LMP #7 (September 2010) by Lexington Music Press

LEXINGTON MUSIC PRESS Number 7 – August/September 2010

FOUNDER / EDITOR Nathaniel Lay

EDITORIAL

Mario Trevizo (www.fans4bands.org) Ryan Williford (www.audiopinions.net) Rob Harris (www.sinistralentertainment.com)

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Christian Johnston (www.postwarculture.daportfolio.com)

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Corinne Buchanan

MAIN OFFICE

ADDRESS: 37930 Chaptico Road / Mechanicsville / MD 20659 E-MAIL: nathaniellay@live.com

ONE YEAR, BABY

While contemplating what I should write for the blog this issue, I ran through several ideas in my head. I considered talking about illegal downloading first, but decided it may just start too many arguments amongst readers, our staff, and possibly our contacts. Then I considered making our Warped Tour Special the blog, but had too much going on for that to minimize it so much. Then, quite randomly at work, I realized Lexington Music Press had been around for a year now and that I should write something about it. We didn’t start off known as LMP. At the start of 2009, I tried running an independent label that quickly failed. As part of the “label”, I began messing around with website ideas that featured unsigned artists, reviews, and some interviews. Over the coming months, the name changed and the “label” dissolved. It was around July or August I decided to give it another shot, therefore creating Lexington Music Press. During these first few months, 2009 saw Lexington Music Press gain contacts with managers and labels, as well as grow in viewership. I believe I chose to end the year with some kind of Equal Vision Records online special where we featured a ton of free songs up for download. It was with 2010 that things really started to gain momentum, however.

L E X I N G TO N MUSIC PRESS

LINKS:

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com www.lmpmagazine.com www.twitter.com/lexingtonmp www.issuu.com/lmpmagazine

ADVERTISE

If you wish to place an advertisement in a future issue of LMP, please e-mail us about rates and specifications LMP (Lexington Music Press) is your online source for the latest music reviews, interviews, information, news, song streams, and more. We upload a new digital issue each month if possible. Our sites and issues both have content exclusive to them as well.

Since January, we have added three contributors (one of which is first appearing in this issue) and a graphic designer (also beginning with this issue). We have also gained a lot of readers and support from our contacts. We still have a long way to go, but the future is looking bright. Each of us puts hours upon hours into the content you see on our site and in our monthly issues. We love music and we love this job, despite making no money from it. So what does the remainder of this year hold for us? I hope to do something big at the end of 2010, and hopefully begin to print these magazines by 2011 if possible. To do so, we need paying advertisers to fund the costs. If we’re lucky and continue to grow, it will all happen for us and LMP. Here’s to the first year that brought us to this point! This job continues to become more and more exciting with every passing month, so please continue reading! ~ Nathaniel Lay

8/3 All Out War Arcade Fire Buckcherry In The Midst Of Lions Secondhand Serenade Thieves And Villains Tides Of Man Wretched 8/10 Animal Collective Black Label Society Bonded By Blood Danger Is My Middle Name Destruction Of A Rose Matt Skiba Punchline 8/14 Amely 8/17 American Hi-Fi Frontier(s) Hey Monday Miss May I “Monument” ORBS The Secret Handshake 8/24 Death In The Park Evolett Ion Dissonance Never Shout Never Ra Ra Riot The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus The Showdown The Sword “Warp Riders” Weatherbox 8/31 The Autumn Offering Comeback Kid For Today “Breaker” Papa Roach Street Dogs Sum 41 Terrible Things Within The Ruins Woe, Is Me The Word Alive

“Into The Killing Fields” “The Suburbs” “All Night Long” “The Heart of Man” “Hear Me Now” “South America” “Dream House” “Beyond The Gate” “Oddsac” “Order Of The Black” “Exiled To Earth” “Giant Killer” “American Hell” “Demos” “Delightfully Pleased” “Hello World” “Fight The Frequency” “There Will Be No Miracles Here” “Beneath It All” “Asleep Next To Science” “Night & Day” “Death In The Park” “For Your Consideration” “Cursed” “Harmony” “The Orchard” The Hell or Highwater EP” “Blood In The Gears” “Christ Puncher” “The Autumn Offering” “Symptoms + Cures” “Time For Annihilation” “Street Dogs” “Screaming Bloody Murder” “Terrible Things” “Invade” “Numbers” “Deceiver”

SEPTEMBER 9/7 Anberlin Interpol Serj Tankian 9/14 Amely Conditions Scarlett O’Hara Terror Tides Of Man 9/21 Anberlin Mother Of Mercy Ms. White Runner Runner The Scenic 9/28 Bad Religion Jimmy Eat World The Scenic The Sleeping

“Dark Is The Way, Light Is A Place” “Interpol” “Imperfect Harmonies” “Hello World” “Flourescent Youth” “Lost In Existence” “Keepers In Faith” “Dreamhouse” “Dark Is The Way, Light Is A Way” “TBA” “Squares” “Runner Runner” “Bipolaroid” “The Dissent Of Man” “Invented” “Bipoloroid” “The Big Deep”

C OM

LEXINGTO N MUSIC PRESS

BLOG

AUGUST

ach month, we choose to show some of the comments readers have left us online. Some are good, some are bad. Either way, we’re responding! Some of these are the same as we left online, some are new responses.

ENTS

Post: BLACK VEIL BRIDES – We Stitch These Wounds (Review)

must be a JADED, outdated, misinformed misogynist to criticize this relatively young band. The will involve and grow with Andy 6 at the helm Comment: “This band is terand his very, very, talented rible. The only reason they back-up musicians.” - Madam had hype is because they Butterflye have 11 year old fans whoring Response: What does age all over them. All their music and fan loyalty have to do sounds the same and is a rip with how the band sounds? off of Avenged Sevenfold. I That argument doesn’t make don’t understand sense. You’re how bands like this Want to see yourself apparently a fan, get signed. It blows here in the next isbut me and Dylan my mind.” - Dylan sue? Well then e-mail agree these guys Response: I don’t us a letter or leave are horribly gethink they sound us a comment at our neric and boring anything like A7X, to listen to. Oh, www.lmpmagazine. but definitely agree and did you really com site. We try to that the band is call me a misogyavoid editing what pretty bad. They you’ve written, but we nist just because sound very boring the band has a and unoriginal. I also may fix some grammatical errors or take couple females? agree with the “fan out parts to make your That’s pretty whore” comment. stupid. I have no comment/letter work. Comment: “You’ve problem with fegot to be kidding! males in bands. This band is very original Comment: “SO, YOU AND and the sound is quite good DYLAN ARE THE WORLD’S live. They have “presence” FOREMOST AUTHORIand “personality” – they are TIES ON WHAT MAKES LOYAL to their fans (staying MUSIC “GOOD!” Again, you around to take photos, sign are so vain and obviously autographs, etc) and give uneducated musically. I’ve them a break already! Andy been listening to music for 48 6 is only 19! The other memyears and was NOT their fan bers are less than 25 and until I saw them live. BANDS Jinxx (Guitarist, Violinist) is a DO EVOLVE IN SOUND & concert violinist as well. You CONTENT – Idiots!” - Madam July 2010 / www.lexingtonmusicpress.com

OMMENTS

Butterflye Response: “Never said that. It’s just OUR opinion, just like them being gods is YOUR opinion. That’s music journalism, Madam. Get used to it. It’s stupid when readers get upset over someone else’s opinion. You don’t have to take our word on an album. But it’s there if you are looking for other opinions. You should know that by now if you’re over 48 years old. Comment: “The only reason any1 likes this band is cuz Andy is hot… I think he’s cute but that doesn’t mean I think he or his band is any good…if he wasn’t attractive, do u think they’d have all this hype?” - Taylor Response: It’s lame that people will hype a shitty band because of looks. Agreed? Agreed.

Post: STEREO SKYLINE – Stuck On Repeat (Review)

Comment: “I kind of agree with this one, but I wouldn’t goes as far as to say they were like the Backstreet Boys. If you watch the tongue tied video, it will just prove your point even more. Some of their members are from Texas, so I’m kind of disappointed. That’s where I’m from and rarely any really good bands these day are popular besides those of the pop-punk genre.” - Sierra Response: Well the Backstreet comparison wasn’t meant to be a literal translation, but like an example of a boy band. It’s more of a genre evolution thing. I think their kind of music is the boy band of this generation. The backstreet boy thing is from the ’90s. That’s what I meant really.

Post: AVENGED SEVENFOLD – Nightmare (Review)

Comment: “Usually I wouldn’t comment, and I don’t want to be an ass*****, but to say that their S/T is better than Nightmare is not a good indication that you’re in the right line of work. No, I will support my opinion with any facts, you clearly have only known of this band since 2005 at the VERY earliest, likely 2007, so I’m not going to waste my time.” - Edward

V. Response: I started listening to A7X with City of Evil, but have since collected all their albums. I just love City of Evil and Avenged Sevenfold best. That’s just my opinion. That’s a review for you.

Post: HEAVY HEAVY LOW LOW – Interview, Review

Comment: “Heavy Heavy Low Low is so amazing! I want them to sit on my face. There is nothing in the world that I love more. It brakes my heart that they don’t do anymore shows in the U.S. and, Hospital Bomber better not be the last thing they come out with. There music is too incredible and it’s one of the few things that I can relate to.” - Fhatty Cack Snookie Drip Response: It is sad to hear they may be done. Everything’s Watched was a really fun album and Hospital Bomber is a return to glory. Comment: “This fucking 7″ is the fucking greatest. It’s one side of vinyl and it plays in under 5 minutes but it’s the best HHLL in years. This better be a sign of things to come, because their entire discography plays in about an hour. At least it’s a good fucking hour.” - Timothy Barnes Response: Our interview made it feel like the band is pretty much dissolving soon, which would suck. Hopefully they stick around.

Post: PARKWAY DRIVE – Deep Blue (Review)

Comment: “Well I’ll take that as an encouraging review. I was not impressed with Sleepwalker when I heard it. It was so generic, it could have been any of 100 different bands. I hope that I can find some great tracks on this album that measure up to the likes of “Boneyards”, “Carrion”, “Horizons”, “Frostbite” and the rest. Thanks for the review.” - B.M.K. Response: Well, most people will probably agree there older stuff is better and that this album could have been so much more. Nevertheless, it’s still enjoyable enough. Thanks for the comment!

Post: PIERCE THE VEIL – Selfish Machines (Review)

Comment: “Best review on the album I’ve read. Or maybe just the one that I totally agree with. Keep up the good work!” - Phil Response: Thanks! We did notice our review was one of the more positive reviews on the album we had read, which blows because this really is a good album that deserves attention!

UNSIGNED RECOMMENDATIONS

ACIDIC

THE O VERS

HQ: Northwest Arkansas Latest Release: The Overseer Main Link: www.myspace.com/theoverseermusic Members: Abishai Collingsworth (Drums), Bradley Riggs (Bass), Darren King (Guitar/Vocals), Anthony Rivera (Vocals) RIYL: UnderOath / Thrice / Oh, Sleeper

EER

The Overseer has been a band for almost three years now and they have been touring for about two of those years. Their most recent tours have been with Take It Back!, Becoming The Archetype, Close Your Eyes, and Kid Liberty. For their latest tour (with Take It Back!), their stops consisted of Cornerstone and Sonshine. Abishai Collingsworth puts it plain and simple: “[Our music] is something people can bang their head and sing along to.” Abishai continues on by saying, “I would say [our sound] is a mix of all of our influences with some of our own taste. Heavy riffs with catchy choruses.” The band just released their self-titled EP and will probably hit the road again later in the year. ~ Ryan Williford

R U O H E H RSUE T

HQ: San Antonio, TX Current Release: Get Nasty Main Link: www.myspace.com/pursuethehour Members: Jess Perez (Vocals), Kevin Kerestes (Guitar), Marcello Garcii (Guitar), Ethan Valdes (Bass, Vocals), Jesse Flores (Drums) RIYL: Woe, Is Me / At All Cost / Between Home And Serenity

Influenced mainly by hardcore and post hardcore artists such as The Devil Wears Prada and Blessthefall, Pursue The Hour are quickly gaining momentum in Texas. “Instrumentally, we combine melodic with heavy by blending different styles of guitar riffs together, ranging from alternative style leads to metalcore style riffing,” guitarist Kevin Kerestes says. The band recently released their debut EP and are already planning for another one come the end of the year. The five piece is also saving up money for a US tour in the coming months if possible. ~ Nathaniel Lay

HQ: Los Angels, CA Main Link: www. myspace.com/ acidicband Members: Mike Gossard (Guitar, Vocals), Ted Dubrawski (Bass, Vocals), Matt Whitaker (Drums, Vocals), Mike Thompson (Guitar, Vocals) RIYL: Every You / Stereo Skyline / Farewell

There aren’t too many unsigned bands working this hard. Hell, Acidic are busier than a good number of national acts we have these days. With several sponsorships under their belts, including Stash Picks, the band took little time to create their sound and rise the ranks since their inception. The band has received some amazing press over the years, released two successful albums, and actively donate their band earnings to charities. The band is currently preparing for the SSMF 2010 (Sunset Strip Music Festival) on August 28th. Acidic will then share the stage with the likes of The Smashing Pumpkins, Neon Trees, Fergie, and many others. ~ Nathaniel Lay

HQ: Guildford, UK Latest Release: Darko Main Link: www.myspace.com/darko_band Members: Dan Smith (Vocals), Rob Piper (Guitar), Chris Brown (Guitar), Karl Sursham (Bass), Andy Lambert (Drums) RIYL: A Wilhelm Scream / Strung Out / Basement

Following the March release of their debut EP, Darko are touring across Southern UK in an attempt to turn new fans onto their energetic and raw punk sound. The band has already received some positive press along the way. Room Thirteen said, “From the start to the end, multiple layers of subtle melodies are woven through the fast paced beats, making it clear that Darko are a band who have embraced the best aspects of hardcore, punk and indeed classic metal and are turning it into their sound.” You can download their EP for free at www.dark.bandcamp.com. ~ Nathaniel Lay

DARK O Want to be in a futu re issue of LMP as an unsigned recom mendation? Well then yo u have to let us know you ex ist! Get in co n ta ct with us by e-m ail and includ e a song or tw o with your message. Yo u may just get picked fo r the next issue!

UNSIGNED REVIEWS The Overseer The Overseer

Score: 8.5 Stream: “The Jackal” How is it that a band can tour with the likes of Take It Back!, Close Your Eyes, Kid Liberty, and Becoming The Archetype but still be unsigned? This, however, is the situation with The Overseer. In any case, they went into the studio earlier this year and recorded their self-titled EP. The EP features all new songs from the band, but is it impressive enough to get the attention of at least one label? The album starts off with “The Lost,” which gives us out first look at Anthony’s vocals. His screams are top-notch and showcased properly. In the middle of “The Jackal”, you may notice Shane Raymond’s voice. His guest spot is one of the many highlights off of the EP. Some of the clean vocals may be off-putting to some listeners, but for the most part, they are fine. Behind the vocals is the guitarist who has wrote some ambient parts that can be found throughout the EP. Those parts are a nice change of pace and were written beautifully. A lot of his riffs are nothing too spectacular though. This does not bring the EP down that much because the band is keeping it simple. This self-titled EP should be enough to gain them some attention from the labels, as this is a very solid release from a band full of great guys. The Overseer does not try to reinvent the wheel, they just use everything that’s already been invented to make great music that they love making. The Overseer should be a band on your radar. Keep your eye on them as they should be quickly rising up the ranks. ~ Ryan Williford

Pursue The Hour Get Nasty

Score: 7 Stream: “I Swear He’s Captain Jack Sparrow”

Similar to Vanna or The Bled, Pursue The Hour play like a hardcore band that vocalize like a metal act. While not necessarily an adventurous style, it is certainly entertaining and energetic. Even when things are at their heaviest, Get Nasty doesn’t really feel aggressive in nature. It’s hard to pinpoint why this is, but it makes this EP more presentable either way for listeners not into the whole “brutality” thing. It’s the little additions to this EP that shine, such as the occasional gang vocal (“The Adventures Of Keith The Canadian”) or double scream/growl (“I Swear He’s Captain Jack Sparrow”). The breakdowns are also memorable here; a good example would be the last track, “Lord Blackwood Strikes Again”. When all things are tallied up and examined, this is quite an enjoyable debut from Pursue The Hour. Give the band another year and they may just become unstoppable. ~ Nathaniel Lay

Darko Darko

Score: 7.5 Stream: “Knives” This band’s influences say it all: Strung Out and A Wilhelm Scream. While they have also been compared to the likes of Rise Against surprisingly, it is the two a for mentioned that they are most similar to. Darko’s debut EP is six energetic tracks of raw punk. Whether or not it was a conscious effort, the recording of these songs is low quality. While that may suit this genre style, it also makes the vocals difficult to hear at times, like with the opening track. “Knives” is the first track to really stick out with its smoother singing portions and gang vocals. “Yet We Breath” then follows, proving that when the band tries and add a little reggae punk to the mix, it works beautifully. When everything has come to a close, this EP clocks in under fifteen minutes. It’s short, sweet, and to the point. Darko may just have some-

July 2010 / www.lexingtonmusicpress.com

UNSIGNED REVIEWS thing here. If they can make their way to the US, they may just be good enough to leave a lasting impression. ~ Nathaniel Lay

A Seguence of Ghosts A Sequence Of Ghosts

Score: 7.5 Stream: “Chasing Shadows” Coming out of Kansas City is a brand new band, A Sequence of Ghosts. The band members started writing and practicing together in March of this year and recently released their self-titled EP at the end of July. They recorded the EP with Kevin Gates (Here I Come Falling, Harp & Lyre, The Ready Set) and are expected to tour the Midwest, south, and east coast this summer and fall. This is great and all, but how does the music sound? “The Distance Between” starts with the screamer showing off his vocals. His screams definitely have power behind them and he knows how to use that power for the screams to sound excellent. While most of the vocals are screams, the band does use singing on the songs. Right when you hear the singing you can tell that this is him actually singing and not his voice being auto-tuned. This automatically makes him standout and it does not help that his voice is pretty good. The singing highlight is found on the chorus of “Chasing Shadows”. The guitarists seem to not stray too far out of the box on this EP, so it should be interesting to see where they go and what they do with more time as a band. A Sequence of Ghosts is a band full of potential and are on the cusp of making it big already as a band. The only downfall for the band may be how young the band is in comparison to some of the other unsigned bands around. Regardless, A Sequence of Ghosts has released a top notch EP and that should be enough to put them on the listener’s radar. ~ Ryan Williford

IN THE STUDIO WITH:

ery note etc... We were able to really make sure this album was perfect from the writing process to the recording process. We’re used to doing things in a hurry. By the time this album is done, I’d like to think that it will Bayside record. We set out to write a be completely perfect in our eyes according record that we thought would cover all bases and I feel like we did. to our vision for it How has the experience been? AR: A lot of work What tours do you have planned to follow the studio time?

How far along are you with recording this record, or have you finished? If you’ve finished, how long were you in the studio?

Interview w/ Anthony Raneri (Vocals, Guitar) by Nathaniel Lay

Bayside have been busy since the release of Shudder a while back. Their contract with Victory Records ended, leaving the band unsigned for a brief amount of time. The guys then transferred over to Wind-Up and made a new home for themselves. Amongst the tours, Anthony Raneri found time to even do some solo shows across the states. While in the studio recording their next album, we had the chance to ask Anthony a few questions about the process and what fans can expect this time around. You can catch Bayside on tour now with Senses Fail through November before they jump seas to Australia.

AR: We are going to do be co-headlining a tour with Senses Fail in October/ November. It’s called the “Out With the In Crowd Tour”. It will cover the whole US. Balance and Composure and Title Fight will be opening up, which we’re real excited about. After the new year, we’re heading to Australia to do the Soundwave Festival tour for a couple of weeks

AR: We just finished up all the tracking of the album a week ago. We’re about halfway through the mixing process now. We were writing and demoing for about six months, recording for about eight weeks, and we should be completely done in about another month. This is by far the most time we’ve ever spent working on an album.

When can we expect the album to release?

Where did you record and with who?

AR: I have something in the works for a few shows before the end of the year.

AR: Gil Norton produced the record, which was a dream come true. We recorded half the record in Woodstock, NY at Dreamland Studios, and then finished up in Hoboken, NJ at Water Music. What things are different with this album (such as the way it was done, written, etc)? AR: We’re used to spending a month writing and a month recording, but this process and our new label situation really gave us the opportunity to rethink and revisit every song, every lyric, ev-

Any one else think February is too far away? Don’t miss their current tour with Senses Fail or you’ll be out of luck until the band returns to the states!

AR: Right now we’re aiming for a February 2011 release. Will you be doing any more solo tours or recording a solo album any time soon?

What can you tell us about the new album and what’s on the way for the rest of this year? AR: It is certainly the best Bayside record to date. We have felt more inspired during this process than we have in years just given the state of our personal and professional lives. It is going to mark a new chapter in the Bayside story and I think it is a place that the fans are going to enjoy coming with us. The highs are higher, the lows are lower. It’s faster, slower, heavier, lighter, and catchier than any other

July 2010 / www.lexingtonmusicpress.com

story/lyrics didn’t start coming to fruition until late 2009. The music we were writing seemed to represent Billy’s [Powers, Vocals] story really well. That’s when we realized it was going to be a concept based record. How did the story come about? SF: Billy is a big Lord of the Rings/Harry Potter fan. So a lot of his influence for the story behind Beyond the Gate comes from the way those stories were laid out and written.

way home when it broke down. My mom immediately jumped in her SUV and came and picked us and our trailer up. If it weren’t for her we would probably still be stuck there with jobs trying to buy a new van. Thank goodness for awesome moms.

How does the album cover fit in with the story?

ou guys are set to release Beyond The Gate in early August. What should listeners expect from this album? SF: Beyond the Gate has a completely fantasy based story behind it. It’s something that is pretty new to us. Expect a lot more classic thrash influenced metal, with a lot more guitar solos and world music vibes within the album. How has this album progressed from your last?

SF: We wrote this album completely from scratch. Our last album has material that we had been playing for a few years prior to releasing it. This one is also concept based, revolving around a fantasy type story. We think the material is a lot stronger than on The Exodus of Autonomy. We spent a lot of time writing, demoing, and getting each song the way we wanted it. It’s a lot more musical than The Exodus of Autonomy. What is your favorite song off of the album and why? SF: Track number 4, “A Still Mantra”. It’s got some technically demanding riffs and chop busters in it. It’s just an overall fun song to play. Our former guitarist Joel Moore started writing it, and our new guitarist John Vail and I finished it. So there are a few different vibes put into this one track. Who did you guys record with and what was that experience like?

SF: We tracked this record with Jamie King, as well as our first record. It’s always a blast working with Jamie. He’s a great dude and one of the funniest people I know. The recording experience is very relaxed and there isn’t much pressure involved. Eric Rachel mixed/mastered the record. It was our first time working with him, and he was really cool and understanding of our vision for the record. We would love to work with him again in the future. What was it like writing and recording an orchestra piece for the album? SF: John [Vail, Guitarist] had actually composed and orchestrated this piece prior to joining Wretched. We needed a piece that would flow after the first half of the album to get into the two part instrumental. We tried it out and it ended up working out great. He had the University of South Carolina Symphony Orchestra perform/record it. How did you decide which orchestra got to record it? SF: Since John was a student at the University of South Carolina, he had their Symphony Orchestra perform and record it. Switching gears, why did you guys decide to do a concept album for this album? SF: It originally wasn’t intended to be a concept based record. We began writing the music over a year ago, and the

SF: The album cover features a portal type hole that looks like it’s from another world. In the story, there is a portal that is the gateway to the alternate world where most of the story takes place. The portal on the album cover is meant to visually represent the portal in the story. What are your thoughts on illegal downloading and CD’s getting leaked onto the internet? SF: I think it’s very unfortunate that people illegally download and steal music from artists. But at the same time, your music is still getting out to people in some way. There are a lot of pros and cons involved with illegally downloading. Some may download and not buy CD’s, but always come out to the shows. In some cases, people simply cannot afford to purchase new CD’s all the time.

You guys are set to release Exoplanet at the end of August. What should listeners expect from this album? RB: Listeners can expect a full musical experience. We wrote Exoplanet with the intent of doing something new, even to ourselves. The whole process took us to new places as musicians, and I hope that comes across to listeners. What is your favorite song off of the album and why? RB: My favorite song(s) off the album are the Exoplanet Pt. 1, 2, and 3 tracks. It is some of the most dynamic music we have ever written. I can’t wait to play them live! You guys just recently finished recording with Unearth’s Ken Susi. What was that experience like?

Thank you for your time! Any final thoughts?

