Delian League

Delian League Bio:

When David Hatfield and Richard Broadhead began assembling their very first serious band early in 2003 after nearly a decade of jamming together, the end result that came about was far different than the two guitarists had originally envisioned. This is not to say that Delian League has anything to do with compromise. Named for an ancient Greek formation of nations that was best known for ruling the land and bringing forth a golden age of art and culture – and also for making laws and conquering anyone who defied them – the group has transformed into something even more intimidating than its founders had foreseen.

Rich and Dave’s prevalent guitar harmonies (inspired by Gothenburg greats In Flames and Arch Enemy, along with precision-crafted solos styled in the realm of Alex Skolnik) remained in place to set the foundation. The evolutionary process that led to the Central New Jersey-based band’s striking blend of modern influences with traditional metal ideals then began taking on a life of its own as each new band member was added to the lineup. These musicians – bassist Shane Boulos, drummer Joe Dooling, and vocalist Jude Andrade – each came into the fold with disparate influences, attitudes and personal styles, as well as his own ideas and willingness to voice them. They -have forged together with the founding guitar team to create something that is, simply put, extraordinary. Something that a world drowning in insipid mediocrity will be hard-pressed not to notice.

What sets Delian League apart from the countless, faceless, talentless hordes of groups claiming to be “heavy” is a combination of factors both tangible and not. The years and years of practice that it has taken to hone the individual players' musical abilities is uncommon in this age of instant gratification. The result is an oppressive onslaught of melodically - tempered technicality that lays its sololess and riff-challenged contemporaries to waste. For a change, this is a band that understands that “heavy” doesn’t have to mean detuned, dissonant sludge… or that “technical” or “progressive” doesn’t need to be boring, disconnected, convoluted, anti-melodic.

And if you think that “clean” vocals have to be predictable power metal falsetto, Jude Andrade will prove you wrong. His classic U.S.-metal (John Bush, early James Hetfield) vocal style is instantly engaging, sure to impress European and stateside audiences alike. Versatile singers with his kind of range, emotional drive and charismatic feel are becoming more and more rare in these bleak times of rap/nu-metal and played-out death growls. Simply great singing never goes out of style, and Jude’s timeless quality is an ace in the hole for Delian League.

It’s in the rhythm section that the modern edge of post-hardcore/nu-metal inflected aggression enters the band’s otherwise classic metal vibe. The in-your-face approach that Shane brings in with his basswork is a perfect balance to the guitarists' precision, providing thundering heaviness to the bottom end and adding to the dynamic range of the mix.

With an album’s worth of material written and more new songs in the works at all times, Delian League has also kept busy in the New York metro club circuit. Even in this tough market, the group has been steadily building a loyal following. Word of mouth has spread quickly through the Internet, garnering the band numerous mentions on music-related message boards and constant hits on its website. MP3’s of three demo songs are available for free download at http://www.delianleague.com.