Shadowgate

It was as if the Earth had opened wide and Hell itself was raised on the streets of Levittown the night that two of the leaders in Long Island’s pure Metal Revolution, None More Evil, and Shadowgate drove a stake into the heart of the Metasin stage at the Ultrasound Lounge.
The dimming lights sent the metal-mongers rushing to the stage like moths to a flame under the cloak of fog and darkness. Then, without warning, Greg Botty threw a tight fist at the sky and forced a gut-churning scream into the mic that sent None More Evil headlong into “Retox.” Botty hit the stage in high gear and appeared to have his sights set on giving the audience as much as it could handle.
Botty and guitarist Jeff D’Ambrosio play off each other well and combine to give None More Evil their balls and backbone. Drummer Rich Russ and Paul Nieder on bass fill out the sound, and the foursome combined on this night for an 11-song set that never drifted from the “heavier the better” formula.
Even at the late hour the evening was young, and not a soul at Metasin had any thoughts of making the night an early one as Shadowgate took their places before, what by now had become, a mob of rabid rockers who had tasted warm metal blood and wanted more.
Frontman Joe Mauceri welcomed us to his world as the menacing on-ramp of “Fate,” took the show from 0 to 90 in nothing flat, before follow ups “Ruins” and “Painless Agony” drove home the message that this ride wasn’t slowing down for anything or anyone.
Mauceri is a blood and guts vocalist who puts every fiber of his being in every Earth-shaking note. Bypassing the mock-metal bullshit postures, Mauceri is 100 percent about the sound. And it’s this honest love for the music and an onstage persona that settles for nothing less than getting in your face and putting a chokehold on your soul that gives the band its edge.
Steve Zaretsky and Matt Scriva share the six-string duties and between them is a yin-yang chemistry that puts a signature to the Shadowgate sound. Scriva and Zaretsky take full advantage of the two-guitar lineup by carving out interesting and complimentary parts rather than setting the amps at 11 in an effort to substitute volume for talent. Bassist Brett Grimm fires up the rhythm section with long, crunching runs and a backing voice that adds extra texture to Mauceri’s lead.
At the core of the mix is the stickwork of Logan Michaels, who plays it both loud and smart by staying aggressive on the skins while making a point of not upstaging the song.
Shadowgate have done their homework, creating a well-rehearsed set of dynamic and complex works that border on theatrical, and stir up memories in the seasoned metal fan about Metallica’s “metal, not mainstream days.” The audience was at Mauceri’s mercy, as the frontman led the five-piece unit through a musical battlefield that left the crowd reeling and the singer bloodied from the self-inflicted strikes of the mic against his forehead.
While summer rock tour promoters seem to content with digging up the past and putting form before substance, the future of Heavy Metal was cutting it’s teeth in more humble surroundings in Levittown.
- by Dan Brown - Good Times Magazine

Maria Weeks (Ria): What is the current lineup for Shadowgate?

Logan Michaels (Logan): The lineup for Shadowgate is: Joey Gates (vocals), Matt Scriva (rhythm/lead guitar), Steve Zaretsky (rhythm/lead guitar), Brett Grimm (bass) and Logan Michaels (drums)

Ria: Being that I'm from a pretty rural area, I bet it's cool to live and perform in a heavily populated place like New York. How is the heavy music of Shadowgate received by the New York scene? How is the diversity and size of the population in New York an asset to your band?

Logan: Being that Shadowgate is still fairly new to the scene, it's surprising to see that the reception from the underground metal scene has been so responsive. The band itself has already managed to accomplish spreading the word throughout the country where the response from the general public has been overwhelmingly positive. It's nice to see that no matter what type of area that we're dealing with, people seem to be welcoming the music of Shadowgate into their homes. The diversity and size of the New York population, much like the rest of the world, seems to remain consistent when challenging the mainstream concepts within society today.

Ria: I see that you are releasing a new demo album soon, any word on when people will be able to get a taste of the newly recorded music? Have you chosen a name for the album yet? Do you think the newest material will be a surprise for your fans and if so, in what ways?

