08/29/2014 TU Commercial Music Director Nathan Santos recently received praise for his contribution to Terminal Degree, a trio featuring violin, bass, and drum, and their recording of the rock-metal album, “The Middle of Nowhen.” The album features nine tracks that are a synthesis of heavy metal, jazz, and classical music. Santos was invited to perform the electric bass tracks by drummer/composer Mike Barnett, Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) alum, in 2012, where Santos taught for ten years as an instructor of double and electric bass guitar. “The project was attractive as the concept was unique, extremely challenging, involved high-caliber performers, and was an opportunity for wide exposure,” Santos said. Barnett, Santos, and violinist Stanley Chepaitis, an IUP colleague, recorded the album in 2013 in Derry, Pennsylvania and Boulder, Colorado. The album was released to distributors such as iTunes, Amazon, and CD Baby in 2013. It has been reviewed on Progarchy.com, a progressive rock focused online publication. “The album featured a virtuoso performance from Stanley Chepaitis and a granite-solid back-line of Nathan Santos’ bass and Mike Barnett’s drums,” reviewer Jason Rubenstein wrote. “They pull off a thorough and successful fusion of classical and metal, borrowing ideas from Sarasate, Paganini, and the incredible virtuosity of Heifetz and placing them squarely in the context of progressive metal.” “I hope that the project creates more opportunities,” said Santos. “I am proud of the contribution I made to the recording. It would be great to see more revenue generated as well as reach a wider audience.” Santos’ love of progressive rock has extended into his teaching with the course RUSH: Progressive Rock and Modern Society being taught at TU this fall. For more information about Terminal Degree and the album “The Middle of Nowhen,” contact Santos at santosnh@tiffin.edu. The album is available on itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-middle-of-nowhen/id676934548 CD baby: http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/TerminalDegree Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_srch_drd_B00E2VL066?ie=UTF8&field-keywords=Terminal%20Degree&index=digital-music&search-
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