Southern Empire - Live At HQ (May 22nd 2016) (2017)

Live recording of the band's debut album launch. Australian progressive rock at it's finest. If you're a fan of Dream Theater, Spock's Beard and Porcupine Tree then this album is for you!

Southern Empire is one of Australia’s most exciting progressive rock bands.

Formed by keyboardist Sean Timms after the dis-banding of Unitopia, Southern Empire astounds the listener with intricate yet catchy songs, amazing musicianship and a harder, more edgy sound perfectly suited to today's generation.

For those who love the music of Dream Theater, IQ, Transatlantic, Karnivool and Steven Wilson, this is the band you've been waiting for.

Southern Empire released their debut album early 2016 through GEP Records and will be touring Europe and the U.K in September/October 2017 to support the release of their 2nd album.

After a 17 year involvement with Unitopia ended in 2013, Sean Timms had an album’s worth of songs written, but no band to play and record them.

Sean approached vocalist Danny Lopresto about forming a band to play the material and ultimately record an album and tour. The two had known each other for many years and had worked together in the studio, but never as a song writing partnership or in the live arena.
Danny was extremely excited at the prospect and the two set about adding his powerfully emotional vocals to the song demos.
They then auditioned for a guitarist, bass player and drummer to complete the line-up.
Enter Cam Blokland, Jez Martin & Brody Green.

Soon after, the band started rehearsing the material which due to the creative input of all of the members quickly took on a new lease of life.

In April 2015, the group recorded the bed tracks live at internationally renowned recording studio Chapel Lane.

Over the next few months overdubs were recorded at Sean’s studio, Timms Tunes and the album mixed by Gabs Agostino at Chapel Lane.

Adding their talents to the line-up are Tim Irrgang, percussionist with Unitopia and UPF,
internationally renowned composer and multi-instrumentalist Adam Page on Saxophone and flute and Samurai of Prog frontman Steve Unruh on Violin and flute.

Nearly every part of the recording process was filmed and the video clips are available as a bonus disk with the album.

This release is a live recording of their debut gig at HQ and features the entire first album plus a 30 minute track which will appear on the next album as well as Hey You, a cover of the Pink Floyd song and Roundabout, a cover of the Yes classic. Both of these songs are available for viewing on YouTube and a DVD of the album is available through the band's website www. southernempireband.com.

Track List:
01 Show Me the Way + Forest Fire (12:12)
02 Hold (11:54)
03 The Crossroads (28:54)
04 How Long (12:50)
05 Hey You (08:37)
06 The Bridge That Binds (28:57)
07 Dreams & Machines (05:28)
08 Roundabout (10:33)

Danny Lopresto - Lead Vocals / Guitar
Cam Blokland - Guitar / Vocals
Brody Green - Drums / Vocals
Jez Martin - Bass / Vocals
Sean Timms - Keyboards / Vocals / Saxophone / Lap Steel Guitar

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