"We wanted to make music without knowing what to expect and with boundaries left open," says drummer Scott Rockenfield of Slave To The System. Rockenfield, along with vocalist/guitarist Damon Johnson, guitarist/vocalist Kelly Gray and bassist Roman Glick, set out to do something they had never done before: they wanted to create music without rules, without corporate influence, and without being part of "the system".

"We weren�t thinking about demographics or sales," adds Johnson. "Everybody just wanted to rock out and start something new and unique and the result is a project that we�re very excited about, like kids starting their first band. The spirit of fearlessness is something we wanted to embody in our music "

Indeed, Slave To The System is something different. It seems impossible that such a solid album was written and recorded in a mere three weeks. The band members combine their various influences and approaches to create something that will appeal to a broad spectrum of listeners. By pooling their talents, the members of Slave To The System evoke music that is both reminiscent of hard rock veterans like The Who, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and Thin Lizzy, as well as a younger breed of music akin to Audioslave and Velvet Revolver. "This band rocks a little harder," says Johnson. "We�ve made 30 or 40 records between the four of us...For once, we didn�t feel the pressure to write on a deadline."

The title track is a lyrical mission statement for the band. "You must believe in all you do / That better days are coming soon / So open up your very soul / And lay it out, they will behold / And if you do, you'll never be / A slave to the system." Other powerful songs like �Stigmata�, �Cruz Out Of Control� and �Live This Life� really hammer home the fact that this band is a force to be reckoned with. Not bad for a group of guys just trying to have some fun.

The musicianship and vocal delivery of Slave To The System rival any Top 40 radio rock band. �The drums and the riff and the vocal melody can all be the strength of a song,� explains Rockenfield. �We find that strength and bring it to the forefront on each song. When you have talented and experienced musicians working together, I think it can be more difficult to write a good song than to overplay and drown out the strengths. I think we succeeded in avoiding that potential problem and the result is an album full of good, melodic rock songs.� As for production, the band handled the responsibilities themselves. �We all have studio experience, so we can avoid doing things the �normal� way.�

A project started for the sake of self-satisfaction, Slave To The System is an incredible testament to the creative power and musical talents of four very impressive musicians.