{"id":700,"date":"2016-09-06T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-09-06T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.nysmusic.com\/2016\/2016\/09\/06\/hearing-aide-ampevene-rometheu\/"},"modified":"2016-09-06T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2016-09-06T00:00:00","slug":"hearing-aide-ampevene-rometheu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.nysmusic.com\/2016\/2016\/09\/06\/hearing-aide-ampevene-rometheu\/","title":{"rendered":"Hearing Aide: Ampevene ‘Rometheu’"},"content":{"rendered":"

12 minutes and 30 seconds. That\u2019s how long it takes to listen\u00a0to Ampevene\u2019s new EP, Rometheu<\/em>. But that\u2019s not the total sum of each of the songs; it\u2019s just one extended track!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"AmpeveneAmpevene<\/a> is a band that stemmed from Gabe Stallman\u2019s solo project as a guitarist. \u00a0Now the full band consists of Gabe Stallman on guitar and vocals, Mack Hogan on bass, Bob Morris on drums, and Ava Smith on keys, and Jeff Nania on saxophone. \u00a0The progressive rock group is based in Albany, so it wasn\u2019t too far to the studio, The Recording Company, in Esperance, NY.<\/span><\/p>\n

It’s not clear by the song why it’s called “Rometheu,” but it is the word “Prometheus” without the first and\u00a0last letter… Perhaps the song was inspired by Greek mythology?<\/span><\/p>\n

Rometheu\u00a0<\/em>starts out with a rock blues that\u2019s very guitar and bass ostinato heavy. The beginning is not in standard 4\/4 time, but rather it\u2019s written with a 6\/8 feel – where the first and fourth beat are emphasized in each measure. This helps give the track a flowing groove. At around 2:47, the mode shifts into a fast 4\/4, really driving the piece forward.<\/span><\/p>\n

The lyrics are posted to accompany the track on Bandcamp<\/a>, which is immensely helpful. The lines don\u2019t seem to relate directly to one another in a story; the emphasis and poetry are behind each individual line. There are only vocals in\u00a0the first quarter and very end of the song; it’s clear the music drives this track.<\/span><\/p>\n

The crazy guitar riffs and multi-instrument improvisation are awesome and the instruments sound flawless showcasing their melodic riffs. \u00a0There\u2019s a point where there is a lack of a clear tonal center, and the band just creates a powerful wall of sound. \u00a0At around 6:07, a slower groove is established without saxophone at first to allow the audience to breathe after the more intense section. \u00a0It is here where the piano is high in the mix complementing the haunting guitar melodies. The experimentation with the guitar distortion, some organ sounds, and smooth saxophone is quite soothing and fun to listen to.<\/span><\/p>\n

The coolest part of this track is the juxtaposition between musical ideas\/styles. It makes the piece dynamic and engaging throughout. \u00a0The slow section is immediately followed by a short, quicker ending featuring a quick line of lyrics. <\/span>Rometheu<\/em> is very impressive from a compositional standpoint as well as a musicianship standpoint. \u00a0It’s a track you can’t help but jam along to.<\/p>\n

Listen to it on bandcamp here<\/a>.<\/p>\n