ARAMAE

When screaming bassist RickStar built the foundation of Aramae, he knew California was not a big enough pool from which to draw water. He carefully scoured America to discover the multifaceted guitar of Kurisu waiting for him on Guam; the adventure continues with the search for the right drummer. The desire for the missing piece eventually drove RickStar and his comrades to look to the old continent, where the descendants of the ancient Romans live: there they found the magnetic voice of Diego, whose Italian accent magically disappears when he's singing.

Although each member of Aramae has his own separate list of influences in many different musical genres, the guys collectively cite the Deftones, Tool, Metallica, Incubus, Black Sabbath, Korn, System of a Down, Chevelle, Faith No More, 30 Second to Mars, Pearl Jam, Breaking Benjamin, and Borat Sagdiyev.

According to Kurisu, “Aramae’s influences are wide-ranging and each one of our songs has a unique identity. There’s character in the music—some of our fans describe us as hard rock or even metal, some describe us as being more modern melodic or progressive alternative. We don’t often follow a mainstream songwriting formula; we write the music that we would want to listen to.”

Diego adds, “Aramae is sound in its purest form, it is melody and rhythm; Aramae is passion, emotions translated into music without filters, without compromises. Primitives used music and rhythm as essential forms of expression; through vocalizations and stomps they gave free play to their instincts. We want to bring the listener back to this primordial innocence, forgetting about the schemes imposed by modern society.”

“Humans do not thrive without community, so we take every opportunity to give back – often performing at area nightclubs, high schools and even community events,” continues RickStar. “Not only is this a chance to increase our impressions upon a continually expanding young fan base, but it’s also a way for us to show appreciation to the people who mean the most to us.”

In Aramae’s hometown of Long Beach, the community has responded favorably. One high school principal claims, “The [Aramae] concert was a high energy, totally entertaining event. The students thoroughly enjoyed the concert which kept them captivated.” Such comments are common among audiences, club owners, and decision makers alike.

Aramae’s “Primordial” EP is available on various online music retailers world-wide (including iTunes) and the band is in preparation for the forthcoming LA and OC California area shows. Sponsorship and financing is being aggressively sought. RickStar notes the sense of urgency and adds, “The concept of Aramae has become its own living, breathing animal with everyone nurturing it. I’m excited to see what Aramae unearths today, tomorrow and the next; it’s as if I’m rediscovering my instincts. The journey never ceases to be amazing!”