Shattered Red

-Since forming in 2003, Milwaukee’s Shattered Red has built a customary resume for a local modern rock band: a performance slot on Summerfest’s Mountain Dew rock stage; tour experience with Cold, Crossfade, and Damageplan; chart success with mp3.com. After generating some online buzz (and radio airplay) with its 2003 EP Walk Away, Shattered Red released its full-length debut CD, The Lines For The Living, in 2005. Now the group has something else to put on its resume: The song “At the Edge” was recently featured in the indie horror film Harvest. Opening: Salvage, Planet of 9. - The Onion

What kind of hopes did you have for your future when you were in your late teens and early twenties? I think for most of us, that period of time is the time when your dreams and the possibility of seeing those dreams come to pass are most aligned. The older you get, the more difficult it becomes to make things happen. So, if you are able to set things in motion while you have the opportunity to do so, the odds are in your favor that you’ll see dreams fulfilled!

I think that working with bands and musicians the way that we do at MWB provides the fringe benefit of being in that sort of atmosphere. In some ways, we are able to live vicariously through bands that have cool things happening for them, and by doing so, it fuels the hopes and dreams that we have for our lives! Granted, that isn’t always the case, but when big things do happen for bands, we feel as if we are a part of the celebration that takes place! How cool is that?

Shattered Red is a band that is at that point in their musical career. With an 8-song EP under their belts (Walk Away) that has sold out, and a new 3-song demo CD completed, they are making things happen! They are also aggressively playing shows, and always looking for new opportunities to get in front of bigger and bigger audiences. They’ve only been at it for a year, and they’ve already opened for more national acts than a lot of bands that have been around twice as long. Luck, you say? I don’t think so! These guys strike me as a driven group of musicians. When that is the case, there aren’t many forces strong enough to hold them back!

When you hear the individuals that are a part of Shattered Red, you are hearing four incredibly talented people. Vocalist Jon Schweiger has a great voice that reminds me a lot of Maynard James Keenan of Tool. He sings melodic and powerful vocal lines that blend well with the sound and feel of the music produced by the band’s instrumentalists. Brad Steffek (bass) and Marc Nabke (drums) lay down powerful, clean rhythm tracks that provide a wonderful backdrop of sound for the artistry and excellent guitar work of Mike Salamonski. Together, these talented individuals produce a sound that is formidable in today’s world of Alternative Rock and Nu-Rock. Their music is a power trip, pure and simple. Powerful music, meant both to infect your mind with the intelligence and beauty of the melody, and to shake you to the core with the raw power of their songs!

A great example of this effect is found in the first song on the demo CD, entitled “(Never) Let It Go”. From the very first notes heard on guitar, you know that it’s going to be a wild ride; the song progresses from a small clean passage to an incredibly powerful romp through the rest of the introduction and the verse. It is a song filled with a lot of dynamic power and emotive lyrics. At times, lines are screamed, but this technique is used more for effect, rather than as the norm. The result is a powerful vocal that is edgy and intelligent.

The second track, ‘Paradigm’, is more subtle than the first, but it still packs a ton of power! It is the best showcase for the vocal talents of Schweiger; it also provides an excellent example of the abilities the band possesses for writing music. This song sounds like it would be very much at home on college and modern rock stations, and fits very will with groups like Disturbed, Incubus, Chevelle, and Tool.

The final track, ‘Who We Are’, is one of the most melodic songs on the demo CD; both the guitar lines and vocal melodies blend well together, creating a Rock Cocktail that is beautiful to admire, and also packs a wallop! If you don’t know what I mean, then I’m not sure I can explain it any better to you! For me, it’s probably the most beautiful and powerful song of the three!

Shattered Red is a great band; they are making great original music, and working very hard to play in front of as many audiences as they possibly can! Be sure to get a copy of their demo CD when you have the chance. I have a feeling that big things will soon be happening for them! They have been chosen to showcase at the NACA convention in April 2004; if all goes well, this gig could lead to a tremendous amount of bookings at colleges and universities all over the country, and with the notoriety that comes from playing out a lot, you could definitely be hearing the band’s music on your favorite radio station! If the band does come to your town, make sure you get out and see them! They have a reputation for being a great live act. I have to say that if their stuff is as impressive live as it is on their demo CD, you are going to be in for a great night of music!--Mark Lush, Midwestbands.com, 9/26/04
- midwestbands.com