RB: Ken was awesome to work with. His studio was a playground for us with all the guitars and amps. It was some great times. He was very dedicated to the record and made sure that everything sat well. There were points in the recording process where he would get very little sleep. It’s the best thing in the world to have people who are just as dedicated as we are.

SF: No problem. Pick up Beyond the Gate on August 3rd, and experience what it is that is beyond the gate!

Did anything exciting or interesting happen during your time in the studio?

Interview w/ Steven Funderburk (Guitar) by Ryan Williford Shared with Audiopinions

RB: The whole time we were in Boston, we were having problems with our van. After spending most of our publishing advance on repairs, it didn’t make it an hour out of town on our

Have you guys seen any rough drafts or maybe the final product of the album art? If so, is it possible to give us a little insight of what it may end up looking like? RB: I have seen a few rough drafts flying around in emails, but I don’t want to give anything away! (Haha) Sons of Nero really know what they are doing and it looks fantastic. You guys signed with Good Fight earlier this year. What has that experience been like so far? RB: Good Fight has really stepped up and done some awesome things for us. We’re incredibly fortunate to have such a dedicated group of people who truly are passionate about getting us out there. You guys head out on tour with For the Fallen Dreams, Legend, and I Declare War later this month. What are your ex-

pectations for this tour? RB: It seems like a great group of dudes. We’re playing some new cities and were even returning to a few venues. There’s no reason for this tour to be anything short of sick! If you guys could cover any song ever released, which song would it be and why? RB: I would have to say “Subdivisions” by Rush. They have always been a big influence on us and that song kind of sums up what Rush is about, in my opinion. What are your thoughts on illegal downloading and CD’s getting leaked onto the internet? RB: It’s going to happen no matter how “illegal” it is, but a true fan will support his/her bands by buying the CD’s anyway, or going to shows and grabbing some merch. The day when fans can illegally download tickets and merch will truly be a shitty day for everybody. Thank you for your time! Any final thoughts? RB: EXOPLANET AUGUST 31ST! Interview w/ Robby Baca (Guitarist) by Ryan Williford Shared w/ Audiopinions

July 2010 / www.lexingtonmusicpress.com

THE SCENIC W

hat has the band been up to since their debut release to the point of entering the studio to record Bipoilaroid?

We’ve been out playing shows, writing, and sleeping on a plethora of fold out sofa beds across the universe. How did you guys approach the writing of this new album? We wanted to put something together that was a little more straight ahead rock n’ roll, and had great hooks like so many of the mid 90’s bands that influenced us growing up. We also wanted a record that would take the listener on a bit of a journey with different kinds of songs and moods, and would flow well start to finish. Which songs came easiest, and which came hardest? Why? Songs like “Uh-Oh” and “Magic” came the easiest. They were the grunge

fests, spawned by a riff that we just jammed out on and let pieces fall into place. Songs like “Sparrow Song” or “Halo” were a little tougher because they were songs that were very meaningful to us. We went through lots of demo versions and arrangements to try and ensure that they were as impacting to our audience as they were to us.

the emotions along the way.

What is the album cover and who came up with the design? The cover is two little kids holding hands on a beach. We all talked about

How does this record compare to your last one? Night and day, black and white. This record is much different in terms of subject matter and sound. The last record was a good mix of songs style wise, and this one is too, but it’s just bigger, heavier, and more mature. Do you have any parties planned or anything to celebrate the new album’s release? Frank’s mom is gonna make dinner and maybe rent us a movie. We’re gonna play some XBox and have cupcakes. i.e. We don’t have anything planned yet. What is the band up to while awaiting its release? What will you guys be doing after its release? We’re just gonna be out on the road, getting the new songs tight, and enjoying the benefits of medicinal marijuana and fruit roll-ups. Tell us about the lyrics of this album. Are there any themes or stories carried throughout?

why? “Everything is tragic and we’re all faggots/God is automatic and life is TV static/You can rest assured that we’re gonna find a cure cause we got the same disease.” I love that line because it’s so true. We’re all screwed up and we’re all over dramatic and full of shit. We’re afraid of what we don’t understand. We’re all trying to cope and come

to rest with the fact that none of us have the answers. But, we’re in it together. Final words/announcements Keep an eye out for our first single “Uh-Oh” coming out on iTunes soon. And check our MySpace and Facebook for tour dates!

All the songs support the main idea of the title. Each song is a picture of the up and down swings of life. Hence, Bipolaroid.

What touring schedule do you have planned following the album’s release?

Which lyrics are your favorite and

We’re gonna be out and about the Midwest and East coast for the next month or so while we’re getting geared up to circumnavigate the globe.

INTERVIEW W/ JEREMY MENARD (VOCALS) AND ZACH ANDRESEN (GUITAR, VOCALS) BY NATHANIEL LAY

Where does the title originate from? We all realized that there is no big picture in life; it’s just ups and downs with no real destination. Whatever you’re striving for will be shit when you get there and you just get to deal with all

how we wanted to portray innocence in a nostalgic way to create a contrast to the album, which is all about the ups and downs of being grown up.

July 2010 / www.lexingtonmusicpress.com

tles...seems kind of weird. I’m all for creative pre-order packages as long as it makes sense. What is it like being a modern thrash metal band in today’s music scene? JB: Being a new band in the music scene is hard enough. Now, being a new thrash band, was even more of a challenge. At first, people didn’t take us serious as we were young and playing a sound that was considered dead. As time went by and we started making a name for ourselves, things began to get a little easier, but not as easy as one would think. Being in a band that plays extreme music is a big risk you take. You know that you won’t get much money, if any at all. You need to have a lot of love and passion in order for you to keep on going strong. If you guys could cover any song ever released, which song would it be and why?

You guys are set to Exiled To Earth in What should listenfrom this album?

release August. ers expect

JB: They should get ready for an orgy in their ears. It’s a very aggressive and technical fuse that would delight any metal fan. Being fans of music in general, we tried our best to make this the best album we have created to date. What is your favorite song off of the album and why? JB: I think “Prototype Death Machine” has to be my favorite. Its heavy, technical, and aggressive; the perfect recipe for a great song. Who did you guys record with and what was that experience like?

JB: We recorded with Producer Ralph Patlan. He has done stuff with Megadeth, UFO and White Wizzard. I think it was one of the greatest recording experiences we have ever had. He let us take full control of the project and took out the best in us. If we can get the third album going with him, it would be a match made in hell! Who ended up doing the album art and what is the meaning behind it? JB: His name is Reid Southen. He has never done an album cover before, as he is a concept artist. He fit the bill very well as all the work he has done was for sci-fi movies and games. The cover represents our concept in this album: an alien invasion that is trying to be stopped by the few humans left. The outcome of the war will decide the future of mankind.

Why to do a released

did you guys decide comic strip to be with this album?

JB: We are big comic book fans and since this is a concept album, it was cool to see the story come alive in a comic. Do you think that bands should start making their pre-order packages more unique? For example, you guys have the signed comic strip and MyChildren MyBride had cologne in one of their pre-orders for their new album. Why or why not? JB: It gives it more of a personal touch. As a fan of music, having some sort of collectible is always nice. I didn’t know that bands were doing pre-orders with cologne bot-

JB: That’s a hard one. Everyone in the band has different influences. My personal request would be anything Atheist ever wrote. What are your thoughts on illegal downloading and CD’s getting leaked onto the internet? JB: There are pros and cons on this subject. For a new band, it can mean lots and lots of more fans. For more established bands, most see it as losing money on something they worked so hard to create. I’m not with it, but I’m not against it. Thank you for your time! Any final thoughts? JB: Thanks for the support. We appreciate it. Make sure to pick up Exiled to Earth out Aug 10th 2010. Interview w/ Jose Barrales (Vocals) by Ryan Williford Shared w/ Audiopinions

We’re on the Pyknic pArtery tour with Drop Dead Gorgeous, Sleeping With Sirens, Attila, Abandon All Ships, Woe, Is Me and Scarlett O’Hara, and it’s a blast! We have two unannounced tours coming up in the Fall and Winter that we’re extremely excited for... stay tuned! Tell us about the contests you’ve been running.

What made you decide to name your Fearless debut after one of the song lyrics? The song “Outbreak of Heartache” kind of sets the tone for the entire album. It mixes gore and love into one song, and that’s a lot of what we write about, so we thought that would be the perfect song to pick our album title from. We felt that Cross Your Fingers really was the most fitting title for not only our album, but this exciting period in our lives! How did the cover come to be? Our original concept was to have a close up picture of a girl with her fingers crossed behind her back, but after working with Phill Mamula on

the artwork we decided to go with a theme more related to the song which the title came from. “Outbreak of Heartache” is about a high school dance where kids catch “the outbreak of heartache” after having sex, so it’s

basically like a teen zombie prom and the artwork of the album really captures that. What does the band’s name mean? Absolutely nothing! We made up the name when we were kids making

fun of screamo and emo bands, and when we started a screamo band up, we ended up loving it!

We have the Party for the pArtery tour contest where you just have to send pictures of yourself partying (this can be whatever you consider partying) with FATS somewhere in the picture and send them to our Facebook, and at the end we pick the winner to get an autographed Cross Your Fingers album, a signed poster, a shirt, wristband and a sticker. We’re also having a contest where if you buy our album and take a picture of yourself with it outside of Hot Topic and post it on our Facebook wall, you can win a sweatshirt, signed poster, sticker and

a personal call from us! The contest ends August 6th and only three winners will be picked, so make sure to enter both! What’s the history of the band? Mike, Ethan, Jerad and I all went to high school together and after we graduated we started this band and about a year later London joined. What sets your band apart? The amount of love we have for our fans! We truly care about each and everyone of them and try to talk to as many of them as we can online and hang out with as many of them as we can at shows! They mean the world to us!

get our album Cross Your Fingers out to as many people as possible! What albums are you guys currently rocking a lot on tour? The new Pierce the Veil, PMtoday and Isles And Glaciers records a lot. What upcoming events are you looking most forward to? We’ve got some great tours coming up that we can’t wait to go on, and we’re excited for all of the new places and faces that we’ll be seeing on them! Interview w/ David (Guitar) by Nathaniel Lay

What expectations/hopes do you have for the remainder of this year? Just to tour as much as we can and make as many new fans and friends a long the way. We hope to

How did you come to signing with Fearless? When we were recording our record, we had it in mind that we wanted the CD to be released on Fearless. Our manager sent the unmastered CD to Fearless and they asked us to join the family. in-

What are your major fluences?

Blink 182, Darkest Hour, Underoath and Alkaline Trio. What tour are you currently on and how is it going? What tours are coming next?

July 2010 / www.lexingtonmusicpress.com

Interview w/ Sergio Otaegui (Vocals, Guitar) by Nathaniel Lay Your new album is nearing release. How are you feeling? SO: Very excited for people to hear the finished product. We started writing it a year ago, so it’s been a process and we’re just happy for it to come out. How and where did you record this album? What was the experience like? SO: We recorded it in Jersey City, NJ at Big Blue Meenie Studios with Tim Gilles (Taking Back Sunday, Thursday) over the month of March. It was an amazing experience recording the whole album to analog tape and we learned a lot from Tim’s years of experience/wisdom. Why did you guys decide to record on analog tape? What was that like and what did it do for the sound? SO: Like most musicians our age, we’ve only recorded music digitally and we really wanted the experience of

recording the traditional way. It just made for a much much better/warmer sounding record. How did you guys approach the writing of this record? SO: We just wanted to write music that was fun and exciting to play. We wanted to make sure we ended up sounding like ourselves and I think we achieved that. Have any of the new songs been played live yet? SO: Oh, of course! We’ve been playing only new songs live. We’re just too excited about the new material to not play it. Which new songs seem to be doing best with fans? SO: The song “Virginia Woolf” was released as a single about a month ago and that’s surely been catching on. As far as live, the song “Drunk in Amsterdam” is really going over well.

What’s your current touring situation? What upcoming events/tours do you have? SO: We’re currently on a national tour that we’ve been headlining and will be continuing to tour straight on for the next few months. What’s your favorite track on the album and why? SO: My current favorite track would be the song “Women”, which is on the vinyl version of the album only. We wrote it in a few hours, recorded it a day later, and it just came out really cool. What made you decide to make some songs exclusive to the vinyl? Is “Women” the only track? SO: Yes, “Women” is the only bonus track. We did that so that the vinyl is its own experience and so that people would have an incentive to want to own the vinyl other than it being a big blown up version of the CD. Why the title ‘South America’? SO: When writing the album, we all imagined being in a wonderful, perfect place where only we would hear the music and thus all it had to do was excite us. That location, to me, is represented by South America (I’m Peruvian). But the reality was that we couldn’t escape and we were stuck in the same paranoid, corrupt, disenchanted country that we were born in...an America gone “south”. So the title reflects one location being the place you love and hate the most...a state of mind and a physical sense. Where does the album cover come from? The album cover is a photo taken by an Australian photographer. It was discovered online by one of the guys at our label and we really liked the imagery. What has the band been up to since the ‘Movement’ album? SO: We took a lot of time “off” in 2009 to figure out our lineup and write this album. We kind of disappeared for while, but it was necessary to save the band and really find ourselves. What changes were made during your time off? SO: We got a new drummer/bassist who were actually good friends, so it wasn’t like working with new people. It actually felt right for the first time. We also just found our own sound and changed some internal business things. How do you guys plan on spending the remainder of 2010? SO: Touring and promoting the new record as much as possible. Just trying to get the music to the people...one way or another. July 2010 / www.lexingtonmusicpress.com

just sticking with “Outnumbered” and we’ve playing that every night. You have Chain Reaction coming this week and it’s already sold out. Are you psyched about that? MH: Yeah, we’ve only played Chain once but it was awesome. Chain Reaction is legendary, even out in the Midwest where we’re from. It’s sweet to be playing there and three nights already sold out is awesome. It’s going to be hot and rowdy, just like we’re expecting from Chain. In September, you have an Australian tour. Tell us about that.

A D A R P S R A E W L I V E D E H T

of a c i n a r H Mike h t i w w e Intervi

BY NATHANIEL LAY

hat tour are you guys currently on? How’s it going so far?

MH: We’re on the Back To The Roots Tour. It’s going really well. I think we’re about half way into it. It’s pretty long, but it’s going really well. The whole idea and theme of it is going exactly how we wanted it to. How have the crowd responses and reactions been on this tour? MH: It’s been awesome. The tour is a small club tour where we do a lot of two nights at one small club rather than just doing one night at a bigger club that we would usually play. It’s much more a personal interaction with the fans, so obviously the fans are a huge part of these shows. It’s gone really well. The reactions have been great and it’s just that intimate, in-your-face feel that we wanted from these shows.

Have you guys played any songs off the new EP? MH: Yeah, we’ve been playing just “Outnumbered”, which is a song we put online. I don’t think we’re going to play anything else on this tour or put anything else online, at least not from the actual EP just because it’s only a five song EP like most EP’s. It’s kind of weird to put too many songs out there because then you’ve practically given away half of the music. For now, we’re

MH: We’re direct support under Parkway Drive. They’re from Australia and do really, really, really well over there. We’re all fans of Parkway Drive musically, so we’ve always wanted to tour with them and get to know them. We’ve always heard the best things about them. We actually had an off day at the Pittsburgh Warped Tour where we just went out with Trent and what not. We got to meet them and they seemed really cool. The pre-sales are already completely insane, so we’re really excited to be doing that tour. It’ll be our second time in Australia and the fact that it’s looking to be ultra successful makes it all that much better too. For the Zombie cover, it’s just a photograph of some sort. Is there a story behind it?

a clear choice. He’s the closest photographer we have on a personal basis, just knowing him and everything. We had ideas for each song that we gave him, and then we told him to just go out and shoot a bunch of stuff and then we were going to pick a cover. The actual cover of the album doesn’t mean anything in particular, but the whole direction of the album art is built off of being really cold and desolate, which is how the power lines turned out. I really like it. It was first choice as far as the cover, so I’m glad to see everyone agree upon it and have it turn out the way it did. What other choices were there? MH: The other choices were the cornfield shots, which we actually used for the back cover. The layout has a lot of different photos, even the ones that aren’t used for the actual album art. When the EP is actually out, you’ll get to see it, or if you buy the vinyl, there’s like a collage on the inside of the fold. Everything is really based off that desolate feel I was talking about. There are shots of the corn and an old truck, so it was just like choosing between what would do best on the cover. For these songs, how did you go about writing them, and what makes them so much faster and heavier than older material?

MH: I don’t know. It didn’t really catch us outside of our element. All of our songs are obviously our songs in their own sense, but MH: The dude that did all the Chris writes a lot of different matephotos for the album (Adam Elrial. So it wasn’t hard for Chris to makias, who has worked a bunch go out and write something that with us before), he’s a really cool had a lot more concentration on dude. We’ve got along with him just being straight heavy and fast since he started shooting us and and almost thrashy. So it wasn’t when the band decided that we particularly hard for me to write wanted to do some photo-based heavier parts. We felt really 23 album art, Adam was July 2010 / www.lexingtonmusicpress.com

cool doing it, especially since that on our full length albums, they generally progress heavier and heavier. It’s just how we naturally push it. We’re not trying to become more radio friendly or anything like that. We’re just making the most appealing music for us, and a lot of the time that’s just getting heavier and heavier. So the EP wasn’t really out of our element when it came to musically. Where did the whole Zombie theme

thing small or is it an actual full book? MH: It’s a full fledged comic book. The cover has been all finished up and pages are being knocked out one after the other. It’s actually fourteen pages. It’s kind of hard to describe. On the pre-order the site, it doesn’t show the cover or anything, so I know it’s hard to tell but everything in the book is meant to be like a fully legit comic book like a collector would go

Interview w/ Danny, Justin, and Dustin by Ryan Williford

down in one room and coming up with new material, so I guess a Spring/ Summer release for the full length and recording early in the year. We’ll see how it goes.

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA Zombie EP [Ferret] Score: 9 Stream: “Anatomy”

Shared with www.audiopinions.net

How would you describe your music to listeners that haven’t heard you before? The biggest news out of your camp is signing with Tragic Hero Records. What was this process like? Danny: The process was a little long but at the same time it gave us time to make sure everything within our contract was pretty solid What bands currently signed on Tragic Hero Records are you guys excited to play with? Dustin: Confide, We Are Defiance, Lions Tigers Bears, Eyes Like Diamonds, and Greeley Estates. We’ve been listening to Confide and Greeley Estates for a few years now so I’m really stoked on that.

come from? MH: I was just reading different books by Max Brooks; Zombie Survival Guide and World War III. We were overseas. I was on a kick and we were going to see Zombieland that night, and I was like “what if we wrote zombie songs?”. We were completely about the living dead and it was just something that sounded evil. Chris jumped all over it as far as writing some songs, and everyone was all about the idea. From that day bringing it up one afternoon to that evening, we already had our management and label involved in being like “let’s put together this EP as a fun release for the fans that doesn’t have to be seriously as a full length”. For some of the pre-orders, you have a comic book. Is this some-

buy in the stores. It’s nothing small or sized down. It’s being drawn by a comic illustrator, Kevin Mellon. It’s looking awesome. It’s a story about us ultimately having achieved a goal that you don’t find out about until the end of the comic, but it’s also military outfits with assault rifles killing zombies. It’s really rad. For such a pre-order price we come up for with that and the EP, I’m really stroked for it. It’s a sweet package for any fan to pick up and see the art and illustration that went into it. When do you guys think you will go on to your next full length? MH: We hope to hit the studio early next year. Probably January or February. We’re starting to get times worked out and all that business crap figured out as far as scheduling. But hopefully that is when we’ll actually be sitting

The Devil Wears Prada have released an EP oozing with power and energetic chaos fans will surely eat up like zombies on a brain. Right from the start, Zombie explodes into a frantic escape from the undead (Literally, in a sense – the first track is titled “Escape”). Compared to the rest of the songs, it’s quick and to the point, giving the EP a suitable beginning considering the themes explored here. “Anatomy” then takes a gradual build before turning into something haunting and intense, coming out as one of the top tracks to play again and again. The audio bits of people screaming and weapons loading work perfectly and help capture the whole hell of the album. The third track, “Outnumbered”, is also the single off the EP. It opens with a public radio announcement of how to destroy the undead before breaking into some killer guitar riffs. The fade out at the end of the track helps make the beginning of “Revive” all the better. The broken glass sound furthers the musical assault as shit continues to get crazy, as is the nature of this EP. Don’t expect any slow moments of beauty; this is all death and destruction. The last minute or so of “Revive” is coupled by the sounds of someone hiding, but that comes to an abrupt end when the final track, “Survivor”, begins. While a little more pulled back in tempo, the song is still powerful and well capable of pumping up the listener. It certainly does an excellent job in ending the album. Twenty-two minutes of action and terror, Zombie is a great addition to the Devil Wears Prada catalog. Don’t miss out on it. (NL)

Justin: I would have to say our music would be described as hardcore with a mix of techno, synth leads and rhythmic keys to top it all off, a lot of catchy choruses. We like to be very diverse with each song to target a bigger audience Do you guys have your new record already recorded? If not, when and where are you guys planning on recording? Dustin: We have not recorded yet. We go in to the studio on August 14th in Bethesda, Maryland with Taylor Larson, who recently did Sky Eats Airplane’s new material. Are there any Fall or Winter tour plans in the works that you may or

may not be able to tell us about? Dustin: There are plans for us to start touring by this Fall, but I don’t have much details just yet. If you could cover any song, what song would it be and why? Dustin: We’re actually working on a cover right now, but I can’t give it away just yet. What are your thoughts on illegal downloading and CD’s getting leaked onto the internet? Dustin: I think it’s a great way for people who can’t afford to buy our CD to still be able to listen to our music. Even though they got our music for free, they are still listening to it and that’s what matters the most to us.

July 2010 / www.lexingtonmusicpress.com

can be at times than our last CD. What would you like people to know about this album that may help gain additional interest in the project?

something even better? TS: Not really, actually. We felt Empire was just the first glimpse into what we were headed for. We had not yet toured when we wrote and recorded Empire, and after some member changes the group we have now is The Word Alive. We were very proud of the songs as we were writing them.

TS: Well we’re very happy to have our good friends Dave Stephens, screamer for our best friends in We Came As Romans on the track “The Wretched”, as well as our buddy Levi Benton of Miss May I on the track “2012”. We think both of them killed it, and we’re very excited for people to hear our first guest appearances on a TWA album. We also have our first all singing song, “You’re All I See”, which will really take TWA fans in a whole new direction. It’s still us, but the lighter side of us. What are you hoping people will

How have the two singles been received by fans so far?

hat made you guys decide to re-do “Battle Royale” for Deceiver? TS: “Battle Royale” was the one song from Empire that we really felt was the closest to our current sound. We love playing it live, and we love the crowd reaction to that song especially. We wanted to make some changes to show off some of the things we do differently live and incorporate those aspects. What changes were made? TS: Well the biggest change was the

tuning. We dropped it from Drop D tuning to Drop C tuning, which makes the song feel heavier overall. We added a few vocal changes, making things more intense at times than the first version. This album is much more aggressive. Was this a conscious effort? If so, how did you go about approaching this? TS: Definitely. We’ve been touring non-stop since June of ‘09, and as we progressed as a band and we were

starting to get a grasp on the direction we wanted to head towards, we realized we could go bigger, go heavier, and more melodic all at the same time. When we write, Tony and Zack don’t sit down and say “I’m gonna write a heavy/ technical song”. They just write what feels good, and we were feeling like going in a heavier direction so it just came naturally. We still have some of our softest and most melodic parts we’ve ever done though amongst the chaos. After the praise of Empire, were you nervous on following it up with

TS: Well a lot of Deceiver is personal, based off of my life or the band’s life so whether it be personal relationships of mine, or obstacles the band had to overcome such as switching management companies, switches our online merch store, as well as the biggest change: replacing our former drummer. A lot has happened, but the songs are still about overcoming all of these things. It just portrays a much darker picture of how hard it

TS: Fearless has been great for us and to us from the start. We have a very close relationship with our label, and without them we wouldn’t have had the early success we’ve received. Much bigger things are yet to come; the first full-length is usually when a band can really climb the ladder so to speak, and Fearless as well as our management behind us are seeing to it that we do just that. What are you most looking forward to with the remainder of 2010? Least? TS: Definitely Warped Tour on the Glamour Kills stage, our CD being released August 31st, and all the touring we have for the rest of the year. We’re blessed with having a full schedule for the rest of 2010 with some great tours. We’ll just have to wait and see how amazing it really will be. Tell us about the tour you have with Bleeding Through after Warped Tour.

TS: So far, we’ve been more than happy to hear people’s reactions. The hard work seemed to pay off because everybody is stoked on them so far! From the release of Empire last summer to now, what all has happened to the band (specific occurrences, incidents, etc) that helped flesh out the themes of this album?

How has it been on Fearless thus far?

