Over the years there have been many musicians and bands that have had a major impact on the style of music I create from various different genres including progressive, metal industrial, or alternative. Below are the ones that influenced me the most in my song writing over the years.

Progressive Rock/Metal

-

To me, Rush are the definitive progressive rock band, setting the standard for all others in that genre. Musically, their complex compositions and arrangements are inspiring to me while I’m composing my own songs. Once Neil Peart took over the lyric writing duties, the richness of the language was evident from then on. From classic epic songs like Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres to the more modern Ceiling Unlimited, the lyrics are contemplative and visual and often timeless – a goal I aim for every time I write my own.

The first song I ever heard from Fates Warning was The Gardian, which was playing on the local college radio station. My view toward music changed that day. They’ve been compared to Iron Maiden (obviously and influence), but stood above all of the other metal bands of their time with John Arch’s signature vocals and powerful and sometimes haunting guitar work. As time went on and the band changed vocalists they distanced themselves from any resemblance of Maiden and their sound transition into a more progressive and even at times experimental music. During my high school years their music was very much a major influence on my own guitar playing style.

Dream Theater is probably one of the most prolific bands around today. I’ve always been blown away by their flawless performances and their brilliant compositions since their 1st release in 1988, When Dream and Day Unite. Even with the longer songs, like A Change of Seasons, they make every second and every note count, but without sacrificing movement of the music. Listening to Dream Theater trained me to pay special attention to details in my own music, keeping the listener’s attention for the whole song.

Originally called Sanctuary, Nevermore is one of those bands that has strong musical presence, from the powerful vocals to perfectly executed guitar lines. Over the years they’ve maintained integrity in their style of music while continuing to be fresh. I think what captures me most about this band is Warrel Dane’s intense emotionally delivered vocal that seem to draw you into to whatever story or message is being communicated.

On that same college radio station I heard a prerelease airing of the entire Operation Mindcrime album from Queensryche and fell in love with it. When it was finally released to stores a couple of weeks later, I road my bike as fast as I could to my local record store and grabbed it. I learned almost every guitar riff on that album and would play through it just about every day. A close second to Mindcrime is their 1994 album, Promise Land, which was a more personal and emotionally charged sound. Since then they’ve consistently releases albums almost every year and established themselves as one of the most influential progressive metal bands.

Industrial Rock/Metal

-

My 1st introduction to industrial was through KMFDM’s album Angst, and particularly the song Drug Against War. After hearing the pulsing industrial drum patterns under the driving metal guitar riffs I wanted to emulate that sound. KMFDM, for me was the gateway for other industrial bands like Skinny Puppy, Ministry, Thrill Kill Kult, Sister Machine Gun, Godhead and many more. This of course led me to…

Nine Inch Nails, like Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Black Sabbath, Rush, Metallica, etc., is one of those bands that sets the standards for their whole genre. The man behind the sound of course is Trent Reznor. In the early days of A93 (2004-2008) and even in my side project, Agrippa’s Laboratory, it was all me creating the music, so naturally I admired Reznor’s ability to work almost autonomously to do so. My favorite NIN song still remains to be Reptile from The Downward Spiral, because of it’s crawling rhythms, mechanicalness of the sequences,  and Trent’s emotional vocal delivery.

Celldweller, powered by control freak Klayton, is another I’ve admired as a “Jack-of-all-trades” musician and actually inspired me to do everything from writing, recording, programming, to mixing and mastering my own work. The rhythms of Switchback and the emotionally driven I Believe You are 2 songs that define their sound and inspired me on many occasions. The transition from metal into techno in The Last Firstborn and then back again is just absolutely brilliant. Klayton is also behind the sound of bands like Argyle Park, Circle of Dust, and most notable for illusionist Criss Angel’s MindFreak theme song.

Before Soul of a New Machine,  Fear Factory was just another death metal band. With the introduction of samples and sequences it was that album that defined them as industrial metal. What does it for me is the almost inhuman and machine-like rhythms of guitar and drums infused with electronic instruments. It’s what drives me to create a heavier sound with the music I make.

Goth Metal

-

Type O Negative – I’ve always loved the slow, methodical, rhythms, and doomness of songs like World Coming Down, Green Man, Love You To Death, Red Water, and others. I 1st started A93 in 2003-04 I was actually aiming for something somewhere between Type O and NIN, but ended up coming up with my own unique sound. Still, my writing style tends to favor more toward slow tempoed, dark, and brooding rhythms found on songs such as as Priest of Thebes, Stranger in the Mirror, and Isolation, rather than the faster pace songs.

General Metal

-

Over the years Life of Agony has transitioned through several different genre changes, but their most influential album for me will always be their hardcore album River Runs Red, of which bassist Alan Roberts was the primary writer. The songs on this album are just exploding with emotion accompanied by lyrics that are obviously and sadly written from personal experiences of the band members. You can feel the tragedy and hurt in Keith Caputo’s voice.

Sepultura didn’t really start defining their sound until they began experimenting on Chaos AD and then solidifying it on Roots. Integrating brazilian tribal drums with hardcore gave their music a distinct primal feel to it. That sound began to disappear after Max Cavalera left, but he continued the theme in his band Soulfly. On the Agrippa93 song Scorched Earth, I even tried to emulate that primal feel during the interlude with loops of tribal drums.

Others

-

Layne Staley’s unique vocals harmonized with Jerry Contrell’s in Alice In Chains was an inspiration to me in developing my own signature vocal sound and vocal recording style. Although I’ve never personally set out to emulate Staley’s voice, I’ve been told that there are similarities. Songs like Dirt lend to my preference of the slower brooding type songs I like to write. Being a big fan of the Unplugged album has also inspired me to arrange an acoustic version of Fade Into Oblivion, which I hope some day A93 can get around to.

Probably the most prolific and hardest working musician of our time is Mike Patton, who’s been in and/or founded such great bands as Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, Fantomas, Peeping Tom, Tomahawk, and probably many others that I don’t know about. He’s probably the most versatile vocalist today utilizing a huge range of different styles. On top of that he co-founded his own label, Ipecac Records, which hosts bands like The Curse of the Golden Vampire, Isis, and Melvins. He’s also scored soundtracks for movies and even done voice acting for various video games.

If I’ve learned anything from the above influences it’s that in order to make a difference in music you have to establish your own signature sound. Even though all of these have been influenced and inspired by someone before, whether it be Black Sabbath, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, etc., they’ve managed to carve out their own notch in music history.

Working on my solo project, Agrippa’s Laboratory and earlier Agrippa93 stuff, many of the above make their way into my style of music. In the current A93 line up there are so many different musical influences and background coming from each member which will mold our sound on it’s own and maybe 1 day we’ll be on someone’s list.