LMP no.6 (July 2010)

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LEXINGTON MUSIC PRESS June/July

2010

NO.6 INTRO - LAST ISSUE PLUS THIS

By Nathaniel Lay (President/Founder) For our May/June issue, I rambled a bit during my introduction. I will try to avoid doing that again. That issue was put together in only three days (some 20+ hours of work). Some of the time was spent doing the layout, some editing the features, and the rest writing the remaining reviews. In all honesty, I kind of rushed the whole thing last minute. I kept putting it off until I decided I had to get my shit together and knock it already. I started by giving myself a June 7 th deadline, but didn't begin work until just a few days before that date. As a result, a handful of reviews were short and I didn't get around to editing all the features (grammar, spelling, etc.).

Despite all this, I think the issue came out quite well. We had around 80 pages of content, which impressed me. That included photos and advertisements, but still – that's a lot of work for one month of time split only three ways. On top of that, the three of us are busy guys who write for more than just LMP. With this issue, I began work on only days after the posting of the June collection. Before midJune, I was already reviewing albums that were a month off from releasing, as well as setting up a bunch of interviews for the new features. We have a good list of bands for this one, so I'm happy with that. I don't know if it's as much as the last issue, but granted the June issue had the benefit of me putting together a ton of stuff we had already used online. With this one, I tried to make more of the content exclusive to this issue.

Any how, I'm pretty proud with this team I have for LMP. We aren't much yet, but we've come a long way over the last 8 months when our site first went online. Mario joined around February I think, and Ryan began contributing in May. Our “staff” is still small, but it's more intimate and driven as a result, I think. We're three guys who have a passion for writing and music. Sure,

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com more help and some cash would be great, but that will come with time. I think we accomplish a lot considering we all live busy lives and contribute to other magazines.

LMP is the only thing I've created I've stuck with so long. I've had doubts along the way, but I'm glad I never threw in the towel. Things continue to get better with every passing month, so I'm really becoming proud with this site. Bonus: We're just getting started.

JULY RELEASES Albums in red are reviewed in this issue

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INFORMATION / CONTACT PRESIDENT/FOUNDER Nathaniel Lay WRITERS Mario Trevizo (www.fans4bands.org) Ryan Williford (www.audiopinions.net) GRAPHIC DESIGNER David Zimmerman Looking to advertise with us or contact us for press purposes? nathaniellay@live.com MAIN OFFICE 37930 Chaptico Road Mechanicsville, MD 20659 MAILING LIST Join from our Home page to be informed on the latest news, postings, and more.

LINKS www.lexingtonmusicpress.com (Main Site) www.lmpmagazine.com www.myspace.com/lexingtonmusicpress www.twitter.com/lexingtonmp

*Lexington Music Press (2009-2010) is an online music website for reviews, interviews, streams, downloads, and more. We try to release a digital issue each month. There are exclusives online and in each issue, so make sure to follow both to see everything we have for you!

7/6

The Ataris All Souls Day 7�

(Paper + Plastick) Breathe Carolina Hello Fascination (Deluxe Edition) (Fearless) Corpus Christi A Feast For Crows (Victory) Defiance, Ohio Midwestern Minutes (No Idea) Pathology Legacy Of The Ancients (Victory) Picture Me Broken Wide Awake (Megaforce) A Plea For Purging The Marriage Of Heaven And Hell (Facedown) Swingin' Utters Here, Under Protest (Fat Wreck Chords) The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza Danza III: The Series Of Unfortunate Events (Black Market Activities) Wretched TBA (Victory) 7/13 Hellyeah Stampede (Epic) Honor Bright Action! Drama! Suspense!

(Triple Crown) In This Moment A Star Crossed Wasteland (Century Media) Korn III: Remember Who You Are (Roadrunner) The Maine Black & White (Fearless) Norma Jean Meridional (Razor & Tie) 7/20 The Acacia Strain Wormwood (Prosthetic) Black Veil Brides We Stitch These Wounds (Standby) Burning The Masses Offspring Of Time (Mediaskare) For All Those Sleeping Cross Your Fingers (Fearless) Ill Nino TBA (Victory) Impending Doom There Will Be Violence (Facedown) Mad Caddies Consensual Selections (Fat Wreck Chords) Mozart Season Nightmares (Equal Vision) Piebald Volume III (Rise) You, Me, And Everyone We Know Some Things Don't Wash Out (Doghouse) 7/27 Avenged Sevenfold Nightmare (Warner Bros) Burning Twilight The Reckoning (BLK Group) Cruel Hand Lock & Key (Bridge Nine) Ivoryline Vessels (Tooth & Nail) Menomena Mines (Barsuk)

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Unsigned Each month, we stumble across at least a few unsigned artists that really have talent. There are tons of bands out there people don't know that they should. Here are a few of our current picks.

Want to be considered for a future issue? E-mail some info on your music, some songs, and website links to nathaniellay@live.com to be checked out.

SERIANNA

Remembering Never For Fans Of: August Burns Red Parkway Drive The Color Morale Misery Signals Our Last Night Band Bio: “I joined this band about a year into the process, after losing their former guitarist, i was presented with an opportunity to not only play shows, but bring a creative aspect to the band that they formerly were lacking. Not to say the band was lacking talent or spirit, but I feel privileged to be a part of moving from playing As I lay Dying covers to Shredding some seriously tech breakdowns, that i even catch myself getting into. Over the past two years, i watched 2 vocalists come and go before stumbling upon the latest Chris (totaling three in the band). The first vocalist resembled a pterodactyl with the second resembling a 3 year old (excluding names). We've been running strong with a solid line up for the last half year or so, and have been building a stronger and stronger sound, and it's clear that there's finally a common goal among members. The next step is releasing music we are beyond proud of, and hitting the road, west coast to the east coast!”

Why Should We Know You?: “One thing we have held as a value over all else in the music industry as of late is camaraderie. We see too much conflict and apathy towards bands.

The competition factor and genre discrimination has become far too abundant. Every song has a positive message, whether it’s, finding a way to better yourself, maintaining your identity or being proud of who you are, kids deserve to hear that stuff. On another note, we do take our project seriously, it takes time and lots of money to put together a professional act and i feel we have that. Lights, unison, We dig that stuff!” Kris Meyer-Ruef

Questions answered by Chris Nutting (Vocals), except where otherwise noted www.myspace.com/seriannarocks HQ: Janesville / Madison, WI Current Release: Self titled EP (out of circulation) Upcoming: New EP - Coming this Fall (high anticipation) Major Influences: Thursday Underoath As I Lay Dying Veil of Maya The Ghost Inside As Cities Burn

Sound Description: “Riffs seem to be losing the popularity vote with bands these days, and well...that sucks! But hey, we love 'em, and more so, we'd love to bring em back.

Breakdowns? oh yeah. Tech Breakdowns? We sure hope so. Obviously in a metal-core band, there's a lot of restrictions, but a tasteful mix of screaming is key, with some singing when suitable. Every Instrument matters, especially our drummer. Ferraro carries the whole mix, without question. We play fast, and we try to keep it moving, Slow songs in a live show kill it in our minds. Even if you can't windmill kick at 200 bpm, you can sure circle pit, and we love it.” Kris Meyer-Ruef Members: Chris Nutting - Vocals Chris Ferraro - Drums Kris Meyer-Ruef - Guitar James Milbrandt - Guitar Lee Milbrandt – Bass

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THE ROYAL HEIST

own. Driving bass lines, a rock-solid back beat, subtle guitar riffs, and fiercely unique vocal styling set them apart from the hoards of cookie-cutter musicians currently in the forefront. Their high-energy live show, combined with a razor-sharp look and sound, make The Royal Heist a force to be reckoned with.

Why Should We Know You?: We're a true Rock N Roll Band, we believe in the music we make and bust our asses to get it out to as many people as possible. We let the music do the talking so give us a listen and get to know us better!

Sound Description: Prestigious punk.

Upcoming Shows/Tours: We're doing a special promotion for our show at The Silverlake Lounge on July 27th, everyone who buys a ticket will receive a Free Limited Edition CD and a T-Shirt. Come out and Rock with us and get FREE Stuff!!! Check our MySpace/Facebook pages for more details.

OTHER SPOTS These are always some other artists we'd like to recommend despite not having the chance to ask them some questions. These are a handful from the past month. We're looking to do a much bigger list next month.

Questions answered by Collin Pulsipher (Vocals) www.myspace.com/theroyalheist HQ: North Hollywood, CA Current Release: Midnight In The Garden Of Eden (April 2010) Upcoming: N/A Major Influences: The Photo Atlas Oh No Not Stereo The Epilogues Murph And The Blackouts Gran Ronde For Fans Of: Same as above Band Bio: A highly-volatile group of gentlemen from Los Angeles, The Royal Heist posses a unique swagger rarely seen in modern indie rock bands. Formed in 2005, the danceheavy act features Everett Connors (bass), Collin Pulsipher (vocals), Charlie Paz (drums), and Donato McDermott (guitar). With their new full-length album “Midnight In The Garden Of Evil� (2010), The Royal Heist are pushing themselves into a category all their

EVERY YOU HQ: Fort Lauderdale, FL Current Release: A Change Of Scene (www.myspace.com/everyyou) FFO: The Dangerous Summer, The Audition, Go Radio Why Check Them Out?: Their latest release was a phenomenal EP that is a must for any Dangerous Summer fan. Their brand of rock is honest, emotional, and full of heart. Every You was also nominated as one of PureVolume's Top 20 Unsigned Artists. How these guys are still without a label is beyond us.

