Lyraka
Here you will find information about the talented artists and musicians involved in this project.
Special thanks to:
The co-founder of Lyraka, Jasmine Aliara, is the writer of the graphic novel series. Her epic story helped to inspire the accompanying music CDs, Lyraka: Volume 1 and Lyraka: Volume 2. She lives in Vermont with her cat and betta fish. Jasmine is also a personal trainer, corrective exercise specialist and nutritionist. Some of her hobbies include playing video games, learning Russian, singing, traveling, learning new things and reading. She has identified as a mermaid every since she was a little girl. ~Jasmine Aliara
Liz Vandall
Vocals
Thom Carvey
Saxophone
Jeff Pilson
Production
Tommy Heart
Vocals
Hannah Crary
Violin
Gary Spaulding
Drums
Andre Maquera
Production
Kevin Talley
Drums
Tim Luce
Production
Andy DiGelsomina is widely considered one of the best living composers today, his trailblazing symphonic output alone showcases him as one of the most risk-taking mavericks in the music scene, redefining symphonic form for the 21st century. Andy's music is the end product of a lifetime of love for the art form, starting with Elton John, Jerry Goldsmith, and Rainbow in the 70s, Black Sabbath in the 80s, Richard Wagner plus Ludwig Van Beethoven in the 00s, and most recently the symphonies of Shostakovich plus the output of Golden and Silver Age film composers like Bernard Herrmann and Alfred Newman in the 10s. Much of DiGelsomina's music sounded cinematic and cue-based before ever studying film music, a by product of his love for Goldsmith's early scores. ~Andy DiGelsomina
Vince Locke is best known for his masterful album covers for the top-selling death / gore metal band Cannibal Corpse. But Vince is highly regarded in the broader realm of fantasy art as well, having been collaborator on the popular Deadworld comic series, The Sandman, Batman, White Wolf roleplaying books and the bestselling graphic novel "A History of Violence". The latter was made into an Academy Award nominated movie directed by David Cronenberg (The Fly, Scanners) and starring Maria Bello and William Hurt. ~Andy DiGelsomina
Mike Hoffman is renowned for his expertise in horror and fantasy art, boasting an illustrious career spanning several decades. His creative talents have been tapped by industry giants like Marvel, DC, and Dark Horse, where he has left an indelible mark. In addition to collaborating with these powerhouse publishers, he has also carved his own path by birthing captivating series such as "Inksplosion," "Madame Tarantula," "Monster University," "Tomb of Terror," "Orb," and an impressive array of others. I bought his EYRIE magazine # 20 - the mermaid issue and I can't wait to read it. ~Jasmine Aliara
Ken Kelly had created much coveted works of fantasy art for over thirty years and was taught by Frank Frazetta. Ken Kelly was petitioned by rock legends and best-selling authors alike. He had created CD cover artwork for Kiss, Rainbow and Manowar among others. He had portrayed many well-known characters for comics and books such as Conan the Barbarian, Vampirella and Tarzan. To make a long story short, lets just say I wouldn't have quite enough time to read all of the books that his artwork is featured on. Apparently, Ken Kelly very much liked to paint. I remember buying Kiss' Destroyer and Love Gun albums when I was very young, mostly because I was knocked out by the album covers. Ken's art totally blew away the music on those albums in terms of quality. I am fantastically inspired and honored to be working with Ken Kelly: not only is he my favorite fantasy artist, but with his participation it's like I now have a spiritual link to my favorite bands ever, Rainbow and Manowar. ~Andy DiGelsomina
Lyssa Sheromoff (pen name) is an illustrator from Novosibirsk, Russia. Her preferred styles of drawing include sharp realistic graphics depicting humans and animals. She likes to work with traditional tools like ink and pencil, however she does enjoy modern tools such as digital drawing. She drew all her life, but never really pursued her passion until she turned 31 years of age. Lyssa also knows how to ride a horse and read stars. Her art really exceeds expectations. ~Jasmine Aliara
