Others' new CD puts metal bite in vampire mythos

http://www.pressconnects.com/article/20090306/ENT/903060348/1017

By Dave Edick • dedick@gannett.com • Staff Writer • March 6, 2009

Others, "Under the Sunset"

REVIEW: *** (out of 4)

Vampires are to die for.

So we've learned with the highly successful Anne Rice and "Twilight" franchises. And so, too, does the fang-crossed lover learn in Others' new concept album, "Under the Sunset." In this case, its blood-hungry Juliet messin' with love is cloaked in goth horror metal.

The Binghamton band's leader, Marquis DeBlood (a.k.a. Mark Dickinson) provides the creative force along with vocals, guitar and keys. In the past few years, he's worked to build Others' national brand in movies and music that includes the multi-hit CD "Garden of Rage." On "Sunset," he assimilates the spirit of "Rocky Horror," guts the satire and hardens the whole affair with metal jags.

It's the classic love story: Boy meets girl, girl bites boy, girl loses her head.

To tell the tale, DeBlood drives his three-piece through infectious 1-, 2- and 3-minute bites that nip at the heels of Danzig, Slipknot and Opeth, interspersed with some spoken word. Providing down-in-the-mud rhythm muscle are veteran drummer Mr. Webb and relative newcomer J.R. Rotting on bass.

Adding a HorrorPops element on a handful of the 19 tracks is guest vocalist Mistress Jessica as the vampiress, while extra wailing guitar comes in a pair of Chris Scott cameos.

The disc's combination of shoe-gazing goth and minimalist thrash builds the gravitas as the bitten protagonist wearies of the undead lifestyle.

For thrashers, shuddering riffage spikes highlights like "To Walk Undead," "Camilla" and "Disintegrate."

For trancers, there's the Dr. Phibes, keys-heavy "Till the Mourning Comes." Mistress Jessica's siren-smoky vocals add heart while she promises her dark-side Romeo things she can't deliver. She also heats up the climactic, head-tossing "Camilla" and the throbbing title cut.

Scott's plaintive sonic soundscape deeply colors another highlight, "Lavender Sky," and the churning "Eternity."

In the end, "Sunset's" staging mix may get a little Jekyll-and-Hyde, but its raucous panache lives up to one of its genre's truisms - vampires never get old.

If you have been reading my reviews then you know I love Others and have already reviewed their upcoming album Under the Sunset and just about everything else they have done other then this EP. Since Others influenced me to I find it only fitting that one of my first reviews for 2009 be the Others first EP. Others have a real knack for combining metal edged guitars with a dramatic gothic feel. This EP is much like their later work but has a bit more primal metal feel to it. The guitars here are really beautiful have such a nice tone to them while still being heavy. Mistress Jessica's vocals are gorgeous and sultry and just ring with such strength and clarity over the hard driving music. The drums and bass are dark and dirty and hold together the sinister beauty presented here.

"A Kiss so Deadly..." starts with some low disturbing keyboard with some eerie squealing sound effects. Quickly a mid paced grinding guitar and drum beat comes storming in with a slow thundering bass line. Mistress Jessica's vocals do a great job of portraying a tragic romanticism of the lyrics. Really alluring but with undertones of fear. "Silent Hill" has a slow winding groove with killer drums. If you have seen the movie or played the video game of the same name, this song gives that same claustrophobic trapped feel of not knowing what it is exactly that you are fearing. The vocals here are a rhythmic call that work perfectly with the music. About half way through this song speeds up and gives a run for your life feel as you realize "there is no escape from Silent Hill." "And then We Fell" is a gothic retelling of angels falling from heaven. Huge bass and drum groove at the beginning of this song with warm distorted guitar. The verse has a slower hard groove that speeds up and slows down for the chorus. This song just really seethes and simmers with the joy and pain of what it is like to be fallen saint who has enjoyed becoming a monster. "The Lovely Bones" has a gothic metal groove that has a really catchy chorus with start stop rhythms. "Devil May Care" starts off with a driving punked out metal riff. Mistress Jessica really lets it all hang out here and really sneers and snarls in vocals. The chorus kind of slows down into a drawn out gothic drawl with hard hitting drums. Next up is a cover of the Misfits classic "Saturday Night." The music is dead on and the vocals are sultry and have a siren call that seems to says "Hey there honey, why don't you come on over and let me stab you a few times." Other then Michale Graves, Others are the only ones I want to hear playing this song. This EP closes with "Preternatural Surrender" which starts with a frantic melodic riff that changes into a heavier pounding riff with thudding bass. The vocals sound very sinister, and there are some cool breaks with buzzing crystal sounding guitar.

