My new album ”Chapter V: The Atonement” will be available on every digital streaming- and download service on April 20th!

What can I say about it?… Well, I can at least tell you that it’s a bit brighter than my latest outing but not that much! There’s some really dark and melancholic stuff on it. And the songs are a bit longer than normal. The album length is 41 minutes but it’s only 9 songs on the album.

During the time I was working on this album I struggled with the after effects of a pretty bad breakup and then the Corona came which affected me a lot (like it did with everyone) and about a year later I went through a withdrawal phase from a medicine I took a bit to often which escalated a lot during the pandemic so I had to kick it and that was… stuff of nightmares. Damn. I still can’t understand how I didn’t lose my mind for real. I mean, I’m always a bit crazy but I’ve never been crazy-crazy so to speak which means that I must have a pretty strong mind. I also found out during a neuropsychiatric evaluation I did in Stockholm that I have both autism (mildest form) and also ADD (2nd degree) which I had (and still has) to process and accept. I’ve also dealt with a lot of guilt during the time making the record and that was really hard cause that was also basically new to me. A new form of pain. Therefore I felt that the title ”The Atonement” was fitting.

So, despite this album being a bit brighter than the last one, I’ve been through some pretty rough times and this album has been working (as always) as a sort of therapy for me. But many positive and really beautiful things have happened along the way too! I share with you the tracklist for the album below plus this teaser.

I must say that there’s some really cool stuff on this record. It’s dreamy, mystical, magestic, it has energy, joy, power, drama, sadness, melancholy, and armageddon-ish atmosphere at times. A lot of feelings. I can’t wait for you to hear it. I really put my heart in this one. Actually I practiced and played so much during the rough work that I both got blisters (!) on my fingers and a severe necklock haha.

Tracklist:

1. Full of Life
2. Grand
3. Divided Spirit
4. Sognante
5. Through the Storm
6. Deceiving Light
7. The World That Never Was
8. Epiphany
9. Always / Never

So, April 20th. ”Chapter V: The Atonement”. Mark your calenders!

Over and out

T

”If you are going through hell, keep going.” ~ Winston Churchill

Culture journalist Jeanette Fundin did an article about me a week ago in Östersunds-Posten and it got published today. I translated it as well as I could so you can read it here:

Composer and pianist Tomas Grut from Östersund will release a new album next year. His fifth.

– Every time I can make music, I am surprised, he says

Tomas Grut released his first album ten years ago. Then he thought it would be a one-time event. But that did not happen. At regular intervals, this creative Östersund-born has come up with new material.

– After every record I have released, I have thought that this will be the last one I do because I do not think I can come up with something new or that it might just be a bad copy of what I did before.

Composing music is a time consuming and sometimes strenuous work.

– When you have released a record and have worked very hard, there can be a big emptiness afterwards.

Tomas Grut says that it is his fans who make him find joy in continuing with the music.

– It’s fun with affirmation of course. It is people all over the world who get in touch and tell all sorts of stories. I’ve even heard that my music has saved lives. Then it feels as if you really have to continue, he says.

Tomas Grut, who has studied composition and has a university degree in music and sound design, explains that it is sometimes difficult to find balance in his work.

– In one moment I can be self-critical in an almost handicapping way, but in the next moment I can feel an arrogance that I have to slow down. This split is what his latest single Divided Spirit is about.

– It is probably not that unusual among creative people to feel this division. That in one moment you are in an anxious shaking fetal position basically and in the other moment you almost become arrogant and need to slow yourself down. It is dangerous to get hubris as an artist, he says with a laugh.

But the piece Divided Spirit also reflects the time we live in.

– It feels really divided between right and left, anti-vaxxers and pro-vaxxers, misogyny and misandry and so on. It’s unique in modern times.

Tomas Grut is happy that he can reach out with his music. His audience is constantly increasing.

– If I’ve done the math right I will have half a million streams on Spotify this year alone if it continues like this. In the beginning, I could count my fans on one hand basically.

He has good contact with the fans and is often told that his music helps them in different ways.

– I have a need to express myself in music and that is why I return to it. It has this healing effect both on myself and others. It is a way for me to manage my health, I have struggled a lot with mental illness, he says.

My best listeners! Now you can pre-save my latest piece ”Divided Spirit” on Spotify by clicking here

I just can’t wait for you to hear it!

Have a nice weekend

T

”If you are going through hell, keep going.” ~ Winston Churchill

Just wanted to say that I’ve started working on some new music lately. I’m thinking of making it into an EP even though my latest album at first also was meant to be a smaller project but then went on and became 45 minutes long. So, we’ll see, but as it looks now, I’m thinking of maybe 5-7 pieces.

Besides my latest single I have focused on other people’s music on social media over the past year with covers and renditions of all kinds of genres. It has been fun, expanding and has gained me new fans. Now, however, I intend to put all focus on my own music. And it feels great!

So, an EP made out of pandemia, existential anxiety and a broken relationship to name a few. How does that sound? I’m eying at a late 2021/early 2022 release. And yes, the ”goosebump-piece” I mentioned briefly a about year ago will be featured on it.

Thank you for your support and kind words!

All best

T

”If you are going through hell, keep going.” ~ Winston Churchill