Sunday single: Fever and a concept

The song could be the soundtrack for a creepy Discovery Channel special. As the guitars chime with anxious undertones, a story unfolds about a cult leader called "the locust."

Then the chorus rings like a mantra as the drums and guitar pick up intensity: "As it's calling to me I will break through the strains/And they'll all be listening to every word I say."

This track, "The Locust," is part of an upcoming concept album by local alternative-rock favorites Bright Light Fever.

You can get a sneak peek at this new song by logging on to www.sacbee.com/sundaysingle.

Here's the bonus: Bright Light Fever is headlining the Sunday Single Showcase next Sunday night at Old Ironsides. Hear the group perform some of its new songs, and perhaps share some of its favorite conspiracy theories during the interview portion of the show.

But for now, Bright Light Fever is wrapping up the mixing and mastering on its opuslike album, "Red Hands In Holy Water."

"We're all interested in alternative topics like conspiracy theories, cryptozoology, and there's been a lot of talk about cults in the news lately," says Matt Ferro, the 27-year-old singer- guitarist for Bright Light Fever. "I came across this cult when I was searching the Internet, and I'm not sure if it's real, but it was intriguing to us. It was a really interesting story. So I decided to write a story about the life of a person that this cult holds as their messiah."

Bright Light Fever has its own followers around Sacramento. The band's core lineup – the Ferro brothers Matt and Evan, 21, on guitar and vocals, bassist Don Suave, 21, and 27-year-old drummer Robert Torres – hadn't even played their first gig before signing a major-label record deal in 2005. The debut album for Stolen Transmission (a subsidiary of Island Records) ultimately tanked, selling just 1,500 copies.

But relieved of its deal and back on the do-it-yourself scene, Bright Light Fever remains one of Sacramento's most buzzed-about bands for its unfailing energy and array of sounds. "Red Hands in Holy Water" takes the group's artfulness to another level. The concept album is quickly becoming a relic in this iTunes world, but Bright Light Fever couldn't care less. The band intends for its upcoming album to be heard as a narrative, not just a collection of songs.

"If you start a MySpace music profile, they automatically set you up with a song-by-song purchase (system)," says Matt Ferro. "I just took it off this morning. I don't agree with that – it's not part of our musical vision.

"The idea of the concept album is self-indulgent and we didn't want to go down that route," he adds. "It's more of a story to us, like a 'Twilight Zone' episode. We just had a story that we wanted to write."

Look for the album to be ready in July, be it released through a new record company or the band itself. The band members will continue to work its day jobs (or seek employment): Matt Ferro is unemployed but has taken the occasional house-painting job, Evan writes commercial jingles and Torres works both as a valet at 15th and L streets and manages Beach Hut Deli. Suave is unemployed.

And then more work begins. Bright Light Fever will take off this summer for a national tour, hoping to gain more fans.

"We just want to be somebody's favorite band," says Ferro.

Bright Light Fever's putting the finishing touches on its latest album, but "Sunday Single's" got the goods. "The Locust" is one of the indie-rock band's new tracks, and it's a key part of its upcoming concept album called "Red Hands In Holy Water." It's the story of a cult leader and his followers, as set to a tense and rockin' soundtrack. Log on to www.sacbee.com/ sundaysingle to hear "The Locust," and read more about Bright Light Fever on Page 24.

BRIGHT LIGHT FEVER

Song: "The Locust"

Style: Indie-rock that's not afraid to tell a story

Members: Matt Ferro (guitar/vocals), Evan Ferro (guitar/vocals), Don Suave (bass), Robert Torres (drums)

Influences: Hot Snakes, the Beatles, Queens of the Stone Age, Tom Waits, Cursive, Roy Orbison

Behind the song: "We're all interested in alternative topics like conspiracy theories, cryptozoology, and there's been a lot of talk about cults in the news lately," says Matt Ferro. "I came across this cult when I was searching the Internet, and I'm not sure if it's real but it was intriguing to us. It was a really interesting story. So I decided to write a story about the life of a person that this cult holds as their messiah."

See them: Bright Light Fever performs Friday at Cesar Chavez Plaza (10th and J streets). The show is free and starts at 5 p.m.

The band also will perform next Sunday at Old Ironsides (10th and S streets) at the Sunday Single Showcase, a night of live music in a "storytellers" format. See details below.

On the Web: www.myspace.com/brightlightfever

About the writer:

• Call Bee pop music critic Chris Macias, (916) 321-1253. Read his blog at www.sacbee.com/beatnonstop.