By Scout Nicholson / The Jambar
Negative Zen is making its voice known in Youngstown with shows across the Mahoning Valley.
The four-piece band is composed of lead vocalist and guitarist David Van Pelt, rhythm guitarist and background vocalist Maximillian Terranova, drummer Aaron Jakubisn and bassist Joe Langley.
Negative Zen was created in 2022 — yet its current lineup has existed since November 2024.
Van Pelt and Jakubisn were childhood friends and connected through music lessons. Later in life, they reconnected with Negative Zen. The band formed through mutual friendships and musical connections with Langley and Terranova.
The band’s music is influenced by the alternative and hard rock genres, with inspiration from Soul Blind, Narrowhead and Split Chain.
Over the summer, Negative Zen went on tour, which featured nine shows with trips to Brooklyn, New York, Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.
Although the band only released one single, Van Pelt said the tour was a big step in the group’s musical career.
“It was cool to gain people’s respect in a sense. We’re going to all these new, different places where no one knows us … you have to draw their attention towards you,” Van Pelt said.
In November, Negative Zen plans to record its upcoming album at Superior Sound Studios in Cleveland. After that, the band will headline the PunkzillaFest on Nov. 29 at Westside Bowl.
For more on Negative Zen, visit their YouTube channel and Instagram, @negativezenband.