Sacred Sorrow, an Indiana-based rock band with a horror-punk influence, is new to West Chester, at their first show promises theatrical twists at The Note on Dec. 22, performing songs from their first full length CD, “The Long Halloween.”Sacred Sorrow was founded in early 2003 in the Louisville Metro City Area, which borders Indiana and Kentucky. Vocalist Blake Lockman and guitarist Jeremy Fultineer met while sorting boxes at UPS. Dustin Rawling, bassist, became a member in 2005. A year later, drummer Matt Deeringer joined in 2006, after replying to a Myspace add that the band had been seeking a drummer.
As a dark rock band, Sacred Sorrow found inspiration from life around them. Lockman originally wrote an action-horror book that “parallels the life of the band,” which influenced their lyrics and music.
Their musical influences include The Misfits, Iron Maiden, Danzig, A Fire Inside, Mtley Crüe, Alice Cooper, Metallica, Pearl Jam and A Perfect Circle.
Their 2009 album, “The Long Halloween,” musically took on the “year of hell” that the band previously experienced.
It encompasses “issues from self doubt, self exploration, bad deals in the music business, living boring simple lives and finding yourself again in the thing you love, are part of this album, along with much more.”
More than musicians, the band considers themselves entertainers; bringing dark rock with costumes and prop theatrics sure to delight and attract a crowd.
“There’s nothing like the feeling of a live show,” the band said. “Growing up going to shows, we love that feeling, the atmosphere and that lifestyle is what has helped us grow up in the world; it’s just a good place to be.”
In 2007, one of Sacred Sorrow’s dreams came true when they were the opening band for The Misfits.
“That was such an insane experience; we got to open for our heroes and then turn around and join the crowd while they played,” the band said.
“We played the festival back home with some major headlining acts at the time; we had 3,000 people watching us – talk about a rush, that goes down as one of the best days of our lives.”
After six years of the Indiana music scene, Sacred Sorrow had felt they tapped out their resources and were looking for a change.
Having Halloween and haunted house themed performances, friends working at the Bates Motel in Glen Mills suggested that they become Philadelphia transplants. Hoping to make it big with their East Coast sound, the band remains modest about their obvious talent.
“Success is not about fame, fortune or material things, it’s about living life the way you want to live it, following your dreams and doing what makes you happy,” the band said.
“Just waking up every day and saying, ‘This is my life, how I chose to live it and I love it.'”
The day after moving to West Chester, the band went out in search of local venues to spread their name.
Hearing positive things about the ambiance given off by live entertainment at The Note, the bar recently opened by West Chester native Bam Margera, the looked into the E. Market Street venue.
Enjoying the atmosphere, Sacred Sorrow gave them a copy of “The Long Halloween” and booked the first of many local shows for Dec. 22 at 7 p.m.
Samples of their music and information about other upcoming shows can be found on their Myspace page and on SacredSorrow.com.
Joli McCarthy is a fourth-year student majoring in English and minoring in journalism. She can be reached at JM625940@wcupa.edu.