CHANGELING, the progressive death metal project led by fretless guitar luminary Tom “Fountainhead” Geldschläger, unveil a stunning animated music video for the track “World? What World?”, a highlight track from the band’s debut album, Changeling, out now on Season of Mist.

Bridging chaotic intensity with theatrical grandeur, “World? What World?” captures a pivotal moment in the album’s psychedelic concept: the protagonist’s confrontation with repressed fears and subconscious horrors. Fueled by a whirlwind drum performance by Mike Heller (Fear Factory), a thunderous Wagnerian brass ensemble, and a gospel choir evoking Dark Side of the Moon, the track ascends from technical extremity into transcendent territory.

The song also features a guest guitar solo from legendary axeman Andy LaRocque (King Diamond, ex-Death), trading leads with Fountainhead in a climactic fusion of virtuosic shred and eerie atmospherics. The visual accompaniment, rendered in animated/stop-motion style, vividly brings the nightmarish visions of the song’s lyrics to life.

Changeling is out now via Season of Mist.

Order & Stream now: https://orcd.co/changelingchangeling

Tom “Fountainhead” Geldschläger unveiled an ambitious series of Changeling transcription books—available now. There are three editions: Guitar Transcriptions, meticulously transcribed by Tom himself; Bass Transcriptions, crafted by Arran McSporran; and the expansive Complete Transcriptions, an all-encompassing collection featuring every single note performed on the album. This includes guitar, bass, drums (transcribed by Fenix Gayed), all orchestral arrangements, vocals, lyrics, and detailed liner notes written by Tom, offering rare insights into the compositional process.

The Guitar and Bass books launched alongside the album on April 25th, with the Complete Transcriptions score book to follow in June. All editions will be available in physical format as well as digital (PDF and Guitar Pro), Each print version also includes a free download of its corresponding digital edition.

Order now: https://changelingmerch.bigcartel.com/

Dolby Atmos Version Arriving This Week

Following the success of the album’s initial release, CHANGELING is set to unveil the full Dolby Atmos mix of Changeling the week of May 26th. Mixed with immersive spatial depth and precision, this version offers a fully enveloping listening experience—placing listeners inside the intricate orchestral arrangements, swirling fretless guitars, and psychedelic soundscapes as never before. Engineered by Tom “Fountainhead” Geldschläger himself and Atmos-mixing veteran Eric Horstmann, the Atmos release brings a new dimensionality to the genre-defying work.

Prepare to rediscover Changeling—not just as an album, but as a fully immersive sonic world.

The Dolby Atmos version is scheduled for release May 30th.

Tracklist:
1. Introject (1:56)
2. Instant Results (4:33)
3. Falling in Circles (3:47) [WATCH]
4. World? What World? (6:43)
5. Metanoia Interlude (00:57)
6. Changeling (6:57) [WATCH]
7. Abyss (8:06) [WATCH]
8. Cathexis Interlude (1:19)
9. Abdication (9:05)
10. Anathema (16:51)
Full runtime: 1:00:16

Fountainhead, the musical alter-ego of Berlin-based musician Tom Geldschläger, is a celebrated figure across diverse music landscapes. Known for his expansive involvement in the music industry, Tom has contributed to over a hundred releases in capacities ranging from guitarist to orchestrator, producer to mixing/mastering engineer, and occasionally even as an oud-player. He has worked with globally recognized artists such as Obscura, Belphegor, Marco Minnemann, Defeated Sanity, Amogh Symphony, Hannes Grossmann, Voodoogods, Christian Münzner, Nader Sadek and more. Featured in numerous international music magazines, authored several books of non-fiction and musical notation, Tom has also been instrumental in integrating the fretless guitar into extreme metal genres.

Acclaimed as a “modern-day guitar legend,” Tom’s signature playing style and adventurous genre-defying compositions highlight his fearless approach to music. His endorsements include prestigious brands like Aristides Guitars, Elixir Strings, and Bare Knuckle Pickups. Additionally, Tom is a sought-after clinician and speaker, focusing on creativity, music production, and musician’s mental health, as well as being at the forefront of spatial audio and 360-degree audio production.

In a significant development in early 2024, Fountainhead, now branded under the name CHANGELING for his new project and album, signed with the label Season of Mist. This venture marks a new chapter in Tom’s career, amplifying his visionary approach to music. Accompanied by an all-star band featuring members from Fear Factory, Alkaloid, and Virvum, the project CHANGELING showcases a 60-minute concept album that takes all aspects of Tom’s artistry to new heights.

The album, sharing its name with the project, blends progressive metal, death metal, jazz/fusion, and world music, enriched with complex orchestrations by a 50-piece ensemble of guest musicians. It includes the eagerly anticipated “Part 2” to his renowned composition “Weltseele,” an orchestral metal epic from Obscura’s billboard-chart-entering “Akroasis” album, which broadly introduced Fountainhead to the metal community in 2016.

