Dichotic

http://www.metal-archives.com/review.php?id=131891

True synergy!!!
Written by natrix on November 26th, 2006


For a demo CD, this is f*cking solid. Sure, it's got a bit of a demo sound, but that further enhances its heaviness. The beauty part about this is that the arrangements are all expertly thought out and the songs flow wonderfully from one mass of churning riffs to the next.

For those of you unfamiliar with Dichotic, they play very riff heavy metal with harsh vocals a la Morgoth. While the riffs generally go from chunky to thrasy, there is a very strong sense of melody often popping up at precisely the right times.

Leads are classy, a product of Ace and Aaron, who are exactly what one would want out of a good dual lead team. Bassist Bronz transcends the borders of what a bassist is expected to be, often providing a sort of lead bass, in the vein of Chris Squire.

The Oriental tinged intro to "Delivery of Peace" is the best example of this, as is "No Guns, No Glory." And then there's the drumming...f*ck! If there's one element on here that really stands out, it's Jake Frisby's absolutely vicious drumming. Some drummers sound like they want to hurt you. Jake sounds like he wants to f*cking KILL.

Finally, you have vocalist Mudd, who provides some rather catchy choruses, along with lyrics that intelligently and eloquently flow like poetry. This is truely an example of a band of different musicians coming together and making something that is greater than the sum of it's parts.

"Down To Life" feels like "Sad But True" for the new millenium, and listen carefully to Jake Frisby's drumming in this song for some great fills. It's the slowest song on here, but bone crushing heavy.

"Skullz" really shows off the melodic sensibilities of the band, kind of bridging the gap between Exhorder and Iron Maiden. "The Deepest Rise" is the most varied track on here, with a long run time, a ton of riffs and the best intro EVER. Seriously, the way that this song builds, with the melodic tapping juxtaposed with a few crashes and surging riffs just leads you right into one hell of a raging song.

I would have loved to hear more snare drum, and at times the lead guitar is a not as up front as it should be, but this is a bloody demo! There's not a weak song, or for that matter, a weak moment.

It's a mere glimpse of how good Dichotic is in concert, and a testament of what is to come. Dichotic crushes all those Gothenburg bands and completely lays waste to all "core" bands with a refreshing sound that valiantly defies any and all categorization.

(song title corrections edited by Dichotic management)
- www.metal-archives.com

"To say you guys rocked last night would be such an understatement when in fact your riffs, rhythms, highs and lows lifted that brick building and held it aloft and afraid..." - pat mAcdonald - N/A

by Dino Corvino

(excerpt taken from the Culture Bin section)

"...Many of the bands are making their first trip to Wausau, such as Dichotic from Sturgeon Bay. The only band on the bill signed to a label (Psycho Drive Records) and on tour promoting their album Deepest Rise, these guys play fun, yet crushing music. That might seem contradictory, but the songs are often light in structure, while the vocals are pretty traditional screaming metal fare. The drum work on the album is impressive, with lots of cymbal work to lighten the mood....." - City Pages - Wausau, WI June 19, 2008

"Despite the fact that Dichotic has existed in some form or another since 2002, the band is still relatively new. Jake (Frisby, drums) and I have been jamming together for four years now. Aaron (Fischer, guitars) joined up with us sometime after that, but we were basically just a cover band for a long time, just playing AC/DC covers in bars," explains their bassist, Bronz, a towering figure clad in a ski hat and a jean jacket.


Bronz is a long time veteran of the Door County scene, having played in several bands over the past 20 years. "In Door County you have to get along with people, you've got to be respectful, because its a small scene and you might need to rely on someone at some point," he explains. He does offer an interesting story, however. "One time, with one of my old bands, we were playing some sort of shock rock with lots of expletives, and we played at The English Inn. Once, and never again. Moral of the story: If you're sure to really freak everyone out, better do it at a place where you'll never want to play again."

Aaron and Jake have also been playing together since 1997 and both have an undying passion for metal. Jake is probably the most intense drummer on the peninsula, and easily upstaged other drummers from the Fox Valley. Every song features insane fills and it sometimes sounds like Jake is trying to hurt the drum set. Aaron adds in a strong sense of melody and tasteful solos to the churning riffs. Iron Maiden is a very big influence on almost the whole band, and thats where the melody comes from.

