Karais James - As This Garden Burns

Website:

http://www.karaisjames.com

Music Style:

Rock/Pop/Blues/funk/Americana

Hometown:

Glen Cove

 

Country:

USA

Band Description

The sound is silky sexy, and smooth , and these are not words usually uttered when you are speaking about a Rock act but, Karais James' as an artist has a way of performing that just makes you feel better for listening,


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Artist Biography

WELCOME TO “HEAVY METTLE,” CAN YOU HANDLE IT?

Karais James Artist Bio

“‘Great is worth the wait. There’s no deadline on greatness and no reason to rush art.”

- Karais James

 

Few artists attempt to escape from their muddled mazes of mediocrity. Still, fewer have the gall to step outside the circle of their stifling “Scarlet Letter,” of genre. Karais James believes there is no such word - it’s a trap. He has an inherent and uncanny artistic perception that makes his artistry an exception to the rule. His genre is not rock, hard rock, or heavy metal - it’s pure molten tenacity. Karais James’ fuel is verve and vivaciousness. So, welcome to the “Heavy Mettle,” - can you handle it?

He knew, almost from birth, he was destined to be a front man, and it became his vision quest. To understand Karais’ artistic evolution, one must look into how he grew up. A product of two childhoods - due to divorce - his youth became a sort of “Tale of Two Cities.” He spent summers in New York City and winters in the rural town of Laurel, Mississippi. Each place gave him a different taste of music. Karais’ eclectic nature today is a product of early exposure to legendary bands that blared over NYC’s FM stations, such as Judas Priest, Guns N’ Roses, and Iron Maiden.

On the other hand, it was the AM radio stations in Mississippi that offered him other stylistic influences. He explains, “I was hooked on the angry, obstinate hard rock and metal from The Big Apple, but don’t think for a second that I didn’t dig stuff I heard in Laurel such as Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash.” Overall, he has lived the hard-knock life; he has paid his dues. He’s humbled himself to grow continuously and evolve as a musician. He writes, produces, and performs whatever he wants. “I write; therefore, I am,” he says.

Karais James is quick to point out that being an artist is a gift, it’s not acquired, and you cannot retire from it. He is willing to humble himself to acquire the knowledge to get it done. Over decades in the music business, he’s been counted out thousands of times. However, he writes with a mantra of “never-say-die.” He composes and create from the “Warrior Perspective.” “I’m gonna’ take my bow and arrow, get on my horse and go to war with my art. I’ll either go home or die on the battlefield of bass, poetry, and percussion,” he explains.

Karais James is a rare artist, a true virtuoso, blessed with a musical I.Q. that rivals any other. He has put no deadline on his career, as there is no such date when the art within your soul expires. He quips, “My last breath will last six years ... more than enough time to write another new album.” Of Greek descent, While admiring the works of Roger Waters, Pink Floyd, and David Gilmore, Karais has no musical idols. He neither follows nor emulates anyone.

While Karais had the ability to break out big while he was in his twenties, but knew it wasn't his time. If he had done so, he admits “... I would be long dead by now.” His first successful foray into becoming a frontman was with his band Kerascene, a metal-hybrid band that melded metal with blues and gritty southern rock. With initial success, he soon realized that Kerascene was more of a stepping stone to something better.

He left Kerascene for a heavy rock band called Chemically Controlled Children - of which he still is their front man. “Chemically Controlled Children gave me the creative freedom that I longed for and needed,” he offers. He continues, “The band is a team effort, they bake the cake, I add the icing as a performer, producer, and composer.”

While working with Chemically Controlled Children Karais met and befriended two profoundly gifted producers. The two talents were Ray Detone and Ritchie Scarlett, (also known as, “The Emperor of Rock N’ Roll.”) While he has played with many A-List musicians over the years, both of these renowned musicians would lead to an epiphany and a renaissance in Karais’ music. With his creative confidence, he was still able to humble himself as a composer and instrumentalist to grow and advance via their advice. “I knew my guitar playing could be better ... so I called Ritchie, I told him to teach me what he knows,” said Karais. The result of this trio working together in the studio would be Karais James first solo release, As This Garden Burns.

As This Garden Burns, due for release in mid-summer 2016, stands as an apex and example of the totality of Karais’ abilities. It’s a ten-track, energetic and eclectic mix of genres. The album proves he is able and willing to cross over into any genre he wants to play and forge it into something that works together in unison, without any pause. As This Garden Burns is art in its purest form. With pre-released singles which include; “Into The Sun,” “Learn to Fly,” and “The Longest Road,” Karais gives a brilliant and blinding glimpse of his musical journey outside the realm of genre, and fearlessly “Into The Sun.”

