Abloom

Band Of The Week: Centershift

It’s always fun and interesting when members of other bands you like team up to create a new band. When you take the certain members and they way they play and put it all together, the end result can be quite fulfilling and such is the case with the band of the week, Centershift. Centershift is the new band featuring Jasan Radford formerly of Onesidezero/Abloom on vocals/guitar, Ted Wenri from Bemus on bass and Michael Tarabotto who played in the last incarnation of Onesidezero. Together these three have created a tour de force of a new band. Speaking on the formation of the group, “Over the years, we got together, formulated songs and always knew we wanted to play together. Finally, through the stars aligning, we created Centershift,” says Radford. Inspired by the shared human experience, Centershift communicate the nuances of life through apexes of hearty, distorted guitar overlaid with intricate, mournful riffs and punctuated by biting, contemplative vocal-driven verses. “Everything comes from an emotional starting point,” explains Radford who shares lyric-writing with his bandmates to present a unified front.  “When we step on stage, we want the three of us to be playing that song because we all feel it internally.” When you listen to their first single “9,” you can really get a sense of the passion and impact this band has. The future is quite bright for Centershift!


Centershift- 9:



Centershift- 9 (on Spotify):

New Release: The Broken Stems- Take Me In (Live)

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I had the pleasure of seeing The Broken Stems open for Abloom back in September. They stood out not just because they were a different genre, but because of the passion and intensity they played with. Today they released their newest song and video entitled “Take Me In.” It’s a soothing, laid back song yet heavy in it’s lyrical connotation. Check it out!

The Broken Stems: Take Me In (Live)

End Of The Year List: Best Shows I’ve Attended In 2014

This is not part of the 1st annual Audioeclectica Awards. This is just a list of the top 10 concerts I’ve attended this year.

1. Nine Inch Nails @ Hollywood Bowl
2. Failure @ El Rey and Fonda
3. Abloom and With Our Arms To The Sun @ Velvet Jones
4. Corrections House and Author & Punisher @ Echoplex
5. Mastodon @ Club Nokia
6. Royal Blood and The Last Internationale @ Roxy
7. Chevelle and Black Map @ Wiltern
8. Palms @ Troubadour
9. Down @ Wiltern
10. Placebo @ Club Nokia

 

 

Live Review: Abloom

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When a band reunites after a long time, especially 10 years later, the expectations are very skeptical. But there are some instances when its as though the band never left. That’s exactly how it went down for the shows Abloom played this past weekend. Starting in Santa Barbara at Velvet Jones and then again at the Sunset Strip Music Festival, Abloom picked up right where they left off. The bands energy on stage mixed with the perfect setlist of their songs was awe inspiring. The dueling guitars of Levon Sultanian and Sonny Mayo (filling in for Mikey Doling) were beyond in sync. Roy Mayorga pounded away on his drums with authority while Marcello Dias’ bass thumped perfectly and Jasan Radfords vocals were top notch. When the band started playing, all the lyrics came back in my head as though it were 10 years ago. Those that remember them from way back really went all out during both shows. More on Abloom in a moment.

 

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Opening the show at Velvet Jones was The Broken Stems from San Diego. Their blend of indie rock, mixed with a laid back vibe fit perfectly against the back drop of Santa Barbara. Next up was the very fantastic With Our Arms To The Sun. Their sound encapsulates doom metal, sludge, and prog rock. These guys are beasts live. Think Tool meets Neurosis. The energy from their set radiated throughout the night. Their 35 minute set was smart and intriguing. They were the perfect band to be a part of the night. After them was Soma. They carried on with the energy of With Our Arms. All that momentum carried on to Abloom. The guys in Abloom came back with a vengeance. They don’t need much on stage since their repertoire of songs is unbeatable. Songs like “January 2nd,” “What You Came For,” “After That Quiet,” “So Softly,”  Blood Sweat and Tears,” and “Alone We Sing” have all been personal favorites of mine for years and they sounded great. Their sets at both Velvet Jones and Sunset Music Fest were on fire

It’s a breath of fresh air now that Abloom has returned. Now they can finish what the started properly. I can’t wait to see what comes next.

Abloom Setlist:

1. January 2nd
2. What You Came For
3. Nothing Left To Do
4. After That Quiet
5. Burnt Offerings
6. So Softly
7. Blood, Sweat & Tears
8. Cover Up
9. Along We Sing

 

 

 

By: Brian Lacy

Playlist 09.15.14

This weeks top 10 songs to enjoy

 

1. Abloom- After That Quiet (from Abloom Demos)

 

2. Chevelle- An Island (from La Gargola)

 

3. Failure- Daylight (from Fantastic Planet)

 

4. Mastodon- Ember City (from Once More Round The Sun)

 

5. Black Map- I’m Just The Driver (from Driver EP)

 

6. Placebo- Meds (from Meds)

 

7. Wovenwar- All Rise (from Wovenwar)

 

8. Godsmack- Something Different (from 1000 hp)

 

9. Incubus- The Warmth (from Make Yourself)

 

10. Down- Nothing In Return (from Down III: Over The Under)

 

By: Brian Lacy

 

Album Review: And We Are Them- City Of Ghosts

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It’s always a refreshing moment in any bands life when inspiration strikes and the end result is something to really be proud of. And We Are Them’s inspiration bug seemed to have hit them hard again and have just unleashed their newest EP City Of Ghosts. Continuing where their most recent release Align left off, City Of Ghosts takes a heavier approach to the music and lyrical content. Kicking off the EP is “So It Goes” which right out of the gate opens with a vocal urgency, then explodes with a heavy yet melodic sensibility. Next up is the very socially aware “Socialite.” This song shows off the melodic tinges of the band. The guitars from Nick Bradford and Chris Matalone really shine on this song as does the drums from Brian Hollenbeck and the slick bass from Jeff Chasin. “Next To Nothing” is bombastic and heavy. The amount of heavy that come with this song is constant. Vocally you can feel the emotion in the screams from Chris Matalone. “While You Sleep” closes out City Of Ghosts. This song is a bit of a departure but in a good way. It shows the growth of songwriting of the guys in the band. City Of Ghosts is the perfect direction for And We Are Them to go in. It’s well balanced between their influences and ability to captivate the listener. These songs are going to be beasts live. Speaking of live, September 19th at Velvet Jones (in Santa Barbara) And We Are Them are special guests of the reunited Abloom.

