Bio

*Toronto Independent Music Award BEST METAL band 2007 *Paragon X-Posure Toronto Indie battle of the bands 2007 winners (10G recording contact) *Great Canadian Band Challenge 2007 Top 5 out of 500 bands Nationwide *22 Garageband awards in 2007, including track of the day, track of the week, best female vocalist (6 weeks), best beats (3 weeks), best production (4 weeks), best bass (2 weeks), best melody (2 weeks), most rocking track (2 weeks) and best guitars for "Ashamed" *Paragon 5K Toronto Indie battle of the bands 2006 finalists ARYA (ah.ree.yah; Sanskrit) : A being who has realised ultimate reality directly and non-conceptually; (Nigerian) Enjoyment; (East African) Role model. IN a unique display of heavy, progressive and melodic music, which transitions easily between metal and rock (with a hint of funk), ARYA is a band dedicated to musicianship and song writing, exhibiting a maturity beyond their years. ARYA tunes both capture the audience and take them on a ride into uncharted territory. Never ones to duplicate themselves, ARYA demonstrates a distinctive sound with each member drawing from their diverse inspirations. The result is a refreshing and unconventional approach to song writing. ARYA's sound has been hailed as: "addictive, mature, intense, heavy on groove and prone to bringing about goose bumps." Their songs feature Ashley Curtis’s soaring and dynamic vocal melodies, Lucas Di Monte's hard, fast and powerful guitar sounds, amplified by the tight-knit and thunderous rhythm section of Sean Hillman on drums and Ryan Merrigan on bass. Their sound and vibrant live show are fuelled by a musical alliance, friendship and shared vision for the group that is palpable on stage and off. After more than a half-year of devoted effort, ARYA's debut self-titled EP was completed in March 2007. Produced by Juno winning and Grammy nominated Justin Gray (Joss Stone, Sugar Jones) the disc offers a strong combination of musicianship, song-writing and production, sure to prove to the listener that heavy, technical music, coupled with melodic vocals, belong together! With ongoing performances in and around the Toronto area, along with the release of ARYA's self-titled debut EP, the band has been building up steam and piquing the interest of both audiences and fellow musicians alike. In the spring of this year, ARYA's first music video, "Ashamed," (directed by Mike Coffey) was released and entered into various competitions. The summer saw the band win Toronto's biggest indie competition, Paragon X-posure, the awards from which bringing about the start of recording a follow-up ARYA EP . The most exciting result of the competition win, in addition to photography and radio and magazine coverage, is the approach of indie and major record label interviews! Taking particular joy in the collaborative nature of the Toronto indie scene, ARYA consciously strives to be engaging, approachable, generous and helpful to those with whom they have the fortune of crossing paths. In keeping with this intention, this summer ARYA was involved in 3 charity concerts. The first was ROCKING THE FOUNDATION, a Heart and Stroke Foundation benefit concert. With the help of our dear friends Mike and Lital of Paragonyx Entertainment, 5 other bands and many sponsors, RTF was the fulfillment of a long-standing dream to organise a fundraiser for a cause very dear to us and, happily, raised $2600 for H&S! Next was a benefit show for Sick Children's Hospital, followed by an outdoor performance for volunteers of the international, Christian non-profit organisation "Habitat For Humanity." This fall started with ARYA winning the Toronto Independent Music Award (TIMA) for Best Metal Act of 2007. Prizes include interviews, photo shoots and radio play and live performances on radio and in industry showcases through a local metal magazine. ARYA also advanced as one of the top 5 bands (out of 500) in the finals of the Hard Rock Great Canadian Band Challenge, in a nationwide competition which culminated at the Hard Rock Cafe in Toronto with a live show and webcast seen by 10000 people, and filmed in high definition for national TV to be aired on a major network. ARYA stood out as the heaviest act and for having the strongest fan support of any band and also had the fortune of opening for ex-Sum 41 guitarist Dave's new (and incredible) band "Brown Brigade." The end of the fall saw ARYA opening for Edwin, former vocalist of the legendary Toronto band "I Mother Earth" at the Metal Bar as part of the Paragon Music Festival, a week of music dedicated to raising funds for the African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF). ARYA is currently finishing the second EP, and writing a full-length album. In the new year: Watch out for the force that is ARYA! Contact: [email protected] [link="http://www.myspace.com/aryaband"] [link="http://cdbaby.com/cd/aryaband"]