andrew reed & the liberation are masters of captivation—few are as immersed in, or as skilled at, creating ferocious art with the tools of rock. A veteran of the industry, Reed has encountered a wide spectrum of life experiences, chewing on many contrasts of love, loss, life, and death. Just a few years ago, the “rock mystic” vanished, retreating deep into the Appalachian wilderness to escape overwhelming pain and reconnect with the primal rhythms of life. What emerged was a hyper-conscious, grounded spirit, devoted to “a Love for all Expressions of Life,” and committed to making the most of each day. Even after a devastating fire incinerated his state-of-the-art, mountain-top recording compound, scorching his discography, his buildings, and damaging his lungs, Reed continues to find “the major chords” in every melody.
Specializing in bombastic soundscapes that “could go off the rails at any moment,” in many ways, their signature style is rock at its most elemental—athletic, visceral, designed to ignite the heart, stir the soul, and spark the mind. The time has come for those who have been patiently, desperately waiting for fervent rock-art spectacles to return. andrew reed & the liberation shoot prog rock to its loftiest heights, beyond the heavens, and into the cosmos. Their music is virtuous, philosophical, desperate, daring—throwing open the door to all possibilities.
Dominance & Control, the second installment in their ambitious trilogy, ensnares listeners in a reimagining of THE classic tale; the rise and fall of a futuristic rock star fueled by his untamable thirst for power. Rooted in both history and fantasy, the album breathes new life into Roman themes of domination, superiority, and mastery of the pragmatic and tangible world. Is it a hero’s journey? A villain arc? A meditation on opposites and contradictions? “Maybe it’s all of these… Or none… Or some…”
The long-haired guitar wizard at the center of the trilogy isn’t quite Reed, but more so, the embodiment of “the liberation”—a personal event of complete self-actualization and self-acceptance. “Evil,” for short, is more than a rock-star persona; he’s a manifestation of a distinctly human worldview. Born from profound scars and spiritual resilience, he embraces the “duality that exists on all levels of Life.” Fearlessly integrating dark and light, strife and triumph, surrender and conquest, his story mirrors the raw human experience. At his core, Evil is a seeker of unfiltered truth, undistilled and conscious, establishing an atmosphere where “Both Evil and Good…are valued…” In and out of song, he speaks in ellipses, symbols of many questions he never intends to answer. “I wear a mask…just like you,” he says, on a quest to explore the many disguises we wear, driven by “a personal will that seems to be an intangible but powerful ore of this vessel…”
The experience begins with a low, staticky hum, loose, distant voices, and a string of grand piano chords. Beneath an alluring introduction sits a striking image: a bright red mask, a singular symbol of the journey ahead. It’s here that Rockstar Cezar first steps onto the scene, pulsating with clear-minded confidence and a glint of determination. He’s just realized his prize is within reach, and he intends to claim it all. The opening track’s intense, theatrical layers create a persistent sense of urgency and grandeur that never lets up. Enhanced by the group’s signature use of rebelliously vibrant performance footage, each music video for the album paints a vivid portrait of this alternate rock universe—a bold fusion of ancient societies and future technologies. The soaring, distorted guitar riffs and driving drums echo Cezar’s internal monologue—a tightrope walk between chaos and control: defiance and destiny. The vocals carry a purposeful swagger—there’s something electric in the air—ambition, or perhaps, ego. Cezar’s preparing to seize power, ignite the fire, and “ascend to deity.” Nothing will stand in his way. The war is about to begin.
It’s done. Cezar crosses the line of demarcation—the Rubicon—and there’s no turning back. But Cezar is a man rooted in the now; zen, calm, unfazed by the outbreak of civil war. A voice rings out: “I am in command.” “Crossing the Rubicon” is prog rock at its most unrestrained. At first, it offers an unexpected moment to breathe. Sweeping synths and harpsichord melodies uplift the emotional weight of the high-stakes journey. It feels eerily calm—Cezar is almost sentimental, pausing to process what he’s done. But he doesn’t linger. Suddenly, everything erupts into flames. Cezar roars like a warrior—like a king—as the blaring guitar riffs twist and charge forward with a strutting confidence. Leading his legions, gun pointed to the sky, the visuals, weaving performance, animated, and found footage, underscore this universe’s dramatic transformation. With no boundaries left to hold him back, Cezar is no longer just a leader; he becomes society’s “hope and strength,” a guiding light in a world swallowed by darkness.
