Vocalist JEFF SCOTT SOTO On Launching SOTO Band - "I Was Missing My Roots, Which Was The Heavier Side Of Things"
March 10, 2017, 7 years ago
Jeff Scott Soto first rose to prominence as lead singer on Yngwie Malmsteen`s first two albums back in the early `80s. Since then he`s recorded dozens of albums with Talisman, Takara, Eyes, Soul Sirkus and many others. He`s now returned to his old metallic roots with Soto, the band. Metal Express Radio's Mick Burgess caught up with him in Newcastle on his recent tour to talk about the formation of Soto and the philosophy behind the band, as well as his time on the road with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and news of a soon-to-be announced super group.
Soto will release their second studio album, Divak, on April 1st via earMUSIC. A video for the new song, “Unblame”, is streaming below:
Divak (pronounced "dee-vock") comes shortly after the band's debut release, Inside The Vertigo. It's a mere 15 months later, partly due to singer Jeff Scott Soto's insistence on continuing to create and build a true brand for his new venture.
Once again, the album is produced by Jeff Scott Soto and drummer Edu Cominato. It was mixed by long time JSS engineer/associate John Ellis, as well. The band features Soto on vocals, Cominato on drums, lead guitarist Jorge Salan, bassist David Z, and keyboardist/guitarist BJ. They are heavily featured on Divak, with their writing contributions together.
The first single "FreakShow" was co-produced/written by Tony Dickinson, who also co-wrote "The Fall”, which was the first single from Inside The Vertigo. The track is an extension of the Soto sound created especially for this new band.
Soto, formed in 2014, are the dream band created when Jeff Scott Soto realized how much he missed the "heavier side" of his career after fronting artists like Yngwie Malmsteen, Talisman, and Journey, and even his own solo albums. The band hopes to continue its role as a driving force in today's current hard rock and metal scene.
Tracklisting:
“Divak” (Intro)
“Weight Of The World”
“FreakShow”
“Paranoia”
“Unblame”
“Cyber Masquerade”
“In My Darkest Hour”
“Forgotten”
“SuckerPunch”
“Time”
“Misfired”
“The Fall From Grace”
“Awakened”
Bonus Tracks (All Digital Retailers):
“Final Say” (live)
“The Fall” (live)
“Break” (live)
“When I'm Older” (live)
“Stand Up” (live)
Additional Bonus Tracks (iTunes/Apple Music):
“My Life”
“Cracking the Stone”
“Awakened” snippet:
“Fall From Grace” snippet:
“Misfired” snippet:
“Paranoia” snippet:
“Weight Of The World” video:
“FreakShow” lyric video: