Tanagra Members: Steven Soderberg (left), Erich Ulmer (right), Christopher Stewart (not pictured)
Photo Credit: Anna Slusser
Tanagra has a new single coming out entitled “Seas of Glass”, this serves as a small jolt for the band music-wise, but ultimately fans will still hear the distinctive Tanagra sound coming through.
Like much of their music, "Seas of Glass" tells a story about change through the eyes of a lone protagonist. The first half of the single is calm and sounds almost like it's from the '70s, maybe a bit of Hotel California; as the protagonist remembers why he came to the island. He has aa nagging feeling that this existence, despite its comfort, isn't right. As we make our way to the solo the desire to return to the sea is overtaking who he was when he came to the island. By the time we've been pounded by a driving riff and solo, he's come to the realization that he's in control of the elements. The only thing stopping him from enjoying the battering of the seas is himself; and that gives him the strength to once again venture into the storm. The storms don't matter, the raging seas are nothing to him; they are just as if they are calm waters. Tanagra shares their thoughts on the single:
"'Seas of Glass' is a passionate retort to the ill-fortunes the band has suffered in recent years. Built from the raw emotions of the loss of members and the twin deathblows threatened by Covid and Nagra; all combined to make a do or die moment. We decided we weren't going to take this lying down. It'd be easy enough to cave when all opportunity is being snuffed out and then you're kicked while you're down. It'd be easy to simply go on doing whatever it is we're doing with our lives and walk away; another defeated minion in someone else's RPG. But instead, we stand proud and defiant. This is our name, that is our stage, and the storms can rage all they want."
To date, the band has released two albums, 2015’s “None of This is Real” and 2019’s “Meridiem” keeping a focus on writing complex, reasonably technical metal with clean vocals a la Blind Guardian and Iced Earth. Tanagra’s music writing is diverse and so is the process for each release. In this track, in particular, the vocals were established early and built around entirely; rather than being applied later. This leads it to sound more cohesive.
Clean, melodic, and driving, Tanagra is recommended for fans of Iced Earth, Pyramaze, and Caladan Brood.
The lyric video for “Seas of Glass” is premiering via Metal Rules HERE .
Spotify pre-save here .
Single download on Bandcamp .
For more info:
Facebook.com/tanagraband
Instagram.com/tanagraband
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About:
Formed out of the love of science fiction, fantasy, and theatrical heavy metal storytelling, TANAGRA hit the Portland, USA metal scene in 2011 and alongside bands like Spellcaster, Excruciator, and Ritual Healing, helped foster a heavy/power metal scene in a city obsessed with black and doom metal. In 2015, after releasing their debut album, None of This is Real, an energetic collection of American power metal showcasing their love for complex arrangements and lengthy songs, they garnered critical acclaim from a multitude of publications around the world and began their rise by opening for acclaimed bands such as Visigoth, Primal Fear, Sanctuary, Vicious Rumors, Judicator, and Blaze Bayley.
In the time following their debut release, the members found a deep love for progressive rock/metal and symphonic black metal. A culling of straight-forward riffing and songwriting gave way to complex yet compelling rhythms interwoven with vibrant vocal arrangements, transcendent soloing, and varying instrumental textures in a lush harmonic landscape.
In 2016, TANAGRA entered the studio with the fruits of their labors to begin recording their ambitious second album, titled Meridiem. Hunkered down across four studios for close to three years, joined by guest musicians on piano, cello, and viola, they refined and crafted their seven compositions to perfection with every minute of studio time spent adding more and more layers of depth, emotion, harmony, and complexity. After recording his parts, Josh Kay moved to Los Angeles and started a new project; Alizarin.
After Meridiem was released to much fanfare, Tom Socia also exited the band quietly. When new troubles of Covid and as a potential deathblow from a legal battle with Nagra loomed, Christopher took a backseat. But now TANAGRA, largely reduced to two and having emerged victorious from that uncertain future, is celebrating with the release of a new single “Seas of Glass.” Introducing Erich Ulmer as lead vocals, heard before in Across the Ancient Desert, and on many backing tracks of much of TANAGRA's catalog, they hope fans old and new alike will see this as a triumph of will as they step into a new age.
Tanagra's new single, Seas of Glass, will be released to the world on October 29, 2020, digitally. Available from most distribution sites like Spotify, Bandcamp, and iTunes.
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