I was surfing MySpace the other day, and I came across a great band out of Richmond, Virginia, who just so happens to be playing at Dingbatz in Clifton, NJ, next Friday night, June 13. So, technically I can write about them. The name of the band is Bullistic, and they are f’n awesome! The second that I stumbled across their page and heard their song, “Song of Hope” and “Discarded Soul,” I felt like I got smacked upside the head by a Mack truck. Wow! Singer Warren Dunlevy is unbelievable! What a golden voice! The music just hits you and runs. It’s that heavy!
Formed in 2001, the self-proclaimed “Kings of blue collar beer metal,” Bullistic is made up of singer Warren Dunlevy, guitarist Ed Savoy, bassist John Davis, and drummer Jon Ward. Through the years the band had gone through many changes until they finally found that magical combination of musicians. The original line-up released two CDs, Eye for an Eye (2001) and Afterglow (2003), which helped Bullistic build a firm fan base in Virginia. In 2005, their CD Chronicles of Love and Hate helped to elevate Bullistic onto the CMJ charts, as well as give them some radio and video airplay. In 2007, Bullistic released Ride the Line, which got them onto a bunch of tours opening for bands like Disturbed, Queensryche, L.A. Guns, etc.
Here in 2008, the band is getting set to release a new CD with new singer Warren Dunlevy and drummer Jon Ward. For now, you can try to catch them live somewhere in the Jersey area. You have to hear this band! They totally rock! Log onto myspace.com/bullistic to check them out!
NORTH JERSEY NOTES UPDATES:
My new favorite local band Piston Driven, the band with my old Smoke Star drummer Scotty O and former Saint Caine/Dropbox guitarist Big Daddy Joey Smokes on guitar, are headed into the studio to record their debut CD, which they hope to release and tour to support by this summer. You have to hear these guys! They’re sick! Check them out at myspace.com/pistondriven
Congrats to the boys from Diablo Royale! They recently got a sponsorship deal with Korg, who also distributes Marshall and Vox amplifiers. Guitarists G-Man and Choy both play Marshall, so after further investigation, I guess it was pretty much a “no- brainer” for Korg. Speaking of Diablo Royale, my band Hostel Inc. recently got added to a show at Six Flags Great Adventure with the boys from Diablo Royale and a band called Shadows Lie on Aug. 2. Check out Diablo Royale at myspace.com/diabloroyalerock
And finally, I want to take a minute to pay respects to a great drummer that we recently lost tragically. His name was Paul Alleman, Jr. from the band Loss of Breath. I didn’t personally know Paul, but when you’re playing on this New Jersey music scene as long as most of us have been, there’s an unmentioned brotherhood formed, and none of us want to see a brother go down! Paul was well respected amongst his peers of fellow musicians, and will forever be immortalized through the music that he helped create with his band Loss of Breath. Listen to Paul’s playing at myspace.com/lossofbreath.
That’s all for now!
