Major Moment
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Major Moment

Boston, MA | Established. Jan 01, 2017 | SELF

Boston, MA | SELF
Established on Jan, 2017
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"one small stEP (REVIEW)"

Major Moment recently released their new EP, One Small StEP. A Boston based Alt Rock band, Major Moment combine original blends of alternative rock with international roots, inspired by acts like Linkin Park, Nine Inch Nails, 30 Seconds To Mars and more. ‘Before It’s Too Late’ the first single from the EP, can be heard here.

Powerful vocals are something of a trait on this record. Delivering every time some excellent writing with infectious choruses that pull you in, Major Moment certainly create some on this EP. ‘Before It’s Too Late’ is a great example of this on One Small StEP as the band deliver a masterful chorus in combination with strong melodies that really keep you wanting more from this band.

This band create some huge melodies. Dark and ethereal sounds that are certainly reminiscent of this band’s collection of inspirations, Major Moment create melodies on songs such as ‘Mistakes’ and ‘How Would You Know?’ that are great examples of where the band really highlight their talent for creating fantastic sounds, giving us brilliant moments of energy.

A band that develops something strong on their new EP, Major Moment create a record that works well together and builds as it goes on, particularly melodically. Highlights for me on this record are ‘Mistakes’ and ‘Before It’s Too Late’ however these songs work together so well and I highly recommend you listen to this record in full, you will not regret a second of it. - Thinking Lyrically


"Mistakes (REVIEW)"

‘Mistakes’ underlying strength comes from the choice of style presentation reminiscent of late 80’s hard-rock ballads that the world witnessed. The chorus is power-ballad, with the more modern alt-rock elements located in several parts of the song which brings it up to par with the rock scene these days. The nostalgia is certainly there, and it’s been done quite affectionately. The song is certainly easy to get into. - Come Here Floyd


"one small stEP (REVIEW) - 10/10"

“Around the World in Eighty Days,” is a true classic and amazing novel by French writer and imaginative spirit, Jules Verne that was published in 1873. In this amazing tale in which two men set out to navigate around the world in 80 days on a 20,000-pound wager by their friends. What does that have to do with this moment in time? A lot, ACTUALLY! When you have an amazing band that brings something eclectic, rich, and explosive, the first thing you often do is look them up and find out where they are from! Amazingly, the band, Major Moment, has a new EP out called ‘one small stEP’ and it is good!

Having a residential location of Boston, Massachusetts, the four members consists of Vocalist and Guitarist Andrey Borzykin; Lead Guitarist Gabriel De Mattia De Oliveira; Vocalist Alexandra “Sasha” Razumova, and Drummer Adam Soucy. Russia, Brazil, and the United States of America are all the locations that make up this wonderful band as they all met in Boston initially. Digging into ‘ one small stEP,’ there is a major combination of cosmic feeling—-off to Jupiter with the cosmic warmth that is directly felt in the sound. Mixing an alternative funk, live orchestration, and gravity, there is a little to offer for any listener.

The opening intro allows the ideas to be heard from the first note played. Major Moment starts the EP off with a very groove based soundtrack feeling introduction…At first listen, the band has a truly wonderful blend of rock meets alternative electric. The band has a comparative sound with the James Bond theme-based opening songs that everyone grabs their seats to watch and listen to! There is a similarity between other great rock acts such as Green Day, Limp Bizkit, Eminem musically, Evanescence, Slipknot, Metallic, Coldplay, and Linkn Park. There’s a lot of action going on musically, which totally works for the listener! The next song, ‘Before It’s Too Late,’ comes on screaming a mellow gliding guitar that noticeable drives the song in portions making it the captain of the ship. The message is simple: Take everything in before it is too late! Unlike just ending a song, the band enters into a twilight zone by giving you interlude music after each song and THAT takes skill to do! Very refreshing!

The next three songs include ‘Mistakes, What It’s Like, and How Would You Know.’ ‘Mistakes’ comes through demanding attention. And just as the title suggests, it is a person going back in time retracing the memories of a past love. Trying to figure out what all went wrong, this song suggests that help is needed. Love is crazy especially when you lose it! Powerful song! ‘What It’s Like,’ is a song about a person wishing to change some of the stuff done wrong! And they also wish that the other person could actually accept their faults as well! We all have something to lose in life! ‘How Would You Know,’ is the EP favorite. This vibe is totally 1990s screaming Red Hot Chili Peppers or R.E.M. The guitars on this song are mesmerizing as they are carrying the weight of the song and when the measurement is not in pounds, there is so much to lift! The message of the song is to not blame yourself when someone else has another method of how they choose to live. People often blame themselves when rejection or loss occurs and this song is just that song to help you cope with those moments. A personal favorite for sure as it is still playing currently!



The very last song on the EP is ‘The Release.’ It would make perfect sense to sit down and unwind with this song. A piano ballad that bursts into flames is exactly what this song is. The melody, the production, the arrangement, and the power within the song alone all make this EP worth a true listen! Arpeggio is used throughout this album but THIS SONG ALONE TOOK MY BREATHE AWAY. It has a way of making you forget your bad day while also motivates you to continue looking forward through the darkness. The melody has a driving force within it and causes a reaction in your head, heart, and soul. But then it travels to a dark place. The transition is almost like someone just woke up in a place they are not familiar with, with an almost “To Be Continued” sign left hanging out.

Very rarely do I come across acts that have the “Wow” factor written from the start to the finish but it was really achieved just in the ‘one small stEP’ EP. I see the way that the pronunciation and written form of the title says it all as you actually step and walk throughout the entire EP. It was a pleasure hearing this EP and it is a true reward for anyone out there to give this band an opportunity to play for you! With Russian, South American, and American cultures steaming throughout the physical makeup, there is no telling what the sky or limits may be! This EP comes highly rated and I suggest that you go and find a venue with them headlining soon as a live show has to be the most amazing display of musicianship ever!

https://www.majormomentband.com/

Rating 10 / 10

K.Tibbs - Skope Mag


"Song Premiere: How Would You Know?"

