Download the press release by Lluís Marrassé in PDF
MARBLE SHADOW
Welcome to the world of emotions
I have never believed the simplistic cliché that splits music into two categories: good or bad, that underestimates the vast influx of music and ignores, in any case, that value is exclusively determined by everyone’s own sensitivity. According to my experience, the best music is the one that, with an infinity of nuances, possesses the ability to raise questions, to hit a nerve and ultimately, to move people. Art cannot be understood without emotion. I am pleased to introduce this powerful and filled with emotion, new musical project. Let’s start from the beginning.
Oriol Barber formed his first band in 2005. He merged his studies as a classical pianist and 10 years in the Liceu Conservatory in Barcelona with power metal: a music genre that probably horrifies most of his erudite music teachers. And for the umpteenth time, the miracle of music worked its epiphany after Oriol had attended a concert in Barcelona.
He used to play Brahms, Beethoven and Chopin with devotion, but then he became a fan of Gamma Ray (and Helloween afterwards). After listening to the song “Fight” live by the German band, he decided to go in a different creative direction and founded Music Shadows. Its first line-up consisted of himself as a songwriter, singer and keyboardist, and three instrumentalist friends (guitarist, bassist and drummer). The band began performing at different clubs such as Razzmatazz (2 and 3), Be Cool, Begood, Bikini or Sala Clap in Mataró, Oriol’s home town. The charismatic young band did not go unnoticed and surprised people due to a daring and powerful performance, proof of which was winning a People’s Choice Award at Wolf Festival. This award was granted by an accomplice audience, who chanted the band name even before jumping on stage. After this stunning early stage, Oriol’s redefinition of the band marked its evolution. Oriol relaunched the project to start a new stage with MARBLE SHADOW. In order to provide more lustrous intensity to this solid shadow, he relied on the guitarist Jesús Diz once again and expanded the band with the addition of Lluís Márquez on guitar. Víctor Barrachina on bass and Josep G. Font on drums complete the current line-up. MARBLE SHADOW drinks from the nectar distilled by this ambitious, risky alloy. Without sacrificing the melodic force of Power Metal, it gets infused with sounds corresponding to Hard and Glam Rock, Pop, sounds of the 70s and even a Punk touch. What a suggesting, rich stylistic palette! Accurate arrangements, a refined vocal technique, and a powerful, clear sound converge in “The Real Word”, their yet to début album. It has taken two years of meticulous and wise work of songwriting, recording and production to materialise 11 emotionally powerful songs with such iconoclastic and activist lyrics. Words way far from conventionalism, that evoke reflection on taking control in a world ruled by a system designed to guide people’s mind.
The real world presented in MARBLE SHADOW is not for sale. It is far from satisfaction and warns us about the coming of a devastating hurricane that maybe we still have time to face. Talent, ideas, commitment and quality are its allies.
I cannot conceive live without music. I always resort to music that stimulates me, that colours my mind and arouses emotions. MARBLE SHADOW is now part of my essentials.
Lluís Marrasé Meler, Music Journalist