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Amulet Resurrects More Than Just Goth Music in Debut Album, House Of Black + White

by Daniel Warren Hill

With the leading single “Vampire” from newly-formed DC area rock band Amulet having such strong visual and lyrical familiarity within modern pop culture it might be easy to assume that goth culture is making a comeback (though, to be fair, it never really went away). However, it would be rude to box-in any modern rock band by pigeonholing their entire identity into one single track, especially when that band has fifteen more tracks featured on their debut album, House of Black + White (available now on Bandcamp). 

Sure, you will hear influences by Sisters of Mercy, the Cure, and Evanescence, but the band also finds inspiration from Reggae and Funk music – proving that the music an artist enjoys listening to and the music an artist produces may fall into vastly different categories. Amulet is a rock band, and each song provides a different platform for the band to explore their influences and inspirations. 

The album, produced by Devin Spear of Exhale Studios and mastered by Conrad Osipowicz of Blue Room Studios, began with principal writers MJ Phoenix (Bass) and Stephanie Stryker (Vocals) writing and collaborating back and forth with drum loops, bass lines, lots of minor chords, and demo vocals; eventually replaced or supplemented with live drums, keys, and multiple guitar layers. Phoenix’s deep rhythmic bass tones become the foundation for Stryker’s smooth vocal performance, having similar feels to Tarja Turunen of Nightwish. The result is a powerful debut album that leaves plenty for fans to discover with every listen, and if the quality of Amulet’s debut music video “Vampire” is any indication, fans can expect an assortment of stunning visual elements in future releases. Amulet expects to release more content and continue to grow their fanbase on multiple platforms while simultaneously preparing to bring all these elements together for future live performances.

This track has been added to our Alchemical Weekly YouTube Playlist and Spotify PlaylistCheck it out! 

The Alchemist

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Foghat Sonic Mojo 2024 Tour. Fillmore Silver Spring, MD March 9
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Foghat’s Roger Earl Refuses to Slow His Ride

By this point in his life, Foghat founding drummer Roger Earl has visited quite a few doctors. But what may be surprising is that the percussionist, 77, is quick to point out that many of the medical professionals who have worked on him also enjoy rocking out.

“Nearly all the doctors and surgeons I know, they all play something: trumpet, sax, violin, guitar,” Earl said recently. “There’s not too many drummers that are surgeons, there’s probably a good reason for that!”

Earl half-jokingly invites his surgeon-rockers to join him and the other members of Foghat onstage at the Fillmore in Silver Spring March 9, where they will be headlining the Rock and Roll for Children Foundation benefit for the Children’s Inn at NIH. Earl, the only original member of Foghat still in the band, will be banging the skins behind guitarist Bryan Bassett and other members Scott Holt and Rodney O’Quinn. “Slow Ride,” the band’s 1975 megahit, is all but assured to be on the setlist, along with tunes from Foghat’s most recent record, “Sonic Mojo.”

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