SOL NEGATE

track-list:
Prologue
… and All Creation Was A Dream
A Mind That Bleeds
Waves Into The Darkness
Dusk Has Come; Stars Are Forming
Come and Embrace Me
Dissipate Into

produced by Edoardo Curatolo
mixed & mastered by Stefano Morabito @ 16th Cellar Studio

album band line-up:
Edoardo Curatolo – guitars, orchestration, keyboards
Sebastian Lanser – drums
Riley McShane – vocals

discography:
2023 – On The Verge of Dreaming Again
2023 – On The Verge of Dreaming Again (Instrumental)
2020 – The Corona Demos

“A concept album about death and dreams”.
The concept of the album is the journey your mind takes as you die, reliving moments of the life you had flashing through your mind’s eye, and how you experience that fall into death.
Each track moves through the passage of time, how innocuous experiences can mark and combine, how your perception of events can haunt you, and how one may reflect upon that at the moment of death.
The figure is the personification of the ‘negator of light and souls’, the play on words of one of the interpretations of what Sol Negate is.
The figure both emitting and retrieving itself from the space around him.
Mental health is an overarching theme in the background of the album both in its concept and in its creation.
Composing the music was part of Edo’s process of dealing with mental health struggles through the years.
Edoardo Curatolo:
“I hope that at first listen it’s exciting and intriguing, and entices them to take the time to listen to it again (and again) and find something of themselves in it. The album is musically a concept album of sorts, and it’s made to be experienced from front to back, late in the evening, with some headphones. I hope it can provide a personal experience that grows with each listen.”
‘Prologue’:
“The start of the self, from nothingness coming forth.”
‘And All Creation Was a Dream’:
“First signs of life of the self coming together, and how early experiences can mark you.”
This song was one of the oldest songs Edo wrote, and was really the proof of concept for what Sol Negate and the album would be.
‘A Mind that bleeds’:
“It’s about the struggle to understand what is the meaning behind what you’ve become.”
‘Waves Into The Darkness’:
“The agony of a pensive mind overthinking”
‘Dusk Has Come; Stars Are Forming’:
“The moment you decided that death was the path for you.”
‘Come and Embrace Me’:
“Death embraces you.”
‘Dissipate Into Each Other’:
“An epilogue to the album: post-death realizations.”
Stefano Morabito at 16th Cellar Studio was always the first choice in mixing/mastering.
Edo had been following Stefano’s work through the years with countless amazing bands and it was a dream to be able to work with him, and – even in a small part – be part of that story.
A lot of inspiration came from listening to Stefano’s work.
Sol Negate emerged from the mind of Edoardo Curatolo in Seattle, USA.
Edo had the intention to compose music in a classical manner, but with modern guitars/drums as part of the orchestral ensemble.
He wanted to ‘paint’ using the palette that extreme metal offers without necessarily writing traditional metal songs.
With the aid of drummer Sebastian Lanser (ex-Obscura, Juvaliant, Obsidious) finalizing drum parts and making them his own along with vocalist Riley McShane (Continuum, ex-Allegaeon) taking on the concept to add his unique lyrics and vocal parts, the result transformed into the debut album ‘On the Verge of Dreaming Again’, which challenges the boundaries of progressive death metal.
Curatolo explains what’s in store:
“It explores the journey of the mind as one approaches death, reliving moments of life flashing before their eyes and experiencing the fall into the unknown. Each track on the album represents a passage of time, reflecting how seemingly insignificant experiences can leave lasting imprints and how perceptions of events can continue to haunt us even in our final moments.”
The album ‘On the Verge of Dreaming Again’ is more than just a collection of tracks;
it is a carefully crafted concept album, centered around the themes of death and dreams, that invites listeners to embark on a profound musical journey.
Best experienced from start to finish, with headphones on, late in the evening, the album offers a deeply personal experience that evolves with each listen.
The progressive side of this endeavor was about making the music both fun and interesting while concealing the complexity of the composition.
Those who appreciate ‘crazy’ time signatures, unconventional song structures, and intricate approaches, will discover them within the music, but it won’t feel like a gimmick.
‘On the Verge of Dreaming Again’ is symphonic and progressive without sacrificing being heavy.
It is recommended listening for fans of Fleshgod Apocalypse, Dream Theater, and Obscura.
Edo originally played classical piano for years before switching to guitar, but he never lost the love for the piano or classical music.
That world is still one of the biggest inspirations in his writing.
Pink Floyd is one of the biggest influences that are maybe not apparent at first glance.
This comes out in everything from composition, song structure, how to chain together musical narrative moments and so many other bits.