Flying Colors - Discography -2012-2020- -eac-flac- ^hot^ -
This specific string, "Flying Colors - Discography -2012-2020- -EAC-FLAC-"
, is a standard format used for high-fidelity music releases on BitTorrent trackers and archive sites. It indicates a collection of all major releases by the progressive rock supergroup Flying Colors spanning their active years from 2012 to 2020, ripped using Exact Audio Copy (EAC) to ensure a bit-perfect (Lossless) copy of the original CDs. Discography Overview (2012–2020)
The "Flying Colors" supergroup consists of Mike Portnoy, Dave LaRue, Casey McPherson, Neal Morse, and Steve Morse. A discography post with this title typically includes: Studio Albums: Flying Colors Second Nature Third Degree Live Albums: Live in Europe Second Flight: Live at the Z7 Third Stage: Live in London Technical Details of the Post EAC (Exact Audio Copy):
The industry-standard tool for ripping CDs. A post with this tag usually includes a file proving the rip was "100% secure" with no read errors.
A lossless audio format. Unlike MP3s, these files retain every bit of data from the original disc, making them ideal for audiophiles. Post Structure:
You will likely find the files organized by year and album title, accompanied by
files (for track indexing) and digital scans of the album artwork. If you are looking for a specific download link
, I cannot provide direct links to copyrighted material. However, this specific naming convention is most commonly found on sites like , or specialized lossless music forums. technical help on how to play FLAC files?
The story of Flying Colors' discography from 2012 to 2020 is one of seasoned virtuosos— Mike Portnoy Steve Morse Neal Morse Dave LaRue Casey McPherson
—finding common ground between complex progressive rock and accessible, melodic pop. The Genesis: Flying Colors (2012)
Born from an idea by executive producer Bill Evans to pair a "charismatic pop singer" with virtuoso musicians, the band wrote and recorded their Self-Titled Debut in just nine days. The album was a high-energy "taster" that blended heavy rockers like "Shoulda Coulda Woulda" with the epic 12-minute prog-workout "Infinite Fire". Flying Colors - Discography -2012-2020- -EAC-FLAC-
Live Record: Live in Europe (2013), captured at Tilburg’s 013 venue, showcased the band's immediate chemistry on stage. Establishing the Sound: Second Nature (2014)
Their sophomore effort, Second Nature, saw the band leaning into greater complexity and emotional depth. Tracks like "Peaceful Harbor" became fan favourites for their soaring vocal arrangements and the addition of a gospel choir. The album received "Album of the Year" and "Band of the Year" nominations at the Prog Awards.
Live Record: Second Flight: Live at the Z7 (2015) was a tech-heavy release, featuring early 4K video experiments and immersive "3D audio" headphone mixes. The Third Cycle: Third Degree (2019)
Released after a five-year studio hiatus, Third Degree is often cited as the band's most cohesive work, where they truly gelled as a singular unit. It balanced technical mastery in "Crawl" with pure melodic hooks in "Love Letter".
Live Record: Third Stage: Live in London (2020) concluded this era, capturing a career-spanning performance at the iconic Shepherd’s Bush Empire just before the global pandemic shifted the music landscape. Album Type Release Title Release Year Studio Flying Colors Live Live in Europe Studio Second Nature Live Second Flight: Live at the Z7 Studio Third Degree Live Third Stage: Live in London
Flying Colors - Discography (2012-2020) - EAC FLAC
Flying Colors is an American progressive rock supergroup formed in 2012. The band consists of Steve Morse (The Dixie Dregs, Steve Morse Band), Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater, Winery Dogs), Billy Sheehan (Mr. Big), and Jason Bonham (Foreigner, Bonham). With their unique blend of progressive rock, hard rock, and jazz fusion, Flying Colors has released several critically acclaimed albums, showcasing their exceptional musicianship and songwriting skills.
In this article, we'll take a look at the discography of Flying Colors from 2012 to 2020, featuring their studio albums, live recordings, and EAC FLAC versions.
Studio Albums
2. Second Nature (2014)
The band's second studio album, Second Nature, was released on March 29, 2014. This album includes nine tracks, such as "Elijah," "Mystery," and "Someday." Flying Colors – Discography (2012-2020) – EAC-FLAC: A
Final Verdict
If you are a casual listener, stream Second Nature on Spotify. But if you are a collector—someone who cares about dynamic range, bit-perfect audio, and the legacy of modern prog—hunt down the full EAC-FLAC discography. It is the only way to hear Steve Morse’s picking precision, Mike Portnoy’s kick drum articulation, and Neal Morse’s wall of keys exactly as the band heard them in the mastering suite.
Score for Sound Quality (EAC-FLAC specific): 10/10 Score for Musical Content: 9/10 Recommendation: Download. Burn to CD-R for the car. Archive to a RAID 1 NAS. Never let this music be lost to the compression algorithms of the cloud.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes regarding audio formats and discography organization. Always support the artist by purchasing official CDs and Blu-rays from Mascot Label Group.
