Dendura
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Dendura

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"“It’s all about the emotion, sultry, seductive and hypnotic”"

“It’s all about the emotion, sultry, seductive and hypnotic”
Dendura is a female fronted band, who hail from the badlands of Michigan. The band isn't exactly what you would think, though. No, the band is quite different from the rest of the pack. Rather than dedicating the bulk of their sound to the extreme genres, the band concentrates solely on Heavy Metal. Not just any ole kind, but the good kind where every instrument and person in the band has a place and can co-exist without stepping all over each other musically. In layman’s terms, the music on their debut album New Life, isn't stuffy and sloppy. New Life is eight tracks in length and not a one of the songs is a filler. I'm not exactly up to speed on my Egyptian knowledge, but there seems to be a lot of what I would call Egyptian sounds/thoughts woven into the heart of this disc; it's mystical and thought provoking. Hands down, the vocals are the highlight of Dendura for me. Of course the music is great, but you just don't get to hear a great vocalist every day, specifically the female kind. Front-woman, Aziza's vocals channel all the genius that was Annie Lennox back when the Eurythmics were at the top of their game. The noticeable difference is Aziza's vocal range is quite higher than anything Lennox has ever done. It's all about the emotion - sultry, seductive and hypnotic. Such can be seen on the hard-rockin' tracks, I Have a Gun, Rage and Shadowman. Dendura seems to offer it all no matter what you like or expect out of a metal band. There is a plethora of melodic breakdowns, lead-breaks and more than your share of thunderous guitar riffs. There are moments in the disc where I hear Stone Temple Pilots, then again there are times where I hear the presence of Nightwish and Korn. One thing is for sure, Dendura is a band on the rise. If the impact of New Life is but just a prelude to the madness, then the world is in for a very special treat. - Black Angel @ www.blackangelpromotions.com - Black Angel @ www.blackangelpromotions.com


"“This album has great spirit. It’s holding new ideas and embracing good tones”"

“This album has great spirit. It’s holding new ideas and embracing good tones”
A great mix of ancient Egyptian history with horror themed ideas and thoughts. That’s what all Dendura is about. An American progressive metal fronted-woman, who got the Egyptian pulsing veins. Aziza is kind of vocals, whether you like it or not, she will get your attention and capture your ears. When I first knew about this band, I thought they would sound like the great death metal band with the ancient Egyptian twist, Nile…but this has nothing to do with Dendura. But fans of ancient Egyptian history, will like this band. I find this album pretty interesting. It’s holding new ideas and embracing good tones. I have also, to say that one of the things that fascinated me was the lyrics. The lyrics left a very good impression in my head. I have to say that Aziza and Wethy have done a great job concerning the lyrics-writing. Lyrics talking about the mortality, resurrection, chaos, and many other words associated with the ancient Egyptian history. This is of course apart from names of goddess and gods. I, Nephthys was the first track that got my attention. The band has sense of music. Rage actually was the first track I have heard for Dendura before listening to the whole album. I have to say that I picked the right song to leave the good and exact impression on the rest of the album. This album has a great spirit. Ancient Egyptian approach with modern touch. I was really delighted, laying hands on this album. I think that Dendura will be my next new favorite band. Aziza made us all so proud with her charisma and musical existence. – Nancy Luke @ www.metalcentre.com
- Nancy Luke @ www.metalcentre.com


"“Dendura changes gears with ease, displaying a unique sound“"