Al Atkins is the founder and original vocalist for Judas Priest. He is responsible for co-writing some of the greatest heavy metal songs in history, such as "Victim of Changes" and one of Andy's favorite songs ever, "Dreamer Deceiver". He has been putting out critically acclaimed heavy metal CDs for many years now, most recently the top notch "Holy Rage" album. ~Andy DiGelsomina
Graham Bonnet is considered not only a living vocal legend, but one of the top vocalists living. His prolific career speaks for itself. Graham has sung on four songs for the Lyraka CD, playing the roles of both the musical narrator and Palace Guard. A statement from Graham Bonnet reads: "I have been given opportunities in the past to do many kinds of projects; a word I don't like because it is one used, in my opinion, too many times. Lyraka is an adventure for me. Jasmine and Andy have given me the chance to sing and be involved in the creative side of a new world. I think we have come up with something unique. This is a different path; a road less travelled and a new light. Thanks to Jasmine and Andy for their great images... they make my job all that much easier." Our composer Andy DiGelsomina says, "As evidenced by Graham's classic 'Desert Song', Graham's voice is perfect for Epic Metal; not to mention 50's and 60's rock, rhythm and blues, jazz, hard rock and even extreme metal! He remains one of the elite world class Rock vocalists to this very day. Many people aren't as familiar with Graham's non-belting singing voice, which can be even more moving. Bottom line, the resoundingly individual tone, flexibility, creativity, and nuance of Graham's voice makes it an invaluable instrument. Having worked with Graham, the former singer for my favorite band (Rainbow), and tied with Ronnie James Dio as my favorite singer ever, was one of my dreams come true." ~Andy DiGelsomina
If neo-classical rock vocalists were rated as cars, Mark Boals would be considered the Lamborghini of the genre. His landmark work with Yngwie Malmsteen and Tony MacAlpine constitutes some of the most influential in the history of not only the aforementioned Neo-Classical genre, but Power and Progressive Metal as well. ~Andy DiGelsomina
As Andy continued to edit compositions for Lyraka Volume 2, it became more and more obvious the influence of Doom Metal on both this and the first album. This influence was attributable not just to Black Sabbath's classic masterpieces, but Robert Lowe's own, immortal work with two frontline disciples of that hallowed band: Candlemass and Solitude Aeternus. Being that Robert is not only a personal favorite but widely acknowledged as one of the supreme voices in Doom history, we are especially thrilled that he accepted the invitation to assume a role in our opera. ~Andy DiGelsomina
Veronica Freeman is one of the top heavy metal vocalists in the world. She fronts the popular band Benedictum. Veronica will be contributing vocals for Scatherus. Our composer, Andy DiGelsomina, states: "Working with Veronica is a massively inspiring development. There are few vocalists in the world with her kind of power and versatility. I had considered death and black metal vocalists for Scatherus, but my music demands a much more dynamic approach. Veronica completely fulfills that requirement. ." Veronica is the very definition of the term "bad-ass". She delivered a vocal performance that actually out Udos even Udo Dirkschneider himself, whilst showcasing her own, inimitable style. Hellish tone, devastatingly delivered. It's an awe-inspiring performance. You have to hear it to believe it. ~Andy DiGelsomina
Rob Diaz is the vocalist for the Chilean heavy metal band, Vastator. Vastator, formed in 1986, has released three full length albums that have received critical and popular success amongst heavy metal enthusiasts. The albums are reknowned for having combined different Metal genres in exciting and creative ways. Our Guitarist-Composer Andy DiGelsomina states, "I am devastated by the voice of Señor Diaz. He has all of the operatic heavy metal ability of classic Rob Halford and King Diamond, yet showcases a profoundly individual style. Señor Diaz is mostly known for his more scathing vocal performances, but he has a rich, captivating baritone opera voice as well. This makes him a vital addition to my opera." ~Andy DiGelsomina