Just over 12 months ago, the music world was stunned by the untimely loss of Chester Bennington. The influence of the Linkin Park vocalist was and continues to be, far and wide. Since Chester’s death in July 2017, many fans and bands have paid tribute to Chester in a variety of ways.

Amongst them is multi-national Boston-based band Major Moment. For vocalist/guitarist Andrey Borzykin, Bennington was a role model and a major inspiration. Having recently released a cover of Linkin Park’s ‘Leave Out All the Rest’, Major Moment are preparing to release a new EP called ‘One Small StEP‘ on September 7th. Its six songs sees Borzykin along with Gabriel De Mattia De Oliveira (guitar), Alexandra “Sasha” Razumova (vocals) and Adam Soucy (drums) reflect on several topics such as relationships and loss. While the influence of Chester Bennington serves as the EP’s musical and lyrical spine.

As a preview of what Major Moment and ‘One Small StEP‘ has to offer, we’re premiering its latest single – ‘How Would You Know?’

“This song was written during the time of tremendous stress and heartbreaking loss of Chester Bennington from Linkin Park, who was a great deal of inspiration for our band. With ‘How Would You Know?’ I was trying to answer some questions I kept asking myself, imagining what was going through Chester’s mind in his darkest moments by revealing some of the feelings I’m dealing with at times,” Borzykin tells us. “The importance of mental health in our lives is seriously overlooked, and the results could often be tragic. With the current pace of our lives, when everything you wish for is available at the touch of a button, we often forget how to keep our minds healthy and clean, and how to look after each other. It’s dangerous because we’re ashamed to talk about mental health issues, and in the time of crisis, those who truly care about you have no idea what you’re dealing with inside.”

‘One Small StEP‘ by Major Moment is released on 7th September. - Already Heard


"Mental Health Matters: Before It's Too Late"

I have to admit: I’ve been on the opposite side of the barricade. For many years, I mistakenly thought that depression and anxiety are not the real issues, that they’re made up by people who constantly whine and complain to attract some twisted form of attention, until I realized I was the one dealing with such issues on a daily basis. I would always get weird mood changes for as long as I can remember, it’s something I couldn’t explain, and something I got used to. Other people who are affected accurately refer to them as waves, except they don’t come with such accuracy. Sometimes, those dark waves of unexplained hopelessness and helplessness come and swallow you for days, weeks. You wake up feeling useless, you run your pointless errands, rinse, repeat. Sometimes, everything changes by the hour. You may be full of energy and feeling on top of the world one day, because something positive happened to you, and then you get hit by one of those waves again, and you feel small and all your victories, achievements seem insignificant.

As someone in both music and business, I’m used to both, failures and success. I was procrastinating on making serious steps as a musician for years, and was too involved in solving business problems to realize that time was going by fast. On top of that, a successful business did not make me a happier person. Yes, it brought some sense of accomplishment and a financial stability, but I was looking to be recognized as a successful musician. Attending live shows of other artists was depressing because I felt I was missing out on a huge part of the experience by not being the one on the stage. My New Year’s resolution for 2017 was to make steps towards accomplishing my dreams, so I browsed through Craigslist, got in a band and we started writing songs in our free time.

My hard awakening happened on July 20th 2017, when I heard of Chester Bennington passing. Being a lifelong fan of Linkin Park, and inspired by Bennington’s life story, I was heartbroken and devastated. But later on, after the effects of initial shock cleared, this terrible tragedy helped me to understand two important things:

We cannot underestimate the importance of mental health
We should all work on accomplishing our dreams, before it’s too late
I started thinking about my life in a perspective of “what would I regret not doing if I were to die tomorrow?”. The obvious answer was – making music. I decided to quit my business and invest my life’s savings in my band – Major Moment. The first song I’ve written for our debut EP is called “Before It’s Too Late”, which talks about my fears, insecurities, and also reflects on the state of the world we live in, and tries to serve as a wake-up call for the ones in need of such.

I also started paying attention to my own mental health. Chester was in his peak physical form, substance-free, seemingly happy, with a loving wife, and six children. He had just bought a new house, released a number one album and had over 100 million records sold combined. Nothing looked alarming. And still heavy thoughts were there, and that’s what ultimately led to the tragedy.

Getting out of business and finally being able to express myself through music was definitely a step in a right direction. It made me feel proud of my own work, and connected me with wonderful people. However, it also revealed some bigger problems. For the first time in 12 years I was jobless for longer than one week, and my anxiety was through the roof. I can only describe my feelings by comparison with the feeling you get when you forget about some important appointment, or forget some important item for a presentation. Sitting in front of the laptop screen, and not knowing where to start, where to go, how to get where I needed to be – it was overwhelming to say the least.

Having a background in business and management helped me to be organized and to set some temporary and long-distance goals. But this background has also taught me to see immediate results on a daily basis, to be in control of the situation. And that turned out not to be exactly the case in music business for me. I found out you have to be ready to invest everything into what you love and expect nothing in return. I also noticed that it’s hard to see the path, to connect the dots between your goals. Every milestone we passed, every achievement we reached, felt insignificant right after it was done. It’s not that I wasn’t grateful for what I have, it’s rather I was super-critical towards myself and felt the constant pressure of other people’s lives and success depending on results of my work.

I am extremely lucky to have met Sasha, she became my best friend, my soulmate, my bandmate, and my future wife. Her presence in my life makes a huge impact. She often acts like a counterweight to the doubts and fears I’m struggling with, she is extremely supportive, and that’s what gives me strength and inspires me. It amazes me how she seems to be completely immune to the issues I’m dealing with, so even though it’s very hard for her to really understand the depth and reasons behind them, she is trying. I really need that charge of positivity she can provide, it helps me to see the light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak.

To me, making steps towards accomplishing my dreams, working on something I truly love, with someone I love, and sharing those experiences, is the key to keeping my mind healthy.

When you come across a band as multi-cultural, passionate, and talented as Boston’s Major Moment, you have to pay attention. Combining captivating original sounds of alternative rock with their international roots, Major Moment knows how to create new worlds within their music. Inspired by acts like Linkin Park, Nine Inch Nails, 30 Seconds To Mars and more, the band is now on a mission to inspire others, encourage them to follow their dreams, and learn to appreciate life.

