Lethal Dose
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Lethal Dose

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"FeaturesHome News Features Lethal Dose rev up in First Gear Lethal Dose rev up in First Gear"

FeaturesHome News Features Lethal Dose rev up in First Gear Lethal Dose rev up in First Gear

Channelling the likes of groups like the Trews, Moist, and even at times Canadian stalwart The Tragically Hip, Millet-based band Lethal Dose delivers its self-released debut CD First Gear.

Lethal Dose is comprised of lead vocalist and guitarist Greg Benkendorf, 18; guitarist and vocalist Amanda Franklin, 18; bassist Cash Breitkreuz, 18 and drummer Kyle Hutzul, 16.


The album kicks off with a rapid radio-friendly rock driven track called Show Me A Sign. Sung by Benkendorf, it starts the CD strong.

Show Me A Sign is catchy, while hitting on a the rock cliche of the quick hook-up at "a little bar outside of town," where the couple in question head on back to my place, only if she'd show me a sign.

Franklin takes over on vocals for Driving Crazy, a fast paced story of a take charge girl, who although she is behind the wheel, her guy is driving her crazy.

After the opening two tracks, the album slows a bit through Dead Zone and Somebodies Someone, two songs that lament about not giving up, and of lost love.

Nobody But Me picks the tempo back up for a short burst that more than any other track, echoes lighter sounds of East Coast Canadian rockers – The Trews.

The guitar solo in Nobody But Me is fantastic and lets you realize just how accomplished these players are at such a young age. But, the solo also ends the song at an early 2:47 minutes, leaving you feel that maybe there should have been a little more to the track.

Lethal Dose comes back quickly in the form of I Won't Give Up, a very cool track that is easily on of the best on the album. There is a bit of a blues feel to the intro riff, which recurs throughout, adding a great dynamic to the song.

Franklin returns to solo vocals on I Need To Hold, where her talents are showcased well, in a modern country-rock mix, which could compete on CMT's Canadian Countdown.

The blues feel and Benkendorf's vocals, who sounds a little like Moist's David Usher, return on the balladesque, I'll Be Waiting. But again the song ends sooner than expected.

The disc wraps up with both vocalists mixing together seamlessly on Only Crossed the Starting Line and the band's anthem Living the Dream.

First Gear is aptly titled, because although the songs are solid and the CD is a fun and catchy collection, you get the feel that there is more to offer from the quartet.

Put in the hands of a major record label that could help flush out the best the young artists have to offer, Lethal Dose could find itself with more than one single off the CD.

– vburke
- Wetaskiwin Times


"Huge Dose of local talent"


Vince Burke

Staff writer


A young local band says they are living the dream with the latest milestone for the group just a few days away.

Lethal Dose, who got its start in the hallways of Millet School, is hosting a CD release part Feb. 6 at the Memorial Arts Centre, in honour of their debut CD First Gear.


Long journey for band

The album is the culmination of what seems like a long journey for Lead vocalist and guitarist Greg Benkendorf, 18, guitarist and vocalist Amanda Franklin, 18, bassist Cash Breitkreuz, 18 and drummer Kyle Hutzul, 16.

The 10-track disc is packed with all original music written by the band members, who said they had about 15 of their own songs, and pared it down for the album.

"All the songs mean a lot, but it was just we wanted to make an impression on people and what not," said Benkendorf.

"I think the one thing, it hasn't been a negative, but a positive that we are from a small town, and we get so much support it is ridiculous. People who have shown up to our shows are still showing up consistently."

The songs on the album range from those dealing with young relationships to what the band has gone through as a unit, which includes the final cut on the disc, Living the Dream.

"That song really symbolizes what this band is all about," said Breitkreuz.

"Each song is written by Greg and Amanda. Some are his personal issues, his background, or his feelings and some are Amanda's and then it kind of becomes a whole band thing, when we add the music."

The group said it is still hard to believe they have reached the point of the self-released album, but credits many things to their success.

"Our family is why we are as far as we are, with them backing us up. We have our friends pushing us and we have peers that are making fun of you, so you want to prove to them that you can do it," said Breitkreuz.

The band's influences range from country and southern rock between Benkendorf and Franklin, while Hutzul listens to hip hop and Breitkreuz is influenced by heavy metal.

"That's why I think this band has a good shot at this, because we all come from different (musical) backgrounds, but we meet in the middle and can make the same music," said Breitkreuz.