TS: It’s gonna be the heaviest tour we’ve ever done. We’re excited to explore different tour options from now on and this is stacked with great metal bands. say about your album? How they translate lyrics?

Does the band plan on doing some kind of release show or party for Deceiver?

TS: I know the band really put all we TS: Yes, actually, we have a homehad into this album, so we can only town CD release show August 28th, hope that people will recognize that which will undoubtedly turn into a and be half as stoked on Deceiver as party afterward! We’re gonna play we are. We really feel like we made a a lot of songs off Deceiver and just great record; we hope 2010 and behave a lot of fun! yond shows that. Personally, I really Interview with Tyler Smith (Vocals) by hope the lyrics stand out to everyone. Nathaniel Lay I spent a lot of time and many hours of writing for this album, and I hope people see that we’re writing about real things that anyone can relate to. But I wanted to be as personal and still unique as possible. 27 July 2010 / www.lexingtonmusicpress.com

July 2010 / www.lexingtonmusicpress.com

JP: It was really just meant to be a joke just for fun. We recorded it in my studio, re-arranged some shit, and did electronic programming and yeah. We just did it for fun. We didn’t realize that kids would like it so much, or hate on it so much. So what song right now, would you say kids are reacting to the most?

Interview w/ Joel Piper (Drums) by Mario Trevizo So you finished up a tour with From First To Last a few months ago, correct? JP: Yeah. And did you end up doing anything after that? Like anything small? JP: Right after that, we went straight to Europe and played in 11 different countries. Oh wow, how did that go? JP: Oh, it was awesome. It went really well. Right after that, we did our CD release tour and went straight on to Warped Tour. How did the CD release tour go in terms of people coming out? JP: It was awesome. We had a lot of

fun. It was crazy. We did a lot better than we thought we would. So there was a lot better crowd participation than you were expecting? JP: Yeah, way better. So now that you have the new record, are you guys incorporating any of your new songs as the ending track? You know, since the ending track is normally the single. JP: Umm, yeah. Actually, we now only play one old song in our set list. Wow, really? That was actually my next question. I reviewed the album some time ago, and I felt the album was powerful as shit. So I was just wondering, since you released a bunch of great new songs, if you would be dropping

the old ones. JP: [Laughs] Yeah. We dropped a lot of old ones. Almost all of them. Why did you decide to do that? Is it because you like the album that much more? JP: Uh, none of us like the old stuff. None of us were really in the band when the old stuff was written. How many members changes have there been? JP: There have been three member changes out of the five. So yeah, a lot of us are new and that’s why the record sounds so different. When you guys decided to do your cover song, what was that attracted you to do that specific song?

JP: Kids really like “View From My Eyes” and “My Choice Of Words”. I think the favorite though is probably “Delete, Repeat”. Are there any songs that are more personal for you or the band off the new record? JP: “My Choice Of Words” is about a girl that I dated and she ended up being nuts. So that song is very personal for me. Do you guys like playing it because it gets a lot of anger out for you? JP: Oh no. It was so long ago that even when we were writing it, I was emotionally separated from it. It actually ends up being one of the crowd’s favorite songs as well, which is actually pretty funny. So what can we expect after Warped Tour is all finished up? JP: Right after this, we have a full U.S. tour with We Came As Romans. Right after that, we are going to Japan with Pierce The Veil. Then we do another full U.S. tour right after that with Miss May I.

Man, you’ve guys got your year all planned out. So is this all stuff that will run into 2011? JP: It’s actually going to be finishing up around December. Each tour is going to last for about a month each. Japan is only going to be about a week, but everything else is just fourweek tours. Full U.S. Are there any countries that you really excite you to play at? JP: Australia is my favorite. It’s my favorite place; I love touring out there. Japan is cool, and Europe is cool. But I like Australia the best. When you are traveling through the States, what is the one restaurant you always need to stop at? JP: Well, I love Cracker Barrel, and that’s all over, except for California. But yeah, I love Cracker Barrel; it’s probably one of my favorite places. So when you aren’t on the road, what would you guys be found doing on your down time? JP: Well Ross owns his clothing company. I’ll be in the studio actually 100 hours a week, in my studio, producing bands and stuff. Or I’ll be working on my solo music. Everyone else would be doing something chill. In terms of the music, it seems like Confide went from being a name that some people knew to having a huge jump-start on your reputation. Does it feel kind of crazy at times seeing

how well your album actually did? JP: Yeah, it definitely surprises me. I mean we all did our part. We all do our thing. I am really stoked to see all of these doors opening. I don’t know if I have anything to do with it, but it’s really cool to see it happen. It makes me feel stoked that kids like my voice and stuff. If you could tour with any band as a result to your rising status, which band would you hope to get on tour with? JP: Umm, I’ve always wanted to go on tour with my old friends As I Lay Dying. Jordan, their drummer, actually got me into my first band. So I would love to tour with them one day. Them or the [Devil Wears] Prada guys. I think that would be a really fun tour. UnderOATH if they still had Aaron would be totally awesome. Now that you have set the bar for Confide, what are you trying to get fans to realize about your band, from your presence? In other words, what kind of impression are you trying to set with your music? JP: We just want kids to find hope in our particular music. We’re not trying to claim anything crazy or spectacular. We’re all just regular dudes that screw up. Our music reflects our faith a lot. So it is very instilled in us. We just want kids to find hope in our songs. So if anyone gets anything out of our music, hopefully it is some sort of sense of being stoked on life. Is there any song of yours that you would say reflects that whole morale? JP: Every song individually kind of does, so it’s mainly just the whole record. So every song really ties in together its own meaning. In terms of crowd participation, what is the one reaction to a song that you love seeing? JP: Well I don’t really see too much because I am always swinging my head around. But when I do look up and out into the crowd, I love to see jumping. I love seeing everyone ahead of me just all jumping together. I also love seeing crowd surfers and stuff. Straight up, well that about does it for me. Thank you so much for your time. Thank you, man.

July 2010 / www.lexingtonmusicpress.com

COMEBACK KID

want. One track is missing guitars, so you can learn and play the guitar parts. That kind of thing. Just an extra goody that allows our listeners to get in the mix with us a bit more. Who did you guys record with and what the most memorable experience from that?

of hardcore around the world. That was always the goal and the concept stays in that respect. We’re definitely taking this band into our adult lives, some of us sooner than others as there is a big age gap in the band... like twenty-five to thirty-

AN: I’m most excited to tour with Madball across Canada. They haven’t done western Canada in ages and to be able to bring them to our hometown Winnipeg is a huge deal, and stoked for the SOIA S. America dates for obvious reasons!

four or something like that. We’re just trying not to embarrass ourselves as much as we used to

What are your thoughts on illegal downloading and CD’s getting leaked onto the internet?

Switching gears, you guys are set for a Canadian and European set of dates. How did these two tours come about?

AN: I don’t get too fussed about it. It’s something that happens to every album. I admit that I get my music for free, off friends, etc. so I can’t say anything. It allows people access to music, especially in times when money is tight, etc. If people can buy an album, that is so rad. But I don’t judge either way. I just hope people are able to check out music as they please, and somehow I can keep on releasing records and touring.

AN: We recorded with Eric Ratz and Kenny Luong. We met them through the Cancer Bats guys. Most memorable experience? Them being tuning Nazis, making fun of Ratz for eating too much of the Rotten Clown, McDonalds, and having the studio surrounded by chop shops and massage parlors. (Haha) How did the concept for the album cover come about?

ou guys are set to release Symptoms + Cures in late August. How are you feeling about this album? AN: We feel fantastic about it. Getting a lot of good feedback so far. This is our most ripping album to date. It’s the most intense songs we’ve ever written and they all mean quite a lot to us. A lot of people have heard it so far, but we’re really excited to get the album out. I just saw a copy of it for the first time yesterday. What should listeners be expecting from this release? AN: Well musically, it’s a bit of a mix

of everything we’ve done before. I would say more like Wake The Dead musically than Broadcasting, because there’s not as much technical guitar work as in Broadcasting...Vocally is where listeners will notice the most change. I used to play guitar in the band and then when our singer Scott left, I became the vocalist. I struggled a bit with figuring out how I wanted to sing. I knew some things that my voice was capable of. But I also wanted it to sound like the same band. So I kind of mimicked Scott a bit in my own way on Broadcasting. On Symptoms + Cures, I just went full on, and wrote/ sang the songs how I would live. It’s much heavier and more intense than the last one. But we also included a

lot more chant/sing-along type parts, and there is more layering in the vocals. One cool feature that the CD has is an enhanced part where each song comes with an extra 6 tracks. Each track is missing an instrument so that listeners can play along with us. For example, one track is missing vocals so you can karaoke the song if you

AN: Symptoms + Cures is more of a collection of songs. They definitely have a flow and come together, but they don’t all necessarily follow one path. The songs were written on the road. The lyrics talk about traveling mishaps, trying to find balance in our lives, never being able to keep up normal relationships, border crossings, and the world’s need for stimulation as it keeps getting smaller and smaller with its advances. The name Symptoms + Cures came from one of the lyrics. The cover shows a guy jumping headfirst into the unknown. People are sometimes eager to take desperate measures in order to better our lives, and that kind of depicts that. How do you feel you guys have progressed over the years as individuals and as a band? AN: Well we’ve been a band for almost ten years now. We’ve gone through a lot of changes mentally and physically. (haha) We’re not as skinny as we used to be. But for real, we are a group of musicians who are trying to do something cool with our lives: write songs that we enjoy playing, and taking our brand

AN: Actually, we have a world tour we are trying to put together. The breakdown of that are festivals this summer in the UK, Canada, and Germany. I’m in London as we speak. Then with the release of the album, August 31st, we will headline across Canada alongside Madball and A Wilhelm Scream. Then we tour with Four Year Strong in the USA. Then we go to Europe with Parkway Drive, Bleeding Through, etc. Now we are trying to plan out Australia end of the year. Early 2011, we will be in Japan with Ghost Inside I think, and then we head to South America with Sick Of It All! Not too shabby eh?

Thank you for your time! Any final thoughts? AN: Thanks so much for the interview! www.myspace.com/comebackkid you can find dates and other fun shit. Interview w/ Andrew Neufeld (Vocals) by Ryan Williford Shared with www.audiopinions.net

Which one are you guys most excited about and why? July 2010 / www.lexingtonmusicpress.com

Interview w/ Ramin Niroomand (Guitar, Keyboard) by Mario Trevizo July 2010 / www.lexingtonmusicpress.com

o right now, you play lead guitars for the band. Are you one of the original members? Yeah, my brother and I started the band. Then, Tyler is the other original member. So half of the band is original members, and the other half has been there for the bulk of it though. The most recent member was Scott, and he joined in the summer of ‘08. Actually, he joined much earlier than that, but didn’t actually start touring because we had to wait for him to get out of college. I know that you guys have been a band for some time before you were recognized. But how long were you guys an actual band before anything started happening, for instance your EP?

In the beginning, you did the Rise tour correct? It had bands like Emarosa and Burden Of A Day when they were smaller. Yup. That was actually Attack! Attack!’s first tour. Yeah, when they were opening it. So yeah, it does seem like you’ve done a bunch of small tours like that. [Laughs] We still do small tours every once and a while. The last Rise tour, we were co-headlining with The Bled. It was an incredibly fun tour, but I would say the average shows were bringing in two to three hundred people, which is still fun, because I love shows. Yeah, get that intimate club show going.

Well when we put out the EP, we had been a band for maybe a year, if that. We actually only played three local shows before we were touring full time pretty much. So we were never really like a “local band”. We’ve never really had a local following. We just hit the road and haven’t stopped. We’ve been on tour for pretty much the last three years.

Definitely. Those are always really fun.

Did you guys just get found and had an opportunity, or did you just do it yourself?

Oh yeah, definitely. I mean bands have the piano, but you guys really put a focus on it and give it a place in your sound. Along with the posthardcore screaming and singing, you make each member and their instrument known. In all of that, what was your vision creating your sound?

We got found I guess because of MySpace. MySpace was a huge tool to any of our success and got us recognized. And our song “Live, Love, Die” kind of blew up for a while. So we got a lot of attention on MySpace. So we got a booking agent to send us out on tour and we did a bunch of really, really tiny tours, until they started getting better and better.

So what exactly was the vision for your sound starting out? Because you are kind of doing something different than everyone else. There is a unique sound to In Fear And Faith. I appreciate that.

Basically, from the beginning, we just wanted to create the most epic sound we could by utilizing things that not every band really focuses on. I feel like one very large portion of our

sound derives from piano and keys. There are not that many bands that use intricate pianos as the bulk part of the song. From the beginning we just wanted to create what we had considered an epic sound. A big and massive sound. So yeah, that was the idea. Lyrically, are your songs metaphoric, or are they based on experiences? For example, “Your World On Fire” seems kind of like someone who keeps relapsing on all of their issues, while someone is doing everything they can do to help out. Absolutely. The lyrics are actually quite literal. They are definitely based on personal experiences, even more so with the new album. Everything we do, we work to be positive. We want to be positive. But the last album [Your World On Fire] was kind of directed for the kids, for the crowd. We’ve been doing this for so long, giving up everything, sacrificing everything. So with this new album, it’s a reflection of everything we’ve gone through as a band. One of our songs with Craig Owens, “The Road To Hell” on our last album, was a positive yin/ yang side of a story on a serious topic. This new album, it’s about us, more so than the last one. Very, very personal and literal. [Laughs]

Yeah, definitely. Fortunately I was able to review the album, and I really enjoyed songs like “Counselor” and “Pursuit”. The thing that I love the most about the new album is the transitions. You didn’t come in with a big powerful breakdown intro, or the most epic riff ever. It kind of built its way into your attention. We definitely like to use a lot of tension. We like to create an emotional attachment with the music. Transitions are one thing I think we focus a lot on, and are very important. I can’t stand it when I hear something and it

One question I did have about the new album was track two, “Bones”. What are you referring to when you say, “her bones are buried in the backyard”? Basically...a distant memory. It’s kind of like a relationship sense, where you leave things behind and move on. Just an escape from all of that. That’s a song that isn’t literal [Laughs] No one’s bones are in any backyard. But yeah, that’s definitely a song about leaving the past behind. We actually shot a video for that song on Warped Tour rehearsal day. It’s a zombie video, so we are really excited to see

can’t wait to see how it turns out. For Imperial you had said that you were really happy with it for yourselves. Did you get reviews on it that you were hoping to get? Absolutely not. The kids, that are all that matter to us, I’ve noticed have completely loved it. Especially with the response we’ve been getting from them at our shows. We really care about this band a lot. So we read every little thing anyone ever says about us. The fans absolutely love it. The people that have reviewed it, or at least most of the people that have reviewed it, I’m pretty sure don’t even

When you talk about the old album as “for the kids”, are you referring to your musical style or lyrically? Lyrically. As far as sound, it really, really bugs me when bands will do something because it worked for another band. What we do, especially with this new album, is exactly what we want to do. We are completely satisfied with the way that it turned out.

just has terrible transition. Like when you are listening to a melodic part and randomly there is a huge breakdown. So I really appreciate that you did notice that.

it because we have no clue what to like this genre of music at all. Reviewexpect. I mean we did our part. When ers have said that it’s “generic” and we showed up to shoot, there were “sounds like everything else”. That people in crazy makeup and we did just blows my mind, because we our crazy makeup. I just 37 July 2010 / www.lexingtonmusicpress.com

definitely do not sound like everyone else. Sure, we have singing and screaming, but that doesn’t mean that we sound like every other band that has singing and screaming. Kids love it, which makes me happy. A lot of reviewers have said very contradictory things. But we did exactly what we wanted and feel proud of it. So what’s your favorite song on the new record to play? “Counselor”. Well, I mean we’ve only played three new songs off of the new album. We’re playing three of them on the Warped Tour. We’re playing “Counselor”, “The Solitary Life”, and “Bones”. It’s weird; this is actually the first time we are playing “Bones”. Jumping on a massive tour like this [Warped Tour], it’s a little nerve racking. I’m not quite sure how to move on certain parts [Laughs] So overall with the band, are you guys anywhere close to the sound that you want to capture? Or are you still looking for that extremely EPIC sound? I think, in our opinion, we’ve achieved an epic sound. So now the goal is to capitalize on it? Like what we did on this album, we wanted to bring the In Fear And Faith sound and emphasize on all the parts we already had. We wanted our heavy parts to be way heavier, our choruses to be way catchier, and our melodic parts to be much more pretty and emotional. I think we did achieve that. For the next album, we’re basically going to be going in with the same mindset and build on what we’ve already done. But songs like “Pursuit” I feel is a pretty epic feeling song. That’s one of my favorite songs off of the entire album.

That song is so chill in the beginning. Then it builds up and builds up and builds up, and it gets there...but it’s not. It transitions back and forth. It’s like riding a wave. I think that’s why it is so awesome. I think that may be the most epic feeling song on the entire album. Are you guys going to eventually play it? I can’t wait until we play it live. I can’t wait until we have longer set times. When are we going to see a headlining tour? We want our first headliner to be ridiculous. So we want to keep doing support tours and build the band. So when we do our headliner, it will be something to remember. Any chance you will be doing it this year, or are you looking at 2011? Our first headliner will be next year. We’re not sure when, but there are some really cool ideas being tossed around. For this year though, we are already booked for the entire year. After this we have a tour with We Came As Romans and Confide. Then we continue with WCAR through Canada. After that, we have about two to three weeks off before we hit the road again. Are you guys still considering yourselves pirates? The whole purpose of the pirate’s thing was really just a break from reality. It was all just a fun little gimmick. We’re not going to completely go away from that. We’re going to bring some pirate fun back. The only reason I ask wasn’t even

We want to make an impact. We want people to hear what we do.

about the music. I watched a video somewhere way back where someone had asked your band who you were, and you guys replied with “We are In Fear And Faith the pirates. All we do is drink all day.”

Who came up with the album cover and why did you guys decide to choose that one? JC: Once Tim came up with the album title and we all agreed on it, we sat down in the studio one night and all talked about some artwork ideas. It seemed we all kind of had the same vision, so we gathered some pictures for reference and sent them over to the label and it turned out great I think.

[Laughs] Yeah, we do like to party. In that case you could probably consider us pirates because pirates like to party, and we love to party. Is there any band that you party best with? Aww, so many good ones.

Can you tell us about any upcoming touring plans that you may or may not be able to talk about?

ONLY one. I have to see either A Skylit Drive or Breathe Carolina. Probably Breathe Carolina. Obviously, In Fear And Faith has a lot to it: emotionally, lyrically, and just powerfully. So if someone were to make a movie based off of the sound of In Fear And Faith, what do you think the storyline or plot would be? The end of the world. What’s more dramatic than the end of the world? Running out of ketchup? Running out of beer. The movie is going to be about running out of beer, and what chaos follows. The funny thing is, that could probably make a movie. [Laughs] yeah, for sure. Well I think that movie would sell a ton of money. Anyway, thank you for your time, it was a pleasure. Thank you, I really appreciated it.

You guys are set to release Invade at the end of August. What can you tell us about this album? JC: We can tell you that it’s the best material we’ve written today and the first album that any of us have ever had 100% confidence in. It’s a year’s worth of hard work. I think it displays that we’ve matured as musicians. There’s much more “feeling” to this album, rather than “hey listen to all these crazy riffs we made!” We concentrated much more on song structure and leaving room for our new vocalist Tim to do what he does and get the message across. What was the most memorable moment from the recording process? JC: We recorded this album with Josh Wickman and I have to say every single day from the start with Josh was fucking ridiculous! He’s an awesome dude. It’s cool when you can have a great time in the process, as well as end up with a great sounding album and some good friends out of it. We stayed in Michigan for a month to record and luckily found The Hayloft in Mt. Clemens. We spent almost every other night getting drunk there with some awesome people. To answer your question, Tim blacked-out mid conversation one night, fell over

and dislocated his shoulder. I’ll never forget that. Why did you guys decide to release a new album so soon after your debut? JC: A few reasons. One being our obsession with always having to outdo ourselves. As soon as we finish a song, it’s like “man that song’s okay, I’m kind of sick of it now though, we could make something way sicker”. We never stopped writing since the release of our debut. It’s all we do. We really have nothing else in our lives besides family and friends, so 90% of our free time is spent writing. And two, there are a million bands out there, always new stuff happening, especially in this genre. It’s easy to get lost in the mix unless you keep up with getting people new music. Why did you guys decide to name the album Invade?

JC: Well we have plans up to November right now but nothing has been officially released, so yeah I can’t say much. We will be doing a solid eastern Canadian run soon though with some great bands, followed by a full US tour with some more great bands in Oct/Nov. What are your thoughts on illegal downloading and CD’s getting leaked onto the internet? JC: All I can say is that it is the worst feeling in the world when you check up on your CD leaking, and it finally happens. It’s inevitable though I guess. You almost feel violated in a way. It hurts the band and label, but hey people are hearing the music, which is the point after all. Thank you for your time! Any final thoughts? JC: Thank YOU! Please check out the two new songs we have released, and if you like, please buy our album and support us! Invade will be in stores everywhere 8-31-10! Come out to shows too and talk to us. We love hanging out with everyone.

JC: We spent literally three months trying to come up with a name for the album. It was just something Tim threw out there that always kept coming back up while discussing the album titles. It’s a Interview w/ Joe Cocchi (guitarist) by powerful word I think, and honestly Ryan Williford it kind of describes what we hope Shared with www.audiopinions.net to do with this album. July 2010 / www.lexingtonmusicpress.com

Interview w/ Josh Wallace (Screams) by Nathaniel Lay

How did you come to signing with Tragic Hero? JW: After recording an EP in Florida, our tracks eventually found their way to our now good friend Gabe Valdez who started managing us. Gabe shopped us to Tragic Hero and we begun talking about a possible deal. A month or so after, Artery Foundation picked us up and kind of made everything official. What’s it like being part of the powerhouse Artery Foundation? JW: It’s really awesome. The guys at Artery are obviously amazing at what they do and we are stoked to be working with them. How far along are you with your record debut? How was/is the recording process going? JW: We finished recording in June. The record was done in Seattle with Casey Bates. All of the songs came out better than any of us expected and we’re really excited for the album. Casey is a rad dude. He’s fun to work with and he really helped us achieve the sound we were aiming for.

When can we expect the release date? JW: Probably by the end of the year. How did you approach the writing of these songs? JW: We basically locked ourselves in my garage for a month and really worked our asses off until each song was perfect. Some songs are super heavy and others are softer. We wanted to have a little of everything in the album.

What are your major musical influences?

Any themes or stories carried through the album?

JW: Honestly, we listen to everything from Motley Crue to Suicide Silence and Blink 182.

JW: Sort of; we have a lot of different meanings behind each song. Some are about serious subjects and others are just for fun. We want to be seen as a serious band but show that we have a fun, goofy side too. Do you have a title or cover yet? JW: We all decided on Theory for the title of the album. What tours do you have planned? JW: We have stuff in the process, but I can’t really say when or with who yet.

Why should people check out your music? JW: Well people should check us out if they like a good blend of heavy and soft music. All of our songs are about believing in yourself and just having fun in life. We really hope people can relate to what we have to say. What’s with your band name? JW: We got our band name from a movie called The Wizard of Oz. It has just really stuck with us and we all love it.

July 2010 / www.lexingtonmusicpress.com

ow has the No Bummer tour been going? Who are you out with? How long does it go till?

The No Bummer Summer Tour consists of Gwen Stacy, Lower Definition, and A City Serene, and will be going on until August 2nd. All of the bands on the tour are all super nice guys and each band has something unique to offer to every show, creating awesome shows that have something to offer for everyone. The tour itself

We caught up with the tour in Tulsa, Oklahoma and it’s been a blast since.

band? Demos and releases along the way?

What touring do you have planned after the No Bummer tour? With who and where?

The history of the band is a long and somewhat dramatic story, full of member changes, style changes, and even a hiatus. The band officially began in 2004 and went strong until 2007 when we decided to take a hiatus after a devastating tour and some issues internally in the band. The first part of our history involved a couple of self released EP’s and the building of a very strong and loyal fan base that still never fails to support us and motivate us through the hard times. We then started the band back up again in 2008 with the release of our EP Apotheosis, followed by a west coast tour and a national tour shortly after. The line-up we have now is easily the strongest and most talented line-up this band has ever had and we believe our newest EP, Nightmares, shows that.

After this tour, we’re going to have a few weeks at home to rest and collect a few paychecks, then we’ll be back out on the road! We have plenty of tours coming up, including one that will take us all across the U.S. - we literally can’t wait! The new EP is officially out. How are fans and critics responding?

