Altura
Friday, 24 February 2006
Members:
Jeremy Osbourne / bass
Franklin Ervin / buitar
Chad Gibson / drums and percussion
Jason Lingle / keyboards and vocals
Rain Irving / vocals
ALTURA biography
ALTURA is a North Carolina band consisting of Jeremy Osbourne (bass), Franklin Ervin (guitar), Chad Gibson (drums & percussion), Jason Lingle (keyboards & vocals) and Rain Irving (vocals). They played local clubs in the early 90's, gathering a loyal fan base. A 5-song demo recorded in 1995 got the attention of Magna Carta's producer Robert Berry, who brought them together in his California studio and produced their first album in 1996. For some reason, however, the band then vanished from the proverbial prog scene, never to be seen again.
With ALTURA, Prog Metal was given a new face: although their style is very similar to DREAM THEATER, it is less heavy and more melodic – something like a lighter, more mellow version of FATES WARNING but heavier than ENCHANT. There is power to this music, which features lots of technical prowess and heavy outbursts (the vocalist will undoubtedly remind you of James LaBrie of DT). Their only CD, which has a very polished sound for a debut album, alternates between intricate, technical passages and melodic choruses, with heavy riffs and softer, sometimes a bit jazzy or spacey interludes. You'll hear lots of chops but also feeling and intelligence through out.
Fans of DREAM THEATER (circa "Images & Words") as well as SHADOW GALLERY and QUEENSRYCHE buffs will definitely enjoy this music, but so will those of you who normally shy away from typical, heavier Prog Metal stuff.Like an approaching storm Altura's debut album, Mercy, begins with the gentle sounds of rain and far off thunder. The keyboards echo the pattern of the rain before the guitars and drums crash in. The album continues with complex rhythms and hypnotic time signatures to create a powerful blend of progressive metal. The vocals rise above the melodic storm as sweeping keyboards drift in and out among the layers of guitars. The lyrics bring a personal, often introspective touch to the songs, giving them a warmth not generally associated with heavier music.
Based out of Charlotte, North Carolina, Altura began when Franklin Ervin and Jeremy Osborne (who had been playing together in a variety of bands) began writing together with the Altura concept in mind. With the addition of drummer Chad Gibson in 1993, the trio continued developing their songwriting skills. The next step in Altura's evolution was keyboardist Jason Lingle's entry to the fold. The finishing touch was the difficult search for the ever elusive lead vocalist. After many months of auditioning singers, Rain Irving was named to fill that position.
Altura began playing clubs around the Charlotte and Greensboro area. Gathering a loyal base of progressive fans, the group recorded a five song demo in June of 1995 which caught the ear of Magna Carta representatives. Matched with producer Robert Berry, the band embarked on a recording schedule at Berry's California studio which proved to be a creative and positive environment for this young band to produce their first album.
For fans of bands such as Dream Theater, Shadow Gallery and Queensryche, progressive metal is given a new face with Mercy from Altura.
Discography:
Altura - Mercy (1996)
Track listing
1.Mercy06:03 2.The Calling05:37 3.One Dimension07:24 4.The Continuum02:47 5.One By One05:27 6.Alternate Lines06:03 7.Alone10:47 8.Horizons Fade05:25 Total playing time49:33