Author Topic: The ANABASIS (feat. Ryo Okumoto)  (Read 22184 times)

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Offline kirksnosehair

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The ANABASIS (feat. Ryo Okumoto)
« on: October 24, 2011, 08:09:51 AM »


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 

October 24, 2011  The ANABASIS, Featuring Ryo Okumoto, Release Debut CD, BACK FROM BEING GONE, on 10T Records

Charleston, SC – October 24, 2011  (10T Records) - 10T Records is thrilled to announce the pending release of the full length debut concept CD by The ANABASIS, entitled Back From Being Gone, on November 22, 2011, with an official street date of January 17, 2012. 

The ANABASIS is a progressive rock collaboration project, conceived by USA multi-instrumentalist and composer, Barry Thompson, with lyrics by noted professional author, George Andrade, who is also Executive Producer. A group of extraordinarily talented musicians were recruited from all over the world to take part in the project.  The premise was to provide a basic framework for the songs and then to allow the musicians to play their parts with their own style and sound.

This amazing lineup of musicians and vocalists on Back From Being Gone make up a “who’s who” of some of the world’s top tier players in the progressive rock and progressive metal universe.  In addition to Barry on guitar, bass and keyboards, The ANABASIS features internationally renowned virtuoso musician Ryo Okumoto (Spock’s Beard) as primary keyboardist and arranger.  The band is further rounded out by Per Fredrik "PelleK" Åsly (Damnation Angels) on lead vocals, Gerald “Mully” Mulligan (The Lee Abraham Band) on drums, Gordon Tittsworth (Images of Eden, All Too Human) on lead and backing vocals, Lee Abraham (Lee Abraham Band) on bass, Stefan Artwin (Relocator) on lead guitar, plus a host of other special guests, too numerous to list.  Lee Abraham also serves as producer/mixer for the release.

Back From Being Gone is a stunner that melds classic progressive rock and metal into a tasty whole, with 3 epic tracks including the massive closing track, which clocks in at 24 minutes.  The concept behind the CD is from the mind of George Andrade, who uses this musical tapestry to weave a sweeping sociopolitical narrative based on 3 ancient civilizations – the Roman, the Norse, and the Egyptian.

“George and I are both humbled and thrilled to have been given the opportunity to join the 10t records family,” says Barry. “To have been invited to take our place among such an impressive roster of progressive rock artists- especially alongside our friends Mars Hollow - is beyond our wildest dreams.  We look forward to a mutually beneficial partnership filled with fun times and great music!”
“We were immediately taken with the scope and scale of Back From Being Gone when we heard it,” says 10T Records President, Steve Carroll.  “The level of imagination and ambition is truly inspiring, and the musicianship is stellar.”

Back From Being Gone by The ANABASIS is available for immediate pre-order through the 10T Records website.  All orders received between now and the direct release sale date of November 22nd will ship by the end of the week prior to the release. 

Additionally, all tracks from Back From Being Gone are now available to preview in their entirety on The ANABASIS artist page at 10T Records:
https://10trecords.com/artists/genres/progressive-experimental/the-anabasis/the-anabasis-discography/


After January 17th, Back From Being Gone will be available at your favorite online, digital download, or retail outlet.

For further information:
Steve Carroll
10T Records
www.10trecords.com
« Last Edit: February 06, 2012, 02:49:11 PM by kirksnosehair »

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Re: The ANABASIS (feat. Ryo Okumoto) Now Streaming
« Reply #1 on: October 24, 2011, 01:11:00 PM »
Take it from someone who has had this release in his favorites rotation now for several months, you must own this CD! The musicianship is stellar, the packaging is beyond professional and into the realm of real art.

For me, this CD is in second place for release of the year just behind A Dramatic Turn of Events. Yet, that being said one of the songs on Back From Being Gone (Fly) beats everything but Outcry and Lost Not Forgotten in my book.

Huge recommend from me!

