The new Refestramus single “I Ruined Christmas” is a wet blanket for the holidays, chronicling the perils of parental disappointment, political disagreements, sleeping with someone’s hot sister and smoking joints in the garage before Xmas dinner.
Refestramus composer/drummer/ leader Derek Ferguson says, “My favorite bit is the line ‘it’s like I told you before, it won’t happen again, my dear’ – we know that even as they apologize, they haven’t really learned anything from their mistakes and will undoubtedly be repeating them.”
The music video features clips of Refestramus’ rock video girl Agent M plotting mayhem on friends and family, who aren’t in very good moods at their holiday tables. It shows the band in the studio looking mighty ornery, too.
Along with Derek Ferguson, the band members are guitarist Derek Pavlic and producer Ian Beabout (Colouratura), with long time vocalist NIDA, and a host of festivity-spoiling guests: bassist Jerry King (Cloud over Jupiter), keyboardist Dyanne Potter Voegtlin (Potter’s Daughter), and saxophonist Mitch Lawrence.
The basic tracks of which were recorded at Aardvark Productions in Steubenville with engineering talents of Dan Bozek and Crack the Sky’s Rick Witkowski.
“I Ruined Christmas” comes to you hot off the heels of the critically divisive “Intouríst” album, released through Melodic Revolution Records. After ruining progressive art rock last May, the Grinche’s of Prog, Refestramus, have simply grown in ambition.
Hailing from Lakeview Chicago, Illinois, fans are calling Refestramus “the Punks of Prog” because “this song is out to spoil your holidaze next month,” says Derek Ferguson, “The good news is you can make everyone’s holidays better by gifting ‘I Ruined Christmas!’”
left to right Derek Pavlic, Derek Ferguson, Ian Beabout
The I Ruined Christmas Sessions NIDA – lead and backing vocals Mitch Lawrence – saxophones Derek Pavlic – guitar Dyanne Potter Voegtlin – piano, keyboards and Moog synthesizer Jerry King – bass Derek Ferguson – drums, sleigh bells, glockenspiel, bass drum
Agent M from the Music Video “I Ruined Christmas”
Additional Information: Produced by Ian Beabout and Derek Ferguson Mastering Engineer: Ian Beabout Recording studio: Aardvark Productions and The Rec. Room, Steubenville OH Record label: Melodic Revolution Records
The John Hackett Band embodies the spirit of progressive rock. From John’s pastoral flute textures, through the funky interplay between drummer Duncan Parsons and bassist Jeremy Richardson to the intricacies of Nick Fletcher’s lead guitar the group embrace pop, rock, jazz, classical, funk and all stops in-between, from the tenderest of ballads to hair-raising
instrumental workouts!
John Hackett has been a much-loved and admired figure in the progressive rock scene since the mid-70’s; best-known for his flute work with his brother, former Genesis guitarist, Steve Hackett on albums such as Voyage of The Acolyte, Sketches of Satie and Please Don’t Touch, alongside his own solo albums Checking Out Of London, Another Life
John Mitchell is an English musician, songwriter and record producer. A multi-instrumentalist who predominantly sings and plays guitar, Mitchell is a member of several popular progressive rock bands, including Frost*, It Bites and Arena. John releases his solo music under the pseudonym Lonely Robot. John also masterminded the bands Kino and The Urbane and played bass for alternative rock band A. John has performed live with the likes of John Wetton (Asia) and Martin Barre (Jethro Tull) to name a few.
Last Night of the Progs FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/871165237977396 First Night of the Progs FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/334250666382614
Manuel Barbará, an acclaimed metal guitarist and composer, is pleased to announce the release of his new video for the single “Whisper in a Storm”. The track, featuring Thalia Tymowski of Among the Stars and guitarist Millisa Henderson, is the title track from Barbará’s latest EP, released on September 13, 2024. He comments on the collaboration:
“I’ve wanted to have Thalia Tymowski sing a song of mine ever since I met her in 2020. I’m super happy to be able to feature her on something as cool as this. It was very satisfying to pour my fascination with Cyberpunk into a song with Thalia’s help and Millisa’s guest solo at the end made me nervous to record mine.”
Barbará continues to explain that “Whisper in a Storm” is the most “traditional” of the four songs with a typical verse-chorus structure. It still features odd expanding and contracting rhythms and huge stacks of guitars with Tymowski’s powerful voice tying the whole thing together. The final bridge gives way to two melodic guitar solos and a final, crushing riff.
