Sonus Ventorium

Review and Photos by by Kristen Leep
04.10.03. Patio BoB.
In the quest to win $10,000, there are victories to be found other than advancing for another shot at the cash. All of the bands playing the first Thursday night round of the Battle were able to walk away with more fans than what they walked in with. And strangely, all of the bands seemed like they could have planned playing this show together, sharing similarities in their genres.

Next up was the most intimidating band, based on their rock-solid reputation. Sonus Ventorium <http://www.sonusventorium.com>, the eventual winners of the night, delivered their "funkdafied rasta-metal" to the punters and the audience was clearly impressed. The band has been playing for a year with its current lineup. The next step for Sonus according to energetic frontman Alltus Snow is, "to tour, maybe get our name out there regionally and nationally." They have a unified message they are trying to get out with their music- that "love is the true ruler of all things."
- Indianapolismusic.net

I have heard Sonus Ventorium play before at the 2 Ring Circus (a musical show case of many local bands) last year and was impressed. I got to see them again just recently and this time they really blew my mind. They have a distinctive sound with the bongo drum artist and the different instruments the lead singer used in a couple of their songs. This gave their sound a uniqueness that you just don’t hear very often. I was impressed by the way they played and they had so much energy. They used every square inch of the stage and the audience ate it all up. They were screaming for more and some had to be kept off the stage. The band played to the audience like they were old friends. This band has what it takes to make it big. They have the sound and the showmanship to be a big time band one day. The way each musician blended their talents so well with the rest of the band you just knew that they were serious and yet had fun creating that most awesome music. From what I saw with the way the people reacted to them it won’t be long before this band is on the charts. They were so into the music and they rocked the house that night. They are a five piece band. At least I think they are. There was bass player Terry Sharp who was tremendous, guitar player Josh Rich who was making his guitar sing like you would not believe, drummer Dave Rich who had a slightly different beat from most drummers, a bongo drummer Phil Altum who was so awesome to watch play, and of course the lead singer Alltus Snow. They put on a great show and have many followers as was shown that night. The crowd loved them! - Loretta Stradley

Sonus Ventorium started the turn of the bill from more light and upbeat pop to the heavier rock side. The showcase was the first time I'd seen Sonus in a few months. I found myself walking away much more impressed this time than last. They did no less than explode into a set filled with great passion and showmanship. I particularly like the fact they don't settle on any one sound for their music. You could hear influences ranging from dancehall reggae to modern metal in their set. Judging by the crowd's response (and the number of Sonus shirts in the audience), Sonus has earned a group of loyal fans. They may have added a few others on Saturday. - Indianapolismusic.net

The music scene in Indianapolis is growing exponentially. It’s estimated there are approximately 1,000 bands or individual musicians in the city that either play gigs or record albums. In the midst of such rapid growth, it’s sometimes hard to tell who’s who.

To that end, NUVO assembled a small panel of writers, editors and musicians and queried them on whom they believe are the 40 hottest local acts. NUVO’s jazz columnist, Chuck Workman, assembled a similar list of the Top 10 local jazz acts. Look at the following list as a barometer, not a complete guide. Many hours of argument ensued before we agreed on 40 acts. Similar arguments would have ensued had the list been 100 in length.
Sonus Ventorium
Sonus Ventorium is audibly defined as modern rock style metal fused with hard-edged reggae. Rasta metal, hard to imagine but easy to get into. The term is new and their sound is loud with heavy guitar hooks fueled by nuclear power.
- Indianpolis Star