The Moonrise Cartel is the 2025 New England Music Awards Winner for Rising Stars of Connecticut The Moonrise Cartel is an original American Folk Rock band blending folk, indie rock, and Americana with a touch of gospel. The band features soaring harmonies, introspective lyrics, and a vintage sound profile balanced with a modern touch — equal parts timeless, and for the time. Their rapidly growing fanbase (known as Cartel Members) now coins their music “Folk Rock from Black Rock.” Fueled by songwriter Al Pascarelli’s deeply personal writings of a lifelong battle with mental illness, alcoholism, and an eventual emergence out of the darker shades of the human experience, this is a band with several gears — one that takes you on an incredible journey. His voice is coupled up front by Stephanie Harrison, who wows with striking vocal prowess, moving effortlessly between stunning power and heartbreakingly delicate delivery. Multi-instrumentalist Jason Polise lays a sonic feast on lead guitar, saxophone, and keys, along with several other instruments. It is all held together by the rock-solid backdrop of Benj LeFevre on bass and Steve Tobey on drums.