The Blank Manuskript is a Project from central Europe, situated in mountainous Austria. The whole project is organized by the two musicians Dominik Wallner (Keys, Vocals) and Alfons Wohlmuth (Bass, Flute, Vocals). The band’s musical output can best be described as Progressive Rock, or - to be specific -Art-Rock with a special attention towards the narrative elements. The Band's aim is to present a story with their music, which means that the music itself is written to fit the intentional narration.
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The band was formed in late 2007 by the trio Christian Breckner, Dominik Wallner and Alfons Wohlmuth. After substantiating their style and intention, they started writing the concept and musical material for their first project "Tales from an Island - Impressions from Rapa Nui". Alfons Wohlmuth came up first with the idea to work on this topic. Due to the fact, that these stories were widely unknown and have not been used for a concept album before, the band started to gather all the material they could get. Within weeks a narrative concept was finished and the work on the compositions was ready to start. The musical material itself was mostly written by Dominik Wallner, but the influence from the others enriched the compositions on this album and gave the songs a unique style. Dominik Wallner is a classical trained piano player, who studies at University Mozarteum Salzburg taking great influences from various jazz-seminars; Christian Breckner is a studied Classical Guitar-player and an experienced live-player; Alfons Wohlmuth is a self-taught multi-instrumentalist and a Progressive Rock enthusiast, able to play several different instruments and providing most of the band’s lyrics. The search for a skilled drummer didn't take long, for they were soon joined by Elias Papaioannou. During their work on the material, it became clear, that the recordings will need much more musicians than the original line-up provided, so Blank Manuskript hired session musicians to reach their expectation of the album. The recording sessions, which were lead by Clemens Wannemacher, started in the beginning of June 2008. The final mix of the album was approved at the beginning of December. The album was released in early 2009 and the live-presentation, featuring 8 musicians on stage, was a big success. Soon the band got requests from the famous Colossus-Projects, to record tracks for three of their projects. This was happily accepted. Involved in these works, a stressful and busy period started to haunt the band, which was faced by immediate changes in the line-up, forcing the male vocalist Jakob Aistleitner to play drums. Nevertheless the band was able to recruit friends, spread out all over Austria and managed this difficult situation. Manuel Schönegger, a highly skilled Jazz Musician and Tonmeister in Vienna was mainly responsible for these projects to be realized.
The offer to play at the Baltic Prog Festival at Lithuania gave Blank Manuskript an opportuni-ty to work out a live-performance plan which involved just a live band of 5 musicians. The live performance included the “Tales from an Island”-album and two covers from Dice and Camel.
Due to timetable problems Christian Breckner decided to leave the band soon after the live concerts in the summer which left the band with the difficult decision whether to replace the missing spot of the guitar player or to continue without it. After much reflection on this subject the band decided to continue as a quartet thus making the sound more compact and raising the level of complexity of each of the instruments. Right now the band is working on their new program which includes the two Colossus-Projects, “Paradiso” and “Tales from Edgar Allan Poe”, and a new concept-album. The album-release can roughly be expected to be in the summer of 2010.
Past Projects:
Dante's Divine Comedy - Part II Purgatorio (October 2009)
Blank Manuskript took part in the project "Dante's Divinia Comedia Part II - Purgatorio" by the Finnish Progressive Rock-Organisation Colossus Projects. The following musicians took part in this project: Alfons Wohlmuth (Bass, Flute, Vocals), Dominik Wallner (Keys, Lead-Vocals), Christian Breckner (Guitars), Jakob Aistleitner (Alto Saxophone), Manuel Schönegger (Soprano Saxophone) Camillo Mainque-Jenny (Drums), Victor de la Rosa (Percussion). The piece was mixed In Venezuela by Richard Marichal.
The album can be ordered directly from us or from one of our distributors. To obtain a copy, send an email to info@blankmanuskript.at. Price is 10 € total for the CD and shipping within Europe. You can also order via PayPal on our website www.blankmanuskript.at
Distributors:
Running Projects:
RöKSTENEN - "a Tribute to Swedish Progressive"
Blank Manuskript arranged and recorded a version of the 4-part Masterpiece "Death" by the Swedish Band "Dice" recorded originally in 1977. The original guitar player from "Dice" Örjan Strandberg provided the guitars on our remake. The piece was recorded and mixed by Manuel Schönegger. Great thanks to Marco Bernard for arranging this! Other than Örjan, the following musicians took part in this project: Dominik Wallner (Organ, Fender Rhodes, Grand Piano, Strings), Alfons Wohlmuth (Rickenbacker Bass, Flute), Manuel Schönegger (Flute), Jakob Aistleitner (Drums) and, another special guest on the trombone, Florian Spies. Colossus Projects - www.myspace.com/colossusprojects/
Dante's Divine Comedy - Part III Paradiso
After the good impression of the well-played Rökstenen-Project, BM was also assigned a Canto for Paradiso, which will be released in early 2010. More information to follow... Colossus Projects - www.myspace.com/colossusprojects/
Tales of Edgar Allen Poe
In this project 17 international Progressive Rock-bands are choosen to set Edgar Allen Poe's tales to music. Blank Manuskript will compose and record a piece for Edgar Allen Poe's tale "Gold-Bug". The release is set to 2010. Colossus Projects - www.myspace.com/colossusprojects/
Current Live-LineUp:
Dominik Wallner - Keys, Vocals
Alfons Wohlmuth - Bass, Flute, Vocals
Christian Breckner - Guitars, Vocals
Jakob Aistleitner - Saxophone, Vocals, Organ, Flute
Camillo Mainque Jenny - Drums
Victor de la Rosa - Percussion
The Blank Manuskript presents musically complex structures and sophisticated lyrics in an enjoyable and fascinating way to the audience. So lay back and enjoy the music not just as background-entertainment but as a coherent and artistic tale of times.
For more information contact Alfons Wohlmuth at info@blankmanuskript.at or via phone +43 650 9923459.
I want to thank you for making me one of your friends, for allowing me to trip with your art, also for listening to my music, which in fact I hope you enjoy. Please leave your comments which are very important to me.
I invite you to listen to more music, or download it through your support:
Hey Leute, after the war II mein absoluter liebling! auf Dominiks seite hab ich schon die musik gehört - wohlgefallen - aber daß da auch noch ein inhaltliches konzept dahinter steckt, wie ich hier lesen konnte, umso bewundernswerter. die arbeit mit dem album hat sich echt rentiert für dir musikwelt würd ich sagen. ich galub, pink floyd abgeneigt seid ihr nicht ;). steh auf den 70ties sound! lg Nadja
Hallo Blank Manuskript. Ihr macht wirklich tolle Musik! Wir freuen uns schon auf das gemeinsame Konzert mit Euch in Golling nächsten Samstag. Christian, Peter und Reini von Scapegoat.
Thx For Your Support ! FEEL ME CLUB MIX 07 ON PROFILE NOW ! @MYSPACE.COM/LFMUSICPRODUCTION TAKEN FROM THE ALBUM "TWO YEARS AND MORE" OUT NOW ! CHECK IT OUT LFPRODUCTIONS