Core Lineup:
Tom Fountainhead (ex-Obscura, Amogh Symphony, Belphegor, Defeated Sanity) – Fretted & fretless electric & acoustic guitars, oud, keyboards, composition and arrangements.
Mike Heller (ex-Fear Factory, Malignancy, Raven) – Drums.
Arran McSporran (Vipassi, Virvum) –  Fretless bass.
Morean (Alkaloid, Dark Fortress) – Lead vocals & lyrics.

Guest Musicians:
Bill Hudson (Trans-siberian Orchestra, Doro, I am Morbid) – Guest guitar solo
Jason Gobel (ex-Cynic, ex-Monstrosity)- Guest guitar solo
Andy Laroque (ex-Death, King Diamond) – Guest guitar solo
Yatziv Caspi (ex-Orphaned Land) – Tabla, hangdrum, dabouka, riq & shakers
Ally Storch (Subway To Sally)- Violins, viola & cello
James Dorton (The Faceless, NeObliviscaris, Black Crown Initate) – Spoken words
Alexander Kerski (Vianova)- Backing & harmony vocals
Matthias Alexander Preisinger – Piano and glockenspiel, violins & viola
Martin Matiasovic – Horns & Wagnerian Tube
Jan Ferdinand – Vibraphone & marimba
Chris Rützel – Flutes
Ivar Ludvig Nitzler – Cello
Shiho Murano – Tuba
Juliane Erding – Wagnerian tube & horn
Eduard Cortez – Wagnerian tube & horn
Tillmann Schulz  – Wagnerian tube & horn
Ava Bonam – Female vocals
Moran Magal – Piano
Cydney McQuillan-Grace, Lauren Gill, Shannon Bedford, Sara Robalo; Tenor and Bari – Ben Francis, John Schaffer,  Alice Williams, Cyd McQuillan-Grace; Alto – Lauren Gill, Sara Robalo; Tenor and Bass – James Schouten & John Schaffer – Choir vocals
Krassimir Jossifov – Trumpet
Brandt Attema – Trombones & bass trombones
Kristian Petkov – Bassoon
Stefan Prost – Church organ
Seonghyeon Park – Clarinet
Arnfried Falk – Oboe
Rouven Haliti – Upright bass
Dalai Cellai – Cello

Recording Studio:
FountainheadHQ, Hellersounds, Saforill, Klanghafen, Landesmusikakademie Berlin, Musikhochschule Carl-Maria-Von-Weber, Muziek Studio Beeld, Sonictrain.

Production Credits:
Produced & Engineered by Tom Fountainhead.
Mixed by Tom Fountainhead at FountainheadHQ.
Mastered by Leon Schmidt at his home studio & FountainheadHQ.

Cover Art:
Aaron Pinto (Gutslit) / KidSquidy

Follow Fountainhead & Changeling:
Website: http://www.thefountainhead.de
Facebook: http://facebook.com/tomfountainheadgeldschlaeger
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/changeling.official
Bandcamp: https://changelingofficial.bandcamp.com/
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/fountainheadtv
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/artist/changeling/294821510
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4MbRUvwQcEBzryOhWMHkvV

Fretless guitar virtuoso Tom “Fountainhead” Geldschläger is known for his work in Obscura’s  Akróasis era, his live work with Defeated Sanity, Belphegor, Nader Sadek and many others. Now, he’s continuing to bend progressive death metal under his blistering fretwork as Changeling. His latest brainchild is both an homage to the genre’s biggest innovators and an expansive vision of its future.   

“…it’s putting the genre on notice”, Metal Epidemic writes in a 4.5/5 review. “There’s not one second on Changeling‘s sixty-minute runtime that’s not highly intriguing or infectious”.

Power Metal commends Changeling for balancing “on the knife edge between playful genius and brute madness”.

Changeling came out yesterday, Friday, April 25 and you can hear all 10 eye-opening songs by listening to the full album stream on the Season of Mist YouTube channel:

Order the album at https://orcd.co/changelingchangeling

Changeling fuses the heaviness of technical death metal with classical, jazz and world music. Along with plenty of Tom’s signature mind-bending fretless guitar solos, the album features fretless bass, synths, oud, microtonal arrangements, a choir and more than 50 guest musicians, including current and former members of Fear Factory, Alkaloid, Virvum, Subway to Sally, Trans-siberian Orchestra, King Diamond, Ne Obliviscaris and Cynic.

Lead single “Abyss” carves colossal riffs from quarter-tone modulations. The whirling arpeggios of “Falling in Circles” call back to Tom’s performance on “Akróasis” while the title track ventures into oriental percussion and microtonal synths. Together, the songs on Changeling unfold like a psychedelic experience, moving from disorientation to dissolution and finally, realization.   

Tom composed Changeling with spatial audio specifically in mind. The Dolby Atmos version of the album hits streaming services May 23.

