Lo Pan

I can’t even place this band, Lo Pan, into any genres. The best that I can do is to describe their sound by the influences that I can hear in their music: Black Sabbath, Soundgarden, Helmet and Danzig. What hit me right away about Lo Pan is that they have SERIOUS groove. They aren’t going to amaze you with technical guitars or complex song arrangements, but they obviously aren’t trying to either. All that they are trying to do is put out some very solid, listenable rock n roll, and they do succeed in doing that. Not bad at all for a band who’s record label, Burnt Herd Records, doesn’t even have an official website, but instead, has a Myspace page that doesn’t even say the name of the company anywhere on it other than in the URL. I have searched and searched online and I haven’t found any information on this band, which
is sad because Lo Pan one of those bands that should be considered an up-and-coming act.

Their self-titled debut, from start to finish, is pure groove. The guitar tone is similar to that of Soundgarden before the “Down On The Upside� days. Their guitarist, Brian Fristoe, even sounds similar to Kim Thayil with his wah-wah solos. Combine that with the groove of Helmet via the “Meantime� and “Betty� era along with a little Black Sabbath “feel� and you can figure out
Lo Pan’s sound for yourself (or you could buy the album which would be even better!). Dave Ramsey’s vocals sound like a hybrid of Page Hamilton (Helmet) and Glenn Danzig. Rounding out the band is bassist Skot Thompson and drummer J. Bartz who do exactly what a bassist and a drummer should be doing in a rock band.

What really stuck out to me with Lo Pan is that I can listen to these guys anywhere and know that people will want to ask me questions as to who they are. Their sound seems to transcend generalizing them into what only one group of people would like. Remember when Sublime came out with their “40oz. To Freedom� album and so many people with different tastes in music were all listening to them? I would dare to say that Lo Pan could be something like
that, though their sound isn’t remotely as varied and diverse as that of Sublime. This band makes good driving music for a road trip as well as good party music. I can crack open a beer and relax or get pumped up to get into a fight listening to these guys. They are one of those bands that I can listen to in almost any mood.

Looking for a solid rock band? Look no further than Lo Pan. I don’t expect big things from them, mainly because of what I have seen of their record label, but they definitely do have potential to be successful if they can get some good distribution and tour to get their name out there. - The Vish

This new SeeDee from Columbus, Ohio's Lo Pan is yet another example of the gold to be found outside such self-absorbed "Kulture Kapitals" as New York, London, Paris, and Ell-Lay. Heavy underground music fanatics should realize that much of the most fascinating tuneage to be mined out there is in such secondary or even tertiary cities as Columbus. A large city by most standards, it has nevertheless been ignored in favor of more traditional cultural loci by trendoids and music industry dorks. Wellsir, the dudes in Lo Pan are doing their best to shed some light on the talent to be found in the hinterlands.

Because of the dragon head depicted on the cover, I presume that the band takes their name from the character in the cult film classic 'Big Trouble in Little China.' If so, big ups to 'em for the goofy reference. It do show some class! The music, however, shares little in common with movie soundtracks, and alot in common with innovative desert/stoner sounds. Our beloved Kyuss is only a distant reference point for this gang o' musicians, all of whom have day jobs with other bands. They've taken desert sounds and bent them through a weird prog filter, resulting in the creation of their own unique chunk of musical turf, which they defend admirably. The album leads off with the most acceptably traditional song on the disc, 'Hills are Alive,' featuring some sweet high/midrange double-tracked vocals and some delicious, Swedish-style fuzz. Syncopation and unpredictable rhythmic change-ups become more prominent as the album progresses. 'Burnt on the Skin' has jerking rhythms and complex riffing, while 'Words' is for the most part doomy. 'Must Miss' has both pounding chords and beautiful melody, while 'Kill to Blame' ends the album with an even greater helping of melody and power.

'Lo Pan' has plenty of the things most lovers of the desert yearn for: melody, fuzz, and power. They combine this with some unusual proggy song structures to create a unique musical treasure. What else could you ask for? In keeping with my theme, I'll suggest that you pick up a couple of other of 2006's top picks from the American Midwestern underground: the new albums by Detroit's Chapstik and Indianapolis' Devil to Pay. It's a powerful 3-pack of tuneage that will knock you out cold!

