Description
For nearly four years Menagerie has been building a name for itself in the hard rock, metal, and gothic scenes of Louisiana. With shows ranging over the southern region of the U.S., and playing with such diverse acts as Coheed and Cambria, The American Tragedy, and Cea Serin, Menagerie has become a mainstay in the Louisiana rock scene. The early stage of Menagerie was set into place when members of the death metal band, Shakespeare In Hell, wanted to play music outside of the metal genre. Shakespeare In Hell gained critical acclaim and received mass exposure in numerous countries when their music was used in Dwayne Lawler's stage production of Macbeth. With music and lyrics set to and inspired by the work of William Shakespeare, Shakespeare In Hell became a popular band both online and on the road. Although the initial success of Shakespeare In Hell was pleasing, four members of the band wanted to venture out into new territory outside of metal; the impetus of Menagerie. Keith Guillory, Danny Eschete, Shawn Roddy, and Kevin Kish rounded out the musical aspect of Menagerie while Brooke Mayfield was brought in to become the band's front woman. Their goal, to combine a wide variety of influences into a cohesive foundation of dark hard rock by infusing elements of Pink Floyd, The Gathering, Faith No More, Tool, Devin Townsend Band, Fates Warning, and many others. Menagerie reflects a sound that is unique to their area; an area rich in it's own uniqueness that distinguishes the band further away from their peers. THE BAND: Brooke Mayfield - vocals Keith Guillory - guitars and keyboards Daniel Eschete - bass Shawn Roddy - drums Brooke Mayfield had previously done studio work as a guest vocalist for Lost Eden and Shakespeare In Hell when it became obvious that she should front the new band. Menagerie had found their singer and began finishing up songs to appear on their debut CD, "Cages" in 2004 - an album with a diverse array of influences. While bands come and go onto the scene, the core of Menagerie has remained stable over the years. It's members have become well known for their talents in other areas of music, and sought after for their studio skills: A recording engineer and producer for local up and coming bands, Keith Guillory has become a popular choice in the Louisiana area. Aside from the employ of local recording studios, Guillory operates his own recording studio under the name Goatland Studios and has produced and recorded bands like Neologos, Lost Eden, A Soup Named Stew, Targeting Aorta, Drysocket, Kritik, etc., as well as many local rap, blues, and R&B artists. He has also engineered music for NASCAR and compilation albums. Always active in music, Guillory has been a member and songwriter for Shakespeare In Hell, Lost Eden, and now Menagerie. Danny Eschete is also active in the studio field. Not only does he master all of Menagerie's albums, but he has also worked with Hercoma, Floodstage, Drysocket, and other local bands in the duties of mixing and mastering. Danny also has played bass in various studio projects and has been a contributing member of Menagerie since day one. Shawn Roddy has been a member of Shakespeare in Hell, Music to Drive to, The Numbers, The Surf Thugs, Klonipin, Sofa, Drysocket, and continues to play drums for Menagerie. He spends his time playing music for a living, running sound for bands in his local area, and working with other musicians as a producer and engineer. Although Kevin Kish is no longer playing keyboards for Menagerie, the band has recruited J. Lamm from Cea Serin to fill in while a suitable replacement is found. Menagerie has currently finished the recording of their second album named "In Moderation" and it will be released in late September. Upon the release of the CD the band will begin promoting the album with live shows across the southern region of the U.S.