The band has been together for three years and started as an offshoot from science class, where Franklin and Benkendorf backed up the teacher in musical parodies geared toward the science class.

Tracing their beginnings

"Our teacher at the end of the unit, he would make up a little parody from some other song and said hey, 'you guys want to play guitar, because Greg and I were in his science class," said Franklin.

That evolved until Breitkreuz joined the group, replacing a previous bassist and the current line up was complete.

Lethal Dose has been shopping the CD around to radio stations, hoping to get some airplay, mainly with 98.1 Cam FM in Camrose.

"It is kind of cool with Cam Fm, because we won a battle of the bands in Camrose, and they kind of grabbed onto us. As soon as we got off, they have asked us to do press packs and stuff," said Benkendorf.

When it comes to the CD release party, the tickets are $10 at the door and there is also an opening band performing along with Lethal Dose and local stand-up Justin Littlechild will emcee the event.

Doors open at 8 p.m.
- Wetaskiwin Times


"Teens rock Main Street"


Posted By BRIAN VOSSEN

Lethal Dose just can’t seem to get enough of Camrose.

Last year, the Millet based teenage band won Camrose’s battle of the bands. This year, the country rock band returned to Camrose to play Music on Main on July 9.

Though Lethal Dose seemed very comfortable on-stage, performing for an audience hasn’t always been that easy for the band. Amanda Franklin, vocalist and rhythm guitarist for Lethal Dose said that she was practically paralyzed by fear during the band’s first show in the Griffiths-Scott Middle School gym-nasium.


“I was so scared. I just stood there the whole time, frozen,” she said.

“The more shows you do you get a little less nervous and more comfortable on stage,” Kyle Hutzul, Lethal Dose drummer, said.

Lethal Dose started playing music two years ago. There is a curious story behind the band’s formation. Greg Benkendorf, vocalist and lead guitarist for the band, said that their Grade 8 science teacher, Ken Barwise, approached him and Amanda while they were attending Griffiths-Scott middle school. Barwise wanted the two guitarists to play “Bad to Ozone,” a song Barwise had written to the tune of “Bad to the Bone.” Greg said after that, Kyle was added as a drummer and Cash Breitkreuz became the band’s permanent bassist about a year ago.

As would be expected in a country rock band, many band members got their inspiration from country artists.

“When I was little I was sitting in the back of my auntie’s truck. She tells me this all the time. I’d scream Garth Brooks in the back of her truck,” Amanda said.

Lethal Dose enters the studio for the first time this week to begin recording an album full of all-original material. The band hopes to release the album later this year, maybe sometime around Christmas.

Since the band’s formation, it has played many shows and had many interesting experiences. The band members said that the most unusual thing that has happened to them was while setting up for a show this February.

“We were setting everything up and we blew a breaker because we put too much stuff on one circuit and we couldn’t find the breaker box,” said Greg

“We spent a good hour and a half just looking, trying to fix the problem” said Cash.

“We left half an hour before the show started just to go home and change and then come back,” said Greg.

The band was moments away from canceling the show.

“We tried stealing power from the bank next door but they caught us and got mad at us, so we ran the show off my dad’s [Steve’s] welder,” admitted Greg.
- Camrose Canadian


"Millet band selected to play Whitecourt’s Party in the Park"

Posted By Brian Vossen Staff Writer

A Millet rock band has been selected to share the stage with a multi-platinum Canadian music group.

The gig follows the group entering the recording studio sometime this week to cut its first record of original material.

Lethal Dose, comprised of four Millet and area teenagers, will perform Sept. 6 at Whitecourt’s Party in the Park along with Streetheart and many other Canadian bands.

“It’s a huge opportunity for exposure and kind of move outside of our normal playing area just to spread the word,” said band manager Steve Benkendorf.

Lethal Dose, which plays original music along with classic rock, new rock and new country, performed at Music on Main in Camrose July 9.

Though they look comfortable on stage, performing for an audience hasn’t always been that easy for the band members.

Amanda Franklin, Lethal Dose’s vocalist and rhythm guitarist, said that she was practically paralyzed by fear during the band’s first show in the Griffiths-Scott Middle School gymnasium in Millet.

“I was so scared. I just stood there the whole time, frozen,” said Amanda.

“The more shows you do, you get a little less nervous and more comfortable on stage,” said Kyle Hutzul, the band’s drummer.

