Carol Blaze - IntroMonius from Rikks Revues
Well , this is a different CD , it could be used easily as the soundtrack to a horror movie . What I mean is , the mood is dark and eerie as the songs have a very dark overtone . Some of the songs would fit nicely into the background of a good horror , maybe even sci-fi flick . It is a strange look into what must be a complex mind of A T Vish .
The dark and mysterious inter twining of sounds , vocals and background feels all add to be part of a work in progress which will be titled "Soundscapes for Aliens" . The music of A T Vish which started as a soundtrack for a fictional character to be named "Carol Blaze" , has feeling , depth , and intrigue . From the beginning it seems to be trying to grab at your soul and rip it out . The music , that started as the character sounds , has grown into a band that seems to be getting pretty good press .
I was wrapped up in it's sincerity and depth from the get go , I can tell you however , this music is not the style you would want to listen to if you were depressed . The sounds and blending of music and voice would bring even the happiest of people down at times . It does stand up on it's own merit , and some of the music has already been added as the soundtrack of an indie film "David" by Odie McConnell , and to be added to another film being produced by Jennifer Perez titled "The Space Between Dreams" .
As a total project , keeping in mind the concept , the CD IntroMonius is a good start to a career that will go past the soundtrack stage and into the music collections of all who like their music dark , goth , and plain eerie.
( 4 Stars out of 6)

from The Pitt News
By SARAH BUTCHIN
Staff Writer                                                                                         
November 24, 2003
Upon listening to Carol Blaze's promo mix, you might step back and think to yourself, "What exactly is this?" You feel as though you have been let in on a very dark secret - one that you don't totally understand. The songs feel as if they are your tortured, innermost fears being acted out by heavy bass and a probing synthesizer. It's so different that you are drawn into every change in drumbeat. The music is so interesting that it can be incorporated with all kinds of events. Remember when the Druids marched into the library? This could possibly be a soundtrack for their next romp around campus. It's mysterious, just like those hooded rascals.
Lead singer A.T. Vish's voice is very different, deep and sensual with shady undertones. The first track, "Carol Blaze (my mind is going)," has a sample from "2001: A Space Odyssey." From the sound of the music, the "2001" sample and the undercurrent of doom within the song, you can almost imagine crazy, little aliens dancing around the empty streets of a desolate town and burning down barns. It's a song that evokes imagery.
Very different from "Carol Blaze (my mind is going)" is "One Summer Day." The song is very upbeat, with a sound of hope. It's about grabbing onto anything you can in a relationship and making it work against the odds. There's a long guitar solo with a bit of bongo drums adding a little discomfort in the breaks. It's as if you are enjoying that perfect summer day and you begin to notice rain clouds peering over the horizon. In all of Carol Blaze's songs, there's always that little edge that makes things feel uncomfortable. Carol Blaze has one of the most interesting sounds I have heard.
It gives you something to sit back and think about. Make your way to the record store and grab a Carol Blaze album; I am sure you will be engaged.
Carol Blaze is an unsigned local band. Sample tracks and more information about the band can be found at www.soundclick.com/carolblaze.

from Gothic Beauty Magazine

Carol Blaze : introMonius
All Terrain Vehicles

The music of Carol Blaze draws energy from shoegazer, gothic rock, darkwave, post-punk "no wave" and more. introMonius begins with a sinuous, hypnotic instrumental like a cross between a ghazal and a science fiction soundtrack, and from there gets down into a groove that cuts through the dark with hazy searchlights of fuzzy guitar and deep, echo-effected male vocals. Amazingly, all this is the work of one composer and performer, A T Vish. It's hard to resist turning it up, imagining the full-on experience of a live performance. "Find Some Love," "Creeping" and "Carol Blaze (My Mind is Going)" throw their echoes, big black bass and throaty old-school guitars boldly into every corner, even sounding at times like Joy Division or early Sisters. The folkier "One Summer Day" and "After Great Pain" would make great late-night driving music, wide-awake but still watching for strange lights in the sky. In spite of some frequently repetitive phrases that can wear out a point, introMonius takes off and keeps its momentum through an hour of personal, crafted and complex dark rock.
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