February 16, 2005
Top 5 Underground Unsigned Pysch Freakout Bands in New York City

Take a peek behind the veil of secrecy surrounding the wild underground of NYC's strangest and best unsigned bands by the mysterious Zero 1... our underground reporter from the lower depths of Hell's Kitchen...

1. The Plastic FanTastics
Take one part 70’s glam / punk rock, one part 80’s new wave and metal, and one part 90’s industrial and you’ve got The Plastic FanTastics. Singer/songwriter |ione| fronts this band of “wicked virtuoso” through a mind warping trip of influences. Their first official release, side A, is as creative compositionally as it is in its production. Intelligent arrangements and catchy hooks make these heavy and ultimately dark songs very easy to digest. (www.theplasticfantastics.com)

2. Transit Belle
If you like high-energy indie rock a la At The Drive-In/The Mars Volta/Sparta, then you’ll love Transit Belle. This trio packs more punch than a nuclear power plant! (You will address me as) Commander alone is worth the price of their EP. (www.transitbelle.com)

3. Aikostar
When you raise a boy on Frank Zappa, King Crimson and John Zorn then expose him to heavy metal, Aikostar is what happens. Vast dynamics, odd meters, tormenting vocals and a stick bass make this a band you will not soon forget. It kind of assaults your ears the way a female fronted Tool would. (www.aikostar.com)

4. Parthenia
This string quartet performs everything, from renaissance pieces to contemporary compositions from obscure composers, in peculiar locations. Never amplified, Parthenia always selects great sounding halls and churches, relying on the room’s natural reverberations to envelop the listener and lull him into a state of contemplation. (www.parthenia.org)

5. Maggie Kim & 17 Red
Pretty polished pop tunes put Maggie Kim & 17 Red on this list. Rocker at heart, but pop star in public, the very seductive Maggie Kim always guarantees a sexy evening. But watch out, she’s got the talent to back it up. (www.maggiekim.com)

Posted by usounds at February 16, 2005 11:37 PM

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