Redefine

Last up was, of course, ReDefine. A little intro song began playing as the curtain opened on drummer, Daniel Taylor, sitting behind his kit, with a banner bearing the bands logo hanging from the wall behind him. There were also some “boxes” in between the monitors on both stage left and right, one read “redefine”, while the other also bore their logo, and both were illuminated with blue light. Then each member walked on stage, starting with guitarist, Ryan Maynard, then bassist, Mike Diquinzio, lead guitarist, Chris Apaliski, and finally vocalist, Scott Headstream. There entrances were space apart, and each one kind of egged the crowd on for a reaction when they came out. Actually a reaction wasn’t hard to get from the packed Curtain Club. Everyone but Daniel formed a staggered line at the front of the stage, some standing on top of the “boxes”, while the others chose to stay on the stage floor. Then it was either Chris or Ryan who started picking away at their guitar, kicking things off with the new EP’s single, “Motorcade”. And they followed it with a couple of more new songs, “Like a Vision, a Ghost” and “Take Your Medicine”. All five guys were, and had been going, all out since they started, but near the end that last mentioned song, Daniel even stood up from his kit as he just kept laying into the cymbals. All of it was just epic. They paused after that one, as Scott took time to thank all the bands that played before them, and saying of Shaolin Death Squad’s performance, “…I’m still trying to sweep up my brain, cause Shaolin Death Squad just blew my mind!” They then got back into the rock with what still stands as my favorite ReDefine song, “The Darkest Night”, then turned to the first song from “Blur On the Horizon”, “Arcana”. And when it was finished Chris, Ryan, Mike, and Daniel ripped right into the next song. And as they were cranking out the songs instrumental intro Scott stated, “This is actually the song that I auditioned on for these guys. This is The Silent Hum.” And they followed it with an awesome song that left Scott pretty exposed at times as a singer, as for the first 20 seconds or so it was just him singing. It was called “All My Life”. Releasing a CD is always a huge event for a band, but it was only one huge event happening for these guys this night, as they were presented with their plaque next. Their plaque that will hang on the Wall of Fame here at the Curtain Club alongside many of Dallas’s best known talents. And Scott gave a pretty heart felt speech about it, saying the band had “…Put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears on this stage…” and thanking everyone for making it possible. And I really couldn’t help but think of the first time I saw ReDefine, over at the Liquid Lounge back in December ‘06. They’ve come a incrediblely long ways since then, and actually Chris is the only member still in the band who was in it way back then. They took their moment to celebrate the plaque then got back to the show. “So you’ve heard some new stuff tonight. Some old stuff. Well, guess what?” Scott asked. “We even had time to write a brand new song! …It’s called Broken Walls.” They then did “Cut the Cord”, which was the final song from their new EP that they had yet to do, then finished the show with some oldies, “Leave The Light On” and “Fall Down, I Believe It”. I’d guess they had something more dramatic planned before doing their encore, but if they did the shots some of their fans bought them threw a kink in it. But I doubt they minded that. As some people started chanting “ReDefine!” Scott said they’d do one more. “This one is back by overwhelming demand.” he said. “Its actually been about a year since the last time we did it. It started off as a tongue in cheek rock song, and developed into what this band does. Which is play loud, dirty Rock ‘n’ Roll.” As they started the final song in their 58 minute set, “Burn”.
DAMN! This show was just incredible! All the bands were, at the very least, great to extraordinary! I’m not going to say I can’t remember when the last time was that I saw this awesome of a show bill, cause just last Saturday I saw a killer one. But I will say I can’t remember the last time was when I ended up buying merch from every single band that played. I got Krash Rover’s CD, a $5 special from SaintKarla containing a shirt, button, sticker, and poster, one of Shaolin Death Squad’s CD’s, and of course the new ReDefine EP. And all that just cost me $25, what a bargain! And as for “Blur on the Horizon”, it’s great! Most of the songs lack the hard driven rock edge that their last EP had, but that isn’t a bad thing, it just shows that the band has another side to them. And “Motorcade” is really the only exception to that. The funny thing though is that doesn’t carry over to the live versions of the songs, as they sound just as balls out rock as all of their material does. So preview it on iTunes, and I promise it is WELL worth the $4.95 price tag. - The Music Enthusiast

