Anubis - The Second Hand

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For fans of: Yes, Pink Floyd, Steven Wilson, The Mars Volta, Genesis In 2017, Australian Prog Rock sextet Anubis release their fourth studio album, 'The Second Hand', following on from their critically acclaimed release 'Hitchhiking to Byzantium' (2014).

'The Second Hand' is, like the band's earlier work, a return to the narrative driven concept album format, charting the downfall of an aging media mogul, James Osbourne-Fox, who, after a severe brain injury is left paralysed and imprisoned in his own body and left to contemplate the futility of his life of corporate success. The album seeks to address the notion of balance, the media's influence on those who consume it, and how the bias and hysteria benefits no-one but those who sign the cheques, dividing people and leading to political turbulence and unrest. The lyrics - written very early in 2016 - had, by the end of the year and recording process, become seemingly even more prescient with the media and moneyed interest's roles in influencing the results of referendums, elections and even conflicts worldwide. Musically, 'The Second Hand' also channels some of the influence of its narrative-driven predecessors, with the stylistic diversity and dark heart of their debut '230503' (2009) and the classic symphonic progressive rock sound and style that typified 'A Tower of Silence' (2011). In a departure from previous albums, after the group returned from its 2015 European Tour, they spent 4 months in a studio creating the music together, before recording the album in a traditional way with amps, microphones, acoustic instruments, vintage and analogue keyboards - even a Mellotron. In this way, 'The Second Hand', though very much an album written for 2017, is still a performance record, and as such finds itself connected to a rich heritage of symphonic progressive music.

Anubis began in Sydney in 2004 as a writing partnership between Robert James Moulding (vocals/guitar/bass) and David Eaton (Keyboards), and they were subsequently joined by Steven Eaton (drums), Douglas Skene (Hemina; guitars), Dean Bennison (guitars), and later, in 2014, by Anthony Stewart (bass). The release of 'Hitchhiking to Byzantium' in mid-2014 saw the band taking steps forward where Byzantium's more contemporary sound helped the band's profile at home in Australia to grow, culminating in high profile appearances performing with modern progressive heavyweights Anathema and 70's stalwarts Uriah Heep. In April 2015, selections from the band's 2015 Australian shows were released as the live album 'Behind Our Eyes'. In May 2015, the band toured Europe and the United Kingdom for the first time, including a headlining appearance at the inaugural 'Prog the Castle' festival at Heidelberg in Germany, where the band presented a two hour show with the setlist being chosen from fan-favourites from the three studio albums. The first single from 'The Second Hand', 'Fool's Gold' was released on February 15th 2017 on the cover CD of Classic Rock Presents: Prog Magazine and as a download from the band's website.

The full album - with a hard cover digisleeve and artwork created by the band's long-time artist and collaborator, Tim Neill - will be released on May 23rd, 2017.

Pre-orders will be available at anubismusic.bandcamp.com on March 15th, 2017 which will be accompanied by a promotional video for the second single 'The Making of Me'.

An EPK is planned for release in April 2017 in the lead-up to the release of the record.

Anubis are:

Robert James Moulding

Vocals, Guitars, Percussion

David Eaton

Organs, Mellotron, Piano, Synthesisers, Guitar, and Vocals

Douglas Skene

Electric & Acoustic Guitars, Electric Sitar, and Vocals

Dean Bennison

Electric & Acoustic Guitars, Slide Guitar, and Vocals

Anthony Stewart

Electric & Acoustic Bass, Moog Bass Pedals, and Vocals

Steven Eaton

Drums, Percussion, Glockenspiel, and Vocals

'The Second Hand' Tracklisting:

1. The Second Hand (06:15)

2. Fool's Gold (6:33)

3. These Changing Seasons I (4:20)

4. The Making of Me (6:16)

5. While Rome Burns (9:40)

6. Blackout (7:45)

7. These Changing Seasons II (3:59)

8. Pages of Stone (16:45)

9. These Changing Seasons III (7:22)

Social Media:

Anubis' Homepage: www.anubismusic.com

Anubis' Facebook: www.facebook.com/anubismusic

Anubis' Bandcamp: anubismusic.bandcamp.com

Enjoy!

VJ Zakk-E

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