"We're also into newer bands like Amon Amarth and Lamb of God. Theres magic in this band," Jake explains. "Aaron can come up with a riff, and we can write a song in less than an hour. Everyone feeds off of each other." And that's especially true when it comes to vocalist Jester Exodus, the quietest member of the band.

"Jester will often have lyrics ready before we even get done playing the riff once," Jake elaborates. "And usually he's even got an idea of where he wants the song to go. Hes a real visionary."

Though the band hails from Sturgeon Bay, the only non-local is guitarist Ace, a former Marine who currently lives in Green Bay after moving there from California. Ace said that there were some perks to living in California, "I used to play in a band with several other Marines, and we played a lot. I always knew that I would get back into music."

And it was actually when Ace joined the band a mere six months ago that prompted the band to ditch the cover songs. "They had about 50 covers, and I told them, just write your own stuff," Ace says. Bronz strongly agreed, and now they have over a dozen originals in their repotoire. With the addition of Jester in January, Dichotic was ready to take on the world.

When I saw them at Ryan's Ballroom on April 15th, they were not only as loud as a professional band, they were tight. It seemed that they did not miss a note, or a beat all night, and just ploughed through their originals. Most interesting were two songs, Deliver Of Peace, (dedicated to Jake's uncle who is serving in Iraq) and Down To Life, which had been only written less than two weeks prior to the concert. Still, both of these songs came off without a hitch. Down To Life went over extremely well, having a very strong groove.

The songs that most impressed me had to have been Desecrated and Skulls, which both feature granite grinding riffs intermeshed with very classy melodic passages. Bassist, Bronz, provided an interesting touch to songs, using unusual chords on his six string bass to further cement the heavy riffs being played by Aaron and Ace.

"I think that things are really going to pick up after the album is released," Bronz says, thinking into the future. "Well probably start playing a lot more and hopefully be able to do a mini tour."

Sound samples and more information can be found at:
http://www.myspace.com/dichoticmetal

-Nate Jacobs - Pulse Writer - Peninsula Pulse (www.ppulse.com)

DICHOTIC INTERVIEW

1. When and how did Dichotic form?

Jake: Dichotic has existed since 2001 having various member changes until December of 2005 - a new
Dichotic was born.

2. You have a unique sound, but flares of classic metal can still be heard. Were bands such as Pantara,
Metallica, Black Sabbath, and Iron maiden some of your influences?

Everyone: Yes those influences do stand out and are near the top of our influences. Though everyone
in the band has their own unique tastes that they bring to the group for instance....

Jester: I'm into Lamb of God, Snot, and Neurosis.

Aaron: I have a heavy taste of classic rock like Pink Floyd, Led Zepplin, and Captain Beyond.

Bronz: My influences come from European roots such as Scorpions, Pretty Maids, and Helloween.

Jake: I inject flavors of In Flames, Iced Earth, and Dream Theater.

Ace: I bring the power metal and battle metal side of music with influences of Symphony X, Crown
the Lost, Nevermore, Shadows Fall, Kreator.

Aaron adds: Essentially, Dichotic maintains an eclectic taste in music that fuels the Dichotic sound
from all over the musical spectrum.

3.The name Dichotic is very interesting name and does fit the band, how and why did you choose it
for the band?

Jake: The name came about after having 3 different weeks of changing names and getting calls from
other bands claiming the names we've chosen. At one point we were Fear Not - until we continually
received emails from people assuming we were a christian metal band. So I sat down at a table with
my mom's dictionary, and started on the letter "A".... Eventually ending on Dichotic.

(THE MEANING)
dich·otic
Pronunciation: (')dI-'kOt-ik
Function: adjective
: relating to or involving the presentation of a stimulus to one ear that differs in some respect (as
pitch, loudness, frequency, or energy) from a stimulus presented to the other ear .. —dich·oti·cal·ly /-
i-k(&-)lE/ adverb

4. in your opinion who are some of the great musicians of your instruments?

