About the Album: I thought it might be good to give a little bit of background as to what all has gone into the album. We have used a few songs previously recorded with other musicians in a variety of studios rewritten with each musician's own thoughts and parts included. This has created a rock/u2 esque feel on lead guitar from Matt, a jazz influenced rock sound from Jordan and Joel, and the incredible songwriting from Zach. The album has taken a year to record, mix, and master but the end result is something you might enjoy. Considering how long the album has taken, each musician has added bits and pieces not previously considered simply because we had free recording time through the Malone studio. Therefore, the album will have 10 tracks, but 6 songs total. The instrumentals include a lot of different percussive instruments from Jordan, a lot of midi and keyboard additions from Joel, and a lot of extra guitars from Matt and Zach. We would suggest you listen to the album in it's entirety as it tells a story much like the struggles we all go through in life but ending with a light at the end of the tunnel as we are covered by the grace of God and can continue on as life takes us new directions. The rain you hear at the beginning and throughout the instrumental tracks was intentional in adding to the atmosphere of the album as a whole. We hope you enjoy what we have put together and we will continue writing honest songs with an eclectic musical spectrum of sounds for years to come. About the Members: We all are inspired by different things. If each member of the band went and did a side project, it would be completely different than what you hear from Great Seal. Of course this causes tension during the writing process, but in the end, each member has an equal say in the writing process. Zach writes all the songs in a skeleton format and brings them to band practices with an open mind for each member to fill their parts through their own unique filters. Zach Wolfe (Lead Vox/Guitar): Zach brings nostalgia to the band as well as the songwriting aspect. If you ever ride in the car with him he will be rocking out to some Nickel Creek, Third Eye Blind, Fitz and the Tantrums, or Switchfoot. He loves the pure sounds from unpolished albums as well as the feel of saturated guitar tones from heavier bands. On both the acoustic and electric songs, Zach loves the warm tones from the guitar. The pristine glossy sounds are never what you will hear from Zach, but a warm tube amp or a soothing, full bodied acoustic will be around his neck in both live and recorded sessions. Jordan Morrison (Drums/BGVs): Jordan is a character. Not only is he a phenomenal drummer and vocalist, but his real forte is in every percussive instrument you can imagine. He is a complete nerd for music theory and he has an uncanny knack for playing both in the pocket and adding unconventional drum parts to fulfill his own distinct part to the songs. His biggest influence comes from Taylor Hawkins of the Foo Fighters in both the recording process and the playing. He enjoys the real sounds of drums not achieved through triggers and post production. Joel Maze (Bass/BGVs): Joel is a sonic architect. Not only does he play incredible bass parts, but he also engineered and mixed the entire album. His skills in mic placement and production brought the album to a far better quality than anyone in the band expected. Using only the free recording studios at Malone University, he was able to deliver a professional product none of us imagined we could have. We all often refer to him as playing "lead bass" in our songs because he is able to create a solid bottom end to all the songs, but also expand the bass part to add new melodies and frequencies, giving each song a new sound. He often listens to Mutemath and emulates the bass playing on many of Great Seal's songs. Matt Irving (Lead Guitar/ BGVs): Matt is the lone wolf not born and raised in the state of Ohio, but he was raised living in Idaho, home of potatoes. The northwest provided a lot of the post rock/emo music of the early 2000s so Matt is heavily influenced by saturated guitars and simple lead parts that add to the structure of the song, rather than an outlet for taking crazy solos. Matt also has an appreciation for abrasive, hot, bitey guitar parts as Jack White has pioneered. Mixing both the abrasive and the subtle, saturated guitar parts has added to the overall sound of the band as they continue to write. Bands we have shared the stage with: Quietdrive Windsor Drive Seabird Shaw's Landing A Minor Bird Cool Hand Luke The Higher And many more...