Tracklist:
1. Introject (1:56)
2. Instant Results (4:33)
3. Falling in Circles (3:47) [WATCH]
4. World? What World? (6:43)
5. Metanoia Interlude (00:57)
6. Changeling (6:57) [WATCH]
7. Abyss (8:06) [WATCH]
8. Cathexis Interlude (1:19)
9. Abdication (9:05)
10. Anathema (16:51)
Full runtime: 1:00:16

Fountainhead, the musical alter-ego of Berlin-based musician Tom Geldschläger, is a celebrated figure across diverse music landscapes. Known for his expansive involvement in the music industry, Tom has contributed to over a hundred releases in capacities ranging from guitarist to orchestrator, producer to mixing/mastering engineer, and occasionally even as an oud-player. He has worked with globally recognized artists such as Obscura, Belphegor, Marco Minnemann, Defeated Sanity, Amogh Symphony, Hannes Grossmann, Voodoogods, Christian Münzner, Nader Sadek and more. Featured in numerous international music magazines, authored several books of non-fiction and musical notation, Tom has also been instrumental in integrating the fretless guitar into extreme metal genres.

Acclaimed as a “modern-day guitar legend,” Tom’s signature playing style and adventurous genre-defying compositions highlight his fearless approach to music. His endorsements include prestigious brands like Aristides Guitars, Elixir Strings, and Bare Knuckle Pickups. Additionally, Tom is a sought-after clinician and speaker, focusing on creativity, music production, and musician’s mental health, as well as being at the forefront of spatial audio and 360-degree audio production.

In a significant development in early 2024, Fountainhead, now branded under the name CHANGELING for his new project and album, signed with the label Season of Mist. This venture marks a new chapter in Tom’s career, amplifying his visionary approach to music. Accompanied by an all-star band featuring members from Fear Factory, Alkaloid, and Virvum, the project CHANGELING showcases a 60-minute concept album that takes all aspects of Tom’s artistry to new heights.

The album, sharing its name with the project, blends progressive metal, death metal, jazz/fusion, and world music, enriched with complex orchestrations by a 50-piece ensemble of guest musicians. It includes the eagerly anticipated “Part 2” to his renowned composition “Weltseele,” an orchestral metal epic from Obscura’s billboard-chart-entering “Akroasis” album, which broadly introduced Fountainhead to the metal community in 2016.

Core Lineup:
Tom Fountainhead (ex-Obscura, Amogh Symphony, Belphegor, Defeated Sanity) – Fretted & fretless electric & acoustic guitars, oud, keyboards, composition and arrangements.
Mike Heller (ex-Fear Factory, Malignancy, Raven) – Drums.
Arran McSporran (Vipassi, Virvum) –  Fretless bass.
Morean (Alkaloid, Dark Fortress) – Lead vocals & lyrics.

Guest Musicians:
Bill Hudson (Trans-siberian Orchestra, Doro, I am Morbid) – Guest guitar solo
Jason Gobel (ex-Cynic, ex-Monstrosity)- Guest guitar solo
Andy Laroque (ex-Death, King Diamond) – Guest guitar solo
Yatziv Caspi (ex-Orphaned Land) – Tabla, hangdrum, dabouka, riq & shakers
Ally Storch (Subway To Sally)- Violins, viola & cello
James Dorton (The Faceless, NeObliviscaris, Black Crown Initate) – Spoken words
Alexander Kerski (Vianova)- Backing & harmony vocals
Matthias Alexander Preisinger – Piano and glockenspiel, violins & viola
Martin Matiasovic – Horns & Wagnerian Tube
Jan Ferdinand – Vibraphone & marimba
Chris Rützel – Flutes
Ivar Ludvig Nitzler – Cello
Shiho Murano – Tuba
Juliane Erding – Wagnerian tube & horn
Eduard Cortez – Wagnerian tube & horn
Tillmann Schulz  – Wagnerian tube & horn
Ava Bonam – Female vocals
Moran Magal – Piano
Cydney McQuillan-Grace, Lauren Gill, Shannon Bedford, Sara Robalo; Tenor and Bari – Ben Francis, John Schaffer,  Alice Williams, Cyd McQuillan-Grace; Alto – Lauren Gill, Sara Robalo; Tenor and Bass – James Schouten & John Schaffer – Choir vocals
Krassimir Jossifov – Trumpet
Brandt Attema – Trombones & bass trombones
Kristian Petkov – Bassoon
Stefan Prost – Church organ
Seonghyeon Park – Clarinet
Arnfried Falk – Oboe
Rouven Haliti – Upright bass
Dalai Cellai – Cello

Recording Studio:
FountainheadHQ, Hellersounds, Saforill, Klanghafen, Landesmusikakademie Berlin, Musikhochschule Carl-Maria-Von-Weber, Muziek Studio Beeld, Sonictrain.

Production Credits:
Produced & Engineered by Tom Fountainhead.
Mixed by Tom Fountainhead at FountainheadHQ.
Mastered by Leon Schmidt at his home studio & FountainheadHQ.

