Cilience

Though local alternative rock band Cilience came up with their name from a made-up word, they’ve been able to adapt it to encompass the essence of the band.

“I’m a huge nerd, and I like words a lot,” said Ian Stahl, lead singer and guitarist.

In the same fashion that Shakespeare was able to invent a lot of words that are commonly used in the English language today, such as addiction, eyeball and swagger, author John Koenig created the word Cilience, pronounced sill-ee-yence.

The word means recognizing everyone around you as individuals, according to the band.

“This author is the first I’ve found recently to do something like that,” Stahl said. “It was one of those perfect happenstances whereas I was thinking about making a band really geared towards the lyrical content that I became heavily invested in writing a couple years ago, then I discovered that author and it clicked.”

The band made it their own, adding a message of self-empowerment. To them, it means recognizing the potential each individual has in creating positive change, celebrating their own stories and complex lives.

“Everybody walks in with this world of their own that you should take into consideration,” added keyboardist Michael Janz.

The band of four includes Stahl and Janz, as well as bassist Eric DeLuca and drummer Jason Fragoso. Stahl, Janz and Fragoso also attended CalArts.

“We want to make accessible, high-energy music that gets people pumped up, but lyrically we want our audiences to think a little deeper,” Stahl said. “I mean, how many songs do you know the lyrics to and get stuck with you? I take that very seriously.”

Stahl, who predominantly writes the lyrics to their songs, said he doesn’t want to tell people what to think, he simply wants to point to things that should be thought about.

For instance, the band’s first release, “Fetters and Feathers,” was inspired by Maya Angelou’s autobiography.

“We come up with songs in a variety of ways,” DeLuca said. “One of us typically comes with an idea, and we’ll put it together.”

Other times, the band just will sit down and decide to write a song that day, “or play a totally different part on the spot right now, and that ends up becoming a part of the song,” DeLuca said.

“It’s almost like that pressure gets some good stuff out of you,” he said.

“It basically comes down to obsessively listening to something until you can hear other parts in your head,” Stahl added.

Because every band member attended music school, it makes it easier for them to share ideas and produce their own parts of a song.

“Eric has really become infamous for writing almost every bridge section,” Stahl said, adding that their latest single was DeLuca’s original piece.

Unlike some creators, the band likes to try out new song ideas with their audience.

“We try to keep every live show different,” Stahl said. “We’ll have solo sections where you don’t play the same thing, you have to make it up on the spot or take an idea somewhere different each time.”

“That’s the fun of it, too, you get to make something new,” DeLuca added, which sometimes can help with coming up with new song ideas.

While their first release primarily consisted of songs Stahl had written on his own, “this second one is really us together with a more formed identity,” he said.

“We all kind of push each other to bring out the best parts of ourselves,” he added. “I feel like we are all gradually becoming more ourselves in a way … Now we have this sound … and we’re developing an image around the band that feels very relevant.”

Janz agreed, adding, “I think collaboration is a huge part of it no matter how you break it down.”

While collaboration is important, DeLuca also believes it’s important to hold onto their love for making music.

“We’re all friends — we all make this music together and it’s a lot of fun,” he said. “But it’s not only fun for us to play, it’s fun for us to share. I kinda feel like some of that has gotten lost over the years.”

Their second release, an EP called “Event Horizon,” was released Sept. 26.

This album is a call to all people to stand for tolerance, understanding and humanity, according to the band.

‘We’re all focused on pushing forward and developing something meaningful that challenges us in the same way that the songs challenge our audience,” Stahl said.

Each member of Cilience grew up being in garage bands, and “can’t remember a time when we weren’t in a band,” Janz said.

And though they’ve come a long way since then, they still feel like they’ve kept that feeling alive, turning it into air-conditioned garage band practice in their living room instead.

For more information, visit cilience.com. - SCV Signal

Cilience, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
Cilience (“Sill-ee-yence”) is an alternative rock band based in Los Angeles. “Cilience,” adapted from an invented word by author John Koenig, means recognizing the potential each individual has in creating positive change, celebrating their own stories and complex lives. Our songs unite Ian Stahl’s thought-provoking lyrics and distorted guitars, Janzie’s hypnotic synth lines, Jason Fragoso’s wailing drums, and Eric DeLuca’s grooving bass lines. Together, they will get you on your feet, dancing and screaming along. Our second release, “Event Horizon,” (9/26/19) was a call to all people to stand for tolerance, understanding, and humanity.

The band, originally formed at CalArts in 2016, started as a group of friends playing music together. Since then, we’ve written and recorded two EP’s, created multiple music videos, and are gearing up for their first multi-state tour. Each of us brings our own musical influences to the table, ranging from Incubus and Imagine Dragons to Depeche Mode and New Order. By combining those elements, we have developed a new sound that both acknowledges our roots while looking ahead to the future sound of rock and roll.

