Manuel Barbara is flourishing in the metal scene by way of his classically-inspired progressive metal. Inspired by bands like Dream Theater and guitar wizards like Keith Merrow, Barbara’s upcoming debut release, Moonrise, is out next month – and we’re excited to bring you the premiere of a new guitar playthrough for “The Nightmare Weaver”. It’s hard not to be impressed by Barbara’s talent – and he’s pretty amibtious as well. Give it a watch below and prepare to be captivated.
Much of Barbará’s writing aims to create worlds made of sound that the listener can live in as they experience the piece. A lot of the music grows out of a single idea that he can coalesce and build the world around. The second single from the album is “The Nightmare Weaver”, which he says is the most ambitious composition on the record. He explains in further detail:
“It features ambiguous and constantly shifting tonal centers and epic clean guitars juxtaposed with enormous 8-string riffs. It ends with a weird and ambiguous chord progression reminiscent of the one at the end of “Children of Prometheus”.”
As far as more music goes, Barbará says there is another track in production and an abundance of ideas for new tunes. This album is his first foray into the music world, in which he is currently planning to attend graduate school for composition with the long-term goal of becoming a professor. Spotify pre-save location is here, and the full album is out on March 19, 2021, and album pre-orders are available at this location.
Track Listing
1. Moonrise (5:08)
2. The God Complex (6:08)
3. Children of Prometheus (4:54)
4. Mirrors I – Image (5:10)
5. Mirrors II – Silver (3:48)
6. Mirrors III – Reflection (4:20)
7. The Nightmare Weaver (6:15)
Album Length: 35:45
