The Band Called Fuse

The Band Called Fuse are forging a vision for a new cultural movement that brings together eclectic styles, ideas, and people. Like their diverse community of dedicated fans (dubbed “Soul Rockas”) and the scene they’ve built around their music, The Band Called Fuse is made up of people from radically different backgrounds and traditions. Crave is giving adding fuel to their efforts with the world premiere of their new video for "Soul Rock Anthem".

With members and influences from around the world, the band’s sound ranges from rock to soul to hip hop and beyond, recalling flavors of The Roots, The Fugees and beyond. The Band Called Fuse was born when two brothers from Belgium, X (guitar) and Toast (bass), met up with Mr. Pockett (drums), Soul Qloc (MPC, MC), and Silent Knight (lead MC) while playing in various projects around New Brunswick, NJ. In 2010, they launched a recurring hip hop showcase in New York City called The Line Up that has attracted the attention of hundreds of artists, DJs, and beat makers including Ali Shaheed Muhammad (A Tribe Called Quest), Pharoahe Monch, and John Forte (The Fugees).

As the band evolved, adding new members K-Dez (lead vocals) and Ith$ (keys), their list of accomplishments continued to grow. In addition to sharing stages with luminaries like Talib Kweli, MURS, and Vonnegutt, they have landed multiple singles in the top 40 on hip hop college radio charts and have made a strong presence at SXSW. Now, they're looking toward the future with the February release of their new EP Impossible Dream.

Check out the brand-new video for "Soul Rock Anthem" below, exclusively on CraveOnline!

Stay tuned on the group's official site as they build anticipation for the release of their 3rd album, the fan-funded EP Impossible Dream, on February 11th, 2014. Also keep up with The Band Called Fuse on Twitter and Facebook. - CraveOnline.com

Made up of members with radically different cultural and musical backgrounds, The Band Called Fuse blends influences ranging from soul to rock to hip hop into a sound that recalls bands like The Roots, Rage Against the Machine, and The Fugees while also forging musical frontiers into a totally new genre called Soul Rock.
Having worked their way up from playing house shows to attracting the attention of luminaries like Ali Shaheed Muhammad (A Tribe Called Quest) and sharing stages with Talib Kweli, MURS, and Vonnegutt, The Band Called Fuse developed a grassroots, community-driven attitude that they represent on their new single, “Soul Rock Anthem”. Featuring wailing guitar solos, deep pocketed rhythms, and poised vocal delivery, ”Soul Rock Anthem” paints a hard-hitting picture of the band’s forthcoming fan-funded EP, Impossible Dream, out 2/11/14. - VentsMagazine.com

Silent Knight and The Band Called Fuse (who I'll admit I've been sleeping on heavy) come through with a set of visuals for "Soul Rock Anthem." Backed with distorted guitars and thick drums, SK spits gems on some Rage Against the Machine-ish, if Rage were hardcore Hip-Hop heads. - 2DopeBoyz.com

The New Brunswick soul-rock band Fuse is moving with a new authority and spark. That’s what a year on a live-music, open-mike hip-hop scene in New York City will do for you.

The band has been jamming weekly at the Grisly Pear at 107 MacDougal St. in the city.

“We’ve established ourselves as an up-and-coming force in the city’s underground scene,’’ said Fuse guitarist X, also known as Xavier Hansen of New Brunswick. “We’ve played with over 100 emcees and artists.’’

The guys, formed in 2001 in New Brunswick, have put their labors to work in the studio for the new album “Sucker Punch Gospel,’’ a potent combination of soul, rock and hip-hop. The band’s songs on “Sucker Punch’’ recall the hot concrete soul of Sly and the Family Stone. Add to that the rhymes of frontmen Silent Knight and Soul Qlok, and the package gets a boost of pertinence and power.

Visit www.reverbnation.com/fuseplanet for more info and to listen to a few tracks.

Upcoming, look for a video from the guys for the new single, “Love and War in the City,’’ and a return to their old stomping grounds, the Old Bay Restaurant in New Brunswick, on Saturday (July 16).

Fuse is looking forward to it.

“Playing there is one of the best gigs a band could hope for in the state of New Jersey,’’ X said. - Gannett Press, The Home News Tribune

Maxwell's brought the funk to Hoboken Wednesday night with a triple threat of groovy soul bands – The NotForNothins, WUPA and Fuse.

By the time Fuse took the stage around 11:15 p.m., the crowd was ready to dance – or at least pump their fists in the air. The group was originally formed to fuse together Jimi Hendrix-style guitar rock with socially conscious raps. It comes together sounding like the Roots, or Rage Against the Machine (whose song "Bulls on Parade" the band covered).

The group was formed in 2001 in New Brunswick, with X on guitar, Toast on bass, Mr. Pokket on drums, Jack on keyboards and Soul Qloc as drum machine percussionist and MC. Main rapper Silent Knight joined the group about a year and a half ago, after his own success as a solo artist.

They all agree that everyone brings something unique to the musical genre they've created, which they call "soul rock."

"It's hard to pin down influences," said Silent Knight. "Every member might say something different."

It's true—Toast mentions KRS-One and A Tribe Called Quest, while Mr. Pokket cites James Brown and Black Sabbath.

They opened with "Korbel-ebration," a song whose title is meant to be a sarcastic take on rappers popping bottles of expensive champagne. Hands were up in the air when they played "Get on the Record" and "Victory Lap," a song with guest vocals by MC Kon.