Bronz: For me I would have to say Chris Squire, being the first bass player that I admired. Also Billy
Sheehan (Ex-Talas), Steve Harris of Iron Maiden. And I can't leave out Geezer Butler (Black
Sabbath) and Roger Glover of Deep Purple. And if I didn't mention Cliff Burton, I wouldn't be able
to sleep at night...

Jake: I'd have to say Vinnie Paul right off the bat. Some others are Carmine Appice, Mike Portnoy,
and John Tempesta. Oh, can NOT forget Alex Van Halen - Hot For Teacher.

Aaron: Definitely Dimebag Darrel, Alvin Lee, Michael Schenker, Zakk Wilde, and David Gilmore.

Ace: Man I hate this freakin question but Hendrix, SRV, Paul Gilbert, Yngwie Malmsteen, Stu
Dowling, Allen Holdsworth, John McLaughlin Billy Gibbons and a shit load of axeman we've never
even heard of.

Jester: I'd say Phil Anselmo, just cuz... he's the shit. Also Randy Blithe and Lyn Straight.
We all agree that it's really tough to just name a few. So many influential musicians are out there in
the world and we really do take a little bit from all over the place.

5. Does touring put stress on any other parts of your life away from Dichotic or relations within the
band its self?

Everyone: Absolutely. We all make our own sacrifices to the band and to make it in the band, it's
something we all have to do. We all have our home lives with girlfriends, wives, kids, and work.

6. Before a show, what feelings do you have I.e. nervousness or excitement?

Jake: Personally, yeah I always have butterflies before a show. I just have to take that feeling and
turn it into a positive energy for the show.

Aaron: I don't get butterflies man, I get charged and want to get out there and start some rowdy shit!

Ace: Fuck man, I always get a tingle. Wanting to make sure everything is right from plugging in to the sound I produce on stage. You want to do well and here I am with my bros on stage and want to tear it up!

Bronz: I'm not a fear based person as far as getting on stage having been on stage for the number of
years that I have. I do have my adrenaline rush to get animated on stage and put on the best possible
show.

Jester: Nervous? Yeah. It all changes once that first note hits. Then it's pure adrenaline and
excitement.

7. Any up coming albums or particular shows that you want to mention?

Everyone: We got The Deepest Rise album coming out mid-2008. We'll be hitting the side stage for
Gigantour on May 7th in Milwaukee at The Rave. Another show we're really pumped about is Steel
Bridge SongFest - June 12-14, 2008 in Sturgeon Bay. Over 100 bands across 15 stages! You got to
love that shit! Dichotic's hosting the Hard Rock stage all three nights!

8. Where can fans get a hold or you music and MERCH?

Everyone: We don't have any full on merch as of yet. Though some is available at www. CafePress.
com/dichotic. There are plans in the works for getting some merch prepared and ready for sale at
upcoming shows.

9. This question is for: Aaron Fischer, Andre “Ace” Rose, and Bronz Cory Robinson - Do you remember the first guitar you ever had, and or the guitar you learned to play on?

Aaron: Yep! The first guitar I ever played on was like probably a late 50's Silver Tone my dad had in
the closet. It was stripped a part and really seemed like a piece of shit. The bridge was propped up
with pennies to make it work right. The first guitar I ever owned is a Ibanez RG560, which I've just
taken out of the closet just last week to use again.

Ace: First guitar for me - a broomstick with the 'ol bristles stickin out! I'd be in my room pretending,
man. After hearing Hendrix's "Rainbow Bridge," I convinced my father to get my first axe from a
local pawn shop. "Room Full of Mirrors" did it for me!

Bronz: Back in '78.... I played air guitar or tennis racket to Kiss and Ted Nugent albums. Then at a
local music store I graduated to a Kay "Sears" Fender precision bass copy for $90. Which I played
every note on one string with one finger. Then I picked up a Gibson Ripper bass, because I liked
Gene Simmons from Kiss so much and wanted to be him growing up. I've been through well over 50
basses since then.

10. How long have you all been playing your instruments?

Aaron: I come from a very musical family and have been playing some kind of instrument since very
young. I started on guitar mainly since 10 years old. Playing alone at night so nobody would hear me
screwing up.

Ace: On and off since I was about 13. I got real serious at around 22 years old.

Jester: I've been singing for around 10 years now.