One can easily label Karais not only an artist but a philosopher. He follows a fellow Greek philosopher named Socrates. It is the teachings of Socrates that catalyzes Karais’ constant goal to grow. He lives by his wisdom, such as, “True knowledge exists in knowing that you know nothing.” It is via this mantra that Karais has evolved into what he is today. Karais believes there is no timeline or deadline on great art; he will keep pushing until he is dead. However, with his latest solo release, As This Garden Burns, and also the upcoming release of Chemically Controlled Children's album, Karais James may have finally arrived. So, take some time to delve into Karais’ true artistic acumen. You could stay lost within the comforts of other musicians’ muddled mazes of mediocrity. Welcome to Karais’ “Heavy Mettle” ... Can you handle it?

 

CONTACT
Karais James Management
Tel: (516) 662.7036
KaraisJames@gmail.com

KaraisJames.com

Press Release

 

 

A JOURNEY OUTSIDE OF GENRE AND DIRECTLY “INTO THE SUN”

“Into the Sun” is one of four tracks from Karais James’ As This Garden Burns - an epic and interconnected blend of everything from heavy rock to Motown.

“My sound is a remnant of the past, present, and future of music.” - Karais James

(GLEN COVE, NEW YORK, U.S.A.) JULY 7th, 2016 – Don’t think for a second that Karais James’ upcoming album, As This Garden Burns, is simply music - it’s much more. As This Garden Burns is art in its purest form. Karais has recently released four of the ten total tracks from the album which include; “Into The Sun,” “Learn to Fly,” “Here,” and “The Longest Road.” The songs give a brilliant, blinding glimpse of his musical journey outside the realm of genre, and fearlessly “Into The Sun.”

As This Garden Burns is an epic and interconnected blend of almost every genre, a term that Karais finds stifling, “To me, it’s not about genres; it’s about music. Rock & roll means doing whatever you want to do,” he explains. Inspired partly by a near-death-experience, “Into The Sun,” starts with only the sound of a lone human breath, then explodes into a searing synergy of power, poise, and unbridled energy.

The multi-layered composition takes listeners for a ride, and that is precisely what Karais James had in mind. “Into The Sun” is the perfect example of how he relentlessly pushes himself, to see just how deep he delves into his art. A music video for “Into The Sun” is currently underway for release this summer. The imagery and theme of the production will reflect the experience of an NDE or “Near-Death Experience.”

“Learn to Fly” not only puts Karais’ lyrical prowess at front and center, yet also his ability to harness many different elements and fuse them into a modern - yet retro - display of finesse. “Here” is perhaps the best example of Karais’ working everything from Motown and rap all the way to big band brass and retro rock to into a song that is completely fresh and new. Not to be overlooked is “The Longest Road,” a heady and intense trip into hard rock. It’s a compelling, darker storyline of human mortality that showcases Karais’ remarkable vocal range.

As This Garden Burns is the sum of more than one. Karais called upon some extreme talents to bring the project to fruition. He tapped the “Emperor of Rock and Roll,” Richie Scarlett, as producer, (Ace Frehley Band, Sebastian Bach.) Scarlett also played lead guitar, piano, bass and did some background vocals. As Scarlett’s touring schedule called him back to the road, Karais relied on the exceptionally gifted Ray Detone of Dancetone Music. Detone helped not only with production, yet also added his renowned guitar sounds and performed on banjo. Mark Clarke was called upon to round out the album’s title track with his incredulous harmony over the song’s chorus. Other gifted artists to appear include Russ Wilson on Drums, Louie Spagnola on bass and guitar. The horn section was made up of the phenomenally talented Arno Hecht and Wayne Cobham.

Karais called in an old friend, Jim Pope, to play the harmonica. Glen Loreio at Upper Room Studio engineered the project, with the final mix engineered by Ray DeTone and mastered by Andy Vandette at Engine Room Audio in New York City. As This Garden Burns stands as an eclectic exhibit of Karais’artistic abilities. “Into The Sun” is just one of ten fearless musical journeys outside of genre itself. Karais James can only be categorized as a heavy “mettle” artist. He fearlessly forges his molten “mettle” into a fiery form of pure rock & roll art.

CONTACT
Karais James Management
Tel: (516) 662.7036
KaraisJames@gmail.com

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KaraisJames.com