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The next band, Xerus, begins setting up and going through the sound check.
Before they begin the set, the lead singer goes toward the back of the stage, where he takes off his baggy sweater and puts on a bullet proof vest without the Kevlar plate inside, and sleeves that go to his elbows and wrap around his thumbs. The crowd has increased in size by this point, and some of the girls in the audience cheer when the singer takes off his shirt.
“That’s Michael,” Danny says. “He used to be our lead singer.”
So this was the infamous former lead singer of 13th Ave. I couldn’t remember the reason Michael left the band, but I knew that Danny thought Michael was the greatest singer they ever could have had. Once Xerus began their set, I knew why. The band plays a hard and heavy death metal, but what makes it so hard and heavy is Michael’s vocals. He screams and moans, using a deep-throated guttural tone. He uses a lot of hand and arm movements to accentuate certain lyrics or vocal styles, such as whispering or repeating himself as if there were a reverb on the mic. - Carrie D.
Last up was Xerus. The young 3-piece came out with energy with a very full sound for a small group. A great bid for their place and a solid contender even with the late set time.
By Shane Kramer - BoDog Music
"The drum preformance is the most solidly impressive feature with intricate tribal tom work and nuanced accents...the band is tight, even during their frequent tempo changes...Letsinger preforms with passion...his vocal dexterity - he moves from whispers to full-belly bellows - is impressive." - Rick's Cafe
Discography
Currently in the middle of a nation-wide College radio campaign! It's early, but here are some stations we are currently in rotation on:
WCCX Waukesha, WI
WCSR Milwaukee, WI
WHQS Philadelphia, PA
WQRI Bristol, RI
WRFT Ambler, PA
WSOE Elon College, NC
WSRI Eau Claire, WI
WTBU Boston, MA
WUMM Machias, ME
WMCN St. Paul, MN
WMTU Houghton, MI
WPMD Norwalk, CA
WPNR Utica, NY
WPPJ Pittsburg, PA
WPSC Wayne, NJ
WGBK Glenview, IL
WGLS Glassboro, NJ
WIIT Chicago, IL
WIPZ Kenosha, WI
WKKL West Barnstable, MA
WKNH Keene, NH
WLJS Jacksonville, AL
WCRD Muncie, IN
WCVH Flemington, NJ
WDBK Blackwood, NJ
WDUB Granville, OH
WERW Syracuse, NY
WEXP Philadelphia, PA
WFCS New Britian, CT
M3 Radio New York, NY
Rainy Dawg Seattle, WA
SFR Boston, MA
WAQU Grand Rapids, MI
WARC Meadville, PA
WBKE North Manchester, IN
WBTY Waltham, MA
KSTM Indianola, IA
KSVR Mt. Vernon, WA
KTXT Lubbock, TX
KUMD Duluth, MN
KUNI Cedar Falls, IA
KURA Ourey, CO
KVDU Denver, CO
KYVT Yakima, WA
KZMU Moab, UT
KKSM San Marcos, CA
KMSU Mankato, MN
KPSU Portland, OR
KQAL Winona, MN
KRUI Iowa City, IA
KSMR Winona, MN
106 VIC Ithaca, NY
BearCast Cincinnati,OH
KALA Davenport, IA
KAOS Olympia, WA
KBBI Homer, AK
KBTL El Dorado, KS
KCAC East Camden, AR
KDIC Grinnel, IA
KDNK Carbondale, CO
KDWG Dillon, MT
KFAI Minneapolis, MN
KGAR Lemoore, CA
KGRG Auburn, WA
WVUD Newark, DE
WWSP Stevens Point, WI
WXAC Reading, PA
WXJM Harrisonburg, VA
WXVU Villanova, PA
7/2007 Finalists in the Whiskey Wars Battle of the Bands at the Whiskey Junction in Minneapolis, MN.
3/2007 Xerus plays during SXSW in Austin, TX
11/2006 Gary Holdsteady and the Independent Stream do an entire podcast on Xerus
11/2006 "...this impossible everything" e.p.
SkinCell Record Group
(100% Artist Controlled Sink & Master)
10/2006 "Give It A Start" featured on Local MN#9 Podcast
9/2006 Music video for "Give It A Start" released on the internet and viewable at xeruslives.com or You Tube
10/2004 "The Wrath of Ra" e.p.
SkinCell Record Group
(100% Artist Controlled Sink & Master)
1/30/05 "Easy Pieces" hits number one on New Artist Radio.net weekly Top 40 Countdown
Streaming Audio @ Indie911.com/xerus
Streaming Audio @ Myspace.com/xerus
Photos
Bio
Xerus is the brain child of singer / guitarist / songwriter Michael Townsend Letsinger. Instead of allowing his influences to dictate the direction, he set out to redefine rock and roll and create an entirely new sound in the process. That sound was only truly developed once a band was assembled. Travis Washnieski�s amazing drumming techniques and the solid back bone of bass provided by Scott Sachs were the final pieces in the Xerus puzzle.
By combining the elements of rock and metal, Xerus walks the nebulous line between the two genres. �It seems like most people that are into metal think we�re rock and people that dig rock say we�re a metal band,� says Letsinger. �That�s fine. It�s rare that we hear the same comparison to other bands as far as our sound, and I see that as a huge positive.�
Releasing material on the Minneapolis indie label SkinCell Record Group, the first e.p by Xerus spawned some positive national attention. The song �Easy Pieces� from the group�s first album The Wrath of Ra stayed at number one on the Internet-based New Artist Radio for three weeks in early 2005. The band landed some opening slots for major label acts like Supagroup from New Orleans and the rare chance to play a strip club.
With the release of this new disk will come a whole new Xerus. Produced by Nashville�s own indie super producer Chris Mara, �this impossible everything is a serious step forward in the growth of this evolving band.
�Having Chris come in was the best decision we could have made. His outside opinion and years of expertise were just what we needed at this stage of our career,� says Letsinger.
Tracked at A440 Studios in Minneapolis, the result is a full on rock n' roll assault on the senses. With the lyrics touching on topics of relationships, the end of the world, betrayal, loss, excitement and orgies� listeners will be pressed to categorize the band.
So far 2007 has been a very positive year for the band. In march they traveled to Austin, TX to play during South By Southwest, they are currently in the middle of a nation-wide college radio campaign and are getting out on the road as often as possible. Later in the year they hope to begin touring extensively throughout the mid west and east coast.
With an endless commitment to get the music into the ears of anyone and everyone who will listen, you can expect Xerus will be coming to a stage near you soon.
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