Cover Art:
Aaron Pinto (Gutslit) / KidSquidy

Photography:
Alexander Kerski / Comicsans_ultra

Follow Fountainhead & Changeling:
Website: http://www.thefountainhead.de
Facebook: http://facebook.com/tomfountainheadgeldschlaeger
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/changeling.official
Bandcamp: https://changelingofficial.bandcamp.com/
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/fountainheadtv
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/artist/changeling/294821510
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4MbRUvwQcEBzryOhWMHkvV

Fretless guitar visionary Tom “Fountainhead” Geldschläger is known for his work in Obscura’s Akróasis era, his live work with Defeated Sanity, Belphegor and many others. Now, he’s spearheading his very own project: Changeling.

Together with core band members Morean (Alkaloid, Dark Fortress), Arran McSporran (Virvum, Vipassi) & Mike Heller (ex-Fear Factory, Malignancy), Changeling stands at the forefront of a new era for progressive death metal. Following the release of their debut album’s first two singles – the impossibly heavy “Abyss” and the blistering psychadelic melodies of “Falling in Circles”  – today, they’re releasing its reality-warping, seven-minute epic of a title track.

Changeling is out April 25th via Season of Mist. Pre-order & Pre-save here.

Can’t wait for Changeling? Listen to the debut album two weeks before it comes out. Join the Bandcamp Listening Party and chat with Tom Fountainhead while listening to all 10 transformative tracks.

Changeling Bandcamp Listening Party – RSVP
Thursday, April 10 @ 1 pm Eastern Time 

The title track serves as the turning point in Changeling‘s psychedelic narrative. Inspired by Lovecraftian horror, existential philosophy, and the bizarre hallucinations of a consciousness torn apart, its progressive structure mirrors the chaotic beauty of the lyrics, pulling you into an unsettling yet mesmerizing new dimension through the use of microtonal synthesizers, ritualistic vocals, oriental percussion and a full choir.

“Void and vengeance shall beget
A child from below
A changeling of clandestine soul
Comes usurping the holiest of hearts
And no one shall know”

Morean sings as an intricate-but-catchy fusion of progressive death metal, avant-garde jazz, and world music weave into a surreal and immersive tapestry. The dissonant harmonies distort reality, producing an eerie and unsettling atmosphere.

“This song came from a few musical themes that I had written on the oud“, Geldschläger explains. “From those few humble notes, it turned into quite the monster – a monster where I think everybody in the core band shines equally. At that point in the album’s story, we’re beginning to take the frame-work of tech/prog death metal into uncharted territory, so it seemed appropriate to give this song a unique, winding structure where a shorter pumping mid-tempo banger is book-ended by intensely psychedelic blast-beat driven parts that are building towards a quasi-black metal frenzy at the end. It also has some of my favorite Morean lyrics of all time. Not only does he paint a vivid picture of a strange, unfamiliar dimension through his signature wordplay. He also quite literally takes us there in the song’s mid-section breakdown, were we envisioned a strange jungle ritual evoking some dark cosmic entity, somewhere between Lovecraft and Peter Jackson’s King Kong.

And, as usual, the man took it to another level by adding a multitude of eery, slithering voices, which make the song feel almost like it’s breathing. Oh, and this piece also has some of my favorite RIFFS (in capital letters) that I’ve ever written, as well as some quite extreme guitar shenanigans that I called ‘layers of cosmic horror’ during production. Get out your best headphones for this one!”

The visualizer for Changelingwas created by Martin Matiasovic aka Shaped in Dreams (@martinmatiasovic)

Changeling blends progressive metal, death metal, jazz-fusion, world music and complex orchestration into an hour-long submersion into the subconscious. Players from around the world can follow Tom Fountainhead’s lead with a new series of Changeling transcription books. Tom wrote the approx. 500 page guitar transcription book himself, while core bandmate Arran McSporran transcribed the 75 page edition for bass. 

Both the guitar and bass transcription books will come out alongside the album on April 25th. The massive complete transcription book – which includes guitar, bass, drums (transcribed by Fenix Gayed), orchestral arrangements, vocals, lyrics and detailed liner notes from Tom – will come out on May 23rd, the same day as the Dolby Atmos mix of Changeling.

Each transcription book will be available both as a physical book and digitally through Guitar Pro or as a PDF. All physical copies will be personally signed and include a free download of the digital version.

Pre-order: https://changelingmerch.bigcartel.com/

Tracklist:
1. Introject (1:56)
2. Instant Results (4:33)
3. Falling in Circles (3:47) [WATCH]
4. World? What World? (6:43)
5. Metanoia Interlude (00:57)
6. Changeling (6:57) [WATCH]
7. Abyss (8:06) [WATCH]
8. Cathexis Interlude (1:19)
9. Abdication (9:05)
10. Anathema (16:51)
Full runtime: 1:00:16

Fountainhead, the musical alter-ego of Berlin-based musician Tom Geldschläger, is a celebrated figure across diverse music landscapes. Known for his expansive involvement in the music industry, Tom has contributed to over a hundred releases in capacities ranging from guitarist to orchestrator, producer to mixing/mastering engineer, and occasionally even as an oud-player. He has worked with globally recognized artists such as Obscura, Belphegor, Marco Minnemann, Defeated Sanity, Amogh Symphony, Hannes Grossmann, Voodoogods, Christian Münzner, Nader Sadek and more. Featured in numerous international music magazines, authored several books of non-fiction and musical notation, Tom has also been instrumental in integrating the fretless guitar into extreme metal genres.

