Vocalist Robin McAuley (McAuley Schenker Group), guitarist Reb Beach (Winger, Whitesnake), bassist Jeff Pilson (Foreigner, The End Machine, ex-Dokken), and drummer Matt Starr (Ace Frehley, Mr. Big) have joined forces in BLACK SWAN, a new band project signed to Frontiers Music Srl. Today the band unleashes the second track from the album entitled “Black Disaster.” Listen to it HERE:
https://youtu.be/WkSABV5epM4
Last week vocalist Robin McAuley had quite a scare but is now well on the way to recovery:
“Hello everyone and hope your having a fantastic “BLACK SWAN” Monday! This past week, as some of you know, was quite a disastrous one for myself and my family. Hospitalized with a very bad bacteria (Sepsis), but I’m home now and I’m on the mend. Very humbling experience that I wouldn’t wish on anyone.
Yesterday, on Frontiers Records BLACK SWAN released our second single from the upcoming February 14th album, “SHAKE THE WORLD”!! Ironic that the title of this new single “Big Disaster” comes following my recent hospitalization and scary experience. I thrive on a healthy diet and exercise and will kick this thing in its Sepsis Ass!!! Looking forward to a full recovery and seeing you all very soon.”
Their debut album, “Shake The World,” an aptly titled album if ever there was one, is a delightful romp of powerful hard rock that is not simply the sum of its parts, but a powerful rock ‘n roll machine. It will be released on February 14, 2020 on CD, LP, & Digital formats.
Watch the first single and video, for the title track, HERE:
https://youtu.be/kY9KR7mEz1k
The genesis of Black Swan was sparked by a conversation between Jeff Pilson and Frontiers’ President & Head of A&R, Serafino Perugino, who wanted a project that would not only showcase McAuley’s vocal prowess, but have a mighty musical backbone to stand skyscraper tall behind him. Thus, the initial seeds were planted and Pilson ran with it from there. “Shake The World” was tracked at Pilson’s home studio in Los Angeles and is a showcase of both the musical talents of the instrumental players in the band as well as McAuley’s powerful voice. The four members got Black Swan off the ground by exchanging ideas back and forth and then bringing all the songs together. The final result is something fresh, very heavy, but still intensely melodic and it’s certainly not Dokken, nor Winger, nor MSG, or some combination thereof, but it’s own unique animal. As an example, one of the songs was written by Jeff Pilson right after seeing the Queen movie ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. “I came home and I sat down at the grand piano and pretty much wrote exactly the chorus that we have, just coming straight [from] the movie. It is a bit Queen-like.”
Black Swan’s “Shake the World” is a killer slice of melodic hard rock and heavy metal from seasoned players who have gelled musically. Whether you are a fan from “back in the day” or brand new to the scene and just diving in, this album is essential listening!
