ARYA

ARYA (ah.ree.yah; Sanskrit) : A being who has realised ultimate reality directly and non-conceptually; (Nigerian) Enjoyment; (Amharic) Role model.
With an explosive combination of heavy and melodic music, ARYA distinguished themselves in the Toronto
music scene from the beginning of 2006 until the fall of 2008 with a signature sound that fused seemingly volatile elements. Drawing from their diverse backgrounds and inspirations, the band created music that was intense, addictive and unmistakably
unique.
In their years together as a band, ARYA accomplished much in their local area. Their energetic live performances and debut EP, produced by
multiple-award winning producer/songwriter Justin Gray (Joss Stone, Sugar Jones), and their impressive (fully-funded) follow-up EP "Honeycomb," brought them multiple awards and opportunities to record and play before ever-larger audiences.
ARYA's dynamic live show and industry accolades created a buzz with both audiences and musicians alike, making them a much sought-after group by venues, promoters and fellow bands.
After a very successful run which peaked in a final performance in front of many powerful industry professionals, the members parted ways to find new musical direction.
The melodic hard-rock group AFFINITY formed at year's end 2008 when vocalist Ashley and drummer Sean together found the missing pieces needed to form a new band by merging with another 3-year old Toronto band formerly known as "Mindpiece." They have been hailed a "rock version of Voltron with a high energy level performance" who "absolutely need to be heard by all music fans!" (M. Hallihan, music reviewer, bringbacktheboombox.com).
Since their inception, AFFINITY's Ashley Curtis (lead vox), Mark Kaczor (guitar/BG vox), Mack Flynn (bass/keys/synth/BG vox), Mike Bagshaw (rhythm guitar) and Sean Hillman (drums) have been gaining a steady and infectious buzz, packing venues around the GTA. Their sound is a rare combination of edgy, heavy rock with super-charged riffs and catchy melodies that audiences can relate to. To date, they've opened for several popular Canadian artists including K'Naan, The Stills and Jully Black and shared the stage with INXS, Theory of a Dead Man & The Tea Party this summer.
In late 2010 AFFINITY teamed up with management company HigherGround Entertainment Group Inc. The band's first single, "Discord (Let This Go)", has been serviced to radio stations across Canada (97.5 The River in Kamloops, BC has already added the single into rotation) and is available on iTunes worldwide. Their debut album "Solid Ground" (recorded at Vic Park Productions and MDS Studios) is set to be released later this summer.
Check them out at affinityband.net