STICK MEN (TONY LEVIN, PAT MASTELOTTO, AND MARKUS REUTER) RELEASE FIRST NEW STUDIO ALBUM IN A DECADE: LET’S THRAK AGAIN (SEPT. 4, UNSUNG RECORDS/7D MEDIA)
HOMAGE TO KING CRIMSON’S 1995 ALBUM THRAK ARRIVES AS TWO DISTINCT EXPERIENCES: REEL ONE AND REEL TWO
PRE-ORDERS AVAILABLE NOW VIA BANDCAMP
Stick Men, the progressive powerhouse featuring King Crimson’s Tony Levin and Pat Mastelotto with multi-instrumentalist and composer Markus Reuter, return with their first new album in over a decade, Let’s THRAK Again, a Robert Fripp-sanctioned homage to King Crimson’s THRAK.
The trio have released an early preview of the collection with today’s arrival of “Swimming in Tea” (https://zebralution.lnk.to/SwimmingInTea), the only vocal performance on the record with Reuter stepping up to the microphone before the song erupts into one of Levin’s signature Chapman Stick solos.
The album is presented as two entirely distinct versions. Reel One, mixed by Stefano Castagna (producer/engineer for Super Eurobeat and founder of Ritmo & Blu Studio) and Reel Two, mixed by Fabio Trentini (producer/engineer and bassist for H-Blockx and Guano Apes). The two versions feature different mixes, alternate track sequences, and contrasting sonic perspectives that transform the material into two distinct listening experiences.
“Let’s THRAK Again is 60 minutes of pure, kinetic energy,” notes the band. “We didn’t just write 12 new compositions; we designed an entirely new sonic vocabulary for them.”
Reflecting on the two reels concept, the trio adds: “Our audience listens deeply. They don’t just want to hear the notes; they want to understand the architecture of the sound. By having Stefano and Fabio approach the exact same music with completely different visions, we are handing the listener the ultimate audiophile puzzle. It’s a roll of the dice, a sonic triptych, and a tribute to the heavy, mechanical impact of the original THRAK era.”
Pre-orders for the Sept. 4 release are available now via Bandcamp (https://stickmen.bandcamp.com/album/lets-thrak-again-reel-one) with the 26-song collection available on vinyl, CD, and digitally.
Let’s THRAK Again (Reel One) tracklist:
1. Let’s THRAK Again
2. Like We Did Last Summer
3. Haggin Triptych
4. Komodo
5. Swimming in Tea
6. Bash Machine
7. Reading the Future
8. Thief of the Dice
9. Brutal
10. Dark Birthday
11. Fandango
12. The Well
Let’s THRAK Again (Reel Two) tracklist:
1. Dark Birthday
2. Komodo
3. Let’s THRAK Again
4. Like We Did Last Summer
5. Renoir
6. Swimming in Tea
7. Bash Machine
8. Brutal (Pat)
9. Carriage Parade
10. Fandango
11. Reading the Future
12. The Well
13. Thief of the Dice
14. Yosemite Sunset
The foundation of Stick Men rests on a musical partnership spanning decades, anchored by musicians who have helped shape modern rock.
Tony Levin (Peter Gabriel, John Lennon, Pink Floyd) is one of the most recorded and revered bass players in history. In Stick Men, he wields his signature Chapman Stick—a striking 12-string instrument played by tapping the fretboard with both hands like a piano. This technique allows him to execute heavy, driving bass lines and complex melodies simultaneously.
He is joined by his longtime King Crimson rhythm section partner, Pat Mastelotto (Mr. Mister, XTC), who commands a sprawling hybrid drum kit. By seamlessly blending raw acoustic drums with electronic pads, loops, and industrial samples, Mastelotto creates the band’s massive, kinetic heartbeat.
To complete the triad, they are joined by Markus Reuter, a brilliant composer who plays his self-designed 8-string Touch Guitar. Utilizing a similar two-handed tapping technique, Reuter acts as the band’s sonic architect, weaving everything from lush, cinematic chords to blistering, soaring leads. Together, this unique combination of instruments creates a sprawling, orchestral wall of sound that completely defies the traditional boundaries of a three-piece band.
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