Judas Priest ‘Defenders of the Faith’ deluxe edition due in March

In March 2015, Judas Priest are to reissue their classic album ‘Defenders of the Faith’ to mark its thirtieth anniversary.  Much loved by fans, the album is home to Priest classics ‘Freewheel Burning’ and ‘Some Heads Are Gonna Roll’.

The new deluxe edition pairs the studio album with a complete live show – two disc’s worth of live material recorded on the ‘Defenders’ tour of ’84.   Unlike the two previous Priest deluxe editions, no visual material is included, despite the band making a few TV appearances to promote the original album.   The extended 12″ mix of ‘Freewheel Burning’ is also omitted.

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Real Gone’s end of year round up, 2014

Given the position Real Gone finds itself in at the end of our fifth year online, it might seemed clichéd to say it, but ever year seems to get better and better.  It’s been another brilliant year for discovering new music – particularly releases from underground and DIY bands, but also for discs from a couple of old favourites.  Culled from hundreds of albums to grace our stereo this year, presented below is a quick look at ten of our favourite releases, as well as a round-up of the more notable of the rest.

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Idiots & Idols (A Real Gone Sampler)

2014 was an absolutely great year for music from DIY bands or releases distributed through independent labels. There was so much great music this year that Real Gone found that just one free sampler just wasn’t enough!

A free sampler containing tracks from ten different metal bands can be found here.  For those who’d like a few free gems from other genres – rock, pop, punk etc – in ‘Idiots & Idols’ we’ve got a similarly top-notch collection for you!

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CLOUD ATLAS – Beyond The Vale

Cloud AtlasCloud Atlas is a melodic rock/prog rock band based in York, formed from the fragments of various other prog rock/folk-prog bands.  Vocalist Heidi Widdop will be known to some listeners as being the first vocalist with Mostly Autumn, as well as being a integral part of subsequent off-shoot Breathing Space and the short-lived Stolen Earth, the latter a band that also featured future Cloud Atlas guitarist/bassist Martin Ledger. Joining them is drummer Ian Halford and – new to the sometimes confusing and rather incestuous MA family tree – keysman Dave Randall.  A guest bass is supplied by Stu Carver (also ex-Mostly Autumn).

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