EP Review: Cyperna’s The Apparent Misfortune Of Time

With their third studio release, New Haven, CT metal band Cyperna has solidified their distinctive sound.  Marked by intricate rhythms, stabbing dissonance, and JT Stoyak’s characteristic shrieks and growls, their upcoming EP The Apparent Misfortune of Time is a fitting follow-up to their 2014 full-length The Darker Side of Matter. If Cyperna’s music was a painting, the… Continue reading EP Review: Cyperna’s The Apparent Misfortune Of Time

THE SCENE IS DEAD!

The crowd at Cook's for Kali Ma and Cyperna's joint CD release show, Cook's Cafe 3/29.

  It’s official…. Connecticut’s metal scene has been pronounced dead. D-E-D.  Dead.  And there are two main reasons: bad shows and chicks. These days, it’s practically impossible to find decent original bands.   Any venue that’s willing to take a chance on them is just going to have an empty bar, as Mark Cook learned this… Continue reading THE SCENE IS DEAD!

Album Review: Cyperna’s The Darker Side of Matter

Relentless and purposefully jarring, Cyperna’s upcoming full-length album The Darker Side of Matter is a brutal addition to Connecticut’s local metal catalog. Dissonant harmonies, stilted rhythms, and shifting time signatures make for an aggressive sound that challenges the ear but still keeps the head banging. Opening track “Death Rides a Horse” exemplifies these qualities. The… Continue reading Album Review: Cyperna’s The Darker Side of Matter

But Jessie, Tell Us How You REALLY Feel

  So, I haven’t written a real article in over a month.  I blame the new job, the Shoutbacks, Obamacare, my cats… But this morning, I’m putting the excuses to rest and writing a stream-of-consciousness music column.  Transitions be damned! Over the past few weeks, I’ve seen a couple really well-made local music videos: Cyperna’s… Continue reading But Jessie, Tell Us How You REALLY Feel

Working Together: The Drummers Weigh In

A reader posed an interesting question to Alternative Control last week: what should the role of successful, established bands be in guiding younger bands that are coming onto the scene?  And honestly, I didn’t know how to answer.  First, what makes a band “successful” or “established”?  Success for my own bands means that our friends… Continue reading Working Together: The Drummers Weigh In