ALBUM REVIEW: Projekt Gemineye - In the Year 3073 - Book I

PROJEKT GEMINEYE (Canada)
"In the Year 3073 - Book I"
(Reficul Records)
Release date: October 25th 2019
Genre: Progressive rock, melodic heavy rock
Links:
Facebook
BandCamp
Website

Not more than just a few weeks have passed since PROJEKT GEMINEYE were featured on these humble blog pages, when the single "Magic World" was released. The song was the first of two teasers from the album we are having a look at today, and marked a slight change in this Canadian solo project's sound.

Mark Anthony K., who is the primus motor and sole member of PROJEKT GEMINEYE, has been an active musician for many years and was also part of bands like Reckon With One and The Exalted Piledriver before founding his solo effort.

Just over two and a half years have passed since Mark Anthony K. released his solo debut "An Ordinary Day" in March 2017. The album helped him gain a faithful group of supporters that are thriving within the Projekt Gemineye Facebook group where the maestro himself keeps his fans updated on anything relevant to his project. "A Brand New Day" came out towards the end of 2017, an album that along with the debut could be considered a soundtrack to a series of personal events.

Just a few months after the follow-up was released, Mark Anthony K., or Mark Kopernicky as is his real name, announced that he had already started working on his third album.
Said Kopernicky: "It is not a concept album, but a collection of songs, and the lyrics are based around two kind of topics. One is the approach of science in the world today, and the other about people who are looked at as dreamers, and what approaches they have in bettering the world."

"Man of Science, Man of Dreams" came out in November 2018 and featured five compositions that all had all the basic ingredients that early on were determined as the very essence of PROJEKT GEMINEYE's music. Heavy riffs, melodic and harmonic lead guitars and a lot of 70's synth patches that create a fuller and atmospheric expression. As from the beginning the songwriting was still in constant development, the tracks were longer and experimental, but on "Man of Science, Man of Dreams" PROJEKT GEMINEYE had an overall darker, warmer sound than before.

A christmas single was released just a month after, and as a special surprise to his followers Kopernicky announced a four track EP with leftover tracks from the "Man of Science, Man of Dreams" sessions. As was the christmas single "The Lost Science Files" was only released in digital format, but there are some great tracks on there that I am very sure any PROJEKT GEMINEYE supporter would appreciate on a physical format as well.

Not even a year after "Man of Science, Man of Dreams" came out, Kopernicky is back with his fourth album effort, "In the Year 3073 - Book I". Even though every album up until now has either had a storyline or been directed towards certain topics, but this is the first to actually be of a conceptual nature.

This tells the story of a group of scientists and military people who are being forced to leave Earth due to the disastrous concequences of mankind's behavior. The year is 2073, and the end of the world as we know it is imminent. A thousand years later a group of their descendants decide to head back to Earth to document its fate, and this is where the story takes a rather dramatic turn.

The album's first track is the ten minute "Let Your Spirit Fly". The first few seconds send this writer's thoughts towards Vangelis and Alan Parson's Project before the introduction of acoustic guitar chords and the essential harmonic lead guitars that became a PROJEKT GEMINEYE trademark already on "An Ordinary Day". Eventually the album's production becomes more apparent, and especially the drums sound tighter, clearer and crispier than ever before.

Kopernicky has brought with him a couple guest musicians on "In the Year 3073 - Book I", the first appearing already in the first chorus. Joe Bailey is a UK based solo musician with a number of releases on his list of merits, and operates within the fields of alternative/neo-progressive rock. He should therefore fit very well with the style that PROJEKT GEMINEYE represents. He adds a voice that sounds right at home in a project that has never had any outside input to it, and out of the two guest appearances on the album Bailey's appearance becomes the most prominent one.

As mentioned earlier "Magic World" was the first single from the album, and was reviewed somewhere else on this blog. You can read more about it here.

"Heavy Hearts" could be the heaviest PROJEKT GEMINEYE song to date. The guitar tone is thick and aggressive, and the riffs provide a solid and steady foundation for the lead guitars and keyboards to swell upon.

"Children of Hope" is the ballad alternative among the six tracks on the album, and features the use of piano, another contribution of Bailey's vocals, and also David Donley's guest appearance on bass guitar. Donley has worked with musicians affiliated with David Bowie among others, and is a well-renowned musician in the UK.