This September, Major Moment brings you One Small StEP, a record of various strong topics, including relationship, perspective, and loss. With acclaimed producer Kevin Billingslea and six-time Grammy Winner Adam Ayan on board, the band considers the record to be their greatest accomplishment yet.

What makes the record even more special, is its dedication to Chester Bennington of Linkin Park, one of the band’s biggest inspirations. One Small StEP also features a #makechesterproud tagline.

Follow Major Moment:

Website I Facebook I Twitter I Instagram I “How Would You Know” lyric video - Infectious Magazine


"INTERVIEW: Major Moment"

- Hi folks, welcome to VENTS! How have you been?

Hey guys! Been good! Thank you for having us!

- Can you talk to us more about your latest single “Before It’s Too Late”?

Of course! We decided to make this song a single as we think it represents us as a band the most, and delivers the general message behind our music. It’s a song that definitely has its share of darkness, but in its core it’s meant to actually inspire ourselves and others to make the best of their lives, to live them to the fullest potential, to realize their dreams.

- Did any event in particular inspire you to write this song?

Yes, Andrey wrote it around his own experience: “I moved to the States from Russia 12 years ago, dreaming of pursuing a music career, but, as it often happens, reality took its toll quite fast, and the necessity to pay bills took over. Then it was a second job to afford some gear, then I started a business to afford a better lifestyle, a second business, a third… years went by, and I didn’t come any closer to fulfilling my dream. All of it only made me miserable and exhausted. Then in early 2017, I finally started making some small steps towards playing music, but the breaking point really happened when Chester Bennington of Linkin Park died to suicide on July 20th. It was so unexpected and sudden, we just attended a Linkin Park show literally two months prior to that, and after my initial shock faded out, it made me realize how fragile our lives really are and that our time on this planet is very limited. I think Chester once said: “If you dream of doing something one day, remember: that day is today”. So that’s what I did. I sat down, picked up my dusty guitar, and wrote this song…”

- Any plans to release a music video for the single?

Oh, we definitely would love to! But, unfortunately we couldn’t find a video production studio around Boston capable of making our vision a reality without charging us an outrageous amount of money. We’re not cheap people, but definitely appreciate value. We weren’t born yesterday, and understand that people need to get paid for their hard work. The plan was to create a simple story-driven video without any special effects or CG, shot in a classy manner. But either the story was not interesting enough, was too plain or beat up, or we couldn’t agree on the schedule, or even worse – people just wouldn’t respond to emails. We’re kind of used to people not responding to emails in music industry, but from a business standpoint – it’s unacceptable and plain unprofessional.
Anyway, we still hope to make a video for it one day, but for now, we’re pretty happy with how our cinematic lyric video came out, it definitely delivers the message. We actually have those lyric videos made for all of the songs off our EP, so there will be something to look at.

- The single comes off your new EP “one small stEP” – what’s the story behind the title?

Besides it being a smart title to have an “EP” built in, it’s obviously a reference to Neil Armstrong’s moon-landing quote. We have the whole artwork of our physical CD built around the moon-landing theme… See, we come from different backgrounds, and as Andrey says: “I lived in Russia until the age of 21, so for me to even imagine that I would have an opportunity to work with people I worked with, to release a record in America, to play shows here, to have an opportunity to live the life I live and to do what I do… it was like flying to the Moon, you know? Just like a dream, it’s there, you can see it, now go try to actually make it happen. I am forever grateful for the opportunities I’ve had, but rest assured, I worked my ass off for 12 years to become the man I am today”.
We also see the title as “it’s one small step in the music industry, but it’s a giant leap for us as musicians to be pursuing this career”, first steps towards unknown are hard, but if you keep going, you could discover great things. It’s a major moment in history, you know, it’s iconic, it’s bold, it’s risky, it’s brave. It’s something we associate our record with.

- How was the recording and writing process?

It was complex and interesting. The first demos were created by Andrey in his bedroom studio, just to serve as raw ideas, then they were taken to a live performance situation, where real drums were added and guitar parts were improved and extended, then they were brought to the Halo Studio for pre-production, and then we tweaked them again during the tracking (actual recording) process.

- What was it like to work with Kevin Billingslea and how did that relationship develop?

It was the best experience a musician could wish for! To start with, we were shopping for recording studios and producers for quite a while, and visited a half-dozen studios around New England, but Kevin was recommended to us by a friend, Jay Tagg from the band LANNEN, who just recorded with him, and we loved the sound of that record. We emailed Kevin, while visiting other studios and talking to people, but reading his email responses you could see he was genuinely passionate about working on this record. By the time we stepped into the Halo Studio in Portland, ME, we’ve exchanged 75 emails (while some people had troubles responding to just a couple). Seventy-five! That’s how strong the connection was even before we came to the studio. Speaking of which, the Halo Studio is a state-of-the-art place, it has everything you need to fulfill your needs, while feeling like you’re in the comfort of your home.

- How much did he get to influence the album?

Kevin is a brilliant guy! He’s a genius. In our opinion, he did not influence this album at all, but rather shaped it to where WE, in our wildest dreams, wanted it to land. So that ability to hear the demos and see the final result through the roughness is what makes him a great producer. He wasn’t pushy at all, but he guided us towards the right solutions.

- How have Amaranthe and Linkin Park influenced your writing?

We had to Google “Amaranthe” to find out who it was. Isn’t it weird that this band has dozens of millions of views, but neither of us four have EVER heard of it? Pardon our lack of erudition here. So no, no Amaranthe influence in our music. But definitely Linkin Park, and we would say it’s all on a subconscious level. We don’t sit and think “How would LP write this song?”, cause we don’t want to be “Linkin Park – 2”, there are plenty of people who tried that, and in all honesty, they all suck. There’s nothing worse than being someone else’s poorly built copy. Our ties with LP are strong because their music inspired our life choices, major ones. We met people because of them, made friends, fell in love, we discovered new music because of them, visited places, had live show experiences, etc. So, their influence is deeper than it may seem. Do we sound like Linkin Park? Definitely not. Are there some elements in our music that may remind you of them? Sure.
How do all of your different backgrounds influences your music?
It’s great to have such a selection! The four of us grew up on four different continents and it sure played a role in our music tastes, preferences, etc. We’ve had different experiences, spoke different languages, listened to the music that was not popular or known outside of our countries, watched local movies, and then we did have something in common that we shared even living on the opposite sides of the world. That point of intersection of our interests is what Major Moment is all about.

