Aerith

"Successfully blending metal elements with At The Drive In's post-hardcore esthetic, Aerith bring some attitude and lively aggression to the table."

- James Moore, Your Band Is A Virus! - James Moore

Free Download of Pterodactyl Murder - Puregrainaudio

Aerith’s Bears!

While the world of metal usually falls on the two extreme sides of deathfully serious or insanely frivolous, Burlington–based Aerith seems to straddle a more comfortable median. Taking influences from more contemporary progressive loud rock, they offer their latest CD, Bears!, that is a serious piece of music but presented with the perhaps more light–hearted personality of the band.
“This band really is different,” smiles guitarist/vocalist Jamie Stieva. “It started with just wanting to write music that we liked. At a certain point I think we stopped worrying what people would think about the music and did it all for ourselves. We have been called everything, from dreamy metal, tech–rock, to shred–swinger metal, to poppy, shred, tech–rock. We really don’t know how to classify the band, we just consider ourselves to be a metal band, and wherever people want to label us is just fine with us.
“I don’t think you have to be serious to play metal, you should love what you do, and do what you love,” he adds. “Life is too short to be all caught up in the pretention that comes along with metal. It all comes down to loving what you do, I mean you can see videos of us interacting on stage, and we definitely have smiles on our faces while we play. Yes, the things lyrically we write about are serious, for the most part I try to bring in things from everyday life into the writing, but we also have that other side where writing comes from a sense of silliness.”
Stieva, Chris Sindrey (drums), Cody Greer (bass) and Steve James (guitar) went into Hive Studios with Eric Papky and recorded a powerful album in the vein of some of their influences like Thrice or Coheed and Cambria. While the cover art for Bears! – featuring local artist Lindsay Haig’s collection of a dozens of cartoon bears in interesting situations – might lead you to believe this might have the warmth of a pair of pyjamas, but the music within is flashpoint explosive from the get go.
“We tried to make an album we could play for years to come,” offers tieva. “I think Bears! is our most complete thought to date, I mean that in we actually were able to weave songs together that flowed. It
kind of embodies everything we are as a band. It has some crazy heavier breakdowns, and then quickly turns around in the next song to something more upbeat and swingy.
“The art for this album is based off a sketch I have hanging on the wall of my house,” adds the singer. “We decided that we wanted something fun for this cover, something with a lot of detail that people could keep looking at and seeing something new in it every time. I love this album, I am proud to hand it out to anyone, I love the art and how it speaks for us a band, all the little pop culture references in there reflect and lot of the nerdiness that comes with this band. All of us are bookworms to some degree and the use of the bears the way it is allowed us to showcase that.”
Recently hooking up with Earlybird Records, based out of Toronto and Ottawa, with a roster including Third Place, Right By Midnight, and The seasonal, Aerith are hoping to increase their networking and live show schedule and move things forward as a band. While they have their work cut out for them toiling in the metal underground, it’s that joy in playing that will always prove to be its own reward.
“I would love to not have to have a day job, and to be able to play 200 shows a year,” says Stieva. “I have always thought there might be a small space for us in the world of radio or commercialism, I think our singing and pop aspects allow that to happen. For the most part, we sing a lot, screaming is a factor to our music but it is not the bread and butter so to speak.
“But we do like to melt faces, be loud and get all up in your business,” laughs Stieva on Aerith’s live show. “You’re going to get a lot of hair, a lot of hair, flying everywhere. You are going to get loud, sweaty, dynamic, face–melting, metal–swinging, shredding, mosh–pitty goodness.”

Aerith play this Friday January 28 at Club Absinthe with Lead Wind and more. Doors are at 10pm and $5 gets you in. Click on myspace.com/aerithmusic

- Ric Taylor - View Magazine

Rating: 7.5 / 10

When I first sat down to review Aerith’s new Bears! EP I thought I was listening to a schizophrenic band that wasn’t sure of its identity in the rock/metal scene. It took a few listens, but there is a fluidity to this EP that you won’t catch the first time around.