N O S A E S T R A Z MO ral m to seve e th d e p p en I ll as sho xcited wh e ear, as we y n t m s a a d p s e hta band for th t Equal Vision), I w ext EP. Nig n is ir th e d th e h g a tc w home y releasin will surely Having wa g their ne was finall ebut that in d d d l n e a lu b c d n la e (i n e lbum iv sig labels and new a an explos le had been ’s u d it d n e t a h u b c b s e , th aining heard th wing tour h the rem a full leng ro it g e w r b e t v to o e n rd n y forwa y. With a mares ma be looking s their wa to d t a e lo h a w e e v turn n ason ha Mozart Se in stores, f 2010. months o

INTERVIEW BY NATHANIEL LAY

So far the EP has received an amazing response. We understand that this is our first release on our label and that we are prepared for an onslaught of criticism, but regardless most people have been saying that the EP is worth listening to and that it is a record worth speaking positively about. For this, we are nothing but grateful and we are so excited that people are digging the tunes we put so much work into and we hope that we can get our EP into as many hands as possible. What are the plans for your release shows?

started off on a really sour note for us, due to an insane amount of van drama. Our old van broke down twice getting out to Utah, then the replacement van that we were supposed to pick-up in Utah ended up being completely worthless and had more issues than our broken down van. We had to camp out at Benton’s grandparents’ house for about four days while we looked for a new van and had to miss three shows that we really didn’t want to miss. We were able to get a new and reliable van though.

The No Bummer Summer Tour is acting as our ‘CD release tour’, allowing us to push the new CD to many people across the country. Once we get home, we will be playing a show in Sacramento, our hometown, for a proper CD release show with the fans who have been with us since the start. The show should be a really big show, not only because it’s our CD release, but also because the show will be the last show being held at the venue we’re playing. It should be a really special night.

How did you guys come to signing with Equal Vision? Equal Vision is a label that all of us in the band dreamed of being on since we all started playing music. We had had some contact with EVR back in 2007 before the hiatus, but the hiatus obviously prevented that from moving forward at all. To get on the label we just worked hard to prove ourselves and did all we could to get in contact with the label again, and once we did, we just stayed in contact with them and worked even harder to prove that we were worth the label’s time. Thank goodness they agreed with us and decided to bring us into the family. Where did the album cover come from? Funny enough, the inspiration for the artwork came from a Dawn of the

What is the history of the July 2010 / www.lexingtonmusicpress.com

from being with Equal Vision?

Dead trailer where a bunch of zombies start piling up on a frosty white window. It was just something we thought looked really cool. Plus, we feel it represents a true nightmare in which you’re constantly trying to escape, or even worse, watching something try to break in.

We’re all absolutely 100% grateful just to have been given the opportunity to be on the label, so for us to list off an array of expectations

we have of the label would be kind of silly in our eyes. We just want to develop a close relationship with the label personally so that we can work with the label, not for it. All in all, we just hope that we are able to keep

the label happy while the label returns the favor and keeps us happy and growing as a band.

Which of the three new tracks are your favorite and why? Our three favorite tracks off of the EP are definitely “Famous Last Words (You’re Nothing Without Me)”, “Rage Factor 11”, and the title track “Nightmares”. They are our favorites because they are our three newest songs and we feel they display the diversity of our band the best, while also being the catchiest, most technical, and best songs we’ve written to date. We love the other songs just as much, but these three are the freshest to us and to our fans, and we really feel they display the progression this band’s sound is starting to make.

Ocean” since it’s a familiar song and a song that we all go completely buck wild on when we play it live. It’s definitely the perfect song to set the tone of the show and get the crowd involved and moving around. Then we’ve been ending our set with “Famous Last Words (You’re Nothing Without Me)” since it’s the first song we released from Nightmares and it’s a song that also brings a lot of energy to the stage to end the show on a strong, solid note. When can we expect a full length since this EP was made up of three older songs?

What songs seem to be fan favorites? Everyone has their favorite track and opinions on what’s best, but so far we’ve been hearing that “Rage Factor 11” is the most liked track out of the newest three. Aside from that, “Look Mom I’m on TV” (featuring Jon Mess of Dance Gavin Dance) has always been a crowd favorite ever since we released it on Apotheosis. That song is still one of our favorites to play live. What song do you like to open your set with? End with? We open up our set with “Ankle Deep

As soon as possible! We are all itching to get back into the studio and start writing. We’ve been discussing what we want to do for our full length for what feels like forever, in eager anticipation. We definitely have some touring to do to promote our newest EP but hopefully next year we’ll get the necessary time off to deliver the full length our fans have been waiting for. What plans do you have this year aside from touring? We’re going to get a head start on writing for our full length when we have the time off, but other than that we’re all just normal dudes with bills to pay, so we’ll be stuck in our day jobs workin’ the 9 to 5 to make the pay-

checks that keep our bellies full on the road. How are the lyrics written? How are the songs created? Nate writes all the lyrics with a little help from the rest of us when he needs it, but 98% of them are straight out of Nate’s brain. The music is created by all of us collectively though, with each member influencing the song in his own unique way. We usually start off with a guitar riff from Benton or Sam and just build around it until we develop the structure of the song. From there, we go back and fine-tune every little detail until we are completely satisfied with the final product. How was recording this album? Recording this album is like any experience in the studio - stressful and amazing, all at the same time. Luckily, this time we went into the studio with a better idea of what was going to happen before we got there, allowing us to already know exactly how we wanted everything done and how we wanted it to sound. With a more experienced mindset, we were able to leave the studio with a product we were 100% satisfied with and a product we were more excited about than anything else we had created. What are your hopes/expectations

Track-By-Track Discussion of Nightmares “Famous Last Words (You’re Nothing Without Me)” − This song is a song that means a lot to all of us in the band, because it was written about someone whose last words to us were literally, “You’re nothing without me.” After a disagreement about how the future of this band was to go, this person went out of their way to do what they could to sabotage our band and bring us down, not to mention banter us personally and individually. So we just got our frustration out the old fashion way with some good ol’ rock-n-roll. “Look Mom I’m On T.V. (Feat. Jon Mess)” − Musically, it’s one of our favorite songs from our older EP, Apotheosis, which features our good friend Jon Mess from Dance Gavin Dance, someone we were super stoked to have come out and contribute to the song. The song itself is about the stereotypical middle-upper class yuppies that look 45 July 2010 / www.lexingtonmusicpress.com

at people like us and stick their noses up in judgment, thinking they’re better because of the size of their bank account and what car they drive. All in all, it’s just a song about being yourself and not worrying about what everyone else has to say about it, because our individuality is what makes us who we are and is something that should never be compromised for anyone. “Rage Factor 11” − This song was one of Sam’s brainchild songs that slowly grew and grew into what we consider the most diverse song we’ve written yet. The song has a heavy hitting chorus that feeds into verses that span from fast and hard hitting, to slow and ambient, to groovy and climactic. When we wrote this song, we made sure to keep a completely open mind with it and allow the song to take its natural form, not allowing anyone to turn down any single idea for the sake of creativity. “St. Peter” − This song is actually the only “old” song we decided to keep from the pre-hiatus times of Mozart Season. We wrote the original version of this song back in 2006, but went on hiatus before we got a chance to record it. When we got back together, we all talked about it and agreed that it was a song that deserved to be resurrected. This song is probably our most straightforward song with a very solid and “normal” song structure, but also allows us to show the poppy side of our music, and even gives us a chance to do some gang vocals, which is always awesome in our books. “Ankle Deep Ocean” − This is the first song that all of us wrote together as a band, and to this day it is still one of our favorites. It was a song that started off with one riff from Benton and just got filled to the brim with riffs and input from every member as it was written. It’s a song that we wrote with the live show taken into account as we wrote it, so naturally, when we play the song live, we go bonkers to say the least. It’s by far our favorite song to play live and brings out the best reaction from the crowd when we do. “Nightmares” − “Nightmares” is one of Benton’s songs. It started out with just a handful of riffs that he had been working on for quite some time. After piecing everything together and figuring out how each part was going to go, we had to push our own abilities just to make it to the end of the song without a mistake. It’s by far the most technical song we’ve written thus far, allowing us to display our skills as musicians to our fans. The song lyrically is about all of the frustrations we’ve had to deal with when trying to find members that are willing to have the dedication it takes to be a successful band, the biggest nightmare this band has had to face yet.

July 2010 / www.lexingtonmusicpress.com

This interview went on longer than what you see below because we had a bunch of interruptions and conversations that were hard to follow. Despite that, this was a fun conversation and the four of us (me, my fiancee, David, and Kyle) all enjoyed talking. They’re fun dudes that you should definitely hang with sometime. Let’s start this off by saying it was HOT outside. I’m talking around 100 degrees Fahrenheit without clouds or a breeze. That’s pretty bad for Maryland. The line to get pass the gate stretched through some woods and up into a giant parking lot, where it then wrapped around the cars all up and down the rows. If that wasn’t bad enough, it was only moving a few feet every ten or so minutes.

between our interviews. We would have liked to see more (much more), but set times and interview times conflicted unfortunately. We tried to make a pass of each tent to see what was up, but there wasn’t much exploration other than that. Our favorites sites included Vanna, Every Time I Die, Fearless Records, and Rise Records. I’ll admit, though, that we expected to see a lot more free samplers than we actually did.

This being my first Warped Tour experience, I wasn’t aware of the location where press could enter in a different, much smaller line. After standing in the normal line for thirty minutes, Mario rescued us (me and my fiancee) some time after I had called and woke his ass up. Once inside, we began our long and tiring day of talking with bands while trying to catch some sets along the way. Don’t get me wrong, though; we greatly enjoyed our first Warped Tour.

Any way, we did five interviews while there, and saw a few bands play. Iwrestledabearonce put on a crazy show, I’ll have to say. Their front woman is a lune on stage, bouncing all around and spazzing out constantly. Oh, and did I mention she was dressed as a Furby? It was pretty fucking sweet. We also briefly saw Anarbor, Breathe Carolina, The Pretty Reckless, and Every Time I Die. These were the only bands we got to see for more than a minute. Next year, we’re doing less interviews and more sets dammit!

The heat really made the day hard, though. If all the walking didn’t kill you, the burning sun did. We wanted to collapse most of the day. The sweat, oh God, the sweat. People were probably losing several pounds just from doing it. It was so much to take that we actually left the tour a few hours early, soon after speaking with Keith Buckley of Every Time I Die. I think we stopped to see maybe five bands play in

In conclusion, here is our Warped Tour stop in Columbia, Maryland where Mario and I talked to some bands, recorded what was said, and then translated them here for you. Enjoy! It was a bitch writing down all that audio... My interviews are the ones that follow. Mario’s are scattered throughout this issue. Happy hunting.

How is Warped Tour going so far? KE: Ridiculous. Absolutely insane. Every show has been progressively better. I think we’re getting tighter as a band and we’ve been doing a lot of things differently with our set. I’m really excited about it, man. Your show was the first we caught today. I liked how you surfed the crowd at the end. KE: I wanted to do that last year but just didn’t make it real. So I had to do this year, just had to. What song did you open with today? KE: We started with “Tripped And Fell In Portland”. We came in on “Hello Fascination”. KE: We played that third. No, actually we played that fourth. Yeah, it was “Tripped And Fell In Portland”, then it goes into “I’m The Kind Of Person To Take It Personal”, which is my tribute to Set It Off. I love that movie, dude. Love that movie. What is your favorite song to play? KE: Now, I think it’s “Tripped And Fell In Portland” just because it’s new.

We’ve never played it before. I really like playing “I Don’t Give A Fuck”; it’s a fun track. I like playing them all. It’s just fun to be a character and wig out and have fun. How is it since you guys go at the same time? What’s the duality of it all? How’s that like?

around us. We’re lucky we get to have them all with us. Eric, our drummer, has been with us since before we were even signed. He played drums with David in his old band. The reason I ask is because on your deluxe edition that came out on iTunes, there was this new song that sounded a lot bigger and crazy. Is that something you’re going to try with the next album, and incorporate everyone more? DS: That was just me, him, and our drummer Eric. We recorded that when we recorded our last album, but they didn’t put it out in America. They put it out in Japan. It wasn’t on the CD. It’s a little different style. It’s sick. It shows our diversity. I’ve played guitar my whole life and Eric has played drums forever, so it’s cool to show us in that kind of light. All our friends sing on it as well, like Dave from Every Avenue and Austin...it was awesome.

KE: What up D?

Is that something you want to bring on the next album? More guest appearances?

DS: Chillin’. Like on stage, you mean? The only thing that is ever really an issue is we’ll get tangled in each other’s mic chords and we’ll be like “aw dude” and spin around, trying to figure it out. But it’s sweet, it’s cool.

DS: We actually want to have a feature on every song. We’re gonna have like Jonny Craig and Vic from Pierce the Veil, Danny from Asking Alexandria...everyone is going to come out and just do a track with us.

KE: Yeah, we just do our thing. It’s fun to constantly go back and forth, back and forth.

That would be sweet. What are you guys planning after Warped Tour?

With the people doing the instruments and electronics, do you have personal relationships with them?

KE: After Warped Tour, we’re going into the studio to start an all new full

DS: Everyone that plays with us is our best friends. There’s no hired musician. They’re like our best friends. KE: There’s no randoms. We’re all equals. We’re all the same. OK, I wasn’t sure if you had people come in and out on tours...

length. KE: No, we try to keep it a family. We don’t want it to be like that ever. That’s DS: I was just telling him we want to one thing we hate about doing this have a feature on every song. is not having our family 49 July 2010 / www.lexingtonmusicpress.com

KE: Oh, dude, we want to so bad. We have so many friends out here. I think our boys we’re really hoping to get tracks on is Jonny Craig from Emarosa. He wanted to be on it last year. We’re going to fly him out this year and get him on that shit.

Something crazy, something simple. Whatever. KE: What was Louis’ thing? Get high or die trying? DS: It was like get fucked up or die trying. Something like that.

Warped Tour quote to end on.

KE: Louis is our DJ.

KE: Any quote?

DS: Honestly, our quote is to be real.

KE: We want to enjoy ourselves. If people want to enjoy themselves with us, then we’re stoked on that shit. I think that’s the most amazing thing when you can hang out with people who admire you and they’re just being real right back at you. We’re big activists in the terms of like legalizing marijuana and finding bands on tour who think the same thing. Just hanging out and being friends. Be real. Good to chill. Thanks for hanging out with us! Dude, I had fun.

w o c s o M n Closure i This interview was fucking hilarious. If you laugh while reading the answers Chris gave us, you should hear the recording. This dude was making us laugh constantly. Very entertaining. I cut out several questions below that are on the recording you’ll have to hear yourself by downloading the track (we’re putting these online sometime this month). Just stuff like their influences, feelings towards the states, a radio caller, and that sort of thing. This isn’t your first date, is it? CD: No, this is our...however many since our first. But this is your first Warped Tour, right? CD: Yeah, this is our first. How’s it going so far? CD: I cry myself to sleep every night, shaking violently missing my pet snake, Arthur. I weep and I scream in my sleep. Like horrible, blood curdling screams. “Arthur! Arthur! Your skin is so sleek!” Then the rest of my band are like “stop screaming about Arthur, he’s OK”. And I’m like “I don’t know if he’s getting fed enough rats” and I’ll be just in hysterics. We’ll have to pull over and I’ll get out and vomiting and saying “Arthur!”. [Mimics vomiting and screaming pet’s name]. Besides that, it’s been really, really good.

[Laughing] How’s been the turnout at the stage so far?

CD: Pretty good. Like yesterday, or the day before, we had about... seven trillion people watch us. Not everyone was there physically. There were about four hundred people there physically. But I was mentally beaming the set to all the people around the world that were meditating at the time. Like that were transcendentally meditating at the time. There’s a lot of them here [laughs] passing out literature. CD: It might have looked like I was distracted, like I didn’t care about the set, but I was doing the set and at the same time sending a millions SMS’s while you’re trying to play. I was like singing and brain texting the songs to everyone. Have you done today’s set yet? CD: No, we haven’t. It’s at 4:25. Are you going to be playing any new songs?

CD: No...awwww, there’s one little thing that we have in the set that’s from a new song, but isn’t a new song per say. OK, because on the radio last night, you guys said something like there are three you have worked out so far, as far new songs, that you may play on Warped Tour. CD: We have a few things in the work. As soon as we get back home from this, we’re going to really get stuck into writing. Warped Tour quote to end on. CD: Uh...give me a moment to ponder because it has to be poignant... Come watch our set and kiss the face of infinity.

IE D I E M I T Y ER EV

Interview w/ Keith Buckley (Vocals) by Nathaniel Lay down to is now that we’re on amazing. I like playing early in the Epitaph, which we weren’t day also. before, they had the idea Do you plan on having Jordan of doing it in a little series. handle the artwork for now on? Giving it out for free and then culminate with actually KB: I’m sure. I don’t see why not. having it come out on DVD with some more content. Just It made things go so much more sort of something to keep the smooth having an in-house art guy. I can’t remember all the countless attention while we’re on tour hours battling back and forth with and doing things. We can’t show everything that is going the design company over images we were going to use for the record. on, and while we’re on tour Everyone has to get together on an we’re not really writing music e-mail, then a phone call, and then or putting out records, so it’s just kind of something to keep everyone has to...you know, just too many cooks in the kitchen. This is the interest peaked. just way easier. Do you know how many episodes there are? What do you have planned after Warped Tour? KB: I think there are twelve KB: We have about a month off, then episodes total. we go to Europe with Terror and The Acacia Strain. Then we come back Is it weekly? from that and have another month No lie, we scheduled our whole day or so, and then we headline. We’re KB: Yeah, every Wednesday around this interview and this band’s night on vans.com/etid. starting to put together a headliner set. It was great getting to talk with for fall. Just now. We’re pitching it out Keith, however brief. We also spoke Have you guys begun writing any to bands. with Jordan for a bit at the press tent new material yet? Warped Tour quote. Something to earlier that day. Great band. end on. KB: No, not yet. I mean, it’s hard We caught your set and, by the for me to say. I don’t know if they’ve KB: Aunt Jackie from Rosanne was way, good song to end on [“We’re begun mentally writing. The way it extremely horny. [Laughs]. She was, Wolf”]. We love that song. How is usually goes is once we get off the though. We’ve been watching a lot of Warped Tour going so far? summer tour, we’ll write for a little Rosanne and have determined she bit, then go out on a fall tour, and was very horny for an old lady. KB: Great, man. The kids are rethen once the fall’s done, we all kind ally receptive and everyone is very of buckle down and get in a room Hell of a last season. supportive. It’s odd, because we’re together and that’s when the writing definitely...it’s our third Warped Tour, really starts. I think the whole proKB: Yeah, it was! It was rough, real so we’re veterans. So considering cess of touring is everyone collectrough. A tearjerker. It was brutal. this is our third one and I think the ing notes and sort of having ideas fact that people are still coming out and getting ideas done. In the winter It was like Dinosaurs. Did you ever and watching us while on the main time, in one room, that’s when the watch that show? stage is great, that we have that kind writing really starts. of longevity. KB: I did! I don’t know how it ended What did you think of your set though. today? Tell us about that new web series you have going on. It ends with the...uh, you know... KB: I thought it was great, man. It extinction basically. was amazing. This has always been KB: Pretty much immediately after a great venue. This was actually the KB: Oh, really? Just extinction? recording The Big Dirty, we started first venue on the first full Warped Damn, I don’t remember that at all! filming again with the hopes of Tour we ever did, so it kind of holds putting out another DVD. We did a special place in our hearts. So this a bunch of tours on it and filmed everything, and I guess what it came was great. It was very 51 July 2010 / www.lexingtonmusicpress.com hot, but the kids were

GC: I like rock ‘n roll. I like rocking. I like playing my drums and I like breakdowns and I like groovy parts and I like Stephen’s awesome vocals. I kind of like double bass. Not really that much. It’s all right. Kind of like it. Like pseudo like it. I fake like it. I fake like double bass drums. I like jazz. I for real like jazz. And I for real like indie rock and everything experimental.

thing we could have asked for. We’re glad to be back. How has the crowd been so far? MF: Pretty insane. JP: It’s pretty unbelievable at times, you’d be surprised. From the first time we came on Warped Tour, we were touring on the first record for a long time. Almost three years. We got in the studio and luckily got to release our new record, Selfish Machines, a couple days before Warped Tour. So I think that helped us a lot getting more kids to show up and stop to listen.

SK: Did you hear the question? [Laughs] GC: So we try to incorporate a little bit of everything in the record. So my favorite parts in the record, I’d have to say, are the jazz, experimental, breakdown-y, pseudo metal, double bass parts. And when do these parts appear? [Everyone laughing] DK: They don’t exist! [Laughs] The drummer of Haste The Day is wild when you get him talking. We ran into him again later that day and he is just an energetic, funny dude.

SK: It is ruling the world.

How’s Warped Tour going so far?

SK: Reverend Peytons Big Damn Band.

SK: We’ve been on it for about...five or six hours. We haven’t played yet, but we have a good feeling about it.

GC: Definitely, Dillinger Escape Plan. That is it.

Are there any bands you’re wanting to see?

GC: From start to finish. So basically, if you like The Mars Volta and if you like Bela Fleck And The Flecktones, you’re going to love the record. DK: [Laughing] That doesn’t make any sense. GC: No, I’m kidding. It takes a lot of influence from old Haste The Day and mixes it with our inspirations from the new members, because everyone’s coming from different backgrounds. We try to keep it very close to the roots while infusing it with a little bit of our own tastes. I’m stoked on it.

This is your first date for the tour?

DK: All-American Rejects, Sum 41, Every Time I Die...

SK: This is the first day of the tour. We’re excited. We’ve already eaten lunch and have everything situated. It should be good.

For this new album, you have had a lot of member changes differently, so how did that affect the writing of this album?

In that case, what are your expectations?

SK: Writing this album was different, but every record has been different. Since When Everything Falls, every record after that has had somewhat of a different line up change. So it was kind of steady in the sense that it was different, because we’re kind of used to dealing with the changes and dealing with a new writing style for each record.

Do you know what song you’re going to open with?

What are your favorite things about this album?

DK: In honor of Guiseppe’s old band, “Do you wanna go for a ride?” [Singing]

SK: We expect it to be hot. We expect there to be a lot of bands. And we hope to have fun and meet a lot of people. Do you songs from the new album you specifically want to get in your set? DK: We are on the Warped Tour compilation with our single “Travesty”, so we’re definitely going to play that song and some other songs. We want to promote the new record as much as possible. How is it doing so far? [the new record]

DK: I would say my favorite thing is that everyone has their favorite parts of the record. A lot of our different styles combine in such a way that it’s very diverse and well rounded. Everyone is very well represented musically on the record and stylistically.

This was our first interview for the day. We weren’t too tired yet. Just getting into the groove of things. Mario interviewed Vic also, but that interview is online via www. cosmosgaming.com – so go search it! How is the tour going so far? Is this your first date? JP: This is like the middle point.

GC: No. Do I?

MF: We’ve been on since day one. This is our second Warped Tour. We did ‘08. We’re on the whole thing this year.

SK: “68”.

JP: It’s been awesome. It’s been the best

GC: Off of Dreamer. Warped Tour quote to end on?

GC: That’s pretty good. DK: Thanks. GC: Yeah, pretty solid.

MF: Yeah, kids are troopers out here. It could be like 110 and kids are still out there and moshing. Or a storm comes and they’re soaking wet and still having a blast. Any crazy things going on in the crowds while you’re playing? JP: We did one show in Dallas where it was nice all day, and then all of sudden two minutes before we went on stage, it just went like... MF: Stormed. Tsunami. JP: Straight Jumanji storm. Insane. So we get up on stage and it was pouring rain on us and everyone. We had the biggest crowd we’ve ever seen and they

didn’t move, they stayed. Everything was soaked and we just played on. I will never forget that day, as long as I live. What new songs are doing best live? JP: We’re actually surprised because the newer ones are getting just as much attention or even more attention than the older ones. As far as kids singing along, it’s been pretty even. For us, that’s the best thing in the world having the kids already attached to the new songs. When I spoke with Vic, I think he said you guys were going on Australia after this. MF: Yes. We’re doing the Take Action Tour over there with Attack Attack!. What do you want to do over there? JP: I want to kiss a kangaroo. MF: I want to ride a koala bear. JP: I think that was the opposite. I want to ride a kangaroo and kiss a koala... MF: We’re just stoked to go over there. We’ve never been there. We always get messages from kids saying “come to Australia, come to Australia”. JP: Now we can stop lying and say “absolutely”. MF: Then after that, we go to Japan with Confide. We’re stoked.

FINAL WORDS

It was a great Warped Tour and we aim to make next year much bigger and better! If you want to hear these full interviews, we will be offering them up for free download at www.lmpmagazine.com, so come by and grab them while they’re there! Don’t forget to check out Mario’s Warped Tour interviews in this issue as well. I think just about every interview he did in this interview was from that day, if I’m not mistaken. July 2010 / www.lexingtonmusicpress.com

I searched you guys on Twitter to see what came up, and a lot of people seem excited about the new album and are rocking out old songs in preparation. What would be some of your favorite old songs that you would still like to be playing during tours?