- How do you get to balance them together?

That’s a good question. We don’t know. We have respect for each other and everyone in this band has a voice, so everyone is encouraged to bring something to the table. We just have a general vision for our music and whether or not certain elements fit appropriately.
What aspect of life and dreams did you get to explore on this record?
Your dreams will never come true if you don’t work your way towards them. If you want something – go make that happen. Now!

- Any plans to hit the road?

Would love to! Since we’re a new band, it may take us a couple months to build our initial following and to get our music out there, but we’ll be happy to do it when the time is right and are looking forward to it.
What else is happening next in Major Moment’s world?
A lot! This is just the beginning, that’s why our debut record is called “one small stEP”. More music, more videos, more live shows, making new friends, more hard work, more excitement. - Vents Magazine


"Leave Out All The Rest (REVIEW)"

It is easy to look at the world and find a lot wrong with it, storm clouds seem to be gathering and compassion and unity are commodities the human race is running low on. But look close enough and you find little beacons of hope and one such candle shedding light out into the wilderness is Major Moment. Even before we talk about the song in question, the idea of a band made up of members from Russia, Brazil and The United States and therefore representing a broad range of not just nationalities but cultures, experiences and perspectives is a brilliant act of coming together and of breaking down borders in the name of creativity. The fact that they then turn that creativity to create a musical tribute to the recently lost Chester Bennington is to be applauded even more.

For a band whose music is clearly influenced by bands such as Linkin Park, the sudden demise of Bennington must have hit hard and the reasons behind it remind us of the hidden issues that even people we think we know well might be struggling with inside. It is poignant then that they chose to cover this song, one that so perfectly articulates the idea of memory and legacy in the words of the man himself. Not only a great song but faithfully re-imagined and the perfect way to highlight the fragility of life, the mental health struggles many of us have to deal with and a fighting tribute to an icon of the alt-rock fraternity. - Dancing About Architecture


"The Importance of Mental Health in 2018"

Talking about mental health issues is not easy. It’s difficult to understand for people who are lucky to have never dealt with it, it’s equally hard for those who are affected. It’s very personal, and it makes both parties very uncomfortable to have an open dialog like that. No one likes “uncomfortable”. Let’s look at the way our society has been traditionally communicating for ages. Say, you casually meet up with a friend. What’s the first thing you say? “Hey, what’s up? How’ve you been?” – something along those lines, right? How often do you hear: “Hey man, I’ve been really struggling lately, it seems like nothing makes sense, I’m kind of lost, I don’t know what to do, I need to talk to someone”. I bet you’ve just raised your eyebrows, like, “Well, why the hell would they say something like that?”. It’s because we are EXPECTED to just brainlessly spit out “Fine, and you?”. We are expected to be fine. We’re told it’s not “normal” not to be. It builds up from a young age, when some children will refer to others as “crazy” or “weird”, when they just don’t feel good emotionally, and these terms are used even throughout adulthood as well. So we’re just embarrassed to talk about it, or even frightened, just like gays were once embarrassed to speak about their sexual preferences, and women were once not allowed to vote or to have a job. Our perception of this problem is archaic. And we pay the price.

Suicides have become a #10 cause of death in the United States (Health United States, 2016 Table 19). 18.1% of Americans ages 18 and older experience a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year (SAMHSA 2014: Behavioral Health Trends in the United States, p.28). We’re talking about depression, post-traumatic stress, panic attacks, anxiety, etc. And think about it, those are only people who actually got diagnosed, which means they went to the doctor or asked for help. But, unfortunately, most of the time it doesn’t happen. There are many reasons behind that, but the most important one is the lack of knowledge about this matter. People who deal with depression and anxiety on a daily basis, they often don’t realize something is wrong with them, for them this state of mind is their norm. Or when it reaches a critical point, they don’t realize that it could be treated, and get stuck in fear, that pushes them to end their lives. On the other hand, people who surround those affected, need to be aware of the symptoms and possible signs of decreasing mental health. They need to be there to offer a solution in time or call for help. It’s especially important when we talk about vulnerable, sensitive groups of people. Like people of arts, for example. In the modern world art became very underappreciated and undervalued. People take everything for granted: music, movies, photography, fine art… everything is available at the click of a button. And artists have a very strong emotional connection with their art, so when some people crushing those waves of pointless criticism and hate speeches, usually hiding behind the screen, it’s irritating, and it hurts. Since 2011, more people died of suicide in the United States than in motor vehicle crashes! The numbers are telling us to seriously educate ourselves to treat people with respect, to recognize the signs of emotional suffering in ourselves and in others, and to change the culture of mental health for better. We work hard to make our cars safer, right?! So why not making our society a safer place? Starting with ourselves. - Cliché Mag


"Before It's Too Late (REVIEW)"

Originally from Boston, Massachusetts, Major Moment is a progressive rock band with an ingenious sound that is procured from the “magic” produced by the group’s inventiveness. Comprised of members Andrey Borzykin (Lead Vocals / Rhythm Guitar), Gabriel De Mattia De Oliveira (Lead Guitar), Alexandra “Sasha” Razumova (Vocals) and Adam Soucy (Drums), Major Moment is a melting pot of various cultures, which works well in encompassing perspective from Brazil, Russia, and the United States; something that certainly adds to the richness of their creative process. This is evident in the group’s recent single Before It’s Too Late.


