Apr 09, 2011 Issue

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Apr 09, 2011

PLUG’D IN The Hard-Rock'n Bi-Weekly Magazine Providing your needed fix!

Inside This Issue: Impact: Frankie of Emmure, This Is: Jordan Mancino of As I Lay Dying, On Tour: Ramin Niroomand of In Fear And Faith, Chuck Norris: Back with 10 reasons why he can kick your ass, Dear Dead Abby: Beyond The Grave, and the coolest advertisers around!

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Impact: Frankie of Emmure Interview by Mark Kohl Since 2006 I have been a diehard Emmure Fan. It was an honor and a privilege for me to sit down with Emmure’s Front man Frankie Palmeri and find out a little bit more about Emmure. M.K PI: I am sitting down with Frankie from Emmure. Frankie how was your first night of tour?

FP: What’s up man. It was really good. Jersey was a good time.

All the kids came out to support us and it was an awesome first day for us and tonight’s round two for us so let’s see how it goes?

PI: I read on your face book the other day that these first two nights of tour were sold out. What is it like for you to play to a sold out crowd?

FP: It’s super surreal and flattering. We feel really lucky and grateful to have fans that support us and the bands on this tour that much that it makes this tour so huge. It’s a big deal for us.

PI: On the front of the new album Victory Records is calling you guys “the heaviest band in the world today,” how does that make you feel?

FP: It’s a cool marketing ploy. I mean that’s not something I would say is true but I also wouldn’t say that it’s not true. Either way you cut it to mean I really don’t care what people think about how heavy we are or whatever. We’re just kind of making music that we enjoy. If people are caught by the idea that we’re the heaviest band in the world then Victory is doing their job and if they turn it on and they still feel the same way then we did our job.

PI: Tell us a little about the new album Speaker of the Dead.

FP: It’s 15 tracks which is the longest CD we’ve made since Goodbye to the Gallows came out in 2007 so it’s the most lengthy. It’s definitely some of our most toughest material. It’s kind of bare bones. We went more for body rather than color with the songs, meaning that if you listen to the record it packs a punch on every single track.

There’s always some things that are really ear grabbing and to whatever degree or however you look at it I think that it’s probably our heaviest record to date.

Wayne Lozinak

PI: Do you guys write collectively as a band or do you guys write separately and then piece it together?

FP: For this record cycle Jesse went home with a new Pro Tools on Logic set up that he had on his Mac and worked on a bunch of riffs and then he would come over to my house and we would put songs together off of the material that he and I both had. It was basically a joint effort between the two of us and with a little bit from our guitar player Mike Mulholland who also played a hand in the writing. Overall it’s usually less cooks in the kitchen with us. We just try to get together and get the best ideas that we can together and show everyone in the band and usually we’re all on the same page creatively in terms of what we want to play and what we want to hear so it works out.

PI: Your lyrics are very dark and heavy, what drives your lyrics?

FP: Personal experience both in a physical and spiritual sense. I pull a lot from my exterior interior; I guess you could say surroundings. You know I live in the physical with everyone else and I also live in my own mind which I think everyone does a lot of times too so I pull from both those areas and I take the synchronicity of all the things I learn about the world and myself and I put it through my words.

PI: Emmure has put out an album a year since The Complete Guide to Needlework and has toured nonstop. What kind of toll has that taken on the band?

FP: A positive one. I mean I’ve always been one to preach the message that if you work hard, you’ll get what you’re working for and we’ve been steadfast ever since you know. Like you mentioned we had a DIY release called “The Complete Guide to Needlework” back in 2005 when we put that thing out. Ever since then it’s been nonstop moving, touring basically for six years straight and that’s kind of the game. That’s how things roll. You gotta stay on your toes in this industry and you gotta constantly be out there doing it with how many bands come out now days and with social networking site becoming popular and then unpopular, new music sites and everything constantly progressing and growing you have to stay relevant. I think Emmure’s strongest point so far has been our ability to stay on the road and continue to connect with fans and gain new fans in the same token. I would say that’s probably the major toll that it has taken on the band is a positive one.

PI: What is the most important message that you try to convey to your fans?