This EP is really fantastic. If you want to compare it to their later work it is a little more groove metal oriented then it is goth but is still a great dark metal horror hybrid. For you budget minded music fans, this EP is included in DVD audio on the bonus DVD that comes with Garden of Rage. This EP stands strongly on its own though, collectors and fans of this style of music alike should grab this while they can or end up kicking yourselves in the future when you don't like how high this one sells for on Ebay.

I was lucky enough to get a copy of the forthcoming Others album Under the Sunset. Now if you read my Others Garden of Rage and Suffer My Love review (if you haven't please do!) you will recall my raving about Mistress Jessica's vocals. While she does make an appearance on a few tracks on this album, guitarist Mark Dickson has taken over the majority of the vocal duties. Mark has a fine deep voice with a rough quality to it that definately adds a frightful atmosphere to the terrifying plot that unfolds in Under the Sunset.

The first thing I should probably tell you about Under the Sunset is that the albums tells the story of a man who falls in love with a vampire and the torment it causes. Under the Sunset has a lot in common with the previous Others material I have heard. Musically the the guitar is still very heavy and entwined with a dose of creepy gothic keyboard. That is not say this album isn't treading new ground, Under the Sunset really utilizes the keyboards here and creates a thick foggy atmosphere that allows you to get lost in the romanticism and horror of this love story. The contrast of Jessica and Mark's vocals is fabulous. Mistress Jessica's vocals provide the slow sweet seduction and Mark's make us feel the tragedy, pain and anger of it all.

All of the songs here are essential parts of the story, and several of them really surprised me in the twists and turns they guided me through both musically and in terms of the story told. The very first track, "The Fallen", left me in total shock. This song is sparce and mid-tempo with twisting crystal sounding guitars that seem to forbid us from entering this tale. In contrast "She" is an enchanting faster number that sucks us in with rhythmic fuzzed our guitars as our protagonist asks the vampire to reveal her true self. The answer is terrible and beautifully answered in the next track by Mistress Jessica. The story comes to a peak in "Til the Mourning Comes" where the Mistress whispers us to sleep with the pain that comes as life fades, and death transforms. "Devil's Due" is another surprising track. This one comes off as a traditional but menacing folk song with tinges of heavy wavering guitar. "Lavender Skies" is another slow beautiful song that is an emotional pinnacle in both song and story. The lead guitars by guest Chris Scott are just heart breaking as Mark's vocals shine with hurt and confusion as the change isn't exactly what we thought it would be. This is when the real horror and terror comes in. There is plenty more wonderful music and story to Under the Sunset but I am afraid I will give away to much.

The DVD here offers visuals to go along with the songs. The DVD adds to the story and creep factor of this album with its creepy lo-fi imagery. If you are a fan of old school monsters movies I think the videos here will really appeal to you.

Others offer something here no other horror band does. Not only is this a modern day horror punk rock opera but a DVD full of striking visuals that is interesting and entertaining to watch. If you have heard previous Others releases then you will definately like this, and if you haven't this isn't a bad place to start!

Ok, where do I even start with this? Broken Vessels is an extremely ambitious music and film project by Others guitarist and vocalist Mark Dickson. If you have read my other reviews you will know that Others are a fabulous gothic horror metal band from NY. Broken Vessels falls between the forthcoming Under the Sunet album I just reviewed and the Garden of Rage LP and Suffer My Love EP that were the influence for me starting this review site, along with being my very first review for this project.

