EPK – The Wring – Spectra (2022)
Publicist – Jon Asher – jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
“I am very proud of the compositions on this album. You will hear rock, prog, metal, jazz, classic rock, and probably a few other things, covering a wide range of approaches, but still cohesive and very accessible for any kind of listener. Prog music can tend to be grandiose; I wanted this album to be the opposite of that. Tight, concise, and well executed with interesting melody, rhythm, and lyrical themes.
The players: Marco Minnemann on drums – possibly the best rock drummer on the planet right now. You could spend months just listening to his tracks in isolation. Reggie Hache’s bass playing is similarly intricate and impeccably executed. I like to think that the guitar parts are interesting and somewhat unique and span a very wide range of styles, influences and execution. The vocals come straight out of the 80s with great melody and delivery, offering a very grounded counterpoint to the, often, odd time and melody structure. There are also keyboards hidden in the mix that offer an almost subliminal base on which everything else is built.
The cover has a cool ’70s vibe that is simple but offers a depth of meaning that will be very personal to each observer; a reflection of the musical content within.” – Don Dewulf – The Wring
For fans of Rush, King Crimson, Dream Theater, Opeth, Porcupine Tree
Band Name: The Wring
Album Title: Spectra
Release Date: December 16, 2022
Label: Wormholedeath
Distribution: Aural/Orchard
TheWring.ca | Facebook.com/thewringband | Instagram.com/wringband | Youtube
Thewring2.bandcamp.com | Apple Music | Spotify
Album digital available at https://orcd.co/spectrapreorder
“A band composed of top artists from the world prog scene, each of whom brings their own style to the band’s sound. Technique and energy, melodic passages, dynamic and expressive vocals and elaborate instrumental sections characterise the album. A recommended listen for all lovers of Progressive Metal sounds, an album to listen to again and again, always managing to give us positive emotions.” – Progressive Rock Journal
“Tired of prog metal bands who fire away odd rhythms, fast solos and complex arrangements? Half of them trying to sound like Dream Theater but all failing completely? Look no further. The Wring from Canada offers great musicians who find their own way through the prog metal jungle. I said great musicians and I really stand for that. Or how about Marco Minneman (drums), Chandler Mogel (vocals), Don Dewulf (guitars), Reggie Hache (bass, keyboards) and Isamu McGregor (keyboards)”… Sometimes they are a bit more commercial, like in the first song ”Stiletto”, reminding me a lot of Threshold. Other songs bring a bombastic wall of sound, with riffs do die for – ”The Wolf” is a great example. The early parts of ”Fallen” has some Rush vibes (of the later and more rock base Rush era) and also softer parts Mogel is a very good vocalist, and he can alter his voice a lot. Something of a voice chameleon!” – Melodic.net
“The opening notes of ‘Sins’ remind me of the opening salvo in Judas Priest’s ‘The Ripper’. Some of the riff structures are also reminiscent of Priest and it’s another great track.” – TheProgSpace
“The third album Spectra by the Canadian progressive rock project The Wring is downright infectious with its joy of playing and catchy Hard Prog Rock songs. There really is a lot of light and very little shadow here.” – Soundmagnet
“Here’s one for prog dorks. This outfit’s third outing (Spectra) features drums by Marco Minnemann so you know the rhythms are mad. The regulars in the band ain’t slouches either though. This is intricate and melodic prog done well.” – Metal Injection
““Wring² Project Cipher comes with a heavy, classic rock feel, but there’s an epic, questing nature to tunes like Sorceress, Steelier and Dose that pushes The Wring beyond metal norms and into prog territory.” – Prog Magazine
“Tired of prog metal bands who fire away odd rhythms, fast solos and complex arrangements? Half of them trying to sound like Dream Theater but all failing completely? Look no further. The Wring from Canada offers great musicians who find their own way through the prog metal jungle. I said great musicians and I really stand for that. Or how about Marco Minneman (drums), Chandler Mogel (vocals), Don Dewulf (guitars), Reggie Hache (bass, keyboards) and Isamu McGregor (keyboards)? This is their third full length album, which follows upon The Wring (2017) and Project Cipher (2021). Sometimes they are a bit more commercial, like in the first song ”Stiletto”, reminding me a lot of Threshold. Other songs bring a bombastic wall of sound, with riffs do die for – ”The Wolf” is a great example. The early parts of ”Fallen” has some Rush vibes (of the later and more rock base Rush era) and also softer parts Mogel is a very good vocalist, and he can alter his voice a lot. Something of a voice chameleon!” – Melodic.net
