JED

" ... Very chunky and filling.
I dug Jed a lot. It’s got the heavy nu-metal slams I like and it’s got the hard edged basement mixing I also dig. The band sounds tight and dead on, with head slamming rhythms and beats. A brilliant press kit shows us the past history of a decade-long history of stage stomping. Synesthesia is worth picking up for any fan of alterna-Korn, nu-Disturbed or grunge-Garden. Chunky and hot like a hearty chili cook off ...."


8/6/2006
Issue #70
http://www.legendsmagazine.net/160/jed.htm - Marcus Pan

Los Angeles Music Awards

"JED's performance at the Palmer room was great. JED brought it and all were impressed with the sound and their performance. You really are a great group of professional and talented players in JED and I see you going far in the industry. "
Jim DeCicco
President
LA Entertainment Works, Inc.
Sept. 9, 2007




Rock is Life
JED Synesthesia

“Madmartigan” draws you in with its hypnotic rhythms and chunky riffage. ... “New Ambits” is a lyricists dream as the thoughts and emotions come to life from beginning to end. Thick guitars and chunky bass lines command “Nothing.” Once again it’s Heimann’s rock melodies that stand out on “Two Eyed Cyclops.”

JED is not your conventional band. They don’t write verse, chorus, verse. They don’t make a point of driving home their song titles within the lyrics. They don’t hit you with simplistic three chord melodies. No, JED is not for simple rock music fans. Jed is a thinking man’s rock band. Synesthesia is a thinking man’s rock album that is rich with heavy riffs, unique vocal melodies, and cryptic lyrics. I could try and come up with a band they sound like, but they really stand on their own. The closest I can come, it Tool with more fire power

May 2007
www.rock-is-life.com
-George Dionne

JED
Synesthesia
S/R

"Remember that scene from Armageddon when the team is walking towards the camera in their orange space suits looking all badass in slow-motion before they get shot up into space? A JED song would’ve fit perfectly there. Following in the vein of Disturbed, Mudvayne, and Alice In Chains, JED is a true force in the “get-pumped-up-for-a-fight-or-important-game” sub genre of metal. With tracks like “Nympho”, “Two Eyed Cyclops”, and “Rise of the Lombards”, Synesthesia takes you on a journey through the mystical and dark world of JED.

The production on the album definitely brings out the band’s best side with heavy, chunky guitar tones, and resonating tom fills. If you think you’d enjoy getting hit repeatedly by 18-wheelers, but your too afraid to die, listen to Synesthesia in the safety of your own home and prepare to be hit hard and often. "


- Jake Fouts

http://zeromag.com/articles/cd_view.php?id=1497&pi=0

December 2006


JED -SYNESTHESIA
SELF-RELEASED
By Mike SOS
September 2006 Crave Northwest


"Pacific Northwestern veteran quintet Jed's hybrid style combines the trademark sounds of their geographic area with eruptions of alt-metal explosiveness on the 11-track SYNESTHESIA. Drawing from the shadowy vibes thrown out by notable area acts such as Queensryche and Alice in Chains for its aura of melancholic darkness while drumming up the wares of Sevendust and Mudvayne for the sheer aggressive output, songs like "Nympho" and "Nothing" showcase intense bursts of melodic yet unpoppy hooks sewn together, forming multi-faceted monstrous offerings. Unafraid to explore the murky reserves of the mind through the enlightenment of the unit's unwavering metallic force, songs like "New Ambits" and "Two Eyed Cyclops" take excursions to areas frequently inhabited by Deftones and Chevelle with a semi-nihilistic industrial rock swagger, while cuts like "Opal" stomp over nu-metal plateaus with hypnotic rhythms and sinewy grooves abound. SYNESTHESIA is an album laden with darkened dynamicism and elaborate layers that fans of a higher order of metal will undoubtedly swarm to. www.carnelianagency.com" -Mike SOS
http://www.cravemagazine.com/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=421

This review by Mike 303 was also published on Americore Magazine and Ear Candy Magazine
- George Dionne/Jake Fouts/Mike SOS

