“Even though I have been playing Flamenco for a couple of decades, deep down I have always been a rocker,” says Mehran. “I grew up listening to Pink Floyd, the Doors, the Eagles and Led Zeppelin. On this album I wanted to reach deep inside myself and bring out what influenced me to pick up the guitar in the first place. I wanted to take that and deliver it with the same heavy backbone of any rock influenced band but play it with Flamenco guitar. My intention was to do something that is very unique but at the same time it has all the influences that shaped and formed my playing.”
The
music on 'Subterranea' is not your typical rock sound although it can
easily be categorized as 'Progressive/Alternative Rock' but most of
the melodies are carried on a Flamenco guitar, yet with the intensity
of Prog. That is Mehran’s formula for creating something as
original as possible without turning off the audience by getting too
complicated. The melodies and compositions on 'Subterranea' are sweet
and memorable and the musical style is very atmospheric.
The
concept behind 'Subterranea' is filled with fantasy, imagination and
at times science fiction. The message however is social and
political. “Subterranea is an imaginary, surrealistic and utopian
society that lies a few thousand miles beneath the earth,” Mehran
explains. “It exists in a different dimension than one we humans
live in. The inhabitants are mirror images of the modern man yet on
an opposite path from us. As we, humans, are moving toward weakening
the earth’s axis and our rulers run our societies with greed,
aggression, exploitation, and have nearly brought the world to an
spiraling collapse, Subterraneans are moving toward transcendence,
longevity and live in harmony with nature. Pride and ego are
meaningless concepts to them. Humility and selflessness are the bases
of their being. Symbolically, Subterranea is a constructive social
criticism. It is a yearning for a better society and a glimpse into
an alternative reality for mankind.”
Mehran's
skillful guitar work on 'Angels of Persepolis' gained him a
reputation as a solid and highly expressive performer and composer.
Following this release he was featured in a full page write-up in the
February 2011 issue of Vintage Guitar Magazine. He was also reviewed
in their January 2011 issue where they wrote: “Mehran's soloing
covers a lot of ground but even in the quickest passages, it's
melodic. The solo on 'Korean Soup' mixes his Flamenco skill with jazz
harmony where he solos flawlessly over nice changes.”
In
Aug 2011 Mehran was featured in the NPR's World View program with an
interview and a live solo performance. Other magazines in the US and
Europe including Progression Magazine, IO pages of Holland and UK's
Pipeline Magazine, to name a few, also wrote rave reviews on Mehran's
playing. In conjunction with the release of 'Subterranea' Mehran has
filmed a new innovative video for the song “Into the Abyss”. Says
Mehran, “The video was created by a very talented friend, Carlo
Serran. We decided to give it an underworld look so we rented the
basement of a huge warehouse. We also wanted to give it a dark and
edgy feel since the song has a heavy and serious air about it and is
filled with lots of tension and release. The surprise at the end of
the video and the little talk about the gravity of earth catches many
off guard.”
Adding
another dimension to Subterranea's conceptuality is the CD's sublime
artwork. “The artwork was also created by a good friend of mine,
Siamak Zarin Ghalami,” explains Mehran. “It shows a few green islands in
the water that represent Subterranea. The shadows that they reflect
on the water are buildings and high-rises that reflect our society.
As the eye shifts to the right the buildings get older, representing
passage of time. The islands are connected with rainbows however
everything is submerged in water. The detail on the artwork and the
way it delivers the message is truly stunning and really involves the
mind of the observer.”
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