Being As An Ocean at Baltimore Soundstage - 3/24/17

[caption id="attachment_16175" align="aligncenter" width="6016"] Being As An Ocean at Baltimore Soundstage[/caption]
Written and photographed by Robin Ervolina for Shockwave Magazine
Last October I was running around Champions Park in Louisville, KY trying to capture as many bands with my camera as possible. With the usual killer Louder Than Life line up, the last thing I needed was to try to squeeze in a band I'd didn't know, but I kept hearing over and over, "Don't miss Being As An Ocean!" In the literal sense of the word, I was plowed over by two kids racing to the stage an hour before the performance to ensure they were right on the rail. As my daughter (and music guru) helped dust me off, she said, "I told you, they're kind of a big deal." So I cleaned my lens, soothed my wounded ego with a warm whiskey, then headed to the small side stage to see what the fuss was about.
The rest, as it's so fun to say, is history. Enthralled by the communion between lead vocalist Joel Quartuccio and the crowd, I barely shot a thing, and wasn't sorry in the least as I traded images for memories. When Being as an Ocean announced a tour with Enter Shikari, I told everyone I was flying up to Baltimore for a chance to re-do the photo shoot. The truth of the matter is, I made the trip because I needed to experience them again, to see if the mystical aura surrounding their performance, capturing their fans, and spellbinding new observers, was a fluke.
So, it wasn't.
As the slide show to follow will attest, capturing Quartuccio on camera is a challenge because the man does not wish to stay on stage, nor does he pay attention to anything but his fans. His passionate delivery is absolutely unique. Many vocalists are enthusiastic about their lyrics, and they sing or recite with conviction. That's common, but that's not what I'm talking about. There is something special about Quartuccio's connection to his prose and his people. If you know the words to any of his songs, he will seek you out and thrust his mic in your face. If you recite his poetry along with him, you will find yourself forehead to forehead, joining in the sentiment, screaming out the message. Lots of fans love lots of bands, but I've never seen a band more in love with their fans than Being As An Ocean.
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Being As An Ocean is:
Joel Quartuccio
Tyler Ross
Ralph Sica
Michael McGough
Jesse Shelley

Meet Me At The Gates: Life In Two

By Robin Ervolina
With a high-energy string orchestration and a passionate screaming vocal intro, I’m introduced to Meet Me at The Gates’ EP Life in Two. Pleased to meet you indeed. 
Metal chore outfit Meet Me at The Gates was formed in 2014 and debuted shortly thereafter via YouTube. After a break between vocalists, they resurfaced with Life in Two, their five song EP released in November of 2016. 
The opening tune “Genesis” is a short introduction to the “who” of Meet Me at The Gates. Following on its heels is “Reborn,” which continues the promise of their genre with a metal drum kick and powerful dirty vocals. Coming in at the chorus is our first taste of clean vocalist Derek Ruggia, and his sweet tone is right in my personal wheelhouse. The back and forth pushing and pulling of these two styles of delivery fill all the holes in my soul. The music is driving, and yeah again, I love Ruggia’s voice, but Matt Parham’s vocals are noteworthy to say the least. His scream at the end of “Dead Horizon” is frankly chilling and expertly delivered. I’m reminded of the old Bring Me the Horizon before Oli blew out his chords. 
“Overthrown” has a wicked laugh that also sort of makes me pull the covers up over my eyes, but thankfully Ruggia lures me back. (Oh, who am I kidding? I love a good scream). Closing out the EP is the title track, “Life in Two,” which takes us out as gently and powerfully as the opening tune led us into the album. Life in Two presents a perfect circle of aptitude, emotion, and vulnerability.
Meet Me at The Gates fits into their genre with ease. I would urge you to consider Life in Two as an introduction to a very talented group of guys who are ready to steal the stage from their contemporaries. 
You can check out the video for title track Life in Two here:

Life in Two is available for download at this iTunes link.
Meet Me At The Gates is:
Derek Ruggia - Clean Vocals/Guitar
Matt Parham - Screams
Jason LeBouton - Lead Guitar
Isaiah Prather - Bass
Joey Markey - Drums

