L.A. Beat

Local rock band Eyes of Isis have their eyes on the big prize— a major label record contract and  appearances on TV. And the first step is a CD release party for their debut , self-titled eight song CD, Nov. 21 at the Moose Hall with Reaping Syn and Lock N’ Load. They’re pretty ambitious especially considering three of the four band members are still  students at Catholic Central High School.
“Lethbridge is a hard place to play when you’re underage so we’ve had to put on our own shows,” said singer/guitarist Jordan Davidson,17, adding they are  busy putting together a promotional package for record labels. The band also includes lead guitarist Chase Rennie 16, bassist Devon Sinclair,16, and drummer Sean Thompson,23.
 They have been together as a band for nine months, and spent the past two and a half months recording their eight song CD  at Amp All Studios. The chose eight of  the 18 songs they have written to put on the CD.
“We just recorded eight songs because that was all we could afford. It’s not a Nickelback album as far as sound  quality  goes, but we think it’s really good. We’re really happy with it,” Davidson continued, citing ’70s classic rock bands like Led Zeppelin, UFO and old Guns n Roses as musical influences.
“We just play rock. ’60s,’70s and 80’s rock with our unique twist,” Rennie added.
The three students met at school and were looking for a drummer.
“We were looking for a drummer and he was looking for a band. So we started jamming and all four of us  just connected,” Davidson said.

Vancouver progressive metal band Omega Crom’s new CD “Blood Steel and Fire” is a testament to  hard work and to never giving up.
“I started recording this in 2009 and didn’t finish it until 2009,” said Omega Crom singer/guitarist Johnny Ketlo who not only had to deal with arranging pretty complex guitar solos, rhythms and tempo changes, but also had to cope with an ever-changing band line up including the departure of singer Stu Block.
“ I was almost ready to give it all up but some complete strangers at a Slayer concert came up and said you’ve got to keep that Omega Crom  shit going,” he continued. The band plays Scores North, Nov. 14. The current line up includes lead/rhythm guitarist Wayne Holden, bassist Ian Wilcke and drummer Dan LaPierre.
“Getting producer Rob Shallcross really helped out. He said you could either train someone else to sing like Stu did or learn to do it yourself. And Stu is into a lot of System of the Down and screamo. And it comes naturally to him. If it doesn’t  come naturally like that then you really have to work hard at it,” he continued adding he studied classical music in university and was in a choir for four years so he had a good idea of how to arrange music.
“So I studied a lot of Rob Halford and Iron Maiden and a lot of really cool singers and worked hard at it. I’m still learning how to do it and I’m still working at it,” he said adding learning to sing piercingly high notes while playing  complex leads simultaneously came surprisingly easy.
“I played a lot of Megadeth when I was a kid, so that comes pretty naturally and we practice a lot so it comes as a  second nature to us,” he said, adding translating  the CD to a live setting is essential.
“I don’t like it when bands don’t play what’s on the CD,” he said adding Omega Crom’s set will include music from the CD, a Judas Priest cover and some brand new  music from a CD to be recorded, hopefully in the Spring after they have toured extensively on this one.