Technical Death Metal Meets Orchestral Spectacle in Psychedelic Visual Feat

“With the sonic power of a spaceship taking off, this previously unknown entity reveals itself in full metamorphosis.” – Rock Tribune

“CHANGELING blends Death Metal with jazzy fretless acrobatics, dramatic orchestrations and folk.” – Metal Hammer DE

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.

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

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, VOODOODOGS, 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 VIRNUM, 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,A MOGH 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, VIRNUM) – Fretless bass.
Morean (ALKALOID, DARK FORTRESS) – Lead vocals & lyrics.

“Changeling” tracklist:

1. Introject
2. Instant Results
3. Falling in Circles
4. World? What World?
5. Metanoia Interlude
6. Changeling
7. Abyss
8. Cathexis Interlude
9. Abdication
10. Anathema