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Dan Cimino

@justlikeapuppet

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31. New Jersey. Recording/mixing engineer at @traxonmain. Vocalist for @cultclassicnj. A mess in progress.
👇🏼AUDIO PORTFOLIO/CULT CLASSIC LINKS👇🏼

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No turning back now, it’s out for the whole world to hear. I’ve poured everything I have into these songs. In the past when I’ve made music, I used to talk about my thoughts and feelings through characters and stories, exaggerated to make it feel more impactful, artistic. But it never felt true to myself. My biggest goal writing these songs was to fix that, to be open to talking about who I am, where I’ve been, and what I’ve done. The most honest I’ve been lyrically, and musically as well. To top it off, the biggest challenge and proudest triumph I’ve had in my tenure as an engineer. I shaped these songs with some of the best musicians I’ve ever had the honor to play with into the truest representations of my soul, and I lay it bare for the world.
This is Romance Dawn, and we are Cult Classic. Now available wherever you listen to music, Spotify, Apple Music, Bandcamp etc. Linktree in my bio. We hope you stick around and feel something familiar, because there’s more where that came from.

Recorded and mixed by yours truly, at @landminestudios
Mastered by Alan Douches of @westwestsidemusic
Artwork and design by @greyariadesignstudio by @justlikeapuppet

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10 months ago

Today is the day I finally get to put this out there for everyone to hear. Me and Weston have been quietly (and sometimes not so quietly) working on these songs on and off since 2018, waiting until we had the right people to make them come to life the way we wanted. We found that in spades with Jon, Jason, and Kevin, and I’m thrilled to finally show what we’ve been working on.
This is our debut single, Butterfly to Moth. If you known me for a while, you may know what this song is about and catch a couple references. Grab a bottle of Bawlz, crank up your old Aiwa 3-in-1, and party like VFWs still exist. If you grew up on Ferret and Trustkill era metalcore, stick around and maybe you’ll feel something familiar.

Recorded and mixed by yours truly, mastered by @westwestsidemusic by @justlikeapuppet

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a year ago

To say this one stings is really an understatement. A lot of you know Every Time I Die is my favorite band, and a massive influence on everything I do musically. But you might not know I love to cook, and Andy Williams got me into it. Well over a decade ago at this point, I brought him a Dr Pepper when they came through on tour. He laughed and pulled me aside and told me “I don’t really tell anyone this, but I haven’t drank soda in years. I don’t let that stop people from bringing me these though.” I asked what he does with them, and he told me he cooks with it. We talked about it for a while, and I walked away with his recipe for a Dr Pepper barbecue sauce. Tried my hand at using that to marinate some slow cooked chicken the next day, and this started a domino effect that led to me discovering how much I love cooking and finding and tweaking new recipes. But more than that, this snowballed into me developing skills to make me more independent and able to take care of myself. I owe a lot to Andy Williams, to the music he’s made that’s inspired me, the memories I’ve made, and in part to the man I am today. I would have been worse off if not for that single conversation many years ago. I’m glad I got to thank you for that recently, I just wish it could have been in person. Incredibly inspiring that someone could have lived their dreams to such an extent in two completely separate fields the way he did, and to be such a warm force in so many people’s lives. Rest in peace to one of the best to ever do it. by @justlikeapuppet

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23 days ago

Just a few weeks away from our debut show, stoked to be back on stage again, and in a firehouse no less. Come early and stay late cause everyone on this one rips. by @justlikeapuppet

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8 months ago

What a year it was. Deep lows, but a whole lot of high highs spent with some of the best friends I can ask for. I finally got to release the record I’ve been working on little by little since 2018, writing riff ideas in the back stockrooms of Nordstrom to some lyrics I’ve been sitting on since the TGV days. To see people dig it as much warms my cold dead heart, and I can’t wait to start playing live and working on the next set of songs.
Glad to put the year to rest, and hoping to start this year on a better note than the ending, continuing to spend my time with a house full of love, family, friends, and small furry creatures. by @justlikeapuppet

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9 months ago

I’ve been working on writing these songs on and off for about 8 years now. It started out just with some lyrics and a couple of riff ideas, until I got Weston on board. We got rolling fast, and the two of us wrote the songs you’ll hear on this debut, plus a few others you’ll hear later down the line.
We had a hard time finding people who had the time, could keep up, and just fit with what we were doing/who we are. But we found that very happily in Jason, Kevin, and Jon. Every person in this band represents a different part of my life and experiences in the music scene, all met at different points years and years ago, going all the way back to being a sophomore in high school. It’s been incredible to stay connected, or reconnect, to everyone here and mold what’s been my baby for years. After a lot of hard work, it’s almost ready to see the light of day. We are Cult Classic, and you’ll hear from us very soon.