Brett Grimm (Brett): Well, we have new material that's available for the masses to listen to on the internet or from the band (you can get a copy by mailing your address to Shadowgatepromo@aol.com). You can get a pretty good taste of our music at http://www.shadowgatemetal.com. The name for the new demo disc is the "Road of Silence" EP. The goal of the demo is mainly to obtain as many fans as possible until achieving our ultimate goal, world domination, while keeping all of our current fans ravenous metal appetites satiated.

Ria: On your news page you describe an exciting event for Shadowgate - a spot on an upcoming concert with Cryptopsy! How have these guys influenced your music or your performance? How were you able to hook up with this show?

Brett: Well personally, I've been listening to Cryptopsy for many years. I actually have all of their albums, and a really rare demo disc. Cryptopsy has influenced me on many levels. As far as from a vocal perspective, I think Lord Worm is the man. He has a really ridiculous vocal range, and has the ability to hold a scream for a really obscene amount of time. As a bassist, I would have to site the crazy ass funky slaps and pops going on throughout most of their music. Plus the rage and intensity in the music is something that every metal musician should strive to bring out in their own music. Oh yeah - every one needs a digerie du in their mix. The way we got the show was through Joey Gates. He played many shows with the booking agent from the Downtown in his old band. Once Shadowgate was formed, Joey brought our first disc to the Downtown, and they had no problem taking us under their wing. At this point, we've opened for many of their national metal acts, including KMFDM, the Black Dahlia Murder, Goatwhore, Cattle Decapitation and Watch Them Die.

Ria: You list a lot of perks and benefits for your fans in the fan club and it's easy to tell that you really appreciate them a lot. How do you feel this appreciation affects the overall feel and crowd reaction at concerts? Anything specific that you've done for your fans in the past that really went beyond what most bands would do?

Joey Gates (Joey): Well, first off, without the support of the fans there is no Shadowgate. The energy and dedication that they bring to every Shadowgate show is overwhelming. The fans come to our shows knowing they are coming to be a part of something, and leave with the fulfillment of knowing that they have been involved in something special, much like a family reunion. We have been known to throw out tons of merchandise to the crowd simply because of the energy level presented on stage and in the crowd. To all of our fans, we fucking love you guys, keep attending the massacre.

Ria: I found the link to your electronic press kit online at sonicbids.com. In what ways have you benefited from having your press materials online? Do you find yourselves referring people to the press kit often or do people still request hard copies of the material?

Logan: We've always found that having every aspect of Shadowgate easily accessible to the public is the best way to keep a steady growth of our fan base as well as keeping any members of the industry informed on what's going on with the band at any given point in time. We tend to distribute our material on every possible level, so that anybody interested in the band can have access to our music on multiple levels.

Ria: What are some of your favorite venues to play? Has Shadowgate had the - Spacejunkies.net: http://www.spacejunkies.net/shadowgate_interview.html

