Atlantyca

ATLANTYCA is a brand new band dedicated to progressive metal, with a touch of alternative rock.
Their forthcoming debut album « To Nowhere and Beyond » comprises 9 original tunes.
The project was initiated by Julien Putigny, a songwriter and guitarist based in Lyon, France, and his brother Maxime (bass). After years of playing the local club circuit of Lyon, the brothers started Atlantyca with the encouragement of top drummer Laurent Falso, who played with many French stars and progressive bands. The trio spent a lot of time in the studio, working constantly to develop their songs into demos. Their latest demo drew the attention of radio shows, Brennus Music and the Rhône-Alpes Regional Council who believed in this project. In September 2010, the band started to record its debut album, « To Nowhere and Beyond ».
After listening to demos, world-class singers were ready for the adventure, coming from four countries : Edu Falaschi (Angra, Almah – Brazil), Paul Shortino (King Kobra, Quiet Riot, Rough Cutt - USA), Andy Kuntz (Vanden Plas, Abydos - Germany) and David Steele (a professional session singer who has recorded with some of the biggest names in the music : Bon Jovi, Mötley Crüe, The Cult and Def Leppard - Canada).
The band says : « We decided to only work with musicians who were excited about our music, shared our vision of the project and wanted to get involved emotionally as if it were their own. We chose a wide variety of singers from different styles of music and from all corners of the world.
Julien Putigny explains : « When I wrote « Standard Man » and « Underworlds », I had the voice of Andy Kuntz in my head. And the first time Maxime heard the last chorus of « Underworlds », he told me : Andy Kuntz would be perfect on that song ! » So, why not ask him ?
Paul Shortino comments : « I just sing from my heart and soul. Could never give out a performance I did not believe in. « My Road » is awesome and it was a privilege to sing ».
It was an intense collaboration between the band and the singers about the lyrics, finding the best key… What Andy Kuntz said to the band speaks for itself and sums up the whole process : « I was convinced about what I did […]. I’m glad now and a little bit proud !!! ».
Clear and dynamic, the production perfectly fits the organic sound of the band. Atlantyca wanted to achieve a natural sound : « To us, it feels like we did an organic album. We are kind of tired of the metal productions around : triggered drums, everything corrected and edited… We wanted to do a very honest album. There’s no cheating or anything like that on « To Nowhere and Beyond ». The drums are mainly one-shot takes. We’ve spent a lot of time trying to get these magic takes, instead of going in and fixing everything in the computer ».
Julien Putigny adds : « What I miss in modern productions is the dynamics and the feeling that it’s real people playing real instruments, a real drummer behind a real drumkit miked by vintage microphones. We recorded drums in a studio in Tarare (France) renowned for its huge room, for natural reverb. The focus for the album was to create a dynamic and organic sound, which is, I guess, the only way to stand the test of time ».
The mastering was done by the great Andy VanDette (Rush, Porcupine Tree) at Masterdisk (NYC, USA) : « The album is not over-compressed. F*** that loudness war ! If you want it to be loud, crank it up ! Modern producers want to make their albums sound more impressive and loud by eliminating the silent aspects, which doesn’t make sense. It’s the up and downs, the dynamics that make music sound alive and intimate. Andy VanDette shared our vision and did a wonderful job ».
The lyrics are just as important as the music. Atlantyca wanted to get away from the usual science fiction and fantasy concept : « Instead of venturing out in space, we took a look inside man himself and explored the realm of emotions hidden within ». The songs are linked to a common theme, the inner journey : « The secret of life and existence can’t be found by inspecting galaxies or watching supernovas. It lies deeper, Nowhere and Beyond ».
On this album, you won’t find any compromises. The original compositions range from progressive tunes like « Standard Man » and « Underworlds » to rock anthems and catchy melodies like « Nowhere and Beyond » or « Beyond Inifinite ». « Eternity » and « My Road » are very emotional power ballads. The astonishing line-up of international top score singers gave the songs their trade.