AHLES: The Debut Album of the Australian Prog Metal Band Travels ‘Between Dreams and the Waking World’

Brisbane’s prog metallers AHLES have released their new album Between Dreams and The Waking World on July 10th. Composed of 9 tracks for over 46 minutes of playing time, Between Dreams and The Waking World showcases the band’s passion for complex time changes and polyrhythms, together with crushing grooves and acoustic instrumentation. 

Stream the album at the following location: https://youtu.be/2hG1pgp9hIY

Watch also the official video for the song Something Spiritual: https://tinyurl.com/3js69kt3

and Will Nothing Grow?: https://tinyurl.com/4ccasnv5

Order your CD on Bandcamp: https://tinyurl.com/4s6kr5p9

Between Dreams and The Waking World is, in parts, the collaboration of Ian Ahles (guitar/vocals) and Alix Bandiera (drums), who came back working together after their former band Born From The Ashes dissolved in 2010. In the meantime, Ian Ahles had an intense classical guitar training for seven years, while Bandiera became an elite death metal drummer. Classical music started to be blended with the progressive elements of the songs when Ian met both Will Towne (guitar) and Monash Lal (bass, flute) at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music. But the backbone of the album is very much metal, with elements of death and thrash metal coming to the fore.

Lyrical themes alternate between a critical lens on societal conflict and the deeply personal one, often within the same song. A large palette of sonic colors and shades combine into a cohesive tapestry into a unique and original debut album.

Between Dreams and The Waking World was recorded and mixed by Nik Carpenter at Core Studios, Gold Coast, Australia. Mastered by Ayden Perry - Q4 Mastering, Melbourne, Australia. Engineered and produced by Nik Carpenter and Ahles. Additional Flute by Bernard Houston on Track 5. Photo by Amanda Brenchley. Artwork by Anna Ahles. Logo by Glen Lewis.