Let me start out by saying that Eternal Essence absolutely rocks. This is so good, I have to grab my pair of Sennhiser headphones for another listen while I write. My initial impression of this band was that it was heavily influenced by Dream Theater. You can just feel it in the mix–especially if you focus on EJ’s machine like tight drum work, which is just all around superb. The use of piano and synth throughout, which provides a backdrop to work with, helped to give each piece a lot of genuine atmosphere and character. Even the bassist brings something to the table, interjecting subtle details of noted intricacy that add a nice touch when needed. The guitar work, which is oddly well tempered for a band of this genre of music, keeps with the spirit of the overall thematic approach that this band has crafted so well from one song to the next. And if I had to hazard to go out on a limb, I would risk saying that this band is going to continue to put out more awesome sounding tracks. In fact, I look forward to it. But, don’t take my word for it. I urge you to have a listen for yourself. And be sure to drop me a message to let me know what you think about Eternal Essence.

To check out Eternal Essence, please visit:
http://www.myspace.com/eternalessence

  This one man band, namely Guy chambers, from the UK is too much.  The sound effects are eerie, the beat is hypnotic, and the overall feel is like being drug underground and left in a dark cement walled tunnel with the echoes still bouncing around in your head to prove it.  In other words, it’s a little like the last meeting I had with my shrink.  But, I had the volume on my headset as high as it would go in order to catch the full experience.  I might not recover from that for a couple of days.   Fortunately, I had enough ear wax build up to prevent me from receiving permanent inner ear damage.

  At times the drum and bass parts verged on feeling a little repetitive, but the ear candy produced from the nicely layered sounds kept the tracks from getting stale, as can often happen with music in this genre.  I think the trick to keeping that from being a problem–especially if you want to maintain a repetitive feel for dance purposes–is to introduce some high pitched sounds in various counter timed segments to gently lead the audience’s attention away on a tangent.  It’s like, you almost expect to hear a plot builder in the background, such as a bit of subtle piano work walking about, to give the sense that there is something lurking in the shadows.  But, I digress.  The work of Quantum Soul is definitely something I would urge my readers to check out.

To check out Quantum Soul, please visit:
http://www.myspace.com/quantumsoul

This week I stumbled across a group named Thyateira, a curious band from Crystal Lake, Illinois. I’m going to be honest with you right up front. I have rather mixed feelings about this band (whose name I assume comes from the fourth church of the book of Revelation chapter 2). I think this band has a lot of artistic potential that it should bring to the surface. I was on their myspace page listening to their tracks, and in the first song that came up, there was a brief passage where they kicked the growlers out of the room and actually tried to sing normally. For that brief moment, I started to feel as if this band had some sense of a purpose and maybe even something meaningful to say with their music. But, that connection was short lived, because the growling and shouting returned throughout the rest of my listening experience. Now, I will admit, when I was much younger, this sort of disconnect would not have struck me as being so odd. That is to say, given my rather detached anti-social outlook on life at that time. And let’s face it, the message that a band intends to send with their music is not always conveyed through the words themselves, even if you can actually make out what the singer is saying. But, here is what strikes me so funny about this band. And it is worthy of noting, for its musical value, if for nothing else. As I tuned out the shouting and growling to get beyond the surface of the music, it surprised me that there was this layer of nicely orchestrated lead guitar playing, over a tonally crafted driven rhythm. At times the feel of the lead was somewhat neoclassical in form. Which I truly think was a brilliant touch. There were also a few nicely used studio sound tricks in the mix from time to time that grabs the hearer and let’s go in a way that makes you pause, if you take the time to notice them. But, this dramatic difference between what you get on the surface and what you find when you explore what is going on beneath was something of a paradox to me as a listener. I mean, was that intentionally planned to turn out that way, or did it just turn out that way? Where I think it is difficult to create music in this genre is that as a band you have to decide what is more important. Is it the sheer force of raw power that you are trying to convey to your audience, or is your goal to be artistically inclined musicians first? I don’t think there is any right or wrong answer to that question, but I do find that the bands who back off the raw power and approach the creative process from a more musically appealing perspective, learn to get a far better balance in their final product than those bands which don’t. But, then again, I am speaking from personal preference. So, be sure to check out Thyateira this week and drop me an email to let me know what you think.