Synesthesia
by Dan Bernal

" Jed's airtight, stop-on-a-dime rhythm section burns these high octane bulldozer riffs around corners on the rails. Deep, punchy production stretches the guitar tones downward, while leaving plenty of articulation upstairs, highlighting a creative blend of cool noise and slick chops. Jed's vocals hinge on an Eastern/Arabic modality, which crept in small doses into a lot of mid-'90s metal (even a small taste in The Prodigy's "Smack My Bitch Up"), but acts more as a melodic foundation here. With some obvious Tool/Perfect Circle influence, these guys have all the musicianship and character to get somewhere if they can just dig through their hearty bag of tricks and pull out a few big payoff choruses."
(www.jedband.com)

Nov. 1, 2006

http://www.lollipop.com/article.php3?content=2006/11nov/jed.html
- Dan Bernal

Sugarbuzz :Uncensored" by Cheryl

"Oh, but there is more rock to speak of on this rainy evening in Olympia. Aberdeen's JED took the stage with their tight, multi-textured rock layered over a sturdy metal base similar to that of Floater, Rage Against the Machine and Tool. Like a rocker possessed, You WILL bang you head to these guys, don't even fight it. Accept your fate."

11/11/2005
www.sugarbuzzmagazine.com


Rough Edge
by R. Scott Bolton

Sanctuary 200
"Apparently listening to the band's catalog in reverse, I didn't hear Jed's 2001 release, "Sanctuary 200," until after I heard their 2006 "Synesthesia." In all frankness, however, I don't think the order would have made much of a difference. "Sanctuary 200" is nearly as strong a CD as the band's latter material, despite slightly lower production values (probably due more to five year's advances in technology than anything else).

As on "Synesthesia," Jed slow-burns it through "Sanctuary 200." That isn't to say the songs are slow, because they aren't. Instead, they're mid-tempo rockers that depend more on the "simmer" than the "burn." In other words, the band is deliberate and consistent in maintaining a unique sound and, although (like "Synesthesia") many of the songs share the same tempo, "Sanctuary 200" never bores.

Again, like the more recent CD, "Sanctuary 200" is more of a collection of atmospheric rockers than balls-out headbangers ... and that's what makes it unique. "

http://www.roughedge.com/cdreviews/j/jed.htm

Rock, Paper, Scissors
by Thomas Marchese

" This is, without a doubt, my favorite "heavy," independently released record that we have gotten our hands on. This one went straight into my CD collection at home ... Sancuary 200 is a big, heavy hitting record with original turns all the way through."

- Cheryl /R.Scott Bolton/ Thomas Marchese

R. Scott Bolton of Rough Edge gives Synesthesia 3 Guitars

"Synesthesia" (which is almost as difficult to type as it is to pronounce) is a collection of eleven tracks that dole out their individual strengths and power with a driving, crushing intensity that isn't created by furious speed or raucous noise. Instead, each track simmers at its own deliberate pace to create a unique combination of hard rock power and subtle melody."

Check out Rough Edge for the complete review http://www.roughedge.com/cdreviews/j/jed.htm
- R. Scott Bolton

Sonicbids Artists Step Into
The Atlas Artist Spotlight

Music Resource Group, publisher of The Musician’s Atlas and producer of the Independent Music Awards announced that the Hard Rock/Metal band, JED and the Dance/Electronica act, Lucy Bland have won the 2 Free Profiles reserved for Sonicbids members in the Atlas Artist Spotlight – a dynamic print & online program that will put artists in front of 500,000+ members of the global music community - all year long.

September 2006 - Artist Spotlight

JED
Synesthesia

"Formed in 1996 in Aberdeen, Washington, Jed is aiming to follow in Tool's footsteps by "penning multifaceted compositions that delve below artistic surfaces into colorfully enigmatic dimensions."
Mixed by Jack Endino, who's produced albums for Zeke, Gruntruck, Soundgarden and Nirvana among many others, the sound on this 11- song CD is top notch. Full of swells and drifts, this is music that encapsulates dynamic intricacy and stylistic experimentation. Substantial grooves keep left field creative wandering to a minimim. This aids in clearer reception of the complex and widely varied lyrical messages. Close attention must be paid for proper interpretation."

