Torche - March 2015 - HM Magazine by HM Magazine

MARCH 2015 MUSIC FOR GOOD

THE ORDER OF ELIJAH RELOADS THE RISE OF DEREK MINOR THE TRAGEDY OF TYPE O NEGATIVE

RED

THE DARKEST PART OF ‘RAGE’

HAWK NELSON UNDER PRESSURE

TORCHE HITS THE RESTART BUTTON

ALL THAT REMAINS BRINGS ORDER

BAYSIDE COMES OUT SWINGING H M LI V E !

HMMAGAZINE.COM VOLUME XXX NO. CLXXXVIII S INCE 1985 CELEBRATING 30 YEARS

THE WORLD TOUR, PART II THE FROZEN FLAME TOUR

XXX YEARS SINCE 1985

OPENING STATEMENTS

Photo by Brooke Long

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR 8

NEW WORLD ORDER: THE ORDER OF ELIJAH 10

DIGITAL TOUR BUS: FAN DEDICATION 14

COLUMN 18

HM LIVE: THE FROZEN FLAME TOUR FEAT. AUGUST BURNS RED, NORTHLANE AND FIT FOR A KING

BOOKS: ‘SOUL ON FIRE’ 26

HM LIVE: THE WORLD TOUR FEAT. SLEEPING WITH SIRENS, PIERCE THE VEIL, PVRIS AND MALLORY KNOX

REVIEWS 71

HM • MARCH 2015

OPENING STATEMENTS

BAYSIDE After 15 years together, Bayside has seen it all. And frankly? They have a few things they would like to get off their chest

BY COLLIN SIMULA

p. 36

RED In one of their heaviest albums yet, Red chats about finding light in despair, metaphors on the album and, of course, plague doctors

BY JORDAN GONZALEZ

p. 44

ALL THAT REMAINS Veteran of the game, vocalist Phil Labonte for the popular metal band is ready to put everything else aside and just rock

BY DAVID STAGG

p. 50

HAWK NELSON Debating on whether to break up or write a new record, the pressure finally got to them. The result was Diamonds

BY JORDAN GONZALEZ

p. 66

HM â&#x20AC;˘ MARCH 2015

TORCHE Forever and always on their own terms, Torche is very clear about their purpose: Pursue happiness

BY COLLIN SIMULA

p. 58

OPENING STATEMENTS

How History Killed Jesus Bill O’Reilly, most com-

They made TV movies from both books. While certain

monly known for his polar-

liberties were taken on both projects, National Geographic

izing political talk show on

aired the first two in the series using the books as the basis

Fox News, happens to be

for the storytelling arch. Both were produced by Ridley

quite the compelling writer.

Scott’s team (Scott Free) and part of the reason for the

In 2011, he published publish

movies’ success is how dedicated that team has been to the

Killing Lincoln, the first in his

franchise, putting their money where their mouth was with

“assassination series,” detail-

millions of dollars in budgets. They landed Tom Hanks to

ing the events surrounding

narrate Lincoln’s tale, and when it was aired in February

the controversial president’s

2013, it set the ratings record for the network. The second TV

death. The book was written with incredible historical accu-

movie, Killing Kennedy, was the standout among a number

racy, and though some of O’Reilly’s truth-telling claims have

of other cash grabs dedicated to the 50th anniversary of John

been recently challenged, a great effort went into using as

F. Kennedy’s death thrown together for television. Rob Lowe

hard of evidence as possible in nearly every paragraph. The

played the ill-fated Catholic POTUS, and amid much hype

book was, by almost any measure, considered a success. So

and a full marketing onslaught, millions of people tuned

much so, he penned the follow-up, Killing Kennedy, the next

in to see how Kennedy’s assassination would be portrayed.

year. It was also a hit.

When the dust settled, both movies were nominated for multiple Primetime Emmys. The third assassination in this series is Jesus of Nazareth. Just like the first two books, O’Reilly and his research partner and coauthor Martin Dugard are very keen to note they approached this historical figure’s death the exact same way they approached the previous two presidential deaths: by EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

putting social and historical events at the center of the story,

DAVID STAGG

rather than literal religion or agenda. It captures a fascinat-

MANAGING EDITOR

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY

DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING

COLLIN SIMULA

BROOKE LONG

NATHAN KEY

ing 360 portrait of the story from three distinct points of view: Jesus and His followers, the religious leaders of the day and the Roman elite who, also deeming themselves gods, had a small issue with his followers gaining traction. Because of

STAFF WRITERS DIGITAL TOUR BUS COLUMNIST CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

SARAH DOS SANTOS,

it’s authenticity in production and it uses O’Reilly’s research

JORDAN GONZALEZ

as the main vein of the script, watching it is hyperreal, and

JOSH WEIDLING

the Bible was one of the most brutal books ever written.

MATT FRANCIS

That’s the whole point of the story, though, because the

SEAN HUNCHERICK, JUSTIN

miniseries is Jesus’s story. The books say it was a group of

MABEE, GARRETT HOLLOWELL,

people on jury duty who, whether it was of free will or des-

BEN RICKABY

tiny, ultimately sentenced Jesus to death with no evidence because He was a nuisance to the way things were. When

OFFICIAL ADDRESS

5210 CANAL ST.

Jesus was a kid, King Herod heard of a promised “king”

HOUSTON, TX 77011

born in his kingdom — the supposed “king” of the race he

NATHANKEY@HMMAGAZINE.COM

deemed dirty and unworthy with a fake god and happened

LETTERS

LETTERS@HMMAGAZINE.COM

to make up a good portion of his kingdom — he allegedly

CUSTOMER SERVICE

SERVICE@HMMAGAZINE.COM

executed killed an estimated 20 male children.

ADVERTISING

SUBMISSIONS

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Jesus’s story is messy. So is ours. That’s why he’s the protagonist of the bestselling book in history, and when it’s done as

HM MAGAZINE (ISSN 1066-6923)

well as it is here, it’s a heat check. I spoke with Haaz Sleiman,

the man tasked with playing the most popular man in history,

EXCEPT WHERE OTHERWISE NOTED. HM CONTENTS MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED IN ANY MANNER, EITHER WHOLE OR IN PART, WITHOUT PRIOR PERMISSION. HM MAGAZINE IS DEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED: PSALM 62

HM • MARCH 2015

and he described it best: “The story will haunt you.” The miniseries premieres Palm Sunday, March 29, as a threehour docudrama.

DAVID STAGG, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DSTAGG@HMMAGAZINE.COM

SERVING THE VOICES DEMONSTRATING CHRIST’S LOVE THROUGH RADICAL HOSPITALITY

THROUGH A NATIONWIDE NETWORK OF HOST HOMES, RYFO PROVIDES TOURING MUSICIANS WITH FOOD, SHOWERS, LAUNDRY AND BEDS

R YF O.OR G

@RYFONETWORK

FB.COM/RYFONETWORK

THE ORDER OF ELIJAH

NEW WORLD

ORDER PHOTOS BY DANIELLE CLOSSON / BOSS PHOTOGRAPHY AND GRAPHICS

HM • MARCH 2015

Retooled and ready for 2015, vocalist Shannon Low avoided a full breakup only to find his band, The Order of Elijah, signed with a label and writing some of the best songs the band has written. HM writer Ben Rickaby meets with Low about the band’s last two months, how he developed his unique vocal delivery and why Metal Gear Solid is important You guys have had a pretty busy year this year. What all has happened? This year, we hit the ground running. We started out having been in the studio all through the winter, trying to get down most of the tracks for this album. Our agency, Sights Set North Agency, told us Luxor Records was interested, but they wanted (us) to get the tracks to them so we had to finish that up. We got it to them, and they hit us up, sent us some contracts. We liked it, so we signed to Luxor Records and they immediately wanted three more songs for the album. So we had to go right back to the drawing board. We have about four or five extra tracks now, which I’m really excited about. We were kind of rushed to write them, but a few of the songs, I think, are some of the best on the album now. We’re actually in and out of the studio tracking right now, here in our hometown (Joplin, Missouri). Then, when we get done, they’re going to send it over there to be mixed and mastered in Detroit at the Luxor studio. We almost had a big lineup change, but the only difference in our lineup is our bassist, and he’s really great. We love having him with us. Other than that, we’ve

THE ORDER OF ELIJAH

been preparing for this

songwriting process was all

tour. We just played with

over the place. Now it’s a lot

For Today in January in

more focused and a lot more

Springfield and that was a

matured in the process and

sold out show.

the formula and the sound itself. At first we were wor-

That must have been

ried about the rush of having to write a lot of songs.

awesome. Yeah, it was really cool,

I think, personally, I work

and it was cool to meet

better under pressure, so

(For Today vocalist) Mattie

whenever some says, “Oh,

Montgomery. We’re about

yeah, take all the time you

to play an unorthodox show

need,” then I do just that and

for us. We’re going to be

it’ll get done when I’m real-

playing with Dance Gavin

ly good and inspired. We sat

Dance on Sunday, and it’s

down before we even wrote

pretty much sold out, too.

the songs and we came up

We’re definitely going to be

with a generalized direction

the heaviest band on that

we wanted to take with the

one, but I still think it’ll

music. There are going to be

be a great show. Then, we

a lot of things some people

leave on our tour in three

are going to like about this

weeks or so. As soon as we

newer sound and there’ll be

signed to Luxor, Sights Set

some people who will be

North hooked up a two-

saying stuff like, “Where

and-a-half week tour.

are all the samples?” and things like that we used to

So how are things going

do.

for your second record? Anything

different

better this time around?

Yeah, you guys made me laugh when you used

I’m really excited because

the exclamation sound

I feel like Luxor Records is a

from Metal Gear Solid on

lot more professional. It’s

one of your songs.

really the most professional

That was one of the cool-

company we’ve ever worked

est samples we had because

with. Just within the first

I knew when we put it in

Yeah, there won’t be as

week of being with them,

there there wouldn’t be

many. Last time, we had

I could tell this was going

very

who

a bit of a go-around with

I think everyone is going

to be an interesting year

knew what that is. But for

to like a lot of the bass

for us.

the people that did know,

are this way and that way.

work we’ve got going on.

they

immediate-

We didn’t get in any trouble,

Our new bassist does some

compilation of songs we

ly recognize it from Metal

but our record label at the

slap parts, and we’ve never

had written as a local band

Gear Solid.

time was worried about the

had anything like that. We

songs. He actually hit me

have some parts where

up and was wondering if I

we go into big, staggered

could take out every sample

breakdowns, and he’ll just

dude.

and just leave the music.

be pumping it and keeping

and doing stuff to off and

People would do that all

I said, No way, man, I just

it driving the whole time.

on for years. When we sat

the time in comments on

can’t do that. We didn’t

He’s really good at it.

down to write this album,

Facebook.

really use that big of sam-

The first album was a

many

would

people

over the course of three or four years. Some of those songs we had been tweaking

and

changing

Yeah they’d immediately shout, “SNAAKE!’ (Laughs)

Yeah,

ples anyway.

it was a lot more formulat-

WE LIVE WALKING AROUND BLINDFOLDED, THINKING WE HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS, AND IT’S DANGEROUS.

what we were listening to back then.

What themes are you

ed. I could definitely tell we

So there won’t be as

This time around, we still

guys going to be hitting

had matured as musicians,

many samples and goofy

used a lot of our roots, but

this time with the new

just knowing how to work

things like that this time

we’re all listening to differ-

record?

with each other. Before, our

around?

ent music these days than

HM • MARCH 2015

The album’s called War

at Heart. This past year, I

cially as an artist but as

to try and make art out of it

with It Lies Within; Chris

went through a real crappy

humans in general — we

than like, All right, let’s put

plays with them and he’s

divorce, and it beat me up. I

explore and try to think

a fast here.

our representative for the

went into some depression

more for ourselves than

and confusion. So as I sat

what society has taught us

down to write the album,

to do.

agency. I really like that You don’t just want to throw in a vocal break

As far as aspirations of anyone I’d like to tour with,

down.

people were really particu-

guy.

lar about saying stuff like,

You have a very unique

right!

only big name bands come

“Don’t lose your heart” and

vocal style. What influ-

“This is the spot.” There’s

to mind. I’d really like to

“You gotta make sure it’s

ences brought you to that?

definitely a lot more of that

tour with The Browning. I

all about Christ.” Whenever

I listen to a lot of hip-

on this album. I’ve got one

really dig The Browning.

through

hop. A lot of my faster stuff

song where I don’t do that

You can quote me on that.

something like that, some

comes from listening to a

at all, which is the song

Hopefully one day we’ll be

people get closer (to God)

ton of Machine Gun Kelly

about my daughter. But the

able to get to (do that). I’m

and some may not. I still

and a lot of Yelawolf and

rest of the album delivers

a big fan of Parkway Drive.

struggle with it, and that’s

stuff like that. I mention in

more of that aggressive

Them or Upon a Burning

what I wrote about. I wrote

one of my songs I listened,

type

Body or even Fit For a King.

about natural things: peo-

when I wrote it, to Eminem.