NANCY DREW HQ: Berkley, MI Current Release: EP (www.myspace.com/nancydrewmi) FFO: Corpus Christi, Drop Dead Gorgeous, Gwen Stacy Why Check Them Out?: Their song structures are bigger than your standard metal act, and the band has been recently busy getting a new vocalist (the same frontman for Call it Karma) and setting up shows along side national Gwen Stacy, Before There Was Rosalyn, and more.

SEVEN STORY FALL HQ: Wayne, MI

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com Current Release: Those Great Defy The Armed (www.myspace.com/sevenstoryfall) FFO: From First To Last, A Skylit Drive, There For Tomorrow Why Check Them Out?: The band is currently working on their third album and have been receiving contract offers from labels for a while now. Not only that, Seven Story Fall have already been featured for unsigned spots in several other magazines and sites. These guys are surely going to blow up during 2010.

UNSIGNED REVIEWS We don't do as many unsigned reviews as we used to, but when we have some they will go here. If you're an unsigned artist looking to be reviewed, send it on over to nathaniellay@live.com for consideration. We don't ask that it be a new release, but it should be within the last 6 months to make a spot in an issue.

HARBOR ROYALE HQ: Salt Lake City, UT Current Release: Aspirations (www.myspace.com/harborroyale) FFO: Sleeping With Sirens, Jamie's Elsewhere, Saosin Why Check Them Out?: Lead vocalist Brock Davis has been a member of several bands, including Jamie's Elsewhere, Witness the Forecast, and The Recovery. The band came together after Davis took this solo project to the full band Emissarie to create Harbor Royale. The band release Aspirations this month!

THEY FOUND HER IN PIECES Victorian [Unsigned] Score: 7.5 Stream: "Days Of Wine And Roses"

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Here we will point out bands we've featured in past unsigned spots that have now made the move to a label.

MOZART SEASON HQ: Sacramento, CA Label: Equal Vision Records Current Events: The band releases their label debut EP, Nightmares, July 20th. The band is also on a summer tour with Jamie's Elsewhere, A City Serene, Lower Definition, and others.

Special Note: Head to our Reviews pages to read what we had to say on Nightmares. The band will be one of our features in the August issue as well.

EYES LIKE DIAMONDS HQ: Las Vegas, NV Label: Tragic Hero Records Current Events: The band was originally releasing an EP this summer before Tragic Hero picked them up. Now the band is in the process of turning that disc into a full length for their label debut!

Special Note: We're planning on featuring Eyes Like Diamonds and more Tragic Hero artists in our August issue (or September depending on scheduling).

Having a local music scene is essential to keeping music alive and well. These local scenes all seem to follow what is popular to the Hot Topic subset of today’s scene. That is why there is a current abundance of autotune and electronic music today. There also seems to be a current plethora of bands that could be classified as “beatdown hardcore/metalcore” that would fit with bands like Murder Death Kill and Endwell. They Found Her In Pieces fits into neither of these two genres. They Found Her In Pieces are a death metal band out of Virginia who are zealous to tear shit up with their debut full length Victorian. After a short introduction track, Wesley’s vocals come screeching in before they transform into growls. Throughout the album, Wesley varies his vocals and prevents the monotone disease from setting in. Also on “Advent” we have our introduction to the skillful guitars,

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com which has a great part in the middle of the song. The guitars do not start to really shine until the next song, “Days Of Wine And Roses,” though. “Days Of Wine And Roses” seems to be the focal track of the album, and rightfully so, with everything from Wesley’s vocals to the guitars to Matt’s drumming all flowing as one to create a beautiful beast of a track.

“The Ivy Portrait” sees the band switching things up throughout the whole song. They begin the song with no guitar and a different atmosphere. The song has a darker, slower feeling swirling around it and makes you pay heed to what is going on during the duration.

It also helps bring forth the title track, which gives you a great definition of what this album is all about if you heard it by itself. Even when the band goes to six minutes, they are impressive and never seem to become tiresome to the ear. The album does have a case of being a tad generic at times, but they are not trying to reinvent the wheel so it is all right. They also will not appeal to people who do not like this genre of music. With that being said, this is a highly enjoyable and recommend release from an up-and-coming group of guys that have a great work ethic and should have that pay off for them soon enough. (RW)

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR The Most Beautiful [Unsigned] Score: 9 Stream: “Frustrated (Hurricane)”

The only real problem with this album is its length. The Most Beautiful feels like it ends abruptly and early. Other than that, these eight tracks are extremely soothing and beautiful (just as the title suggests). The first track, “Run Away”, is gradually builds and is characterized by a sweet and memorable chorus. The favorite, however, is “Frustrated (Hurricane)”, a song that is catchy and more upbeat than anything else on the album.

Every track here has something special about it; there aren't any duds here. The cover of “Bizarre Love Triangle” was a nice addition, “Spinning Around” has a slightly different feel to it when compared to the other songs, and “Take These Words” is an excellent closing to an excellent collection. Rookie Of The Year has returned stronger than ever. The vocals are

better, the electronics are sharper, and everything just feels tighter and more experienced.

The Most Beautiful is Ryan's best work yet, easy. This is a great record to play with your girl or when you just need to wind down. (NL)

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FEATURES We have a handful of great bands this month! Some of these guys just released a new album, so you may want to refer back to LMP No.5 for those reviews (Stick To Your Guns, Attila, Pierce The Veil...). Some are actually in this issue itself. Don't forget to head to our Forum/News page online to discuss this month's content!

A BULLET FOR A PRETTY BOY...8 ATTILA...9 THE COLORS OF VOLTRON...11 DESTRUCTION OF A ROSE...13 HASTE THE DAY...14 KONG!...16 LETLIVE...19 MAN OVERBOARD...20 ORBS...24 PIERCE THE VEIL...26 STICK TO YOUR GUNS...27 THIS OR THE APOCALYPSE...28 TO SPEAK OF WOLVES...29

UPON A BURNING BODY...31 VERSAEMERGE...32 THE WORD ALIVE...33

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A BULLET FOR A PRETTY BOY

nothing to some of the most successful bands in their genres. Backing Artery Recordings is the well-known label Razor & Tie. They have released the music of some popular artists such as Brian McKnight, Dave Barnes, and Twisted Sister. They also have plenty of experience in our type of music by releasing albums from All That Remains, Norma Jean, and Brand New. Since signing to Artery Recordings, we have had the pleasure of meeting all the Artery Recordings Staff personally and many of the Razor & Tie staff as well. Everyone’s been really cool and sincere. We’re excited to work with such an awesome team of people.

What was the process like?

ABFPB: Around September we released our new song “Windows” on our MySpace around the same time we also sent out emails to various managements and labels. We were most hopeful about getting a reply from The Artery Foundation Management. Within hours we received an email from Eric Rushing, the founder of the company, showing interest in the band. Within the next few days and a number of emails, we talked to him on the phone. He told us he was definitely interested in the band, and wanted us to get on the management immediately, and also told us about the new label he was forming. When we heard about it we were definitely stoked and on board. After all the label stuff was finalized around December we were sent the papers. We looked over and signed the papers making us one of the first three bands on the label.

You guys are currently on the “Welcome To The Circus” tour. How has that been?

ABFPB: It was a huge opportunity for us being on such a big tour, and a great chance for people who probably haven’t heard of us before to listen to our music and our message. All but about two shows were sold out. Even though most of the people hadn’t heard of us, we still had great crowd reactions.

You guys then hit the studio to record your Artery debut. Who did you end up choosing and why?

>> Interview with A Bullet For Pretty Boy by Ryan Williford >> Shared with www.audiopinions.net The biggest news this year for you guys has to be signing with Artery Recordings. How does it feel being on a brand new label?

ABFPB: It feels awesome! We’ve been waiting for the right fit for a couple of years now, and feel like we have found that in Artery Recordings. Being signed means we get to release our music nationwide. Artery Recordings has benefits of both an independent and major label. We get the one-on-one treatment an independent label might have, and also get the distribution a major label has. Also, Artery Recordings is run by some of the experienced members of The Artery Foundation who have had a great reputation of working with bands such as The Devil Wears Prada, A Day To Remember, and Dance Gavin Dance and building their careers from basically

ABFPB: We chose Chango Studios in Orlando, Fl. We really liked many of the recordings of other bands that have been there and how they captured the individual sound of each band. After looking up and listening to various studios and producers we decided that Chango would be the best at conveying what we’re going for.

How are the new tracks sounding? Will your sound be different or about the same from before?

ABFPB: The new songs will definitely sound different than the songs off our EP. The EP was released about two years ago and we have grown and matured a lot as musicians. It’ll still have some of the same characteristics from our older stuff. Heavy parts are heavier and more unique, ambient parts are more thought out, and we have added complexity to every aspect of our music.

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com Are there any touring plans after recording that you may or may not be able to talk about yet?

ABFPB: Yes, we’ll be going out with Demon Hunter on their CD release “The World Is A Thorn” tour which includes Sleeping Giant and Inhale Exhale. It will be really awesome considering we look up to the bands on that tour. After that we will be out on the road almost nonstop with as few breaks as possible.

