I recently received an email submission through theaquarian.com website—yes, believe it or not, we do check those submissions—and one band that really tickled my fancy was a band out of Asbury Park, NJ, who called themselves Roulette. You have to love that name because it’s stood the test of time. When I first got into playing music back in the ’80s, there were a few Jersey bands named Roulette. Well, these kids aren’t from that time period because quite honestly, without aging myself, these kids might not have been born yet or at the very least, they were infants. Yes, I am old enough to be their father. There! I said it! Anyway, Roulette is a breath of fresh air to this music scene. Their music is hard and heavy carried by the strong vocals of singer Jess Bariletti.
According to their bio, Roulette is an all-original, female-fronted five-piece that formed back in 2011. Some fans would describe their sound as metal while others consider it power pop. I consider it hard rock! Roulette has audiences banging their heads, raising their fists, and singing along to their catchy choruses. Lyrically, singer Jess sings about the frustrations of growing up in an undefined generation with an uncertain future. Rounding out Roulette behind singer Jess Bariletti is guitarist Mike Haider, Greg Scarpino, bassist Anthony Panduri and drummer Joe Scarpino.
Roulette released their debut EP, BrainDead, back in November. The EP features the title track along with the songs “Fact Or Fiction,” “Screw Your Standards,” “Too Young To Be Serious,” “Speak No Evil” and “Martyr.” Every one of these songs was well-written and filled with some pretty heavy guitar riffs supported by some grooving basslines and colored in with same tasty guitar solos by Mike Haider. The EP also features a guest appearance by Zach Moyle of the punk rock trio, Lost In Society. Before releasing BrainDead, Roulette had hit some of the more popular venues in the Tri-State Area opening for ’80s rock acts like Warrior Soul and Faster Pussycat. They shared the stage with my bro, Don Jamieson of VH1’s That Metal Show, and they’ve even shared the stage with Cycle Of Pain featuring J.D. DeServio from Black Label Society. Roulette is definitely a band to keep an eye out for in 2015. You can catch them live tonight (2/18) at The Delancey in NYC or for more on the band, log onto roulettemusicnj.com.
NORTH JERSEY NOTES UPDATES:
My peeps from Charetta were recently added to a great bill at The Gramercy Theatre in NYC on Feb. 25. They will be opening for RED, 3 Years Hollow and Islander. The gang still seems to be short a bass player since the departure of my bass brother, Rich Mollo. They’ve had fill-ins for their live shows, but no permanent bassist has been announced yet. For more on Charetta, visit charetta.com, where you can also purchase tix for The Gramercy Theatre show.
My bro Ethan Murphy from Scars Of Envy recently emailed me to announce his Damnation Fest 2015 show at Roxy And Duke’s Roadhouse in Dunellen, NJ on May 9. This is a powerhouse show with some of the best metal bands currently on the Jersey music scene. Performing will be Ethan’s other band Apostrophes, Cheese Puff Death Krunch, Stagger, Voodoo Terror Tribe, Dark Matter, Lower The Veil, Ashes Of Your Enemy, Paralysis and obviously, Scars Of Envy. This is definitely a must-see show. For more info, log onto facebook.com/scarsofenvyband.
And finally, for those of you wondering about New York City’s Panzie*—and I know you were wondering—the band is still alive and well and still searching for a frontman. As many of you know, Panzie* members have been using their time away from each other playing in different bands. Guitarist DC Gonzalez is playing in Killcode, bassist Dave Sussman and drummer John Servo DeSalvo are playing in Maniac Rise and now guitarist Jonnie Rockit is playing in NYC’s Metalfier. Jonnie sent me a couple songs to check out like “Holidaze” and “There’s A Devil Inside My Head” and I thought these songs weren’t too far of a stretch from Panzie*, so he should fit in perfectly in Metalfier. Check them out at facebook.com/METALFIER.
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:
2/18—Roulette—The Delancey, NYC
2/20—The Bone Chimes/F-Units/J and the 9s/JENNCiTY/Long Gone Day/Thornes/The Threads—Mercury Lounge, NYC
2/21—Ronin/LEEDS/Vextion/Ascending From Ashes/Out of Ashes—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
2/21—The Battery Electric—Asbury Lanes, Asbury Park, NJ
2/21—Rory Kelly’s Triple Threat—Ryan’s Pub and Sports Bar, Monroe, NJ
2/21—Dead Fish Handshake—The Crossroads, Garwood, NJ
2/21—Killcode/Jackyl—Revolution Bar and Music Hall, Amityville, NY
2/24—Common Wealth—The Delancey, NYC
2/25—Charetta/RED/3 Years Hollow/Islander—The Gramercy Theatre, NYC
2/27—Corevalay/New Day Dawn/Jaded Past/Burial Park/The Foundry—Stanhope House, Stanhope, NJ
2/28—BoundAive—Bound Brook Hotel, Bound Brook, NJ
2/28—We Our War/World Lost/Givethemrope/Alekhine’s Gun—The Legendary Dobbs, Philadelphia, PA
2/28—Killcode/Terror Garden/Armed and Dangerous—Even Flow Bar and Grill, Bay Shore, NY
2/28—Black Angel Down/Mind Riot/Roulette/10 Paces/Escape From Crete—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
2/28—ANAKA/Sworn Enemy/Brick By Brick—Blackthorn 51, Elmhurst, NY
3/1—Sekond Skyn/Devour the Day/Like A Storm/HellYeah—Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ
3/7—Common Wealth—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
3/8—John Rango and Friends—The Hilltop Tavern, Lodi, NJ
3/12—J.Rad/Otherwise/Eternity Fallen/Terra Stigma—Revolution Bar and Music Hall, Amityville, NY
3/13—Killcode/Mother—Maxwell’s Tavern, Hoboken, NJ
3/14—Shore Metal Madness III featuring: Stagger/Scars of Envy/Ominous/Continuum/Cyperna/Dead Wings/Through the Grey/Paralysis/The Gates of Ivory/Eye of Anubis—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