Lethal Dose musicians started playing music together two years ago, and there is a curious story behind the band’s formation.

Greg Benkendorf, vocalist and lead guitarist, said their Grade 8 science teacher, Ken Barwise, approached him and Amanda while they were attending Griffiths-Scott Middle School.

Barwise wanted the two guitarists to play Bad to Ozone a song Barwise had written to the tune of Bad to the Bone by George Thorogood.

Greg said after that performance, Kyle was added as a drummer and the band grew from there.

Cash Breitkreuz was the final member to join Lethal Dose. Cash, who has been with the band for about a year, found some videos online of the band performing.

After he found out the bassist was only a temporary member, Cash, who also plays guitar and drums, auditioned and joined the band.

“My dad always played guitar, so I’ve been playing guitar since I was just a tot and then these guys needed a bass player so I played bass.

“If I had to choose, I’d play drums,” he said.

Cash added he has no problem playing bass for Lethal Dose as it gives him some perks that wouldn’t be available if he was playing drums.

“I like being at the front of the stage. I get to show off,” Cash said.

As for their musical influences growing up, the band members said country artists topped their list.

“When I was little, I was sitting in the back my auntie’s truck, she tells me this all the time, and I’d scream Garth Brooks in the back of her truck,” Amanda said.

All of the band members hope they can forge a career of making music.

In fact Cash, who is the only band member not still in high school, said he is not pursuing a post-secondary education so that he can continue playing with the band.

Lethal Dose enters the studio for the first time this week to begin recording an album of original material. The band hopes to release the album later this year, possibly around Christmas.

Since the band’s formation, it has played many shows and had many interesting experiences.

The band members said that the most unusual thing that has happened to them was while setting up for a show at the Rainbow Corral in Wetaskiwin this past February.

“We were setting everything up and we blew a breaker because we put too much stuff on one circuit and we couldn’t find the breaker box,” said Greg.

“We spent a good hour an a half just looking, trying to fix the problem” said Cash

“We kept blowing breakers like nothing. We were there from 10 a.m till 6 p.m.,” said Kyle

“We left half an hour before the show started just to go home and change and then come back,” added Greg.

“We were moments away from cancelling,” said Cash

“We tried stealing power from the bank next door but they caught us and got mad at us, so we ran the show off my dad’s (Steve’s) welder,” said Greg.





- Wetaskiwin Times


Discography

Our debut CD "First Gear" was officially launched Feb 6/2010 at our CD Release Party at the Memorial Arts Center in Wetaskiwin to a sellout crowd!

Photos

Bio

Lethal Dose was originally formed in Griffith Scott Middle School in the spring of 2007 by a science teacher who gathered the members together and used their musical talents to increase the efffectiveness of his teachings.
Since then, the teacher has moved on, but the band continues to practice, perform and write their own material.
Since the inception of the band, we have done over 25 live performances in front of crowds ranging from 200 to 1000 fans. We have also entered 5 battle of the bands and have won all of them with the exception of our last one which we placed as first runner up.

Our lineup begins with our lead singer Greg Benkendorf, Greg's musical influences include artists like Garth Brooks, Keith Urban, Chris Daughtry. He also writes a great deal of the bands original material. His lyrics are easily relatable to many different ages. Greg is also a very gifted guitarist as well and shows a great stage prescense as well.

Next up is Amanda Franklin, she brings the great harmonies as well as the feminine aspect to some of our original material that she also writes. Amanda is also a very gifted guitarist and her influences include Lady Antebellum, The Eagles and of course Garth Brooks.

Our bassist Cash Nikki Breitkreuz is the newest member of Lethal Dose, he joined us in late 2007 and became an immediate fit, bringing with him a charisma and musical talent that was the missing piece for us. Not only is he a talented basist, but a multi-instrumentalist as well, playing bass, guitar and drums. Cash is also a promising songwriter and vocalist as well. His influences include Slipknot, Nirvanna, and Blink 182

Last, but definately not least is our percussionist, Kyle Hutzul. Although Kyle is the youngest member of the band at 16yrs, it seems he was born with a set of sticks in his hand. His timing and intuition brings the whole package together. His musical influences include Metalica and Nickelback among others.

It is the diversity of their musical influences that combines to produce our unique sound and the youth of the band provides a very entertaining high energy show.