ATTILA

As a band, which social networking site other than MySpace has been the most helpful in getting your name out?

ABFPB: We use several social networking sites like Twitter, and Pure Volume, but Facebook seems to be the second most successful since it seems like everyone and their whole families have Facebook now. Also, we like many of the features of Facebook such as being able to invite people to a show and already know an estimated number of how many will be attending.

What are your thoughts of illegal downloading and CDs getting leaked onto the internet?

ABFPB: Any opportunity for someone to hear our music is always awesome, and if someone can’t afford to buy a CD they shouldn’t be deprived of listening to our music. However, if that person likes our music enough and has the means of doing so they should support us by buying a CD or shirt. Bands don’t make as much money as people think. The music industry is tough, and any support is greatly appreciated.

Thanks you for your time, any final thoughts?

ABFPB: We’re stoked for the future and to see how the full length turns out. We’ve been overwhelmed with blessings and are thankful to be in such a great position with a great team of people backing us.

>> Interview with Fronz (Vocals) by Ryan Williford >> Shared with www.audiopinions.net The biggest news this year for you guys has to be signing with Artery Recordings. How does it feel being on a brand new label?

Fronz: It feels absolutely amazing! We've been with Artery management for a little while now, and they're the closest thing to a family we've ever had in the music industry, so we didn't have to think twice at all when we heard about them starting a new label. Plus, working with Razor & Tie is fucking sweet!

What was the process like?

Fronz: Well our manager, Mike Milford, also runs the label, so we heard word about what was happening fairly early. It wasn't really something we had to sit down and think really hard about, it all just made perfect sense to us. We were preparing to write a new album anyways, so we just got down to it and waited on the contract to be sent!

You guys are currently finishing up The Rage Tour. How has that been?

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com Fronz: For being only our second big headlining tour, it’s been incredible! All of the shows have had consistently good turnouts, and we love the bands who are with us. It couldn't really be much better.

You guys then take a month off before heading out on The Pyknic pArtery tour. What can you tell us about this tour?

a site for a band, but I guess it works somehow. Either that, or Twitter. Follow us- @ATTILAga (haha) What are your thoughts of illegal downloading and CDs getting leaked onto the internet?

Fronz: Well for one, we're considerably heavier than any other band on the tour. But that’s what makes it really fun! We've toured with Drop Dead Gorgeous and Sleeping with Sirens before, so we're already good friends with a couple bands on the tour. It’s called the "pArtery" tour, so you know things are gonna get pretty intense (haha).

Fronz: Honestly, it doesn't bother me too much, it’s not something you can let yourself get stressed out about when you're in a band. Because no matter what, it’s ALWAYS going to happen, and nothing will change that. As long as people enjoy the music and spread the word that's all that really matters. I always suggest buying the CD, because you get the best quality of the recording, all the lyrics, plus some sick artwork and photos. But that's just me. Most kids just want T-Shirts...

Are there any touring plans after this that you may or may not be able to talk about yet?

Thanks you for your time, any final thoughts?

Fronz: Ummm there’s definitely plans, but nothing confirmed yet. There's talk right now about another big Canadian tour sometime in late summer/early fall, which would be fuckin sweet!

Fronz: If anyone hasn't heard our new CD Rage yet, please give it a listen! And if you like it, buy it, or come hang out with us at a show! We love to party.

You guys have just released Rage. What has been the reaction from the fans and critics about it?

Fronz: The reaction we've gotten from our new album, Rage couldn't be any better. Fans all love the album and have nothing but good feedback in regards to it. We've kept all the fans we already had, and gained plenty more! The critics are half and half about it, I’ve seen some harsh reviews and some amazing ones as well! But just like the verse in the title track, "We don't care what all the critics say- we're just fine, success is right ahead."

Why title the album Rage?

Fronz: The title Rage just seemed most fitting for the music we were writing. We wanted something short and simple and easy to remember, and the fact that it's a double-meaning makes it even better. You could view it as a really aggressive angry album or a get loose and party album. Either fits, it’s just all up to you!

Can you explain to everyone what exactly Party Metal is and what other bands may fit into it?

Fronz: I'd rather people just decide what it is themselves. But if it were up to me, I'd just say party metal is thrashy/energetic metal with catchy/fun lyrics that people can sing along to and relate to. It's music you could put in at a big party, and all the sudden, everyone starts pouring shots, chugging beer, and rolling blunts, all while screaming along at the top of their lungs!

As a band, which social networking site other than MySpace has been the most helpful in getting your name out?

Fronz: Hmm, I guess I’d have to say Facebook seems pretty popular. I never imagined FB being

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The Colors Of Voltron

on guitar.

Matt Kucinich: My name is Matt Kucinich, and I beat the life into the skins and plates behind Mike, Daniel, and John's spin kicks. Oh, and Theo plays a Casio!

Daniel Kellam: I’m Daniel Kellam, AKA D-Train. I do vocals and struggle on guitar.

Robert Daigle: Robert Daigle. I slappa da bass. ‘Nuff said.

Eddie Daughtry: I am Eddie Lamar Daughtry and I get nasty with an axe. (haha) What brought you guys together as a band?

Matt: Mike Stemler and ECU. Booker T: Mikey Mike.

Mike: We came together because of all of our love for music, and friendship. We all love playing, and being a part of music, and that is what brought us together.

Booker T: Michael's accurate in that claim; we all love music, and are very grateful for an opportunity to play the music we love as a family.

John: Yeah, Mike came up with the idea. Thought we could start a hardcore band just for fun, one more time in his life before graduating into the "big world"... where hardcore is but a speck of dust. Mainly our friendship and similarities got us to where we are.

Eddie: Um, well what brought me in to the band was my dear friend John and his sick breakdowns.

>> Interview with multiple members by Ryan Williford >> Shared with www.audiopinions.net

Very nice! With all of you guys either graduated or less than a year away from graduating, what does the future hold for the band?

Michael Stemler: My name is Mike Stemler, AKA Big Mike, and I just yell into a microphone. (haha)

Mike: We have not really talked much about the future of the band. I think we’re all in consensus that as long as God is blessing us with shows we will try our best to play them, and play them with all of our heart and energy. As of right now Matt is in Virginia so we have brought in a new guitarist Eddie to fill in for John so he can play drums. But the band was formed with Matt in it so we want him to play as many shows as possible. I think we will know when it’s time to call it quits. But for now God has blessed us with shows, and we will play shows.

Booker T Washington: My name is Booker T. Washington III, AKA Theo Washington, and I press black and white keys to make nifty sounds come out of the speakers.

Eddie: Not sure what the future of the band is, but hopefully whatever Gods will is. Also I am still 19 and have 2 more years, at least. (haha)

John Maye: I'm John Maye. I'm currently alternating between drums and guitar, having started

How would you guys describe your sound?

Being an unsigned and a newer band, would you mind introducing yourselves and what you do in the band?

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com Mike: If you take two bears, put them in a cage, and let them wrestle you would probably get close to the sound our band produces. (haha) But seriously, we get a ton of inspiration from Devil Wears Prada, Underoath, and bands like Advent. We want really raw music, but at the same time bring that brutal breakdown, with the melodic hooks of singing.

Eddie: I think it’s probably easier to get your name out nowadays, but I also think because of that it makes it harder for bands to get somewhere because there are so many bands.

John: I think what Mike was trying to say is if you took anime...and blended it with metal...you get TCOV.

Eddie: Rocking faces to an unknown crowd. Nah friends that support you is really the only way to go. I cannot say much cause I haven’t been around long, but without friends we would probably still be at square one.

Booker T: Pretty much, think of the most epic thing you can imagine.....now multiply that by everything awesome. There you have it. Anime + metal = TCOV Defending the Universe goodness.

Eddie: Sounds like the most amazing thing your ears will ever hear.

Matt: If you have ever heard a CAT crane throw a dodge neon.... 200 feet... into a pile of 1080p Samsung 120hz TVs.... on top of Mount Everest....in Guam…then you might be able to understand our breakdowns.

Really now? Really? (haha) What has been your favorite show/venue to play thus far?

Matt: The Tank.

Booker T: Playing at The Brewery with Jamie's Elsewhere. It was ridic fun finally getting to play on that stage, and talking to Aaron Pauley for a good bit about that Steven Hawking special on Discovery Channel and other things. (haha) Eddie: We haven’t played many shows and I’ve only played two with the band at The Brewery and Backdoor, they both were sick.

Do you guys think it is easier or more difficult to get your name out there nowadays?

Mike: Well with Facebook, and MySpace it is ten times easier to get your name out there. There are also internet radio stations that will play your music for you. There are tons of new ways to get your bands name out there. But you still need to work at.

Booker T: Very true, MySpace and Facebook have definitely made it easier for people to find out about new bands. That's not all there is to it though, people are still essential to spreading the name of your band. We've been fortunate to have amazing support from our friends, and they've told a lot of people about us, so we're thankful for their backing.

John: I think the easiest way to get out there is word of mouth though it may take a bit longer.

Getting in with other locals and getting friends to support is the best way to get your music heard. Myspace and Facebook are excellent but were only effective for us after we got music up and everything else looking legit.

