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The highly anticipated first album release of prog rock/metallers OBLIVION PROTOCOL — a supergroup founded by THRESHOLD keyboard player and songwriter Richard West — »The Fall Of The Shires,« is less than one month away: The record is due out on August 18, 2023 via Atomic Fire Records. Once again created by Ingo Spörl at Hard Media (https://hard-media.com/), the band have unveiled a lyric video for the third digital single of the album, ‘The Fall (Part 1).’ Shorten your personal wait and check out the song over on YouTube!

View the lyric video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebSK1x_QPwQ
Stream/purchase ‘The Fall (Part 1)’: https://oblivionprotocol.afr.link/thefallpart1PR

Richard explains: “This was the first song I wrote for »The Fall Of The Shires« and was originally intended for THRESHOLD. You’ll notice that it has a strong melodic connection to the opening song from »Legends Of The Shires« and also features a beautiful guest solo by THRESHOLD’s Karl Groom.”

Pre-order »The Fall Of The Shires« in the physical format of your choice (see below!), pre-save it on your favourite DSP or pre-order it digitally to receive ‘The Fall (Part 1),’ ‘This Is Not A Test’ and ‘Forests In The Fallout’ instantly now, here: https://oblivionprotocol.afr.link/thefalloftheshiresPR

More on »The Fall Of The Shires«:
‘Forests In The Fallout’ OFFICIAL LYRIC VIDEO:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wma_iVqKRWw
‘This Is Not A Test’ OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjgLdW8NgXU

The record was written as a sequel to THRESHOLD‘s 2017 concept album »Legends Of The Shires,« and delivers a dense, climactic sound somewhere between RUSH, STEVEN WILSON, »The Dark Side Of The Moon«-era PINK FLOYD and hard rock masters GHOST, all the while providing the listener with clever little nods, bows and references to the first instalment.

The album cover — designed by celebrated artist Thomas Ewerhard who was responsible for so many of THRESHOLD‘s classic covers such as »Hypothetical« and »Subsurface« — depicts the downfall of the world shown on »Legends Of The Shires.«

OBLIVION PROTOCOL‘s line-up is completed with three renowned musicians: guitarist Ruud Jolie (WITHIN TEMPTATION), bassist Simon Andersson (DARKWATER) and drummer Darby Todd (DEVIN TOWNSEND). Last but not least THRESHOLD‘s Karl Groom has also contributed some truly enthralling guitar solos to the record.

»The Fall Of The Shires« will be available in the following formats:

– CD-digipak
– 1LP in gatefold (green)
– digital

»The Fall Of The Shires« – Track Listing:

01. The Fall (Part 1)
02. Tormented
03. Public Safety Broadcast
04. This Is Not a Test
05. Storm Warning
06. Vertigo
07. Forests In The Fallout
08. The Fall (Part 2)

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The debut album of prog rock/metal supergroup OBLIVION PROTOCOL — led by THRESHOLD keyboard player and songwriter Richard West — »The Fall Of The Shires,« will hit the shelves on August 18, 2023 through Atomic Fire Records. After introducing themselves in the form of first digital single, ‘Forests In The Fallout’ last month, the quartet have unveiled another part of the upcoming musical saga. Chapter no. 4, ‘This Is Not A Test,’ is accompanied by the group’s very first music video, which was produced by well-known director Patric Ullaeus.

Richard comments: “‘This Is Not A Test’ is a song about finding out you’ve been conned. We had a great time filming the video last month at rEvolver Studios in Gothenburg [IN FLAMES, EUROPE]. Although most of us already knew each other, it was the first time we’d all met up as a group. Fortunately we got on like a house on fire!”

Pre-order »The Fall Of The Shires« in the physical format of your choice (see below!), pre-save it on your favourite DSP or pre-order it digitally to receive ‘This Is Not A Test’ and ‘Forests In The Fallout’ instantly now, here: https://oblivionprotocol.afr.link/thefalloftheshiresPR

»The Fall Of The Shires« will be available in the following formats:

– CD-digipak
– 1LP in gatefold (green)
– digital

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WATCH/STREAM/PURCHASE: https://oblivionprotocol.afr.link/forestsPR

OBLIVION PROTOCOL — the new project of THRESHOLD keyboard player and songwriter Richard West – have finally unveiled a first sonic appetizer from their debut album »The Fall Of The Shires« today.

Mastermind West explains: “At the end of »Legends Of The Shires,« the protagonist considers a number of possible futures (“maybe a painter, a guide, a clerk, a maker, or maybe a writer, a king, a star, a fighter”). So the sequel tells the story of him becoming the king and the consequences of that choice where he decides that the only way to control the population is to suppress and control them, so the shires become a much darker place.”

The first digital single, ‘Forests In The Fallout,’ is told from the perspective of the suppressed people and is the perfect introduction to this new progressive metal masterpiece.

Watch the supporting lyric video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wma_iVqKRWw
Stream/purchase the song: https://oblivionprotocol.afr.link/forestsPR

To be released on August 18, 2023 via Atomic Fire Records, the record was written as a sequel to THRESHOLD‘s 2017 concept album »Legends Of The Shires,« and delivers a dense, climactic sound somewhere between RUSH, STEVEN WILSON, »The Dark Side Of The Moon«-era PINK FLOYD and hard rock masters GHOST, all the while providing the listener with clever little nods, bows and references to the first instalment.

