Pulseweaver: Bringing the Art Back to Music

An old pickle factory. Lake-effect snow. Enough cloud cover to make Seattle seem sunny. Where the typical American sees gloom, Rochesterians see opportunity. Case in point—Pulseweaver, the Flour City’s latest showcase of the brilliance that permeates its Rust Belt roots.

Ask anyone what they know about Rochester, New York, and you’re likely to get one of three answers: nothing, white precipitation, or a now-shriveled Kodak. Yet the anonymous city on the American side of Lake Ontario—overshadowed by its Canadian counterpart Toronto—harbors a little-known secret: the place can jam.

Home to the Eastman School of Music, one of the world’s best music conservatories, standards here are high. It follows, then, that the city has fostered the likes of jazz legend Cab Calloway, world-renowned soprano Renée Fleming, generational drummer Steve Gadd, cutting-edge pianist Vijay Iyer, and Chuck Mangione of “Feels So Good” fame. Lou Gramm, frontman of Foreigner, grew up around these parts, as did Gene Cornish of The Rascals (think “Good Lovin'”). Metallica recorded its first album here, and younger fans might recognize the bands Gym Class Heroes and Joywave.

With this abundance of talent, locals know that catching a live show often means more than a three-chord cover band. With a little luck, you might stumble across the musicianship of Rush masquerading as the fresh-faced innocence of post-adolescence.

Enter Pulseweaver. The brainchild of guitarist Elias Solomon (pictured left above), drummer Lorenzo Silvio (center), and keyboardist Sohan Shrikhande (right), the act first formed as a youth project at the Rochester Contemporary School of Music, refining its craft in a repurposed pickle factory under the tutelage of the gifted yet mercurial drummer Sean Jefferson. In keeping with the school’s philosophy, each musician embraced his instrument with the same devotion expected in classical circles, and the trio has thus far ditched the ego of a vocalist in favor of flashing its technical expertise.

Outside the walls of the school, the threesome has continued its evolution, settling on a sound that doesn’t cleanly fit any predefined genre. Call it prog metal or art rock if you must, but labels are secondary to the chemistry displayed on the group’s debut album Foreshadowing Fate, released on April 14, 2023.

In six tracks and approximately 38 minutes, Pulseweaver stays true to its name, flawlessly weaving together a finished product using raw materials that many would mistakenly believe don’t commingle. Part film score. Part guitar hero. A dose of piano ballad. And the common thread of electronica. In other words, when you’re done with this one, it’s impossible to not wonder what else Solomon, Silvio, and Shrikhande have in the arsenal.

Of course, in the world of art, the future is a perpetual unknown. But in the meantime, we can be thankful that in a city of starless nights, these three stars were able to align.

And now the music, which in addition to what’s below can be found on whatever streaming service your heart desires by clicking HERE.

 

“Foreshadowing Fate”

The opener. After listening to this track, you’ll have no choice but to commit to the entire album.

 

“Beware The Doctor”

One or more of the band members might have doctors in the household, but no offense taken.

 

“Kopis”

Once titled “Long Song,” this is indeed the longest song on the album, though the expedition named for an Ancient Greek sword is well worth the journey.

 

“Nightmare”

Yes, these guys can do classical, but this track might have you looking for the nearest mosh pit.

 

“Labyrinth”

As one of the band’s earlier compositions, here’s a reminder of the labyrinthine trek that all great art must take.

 

“Flying Tiger”

And last but not least, the closer, which will leave you hoping that for this band, the road to success is wide open.

Note: Sohan Shrikhande is the writer’s son.