Transatlantic Releases “The Absolute Universe”

Transatlantic: "The Absolute Universe" Albums

The prog supergroup Transatlantic has released an epic new album called The Absolute Universe. In true prog fashion, the quartet of Neal Morse, Mike Portnoy, Roine Stolt, and Pete Trewavas actually released two versions of it.

“There is a two CD presentation [The Absolute Universe: Forevermore], which is 90 minutes long, and a single one [The Absolute Universe: The Breath of Life]- that’s 60 minutes. However, the single CD is NOT merely an edited version of the double CD,” Portnoy explains. “They each contain alternate versions and even in some cases, new recordings. We wrote fresh lyrics and have different people singing on the single CD version tracks as compared to those on the double CD. Some of the song titles have also been changed, while others might remain the same, but compositionally what you’ll hear has been altered. You must appreciate that what we have done is unique. We revamped the songs to make the two versions different.”

Trewavas, who also lays down the low end for Marillion, told Louder Than War that the album started as an encompassing look at the human condition. “We left Sweden with a very rough demo of Forevermore and over the next year this morphed in to the two different approaches,” he says. “I think with The Breath Of Life, Neal really wanted to express some of what was going on in 2020 during COVID restrictions and all the subject matter we had been dealing with on Forevermore like Bully, Solitude, and Looking For The Light seemed to be magnified by what people were and still are going through. You find a lot out about people in adverse conditions. Who your friends are for example, how people cope under duress and dealing with stress. All these things get reflected on in different ways on both versions of the album.”

Check out “Overture/Reaching For The Sky”:

The Absolute Universe: Breath Of Life is available now on CD, vinyl and as a digital download (iTunes and Amazon MP3). The extended edition, Forevermore, is also available on CD, vinyl and as a digital download (iTunes and Amazon MP3).

The Absolute Universe: Breath Of Life Track List:

  1. Overture
  2. Reaching For The Sky
  3. Higher Than The Morning
  4. The Darkness In The Light
  5. Take Now My Soul
  6. Looking for the Light
  7. Love Made a Way (Prelude)
  8. Owl Howl
  9. Solitude
  10. Belong
  11. Can You Feel It
  12. Looking for the Light (Reprise)
  13. The Greatest Story Never Ends
  14. Love Made a Way

The Absolute Universe: Forevermore Track List:

  1. Overture
  2. Heart Like a Whirlwind
  3. Higher Than The Morning
  4. The Darkness In The Light
  5. Swing High, Swing Low
  6. Bully
  7. Rainbow Sky
  8. Looking for the Light
  9. The World We Used to Know
  10. The Sun Comes Up Today
  11. Love Made a Way (Prelude)
  12. Owl Howl
  13. Solitude
  14. Belong
  15. Lonesome Rebel
  16. Looking for the Light (Reprise)
  17. The Greatest Story Never Ends
  18. Love Made a Way

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