Releases
Shadowplay III
My debut full-length release is finally here! Around 6 years in the making, this album encompasses the sound of Shadowplay's melancholy on a much larger scale...​
I am so thankful that Katie Thompson (Chiasma, Fallujah) gave her voice to some of the tracks on Shadowplay III - Her involvement has gifted me with so many incredible moments that allow me to just simply enjoy the music.
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This album tested me in so many ways and it nearly got the better of me... But it was born from my heart, so I hope you listen with yours.
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Tracklisting:
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1. Dusk III
2. Earth
3. The Anachronist
4. A Life's Window
5. The Left Behind
6. Shadowplay: Marionette
7. Peninsula
8. No Place Like Home
9. Siren's Call
10. River
11. Giants
12. Dusk IV
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Release Date: 9th September 2023
Genre: Progressive Metal, Art Rock
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Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Drums, Synths/Keys: Dan Pierson
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Additional vocals, lyrics and melodies: Katie Thompson
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Recorded, Mixed & Mastered by Dan Pierson
Shadowplay II
Shadowplay II expands on the themes explored in the original, but through a more metaphorical narrative.
With this release, I wanted to branch off from a typical 'one dimensional' understanding of loneliness and explore how feelings of isolation and disconnection can manifest and develop into twisted interpretations of the world and human relationships.
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Tracklisting:
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1. Have You Seen the World?
2. Static
3. Refusal
4. Shadowplay: Spider's Web
5. Eden Sky Train
6. Chamber
7. After Ghosts Grow Old
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Release Date: 30th June 2018
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Genre: Progressive Metal, Art Rock
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Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Drums, Synths/Keys - Dan Pierson
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Recorded, Mixed & Mastered by Dan Pierson
Rapture
Rapture is my heavy/proggy outlet. It's also my first release to feature guest musicians and vocalists.
The concept that threads these tracks together is an exploration into different interpretations of end times; whether literal or something more spiritual.
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Tracklisting:
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1. Exsolus
2. Voyage
3. Another World
4. Rapture
5. Vein
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Release Date: 4th September 2017
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Genre: Progressive Metal, Art Rock
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Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Drums, Synths/Keys - Dan Pierson
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Additional Vocals - Candra Johnson & Alyssia Pollexfen
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Lead Guitar - Lennert Kemper
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Recorded, Mixed & Mastered by Dan Pierson
Shadowplay
I wouldn’t say that Shadowplay is an extension or even a continuation of Mesolus, musically speaking.
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There is less focus on the densely layered 'industrial heaviness’ heard in Mesolus. In Shadowplay, the sounds are far more natural and stripped back. It’s an honest and sincere musical depiction of my mind. It’s darker, but certainly not depressing by any means, and I’d like to think it’s lyrically more mature, exploring deeper themes such as futility, denial and acceptance.
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Tracklisting:
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1. Dusk I
2. Adrift
3. Silent World
4. Closure
5. Time Wasted
6. Shadowplay: Butterfly
7. Dusk II
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Release Date: 19th December 2016
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Genre: Alternative Progressive Metal, Art Rock, Post-Rock
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Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Drums, Synths/Keys - Dan Pierson
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Recorded, Mixed & Mastered by Dan Pierson
Where it all began. Before the release of Mesolus, I never really considered being an 'artist'. I was just an audio engineer with a real passion for capturing music that was reminiscent of bands that I enjoyed listening to (Devin Townsend, Ayreon etc.)...
Living in the middle of nowhere, it was near impossible to find local metal bands of that style, so I just decided to do everything myself (as you do...)!
It was quite an isolating experience, I had to overcome the struggle of having no other musicians bringing forward fresh ideas. But this was the beginning of something new, I finally found an outlet for my creative musical ideas.
So that's the story. Everything you see and hear was created by me in my home studio. A mammoth challenge which I hope paid off!
Tracklisting:
1. Alive
2. Omega
3. Ghost Dance
4. Dream
5. Awake
Released: 30th May 2016
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Genre: Progressive Metal, Industrial Metal, New Age
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Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Drums, Synths/Keys - Dan Pierson
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Recorded, Mixed & Mastered by Dan Pierson