And so it begins... Four musicians have been reborn. Tired of the monotony perpetuated by the music industry over the past several years, 4 individuals have bridged a commonality in the desire to part ways with the traditional. Below germinated from a passion for music centered on defying the mainstream, that which is pushed on a largely ambivalent public. Sought out are those who seek challenges for the ear, mind, and spirit. Building on a foundation of complex time structure, out-of-the-box arrangements, and thought-provoking lyrics, Below creates music through the synergism born out of the juxtaposition of groove, rock, and emotion.

This was by no means an easy birth....

In April of 2003, after forming, performing, and putting to an end a cover band, Rob (guitar) and Paul (bass) reunited to discuss and share the original material each had been working on. Both had spent many years honing their musical abilities, Rob as a concert vocalist, drummer, acoustic and electric guitarist, and Paul as a bass player of almost 20 years. Each had spent several years working in mostly cover bands, at times working on original material, but always sticking within the mainstream. This was to come abruptly to an end, as both were disenchanted with playing by the rules. There would be no more 3 _ minute songs. Arrangements would often stray from the norm. And vocals - there had to be someone in a metropolitan area as large as Chicago that could write intelligent lyrics and sing them with conviction.

The next step in the process was to find a drummer of sufficient caliber - Not every drummer has the ability or even the desire to think out of the box when it comes to being the timekeeper. And a drummer who could handle the odd, complex metering that was incorporated into these songs was not an easy find - It took until December of that year for Jamie (drums) to be brought into the fold. Jamie took a very unorthodox approach that helped define the sound and direction of the band. A disenchanted spirit much like Rob and Paul, Jamie came into the project focused on creating a rift from the norm.

Songs were written, time passed, and the exhaustive search for an intelligent, passionate, qualified singer dragged on....

Enter Julia (vocals). It was never really considered that a female would seek out such a project. Unprepared were the three for the voracity and conviction with which Julia would approach the challenge. Coming from a family of musicians and carrying with her the necessary emotional red badges that make great lyricists, Julia quickly made her mark on the music, brandishing a vocabulary and insight capable of giving the music an identity.

Which brings us to the here and now. Below is committed to creating art for fans of music. Anyone who seeks a challenge should immediately find this music a complex weave of off-time drumming, heavy, aggressive bass lines, and melodically sinister guitars layered with dynamic, sententious vocals. Come what may of the next months and years, in the end, as in the beginning, there will be only the music. As Rob states, "From the genesis of this project, the goal was to ensure the music was the most important aspect. Looking back, there is no way for an honest musician to avoid such a goal: Music is and always will be the reason we choose this path."