Bipolar Official Site
Bipolar @ MySpace
Lead Vocals: Patrick Michaelis
Lead Guitar: Mark Petronis
Rhythm Guitar/Vocals: David Tyo
Bass Guitar: John Durden
Drums & Percussion: Peter James
The Inside Pulse: In the winter of 2004, Dave, John and Peter, the established “groove section,” began their search for the perfect lead guitarist and vocalist to front the band. While looking, the three man team gradually crafted rhythm tracks that would later be featured on their debut EP, Disorder. Patrick heard about the lead singer opening from a talent scout, and moved to New York’s Capital Region from Montana to join the group. The final piece of the puzzle, its “soul,” was discovered when Mark signed on as lead guitarist a short time later.
Bipolar have cornered the melodic/hard rock market in Upstate New York, where they have played gigs with national acts such as Lo Pro, Seven Wiser, and Shinedown. There is no refuting Bipolar’s success on their home turf, where they routinely perform in front of sell-out crowds, but as the band begins to fight for national attention, they needed to draw attention to the talent and craft they possess. Rupture is a snarling blend of swagger and steel, “cock rock” at it’s essence, with dark, powerful metal riffs married to lyrics that are, at times, as poignant as they are backbreaking. By blending obvious elements of hard rock and metal with subtle nuances of classical music, jazz, and pop, they’ve crafted a unique sound that is palatable for any music/rock fan.
Positives: Maturity. The growth from Disorder to Rupture is amazing. The depth of the lyrics, the heavier bass and guitar riffs show the maturity that this quintet is gaining every time they play together.
Patrick Michaelis’ voice MUST be heard live to be appreciated. The ease and power at which his vocals are delivered rival some of the more powerful voices in rock history: Bruce Dickinson (in his prime), Eddie Vedder, Ian Gillan, and Scott Weiland.
“As I Bleed,” “40/140,” “Path,” “Chemical Dream,” and “Miscomm,” will surely get stuck in your head.
The opening riff on “As I Bleed.”
Negatives: The moments where the mix sounds muffled make me want to cry. There are instances where the drums vanish into the tracks. That’s about it.
Cross-breed: Shinedown, Alice in Chains, Avenged Sevenfold, Black Label Society, Rage Against The Machine, Fuel.
Reason to buy: Are you a fan of good, melodic rock? Buy this album. Do you like supporting artists on the rise? Buy this album! This album gives you goose bumps, makes your hair stand on end, kicks you in the face, and gently offers to help you back to your feet. You WON’T find it in stores (yet!), so click those links!
(Side Note: For those in the Metropolitan New York area, Bipolar will be performing this Saturday, March 11th, at the Continental. Evidently, they are going on at midnight, so that gives you plenty of time to get drink, get sloppy, and show up for what will surely be a kick ass set. If you are interested in more info, head to BipolarMusic.com)
