New supergroup Sons Of Apollo have revealed that they’ll release their debut album later this year.
The band sees former Dream Theater members Mike Portnoy and Derek Sherinian reunited – and they’re joined in the lineup by Mr Big and The Winery Dogs bassist Billy Sheehan, ex Journey frontman Jeff Scott Soto and former Guns N’ Roses guitarist Ron ‘Bumblefoot’ Thal.
They’ll release the album Psychotic Symphony on October 20 via InsideOut Music/Sony Music which was produced by The Del Fuvio Brothers – aka Portnoy and Sherinian.
Portnoy explains: “Derek and I reunited shortly after I left Dream Theater in 2010 and we put together an all-instrumental touring band with he and I, Billy Sheehan and Tony MacAlpine.
“That was my first time working with Derek since the 90s when he was in Dream Theater and it was just great to be working with him again.
“Ever since that tour, which was really just a one-off live thing, he has been nudging me to start a real, original, full-time band. The timing just had never been right, because I had too many other things on my plate. Long story short, the time was finally right to take the bait and put together a band.”
Sherinian adds: “Mike and I work at a relentless pace in the studio. The music is modern, but we have an old school soul. What is unique about Sons Of Apollo is that we have true rock’n’roll swagger along with the virtuosity – a lethal combination!”
Portnoy is quick to let fans know that recording and touring with his Winery Dogs bandmate Sheehan in Sons Of Apollo isn’t the end for the band they’re in with Richie Kotzen.
He says: “This is a real band. This is going to pick up for me and Billy where The Winery Dogs left off, in terms of this being the next logical full-time thing for us.
“I’m not saying The Winery Dogs have broken up, because we haven’t, we’re just on a break. Sons Of Apollo is absolutely going to be a full-time band and we plan on touring all over the world all throughout 2018 and, honestly, it is the priority for all five of us.”
Sons Of Apollo have also released a short album teaser featuring their new material. Listen to the clip below.
Further album details will be revealed in due course – and Sons Of Apollo feature in the upcoming issue of Prog magazine, which hits store shelves on Friday, August 4.
- TeamRock Radio returns to the air
- Queen and Led Zeppelin star in the new issue of Classic Rock, out now!
- Primus return with new album The Desaturating Seven
- Read Classic Rock, Metal Hammer & Prog for free with TeamRock+