Now if you are familier with Others previous work this album takes apart the gothic and metal parts of their sound and divides it into two bodies of work. Up first on the CD is 7 dark and heavy songs that border on the first wave of thrash metal mixed with elements of hardcore. The guitars here are pounding no frills riffs, while the bass is meaty and solid through and through. Mr. Webb's drumming really shines in these songs. He has a great sense of rhythm, throws down the double bass at all the rights times without over using it, and his fills are absolutely sick. The majority of these songs are break neck heavy with a couple of slow atmospheric interludes, but two tracks stand out here as absolute underground classics. The first of these is "Whispering Winds" which starts with a crawling snake of a riff that goes in for the kill when the pounding of the rhythm section breaks in. The verse is a start and stop thrash riff that breaks into a melodic chorus that sounds amazing with Mark's shouted vocals. All the songs here are great but the best of them is the title track, "Broken Vessels." This song is hard and heavy with tons of changes. The vocals are a snarl of menace that works between the monster riffing. While that it the last song in the track listing on the cd, there are 5 more tracks that are all creepy gothic instrumentals that are from the Broken Vessels film that is on the DVD.

The film Broken Vessels is written and directed by Mark Dickson. The movie is a black and white silent film about 4 people who go to check out an abandoned military base that is rumored to be haunted. This film is creepy and engaging. The grain black and white film works perfectly and adds an authentic terror to what is going on. The film has breaks in the action where Others are seen playing some of the songs from the CD which are used to move the story of the film along. Besides the film this DVD is jam packed full of extras including 3 music videos, a live performance and a "making of feature" about the music and film.

Others have really out done themselves with Broken Vessels. I can't think of any other band that works harder to give you a visual element to complement their music. Definately an outstanding set that is worth every cent. Others are doing something different then any other band on the scene, and I could never say how much it means to me that Others go so far out of their way to make such unique and entertaining music and film.

I was introduced to Others music through a cover of Danzig's Thirteen from the Icons of Underground tribute. The thing that really grabbed me about Others was the thick swampy sounding guitars and the smokey vocals of Mistress Jessica. This lead me to purchase Garden of Rage ASAP.

Before I heard the cover mentioned above and I had been seeing Garden of Rage listed on various forums in "recommend me an album/band' type threads. No real description of the sound. Others get lumped into the horror punk category but I think their sound is a little more unique and recalls that early 80s death rock sound.
The guitars on Garden of Rage are crushing and atmospheric at the same time. Very dense and deep sounding, with riffing that has a lot in common with the GOOD early thrash metal bands. Balancing the crushing riffs are passages of melodic distortion and slower and creepy swamp sounding guitar. The rhythm section here does an outstanding job of holding the atmosphere together. Entwined into the songs are keyboards and piano that are used in just the right way. Rather then overpowering the sound they add accent to the dark and creep atmosphere Garden of Rage creates.

The vocals on this record float above the music and simultaneously caress and claw you. Mistress Jessica has a crystal clear mid-range melodic voice. Besides a great sounding voice, the Mistress here really knows how to work the feel and emotion of each song. It is sexy, sultry and menacing all at once.

Besides the songs listed, Garden of Rage also features a hidden song after the silence following "Powers that be...", along with 4 fine bonus tracks including a cover of the Misfits "Saturday Night." As if an album this good wasn't enough there is also a DVD included that features a live performance, creepy music videos, and Others orignal 7 song demo EP.

Suffer My Love is a free EP offered by Others website. It is very much in the same vein as Garden of Rage. What we find here is wall of thick heavy guitars entwined with creepy atmosphere and soaring vocals. Included here are 5 great original songs and excellent covers of Danzig's "Thirteen" and the Misfits "Skulls." A real stand out track on this EP is slow driven song "Til the Mourning Comes." So why am I reviewing a free EP anyway? Well my hope is that you will download it and see in Others what I do and purchase Garden of Rage. This is the last release to feature Mistress Jessica on vocals but rest assured Others are still making excellent and unique records.

