Deaf Scene

"I didn't stick around for The Royal Bangs (Knoxville, TN) or Drummer (Akron, OH) at the Ottobar, choosing just to tape Baltimore experimental rock trio Deaf Scene (they asked if I would tape their set). If ever a band deserved to have their name included on a show flier, Deaf Scene warranted as much last night. Granted fans of the other two bands probably showed up later, I'd say 80% of the audience in attendance for Deaf Scene's set was there for the band (and most seemed to be teenage girls). Definitely one of the better attended opening sets I've seen at the Ottobar in a long time.

And the crowd was not disappointed. I saw Deaf Scene for the first time on June 27 at Farm Fest in Manchester, MD and, to be honest, I wasn't all that impressed. The music was good, but I remember thinking that the vocals just ruined an otherwise decent set. I guess the rest of the band had the same thought as the vocalist was canned after that show and they've been an instrumental rock trio since. At this show, my first since the departure of the singer, I couldn't help but think that they sounded like a completely different band. I wouldn't mind seeing them with another personal fave, excellent local instrumental rock band ...soihadto... (with Duff Goldman of Ace of Cakes), though I'd go see Deaf Scene no matter who else happened to be playing." --Jeff Mewbourne, The Baltimore Taper

Deaf Scene
The Ottobar
Baltimore, MD
October 13, 2009 - The Baltimore Taper, Jeff Mewbourn

"The band has chosen to continue along without their former singer, and prove to be one of Maryland’s best up-and-coming acts. While “Remain Nameless” does feature lyrics, it’s the bands complex time shifts and experimentation that is the glue holding everything together. Fans of early era Incubus, Deftones, and Mogwai will be quick to embrace Deaf Scene after just one listen of their record." - Dan Goldin, Exploding in Sound

Take the melodic rock of Incubus, mix in the experimentation of The Flaming Lips, add a pinch of the progressive metal of Tool, and you'll get Deaf Scene. The Baltimore area trio have made a name for themselves with their live shows, and have now captured their brand of psychedelic/melodic rock on CD with their debut album, "Looking Down at the Sky". Standout tracks include the opener "Zealot", which begins with blazing guitars and pounding drums, quiets down a little during the verses and chorus, and then rocks again at the end. "Remain Nameless" is a funky track that features Eric Courtney's groove-laden bass and Dave Fullerton's echoing guitar picking over Dillon Sullivan's soulful vocals. Think of it as Red Hot Chili Peppers go to space. "Blue Shift" is a short, spacey instrumental interlude with a Pink Floyd inspired slide guitar. It's one of several instrumental tracks on the album, including the spacey "Pulse", the chiming "subdued", and the rocking "Red Shift".
The experimentation is what keeps the album interesting, and "Looking Down at the Sky" is a good introduction to Deaf Scene. As their talents progress, expect to hear more from this band in the underground circle soon. - Chesapeake Music Guide

DEAF SCENE – (SELF-TITLED EP) – 2010
Self-Released, 5-song EP
4/5 Stars

Deaf Scene is a three-piece, instrumental prog/post rock band based out of Baltimore who just recently released a self-titled 5-song EP which I got a chance to hear.

The opening track “Where Only We Exist” explores off-kilter rhythms and curious time signatures while featuring a haunting, wafting guitar sound reminiscent of Billy Howerdel’s guitar work in A Perfect Circle. It eventually morphs into a euphoric melody and builds into an aggressive pummeling before fading out into a warm rain.

The two-track musical exploration “History of Clouds” (Part A and Part B) features a guitar sound that soars like skyrockets making patterns in the sky, while distorted bass notes grind and churn along under the surface. The guitar melody travels across the vast expanses of the universe and back again within a single measure.

“Glass Creature” rides waves of reverb over jagged mountains and valleys of bass and percussion, and “Godzilla Skin” is built around chords that tremble and fade off into the distance like half-forgotten memories and notes that drip off the canvas like warm paint.

The whole 5 song EP is cohesive enough that it could be interpreted as one piece of music; the songs are somewhat different variations of the same sound and melt together in a way that makes it hard to tell where one begins and one ends. As the songs evolve they add subtle variations and build off of themselves without ever becoming repetitive.

Deaf Scene is a band with a very distinct and expressive sound, yet is still willing to explore the dark corners of their own sound without venturing too far away from the light.

If they do decide to eventually add the right vocalist it could push their sound over the top, but if not they certainly have a sophisticated enough sound and plenty of ripe musical territory left to explore on their own. Either way, I look forward to hearing more from Deaf Scene in the future. - Flamethrower Magazine