Album Notes

COMPOSITION NOTES:

Ascension (Kulju)

Originally intended to be a collage of winter images, the opening track got its name after I heard a story on NPR about a tragic climb to the summit of Mt. Everest. Although not about that specific event, it refers to the visual aspects of climbing. Its form is comprised of a keyboard-dominated A section - majestic and intended to represent images viewed from higher elevations, and a B section - filled with tension and momentum - symbolizing the dangers and triumphs of an ascent.

Reverie (Kulju/Foti)

Even with its jazz/fusion tinges, Classical sonata form (exposition - development - recapitulation), chordal guitar solo, and various time-signature changes, this eclectic composition manages to retain the daydream qualities implied in the title. After all these years, it's still one of our favorites...

Measure Of An Unmade Grave (Kulju/Foti)

The title is borrowed from Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet", spoken by Romeo at a time of great personal despair, alluding to the sorrowful mood of this piece. It features an aggressive development section, over different odd-time signatures, that adjoins the mellow synth-backed main themes.

Frames Of Mind Part I: Cognitive Synergy (Kulju)
Frames Of Mind Part II: Dialectic (Kulju/Foti/Musmanno)

The two movements of the title-track began as seperate entities, with the idea of writing a couple of four to six-minute pieces with emphasis on dynamics and rhythmic grooves, while still maintaining a progressive edge. Features include both solo sections, and an ascending E minor groove/chord progression that provides continuity. Sub-titles were spawned from these features: the first is a concept interpreting the bringing together of two psychological processes, so at to enhance each other's qualities (Part I's dynamic 11/8 groove and both halves of the solo); the second is a philosophical term explaining how from different/opposing positions a synthesis emerges, arrived at by distancing oneself and seeing the whole process, while making sure that no damage is done to the original positions (how we worked out Part II's volatile solo section).

Desolation (Foti)

A free-time solo synth piece inspired by repeated listenings to Part V of Rush's epic composition Hemispheres, and various Classical adagio/lento movements.

Voices (Kulju)

This three-part suite was my first composition for this project. It is arranged with a prominent instrument in each section, and attempts to musically reflect the moods of different types of verbal communication. The first part - led by bass guitar, and mostly in 6/8 - has a relatively calm feel and represents the type of conversation we have with loved ones, friends, and new acquaintances. The second section - with guitar up-front, partly in 7/8 - is quite aggressive, as are the heated arguments that humans love to engage in. The third - with drums center-stage - is intended to sound uplifting, like the words that the best among us can use to move others to do great things and make great sacrifices.

Inertial Dampers Off-Line (Kulju)

According to the 'Star Trek Technical Manual', the inertial dampening system "generates a controlled series of variable-symmetry forcefields that serve to absorb the inertial forces of spaceflight, which would otherwise cause fatal injury to the crew". (I should note that I had a bad cold, and was on a lot of Sudafed at the time I wrote this piece)

Portal To Arcanum (Kulju/Foti/Musmanno)

Chosen as the piece to close the album with, this is
probably one of the most complicated arrangements we have written. It begins with a keyboard introduction in theme-and-variations form, with accompaniment that is polymetric at times - keyboards in 4/4, bass and drums in 6/8. The body of the composition involves two themes, the first is dominated by bass in 11/4, and the second by guitar in 5/4. A long bridge, alternating between a 7/8 unison groove and a 13/8 section with bass and guitar playing counter lines, joins the two.