The discography of the American supergroup Flying Colors between 2012 and 2020 represents a unique fusion of high-level progressive rock virtuosity and accessible pop-rock songwriting. Composed of virtuosos Mike Portnoy (drums), Steve Morse (guitar), Neal Morse (keyboards), Dave LaRue (bass), and Casey McPherson (vocals), the band has maintained a stable lineup dedicated to "complex music with accessible songwriting". Studio Albums (2012–2019)
The band's studio output is defined by a trilogy of albums released roughly five years apart.
The American supergroup Flying Colors—consisting of Steve Morse (Deep Purple, Dixie Dregs), Mike Portnoy (ex-Dream Theater, Transatlantic), Neal Morse (ex-Spock's Beard), Dave LaRue (Dixie Dregs), and vocalist Casey McPherson (Alpha Rev)—has defined a unique niche since 2012 by blending technical virtuosity with pop-accessible hooks.
For audiophiles and collectors, the "EAC-FLAC" designation refers to copies ripped using Exact Audio Copy, the industry standard for securing 100% bit-perfect digital replicas of original CDs. The Core Studio Discography (2012–2020)
Between 2012 and 2020, Flying Colors released three main studio albums, each expanding their signature "prog-pop" sound:
Flying Colors (2012): Their self-titled debut introduced the world to their eclectic style, featuring the fan-favorite epic "Infinite Fire" and the melodic single "Kayla".
Second Nature (2014): A more progressive-leaning effort that balanced hard rock with complex suites like "Open Up Your Eyes" and the three-part "Cosmic Symphony". released on September 18
Third Degree (2019): Their most recent studio outing, further refining the balance between complex arrangements and the emotional depth of McPherson's vocals. Essential Live Releases
The band is renowned for their live performances, often capturing their concerts in high-fidelity formats:
Flying Colors – Discography (2012-2020) – EAC-FLAC: A Masterclass in Progressive Rock Precision
In the pantheon of modern progressive rock, supergroups often promise much but deliver little. They are frequently plagued by clashing egos, scheduling conflicts, and a final product that sounds exactly like what it is: a contractual obligation. Flying Colors is the glorious exception.
Comprising four absolute titans of technical musicianship—Steve Morse (Deep Purple, Dixie Dregs) on guitar, Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater, Sons of Apollo) on drums, Dave LaRue (Dixie Dregs) on bass, and Neal Morse (Spock’s Beard, Transatlantic) on keyboards and vocals—the band needed only one more ingredient. They found it in the pop-infused, soulful tenor of Casey McPherson (Alpha Rev, Endochine). The result is a body of work that bridges the gap between intricate odd-time signatures and three-minute radio hooks.
For the audiophile and the archivist, the holy grail of this band’s catalog is the Flying Colors - Discography -2012-2020- -EAC-FLAC- collection. This is not merely a folder of MP3s; it is a reference-quality digital archive. Let’s dive deep into why this specific set, ripped via Exact Audio Copy (EAC) into Free Lossless Audio Codec (FLAC), represents the definitive way to experience this band’s evolution.
Technical Deep Dive
The centerpiece is the three-part suite "Peaceful Harbor" / "Cosmic Symphony". Spanning nearly 25 minutes, this track is a nightmare for standard CD players but a delight for the EAC-FLAC user.
- The "Silence" Test: "Peaceful Harbor" begins with ambient noise and extremely quiet piano. In an MP3, the noise floor raises, and you hear "flutter." In the Discography -2012-2020- -EAC-FLAC- rip, the silence is black. The attack of the first note is visceral.
- Bass Complexity: "Mask Machine" features a slap bass solo from LaRue that is often lost in car speakers. Through FLAC, you hear the pop of the strings against the fretboard.
Hidden Gem: The Japanese bonus track "Love Is What I’m Waiting For" is included in this discography set. Streamers do not have access to this track.
Why EAC-FLAC for Flying Colors?
- Dynamic Range: Flying Colors’ music moves from delicate piano whispers to full-band walls of sound. MP3’s psychoacoustic masking (cutting frequencies you “can’t hear”) destroys the transient detail of Portnoy’s kick drum and Morse’s pick attack. FLAC preserves the original CD’s 16-bit/44.1kHz fidelity.
- Error Correction: EAC reads each sector of the CD multiple times. Given that many Flying Colors CDs were pressed in limited runs (especially the Japanese editions), a standard iTunes rip might have uncorrected jitter or dropouts. An EAC rip guarantees a perfect 1:1 clone.
- Archival Quality: For fans of Neal Morse’s sprawling catalog or Steve Morse’s intricate picking, the ability to convert FLAC to any format (ALAC for iTunes, WAV for burning) without generational loss is priceless.
1. Flying Colors (2012)
The self-titled debut album, released on September 18, 2012, marked the beginning of Flying Colors' journey. The album features eight tracks, including "Astounded," "White Moth," and "The Enigma."
Vol. 1: The Self-Titled Debut (2012) – The Birth of a Hybrid
The 2012 debut, Flying Colors, was a risk. Mike Portnoy had just left Dream Theater, and the progressive metal world expected him to start a band that was heavier. Instead, they got a rainbow.