FP: To have a good time and realize that we’re not alone in this whether it be an issue you have at home or with your friends or loved one or even if you question your faith in this world or in your religion or whatever the case is. We’re all kind of wondering and one in the same thing which is the idea of a place where we can feel at home. Home is in your mind. Home is a comfort zone that you make for yourself. People deserve to feel comfortable with who they are and what they believe in and what they want in life and that’s basically the message that I at least try to share with people.

PI: Out of all the material of music that you guys have, what is your favorite song to play live?

FP: I get asked this question a lot and I still don’t know the answer. It’s like we really enjoy playing all our songs when we get up there. The songs that people want to hear are the songs that we luckily enjoy to play so it’s like I couldn’t pin point it to one specific song because then I feel like people might assume that the other songs are not as important or whatever, so that’s the specific answer. We love all our songs.

PI: Do you have one that’s your least favorite to play?

FP: I used to but now with this new record out I see my back catalog a little differently and I perceive myself or what I used to be in those songs differently now too so it’s kind of all gained a new meaning to me so I wouldn’t say that there’s a song that I don’t like to play.

PI: What was it like for you guys to play a huge festival like the Warped Tour?

FP: That was the best summer of my life number one. Number two, the crowds and everyone that come out to see us on Warped Tour was absolutely unreal. We really could not have asked for a better summer then what Warped tour had offered us and the people that got to meet us and say what’s up and all the parties we had it was just an amazing time. I mean there’s nothing like it. I would suggest any band if you ever have the chance to do a Warped Tour, definitely take it up.

PI: The band has accomplished so much in such a short time as a band, what is one thing that you haven’t done that you would like to do?

FP: I don’t know. That’s a hard question to ask. There’s so much on my bucket list in terms of me and the band and what I want to accomplish with us. The sky is the limit really. We’re just kind of waiting for whatever opportunity comes next for us whether it is playing in a new place to new people or being exposed on some kind of new mass media site or TV network. Who knows? I guess in this business you got to continue to be steadfast and work hard. Really that’s all we’re focused on is working hard. We really don’t put goals on the wall and say oh that’s what we’re gonna do. We stay focused internally and make sure that we’re all happy with what’s going on so that whatever happens next we are ready for.

PI: If you could pick any bands dead or alive, what would your dream tour be?

FP: Limp Bizkit, Die Antwoord, Waka Flocka Flame, and this band called Man Factory. That’s probably my dream tour.

PI: You seem to have a wide variety of music, what are you currently listening to?

FP: Right now I’m listening to Sleeping Giant, Man Factory, and I’d say Wacka Flacka is the artists that I’m pumping most right now.

PI: After this tour what is next for Emmure?

FP: We have plans to go over sees to Europe and meet up with our friends Winds of Plague and do that whole thing and then we come back from Europe and then during the summer we will be doing a headliner which I don’t really know if I can give much detail about but we’ll be in the states again really soon after this.

PI: Thank you so much for sitting down with us and giving us a chance to get Plug’d In. FP: Thank you. I had a great time!

www.myspace.com/emmure

Thank you Nicole Stella and Nicole Marie for 1 Year of service.

Without you we would not be able to do what we do!

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On Tour: Ramin Niroomand of In Fear And Faith Interview by Liana Marie and Tyler Heckard Photos by Liana Marie Hours & and the most extreme game of ping-pong known to man later, it was time for all the excitement to begin. Tyler and I had the pleasure of catching up with the ever so talented, Ramin Niroomand [Not at all associated with Ramen Noodles] of In Fear & Faith before the show. Not only can this guy get low on stage... When he’s not busy shredding, Ramin creates beautiful piano renditions of his band’s music. Niroomand takes this beautiful instrument and his phenomenal talent in addition to that of his band’s & combines the two creating the best of both worlds. In Fear and Faith is responsible for creating one of the most beautiful yet brutal & catchy sounding breakdowns I have ever heard. In addition to the talent, they’re a great group of guys. I’m more than excited to see what the future holds for them and I wish them the best of luck! Here’s what our friend, Ramin had to share with us...L.M. PI: So where are you from?

RN: I live in San Diego. Oceanside to be exact and I’ve lived there since 2001.

PI: How long have you been a part of the band?

RN: I started the band, I think, in 2006 and it’s my first and only band. I kinda dropped out of being a mortgage banker and started a band. It’s a really awkward way for things to happen but I’m doing what I love to do.

