Philadelphia, where the weak are killed and eaten, but also home to I Am Alaska, the newest band signed to Attic Records and step son of No Sleep Records.
Bringing a five-piece ensemble to the stage, I Am Alaska serves to sucker-punch listeners and audience members with a non-stop barrage of ground-breaking sounds and a fantastic live show.Formed out of the ruins of Crossing at Red Lights and Phineas, I Am Alaska formed in December 2007 with a shared mentality of trying to reform the current music industry. Vocalist Rob Hackert says: We wanted to do something totally different… away from the traditional… that attracted listeners for a variety of reasons, in a number of new ways. What you get from this goal is their EP A Day In A Life, a smoothly blended record in the vein of Circa Survive and At The Drive In that merges progressive writing styles with relentless passion, all while subtly introducing non-traditional writing styles. Straying from the typical verse-chorus-verse format of songwriting, I Am Alaska brings to the table a reformed writing style, relying on catchy, complex guitar parts and unique drum beats to hold your attention, while weaving through intricate lyrical plots and stong vocal expression.
Combining forces with Vince Ratti of Zolof and the Rock and Roll Destroyer to record the album, A Day In A Life captures the beginning of this incredibly talented band, leaving their raw sound blended perfectly with smooth melodies and intense lyrics. Based off of the idea of portraying multiple characters, each through one song a piece, I Am Alaskas debut EP is full of introspection into the interrelatedness of all human beings, no matter how different. Sharing common problems, mentalities, and experiences, the eloquent lyrics serve to drive home an intensely emotion experience to the listener, combined with
I Am Alaska is just beginning but you can be assured that this is just the beginning. Already playing heavily across the East Coast, I Am Alaska is in the midst of planning a full US Tour with Anguish For Augustine of Austin, Texas. Already sharing the stage with bands like Envy on the Coast, I Am Alaska is anxious to get out on the road and show the world what theyve got to offer. Offering not only a great show and strong philosophical sentiment with their songs, I Am Alaska throws a fresh, unique taste of progressive music styled in a completely new way to their audience and leaves them anticipating what theyll come out with next!
I Am Alaska
“A Day In A Life” (CD)
07/22/2008
NSR010
Info: I Am Alaska, hailing from the Philadelphia-area, is a collective of five creative individuals bringing a new edge and refreshing sound to the table. Their debut EP, A Day In A Life, recorded by the talented Vince Ratti (Zolof and the Rock and Roll Destroyer), brings with it an exhilarating uniqueness and sense of unrelenting urgency. Straying from traditional song construction and lyrical patterns, the subtle hooks and catchy melodies blend seamlessly with the complex guitar riffs and elaborate drum patterns.
At the emotional base of the songs, I Am Alaskas lyrics stem from imagined characters perspectives, all within the same story, and all serving to show the true interrelatedness of all human beings. Connected due to base emotions and occurrences, I Am Alaska draws these character portraits with masterful detail and raw fervor that is convincingly real. Finding inspiration from a variety of musicians and bands (Elliot Smith, This Day Forward, Sunny Day Real Estate), Mike Shaw (This Day Forward) lends his vocal talents for one song on the EP, infusing his unmistakable style to the recording. I Am Alaska stamps a raw, progressive one-of-a-kind sound into their debut EP, A Day In A Life, and is undoubtedly a wake-up call for the masses in terms of style, artistic vision, serious talent, and unstoppable passion.
“They’ve got Circa Survive’s stamp of approval, and they’re mixing some of the weirdest guitar parts this side of the Mars Volta with a peculiar knack for compelling lyrical narratives” – ALTERNATIVE PRESS
“Proletariot” is a triumphant piece of post-hardcore, which in-your-face vocals, moody keyboards, and a memoriable vocal hook.” – WONKA VISION
“A Day In A Life is one of those rare releases that doesn’t seem to exhibit a single weakness. Everything’s tight and cohesive, and I wouldn’t change a thing about it. I’m going to be looking forward to hearing another release from these extremely talented individuals and I guarantee you that if you check this out you’ll be thinking the same thing.” – HIGHBEAM REVIEW
“A Day In a Life is a great first release that is sure to generate hype, but it seems to tease some of the true potential that I Am Alaska seems to have. With that being said, it seems highly likely that a full length from these guys could blow quite a few listeners out of the water so you may want to jump onboard now and check this band out.”
“I Am Alaska’s debut EP shows off great potential while still leaving something for the listeners to be anticipating for on the full-length album. A Day In A Life shows off great vocals and guitars, with good drums and bass backing them up.” – SPUTNIK MUSIC
“I Am Alaska have promise, and with a little more focus on their own sound which there still is plenty of on this EP they could be something great” – CHART MAGAZINE (Canada)
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