BandWagon Magazine: Tyler Halverson - October 2023

INTHEWHALE

Chosen At Random

vocal styles that lend themselves so nicely to Inthewhale’s sound, but the band has an undeniable knack for taking elements of hardcore punk, death metal, and sometimes even a little bit of shoegaze and acoustic stylings and metaphorically grinding it all together to make a huge, heavy bucket of sonic chum.

Unless you’ve been living underneath a rock in a compound with no electricity, you’ve more than likely heard of the phenomenal force of nature that is Colorado’s Inthewhale.

Inthewhale is the loudest twoman operated rock outfit you’re likely to find in the Centennial State. Consisting of the powerful vocals and fuzz-drenched guitar work of Nate Valdez, along with the bombastic drums and death growls of Eric Riley, Inthewhale has been a staple in the Colorado rock scene for close to 13 years, consistently gaining fans along the way.

The duo will be releasing a new, full-length album entitled Chosen at Random on October 6th, which proves to be the effort that truly sees the rockers shine at their absolute brightest.

Chosen at Random makes it undeniable that Inthewhale doesn’t fit into a box. In fact, a whale would be more appropriate.

The album kicks off with the driving, fuzzed-out Plane Crash which serves as an excellent example of Valdez and Riley’s contrasting clean and unclean vocals, respectively, which go together like Herring and

Valdez’s vocal style has just as much range as it’s not uncommon to pick up on comparisons from predecessors like Page Hamilton of Helmet, both Ian Mackaye and Guy Picciotto of Fugazi, and even a little bit of Jonathan Davis of Korn at less common times.

Speaking of possible influences, about halfway through Chosen at Random Inthewhale takes you on a trip through Deftones territory with Waves, the sonic equivalent of molasses being dumped out of a dumpster with slow, heavy, dissonant chords that create something bordering on the aforementioned shoegaze, just a lot heavier.

The album truly shows how versatile and studied these rockers are as not only do they create this huge sound with only two members, but the songs morph between genres and overall feel flawlessly, creating a sense of a unique hybrid that when looked at as a whole, feels like a journey as you travel through the ten tracks. Which, it almost goes without saying that once you make that trip, you’ll immediately feel compelled to take it again.

From the melodic yet brutal punk rock stylings of Neon Christ, to the detour to the vulnerable acoustic track Poppies, to the anthemic closing track Wounded, and every stop along the way, Chosen at Random is on a whole new level for Inthewhale and fresh, new,

Nate Wilde BandWagon Magazine

WHAT THE HELL TO DO WITH “DIFFERENT.”

BY LANDON UNGERMAN

Dive into Tyler Halverson’s online presence, and you'll be greeted by a cheeky cartoon: a Western cowboy, sporting stubble and flashing a grin, while a joint smolders between his lips, captioned “Western Amerijuanna Music.” This isn't just a playful nod to his persona but captures his distinctive take on the country music world. Amerijuanna represents sincere tales, masterful songwriting, and a raw, red dirt vibe. Halverson explained in a chat with BandWagon Magazine, “It’s my own way... Nashville is still grappling with my style. I'm all about creating my own rhythm.” He's suggesting that music should be about genuine artistry, not mere replication, especially in a scene still acclimating to fresh sounds.

Growing up in South Dakota, Tyler Halverson was unsure where his passion for music would lead. Fast forward to today, and it's clear he's found his path, albeit not in conventional ways. He forged a unique sound that doesn’t quite fit the traditional country mold, and this difference is resonating widely, especially in the West.

For Tyler, mainstream playlists are not his endgame but instead sources of inspiration. His diverse musical influences span from indie-punk to bluegrass to rap, evident in tracks like the one named after his favorite artist, Mac Miller. He sees this varied taste as essential, stating, “I don’t think you should listen to the sound that you best fit into. Then you’d just be creating something that’s already out there.” This open-minded approach can be traced back to his indiscriminate consumption of all music genres. Reflecting on his younger self, he advises, “Be different and be ready for people to not know what the hell to do with different.”

Early in his journey, he played for audiences that seemed indifferent. However, he persisted, honing his craft until relocating to Nashville after his education. His collaboration with fellow Nashville artists like

his now roommates in Ben Chapman and Meg Mcree among others, and the connections he's fostered in Nashville have been pivotal in his journey. Occasionally, he acknowledges the depth of his immersion in music, reinforcing his commitment to the art. “There’s just the little moments where you realize you’re in it a little too deep to go anywhere else, so you just gotta keep going.” Halverson said. From seeking opportunities to perform at almost any rodeo beer garden to now headlining clubs, honky tonks, and theaters nationwide, Halverson has come a long way in a short time with his distinctive sound.

In the fall of 2023, he is set to partner up with Kylie Frey for the "Your Bar Now Tour," named after their joint song. This tour promises memorable nights in Texas, Colorado, and Wyoming, with shows in Colorado Springs, Denver, Greeley, and Cheyenne.

Tyler and Kylie's synergy is palpable. Their shared Western roots and previous collaborations promise a memorable tour experience. Tyler reflects, “(Kylie) and I are a good little cross of voices and vibes, and like me, she just does her own thing.” He goes on to say, “We’re just trying to go around and have a party. A whole lot of country and western music is what you can expect from this tour.”

