XXX
Asia
CD+DVD | CD | MP3
Frontiers Records
Release Date: June 29, 2012

XXX, the newest album by the progressive rock group Asia and it marks the third release since the original members reunited, and for fans of this group, who got their start 30 years ago, there will no disappointments whatsoever. Others, however, might see the musical circumstances rather differently.

Asia, which is a group made much in the mold of those other supergroups like Cream or Blind Faith, is comprised of John Wetton on bass and vocals, Geoff Downes on keyboards, Carl Palmer on drums, and the great Steve Howe on guitar. These men came from more adventurous prog rock groups such as Yes, King Crimson, and Emerson, Lake and Palmer. They shed their respective gymnastically sonically hyper-arranged skills that they ultilized during their tenures in these aforementioned bands and gave a more leaner, tighter, realized progressive pop sound in Asia, even spawning hits like “Heat of the Moment,” and “Don’t Cry,” which remain unabashed 80’s anthems. On this newest release, XXX, the band is firmly still mired in that sound, which is almost like a zeitgeist for the group, as all songs included on the album sounds like artifacts from that time, without missing a beat one iota.

The original members of the rock band Asia will be celebrating their 30th anniversary with a new album (on CD+DVD and CD), DVD, and a world tour, as well as a reissue of their debut album.

The original line-up — Geoff Downes (keyboards), Steve Howe (guitar), Carl Palmer (drums), and John Wetton (bass, lead vocals), will release a new studio album called XXX on Tuesday, July 3, 2012 in the U.S (June 29 in the UK), and will embark on their 30th Anniversary World Tour later this year.

Along with the new album, Asia will also release Resonance, a DVD concert film from the group’s 2010/2011 Omega World Tour, as well as a collectors’ edition of their eponymous 1982 debut album, which contains their hit song “Heat Of The Moment,” which you might remember featured prominently in the Steve Carell comedy 40-Year-Old Virgin.