VOYAGER: Australian Melodic/Prog/Gothic/Metal Band Thread

[WardySI]

Good for them!

Although won't lie, did hope and expect they might finish a little higher than they did?  Bias aside, while never thought they'd win did feel they could've made top3 based on their performance. 

But hey, it's Euro

[The Curious Orange]

I was stunned that Lord Of The Lost ended up in the last spot. Such a good rockin' tune.

I was surprised they finished as highly as they did, I'd have invented negative numbers for them. And the biggest joke is after losing to the Croatian gay-underpants-Hitlers and the godawful UK entry, they're supporting Iron Maiden on their forthcoming European tour. I like to Support the Support, but I think I'll be arriving late for that one...

And yes, Finland were robbed. If a jury of music industry experts can be that far away from what the public voted for, then they're not exactly experts. Even the crowd in the arena were chanting Cha Cha Cha - they knew a stitch up when they see one. The Eurovision wanted Sweden to host next year to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Abba, so the juries were told to vote that way. Finland was clearly the best entrant of the night.

And did anyone else think Unicorn was exactly the same tune as Titanium?

[MirrorMask]

I was stunned that Lord Of The Lost ended up in the last spot. Such a good rockin' tune.

Me too, I thought that with a catchy song and some vague resemblance in style with Rammstein, which are very popular, they could do well, but no, nobody cared.

My understanding is that Germany was always sending poppy songs to the contest, now they tried with a metal song and they failed, I assume they'll go back to bland pop songs again in the future....

[romdrums]

It's been cool to see the prog community gather in support of Voyager today on Facebook. Seen post from Ross Jennings, Daniel Tompkins and Viv Lalu already, not to mention the swath of the fandom that falls in my blast radius.

Also Tesseract in general, VOLA, Leprous, Chaos Divine, Prog Magazine, Metal Hammer, and a few others as well.   

Their reaction to only getting 21 points from the online/televote was hilarious.  I think the votes that helped them win their Semi-final mostly went to Finland in the Finals.  It looks like Voyager got on well with pretty much everyone there, especially Finland, so I wouldn't be surprised to see a Voyager/Kaarija collaboration in the future. 

Overall, it was great to see one of "my bands" do so well in this competition.  Prog metal placing top 10 in an essentially global competition is pretty kick ass!  I hope this leads to a higher profile and more visibility for them, they totally deserve it!  Looking forward to the album release in July and hopefully, some US dates later this year, or 2024.

[Polarbear]

Newspapers here are in full national emergency mode after Käärijä lost to Loreen..

A good friend of mine who is a huge Eurovision fan, pretty much cried when Sweden was announced winner. I'm not as crazy about Käärijä as the rest of the country seems to be, but the song was still a fun mix of Rap, Pop and Rock imo. With a great stage show to boot.

Loreen's song was a cold and calculated product in comparison. Who knows why the Jury's voted so highly for her song...

I'm definitely going to check out the new Voyager album coming this summer! I also checked out "Colours in the Sun" which I had never heard, and it was great.

[lonestar]

Her song was annoying to me at best... Some dude in the DT Facebook group said it was a direct ripoff of the TCoT vocal line... I'm still not hearing it, and I really can't listen to her song again... 

[Mladen]

Now wait a minute, man! That's not how it is!

[RoeDent]

I heard The Winner Takes It All by ABBA in it, rather than TCOT.

[ErHaO]

I listened to some of the songs for the first time. I have no issues with the winning song, but I found the performance... lacking? She hits the notes, but I could barely make out the words during many sections. I did not find it winner material.

And I have to agree with the popular vote, that rap/rock/pop song was hype.

[Polarbear]

New album "Fearless in Love" out today!

Had a quick listen, and I dig it! Sounds like a logical continuation from their last album.

"Twisted" and "Ultraviolet" are faves so far.

[cramx3]

Need to check this out

[nick_z]

Already logged a couple of listens (they had the whole thing on Bandcamp one day early)...definitely enjoying it, although I'm maybe finding the songs are a wee bit too "uniform" in style. I'll be revisiting plenty more, though, so it might just be a matter of picking up on the details...

One thing that already stuck me - There's a great one-two punch down the tracklist with Twisted and Daydream. The former in particular has this urgent pace that's really cool.

