“Upwell goes to 11. Upwell has this ability to go from zero to sixty in no time flat while keeping the feel of the song always on lock. Music that rages with intention."
~Rachel Field, Mastering Engineer and Owner at Resonant Mastering
“Upwell is one of the most terrifyingly great bands I have ever known out of Seattle; they are so good I had to join them as temp bassist, for an extended period, on three separate occasions, just because I believed in them so much that I didn’t want to see them lose any momentum… Upwell is a band that operates on a whole other level, way over most people’s heads. Their musicianship and songwriting is monstrous… They’re heavy like Soundgarden or Led Zeppelin with killer female vocals, but with their own unique style.”
~Jack Endino, Producer, Recording and Mastering Engineer, Mixer
"It is one very bold statement of committed, complex, heavy as hell intense rock. Rhythmically, melodically, harmonically and emotionally deep, incredibly immediate and satisfying all at the same time… Self aware but not self conscious or precious, Upwell is a welcome breath of pummeling fresh, dirty air."
~Martin Feveyear, Producer, Recording, Mixing and Mastering Engineer
~ BIO ~
(Click here to download pdf)
Upwell: To move or flow upward; to rise from an inner source.
Upwell, born from Seattle’s vibrant music scene, blends heavy and melodic elements, crafting a dichotomous sound that’s both intricate and accessible. Writing collaboratively, they are adept at adding progressive and metal elements without being a prog-metal band, creating an eclectic and multi-genre style of hard rock that adds a fresh dimension to the “Seattle Sound.”
Founding members Michelle Pavcovich (lead vocals, rhythm guitar) and Stevenflow Rosenstengel (lead guitar, backing vocals) formed Upwell in 2000 and have had a few iterations before teaming up with Brian Todd (bass) and Paul Turner (drums) who have also played in multiple projects together. After many years in each other’s orbits, the musical forces brought the current lineup together in 2019.
After hunkering down for the pandemic together and writing all new material, Upwell came out swinging, playing large-scale venues such as The Showbox Market and El Corazon, playing in direct support of local legends Walking Papers, and being hand-picked to play Seattle’s Cloudbreak Music Festival. Upwell is also in regular radio rotation on KISW’s “Loud and Local” show, and was chosen as their “Band of the Week” on March 5, 2024.
Upwell released a stand-alone single, “The Unknown,” in December of 2021. They then got to work on their full-length album, “When We Come Down,” releasing the first single, “The Way You Love Me,” on 11/11/23, the second single, “Dammit 360,” on 2/22/24 along with a video by Regan Hagar, and the third single, “Beholden,” on 6/6/24 along with a lyric video. The full album will drop on 7/26/24 and was recorded and mixed by Jack Endino (Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney) with additional engineering by Chris Rahm (Allen Stone, Soundgarden, Train) and mastered by Rachel Field (Pearl Jam, Eddie Vedder).
2024 is slated to be an exciting and busy year for Upwell. Look for shows in the greater Seattle area and beyond.
~ UPWELL'S NEW ALBUM 7/26/24 ~
(for previous releases see Music page)