Manuel Barbará Releases New Haunting, Cyberpunk Single “A Different Horizon” ft. Jake Howsam Lowe (Plini, The Helix Nebula) Off New EP “Whisper in a Storm” Out Sept 2024
Metal guitarist and composer Manuel Barbará is thrilled to announce the release of his new single “A Different Horizon”. The track, featuring Jake Howsam Lowe of Plini and The Helix Nebula, is part of Barbará’s upcoming cyberpunk-infused EP “Whisper in a Storm”, which is set to release on September 13, 2024. He shares his thoughts on the single:
“‘A Different Horizon’ kicks off with an off-kilter riff in 3s that sets the tone for the rest of the song. There’s always something making you anticipate the next section. Jake’s brilliant solo is bookended by a massive melodic riff and the whole piece ends with a section that the bass player in Necronomicon ex Mortis described as “what in the Dark Souls haunted cathedral is this?”
The single continues to showcase Barbará’s unique blend of heavy metal aggression and the formal, harmonic concepts of 19th and 20th-century classical music. With precise and disciplined guitar playing, the single draws listeners into a new musical world, full of ambiance and color.
For Barbará, the writing process involves a lot of bouncing back and forth between notation software, his DAW, and even pen and paper. This attention to detail shines through in the final product, offering listeners a rich and immersive musical experience. The single is recommended for fans of Tesseract, Periphery, and Meshuggah.
Watch and listen to the video for “A Different Horizon” ft. Jake Howsam Lowe (Plini, The Helix Nebula) via its premiere on Decibel Magazine HERE.
Due out September 13, 2024, “Whisper in a Storm” is available for digital pre-save at https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/manuelbarbar/whisper-in-a-storm
Previous Video - “Dead Hand” - https://youtu.be/Boc0B1CsT5A
Track Listing:
1. Dead Hand (feat. Jody Miller) – 5:43
2. A Different Horizon (feat. Jake Howsam Lowe) – 5:49
3. Aphelion (feat. Michael Nystrom Bala) – 4:13
4. Whisper in a Storm (feat. Thalia Tymowski & Millisa Henderson) – 4:51
5. Whisper in a Storm (instrumental) – 4:51
EP Length: 24:42
More info: Manuelbarbara.com | Facebook.com/8stringalchemy | Instagram.com/8stringalchemy | Tiktok.com/@8stringalchemy
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"Berklee trained and steeped in metal music, composing, and shredding, the EP (Whisper in a Storm) is going to unite die-hard metal fans and guitar geeks alike." - Ghost Cult Magazine
"With its rhythmic elements and heavy riffs, Manuel Barbará's debut album is in the purity of modern instrumental progressive metal. But his influences from classical composers add an interesting extra touch."- Music Waves (2021 - Moonrise - LP)
"a spectacular showcase of the progressive qualities of Manuel Barbará." - Games, Brains and A Headbanging Life (2021 - Moonrise - LP)
"This is an astounding first record. Especially for a single composer. If you are a fan of atmospheric instrumental metal, give it a shot. I give the album a solid 8/10. Manuel is already looking forward to the future with new compositions which are even more refined and elaborate. I'm looking forward to it with great anticipation." - Belgian Metal Shredder (2021 - Moonrise - LP)
"I really enjoyed my time with this album. I'm a big fan of djenty riffs, dissonant tones and atmosphere which this album provided aplenty. The record shows that Manuel is a master craftsman in composition. The album clocks in at about 35 minutes. In this case that's a plus. It doesn't overstay its welcome and makes the tracks stand out more. The album is instrumental, which could be a turnoff for some people. But to me it benefits from it. It's more of a listening album than an all-out headbang/rocking out record." - Belgian Metal Shredder (2021 - Moonrise - LP)
"without a doubt that we have a talented musician and composer in front of us. The approach is in large parts of the material progressive metal with the corresponding hardness and complexity... You can't deny the band's instrumental quality..." - Metal-Heads.de (2021 - Moonrise - LP)
"Manuel Barbará shines bright on Moonrise... this is a fascinating listen and it is easy to appreciate Manuel’s complex musical narrative... this deserves a listen as it does embody the prog metal ideal and as such, it’s a damn good album: think Tesseract or Periphery." - RAMzine (2021 - Moonrise - LP)
"Barbará has rejuvenated the instrumental metal genre, boldly handling what is often perceived as a deficit of vocals and composing with refinement and a brilliantly malicious sense of melody and groove." - Jace Media (2021 - Moonrise - LP)
“It’s unbelievable that Moonrise is the debut of a musical high-flyer. Manuel Barbará releases an unbelievably mature masterpiece, which not only pays homage to its role models Dream Theater, Keith Merrow, or Periphery, but also presents crisp, progressive Djent Metal at eye level, which despite its perfection and precision still offers room for improvement. My recommendation with 8.5 / 10” - Soundmagnet (2021 - Moonrise - LP)
“Inviting the listener in with some mystical soundscapes, the tempo and mood change immediately when the trio start firing on all cylinders with a dent-driven, pushing rhythmic sound alongside Manuel’s epic and virtuosic guitar work. The overall sound is dark and mighty, but every now and then gets brightened by some gleaming tones. The use of electronic sounds add a modern vibe as well and he skillfully alternates between full-power, highly technical, and calmer, atmospheric parts, before taking us to the gigantic ending riff.” - Tuonela Magazine (2021 - Moonrise - LP)