Issue 97 BWBK 6/2006

Brave Words and Bloody Knuckles

"Two Eyed Cyclops" from Synesthesia

"Jed have been hammering crowds for ten years in Seattle with their intelligent, rhythmic, Tool- styled but grunge- infected post-metal sound. Crafting irrestible song sculptures with spaces, huge riffs and soaring to contemplative vocals, Jed raise the bar for creative color and measured arrangements in an alternative world that needs their skills. "

June 2006
http://www.bravewords.com/magazine/knuckletracks/1000060
- Martin Popoff/ Aaron Small

"The Metal Horizon"
JED
With a heavy alternative rock/ metal feel that makes you want to scream your head off and let loose,
Aberdeen, Washington’s Jed, provide an edgy sound that is easy to get into. This band is like a heavier Three Days Grace. The band recently released “Synesthesia”. The band has released several albums since forming in 1996. Despite being together for so long, they have yet to get signed. They’ve been doing it all by themselves for all these years and that is very commendable. They have managed to stay true despite competition with bands. Notable songs off the release include “Nothing”, “Rise of the Lombards” and “Metragnomes”. “Nothing” has excellent guitar crunch and driving sounds. “Metragnomes” starts off with this Soulfly-esque tribal sound before it goes into a raw crunch sound. “Rise of the
Lombards” has a steady vibe to, as the guitar pulls you in. The band utilizes their two guitarists well as one guitarist tends to do sequels in the back, while the main guitarist leads the song. The band is also known to perform a few covers in their set. Some of them include System of a Down’s “Sugar”, Rammstein’s “Tier”, Deftones “Shove It” and even some more popular un rock songs like “Hella Good” by No Doubt and “Walk Like an Egyptian”, the band your head version of the Bangles. Jed are a straight up alternative metal band with meaningful lyrics and hard rocking songs, and their ten years as a band shows their commitment to the music they make. This band is worth the listen. The band also has a lot of show set for the coming months. If you live in California, Idaho, Utah, Washington, or
Nevada you’ll have a chance to see the band.



August 2006
http://www.northeastintune.com/index.php?bd=reg&sb=land&article=090651




- Star Child

JED – Synesthesia (2006)

" ‘Synesthesia’ is the latest offering from Jed, a band born and weaned in the wake of the Seattle music explosion of the early 90’s. Following the band’s 2001 release, ‘Sanctuary 200’, ‘Synesthesia’ continues to carve from the same polished slab of granite. This is an album full of good ideas – such as the intriguing opener “Madmartigan” and the driving “Metragnomes”. “Nympho” is about as close as the band gets to “funky”, the guys preferring most often to lay a low metal groove. The songs are somewhat dark in execution and quite bizarre, lyrically. One can’t help being curious to see what songs called “Two Eyed Cyclops” and “John Incarnate” are all about, and they do make for some pretty strange, albeit fascinating wordplay. As a vocalist, Erik Heimann is a striking lyricist; he leads Jed’s twin-guitar lineup through eleven dropped-D ditties which, taken singularly, are fairly entertaining with their quasi-futuristic vibes. "

July 2006
http://www.the-fuze.com/

What's Up

Jed "Synesthesia"
by Joseph Dethloff

JED
Synesthesia

" they pack more head banging awesomeness into one song than most metal acts do on full albums and the angst factor is turned up to 11 ... straight through, Synesthesia is hard, melodic and never boring. "

July 2006

- Todd Seeley/ Joseph Dethloff

CDReviews.com

Synesthesia
by Kristen Brown

"You can’t go wrong with rolled R’s and confusing lyrics. "

"JED’s positive vibe seems to show itself most prominently in their more experimental tracks. “Rise of the Lombards” is an interesting mix of relatively melodic vocals and spoken (or shouted) background vocals. Combined with out-of-the-blue sweeping guitar riffs, it’s quite the pleasant listening experience. “Opal” is another great example with its eager, open, and abrupt phrasing."

6/26/06





Artsy Noise
Elizabeth Benavidez

Once again the Seattle sound comes from Aberdeen. I was really impressed by this band. It's like every little thing you like about genres from heavy metal to pop smart hard rock. Clear vocals and heavy riffs make this a cd you want to own. I love the "old sound" it has to it that is similar of Alice in Chains and Nirvana with out sounding anything like a copy cat band. Synesthesia is the continuation of what was lost in the 90s a modern kitchen sick blend of aggression, smart lyrics, powerful vocals. and the musical backing to make it all work. My favorite song so far is Track 5 "Nothing". The cover art is brilliant I really liked the photo of the stairs on the inside case. If you haven't heard of this band be sure to see a show or snag their cd. Wether they make it to the top or don't get out of Washington, you want to be a part of this.

http://www.artsynoise.com/Review.aspx?id=1014
June 2006 - Kristen Brown/Elizabeth Benavidez