Whitcomb, Murcielago and Atlatl

The Band
Whitcomb, though one of Portland, Maine’s newest voices, is comprised of veterans of the local music scene. Formed by Sean Libby and Andy Beavis on guitars, Ryan Fleming on bass, Mark Sayer on drums, and vocalist Brant Dadaleares, the band has created something intense and original, both heavy and melodic, with multiple layers of sound.

The Man
The band’s name, as well as Dadaleares’ lyrics, come from the 19th-century poet James Whitcomb Riley. While more famous for writing children’s poetry, personal tragedy caused Riley to descend into alcoholism and madness, and his poetry took a much darker bent. It is from here that Whitcomb pulls their inspiration—perfect for the epic songs the band writes, and testament to the power of art that century-old poetry can impact and influence a heavy rock band to create something of their own.

The Sound
Art and poetry aside, Whitcomb is a loud rock band. With influences from Tool to the Deftones, Faith No More, Queens of the Stone Age, and Radiohead, they have stepped up and created a sound every bit as large. The music proves dark and melodious, at times a wall of sound big enough to fill a stadium, while at other times invoking a small and smoky barroom. While the vocals weave a tapestry of Riley’s poems overhead, a knowing reminder that this is truly the soundtrack of a man’s descent into madness, it's the way the band anchors the words to darkened rhythms that provides the basis of the sound.

With the release of Crown Park in early 2011, Whitcomb is set to make their mark on the music scene locally and beyond. Called one of the bands to watch in 2011 by the Portland Press Herald, Whitcomb is creating a buzz with their music and exciting live performances, where they leave it all onstage.

But don’t just take our word for it . . .