Others
Broken Vessels-The Movie
Horror Of It All Music
www.othersgothichorror.com
Reviewed by: Josh Haney
Copyright 2007

So, what would a silent film look like in the 21st century? What would it sound like? Would it be as scary as it was at the turn of the last century? If you said no to this last question, you obviously haven't seen this little drop of virginal blood.

Others, Binghamton, New York's undisputed kings of gothic horror metal, have created the ultimate visual adaptation of their newest foray into madness, Broken Vessels. The album, written once again by master wordsmith Mark Dickinson, deals with the usual subject matter that Others are famous for; despair, loneliness, fear, terror. But the addition of a long form video adds to this already heady mix to create the ultimate representation of what they are truly all about. Believe me, I understand, when you say that a concept video/album isn't your cup of tea. Some have been really good (The Wall, for example) and others have been abysmal pieces of shit. But living and breathing horror, as Mark and his crew of ghouls do, allows them the knowledge of what will truly work within the confines of the "soundtrack" they have created.

The film, done in sepia tones, complete with letter-boards so you can read what the characters are saying and scratched film stock, starts out with four friends going to visit a location well known for it's disturbing past. Upon reaching the appointed destination, strange events begin to occur than draw the four into the history and mystery of this urban legend. Scenes flow into each other using the albums tracks as rails for this out of control roller coaster ride to Hell. With a running time of slightly under twenty minutes, this is one mindbender of a film that grabs the jugular and tears right into it. And since this gem was written and directed by Mr. Dickinson, you know for a fact that the band is showing the audience exactly what they wanted them to see.

The filmmaking is outstanding, considering this is a completely independent project. You are truly sucked into the feeling of what it must have been like to attend Nosferatu or The Cabinet Of Dr. Caligari for the first time. An atmosphere is created within this short span of time that major studios can't create by throwing millions of dollars at the screen.

As for the technical side of the project, the DVD is chock full of documentaries detailing the filmmaking process, album recording, and other integral industry tidbits. For fans of the band, or those whom Broken Vessels serves as an introduction, there are videos from previous albums and a live performance as well.

If your ready for an audiovisual experience that won't soon be forgotten, than Broken Vessels is your ticket to a re-imagining of silent era horror

Others
Broken Vessels
Horror Of It All Music
www.othersgothichorror.com
Reviewed by: Josh Haney
Copyright 2007

        Being a band and creating a concept/soundtrack album is never an easy thing. Add to this task losing your longtime vocalist, which means becoming a trio, and most bands would just opt to throw in the shroud and call it an evening. But Mark Dickinson has never been one to let little things, much less fairly large hurdles, get in his way. And with the release of Broken Vessels, he takes the melancholic brand of gothic horror metal he created years ago into a new incarnation. Different, but with a dread sense of déjà vu; like walking into a funeral parlor and seeing yourself in the casket, just for one brief second. Sure, you know one day it’s bound to be your turn, but just not today.
        With a running time of only nineteen minutes, Others pull no punches on this release. From the opening track Whispering Winds, which comes across like a lightning rod falling off of a church steeple and plunging straight through your body, to the title track, which virtually bleeds out of your speakers, this album is tight as a noose. Mark even hands over lyrical duties (no small feat when you’ve got a talent for prose like his) on one of the songs, utilizing the amazing poetry of Troy Usher (a man whose dark verses are the stuff most black metal bands wish they could write) for the track Murder, Pain, and Farewells. This melding of macabre minds is enough to send weaker listeners over the edge and into a nice padded room with Thorazine cocktails every hour on the hour. One of the true highlights, Brilliant Reflections, is like a psychic surgeon slowly reaching through your flesh, into your chest, and showing you your own inner workings. Simply wonderful!
But that’s just the beginning of this album. Also included here is the incidental music from the film; creepy orchestral pieces that make the flesh crawl and the goose bumps appear. Honestly, is there anything these guys can’t do? There aren’t many bands these days, if ever, that can make the transition on the same album from driving dark rock to haunting symphonic brilliance (Cradle Of Filth is the only one that immediately comes to mind).
While these tracks create the perfect film in your minds eye, you won’t have to wait to long for the real thing. Others are going to be releasing the actual film (directed by none other than Mark Dickinson himself) very soon. So get a hold of this disc quick; then you can compare your vision of Broken Vessels to the bands vision. My bet on whose is scarier…well, I’ve been Mark’s friend for years now, and I wouldn’t want to share nightmares with him!

