Coronal Mass Ejection recently dropped their instrumental, self-titled, five song EP. Recorded in less than eight hours, it boggles the mind to learn that such a rich and complex texture of sound comes from only a trio of very talented musicians: Vincent Sorgentoni on guitar, Steve DiEva on bass and Patrick Wiwel on drums. Also incredible is the fact that the band is in its infancy, coming together in December of 2015! Their music certainly does not reflect the band’s age.
Coronal Mass Ejection‘s music consists of cerebral material put forward in a way that is both accessible and an absolute audible pleasure. Listen to it closely and be hypnotized by the layered complexity or just sit back and let it take you away mindlessly. It is that good! Playing a down-tuned Gibson Les Paul Special through stereo delays, reverbs, live loops (used for mono-chromatic rhythms) and other effects out to two Sovtek heads and Sunn and Orange cabinets, Sorgentoni creates a breathable atmosphere of sound. To that end, Vince also uses his two-handed tapping technique as a “rhythmic addition rather than some ego-lead blast off”. There is no doubt that he could shred with the best of them but Sorgentoni has chosen instead to “tone it back literally and figuratively”, going with quality of note choice versus the quantity of notes that could be played in the same amount of time. Obviously, Vince is a mature musician with a well defined vision of the landscape he wants to paint. The band’s compositions are very unique with the sound ranging from compressed and heavily distorted to crystalline and shimmery. Heavy and raw, ethereal and dream-like; simultaneously. Making much of this unique sound possible, Steve DiEva plays his 4-sring, Musicman bass through a Mesa 2000 head and Ampeg 6×10 cabinet using a Digitech whammy pedal and multiple delays set slightly off time with Sorgentoni‘s “to texture the sound”. Using a C and C drum kit and Zildjian cymbals, Patrick Wiwel keeps perfect time throughout. Not an easy task through the constant changes this band seems to thrives on. This tight cohesion of members and their diverse musical influences/tastes has created an instrumental sound that is engaging, exciting and unbound by genre. A real breath of fresh air in a sometimes convoluted music landscape.
While the EP is very, very good, one can only imagine that this is a “live” band. Seeing them play could be nothing short of spectacular and fun. Presently, they can be seen playing on their home turf in Philadelphia, PA but tentative plans have been made to play shows in Virginia, Maryland, New York and possibly even a DIY tour on the West Coast this summer. Definitely watch out for them on the road! With their tight and unique sound, there is no doubt that this trio will succeed in whatever endeavor they choose to take.
Check out their latest EP at: Coronal Mass Ejection Facebook: Cornal Mass Ejection
