Bound By Substance

Bound By Substance is a Queens band through and through. Drummer Matt Farina and rhythm guitarist Dino Colacito were living across the street from each another in Astoria when they decided to form the band in 1998. About a year later, Angelo Marino, a fellow Astorian, was added on bass and in 2003, Henry Rzonca joined with lead vocals and keyboard.

Despite forming over two years ago, it is only recently that the band has really started to take off, due perhaps to Marvin Welkowitz becoming manager in 2005.

The band has now recorded its first five-song album, “Rusted Time,” performed live at multiple venues in Manhattan, and bagged themselves a radio spot on Radio XFM. Members are also making big plans for the future, organizing a college campus tour and other tri-state gigs in the fall, as well as playing at festivals and conventions over the summer.

They describe their music as a blend of early ’70s rock and early ’90s grunge with an extra something else—a rare quality.

This is a fair analysis, and there is definitely some punk mixed in there as well. The songs on “Rusted Time” are memorable and catchy, with all five tracks offering something different. The first two are loud, fast and rocky, track three is slow and melodic, and then the final two pick up the pace again. This short album is well planned, professionally produced and definitely leaves you wanting more, which is why we headed down to The Continental in Manhattan’s East Village on Friday night to catch the live act.

Bound By Substance was the opener for the night, which is always a challenge, but the venue was crowded, drink was flowing and the audience was warmly receptive, with a mixture of the band’s friends, fans and genuine rockers. Despite having found a table near the front with a great view, we were up with the rest of the crowd as soon as the band began its set.

They played brilliantly, with a huge amount of passion and enthusiasm. Each member could be heard distinctly, but also combined together to create a unique sound. Rzonca’s voice was haunting at times—particularly in the slower songs, most notably in “Drink the Water,” which also includes the keyboard and great sections from Colacito on guitar.

Farina and Marino offered solid rhythmic movements throughout as well as distinctive bass lines. In addition to the songs on their album they played two others, “Act Three,” which started the set and “Stagnant Movement,” which really brought out the rock side of the band with an energetic guitar intro.

As it should be, Bound By Substance’s live performance was an enhanced version of the recording. They had great stage presence and showed the confidence of a band with much more experience.

To learn more about this greatl local talent and find out about future gigs, check out the band’s Web site at www.boundbysubstance.com.

By Alice Maughan
Queens Chronicle - Feb 23, 2006
- The Queens Chronicle

Four local young men have discovered they have a mutual love for music and are intent on making it their career.

The band Bound By Substance got its beginnings in September 1998 when neighbors Matt Farina, a drummer, and guitarist Dino Colacito began teaming up for jam sessions. They later added bassist Angelo Marino to the group

After several changes in the band's line-up, the three Astoria natives added Maspeth resident Henry Rzonca, who plays the keyboard and does the group's vocals.

In the past year, Bound By Substance has become a regular act at The Bitter End in Manhattan as well as The Continental. The group also put out its first album, entitled "Rusted Time."

The CD was recorded at Cove City Sound City in Glenn Cove with the help of saxophonist Richie Cannata, who plays for Billy Joel. It contains five of the band's original hard rock songs. The songs represent a piece of each band member, as they all take part in the song writing process.

"We're an original band," Farina said. "We play covers (a song originally done by another band) all the time but we want to succeed in the original music industry."

Along with original music, the band feels that their chemistry and high energy shows set them apart from other groups.

"We have a lot of fun while we do it," Marino said. "We're all really good friends."

Although all four members either work or attend school, they still put in many hours into the band, practicing, writing new songs and getting their name recognized.

"We put a lot of time into it," said Farina. "It's pretty much come to the point where it's like our full-time job but we're just not getting paid."

"The bottom line is (we) just (want) to make a living," said Colacito. "Fame is nonsense. If I can make a living at this without having to struggle, I'm perfectly content."

Following the release of their album, the members of Bound By Substance are hoping to secure management and a record deal with an independent label. They are also looking forward to participating in a battle of the bands during The Good Times Magazine Music Festival, which takes place in June.

"That's the biggest thing on our plate right now. That's national exposure," Farina said. "We're looking to play with other bands ad kind of gage where we're at and see if we can go head-to-head with some of the other groups in the tri-state area."

Bound By Substance will be performing live at 169 Bar, located at 169 East Broadway, on Tuesday, March 21st at 7:45 p.m.

For more information on the group and a complete list of upcoming shows, visit www.boundbysubstance.com

By Jessica Lyons
Queens Courier - March 9, 2006
- The Queens Courier

With their guitar amps turned up full blast, frustration flowing through the ink on their lyric sheets, and their hearts set on making their mark on today’s music world, Bound By Substance is rocking their way through New York City.

