Prog supergroup Transatlantic have released a video fo their new single The World We Used To Know. It's taken from their upcoming fifth album The Absolute Universe: The Breath Of Life (Abridged Version), which is out on February 5, 2021 via InsideOut. An alternate version of the song will also be available on The Absolute Universe: Forevermore (Extended Version), out the same day.
"The second release from the upcoming Transatlantic album The Absolute Universe features our Swedish Genie Mr Roine Stolt on lead vocals (in contrast to the 1st release which featured Neal, Pete & I sharing the lead vocals)," says Mike Portnoy.
"This piece also opens with another extended instrumental intro where I get to utilise my best Keith Moon acrobatics and leads to Roine’s beautiful, melodic vocals on the verses and choruses in the body of the song and climaxes with a majestic section with Neal Morse taking the lead vocal and one of the album’s main musical reoccurring themes.
"This portion of the album closes out Disc 1 of the 2 CD version of the album Forevermore."
Released on Inside Out Music, the band’s first new music since 2014’s Kaleidoscope, with The Absolute Universe the band have done something unique and created two versions of the record: The Absolute Universe: The Breath Of Life (Abridged Version) & The Absolute Universe: Forevermore (Extended Version).
“We've got two versions of this album," adds Portnoy. "There is a two CD presentation, which is 90 minutes long, and a single one - that's 60 minutes. However, the single CD is NOT merely an edited version of the double CD. They each contain alternate versions and even in some cases, new recordings. We wrote fresh lyrics and have different people singing on the single CD version tracks as compared to those on the double CD. Some of the song titles have also been changed, while others might remain the same, but compositionally what you'll hear has been altered. You must appreciate that what we have done is unique. We revamped the songs to make the two versions different.”
Each album will be available on CD, LP & digitally. But there will also be what has been called The Absolute Universe: The Ultimate Edition, which collects both versions together in one lavish package that includes 5LP’s, 3CD’s & a Blu-ray that contains a 5.1 surround sound mix with visuals & a behind the scenes documentary. All editions have unique artwork created by Thomas Ewerhard. The full list of formats is below, and pre-orders start on the 20th November:
The Absolute Universe: The Breath Of Life (Abridged Version) - Special Edition CD Digipak, Gatefold 2LP+CD and digital Album
The Absolute Universe: Forevermore (Extended Version) - Special Edition 2CD Digipak, 3LP+2CD Boxset, digital Album
The Absolute Universe: The Ultimate Edition
Limited Deluxe Clear 5LP+3CD+Blu-Ray Box-set – contained within a foil-finished lift-off box with extended 16-page LP booklet & 60x60cm poster.
