CHANGELING Sign to Season of Mist

“The Steve Vai of the new millennium.” – Christian Münzner (Obscura, Necrophagist)

“One of the absolute best players in the world.” – Bill Hudson (DORO, Trans-siberian Orchestra, Savatage)

“It is my opinion that of the new guitarists described as “innovators”, Fountainhead (Changeling)
is the most deserving of this title.” – Mike Abdow (Fates Warning, Ray Alder, Last Chance To Reason)

“Tom is one of the most expressive guitar players in my dictionary who is also a fantastic composer/producer.” – Vishal J. Singh (Amogh Symphony)

With a spirit that fearlessly transcends musical boundaries, CHANGELING, the brainchild of virtuoso Tom Fountainhead, is proud to announce its signing with Season of Mist. This alliance marks the dawn of a transformative chapter, promising to reshape the musical landscape with an avant-garde fusion of genres.

An illustrious career that includes collaborations with titans such as Obscura, Defeated Sanity, and Amogh Symphony, Tom Fountainhead’s mastery in composition, production, and innovative fretless guitar work has earned him the reputation of a “modern-day guitar legend.” CHANGELING, Fountainhead’s newest incarnation, epitomizes his relentless pursuit of musical innovation.

Set to enthrall audiences with a 60-minute concept album, CHANGELING‘s debut stands as a complete exploration of artistic and technical prowess. Infused with progressive metal, death metal, jazz/fusion, and world music, and enriched with intricate orchestrations by a 50-piece ensemble of guests, the album is a multifaceted sonic experience, to be experienced not only in traditional formats, but also being the first extreme metal album to make full use of the spatial audio format Dolby Atmos.

“I’m extremely excited to be working with Season Of Mist for the release of Changeling” Fountainhead states. “The culmination of 4 years of work and the talents of over 50 musicians coming together in a new project that marks the absolute peak of my work in extreme metal so far. ”

As CHANGELING begins this audacious journey with Season of Mist, music enthusiasts worldwide are invited to witness the beginning of a new era. Follow CHANGELING & Fountainhead for updates and prepare to experience a symphony of technical ingenuity and artistic exploration.

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. His collaborations span globally recognized artists such as Obscura, Belphegor, Marco Minnemann, Defeated Sanity, Amogh Symphony, Hannes Grossmann, Voodoogods, Christian Münzner, Nader Sadek. 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 Virvum, 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.