After stringing together the current lineup in 2003, the Queens based rock group has already hit the live stage at well-known Manhattan clubs like CBGB’s, The Bitter End, and The Cutting Room. As the summer approaches, the band is churning into gear with a number of shows planned, including a May 20 appearance at The Continental and a June 3 show at the Astoria Park Track.

“We definitely forged our attitude and sound in The Continental and The Bitter End,” said guitarist Dino Colacito. “The Continental is that classic gritty rock club and they always treated us the best.” This will be the band’s last show at the venue because it is slated to close.

In 2005, Bound By Substance recorded a five-song EP with Cove City Sound Studios called “Rusted Time,” which serves as a worthy showcase of the band’s sound. Combining Colacito’s crunching guitar riffs with Henry Rzonca’s chesty, growling vocals, the band has solidified a sound that elicits comparisons to Staind or Godsmack.

On the album, the band projects their heaviness with “Mediate” and “Wrong Turn,” while “Purify” is powered by its march-of-doom rhythm and worthy guitar solo. “Broken Shell” supplies a hook with a hazy opening riff that seems straight off the guitar of 311’s Tim Mahoney. Possibly the band’s best effort on “Rusted Time,” however, is the softly paced “Drink The Water,” which crosses dancing piano and guitar play and a calming, memorable chorus.

Bound By Substance was created when Astoria neighbors and Townsend Harris High School grads Colacito and drummer Matt Farina began playing together in 1998. “I’ve practically known Matt since he was in diapers,” Colacito said. After a few different projects and experimenting with various band members, Colacito and Farina were eventually joined by fellow Astoria native and bassist Angelo Marino and Rzonca, a native of Maspeth. The band is now in full swing, practicing and performing all over New York on a regular basis.

“We’ve always thrived on our work ethic, which is probably the most important thing for a band,” said Farina. “That’s what we think separates the great bands from everyone else.”
Bound By Substance will performing at The Continental on Third Avenue and St. Mark’s Place in Manhattan on Saturday, May 20, at 9 p.m., the Astoria Park Track on Saturday, June 3, and at a Battle of the Bands at the Knitting Factory June 4. For more information, visit
www.boundbysubstance.com.

By Jeff Feinman
Queens Tribune - May 18, 2006 - Queens Tribune

It was a summer of development, maturity, and positive vibes for Queens rock band Bound By Substance, which quite literally turned up the heat with a slew of great shows in high places.

The foursome gained a great deal of exposure with spots on one of summer’s biggest concert bashes, the Vans Warped Tour, bringing their gritty brand of rock to the punk-thirsty crowd. The band played three straight shows, Aug. 3-5, in Philadelphia, Scranton, and Long Island.

“It was a lot of hard work, considering it was 100 degrees almost every day we played,” said guitarist Dino Colacito. “It was nice to be part of the whole thing. It was a scene over there, not just a show. In between sets, we hung out underneath the trailers or anywhere we could find shade, we got to drink with other bands, it was really cool.”

Though the Vans Warped Tour is traditionally geared towards tattooed punk bands, the clean cut members of Bound By Substance were able to make their mark in a tent that was run by former Fishbone lead singer Angelo Moore. The band was joined on the smaller stage by a ska band, an all-girl band from Los Angeles, and many other forms of artists. It was the first multi-city touring experience for the “Bound” guys, whose current lineup came together in 2003.

“The Warped Tour is a unique thing where you’re given a chance to be somewhat big time, but at the same time, you also gotta put in your work,” said lead singer Henry Rzonca, who said he is still peeling from an extreme case of sun burn. “It was a phenomenal experience. The one show that was most important to us was the Nassau Coliseum show, right here on Long Island, so it was a homecoming for us. Every show was good, we sold some CD’s, signed some autographs – hopefully next year, we can do it again.”

The Warped Tour was hardly the band’s only highlight of the 2006 summer. Powered by a 2005 EP entitled “Rusted Time,” Bound By Substance made the semifinals for the Seventh Annual Jerseyshows.com Battle of the Bands, getting a chance to play in the Starland Ballroom. They then went on to place in the top 10 of the Good Times Music Festival in Wantagh.

“Jerseyshows.com had like 300 bands and Good Times had over 1,000, and both times, we finished in the Top 10,” Colacito said, “so I guess that says something.”

The band has no plans of slowing down, as they are virtually booked up through the fall. Bound By Substance will continue to perform to the max on the live stage with shows planned at the Myst Lounge and the Bitter End. “We’re just gonna continue trucking and try to keep moving up,” Colacito said.

