Gird up your loins for Steven Wheeler’s Stormseeker.
Based in Orlando, symphonic composer Steven Wheeler blends elements of hip-hop, jazz, metal, rock, and techno with the surging resonance of vast classical/orchestral soundscapes. The resulting sound is titanic in scale, nuanced, and hypertrophically muscular, while simultaneously elegant.
Essentially, Wheeler’s music amalgamates the sweeping coloration and leitmotifs of Wagnerian opera with the visceral energy of Ennio Morricone, as well as the refined grace of Vangelis.
A prolific staff composer with renowned music production house Unified Sounds, his eclectic vibes have been a major part of the soundtrack for CBS Sports – including The PGA Tour, NCAA March Madness, NFL and SEC College Football. His projects for Sony include the hit virtual reality game Farpoint.
Describing the inspiration for Stormseeker, Wheeler says, “These pieces, like those on the Terminal Velocity EP standalone from the other work I do for media. I have always composed pieces on my own, but I feel like I finally have the tools and knowledge to actually say something that might be worth hearing apart from the sports and video game worlds. I feel like with these tracks, there are no restrictions in terms of what I can do with them, and in that sense, it’s very creatively freeing. They’re about pushing boundaries and enjoying the opportunity to stray from my usual compositional comfort zone.”
The seven songs Wheeler is releasing ahead of the all-embracing Stormseeker album mirror the gamut of genres he explores. Showcasing a superp sax solo by Adam Donahue, the title track merges orchestral grandeur, jazz, EDM, dubstep and pulsating rock.
Wheeler says, “It’s five minutes where I see how many genres I can fit into a single track.”
Other standout tracks on the album include “Until The Light Leaves Their Eyes,” a gloriously sublime classical-flavored piece rife with brilliant textures, gently surfacing flows of color, and a quixotic mood. My personal favorite is “Seas Of Blood,” a brawny, magnetic composition riding Celtic filaments and potently thrumming dynamism.
“Destroyer Of Worlds” exudes tight, strident colors infused with martial tension intensified by the operatic choir.
Stormseeker is grand, sumptuous music from a gifted composer.
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