coinmonster reviews throughout the years......(in progress)

One thing I've decided to do is to leave all reviews intact, exactly how they were written, unlike some bands who choose to alter negative aspects of their reviews, lie about CD sales, and change words around in order to impress readers. We like to let people decide for themselves if they are going to like CM or not.

• Miscellanious Review, Fan E-mail (just the more interesting ones), show reviews, interviews
• Candybowl Reviews
• Guido El' Sorrio Reviews
• Universal Solvent Reviews
• The Schematic Reviews

• "Don't know why they haven't been signed yet... So far my favorite tape to date.  This band has blown me away from day one. Every song on this tape, there are 13, is a work of art" - BAXTERS - Oklahoma City, OK
• "The buzz band of the local new music scene...this writer's vote for most promising local talent of the year. A wildly eccentric, undeniably original sound" -WOLFTRAXX Youngstown, OH
• "Fucking 'A is all I have to say.  These guys are superb!" - SHREDDING MATERIAL -Baltimore, MD
• "COINMONSTER has amazed and pleased many critics and fans with their unique style and diverse music. Many have praised the talents of COINMONSTER and after experiencing a live show, you too will become a believer of the local music scene...Especially when this band goes national..." - ROCK AND ROLL REPORTER - Pittsburgh, PA

• E-mail from a fan (12/21/97) I just saw you guys last weekend at Aldo's Bar in Altoona, Pa. I missed your first set because I worked till midnight, but as soon as I walked in door, I knew you guys were something special. I'd never heard anything about you before that. I originally didn't have any high expectations, but before the last set had even started I had already dished out my last ten bucks and purchased Universal Solvent. I have been listening to it ever since.I would say Coinmonster is now among my top favorite bands along with King Crimson, Primus, Naked City, Korn, Fish Bone, and so many other great bands. I can hear a lot of Crimson influence, especially in the drummer. I don't know, maybe you guys never listen to Crimson in particular, but you sure as hell are on that same level with great bands like listed above. Individually you all kick ass. Together you compliment each other and have all the makings of a band that's going to be around for a long time. Seeing you live was insane. I walked around all night with my jaw hitting the ground. It's a shame there wasn't more people at Aldo's and a lot of the people that were there really seem to appreciate what was going on. I can't wait till you come back to this shit hole town and play at Aldo's again. I've been telling everyone I know about you and letting them hear the CD. I honestly don't mean to come off sounding like a suck up, but I know a great band when I hear one and that doesn't happen that often. I was wondering if I could video tape you guys when you come back to Aldo's.

• Review of a live performance from Sept 97 Coinmonster attacked next with vicious, experimental guitar rock from their CD, Guido El Sorrio.  Capitalizing on abrasive progressions and wacky time signatures, the New Castle three-some sounded at times like a mesh of Primus and Helmet. Guitarist/Singer JonJon Reider terrorized his Ibanez throughout the set, splaying both hands across the fretboard and finger-beating his notes out like keys on a type-writer. "Porcupine Effect" and "Mr. Miserable" made audience members do a double take of Reider's unorthodox methods, and the bands' near-flawless cover of the RUSH instrumental "La Villa Strangiato" converted all nonbelievers.  The towering John Troutman (bass) and David Galazia (drums) laid rhythms so thick and heavy that any self-respecting mason would've blushed with envy. -- Pete Roche

• Live Review - Pennsylvania Musician Magazine Coinmonster followed with their set of technically-geared modern rock... Blending Rush/Zappa like technical adventurism with metallic rhythms and urban sass for a hybrid sound all their own.

• The Final Cut - Altoona Pa (Concert Review) Coinmonster is a different breed of musical animal, doing a technically-geared brand of modern rock which brings to mind names like Primus, Frank Zappa, and 2112-era RUSH. Their set featured mostly material from their CD Guido El' Sorrio.  Coinmonsters instrumental skills were undeniable. These guys tightly executed their sporatic, changing rhythmic soundscape, never staying in one place too long.  Particularly impressive was drummer David Galazia, who kept things constantly busy behind the kit with inventive fills and driving beats along the way.  He, bassist John Troutman and guitarist/singer Jon Reider made precise transitions from one mood to the next - light and funky one moment, brash and thrashy metallic the next, with oddball chord and temp shifts.  The crowd assembled at stagefront enjoyed it, with individual folks finding their own ways to move and groove with the sound.  An impressive set, which suggest that if the right industry eyes and ears cross paths with COINMONSTER, some good things may soon happen with this adventurous trio.

• Louder Than A Bomb- Coinmonster caught in gross displays of innovation - Greg Hoy - City Paper (Pittsburgh , PA 1/29/98)- It's 11:48 p.m. and even on this cold winter night, I'm sweating. The club is packed, green-haired punks in leather and even the nondescript huddled closely together as the lights go down and an ominous sound begins. Coinmonster takes the stage amidst a fury of crowd noise and the sound of a prerecorded intro tape. The 300-plus crowd in this post-industrial mecca of New Castle pays homage as the band starts its first song. From their beginnings in late 1991 as a pseudo-rap/hardcore band to their evolution into an innovative and intense trio, Coinmonster has recorded and released four albums, played throughout Ohio and Pennsylvania and earned critical praise from such unlikely sources as magazines in Toronto and Oklahoma City. Their live show has been a staple of the Cleveland music scene for some time now, sharing stages and fans with Mushroomhead and Cows in the Graveyard. While their Pittsburgh accolades have been few and far between, Coinmonster has established itself as an extremely original touring band throughout the region. But that's not all. "It's come down to a point where if our next show's at Revco, I don't give a shit," vocalist/guitarist Jon Jon Reider tells me later. "Of course, our manager doesn't see it that way. But I just like to play a show where people appreciate us." As the first song's chords ring out, Reider takes off and leans his feeding-back, seven-string guitar into his amplifiers ... just to take his top shirt off. Picking up the still-ringing instrument, Reider, along with drummer Dave Galazia and bassist John Troutman, begin "Porcupine Effect." The crowd responds as Reider plays call and response with them and his guitar, sucking the audience in for the ride. The band has worked hard to get to this point, and their fans are cult-like devotees. "I'm having fun now because people are really getting into [the shows]," Reider explains. "You know even before a show what the crowd is like. And you can cater to it." These displays of showmanship weren't always so apparent from a guy who used to barf after shows from the shear intensity of the performances. But Reider and the rest of Coinmonster are to a point where things are falling into place on a national scale. Their album is being played on plenty of college radio stations, so much so that it's on the College Music Journal's (CMJ) Loud Rock charts and earning the attention of several national labels. Attribute their success to their unbelievable heaviness -- the band tunes its guitars a full fifth below standard tuning -- a heaviness which you can read as perhaps reactionary to the state of music these days. Sometimes you have to shock people to get them to pay attention to you. And sometimes, you just gotta play "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" heavier than any other band ever, which Coinmonster does this night to the delight of the corn-fed crowd. When you play in virgin territory, sometimes a cover can bring a crowd around. "We were always into the heavy '70s," Reider explains. "Dave's into Deep Purple, we do Rush songs sometimes for fun. And people get into covers. They'll say 'Yeah, you guys are 99% terrible, but since you did that one cover song...'" Reider laughs, humored by his own humility. Even though they've got such an uncharted sound, the comparisons still come. "You don't have enough fingers and toes to count how many bands we've been compared to," Reider tells me when I mention the fact that previous comparisons to Helmet and Primus really aren't all that accurate. There's something positive about the fact that no one can really pin a band's sound down to one category or formulated slot. That usually works out to a band's benefit. The Jan. 10 issue of Billboard magazine has a "Commentary" by Michael James, a producer and owner of Alternator Records, who states in so many words that the record business is in need of innovative bands to revitalize the entire industry. "With a band like Nirvana [and post-grunge], it was an act, not a style, that proved the recipe for success," James notes. "In the long run, being an innovator is the key to longevity." Coinmonster are innovators. Over the course of their albums, the band has gotten progressively heavier, cutting to the chase more and more quickly to keep the heads of their ever increasing fan-base spinning. And that is really where it's at.

• Friday April 18th - E-mail from a fan... WOW! It had been a long day (been up since 6am). Brought a friend of mine from work to the show. We came to see Mushroomhead (lent my friend the the Superbuick CD and he was hooked). Already knew what Crayon Death and This Tortured Soul sounded like. We had been on the floor for both the bands and by mid-set of This Tortured Soul we both decided to grab a seat and wait out the rest of their set (my ass was starting to drag by this point). They have a good sound but they plod alond too much, need a little variety in their sound. Anyway set change comes; the drummer warms up; some tall guy with a baseball cap comes flying in and heads for the stage; and there's this big bald guy with overalls on with a guitar in his mitts. Needless to say, I had no idea what to expect. So I'm taking a swig of my beer; all is quiet (relatively), then you guys rip into "Frank Was A Pimp" and I about choke! Un-fuckin-believable! An over the top original sound plus shades of Primus and Helmet and Zappa (I know you've heard the comparisons before but hell, it's good company). These guys can't be this tight. I vault towards the stage, I suddenly feel energized, like I just chugged a pot of expresso with a bottle of No-Doze chaser!! My jaw is on the floor throughout the whole set. Just when I think thing can't get any better or inovative or heavier, you guys throw a sucker punch of a hook that has my neck snapping and my eyes bugging out, again!! Thank God someone remembers what time signature changes are, and how to use them to throw 180° turns into a song. Haven't seen inovative guitar sound and playing like that since Les Claypool and Eddie Van Halen. Fingers-a-flying, pulling out all the stops. You were using everything but your elbows, and even that I'm not sure of. Seeing and hearing you live is the closest thing I've experienced to jumping out of an airplane since I did that last summer. Pure 100% percent adreneline. Can't wait to see you live again. Bought 'Universal Solvent' that night over at your table and between it and the new MISFITS CD, it hasen't left my side (or my CD player). I have been raving about the CD and the show ever since. Good luck, stay healthy, and keep up the incredible work. Later, Gene.

