AFFECTOR – Sign worldwide deal with InsideOutMusic

Wrap up work on debut album “Harmagedon”; Release date confirmed for May 21st, 2012!

InsideOutMusic is proud to announce the worldwide signing of the progressive rock/metal band band AFFECTOR. 
AFFECTOR is a highly skilled, new international band consisting of German guitar-player Daniel Fries, Dutch drummer Collin Leijenaar (Neal Morse/Dilemma) as well bass player Mike LePond (Symphony X) and vocalist Ted Leonard (Spock's Beard/Enchant/Thought Chamber) - both from the United States.

AFFECTOR’s debut album, “Harmagedon”, which was mixed and mastered at The Mouse House in Los Angeles by Rich Mouser (Spock's Beard/Transatlantic/Neal Morse), will be released via InsideOutMusic on May 21st, 2012 in Europe and May 22nd, 2012 in North America.

AFFECTOR’s Collin Leijenaar comments on the signing as follows:
“We are thrilled to be signing with InsideOutMusic / Century Media. It is THE home for progressive rock & metal, and it feels very much home to us! It has always been a personal dream of mine to release something on this label, and with AFFECTOR this dream has come true! I'm stoked about the future of AFFECTOR, and I hope the audience is too!?”

On their debut album, “Harmagedon”, AFFECTOR are joined by four very special guests on keyboards: 
Alex Argento, Neal Morse (Transatlantic/Flying Colors), Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater) and Derek Sherinian (Planet X/Black Country communion). Also featured on the album is the Polish orchestra Sinfonietta Consonus. This concept album fuses a dark, apocalyptic scenery with themes of hope and light and features heavy riffs and lightning fast solos, but also has softer and more fragile moments, where the soulful singing of Ted Leonard opens a wide spectrum of vocal harmonies.

Citing broad musical influences and diverse inspirations between prog and classic as well as modern rock acts, AFFECTOR is like an open marriage between progressive rock/metal and orchestral minimalism, destined to appeal to everyone into bands ranging from Dream Theater, A.C.T., Symphony X, Darkwater to Queen or Rush.

AFFECTOR Line-Up:
Daniel Fries – guitars 
Collin Leijenaar – drums 
Mike LePond – bass guitars 
Ted Leonard – vocals

More details about AFFECTOR and “Harmagedon” will be launched in the coming weeks…

AFFECTOR online:
www.affector.net
www.facebook.com/affectormusic
www.twitter.com/affectormusic

INSIDEOUTMUSIC online:
www.insideoutmusic.com

Media

Videos

Metropolis Pt 1 (Dream Theater)

Daniel Fries playing the instrumental section of Metropolis Pt 1 (Dream Theater)

Dream Theater Erotomania

I love prog epics with classical influences, Dream Theater´s Erotomania is one of them.

On The Backs Of Angels (Dream Theater)

I really like the smooth introduction and the main heavy riff of Dream Theater´s On The Back Of Angels. So I thought of showing you guitar players how the fingerings look like...

Smoke & Mirrors Intro (Symphony X)

Sweep Picking from Symphony X´s Smoke & Mirrors

Last Dance of Eternity snippet (Dream Theater)

One of my favorite passages in DT´s Last Dance of Eternity

Alternate Picking from Liquid Tension Experiment´s "Universal Mind"
Arpeggios from "Glass Prison" (Dream Theater)

Daniel Fries Arpeggios from "Glass Prison" by Dream Theater

Legato Practice

Practicing some legato playing (left hand playing).

Under A Glass Moon Solo (Dream Theater)

Just for fun, one of my favorite guitar leads from Dream Theater´s "Under A Glass Moon". Very difficult to play...

Improvisation

11.04.2011: Improvising on my MusicMan 7 String

Sweep Picking from Symphony X

11.04.2011: Sweep Picking from Symphony X, Smoke & Mirrors