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Origin:  London, UK

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Genres:  Prog/Fusion Music (rock, jazz, symphonic, world)

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Years Active:  2018- Present

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Label:  Independent (Digital distribution: Distrokid)

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Website: www.FearfulSymmetry.rocks

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'Fearful Symmetry' originally evolved out of conversations between two cousins (Jeremy Shotts and Suzi James) with a love for music - listening and playing. We're Classic Rock and Prog Music fans (among other genres) going way back, who wanted to create something new from all the music we've listened to.

 

There followed the idea of creating a 'classic' progressive music album of our own. It would incorporate all the elements we enjoyed, and a suitable 'concept'.  The life and works of William Blake was the inspiration, and the result was the debut album 'Louder Than Words' (2019).

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It's an affectionate homage to classic prog: new compositions, that cross different sub-genres, but aim to convey a familiar and beloved sound and feel.

 

‘Louder Than Words’ features eight tracks: seven with vocal elements and one instrumental. We were lucky to have some wonderful guest musicians agree to be a part of this project, which we hope will give listeners some fun and even a little joy. 

 

The standout revelation was Yael Shotts - her voice becoming integral to the band and its music, her interpretations articulating resoundingly the emotive force of the songs.

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* * * * *

For the follow-up album, Fearful Symmetry co-creator, Jeremy Shotts generously stepped back to allow Suzi to develop the ideas that were in progress prior to 'Louder Than Words'.

Nevertheless, Jeremy has contributed a couple of verses to an epic (15 minute!) track, ‘Warlords’, as well as provided production feedback, enthusiastic support, promotion, and his approval for the music as it emerged.

The second album, 'The Difficult Second' (2022), carries the DNA, the philosophies of the first, with the continuing fusion of musical sub-genres, but without Jeremy’s William Blake-inspired lyricism. It’s fun, thoughtful, rocky, jazzy, symphonic, exotic - something for everyone.

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Overall, though, the sound is still recognisable as 'Fearful Symmetry', especially with the return of Sharon Petrover on drums for the whole album, and Yael Shotts again adding her beautiful voice and creativity to 8 of the 10 tracks. All other instruments are played by Suzi James (guitars, basses, keyboards, mandolin, violin, darbuka and additional percussion). All compositions by Suzi - who also mixed/mastered the recordings, as well as created the artwork.

 

The follow-up came at a difficult time for many reasons for each of the creators/contributors - Coronavirus lockdowns, family upheavals, remote recordings, learning to play a load of new instruments, and eventually Suzi getting laid low by Coronavirus.

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In spite of this, the album was launched mid-summer '22, and is available as a CD with accompanying booklet from this website, or as downloads from Apple Music,  bandcamp.com, and can be streamed from Spotify, YouTube, Deezer, and many other paltforms. .

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Note - this is a studio-based project, with no plans for gigging in the foreseeable future - but that doesn't mean it won't ever happen :)