photos by Matthew Parmenter and Hugh Syme
As The Laser’s Edge prepares for the November release of Hiding In Plain Sight, the debut from HERIN – the progressive/post-rock solo venture of Tiles/Discipline guitarist Chris Herin – Sonic Perspectives today premieres the album’s second video/single, “Warning Signs.”
A conceptual work recounting Chris Herin’s difficult walk alongside his father’s ten-year struggle with Alzheimer’s disease, HERIN’s Hiding In Plain Sight combines distinctive prog and art rock influences that alternate from sophisticated orchestral arrangements and polyrhythmic complexity to contrasting cinematic soundscapes and ambitious guitar workouts.
Teaming up with HERIN are renowned producer Terry Brown (Rush) and Grammy award winning mastering engineer Peter Moore (Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell) who give Hiding In Plain Sight a luxurious and dynamic sonic landscape. For the attentive and patient music enthusiast each listen gradually reveals the album’s cache of nuanced and subtle details. Complementing the reflective and occasionally disquieting lyrics is Hugh Syme’s (Rush) whimsical and engaging imagery, the artwork capturing the album’s sensibilities of time and place for a compelling and enigmatic visual counterpart.
Hiding In Plain Sight is a collection of thoughtful observations and somber meditations while Herin sidestepped through the debris field and collateral damage of the growing Alzheimer’s storm. Eleven watershed moments that echo the fragile impermanence of life and encourage the listener to turn inward in sympathetic introspection. Abundant prog filigree adorns the album and musical adventure abounds as sprawling vocal hooks glide over angular riffs, richly textured instrumentation, and brooding ambient orchestrations.
Lending their exceptional talents to Hiding In Plain Sight is an impressive cast of nearly thirty musicians, including Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame members Peter Frampton and Alex Lifeson (Rush), plus Martin Barre, John O’Hara, and Doane Perry (Jethro Tull), Michael Sadler (Saga), Kim Mitchell (Max Webster), Cody Bowles and Kevin Comeau (Crown Lands), Jeff Kollman and Shane Gaalaas (Cosmosquad), Tim Bowness (No-Man), Colin Edwin (Porcupine Tree), Randy McStine (Porcupine Tree), Kevin Chown (Tarja, Chad Smith), Matthew Parmenter (Discipline), Hugh Syme, Johnathan Blake (Kenny Barron), Ben Riley (Mohsen Namjoo), Gary Craig (Bruce Cockburn), and many more.
Embracing a prog rock spirit that appeals to both the heart and mind, Hiding In Plain Sight is a bold and adventurous fusion of musical palettes as the distinguished roster of guest artists propel HERIN’s songs into inspired and expansive directions. A portion of this album’s proceeds will be donated to Alzheimer’s charities.
The second single from Hiding In Plain Sight is the album’s leadoff track “Warning Signs.” Driven by the powerful pocket of world-renowned drummer extraordinaire Shane Gaalaas (B’z, Koshi Inaba, Yngwie Malmsteen, Michael Schenker), the song showcases the familiar tenor of vocalist Michael Sadler – from iconic Canadian progsters Saga – soaring above Herin’s slippery and angular riffs. Add Jeff Kollman on lead guitar and Kevin Chown on bass – who along with Gaalaas comprise the formidable fusion trio known as Cosmosquad – and “Warning Signs” boasts a thundering groove that energizes Sadler’s delivery and showcases Kollman’s incendiary soloing.
Chris Herin states of the song, “I have been a legacy fan of Saga for 40+ years, starting when ‘On The Loose’ broke and seeing them open for Jethro Tull in 1982 on the Broadsword And The Beast Tour. As I was brainstorming possible vocalists, I noticed Michael had joined up with Toronto’s David Barrett Trio on some excellent tunes and was also part of the ProgJect: Ultimate Prog Rock Experience collective, so clearly, he branched out from Saga. Michael has a unique quality to his voice I’ve always really liked, and I envisioned him sounding great on ‘Warning Signs.’ Matthew Parmenter of Discipline recorded a demo vocal (quite a good one too), and the next time Michael was in Toronto he and Terry got together and worked their magic! There’s a distinct quality to the vocal that captures the struggle of an erratic emotional roller coaster.”
Lyrically “Warning Signs” is a cautionary tale for people to be on the lookout and recognize small out of the ordinary behaviors that collectively may indicate a serious problem as someone’s age progresses or health changes. Chris Herin reveals, “My dad delivered plausible explanations for odd behaviors and smoke screened things very well. Of course, I don’t know if this was conscious or simply a coping mechanism and a natural thing to do under the circumstances; but I missed a lot of obvious clues.”
The video for “Warning Signs” was directed by Mathew Kennedy.
Watch HERIN’s “Warning Signs” video first now courtesy of Sonic Perspectives at THIS LOCATION.
Hiding In Plain Sight will be presented in a limited digipack CD including an 8-page booklet and digitally on November 1st. Preorders are available at The Laser’s Edge webshop HERE and Bandcamp – the standard digital HERE and the 24 bit hi-res HERE. Also watch the video for “The Darkest Hour” HERE.
Watch for additional videos from the album to be issued over the months building up to its release.
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