| Dedication takes on new meaning when it comes to Unstable, a California-based trio who were about to record their demo, when the deadliest outbreak of fires in more than a decade forced them to ecavuste their Lake Arrowhead homes. The deadly blazes destroyed nearly3,600 houses, blackened more than 743,000 acres of brush and timber and left over 100,000 Southern California residents without electricity. Despite the chaos -- and the fact that they left their instruments behind when they fled for safety -- vocalist/guitarist Joey Chrisman, bassist James Bellis and drummer Justin Ivey went ahead and made the recording.
"It was the best thing we could've done," says Chrisman, 19. "It's not like we could've fought the fires, and there was no point in sitting around worrying. So we borrowed some gear and channeled everything we were feeling at the time -- the anger, the anxiety, the frustration -- into the music. If nothing else, it was therapeutic."
They emerged with a stunning four-song demo that belies their teen ages, blending softly curved melodies with power-chord surges and grooving backbeats. Their contagious riff-fock is amplified by the emotional wordplay of Chrisman, who tackles matters of the heart ("Silence," "So Ccapable") while struggling to fight the grind ("Stuck").
Though they cite influences ranging from Green Day and Zeppelin to Staind and Stone Temple Pilots, Unstable has a sound and style all their own. Asked for a description, Chrisman says, "We play straighforward rock with universal themes. Who among us can't relate to relationship problems?"
Unstable came together three years ago, when Chrisman met Bellis through a mutual friend. After some drum shuffling, Bellis brought in Ivey, whose father is Dean Cortez, bassist for the critically acclaimed jazz group Hiroshima. Since then, the group has played anywhere and everywhere, attracting a loyal local following by tearing up stages across Southern California, garnering regular airplay for "Silence" on San Bernardino radio station X103.9, and communicating with fans and fielding demo requests through this official website -- www.unstablejams.com.
"We've worked really hard over the past three years to get out name and music out there," say Chrisman. "Now we're ready to take it to the next level. We know it won't be easy, but we're confident we'll get there. When it comes down to it, this band means everything to us. Hell," He laughs, "fire couldn't even stop us." |
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