Deluge Grander "Oceanarium"

Country: USA
Genre(s): Instrumental Symphonic
Label: Emkog
Format: CD, vinyl, digital
Release date: November 15, 2017 (CD, digital), December 27, 2017 (vinyl)
Tracklist: 
1. A Numbered Rat, A High Ledge, And A Maze Of Horizons (11:32)
2. Drifting Inner Skyline Space (8:28)
3. The Blunt Sun And The Hardened Moon (15:25)
4. Finding A Valley In A Gray Area On A Map (3:24)
5. Finding A Shipwreck In A Valley In An Ocean (6:20)
6. Tropical Detective Squadron (14:10)
7. Marooned And Torn Asunder (8:06)
8. Water To Glass / The Ultimate Solution (12:31)

Total Time 79:56

Line-up: 
Dan Britton: keyboards, guitars, other instruments (1-8)
Dave Berggren- electric guitar (6)
Neil Brown-trumpet (8)
Steve Churchill-oboe (1,7)
Brett d'Anon- bass, guitars (1-8)
Brian Falkowski- saxophone (3), flute (4,5), clarinet (8)
Denis Malloy- bass clarinet (1, 2, 3, 8)
Corey Sansolo- trombone (1)
Natalie Spehar- cello (2, 4, 5, 8)
Zack Stachowski- violin (4, 5)

Description/Reviews: 

The music on "Oceanarium" is entirely instrumental, densely orchestrated, and has a wide variety of instruments, including cello, trumpet, bass clarinet, flute, saxophone, hammered dulcimer, banjo, mandolin, violin, oboe, and trombone, in addition to the usual keyboards, guitars, bass, and drums.  Although many musical styles are included, the end result probably fits nicely under the label "symphonic prog."
"Oceanarium" is the second album in a planned three-level seven-album series.  The first album "Heliotians" was released in 2014, and the third album "Lunarians" will hopefully be released in 2018.  "Oceanarium" is on the middle tier of the three-tiered seven-album series and contains ideas found in the two albums beneath it (the previously mentioned "Heliotians" and "Lunarians"), but unlike those two albums, it is densely and carefully orchestrated and is entirely instrumental.

Media/Samples 
A Numbered Rat, a High Ledge, and a Maze of Horizons (sample)
Tropical Detective Squadron (sample)
Marooned and Torn Asunder (sample)
Water to Glass / The Ultimate Solution (sample)

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Deluge Grander "Heliotians"

Country: USA
Sub Genre: Progressive Rock
Label: Emkog
Release date: February 5, 2014
Tracklist: 

1. Ulterior - 14:05
2. Saruned - 5:07
3. Reverse Solarity - 21:32

Line-up: 
Christopher West: Bass, Flute, Vocals, Ressikan Flute
Cliff Phelps: Guitar, Vocals
Dan Britton: Fender Rhodes, Multivox, Univox, Vox, Mellotron, Hammered Dulcimer, Acoustic Guitars
Megan Wheatley: Vocals
Natalie Spehar: Cello
Patrick Gaffney: Drums

Description/Reviews: 

Only 205 numbered copies of this album have been made.  Each copy has a vinyl LP, a CD, hand-painted artwork, hand-written lyrics, and is signed by all the musicians who played or sang on it.  It was recorded and mastered mostly on analog tape, using mostly analog instruments.  There are no plans for releasing this album in any other physical format, though some of the musical ideas might appear in different arrangements on future Deluge Grander albums.

The first track "Ulterior" was initially intended to be very atmospheric and almost ambient, but  being what it is, the band added a few more intense parts in the middle.  There is a three-ascending-chords motif throughout the piece, and of course a big slow coda at the end.  This one features cello, flute (including a Ressikan flute), and hammered dulcimer prominently. "Saruned" was based on an improvisation from almost 10 years ago.  "Reverse Solarity" is notable for maintaining a steady beat through most of the 21 minutes, and there are some good chord sequences, guitar solos, real mellotron, and yet another big slow coda at the end with some great vocals.
The lyrics are about the earth being a hollow shell, with a small sun floating in the middle of the core, and lands and oceans on the other side of the approximately 20-mile deep crust. This interior side of the Earth can be reached by digging through the crust ("Ulterior") or flying through the small holes at the North and South Poles ("Reverse Solarity"). 

Media/Samples
Bandcamp

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