Cassandra Syndrome

Artist Information

Biography

Cassandra Syndrome is a Maryland-based Symphonic/Gothic Metal band brimming with explosive riffs, operatic punch and infectious energy. This female-fronted powerhouse combines elements that are simultaneously dark and beautiful. Forcefully heavy riffs and a healthy dose of groove combine with soaring soprano vocals to create what Metal Bite calls “[P]ure metal magic... music with a purpose while still blowing your doors off with an attack that is as brutal as a shark feeding frenzy.”

The band’s intense, high-energy performances have proven time and again that they are not an act to miss live. The heated musical edginess and dark, angry undertones of the band’s studio releases come to life on stage, delivering a concert experience with staying power. The potent alliance of Joe Cariola's punishing bass, scathing riffs of Jen Tonon's rhythm guitar, and throbbing beats of Jay Jericho's drums create a driving ground assault which weakens your defenses before being met by the searing lead lines of guitarist Chris Kackley. Above it all, radiant as Angelic Death, the resplendent soprano of Irene Jericho soars above the battlefield. The music of Cassandra Syndrome is “sung with a vocal hard to forget, over a metal framework hard to duplicate.” – Sonic Cathedral

The band is currently touring to support their 2011 release, ‘Satire X.’ Past performances include Ram's Head Live, the Ottobar, Club Orpheus and The Depot in Baltimore, MD, The Asylum, Bound and DC Midnight in Washington, DC, Alley Katz in Richmond and many more. Cassandra Syndrome has also been featured in festivals at Battery Park, NY, Winchester, VA, North Andover, MA, College Park, MD and Richmond, VA.

Instrumentation

Irene Jericho: Lead Vocals
Jay Jericho: Zendrum
Chris Kackley: Lead Guitar
Jen Tonon: Rhythm Guitar
Joe Cariola: Bass

Discography

'Dissent Into Heresy,' 5-song EP released May 2007
'Of Patriots and Tyrants, ' 10-song album released in February 2009, 'Satire X' 10-song album released in August, 2011

Links

• Facebook
• MySpace
• Twitter

Audio

• The Magus
  Listen   Download
• Skadi's Touch
  Listen   Download

Lyrics

• Skadi's Touch
• The Magus

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• Review of 'Of Patriots and Tyrants' [+ Show ]
  

  "[Irene's] voice swoops and soars admirably...Kackley lays down some serious solos throughout the al..."[Irene's] voice swoops and soars admirably...Kackley lays down some serious solos throughout the album, with the aforementioned "Burning" featuring one of his most elaborate. He and Cariola are the driving force behind the dark, angry undertone that permeates Of Patriots and Tyrants...Bottom line - Of Patriots and Tyrants is a good, interesting album with thought-provoking lyrics. The band displays plenty of variation throughout the disc, from the heavy "Phoenix" to the acoustic folk ballad "Wild". Irene provides significant vocal and visual charm to compliment Cassandra Syndrome's heated musical edginess..."

• Review of 'Of Patriots and Tyrants' [+ Show ]
  

  Many people like to dismiss the metal genre as being nothing more than a cacophony of noisy guitars,...Many people like to dismiss the metal genre as being nothing more than a cacophony of noisy guitars, pounding drums, and wretched screaming that is created and enjoyed only by devil worshippers and angry teenagers. Of course, metal is like any other genre of music, full of various subgenres and chockfull of people who are capable of exhibiting a remarkable level of musical skill. Hailing from Frederick, MD, Cassandra Syndrome opt for the more gothic route of metal, with Irene Jericho displaying her vocal prowess through layers of operatic melodies and harmonies that complement the band's restrained yet energetic style of metal that owes to the likes of Nightwish and Streams of Passion. Right from the fluttering tones of "Phoenix" to the soaring choruses of "Mirror Mirror" and especially "Burning," Irene's voice is but the most noticeable and upfront aspect of the band's overall talent. With Chris Kackley churning out his progressions of crunchy guitars and Joe Cariola ably backing with subtly smooth bass lines, the music is loud and raucous as any metal group, but with a command of structure and melody that keeps it from descending into convention or aimless noise. The pair even provides the occasional backup vocal accompaniment to give songs like "PTSD" and "What We Sow" an added dimension of heavy metal power, though without resorting to gratuitous growling or grunting. Worthy of mention are the percussion and drum lines of Jay Jericho, for instead of a standard drum kit, his instrument of choice is the Zendrum, a module of drum pads that simply need to be seen to be believed; in the live environment, they sound as close to the real thing as electronic drums can get. Of course, on record, they sound just as realistic to provide a marvelously organic rhythm section. -- Ilker Yücel, ReGen Magazine

• Review of 'Of Patriots and Tyrants' [+ Show ]
  

  "This American combo is definitely different in style…[s]oprano Irene Jericho adds a rather classica..."This American combo is definitely different in style…[s]oprano Irene Jericho adds a rather classical touch to the composition …totally different than what we’ve been used to hear from bands like Within Temptation or Leaves Eyes…“What We Sow” and “Burning”, being definitely two highlights. Cassandra Syndrome is miles away from the average gothic formation and that’s definitely their best exponent."