-- Gregg
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Offline kirksnosehair

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Re: The ANABASIS (feat. Ryo Okumoto) Now Streaming
« Reply #2 on: October 24, 2011, 01:32:34 PM »
 :omg:   Oh, um, wow, Gregg, thank you for your kind words  :)

It is an honor and a thrill for me to have been given the opportunity to create music the likes of Ryo Okumoto, Stefan Artwin, Brick Williams (among others) on the disc, and we're lining up a similarly impressive crew for the next CD already, including (hopefully) at least one member of Transatlantic.  :hat

Offline Dr. DTVT

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Re: The ANABASIS (feat. Ryo Okumoto) Now Streaming
« Reply #3 on: October 24, 2011, 03:27:48 PM »
I'll probably give this a try sight unseen since I probably won't get to listen to the stream.
     

Offline kirksnosehair

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Re: The ANABASIS (feat. Ryo Okumoto) Now Streaming
« Reply #4 on: October 24, 2011, 04:18:51 PM »
I'll probably give this a try sight unseen since I probably won't get to listen to the stream.

Send me an email at barry@theanabasisproject.com and I will send you a full track, no strings attached.

If you like it, cool.  Please consider buying the CD, if you don't like it, no harm done.

This offer goes for anyone here who can't stream the tracks to preview them.



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Re: The ANABASIS (feat. Ryo Okumoto) Now Streaming
« Reply #5 on: October 24, 2011, 04:21:37 PM »
Barry, can't wait to purchase the album. I admittedly skimmed the article because I just took my meds ( :biggrin:), but is there going to be a digital download?

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Re: The ANABASIS (feat. Ryo Okumoto) Now Streaming
« Reply #6 on: October 24, 2011, 04:40:46 PM »
Nah, I'll just buy it.  Ryo's on it, how bad can it be?  I tend to like making blind purchases, I've found some really good albums that way.
     

Offline snapple

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Re: The ANABASIS (feat. Ryo Okumoto) Now Streaming
« Reply #7 on: October 24, 2011, 04:54:26 PM »
Nah, I'll just buy it.  Ryo's on it, how bad can it be?  I tend to like making blind purchases, I've found some really good albums that way.

The stream is up and it is killer.

Offline kirksnosehair

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Re: The ANABASIS (feat. Ryo Okumoto) Now Streaming
« Reply #8 on: October 24, 2011, 04:55:45 PM »
Barry, can't wait to purchase the album. I admittedly skimmed the article because I just took my meds ( :biggrin: ), but is there going to be a digital download?

Absolutely!  The album will be available as a digital download in any version you want.  I personally guarantee it.  And if no outlets make it available in the format you want, just email me at barry@theanabasisproject.com and I will personally rip the masters to any digital format you want and send you a link to download it, along with a full PDF file of the entire CD booklet. 

Fans of Spock's Beard and Transatantic should take note of this.  I really think they'd all enjoy it.  Ryo really did some cool stuff here.

One the best comments we got so far about the music was that it sounded like:

"Transatlantic with balls..."    :metal

To be honest, it was an honor to be mentioned in the same breath with Transatlantic.   :hat

Offline bosk1

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Re: The ANABASIS (feat. Ryo Okumoto) Now Streaming
« Reply #9 on: October 24, 2011, 05:11:40 PM »
One the best comments we got so far about the music was that it sounded like:

"Transatlantic with balls..."    :metal

To be honest, it was an honor to be mentioned in the same breath with balls.   :hat

:orly:
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Offline kirksnosehair

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Re: The ANABASIS (feat. Ryo Okumoto) Now Streaming
« Reply #10 on: October 24, 2011, 05:25:51 PM »
 :rollin

 :hefdaddy

I shoulda seen that coming  :rollin

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Re: The ANABASIS (feat. Ryo Okumoto) Now Streaming
« Reply #11 on: October 24, 2011, 05:35:11 PM »
Wow, Kirk Sounds awesome. Will definitely get a copy! Maybe you can drop one off! ;)
would have thought the same thing but seeing the OP was TAC i immediately thought Maiden or DT related
Winger Theater Forums........or WTF.  ;D
TAC got a higher score than me in the electronic round? Honestly, can I just drop out now? :lol

Offline kirksnosehair

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Re: The ANABASIS (feat. Ryo Okumoto) Now Streaming
« Reply #12 on: October 24, 2011, 05:47:19 PM »
Ha ha! Thank you TAC!