PI: Where does the name In Fear and Faith derive from?

RN: We stole that shit from Circa Survive. Basically it’s an incredible collection of words and Circa Survive is obviously one of our favorite bands. I’ve had fans come up to me and say that they went and saw Anthony Green and they would be like “hey look at my shirt, they stole your name” and Anthony would just be like “no, they are sharing it with us” so it makes me happy that he sees it that way PI: What are some of your specific personal influences?

RN: Skip. Haha. When I write our music I try to be as epic as possible, to create music that’s almost visually stimulating just by listening to it. By far my favorite band is Linkin Park. They are a huge influence. And then bands like Chiodos and Underøath are what brought me into this scene of music as well as Rebecca Black.

PI: Do any bands come to mind in terms of influencing the bands music as a whole?

RN: A collaboration of Receiving End of Sirens, Circa, Underøath, and Chiodos. I think if they were all to have group sex and one baby were to come out of it, In Fear and Faith might be related to that.

PI: If you were to describe your band to someone who’s never heard your music, what would you say?

RN: Classy hardcore.

PI: Who’s your “BFF” or “Brother Band?”

RN: Attack! Attack! For sure. They are our little brothers. Their first tour was with us and the ones that drink is

because of us. We just toured with them actually, unfortunately I wasn’t there for most of it because I shattered my foot six months ago and it still hasn’t healed. (PI) how’d you do that? (RN) I fell on stage.

PI: Describe a typical day on tour with In Fear and Faith.

RN: We wake up hung over, desperately try to find a pooping destination. Then we eat, show up to the venue late, rush to load, I stay and do the merch while the rest of us try to find more alcohol. We have so much fun. Every day our goal is to have the best day of your life PI: How do you spend your time off?

RN: Writing. When I broke my foot I was stuck at home for a couple months and it was the best thing that’s ever happened to me because I was able to completely come up with a concept and write a whole orchestral rendition piece that’s releasing May 3rd. I became an artist manager at Artery Foundation and when I’m at home I can’t do nothing, I always have to be working. I write a lot. I like to make other peoples music better. I play piano all day long and put piano videos up. Piano is my passion, its disgusting how much time I spend on that stupid piano.

PI: How is the tour with Dance Gavin Dance going so far?

RN: I love those guys. Awesome dudes. Fun to hang out with, fun to party with. We’ve definitely had our party nights in Europe with them.

PI: IFAF’s first studio release album is titled “Your World On Fire”. How has your music changed or matured since then?

RN: For that album I pretty much wrote all of the music. With “Imperial” it’s a little more mature and intricate. I’m not too happy with the production of it. If it was produced by the right person it would have sounded like it did in my head, which is a lot more epic.

PI: How do you feel about Jonny being back in DGD? RN: Best thing ever. The band is happy and the performance is incredible. I kind of get sick of music but I really enjoy watching them every day.

PI: What can we expect from IFAF in the future?

RN: We are definitely headed in a heavier “30 Seconds To Mars” direction. We are just getting more and more epic with every release that we do. We are keeping the heavy elements, but I’m really not a fan of dumbed down breakdowns. Every CD out right now is literally a forty minute breakdown. There are so many intelligent ways to do a breakdown, you don’t have to just chug and say “fuck” over a track. We’re not going to drop our heavy elements but we are definitely going to get more epic. That’s all I’m saying.

PI: Thanks for giving us the chance to sit down and get to know your band a little bit better and giving us the chance to get Plug’d In. RN: Thank you!

www.myspace.com/infearandfatih

Jokes

We apologize if you found any of the jokes to be crude or offensive. We also apologize for you not having any sense of humor and for being so damn uptight. Jeez, they’re only jokes.

A woman walks into a bar with her 5 pound Chihuahua and sits down next to this guy, whom she notices is feeling a little bit queasy. A few minutes go buy and the guy looks at her and blows his chunks. He looks down and sees the little dog struggling in a pool of vomit and says, "Whoa, I don't remember eating that!"

A man and his wife got into bed for the night. The wife had curled up ready for sleep and the husband put his bed lamp on to read a book. As he was reading, he stopped and reached over to his wife and started fondling her pussy. He did this only for a very short while then stopped and went back to reading his book. The wife got up and started stripping in front of him. The husband was confused and asked, "What the hell are doing, taking all your jammies off?"

