Progressive metal artist RICK MASSIE has released a lyric video for his song “The River”. The track is from his album Guided to an Imperfect Light which will be released on CD September 30th, 2022.
Rick comments: “The River” was written with imagery of the Yukon River quickly flowing by. On a walk one day, I was struck by the power and beauty of the river, and wondered what things might be hidden just beneath the surface. It felt like a bit of a mystery. Were there valuable lost items from people who wandered too close to the river’s edge? Were there pieces of mangled paper that once held the secrets of someone? Were there footprints from an age before the river flowed in this area? The whole idea fit perfectly with some of the feelings I was experiencing, and the song came together quickly and easily. And I do think it captures that feeling of the mysterious river quite well. “
Watch the video: https://youtu.be/9KbZMVeNMxc
Inspired by acts such as DEVIN TOWNSEND, HAKEN, ENSLAVED, YES, OPETH, and ANDREW W.K., this solo effort is intentionally unconstrained by genre expectation. RICK’s intent is to take metal music and give it free rein to wander far afield into non-metal pastures. The album begins with the powerful opener “Once Upon a Time…”. Heavy guitars and pounding percussion deliver an explosion of power before gently subsiding to allow soaring synths and vocals to take the prominent role. It’s a dynamic contrast of metal tones and dreamy atmospheres. “Counting the Stars” descends into darker realms with demonic vocals, speeding riffs and dissonance producing an eerie mood. The track diverges from its initial path into serene realms with clean guitars, clean vocals and orchestral elements moving away from the darkness. Distorted rhythmic guitar patterns, ethereal vocals and strings emerge from “Need” while “Lullabye” ventures on a grand journey through multiple genres and styles over 15 minutes. Vast soundscapes in the interlude “Moonlit Hallways” add a dramatic theatricality segueing into the ebb and flow of “The River”. Closing with “Unity” all elements combine to create a sound with depth, revealing both dark and light, that aptly melds the ideas behind Guided to an Imperfect Light.
Falling towards the ethereal end of the prog metal spectrum, Rick’s song-writing seeks to defy attempts of categorization. Exploring nightmares, dreams and everything in-between, RICK MASSIE brings to life a compelling ensemble of creative compositions across each track on Guided to an Imperfect Light .
Track List:
1. Once Upon a Time… (3:29)
2. Counting the Stars (11:13)
3. Need (9:54)
4. Lullabye (15:15)
5. Moonlit Hallways (1:32)
6. The River (8:08)
7. Unity (8:30)Links:
Bandcamp: https://rickmassie.bandcamp.com/
Website: http://rickmassie.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rickmassiemusic/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rickmassiemusic
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rickmassiemusic
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYP00ehdXc42rcBDa8guBQg
YouTube Music: https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCSW42VyKh5XxvtVn_y-2Qtg?feature=share
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4OnNWLouJqbKl3glksSkR2
Apple Music: https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/1486053559
Album Credits:
Artwork: Priska Wettstein / 8 Ravens Studio http://www.8ravensstudio.com
Priska Wettstein / Instagram https://www.instagram.com/priskawettstein