I started doing that back

We’re appreciative to be

ple struggling with their

I also like the way Emmure

when Rottweiler Records

able to be out on the road.

own faith, people strug-

delivers their lyrics. I think

wanted us to do a few more

We love playing shows and

gling with their own lives,

that this album is going to

extra songs, like Luxor, and

getting out to connect with

stuff about life experiences.

show a lot more of that.

that was when I developed

the fans and get to know

that. Machine Gun Kelly

some of the bands from

and Yelawolf had a lot of

while we’re out. I always

influence because, just by

thought it was cool to meet

We asked the fans what

listening to that stuff, I’ve

bands if they hung out at

kinds of stuff they wanted

learned to blend my sylla-

the merch table, getting to

There’s a song called

to hear on the new album,

bles better. Even when I do

meet them after shows. We

“Tyler Durden,” and before

and I don’t know how many

a song — like “New Line of

try to hang out with fans

I wrote it, I was focused on

how many comments we

Defense” off the last album

and try to connect with as

a bunch of Tyler Durden

had of people saying we

— you can tell it’s a tongue

many people as we can and

quotes from Fight Club,

want fast vocals.

twister. Being able to do it

try not to act like we’re rock stars or anything.

you’re

going

I wrote a song about my daughter, telling her how I’ll always be there to protect her — and somehow keep that brutal (laughs).

It’s definitely a cool sound.

(Laughs)

Yeah,

lyrical

rhythm.

which was me thinking

I get compared to Fronzak

faster and make it flow bet-

about all the things we

from Attila off and on. I can

ter means it sounds better.

think we know and have

see a difference in our style,

I’ve started to learn the dos

Any big plans for the

been taught all our lives.

but the average listener —

and the don’ts so when I sit

summer and the rest of

We live walking around

especially someone who’s

down to write it, the lyrics

the year?

blindfolded, thinking we

not a musician — they hear

sound better.

have all the answers, and

something fast and imme-

it’s dangerous.

diately make the (Attila)

Who are you guys tak-

to kick this album out. That

connection since he’s the

ing out with you on your

is the number one priority

only guy doing it.

upcoming tour?

right now: Get that done.

You don’t want to live

We don’t have any major plans just yet. We’re going

I was personally listen-

They’re another band on

As soon as we get that out of

Yeah, and that’s what that

ing to fast vocals back in

the label called Forsake the

the way and we get a release

song is about. People get

the Mudvayne days, like

Fallen. I think they’re out of

date, we’ll build up to the

in their bubbles and they

the L.D. 50 album with

Michigan. They’re a really

album release, maybe put

don’t want to know what’s

Chad Gray. He was doing

good band.

out a new song every day

outside of that. If they stick

fast vocals in metal. He was

their head out, then it’s the

screaming long before this

devil, anything you didn’t

genre even blew up.

in a bubble.

for a few days up until the Is there anybody that

release date. Then we’ll do

you’d really want to tour

a major tour for the album

with?

whenever the album hits

understand or something

With this album I learned

you didn’t know. People

how I wanted to deliver that

I really like touring with

and try to get out to the

don’t have the humility to

style a little bit better rath-

bands on the same label. I

west coast. Until then, we’ll

step back and think, Wow, I

er than just be a repetitive

really like having that fam-

be on short tours and just

didn’t know that.

beat. I throw it in spurts. I

ily entity thing going on.

stay on the road hyping the

It’s important — espe-

mix it in as more of a way

I wouldn’t mind touring

new album until it hits.

DIGITALTOURBUS.COM

Dedicated to the cause Every musician, no matter what genre, race or creed, has one thing in common: They all started as fans. They’re the faces that keep bands motivated city after city, when the in-between sucks. This month, Digital Tour Bus introduces us to some of the nicest, die-hard and dedicated fans.

THE ACTIVE SET FB.COM/THEACTIVESET @THEACTIVESET

HM • MARCH 2015

WE WERE IN AUSTIN, TX FOR SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST AND OUTSIDE OF A SMALL SHOW, I MET A YOUNG WOMAN WHO HAD DRIVEN ALL THE WAY FROM ARKANSAS (I THINK) WITH HER GIRLFRIEND TO SEE A BAND SHE LOVED. THIS COMMITMENT IMPRESSED ME, AND WE SPOKE FOR A LONG TIME. I FOUND OUT SHE HAD EXTENSIVE CANCER AND WAS ORIGINALLY TOLD SHE HAD A FINITE AMOUNT OF TIME TO LIVE, BUT RECENTLY GOT THE NEWS SHE WAS ELIGIBLE FOR SURGERY. I WAS SO CAUGHT UP IN HER STORY AND THIS IDEA OF MORTALITY AND DOING WHAT YOU LOVE. I SPENT THE WHOLE REST OF THE TRIP THINKING ABOUT LIFE AND DEATH AND WHAT REALLY MATTERS IN LIFE. SHE WOUND UP BECOMING A FAN OF OURS, AND I STAYED IN TOUCH. LAST WE SPOKE, SHE HAD NO NEW CANCER GROWTH AND WAS UNDERGOING RADIATION TREATMENT. I’M SO GRATEFUL TO HAVE CROSSED PATHS WITH HER AS IT REALLY PUTS THE FOCUS ON WHAT’S IMPORTANT, SPECIFICALLY HUMAN INTERACTION AND THE WONDERFUL CONNECTIONS MADE BETWEEN PEOPLE. IT’S SOMETHING I REALLY LIVE FOR AND IS SUCH A LARGE PART OF WHY I LOVE TO TRAVEL. — MATTHEW STOLARZ

MEGOSH FB.COM/MEGOSHMUSIC @MEGOSHBAND

ASIDE FROM THE TYPICAL TOURING ITINERARY, MEGOSH UNIQUELY SCHEDULES “COUCH TOURS” ALL AROUND THE U.S. WE HAVE PARTIED WITH FANS, PLAYED MUSIC WITH THEM, BROKEN BREAD AND, ONE TIME, WAS ALMOST INCARCERATED WITH ONE OR TWO OF THEM — ALL IN GOOD FUN. WE HAVE BUILT SUCH LONG LASTING RELATIONSHIPS WITH MOST THAT TO CALL THEM “FANS” IS A PRETENTIOUS MISNOMER. THEY ARE FRIENDS AND FAMILY. DURING OUR FIRST COUCH TOUR, WE TRAVELED UP AND DOWN THE EAST COAST, FROM THE FLORIDA KEYS TO THE CANADIAN LINE. WHILE WE WERE IN KENTUCKY, WE SPENT TWO DAYS WITH TWO FANS WHO WE NOW CONSIDER FAMILY. THE FIRST TIME WE MET KATIE AND TORI WAS DURING OUR FIRST TOUR WITH ALESANA. THE GIRLS TOLD US THEY’D BOUGHT US A DOZEN ROSES! WE WERE EXCITED, BUT, SADLY, THEY HAD FORGOTTEN THEM IN THEIR EXCITEMENT TO MAKE THE SHOW. (THEY DROVE FROM KENTUCKY TO GEORGIA.) WE APPRECIATED THESE MISSING ROSES ALL THE SAME AND WERE JUST HAPPY TO MEET SUCH DEDICATED FANS. ALMOST A YEAR LATER, WITH SUBTLE COMMUNICATION, THEY RETURNED TO THE SAME VENUE TO SUPPORT US AGAIN, BUT THIS TIME, THE GIRLS HAD A BIG WHITE BOX WITH THEM. TO OUR SURPRISE, INSIDE WAS A DOZEN OF YEAR-OLD, DEAD ROSES! WE WERE STUNNED. SPEECHLESS. THE FACT THAT OUR MUSIC CAN TOUCH AN INDIVIDUAL SO MUCH IS A BLESSING. WE KEEP THE ROSES ON OUR DASHBOARD AS A REMINDER WHY WE DO THIS, OUR REMINDER TO KEEP PUSHING FORWARD.

THE FUNERAL PORTRAIT FB.COM/THEFUNERALPORTRAIT @TFP_TWEETS

WE PLAYED A SHOW ON THE GEORGIA-TENNESSEE BORDER A FEW MONTHS BEFORE CHRISTMAS, AND A FAN WHO SAW US OPEN UP THERE A FEW MONTHS BEFORE BROUGHT US A PRESENT: A LARGE RED AND WHITE HOLIDAY STOCKING FILLED WITH SIX CONTAINERS OF PLAY DOUGH, A NAPOLEON DYNAMITE DVD, A SOCK MONKEY AND TWO HUGE BOXES OF MOON PIES. I DON’T THINK WE’VE EVER BEEN MORE HONORED AND EXCITED TO RECEIVE A GIFT FROM A FAN AND NOW LIFE-LONG FRIEND. EVERY TIME WE PLAY ANYWHERE AROUND THAT AREA, SHE SHOWS UP AND BRINGS US TWO HUGE BOXES OF MOON PIES. WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT WE WOULD GET TO MEET SO MANY AWESOME PEOPLE BY JUST PLAYING A 20-MINUTE SET OF MUSIC WITH OUR FRIENDS?

DIGITALTOURBUS.COM

SISTER SIN FB.COM/SISTERSIN @SISTERSIN

ONE TIME, WHEN WE PLAYED SOMEWHERE IN NEW MEXICO, TWO GIRLS CAME UP TO US AFTER THE SHOW, TELLING US THEY HAD DRIVEN TEN HOURS TO SEE US — BUT THEY CALCULATED WRONG AND MISSED THE WHOLE SHOW. THEY WERE SO SAD ABOUT IT, BUT THEN THEY SAW US COMING OUT AFTER THE SHOW AND THEY JUMPED AROUND AND STARTED CRYING AND SAID IT WAS ACTUALLY WORTH THE LONG DRIVE JUST TO MEET US. THAT REALLY GOT TO ME. WE HUNG OUT WITH THE POOR GIRLS FOR A GOOD TIME AND WE GAVE THEM SOME MERCH. I HOPE THEY GET TO SEE US FOR A FULL CONCERT ANOTHER TIME! — LIV JAGRELL

EMMURE FB.COM/EMMURE @EMMUREMUSIC

I CAN’T COUNT THE AMOUNT OF STORIES I HAVE HEARD FROM THE DEDICATED, AMAZING FANS, BUT ONE DEFINITELY STICKS OUT. THIS YOUNG GUY FLEW SHOW-TO-SHOW ON AIRPLANES AND TRAINS ACROSS RUSSIA TO SEE OUR SHOW AFTER OUR SHOW. DIE HARD! — JESSE KETLIVE

HM • MARCH 2015

COLUMNS

MY LIFE IN RECORDS

Staring at White Lines on the Side of the Road

always

struck hearts in their sleepy

seems to be battling colds

hometowns to love-sick hearts

BY MATT FRANCIS

whenever we have gigs, but

on the road missing someone

having a member back out with

back home.

Matt Francis is a filmmaker/media designer out of Virginia Beach and the drummer for Feral Conservatives, an indie rock band. You can check out his website at mfrancisfilm.com.

HM • MARCH 2015

Yes,

our

vocalist

such little notice was both ter-

MxPx are culprits of this,

rifying and strangely comfort-

with Life in General having mul-

“Super serious, pro band needs

ing in that, despite any flir-

tiple tracks dedicated to road

awesome bassist immediately.

tations with very small-time,

life. “New York to Nowhere”

Must learn and master 6-8 songs

regional successes, we are still

details being lost outside of

for upcoming tour and then take

the butt of a cosmic-fated joke.

a gig in the Big Apple, and

the next week (we leave in three

Touring is a part of a band’s

“Southbound” simply brings

days) to drive up north toward

life. It’s the hard part that

focus on the soothing monot-

Canada and back (never mind

makes for compelling tell-

ony of driving and “staring

the polar vortex making things

alls when your skin is hard-

at white lines on the side of

impossibly frigid). No compensa-

ened to military-grade leather

the road.” (Interestingly, on

tion as we garner no guarantees,

(thinking of the cover to Keith

the demo version of the track,

but some venues are cool about

Richard’s autobiography). It’s

the line was originally written

free drink policies for band mem-

something you idealize when

“playing every night with the

bers. Hey, we won’t charge you gas

you’re younger. You look up to

occasional fight.” Both relate to

money, and we can be pretty cool

all the bands that have “made

touring pretty well.)

to hang out with. At least we fight

it” by going long stretches

Value Pac’s contribution was

a lot less with an impartial third

away from home, playing to a

a song about returning to the

party present.”

different city every night.

