By Russ Tarby
Contributing Writer
September Mourning is much more than a chord-slashing heavy metal band fronted by a screaming singer.
The band’s discs and its dynamic stage show tell a bold story of an adventure in a netherworld set inside an animated video game in a land of the dead called Mortem. The resulting transmedia experience is both complex and compelling.
And of course, the story has a hero — in this case, a heroine — named September Mourning.
The group’s founder and frontwoman, the multi-talented Emily Lazar, takes on the role of September, who fights for the rights of imprisoned victims. In the shadow-land of Mortem, September Mourning represents one last hope for humanity.
September Mourning will perform Thursday, Feb. 20, at Average Joe’s Beernasium, 2119 Downer St., in Baldwinsville. Doors open at 6 p.m. Visit septembermourning.com to purchase tickets, which are $13 plus fees.
Formed in 2009 in New York City by Lazar and Florida-based comic book artist Marc Silvestri, the band’s back-story is based on a graphic novel by David Hine.
“It’s a storyline that has a musical component to it,” Lazar said. “It has an artistic component to it. The storyline is what holds it all together. The music is like the icing on the cake. It’s very important of course, but it’s the vehicle to tell the story.”
Just as Lazar takes on the persona of September, each of her three accompanists also play roles in the Mortem story. Lead guitarist Rich Juzwick appears as Riven, rhythm guitarist Aaron Hoover is known as Wraith and drummer Kyle Mayer appears as Stitch.
“Our music is an amalgamation of hard rock and metal with a theatrical element and a dark culture aspect to it,” Lazar said.
The hard-working quartet celebrated the New Year with the release of an animated video for “Overdose” and simultaneously launched its “Volume III” EP showcasing another new song called “Madness.” Rounding out the EP are an uncensored version of “Unholy” and “Hiding from Heaven.”
While the foursome is proud of its recorded output, it truly thrives on live onstage.
“I love meeting new people and sharing our music with them,” Lazar said. “Each show is different, never two the exact same. There is no editing. What you see is what you get. The energy of live shows is contagious. The fans are amazing. I figure I am a very lucky person to have the job I do.”
The band tours tirelessly. On Wednesday, Feb. 19, they were booked at Kingsland Bar & Grill in Brooklyn, and the night after the B’ville gig, they’ll plug in at the Greasy Luck Brewpub in New Bedford, Massachusetts.
The quartet’s striking visuals and immersive stage show have made it an instant favorite of festival organizers. September Mourning has performed at Download (UK), Rock on the Range (Columbus, Ohio), Aftershock (Sacramento, California), Comicpalooza (Houston, Texas), Anime Midwest (Chicago, Illinois), as well as opening for Rob Zombie.
