Anthem For The Lost

Anthem For The Lost
Published: February 2008
Story: Jeff Royer
Photo: press photo


You show me a band that has a guitarist named Randy Rock in it, and I’ll show you a band that rules. Flat-out rules.
I don’t know if his name’s real or not – and I don’t want to know. I’m just saying Randy Rock’s a winner in my book.
Truth be told, I didn’t even know Rock’s name when I caught Anthem For The Lost’s set at the Champion Ship in December. All I knew at that point was that they were tighter and more professional than any band that’s only been around for nine months has the right to be.
Musically, Anthem For The Lost is the collision of two seemingly disparate worlds – the polished modern-rock of the Deftones and A Perfect Circle and the angst-y, melodrama of bands like Escape the Fate and Brand New. Initially, the sound can be a little disconcerting; you’re never quite sure if you should be kicking some emo kid’s ass or helping him re-apply his guy-liner.
Once your ears adjust, however, you start to appreciate how, ever so subtly, Anthem For The Lost doesn’t really sound like any other band. They sound a little like lots of bands, but have combined those elements, – Bayside’s brawny punk, Incubus’ polished, tidal-wave choruses – and made something new. (They also throw Muse, Black Dahlia Murder, Fiona Apple and Randy Rhoads in there for good measure.)
This collision of sounds is due at least in part to the fact that Anthem is actually a collision of two bands – On Faith Alone (Rock, bassist Bryan Steinman and drummer Jordan Pilsitz) and My Dying Wish (singer Christopher Valotta).
“I got a random call from Randy asking if I was interested in meeting up with him and the guys to see what they had been working on,” Valotta explains. “I said sure, [but] was fearful that we would have differences in musical preference. However, what I found was something that made playing music exciting again.
“It’s fun – what it’s supposed to be, you know?” he adds. “The funny thing is, I don’t think anything we do is really planned. It’s all kind of organic and comes out naturally.”
Anthem released its debut EP, Ashes & Embers, just two months ago, but according to Valotta is already feverishly writing for the next album. “Every song gets bigger and better and hits closer to our potential,” he says excitedly.
Valotta makes no apologies for his band’s ambition – they want to get a record deal, and that’s that. If they fall short, it certainly won’t be for a lack of broad appeal. If you can rock a dude who listens to Nickelback and the snotty clerk at Hot Topic with the same song, you’re doing something right.
“We would like to be signed. I am not afraid to say that is our goal,” Valotta states. “For a career to exist, we are going to need backing and support. So if that means I have to run around the state of Pennsylvania and collect aluminum cans in a shopping cart to get us where we want to be, I’ll do it!

“Our dream is to play music for a living and see it through ’til our fingers fall off and our lungs give out.”


- Fly Magazine

Anthem for the Lost hosts CD release party
Posted by Colette Cope November 13, 2008 08:17AM
Categories: Music

Courtesy of Anthem for the Lost:
Harrisburg's own Anthem for the Lost will be releasing their latest CD at the Dragonfly Club in Harrisburg Friday night.

Planeside will be opening for this emo band, who is said to have an awesome stage presence and almost universal appeal.

Doors open at 10 p.m., and tickets are $10. Get your tickets on ticketweb.com. This show is for ages 21+ only.

Below is their video for the song "Unseen," filmed at Lemoyne's Champion Ship.



Find out what else if going on in the midstate in the PennLive event calendar.

Plan on seeing this show? Shout out in the comments below! Is there another local show you'll be at instead? Let us know.



- PennLive.com

Ashes & Embers
By Anthem For The Lost
Critic Rating
• Album Info •

Reviewed By:
Domenick Moore (Bio)

RECORDED AT:
Seventh Wave Studios by Sean Hayden

RELEASED: 2007


Featured Track:
Setting Fire

If music is therapy, the boys of Anthem for the Lost are on the couch and waiting for the doctor. The group's latest EP, Ashes & Embers, is full of sadness and overwhelming despair.

But sweet mammy jammy, the boys know how to craft an atmospheric, moody track that catches in your head like denim on a nail.

With their wide, sweeping guitars, poppy melodies and anthemic choruses, Anthem for the Lost sound vaguely like Thursday, but without the New Jersey-based group's overt political agenda. That, and Anthem's Christopher Valotta can sing. His bold, brash tenor cuts through the doom and gloom of lyrics like, Sick, I hold on...waiting for too long...it'd be easier now letting go from The Hourglass.

All of that is underpinned by Randy Rock's staccato guitar work that borrows from heavy metal?s catalogue of flourishes. And Bryan Steinman's straight-forward, locomotive drumming helps bolster the EP with a nice dose of in-your-face rock 'n' roll attitude.

- Shinbone Magazine