Dan Swano

For some reason, most Swano fans are just finding out about this now.





It's an EP called Human Machine, by Proserpine, a Canadian band. Seems to be a one-man project with guests, though, and Dan Swano does clean vocals on all five songs. There are growls, but not by Dan. Though he apparently "snuck one in."

This thing came out in 2008! Few seemed to know about it until recently, though. It's a professional project, too. Real CD, multi-page booklet, artwork done by Travis Smith.

If you want a copy, e-mail Ryan LaPrairie at fakeryanl@live.ca. With S&H from Canada, it cost me $13.19. Worth it, in my opinion.

interesting. i'm not really digging his style of clean vocals. that second clip was pretty good though.

Sounds like his clean vocals always sound. Are you not a fan of his clean stuff in general?

Travis Smith artwork? That's pretty retro.

Temple of Blood wrote:

Travis Smith artwork? That's pretty retro.

Says the guy with a cosmic Cinnabon on his album.

Sorry. Couldn't resist. Haha.

Eyesore wrote:

Sounds like his clean vocals always sound. Are you not a fan of his clean stuff in general?

not at all, never have been. it's not that he's altogether bad, there is just something about it that is like nails on a chalk board to me.

mc666 wrote:

Eyesore wrote:

Sounds like his clean vocals always sound. Are you not a fan of his clean stuff in general?

not at all, never have been. it's not that he's altogether bad, there is just something about it that is like nails on a chalk board to me.

That sucks, man. I understand, but you're unfortunately missing out on some great music. Nightingale, Odyssey, Godsend. Bummer.

I do tend to dislike his vocals on the Unicorn stuff, but I think it's because the music is so mellow it clashes with his voice.

I'm the opposite of MC6s.

I wasn't going to give Nightingale the time of day until I read a review that said the project was all clean vocals. I gave it a shot and I was like, "Damn, that guy can actually sing." Not only that but I think he has a nice baritone voice; he actually sorta reminds me of Gordon Lightfoot in Nightingale.



BTW, obviously the band in question in this thread is too cookie for me.

tohostudios wrote:

I'm the opposite of MC6s.

I wasn't going to give Nightingale the time of day until I read a review that said the project was all clean vocals. I gave it a shot and I was like, "Damn, that guy can actually sing." Not only that but I think he has a nice baritone voice; he actually sorta reminds me of Gordon Lightfoot in Nightingale.



BTW, obviously the band in question in this thread is too cookie for me.

Nightingale is awesome. If you dig them, check out Odyssey then. It was once just a rare EP, but it's been remastered and re-released and Dan included a bunch of awesome cover songs. Like these:





And here's one of the three originals:

So here's something funny.



You can read about it here:

http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/dan-swanoe/796553-dan-goes-jingle-writer.html

Basically, Dan and Lord K, the turd behind http://www.globaldomination.se, did an absurd death metal number for a pain killer commercial, all for a laugh. Even funnier, they made it to the finals and could win 50,000 SEK (whatever that comes out to). Haha.

Pretty funny, I think. It'd be hilarious if it won.

Love Swano, although I was glad to see him get over the Breathing Shadow storyline. Don't get me wrong, the music was great, but four albums of being tortured about -I never could figure out quite what?- got tedious despite the great songs. He's made some of the best prog rock of the last decade.

Have you heard him speak English? That's why you could never understand the story line. Haha.

yeah, Nightingale is

Dan has been super quiet lately. Not sure what he's got going on. But at some point he did some guest vocals on this album he mixed and mastered.



Never heard of this band before, but this is a very good song.

New Swano project coming out on Century Media in July!

Quote :

WITHERSCAPE, the new atmospheric and progressive dark metal outfit formed by Swedish singer, multi-instrumentalist and producer extraordinaire Dan Swanö along with fellow Swedish multi-instrumentalist Ragnar Widerberg, will release its debut album, "The Inheritance", on July 29 in Europe and August 6 in North America via Century Media Records.

WITHERSCAPE sees Dan teaming with Widerberg, to create an intense concept album — which should not only musically please fans of earlier Swanö works like "Moontower" and EDGE OF SANITY, but also attract fans of contemporary progressively atmospheric metal in the vein of OPETH, BARREN EARTH and AMORPHIS.

The album song "Astrid Falls" can be streamed in the YouTube clip below.