AMERICAN HI-FI Interview w/ Stacy Jones (Vocals, Guitar, Drums) by Nathaniel Lay

With their new album finally here, we wanted to make sure we had the chance to speak with Stacy Jones about the band’s return and more. The funny thing is we actually did this interview back in May, but the audio recording was messed up by cell phone interference. So, to make sure to band made the new issue in time for the release of Fight The Frequency, I called Stacy back up and re-did the questions. Enjoy! Oh, and don’t forget to pick up the new album immediately!

ow did you guys come around to creating your own label and why? SJ: When we were making this record and knew we were getting close to finishing, we started talking to some labels. We talked to majors, to indies, we talked to all kinds of people. We came to the conclusion that it might be a good time to do something on our own. We hooked up with Sony with Red. They liked where we were coming from and what our ideas were, and we liked what they brought to

the table, so it just seemed like a good time to try this little experiment here, starting our own thing. At the end of the day, it gives us a little more control of what happens to the album and the lifespan of the album. What made you guys decide to go with an obviously related name, which was Hi-Fi Killers? SJ: That was just something we’ve used for different things in the past. We have a song called “Hi-Fi Killer”. It’s just one of those things

we’ve used in the past when we needed a name for something, so it just seemed kind of easy and obvious. The new album comes out next week. How are you feeling about that? SJ: We’re pretty excited, you know. We’ve been working on this album for a long time. Some of these songs have been recorded and done for a couple of years, so it’s exciting to see that this thing is finally coming out to the public.

SJ: I like 97% of all of our music. There’s only a few songs out there we’ve recorded that I don’t really care for. I like all the old stuff. When we play shows, we play a lot of old material. “Flavor Of The Week” is one of those songs I still really like. I’ve probably played that a song a billion times in my life, but I don’t get sick of playing it. It’s pretty much that way across the board for our material. That’s good, because fans will always demand old favorites they came out to hear at a show. SJ: Yeah, absolutely. I’m the same way. When I go see a band I like,

I want to hear songs I’ve been listening to or songs that are my favorites, so I totally appreciate that.

You guys did a video on “Lost”. Could you describe the video and how much interaction with the whole recording process?

Which of the new songs that you’ve played live have gone over best with fans?

SJ: Yeah, sure. There’s a girl named Keeley Hazell who is a famous British model, and she’s in the video. We’re basically performing. We’re not really integrated in terms of the storyline. The thing with Keeley is it just shows her in acts of her being seemingly lost and wondering around the house. It’s a video that has a little bit of sad tone, but at the same time it’s not taken too seriously and we had some fun with it as well.

SJ: We’ve only done a couple of shows with the new material. There’s a song called “This Is Low” - that one has been received well. The first single, “Lost”, has been received pretty well. There’s

Why did you decide to name the new album after one of the songs on the disc?

a song called “Acetate” that a lot of my friends seem to really like, so we have a little a gauge on that.

SJ: We thought that song, “Fight The Frequency”, really summed up what American Hi-Fi is all about. That song quintessentially sounds like American Hi-Fi, if there is such a thing. So we thought that it really represented us and where we

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are right now, so we thought we’d name the album after that. Tell us about the cover and how it relates back to your debut’s cover. SJ: This record, for us, is most like our first album on a lot of levels. Sonically it’s like it, stylistically it’s like it, it was made in the same kind of way. It was basically just the four of us in the studio, and when the songs were written and recorded, we weren’t really attached to a record label. We didn’t have a lot of people telling us what they wanted us to do or sound like, and the first album was really like that. We wrote those songs and got them together on our own in a rehearsal space. We felt like this record was, in a way, the follow-up to our first album. So we did a little play on the album cover, which is that the first album cover had a cassette on it. This record has a cassette on it as well but the tape is kind of pulled out and strewn across the floor. So it was a little bit of nod visually, because we do feel that it is sonically very much like that record. You kind of went over this, but how does the new album compare to previous material? SJ: I think it’s a lot like a lot of HiFi records. There’s a few different styles on this record. We always try to make an album that has some diversity. I don’t want to just record the same twelve/thirteen songs in a row. I don’t want the songs to all sound the same as the record goes on. We like to check out some different moods and textures, so I think this record does that. But again, still more in the mold of the first album. When you guys went to write these songs, you said a lot of

them have been in the works for years. How did you go about writing the newer ones and going back to other ones to re-tighten them for the new record? SJ: There were a couple songs that made this record that were demos that have been laying around for a long time, so I re-worked them, wrote a new bridge, changed some lyrics, changed some things. As far as the new, new, new songs, I think I put my personal life into this record a little bit more. A lot of times I kind of just hide behind vague, cryptic lyrics, though I do that a little bit on this album as well. There are some songs that are directly related to me and my life, which is little bit like the first. Where did you guys record the album and who did you work with? SJ: We recorded this record in LA in my studio and we produced it ourselves, so it was just the four of us in the studio. It was kind of a cool, new experience for us. How did the experience compare to when you have worked with others in the studio? SJ: It’s always different. I like having a producer that is outside of us. It’s nice to have someone that has a fresh perspective on things, but at the same time I’ve been doing a lot of producing over the last few years, so it’s a role I’m pretty comfortable in at this point. So I enjoy the opportunity to produce a Hi-Fi record. Is there any chance we will see this album on vinyl or any of the old albums? SJ: You know, I would LOVE to

have this record on vinyl. I don’t know if that’s in the cards right now. It’s funny that you say that though, because I’ve been going to Amoeba here in LA a lot recently and buying one. That’s pretty much all I listen to at the house now is vinyl. So that’s something I’d like to do at some point. Yeah, me and my fiancee are currently on a vinyl binge. It’d be awesome to go back and get the American Hi-Fi albums on vinyl. SJ: Right on. It’s so hard to convince people to manufacture them these days because there’s nowhere to sell them. What’s your touring schedule following the release of Fight The Frequency? SJ: Right now, we’re talking about getting on some tours in the Fall. So we’re planning that as we speak, so no dates scheduled as of yet but in the works. Last time we talked, you asked me for some suggestions of bands to tour with. What did you come up with? SJ: I remember that. Right now, we’re looking at a few tours we’d like to get on, one of which is Goo Goo Dolls, one of which is Third Eye Blind, and another one is Lifehouse. We’re friends with the Lifehouse guys, so that would be a fun tour for us. I think just stylistically, Goo Goo would be a good tour and Third Eye Blind would be a great tour for us as well.

Since their signing with Tragic Hero earlier this year, Letlive have been quickly conquering the states and gaining widespread attention, all of which is well deserved. The five piece released their debut, Fake History, this past April and have not looked back since. Critics and fans both agree that this an album worth your hard earned cash, and may as well be a contender for album of the year for many. While their touring schedule has been a bit messy to follow at times, the band has remained on the road playing their music all they can, when they can. We had the chance to speak with frontman Jason Butler a couple months back and are finally bringing the interview to life for you this month! Sorry it took so long. This was actually a long conversation when it was recorded, so a lot was edited out to make the issue in this form.

Some reviews of Fake History...

− “It has already defined my summer of 2010 and who knows the true heights it can achieve. Outstanding.” - User Review via Sputnik Music (Duke Nukem) − “It is, without a doubt, in the top 2 of records I’ve heard from 2010 so far. Woe upon you if you miss it.” - RockFreaks.net − “A computer screen greeted my gaze, a track listing completed, butt fixed in chair. Silence engulfed my world, speakers emitting nothing. I had no idea what just transpired – I was left purely with my emotions tangled. For in that time when my lids were sealed, I experienced something genuine, something unmatched in music: LetLive, ladies and gentlemen, LetLive.” - TheNewReview.net − “Unquestionably a band we’ll be seeing great things from in the future. And really, how can you lose? Daryl Palumbo + Claudio Sanchez + Poison the Well + Hopesfall + jazz rhythms = mega fucking win.” - PunkNews.org

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so far? JB: All arrogance aside, we’ve gotten really good reception from everyone who has heard it. Personally, we’re really proud of it. We spent so much time on it. A lot of artists will say “we wrote this for ourselves and that’s it” and I think that’s bullshit. I think that you write music for people. There’s a very intimate area that it is for yourself, but if you can’t even fess up to making it half and half, then you’re full of shit. It’s nice to know that people are understanding and feeling what we were feeling when we were writing the record and recording it. What songs are fan favorites, and what are your favorites to play live?

INTERVIEW W/ JASON BUTLER (VOCALS) BY NATHANIEL LAY How did you guys come to signing with Tragic Hero? JB: Yeah, that is actually a pretty good story. For a while, we were back and forth doing demos in the studio, just feeling around and trying to get a bearing on what we had created and what the music was trying to do with itself. One day, a buddy of mine who was (at the time) in a band called Lower Definition, got a hold of our demos. I don’t even think I sent them to him. I think someone sent them to him...And he sent them to the head of Tragic Hero, who seemed to like them off the bat. The next day, we had a contract, or the outline of the contract, and then I received a call from the owner of Tragic Hero and he said some really nice things, and some things that really

appealed to me on how he felt about the music. The deal they were offering was amazing, so we signed to them like that. Who came up with the cover design for Fake History? JB: We were traveling around the county of Los Angeles, snapping photos because we knew we wanted to incorporate a lot of area, as well as photos on the tour we were taking. We comprised a bunch of them. We were getting a lot of good shots, and as we were leaving, I was walking down 5th and Spring I think, and I looked at a distant brass instrument that happened to me a older man on a saxophone and I yelled to our bassist who had the camera, and he ran up and snapped a photo. It was one take, one shot, and it was perfect. And we all looked at it

and, as soon as we looked at it, said “that’s going to be the album cover for sure”. It was kind of a collective thing. Where did the title come from? JB: It sort of encompasses around the reality we’ve been forced fed. It’s anything from the household conventions of family to social status to the angle history has been taught through public and private school systems for the past hundred and fifty years or so... it’s never changing and quite possibly incorrect, or missing information. It’s all perception. Fake History is pretty much outing the fact that we may be living something that may not be conducive of anything beneficial in the end. Also, it’s inflection. It’s “fake history” and you can fake history. How has the album been received

JB: The fan favorites are fairly vast considering an eleven track CD, and we’ve gotten at least six or seven songs given to us. I know a lot of kids like “Homeless Jazz”. That was like the first song we put on the MySpace from the record. A lot of people dig on a song called “Muther”; it’s heavy but it’s laid back at the same time. It has a nice little piano part at the end that I like. What’s another one? “Casino Columbus”. People have been into that. I think that’s because a lot of people want to be pissed off about

stuff. “Renegade 86” is the song we’ve been opening the set with, and we really dig on “The Sick, Sick, 6.8 Billion” for two different reason. “Renegade” has more of the groove, the singing, the stops and starts. The “Sick, Sick” is more of that punk/rock energy, aggressive, adrenaline-driven type of song that is really fun to play live. Those are the two, at least for me...I think that’s pretty safe to say. You guys have a very diverse sound. How would you personally describe it?

every song we make. It’s known that human beings rock to the beat of the heart. I love all this tech metal shit, it’s great, it’s cool, it’s impressive, but we’re trying to catch people on another plane. We’re tired of trying to show off. We rather just catch someone by heart string rather than fucking their head up. How do you guys go about writing a song? JB: A lot of the time, one of us will have a riff idea and we will bring it in to the studio and present it as we have it pretty much every time. There’s not one song that came to the table and left the chopping board the way it came. We like to work on the essence of music, not so much on the notes or theory. There’s a formula in essence that I think is much more captivating than just writing a bunch of theory and finding the most eclectic way to put a song together.

JB: We’ve talked about it too. We all grew up with very different backgrounds, so we definitely have attempted to incorporate these Letlive is currently touring around the West backgrounds. It’s Coast with Mozart Season. Catch a show definitely a soulful when you can and follow their Facebook. blend of punk/rock The band frequently updates their profile or hardcore music. with information on new shows, videos, A main objective is and more. Don’t forget to pick up Fake History if you still don’t own it! to collect a groove in 59 July 2010 / www.lexingtonmusicpress.com

Interview w/ Madison Stolzer (Guitar, Vocals) by Nathaniel Lay Who did the artwork for your new album? Was the design/idea something created by the band? MS: Portland over at Sons of Nero drew up the artwork for “The Vitality Theory”. Sons of Nero is a company that is very closely linked with Good Fight, our record label. Sons of Nero pretty much does all of the label’s artwork, which is fortunate for us, because Portland has a fucking visual gift when it comes to illustration. Portland and I came up with the concepts, ideas, and themes for the album. We brought conceptual ideas to the table, and Portland took them and ran with them, putting his own spin on it. I feel like it was a very healthy and pretty

typical artistic partnership. What’s the meaning behind the album title?

How did you come to switching labels to Good Fight? MS: I think a lot of it had to do with timing. We were in search of something new, and we caught Carl and the dudes at Good Fight right at their very beginning phases. We respected and admired the minds behind Good Fight, and they respected and admired our music and message. But there is always good timing involved.

MS: “The Vitality Theory” doesn’t really have a loaded meaning; it’s a literal theory of vitality. The dictionary defines “Vitality” as “the continuation of a meaningful or purposeful existence, mental vigor, and the power to live and grow”. A theory is literally a specific claim that seeks to continuously explain something. You put the two What’s it like having two vocalists? together, and you have what Rosaline How are lyrics and parts written as is all about. Explaining how to sura result? vive, live and grow, the best and most simple way possible. 61 July 2010 / www.lexingtonmusicpress.com

MS: It’s funny, I’m glad you guys asked this question; not many magazines or interviews know this or ask this. Technically, we have a lot more than two vocalists. On our new album, literally 5/6 of our band’s voices are used on the album. Cody sings and screams and yells, I scream and yell, Ricky screams, Nathan yells and sings, and Ryan sings. Like literally it’s all there, and if the stage can accommodate us, we try and get 4-5 microphones on stage for a set (you’d be surprised how many places cannot do this though...). However, as it stands, Cody and myself probably together do about 90% of the vocals on the album, so that’s where most people get the dual vocal thing. And as far as that goes, I mean it’s awesome. It adds a lot of depth and variance to songs. I’m not sure though that it’s the smartest marketing tool; the general public really only likes to hear one voice and consistency in music. Hence why most pop bands have only one singer, and most people consider that a staple. I don’t think the vocals are the end all be all of a band, and that’s part of the reason I insist on mixing them up so much. Lyrics are mostly written by me, and luckily the band has no problem sharing the messages.

In turn, we all of course include lyrics that each other want too. Are there any themes or stories carried throughout the new album? MS: I think albums inherently carry stories; what the band stands for, what the band is going through, what the band has gone through. That all translates into an album. The album isn’t a concept album, we don’t really write those because we feel they are limiting. Each song has a different meaning, different imagery and different themes, yet somehow they are all completely connected. How does it compare to your previous Eulogy release? MS: White Sox baseball vs. Dad’s softball league. How would you describe your sound? What are your major influences? MS: I consistently think that genres are stupid, but unfortunately that’s now how other people think of it. According to anyone who matters, we “scream” in some of our songs and are therefore automatically either “screamo, post hardcore, or hardcore”. We have an extremely diverse sound, but unlike a lot of bands with that claim, we feel like we execute it so smoothly that the listener is hardly jarred at all. We’re majorly influenced by The Bled, La Dispute,

time for a huge seafood feast, afterward. You guys are set to head out on the brand new Uproar Festival. What are your expectations for this?

PMtoday, Thursday, The Appleseed Cast, Sigur Ros, Death Cab For Cutie, Brand New, Poison The Well, Hopesfall, and really a slew of other bands, We’re mostly influenced by good songs.

We are expecting to drink a lot of whiskey with Hell Yeah. We are expecting to hitch a ride in Halestorm’s RV when our van unexpectedly dies. We are expecting to arm wrestle A7X and win.

What song(s) seem to be the favorite with fans? Which are your personal favorites and why? MS: I think fans right now really like “The Messenger, Infinite” and “Model Ships.” They are very agreeable and congruent tracks. I like “Messenger” a lot; it’s a song based on a lucid dream. That’s cool. I really like “Face Like Thunder” because it’s a damn mean track. We also wrote a panty dropper called “Repeat After Me!”, which I think kind of sucks but I GUARANTEE your mother, sister, extended family and girlfriend will fucking dig it. Each song means a lot to me. Top three favorites go “The Disasterist”, “Face Like Thunder”, and “The Messenger, Infinite”. What is the band’s current touring schedule and what do you have planned for the months to come? MS: Well we just acquired a thirty foot RV with six beds, a kitchen, and a washing machine, so be on the lookout for that whale sliding all over a highway near you soon. We’re touring with Texas In July later this month and then going out West with The Mozart Season. After that we’re looking to do some dates with PMtoday. After that, I hope we find a way to get to Indonesia ‘cause kids like us there for some reason. Last words/announcements: MS: Who was phone? Also, I really hope anyone reading this gives “The Vitality Theory” its full 51 minute spin, because I think if you listen front to back, you’ll find something new. Honestly. Are you sick of watered down music yet?

What can you guys tell us about Joy 2 The World and how you guys got involved with it?

Being new to the scene, can you give us a history of the band? We may be new on the radar, but we aren’t spring chickens. Dan and Jake started our previous band, A Verse Unsung, five years ago. The band recorded two EP’s and a full length, intertwined with national touring, albeit on a tight budget. We caught the attention of a few labels and played multiple showcases, but with no result. After a few member changes, and a new songwriting direction, we wanted a fresh slate and started the band New Medicine about a year and a half ago. Since then, we’ve recorded our debut release, toured our asses off (Warped Tour, Burn Halo, Chevelle, The Used, Puddle of Mudd, Halestorm...) , and made a whole bunch of friends all over the country. How did you guys end up signing with Photo Finish Records? After so many showcases, we got pretty jaded about the process. We needed to get back to the fundamentals of our sound instead of trying to please everyone. That’s when we played for the Photo Finish family in NY. We hit it off right away. It’s a small, tight-knit crew of young folks that love music. They’ve totally got their finger on the pulse of the up-and-coming, and they gave us a lot of autonomy in the creative process. And we sealed the deal over shots of Makers Mark. Pretty cool, right? Your debut album is set to hit stores in September. What was that recording process like? We got to record a portion of the record with one of our childhood idols,

Bill Stevenson (Descendents, Black Flag). We spent three weeks at the Blasting Room with him and Jason Livermore, and refined some of our favorite tunes like “Little Sister” and “Race You To The Bottom”. We were also thrilled to do some tracks at our home base in Minneapolis with Steve Hodge and Colt Leeb. Among these were “Baby’s Gone” and “Sun Goes Down”. It was a long process, but we made sure we did it right. We couldn’t be more proud of the record we made or the people we made it with. What should listeners expect from the new album? We are stoked about every single track on the album. We came to the recording process with nearly 100 songs to choose from, and we’ve picked the best. The songs are rooted in rock music, but we draw from a wide spectrum of influences. You may hear traces of Rise Against one minute, and Rage the next. Bottom line, the record brings the party. Let’s get down. You guys recently released a music video for “Laid”. How did the concept for the video come about and what was it like filming the video?

I [Brady] came across this young not-for-profit on the Internet last year after I finished up my recording for the album. I did a study abroad to Ghana in college and desperately wanted to get back. The founder Kathleen and I hit it off the first time we spoke on the phone -- we began an alliance between Joy 2 the World and New Medicine. I will be returning to Ghana with Kathleen in January for my second trip with J2W. J2W provides small loans to women in Ghana, West Africa to start businesses and gain the freedom and esteem that comes with one’s own income. It’s truly an empowering program. Right now we are hosting a fundraiser to provide wash stations to families -- we’ve raised nearly $1000 to date, and we need your help! Please visit www.joy2theworld.org or follow the links from our site to get involved. Be the change. What are your thoughts on illegal downloading and CD’s getting leaked onto the internet? I think the answer is totally subjective. Illegally downloading a CD I want from a band I like is akin to going up to a band’s merch stand at a show and snatching a CD when no one’s looking. It’s a total bummer and you feel disrespected. However, I never would have found out about some of my favorite bands if a friend didn’t lend me her CD, or let me borrow her mp3 player to groove on. Downloading is a way to explore new artists and check out your pals suggestions over a huge network. But if you dig it, you gotta buy it. It probably only costs $10. Or at least go see that shit live and get a rad t-shirt!

We traded some emails back in forth with Ian and Mike from Killswitch Productions, and they nailed the vibe for the video. We shot it in Salem, MA in a junkyard and brought in two awesome Thank you for your time! Any final actors to enhance the story. It was thoughts? Jake’s first time acting, and while they filmed the intense scenes between him Of course! Get to Uproar early, let’s kick and his ex-lover, the rest of the band off this party the right way! Big ups to was flipping out-- He killed it! We hit it Audiopinions and LMP; thanks for hostoff with the crew right off the bat, and ing us. See y’all at the rock show. we finished the whole shoot 63 July 2010 / www.lexingtonmusicpress.com in one day. We even had

Vegas, we shopped this EP to multiple labels. We received a few solid offers; however, Tragic Hero really stood out to us for the mere fact we were already formulating a plan and getting things rolling before a pen even touched the dotted line! Diego: It all fell into place really well and with acts like Confide and Greeley Estates on the THR roster, we felt really comfortable with our decision. Tell us about the Vegas nomination Matt: The band has been nominated for “Vegas Breakout Band of the Year” at the 2010 VRMA Awards. The magazine is hosting the red carpet awards show at the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel Casino in late August to announce the winner of these awards in all the categories. We’re super stoked on it and can’t wait to see what unfolds! Weren’t you finished with your album before signing with Tragic? What’s going on with that and when can we expect the release?

How did you come to signing with Tragic Hero? Mason: In late November ‘09, we took a 19 hour drive to Portland,

Mason: Well, we were finished with the EP at the time we caught Tragic Hero’s interest. After signing and talking with the label, we chose to travel back to Portland to add five more tracks to the already recorded EP. We also added elements to the previously recorded songs that bridge the gap between the time we were maturing, writing, and growing

Oregon to record a five song EP with Kris Crummett at Interlace Audio (Dance Gavin Dance, Lower Definition, Drop Dead Gorgeous, Alesana, Emarosa). After returning to July 2010 / www.lexingtonmusicpress.com

while we were out of the recording studio. We are extremely happy with the final result! It captures an onslaught of every emotion we’ve felt before, during and even after the CD was done. We guarantee there is something for absolutely ANYONE in this album. Everything from hard hitting breakdowns, to atmospheric experimentation, to irresistible beats and fluctuation that will be nearly impossible not to move to. The lyrics and vocals drive the song with purpose and emotion that is easily felt and is equally inspiring. All in all, it is still relative to the indescribable experiences in everyday life. We feel it is far more diverse than most thought we were even capable of. Be ready for an emotional roller coaster ride! The CD will be released this Fall, so pick up a copy and strap in! How did you approach the writing of these songs? Aaron: A lot of the writing is done off of raw emotion and feeling. It can start with a single idea or even a keyboard run, and is then created into a full blown song. In pre-production, we took the time to actually sit down and break every song apart piece by piece. We wanted to think outside the box on this album and have each song represent a different emotion and/or time in anyone’s life. We have always wrote songs very rapidly as a band, so we had many to choose from for the album. Deciding on which songs to chose for the album was probably one of the toughest decisions we’ve had to make as a band, but we are extremely happy with the choices we agreed upon. What was the studio experience like? Danielle: Intense! Driving to Portland and recording was a lot of fun, yet we all learned a lot from it at the same time. It was very high paced because we had a lot we wanted to put into this album, but everything went really smooth. Kris Crummett

is an amazing producer and we wouldn’t have had it any other way for our first album! I am also his favorite! Any themes or stories carried through the album? Aaron: We wanted to show everyone we’re serious about what we love. Writing and performing are our lives! We incorporated our lives into the songs and want our listeners to find a piece of themselves in our music as well. Our goal is to allow our listeners to become a part of the ELD family. As the family expands and becomes this huge monster, we want to grow as a whole and share the good times together in every and any way possible! Do you have a title or cover yet? Diego: Yes we do! We’ve decided to name the album Frequencies. We are working with Aaron Marsh at Sons of Nero for our cover art right now. We wanted to do something special relating back to the album’s message and are really happy with the concept the album portrays! What tours do you have planned? Matt: We have huge things coming up! Expect to see us hitting the road with our label mates/friends Lions!Tigers!Bears! very soon. You over-seas people will be happy to hear that we are currently working on securing a headliner for a UK/ EURO tour for 2011 dates TBA very soon as well. Once the CD drops, the tours will multiply! We plan to be on the road as much as possible to finally see all of your faces and bring ELD to your town. What are your major musical influences? Diego: Anything with a good beat and a strong vibe. As far as the album goes: Oceana, Thrice, Copeland, Underoath, In:Aviate, Circa Survive, Foals, August Burns Red,

The Devil Wears Prada, Incubus, Youinseries, Poison the Well, and many more! We also listen to various styles, such as hip hop and R&B, ambient, house, trance and some other techno sub categories. Danielle has a strong love for Zeromancer, Orgy, and Britney Spears, yet we tend to channel her out with earphones when she is the DJ of the van on the road. Why should people check out your music? Aaron: We feel we have a message to be heard. Our music is for you! We want to be your party album, your inspiration, your escape, your outlet, your family. We don’t care what you use our music for as long as you find something positive within it and make it a part of you. Mason: Our shows are a freakin’ blast! When ELD comes to your town, you will soon see exactly what all the hype is about. We want to bring you an intense, chaotic live show that will without a doubt make you pick up your feet! We want you all to be screaming our words at the top of your lungs and use our shows as a release and an escape from everyday life. Come experience the ELD party yourself! Let’s rage! How did you decide on Eyes Like Diamonds? Tony: Well, we decided to go with Eyes Like Diamonds because the name is very open to personal perception. Everybody has a different way of looking at the world, like if you were looking through a diamond and viewing the different angles it provides. Some people see it as “someone with beautiful eyes” or you could look at it as “eyes are attracted to beautiful things.” It’s really up to you and how you think as an individual. We encourage our listeners/friends to tell us what our name means to them; it’s really interesting to hear how other people view things!

