Watch: David live with Aenimus (Nuclear Blast Records)

We hit the Terrestrial Tour stop in New Hampshire over the weekend and David jumped up with our friends in Aenimus to do his feature from their song "Wasteland" off their new EP "Sacrificial".

This is Aenimus' vocalist Seth Stone's first tour on frontman duties. Previously the bassist and backing vocals, Seth has worked tirelessly throughout the last couple of years to prepare himself to take on this new role, using our EVI Now program to help get himself in studio and tour shape.

"Manchester NH was definitely a highlight for me on this tour. Getting to hang with David James Benites and Rilee Dubilo was incredible and sharing the stage with David was a moment I won’t ever forget. These two have played the biggest role in my path to becoming the best vocalist I can be. Endless thanks and praise to them Extreme Vocal Institute," said Seth in a Facebook post.

Check out the opening verse and chorus from "Wasteland" here where Seth flexes his extreme vocal and melodic dynamics and range:

Be sure to catch the Terrestrial Takeover Tour headlined by Allegaeon featuring Arkaik, Aenimus, and Summoning the Lich!

Gear giveaway + live stream event details

We have teamed up with our friends at Sweetwater and Telefunken Elektroakustik to bring you all another FREE live stream event and giveaway! The event will take place on our YouTube channel this Saturday June 18 from 3:00-4:30pm ET.

We had so much fun last year that we had to do it again! This year the livestream centers around all things performance so the giveaway includes all that you need to be ready to hit the stage including a beautiful gold M80 microphone.

We will also be giving away EVI Now subscriptions to three (3) additional winners. You must be a subscriber to our channel in order to win any of the prizes.

Here's a list of the gear that we will be giving away:

Telefunken M80 Dynamic Microphone (Gold)

K&M Mic Std Round Base

On-Stage Stands Mic Std Quick Release

JUMPERZ 20' XLRF-XLRM Blue Line Mic Cable

Lizard Spit Microphone Sanitizer 4oz

Etymotic Research 20dB Earplugs Std w/Case & Cord

Sweetwater CamelBak Chute Mag Charcoal 32oz Water Bottle

There will be a short Q&A session at the end so if you have anything on your mind, this is your chance to get David to answer your question!

SUBSCRIBE to complete Step 1!

Tips for using EVI Now

Mobile image of Course 27 Lesson 1

We've had a lot of new members join our EVI Now program so we thought we'd make a post with a little about the program and give you some tips for using it!

EVI Now is our online courses hosted through this website. We started the process of creating this program in late 2019 and focused the beginning of 2020 teaching ourselves everything that was needed to make the program possible: building a studio space (which we've done twice now), videography, web design and UI/UX, video editing, sound capture and audio production, and how to adapt David's teaching style to fit a broader audience and to work for vocalists of all levels from true beginners to professionals. When we launched on June 10, 2020 we had ten courses and have worked to build out to 27 with plans for many more in the future.

Where to start?

We designed the program to be watched in order regardless of your experience with extreme vocals but especially if you are new to these kinds of distortion. The only exception is for courses 15 & 16 which cover the false cord and fry screams respectively and can be watched after course 3: Introduction to the False Cord and Fry Techniques for more methods for activating both the false cord and fry screams.

Why should I watch in order?

Our goal is to help you sound the way you want with an emphasis on health and sustainability. If you run before you walk, you might inadvertently pick up habits that will come back to bite you later on. You're of course welcome to watch whatever lessons you'd like at any time but we suggest not trying to put exercises into practice until you've built your foundation.

How do I use it?

As David says multiple times throughout EVI Now, everyone is going to learn at a different pace so how fast you work your way through the material is entirely up to you. You may be overly ambitious to get started and find that you need to work your way back through previous lessons. We recommend that you take notes and specifically take notes when you're practicing about what you're experiencing with your own voice that you can return to at a later date.

How many lessons should I watch at a time? Again, entirely up to you. Some concepts or techniques may click with you right away and others may take more time so you need to sit with them longer. You also may find that watching too many lessons at once overloads you with information but everyone learns at a different pace. For that reason we recommend you watch 3-5 lessons at a time depending on the length.

How should I practice?

David gives lots of different exercises within EVI Now that you can include in your practice routine. We also have this video available on our YouTube that outlines some good practice habits. David also gives suggestions for practice throughout the program.

Since gradual progress is one of the hardest things to gauge, we recommend taking video of yourself during practice so you have tangible evidence of your progress. We also have a community group on Facebook where you can share your progress and get feedback from your peers. As David says, it's not amount the number of hours but the number of days put in.

What results should I expect after a month of using the program?

Results will vary from person to person and depend on a lot of things; how much time put in, where you're starting from and your relationship with your voice. Life happens, you might start and have a setback because you get sick or tweak something funny and have to take a day or so off. This is why we suggest that you record your progress, so you can see and hear the gradual differences in your voice as you work through the program. Your experience is going to be completely different from someone else using the same program so focus on you and your goals!

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We have so many more plans for the program and we can't wait to make them a reality. Thank you all so much for your support and for choosing to learn with us. It's been a wild two years and we are looking forward to many more!

JOIN EVI NOW