This band brings melody and thrash together like sex (metaphorically speaking). They have their tapping solos, melody riffs, crisp pinching guitars plus hard hitting smooth rhythm section. Then add a touch of symphonic keyboards they make a thing called Astraeus.
Hailing from Worcester county Massachusetts (Charlton, Spencer, Rutland, and Webster).
"Persephone's Cage" (now Astraeus) formed around August 2003. They both had a lot of similar influences, so they formed. Calvin wanted to do something different than playing bass. So he asked Hunter if he'd like to play drums since he left his former band. Then Calvin thought Robert would care to join, seeing as how they didn't have a singer, so he joined. With all this talent they formed into a Greek Myth Metal band. They started off well making good amount of songs. Then Hunter quit the band because of musical differences, so we were in the need of a drummer. Robert and Calvin knew Chris through their drummer in their other band (Shadows Enthroned) and he played drums. So we asked if he cared to join the band, since their musical influences were pretty much identical, and he accepted. So Chris got his first band opportunity. Now with more thought in mind, they changed their name to Astraeus. After that Robert’s girlfriend, Kellie, picked up the bass. So she asked if she could join, and she did.
Then In August 2004 Robert spent time and recorded the drums tracks. Calvin then laid down the Guitar and Vocal tracks. They produced their first EP "Greek Scriptures". Later on Chris quit due to difficulties in and out of the band. Making them a 3-piece. Thus Robert became the new official Astraeus drummer. Later on the line-up altered. Kellie switched to keyboards. Thus leaving the bass open for someone. Calvin had been talking to someone named Bryan Rousseau, and he played bass. So when Kellie moved to keyboards, Calvin asked Bryan if he'd like to become their bassist. He accepted, making them a four piece. Then luck struck again. Robert had been talking to a kid for a little bit, he said he played guitar. So a week later Jesse became a member of the band making a five-piece. But after a couple of practices...Jesse wasn't showing up because of complications. So we decided to part ways. Then we got the former lead guitarist of Shadows Enthroned, Dustin, as our Rhythm/Lead Guitarist. Later on a decision was made to get rid of the title "Greek Myth Metal", wanting to be more open about the writing. Due too complications with Bryan they cut him loose, and welcomed Tim to the throne. Then we decided to replace Dustin with Jesse. All of a sudden Joe tried out, and he pulled through like a winning runner in the Olympics. Now the Band is it at its current status.
Our current lineup consists of the following members.
Robert - Drums
Calvin - Guitars
Tim - Bass
Jesse - Guitars, Backing Vocals
Joe - Vocals
Further Information on the Members
The Equipment
Robert - 6 piece Yamaha, 8x10, 10x12, 11x13 Toms, 16x16 Floor tom, 5.5x14 snare, 17x20 Bass, 14" Sabian B8 Crash, 16" Sabian B8 Crash, 16" Sabian AXXplosion Crash, 18" Sabian XS China, 6" Zil-Bel, 20" Sabian B8 Ride, 14" Sabian B8 Hi-Hats, Pacific Double Pedals
Calvin - ESP/LTD Viper 400, Ibanez RG220 6 String, Ovation guitars, Vox amps, Digi-Tech Death Metal Distortion, Digi-Tech Synth Wah, DR Handmade Strings (.11-.50),
Elixer(.12-.53), Dunlop picks (.88), Live Wire Cables, Ibanez Soundwave Speaker/Cabinet
Tim - Schecter Elite 004, Ibanez GSR100, Crate BX 100 amp, Monster Bass Cable
Jesse - Cort 6-string Guitar, Johnson 150 watt Amp, Johnson pedal board
Joe - Audiotech Mic, AKG mic, Spectrum PA, Peavy speakers
Other - 990 MLX Recording Condenser Mic, V-Tech mics, SM57 Shure Mic, AKG D65S Mic, 991 MLX Recording Condenser Mic, Tascam US-122, Music Maker 7 deluxe software, Tascam Software, Gigastudio Software, Livewire Guitar Cables, Livewire 3 Prong Mic Cables, Ibanez GSR200 4-String, DR Strings (.45-1.35) gauge, V-Tech mics, BX-100 Crate Amp
The Influences
Main Bands/Sound - As I Lay Dying, Underoath, Between the Buried and Me, Haste the Day
We listen to Underoath, Opeth, Children of Bodom, In Flames, Heaven Shall Burn, Glass Casket, Enforsaken, Graveworm, Devildriver, Cradle of Filth, Beloved, Electric Light Orchestra, Meatloaf, Eighteen Visions, Soilwork, Darkest Hour, Nile, Unearth, Atreyu, Killswitch Engage, All That Remains, Shadows Fall, Dimmu Borgir, Vital Remains, Old Mans Child, Dark Tranquillity, Arch Enemy, Dying Fetus, Dream Theater, Cannibal Corpse, Chimaira, Meshuggah, Mastodon, Lamb of God, Crossbreed, The Black Dahlia Murder, As I Lay Dying, Moonspell, Bloodbath, The Forsaken, The Haunted, Martyr A.D., Bleeding Through, D. Shostakovich, Beethoven, Bach, Mozart, Rhapsody, Queen and many more.