The wife replied, "You were playing with my pussy. I thought it was foreplay for something a bit heavier". The husband said, "Hell no! I was just wetting my fingers so I could turn the pages.

Once there was an old man sitting on a bench in the park crying. A younger man walked up to him and asked "What's wrong?" The old man replied "I am married to a sexy 21 year old woman who gives me two blowjobs a day and we have sex the minute I get home from work and right after dinner." The young man had a strange look on his face and asked "What's so bad about that? It sounds to me like you have a great sex life." The old man replied "I can't remember where I live!"

During her annual checkup, the well-constructed miss was asked to disrobe and climb onto the examining table.

"Doctor," she replied shyly, "I just can't undress in front of you." "All right," said the physician, "I'll flick off the lights. You undress and tell me when you're through." In a few moments, her voice rang out in the darkness: "Doctor, I've undressed. What shall I do with my clothes?" "Put them on the chair, on top of mine."

Chuck Norris' tears cure cancer. Too bad he has never cried.

Chuck Norris counted to infinity - twice.

Chuck Norris does not hunt because the word hunting infers the probability of failure.

Chuck Norris goes killing.

If you can see Chuck Norris, he can see you. If you can't see Chuck Norris you may be only seconds away from death.

Chuck Norris sold his soul to the devil for his rugged good looks and unparalleled martial arts ability. Shortly after the transaction was finalized, Chuck roundhouse kicked the devil in the face and took his soul back. The devil, who appreciates irony, couldn't stay mad and admitted he should have seen it coming. They now play poker every second Wednesday of the month.

When the Boogeyman goes to sleep every night he checks his closet for Chuck Norris.

Chuck Norris built a time machine and went back in time to stop the JFK assassination. As Oswald shot, Chuck Norris met all three bullets with his beard, deflecting them. JFK's head exploded out of sheer amazement.

Chuck Norris has already been to Mars; that's why there are no signs of life there.

They once made a Chuck Norris toilet paper, but it wouldn't take shit from anybody.

A blind man once stepped on Chuck Norris' shoe. Chuck replied, "Don't you know who I am? I'm Chuck Norris!" The mere mention of his name cured this man blindness. Sadly the first, last, and only thing this man ever saw, was a fatal roundhouse delivered by Chuck Norris.

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Dear Dead Abby Brought to you by It’s All The Hair Rage Designs

From The Grave Abby was born and raised in the coal regions of Northeastern Pennsylvania. The oldest of eight, she constantly had her younger brothers and sisters asking her questions about everything from how things work to why that boy threw dirt on her. She’d try to steer them straight with her advice, though sometimes she could be a bit sarcastic.

Abby also had an uncanny ability to see the truth in people, despite what they tried to portray with their lies. Unfortunately, this led the locals to believe that she was with surrounded with dark forces. The summer before her final year of school, Abby was sentenced to death by hanging, without a proper trial, simply stating that she was a witch. Abby can’t recognize the faces of her family through death, but she answers questions, thinking it might be one of her siblings needing her guidance.

Q. Last issue I asked you who your favorite vocalist of all time was. You were pretty rude in your answer. I understand you are dead, but I’m not, so I really don’t know what it’s like. Can you tell me what it’s like? G.L. A. If you don't like someone being rude to you, then don't write. No one else whimpers about it. As far as being dead, it's peaceful.

Q. My boyfriend hit me during an argument last week. He says he's sorry and was really stressed out cause he’s looking for a job. I love him, but I think I should leave. What do you think? H.G. A. Leave. Even though he might say it's a onetime thing due to stress, that's never the case. The potential for it to escalade is there as well. Get out while you can. I speak from personal experience on this one.

Q. Do long distance relationships work? T.G. A. Depends on the people and how hard they are willing to try. Most times, no, the distance proves to be too much, but on occasion two people have what it takes. If either one of you are jealous or paranoid about cheating, then don't bother. It'll fail quicker than you can imagine. If you were together awhile before the distance, you have a better chance of making it, but if you were never together except for the distance, I'd say no.