Waveriders, Penfold here. As you may or may not know I love me some experimental, genre-blending, wild music performed by experimental, genre-blending, wild bands. Love it! But there are times when this type of music just won’t do. Here’s a perfect example. I’m driving in my car on my way to work. What do I want to listen to? Do I want to listen to that stunning new black/death/thrash/etcetera hybrid band that takes all of my attention to enjoy to its fullest? No. I can’t listen with my full attention in the car. There would be an endless parade of damages to my automobile and several unfortunate fatalities. Plus, I can’t really sing along to all that growling/screeching/yelling stuff that seems so prevalent with extreme music today. To be clear, I want to sing along. Oh please…as if you don’t sing while driving. Yeah okay, I guess I’m the only one. Right.

So, I need some road music with clean vocals feeding strong melody lines that will allow me to sing along and maintain a groove, all the while keeping my attention on the road. What’s that? Why don’t I just listen to the radio? Who said that? If I find you I’m going to smack you! Seriously. Don’t provoke me like that. Anyways, thankfully I’ve found a couple of acts recently that really fit the bill. Let’s talk a bit about them, shall we?



Redefine - Blur On The Horizon EP

This five piece rock band hails from Dallas, Texas. Perhaps simply living in such a large state affects these guys. Perhaps it does not. Regardless, the band has a massive sound. Redefine’s music is hefty, in your face, and consistently shifting to keep the listener on their toes. On this EP, their third release and second with singer Scott Headstream, they come roaring out of the speakers like a bat out of Hades! Guitarists Chris Apaliski and Ryan Maynard lay down riff after righteous riff, along with several frenetic technical passages worthy of study. The rhythm section of drummer Daniel Taylor and bass player Mike DiQuinzio join together in perfect lockstep to anchor the musical pyrotechnics while managing to provide excellent and tasteful flourishes throughout. Oh, and the singer? Let me tell you; this man can sing! It is abundantly clear that Mr. Headstream puts his heart and soul into his performance. The term emotive does not begin to do this man justice.

Alright, that’s enough talk of personnel. Let’s get down to the nitty gritty. The main reason I find this band so satisfying is that they effortlessly jump from influence to influence, all the while maintaining their own identity. Listening to these songs I can clearly identify moments which evoke strong comparisons with other bands of note. For instance the first song, “Arcana”, exhibits verses that have a significant Mars Volta feel to them, but then the song transitions to a thrashy bit reminiscent of Megadeth. And that’s just the first song. Track two, “Motorcade”, has a gang vocal chorus towards the end that has Belladonna-era Anthrax written all over it. “Like A Vision, A Ghost” has guitar lines that scream Dream Theater. “Take Your Medicine” offers up some rapid fire start-stop riffage reminiscent of Tool to my ears. Keep in mind that all of this is wrapped neatly into an ear pleasing modern rock bundle. No song ever sounds disjointed, and no individual moment sounds unnatural. Everything flows together flawlessly.

The bottom line here waveriders is that I recommend checking into Redefine. Heck, I’d even go so far as to say that this music should be played on the radio!
- Ripple Music

