I am thoroughly enjoying the sounds coming from this band out of Hamburg, NJ because it’s unique and out of this world. I feel like I’m at a circus listening to their music, but I also feel like swing dancing at the same time! The name of the band is Malvador, and I saw that they were playing with my bros from Seas Of Wake this Friday night (11/13) at Dingbatz in Clifton, NJ, so I decided to check them out to help promote the show (which I do anyway below in Updates), and I’m totally enamored with what they’re doing musically. I Spotify-ed them and have not been able to turn off their self-titled CD, which features the songs “Pixie Tickle Panty Party #4,” “Oops, I’m Going To Hell,” “Imposters” and my favorite track, “Word Of The Day.”
According to their bio, Malvador is a Hamburg, NJ-based experimental rock band that formed back in 2012 when singer and guitarist Christopher Sella, formerly of the band Tombstone Brawlers, snuffed out locally, well-known multi-instrumentalist, Joseph Sabina. It’s Sabina’s piano, organ and accordion playing that paired with Sella’s vision, which is heavily influenced by artists like Tim Burton, Edgar Allan Poe, and Salvador Dali. That’s kind of weird, right? I love it! After placing ads on Craigslist, they found bassist Edward Sherry, whose bass playing brought a sense of style to their music. Sherry also brought with him a skillfully, maniacal lead guitar player named Mark Sloan, from the band Hatebeak, which brought a heaviness to Sella’s vision. After playing drummer shuffle for a little bit, they finally convinced Chris’ former bandmate and roommate, drummer Michael Bowie, formerly of Drummers Collective, to join the band. With Sella’s vision complete, the music and sounds coming from this lineup can only be compared to a taste of artistic, whimsical alt-rock joined with circus music and a trace of darkness, which simply equals to amazing if you ask me.
Malvador’s debut self-titled full-length CD is currently available for download and on a physical CD at the band’s performances, like the one this Friday at Dingbatz in Clifton, NJ. The music of Malvador is sure to garner the band work in movies, TV and video games. We just need to get them noticed. The band would also love to perform in conjunction with any vaudevillian performance artists, burlesque troops, or even circus sideshow acts. They would be perfect for that. For more info on Malvador, visit Malvador.com. Trust me, you will love these guys!
NORTH JERSEY NOTES UPDATES:
My bro John Mosher and his band Ixion Lux just landed a sweet gig opening for the mighty Queensrÿche (minus Geoff Tate) at Starland Ballroom in Slayerville, NJ on January 22. If you ask me, this is a great match because I’ve always said that Mosher’s voice reminded me of Queensrÿche. Then again, have any of you heard the new Queensrÿche singer, Todd LaTorre? Holy crap! Not only does he sound like Geoff Tate, but he might be better! Their new CD Condition Human is incredible! For more on Queensrÿche, visit Queensrÿcheofficial.com, and if you want discounted tickets to this show, grab them from Mosher and his crew at facebook.com/NJThrash.
Just a reminder, my boys from Seas Of Wake will be hitting the Dingbatz stage headlining this Friday night (11/13) for the first time in over a year and a half. Actually, it will be the first time they’re hitting any stage in over a year and a half. The band’s been hard at work on their next CD, Depth Of The Marrow, which they are hoping to have out early 2016. Also performing the night of the big return will be Malvador, The Things They Carried, That Of A Lion, Comb The Desert and Enochian. Don’t forget to check out Seas Of Wake singer Shaun Mason’s debut solo CD, Our Vicious Cycle, which I mentioned a few weeks ago. For more info on this weekend’s show or to ask the band for their new t-shirt featuring the artwork of Joey James Hernandez, visit Facebook.com/SeasofWake.
And finally, a huge congrats to my bass brother Mikey Ferreira, aka Mikey Trudge, from the band Civic, who recently tied the knot to a lovely and talented young lady named Bea, an amazing artist whose artwork should be on all of your walls. What a dynamic couple they are! As for Civic, they will be dropping their new EP on your ears shortly, or so they say! For more info on this new EP and to congratulate the Trudges, visit facebook.com/CivicNJ.
That’s all for now! If your band is from North Jersey, and you want some exposure, send your press kits to Arts Weekly, c/o Tim Louie P.O. Box 1140, Little Falls, NJ 07424, or you can email me at tim@theaquarian.com, where you can also let me know where you’re performing next!
Just remember….We’re all in the same boat, so every little bit of exposure counts!
Tim Louie is the Author of S**t Happens.
NJN Concert Calendar:
11/12—Four Skin/Cage/Magus Beast/Blue Movie—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
11/13—Seas Of Wake/Malvador/The Things They Carried/That of A Lion/Comb The Desert/Enochian—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
11/14—CAROLINA BURN/Darkness Descends/Stagger/Ashes of Your Enemy/Waldwick School of Rock/The Blessing of This Curse/Half-Witted Dogs—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
11/15—SYKA/GWAR/Born of Osiris/Battlecross—Webster Hall, NYC
11/16—Act of Defiance/Allegaeon/We…Our War/Lethal Affection/Threatpoint/Iron Front—The Backstage at Championship Bar, Trenton, NJ
11/20—Saint Caine/Rahway/Carry Out Your Dead—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
11/21—SYKA/Dragonforce/Kamelot—Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ
11/21—Killcode/New Day Dawn/Ronin—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
11/21—All Out War/Apparition/Spectral Voices/Decimate The Living/The Fallen Prodigy/Robots and Monsters/Red 100/DRAW THE LINE—Blackthorn 51, Elmhurst, NY
11/21—Restitution/Rest Assured/My Flesh May Fail/Batter Up—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
11/21—Ascending From Ashes/Chevonne And The Fuzz/Seeking the Seeker/Strive/Roulette/Low roads Ghost/The Clocktown Giants/Triple Scoop/Black Out Paul/The Foxfires/Far Out Live/Brian Lowe/aReJay Ella/Upstate/Frogg Party/Lunatic Fringe/Parallel/The Subcultures—Ridgewood Elks Lodge, Ridgewood, NJ
11/22—Angel Vivaldi/Oraculum/Sleepless Empire/From The Depths/Ocean Of Illusions/Nautica Erotica—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
11/23—Dangerkids/Out Of Ashes/No Parallels/To The Skyline—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
11/24—Young Rising Sons/Night Riots/The Mosers—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
11/27—Jersey Campfires Production Presents: Syka/Know Your Enemy/Common Wealth—Tenth Street Live, Kenilworth, NJ
11/28—Jersey Campfires Productions Presents: Rahway/Pool of Thornes/Shattered Skin/Bone Devil/Meatplow—The Boneyard, Atlantic City, NJ
11/28—Know Your Enemy/Lethal Affection/Barren/Tango Machina—Court Tavern, New Brunswick, NJ
11/28—Generation Kill (featuring DMC from RUN DMC)/Ogre—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
