underground scenes & bands

Liftpoint was an alternative metal and hard rock band originating from the Chicago, Illinois underground music scene in the early 2000s. Known for their heavy rhythms, melodic drive, and post-grunge edge, the group featured drummer Dean Bernardini (who later gained prominent recognition as the longtime bassist and backing vocalist for Chevelle) alongside core members Lucas Guariglia and Kevin Lewis (ex-Factory 81). Emerging through regional live circuits, self-released demo CD-Rs, and promotional samplers, the band refined a dynamic, aggressive sound that culminated in their 2006 full-length album, Until the Drive Is Dead. Recorded at Reel Sounds Studios in Skokie, Illinois, the record showcased their blend of driving percussion, thick guitar work, and atmospheric arrangements on tracks such as "Pressure (Jude)," "Phase (For the Young)," and the title track, cementing Liftpoint's place as a notable fixture in the mid-2000s Midwest hard rock landscape.

On a wintry evening in 2007, a spark of optimism was the only sensation that felt anything like warmth. In the grand ballroom of an abandoned mansion – secluded within the snowy woods of the Indiana countryside – the room temperature seemed colder than it was outside. Every breath haunted the icy air, as microphones were set and computers were adapted to wall outlets – likely wired in the early nineteen hundreds. The gorgeous orchestrations of Nat King Cole - whirring from vinyl to speakers in aged disrepair - were the last sounds to reverberate through this, now desolate, estate. Tonight, this forgotten space would echo once more. This was the ideal setting for URBANITES to begin recording their exceptional debut - ‘A Ghost in the Electric City’ EP. Multi-instrumentalists, songwriters and long time friends - Bradley Briggs, Steven Burkholder, DJ Field, and Jeremy Schering convened for their first rehearsal on October 3rd of 2008. Taking the better part of the previous year to complete, ‘A Ghost’ was more or less assembled in the studio from different ideas contributed by the band’s individuals and passed back and forth from computer to computer. Despite a lack of proximity in the creative process, the end result was very cohesive. So, on this early autumn evening, the four gathered in a room, unified, with their instruments - determined to become as substantial, live, as they were in the studio.