There are two driving influences that converge on this EP; a poppier emo sound and an abrasive metal sound. Bears! demonstrates that the four piece out of Burlington, ON are dynamic and have found a clever space between heavy rhythms, poppy hooks and anthemic choruses.

These guys can rip it with the best of them, but what you’ll find on Bears! is a restraint from self-indulgent noodling and shredding. There’s a clear focus on crafting each song organically. That being said, there are a couple of sick breakdowns with call and answer guitar parts that verge on the stylings of Coheed and Cambria (about half way through the opening track, “Bangladesh Is Drowning”).

Bears! is a rocking EP that is loud and aggressive, yet accessible enough for radio. If you were ever a fan of BoySetsFire, you’ll appreciate this album. I look forward to a full- length effort. Check out “Wake Up In The Mourning”, “Secret Secrets” and “Antarctica”... definite standouts that will give you a good idea of what Aerith is about. [ END ]

Track Listing:

01. Bangladesh Is Drowning
02. Wake Up In The Mourning
03. Secret Secrets
04. A Trivial Distraction
05. Pterodactyl Murder
06. Antarctica

Run Time: 22:13
Release Date: 10.16.2010 - Puregrainaudio

Article in the April issue of Snap Burlington - Break out band challenge.

Photo on front page. - SNAP Burlington

Y108 Spring Music Festival Presents:

Danko Jones with Breathe, Miasmata and
MicLordz & Sauce Funky
May 10th, 2010 @ Boston Manor
Click here for tickets


Official Band of the UFC , Stemm performing their hit
"Face The Pain"
with Aerith, Throatpunch & more...
May 14th, 2010 @ Corktown Pub
Click here for tickets


Universal Records artist, My Darkest Days
May 15th, 2010 @ Corktown Pub
Click here for tickets


- SMF

View Magazine - Aerith Article
AERITH

While their previous bands like Versus Cole, Idle But Deadly and Exordium may have had their individual relative successes, Jamie Stieva (guitar, vocals), Chris Sindrey (drums), Cody Greer (bass) and Steve Gill (guitar) all felt something missing in their other bands but when they came together, they new they had something special. They would take their influences from the likes of The Sword, Coheed and Cambria, and Dethklok and fashion a new progressively minded hard rock band with a serious philosophical bent. Aerith’s new concept album, The Suburbs EP, is available for free download at the band’s website and they hope to convert more fans with a live gig this weekend.“We all just wanted to be in a well rounded rock band and not limit ourselves to one way of thinking,” explains Stieva. “I hope everyone gets it but I would say prog fans or probably metal fans and any one who might enjoy harder rock would like what we do. So far our reaction has been varied in ages, from 14 to 50 years old, so it really runs the whole gambit.”If you like the cerebral or the fantastic, Aerith’s dreamy tech metal offers an escapism usually only found in far off gothic places sometimes only in video games but if you’re looking at exploring the ethereal right in your own backyard – Aerith’s live show should do quite nicely.“I wanted a cohesive idea that could tell a story,” offers Stieva on the band’s newest song cycle. “My inspiration came from a love for old fashioned horror movies, plus I love character driven things, so to do a concept specifically about characters who are terrible people like murderers, drug dealers, corrupt politicians, it all sort of fit the bill. “We made The Suburbs EP free because at this point we just want people to listen to the music,” adds Stieva. “We are really just looking for any kind of reaction good or bad. If there is one thing I learned from pervious bands, people may not always pay for something but if it’s free they have a hard time saying no.” - View Magazine - Ric Taylor

The Suburbs - Nominated for best Loud/Metal at the 2009 Hamilton Music Awards - Hamilton Music Awards

March 4

Okay, I gotta tell you about this weekends show at the boston manor. With a capacity crowd and likely the best sound system in the area (thanks Long & McQuade), the most band-friendly owners and staff, this show rocked the hell out of everyone.


Aerith kicked off the show with a sound that blends new metal (is that still the right term), straight up rock, a touch of emo and some nice melodies.

http://www.springmusicfestival.com/2010/blog.htm

Video:

http://www.springmusicfestival.com/2010/home.htm - Y108 - Breakout Band Challenge