Vancouver's Gravis started life in the basement studio of longtime friends and roommates Colin Cryderman and John Arntsen a few kilometers outside of Vancouver, British Columbia. Playing and recording music together for several years, they put together a collection of original songs with the objective of playing them in front of a live audience. The only problem was that they needed a drummer that could provide and accompany the energy that the music so desperately required. Enter John Gottselig. After playing with John for a few months, Arntsen and Cryderman knew that the solution they had been seeking for 8 years had been provided. A name was now needed that would best explain what the three men needed to convey. Gravis was born.
Gravis, which means “heavy†in Latin, started managing themselves in early-2008, with the goal of playing live at local shows and clubs. John Gottselig would handle all of the show bookings and exposure, Arntsen the marketing and recording, and Colin trying to find the scope of the band’s message. Their objective was reached when they played a private party in Sechelt, BC in August 2008 to several hundred screaming new Gravis fans. Several shows later, Gravis has started a small but loyal following. They had over 2,500 listens on MySpace in just over half year with more people catching on every day.
In trying to find a sound that would connect with their audience, Gravis set out to write music that they, themselves would listen to over and over again. “We want people to bounce their heads and feel energized by what we do and what we play,†Arntsen states, “It is time to give people music with Soul, Precision and Intensity; something that has seemed to fade away with modern production and a cookie-cutter approach.†Their influences include but are not limited to: Pantera; Metallica; Mastadon; Tool; Rage Against the Machine; and Lamb of God. Take a few moments to hear a sample of what you should come to expect from three motivated musicians in a Vancouver basement.
