Today, GuitarWorld.com presents the exclusive premiere of “Flight of the Snow Angels,” a new song by the Wizards of Winter. The track is from the band's new album, The Magic of Winter, which will be released November 12. You can preorder it here.
"I was looking to create a song that could set the right mood as an opener for our new CD and our live show as well," says music director/keyboardist Scott Kelly about the track.
"It had to be upbeat as well as majestic. Multiple ideas entered my mind. One was of snow as it is blown by the wind. The other was a concept taken from the movie City of Angels, where the angels were always positioned somewhere up high and 'fell' to the earth. Hopefully the visual of angels soaring through a snowy scene is evoked in the mind of the listener."
“When Scott and I were working on this track, I wanted the guitars to sound like the title, lots of bounce and a majestic feel," adds guitarist Fred Gorhau. "I think that comes across throughout the song. I recorded 'Flight of the Snow Angels' with my ESP Eclipse through a Bogner Uberschall for the rhythms.
“The solo is the same guitar, but into my GSP1101 and Marshall 9200. During that solo, we borrow from Beethoven’s Ode to Joy, followed by some string skipping and tapping. My favorite part of this track is the dramatic arpeggio climb on guitar and keys; it builds quite a bit into a reprise of the intro. This song sets a great mood for me and is a total blast to play.”
The Magic of Winter was produced by Eric Rachel (Symphony X, Skid Row, Styx).
The Wizards of Winter also have announced “An Evening with Wizards of Winter,” a 20-city U.S. tour beginning November 19. You can check out all the dates below. The Wizards of Winter—featuring original members of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra—will perform an entire set of original holiday music at each stop of their theatrical, family-oriented rock opera experience. The also perform four Trans-Siberian Orchestra covers!
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“An Evening with WIZARDS OF WINTER” Tour Dates: 11/19 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Parker Playhouse 11/20 - Clearwater, FL @ The Capitol Theatre 11/21 - Orlando, FL @ The Plaza Live 11/22 - Atlanta, GA @ Center Stage 11/27 - Wilkes Barre, PA @ F.M. Kirby Center for Performing Arts 11/28 - Red Bank, NJ @ Count Basie Theatre 12/3 - Concord, NH @ Capitol Center For The Arts 12/4 - Collingswood, NJ @ Collingswood Scottish Rite Theatre 12/5 - Easton, PA @ The State Theater Performing Arts Center 12/6 - Sugarloaf, NY @ Sugarloaf Performing Arts Center 12/9 - Ridgefield, CT @ Ridgefield Playhouse 12/11 - Cleveland, OH @ Agora Theatre and Ballroom 12/12 - Kalamazoo, MI @ The Kalamazoo State Theatre 12/13 - Munhall, PA @ Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall 12/16 - Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel 12/17 - Nashville, TN @ Marathon Music Works 12/18 - Effingham, IL @ Effingham Performing Arts Center 12/20 - Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall 12/26 - Albany, NY @ The Egg 12/27 - Syracuse, NY @ Crouse Hinds Theater 12/29 - Harrisburg, PA @ The Forum
Damian is Editor-in-Chief of Guitar World magazine. In past lives, he was GW’s managing editor and online managing editor. He's written liner notes for major-label releases, including Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'The Complete Epic Recordings Collection' (Sony Legacy) and has interviewed everyone from Yngwie Malmsteen to Kevin Bacon (with a few memorable Eric Clapton chats thrown into the mix). Damian, a former member of Brooklyn's The Gas House Gorillas, was the sole guitarist in Mister Neutron, a trio that toured the U.S. and released three albums. He now plays in two NYC-area bands.
