Transatlantic (band)

Infobox musical artist
Name = Transatlantic


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Genre = Progressive rock
Years_active = 1999–2003
Label = InsideOut Music
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URL = [http://www.transatlanticweb.com/ transatlanticweb.com]
Current_members = Neal Morse
Mike Portnoy
Roine Stolt
Pete Trewavas
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Transatlantic was a progressive rock supergroup formed in 1999 by vocalist/keyboardist Neal Morse of Spock's Beard and drummer Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater.

Biography

Originally intending to include Fates Warning guitarist Jim Matheos, Morse and Portnoy tapped Flower Kings guitarist/vocalist Roine Stolt when Matheos was unable to participate. The band completed their lineup by adding bassist and progressive rock veteran Pete Trewavas from the group Marillion.

Their first album, 2000's "SMPT:e" (a play on words, as both a combination of the members' last initials, as well as a common machine time protocol used in high end recording studios) received strong critical reviews, including "some of the best progressive rock music ever written" (Robert Taylor in [http://www.allmusic.com/ All Music Guide] ) and "a fireworks of ideas and incredible musicianship" ("The Metal Observer"). However, many criticsFact|date=March 2008 of the neo-prog genre see Transatlantic's music as being derivative.

A subsequent tour of the United States led to a double live CD, "Transatlantic Live in America", and a video of the same name. The band showed their musical heritage on the live CD, presenting covers of The Beatles' "Strawberry Fields Forever", as well as a medley of Genesis' epic "Watcher of the Skies" and "Firth of Fifth".

Though "SMPT:e" contained the thirty-one minute opus "All of the Above", the band's second studio album, 2001's "Bridge Across Forever", found the band flexing their muscles further in the long form for which progressive rock is known. The CD contained just four tracks, the twenty-six minute "Duel With the Devil", the fourteen minute "Suite Charlotte Pike", and the twenty-six minute "Stranger in Your Soul" making up the bulk of the disc, with the title track coming in at a relatively scant five minutes.

Transatlantic disbanded with Morse leaving the mainstream prog scene to launch a new career as a Christian musician, a move which included his leaving Spock's Beard as well. A live DVD of the band's last tour was released in late 2003, featuring all aforementioned epics plus a rendition of the Abbey Road medley by the Beatles. The extended edition also contains a cover of Pink Floyd's "Shine on You Crazy Diamond". As an added bonus for progressive metal fans, Daniel Gildenlöw of the band Pain of Salvation sits in throughout the DVD as a "fifth member" of the band, playing keyboards, guitars, percussion, and even doing some vocals, both background and lead.

The name of the group was originally planned to be "Second Nature", but was changed to Transatlantic on suggestion by the cover artist Per Nordin.

Discography

* "SMPT:e" (Regular release and limited edition with bonus disc) (2000)
* "Live in America" (2001)
* "Bridge Across Forever" (Regular release and limited edition with bonus disc) (2001)
* "Transatlantic Demos" by Neal Morse (2003)
* "SMPTe: The Roine Stolt Mixes" (2003)
* "Live in Europe" (2003)

Videography

* Building the Bridge and Live in America (DVD, 2006)
* Live In Europe (2003)
* Live In Europe Limited Edition (2003)
* Building The Bridge (video, 2002)
* Live In America (video, 2001)

Members

* Neal Morse - lead vocals, keyboard, guitar
* Mike Portnoy - drums, backing vocals
* Roine Stolt - guitar, backing vocals
* Pete Trewavas - bass guitar, backing vocals

Guest

* Daniel Gildenlöw - guitar, backing vocals, keyboard

External links

* [http://www.transatlanticweb.com/ Transatlantic official site]