Discography
Members
- Tom Gebauer – Percussion
- Matt Rainville – Guitar
- Todd Smith – Guitar
- Jason Verenini – Vocals
Produced by: Deviation with Nino Minissale
Engineered by: Nino Minissale
All tracks recorded and mastered at:
New Music Sound Studios, Albany NY
Sleeve design by: Heidii at Desktop Design
Deviation logo design by: Matt Ricket
Recorded: December 1991
Released: February 9, 1992
“Beyond the bounds...” whoa. That’s heavy, if you think about it.
There is so much more to this project than any conscious entity could possibly recognize if just one listen.
It’s not so much the music itself, it’s more whom the music is performed by that makes “Beyond...” so special.
Vocalist Jason Verenini, Matt Rainville (guitar), Todd Smith (guitar), and Tom Gebauer (percussion) illuminate an astounding spiritual and cerebral perception with the musical strength of true, experienced contenders.
The structure, their individual skills, and the basic foundation of the songs may not be that much different from their obvious influences.
The overall mood of their work is strictly theirs. It’s feisty, artistic, and streaked with vivid imagery.
The use of ballsy tempo changes and variations are a welcome revival of the early eighties metal foundation amongst today’s much simpler structure.
However, it would’ve been more welcome if they had developed their own distinctive identity.
The recording was done with the “one take per song” method, which could’ve done them more harm than good, but it was most likely that they might not have had much of a choice.
So, what you hear on the tape would more or less be what you would listen to live.
The shining track was no doubt “Final Battle,” a solid mosh pit shaker that snatches your attention and keeps it with just a slight touch of funk.
However, the semi-ballad “What It Takes” get a little monotonous after a while, considering the listener gets so used to Deviation’s spontaneity.
The tape could have been done by true craftsmen. And, so true, they are. But when these craftsmen are NO OLDER THAN TEENAGE YEARS... damn it, it’s mind blowing.
Okay, the vocals are underdeveloped, but that's only because they’re probably physically underdeveloped.
Once Jason starts using his diaphragm instead of his falsetto, he’s gonna be lethal.
It’s not a gold seller, but taking the recording method and their ages into consideration, “Beyond the Bounds...” is heart fluttering and just downright unbelievable.
If they don’t get cocky and they don’t take their blessings for granted and keep striving to learn, you’ll probably read another review in Rolling Stone.
Efstratia Sable
Rock & Read, Volume III Issue V - March 1992
You Make Me Sick
Written & Arranged by:
Matt Rainville | Tom Gebauer (1991)
Lyrics by: Jeff Statts
So you say you’ll clear my mind,
stay away I know your kind.
Take my money, then shovel sh*t,
well I’m knee deep now, and I’m sick of it.
Don’t waste your breath or waste my time,
tripped my brain, I know why.
Got your kicks, but when the moneys gone,
then I’m cured and your on the run.
Now I sit inside my room,
my mind screams, to be free.
Stop the hell you put me through,
I can’t break loose ’cause I’ll always hate you.
Lie and cheat and tease my mind,
drive me crazy, but I’ll be fine.
Just leave me be, go live your life,
stay away, stay out of my sight.
Chorus:
Of all the people I’ve met in life,
they’ve all felt they had the right.
To pass judgement on things I’ve done,
well, who’s laughin’ now while I’m havin’ fun?
Here’s my life, what’s wrong with it?
You’re all worthless snot, you make me sick!
Repeat Chorus
Hidden anger shows on my face,
that piercing voice cuts like a knife.
Can’t stop screeming inside my head,
Never listened to a word I said.
Stop and listen, do you hear yourself?
Just go away, bother someone else.
Constant nagging goes to my brain,
I’m getting sick, my health starts to fade...
Black Death
Written & Arranged by:
Matt Rainville (1989)
Commentary:
Rainville having most of the musical pieces in place prior to my arrival, “Black Death” was the band’s first original song.
Before entering the studio to record the track for the “Beyond the Bounds of Infinity” release,
we acquired the help of Matt Teiper to complete the lyrics.
Early performances consisted of the first verse repeated for the third and parts of the second were nonexistent.
Lyrics by: Jason Verenini & Matt Teiper
Trapped inside a world of fear,
clutch of death has fallen near.