I forgot to mention that I have a "bonus track" that is really just a remix of track 2 "Fly" ( a track that many people cite as their favorite)  and I'd love to send this to any of you that would like to hear it and maybe comment on it here.

Here's the history on it:

We recorded "Fly" with a combination of Jeroen Hendrix and Ryo Okumoto's keyboard parts for the main song.  But we also recorded the song with two versions of the keyboard solo:  the one that got released on the album, and the one I have, that was not released.

The copy I have (that was not released on the CD) has Ryo ONLY on the keyboard solo, (and he definitely shreds here) the version that was released (and that you can stream in the above link) has Jeroen and Ryo doing a keyboard "duel" which is pretty cool sounding.

So, if you wanna hear the bonus track, send me an email and I'll gladly email you a link to download it.  It's like a cool inside look into how the album unfolded and no one is really going to get this track (legally, at least) otherwise.''

So, yeah, also, I'm old and going to bed now, so if you want this track I will send it in the morning LOL
 :lol



Offline njdtfan

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Re: The ANABASIS (feat. Ryo Okumoto) Now Streaming
« Reply #13 on: October 24, 2011, 06:10:26 PM »
WOW. Listenined to the stream. thsi si a must purchase. Congrats guys!
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Offline kirksnosehair

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Re: The ANABASIS (feat. Ryo Okumoto) Now Streaming
« Reply #14 on: October 25, 2011, 08:29:45 AM »
Thank you, njdtfan  ;D

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Re: The ANABASIS (feat. Ryo Okumoto) Now Streaming
« Reply #15 on: October 25, 2011, 08:31:35 AM »
I'll be sure to check this out tonight :metal
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Re: The ANABASIS (feat. Ryo Okumoto) Now Streaming
« Reply #16 on: October 25, 2011, 08:34:28 AM »
KNH,

Will 10t be registering the album art and track listings to the music service sites? I'm too lazy to input the info myself and wish the album would stop coming up as 'unknown'.  :biggrin:
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Offline bosk1

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Re: The ANABASIS (feat. Ryo Okumoto) Now Streaming
« Reply #17 on: October 25, 2011, 11:37:22 AM »
I really, really like what I am hearing so far.  This is well-written, well performed heavy rock with strong prog influences.  And after seeing the album art firsthand, I can confirm that it is indeed VERY well done.  Other than a bunch of profanity on Epiphany (which, IMO, like the vast majority of profanity in song lyrics, really doesn't need to be there), I am really liking the lyric writing as well.  There is some really cool, really thought-provoking stuff.  In a general sense, I would compare the lyrics to early Queensryche simply for the fact that they are deep and cause the listener to think without telling the listener what to think.  I appreciate that a lot.  I am on the fence about whether the lyrics in Epiphany will keep me from buying this, but I think I will likely take the plunge and support a forum-member and artist who has put together some VERY good music, and simply delete that track from my playlist.
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Offline Dark Castle

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Re: The ANABASIS (feat. Ryo Okumoto) Now Streaming
« Reply #18 on: October 25, 2011, 11:43:25 AM »
I have yet to listen, but profanity never bugs me in music.

Offline kirksnosehair

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Re: The ANABASIS (feat. Ryo Okumoto) Now Streaming
« Reply #19 on: October 25, 2011, 12:43:55 PM »
I really, really like what I am hearing so far.  This is well-written, well performed heavy rock with strong prog influences.  And after seeing the album art firsthand, I can confirm that it is indeed VERY well done.  Other than a bunch of profanity on Epiphany (which, IMO, like the vast majority of profanity in song lyrics, really doesn't need to be there), I am really liking the lyric writing as well.  There is some really cool, really thought-provoking stuff.  In a general sense, I would compare the lyrics to early Queensryche simply for the fact that they are deep and cause the listener to think without telling the listener what to think.  I appreciate that a lot.  I am on the fence about whether the lyrics in Epiphany will keep me from buying this, but I think I will likely take the plunge and support a forum-member and artist who has put together some VERY good music, and simply delete that track from my playlist.

