Rome band Ethos has launched its independently-released debut album “Vessels,” and the nine-track album may surprise local listeners with a shockingly mature blend of rock rifts, insightful lyrics and an overall sound that could find its way to radio in no time.

Formed in 2010 by four Rome natives, Ethos consists of Austen Earp (lead vocals, piano, guitar, synthesizer), Matt Palopoli (lead guitar, vocals), Nick Riggs (bass, vocals), and Tribb Robison (drums, percussion). 

“Matt (Palopoli) and I met in college and we took a music history coure together,” Earp said. “We learned that Ethos originally meant music’s ability to affect the listener. We liked that. We thought we’d like to do that with the music we made so we thought it was appropriate as our band’s name.”

The band members consider themselves a progressive rock group, but their music also contains unquestionable Christian and alternative influences.

“We don’t label ourselves a Christian group because we don’t set out just to make Christian music,” Palopoli said. “We’re Christians so I think anything we do will be influenced by that. But we don’t sit down and try to write music that will appeal just to Christian audiences.”

The nine-track album opens with “Supernova.” With its distinctive rock overtones, it sets the mood for the rest of the album.

Track 5, “I’m a Sailing Drifter, You’re a Drifting Sailor,” deviates a bit from the rest of the tracks in that it’s more of a ballad, complete with airy guitar rifts and the dreamy opening line “If you grow tired of my love, release the string and let me float away, out into the open sea.”

And after two purely instrumental tracks, “Out of the Darkness” returns the listener to a rock state of mind followed by the title track “Vessels” with its relentless, driving beat.

“We just love making music,” Palopoli said. “I think I speak for all of us when I say that success would be great and we’d love to be able to do this for a living but we never want this to be something we need to sell our souls for. We make music because we love it and because it’s what we want to do. We hope that comes across to the people who listen to this.”

All four men, ranging from 22 to 24 have full time jobs here in Rome and make time to practice with the band at a house shared by Earp and Palopoli. They all contributed to the songwriting on “Vessels” with Earp taking on the extra responsibility of producing the album and designing the album cover.

Overall, the album is a solid debut effort, with clean, tight vocals and instrumentation, particularly on percussion.

The album is available in Rome at Pal’s Coffee Shop (Mount Berry Square Mall), Stephen’s Music and Imagine Hair Art Studio & Gallery Lounge as well as on iTunes. It retails for $9.99

“Ethos” will play it’s official CD release show on Aug. 11 at Pal’s Coffee Shop, Mt. Berry Square Mall starting at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. There is a $6 cover and those attending the concert can purchase the new CD at the show for $6.

The band’s next gig is an out-of-town one on Aug. 14 at The 120 Tavern and Music Hall in Marietta. Ethos will open for Adema. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

For more information about the band visit them on Facebook at facebook.com/ethosATL.