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Systol is Going Places
• Local band wows crowd with originals at Margate's Sounds at Sundown
By
Mitchell Pellecchia, Staff Writer
Monday,
March 22, 2010
Sounding like they’ve played together for years, a group of young local musicians with chemistry, talent and a propulsive sense of rhythm are destined to set themselves apart from the rest, say fans. I caught up with Systol for the first time at Margate’s Sounds at Sundown concert downtown on Sunday. This powerhouse metal-rock quartet comprised of Coral Springs Charter School students is musically impressive.
“Loud music in an open field,” shouted lead guitarist Billy Martin as he thanked the crowd for coming to the show.
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Systol band members agree on common influences Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Lynyrd Skynyrd and other renowned rockers, along with more contemporary artists the likes of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Soundgarten and Avenged Sevenfold, for helping the band formulate its groove.
Most impressive about Systol for such young chaps is their uncanny ability to converge on rock repertoires spanning generations. From the styles of Hendrix and Uriah Heep to Trower, the Split Enz and Pearl Jam; Systol fuses funk, rock, grunge and metal--old and new--and begs the question:
“Where did these rocker neophytes find their unique sound?”
Systol Manager, Joe Martin, said it’s because son Billy and others “grew up around music all their lives.”
Martin, a guitarist himself, remembers his son hanging out at the age of four years ago when he and his friends used to jam in the garage and rehearse for gigs.
“Billy started early on guitar,” Martin said, “learning his first leads listening to Pink Floyd’s legendary Gilmour.”
Sam May, father to Systol bassist and Margate resident, Ben May, share's a similar back story to Martin, admitting too that Ben grew up listening to rock legends, saying that as a Dad he played music so loud his kids would tell him to turn it down. May laughed.
Loyal Systol followers turned out in numbers Sunday, along with first timers, Rochelle Ebans and Howard Friedman, both pleasantly surprised at Systol’s songwriting capabilities.
“They perform their originals with a lot of heart,” said Ebans, “It’s what makes them different and is what will take them to the top if they keep working at it.”
Friedman agreed.
“Instead of playing it safe by focusing on cover material, the band is willing to take risks and put their originals out there,” Friedman said. “That takes guts and is testament to the band’s promise.”
Currently fine tuning original material, Systol has plans to go into the studio next month, Martin said.
In the year and half the band has been together, Systol has opened the Pompano Seafood Festival, performed at Fort Lauderdale’s high-profile Revolution nightclub and headlined at the Our Town America celebration in Coral Springs—not too shabby for musicians who haven’t graduated high school yet.
“These guys are going places,” said Margate Commissioner David McLean as he introduced Systol’s second set Sunday. “They’re tight, they got a good sound and they work hard at it.”
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Visit Systol on Facebook. For bookings and press call Joe Martin at 954-969-7958.
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