Without your friends supporting you guys, where would you be as a band right now?

Mike: Still playing in John's basement annoying Aaron and all of their neighbors. Our friends are awesome and support us no matter what. The cool thing is that many of our friends are not into hardcore music, but they still come out and support because they love us. It’s amazing.

John: (haha) Yeah we'd still just be jamming in my house with just a guitar and drums acting like we're a super awesome touring band on a label...like Every Single Lie. What are your thoughts of illegal downloading and CDs getting leaked onto the internet?

Mike: As long as people are hearing the band’s music I could care less about downloading and stuff getting leaked. When bands work hard on an album and it gets leaked early before its completed I could understand because people are not hearing the finished product. As long as people come to the shows, and buy the merch bands have to help support i think that is what is important. But if the music is getting out there then who cares how it does. Plus can you really put a price on music. I mean it’s for everyone, so why limit it to people who have money to buy it.

Thank you for your time! Any final thoughts?

John: Yeah, thanks for interviewing us PR Dubs! You are awesome for being patient with us!

Booker T: Oh PR Dubs, patience was most def appreciated, and thanks for the questions bro!

Mike: Respect others.....

Eddie: As long as playing music is what you love i say pursue it with all you have, as long as your hearts in it you will be happy.

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com

DESTRUCTION OF A ROSE

GL: Nick and myself got together every single night for weeks straight and arranged and worked on the riffs. Lyrically, Evan had been working on the lyrics for this album for a long time. The recording process was great. The dudes down at Lambesis Studios are fun to work with and bring out the best in us musically. Plus, we lived at the studio for a month while we recorded, so all in all it was a great experience.

How do you plan on backing the new release?

LR: Tour. Tour. Tour. (Haha) What touring have you guys been up to, and what's on the way?

GL: We just got done touring the nation with Kid Liberty and we are currently on the Brew-tal Invasion Tour with our good buds Create Avoid and Wrath And Rapture. The next tour, the Drag Me To Hell Tour, will be with Subtle Way and Wretched in support of our new record American Hell, out August 10th.

The cover for the new album looks pretty sweet. Tell us about its design and who did it.

NR: It symbolizes the despair that the average Blue Collar American goes through on a daily basis. Things are fucked up for a lot of people right now and good people are losing everything due to scumbags in corporate America. The artist is Justin Reich; he did our last EP cover as well.

Why the title American Hell?

GL: Like we said before, it just symbolizes any and everybody's daily struggle that they go through everyday. It could be losing your job, losing a loved one, breaking up with a girl, addiction, or just losing everything. This album is about all that.

What new tracks are your favorite and why?

DC: It's like having many children – you can't just pick one to be your favorite. You love them all equally.

>> Interview with Nick Rose (Guitar), Gordon Lamont (Guitar), Larry Reynolds (Drums), and Daniel Castro (Bass) by Nathaniel Lay

Which tracks were hardest to write/record? Which were easiest?

Your new album American Hell releases early August. Tell us about it.

GL: By the time we hit the studio, the band as a whole had worked so hard on the songs that we were all very comfortable recording them. It all flowed very naturally.

NR: We're super excited about this album. We feel like we are finally where we wanna be as far as the writing process for the songs. We wanted the songs to be more powerful and memorable and we feel we accomplished that.

What kind of pre-orders do you plan on doing with this new album?

What was the writing experience for American Hell? The recording experience?

NR: We're not too sure yet. However, there will definitely be pre-order options available.

How does it compare to your last release?

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com NR: We had a lot more time this time to sit down and write, so in comparison it's night and day.

This is our best work yet.

Were they any things you specifically went out to do differently this time around?

HASTE THE DAY

GL: We just wanted to put out the best record we could possibly put together. We don't want to sit here and list any cliche things we have going on, we just wanted a record we could be proud of and listen to and enjoy and we did that.

How/Why did you go from Standby to Blk? GL: It's kinda like you were driving a Toyota Carolla, then someone came by and said “here ya go, here's the keys to a brand new shiny Ferrari.” Why wouldn't you?

What are you most looking forward to with this summer and the remainder of this year?

NR: Late night trips to White Castle, making new friends, having fun, touring this great land, shotgunning lots of beers and in the words of the Great Mathew McConaughey, "Alriight, alriight, alriiiight."

>> Track By Track by Stephen Keech and Mike Murphy WAKE UP THE SUN SK: This song was one of the earlier songs written for the record. I was excited to incorporate a few different elements to this song that we had never experimented with before. The song was in 5/4 for almost the whole time, and for the verses we made a drum/bass groove unlike anything we have ever done before. The very first riff was completely different up until the very last week of the studio we decided it just wasn't good enough so we sat there for a few hours and didn't get up until the riff was way cooler.

MM: It took us a while to decide on the first track, but this song seemed to have the best initial energy. They lyrics in this song also make it an appropriate opening track. “They came, with different names, but bore the mark of the old,” are the first lyrics, which emphasizes that despite our lineup changes, we have the same core and passion of the older HTD. DOG LIKE VULTURES

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com SK: This song was so stress free when it came to writing. It was the fastest written song on the record and it wasn't really changed at all between pre-production and the studio. The vocal melody is also one of my favorites.

MM: This is hands down my favorite chorus that we have ever written. It sounds SO epic, deep, and dark. I don’t really know how Stephen sings that high. Amazing and powerful lyrics too….

All I can say is that the boy is purtty darn good.

THE QUIET, DEADLY TICKING SK: I didn't know exactly what to name this song. Nothing was sounding right. And at the time I was in the middle of a book called the Rum Diary by Hunter S. Thompson. So when it came time to actually have a name for the song, I went to the very last page of a book and read one line toward the bottom and in that line it said "the quiet, deadly ticking of one thousand hungry clocks..." I loved that line so it quickly became the title of the song.

MM: This song is kinda an ode to older Haste The Day. It's got the gang vocals, accessible chorus, it's fast, and it has a ridiculous breakdown in it. Maybe our heaviest breakdown ever, but definitely on this record. Old school fans will love this track.

TRAVESTY SK: This song was written mostly by our new guitar player Scotty. He showed me that first riff and I got really excited. From beginning to end, this song was a lot of fun putting together. I remember staying up until about 7 in the morning writing this song. The first time we started writing it we got stuck right after the first riff and we weren't quite sure what should come next. We took a break from the song for a day and when we came back everything flowed right out and we new exactly what needed to be there.

MM: I wrote the melody for the bridge vocals before there were any vocals on it. It kinda reminded me of something My Chemical Romance or A Wilhelm Scream would do. I love melodies like that. Very epic bridge…

MERIT FOR SADNESS SK: This is one of the more straight forward tracks on the record. Scotty and I wrote this song backstage at the Norva in Norfolk, VA. It was weird. We listened to a Propagandhi song for inspiration and then got cracking. That is where the open sounding picked chords came from in the verses.

MM: This is the first time I’ve written lyrics on a HTD record. In the past year, I went through a really hard time in my life. So much was changing, failing, confusing, and hurting. It was through those times that I was forced to grow closer to the Lord and really figure out who I was meant to be. “Open my heart to sadness, it’s through the pain that I believe. Love is alive in darkness, the water’s may rise, but your hand carries me, I won’t let go.”

THE UN-MANIFEST SK: This song was birthed from writer's block. I remember sitting in front of the computer with absolutely nothing to inspire us (haha). We ended up just recording the most dirty song just for fun and we didn't plan on putting it on the record until we were done and decided it was just too heavy to not include it. It almost started out as a joke song and then we all decided we liked it. After we spent all day writing and recording it, my computer crashed and we lost the entire song. I guess you could say the song was so heavy it un-manifested itself from existence. That is where the name came from.

MM: One word, HEAVY. THE PLACE WHERE MOST DENY SK: This is one of my favorite songs on the record. It changed a little bit since I first wrote it. It was one of the first songs to be written for this record. It originally opened with a different riff but most of it just stayed the same. The ending of this song to me is one of the most powerful parts of the record.

MM: Having Micah do guest vocals on this song really put it over the edge. He screams with such passion, aggression, and power. This was one of the first melodies that I worked on for AOTWK. The part that stayed in all the different incarnations of the chorus melody was the tag, “To make it back this time, make it back this time.” That tag is revisited in the end also, kinda like a refrain. I love when bands do stuff like that.

WHITE AS SNOW SK: I'm a huge Deftones fan as this song might insinuate. I love this song. To me, it has the heaviest part of the entire record in it and it is also the most beautiful.

MM: I’ve always wanted to sing in my softer and ambient tone on a record, but can’t really do it when I’m singing rock chorus harmonies. To be able to just relax my voice and left it just flow out was really refreshing.

CRUSH RESISTANCE SK: At first, I didn't like this song. It was too metal. Then we recorded the vocals on the song and it all kinda came together. I had a lot of fun with this song vocally and the song ended up being pretty heavy.

MM: I love the way this song starts….and it never stops!

WALK WITH A CROOKED SMILE

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com SK: This song changed pretty drastically since we first demo-ed it out. And in the studio we had little faith in it. Before the vocals were added, we were scheming ways to drop it from the record. But we toughed it out and recorded the vocals to it. We were all very surprised how the song came together and we were are extremely excited about how it turned out.

KONG!

