Downcast Theory

Downcast Theory is made up of Matthew Simon on lead vocals & guitar, Jake Raynor on lead guitar & vocals, Kenny Earl on bass and Matt “Raundawg” Raunick on drums & piano. This NJ-based hard rock group is bringin’ the noise in bountiful amounts. So much raw energy is displayed by this group to the point that it’s contagious. Audibly, this exuberant amount of power & excitement is a pleasure to hear.

Damaged Calm is a perfect title because while listening, you experience some slower, calm moments and then other times you get that aggressive-sounding, damaged sensation. You seem to get the best of both worlds here with some hard-rockin’, heavy music mixed with some straight rock simplicity. I was completely in tune with this record and what Downcast Theory was bringin’ to the tables.
The band chemistry is undeniable as Downcast Theory prove that their sound is fully loaded & that their group is no joke. The record starts up with a song titled “Break Away” that simply just rocks the shit out of matters! I’m hearing heavy-hitting, hard-edged music that just rocks and can’t help but think Hell Yeah Baby! Track four, “Change of Pace” has Jake letting out some wicked, shreakish screams along with an intensely hot guitar line. Next up, “Selfish”, has an incredible amount of electricity that makes you feel like MC5 when they said “Kick out the jams!” One song named “Not Your Soldier” has a very strong presence of hard rock guitar along with the drums being solid as hell also. The title track, “Damaged Calm”, seemed to be the perfect match for Downcast Theory as they bang their heads together in unison to become one strong force. The “Jersey Boys” change things up a bit on “A Song for DJ” as they drop the heaviness and go for a bit lighter & subtle approach. On this number, I hear a very cool acoustic guitar sound that seems to be fitting for the subject of the song. This installment is actually quite sad because it’s based on someone passing away as Jake Raynor’s vocal performance is immensely moving. On the next track, “For the Rest of My Life”, you get a deep feeling of that big & loud presence of Downcast Theory. This hard-rock group ends things on a high note with a song called “Shatter”. On this track, you get heavy anticipation toward the end where you feel this band is unleashing everything. It seems that the Damaged Calm is complete at this time with everything shattering & exploding right before your ears.

One element of this record that I absolutely loved was the electrifying guitar playing of Jake Raynor. With so many awesome, kick-ass guitar riffs, it seemed as if Raynor was on fire throughout much of this record. His fingers seemed to be fueling the flames as Jake played the hell out of his guitar. The sound that he created was one that was rock-nasty and gave way to that golden rock & roll attitude.
I’d like to add that there were even times when Downcast Theory had a style similar to that of Puddle of Mudd. These moments were especially evident on the slowed-down verses where Simon really seemed to replicate vocal tones with Wes Scantlin of Puddle of Mudd. I am a definite fan of Downcast Theory now and I’m sure this Jersey rock group will have many more to come. - Skope Magazine

You know a lot of times it’s not what you know or how much but it’s whom you know. In this case it’s my wife Stephanie’s church of goodie two-shoes. Yeah the drummer Matt for DOWNCAST THEORY goes to my church and just happens to also be in DOWNCAST THEORY. You know the story… "Oh my husband is the owner of a music website…” / "Oh really, well we have a CD…" and you'll never guess who ends up with it. Yep, Me! No big deal, but just because you go to church with my wife and you're in a band doesn’t mean a good review!

Anyway, let’s get to the meat of it. DOWNCAST THEORY is a clan of youths trying to make a name for themselves, which is not the easiest thing to do especially in New Jersey the tax state! The boys play hard-edged, raw aggressive rock in the vein of another former NJ band named LOWBUZ. The opening track “Break Away” is pummeling with some kicking lyrics and some great hooks. They could tune down the reverb a bit but it does give some essences to the tune.

Another riveting tune that kicks it up is “Prayer”. It starts off melodic and a few seconds into the song combustions ignited. The vocals by Matthew Simon conjure up images of SHINEDOWN and GODSMACK and the slicing guitar by Jake Raynor is the perfect touch to make this a quality track.

“Change of Pace” is highlighted by the midsection of drummer Raundawg and bassist Kenny Earl which play the part to perfection. I also loved the screams by Raynor that gives the vocal cords a workout.

I was wondering when these boys were going to come back down to earth after eight full throttle tunes. Now they are showing some class with “Forgive Me.” I knew these boys could rock, but could they change direction? Well they show that with “Forgive Me". This is the highlight tune for me! The song shows good balance from aggressive to a great rocking song. The breaks from hard-edged to classic rock are evident with success.

And they go even further with “A Song for DJ” that is another killer tune. Acoustics are drawn and heads are up showing these boys are no fly by night garage band. “A Song for DJ” really shows the talent of DOWNCAST THEORY. Anyone can plug in and hit the distortion but when it comes down to it, if you can write and play songs like “Forgive Me” and “A Song for DJ” other bands will be looking to knock you off the pedestal, only finding out the talent is within…

I really enjoyed DOWNCAST THEORY’s “Damaged Calm” which to me is a breathe of fresh air. I loved the direction change in tunes and the slight touches of piano by Raundawg that is not overly predominant. I can’t wait to hear the next release to see if these boys can move forward. This is a keeper! - Rock Eyez

DOWNCAST THEORY, what can I say, one of the two bands that I thought would win the battle; good songwriting and great vocals by Matthew Simon and one of the bands that seem to play from the heart. The band was tight but the emotion by Simon makes for an undeniable star quality. - Rock Eyez

Back in 2008 RockEyez reviewed DOWNCAST THEORY’s second release “Damaged Calm” http://www.rockeyez.com/reviews/cd/downcast-theory/rev-dead-calm.html and to tell you the truth these boys rock. They are back in 2011 with their self titled new offering with thirteen spanking new tracks of heavenly sounds.

