I was taking a look at some of the upcoming shows over at Mexicali Live in Teaneck, NJ and I came across a Jersey Campfires show featuring Strive, Ascending From Ashes, Chevonne And The Fuzz, Our Fears and Low Roads Ghost on Jan. 23, but the band that caught my attention was Our Fears. Plus, I’ve already written about all the others. Anyway, seeing this lineup, I decided to check out the band from Congers, NY and after hearing songs like “I’ll Kill Myself” (which they have a music video for), “Air Bag,” “The Wind” and “Beautiful Stranger,” I felt this band had a lot of promise on the Jersey hard rock scene. They had some killer songs and a singer named Miles Strand with a killer voice.
Yes, they come from Rockland County, but that’s close enough for me to include this hard rock quartet in North Jersey Notes. According to their website, Our Fears “deliver a brand of music that can be described as epic, theatrical, visual and hard-hitting.” The members of Our Fears are no strangers to the music scene with years of experience under their belts. Singer and guitarist Miles Strand began writing and recording the songs featured on band’s debut EP on his own after his previous band disbanded. On his journey, Strand connected with college buddy, bassist Jon Duverger, who showed interest in the music and wanted in. After a few failed auditions and some scheduling conflicts, along came guitarist Dan Russo, who swept Strand and Duverger off their feet with his musical abilities on guitar, not to mention his understanding of music theory. Once the band was finalized, they released a video for their first single, “The Wind,” which came soon after and has really given the band some momentum.
Our Fears’ debut EP, Flawed, is just the beginning for these young bucks. So far their songwriting is strong and reminiscent of Sevendust if you ask me. The funny thing was that Sevendust wasn’t even labeled as an influence for Our Fears. The band is currently looking for a full-time drummer, so give them a listen and contact them if you think you have what it takes. For now, they have a friend filling in so that they can play live shows. Catch Our Fears live at Mexicali Live in Teaneck, NJ on Jan. 23. For more on Our Fears, visit Facebook.com/OurFears.
NORTH JERSEY NOTES UPDATES:
Congrats to my boys from Negative Sky for winning the “Top Heavy and Progressive Rock Band” at this year’s Asbury Music Awards a couple a weeks ago. I have to say that it was an award that was well-deserved. These guys have been working their asses off all year and it didn’t go unnoticed. Negative Sky also recently released their new music video for their song “Bleed The Stone.” The song is brutal and everything you love about metal. It puts a smile on my face to see that metal is alive and well. Check out Negative Sky’s video for “Bleed The Stone” at youtu.be/M4zMK6IfWS4. For more on Negative Sky, visit Facebook.com/NegativeSkyNJ.
So, those of you who actually read the news, will know about that terrorist attacks that happened in Paris. One of the attacks happened during an Eagles Of Death Metal concert. Well, the Eagles Of Death Metal have put out a call for bands to cover their song “I Love You All The Time.” They wanted the bands to donate all of their proceeds from their song remake to victims from that horrible attack in Paris, France. One Jersey band, The Battery Electric, accepted that challenge and recorded a video and mp3 at Coffee Haus Studios in Freehold, NJ. The band felt, “We are all citizens of the world and Rock ‘N’ Roll. Nobody should feel unsafe going to a show just to have a good time.” They urged their fans on their Facebook page to “Download and Donate” at coffeehausstudios.com/the-sweet-stuff-foundation. You can check out The Battery Electric version of the Eagles Of Death Metal’s “I Love You All The Time” now at youtu.be/RW2-3ft_EFs. For more on The Battery Electric, visit Facebook.com/TheBatteryElectric.
And finally, I meant to write this a few weeks ago, but I attended a Wizards Of Winter show before the holidays down in Collingswood, NJ. The band features former members of Trans-Siberian Orchestra and my bud Fred Gorhau on guitar. The Wizards Of Winter is a holiday show that everyone show see before or during the holidays. I featured the band here in NJN earlier this year, but finally got to see the show for myself and was thoroughly impressed with the show, the band and the presentation. Yes, I know the holidays are over, but this is one show that you might want to think about next year before the holiday season. For more on The Wizards Of Winter, visit thewizardsofwinter.com.
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:
1/6—ENFORCER/WARBRINGER/CAULDRON/EXMORTUS/Midnite Hellion/Thrashole/Fiakra—Championship Bar, Trenton, NJ
1/7—Those Mockingbirds—The Crossroads, Garwood, NJ
1/8—End of an Era/ORGY/Bobaflex—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
1/8—Those Mockingbirds—Mexicali Live, Teaneck, NJ
1/8—Without Reason—Rocky’s Bar and Grill, Rahway, NJ
1/8—Forget the Whale/Noble Giants—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
1/9—Bastard Clan/The Breaking Ground/Prime Prophecy/One of Seven/Blood Feast—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
1/9—Gathering After Ashes/Words Never Spoken/Concrete God/Paulus Hook.El Silenzio—Al Cibelli’s Restaurant and Bar, Perth Amboy, NJ
1/10—Hookers N Blow/Lyken 21/Half-Witted Dogs/Stereo Jo/The Clocktown Giants/Owl Kill/Soul Sword—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
1/15—Those Mockingbirds—Pianos, NYC
1/15—Age-9/New Theory/Negative Sky/VSSLS—The Saint, Asbury Park, NJ
1/16—Cycle of Pain/Ashes of Your Enemy/Lower the Veil/Common Wealth—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
1/16—Jersey Campfires Production Presents: MindMaze/Flowers To Flames/Callout/Arc’d Angel/Brenyama—Roxy and Duke’s Roadhouse, Dunellen, NJ
1/16—Honey Trap/The Accelerators/Frogg Party/Jean Pool— Al Cibelli’s Restaurant and Bar, Perth Amboy, NJ
1/22—Queensryche/Meytal/Halcyon/Psychoprism/Cashmier/Ixion Lux—Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ
1/23—Barren/Gathering After Ashes/TRNZPRNT/Soraia— Roxy and Duke’s Roadhouse, Dunellen, NJ
1/23—Jersey Campfires Production Presents: Strive’s CD Release Show/Ascending From Ashes/Chevonne and The Fuzz/Our Fears/Low Roads Ghost—Mexicali Live, Teaneck, NJ
1/23—Jaded Past/Trapped In The Shadows/Cara Crash/The Test Band—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
1/23—Robots and Monsters/Unkempt Herald/The Donner Party/Sonick Plague—The Clash Bar, Clifton, NJ
1/24—Whiplash/Pychoprism/Half-Witted Dogs/Death Thrash/Black Mass/Paralysis—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
1/27—Dead Rocking Horse/Acey Slade—Arlene’s Grocery, NYC
1/29—Trixter/Eric Martin/Long Gone Day/Reality Suite—Mexicali Live, Teaneck, NJ
1/30—Killcode/Ten Ton Mojo/Nakid Jedye—The Shop, Brooklyn, NY