Q. My landlord is kicking us out for no reason at all. Is there anything I can do to stay longer until I'm ready to go? A.A. A. Did you sign a lease? If so, there should be something listed in there as to reasons why you would be kicked out. If you haven't violated it in anyway, then show him/her that. If you didn't sign a lease, and you're just "living there," then no, that would be stupidity on your part. Always have something in writing for the unforeseeable future.

Q. My boyfriend wants sex all the time. I enjoy it, but I need a break! How do I tell him? P.H. A. Explain to him that a woman's body parts work differently from a man's. Friction can cause a woman pain and soreness. Tell him that as great as it makes you feel, and you love being with him in that way, your tissue doesn't always cooperate with your mind. Try other things, orally and such, or lubricant if you don't already, and if he doesn't understand your needs are important too, not just his, then he's not worth keeping. You need someone who is going to understand you and what you need. It's not always about them, just like it's not always about you.

Submit your questions to: deardeadabby@centralpapluggedin.com

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This Is: Jordan Mancino of As I Lay Dying Interview and Photos by Liana Marie Before the show I was given the opportunity to sit down with Jordan Mancino of As I Lay Dying. It was the pleasure getting to know the drummer of a band who’s known to influence a lot of the newer or younger bands in genres alike, today. Here’s what Jordan had to share with us...L.M. PI: Is there any significance to As I Lay Dying? Does it have anything to do with the novel?

JM: No, nothing to do with that. (PI) Well does it mean anything, like anything at all?

(JM) Nah, not really. We just liked the way it sounded. It kinda invokes thought I guess.

PI: So what genre of music do you consider your band?

JM: Umm, metal, I guess.

PI: The fact that most, if not all of you are Christian, and I’m sure you get asked this a lot, but do you consider your band a Christian band?

JM: No, not necessarily. Not like any other Christian person considers themselves a burger flipper you know? Its just music, you don’t really consider your career to define you, like I’m a Christian this or that. We play metal, and Tim’s lyrics have a fundamental Christian theme, but it’s more about personal experiences and stuff like that.

PI: How do you think being labeled as a Christian band effects the band in the music industry?

JM: Umm, the only people that really give those labels are journalists and stuff like that. So it’s really like something that’s out of our control, we can’t control what people write about us. We can only control what we say and what we do. So its kinda like, people can say what they want about us but it really doesn’t effect what we do, just the way people perceive us. And through interviews like this, we can clarify what we are and who we are.

PI: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself, like where you’re from and where you grew up?

JM: Well I’m from San Diego, born and raised. And the bands based there too. Should I be more specific? (PI) Haha no, that’s a good answer.

PI: So were you involved in any musical projects besides As I Lay Dying?

JM: Umm, yea there’s a couple here and there, a metal band I was in throughout high school and before I started this band. But nothing really new, not like anybody would remember who you are, you know? Every day has been like a stepping stone to this band, and we’ve been fortunate enough to be doing for like, gosh, like 10 years.

PI: So how long have you been playing drums?

JM: 14 or 15 years I’d say. (PI) Can you play anything else? (JM) Well I wouldn’t say I’m playing anything else while I’m playing drums, drums is kinda my craft, id say. I’ll play around on guitar once in a while, but I’m definitely not like a good solo player or anything like that. I’m just a drummer, and I like to focus on that.

PI: Did you have any specific drumming influences?

JM: It’s really changed over the years, not changed a lot but there are just more and more people who influence me, really, every time I pick up more records. But when I first started playing, it was metal drummers like Vinnie Paul. There were a bunch of metal drummers that I grew up listening to. From there it really goes off into any genre, im always listening to drums in any record I have, whether it’s a rock record or a pop record or metal. I’m always listening to drums you know, listening with some what of a discriminating ear, not discriminating in a bad way, just kinda listening to what they’re doing and paying attention. Anything could influence me, in a positive or negative way really.

PI: So, do you have any other aspirations or goals other than your current musical path?

JM: Umm yeah I have a ton of them. (PI) Can you name some of the top?

(JM) Yea, other than the band, I’m going to school, for a Psychology degree.