Inspired by the Cyberpunk genre and specifically the film “Blade Runner”, the single showcases Barbará‘s ability to weave complex narratives through instrumental music. His fascination with Cyberpunk as a genre grew out of a few authors in the 80s reinventing the noir genre to talk about the political, social, economic, and scientific shifts that were happening at the time.
The collaboration with Tymowski on vocals adds a new dimension to Barbará‘s typically instrumental approach and is recommended for fans of Keith Merrow, Monuments, and Meshuggah.
Watch and listen to the music video for “Whisper in a Storm” via its premiere on V13 HERE.
Track Listing: 1. Dead Hand (feat. Jody Miller) – 5:43 2. A Different Horizon (feat. Jake Howsam Lowe) – 5:49 3. Aphelion (feat. Michael Nystrom Bala) – 4:13 4. Whisper in a Storm (feat. Thalia Tymowski & Millisa Henderson) – 4:51 5. Whisper in a Storm (instrumental) – 4:51 EP Length: 24:42
“the song (A Different Horizon (feat. Jake Howsam Lowe (Plini)) blends metal heaviness and classical music concepts to create something intricate, unique, and highly technical.” – Decibel Magazine “Berklee trained and steeped in metal music, composing, and shredding, the EP (Whisper in the Storm) is going to unite die-hard metal fans and guitar geeks alike. The first single off this EP is “Dead Hand,” which features Jody Miller, a renowned violinist in the video game music scene.” – Ghost Cult Magazine “If a sophisticated and often elegant variety of mainly instrumental progressive metal is a subject matter of particular interest, and you are fond of such creations exploring the entire span from gentle and melodic all the way towards the extreme, then you will find this EP quite the rewarding experience I’d imagine.” – Progressor “When I came across New Jersey based guitarist and composer Manuel Barbará and his solo debut album “Moonrise” in 2021, I saw myself blown away by his modern instrumental style, combining mighty heaviness with dreamful electronic sounds. Finding inspiration in a wide range of classical, neoclassical as well as contemporary artists and bands, his new EP, “Whisper in a Storm”, lines up here as well, offering epic shredding within a spacey atmosphere fitting to the Blade Runner theme. While the playing is highly sophisticated and not an easy listen due to its dissonance and complexity, there’s still this djenty grooviness that keeps me vibing with it. Recommended ffo modern Progmetal in the veins of Tesseract, Periphery and Meshuggah.” – The ProgSpace “It is no surprise that a composer and big-time guitar player as Manuel Barbará took care of everything on “Whisper in a Storm”: all songs were written and (almost) performed only by Manuel Barbará, and produced and promoted all by himself. The result of Barbará’s musical expertise resonates throughout all the sequences of this musical journey on “Whisper in a Storm”, full of guitar solos and complex string instrument arrangements and impressive drum tempo and captivating Djent riffs. But the cleverness of “Whisper in a Storm” is on the other side of the coin. Even though “Whisper in a Storm” is grounded by lavishing on melodies which are composed in the high level of mastery of Barbará, the fact is that “Whispers in Storm” brings to us five palatable songs. I guess that Manuel Barbará’s main goal was not only to mesmerize guitar-students-amazed-by-complex-solos-lovers on “Whisper in a Storm”, but also to relate with people who love just to listen to good songs. The Progressive harmonies on “Whisper in a Storm” seem to stroll by guitar riffs, with synchronized tempo that resembles experimental Metal bands like Tesseract and Devin Townsend, and shredders players as Yngwie Malmsteen and Steve Vai. 10/10” – Ever-Metal “Prog metal, with a pinch of metal/deathcore musically” – Moshpit Radio 89.9FM WORT (Madison, WI)
Mandoki Soulmates announce a limited deluxe edition of the album A Memory Of Our Future on white vinyl, again in analog. it will also be available on ¼ studio master tape for the ultimate analog audiophile experience. They also announce music video for The Wanderer.
Limited Edition Album & Music Video Announcement
MANDOKI SOULMATES announce new limited edition LP A Memory Of Our Future on deluxe audiophile white vinyl; new cinematic music video for The Wanderer coming 13th November
1st November 2024; On 29th November, a limited deluxe edition of the album A Memory Of Our Future will be released on white vinyl, available to pre-order from 1st November. Again this album will be produced completely in the analog domain, and audiophiles have lauded the production quality. The album will also be available on ¼ studio master tape for the ultimate analog audiophile experience. Pre-order here: https://mandokisoulmates.lnk.to/MOOFVinyl
Mandoki Soulmates, who include amongst them, UK artists Ian Anderson, Nick van Eade and John Helliwell, will also launch a cinematic video for their new single The Wanderer on 13th November. This will be followed later on by additional music videos and a full concert video recorded live during the summer tour with 16 cameras and high-end audio.