Pick up a copy via:

iTunes

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/city-of-ghosts-ep/id906051446

Bands Of The Week: Review

Instead of posting about a new band today, I thought it was a great idea to compile all the bands that have been featured here into one post for you all to check out in case you missed one.

Aeges 

https://www.facebook.com/aegesband

And We Are Them

https://www.facebook.com/AndWeAreThem

http://andwearethem.bandcamp.com/

Ghost Idols

http://ghostidols.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/GhostIdols

Lightsystem

http://lightsystem.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/lightsystem

http://www.lightsystem.us/

Open Hand

https://www.facebook.com/OpenHandRocks

http://www.reverbnation.com/openhand

Mossbreaker

Sidewave

https://www.facebook.com/Sidewave.music

http://sidewaveband.com/

Anakin

http://anakinmusic.com/

https://www.facebook.com/anakinmusic

http://anakinmusic.bandcamp.com/

Damn This Desert Air

https://www.facebook.com/damnthisdesertair

http://damnthisdesertair.bandcamp.com/

Interstelar

https://www.facebook.com/interstelarLA

http://interstelar.bandcamp.com/

http://interstelar.com/

HiddenAmongst Us

http://hiddenamongstus.com/

https://www.facebook.com/HiddenAmongstUs

http://hiddenamongstus.bandcamp.com/

City Of Ships

https://www.facebook.com/cityofships

http://cityofships.bandcamp.com/

Destroy Judas

http://destroyjudas.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/destroyjudas

New Cathedral

http://newcathedralband.com/

https://www.facebook.com/NewCathedralFL

Big Jesus

http://bigjesus.bandcamp.com/album/one

https://www.facebook.com/bigassjesus

http://www.thebigjesus.com/

Dekades

http://dekadesofficial.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Dekadesofficial

http://dekades.bandcamp.com/

Spirit In The Room

https://www.facebook.com/spiritintheroomsounds

https://soundcloud.com/spirit-in-the-room

Machines Learning

https://www.facebook.com/machineslearning

http://machineslearning.bandcamp.com/

Digicide

https://www.facebook.com/Digicide

http://digicide.bandcamp.com/album/far-from-home

Obliterations

https://www.facebook.com/Obliterations

http://obliterations.bandcamp.com/

Barrows

http://barrowstheband.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/BarrowsTheBand

Wild Throne

https://www.facebook.com/wildthrone

http://wildthrone.bandcamp.com/

http://www.wildthrone.com/

Goldsboro

https://www.facebook.com/goldsboroband

http://www.goldsboroband.com/

With Our Arms To The Sun

http://www.withourarmstothesun.com/

https://www.facebook.com/WithOurArmsToTheSun

Abloom

https://www.facebook.com/abloomband

He Whose Ox Is Gored

https://www.facebook.com/hewhoseoxisgoredseattle

http://hewhoseoxisgored.bandcamp.com/

Silver Snakes

http://www.yearofthesnakes.com/

https://www.facebook.com/yearofthesnakes

http://bridge9.bandcamp.com/album/year-of-the-snake

Disquiet

http://www.reverbnation.com/disquietsongs/songs

https://www.facebook.com/Disquietsongs

http://www.disquietsongs.com

Young Hunter

http://younghunter.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Young-Hunter/127424170682508

Black Map

http://www.blackmapmusic.com/

https://www.facebook.com/blackmapmusic

http://blackmapmusic.bandcamp.com/album/driver

Playlist for Today

I thought I’d try something different today. I’ve selected a few songs that I’ve been really into as of late. Some are new and some are old. Enjoy!

Seether- Crash from Isolate and Medicate:

Mastodon (ft Scott Kelly of Neurosis)- Diamonds In The Witch House from Once More Round The Sun:

Down- Conjure from Down IV Part II

Chevelle- Ouija Board from La Gargola

Black Map- I’m Just The Driver from the Driver EP

Abloom- After That Quiet from their 2004 sampler

Dekades- Malnurished from the 1.1 EP

Failure- Daylight from Fantastic Planet

Killswitch Engage- You Don’t Bleed For Me from Disarm The Descent

Royal Blood- Come On Over from the Out Of The Black EP

Black Light Burns- Stop A Bullet from Cruel Melody

Nine Inch Nails- Right Where It Belongs from With Teeth

Band Of The Week: Abloom

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In 2004 there was a band that broke onto the Los Angeles music scene and turned it upside down. They had all the right elements of melody, heaviness, sultry sounds, and a live performance that rivaled any big name. Abloom was formed by Jasan Radford and Levon Sultanian of One Side Zero, Mikey Doling, Roy Mayorga and Marcello Dias (Who all played together in Soulfly amongst other bands). Now in 2014 they have returned in a revitalized form to decimate audiences. The first song they released back then was “What You Came For,” a great track with tons of emotion and intricacies. The other song released ” After That Quiet” has that genuine sensual melody mixed with sultry vocals, all the while still packing quite a punch. There are some other songs of theirs floating around the interweb, and its definitely worth searching out! During their time the first go around, I saw them at least a dozen times (I’m not kidding). They are that good!!

What  You Came For:

 

After That Quiet:

 

By: Brian Lacy