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Local Bands
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The Twin Cities has spawned great musical contributions for decades. From Bob Dylan to Husker Du to Prince to the Replacements, our area has pushed Rock music in a wide variety of directions. However, the smaller, more genre-specific acts cannot be ignored. When you're sitting in a bar or club, nursing that drink after a rough week of work, a little-known act's soothing strains or bombastic antics can contribute a much-needed dose of respite. Here we try to cast a deserving spotlight on the bands whose work we truly appreciate, regardless of their stature or status. If you would like your musical venture to be added to our list, send us a short bio and picture.
Click here!
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The Bands...
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Aesma Daeva
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Symphonic metal, experimental classical. Early albums have an emphasis on synthesis with current albums focusing on symphonic metal.
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Amdeide
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A unique blend of electronic music combing together the styles of EBM, electro, tekno + industrial with tastefully mixed guitars, male vocals, and various elements of techpop, futurepop, tech-house, and punk. Amdeide is Brian Terhark, joined by Jonh Lecher on guitar and AcS on synth for live performances.
More at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/amdeide
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Apocalypse Theatre
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They are known in the underground as a hybrid of gutter gothic industrial dance rock with a twist of punk & metal. Outside the parameters of any one scene, but always dark and filled with both moments of haunting midnight dreary and heavy guitar driven assaults, they have left impressions on both US coasts, in the Heartland, and on the Internet. Apox has played over 300 shows in the last 6-7 years and in 45 of the United States.
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Autonomy
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Autonomy is a goth-rock trio that attempts to redefine modern darksider rock, a dark edged sound with a unique approach delivered with a fullness of sound, with muscle and finesse on a scale not found in your typical rock and roll trio.
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Autumn
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They've played with the likes of Faith and the Muse, Lycia, Switchblade Symphony, and The Wake. Autumn's prolific history clearly shows them as a force to be reckoned with.
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Avenpitch
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Avenpitch is a band caught between the garage and computer lab, high-tech yet trashy, like a PC plugged into a Marshall half-stack.
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Bella Koshka
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A dusty violin and the diary of a girl. A tale of two dreamers and their stories lost in time. Bella Koshka formed in Minneapolis, MN in Autumn of 2006 when violinist Hilary Davis and vocalist Laura Boland began composing organic and electronic melodies. In winter of 2007, the pair collaborated with Minneapolis producer Darren Jackson [The Hopefuls and Kid Dakota] on their debut album, \"Slow Dancing on the Ocean Floor.\" Scheduled to be released early 2008, the album is a unique collection of dreamy melancholic lullabies featuring emotionally rich vocals layered with haunting violin arrangements and electronic textures. The duo recruited musicians Matte Franklin [drums], Matt Vannelli [guitar] and Tim Ritter [bass] to join Bella Koshka and inflict a dynamic intensity to their symphonic-electronic fusion.
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Black Flood Diesel
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Classic Nu-Metal with a very heavy and dark edge to them. On the verge of major labal stardom and well deserving of that honor.
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Envy is Blind
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Proving that dance music doesn't mean unintelligent music, Envy is Blind brings multiple layers of thought and composition to a new generation of music fans. Specializing in beat-oriented compositions featuring dark and intense vocal textures, EiB has shown itself to be one of the most promising new acts in the electro-industrial genre.
Envy is Blind has performed extensively throughout the Twin Cities and beyond, integrating lightshows and video aesthetics into their concerts while maintaining a cutting-edge and unique sound.
Formed in 1999, Envy is Blind is Mike Poggenburg and Nemo Gannon.
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Filthy Divine
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Filthy Divine is an all-original Minneapolis-based band with elements of 70’s rock, punk and pop. Along with a lil’ funky edge they make for a high energy, outta your seat kinda show.
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Gotterdammerung (no web site available)
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Tim Sexton's Vagnerian Prog-Rock band, focusing on violent imagery and massive classic synthesis which had been put on indefinite hold due to Tim's fight with death, in which he triumped. As of Oct. 27th, 2003, Tim is in the process of regrouping and reforming Gotterdammerung with plans for returning to the stage in the near future.
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Heliosphere
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Heliosphere was established as a solo project by William Bates in 2001 and was then joined by Andrew Davies in 2003. With the release of All Eyes Nation, the band's first single, they gained an immediate following with their breathtaking style - switching from hard, futuristic industrial techno to pummeling dancefloor futurepop and melodic uptempo electro. In 2005, Rob Ziarkowski was added to the live lineup, providing expanded live synths and backing vocals. Heavily influenced by trance and future-pop; this Minneapolis-based group combines aggressive beats and club worthy synths to provide an always impressive, razor-sharp live performance.