“Here we have some progressive metal/classic metal, getting a little more into some more typical prog metal with good technical/complex stuff and yeah, keyboards!” – The Moshpit 89.9 FM – Madison, WI
“The extreme professionalism on display throughout this entire album, although a labour of love, is a true master class of musicianship performed by musicians who are truly at the top of their game, making the industry what it is today. The sheer attention to detail is a credit to each and every performer as they tailor their craft neatly and precisely throughout every track, with nothing less than perfect being the order of the day.” – Stargazer Music Magazine
“Overall, the entire album is laden with a rich tapestry of sound and lyrics, well thought out and carefully developed by founder member and visionary Don Dewulf, taking the listener on that perfect journey of thought, and is a credit to its makers gathering no dust in any collection. 10/10” – Stargazer Music Magazine
“Thanks to his renowned session musicians and original compositions, The Wring is a refreshing discovery that offers a personal reading of modern metal. 4/5” – Music Waves
“What sounds at first to be a straight-forward rock album, turns out to be so much more. It’s a tad short, but sometimes less is more. You can hear many influences in these tracks, some of them familiar, but The Wring have stamped their own identity all over it. This should keep you going for the time being but expect more from Don Dewulf with The Wring3 already in the recording stage!” – The Prog Space
“Dewulf’s guitar work shines throughout, at times reminiscent of Alex Lifeson in his prime, such as his powerful solo on ‘Steelier’ which soars above the raging musical maelstrom below. There’s even a funk-infused breakout on ‘Dose’, which is infectious with its driving hook. It’s an absorbing record, one that takes time to soak in, but several plays ensure that it’s burnt deep into the memory. When those end-of-year lists come round, ‘Wring² Project Cipher’ is likely to be pushing for a slot.” – The Razor’s Edge
“The Wring generally succeed at what they’re going for—Dewulf has produced a fun, catchy record. Particularly on the album’s middle section (“Cipher,” “Steelier” and “Dissension”), there’s some great songs with great riffs. If you’re after some new prog, you could do a lot worse than this album, and I found it quite hard to score.” – Angry Metal Guy
“The overall sound is something like the heavier side of Rush, with hooks and melodic elements smoothing out the guitar crunch, making this very accessible.” – The Progressive Aspect
“Coming out of nowhere with a completely experienced, well-produced, and polished debut record full of complex compositions and dynamics for vocals, guitar, bass, and drums is Sudbury’s newest best-kept secret: The Wring… I give this album a solid 63 out of the 67 moons of Jupiter, including all four Galilean moons. Highly recommend it for fans Tool, Opeth, Soundgarden, Rage Against The Machine, or if you listened to your dad’s records growing up.” – Kipp Grose, Asylum Club
Band Name: The Wring
Album Title: Spectra
Release Date: December 16, 2022
Label: Wormholedeath
Distribution: Aural/Orchard
Track Listing:
1. Stiletto 4:40
2. Stones & Bones 4:58
3. The Prince 3.54
4. The Wolf 5:00
5. Tin Man 5:25
6. From Mars 4:43
7. Sins 4:43
8. Fallen 5:05
Album Length: 38:28
Album Credits:
• All songs performed by: Dewulf/Hache/Minnemann/Mogel/McGregor
• All songs written by: Don Dewulf
• Produced by: Don Dewulf
• Mixed by: Francis Perron/Radicart Studios
• Mastered by: Yannick St-Amand
• Album Artwork by: Gord Woolley
• Member of SOCAN
• Canadian Content (MAPL)
• Album Recording Line Up:
Don Dewulf – Guitars
Marco Minnemann – Drums
Chandler Mogel – Vocals
Reggie Hache – Bass & Keyboards
Isamu McGregor – Keyboards
Live Band Line Up:
No live band currently
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The album as a whole
Spectra is maybe a bit like a 1970’s King Crimson album but without any ethereal soliloquies and certainly with a more significant hard rock/metal influence. It is a cauldron of hard rock, jazz, metal, classical, 80’s rock, 70’s rock and probably a few other things. The performances are tight and meaningful. Marco Minnemann’s drums were the first thing to be recorded. His performance set the tone; the other guys had no choice but to play their asses off, and they did!
