Or Nothing

            This is a world in which the fight to become mainstream has become harder to win, with each second signifying the breaking or blossoming of someone's career. The days of heading over to the local record company, handing them a sample of your music, and waiting by the phone a week or so for the end result has come and gone, leaving every band wondering if they will ever hit the big time. For some it might take a couple of years while for others it might take a lifetime, and for most, being signed will only be a distant dream. Fortunately, there are those that are destined to make it, to hit the big time, to demonstrate to the world that yes, it is possible to make a living off of what you love.

            Or Nothing from Massachusetts, being one of these bands destined for stardom, is revealing to the world how important individuality is to a band's development and with it, one can go a long way. Consisting of vocalist Justin Novelline, bassist Joshua Novelline, guitarist Drew Smith, and drummer Eric Marcantonio, the mysterious and introspective quality of their music mesmerizes audiences with every note. Having influences ranging from Rage Against the Machine to Nine Inch Nails, much is to be expected.  

            "One word that we throw around a lot around here is 'reptilian'," said Justin in a recent phone interview. "We try our hardest to access the 'reptilian brain' which is essentially the pattern detecting section that gets lost in a catchy groove."

            However, Or Nothing's music isn't just catchy, it's highly infectious and provides a mystifying ambience that is both mysterious and breathtaking. From the political side of music (‘Animerica’) to the joyous views of life (‘Live Out Loud’), the poetic allure is sensational. The most significant part, however, is their sound. Or Nothing is a band that doesn't fit into any genre.

            "I'm tired of coming up with 15 genres that we sorta, kinda fit into," said Justin, and for this very reason, he has coined the term "nü alt" (new alternative).

            With two albums available on iTunes (‘Or Nothing’ and ‘The Webs We Weave’) and their most popular single ‘Number Sixteen’ gaining acknowledgement in the underground, their foundation has grown tremendously which leads to only one question: when will these guys get signed? Their talent, the sharpness of their music, and the fact that three of the members are still in high school, show how advanced they are from today's music scene. It is certain though, that one day Or Nothing will get signed and the world will become host to the nü alt invasion.

Diemonds

            Diemonds is from Toronto and is rocking Canada with their deranged hair metal. The members, vocalist Priya Lee Roth, guitarist C.C. Diemond, bassist Paul Mancuso, and drummer Alan Riches, aren't called "the beasts from east Toronto" for nothing. With Roth's voice resembling a mix of Vince Neil and Axl Rose (Mötley Crüe and Guns N' Roses are two of their many influences), it's almost impossible to go wrong.

            By having their single ‘Free N' Easy’ appearing in the ‘Sons of Guns IV’ cd of U.K. magazine’ Classic Rock,’ Diemonds has received widespread recognition which is well deserved for such a hardworking band. Well, hardworking is probably an understatement considering the fact that Diemond suffered from a concussion while filming for the video ‘Highway,’ and yet he continued playing shows after his speedy recovery. However, working their fingers to the bone hasn't brought them so much attention by themselves. Diemonds would be nothing without the hard edge style of their music which is extremely inviting and brings back the insanity of 80s rock 'n' roll. With this and the mixing in of their own sound, audiences are brought ‘In the Rough,’ their vehement EP which is currently available on iTunes. Thankfully, there is a chance that listeners will be able to see Diemonds perform live without traveling 1,500 miles.

            "We hope to hit the U.S. and Europe this year,” said Roth in a phone interview. This is just the beginning though for Diemonds, and this extremely impressive journey won't end any time soon.

            The days of Or Nothing and Diemonds as unsigned acts are coming to a close, but for the time being, fans will have to be comforted with what is given to us and await the moment in which they break on through to the other side.