O.C., their home county, from

And

band’s

reality

a “past the point of no return”

Thus begins a conceptualized

becomes Road Life, they often

absence. Jackson Browne may

but never actualized Craigslist

relay that into their artis-

have the best road album ever

post after our bassist backed

tic output as it becomes what

with Running on Empty, record-

out of a touring commitment

they know. “That’s their road

ed mostly on tour — live on

three days before we left to

record,” I’ve heard before. And

stage and in hotel rooms. If

promote a new EP release.

it makes sense: A band spends

anything ever captured the

There are things within your

their whole life writing their

sprawling feeling of a transient

control and things outside of

first album — taking with

life, that may be your best bet.

it. Gas prices were significant-

them every drop of inspiration

While the practicalities (and

ly cheaper than our last regional

and gelling every influence

lack of mid-level success) have

jaunt — literally saving us a hun-

into the first thing they stamp

kept us from our road record,

dred dollars — but the wind chills

their name on — and then only

we still cherish our meager

were unseasonably cold despite

get to spend six months on the

tour misadventures. I’ve most-

ultimately skating around the

follow-up. Generally the third

ly always hated New York. It’s

snow storms that could have can-

album is the “road record,”

hard for any city to live up to the

celed our appearances.

where the band displaces love-

perpetual hype of being some

THEY SOUNDED LIKE PHIL SPECTOR PRODUCED THE EXILE ON MAIN STREETERA STONES. FOLLOWING THAT, WE TOOK THE STAGE AS A TWO-PIECE. UNLESS YOU’RE JOHN ENTWISTLE AND KEITH MOON, YOU’RE GENERALLY NOT GOING TO COME OFF AS IMPRESSIVE IN THAT SCENARIO. epicenter of human importance, from

the way and praying

international finance to Broadway to

to the patron saint

baseball, even the gateway to immi-

of vehicle security.

gration. It’s also an entirely essential

It was eight degrees

tour stop. New York has its benefits;

that day in February.

it’s poised on the cusp of New England,

Here

with highway access leading to many

people

lively music markets.

their most valuable

Since the city doesn’t sleep, it’s also

were

three

clutching the

ter-down-by-six kind of hustle. I even

bubbling over with live shows, seven

possessions,

freezing winter, headed to a bar in

overburdened

keep a closet full of old set lists that I

nights a week. (Oh, and pizza by the

Manhattan to play the show of their

couldn’t part with. These were initially

slice.) Those are the benefits to playing

lives for strangers. Somehow the air

keepsakes from the scattered shows

N.Y.C., but getting there is a whole other

was still electric; I just wish it trans-

my band could muster over the course

issue. Now, granted, I don’t know any

ferred into heat energy for my toes.

of a year: Winston’s Care in February,

secrets to traverse New York. I couldn’t

The next night we made the drive

the Taphouse in November, on a nap-

tell you which bridge is the right one

to D.C., a city with a rich past in D.I.Y.

kin or piece of tissue. They were spe-

to take, I’ve played three shows there

and hardcore. We’re playing a little

cific relics from shows that still held

in my life and let a G.P.S. guide me in

room on top of a bar with a staircase

their specifics in focus, unobscured by

using the G.P.S.’s own internal logic. It

just wide enough to fit a kick drum. We

the commonplace. Now they threaten

always consists of crossing some backed

found a great act to headline, a stellar

to become indistinguishable; clutter.

up bridge or tunnel and having so many

eight-piece band composed of veter-

A lot of drummers hit hard and

curses lobbed your way you’re damned

ans from the scene. As luck would have

make faces while they play, but my

for seven generations, and then you get-

it, their violin player was pregnant, so

style really bore from the love of those

ting charged fifteen bucks for the plea-

they asked to open instead of headline.

sacred 30 minutes with an audience

sure.

Of course we obliged — then stared in

and the naivety that my passion could

On our last visit, I spent a good 45

horror at the complete and awesome

somehow transfer into the crowd

minutes at 2 a.m. finding a parking

showmanship that a tight-knit group

through osmosis, sending electricity

spot in Brooklyn. This may be consid-

of well-practiced individuals can pro-

through the water and sparking all the

ered a good day, I don’t know. I started

vide through diverse instrumenta-

shrimp to dance.

within a few blocks of our friend’s

tion. They sounded like Phil Spector

So, New York, I don’t love you, but

apartment then slowly traveled and

produced the Exile on Main Street-era

I’ll play you. I’ll play you every year and

re-traveled

until

Stones. Following that, we took the

then some. I’ll freeze my toes, scrape

finally spending the next eight min-

down

one-ways

stage as a two-piece. Unless you’re

my bumper and pound my steering

utes parallel parking over a snow bank

John Entwistle and Keith Moon, you’re

wheel in frustration. I’ll spend more

that threatened to swallow me up or

generally not going to come off as

time searching for parking on your

send me sliding into a parked car. We

impressive in that scenario.

crowded streets and loading in gear

hauled our equipment back and forth

A lot of my live playing style was

through your alleyways than I could

those combined nine blocks to the

born of our band’s initial scarcity of

ever trade in stage time. And since it’s

apartment to the gig via a 40-minute

shows when we started. There’s a real

what we do, we’ll leave a part of us with

subway ride, even passing my car along

sense of go-for-broke, fourth-quar-

you on every stage we play.

HM LIVE

The

Frozen Flame Tour

Photos featuring August Burns Red, Northlane and Fit for a King Photos by Jackie David-Martinez

HM LIVE

HM • MARCH 2015

BOOKS

TYPE O NEGATIVE

‘Fire’ an honest look at an unconventional soul BY DOUG VAN PELT Type O Negative

not that Disciple), Fallout and

book is no different. It unlocked

Carnivore – it reads sluggish, wading through it all. Like any

frontman Peter Steele, and

biography, the reader benefits

favorite band. Like

revealed his meaning to his

from the information, but I

claiming someone

lyrics, musical inspiration and

sure found myself chomping at

as a “best friend,”

even how “they achieved that

the bit to get to the history of

this is a hard tag

sound.”

Type O Negative. I was specif-

lay

any-

I found insight into the

ically interested in the band’s

thing. But if play

musical masterpieces of Bloody

second official release, Bloody

time is the stron-

Kisses,

World

Kisses, and, though I’m more

gest factor, then

Coming Down, Life is Killing

informed because I took the

Type O Negative is

Me and Dead Again. They talk

long way, I couldn’t wait to get

tops in my book.

everything from artwork, life

through it.

I had high hopes

experiences,

business

The only other two down-

in reading Soul on

and creative inspiration. This

sides to this otherwise fun and

Fire,

is undeniable gold for any fan,

rich read was that it had to end,

and Soul of Fire delivers.

and it ends with the hero dying.

the

biogra-

phy for one of my favorite musicians,

October

Rust,

band

It might be enticing for the

I knew it was coming, and get-

and in this case, it’s

stranger

observ-

ting to that part in Wagner’s

a very real exam-

er to want to jump in. I was

biography is a painful reminder

ple of information

impressed with the vastness

his tragic death came much too

can make the heart

of this band’s influence. I was

soon.

grow fonder. After

also surprised by the sales fig-

The journey from cover to

interviewing hundreds (if not

ures. It feels like this band is an

cover was rewarding over-

thousands) of bands in my

obscure little secret the main-

all, and, for readers of HM,

career, the hardest thing to do

stream world knows nothing

quite intriguing as it chroni-

is harden your heart; my per-

about, but Bloody Kisses did go

cles the timeline of an avowed

sonal affection for their art has

platinum, and its follow-up,

and angry atheist to adopted

almost always deepened after

October Rust, went gold.

son of God. Peter Steele found

F YI P r e ss

casual

I watched or read with inter-

I’m glad I did not fully inves-

peace with the God of the New

est some behind-the-scenes

tigate this band until after I

Testament, the God revealed to

information that helps fill in

have been able to appreciate

him through the Catholicism

the blanks.

them for 20 or more years. The

of his youth. Bono has gone on

book helped because it became

record as stating something to

Magazine 30 years ago has

a welcome crash course into the

the effect that he’s only inter-

offered many of the same

band and Peter Steele. While

ested in music coming from

“inside glimpses” of beloved

I’m glad I know a little about

the creative perspective of

Hopefully,

HM • MARCH 2015

few bands – Disciple (yes, but

to help tell these stories. This mysteries from Type O Negative

probably

Steele’s childhood and his first

of my strongest desires was

Jeff Wagner Soul on Fire: The Life and Music of Peter Steele

artists all over the world; one

creating

someone either running towards or away from God. If he hasn’t already done so, he’d do well to add Type O Negative’s catalog to his listening library. The

doom,

gloom,

death, sex, nature and worldliness of Steele’s early lyrics gave way to the band’s swan song, Dead Again; this was his phrase for what believers refer to as “born again.” While it’s almost voyeuristic to seek confirmation on a celebrity’s conversion to a specific religion, there is something joyful in confirming this man’s heartfelt change, especially in light of his dour outlook on life and his well publicized and oft-repeated death wish (whether or not it was sarcasm

attention

THE ONLY OTHER TWO DOWNSIDES TO THIS OTHERWISE FUN AND RICH READ WAS THAT IT HAD TO END, AND IT ENDS WITH THE HERO DYING.

grabbing drivel). It’s a little sad (but also slightly comical) at how enthusi-

real or fiction.

astic Steele got after his conversion.

Every fan should read this, and those

There was talk of him unlocking some

unfamiliar to the Type O catalog should

mysteries of the book of Revelation,

first get busy listening to the music.

as if he were one of a handful of “last

Then you’ll want to read this, too. The

days” prophets, as well as the interest-

last honor I could give this book is it

ing portrayal of his zealous character

makes me miss Peter Steele even more.

in the “Profit of Doom” music video. It

I now have more knowledge of what I’m

makes you wonder if the tension was

missing.

HM LIVE

The

WORLD TOUR Part II

Photos featuring Sleeping with Sirens, Pierce the Veil, Pvris and Mallory Knox Photos by Brooke Long

HM â&#x20AC;˘ MARCH 2015

HM LIVE

HM • MARCH 2015

HM LIVE

A CONVERSATION WITH

BAYSIDE

VOCALIST ANTHONY RANEIRI BY COLLIN SIMULA 36

HM • MARCH 2015

IT’S YOUR 15TH ANNIVERSARY AS A BAND. HOW DOES THAT FEEL? YOU DON’T COME BY MANY BANDS WITH THAT KIND OF LONGEVITY. Part of this 15th anniversary is celebrating all year. We spent a lot of time digging through old stuff to post. Or a lot of it is just reposting old videos and stuff from YouTube. But most of it’s from the archives. We’ve all been going through

old stuff to post. Or a lot of it

year is done, it will all be there.

stage where we felt like we need-

never thought we’d hit this point

is just reposting old videos and

But to answer your question:

ed to live in the past or felt like

where we’d “arrive,” and we still

stuff from YouTube. But most of

it’s awesome. It’s so cool to be

we needed to do something for

don’t feel like we have yet. We’re

it’s from the archives. We’ve all

able to go through all this old

the tenth anniversary of our

always progressing. We’ve never

been going through boxes and

stuff. We’ve been very lucky in

most popular record — because

put out a record or did a tour

boxes of memorabilia at our

the sense that not only have we

we’re still making our most pop-

and said, “This is the one.” Even

houses and scanning stuff in. We

existed this long, but we’ve been

ular records.

when we put out our first proper

released a tour history of every

getting bigger in the process,

show we’ve ever played — the

always progressing. We think

You’re right. You never really

we have a record deal. Finally.

city, the date, the venue, even

we’re getting better as a band,

see that anymore, especially in

And this is our record. This is

the other bands we played with

the shows are getting bigger, the

the underground punk scene,

real now.” It was always, “This

if we could get that information

records are doing better. And

where a band can be 15 years

is the first of a lot records. This

— all the way back to the begin-

that’s unheard of for a band 15

old with six full-lengths and

isn’t the record. It’s just the

ning. It was pretty hard to do,

years in. It’s awesome to see it

still be besting themselves.

first.” That was always how we

considering a lot of those early

growing.

Most bands that age have bro-

set out to do this.

shows were at V.F.W. Halls and

record, it still wasn’t like, “Okay,

So it’s been really fun to go

ken up already and are getting

back through this old stuff

back together to play one-off

With the release of Cult, you

After we’ve posted things on

because we haven’t taken any

shows. It’s a remarkable thing

said you guys felt it was the

Facebook, we’ve been putting

time to do that because we’re

for you to have made it this far.

quintessential Bayside record

them into a time capsule section

constantly

forward.

That was always our goal

because it was the culmina-

on our website. By the time this

We’ve never really reached that

when we started this band. We

tion of all your records. And at

places like that.

HM • MARCH 2015

pushing

“WE’VE BEEN VERY LUCKY IN THE SENSE THAT NOT ONLY HAVE WE EXISTED THIS LONG, BUT WE’VE BEEN GETTING BIGGER IN THE PROCESS, always progressing.”

15, Bayside has potentially had

We listened to and realized it had

made it. Paramore. My Chemical

A lot of other bands in our

two full generations of fans.

characteristics of every record

Romance. Fall Out Boy. Those

scene have had that opportu-

Do you see Cult as a reintro-

we had ever done. It kind of ties

bands had a “moment.” Granted,

nity, and — in general, know-

duction to the band for some

the whole record together.

they are all still important bands;

ing everyone would be watch-

of these newer, younger fans?

Titling a record is important

I don’t mean to say they had

ing them — and their moment

Does it feel like a stake in the

to give people a sense of what

their moment and it’s passed and

has caused them to fail. They

ground?

they’re looking for. You know?

that’s it. But they did their indie

make the record they think they

Well, no. Because we’ve never

We wanted them to enjoy it the

or D.I.Y. stuff, the stuff they were

are supposed to make, instead

set a stake in the ground. I love

way we intended it to be enjoyed.

developing on. When Paramore

of making the next Paramore

Cult. With every record, we step

But as far as our career goes,

made Riot, when Fall Out Boy

record or the next My Chemical

up our game and get better at

like I said, we don’t have land-

made From Under the Cork Tree,

Romance record. It causes them

what we do — but it’s always just

marks. Everything is just the

and when My Chemical Romance

to think they’re supposed to do

the next Bayside record. Give us

next step. Nobody knows where

made Three Cheers..., that was

something.

a couple years and we’ll give you

it’s leading, but everything is

their moment. They had all just

another one. And give us a couple

just that next step.

signed to major labels. Everyone

Right, that turning point

was going to be watching. They

where they forget they need

more years and we’ll give you another one after that.