        

Others - Garden of Rage Review by Creep Creepersin (Creepsville Entertainment)

i just got the new Others album, Garden of Rage. it is fucking fantastic! not only is it a great album from start to finish, it also comes with a dvd. the dvd is great. it has a live show, an EP, 4 music videos and more. it is fucking sick! i wish every band put as much into their shit as Others does. It's brought to you by the good folks at Dr. Cyclops records who have brought us other great releases by bands such as Diemonsterdie (who, by the way, is one of my fav fucking bands) and Left For Dead. you can get the album anywhere that carries Cargo records.

Everyone out there who likes dark shit should add this to their collection for sure! Not to mention that "Not A Word" is one of the greatest songs to come around in years. We have been on a couple of comps with Others and they are also on the "Welcome to Creepsville" Comp. But i feel that they are one of the most under rated bands out there. they have huge talent and the vocals are amazing. If you haven't checked them out yet, please do, you are missing out!

Others' CD offers solid metal sound

By Dave Edick
Press & Sun-Bulletin
OTHERS, GARDEN OF RAGE

Others bill themselves as a gothic-horror-metal band, but any fan of hard-driving rock 'n' roll will take to this Binghamton group.

They apparently have gained a foothold in the business beyond the Tier, with several songs and appearances in movies, including a vampire video.

Their sound is laden with the influences of such bands as Anthrax, Danzig and Alice Cooper — and then throw in dashes of, say, L7 and Black Sabbath.

The group is capably fronted by Mistress Jessica, who channels Patti Smith and Martha Davis (Motels) in her vocals, plus attitude (think shades of Wendy O. Williams and Betty Blowtorch).

The band's guitar power is well supplied by M.A.D. and E.D.X., who regularly join for a wall of energy. The ROCK-solid rhythm section is fueled by the hard-working pair of Dano Voodie (bass) and Mr. Webb (drums).

Others' 15-song CD, Garden of Rage, has several excellent cuts, probably led by Not a Word, reminiscent of some of Cooper's laments and featuring a soaring chorus. Two other standout cuts — Baby's Dead Stare and Devil May Care — are straight-ahead rockers that barrel down the Danzig/L7 highway. Unkind Farmer drives hard in the Anthrax lane. The disc's other exemplary cuts — Powers That Be ..., I, Vampire, Garden of Rage and Winter of Misery — all keep rewarding the listener with high-octane bursts of mayhem, melody and muscle.

Four "hidden" bonus tracks are a good addition — especially the last two. After almost 50 minutes of exploring death, and life, in their lyrics come a doo-wop gem (about a school dropout) and another '50s-flavored number (Saturday Night). It's a nice, playful touch at the end.

Also in the package is a DVD that contains a 30-minute live show, some song videos (including Not a Word) and more.

Throughout the CD, Others deliver solid metal, pounding rhythm and vocals with attitude. These guys, and gal, bring it.