Bronz: Since I was 15. I played tuba in marching band and my band teacher told me if I picked up the
electric bass, he'd up my grade one whole grade. And after seeing my first live show, Blue Oyster
Cult, that's what sealed the deal for me. And I decided from then I wanted to be a bass player playing
on stages for the masses.

Jake: I guess technically I started around 2 years old bangin' on pots n' pans in mom's kitchen. I got
serious when I hit 12 playing on a real kit and just loved it.

11. Where any of you apart of any other bands before forming Dichotic?

Aaron: Well, Jake and I were both in Cryptic at one point. The first band I was in and started. I've
been in many bands since then such as Benzona.

Ace: Starting as a bassist, my first was a Top 40's band in Japan. Later, I co-started a band called
Full Moon for a few years, then me and the lead guitar player broke off and formed Metal Arsenal.
After touring the L.A. scene for 5 years, I took a long time off to switched to guitar. Dichotic is
actually the first band I play guitar in.

Jester: Victims of the American Dream, which I'm still singing for when not working with Dichotic. I
also do some techno in addition to singing with the bands.

Bronz: I've only been in four original bands including Dichotic. Although I've been in well over 50
bands in my musical career. And also enjoyed hosting an open jam for nearly 10 years in Green Bay
playing cover songs.

Jake: Yeah like Aaron said, Cryptic was my first band. I was also in the Electric Hellfire Club on
their Witness The Millennium album. I played around in various bands but nothing steady. A couple of bands were Something Wicked, Fear Not, and Blackout. And now in Dichotic since we formed it.

12. Who are some modern bands of mainstream music that you like?

Aaron: Mainstream music is a stupid fucking term and I hate it all. As for as music that I DO like,
mainstream or not, I think Opeth is kicking ass. I think The absence is good. Deathklock, Corpse
Maggot and Deathball are some other great bands I'm into.

Bronz: I like underground bands and obscurity. Black metal bands mostly. I listen to Dead Can
Dance, Lycia, and other Gothic type bands. I really stress listening to melodic music and Trivium is
one of my favorite bands that I listen to now.

Ace: I hate the word mainstream! It reminds me of AOR or some shit. I like a lot of stuff but
currently have SOME of the following in my CD changer: Racer X, Crown the Lost, Symphony X,
Kreator and other stuff. A shit load of local talent and "Myspace Bands" kick-ass as well. Winter Children and Liquid Steel are my favorite local acts at the moment.

Jester: Mainstream music huh? I listen to a lot of different shit from metal to drum and bass. Into hip
hop and stuff like that. I guess for metal I'd say Gojira, Neurosis, and Divine Heresy. Also I'm listening to Isis and Bolt Thrower.

Jake: I think this band deserves an honorable mention - After Forever.

13. What is Dichotic all about and what is the main message you want to get across to your fans?

Jester: As far as a message... a lot of our music has to do with personal experiences. Not just mine, but from everyone. And with the music, take from it what you want. Just give it a listen and see
what you think.

Aaron: My personal view is heavy metal is kick ass. And people need to experience that and I want to show them that there's a lot more to it than screaming vocals. The reason that I say that is that
with Dichotic, you get many different messages and people can take a lot from it. It's not superficial
music.

Bronz: I think it's important to have a release from the everyday strife of living. It's great that you can come to a Dichotic show and get your aggression out and not having to worry about the bullshit of your job, family, and society.

Ace: Aaron hit the bullseye!

14. Is there anyone you would like to thank?

Everyone: We'd like to thank our management for doing such a top notch job. Family and friends for
coming out to see us. Of course all our fans, that goes without saying. People like Skyler (for taking 4
stitches to the face in the name of Dichotic. Also, Eg's, Matto, Butch's Bar, Psycho Drive Studios, Club Toxic and Beto, Madhouse Music for always being there after hours when we are in a pinch.

And to all the other bands helping us along the way sharing the stage. Polly for the logo design. Man
there's just so many people out there and it's impossible to name them all. So thank you to everyone
we didn't mention! You know who you are, and SO DO WE!

