Marek Arnold's Artrock Project (DE) Neo/Xover?

Marek Arnold should be familiar to most members here as the saxophonist, keyboard player and composer in such bands as Toxic Smile, Cyril, Seven Steps To The Green Door and Damanek - going back over at least the last 20 years. Throughout this prolific time, he was asked time and again: "Why don't you make a solo album?" However, Marek didn't really pay much attention to these questions, but after he was asked to compose the signature tune 'Stay' for the renowned Reichenbacher Artrock Festival in 2018, and this piece of music subsequently received a lot of praise, he decided that he would indeed finally face the recurring question about the solo album, and take on the challenge.

He soon realized that he could use his many contacts in the progressive rock scene by inviting them to join in the project as guests. Many came to the recording sessions in person, others sent their music files via the Internet, and over the next five years, a total of 12 male and female singers, 8 drummers, 6 bassists, 10 guitarists, 6 keyboard players, 6 lyric writers, 7 wind instrument specialists and a choir took part in creating the album. 

In addition to the new compositions, the album also includes two older pieces by his former band Toxic Smile, which disbanded in 2015. The often played live 'Cold Run' is presented for the first time as a studio recording, and 'Arirang' from the Madness And Despair (MAD) album forms the main part of the opening sixteen minute track 'A Story of Separation and Loss', albeit renamed here as 'No Place Like Arirang'. 

The album contains several other strong compositions, but the real heart of the album is the six-part final track 'Berlin 2049', which examines the bleak future that could await us if the rapidly developing technology of artificial intelligence was to get out of hand.

A lot of effort has gone into creating this solo album. The concept story, the artwork, the compositions and the production, featuring almost 50 guests, is impressive to say the least. Don't ask me what sub genre this would go into though, 'cos I ain't got a clue! There's pretty much a bit of everything contained within this album somewhere! I've put Neo and Xover in the topic title, but it wouldn't surprise me if this eventually ended up in Eclectic.

The album was finally released on CD as 'Marek Arnold's Artrock Project' by Tempus Fugit and SPV on July 14, 2023.

Listen to the album :

https://open.spotify.com/album/1CpFiNounlVdLIwefYs6kz.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_ntYGiiee8GPLloWv7bIlOj5oli_wF_39w.

And the song that he composed 5 years ago which started the whole thing off:

- Wilandes Chor Wilsdruff / voices (2)

CD Tempus Fugit - TF VÖ 47  (2023, Germany)

CD SPV - TF VÖ 47 (2023, Germany)

^ That list of guest musicians came from here: https://www.babyblaue-seiten.de/album_21116.html. I haven't checked them all with a fine toothcomb, but here is the discogs page for the album: https://www.discogs.com/release/27786654-Marek-Arnolds-Artrock-Project-Marek-Arnolds-Artrock-Project.

I don't know whether PA would present the track list with the long tracks and times formatted like the version below (as it is on disccogs) instead of all individually, but this would mean having to rework the list of guest musicians, since a lot of the track numbers they feature on would have to be changed.

Note: Both spotify and YouTube music have the track 'Papillon' running to a shade under 10 minutes rather than the 10:20 suggested on discogs or the back of the CD cover. Those times above are from the actual album.

Rivertree added the project to AwesomeProg a couple of months ago tagged as Neo Progressive Art Rock, and rated it as awesome: https://awesomeprog.com/artists/21033.

I would tend to agree with it being awesome, though as I said earlier, the sub genre I'm not so sure of.