Epignosis release second album "Refulgence"

Refulgence, my second album, is finally finished and ripe for hearing.  It has taken about two years to create.  This is the result of a challenge I issued myself, which was to write more concise pieces: Excepting the title track, nothing exceeds six minutes.  I also wanted to move in a slightly heavier direction (don’t worry- no growls or chugging riffs yet!) while retaining the acoustic-based symphonic rock of the first album.

For a number of reasons, I have decided to make Bandcamp the one-stop source for my music.  For those who may not know, Bandcamp is a website that hosts music of all kinds.  Entire albums may be streamed online for free.  In many cases you can also read the lyrics.  There is an option to purchase a download of the album- you do this by clicking the “Buy Now” button, entering the amount you wish to pay (generally there is a minimum price but in most cases you can support the artist more if you would like), and checking out.  In my case, the download includes both front and back artwork, and you choose the format in which the music is downloaded.  A remastered version of Still the Waters is in the works and will be added later.

Some brief remarks on the new music:

“Effulgence”
    My first experience with the EBow.  That’s one guitar in one take.

“Refulgence”
     The title track is the only lengthy composition present, and it was, quite honestly, as frustrating to create as it is long.  What started out pleasingly enough progressed in many undesirable fashions, and a lot of material was mercifully cut.  The formation of this work happened over long periods of doing nothing at all, only to return with a fresh approach.  That said, I feel the end result is a rewarding composition.  The length also reflects (no pun intended) my craving to really cut loose and have fun with six strings.

“Bold Eternal Day”
    Perhaps my favorite thing I’ve ever written.  Surprisingly, it was the very first song done for the album despite that it changes time signature in about 30 places (yet is less than six minutes long).  Tasha’s catharsis gets me every time.

“Hope Maketh Not Ashamed”
    Nothing particularly fancy here- just an encouraging song I mainly wrote on the piano featuring a easygoing interlude.

“If the World”
    Here is a thing I wrote when I was 18 years old.  It is certainly not the first song I wrote, but it is the first one I wrote on a 12-string guitar.  It was my Freshman year at college and I borrowed someone’s Ovation for a while.  This song was born and I played it at one of the semi-regular gatherings that amounted to campus talent shows.  The verses now are not exactly the same (memory, time), but the main concept is there: Everything in the world is ephemeral, yet there’s always something to hold on to.

“Vestibule of Smoke”
    Symphonic bluegrass, maybe?  Banjo, mandolin, and acoustic guitar meet up with Mellotron, organ, and electric guitar.  But the hootenanny is more of a wistful affair.

“Riddles in the Dark”
    The heaviest thing I’ve ever written- a nasty wall of guitars, bass, drums, and sinister words.  The subject of the lyrics is obvious (isn’t it?).

“A Handful of Humanity”
    A toast to my Libertarian compatriots.  Show your Libertarian pride: Do two over the speed limit!* (*Just kidding.  Please do not violate any laws).

“Fade”
    This is the last song on the album- sung from the heart by Tasha and in about a thousand takes (thanks kids).

Well, I hope you dig the tunes (unless you are Walter).  I’m going to hibernate now. 

http://epignosis.bandcamp.com/

http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=33357

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^Actually, I'd like to ask you if you can sell me the mirror.... 

Is that Tasha behind the mirror?

Well one quick scan of the songs...it's much better than the last one. Better energy, better execution, you're right the songwriting is much tighter as well. I like the "heavier" aspect - it's not metal, it's more like Steve Hackett's first album. In fact, I was reminded of that album alot, though of course the Kansas and Camel peek in. Even a little KC.

Negoba wrote: Well one quick scan of the songs...it's much better than the last one. Better energy, better execution, you're right the songwriting is much tighter as well. I like the "heavier" aspect - it's not metal, it's more like Steve Hackett's first album. In fact, I was reminded of that album alot, though of course the Kansas and Camel peek in. Even a little KC.   Great job. I'll be listening some more. Great choice for free streaming but pay to get the goods.

Thanks- that means a lot.  The first album will be getting a polishing in weeks to come and I'll add that to the website.

Well, I've heard several of the tracks. Overall, I like the album. Tasha's vocals are quite good and I think adequately used. I heard Bold Eternal Day, really good. Riddles in the dark is good but didn't really satisfy me like most of the rest of tracks. I loved Fade as a closer (I would love it as anything, really), and so did I Effulgence, the opener. Refulgence takes more time, I'm not a big fan of gigantic prog songs but on first hearing it shows two elements that I need in elephantic tracs: coherence and structure. I liked it. But I really loved A Handful of Humanity, both musically and lyrically. I'll hear the other three songs later on today. I just must say: you are a prog musician Robert. And a good one at that. 

Edited by The T - June 17 2011 at 14:56

The T wrote: Well, I've heard several of the tracks. Overall, I like the album. Tasha's vocals are quite good and I think adequately used. I heard Bold Eternal Day, really good. Riddles in the dark is good but didn't really satisfy me like most of the rest of tracks. I loved Fade as a closer (I would love it as anything, really), and so did I Effulgence, the opener. Refulgence takes more time, I'm not a big fan of gigantic prog songs but on first hearing it shows two elements that I need in elephantic tracs: coherence and structure. I liked it. But I really loved A Handful of Humanity, both musically and lyrically. I'll hear the other three songs later on today. I just must say: you are a prog musician Robert. And a good one at that.  Now let's somehow regulate the distribution of music...

Thanks for checking it out and for your kind words.

I'm just hoping I don't get a letter from the government saying I must purchase a license to create and sell music digitally.  Or they might just forgo that and send the SWAT team.  Whichever works.

Negoba wrote: I know CDBaby takes care of all the licensure and tax stuff for you (at a fee). Is bandcamp the same? My little duo will probably have an album within a year and I haven't done this since 2005.

http://bandcamp.com/faq#tax

Negoba wrote: Uggh. Paper trail for owing what probably ends up being less than $50 worth of tax owed (at least it for what I've done in the past). I hate that crap. Still, it seems like a good site. Got my Unexpect album there too.

Maybe the tax agencies will accept some free music instead.