Dallas' Redefine are ready to take over the local music scene. After revamping their line-up several times, the right pieces are finally in place. Blur On The Horizon, the current line-up's first EP together, showcases Scott Headstream's intelligent lyrics and passionate vocals blending perfectly with the guitar wizardry of Chris Apaliski and Ryan Maynard, while Mike DiQuinzio's intricate bass lines combine with Daniel Taylor's inspired, masterful drumming to bring each song it's creative and powerful rhythm. Opening track "Arcana" is an ass-kicker with a bit of a prog feel, while "Motorcade" will have you singing along to the most infectious chorus the band has ever come up with. "Cut The Cord" shows the radio-ready side of the band, and you will be replaying it in your head for days. "Like A Vision, A Ghost" reveals the chemistry that has grown between Headstream and the band, and the blistering solo in "Take Your Medicine" will leave you longing for more as the EP comes to an end. Redefine have clearly decided to focus on melody rather than making a heavier record than "The Power Of Persuasion", but each song still has the right amount of heaviness. They've evolved into one of the finest bands in the Metroplex, combining addictive, sing-along songs with skilled musicianship and sweaty, powerful live performances. Blur On The Horizon is a must-have EP for anyone who loves original rock music. Check them out at the CD release party Saturday May 14th at the Curtain Club. Buy a CD, and let them melt your faces off! - Jam Magazine Online, Tim Taylor

Redefine are a breath of fresh air for the Dallas music scene. For so many years, every hard rock band from Dallas did their best to sound like Pantera, and failed miserably. These guys went the direction of fellow Texas rockers Fair To Midland, and developed a heavy, melodic, creative, and innovative style of alternative rock that meshes all of the influences of each talented band member. This EP is full of powerful rhythms, intelligent lyrics, and solos that will please any guitar aficionado, especially the harmonized solo in "Leave The Light On". Check out the EP, and more importantly, go see them live!! They never disappoint! - iTunes user review

Playing hard rock in a vein similar to Chevelle, Cold, or Oddzar, Redefine goes about their business with a bit of a darker slant than the aforementioned bands. The guitars are definitely the most noticeable part of the band. They’re big, meaty, and shine during the solos. Best of all, the band succeeds in keeping your attention. After the 6 songs on this EP were finished, I was craving more. Hopefully we’ll be hearing more from these guys in the future as they show a ton of promise in a genre that is usually void of talent. - Rick Gebhardt - Decoy Music

Being one of the newest staff members at TexasGigs, I sit in my chair at my desk, with my back to most my fellow staffers, doing my work fairly quietly. Occasionally I will listen to music, but with just one ear bud engaged so that when I hear the question, "Who wants to do a CD review?" I can quickly rip that thing out of my head and snatch up said CD. The first time this occurred there came a cruel twist of fate, as the CD was blank. Foiled! To be completely honest, as an eager newbie, I would have happily reviewed Yoko Ono shrieking, "I love trees" for an hour straight. My eardrums and my respect for local music are thankful that this second opportunity was instead for Denton natives, Redefine.

The self-titled, 6 song EP from Redefine is the band’s first attempt at a studio album. As far as first attempts go, this album is quite an achievement for the band. As far as second, third, and fourth attempts go, I would say they are still holding strong.

At times melodic and strangely soothing, this CD may deviate from what some consider to be "metal." But the listener is quickly ripped back to the mosh pit with the band’s "crushing riffs and penetrating bass line." This dichotomous transformation occurs in nearly every song and serves for a nice change of pace, literally, from this music genre’s norm. "Lifted," second on the EP, is a perfect example of the group’s range, as lead singer Mike Kelp lets loose with the vocals to accompany air-guitar-inducing solos and background drums that could potentially make your ears bleed (as is standard in exceptional drum sets). Make certain not to tune out the lyrics either, as their poetically passionate nature solidify this quality effort from Redefine.

For all you die-hard fans, and those easily persuaded by online CD reviews, you can catch Redefine with Alien Blakk at the Galaxy Club on Tuesday, November 7. After listening to their album nearly 10 times over just 3 days, I cannot wait to see the show. And if MySpace comments are any indication, they put on a live performance that might just "effen rock your socks."

I can’t say where exactly Redefine fits among the Norwegian death metal and the Warped Tour-esque punk on my mp3 player, but I’m psyched to add them to the play list. According to the band’s website, "2006 is the year for Redefine." I sure hope so. Good "effen" luck guys! - PegasusNews.com