Cinerium didn’t start deliberately. It began as a low-stakes release valve.
In 2027, guitarist Steve and bassist Joe were feeling musically boxed in by their death metal outfit. Seeking an outlet for Steve’s theater-score roots and Joe’s mix of world music and jazz, they started jamming on the side. The trajectory shifted permanently at an open-mic night when Joe jumped onstage to sing an impromptu a cappella duet of Phantom of the Opera with Sarah, an operatic soprano with a raw rock edge. Steve and keyboardist Darren were floored by the chemistry.
What followed was a swift, organic convergence:
- The Origin (2028): Rehearsals morphed into a serious project as Darren brought his own arrangement style to the mix. Sarah recruited drummer Dave, and by late 2028, Steve and Joe abandoned their original band to go all-in on Cinerium.
- The Second Ax (2029): To ease Steve’s double duty on harsh vocals and all guitar work — rhythm and lead — the band looked to their own front row. Tanya, a virtuoso guitarist in her own right and frustrated by her stagnant punk band, had already caught the band’s attention as “The Girl with the Pink Mohawk.” Tanya went from being a fan to helping the band through word-of-mouth promotion and running their merch table. She officially joined, locking down a fiery dual-guitar attack while raising the bar with her musicianship.
The momentum hit a wall late in 2029. Dave’s escalating substance abuse and erratic behavior culminated in a hostile blowup that led to his immediate dismissal. The fallout hit Sarah hardest, but the group took a winter hiatus to regroup and reset. Out of that downtime came “How Dare You,” a cathartic ballad written by Sarah and Tanya that turned shared personal scars into a core creative outlet.
By early 2030, Cinerium was auditioning drummers while working the summer circuit with fill-ins. Enter 19-year-old Jiwon “Jay” Seong, a music school prodigy with technical precision belied by an easy-going nature. Jay’s laser-focused work ethic bridged the generational gap between the elder statesmen and the mid-20s core, injecting a fresh dynamic into the room.
That rebooted energy fueled their debut full-length, The River Burns (Fall 2030)—a self-produced record born from a messy, real-world overhaul that finally matched the ambition in the room.
Sarah
Vocals, Guitars, Piano
Sarah began singing in her early childhood, often performing impromptu shows in her family home. Sarah honed her musical and performance skills through school plays, community theater, and garage bands of varying genres while also studying guitar and piano. In Cinerium, Sarah leads the band’s online presence and community engagement.
Steve
Vocals, Guitars
Steve took up the guitar as a teenager after his family moved to the US from suburban Ontario, Canada. Through high school and after graduation, Steve was in multiple bands of varying genres, culminating in a death metal band where he met Joe. Feeling constrained by the group’s ethos, Steve and Joe found kindred spirits in each other and branched out in their musical exploration. Steve manages the band’s business with Darren.
Darren
Keyboards, Vocals
Darren has experience with multiple instruments but his first love is the piano. His early years were focused on jazz and classical performances and he eventually transitioned into teaching at various music schools and programs while also performing in various groups. The blend of heavy music with symphonic elements was particularly appealing and Darren became a fixture among local prog rock and metal groups. Darren manages Cinerium’s business matters alongside Steve.
Joe
Vocals, Bass, Percussion
Joe is a classically trained singer and well versed in traditional folk music of Latin America. In his teen years, he incorporated rock and metal into his playing, blending heavy music with Latin influences. Joe’s interests in the history of music lead to a passion for jazz and funk as well as metal. This insatiable need to grow and learn led to the foundation of Cinerium alongside Steve and Sarah. Joe’s outgoing personality lends perfectly to his role in fan engagement, working with Sarah on the marketing side and with Tanya in interacting with fans both at gigs and online.
Tanya
Guitars, Violin, Vocals
Tanya’s journey in music began in elementary school when she was assigned the violin. Rebelling against the rote and basic music she was given to play, she quickly devoured her parents’ collection of classical composers and tried replicating the works of Mozart, Beethoven, and Tchaikovsky, among others on her violin. Tanya admits her first attempts were pretty terrible and continues to apologize to her parents today. The experience sparked a love of music that led to studying the violin with dreams of joining a symphony orchestra, until she discovered electric guitar and the raw energy of rock, punk, and metal. Tanya’s interactions with Cinerium first as fan and volunteer helper along with their discovery of her musical talent led to her becoming a valued member of the band. Tanya also partners with Joe and Sarah on marketing and promoting Cinerium, interacting with fans just like when she was working the merch table.
Jiwon “Jay”
Drums, Percussion
The youngest member of the band, Jay is viewed by the others as one of the hardest working. It’s common for Jay to arrive at practice early to warm up and work on his technique for at least an hour before the official rehearsal time. Jay gravitated toward drums and percussion instruments from an earlier age and showed aptitude for controlled rhythm and precision upon enrolling in a local music school — the school where Darren taught in another department. The school exposed Jay to multiple forms of music, and metal happened to speak to him for its rawness and energy. Recognition as a drumming prodigy grew and played with many local bands until Cinerium offered him the permanent gig, not only to grow his musical abilities but to learn the business side of the music industry. Jay brings youthful exuberance and energy as well as a modern perspective to song crafting.