• Review of 'Of Patriots and Tyrants' [+ Show ]
  

  "This album presents a dark and mystical theatre with heavy guitar and bass, hammer hitting drums an..."This album presents a dark and mystical theatre with heavy guitar and bass, hammer hitting drums and vocals which draw you into an angelic seduction." -- Kindra RavenMoon

• Review of 'Of Patriots and Tyrants' [+ Show ]
  

  I am [reviewing ‘Of Patriots and Tyrants’] not just because the band truly deserves some recognitio... I am [reviewing ‘Of Patriots and Tyrants’] not just because the band truly deserves some recognition, but because I want to promote environmental consciousness as a lyrical theme….Cassandra Syndrome has validated their choice of theme through the necessary "metalness" of their texts (e.g. the pointing of fingers, provocation, strong emotions and, of course, apocalypse/death and destruction). As a bonus, Irene Jericho manages to do what Tarja Turunen never did: do classical vocals well and to put them to good use…if you're into Within Temptation's 'Mother Earth' then know that 'Of Patriots and Tyrants' follows this very vein and it is clear that the band has accomplished a solid identity of their own despite doing so. I also hope that other musicians take some notice of this release and get some inspiration on how to wrap environmental issues in a very metal casing. -- Arnstein H. Pettersen

• Review of 'Of Patriots and Tyrants' [+ Show ]
  

  The 21st Century has not been kind to America, nor has America been particularly kind to the 21st Ce...The 21st Century has not been kind to America, nor has America been particularly kind to the 21st Century. From pretty much any perspective, politically, economically, ecumenically, morally, or socially, much of the world has seen America as a society in decline, and many Americans would agree. And, in the opinions of many, that would include musically. According to the music industry, the action is in rap and Disney boy bands, neither a direction that has had a particularly profound effect on the concept from a historical perspective. I think back to the 60s and 70s when American music drove the industry world wide, with a socially conscious message that inflamed a generation and did much to shape the thinking of much of the world in generally positive directions. No more, now we celebrate violence for violence sake, we listen to music that appeals to 13 year old girls who have yet to figure out what life after 14 is all about. And we watch a political establishment that has, for the most part, had little interest in the needs of our society, or even our planet, although there are signs that there may be some awakening to those concerns at least in some corners. Call it limited hope.
  
  There are, however, some sparks on the musical front, limited at best, but you take what you can get. Cassandra Syndrome from Frederick, Maryland, of all places, is one of these. Their message is one largely absent from the American music scene lo these many years, a message of social / political consciousness and warning. Of Patriots and Tyrants also takes the music into some new directions. You know, it’s not that there isn’t some good music in this country. Evanescence has pretty much rapped up the female fronted metal scene with a few exceptions. But there are other first rate sounds out there. Kamelot from Tampa is certainly another sound that has an international following, just not in this country. Cassandra Syndrome is metal, with a first rate female soprano driving the train. I wouldn’t call it Symphonic Gothic; there is no symphonic component. But there is a bit of the Gothic, in a socially enclosed format. That vocal is provided by one Irene Jericho. Hers may not be the trained vocal of a Tarja or Floor Jensen, but it is certainly talented and entertaining. And she seems to have the ability to switch between delivery alternatives in the mode of a Helena Iren Michaelsen and to a similarly enticing effect. The rest of the sound is provided by Chris Kackley on guitar, Joe Cariola on bass and Jay Jericho on drums. A final member, Katie Doherty who provides guitar work and backing vocals was added to the band at the completion of the CD under review here. Clearly, it’s a guitar based sound and a pretty good one, although I’d sure like to see some keyboards thrown in for effect, especially on the more ethereal tracks like Skadi’s Touch and PTSD. The later actually screams out for a synthetic background in the European tradition.
  
  The music tends towards an interesting interpretation of the traditional metal sound, with a heavy dose from a very talented soprano doing the front work. There is some limited male vocal, some grunting, but the music is essentially a wonderful vocal flowing over a guitar / drum base. And that voice is certainly in the upper echelons of the genre. I can’t think of another American vocal to compare it to, unless you include Slava Papova and she wasn’t born American. The guitar work is a solid traditional heavy axe, one that flows in the grand tradition of that American art form. It occasionally goes to lighter moments and interacts well with the rhythm section provided by the bass and the drums. Songs run from heavier numbers like Burning to softer numbers like Mirror Mirror and include some that compare favorably to the traditional European Gothic. However, it’s mainly traditional American guitar driven metal with the lovely vocals doing the story telling.
  
