byron
Bucharest, Bucureşti, Romania | Established. Jan 01, 2006 | MAJOR
Music
Press
“The band has its own personality, line and message to share even in this album which was stated to be a covers album. By its choice of songs, byron manages to convey its own atmosphere. The album shall therefore not be taken as a step back or a standstill, but as a step forward towards a wider audience – an audience which, once initiated, should develop a taste for the previous and future materials signed by byron. The marketing concept in itself, related to such a material, was very well designed and implemented. The album should be taken as a model for the others in the industry. [...] The most likeable songs on this mature pop album, with jazz, progressive and folk influences, are those where piano keyboards meet Dan Byron’s voice.”
Richard Constantinidi (2011) - Click Zoom Bytes
“The new material signed by byron carefully approaches the condition of the present-day musician ("The Alchemist") and the trap into which the musical industry and the media are trying to allure him, changing the artist into a commercial puppet ("I Don’t Want to Entertain You", "Sirens"). On the other hand, byron takes a look at the audience, often manipulated by the mass-media by creating “models" for generations of fans, based on the idea that a world consisting of such individuals is easier to manage […]. A Kind of Alchemy is an album which deserves to be bought, a disk which reserves surprises even for byron’s most devoted fans, a sound that has all chances to make this band grow higher and step up a few steps on the success ladder, with significant advances on the road to the “big” band certificate.”
Codrut Croitoru (2009) - Best Music
“A Kind Of Alchemy is even more involved and resonant than its acclaimed predecessor. Once again delving into political-socio commentary with their lyrics, there is no running narrative with the piece, but you certainly get the feeling after a few listens that the album flows exactly the way it is meant to be. With a new bassist in the band, it's also surprising how much a single band member can change the group's sound. Things have a much funkier, even jazzy flair to them this time around. While still being an art/alternative rock album at heart, A Kind Of Alchemy is very much a grower; each listen lends to the listener new insights into the music and newfound appreciation.”
Conor Fynes (2010) - Prog Archives
“Speaking, sometimes in a less direct and sometimes in a more direct way, about alienation, consumerism and the danger of herd instinct, but especially about freedom, this concept album, designed as an opera in three acts and epilogue, is a turning point for the Romanian rock landscape. Almost impossible to classify, byron’s music simply plays like an aural torrent which warms you up, while urging you to ask questions.”
Catalin Toader (2007) - Time Out Bucharest
“Forbidden Drama brings about a very well-rounded, mature, worked-up and standalone sound. byron had something to show here and gave up simple for ambitious. Rhythm breaks are intentional, same as piano harmonies, guitars have a powerful impact, the flute shows up on time, while the voice flies towards blue skies.”
Matei Florian (2007) - Dilema Veche
“Forbidden Drama is an album full of the sound of the 70s, starting from David Bowie-like vocal influences and ending with progressive bits, in particular in the keyboard score, performed by 6fingers, still displaying more recent influences, such as Jeff Buckley or Chris Cornell. […] byron debuts with a particular sound in the Romanian musical landscape.”
Mihnea Blidariu (2007) - Best Music
Discography
Forbidden Drama (CD - 2007)
Acoustic Drama (DVD - 2008)
A Kind of Alchemy (CD - 2009)
Perfect (CD - 2011)
Live Underground (DVD - 2012)
30 Seconds of Fame (CD - 2013)
Melancolic - "Ramai cu mine" OST (CD - 2014)
Electric Marching Band (DVD - 2015)
Eternal Return (CD - 2015)
Photos
Bio
byron are a cerebral and methodical bunch, but don't be fooled - rocking the house is their specialty. Sometimes they might strike you as pensive and meditative, other times you'll be surprised by their playful demeanor and appetite for rocking out loud. Either way, expect a roller-coaster ride of feelings, seasoned with skillful guitar solos, soaring keyboard and flute melodies and ravaging vocal performances.
When byron played their first show in 2006, lead singer and composer Dan Byron was already an established star on the Romanian rock scene, after years of playing in cult bands Kumm and Urma. The other members were no strangers to the scene either – most notably, keyboardist 6fingers had already achieved European fame with his metal band Magica, while former member Costin Oprea was an experienced and highly sought-after blues guitarist. These divergent influences, complete with Dan Byron’s progressive/acoustic rock background, later came to define the band’s ever-expanding, chameleonic sound.
In 2008, inspired by the famous MTV Unplugged sessions, they completely re-orchestrated the songs from their 2007 debut Forbidden Drama and filmed an unplugged show in a Transylvanian citadel, later released on DVD as Acoustic Drama. After releasing a second album the following year (A Kind of Alchemy), 2010 finds them 100m underground in a Transylvanian salt mine filming the two-part concert Live Underground. The salt mine concert was a massive undertaking which attracted huge media attention – enough for the concert to be broadcast on HBO Romania, prior to the DVD and Blu-ray release.
After reworking well-known Romanian songs for their 2011 covers album Perfect, byron teamed up with Romanian music icon Nicu Alifantis and played the live soundtrack for a musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic The Merry Wives of Windsor at the Metropolis Theater in Bucharest – a project that would keep the band busy for most of the next two years.
Released in spring 2013 and prefaced by the hit single “Road Trip”, their fourth studio release 30 Seconds of Fame (available in Romanian as 30 de secunde de faimă) is a tasteful mix of rock & blues grooves, acoustic vibes and electronic textures – a definite step forward in the band’s tireless musical exploration. After a few months of touring in support of their new album, byron began working on the soundtrack of a new TV series produced by HBO Romania – “Rămâi cu mine” (aka. “Shall We Kiss”). They composed 18 new songs for the series and all of them can be found on the soundtrack album Melancolic, released in early 2014.
After countless national tours, having played the major festivals in their home country for years in a row, opening for Slash feat. Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators three years ago and representing Romania at the World Fest in Chennai, India, during the Saarang 2014 International Festival, byron‘s latest video project is probably their most daring to date: Electric Marching Band, a fusion between a rock band, a military brass band and a student’s choir, with one of the world’s most renowned violinists – Alexander Bălănescu of the Bălănescu Quartet – as special guest. Produced by HBO Romania and subsequently broadcast on the channel, the sold-out concert took place in December 2014 at the National Theater in Cluj, and the live DVD was released last autumn with a brief national tour of cinema showings.
byron
are currently promoting their latest studio album, Eternal Return, released in
November 2015 through Universal Music Romania. The album was recorded last
summer at the famous Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin, Ireland, while the
mastering was done in London at the equally famous Abbey Road Studios by Frank
Arkwright (Joy Division, The Smiths, Blur, Arcade Fire, etc.) Led by the hit
single “The Sea”, the album has 12 songs each corresponding to a month of the
calendar year, drawing from historical and mythological influences. Maturing
their modern progressive sound, the band is now at a new creative peak, their
music heavier, more melodic and more developed than any other time before.
Band Members
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