TDW is the project of Dutch multi-instrumentalist and singer Tom de Wit, who over the years has perfected and evolved his sounds by releasing 9 full-lengths. The new album “Fountains” was released on November 26, 2021 via Layered Reality Productions containing 10 tracks ranging from 3 to nearly 9 minutes in length. The sound combines Prog Metal and Prog Rock sounds by mixing multiple styles and touching different genres with ease with quality passages. The album opens with the title track “Fountains” which begins with a solid rhythm session and massive guitar riffs, with dizzying tempo changes and accelerating drums. The melodies are refined and the mixes between guitar and keyboards are good, on which a warm and expressive vocal is inserted. In the instrumental section the guitar offers intense and technical solo parts, with the return of the initial theme the track closes. “Inner Enemy” starts with electronic keyboards and a tight rhythmic session, the guitar offers heavy riffs with atmospheres that are darker than the previous one. Good choral inserts that alternate with the lead voice, always very dynamic and capable of interpreting the various phases of the piece. The artist is able to pass from more symphonic moments to accelerated with harder Metal discharges, without ever losing the Prog component. A good guitar solo characterizes the second part of the piece which closes with the return of the initial theme. The clap of the hands characterize the intro of “Hope Song I,” softer than the previous ones and developed with acoustic guitar clean and choral voices and percussion. A passage that softens the tones, pleasant and flowing, which lightens the listener in the midst of more drawn Metal tracks. “Gratitude Song” starts off strong with a frenetic drumming, powerful guitar riffs and epic choruses, returning to the more metallic sounds of the beginning of the album. A granite track, where, however, there are tempo changes with softer and symphonic inserts that alternate with accelerated. At the end of the piece a symphonic section with dreamy piano phrasing and the choirs delicately conclude. Electronic sounds and battle drums open “Hunter’s Eyes” which offers a mix of epic sounds and powerful riffs with a solid and tight rhythm session. The vocal alternates choral moments with more aggressive ones, in a crescendo of intensity with accelerated and symphonic passages that intertwine. A track full of energy with elaborate passages and a good solo at the end. “Anthracite” begins with electronic sounds and the singing enriched by the effects, developing the song with a dark atmosphere and in the middle with a change to pass to a modern Metal. The second part of the piece is a succession of accelerations with the aggressive singing that replaces the clean one and in the final the guitar offers an intense solo. “Another Choice Another Universe” after an intro that combines Metal and electronic sounds, the rhythm session accelerates and the track comes alive with powerful riffs. The electronic sounds alternate with the Prog Metal features of the TDW sound, creating an interesting blend with original sounds, with a tight keyboard solo in the central part. The second part is more intricate, with elaborate plots and continuous tempo changes, showing all the compositional and executive techniques of Tom and the artists involved. Crossing over into an original genre that we could define as Boogie Metal as the title “Graveyard Boogie” suggests, it unites these two genres so distant but which are very close here. Energetic and rhythmic, in the second part it accelerates and offers a fine guitar solo, to then return to the central theme of the song and close. “Traveler” is characterized by powerful guitar riffs and electronic sounds both in the keyboards and in the rhythm session, between accelerations and more elaborate passages. The vocals are energetic and the keyboards offer very interesting soloists, with the tempo changes being a real added value in the sound of this track. The second part closes the album “Hope Song II” which is also the longest of the album. A pompous intro with an intense vocal that alternates with epic chorals that remain in the mind for a long time and in the central part a softer section with the piano and a warm vocal are the prelude to the solo section. This album confirms the good things heard in previous releases, managing to mix more Rock with those more Metal always on the Progressive style. Continuous tempo changes and technical passages as well as a very dynamic vocal that adapts well to all phases of the album, are certainly an added value in the sound of TDW. An intense record, full of energy and with elaborate plots and virtuous inserts that confirm Tom as an excellent composer. A listening recommended to all lovers of the harder sounds of Prog, often resulting in Prog Metal with exquisite changes and accelerations.
Tracklist
01. Fountains (05:45)
02. Inner Enemy (04:30)
03. Hope Song I (03:04)
04. Gratitude Song (06:28)
05. Hunter’s Eyes (05:01)
06. Anthracite (06:56)
07. Another Choice Another Universe (05:33)
08. Graveyard Boogie (04:26)
09. Traveller (05:31)
10. Hope Song II (08:50)
Lineup
Tom de Wit / Vocals, Rhythm Guitars, Synths, Percussion, Arrangements
Rich Gray / Bass, Backing Vocals
Fabio Alessandrini / Drums
The Choir
Rania Bailey, Ron ‘Brew’ Brouwer, Cailyn Erlandsson, Rich Gray,
Laura ten Hoedt, Rikke Linssen, Linn Liv, Iris van ’t Veer
Guest Musicians:
Linn Liv / Raw Lead Vocals on ‘Fountains’
Bryan Ramage / Guitar Solo on ‘Fountains’
Ron ‘Brew’ Brouwer / Lead Vocals on ‘Inner Enemy’
Eric Hazenbroek / Guitar Solo on ‘Inner Enemy’
Cathinca Porsius / Flute on ‘Hunter’s Eyes’
Lennert Kemper / Guitar Solo on ‘Hunter’s Eyes’
Lola Damblant-Soler / Guitar solo on ‘Anthracite’
Vikram Shankar / Synth Solo on ‘Another Choice, Another Universe’
Michael Mills / Guitar Solo on ‘Graveyard Boogie’
Morean / Guitar Solo, Acoustic Guitar & Handclaps on ‘Traveller’
Lucas de La Rosa / Guitar Solo on ‘Hope Song II‘
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