Album Notes

“The Presence” is a progressive rock project by multi-instrumentalist/singer-songwriter Ian Bartlett.

The title track is a 27-minute 5-part suite outlining the story of Aury, a very beautiful but loose young woman who torments her husband Edwin with numerous affairs to the point that one night he can take no more and takes a shotgun to her ... killing her outright!

The twist is, Aury has realised that her errant ways will eventually result in Edwin (A handsome man himself) getting so sick and tired of it all, that he will find someone else! So Aury has returned home to beg forgiveness of Edwin and now has a steely resolve to mend her ways ... But before she can tell him ... Edwin fires the fatal shot! CRUEL!

In the thin veil that separates this life from the afterlife, Aury is in a rage that she has been denied the chance to show Edwin that she REALLY does love him. So her spirit comes back to haunt Edwin with a twisted vengeance!


The Full Track Listing Is As Follows:

1 Parallel Universe (You Better Think Twice)
2 Psychles (Parts 1 and 2) - Instrumental
(1) The Dawn Of Dusk
(2) Vivid Red Skies
3 The Twelfth Dream
4 Go Down Slow
5 The Presence
(a) The Ghost Of Aury
(b) Den Of Iniquity
(c) Awake
(d) Contemplation - Instrumental
(e) The Karmic Law - Instrumental
6 Parallel University (You Better Learn Fast) - Instrumental

Total Running Time – 68:36

Ian Bartlett – Guitars, Keyboards, Vocals

All songs © Ian Bartlett 2008


ARTIST BIO

Ian Bartlett is a home-based progressive rock musician from Bristol UK. He is self-taught and works in his home studio to compose and record his music. Although he has been playing guitar and keyboard and writing lyrics for many years, it was only in 2006 that he decided to promote his music on the internet. He has completed two albums \"Beyond\" and \"Psychles” but this third album “The Presence” is his first commercial release, due to an ever-increasing cult fan base. In addition, he is featured on the Anubis Spire Tribute CD \"The Gods Have Chosen\" doing his own version of \"Talisman of the Dreamer\", a song written by Bill Mackechnie, from the album \"Old Lions in the World of Snarling Sheep\". A collaboration project with Bill is also planned for the future. Ian has also appeared on a Kid Antrim rock compilation CD as well as the local Bristol CD \"Music From The Heart Of Our Community\" with an instrumental called \"Perfect Alignment\" when he was cutting his musical teeth in 2002. Ian has built up a steady cult following on the internet due to internet chart hits such as \"Beyond\", \"The Twelfth Dream\", “Parallel University (You Better Learn Fast)” and \"Parallel Universe (You Better Think Twice)\" amongst others. He has gained radio airplay from Fox FM and K94 Rocks in the US as well as a number of stations in the UK, most notably BBC Radio. He has also been featured on Progpriestess Melo’s Progcasts. Ian’s material is atmospheric and makes the best use of his lyrical and musical talents, dealing with such subjects as life after death, dreams and the supernatural. These are subjects which have long fascinated him, hence his musical explorations. The musical themes in his compositions vary from dark and heavy moods with Eastern influences to uplifting and melodic soundscapes.

One reviewer described his music as “Just bursting with the all raw power and energy that made the early days of prog rock so damn exciting”. He then went on to say that “Some of Ian’s music brought to mind Carlos Santana’s devil-worshipping evil twin on a Marillion trip”.

Ian has also had high praise from Bill Mackechnie of the cult prog rock band Anubis Spire, who has said that Ian plays “Incredible original progressive music with the emotion and fire that has been so long missing from today’s prog scene”.