RATING: 3 FISTS (out of 4)

Others

Garden of Rage - Dr. Cyclops Records 2005

[CD/DVD]

By: T.J.
In the dying days of November 2005, the gothic rock monsters simply known as 'Others' re-released their debut album Garden of Rage on Dr. Cyclops Records. The album that was initially released as a single disc but is now a CD/DVD combo and gives you a really good look into who the band is and what they do. The album portion of the package contains the 15 tracks on the original Garden of Rage plus 4 bonus tracks while the DVD portion has an abundance of interactive features (concert footage, music videos, etc.)
For those of you who do not know these gothic rock n' rollers from Binghamton, New York, you will shortly. Their aggressive blend of hard rock and punk styled music combined with their love for blood, the undead and their insatiable appetite for all things macabre along with some of the most majestic and beautiful female vocals will soon make them a big name in the horror/gothic music scene. The band's ability to create memorable and catchy songs are here as half of the songs on this album get stuck in my head for an hour or two after I stop listening to it. Prime examples are: "Garden of Rage", "Cabin by the Lake", "Unkind Farmer", "Not a Word", "Devil May Care", "Baby's Dead Stare" and so on. I failed to mention my most favorite track on here as it takes a different road and by that, grabbed my attention immediately. "Powers That Be…" is a beautiful and elegant song that fills your chest with emotion and makes you think about life and somewhat enables you to see into things you didn't see before. After the song is over, if you wait a few minutes you get to hear a remixed/acoustic version of "Not a Word". As for the 4 bonus tracks, you're in for quite a treat. There's the Roky Erickson cover "Burn the Flames" and it sounds great! There's an original track from the 'Others' "Maniac" that sounds pretty damn good. Not as catchy as some of the original songs, but still good. The band tackles Grease as they cover "Beauty School Dropout"- its fun and punky. If I'm not mistaken, this song is to be used on "Lube", a spoof of Grease. Finally we've come to the final track and it's non other than "Saturday Night" by The Misfits. While I enjoy the song immensely, this cover wasn't very good. There weren't any backing vocals and vocalist Mistress Jessica has no emotion in voice which is what makes "Saturday Night" such a great song to begin with.

With the DVD, it's put together pretty well and like I mentioned earlier, gives you a good look into what the band is all about. Out of the videos and the audio tracks from their EP, I rather enjoyed the concert footage as the band sounded damn good. Mistress Jessica did an exceptional job on the vocals especially. The DVD is pretty fun to just sit back, check out and enjoy. Overall, it's well put together and a great job was done by all.

If you didn't know about the 'Others' you do now. If you claim to be a fan of gothic music or horror rock this should be a band on your list of artists to get into.

www.othersgothichorror.com

Spawned in Binghamton, New York in the year of 2002, the band known as the "Others" has been steadily waging a war on the world with their brand of horror Metal/Punk. Lead by lyricist and guitarist Mark Dickinson, the band has created quite a following. "Others" have been played on rock stations throughout the USA and Europe, they've even had the pleasure of having their now OOP EP played as a prelude to Rob Zombie's movie "House Of 1000 Corpses when shown at the local theatre house. The band has appeared on several compilations and have also been selected for a few independent film soundtracks.
Most recently, "Others" has released their first full-length album entitled, "Garden Of Rage". "GOR" has fifteen tracks that are packed with brutally horrifying lyrics, melodic female vocals and insanity ridden guitar riffs. Let's talk about highlights, shall we? Title track, "Garden Of Rage" is my personal favorite due to the angelic voice of Miss Jessica and also the crushing guitar riffs of Mark Dickinson. I am also fond of the name of the song; it puts me in the mind of an old B-movie where, a beautiful garden has become possessed by an entity and attacks and eats any who enters it. There is no such movie but it makes for a pretty swift idea. "If I'm Smilin" is another great Metal vibed track, chocked full of insatiable guitar riffs and pounding drums, not to mention lead vocalist Jessica's growls. "Unkind Farmer" is a great track that has a nice Rock feel to it with a splash of Punk thrown in for good measure. "Not A Word" is another one of my favorite tracks, it's mid-tempoe'd and laced with creepiness and torturous lyrics, such as stabbing you with knives, poking you with sticks and the like; sounds like an average night at a brothel in the swamps! "I, Vampire" is the most popular track off the album due to the band's soundclick (MP3) site, it's actually been holding up in the top twenty five for over a year now.