[WardySI]

Yes!  After the recent added exposure was bit worried they may not deliver on the hype but ohh well played Voyager this is ace \m/

Favorites are the already mentioned by nick Twisted and Daydream but The Lamenting is easily as good and album concluder Gren (album title) is a beauty!

[DoctorAction]

Got round to listening to this twice today. Very excited by it. Feels really melodic and high energy. The sound is generally really cool too, in that they've managed to capture the down-tuned guitars and bass with lots of thick beefiness AND definition.

It does feel slightly like a collection and an album at the same time with Dreamer and Promise in there. I presume they were recorded as standalone tracks for EuroV and, if I'm not imagining it, they have a slightly different production style? But doesn't hurt my enjoyment so far.

Appreciate the style of what they do enormously That overt 80s vocal and synth thing mixed with Meshugginess is like someone reached in and pulled a musical fantasy out of my brain and made a reality out of it. So fitting that it's weird!

EDIT: Felt a couple of whiffs of Dev sprinkled across the album today. Anyone else get that?

[nick_z]

Yes...There is an obvious Devin Townsend moment at the end of Submarine. Also, when the guitars enter on the opener The Best Intentions, the progression kinda sounds like Dev covering Rush, or something 

Oh, and I have to agree with Wardy on The Lamenting...it's another beauty, for sure. Some sort of a gothic space odyssey.

This is excellent stuff. Consider me a happy fan 

[romdrums]

Got round to listening to this twice today. Very excited by it. Feels really melodic and high energy. The sound is generally really cool too, in that they've managed to capture the down-tuned guitars and bass with lots of thick beefiness AND definition.

It does feel slightly like a collection and an album at the same time with Dreamer and Promise in there. I presume they were recorded as standalone tracks for EuroV and, if I'm not imagining it, they have a slightly different production style? But doesn't hurt my enjoyment so far.

Appreciate the style of what they do enormously That overt 80s vocal and synth thing mixed with Meshugginess is like someone reached in and pulled a musical fantasy out of my brain and made a reality out of it. So fitting that it's weird!

EDIT: Felt a couple of whiffs of Dev sprinkled across the album today. Anyone else get that?

Same here.  This feels like the destination to the journey they started on with Ghost Mile.

[DoctorAction]

Checking in to say I LOVE this record. After initially feeling it was a little scattered at the start, repeated listens show it flows greatly and consistently from front to back.

The balance of the pop with the metal really is fantastic on here and I can't think of a single other album that does it so well. Just got back from a week's holiday and listened to it pretty much the whole time.

Album of the year so far.

[cramx3]

Finally got around to listening over the weekend.  Really like it.  I think my initial reaction is that it's a better album than the two before it (those are the only three I have), maybe not by much, but it's a bit more consistent and I really enjoy the sound and style on this one.  Standout tracks for me are Dreamer, Submarine, and Twisted. I still need more listens, but just giving my intro listens has already shot this album past many on my top albums of the year. 

[nick_z]

I love it too...I like it better than Colours in the Sun, but Ghost Mile might have a little edge. Doesn't matter either way, it's a fantastic album.

I actually find it hard to pick standout tracks because it's so consistently good. But I've been saying how much I enjoy Twisted so, yes, that's one of them  The whole run from that one to the end is great. Super-cool overall vibe in the closer Gren, too.

[DoctorAction]

It brings us great sadness to announce that Voyager's tour is currently postponed. Lead singer and keytarist Danny Estrin has been diagnosed with cancer and requires immediate treatment. We will be in touch with the rescheduled dates in due course and plan for an October 2024 return.

Danny says "Last week I was dealt some life-altering news: I've been diagnosed with a form of cancer that requires immediate treatment. I am absolutely devastated that we cannot perform on our forthcoming European tour, especially after this incredible Eurovision year we've had. I am on strict doctors' orders to not take this lightly, put my health first and get this sorted so that we can be on stage again as soon as possible. This has been an extremely hard decision to make, but one that everyone will hopefully understand."

😔

[cramx3]

Read that earlier, terrible news.  Hoping for a quick recover.  Shit timing too.  They got all that Eurovision exposure and can't capitalize on it.  I feel bad for not just Danny, but the rest of the band too.  Sucks all around. Fuck cancer.

[nick_z]

  Oh wow

[Nick]

Quite terrible news indeed. I'm kinda surprised that with the Eurovision bump likely to fade away in time that they didn't elect to have a Euro based singer step in for him and go ahead with the tour as scheduled.