Acclaimed as a “modern-day guitar legend,” Tom’s signature playing style and adventurous genre-defying compositions highlight his fearless approach to music. His endorsements include prestigious brands like Aristides Guitars, Elixir Strings, and Bare Knuckle Pickups. Additionally, Tom is a sought-after clinician and speaker, focusing on creativity, music production, and musician’s mental health, as well as being at the forefront of spatial audio and 360-degree audio production.

In a significant development in early 2024, Fountainhead, now branded under the name CHANGELING for his new project and album, signed with the label Season of Mist. This venture marks a new chapter in Tom’s career, amplifying his visionary approach to music. Accompanied by an all-star band featuring members from Fear Factory, Alkaloid, and Virvum, the project Changeling showcases a 60-minute concept album that takes all aspects of Tom’s artistry to new heights.

The album, sharing its name with the project, blends progressive metal, death metal, jazz/fusion, and world music, enriched with complex orchestrations by a 50-piece ensemble of guest musicians. It includes the eagerly anticipated “Part 2” to his renowned composition “Weltseele,” an orchestral metal epic from Obscura’s billboard-chart-entering “Akroasis” album, which broadly introduced Fountainhead to the metal community in 2016.

Core Lineup:
Tom Fountainhead (ex-Obscura, Amogh Symphony, Belphegor, Defeated Sanity) – Fretted & fretless electric & acoustic guitars, oud, keyboards, composition and arrangements.
Mike Heller (ex-Fear Factory, Malignancy, Raven) – Drums.
Arran McSporran (Vipassi, Virvum) –  Fretless bass.
Morean (Alkaloid, Dark Fortress) – Lead vocals & lyrics.

Guest Musicians:
Bill Hudson (Trans-siberian Orchestra, Doro, I am Morbid) – Guest guitar solo
Jason Gobel (ex-Cynic, ex-Monstrosity)- Guest guitar solo
Andy Laroque (ex-Death, King Diamond) – Guest guitar solo
Yatziv Caspi (ex-Orphaned Land) – Tabla, hangdrum, dabouka, riq & shakers
Ally Storch (Subway To Sally)- Violins, viola & cello
James Dorton (The Faceless, NeObliviscaris, Black Crown Initate) – Spoken words
Alexander Kerski (Vianova)- Backing & harmony vocals
Matthias Alexander Preisinger – Piano and glockenspiel, violins & viola
Martin Matiasovic – Horns & Wagnerian Tube
Jan Ferdinand – Vibraphone & marimba
Chris Rützel – Flutes
Ivar Ludvig Nitzler – Cello
Shiho Murano – Tuba
Juliane Erding – Wagnerian tube & horn
Eduard Cortez – Wagnerian tube & horn
Tillmann Schulz  – Wagnerian tube & horn
Ava Bonam – Female vocals
Moran Magal – Piano
Cydney McQuillan-Grace, Lauren Gill, Shannon Bedford, Sara Robalo; Tenor and Bari – Ben Francis, John Schaffer,  Alice Williams, Cyd McQuillan-Grace; Alto – Lauren Gill, Sara Robalo; Tenor and Bass – James Schouten & John Schaffer – Choir vocals
Krassimir Jossifov – Trumpet
Brandt Attema – Trombones & bass trombones
Kristian Petkov – Bassoon
Stefan Prost – Church organ
Seonghyeon Park – Clarinet
Arnfried Falk – Oboe
Rouven Haliti – Upright bass
Dalai Cellai – Cello

Recording Studio:
FountainheadHQ, Hellersounds, Saforill, Klanghafen, Landesmusikakademie Berlin, Musikhochschule Carl-Maria-Von-Weber, Muziek Studio Beeld, Sonictrain.

Production Credits:
Produced & Engineered by Tom Fountainhead.
Mixed by Tom Fountainhead at FountainheadHQ.
Mastered by Leon Schmidt at his home studio & FountainheadHQ.

Cover Art:
Aaron Pinto (Gutslit) / KidSquidy

Follow Fountainhead & Changeling:
Website: http://www.thefountainhead.de
Facebook: http://facebook.com/tomfountainheadgeldschlaeger
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/changeling.official
Bandcamp: https://changelingofficial.bandcamp.com/
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/fountainheadtv
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/artist/changeling/294821510
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4MbRUvwQcEBzryOhWMHkvV

Prepare to be mesmerized as CHANGELING, the audacious brainchild of musical maverick Tom “Fountainhead” Geldschläger, unveils the latest single “Falling in Circles” from Changeling’s highly anticipated self-titled album. With all rhythm guitar & bass parts recorded on fretless instruments, “Falling in Circles” pushes for innovation while staying rooted in the fierce technicality and aggression of the genre.

