- 19.04.2010 - mew reviews online - More reviews added :) --- - 11.01.2010 - Fool's Game recap on 2009 and a look forward to 2010 - So the first week of 2010 is over, and I've had some time to think about 2009 ... 2009 really was a great year for Fool's Game. We finally released out debut CD, Reality Divine to rave reviews. While we haven't seen any sales numbers yet, I know the first pressing sold out very quickly and Cruz del Sur printed another batch of CDs. The CD came out right before the Prog Power USA festival, and every copy the vendors had for sale at the festival was sold in the first hour or so of the doors being open. So, thank you to everyone who purchased a copy. I heard from several reviewers and fans that Reality Divine was their album of the year, since we spent two years on this disc, it really means the world to me to hear that from people. 2010 looks to be an exciting year for the band as well. I have currently written four songs for the next CD, and will be writing for the better half of this year. When I started writing the first CD, there was no band, so I wrote everything pretty much by myself. This time out, I am writing with the rest of the band. I've already spent time with Nick and Matt J. working on songs for the second CD. I'll be getting with John this winter to work on songs with him as well. The plan is to record the album towards the end of the year, with a release date early in 2011. I know that seems like a long ways away, but with everything we have going on, it's really just around the corner. Many people have asked about the Fool's Game lineup. Yes, it will be the same lineup for the next disc, with the possibility that we will add a bass player to the lineup. We would really like to bring this band to the stage, and we'll need a bassist to do that, so it makes sense to bring one in for the writing process as well. I am not going to say the next album will be "heavier" or "our best work to date", or any thing clichéd like that. I think every artist would like to think that their current work is the best they have ever done, and I certainly feel that way about these new songs, but that judgment will be up to the listener. The new songs also seem to be a little more melodic and not as crushing as the first CD, but they are still in their infancy. Once John adds his drums and Lars adds vocals they might wind up even heavier than Reality. The members of Fool's Game will be very busy in 2010. Matt Johnsen's Pharaoh will be releasing the Ten Years EP through Cruz del Sur this spring (as soon as I get done mixing it!). They will also be recording their fourth full length album at my MCR Studios this summer. As with all things Pharaoh, timing is relative. Lars and Manticora are hard at work on the follow up to The Black Circus albums. I haven't heard any news about recording dates, but check their website for details. Nick and Redemption just released Snowfall on Judgment Day through Inside Out/Century Media this fall. They have announced a few west coast live headlining dates, a few in support of Primal Fear in California, and at least one European festival date. I know Nick is also working on the music for the follow up to Snowfall .... The project that I may be most excited about is John and ARK! John and Tore have put ARK back together and are in the process of writing the follow up to the brilliant Burn the Sun. Speaking of album(s) of the year ... here are my top five for 2009: Indukti - Idmen Redemption - Snowfall on Judgment Day Savage Circus - Of Doom and Death Tyr - By the Light of the Northern Star While Heaven Wept - Vast Oceans Lachrymose So thanks for making 2009 a memorable year for me, and for Fool's Game. I (and we) truly appreciate each and every one of you who has supported the band, purchased the CD or in other ways helped us out! Happy New Year! Matt C / Fool's Game --- - 30.09.2009 - new reviews online - A couple of more reviews to be found in the "press section" of this site. --- - 18.09.2009 - more reviews online - More new reviews to be found in the "press section" of this site. --- - 16.09.2009 - new interview online - A couple of interviews with Matt Crooks can be found in the "press section" of this site. --- - 15.09.2009 - full album streaming - Cruz Del Sur have made the new album, "Reality Divine" available for streaming, which means that you can LISTEN HERE to the entire album! There are also links on that site to our distributors/online-stores worldwide, where you of course can go and buy your own personal copy :) --- - 14.09.2009 - buy "Reality Divine" on iTunes - Buy HERE (US residents only) Also, more reviews and interviews have been posted in the "press" section. --- - 09.09.2009 - more reviews - A couple of more reviews have been posted in the "press" section. --- - 08.09.2009 - "Reality Divine" released worldwide - The debut album from FOOL'S GAME, "Reality Divine" has now been released worldwidel You want a quote from the media? How about: "Best Melodic Metal album of 2009", "Absolutely Masterful", "The Debut of a Great Band". (MetalCrypt.com).... "...this disc was just a welcomed surprise for me and as each track kicked in, I wondered will the hot streak continue or slowly begin to fizzle. I'm happy to report that this was a strong release from top to bottom with no weaknesses. The musicianship is beyond top notch and there is definitely something in here for everyone. If you're a fan of any of the genres mentioned above or just like good music, then this is a can't miss". (live4metal.com) "Progressive and metallic in equal measure, this is what you want from your power prog. Matt Crooks risked a lot lets this bunch of players loose on his creation, instead what he got was a mature collection of great metal." (blogcritics.com) "Paying tribute to our forefathers of thrash and power metal, Fool's Game's Reality Divine is metal to the core. This CD delivers something for everyone. It has well-structured songs, double bass drums, harmony guitar solos and lots of melody. If you're a fan of metal, this CD is a fine addition to any collection. And if you're not a fan of metal ... Reality Divine just might change that. With this current lineup, Fool's Game is a band that is sure to deliver high-grade metal for many years to come". (hardrockhaven.net) --- - 17.08.2009 - Reviews of "Reality Divine" - The first bunch of reviews have arrived, and they are all pretty impressive :) Check them out in the "press" section of this site. --- - 04.03.2009 - Fool's Game signs worldwide record deal - We're very happy to announce that we've signed a worldwide deal with CRUZ DEL SUR MUSIC for a September 2009 release of our debut album. Here is the official statement from the record label: --- CRUZ DEL SUR MUSIC is proud to announce the release of FOOL'S GAME debut album "Reality Divine" in September 2009. FOOL'S GAME is the brain-child of guitarist/song-writer MATT CROOKS, pursuing new musical experiences after leaving his previous band DIVISION. To carry on this project, Crooks recruited some excellent musicians among the ranks of his friends, and so FOOL'S GAME was born with the participation of MATT JOHNSEN (PHARAOH, guitars), LARS F. LARSEN (MANTICORA, vocals), JOHN MACALUSO (STARBREAKER, ex YNGWIE, ex ARK, drums) and NICK VAN DYK (REDEMPTION, keyboards). The music of FOOL'S GAME is best described as a modern Judas Priest, mixed with an old-fashioned Iced Earth. Add a bit of each of the bands, the members have represented earlier on or are still part of, and you have a dark, thrashy, melodic power metal album with high octane drumming, shredding guitar riffs, pounding bass, intriguing keyboards and versatile vocals, with a very thoughtful approach to the lyrical content. A kick in the face from an exciting new band!" --- - 05.01.2009 - Welcome - Welcome to the new homepage of the power metal band FOOL'S GAME. This homepage will be frequently updated with lots of info over the coming weeks. For now the site is pretty "empty", but we're currently writing up all the info on the bandmembers, putting up pictures, adding information about label deals (our management is currently shopping the final album to record labels worldwide) and of course we'll also add some soundfiles for you to check out. Keep coming back to this site and enjoy the music of FOOL'S GAME :)