User:Benvenue

BENVENUE DRIVES HARD ROCK DOWN A NEW STREET.

ON THEIR DEBUT RELEASE, JEAN ELIZABETH, THE SAN FRANCISCO QUARTET SEGUES FROM STAGGERING RIFFS INTO SOARING MELODIES WITHOUT EVER BREAKING STRIDE. DUE OUT OCTOBER 5TH, THE EP CONJURES HARD-HITTING GROOVES AND ANTHEMIC HOOKS, PAVING THE WAY FOR AN UNDENIABLE SOUND. TRACKS LIKE "SHE DID" ROLL WITH RUMBLING RHYTHMS, WHILE "21/8" MEANDERS FROM INCENDIARY TO INFECTIOUS. SID SLATER'S INTRICATE FRETWORK NODS TO MIND-BENDING MODERN METAL, WHILE FRANCIS BLAYâ€™S VOICE HYPNOTIZES ON "NO WAY." DRUMMER MOON AND BASSIST TOMMY ALDO SONIN BUILD AN UNBREAKABLE FOUNDATION, AND BENVENUE STANDS FORMIDABLE WITH EVERY NOTE.

BENVENUE WAS MEANT TO MAKE MUSIC. FRANCIS AND SID PLAYED COLLEGE FOOTBALL TOGETHER IN BERKELEY. EVEN THOUGH THEY EXCELLED ON THE GRIDIRON, THEY SHARED AN ITCH TO KICK OUT THE JAMS PROFESSIONALLY. SETTING UP AN INFORMAL SESSION IN MOON'S GARAGE ONE DAY, THE CREATIVE FLOODGATES BURST OPEN AND THE BAND WAS BORN ON THE SPOT.

FRANCIS EXPLAINS, "WHEN WE STARTED PLAYING, THE CHEMISTRY WAS INSTANTANEOUS. DURING THAT FIRST SESSION, WE WROTE TWO SONGS. EVERYTHING CAME TOGETHER PRETTY EASILY AFTER ONLY A COUPLE HOURS, AND THEN THOSE SONGS TOOK THEIR OWN LITTLE PATHS."

BENVENUE LAID THE GROUNDWORK FOR "ON MY WAY" AND "DARK STREETS" IN MOON'S GARAGE ON THAT FIRST DAY IN 2008. MUSICALLY, THE BAND SLOWLY STARTED CULTIVATING A STYLE THAT WAS REMINISCENT OF RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE AND INCUBUS, WHILE BRANDISHING ITS OWN FIRE.

FRANCIS DELVES INTO BENVENUE'S ECLECTIC SONIC AESTHETIC. "IT GETS VERY HEAVY AT TIMES, BUT IT'S ALSO EXTREMELY CATCHY DUE TO SID'S GUITARS. PEOPLE CAN HEAR BITS AND PIECES OF ROCK, ALTERNATIVE AND METAL IN WHAT WE DO." TEXTURING MOON'S THICK DRUMS INTO A RICHLY HARMONIZED CHORD STRUCTURE, BENVENUE'S SOUND IS PUSHED TO AN UNDENIABLY FRESH PERSPECTIVE ON MODERN ALTERNATIVE METAL.

"IT'S SOMEWHAT MELODIC HARD ROCK, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT ASPECTS TO IT," SID ADDS. "IT ENCOMPASSES SUCH A WIDE RANGE. WE BRING IN EVERYTHING WE LIKE." WITHOUT ADHERING TO TRADITIONAL MUSICAL BOUNDARIES, BENVENUE DRIVES DEEP RHYTHM INTO ANY TYPE OF GROOVE. AS THE NEWEST BAND MEMBER, TOMMY'S STRONG TRACES OF METAL, FUNK, AND JAZZ BASS LINES CAN BE DISCERNIBLY HEARD ON THE TWO NEWEST EP TRACKS "NO WAY" AND "BE YOUR OWN."

"FOR ME, THE EP MADE ME FEEL LIKE I COULD ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING," SAYS FRANCIS. "PEOPLE KNEW WE PLAYED MUSIC BUT THEY DIDN'T KNOW HOW SERIOUS WE WERE ABOUT IT. IT SHOWS WE CAN DO WHAT WE SAY WE'RE GOING TO DO."

MORE THAN SIMPLY DELIVERING ON THEIR PROMISES, BENVENUE WILL CONNECT WITH LISTENERS WORLDWIDE. FRANCIS GOES ON, "PEOPLE CAN LISTEN TO OUR MUSIC AND RELATE TO IT. WE WROTE THIS FOR OURSELVES BUT, ULTIMATELY, IT'S FOR EVERYONE."

THAT'S JUST THE PATH MORE BANDS NEEDS TO TAKE.