[romdrums]

Quite terrible news indeed. I'm kinda surprised that with the Eurovision bump likely to fade away in time that they didn't elect to have a Euro based singer step in for him and go ahead with the tour as scheduled.

Given how tight they are as people, I don't see that as something they would have contemplated.  I doubt that would've even come up on their radar.  Would be like DT going out on tour without Petrucci, in my opinion!

I feel so bad for them, and Danny especially. All that work and dedication and then that happens.  I hope Danny's able to make a full recovery!

[cramx3]

I don't really see Danny as replaceable in this band.  His vocals and look are just too distinct.  He also plays keys live on some songs from the one time I saw them. Wouldn't be very easy to replace and probably would piss a lot of people off who already bought tickets.

[DoctorAction]

Yeah, I don't see them as having anyone but Danny as frontman.

[Nick]

If Pain of Salvation can perform without Daniel, anything is possible. Not saying I would contemplate this under any normal circumstances for them, they are just in a rare position right now.

[Deadeye21]

I'm kinda surprised that with the Eurovision bump likely to fade away in time that they didn't elect to have a Euro based singer step in for him and go ahead with the tour as scheduled.

While Simone is the one that ultimately decides what songs will be played (tied in with all her migraine stuff), Danny is key to making sure the flow of a Voyager show is perfect. Following that, he’s also the one playing all the synth solos, not just the singer. Add into that how good of friends they are and the fact that Voyager is Danny’s band (he’s the first one in and he’ll be the last to leave), it just doesn’t work to ever even consider substituting him for a show, let alone a tour.

[WardySI]

Yeah replacing is not gonna happen and nor should it.

Terrible news please take the time to beat this shit and be well soon \m/

[Nick]

I'm kinda surprised that with the Eurovision bump likely to fade away in time that they didn't elect to have a Euro based singer step in for him and go ahead with the tour as scheduled.

While Simone is the one that ultimately decides what songs will be played (tied in with all her migraine stuff), Danny is key to making sure the flow of a Voyager show is perfect. Following that, he’s also the one playing all the synth solos, not just the singer. Add into that how good of friends they are and the fact that Voyager is Danny’s band (he’s the first one in and he’ll be the last to leave), it just doesn’t work to ever even consider substituting him for a show, let alone a tour.

I don't know the band well enough to comment on interpersonal dynamics etc, but can comfortable say Danny isn't more tied to Voyager than Daniel Gildenlow is to Pain of Salvation, my example already given. Another, Haken were invited to headline RoSfest and based their first US tour around that appearance, a huge step for them. Richard Henshall, their by far primary songwriter and leader up till that point ended up having visa issues and sat out the tour while the rest of the guys came and did the tour.

If a band as big and notable as AC/DC can do a tour without their iconic lead vocalist, Voyager could make it work, and it's kinda silly people claiming there is no way it could happen. It absolutely could, they've just elected not to, which is also fine.

[Lethean]

Of course it *could* happen - anything could.  But I know I'd certainly prefer them to reschedule than try to get a different singer.  It's terrible that this happened at all, and the timing makes it even worse.  But hopefully he'll respond well to treatment and he'll be back and they can tour again as the band that they are.

[DoctorAction]

Sorry, Nick. I just don't get this idea.

I have no idea what goes on with other bands but wouldn't be remotely interested in seeing Voyager without Danny.

And just over a day since he announced a cancer diagnosis, I'm just hoping that he's ok and is back to strength soon.

[cramx3]

Just coming in here to say the song Twisted is maybe my favorite from the band.  Fearless in Love is easily my favorite album by them.

Hit me where it hurts now

[nick_z]

Just coming in here to say the song Twisted is maybe my favorite from the band.  Fearless in Love is easily my favorite album by them.

Hit me where it hurts now

Absolutely YES to Twisted being a fantastic song. I think it might be my favorite from their latest record.

[romdrums]

Just coming in here to say the song Twisted is maybe my favorite from the band.  Fearless in Love is easily my favorite album by them.

Hit me where it hurts now

Absolutely YES to Twisted being a fantastic song. I think it might be my favorite from their latest record.

Twisted is great. Daydream is another banger as well. Really, the whole album is killer! My favorite from this year for sure!