Astral Travellers

Bio:

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..Astral Travellers Biography..

"A Prog delicacy from The Netherlands, with influences from almost 40 years of music history"
-Walter Scheurer, Powermetal.de

"This album is that good, that a deal with a nice label goes without saying. Fans of good progrock do not need to hesitate and get their hands on this fantastic masterpiece"
-Jan Didden, Podiuminfo.nl

"The atmospheric magnitude of these two tracks are monumental to these ears and the songwriting reeks of class from beginning to end"
-Tim Jones, Musicstreetjournal.com

These are just a few comments "The truth Beyond", Astral Travellers debut album got in the press.

..The Journey..

It has taken them ten years of hard work, of cultivating their musical heritage of their upbringing and honing their technical skills to come to the point a choice had to be made: “Are we going for a quick win or do we really want to make a musical statement and find out how the outside world sees it all?”

The Astral Travellers grew up in the South of the Netherlands in the midst of the metal and glam rock of the eighties, and in the afterglow of the classic rock of the seventies. Real performers emerge young , so the different members of the band started taking lessons at a juvenile age. Word goes that the singer’s church choir grew tired of his Robert Plant impersonation and kicked him out, although this has never been officially confirmed. The Astrals started joining different bands at the age of twelve, and most of them hooked up in early 1997 in the rock formation The Lower Lifeforms, which gave them local fame. After regrouping in 2000 in the band Oker the chemistry was complete, and the group has not changed since.

After years of composing and performing the sentiment grew to no longer hold back, to make no concessions and to go all the way. All the way back to the source of rock, metal and progressive, influenced by their idols of today like Dream Theater, Tool, Metallica and Porcupine Tree and the big masters of before like Deep Purple, Yes and Genesis. This resulted in no ‘verse-chorus-verse-chorus’-tunes but longer songs with an organic composition, symphonic synths and experimental rhythms. All this accompanied by the classic lyrical prog-themes about fiction, fantasy, war and love. With this new chosen path, a new and final band name is chosen: Astral Travellers.

In the apex of the no-compromise attitude they decided to record their latest album totally by themselves, which took them the larger part of 2008. The result is the 48 minutes, 5 song record ‘The Truth Beyond.

..The band’s discography:..
1997 - Scratching the Surface (Lower Lifeforms)
1999 - Jezebell’s Kiss (Lower Lifeforms)
2002 - Oker (Oker)
2004 - Transdimensional (Oker)
2009 - The Truth Beyond (Astral Travellers)

..The Travellers..

The Astral Travellers are:
Gerben van Oosterhout Vocals
Jochem Brok Keys
Tristan de Rijk Drums
Barry Veeke Guitars
Maarten Vermeulen Bass

Gerben and Jochem are from Eindhoven, the other members live in Roosendaal. Every member has lots of experience playing his instrument, and has played in multiple bands, from indie-pop to metal.

..The Astral Experience..

The Astrals have plenty of stage experience. The band has performed regularly in the Brabant region (The Netherlands); in bars and small clubs like Altstadt in Eindhoven but also in well known venues like 013 in Tilburg, Odeon in Veldhoven, Mezz in Breda and on festivals like Atlantis in Roosendaal and Poptocht in Bergen op Zoom. The band was also selected to perform at various talent contests like Wraak van Brabant, Kaaipopprijs Roosendaal, Eindhovense popprijs and Veldhovense popprijs.

Member Since:

maart 14, 2009

Members:

Vocals: Gerben van Oosterhout



Keys: Jochem Brok



Guitar: Barry Veeke



Bass: Maarten Vermeulen



Drums: Tristan de Rijk

Influences:

Porcupine Tree, Dream Theater, Iron Maiden, Muse, Tool, Yes, Pink Floyd, Genesis, Deep Purple, Metallica, Neal Morse, Opeth, Frost, Mastodon, Led Zeppelin, Tesla, Riverside, Deep Purple, Spock's Beard, Pain of Salvation.