So I’d say that’s one of my main passions right now. But really music has become my main career right now, and everything else is just a hobby besides that. Most people say they have a career first and then they have music as a hobby, but for me it’s the complete opposite, haha. Obviously I still love music, but going to school is fun, I enjoy it sometimes haha. Other than that I play golf. (PI) Haha! I’m so terrible at golf. (JM) Well yea, it could be a little bit challenging. (PI) What were you planning to do as a Psych major? (JM) It’s really just a subject that interests me. I recently started into it, about six months ago; I switched from having a sociology major to a psych major. But yea, I really enjoy it.

PI: So speaking about a lot of different bands, I’ve noticed you are quite a big influence to a lot of the younger bands.

How does it feel to have all these kids from different bands looking up to you?

JM: It’s really cool. I think as we looked up to bands when we were really young, we have sort of become that older band now. Haha. But no, its cool, it’s very flattering. It’s a special feeling to know we inspire people, and it’s obviously what we try to do, whether it’s to help people to sing or write music or play in a band, it’s just really cool. And I hope we can continue to do that.

PI: Do you have any advice or any specific tips for those who want to be in a band, to be as successful as you are yourselves?

JM: Well, its kinda hard to say, because we really didn’t set out to become this, and have so much success, we just started a band because we love music and we work hard at it and we go on tour and we just write the best records that we could, and that’s what we’ve done over the years, It’s a lot of hard work, you know, not a lot of people are cut out to do this. I mean, there are a lot of people who think they can, and they go out and tour and realize it’s just not for them. We’ve lost a lot of members, and it’s mainly because of that, what I just said. It’s not so easy these days to write and get a record deal, just try to promote yourself using social media and stuff like that. I think it’s a really cool tool that can help bands. It’s really helped a lot of established bands, like us, to connect to our fans, and also to find new ones.

PI: Like we discussed earlier, As I Lay Dying has influenced a lot of other bands, what would you say was the band or bands that have mostly influenced As I Lay Dying?

JM: Wow, that’s a tough one, because it really differs between each individual member. We obviously pull a lot of influence from American Hardcore bands and punk bands, as well as American metal bands, and also some from the late 90’s euro-metal explosion and that kind of stuff. In Flames and At The Gates, those kinda bands and stuff. But As I Lay Dying is really a fusion of a bunch of different genres, like aggressive music, metal, hardcore, punk. It’s very similar in each of the members so it’s really hard to say one band that has influenced us as a whole.

PI: What is your favorite song to perform live, and why?

JM: I don’t really have one, to be honest. (PI) Maybe the top 2 or 3? (JM) I don’t know, I mean we invest so much into each song and it’s hard to pick favorites. Because we take the same amount of care and consideration of each song that we do, and I think certain songs may speak to different people in different ways, but for us each song is pretty calculated on our end, and I think we all get to a point that we like a different part of each song when we perform, so yeah, its really hard to choose.

PI: So what would you say one of your most memorable tours have been, and why?

JM: Haha, there’s so many. Well probably the coolest tour, as far as the bands we were touring with, was the Taste Of Chaos in 2006. Deftones, Thrice, Story of the Year, Atreyu, Us, Dredge…It was really a cool eclectic group of bands, but it worked, and all different bands from different genres of music, which was pretty cool. Obviously we got to tour with all these bands over the year and they are all really great bands. So I really enjoyed the down time during the shows, just because I was able to watch all these great bands. It was really, really cool. Its nice finding bands you get along with, and well, there really hasn’t been a band that we didn’t get along with.

But it’s just hanging out with bands you always listened to growing up is really awesome.

PI: Do you have a favorite venue or place that you like to play a show?

JM: No, not really. Yea there’s some venues that are better than others, but it’s really all about the show at the end of the day. A lot of places around the world have been really awesome to us and our fans just make shows better and better.

As long as we can play music and connect to the fans, we are happy. I don’t think we’ve ever said “oh that show sucked” or anything like that. Crowds all around the world act different, but they are still all awesome.

PI: So speaking about touring, how is the tour with Winds of Plague and After the Burial treating you?

JM: It’s cool. I’ve never worked with these bands before this tour. I’ve met them here and there. But yea, they are all really nice guys. We’re all having a really great time, and just trying to stay warm too, haha.

PI: Your latest record, “The Powerless Rise”, released in late 2010, is said to be some of your best work, do you agree? And why do you think this is?

