This is the true story of five friends that picked to live in a house and pursue dreams of rock-stardom.

As grandiose as that sounds, everyone has to start somewhere, and even local rock band Judgement realizes that.

Sitting in a living room, decorated with a larger-than-life Kiss afghan, the members of Judgement — singer Dom Valenti, guitarists Pat Newby and Brandon Stefaniak, bassist Joe Mancuso and drummer Mike Jellen — reflect on their band and how five friends strive to make music a lifestyle.

On Sunday, the fruits of their labor will be rewarded when Judgement will celebrate the release of its first CD, Motorvation, at 10 p.m. at the Rathskeller, 108 S. Pugh St.

The EP came together at a local recording studio at the beginning of November, where Jellen (senior-speech communications) knew one of the producers.

Without the resources and finances of a big-time rock band, Judgement had to make the studio time efficient.

"We spent about a month beforehand playing those songs over and over again, basically picking them apart," said Mancuso (senior-aerospace engineering).

In a matter of two ten-hour days, the band recorded all five songs and used some remaining time on the third day to finish post-production.

The experience was not without its tragedy however, and the band unfortunately suffered a loss just as things were coming together.

On the third day, as the band was traveling to practice, their van died en route to the studio, leaving the guys to hitch a ride in the back of a police cruiser that happened to see them stranded.

"It was like, it was meant to be. It got us as far as it needed to and then said 'I can't take it anymore' and died," Valenti said.

All tragedies aside, the band looks ahead to the future.

With the CD party planned, Judgement has secured a spot at the Battle of the Bands in the HUB-Robeson Center on March 23 and also has plans of a tour around the Northeast this summer. But the band stays true to the ideas that got them all here in the first place.

The idea for the band developed in the summer of 2000, when Stefaniak and Valenti got together with Newby (senior-telecommunications) and discussed the desire to start playing music.

Going through the typical movements of open mic nights and impromptu gigs at parties, the three searched out a bassist and drummer and finally came together as Judgement.

"We realized playing in front of people is where we wanted to be, and what we wanted to do in life," Stefaniak said.

The first goal the band set was to open a show for Stept On.

Newby explained that this wasn't as lofty as they all thought it would be, after meeting one of the members of the local established rockers.

"It just happened one night that Brandon was talking to them, asking them basically 'How do you go about getting an opening spot at a show,' and they just said 'Well we play next Thursday, you want to play with us?'" Newby said.

After a thrown-together collection of songs, the band decided to start writing and hone its sound.

In the end, as can be heard on the CD, the band has thrown itself into the rock wrestling ring, brandishing heavy guitars and melodic vocals at wayward scream-bands.

As a live act, the ferocity ensues that much more.

The music and the band's image is hard, leather pants and dog tags coupled with headlong guitar work and thunderous percussion. The set list for a show combines original songs with covers, but those chosen are not heard on the radio nor are they carbon copies of the originals.

"We don't play Top 40 shit. We're not a party band. You come to our show to listen to good music, music that we find as a quality rock song," Mancuso said.

The image remains on stage though, and in their home, which all five share, t-shirts and jeans is appropriate attire for an afternoon of Behind the Music.

The cohesion of these friends helps to keep the band together and allows them to not end up in a cliched pitfall.

"The idea for me getting a band together was, sure you have to be good with your instrument, but the number one thing is that you're a cool person and someone I'd want to hang out with irregardless," Valenti said.

Judgement still hopes to make more waves in the local music realm, and one day even go beyond the perimeter of State College.

"I don't want to go to work anymore, I want to do music. If that means I make the same amount of money as I'd make going to work or five times as much, it really doesn't matter because I'm happy — we're going to be happy with what we're doing. That is the main goal," Stefaniak said.

More information about the band can be found on its Web site, www.judgementrocks.com.