"Extended family member" M. Josephine, a petite singer with a big voice, joined the group on "Pressure" and "Good Morning" to inject some serious soul into the set.

"Hip-hop's a young enough genre that there's a lot left to explore," said Mr. Pokket before their performance.

Fuse's seamless blending of classic rock riffs, 60s soul jams and old school-style flows from MC's who know their stuff prove that the exploration is already underway, and fans are interested.

"I hadn't heard (Fuse) before," said Kelly Markowitz, 23, of Hoboken, "But the way they mixed up all of these styles was really cool." - Hoboken Patch

What does it mean to be part of a family? Some define this in the literal sense as being dictated by a blood relation but for others, the notion of what constitutes a family transcends blood and surpasses any genetic affiliation. “The Band Called FUSE” is a family of talented, like-minded musicians—more than that they are a cohort of comrades merging their musical abilities to produce a unified sound they have dubbed soul-rock. The people they have labeled as their kinsfolk extend beyond any blood connection as they have opened their arms and embraced a cavalcade of MCs, vocalists, DJs and instrumentalists whom they have dubbed their brothers and sisters. Their home is the stage and every performance continues to solidify the bonds that keep this musical lineage strong.
Their music contains a funk-flavored rhythm fused with elements of jazz, rock and hip hop instrumentation. Each player contributes their own distinct flair to the music, resulting in a diverse combination of genres layered throughout all their recordings. From Soul Qloc’s beat-constructing skills on the MPC to Toast’s funky and jazzy bass thwapping, the band knows how to blend the right ingredients to achieve solid perfection. And because various MCs have joined their ranks to extrapolate upon their sound, one can hear distinct influences ranging from gospel to soul to hip hop in the vocals on their recent album, The Band Called FUSE Presents Soul Rebels Vol. 1. Just like the band’s concept of what defines a family, FUSE bring together a conglomeration of genres and influences under one umbrella and provide a space for all styles of music to feel at home.
FUSE and the Soul Rebels family excel at creating music that gives a voice to raw emotion. The adrenaline fueled “Good Morning (Wake Up).” recreates the rush felt upon starting a new day with confidence and positive energy as one is ready to tackle any obstacle that gets in the way. The light and gentle introduction on the keyboard simulates those first few seconds of awareness upon waking, as the crash of Pocket’s unstoppable drums and the spits of the MCs then set the stage of a new day. FUSE explores the deeper depths of the human condition with the somber yet compelling sounds of “Pressure.” The group drops the tempo a few hefty notches and create a dark and grave mood via spacey and ethereal notes from the keyboard and slow, heavy drawls from the bass and drums. Soul Qloc’s gruff vocals help shape the track in its exploration of morose and painful emotions that one can feel the powerful burden of through the speakers.
Standing alone, the instrumentalists behind FUSE are remarkably proficient at generating incredible grooves yet when they open up the mic to the rest of their family, the results are staggering. “Korbelebration” features the lyrical styling of Silent Knight—an MC who has collaborated heavily with FUSE and the Soul Rebels family. The fast and punchy rhythm on this track compliments his quick and concise flow as he builds up the energy alongside the equally impassioned band. Both this cut and the multi-faceted “Singularity” highlight the incomparable keyboard playing of Jack Leary interspersed between the MC’s potent verses. His prowess on the instrument stands out prominently throughout every recording yet these cuts truly showcase a musician who is a force to be reckoned with. “Singularity” gives Leary the space to take off on a frantic, Pink Floyd-esque journey that at first might seem unbefitting for the track but as Silent Knight and the rest of the troupe join suite, the chaos is channeled into an earth-shattering finale.
The band concludes their magnum opus with the guitar-laden track, “Tomorrow” which sees guitarist X unleashing an avalanche of string bending notes on top of a raw and tenacious rhythm. The electric guitar is an instrument not normally associated with hip hop yet in the realm of the genre-blazing sound of soul-rock, there are no definitions as to what should or should not be there. The music being created is inspired by feeling, emotion and passion and there are no limits as to how that sound develops. It’s found deep inside every one of the musicians who join the family and the platform FUSE has developed provides an open stage for freedom of expression whether it be through words or music.
The Band Called FUSE Presents Soul Rebels Vol. 1 was released a few months back to an overwhelming response. Live performances are the band’s specialty and whether they are headlining shows at established venues or performing at a cornucopia of underground concerts throughout the state of New Jersey, FUSE never disappoints. Though their album is still fairly fresh off the press, they haven’t slowed down as new tracks, larger gigs and more diverse collaborations continue fueling their drive. The twelve colossal songs stuffed into Soul Rebels Vol. 1 are too perfect to be confined on a cold and emotionless compact disc. With its larger than life album a - OurStage.com Editorial

Hip-hop and soul rock. This dynamic fusion band, fronted by former Rawkus-50 MC, Silent Knight, merges together genres, styles and energies into one powerful musical force. With The Line Up — an almost-7-years-and-counting NYC residency — and three successful Kickstarter campaigns under their belt, this tight-knit crew has truly harnessed the power of a modern DIY movement, cultivating an exponentially growing, loyal fanbase along the way. Their efforts reached new heights with the recording a soon-to-be-released live album during NYC’s CMJ festival, along with a full concert film to match, showcasing the depth of their abilities and the dedication of their fans. One of our top picks for the festival, The Band Called FUSE will be rocking out at Scratchouse on Thursday, March 16. - Birthplace Magazine