• Thursday May 7th 1998 E-Mail from a North Carolina Fan Hey, what's up guys. My name is Chris Barker and am currently on your mailing list. I'm from Cleveland and used to go to your shows all the time. I now live in Charlotte N.C. In fact, one of the things I miss the most about being in Cleveland was seeing you guys once a month for six bucks or so. That's cheap entertainment nowadays. I've been following you guys for a while, and think you are just about the best band around. I'm sure someday I'll only be able to see you guys once every couple years for about $25. I am a musician, and I know my stuff. You have managed to achieve a certain chaos/within the order/within the chaos that only bands like Primus, Medeski Martin and Wood, and Dream Theatre (track #5 -Images and Words) have been able to maintain. I listen to everything from Dave Matthews to Suffocation, and everything in between, but your music is something everyone can get into. I turned a lot of people on to you up north, and have continued to do the same here. I am in a death metal band called Envenom Thy Winds. The crowd I hang out with listens to almost nothing but death metal, but they got into your music. They'd never heard anything like it. The closest thing they could compare it to was Cynic. You guys should come down here. I've only been here a few months, but already know a lot of musicians who would truly appreciate being able to SEE you play. Anyways I thought I'd save you guys the postage. With all my mail being forwarded I get it too late anyways. However I will keep up with your web page, and definately want to know if you guys ever play with Happy Rainbow Death. Those are my boys!! Peace, and good luck, wherever the business takes you. P.S. Did your album make it to any stations down here? If so I will request it.

• Fan Mail - 5/11/98 First of all, I love the music. I was locked-up in a placement in Mercer when I first heard your music. One of the staff members there Joe ( this Italian guy) let me listen to this cd. The cover was kinda red & on the top it said CoinMonster. I dont remember the title of the album but I do remember some of the songs on it such as, Low Profile Car, and bubblebear ( which is about the Bubblebear carwash). When Joe first handed me that Cd to listen to it opened my mind up to a new style of music. A music of no other kind. I fell in love with that music. I think Jon R. has great talent being able to play as well as he does with his voice, when I listen Im in "Aw". The music really gets my blood goin. Also the way David does the offbeat beat, the listener is just not ready for it and it makes the listening part of music alot more fun. I love the way John T. twangs away on the bass guitar like the is no tomorrow ....just wraps up the music in an explosive package of great sound! I first heard of the band about a year ago when i was locked-up. I havent gotten the tunes out of my head.

  "well...a man came up to me & poked me in the eye, then he slapped me cross my face & I didnt ask him why !" " They went fishing again, No clue murder again, they drove past the scene of the crime, motherfucking litter, body wrapped in fishing line" I love that shit , I think it's great  True love for the music,  Ralph Munoz

• Some nice stuff our pals Ritual Space Travel Agency had to say about a show they played with us..Coinmonster brutally taught us a lesson in our need for more practice as they completely tore the roof off the sucker, playing for almost an hour after the place was supposed to close to a still packed house. Watching those guys is like seeing a group of doctors successfully perform brain surgery with sledge hammers. BOOM! - (Thanks guys - You rule as well!)
• FUBARM Band of the MOMENT -I discovered Coinmonster about three years ago (well I didn't discover them, I'm no producer, but you know what I mean). One of my college friends, Andy (who went to highschool with Cows in the Graveyard drummer, Will Sperdute), told me I should give these guys a look. Now Andy and I didn't always see eye to eye musically; he listened to a lot of ska and punk (there's nothing wrong with that, just not my thing...). Anyways, he said these dudes Coinmonster played like they were from Mars, and as much as he hated metal, he liked these guys a lot. Plus they were friends with Will, and Will's no slouch behind the kit, so what the hell... At the time, I was living in Kent, Ohio... they were playing down at JB's DownUnder, formerly Ozeez, where my life (and musical outlook) had changed for the better years earlier; the first time I saw Chum, Disengage and Karma to Burn. They were playing with this band Hate Dies Hard who had been getting shite-loads of air play on a local all-metal station V-Rock (RIP... bastards!!)... the place was packed with trailer-trash Harley types (I think the Ravenna bowling alley must have been closed that night). I was late 'cause I didn't know whether to give a shit or not (my life is full of mistakes). I made my way to the front where Andy was trying to keep up... Coinmonster was way beyond everybody in the room, I was one of the few who were smart enough musically to figure it out... that they were way ahead of me too. The rest of the trailer-trash jockeyed for the pool table or the bar. The people who were payin' attention were blown away. CM was smokin'!! I had never heard them before, so I had trouble getting into to it at first... but while I've always slagged around in hardcore/metal bands, I've always been a prog-shredder at heart. There's nothing more satisfying then listening to a couple of guys play their nutsacks off (we're talkin' total castration here!). But the most important part is for the technical stuff to be really "out there"... just shredding... but not seem like they're just wanking off. I've been called a "fretboard gymnast" myself (thanks Larry), but I've never done it for the sake of showing off, and Coinmonster are right there... total sincerity while totally showing up everybody in the damn state and beyond! To say the least, I was very impressed, and promptly shelled out my last ten bucks for a CD, "Universal Solvent," Coinmonster's newest recording at the time. They had a low-tuned modern sound, but kinda wacky like Primus, yet the guitar was dominant (two-handed tapping and all), rather than the bass. What sold me was their cover of Edgar Winter's "Frankenstein." (not on the CD) Still one of the coolest instrumentals ever put on tape... at the time I was knee deep in Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Primus, and King Crimson... as well as extreme stuff like Napalm Death and Entombed, so Coinmonster was like my new heavy metal jazz band on crack... mixing metal, funk and anything else you can think of... just what I was looking for. It almost pissed me off... here I am, trying to come up with a new sound (and failing miserably) that mixes heavy, wacky, technical stuff... real musician's music... and Coinmonster comes along and beats my ass with a folding chair!! Can't hold it against them though. Lets fast-forward to the present. I just saw them play at the Grog Shop in Cleveland with Cows in the Graveyard (new stuff is smokin' boys!!). Despite some technical difficulties (aka - I'm gonna get fed up and buy Rick some new bass gear as soon as I win the lotto), they killed as usual... making me feel silly for ever picking up an instrument. They've got lots of new material, and a new CD, "The Schematic" (reviewed elsewhere in this month's issue). I wish I had had the chance to listen to "The Schematic" before the show 'cause I had a little trouble locking in, nonetheless I was thoroughly entertained. Coinmonster have never disappointed me live, they just keep getting better and better. So, considering my familiarity with the band and the fact that they've got some new product to hawk I figured that they would be the perfect and most deserving band to be featured for the first 'Band of the Moment' here at FuBARM.