Our latest EP, “Event Horizon,” is a huge step forward for our band and our development as artists. We had the pleasure of working with our friend and producer, Jason Rhodes (Oasis, New Order). His considerable studio experience guided us through the recording process and pushed this music to new heights. Often times, we’d all gather around the console with Thai food and listen to each individual part, sifting through the best takes and building massive walls of sound with guitars and synthesizers. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many guitar tracks in my life! We experimented with feedback by playing the guitar in the room with the amplifier cranked to 11 – every chord I played would ring forever!” –Ian

We were able to capture that inspiration on this recording and the energy is palpable. We are so excited to bring these songs to the stage on September 26 at the Mint for our record release show.

Can you give our readers some background on your art?
Cilience is dedicated to making high-energy music that challenges the listener to think critically about their day-to-day life. The record as a whole is a breakthrough for the band. Each band member had a hand co-composing and shaping these songs. Through exploration and experimentation, we crafted these songs and also found our music’s direction for the future. “Event Horizon” is our drum and synth feature that focuses on studio drummer Michael Anetsberger’s intricate rhythms and Janzie’s larger-than-life keyboard parts. “Back to Life,” the second single, showcases Eric DeLuca’s bass melodies and Ian Stahl’s abilities to create walls of sound with vocal harmonies and big, distorted guitars. “Figment” is a dance-y, electro-punk track that features the ensemble as a whole. Catchy guitar lines are thrown into a mosh pit with vocal hooks; slamming drums rub against gritty bass and synth sounds for a short but undeniably ear-grabbing tune.

Lyrically, “Event Horizon” was inspired by black holes, environmentalism, and social change. An event horizon is the edge of a black hole and is considered the point of no return. Once you’ve crossed that point, the gravitational pull will suck you in; who knows what would happen then! This served as inspiration for Ian’s thoughts on the environmental crisis that we face today. Though we have made steps in the right direction, we have a lot more work to accomplish to reduce our carbon footprint, preserve the oceans, and live sustainably.

Fun Fact: Though the song began taking shape in early 2018, its release coincided with the first photos of a black hole! Coincidence? We’ll let you decide.

We were also fortunate to team up with JonJon Blunden (newazzajj) and collaborate on an official remix, which is the closing track on the record. JonJon and the company he works for, Polyverse Music, do amazing work with electronic music artists; the remix is a riveting reinterpretation of “Event Horizon” that captures the soul of the song while adding dance club elements into the track.

Any advice for aspiring or new artists?
We believe that it’s important to be an active member of your community, no matter what community that may be! Some of our favorite gigs have been performing with and for other CalArts bands at venues like the Bootleg Theater. It’s always a pleasure to play to familiar faces and have a chance to catch up after the show! As we play more around Los Angeles, we’re making friends with other bands in our scene and starting to play shows with our new friends, too.

What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
“Event Horizon” will be released on all digital platforms on Thursday, September 26! We will be celebrating the release with a show at the Mint on the 26th as well!

You can also follow us on Spotify, iTunes Music, and your favorite streaming services.

Visit www.Cilience.com to sign up for our mailing list! - VoyageLA

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ian Stahl and his band, Cilience..

Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I began writing songs at an early age. I took this hobby more seriously as I grew older. I was lucky enough to have a mentor in college who encouraged me to pursue music as a career and encouraged me to branch out from songwriting into improvising, music technology, and composing. I started Innovation Out Loud with friend and collaborator Ben Muller in 2014; we focus on scoring multi-media projects (film, dance, theater). In 2015, I was accepted into the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) Performer Composer MFA program and drove west. The CalArts experience shaped my definition of what is possible as an artist and I am so grateful to have been able to go.

Since finishing CalArts in May of 2018, I have focused on writing, performing, and recording with my band Cilience, collaborating on various projects through Innovation Out Loud, and working as a recording engineer and producer.

Please tell us about your art.
The power of music amazes me. The right song at the right time can impact the lives of people all over the world. As a songwriter and lyricist, I feel a responsibility not only to entertain (which I very much enjoy) but to speak on a deeper level about the topics that our country and our world face today. My music does not attempt to answer these questions for the listener; they are windows into my thoughts on these issues. I hope by peering through them, you might think more about these issues and find your own solutions.

My band Cilience and I just released our first EP, “Fetters and Feathers.” “Cilience” means viewing all those around you as an individual whose life is as complex and intricate as your own; as individuals, we can change our world for the better, if we take the initiative to do so. My lyrics revolve around this theme of empowerment and are inspired by social issues, poetry, and other artists or art forms. Alongside drummer Michael Anetsberger, bassist Eric DeLuca, and keyboardist Michael “Janzie” Janz, we create high energy music advocating for positive change.