The track’s recurring arpeggio motif, a nod to the title track of Obscura’s Akroasis, seamlessly weaves nostalgia into its complex tapestry. Here, Changeling juxtaposes heroic fretted solos with the ethereal timbre of fretless guitars, creating a soundscape that is both rooted and revolutionary.

The video for “Falling in Circles” was created by Chris Hesse / Strangeworks_

Changeling comes out April 25th via Season of Mist. Pre-order & Pre-save at https://orcd.co/changelingchangeling

Morean, Arran, and Mike’s contributions on “Falling in Circles” are nothing short of extraordinary. Each note they play, each rhythm they conjure, is imbued with their individual artistic touch, ensuring that the single stands as a unique entity within Changeling’s conceptual debut album. Their collective virtuosity elevates the track, making it a cornerstone of the album’s narrative & lyrical journey through the psychedelic experience.

While “Falling in Circles” sits comfortably between the aggression of death metal and the melodic sensibilities of modern progressive metal, the song’s middle section breaks away from genre-conventions altogether, introducing a string section that evokes the orchestral grandeur of Obscura’s “Weltseele”, which Tom also wrote. Ally Storch (Subyway To Sally) wields her violin, viola, and cello with a virtuosity that amplifies the song’s emotional depth and textural richness. Alex Kerski’s (Vianova) backing vocals add layers of harmonic brilliance to the composition.

Tracklist:
1. Introject (1:56)
2. Instant Results (4:33)
3. Falling in Circles (3:47) [WATCH]
4. World? What World? (6:43)
5. Metanoia Interlude (00:57)
6. Changeling (6:57)
7. Abyss (8:06) [WATCH]
8. Cathexis Interlude (1:19)
9. Abdication (9:05)
10. Anathema (16:51)
Full runtime: 1:00:16

Fountainhead, the musical alter-ego of Berlin-based musician Tom Geldschläger, is a celebrated figure across diverse music landscapes. Known for his expansive involvement in the music industry, Tom has contributed to over a hundred releases in capacities ranging from guitarist to orchestrator, producer to mixing/mastering engineer, and occasionally even as an oud-player. He has worked with globally recognized artists such as Obscura, Belphegor, Marco Minnemann, Defeated Sanity, Amogh Symphony, Hannes Grossmann, Voodoogods, Christian Münzner, Nader Sadek and more. Featured in numerous international music magazines, authored several books of non-fiction and musical notation, Tom has also been instrumental in integrating the fretless guitar into extreme metal genres.

Acclaimed as a “modern-day guitar legend,” Tom’s signature playing style and adventurous genre-defying compositions highlight his fearless approach to music. His endorsements include prestigious brands like Aristides Guitars, Elixir Strings, and Bare Knuckle Pickups. Additionally, Tom is a sought-after clinician and speaker, focusing on creativity, music production, and musician’s mental health, as well as being at the forefront of spatial audio and 360-degree audio production.

In a significant development in early 2024, Fountainhead, now branded under the name CHANGELING for his new project and album, signed with the label Season of Mist. This venture marks a new chapter in Tom’s career, amplifying his visionary approach to music. Accompanied by an all-star band featuring members from Fear Factory, Alkaloid, and Virvum, the project CHANGELING showcases a 60-minute concept album that takes all aspects of Tom’s artistry to new heights.

The album, sharing its name with the project, blends progressive metal, death metal, jazz/fusion, and world music, enriched with complex orchestrations by a 50-piece ensemble of guest musicians. It includes the eagerly anticipated “Part 2” to his renowned composition “Weltseele,” an orchestral metal epic from Obscura’s billboard-chart-entering “Akroasis” album, which broadly introduced Fountainhead to the metal community in 2016.

Core Lineup:
Tom Fountainhead (ex-Obscura, Amogh Symphony, Belphegor, Defeated Sanity) – Fretted & fretless electric & acoustic guitars, oud, keyboards, composition and arrangements.
Mike Heller (Fear Factory, Malignancy, Raven) – Drums.
Arran McSporran (Vipassi, Virvum) –  Fretless bass.
Morean (Alkaloid, Dark Fortress) – Lead vocals & lyrics.