• INTERVIEW with BigMetalDave - FUBARM Name: Jon Reider Age: 30 Any interesting origin or place of birth: nope, just little ol' New Castle PA Instrument: Guitar/Vocals Boring Day Job: I sell food all day long for a big food service company BigMetal: So how did you first discover music? first instrument? highschool band? what's the foundation for this insanity? Jon: I had 2 older brothers and one sister who were totally into music in the biggest way. My parents turned me on to the Beatles and Black Sabbath real early, my oldest brother got me into RUSH and Yes, KISS, etc.. My next oldest brother was into southern friend rock like Skynyrd and Nugent, Marshall Tucker.. etc.. My sister loved everything, mainly funk.. That's where I got my funky side... Rufus, Chaka Kahn, Earth Wind and Fire, Commodores, Stevie Wonder. I always wanted to play drums, but my brother told me I'd look cooler with a guitar, so......... Troutman and I both played in the high school jazz band, even years after we were out of school because they could never find any musicians to do it. John and I started CM as an outlet to play music that we were into at the time. We couldn't find any musicians that wanted to play heavier stuff, so we did it ourselves. We got Dave about 6 months later... BM: Any formal guitar training, how long have you been playing, influences? and what's the impetus for the polyphonic tapping... Les Claypool, King Crimson, Charlie Hunter, Stanley Jordan? you definitely put your own twist on it. Jon: I had a wonderful guitar teacher named Emanuel Kiriakou, he was the master shredder at the time, now he works in NYC. He did the music for those Miller Light "Brought to you By Dick" commercials.. He was THE man, Rick took lessons off of him too. He taught me how to play guitar the right way, when I was about 16 or 17. If he would see me now, he might get pissed off because I play NOTHING like the way he taught me! I've been playing since I was about 13 or 14. I had a great uncle who played weddings and stuff, I took off of him for a while when I was around 11 yrs old, then I quit until I got an electric. The whole tapping thing came about right when Trout and I started CM in 1990. I used a pick all the way up until 93 though. I was a big shredder back in the day, kind of Allan Holdsworth-ish, but more raw. I would tuck the pick between my fingers when I tapped. I've always been amazed by Stanley Jordan, more than Claypool. I got his album after hearing on the "Jazz Show" hosted by David Sanborn. Stanley's first album "Magic Touch" is still my favorite.. BM: What are you listening to these days? is there anybody you're just in awe of? i can't fathom you guys being intimidated by other musicians, but i know how modest I am. Jon: I listen to a little bit of everything. I love heavy stuff, but I also like a bunch of other stuff that inspires me. Steely Dan, Beatles, VOIVOD, Meshuggah, Mr. Bungle, FNM, the Melvins, Jamiriqoui.. the list is endless. I don't really get all mushy over guitar players anymore, like I used to.. I mean, I know a good one when I see one and I still love my influences like Steve Vai and Allan Holdsworth, but now I watch drummers more than any musician in the band. BM: What is a Coinmonster rehearsal like? how do you guys write songs? riffs brought in, jamming, a combination? Jon: Normally we get together on Wednesday night and just run through songs, half of our songs are written by accident, someone will make a noise with their instrument while picking up a dropped quarter or something and a song will brew out of it. But, we do write alot of stuff too. I'll sit at home and get an idea and kick out part after part. But tons of it is by accident. "Kid Across the Street" was like that.. Rick started playing the intro chords on the bass just dicking around, so I doubled it with him, kicked it heavy, viola' , a song is born.. But then you have a song like "Shiafu" that took a little more time, like 2 practices instead of one. Just kidding. We all contribute %100 to the song writing aspect. No one leaves until everyone is happy with their parts.. BM: Your vocals are very strong and upfront on the new CD, were you always interested in being a singer or did it just happen by default back in the beginning? (okay, i'm a dumbass and just read the whole story on yer website, but give us yer take on vocals anyways...) Jon: Well, thanks! Glad you noticed! I've always wanted to be a singer, but never the LEAD singer. I could always sing a little here and there, but nothing major. I just sang around the house alot and in the car and honestly honed my skills doing that. Learning how to PLAY and sing, that's another animal in itself. People like Mike Patton and Stevie Wonder always made me want to sing more than yell. No offense to the heavy bands out there, but it's time to actually "sing" something. Even if you do yell, yell out something melodic! You'll feel better about it when you're done.. BM: What do you use for inspiration when writing lyrics? i noticed a lot of them have a twisted story feel to them (King Crimson, Primus)... but then some are more straightforward. Jon: Most lyrics are very story oriented anymore. I used to write all these true life, learn-a-lesson lyrics when CM first started that were really corny. Now I'll take a story, word it in a unique fashion, and still keep it based on real life. As bizarre as the lyrics are, they really are based on true stories. Its fun to hear peoples ideas on what they think a particular song is about. I'm usually like "nope, that's not it, but that's a good start!" BM: Some of the songs on the Schematic seem to have more of a catchy verse/chorus thing going on and less instrumental tangents than in the past... is this a conscious decision or just musical growth?.. that song "Kid Across the Street" is so well written, sounds like it should've been on the latest Steely Dan album. (sshh... don't let the metal kids hear that i like the steely ones...) Jon: Hey! the metal kids need to go out and buy albums like "Aja" and "Gaucho". Look at the liner notes on Meshuggah's "Destroy Erase Improve", their list of influences is amazing, and very non-metal. Plus, all 3 Coinmonster members LOVE Steely Dan. But thanks again for noticing! It wasn't as much of a conscious decision to write catchier stuff, but we did put 3 or 4 songs together for some labels and they still said it was too crazy! But those songs were just good songs, still very much Coinmonster songs, but not technically astounding. Actually, those songs are the HARDEST to play live. We screw them up constantly!! I think we deep down, we wanted to make a CM album that wasn't geared 100% towards musicians only, leaving out the other folks. I think we did it. BM: What do you think of the current state of music (not just metal, but pop, jazz or whatever)? to me it seems like pop music has lost all substance and metal is stuck in that aggro-cali-metal style (except for some underground bands that are still challenging themselves)... and jazz - it's so buried in that new age spyro-gyra yuppie crap that you have to dig for miles to find anything happening... discuss. Jon: I've really had it with every single band in the world sounding like Korn anymore.. I'll admit, I love Korn's first album, but the rest just whooshed right by me unnoticed. We play with SO many bands that aspire to be like them right down to their stage movements and clothing, it embarassing and I feel bad. It makes me laugh when a label tells us we sound like Primus, but yet there are 25 touring national bands that sound so much like Korn, there should be a lawsuit. Meanwhile kids, Korn and Frizzle Fry are frightningly similar. I'm really out of touch anymore with whats going on musically. I'm very much into the internet, so I know who's out there, but I don't get a chance to buy new music very often. You are right, you really have to dig to find the good stuff... BM: And finally... how's the future look for Coinmonster? any plans to do a full-blown tour? Jon: The future looks great, we're already writing new songs, I put an 8 track studio in my house so we can record at will, everybody's digging on the new disc, which is always a relief, and basically we're just going to keep doing things our way, but hopefully on a bigger scale! We can't tour, financially speaking, right now because of how little money you make in comparison to having a "day job" It blows and we all hate our work, but the weekends of playing make up for it! BM: Equipment setup (what happened to the 7-string?): Jon: My equipment setup has been the same for years now, a few new amp heads here and there, but basically the same. The 7 string I haven't used for quite some time because quite frankly, it sounds like shit through my gear! The old trusty 6 string crushes it. I use Ibanez guitars and have for the entire CM history. They're cheap and I can beat the hell out of them without feeling bad about it. I use Mesa Boogie heads. I have two of them, one is real old and crusty, and I have a new Dual Rectifier that I use live and in the studio. I have a BOSS ME-10 effects unit on the floor for the weird stuff like "Bouncing Brain" and "Mr. Miserable," junk like that. Otherwise, it's just my guitar going straight into the amp, no effects at all. I run the Mesa head through 2 Marshall cabs, and it's embarassingly loud, but that's me! Certain rhythmic textures can only be achieved at that volume.

  Name: David Galazia Age: 30ish Any interesting origin or place of birth: New Castle--came right out of my mom. Instrument: Drums/percussion/stereo Boring Day Job: Not really boring--I build houses and troubleshoot--VP of my own business BigMetal: So how did you first discover music? first instrument? highschool band? what's the foundation for this insanity? David: Ever since I was young (4) I've been bashing on things--driving my mom n dad nuts--my older sister had all the 70's records, ya know... BM: Any formal percussion training, lessons? influences? I think I'm hearing some Neil Peart, Ginger Baker, Tim Alexander, maybe Mike Portnoy (but he's maybe a little too new to be an influence)... am I way off base? any not so obvious influences? David: I took Drum lessons for school band--It actually comes in handy when we write--sometimes if I write a complex pattern, I'll write it out in script so I can remember it--(old age)...Ian Paice of Deep Purple taught me TIMING and style--Neil Peart taught me weird time signatures--Tommy Aldridge taught me all about fast double kick drums--I met Buddy Rich when I was around 6 or so--he patted me on the head and said "If ya wanna be any good ya gotta practice, practice, and practice some more--OR YOU WILL STINK" at which point I started to cry. I don't listen to a lot of newer drummers--they are all fine, but not really inspirations. BM: What are you listening to these days? is there anybody you're just in awe of? I can't fathom you guys being intimidated by other musicians, but i know how modest I am. David: I am back to basics at this point--In the 80's I was all about getting new chops and stealing tricks from the boys--I see Deep Purple almost every year to reestablish what drummers are supposed to do--they are also about "jamming" and rearranging on stage to keep it fresh--so I do that to keep the boys on their toes--we love it. I like the new YES album--Steve Morse--the new Steely Dan promises to be a fave--yadda yadda BM: I read on the website about Mud Hut Studios... how do you get such a well balanced drum sound with only eight tracks? does he bounce them to a computer, is it all live (stereo)? the production is really great on the Schematic. how did you pull it off? David: Drum sound:--6 channels direct to dat--live atmosphere--some candles--turn aknob or 2--(I prefer the "sounds good to me" knob) Tuning the drums correctly can help. Someday I'll learn how. (he he) BM: Live shows seem like a place for you to stretch out and change up fills, the songs always seem different in the live setting. plus, whenever you guys play with Cows in the Graveyard, you and Will Sperdute seem to inspire each other to play your nutsacks off. is this just healthy competition? David: Will is my FAVORITE local drummer--we're great friends and have alot of respect for each other--a bit of friendly competition is always great--we do it for each other and the crowd benefits as well--he's also been stealing form me--so--I'll get him--(and his little dog too) BM: Do you get involved in the the writing process besides just adding your drum patterns? I believe you had some lyrical credit on past CDs. David: Yes--I do alot of arranging--with the addition of Rick--I have less to do--he and Jon really click together--lately I just play something that works with their ideas (vacation) Occasionally I give Jon some lyrical ideas--maybe next disc. BM: When Troutman left, how did you know that Rick was the right man for the job? did you and Rick lock up right away, or did it take some getting used to? David: 2 words--Deep Purple (again : ) he's a big fan--same influences--great musician and hell of a guy in general--sense of humor to beat; the band (if you will) we never skipped a beat (no pun) BM: What do you think of the current state of music (not just metal, but pop, jazz or whatever)? to me it seems like pop music has lost all substance and metal is stuck in that aggro-cali-metal style (except for some underground bands that are still challenging themselves)... and jazz - it's so buried in that new age spyro-gyra yuppie crap that you have to dig for miles to find anything happening... discuss. David: I think my past comments will fill in this one--I don't listen to as much new stuff as say, Reider--half of the new bands I could run over with a lawn mower and not know who they are--mostly 'cause of my busy day schedule and band schedule--tell Jon to put a real cd player or something in the van and....well....maybe I could hear some shit. BM: And finally... how's the future look for Coinmonster? David: Nothing but good good good--lots of opportunities-- Equipment setup: A breakdown and photos of my kits will be on my equipment page on our website--2 yamaha kits and one Baltimore Custom kit. Cymbal critiques etc will be there as well. BM: Any other comments are welcome... David: Thanks for asking...thanks to everyone who supports the band and comes to shows--buys our stuff--thanks for the YEARS of enthusiasm!!!! Cheers!!!! Dave

