The Hawthorne Effect

The Hawthorne Effect could be called a progressive metal band, but it's a description that may not accurately sum up the Providence, RI quintet. Mixing elements of metal, jazz, and funk, with odd time signatures, the goal is to give the listener something completely different, yet still maintain a sense of melody and familiarity. The result is The Hawthorne Effect's debut EP ?A Study in Motivation?.

The result is The Hawthorne Effect's debut EP ?A Study in Motivation?. Recorded at Zing Studios with Eric Arena (Under Falling Skies, Endwell), mixed by Jim Fogarty (Killswitch Engage, The Acacia Strain), and mastered by Alan Douches (Between the Buried and Me, Misfits, Dillinger Escape Plan), the album is ultimately heavy at its core, melodic in its delivery, and ambitious throughout. The combination of grinding but intricate guitars laid over a playful and captivating bass line and polyrhythmic drumming can be heard throughout the EP. And just when the song seems to be heading towards a path of normalcy, a quick tempo shift seamlessly takes it to somewhere completely new.

The band's greatest strength may just be in its use of 4 different and distinct voices both on the EP and during live shows. The use of low to high range screams combined with 3 and 4 part harmonies and lead vocal tradeoffs keeps the melody driving while still maintaining a memorable feel. Incorporating piano, keyboard, organ, and percussive instruments creates a unique sonic blend of aggression and tranquility, compounded by the contrast of minor and major scales not typically found in heavy music.

Currently, The Hawthorne Effect is taking ?A Study in Motivation? on the road, proving their sound is not just the result of studio magic. Having played together in one form or another for nearly 5 years, the band is just now discovering its own unique sound, which finds them sharing the stage with several different genres of music and bands including Beyond the Embrace, Diecast, Senses Fail, Fairweather, On Broken Wings, Hell Within, and many more. The EP and the very band itself has been a culmination of years of involvement in the ever-increasing local New England music scene. For the 5 members of The Hawthorne Effect at least, the result was worth the effort. Their hope is that fans of heavy music will agree.