For those of you into the Gothic, Metal, and Horror genres of music, "Others" is sure to serve you up a big ole fistful of darkness to carry out into the night air as you tread into the dark and dank corners of the world.

www.othersgothichorror.com

Others – "Garden Of Rage" (Statue Records), is what I consider Gothic metal in the purist sense. Coming from a time when metal was different than today's standard. "Garden Of Rage" was released in 2004, available through Statue Records and opens with "Descent". Picture dark synth's, whispering, haunting and hollow. It then launches into the first song on the album "Garden Of Rage". An up pace metal number about the dead souls rising on all hallows eve. I think? Mistress Jessica provides the lead vocals for the band. Her voice is strong and powerful and compliments the heavy guitar and tight musicianship quite nicely. I like her voice quite a lot. But, I digress, "Devil May Care" kicks in with wasping guitars and bass drums that make the heart beat double time. These guys are precisely what I would call a seasoned metal band. Garden Of Rage is dark and melodic. Put together nicely. All of the 15 songs fit well together, I am not sure if this is a concept album or not. Up next on the disc, "I, Vampire". Again Mistress Jessica growls out vocals that are very catchy and at times remind me of Jen from the Genitorturers, and it is here I confess I really like the rough and angry vocals as opposed to the clean stuff but both are well done for this record.

"The Winter of My Misery" is up next and is a good song but I am drawn to the title of the next number "Baby's Dead Stare" a straight up rock and roll song. Very cool but it’s over before you know it. I also like the direction they choose to go with it, instead of making it a creepy slow song with baby rattles into it, which is what you expect. You get this nice up tempo rock song. After that "People". This song will be featured on The WHN comp. "Horror Of It All - Volume 1", coming soon. Great song, and one of my favorites. The album overall is a nice piece of work. All of the songs compliment each other well. It is a powerful and very creepy metal album. Fans of Lugosi's Morphine, Type O Negative and Gotham Road will enjoy this band and this album. 7 / 10 skulls.

They say nothing grows in a graveyard, But with the latest release from Others - “Garden of Rage” death blooms like a black rose in a field of common daisies. From the first haunting breath of “descent “ to the escaping reality of “powers that be…” this cd will grip your soul and never relinquish it. The unearthly vocals of Mistress Jessica and the words of Marquis DeBlood ascend from the abyss to invade your dreams with you waking in a cold sweat and a hunger for more. Taken from a line in the lyrics of “baby’s dead stare” would probably describe the feelings this cd will give you: “I love the way she shivers, I love the way she shakes, I love the way she twitches when her neck I break.” So for all you macabre souls out there who want to taste true melodic bliss this is the masterpiece you need to have in your player! ~ Brand New Messiah

The "Not A Word" music video is a professionally choregraphed collage of imagery to announce Others as a pillar in the music that is going to change people's perception of goth rock. With a true to culture storyline, Others create the image that will stay in your mind minutes, hours and days after experiencing the video. They were truly able to capture the mini-movie essence in this music video. Mistress Jessica plays the lead so well it made goosebumps up my arms and sent chills down my spine. "Not A Word" is a video that's a guilty pleasure I couldn't take my eyes off of and had to watch over and over.