📷 - @drewsaidwhat by @justlikeapuppet

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a year ago

Been horrible at posting anything lately, but a few weeks ago my dudes in @chemicalimbalancenj put out the record we did together. Mixed and mastered, with reamps being done at @landminestudios
Easily one of the most unique records I’ve been a part of, it’s mathy, it’s ska, it’s chaotic and emotional. A complete onslaught of energy that doesn’t let up long enough to catch your breath at any point. You’re movin, or you’re not human. by @justlikeapuppet

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a year ago

My buddies in @chemicalimbalancenj just posted the first single off their debut EP I worked on with them! Love these songs, so unique, genuinely haven’t heard anything quite like it before. Reamped, mixed, and mastered here in house at @landminestudios by @justlikeapuppet

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a year ago

This weekend, we started tracking for the debut @cultclassicnj EP. Me and @weftin_ have been writing this on and off since 2018, just waiting for the right people to come aboard with us. We finally filled out that lineup last year, and it’s insane to hear it all being played in this room. Drums and rhythm guitars are all done, and I couldn’t be happier with it. I love these dudes, I love music, and I can’t wait for y’all to hear the noise we’re making. by @justlikeapuppet

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a year ago

Spent my last Saturday locked in at @landminestudios with @kevin_sardy, tracking drums for some songs me and @weftin_ wrote off to the side a few years ago while @cultclassicnj was struggling to find members. Tunes are sick, these dudes are sick, music is sick and I’m aiming to put out a TON of it this year. by @justlikeapuppet

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a year ago

Some nice chunky reamps from the other night at @landminestudios with @chemicalimbalancenj. Incredibly unique, one of a kind band with some killer tunes, now with significantly better guitar tones. Ripping a mix/master on this one that I’m very excited about. by @justlikeapuppet

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2 years ago

And without further ado, my favorite albums I’ve heard in 2024. I love State Faults. Absolutely a once in a lifetime kind of band, and this is a masterpiece of an album. Every second had me hooked, and I’ve spun it so many times.
Shouts out to Sabella for dropping an absolute monster of an album out of nowhere, after a long silence. To Real Friends for the biggest surprise of the year. I was NOT a fan when I was younger and they first came around, but this album is phenomenal. I’m honestly surprised I really haven’t heard anyone talking about it at all. And to Port Maria, Splitknuckle, Moral Code, and Together to the Stars for being incredible first listens for bands that blew me away.

1) State Faults - Children Of The Moon
2) ‘SABELLA - Easy
3) SeeYouSpaceCowboy... - Coup de Grâce
4) The Hope Conspiracy - Tools of Oppression/Rule by Deception
5) Real Friends - Blue Hour
6) Touché Amoré - Spiral in a Straight Line
7) Balance and Composure - with you in spirit
8) One Step Closer - All You Embrace
9) Stand Still - Steps Ascending
10) Better Lovers - Highly Irresponsible
11) Knocked Loose - You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To
12) Umbra Vitae - Light Of Death
13) Splitknuckle - Breathing Through The Wound
14) Port Maria - Co-Conspirators
15) Foreign Hands - What’s Left Unsaid
16) 156/Silence - People Watching
17) Boundaries - Death Is Little More
18) Moral Code - Nuclear Family
19) Tiny Moving Parts - Deep in the Blue
20) The Story So Far - I Want to Disappear
21) Job for a Cowboy - Moon Healer
22) Weeping - Spiritual Barbarism
23) Together to the Stars - The Fragile Silence
24) Aaron West and The Roaring Twenties - In Lieu Of Flowers
25) Drip-Fed - Sold for Parts by @justlikeapuppet

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2 years ago