SHINING HAVE joined forces with Spinefarm Records for a worldwide deal that will see a new studio album released later this year supported by international touring, plus a number of high-profile festival appearances (in France, Belgium, Norway & Holland), with more dates to be added.
The brainchild of multi-instrumentalist, vocalist & songwriter Jørgen Munkeby, Norwegian collective Shining ' fresh from a European tour guesting with Devin Townsend ' have been breaking down musical barriers for the past 15 years, mixing progressive, technical metal, jazz, avant-garde and experimental sounds with cutting-edge visuals and blazing live performances. Along the way, Munkeby (skilled saxophonist & guitarist, a graduate of the Norwegian Academy of Music) has released a number of Shining albums, collected awards, toured with the likes of Dillinger Escape Plan & Arch Enemy, and effectively forged a whole new musical genre.
Just as Venom created 'Black Metal' in the early '80s, so Shining can proudly put their name to 'Blackjazz' ' also the title of their 2010 album, a Top 10 record in Norway. Following 'Blackjazz' came the excellent 'One One One' (2013), and now it's time for studio album number seven (title tbc); as with 'Blackjazz' & 'One One One', it's been mixed by Sean Bevan (Marilyn Manson, Nine Inch Nails, A Perfect Circle, etc.), and is about to be mastered in Los Angeles by Tom Baker (Baker Mastering).
According to Munkeby: "Our new album is one of our most varied, encompassing the whole gamut of what we do, from the sinister ferocity and experimentation of 'Blackjazz' to the more focussed songwriting of 'One One One'. It really is the culmination of all the best elements in the Blackjazz world!
"Shining are now at the high point of our career, with several high-profile tours completed over the past couple of years, so we feel it's very fitting for us to be moving ahead with Spinefarm Records at this particular time; we are greatly looking forward to working with them to take Blackjazz to the masses around the world, and we can't wait for everyone to hear our new album!"
Says Spinefarm Records General Manager UK, Dante Bonutto: "It's very rare that you get a chance to work with a band like Shining and an artist like Jørgen Munkeby: a songwriter and a musician with a vision that sets him completely apart from the norm ' yet a vision that still allows for songs that can appeal to a broad audience. Creating challenging, intelligent music doesn't mean that it can't connect both emotionally and commercially, and I speak on behalf of everyone at Spinefarm worldwide when I say that we're very much looking forward to spreading the Blackjazz gospel. Amen."
Adventurous, compelling and constantly developing, Jørgen Munkeby & Shining are a unique force to be reckoned with, as their full-tilt cover of King Crimson's '21st Century Schizoid Man' (a track on the 'Blackjazz' album and a regular highlight of the live set) clearly shows.
The future is bright. In fact, it's Shining.
www.spinefarmrecords.com
