Debut Album in stores March 5, 2002

What's that Echo in your Brain?

by Jim Keyes (*excerpts courtesy of Echobrain.com)

When vocalist/guitarist Dylan Donkin says that the title of his band, Echobrain, comes from the "voices in my head", you know you're in for an interesting listen. Consider that their self-titled debut is the result of freewheeling jam sessions between Donkin, funk/jazz drummer Brian Sagrafena and former Metallica bassist, Jason Newsted, and it gets real interesting.* The sound of the band is a mix of psychedelic blues and jazzy, jam band elements, but rooted in a hard rock place reminiscent of Soundgarden. These guys have been jamming in Newsted's garage based studio known as "The Chophouse" since the band first met six years ago at a friends Super Bowl party. They have had the ten songs on the first record complete for some time now, but one of the rules for Jason Newsted, as a member of Metallica, was no side projects. In 1999, Donkin and Sagrafena took a trip to Baja, Mexico with musician and artist type friends, which turned out to be a huge songwriting inspiration. The two came back home and laid down some tunes on an eight track. Newsted had just come back from a Metallica tour and called Donkin and Sagrafena for a jam session. Newsted heard the songs and was blown away by the music, especially the song "Colder World". "He just has this music flowing from him. There are people who you come across in life that are truly blessed. They have such a gift that it seems like they're actually channeling it from somewhere else. That's Dylan" - Jason Newsted* In May, 2000 the three went into a studio to record and Newsted soon found that the music he was playing was more fun and challenging than what he had been doing recently with Metallica. On January 17, 2001, Jason quit Metallica and devoted himself entirely to his so-called side project, Echobrain. Now that Metallica can no longer stand in the way of Echobrain's self titled debut album, they have hit the road to bring the music to the people. Friday, April 26, 2002, was the first show of their first national tour and they chose to groove us in the City of Salt, at Club X-scape (formerly DV8) . The show had an unusually early start time of 6:30pm. But what the hell man, lets get the party started early! They blasted straight into "Colder World" and Dylan Donkin definitely showed us his vocal ability. Next up "The Feelings Over" and the new video single "Keep Me Alive". They played a few tunes off their next record (still to be recorded), "Tommy Boy", the bluesy "Dogfight", and the spaced out "Jellyhead". One of the highlights of the show, for me, was the fifteen minute all jammed and bassed out "Cryin' Shame". The covers, "Dazed And Confused" from Led Zeppelin, and a dose of Black Sabbath's classic "Sweet Leaf" wrapped up one of the most Brain blowing shows I have seen in recent memory. Pay close attention to this band, they are going to be huge. And you can quote me on that!

-- Jim

EchoBrain contact information:

email:

Brian - [email protected]
Dylan - [email protected]
Jason - [email protected]
Site information - [email protected]

snail-mail*:

EchoBrain
454 Las Gallinas Ave #353
San Rafael, CA 94903-3618

EchoBrain Hotline (information and requests):

(925)295-0335

Management:
Surfdog Records
www.surfdog.com
1126 South Coast Highway 101
Encinitas, CA 92024
Phone: (760) 944-SURF (7873)
Fax: (760) 944-7808
*Chophouse Records and/or echoBrain does not accept any unsolicited recordings.
[Chophouse Records]