JM: Umm yea, I guess I agree, we put a lot of time into this record and there was no stone left unturned, and we got to do everything that we wanted to do and because of that it’s one of our more calculated works that we’ve ever done.

To say it’s our “best” work is a little too subjective, I mean, to the average listener, they may disagree. For us, we are really proud of it, but to say it’s superior to all of our other records, I wouldn’t say that. We put a lot of time into this record and really like how it has came out.

PI: How long would you say the process took?

JM: I’d say almost a year. With all the writing and recording and mixing, it takes a while.

PI: What would you say this album means to you? Is there any difference between this album and previous albums?

JM: Well, the songs are different, and that as a whole just makes everything a little different. But we’ve just really got to do everything we wanted in this album, and we made sure we had time to do it. (PI) Is there any songs on this album that stand out to you, or that you are most happy with? (JM) That’s a hard one, we just have so much invested in each song, they are like our children haha.

PI: So what do you hope that fans take, or gain, from listening to your music?

JM: Well anything really. Like I said, music is so subjective and I think there can be a general consensus that this record is good or bad from different listeners, but everyone takes something different out of music. I mean, we are a metal band, and we play aggressive music, and we enjoy the heaviness of the record, and we just try to write really good songs, and at the end of the day, we hope to succeed with that.

PI: So what can we expect from As I Lay Dying in the future?

JM: We are wrapping up touring with this album; we might have one more from it, as well as radio shows and other things like that. After that we want to get back into the studio and start writing and recording songs for the next album. We just finished a couple originals and a couple covers on our last break, which we will be releasing this summer, for the 10th year anniversary EP. So that will be something pretty cool, and we are pretty stoked with the way our new songs came out, not that we thought they were bad or anything, they just came out way better than we expected. So yea we are really excited for that and we hope everybody picks it up.

PI: Well thank you very much for sitting down with is and giving us a chance to get Plug’d In! JM: Oh you’re very welcome.

www.asilaydying.com Friday, June 24th Single Day Pass: $30 Leftover Crack, Toxic Holocaust, Murphy's Law, Mucky Pup, The Spudmonsters, Ensign, Common Enemy, Vision. CDC, American Werewolves, Animal Haus, Last Call Brawl, Combat Crisis, Stoked On Being Pumped, Get Railed, Repressed Saturday, June 25th Single Day Pass: $40 Blood For Blood, Hazen Street, Wisdom In Chains, Skarhead, Death Threat, Shattered Realm, Sworn Enemy, No Redeeming Social Value, Ashers, Colin Of Arabia, Steel Nation, Lionheart, Bulldog Courage, Line Of Scrimmage, Hate Your Guts, Fist Fight

June 24, 25, 26 Reverb 1402 N. 9th St Reading, Pa. 19604

Sunday, June 26th Single Day Pass: $40 Shelter, Trial, 108, Freya, Shutdown, XLooking ForwardX, Foose, Such Gold, The Last Stand, Incendiary, FocusedxMinds, Concrete Reality, Unlearn

www.stereokiller.com/eastcoasttsunami

Through Their Eyes: Exceptional Photography by The Plug’d In Photographers

Photo by Michael Demos

Photo by Michael Demos

Photo by Liana Marie

Photo by Nicole Stella

www.mayhemfest.com

@ Reverb

www.reverbconcerts.com

Award-winning work in a clean environment

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From The Throne of The Rock God Rants, Raves, Reviews, and News for the Minions Ok, I’m not going to call anybody out by name…solely to keep the peace, but I need to do some venting. As everybody knows J.X.M.X. is happening June 11 @ The Silo in Reading, Pa. and it’s a really good event. It was going to be a motorcycle show, Rock show, and end in a kick ass Metal concert. On top of all that it was going to benefit the Children’s Home of Reading. Well, due to circumstance out of our control, the motorcycle show is going to be scrapped for this year.

