Black Belt KARATE
Gig Seeker Pro

Black Belt KARATE

Los Angeles, California, United States

Los Angeles, California, United States
Rock Indie

Calendar

Music

Press


"ARTISTdirect exclusive premiere of "Kaleidoscope" [Headline feature]"

Nov 2012 music video premiere of "Kaleidoscope" / write-up on ARTISTdirect.com - ARTISTdirect.com


"Interview - Jason Achilles Mezilis"

Recent Oct 2012 interview with Black Belt KARATE guitarist / producer Jason Achilles Mezilis - GoodReads.com Blog - Maria Savva


"Black Belt Karate Debut Single Video Release"

Featured article on Ultimate-Guitar.com, during week of release of debut single "Servant" on iTunes - Ultimate-Guitar.com


Discography

Still working on that hot first release.

Photos

Bio

Born of the fiery ashes of former LA-based indie darlings Your Horrible Smile, vocalist Ryan Hanifl and guitarist / renowned indie producer Jason Achilles Mezilis have finally rejoined efforts, armed with fresh time spent in the throes of session recording work, international touring, engineering, and production experience under their collectively-widened belts. Co-starring crack shot rhythm section conspirators Ryan Brown (drums) and Harry Anthony Ostrem (bass), the group boasts professional credits that encompass a near-ridiculous amount of stage & studio work: from major release cinema, TV, platinum-selling pop stars; to stage and studio work with members of Guns N' Roses, David Bowie, Rush, Hannah Montana...you name it. The band is poised to move forward quickly and purposefully with their fresh and aggressive take on the next evolution of "indie" rock, a resurgence of soaring vocals & harmony backed with progressive-punk attitude…a bandage to fill a void of high art with astounding musicality and honest delivery.

On paper, the band is impressive, but even more so in studio and on stage. What sets the rock band apart from others is the cleanliness amongst the mayhem. Hanifl’s well-sculpted voice manages to hit unrestrained dynamic while remaining full-bodied...while deft, but powerful, four-part harmonies from lead and rhythm section shave any rough edges in Mezilis’ self-styled sexy shred dirt-rock guitar riffs. The rhythm section is undeniable, full and complete unto itself. If you need only one reason to explain why this band is different from every other up-and-comer, it is how easily digestible the music is for having such a big sound, the particular marriage of clean and dirty.

Black Belt KARATE debuted on the iTunes homepage as a featured artist with their Aug 14th release and full-production music video [directed by Tyler Jackson] of the debut opening single “Servant”, a track that cuts-to-the-chase, at once conjuring So-Cal "desert" rock with a NYC punk aggression. Their forthcoming Oct 30th sophomore release "Kaleidoscope" - also with Jackson at the helm - is a brash, unapologetic and all-to-familiar take on an intimate relationship gone wrong...played out over an infectious dirt-rock groove & melody, and in conjunction (once again) with a highly-stylized video release that this time around encapsulates the metaphor between timely celebrated Day-Of-The-Dead festivities and quite literally "burying the past"...