Demon Hunter: Outlive

By Robin Ervolina
Demon Hunter, a band that needs little introduction for metal heads across the world, has just unleashed their eighth studio album, Outlive, and it is an album worthy of their legacy. Notably more thrash-heavy than many of their prior releases, Outlive has a darker, edgier vibe than their previous works. It seems to rely more heavily on religious imagery and symbolism than their previous works, proving as they have before that God is most definitely metal.
Demon Hunter sports a more somber tone than their Christian contemporaries like Thousand Foot Krutch, Skillet, and P.O.D, especially through their latest vehicle of sound, Outlive. Their Loudwire premier of “Died in My Sleep” is clear evidence of this tone, both audibly and visibly.

Demon Hunter touts “Cold Winter Sun” as their favorite on the new album. With its heavy rifts and visceral, dark message about humanity, it’s easy to see why their tonal shift to a more thrash heavy album is needed to carry their message of humanity’s fate and the perils we face in this world.

While the band’s message has always been cryptically ominous, Outlive sees this take an even darker turn in songs like “Jesus Wept” and “Half as Dead.”
 The album has been highly anticipated, as it is the longest fans have had to wait between albums since the band’s inception in 2001. No one listens to a Demon Hunter album expecting cheery disposition and a warm hug of solidarity. This album keeps acute listeners thinking with their continual message of not accepting the status quo and maintaining a high level of self-awareness into the human experience, keeping the mood necessarily solemn and dire. If you were itching for the familiar sound of Demon Hunter with a new twist and evolved message, Outlive should be the next purchase in your portfolio.

Art of Anarchy: The Madness

By Robin Ervolina
We’re going to address the elephant in the room.
If you’ve followed the saga of Scott Stapp in the last few years, you’re up to speed; if you haven’t, it’s fine because Stapp wrote a cryptic tell-all into the lyrics of each song on The Madness, the new Art of Anarchy CD releasing 3/24/17.
Art of Anarchy was started by brothers Jon (guitar) and Vince (drums) Votta, along with former Guns 'N Roses guitarist Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal and Disturbed bassist John Moyer. Though Scott Weiland denied being a member of the band, he laid vocals and wrote much of the lyrical content of AOA’s first eponymous release. For their sophomore album, AOA tapped Scott Stapp, best known as the vocalist and frontman for Creed, to take up the cross. Unlike his predecessor, he’s proud to be the new singer for supergroup Art of Anarchy. Of the collaboration, Stapp states, “It’s Disturbed meets Guns N' Roses meets Creed.” I couldn’t disagree more. Each artist brings with them individual talents and influences that blend so well, the only sound that truly stands out is Scott Stapp resurrecting his career.
The first track, “Echo of a Scream” is slightly eerie as Stapp comes out of the gate channeling Weiland in tone and attitude. With a sing-and-whisper delivery, he croons right up to “I’m just imitating the man they want me to be,” before breaking into his familiar timbre, owning the song in his own right. If this is an analogy for The Madness, it’s well played. Have any Creed fan listen to “No Surrender” and “A Light In Me” and they’re going to hear Creed. There’s no way around it. Stapp has a definitive voice, and it’s for this reason I’m going to give him a little latitude as he navigates his post-Creed endeavor, experimenting with his vocals in songs such as “1000 Degrees” and “Dancing With The Devil.” Highlights are first release “The Madness” and “Somber.” Prose is carefully constructed and woven into some radio-ready melodies with great chord progressions. "Somber" damn near breaks me each time I play it, with Stapp's vulnerability more natural than in the requisite ballad and mea culpa, "Changed Man."
If you’re like me, you’re going to listen to The Madness to hear Stapp, and that's okay. Listen again, and you're going to recognize Moyer’s driving bass line and some signature Bumblefoot riffs. When you listen a third time, it all clicks. You’ll hear a supergroup that’s done a super job of bringing their collective strengths to the table to produce a cohesive sound. There’s no denying the addition of Stapp has changed the sound, perhaps even the direction of Art Of Anarchy. Whether or not Stapp is truly back remains to be seen. If his musical contributions, lyrically and spiritually, are any indication, the answer is yes, the kid may very well be fine.
Art of Anarchy is releasing 3/24/17 and is available for download.

