Here at Between Two Rocks, we can’t possibly provide near constant descriptions of how to poison your liver or how to clog your arteries. I can’t just bitch about parking my entire life (hah, I totally can and will). Josh can’t just buy a house every week (he can, I only get paid in hugs).

So what’s left to write about? Maybe there’s some kind of underground movement I’m unaware of. Maybe there’s a back-door, red velvet scene I’m not nearly passe enough to have access to. After months of rifling through drawers and bribing local officials I believe I’ve stumbled upon a topic that is tantalizing as it is titillating; local bands.

BOOM.

Between Two Rocks, in association with (YOUR BRAND HERE – cheap advertising!), are proud to present the first in our band interview series. And with the DPRK’s most successful, supreme missile launch I can’t think of a more appropriate band to start off with than band called…

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Age of Embers

Who’s in the band? What do they do?

Katrina Riberio – Vocals

Michael Cavadini – Keys

Charles Woodruff – Guitar

Andrew Stachelek – Bass/Vocals

William Woodruff – Drums

Try to stuff yourself inside an easily digestible capsule and give me a genre your band belongs in.

AoE: Heavy metal is not easily digestible, which is why they removed all the mercury and lead from children’s toys. Luckily I grew up in the era where lead was a plenty, so we settled on being a Power Metal Band.

Ok, now really. Describe your band in less than 500 words. Any words. Even if all 500 are “banana”.

AoE: To those unfamiliar with heavy metal, I usually say we’re a “faster, harder, female-fronted Queen.” To get technical, were a power metal based band with symphonic influences. We combine harsh and clean vocals depending on the feel of the song, and we love key changes and tone changes, so we’re a bit progressive as well. My musical career started in theater, so I lean more towards theatrical story-telling and the use of different voice styles for effect. The lyrics are all metaphor-laden and fantasy based, with the classic power metal anthemic chorus feel.

How long have you been a “band”? When did you start playing out?

AoE: We started jamming together on cover songs in early 2016 and have been a full band since August 2016, which was our first gig together.

Why are you in a band? Is it worth it?

AoE: The answer is obvious! We all share a love for music, creativity, and a dream of living life as rock stars: playing shows for a living while drunk, naked and delirious. But playing local shows only somewhat drunk and getting up at 6am for our 9-5’s will have to do– for now. What makes it worth it is the connections we make– with our audience, with other talented musicians, new friends, etc. The best part about being in a band is bringing people together through music.

What is your favorite part of playing music in New Haven?

AoE: We haven’t played New Haven, but we’re planning on it. Our favorite venue to play is any venue that can hook up a keyboard in less than 30 minutes (spoiler alert: DOESN’T EXIST).

Important question; what is your favorite New Haven pizza and why is it Sally’s?

AoE: In the interest of keeping the band together and alive, suffice it to say we’ve agreed to disagree. However, our lead singer has been eating and loving Sally’s for 20 years, and is sad to see it close this year!

(Ed note: Sally’s is being sold, but may remain open? Time will tell.)

What is something New Haven could do (bands, venues, fans) to improve the scene?

AoE: The pizza in New Haven is a big draw, but venues in the area could improve the scene by making a deal with the city and offering parking vouchers! Who the crap wants to pay $10 for parking, a $10+ cover, and $10 drinks? That leaves no money left over to buy band’s merchandise– the force behind keeping live music alive.

What local band (besides one you’re in) should the readers check out?

AoE: One band that sticks out in terms of CT bands is InsanoVision. The guys are all a lot of fun, and their groovy, funky, stoner metal sound brings something to CT metal that is truly unique. Others worth mentioning we’ve enjoyed hanging out with: Virus of Ideals, Inflictor, and Crosby.

What has been your proudest moment as a band?

AoE: Our proudest moment as a band to date was getting the chance to open The Webster for our heroes in Finnish power metal giants Sonata Arctica. What could be better than sharing the stage with our bands biggest stylistic influence?

Remember that guy from Connecticut who wrote a song about a sweater?

AoE: The best song ever written about a sweater was written by SpongeBob Squarepants.

What is your advice for anyone looking to start a band in the New Haven area?

AoE: In the CT scene: be prepared to do a lot of work. Scheduling, promoting, ordering, marketing and networking are all something that unsigned bands have to do on our own. Other than that practice EVERY DAY! What’s important is the quality of the sound. If you’re struggling with a guitar riff or vocal fatigue, take a lesson. Make friends, and be competitive ONLY with the musician you were yesterday.

When/where are you playing next? Who are you playing with? And why should I spend my valuable drinking time listening to you?

AoE: We’re delighted to play Cook’s Café in Naugatuck for the first time 6/2 for “Beauties and the Beast: A Night of Melodic Metal.” We’ll be sharing the stage with Sevenspires, Crimsong and Composing the Apocalypse.

You should never stop drinking to listen to us– the more you drink, the better we sound. (Editor’s note: So, exactly like comedy.) You SHOULD come out to get a chance to participate in our set closer mid-song group beer chug (A secret known only to those who’ve seen us live.)

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And there we have it. I, for one, welcome our new power metal overlords.

Check out Age of Embers:

www.facebook.com/ageofembers

www.instagram.com/ageofembers

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