Before It’s Too Late is a cerebral tune that immediately grabs our attention with its thought-provoking lyricism and musical landscape. The song’s theme contemplates the meaning of life, human society, and not leaving our fate up to chance. Certainly, the concepts found in the song are endeared by people of all nations. Musically, Before It’s Too Late borders the worlds of alternative rock, folk, and popular music with a tremendous guitar lead. Major Moment is further able to enhance the song’s mood with the charms of a great lyric video. Before It’s Too Late by Major Moment is a sign of the band’s early success. - Warlock Asylum


"Rock Band Major Moment Take a Major Leap with Debut EP One Small Step (REVIEW)"

Boston based rock band Major Moment have only been together since March 2017, but they have already accomplished a great deal. With the release of their debut EP One Small Step, they have shown that they are destined to go far.

One Small Step pays homage to Linkin Park’s late frontman Chester Bennington, who was a significant inspiration for the band. The influence can certainly be heard in the songs, which were produced by Kevin Billingslea with six time Grammy award winner Adam Ayan also on board.

The EP begins with a sci-movie like intro then leading into one of the singles “Before It’s Too Late,” a song with a catchy guitar riff. The third track “Mistakes” is one of our favorites. A mid-tempo track, it builds up in the bridge before going into the melodic chorus. It then finishes off with a memorizing guitar solo. The following track “What It’s Like” is one of the heavier and more up-tempo tracks on the EP. Next is “How Would You Know,” a beautiful song with touching lyrics and a catchy chorus. Closing off the EP is a stuning instrumental piece titled “The Release,” which is aptly named as it releases all sorts of emotions while listening to it.

Not only is the production quality of One Small Step top notch, the songwriting also deserves praise. The tracks will connect with audiences not just for the listening pleasure, but the topics that the EP tackles: mental illness, relationships, and loss. - Don't Forget To Rock


"Before It's Too Late (REVIEW) - 9.5 / 10"

With some exceptionally melodious and rocking musical compositions the band from Boston, Major Moment has potentially established their position among some of the popular and famous musicians in the World. With a benevolent nature and strong and passionate appeal on realistic themes, this group of musicians has swirled the musical industry with their rhythmic beats. Just like their previous releases, the recently released single, Before It's Too Late, has already hit the internet and is making their fans crazy over this tuneful symphony.

Major Moments isn't just an ordinary band of passionate musicians. The band unites many cultures, religions, and nationalities together into a firm thread of harmonious notes. This might be one of the reasons why their compositions are so different from each other. Anyone having heard their previous tracks would know this band just gets better and better with their innovations and it's difficult to derive an expectation about their next release. Sung by the talented Russian singer, Andrey Borzykin, the single, ‘Before It's Too Late' is sensual just like the breaking sea waves on the shore, roaring yet mesmerizing and modulating but soulful.

The track is a beautiful portrayal of our modern lifestyle where there is no time and space for our thoughts and aspirations. The song reveals how the negative impact of a comfortable and luxurious life has destroyed our own dreams. In the fear of failure and hardship, everyone follows the path that could be achieved easily, even when it pains and ruins our peace of mind.

YOUTUBE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72nGiAV5Nco

Constraint and blinded by our predecessors and society, the life nowadays just gives people the materialistic pleasures that are fulfilling but not satisfactory. The track is a mirror to evoke the desire and inspire the new generation to live the life of true happiness and follow their dreams. Strongly themed and well versed, Major Moment has surely given efforts to bring out something so motivating and grave by its presence. A special mentioning is the high sound quality and appropriate digital amplification which gives the single a perpetual pleasantness.

AUDIO STREAMS
https://soundcloud.com/majormoment/bitl
http://majormoment.bandcamp.com/track/before-its-too-late-single

Supported by a well-balanced and synchronized instrumental arrangement, the track is crafted on a lively and energetic framework. With pulsating drum beats by Adam Soucy and tuneful guitar sections by Gabriel De Mattia De Oliveira, the song takes many high and low ranges which are well managed by the high-pitched vocals of Andrey. Though the background score is quite high, it hardly affects the heavy lyrics that glides through a smooth harmonic and rhythmic flow. The track does have a melancholy background with delicate and intuitive feeling of sadness but then with the little touch of expressive musical coordination the track doesn’t slag out and remains enjoyable till the end.

https://www.majormomentband.com/

Overall, Better It's Too Late, is a sensitive, enjoyable and entertaining track from a talented musician's group that could leave its audience enthralled yet thought about the concept of life this song seems to portray so amazingly. The track is an enchanting number that not only fulfills the thirst of good soulful music but also touches the heart through its emotional outflow.

9.5/10 Stars

- Jessica Lewis - Music Industry News Network


"one small stEP (REVIEW)"

Major Moment is a multicultural and multinational rock band from Boston, Massachusetts with a body and soul-moving sound that recalls the best moments of thinking-fan’s icons such as Linkin Park, Nine Inch Nails, and Pink Floyd. The band successfully channels all of that greatness into its new EP release one small stEP and combines it with its own talent and creativity to make this new record one of the most compelling independent efforts of 2018. Produced by Kevin Billingslea and mastered by six-time Grammy winner Adam Ayan, one small stEP is a deeply emotional blast of modern rock music that deals head-on with issues like relationships, perspective, and loss.

The best thing about one small stEP is its overwhelming humanness. So many rock bands now have that artificial, over-compressed sound that makes listening to their tracks feel much like being beaten around the head and neck. Major Moment sounds like people playing together while being brilliantly recorded and it makes all the difference. The top-notch sonics enhance and expose the lyrical messages in songs like “Before It’s Too Late,” “What It’s Like,” and “How Would You Know?” while still providing the guitar-driven energy all great rock music requires.