Mandoki Soulmates’ album A Memory Of Our Future: Heres what the media say:
Fireworks (UK) An exemplary exercise in how to bring together the very best within the Progressive world and product a cohesive album that sits very comfortably with some of the very best collective projects out there.
Now Spinning Magazine (UK) Musically, A Memory of Our Future is a diverse and immersive experience. The album defies easy categorization, blending elements of 70s soul, progressive rock, jazz fusion, and more. From the soulful grooves reminiscent of the Average White Band to the lightning-fast guitar lines of Al Di Meola, I found the album an absolute joy to listen to.
The Prog Report (UK) Featuring a whos who of prog, jazz and rock luminaries, the new record doesnt just bridge stylistic boundaries it blows them up entirely.
Goldmine Magazine (USA) A modern-day Jazz Fusion/Progressive Rock masterpiece;
Forever Music (USA) it could be the album of the year.
For bandleader Leslie Mandoki, this album is not just a collection of songs, but a musical manifesto for today’s world. Every song has a special genesis, he says, because it’s not we composers and lyricists who write the songs, it’s life! Some songs on A Memory Of Our Future clearly have autobiographical echoes. For example, The Wanderer reflects Leslie Mandoki’s own story and struggles in his youth, his dangerous and adventurous escape as a young musician from the oppression and censorship of Soviet communist dictatorship in Hungary through the Karawanken tunnel (past guards with orders to shoot), to freedom and artistic self-realisation. The message is universal across all generations and speaks to everyone who is searching for their path in our crisis-ridden world.
Like many other artists – from REM and David Bowie to Beyoncé and Taylor Swift – Leslie Mandoki felt inspired to extend the expression of his creative impulses to the visual realm by taking a leading role in the conceptualisation and creative direction of the music video. As a child I wanted to be a painter, later a poet. Today I still paint designs for our album artwork and write the lyrics for all our songs. But his father, a musician himself, recognised Leslie’s potential and steered him towards studying music, not least because his father thought music offered better career opportunities at the time. His final advice to his son was: Don’t dream your life, live your dream! With the expansion of his creative expression through the music video for The Wanderer, Leslie feels he is following his father’s advice in a special way, because this is exactly the message the song and the video convey to the young protagonist and the younger generation. In this respect, he is coming full circle with The Wanderer, both artistically and biographically.
Through the end of 2024, Mandoki Soulmates will be releasing more videos for songs from their current album, A Memory Of Our Future. Regular postings on the bands YouTube channel will include the video for the song I Am Because You Are, as well as new concert videos.
Leslie Mandoki states, The wonderful thing about A Memory Of Our Future and this way of making music is that we can overcome the melancholy of current issues together. Music also opens our eyes to the future, encourages positive thinking and optimism. That gives us strength and drives us forward.
Music has always been humanity’s greatest unifier, and now more than ever we need it to unite us Together, across generationsfor a common future in a better world.
The song “LOVE CRAFT” is track 10 of 10 stellar compositions on CLOUD OVER JUPITER’s fourth studio release, Atomic Jupiter, out now via Melodic Revolution Records. Led by multi-instrumentalist Jerry King and featuring long-time Jupiter member Michele King, the music boldly explores the future of progressive rock, moving from lush orchestrations to unveiling a mesmerizing sonic world filled with Lovecraftian horrors.
Production Notes: The album was arranged and written by Jerry King, with this track co-written by Jerry King, Michele King, and Dave Newhouse. Performers include Fred Hodshon on bass and synth bass, George Newhouse on drums and percussion, Michele King on vocals, Dave Newhouse on lyrics, vocals, keys, horns, and synths, and Jerry King on all guitars.
Produced and arranged by Jerry King, Atomic Jupiter was mixed and mastered at The Rec. Room by Ian Beabout. The album features striking artwork by Dan Sauer Design and is dedicated to the memory of Ric Parnell, who passed away in May 2022.
{The video, created by Thornswrath, utilizes NASA imagery through their Creative Commons distribution. All still images are courtesy of NASA/public domain/Creative Commons license, with animated sequences generated on DDG by Shaun Lawton’s Deep Dreamer. Special thanks to Jerry King for the opportunity to create a video that elevates the music to a new dimension. Stay tuned for the next video!}
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