Category: Podcast

Devah Quartet – Prometheus Pre-release Review

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Devah Quartet is back and more ambitious than ever. Continuing on the footsteps of their last release 2112, Prometheus is packed with a behemoth 33 minute progressive epic, a song about Joan of Arc, a few radio friendly songs and a tribute to Tool. Devah Quartet is a group that defies categorization. They are classical by the nature of their instruments- it’s a string quartet after all. They are prog rock due to their influences and lengthy structure and lyric matter. They are heavy. They are quiet. They are masters of their instruments. But above all, they are simply an amazing group that demands your attention. If you want to hear these songs on our world premier show, check out this link to Wanderings and Woolgathering on YouTube. Or wait until August 1 to hear the official versions.

Grain of Sand is the first track on the double album. This one kicks off with a cool groove laid down by cellist Liza McLellan and drummer Mack Longpre. The violins fill in the background making this one feel full. In typical Devah fashion, the breakdowns are filled with heavy strokes from Liza on cello and violins complementing and expanding the song. Liza takes a turn on vocals for this one- Not something she felt entirely comfortable doing in the past, but she does an outstanding job. At four minutes long, I could imagine this one on the radio. It’s super catchy.

Lateralus is a cover of Tool’s Lateralus, the title track to their 2001 album of the same name. This version is entirely done within the context of a four piece string ensemble. There are no vocals, but a beautiful reworking of the original. Like their work with Rush’s 2112, McLellan manages to rework the song in a new and interesting way while paying 100% fidelity to the original. You know it’s the same song, it’s unmistakeable, but this version feels fresh and new. Please pay attention to the 7:04 mark. The song drops and Liza kills it with her deep cello groove. NOT TO BE MISSED!

Prometheus is Devah’s most ambitious song to date. It comes in at a whopping 33 minutes and eight seconds. It is broken into seven parts: I. Overture, II. Drifting / Touched with Fire / The Voice, III. the Gift: Cursed with Knowledge, IV. Early Warning / The Asteroid, V. No Time for Caution / See the Pattern / Listen, VI. Launch / Sudden Impact / Dying Day, VII. Deus Ex / Believe. Songs like this can be daunting for listeners who have limited attention or only feel comfortable with radio friendly fare. The listener should look at this as an experience- a musical story or poem. Singing on this one is David Michael Moote. He has a huge voice, similar to what you might hear on Broadway.

Prometheus begins with a long intro, the movement and short strokes on violin and cello give the impression of going on a journey. From there we get a tempo and tonal change leading into our first vocals at the five minute mark. It’s here that we meet David, a listless man wandering through life. Cleverly, he is linked to Don Quixote through “Tilting at Windmills” as David has demons that are not real. It furthers the idea that David is lost and struggling mentally. In the background of this part, there is an “otherwordly” sound. It gives the impression that change is on the way. It’s the classic adventure where someone, seemingly insignificant, must answer the call. David must die to his current self and become something entirely new whether physically or metaphorically- a savior.

Then comes the asteroid, which brings up all kinds of questions about the state of man and our place in the world. What is David’s role? Is there anything that can be done? When Prometheus arrives, is he here to burn the world down or ignite the fire within our protagonist? Can we highlight our problems to solve them, “paint it white?” Will belief save us? How do we react in the face of impending doom? Or, is this simply a drama playing out in the mind of David? There are no easy answers, but it’s delivered in a nifty package of strings. You will have to listen to see how it all plays out- no spoilers here.

Each of the seven movements has a distinct musical change. The music matches the lyrics thematically and induces the proper reaction in the listener. There are minimal effects throughout the song, but there are some atmospheric keyboard/synth touches in Dying Day. The piano-esque sound hits the mood. Following that is a beautiful instrumental that paints a somber picture- all sad, slow strings. It’s a nice respite from the intensity that preceded and the “shattering fragments” in the sky that follow.

There is no doubt; this song takes effort. It’s long, it’s intricate and it’s thought-provoking. Your effort is definitely rewarded. Prometheus is bursting with excellent musicianship, structure and lyrics. Listen close- you’ll be glad you did.

