As a solo artist I have been writing and recording music since 1996. I started small using a cheap Alvarez electric guitar, my father's acoustic guitar and a Tascam 4-track. Time wise, during the first years, composition was almost a full time job. Like most young writers, my first attempts were not polished gems but they truly revealed my lack of restraint when it came to stylistic conformity. I experimented with unconventional tunings, arrangements, chords and scales. This is not to say I completely abandoned the standards of hooks and melodies but that I did not fear stepping outside their safety in order to make my music that much more intriguing.

My solo work led to a number of years playing guitar in rock and metal bands around Grand Rapids, MI. The projects all slowly faded, never due to a failure to create unique and relevant music, but because of the impenetrable scene surrounding us. Despite the lack in success, the experience sharpened my skills as a guitarist and expanded my stylistic catalog.

Currently I satisfy my need to create interesting tracks in multiple genres by dividing time between my projects. Each has a distinct purpose and yields another window into my personality.

-Projects-

Kinamlo:

Over the course of 2007 my listening habits changed drastically, neutralizing the dominance that heavy/aggressive styles previously held. Substantial influence of bands such as Mogwai roused a desire to explore more spacious and enchanting territories. It became a marriage between the progressive side of alternative rock and the minimal cavernous melodies of shoegazer. Many tracks have settled as instrumental pieces, but a vocal oriented approach is being considered for future releases.


Never Ending Octopus:

This project was created in response to numerous requests from the fans of Prymir, an old outfit comprised of Adam Roossien and myself. The tracks were generally upbeat and catchy and featured odd but humorous subject matter. Never Ending Octopus revives these fundamentals while adding maturity, both lyrically and melodically, into the songwriting.


The Sluggy Poos:

The Sluggy Poos was initiated as a project to create a true horrifying experience through the medium of sound. A soundtrack to death and darkness, the style can be described as experimental electronic compositions fused with dark metal riffs and bizarre and disturbing samples/lyrics. The target project audience is those whom thirst for something different, something which can be very harsh and non-conforming and that feels no restraint.


Tonight Bleeds, Tomorrow Dies:

Born from the influence received while performing in the Grand Rapids metal scene, TBTD represents a more structured and riff driven side of the dark aggression which fuels The Sluggy Poos. The project was initially rooted inside the industrial metal realm, but later added faster guitar-based styles.