Although I’m better known for my alternative / punk tastes, I have been known to partake in the dark pleasures of METAL form time to time.
There’s a new metal band in town called SHADOWGATE, and well – they kick serious ass!
Leading the outfit is Joe Mauceri, who I discovered back in my days of booking at the Wrong Way Inn (which you now know as The Village Pub South in Amityville).
Turns out he has an older brother who also had an excellent hard rocking band by the name of Crambone.
One night at a Crambone show Joe Mauceri made his live debut with a “testosterone charged” outfit bearing the enduring name of Slugg.
It was a typical KROCK sounding band (not meant as a slight, but a point of reference) but what caught my attention was Mauceri’s stage presence.
I could tell he was young, but the kid had BALLS! Not only that, he had a decent voice, even with the Limp Bizkit approach you could tell he could actually sing.
So I began to keep track of him and his bands. There were on or two after that, including an outfit called Caligula, but there were always common factors; Joe Mauceri’s stage presence with vocal abilities, and monster guitar work.
These days he fronts a band called Shadowgate, a devastatingly heavy metal outfit tat is both freshly modern, while mindful of metal history.
I caught them at The Crazy Donkey (Rt. 110, Farmingdale… which some old bastards like myself remember as Spize!). The band features the dual guitar attack of Matt Scriva who lays down heavy riffs and classical guitar influenced Steve Zaretsky. Solid rhythm section of Logan Michaels on the throne joined by bassist Brett Grimm (who is no slouch in the metal Satan growl himself). Mauceri fronts the outfit with his insane stage presence; beating himself with the mic, prowling the stage and striking fascist poses. Remember the “Humongous” from the Road Warrior? Well there’s a new Ayatollah of Rock-n-Rollah now!
In their press kit the band describes their music as a “combination of technical yet melodic riffage, furiously aggressive and complex beats, creative funky ass low end strings, and relentless raging vocals sung with clarity and little remorse” – Which sums it up pretty well (well okay, it’s a little hyped up but if you dig: Iron Maiden, Megadeth, early Metallica, Slayer, Testament, and Type O Negative, I’m pretty sure you’ll dig Shadowgate).
Even though it was a short 30 minute set, the band ripped through their songs with fury, barely taking pause between songs. When there was a pause in the sonic assault Mauceri would mount a stage monitor and incite the audience (and gave shout outs to the other bands even though it was a competitive event). Songs ran the gamut from 4 to 8 minutes in length, choc full of requisite solos, metal growls and screams.
They only formed in early 2004 and have already opened for such national acts as Black Dahlia Murder, Goatwhore, Cryptopsy, Cattle Decapitation, KMFDM and others. A&R were sniffing the night of the Donkey show.
Check them out: http://www.shadowgatemetal.com, http://www.myspace.com/shadowgate

- By Mike Ferrari - Aural Fix Magazine

Metal is on the menu every Thursday night at the Loaded concert series between the four walls of The Crazy Donkey. On this night, the stage was home to Island metal prophets Shadowgate, and neither a snow storm or the bitter chill of winter was going to keep the metalhead population from packing the Farmingdale club on an evening that belonged to them.
Backlighting exposed the band from the stage in silhouette as vocalist Joey “Gates” Mauceri lifted his arms in the air, embracing the shoulder-to-shoulder mosh-mongers beneath him, as the roar of metal rushed from the stage like fresh lava from the mouth of an erupting volcano.
Logan Michaels stomped the bass drum pedals, counting the band into “Armageddon,” a heated, hell-raising arrangement that sent a bolt of energy from the stage into the pit as the bodies began to fly.
The momentum slowed for only a short moment as Mauceri welcomed us to the Shadowgate experience before the band took another swing for the fences with “Ruins.”
The Shadowgate sound is not the reinvention of heavy metal, but a rebirth of the strong musicianship and energy that seems to have become a lost art in modern metal. The Shadowgate five know that you can’t bullshit the true metal fans and that this music is so much more than leather, studs and a high-volume screech.
The band’s battery is charged by lead guitarist Matt Scriva and fellow axe-wielder Steve Zaretsky, who work the six-string duties as a polished tandem. Each possess their own speed-note solo print, which is most apparent when the two trade measures on instrumental breaks. Yet, both are well aware of the other’s place in each song, and the moments when they come together for dual leads puts a new-school twist on an old-school style. Bassist Brett Grimm mixes strong technique with a wildman presence, stretching four fingers along the fret board to run multi-octave basslines without missing a single throat-tearing backing vocal cue. All of this is threaded together by the thunderous beat and rhythm work of Michaels.
The set finale was “Road of Silence”, where Mauceri paced the lip of the stage, reaching out to touch the hands of the Shadowgate faithful as the band reveled in a whirlwind of crunching sound. The song’s end left Mauceri belting the final verse with a single boot parked on the floor monitor as if the captain of a heavy metal warship returning spent from the strains of battle.
Shadowgate is the true fix for the heavy metal jones.

