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They Are We

by STIMULI

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  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    The debut album from Oakland rock band STIMULI features 11 explosive tracks of the trio's original music and features the incredible original artwork by Digital Realm Productions

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1.
+x- 04:43
The day has arrived When the why is recognized The futile are out of time We're leaving it all behind Absent pieces that amplify Excess ceases, addition by Subtraction As useful as a third shoe Or a picture obstructing the view If abundance proves fruitless Then progress is to disposes Maintaining equilibrium Is essential to our being Dropping weight That's anchored us in place Counterbalancing burdens we face Addition by subtraction Addition by taking away Addition by subtraction Addition by clearing away Addition by subtraction Addition by taking the way Addition by subtraction Addition by clearing the way
2.
They Are We 04:08
We've lost track of who we are and from where we came Each time we judge and blame, we're causing others pain We're short sighted taking so instinctively Seldom giving or expressing empathy We're all the same consciousness Choosing our own decisiveness Focusing on misconceptions around us Infects our compassion with indifference And if we were to view our selves from afar We'd see that we are just as different as 'they' are When we point the finger We forget or have yet to see that They are we Altruism is a hard sell while we choose to segregate ourselves
3.
I crossed into the golden state Like those before me I took the bait I huddled up along the stream Panning for my piece of the Dream The masses came with the same plan And hope that pushed out native clans The lure of Eden brought us here Then we overran this promised land The gold rush still rages Disguised by these changes The New Dream, is it fleeting Or is history repeating? I crossed over the golden gate In search of a storied fate What I've earned would set me free Anywhere but here ironically Was I mislead in this old frontier Repeating mistakes of yesteryear? Millions migrate to the Bay and roll the dice Each and all pay the toll The churn of the hopeful On the inside looking in A paradoxical way of life The gold rush still rages Disguised by these changes The New Dream isn't fleeting History is repeating
4.
Sandstorm 04:06
The search continues as it had yesterday Molding meaning out of sand to watch it blow away Its not for lack of desire that we don't find our way Yearning for clarity while dowsing for answers in a sandstorm Shifting sands distract the innate Holding truth in hand to feel it disintegrate Walking this maze Searching this haze We just can't get out of our own way The search continues as it had yesterday Molding meaning to watch it blow away
5.
Like an arcing wire Next to a detonator A familiar outcome Enveloped in mystery Engulfing the minds harmony Flames of anxiety Is this the residue Of a dormant primal fear Or the inability to cope When a sense of place is unclear Burdened by Crippling unease Ashes of anxiety Fire in Disguise An imbalance stirs inside That pulls you away I'll remain your beacon of hope To help you find your way Allow a peaceful tone To undo the knots that have tied And extinguish This fire, Fire In Disguise
6.
Ripple 04:58
The sequence of moments that composes life Can pass us by or guide us through a door that leads inside Through a hall of mirrors, wherein we might find What we couldn't see with our fettered eyes Presence in this moment Reveals solace Awareness in this moment Shows the tree through the forest A Ripple in perception, feeling pertinence in today Focused here, on the now, allowing all else to fall away Moments are no possessions, but a stream that flows in time Ephemeral impressions washed away by the tide Clarity in the present mitigates the past Which is but a memory, the mind obscures en mass Forego expectations and find freedom in Embracing what is and allowing what becomes
7.
Not long ago or far away Substances were dealings of those who were healing The body as a whole, the spirit and the soul Symptomatic of our time Symptomatic by design Our remedies don't heal They're just pills treating prescriptions And when there's nothing left to feel They're pills feeding addictions Another Pill For The Pill A root or a leaf, an herb or belief That grows naturally and is used to cure the weary Couldn't be abused, bought or sold Until somehow it was owned Symptomatic of our time Symptomatic by design Pharmaceuticals get doled out like candy Instead of cures, we mask affliction Prescribing addiction and dependency Over medicating to the detriment of the ill Such a lofty price we pay For pseudo-cures of the modern day Is it too late to change our ways Before we're led further astray?
8.
Only Liars 03:45
Living life in routine dissuasion Mixed signals and shallow persuasions Those claiming to know the path ahead Show us how they've been misled Only Liars know what we'll see Only Liars know what will be The motive of normative conditions Serves only to dull intuitions The spread of deception regulates The mass-consignment of a scripted fate Liars know what we'll see Liars know what will be What in the world is more concerning than certainty Of a predetermined self-fulfilling destiny?
9.
Those of us who take pride in the destruction of mother earth quicken the pace towards our own extinction
10.
How On Earth 05:09
Will these have been the good ole days Before we succumbed to our mindless ways Will we long for how good we had it And lament our self-destructive habits Might this all just be hyperbole? Seems doubtful to me There is no waking the ones who pretend to be asleep All signs ignored will be consequences to reap The human thirst to posses and to divide To separate the universe into yours and mind Puts the human first then balance is reversed Until there nothing left to quench the thirst Its not what we do but how we do it Its in our choice and how we choose it Its not what we do but how we do it Its through our lens and how we view it We are capable of all that is imagined And culpable for all the unimaginable How On Earth is there a source in us To decimate a place on earth for us How On Earth is there a place in us To defile the earth, the source of us? Forgive this species Of whom I am a part We've ravaged your surface As if we have no heart
11.
Nurturing the seeds that are sown into an arid soil Visions growing of a mirage formed by ambitions Guided by a constant pulse pushing through resistance An impression so compelling it leads to who we are Seeking to be heard, listening for more than echoes in return Listening for more than echoes... in return Driven by and unrelenting will I'm still Pushing The Stone uphill Hardwired to pursue the unfulfilled I'm still Pushing The Stone uphill Of all the youthful wishes, cast in the well This is the one conventions couldn't quell Not bending to conformity While on the path that winds through me Somewhere along the way, the focus shifted From what we all sought this to become To uncovering what it already is Intuition cut the path behind me I visualized this all before it came to be Intuition guides that path before me I visualize this all in 3, 2, 1

