BMG Music has released the legendary ASIA studio album Phoenix with a highly collectible double vinyl edition, available today, May 26th. Asia are the multi-platinum selling English rock band who formed in 1981 and celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2021. Their 1982 self-titled debut album reached number one in several countries, including nine weeks topping the US charts, with lead single ‘Heat Of The Moment’ making the top 40 in over a dozen, including US #4.
Pooling the talents of John Wetton, Carl Palmer, Geoff Downes and Steve Howe, ASIA immediately became the epitome of a supergroup of rock aristocracy and the natural heir to its members’ legendary bands of the 70s – King Crimson, Emerson Lake & Palmer, The Buggles and Yes.
Leaving behind their progressive roots, ASIA embraced the commercial FM rock sound and took the new MTV video channel, by storm. Heat Of The Moment was a world-wide monster smash and their 1982 debut album spent 9 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard chart. Asia became the biggest selling album of the year and world tour dates sold out. A second album, Alpha, was released in 1983, when the band began a period of personnel changes before eventually breaking up.
Twenty three years later, the four original members reconvened in 2006 for a sold out world tour. In 2008, the album Phoenix followed to critical acclaim and the delight of its still very loyal fan base. Phoenix album (previously unreleased on LP) was the band’s first studio album with its original line-up. In terms of sound, this emotionally compelling comeback album saw Asia continue the very high standards from where they left off in 1985. As in the past, it displays suppleness stretching out into multi-part suites while retaining a knack for big, arena pop hooks.
The members came together again to record Omega in 2010 and XXX in 2012. Steve Howe stepped back from ASIA to concentrate on his work with YES and was absent for 2014’s Gravitas. Following this tour came the news of John Wetton’s treatment for cancer, a fight he sadly lost in 2017.
The new PHOENIX vinyl version is available here: https://Asia.lnk.to/PhoenixPR
