Fragments Of The Sun

Pallas have always featured both atmospheric and cinematic moments on albums throughout their history, and this second collection of re-visionings of tracks from the band’s extensive catalogue of album tracks and rarities sets out to explore that element of the band further. ‘Fragments Of the Sun’ builds on the success of last years ‘ The Edge Of Time’ with a new selection of tracks that could be the main theme or credit music to a movie.

Niall, Graeme and Ronnie have been involved in film music side projects and have brought added cinematic elements to some tracks, whilst others follow a more atmospheric interpretation. The overall chilled and laid back concept of the first part of the album harks back to the days of plugging in the headphones and immersing yourself in a soundscape, whilst the latter section takes the listener to a more dramatic destination.

Initially, the CD will only be available directly through the band’s Bandcamp site, which also includes downloads in many formats including lossless, complete with a selection of bonus tracks.
The featured tracks encompass the whole of the band’s recorded career and are:

1. SUBMARINE
A track originally available on the ‘Sketches’ cassette from the late 80’s this track harks back to the period of the end of the Cold War and Chernobyl with a Soviet-inspired soundscape merging into an atmospheric musical conclusion.

2. WIN OR LOSE
Another atmospheric introduction leads into a stripped-down instrumental version of this track that was a popular part of the mid 80’s live set and ‘The Wedge’ album.

3. GENERATIONS
A remix of a very personal song with Graeme Murray on vocals, originally from ‘The Cross and The Crucible’.

4. REPRISE
An extensive orchestral re-versioning of a rarely heard instrumental track that had a few live outings around Scotland before ‘The Sentinel’ was recorded. This is a gentle pastoral ‘Scottish Air’ orchestrated by Ronnie Brown slowly building to a climax with added guitar from Niall Mathewson.

5. NORTHERN STAR
A new version of the popular instrumental from ‘The Dreams of Men’.

6. AND I WONDER WHY
Another very personal song with Paul Mackie on vocals re-worked from ‘wearewhoweare’.

7. BLOOD AND ROSES
Ronnie Brown re-interprets this delicate track with a lush but intimate treatment.

8. SPIRITS
Niall Mathewson adds new atmospheric flavour to the ecological track from ‘Beat The Drum’ album with vocals from Paul Mackie, the track is even more relevant now than it was on its original outing.

9. GHOSTS OF ATLANTIS
A highly cinematic orchestral tour de force from Graeme Murray inspired by ‘March On Atlantis’, imagined as the theme from a blockbuster movie.

10. ASCENSION
Taken from Niall Mathewson’s solo album ‘Eclectic Electric’ with himself on lead vocals this track serves as a fitting lead into the final track on the album.

11. FRAGMENTS OF THE SUN
After an extensive search for a long lost recording session of an additional choir part recorded a few years after the original version was featured on the ‘Beat The Drum’ album, this new version featuring vocals from Paul Mackie succinctly explores humanity’s place in the universe. And if you look out to stars on a winter night, can you believe we‘re all alone?