July 12, 2009
Time to dust off the guitar picks and drumsticks once again...As summer rolls along here in beautiful Pennsylvania, the guys have been enjoying some downtime after the three year effort put into the making of their debut album [sensoria]. But one thing that history has taught us is that all musicians eventually feel the need to make music once again. Exhibit A: Ray has informed us that the band is in the process of moving some of their gear back into Hypogean Studios to begin working on some new material.
Said Ray: "We definitely needed a little time away after all the work that went into writing, recording, and producing the last album. But lately Joe and I have been talking about some new concepts, new directions, new ideas we'd like to try. So we just decided that it was time to get back to work on new tracks and getting a feel for where we're both at musically right now."
Since they are only in the early writing stages at this point, Hypogean Studios is only about half as full with gear as it was during the [sensoria] sessions. In place of Joe's elaborate Pearl and Zildjian drumkit, a smaller electronic kit is being used during the demo process. Said Joe: "I always wanted to add some electronic percussion to my kit because of the wide array of sounds and textures I can get from it that I can't get from my acoustic drums. When we decided to get back to writing, this just seemed like the right time to add an electronic kit. I have the ability to work on demos with Ray in the studio and then I can practice and rehearse along with the demo tracks back in my studio on the acoustic kit. It's working out nicely so far and the versatility of the electronic kit has already opened up some new musical paths for us."
While it is great to hear that Headend is back in the studio, we know that they tend to take their time writing and refining their tracks before ever getting to the recording process. We wouldn't expect any announcements for the new album in the near future, but we'll keep you posted when we hear more about it.
June 3, 2009
The answers to the question "What is he saying?"The full set of lyrics from the album [sensoria] is now published on the Discography page. For all of you who have written in with questions like "What is Ray singing on
May 10, 2009
"This is the kind of spontaneous publicity - your name in print - that makes people..."With all due apologies to Steve Martin and his memorable performance in "The Jerk," the band is very pleased to announce the first published review of their debut album [sensoria]. Thanks go to Progression Magazine (Issue #56) and Nick Tate for their synopsis of the album, which is reprinted in its entirety below.
"Hustling the same musical corner as Porcupine Tree, Tool, and The Mars Volta, Headend has spent the past three years building a solid fan base in the New York-Philadelphia corridor by churning out a challenging-but-accessible form of aggressive rock. And this stunning debut should earn the Philly duo wider recognition.
"The creation of multi-instrumentalists Ray Bontempi (guitars, keys, vocals) and Joe Halgas (drums, bass, pretty much everything else), [sensoria] is a musical rollercoaster ride of inventive musical ideas, solid guitar-keyboard interaction, soaring vocals, and hyperkinetic drumming. Lyrically, [sensoria] tackles everything from personal growth to the current state of the record industry. Musically, the album is a tour de force of rapidly shifting styles, tempos, and textures, with new ideas introduced every few moments. That certainly keeps things interesting.
"Standout tracks include the opener 'Salvolatile,' a Steven Wilson-esque track with lithium-smooth vocals that float over acoustic guitar lines, and the albums two gorgeous epics 'Nine Days Wonder' and 'Origins,' which chart a new direction for progressive metal. Can't wait to see what these guys do for an encore."
To pick up a copy of [sensoria] for yourself, head on over to the Store page. We have provided the links to a number of fine online retailers who currently have the album in stock or available for download.
October 28, 2008
Clear some space on your iPod...With the release of their debut album [sensoria], the guys in the band wanted some way to show their appreciation to all of the family, friends, and fans who supported them and gave them words of encouragement during the three years spent creating the album. Headend has released the following three tracks from [sensoria] as high-quality (160kbps) MP3 files to the general public for FREE download:
- Salvolatile (9:42)
- Twilight (8:05)
- Fractured (2:00)
That's nearly 20 minutes of music from their 62-minute debut album that is yours to enjoy without spending a single penny! To get your free tracks, simply head over to the MP3 Download page from the navigation menu links above or click here to be taken to the downloads. And if you're feeling generous, maybe you'd like to leave a nice message for the band using our special Contact page. Cheers!