Modern Guitar Innovator FELIX MARTIN Releases New Album "Mechanical Nations" Today
Watch a New Playthrough Video for "Cosmo Basket" via Music Radar
On Tour with Consider The Source in March 2017
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Album art painted by Felix Martin's mother, Soraya Martin
Modern progressive/world fusion guitarist FELIX MARTIN drops his 15-track full-length album, Mechanical Nations, today! You can order Mechanical Nations now via iTunes,Amazon and Martin's official webstore. In celebration of today's release, Music Radar is hosting an exclusive look at a guitar playthrough video of the new track "Cosmo Basket". Take a look here: http://www.musicradar.com/news/watch-16-string-guitar-maestro-felix-martin-rip-it-up-in-cosmo-basket-premiere
FELIX MARTIN states, "This song is one of my favorites from the album. The intro is a duo between drums and guitar, I'm trying to imitate the sound of the drums by doing heavy percussion with the guitar, playing as heavily as I can. The second part is more reminiscent of ambient music, almost like techno and house-inspired in some parts. Then, the last part is more like a prog rock tune. The three parts are really different and it showcases the varying ideas that define the album itself."
Check out other new tracks from Mechanical Nations now:
"Bom" (playthrough): https://youtu.be/bWVULw2R7_U
"Flashback" (music video): https://youtu.be/kSiZ26qrL6U
FELIX MARTIN self-produced Mechanical Nations, with mixing by Jamie King (Between The Buried And Me). Aside from a few tracks on the album inspired by other influences (such as "Flashback"), a good portion of Mechanical Nations is inspired by industrialized South American locations and the hard work of the people. Musically, Martin's goal with this album was to discover unique sounds on the electric guitar while blending rock and metal with a Latin spark. Martin wanted his full band to stand out, rather than have the album come across primarily as an instrumental solo guitar record.
"I challenged myself to not use distortion, play solos, or even lead-solo melodies, as I wanted to focus on what makes me different on the guitar and put the whole band under the spotlight," says Martin. He continues to describe the inspiration behind the album's concept. "Many songs on this album are inspired by traditional South American melodies and locations that were then "Mechanized" so to say, in a progressive format. "Barquisimetal" is a good example - it is a place in Venezuela that inspired melodies and the landscape brought out that creative spark. Many South American countries, especially places like Venezuela, are heavily-industrialized economies. The hard work of the people and how it shaped the countries themselves seemed fitting for a progressive rock record."
Mechanical Nations track listing:
1) Flashback
2) Carnatt
3) Eight Moon Headdress
4) Nomadic Tree
5) Da House Cat
6) Cosmo Basket
7) Bom
8) Bom Continues
9) Cardboard Roofs
10) Santos (feat. Angel Vivaldi)
11) Barquisimetal
12) King Zartman
13) Four Handed Giant
14) Canaima
15) Bridge Clock Disparity
"Forget eight- and nine-strings; FELIX MARTIN takes extended-range guitars to a whole new level... showcases mind-bending tap-based playing style... a host of rhythmic and advanced chord approaches that are really in a class of their own." - MusicRadar.com
"There's no denying FELIX MARTIN is a one-of-a-kind guitar genius. Between his two-handed tapping technique and his arsenal of 14- and 16-string guitars, he's able to play things other guitarists would have trouble imagining, much less copying." - Revolver Magazine
"...Berklee-trained Martin is quite adept at blowing minds with his 14- and 16-string multi-fretboard wizardy." - GuitarWorld.com
"Mechanical Nations sees the group operating more as a unit than previously, with a greater degree of interplay between Felix and his rhythm section. Killian's basslines - full of slaps, pops and growls - feel more tightly woven in with Felix's guitar lines, leading to an even richer, fuller sound." - TheMonolith.com
"FELIX MARTIN is moving in an exciting new direction. He really embraces his jazzy size on Mechanical Nations and really pushes his unique playing style and compositions to the limit, at times making the guitar sound like a piano and at others invoking disturbingly dark tones." - TwoGuysMetalReviews.com
FELIX MARTIN recently announced an upcoming tour of the north-eastern U.S. with Consider The Source, beginning March 8 in Pittsburgh, PA. The tour will hit a total of ten cities, coming to an end on March 19 in Bridgeport, CT. See below for all currently confirmed tour dates.
FELIX MARTIN w/ Consider The Source
3/8 - Pittsburgh, PA @ James Street (Ballroom)
3/9 - Akron, OH @ Musica
3/10 - Chicago, IL @ Reggie's
3/11 - Dekalb, IL @ The House
3/12 - Indianapolis, IN @ The Hi-Fi
3/15 - Raleigh, NC @ The Pour House
3/16 - Washington, DC @ Gypsy Sally's
3/17 - Asbury Park, NJ @ The Wonder Bar
3/18 - Albany, NY @ The Hollow
3/19 - Bridgeport, CT @ The Acoustic
See below for exclusive photos of FELIX MARTIN in the studio, by Mary Escalona:
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About FELIX MARTIN:
Although FELIX MARTIN's popularity first exploded in 2012 with the release of his Live in Boston album via Prosthetic Records, he originally began shaping his unique performance techniques at the age of just 13. The Berklee-educated guitarist's unparalleled ability to perform a striking genre-blend of metal, jazz, progressive, world and Latin music while nimbly executing it with 14 and 16-string guitars is what preserves Martin at the forefront of fusion music today.
FELIX MARTIN performs and records with guitars that he designs himself, built by different manufacturers (including his most famous guitar by Skervesen). Check out all of Martin's guitars here, including those used on the upcoming album: www.felixmartin.net/guitars
FELIX MARTIN band:
Felix Martin - Guitar
Kilian Duarte - Bass
Victor A. Carracedo - Drums
FELIX MARTIN Online:
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