- By Dan Brown
- Good Times Magazine - 2/15/05

Veteran industrial outfit KMFDM has brought 20 years of life altering music to the masses. On October 6, the group sets out to amaze audiences once again with their unique brand of industrial-metal on the Fall North American Tour.
The tour will bring KMFDM to The Downtown in Farmingdale on Friday, October 29. Opening the show will be Long Island Metal Act Shadowgate, known for their innovative groundbreaking sound.
- Good Times Magazine

.....After an impressive opening set by SHADOWGATE, the legendary KMFDM took the stage. They opened up with "D.I.Y." and never looked back. From that moment on, the crowd was going insane. A mosh pit surfaced in the center of the floor and never stopped. Through pumping fists and opened lungs, the fans echoed back the lyrics to every song. An air of amazement took over the building as KMFDM ripped through over 12 songs of their finest work. I was more than happy to get to see them again.
- by Dan Quimby
- The Inside Connection Magazine

Wednesday Elektra [Wednesday]: Hello, Shadowgate! We interviewed you guys not too long ago, but it looks like a lot has happened since then. How is everything?

Logan Michaels [Logan]: Everyday is another step towards rock stardom. Every time we finish up one thing, it opens the door to another dozen things that are available to us. I know that in the last interview we stated that the public was very receptive to our music, and that hasn't changed. In fact, it seems like at this point there are numerous music industry reps that are starting to take notice of Shadowgate. We're extremely glad, and surprised, that the buzz surrounding the band has been such a positive one, and that we have been able to attain a solid fan base in such a short period of time.

Wednesday: Please refresh our memories and give us a quick run down of who's in the band, where you're from and what type of music you produce, etc.

Logan: The band line-up has changed recently. Currently, the band consists of Joey "Gates" Mauceri on vocals, and Matt Scriva on rhythm/lead guitar. Steve Zaretsky was replaced by Mike Commisso, also on rhythm/lead guitar. Brett Grimm handles the "bass molestation," and me, of course, on drums.

Wednesday: What are some of your favorite local and national bands?

Logan: That's a very long list. Each member of Shadowgate has enjoyed playing with numerous amounts of bands in their musical careers. Whether local or national, there are so many great bands out there. It was a pleasure to share the stage with KMFDM, Cryptopsy, Black Dahlia Murder, and Suicide City, just to name a few. As for local acts, Utopia Banished is a great band, Needless Guilt, Baghead, The Amber Code, Borgo Pass, None More Evil - the list goes on and on, when you're so involved in the scene, and you really get a chance to work with some great upcoming musicians.

Wednesday: What are some of your influences - musical and non-musical?

Logan: The list of influences would take up the entire interview. We do list a bulk of the influences we have on our Myspace page (http://www.myspace.com/shadowgate). In general the musician's we're influenced by are a broad mix of our peers, indie bands, and even each other. Each member of this band has a tendency to push the envelope when it comes to helping to expand what influences you hear in the music.

Wednesday: I like your official website (shadowgatemetal.com), very spiffy. Please tell our readers what they can find on it and where else online they can find you guys.

Logan: Glad that you enjoyed the website. What http://www.shadowgatemetal.com contains is basically a very in depth resume. It includes everything from our past to our present, all of our accomplishments, and the direction we're looking to go in within the near future. Everything from pictures to bios, from music to reviews, from tour dates to electronic press kits, you'll find anything you're looking for about the band. If not, you can contact the band through the website, at Shadowgatepromo@aol.com. We also have an entire website dedicated to our street team at http://www.metalmassacre.com. We value that website just as much as our own, because it essentially is the foundation for the Shadowgate Nation, a joint effort of people coming together to support a common cause. Basically, it's the glue that is holding the foundation of our fan base together, and we love each and every member for that.

Wednesday: Where can people go online to hear samples of your music?

