UPAS - Band in Yakima WA

ABOUT

UPAS

UPAS is metal with a twist. It's rooted in metallic grooves but enriched with funk and folk and rock and alternative and ... well, a lot of stuff. You're about to get thrashed by creativity. Metal is a growing genre that exhibits more fresh ideas every day and UPAS is one of the purveyors of the new idioms in metal. Tossing in a variety of influences and melding them together with talent and polish makes for songs that are deeply textured and startling in their originality. This is metal to motivate you. UPAS is Gary 'Rusty' Forgey (vocals and guitar), Justin Jokela (Rhythm/lead fill guitar), Mike Voss(bass), Mike Clayton (drums), Ty Rosal (lead guitar).

Transcend

Music is as real as the concrete world around you. Yet, says UPAS, it rises above the everyday, surpassing absolutes, become more than mere reality. Every emotion is expressed in, absorbed by and emitted through music. This enables it to be a form of therapy; it can cathartically function as an expression of one's anger, providing a way to deal with strong emotion, whatever it may be. It is life and pain, the totality of expression in sublime form. UPAS is providing more than entertainment with its music. It's providing an essential social service and doing a damn good job.

Full Out

UPAS believes in putting one's all into music. How else will the music have its full force, say its full message, provide full catharsis, spark the best mosh frenzy – how else will it rock like it's supposed to. Every time this band plays it hits like its the last show on Earth. This band likes to play loud. Music and metal are integral parts of this band's existence; music is a direct extension of their creative minds, reaching out from within them and handing energy and positive rage over to audiences that are ready to thrash themselves into a frothy frenzy. What else would you expect to come from full-blown passion? Without music, there would be no options for life. It would be a case of go crazy or die.

Unbound

UPAS refuses to erect artificial boundaries around itself. This is a band about breaking walls, resetting parameters, creating new paradigms. Originality is required for every UPAS song; these guys shoot for purity and distinction every time. A UPAS song sounds like a UPAS song. These are free spirits all about finding a new way to say what needs to be said.

Fun

Of course, it's important to remember that as much hard work and intensity goes into the writing and performance of UPAS songs, it all comes down to having fun in the end. UPAS wants to enjoy life and their songs are a companion, a direct pathway, to having fun, getting the most out of life. Life is short and should be enjoyed. That kind of enthusiasm is all over every song that comes out of the UPAS creative processes. It's time to blow open the music scene. UPAS is currently working with A&R Select, the leading independent A&R firm in Hollywood, CA.

Review

“Even without the other influences, UPAS would be a striking metal band. But because of the creative conscientiousness of this group, the musical quality is even more heightened. And, it thrashes it just right!” - A&R Select

Screen name:: upas2valkillmore
Member since:: Feb 05 2009; Active over 1 month ago
Level of commitment:: Committed
Years together:: 6
Gigs played:: 10 to 50
Tend to practice:: 2-3 times per week
Age:: 45 years

Influences

S.O.D., Metallica(old), Megadeth, Nevermore, Iron Maiden, Emil Werstler (Daath), Stevie Ray Vaghun (S.R.V.), etc.

Members Of Band

Mike "Oger" Clayton- drums, producer, sound tech, recording guy

Justin "valkillmore" Jokela- rhythm guitar/lead fill

Mike "vossauge" Voss- bass

Rusty- lead singer, 3rd guitar/rhythym fill

Ty Rosal- lead guitar

EQUIPMENT

Jackson guitars, Fender guitars
Line 6 amps, pedals, wireless setup
Ibanez bass, Rickenbacker bass
rack mount guitar amp w/ Carvin pwr amp, Alesis 32 band eq., BBE sonic maximizer...all two channels for two guitars
Carvin, Fender, Peavey & Ampeg cabs
Tama drums, Zilgian & Sabian cymbals
Remo & Evans drum heads
Earnie Ball & DR strings
DiMarzio, Seamoure Duncan 'Hot Rodded distortion' guitar pickups
Monster instrument cables
Jim Dunlop 'Tortex' guitar pics