Roland Orzabal (60) and Curt Smith (60), also known as Tears for Fears, have announced a North American tour set to take place this summer.

A continuation of last year’s trek, “The Tipping Point Tour Part II” will visit 22 cities, starting on June 22nd. The tour’s itinerary includes notable shows at venues such as Madison Square Garden in New York City, Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in Bethel, NY, Moody Center in Austin, TX, and the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. Cold War Kids will provide support for the entirety of the tour.

Tickets can be bought right here.

Last year, Tears for Fears released “The Tipping Point”, their first studio album in 17 years. The duo decided around 2016 that it was time for new music, but their management pushed them to make an album full of hit attempts. That album was never released, although it was completed. The ‘lost’ album led to the contact between the two fading again until Orzabal’s new partner pushed for action in early 2020, just before the pandemic. Orzabal went to Smith with an acoustic guitar on his back, and the duo recorded all sessions on an iPhone.

Tears For Fears 2023 Tour Dates

• 06/23 – Atlantic City, NJ – Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena
• 06/24 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena
• 06/26 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
• 06/29 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage
• 06/30 – Montreal, QC – Place Bell
• 07/02 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Saratoga Performing Arts Center
• 07/05 – Bethel, NY – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
• 07/07 – Virginia Beach, VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheatre
• 07/08 – Raleigh, NC – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek
• 07/11 – Franklin, TN – FirstBank Amphitheater
• 07/13 – St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre STL
• 07/14 – Kansas City, MO – Starlight Theatre
• 07/16 – Houston, TX – Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
• 07/17 – Austin, TX – Moody Center
• 07/20 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena
• 07/22 – Portland, OR – RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater
• 07/24 – Vancouver, BC – Pepsi Live at Rogers Arena
• 07/26 – Bend, OR – Hayden Homes Amphitheater
• 07/27 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena
• 07/29 – Sacramento, CA – Toyota Amphitheater
• 08/01 – Palm Springs, CA – Acrisure Arena
• 08/02 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil.

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Genre/Influences: Dark-Wave.

Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl, Cassette.

Background/Info:  formation Iamtheshadow released their fifth album

Content: This album sounds sweet and melancholic. The songs are composed by guitar, bass guitar and synths while frontman Pedro Code sings with a deep, timbre of voice. Belgian female singer Kristien Cools (Splendidula) has been invited to sing on one of the tracks injecting a bewitching effect to the work.

+ + + : I like the album’s sweet taste of melancholia. It has a dreamy- although dark effect which is accentuated by the synth lines. The title song is a cool piece illustrating this side. It comes also through during the last songs of the album. But my favorite cut is without a shadow of a doubt “IamTheDark” featuring Kristien Cools; this woman having a very charismatic and bewitching timbre of voice -reminding me of Gudrun Snake from Ľahká Múza.

– – – : The songs are sometimes a bit linear while I’m missing a few climaxes.

Conclusion: Iamtheshadow is revisiting melancholic Dark-Wave formats with a taste of reverie.

Best songs: IamTheDark”, “Remind Me”, “Catching Fire”, “The Killing”.

Rate: 7½.

Artist: www.facebook.com/IAMTHESHADOWOFFICIAL

Label: www.coldtransmission.com / www.facebook.com/coldtransmissionmusic

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

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The London-based label Hybrid Blak has just released the 12-track compilation “Hybrid Blak: Blaktracks Vol. 2” showcasing 14 different artists. The compilation is focusing on the newest sounds of the darker underground.

Included is material from Biomechanimal, Mechanical Vein & Saltee, ER4SE, Tris, Static Starlight, Prophetical, Kalcyfr & Moris Blak, and So Called. Also included is material from Truly Significant, Sinister Souls, Kofin and Sentinel Complex.

The label launched in 2019 with releases from the UK bands Biomechanimal and Mechanical Vein. Their first compilation offering came in the form of “Hybrid Blak: Blaktracks Vol. 1” showcasing a mashups of styles spanning from EDM to synthwave and industrial.

Below is a trailer for the label’s second compilation.

You can download it below via Bandcamp.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil.

side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Electro-pop.

Background/Info: This is the next EP/single released by Patrik Hansson (Vanguard) and another song that will get featured on Uncreated’s debut album “Eternal”.

Content: The title song is totally devoted to electro-pop music. It sounds catchy and just like on the “Evolve”-EP driven by dance beats. “Not Your Soldier” has been remixed by Machinista, Rotersand, DNTR and Random Starlight. The B-side track “At The Front” will not be featured on the full length and is another danceable and melodic song.

+ + + : “Not Your Soldier” features the requested elements to speak about a successful electro-pop song; it’s catchy, melodic, dance and featuring a talented vocalist. I like the remix made by Machinista while the one by Rotersand will for sure catch wider attention. The B-side track sounds definitely more than simple filler.

– – – : Compared to the “Evolve”-EP this one is less ‘sexy’ and convincing although it remains an honest EP. I also expected a bit more from the remixes.

Conclusion: “Not Your Soldier” is a cool song, but it’s not that evident to release a new potential ‘master hit’ after the phenomenal “Evolve”!

Best songs: “Not Your Soldier – Machinista Remix”, “Not Your Soldier”, “Not Your Soldier – Rotersand Remake”. 

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.facebook.com/uncreatedofficial

Label: www.conzoomrecords.de / www.facebook.com/conzoomofficial

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Future-pop, body-pop, EBM.

Background/Info: After the acoustic-live album “Sedated” (2017) Sven Friedrich and
André Feller are back on track unleashing the fifth studio album of their Solar Fake project.

