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ERIK NORLANDER - INTO THE SUNSET
Los Angeles Progressive Rock Maestro Rides Solo With "Into the Sunset"
(Los Angeles, 4 April 2000) After producing a long run of several highly successful releases for Lana Lane and Rocket Scientists, progressive rock master keyboardist / composer Erik Norlander now takes his turn in the limelight with his new solo album INTO THE SUNSET. With a stellar lineup of musicians and vocalists, Norlander pushed his production and arrangement skills to their maximum intensity in order to create a symphonic masterpiece that will resound in the halls of progressive rock history throughout the 21st Century.
INTO THE SUNSET is a dramatic heavy symphonic rock effort featuring a five piece band made up of some of the best instrumentalists on the rock scene today. The album features Tony Franklin (The Firm, Blue Murder, Whitesnake) on fretless bass, Arjen Lucassen (Ayreon, Vengeance) on guitar Greg Ellis (Shark Island, Vas) on drums and Cameron Stone (Poe) on cello. Norlander himself contributes additional guitar, bass guitar and percussion tracks in addition to his now familiar renown keyboard and synthesizer soundscapes.
INTO THE SUNSET also features a lineup of world - class guest vocalists that includes Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple), Lana Lane, Edward Reekers (Kayak) and Robert Soeterboek (Ayreon). These first - call singers provide the necessarily strong vocal contrast to Norlander's powerful instrumental arrangements and fiery solos. While there are certainly many instrumental fireworks, the INTO THE SUNSET vocals are definitely out in front which creates a majestically balanced sound.
The INTO THE SUNSET production is a sharp contrast to Norlander's 1997 instrumental keyboard album THRESHOLD. In addition to the strong vocal presence on INTO THE SUNSET (which even includes an acapella piece sung by Norlander's wife Lana Lane), Norlander also employed Cameron Stone's cello to great effect which adds a passionate orchestral feel to the music. The rhythm section of Tony Franklin and Greg Ellis drives INTO THE SUNSET with intensity and ferocity while still maintaining the necessary high level of symphonic precision.
Why the apparent change in style? Norlander replies "Because of the heavy guitar and strong guest vocalists, INTO THE SUNSET is quite different from my past work sonically. But it remains very consistent musically and from a composition viewpoint. The chord choices and voicings, the solo style, even the lyrical content is right in line with my past work with Lana Lane and with Rocket Scientists."
INTO THE SUNSET clearly reflects Norlander's recent influences of the new wave of Northern European - style symphonic rock artists such as Symphony X and Luca Turilli. These new influences mix well with Norlander's love of classic prog artists such as ELP, Rush, Yes, Jethro Tull, Pink Floyd and Procol Harum. And certainly Norlander's work with symphonic rock diva Lana Lane over the last few years has contributed in no small part to his current stylistic evolution as well. "There is a strong musical movement going on right now and a lot of really fanastic albums are being created by new artists" says Norlander. "I don't know if you call it 'Progressive Metal' or 'Symphonic Rock' or something else, but it is a fantastic sound and it is definitely the new stage in progressive rock evolution. While 70's prog rock merged early electronic music with folk music and straight rock n' roll, it seems that this new progressive movement combines all of these classic 70's influences with 80's heavy metal to create something entirely new again. It's a fabulous time, and I'm proud to be a part of this movement."
Erik Norlander recently contributed powerful keyboard tracks to two the new Ayreon concept albums THE UNIVERSAL MIGRATOR PART ONE: THE DREAM SEQUENCER and PART TWO: FLIGHT OF THE MIGRATOR. In addition, Norlander produced, co-wrote and performed on the new Lana Lane SECRETS OF ASTROLOGY album. Norlander's band, Rocket Scientists, released their third studio release in late 1999 entitled OBLIVION DAYS which was also produced and co-written by Norlander. A busy man and a dedicated artist, Erik Norlander delivers a work of symphonic majesty with INTO THE SUNSET. In an ocean of great new releases, this is one ship you cannot miss! Be sure to experience this progressive rock masterpiece and prepare to be swept away ... INTO THE SUNSET!
"THE TWO SUNSETS"
Because of the politics of the international record business, there are two distinct versions of the Erik Norlander Into the Sunset album -- one from Japan and the other from Holland. Both versions have the eleven "standard" tracks and essentially identical artwork. The difference lies in the bonus tracks, which are unique for each version.
JAPANESE VERSION: This version is released on the Avalon label from Japan and contains a previously unreleased bonus track of the 17-minute long epic space ballad "Alchemy and Astronomy" which is perhaps a bit reminiscent of the Rocket Scientists songs "Mariner" (from Brutal Architecture) and "Escape" (from Oblivion Days) with some facets of Pink Floyd's "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" (sorry about the pun). This version of Into the Sunset was released on May 19, 2000. Total running time is 66:31.
BRAZILIAN / EUROPEAN VERSION: This version was released originally
released on the Transmission Records label from Holland and contains
as its bonus track a previously unreleased version all new recording
of the Norlander song "Neurosaur" which originally appeared on his
1997 Threshold album. This is an entirely new version of the song
recorded from the ground up with the Into the Sunset musicians for
the Transmission release. This version of Into the Sunset was
released on June 12 in Europe. Total running time is 54:49. The
Transmission Reocrds version is now out of print, however the same
version of the album was licensed to Hellion Records in
Brazil, and that Hellion version is still available and is a
reliable, quality edition.
Standard CD Tracks:
1.
Sunset Prelude (instr)
2.
Into the Sunset (lead vocal by Edward Reekers)
3.
Rome is Burning (lead vocal by Glenn Hughes)
4.
Fanfare for the Dragon Isle (instr)
5.
Fly (lead vocals by Lana Lane and Edward Reekers)
6.
Dreamcurrents (instr)
7.
Lines in the Sand (lead vocal by Robert Soeterboek)
8.
On the Wings of Ghosts (lead vocals by Edward Reekers and Robert
Soeterboek)
9.
Hymn (vocals by Lana Lane)
10.
Into the Sunset Reprise (lead vocal by Edward Reekers)
11.
Sunset Postlude (instr)
Japanese Version bonus track:
12.
Alchemy and Astronomy (vocals by Edward Reekers)
Brazilian / European Version bonus track:
12.
Neurosaur (instr) new 2000 recording
Produced by Erik Norlander for Think Tank Media
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© 2007 Think Tank
Media
