Father of Sin Makers of Masterful Metal

Lehigh Valley local band Father of Sin has a 15 year tenure and the experience certainly shows. The 6 person band consists of lead vocalist and band founder. Dex Shellhammer, his cofounder, guitarist Brian Blashock. Metal queen and 10 year F.O.S. veteran, bassist Dena Due, as well as guitarist Cory Solt, who has been shredding with the band since 2004. Mike Owens, guitarist and Greg Guarini, drummer are the new kids on the block-around a year for them. Looking at those stats it's easy to see why the band plays like a well-oiled machine. The chemistry is solid and the metal is memorable.

They have a very identifiable sound in vocalist Dex Shellhammers growling expression. He alternates heavy thrashing guttural vocals with deep melodies assisted by Dena Due in some of my favorite songs. The contrast of the vocals mimics the surprise of the heavy guitar riffs and drums to the specifically melodic bass and secondary guitars (no rhythm by any means...all leads if you ask me) The song composition isn't typical metal either, the

BY JOSIE JANCI

guitar riffs and heavy strings are still there and forefront percussion exists but the stops in the songs are clever and the vocals are like an instrument in and of themselves. Here's a video of a song on their 5th CD "Melody Black" called Blight of My LIfe (see what they did there with the title??? hahaha)

Their performance is powerful and dark; lending itself perfectly to the Goth metal they lean towards. There are so many subgenres of metal it's hard to choose just one to describe F.O.S but Goth- thrash metal seems to work! The guitars are fabulous with Dena's single bass guitar mixing in just fine with the three six string guitars to create a thick layered sound. The drums are oft times off-beat adding complexity to the composition that is darkly pleasing. But nothing stops the show like Dex's deep growling vocals. Dex can do "scream-o" if he wants or harmonize with the other vocalists in the band (which, by the way would be everyone but the drummer, cuz we all know that drummers don't do mics) https://www.reverbnation.com/fatherofsin/song/17145430-blight=my-life-frommelody-black

(Article Continued on next page) but whatever he chooses to do, it's done well. And, for the record, he looks the part, right down to his black eyeliner. (Scalding hot, ladies....check out the photos)

They are currently recording their 6th CD and playing some local gigs as well. Show them some love and download a song from reverb. And next time they play in your town - put them on your calendarbecause if you like your metal, you'll enjoy Father of Sin, if you don't, go see Father of Sin, they just might change your mind about metal music.