Interview through: DJ
Welcome to our interview that includes “The Crucible,” the debut album from HARPAZO, a groundbreaking super-group led through guitarist Marc Centanni and manufacturer Gary Wehrkamp (Shadow Gallery, Ayreon). Launched through Rockshots Data, “The Crucible” blends innovative and gear steel with symphonic and Celtic influences, exploring a dystopian long term the place generation meets prophecy.
Spanning epic tracks throughout Rome, Jerusalem, New York, and Washington DC, the album unfolds a story of revolution and intrigue. HARPAZO includes a stellar lineup together with DC Cooper (Royal Hunt), Mark Zonder (Fates Caution, Warlord), and different legends from the innovative and Christian steel scenes.
With intricate compositions and evocative storytelling, “The Crucible” guarantees an immersive musical adventure that unearths new layers with each and every pay attention. Sign up for us as we discover the ingenious imaginative and prescient at the back of this bizarre debut.
ALBUM PRE ORDER – https://bit.ly/HarpazoCD
MGM: Thanks, everybody, for tuning in to any other episode of My International Thoughts on our channel. I’m in reality excited lately as a result of we’re joined through two fantastic musicians to talk about a thrilling challenge liberating on June twenty eighth. It’s from the band Harpazzo, and the album is titled The Crucible on Rockshots Data. This idea album is one thing rock and steel lovers will indisputably experience, that includes proficient musicians and vocalists. Nowadays, we’ve got with us Marc Centanni, the author of this challenge, and Mr. Gary Wehrkamp, whom a lot of you recognize from bands like Shadow Gallery, one in every of my non-public favorites. Thanks each for being right here to discuss this file. We recognize your time.
Marc Centanni: Yeah, just right to be right here.
Gary Wehrkamp: Thank you such a lot.
MGM: Marc, I used to be being attentive to the promo lately. We obtain a large number of promos, so it’s difficult to maintain, however a few weeks in the past, the click free up for this one stuck my eye with the entire nice names concerned. Gary, I’ve been a large fan of your paintings with Shadow Gallery. There are different improbable vocalists in this album, like DC Cooper from Royal Hunt, who may be extraordinary. Let’s get started through discussing the way you and Gary met and the place the theory for this challenge got here from.
Marc Centanni: Undoubtedly. I got here to Gary with round 25 songs to begin with, and he helped me slim it down. The speculation for an idea album got here from my admiration for different thought albums like Operation: Mindcrime and Arjen’s Ayreon tasks. The entire thought started when Gary offered me to any other challenge he used to be fascinated by with DC Cooper known as Amaran’s Plight, which sparked the theory for my very own challenge. We weren’t certain shall we get DC Cooper on board to begin with. Mark Zonder, who Gary can inform you extra about, used to be probably the most first visitors but even so Gary. Gary had labored with Mark prior to now. Isn’t that correct, Gary?
Gary Wehrkamp: Yeah, we had simply completed any other challenge in combination. I requested if he’d be fascinated by laying down a couple of drum tracks. Then, thru any other challenge with Flaming Row and Martin Schnella, we introduced in additional musicians like Nick D’Virgilio from Spock’s Beard for particular wishes just like the double bass on “I Am God.” My toes aren’t rather as much as that pace anymore!
MGM: Mark Zonder used to be a perfect selection, identified for his paintings with Fates Caution. His involvement definitely provides to the album’s intensity.
Marc Centanni: He’s a hero of mine. Having Mark Zonder on board used to be fantastic.
MGM: That’s improbable. Nowadays, I listened to the promo and took notes on probably the most tracks. Innovative song calls for consideration and rewards repeated listening. Tracks like “I Am God,” “Two Witnesses,” “Ultimatum,” and “Exchange of Center Phase Two” stood out to me. May you delve into the idea that at the back of those songs and characters?
Gary Wehrkamp: Marc, that’s your house.
Marc Centanni: Certain. The muse got here from my time as a information creator and my exploration of Christianity. I turned into excited about prophecies, particularly from books like Revelation and Daniel. The album revolves round characters like Jude Solomon, a trillionaire envisioning a global the place humanity merges with generation to reside indefinitely. His right-hand guy, Michael, to begin with silences dissenters till a pivotal second in “Two Witnesses” shifts his allegiance. The album explores topics of religion, generation, and the combat between humanity and machines.
MGM: Figuring out the storyline enriches the listening enjoy, particularly for thought albums. It’s like a sci-fi epic set to song. How did you way composing the song, Gary? Did the idea that affect your ingenious procedure?
Gary Wehrkamp: Completely. We interested in growing the storyline first to lead each and every tune’s course. Operating with Marc on lyrics used to be collaborative; we met each Tuesday to flesh out concepts. Every monitor required a distinct way, from atmosphere the temper to translating feelings into song. As an example, “Two Witnesses” wanted a Center Jap vibe firstly to check its narrative atmosphere.
