The Gems on ‘Fruits Of My Labor’: “This song is about overcoming and appreciating the struggles on the way to making your dreams come true.”
The trio consisting of three ex-Thundermother members, Guernica Mancini, Emlee Johansson and Mona “Demona” Lindgren, caught the attention of the music industry even before they had a name, and started playing live internationally when they only had one standalone single out, already receiving significant airplay chart success in Germany.
The members of The Gems hit #6 on the Official German Album Charts twice with their previous band, and performed at many huge international festivals such as Wacken, Sweden Rock and Alcatraz, and toured with iconic rock band Scorpions. With their debut album Phoenix, The Gems rise from the ashes, ready to take over the rock scene.
Captivating, chanting intro track ‘Aurora’ allows vocalist Guernica Mancini‘s distinctive, strong and bluesy vocals shine, and sets the scene before the catchy rock’n’roll anthem ‘Queens’ roars as a celebration of feminine power. Standing up for oneself, fighting back and rising above are some of the main lyrical themes of Phoenix, which ‘Send Me To The Wolves’ is an outstanding example of. The song’s storyline champions overcoming and not giving in to oppressors, before ‘Domino’ takes The Gems’ grooviness to the level of legendary classic rock bands of the 70s. With emotional tracks like ‘Undiscovered Paths’ and ‘Fruits Of My Labor’, The Gems bring significant depth and variety to the album, distancing themselves from their history. Stunning interlude ‘Maria’s Song’, featuring violinist Maria Jern, fades into the touching ballad ‘Ease Your Pain’ – giving extra space to the exceptional guitar work of Mona ‘Demona’ Lindgren. Following track ‘Running’ shines as a surefire future hit with more impressive guitar work and Emlee Johansson’s hard hitting drums, before the beautifully stripped down acoustic version of ‘Like A Phoenix’ – backed with acoustic guitar by producer Johan Randén – wraps up The Gems’ debut album. Phoenix was mastered by Plec Johannsons (Soilwork, Hank von Hell, Firewind) and its artwork was created by ex-Thundermother member Giorgia Carteri (Soilwork, The Nightflight Orchestra).
It is clear that the seasoned musicians of The Gems won’t settle in the shadows of their prior successes. With their fresh, convincing debut offering, The Gems take a stand and leave the past behind. Make no mistake – with Phoenix, The Gems will conquer the international rock scene in a heartbeat.
Phoenix will be available in the following formats:
• Die Hard Edition, 1 LP Gatefold Vinyl Orange, Red Marbled (incl Slipmat, 16p booklet, cotton bag (38x42cm) – Napalm Records Mailorder exclusive – strictly limited to 100 copies worldwide
• 1 LP Gatefold Vinyl Blue – Napalm Records Mailorder exclusive – strictly limited to 150 copies worldwide
• 1 LP Gatefold Vinyl Violet – The Gems Shop exclusive – strictly limited to 300 copies worldwide
• 1 LP Gatefold Vinyl Black
• 1 CD Digisleeve
• Digital Album