about

'They Are We', the debut full-length album from Oakland rock band STIMULI is a winding 11-track explosion of the trio's dense, ambitious and fiercely original sound. In April ‘18 the band generated pre-buzz when they released their debut single and music video for title track “They Are We”. The track knocks out a Hard Rock, radio-friendly sound that also exposes the introspective themes of understanding and empathy that permeates the album. The song’s anthemic chorus and verses are evidence of this, opining: “We're all the same consciousness, choosing our own decisiveness. Focusing on misconceptions around us, infects our com-passion with indifference and if we were to view ourselves from afar, we'd see that we are just as different as ‘they’ are.”
In fact, throughout the record, STIMULI’s lyrics possess an impressive self-awareness, with insightful and meaningful reflections on peace and understanding, with the encouragement of a greater unity. Many of the tracks have a similar intense introspection that defined 90s Rock, yet STIMULI has a modern optimism and life-affirming sentiment that separates its signature sound and message from the oft-times self-indulgent, self-loathing of that era.
Not only do STIMULI masterfully rock the traditional instrumentation and vocalization of the power trio format, but the band also incorporates synth atmospherics and eclectic instruments not associated with modern Hard Rock. Bassist Tai Hake also plays Theremin, which is at times indistinguishable from actual synthesizers. The band’s music also features Native American flute, sitar and acoustic guitar. Throughout the album, there are definite nods to Classic Rock sounds of the 70s and 80s from bands like Black Sabbath and Rush, as well as a generous dose of intense angst of 90s grunge bands like Alice in Chains. “Some influences might seem obvious when listening to our music, just as many others lie just beneath the surface of the sound we create,” explains lead singer/guitarist/songwriter Jimmy Tomahawk.
THEY ARE WE was recorded at the idyllic Russian River Studios on the Ingels Ranch in Talmage, California, where Tomahawk and Hake had previously recorded with their former band Yeibichai. Ken Ingels, the owner of the studio, was extremely helpful, and they enlisted Andrew Miller to engineer and mix the album, and Mike Wells for mastering. For the artwork and album layout, the trio had their eyes photographed and then overlaid the irises so that the colors merge and overlap, accomplished thanks to the superb talents of Michael Miller at Digital Realm Productions, who brought their vision to life in a way that represents the music on the album exceptionally well.
The album opens with “+x-“ (pronounced Addition By Subtraction), an assertive out-of-the-gate tune with a heavy rhythmic groove, monstrous guitar riffing and a convincing vocal delivery, as Tomahawk ponders the need for balance in life by eschewing unnecessary baggage. This sets the tone and mood for the album, acting as a sort of theme song or manifesto for the current state of these three individuals and the message they carry on this album. Following the aforementioned title track, the album features second single “The New Dream.” This song is triumphant and Stadium Rock-ready, showcasing the band’s strong presence and musicianship. Tomahawk’s soaring vocals float over blazing guitar riffs and lock-step bass lines and drumming. Tomahawk ruminates here about the recurring history of life in California (specifically the band’s Bay Area home) from the Gold Rush Era to today. The song’s title comes from the old adage of seeking ‘the new dream’ of riches in the California gold fields. Within a personal narrative, Tomahawk draws a compelling parallel between California then and now, questioning if he is any less delusional than the infamous gold prospectors and all California immigrants that came before him.