"The Keepers of the Past" was the second song to be presented prior to the album's release. A seven minute track with a bass and drum intro that develops into a song with clear references to late 80's early 90's Rush. Catchy verses and choruses, and a middle section that suddenly turns the track into an odd-time signature frenzy. Another solid track that is the third and last on the album to feature the vocal talents of Joe Bailey.

As on the first two albums, "In the Year 3073 - Book I" also concludes with an instrumental track. "No Turning Back" is an uptempo feast of harmonic guitars and guitar solos, and provides a very strong closure to an album that allows the listener to experience new details with every spin.

★★★★★★★★★★

Tracklist:
1. Let Your Spirit Fly
2. Magic World
3. Heavy Hearts
4. Children of Hope
5. The Keepers of the Past
6. No Turning Back

LINE UP:
Mark Anthony K. - all instruments, vocals, production

Guest appearances:
Joe Bailey - lead vocals ("Let Your Spirit Fly', "Children Of Hope" and "The Keepers of the Past")
David Donley - Bass ("Children Of Hope")

ALBUM REVIEW: Projekt Gemineye - Man of Science, Man of Dreams

PROJEKT GEMINEYE (Canada)
"Man of Science, Man of Dreams" (Digital album, CD, vinyl)
(Reficul Records)
Release date: November 11th 2018
Genre: Progressive rock, heavy rock, space rock
Links:
BandCamp
Facebook
Website

Mark Anthony K (Mark Kopernicky, as is his actual name) has his own Facebook group for the most dedicated followers of his solo project PROJEKT GEMINEYE, in which he keeps them updated on recording progress and production. Needless to say a lot of anticipation was built up when he made the announcement of his third album during the early months of 2018, stating that it would be an album about the approach of science in the world today, and how those who dare to dream and be visionaires go forth in their attempt to make our planet a better world.

For prog lovers this would be a splendid opportunity to make a concept album, but although the songs would have recurring lyrical themes that were based on given subjects, he did not want to label it a concept album. So, what is "Man of Science, Man of Dreams" all about?

First and foremost, it's all about the music, right?

The album consists of five songs, and also prior to this release, two singles were released to give the impatient fans something to soothe their cravings for new music. "Virtual Reality" was the first one out, and after a scary sounding intro and a thundering drumroll we are being thrown against a wall of heavy guitars and soaring keyboards. The basis are still fairly traditionally built up with power chords on both guitars and keyboards, and not only are you facing a thick wall of sound; you find yourself melting into it. Furthermore, we get more of those typical harmony lead guitars, 12 string guitars and all of it wrapped in a lush and thick mix with an analogue warmth.

"Cosmic Sea" starts off with more sexy 70's keyboards, and develops into a really heavy track with washy cymbals and pounding drums. A couple stripped down verse sections manage to create adventurous mystery with just drums and bass, and the lyrics are the words of one of the before mentioned dreamers, who all his life has wanted to find out what is to be discovered in outer space. A solid track from beginning to end, and therefore the most logical second single.

Another eight minute epic appears in the shape of "To Hope...To Dream". Ayreonesque keyboards contribute to the fact that this album is far more space oriented than the first two, and I am loving it. Acoustic guitars, organ, and a thick keyboard pad provide a warm basis for the dreamer to tell us how he has always wanted to make a change, either for his fellow man and for the planet itself. He addresses a few environmental issues as well, such as the use of gas and coal, all presented with emotion and genuine sincerity.

The longest track thus far in PROJEKT GEMINEYE's discography is "Secret Science"; a fourteen minute long four part composition, just the way the prog lovers like it. What must be the mother of all keyboard pads early on makes it evident that we're dealing with something of a more epic nature. The vocals come in just before the four minute mark, accompanied by acoustic guitars and organs, just like on the previous track, in an equally tasty fashion.

"Secret Science" is a very varied track, with all the ingredients that Kopernicky knows very well how to put into his efforts, and during the middle section he takes us on a sonic journey with the same dramatic effect that Pink Floyd did with their experimental track "On The Run" from their 1973 classic "The Dark Side of The Moon". On a personal note, I would have loved if this section was even a bit longer. Just close your eyes and let yourself drift away with the visual imagery that this particular section helps you create, then you'll see what I mean. A fine experimental track.

