New & Noteworthy is a weekly column in which we highlight some of the newest rock and metal releases coming out each week. This week features new releases by Deep Purple, Falling in Reverse, and Royal Thunder, as well as a Krokus cover album, and a few vinyl reissues. If you would like to check out last week’s releases you can do so here. You can check out last week’s sales numbers in Metal By Numbers, Steel Panther and Pallbearer both had the best debuts of their careers, but Northlane’s surprise album release has done them no sales favors and Metallica was boosted right up to the #1 spot on the Billboard charts still. So as Matt put it, “Take that, Beauty and the Beast soundtrack!”
Deep Purple, inFinite (earMusic)
The legendary English rock group Deep Purple have just released their 20th studio album, inFinite. So far the band has released a music video for the track “All I Got is You,” and a lyric video for the album opener and first single “Time for Bedlam.” Deep Purple will be embarking on their Long Goodbye tour starting next month, bringing it to the US this August alongside Alice Cooper and The Edgar Winter Band. There has been no end dates announced and the band does not know how long it will go, but it drummer Ian Paice has mentioned that “We haven’t made any hard, fast plans, but it becomes obvious that you cannot tour the same way you did when you were 21. It becomes more and more difficult. People have other things in their lives, which take time. But never say never.” I hope to be seeing them on the Pittsburgh date. inFinite is also available on vinyl.
Falling In Reverse, Coming Home (Epitaph)
Coming Home is the fourth studio album from Las Vegas hard rock group Falling in Reverse. Leading up to the release, FiR has released three singles, “Coming Home,” “Fallen,” and “Broken.” Earlier this week the band released a spacey music video for the title track. The album is the first to feature their new band’s new lead guitarist and bassist, Christian Thompson and Zakk Sandler respectively. Coming Home was produced by vocalist Ronnie Radke and Michael Baskette (Trivium, Slash, Alter Bridge, etc.). They currently scheduled to be hitting six US festivals over the next few months, but no major tour has been announced.
Royal Thunder, WICK (Spinefarm)
Atlanta based psychedelic rock group Royal Thunder have released their third full length studio album album WICK. Back in February the band released a music video for the song “April Showers,” which we also captured an acoustic performance of. WICK is the first album from the band since leaving Relapse and signing to Spinefarm Records. They will be out touring the US this month into early May to support the release, and you can read more about what went into making the album in our interview with them.. The album was also released on vinyl.
Krokus, Big Rocks (Century Media)
The Swiss hard rock group Krokus pay tribute to their biggest influences with the 13 track cover album Big Rocks. The album features songs like “Whole Lotta Love” by Led Zeppelin, “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” by the Rolling Stones, and more from bands like The Who, The Animals, and Neil Young.
Opeth, Still Life (Picture Disc) (Vinyl) (Moderbolaget Records)
Sweden’s progressive metal group Opeth is reissuing their 1999 concept album Still Life on double LP picture disc vinyls. Explaining the theme, vocalist/guitarist/songwriter Mikael Åkerfeldt stated that “Still Life was not Satanic but an anti-Christian theme. It sounds pretty naive when I explain it like this. It kind of takes place a long time ago when Christianity had a bigger importance than it has today. The main character is kind of banished from his hometown because he hasn’t got the same faith as the rest of the inhabitants there. The album pretty much starts off when he is returning after several years to hook up with his old ‘babe’. Obviously a lot of bad things start happening with, as I call it on the album, ‘the council.’ The big bosses of the town know that he’s back. A lot of bad things start happening. They see him as a hypocrite in a way. It’s almost like a devil’s advocate or whatever it’s called.”
Porcupine Tree, Voyage 34 (Kscope)
British progressive rock group Porcupine Tree is getting a remastered reissue of their four song compilation album Voyage 34 – The Complete Trip. The album is a psychedelic re-imagining of an acid trip, so tune in, drop out, and go along for the ride
W.A.S.P., The Crimson Idol (Picture Disc Vinyl) (Madfish)
American heavy metal group W.A.S.P are re-releasing their 1992 concept album album The Crimson Idol on vinyl picture disc. The album, original set to be a Blackie Lawless solo record, follows the rise and fall of fictional rock star Jonathan Steel.