A big thank you to everyone who's believed in us and giving us a shot allowing us to do what we do!

contact the band at www. myspace. com/DichoticMetal

IF YOUR BAND WOULD LIKE TO BE INTERVIWED FOR CHEESEANDBEER. NET YOU
CAN REACH TOMMY G. AT wwww. myspace. com/cheeseandbeer_tom_gust
- CheeseAndBeer.net

DICHOTIC - What can I say, this band is the real deal folks. They traveled all the way from Sturgeon Bay, to head line the show that night. It was my honor to meet them.

This band is beyond talented and some of the coolest men I've had the pleasure to meet. I was swept away into a metal frenzy as they rocked out. Every now and then I closed my eyes & got the feeling I was hearing a new Pantera, Iron Maiden or Judas Priest tune.

In my humble opinion, they take the best of old school metal & twist it into something fresh and new. Metal heads of all ages will enjoy their perfect blend of heart pounding metal.

Their full length CD "The Deepest Rise" is a must have in any serious metal fan's collection! If you get the chance to see them play live, DO IT!!! - Feanix Lair - Milwaukee VOICE Monthly

Mid-tempo thrash with a deep groove and some soulful guitar solo parts is what I am confronted with upon listening to Wisconsin's Dichotic. The album opens with A Truce of No Worth which brings all the aforementioned elements and locks them in a death grip with Firestorm era Earth Crisis. A Sucker for Failure ups the ante with a quickened pace and decidedly more "metal" feel to it. Hints of melody lurk in the shadows as Jake Frisby incorporates drum rolls to counter point the faster thrash riffs. A chugging groove hits home on Eye of the World providing the track with a really muscular power. Jester's vocals are particularly irate on this song as if he were fighting the injustices of the world alone. The excellent solo work by Aaron and Ace prove this is not the case. Down to Life flexes with thick guitars and fanatical screams which reminds me of a more melodic Damnation AD. Ominous bass work sets the stage for the galloping No Guns, No Glory which brings a jaw-shattering strength to the chorus. A new layer of emotional depth is achieved on Desecrated through melodic riffing and a slightly more tempered vocal approach. Never content to sit within the confines of modern groove oriented thrash, Delivery of Peace starts with almost middle-eastern guitar work though quickly settles back into the bread-N-Butter of blood-fueled aggression. A moment of calm and sorrow is introduced for the initial stage of the title track but then some ass-kicking melodies and neck snapping breaks flood in like a torrential downpour. The drums have a really snappy production to them while the guitars are crisp sounding. It would have been nice to hear Bronz's bass guitar a little more as it is buried for much of the album, though it is very noticeable during parts of A Truce of No Worth. Dichotic are angry at something and I am glad it is not me. The Deepest Rise displays a range of feelings and textures but I am overridden by the physicality of Dichotic's style. A very respectable debut that has instrumental flair and a modern edge that fleshes out the boundaries of the raw power of this release. - NocturnalCult.com - January 2009

Posted by: Station Manager on Wednesday, May 14th, 2008

Get ready to get pissed off, tear up your couch, sling your cat into the neverlands, and go for blood. Actually, all that is cool except for the cat thing, don’t sling animals - it’s illegal and just wrong.

Dichotic is a great band, I got their submission the other day and was like HOLY SHIT… this is really really grassroots metal/hardcore that flows from Wisconsin (a lot of good bands we get come from Wisconsin… hmmm) and really packs a punch on your ears. Speaking of, the bands name is derived from a type of listening called "Dichotic Listening," which is like selective hearing. Interested in the test? We found one online, which you can take by clicking here!

The band has genius musical ability, which really shines in their track "A Deepest Rise," which consults roots from Black Sabbath and other bands known for melodic breakdowns, to really stir the soup on this track. Of course, I was really overwhelmed by the entire band, and I do believe that they are worthy of a CD purchase or download, and definately good for when you want to chill to good metal/hardcore, and aren’t interested in rocking out to bands with less seasoning.

This is homestyle soup people, it has a lot of flavor - and is just the kind of thing you need to jumpstart your whatever. Just be careful, and again - don’t sling the cat.

Check these @sskickers out online on MySpace! http://myspace.com/dichoticmetal

PS. On my Dichotic hearing test, I had equal balance on the experiment. Weird. Is that normal? - streetblastradio.com