For our final Band of the Month of 2014 we bring you a band who are out of this world, well by name anyway, they're actually from Columbus, Ohio over in USA, Starset
We thought it would best to let the band introduce themselves.....
Bio:
Starset is the sonic interzone where fact, science, and speculation collide. Their Razor & Tie debut, Transmissions, is a thought-provoking broadcast of cinematic rock full of epic intents, poignant thoughts, and personal nuances. Like any piece of art, it begs more questions than it actually answers: precisely the intent of the vocalist and songwriter Dustin Bates, who formed the band in 2013 in Columbus, Ohio. Produced by Rob Graves (Red, All That Remains), and mixed by Ben Grosse (30 Seconds to Mars, Fuel), the album showcases the audio accompaniment to a tale set amongst humanity's highest aspirations and utter ruin though songs like the current single My Demons, and the sprawling Halo. Bates' voice is at once plaintive and bellicose: a rage against the machine of slashing guitars, strings, and pulsing electronics. Songs like Carnivore are slaked with heaviness and harmony, while the likes of Telescope are an unforgettably melodic slow-burn.
Members:
Dustin Bates - Vocals
Ron DeChant - Bass / BG Vocals
Adam Gilbert - Drums
Brock Richards - Guitar
Influences:
Deftones, Hans Zimmer, 30 Seconds to Mars, Breaking Benjamin, Sigur Ros, Owl City, NIN
Sounds Like:
Linkin Park, Celldweller, Deftones, Imagine Dragons
Transmissions coupled with your website have a cinematic (cinema = movie theatre) feel to it, both look and sound very professional, can you describe how this came to happen both in ideas and production:
The band exists to promote the Message of the Starset Society. At its heart, the message is a look at the near future and how developments in technology, communications, mechanization, and energy might transform our society, economics, politics, and overall purpose. The Transmissions record includes these themes, as well as the story of the messenger himself, Thomas Bell. Sonically, the goal was to form a sound that could best depict these larger-than-life themes. I realized that by incorporating the elements of a blockbuster movie soundtrack, I could achieve the epic sound that could match the concepts. To achieve this, Rob Graves (producer) and I blended electronic hard rock with the symphonic layers of a string quartet.
The band and society are much more than just music so naturally, this cinematic approach carried over into the other various multimedia elements of the public outreach campaign. In addition, for the live show, we do our best to further immerse the audience into the narrative.
All of this will continue to evolve and expand as the Starset Society releases more of the message through various media, including a full length novel.
Current release and where it's available:
Our album 'Transmissions' is available through iTunes and Amazon.
Up and coming artists you would recommend:
Sleepwave, Nothing More
Future Plans:
To continue to build upon our growth, making our show increasingly better. And at some point begin working on a second record that compliments Transmissions without being 'samey'.
Tour Dates:
We're looking forward to our first UK dates in early 2015. We should be able to announce something soon.
If you were the president for one day, what would you do:
Not Monica Lewinsky. I'll tell you that.
If you could go back to any time in history, where would you go and why:
As a history lover, there are so many different eras I would love to see. It is hard to narrow it down. The nerd in me would love to solve history's mysteries, like the building of the pyramids or the disappearance of the Roanoke colonists. I would love to be a fly on the wall during the greatest discoveries and events of the past, Forest Gump style.
Is there anything you would like to say to our readers:
Thank you so much for you interest in our band! We hope to get there for a live show soon. Stay tuned for further transmissions.
Links:
www.starsetonline.com
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