Author & Vocalist | Brian Paone

Brian Paone, a Massachusetts native displaced to Virginia, has been a published novelist since 2007 and has performed in bands since 1995. Cumulatively, Brian's novels and are primarily speculative fiction, ranging from thrillers to drama to horror to science-fiction to fantasy and romance. His bands cover a wide range of different metal and industrial genres and styles.

BOOKS: 

Brian published his first novel, Dreams Are Unfinished Thoughts, in 2007. In the memoir, he chronicles the trials and tribulations of befriending a drug-addicted rock star. As a die-hard fan of the rock band God Lives Underwater, Brian wins the trust of lead singer David Reilly. This honor comes with its own set of extreme personal highs and devastating shared lows.

Brian published his second novel, Welcome to Parkview, in 2010. The cerebral-horror novel, reviewed as a “Stephen King-meets-The Twilight Zone-style tale,” is an unapologetic journey through a town that thrives on the macabre. A town built on deceit and temptation. A town cursed with soulless transients, unforgiving lovers, and an ominous presence in the shadows beyond.

Brian published his third novel, Yours Truly, 2095, in 2015. The time-travel novel follows Jeff Blue—the victim of a time-travel conspiracy—who wakes up, trapped in 2095. The only familiar face is J0, a robotic copy of the wife he left behind in 1981. But can she be trusted? J0 could be the only key to unlock Jeff’s journey home, but it will require her to do something against her programming—something human.

Brian published his fourth, fifth, & sixth novels, the Moonlight City Drive trilogy, in 2017, 2019, & 2021. The supernatural crime-noir trilogy is set against a 1940’s Las Vegas & 1980’s Salem, Massachusetts backdrop. The story follows a detective, hot on the trail of a Jack-the-Ripper-style killer, who he admires and must decide if he should continue the cat-and-mouse chase or join the killer in his cleansing of society, unaware they all might just be puppets that a vengeful and ancient witch and her growing army of ghouls are controlling.

Brian published his seventh novel, The Post-War Dream, in 2022. The historical war romance novel follows Royal Marine Fletcher Layne as he returns from the Falklands War in 1982. With a heavy heart plagued by guilt, Fletcher resents any celebration of his heroism and his parent’s disapproval. And as the traumatized survivor wrestles with two imagined voices of nagging conscience, he fears not even the gentle touch of a kind nurse will get him through to a peaceful tomorrow. Can he gain ground over his anguish before the darkness drags him down forever?

Brian published his eight novel, Packet Man, in 2023. The urban thriller novel contains a touch of fantasy and is set against the backdrop of the days leading to the San Francisco earthquake of 1989. Bennett Jacobs is okay with being square. With a loving spouse for company, the introverted software engineer doesn’t want or need to turn strangers into friends. But after the wife drags him kicking and screaming to a pool party, he reveals his computer smarts to a flamboyant artist dealing a popular street drug … and his life goes from blasé to bonkers. Now he’s ambushed, shot at, and hunted. Can he hack the danger, or will he end up dead?

Brian published his ninth book, Selective Listening, in 2024. Music inspired the tales in this short story collection of when the macabre and humanity clash. Some songs are mainstream; others are obscure. Regardless of whether you know the songs, these tales will make you laugh, gasp, tremble, and fill you with childlike nostalgia, while you pull the bedsheets to your eyes to check once more that your closet door isn’t still creaking open by itself …

Brian published his tenth book, The Last Neuro-Trancer, in 2024. The cyberpunk dystopian novel is set in the distant future. Adam dreams of simpler times. Running with a crew of cyberpunks, the nineteen-year-old plays it fast and loose as he and his team plot to overthrow the conglomerate dangling an escape from poverty—but at a terrible cost. But when the establishment’s assassin takes Adam’s side after noticing his strangely colored eyes, he finds himself entangled in a mysterious prophecy. One that could span the multiverse—where the seven colors of the rainbow represent each universe.

MUSIC:

Brian intended his first band, Yellow #1, to have the whimsical flavor of synth-pop bands, with the lyrical integrity and vocal intensity of metal bands. Combining the two polar opposites into one sound made for a very debatably interesting sonic landscape. They released their debut album, Bottle of Rain, in 1996. Brian pulled the plug on Yellow#1 in 1997 after another musician approached him to form a more industrial-metal band. This new band would eventually turn into Drop Kick Jesus. In 2014, Brian breathed life back into the band and worked on a second album. Collaborating with hip-hop producer and rap artist, Darius Malloy (aka RedStryke) from Lakeland, Florida, the second album, Thanks for the Nostalgia, moved away from the avant-garde style of the first album, relied more on programming and keyboards than real drums and guitar, and focused more on a structured pop feel. After recording in both Japan and North Carolina, Yellow #1 released the album in 2016.

Drop Kick Jesus's vision was to combine heavy hardcore songs with industrial-style keyboards and samples. They released their debut album, Splatterguts, in 1998. In 2001, after spending three years touring and promoting Splatterguts, Drop Kick Jesus released their second album, Depress the Heart. The album was a growth from Splatterguts, both musically and sonically. The attitude of the songs on Depress the Heart had moved away from the typical hardcore style and extended further into the electro-metal genre. Due to personnel issues within the band, Drop Kick Jesus broke up in 2002.

The Grave Machine was born from the ashes of Drop Kick Jesus. Brian Paone wanted to further explore the industrial/horror side of metal with this new band. Influenced heavily on industrial bands, The Grave Machine created an album that could rival every underground horror film soundtrack. Sample-heavy songs with grinding riffs and militant beats set the groundwork for Brian's effect-heavy vocals. They recorded their self-titled debut album in 2005. The Grave Machine broke up in 2006 when Brian moved from Massachusetts to Georgia and formed Transpose.

Transpose’s musical style and direction embodies metal-core, progressive, and post-hardcore. They released their debut album, A Delicate Impact, in 2007. In 2011, after four years of touring and promoting A Delicate Impact, Transpose released their second album, Retribution. The second album was a conceptual storyline that Brian had written about a broken man’s reaction to infidelity. Retribution saw the band experimenting more in the studio. Some of the new sounds include the addition of keyboards, samples, and acoustic guitar.

Brian is police detective in Maryland and has been working in law enforcement since 2002. He is a self-proclaimed roller coaster junkie, a New England Patriots fanatic, his favorite color is burnt orange, and he is the proud owner of his dream car—a 1981 DeLorean.