Former Metal Drummer Reacts | Valhalla Calling - VoicePlay ft J.NONE | Reaction & Analysis 

With male voices, you have bass, baritone, and tenor. Over 80% of males are some form of baritone; less than 5% of the male population is a true bass. Geoff Castellucci, the bass for VoicePlay, is an even rarer bass (maybe 0.5% of the male population), who can reach an F#1 in full chest voice. Geoff becomes EVEN rarer, in the fact, he also has a vocal range of 5 octaves and can also hit notes higher than 75% of tenors; there are probably only a couple hundred people on earth who have Geoff's abilities. Of those, I doubt you could count on more than one hand who can sing as well as Geoff. But, that being said, all the members of VoicePlay are part of the vocal elite. I have over 35 years of singing experience and have never encountered another group as good as VoicePlay.

VoicePlay is comprised of 4 members - Geoff Castellucci - bass 5 octave range - B0 here to Bb5 (has a growl that garnered an A0 in Enemy), Layne Stein (beatboxer, baritone, violinist), Eli Jacobsen (bald tenor 1), Cesar De La Rosa (with Mohawk, baritone/tenor), J None (the guy outside on watch, ex-member of VoicePlay, currently in the US Navy Chorus - recruited for his vocal talents, hoping we will get him back in another 2 yrs.) Miracle of Sound did this and VP did the cover. MOS raised 10 alehorns to them for this creative cover. Check out Nothing Else Matters (Metallica), In The Air Tonight (Phil Collins), Creep (RadioHead) are all recent and superb. Geoff and Layne are original members from 1997 when it was known as 4:2:Five, Eli (like jelly) was in a couple of rock bands before joining in 2010, J None came on after VoicePlay's baritone, Tony Wakim, wanted to do productions so Tony and Layne bought a studio and brought on J None. You'll see Earl Elkins, another original members in videos older than 3-4 yrs, but he left for personal reasons. That with J None going into the US Navy left them down 2 people so they brought on Cesar (see him in his audition We're Good (Dua Lipa) and as full member in I Can't Make You Love Me (Bonnie Raitt). Still down one, there are advantages to living in Orlando (theme park heaven), lots of talent and friends so they have the flexibility to choose the voice they are looking for. All members have worked at Disney and Universal and as such know about the importance of theatrics to the audience. They are under no contracts, do almost everything themselves or hire someone for specialty work. They get to keep the control over their creativity.

I really enjoyed your sincere reaction to Voice Play and hope you will react to more Voice Play. They are very different from the other acapella groups in that they have more of a theatrical style and approach and they do all of their own production themselves without a record label or recording contract. They can really rock out and surprise you as an acapella group covering "Nothing Else Matters" "Whiskey In The Jar", "Dream On" and "Carry On My Wayward Son" to name a few. Since you are a Rock drummer, I would highly recommend that you check out their Phil Collins cover of "In The Air Tonight" and how well their beatboxer does the drumming parts-- you will be blown away!

They do ALL of their own productions ... arranging, costumes, sets, lighting, etc. The 'Big Three' acapella groups are very different from each other, which makes them all so good.

Welcome to Voiceplay. Hope you enjoy more of their work. I suggest checking out their version of Nothing Else Matters, yes a cappella Metalica cover.

Welcome to the Voiceplay rabbit hole. So glad you enjoyed them. Pick any genre - look for a song you would swear an acapella group couldn't do...🤣

Love watching reactors who are new to VoicePlay - welcome and thank you! They do perform live (they recently performed for several nights with Chicago) but when they do these videos they record and film separately. Layne is the beatbox, and in this one he was also the arranger, creative director and edited the video. And yes, he was all of the sounds, including the creaking door when J None joins them (he's the rapper/baritone). Eli (el-ee), the rock-metal tenor, did the backdrops using gamer software. Geoff (Jeff) is the bass, and he and Layne are founding members and, historically, have each done about 50% of the arrangements. Completely independent. All are brilliant, hard-working musicians. Liked - come back and react to more VP and I promise next time I'll subscribe!