Interview w/ Brandon Roundtree and Alex Howard by Mario Trevizo @ Warped Tour – Columbia, MD You were just recently signed. What label did you sign to?

BR: It’s a new label called Good Fight Music. All the guys from Ferret Music just started this new label called Good Fight and we were totally happy to sign up with them. We’ve been unsigned for a while, even with being on top of PureVolume for two years in a row and they just seemed like the perfect fit for us. They’re great guys. I was actually in a band before Conditions that was signed to Ferret Music and got to meet a bunch of their other employees and stuff, and when Conditions was looking for a label, Carl

approached us and he basically runs it like one giant family, so we knew it would be a good fit for us, you know? AH: That was one of the most important things for us man; just knowing that people cared. You’d released your own EP. Are you going to re-release any of that or are you going strictly for new material?

well as another track came out today. We’re looking at a September 14th release date for when the record comes out. It’s eleven songs. It’s 8 ½ new songs, two are re-released from previous EP’s. AH: Yeah, one from the first one and one from the second one. BR: That’s what we’re promoting on Warped Tour right now. Our new single is out on iTunes, so we have two brand new songs up and then the record comes out in September.

BR: The discography of Conditions is what...two EP’s? We have a brand new record we’re putting out on Good Fight in September. It’s July 2010 / www.lexingtonmusicpress.com done. The lead single as

When would you say you really started to write this album?

BR: I think besides the two songs we’d already recorded, it was really only like a year. The “You Are Forgotten” EP came out last summer during Warped Tour and in the midst of that, and throughout the rest of the year, we were writing so we recorded the new album, Fluorescent Youth, in February of this year. So really only a year for all the writing and recording and everything. AH: Yeah, it went by really quick. BR: Yeah, I think one of the other reasons why it went by so quick was because when we went into the studio to start recording we got snowed in [Laughs] so it just became, “well, why not work all day?” We worked our butts off for it though. We’re really happy with how it came out, man. AH: Absolutely, man. I see you all still very much have the “do it yourself” mentality. I saw you all passing out stickers and stuff earlier.

BR: Always, always. We’re a band that has always known who put us where we are. So we plan on holding on to those values.

AH: Yeah, they’re really pushing hard for us, which is awesome. BR: Regardless of whether you’re on an Indie label that no one knows or on a major label that everybody knows, you still have to work your butt off and not rely on anyone else to just do the job for you, you know? If everybody is working hard, it’s just going to be that much better. We don’t want to just sit back and let everybody else take all of the workload. We want to work some too. How I meant to ask that was just whether or not it has become any more relaxed knowing that you’ve got someone there to back you now?

BR: Oh yeah, I can totally rely on them. I can just say, “Hey ______, I need this to happen” and they can take care of it. It’s great having that comfort on the business side. We have a new tour manager, a new booking agent, a new label, everything is brand new for us and we couldn’t be happier with it. So with this new booking agent, do you have any other cool tours coming up soon?

Since Good Fight are a relatively new label, are they able to promote you to the extent you need, or is a lot of it falling on you to do?

BR: We literally just got a new booking agent last week, so things are still in the works. He’s out with our manager trying to find us some good Fall support tours, so we’re just waiting on the word for that. So hopefully we’ll be able to stay out on tour as much as possible in the fall.

BR: So far, they’re doing an incredible job. They’re distributed through Sony Red, which is a pretty big distribution company, and because of Good Fight basically took our music to them and they were really stoked and got behind us so they’re pushing hard for us, which is awesome.

For most bands of your size, they’re not able to really have light shows or anything during their live sets, but you all have managed to work in some, do you think in the future (as your popularity rises) you’re going to make that a bigger part of your live shows?

BR: Absolutely, man. Our other guitarist, Jason [Marshall], we call him the lighting director. Everyone has their “thing” in the band and we always think of him as “the lighting guy”. He’s always fooling with them and mixing stuff up and got all these ideas. We just lack the funding. Once the funding comes around he’s going to go to town on it [Laughs] He’s way into that stuff and I like the stuff he comes up with, so we’re totally into giving a show. Who’s that one band that you just think you’d fit in perfectly with?

BR: As far as like…big band status, I think opening for bands like Thirty Seconds To Mars or My Chemical Romance would be probably be the best. I mean, there are plenty of “dream tours” we feel like we could be on, like we love Circa Survive and we’d love to go out on tour with Anberlin, so basically we’re just shopping for some great tours to go out on.

REVIEWS Rating Scale

10 = Perfect / 9 = Excellent / 8 = Very Good / 7 = Good / 6 = Decent / 5 = Average Anything lower is not worth your time!

Writers

Nathaniel Lay (NL) / Mario Trevizo (MT) / Ryan Williford (RW) / Rob Harris (Bubbs)

Have you all been playing a lot of local/east coast shows lately?

BR: Not really. Recently, we’ve just been trying to make the change from studio band back to live band again. We’ve just been doing a couple of one-off shows to kind of work out all the kinks and get back into our showmanship and get ready for this [Warped Tour] and just rehearse, rehearse, rehearse and just get ready for everything our booking agent gets. Well thanks a lot for taking the time out of your day to talk to us.

AH: Any time, man. BR: Yeah, definitely. That was a lot of fun!

TIDES OF MAN

1. Not My Love 2 2. Statues 3. Home 4. Sunshine 5. Dreamhouse 6. Salamanders And Worms 7. Chemical Fires 8. Echoes 9. A Faint Illusion 10. Only Human Releasing September 14th www.myspace.com/tidesofman www.riserecords.com

Dreamhouse [Rise] Score: 6.5 Stream: “Echoes” After their debut just a year ago, Tides Of Man decided that they would make a follow up record that would compose of songs that could stand on their own. With Empire Theory, the album really needed to be heard as a whole. This time around, the band did their best to make each track tighter and a bit faster so that you could just skip to your favorite, no problem. While Dreamhouse does succeed in making this possible, the songs have suffered in the process. They just aren’t as memorable or interesting as they were on the band’s debut. In fact, only a handful of tracks have moments you’ll bother learning. The middle of this album is where they lie, starting with “Salamanders And Worms”, a track that has a Circa Survive mentality behind it (and maybe even some Fall Of Troy mixed in there). It’s then followed by “Chemical Fires”, a song that is fueled by an energetic chorus similar to the strained vocals of “Knowing” (the first track of Empire Theory). The last song to really stand out is “Echoes”. Part of the reason this song is worth coming back to is its lyrics, especially the opening lines “I’m not like you / I can’t pretend / My body won’t let me get away with / I’m not your friend / Been trying to make your pieces fit for so long / He can’t even sing you a fucking song”. If only more of the tracks had done the exploration of these three tracks, Tides Of Man could have released a better record than their debut. Unfortunately, they’ve fallen behind in the attempt to make a more straight forward and approachable album. (NL) RIYL: Circa Survive / Harvard / The Mars Volta

AVENGED SEVENFOLD Nightmare

[Hopeless Records] Score: 8 Stream: “God Hates Us” Compared to the amazing self-titled disc of ’07, Nightmare is kind of a step back for Avenged Sevenfold. While this is a good album overall, there are moments of actual boredom. The spark of energy and creativity of past releases is less noticeable this time around, and the second half of tracks are mostly slow and long. Nightmare gets started with the title track, a song that takes several listens before it begins to grow on you (this is actually a common feeling throughout the album). The following track, “Welcome To The Family”, is instantly entertaining and more in the ‘Rock God’ nature of past releases. From this point, Nightmare brings on several good tracks that will keep you interested enough. It’s mid-way through that this disc hits its stride, though. “So Far Away” is a beautiful and well constructed number, and “God Hates Us” is one of the most aggressive and heavy tracks the band has done in a while. However, it’s after these songs that the album seems to gradually slow to a stop. These tracks are in no way bad, but they do feel slightly tiresome and disappointing when compared to the final songs of their last album. When all is said and done, Nightmare doesn’t stack up to previous releases. It will, however, grow on you with repeated listens. Just don’t expect this one to become your new Avenged Sevenfold favorite. (NL)

WE WERE SKELETONS

We Were Skeletons [Topshelf Records]

Score: 7.5

Stream: “It’s Like Science”

C o m i n g from the label that has released the likes of Pianos Become The Teeth, Rooftops, Defeater, and more, one can expect that We Were Skeletons is a brutal hardcore act of sorts, and they’d be right. Actually, this band would sound right at home with Ignite Records as well. This self-titled disc is panicked, crazed, heavy, and thoroughly intense. One of the best examples is “It’s Like Science”. If this track doesn’t win you over, then this isn’t your kind of band. While a lot of hardcore acts sound the same throughout, We Were Skeletons is different. When they desire to do so, the band can prove they are capable of branching out. For example, “Her Stomach Is A Lioness” is an interesting and more even-paced instrumental, while “Bruce Willis Is Dead The Whole Time” opens slowly before breaking into the more frantic nature the band prefers. In other words, these guys can construct a more elaborate track if they feel like doing so. Just because a band is usually heavy and in-your-face doesn’t mean they can’t have a more relaxed and intricate side to them. We Were Skeletons may not be for everyone, but chances are if you like any of the bands from the labels previously mentioned, you’re gonna love this one as well. (NL)

ASHERS

Kill Your Master [Thorp Records]

Score: 7.5 Stream: “Kill Your Master”

Fronted by Mark Civitarese of The Unseen, Ashers is a fast and crazed punk group similar to This Is Hell or Crash And Burn. Kill Your Master consists of thirteen brutal and energetic tracks any punk fan should fall in love with. This kind of speed and aggression is what draws people to this

genre, and for good reason. It’s hard not to get pumped when hearing songs like “Destitution” or “Blood And Grain”. The album does suffer slightly, however, from the same problem most punk bands face: originality. A lot of the songs feel similar, so some musical expansion would have done this record good. Otherwise, Ashers have brought us a pretty good punk album to fill the void The Unseen has left lately. Mark’s voice is pretty unique and stand out, so this album shines vocally more than anything, but the instruments are also well performed and suit their genre. If you were ever a fan of Mark’s other bands, then you owe it to yourself to check out Ashers. It may not hit as hard as The Unseen’s earlier work, but Kill Your Master is still plenty entertaining and anthem-like to reel you in and keep you glued. (NL)

KID LIBERTY

Fight With Your Fists [Bullet Tooth]

Score: 8 Stream: “Fight With Your Fists”

Are you tired of listening to the debut of Close Your Eyes? Are you eagerly waiting for new albums from Set Your Goals and A Day To Remember? Well Kid Liberty is here for you! Kid Liberty brings you part Close Your Eyes, part Four Year Strong and Set Your Goals, and part A Day To Remember on their debut Bullet Tooth release. Each of these segments has a different personality to them, so which one shines the most on Fight With Your Fists? “The Winds Of War” starts out with a piano intro but then turns into the band playing. It’s not really a clear indication of which direction of genre they’re playing, so the album moves onto “I’m Right Here.” They now give the listener the

indication that they are mixing a little Set Your Goals into a lot of Close Your Eyes. The vocalist singing is a bit rough, but it helps him sound a bit unique in this genre. “I’m Right Here” includes the first breakdown of the album, which is not much of a surprise, and it is nothing special in this day and age. It does show the listener that the instruments are staying pretty basic for the most part. Being basic in this genre is something most people appreciate though. Most of these songs would be easily accessible on the radio if given the airtime. The album as a whole will be based on the listener’s view of this genre. If the listener is tired of all the bands mixing poppunk and hardcore together, then you will not like this album one bit. If the listener loves this genre mixture, they have surely found their next album to put on repeat. And why not put this on repeat? Kid Liberty has done something that Close Your Eyes could not: write and record a balanced record. No offense to Close Your Eyes, but their album was a roller coaster ride whereas Fight With Your Fists is a leisurely ride on the highway. Even with the two minute long self-titled track, they succeed in showing balance. Fight With Your Fists also never gets tiresome on the ears. This is honestly an album you could play every day for a while and still want to play it the next day. It also helps that the band throws some curve balls into their songs to keep it fresh on repeated listening in case you missed something the last time. This also goes hand in hand with balance, as the record is neither top or bottom heavy. Kid Liberty has released a balanced album that lovers of the genre will love. This is the summer album of the genre and should tide listeners over until the new A Day To Remember album, slated to be in released in October. Kid Liberty gives you basic, straight to the point music that is easily accessible to anyone that want

to give it a chance. This band should be on the quick road to popularity and bigger tour with the release of this album. (RW)

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA Zombie

[Ferret Music]

Score: 9.5 Stream: “Escape”

One year after they released With Roots Above and Branches Below, The Devil Wears Prada are back with a “fun release with brutal songs.” They also decided to go with a zombie theme for the EP and aptly named it Zombie. The real first question is should listeners take this as a sign of what’s coming or just a one time deal and the band goes back to what they were doing on their next full length? “Escape” hits you with the expected electronics paired with Mike Hranica’s screams. Mike’s vocals seem to have gotten even stronger with his full arsenal sounding amazing and fully used to his capability. The songs still have the signature The Devil Wears Prada sound to them and the sound does not really sway off the path the band has already created with their full lengths. The only two differences found are less melodic parts and the usage of sound bites. One would expect less melody as the band did say these were supposed to be the most brutal songs they have created. The lack of melody is not all that missed as the band is still giving us their sound that we all enjoy and eat up. The sound bites seem to be something that some fans want to see the band incorporate into their sound. “Anatomy” uses a couple of sound bites and they seem to be hit and miss as the first one was unnecessary, but the others worked well for what they were doing within the

song. “Outnumbered” starts out with a sound bite that is a news report. The sound bite is only there because of the theme of the album and nothing else. It really comes off as cheap and unnecessary. In the end, the people wanting sound bites should think twice about what they’re asking. Adding sound bites could eventually ruin a great song, or make the band force something because they want to use a certain sound bite. Instead of releasing a covers album for fun like most bands, The Devil Wears Prada gives us all brand new material that adds five more great songs to their catalog. Do yourself a favor and get this EP – you will not be disappointed. If the band decides to head into this direction now, no one will or should be disappointed as this is their best release yet. (RW)

Nightmares

[Equal Vision]

Score: 8 Stream: ”Famous Last Words (You’re Nothing Without Me)”

Score: 9.5 Stream: “Surfaced”

The newest signing to the Equal Vision family is Mozart Season. If you have not heard of these guys until now, you should probably go “Like” their Facebook Fan Page right now because they may be the next big thing your friends will be talking about in the next six months to a year. That being said, is the band worth gaining that label or are they just another band that you will get tired of hearing about? Nightmares starts out with “Famous Last Words (You’re Nothing Without Me)” with whiny guitar riffs and almost never-ending screams. The vocalist went on for over a minute before we heard clean vocals. It was really impressive and a nice change of pace. Mozart Season has that sound you have heard before, but they pull it off well and add their own take to it. They also give the listeners a guitar solo on the first track, which is rare to find in this genre. In fact, the guitarists have written great riffs and parts for this album. “Look Mom, I’m On TV” features some great guitar work and is a highlight of the EP. The major downfall of the EP is that we have heard all of this before, even if they have a little bit of a fresh take on it. Regardless, Nightmares is an EP that all fans of this genre should pick up. This band will be making waves soon enough and you should be ready to see on tour with some of the genre’s biggest bands soon enough. (RW)

MOZART SEASON

MO-

THE DANGEROUS SUMMER Live In Baltimore

[Hopeless Records]

Fans should pick this one up without hesitation. These six live tracks sound just as good as they do from the studio recordings. The Dangerous Summer can play like kings, and these songs should already be well known by you. Every one is a hit, as usual with these guys, but it’s a damn shame they didn’t do more on this EP. Speaking of which, why is it only an EP? Why not go ahead and make a full track listing and throw in some new songs, b-sides, and/or acoustics with a DVD? This disappointment aside, this is a must for fans. But for the sake of us, beg them to do more next time. (NL)

ZART SEASON Nightmares

[Equal Vision]

Score: 9.5 Stream: “Look Mom, I’m On TV”

For their label debut, Mozart Season is releasing a six track EP that breathes the kind of talent and power you can expect from some of their major influences (Fear Before, Dance Gavin Dance, Alexisonfire). Nightmares contains three songs from their previous Apotheosis EP, as well as three new ones. The album starts with the new single, “Famous Last Words (You’re Nothing Without Me)”, a track that quickly builds and expands upon itself as it plays through. It is then followed by the old favorite “Look Mom, I’m On TV”, a song that features ex-DGD screamer Jonathan Mess at backing vocals. For new listeners, this is a great track to sample when trying to decide if this EP is for you. The song is well constructed and features some excellent breakdowns you’ll want to hear for months to come (trust us). “Rage Factor 11” (the second new song) then comes to play. The track feels even more like an attack than the others, and is fueled by some interesting gang vocals worthy of any punk/hardcore act. There are also some well sung sections that really stand out, especially since Mozart Season thrives on their screams. “Saint Peter”, which was the first track on the Apotheosis release, makes an appearance on Nightmares as well. It’s actually one of the more balanced and less aggressive numbers. Track 5 is the third old favorite, “Ankle Deep Ocean”. This song is essentially a series of breakdowns and frantic cries for help. Lastly, the EP

July 2010 / www.lexingtonmusicpress.com

comes to an end with its title track. “Nightmares” begins with a little acoustic strum before taking off. From there, the song successfully brings the album to a close, leaving the listener wanting to hit ‘replay’. Don’t be a fool and pass this one up. If you weren’t already a fan, then you owe it to yourself to find out what makes Mozart Season such a band to watch. If you already know these guys, then you’re well aware of the reasons to pick Nightmares up. Shit, I can’t wait for a full length. (NL)

BASEMENT

Songs About The Weather [Lost Tape Collective]

Score: 8

Stream: “DUI”

The first real song, “Skip Town”, features one of the best lyrics of the album: “I lived / But won’t die here”. It certainly sounds like something we can all relate to. Basement is a band hailing from the UK that is in the likes of Polar Bear Club and Crime In Stereo. They play honest and rough sounding punk rock that people tend to embrace with full strength. “DUI” is the most melodic track to be found on this 7”, and stands out most as a result. The drumming on this album is the perfect balance in each song, whether it’s the faster or slower moments. The whole punk vibe is very genuine, thank God. Basement are one of those bands staying true to their roots. Songs About The Weather will likely put them on your radar. (NL)

SMILE AND BURN S/T EP

[Lost Tape Collective]

Score: 9 Stream: “50 Frags Win The Match”

Smile And Burn are like a cross between Four Year Strong and Man Overboard. Their selftitled EP is made up of five catchy and anthem-like songs you’ll want to play again and again in your car. “Too Much Hardcore For A 2 Step” has a chorus that was made to get you moving, “50 Frags Win The Match” is a healthy blend of the best punk/rock elements, and “Tim Had A Kalashnikov” feels like a call to arms. These Germans are certainly on the right path. Smile And Burn are definitely a memorable band you’ll want to find out more about. (NL)

HISTORY

We’re Only Getting Older [Lost Tape Collective]

Score: 9 Stream: “Down With The Ship”

This Philadelphia hardcore act contains members of Man Overboard and Bearings, so it’s no wonder History is so entertaining and impressive. Rather than being all fast or heavy, History are able to slow things down while still bearing their souls; kind of like Coalesce. “Down With The Ship” is a perfect example of this band’s interesting formula. The only real problem with this debut is the fact it’s only four tracks and less than eight minutes in length. A full length is highly anticipated. That or the band needs to do what Man Overboard does: release a new EP every two months. We’re Only Getting Older won’t get old any time soon. (NL)

WRETCHED

Beyond The Gate [Victory Records]

Score: 6 Stream:

“Beyond

The

Gate (Part II)”

March of last year saw the release of Wretched’s Victory Records debut The Exodus of Autonomy. After touring a little in support of that release, they quickly got back into the studio to record their follow-up album. A year and five months after their debut they will release Beyond The Gate. Some have to wonder why the album was recorded and released so fast after their debut. Regardless, what really matters is how the music sounds, and the music has somehow gotten heavier since their debut. “Birthing Sloth” hits you hard and fast in the face and once you recover, you realize that the band is still up to their death metal ways. They also throw some melody into the mix as with the melodic guitar riff during the chorus of “Birthing Sloth.” The vocals do not vary that much throughout the album, and that does succeed in making the second half of the album seem to drag on while listening. With this being said, the vocalist is still very capable at what he does. His vocals fit very well with the band’s sound. He should maybe just add another dynamic to his arsenal for the next album. Getting back to the instruments, a lot of people mistakenly label Wretched as deathcore. This is a false label though as the band has no breakdowns or hardcore aspects in their sound. The guitarists have actually written some high-quality riffs for this album that should keep listeners happy. They do have some technical parts, as can been heard for a few seconds on “Cimmerian Shamballa”. One of the best parts of the album is the Orchestral piece, “On The Horizon.” It is sure to get a passive listener to pay attention to what’s happening in the music and helps give a small break in the middle of the album. Beyond The Gate

is not an album that will be scene certified anytime soon with its lack of breakdowns. This is a good thing though as Wretched is a band making the music they love without worrying about what the scene kids think. While the album suffers from monotonicity and not breaking new ground, it is still a fine album with some great guitar work scattered throughout. If you love Wretched or some good ole death metal, this is an album for you. (RW)

ously brutal and fast. These moments, while plentiful, don’t seem to get old either. When The Burial is bringing their top speed, they are showing off their impressive musicianship and ability to pull out all the stops when desired. The Winepress will not only make new fans easily, it will show Strike First listeners which band on the roster is truly the best. (NL)

THE BURIAL

Score: 7 Stream: “Suck Brick Kid”

The Winepress [Strike First]

Score: 8 Stream: “The Winepress”

Similar to Goatwhore or The Autumn Offering, Strike First’s newly signed band The Burial like to keep things fast and unstable. These tracks are constantly unfolding and breaking down as they play, but not in a messy sense. Instead, this destructive formula works quite well in reeling the listener in and keeping them interested. The Winepress may get better as it goes, but that’s not to say it starts off weak. On the contrary, “Intercessor” does a solid job in building up the record’s opening and leading into “Demons Never Sleep”, the first track to truly display the antics of The Burial. The title track then follows, bringing several breakdowns to your ears you’ll want to hear again and again. “Reconciliation” feels even larger in sound in some cases, and is fueled by excellent guitar work and vocal screeches. The band then takes some time off to slow down with the instrumental “Valley Of Decision”, a beautiful and calming track that allows the listener to get a grip back on reality. The final three songs that follow, especially “Delegation of the Seven Plagues”, are furi-

GO RYDELL

The Golden Age [Black Numbers]

Like a less depressing version of Off With Their Heads, Go Rydell prefer music that is short and sweet. This punk formula is nothing new, but it is an entertaining one that is always winning over new fans. None of The Golden Age’s ten tracks pass two minutes in length, so you can imagine that this is quick album to play through. Luckily, the songs don’t sound cut short like with most bands that do this kind of speed. Instead of suffering from it, Go Rydell seem to thrive from it. There are, however, several songs that slow down a bit. Tracks like “Suck Brick Kid” and “1955” feel more evenly paced, and therefore stand out from the pack more. In fact, if the band would do this style more often, they could really have something on their hands. It wouldn’t be new or unique, but it would be damn good. As they stand now, Go Rydell are doing their genre justice. The Golden Age is a fun record that will call you back from time to time. (NL)

MISS MAY I Monument [Rise]

