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JFH Music News Report

TREE63 RELEASES FIRST NEW ALBUM IN 7+ YEARS, LAND, SEPT. 11

Mature, Sonically Powerful, Lyrically Complex Album Reflects Band's Natural Evolution, Progression

US "Land" Tour Slated To Begin In October




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NEWS SOURCE: Hoganson Media
July 31, 2015

Internationally-renowned South African rock band Tree63 will independently release its seventh full-length album, Land, on Sept. 11 through The Fuel Music distribution. On hiatus since 2008, the band re-formed following the enthusiastic reception received at a series of reunion events last year in South Africa. Inspired again by fans that participated in a successful Kickstarter campaign for the album earlier this year, Tree63's new 12-song recording reflects the natural evolution and progression of the original trio consisting of John Ellis (vocals and guitar), Darryl Swart (drums) and Daniel Ornellas (bass).

Revealing a mature, sonically powerful and lyrically complex album with Land, Ellis suggests that what listeners can expect is what the band has always delivered: "I hope they feel relieved that a band they once trusted can still be trusted, trusted with one vital thing that Tree63 always gave listeners: honesty. Every lyric, every sonic structure, every melody, every song is sheer heart-on-the-sleeve honesty."

The anthemic first single released earlier this year to Kickstarter supporters and as a Youtube lyric video, "The Storm," propels that honesty as the intense imagery in the song is of a man being swept overboard, treading water and crying out to God.

"I hope listeners can take away that sense of 'thank God, I'm not alone, somebody else feels this lonely and forgotten and hopeful and bewildered and resolved to carry on the journey'," says Ellis. "My own recent experience leads me to the realization that even though we believe we will reach our destination across the hazardous sea God asks us to cross, it won't be an easy voyage, and often we arrive shipwrecked and battered. The guarantee, however, is that we at least arrive."

Other stand out tracks featured on Land include "Hard To Believe," a beautiful and brutally honest confession about dark days and silence that ultimately ends with hope. "Lyrically, it's so honest and real," Swart says. "It really encourages those of us who find the going tough at times."

The songs "Ship" and "Standing On It" continue the theme in what begins to feel like a single story, stretched out over the length of the album, of a man struggling with doubt and fear, beaten down by the storms of life, and yet remarkably hopeful.

"When I typed up all the lyrics before the vocal sessions, I realized this theme of some kind of 'hazardous sea voyage,' a kind of Jonah-like deliverance tale, was emerging," says Ellis about all the songs on Land. "I thought about Jonah and the various perils of promising to journey with God and the reticence that comes with facing some of the realities of that journey."

Sharing the music and message of Land on tour, Tree63 will be playing the new hits and other fan favorites on the US tour that is slated to begin this October.

Below is the full Land track listing:

01) Alive
02) The Storm
03) A Whisper
04) Standing On It
05) If God
06) Hard To Believe
07) Ship
08) Every Reason
09) Stumbling Stone
10) Blood Flows
11) The Greatest Story Ever Told
12) Never Had A Winter

About Tree63:
First formed in 1996, Tree63 came to international attention with the release of their second album, 63 (Survivor Records) in 1999. The three-piece band followed 63 in 2001 with its self-titled release on US-based InPop Records, which sparked the radio hits "Treasure" and "Look What You've Done." Picking up a Dove Award that year for "Rock Album of the Year," the band went on to record four more critically acclaimed albums, release numerous radio singles, including the No. 1 hit and Billboard's most played Christian Song Of The Year in 2004, "Blessed Be Your Name," from 2004's The Answer To The Question.

With the success of the albums and singles, Tree63, known for their dynamic live performances, has toured with Jeremy Camp, Delirious?, Rebecca St. James, Festival Con Dios and others. They also made numerous appearances with the Billy Graham Evangelical Association, headlined Canada's multi-denominational Christian youth conference (YC) events and more.

For all the latest news, tour and more on Tree63, go to www.tree63.com, www.facebook.com/treesixtythree, @tree_63, and YouTube.

About The Fuel Music:
Established in 2008, The Fuel Music & Management, LLC, is one of the leading independent distributors of music, CD's, tapes and vinyl records internationally and enjoys a growing base in artist merchandise sales. Based in Tennessee, the Fuel team brings nearly 70 years of combined music industry experience in record label operations, record distribution and marketing (EMI Label Group), and artist management for artists ranging from upstart bands to GRAMMY Award nominated, multi-platinum artists. More information on the company can be found at www.thefuelmusic.com.

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For more info on Tree63 visit the JFH Artists Database.

 



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