Guest Musicians:
Bill Hudson (Trans-siberian Orchestra, Doro, I am Morbid) – Guest guitar solo
Jason Gobel (ex-Cynic, ex-Monstrosity)- Guest guitar solo
Andy Laroque (ex-Death, King Diamond) – Guest guitar solo
Yatziv Caspi (ex-Orphaned Land) – Tabla, hangdrum, dabouka, riq & shakers
Ally Storch (Subway To Sally)- Violins, viola & cello
James Dorton (The Faceless, NeObliviscaris, Black Crown Initate) – Spoken words
Alexander Kerski (Vianova)- Backing & harmony vocals
Matthias Alexander Preisinger – Piano and glockenspiel, violins & viola
Martin Matiasovic – Horns & Wagnerian Tube
Jan Ferdinand – Vibraphone & marimba
Chris Rützel – Flutes
Ivar Ludvig Nitzler – Cello
Shiho Murano – Tuba
Juliane Erding – Wagnerian tube & horn
Eduard Cortez – Wagnerian tube & horn
Tillmann Schulz  – Wagnerian tube & horn
Ava Bonam – Female vocals
Moran Magal – Piano
Cydney McQuillan-Grace, Lauren Gill, Shannon Bedford, Sara Robalo; Tenor and Bari – Ben Francis, John Schaffer,  Alice Williams, Cyd McQuillan-Grace; Alto – Lauren Gill, Sara Robalo; Tenor and Bass – James Schouten & John Schaffer – Choir vocals
Krassimir Jossifov – Trumpet
Brandt Attema – Trombones & bass trombones
Kristian Petkov – Bassoon
Stefan Prost – Church organ
Seonghyeon Park – Clarinet
Arnfried Falk – Oboe
Rouven Haliti – Upright bass
Dalai Cellai – Cello

Recording Studio:
FountainheadHQ, Hellersounds, Saforill, Klanghafen, Landesmusikakademie Berlin, Musikhochschule Carl-Maria-Von-Weber, Muziek Studio Beeld, Sonictrain.

Production Credits:
Produced & Engineered by Tom Fountainhead.
Mixed by Tom Fountainhead at FountainheadHQ.
Mastered by Leon Schmidt at his home studio & FountainheadHQ.

Cover Art:
Aaron Pinto (Gutslit) / KidSquidy

Follow Fountainhead & Changeling:
Website: http://www.thefountainhead.de
Facebook: http://facebook.com/tomfountainheadgeldschlaeger
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/changeling.official
Bandcamp: https://changelingofficial.bandcamp.com/
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/fountainheadtv
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/artist/changeling/294821510
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4MbRUvwQcEBzryOhWMHkvV

With the arrival of Changeling, a boldly progressive new chapter in the history of death metal is bound to unfold. Conceived by fretless guitar virtuoso Tom “Fountainhead” Geldschläger – who’s previously played with Amogh Symphony, Belphegor, Defeated Sanity and Obscura – this new project dives into the deepest recesses of our subconscious, where realities’ boundaries blend into the infinite possibilities unlocked by the imagination.

On Changeling’s self-titled debut album, Geldschläger is joined by core band members drummer Mike Heller (ex-Fear Factory, Malignancy, Raven), vocalist Morean (Alkaloid, ex-Dark Fortress) and bassist Arran McSporran (Virvum, Vipassi). The album also features contributions from Bill Hudson (Trans-Siberain Orchestra, Doro, I Am Morbid), Jason Gobel (ex-Cynic, ex-Monstrosity), Yatziv Caspi (ex-Orphaned Land), James Dorton (Ne Obliviscaris, Black Crown Initiate), Andy Laroque (ex-Death, King Diamond), plus more special guests, including a 50-piece orchestra.  

The album’s lead single is the ultimate immersion into subconsciousness. “Abyss” is impossibly heavy; cavernous vocals, crushing guitars, gravity-defying orchestration and a microtonal choir inspired by avant-garde composer György Sándor Ligeti sink into ego-death, only to swirl into transcendence.    

The video for “Abyss” was created by Chris Hesse / Strangeworks

Changeling comes out April 25th via Season of Mist.
Pre-order & Pre-save at https://orcd.co/changelingchangeling

Geldschläger is already widely considered a modern-day guitar legend. His fearless fretless guitar playing has earned endorsements from Aristides Guitars, Neural DSP Plug-ins, Steinberg Software, Loxx Products, Engl Amplification, Deadweald Audio Engineering, Elixir Strings, MONO cases and Bareknuckle Pickups. But while he’s already pushed technical death metal to further extremes – most noticeably on “Weltseele”, the 15-minute epic that he contributed to Obscura’s album Akróasis – Changeling defies all categorization.     

“Abyss” serves as both a mirror and a gateway. The lead single off Changeling’s debut album is the culmination of an evolution that is years in the making. Unblemished by studio trickery, the song is reflective and introspective while also charting new sonic dimensions that are as vibrant and otherworldly as a dream. 

