KIKO LOUREIRO - Expanded Edition Of Sounds Of Innocence Album Announced; iTunes Version To Include Instructional Videos South America has provided quite a few important historical moments in
rock n' roll over the years. Case in point,
KISS performing their final
concert in make-up before unmasking in 1983; or
QUEEN headlining the
first-ever Rock in Rio Festival in 1985; or the continent spawning one
of the world's most renowned metal bands,
SEPULTURA. And South America
is also home to prog metal vets ANGRA, who have steadily issued
challenging yet heavy albums on a regular basis since 1993.
And now comes the fourth solo album overall from that band's leader,
guitarist extraordinaire
KIKO LOUREIRO, entitled Sounds Of Innocence,
which is out on June 18th.
iTunes will release a special package, containing the full album and
track by track instructional videos - the first time this feature has
ever been included on an iTunes album release. Additionally, a Kiko
Spotify app Soundrop will be issued on the same release date.
"Sounds Of Innocence brings a balanced mix of Latin grooves with
traditional shredding," explains
Kiko. "It comes at a more mature point
of my career but still has first time excitement to it."
Although the album is completely instrumental (which helped
establish the guitarist's career in Europe and Japan), according to
Loureiro, it is an incredibly personal piece of music, that will succeed
in establishing him in the US (a main goal of the musician, as it is
the country that he now calls home).
"All the reflective moments during the past year of my life are
somehow represented in the ten songs from Sounds Of Innocence. These
compositions depict my experiences in perfect form. They combine my past
to what I am now - remembering the innocent times of a distant past but
simultaneously being humble enough to keep innocence as an important
value at present. It keeps me learning, exploring, developing and
sharing. I love what I do, and this involves a unique feeling that music
is something that unites us universally. Music doesn't belong to me nor
anyone. The more I create, the more innocent and free I feel to present
and share my music."
As a result, the tracks that comprise Sounds Of Innocence run the
gamut of tranquility ('Awakening Prelude', 'A Perfect Rhyme') to
over-the-top shredfests ('Conflicted', 'El Guajiro'), and some tracks
that lay somewhere in between ('Ray of Life'). And as its creator
explains, there is a perfectly good reason for an album that resembles a
hard rock rollercoaster ride.
"Sounds Of Innocence is my inner voice, whispering constantly, sounds and melodies, textures and harmonies."
In addition to the release of the expanded version of Sounds Of
Innocence, Kiko will be recording a live DVD in Brazil (on June 14th),
is booked as a counselor at The YES Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp (from
July 14th – 17th in Las Vegas), while a nationwide clinic tour begins in
August (date to be announced). Additionally, Kiko will be scheduling a
promo tour for the week of June 24th - 28th (covering the US northeast)
and the week of July 8th - 12th (covering the west coast).
Sounds Of Innocence tracklisting:
'Awakening Prelude'
'Gray Stone Gateway'
'Conflicted'
'Reflective'
'El Guajiro'
'Ray Of Life'
'The Hymn'
'Mãe D'Água'
'Twisted Horizon'
'A Perfect Rhyme'
More on
Kiko Loureiro at this location.