Do you attribute that ideal to

had to make a record knowing

to write music to write music,

We didn’t set out to make a

being a working band, focusing

it was their chance to be on the

to please themselves first, and

record that was a culmination of

on each moment as it happens?

radio or TV. And they pulled it

instead end up writing one to

all of our records. We decided to

Absolutely. There are bands

off, knowing the world was going

impress someone. That’s the

name it that after we finished it.

from our scene who’ve really

to be looking at them.

point, where the heart of it

shifts. And sometimes it’s

in SPIN. But we still just made

acoustic guitar; it was meant to

that’s a big topic of discussion,

good. But most of the time,

the next Bayside record. And the

be a real ballad. But we thought

especially in the music busi-

it’s not good.

record after that was still just the

it was cool when we started add-

ness. We were on Warped Tour

But it doesn’t have to shift.

next Bayside record. We’ve never

ing drums and heavier guitars

last summer. It’s hard being

For a lot of bands, it’s a very

paid attention to what was going

to it to make it a more Bayside

a 32-year-old in a 15-year-old

real thing that’s happening.

on outside of making our music.

version of a ballad. We ended up

band doing your sixth or seventh

This door just opened, you have

So yes, we absolutely attribute

doing a version of that song for

Warped Tour or whatever it is

everyone’s attention. Now —

our longevity to that mentality.

the re-release that was more like

to not notice how the music has

how do you walk through it?

The train just keeps moving, and

where it started, to show people

changed, how the bands have

you don’t worry about the people

the original intentions of that

changed and how the kids have

who’ve gotten off.

song, piano, strings and stuff

changed. The world has changed.

And those bands I mentioned, they pulled it off because they stayed true to what they were and made the best record of their career up to that point.

like that. You’re just concerned with impressing

yourselves,

But that song isn’t about that.

We also did a Blondie cover,

It’s about why they’re like that.

but

one I’ve been wanting to cover

It’s basically calling out the

But a lot of bands take that

not in a selfish way. It’s the

forever: “Call Me.” I think we did

bands or any other public figures

opportunity to say, “Now that

Bayside train; you’re on or

a really cool version of it.

— anyone who’s a role model

I have the chance to be on the

you’re off.

There’s one brand new song

that people are looking up to

radio, I need to write something

We only try and top ourselves.

we wrote specifically for this.

— about how they should take

that sounds like it needs to be on

We don’t care about making a

It’s called “Dancing Like an

responsibility before damning

the radio,” or, “I have the chance

record for those who’ve jumped

Idiot.” It’s our “call out” song.

the youth today.

to be on TV, so I need to look a

off the train. We want to make

We’re older guys, and most of

You can’t be in a band who gets

certain way,” or, “Now that I’m on

a record that’s better than the

our friends are older guys. We’ve

up on stage and does nothing but

a major label, I need to write the

last one, in our own opinions,

been a band for a long time —

curse and tell the crowd to form

kind of record that the label is

and one that’s going to make the

we’ve seen a lot of trends come

a circle pit or wall of death and

going to like.” That’s exactly the

people on the train happy.

and go. We’ve seen a lot of bands

have that be your message. You

— good and bad — come and

can’t stand up there on stage

Talk to me about Cult: White

go. And what you hear now from

being misogynistic and make all

Edition, that recently came out.

older guys is that these younger

of your money selling shirts with

We’ve always just ignored that.

We did a couple of extra songs

bands don’t get it. And we hear

misogynistic messages on them

Our self-titled record was sort of

when we were writing the record.

the kids don’t get it. On a daily

and then turn around and get off

a breakout moment for us, so

One of them we recorded in the

basis I hear things like, “The

stage and talk about how stu-

when we made Walking Wounded

Cult sessions but didn’t quite fit,

movie Idiocracy is coming true,”

pid kids are these days and how

we had a bit more attention —

so we left it off. Another song,

or, “This is why the aliens don’t

you’re afraid for our future.

we played on Conan O’Brien, we

“Transitive Property,” was orig-

come visit us.” Sh-t like that.

were in Rolling Stone, we were

inally written on piano and

wrong point of view. You got to the point you did by doing what you do.

HM • MARCH 2015

When you’re an older guy,

It’s your fault that they’re stupid. You should challenge them,

“YOU CAN’T STAND UP THERE ON STAGE BEING MISOGYNISTIC AND MAKE ALL OF YOUR MONEY SELLING SHIRTS WITH MISOGYNISTIC MESSAGES ON THEM AND THEN TURN AROUND AND GET OFF STAGE AND TALK ABOUT HOW STUPID KIDS ARE THESE DAYS and how you’re afraid for our future.” 41

make them better, you know?

the bands and all of the kids and

that. Some things are opinions

doing the right thing — but you

That’s where that song comes

all that, and then being back-

and some things are just for the

don’t need to be a Jehovah’s

from.

stage and hearing the conver-

good of the world. I don’t push

Witness about anything.

sations amongst bands. Things

my politics on people, because

That’s so valid. People listen

like, “Can you believe the things

it’s just my opinion. I don’t think

It’s one thing to get up there

to you. You are responsible in a

kids are wearing now? Girls are

the world is going down the toi-

and preach a bunch of opin-

way. You recently had a child.

wearing pants with their asses

let just because young kids don’t

ions, but you’re putting actual

Did you see a change in your-

hanging out. Can you believe

see things like I do. I think the

money toward making actual

self in regard to that respon-

that’s a trend now?” And I’m

world is going down the toilet if

change.

sibility?

like, “Well then tell them not

you’re encouraging guys to treat

I mean, it definitely took me

to.” You know? You’re going to

girls badly. You know? That’s the

with people getting on stage

higher into that, but I’ve always

get on stage in front of 4,000

problem.

and preaching their opinions

felt that way. Since I was a kid,

kids you think are going to down

I grew up loving the Smiths and

the wrong road. And instead of

In response to you saying

tive and their passion. My prob-

loving Nirvana and hating Guns

telling them you think they’re

you’re not a political band,

lem is about the people who

’n’ Roses. I’ve always felt that

going down the wrong road,

a portion of the proceeds of

have fcking nothing to say.

way. I’ve always felt the people

you’re going to say, “Suck my

the Cult: White Edition sales are

They’re the one’s writing ‘fck’

who were up there telling you

fck.” You’re going to say some-

going to the Human Rights

on a shirt and selling it because

being rude or being mean or

thing stupid. You’re going to tell

Campaign whose biggest focus

they know people are stupid

being a sexist or homophobe or

them to do a wall of death. It’s

is on the LGBTQ community. Is

enough to buy it. Instead of tak-

womanizer — the people tell-

your fault.

that something you guys are

ing advantage of that, why don’t

passionate about as a band,

you tell people that shirts that

using

say fck across them are stupid?

ing you it’s cool as opposed to

don’t

have

problem

because that’s their preroga-

thinking that stuff sucks and

And going back to earli-

challenging you, not caring

er in our conversation, that’s

if you think their band sucks

where you find that fine line

because they are challenging

between

people

cent. I’m putting my money

you — thats always who I’ve

at the expense of you being

where my mouth is. We have

There’s a responsibility that

looked up to. It’s always who

responsible for the very thing

a platform, and we need to do

doesn’t necessarily have to come

I’ve wanted to be.

you’re upset about.

impressing

your

position

responsible in that area? Oh yeah. One-hundred per-

Why not tell them it’s not cool to buy a shirt that’s going to piss off your mother?

something good with it. Now

with preachiness, but there’s

I do think having a kid defi-

Exactly. And that’s what that

that doesn’t mean I need to get

certainly responsibility, at least

nitely made me start thinking

song is about. It’s about being

on stage and preach about it.

not to make it worse. You don’t

more along those lines. But just

upset at the idea of contributing

You know what I mean? Because

have to fix it. I’m not saying I’m

getting older... Like I said, it

to the very thing you’re upset

that’s not what everyone might

fixing it. I’m just not going to add

was being on Warped Tour last

about. That’s not to say we’re a

be there for. So it’s a fine line

to it because I don’t want that on

year, looking around at all of

political band or something like

between

my conscience.

HM • MARCH 2015

being

responsible,

INTERVIEW BY JORDAN GONZALEZ

hether it’s because

current experiences and helping

feel with lyrics? How does that

ing outro. What inspired that

of the striking vocals

each other through hard times.

come about?

outro?

of Michael Barnes or

A lot of our fans reach out to us

We usually think of a con-

The outro happened almost

their unique use of

and they find solace in our music.

cept first. For example, the song

by accident. We were actually in

cinematic strings in

I think this time we found solace

“Darkest Part.” You think about

the studio tracking vocals for

their music, RED has had a huge

in being together in the studio

what you’re feeling and find

that song and Michael (Barnes)

impact on the heavy music indus-

and working through this record.

a creative way to say that. So

was just on his own that day.

someone will come to the table

There are two different rooms

and say, Hey, I have an idea for

where we were tracking vocals,

a song, it’s called “Darkest Part,”

and Michael asked to turn the

or, I have an idea for a song called

mic on because he wanted to try

“Imposter” and this is what I

something. He thought it was

want the song to be about.

a very long instrumental outro

try. Their departure from their traditional sound and style for their album Release the Panic ruffled the feathers of some fans, but

Are the songs about personal stories? I’d say this record is the most

their latest release, Of Beauty and

personal

Rage, is classic RED with a modern

written. But the things we talk

twist. I spoke with bassist Randy

about are things everybody goes

So the song takes on that iden-

and maybe we could add some-

Armstrong who filled us in on the

through at some point in their

tity before the lyrics are actually

thing to it. We turned the mic on

inspiration for Beauty and Rage,

life. They are universal things.

written, but then we choose the

and just kind of let Michael mess

track we feel can tell that story

around, and he started doing this

musically.

falsetto thing, and we were like,

record

we’ve

ever

how their songs come together and why they put a medieval plague doctor as their album cover.

Going back to your previ-

whoa, and all started giggling. It

ous comments on finding the beauty in suffering, are you

In my notes I put down that

blew us away, and we were like,

Why don’t we jump right into

finding the beauty in ugly

“Imposter” is a heavier song.

Yeah, that’s going to stay on our

the new album? Give me some

things or are you comparing

Let’s talk about “Imposter.” I

record. Things like that happen

details on the crowdfunding

good and bad things?

found it intriguing.

by accident, sometimes they’re

We go through dark times in

That song is very different

confusion

our lives, and we’ve got to find

from the formula that people are

about the crowdfunding thing.

a way to see the light at the end

used to hearing where the chorus

We didn’t actually have our fans

of the tunnel and find a way to

isn’t usually the slowest part of

Is there any song in this

fund the record. We’re still on a

see what we’re learning through

a song. In “Imposter,” the verses

album that means a lot to you

label (Sony) and we have a budget

these experiences instead of

and the prechorus seem to be a

especially?

for the record. We did a PledgeMe

thinking the world is coming to

little bit faster and the chorus

I would say “Fight to Forget”

to secure funds for other things

an end. That there is this despair

takes on its own marching-esque

would be one of the more per-

like traveling and live shows.

that’s never going to cease. I

feel. The first time we heard it we

sonal songs for me. My brother

think that was the same case for

thought this was something very

went through a pretty rough time

decision for this album. There

some

intentional. That was definitely a beautiful mistake.

The theme of contrast seems

us at certain points. We wanted

different and was something we

in his life the last year and a half,

prevalent in this album in the

to reflect on that and explore all

really liked about it.

and watching him go through

title and even the sound, with

those emotions and things that

When we went into the studio,

that was a tough time for all of

so many soft, delicate mel-

we were thinking and put them

we had 50-plus ideas that were

us. I’d say another one would be

odies that clash with heavy

into the album.

snippets of a guitar track or a lyr-

“Shadow and Soul.”

ical idea. The way we do things is

parts. What inspired the idea of a contrast? The album talks about being

How is the lyrical and musi-

when we get into the studio is we

I personally feel this album

cal writing process? Is it a

start to piece together our favor-

was a classic RED album that

group effort or a solo effort?

ite things and make up a song,

had traditional elements and

midst of ultimate suffering. We

It’s definitely a group effort.

ultimately. With “Imposter,” it

modern flair. What do you

wrote it about the last couple

I’d say everybody’s name is on

was something that stuck out to

think?

years of our lives and what we’ve

every single song. We usually get

us as very sinister, an intention-

I would agree with you. I know

experienced on the road and

all the music first, sometimes

ally dark song that talks about us

when we got back to the studio

personally. We got in the studio

we’ll get a chorus and then we

being at war with ourselves.

we were talking about what we

last year in January up in Maine

always dive into lyrics at the end.

able to find the beauty in the

wanted to do. We took a depar“Shadow

and spent the year making the

and

Soul”

was

ture from the elements that

record. It was a lot of discus-

When you’re writing the

another track that stuck out

we’re known for (with Release

sion about past experiences and

music, do you pair what you

to me. It had a lengthy, haunt-

the Panic) in the past with lots of

HM • MARCH 2015

cinematic strings and produc-

“Darkest Part.” We

tion elements. We didn’t invent

had some ideas of

the sound, but I think we kind

what we wanted to

of made it our niche. When we

do with the cover, but

did our fourth album, Release the

the photographers got

Panic, we had a specific goal in

some people shots we

mind. We wanted to be more of

could have in case we

an impact in mainstream rock

needed them or want-

radio.

ed them.

That was, I guess, a more

had

this

watered down (formula). Watered

whole idea of a walk

down lyrics, watered down pro-

through the forest.

duction and more straightfor-

There is this forest

ward rock. We knew that formula

in Poland called the

very well and Howard Benson is

Crimson Forest that

a very accomplished producer.

we fell in love with.