Never do you step outside,
Black Death has set its stride.
Nothing can retrieve you now,
must escape, you know not how.
Comes a time to wheel the blade,
no way that you can be saved.
Chorus:
Black Death – is coming for you,
Black Death – it’ll run you through.
Black Death – it’s what you feel inside,
Black Death – you can never hide.
Infested rodents disguise the ground,
choiceless victims die without a sound.
Slowly your life drifts away from you,
without breath you can not move.
Epidemic throughout the land,
a saving cure is in demand.
Dreadest nightmares have come alive,
lost hope for which you strive.
Repeat Chorus
Dealing out its vicious wrath,
afficting who stand in its path.
Scream in agonizing pain,
thought of death drives you insane.
Bold attempts to stop the spread,
many have tried, those fools are dead.
Feeble victims, they sway and drop,
Black Death can not be stopped!
Repeat Chorus
Black Death!
Final Battle
Written & Arranged by:
Tom Gebauer | Todd Smith (1991)
Lyrics by: Nathan Morrison & Matt Teiper
Rising tall from the plains of hell, stands the evil black citadel.
Ruling over screaming, writhing souls, eternal torture over red hot coals.
Inside its walls dwells evil supreme, he gains power from each dying scream.
Still, he yearns to rule the world above, kill the innocent and stamp out the love.
Chorus:
Fear – Their weapon of hate,
pushing humanity to a primal state.
Death – The ultimate goal,
in the Final Battle, for the planets control.
Rising tall from the mountain white, stands a citadel bathed in white.
Teaching people to understand, the thoughts of truth, the helping hand.
On her throne, the white queen laughs, orb and scepter tight in her grasp.
But evil’s progress brings her face to a frown, uneasy sleeps the head that wears the crown.
Repeat Chorus
Generals meet from the ranks of the fallen, Goerring, Himmler, Hitler, and Stalin.
From every cave, an army forms, black-winged demons fly in swarms.
The Third Reich is alive and well, this time, they command the legions of hell.
Souls of humans found no eternal rest, putting goodness to the ultimate test.
Repeat Chorus
Twisted soldiers pour from the depths of hell, evil warriors to ring the death knell.
On the blackened fields, the armies clash, mountains and woods reduced to ash.
Thunder rolls across the battlefield, slowly, the white forces yield.
Then evil spawn overcomes the good, killing laughter where it stood.
Then the white queen raised her hand, and hush fell across the land.
Repeat Chorus
The white queen said, “We created you, and that means we can destroy you too.”
Evil cowers in the face of light, turing to flee from the fright.
The white queen laughs, and sound, crumbled the citadel to the ground.
Earth was saved from its evil fate, protected from the Black Lord’s hate.
Fear...
Death...
Repeat Chorus
What It Takes
Written & Arranged by:
Matt Rainville | Tom Gebauer (1991)
Lyrics by: Jason Verenini
I can not hear, nor can I see,
still don’t know what will become of me.
Locked in this prison, trapped in this hell,
this is the place that I know so well.
You don’t know baby what it’s like,
feel this way each and every night.
Try so hard to make it work,
but some how I always end up hurt.
Chorus:
Come on baby, wont you give me a chance,
got what it takes to make a romance.
Don’t deny it, ’cause you know this is true,
one that I want will always be you.
You told me you cared, it seems though you lied,
can not explain the pain I feel inside.
Heart has been drifting, it’s been broken by you,
cause all this pain, yet I’m still in love with you.
Must be someway, that we can work this thing out,
know there’s a way, for I have not a doubt.
But you insist we’re not made for each other,
find that so hard, being your lover.
Repeat Chorus
Always comeback, always wanting each other,
Find it so hard to be your one lover.
Give all the love that I posses in my heart,
but come soon after, you say we must part.
Hoping someday that we will be together,
way things are going, it seems to be never.
There’s one reason, one reason you’ll find,
that is I love you, and I wish you were mine.
Repeat Chorus
Barren Wasteland
Written & Arranged by:
Matt Rainville | Tom Gebauer (1990)
Commentary:
This was the second original song by the band and the first original collaboration between Rainville and me.