MM: My favorite part of this song are Stephen's vocals in the verses. Very different from anything we’ve done in the past.

MY NAME IS DARKNESS SK: The melody that runs through this song is buried in almost all the songs on the record. if you listen closely you will be able to hear it in travesty, dog like vultures, and a few others.

MM: What a way to end a record. The melody of that song runs throughout the record, which is pretty sweet. Keeps things cohesive from beginning to end. I think Stephen's vocals sound the most intense on this song. I also love how this song just ends….record is done….now think about the story kids! Much love!

>> Interview with Kong! By Ryan Williford >> Shared with www.audiopinions.net Being an unsigned band, would you mind introducing yourselves and what you do in the band?

Daniel Rabinowitz: I play guitar.

Joe Hill: I play drums.

Justin Dolan: My name’s Justin. I do vocals.

Rhett Detweiler: Vocals Derek Davis: I play guitar.

Mike Mangam: I play bass.

Late last year you guys posted that you all were back together as a band. What factors led to this reformation and were there any line-up changes to help make it a possibility?

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com Daniel: The band I was in after the first KONG! break up, ended up breaking up as well, and months went by that I wasn't in a band. I missed it too much so I contacted the group of guys we have now and they all agreed to start it back up. Derek, Rhett, and myself are the only original members. We picked up a second vocalist, Justin, and added Mikey on bass, and Joe on drums. It has worked out really well so far.

Joe: Well, the way that I came into the picture is as follows - In the Fall of 2009, I started going to school at East Carolina. Daniel, Rhett and Justin were all in their 2nd year at ECU. I started hanging out with them pretty often, and we would always talking about playing shows, or getting KONG! back together, and it kind of all went from there. (haha) Rhett: I was did vocals for the original KONG! and quit after a few months to focus more on school. Much like Daniel, I saw that I could not be without music so I joined Acirema and did vocals for a few months with them. I loved it but knew they were looking to tour full time and I am still a student. We re-formed KONG! shortly after I left Acirema because we have a close group who loves to play music so we brought it back.

Justin: I met all the guys while at school at ECU, and I had heard the old KONG! before. We were all hanging out one night listening to the old tracks, and everyone realized that KONG! needed to come back. So, the guys reformed and a couple days later asked me to join the band and I can’t be happier!

Mike: Overall I’d say its just way faster and harder.

Derek: Faster, Harder, and more Dynamic. We're not kiddies anymore, and I think our new material shows it.

Are there any projections on when the new songs will be released?

Derek: The plan right now is to write, write, write, and record hopefully in July or August. We do play one of the new songs live, so come out to a show and you'll hear some of the new material.

Justin: Yeah we plan on recording this summer so look out for the album when it drops. We plan on recording all the new material, plus possibly one of the old ones. Were also in the process of our cover song so get stoked on that!

Daniel: We will write as many songs as we can and then record them when we feel we have enough. We have one full new song written and about 3/4 of another so far. We don't practice consistently right now so it's tough to get this done quickly.

Joe is pulling double duty with you guys and Every Single Lie. What has that been like and how has that affected the band?

Mike: I used to do merch for KONG! and I also lived with Derek. So once I heard the news that KONG! was getting back together I told everyone I wanted to play bass and everyone was cool with that.

Daniel: It actually works out really well. Because KONG! doesn't practice very often right now, our practice schedules don't conflict, and we just book our shows and if we play with Every Single Lie, Joe just plays two sets. Derek does the same thing with Melee.

Derek: Rhett was did vocals. That is hilarious. Everyone else pretty much summed it up. KONG! has been my baby for years, I've never had so much fun with a group of guys in my life. We had to bring it back. We decided we'd learn all the old material again, just to get out and do shows again. Now, we've been playing the same 4-5 songs since we started back in '08. We all decided to take time from shows and work on writing new material. We've all progressed over the years as musicians, and the new material is going to be 1000 times better than anything you've heard from KONG! thus far. That I can promise.

Derek: Playing two sets isn't fun to me, I'll admit it. I feel like I'm not giving my all for both bands, and I don't like it. Joe is a machine; he could play 5 sets and be ready to go again, just like in bed (Derek goes on to wink)

Seeing as Derek just mentioned the new material, how would you guys describe the new songs?

Justin: Oh snappppppppppppp son!

Joe: The new songs are extremely different in comparison to the old KONG! material. The new songs aren't as generic; they follow different patterns and are a lot heavier. It's kind of hard to put a band to compare our new songs to. So, I'll let the other guys explain it better than I can.

Daniel: I'm trying to write our new songs along the lines of the ghost inside. Not solely following their sound but very similar to it. Its a lot faster riffs, with a hardcore sound, but with heavy breakdowns still included.

Justin: Doubt it (haha) Daniel: Snap!

(haha) Wow! Being from North Carolina, what are your favorite places to play at and why?

Justin: The Brewery is pretty much our home. I love Raleigh, and it always treats us so well. We all grew up Greenville is amazing. We look forward to every Greenville show that we play. The response we get is always amazing. Kids go nuts, get broken noses in the middle of our set, and keep dancing because they are so into it, it doesn't even matter. Seeing shit like that means the world to me, and the entire band.

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com Daniel: Raleigh used to be my favorite place to play, but I think Greenville has topped it now.

Don't get me wrong, I still love playing at the Brewery. We play our biggest shows there.

Rhett: Greenville is definitely topping Raleigh these days. Everyone here is awesome and it feels like people are once again getting stoked on their local scene. I love Wilmington too but the scene there has been fading for awhile. A few years ago that was the place to be.

Justin: Greenville is really the best place to see a show for sure. The whole music community in Greenville is a big family. We all support each others bands and it impacts the scene in such a positive way. Greenvilles music scene is back, and were gonna do nothing but keep getting bigger and better.

Mike: I agree, Greenville hands down. The energy we get back from the crowd is insane. Kids just go harder, and there's not any drama.

Joe: I can definitely say that I concur with everyone's opinion on Greenville topping Raleigh.

Greenville hardcore!

Derek: G-Vegas for the win, Before you guys graduate, what would you like to see in the North Carolina scene? In the Greenville scene?

Justin: My goal is to have big bands coming thru Greenville again. Years back, big bands came thru all the time and Greenville was the best place to see a show in NC. That's what I want to happen. Hopefully, a new venue opens in Greenville in the near future and we can start booking big acts and get people coming from all over to see these shows.

Mike: I don't go to school, but as far as the local scene goes id just like to see it used to be. I remember going to local shows 3 or 4 years ago that were almost sold out, when a lot more people cared about music, going to shows and having fun. Local bands are what make the music scene and without that there will be no more national touring bands in the future. I’d just like to push support for local bands as hard as possible and make shows just like they used to be.

The Greenville scene I would like to see that get bigger of course, and it is but that’s not really my concern. I love playing that place but as far as building up a scene Id like to see Raleigh get back to the way it was 3,4,5 years ago. I’ve been to the best shows there, seen my favorite bands there all thanks to The Brewery. It’s a dying scene here (Raleigh) but I'm sure that with as much work as KONG! and some of the other local bands are putting in Raleigh, Greenville, and many other places will have a stronger music scene in time to come.

Justin: Totally agreed. If you don’t support local music, then fuck you!

Joe: Mikey kind of summed it up. I remember playing local shows in not only Raleigh, not only Greenville, but in Rocky Mount (where I'm from). Greenville and Raleigh always had a big scene, Raleigh more so than Greenville a couple years back however. Local bands used to be

such an influence on their surroundings, and for some dumb reason, its not that way anymore.

By the time that I graduate from ECU, I want to see local shows sell out again, hopefully it doesn't take that long (3 more years), so let's get this show on the road bitches!

If you could cover any song, which song would it be and why?

Justin: We actually have our cover song picked already...I think it's going to be a surprise though.

Joe: Yes! It's going to be such a sick, fun cover. No one will know until we play it live!

Mike: Yup going to be so much fun!

As a band, which social networking site other than MySpace has been the most helpful in getting your name out?

Justin: Facebook has really become a great way for us to promote shows. We make events for our shows and get a good idea of how many people will be at that show. We also have a band page, and we all use our personal pages to promote for the band and all the other bands that are playing. We also put our new merch ideas up on the page, get feedback, and go from there.

We have a twitter @wearekong which will be used a lot more this summer with the new writing process, keeping our fans up to date on how everything is going with the new material, when the album will be released, new shows, etc.

Mike: I agree with what he said, but i think that most of the people who know us, know us from being at one of our shows Derek: I think social networking sites have made people lazy. I remember when it was just word of mouth, flyers, and message-boards that brought kids out to shows. Now, every little band has a "professional" Myspace layout, and bands think posting bulletins is the way to get kids out to shows. It’s quite ridiculous honestly.

Mike: Agreed, people need to get off their asses and do work. If you’re out there at shows more people will come than posting a bulletin.

Justin: Yeah Mikey get off your ass and promote YEAH MIKEY! (haha) Derek: (haha) Mike: (haha) What shows have u passed out flyers to?

What are your thoughts of illegal downloading and CDs getting leaked onto the internet?

