While Keram may be best known as an actor, that isn't stopping the prog-loving Toronto native from diving headfirst into the world of rock'n'roll. For proof, you can already listen to his new album, Come to Life, ahead of its May 28 release via Constant Change Music.
The album took seven years to make and was recorded between Los Angeles and Keram's native Toronto with nearly 30 other session musicians (which includes contributors to projects like Coheed & Cambria, Zappa Plays Zappa, and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros). With the executive producer role played by Rush's Alex Lifeson (who also adds some sick riffs to three of the album's 10 tracks), the record perfectly captures the mid-'90s alt-rock sound, while still having enough room to experiment within the broader mainframe of modern progressive rock.
Album opener "We Breathe So Brief" finds the multi-talented instrumentalist toying with ambient soundscapes and space-age guitar wizardry, while tracks like "Killing Days, Living Nights" and the 11-minute epic "The Devil Knows Me Well" evoke an alternate-universe where Temple of the Dog surpassed Pearl Jam and Soundgarden in popularity.
Of course, for those who like their records to end with 20-minute space rock odysseys, the closing title track will fulfill all your psychedelic, neo-spiritual needs, what with its lengthy ambient jazz segues and inspiration from the Tibetan Book of the Dead.
Stream the album in all its 74-minute glory in the player below.
The album will be launched with a Toronto meet and greet (and listening party) for Indiegogo contributors on May 28. For everyone else, it will be available on Bandcamp, through digital retailers, and on CD through CD Baby.
UPDATE: The listening party will now take place on May 26.
The album took seven years to make and was recorded between Los Angeles and Keram's native Toronto with nearly 30 other session musicians (which includes contributors to projects like Coheed & Cambria, Zappa Plays Zappa, and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros). With the executive producer role played by Rush's Alex Lifeson (who also adds some sick riffs to three of the album's 10 tracks), the record perfectly captures the mid-'90s alt-rock sound, while still having enough room to experiment within the broader mainframe of modern progressive rock.
Album opener "We Breathe So Brief" finds the multi-talented instrumentalist toying with ambient soundscapes and space-age guitar wizardry, while tracks like "Killing Days, Living Nights" and the 11-minute epic "The Devil Knows Me Well" evoke an alternate-universe where Temple of the Dog surpassed Pearl Jam and Soundgarden in popularity.
Of course, for those who like their records to end with 20-minute space rock odysseys, the closing title track will fulfill all your psychedelic, neo-spiritual needs, what with its lengthy ambient jazz segues and inspiration from the Tibetan Book of the Dead.
Stream the album in all its 74-minute glory in the player below.
The album will be launched with a Toronto meet and greet (and listening party) for Indiegogo contributors on May 28. For everyone else, it will be available on Bandcamp, through digital retailers, and on CD through CD Baby.
UPDATE: The listening party will now take place on May 26.