There are at least two artists with the name Aminal.

1. A four-piece Rock band from Rochester, NY (active from 2011 to present)
2. An 3-piece Indie band from Chapel Hill, NC (2009-2011)

1. Aminal is the band that nearly wasn't: tossed together last-minute in the summer of 2011 to open a bill, the founding members (Matt Battle, Matt DeWaters, and Ian Leonard) stepped on stage and improvised. The spontaneous chemistry of the trio congealed into what would later be known as Aminal. On the heels of their conception, the trio cut their first single, “Skipping Stones”, and broke onto the local music scene, maintaining a consistent show schedule in Upstate New York. Within a year, the band entered the studio to record their first EP. It was during these sessions that the band ran into unexpected creative differences, leading to the departure of original guitarist, Ian Leonard; the original EP was shelved, and the band spent the next few months in suspended animation.

Fast-forward to January 2013--after months of experimenting and growing pains--Battle and DeWaters revived the project and resurfaced as a stronger, more eclectic quartet. Their current lineup now stands as Matt Battle (drums, vocals), Kamara Robideau (bass), Chris Potter (guitar, vocals), and Matt Dewaters (guitar, synth, vocals). Intricate dynamic rhythms and melodic synthesizer leads accompanied by soaring harmonies and atmospheric textures imbue Aminal's sound with irresistible pop sensibilities. The group has quickly gained a following, having been asked to share the stage with national acts such as Ra Ra Riot, Static Jacks, Twenty One Pilots, Vampire Weekend, New Politics, MS MR, Yip Deciever, IamDynamite, Such Gold, The Virginmarys, and more.

Currently, the band has settled into “The Aminal House,” the band’s residence and home recording studio in Rochester, New York. Their debut EP titled “Shadows” was released on Decemeber 13th, 2013. The EP has been greeted with favorable reviews from critics.

"In a world of uncontrollable amounts of musical onslaught, it’s always nice to see something stand out above the monotony."
-The Music Ninja

"Every so often I’ll run across an artist or band that rejuvenates my passion for music, as if performing some type of resurrection." "I was experiencing a lull when a band out of Rochester, New York reminded me of all the reasons that I love music."
-Melodic Post

"One of the Best Bands on the Rise."
-Upstate Live Music Guide

2. Born from barroom conversations, North Carolina-based Aminal has evolved from a two-piece side project to what Raleigh's Independent Weekly now refers to as "one of the most exciting bands to emerge from Chapel Hill during the backside of this decade." Founders Patrick O'Neill (The Honored Guests) and Cameron Weeks (Jennyanykind, the Comas) sought control of their own sound with Aminal.

Following the addition of Joe Caparo (the Doleful Lions) on bass, Aminal has grown in its complexity, with luscious sounds, instantly engaging beats and a high-energy live show.

Infused with country twang, garage energy and blues lamentations, the band's gritty timbre creates a strong sense of locality without losing sight of its pop sensibilities. Through hooks that build and drive with an urgent, frenetic energy, Aminal is at once instantly familiar yet irresistibly complex with multi-layered approaches that the Indy Week said, "easily disarm you and sweep you in with a multitude of charms." From softly sung verses to horsely-growled declarations, Aminal attaches the members' personal experiences to songs of love, frustration, resentment, regret, loneliness and boredom.

O'Neill displays a vulnerability that, when coupled with the explosive rhythm section of Caparo and Weeks (drums), shows confidant ownership of problems that once seemed so tough.

This past December, the band re-released its first two EP's--A Face to Fight and A Will to Fight (spring 2009)-- as a single record, The Fight EPs. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.