THE CRYING SPELL  

   There was a time when the goal of just about every rock band was to get a song on the radio. But somewhere along the way, some bands began finding it almost shameful to list that as their top priority. Not The Crying Spell. Hailing from Seattle, this newly formed group is bursting at the seams with songs that automatically stick in your brain and won't let go – in other words, songs that would sound absolutely perfect pumping out of your radio. And this is quite evident throughout their debut release, the seven-track EP, ' Through Hell to Heaven I.' "I think we have a very different sound from what's on the radio now - a hybrid of many styles," explains the group's singer/guitarist, Len Hotrum. "We don't follow anyone's formula - it's totally our own, but it's still very radio and I think it's a fresh sound."
           
    In addition to Hotrum, the Crying Spell is comprised of guitarist Eric Snyder, bassist Yanni "Johnny" Bacolas, and drummer Chase Culp. And according to Culp, the group's formation was almost accidental. "The Crying Spell came together two years ago during our breaks from our other band's tours, when Eric played Len a couple of songs he had written that he felt his other band [Snyder and Bacolas' are in another band together] wouldn't like. So Len asked if he could sing over them. Shortly after that, Len and Eric got together and would write about a song a night. After about six or seven songs, they asked me to come lay real drums on them and Johnny to play bass. As the demos leaked out, we knew we had something with the strong response and the repeated phone calls from our friends. We then decided to start rehearsing and start the band."
           
    Straight away, the group experienced a songwriting frenzy – eventually coming up with nearly two album's worth of material. But instead of doing the unthinkable and issuing a double disc debut album, the quartet came up with an alternative plan. "We are doing a trilogy of EP's," explains Snyder. "That way, we are always staying fresh in the fans' eyes. We now have 33 songs, but we want to keep writing. We figure it would be a good idea to write as much as we can while we are still broke and hungry!" And instead of waiting to find the right record label during an era where the future of the recording industry is up in the air, The Crying Spell have opted to release these trio of EP's every four months via iTunes, their Myspace site and official band site, as well as other digital distributors (i.e. Rhapsody, ect), over the next year – with ' Through Hell to Heaven I,' available for purchase on July 9th.
           
    Overseeing the recording is a producer that is no stranger to rock fans worldwide – Kelly Gray – who has worked with the likes of Candlebox, Brother Cane, Three Doors Down, and Queensryche, among others."Working with Kelly on this record was very inspiring," recalls Bacolas. "He really put his heart into it. He was acting much like a coach in the studio, constantly leaving the control room and coming into the main recording room were we were all set-up, jamming. He would come in to motivate us, push us harder, and really try to get a vibe and a feeling across. It was cool to see him so into the record."
           
    The end result is an album that draws upon an interesting mix of influences, according to Culp. "I feel that our band fits well with artists such as the Killers, the Bravery, Muse, and bands of the early 80's, such as the Cure, Depeche Mode, and Joy Division - but with more of a rock flare." The first song the group ever penned – the Velvet Revolver meets Cheap Trick-esque standout, "Tattooed Girl" - serves as the perfect intro to the band (with an absolutely infectious chorus). However, Bacolas has a few additional favorites. "I love the energy of 'Suicide Woman.' It's dirty, slutty rock n' roll, and I love it. The song 'Speakerphone' has a really cool haunting quality about it - it reminds me of a wintry song, it has that darker feel. I think the melody is beautiful, and it's constantly one of my favorites. The song 'Perfect' is one of my favs because of the philosophy behind the message - everything is perfect, no matter how seemingly bad things seem to be. Events in our life are for our benefit. All events. This is a positive message that can be lost and forgotten."
           
    And while the group's knack for tuneful hard rock is on display throughout ' Through Hell to Heaven I,' it's on the concert stage where The Crying Spell truly shine. "Fans can expect to see a wide range of songs," says Snyder. "We have slow, vibey songs, rockin' tunes, and a wide range of instrumentations - from Greek bouzouki, to cello, to atmospheric guitars. We try to spice it up with things like female shadow dancers. We will be trying new visual things to keep the same fans coming back to each show."
           
    With plans to tour in support of ' Through Hell to Heaven I' and its forthcoming other releases, Hotrum says he and his bandmates have adopted an 'enjoy it as it comes' attitude to rock stardom. "As for future plans, I don't want to give away too much too soon. Let's just see where life takes us." And lastly, Bacolas answers the most obvious question – just what exactly is a 'Crying Spell'? "It doesn't have any specific meaning. Personally, I liked its ring. It has a mysterious and sensitive sound to it, kinda like the music…"