The Wuppertal multi-instrumentalist Henrik Freischlader, who is primarily perceived as a guitarist and singer, loves the musical change of perspective: sometimes melodic pop-rock with an open visor and no blinkers ("Still Frame Replay", 2011), sometimes the big band version ("Who 33", 2017); but also as a trio ("Openness", 2016) or with Gary Moore glasses ("Blues For Gary", 2017) as a tribute to the musician who always inspired Freischlader and brought him closer to the blues. "Oldschool-like", as he likes to call it himself, he then went from the big band version in 2018 back to the core of blues and soul: "Hands On The Puzzle" was the title of the album.

Firewater, Scumbucket, Mother Tongue, Rotor, Coogans Bluff, Daily Thompson, The Flying Eyes, Jud ... What looks like the "Who's who" of alternative rock is actually part of the label Roster of Noisolution, a music label that was founded exactly 25 years ago. So it's time for a laudatory speech, because there are not so many record companies anymore, which have made such an outstanding contribution to alternative rock music in recent years as Noisolution. The mastermind behind it all is Arne Gesemann, who at the time of its founding primarily wanted to live out his preference for punk rock, while the development over the years naturally favoured the Berlin label to feel comfortable with other varieties of alternative rock music. After all, the latest releases are discreetly in progressive (Kaskadeur) or stoner rock (Daily Thompson).

Solstice belonged to the pioneers of the neoprog scene in the 80s, but unlike their comrades-in-arms IQ, Marillion or Pendragon, they had the status of an insider tip for a long time, even though they released a new album every now and then during the last 40 years. Now they have landed on the IQ label GEP. Andy Glass, the only constant member, welcomes us for a chat in the virtual chatroom ..

eclipsed: Why don't you take us back to the time when it all started with Solstice. You belonged to the pioneers of the neo-prog scene ..

Puscifer, you can read everywhere, is a side project of Tool. But hasn't it long since been the other way around? Although the distances between Puscifer albums are getting wider, Maynard James Keenan and Co. give an eloquent testimony of continuity on the new CD "Existential Reckoning".

eclipsed: Your new album sounds like a 3D universe in space and time. How did it come about?

Mat Mitchell: For this album we decided to use an early digital work station called Fairlight. Their possibilities are very limited, but that forces us to be creative with these formats. The challenge was to still sound like Puscifer on this old tool. That's how the basic ideas for the album were born. We literally started pressing buttons. This created moods that told us in turn in which direction the emotions, stories and ultimately the tracks would go. We didn't think about a concept at all, which we then had to implement in terms of sound.

Travel bans, concert cancellations - the Corona crisis caught many bands and organisers by surprise. Even the Berlin stoner rockers can tell you a thing or two about it, because they would have actually been on a world tour in spring. Guitarist and singer Christoph "Lupus" Lindemann explains how the experiences of the lockdown resulted in an unplanned album with unusually calm tones

eclipsed: Can your new album "The Isolation Tapes" be seen as a kind of sound document of your forced break?

Lupus: Exactly. We were in the middle of a big tour when it was suddenly over for everybody on March 18th. We had to break off, we came back from France to Berlin and then we got bored relatively quickly. Shortly before the lockdown we did a stream concert, the opener "The Lonely Child" came from there. And the idea to just keep on making music together.

eclipsed: How did the recordings turn out?

It seems downright idyllic when Oddleif Stensland describes where he is at the moment: at home in the countryside, barely an hour away from the Norwegian city of Kristiansand. There where the children can play outside and go into the forest. Somewhat less idyllic, on the other hand, is the music of his band Communic, who continue to be active in the field of grey-coloured progressive metal with their sixth album "Hiding From The World".

eclipsed: Oddleif, what happened to you in the last years?

Oddleif Stensland: Well, first of all I built a new studio. ItŽs a building of my own, 100 meters away from my house. Before that I had the studio in my basement. But it had to get out of there - I need a place where I can be undisturbed. And independent. And when I don't feel like it anymore, I go home and watch Netflix or something (laughs).

eclipsed: That's where you recorded "Hiding From The World", right?

One is a star, the other a virtually blank sheet. Nevertheless Simon Phillips and DarWin found each other. With "DarWin 2: A Frozen War" they released their second album. An unusual partnership. But what quickly becomes clear during the interview: Here two musicians meet at eye level.

eclipsed: Darwin, very little is known about you. We know that you come from Iceland and name the Beatles and Dream Theater as influences. Why are you making such a secret about your person?

DarWin: Honestly, I don't need that to be known or famous. I prefer to let the music do the talking. Six or seven years ago, I decided to realize my own ideas, and it resulted in a collaboration with Simon, with me being the main writer on this project. That's all you need to know

eclipsed: How did you get together?

DarWin: When I heard back then that Simon was leaving Toto, I wrote him an e-mail ...

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