Content: “You Win. Who Cares?” moves on there where previous albums left off. The influences remain pretty similar, mixing elements of EBM together with electro-pop and future-pop. The songs are danceable and mostly carried by solid melody lines during the choruses. A few harder cuts make me think to the power-pop style several artists are actually dealing with (and I especially refer to the newest work of Croona).

The limited edition of this work features an extra disc taking off with the cover of “Papillon” (originally written by The Editors). We next get a solid load of remixes by MR. Kitty, Patenbrigade: Wolff, Ost+Front, In Strict Confidence, Adam Is A Girl, Random Starlight and Era Nocturna together with Heavenly Creatures.

+ + + : Solar Fake has established their very own sound throughout the years. They are merging different electro-styles together resulting in a highly danceable and melodic pop format. This album confirms the talent of the German duo while accentuating their composing skills for great melody lines. But it also is an album revealing a styled approach and numerous cool sound treatments.

The cover version of “Papillon” is a real challenge, but it’s a cool version, which I think will be very efficient on stage. Among the remixes I especially want to mention the great job done by Patenbrigade: Wolff, In Strict Confidence and Adam Is A Girl.

– – – : This work will not take you by surprise; it sounds personal and danceable, but without being a  true innovation.

Conclusion: Solar Fake confirms their growing status (especially in their homeland) by this ultra accessible and danceable work.

Best songs: “Just Like This”, “Wrong Direction”, “Invisible”, “A Bullet Left For You” + “Just Like this – Patenbrigade: Wolff Remix”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.solarfake.de / www.facebook.com/SolarFake

Label: www.outofline.de  / www.facebook.com/outoflinelabel

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Electronics, industrial-pop, cinematographic.

Background/Info: Reza Udhin and his gang are back on track with a new Inertia album. Inertia is a band that went through several line-up changes, experimenting with different influences, but which always remains an exciting band to follow.

Content: Inertia is not exactly repeating themselves. If you remember the early period of the band and you now listen to “Dream Machine” you even get the impression that you are listening to another band. This band anno 2017/2018 reveals a mature production, built up with solid bass lines, beautiful synth lines, multiple cinematographic passages, great and often sexy vocals (featuring several male-female duos) and even a surprising cover version of Peter Gabriel’s “Games Without Frontiers”.

+ + + : “Dream Machine” is an open-minded piece of work featuring noticeable sound sculptures and always accomplished with superb synth lines supporting the songs with grace. The cinematographic style is something ‘new’ the band progressively developed during the past few years and maybe reaching its climax on “Dream Machine”. “Starlight” is a beautiful song illustrating the soundtrack skills of the band. There also is some ‘drama’ running through the work, which creates a delicious symbiosis with the bombastic arrangements at one side and the sensual vocal (duos) at the other side. “Dream Machine” is an album filled with emotion, musical reverie, but still has this original ‘naughty’ industrial sound approach.

– – – : I’m not totally convinced by the Peter Gabriel cover version. I think the main point with this new album, symbolizing the evolution of Inertia over the past years, which is no longer comparable with their hard-hitting electro-industrial EBM sound of the 90s.

Conclusion: “Dream Machine” has something refreshing and even a little bit visionary for its electro-cinematographic style filled with emotion and drama. Speaking for myself I think it’s their best album in years!

Best songs: “The Chill”, “Starlight”, “Afloat Above Abide”, “Thorns”, “Dream Machine”.

Rate: (8).

Band: www.inertia.rocks / www.facebook.com/inertiaband

Label: www.metropolis–records.com / www.facebook.com/MetropolisRecords

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Electro-pop.

Content: I’m really pleased with the 3rd full length album by Swedish electro-pop duo Ashbury Heights. It also is their first album in 5 years. Anders Hagström and Yasmine Uhlin went through hard times and especially Anders had to face several losses.

Sound-wise Ashbury Heights remain rather faithful to their well-crafted and efficient electro-pop sound. I always have loved this band for their great writing and production skills, which is an essential element that hasn’t changed. The work reflects maturity and the secret formula from ‘how to compose great pop music’.

I now and then can hear some passages reminding me of Depeche Mode, but it’s more in the details. Globally speaking this album is carried by an own electro-pop sound, which is mixing elements of dance-music, a few technoid arrangements and some irresistible vintage-like electronic ideas. Most of the tracks are excellent stuff for dancefloors. A last essential element, which even makes the magic of the band, consists of the vocal production featuring Tea Thimé who replaced Yasmine Uhlin.

There’s a perfect alternation and symbiosis between male and female vocals. They’re really complementary while adding a nice sexy touch (especially the half spoken passages) to the work. Both members are in perfect fusion with each other.

“The Looking Glass Society” was inspired by the work and fascination of the band for Lewis Caroll. It’s an interesting source of inspiration reflecting some magic universe although a song like “Ghost Spirit Mother” reveals a deeper and more intimate lyrical content. This song is a poignant testimony of a son who has lost his mother and an artistic expression of Anders to remember his mother who passed away.

But this album first of all is a nice collection of alluring songs. “Phantasmagoria” and “Left Off At Seven” both are potential hits while the work also reveals multiple cool songs. Ashbury Heights has this knowledge to create songs, which directly catch your attention for their efficient sound sculptures and exploding choruses.

Conclusion: Ashbury Heights strikes back with grace and probably with their most intimate and successful work to date.

Best songs: “Phantasmagoria”, “Left Off At Seven”, “Gravitational Man”, “Starlight”, “Piano”.

Rate: (DP:8½)DP.

Band: www.facebook.com/ashbury.heights

Label: www.outofline.de / www.facebook.com/outoflinelabel

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com