Here’s the breakdown…One of our friends works at a really awesome motorcycle dealership outside of Berks County. They wanted to help sponsor our event and we were more than happy to have them. Unfortunately because they’re out of the local area we had to offer the sponsorship opportunity to the local motorcycle dealership first. If they would pass then our friends could come up. Well, to make a long story short…after many unreturned emails, voicemails, phone tags, and the good ol’ runaround, it turns out that the local dealership wouldn’t support our event because they have a dealership event that day (not yet scheduled by the way). We not only would they not come, they didn’t want the other dealership to come either. Nevermind that it was a charity event for a great cause…they were going to help at all. Before I decided to scrap the whole motorcycle show idea I was offered the opportunity to file proposals and go thru the corporate monkey dance and “maybe” they would approve something for us in a month or two. Sorry, but we don’t have that kind of time. So I decide to end the headache there, cut ties, and just focus on the Metal show. Next year we will plan further ahead and focus on doing the show outside of the area so our friends can support us and the good causes we support.

Anyways…J.X.M.X. is still going to be awesome! It will highlight the best and brightest of our local talent, feature all kinds of charity fundraisers, have a couple neat surprises, and have some really cool vendors and sponsors.

It’s just going to be a good time for a great organization. I hope all of you will come out and make it a night to remember for us!

Until next time..

www.centralpapluggedin.com www.facebook.com/centralpa.plugdin Special thanks to all the following for making this issue happen: Without you...well, we just would have had to work a little harder.

The Reading Tattoo Co, Shoo, American Heroes, Belly Busters, 1Up Collectibles, Its All The rage Hair Designs, Vertical Pole Fitness, Pottstown Tattoo Co, Gotham City Tattoo, The Last Level, Pocket Aces Skate Shop, Crocodile Rock Café, Michael Demos, Liana Marie, David Barber, Mark Kohl, Nicole Marie, Nicolle Stella, Vikki Sin, Tyler Heckard, Bandi Budwash, Mark Kohl, David Barber, Designs By Your Arsonist, Roadrunner Records, Century Media, W.M.G., Victory Records, Facedown Records, Fearless Records, Metal Blade records, E1, Hollywood Records, Disney, Adrenaline P.R., Solid State Records, DRP Records, Strike First, and all the amazing National and Local bands we’ve had the privilege to work with.

Upcoming Shows April 15th - CHINGA, KUATO, OVLO, NO REMORSE FOR THE FALLEN, A WORLD ONCE SILENT! DOORS AT 7:30, SHOW STARTS AT 8! ALL AGES! $10 AT THE DOOR! April 16th - AMERICAN MYTH, JOHNNY ROCK IT, DIRTY ROTTEN LIARS, MANTRA, JONATHAN A ANDRUS!! ALL AGES! DOORS AT 7:30!

April 22nd - WILLIE JACK AND THE NORTHERNLIGHTS, MYSTERY FYRE, HOUSE WITH A YARD, LET'S BECOME BUGS!! DOORS AT 7:30, SHOW STARTS AT 8! ALL AGES! $10 AT THE DOOR!!

April 23rd - AFTER 3 AM, FOUR YEARS PAST, SIX PENNY, CHASING THE UNKNOWN AND 5 HOUR SHOWER!! DOORS AT 7:30, ALL AGES, $10 AT THE DOOR!!

April 29th - THRODL, APOLLYON, CONFESSIONS OF A LIFETIME, 20TIL8 AND PALE HARVEST!! ALL AGES, $10 AT THE DOOR! May 13th - MANTIS, AIRSHOW, PROLIFIC, ANDREW WHITE, AND GEORGE CROW!!! ALL AGES, $10 AT THE DOOR!! DOORS AT 7:30!!

May 20th - GRAVEROBBER, UNDER COMMAND, FIREBORN, FLIGHT CASE SYNDROME, MIDNIGHT DECADENCE CD RELEASE SHOW, 20TIL8! Tix $10 advance, $15 at the door. All Ages! Doors at 6:30 June 3rd - END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR BASH!!

UNITED WE FALL, SECTION 8, CALL ME CRAZY! June 9th - IT'S A TRAP, BAMF, SKY VS. SEA, THE GREAT VALLEY AND MORE TBA! ALL AGES, $10 AT THE DOOR!!

June 17th - NO REMORSE FOR THE FALLEN, A SCENT LIKE WOLVES, FOR THE PERILOUS, SAVE THE ZOMBIES June 24th - HEIROSONIC AND MORE TBA!! TIX $10 PRESALE, $13 AT THE DOOR, ALL AGES!! DOORS AT 7:30!!

www.drivingmetal.com www.thesilorocks.com