A Sound of Thunder's third full length album Time's Arrow features 11 powerful and supremely catchy songs in the band's trademark classic metal style. The steel-armored wail of prodigal vocalist Nina Osegueda (called by some "the lovechild of Rob Halford and Bruce Dickinson") tops off deft performances by a band that knows how to deliver the goods. From the infernal metal intensity of "Queen of Hell", to the brooding and brutal "My Disease" (featuring Iron Maiden vocalist Blaze Bayley), to the fist-pumping anthem "I Will Not Break", A Sound of Thunder delivers a timeless album full of metal classics. TIME'S ARROW - Mad Neptune Records, June 4, 2013 Time's Arrow is A Sound of Thunder's third full-length album, following hot on the heels of 2012's acclaimed Out of the Darkness (Nightmare Records) and 2013's fiery Queen of Hell EP. Well known for prolific songwriting and recording output, the band found itself with more than an album's worth of new material before Out of the Darkness was even released. Entering Assembly Line Studios in May 2012 with producer Kevin '131' Gutierrez (Shinedown, While Heaven Wept), by December A Sound of Thunder had recorded 80 minutes of new music which ultimately comprised the Queen of Hell EP (released January 2013) and Time's Arrow. The new material stays true to A Sound of Thunder's philosophy of writing the music that flows naturally from the band, and focuses on quality songwriting with a total disregard for sub-genres or niches. "I think this is by far our strongest batch of songs yet," said guitarist Josh Schwartz. "Ian Gillan [Deep Purple] said that songwriting is a muscle, not a well, and after pumping out three albums and 2 EPs in less than 4 years, this band is pretty ripped." While the album is firmly grounded within the realm of traditional metal, the band's lack of regard for niche marketability can be heard clearly on the bluesy, classic rock-inspired "End of the Road", and "Reign of the Hawklords", the band's tribute to space-rock gods Hawkwind. While most of the material on Time's Arrow was written recently, the epic title track dates back to a home demo recorded by Schwartz in 2008. "I remember hearing the original demo years ago and thinking 'this is it, this is exactly the kind of music I want to make," stated frontwoman Nina Osegueda. At just short of 10 minutes long, the track begins with a layered and orchestrated intro, segues into a speedy gallop, and proceeds to take listeners on a dynamic ride that recalls Iron Maiden, Deep Purple, Rush, and even Manowar. However the unprecedented level of production and complexity is not the only first related to the title track. The band is also issuing a short story, penned by drummer Chris Haren and available in the limited box set edition of the album, which greatly expands on the story told in the lyrics (also written by Haren). Vocalist Blaze Bayley (Wolfsbane, ex-Iron Maiden) appears on the album, performing a duet with Nina on "My Disease". Described as a "twisted love song", the track was written with Blaze in mind for the male vocal, and trades on the introspective and emotional style at which Blaze excels. One of the heaviest songs on the album, "My Disease" is more influenced by Blaze's solo work than his time in Maiden, showcasing a dark, Black Sabbath-influenced vibe. Also of note is bassist Jesse Keen's virtuosic bass solo, a first on an A Sound of Thunder album. While A Sound of Thunder always focuses on music first, another huge part of the story of Time's Arrow is the formation of Mad Neptune Records, the band's own record label. The band's fans came to the rescue and funded the completion of Time's Arrow via a Kickstarter campaign in the fall of 2012 (during which fans raised over $9,500 in exchange for various rewards). Once the album was completed, the album was presented to multiple labels around the world. According to guitarist Schwartz, "What we heard over and over again was that all the metal A&R people loved our music, but we were too eclectic to market. If we had ten songs that sounded exactly like 'Queen of Hell', it would not have been a problem. It's easier to sell something that's totally homogenous. Power metal labels don't want traditional metal, prog labels don't want hard rock, etc., etc. One thing that was never on the table was changing our style to get a deal, so we decided to form our own label." "We would also like to give a hearty thanks to Lance King, owner of Nightmare Records, for his encouragement in going independent and forging our own path," said Schwartz. Time's Arrow will be the first release on Mad Neptune Records, and while the label will primarily handle A Sound of Thunder in the short term, it will consider other bands' releases in the future. "We're interested in helping other bands that are in a similar position to ours, writing and recording quality music, but stuck between genres, and possibly not as experienced at handling all the non-musical aspects of getting their releases out into the world." Bio: A Sound of Thunder delivers timeless metal with a focus on melodic, memorable songs. Lead vocalist Nina Osegueda is a rare example of a metal frontwoman who delivers powerful, lung-busting performances akin to Bruce Dickinson and Ronnie James Dio. The band combines traditional heavy metal with elements of modern power metal, classic rock, prog, blues, and more. Big, catchy riffs are accompanied by a rhythm section walking the line between classic groove and prog/power technicality, with solos that recall the glory days of arena metal. Lyrics run the gamut of sci-fi and fantasy to more personal, soul-searching topics. 'ASoT' deliver a refreshingly familiar dose of metal that would stand up as well in 1983 or 2023 as it does in 2013. A Sound of Thunder was formed in 2008 by guitarist Josh Schwartz and drummer Chris Haren. The two met while playing in a cover band in the Washington, DC area. Schwartz is primarily self-taught on guitar, with formal education in music theory. A Sound of Thunder is his first band to last more than a few months. Haren has been drumming since a young age and has a bachelor's degree in percussion and music performance. In late 2009, the pair were joined by vocalist Nina Osegueda. A prodigy with the Washington Opera from a young age, Osegueda's has proven to be one of the most poweful and versatile voices in metal in recent memory. After the addition of Osegueda, the band went straight into the studio, recording their debut EP with a session bassist, after which they began gigging and recording their debut album with a succession of bass players. Finally in late 2010 the band's now permanent lineup was completed with the addition of bassist Jesse Keen. Keen has extensive experience both gigging and recording in the Nashville, Tennessee area, as well as formal music education, and brought both bass and keyboard proficiency to the band. The release of Metal Renaissance in March 2011 drew positive reviews and was punctuated with increased touring on the east coast of the U.S. A Sound of Thunder immediately began recording their second album Out of the Darkness with producer Kevin '131' Gutierrez (While Heaven Wept, Shinedown) in May 2011. The band signed with Nightmare Records, releasing Out of the Darkness in March 2012 to rave reviews, and launching their first US tour in May 2012, covering 3,000 miles and including dates with Sabaton and Rhapsody of Fire. Time's Arrow will release June 4, 2013 (North America) and June 3, 2013 (Worldwide) on Mad Neptune Records. The album is currently available for pre-order as both a standard edition and deluxe limited box set at the band's official store. The first single from the album, "I Will Not Break", will be released the week of April 8th.