To check out Thyateira, please visit:
http://www.myspace.com/thyateira

It is time for all my loyal readers to join me inside the fall out shelter for a special announcement. It is my pleasure to present to you the axe master from Budapest Hungary, Jonas Tamas. In the short time I’ve known about Jonas, I’ve just been amazed by his ability to handle a guitar. Normally, I tend to be quite critical of instrumental guitarists. Many who go down the instrumental path tend to spend too much time focusing on extreme lead playing and forget that the goal is to actually bring a balance to the music that aims to be appealing to the audience. What makes Jonas different is that he has a very deep sense of how to develop the landscape he intends to play against from one song to the next. When he brings up the lead, you can really hear him deliver a flawless performance as he dazzles you with engaging musical phrases and a superior picking technique that will leave you speechless.

On the occasions that I have had the pleasure to speak with Jonas over email, I have found him to be a person who truly appreciates his fans. And it is because he exhibits this quality, along with being a superb musician, that I believe he is deserving of your support. Recently, Jonas has released a new album called, “Sharp Guitars From A Flat Planet.” It’s a project that I know Jonas has put a lot of hard work and effort into, as I followed his updates on the various stages of the recording project over the last few months, reading the many comments he left for his fans on Facebook along the way. The somewhat haunting lead on Mosquito Bite and the emotional energy in the track Tight Squeeze, really stand out as works that demonstrate that Jonas has a dynamically melodic side as well as an ability to shred with the best instrumental guitarists around. So, be sure to pick up the album from CDBaby by following the link on our main page.

  Normally, I’m used to bands like Operatika having a male singer fronting the group.  Forget that!  Definitely better sounding with a woman fronting the band.  Seriously, you’re going to want to give the volume knob on your stereo a turn to that Spinal Tap #11 for Slava Popova’s memorable vocals.  I should also note that Bill Visser’s stellar performance on guitar is, shall we say, fast, furious, melodic, and flawless.  I’d hate to be doing his daily metronome work out.  I bet he plays guitar in his sleep just to keep his fingers in the zone like that.   So, for those of you who are into that over the top metal symphony sound, Operatika is definitely the band you should be checking out.

To check out Operatika for yourself, please visit:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=11579189

    Does your band have a profile on Roadie Rage?  If not, don’t leave your fans waiting another moment.  To create your Roadie Rage artist profile, visit:

  www.roadierage.com

After listening to this band, you might want to talk your pastor into booking them to play at your next church function. Okay, that might be a little too much for the old blue haired folks who sleep in the back rows. The reality is that Theocracy truly rocks. The rhythms are powerful and tight, the singing is melodic and orchestral, and you can’t help but move to the music. Before I forget, it is about time that someone put Frosty and Rudolph in their place. You will just have to listen to their Christmas song to know what i mean. Although, I would have liked to have heard them put Santa in his place too. They sound like Dream Theater meets Savatage with richer vocals. So, I definitely recommend checking these guys out, if you are into fast heavy metal with great singing.

To check out Theocracy, please visit:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=150053352

Get your band featured on Roadie Rage and help your local fans keep in touch with your events. Visit Roadie Rage, create an artist profile, and add your latest events to our area specific bulletin board. To get started, visit:

www.roadierage.com

Eventually, the bug is going to bite and you are going to want to enhance your guitar sound with pitch shifting and harmonizer effects. Of course, if you are a normal human being, you won’t likely be able to afford an Eventide Harmonizer. But, even if you don’t have a ton to spend on effects, you can still get your hands on a decent pedal or rack that can give you pitch shifting and harmonizer capabilities for a reasonable price. What is a harmonizer?

INTRO TO HARMONIZERS AND PITCH SHIFTERS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcXnB1MsjKI&feature=PlayList&p=8792948706480727&playnext=1&index=23

Okay, now that you know what a harmonizer is, let’s check out one that I think sounds a bit smoother than the last one we heard.
BOSS GT10 HARMONIZER DEMOS

Here are a couple more demos of the Boss GT10 unit in action.

Another Boss product that you can use to do harmonizer type of effects is the Harmonist pedal.

BOSS HARMONIST PEDAL

DigiTech has also released a number of harmonizers over the years, and this next product might be just what the doctor ordered to help your rig out.

DIGITECH HARMONY MAN

This next video demonstrates how to use pitch shifting with other effects to produce some interesting sounds.

PITCH SHIFTING WITH DELAY AND VOLUME SWELL EFFECTS

I hope this little demonstration about harmonizers and pitch shifters has been helpful. This is one of those types of effects that can dramatically change your overall sound if used properly. Also, be sure to check out many different types of harmonizers and pitch shifters before purchasing one. Although technology in this area has improved dramatically, the truth is that a lot of harmonizers on the market are simply not very good. So, you really have to watch what you get.