The band is also going to pursue more dates on next year’s Warped Tour, hoping to get a slot on one of the festival’s bigger stages. Asked if Bound By Substance has the endurance to handle a full summer tour of constant traveling and grunt work under a burning hot sun, Rzonca said, “I honestly think we could, as long as we kept it easy with the partying and stuff like that. Touring is something we’ve been talking about recently, and we all feel that we’re ready to go once the opportunity presents itself.”

Bound By Substance was created when Astoria neighbors and Townsend Harris High School grads Colacito and drummer Matt Farina began playing together in 1998. After a few different projects and experimenting with various band members, Colacito and Farina were eventually joined by fellow Astoria native and bassist Angelo Marino and Rzonca, a native of Maspeth.

For more information, visit www.boundbysubstance.com.

By Jeff Feinman
Queens Tribune - September 2, 2006 - Queens Tribune

Astoria was once the home of legendary singer Tony Bennett, Academy Award-winning actor Christopher Walken and even Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante. These are now household names, but once they were struggling, even though they knew they were meant for something other than a nine to five job.

Years later, Astoria is still producing talent that’s beginning to make its mark. Local band Bound By Substance originated in Astoria in 1998 with neighbors Matt Farina, a drummer, and guitarist
Dino Colacito. They soon added bassist Angelo Marino. In 2003, the group completed its search
by adding singer/keyboardist Henry Rzonca. The quartet has been making music together ever since.

Bound By Substance released its first original fivetrack E.P., “Rusted Time”, in 2005, offering the listener a fair representation of what they are all about. Their blend of rock from the ‘70s and alternative grunge from the ‘90s has created an original sound displayed through eclectic material. Maiko Sakai, the consultant of the band has been devoted to the advancement of their music, taking on marketing and promotion of the album. Distinctive bass lines cohesively arranged with the drums, piercing guitar solos and inimitable piano bits seem to be a formula for the band’s music.

BBS, as they are often referred to can be seen performing around the many clubs and bars in Manhattan. In fact, the band performed at Manhattan’s ownacclaimed music club The Bitter End
on Friday March 10th, bringing energy to the table, and then some. They rocked out with the audience, comprised of some friends, fans, club regulars and maybe even a few groupies. The nine-song set, which included the album tracks also featured new material, including the uptempo, melodically catchy piece titled “Act Three” that rocked the house, and
displayed Colacito’s exceptional guitar skills.

Like “Act Three”, other pieces such as “Stagnant Movement” and “Mediate” got the crowd going, while softer pieces like “Drink The Water” intensified the scene. The diversity of the different tunes formed an entertained audience and an enjoyable show. The unique aspect of BBS seems to be the diversity in its members. From Colacito’s rocker edge to Marino’s serene presence, each member depicts his own sense of self, creating diversified unity.

While Bound by Substance can be compared to other more notable rock bands, these Astoria rockers are out there to show that they have something more to offer.

For more information about Bound By
Substance or upcoming show dates, visit
www.boundbysubstance.com.

By Diana Sanders
Queens Gazette - March 22, 2006
- The Queens Gazette

Bound By Substance is a rock band that blends late 1960s and early 1970s rock with a bit of 1990s grunge. They are comprised of Henry Rzonca on vocals and keyboards, Dino Colacito on guitars, Angelo Marino on bass and Matt Farina on Drums. Based out of Astoria, Queens, they formed in 1998 when Farina and Colacito, who were neighbors, decided to start a band. Fellow Astorian Marino came in on bass about a year later, and the band was completed when lead vocalist/keyboardist Rzonca joined in 2003.

While the music is grounded in a classic rock vein, there is more to it than just basic riffs, with some complex mood building from Colacito's guitar work and Marino's bass lines, and grounded solidly by Farina's drums. Rzonca also adds a lot to the mix with keyboards and organ work, and his vocals provide a nice aural contrast.

The band is no strangerto the NYC circuit, with a steady monthly schedule at the Bitter End, and they have played all the usuall haunts like CBGB's, Continental, etc. They have even breached the sands of Long Island at Mulcahy's. They currently have a five-song EP entitled "Rusted Time" that was recorded at Cove City Sound Studio in Glen Cove by Richie Cannata (sax player for Billy Joel).

Their next show is at the Bitter End in NYC on March 10 at 8:00 pm. For more information, check out www.boundbysubstance.com

By Mike Ferrari
Inside Connection - March 2006 - Inside Connection - The Local Scene