Throbbing Hard Rock
By Jenna Croyle
Since the 1970’s, bands like Led Zeppelin, The Who, Deep Purple, Aerosmith, AC/DC, and Van Halen, Guns N’ Roses, Alice Cooper and Metallica have entertained us with heavy, distorted and blazing electric guitars, bone shaking basses, and pulse pounding drum beats, all ushering new and exciting subgenres of Rock.
In that same spirit, and with that same fire and drive, this week’s featured band, Sacred 13 takes us into a new age of original music that pushes the limits and breaks the boundaries of the Hard Rock sound.
As an edgy and aggressive band that keeps the melodic feel, Sacred 13 has traveled the country, entertaining countless fans with hard-hitting original music that not only does justice to their forefathers such as Metallica, but also would actually make those great classic artists sit up and take notice.
Started in 2002 as Blue Fire, a jam style original Rock band with a Blues feel, founding Sacred 13 members Josh Karickhoff and Gus Ward have been entertaining audiences for more than a decade.
Though the band has seen many changes in both sound and members over the years, the one constant
has always remained the same, supercharged high-energy shows that deliver the tightest original crowd-pleasing music in town.
Sacred 13 is currently a three-piece band that is made up of incredibly talented young musicians that include Josh Karickhoff on Lead Vocals and Guitar, Gus Ward on Bass Guitar and Vocals, along with Sam Edwards on Drums.
Among Sacred 13’s many accomplishments, the band has had the unique opportunity to share the stage with several national acts, including super group, Bad Company. In addition, Sacred 13 earned the chance to perform a sold-out show at the Warner Theatre with Rock Icon, Alice Cooper, whose management subsequently booked Sacred 13 to open for Cooper on two additional tour dates, at the Star Plaza Theatre in Merrillville, Indiana and at the Fraze Pavilion in Dayton, Ohio.
Sacred 13’s front man Josh Karickhoff not only offers insanely brutal finger work on the Lead Guitar that is melodically reminiscent of his earlier work in Blue Fire, but is also one of the best examples of what Hard Rock and Metal Guitar playing should sound like.
Karickhoff’s stage presence is simply fraught with a dynamic blending of unbridled energy, irresistible charisma and frightening intensity that grabs you and holds you effortlessly, while his versatile vocal delivery absolutely blows you away every song.
Gus Ward’s Bass Guitar roars, his beats are always hard driving and completely progressive, while keeping a surprisingly classic feel and texture at all times. Ward’s baselines are passionate and resonating, though never overpowering to the music, while his talent and delivery is nothing short of astounding.
Sam Edwards on Drums is devastatingly dynamic, powerful and definitely untouchable. Edwards rips through every song with perfection in both precision and speed, while never forgetting the rhythm and melody of the music. It really does not get any better than the stick work of Sam Edwards, he is a true stick master.
From New York City to San Francisco, from Nashville to Cleveland and back home to Erie, Pa., Sacred 13 leaves a blazing trail of a hardcore, talent rich and throbbing original Rock with inspired lyrics wherever they go.
Sacred 13 catches your ear and keeps your attention with a powerful sound that explodes around you in an incredible blitz of raw passion, pure talent and the most commanding energy you could hope to get pouring off any stage, all presented with a rock till you drop attitude. Sacred 13 is Erie’s new Rock N’ Roll legends.
For more information on Sacred 13 and their show dates, please visit their Facebook Page.