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High Blue Star
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With influences ranging from Skinny Puppy, Dead Can Dance, Massive Attack and Brian Eno, High Blue Star weaves a seamless juxtaposition of industrial and ethereal. Brooding and mystical, they create a musical paradox that is both subversive and enchanting.
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Impaler
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Impaler is probably the most well known darksider band in the Twin Cities, and for twenty years Bill Lindsey and company have been tearing up the stage with their horror-show Halloween bloodbaths; however, their most infamous act had them starring in Tipper Gore's P.M.R.C.'s Morality Crusade as the main focus of the degeneration of our nation's youth. And if you've never seen an Impaler show then you, my friend, ain't no darksider!
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Janis Figure
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Dark and aggressive rock and roll! A combo of vintage "'50s guitar tone and Elvis-esque crooning; Jim Morrison inspired slither; '77 zeal and speed; '80s post punk artiness" -The OC Weekly (from their site)
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Kontrol Panel
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KP is Jean-Marie Chapdelaine, vocals; Gerard-Jean Boissy, Guitar, electronics and programming; and Matte Black on drums. Minimalist synth, maximum guitar, magnificent singing and mechanical beats combine together for your shoe-gazing or shuffling pleasure.
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Little Tin Box (Electronic/New Wave)
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Back in early October of 2000, as the seasons began to change, the leaves began to fall and the sky began to brew into a misty blanket of winter, Kelly found herself at the intersection of "life is over" and "whole new path". It was at this time that she had the honor of serendipitously running in to Charles. He needed a vocalist. She needed artistic fulfillment. Over coffee, conversation and collaboration Little Tin Box was formed.
Since its inception, they have gone on to record two albums. They continue to write and plan out their third album, to be released some time in 2007.
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Mach FoX
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A dangerous slab of dark, dancey electro. The songs are a focused and deliberate attempt to draw you to the dance floor, while the live show brings the aesthetics of a low budget Sci-Fi film and more fog and lights than a Sisters of Mercy concert.
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OBCT
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Charting the middle ground between vicious noise and delicate melodies, The Obese create an industrial-punk sound that bridges their song writing and a deep seeded desire to hack, edit and splice anything that creates a waveform. Be it their frantic, unyielding, air-tight delivery or their handcrafted measurements of toxic, mind-altering distortions and tragically contrasted harmonies, they are hitting on something long forgotten for the majority of their listeners.
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Revolver Modele
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Heavily inspired by the early Joy Division, Revolver Modele is definitely a local music scene darling, featured in City Pages and winner of Best New Bands in Mpls/St. Paul Magazine!
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Savage Aural Hotbed
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Savage Aural Hotbed uses conventional and "found object" percussion instruments, electric bass, electronically modified vocals, and power-tools to get their unique sound. With up to four people drumming, they provide visual, as well as aural, excitement with their high energy rhythms, flailing arms, and flying sparks. They define themselves as "four people who can't seem to use containers, auto parts or power tools in the intended manner."
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Stellar Vector (Electronica/Rock)
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There is a band of five men called Stellar Vector working hard in Minneapolis, MN. They have spent many nights in their lab re-tooling progressive rock for the 21st century, drawing on the memes and dialects of Rush, Radiohead, David Bowie and Genesis, infusing these greats with the traditions of industrial, electronica, indie and punk. They feel they have resuscitated a genre that was initially left for dead among the shadow of Alternative Rock.
Some time ago, Stellar Vector decided to flip the switch on their creation. The result is a polished performance that tugs at the heartstrings (among a few other organs). Vocalist Charles Sadler deftly weaves stories and poetry with a healthy dose of Shakespearian fatality. Guitarists Daniel Auger and Jonathan Ford assemble a deeply textured soundscape. Bassist Andy McClure and drummer Mark Haider grind passion into rhythms. On any given evening, the audience witnesses the full gamut of emotions, in addition to the occasional technocide*.
Stellar Vector plans to release an EP in the spring called "You're Not Included.". It was Produced by EV Olcott (12 Rods, Halloween Alaska and DotDotDot) in cooperation with Jonathan Ford at Integral Studios. For the impatient, you can listen to a pre-released single on the following websites:
www.301studios.net or www.stellarvector.com
*Stellar Vector to date has destroyed six laptop computers, without apology.
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Thosquanta
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"... the name thosquanta has a somewhat vague meaning. The name is a made-up word. Most literally, it would mean 'those values.' thosquanta is desire and it is ability." thosquanta: dark and aggressive EBM with a rock and roll attitude!
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