  Name: Rick Stoner Age: 28 Any interesting origin or place of birth: nothing to speak of Instrument: bass Boring Day Job: I work at the N.C.T corporation. We build aluminum boxes for trucks and trailers, I'm the light man so to speak I wire all the lights on the trailers. At night I give lessons at our local music store, actually the only music store in new castle. BigMetal: So how did you first discover music? Rick: with my cousin Justin when we were about 8 or 9. We would put on the Beatles, and jump up and down on his bed and act like we were playing the songs. I still do it. BM: First instrument? Rick: Guitar. I got one of them real cool guitars out of the Sears catalog when i was about 10. i played the shit out of that thing. I think Reider still plays with his. BM: Highschool band? Rick: nope not me. I tried to play a french horn once and it fucked my lip all up. BM: What's the foundation for this insanity?RICK insanity and beer. BM: Any formal training, lessons? influences? I can't put my finger on anybody in particular... you seem to have a firm grasp on a variety of bass techniques. Rick: I have had years and years of lessons, I feel quite lucky, I was taught by alot of great musicians. Not to mention what I steal from watching other people play. influences? way too many to list. I'm still a big beatles fan. I like a little bit of everything. The only thing that stops you from getting better is when you think you know it all already. BM: What are you listening to these days? Rick: As far as bass goes, I still listen to my favorites. The Who, yes, VoiVod, Primus. BM: Is there anybody you're just in awe of? I can't fathom you guys being intimidated by other musicians, but i know how modest i am. Rick: Oh hell yes! STEELY DAN and SKINNY PUPPY. BM: How did you land the gig with these maniacs? Rick: Me and reider went to highschool together, a few years apart so we already knew each other. he called me to see if I knew of any bass players, and I knew of a couple. But as we got to talking, I got to thinking. So I told him, look no further. and here we are, or something like that. BM: Any audition jitters? Rick: Oh yes, But after the first time we got together and played all was well. The first 20 or so shows were the jitters. BM: What bands were you in prior to Coinmonster and what were they like? Rick: Just you're local bands trying to get heard. I was in a industrial band for awhile that actually opened up for Coinmonster about 5 years ago. I was also in a Jimi Hendrix tribute band, now that was a shit load of fun. BM: You had some big shoes to fill (literally, Troutman was a big dude...), how long did it take you to learn that stuff? Did you have to alter your playing style at all? Rick: When i first joined the band I had 2 weeks to learn 8 or 10 songs for the first show I played with them at cbgbs. I'm still learning the older songs. John is a great bass player, and I try to play the old songs as closely to the way that he played them. It did take some time to adjust to the way things are played, it still does. BM: Was there any "new guy" hazing or pranks from Jon or David? Rick: No not really, not anything direct. Dave is always doing or saying something fucking perverted, Jon is a constant ball buster so it's pretty much the same as when I started. BM: What do you think of the current state of music (not just metal, but pop, jazz or whatever)? To me it seems like pop music has lost all substance and metal is stuck in that aggro-cali-metal style (except for some underground bands that are still challenging themselves)... and jazz - it's so buried in that new age spyro-gyra yuppie crap that you have to dig for miles to find anything happening... discuss. Rick: Metal is full of bands trying to sound like Korn, they are all yellin and screamin and bitchin about nothing. Everybody hates everything. It's all the same sound the same chordings. I'm not saying we are better in any way, and doesn't apply to all metal bands, but it does to alot of them. (you know you who you are) I have no use for pop bands that don't and can't write there own music. But pop does have it's moments like all music. I enjoy a good catchy tune like anybody else. And there are pop bands that do it. Bring back the pop from the early 80s and late 70s there were some great pop bands: the Little River Band, the Cars, Wings. Jazz is probably on the best level. It's not as fake and pre-fabed as everything else. At least jazz is where it's always been. true and intense. Thank god it's not as main-stream as metal and pop. It would only give the industry a chance to corrupt it. Last lets not forget about that good old country, There is alot of good music there. Hank Williams, George Jones, Roy Clark, Buck Owens. Now that's good country music. BM: And finally... how's the future look for Coinmonster? Rick: All is well, we are writing new stuff all the time, we have some good ideas planed for future releases. As long as were playing and people are interested in our music we will be doing this for a little longer i'm sure. Equipment setup: washburn 5 string bass (mine) old peavy head, 4x10 peavy cab, 4x10 s.w.r cab (all John Troutman's)

• Show Reviewed: Sat Sept 30th - Phantasy - Cleveland, OH name: Dan e-mail address: PanchoFHS1@hotmail.com show comments: The show went very well for two reasons. One, the two bands Coinmonster played with were not as good I thought. Second, they ripped out a monster set that included all the good ones. The songs that I wanted played and were, were Amateur Smut Writer and Sarah Smile(personal favorite). Although the attendance could have been higher, I did notice a lot of very young audience members who really watched and learned from Jon. It was a great show.

• Review of "Candybowl" 7' -Tab - Akron, OH They have a mix that keeps bouncing around in your head like a rubber ball with enough of a heavy sound that you realize there's something different going on here.  They crank out two songs that will wet your appetite for more on this two song 45" release

• "Yikes! These guys is good! "Guido El' Sorrio" is an exceptional CD These guys are great players and the recording is superb" - In Pittsburgh -Pittsburgh, PA

• Review of "Guido El' Sorrio" - The Final Cut (Altoona PA) Based out of New Castle, PA, COINMONSTER is a different monster, indeed, demonstrated on the tracks of their latest CD, "Guido El Sorrio".  This trio mix a variety of diverse styles into an original, hard-hitting sound. Technical adventurism ala Frank Zappa and Rush, heaviness circa Black Sabbath, peppered with a little Beastie Boys urban smarts... all combined into a technically mesmerizing, continually moving sound throughout the discs 16 tracks.  terse, meteallic rhythms one moment, funky playful rhythms the next, samples and sidetrips around every bend...fun listening to be sure. Fans of Primus, old school Zappa, Rush, and even Helmet might want to check out this disc. "Guido El' Sorrio" is different and unique.

• Review of Guido El Sorrio - RAW (Canada) I had to drive to gary's house to get this cd back. he was trying to keep it from me, thought i'd actually "forget" about coinmonster if he kept it out of my sight for long enough....hahahaha!!! nice try pal. we received this cd a few months ago for a feature but wanted to review it because this music really turns us all on. bands just don't get much better than this trio from pennsylvania. i'd heard a soundclip of coinmonster on the net, thought it was incredibly different - loved it, so my expectations for this cd were high and they were definitely met. but the time came when i knew i had to turn the cd over to gary for the review and that kinda scared me. i know the type of music he prefers (super tight, experimental, heavy and progressive) and coinmonster fit the bill. my fears were realized when i received this little note from him, "listening to coinmonster as i write this.....fuck these guys are deadly!!! should not have a problem with this band at all... you said i could keep this cd didn't you????? ha ha" gary managed to elude me and hold on to the cd for an entire month while i went through coinmonster withdrawl but i got it back on sunday. just barely though....he pretended he couldn't find it, the lying bastard. here's what gary had to say, wow!! there hasn't been a band in years that i can say has totally captured my interest like coinmonster. these guys take me back to the days when rock music had an edge. today three chords seem to cut it for a lot of bands, whereas coinmonster combine incredible heavy rock with intricate time changes and tons of progressions. this in my eyes, basically dictates what coinmonster is really all about! with their latest cd release "guido el sorrio" the band is well on their way to success. word has it that they are in the studio working on their next release......can't wait to hear it! for a three piece band they have developed a wall of sound which many power trios seem to lack today. intense lyric content combined with an overwhelming ability to play, makes coinmonster an act that not many bands can follow. they leave you with a total interest for what they have to offer. never once was i bored during the entire time i listened to these guys. great job guys!!!
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• Review of Universal Solvent  by RAW - Canada- "We were waiting a long time for Universal Solvent and to tell ya the truth, we’re probably not the best people to review Coinmonster since we’re most definitely predisposed to loving whatever they create musically. But we’ll do it anyway cause that’s just the way we are - ultra serious and professional like....Anyway, it’s review time at Sal’s place and we’re drinking lots of beer because loud music and beer go together so well....slightly buzzed and ready for something to blast us in the face and cause damage to the eardrums. Coinmonster - that’s what we put on...mostly cause Sal threatened to throw an ugly girly fit if she didn’t get her own way. Get this, we were sorta nervous to put the damn CD on in case it wasn’t as good as Guido el Sorrio, our fave at raw and Coinmonster’s second or third release. But we had no need to fear, all expectations were met and we are happy campers once again. First song comes on and Rob throws down his guitar in disgust..."I can’t play along with these guys, just can’t keep up." The rest of us smile with relief. (small miracles really do happen every day). We didn’t say much when the CD was on, the occasional "wow" or "holy shit man, check that out!" we mostly just sat there with the tunes cranked, bobbing our heads stupidly.....wall of sound wall of sound wall of sound wall of sound...three talented guys...how’s that for a review? Excessively tight, progressive, heavy, different, freaky, incredibly talented, just plain fucking cool. Coinmonster have a hard style to describe really. They can be funky sometimes or heavy most of the time, they have the strangest time changes, weird chords, enough off-beats to make most drummers sick to their stomach at the mere thought of producing a sound like that..throw in a touch of warpedness here and there and you’ve got one of the best bands out of the Pennsylvania and Ohio area. Drummer Dave Galazia can play like no one we know, Jon Jon Reider on guitar makes use of his fretboard in the coolest possible manner and Troutman on bass would give some of the best, a run for their money. we’ve played Coinmonster for tons of friends and each time a new Coinmonster fan has been created. That’s how amazing and talented this band is...people love them on first listen. They’re that good. A big huge thanks to the person who wrote us a note a while back about this band, he (maybe she) started us this Coinmonster obsession and deserves a big fat joint supply for life. Coinmonster are now the supreme rivals of Sal’s other obsession band, Korn...we’ll see how it goes. Buy the Universal Solvent CD right now. Fuck whatever else you were going to buy, get Coinmonster music and you too can be happy campers like us... man, we gotta see them live one day....