This might be VoicePlay’s most “epic” cover but everything they do is amazing. I hope you will react to more of their acapella covers, I don’t think you will ever be disappointed! You might like their version of In the Air Tonight since you are a drummer. 😅

Salutations! If you think you may check out more Voiceplay, may I list some rules that may help make your Voiceplay viewing even better? Oh, and the Bass, Geoff Castellucci, hits a B0 in this, several times. He also has a solo channel, very worth checking out. I loved your comment on their voices being like "One person." Some people call Voiceplay a group, some call them a band...but above all that, Voiceplay is a TEAM! Especially when J. None is back with them.

Outside left to right.... Layne Stein - Best boxer, baritone, arrangements. Cesar De La Rosa - baritone, tenor. J None - former member, guest, baritone. In the US Navy choir. Eli (El Lee) Jacobson - tenor, rock tenor, lighting. Geoff (Jeff) Castellucci - bass, arrangements. Voiceplay is an independent acapella group. They do everything themselves from concept to RU-vid and beyond. Except intricate makeup, cameras and audio mixing. At the present time there are only 4 guys in the group. So they collaborate with various artists for the 5th. So depending on the video and date is who is in it. These guys are extremely phenomenal in everything they do. They also don't stick to one genre of music.... Broadway, opera, pop, rock, Viking, games, sea shanty, space shanty, oldies, folklore. And the list goes on. They are known as both The Theater Kids of Acapella and The Kings of Halloween because of their love of dressing up and performing. Their latest video is "Sleeping In The Cold Below" from the Warframe video game. But anything you choose to do you can't go wrong with. Their videos go back 8+ years. Geoff Castellucci has his own channel where he sings solo with instruments. He clones himself 3-4 times for harmonies. Each with their own name.... Jeff, Jeoph, Goff and Daryl (two videos and a long story). His latest video just came out Saturday, "Unshaken". It is the prequel to his video "Ghost Riders In The Sky". He brought back the ghost riders from it before they died. You also can't go wrong with any of his videos either. His first video at the beginning of covid was "Bare Necessities" from The Jungle Book. Welcome to the Voiceplay rabbit hole 🐰

Seconding what everyone else has already said, but welcome to the Voiceplay rabbit hole! We have BASS. And cookies. It's fun here. Really enjoyed your reaction, and subscribed --- would love to see more of them on your channel! I think you might like any of their covers of these: Seven Nation Army, Creep, or Nothing Else Matters.

J, staring out across the water at the beginning, was recruited by the US Navy and he’s come back (at least for this). The rap was added with some hints to his being in the military (ops, etc). One of my favorite parts is while he’s rapping, in the background you can hear the guys singing “This is WAR”. It always gives me chills. Previously they did a cover of My Mother Told Me (also associated with Assassin’s Creed). J was still a permanent member of the group. The makeup and a lot of the costuming is from MMTM. Among their tattoos are runes spelling out VoicePlay. Cesar was not yet a member of the group. Jose Rosario Jr was the guest artist. Cesar is wearing the same robe that Jose wore in My Mother Told Me. Layne (beatboxer ) did the arrangement and Eli (bald rock god) the amazing backgrounds using Unreal Engine, used in filmmaking and video games. The only real pieces in that set are the tables and benches. Even the door that J walks through was pure CGI. He was standing in front of a screen and the background opened for him. Layne was responsible for the creaking door sound. It was filmed at a studio with immense (Full wall!) LED screens. The music in the outro is the karaoke track-the percussion and background vocals and it could be a piece on its own because it’s also gorgeous. Cesar with the mohawk (you pointed him out for his grit) is actually known for his soft breathy baritone. He does sass and he does sweet but grit is usually not his thing😊. I will be watching your channel, as many others well I am sure, to see if you follow through and do more of them and also Geoff’s solo channel. If so you’ll have a new subscriber.

