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MDPR Clients: Moonscape - Entity, Chapter II: Echoes from a Cognitive Dystopia - Reviewed By Rock Magazine ! Check it out here at this link: https://rockmagazine.net/moonscape-entity-chapter-ii-echoes-from-a-cognitive-dystopia-album-review/

Genre: Progressive Metal

Land: Norway

Not to be confused with the band of the same name from Tokyo, who represent the genre of hardcore punk, Moonscape is a Progressive Metal project launched in 2015 by Norwegian Håvard Lunde. Already in his youth, Lunde found a love for music through bands like Guns`n Roses and Judas Priest and learned to play the drums as his first instrument, and soon afterwards he worked in several bands. In his era as a drummer he was active with the Norwegian progressive rock band Ad RUbiconem, which opened the door to progressive music for him. Lunde began songwriting a concept album and finally released Moonscape's debut album "Entity" three years ago in 2017.

During the first months of the Covid-19 pandemic, Håvard Lunde began working on new songs.

The new Moonscape album Entity, chapter II: Echeos from a cognitive dystobia is the follow-up work to the debut and embodies the story of the protagonist, a withdrawn loner who finds refuge in a corner of his mind, as in the previous album. Dark secrets haunt him and lead the protagonist into battle.

A musical masterpiece that embodies all facets of the rock universe, with Chapter II combining elements of power metal, melodic death, black metal passages, symphonic metal, hard rock, jazz components, clear and guttural vocals. The musical spectacle opens with a prelude in Avantasia style. The almost 17 minute long second track Illusion of Reality is more controversial and includes all of the above elements of the genre. Ultimately, the other two tracks have the same structure and tell the story of the protagonist with musical fireworks.

As if Dimmu Borgier, Stratovarius, Nightwish, Deep Purple, Michael Schenker and Avantasia were bundled, Håvard Lunde conjures up lyrics and music alone and is the Beethoven of the 21st century with his musical drama.

Conclusion: A must for all Progressive Metal lovers. I am not a passionate follower of this genre myself, but this work arouses my interest in it through the musical diversity.

I give 8 out of 10 bangs.

MOONSCAPE is a melodic death/progressive/power metal oriented project which was formed back in 2015 by Håvard Lunde, based in Gjøvik, Norway. Musical inspirations and influences include bands like EDGE OF SANITY, OPETH, ENTOMBED, AYREON, HELLOWEEN, YES, JETHRO TULL and many more. After many years of trying to find a proper musical direction in which he felt comfortable, he formed MOONSCAPE after rediscovering EDGE OF SANITY’s 1996 classic «Crimson» album, an album that stood out as the ultimate inspiration already in his adolescent years when he first became musically active. The idea of creating music that had low-tuned guitars with good melodies on top was an appealing one, and with added atmospheric and symphonic elements and variations in terms of texture and arrangement, he was better able to reach his goal; to create a large scale composition that his listeners would later on refer to as «a musical journey».

The debut album «Entity» was released on October 2nd 2017, and received great reviews from the underground press, including a very rare 100/100 score from the Italian webzine Insane Voices Labirynth. The album is a concept album that told the story of a protagonist who isolates himself deeper and deeper into his own mind, in an attempt to escape from the real world. He finds shelter in the dark shadows of his own mind, but as a result of his isolation soon he finds himself forced to battle a demon he thought was long forgotten…

«Entity» was released as a digital album as well on a limited jewel case CD edition, pressed in only 330 copies. The vinyl edition was released in July 2018, and was limited to 100 hand numbered copies.

Ever since the release of «Entity», Lunde kept writing a follow-up album, which was released on November 23rd 2020. «Entity, Chapter II: Echoes from a Cognitive Dystopia» continued the concept where the debut left off, and marks the conclusion of the story. Whereas «Entity» was fairly atmospheric and melodic death/prog oriented, «Chapter II» has a slightly more direct expression. Still it retains the progressive orientation, with more symphonic elements and higher in tempo and intensity, qualities that are often typical to the power metal genre.

The album was released digitally and on a limited 6 panel digipack CD, pressed in 200 copies only. A vinyl edition is scheduled for release in March 2020, also limited to 100 handnumbered copies only.

In addition to the two physical albums, Moonscape’s discography also counts two singles, an anniversary reissue (Name Your Price on BandCamp) and an EP, all released during 2020.

MOONSCAPE’s discography includes the following releases:

Entity
– full length album (October 2017)
The Throes of Desperation
– digital single (January 2020)
Entity
– digital reissue to commemorate the 5 year anniversary of MOONSCAPE’s formation (February 2020)
Here With You – acoustic single (May 2020)
Resurgence E.P.
– digital E.P. released as a teaser to the new album, including two cover songs (September 2020)
Entity, Chapter II: Echoes from a Cognitive Dystopia
– full length album (November 2020)

All of MOONSCAPE’s releases are available on all major streaming services, and physical products can be purchased at moonscape.bandcamp.com.

MOONSCAPE’s music is solely written, composed, arranged, recorded and produced by Lunde himself, but features a rich variety of guests on both vocals and lead instruments. Lunde Plays bass, lead and rhythm guitars, keyboards, programming and lead and backing vocals.

GUEST PERFORMANCES:

Entity:
Jim Brunaud (The Gaemeth Project) – lead vocals
Matthew Brown (Arkhane) – lead vocals
Kent Are Sommerseth (ex- Unspoken, Varulv) – lead vocals
David Russell – piano
Leviathan (ex- Unspoken, Abyss Below, Kvesta) – lead guitars
Andreas Jonsson (ex- Spiral Architect) – lead guitars
Diego Palma (Lord Divine) – keyboards
Simen Ådnøy Ellingsen (Shamblemaths) – Acoustic and clean lead guitars
Jon Hunt – keyboards
John Kiernan – lead guitars
Alex Campbell (Seek Irony) – lead guitars
Noah Watts - lead guitars
Sean Winter – tenor saxophone
Justin Hombach (AeoS) – lead guitars

Entity, Chapter II: Echoes from a Cognitive Dystopia:
Pauli Souka (Coldbound) – lead vocals
Runar Steen Hansen (Firefight) – lead vocals
Drake Chrisdensen (Ruins of Elysium) – lead and backing vocals
David Åkesson (Qantice, Vivaldi Metal Project etc) – lead and backing vocals
Marcela Villarroel – lead vocals
Andreas Jonsson (ex- Spiral Architect) – lead guitars
Cezar Popescu (Days of Confusion) – lead guitars
Bret Barnes – saxophone
Linus Abrahamson (Guthrie Govan, PelleK, Andromeda, The Codex etc) – lead guitars
Aaron Minich (Nekrogoblikon) – keyboards
Eirik Dischler (Shamblemaths session member) – organ
Alexandra Laya (Qantice) – violin
David Russell – piano
Leviathan (ex- Unspoken, Abyss Below, Kvesta) – lead guitars
Rafael Agostino (Armored Dawn) – keyboards
John Kiernan – lead guitars
Mark Anthony K. (Projekt Gemineye) – lead guitars
Diego Palma (Lord Divine) – keyboards

LINKS:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2FD6PltivXbzITBq1L2MzR?si=nNiGjusZTbSk_W8SpoxD-w 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCevXN2-eQ1mVRKbwouNJZRw 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moonscapenorway/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moonscapenorway/

Merch: https://teechip.com/resurgence-entity2

BandCamp: https://moonscape.bandcamp.com/