Wolves Among Sleep explores edges

If there’s such a thing as a supergroup for the Bangor area, then Wolves Among Sleep is it.

Made up of former members of Radiation Year, Soundbender, the Resolution and My Heart Her Ashes, the six-piece band formed last September when several founding members expressed interest in trying something a little different from the bands they’d all been in.

“As much as I love so many of the bands around here, I just got tired of the same sound over and over again,” said lead singer Jeremy Soderberg, formerly of Soundbender. “It’s really great that anyone can be in a band and play a show, but it gets so repetitive. Everyone plays the same emo, hardcore thing. I really, really wanted to try something different.”

Enter drummer Brandon Mace and guitarist Dave Marley, both formerly of the band My Heart Her Ashes. Both were of a similar mind-set, in that they wanted to experiment a little.

“To break it down, I’d say we were interested in a more complex, experimental indie rock kind of thing,” said Mace. “Not just all screamo type stuff, but some harmonies and softer bits. Prog rock, if you want to call it that.”

“We wrote an entire song in one practice,” said Soderberg. “I’ve never had that happen, and I’ve been in five bands in this area. I knew right away this was going to be my main project.”

Soderberg left Soundbender, and he, Mace and Marley added second guitarist Aaron Blackmer, formerly of the Resolution, and synth and keyboard player Keith Deschenne. Bassist Nick Chiasson, until recently of the Radiation Year, joined in late last year, bumping the band up to a six-piece, which is downright enormous compared to most of the four-piece groups bouncing around Maine.

What’s also unique is that even though Soderberg is the lead singer, all six members take turns contributing vocals.

“We all sing,” said Soderberg. “It’s so, so exciting for everyone to be able to contribute vocal lines and harmonize. I’ve never seen anyone do that around here. And Keith plays really interesting synth lines. A lot of bands put the synth in the background, but it’s right up front here.”

Wolves Among Sleep will play Friday at Ushuaia in Orono (presumably on one of the club’s last nights operating as Ushuaia, before it’s purchased and reopened as 103 Ultra Lounge). The band plays with Sparks the Rescue, Cambiata, Bassist 4 Sale and headliners (and local legends) the Killing Moon. Tickets are $10, doors open at 7 p.m., and the show is all ages. For information, visit www.myspace.com/wolvesamongsleep. Emily Burnham can be reached at eburnham@bangordailynews.net, or by checking out her blog at www.community.bangordailynews.com.

Supporting acts

At the Grand Theatre in Ellsworth tonight, Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys perform its rollicking, red-hot take on zydeco music, the ultimate party music. Riley and company co-headlined the 2005 American Folk Festival. With openers the Gilpin Railroad Incident, a local roots rock band that’s been busy recording an album, due out this summer. For more information, visit www.myspace.com/gilpinrailroadincident. Tickets are $20, and are available at the Grand box office.