Logan: Shadowgate's music is available through a number of different outlets. The most obvious one would be http://www.shadowgatemetal.com. Through there, you can see on the links section the many other ways of getting your Shadowgate fix. We're also listed on numerous websites, such as http://www.myspace.com/shadowgate. You can also check us out on Garageband, Purevolume, Altsounds, Nowhereradio, and many more. Of course you can request a copy through the band directly, and you can also purchase the EP at any of our shows. Shortly, Shadowgate will be available on such sites as Napster and Itunes, through a digital distribution deal currently in the works.

Wednesday: Have there been any new releases or re-releases since we last interviewed you? Where can people go to get copies of your albums and merchandise?

Logan: There have not been any new releases to the public recently. We are currently finishing up the debut album, and are looking to get into the studio by November, shortly after the close of the West Coast tour. Most of the outlets for the "Road of Silence" EP are listed above. We are also looking into physical distribution within the next coming months, to help increase the buzz for the band.

Wednesday: I see you're getting a decent amount of radio play. What tracks are currently being spun and what stations are supporting you guys? Any shout outs?

Logan: Actually, we have the entire "Road of Silence" EP being spun on a few r - Space Junkies Magazine

by Dan Quimby

Ever since I can remember, I have been a fan of music. Whether it be death metal or hip-hop, classic rock or industrial, I have always looked toward music as a way of escaping. Recently, however, I have been disappointed with the direction that mainstream music is going. It seems all that matters now is money or sex. Even many of the bands I have loved for years appear to be selling out for money or some form of popularity.
Because of this, I have been looking long and hard for bands that continually give it their all and don’t sacrifice talent for 15 minutes of fame. With a rebirth in the underground metal scene, many new and talented bands have appeared on the New York circuit.
Fortunately, while interviewing KMFDM, I was lucky enough to catch an opening set by the Long-Island based Shadowgate. I was so impressed by the talent and passion they put in every song. From the moment they jumped onstage, crunching guitar riffs and blistering solos filled the room amid a frenzy of screaming fans.
Only once every couple of years do I find a band that I can listen to over and over again and never get bored. With influences that range from Dimmu Borgir to Led Zeppelin, you can imagine the diversity of this band. Fans of old-school thrash metal should definitely check them out.
Shadowgate is Joey Mauceri – vocals, Brett Grimm – bass, Matt Scriva and Mike Commisso – lead and rhythm guitars, and Logan Michaels – drums. Recently, I had a chance to sit down and have a few words with the band to find out what they’ve been doing lately.
InsideCX: How long have you been playing together? Logan: Surprisingly enough, this lineup has only been together for about one year. Before Shadowgate formed, all of us were in other bands that never could quite make it past a certain level. After a while, it became apparent that doors weren’t opening anymore, so we left out former bands and formed Shadowgate. It has been quite a ride since then and we are happy things have worked out so well.
InsideCX: How have you been able to accomplish so much success in such a short period of time? Joey: We call come from diverse backgrounds in music and we all have a love for making music. There is a certain chemistry between us that comes alive when we play together.
Right now we have so much material to work with; there are literally a hundred different guitar riffs and song concepts to bring alive. We also manage ourselves, so we are constantly running around promoting the band and selling merchandise. All of us work hard day in and day out and we play our hearts out each time we go onstage.
InsideCX: What kind of message, if any, are you trying to put out with the lyrics you write? Joey: Every song Shadowgate writes has a meaning to it. We just want the fans to get something out of our music. Whether it’s positive or negative, as long as you get something from it, we’re happy.
InsideCX: I know that right now you only have a demo CD out. Are there any other projects you have planned? Logan: We have a big tour coming up at the end of the summer, and during that time we hope to record a full-length album as well. Right now there is so much stuff going on that we are constantly working and calling each other back and forth.
InsideCX: Since you have arrived on the metal scene, you have toured with some pretty amazing bands. What kind of bands have you shared the stage with? Joey and Brett: We can fit in with almost any genre of music. We have been on the same stage as black metal bands, rock-rap groups, death metal bands, industrial bands, and even an Alice in Chains cover band. No matter who we go onstage with, we are always greeted warmly by the fans, and we are thankful to everyone who has stood by us from the beginning. - The Inside Connection Magazine