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There’s a rock band from Atlanta that’s coming out of its shell with an awesome sound and an even more awesome following from fans.
Altered consists of four band members, who more importantly, are four friends who joined together to make great music. Trey Carver, the lead vocalist, spoke with me about how Altered evolved and where the band is headed in the future.
“I wanted to be a guitar player when I was pretty young and my Uncle Randy gave me a few lessons,” Carver said. “I was listening to Metallica around that time and got inspired to start writing songs. I would sneak out to our garage and crank the amp up with a distortion pedal.”
When he began writing songs, though, Carver was afraid to show anyone what he had written but he eventually got the nerve to do so and from what I can hear in Altered’s music, it’s a good thing he got that nerve. “I wrote songs for my girlfriend, which she liked a lot, and that was definitely a self-confidence boost for me,” he said.
In his teen years, Carver, who was living with his dad at the time, tried to join a band but his father told him, “No drugs and no rock –n- roll.” So, the younger Carver went back to live with his mother instead. “She gave me the outlet to actually write songs and play," he said.
Trey started a band called Broke and even performed with that band. Later, he experimented with other bands doing cover songs which is one of the things he likes to do least. He prefers playing original music while performing because he says the songs are much more personal to him.
The name Altered came from Trey Carver’s idea of how everything is always changed by society. In 2003, he assembled what would be the future Altered with a friend named Ryan and held auditions for a guitar player; thus Brian Goeltz emerged into the scene. After eventually parting ways with Ryan, Trey met bass player, Billy Cantello and added him to the band. The band held another audition for a drummer and Rock Silas took the final spot to create Altered. “I just knew when we saw Rock, that he would be the one,’ Carver said.
Trey writes the majority of Altered’s lyrics and Brian has co-written some of the songs. The lyrics, according to their press kit, “forge a new sound that slaps faces and reads minds.” I believe that once listeners have heard ‘Painful,’ they will understand how deep artists have to reach inside of their emotions to be able to write such powerful songs.
“There’s no greater feeling than looking out at the audience while we’re performing, and they’re singing our lyrics. I feel elated and almost invincible,” Carver said in response to how he felt about the fans that come to watch Altered perform.
Although Carver is a unique songwriter, he added that he did have some major songwriting influences. These bands included: Incubus, 3 Doors Down, Matchbox Twenty, Silverchair, and Sevendust. He said his inspiration for writing songs differed with every song but having strong emotions that yearn to be expressed, for him, could easily be done through music. “I fiddle around with the guitar and think about what I’m going through at that moment in my life,” Carver said.
I asked Trey what he thought might be the biggest mistake for newer bands and he told me that if they lack self-confidence they might not make it and if they’re way too cocky, it could be their downfall. Altered keeps a good balance with their energy levels and attitudes and I believe that being friends does help. They practice nights, during the week for several hours until they feel as if they’ve accomplished something.
On the day of a show, preparation for it gets Trey Carver into a “serious zone.”
“My whole attitude changes, I get into my serious zone and get my head together for sound- check and a great show,” he said.
I am bringing up the song, ‘Painful,’ again, because it really is an awesome song. When I asked Trey what the song was about, this is what he replied: “It’s about being kicked in the face by life, over and over again. It’s about feeling unaccepted and feeling like everything’s trying to knock you down.” It’s a great song and also the first on their demo.
Altered is up and coming and they are performing in venues all over Atlanta. If you have a chance to see this band play, I would suggest making plans to do so because they are definitely worth seeing.
- Chrissy Vincelli "Buckhead Editor"- OurLittle.Net
Discography
Single - "Painful" 2007
Airplay on WKLS-Project 9-6-1 in Atlanta, GA
Project Homegrown with Aaron Hickman
Single - "Alcoholic Haze" 2003
Airplay on WYYX-97x in Panama City, FL
Along with radio interview & press reviews.
"Untitled" New Full Length Album underway
You may preview tracks at:
www.myspace.com/therealalteredband
Photos
Bio
After countless months of auditioning for just the right members, lead singer Trey Carver found the exact elements he needed to form the band ALTERED in the city of Atlanta, Georgia. Not only do these talented musicians play in a band together, they are also very close friends.
ALTERED is:
Trey Carver – Lead Singer and Guitar Player; with previous workings in radio and professional dj'ing at some of the largest clubs in the United States. With a unique and edgy voice, Trey brings a definitive commercial aspect to the band's sound.
Brian Goeltz – Lead Guitarist and Backing vocals; hailing from Hamlin, NY; graduated from the Atlanta Institute of Music in 2005, Brian has played in several successful bands and is currently endorsed by Peavey.
Billy Cantello – Bass Guitar and Backing Vocals; with influences such as Getty Lee and Stuart Hamm, Billy brings more than just a bass line, Billy brings style into the sonic lower end of the band's formula.
James Makar – Drums and Percussion; James brings ....
ALTERED's musical influences range from Incubus, Metallica, Silverchair, Stuck Mojo, Sevendust, to bands such as Aerosmith, Rush, Dream Theatre etc…
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