Album Notes

Drag of Gravity: Down

There is no question Drag of Gravity is at the forefront of today's modern heavy rock scene. As one of Phoenix's most entertaining musical acts, Drag of Gravity embarks on a musical journey so intense and so invigorating that fans and critics alike leave concerts awestruck. Brian Smith's vocals, Robert Payne's guitars, Gary Hake's bass lines, and Marc Burmich's drums make up the band's intriguing heavy sound. Compared to such modern super groups as A Perfect Circle, Disturbed, Trapt and Thrice, their sound, nonetheless, remains unique and original.
After the release of their four-song demo in 2003, Drag of Gravity received mild successes in the various media markets. The demo enjoyed national exposure on Hugh Hewitt's syndicated radio show and heavy play on Local and Internet radios (98Kupd, Edge). The band regarded the demo with much fondness, but as drummer Marc Burmich joined the band after the demo's release and not himself on the demo; the group always felt the audience was taking home a "different band" after the shows. With that looming fact and the mass amounts of new, excellent material being written, the need to record a full-length album was apparent.
The prospect of recording a full-length album is pretty rare for a local act. Given budget constraints, it is very difficult for artists to buy enough studio time to actually have a working, usable project. Those constraints were very similar for Drag of Gravity, with one major exception: Barking Dog Sounds, the studio they chose, was their first project to record there. As a result, studio cost was cut down significantly. Also, the band recorded everything themselves, with the help of engineer Allan Thorson and producer Brent Cunningham. The result was a long recording process (almost eight months) and little out of pocket costs.
When the band first entered the studio the project was self-titled. However, songs and lyrics keep pointing to a conceptual string that ran throughout the record. The main theme centers on the "meaning" behind the band name. Drag of Gravity is "the weight of an absolute truth" so album titles such as: "Ditch" "Down," "Black Holes," and "Weight" were all considered. Eventually, "Down" became the obvious choice. Its immediate tie into several lyrics throughout the record enhances the overall concept of the record and, more fully, the concept of the band.
Now, with the 2005 release of Drag of Gravity's first full-length record, "Down," nothing can stop them. Boasting an impressive 14 tracks, the CD treats the listeners to the lyrical and musical depth without alienating the casual listener looking for a "Great rock album." The concentrated effort made will surely prove they are some of the hardest working musician's in the business and they are proud of the record and hope it will speak to listeners around the world.