Sometimes it's hard to separate awesome underground bands from crappy ones. Contributor James Zalucky is willing to take one for the team and go through our massive collection of demos from unsigned artists and every now and then, pick one he likes and pitch you on why you should like them. Here is the first installment:
Terrella
Terrella is a heavy art-rock band from Eastern Connecticut. Drawing on influences both heavy and progressive: they take interwoven guitar and piano arrangements, with layers of female and male vocals, all on top of a heavy metal rhythm section. Their influences include bands like Cult of Luna, Queens of the Stone Age, Katatonia, Tool, and Isis; along with heavier acts like Opeth, Dimmu Borgir, and System of a Down. Terrella approaches music by keeping the intensity and energy of metal, while using melody and progressive arrangements to go beyond its borders.
Why You Should Care
While being an experimental band, Terrella strives to make every song compelling and memorable. This is saying a lot, considering many art-rock bands seem to alienate an audience rather than engage them. I've seen the band live several times and have witnessed their tight musicianship and charismatic stage presence. Each member shows a solid command of his or her instrument, and adds something unique to the band's sound. When I knew that they were going to use both female and male vocals, I felt a little apprehensive. Any metal fan knows how cliche' the mix had become in recent years, but when I first saw them live, I realized I had nothing to worry about. They manage the mix of male/female vocals very well, aided of course by the talent of both vocalists. Their sound is at once dark, dramatic, complex, and yet still very accessible. If you like smart, progressive rock but still want all the ferocious energy of a metal band, then you need to hear Terrella.
About The Band
The band formed in the Winter of 2009, after the members attended the University of Connecticut together. At the time, front-man Bryan Conway and bassist Anthony Wazley had been playing together for a few years. However, it was not until all members were assembled that their sound took shape. The name Terrella literally means "little Earth", referencing the metal spheres that physicists once used to explore the activity of magnetic fields. The name is a good example of their use of scientific terms as metaphors in their lyrics. This becomes even more evident when looking at song titles like Aphelion, Strange Attractors, and House of Tomorrow. Or it just means they're simply a bunch of science/physics nerds who like to write about giant squids. Nothing wrong with that. Anyway, here is the current lineup:
Nate Bean — drums
Bryan Conway — vocals, guitar
Emmy Neumann — vocals, keys
Anthony Wazley — bass guitar
Karl James Ifert-Miller – guitar
Convinced?
Terrella is currently working on a full-length album, set for independent release this September. They have demo tracks up on their website and also have videos up on their youtube channel. If you live in or around CT, then be sure to check them out at their upcoming live concerts. If you are interested in booking them for a show elsewhere, then find the contact info below. To stay up on everything happening with the band, go to the following sites:
Myspace: myspace.com/terrellaband
Official: http://terrellaband.com
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/terrellaband
Contact: [email protected]