“Thunder in My Soul” captures the wild, untamed energy of the project in a single track—a pivotal moment when the odyssey becomes truly epic. The pipe organ immediately sets a haunting tone, fusing classic rock power with a deeply spiritual intensity. Looming over his subjects, like a true rock star on stage, sword unsheathed, red mask donned, Cezar wins over the masses with his sheer ego and hypnotic charm. The ripping guitar solo can only be described as wicked—amplifying the sense of reckoning, of taking without asking, of ascending to a higher plane. This track sounds like what might happen if Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and Nine Inch Nails wrote a song together during a lightning storm. andrew reed & the liberation know precisely how to draw from each influence—balancing atmospheric tension, industrial grit, and larger-than-life arrangements. It could only come from the mind and heart of a true rock visionary, someone hell-bent on channeling the very essence of being alive and giving it back to the people. In this universe, it’s definitely a “good night for some rock n’ roll.”
The Dominance and Control trilogy is both epic and deeply personal. What inspired its creation?
I don’t think I can explain exactly where this came to me as I don’t think anyone really knows themselves as that specific knowledge would spoil the game of life… But this second installment in this trilogy really has to do with the familiar and often repeated pattern of history – of the desire for power, the rise and decline of the individual, the eventual death, and the afterlife. This is a similar story as was incorporated into the 1st album of this trilogy, Demarkation, only involving a person with national responsibilities and impact. So, the scale is a much larger setting. I have always been a good student of history, valuing its immense usefulness in the recognition of patterns and their direct application to success in worldly terms. I usually take or audit about 12 university courses a year, usually human behavior and history are the topics I gravitate to. And what could be more epic and large than the Roman Empire, which lasted around 1,000 years if the Etruscan period is factored in! Then, add a futuristic sci-fi element and Rock & Rol, this seemed very cool!
However, even though we have created this “spectacle” for entertainment and artistic value – there are deep messages in Dominance that are substantive, and they take multiple listenings to sink in… It explores the operations of Life really…from the sub-atomic levels to the universe at large… The struggle for Life, competition in a competitive world, the human animal, the pursuit of power and control…which itself helps explain so much about Life…and the typical person’s frustration with Life…where the desire to control the events of Life is of paramount concern…as the external events threaten… A central theme of a Cezar-type, a person well-armored for this world, sees Life as a game…and is determined to live boldly, betting on himself and his abilities… To “control” is his main aim, and he does this extremely well… But then, even an accomplished person succumbs to Nature…
On a deeply personal level, this album was released exactly when the Black Cove/Big Hungry forest fires burnt down our mountaintop studios and 11 other of my buildings… I nearly died when I burnt up my throat and lungs trying to save a few of my favorite guitars and backup hard drives… The fire had surrounded me and I had to run through it for some distance…but the damage to my lungs and throat had been done…and on Good Friday, I thought I had taken my last breath on this plain…but somehow, with a lot of doctor visits, CT scans, cameras put down my throat and lungs and meds… I lived! And now I get a chance to live again! So the fires in the logo and the aggressiveness of the album fit EXACTLY the mood in my life as I watched my homes and buildings, 60 guitars, grand piano, Hammond organ, and other precious “things” or accomplishments in my life, turn to ashes… The impressiveness of Death and Destruction, especially from the epic losses from Hellene and having no way, but by foot, out to civilization as our only bridge was destroyed, followed by the forest fires… Nature will retake everything we make eventually…
The music started in a prog rock band I was playing and writing the music for in high school. Our performances were EPIC with wild energy! Most bands did covers, and we didn’t do a single one! But people came to see us!
That’s a long answer, but I think it covers the basics!
“Pulsar (I Came, I Saw, I Conquered)” opens the album. How does this track help to introduce listeners to “Rockstar Cezar” and his journey?
The imagery behind this track couldn’t be more epic! Here is our person of pure strength, fresh off defeating the Gauls, who outnumbered his forces at least 2 to 1, facing the Rubicon, the line of demarcation he was warned not to cross. I think we would all like to think we live or lived an epic life…so there is, I suspect, a certain identification with this image.
What does the phrase “Crossing The Rubicon” mean to you, and how do you explore this theme sonically and lyrically in the track?
Crossing the Rubicon symbolizes a border or line of demarcation…something that separates… The Rubicon….a small stream, really, is really the RISKS we must take in our lives for advancement. It seems that for all accomplishments, the exact PRICE has to be paid… We all face threats, but the recognition that to make gains, we have to pay the price and have courage is a great awakening. It indicates a just world, which runs counter to the victimhood and powerlessness that society projects. It recognizes that LIFE IS RISK! And however you try to protect yourself or play it safe, you are still at risk. I think most people short-change themselves and sell themselves short by living outrageously conservatively. Why? What is the point of Life if not to fully explore it and your potential? Why else would you even exist if not to add your spice, your personality, and your interpretation of it?
Tell us a little bit about blending history and fantasy in the universe of the “Pulsar (I Came, I Saw, I Conquered)” and the “Crossing The Rubicon” music videos.