Halestorm: ReAniMate 3.0: The CoVeRs eP

By Robin Ervolina
Nobody gives a better cover than Halestorm; and so it was, with squeals of delight, I dug into their latest cover project ReAniMate 3.0: The CoVeRs eP. I mean, just take a look at this track list:

• Still Of The Night (Originally Performed By Whitesnake)
• Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover (Originally Performed By Sophie B. Hawkins)
• I Hate Myself For Loving You  (Originally Performed By Joan Jett & The Blackhearts)
• Heathens (Originally Performed By twenty one pilots)
• Fell On Black Days (Originally Performed By Soundgarden)
• Ride The Lightning (Originally Performed By Metallica)

Lzzy Hale and crew tackle each song fearlessly, which is probably the least surprising verb I can use to describe Halestorm, the four-piece rock band from Red Lion, Pennsylvania. Tiny powerhouse Lzzy Hale, with her stilettos and double-neck Gibson, electrifies the stage while her brother Arejay dominates the kit behind her, in a blur of sticks, hair, and animated showmanship.
ReAniMate 3.0: The CoVeRs eP is not a karaoke cover EP. This is not someone singing someone else's songs. It's important to note, if you missed ReAniMate 1.0 and 2.0, that Halestorm does not simply cover a song; as the title infers, they reanimate. Taking a tune and injecting it with a stylized vibe is a gift this writer is so grateful to receive. With a powerful purr turned roar, Lzzy opens ReAniMate 3.0: The CoVeRs eP. Her rough and sexy tumble with “Still Of The Night” doesn’t just hold a candle to the original, it outshines it. “I Wish I Was your Lover,” a song I personally detest, is not only bearable under a Lzzy spell, it’s infectious. I hate myself for loving it. Meanwhile, “I Hate Myself For Loving You” features some wicked skins by one of rocks most animated drummers, Arejay, who leads the way for his sister’s grinding guitar licks and soulful vocals. On current Sirius Octane rotation is my personal favorite of ReAniMate 3.0: The CoVeRs eP, twenty one pilot’s “Heathens.” This pop hit is repurposed with absolute intention. The creepy, sinister lyrics are given just the right treatment, causing the hairs on my arms to take note. Does Lzzy sing or play guitar better? “Fell On Black Days” fails to answer that question, featuring some amazing vocals and guitar solos. “Ride The Lightening” closes out this showcase with wicked delight.
I don’t know if Halestorm picks their covers according to their strengths or if they can just cover any damn thing. Either way, the grit and strength personified in ReAniMate 3.0: The CoVeRs eP is a masters class in respect. It’s no wonder the biggest acts in rock happily hand over their song children to the care and feeding of Halestorm, time and time again.
You can download a copy of ReAniMate 3.o: The CoVeRs eP here.

Långfinger: Crossyears

By Robin Ervolina
I don’t always stay ahead of the game. With dozens of CD reviews to sort daily, a few good acts inevitably slip through my fingers. Because I devour music like a starving wanderer in the desert of song, I listen to everything eventually. When something truly remarkable sneaks by me, I own it.
So here it is. I missed one ... a good one, actually ... a tantalizing, seductive set of songs by Gothenburg stoner trio Långfinger, Crossyears.
Långfinger's third album, Crossyears, dropped in September of 2016. With its long luscious guitar solos and groovy psychedelic vibrations, Crossyears slithers through your earbuds and slides into your soul. Some songs tap into your lazy daisy side, while others whisper a "come hither" to your stripper Daisy self, like title track “Crossyears.” “Last Morning Light,” is a metric ton of hands in the air, tune out, lava lamp goodness, featuring a growling vocalist doing his damnest to tap into your primal bad girl.
The electric trio of Crusher, Lilja and Pihl have been honing their sound since their early teens and have locked into something intensely spiritual. If you’re looking to awaken your inner sultry, slip into something sexy and download or stream Crossyears now.
Långfinger is:
Victor Crusner: bass, lead vocals, keys and additional guitar
Kalle Lilja: guitars, percussive stuff and backing vocals
Jesper Pihl: drums and percussion.