• Review of Universal Solvent from SCENE - Cleveland, OH Don’t be fooled by the cutesy-looking ducks on the cover of Coinmonster’s UNIVERSAL SOLVENT. There’s nothing quacky about this bludgeoning new opus from the bashing, Rust Belt trio.  The band, who have been terrorizing Pennsylvania and Northeast Ohio with their seething mecha-metal since 1991, scored a hit with last year’s GUIDO EL SORRIO. The guys shacked up again at Mud Hut Studios in Sharon, P.A. this past winter to track SOLVENT’s eleven sidewinding offerings (12 if you count the unlabelled, Zappa-esque fusion jam at disc’s end).  Ibanez magician guitarist/singer JonJon Reider unleashes a world of fretboard fury this trip out--without sacrificing the immediate energy so apparent in Coinmonster’s live shows. His fingers dance across the strings on “Jerry’s Just Ahead” and coax klaxon sirens from the guitar pickups on “Mr. Miserable,” while “Artwork of Control” captures Reider with a fistful of jazz chords and cowboy twang.  Bassist John Troutman and drummer Dave Galazia are an impossible rhythm combo, weaving freakout time signatures and odd meters into a piledriving mix. Galazia uses everything at his disposal (including cowbells and wood blocks) to create a hyperkinetic style all his own. Meanwhile, Troutman brings his low thrum to the stuttering staccato.  Like Primus without the slapstick--or a more technoid Pantera--Coinmonster eschew the obvious power progressions in favor of structures and riffs that dare the ears to keep up. “Porcupine Effect” makes the listers hairs stand on end with Reider’s trebley squawks and squeals, while “God’s Gift to Sliced Bread” explores hallucinogenic, airy textures.  Reider’s unique vocals pack the right amount of bark and bite; his lyrics punch through the controlled chaos like those of a death metal singer. But his topics aren’t of the dragon, sword, and blood variety. It’s a scatalogical spitfire of societal cast-offs, like postcards from the brink of insanity. Of the three old Coinmonster demos resurrected for SOLVENT--the blitzkrieg of “Frank Was a Pimp” is the most noteworthy. This is heavy metal for the new millenium, and it’s not for people with queasy stomachs or pacemakers.

• Review of Universal Solvent from the Final Cut (Altoona, PA) When you're talking rock on the cutting edge, it doesn't teeter on the edge of insanity much more than New Castle's COINMONSTER displays here on their fourth offering, Universal Solvent.  Musically, there is so much going on at any one moment on this disc it'll have your head swimming!  I hate to use other bands as a reference, but imagine early Primus pushed to the next logical extreme, and colliding with head-on with Helmet... Coinmonster (guitarist/vocalist JonJon Reider, bassist John Troutman and drummer David Galazia) keep us on edge the entire disc with an ever-changing soundscape of technical ecstasy musicianship, interspersed with funky passages, thrashy guitar chords, bone-jarring chord and tempo changes,hard white rap and soundbytes.  Coinmonster take us into a self-contained musical world all their own, playing it by their own rules and yet concocting some memorable musical moments out of the chaos.  Standout tracks for me include the opener "Double Fisting Water", "Jerry's Just Ahead", "God's Gift to Sliced Bread", "Progress of My Project", "Frank was a Pimp", and the untitled instrumental passage which ends the disc.  Coinmonster's lyrics are as eccentric as their sound, and take some serious studying to decipher - I'm pulling messages of angst and studies of the quarks of the brain as prevalent themes here, but I'm still working on it!  Needless to say, this is intelligent, clever, erratic, unpredictable cutting edge music that will re-arrange your inner cranium from the get go.  If you have not experienced Coinmonster yet, this disc is a bold, technically amazing joyride that will take you to the limit for the full eleven rounds!

• Review of Universal Solvent from Da' Core - Pittsburgh, PA I have heard a lot of good things about Coinmonster, but this is the first time I've gotten to check them out. Every time they come to Pittsburgh some stupid crisis comes up in my life and I miss the show.  At first glance the cover is just ducky...literally!!  Hailing from Youngstown, OH (actually New Castle, PA but anyhoo...) Coinmonster are a heavier, more aggressive version of Primus.  Mixing unlikely elements such as C.O.C., Helmet, and Primus they are an extremely tight, guitar driven threesome that is here to put the fun back into heavy music.  Universal Solvent contains 11 hard driven songs and can stand up to any national release I've heard lately.

• Write up in the Pittsburgh City Paper (10/15/97) To be completely awestruck, check out COINMONSTER.  Over the course of their last 2 CD's, the trio has created, destroyed, and re-created their own world of musical innovation.  Pickless guitarist/vocalist JonJon Reider massages his 7-string guitar with all the tenderness of steel wool, whacking out sounds and textures usually left to recently struck roadkill. John Troutman (bass) and David galazia (drums) create a unique rythmic punch, working rock/jazz/metal figures into completely new territory.  Universal Solvent (quadropus recordings), their most recent release, is one of the best albums you'll ever experience.  Heavy like Helmet, destructured like Crimson, lyrical homicide; this band is unlike anything you've ever heard.  And the disc's superior sound makes you wonder if they are indeed from planet, much less local.

• Review of Universal Solvent (In Pittsburgh Jan 21 1998) UNIVERSAL SOLVENT Produced By Bill Dodd -Quadropus Recordings, New Castle - Exploring territory mapped out by Primus, Coinmonster has found a way to make it their own. With machine gun kick drum, a vengeful bass and crunchy thrashing guitar, Coinmonster's arrangements can make your head spin. "Jerry's Just Ahead," the second song on the CD, sounds like a homage to Primus and their "Jerry's a Race Car Driver." But Coinmonster goes beyond the obvious and gets progressively more melodic as you get deeper into the CD. The lead vocalist, who has mastered the prerequisite thrash band growl, sometimes even sounds like Andy Partridge from XTC. These guys have a lot of depth and put some Pittsburgh bands who are exploring this same genre to shame. I'm surprised they're not more popular.

• Here's a review from CitySounds online If ya dig heavy music and haven't heard of Coinmonster, go find 'em. Now. Right Now! Let me tell you a story about Coinmonster's first CD, GUIDO EL' SORRIO. A friend of mine from Cleveland came to visit me about two years ago and threw a copy of GUIDO in my stereo saying, "Listen to this, man." Being a connoisseur of heavy music, I thought they would be some generic riff-meister band that would hold my attention for a couple of minutes. How wrong could I have been? Thirty minutes later, I was still enraptured by the furious musicianship erupting from my speakers. Coinmonster delivered the smartest, most intricate, heaviest, grooviest music I had ever heard in one package. Swirling riffs and grooves abounded, with enough time and mood changes to make even Mr. Bungle seem tame. Every couple of minutes I looked at my friend in amazement and said, "Jesus, these guys are incredible." Needless to say, he never got his CD back, and I have it in my treasured pile of heavy bands that most of the world will never understand. Impossibly, Coinmonster's second full-length release, UNIVERSAL SOLVENT, seems to improve on GUIDO EL' SORRIO. Misfit geniuses are the Coinmonster three; Guitarist/singer Jon Jon Reider, Bassist John Troutman, and Drummer David Galazia, hailing from New Castle, PA. There must be something in the water. It seems like the three of them learned to play during the 80's when virtuosity was not frowned upon. However, instead of turning into a pop garbage band with talent to burn like Mr. Big, or a generic metal shredder band like Forbidden, Coinmonster holed themselves up in their New Castle basement, smoked way too much of something, and created the phenomenal sound they possess today. Bring the inventiveness and atonal qualities of Voivod to the twisted world of Frank Zappa's worst nightmare, and you are close to what Coinmonster sounds like. Jon Jon is not afraid to still play an Ibanez guitar, probably because of the low action. Besides, I can't imagine him pulling off some of his licks on anything else. In fact, how he manages to sing at the same time is one of life's biggest mysteries.  Galazia is one of the most talented drummers in the area, and certainly one of the most inventive. While keeping the band centered in some strange time signature, he will reconfigure his entire attack before switching to another tempo, without so much as one misplaced hit. In addition, he crams so much drumming into a single measure, it seems as though there must be two of him running on all pistons. Troutman somehow manages to hang on for dear life between these two freaks of nature, thus bridging the gap between the two and holding the band together. He is very accomplished in his own right, using the slower, psychedelic sections of Coinmonster's music to make himself heard. UNIVERSAL SOLVENT was recorded in only two days at Mud Hut Studios in Sharon, PA by Bill Dodd, who somehow managed to capture the wacky three at their best. The only way I can figure they pulled it off is by recording all of the music at the same time and adding vocals later. Take a listen and you'll see what I mean. While you're listening; however, try to imagine staying centered in one of these songs without any lyrics to guide you. Yeah, right. The recording itself is very in-your-face with almost no reverb, except in the trippy experimental forays. This insures that none of the instruments are lost, thank god. There is too much great stuff in this album to lose even a second. I defy you to listen to this album without being impressed. Coinmonster is definitely a superhuman band; as talented and accomplished as someone like Dream Theater, but with none of the extra cheese that goes along with it. Raw, wirling, unpredictable, incredible, who knows what's next for them? I don't know, but they'd better make another album soon. All of my friends and I are sitting around, waiting for the next barrage.
• Review of Universal Solvent from Shredding Material (Middletown, MD) This is one band I've been following for years and watching them progress into one of the most exciting and original bands today.  They contain gut wrenching frenzy and a gamut of approaches from skewed punk, metal, super heavy bass and an assortment of blinding poundage.  Powerfully invigorating, I would recommend this for anybody remotely into a heavy sound.  Like I said before, these guys are SUPERB.  ~Jon Bolling

