Tommy Newton, who's produced albums for artists such as Guano Apes and Ark's "Burn The Sun" - one of Frederic's all-time favorites - will assume mixing duties for Fringe Kitchen. Mixing is scheduled for December. UP are currently putting the last of the vocals, as well as Sander Stappers' bass on tape.





Frederic: "It's hard to believe that Noah has been out for over a year now. Time certainly flies. With Fringe Kitchen, we wanted to do a couple of things. Take all of our experience and write, record and produce an album in one year. That aspect was really important to us to keep things fresh on a personal level. We really learned our lesson with Noah. By the time the album came out, we'd already moved on musically. Of course we like to think we're a tiny bit smarter now and this time we actually had a clear vision from the get-go in terms of direction. There have been ideas aplenty and some of the material was written during the long production cycle of Noah."

"Musically, we definitely were going to step away from where Noah was heading." Frederic explains: "The whole album orginated 7 years ago, so go figure. I didn't want an ensemble. I didn't want to do another concept album and I wasn't going to do another sci-fi album. Noah was a personal tribute of mine to my favorite era of film, which is the 1980's. I am very proud of what we've achieved and working on it was a great learning experience and really taught us some of the do's and don'ts. I guess the two things Fringe Kitchen does have in common with our debut are long songs and most of the same core musicians. The songs are much moodier and darker, there is an emphasis on structure and as a whole, the album flows extremely well in my humble opinion. If I had to use one word to describe the album, it would have to be "driven". Working with Tommy Newton was really a logical choice. John (Macaluso) suggested him and I certainly can't wait to travel to Celle to start working on the album with him."

Following Excess Studios, Frederic and Michel went to record the kids at German elementary school Gut Kullen for "Fringe Kitchen"

Frederic: "Both Michel and I attended Gut Kullen for a couple of years. It was both beautiful and somewhat creepy to return to this place from the past and work with all these kids at 8 in the morning, which - for obvious reason - is very different from what you'd usually do in the studio. It was great fun though and I must say it felt nice to re-connect with this place that honestly treated me so well back in the days. The result will be very different from what most people would probably expect from a recording session like this."

UP would like to thank principal Hans-Friedrich Schmachtenberg, music teacher Cordula Viergutz and of course all the children for making this possible.

On July 15 and 16, John Macaluso (James Labrie, Ark, TNT) recorded his drums for the upcoming Unwritten Pages album, "Fringe Kitchen". John took some already great music and elevated it to the next level thanks to his inventive drumming and powerhouse grooves.

Frederic: "We had an absolute blast at Excess Studios. John proved to be the most down-to-earth guy and was a joy to work with. I love his playing and wherever he'd take things musically, it was always in the best interest of our music. He's totally psyched about the songs and it showed in his performance. He's also funny as hell and has a million stories to share. What a great guy. A real professional. I really only have good things to say about him!"



Next in line are bass recordings with Sander Stappers, followed by vocals in the weeks to come. All is going according to schedule and "Fringe Kitchen" is still slated for an early 2012 release.

After an extremely productive and fun week, James Cook finished his guitar parts for the upcoming release "Fringe Kitchen". That his dropped-to-hell guitar parts turned into a vital part for the overall sound doesn't come as much of a surprise to Frederic:

"It was serious fun, so to speak - we'd go into the studio every day for 8 days straight and fantastical things happened. A lot of improvised, on-the-spot sort of work was done that I honestly didn't know was going to happen. What didn't come as a surprise though was that his arrangements fit every track extremely well and they really add that low-range foundation that I've come to know and love in James' music. We've mostly been combining standard Drop D and E tunings with James' crazy Drop B and A riffs (if memory serves correctly). It's not like we've been aiming for a particularly super heavy sound, but the guitar parts just blend in so well. I am very happy with our sessions and can't wait to get the rest done."

Drum recordings will take place in late July, followed by bass and vocals.

The guys at LiveProg.com have posted a Video Review of Noah. Here's the link: Unwritten Pages @ LiveProg.com

On saturday 21, James Cook will join UP in the studio for some crazy guitar work on their follow-up album "Fringe Kitchen". Frederic: "James is my old buddy and we've been talking about working together for years. It's finally happening which is a big moment for me. I've been an extremly big fan of his music, which has never really been released on a wide scale but I am delighted to say that is going to change with "Fringe Kitchen", as his track KALEIDEMOTE - one of my absolute favorites - is going to be re-recorded and added to the tracklist for the album and Jim will add additional color to the album with his astounding guitar work. He's got such an abstract and beautiful set of sound patches that will take the music to the next level. This is hands down the most exciting thing for me in terms of creating music and taking it to very strange places."

An interview with Frederic has been posted on ProgArchives.com - you can check it out here: ProgArchives (2011)

Meanwhile, the new album is coming along nicely. Due to him moving back to the Netherlands, Frederic had to put the production on halt for a couple of weeks but all is well underway once again.

Here is a most insightful interview at The Rocktologist. Frederic also mentions some more news bits regarding Unwritten Pages' second album "Fringe Kitchen". You can find the interview here: The Rocktologist

Unwritten Pages are currently working on their follow-up album going by the name of Fringe Kitchen.

Frederic: "The album is coming along nicely and it's really taking music into foreign territories. What I can tell you so far is that it's much more focused than our debut. Very texturized, very driven. So no, this is not Noah II and it's not a concept album in the classical sense, although I am writing this with an overarching theme in mind."

The album is currently slated for a late 2011 release. More details soon!

Just when we thought we'd gotten enough praise, word reached our HQ that Noah is nominated for Best Debut and Best Production at ProgAwards

Whatever the outcome, we're most pleased and honored thanks to those who've dared to explore Utopia City!