The "set" was designed by Eli (ell-ee) Jacobson, the bald tenor, and was projected on giant LED screens at a studio in Orlando Layne Stein is the beatboxer, in recordings he usually does 10 or more lines, but it's all him. I keep reminding myself that J didn't smash open a door, that was Layne. J None, the rapper, was with Voiceplay from 2018 to 2021, when he left to sing with the US Navy. He comes back when he's on leave to collaborate with them frequently. Cesar de la Rosa with all the hair, replaced J None. Technically a baritone but frequently goes into the stratosphere. Subscribed in anticipation of more Voiceplay. Try Dream On or In the Air Tonight.

Welcome to the wonderful world of VoicePlay. They are my favorite acapella group. Geoff Castellucci, the bass, has his own channel and he is awesome. Geoff has a 5 octave range, which is absolutely mind boggling. I have subscribed to see more VoicePlay & Geoff Castellucci reactions. You may want to check out VoicePlay covers of: Nothing Else Matters; Seven Nation Army; Creep; Dream On; Carry on Wayward Son; Hoist the Colors; Drunken Sailor; Hellfire; The Lion Sleeps Tonight and Dragonborn Come are just a few of my favorites. For Geoff, you need to check out his cover of: Unshaken; Wicked Game; Sound of Silence; Ain't No Sunshine; Jack's Lament; Far Over the Misty Mountain Cold & I see Fire.

Welcome to the VoicePlay rabbit hole. The bass also has his own channel - Geoff Castellucci.

I love seeing people react to Voiceplay for the first time and your reaction was great! I second all the rock suggestions below but I also think you should check out their latest song Sleeping In the Cold Below because the beatboxing is next level. Although Layne always knocks it out of the park with his Beatboxing. You should also check out the bass singer's solo channel. Geoff Castellucci (Jeff Cast-a-loo-chee) has a 5 octave range and records all the vocal lines and then edits them all together, often cloning himself for the video. His cover of Ain't No Sunshine is one of my favorite songs of all time. They also do all their own production from arranging to editing. Everything but the final mix. Who is responsible for each part is in the description of the video.

Impressive analysis--especially for a metal drummer who isn't used to reacting to a cappella tracks. You captured the essence of a true a cappella band: all of them lead-quality vocalists with voices that are "so uniquely different," but when they do backup vocals they sound like "the same person." "Turn off the switch of being a lead vocallist and they are all one person" as they accompany each other. Brilliant! And then you quickly caught that big of rasp in Cesar's voice when all had been smooth before. I just subscribed because you are articulate and an acute observer--and because I hope you'll react to more VoicePlay! (And then maybe Pentatonix, Home Free, Voctave . . .?)

Welcome to the VP rabbit hole! Always room for more VP love. Enjoy the journey.

Welcome to the VP rabbit hole! I’d recommend watching their covers of Dream On and Nothing Else Matters next.

Great reaction! Subscribed for more #VoicePlay reactions from you. You're reaction is consistent with 100% of other reactors hearing VoicePlay and specifically calling out Geoff Castellucci first. He does set VoicePlay apart from the other A Capella groups because of his 5 octave range, but people focus on the B0's he regularly drops. The things that I think separate VP from the others are: 1) Geoff Castellucci on bass and Geoff's arrangements 2) The "sleeper" Layne Stein is phenomenal at beat boxing and arranging the songs (and some other surprises I won't mention) 3) The arrangements keep you interested throughout the entire song as they change the lead singer, the beat, the timing, what octave the song is in at any given second throughout the song 4) The makeup, costume and set designs are unbelievable 5) the video production is always phenomenal 6) the audio engineering is incredible. Your comment about the beatboxing is spot on. They will multi-layer the vocal percussion so that it sounds full, but know that every drum is from Layne's mouth. If there are sounds that are not produced by a mouth, they will show you what is making the sound (eg chains clinking, dragging something across a concrete floor, etc). Enjoyed your introduction to VoicePlay. Looking forward to more... Nothing Else Matters, Hellfire, Hoist the Colours, Dragonborn Comes, Seven Nation Army, Creep, Warriors, Enemy, Dream On, Drunken Sailor, plenty more to come!