Track by Track:
Stiletto – This song is about the debilitating need for social media attention and validation. The blade goes in and you never even feel it, then you slowly bleed out. The verses are in 5/8 and 7/8 creating a somewhat jarring effect, also speaking to the theme. Chandler does a killer job on the chorus vocal and there is a very peculiar odd-time breakdown before the solo. Very fun song to play.
Stones & Bones – I’m so happy with how this song turned out; a few key changes but all very appropriate. A bit of odd time here too and another great vocal performance. There are also some keyboard parts buried in the mix. Originally, I had planned for this to be a bit of an ode to Deep Purple and Isamu McGregor played a Jon Lord homage but it was just too much (Blackmore never really played rhythm guitar to give the keys space; my rhythm guitars are the foundation of every song!!) I had to push the keys deeper into the mix; they still add a ton, but more subliminally than overt. Isamu will probably be mad when hears it, he played his ass off. Lyrically… I come from a mining town in Northern Ontario, Canada. Sometimes it feels like a place where music goes to die… just stones and bones.
The Prince – This one was inspired by the Thomas Hardy book ‘The Mayor of Casterbridge’ but is also metaphoric to the self-serving ruthlessness and controlling nature of societal predators. Musically it’s interesting because the verse is pretty straight ahead rock and the chorus is pure jazz and in odd time. The vocals smooth that over beautifully. “demi-gods blood-letting weaponized airwaves” – I love that line. Pretty much sums up the human condition these days.
The Wolf – An instrumental. Fun main riff with another jazzy chorus and a crushing ending. Reggie played some killer bass on this and added a great keyboard melody, lifting the song in many ways. I played this one on a 7-string which adds a nasty resonance. Fun breakdown and solo.
Tin Man – Starts off with some keys and acoustic guitar, my Opeth rip-off (I’ll say it before someone else does). Kind of a mid-tempo rock song after that. The theme is somewhat unusual for me as it was loosely inspired by my son. He is 18, brilliant, and has a moral compass, unlike any other human I know. This world is overfilled with greedy maniacs and murderous thugs. Kids like my son are on a path to change that. It’s my song of hope.
From Mars – One of my favourite songs on the record. Somewhat autobiographical, I think. As a younger person, I really struggled in crowds, especially ones in which I did not belong; which was most. If you’ve ever felt like a complete alien in a room full of people, you will relate! I am very proud of the middle breakdown. Some cool chords and a very fun solo. Another great performance by Chandler and by Reggie who played some killer bass and also came up with the spooky little piano line in the verses.
Sins – I love the main riff. It’s another odd time thing (in 13 this time) but the vocals really smooth it out. Has a total Metallica middle part that jumps out of nowhere! Marco’s playing on this was inhuman. The lyrics came from my dismay at how humanity can have advanced so much and in so many ways and yet still do absolutely horrifying things to each other. How many years will it take for Ukraine to recover from Russia’s insanity?
Fallen – The theme of this was a response to the protests and civil disobedience in both Washington DC and Ottawa, Canada. It’s incredible how a single charismatic mouthpiece can gather the rabble of humanity and shape it into a weapon. The intro is odd and staccato, my musical interpretation of crowds of rioters with no real purpose other than chaos. The main riff is simple and, I think, powerful. Love the solo and the end section on this one.