• Coinmonster The Schematic (Bandaloop) A metal band from New Castle, Pennsylvania, Coinmonster might as well be based in Ohio -- the trio regularly plays shows in Northeast Ohio and is managed by a firm from Columbus. The band will be celebrating the release of The Schematic, its fifth CD, locally with a show at the Grog Shop. Recorded at Mud Hut Studios in western Pennsylvania, The Schematic showcases the band's maturity. Unwilling to follow the now-familiar pattern of mixing hip-hop beats with heavy guitars, Coinmonster opts for something more melodic and experimental. "Amateur Smut Writer," the opening number, begins with a thick bass riff (courtesy of new bassist Rick Stoner) and segues into a driving rock song that goes through a series of complex time changes and vocal harmonies, but is continually propelled by guitarist Jon Jon Reider's gruff vocals. While Reider's wailing sometimes sounds generic, and lyrics about "challenging the world" ("Workshop") and coming home to a nurturing woman ("Sarah's Smile") smack of naïveté, Reider's ability to switch into whimsical falsettos keeps his delivery from becoming stale. Like Mike Patton (of Mr. Bungle and Fantomas fame), Reider is a fan of sputtering if the music demands it. Mixing soulful vocals with noisy guitars, "The Kid Across the Street" is the album's most schizophrenic song and not entirely listenable, but it deserves credit for attempting to bridge genres. At times, the band tries too hard to be clever -- the random use of electronic samples ("Little Lady") as well as a phone message from a "crazy white boy in Cleveland" set to music ("Phone Message") come off as self-conscious attempts to be artsy. Still, it's refreshing to hear a metal band that doesn't aspire to sound like Korn. -- Niesel

• Coinmonster - "The Schematic" (Bandaloop Records 2000, BANDALOOP003) I love music that incorporates numerous influences, and Pennsylvania-based trio Coinmonster plays an aggressive brand of technical-metal that head-banging prog-heads will find appealing. The band consists of Jon Reider on guitar and vocals, Rick Stoner on bass, and David Galazia on drums. "The Schematic" is their fifth release. The promo material points out that Coinmonster's last album hit the "Loud" charts, and while this is an appropriate category for them I was absolutely blown away by the musicianship, intricately crafted instrumental passages, and the overall tightness of the trio's playing as a unit. Coinmonster's trademark sound consists of crushing metal with each song typically having a Primus and Faith No More meets King Crimson instrumental interlude. Reider's vocals have that Chile Peppers style rap, hip-hoppy quality but the growl and aggression leave no room for doubt that this is brain-thrashing metal. Among my favorite tracks... "Workshop" and "Body Of Binky" are like two parts of one tune. "Workshop" alternates between crushing "loud" passages and more melodic segments with some impressively complex instrumentation. But then "Workshop" stops dead in its tracks and launches mercilessly into "Body Of Binky". These tunes goes in so many different directions I could barely keep up, and the ride is fucking wild!!! "Little Lady" is a somewhat different tune that has metallic Salsa rhythm segments and even some heavy metal funk that provide an interesting contrast to the rest of the music. "Eight Little Knocks" has killer, ever-changing rhythms. A crushing tune that chills out briefly like a heavy metal cocktail lounge jazz band. Coooooool man. The guitar work and drumming are dizzying. "Shiafu" is another rhythmic maelstrom of a tune. There's are lots of quieter intricate instrumental passages, and the song includes some of Galazia's more subtle but sophisticated percussion work. And then after nine tracks of relentless assault the last thing I was expecting was a cover of Hall & Oates' "Sara Smile". Whoa!!! But that's cool, I'm a child of the 70's and remember grooving along to H&O years ago. In fact, though the Coinmonsters add a bit of metal to the tune it is, for the most part, a reproduction of the original. Interesting. And for the finale... "Spur"! This is like Red-era King Crimson gone completely metal insane. A take-no-prisoners Reider shred-fest that will bring in the prog rock crowd hook, line, and sinker. This goes in a more overtly heavy prog rock direction than the prior tracks and it's clear that these guys' tastes (and abilities!) cover a lot of territory. My runaway favorite track on the disc. In summary, prog rockers who are head-bangers at heart should check these guys out for the mixture of metallic aggression and creatively complex instrumentation in a metal context.

• The Schematic (Lunatic Fringe)"For all you lovers of adventure in music" Background "The Shematic" is Coinmonster´s fifth full lenght release and the follow up to their 1998 breakthrough album "Universal Solvent", which spent several months on the Loud Rock charts in the US. The Album When I first got to hear this album I remember myself thinking; "Hey, this might be a whole new area in my relationship to music." Now it feels like so much more than just that. The music constantly grew on me and mellowed out to something extraordinary good. The album kicks off with "Amateur Smut Writer" which initially evokes the feeling of something that the great swedish heavy-weight band Meshuggah would have been proud of. The sound is dense and aggressive and as for the music of Meshuggah the music here is heavy, only a bit less intricate but a lot more varied. The vocals by Reider is powerful and it is perfectly backed up by splendid and very distinct playing from the three bandmembers. They really get to show their great abilities without overdoing anything in any sense. Each musician balances the other perfectly. Well, the opener is a very promising track which most likely will leave you wanting for more. As the album proceeds everything suddenly becomes very clear. This is a great album which offers lots of surprises, rythm breaks, interrupting interplays and shiftings in style. You probably won´t be able to figure out what the next track will bring and what it will sound like. From time to time I hear parts that are slightly reminiscent of bands like Mordred, Mr. Bungle, Primus and Rage Against The Machine. And of course, as mentioned above, Meshuggah. Perhaps if you mix these bands and add somewhat of a "progressive touch" you will get an approximate hint of what the music on "The Schematic" sounds like. Anyway, the album starts off great, gets even better and reaches the climax at the nineth track, "Shiafu". Basically it´s an excellent song which includes almost everything that I could ever ask for. It´s a very dynamic song which perfectly reflects the album as a whole. The album then closes with the beautiful Hall & Oates cover song, "Sara Smile" and the intense, instrumental "Spur". Nice ending, quite an exhibition. I am stunned and a bit speechless. Conclusion The music on this album can be described as redoubtable, that means the first time you hear it you don't really believe it, and when you hear it again later you still don't really believe it. Well, something like that. Then, after a few days or so, perhaps at the sixth or the seventh attempt you will suddenly believe what you actually hear. At this point you have accepted that what is coming out of your speakers is nothing short of absolutely brilliant music which covers an array of different styles, with a sound of fluid colour and shifting dimensions. You'll be hard-pressed to find more complete progressive music than this. Well, at least in the hardcore-metal-progressive area. This might not be something worth checking out for those of you who prefer melodic and predictable (often called boring) progressive rock but certainly for all you lovers of adventure in music. Certainly worth given a try I would say.

• The Schematic (Progressive Waves) Coinmonster is a little more metal than the other cds I review on this site, but for unadulterated metal music, this band is great! The album kicks off with "Amateur Smut Writer" and a great bass solo. From there the cd knocks your teeth out, one by one with each song until you end up with soft foods as your primary diet! Though Coinmonster is primarily a metal band, they have an aspect of "progressive in their music in the time changes in tempo throughout their songs. They just play music a little faster than your conventional "progressive bands'. The band is a three piece that consists of Jon Reider on guitar and vocals, Rick Stoner on bass, and David Galazia on drums. Little known to me this is their fifth studio release. You could compare their music to Metallica if you have to, but Coinmonster has way more of a jazzy and improvisational feel than Metallica does. The biggest comparison I could probably make to Metallica would be Jon Reider's growling vocals. Jon has a really good voice for this genre of music, and though it falls within what you would expect for a metal band, the nice thing about his vocals are that you can actually make out the words! Each band member does a fine job with their part in the band: Jon is a great guitar player. David does a great job keeping the beat, keeping up with the fast tempo changes that tear in and out through their music. And last but not least Rick is a wonderful bass player that you can actually hear in the mix! After the first song, the CD goes into, "Workshop", "Body of Binky", "Kid Across the Street", "Little Lady", "Dummy It Up", "DJ Virus Strikes Back", "Eight Little Knocks", "Shiafu", a great cover of "Sara Smile" (yes it's a remake of the Hall and Oates classic from the seventies!), and the Cd finishes up with "Spur", a fine instrumental which I liked best of all personally. "Spur" is a fine piece of improv which great chops from all three members. For you prog fans out there, "Spur" probably sounds like a cross between, Rush and Mastermind. This song kicks gluteus maximus! All in all when you prog maniacs are ready for some in-your-face, no-holds barred kick butt music, check out Coinmonster and I guarantee you won't be disappointed!! Check out the band at the Coinmonster website to check them out!