Dear Evan Hansen Original Cast Recording

By Robin Ervolina
How many times can you listen to the soundtrack for Dear Evan Hansen from beginning to end, without a break?
I’m going on ten, thank you very much.
Dear Evan Hansen is the latest Broadway smash … oh wait, you didn’t know we covered theater? We don’t exactly, but we do cover phenomenal, and this soundtrack is nothing short of it. The Atlantic Records Original Broadway Cast Recording was produced by Pete Ganbarg (Hamilton) and features music and lyrics by Benj Hasek and Justin Paul, the duo that recently received two Academy Award “Best Original Song” nominations for their work on La La Land. Based on the novel by Obie Award-winner Steven Levenson, this sensitive and witty bit of ear candy locks and loads all the arrows in Cupid’s quiver and shoots them straight into your heart.
From the opening (and so painfully familiar) confessional “Anybody Have a Map?” to the finale, you’re given a glimpse of the plot of Dear Evan Hansen without any of the spoilers, unless you consider cast chemistry a spoiler, in which case, DEAD GIVE AWAY. Each song along the storyline is beautifully crafted from lyric to melody. Star Ben Platt (Book of Mormon, Pitch Perfect) shines first in “Waving Through A Window.” It's here we meet his character Evan, so tragically self-aware of his invisibility. “Requiem” stealthily draws tears with it’s sweet delivery by Laura Dreyfuss and Jennifer Laura Thompson, anchored by the solid third in this trio, Michael Park. If Platt didn't prove his pipes prior, "Words Fail" leave no doubt he is a vocalist and a star. Though there are many gems, the crown jewel of this soundtrack is “What About Us,” a refreshingly original song about the oldest topic in the world, love. The lyrical mastery of Hasek and Paul paint love the way it’s supposed to be. Platt and Dreyfuss electrify their canvas with vocal purity. Spoiler Alert: CHEMISTRY

You can stream/purchase the Dear Evan Hansen soundtrack here, and not for nothing, it garnered the highest charting debut position for an original cast album since 1961. The physical just became available today, but I’ll be getting my hands on a copy when I see Dear Evan Hansen in person next week.
What makes a metal head break protocol and review a Broadway soundtrack?
Dear Evan Hansen, thank you very much. No really. Thank you.

"A letter that was never meant to be seen, a lie that was never meant to be told, a life he never dreamed he could have. Evan Hansen is about to get the one thing he’s always wanted: a chance to finally fit in. Both deeply personal and profoundly contemporary, DEAR EVAN HANSEN is a new American musical about life and the way we live it."

 The cast of DEAR EVAN HANSEN includes Obie Award-winner Ben Platt, Laura Dreyfuss, Rachel Bay Jones, Jennifer Laura Thompson, Mike Faist, Michael Park, Will Roland and Kristolyn Lloyd, and Michael Lee Brown, Garrett Long, Olivia Puckett, Colton Ryan, and Asa Somers.

Track Listing

Anybody Have a Map? - Rachel Bay Jones & Jennifer Laura Thompson

Waving Through a Window - Ben Platt & Cast

For Forever - Ben Platt

Sincerely, Me - Mike Faist, Ben Platt & Will Roland

Requiem - Laura Dreyfuss, Michael Park & Jennifer Laura Thompson

If I Could Tell Her - Ben Platt & Laura Dreyfus

Disappear - Mike Faist, Ben Platt, Kristolyn Lloyd, Will Roland, Jennifer Laura Thompson, Michael Park, and Laura Dreyfuss

You Will Be Found - Ben Platt, Kristolyn Lloyd, Will Roland, Laura Dreyfuss & cast

To Break In a Glove - Michael Park & Ben Platt

Only Us - Laura Dreyfuss & Ben Platt

Good For You - Rachel Bay Jones, Kristolyn Lloyd, Will Roland & Ben Platt

Words Fail - Ben Platt

So Big/So Small - Rachel Bay Jones