Hypernova (band)

HYPERNOVA
From left to right : Jam, Kami , Kodi, King Raam
Background information
Origin	Tehran, Iran
Genres	New Wave Post-punk
Years active	2006 – present
Labels	Narnack Records
Website	www.hypernova.com
Members
Raam Kami Kodi Jam

Hypernova is a New York based Iranian rock band from Tehran. The band is made up of Raam, Kami, Kodi & Jam . Raam is the lead vocalist, Kodi is the lead guitarist, Kami is the drummer , Jam plays bass. Hypernova also has session musicians playing synths & keys at their live shows.

Like many other Iranian rock bands, the group was formed in the wake of president Khatami's relaxed stance on cultural policies in Iran in the late 1990s and the early decade of the 21st century. Arguably, Hypernova is at the forefront of the Iranian "rock" movement,^{[citation needed]} recently garnering the most attention and press coverage.^{[citation needed]} This is not just due to the novelty of them being a rock band from Iran, but because they are being recognized as a solid rock band, with accomplished musicians who produce well-written songs.^{[citation needed]}

Discography

"Who Says You Can't Rock In Iran?" (2006-2007)

While Hypernova were in Iran, they had started to work on an EP called "Who Says You Can't Rock In Iran?" The songs were listed on their website as free downloads, however they were removed once their website got a facelift. The track listing is as follows:

1. "No One"
2. "Consequence"
3. "Monster In Me"

"UNIVERSAL" (2008)

Hypernova became critically noticed with their song "Fairy Tales" from their EP "UNIVERSAL" The track listing is as follows:

1. "Fairy Tales"
2. "Universal"
3. "Consequence"
4. "hill is down"

"Through The Chaos" (2010) [Released : April 6th, 2010]

"Through The Chaos" is Hypernova's debut album and was released April 6, 2010 on Narnack Records. The album is produced by Herwig Maurer and mixed/engineered by Sean Beavan.^{[citation needed]} The album was recorded, mixed and mastered in 2008 but the official release was pushed back to 2010. During this time a few limited edition copies were given out by the band to fans. The limited edition copies of the album were also on sale during their US national tour with The Sisters of Mercy.

1. "Universal"
2. "Viva La Resistance"
3. "Lost In Space"
4. "American Dream"
5. "Empty Times"
6. "Here And Now"
7. "With You"
8. "Fairy Tales"
9. "Monster In Me"
10. "See The Future"

"Exit Strategy / Live EP" (2011) [Released : August 17th, 2011]

"Exit Strategy" is Hypernova's latest release. The EP was recorded live at "Machines With Magnets studios". The EP was produced by Keith Souza and Hypernova and recorded/mixed and mastered by : Keith Souza and Seth Manchester at Machines With Magnets. Exit Strategy consists of 4 tracks. The track-listing is as follows:

1. "Children of Gemini"
2. "Extacy"
3. "Prevail"
4. "Reasons unknown"

Rock Band 3 Video Game

In October 2010, it was announced that the song "Viva La Resistance" from Hypernova's debut album "Through The Chaos" will be featured on the main set-list of the video game Rock Band 3.

Hypernova are the second band from Asia to appear on a Rock Band game's setlist, after X Japan whose song "I.V." was previously released as downloadable content for Rock Band 2.

"Viva La Resistance" is the first song from the '10s decade to be included on disc.

2008-2009 U.S.A. tour

The band were only issued visas after Senator Charles Schumer faxed a letter to the U.S. embassy in Dubai.

The band performed their first show in the United States at the Fat Baby bar on the Lower East Side in Manhattan, New York City, USA. All of their songs are written and sung in English. When the band was asked why their songs are in English as opposed to Persian, they said that the Persian is a really poetic and harmonious language, but not one well-suited to the harsh and really energetic rock sound. The song themes mostly stay off the topic of politics, but amid the hyperpaced lyrics are occasional references to world events.

The band members' individual names are derivations of their actual first names, probably to avoid undue attention at home in Tehran, where playing rock music is dubbed as illegal and may lead to arrest, large fines, and even a public flogging, following Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's ban of all Western music from state-run airwaves in December 2005 in a reversal of reforms made under his more liberal predecessor. However, gigs are still played there but only in private spaces: basements in large homes in Tehran, or villas out of town and ostensibly beyond the reach of a vast and prying network of state agents loyal to the ruling clerical establishment.

Hypernova performed at the first Pangea Day festival broadcast from Sony Studios in Los Angeles, California, USA.^{[citation needed]}

The band was opening for The Sisters of Mercy on their 2008 US tour with their last gig together being on December 3, 2008 and are currently touring by themselves. They also performed at the SXSW festival in 2009.

Influences

• Depeche Mode
• Nine Inch Nails
• Queens of the Stone Age
• The Psychedelic Furs

External links

• Homepage
• Myspace
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Upcoming & Past Concerts of Hypernova
• http://www.myfoxla.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=7990840&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=3.2.1
• http://blog.wired.com/music/2008/10/hypernova-break.html
• http://www.playboy.com/blog/2008/12/foggy-sonic-forecast.html