• Music Preview: Coinmonster, the Steely Dan of heavy music? Friday, March 31, 2000 By Ed Masley, Post-Gazette Pop Music Critic It's thinking person's heavy. Complicated heavy. Bludgeoning yet quirky heavy. Zappa as filtered through Helmet heavy. A dirtier, less cartoonish Primus kind of heavy. I myself have heard at least one bassist call it math rock. Call the fifth release from New Castle's Coinmonster what you will -- new math or new metal. The bottom line is it's intricate, rhythmically challenging stuff. And it stops on a dime, then starts, then stops, then starts again, as though James Brown himself had been cracking the whip at rehearsal. The opening cut is called "Amateur Smut Writer." "This is the life of the amateur smut writer," singer/guitarist Jon Reider howls. "Day in and day out/Inventing new lifestyles/Perhaps it's the lack of the human compassion/Perhaps it's the power of low-grade attraction." Not the kind of guy you'd think would cover "Sara Smile." But that's exactly what he's done. Without a trace of smirking. So what do you call it? Reider says they get the metal tag a lot. "I guess that comes," he says, "with having a heavy sound. I'd like to think our stuff is a bit more sophisticated than a lot of the new metal bands. I want us to be the Steely Dan of heavy music! But, truthfully, every review we get contains the word 'metal' somewhere, so we've learned to live with it." He started writing songs in the summer of 1990 with original bassist John Troutman. It took a while to find a drummer, but it wasn't long before they'd cut their first full-length release, a tape. At first, they often found themselves referred to as a rapcore band. "I honestly think that people who were reviewing the stuff would dig on one song, and gear their opinion around it," Reider says. "We used to do a lot of rap covers back in the day, like old Public Enemy and Tribe Called Quest, but our music was 90 percent technical heavy music." It's a sound that's evolved from one recording project to another. The new disc, Reider says, "is a lot less technical than the others, yet, we somehow magically made technical music that the average listener can really get into, without feeling alienated by it. Our crowds are no longer filled with aspiring musicians, exclusively." The technical side of the sound has led a few of those aspiring musicians to label it math rock. "It's true; I confess," says Reider. "There is an element of math to our music, but it's purely based on improv. That's where we shine and have the most fun. Our albums have become less and less 'math rock,' and the odd time signatures/tempo shifts have become more seamless, I feel. I listen to our old stuff from time to time and it can get really crazy! When I put the new one in, it's still crazy, but there's an underlying groove element that keeps you from saying 'these guys are techno-nerds'! I hope...... ha!" And the cover of "Sara Smile"? "My neighbor got one of those Time/Life Sounds of the '70s box sets or something like that for his birthday," Reider explains. "And we sat and drank beer and listened to all 10 CDs in one sitting. When 'Sara Smile' came on, I was like 'damn, that's a sexy song. I want to do that song.' We love old sappy '70s songs. Between the three of us, we know the words to just about anything."

• (I don't know what country this is from, but it's still interesting to read- JJ) COINMONSTER - The Schematic - American (a guess) Coinmonster's 2000 release, is a heavy and pretty much aggressiva metal/hardcore thing. What I thought of right away when hearing this was power music such as Rage, Meshuggah and White Zombie, but there are also stuff here reminding of for instance Primus. In a way the music is song and vocal based, but I'd like to call it by some sort of rhythm based hardcore. IT sounds like White Zombie in some sort of softer version. Vocals from Jon Reider are both powerfilled and calmer, even though most of the album is dominated by the heavy type. Jon also plays the guitars, which makes him sort of important of course. The Meshuggah influences I mentioned above is of course directed to the drums, bass and guitars. Music is pretty much filled with thousands of strange rhythms and arrangements, which all remind a lot of Meshuggah style. Check this one out if you're a fan of heavy aggressivs stuff!
• COINMONSTER - The Schematic (review by Fubarm )Every time a band records a new CD, one hears things like, "It's our best work yet... we've finally made the album we've always wanted to make." Well, most of the time it's a slab of bullshit. Case in point: Metallica, Korn, Megadeth, Van Halen, Iron Maiden, Pantera, and on and on (Slayer to an extent). I'm almost used to disappointment. Yet there are a few bands who manage to top themselves every time. Case in point: Neurosis, Mr. Bungle, and well I can't think of anybody else... except Coinmonster. These guys show vast improvements from their first recordings (not that those were too shabby) to the present release, "The Schematic." The first recognizable improvement is in the recording quality. They're still going to MudHut, but Bill Dodd has definitely learned a few new tricks, or bought some better mics. The vocals are crisp and very musical on "The Schematic," while they always seemed a little dull and buried on past CDs. On top of that, Jon Reiders's voice seems stronger than ever. Everything, in general, seems a little more alive, with more top end definition and clarity. I know some people don't pay much attention to production, but it can make or break a great song, of which there are eleven on this CD. As for sound, Coinmonster are heavy... heavy as hell. They tune to B or somewhere around there; sometimes it's hard to tell with Reider's wall-o-noise guitar. So, some familiar tones are present. Most guitars tuned to B or A start to get that Machine Head or Korn sound. Fortunately these guys don't sound a damn thing like Korn. They've got more in common with Rush and Primus (on steroids). They harness some pretty chaotic metal riffs and make some very interesting and technical songs. However, there seems to be more emphasis on songwriting and dynamics on this record than on past releases. For example, track four, "Kid Across the Street," starts off with a jazzy Steely Dan-ish descending riff with clean guitar doubling the bass. Reider sings in a tasteful falsetto over the progression to add a very un-metal flavor. Then it kicks in like a ton o' bricks; basically the same riff, but with sledgehammer heavy guitars and drums. Reider also loses the falsetto for his normal singing/screaming style (well, not really screaming, but he belts that stuff out there). This song really sticks out to me, the catchy verse and chorus... damn! It's really difficult to single out any songs on "The Schematic." There's really no filler; every song is dynamic, heavy and interesting. Cool lyrics don't hurt either... Jon Reider's words have a story-like quality, but are vague enough to make you think (and not sound cheesy)... and relate to one's self. The last song, an instrumental called "Spur" caught my attention, because it's the only song on the CD with a full-blown guitar solo. Reider shows much depth in his guitar skills. Aside from the polyphonic tapping, he's a very fluid lead player that uses a strong legato technique. The solo is impressive considering he doesn't use a pick; he should play more solos... he has a tasteful, yet shredding approach. Let's not leave out drums and bass in this ass-kissing fest... Reider seems like the "head cheese," but David Galazia (drums) and Rick Stoner (bass) wallop some major buttock as well. Galazia's style reminisces of Peart, but with more double bass. He's got the ability to grind along to some metallic beats and the cut short into a swingin' jazz groove like it was just meant to be. Stoner, the "new guy," had some big shoes to fill, but he slips in almost unnoticed, carrying the bottom with his complex bass lines, involving a myriad of techniques. He slaps, pops, hammers, and speed plucks along with Reider's twisting guitar lines and Galazia's busy drum antics. All in all... top notch players of the highest caliber. They also perform a cover of "Sara Smile" by Hall & Oates (I can hear the metal kids mocking laughter), but the metal kids can take a leap... Hall & Oates were cool as hell back in the 80's, and Coinmonster make this song cool again (and beef it up at the same time). Hell, if Shit Bizkit can cover George Michael, Coinmonster can do whatever the hell they want. Bottom line... Coinmoster rock, and have a lot more substance and skill than most other bands in the broad metal genre. They often transcend it. If you like heavy-ass prog-metal, have a taste for jazz and appreciate musicianship... buy it, go see them live... do something! They deserve our respect and admiration. Overall Score 5 out of 5 stars
• Schematic Review ===Now Coinmonster's music isn't for you symphonic prog fans. Rather the band plays heavy progressive-metal music geared mostly towards heavy metal, and progressive-metal fans. The Schematic is Coinmonster fifth full-length release. And they have recently found success with their unique brand of progressive metal, which is thankfully NOT influenced by Dream Theater(I love Dream Theater, but enough with the clones). The band mixes elements from speed metal, hardcore, prog rock, and even Primus to produce fast, aggressive, and unpredictable songs. The music sounds like it would go well with a mosh-pit, yet most moshers would get confused by the amount going on in the background. A great example is the song "Little Lady". The musicians go from heavy riffing, to a fun, and jazzy, samba, to a quirky dissonant section in the span of about about minute. It's completely unpredictable, aggressive as hell, yet it works very well. The listener will also notice the band's strength at creating catchy grooves. Although complex, dissonant, and frantic they always make you want to move(nod your head, dance, mosh, etc). Fans of progressive-metal who are tired of all of the Dream Theater clones will enjoy this CD. Coinmonster has found a formula that not only appeals to the younger generation of metal fans, but also introduces them to progressive composition!
• This is in the 7/31-8/13 edition of Music Connection Magazine, a national trade publication out of Los Angeles, California. Ohio trio Coinmonster, on their fifth full length CD, show impressive musicianship that puts across their songs with paint-peeling intensity. This is manic, armor-piercing music a la Godsmack and Slipknot that never misses a lick or a beat, though the vocals, while adequate, do not always shine. Still, on "Amateur Smut Writer," "Workshop," and "Body of Binky," frontman Jon Reider and company do what they do with authority -- and more finesse than is usual for this genre. A prolific group that deserves a listen.
• Review of the 8 Little Knocks single - RAW - (Canada) -one of my all time favourite bands is coinmonster so it's a pleasure to hear this new track from the indie giants of the north east. this time minus bassist, john troutman. i always assumed that if you took any member out of the coinmonster trio, the band would change because their music is so unique and tight, it's hard to imagine that someone else could fill the shoes of any member. but rick stoner fits the bill no prob and brings new goodness to an already amazing group without compromising any of coinmonster's singular style. it's rare that we get to say a band sounds like no other but in the case of coinmonster it's true. a brutal assault of heavy guitar, drums and bass packed into one tight as hell package of unclassifiable style. 8 little knocks is classic coinmonster. filled with strange breaks, aggressive notes, jon jon reider's trademark vocals, countless progressions and musical fury. fans of helmet or aggressive music in general should check out this track. it's the first single from their latest (as yet untitled) release. a seamless blend of fierce sounds and melodic breaks, there's no band like this one. we're waiting, very impatiently, for more new tunes.