The song “Fetters and Feathers” advocates for racial equality and was inspired by Dr. Maya Angelou’s autobiography, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.” Dr. Angelou remains the epitome of the American spirit; she overcame the intense adversity of her childhood to become a force for equality and change in our country. We are excited to announce the release of the music video for “Fetters and Feathers” as well. We had the pleasure of working with choreographer/director/dancer Kate Coleman. When we first met, Kate and I were discussing various projects when she told me about her idea for a dance video titled, “Unity.” The choreography and video were to be a celebration of acceptance, portraying a cast of different kinds of people coming together to dance as soloists and in unison. At the time, “Fetters” was in the mixing stages and we listened through while looking at the video treatment (a rough script with images and inspirations). We realized that we were making art along the same lines before we ever met! It was wonderful to combine our efforts to make the video a reality. I hope that the song, dance, and video inspire those who need uplifting, spur on those who are hesitant to take action, and encourage everyone to think deeper about how our actions impact one another and our planet.

Do you have any advice for other artists? Any lessons you wished you learned earlier?
Though it may no longer feel like it, we still live on the cusp of the digital age. This time of transition has uprooted many of the foundations of the music industry, and we, as musicians, are still feeling some of those aftershocks. Record labels, artist relations, even the concept of “selling” music have changed drastically in the last fifteen years. In some ways, I feel like being a musical artist has never been easier. Technology has made it so that we can create hit songs from the comfort of our own home – even from your phone. However, that doesn’t mitigate the fact that you need to create great music and learn to navigate this technology at a professional level. Whatever it is that you do, do your absolute best! We are able to make our work available to people all over the world instantaneously, but to stand out, you need to find your niche. There is so much more content readily available than ever before; creating a following and finding ways to support your art have become much harder because of the competition. Artists now must be their own managers, producers, and marketers because record labels are dying or only signing artists that come with ten thousand followers (at least). Perhaps now more than ever, artists need each other and their communities for support.

I have lived all over the US, and I have never felt more at home than in LA. Our urban sprawl has a community that supports every kind of art imaginable. However, you need to support that community for it to support you! Go to shows, check out other local bands, and be apart of the scene. My best piece of advice is to show up and keep showing up. If you are good at what you do, people will notice and want to support you.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
You can support Cilience via our Patreon account here. We regularly post instrumental tutorials, pre-release tracks, and other goodies:
Patreon.com/cilienceband

You can also check out our website and subscribe to our mailing list: www.Cilience.com
Here are a few other platforms:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/64FIESg8z1M9EZNc1x0c3S?si=a8DpBcglSCy_ndNA4_VO_Q
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/fetters-and-feathers-ep/1389290519
Bandcamp: cilience.bandcamp.com
Instagram: instagram.com/cilienceband
Facebook: facebook.com/ciliencela
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYlKNpBpvu40cn0J2ccuXhQ

Also, you can check out what Innovation Out Loud is up to at www.InnovationOutLoud.com
Or view my personal website at www.IanStahlMusic.com

Contact Info:

Website: https://www.cilience.com
Phone: (954) 817-6377
Email: ian@innovationoutloud.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cilienceband
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ciliencela
Other: https://www.innovationoutloud.com/ - VoyageLA

Cilience

​Fetters and Feathers
self-released; 2018

​3.7 out of 5

By Dan Weston

Ian Stahl, Michael Anetsberger and Eric DeLuca are Cilience. The band from Los Angeles recently released Fetters and Feathers which is a four-song EP that showcases some of the band's talent.

The band gets going with “Begin Again” which is a diverse and dynamic song. There is technical talent right off the bat as the band seems to embrace styles such as prog and jazz. The instrumental work throughout the song had me interested and engaged but didn’t have a single worthy type of vocal hook.

However, the title track “Fetters and Feathers” definitely did. The song has a fun, summer time jam type of quality. It’s hopeful, bright and the melody will get stuck in your head the first time you will hear it. The lyrics are open to interpretation which is just the way I like it. You can impart your own meaning to the words. Stahl sings, “I’m dreaming of the sky / Somewhere you and I / Look out of the same eyes / This dream keeps me alive.”

“Rain Dance” was the highlight for me. The song is about climate change and is a mix of different styles like surf and even spaghetti western. There is some notable lead guitar and the band keeps it interesting by deviating from 4/4.

“St. Petersburg” apparently was inspired by Stahl’s time in Russia and a friend whose poem is read at the very end of the song. The first three minutes or so are fairly straightforward. They jam out on a solid groove and the chorus soars. The band goes full on ambient when the poem is being read. It’s more or less a soundscape that is explored in different ways that eventually finds its way back to the chorus.

​I thought the four songs did a good job at showcasing different aspects of the band without going too far into left field. There is a good amount of talent here and I think they set up a solid foundation for a future album. I’m looking forward to hearing more from the band. - Divide and Conquer