May I suggest that you listen to their cover of Radiohead’s “Creep”. So hauntingly beautiful. It’s my absolute favorite. Subscribed hoping for more VoicePlay. Thanks.

Geoff has a control and presence with his f#1's and lower that even true octavish bass singers like Eric Holloway pay respect too. He is legendary for a reason

Welcome to a world of fun music! If you have any questions about anything check their video description, and if it's not there then feel free to ask us - we're always happy to share the info!

I still am amazed that Geoff holds that low note while others sing on top. Amazing to me. Each member amazes me for different reasons. (Eli's rock-god voice, Layne's astounding beatboxing, Cesar's grit and/or smooth voice....)

Yes. Special. Geoff castellucci might be the top baso profundo in the whole world with his body pounding sub woofer voice.The whole group is elite on their talent and completely independent hard working productions. You wont find a bad recording they do. Make sure you feature them at Halloween. They are the kings of this holiday.

Great reaction!! Being that you appreciate the bass (Geoff Castellucci) I highly recommend giving his most recent solo release “Unshaken” from red dead redemption 2 a shot. You really get a good idea of his range. On Voiceplay you can’t go wrong in any direction you choose with them. They have such a vast varied catalog, if you particularly like rock, “Nothing else matters” “dream on” “carry on wayward son” etc but they have something for every mood.

Welcome to VP! If you look at the comments under this video you will see that Miracle of Sound themselves responded to VPs version. Hopefully you will check out more of their offerings - they are so worth the effort! 🌹🕊

Welcome to voiceplay 🎉 its a wonderful rabbit hole to dive into 😁

In addition to headphones to get the full Voiceplay or Geoff Castellucci experience, watch with captions on. Geoff's wife Kathy is their production manager. Because of her significant hearing loss (video about it on his solo channel) he often puts fun stuff in the text.

Great reaction. Voiceplay is incredible. Geoff the bass, has 5 octave range. They are all awesome.

Every bit as epic as imaginable. Wow is all I can say.

These guys are amazing in everything they do. They are an independent group so fo everything themselves from concept to RU-vid and beyond except intricate make-up, cameras and audio mixing. Left to right outside.... Layne Stein - beatboxer, baritone, arrangements, co-owner of Pattycake Productions. Cesar De La Rosa - baritone, tenor. J None - guest, baritone, former member. Eli (like jelly) Jacobson - tenor, rock tenor, lighting, arrangements. Geoff (Jeff) Castellucci - bass, arrangements. This was filmed at Vü Studios Orlando. The background is full wall LEDs designed by Eli. They're latest video is "Sleeping In The Cold Below" from the Warframe video game. Filmed at Octavue Studios. Geoff has his own channel where he sings solo with instruments. He clones himself 3-4 times for harmonies. Each with their own names... Goff, Daryl, Jeoph and Jeff. However in his latest video "Unshaken" only the 4 clones are singing. The characters they are dressed as are the ghost riders in his "Ghost Riders In The Sky" when they were alive. Three of the clones got their names in his video "Way Down" where he was 3 janitors and a supervisor. When he did Ghost Riders he needed a name for the 4th clone. He liked the name Daryl so that became his name. Before he named them they were known as the Geoffettes. What started as a dis on his name became permanent. I do recommend watching Voiceplay and Geoff Castellucci videos all the way through to the end. Especially Geoff. Last year Geoff would just do a short thank you speech. This year he started showing some behind the scenes as well. He does the same in his Voiceplay arrangements as well for several months.

For a metal drummer you need to listen to their rendition of Nothing Else Matters, yes they can do metal, and about any other genre.

I also love how VP takes a song as puts a bit of themselves in it. They sort-of make it their own. J.None wrote the rapping and they added it in. As I told a couple of other reactors: It is like they got together in the back of a bar or somewhere and said, "We can start off with a chant, move it up to a type of hard ballad, then Elli can let loose his inner rock god, and what the heck, let's throw in some rap! We have everything else in there, why not? Hey, Geoff, the people want subharmonics? Let's give it to them! BOO-YA!" 😆

Great reaction and analysis. Thanks so much.

