Spock's Beard, esce oggi "Noise Floor". Nick D'Virgilio è di nuovo in formazione
Redazione 25 mag 2018
Se ogni album degli Spock’s Beard è un piccolo evento per gli amanti del neoprog, il nuovo "Noise Floor", in uscita oggi, promette un doppio spettacolo. Sì, perché oltre alla caratura della musica della nota band californiana (... per alcuni la più apprezzabile del genere dopo i Dream Theater), il nuovo album vede di nuovo in azione Nick D’Virgilio, che aveva abbandonato nel 2011 per rientrare in squadra lo scorso anno…
Registrato sotto la guida di Rich Mouser, "Noise Floor" esce per InsideOutMusic nei formati 2CD digipak (con ep di materiale bonus) 2LP + 2CD e in digitale. Un lavoro monumentale targato Spock’s Beard, la band di culto del prog, nata a Los Angeles nel 1992.
Nick, che genere di equipment hai utilizzato per le registrazioni di Noise Floor? Ho utilizzato una DW Jazz Series Cherry/Gum: tre tom (8”, 10” e 12”), due floor (16” e 18”) e cassa 18”x23”. Riguardo ai rullanti, ne ho utilizzati diversi: DW Purple Heart 6,5”x14”, Ludwig Hammered Brass 8”x14”, Mapex Deep Forest Walnut 5,5x14” e Mapex Black Panther Brass 6”x12”. Se ben ricordo, i tamburi del drumkit montavano pelli Remo Clear Emperor Coated e Power Stroke 3 sulla cassa. In quanto ai piatti, ho utilizzato una combinazione di brand
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differenti, Meinl Byzance e Pure Alloy, Sabian HH Vanguard e HHX, Zildjian Avedis e K, Paiste Dark Energy ed anche Wuhan China. Bacchette Vic Firth 5B.
SPOCK’S BEARD lineup Ted Leonard (vocal) – Alan Morse (guitar) – DaveMeros (bass/vocal) – Nick D’Virgilio (drum) – RyoOkumoto (keyboard/vocal)
Disc 1 – Noise Floor 1. To Breathe Another Day 2. What Becomes of Me 3. Somebody’s Home 4. Have We All Gone Crazy Yet 5. So This Is Life 6. One So Wise 7. Box of Spiders 8. Beginnings
Spock's Beard is a band that is in a continual state of evolution, as is always the case with genuinely creative musicians. And their new album, 'Noise Floor', fits perfectly into this process. “We are always about evolution, not revolution. But what we have done this time is make the songs more melodic,” believes vocalist/guitarist Ted Leonard. “We still love our crazy prog, but now appreciate how important it is to grab people's attention early on.”
As with all Spock's Beard songs, most of the new album was written by the individual members, and then brought to the rest of the band as high quality demos. “We all do this type of thing in our home studios,” adds Leonard. “So, by the time they reach the stage where the entire band get to judge them, they are really developed, and therefore everyone can make a reasoned judgement.” Much of what you will listen to here is very much the product of fresh inspiration from the Californian band.
One key change on this album sees the return of drummer Nick D'Virgilio, who originally left in 2011. There are also two violinists, a cello player, a viola player and an English horn featured on the album, thereby giving the sound a slightly more evocative and persuasive twist.
