EPK – Tanagra – Seas of Glass (single) (2020)
Artist representation (PR) = Jon Asher asher(@)ashermediarelations.com
For fans of Iced Earth, Pyramaze, Caladan Brood, Blind Guardian, Nevermore
Single Title: Seas of Glass
Release Date: November 20, 2020
Label: Self-Release
Distribution: CD Baby
Social Media: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube
Sales Links: Bandcamp | iTunes | Amazon | Spotify | CD Baby
“Power metal packed with depth, emotion, harmony, and complexity.” – BraveWords
“Everything comes together to create an evocative and expansive album, hitting multiple checkboxes while still heavily appealing to fans of power metal played ‘straight and true’.” – Heavy Blog is Heavy
“It’s pompous, majestic, intellectual and I love it. Meridiem is a monument of progressive power metal with so much to offer.” – The Metal Observer
“Progressive Metal fans, rest assured that your 2019 is in good hands as Prog quintet TANAGRA unleashes “Meridiem”. Filled with vibrant melodies, this seven-track record will take you to a breathtaking journey through an eargasmic musical psychedelic.” – Metal Temple
“Meridiem is another jewel in the trunk of America’s continually-burgeoning power metal scene… Tanagra is something to be loved by music fans, cherished by power metal fans and salivated over by fans of progressive metal.” – Last Rites
“I’m thoroughly impressed with this sophomore. It’s a complete transformation of this band into a wholly new form and they’ve earned every single little bit of it.” – Toilet ov Hell
“Tanagra’s Meridiem will likely please and intrigue fans of American progressive power metal, thanks to the band’s ambitious and lightly complex songwriting.” – Danger Dog Reviews
“There’s an ethereal, otherworldly feel in parts of Tanagra’s compositions that gives the music real presence, and the epic nature of the material will raise the hairs on the back of your neck a fair few times if you allow yourself to become fully immersed in the grandeur of it all. Highly recommended!” – Sentinel Daily
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Tanagra has a new single coming out entitled “Seas of Glass”, this serves as a small jolt for the band music-wise, but ultimately fans will still hear the distinctive Tanagra sound coming through.
Like much of their music, “Seas of Glass” tells a story about change through the eyes of a lone protagonist. The first half of the single is calm and sounds almost like it’s from the ’70s, maybe a bit of Hotel California; as the protagonist remembers why he came to the island. He has a nagging feeling that this existence, despite its comfort, isn’t right. As we make our way to the solo the desire to return to the sea is overtaking who he was when he came to the island. By the time we’ve been pounded by a driving riff and solo, he’s come to the realization that he’s in control of the elements. The only thing stopping him from enjoying the battering of the seas is himself; and that gives him the strength to once again venture into the storm. The storms don’t matter, the raging seas are nothing to him; they are just as if they are calm waters. Tanagra shares their thoughts on the single:
“‘Seas of Glass’ is a passionate retort to the ill-fortunes the band has suffered in recent years. Built from the raw emotions of the loss of members and the twin deathblows threatened by Covid and Nagra; all combined to make a do or die moment. We decided we weren’t going to take this lying down. It’d be easy enough to cave when all opportunity is being snuffed out and then you’re kicked while you’re down. It’d be easy to simply go on doing whatever it is we’re doing with our lives and walk away; another defeated minion in someone else’s RPG. But instead, we stand proud and defiant. This is our name, that is our stage, and the storms can rage all they want.”
To date, the band has released two albums, 2015’s “None of This is Real” and 2019’s “Meridiem” keeping a focus on writing complex, reasonably technical metal with clean vocals a la Blind Guardian and Iced Earth. Tanagra’s music writing is diverse and so is the process for each release. In this track, in particular, the vocals were established early and built around entirely; rather than being applied later. This leads it to sound more cohesive.
Clean, melodic, and driving, Tanagra is recommended for fans of Iced Earth, Pyramaze, and Caladan Brood.
[Download Single Cover | Download Single Lyrics]
Single Title: Seas of Glass
Release Date: November 20, 2020
Label: Self-Release
Distribution: CD Baby
Track Listing:
1. Seas of Glass (5:37)
Single Credits:
– All songs performed by Tanagra
– All songs written by Tanagra
– Produced by Sacha Muller @ Dead Aunt Thelma’s
– Mixed by Sacha Muller
– Mastered by Kris Crummet
– Artwork by Molli Stevenson
– Members of ASCAP
Single Band Line Up:
Steven Soderberg – Guitars
Erich Ulmer – Vocals, Bass
Christopher Stewart – Drums
Samantha Holmes – Guest Solo
Tanagra Members: Steven Soderberg (left), Erich Ulmer (right), Christopher Stewart (not pictured)
Photo Credit: Anna Slusser
Formed out of the love of science fiction, fantasy, and theatrical heavy metal storytelling, TANAGRA hit the Portland, USA metal scene in 2011 and alongside bands like Spellcaster, Excruciator, and Ritual Healing, helped foster a heavy/power metal scene in a city obsessed with black and doom metal. In 2015, after releasing their debut album, None of This is Real, an energetic collection of American power metal showcasing their love for complex arrangements and lengthy songs, they garnered critical acclaim from a multitude of publications around the world and began their rise by opening for acclaimed bands such as Visigoth, Primal Fear, Sanctuary, Vicious Rumors, Judicator, and Blaze Bayley.
In the time following their debut release, the members found a deep love for progressive rock/metal and symphonic black metal. A culling of straight-forward riffing and songwriting gave way to complex yet compelling rhythms interwoven with vibrant vocal arrangements, transcendent soloing, and varying instrumental textures in a lush harmonic landscape.
In 2016, TANAGRA entered the studio with the fruits of their labors to begin recording their ambitious second album, titled Meridiem. Hunkered down across four studios for close to three years, joined by guest musicians on piano, cello, and viola, they refined and crafted their seven compositions to perfection with every minute of studio time spent adding more and more layers of depth, emotion, harmony, and complexity. After recording his parts, Josh Kay moved to Los Angeles and started a new project; Alizarin.
After Meridiem was released to much fanfare, Tom Socia also exited the band quietly. When new troubles of Covid and as a potential deathblow from a legal battle with Nagra loomed, Christopher took a backseat. But now TANAGRA, largely reduced to two and having emerged victorious from that uncertain future, is celebrating with the release of a new single “Seas of Glass.” Introducing Erich Ulmer as lead vocals, heard before in Across the Ancient Desert, and on many backing tracks of much of TANAGRA’s catalog, they hope fans old and new alike will see this as a triumph of will as they step into a new age.
Tanagra’s new single, Seas of Glass, will be released to the world on October 29, 2020, digitally. Available from most distribution sites like Spotify, Bandcamp, and iTunes.
Discography:
2020 – Seas of Glass (single)
2019 – Meridiem – LP
2015 – None of This is Real (LP)
Shared the stage with:
Sanctuary, Blaze Bailey, Visigoth, Vicious Rumors, Primal Fear, Spellcaster, Helion Prime, Skelator, Gladius, Iron Kingdom, Last Empire
Past Features:
Reddit – 2019 – Power Metal Album of the Year (Meridiem)
WorldOfMetalMag – 2019 – Top 20 Prog Metal 2019 (Meridiem)
L-R – Andrew -Guitar/Vocals, Frank – Drums, Chris – Bass – Photo Credit by Alvino Salcedo 
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