Sombrance

Sad, beautiful Music with vocals that engage the angels and haunt the soul... A brooding mix of emotion and power that leave the heart wanting more... Music for those who are caught between Heaven and Hell... for Earth Below.

- Jimmy P Brown II (Fearful Symmetry/Deliverance)

History

Sombrance is a band that emerged from the creative desire of Rick Mester to express a more melancholy, dark side to music. Initially, the name was to be Black Sombrance and the sound would be gothic but the band felt that the gothic genre was too limiting. Rick dropped 'Black' from the name and went with the simplified name Sombrance.

In 1998, Rick recorded the demo CD called "The Cold Awakening." "The Cold Awakening" featured several of Rick's friends including Wade Baird who would later join the band full time. He followed that up with the full-length indie CD "Dark Days and Afternoon Sleep" in the summer of 2000. "Dark Days..." was recorded using a record company appointed band to perform the songs Rick had written. Though proud of the writing on the record, Rick was still unsatisfied with the overall sound and vibe of the record and began to put together his own band.

Over time, the band began to ebb and flow with the individual influences of band members and a distinctive sound started to emerge. Sombrance refers to their unique sound as "Dirge Pop," a blend of goth with the 70's haze rock sounds of bands like Pink Floyd in addition to the pop hook of shoegazer bands like Starflyer 59.

The first to join was former Since Hector Was a Pup guitarist Wade Baird. Wade and Rick were long time friends and the transition to bandmates was quite natural. Spin Radio drummer and friend Todd Hurt hooked up next. The three quickly established a great working relationship and began seeking out a bass player. Rob Williams came in to the picture soon thereafter and the band was complete. Rather than reinterpreting the songs from "Dark Days" with the sound that Rick had hoped to capture when he wrote them, the new Sombrance set about writing new material.

The band spent much time in the studio writing through the summer of 2002. Wade made his first move as personnel director and replaced bassist Rob Williams with Jesse Church, another natural fit for the band who also shared many of the same influences and musical stylings. Sombrance was elated to secure their release from Indie Dream Records on September 25, 2002. Now they could play the music that they wanted to!

On November 12th, 2002, Rick Mester released his solo project Ishur Ninku. Ishur Ninku is an Eastern Ambient, instrumental project that really sounds nothing like Sombrance, but is moody and groovy just the same.

The band has recorded and released a four song CD called "Eli". "Eli" was mixed by Jimmy P Brown II of Deliverance/Fearful Symmetry fame. Additionally, Wade and Rick started the Zophim Records label to produce Sombrance, Unicks Face, Ishur Ninku, and other projects.

2005 saw Wade leave the band and be replaced on guitar by Rob Williams, who previously played bass for the band. Rob is a guitarist, but played bass for Sombrance to fill the need. Sombrance is signing with PsychoAcoustiX Records and plan to release the next Sombrance CD called Through Waterless Places in Spring of 2006. Jimmy P Brown II will once again be at the production helm.

In the meantime, keep an eye on Sombrance.com as a complete facelift is in order. Also, check us out at myspace.com!