For those unaware, prog ensemble Head With Wings will be releasing their brand new concept EP Comfort in Illusion this coming July 16th, 2021.

We often start naïve and green and either blossom into something remarkable, or we fizzle out - resigning to the life that we feared all along; the one we have been resisting - an uncertain path, a repetitive/menial existence, and the promise of a life without limitations, lead vocalist Josh Corum explains.

How far are you willing to go to either abandon or protect the way of life that you have been leading?

Indeed, these words paint the scene for the first act of alternative progressive rock quartet Head with Wings next chapter.

Amidst sweeping changes felt on a global scale, aspirations were put on hold, radiant futures dimmed, lives ended prematurely, and dreams were left to rot on the vine.

For so many, the struggle was a silent one - a daily war waged alone.

On their forthcoming EP, Comfort in Illusion, Head With Wings draws the listener into the isolated, agonizing, and momentarily euphoric struggle for self-actualization amidst the stifling frame of an increasingly unfamiliar world.

The collectives first output since 2018s critically-acclaimed debut, From Worry to Shame, presents a concise summation of the groups collective growth as artists and individuals.

Furthermore, Comfort in Illusion dives deeper into the quartets textural and emotive sound exploration with a timely personal narrative of self-discovery and the anxiety of change.

1. Of Uncertainty (7:00)
2. Contemplating the Loop (4:52)
3. In a House Without Clocks (6:02)

Recorded at Silver Bullet Studios (Burlington, CT) between December 2019 and March 2020, this near 18-minute EP opens on the melodically somniferous swirl of the surreal acoustic / electric layered, three-movement suite within Of Certainty.

The hauntingly cathartic Contemplating the Loop is up next and is a beautiful, fluidly smooth adventure in soft prog rock that has the listener journeying away upon the musical wings of the magnificent, deeply luscious tonal ambiance brought forth.

The benevolently vociferous vocals and instruments of the rocker In a House Without Clocks is up next, and before it has closed the EP, has brought forth Corum leaving the listener with the parting questions: Would you consider a life without a path … or would you fear it would all just fall apart — the plan that never started, the waters left uncharted?

Says lead vocalist Josh Corum, The Comfort in Illusion EP has a two-fold meaning, but we realize that its subject to the listeners interpretation and we fully embrace that.

To the band, it operates in a binary fashion narratively; connecting to the protagonist of our debut album From Worry to Shame (2018), while also paving the way for an alternatively surreal story, that is told in tandem with a specific point in the protagonists timeline on the debut (parallel to the songs From Worry to Shame and Beyond the Wall).

Admittedly, this was not my initial intention, but intuitively I wound up here some years down the line after these songs were initially conceived.

The music on this EP is not motivically or thematically linked to the debut, but rather, connected through narrative/thematic concepts and visual interpretations through our music videos.

The themes of conviction and change, etched into the fibers of these songs, are also reflected in the band, whose own internal makeup shifted in a similarly bittersweet way.

Capturing what amounts to founding drummer Andrew Testa’s most stylistically-definitive performance, the EP also serves as a fitting send off for a member who was integral to crafting the core architecture of the bands sound.

His legacy will be continued and expanded upon through the deft percussion skill of Head With Wings resident multi-instrumentalist, Mike Short, who shifts from his co-lead guitar role on the recording of the new songs to drums going forward.

As we all know, we can never again return exactly to where we have been, and the same can be said of the distinctive lineup of performers in their designated roles on this special output—a moment in time faithfully preserved.

Indeed, Comfort in Illusion features a unique release format, with each song being followed by a cinematic companion piece delivered by the remarkably talented Vikram Shankar.

The prolific composer, who was heralded for his expressive piano interpretations of songs on From Worry to Shame, expands his contributions to the Head with Wings collective with fully reimagined arrangements of each movement of the forthcoming EP.

These remixes transform each tracks mood into a palpable visual scene listeners can explore in their own personal way.

On this EP, Head With Wings is:
Andrew Testa - Drums
Brandon Cousino - Guitars
Steve Hill - Bass
Mike Short - Guitars
Joshua Corum - Lyrics, Lead & Backing Vocals

Official CD EP Purchase Link

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