Souls In Chains
Los Angeles, California, United States | SELF
Music
Press
Soundclick is an enormous site. You can spend weeks in there and only just scratch the surface; and that's just the main R&B/Hip Hop categories not to mention the hundreds of other - obviously not so popular or commercial - genres that the site wallows under. So, that's my excuse for not hearing of Souls In Chains (great name btw). It's obvious they have been on the Click for a while; the message board and page/plays stats tell another story. Best thing about it is that they describe themselves as 'a dark and downbeat fusion of Hip Hop, Gothic Rock, and Screamo'. Now I don't know about you but IF they could actually pull something like that off, it would be well worth listening to. Wouldn't it?
AAAh, you have that wary, sceptical glint in your eye... Trust no-one.
One of the things I like most about rap is the wordplay. As you may have noticed I have a savage glee with my own language and I'm always happy to come across lyricists who do the same thing musically. Not only are Souls In Chains excellent rappers, they exhibit a surprising sophistication; especially lyrically. Full marks then because they are the very FIRST rappers I have ever reviewed on Soundclick who post their words along with the track. I sure wish other rappers would take note, because - as I say - words are one of the major joys of rap music. Its certainly the centrepoint of this track, although its very competent musically too which shouldn't be overlooked.
Sleep With Angels has been number one in both the Hardcore Rap and Hip Hop charts for a while and rightly so because it's a tour-de-force and streets ahead most of the stuff around. My only whine (there's always one) is that I think the vocals have been somewhat over-compressed; there's some noticeable volume changes and a shrillness to the vocal. Mind you, that may well be just the ringing in my ears. Lyrically, Sleep With Angels seems to be a track about topping yourself (Ed: he means commiting suicide) which - as you can imagine - is a tad harrowing should you be a pussy. Looked at another way, it's a telling glimpse into personal desperation. It mind sound grim, but it isn't. It's a tale told well; with conviction and authority. I don't ask for more than that.
Top Class Rap. Highly Recommended. And not a cuss word in sight. - Steve Gilmore
Discography
Lps: Last Night I Had A Dream, The World Domination Project
Singles: Sleep With Angels, Bad Omen, Sopra Le Nubi, Gdzie Jest Ten Hajs
Radio Airplay Stations: Groovin With The Goon(Baltimore, MD), The PopWiz Show(Philadelphia, PA), Dj IcePick(Portland, OR), Hot 97.5(New York, NY)
Photos
Bio
www.myspace.com/soulsinchains
Beads of sweat were dripping off the two young artists frightened faces as they waited to be called up to the stage. The intimidating and slightly menacing crowd also waited; the impression that the crowd had given the two men was of little encouragement and left them with the suspicion that they were to be eaten alive! Only one emotion could sum up the two teenagers at that time: petrified. April 6th 2007, with a crowd of 2,000 plus people in front of them, at the Ventura Majestic Theater, the hit group Souls in Chains preformed for the first time. With their new style (which fuses Rap, Screamo, and Experimental) the group blew the minds and ears of the audience away.
Souls in Chains is a group composed of two seventeen year old artists. Josh "jD" Diem is the lead vocalist, songwriter, and marketer of the band haling from a variety of locations including San Bernardino/Claremont California as well as Queens New York. Gabriel "Esoteric" Jimenez is a vocalist, songwriter, and screamer who also plays various instruments that give the group its signature sound. Since adolescent ages the two men had listened and been influenced by musical architects such as Johnny Cash, Nas(Pre-2003), and Deftones. They found the darkness and murkiness of Cash as alluring, along with the complex storytelling and rhyming of Nas to be epic; finally they found their senses to be enchanted by the screaming of Deftones. From carving lines and spitting rhymes in there church pew's, to entering the underground music scene with multiple concerts and shows, this young and talented group is causing a serious explosion in the music world.
They released their first album entitled “Last Night I Had a Dream” in March of 2007. The album included a nine track roster of songs such as “Bad Omen” and “Sleep with Angels” both of which showed up on underground charts such as soundclick.com(“Sleep with Angels” taking the number 1 spot for two weeks) as well as on various other sites. Within the first eight months of its release, the album had sold a favorable 500 plus copies despite its limited shelf stock. Then, less then a year later jD released a second album with the help of Half Pynt Productions on October 1st entitled “The World Domination Project.” It was a compilation album that consisted of forty-five artists from eight different countries. It immediately became a hit and has sold more then 10,000 copies worldwide. In the past year it has received rave reviews from fans and critics everywhere. “Not only are Souls In Chains excellent rappers, they exhibit a surprising sophistication; especially lyrically.” (Steve Gilmore, RebelRiffs.com)
Throughout Souls in Chains existence their signature sound and unheard of lyrics have contributed to their revolutionary eruption. In any case, they will have left their mark on the music world as well as paved a way for a new generation of music. Their honorable hope to not only entertain audiences, but also teach people of worldly problems has made them a hit amongst various groups of people. The ability to tell elaborate yet very absorbing stories and fuse them with their authentic beats gives them a special skill that very few have ever had. The energy from the music that one obtains while listening (whether you are alone in your room or in a crowd of five-thousand) directly translates into a surreal mind and body experience.
Now, with their enhanced experience and newly acquired musical techniques, the two musicians are on the verge of releasing their third and possibly most exemplary album yet. With the help of VTZ, Sinima Beats, and Half Pynt Productions, the album “Rebellious of the Sunrise” is scheduled to be released in Fall of 2008 under the direction of the Indie label, "Atima Records." This innovative album has a strong presence of Screamo style music that has not been seen or heard by the music industry prior to now. With their dark, but refreshingly original style, they have ushered in a new rebellious age of underground music in which they are the sole pioneers of. With featured artists such as Christina Aguilera, underground phenoms Oplus (Chicago) and Joanna (Poland), this dark and heart-changing album has the goal of capturing the downfall of our society in a deep and dire manner. The album expresses the anger towards ignorance that many see on a daily basis, while at the same time it conveys the constant struggle that only one who has truly struggled could portray or understand. With tracks examining abusive childhoods, nightmarish drug escapades, religious dilemmas, and constant overall pain, this album leaves one with a new and starless sense of life. The track “Alice and Mr. Lucifer” is the perfect model for what this pristine album is destined to express. It tells the story of a ribbon girl from a good family who falls to the bottomless pit of the world, to the lowest level of society, to the depths of life with no hope of return.
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