STICK MEN Let’s THRAK Again
The Return of the Avant-Prog Powerhouse: Tony Levin, Pat Mastelotto, and Markus Reuter
Stick Men is a band unlike any other in modern progressive rock. Forged in the fires of the legendary King Crimson rhythm section, the trio generates the power, complexity, and dynamic range of a massive orchestra using unorthodox, highly specialized instruments. Featuring bass icon Tony Levin, drumming master Pat Mastelotto, and touch-guitar maestro Markus Reuter, the band eschews traditional guitar strumming. Instead, they push the absolute limits of two-handed “touch-style” tapping, breaking new ground sonically and compositionally.
Now, exactly a decade after their dark, influential 2016 masterpiece Prog Noir, the unparalleled trio is back with their first studio album in ten years: Let’s THRAK Again.
The Pedigree & The Instruments
The foundation of Stick Men rests on a musical partnership spanning decades, anchored by musicians who have helped shape modern rock.
Tony Levin (Peter Gabriel, John Lennon, Pink Floyd) is one of the most recorded and revered bass players in history. In Stick Men, he wields his signature Chapman Stick—a striking 12-string instrument played by tapping the fretboard with both hands like a piano. This technique allows him to execute heavy, driving bass lines and complex melodies simultaneously.
He is joined by his longtime King Crimson rhythm section partner, Pat Mastelotto (Mr. Mister, XTC), who commands a sprawling hybrid drum kit. By seamlessly blending raw acoustic drums with electronic pads, loops, and industrial samples, Mastelotto creates the band’s massive, kinetic heartbeat.
To complete the triad, they are joined by Markus Reuter, a brilliant composer who plays his self-designed 8-string Touch Guitar. Utilizing a similar two-handed tapping technique, Reuter acts as the band’s sonic architect, weaving everything from lush, cinematic chords to blistering, soaring leads. Together, this unique combination of instruments creates a sprawling, orchestral wall of sound that completely defies the traditional boundaries of a three-piece band.
The Story Behind Let’s THRAK Again
Arriving 31 years after King Crimson’s 1995 album THRAK, this new 60-minute auditory experience is a profound, kinetic tribute—fully sanctioned and supported by King Crimson founder Robert Fripp.
But Stick Men didn’t just write a new album; they engineered a sprawling sonic experiment. Let’s THRAK Again will be presented in two distinct versions, representing two completely different sonic blueprints of the same source material. The band handed the recordings over to two brilliant engineers—Stefano Castagna (the “Reel One” mix) and Fabio Trentini (the “Reel Two” mix). The resulting double-album features alternative parts, distinct track orders, and wildly different spatial philosophies, allowing fans to step inside the mixing room and experience the music from two entirely unique perspectives.
“Let’s THRAK Again is 60 minutes of pure, kinetic energy,” notes the band. “We didn’t just write 12 new compositions; we designed an entirely new sonic vocabulary for them.”
Reflecting on the “Two Reels” concept, the trio adds, “Our audience listens deeply. They don’t just want to hear the notes; they want to understand the architecture of the sound. By having Stefano and Fabio approach the exact same music with completely different visions, we are handing the listener the ultimate audiophile puzzle. It’s a roll of the dice, a sonic triptych, and a tribute to the heavy, mechanical impact of the original THRAK era.”