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com Justin: I think illegal downloading helps artists more than hurts them. Kids check out the album, get into the band, go out to the shows when they come to town because they downloaded the CD and got into the band. Then, they're more likely to buy some merch and support the band in the future. The artists’ aren’t seeing much of any money from the album on tour, so buying merch/coming out to shows helps artists a lot more. I don’t understand why artists get mad about CD leaks also. If your CD leaks and kids are going nuts downloading it before it comes out, how great of a feeling is it that kids want to listen to your music? Bands need to realize that and embrace it

LETLIVE

Mike: Record sales don't really concern me; if I was in a full time touring band I would not have a complaint in the world. I download everything I own so I can’t really complain if someone was doing to the same to us.

Joe: I think that any form of getting someone's music doesn't really matter. Whether you pay for it, or download it its still getting publicized either way, and that's what matters.

Rhett: Shows and merch make the money. Music gets people to the shows and reaching into their pockets to support the addiction.

Thank you for your time! Any final thoughts?

Joe: Greenville is going to be the new place to have hardcore, metal, indie, whatever bands play.

Mike: Support you local scene! Joe Grizzley, Broadcast, Melee, The Ethnographers, Every Single Lie, They Were Heroes are all awesome bands! Check them out, Support!!!!

Justin: Thanks for the interview Ryan. Come out to shows, dance and support your scene.

GREENVILLE HARDCORE! Mike: RALEIGH HARDCORE...bring it back!

Joe: TACO HARDCORE! Mike: TACO BELL HARDCORE! Oh and also thanks to Chris from The Takedown Agency. He is awesome and puts a ton of locals on great shows, not a lot of people still do that.

Derek: HATECORE. Taco bell makes me shit all day.

Mike: But the runs are so worth it.

>> Interview with Jason Butler (Vocals) by Nathaniel Lay >> This conversation was recorded for AMP Magazine. It was then turned into an article that will be appearing in either their July or August issue. The interview itself will appearing in the August issue during our Tragic Hero Special. Below is a sneak peek.

LetLive is a hardworking band, make no doubt about that. Since they've signed with Tragic Hero Records, these guys have released an explosive and unique record (Fake History – April 2010), recorded some videos (including one for their single, “Casino Columbus”), and are booking their way through the rest of the year. These guys want to tour and, dammit, they shall!

The band first caught the interest of THR almost by accident. While recording some demos, friend Valentino Arteaga (Of Mice & Men) sent some of the tracks to label head Tommy Lacombe. It wasn't long before the band was presented a contract and signed with Tragic. The band recently released their debut, Fake History, to many excellent reviews and praise. If you don't have it already, what the hell are you waiting for?

MySpace – www.myspace.com/letlive Website – www.theletlivecrew.wordpress.com Twitter - @theletlivecrew Look out for their interview in the August issue of LMP! Don't forget to go online and check out their new tour dates for the summer.

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com

MAN OVERBOARD

were also recorded there. It also helps that our manager Jesse Cannon also produces our records and runs a pretty huge studio called Cannon Found Soundation (cannonfoundsoundation.com), so we are able to squeeze into the studio whenever we want since we work so closely with him.

What's the history of the band? What made you guys come together to do this? What made you want to do this?

JC: Before Man Overboard became a band, Zac, Wayne, and myself were playing in a band called Front Page. Nik had been playing in a band called A Sense of Belonging. Front Page stopped playing rather abruptly because of some members moving away. In that time Wayne started playing music with Nik; they had been friends for a while and brought Zac into it. They did a TON of demos and had a few names for settling on Man Overboard and recording the Hung Up On Nothing EP. After a bunch of different drummers including Justin from Bangarang and Jeff from The Early November, I - Justin Collier - joined the band. And however long later, here we are!

You did a split with Transit recently. Are there any other splits with any other bands in the planning? What specific bands would you like to work with down the road?

JC: The Transit split was realllly fun. Front Page and Transit had been talking about doing a split for ages and when Front Page went down the tubes the idea died and then came up again with Man Overboard. We recorded the whole thing at Nik's studio in New Jersey. It was really fun to hangout with our buds and record that split. Not sure of any future plans but we always enjoy working with friends. Speaking of! The Balance & Composure/Tigers Jaw split is AMAZING. You are a fool if you don't have a copy of that.

>> Interview with Justin Collier (Drums) by Nathaniel Lay >> As a special, we are also reviewing all their releases following this Q&A! This includes their latest LP, Real Talk First things first...How the fuck do you guys make such damn good music so often? You've had how many releases in how little time? How do you do it? Be detailed, as there must be a lot of info to go with this question (haha) JC: Zac writes songs like a crazy man. Nik also writes a good amount of tunes but Zac, as long as I have known him (which is since we were like 11), has always been cranking out songs like you wouldn't believe. I really don't even know where it comes from. I see this scatter brain kid who is always losing his phone and then I see this kid who writes songs like you wouldn't believe. It works out nicely though. He writes a lot of songs, records demos and then we practice them together and make good quality demos. We also have a pretty decent recording studio of our own that Nik records bands out of when we are home called Small Hill (you can link manoverboardnj@gmail.com). So we are able to sit around and crank out high quality demos and play around with things in there. We recorded songs like “Love Your Friends”, “Die Laughing”, and “Arlington Drive” there. Our whole EP Noise From Upstairs and the Transit split

What tours have you guys being balancing while having your own lives and recording so much music? What tours are still on the way this summer?

JC: We did a tour in December in New England and the Midwest. There was some shows with Balance & Composure in there as well as some dates with Borderland. In February, we did our first Full US tour with The Wonder Years and Therefore I Am. That was good fun and a real experience for us seeing as non of us had been to the West Coast before. In April, we did an acoustic tour with Balance & Composure and A Loss For Words. Right now, we are on a New England tour with Balance & Composure (we hang with them a lot haha). We will be touring to Sound and Fury with Transit and back from Sound And Fury with Tigers Jaw. After both days of Transmission Fest, we will be doing a complete Full US/Canada tour with Fireworks, The Swellers and Transit! That takes us into October and that’s all I know about for sure right now (haha).

Pick your favorite song from each release and tell us why it's your favorite on this album JC: Hmm....

-Dahlia: “Five Girls Pizza” - apart from the clever song title, it's just a fun tune to play live.

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com -Before We Met: “While You Were Sleeping” - it's about Philadelphia and I love Philadelphia. I remember loving the demo a lot and liking the final version even more.

-Noise From Upstairs: “I Saw Behemoth” - I can just relate to this song a lot. Girls are a drag and sometimes you wish you could kick her ass off to another planet. That's what that song's about, although it's written a little more poetically. I play drums so that’s not my department but yeah, I love that song. There is a full band version if it on the USA vinyl of Real Talk from Run For Cover Records. The international LP's of Real Talk have other bonus tracks.

-Real Talk: This one's harder because the record is pretty new. I really enjoy the structure of “She's Got Her Own Man” and I really like playing “Fantasy Girl” live. Those might be my favorite two.

What made you guys decide to do an acoustic EP? JC: A lot of our demos start out as acoustic songs, so it wasn't too crazy of an idea for us. I feel like a lot of bands just take a regular song and play it acoustic and call it an Acoustic EP. We put a lot of time and effort into properly arranging these songs for an acoustic style, incorporating some drums and other elements. I think a lot of bands kind of cop out of working hard by doing shitty Acoustic EP's, so I hope people got something more out of ours.

What was your reaction when Luke and Lia discovered they were siblings after making out?

JC: Gross man! They didn't even care. They must have gotten some sort of odd excitement out of it. Freaks. Glad you asked though.

What's the best movie you've seen recently?

JC: My girlfriend and I saw Youth In Revolt last night. That was pretty funny and original. BUT my favorite movie lately is Exit Through The Gift Shop which is about street art and this guy Mr. Brainwash as well legendary elusive street artist, Banksy. It also features Sheppard Fairey and some other notable people. Good and seriously interesting film.

You guys will be releasing a new full length July 27th. Tell us about it. Where was it recorded? With whom was it recorded? What was the writing process for this album?

JC: July 20th on Run For Cover Records in the USA is the release date for our new album, Real Talk. It will also be available in the UK from City Of Gold Records, Japan from Ice Grills Records and Europe from Cobra Records. The international releases, the Bandcamp digital download and US vinyl all come with separate bonus tracks. In 2010, you do not have to buy music if you don't want to so we tried to put some extra tracks on different formats/territories to give people a reason to buy the physical record. We recorded it with Jesse Cannon. He has recorded all of our stuff except the Transit Split and Noise From Upstairs. He has worked on a ton of great records so it is always great to enter the studio with him. We had a lot of the songs demoed, a few to completion, but most were only 80% done when we got to the studio for pre-production.

We had been on tour all of December and February and we recorded in March so we didn't

really have much time to get things locked down. It was interesting but we made it happen.

Any themes carried through it? Was it approached differently than your other releases in any way? What was your mindset when you decided to write another album?

JC: We never really wrote an album before. It was always EP's and splits and additional songs so this was new for us. We kind of just had a bunch of songs and somehow fit them together somehow. Like I said before, we didn't really prepare THAT much for it. It worked out pretty okay though I think. We are all very proud of that record.

What are your favorite songs and why?

JC: Off the record or in general? My favorite Real Talk songs are “Fantasy Girl”, “Darkness Everybody”, and “She's Got Her Own Man”...at least for now.. I really enjoy all those songs. It's really easy to get tired of a record when you have heard it 4546254 in the studio but I love those songs regardless. My favorite song in general though? I don't know but my favorite Bouncing Souls songs are "Bryan's Lament", "Punks In Vegas", "Night Train" and "Night On Earth" - I like sappy love songs. Whatever.

