Never Ever forever
Here comes the rain
In the shadow of the Tarot
Corsairs and Buccaneers
See
Why do you treat me this way
Kick the can
Count me out Mr. Cool
Still hurting
Hangin' pain
Jamming with Fat Cats
16.45 to somewhere
Taxi night blues
- with special thanks to guest musicians - Simon Dowling: electric guitar [ tracks 1/2/3/4/6/11] Peter Cheetham: tenor sax [ tracks 6,11]
- Chas Duncan: piano [ track 13] Neil Scales - additional drums/percussion.
- T. Hassell: backing vocals/ A. Barnes: backing vocals, acoustic guitar/ P. Barnes: bass guitar/ A. Bithell: drums [ [track 10]
All music/lyrics written and arranged by Pat Rowbottom c and p 2025 except Rob Barnes : tracks 5, 10; Simon Dowling: track 4;
Chas Duncan; track 13.
Recorded, mixed and mastered at Starring Studios, Todmorden, Yorkshire, England between summer 2024 and summer 2025.
Sound Engineer: Neil Scales
Album artwork: Greg Williamson @ https://www.facebook.com/sharkmanart Duplication: Short Run Duplication, Bristol @ https://www.short-run.co.uk
Design and Formatting - Pat Rowbottom and Interlith, Glossop @ https://interlithdesign.co.uk Produced by Pat Rowbottom - October 2025
If the band's last album 'A Circus in Paradise' released in 2023 firmly encroached on progressive rock territory even to the point of being conceptual with a couple of key themes therein, the brand new studio album from Cold Flame marks a determination to return to the genre of blues in all it's forms though there are a few progressive rock traces here and there.
Entitled 'In the shadow of the Tarot' the new studio album, the band's 17th, once again features most members of the Cold Flame family including contributions from a couple of musicians who last performed with the band more than a decade ago. The result is a collection of thirteen original songs mainly written by band leader Pat Rowbottom with contributions from guitarist Rob Barnes. Work began on this new project in early summer 2024 at Starring Studios in Todmorden. Lasting several months with the band's regular sound engineer Neil Scales, the project was based on a general premise of keeping very much within a blues framework. In so doing, and certainly when work commenced on this new project, time was invested in listening to unused demo recordings found on Cold Flame hard drives from previous recording sessions and using some of this material as a frame work, new ideas and formats were utilised, both lyrical and musical as the project progressed. One surprising element incorporated in many of the songs featured on this album is a greater use of tenor saxophone often working in tandem with electric guitars though keyboards, violin and flute can also be heard from time to time allowing for more flexibility in feel.
With the various mixes complete by mid summer, final mastering took place at Starring Studios in Todmorden, Lancashire during August/September 2025 supervised by Pat Rowbottom and Neil Scales. A couple of years ago, Glossop, Derbyshire artist Greg Williamson designed the artwork for the band's single 'Last Flight'. Details of this single release can be found elsewhere on the band website. Greg has once again been persuaded to add his design skills to the new album project in coming up with a striking image that illustrates the album content rather appropriately. Derbyshire based printing company 'Interlith' printed the album cover design and Bristol based Short-Run Duplication then pressed the album in a cd format. The album is also available to download and stream on all major streaming links including Apple, Amazon, Deezer and Spotify..
Whilst the title of the new album might suggest lyrical imagery with darker negative life themes, much of the album actually explores the disowned and hidden parts of the psyche to promote healing and self-understanding whilst remaining able to identify and confront a variety of issues on everyone's journey through life. It is hoped that this theme helps to achieve greater self-acceptance, wholeness, and a deeper understanding of motivations and behaviours. As depicted on the cover of the new album, Tarot cards , originally known as trionfi and later as tarocchi or tarocks are a set of 78 playing cards , 22 of which are pictorial. They can be used in tarot games and in fortune-telling or divination. From at least the mid-15th century, the tarot was used to play trick-taking card games such as Tarocchini.
The new album, 'In the shadow of the Tarot' is released by Starring Records, Lancashire on Monday November 10th. Whilst there is no current plan to release a vinyl version, the new album will be available both as a CD and as a download. Both will include all thirteen original songs. The new studio album will be available to purchase at all future Cold Flame shows as well as via the band website Shop The album can also now be downloaded - see links below
Available worldwide on all the usual platforms including Spotify Amazon Deezer BoomPlay