Great news - our debut scored #4 Best Album at the TSM Awards 2010. Nice way to wrap things up before the new year. On top of that, the Review section has been updated.

We'd also like to wish everyone a great and healthy 2011. Go make it count and don't stop challenging yourself and others. It's way more fun that way :-)

What a misleading name. You could also call it a lame teaser as most of you have already guessed it, but we've got something to share. More on this in January, as we're still sorting out a few details.

Moving on, we've added more reviews for you. As always, you can find them here: Press.

Also coming up are more interviews, which will be posted through our usual news feed channels as well as our website as soon as they become available.

Unwritten Pages have entered at #12 of Dutch Progwereld charts. Very cool! Because enough people seem to have taken on the challenge of Noah and like what they've found. Which, in turn, makes us happy!

Frederic had this to say:
"It certainly feels great to see that people are willing to take on the challenge that is Noah. And being an (dare I say it) artist, it's even nicer to get all the great feedback from fans. I know that this isn't the easily digestible kind of music and rest assured that we've been pounded for that by some reviewers/journalists out there. You can't make everyone happy. But let's be clear: that can't be the point of writing music (although I found a particular comment mentioning the synths on our debut and "Casio" in the same sentence very amusing ;-)). Some people seem to think I am trying to step into 'conquered' territory (e.g. Arjen Lucassen). That's a fair assumption for someone who isn't involved in the creative process of UP - basically my poor brain - and I honestly can't blame them. They would be surprised about the things to come, though (more on that soon!). Anyway, this felt like the right moment to touch on that subject. Thanks a million to everyone who's gotten involved and bought the record in any physical or digital form. It will help us realize our next album. And that one is a fact!"

Also, you can find new reviews in our Press section. Or, you could just click here: Press

Frederic recently let off some steam on his Tumblr account, which you can visit via one of the Tumblr.com buttons on this website (they are hard to miss). Or you can go there directly by clicking here: Frederic on Tumblr

We've also added a bunch of reviews to the Press section: Press

Following the great review/interview at progwereld.org, you can now go there and vote for UP to enter their TOP 10. It's been said many times but your vote WILL make a difference. Here is how it works:


1. Go to http://www.progwereld.org/cms/de-wereldse-10/

2. Scroll down and enter your name, e-mail address, "Unwritten Pages - Noah", as well as 4 other progressive bands and their recent releases

3. Click on submit to vote


As always, your help is much appreciated!

Check out more reviews and interviews under Press

- Danny Jutten with "Made. Of. Awesome." (if only we had the recipe)
- Shimpei Kuroda with "Floating. Foggy. Utopostic" (thanks for educating us ;-))
- Frederik Vieten with "Pretty. Darn. Cool" (straight from the top of your dome!)


All winners will be notified via e-mail and receive a signed copy of Noah.

Thanks for all the funny, original and sometimes outright ridiculous submissions ;-)
We had a great time reading through all of them.

Greetings humans,

With the album out, we've been coming up with ways to get more people involved in the treacherous world that is Utopia City.
One idea that really stuck out was a fun contest that would involve the UP community and give three people the chance to win a signed copy of Noah.

So - how does it work? It's quite simple, really:


1 - Post a news item via your personal Facebook News Feed ('What's on your mind')

2 - Describe in three words what Noah is all about to you. For example, this could be a reference to the music, the story or the artwork (our official tag line: 'Immersive. Bombastic. Gritty.')

3 - Add "http://www.facebook.com/UnwrittenPages" via the "Link" option under your post

4 - Finally, take a screenshot of your News Item and send it to info@unwrittenpages.com. You can also take a photo with your digital camera if you prefer.


This contest ends on November 1, 20:00 CET. The winners will be announced shortly after via our Facebook page, website and e-mail.

See you at the party, Richter!

Today marks the release of Unwritten Pages - Pt.I: Noah, a gritty sci-fi tale told over the course of two discs.

"I feel like we've achieved what we set our aim for 5 years ago, even beyond that actually. There certainly went a lot of sweat and tears into this album and even though it was a difficult road at times, I am very proud of how the album has turned out - not least thanks to all these wonderful people who've helped me realize the album!"

Pt.I: Noah is available in stores worldwide, as well as your favorite online vendors/shops:

(ProgRock Records.com, Amazon.com, Bol.com...)


Thanks for all the support and speak soon!

Fred Epe of Unwritten Pages had this to say:

"When we finished Noah, I started looking into potential partners for the album. Given the nature of the music, I wasn't just looking for some record label. The people had to have an understanding for the music, they had to have the right expertise for this kind of music and ideally, they would show a certain interest in the little nuances such as the fact that it's a concept album and the underlying story.

When I approached Shawn of ProgRock Records, I quickly realized that I was talking to the right man! He didn't just want a selection of songs, he wanted get a clearer picture of the whole thing. He wanted to know what the concept is all about. And most of all: he took his time listening to it! Suffice to say that ProgRock Records turned out to be exactly what I had been looking for. They have the expertise and they have the understanding. I am very much looking forward to be working with our new "partners in crime"!"



"Obviously I'm a huge scifi fan, just look at our Roswell Six and Frameshift releases. What Fred has done here is very original and very ambitious, I wasn't sure what to expect at first, but this was fresh and came out of nowhere and having Damian and Karl was just icing on it.", said Shawn Gordon, President of ProgRock Records.

Noah is the new worldwide ProgRock Records release from Unwritten Pages and can be found at ProgRock Records. The album will be released early August 2010 and available in stores on October 5, 2010.

Welcome to the relaunched Unwritten Pages Website. Here you'll find all the latest Unwritten Pages news!