Hailing from Sacramento, USA, Lunar is a progressive metal band that was founded in 2013 by longtime friends Alex Bosson (drums/percussion) (Helion Prime) and Ryan Erwin (guitar/vocals) (who passed away unexpectedly in 2018). The two together wrote the style of music that was always in their hearts: genre-defiant and free of restrictive influence over three albums. With the unexpected death of Ryan Erwin, band co-founder Alex Bosson continues the next chapter of Lunar with friends in Witherfall, Novareign. Mokili, Nordic Frost, Outloud, and Double Vision for the release of this year's “The Illusionist”, the fourth album from the band. Optimistically, Bosson quotes that this album is likely to be the fan favorite, being the best they’ve done, with strong songwriting, and production; and songs that all sound different, but remain cohesive. The introduction to the album lies with the single “Juggling Chainsaws” featuring Obscura's Christian Münzner, which Bosson explains:
“We want to come out of the gate swinging with this one. This is likely the most chaotic, most technical and heaviest song we’ve ever done in a lot of ways. There’s more musical complexity, including an incredible guest guitar solo from Christian Münzner. Lyrically, it conveys the character’s feeling of completely losing control. Constantly trying to juggle the chainsaws of life and keep them all in the air without something terrible happening.”
Listen to“Juggling Chainsaws” ft. Obscura's Christian Münzner via its premiere on Metal-Rules HERE.
Proggy and crazy, the Dream Theater and Haken influences are evident in this song. As for the album, is it a concept album that tells the story of a magician that questions his entire life’s work. He’s spent his entire life devoting himself to his craft and now he questions if it was worth it. Musically the album goes through many stages as the character does on this journey of himself. There are songs that are angry, songs that are confused, songs that are depressed, and everywhere in between.
recommended for fans of Opeth, Katatonia, and Haken, The nine-track album “The Illusionist” is being released on March 3, 2023, via Saibot Reign Records and can be pre-ordered via https://lunarbandofficial.bandcamp.com.