At the time, we figured we can’t

In the Crimson Forest

make the same record four times

during the fall, the

in a row, and we wanted to chart

leaves turn red they

new territory. We knew we were

don’t turn orange or

eventually going to defect back

yellow, they just turn

to Rob Graves.

red which creates a

When we finally decided to call

beautiful

blanket

upon Rob and see if he was inter-

of red leaves on the

ested in doing an album with us,

ground. The figure is

of course he didn’t think twice

actually taken after

about it. Rob has been such a

a Middle Ages Plague

huge part of RED’s sound from

doctor. Back during

the beginning, and we thought

the

that we’re going to go and do

appointed

what we want to do as opposed

people to be Plague

to what we think we need to do

doctors

and think we need to be. We’re

of helping the sick.

Plague,

IT REPRESENTS THIS DARK PART OF OUR SOUL THAT IS ALWAYS WITH US AND IT CONSTANTLY TELLS US GO AHEAD AND DO THIS EVEN THOUGH YOU KNOW IT’S GOING TO DESTROY YOU. IT’S ALWAYS OVER OUR SHOULDERS, IT’S ALWAYS THERE, IT’S ALWAYS WORKING.

they

certain charge

going to go where we wanted,

They wore these pointed masks

es. Your tours during the Until

Previously, we did the machine

and our fans were reaching out

that had rose petals and sage,

We Have Faces era were incred-

idea, and this time we’re doing

and wanting us to entertain the

which smelled good, to mask

ible. You had a giant machine

something different.

idea of going back to the sound

the smell of death around them.

set up, fire and you guys were

that made us productive in the

They would wear cloaks and

wearing dystopian costumes.

first place. So we thought let’s do

carry a stick so they couldn’t

That was really cool to me

Well, not a secret, but it’s

that but take it to the next level.

make contact with anybody.

when I saw you guys live. Do

something you’re going to have

you have any theatrical plans

to come to the show to find out!

So it’s a secret?

The writing is much more

We took it and turned it into

mature, more than our first

a metaphor. Artistically, it rep-

album and even our second

resents this dark part of our soul

We’ve always tried to focus

Catch RED on the Beauty and

album.

that is always with us and it con-

on the live show and entertain-

Rage tour, which just kicked off on

for your upcoming tours?

stantly tells us go ahead and do

ing people as opposed to staying

March 6. RED will be in Australia

Let’s talk about the imagery

this even though you know it’s

on stage and singing songs. We

for the first time at Easterfest in

on the album cover. What’s

going to destroy you. It’s always

like to give them more to look

Toowoomba

going on with the creepy medi-

over our shoulders, it’s always

at with a theatrical experience

Armstrong said they’ll be at other

eval doctor?

there, it’s always working.

as opposed to a watered down

major festivals in the summer and

rock show. We’ve always been

kick off a West coast leg of the

very theatrical in our music.

Beauty and Rage tour as well.

The photo was taken during the video shoot for the song

Let’s talk about performanc-

City

April

I HESITATE TO CALL HIM OLD, BUT HE’S DEFINITELY WISE. YOUTH HAVE YET TO FIND A WAY TO BUY EXPERIENCE, AND IT’S SOMETHING PHIL LABONTE, VOCALIST OF THE METAL BAND ALL THAT REMAINS, HAS A TON OF. BUT THESE DAYS? HE JUST WANTS A STAGE, A MICROPHONE AND SOME ROCK MUSIC 50

HM • MARCH 2015

“

I don’t think of

ALL

the misery but the beauty DAVID

THAT

still STAGG

”

REMAINS.

— ANNE FRANK

We’re here to talk a little

ent perspective I had than, say,

that burning in your legs and

other races and those are little

bit about the new album, but I

someone who joins the military

stuff, they know there’s so much

bits of it. When it comes to the

want to start a little bit further

now or has joined in the past ten

further you can go. Just because

SEALS and stuff, though, it’s not

back because of the research I

years or so.

it’s uncomfortable doesn’t mean

just, “In this particular exercise,

it’s going to stop you. It’s a deci-

for the next hour or two hours,

was doing on you. One of the things that stood out to me

Do you feel like anything you

sion in your head if you’re going

it’s difficult.” It’s that it’s going

was that you left music to join

learned there you apply in your

to do it or not. It’s not about any-

to go on for days and days and

the armed forces at one point

day-to-day life today?

thing actually stopping you. It’s

days. It’s going to suck.

in your life. It’s 20 years ago. Twenty

years

ago,

right.

No. I think it let me know what

just a matter of, “Do you want to

There’s a term or a phrase that

the difference between uncom-

continue?” The decision is the

you hear a lot in the military: You

fortable is and when something

hard part, not the actual get-

got to learn to embrace the suck.

really hard is.

ting through your legs burning

It sucks. You know what I mean?

When you left, did you ever

or your chest burning or whatev-

feel at some point you had to

Totally.

er. It’s making the decision you

be ready to die or anything like

There are a lot of people,

want to keep doing it and keep

understand. Let’s talk a lit-

that? It takes a special mind to

especially in the music industry,

going.

tle

go into those situations.

when something’s a little diffi-

Nowadays, there are a lot of

because you’re going to get

(Laughs) bit

Yeah,

about

Josh

totally Wilbur,

Like I said, it was 20 years

cult and they get some kind of

people aware of the special forc-

this question a lot. For the first

ago. It was in the ’90s. We had

resistance, then it’s like, I don’t

es community, whether it be the

time ever, it looks like from

just gotten done with Desert

want to do it anymore. I don’t

SEALS or whether it be Delta and

my notes, you guys worked

Storm a year or so, a year and a

want to try anymore, because it’s

the Army and stuff.

together. Is that correct?

half before. I didn’t grow up in

hard. Human beings can do far

a military situation. Growing

more than they think they can

in the ’80s and stuff, we didn’t have to worry about wars, for

Yeah, pretty much. Most of Yeah, the Rangers, sure.

the music was written before

do when they’re really put to the

Some of the stuff that the

Josh came. He helped with the

test. I think that most people in

SEALS have to do, there’s a lot

arrangements and the music,

the most part. There were a

the music industry haven’t really

of times where, physically, peo-

and then when it came to the

few military actions. There’s

pushed themselves further than

ple are unable, but most of it is

vocals, me and Josh wrote the

Grenada and there’s Panama.

getting behind their instrument

all mental. Most of it is a deci-

vocals together, which is a new,

But for the most part, until the

and practice.

sion that you’re not going to quit,

experience for me and for All

you’re not going to stop.

That Remains. Most of the stuff

Gulf War, there wasn’t any serious U.S. action, or U.S. military

My dad was in the army.

action pretty much anywhere.

He used to say, “We do more

It wasn’t something that was

before 5 a.m. than most peo-

really on my mind.

ple do in the whole day.” That

had been done almost excluHave you ever tried to do a Navy SEALs workout? No.

sively by me beforehand. Adam (Dutkiewicz, former producer for the band’s albums) would come

At the same time, I was only

always stuck with me. Every

in for a year. I got a medical dis-

time things get hard in my day,

I would really love to do that

while, but they were just little

charge. Thinking about it from

I’m like, “I could be awake at 5

just to see how far I could make

bits of ideas where Josh would

that perspective — thinking

a.m.” It helps me keep going.

it (laughs).

be like, “I got this great idea for

up with some ideas once in a

about it now — we’ve been at war

People that exercise, jog, go to

I’ve seen the Tough Mudder

a chorus,” or “I got this great

for over ten years. It’s a differ-

gym, once you feel start feeling

and Spartan Race and those

idea for a melody.” Working with

HM • MARCH 2015

“REALLY, THE ONLY STANDARD THAT YOU

HAVE TO MEET IS, DO YOU THINK IT’S GOOD? IT’S

YOUR MUSIC. IF YOU’RE WRITING MUSIC, THE

ONLY THING THAT MATTERS IS, DO YOU LIKE

IT? HOPEFULLY, OTHER PEOPLE DO. THE REAL

IMPORTANT THING IS, DO YOU LIKE WHAT

YOU’RE DOING? ARE YOU HAVING FUN? ARE YOU

ENJOYING LISTENING TO YOUR OWN SONGS?”

— PHIL LABONTE, VOCALIST, ALL THAT REMAINS 53

“HONESTLY, AS SIMPLE AS IT SOUNDS, IT REALLY BOILS DOWN TO “DOES IT SOUND COOL?” REALLY, THE ONLY THING THAT I’M WORRIED ABOUT, ‘DOES IT SOUND COOL? DO I LIKE IT? COOL, AWESOME.’ FOR ANYTHING ELSE, I JUST DON’T SWEAT OUT.” — PHIL LABONTE

(Wilbur) is great. He’s just really

grown the most from A War

into recording and for any-

something different? Or did

easy to work with.

You Cannot Win to The Order of

body getting into the studio,

you go in and let it happen

Things?

because you can always be out

organically?

Why decide to write with

I don’t know.

someone else now? What was

of tune, you can always be fast

Yeah. It’s usually what hap-

or slow, but if you don’t have

pens. We’re seven records in

it this time that triggered,

...as musician?

the belief or conviction, it’s

now. We’re done worrying about,

“Hey, we got to do something

I don’t know. Josh was real-

really worthless. You know

“Is this good enough for group

new, and this is the way we’re

ly good about working with me

what I mean?

X?” or whatever. When we write,

going to do it”?

and making sure the vocal per-

Yeah. I think that’s really the

it’s just, “Do we like it?” If the

I trusted him. Working with

formances were as good as they

important thing about singing.

answer is yes, then we use it. If

him is really good. We had really

could be, so the vocals proba-

Most people don’t have per-

we don’t like it, if the answer

good ideas. It was a very easy and

bly were the biggest difference.

fect pitch when they’re here.

is no, then we don’t use it. It’s

smooth thing to slide into. It was

It wasn’t that dramatic, but

If you’re a little sharp or a lit-

really that simple. We don’t put a

great to work with him. He is a

I feel like he really only said

tle flat, especially live, people

whole ton of thought into it.

smart guy. It was easy.

four things to me. He would say

aren’t really going to notice.

“timing or too fast,” “too slow,”

If you don’t have the perfor-

What makes the music con-

“pitch,” or he would say, “I don’t

mance, if you’re not deliver-

nect to you, then? If you’re used

Do you think that he helps accelerate

songwriting

believe it.” I don’t believe it

ing it, if you don’t believe what

to embracing the Suck, what is

process for you guys? When

the

means you have to do it again

you’re singing... One of the

something that embraces the

you got in, did you ever use

and really do it with conviction,

things that Josh made me think

Like when you hear it? Is there

him when you found yourself

especially, if it’s something you

about and told me is that sing-

something in your heart that

in a creative rut?

just wrote. A lot of times, we’d

ing is kind of like acting. The

says, “No, I have to say this

Yeah, definitely. There were

write something in the control

whole facial movements and

and I’m going to write around

times where I would be like, “I’m

room, just sitting there, coming

the body language and stuff like

it.”

not sure how to make this idea

up with ideas. We’d write it, and

that can be done differently, but

For me, first, it’s just a vibe. If

work in a song. I’m not sure what

then I’d have to go in and sing it

you do have to deliver the feel-

it sounds good and it’s got a cool

I want to say here or say there.”

right away.

ing. That’s the most import-

beat or a cool vibe, that’s really

Josh was really good about coming

I’m trying to remember lyrics,

ant thing about acting, I guess,

what I’m looking for. Honestly,

up with ideas, or at least inspir-

trying to remember the melody

is delivering the idea to the

as simple as it sounds, it real-

ing ideas. He’d be like, “What if

and I’m also trying to deliver

viewer. When you’re singing,

ly boils down to “Does it sound

we do this?” We might like it or

the performance. He definitely

it’s how to deliver the feeling to

cool?” Really, the only thing

maybe we wouldn’t like it, but the

kept me on my toes about “I

the listener.

that I’m worried about, “Does

important part wasn’t whether or

don’t believe it” or “your pitch

not I really liked it, it was the fact

is off” or “Hey, this is too fast or

Definitely. Did you feel any

that it continued the creative pro-

whatever.” It was a really good

pressure after you got into

cess and spurred more ideas in it.

teamwork.

the studio and started writing

How about this: Where do you feel like where you’ve

HM • MARCH 2015

it sound cool? Do I like it? Cool, awesome.” For anything else, I just don’t sweat out.

because your last album was

I was having this type of con-

for

super successful? Was their

versation with our Managing

people just starting to get

active thought about doing

Editor the other day. He says

That’s

great

advice

“THE REASON I WRITE MUSIC IS BECAUSE I LIKE THE STUFF THAT I WRITE. SO YOU KNOW WHAT? A LOT OF TIMES, I JUST PUT ON ONE OF OUR RECORDS AND JUST ROCK OUT TO IT, BECAUSE I DIG IT. WRITE STUFF YOU LIKE.” — PHIL LABONTE

sometimes you just want to

Because things are still going

get in there and rock. That’s

in your life but if you tried to

I think a lot of the times, peo-

a fully appropriate reason to

make something out of noth-

ple get in the music and they

listen to music. I think people

ing, then you not only would

think that there is some stan-

What I heard you say there

get too used to writing that off.

be a liar but it wouldn’t even

dard that they have to meet.

is the key point is writing for

getting into the industry for...

because I dig it. Write stuff you like.

