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Post by sknowbird on Aug 18, 2012 2:27:37 GMT -5
;D hahahaha Well done, Mike! ..with emphasis on WELL!! Only $1615.00 to go for funding this Kickstarter project!! On the "Updates" page I requested 2 songs. One of which I'm sure is #1 on your list! /posts geez if this had been FW or OSI i'd have done it in a freakin' heartbeat! Very glad you splurged on this opportunity. I used to be pals with a girl who went to every ProgPower USA without fail. Wonder if she's going. Actually, one of my FB friends works at the 4-day festival every year as a guitar tech. His name is John and he's older than both of us. I can ask him some advice on lodging if you like? Btw, he was in Chicago crowd way back in 1992 when DT filmed PMU video for MTV! \m/
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Post by virtueorvice on Sept 11, 2012 11:55:44 GMT -5
Mike, you've been giving due attention/credit to Redemption all these times, dude. They're without a doubt one of the greatest progressive bands today.
Most importantly is their simple yet slightly twisted fast rhythms and fast guitar solos, great filling keyboard solos and awesome guitar tone. And unlike many progressive bands, their lyrics are so meaningful and powerful. There are no unnecessary and boring parts or sections in their music; direct and straightforward. I can say they have achieved their own unique music. Even i like them more than Fates Warning!
Wish you great times and please tell Nick Van Dyk for me that they have fans in Iran! I really respect him and admire him!
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Post by Mebert78 on Sept 11, 2012 15:53:29 GMT -5
I'm glad you like them! I didn't discover them until late 2009 and they've instantly become one of my fav bands. My friend Heather just post an interview she did with Nick Van Dyk. It's a really nice look at his thoughts on life and relationships: heatherleahwrites.com/?p=287I will pass along your thoughts to Nick this weekend. I'm really psyched to meet the man that has written such wonderful lyrics that have touched me so deeply. I have a feeling I might get choked up when I shake his hand, but I hope not.
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Post by sknowbird on Sept 11, 2012 22:23:43 GMT -5
Yeah, Mike, THANKS AGAIN for re-introducing me to Redemption via Facebook the last few years. I did buy The Fullness of Time back when it came out and totally love their song "Sapphire" but had no idea their follow-up would be such a masterpiece!! Like I divulged to you when we hooked up in May for the Hartford Arch/Matheos show, I was actually quite upset for years that Ray was spending so much time away from Fates Warning. hahaha Sure, i love his other side band ENGINE very much (which also includes Redemption guitarist Bernie Versailles) but with Redemption Ray has been able to tour and record much more frequently which is definitely a BONUS for FW and their future.. And since Redemption uses a key player on each disc their sound is much fuller and a lot like the famous prog metal band from Long Island whose keyboarder we've been dedicated to for decades now! Nick will be very pleased to know you, Amir, myself and many others the world over have appreciated their music on a much higher level than he's aware of. I'm certain that just hearing the nice accolades regarding the music or personal stories from many people's lives must touch Nick and the other bandmates as well. YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE AN AWESOME WEEKEND IN HOTLANTA! Check out their recent Rush cover (during rehearsals) of YYZ here: /posts Bernie just posted this yesterday! lolol
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Post by virtueorvice on Sept 12, 2012 8:44:50 GMT -5
A great interview. I believe self-expression is one of the most powerful ways of writing which provides a great outlook for the reader. His words are real originating from his experiences and i like it.
Everybody’s going to have their heart broken; everybody’s going to be frustrated by their own failings; everybody’s going to be afraid that they’re not going to succeed; everybody’s going to wrestle with all this stuff. So that provides some common ground for people.
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Post by Mebert78 on Sept 17, 2012 15:31:40 GMT -5
Well, I'm back from Prog Power USA. I saw two separate Redemption shows. The first show was on Friday night during the festival, and then there was a private concert for about 15 fans on Saturday morning. They were both filmed for a DVD and the private show footage will be used to fix "mistakes" from the prior night's performance. The band sounded great. They did have a handful of mistakes. But let's be honest, they don't perform live that much, so it's gonna happen. Bernie's guitar went out during a solo in "Parker's Eyes," the piano part at teh start of "Black and White World" got fucked up, and Ray apparently messed up the lyrics to "Walls."
I met some other diehard Redemption fans and that was so great. Two of my new friends actually cried when they played "The Origins of Ruin" at the private show, and it made me cry. I told Nick that his lyrics inspire me to live a better life and be a better person, and he said that's the ultimate compliment. I keep looking for myself in pics and video, but there's not much yet. I wore a bright knicks jersey wit ha DT hat, si I would stand out. I was 5 feet from the stage.