On “Sandstorm”, the band decidedly shifts gears into a more experimental realm as Tomahawk weaves an electric sitar within the tight, syncopated bass and drum work of Hake and An-drew, respectively. Tomahawk’s voice is at times weary in its philosophic search for truth, but just as quickly soars over the exotic scales taking listeners further towards the fringes of contemporary hard rock. “Fire In Disguise” is a slow burning tune where again Hake and Andrew lay a bedrock of tight rhythmic work as Toma-hawk likens the prevalence of anxiety in our time to a ‘Fire In Dis-guise’ already ablaze before it is recognized. Here, he suggests compassion and self-realignment as the only hope to extinguish the fire. “Ripple” is powerful account of experiencing the singularity of the moment and harnessing that shift in perception for the greater good. It’s sing along chorus and catchy riffing make this another radio-ready track on an LP full of contenders. On “Pill for the Pill”, Cole Andrew’s elaborately creative beats and flourishes lay a powerful foundation while Tomahawk’s roaring intensity of offers a scathing assessment of modern man’s manipulation of substances and medical practices. Hake’s bass lines pack on add-ed thickness and groove with memorable, driving bass lines.
From here, the band takes a definite detour. “Only Liars” sees Tomahawk trading searing Les Pauls for rustic, shimmering acoustic guitars. The song is quasi-agnostic jab at those who espouse ways of life and predetermined futures with little concern for the repercussions. Next up, the compelling instrumental, “Prize for Nothingness”, breezes in with peaceful Native American flute be-fore erupting into incredible drum solos. The song serves as a prelude to “How On Earth” where we find Tomahawk at perhaps his most convicted and pensive on the album. This circuitous track is a lamentation of the paradoxical human capacity for creation and destruction – of our ability to sustain and eliminate a place for life on earth. The album closes with “Pushing the Stone” a growing, hypnotic mid-tempo Prog-Grunge-Rock stunner that leaves the listener feeling determined and inspired from the towering vocals, hopeful message, mammoth drum and bass work and throttled guitar.
“All three of us were the kid you grew up with who was obsessed with music. We try to remind ourselves that the initial joy and passion we had for music which caused us to pick up our instruments in the first place is why we do this!” Tomahawk beams. And, after the life-affirming elation following listening to “They Are We”, we – and they – can confirm that the band’s passion is still alive and on full display!

credits

released August 17, 2018

STIMULI is:
Jimmy Tomahawk - guitars & vocals
Tai Hake - bass & theremin
Cole Andrew - drums

Recorded at Russian River Studios, Talmage, California &
Soundwave Studios, Oakland, California
Engineered by Andrew Miller & Jimmy Tomahawk
Mixed by Andrew Miller & Jimmy Tomahawk
Produced by Jimmy Tomahawk
Mastered at Mike Wells Mastering, Los Angeles, California
All music and lyrics written by Jimmy Tomahawk & Cole Andrew

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STIMULI Oakland, California

STIMULI are a rock band from Oakland, CA who create thoughtful, heavy music about the human Condition. This is all delivered via Jimmy Tomahawk's melodic and edgy vocals and his spacious, heavy guitar riffing blended with Tai Hake's solid, snarling bass tones and masterfully creative, powerful drumming from Cole Andrew. The band's debut album "They Are We' Is available world-wide August 17th 2018. ... more

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