"The feel good Album of the year?"...Not really. "The Feel Bad Really good Album"...Definatly!! Starting right off with the dark and haunting "Decsent" Others take you on a roller coaster ride to Hell with their Pounding Rythems, Layered Melodies and Powerhouse Vocals provided by Misstress Jessica. "Not a Word" and "Powers that Be" are so Damn Creepy they will either make you sleep with the lights on or make you slit your wrist the "Right" way! A Must for ALL Goths.
*****

If you like your music dark and your lyrics darker, "Others" will soon be guiding your soul. This central New York quintet has the essence of "creepy doom" down to a science. Inspired by twisted horror movies and an unhealthy obsession with the macabre, "Others" croon relentless odes to death, cruelty, and the bittersweet ironies of life. The band's latest indie release, I,Vampire. carries on where their self-titled debut left off in 2002. The biggest difference is the insane attention to detail garnered from nearly 10 months of recording/editing/mixing at Mansion Audio's studios in Binghamton, NY. Tracks like "I, Vampire" swell with fiendish rage. Mr. Webb's drums pound like nails hammering into a pine box. And the track "Baby's Dead Stare" could go head-to-head with Suicidal Tendencies' Mommy's Dead, for first-rate, tongue-in-cheek, shock rock. Guitarist M.@.D deserves a nod of respect for his otherworldly imaginative lyrics. Fans of his former band "Abalienation" will also attest that M.@.D carves some of the meanest punk guitar licks you're ever likely to hear. Downtown Dano Voodie and evil E.D.X's axe work perfectly round out the musical mix. Last but not least, lead singer Mistress Jessica's powerful presence on this recording, propels the boys' expert musicianship to an even higher level. She skillfully steers a song like "Unkind Farmer" away from cheesy, over-dramatic, death metal as she convincingly sings, "I am an unkind farmer plowing fields of souls." In each song, she seamlessly embodies the sinister lyrics she sings. Whether it's the breathy, do-wop sway of "Beauty School Drop Out" or the gothic gloom of "I, Vampire" - Mistress Jessica always hits the mark. So go see a live show, buy the new CD, or visit the website (www.geocities.com/others6662000) - just do yourself a favor and check out this band.
Written by Jim Falzone Freelance music critic who has been published in the Press & Sun-Bulletin, Ithaca Journal, Music Press, Relix Magazine, and many other publications

Lovely Bones and Live cut of If I'm Smilin'..
Ragin!! Sounds like...well? How about Gwen Stefani run through a de-bubblegumizer, stripped out the cheese,add dash of Black Sabbath to Misfits guitars and a bit of DRI Bass & unlame lyrics

The Others, live. That really speaks for itself. Complete with smoke and cobwebs, the band was in premium form. Percussionist Bill Webb pounded the drums as if entranced in some ancient ritual. Mistress Jessica wailed above the massive sound attack provided by EDX and Mark Dickinson on guitar. Dano Voodie provided a solid bottom foundation on bass guitar, with everyone in balance with the overall sound. The band was well rehearsed and lively, and blazed through songs such as "Devil May Care", "And then we fell", "a Kiss so Deadly" and "the lovely Bones". M.@.D. handled the vocals for some unique Others' versions of cover songs. Their intensity was maintained throughout the entire performance, without any signs of slowing. This is one band that you should definitely be watching as they are never standing still. For more information, check out the comprehensive website at : www.geocities.com/others6662000 for such information such as show dates, band member profiles and audio files. Catch the next Others live show that you can and enjoy a truly unique experience. Billy Holden - 315 Zine Link

OTHERS - 7 song Ep: In almost every metal album that I have ever listened to, I can pick out somthing, even if it is one tiny, irrelevant aspect that is over done. This album by the OTHERS defies the rule. From the opening primordial wails, to the hypnotizing chorus of "A Kiss So Deadly", to the extremely creepy outro, this 7-song EP delivers. Solid, crunching double guitar, pounding drums with machine gun double bass and wailing supernatural vocals make this EP not for the faint of heart. With lyrics (and most music) written by local mastermind Mark Dickinson and recorded by Jeff DeBella at MansionAudio, this CD is chock full of talent from every angle. The light shines brightest on tracks such as "And Then We Fell", "Devil May Care" and the irresistibly alternate "Saturday Night". The Band captures their live feel and energy on this CD, but should not be used as a substitute for a live encounter. If you are looking for creepy metal that has not been over processed and homogenized for the masses, hold a se'ance and conjour this CD into your stereo.