Absolutely. I read an inter-

be representative who you are

Really, the only standard that

you and not writing for some-

view that Dimebag and Vinnie

right now. Do you know what

you have to meet is, do you think

one else, because when you do

Paul had done. They were talking

I mean?

it’s good? It’s your music. If

write that record for some-

you’re writing music, the only

one else and then you have to

thing that matters is, do you like

play it for the next 20 years, if

about their vision for music. They

Yeah, definitely. Definitely.

were like, no, we just want to be the most kick ass — and cool and

It’s great when you get to

it? Hopefully, other people do.

you’re lucky? You want to be

write stuff that’s fun stuff like

a spot where you can make a

The real important thing is, do

able to play it again and again

Van Halen — band. Even though

living doing what you love. I

you like what you’re doing? Are

and again. You don’t want to

Pantera sounds nothing like Van

think that’s what all artists

you having fun? Are you enjoying

have that one album where you

Halen, I think the attitude Van

aspire to do. It’s tough to get

listening to your own songs?

were like, “I don’t want to play

Halen had or has and the attitude

there.

Pantera has is the right attitude

I know a lot of them will write

Absolutely.

to have. It was all just about, You

anything from that album.”

a record and then they’ll just be

I appreciate your time, Phil.

like, “Yeah, I don’t listen to our

I’ve heard your new album,

know what? We just want to write

I love the ideas you put out

stuff anymore” or “I don’t listen

and there are some great mel-

some kick ass songs, some songs

there. I think a lot of it applies

to it after a couple of weeks after

odies on there. Some of them

that we dig, that are cool music,

to the young readers that get

we’re done, I just stop listening

are very, very catchy.

and I think that’s a great posi-

into metal and think it’s all

to it because of blah blah blah...”

That’s my thing. I’m a hooks

tion to have if you’re a musician

about the breakdown or what-

Well, the reason I write music

fan. If I can get through a song

writing music.

ever. That’s fun and that can

is because I like the stuff that I

two times and I already know the

be a big part of it. But chal-

write. So you know what? A lot

lyrics and melody for the chorus,

lenging

motivations,

of times, I just put on one of our

then I’m sold. Hooks are where

seeing what they’re actually

records and just rock out to it,

I live.

Especially if you’re seven records

in,

you

guys.

their

HITTING THE RESTART BUTTON

TORCHE HAS ONE SOLE PURPOSE:

Pursue happiness. It’s what keeps their band together and it is public advice they don’t mind sharing. Here’s another bit: Stop destroying what we have left. No one really wants to restart.

BY COLLIN SIMULA 59

ROCK AND ROLL WITH A MESSAGE IS A RELATIVELY NEW CONCEPT.

There are bands who have had agendas, political stances and opinions dating all the way back to its earliest days, but for the most part, rock is and always has been about feeling. Happiness, despair, frustration — everything in between — rock music has always been about the way your skin gets set on fire from the beat, the groove, the passion in the noise. It’s something you feel deep inside your gut. Formed in 2004, Torche has carved themselves a frustratingly tough-to-categorize niche in heavy music. Born from the ashes of vocalist and guitarist Steve Brooks’ (recently reunited) band Floor — who have a similar-yet-simpler, heavier sound than Torche — the band, rounded out by Andrew Elstner, Jonathan Nunez and Rick Smith, With Restarter, has dropped another immensely heavy slab of their sludge-meets-’90s alt-anthemic-rock with Restarter, their fifth full-length. In the days leading up to a U.S. tour with Relapse Records labelmates Nothing, HM was able to speak with Brooks about what Torche, Restarter and rock and roll means to him.

HM • MARCH 2015

Restarter has been out for two

instead of flash. We did a lot of

to yourself, “This one is for

This time, we took a couple

days, and I think I’ve listened

flashy stuff on the last record,

Floor, this one is for Torche,”

weeks, wrote and demoed, we

to it six times already.

so with this one we wanted to

and so on? Or does it just hap-

had rough ideas of songs written

just write something different,

pen naturally?

from the last time we record-

Don’t burn it out man (laughs)!

It happens naturally. But I

ed — which was the Keep Up/

don’t know when Floor is going

Leather Feather 7”. We had like

heavier,

to put out a new record or when

four songs we hadn’t completed

and there’s been talk about

we are going to write anything

from those sessions, and we just

I mean, it’s been better than I

Restarter being Torche’s return

again, and I had these riffs. So

went from there. Sometimes we

thought it would be. I think it’s

to heavy, although I don’t

I just said fck it and made it

end up writing really quick, and

pretty awesome, and I’m kind

think you ever left. It’s much

into a Torche song. But in the

it just comes together.

of blown away. I’m waiting for

bigger. Was your riff-writing

end, it’s just me. It’s the style

We spent about a month writ-

the backlash (laughs). And I’m

mindset different because of

I have. I write and that’s what

ing this time, and then two

already getting sick of hearing

all of the recent activity with

comes out.

weeks to record it. And like I

about my band.

Floor?

really. How has the reception been so far, even though it’s only been a couple of days?

It’s

also

much

said, we took a simpler approach

Well, no. Actually, almost all

And

that’s

exactly

what

this time. We didn’t overthink it.

Torche has such a distinct

of the new Floor material was

you’re known for: the riffs.

We were just like, Well, we dig it.

sound, but when I compare

written by Anthony (Vialon,

When you’re writing, do you

It’s not rocket science (laughs).

Restarter to 2012’s Harmonicraft,

Floor

find yourself always chasing

We like the stripped-down feel

different.

(Wilson, Floor drummer). I came

after that next big riff?

to this record.

Harmonicraft was more expan-

in with about three songs for

It’s more organic because I

sive and layered. Restarter feels

that record, and then collaborat-

don’t really write a lot on my

more stripped-down, adding

ed with them. But I wanted them

own. I mostly write my riffs when

cise. Not in a too-short kind

to the full-force wall of sound.

to do the majority of it to try

we are practicing together as a

of way, but in a consistent,

What was the mindset going

and separate Floor from Torche.

band. Or on the road at sound-

straight-forward rock kind of

into this one? Was that shift

I didn’t want either band to be

check, I’ll be riffing around and

way. In a way, it feels like a

intentional or organic?

affected by each other.

if something sticks — and if I

fck you to anyone who tries

feels

quite

guitarist)

and

Henry

definitely

feels

con-

It did happen organically, but

I mean, of course it’s my voice,

remember to — I might pull out

to pigeonhole Torche into a

it was still intentional. We took

and the guitars are downtuned.

my phone and record it for later.

specific genre, like bubblegum

a very Gary Numan approach to

And there’s that bomb guitar

Jon will write a few things when

metal or sludge pop or what-

the songs. We kept them sim-

sound that I brought over into

he’s at home because he lives in

ever people want to call you

pler, in a way, as if we were

Torche. (Editor’s note: the “bomb”

a studio, basically. But most of

these days. It’s just a ripper of

playing

instead

guitar sound is Brooks’ own inven-

the material is on the spot in the

a heavy rock record.

of guitars. You can even hear

tion, which involves the lowest

room with the other guys.

it in Rick’s drumming, which

guitar string being tuned lower

synthesizers

Yeah, I mean, we do it every time. We kind of say fck you to

has always been much flashi-

than any musical note.) Although

San

everybody anyway. We’re going

er. On this one, it feels more in

one song on Restarter, “Barrier

Francisco, Andrew in Atlanta

to write what we’re going to write

the pocket. Sometimes to the

Hammer,” I thought was going to

and Rick and Jon in Miami,

and people are going to label us

extreme; the title track is eight

be a Floor song. But I ended up

how do you find time to get in

whatever they do. I mean, I could

minutes of a single, hypnotic

doing it with Torche instead, and

a room to write and rehearse?

write a song that’s just straight-

beat with no snare drum. Yeah.

we just made it more of a Torche

Obviously you’re forced to be

forward power pop, and we’ll

That’s our Krautrock influence

song in the process.

more efficient.

still be labeled sludge or some-

coming through. (Editor’s note: a

But

with

you

Usually we set aside a couple

thing like that.

German style of songwriting from

That has to be an inter-

of weeks at a time to get together

When I say power pop I mean

the 1960s, centered around mini-

esting push and pull in your

to just write and demo. And then

that hybrid sound from the ’70s,

malism.) It’s just groove. There’s

writing process. When you’re

we’ll take a few months off. And

just big, feel good rock. And then

a lot of groove on this record,

writing riffs, do you think

then we come back and do it again.

we’ll get labeled a doom band or

“I’VE HEARD THAT THEORY, THAT WE’RE GOING BACK TO THE BEGINNING OR SOMETHING. HELL NO, MAN. WE’RE TEN YEARS OLD. WE’RE NOT GOING BACK.” 63

something like that. Come on

types of rock over the last 50

first and last word when it comes

feeling. But maybe it could be a

people.

years.

to that. We dig it, so we’re going

good thing.

to record it. People are going to

Since the beginning, we’ve always confused people. People

Torche has been a band since

like it or they’re not going to like

So many people talk about

are like, “They’re not metal. I

2004, which, by heavy music

it. Just have to keep going and

Torche’s music feeling upbeat

don’t know if I like this. It doesn’t

standards, is a long time. And

progressing in our own way.

or happy. For me, it makes me

sound like this or like that.” It’s

you guys top it off by being

always been confusing, and some

virtually drama-free. I think

In the same way, it seems

ness and intensity. It’s inter-

of my favorite bands have always

of a band like Converge who

like Relapse Records is a really

esting, then, to hear such dark

been sort of confusing. I mean,

has a long history of putting

good fit for you guys. Their

concepts lyrically. Do themes

look at the Melvins. Man, people

out great records and being

whole catalog is an example of

of nihilism and misanthropy

did not understand them for a

drama or controversy-free. It

putting out what they want to

weave throughout other songs?

long time, and they just ended

seems like much of that comes

put out, some people will like

up developing their own fanbase.

from giving each other space

it and some people won’t.

And I admire that. They were just

in between records and tours.

Back to Restarter. The easiest

Sometimes it’s sorrow or expe-

like, fck you.

Do you attribute your longevity

place for the mind to go when

riences that really hurt me. And

to the fact that you guys aren’t

hearing the title is something

it could just be a couple lines in

I was just going to say, if I

together all of the time, that

like a new beginning for Torche;

a song — the rest being filler

could think of a band whose

you guys do your own thing

going back to your roots. Is

for the gaps — rather than the

career could be summed up by

outside of Torche?

there a theme behind Restarter?

whole story. I’m not a storytell-

feel good, even with its heavi-

I mean, sometimes I vent. And sometimes I don’t want to vent.

Yeah, totally. I mean, we don’t

I’ve heard that theory, that

er or a poet. I just write a few

Yeah (laughs). We’re going to

have big egos or anything. None

we’re going back to the begin-

things and that’s it. Some songs

do what we want to do. That’s our

of us are trying to put out solo

ning or something. Hell no, man.

are super goofy. Some are angry

attitude.

records. We’re not fighting with

We’re ten years old. We’re not

or sad or just a bunch of words

each other in the studio. We all

going back.

put together in a stream-of-con-

fck you, it’s the Melvins.

Does

all

pigeonholing

that

get

genre your

get along. We’ve been through the worst already.

The title Restarter came from

sciousness sort of way.

being pissed off at humanity for That’s

interesting

nerves? It seems like heavy

We’re at the point right now

all of the stupid sh-t we fck-

music, in general, is known

where we all know this is what

ing do. There are some themes

approach to lyric writing. It

— more than any other genre

we want to do. This is what we’re

throughout the record about

almost seems as if your voice

— for trying to put everything

committed to. We’ve ended rela-

human annihilation and how

and lyrics are just another

in it’s own little box all the

tionships. You’re on the road and

we shouldn’t even be here, that

instrument rather than the

time.

ultimatums come up, like, “Do

we’re no good for this plan-

focus.

It doesn’t really piss me off as

you want to be with me or be with

et. I was into the idea of what

Yeah, that’s how I see it. I hear

much as it’s just annoying. I look

the band?” And it’s like, we’ve

we’ve created, our technology,

melodies, you know? I’m a guitar

at it as hard rock. That’s it. Like

worked our asses off to get where

destroying us and then restart-

player. I write riffs. So, basically,

Motorhead. They never consid-

we are. It’s our life.

ing with a whole new life of it’s

the vocals are other riffs that go

ered themselves a metal band.

Like being a visual artist, you

own through artificial intelli-

with the guitar riffs. I like tra-

They’re like, “We’re a rock and

paint and nothing is going to

gence, and then nature taking

ditional rock music with hooks.

roll band.” It’s all rock and roll,

stop you from doing it. We’re

its course around the ruins of

There are really good lyricists

you know?

not a big money-making band

what we’ve created. It’s sort

out there who write great melo-

We throw in many differ-

or anything; I’ve been doing this

of a fantasy sci-fi world. The

dies, and I love that as well. But for

ent styles of rock that inspire

since the early ’90s, sometimes

artwork for the record — by

me, I look at it as what it is. It’s a

us, everything from metal to

playing for no one. This is what I

the prolific John Santos — was

good time and then it’s a bad time.

soft rock. Air Supply to Black

do. I tried selling all of my stuff

then influenced by that idea.

