Who Is Altered Root?

Combining grit with melody, Chicago-based retro hard rockers Altered Root produce a unique blend of relatable singer-songwriter style storytelling with a heavy edge. Influenced by multi-generational genre-defining bands like Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, and Pearl Jam, and stoner rock artists like All Them Witches and Kyuss tied together with lyrical concept masters Pink Floyd, The Who, and Rush. The band will release its debut double-LP, Drone, in 2026.

The core of the band was formed by professionals working in the world of business. Instead of selling coffee at Starbuck’s to pay rent and studio time, Altered Root members worked executive business roles to pay mortgages. Releasing the band’s first album at an over-40 age mark, the band is devoted to telling a passionate and relatable story through thoughtful sonic combination of words and instruments only possible with many years of combined life experience.

Drone chronicles the dark journey of an everyday, middle-aged suburban commuter. The story is set up by the album’s opening and title track, Drone, in which our protagonist is on a commuter train into the city to work the same drab and uninspiring job he has endured for decades. Downtrodden, he reflects on his life. The first LP of the double-LP set is a heavy trip into decisions he made along the way. His self-inflicted and self-limiting suffering play out in relatable, often semi-autobiographical, life-scenes set to gritty tones and aggressive riffs. From darkly optimistic start to his own slacker behavior to a bad marriage. From an unhealthy obsession to consume and acquire to hitting rock bottom. The second LP begins to be more refined and melodic as Drone Man’s soul begins to stir. From themes of insomnia and isolation to awakening and redemption and an ending left to the mind of the listener. It’s an hour-long journey written to inspire and to be consumed whole. Played loud on vinyl like the original concept album masters. Unique sonic elements are ubiquitous, especially with a good set of headphones and perhaps an Altered consciousness aid.

The band consists of: David Agee, Drums – professional drummer, enlisted officer in the U.S. Navy elite touring band which he won a competition between thousands of drummers from around the country; Jeff Bergau, Bass – retired marketing executive and entrepreneur who left the world of business to focus on Altered Root; Sean Cimino, Voice – supply chain executive who manages some of the world’s largest OTC brands for a global pharmaceutical company; Patrick Dwyer, Lead Guitar – video game developer who has played a role on some of the most recognizable games in the industry, has played guitar since his high school band; Nick Kabat, Keyboard, Drums – a multi-instrumental talent who plays regularly in several Chicago Jazz, Rock, and Progressive bands; and Brad Urhausen, Rhythm and Acoustic Guitar – a national employee benefits executive who plays often in his home town of Nashville.

Altered Root. Waiting for the train, Clybourn Station Chicago. From Left to Right: Brad Urhausen, Rhythm and Acoustic Guitar; Dave Agee, Drums; Jeff Bergau, Bass; Sean Cimino, Voice; Patrick Dwyer, Lead Guitar.

Connected through membership in Altered Stage, a private club for musicians founded by Bergau, and formed in a shared passion to create after many live cover performances together, Drone has been a decade in the making. Slowly percolating in the background

since the band released an early, original version of Drone in 2015, the project began to gain momentum during the COVID-19 pandemic. Creating the foundation for eleven of the album’s 14 songs out of as much of a necessary mental health exercise as a drive to get Drone Man’s story out into the world, the band created the core of the tracks remotely and without AI. Completely unrehearsed and working from demo tracks from Nashville, Connecticut, Hawaii, Virginia, Silicon Valley, and Chicago, Altered Root recorded all of the new material in four different studio sessions at Palisade Studios in Chicago.