall, Threshold, Demons & Wizards.

Be Advised: Tickets will go on sale Saturday, Oct. 5, 2018 at 10am ET via Ticketmaster. Only 900 tickets will be made available to the general public, and tickets for the past 5 years have sold-out in less than 3 days!
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Music, Reviews

“Touched By The Crimson King” by Demons & Wizards

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Artist: Demons & Wizards
Title: “Touched By The Crimson King”
Label: SPV Records
Release Date: 6-28-2005
Genre: Heavy Metal
Rating: 8/10

Taking the creative minds of Jon Schaffer and Hansi Kursch is certainly going to give you a unique Metal experience and with “Touched By The Crimson King” these two Legends certainly deliver. Given their already well-known work in Blind Guardian and Iced Earth it is pretty much expected for the combined efforts of Demons & Wizards to be nothing short of exemplary. The group also does not suffer any lag time with this second release from the project as each tune is fresh and very well put together. Originally I felt this record had more of a Blind Guardian feel to it, but lost that quickly after a few more listens. It is very important to note that this mindset of expecting either Blind Guardian or Iced Earth should be lost in order to fully appreciate this music. Use it as a frame of reference but enjoy the exponential growth this is able to offer you. Starting off the release is the title track “Touched By The Crimson King” and this is one rousing number. It also showcases the ever exciting drumming of Bobby Jarzombek (Iced Earth, Halford, Riot) who is a welcome addition to this group in my opinion. Thinking this is impressive in terms of drums will quickly have you second guessing when “Terror Train” begins. This is a blistering track and the guitar and drum feel that encompasses it speeds by you and yet is also very well laced with a technical flair. Hansi’s voice is on point for the whole record as he showcases both his powerful side on numbers that dictate this be so as well as the softer side on the ballad type numbers. As I enjoy Metal ballads I found particular interest in the ones they did on this release. “Seize The Day” and “Wicked Witch” are great from a ballad standpoint.
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