“Dendura changes gears with ease, displaying a unique sound“
Michigan's Dendura offers up a fine mix of metal in their 8-song indy disc New Life. Initially, I was drawn to their Egyptian imagery and song titles such as I, Nephthys, Isis and Mummified, but there is much more going on throughout this disc that made me take notice. What I really like about New Life is how diverse each tune is without losing focus. From the short, basic hard rock sound to technical, progressive-edged heavy metal, Dendura changes gears with ease, displaying a very unique sound. After just a few spins it came as no surprise that Dendura's music has been used in no less than 7 feature films and is being considered for future projects as well. Aziza Amy Poggi’s heartfelt vocals carry each well-crafted tune to different emotional levels in convincing fashion, all backed by a solid line-up of obviously well versed musicians. Steve Wethy (Guitars) Mike Fatzinger (Bass) and Jeremy Duffy (Drums) really shine on the more intricate songs as each instrument completes the tough task of displaying their ability while still giving the others room to breathe. Since this album was released, I've learned Dendura has added a second guitar player and changed drummers. Hopefully this will only add to the band's already solid chemistry. For an independent release, the production is above average. Every instrument can be heard with nothing being buried in the mix...Poggi's powerful voice clearly in charge. With support from a major label I can't see anything holding Dendura back. Highly recommended! --Axeman @ www.maximummetal.com - Axeman @ www.maximummetal.com


"“Consistent, yet diverse, fairly impressive debut, at once melodic, moody and powerful”"

“Consistent, yet diverse, fairly impressive debut, at once melodic, moody and powerful”
Originally formed in 2004 before going through a series of lineup changes and reinventions, Michigan's Dendura have finally arrived with their first full-length album. The band's 2006 debut, New Life, is an 8-song, 36-minute foray into melodic metal territory, blending strong female vocals with a Middle Eastern-influenced progressive metal sound. Fronted by vocalist/keyboardist Aziza Amy Poggi, the band's intricate percussion, snaking bass, and blend of distorted guitar riffing, melodic clean guitar, and soaring metal lead work coalesce into a fairly well produced, written, and performed album. Straightforward synth-laden metal offerings like I Have a Gun and Nemesis are supplemented by the diversity and more intricate time and tempo changes of tracks like I, Nephthys and the closing Mummified. Particularly melodic, the album contains intricate passages but also its fair share of memorable hooks (the sinister standout Symphony a good example of both extremes). While not always particularly poignant, the album's lyrics are relatively solid overall, nicely blending the mythological and contemporary. Top tracks, like the decidedly 90s goth rock-infused, radio-friendly metal of Nemesis, the Eastern-tinged rock and metal of the memorable Isis, and the aforementioned Symphony showcase a sound that is consistent yet diverse. As a whole, Dendura's New Life is a fairly impressive debut, at once melodic, moody, and powerful. With a dark, synth-laden sound that may appeal as much to the goth crowd as to metal fans, its cross-genre appeal and relatively solid songwriting make this one worth checking out. – Joshua Heinrich @ www.graveconcernzine.com - Joshua Heinrich @ www.graveconcernzine.com


"“Aziza falls somewhere between the angelic Cristina Scabbia (Lacuna Coil) and the demonic Angela Gossow (Arch Enemy)”"

“Aziza falls somewhere between the angelic Cristina Scabbia (Lacuna Coil) and the demonic Angela Gossow (Arch Enemy)”
Whereas Nile possess no traits that directly link them to Egyptian culture, other than a general affinity, the female vocalist of Dendura is actually part Egyptian. Falling somewhere between the angelic Cristina Scabbia (Lacuna Coil) and the demonic Angela Gossow (Arch Enemy). The creators of New Life have enjoyed a heap of positive feedback since forming a mere two years ago. In addition to various newspaper articles, the Michigan-based quartet has contributed to six movie soundtracks, with negotiations for a seventh pending. Dendura’s songs are quite focused, if not overwhelmingly determined to reach their respective destinations, plus the fact that their lyrics complement the horror genre has evidently bolstered, or perhaps even triggered, their success. – Jason Jordan @ www.ultimatemetal.com
- Jason Jordan @ www.ultimatemetal.com


"“Fabulous female vocals, strong and clear”"