Score: 8.5 Stream : “Masses Of A Dying Breed”

For their sophomore release on Rise, Miss May I have taken everything great about their Apologies For The Weak debut and made them even better. While not all that much has been changed, the addition of clean vocals in every track has definitely made the band more approachable to metal fans that prefer something other than guttural growls and screeches. Monument opens up immediately at the top of their game with “Our Kings”, a track that will easily become a favorite. While it hasn’t been long since their last record, Miss May I seem to have thrived from the nonstop touring and lack of time to relax. Some bands are better on the road, and these guys are proving just that. The gradual build of “Masses Of A Dying Breed” works well in increasing anticipation, and the song itself is incredibly brutal and memorable. It’s choruses like this one that make the album stand out even more than Apologies did. For those of you who may not feel too keen about the increase of singing on this kind of record, seek no further than “Answers” or “Creations” – these songs are especially dark and aggressive, showing that Miss May I have not, in any way, become ‘wimps’. These guys are still playing metal as powerful as ever, and if you were someone worried about the band’s return, you can certainly relax; Monument is everything we were hoping for and more. Don’t hesitate to pick it up upon immediate release. (NL)

THE AUTUMN OFFERING

The Autumn Offering [Victory]

Score: 6 Stream: “Born Dead” Keeping true to their past re-

leases, The A u t u m n Offering is everything the band has ever striven for. The songs are just as heavy and hard-hitting as before, so long time fans will surely be pleased with this latest outing. While some bands will try to reinvent themselves with their self titled release, that’s not the case here. If you ever knew The Autumn Offering before, then you know what to expect with this new collection. Tracks like “Born Dead” and “Fed To The Lions” are especially angry and violent, although that is the backbone of the band. This pattern continues straight through the entire record, so don’t expect anything to slow down ever. An instrumental track would’ve been welcomed. Instead, this album is pretty much one long assault from start to finish. If that’s your kind of thing, then you should really look this one up. If you’re someone who expects more variety for their buck, you would probably be better off streaming this release first. (NL)

RYAN STAR 11:59

[Atlantic]

Score: 9.5 Stream: “This Could Be The Year” Back in 2006, CBS aired a reality show titled Rock Star: Supernova, which was the second season of Rock Star. This would be the show’s last season, but it did end up giving us Ryan Star. Ryan Star was one of the most diverse contestants that year before he eventually finished sixth. Ryan Star, however, is the one to have the most success out of both of the seasons. He is signed to Atlantic Re-

cords and releasing 11:59 to the masses. Will we see a dynamic Ryan Star or has he decided to stick to one aspect on the record? The album starts out with “Brand New Day”, which was released on his EP last year. It is a very mellow track that lets you focus on his voice. His voice is as strong as ever and he has many dynamics at his arsenal to use. “Right Now” continues the mellow start to the album and the chorus is one of the best found on the album. The ending gives you the feel of a shift to rock, but that is not the case. By this time, you are starting to figure out that Ryan Star has turned all his dynamics into a great blend and poured them all over these songs. Three songs in and none of them have sounded the same while his voice has not been monotone. “We Might Fall” gives the listener a taste of Ryan Star’s piano skills in the beginning. It also gives the listener a taste of the more pop exclusive side of Star before building up to a powerful and emotional ending. He then follows that up with a pop-rocker in the form of “This Could Be The Year.” The listener then hears “Unbreak” and knows that that song has the potential to be a huge single. “Start A Fire” has a very bouncy chorus to it that will make anyone want to move. The backing band on the album does not really do anything special, but the parts wrote from them add that extra dimension into the songs. 11:59 is a pop-rock album that everyone can pick up and love. Star has showed everyone that his voice is still one of the best around, that he can write and arrange great songs, and that he can write some great lyrics. There is something for everyone on the album and Ryan Star can seemingly do no wrong. This is one of the only albums in a while that has not had many or any faults and is fully in the race for album of the year. (RW)

July 2010 / www.lexingtonmusicpress.com

THIEVES AND VILLAINS South America [Victory]

Score: 9.5 Stream: “Drunk In Amsterdam”

Fans of Movement, the debut from Victory’s Thieves And Villains, will be happy to hear that the band’s second effort is just as amazing and addictive as before. While that album was more pop in nature, South America leans more on the alternative rock side of things. For their sophomore release, Thieves And Villains recorded these thirteen tracks using analog tape to get back to their roots and escape the over-produced sound of most music these days. This oldfashioned style of making music really shows, and in a good way. The songs feel more at heart and honest as a result, which really aids in the overall greatness of this collection. South America opens with “16 Hits”, a track that may not be as immediately catchy as “Dry Throats” of Movement, but damn memorable nonetheless. From here, Thieves And Villains bring you track after track of something simple, but unique in its own sense. “Song For Dean Moriarty” is built on a relaxed beat and gang focused chorus, “Virginia Woolf” has an interesting pre-chorus that is just as entertaining as the actual chorus itself, and “I Want A Friend Like You” is a humorous party anthem of sorts. However, out of all these hits, it’s “Drunk In Amsterdam” you will want to return to again and again. The song is teeming with attitude and is therefore even catchier and more contagious. As South America hits about mid way, the band starts slowing things down a bit more with beautiful numbers like “Some May Call It Rain” and “South St. Hym-

nal”. Whether they’re picking the speed up, keeping it more mid tempo, or bringing out the acoustics, Thieves And Villains are performing at a level very deserving of attention. It becomes quickly apparent that wherever you skip to in South America, this album is pulling out something worth hearing again and again. It may take several listens on some tracks, but they will indeed grow on you when given the chance. South America may not instantly hit at home with new listeners, but give it more than one spin through and you’ll likely find yourself reciting the songs in your head soon enough. For those of you who already love Thieves And Villains, this is yet another amazing album from the band that just goes on to further prove how underrated they are. Live long and prosper, guys. (NL)

THE LAST FELONY Too Many Humans [Lifeforce]

Score: 4

Stream: “Quandary”

While instantly energetic and powerful, Too Many Humans does little to sound original. The instrumentals and vocals are all well performed, but this same formula has been used by hundreds of bands still part of the scene today. You can hear this sort of thing anywhere, really. The songs also tend to feel too familiar, making it difficult to really choose which ones are “best”. Each track is fast, that’s for sure. The growls become tiresome pretty quickly, so some vocal variety would’ve done wonders. Hell, slowing things down from time to time would’ve at least made this band more approachable. Instead, each song is more or less the same style. “Quandary” branches out the most with its interesting opening,

but a minute into the track and things are back to their normal antics. The Last Felony may be blasting the popular styles of the metal genre, but they aren’t doing anything to evolve or make them personally unique. Too Many Humans is just too generic sounding to turn any heads as a result. (NL)

IN THE MIDST OF LIONS

The Heart Of Man [Facedown]

Score: 5 Stream: “ D e f i ance”

There are moments of genius on this album, but they don’t make up enough of the time unfortunately. The Heart Of Man is a collection of tracks that are mostly generic hardcore coupled with occasional breakdowns of grandeur. The main growl is too generic for this genre and needs to be revamped. It’s hard to take a Christian act seriously when they’re bellowing “You fill me up with your spirit” in a deep, guttural voice. However, while the majority of this album is tiresome and unoriginal, there are several areas of excellent song structure that begs the listener to question why the band doesn’t use such skills more often. “The Machine” is accompanied by some great gang vocals, “Defiance” features some frantic vocals during the last minute that are extremely powerful and awesome, and “Fearless” brings in some well crafted guest vocals from Nick Thomas of Take It Back!. If only In The Midst Of Lions would venture more into this unique territory, they could be so much more. They certainly show promise on this record, but when all is said and done, The Heart Of Man leaves a lot to be desired. It’s almost like those moments of excellence were there to tease us of what the band was capable of. (NL)

DESTRUCTION OF A ROSE American Hell [BLK Group]

Score: 9

Stream: “I Kissed A Vulture”

Destruction Of A Rose waste no time in ringing in their BLK debut with power and furious energy. “Suck Out The Poison” immediately proves that this band is a force to be reckoned with. With growls, high screeches, and even clean vocals, American Hell is a varied sounding metal collection that is not only pulled off well, it leaves an impression. “One Day Closer” has some speedy breakdowns and gang vocals shining through, “Shine On” is a unique and soothing break from the assault of American Hell, and “63” has a hardcore quality to it. While the majority of this album is fast and aggressive, Destruction Of A Rose do enough to keep it fresh throughout. The last few tracks have a more even pacing to them, such as “I Kissed A Vulture”, but they are not without their breakdowns. Even when things are “slowing down”, the band is keeping it all very heavy. Needless to say, American Hell is a piece of metal art. It is loaded with energy, power, and talent from start to finish. Not only was this a very pleasant surprise, Destruction Of A Rose have made our radar with this one. If you weren’t a fan before, this disc will probably change that. (NL)

KNIGHTS OF THE ABYSS

Culling Of The Wolves [Ferret Music]

Score: 5/10 Stream: “The House Of Crimson Coin” The second half of 2010 has started really strong with some

great releases, but there have also been some m i s s e s released. One anticipated release has been the new Knights Of The Abyss record. Knights Of The Abyss are still signed to Ferret Music, which is now a part of Warner Music, and seem to be primed to make it big if this record sells well. The catch is, there is no way this album will sell well. Culling Of Wolves is suffering from Whitechapel syndrome, where a band goes from a good or great album to a mind numbingly mundane album. “The House of Crimson Coin” starts out with some fantastic guitar work, but that quickly exits for a basic guitar riff over the vocals. The vocals by themselves are good enough, but for fans of the old albums, these vocals just do not cut it. They seem to be lacking their own identity and uniqueness throughout this album. While the vocals are in the decent range of things, the guitarists are in the green with some fantastic bursts of technical riffs and solos. These, sadly, are not more prominent or this album would be a lot more pleasing to listeners. A lot of monotone-ism of the record comes from the drums. The drummer really does nothing special behind the kit to warrant any reaction, and with music with very few breakdowns and technical guitar riffs this hurts the album the most. This causes the listener to be fed three layers of monotone, which is in comparison to being fed three layers of Tofu or Spam. Of course the bassist just stays with the drumming in the background doing nothing to catch your ear to it playing. Culling Of Wolves is an average record with almost nothing to help it out. The band probably decided that it was best to remove a lot of the hardcore elements to appeal to today’s scene like all the other bands,

but only Job For A Cowboy has gotten better from this progression. This record sadly gets dumped into the 2010 disappointment bin. (RW)

DECEPTION OF A GHOST

Speak Up, You’re Not Alone [Bullet Tooth]

Score: 6.5 Stream: “John Draggin’ Force”

Deception Of A Ghost is one of those bands that signed with a small local label and then moved onto a more reputable label. This could be a good or bad thing, depending on the band. Sometimes, these small labels have some great bands that just need the backing until bigger labels come knocking. Sometimes, bands that don’t deserve to be signed get signed to a better label because they are already on a label. Speak Up, You’re Not Alone will tell us which category Deception Of A Ghost falls into. One thing you will quickly notice are the vocals. At first glance, the screams do not seem very strong at all, while the singing is fantastic. You then get into the album a little more and you find that the screaming is highly diversified and works better in short bursts. The deeper stuff is his best weapon and should be used more often. One thing that needs to be diversified though is the drumming. For the most part, it is just acting as a backbone to the music, which is the primary objective, but the drummer could write some standout parts for some songs. By the middle of the album, the listener should be deeply in the world that Deception Of A Ghost has created. They really have not done anything new, they have just created an album that most any metal fan can listen to and enjoy. The guitarists keep

it simple most of the time, but when they experiment a little, they always hit the nail on the head and it keeps the listener interested throughout the whole album. Deception Of A Ghost has proved with Speak Up, You’re Not Alone that they were good enough to get off of a local label and onto a bigger label. With enjoyable music like this, the band should hopefully stick around for a few more records to keep fans happy. They are no Between The Buried And Me or Called To Arms, but North Carolina natives should be proud of this band regardless. (RW)

DECEPTION OF A GHOST

Speak Up, You’re Not Alone [Bullet Tooth]

Score: 6.5 Stream: “I Once Knew A Man” One of Bullet Tooth’s first releases, Speak Up is definitely an above standard metal album, but it doesn’t pull out all the stops. You certainly get an idea of what Deception Of A Ghost is capable of, but the band doesn’t quite get “there” with this album. It starts off strong with “In Case You Forgot”, grabbing the listener’s attention early enough. However, you can’t help but feel like the band could have done so much more with each song as this disc plays through. The clean vocals are a good addition to the formula, but never really present themselves well enough to be memorable. The occasional gang vocals should play more of a part next time around, and the beginning song structure of “These Voices” is a nice change of pace. The band does try experimenting along the way, so it’s not that this album sounds the same

throughout. Basically, if Deception Of A Ghost tightened some loose ends and made the clean vocals more explosive, they could really have something. In fact, their next album could be beast if it takes Speak Up and fixes the scattered problems. “A Steady Mind For Steady Breathing” is an interesting interlude that does a great job leading into the energetic “I Once Knew A Man”, helping make the middle section of this album the most entertaining. Speak Up works quite well as background music, but as soon as you pay closer attention, you begin to feel unfulfilled. Next time however, these guys will probably have a real winner. (NL)

DEW SCENTED Invocation [Prosthetic]

Score: 8

Stream: “Revel In Contempt”

You know, for having one of the gayest sounding names in all of heavy metal, Dew Scented sure are awesome. For close to twenty years, these Germans have been dishing out quality aggressive thrash, and things don’t change a bit on Invocation. From the melodic opening of “Downfall“, to the crushing ending of “Slaves of Consent”, this latest release is exactly what the world of metal has all too little of these days. Dew Scented have no desire to box themselves in with all of the other bands out there. With a sound that resonates equally as well with die hard thrashers and devout hardcore fans the world over, Invocation is an album that proves beyond the shadow of a doubt that bands don’t have to slow down or get worse with age. These dudes have been around for a while now and I don’t see them going away any time soon.

July 2010 / www.lexingtonmusicpress.com

Get this record! (Bubbs)

WITCHERY Witch Krieg

[Century Media]

Score: 7 Stream: “The God Who fell F r o m Earth”

They’re baaack! What can I say about Witchery that you don’t already know? We all know that they are considered a “Super Group” comprised of some of the most enduring talents in the underground metal scene. We know that they came at us with all the fury of hell when they released Restless and Dead back in ‘98, and have continued to raise the bar with every offering to follow. On Witch Krieg, we welcome aboard new vocalist Legion (ex-Marduk) as he attempts and succeeds at filling the huge shoes left behind by the departure of Toxine. It seems that, by adding a new vocalist, Witchery decided to toss out some of the bigger production aspects to deliver a record that is very raw in nature and sounds almost like it could be a live album. Sometimes, this is a bad thing, but in this case it wins hand over fist. It really doesn’t matter what kind of metal you are into, as these guys are all from bands in different genres that have one common goal, to kick your ass. After hearing Witch Krieg, I’d say that they did a damn good job at doing just that. (Bubbs)

TWOTHIRTEEN Goregasm [Born Dead]

Score: 10 Stream: “Ignite This Fire”

The fact that I have known a couple of the dudes from this band since they were but wee shavers doesn’t necessarily play into the reason why I love their music so much. It all has to do with the fact that this is

one of the few out of many who can effectively blend the most bare bones elements of street punk with the aggression and darkness of blackened death metal. Some call it horror punk, but I call it Fuckin’ Rad! Just take a listen to tunes like “This Way” and “Ignite This Fire” and you’ll see exactly what I mean. Chad Darkwait’s clean punk rock vocals and ferocious guitar playing mixed with Allan Nasty’s ball busting growls and blood curdling screams makes for quite the tasty treat. “Teeth” is also one of the key tracks on the record and I shall tell you why. When you listen to the lyrics “I’ll knock your teeth right down your fucking throat!”, you might get the image in your mind of some frail little bastards singing about what they wish they would do to those who piss them off. However, I happen to know for a fact that they mean that shit with every fiber of their soul. Just ask a certain few old tough guys who tried to start some shit at a show in Florida this summer. It wasn’t pretty. Anyway, this record is as gnarly a gem as you are likely to find, and all of the sound bites from Devil’s Rejects mixed in makes it that much more violent and intimidating. Prepare for the Goregasm of a lifetime. (Bubbs)

had some of their records, so I remember hearing them every now and again and not hating it, but back in those days I was more about seeking out the fastest and heaviest shit I could find, and Shonen Knife’s style of pop punk just wasn’t on the menu at that time. However, now that I have gotten older and settled into my musical ways and opened up for more variety, I am happy to admit that I was glad to have this DVD land on my desk. Live at Mohawk Place is a spectacular show filmed in Buffalo, New York that captures all the splendor of this Japanese girl band in all their glory. These cuties rip through seventeen songs spanning their twenty five plus year career in what feels like the blink of an eye. By watching the crowd’s reaction to Shonen Knife, I realized why these chicks have been a constant force in the underground pop punk scene. Not to mention that they are flipping huge in Japan. The production of this DVD could be better, but I’m not going to complain about that. Overall, I like this live offering and will make it a point to have my sister dig out those old Shonen Knife tapes. (Bubbs)

SHONEN LIFE

[SPV/Steamhammer]

Live at Mohawk Place 2009 - DVD [MVD Visual]

Score: 6 Stream: “Devil House”

My first time experiencing Shonen Knife was when I heard their cover of “Top of the World” on the Carpenters tribute record, some sixteen years ago. (Yeah, I know I’m old. You don’t have to remind me.) I really liked that tune, but never really sought out more from this band. My older sister

THE OTHER New Blood Score: 7

Stream: “Back to the Cemetery”

Widely considered Europe’s most well known and beloved “Horror Punk” band, The Other have been churning out Misfits style (especially the Michael Graves era) punk rock with a slight metallic edge since 2002. New Blood is the fourth album from the Germans, and it is by far the best yet. With anthemish sing along ditties like “Back to the Cemetery”, and the obviously Depeche Mode influenced “The Lovesick Mind”,

this album is just what fans of Misfits, early T.S.O.L. and old school AFI have been clamoring for. I do have to admit that I’m still not too hot on the singer, but that can be easily overlooked because the music is so damn good and catchy. I especially dig the hint of 80’s metal in The Other’s sound. A few tracks sound kind of like what would happen if the aforementioned bands had a baby with Motley Crue, and that is nothing to be ashamed of. You have to choose your “Horror Punk” bands wisely, and I believe that, by picking up a copy of New Blood, you will be making a very smart decision. (Bubbs)

THE BLACK PACIFIC The Black Pacific [SideOneDummy]

Score: 5 Stream: “The System”

This debut from The Black Pacific may start off pretty strong with “The System”, but this album gets old pretty fast. Fronted by ex-Pennywise leader, the band sounds nearly exactly like that band. There are some occasional “screams” to back the main vocals from time to time, but that’s about the only real difference. The first few tracks are energetic and catchy enough, but before you’re even half way through this album, things are becoming tiresome. “The System”, “When It’s Over”, and “Almost Rising” definitely take a shining to the listener, but not much else will. This debut may not be bad or anything, but it isn’t anything special either. It probably won’t turn too many heads. Shame. (NL)

COMEBACK KID

Symptoms And Cures [Victory]

Score: 8.5 Stream: “G.M. Vincent & I”

Wow, this is a good one.

Comeback Kid have always remained impressive in their hardcore formula, but Symptoms And Cures is almost like a new breed. This is the album debut for their new frontman, so that may partly be the reason, but this record is heavier, faster, and catchier in almost all aspects. Right from the start, “Do Yourself A Favor” reels you in and keeps you focused. The lyric “Understand, I don’t need the words following me” will become stuck in your head easily for days to come, making this chorus one of the most memorable ones you’ll hear on Symptoms. From there, Comeback Kid go on to bring you hit after hit, although it is the first half of the album that calls you back the most. The first batch of tracks are more punk and hardcore in nature, while the second batch are larger in sound and more experimental. There are many great songs to be explored here, but “G.M. Vincent & I” has to be in the top two at least. It features the most singing and gang vocals. As a result, it feels the most energetic and crowd oriented. Whether you were a fan before or not, Symptoms And Cures is likely to get you jumping and swinging your fists. This is a damn good, enjoyable record. (NL)

COMEBACK KID Symptons + Cures [Victory Records]

Score: 8.5 Stream: “Do Yourself A Favor”

Four albums in and Comeback Kid is still hard at work making music for the fans. The question is, how will the fans respond to the newest album? This is probably the most important album to date for Comeback Kid. This is the second album with Andrew as the vocalist

and is sort of their comeback album. Expectations are certainly set high for this new release. The album starts with a great bass appearance, then Andrew bursts out with vocals that are very different from the previous album. The different vocals in fact help Comeback Kid as they breath new life into the band while showing that Andrew can do more than mimic a vocal style. Another thing you notice is that the album is very groovy and a little less hardcore. This also helps the band to refresh their sound as they plan to move forward. The last biggest change is the fact that there has been a considerable increase of gang vocals added into the sound. This seems like it should go over great live. On to the instruments. Again, they have written the instrumental parts to be a lot more groovy, while keeping the hardcore aspect in the sound. Another thing is the fact that the songs have been slowed down and that the album almost reaches forty minutes (when the first two albums were both less than thirty). This has actually allowed for the addition of the groove parts, plus the songs are allowed to fully develop and have their own identity. The guitars and bass are excellent, while the drums are more of the backbone of the songs. The main question that arises when reviewing and analyzing an album like this is whether or not to put it up against the older records. Many fans label Wake The Dead as a classic for the band, so putting this album side by side of Wake The Dead would end up as a draw, as each are great for the type of sound the band is trying to achieve. So the listener should listen to this album for what it is and find it highly

enjoyable. The only people who will not like this are the ones dead set on a Wake The Dead remake. (RW)

THE GRADUATE Only Every Time [Razor & Tie]

Score: 8 Stream: “Don’t Die Digging”

The Graduate have been through a fair amount since their debut a couple years back, but it has seemed to strengthen the band’s music. Only Every Time is instrumentally brilliant and sonically beautiful in many aspects. “Don’t Die Digging” will become one of your favorite songs right off the bat, causing you to add it to any future playlists made on your iPod. It was a smart move for the band to start the album with that one, but that isn’t to say Only Every Time dies down quickly either. “Stuck (Inside My Head)” is also highly addicting, and tracks like “Make Believe” and “Choke” seem to have more upbeat styles to them. This album is composed of a lot of soothing tones and well performed vocals, but the best part is how it flows. If you’re to listen to this album as a whole, it will feel like a relaxing canoe ride down the river. You have your amazing scenery, calming sounds, and occasional bursts of energy as things pick up. Only Every Time is a great return from The Graduate. Let’s hope it’s not their last outing. (NL)

EATMEWHILEIMHOT! xALBUMx [Loveway]

Score: 8 Stream: “xDESTROYx”

If Never Shout Never was your first time experiencing the work of Christopher Drew, then you’re in for a surprise. Eatme-

whileimhot! is a fucking crazy hardcore, thrash, grind, whatchamacallit band of sorts. Their latest release, xALBUMx, is a mix of deep growls, pig squeals, yells, screams, and more. Surprisingly, it’s quite enjoyable and fun. The album is barely over fourteen minutes, so it’s a quick ride also. Nonetheless, it’s hard to deny these tracks because they’re just so damn humorous and chaotic. Think Heavy Heavy Low Low meets See You Next Tuesday, and you may have a slight idea of what to expect. (NL)

THE WORD ALIVE Deceiver [Fearless]

Score: 9 Stream: “The Wretched”

Empire was widely praised when it released a year ago, and for good reason. Hell, the EP is still a worthy metal contender with today’s releases. So how did the full length compare? Well fans can stop holding their breath; Deceiver is beast. It’s heavier, more intricate, more powerful, and even more aggressive (lyrically and musically). While the first two tracks, “Hounds Of Anubis” and “Epiphany”, are incredibly enjoyable and instantly successful in engaging the listener, this is one of those albums that actually becomes increasingly better as it plays through. It seems that most albums lose steam by the time they’re half way through, but not Deceiver. “The Wretched”, which is essentially the title track if you listen to the words, is one of the most stand out songs on the album. The gang vocals during the chorus are addictive and catchy, and the breakdown near the end is pretty ridiculous. The track is then followed by “Con-

July 2010 / www.lexingtonmusicpress.com

sider It Mutual”, a song that begins with some well sung vocals before building up to its true form. One of the album’s most straightforward “fuck you” tracks is “2012”, a song that opens with the lyric “You get what you deserve / For fucking with me / You won’t be the first / You won’t be the last”. Other than being completely brutal throughout, the song also features some of those electronic twinges 3OH!3 love so much (which may sound random, but it works). “Battle Royale” makes its return from Empire, slightly modified and made larger in sound for the new record. “You’re All I See” is the first and only song The Word Alive has done that is completely sung and does not feature screams or breakdowns of any type. Luckily, this experiment shines beautifully and shows that the band has a softer side to them we should ask them to explore in the future. The final track, “We All Know You Are”, has an UnderOath vibe that brings the album to a fade off closing well enough. When all is said and done, Deceiver is just the album fans have been waiting for. It’s got major kahunas that we should all bask in. Don’t even laugh. We’re serious. (NL)