Pre-order »The Fall Of The Shires« in the physical format of your choice (see below!), pre-save it on your favourite DSP or pre-order it digitally to receive ‘Forests In The Fallout’ instantly now, here: https://oblivionprotocol.afr.link/thefalloftheshiresPR

Don’t forget to subscribe Atomic Fire Records on YouTube to stay updated & to listen to ‘Forests In The Fallout’ as well as other new tracks in the »AFR New Releases« playlist on Spotify: https://afr.link/spotifynewreleasesPR

»The Fall Of The Shires« will be available in the following formats:

– CD-digipak
– 1LP in gatefold (green)
– digital

»The Fall Of The Shires« – Track Listing:

01. The Fall (Part 1)
02. Tormented
03. Public Safety Broadcast
04. This Is Not a Test
05. Storm Warning
06. Vertigo
07. Forests In The Fallout
08. The Fall (Part 2)

The album cover — designed by celebrated artist Thomas Ewerhard who was responsible for so many of THRESHOLD‘s classic covers such as »Hypothetical« and »Subsurface« — depicts the downfall of the world shown on »Legends Of The Shires.«

OBLIVION PROTOCOL‘s line-up is completed with three renowned musicians: guitarist Ruud Jolie (WITHIN TEMPTATION), bassist Simon Andersson (DARKWATER) and drummer Darby Todd (DEVIN TOWNSEND). Last but not least THRESHOLD‘s Karl Groom has also contributed some truly enthralling guitar solos to the record.

OBLIVION PROTOCOL – »The Fall Of The Shires«
— Out August 18, 2023 Via Atomic Fire Records —
PRE-ORDER NOW: https://oblivionprotocol.afr.link/thefalloftheshiresPR

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OBLIVION PROTOCOL recently announced their signing to Atomic Fire Records and today, the new project of THRESHOLD keyboard player and songwriter Richard West unveil first details of their debut album »The Fall Of The Shires« which will be released later this year: The record was written as a sequel to THRESHOLD‘s 2017 concept album »Legends Of The Shires«, and delivers a dense, climactic sound somewhere between RUSH, STEVEN WILSON, »The Dark Side Of The Moon«-era PINK FLOYD and hard rock masters GHOST, all the while providing the listener with clever little nods, bows and references to the first instalment.

Richard West explains: “When my THRESHOLD band mates decided not to record a sequel to the »Legends Of The Shires« story, I knew I wanted to stay in that world a little longer, so I wrote my own sequel called »The Fall Of The Shires«.”

OBLIVION PROTOCOL‘s line-up is completed with three renowned musicians: guitarist Ruud Jolie (WITHIN TEMPTATION), bassist Simon Andersson (DARKWATER) and drummer Darby Todd (DEVIN TOWNSEND). Last but not least THRESHOLD‘s Karl Groom has also contributed some truly enthralling guitar solos to the record.

“The Fall Of The Shires” Track Listing:

  1. The Fall (Part 1)
  2. Tormented
  3. Public Safety Broadcast
  4. This Is Not A Test
  5. Storm Warning
  6. Vertigo
  7. Forests In The Fallout
  8. The Fall (Part 2)

The album cover — designed by celebrated artist Thomas Ewerhard who was responsible for so many of THRESHOLD‘s classic covers such as »Hypothetical« and »Subsurface« — depicts the downfall of the world shown on »Legends Of The Shires«. The group’s debut single »Forests In The Fallout« will be unveiled on May 26th alongside album pre-order options.

OBLIVION PROTOCOL:
Richard West – vocals, keyboards
Ruud Jolie – guitars
Simon Andersson – bass
Darby Todd – drums

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When Richard West released »Legends Of The Shires« in 2017 with his band THRESHOLD, he opened the gates to a unique world of progressive metal on this sprawling, multi-layered concept album. For over 5 years, night had fallen over these Shires, but now the time has come to dive back into these fascinating metaphorical lands and witness their new destiny: »The Fall Of The Shires« will be the ambitious sequel, released under the new band name OBLIVION PROTOCOL that Richard started with 3 internationally renowned musicians:

“I’m completely blown away to announce that I’ve signed a record contract with Atomic Fire Records for a new project called OBLIVION PROTOCOL”, Richard West states. “When my THRESHOLD band mates decided not to record a sequel to the »Legends Of The Shires« story, I knew I wanted to stay in that world a little longer, so I wrote my own sequel called »The Fall Of The Shires«. Joining me on the journey are guitarist Ruud Jolie (WITHIN TEMPTATION), bassist Simon Andersson (DARKWATER) and drummer Darby Todd (DEVIN TOWNSEND). THRESHOLD’s Karl Groom has also performed a couple of great guitar solos on the album, while the vocal and keyboard duties fall to me.”

Atomic Fire Records’ co-founder and A&R Markus Wosgien adds:

“We have been friends with THRESHOLD-keyboardist Richard West for many years now and, above all, have always had a huge amount of respect for his skills and the work of his band. »Legends Of The Shires« was another masterpiece from the Brits, a captivating concept double-album with one prog anthem following the other. When Rich presented us with a follow-up to »Legends Of The Shires«, which he had put together under a new band name, we were immediately hooked and can’t wait to share this prog masterpiece with the rest of the world.”

The band is currently wrapping up the recording process for this special project and »The Fall Of The Shires« is scheduled to see the light of day in 2023. Further info will be revealed soon!