Originally titled Living Deception, I went to my good friend Matt Teiper to see what he could do lyrically.
He came up with a set of lyrics that fit perfectly and the song would then be forever known as “Barren Wasteland.”
Teiper provided us with enough material where we would have had to double the length of each verse to tell the complete story.
The song was already clocking over six minutes so we decided to pick-and-choose the lines we wanted to incorporate.
The complete set of lyrics has recently been uncovered and I included them here.
“Barren Wasteland” almost didn’t appear on the “Beyond the Bounds of Infinity” release.
We were working within a limited budget and could only cover the studio costs for one of the two longer songs.
“What It Takes” being the only “ballad” on the release meant “Barren Wasteland” was the first one to be concidered for the chopping block.
Before entering the studio we received an offer from Kevin McCashion (a long time friend of Rainville) who offered to cover the additional costs for the studio time.
With the band’s consent, he also went one step further to design and produce t-shirts promoting the release.
Both the release and t-shirts sold very well allowing McCashion to not only recover his money but make a profit on the deal as well.
This song is still one of my favorites today.
Lyrics by: Matt Teiper
Nuclear disaster, global genocide,
all of life laid to waste, nowhere we could hide.
Bomb shelters were worthless, couldn't save are world,
in a flash, all is lost, lighting death unfurled.
Once a flourishing nation,
now lay in earthly desolation.
Savage minds with lethal decree,
pummelled our world into dormancy.
Chorus:
Only ancient relics of what used to be,
radiation proved to be our destiny.
War machines destroyed mankind eternally,
price was paid for ignorance, we couldn’t see.
Armageddon wiped out where we used to dwell,
nothing lives, the Grim Reaper has tolled his bell.
Of this debacle the prophets would fortell,
blown into oblivion, shot down to hell.
No longer a nightmare, now reality,
total demolition after World War III.
Mass obliteration, our era is done,
in a war with no survivors, who has won?
We have realized our greatest fears,
in seconds are gone, our living years.
All that's left from the nuclear blast,
are merely ghosts of our former past.
Repeat Chorus
The silence is deafening, our world is dead,
a post-morten planet, the sky is blood red.
The winds of war engulf the earth's barren plain,
stricken by fate, we will never rise again.
We’ve succembed to the obvious fate,
of a world full of anger and hate.
Now, death vapors will forever gust,
we have disintegrated to the dust!
Repeat Chorus
Complete Lyrics by: Matt Teiper
Nuclear disaster, global genocide,
all of life laid to waste, nowhere we could hide.
Bomb shelters were worthless, couldn’t save our world,
in a flash, all is lost, lightning death unfurled.
A product of our leaders’ infernal will,
they supplied the weapons for the overkill.
Power hungry nations showed their arrogance,
the coup de grace of our planet’s decadence.
What was once a flourishing nation,
now lay in earthly desolation!
Savage minds with their lethal decree,
pummeled our world into dormancy.
Chorus:
Only ancient relics of what used to be,
radiation proved to be our destiny.
War machines destroyed mankind eternally,
the price was paid for ignorance, we couldn’t see.
Armageddon wiped out where we used to dwell,
nothing lives, the Grim Reaper has tolled his bell.
Of this debacle the prophets would foretell,
blown into oblivion, shot down to hell.
Life felt the aggression of the mushroom cloud,
Humanity now beneath a morbid shroud.
Nothing but a barren wasteland to be found,
Our civilization leveled to the ground.
No longer a nightmare, now reality,
Total demolition after World War III.
Mass obliteration, our era is done,
In a war with no survivors, who has won?
We have realized our greatest fears,
In seconds are gone our living years.
All that’s left from the nuclear blast,
Are merely ghosts of our former past.
Repeat Chorus
The silence is deafening, our world is dead,
A post-mortem planet, the sky is blood red.
The winds of war engulf the earth’s barren plain,
Stricken by fate, we will never rise again.
No time for repentance, no time for sorrow,
No time for nothing ’cause there’s no tomorrow.
I think there’s no doubt who’s right or wrong,
But it matters not because we’re dead and gone.
We’ve succumbed to the obvious fate,
Of a world full of anger and hate.
Now, death vapors will forever gust,
We have disintegrated to dust!
Repeat Chorus