Live album and DVD on the way from I Am The Manic Whale

Reading prog quartet I Am The Manic Whale will release a live album and DVD, New Forms Of Life, in February. Recorded at Woodley's Oakwood centre in May of this year, the new release will feature live performances of all the songs from Gathering The Waters and several songs from the previous album, Everything Beautiful In Time.

“We have been focussing really hard on improving our live show since the first album was released and are very proud of where we have got to now," vocalist and bassist Michael Whiteman told Prog. "This was our first show working with lighting and visuals and this really took the experience to the next level. The visuals add another dimension and make the whole thing more than just a gig - it’s a full production.”

New Forms Of Life will be released on CD and as a digital download on February 1. A DVD film of the show will also be releaased at a later date, and will include extra songs and behind the scenes footage from the day. CDs and DVDs will be available through the band’s bandcamp page, and the download will also be available on iTunes and other usual platforms.

Keyboard player John Murphy says; “Michael’s songs hark back to the melodicism of the classic prog bands, whilst always looking forward and having unusual or inspiring subject matter, and we all love performing them, which I hope really comes across at our shows.”

The band will soon be turning their attention to the third I Am The Manic Whale studio album. Guitarist David Addis adds; "It's a good time to be a Whale! We have lots of demos for new songs working their way through the pipeline for album 3. It’s going to be great.”

Writer and broadcaster Jerry Ewing is the Editor of Prog Magazine which he founded for Future Publishing in 2009. He grew up in Sydney and began his writing career in London for Metal Forces magazine in 1989. He has since written for Metal Hammer, Maxim, Vox, Stuff and Bizarre magazines, among others. He created and edited Classic Rock Magazine for Dennis Publishing in 1998 and is the author of a variety of books on both music and sport, including Wonderous Stories; A Journey Through The Landscape Of Progressive Rock.