I love finding great bands that nobody’s really heard of and mentioning them in this column to give them a little bit of exposure. I know this is just a small column in a really big music scene, but like I always say, “Every bit of exposure helps!” That being said, I stumbled across a pretty cool and heavy band out of Somerville, NJ that reminded me of Sevendust for some reason because of the heaviness of the music and the soulfulness of singer Fonz Rodriguez. The name of the band is Know Your Enemy, and me likey! I noticed they were playing Dingbatz in Clifton, NJ on June 25, so I decided to give the band a listen. I listened to the songs “Bound,” which sounded most commercial of the three songs, “Numb,” the song with the best hook, and “Deep Inside,” which was probably the heaviest track. These songs definitely had something going on.
According to their bio, Know Your Enemy is an energetic hard rock act from Somerville, NJ, who created a blues-influenced, alternative metal sound and combined their sound with a soulful, punk-metal vocal from singer Alfonso Rodriguez. They’ve been performing in the Northeast region, and their songs have been stage-tested and crowd-approved. The band’s combined passion for performance, groove-infused rhythms and powerful vocals have really created for an exciting show for their audiences. Joining Alfonso “Fonz” Rodriguez in Know Your Enemy is guitarist Jason Kent, bassist Robert McCann and drummer Ralph Ricciardi.
In January 2014, Know Your Enemy recorded and released their debut demo, which received a positive response and helped generate over 4,500 “Likes” on Facebook. Their song “Bound” was chosen for the motion picture soundtrack to a movie called Mistaken and was included on the bonus disc/DVD package. Know Your Enemy has been putting the finishing touches on their latest EP, which they hope to release soon. You can catch Know Your Enemy live at Dingbatz on June 25. For more info on Know Your Enemy, visit enemyband.com.
NORTH JERSEY NOTES UPDATES:
Huge congrats go out to the gang from Aurin! Next month, they head out on the road with Reprise Recording artists Art Of Dying. Aurin will be on the road with Art Of Dying from June 12 in Maryland until June 22 in Illinois with more dates to be announced. This is a great opportunity for this young band from Fair Lawn, NJ, who most recently signed with Sony Red. For more on Aurin and to find out where they’re playing next, visit aurinband.com.
Speaking of great female-fronted local bands, has anyone seen the new music video from the band Vextion for their song “What I Am?” Wow! The song is killer and the video is a great example of the band’s live performance. Vextion has really matured through the years musically, and after hearing “What I Am,” I’m a fan! I can’t wait to hear more music from these guys. For more on Vextion and to find out where they’re playing next, visit facebook.com/vextionrocks, or you can catch them at The Brighton Bar next Saturday night (6/6).
And finally, don’t miss one of my new favorite bands, Robots And Monsters, opening for hardcore legends Dirty Rotten Imbeciles, better known as D.R.I., at Blackthorn 51 in Elmhurst, NY this Saturday night (5/30). If you remember, Robots And Monsters was also Jim Florentine’s “Pick of the Week” on That Metal Show a couple of months back. You’re going to want to catch these guys live! Also performing this show is NYC’s Driven Mad. For more info on this show, visit robotsandmonsters.net.
That’s all for now! If your band is from North Jersey, and you want some exposure, send your press kits to Arts Weekly, c/o Tim Louie P.O. Box 1140, Little Falls, NJ 07424, or you can email me at tim@theaquarian.com, where you can also let me know where you’re performing next!
Just remember….We’re all in the same boat, so every little bit of exposure counts!
Tim Louie is the Author of S**t Happens.
NJN Concert Calendar:
5/29—The Independents/Black Cat Attack/Darrow Chemical Co.—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
5/29—Mile Marker Zero/The Shape/Park Ape/Through The Grey/The Color Atlantic—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
5/30—D.R.I./Driven Mad/Robots and Monsters—Blackthorn 51, Elmhurst, NY
5/30—THE MURDER JUNKIES/Negative Traction/Full Scale Riot/Pat Veil and the Beach Needles/Choke Artist/Damien the Cat—The Brighton Bar, Long Beach, NJ
5/31—The Algorithm/Angel Vivaldi/In Dying Arms/Silent To Slaughter/ The Polaris Breach/Blameless and Upright/Under The Red Hood—Tenth Street Live, Kenilworth, NJ
6/5—Warrior Soul/Metalfier/Tempest City/SOS/Black Dawn/Pyramis/Sweet Magma—Blackthorn 51, Elmhurst, NY
6/5—TANTRIC/The West Front/Gravity Well/Tilted/Spiral Scar—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
6/5—New Day Dawn/Eve to Adam/i-Exist—Mexicali Live, Teaneck, NJ
6/6—Jon Herington Band/Stolen Rhodes—The Saint, Asbury Park, NJ
6/6—Warrior Soul/Metalfier/Robots And Monsters/Extercitum/Acid—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
6/6—The CynzRock/Crash Gordon and Debra Dynamite/Vextion/Speed Queen/Lauren Blue Fox/Flowers To Flames—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
6/14—THE DREAMING/Die So Fluid/Voodoo Terror Tribe/Aurin/Salems Outlaws/My Rising Fall—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
6/17—Steve Bello Band/Lynch Mob—Mexicali Live, Teaneck, NJ
6/20—ORBYNOT (CD Release)/ Rivera Bomma/Lyken21/Fever Vein/Adherence—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
6/20—Steve Bello Band—Popcorn Park, Forked River, NJ
6/25—Dread/Know Your Enemy—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
6/27—ANAKA/Brand of Julez/Proxima Control/Tempest City/Unveiled—The Gramercy Theatre, NYC
