Music from the heart of Peter Wilson World.
PETER WILSON takes a stand for social justice with his energetic Modern Hard Rock album “Freedom’s Door”
Four Trips Ahead mastermind PETER WILSON announces the release of his solo debut with the powerful Modern Hard Rock album “Freedom’s Door” for 04/05/2024 via Dr. Music Records. The album’s making has been filled with many ups and downs for the New York artist. On the one hand, he lost both his parents during this time and became a son’s father. Moreover, while writing and composing the songs, the musician was also influenced by the madness of the pandemic in combination with all the political tensions in the USA and around the rest of the world. For himself, it was a time to dig down deep and bare his soul without fear or regret. PETER WILSON relied on a talented group of musicians from the NYC area to flesh out older material and to write new songs. “Freedom’s Door”, like the Four Trips Ahead album before it, was produced by Nik Chinboukas (i.a. Metal Allegiance, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Alex Skolnick Trio), mixed by Grammy and Emmy Award-winning engineer Nick Cipriano (i.a. Dream Theater, Twisted Sister, Erasure), and refined by legendary mastering engineer Roger Lian (i.a. Rush, Muse, Slayer, Pantera, Coheed and Cambria). On “Freedom’s Door”, PETER WILSON welcomes his listeners with his unique, energetic Progressive Power Rock and convinces them with his dynamic vocal range, a distinct sensibility for catchy melodies, and compelling lyrics.
PETER WILSON’s main band, Four Trips Ahead, traces its beginnings back to 2003 when the experienced New York musicians first met in search of a new creative outlet. Soon, the quartet was taking their energetic music to the U.S. East Coast and throughout the United States. In Europe, too, they set first scent marks with interviews and sampler contributions in renowned Rock magazines to the album “…And The Fire Within” and the 2022 EP “Remnants”, on which PETER WILSON can now build with “Freedom’s Door”. He is joined by both guitarists Glenn Sherman and Phill Ortiz and Harold Skeetes (i.a. Ad Astra) on bass. As with his band, Four Trips Ahead, the drums were performed by Ken Candelas and also trusted studio stalwart Nick Cipriano. Glen and Harold are two of Peter’s oldest and dearest friends who are incredible musicians combining their skills with soul to make every record they are on special. Out of this brilliant harmony, the recordings of the twelve new songs were produced in the Spin Recording Studios in Long Island City in NYC, featuring fresh, concentrated energy. On his solo debut, PETER WILSON deals with various universal themes such as isolation and identity in the song “Mirror” and displacement and refugees in “Now There’s Nothing”. He addresses the sinister rise of modern fascism in “Dicks + Swastikas” and turns to human greed and desperation in “Touch”. In “Sunshine”, the singer deals with his heartbreak. The first single to be released, along with a stunning lyric video by brilliant videographer Wayne Joyner (i.a. Dream Theater, Ayreon, Black Stone Cherry), is the opener “Release”. The track is about the psychological chains imposed on us, exploring inner fears, social isolation and abandonment. Particularly poignant is the title track, “Freedom’s Door”, the passionate, epic conclusion of the album, which is also the second single. Here, PETER WILSON lets his whole life experience flow in as the son of a native Jamaican and processes the hatred and scars left by his hard struggle for a place in this world. Because for him, too, it is his home. The vocal recording occurred on the anniversary of the extreme right-wing Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville. Hence, the vibe in the studio was quite heavy, and PETER WILSON channeled his frustration and anger about the lack of progress in the U.S. in his performance.
Building on his years of fronting one of NYC’s premiere Rock bands, Four Trips Ahead, the solo album “Freedom’s Door” is a powerful, daring statement from a vital voice in Modern Hard Rock.