I’m not going to bullshit you these guys have the raw energy that lifts my spirits. One thing I applaud these boys for is adding a lyric sheet to the inner sleeve and putting out superior product for a self-financed release. These guys are young and I’m sure they are following their desired path. I can’t say enough about Matt Simon’s vocals and the musicianship in DOWNCAST THEORY is pure high voltage. The first track that gives a jolt to the system is “In Need”; killer catchy chorus yet still holds that raw energy that DOWNCAST THEORY possesses.

Another thing that catches my ear is the production on the disc is amazing. I love the deep sounds and every instrument is thrown into the mix. Check out “Isolate” as each instrument is highlighted and that makes for a great record. Most of the time either drums or bass sounds are hidden, not here and I love that.

With sounds of ALTER BRIDGE, LIVE and others, DOWNCAST THEORY brings the burning light to a dead zone in New Jersey. These guys bring hope to a dying music scene and could revitalize and summon the masses to the stage. I really hope so!

“Invictus” kicks into high gear that sounds the heavier alarm yet. Simon keeps the killer lyrics in check; he just has the knack to make a tune shine. Jake Raynor goes off in a guitar tantrum, just watch this guy in the future with his screaming guitar licks.

With a little growling, “Change of Pace” is raw and high energy but still holds that melodic torch. The infectious chops of Raynor will have some neck snapping; it’s that addicting.

Drummer Matt Raunick is overwhelming with some smash-mouth drumming on “Drown”. The song is fast-paced and has a riveting chorus with tantalizing strumming by Jake Raynor. DOWNCAST THEORY is a bit heavier than on the last disc “Damaged Calm” and it still brings high energy and excitement. The music is a little darker and lyrically pushes these guys over the top. Check out DOWNCAST THEORY! - Rock Eyez

I was lucky enough to get a chance to review this band’s last album titled ‘Damaged Calm’ back in 2009 for Skope Entertainment Inc. I loved what I heard then and I really love what I hear now from their self-titled release. I am so excited for Downcast Theory and their bright future ahead!

This band hails from the Garden State and is made up of: Matt Simon on vocals & guitar, Jake Raynor on guitar & vocals, Matt Raunick on drums and Ryan Sauerman on bass. This is the first time working with bassist Ryan Sauerman as Downcast Theory looks to dominate the pack. This new record displays many of the same qualities from the last album but these Jersey rockers have decided to kick it up a notch. That insane amount of energy & force that was so visible on ‘Damaged Calm’ remains the same for the new album. Right out of the gates on the first track “Forgotten Within” all the way to the end with “Rebirth”, DT continues to land powerful jabs of sound that are sure to deliver a knockout. This band is simply on fire here as they play with an enormous amount of fury & ferocity that is hard to contain. The band chemistry is rock solid because Dowcast Theory makes it work on all angles flawlessly.

DT gives you hard rock & heavy metal at its finest where it all seems to hit you head on. This record seems a bit heavier with edgier riffs and screams from Jake Raynor that really grab you like on “Insane”, “Prayer” and “Invictus” among others. When Jake starts up song nine “Change of Pace” with the phrase “Get the fuck up!”, I say hell yeah baby! These Jersey boys are bringin’ it with authority and they are really letting you have it.

Matt Simon’s vocal delivery was very impressive to say the least as he was able to battle with so many emotions at once. On one breath you get anger & agressiveness coming from Simon’s voice and on the next breath you pick up on real pain & hurt. Vocally & lyrically there was so much damn feeling behind every single word Matt sang. It was quite an experience to hear and I am proud to announce that I am a hardcore Downcast Theory fan! As their logo states: “The Downward Spiral Has Begun” and I am so glad to be a part of it!

DT has opened up for some pretty big acts such as: Powerman 5000, Cold, Drowning Pool, Taking Back Sunday, Circa Survive and Nonpoint. Dowcast Theory has played at many hot spots around NJ such as: Starland Ballroom, The Stone Pony, The Saint, Maxwell’s, School of Rock, Bar Anticipation and The Fixx. They have also performed at: The Delancey in NYC, Adelphi University in Garden City, NY and Bootleggers in Woodlyn, PA. Recent performaces include: Brighton Bar in Long Branch, NJ and Knitting Factory in Brooklyn, NY. If you happen to be in the Butler, NJ area on Sunday August 14 then head over to Architekt Music to watch this electrifying group rip through their set. Predominantly a Tri-State area band at the moment, DT looks to branch out and start hittin’ more states very soon. I, for one, can not wait to see Dowcast Theory live now so hopefully a BIG tour is in the works! Let “The Downward Spiral” begin!

You’re probably wondering to yourself where can I buy their music and I’m so glad you asked! You can purchase the new album and/or ‘Damaged Calm’ at iTunes at: http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/downcast-theory/id268914755 . If you prefer the CD version like myself then you can contact Matt Simon at: downcasttheory@yahoo.com and he’ll get you all fixed up. Downcast Theory is also selling some very cool T-shirts so hit up Matt if you’re interested in that as well. I’ll leave you with some helpful sites where you can find out even more about this tight-knit Jersey bunch: http://www.downcasttheory.com/fr_dt.cfm
http://www.facebook.com/DowncastTheory
http://twitter.com/#!/downcasttheory
By Jimmy Rae (jrae@skopemag.com) - Skope Magazine