HEY MONDAY Beneath It All

[Decaydance/Columbia]

Score: 6 Stream: “Where Is My Head”

Originally meant to be a new full length, Hey M o n d a y seemingly changed Beneath It All into an EP last minute (the announcement came just a month or so before the release). These six tracks feel quite similar to the female pop stars of the radio, causing this EP to feel slightly out of place from the scene it’s been place in by most. “Hangover” features some great instrumentals that bring to mind the latest Artist Vs. Poet re-

lease, “Mr. Pushover” belongs in the country genre, and “Wondergirl” tries its best to be a soaring number. Unfortunately, “Where Is My Head” is the only track to really feel like it belongs in the pop/rock genre of the independent scene. The rest of this sounds much too polished for the likes of Warped Tour. Nevertheless, fans will probably welcome this EP openly. (NL)

AMERICAN HI-FI

Fight The Frequency [Hi-Fi Killers]

Score: 9.5

Stream: “Acetate”

It’s been a long wait, but totally worth it. Fight The Frequency is a glorious return worth playing over and over again, much like the band’s first two albums. While every track here offers up something great, “Acetate” comes out as one of the top songs with its catchy set-up similar to old favorites “Flavor Of The Week” or “The Breakup Song”. If you were a fan of the more aggressive styles explored in “My Only Enemy” and “Beautiful Disaster”, then look no further than “Bullet” or “Frat Clump”. This sound has been greatly missed over the years since the release of The Art Of Losing. For those of you who didn’t care for the last album, Hearts On Parade, that overly poppy and radio friendly sound is absent this time around (luckily). This isn’t to say that Fight The Frequency isn’t going to get you moving, because to say that would be lying. This is a record to move to and put on repeat. These thirteen tracks are brilliant. Old fans will fall back in love with American Hi-Fi, and new listeners now have the chance to experience the talent these guys exude. This album has it all, so you’ll be able to find a song for any mood you’re feeling. Fight The Frequency is damn near perfect and may just become

your new favorite album from the band. American Hi-Fi is fucking back! (NL)

RUFIO

Anybody Out There [Nitro]

Score: 9 Stream: “Deep End”

Finally, the long awaited pop-punk band known as Rufio is back in full force. Now in 2010, the band has gone on to release their first full length album, Anybody Out There, since their junior release in 2005 (The Comfort Of Home). Anyone who remembers classic Rufio understands it’s not easy to categorize which genre they fall under. Since their debut with Perhaps, I Suppose in 2001, the band has done nothing short of branding their own sound. Known for their outstanding guitar work, sing along melodies, and catchy verses, Rufio is one very unforgettable band. Keeping that in mind, there was a lot of hope and excitement behind this new release. Through the first listen, hardcore fans will notice some very familiar Rufio riffs we have all grown to love. Unfortunately, it’s not enough to quite hit the “amazed” button. A few listens later and things will start to really heat up. Not only does the album mix in styles found throughout each previous record, it brings in a new vibe. Songs like “Under 18” take you right back to The Comfort Of Home, while a song like “What You Wanna Hear” will take you even further to MCMLXXXV. Although the new material shy’s away from Rufio’s “original” sound, it’s still amazing. The most perfect example is their new track “Deep End”. It’s unlike anything we’ve ever heard, but then again, so is Rufio in general. Anyone who listens to this album with an open mind will be treated to a great release. Welcome back Rufio. (MT)

IVORYLINE Vessels

[Tooth & Nail]

Score: 8 Stream: “Naked”

In 2008, Indie-pop band Ivoryline gave us a very catchy and fun album There Came A Lion. Unfortunately, the band didn’t get quite the credit they deserved in terms of popularity. Like any artist, time passes and with that new music comes along. Now in 2010, we are given Ivoryline’s latest release, Vessels. In comparison to their previous release, there has been no backing down in terms of the vast and powerful presence they create. Musically, the band has definitely matured, steering their style in a different direction. Instead of a very fun pop album, Vessels brings a powerful and honest feel. There is no doubt that their is pain in this album. Lyrically, the band seems to touch on love, hidden emotions, and the changing of life. It’s not quite the album you would want to rock out to. Yet, it is definitely something everyone can relate to. If you are looking for the previous Ivoryline “sound”, songs like “The Healing”, “Vessels”, and “Naked” will do a good job keeping your attention. As for the rest, the majority of the songs seem to bring their own personality. This album will mean something different for everyone, as the lyrics play one of the most important roles. (MT)

PAPA ROACH

Time For Annihilation [Interscope/DCG]

Score: 9 Stream: “Kick In The Teeth”

There is no doubt Papa Roach is one of the most recognizable names in the music world these days. Taking over country after country and state after state,

P-Roach never fails to kill every performance they attend. After ten years of slaying the crowd, their Time For Annihilation is finally here. In other words, their first live CD is finally available to purchase. What makes this release even more special is the fact that it includes five brand new powerhouse tracks. The new music brings a Papa Roach we have never seen. The riffs are more addicting, the choruses more singable, and the lyrics more aggressive. “Kick In The Teeth” and “The Enemy” are definitely the two strongest songs of this release. Unfortunately, the downfall to this album is the set list choice for the live tracks. With five very strong releases, it is imaginable how hard it was for the band to pick which songs to include. Fans will notice that they have kept the set list a bit modern, pulling the majority of their tracks from the most recent albums. Don’t worry though, they didn’t forget to include the classics “Getting Away With Murder”, “Between Angels And Insects”, and “Last Resort”. This is definitely a milestone in the band’s career, and a treat every fan should add to their collection. Viva La Cucaracha! (MT)

WOE, IS ME Number(s)

[Velocity/Rise]

Score: 7.5 Stream: “For The Likes Of You”

Keeping it in the family, WIM plays a blend of hardcore, electronica metal, and screamo in the likes of Of Mac h i n e s , Sleeping With Sirens, and Attack Attack!. You can expect frantic screams and growls, soaring vocals, and some great electronical sounds to aid in the breakdowns and

chaos of it all. The problem with this sound, however, is the lack of highs and lows at times (especially in the beginning). This means several songs share the same basic formula, keeping them from reaching the potential heights they could. “Hell, Or High Water” is the first track to really feature some stand out and memorable moments, such as the hauntingly beautiful bridge (though the breakdown that follows is definitely note worthy as well). The track that follows, “For The Likes Of You”, continues this more impressive spirit, gradually building off and on throughout. The end result is a large sounding number teeming with the kind of potential and talent that could take these guys to the top of their game. “I.” starts off in the likes of the earlier tracks (aggressive and fairly straight forward), but then manages to become more compelling and explorative about half way through. “Our Number(s)” is almost entirely brutal, “If Not, For Ourselves” focuses a lot more on the electronics and singing, and “Desolate (The Conductor)” feels like a lost Sky Eats Airplane interlude. When all is said and done, Number(s) certainly gets better and better as it plays through and tries more out with its formula. This is quite an explosive debut that will surely help WIM rise the ranks quickly (and knock out Attack Attack! in the process). Welcome to my playlist, guys. (NL)

FOR TODAY Breaker

[Facedown]

Score: 8.5 Stream: “Arm The Masses”

If not for the awkward, almost rap-like spoken word tracks, Breaker would have received an even higher score than this. That being said, For Today have returned stronger than ever. Other than pulling

out all the stops, the band has also managed to make everything feel more epic and large in sound. “Devastator” does an excellent job in kicking things off, making the walls around you crumble as the words “I will stand behind the savior / As he burns your kingdom down” bellow forth. The best part about this album is its originality. Most hardcore releases of this type are pretty straight forward, but not Breaker. While, yes, the vocals are primarily the style you would expect from a band of this genre, there is some deviation from time to time that prove successful in broadening the vocal sound (“Arm The Masses”, for example). As the album plays through, For Today offers up a little bit of everything when it comes to heavy music: breakdowns, growls, gang vocals, double bass...it may sound unoriginal when listing it so, but it actually sounds quite unique and memorable as a result. Breaker is brutal, intense, energetic, diverse, and ultimately recommended again and again. You really should pick this one up as soon as possible. (NL)

THE GREAT AMERICAN BEAST Domestic Blood [Bullet Tooth]

Score: 8.5 Stream: “Outtatwee”

The track names are humorous, or at least try to be, and do not reflect what the song is about necessarily (“Ultra Sunday Night Fuck-A-Thon”, “Saskatchewatch”, “9 x Tom Selleck” to name a few...). Though, when you think about it, what are these songs about? As long as they keep this intense and fun, it’s hard to really care about that. The Great American Beast is sleazy, fun, and insane. Domestic Blood is just the beginning. (NL)

CONDITIONS

Fluorescent Youth [Good Fight]

Score: 9 Stream: “Better Life”

In the beginning, Conditions was compared to Saosin often as they rose the unsigned ranks and garnished attention for themselves. Listening to Fluorescent Youth, I don’t really hear it, but maybe that’s just me. If anything, I’d have to say Conditions resemble Anberlin. Any how, this is a great album. Each track offers up something memorable, but “Better Life” has to be one of my top favorites. The chorus feels like an energetic stab with every word, making them stick with you after the song has ended. Several songs share this characteristic, actually. “When It Won’t Save You” has a sad and beautiful feel to it, “Keeping Pace With Planes” is one of the most energetic and fast tracks, “...Made Ghosts” starts off slow and builds, and the final track (“Illuminati”) wraps everything up in an explosive nature. If you didn’t know Conditions before, know them now. They’re fucking kings. (NL)

This is definitely the stand out release from Bullet Tooth thus far. With its crazy and frantic vocal parts, The G r e a t American B e a s t could be compared to early Drop Dead, Gorgeous. The songs may not be as fast or as hard to understand, but they are certainly just as energetic and chaotic sounding. Domestic Blood wastes no time in showing the listener what they’re all about with “Outtatwee”. Not all that surprisingly, the band doesn’t take naming a song seriously. July 2010 / www.lexingtonmusicpress.com

TERRIBLE THINGS

TIDES OF MAN

[Universal Motown]

[Rise]

Terrible Things

Score: 8 Stream: “Revolution”

While, yes, there are a couple songs here that resemble Taking Back Sunday, the majority of this debut has a different feel that that. Unlike The Color Fred, Terrible Things does make itself more of an identity, partly thanks to the contributions Andy Jackson brings to the table for the trio. The Hot Rod Circuit vibes can be felt from time to time, but the band does manage to keep their new music project separate along the way. “Revolution” is an immediate success, burrowing itself in your heads for days to come, and “Terrible Things” sounds familiar and catchy throughout. It’s these faster and more punk-fused numbers that shine best, but the band does explore some softer tones and other routes along the way. “Up At Night” sounds like a lullaby at times (albeit a rock focused one), “Conspiracy” is a bouncy track that relies heavily on beat, and “Been Here Before” has a country feel to it that may seem out of place, but works nonetheless. Admittedly, Terrible Things probably would’ve released a more compelling record if they had brought in those TBS influences some more in these tracks, but they deserve credit for making a sound of their own instead. This debut is quite impressive and features some really memorable moments, so it’s definitely a recommended purchase. (NL)

Dreamhouse

Score: 6.5 Stream: “Echoes” After their debut just a year ago, Tides Of Man decided that they would make a follow up record that would be composed of songs you could stand on their own. With Empire Theory, the album really needed to be heard as a whole. This time around, the band did their best to make each track tighter and a bit faster so that you could just skip to your favorite no problem. While Dreamhouse does succeed in making that possible, the songs have suffered in the process. They just aren’t as memorable or interesting as they were on the band’s debut. In fact, only a handful of tracks have moments you’ll bother learning. The middle of this album is where they lie, starting with “Salamanders And Worms”, a track that has a Circa Survive mentality behind it (and maybe even some Fall Of Troy mixed in there). It’s then followed by “Chemical Fires”, a song that is fueled by an energetic chorus similar to the strained vocals of “Knowing” (the first track of Empire Theory). The last song to really stand out is “Echoes”. Part of the reason this song is worth coming back to is its lyrics, especially the opening lines “I’m not like you / I can’t pretend / My body won’t let me get away with / I’m not your friend / Been trying to make your pieces fit for so long / He can’t even sing you a fucking song”. If only more of the tracks had done the exploration of these three tracks, Tides Of Man could

have released a better record than their debut. Unfortunately, they’ve fallen behind in the attempt to make a more straight forward and approachable album. (NL)

THE SHOWDOWN Blood In The Gears [Tooth & Nail]

Score: 6.5 Stream: “Diggin’ My Own Grave”

For the most part, The Showdown stick with the deep growl for their vocals. There are the occasional sung parts, which help add some flavor to the mix, but they don’t come quite enough. Musically, the sound of Blood In The Gears is large and anthem-like. “Heavy Lies The Crown” has some entertaining hardcore moments, “Bring It Down” is fast and furious, and “Take Me Home” has a gradual build to it that works extremely well. If only the band would take this road more often, Blood In The Gears could have become a stand out release. As it stands, however, this is pretty standard hair metal for the most part. Even with an explosive formula as this, you can fall prey to similar sounding tracks, which The Showdown does from time to time. If Blood In The Gears did more venturing, like with the closing track (“Diggin’ My Own Grave”), then maybe this disc would have left more of an impact. At least they proved there’s more than meets the eye. (NL)

MSWHITE Squares

[Velocity/Rise]

Score: 6.5

Stream: “Sinking Nowhere Over The Wisdom”

Musically, Mswhite feel like a cross between The Color Morale and Four Letter Lie. Vocally, however, the band resembles UnderOath (when screaming) and Rosaline (when singing). This somewhat mix matched combination actually works surprisingly well, making the clean vocals desired often. The main problem this band faces during their debut, Squares, is their lack of originality from track to track. Each song has the same basic feel, causing no track to really stand out above the rest. “I Breathe The Sun” features some nice clean vocal parts, “Sinking Nowhere Over The Wisdom” mixes up the speeds more interestingly, and “V.I.T.R.I.O.L.” is the most uniquely constructed song out of the twelve. Once again, however, the band rarely does anything to truly spice up their sound as Squares plays through. Even when a track seems to get off at a good start (“Now I Can See Clear”), they more often than not fall short as the song really gets going. Maybe next time, Mswhite will release a more compelling and engaging album to fans. Squares leaves a lot to be desired, despite sparking some interest along the way. (NL) OF MONTREAL False Priest Score: 7 A mix of OK Go, Vampire Weekend, and Arcade Fire, Of Montreal’s latest effort is as noisy and abrasive as it is oddly relaxing and catchy. is pretty cool. The Conscious Sedation is very much chaotic and fierce, making it more stand out from the pack of generic crap unloaded in this genre each month. System Divide could definitely go places if they keep this kind of work up.

DON’T FORGET THESE ONES (MINI REVIEWS) Written by Nathaniel Lay

IVORYLINE Vessels Score: 8

Soars and swings as it plays through, Vessels offers up a lot worth enjoying. Anticipation for what comes next is rising.

Score: 8.5

After two excellent EP releases, The Spill Canvas have finally released the full length they were both pointing to. Half of these songs are acoustic and beautiful, and the other half is raw and rock focused. Formalities is another home run from The Spill Canvas.

RAUNCHY

A Discord Electric Score: 7.5

INTERPOL Interpol Score: 4

Interpol basically feels the same throughout. There isn’t much exploration, and a lot of the instruments seem similar from track to track. Think of this as a boring version of Blue October’s slower material.

THE NEW CZARS

Doomsday Revolution Score: 7

Similar to Periphery, Raunchy mix electronics and metal in an intricate and brooding way. There’s a good chance A Discord Electric will turn heads when it releases.

EVOLETT

For Your Consideration Score: 6

This is becoming a tired formula. Evolett are more or less another form of VersaEmerge. For Your Consideration shows promise, but at the same time fails to create an identity for itself.

The instruments here are quite intricate and entertaining throughout. Doomsday Revolution could have done better with some more energetic vocals, but this is still an interesting album to experience.

DEATH IN THE PARK Death In The Park Score: 7

There are songs here that will get stuck in your head for days, like “Pitifully Exposed”, but sadly there just aren’t enough of them to keep this album afloat. Still a good collection of emo/rock, though.

THE NARRATIVE The Narrative Score: 6

“We probably shouldn’t talk / Because talking leads to thinking” - great lyric. Musically, it feels like The Narrative are reaching for the stars, but fail to really pull off something amazing in the process.

THE LIMOUSINES The Limousines Score: 8

The Limousines offer up some really groovy beats with this one. Their self titled album will make you move and even dance. “Flaskaboozendancingshoes” is a great track to return to again and again.

LATIN FOR TRUTH Diatribe Or Die! Score: 7

The first track may throw you off at first with its guttural, hardcore screams, but then “No Love Lawst” kicks in and shows you what the band really sounds like. Overall, Diatribe is a pretty fun punk/ rock album to blast from time to time.

THE SPILL CANVAS Formalities

CRUEL HAND Lock & Key Score: 6.5

Thrash, hardcore, and punk...does much else need be said? Cruel Hand keep it energetic without ever deviating from this familiar formula Lock & Key brings its listeners.

SECONDHAND SERENADE Hear Me Now Score: 5

Secondhand Serenade has gradually lost its touch over the years. Things were much more memorable in the beginning. Three albums in and it’s all starting to sound the same.

BUCKCHERRY All Night Long Score: 5

We’ve heard this all before, and done better. All Night Long may feature some catchy moments, but it doesn’t do anything special enough to bring you coming back for more.

BARS OF GOLD Of Gold

July 2010 / www.lexingtonmusicpress.com

Score: 6.5

Of Gold features some unique and interesting sounds. With some tightening and practice, this band could really have something on their hands.

WRETCHED

Beyond The Gate Score: 7.5

They may not be breaking down genre barriers by any means, but Wretched are doing their scene justice. Beyond The Gate is above solid metal worth checking out at least once or twice.

ALL OUT WAR

Into The Killing Fields Score: 8

Score: 7

PAPA ROACH

Time For Annihilation Score: 8

Apparently, Papa Roach does better when they only create a handful of new songs at a time. Their latest effort is basically an EP with several live tracks attached. The five new songs are back in the fashion of older material, so long-time fans can rejoice. The band is a little off when they play live, but that’s forgivable. Welcome back, boys.

ANGELS OF BABYLON Kingdom Of Evil Score: 6

Fast, brutal, and aggressive, All Out War take their mix of metal and punk to great levels with their latest release, Into The Killing Fields. This is just damn fun.

If you’re someone still rocking out to old school metal from the 70’s and 80’s, then this band will probably become a new favorite. For the rest of us, this is a tired formula that we’ve long since moved past.

WITHIN THE RUINS

HELL WITHIN

If you’re just discovering Within The Ruins, then you’ve picked a good album to start with. Invade feels like old school Bleeding Though, a sound that people have missed for years.

Similar to In This Moment, Hell Within play a blend of classic metal and nu metal to create something heavy and dream-like at the same time. God Grant Me Vengeance is definitely worth looking up and playing when you’re pissed off.

Invade Score: 8

MIKE POSNER

31 Minutes To Takeoff Score: 6

This is pretty much what you would expect from a solo artist of this type. A good number of these songs sizzle, but don’t really reach the heights they could. Kudos on the Gym Class Heroes-like track, “Do U Wanna?”, though.

God Grant Me Vengeance Score: 7.5

FLESHWROUGHT Dementia / Dyslexia Score: 6

This sounds basically like a mix between Job For A Cowboy and The Black Dahlia Murder. If either of those bands do it for you, then Fleshwrought probably will as well.

THE WALKMEN

KING OF ASGARD

Each song basically repeats itself as it plays. Lisbon is quite boring and unoriginal. This is the kind of band you’d expect to be used for elevator music.

Generic, tiresome, bland...King Of Asgard pretty much offer nothing to intrigue the listener.

Lisbon Score: 3.5

GOOD RIDDANCE

Capricorn One: Singles & Rarities Score: 8

This collection often feels like old school Blink-182, which is pretty damn cool. Expect fast and energetic punk/rock worth jamming along to.

Fi’mbulvintr Score: 3

NIGHTFALL

Astron Black And The Thirty Tyrants Score: 4.5

Nightfall is at their best when resembling Rob Zombie. Too bad that doesn’t happen enough.

RUNNER RUNNER

MAD CADDIES

Runner Runner Score: 7

This greatest hits album features “Drinking For 11”, “Leavin”, “Days Away”, and more favorites. Mad Caddies are one of the leading bands in ska-punk, so look them up if you don’t know them yet.

RUFIO

Consensual Selections Score: 8

CAUSE A SCENE Volume One Score: 4

It’s a bad sign when you get an album with different mastering volumes and qualities. It doesn’t matter if it’s a compilation; you fix that shit to make it flow correctly. On top of that, most of these bands are generic and rough sounding. It’s OK to skip this one.

Don’t let the first track turn you off! Yes, it’s another sugary pop, love song, but the album itself gradually becomes better and better as it plays through. If you give it a chance, you’ll find some great tracks here, like “Hey Alli”.

Anybody Out There Score: 7

This is a bit of a disappointment when compared to the previous EP that was just so damn memorable. Nonetheless, Anybody Out There is composed of fun rock songs worth hearing, even if they aren’t amazing like some older material.

Hearing the title track of The Orchard will bring images of A Nightmare Before Christmas to your head again and again. The rest of the album is more upbeat and charismatic, which helps keep things interesting enough.

ARCADE FIRE

The Suburbs Score: 7

Quite soothing, The Suburbs will put you at ease and bring out the day dreams you’ve been keeping inside.

band teeming with potential and power. Ice Nine Kills will have a bright future if they continue down this brutal and frantic road.

DAWN OF ASHES Genocide Chapters Score: 5

I’m guessing that echo was intended to make things sound more epic. It certainly makes one imagine a Lord Of The Rings battle gearing up, but that doesn’t mean this album can hold its own when experience entirely. This kind of metal has been done again and again, but it’s still solid for what it is.

SYSTEM DIVIDE

KID LIBERTY

The Conscious Sedation Score: 6.5

Fight With Your Fists Score: 7

Blending styles of Close Your Eyes, A Day To Remember, and Veara, Kid Liberty are energetic and fun, albeit skin deep.

ICE NINE KILLS

Safe Is Just A Shadow Score: 8

These guys have come a long way over the last couple years. Safe Is Just A Shadow shows a

At times, the vocals of System Divide resemble Iwrestledabearonce, which is pretty cool. The Conscious Sedation is very much chaotic and fierce, making it more stand out from the pack of generic crap unloaded in this genre each month. System Divide could definitely go places if they keep this kind of work up.

REVIEW ARCHIVE(No. 7 AUG/SEPT 2010) What you missed...

Albums in orange received a score of 9 or higher, and are therefore highly recommended 3OH!3 – Streets Of Gold (8) 36 Crazyfists – Collisions And Castaways (8.5) And Hell Followed With – Proprioception (8) Burning Twilight – The Reckoning (8.5) Camera Can’t Lie – Not Everyone Leaves (6) Corpus Christi – A Feast For Crows (8.5), (8) Emarosa – Emarosa (9) Evans Blue – evans/Blue (7.5), (9.5) Fight Fair – California Kicks (5.5) For All Those Sleeping – Cross Your Fingers (9) Grave Maker – Ghosts Among Men (5), (8.5) Haste The Day – Attack Of The Wolf King (9) Honor Bright – Action! Suspense! Drama! (7) Impending Doom – There Will Be Violence (8) In Fear And Faith – Imperial (7) In This Moment – A Star Crossed Wasteland (8) Korn – Korn III: Remember Who You Are (4) Menomena – Mines (8) Mozart Season – Nightmares (9.5) My Epic – Yet (9) Norma Jean – Meridional (9)

Parkway Drive – Deep Blue (8), (7.5) Picture Me Broken – Wide Awake (6.5) Pierce The Veil – Selfish Machines (8) A Plea For Purging – The Marriage Of Heaven And Hell (8.5) The Pretty Reckless – The Pretty Reckless (8.5) Rosaline – The Vitality Theory (9.5), (9) Sister Sin – True Sound Of The Underground (4), (7.5) Steel Train – Steel Train (9) Swingin’ Utters – Brand New Lungs (7.5) This Or The Apocalypse – Haunt What’s Left (8.5), (8.5) The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza – Danza III (6) VersaEmerge – Fixed At Zero (4), (6.5), (6) War From A Harlots Mouth / Burning Skies – Split EP (8)

RA RA RIOT The Orchard