  Maybe this is a sign.  The second band from Florida I’m reviewing in a row.  Actually, I had never heard of them before, but someone sent me an email and told me to check Megaphone out.  I always take my talent scout’s requests seriously, and so I dropped on to their MySpace page for a quick listen.  It’s the kind of rock that goes well with driving to the beach on a hot summer’s day.  The rhythm is steady and the lead guitarist isn’t afraid to kick on the wah/wah from time to time to bring in a little of that old school talent missing in much of modern rock.   I can kind of hear a little Foo Fighters influence in their work, and enjoy when they kick off the juice and let the acoustic artistry come out and play.  It’s rock with a good vibe that your friends will enjoy too.  So, I hope my readers will give Megaphone a listen.  They are certainly a great sounding band.  And don’t forget to vote for them.
To find out more about Megaphone, visit:
www.megaphonemusic.net

  Roadie Rage is looking for new bands to join our online music network.  Don’t keep your fans waiting.  To create an artist profile, please visit: www.roadierage.com

BAND: MATADOR
TYPE OF MUSIC: Indie Alternative Rock
ATOMIC RATING: 5 Mushroom Clouds

I was having a really rough morning the other day, wading through a ton of audio crap and otherwise mediocre bands, when I stumbled upon the music of Matador. As usual, myspace was slow to respond and acted like it didn’t want to serve their music up. I was almost ready to bolt off the page, when finally the sound started pouring into my ears. Pulling my hands off the keys, I leaned back in my chair to have a listen. And then it hit me. Here is a band that really gets it.

What I really like about this band is that you can actually feel the distance because of how the lyrics were brought down in the mix to blend more closely with the instruments than usual on some of their tracks. Their songs sound like dark waves of depression mingled with a teasing glimpse of hope that could fade and die out at any moment. It’s like music I look forward to listening to when cuddling with my ex-girlfriend after she said it was over for the last time. It just has that sort of intimate quality to it, like you are supposed to share the listening experience with someone you know on a deeper level.

It will be interesting to see how this band chooses to grow artistically as it continues to write and release tunes. So, I highly recommend that my readers check out Matador and share the listening experience with someone close.

To find out more about Matador, please visit:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=17796657

You asked for it and Roadie Rage delivered. Bands can now swap gigs in the brand spanking new Roadie Rage business directory. Be one of the first bands to use our new gig swapping feature. To get started, visit: www.roadierage.com

Well you may just be wondering, well who is this guy? Well to better understand who I am go and check out my bio under the Bio(Hazard) tab on the main page of Atomic Finger. Well enough about me for now. Lets talk about you! Whether you are an artist, band or musician you will definitely take something from this blog. I hear all the time from artists, bands and musicians that they are not getting enough people coming to their shows or their different websites. Well by know you know that your message is not being heard even though you have a lot of “friends” on your sites and even talking to people by word of mouth. I am going to give you the straight, legit, real answer right now. Saturation and lack of business education!

Yes, saturation, I said it, so lets talk about this problem first. You’re probably asking, what’s this guy talking about? Well as a matter of fact I had a business meeting yesterday with one of my music industry contacts and this very exact matter was discussed. My contact admitted that every artist, band and musician needs to get back to an intimacy level with their fans if they have not started doing so yet. Ok, you might be saying now, this guy is weird, talking about being intimate with my fans. Well it’s not that kind of intimacy if that is what you are thinking, there are some similarities, but I will explain further. What I am talking about is having a real one on one relationship with your fans, even if you are engaging them as a big group. Heres an example, lets say you are putting on a show and in between sets your band takes a break, you see some fans that were truly rocking out during your show. Go and talk to some of them, ask them what they think of the show, maybe give out a free cd or two, ask them if they filled out their information on the emailing list so they can be updated about the band. Point is, treat them like people, show them a genuine side of you and your band, build that distinct relationship with them! Here’s another example, why don’t you and your band put on an on going weekly live video blog and talk to the fans and let the fans know what you guys are doing!

The point is, is that everyone wants to feel like they are a part of something. It is up to you to find that niche with your twist and touch on it. That is also part of branding, which I will discuss in another blog. At the end of the day you want your genuine fans to talk, blog, email, whatever about what you are doing like a virus. Don’t just go on your social networking sites and get tons of people on your sites just for the numbers. Yes it may take a little longer to develop fans this way, but the overall outcome and pace you set may not be as slow as you think. Plus doesn’t it make since to build your fans locally and have a following where you are at then to barely have anyone know you here or where you trying to go distant. I have been in the music industry a while and not only does this make sense, but if your big picture is to try to make it big and have companies wanting to get at you with lots of money, then you have got to make sure that you are worth what ever the risk by showing you have fans, (who are the market), following you. Your fans are the backbone of your movement, without them you don’t exist. Remember it is about staying true to who you are, but is also all about your fans.

 By: Derrick Heffner (2009)