We don’t limit ourselves. And you

Sabbath. We’re inspired by a

one time, and then ended up

“Our leaders / Done with con-

know, you run out of subjects, too.

lot of different things, and it

buying all new equipment again

versation” is all I say in the

I don’t want to sing about one

comes through in what we’re

and playing more music.

title track. People in power are

feeling my whole career. We’re

doing. We’re a modern hard

The longevity is that we’re all

going to do what they are going

never going to do that. I’m never

rock band — without the poser

really dedicated and love what

to do, and we’re all a bunch of

going to do that.

sh-t (laughs).

we do over anything else. It’d be

puppets. And it’s like, well sh-t,

We’re a band, in 2015, who

super easy to play whatever peo-

they could pull the plug when-

A lot of bands these days —

have been inspired by many

ple want us to play, but we get the

ever they want. It’s a helpless

specifically the younger, heavy

HM • MARCH 2015

bands — feel they have to have some sort of bigger message or purpose to convey, considering it just as important — if not more important than — the music itself. Is there anything that you’d consider Torche’s “purpose,” other than playing heavy rock? Our purpose? It’s to make ourselves happy, really. And hopefully other people dig it and feel something. We’re not changing the world or anything like that. We’re just out doing what we do. Some people take themselves way too seriously. We don’t take ourselves seriously at all, and I like that. We want to play music that we enjoy and continue to enjoy. I don’t know if you can talk to this at all or if it’s still under wraps or what, but I have to ask: What is going on with this Rob Trujillo (Metallica bassist) project that Rick has been asked to take part in? I don’t know! (Laughs) I have no idea. I mean, on the last tour Rick mentioned when he got back he was going to be jamming with Rob Trujillo, and I was like, What?! (Laughs) It’s for a Tony Hawk Foundation thing.

“SOME PEOPLE TAKE THEMSELVES WAY TOO SERIOUSLY. WE DON’T TAKE OURSELVES SERIOUSLY AT ALL, AND I LIKE THAT.”

I think they’re doing a Sabbath cover or something and then maybe an original. It’s Rob, Rick and Nate from Converge. I think it’s fcking cool. And super interesting. I never in a million years thought any of us would be playing with a member of Metallica (laughs). That’s

what

was

mind-blowing to me. I don’t care what anyone’s thoughts are on post-And Justice For All… Metallica, when someone from Metallica asks you to jam with them, you say yes. Exactly!

This is the new Back again

Hawk Nelson for the first time

BY SARAH DOS SANTOS

When I first heard Diamonds, I

lenges in life: believing God

the more a band can do them-

through the band. Thankfully

got such a good feeling of nostalgia,

will use them to make us shine.

selves, the more success they’re

though, we’ve been blessed with

I had to listen through my favorite

I also really enjoyed the sin-

going to see. It’s more refreshing

a pretty balanced schedule.

songs from previous Hawk Nelson

cerity of the album. There are

to produce alone because we have

albums. I remember being blown

many worship albums that

the freedom to add our own fla-

Having a good relationship

away by the cheerful lyrics and

sound like a performance, but

vor. We take more risks doing it

with the band after is defi-

upbeat music. Diamonds makes

Diamonds comes off so genuine.

ourselves.

nitely important, even keep-

you want to get out of your chair,

How do you all stay inspired to

That being said, it also comes

ing those connections with

grab a partner, dance around and

keep writing music in that way,

with the chance of finding your

ex-members. On that subject,

rejoice, but there’s something really

even though you’ve been writ-

own niche. Finding your own

what’s one of your favorite

special about this particular album,

ing for years?

thing takes time.

memories of being with Hawk

and I got to speak with Daniel Biro

That’s something all of us

about it. When I called him for our

should ask every year: Why are

It’s awesome you all inten-

interview he was just a couple hours

we doing this, what do we want

tionally focused the album to

Totally. I love the guys we got

away — I live in Ontario, Canada —

to say or communicate with peo-

encourage people as a whole.

to be in a band with. I ran into

so we bonded over the small-world

ple I meet, or my family and

Anyone can get something

one of the original members last

connection, and I knew this was

friends? I think that’s something

good from it. It’s great to hear

night while in Peterborough. I

going to be a great interview.

Nelson that stays with you today?

we can all stand to benefit from.

an album that is all about joy.

didn’t know I was going to see

Biro is a genuine guy, full of com-

We knew that if we were going

I think we need more of that

him; it’s been about ten years

passion and friendliness and, since

to do this — which could be our

today especially since there’s

since we toured together. He was

he has been with the band since its

last album — we should make it

been a lot of bad news going

on the first album and that was

genesis, he was the perfect person to

as awesome as we can, celebrate

through the media. People

it, and we were close. All the

speak to about the new album.

life and all God’s done. Life isn’t

need something to be glad

guys in the band, it was like we

perfect, but we’re really happy

about. We need hope.

were our own band of brothers.

had

good

listen

Diamonds and I absolutely love

and I think that just comes out in the music.

You’ve been playing music

We go do war together; make

for over a decade. How do you

memories — it’s like your own

it. There’s something special

With Diamonds, we decided to

manage band life with person-

family. Some people don’t get

about it lyrically. Tell me about

just thank God for something. If

al life? Has it become easier

that at their jobs, and sometimes

the theme of the album: the

we start by encouraging others to

along the way?

it’s just about stepping out of it to

concept of a diamond.

be grateful for what we do have

It’s been a ride, and it’s had ups

realize how good it is. I’m pretty

in life, it’s a gateway to joy for

and downs, just like most people

grateful for the relationships we

everyone.

in their jobs. It’s something that

have.

Our lead singer Jon really wanted to communicate a hopeful record that has lots of ener-

I know it’s pretty overt, but I

can become mundane or harder

gy. There are seasons for more

really like the lyrical direction

with time, and I think, with age,

What’s one important thing

downcast,

music,

Jon took. It’s very intentional.

it’s become harder to leave home

you want listeners to get out of

but, this time, he wanted to offer

Every line matters and holds

because you start to realize just

Diamonds?

something uplifting. What I want

its own weight and I love that.

how short life is. Today might be

When I think about family

people to get is that we’re not

Sometimes I wonder if it’s too

all you have, so you want to spend

members and people who have

skirting around real issues. The

bold, but I feel confident giv-

it with those you love. As a band,

denied God, I want them to know

whole concept of a diamond starts

ing this album to anyone. God

we’re all best friends and it’s

God is for them. He’s not a set of

with coal, which changes form

can use it to reach anyone. In

weird — for me, it hasn’t become

rules. I want them to know there

under pressure over time, similar

fact, He is using it to reach me

easier. It’s become much hard-

is hope and that’s why we’re

to the trials in our lives. It’s like

even though I’m a part of it. We

er to leave home. But when you

drawn to this relationship with

God is turning us into something

so wanted to cut through all

make a record and you believe

God and Jesus.

better and more beautiful through

the religious Christianese and

in what it’s saying, it makes it

Diamonds showcases that —

the pressures of life, which we all

we want people to know God

easier. If I was at this stage of

and it’s awesome and fun musi-

go through. We’re not pretending

believes in you and He is for you.

my life working on an album like

cally — but there’s more to it.

they don’t exist; we’re just looking

They need to know God is on

our first one, I wouldn’t be able

If it were just about the instru-

at how God is working through

their side.

to do it. But with the message we

ments, I wouldn’t be doing it. Life

Another thing that makes this

want to send through Diamonds,

has to be about something more

album unique is we did a lot of

it’s worth it to me: sharing with

than just living and breathing

That must be it then: The

the production ourselves. We’re

the world that you don’t have to

and dying, and I think Diamonds

lyrical element that stuck out

in an age where bands are taking

be perfect, God can fix your life

helps people look more at the big

to me. It’s so simple, yet it’s a

control of their own production

where you are. That’s a viable

picture and points at God a little

great way to look at our chal-

from the earliest stage. I think

reason for me to go out and work

more.

melancholy

those struggles.

HM • MARCH 2015

Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something all of us should ask every year:

Why are we doing this, what do we want to say

or communicate with people I meet, or my family and friends? 69

CELEBRATING 30 YEARS SINCE 1985

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REVIEWS Photo by Brooke Long

STRAIGHTEDGE JUDGMENT X DAY PUTS OUT A FANTASTIC RECORD TO START 2015 HARDCORE OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT, P. XX

Derek Minor one-ups himself with honest, candid lyricism on ‘Empire’

Derek Minor Empire R MG

Empire, the fifth full-length release from rapper Derek Minor, is the equivalent of Kanye West’s 2013 hit album, Yeezus. That’s the closest example of what I believe Derek Minor has accomplished with Empire. After releasing three full-length LPs under the name PRo, Minor signed to Reach Records, home of Lecrae, Andy Mineo, KB, Tedashii and Trip Lee. When he signed with Reach, the public erupted, a foreshadowing of what they believed the label could accomplish with Minor’s brash and passionate style. After one record with the label in mid-2013, he left to create his own label, Reflection Music Group (RMG). His first release there (and also as Derek Minor), Minorville, became an instant classic at Reach. Minor’s commitment to both developing artists as well as honing his own craft, held off a new record until 2015. Minor’s next album is finally here. Empire is

a unique monster with 16 cuts with just as many collaborations sprinkled throughout the tracks. In terms of production, Minor sticks to his guns, coproducing most of the album by himself. Primary production comes from superstar beatmaker Dirty Rice, with one track one the record done by Reach’s own Gawvi. The entire album is made to be very theatrical and powerful in the same sense. The two-minute introduction to Empire features bombastic exposition and features Minor speaking very directly about what he’s been dealing with. It’s indicative of where Empire is going. One solid verse touches on the things people ask him on a regular basis: “Why did you leave Reach?

Who’s better, Lecrae, Andy or you? Are you okay now that you’re off Reach?” The answer? Things are just fine, and Empire is a perfect example of just how fine things really are. “All Hail The King” starts off with a deep bass before the monstrous track kicks in with the hook. It’s almost a complete reaction to topics Kanye West covered on Yeezus, being the best, being a god, being arrogant about your life. From the very beginning, Minor is out to set the record straight and let people know exactly who the real King is. The track includes RMG artist Deraj — on one of his best verses on record — and newcomer nobigdyl. (The latter was Minor’s Tour Manager before Minor heard him spit a verse and told him to pursue music.) 71

REVIEWS

Another powerfully beat-driven track, the title cut is a good summary of Minor’s vision: “They say we won’t need the sun / ’cause You gonna light the whole world with Your love / So shine Your light on me / And now You’ve given us a new beginning / You placed us high above and there’s nothing that’s holding us down / This is our empire.” The single “Who You Know” slams in next, with a fast-paced delivery from Minor and a hypnotic beat, while “Kingdom Come” lends itself to an old school jazz beat, dropping vinyl scratch in the background. “Slow Down” is a continuation of “Kingdom Come,” with possibly the best beat on this whole record. Featuring Reach’s Tedashii and Tony Tillman, the track touches on gang culture, drugs, alcohol, and it’s a convicting, powerful cut. I wouldn’t expect anything else from the trio featured here. The final three tracks on Empire start with Gawvi’s deep R&B-style fused with “Right By My Side.” Accompanying Minor are rapper Chad Jones and a hook by crooner Anthony Evans, Jr. Another party track shows up with “Party People,” which features Marty and Fern of Social Club. The track is sure to be an instant classic at shows, even without Social Club at every date. The finale, “Until the End of Time,” showcases another dynamic trio, Minor, Lecrae and hyperlyricist Canon, another signing to RMG. The Anomaly rapper’s words permeate just like everything on his own record did. The staying-power of Empire is clear. Derek Minor is more than capable of not only running a solid record label of artists, but making music on his terms, spreading the good news to everyone in his way. Empire is Derek Minor’s best work by far, and 2015 is sure to be a banner year for RMG.

— JUSTIN MABEE 72

HM • MARCH 2015

Least of These Mere Image

The guitar work is full of creative lines, bends and swells that compliment the vocals without overpowering them. The sounds build space instead of filling it, opening each song up for innovative bass licks and a showcase in steadfast drumming. These guys play and write well together, and you can tell they enjoy it.

— NATHAN KEY

Pa n d o

but there aren’t any “Jesus is my girlfriend” songs here. It’s a more mature message than their older stuff and themes run the gamut from songs of praise, hope and compassion for those hurting, to even reminding us that we have more to be thankful for than we usually are. While the album may be a little too radio friendly for my taste it doesn’t change the fact that it’s an amazingly positive and fun album to listen to.

— BEN RICKABY When Mere Image, the debut album from Least of These, came across my desk, I had high expectations because they are from Denton, TX. Denton is a strange place. It’s a conglomerate of artists of all types trying to bang out their own voice in a conventional college town. It’s everything Austin claims to be minus the pretense; every live music venue has ridiculous talent coming out of its ears. I don’t say this as a bad thing. So many different genres coexist together. I love it there. Mere Image shines as an example of what to expect when a band is built in a city with such diverse talent. Their music is the heart of “same-but-different,” where every song has a different feel, but also where Mere Image is cohesive as a whole and flows well from track to track. The writing on each song favors the band’s versatility and highlights their collective abilities. It’s creative and risky. Clean vocals featuring multiple melody- and harmony-lines really give Mere Image a mid-’90s feel reminiscent of Guster one minute, Taking Back Sunday the next, and Death Cab for Cutie the next. The use of multiple vocals tracks in unison really give the album an intimate live-show atmosphere. The songwriting is catchy and easy to follow, allowing an authenticity to shine through the lyrics while almost begging the listener to join in the chorus.