Even cooler, one small stEP is dedicated to depression casualty Chester Bennington of Linkin Park, whose life and work inspires so much of what Major Moment is about. The band has released a Bennington tribute single as well, “Leave Out All The Rest,” as a show of love and respect. Major Moment is musically, lyrically, and spiritually important as a creative force in today’s often full-of-shit rock scene and fans seeking something real are advised to purchase this record today. Play it loud, too. You won’t regret it. - Mike O'Cull


"Major Moment Open up About "One Small Step," Their Love for Linkin Park & Mental Health Awareness: "It’s a Long Road Ahead of Us, and We’re Excited to Walk It""

Music connects us. No matter your background, nationality, gender, sexual orientation or ethnicity, music is one thing that will always connect all types of people, and Boston-based alt-rock band, Major Moment understands that more than most. Not only has the band itself united people from four different continents, but their latest EP, One Small Step serves as a homage to Linkin Park's Chester Bennington, an artist who, both in life and death, has managed to bring countless people together.

With One Small Step out now, Major Moment hope to continue the dialogue about mental health awareness and reaching out to listeners with their own music. With an upcoming performance at All Night Thing 3, a tribute to musicians who have lost their lives to depression or addiction, and plans to hit the road in the future, Major Moment are planning on spreading their message of hope to anyone who will listen. Get to know more about the band below and pick up One Small Step out now!


Interview by Dom Vigil

The Prelude Press: Can you tell us a little bit about Major Moment for anyone who might be hearing you for the first time?

Andrey Borzykin [vocals, guitar]: Major Moment is a unique band, in the way that it has united people from four different continents, completely different backgrounds, not because of any specific reason, except for one: we all love the music we make. It’s a band that overcomes obstacles and it may not be taking the easiest road, we’re not trying to please everyone or to fit any particular trend, movement, genre. We just do the music we love. You know, rock music is not popular nowadays, which is a shame, but that state of things played a role in why we started making it, it was like “we haven’t heard a good rock record in years, may as well make it ourselves”.


- As a relatively young band, what goals did you have when you guys first started playing together and writing your first few songs? How do you feel you’ve grown since then?

It’s funny, but my long-term goals haven’t changed at all since day 1. We’ve changed A LOT. When I joined the band that later became Major Moment, about 18 months ago, it was a drastically different band with different members, a different set of skills, different potential, different ideas, etc. Finding the right people to work with was a journey, and it only made us stronger and better. Keeping in mind we’ve been playing with the current line up for only 6 months, and have released only 2 songs, every next live show is getting better, every day we get more and more positive feedback from people, make new friends, every day we try something new and learn something. It’s a long road ahead of us, and we’re excited to walk it.


- This month, you're releasing your EP, One Small Step. What are you most excited for fans to hear on this release?

Living in a generation of short attention spans, single song releases and playlists, we are sincerely excited for people (even if just a few) to sit down and enjoy our record front to back, as it was meant to be heard. It’s 20-minutes long, so I think if you liked what you’ve heard from us in the past, you will like spending 20 minutes of your time going on a journey we’ve built for you. We don’t pretend it to be “The Dark Side of the Moon - 2”, but there was definitely some thought put into the order of the songs, transitions between them, etc.

It’s a life that’s 20-minutes long, 20-minutes short, so to speak. It starts with the birth of some outer world energy, you can call that music, idea, inspiration, soul, spirit; then travels to the Earth, materializes in a mortal body, takes time to realize its purpose, cires about the time lost, makes some mistakes along the way, also has some good fun moments along the way, tries to figure out what this life is all about, you know, and then the darkness comes and carries it away to where it was born… You may think it’s a bunch of ridiculous bullshit I just came up with as a desperate marketing plan, and I know I probably sound like a hipster that goes to yoga classes three times a week. I’m fine with that. I’m here to tell my story the way I see it, and then let everyone else decide what they think of it.

I’ll add and insult to an injury by saying we’re also excited about the very physical CDs we’ve made. There’s a big part of our story that’s told there, it’s a six-panel digipak with a 28-page booklet, and we’ve spent over a half a year designing it. It’s a visual part of the record, so it really matters to us. We also have beautiful cinematic lyric videos for each track. I would consider them more like a concept music videos, they definitely help to tell stories behind our songs. We’re also building a special album release interactive experience on our website. Check it out, you won’t regret, and it’s all free!


- One Small Step touches on a lot of personal and vulnerable topics such as mental health, relationships and loss. Were there any stories that you knew you wanted to tell on this release?

All of them. All tracks on this record were inspired by our personal experiences, so they all mean a lot to us. We chose to put out an EP with our best songs to date, so there are no fillers.



You recently released “Before It’s Too Late” from the EP as well. Can you tell us about this song? What inspired it?

Sure. It was the first demo I started on my own, after taking a long break from music. Prior to that, I would normally take other guys’ raw ideas and would start building on them. But this is the song that actually started this very EP.

I woke up very early morning, or rather late night, in October of 2017. I was not sleeping well at all during that period, stressed out because I still couldn’t comprehend that Chester has passed away, I just left the business I was running, and it was the first time in 12 years that I was jobless for longer than a week. My anxiety was through the roof, quite frankly, I was scared and feeling insecure. I knew whatever the money I had saved won’t last long at all. Finding a job or starting another business was an option, but at that time it would totally ruin all my efforts I’ve put in this band, taking all my time away. I felt like I was constantly running late for something important. So I sat down at 3AM in my bedroom studio and thought about the state of the world we live in for some time, why do we always chase money, what do other people dream of, what dreams do I have, how to build my way towards my goals in life, what has any value in this world. And it just occurred to me that my worries and goals really mean nothing, in the greater scheme of things, the end is very predictable, and our time on this planet is relatively short. So I thought to myself “Fuck it, you know, I may as well do it NOW, start here and now, and worst case scenario, I could say I tried my best instead of running away and coming up with excuses. Better do it before it’s too late…”

So I picked up my acoustic guitar (my electric guitars were being serviced), plugged it in my Eleven Rack interface, fired up Logic X, and started playing some chords. The sound that was coming out was weird, cause it had an acoustic texture, but also some with some metallic quality to it, I guess it was because of added effects, so the rhythm reminded me of the ticking clock. I went online and found a sample of the clock ticking, added it to the intro, and I guess by then it was already obvious what this song was going to be about...



- The EP is really special because it also serves as a dedication to Chester Bennington and you even recently covered Linkin Park’s “Leave Out All The Rest.” What kind of impact did Chester and Linkin Park’s music have on you, either personally or as a band? Why was it important for you to include him in this release?

