Mark Trueack (composer / lead vocals / producer), Sean Timms (composer / keyboards / backing vocals / producer) and Matt Williams (guitars / backing vocals / producer) form the nucleus of the band. To complete them, they chose the combined drum/percussion batteries of David Hopgood and Tim Irrgang, Craig Kelly on bass and Daniel Burgess (Sax, clarinet, flute, piccolo, didgeridoo).
They released their first album “More Than a Dream” in 2007 on the Canadian Label Unicorn Digital.
In February of 2008, Unitopia signed a worldwide publishing deal with Shock Music Publishing which became Perfect Pitch Publishing in 2010 when publisher Clive Hudson took over the company struggling financially.
In August 2008, Unitopia signed a three album deal with InsideOut Music, Germany, the leading progressive rock record company in the world. Unitopia is the only Australian band to have signed with this label to this day.
In November 18th, 2008, InsideOut Music released Unitopia’s 2nd CD, “The Garden”. The 15 track double CD firmly established Unitopia as one of the premiere progressive rock acts in the world.
In May 4th, 2010, Unitopia released their third album, “Artificial” worldwide through InsideOut Music. Based on the themes of artificial intelligence, this new CD consolidates Unitopia's position as one of the most exciting progressive rock acts to emerge since the 1970’s.
The band just came back from a very successful European tour in October 2010. The tour brought them to the United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Germany and Belgium. The critics were unanimous, “Unitopia has been one of the best live acts on the Progressive Rock scene in the last few years.” They have been invited by TV Limburg to do a television performance in The Netherlands during the tour. They will also be filming one of their performances in Holland to be released in September of 2011 as a DVD.
The band is also currently working on a cover album. Seventeen songs from different bands will be revisited with Unitopia's unique touch and should be ready to be released in november of 2011. A second edition of their first album, “More Than a Dream” should be released also early 2012 with new artwork, remastered songs, and extra material.
Recently, Rayna and Mark Monforti from the Music in Widescreen website and progrock.com radio have chosen “Artificial” as Best Album and “The Great Reward” as Best Track for their 2010 awards. "Artificial" was proclaimed Album of the Year 2010 by The International Independent Radio (AiiRadio.net), Best Album of 2010 by paperlate.nl, an internet magazine from the Netherlands and nominated by the international Jury of Progawards in Italy for Best Foreign Record and Best Production.
As a band known for supporting worthy causes, Unitopia has allowed the use of their song "Still Here" for the "Songs for Haiti" double CD and "There's a Place" for the compilation "Stomp out Cancer". They also donated part proceeds from ticket sales of their recent concert in Adelaide to the Childhood Cancer Foundation. The band is also making a difference with the project Bee Aware Now by doing a promotional song and video for the cause and will be the spokes band for the Bee Aware Now Organization in a worldwide tour in 2012 (for more information, please visit http://www.beeawarenow.org/).
One of Unitopia’s songs, “321”, is a touching tribute to the courage, ordeal and eventual rescue of the Beaconsfield miners. The track gained nationwide exposure including a segment on 60 minutes. In May of 2007, with support and funding from the West Tamar Council, the band launched the single “321” at the one year anniversary memorial in Beaconsfield, Tasmania to an audience of nearly 3,000 people.
As lead singer Mark Trueack says, “Music is the doctor!”
Unitopia recently announced they were no longer moving forward as a band, and are pursuing solo projects.
Reflections
Unitopia Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In self made solitude
Have we come too far, is it much too late?
Have we overshot the mark?
In a time of desolation
As we search our inner selves
Do we blame each other or curse on high?
Put on the mask and hide the pain
Don't let another inside again
Escape from the world, don't let them see
What you keep hidden among the debris
The cry of your heart, the warmth of your soul
Are drowned in the rivers of total control
And all that you had is slipping away
Replaced by illusion that starts to decay
Put on the mask and hide the pain
Don't let another inside again
Escape from the world, don't let them see
What you keep hidden among the debris
The cry of your heart, the warmth of your soul
Are drowned in the rivers of total control
And all that you had is slipping away
Replaced by illusion that starts to decay
The lyrics to Unitopia's song "Reflections" reflect a sense of introspection in a troubled time. The first stanza contemplates whether society has gone too far and whether humans have overshot the mark. The second stanza poses an existential question about whether individuals blame others or a higher power for their troubles. The lyrics then describe people putting on masks and hiding their pain, not allowing anyone to see what they keep hidden. The chorus repeats the idea that the cry of one's heart and the warmth of one's soul are drowned in the rivers of total control, replaced by an illusion that begins to decay.
The song seems to be commenting on the state of humanity in the modern age. The concepts of self-discovery and individual freedom do not seem to resonate with society's current state. The lyrics suggest that people are afraid to show their true selves to others and that societal pressure is stripping them of what makes them individuals. There seems to be a yearning for something more, for people to break down their walls and be real with themselves and others.
Overall, the song calls for introspection and the need to break down walls between people. Unitopia seems to suggest that true living and relationships cannot occur when people are hiding behind masks and illusions.
Line by Line Meaning
In a time of bitter reflection
During a time of deep contemplation and critical examination
In self made solitude
Alone by personal choice
Have we come too far, is it much too late?
Are we beyond the point of return?
Have we overshot the mark?
Have we gone too far beyond what is needed or appropriate?
In a time of desolation
During a period of emptiness and loneliness
As we search our inner selves
As we delve deep into our true nature and emotions
Do we blame each other or curse on high?
Do we hold others responsible or blame a higher power?
Do we live life in the dark?
Do we live without clarity or understanding?
Put on the mask and hide the pain
Put on a façade and conceal the emotional suffering
Don't let another inside again
Avoid opening up to others in fear of vulnerability or rejection
Escape from the world, don't let them see
Withdraw from society and keep the true self hidden
What you keep hidden among the debris
What you conceal among the wreckage of the past
The cry of your heart, the warmth of your soul
The innermost desires and emotions of oneself
Are drowned in the rivers of total control
Are washed away by the power of external forces
And all that you had is slipping away
Everything that mattered is slowly disappearing
Replaced by illusion that starts to decay
Replaced by a false reality that will eventually crumble
Contributed by Grace W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.