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Devah Quartet Prometheus World Premier

We premier the new album from Devah Quartet called Prometheus. We listen to each track and discuss them as we go. There were a few audio problems as we went along. Please be patient and enjoy the new offerings from Devah. You can listen to it on your streaming services on August 1.

Whitney Tai And Chuck Wright's Sheltering Sky

JPP, Metalhead Mundy and Foggy chat with Whitney Tai about her albums Metamorphosis and Apogee, her collaboration with Michael Ciravolo and Chuck Wright, and her writing process. It’s over an hour look into the mind of an artist.

Sandman And Underrated Comics

JPP, Metalhead Mundy, T-bags, Foggy and special guest Shawn Hilton discuss the first issue of Sandman by Neil Gaiman, talk about MoonKnight and choose some underrated comics.

DC Justice League Theme Songs

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On episode 107 of Wanderings and Woolgathering, JPP, Metalhead Mundy and Foggy pick a five member Justice League team and assign theme songs for each member. Out of 15 possible members, we only crossed over on one character!!!!! Here are the choices and songs- check them out.

JPP:

Lobo– Of Wolf and Man by Metallica

Dr. Fate– Magic Man by Heart

Shazaam– Slam by Onyx

Dr. Manhattan– New York Minute by Don Henley

Superman Prime– House of gold by 21 pilots

Metalhead Mundy:

Nightwing– Stayin Alive by the Bee Gees

GL John Stewart– The Boss by James Brown

Zatanna– Raise Hell by Dorothy

Big Barda– Woman by Kesha

Mr. Terrific– Technologic by Daft Punk

Foggy:

Superman– Superman by REM

GL Kyle Rayner– Kool Thing by Sonic Youth

Zatanna– Every Little Thing She Does is Magic by The Police

Detective Chimp– Friends in Low Places by Garth Brooks

Etrigan– Welcome to the Terror Dome by Public Enemy

You can find the episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4ny_XH9_Zw&t=203s or here: linktr.ee/Wanderingsandwoolgathering

Next week we start reading Sandman by Neil Gaiman issue by issue. Join us live for episode 108 at 7:00 Sunday. Chat with is as we record. You can find us at Wanderings and Woolgathering on YouTube, the Kokomo Lantern or at Foggyspal on Twitter.

Beauty In Chaos' Michael And Tish Ciravolo Stop By

Michael and Tish Ciravolo stop by to talk about Beauty in Chaos’ new record Behind the Veil. They talk about their collaborations with Elena Alice Fossi, Whitney Tai, Pinky Turzo, Cinthya Hussey and Betsy Martin. They also discuss the recording industry and being an independent artist.

Steve Vai- Inviolate – Episode 99

Foggy, JPP and Metalhead Mundy review the latest instrumental record from Steve Vai- Inviolate. The record is filled with rich sounds from a virtuoso musician. Worth a listen. Check us out.

Peacemaker Review- Episode 98

Metalhead Mundy and Foggy discuss the first three episodes of Peacemaker. Find out if it’s worth your time. spoiler alert: it is!

End of the Year Spectacular- Episode 96

Metalhead Mundy, JPP and Foggy look back at the year that was 2021. The boys pick their favorite albums, movies, tv shows, books/comics. Check in to see what you missed or if you agree with the list.

Episode 95- Sion Album Review

Metalhead Mundy and Foggy review the new album from Sion. The boys dig in track by track and explain why you should be listening to this record.

Project Renegade- The Fix Is In

Foggy and Metalhead Mundy dig into the new video and track, The Fix Is In by Project Renegade. Video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcvD5U8clPo&list=RDkcvD5U8clPo&start_radio=1

Halsey Review and Happy Songs

On the show, we name our favorite old and current happy songs. We review the new record by Halsey: If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power.

We tackle 80s songs and Drum Intros

On Episode 81, we reminisce about 80s songs, Gathering Dust- Modern English, Subdivisions- Rush, Amadeus- Falco, Tempted- SqueezeRock You Like a Hurricane- Scorpions, She’s Like the Wind- Patrick Swayze, Burn in Hell- Twisted Sister, When Dove’s Cry- Prince, Rocky training montage and Nu Shooz I Can’t Wait. We also choose our favorite drum intros.