While Kylie Frey is captivating the country with her stunning performances on America’s Got Talent, Tyler Halverson is rolling out a new collection of tracks centered around his recent single Run Wild. Charming harmonica melodies and gentle vocal paths paired with imagery of open Western plains and galloping horses work to return each of these new tracks to the idea of letting yourself loose. Seeing that Halverson made it this far in his career by freeing himself from “the rules,” the tracks feel like some of his most authentic pieces yet. When asked what inspired them, he replied, “Me and my fed-up self wrote this one a few years back. They’re all just about the same time in my life, and that’s what really brings them together.” Not only does the writing and music of these tracks share a timeline, but the visual accompaniment for the collection, directed by Wales Tony, cohesively bridges the gap between each individual song, telling a story beyond what each song has to say on their own.

His trajectory seems promising. Major platforms have taken note, and renowned venues like "The World's Largest Honky Tonk", Billy Bob’s in Texas, have invited him to perform. Separately, Halverson has shared stages with big names such as Parker McCollum and offering one of the standout performances at the inaugural Red Dirt Days at the Greeley Stampede this year. The chorus of fans singing his lyrics during his live performances this year all over the country is, for him, "God's tip of the hat."

Currently on his nationwide “Run Wild” headline tour, Halverson is delivering tales that resonate especially with Rocky Mountain fans. He mentions, “It’s been well-received here. Being from South Dakota, I can relate more to the Rocky Mountain lifestyle than many southern country artists.” Thus, his Amerijuanna music finds a passionate audience in the West.

Before Tyler Halverson could share his story with crowds around the country alongside some of the most promising names in the industry, he had to decide to

live a life with stories worth telling – ones that hadn’t been told before. What came out of that decision was a new movement of country music: Western Amerijuanna. On the surface, he’s just a hippie in a cowboy hat, singing songs for the heck of it, but in truth, Tyler Halverson and everyone in his circle are the youngsters in the industry who put artistry and originality before all else. When the plan is to just figure it out, step one is to do what feels right, and for Tyler, it felt right to simply “be different.”

Welcome to thrash hard city, take tWo

THE NOCO METAL SUPERGROUP IS TAKING THE SCENE BY STORM

On the first of April this year, Northern Colorado metal bands Thrash Hard City and Phantomstone played back-to-back opening sets at the Moxi Theater’s 10th anniversary. Each band was less than a year old and experiencing growing pains.

Thrash Hard City’s rhythm section, composed of guitarist Jay Lee, bassist Isaac Mikael and drummer Matt Thompson, were gravitating toward a heavy sound that clashed with the hiphop stylings of their vocalist. Lead singer of Phantomstone, Austin Frick, hungered for a faster-paced schedule of writing and gigging than the rest of his band was ready for.

“I felt like I was in my prime and I just wanted to write and create lots of music,” Frick told BandWagon, “And we just weren’t getting that out.”

Two months later, Frick split with Phantomstone and gave Lee a call in search of a new project.

“He was like, ‘nobody tipped you off?’ I was like, ‘what do you mean?” Frick said.

He had called at the perfect time. Earlier that same day, Thrash Hard City had split with their vocalist.

BY BANDWAGON STAFF

When Frick came in for a session, the whole band could feel the good chemistry.

“When things just go easy and it sounds great right away — you know you have something special,” Thompson said.

Thrash Hard City’s new iteration, with Frick on vocals, has kept up a breakneck pace of writing and recording since forming in June. Their new EP, The Alliance, is out now and their first EP release show is on October 7 at the Moxi Theater in Greeley with In the Whale, Jesus Christ Taxi Driver and Defeats the Porpoise. On November 4, the band will join Draghoria, Goat Hill Massacre, Glass Helix and Burning Through Darkness for a second show at Lost Lake in Denver.

The Alliance may be Thrash Hard City’s first release with Frick on vocals, but they already sound like a well-oiled metal machine. The band chugs through monster riffs, blast beats and breakdowns as Frick alternates between screams, clean vocals and spoken word. The music is aggressive and energetic.

In July, the band released the lead single from the EP, “Terrorizer,” a nü metal anthem that begs to be moshed to. After

a thrashy opening riff, the music gets increasingly frenetic as Frick arrives at the chorus.

“Get to the club, get to the love, lose your mind,” Frick belts. Then the music drops out just long enough for him to growl, “terrorize.”

Frick’s delivery of the lyric is believably aggressive, but he doesn’t mean “terrorize” literally. He has a mosh pit in mind. Not a pit that makes people feel unsafe, but rather a pit that allows them to let loose and be themselves.

“If you’re frustrated, don’t go take that out on a girlfriend or mother or father or child. Come to a metal show and bounce around with some like-minded friends,” Frick said. “We’re definitely trying to influence some nasty pits.”

For the first few months with Frick at the helm, the band stayed off the stage and focused on writing and recording. But the club has always been in the back of their heads. Now that they are starting to play live, they hope to foster an inclusive scene — a scene where misfits and outsiders are encouraged to show up.

“Thrash hard city is a destination where everyone feels welcome,” Lee told BandWagon.

The new EP,from THRASH HARD CITY called The Alliance, is out now and their first EP release show is on October 7 at the Moxi Theater in Greeley with In the Whale, Jesus Christ Taxi Driver and Defeats the Porpoise.

BANDWAGON PHOTO OF THE MONTH | PHOTO BY: RIGHT EYE PHOTOGRAPHY NOTATOY | THE BLOCK PARTY - DOWNTOWN GREELEY