What's your connection with fans?

JC: We try to create a really strong bond with our fans. If you send us an email, MySpace message, Facebook comment, tweet, letter - whatever - chances are it will get answered in a day or so. We try to keep on top of keeping people updated on those mediums and our mailing list. We want everyone to be included. If you are supporting our band then you are a part of the puzzle and every piece is as important and the next. We also have a message board on www.defendpoppunk.com called the lord board where we all hang out and talk with our fans.

We are also pretty active on our Tumblr page.

How do you feel about illegal downloading? We've asked this question to a lot of bands lately and surprisingly a lot have said they are fine with it, even though labels are angered by it. What is your take?

A: Well I think it's important to take a few things into account. Labels put up thousands of dollars to record, press and promote records. A lot of the money from record sales goes to pay that debt back. Bands, at least before their record recoups are making their money from merch and ticket sales. Labels do not see any of that so its them who have a big part of the financial burden. So how I do feel? I think people should pay for music but I also believe in evolution and know that kids these days expect to get shit for free. You cannot fight the Internet because it always wins. If you try to fight it, you are an idiot and you are a Music Industry Dinosaur. If you want kids to buy records, then get smart and give them an incentive to do so before you drown in your own tears from crying about a leaked record. Our new album Real Talk leaked a month early. We decided to put it up for digital sale (with a bonus track and option to pre-order the physical) at www.manoverboard.bandcamp.com as well as iTunes. Fans got their album a month early, people who might have illegally downloaded were given the option to buy it and I

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com think all in all it worked out for the best. If you can't embrace the ways of the future and anticipate musics next move them you should probably seek a job in something a little more steady. Perhaps a mail route or something.

What bands influence your music? What's your current favorite album and why?

JC: Everybody finds influence in different music so I can't speak for everyone. We just started a label called Lost Tape Collective. We have our first few releases coming up from a few great bands including Basement, AYS, Smile and Burn, True Things and History as well as Real Talk on a cassette tape. I love all these bands but I know everyone has been listening to a lot Manchester Orchestra, Avett Brothers, Mother Of Mercy, new Coheed, Tegan And Sara... I love that Gold Motel EP if you have heard that band. My iTunes top most played songs are "Tonight We're Gonna Give it 35%" by Against Me, "Who'll Stop The Rain" by Creedence Clearwater Revival, "Magic Fang" by Death Is Not Glamorous, and the entire "Love Let Me Go" LP by More Than Life.

MAN OVERBOARD REVIEWS Dahlia Score: 10 Stream: “Five Girls Pizza”

If you could pick any 3 bands to tour with (whether they are alive or dead), who would they be and why?

JC: Balance & Composure, Transit and The Clash. Buds, buds, Joe. How do you guys stay so awesome? How do you stay so cool during the summer?

JC: We actually just got a new (to us) van. 2006 Ford Econoline with...wait for it...air conditioning! That is a first for Man Overboard and we are pleased to say that while the windows are up we are keeping it cool .

How is 2010 going so far? What are you looking forwarded to with the remainder of the year?

JC: 2010 is great. We have put out 3 releases and plan on touring more than ever with Fireworks, Balance & Composure, The Swellers, Transit, Tigers Jaw and New Found Glory. No complaints.

Final words/announcements/whatever JC: Check out our new label at www.losttapecollective.com and try and get into some of the music. Hope to see you at a show this summer.

These three tracks introduced me to Man Overboard. Each one is a perfect punk/rock song worth thousands of replay time. “Five Girls Pizza” is more a fun, lighthearted track in the likes of Blink-182; “Montrose” is more alternative and pulled back; and “They Don't Make Them Like They Used To” is a great combination of the two. These songs will easily get stuck in your head...VERY easily.

Split w/ Transit Score: 9.5 Stream: “Gluestick” The two songs contributed for this split are definitely more punk in nature. They both have an older Taking Back Sunday feel to them, which is very appealing. They may not be as catchy, but they that's because they're more focused on the energy side of things. These are great pick-meup anthems.

Before We Met Score: 9.5 Stream: “Love Your Friends, Die Laughing” These ten tracks show a variety of sides for Man Overboard. You have acoustic numbers, punk anthems, electronic fusing, and more. “Love Your Friends, Die Laughing” is definitely an instant success and very memorable (and fun to sing along with for that matter). “Dreaming” is another track that will stick with you, whether it's because of the beat or the catchy chorus.

“Arlington Drive” is an acoustic masterpiece, “In Orbit” reels you in right from the start, and “The Usual Results” is fast and energetic. There's a lot to love with this collection.

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Noise From Upstairs Score: 10 Stream: “Cry Baby”

Five original, acoustic tracks. What's not to love? Every moment is brilliantly written and executed. Like with their other releases, you'll want to keep this one close by at all times.

Real Talk Score: 9 Stream: “World Favorite”

Similar to Before We Met (in the sense that the songs are varied), Real Talk is the band's true full length debut. The title track kicks things off and also goes down as one of the favorites.

“Fantasy Girl” returns with that awesome TBS vibe, “Darkness, Everybody” is an instant anthem, “She's Got Her Own Man Now” feels like a radio hit, and “Sidekick” is an instrumentally

unique and sweet sounding track. However, out of all the great songs here, I still got to say that “World Favorite” is by far the best track on Real Talk. The song gets stuck in your head so easily and is just so damn catchy. Overall, this is an excellent LP that once again proves that Man Overboard are one of the best artists out there right now. You can't touch that – these are true innovators.

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ORBS

you're working with the right people when you hear that the man in charge is most excited about your 14 minute long space/love odyssey "Eclipsical" (haha) How was this experience for you?

DB: It's been a true test of patience! Sitting on 65 minutes of music you made with some of your best friends, and that you consider some of the best music you've ever been able to be apart of, but not to let anyone hear it....it's a tough thing to do! Since recording the album in February 2009 we've done a short tour of the east coast with a two song cassette single with D.I.Y. packaging limited to 100 copies, and have also written three or four new songs. So we kind of made sure we didn't just sit around and twiddle our thumbs while we waited for the time to be right to release the album. There's far too much creative excitement between the three of us for that!

Do you guys have plans for the new songs yet?

DB: One new song is kind of like an odd-time cabaret/psychedelic freak out that will likely end up on a future release, maybe on a 7" or something...and the others are for the next record We're trying to write with a conceptual, cohesive album vibe and we already have the beginning. We're very excited to tour the Asleep Next to Science record a bunch and then really dig into this next record.

How did you get involved with ORBS?

>> Interview with Dan Briggs (ORBS' Guitarist and Between The Buried and Me's Bassist) by Ryan Williford >> Shared with www.audiopinions.net I recently had the chance to speak with Dan Briggs about his part in the ORBS side-project.

Asleep Next to Science is set to be released August 17th on Equal Vision Records.

The biggest news in the ORBS camp is signing with Equal Vision. What was this process like?

Dan Briggs: We first started talking with Dan at Equal Vision Records in the very beginning of 2008. Adam had thought that he had contractual obligations and that anything he wanted to put out, outside of Fear Before the March of Flames, would have to be approved by Equal Vision Records. I had always thought of Equal Vision Records as a great, forward thinking label. Just from what I knew of their consistently diverse roster of bands and the way that they always went way above and beyond for the packaging and artwork for albums their bands put out, I thought it'd be amazing if they wanted to put it out. At that point Adam had just recorded vocals over the demo versions of "A Man of Science" and "Lost at Sea", so we sent those to Dan, kind of collectively holding our breath...he didn't hear another song until we handed him the complete, mastered version of Asleep Next to Science! You know it's a very reassuring thing that

DB: Ashley inadvertently contacted Between The Buried And Me shortly after we had finished recording Colors in the summer of 2007 about playing keyboards live, not knowing that Tommy played them. She also provided a link to new music she had been working on and said how she was always looking for people to collaborate with. We ended up writing one song together that was real dark, heavy symphonic-progressive metal. We were both feeling like it was kind of heading in a direction that was maybe a little too familiar with what I had been writing with Between The Buried And Me, but we knew we had a great chemistry. So we just talked about what OTHER kinds of music we liked and were shocked to find bands like Cave In, Muse, and Radiohead at the top of our lists, as well as a shared love for composers like Bartok and Debussy. The first songs we wrote were "People Will Read Again" and "Sayer of the Law", which made me really excited at the possibilities of mixing the classical background with high energy music and expansive progressive rock song structures.

How difficult is it to be in a side project band when you are in a signed national band like Between The Buried And Me? DB: It's hard at times; the times where we're on the road for three months straight and all I want to do is fly out to LA and go on a creative writing spree with Ashley for a few days. But so far, it hasn't been too tough. Now that the album is about to come out and things start to pick up it should get a little more interesting (haha). I'm a firm believer that every musician should try and explore every creative outlet they possibly can and not shut themselves off to any

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com opportunity to make new music and find new inspirations.

How do you guys treat the touring situation with everyone in another band that tours as well?

DB: So far we've just played a one-off show in North Carolina with our friends in Braveyoung, right before recording Asleep Next to Science, and a ten day tour of the east coast. The good thing though is I usually know about six months in advance where I'll be and what I'll be doing.