  But, with Cassandra Syndrome, it’s the story telling that is at the forefront, once you get past the beautiful vocal doing the telling. Cassandra Syndrome looks at the world and doesn’t really like much of what it’s seeing. A world sick in the physical sense, and blind in the literal sense. Oceans in peril, climate on the brink, war as a socially acceptable art form and the largest and most powerful society on the planet largely blind to the disaster on its door step. These are the themes in Of Patriots and Tyrants, and thank god someone is talking about it. It’s a truism that in much of the contemporary music scene, it’s the delivery of the message that counts, the actual message is often just a vehicle to allow the vocalist to do something other than mumble. For Cassandra, on the other hand, although the message is delivered in an enjoyable format, it’s the message that counts, and if one fails to pay attention to that message, one misses out on a major goal of the music.
  
  The Cassandra message addresses a number of topics ranging from environmental concerns to wars of choice. Their message talks to the need to listen, to observe, to learn, and to grow in positive directions. In None but Shadows, Jericho sings:
  
  And falling, falling tumbled down
  
  All our dreams begin to drown
  
  Alexandria is lost
  
  Weeping prophets know the cost
  
  We did not fight, we did not learn
  
  What we lose when our books burn
  
  Wrapped in chains of hate and fear
  
  None but shadows will dwell here
  
  Our blinded charge to destroy our home, our world, our source of life, is another theme. Cassandra is a metal based call to arms; a plea to recognize that life is fragile and that the earth that supports it must be nurtured. The guitars thunder as an earthly cry to listen, a warning to heed, and Jericho reminds us:
  
  You could say I didn't warn you
  
  You could say you didn't know
  
  Of the poison in the water
  
  How the trees won't grow
  
  Of the melting of the ice caps
  
  And the rising of the sea
  
  Of the species that we kill
  
  To make more space for you and me
  
  For me, the most powerful message is provided in PTSD. It speaks to one of the real costs of our nation’s misguided adventures into a war of choice. Having spent considerable time in DOD environments during the past decade, and having a son who served as a combat Marine in both wars, the topic is one I am intimately familiar with. The members of Cassandra Syndrome also have first hand experience; three of them wore the uniform during the past several years, one in some particularly nasty combat. That experience served as the basis for this song and lends an air of deep understanding to the lyrics. Jericho begins the track asking:
  
  What is it we have become
  
  Babies raised living by the gun
  
  Walking now with deadened eyes
  
  Trained to kill and fueled by lies
  
  Of Patriots and Tyrants is not your customary Gothic theme. Where Nightwish, Therion and the Morton Veland bands address the mystery of the eternal and remind us that our short mortal existence is but a flicker in eternity, Cassandra reminds us that that flicker may be all we have. Until we take that path beyond the veil, we are still in this mortal reality and what we do here is important. The name Cassandra is, of course, taken from the Trojan seeress who prophesized the fall of her beloved city but whose warnings were ignored. Let’s hope that this version gets a better review from the locals, and a better result.
  
  9 / 10

• Review of 'Of Patriots and Tyrants' [+ Show ]
  

  By Octavio Ramos Jr., Column Editor Cassandra Syndrome – Of Patriots and Tyrants www.cassandrasy...By Octavio Ramos Jr., Column Editor
  
  Cassandra Syndrome – Of Patriots and Tyrants
  www.cassandrasyndrome.com
  
  As the Greek myth goes, the god Apollo fell in love with Cassandra, upon whom he granted the gift of prophecy. However, when Cassandra failed to love Apollo back, he cursed her so that no one would ever believe her predictions. “Of Patriots and Tyrants” is this band’s debut album, which consists of 10 tracks of rock-based, gothic-tinged music with an eclectic and folksy bent. The showpiece here is Irene Jericho’s lush soprano voice, which is contrasted by straightforward percussion, heavy guitar work, and resounding bass licks. Lyrically, the band laments that humanity is so apathetic toward the destruction of the environment and hence the future. Standout tracks include “What We Sow” (great bass work), “PTSD” (heavy and harsh) and “Skadi’s Touch” (good guitar work).
  

Setlist

Set lists can be tailored to fit almost any time frame. We primarily play originals. Covers tend to be hard rock or metal and include: Disturbed/Genesis--Land of Confusion, Eurythmics/Marilyn Manson--Sweet Dreams, Orgy--Blue Monday, NIN--Hurt

Basic Requirements

Calendar