AnaDies

"Grade: A

AnaDies has an exhilarating blend of musical aptitude on this disc. There are elements of jazz, rock and classical music embedded with diverse arrays of heavy metal ala thrash, black and death. Eight spell bounding songs grace this CD and are unforgettable, captivating and downright brutal at times. The guitars shred while the bass and drums lay down firm backdrops for the beautiful, harmonious vocals and the keyboard parts fit snuggly into place with out over doing it as AnaDies marches through Formamentum with no sign of letting up. “Hollow,” “Crimson Tears” and “Watch” are all amazing songs and I can’t pick a favorite out of the eight at this point and time.

I’m not going to compare this band to groups like Evanescence, The Gathering or Lacuna Coil, because I like AnaDies much better, but you get an idea of what I’m talking about here. You can purchase the CD from the bands web site." - www.entertainmentnutz.com

This is taken from a webzine from Germany, so please excuse the grammer mistakes.

"AnaDies is a good combiantion of aggression and melancholy. The keyboards play a key role in developing interesting arrangements that are full of sadness, while the guitars give the power to the music. The vocalist reminds me of the one from the Gathering but within a more extreme context. There is also a more extreme voice that gives a darker feeling to the music, sort of in a symphonic black metal way. There is a good role of the rhythm section, really solid and doing interesting arrangements. The album has really good sound emphasizing the climatic parts because of the good mix. A great mixture of dark climtic parts and powerful riffing.." - http://www.musicextreme.com

There are a lot of female-fronted metal bands on the radar of the mainstream music audience these days. Evanescence are now one of the best-selling bands in stores and on tour today. Lacuna Coil managed to stay off the radar for years and now they are making appearances on the Today Show. In This Moment scored a record deal based on their MySpace popularity alone. Revolver recently sponsored a “Hottest Chicks in Metal” tour that featured Lacuna Coil, Within Temptation, and a lineup of nothing but female -and female-fronted bands. That’s right, folks: The ladies are taking charge.

Given the recent fervor around this phenomenon, it is no surprise that labels are in a hurry to snatch up any band who draws a comparison to any of the aforementioned bands. Trend or no trend, there are few bands in this genre who actually do it right.

And how does a female-fronted metal band “do it right?” It seems simple, but striking the proper balance between the brutality and technical savvy demanded by today’s metalhead and the softer, more emotional sensibilities of a wider rock audience is no small task.

Fortunately, Colorado’s AnaDies are up to the challenge. Their newest demo, the four-track “Catalyst,” is a clear indication that this six-piece are about to take the music world by storm. There is something for everybody in these four songs. Talia Hoit’s gothic-tinged piano intro to “Regret” soon gives way to a chugging metal groove bound to get even the most discerning metal fan to take notice and bang his/her head in agreement. The haunting interlude of the song is beautifully complimented by the outro, when the gloves come off and the listener is treated to machine-gun drumming and guttural growls that let us know AnaDies mean business. “Unseen” is an extremely catchy rock song with plenty of chops, and the urgency of Christy Lumberg’s vocal delivery and guitarist Jeff Pyle’s amazing leads keep the listener hanging on to the last note. “Heaven Dying” is a metal-drenched emotional roller-coaster that at times recalls the Cranberries and Pat Benetar in their finer moments. The EP closes with “Nothing,” a song which encapsulates AnaDies‘ entire sound. The song opens with a mellow, dreamy soundscape which evokes A Perfect Circle’s “Vanishing,” but soon morphs into an infectious, heart-pounding, and expressive rock anthem that would even make Anathema take notice.

It’s not easy to make every music fan happy, and when it comes to female-fronted metal, not everyone does it “right.” Lacuna Coil does it right. Deadlock does it right. Sirenia and Echoes of Eternity fall desperately flat.

AnaDies, I am happy to report, does it right. - Jared Dierks

Putting together a band is like putting together a puzzle, sometimes pieces don't fit quite right, and the bigger the puzzle is the harder it gets putting it together, But with AnaDies, they took 6 excellent musicians, combined them and came up with a masterpiece. With the emotional lyrics and beautiful voice of Christy on lead vox, it's hard not to appreciate the hard work from this band. Talia's keyboard gives the sound an almost Gothic feel that is accented greatly by Tom's awesome bass lines. The amazing guitar work by Jeff and Dave really puts into aspect how much work is going into making this work. Isaac's intense drum beats pulls it together giving the music the fast pace that many have come to love. Although I only heard a demo, I definitely look forward to hearing the whole album. - Amanda - DJ Princess

AnaDies is truly a welcome breath of fresh air to the emerging rise of the new rock genre sweeping the country. With a hint of Evanescence, but fully loaded with their very own original brand of emotion and heartfelt offerings made for the next level. The more I listen to AnaDies, the more I fall in love with each and every song.

Great songwriting skills that are sure to make an impact on those who appreciate the exceptional! The awesome voice of Christy Lumberg falls right in step with every note and ambient chord laid in her path. Guitarists Dave Zahara and Jeff Pyle deliver just the right touch, wizards with tone and melody - adding "only what's needed" ...a true sign of a professional! Bass and percussion never miss a beat - awesome rhythmic power! AnaDies songs would not be the same without the trademark emotional flare of Talia Hoit on keys.

This is a top notch production all around, and deserves major attention!! One would be foolish to let this one slip by. I fantasize that I will be able to say I had the album before you knew about them.. - Greg Cataline

AnaDies - from Colorado Springs, CO. A six piece female-fronted outfit. Moody, heavy and with impeccable production. A unique style that makes them very worthy of Featured Entrant status. Check them out and vote vote vote for them! Think Evanescence meets Tori Amos meets the Devil himself! Awesome stuff! - Rock Star Lottery

"These songs are well performed with good show of musicianship, well done."

- Listener ID #229 - Taxi Review