(headline image: L-R: DarWin, Simon Phillips, Mohini Dey – Photo Credit: Simone Lombard)
Progressive rock project DarWin has unveiled a new version of their track “Imitation Suede,” now released as the “Metaversity Mix.” Originally featured on the group’s 2023 album Five Steps on the Sun, the track has garnered over one million views on YouTube, becoming one of the band’s most-streamed songs.
The updated version retains the band’s core lineup: Matt Bissonette on vocals; Simon Phillips on drums and percussion; Mohini Dey on bass; Greg Howe on lead guitar; Julian Pollack (J3PO) on guitars; Jesse Siebenberg on guitars and backing vocals; and DarWin on guitars.
Formed in 2015, DarWin is led by the project’s namesake guitarist-songwriter and legendary drummer-producer Simon Phillips (Toto, Jeff Beck, The Who). Since its inception, the group has expanded to include an array of accomplished players, notably Matt Bissonette (vocals), Mohini Dey (bass), and Greg Howe (guitar), all of whom bring considerable pedigree across rock, jazz, and fusion scenes.
Their albums, collaborative efforts with musicians like Derek Sherinian, Billy Sheehan, Andy Timmons, and Lenny Castro, combine technical precision with cinematic arrangements.
A new full-length release is scheduled for fall 2025. “This next album is going to take some listeners by surprise, while also having conceptual commonality with our earlier albums,” says DarWin himself. “We want to sweep our listeners off their feet–don’t even bother putting your socks on, as we want to knock them right off. Our beloved listeners can trust that our songs are going to be original, and soothe the soul, even when the groove is banging and our instruments shredding. Some of our heaviest material yet is on this album, but also some of our most delicate moments. Sometimes this happens within the same song! The album is going to take you for a ride, and we hope after the whole thing is done, you’re going to want to play the album again, just like a favorite roller coaster. In other words, buckle up!!”
DarWin discography: Five Steps On The Sun (2024), DarWin 3: Unplugged (2021), DarWin 2: A Frozen War (2020), and Origin of Species (2018).