If you knew the story behind the lyrics to "Epiphany" (which is the only song on the album for which I get SOLE lyric-writing credit) you might give me a pass on it.  I'm not big on profanity either, and rarely speak that way even among my closest friends, but believe me, the profanity in that song is there for a reason. It's not just gratuitous swearing for the sake of swearing. I wanted to be honest with the lyrics.  So it's there because it represents in vivid detail precisely what was going through my mind when I had the experience that inspired those lyrics.

But anyway, thanks for your compliments, I appreciate it.   


Offline kirksnosehair

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Re: The ANABASIS (feat. Ryo Okumoto) Now Streaming
« Reply #20 on: October 25, 2011, 12:45:51 PM »
KNH,

Will 10t be registering the album art and track listings to the music service sites? I'm too lazy to input the info myself and wish the album would stop coming up as 'unknown'.  :biggrin:

Hey, that's very strange because I've already (LONG AGO) submitted it.  And it was submitted again when it was mastered.  But anyway, yeah, the album will be going up on iTunes, Amazon.com and a few other digital services. 


Offline kirksnosehair

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Re: The ANABASIS (feat. Ryo Okumoto) Now Streaming
« Reply #21 on: October 25, 2011, 12:47:21 PM »
I have yet to listen, but profanity never bugs me in music.

Yeah, I kind of got that from your signature  :rollin

 :metal

Offline bosk1

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Re: The ANABASIS (feat. Ryo Okumoto) Now Streaming
« Reply #22 on: October 25, 2011, 01:00:23 PM »
I really, really like what I am hearing so far.  This is well-written, well performed heavy rock with strong prog influences.  And after seeing the album art firsthand, I can confirm that it is indeed VERY well done.  Other than a bunch of profanity on Epiphany (which, IMO, like the vast majority of profanity in song lyrics, really doesn't need to be there), I am really liking the lyric writing as well.  There is some really cool, really thought-provoking stuff.  In a general sense, I would compare the lyrics to early Queensryche simply for the fact that they are deep and cause the listener to think without telling the listener what to think.  I appreciate that a lot.  I am on the fence about whether the lyrics in Epiphany will keep me from buying this, but I think I will likely take the plunge and support a forum-member and artist who has put together some VERY good music, and simply delete that track from my playlist.

If you knew the story behind the lyrics to "Epiphany" (which is the only song on the album for which I get SOLE lyric-writing credit) you might give me a pass on it.  I'm not big on profanity either, and rarely speak that way even among my closest friends, but believe me, the profanity in that song is there for a reason. It's not just gratuitous swearing for the sake of swearing. I wanted to be honest with the lyrics.  So it's there because it represents in vivid detail precisely what was going through my mind when I had the experience that inspired those lyrics.

But anyway, thanks for your compliments, I appreciate it.   

If it's something you believe is appropriate to share, I'd love to hear the story, actually. 

And don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking what I heard at all--just expressing my personal preferences for what I listen to, which I know and understand are not the preferences of the average music fan on these forums.

And I'll say again to others reading this:  If you haven't taken the time to listen to the streams of these songs, do yourself a favor and do it.
"The Supreme Court of the United States has descended from the disciplined legal reasoning of John Marshall and Joseph Story to the mystical aphorisms of the fortune cookie."

Offline kirksnosehair

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Re: The ANABASIS (feat. Ryo Okumoto) Now Streaming
« Reply #23 on: October 25, 2011, 01:22:03 PM »
I understand, believe me.  And I respect your opinion.  I knew there was some risk when I put those lyrics in there, but I wanted it to be from the gut.

I don't really want to go into a lot of detail about what inspired it, but let's just say it was about getting stabbed in the back by the last person you'd expect to be stabbing you in the back.

Offline bosk1

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Re: The ANABASIS (feat. Ryo Okumoto) Now Streaming
« Reply #24 on: October 25, 2011, 01:26:11 PM »
I don't really want to go into a lot of detail about what inspired it, but let's just say it was about getting stabbed in the back by the last person you'd expect to be stabbing you in the back.

