Captivating, chanting intro track “Aurora” allows vocalist Guernica Mancini’s distinctive, strong and bluesy vocals shine, and sets the scene before the catchy rock’n’roll anthem “Queens” roars as a celebration of feminine power. Standing up for oneself, fighting back and rising above are some of the main lyrical themes of Phoenix, which “Send Me To The Wolves” is an outstanding example of. The song’s storyline champions overcoming and not giving in to oppressors. Songs like “Domino” and “Kiss It Goodbye” take THE GEMS’ grooviness to the level of legendary classic rock bands, while high-energy songs such as “P.S.Y.C.H.O.”, “Silver Tongue” and “Force Of Nature” add a playful, feel-good touch to the album. With emotional tracks like “Undiscovered Paths” and “Fruits Of My Labor”, THE GEMS bring significant depth and variety to the album, distancing themselves from their history. Stunning interlude “Maria’s Song”, featuring violinist Maria Jern, fades into the touching ballad “Ease Your Pain” – giving extra space to the exceptional guitar work of Mona “Demona” Lindgren. Following track “Running” shines as a surefire future hit with more impressive guitar work and Emlee Johansson’s hard-hitting drums, before the beautifully stripped-down acoustic version of “Like A Phoenix” – backed with acoustic guitar by producer Johan Randén – wraps up THE GEMS’ debut album. Phoenix was mastered by Plec Johansson (Soilwork, Hank von Hell, Firewind) and its artwork was created by ex-Thundermother member Giorgia Carteri (Soilwork, The Night Flight Orchestra).
It is clear that the seasoned musicians of THE GEMS won’t settle in the shadows of their prior successes. With their fresh, convincing debut offering, THE GEMS take a stand and leave the past behind. Make no mistake – with Phoenix, THE GEMS will conquer the international rock scene in a heartbeat.
THE GEMS on Phoenix:
“Phoenix marks the beginning, the rise of THE GEMS. This album takes you on a journey through one of our toughest times. Through this creative process we were able to really dig deep and let go of a lot of emotional baggage, and find true happiness in music again. The new found freedom our band has been given us shines through on this album. We couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve accomplished, and the true Rock n Roll Sisterhood and community we’ve built through these few months of our existence. Phoenix is the perfect album for anyone going through a tough time, having the rug pulled out under you and somehow finding the strength to rebuild. You’ll get the full range of emotions, masterfully produced by our dear friend Johan Randén, who we also wrote some of the songs with.
We hope people will love Phoenix and really enjoy the epic ride this album will take you on.”
Tracklist Phoenix:
1 Aurora – Interlude
2 Queens
3 Send Me To The Wolves
4 Domino
5 Silver Tongue
6 Undiscovered Paths
7 Maria’s Song – Interlude
8 Ease Your Pain
9 Running
10 Renaissance – Interlude
11 Like A Phoenix
12 P.S.Y.C.H.O
13 Kiss it Goodbye
14 Force Of Nature
15 Fruits Of My Labor
16 Like A Phoenix – Acoustic Version
Phoenix will be available in the following formats:
- Die Hard Edition, 1 LP Gatefold Vinyl Orange, Red Marbled (incl Slipmat, 16p booklet, cotton bag (38x42cm) – Napalm Records Mailorder exclusive – strictly limited to 100 copies worldwide
- 1 LP Gatefold Vinyl Blue – Napalm Records Mailorder exclusive – strictly limited to 150 copies worldwide
- 1 LP Gatefold Vinyl Violet – The Gems Shop exclusive – strictly limited to 300 copies worldwide
- 1 LP Gatefold Vinyl Black
- 1 CD Digisleeve
- Digital Album
