Phoenix, Arizona based Calabrese are taking their newest release, “Lust For Sacrilege” overseas to hit up some UK dates and an appearance at the Hit The Deck Festival in Nottingham, England.
It’s great to see some American acts representing on foreign soil.
Even better, is when we are sending out rock in the caliber of Calabrese.
Think a three piece stripped down version of The Cult hung up on the Misfits but with a much better fashion sense.
And they are all brothers. Bobby, Jimmy and Davey Calabrese.
You know music is going to have that weird, secret club, bonded in blood mystery that surfaces whenever there is a ‘sibling’ based band. Creating original music in a band has a lot to do with vibe, instinct and how well you play off your band mates. No surprise that some of the best ‘bands’ have had relatives in them.
A quick list… AC/DC’s Angus and Malcolm Young, The Allman Brothers’ Duane and Gregg Allman, The Beach Boys’ Brian, Carl, and Dennis Wilson, The Bee Gees Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb, Creedence Clearwater Revival’s John and Tom Fogerty, The Kinks Dave and Ray Davies, The Kings of Leon Caleb, Nathan and Jared Followill, along with cousin Matthew, Lamb of God’s Willie and Chris Adler…
And now Calabrese.
They’ve got a smooth line on a rock approach with a touch of bar chord punk ala Naked Raygun. Check ‘Down in Misery’ off the “Lust for Sacrilege” album…
Having a three piece means making the most of every member. Vocally, especially live, having that thick vocal presence works extremely well. A prime example being, ‘Flesh and Blood’. Calling the riffs and arrangements, ‘simplistic’ is doing them injustice. Raw, basic, solid, complete ideas work well in the universe of rock. Executing with a three piece underscores the primal nature with an even more precise point.
Information from their bio:
“We were listening to darker, heavier bands like Mastodon, Danzig, and Black Sabbath, while driving through the mountains of Washington,” remembers Jimmy. “There was something about the landscape and the music that reflected a feeling we wanted to pursue. We’re from the desert, so the settings of Seattle, Portland, and Salem really inspired us. We decided to get heavier without losing sight of our other inspirations like Roy Orbison and Black Flag.”
Bobby goes on, “On the last couple of records, we tried for more of a lo-fi, in-the-garage punk feel. It was time to get evil and explore our dark side.”
“Lust For Sacrilege is not so much a lust to destroy religion or anything like that,” explains Jimmy. “On a personal note, it’s more about breaking what we thought was sacred or we couldn’t do. We’re breaking down walls and making heavy music, which we haven’t done before. The band is going in new directions. It’s a special album for us.”
As they continue, this band of brothers becomes an even tighter unit on Lust For Sacrilege. “Sometimes, I feel like there’s more meaning to what we do because we’re family,” affirms Jimmy. “We’ve got this instant chemistry that’s irreplaceable. It’s what has allowed us to overcome certain trials and tribulations in the business.”
Ultimately, Lust For Sacrilege open the gateways into a different realm for newcomers and longtime fans. “I want everybody to listen to it and feel like they’re in Calabrese’s world,” Davey concludes. “Our music should take you some place you’ve never been before.”