Setlist in random order: Dream From the Pit Noonday Devil Stronger Than Death Walls Black and White World Suffocating Silence The Death of Faith and Reason The Origins of Ruin Fall on You Parker's Eyes Nocturnal
Also, Ray said that they have 6 Fates Warning songs written and the yill be hitting the studio in January. I asked him his thoughts on Kevin and he said he's a funny guy. He said a group of them went to a restaurant a few months ago, and Kevin kept making funny cracks about the place, but he couldn't remember specifics.
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Post by sknowbird on Sept 18, 2012 2:27:15 GMT -5
Most excellent, Mike!! \m/ The photos you snapped of show including post-show with yourself, Ray, Nick & Sean Andrews are super cool. The concert itself is always the best part of any travel experience but meeting up with fellow fans is easily a very memorable time too. Lately I've been listening to Origins of Ruin and that title track has a very soft spot for me as well. Would DEFINITELY have loved to have been out with Ray and Kevin for dinner! hahaha Kevin always seemed to be class clown during DT days. Oh and thanks A LOT for the FW update! Six songs already written is sweet news!! Did Ray mention if there will be any keys on new Fates disc?? Btw, they'll be playing new songs on a European swing this November. Three dates already confirmed! fateswarning.com/Tour/CurrentTour.aspxThis live show photo from Ray's page is pretty awesome:
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Post by delerium on Sept 18, 2012 13:49:08 GMT -5
Mebes, I haven't gotten into Redemption (yet) but it's cool that you met Nick Van Dyk.
I used to interact with him on a Fates Warning webBoard about a dozen years ago, just after he met Ray Alder and was starting Redemption.
He seemed like a really cool guy. Very interesting and intelligent.
I tried to send him an email recently but the addresses I found bounced. I'll have to try again.
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Post by Mebert78 on Sept 18, 2012 13:56:54 GMT -5
You should look for Nick on Facebook or email the Redemption page on Facebook! He is in charge of that and I'm sure he'd write back. Oh, man. I just found that the night I left some of my hotel roommates ran into Redemption band members at a bar and Ray Alder came back to our hotel room for an hour. Are you kidding me?! I will never forgive myself for leaving early. Ahhhhhhhhh!
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Post by delerium on Sept 18, 2012 16:26:59 GMT -5
Ha.. that would've been cool to meet Ray. I've never met a musical hero.
Jim Matheos lives about 1/2 hour from me.. don't know the address but I know the town. The thought that he and Kevin were working on OSI nearby makes me wish I could've found a way to observe a jam session.
John Arch is only a couple hours away. Would love to meet him too.
I'll have to send Nick an email, he's probably remember me.
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Post by sknowbird on Sept 23, 2012 3:00:43 GMT -5
Yes, I agree. Do add Nick as a friend if you haven't already! And since you brought up John Arch not living that far away? Well, unlike Jim Matheos, John's on Facebook under his full name John Archambault. His photo uploads show he's really into mountain-biking so you may run into him sometime either way! Someone uploaded entire "Origins of Ruin" Saturday performance on FB yesterday! It's a private video so the viewing is extremely limited at the moment. And guitarist Bernie uploaded 2 cool videos from last weekend (below). I haven't seen you in either the slideshow or the show video, Mike, but I'm sure you may have better luck picking yourself outta crowd. Just like Ray said about Kevin being a funny guy...it takes one to know one. Proof below! hahaha
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Post by virtueorvice on Oct 12, 2012 10:42:21 GMT -5
My review for Redemption's The Fullness of Time First of all I need to admit that I admire Nick Van Dyk the mastermind behind Redemption. He’s one of the best music composers and arrangers on this planet. If you are a fan of progressive metal you need to check Redemption. “The Fullness of Time” is the second album by Redemption and their first album with the master vocalist Ray Alder. They are really heavy and don’t trespass the boundaries; they stick to the main purpose of their music and never give you extra annoying parts or stuff like intolerable instrumental sections or unattractive keyboard solos that need to force themselves into the ears of the listener. “Sapphire” is one of the masterpieces of progressive metal. Almost 16 minutes of pure mastery. The lyrics are so powerful and full of emotions. The music arrangement is perfect and excellent so that it stands alone among many other bands. It is almost unlike Dream Theater or Symphony X. Nick Van Dyk has a unique relation-of-parts on his mind. He always surprises you with his melodic connections and vocal lines that are somewhat extraordinarily the glue of the songs. Nobody could bring the vocals such amazingly to the progressive metal music. “Parker’s Eyes” is yet another great track from this album. You can always enjoy great melodic solos and melodic structures integral to the song. “The Fullness of Time” is a four-part song. Again, the vocal melodies stand out. Nick Van Dyk seems to know where to take us with his powerful imagination in music. I’m speechless ladies and gentlemen; you need to enjoy great progressive music by listening to “The Fullness of Time.” www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=836877
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