01. Desire (5:33)
02. Break Me Down (3:29)
03. One More Night (5:23)
04. Meltdown (4:13)
05. Piggy World (4:42)
06. No Answer (4:08)
07. Broken (4:22)
08. Night Flier (3:49)
09. Nietzsche (5:23)
10. Last Cigarette (9:16)
Bill Berends: Guitars, Synth, Bass, Vocals.
Rich Berends: Drums
Tracy McShane: Lead vocal.
Jens Johansson: Keyboard & Piano.
Chris Eike (ex-Handfarm): Bass
Greg Hagen: Bass
Produced by Bill Berends and Rich Berends.
All music & lyrics written by Bill Berends.
No Answer lyrics by Tracy McShane & Bill
Berends.
Art direction & design by Bill Berends.
Digital images by Arthur Dorety, Avalon's
Reach.
Photos by David Olah & Anthony Thompson.
Recorded, mixed & mastered at Lakeside
Recording, NJ.
With 'Insomnia' progressive rock band
MASTERMIND is back with their first full
length album of original music in almost a
decade.
Since their formation in New Jersey by
brothers Bill and Rich Berends in 1986 the
band have become synonymous with delivering
original sounding progressive rock with
diverse arrangements and room for a healthy
dose of experimentation. Once again the
instrumentation is strong, Bill Berends guitar
transcends numerous genres and combines with
the keyboard interplay of Jens Johansson for a
musically interesting package.
'Insomnia'
is the band’s seventh album and marks the
album debut of vocalist Tracy McShane. The
tracks have been built around McShane’s
powerful vocals and focus more on songs as
opposed to over the top instrumental play of
previous releases. As a result 'Insomnia'
is arguably the most accessible Mastermind
album to date - yet a progression over the
bands career can be heard continuing on
“Insomnia” along with the elements considered
to be Mastermind trademarks.
Bill Berends comments, “I don't want to
keep writing the same symphony over & over
again, so this seventh effort features a
different approach and a different diva than
the previous work. Basically we want to try
new things stylistically and make a good album
that would reach beyond the boundaries of
progressive rock in the traditional sense. We
started to move in that direction with
"Angels", so "Insomnia" is something of an
extension of that thinking. People tend to
judge you on your last work, but what they
don't seem to realize is trying something new
doesn't negate our entire history, it just
adds to it. We released two tracks from
"Insomnia" on our own as the "Broken" EP
single in 2005 and they were extremely well
received, but it took some time to find a
label that could see the potential since we
don't sound like everyone else. We had several
offers, but nothing I thought would really be
to our benefit until we connected with Lion
Music.”
Lyrically the album focuses on observations
and reflections from everyday life experiences
that might drive one to sleeplessness. Bill
Berends continues, “I lost a lot of sleep
during the time spent making this album. The
title came about after the recording was well
under way, it just seemed appropriate.
However, in another sense it is definitely a
complete work that is best appreciated by
listening to the entire album straight
through. Certainly you can pick out individual
songs to feature, and they do stand on their
own, but I don't think you will "get it" until
you hear the whole album in its entirety. In
that respect it is a very big work, and
perhaps that might be the 'progressive'
element to it”.
Mastermind are a band happy to follow their
own sound and have built a worldwide fan base
which appreciates this outlook.
• Long awaited return from one of America's
most respected progressive rock bands.
• ‘Insomnia’ sees the album debut for vocalist
Tracy McShane.
• Insomnia marks the bands seventh album and
first for Lion Music.
• Mastermind are available for interview via
phone or email. To arrange your publications
please contact
promo@lionmusic.com