You're right. They have individual voices but blemd so well. VoicePlay are unique in their arrangments, thiry theatricality, their versaatility and the voices too. And they have a wonderful sense of fun as well. Oh and they produce it all themselves, except from the final mix. Which is also pretty unsual I imagine

So weird I wouldn't normally listen to this type of music. No one can deny their talent. It's great.

Eli (pronounced Ellie) is the tenor up at the top and Geoff (pronounced Jeff) is the bass and they always blend well together no matter how many octaves apart they are. All of these men have absolutely amazing vocal skills. And yes, the beatboxer Layne does all the percussion. Although it may be several layered tracks, they were still all done by Layne. The other two guys are J None who is the baritone and Cesar who I affectionately refer to as a baritenor (a term coined by he and the reviewer Mortius during their interview while reviewing Dream On) because he is able to sing both baritone and tenor.

2:18 Accurate description. Welcome to Geoff Castellucci world.

That very low note you were hearing at the start is a B0

VoicePlay also has a cover of Nothing Else Matters by Metallica. It has a few surprises, but aligns with the Black Album feel by being visually pared down, letting the vocals have the spotlight. They have many featured vocalists. JNone, the one who did the rap, is frequently involved when he's off from military service. If you go down the rabbit hole, you will get new subscribers. Many of us LOVE to see reactors broken when Geoff does his absolutely amazing vocals up and down his 5 octave range.

More Voiceplay please!! I am now a subscriber. ❤❤❤❤😊😊😊

As someone said Layne who the beat boxer has production called PattyCake Productions which they do everything them self the only Audio Mix - Ed Boyer which does for a few different people.

You will never go wrong reacting to ANY of their covers! Or any by the bass, Geoff Castellucci, which has his own channel on RU-vid.

Your ear is correct. Layne often doubles and triples himself to provide a full percussive beat. But make no mistake, it’s all Layne. Up to and including the door creaking sound when J None enters the hall

That beat boxing is Layne. Period!

Grit takes it from choir/barbershop to VoicePlay we can do anything from Disney to rock to metal to classical and enjoy making music 😊 welcome to the rabbit hole. The bass has his own channel, the beat boxer has a channel for productions coming out of his production company, J. none was a member but is currently singing with the Navy and occasionally comes back for a song with VP. Enjoyed your reaction enough to subscribe, please react to another soon. Their most recent release is done with a cyber punk aesthetic, like I indicated, they don’t seem to want to be restricted by a single classification of music.

Perhaps you should watch their cover of Nothing else Matters.

This guy mentioned the F1 after the lowest note in the song, but not the B0 itself...

Beatbox - Lane Bass - Geoff Rap - J. None Bald - Eli (pronounced Elly) And Caesar.

😄

I recommend Voiceplay nothing else matters and Oogie boogie❤❤

Also they do Nothing Else Matters. Wow. And check out another group Home Free.

Welcome, friend. Be aware... we come. By the time you have reacted to three or four VP videos, you will start to see the same faces, because we spend our time prowling YT especially for these reactions. This... well... this is actually not one I recommend new people all the time because you do not have a chance to build up a tolerance to Geoff and his bass... "Oh that is deep" is a common first word listening to Voiceplay, but quite often he is not all the way down yet when they say that. Looking forward to more reactions.

Voice Play is epic ❤ you need to check out this artist, Dimash kudaibergen S O S he is the greatest vocalist I have ever heard.

Check out their cover of Nothing Else Matters by Metallica!

Sir, maybe they harmonice. Elmar from Germany

"looked like there were four there..." well... four to five.... (if you know, you know)

New sub here. Being from a metal background, I truly hope you che k out their cover of "Nothing Else Matters." Also, check out anything from Dan Vasc...💯🔥🤙🍻

Don't believe all these comments. VoicePlay is totally alien and nothing about their insane talents is even close to human. (from a big VoicePlay fan.)