Mantra Sunrise - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Information

Progressive rock

Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...

band that performed and recorded in the early 1990s. The band's power trio format featured vocalist and bass guitarist Joel Bissing, guitarist John Miner

John Miner

- Information :Composer John Miner may be best known for his rock opera Heavens Cafe, which was staged at the Flamingo Theater in Las Vegas 1996, the Charleston Performing Arts Center in 1997, and later at Insurgo Theater in Los Angeles in 2004. Miner formed the progressive rock group Art Rock...

, and Wayne Garabedian, who doubled on drums and keyboards.

Their self titled debut album was recorded during 1992 and 1993 in a converted farmhouse in the San Joaquin Valley

San Joaquin Valley

The San Joaquin Valley is the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta in Stockton...

of California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

. Seven years later the album was released on the Las Vegas based Tributary Music Label in 2000. The twenty minute epic "Land of Sprinagar" became a favorite of late night progressive rock radio shows.

Albums

"Mantra Sunrise" self titled release Tributary Label 2000

Tracklist

Why
Time of Year
Brudenell
Dying Day
Sleeping Whales
Northern Light
Your Heart (acoustic)
Your Heart
Casino
Land of Sprinagar
Mantra Sunset

History

Miner and Garabedian had worked together in several local bands before deciding to get more serious and explore the possibility of recording material Miner had written during his recent world travels. Miner's compositions were based for the most part on alternate tunings and the use of odd time signatures, a direction Miner would continue to explore further in years to come, particularly in his work with Art Rock Circus

Art Rock Circus

- Key Members :* John Miner * * Kelton Manning * Milo - Information : has been the brainchild of composer John Miner. The band was originally put together after his departure from California based progressive rock group Mantra Sunrise. The band's first mission was to perform the rock opera...

. Garabedian found Bissing in a coffee shop in Fresno

Fresno

Fresno is the fifth largest city in California.Fresno may also refer to:-Places:Colombia* Fresno, TolimaSpain* Fresno, a ghost village in Nidáliga, Valle de Sedano, Burgos* Aldea del Fresno, Madrid* Fresno de la Vega, Ribera del Esla, León...

, California and arranged an audition with Miner upon his return back to California. Bissing gave the music a unique voice, a stylistic approach on bass guitar

Bass guitar

The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....

, and also made significant contributions as a songwriter on their album.

The group expanded their live shows by featuring special guests performing on violin and flute. The band also incorporated elements of modern dance

Modern dance

Modern dance is a dance form developed in the early 20th century. Although the term Modern dance has also been applied to a category of 20th Century ballroom dances, Modern dance as a term usually refers to 20th century concert dance.-Intro:...

and eastern belly dancing at their shows. Visual elements were aided by stage smoke, slide shows and other psychedelic

Psychedelic

The term psychedelic is derived from the Greek words ψυχή and δηλοῦν , translating to "soul-manifesting". A psychedelic experience is characterized by the striking perception of aspects of one's mind previously unknown, or by the creative exuberance of the mind liberated from its ostensibly...

special lighting effects. Mantra's sophisticated staging did find its critics within the grunge

Grunge

Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...

movement that favored a more stripped down, no nonsense approach to live music in the early 1990s.

Unfinished recordings

The band had plans to record a follow-up concept album

Concept album

In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...

with some tracks recorded in Seattle by Bissing and Miner, but the band was not able to finish the recording due to management and logistical problems. Another aborted attempt to revive the project with Art Rock Circus

Art Rock Circus

drummer Nolan Stolz fell though in 2002 in Las Vegas

Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...

where Miner was working on his rock opera Heavens Cafe

Heavens Cafe

Heavens Cafe is a rock opera written and composed by John Miner. It was first staged in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1996. The opportunity to perform the musical theater project came after his demo was heard by investor Mike Lewis of Las Vegas-based Tributary Music Label after his departure from...

. The future of the follow-up album is still in question to this day.

Discussions and critical analysis

Interviews

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