Los Angeles, CA-based metallic fusioneers COSMOSQUAD have posted a 3-minute teaser of their forthcoming album 'Acid Test' at MySpace.com/JeffKollman. Co-produced by drummer Shane Gaalaas (B'z, DIESEL MACHINE, GLENN HUGHES) and guitarist Jeff Kollman (GLENN HUGHES, MOGG/WAY, $IGN OF 4) at Crumb West Studios in Simi Valley, CA between February and April, 'Acid Test' marks the group's first studio effort since 2001's highly acclaimed 'Squadrophenia', released on Marmaduke in North America and Mascot and Zain/Big M.F. in Europe and Japan, respectively.
"I'm really stoked to have this new record coming out - it's been way too long!" enthuses Gaalaas. "It seems that everything came together very naturally and it was a lot of fun to collaborate with Jeff again. I think we take the listener on quite the journey throughout 'Acid Test.' Epic songs with lots of movement, heaviness, some greasiness, and an amazing ballad from Kollman that really sets him apart from other guitar players. The playing is certainly elevated a notch but we still retain the classic 'Squad vibe - the stuff that made us famous, ha ha!"
'Acid Test' is scheduled for a May 28 release in North America via Marmaduke and June 6 in Japan on Zain/Big M.F.. The tracking listing reads as follows:
01. NuMena
02. The Spy Who Ate Her
03. Lubitorium
04. Bedbucket
05. Goathead
06. Hindenburg
07. The Long Walk Goodbye
08. Swink
09. Grossalicious
Missing from the latest COSMOSQUAD endeavor is long-time bassist Barry Sparks (TED NUGENT, MSG, ULI ROTH) who played on the band's first three records. "We tried our best to get Barry to put down some tracks for 'Acid Test' but with him living out of town and being the road warrior that he is we just couldn't line it up scheduling-wise this time", explains Gaalaas. "But, we'd been doing live gigs with a revolving cast of bass players anyway so once we started recording we spread the tunes around and everybody came through with some great playing. So it all worked out well in the end."
Sharing bass duties on 'Acid Test' are Jeff Kollman's old EDWIN DARE band mate Kevin Chown (ARTENSION, TONY MacALPINE, MAGNITUDE 9), Christopher Maloney (Z, $IGN OF 4, HARDLINE), and Paul Shihadeh (SCOTT HENDERSON, SCOTT KINSEY); keyboards are supplied by Ed Roth (IMPELLITTERI, GLENN HUGHES, FATES WARNING) who plays on five cuts, and noted composer Jono Brown, co-author with Kollman on the recent Garmin GSP Superbowl commercial.
COSMOSQUAD will be celebrating the release of 'Acid Test' with a Friday, June 1 show at the Baked Potato, 3787 W. Cahuenga Blvd., Universal City, CA; Kollman and Gaalaas are joined by bassist Christopher Maloney for the occasion.