Dead Sea Souls
Dead Sea Souls Band LogoWebsites
Members
- Michael Raphael - Vocals
- Josh Young - Guitar
- Rob DeStefano - Drums
- Matthew White - Bass
Biography
From their bio page:Dead Sea Souls is a band with a different vision. It is a vision that sees music as an art form, more than a party soundtrack. It is a vision that sees music as the ultimate expression of the soul. As such, it is a band that creates passionate songs evoking atmosphere and mood and provoking thought, emotion, and energy. Its goal is to put the listener into the song, so that the song becomes an experience for the listener, rather than mere background noise.
The group consists of songwriters with a variety and depth of experiences and influences and a unified vision for creating music that moves people. As you might expect from such a group, the music is eclectic. You cannot slap a label on the sound or put it in a box.
Though in any given performance you may hear hints of many musical genres, the DSS sound is primarily influenced by groups like Bauhaus, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, The Cure, Depeche Mode, The Doors, Janes Addiction, Joy Division, Nine Inch Nails, The Smiths, Tool, and U2. The music probably dwells more in shadows than in light, but DSS are optimists who try to shine a light in the darkness whenever possible. Their lyrics are primarily about relationships-- relationships between lovers and friends, with divinity, or with the self. They are specific enough to be understandable, but vague enough to leave it open to personal interpretation.
Before Dead Sea Souls formed, lead vocalist Michael Raphael had an idea to form an original band that would combine elements of Ambient, Gothic, Indie, Industrial, Pop, Rock, Tribal, and World music. It was an ambitious idea, but one that he believed could work. He discovered Josh Young while listening to local artists on mp3.com. Josh's D.I.Y. songs and soundscapes impressed Michael, who asked Josh in December 2002 if he would consider working with a vocalist. After months of writing and rehearsing together and with other musicians, the two agreed to the name Dead Sea Souls in March 2004. Shortly thereafter in June, drummer Rob DeStefano responded to an ad and was soon taken on as a full-time member. After a prolonged search, Matthew White was brought on board the following June to complete the lineup.
The group consists of songwriters with a variety and depth of experiences and influences and a unified vision for creating music that moves people. As you might expect from such a group, the music is eclectic. You cannot slap a label on the sound or put it in a box.
Though in any given performance you may hear hints of many musical genres, the DSS sound is primarily influenced by groups like Bauhaus, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, The Cure, Depeche Mode, The Doors, Janes Addiction, Joy Division, Nine Inch Nails, The Smiths, Tool, and U2. The music probably dwells more in shadows than in light, but DSS are optimists who try to shine a light in the darkness whenever possible. Their lyrics are primarily about relationships-- relationships between lovers and friends, with divinity, or with the self. They are specific enough to be understandable, but vague enough to leave it open to personal interpretation.
Before Dead Sea Souls formed, lead vocalist Michael Raphael had an idea to form an original band that would combine elements of Ambient, Gothic, Indie, Industrial, Pop, Rock, Tribal, and World music. It was an ambitious idea, but one that he believed could work. He discovered Josh Young while listening to local artists on mp3.com. Josh's D.I.Y. songs and soundscapes impressed Michael, who asked Josh in December 2002 if he would consider working with a vocalist. After months of writing and rehearsing together and with other musicians, the two agreed to the name Dead Sea Souls in March 2004. Shortly thereafter in June, drummer Rob DeStefano responded to an ad and was soon taken on as a full-time member. After a prolonged search, Matthew White was brought on board the following June to complete the lineup.
