8stops7

07/13/2005 6:35 AM, AMG

On its major label debut, In Moderation, 8STOPS7 often comes off as a conventional hard rock/heavy metal band, playing sledgehammer guitar riffs underpinned by a thundering rhythm section and topped off by the gruff vocals of 23-year-old Evan Sula-Goff, who sings lyrics of youthful angst and romantic despair that border on the psychotic. So far, so mediocre. But there's something else going on in 8STOPS7's music, and though the songs are credited to everyone in the group, it's hard not to suppose that Sula-Goff, around whom the band coalesced, is the one responsible. Even when they come off as generic metalish expressions of frustration, the lyrics sound like the product of a single sensibility, not four people, and when the quirks that raise the songs to a higher level kick in, they seem even more individual. Every now and then, the pace slows, the music suggests at least a rudimentary melody, and Sula-Goff sings something unusual. On "Good Enough," he is going over a relationship in decline, apparently due to his drinking. "I want to be faithful," he sings, "but as far as I can tell, I'm not doing so well ... thus far." He begins "Wider" by noting, "Missed the meeting where my friends discussed why I'm not around." Heavy metal lyrics are rarely this clever or insightful, and they suggest that Evan Sula-Goff and 8STOPS7 are no ordinary heavy metal band, despite the sometimes generic music they play. For a first national release, In Moderation shows considerable promise. (Note: Though the album's last song, "Forget," appears to run over 12 minutes, it actually fades out after a lengthy coda at 4:22 and then there are three minutes and 45 seconds of silence, followed by "Empty," a hidden track that features the prominent female vocals of the Water Sisters and a piano played by Gary Sula-Goff, and is the album's most accessible song.) ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide - Yahoo Music

Once upon a time, a band from Ventura made it big — Billboard big, video game big, major-label big. Then, through no fault of its own, things got weird. Try as it did to keep steady when the ground fell out from under the music industry, 8Stops7 lost its footing. That was then and this is now. While it may no longer be cool to listen to ’90s music, especially when it’s being produced in 2012, rocking out will never be passé, and 8Stops7 rocks. To come back as hard as this band has with Fables is not only to believe in yourself but to know who you are, unequivocally. 8Stops7 makes no apology for what it is, instead it revels in it. From the first track to the last, Fables is exactly the kind of post-grunge melodic rock that’s expected of this band, only better. Inevitable comparisons to Eddie Vedder and his most reviled imitator aside, Evan Sula-Goff’s unwavering, muscular vocals can easily withstand the force of the guitars that drive this train home. 8Stops7 is unattached and arena-ready. Get it. - VC Reporter

Yes, the VenAustin Tour is a wrap. Four Ventura acts — soul band Jeff Hershey and the Heartbeats, rock groups 8stops7 and New Liberty, and Le Meu Le Purr singer Aaron Orbit — made the hot, dusty 2,900-mile trek to Austin, Texas, and back to attend the massive South by Southwest Music and Media Conference. Their collective goals were simple: play lots of shows, raise awareness about Ventura's music scene and network, network, network.

Read more: http://www.vcstar.com/news/2012/mar/29/local-musicians-share-their-sxsw-memories/#ixzz1t3oYYm7A
- vcstar.com - Ventura County Star

"We want to land in Austin like a little army," says 8stops7 singer Evan Sula-Goff in a video on the tour website. "Twenty dudes walking down the street saying, 'We're from Ventura. We mean business. This is what we do.' " - Ventura County Star

"Not every band can release an album every 5-7 years and keep the same consistency and familiarity as they had on day one. Not to say they’re not evolving, they’re just doing things right. These guys had major exposure in ’99-01 and have since released 2 albums independently and still continue to impress. The new album ‘Fables’ takes the experience to another level with each song taking on a characteristic of its own." - www.rockfrequency.com

A review of the new record -
"Fables, ironically, is the perfect album to snag if you’re looking for a dose of gritty realism and a record bursting at the seams with varying styles, moods and motifs. Each song is provided the title of what one assumes to be a fable <”The Sting,” “The Red Ant,” “The Albatross,” etc.>; but the tales contained therein are anything but Aesop. The characterization of each speaker (sorry, had to use a poetic term here) is brilliantly executed – as you’re easily ensnared in each contrasting narrative as each progressing vignette presents you with a new person or scenario to examine…

The major highlights of the album (beyond its well-marketed single, “The Sting”) are “The Red Ant” and “The Seed.” “The Red Ant” is a brilliantly moody track exploring a dangerous life of impulses and excesses, poetically expounding upon the pitfalls of living to extremes… while “The Seed” takes on a more reverent mood with soaring choral-vocals layered over soaring organ-chords and churning, distorted guitars in a description of the height of dysfunction.

This record, like all previous efforts by the band, culls from myriad sources– the band’s style varying from track-to-track with an impressive abandon, ignoring the need to be easily cataloged or cross-referenced. This is a group that relishes their unique sound, and executes it to devastating effect on this record. Hard-rock at it’s finest." - Rockfrequency.com

The meaty riffs and snarling vocals make Pearl Jam sound suddenly wimpy and make Staind sound like whiners. With crystal clear production and urgent pop hooks, these road warriors take America by storm. If a producer could bottle the chart-topping essence of Nickelback, the resulting elixir would be fierce.

- download.com

follow this URL to see what the fans think of the new album "bend"
http://cdbaby.com/cd/8stops7 - cdbaby.com