FM - Heroes And Villains

Arguably the UK’s finest purveyors of Melodic Rock music, FM will release their new studio album "Heroes & Villains" on April 17th in Europe and April 21st in North America.

‘Heroes & Villains’ is FM's (FM official) first release since signing to Frontiers Music Srl, and follows the band’s highly acclaimed 2014 E.P. ‘Futurama’ and sell-out UK arena tour with Foreigner and Europe. FM’s UK tour kicks-off in Bristol on Friday, 1st May, and includes dates in Wolverhampton, Portsmouth, Nottingham, Glasgow, Newcastle and Manchester, with the final night of the tour taking place at London’s O2 Shepherds Bush Empire on Sunday, 10th May and will be anticipated by the band’s eagerly awaited performance at the Frontiers Rock Festival in Trezzo sull’Adda (Milan) Italy on April 11th.

The fourth album since FM reformed in 2007, ‘Heroes and Villains’ sees FM staying true to their musical legacy, offering their classic sound updated, with great songwriting and performances spiced-up by the golden voice of lead vocalist Steve Overland. Self-produced, the recording session took place at Tremolo Studios, before being mixed and mastered at Abbey Road Studios.

Looking forward to the release of ‘Heroes and Villains’, Steve Overland said, “I think we have managed to capture the best elements of what the band are about in 2015. We had great fun making the record and we are all very proud of the finished result. There are big rock anthems in tracks like ‘Diggin' Up The Dirt’ and ‘Fire and Rain’, and many melodic songs with FM’s trademark hooks and vocal harmonies. There are also not one, but two ballads. One of these (Walking With Angels) is a stripped-down acoustic song, which is something a little different for us.”

The band’s drummer, Pete Jupp, added, “After our shows in November the band was white hot and the creative juices were in full flow, so the writing and recording process for Heroes and Villains was a prolific and painless affair. We're looking forward to getting back out on tour, straining at the leash.”

Merv Goldsworthy, FM’s bassist, agrees: “All the songs all came together really quickly and the recording of the album went without a hitch. Once we started getting the mixes back of the first few songs we knew we were onto something. Heroes & Villains is a little rockier and a little more up tempo than Rockville, and that suits me fine! I'm really looking forward to touring this album this year - bring it on!”

Guitarist Jim Kirkpatrick confirmed what FM fans already know: “We're on a roll! Some of the tracks on this album are better than anything that the band has ever produced, and Steve’s voice is as good as ever."

Keyboard player Jem Davis, who has given the album a retro sheen by incorporating a Moog, Mellotron and a healthy dose of Hammond organ, is equally excited: “The band is on fire and the new album sounds HUGE! I think this is going to be an amazing year for FM!”