Point Of Ares

Point of Ares emerged from the greater Boston region of Massachusetts with a distinctive fusion of hard rock, progressive structures, and punk-inflected energy, anchoring every lyric in literary vocabulary. Their chosen name, referencing the Greek god of war, encapsulates the members’ view of rock music as an expansive force of grandeur and intensity. Vocalist and bassist Karen Michalson originated the project after deciding to adapt passages from her own fantasy literature into songs; she therefore took up bass and vocals, launched the band, and founded Arula Records as its label. She brought aboard her husband Bill, a guitarist and recording engineer, and completed the trio with drummer Ryan DesRoches. The group’s first release, Enemy Glory Darkly Blessed, arrived on October 31, 1996; its lyrics, drawn directly from Michalson’s fantasy series of the same title, began attracting notice. Their second album, The Sorrows of Brave Apollo, followed on the first day of 1999, widening the band’s exposure still further.