Tenth Planet
Toronto, Canada | Established. Jan 01, 2002 | SELF
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Tenth Planet – Pieces
Article by: Professor Mark
The last time I heard and reviewed a Tenth Planet album was for the Prognaut back in 2008. Much has changed in those eight years.
That sophomore effort, Everything Is Never Over, was produced by famous Tea Party lead vocalist Jeff Martin. He even penned a track, one of the best on the album, Line in the Sand. It was a spectacular album which has left me anticipating the follow-up ever since.
Well, it has finally arrived! Pieces is the spectacular follow-up to that massive 12-track 2008 release. Gone is lead singer Martin Ouellette, who according to the band has retired from the industry. He is replaced, with Ouellette’s blessing, by Thom Anthony of Palmerstone and The Deadly Lyres. If you don’t hear the similarities between his voice and Chris Cornell of Soundgarden then you are just not listening carefully enough. Joining him are returning members, Brian Paul (guitars), Glenn Neath (drums) and Nic Vurro (bass).
Back in January of 2007, Tenth Planet was selected by Black Sabbath guitarist and founding member Tony Iommi as a finalist in his International Planet Rock Search. They were the only North American band to be selected and this Toronto band has returned, ready to rock. The opener, Watch it Burn gets the party started with powerful lyrics and that same ripping guitar I remember from Everything Is Never Over.
In fact, every track on this album is full of great musicianship with Anthony’s vocals delivering cutting lyrics and solid power. Just imagine Chris Cornell in his heyday delivering pounding, scathing vocals, surrounded by metal guitars with anthemic drums and deep bass keeping pace. It is the kind of follow-up album I was hoping for.
Some of my favorite tracks are Into the Fold, Pieces, Along for the Kill and Shining Down, but the best song on the album is by far The Window. After 11 tracks of solid power they surprise you by opening with acoustic guitar, and it makes all the difference in the world. Thom Anthony’s vocals never sounded closer to Cornell’s than on this song. It is incredible and worth the price of admission alone. In fact, my only criticism of this album is that there are not enough songs like The Window. Three or four more like this would have rocketed Pieces into the running to be among the best of the year.
However, I am happy that Tenth Planet are back, recording and making powerful music again. I hope they stay together. Thom Anthony is a great find and I hope he and the band make more music like this. Just change it up a little with tracks like The Window to break up the album mix. As the closer, I hope this track will be the new direction of the band’s future.
I anticipate the next chapter in this band’s story…and so should you.
TRACK LISTING
01. Watch it Burn (4:00)
02. Blades (3:42)
03. City of Light (4:49)
04. Into the Fold (5:29)
05. Pieces (5:28)
06. Along for the Kill (5:28)
07. Where’s My God (5:21)
08. The Way It Was (3:53)
09. Shining Down (4:51)
10. Transgressions (3:34)
11. The Window (8:21)
Total Time – 55:07
ADDITIONAL INFO
Record Label: Independent
Catalogue#: n/a
Year of Release: 2017 - The Progressive Aspect
Discography
The Prophet Curse - 2003
Everything Is Never Over - 2008
Watch It Burn (Single) - August 2016
City Of Light (Single) - December 2016
Pieces - Jan. 6, 2017
Photos
Bio
Free of the shackles of genre, bound to the structures of classic song-writing, Tenth Planet create globally accessible music that is hard, heavy, and melodic.
The band took root at the beginning of the millennium and in June of 2003, when they released their first album, “Retro Has No Future”. The song "We are the Cause of Everything" was winner of Umbrella Music's "Next Level" contest. In May 2004 the band was selected to be one of five finalists (recent finalists include The Trews and Finger Eleven)for 97.7 HTZ FM's Rocksearch 2004. They also found a new producer in The Tea Party’s Jeff Martin, who would produce the band’s next album, the critically acclaimed “The Prophet Curse”, which was released in mid 2005. Critics and fans alike praised the album, with the prestigious Kerrang! Magazine writing in their May 2005 issue, “It's clear that there are minds as well as hearts at work here. It's clever, shadowy rock... colossal." (Steve Beebee)
In September 2006, while supporting “The Prophet Curse”, the band went on their first tour of Europe. It was a huge success, playing dates in Holland, Germany, Belgium and England. The highlight was playing for 12 000 at the Breda Barst Festival, in Breda, Holland. The band had no record deal and label support in Europe, yet were able to make the tour successful due to overwhelming demand via international online CD sales and digital downloads.
In January 2007 the band was hand selected by Black Sabbath guitarist and founding member Tony Iommi as a finalist for his International Planet Rock Search, the only North American band to be selected. Later that same year, Tenth Planet returned for their second tour of Europe. This time, the band did full on acoustic performances of their album “The Prophet Curse”, plus tracks off their forthcoming CD, playing shows on a bill with Jeff Martin. In January 2008 the song “Do You Remain?”, a track from “The Prophet Curse”, was announced as a semi-finalist for the prestigious International Songwriting Competition.
The recording of their first full length album, “Everything Is Never Over”, was an international affair, recorded during sessions in both Toronto (Orange Lounge Studios and The Pocket Studios) and West Cork, Ireland (Kingdom Recording Studio). Jeff Martin once again took on production duties, as well as co-writing the song “Line In The Sand”. Also getting production credits on the album was multi-platinum selling guitarist, and founding member of Our Lady Peace, Mike Turner.
In December 2008 the band was winner of Alternative Addiction’s “Next Level” Contest and their album was named “Record of the Year” by Rudi Claeys of Rock Tribune magazine, Holland’s biggest selling Hard Rock magazine. In February 2009, a song from “Everything Is Never Over”, entitled “Man In Full”, was announced as a finalist for the International Songwriting Compeition. In April/May 2009 the song “See Yourself” was the #1 song in the International Indie charts (All Genres and Rock) for 6 weeks.
After an extended hiatus to work on other projects, in 2014 the band began to work with dedicated vocalist Thom Anthony - formerly of Palmerstone, The Dead Lyres and The All New Infidels. Having toured Europe extensively with his previous bands, Thom brings his work ethic and powerful vocal style to compliment the bands energy and diversity. With the blessing of founding vocalist Martin Ouellette, the band saw fit to carry on the Tenth Planet band with a new voice and new album. Recording took place in the fall of 2015 once again with Mike Turner at the helm.
The Fall of 2016 saw the release of the bands long awaited first single featuring Thom called "Watch It Burn". It was immediately showcased on 94.9 The Rock FM ahead of the new full length album "Pieces" that was released January 2017. The band will be supporting the new album well into 2017.
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