In today’s music scene where it seems like everyone and their brother are in a pop-punk or post-emo band, the most difficult thing for a band can be setting themselves apart from the crowd. Luckily for anyone looking for the next big thing in punk music, Gabriel the Marine constantly strive to make fresh and accessible music.

Hailing from Long Island, N.Y., Gabriel the Marine has everything you would expect from a post-emo band; heavily-vamped guitar lines, powerful drum fills, a male singer with a high voice, a piano and a violin. Okay, maybe you didn’t expect the last two, but the piano and the violin are the two things that set Gabriel the Marine apart from the crowd. Sometimes multi-instrumentalist Dylan Ebrahimian uses the interplay between the guitar and the piano to set a soothing, peaceful mood to a song. Other times Ebrahimian brings a powerful dissonance forth from those four strings and bow. Sometimes both of those occurrences happen in the same song. Whenever and however Ebrahimian chooses to use his talents, one thing is for sure, it takes Gabriel the Marine’s music to a whole other, and much better, level.

Basically, all you need to know about Gabriel the Marine is that they make good music that has a distinctive personality. Fans of bands such as Anberlin or As Tall as Lions will be more likely to love their music, but there is certainly something there for everyone.

Gabriel the Marine will play The Independent on Jan. 14. Seeing as how only one member of the band is over 21, they may not be able to enjoy every aspect of The Independent, but their music will definitely set the mood for a fun evening.

Preview Gabriel the Marine on their MySpace page at myspace.com/gabrielthemarine.