Given the other lyrics on the album, I can only assume that means you are a lot older than I originally thought.  Okay, so I don't want to pry too much into private issues, but I'll just ask this one question because I've always wondered:  Was Brutus really that much of a jerk, or was he generally a cool dude when he wasn't looking to preserve the republic by any means necessary?
"The Supreme Court of the United States has descended from the disciplined legal reasoning of John Marshall and Joseph Story to the mystical aphorisms of the fortune cookie."

Offline Sir GuitarCozmo

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Re: The ANABASIS (feat. Ryo Okumoto) Now Streaming
« Reply #25 on: October 25, 2011, 01:34:03 PM »
:rollin

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Re: The ANABASIS (feat. Ryo Okumoto) Now Streaming
« Reply #26 on: October 25, 2011, 01:37:32 PM »
HolyShitROLF  :rollin

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Re: The ANABASIS (feat. Ryo Okumoto) Now Streaming
« Reply #27 on: October 25, 2011, 01:44:20 PM »
I don't really want to go into a lot of detail about what inspired it, but let's just say it was about getting stabbed in the back by the last person you'd expect to be stabbing you in the back.

Given the other lyrics on the album, I can only assume that means you are a lot older than I originally thought.  Okay, so I don't want to pry too much into private issues, but I'll just ask this one question because I've always wondered:  Was Brutus really that much of a jerk, or was he generally a cool dude when he wasn't looking to preserve the republic by any means necessary?

 :rollin  :tup
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Re: The ANABASIS (feat. Ryo Okumoto) Now Streaming
« Reply #28 on: October 25, 2011, 03:02:00 PM »
Vikings!  :leaveseyes:
"The Supreme Court of the United States has descended from the disciplined legal reasoning of John Marshall and Joseph Story to the mystical aphorisms of the fortune cookie."

Offline kirksnosehair

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Re: The ANABASIS (feat. Ryo Okumoto) Now Streaming
« Reply #29 on: October 25, 2011, 04:03:34 PM »
Vikings!  :leaveseyes:

Yeah, that's my personal favorite and it seems that most people like that one and "Egypt" the most, with "Fly" also getting quite a bit of attention.

The guitar solos in "Vikings" are just totally off the hook, and both of those guys have already committed to playing on the next album, so I'm pretty excited about that.

Interesting side note:  One of the guys who plays the guitar solos in "Vikings" is a guitarist in the only "officially sanctioned" Iron Maiden tribute band "HI-ON Maiden"  (he's a good friend of mine)


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Re: The ANABASIS (feat. Ryo Okumoto) Now Streaming
« Reply #30 on: October 25, 2011, 05:25:56 PM »
Hey Barry,

I'll be checking this out after my radio show tonight. I've been looking forward to this for so long, I can't wait to hear it in full.

While you are keeping track of this thread, is there a particular song that you would want me to play on my show? I'll play any one you want.  :metal
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Re: The ANABASIS (feat. Ryo Okumoto) Now Streaming
« Reply #31 on: October 26, 2011, 07:22:37 AM »
Hey Barry,

I'll be checking this out after my radio show tonight. I've been looking forward to this for so long, I can't wait to hear it in full.

While you are keeping track of this thread, is there a particular song that you would want me to play on my show? I'll play any one you want.  :metal

Let me check with the label about it.  Do you have a copy of the CD?

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Re: The ANABASIS (feat. Ryo Okumoto) Now Streaming
« Reply #32 on: October 26, 2011, 07:55:44 AM »
let's just say it was about getting stabbed in the back by the last person you'd expect to be stabbing you in the back.


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Re: The ANABASIS (feat. Ryo Okumoto) Now Streaming
« Reply #33 on: October 26, 2011, 08:51:54 AM »
Vikings!  :leaveseyes:

If you run, you'll just die tired after all!  :metal
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Re: The ANABASIS (feat. Ryo Okumoto) Now Streaming
« Reply #34 on: October 26, 2011, 08:53:11 AM »
Barry,

I'll never look at my mothers eyes in the same way ever again.









They're in a jar on my credenza...
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