Hold No Grudge, Deo Vindice aim for Rock Off finals

January 25, 2012 at 12:00a.m.

Back for more is how local band Deo Vindice — Austintown Fitch High School students Alex Welsh (keyboardist), Kane Yak (vocals, guitar) and Zach Warmouth (guitar), along with Boardman High School’s Danny McMasterm (bass) — is approaching its High School Rock Off appearance Saturday at the House of Blues in Cleveland.

“Last year we made it to the finals, but we didn’t make the top three spots,” Warmouth said.

“That was our first year at the Rock Off. The reason I think we made it to the finals was we came out and just didn’t play the songs. We really performed them. We just all had a good time and fun up there, which I think was one of the key things. Something else was the way we carried ourselves on stage. We have a very cool, unique sound that a lot of people can relate to.”

Over the past year, that sound has been honed by listening to the band members’ collective influence Kings of Leon.

Warmouth cites the style and lyrical content of the popular Tennessee alternative rock act as providing the guideline for the group’s material, which for the Rock Off will include the laidback “Here’s to the Nights” and the rocking “Wild Wings.”

Deo Vindice is one of 66 bands vying for a prize package that includes $1,000.

Another local band hoping to go far at the Rock Off is Lowellville High School act Hold No Grudge — Tyler Lisko (vocals, guitar), Nick Frank (guitar), Dante Basista (bass, vocals) and Spiro Schialdone (drums, vocals) — which, unlike its moniker, kind of has a chip on its shoulder.

“Let’s say we hold a grudge that we weren’t in last year’s Rock Off,” Basista said. “Last year we missed the deadline for the Rock Off, so this year we’re definitely playing to make up the year we missed out on.”

While the quartet didn’t get to play the House of Blues in 2011, it did book numerous gigs around the area, including a show at the Lemon Grove, as well as the now-closed Barley’s and Salty Grog.

Hold No Grudge, which has an Alter Bridge-meets-Velvet Revolver sound, plans on covering the latter act’s “Slither” at the Rock Off, as well as playing original tracks like the epic “Blind to the World” and the headbanging “Fight For Life.”

“If we won it all, it would be huge,” Basista said. “But, knowing that we’ll still be eligible next year really calms the nerves in a way. Now, next year’s Rock Off will definitely be the most nerve-racking.”

Tickets for the semifinal rounds are $10. The Feb. 11 Final Exam tickets will be $10 and will be available only from the participating bands.