“Fabulous female vocals, strong and clear”
This band has gone through so much change over the past few years I am not even sure who is in the band anymore other than lead singer Aziza. But that is okay because this band has gone through all of its troubles just to get it right, and I think they have with this CD. Let me start by letting you know that Aziza has Egyptian in her blood. She poured both that Egyptian blood and sweat into this album along with her band mates. Bass and vocals are what stand out most on this disc. And with songs like I, Nephthys, Isis and Mummified you just can't go wrong in keeping your musical theme. If you are a fan of gripping hard rock styled tunes with fabulous female vocals, strong and clear, then pick up this CD at your favorite local music store. Yvonne Glasgow @ www.annex22.com - Yvonne Glasgow @ www.annex22.com


"“This band is blowing up”"

“This band is blowing up”
"Dendura, probably one of the most promising metal bands in the Midwest from Aziza's sharp vocals to the unique Egyptian/Middle Eastern essence in their sound, Dendura has got it and apparently, I'm not the only one who thinks so. This band is blowing up and they're about to change the face of single-genre..genres forever. They are not afraid to genre-blend a little bit." - Katie Rademacher @ Revue Magazine - Katie Rademacher @ Revue Magazine


"“Fronted by a true female icon in the local music scene”"

“Fronted by a true female icon in the local music scene” "This high-profile Grand Rapids band is fronted by a true female icon in the local music scene. Aziza Amy Poggi is the goddess of the band’s self-proclaimed Egyptian Rock and a good ambassador for female-fronted music. The band has seen a lot of success too, so this should only intensify." – Midwest Music Reader - Midwest Music Reader


Discography

Debut cd - "New Life" released April 2006
Music being streammed on Sonic Cathedral Sirens Radio www.soniccathedral.com, WZUU in Kalamazoo, and WKLQ The Metal Show.

Accomplishments

Interview on ABC TV (WZZM) in Grand Rapids. Spins on the major rock stations WKLQ (Grand Rapids) and WZUU (Kalamazoo). Ink in the Grand Rapids Press, Lansing State Journal, Kalamazoo Gazette, Real Detroit, Hastings Reminder, Advance Newspapers, The Observer and Eccentric as well as online metal/progressive rock sites. Licensed music for seven films/made-for-TV series’. Filmed for a reality TV show. Dendura’s CD, New Life, is one of the ten best-selling CDs at the Sonic Cathedral Female Music Store.

November, 2007
Dendura joins Fuel and other bands on the Bootleg CD compilation sponsored by WGRD radio in Grand Rapids.

October, 2007
Dendura’s track Symphony appears on the 2007 ProgPower US festival compilation distributed to the 50,000 people who attended this sold-out national event in Atlanta, GA.
Dendura plays with Edguy, a national recording artist who recently did some European dates with Aerosmith.

September, 2007
Dendura licenses a song for Terra, a new sci-fi series.

August 2007
Dendura signs to Killzone Records, a strong indie label in Austin, TX.
Dendura’s debut CD New Life is one of the top 10 best sellers at the Sonic Cathedral Female Music Store
Watch for Dendura’s music in the upcoming made-for-TV pilot New Directions.

July, 2007
Broken, a movie starring Aziza and featuring I Have a Gun and Mummified by Dendura, wins three awards at two film festivals (in two states) in one weekend.

May, 2007
Comedy Central adds Monsterz Ballz, a popular series, into weekly programming on national TV. The show features Dendura’s version of In the Hall of the Mountain King as the theme song.

April, 2007
Aziza’s voice is featured on Sonic Cathedral Sirens Radio.

February 2007
Dendura plays with Lennex, a national act featuring Phil Ritchie, one of the 12 finalists on the CBS TV prime-time series Rockstar Supernova.
Sonic Cathedral, the largest online female vocal store in the USA, distributes Dendura’s debut CD New Life.

January 2007
The Take Five show on ABC TV in Grand Rapids (WZZM) interviews Dendura who also performs Sacred Gateway.
WKLQ radio in Grand Rapids invites Dendura to play at The WKLQ Heavyweight Championships for 500-600 people.
Dendura scores another movie soundtrack deal with the film Path Of The Dead and a music video featuring I Have A Gun.
The band performs with national recording artist Black List Union, as seen in Metal Edge Magazine.

