With its crunching guitars and intense vocals, Downstem represents the next wave in the modern-rock assault that balances Orlando's teen pop. "We would like to find a bass player that looks like Lou Pearlman," jokes drummer J.D.

The latest buzz band to emerge from Orlando's Jeff Hanson Management & Promotions, the company behind Creed, has just signed a deal with Epic Records. It is also building a hometown radio buzz with "Unopened Door," the simmering single from its eponymously produced demo. Singer-songwriter Dave Glenn, a veteran of the Orlando scene, calls Downstem's sound "heavy rock with soul." It's flavored with the no-nonsense style of musicians who have made the rounds in other bands. Charlton is an alumnus of Virgos, an Orlando band that recently opened for Creed. Guitarist Mike Lynchard once played with Skrape, a local band signed to RCA. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.