Magna-Fi Explained

Magna-Fi
Background:group_or_band
Origin:Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Years Active:2001–2010
Label:Aezra
Spinoffs:The Szuters
Associated Acts:Crush 40
Spinoff Of:The Szuters, Outta the Blue
Past Members:Mike Szuter
Chris Brady
Rob Kley
Charlie Smaldino
C.J. Szuter

Magna-Fi was a rock band from Las Vegas, Nevada. It consisted of guitarist and lead vocalist Mike Szuter alongside his brother C.J. Szuter on guitar, bassist Rob Kley, drummer Charlie Smaldino, and in their later years, guitarist Christian Brady. They are perhaps best known for performing "All Hail Shadow" on the Shadow the Hedgehog (2005) video game soundtrack, as well as their single "Where Did We Go Wrong", which was used for the 2005 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series.

History

Mike and C.J.'s previous band, The Szuters, had found moderate success touring and releasing albums in Japan. However, their music seldom left the country, and the group essentially split after their third album in early 2000. The Szuter brothers would relocate to Las Vegas the next year, marking the disbandment of The Szuters and the formation of Magna-Fi with new band mates and a shift in sound and tone. While they would continue to perform as The Szuters for a period of time, the group had decided on their new title by 2002, at Smaldino's suggestion. The four-piece would get signed to Aezra Records, a label distributed by EMI, in 2003. Magna-Fi's debut album on the label, Burn Out The Stars, was produced by Paul Lani (Megadeth, Failure, Mötley Crüe).

In 2004, Magna-Fi appeared on the weekly concert series in Buffalo, New York, Thursday at the Square along with Fuel and Seven Day Faith. The band at that time for 2 months was direct support for Fuel. In the same year, they appeared at the annual festival tour, Ozzfest. Afterwards the band headlined their own tour and became direct support for Sevendust for months after. They also made a returning home for veterans show in North Carolina, after a sudden Sevendust cancellation.

At the end of a tour in 2006, they were in talks with Aezra about recording a new album, but these discussions ultimately ended with the quartet and the label parting ways, and the band decided to record their next release on their own. This also marked the exit of C.J. Szuter and the entrance of guitarist and vocalist Chris Brady, another Las Vegas native and long time friend of the band. The new album, VerseChorusKillMe, was recorded and mixed by the band itself.

In 2010, drummer Charlie Smaldino, after not playing with the other members for over a year, getting turned down by various record labels, and losing interest, decided to have a final show at Counts Vamp’d in Las Vegas. The group officially disbanded afterwards.

In 2020, Mike Szuter revived the "Szuters" moniker for a solo project and released an album titled Sugar.

Band members

Final lineup

Past members

Discography

Magna-Fi released two albums, as well as individual tracks for video games.

Burn Out The Stars

Italic Title:no
Burn Out the Stars
Type:studio
Artist:Magna-Fi
Released:July 16, 2002 (Gold Circle Records, promotional only)2003 (Self-released)June 15th, 2004 (Aezra Records)
Genre:Alternative metal, hard rock, post grunge
Label:Gold Circle; Self-released; Aezra

Burn Out The Stars is Magna-Fi's debut album, and the only one featuring guitarist C.J. Szuter.

Track listing

VerseChorusKillMe

Italic Title:no
VerseChorusKillMe
Type:studio
Artist:Magna-Fi
Released:January 02, 2007
Genre:Alternative metal, alternative rock, hard rock, post grunge
Length:39:10
Label:Self-released

VerseChorusKillMe is the second and final album by Magna-Fi.

"Who I Am" was originally written and recorded for the Shadow the Hedgehog (2005) soundtrack, but was replaced with another song, All Hail Shadow. The band later re-recorded and re-used the song, albeit with altered leads due to CJ's departure.

Other songs

Singles

Unreleased songs

Magna-Fi recorded many songs that were never formally released, but have surfaced online in the years following their breakup.

In Video Games

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Mike Szuter's Comment. . December 2023. July 21, 2024.
  2. Web site: NASCAR 2005 CHASE FOR THE CUP: THE MUSIC. IGN. October 1, 2004. January 30, 2016.