Bob Eichler: Damn, these guys are heavy. For those who like prog-metal but think Dream Theater are a bunch of pansies, this might be right up your alley. Fast, insistent beats, pounding bass, thick slabs of guitar and vocals that are sometimes sung, sometimes shouted/growled. The other bands that this mainly reminds me of are Metallica and Mr. Bungle. The Bungle influence is particularly strong on the tracks "Little Lady" and "Eight Little Knocks". There are also hints of other groups - the song "Body of Binky" sounds like a heavy take on the Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Give it Away", and the short "DJ Virus Strikes Back" reminds me of the Buckethead CD Monsters and Robots. And for just the right surreal touch, the album even includes a metallic remake of Hall and Oates' "Sara Smiles" (I still can't figure out if this was meant to be serious or a joke, but it works in an odd metal/funk way). All in all, I'm not sure where to categorize this band. They're a good bit too complex to fit into the plain heavy metal category, but on the other hand they're closer to that genre than they are to prog-metal. Then again my exposure to prog-metal has been fairly limited, so maybe these guys do fit into that subgenre. At any rate, fans of the ultra-heavy stuff should probably check these guys out.

Brandon Wu: Wow. I got this in the mail and had no idea what to expect; I was taken aback by the sheer raw aggression that this band has successfully captured on CD. I would categorize the music here as very loud technical metal, though in many ways it's unique enough to defy genrefication. Guitarist Jon Reider's vocals sound like halfway between a normal gruff singer and James Hetfield's growl. Similarly, his guitar lines are mostly ultra-heavy power chords, but occasionally he stretches out a bit and does something more interesting. The composition is pretty tight and generally fast and ever-changing, which prog fans should appreciate; jerky stop-and-go tempos give the songs a definite prog feel. The overall sound is compared most often to speed metal bands combined with Primus, Mr. Bungle, and a dash of King Crimson. However, it's simply too harsh and aggressive for me - Reider's vocals grate on me after awhile, as does his incessantly heavy riffing. I do like the drumming and the parts of the bass playing that I can hear, but it's not enough to carry to album for me. In the end, after a while this album is more headache-inducing than enjoyable, though I do like listening to it in small doses. Recommended to fans of heavy prog-metal, then.

Amateur Smut Driver opens the album loudly. At first listen this is not something we typically call "progressive rock". However, the music does have plenty of rhythmic variation. In fact, the track is full of breaks and repetitive riffs, while the vocals are rough and masculine, usually found in a grunge band and not in a prog band. However, in the chorus, the vocalist shows a more melodic side of his voice. All in all, plenty of variation. This also holds in Workshop that opens loudly again, but quickly comes down to a softer piece with long low chords and a good vocal melody. In the chorus the drummer displays quite a number of chops and ruffles. After a some complex bass/guitar playing the vocal part takes the song to its logical conclusion. Body Of Binky brings us to the rougher side of Faith No More (like Surprise! You're Dead) and closer to how FNM sounds live than they ever sounded on record. Another point of reference is Red Hot Chili Peppers at their most complex. Time for some more quiet playing in Kid Across The Street. The opening falsetto quickly gives way to a memorable powerful chorus. All in all three types of vocal parts in this track. The music continues to be a sort of complicated punkrock. I wouldn't say of the type of say Victims Family, because they tend more in the direction of jazz. Coinmonster seems to be more varied and I prefer the FNM reference mentioned earlier, but without the bombasm of the keyboards (but with the powerful moments in the vocals). Between the various tracks the band inserted some experimental noises. Little Lady continues right after another such intermezzo with a more funky sound and again reminiscent of Faith No More, but more seriously. The chorus is percussive and Latinish. The continuation is more in a rock format with plenty of bass soloing. I like the freeform percussion/vocals in the quieter parts of this track, but the louder parts I like less, probably because I like the melody of said vocals parts. Dummy It Up opens with a grungy sound, but the first vocal part is very catchy. A very typical track this, with a lot of freewheeling percussion, heavy rhythm guitar and some great vocal parts. Later they double the vocals and make the song sound less serious. An extended inbetweener is DJ Virus Strikes Back and well the title should give you some idea what it is about. Eight Little Knocks is back to repetitive rock. Not one of the better tracks on this album, mostly because of a lack of appealing melody. Shiafu is with over 8 minutes the longest track on this album. The song opens with loud repetitive guitars. The middle part is playful percussion with slowly building vocals going from a rather nice guy to an aggressive person. Quite some tension building in this track (and even some scratching) and a thundering climax at the end. Sara Smile is comparable to the Easy cover of Faith No More. This time no Commodores though, but Hall & Oates. Not a bad track, and quite soulfully sung. The closer Spur is an instrumental with some cutting edge guitar work. Conclusion: The music of Coinmonster is not "typical prog". For that it is too rough and of course the lack of keyboards will put some people off. However, the music is good, it has energy, it has aggression, good melodies, good songwriting and good playing, especially the drummer who likes to fill up all the holes and a singer who not only sings in a grunge/punkrock way, but can also sing in more subtle ways. In other words: I do like it, but listen first before you buy, because notwithstanding the rhythmic adventures and the many breaks this may not be for you after all. It does help if you happen to like Faith No More (but like it more serious) or Red Hot Chili Peppers (but like it less funky, and more rocky). Jurriaan Hage

I guess that doing a damn near faithful cover of Hall and Oates' "Sara Smile" puts to rest the question of whether the guys in Coinmonster are as strange as Mr Bungle. With songs like "Workshop", which include within them traces of rap and balladeering, as well as a large chunk of hard rock and speed metal, Coinmonster's fifth release, The Schematic, cements their oeuvre as one of the more interesting in the ever-expanding genre of metal. Jon Reider's unexpected attempts to hit high notes in "Kid Across the Street" works surprisingly well (given that the band has enough testosterone to make Al Capones out of Spandau Ballet) and the musical variety throughout more than makes up for the lyrical missteps("Autumn loads with crispy thoughts of cool, clear morning/waking up to crunching troops of insect soldiers") which seem the sole prerequisite for calling oneself metal nowadays. -- td

Blistering.Com

This odd three-man troupe with the quirky name and an even quirkier sound are certainly not ones to limit themselves to the confines of convention. Mixing musical styles varying from hardcore to jazz to funk to even dashes of nu-metal, Coinmonster dish up a bizarre concoction of sound. Their fifth full-length recording, 'The Schematic', is one of the most challenging listens to date. The mania begins early as the basics of time signatures and scales are tempered and manipulated to create a unique sound that's difficult to describe. The opening track alone, called 'Amateur Smut Writer', begins with a funk-like bassline, moves into a twisted distortion of hardcore punk before breaking into a riff that wouldn't be far removed from the backing music of a carnival of freaks. An incredibly uneven stop-start approach to the rhythms throughout adds that demented twist to the album, and the talents of drummer David Galazia are exploited to full extent in the man's manic fills and beats. Coinmonster can only really be described as some sort of offbeat neo-rock outfit, meshing different styles to create a ballsy and ambitious brand of hard music. Explorations into funk can be found in 'Little Lady' and the contorted 'Eight Little Knocks', while 'Sarah Smile' sounds like something from a classic jazz nightclub. Heavier modes are locked into as 'Body of Binky' and 'Shiafu' rise to the fore, exhibiting a bit of a nu-metal influence. They're not even afraid to jump into something of an alternarock frame of mind with 'Workshop' and the almost written-for-teen-rock-radio 'Kid Across the Street'. And just like how it began 'The Schematic' ends, in a blur of eccentric bordering on twisted hard music in the form of the instrumental 'Spur'. Such an idiosyncratic style of rock is sure to go straight over more than just a few heads, but many times that can be a compliment instead of a detraction. The intricacies of the music that makes it so unusual isn't lost in the recording process either, especially in the drum track. Even the minutest accent or ringing tone is captured cleanly and smoothly, as well as for the bass. The guitars however lack a certain something, a certain bit of bite and maybe some more volume wouldn't have gone astray. However playing as a three-piece tightens the sound immensely, but the scattered material makes it impossible to have any sort of focus. Many people will bask in the total craziness of it all, but many others will more likely be unable to get into it. It takes equal parts bravery and talent to release an album like this. Play such a weird style of rock and you can pretty much kiss your commercial aspirations goodbye, so maybe a little lunacy isn't that bad an idea either. But sometimes, though, lunacy can be confused with genius. Score- 8/10 Reviewed by: Kev Truong