New Shining

With the release of their new double album ‘Stripped/Full Circle’ (release May 25th, 2012), heavy rockband THE NEW SHINING show themselves from an extraordinary, up until now unknown side. On album ‘Stripped’ electric guitars were switched for acoustic ones, for a moment the ‘wall of sound’ became ‘the sound of silence’.
After experiences gathered during the process of writing acoustic CD ´Stripped´, singer Nax decides to ‘close the circle’ and continues his story by composing electric CD ´Full Circle´.
Two CD’s, two sounds, one story..
Dutch radio icons describe the album as ‘Sensationally good!’ and ‘Unique in its kind’. Within one week after their release The New Shining storm the national charts of ‘best releases over 30 years’ with a number 2 position, just one place above Paul McCartney (!).
Nax (singer/guitarist): “Writing these albums turned my world upside down.”

Acoustic CD ‘Stripped’:
In 2010 the band chooses another path. “The idea of releasing an acoustic album has been on my mind for a long time already. We originally wanted to rewrite some of our well-known electric songs in a more quiet, sensitive way.” With this plan in mind the 3-piece band settles early 2010 in the Grien Room Studio. “Something happened... After recording the first 8 songs and listening back to these tracks, we figured: it doesn’t feel right. It’s got to be REAL, not just making noise..”
This turned out to be such an inspiring discovery to singer/guitarist Nax that for the upcoming two years the studio became his 2nd home. With guitar, sitting down on a chair this time and behind the recording mic, Nax started to write and compose both night and day. After these two intense years he left the studio with the incredible amount of over 90 new songs just for Stripped alone.

“But that wasn’t all. Being in the studio did not only change my view on music in general, it was an intense confrontation with myself. The outcome was a very turbulent period of heavy situations and emotions. My life, my relation, the band, friendships.. I had a complete overview of everything I was and used to be, and noticed deep down: I don’t feel comfortable living this kind of life anymore. I have to change my ways.”

Nax used this intense period in his life as an inspiration for ‘Stripped’. “I hád to write to get thru these dark times.” That’s what makes ‘Stripped’ a melancholic, but incredibly passionate album. “At the age of 17 I tried to commit suicide. I was standing by the waterside, ready to drown myself. At the very last moment I thought, if life isn’t worth anything to me anymore... What would I like to do before I die? The answer was making music. And that’s what I did from then on; it gave me a reason to exist the next 15 years. Being in the studio I thought about that a lot. And I realized time had come for me to tell my true story, to bring my songs to “the next level”. It felt like a revelation to write music completely from the heart ánd to show my vulnerability, instead of thinking about commercial value or set radio guidelines. Often songs reveal themselves to me in my dreams. But every song I wrote urged me to take a step forward. It has proven to be much-needed therapy for my soul. As it turns out: ‘Stripped’ has become the soundtrack of these two years of my life.“

Electric CD ‘Full Circle’:
After experiences gathered during the process of writing the acoustic CD ‘Stripped’, Nax decides to ‘close the circle’ and continues his story by composing electric CD ‘Full Circle’. The same personal lyrics, but this time with a much heavier sound. This CD is all about lost and new found love, and striking a balance after years of working on and fighting for your dream.

Band history in a nutshell..
The New Shining was founded in the summer of 2006. The three band members, Xander “Nax” Stok (vocals and guitar), Arjan “R” Nijman (bass and backing vocals) and Vincent “Vince” Stok (drums), already played in many other bands together for almost a decade. In 2006 they decided to move on with just the three of them under a new name: ‘The New Shining’. Besides guitar, Nax picks up singing as well for the first time. This appeared to be the best choice they could have made: it all made sense now. After 15 years of relentless dedication drummer Vince decides to leave the band early 2012. Talented Roel van der Sluis fills his shoes from now on.

With their international sound the Dutch 3-piece band conquers a good position in the alternative rock scene. After the release of debut album ‘Supernatural Showdown’ (2008, produced by Oscar Holleman, known from Within Temptation a.o.) and second album ‘Hedges against the Night’, recorded in the USA (2009, produced by Erwin Musper, known from Bon Jovi, Metallica a.o.), the band gets many laudatory reviews in both national and international media. In 2008 The New Shining gets a Top 10 position in American alternative charts for their single ‘Red Eyes’.

Live:
The New Shining played many stadiums, stages and festivals these last years. From 2009 till end 2011 The New Shining was the opening act for living rock legend ‘The Golden Earring’.

Watch videoclips Can’t Make Up My Mind and When We Collide on Youtube!

www.thenewshining.com
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Discography:

Supernatural Showdown (released 18-04-2008, FLOW Records)
Hedges Against The Night (released 12-10-2009, Johhny T. Records)
Stripped/Full Circle (Double album, 25 tracks, released May 25th 2012 Johnny T Records)

New Shining in the news

	Gospel Has A Brand New Shining Lady Of Music, Lady Elizabeth Townsend (12/01/2015)
	Xander Demos Tops Hit-tracks Top 100 Chart (30/09/2013)