Madam Ravine has brought its punk sound to Syracuse’s underground music scene since fall of 2018. As the band’s members continue to hone their craft, Madam Ravine is expanding its reach in the underground scene with additional shows and music in store. 

 The band released its debut EP, “3 Songs,” last month and is planning on additional releases later on. “3 Songs” is available on platforms such as Spotify and iTunes. Madam Ravine will also play at Apostrophe’ S on Saturday at 7 p.m. 

 The band features front man Jimmy Cinski, guitarist Max Marcy, bassist Thomas Phelan and drummer Benji Wittman. The group formed at Syracuse University through a shared love of punk music and has been playing together for the last year-and-a-half. While they’re dedicated to the project, it’s clear that each member is always being pulled in another direction. 

 “We’re a product of happenstance,” said Wittman, a senior in the music industry program in the Setnor School of Music. 

 Phelan, Wittman and Cinski all met their freshman year, but didn’t immediately start playing music together. At the time, Wittman had a brief stint as a guitarist for another SU band, FLOTUS. But it wasn’t until their sophomore year that Madam Ravine really started piecing together its sound. 

 “I started making a little music with Tom at the end of our sophomore year just to try something out,” Cinski said. He noted that the song they were piecing together originated from something Cinski had in the works during his freshman year, and eventually became their song “Rebrand.” 

 There was no grand plan at the outset for the band. Each member cited their shared interest to play “loud music” as their driving force. The more they shared ideas for new material and passion for punk, the more serious the group became. 

Band members Thomas Phelan (top left) Jimmy Cinski (bottom left) Benji Wittman (top right) and Max Marcy said they have worked with a number of other university groups.  Dan Lyon | Staff Photographer

“We’re the hardest, fastest band and we all have the same drive to play hard, fast music,” said Cinski, a senior in the sound recording technology program at Setnor.

Members said they are not only involved with their own solo projects on top of the band, but they also have a hand in a number of other musical groups on campus, including The Whether Channel, Gill With the a G, and Shallow Alcove. They have been heavily involved in establishing student venues as well as maintaining communication between the network of bands, Phelan said. 

Phelan, a senior in the music industry program, said that the bands at Syracuse are always talking to each other about potential shows in and out of the university neighborhood. Members of the band helped lay the groundwork for The Ark and The Deli, two off-campus music house venues, he said.  

“There’s been a lot of casting things out in a net, seeing what catches, and distributing it to whatever feels right,” Phelan said. 

 Though it may seem daunting to be that involved, the band has stuck together for the music they love.  

“It’s a good outlet for all of us because we all really like aggressive punk music,” said Marcy, a junior in the sound recording and technology program at Setnor. 

Despite its relatively humble beginning, the band continues to reach for new heights. Madam Ravine made waves with its early February release of “3 Songs,” which appropriately consists of three songs. While it’s the first time these have seen a release, the songs have been around the band’s setlists for quite some time.  

 “We had a lot more emphasis on playing shows than getting in the studio at the beginning,” Wittman said. 

Wittman’s flavor-infused drumming and a catchy riff from Marcy in “Now What,” the first track, helps get the song right to the point. “Corduroy” is a high-energy piece that brings listeners back to the days of their rebellious youth.  

Finally, “Rebrand” starts as a slow burn with just Cinski’s vocals and a riff from Marcy, but crescendos into a chorus that maintains the energy throughout the rest of the song that wraps up the EP. 

Beyond these tracks, the band worked with Andrew Maury, a producer and musical engineer who has a residency at SU. He has worked with mainstream artists such as Lizzo, Shawn Mendes and Post Malone, according to his website. 

The band shows no signs of slowing down, continuing to book and play shows. 

 “We play music we like, and if you like it too, perfect,” Wittman said. 

Published on March 4, 2020 at 10:01 pm