Even with the internet, the music industry has largely ignored it's duty to get the word out on the latest and greatest. Give 'em the back of your hand by clicking on one of the links above; I think that the myspace link is the best one at the moment. - Kevin McHugh

Classic rock riffage, the sludgy power of stoner metal, lingering traces of the grunge era—from the sounds of Lo-Pan's self-titled debut, the Columbus metal foursome has found a comfy niche. It's easy to picture both radio-rock devotees and metal's underground cellar dwellers throwing up the ceremonial devil horns for the group's so-called "energy rock."

That stuff's been in the can for a year, though, and the players have a whole new slew of songs to show off. They will have plenty of chances for that, beginning with a gig next Thursday at Ravari Room. They'll open for Big Business at Little Brother's on June 16 before rocking Comfest's Offramp Stage on Friday afternoon.

Lo-Pan isn't limiting itself to local stages, though. Its summer is peppered with dates from Indiana to Maryland, all part of the band's effort to break from weekend warrior status.

"It's not a weekend thing," bassist Skot Thompson said. "I'm really getting sick of delivering pizza."

Some bands are content to kick it in Columbus for life, while others unwittingly stumble into success. Count Lo-Pan among a large third category of acts slowly but surely trying to dig their way out of daily drudgery into a life of rock 'n' roll.

"Ever since any of us has started at like 18 years old, all we've done is day jobs to try and make music happen for us," drummer Jesse Bartz said.

Now ranging from age 28 to 35, the band members—guitarist Brian Fristoe and vocalist Dave Ramsey included—have done time in lots of local bands before this one. But other than Thompson's continued tenure in 1point3, the musicians have pared down their commitments to just one band for the long run.

The four are an intriguing mix—"two quiet guys and two cavemen," Thompson said—but they've found a fluid middle ground. Even the older material, which the band claims is all over the place stylistically, has an admirable consistency to it.

Still, recording for album No. 2, which they plan to do with Jon Chinn at Wall Street Studio once again, could prove to be a struggle.

"It will be either a mass murder or a really good project," Bartz joked.

Assuming they make it out of the studio alive, Lo-Pan has plans to shop the new record nationally and get in the van as often as possible. Bartz is already dreaming of a time down the road when Lo-Pan has a back catalog of several releases and, presumably, a monstrous following.

As many hard-touring bands can attest, life doesn't always work out that way. But it's good to know that guys old enough to be jaded would keep idealistically plugging away. In today's interconnected world, anybody can strike it big, and with music as punishing and melodic as Lo-Pan's, they've got a shot. - Columbus Alive I

I don't know if this band was named after the feng shui Chinese compass or after the character David Lo Pan who is an ancient and evil sorcerer in Big Trouble In Little China, a famous and entertaining action comedy by J. Carpenter.

Lo Pan is essentially a four person band from USA featuring Dave Ramsey -vocals, J.Bartz- drums, Skot Thompson -bass and Brian Fristoe - guitar . The band has put together a very fresh sounding CD that mixes aspects of stoner, grunge and sludge with dashes of classic rock. The
obvious Black Sabbath comparisons can be made, but again, the band takes that influence and adapts it into its own sound. The occasional vague traces of The Melvins, Sunnshine, Alice In Chains, Sixty Watt Shaman and Ditchliquor , as well as Tool (vocally), give some
indication of what these guys have been listening to lately.

Thus a song like ”Hills are alive” runs on a monstrous groove then veers into a fuzzy bridge derived from the more metallic side of stoner rock, and makes it sound totally natural. “Words” is the perfect representation of the band's strengths. The song is based on a serpentine mammoth vibe, has an aggressive up-section in the middle, and all the while the Maynard -like vocal lines squeal and weave circles around a rock solid, driving rhythm. “The ringing” with
screeching solos and “Kill to blame” open with some simple picked
notes and knocks you down with walls of distortion .

I don't think any of these songs quite meet the definition of killer status; the type of songs that stay with you for a long time, but Lo Pan is easy to enjoy and is delivered with a suitable (leadguitars sound maybe a little bit thin) production and solid musicianship, but they have not invented the powder and isn't pushing the riff metal style to a new step but with sucha vocalist and bearing in mind the quality of the melodies on this first record, I will certainly keep an
eye on this band because my senses tell me something is cooking or if you prefer wokking here. - Concrete Web