Hawk Nelson Diamonds 7-N

I saw Hawk Nelson back in 2009 when they were touring with Skillet. The band joked from the stage that they loved touring with Skillet specifically because it meant they’d get more than just teenage girls at their shows. In the past few years, there audience has stayed largely the same; I always liked their pop-punk sound, but they seem to have forgotten the punk part in the last few years. It makes the music much easier to digest. It isn’t really a knock against Hawk Nelson they’ve changed things up for more of a pop sound, but I still miss their old punk attitude. His is one of the most positive and uplifting albums I’ve listened to so far this year. There’s an infectious sense of hope that pervades throughout the album. I like Diamonds because there’s genuine conviction in the message. Usually radio friendly Christian music seems a little shallow and watered down to me

The Lonely Revolts Broken Bones Burning Hearts T h u mp e r P u n k

Oi music has existed since the 1970s, a gang-vocal music approach growing out of the working class punk scene in the U.K. It rose to prominence as beer swirling skinheads sang its anthems, and now it seems this subgenre of punk rock is being adopted by Christians. One of the bands coming out of this faith-based Oi movement is The Lonely Revolts, with their hardcore punk-tinged anthems about freedom in and the returning of Christ, and their desire to share the gospel with everyone. They pull no punches on Broken Bones. The record starts out with a solo at the beginning of “Extra, Extra,” which turns into an anthem you can sing along to, proclaiming “Extra, extra read all about it / the king is coming and I’m gonna shout it.” It’s followed by the record’s standout

track, “Scum of the Earth.” It is an anthemic song, reminiscent of OFF!, one that boldly states things, like “Give me the trannies and killers / so you can stay in your ivory towers,” in reference to believers too afraid to reach out to a certain people. Burning through 13 tracks (“White Flags,” the folky “Falling Apart,” the ballad “Inside Job”, the ripping title track “Broken Bones Burning Hearts” were all gems), The Lonely Revolts delivers the gutwrenching cry of the working class Oi punk. The scattered production leaves the album a little loose; it could have been cleaned up and solidified I wish could’ve been solidified, some tracks just don’t flow as naturally as I would like, but hey, I guess that’s punk rock, for you.

— GARRETT HOLLOWELL

has its own distinct flavor. Take the industrial “Twist of Fate” with its rock guitar hooks and compare it to “Ironclad,” with its classical metal guitar and super heavy chugging chorus, landing it in Becoming the Archetype territory. Neither song sounds overtly similar, but the band’s dynamic tenacity stands strong as a current throughout the album. (It means you won’t get bored.) The Protest may fall more within the realm of hard rock or radio rock, but they like to toe the line with heavy metal. The Protest’s new sound is more diverse than ever, showcasing a range of talents within their corner of the hard rock universe. It makes the album stand out from their previous efforts, and the metal flair they’ve injected into their sound is the perfect step in the right direction.

— BEN RICKABY

The Protest Great Lengths I n de p e n de n t

The Protest’s sophomore release, Great Lengths, stands head and shoulders above the band’s previous efforts. Game Changer, the band’s first album, was a solid hard rock album but suffered due to its lack of diversity. Great Lengths solves that problem; it is a far more dynamic hard rock album, now tinged with a heavy dose of metal. The guitars stand out with some fantastic hooks, chuggy riffs and leads layered over a positive message in the band’s lyrics. You can pick songs at random and each one

Judgement X Day The Altar O nT h e A ttac k

Metallic hardcore is in, and 2014 produced some great records to prove it. But 2015, though early, is trending to top last year. Judgement X Day starts their year with the release of The Altar, a 16-minute onslaught of in-your-face hardcore, throwing us back to the greats of the NYHC scene of the ’80s. The record starts off with “Age of Innocence,” a heavy song that plays out as one big complex mosh part featuring

THE PROTEST’S NEW SOUND IS MORE DIVERSE THAN EVER, SHOWCASING A RANGE OF TALENTS WITHIN THEIR CORNER OF THE HARD ROCK UNIVERSE.

Chad Paramore of Messengers on guest vocals. If you were hoping to start out the record head banging, you were in luck. “Seek” is a thrashing, drum-driven track, blending the ’80s crossover thrash style with the new beatdown breakdowns, breaking perfectly into the standout track, “Vision of a Sanctuary.” The track is a Metallica track, if Metallica were to write a metalcore record. “Vision” breaks for clean vocal choruses between thrashing verses, all leading into a slow breakdown, while “Rise” is a 33 second song, that relies on blast beats. It’s more of a transition into the groovy-yet-thrashing title track before the record is closed by “New World Prophecy.” The parting song starts with a clean guitar over a voice, leading into a Twitching Tongues-style mix of spoken word and clean singing over a droning, driving guitar part. The resolution closes with a piano playing. This record grabs you from the first chord and doesn’t let go until the final key is played. It’s a must hear for the metal and hardcore fan alike, and is a great start to what proves to be a great year in hardcore.

— GARRETT HOLLOWELL

Concepts Transitions I n de p e n de n t

Back in the ’60s, music producer Phil Spector came up with a recording technique dubbed the “wall of sound.” He got the Beatles to use it, and the overly-layered-but-incredibly-deep influence can be heard on some of their most famous recordings. Listening to Transitions, the debut EP from Houston-based post-hardcore rockers Concepts, is a bit like being hit with that wall of sound, but without The Beatles. There’s too much going on making it overproduced. They use all the vocal effects tricks, add in strings and pad and make melodies with the synth. It all contributes to the songwriters not knowing when to tone it down. There is a great dynamic between the two singers, though, 73

REVIEWS

one handling the rough guttural screams and one handling the clean vocals. The first track on the EP really shows how great the vocal dynamics can be, and with the grooving guitar riffs set on top, it’s money. These guys are at their best when they drop the extra effects and leave just the band’s raw power. It’s great to hear the band shine in those moments, but those moments are more like oases in a desert. Concepts recently did a cover of Maroon 5’s “Animals,” and it sounds great. If they had stuck more to that raw sound, the Transitions EP would have been more refreshing overall. If they learn to restrain themselves a little, they’ll be writing a better full-length in no time.

— BEN RICKABY

The album is packed with reusable themes and imagery, and My Ransomed Soul plays their part in this script well. The production is clean. The scream is the exact scream throughout the entire record. The music is carefully constructed, but it’s putting together pieces from different puzzles, and the result is mediocrity. The intro riff in “Monarch” is killer. It’s heavy and brash and leapfrogs the song into a two-step with an appropriate breakdown. When they’re in this element, they thrive. There’s a little more diversity within a smaller amount of time, and their songwriting can carry the length of the track. The differences wane shortly into the album, though; some of the earlier tracks on the record (“Revolt”) could use a little more wrenches throw at its tires to force it to new levels. That seems to be My Ransomed Soul’s curse: pantomiming the same dramatic turns most metalcore albums take. I don’t even feel like I need to see them live to see the part where they all turn backto-front and bounce for a breakdown. They’re good at what they do, but it’s been done.

— DAVID STAGG

My Ransomed Soul Trilateral I n de p e n de n t

Trilateral has bite. I appreciate that in an album. It sounds vicious. It has the soul of passion and activism. The lyrics are direct. But something didn’t seem right to me. I suppose my first gripe started with the packaging. It’s entirely uninspired. It’s semiopaque geometry over nature shot. Go ahead and try the combination at home on Photoshop. The execution is spot on, and, as I’ll argue, so is the music. But if the artistic vision is somehow indicative of the authenticity of the album, I would allow that criticism. 74

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Hotel Books Run Wild, Young Beauty I n Vo g u e

I found it best to enjoy Hotel Books’ latest album, Run Wild, Young Beauty with eyes closed and the volume up, my attention squarely set on its message; it is

valuable, and it’s packaged in an album worth your time. Beautiful, soothing music with crisp, spoken-word vocals make the storyline clear, also inviting the listener into the album as a guest. Easily relatable yet equally raw in a listener, Being As An Ocean, Touché Amore way, Run Wild, Young Beauty is a verbal behemoth, paced by delicate guitars and quiet drums that plow steadily forward as vocalist Cam Smith speaks and screams his way into your mind. There’s a genuine intention to share the love of God with the masses, yet the narrative is delivered in a human way, addressing common issues, like getting caught up in a pursuit of a material lifestyle. He writes of frustration, fear, letting go of control, letting go of someone you love, finding the thankfulness to have been a part of that journey, realizing change begins with us. There’s no holding back — it’s a very open and vulnerable album. Some vocal lines end with Smith in teary breath, and his authenticity made this album more special to me. You can feel the passion in his voice as he screams out his most intense demons on each song. The powerful music is the supporting cast needed to emphasize Smith’s phrasing. The best thing about music is its ability to make you feel and to make you think of things you normally don’t or wouldn’t. Smith has a poetic way of expressing himself, using illustrations and metaphors, tying everything back to God, because He was there through the painful journey, just as it should be. And the music surrounding his message has a unique ability to elicit emotion from the listener, as well. An album as honest as it is inspiring, Run Wild, Young Beauty will challenge you to open your heart and give you a lesson in excellent poetic language. Allow it to make you feel something wonderful.

— SARAH DOS SANTOS

The Woodsman’s Babe The Woodsman’s Babe CI

It is not uncommon to find a musician depart a metal band to take on a personal music project. Jonny Craig (Emarosa) did it, Tyler Carter (Woe, Is Me) did it to work on his R&B music and ended up forming Issues, Ryan Blake Martin (Plea For Purging) did it. The Woodsman’s Babe falls into the category, as this self-titled effort features former MyChildren, MyBride bassist Joe Lengson. His first full release on his own, this folk project gave me mixed feelings. Understandably, there are risks taking on your own project and perhaps Lengson is still trying to find his place. Some songs had me swaying with the catchy beats, like in “Paranoia” and “A Heart in Port,” while others sounded slightly off key and vocally weak, like at the end of “Faded” and “Red or White.” I will give credit to Lengsen’s diverse instrumentation. There are a number of instruments on the recording, and it does lend unique flavor to the record. But sometimes an album’s music, lyrics (or, honestly, some combination of the two) will mentally or emotionally take you to another place to complete the listening experience, but I never got that from this album. All in all, The Woodsman’s Babe was not my cup of tea not because of the style of music but because of the weak vocals, simple lyrics and its inability to draw me in and take me on a journey.

— SARAH DOS SANTOS

FROM THE HM VAULT

ISSUE NO. 100 MARCH/ APRIL 2003 Twelve years ago this month, HM Magazine celebrated issue No. 100 with the Top 50 Christian Albums of All Time. This inspirational list would predate the magazine’s Top 100 Albums list, one of the most popular posts in its history, by almost a decade. From page 38: “The Top 50 Album List was gruelingly compiled by the HM Staff. Selections were based on what we deem as seminal - important - influential. During what we call the second half of Christian rock. The rise of hxc, punk, emo, rock and gelled goodness.”

FROM THE HM VAULT

• UNASHAMED

• EVERDOWN

• SOMETIME SUNDAY

• BLASTER THE ROCKET BOY

• FLEMING AND JOHN

• BLINDSIDE

REFLECTION

STONE

DELUSIONS OF GRANDEUR

S.S.F.F.T.V.

A THOUGHT CRUSHED MY MIND

• P.O.D.

• MEWITHOUTYOU

• KLANK

• HORDE

• 90 LB. WUSS

• DASHBOARD CONFESSIONAL

BROWN STILL SUFFERING SHORT HAND OPERATION

• ZAO

WHERE BLOOD AND FIRE BRING REST

[A->B] LIFE

HELLIG USVART THE PLACES YOU HAVE COME TO FEAR THE MOST

• STAVESACRE ABSOLUTES

• MORTAL

• THE CRUCIFIED

• THE BLAMED

• TOURNIQUET

FATHOM

GIVE US BARABBAS

• STRONGARM ATONEMENT

• N.I.V.

NO COMPROMISE

SICKEN

HM • MARCH 2015

THE CRUCIFIED

PATHOGENIC OCULAR DISSONANCE

• HOPESFALL

THE SATELLITE YEARS

• THE PRAYER CHAIN SHAWL

• OVERCOME

WHEN BEAUTY DIES

• FURTHER SEEMS FOREVER THE MOON IS DOWN

• MICHAEL KNOTT THE LIFE OF DAVID

• BRIDE

SNAKES IN THE PLAYGROUND

• PARAMAECIUM

EXHUMED OF THE EARTH

• GALACTIC COWBOYS GALACTIC COWBOYS

• P.O.D.

SATELLITE

• CRIMSON THORN UNEARTHED

• MORTIFICATION SCROLLS OF THE MEGILLOTH

• GUARDIAN

• POOR OLD LU

• WISH FOR EDEN

LETTERBOX SIN

• APPLESEED CAST THE END OF THE RING WARS

• KING’S X

STARFLYER 59

• PRECIOUS DEATH

SOUTHPAW

• ROADSIDE MONUMENT

EIGHT HOURS AWAY FROM BEING A MAN

• EXTOL

BURIAL

PET THE FISH

BLESS THE MARTYR AND KISS THE CHILD

• CHEVELLE • STARFLYER 59

BUZZ

• NORMA JEAN

• PLANKEYE

POINT #1

REBORN

• BRANDTSON

• THE BLAMED FRAIL

• LIVING SACRIFICE

THE SPARK

FAITH, HOPE, LOVE

• SAVIOUR MACHINE

LEGEND PART I

• CIRCLE OF DUST CIRCLE OF DUST

• MXPX

LIFE IN GENERAL

• RACKETS AND DRAPES CANDYLAND