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About:
Canada’s The Wring is gearing up to release a third album in December, which is an amalgamation of different styles, brought together by solo artist Don Dewulf. His project has been growing by leaps and bounds, and this new release will wow listeners across the heavy spectrum. “Spectra” is a bit like a 1970’s King Crimson album, but without any ethereal soliloquies and certainly with a more significant hard rock/metal influence. It is a cauldron of hard rock, jazz, metal, classical, 80’s rock, 70’s rock, and probably a few other things. The performances are tight and meaningful. Dewulf comments on the album:
“I am very proud of the compositions on this album. You will hear rock, prog, metal, jazz, classic rock, and a few other things, covering a wide range of approaches, but still cohesive and very accessible for any kind of listener. Prog music can tend to be grandiose; I wanted this album to be the opposite of that. Tight, concise, and well-executed with interesting melody, rhythm, and lyrical themes. Marco Minnemann’s drums were the first thing to be recorded. His performance set the tone; the other guys had no choice but to play their asses off, and they did!”
To bring his vision to life, Sudbury, Ontario local Dewulf enlisted some of the best professional musicians to play the parts. Marco Minnemann – world-renowned drummer, member of The Aristocrats, and successful solo artist. Chandler Mogel – Amazing singer with a great 80’s vibe. Reggie Hache – Canadian bass superstar. Does his own thing and contributed incredible parts to this album. Isamu McGregor – Session keyboard player with great vision and feel. Together they deliver an expansive, detailed eight-track album that touches on a wide range of musical styles and themes. Each listener will hear something different in the compositions.
The Wring started in 2015, as Dewulf had a lot of material written that needed to see the light of day. He assembled the players and released the self-titled album in 2017. They played some shows, and players drifted off, but there was still an abundance of material. Another batch of studio musicians was brought together to release “Project Cipher” in 2021 and yet another diverse bunch got together for “Spectra”.
The band’s classic heavy rock intertwined with prog is recommended for fans of Rush, King Crimson, and Dream Theater.
“Spectra” is due out on December 16, 2022 via Wormholedeath Records.
Discography:
2022 – Spectra
2021 – Project Cipher
2019 – 48 oz. – Single
2017 – The Wring – Self-titled Album
Shared Stage with:
Anvil, Diamond Head, Sven Gali, Dead Daisies, Hookers & Blow
Tours and Festivals:
2018 – Budweiser New Music Festival – Sudbury – Finger Eleven, Glorious Sons, Crown Lands
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BAND STORY ANGLES / FUN FACTS: (Don Dewulf)
1. When the previous album (Project Cipher) was released, Ashermedia took it out to the world. It was no longer just my personal basement project. I talked to so many people and received so many positive reviews and feedback, it was amazing. Even the bad reviews liked something about it. I learned that proper marketing goes a very long way.
2. During one of the many interviews I did for the last album, the interviewer asked if I was on a label. I said ‘no’ and he referred me to Carlo Bellotti at Wormholedeath records from Italy. Carlo really liked the album and I signed a distribution deal with them. I presented ‘Spectra’ to Carlo and he went crazy for it, offering an upgraded deal and some further opportunities to push my songs around the world. Great stuff.
3. When I was looking for players for the new album, I asked Carlo at Wormholedeath for some suggestions. He told me that I should look for guys that are killer players but not ‘famous’. I had already secured Marco Minnemann but followed his advice for the rest. Reggie, Chandler and Isamu all have great resumes and utterly incredible talent; I could not be happier with those performances. I should also mention that Marco is surely not human. His playing is absolutely interstellar.
4. When it came time to find a mixing engineer, I was a bit lost. There are so many guys doing this. Then I happened to pick up the new Voivod record. I loved the tunes and the production and they are Canadian, so I looked at who did the mixing… It turned out to be a guy named Francis Perron, also Canadian. I contacted him and he was keen to do the work on Spectra. He is a great human and a talented engineer. I am very grateful for his presence and spirit.
5. I am a simple guy. I love to write songs and hear them performed by great players. I don’t care about money but I do constantly seek to get my music in the ears of like-minded people. Jon Asher pushed that ball forward a lot. Two things I’ll always remember: having the album get a good review in Prog Magazine and having a video posted on the Bravewords website. Those are two places I’ve been going for many years for music news. To see my stuff there was surreal.
ashermediarelations.com 