Marquette: With the story of Christopher McCandless…..
Marquette – Into The Wild
Marquette was formed by Achim Wierschem and keyboardist, drummer and occasionally guitarist Markus Roth. Roth is by no means a new or a unknown name in the prog scene. He is member of two very different band with different styles. Horizontal Ascension with melodic prog, and Force Of Progress with instrumental prog/metal/hardprog. Achim Wierschem is the guitar player of the symphonic band Flaming Bess and is involved in several bands projects such as Mindmovie
The album Human Reparation was released four years ago and the album is a combination of Prog Metal and Retro-Prog with some Jazz and Art Rock music. You can find influences from Steven Wilson, Camel and Pink Floyd.
Marquette’s new album Into The Wild is released by Progressive Promotion Records (PPR). Wierschem have left the band but Roth join forces with many very skilled musicians listed below. On Marquette Roth combines his two band giving a harder edge to the tracks featuring vocalsand reducing the number of notes played in the instrumental tunes, thus making Marquette more accessible to more mainstream prog audience. Marquette is now a band and Maurizio Menendez is the vocalist but also providing the lyrics. Lyrics about Christopher McCandless the protagonist who traveled through the US with minimal equipment and no money….and the rest could be read below!
1. No Answer 6:53
2. Seven Doors 14:02
3. Criminal Child 3:47
4. Alexander Supertramp 6:13
5. Sensuality 5:24
6. Portrait of Men 3:36
7. Poisoned Homeland 4:40
8. Into the wild 19:10
Guitar and bass: Sebastian Schleicher
Guitar: Reiner Wendland (RIP my friend)
Drums: Dennis Degen
Vocals and lyrics: Maurizio Menendez
Sax: Robin Mock
Trumpet: Art Lip
Keyboard and composition: Markus Roth
Mix: Sebastian Schleicher
Master: Fritz Fey
Cover: Roy Lemme, model Lisa Leona
Christopher McCandless aka Alexander Supertramp was a young adventurer. John Krakauer’s book Into the Wild made him famous. McCandless moved through the United States with minimal equipment. He starved to death in a remote area of Alaska. In July, McCandless decided to return to healy. The river, which he was able to cross on arrival without much problems, had turned into a raging stream due to the summer snowmelt, so that wading through was impossible. It turned out fatal that he lacked a (detailed) map. As a result, he did not know that there was a hand-operated floating ferry over the river about 400 metres downstream.
Sean Penn filmed McCandless’ life in 2007 under the title Into the Wild. I was very impressed by the visual and musical aesthetics of the film. Chris could have saved himself. But because of his consistent (some say naive and stupid) attitude to fit into nature with simple means, he refrained from using technical aids.
But what does this story have to do with my music? It is an example of the consistent search for oneself, for one’s own identity. Artists in particular have a high level of sensitivity and fragility. You see beauty where others are blind. You are brave to follow your dreams, where many are too cowardly. They feel themselves where others lack any sense of themselves and the environment.
The search for the truth is important in all areas of life. And it is important to accept that one must be accountable for the consequences of one’s own actions, good or bad.
On the run from the poison of civilization, he walks alone through the land to get lost in the wilderness. Alexander Supertramp, May 1992.