Oh, it had a huge impact. Me and Sasha, we basically owe everything we are now to Chester and Linkin Park. Starting from when we both lived in Russia, 17 years ago, listening to them as teenagers, picking up their song lyrics and translating them. It was early 2000s, so I didn’t even have internet at my house at the time. So picking up a bootleg CD (at the time it was next to impossible to find any official CDs in Russia, mind you to afford one), and a dictionary, and just learning English by translating Linkin Park’s songs. As ridiculous as it sounds, this is how we’ve learnt it above the required school level. Then trying to sing it / rap it as close to the original as possible would teach us some pronunciation. So it’s obvious that their music served their role in shaping up my music preferences, and even subconsciously, some parts of our music are inspired by them. My dreams of becoming musician were also hugely inspired by listening to bands like Linkin Park, I picked up a guitar and asked my dad to teach me how to play some of their songs on his acoustic guitar. When the girl I liked dared me to sing something, I sang “Numb”, it was the first song I ever sang to a girl, I guess you can say it was also a major moment in my life. When they released their first DVD documentary, it had a bunch of funny stuff they recorded on tour, a lot of words they don’t teach you in the books, you know. Some friends of mine who also liked LP, didn’t know English that well, so I extracted English subtitles from the DVD and was translating it to Russian for them to watch later. I moved to the States inspired by the music they’ve made. I quit the senior year of a law school in Russia and just moved. It sounds like the craziest things one can do, as I’m talking about it, but at the time it was the easiest decision I’ve ever made…

Me and Sasha met only because we were both active participants of an online Russian LP-community. I already lived in Boston for 8 years, and she was travelling with an online friend of mine who was an admin of that LP fan club in Russia. I didn’t know her till then, we lived in two different cities in Russia, and then she was still living in Moscow as I was establishing my life here, and now we live together, are engaged, and she sings in my rock band… You know what I mean? That’s what kind of an influence those guys have had on our lives. We watched hundreds of hours of interviews and their live performances, read hundreds of articles about them, so at that point you start thinking of that person not only as of an important part of your life, but as a virtual family member almost. So when that person dies… you know, part of us died with him on that Thursday morning.

To pay a tribute to Chester by making our own version of “Leave Out All The Rest” was an honor and a necessity, we just had to do it, you know. Same goes for dedicating our record to his memory.


- How do you hope to continue Chester’s narrative and story with this album? What do you hope listeners take away from it?

Our EP has a hashtag “#MakeChesterProud” as a tagline, it’s written in the booklet of our physical CD as well. We hope more people will start reading, watching, discovering what kind of a person Chester was. Not only he was a great musician and a phenomenal vocalist, he was also a very kind, humble, smart, loving and caring person, he wore his heart on the sleeve.

So, firstly, we hope to make him proud and continue his story by doing something he very much loved - making loud and honest rock music. We wanted to take this terrible tragedy and come up with something positive out of it. Making any sort of an art form is something I personally consider a good deed.

Secondly, remembering him as the nicest guy he was, we want to better ourselves and tell other people: “Hey, there’s no need to be dicks to each other, we’re all in this together, better not spend our only lives writing hate speeches online”.

Last, but not least, Chester was suffering from mental health issues, such as depression, it’s important to keep spreading awareness of such issues, so other people, especially artists, that are more vulnerable, educate themselves and get the help they need. We can start by going to https://www.changedirection.org/320-changes-direction/ - the fund organized by Talinda Bennington, Chester’s wife, who is a fighter and a hero, and who helped thousands of people that were affected by Chester’s death, by personally sending them messages on social media, so they don’t feel like they’re going through this alone.


- With One Small Step out soon, do you have any other big plans coming up? Any shows or tour dates soon?

We’re hoping to get on a small tour shortly after the release, but have to spread out our music first, create our audiences, there has to be some demand for us to do it. We were also invited to be a part of a show called “All Night Thing 3”, which is a tribute to some of the most amazing singers of our time that lost their lives to addiction or depression, including Chris Cornell and Chester Bennington. Over 150 local musicians will come together to help raise money and awareness to fight these terrible diseases. 100% of the proceeds will go to NAMI-NH and Child and Family Services of New Hampshire. The first two shows were absolutely amazing, it’s 6 hours of music and it’s all for a good reason, so it’s an honor for us to be performing there.


- Thank you for taking the time to chat with us! Is there anything else you’d like to add?

#MakeChesterProud - The Prelude Press


"MAJOR MOMENT – BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE: CINEMATICALLY VISCERAL ALT ROCK"

Major Moment is one of those impossible to define bands, with little reminiscence to other acts and an audible defiance to genre boundaries there is little else to describe other than the viscerally resounding emotion their latest single hits you with.

Before It’s Too Late was released on June 29th, the release is pretty much every audiophiles delight, with guitar riffs intricate enough to leave your stomach in knots the Alt Rock outfit have certainly given the genre a brand-new reinvention. The vocalist’s cathartically unique vocal style sat in perfect harmony to the hammering of the instrumentals which soared throughout the progression, resulting in a sensation of pure, ethereal resonance. The hooks will haunt you, and that’s not a sentence I will use again any time soon.

You can check out the lyric video to Before It’s Too Late by heading over to YouTube now, or head on over to Major Moment’s website to grab a deluxe edition copy of their EP ‘One Small StEP’. The guitar solo’s in Before It’s Too Late alone are worth parting with your money for.

Review by Amelia Vandergast - A&R Factory


"New Single Review: Major Moment – “Leave Out All The Rest” (A Tribute To Chester Bennington)"

Legends never die. They are immortal. A year back on the twentieth of July, the music world was taken into complete darkness after the world lost her child, Chester Bennington, to death. Just when the death of Chester Bennington has sunken the musical community into a painful furrow deep down their heart, many musicians and artists have worn the pain of grief by paying tribute to this evergreen legend. Being a huge follower of Linkin Park, the Boston based alternative rock band, Major Moments, has made efforts to pay their tribute to Bennington by recreating his popular track titled, Leave Out All The Rest, from the album, Minutes To Midnight.