December 2006:
Dendura is taped for an episode of the reality TV series I Too Want To Be A Star for WMYD TV (My Network TV) in Detroit.
InZer0, a made-for-TV sci-fi series, features Dendura’s song I Have A Gun for Episode 7. www.thoughtcollide.com

October 2006:
A Dark Victory, an upcoming independent film, includes Dendura’s song Isis.

September 2006:
Broken, an independent film, stars Aziza as an emotionally- and physically-abused newspaper reporter. The film also features the Dendura songs Mummified and I Have A Gun. www.broken-movie.com

April 2006:
Dendura performs Nemesis and I Have a Gun, as seen in the Canadian horror film Cycle of Fear, during the Grand Rapids premiere of the movie. The band is featured in The Grand Rapids Press (twice), Advance Papers, Michigan VUE, Recoil, Revue and On The Town Magazine. www.myspace.com/mannydirector

February 2006:
Dendura’s song Nemesis is featured in the drama Perception. www.perceptionthemovie.com

January 2006:
The Devil’s Eye, a horror film, includes Dendura’s song Rage. www.fingeredfilms.com

April 2004:
For their first show, Dendura opens for national band Level/C in Detroit.

Photos

Bio

Dendura, who formed in 2004, are a haunting, progressive metal band who recently signed to KillZone Records. The warmly seductive, almost gritty, vocals of Aziza Poggi draw from the rich cultural heritage of her Egyptian and Lebanese roots, while the combined talents of Steve Wethy and Paul Stein couple classical guitar melodies with metal virtuosity. Together, the band transcends the boundaries of progmetal to create a mysterious, unforgettable soundscape.

2005 was primarily a year of hiatus due to the lack of a full-time drummer, but Dendura funneled their creative energies into various outlets including songwriting and film scoring.

In April 2006, Dendura released New Life, their debut album that attracted several film directors who licensed tracks for various projects including the award-winning film Broken, Perception and InZer0, a popular made-for-TV sci-fi series. Meanwhile, the press continued to praise their originality and Egyptian-infused sound. Dendura also hit the buzz bandwagon in Brazil, Egypt, The Netherlands, Germany, Italy and the USA.

Two months later, Dendura added a second guitarist which proved to be the missing ingredient to their ever-evolving, increasingly heavier sound. The band vaulted into high gear. Dendura was filmed for an episode of a reality TV series, penned a metal version of In the Hall of the Mountain King for the Comedy Central series Monsters Ballz and appeared on the ABC TV affiliate (WZZM) in their hometown of Grand Rapids, MI. They also played with Edguy (who recently did some European dates with Aerosmith), Light This City and Lennex (featuring Phil Ritchie, a finalist on the CBS TV series Rock Star Supernova).

Always driven to imbue fresh elements into their sound and stage performances, Dendura again looked to the Middle-East for creative stimulation. They brought their inspiration to the stage for selected live shows by incorporating belly dancers who evoke an air of exotic mystery.

2007 started with a big dose of adrenaline when New Life gained distribution through Sonic Cathedral, one of the largest online stores for female vocal music. By August, New Life became one of Sonic Cathedral’s top-ten best-selling albums and the band captured the attention of KillZone Records who signed them shortly thereafter.

In addition, Dendura has tracks on three upcoming CD compilations. In October, watch for Symphony (from New Life) on the official ProgPower 2007 festival compilation distributed to more than 50,000 people attending the sold-out event starring Sonata Arctica, After Forever and Firewind. In November, watch for the acoustic version of I Have a Gun (previously unreleased) on the Bootleg compilation for WGRD FM 97.9 in Grand Rapids, MI.

Dendura is excited to continue their journey as they borrow from the past and dream into the future with their moody, powerful, and mesmerizing brand of progressive metal