Clawhammer PR has issued as follows:
Few self-released albums or demos get the kind of international industry-wide praise that MAELSTROM‘s “It Was Predestined” enjoyed when it was circulated throughout the underground in 2008-2009. That’s why the news of MAELSTROM’s signing to Los Angeles’ Itchy Metal Entertainment (IME) and the announcement of the official digital release of It Was Predestined on Halloween, October 31, 2012, is a truly celebratory event.
IME President Ed Fassio had this to say about MAELSTROM’s crosscutting appeal:
“To create anything that appeals across the ages is challenging. Commercially, new styles take time to be accepted and caution must be taken to avoid becoming too trendy. Yet history has proven, nobody can argue with the wide appeal of great music.”
In particular, Fassio credits the ability of heavy metal to attract new fans decade after decade. As this audience continues to grow, so does their affinity to the genre and that synergy seems to hinge on particular songs and styles that fuel the appeal. Such is the case of IME’s latest addition from Long Beach, New York: Genre bending band MAELSTROM, a hybrid fusing of Thrash, Death, Power, and Prog – creating a cinematic styling which nearly forges its own sub-genre.
Formed in the tumultuous fire storm known as the eighties, MAELSTROM took note of the European underground, blending classical melodies, heavy rhythms, and theatrical vocal progressions into a formation that would hail as the top drawing local act of their time. Honing their signature sound, MAELSTROM’s reach expanded well beyond domestic borders, gaining popularity and promise around the world until the thrash scene gave way to the Grunge-influenced decade of the nineties.
While the industry changed with the times, Maelstrom’s resolve became even stronger. Re-constructed by founding vocalist/lyricist Gary Peter Vosganian and Guitarist and chief songwriter, (Julliard guest lecturer, and Guitar Player Magazine and UltimateGuitar.com guest columnist), Joey Lodes along with percussionist Daniel Kleffmann – MAELSTROM was born again. This time, the band set out to rekindle their international audience and introduce their tried-and-true formula of metal to an interconnected, cross-cultural marketplace. This ambition and seasoned ability appealed to the team at IME.
“When first introduced to MAELSTROM, we put particular focus on production quality, use of original melody and specific evidence that their art could transcend beyond a particular highlight in history,” explains Fassio.
What Itchy Metal Entertainment found was an extremely well-networked band commanding over 30,000 Facebook “Likes” with phenomenal musical structure, business acumen and multidimensional demographic potential. Recently named to Terrorizer Magazine’s List of Top Two “Best unsigned Bands” worldwide, it seems that the industry is equally convinced that the world is once again, ready for MAELSTROM.
Through their new relationship with Itchy Metal Entertainment and dedication to success, MAELSTROM is a group fired up and headed to the next level.
“We firmly believe that awesome music is timeless, but that’s often demonstrated in mainstream capacities,” says Fassio. “We feel the same principle can apply in the underground scene and this band is hell bent on proving it. MAELSTROM allows new direction for the label and revives fresh possibilities for the genre.”
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 