As the frontman of the flourishing band Linkin Park, Chester was well-known for his sharp and rich vocalization. Andrey Borzykin, the lead voice behind the rendition of the track accompanied by Alexandra ‘Sasha’ Razumova on the female vocals, has surely done a great job when it comes to voice modulations and sheer vocals for which Chester is still remembered.

Gabriel De Mattia De Oliveira has shown a practiced and well-balanced finger on the guitar with Adam Soucy over the exotic drum beats. Major Moments has worked collectively to balance each element of the track yet restore the essence exactly the same as before. Though the track is a tribute, the recreated song is as much their individual as much it could have been.

Mastered and engineered by the talented Adam Ayan, this track bears the similar power and emotions that the original version had. With a little change in the instrumental arrangement and introducing acoustic chords, the track evolves beautifully through the gigantic pitch of energy and fulfillment. More than half of the song gives a pleasant tuneful yet gripping dynamic feel which is solely credited to the well-played instrumental association and planned syncing tactics. Brilliant over the sound and audio quality, the song is a well depicted and well-planned tribute to the lost legend.

Major Moments isn’t just a four-piece band passionate about creating musical albums but also a band filled with the intense emotional quotient required to justify and dedicate a song that could be treated as a genuine tribute from the passionate fans to this great personality. As a result, the band has decided to donate the profited money that this remake would yield to Talinda Bennington’s fund, 320 Changes Direction and help the charity to spread awareness about mental health and depression so that another Chester Bennington doesn’t have to suffer from any type of mental illness all alone.

‘And when you are feeling empty, Keep me in your memory. Leave Out All the Rest,’ an instance from the singer who is been drastically missed each moment for a year. But exactly when everyone is missing him, Major Moments has exactly followed his words and remembered him through the best way possible, his own soulful number in a new reincarnated form, just like a old wine in a new bottle. Overall one of the best moment to be cherished and remembered for years to come. - The Campaign To Change Direction


"Before It's Too Late (REVIEW)"

Major Moment tackle the mundane with this latest single and lyric video release. Their lyrics and the overall mood of the music reflects feelings of discontent and confusion – a society lacking direction or purpose. The rush of our routine directly connects to this concept of the rat race, not leaving ourselves free to consider the truth or to ponder and discuss ideas about the greater good or the underlying point of existence. It’s a heavy topic, but they’re a heavy band and more than equipped to tackle it.

Major Moment have a sound that made certain times of day unmissable back when MTV as a TV channel ruled the roost. This melodic hard rock, emotional and gritty, truthful and poetic, thoughtful and intense – these striking guitar riffs, powerful yet finely and precisely crafted; this is what’s been missing from mainstream music lately. The band have written something from the heart, and their skills as musicians and as a unit are unquestionable – the indication and hope is that a live show would be all the more mesmerizing.

The song’s lyrics are far from ground-breaking in the ideas they express and the manner in which they do so, but the point of this is that it makes it all accessible – there’s nothing complicated, everything is suggested in an easy to gather manner, so any and every listener can relate and can choose to ponder these thoughts with the band as the song pours out around them. The soundscape makes for the perfect environment in which to consider all of this and our own roles within it. When you listen at volume, there’s an energizing effect to the song, and this – in line with the lyrics – gets you seriously wondering if there’s more to life than the simple routines we fall into.

Download the single via Bandcamp. Find & follow Major Moment on Facebook, Twitter, Soundcloud & Instagram. Visit their Website for more information. - Stereo Stickman


"PREMIERE: MAJOR MOMENT – “LIVING YOUR LIFE LIKE THIS”"

On the track, Major Moment whips up an alt-industrial storm as buzzsaw guitars and laser-guided synths aim to swallow you whole. - Impose


Discography

"one small stEP" - 2018 (EP)

"The Sequel" - 2019(EP)

Photos

Bio

Consisting of two Russian-born vocalists and an American drummer, Boston-based band Major Moment has come from distant parts of the world to form a true modern alternative rock band.

Spearheaded by Andrey Borzykin (Vocals/Rhythm Guitar/Synth) and Sasha Razumova (Vocals/Keys), Major Moment has quickly developed a diverse and kinetic sound that integrates heavy guitar riffs, multi-layered synths, and melodic vocal blends. With their 2018 debut EP, one small stEP, the band just got nominated for “Best CD Artist” and “Best Rock Act” at the Worcester Music Awards.

In addition to “one small stEP” that was dedicated to the late Chester Bennington, Major Moment created an emotional tribute, “Leave Out All The Rest”. The distinguished music video for this song was released as a standalone asset to support the mission of a suicide prevention campaign, 320 Changes Direction. The video was produced by the Grammy-nominated Project 2 Studios and received more than 450,000 views in its first month. It’s being popular not only among the fans but Chester’s close friends and family as well, increasing band’s visibility on an international scale.

“CONSIDERING THE DESTRUCTIVE MESSAGES MODERN POP CULTURE CARELESSLY BRINGS TO SOCIETY, WE FEEL IT’S OUR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY TO DELIVER AN ALTERNATIVE MESSAGE. ONE OF LOVE, TRUST, BELIEVING IN OURSELVES AND SUPPORTING ONE ANOTHER.”

Just 3 months after releasing “one small stEP” Major Moment has already recorded 4 new follow-up singles with acclaimed producer Kevin Billingslea and six-time Grammy Winner Adam Ayan on board. One of the singles, “May Leave Scars”, won the John Lennon Songwriting Contest in Rock category, which was judged by such famous musicians like Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas, Art Alexakis of Everclear and many more. Moreover, it became the semi-finalist of the International Songwriting Competition. The band is planning to release all songs by May of 2019.

Major Moment is quickly gaining momentum. In their first year, they have already canvassed international venues and venues in and around MA and NH, received over 50 radio adds along with hype from Relix, Tattoo and Impose and performed at the 2019 winter NAMM show.

FOR FANS OF: Linkin Park, Nine Inch Nails, Thirty Seconds To Mars, Muse

Band Members