Marc Centanni: Gary driven me to outline the settings in more than a few towns and translate the ones atmospheres into the song.
MGM: It feels like a meticulous procedure. Have been there any songs that in particular resonated with you all over the ingenious procedure?
Gary Wehrkamp: “Exchange of Center Phase Two” and “I Am God” have been particular. They developed naturally and remained tough right through manufacturing.
Marc Centanni: “Exchange of Center Phase Two” used to be particularly significant for me. After I performed it for my then-girlfriend, now-wife, Jessica, she used to be moved to tears. It used to be a mystical second.
MGM: That’s gorgeous. You discussed taking part with famend vocalists like DC Cooper and drummer Nick D’Virgilio. How did you way bringing them on board?
Gary Wehrkamp: Some, like DC Cooper and Nick D’Virgilio, have been already acquaintances from earlier tasks. We compiled lists of possible vocalists who have compatibility the album’s imaginative and prescient and reached out to them.
Marc Centanni: I emailed them with our proposal, and fortunately, they approved. Operating with vocalists like Les Carlson, Ray Para, and Christian from Narnia used to be improbable.
MGM: The varied vocal contributions upload intensity to the album. Talking of collaborations, the paintings for The Crucible is putting. Who used to be the artist at the back of it?
Marc Centanni: The paintings used to be created through an artist Dusan Markovic identified for his or her paintings on a number of steel albums, together with The 3 Tremors. They did a very good activity bringing our thought to lifestyles.
MGM: It’s all the time attention-grabbing to look visible artwork complementing song. Gary, how do you’re feeling this challenge has impacted your occupation, particularly bearing in mind demanding situations like catastrophic space fires that came about a number of years in the past?
Gary Wehrkamp: The fireplace used to be devastating and behind schedule many stuff. Whilst Shadow Gallery hasn’t launched new subject material for a while, we’re nonetheless lively as a band. Harpazzo has been a rewarding focal point amidst those demanding situations, and I’m hoping lovers will experience it.
MGM: That resilience is admirable. Did any musical components out of your previous tasks, in particular Shadow Gallery, affect your paintings on Harpazzo?
Gary Wehrkamp: No longer considerably, aside from for a chord development in “I Am God” that originated from a tune with the past due nice Mike Baker for the Carved in Stone album. It by no means made it onto that album however discovered its position right here.
MGM: Attention-grabbing. Marc, the title “Harpazzo” has a novel that means. May you elaborate on its importance?
Marc Centanni: “Harpazzo” is a Greek phrase that means “emerging up,” similar to “rapture” within the Bible. “The Crucible” refers to a critical trial, echoing the idea that of tribulation. Each titles encapsulate the topics explored within the album.
MGM: The titles are becoming for the album’s topics. Gary, how did you decide on Rockshots Data as your label of selection?
Gary Wehrkamp: We regarded as a number of choices however discovered Rockshots Data to be the most efficient have compatibility. They’ve a robust roster of melodic and innovative artists, which aligned smartly with our imaginative and prescient.
Marc Centanni: Enzo Donnarumma from Enzo and the Glory Ensemble really helpful them to us, which used to be a decisive issue.
MGM: That’s nice to listen to. Finally, what message do you hope lovers remove from The Crucible, and are there any long term plans after its free up?
Gary Wehrkamp: We are hoping listeners recognize the eagerness and energy we’ve put into this challenge. It’s intended to be loved more than one occasions, unraveling its layers with each and every pay attention.
Marc Centanni: Every other unmarried will probably be launched on June twenty eighth, along the album. We’re interested in selling The Crucible for now and can assess additional plans in keeping with its reception.
MGM: Thanks each in your time lately. The album, Harpazzo’s The Crucible, releases on June twenty eighth by means of Rockshots Data. It’s an idea file that innovative and steel lovers received’t need to omit. Thanks once more, Gary and Marc.
Marc Centanni: Thanks such a lot.
Gary Wehrkamp: Thanks.
Extra information:
Rockshots.ecu
https://www.fb.com/
https://www.instagram.com/
Singers
DC Cooper as Michael Lightborne
Gary Wehrkamp as Jude Solomon
Lee Lemperle as Princess Relena
Jennifer Eckhart as Ellie
Rey Parra as Moses
Christian Liljegren as Casimir Agnus
Les Carlsen as “The Stranger”
Michael Pressure as “Pope John”
Lead guitars through Gary Wehrkamp
Bass through Gary Wehrkamp
Keys and Piano through Gary Wehrkamp
All drums carried out through Gary Wehrkamp aside from: Niklas Kahl on “I Am God”, “Exchange of Center Pt. 1” and Mark Zonder on “Ichor”, “Golden Crown”, “The Crucible”, “The Ebook of Existence”.
About Creator
