the Contrast [ALBUM AVAILABLE NOW!!]

Our Path:
Established in Flagstaff, AZ in 2004 upon the dissolve of Allentown, PA hardcore-punk group “Tomorrow We Surrender”, the Contrast Medium was to be a mind-bending experiment into genre-fusion and revolutionary writing, composition and production.
Founding member, Andrew Paffrath, began self-production of the project’s first release “Sold Short at the Circuit Exchange” which was completed, independently released and distributed by October of 2005. Former Tomorrow We Surrender guitarist, Todd Frankenfield, began contributing his unique brand of jazz influenced composition at the close of production on “Sold Short.” The pair worked in collaboration with various artists on their 2006 CD titled “The Complete Elegist.” Collaborations on this record included Kristopher Flannery on bass as well as Paffrath’s brother on percussion and production.
March of 2006 saw the introduction of Grayhmn Jennings on keyboards and eventually bass guitar. Jennings contributed to production elements of “The Complete Elegist” as well as guitar tracks for that release. Jennings also contributed heavily on what would become a collection of incomplete compositions and discarded tracks titled “The lanternCity Sessions”.
August 2006 confirmed the five piece’s viability as a live act in their native Northern Arizona with the inclusion of Cameron Price on keys/synth and Nicholas Fern assuming responsibilities on lead guitar. During this epoch in the Contrast’s history, song composition shifted from focus on the studio, to focus on the stage. One could say things got weird.
March 2007 saw the group’s mutual separation from friend and bassist, Jennings and the introduction of Alec Kucala on bass.
In August of 2007 the Contrast Medium separated from their electronic rhythm sequencing with the introduction of Dustin Yoes on kit drums. Yoes’ introduction added a much needed dynamic to the group. Breaking away from the relative rigidity of synthetic beats and percussion, the Contrast would capitalize on their new found rhythmic freedom. Careening in and out of tempos and time signatures, building organic and ever-changing segues within their performances, the six musicians had discovered their niche.
Price separated from the Contrast in May of 2007, followed closely by the departure of Fern in December of that same year. Returning to a minimalist approach to their unique blend of genres, the quartet emphasized their persona in live performance. By early spring '09 the group had completed writing and revising tracks for their “Go! Tornado EP” and began writing for their next release, the thirty-four minute enigma titled "Storms Make Oaks Take Deeper Root".

September 2009 saw Kucala move from bass to electric guitar and the inclusion of Drew Worden on auxiliary percussion and Tony Gonzalez on bass.
“Go! Tornado” was independently released in May, 2009.
"Storms Make Oaks Take Deeper Root" was independently released in October, 2009.