"Traces of the Past" is the finishing track this time, and it's a more "traditional" PROJEKT GEMINEYE composition, more riff based, but of course with more of the typical harmony leads. This is a very typical approach for Kopernicky's songwriting, and though I have mentioned the combination of heavy riffs and harmonic lead guitars before, it is because it works.

PROJEKT GEMINEYE is not progressive when it comes to technicality, but the atmosphere he creates is highly effective for a listener that wants to visualize the music. Heavy chords and melodic riffs combined with classic harmony leads, and when you add keyboards and soundscapes that sends your mind back to the golden era of progressive rock back in the early seventies, you really can never go wrong.

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Tracklist:
1. Virtual Reality
2. Cosmic Sea
3. To Hope...To Dream
4. Secret Science
5. Traces Of The Past

PROJEKT GEMINEYE:
Mark Anthony K - composition, all performances, production

ALBUM REVIEW: Projekt Gemineye - A Brand New Day

PROJEKT GEMINEYE (Canada)

"A Brand New Day" (Digital album, CD, vinyl)

(Reficul Records)

Release date: December 1st 2017

Genre: Progressive rock, heavy rock, space rock

Links:

BandCamp

Facebook

Website

Not even nine months after the release of his debut album "An Ordinary Day", Mark Anthony K (real name Mark Kopernicky) followed up his first solo effort with the release of "A Brand New Day". These two albums could initially have been released as a double album, but Kopernicky decided to release them separately. 

As with the debut, the album that is the subject for this review is also part of a biographical story about serious injury and the events that followed. Pain, treatment and rehabilitation has both physical and psychological aspects, and even though neither the songs on this album present the story in its chronological order, they too leave no doubt that this was an ordeal that had a huge impact on the man behind PROJEKT GEMINEYE. 

Overall, "A Brand New Day" is slightly heavier than the debut, which becomes clear already in the first bars of the opening track "A New Day", which was also the first of two singles to be released about a month before the album was available. The verse is more downbeat, but with a clean 12-string guitar to bring more sparkle to the mix. As we approach the pre-chorus the gnarly guitars are coming back in, before Mark revisits the intro riff in a catchy chorus with his trademark harmonic vocals. 

"Clear Your Mind" is the second single from the album, and does nothing to weaken the standard that was set with the opening track. This is more uptempo, and with even more harmonic guitars, almost to the point of being symphonic. Again we are given the treat of another catchy and highly efficient chorus, and the song that is seven minutes long doesn't seem longer than the average three and a half minute single. 

"The Long Ride" is the third track, and the album's instrumental ballad. As opposed to "Ride On" from the debut album, this is piano based and more laidback, and a nice cut that allows you to actually do just that; sit back, and just enjoy the ride. The lead guitars are what bring the emotion, and serves as another meaningful chapter in the story, without even saying a word. 

"Space And Time" is a three part composition, and is the longest track on "A Brand New Day", clocking in at around eight and a half minutes. Structurally, this reminds me a lot of how Kopernicky's fellow Canadians in Rush built up their "2112" epic, with individual sections gluing the song together without sounding like a bunch of ideas thrown together. 

"The Incident" opens with harmony leads that could just as easily have been signed by Tipton and Downing, or Murray and Smith, for that matter. Come to think of it, a lot of Mark Kopernicky's melodies could have been written by these gentlemen, as there are a lot of eighties vibes in them. The wonderful irony of this track is that it being about the very moment of an excrutiating leg fracture, it has some delicious double bass drum work. 

"Sell Your Soul" is a fast and very energetic conclusion to  PROJEKT GEMINEYE's sophomore album, and I notice the vocals are more powerful and strong on here. Yet again, Kopernicky's voice is of the cleaner kind, but he has more confidence in his voice on the six tracks he is presenting to us on his second disc. 

On a personal note, I feel this is a slightly stronger album than its predecessor, in terms of performance, composition and production. 

