Working on new material - March 23, 2010
ARZ is currently working on some new material for an upcoming album, and are finalizing the release of their album Turn of the Tide. Stay tuned for more news about the album!
ARZ: Home
Welcome to the ARZ universe
ARZ is a Portland-based prog rock duo that blends elements of metal, classical, and world music into sonic tales embodying literary and spiritual themes. They sound like a cross between Yes, Rush, and Emerson Lake & Palmer, and weave guitar textures of hard-edged distortion, classical fingerstyle technique, crystalline acoustic, powerful rock vocals, layered against classic percussion sounds and thumping double bass beats. They're fusing the great music from the past: 70s prog rock, jazz, classical, and world music using the technology of today. The grandness of the sound created by two people is made possible by the use of technology to allow the drummer to play orchestral percussion and keyboards along with drums, and allowing the guitarist to play other instruments through the use of a MIDI controller.
Led Zeppelin Tribute Band Formed - October 27, 2009
How Ramble On Formed
Steve Adams http://www.myspace.com/steveadamsarz had been interested in forming a tribute band for a while, and since his main guitar gods are Steve Howe and Jimmy Page, he wanted to consider doing a Led Zeppelin tribute band. Since he had already been in a Yes tribute band with the singer Rich Ray http://www.myspace.com/176211180 , he knew that he was a talented singer, and would do a great job with a Led Zeppelin tribute. Steve and Merrill Hale http://www.myspace.com/merrillhale the drummer have also worked together in several projects, including ARZ (progressive rock duo) http://www.thearzuniverse.com/ , and All Good People (Yes tribute band) http://www.myspace.com/yesallgoodpeople . Merrill also loves Led Zeppelin, and John Bonham was one of his earliest drum idols. He spent his teenage years playing a lot of Led Zeppelin tunes, and so doing this project was a natural for him, since he had already gotten to know the intricacies of all of the fills and so on. And Chael Emmett the bass player from the Tina S. Marie band http://www.myspace.com/tinaemmett also knows the group, having been involved in supporting each others projects, and socially as well. The group is excited to start this new project, and at their first practice, Merrill’s wife Karen was pleasantly surprised at how polished their sound was already, considering it was only their first rehearsal. Ramble On is excited to start playing shows around ....Portland...., and share their love for Led Zeppelin.
Steve Adams http://www.myspace.com/steveadamsarz had been interested in forming a tribute band for a while, and since his main guitar gods are Steve Howe and Jimmy Page, he wanted to consider doing a Led Zeppelin tribute band. Since he had already been in a Yes tribute band with the singer Rich Ray http://www.myspace.com/176211180 , he knew that he was a talented singer, and would do a great job with a Led Zeppelin tribute. Steve and Merrill Hale http://www.myspace.com/merrillhale the drummer have also worked together in several projects, including ARZ (progressive rock duo) http://www.thearzuniverse.com/ , and All Good People (Yes tribute band) http://www.myspace.com/yesallgoodpeople . Merrill also loves Led Zeppelin, and John Bonham was one of his earliest drum idols. He spent his teenage years playing a lot of Led Zeppelin tunes, and so doing this project was a natural for him, since he had already gotten to know the intricacies of all of the fills and so on. And Chael Emmett the bass player from the Tina S. Marie band http://www.myspace.com/tinaemmett also knows the group, having been involved in supporting each others projects, and socially as well. The group is excited to start this new project, and at their first practice, Merrill’s wife Karen was pleasantly surprised at how polished their sound was already, considering it was only their first rehearsal. Ramble On is excited to start playing shows around ....Portland...., and share their love for Led Zeppelin.
Dante's show review - September 7, 2009
Here is a review that Angel from Melophobe did of our show at Donte's on July 1st 09. http://www.melophobe.com/concert-reviews/obscured-by-clouds-echo-helstrom-arz-dantes-portland-or/