Tracklist:
1. Introject (1:56)
2. Instant Results (4:33)
3. Falling in Circles (3:47)
4. World? What World? (6:43)
5. Metanoia Interlude (00:57)
6. Changeling (6:57)
7. Abyss (8:06) [WATCH]
8. Cathexis Interlude (1:19)
9. Abdication (9:05)
10. Anathema (16:51)
Full runtime: 1:00:16

Fountainhead, the musical alter-ego of Berlin-based musician Tom Geldschläger, is a celebrated figure across diverse music landscapes. Known for his expansive involvement in the music industry, Tom has contributed to over a hundred releases in capacities ranging from guitarist to orchestrator, producer to mixing/mastering engineer, and occasionally even as an oud-player. He has worked with globally recognized artists such as Obscura, Belphegor, Marco Minnemann, Defeated Sanity, Amogh Symphony, Hannes Grossmann, Voodoogods, Christian Münzner, Nader Sadek and more. Featured in numerous international music magazines, authored several books of non-fiction and musical notation, Tom has also been instrumental in integrating the fretless guitar into extreme metal genres.

Acclaimed as a “modern-day guitar legend,” Tom’s signature playing style and adventurous genre-defying compositions highlight his fearless approach to music. His endorsements include prestigious brands like Aristides Guitars, Elixir Strings, and Bare Knuckle Pickups. Additionally, Tom is a sought-after clinician and speaker, focusing on creativity, music production, and musician’s mental health, as well as being at the forefront of spatial audio and 360-degree audio production.

In a significant development in early 2024, Fountainhead, now branded under the name CHANGELING for his new project and album, signed with the label Season of Mist. This venture marks a new chapter in Tom’s career, amplifying his visionary approach to music. Accompanied by an all-star band featuring members from Fear Factory, Alkaloid, and Virvum, the project CHANGELING showcases a 60-minute concept album that takes all aspects of Tom’s artistry to new heights.

The album, sharing its name with the project, blends progressive metal, death metal, jazz/fusion, and world music, enriched with complex orchestrations by a 50-piece ensemble of guest musicians. It includes the eagerly anticipated “Part 2” to his renowned composition “Weltseele,” an orchestral metal epic from Obscura’s billboard-chart-entering Akroasis album, which broadly introduced Fountainhead to the metal community in 2016.

Core Lineup:
Tom Fountainhead (ex-Obscura, Amogh Symphony, Belphegor, Defeated Sanity) – Fretted & fretless electric & acoustic guitars, oud, keyboards, composition and arrangements.
Mike Heller (Fear Factory, Malignancy, Raven) – Drums.
Arran McSporran (Vipassi, Virvum) –  Fretless bass.
Morean (Alkaloid, Dark Fortress) – Lead vocals & lyrics.

Guest Musicians:
Bill Hudson (Trans-siberian Orchestra, Doro, I am Morbid) – Guest guitar solo
Jason Gobel (ex-Cynic, ex-Monstrosity)- Guest guitar solo
Andy Laroque (ex-Death, King Diamond) – Guest guitar solo
Yatziv Caspi (ex-Orphaned Land) – Tabla, hangdrum, dabouka, riq & shakers
Ally Storch (Subway To Sally)- Violins, viola & cello
James Dorton (The Faceless, NeObliviscaris, Black Crown Initate) – Spoken words
Alexander Kerski (Vianova)- Backing & harmony vocals
Matthias Alexander Preisinger – Piano and glockenspiel, violins & viola
Martin Matiasovic – Horns & Wagnerian Tube
Jan Ferdinand – Vibraphone & marimba
Chris Rützel – Flutes
Ivar Ludvig Nitzler – Cello
Shiho Murano – Tuba
Juliane Erding – Wagnerian tube & horn
Eduard Cortez – Wagnerian tube & horn
Tillmann Schulz  – Wagnerian tube & horn
Ava Bonam – Female vocals
Moran Magal – Piano
Cydney McQuillan-Grace, Lauren Gill, Shannon Bedford, Sara Robalo; Tenor and Bari – Ben Francis, John Schaffer,  Alice Williams, Cyd McQuillan-Grace; Alto – Lauren Gill, Sara Robalo; Tenor and Bass – James Schouten & John Schaffer – Choir vocals
Krassimir Jossifov – Trumpet
Brandt Attema – Trombones & bass trombones
Kristian Petkov – Bassoon
Stefan Prost – Church organ
Seonghyeon Park – Clarinet
Arnfried Falk – Oboe
Rouven Haliti – Upright bass
Dalai Cellai – Cello

Recording Studio:
FountainheadHQ, Hellersounds, Saforill, Klanghafen, Landesmusikakademie Berlin, Musikhochschule Carl-Maria-Von-Weber, Muziek Studio Beeld, Sonictrain.

Production Credits:
Produced & Engineered by Tom Fountainhead.
Mixed by Tom Fountainhead at FountainheadHQ.
Mastered by Leon Schmidt at his home studio & FountainheadHQ.

Cover Art:
Aaron Pinto (Gutslit) / KidSquidy

Follow Fountainhead & Changeling:
Website: http://www.thefountainhead.de
Facebook: http://facebook.com/tomfountainheadgeldschlaeger
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/changeling.official
Bandcamp: https://changelingofficial.bandcamp.com/
Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/artist/4MbRUvwQcEBzryOhWMHkvV
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/artist/changeling/294821510
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/fountainheadtv