Greymantle Poets

Our demo CD "The Dark Before Hope" draws on the work of Tolkien, especially the Lord of the Rings epic.

Bethany, lead vocalist and lyricist, is building up a body of songs about other books she was moved by as well--she's a fantasy writer with a penchant to wax eloquent in many forms about literature.

Daniel, primary musician and current producer, plays around on his bass and sometimes a guitar to find musical hooks to build more songs around.

Daniel and Bethany Powell are as siblings that, as a result of being thrown in together on a quest that took them across the States and down before falling into a portal to Japan, and then to Oklahoma four years later (jet lag is no joke), are now as thick as thieves.

Some of their earliest memories are of arguing away time while shut up in the car as their parents worked on a folk project in some guy's home studio. This likely scarred them forever, and in some twisted way brought them to recording a Lord of the Rings project in their very own living room, shutting their three younger siblings out in the bleak prairie winter winds--well, not quite, but we do throw them out of the house for hours on end.

Daniel plays bass like a solo instrument, guitar like a bassist, drums, and on the Dark Before Hope CD even plays Ent. Bethany wedges lyrics into his brilliant musical ideas, tramples over his production, and avoids actually playing piano for accompaniment. That one track, on the recent demo...escaped her grasp! She sings, for what that's worth.

We play Cappuccino Corner, in Claremore, on their Open Mike Nights--every 1st Friday!

We've done some other informal performances, and are hoping to open up time for more.

Daniel particularly loves: Newsboys, Jars of Clay, P.O.D., Relient K, Kutless, Falling Up, and Skillet

Bethany particularly loves: Caedmon's Call, Loreena McKennit, Falling Up, Lifehouse, Jars of Clay, The Lion King, Enya, Anberlin, and Bach.

They grew up listening to First Call, Keith Green, Scheherazade by Rimzky/Korsakov, and country music, as well as Maranatha, Vineyard, and other popular modern church worship like Hillsongs (Matt Redman!). Reading influences also count. Tolkien! The Psalms and Prophets.

We love Lord of the Rings! Our "The Dark Before Hope" project is available if you want to check it out, for a negotiable price. These Tolkien-themed songs include a love-ballad to Lothlorien, a drinking song for Pippin, and a couple that settings of poetry from the text.