Freakhouse
Total fans: 640
BEAUTIFUL MISERY, Freakhouse's second release, is one burst of energy after another.The title track displays a blend of Rob's dominant vocal technique, bassist Scott Freak and drummer Virgil Donati's pounding rhythms, filled out with Matt's guitar prowess. It is a song that will obviously translate as well to the stage as to radio. This band is already known to a loyal fan base for its vigorous live performances. Matt explains, "When Rob and I write a song, we are always concerned with how it's going to work live. As good as we want a CD to sound, rock and roll is really about playing in front of the audience. "The techno influenced "Love Hates Me" is a touch mellower than the other songs on BEAUTIFUL MISERY, but the unique rhythms just behind the vocals give the song enough energy to fit perfectly with the rest of the songs on the album. Matt Clark showcases his own blistering guitar technique on "Peel Away The Skin" while Rob growls out the lyrics. This song is an all-out attack that shows the band members' love for 70's heavy metal as well as more recent art rock. Formed in the late 90's in Austin, Texas, FREAKHOUSE quickly built an intensely devoted following from their live performances. Word of mouth spread about the band and they were immediately signed to a deal. Their first EP, "Subculture Revolution" spent 13 weeks in the top 10 of R&R's Rock Specialty Show chart. A move to Los Angeles, the addition of well-known drummer, Virgil Donati (Steve Vai, Planet X), and their first U.S. tour started to establish the band in the minds of the fans, industry and critics. Now, with their second release, this time on Reality Entertainment , FREAKHOUSE are ready to take things to the next level. "When Matt and I put the band together, "says Rob, "we looked for two things - we wanted to play with good musicians, and we wanted to play with guys who are as committed to what we're doing as we are. None of us are going to give up until we succeed. The CD proves that these four guys put the same enthusiasm into everything they do - recording, playing live and their work ethic. Reality Entertainment CEO, Warren Croyle grabbed the band in mid-2002 and took them immediately into the studio where he and producer Joe Floyd started working on BEAUTIFUL MISERY. ³FREAKHOUSE is one of those bands that just do it all well - songwriting, playing, performing. It was a no-brainer for me to go after them and after working with them, Joe and I both realize that we're standing on the threshold of a monstrous career." The band parted ways with Virgil Donati before embarking on the 2004 Harsh Reality Tour and brought new powerhouse drummer Sean Topham into the fold to create the strongest incarnation of Freakhouse to date.
