The release date of the of the new album, When The Curtain Closes, by the US prog/power metal band The Nightmare Stage on CD is April 26th, 2019. The pre-order phase will start on April 12th, 2019 in the Pure Steel Records webshop.
New York’s The Nightmare Stage are new to the Pure Steel catalog but already had previously released an independent debut album called Free Admission For The Damned in 2010.
When The Curtain Closes is the second work of the US-Americans, who inspire with a successful mix of Progressive and US Metal. Rich keyboard parts meet sophisticated guitar riffs and the distinctive voice of ex-Inner Strength vocalist Scott Oliva. The Nightmare Stage, built up from the ashes of Immortally Committed, also present theatrical prog elements as well as simply-straight metal riffs. The bombastic production also makes fans of the middle Queensryche phase, Fates Warning (Ray Alder era) and early Dream Theater listen up.
This CD takes the listener on a journey, as each track combines various dynamic levels and tempos with complex harmonic structures. The CD’s opening track, “Demented Impresario” sets the tone as the lyrics invite you to, “Come inside. Settle down. Let me pour you a drink”. Special guest vocal appearances, by Joe Totillo, on tracks like “The Infamous”, “Hellbound”, and “From Below”, as well as Brenda Parisimo’s chilling vocal on the title track, both add another layer of dimension that draws you further inside the music. Complementing the punishing assault on 
songs like “Returns Again”, “Finding Home”, and “The Future I See”, tracks like “This is the End” capture a more epic ballad feel. The band’s dynamic range and versatility are showcased during such moments as the Blackmore-esque guitar solo at the tail end of “Demented”, the Floydian bass run that segues “The End”, and the haunting guitar atmospherics that surface in “Future.”
The Nightmare Stage line-up:
Scott Oliva – vocals
Craig Besemer – guitars, bass
Anthony Dazzo – bass
Mark Muchnik – keyboards
Rob Garcia – drums
