Litany for the Departed

Litany for the Departed is a regional Texas-based, modern rock band initially formed in March of 2006. Hailing from Austin, TX, their female-fronted, hard rock sound has been described as anything but typical of the Austin music scene. The music is a crafty hybrid of chunky hard rock guitars (Breaking Benjamin, Chevelle) with singing under-melodies (A Perfect Circle, Soundgarden), and vocals ranging from the epic beauty of Amy Lee of Evanescence to the raw emotion of Alanis Morisette. More so, Litany offers a fascinating hybrid of both power and melody - a heavy edge with gravity-like hooks.
Litany began with long-time friends Corey Trahan and Ryan Landry in March of 2006. Austin based, these two have played in numerous projects and performed in countless shows throughout the state of Texas (Carbon-14, Zen Merchants, Paradigm, Caged). Soon after the decision to form, Amanda Lombard (Thrillcore, Inertia) joined on lead vocals. Lombard's unique ability to move seamlessly back and forth from raw emotion to epic beauty was the perfect compliment. In January 2007, Litany decided that a second guitarist was needed for more orchestration and heavier tones. To this end, Mike Carpenter (Ugly Tribe, Always the Fall) was asked to join Litany on guitar. Having hailed from Trahan and Landry’s home town in Southeast Texas, it was a fortuitous find for Litany. In May of 2008, Steve Morley joined Litany on drums to complete the current lineup of : Amanda Lombard (vocals), Corey Trahan (guitar), Mike Carpentar (guitar), and Ryan Landry (bass)
In March of 2008, Litany released their debut CD, Volume 1: Chants and Melodies, which has already sold hundreds of copies and received incredible reviews, no small feat for an unsigned band. Multiple songs have topped the charts on Garageband, winning award after award. The album has been described as everything Evanescence could not deliver - focusing less on piano orchestration and airy experimental components and more so on driving guitars and strong, present vocals. Chants and Melodies delves into a chasm of both introspection and fury. Don't let Lombard's sweet visage fool you. Her lyrics span dark issues on Chants and Melodies, such as the death of a loved one (Hells House), frustration from a world that she cannot make sense of (Insanity), and more. In only a short amount of time, the release boosted the band from being a local band to a regional act, playing with nationally signed bands, such as Powerman 5000, Adema, Hurt, Vast, and Seether. Since its release, Litany has gathered support from many popular Texas radio stations, including Lubbock’s FMX, Beaumont’s Big Dog 106, and Austin’s KLBJ. In early 2008, Litany was asked by Energy Music to be a part of an upcoming soundtrack for the DVD release of “Behind the Suit and Tie: A look inside the metal recording industry”.

Currently, Litany for the Departed continues playing regional shows supporting their new release. While on paper this young band has quite an impressive resume; their live performance is where Litany truly climbs to the top. The band’s energy is vibrant, and it is easy to see that the members themselves are some of the biggest fans. The music is tight, well rehearsed and communicated. Nothing falls short of what one would expect from a regional modern rock act, which perhaps is the reason why their fan base continues to grow rapidly throughout Texas. And to satiate their fans appetites for more music, Litany will be re-entering the studio in July to being recording their second CD.