Comments Swanö: "'Astrid Falls' is one of my many favorite songs on the album. It represents the WITHERSCAPE sound in a good way. It's showcasing the clean and growling vocal interplay and the overall 'vibe' of my and Ragnar's playing as well as the dynamics of our songwriting."

According to Swanö, WITHERSCAPE has been in planning for a long time, spawned as a result of his working relationship with Widerberg, which began at a Swedish music store. The two multi-instrumentalists discovered that they had so much in common musically that brainstorming for a full-on metal project of their own was the next logical step. Widerberg cites acts like early JUDAS PRIEST, RUSH, KING CRIMSON and MERCYFUL FATE as far as his inspirations in regards to WITHERSCAPE and Swanö elaborates his list to also include JUDAS PRIEST (1975-1989), VOIVOD, QUEENSRŸCHE, RUSH, MARILLION and MERCYFUL FATE.

WITHERSCAPE's "The Inheritance" is the first release under a longterm worldwide recording deal signed between Dan Swanö and Century Media Records earlier this year.

WITHERSCAPE is:

Dan Swanö - Vocals, Drums und Keyboards
Ragnar Widerberg – Guitar, Bass

Most dedicated metalheads will not only be able to call themselves owners of certain releases by one Dan's many outstanding bands/projects (EDGE OF SANITY, NIGHTINGALE), but also the work at his own Unisound studio will surely have left a mark in everyone's record collection at some point: OPETH, KATATONIA, DISSECTION, MERCILESS, 59 TIMES THE PAIN, DARK FUNERAL, HAIL OF BULLETS, MARDUK, MILLENCOLIN and NASUM, to name but a few.

Swanö has been no stranger to Century Media Records: He was originally involved with the death metal supergroup BLOODBATH (also featuring members of OPETH and KATATONIA), who released the "Breeding Death" EP as well as the amazing first two albums, "Resurrection Through Carnage" and "Nightmares Made Flesh", via Century Media. Most recently, Swanö has been heavily working again as producer and mixer of albums, including releases by Century Media artists such as ASPHYX, GRAND SUPREME BLOOD COURT, ODDLAND and MORGOTH.

When he breaks into the deeper growls here, really reminds me of My Silent Wake.

His growls are some of the best around. I love how they're so heavy yet you can understand what's he's saying.

The music on that is really great. It sounds like a lot of other bands that I like mashed into one. The clean vocals were good, but the growling killed it for me. I'd like to hear more songs tho cause I like the music a lot and its not like I don't like growling I just wasn't crazy about his. Believe it or not I don't own one thing hes ever done haha, as far as I can think of.

Phoenix Reign Drummer wrote:

Believe it or not I don't own one thing hes ever done haha, as far as I can think of.

I've only heard him play drums on the first couple Bloodbath releases.

That clip that Ken posted ("Astrid Falls") was a pretty good song. If the singer had better control of his voice, it would of been alot better. (IMHDO) The growls didn't ruin it, gave the tune soe dynamics in the atmosphere department. I am interested in hearing more.

James B. wrote:

That clip that Ken posted ("Astrid Falls") was a pretty good song. If the singer had better control of his voice, it would of been alot better. (IMHDO) The growls didn't ruin it, gave the tune soe dynamics in the atmosphere department. I am interested in hearing more.

Better control of his voice?

Anyway, if you guys don't dig the death metal vocals, check out Nightingale.







Or maybe Odyssey:

I checked out a few of the samples and I have to agree that I prefer his harsh vocals. The tracks from Human Machine I liked the best.

I checked out the Astrid Falls track and I hear what James is talking about. He has a technically good voice but he sounds undisciplined and he's a little bit all over the map (not too removed from how most female singers these days over-sing all the time).

You two are retarded. Swano is considered to be one of the best vocalists out there.

Eyesore wrote:

You two are retarded. Swano is considered to be one of the best vocalists out there.

You're acting like we ran your dog over or something. Played the clip to my wife (whio has taught vocal instruction) and she shares my opionion. The guy has a nice voice but he doesn't use proper technique. Does it sound bad, nope. It just could sound better if the guy knew how to control his voice properly in some areas.

Eyesore wrote:

You two are retarded. Swano is considered to be one of the best vocalists out there.

We expressed our opinions, you decided to respond by calling us retarded. Very mature of you.