As with all albums the front cover gives an absolute first impression. Once again the visual arts were provided by James McCarthy. As Yes had (and still have) their Roger Dean, so has PROJEKT GEMINEYE James McCarthy. And it's just the way it has to be, if you ask me. 

★★★★★★★★★☆

Tracklist:

1. A New Day

2. Clear Your Mind

3. The Long Ride 

4. Space And Time (Parts I - III)

5. The Incident

6. Sell Your Soul

PROJEKT GEMINEYE:

Mark Anthony K - composition, all performances, production

ALBUM REVIEW: Projekt Gemineye - An Ordinary Day

PROJEKT GEMINEYE (Canada)
"An Ordinary Day" (Digital album, CD, vinyl)
(Reficul Records)
Release date: March 7th 2017
Genre: Progressive rock, heavy rock, space rock
Links:
BandCamp
Facebook
Website

Mark Anthony K is a musician located in Brampton, Ontario in Canada, and he has been an active musician for twentyfive years. He formed Reckon With One in the nineties, initially a thrash metal group, but they developed a more progressive style further into their career. After the group disbanded he joined the thrashers in Exalted Piledriver for a period in 2007.

I made Mark Anthony K's aquaintance back in 2017, just after he had released his solo debut with his PROJEKT GEMINEYE, entitled "An Ordinary Day". Both of us being huge fans of the progressive rock pioneers in Yes, we quickly connected, and since we are both solo musicians with our own projects, we then checked each other's music out, and have been supporters of each other's music ever since. So, with that being said, am I really able to write an objective review of this guy's music?

The obvious first impression you get is the front cover image, created by James McCarthy. It serves as a great visual aid along with the music, and I find myself discovering new details all the time, both in the visual as well as the audible artistry that make up the total experience of this Canadian's debut effort.

"An Ordinary Day" and it's successor "A Brand New Day" are both two parts in a biographical storyline about bodily injuries and hospitalization. The songs are not chronological in terms of the events, but regardless, they do tell the story well. You can read my review about "A Brand New Day" somewhere else on this blog.

So how does it sound? The title track fades in with mysterious keyboards, chimes and woodblocks, before the massive rhythm section builds a solid foundation underneath a simple, but effective fanfare. After a majestic opening section we get a ton of double harmony guitars, soaring keyboards and even some tasty sounding moog. It is apparent that he has been both inspired and influenced by his fellow countrymen in Rush, but the basis of PROJEKT GEMINEYE is more heavy oriented, I am tempted to say. The vocals are not of the very energetic kind, but along with the before mentioned double harmony guitars, they are what I would call the "trademark" in PROJEKT GEMINEYE's music.

"The Future" is the second track, and initially a somewhat mellower tune, until the chorus comes in with heavy guitars and a nice synth melody in the center channel; a fine accompagnement to the harmonic vocals that already established themselves as part of this Canadian's signature sound.

"Funny Feeling" is another example that serves as evidence that the man behind it all has found his niche. Heavy, melodic riffs, and more of the intriguing 70's keyboards. Thus far, this is maybe not what you would call a typical progressive album, as the basic structures and riffs are often built up in a "traditional" way, but Mark Anthony K still manages to create great musical sceneries when he adds layers of atmospheric keyboards that really are the fine icing on the cake.

"The Journey" is the nine minute epic on the album, and it is probably the darkest track when it comes to the storyline. A three minute intro is just perfect for a prog lover, and while listening to the bass line during the opening seconds, I hear the undeniable Chris Squire/Geddy Lee influence.

"Fate Unknown" is the fastest one among the six tracks we have presented on the album, and here we are dealing with the more angry side of the music. The riffs and chord changes are more aggressive, almost dangerous. Quite possibly my favorite track on the album, though the title track is very close to my heart too.

"Ride On" is the instrumental closing track, and it is a very strong track with a lot of great guitar work. A perfect and worthy conclusion to an album that is a fine first statement from a man whose story is a personal one, and when it's being told the way it is on "An Ordinary Day", I am more than willing to sit down and listen to what he has to say.

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Tracklist:
1. An Ordinary Day
2. The Future
3. Funny Feeling
4. The Journey
5. Fate Unknown
6. Ride On

PROJEKT GEMINEYE:
Mark Anthony K - production, all performances