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Writer's picturearranmcsporran

New release! 'Stalker' by Utopia

Updated: Aug 5

The debut album 'Stalker' by the supergroup project 'Utopia' is out now on streaming services, for download and physical Vinyl/CD through APF records!



John Bailey, the guitarist/mastermind behind the project sent out some feelers on Facebook for a 'metal/fusion' bass player and lots of people tagged me in the comments. He then got in touch about recording bass for this crazy tech album that has some incredible guest drummers on it and once I saw the music I knew it was going to be an exciting challenge! Check out some BTS footage below. This is John's 'metal outlet' from his regular day job playing classical guitar with concert orchestras, for classical singers Russell Watson and Aled Jones and teaching jazz guitar at The University of Liverpool!


John sent me everything as sheet music, with free-reign to add some bass solos here and there and I'm really hapy with out it all came out! It's a challenging listen, but there are so many layers of complexity that it's likely you'll hear new things on every listen. Think Frank Zappa on steroids, tuned down to B with Holdsworthian solos - and at 300bpm!


The album credits are:

John Bailey - Guitar

Chris Reese - Vocals

Arran McSporran - Bass

Thomas Harrison - Synths


Billy Rymer (The Dillinger Escape Plan) - drums (The Bus Station Roof / Happiness)

Baard Kolstad (Leprous) - drums (What About Me?)

Lee Fisher (Psyopus/Fawn Limbs) - drums (Full Length Biography / It's Not The End)

Si Blakelock (Tangaroa) - drums (Utopia / Spirit Wives / Moscow Holiday)

Simon Peter King - drums (Impotent Prophet / A Projection of Me On You / Smiledyawnednodded)


Mike Moran - guest keyboards on Smiledyawnednodded

Matt Baldwinson - guest guitar on Smiledyawnednodded


Produced and mastered by Rob Hobson at Sound City Records.


I recorded all the tracks with my Carillion 6-string fretless with Bartolini pickups and Rotosound RS66 roundwound strings, into my Aguilar Tone Hammer preamp DI, into my Focusrite interface.


What's your favourite track?


Best wishes,

Arran


Featuring Billy Rymer (The Dillinger Escape Plan) on drums:


Featuring Baard Kolstad (Leprous) on drums, and a big outro bass solo:


Featuring Lee Fisher (Psyopus/Fawn Limbs) on drums:


BTS:



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