TEMIC — prog’s newest, most ambitious, and most adrenaline-fueled act — melds the creative minds of keyboardist and sound designer Diego Tejeida (Devin Townsend, Mike Portnoy’s Shattered Fortress, ex-Haken), guitarist Eric Gillette (The Neal Morse Band, Mike Portnoy’s Shattered Fortress), drummer Simen Sandnes (SHINING, Arkentype), and vocalist Fredrik Bergersen Klemp (Maraton, 22).
Today, TEMIC are releasing another power prog anthem off “Terror Management Theory”. Watch the sublime, self-produced video for “Falling Away” below. The video was shot in the Norwegian village of Bortelid earlier this summer and marks the first time all four members of TEMIC got together in person as a band.
“Falling Away” is uplifted by the full range of TEMIC‘s powers. Gillette alternates between beefy distortion and warped, nimble riffing. Tejeida fires off a white-hot keyboard solo before Simen Sandnes fills the bridge with booming finesse.
“It’s one of our favorite songs on the album,” the band says. “The song embodies all the core elements we envisioned for TEMIC: powerful lyrics and catchy vocal melodies at the forefront, a constant pulse underneath, dynamic and rich instrumentation all around, and electronic-influenced sounds adorning the edges”.
Klemp‘s clean, commanding falsetto delivers a hopeful message, too. “The lyrics discuss the natural impermanence of all things from the perspective of someone who contemplates their own mortality and shares this moment of clarity with their descendants,” says TEMIC. “Far from being dark, “Falling Away” invites you to reflect positively on the fact that our time is finite”.
“Terror Management Theory” is out November 17 on Season of Mist. Pre-order the album HERE.
Guitarist Eric Gillette first hit it off with Diego Tejeida (keyboards, sound design) while the two played together in the touring band for Mike Portnoy‘s Shattered Fortress. Simen Sandness drums for Shining and Arkentype, while Fredrik Bergersen Klemp still shows off his range as the singer for Maraton. When Gillette and Tejeida decided to start a band together while the world was shut down in 2020, their idea wasn’t necessarily simple: orchestrate their love for high-energy electronica and killer melodies into a modern prog-metal band. But on their first-ever single, TEMIC have no problem pulling off that whole concept.
“Terror Management Theory” Track list:
1. TMT (2:02)
2. Through the Sands of Time (7:00)
3. Falling Away (4:58)
4. Count Your Losses (6:13)
5. Skeletons (7:00)
6. Acts of Violence (5:52)
7. Friendly Fire (5:57)
8. Paradigm (6:33)
9. Once More (5:45)
10. Mothallah (7:27)
The origins of TEMIC date back to 2017, when Tejeida and Gillette toured the world as band members of Mike Portnoy’s Shattered Fortress. From the very first chords they exchanged, their musical chemistry both on and off stage was undeniable, leading them to discuss the prospect of starting a new band together. Unfortunately, conflicting tour and recording commitments forced them to turn their attention elsewhere for years—that is, until the world came to a standstill in 2020, and Tejeida called Gillette to ask a fateful question: “Remember how we said we should make music together? Well, how about now?”
Thus, the first demos for what would later become TEMIC’s 2023 debut album, “Terror Management Theory”, began to emerge. Within a few weeks after that initial phone call, the musical vision of TEMIC had become clear: Let’s create progressive music that is heavily influenced by high-energy electronic music, but arranged and orchestrated for a 5-piece modern prog rock/metal band—where, at last, the pulse can be the focus, and the vocal melody can be king.
Eager to join forces with the very best band-mates, Tejeida and Gillette first summoned the rhythmic power of their friend and drummer Sandnes. With characteristic enthusiasm, Sandnes seized the opportunity, prepared to contribute his percussive prowess as the heartbeat of TEMIC. When it came time to find the singer that would carry TEMIC’s melodies to new heights, Sandnes recommended vocal powerhouse Klemp, whose emotive delivery and unmatched intensity left no doubt that he was destined to be the voice of TEMIC. Finally, to round out the rhythm section of “Terror Management Theory”, dynamic bassist Jacob Umansky (Intervals) was invited on board as a guest player, gracing the album with an unrivaled groove and a signature low-end sound.
Together, this mammoth lineup is TEMIC, a high-energy, electronic-inspired, modern melodic prog metal band for the next generation.
Line-up:
- Fredrik Bergersen / Vocals
- Eric Gillette / Guitars and Backing Vocals
- Simen Sandnes / Drums and Percussion
- Diego Tejeida / Keyboards and Sound Design