History is significant. It is a subject that is not taught well in schools and universities today, as evidenced by the blabberings of college graduates who can’t even name the countries involved in the great wars, domestic, let alone international! So, History and the study of the “patterns” of History an undervalued things in modern society. Sci-Fi represents the FUTURE! And the future is always of interest and gives us something to gain a Vision for and try to create! Or prevent sometimes! I love Sci-Fi, then, add in Rock’ n’ Roll! Well, Rock and the world of Rock are a bit of a fantasy themselves. Costumes, the tortured artists, and the professional persona one takes on stage. RockStar Cezar IS a ROCKSTAR in his age!
Talk us through the symbolism of the red mask. What does this represent in the greater story?
There are 3 masks in this trilogy of concept albums Demarkation, it was the Black Mask, Dominance & Control, the Red, The Sound of God, and it will be White. The Black Mask is about normal life…the life of a regular person and his or her struggle for survival, the mating ritual, incarceration, war, and being forced to become a soldier, death in a foreign land. That’s pretty black! There is a Red teardrop in the right eye of the mask symbolizing loss and suffering. The Red Mask is because red is the symbol of Mars and War! Thus, it is the mask used in Dominance & Control. The White Mask, with a gold tear, of course, symbolizes purity and emblemism.
Masks, we all wear them almost all the time in society. Masks refer to the various roles we play in life – wife, mother, teacher, professional, etc. But as a mask is a covering, we all want to see the actual person. “What are they like?” “What and who is behind this concealment?” Then comes the question, “Can I really drop my mask and reveal who I am?” That takes a lot of courage! I have several podcasts out now, “What Are You Willing to Throw Your Life Away On?” and “Creating the Perfect Company.” In both of these podcasts, I have committed myself to being as open and honest as I know how to be…
Masks also give us protection and courage. When performing with a mask, I go into a different state of mind or consciousness. I am more daring, a bit more wild, I like the feeling!
What are the most rewarding and challenging aspects of actualizing a creative vision of this scale?
I think that any project, regardless of whether it is a musical undertaking or not, that requires a HUGE expenditure of TIME and MONEY creates a state of true accomplishment. In my case, I write not only single concept albums, but trilogies of albums as I find just creating a “single” quite unchallenging, and, in my definition of success, not very fulfilling, as that would not stretch my potential. I like to present myself through my art as real or true to my visions without being constricted or subject to what is popular in the era or what would have commercial appeal. I can’t stand the thought of writing songs just to gain fame and make money. That mindset is of low consciousness. I’d rather die than not do the things I deem worthy of my life. Yes, I am willing to throw my LIFE away on my music and other artistic works…
What role does andrew reed & the liberation play in reigniting progressive rock for a new generation?
I think that people just love real, real musicians, playing together during the time of the recording, all together capturing the music as it was played! Rather than some perfectly manufactured collection of random songs stuck on an album where every off note or beat was shifted in ProTools and with the vocals autotuned. That’s just not who I am. That is NOT ROCK N ROLL! Rock is meant to be risky, maybe recorded when you were drunk, or out of your mind, often unrehearsed! There is an energy of excitement that you can FEEL when a musician is struggling to play a new piece of music or hit a complicated run. I don’t give demos or lead sheets to musicians when they come to record, I want to capture their immediate impulses WITHOUT thoughts! I find that most overthink their parts…and then blunt the RISK of mistakes! Prog Rock offers a bit more challenge and complexity rather than Pop or commercial Rock…
When I first got into music in junior high and then high school. My first bands were all Prog Rock. So that is where I started musically! I liked it, and I figured it would make me a better musician! SO that made sense to me! Never in my life have I played in bands that did much in terms of covers. Why play other people’s songs when you write good ones yourself? So playing covers was NEVER part of any of the bands I fronted, and people LOVED our prog!
If other people listen to my prog rock and like it, perhaps they might think more in terms of stepping out of the verse, chorus, verse, chorus mindset and start to explore their own musicality! That your music is your music, and having the courage to produce artistic works that represent the REAL YOU and your views is perhaps the highest one can go in art and life!
What do you hope listeners discover while journeying through Cezar’s rise and fall?
Life! Learn to believe in YOURSELF! And be willing to leave others behind…yes, to cross your Rubicon, even if it sends your world into civil war and you disappoint others… That’s part of the courage aspect of Dominance! But also, knowing the end of this classic tale, is of immense value, as we “seize the day” – get the glory, get the money – but did we sell out? Did we sell out to society? Did we end up living a life that we didn’t want? Did we abandon the dreams we had when we were young? All for “success” in the eyes of others and not ourselves!
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