Rhythms of Remembering by Byron Metcalf
Album Review New Age CD, New Age Notes Radio, Zone Music Reporter (ZMR), and “Retailing Insight Magazine”
Byron Metcalf is an internationally recognized transpersonal guide, counselor, educator, and shamanic practitioner. In addition, Byron is an award-winning musician and an award-winning tribal dance drummer. He’s released over 20 albums, most of those meant for shamanic journeying.
As a drummer, percussionist and recording engineer, Byron produces music for deep inner-exploration, breathwork, shamanic journeywork, body-oriented therapies, various meditation practices, and the healing arts. He holds a Ph.D. in transpersonal psychology and his 1999 dissertation was titled “Shamanic Perspectives in Transpersonal Psychology.” So, it is no accident that his album, “Rhythms of Remembering,” feels very much like an invitation to come into deep unity between body, heart, mind, soul, Earth, and sky.
Byron, who performs here on various drums, riq (a type of tambourine), clay pots, and udu, is joined on the album by Eric Wollo (synths and guitars on 3 tracks), Sherry Finzer (flutes on 2 tracks), Frore, a.k.a. Paul Casper (synths on 4 tracks). Here, in 7 tracks and about an hour, we are inspired to connect deeply with our soul – our collective soul as well – and remember, truly remember and embrace who we are. I’m thinking no one does it better.
The album opens with the title track, which is just over 9 minutes of ethereal synth by Frore and rhythmic shamanic drumming by Byron. It’s a distinct call to remember and is a perfect opening to this album. “Realms of Second Thoughts” follows, which is about 7-1/2 minutes of vibrant, rhythmic drumming, plus Eric Wollo on synth. It’s all very trance inducing.
The deeply spiritual, almost otherworldly flute performance of Sherry Finzer, along with Frore’s synth and Byron’s rhythmic drumming, make “Back Alleys and Hard Lessons” a magical piece. You can almost literally feel the pieces of your spirit that you left somewhere “back there” returning to you with ease and grace.
Eric Wollo returns with his fabulous, atmospheric synth performance on “Seasons of Shifting Recall.” Byron’s drumming and other percussion feel very much like a heartbeat here. This is beautiful and meditative, as is the whole album.
In our physical and auric field, we hold emotions in layers. Our chakras are in layers. Things get stuck and shoved down if you let them. Listen to “Layers of Holding” with headphones (the whole album, actually), and I think you will feel the release of some of those deeply held, suppressed, and possibly hidden emotions. The piece feels quite deeply healing to mind, body, spirit, particularly to the spirit. Very nicely done.
Scintillating and enticing, drawing us further into the journey is “The Fifth Reflection.” This may be focused on 5th chakra healing. At least that is how it feels. Have a listen and feel it for yourself. Kind of “tribal” drumming here and great synth again too. But “Rhythms of Remembering,” the album, is a “journey,” so you should experience the whole thing, not just pieces of it. I think that’s the point. Call your whole spirit back to you if it’s already scattered out there in pieces. Yes, get the whole thing.
“Another Way Home” features the heavenly synth of Frore again, along with Byron’s outstanding drumming. And here we are treated once again to the awesome, haunting, flute performance of Sherry Finzer, which is always amazing. This is just gorgeous, hypnotic, and the perfect ending to a deeply spiritual album, where each piece is long and mesmerizing; the perfect lengths for meditation, yoga, healing therapeutics, and. . . remembrance. A most beautiful journey.
Get “Rhythms of Remembering” here: https://byronmetcalf.bandcamp.com/album/rhythms-of-remembering or wherever music is sold/streamed.
Official artist website: https://byronmetcalf.com