Luckily it hasn't conflicted with anyone else's schedules so far!

Any chance we may see the connected bands touring together to help out the process?

Why or why not?

DB: I'm into the idea! I think we all would be down to play with Between The Buried And Me or Fear Before, Cradle of Filth might be a little more of a stretch. (haha) But ultimately it just comes down to the bands' booking agents and what they think is best for the tour package.

Getting to the album, what should listeners expect when the album is released?

DB: They should be ready to go on an adventure! Whether you get lost in the music or Adam's stories, there's so much happening throughout the album. We spent a bit of time working on the layout of the songs on the album, placing the two-part "Northwestern Bearitories" song in the middle and having the most energetic song "Lost at Sea" near the end as a pick me-up right before the climax of "Eclipsical" at the end. It's 65 minutes of people from totally different musical backgrounds coalescing and making something unique that I'm very proud of.

What is the story behind naming the album Asleep Next To Science?

DB: The title of the album from a lyric in the song "Eclipsical" which goes "..asleep next to science, wishing it were her". We thought it kind of summed up the album quite well, as well as bringing together the idea that the five of us all consider ourselves people of science -- highly interested in nature and the world/universe/great-beyond that surrounds us.

When will you get away from the over an hour long albums? (haha) DB: (Haha) It's just been a natural thing the last few that I've been a part of! With this album I think there was a general fear that if one of these songs wasn’t on this album that it might never see the light of day and we absolutely couldn't have that! I kept thinking, "...should "Eclipsical" be it's own EP?" being that it was the last song we wrote and is such an intense arrangement.

But it really felt like the climax of that writing session between Ashley and me. Thus, the album flew past the 60 minute mark and I couldn't be more excited about it!

Being around the music industry for a while, what effects have you seen from illegal downloading and albums getting leaked onto the Internet?

DB: I would have to honestly say that there's been nothing but positive effects from illegal downloading. I think if anything it really helps promote a band's record, in the sense that if you made something you're truly proud of, truly believe in, that it could only really stand to help you out by people getting your music and in turn talking about it and sharing it with friends.

The hope is always that it will spark people to come see you live and buy a t-shirt, buy the album on vinyl, whatever, but I'm not going to pretend like I, and everyone in both of my bands, don't download music; We all do! I am a rare exception who is obsessed with buying CDs still, and vinyl within the last year. Hey, I don't drink or do drugs so I need some sort of vice! But being in underground bands who still have a very D.I.Y. ethic, who have never seen a cent from record sales, we would all say first hand that illegal downloading hasn't hurt a damn thing except maybe record sales. Then again, that really has no effect on any of us....

Thank you for your time! Any final thoughts?

DB: Just keep an eye out for the record when it's released and look up our tour dates, we'll be all over the US in August/September! Thanks a bunch!

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PIERCE THE VEIL

to a girl. It's in this moment they find everything they needed in one another. The title of the album itself stems from the thought that we are all selfish machines in our sense. People will, after all, do whatever it takes to protect and look out for themselves. It's not necessarily a bad message, because it is animal nature. When asked if the story would be incorporated into any music videos, Vic said it was a good idea that may come to fruition down the road.

Before heading out for this year's Warped Tour, Pierce The Veil had begun work on the music video for “Caraphernelia”. Though it still has yet to surface, the band expects it to make a release sometime this summer. As far as their touring goes, the band is booked for the entire Warped Tour schedule and even more afterwords. For example, with September comes the band's first trip to Australia via the Take Action tour. With this being their first visit to the country, Vic had this to say: “I might hold a koala bear or something (haha). I hear it's beautiful and has a lot of fun stuff. We'll definitely try to break away and hang with some fans or something.” Following the Take Action tour, the band will then be heading to Japan in October.

While talking with Vic, I had to ask about the band's busy schedule and the past three years leading up to the release of Selfish Machines. Some of their highlights included getting out of the country while playing shows and growing in popularity. Playing bigger events was a major drive for Pierce The Veil. “We started from the bottom and started getting cooler and cooler tours.” In the midst of writing their second record, brothers Vic and Mike also squeezed in time to work on a side project. Maybe you heard of it? Isles & Glaciers, a super group as they are known, released their debut EP this year as well. “It was perfect timing for Pierce the Veil since we were in between records,” Vic explained.

>> Interview with Vic Fuentes (Vocals, Guitars) by Nathaniel Lay >> The Q&A itself will likely appear exclusively on our website, so look out for that In 2007, Pierce The Veil released A Flair For The Dramatic and have been keeping it seriously busy since. They followed the album with a Warped Tour trip in '08 and a slot for the Taste Of Chaos in '09. In the midst of all the road travel, the band managed to find some time to write their second album for Equal Vision, Selfish Machines. A couple weeks before the album's release (June 21st), I had the chance to speak with frontman Vic Fuentes about the writing process, tour plans, and more.

Selfish Machines is an energetic and expansive album that takes a lot of chances along the way.

They may not all be successful, but the overall result is quite enjoyable and worthy of purchase.

Songs like the band's single “Caraphernelia” and “Besitos” help in proving that these guys certainly have talent and tenacity. If you haven't seen the cover for yourself, it shows a small boy and girl holding a box that is lighting up the forest. Vic told me the story of the design tells of a boy who finds a box that represents everything he is and loves. The boy then gives the box

For Selfish Machines, the band went into the studio with Mike Green in Los Angeles, CA. Due to another scheduled band, Pierce the Veil ended up having to extent the time they were given to finish the album. They recorded as much as they could before the other band arrived, and then worked on the rest of it outside the studio (while keeping in contact with Mike). Being not a fan of their first album and liking this one, I made sure to ask Vic about the differences between writing/recording the two. While Vic and Mike personally did A Flair For The Dramatic themselves, Selfish Machines was created with the help of new producers and other people that hadn't been previously involved in the process. This set up ended up working for the best, as the new album definitely has some seriously strong moments. “I think you'll find that the record progress itself was a little different than the last one. It kind of shifts in styles a little bit and then comes back”, Vic described to me.

Pierce the Veil have made a name for themselves when it comes to keeping busy. Touring, recording, writing...it isn't going anywhere for these guys! It shouldn't be too hard to catch a show sometime, so check their dates and make sure to pick up a copy of their latest album while you're at it. You can follow the band at www.myspace.com/piercetheveil and www.twitter.com/piercetheveil.

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STICK TO YOUR GUNS

JB: That tour is going to be unreal. We have high expectations for it. Touring with our label mates in Asking Alexandria, Born of Osiris, and Periphery will be a lot of fun. We are anticipating some packed rooms on that tour and overall, we are really thankful to be a part of it. The album has been out for about two weeks now.

How have fans received it? Critics?

JB: The reviews have came back great. Of course, there are always going to be some that aren’t into the “new stuff,” but even on this recent run we played a couple of new songs before the record was even released and there were kids singing along already. It’s a great feeling. Playing the new songs is a lot of fun as well. We were ready to change up the set lists a bit.

Tell us about the album title and what is means.

JB: The Hope Division is dedicated to the people that chose hope over hate. It is for the hope bringers, the fire hearted, and for those who keep warm in a cold world. It is about unconditional love. Breathe in hate and exhale love.

How are the new songs going over with the crowds so far? Which seem to be the favorite?

JB: We played 4 new ones on the recent run and they went over much better than we thought they would considering the album really hadn’t been out for more than a couple days. “Amber” seems to be the crowd favorite thus far, but we intend to add in some more new songs on Thrash & Burn as well.

If you had to pick on track from the album to tell fans to look up, which would you choose and why?

>> Interview with Jesse Barnett (Vocals) by Nathaniel Lay Tell us about the filming of “Amber” and your thoughts on the final product.

JB: Scott Hansen was great to work with. He brought a lot to the concept of the video and we felt that he really understood where we were trying to go with it in general, which made the process easy. Of course, we are very happy with how it turned out as well.

How has the tour been with The Ghost Inside, Abacabb, and Grave Maker?

JB: It exceeded expectations for sure. We have Thrash and Burn coming up this summer, so we had to be sure to stay out of those markets, which meant a lot of small cities and locations. The shows were awesome though and we felt welcomed everywhere we went even when it came to us playing some of the new material.

Like you said, next stop is the Thrash And Burn tour through July and August. Tell us about that and how you feel about it nearing.

JB: “Some Kind of Hope” is really the focal point of the record. The meaning of the album is condensed into that track.

Which song was the hardest to write/record and which was easiest?

JB: “Faith in the Untamed” proved to be a big difficult simply because Chris’ writing style is a bit different and it gave us all a little challenge at first. I think it came together well though.

What are you looking forward to with this summer most? Least?

JB: Well the easy thing to look forward to is the fact that we will be playing to a good amount of people on a great tour. The obvious downside is that we are away from loved ones and everything else. “Where the Sun Never Sleeps” sums up that idea.

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THIS OR THE APOCALYPSE

down suggestions from a lot of people to say we’re a Christian band.

In July, you guys have a two week run with For The Fallen Dreams, Legend, and I Declare War. What are your thoughts on these three bands?

RA: I’ve heard For The Fallen Dreams and thought they were really cool. I met Joe, now the bassist of Legend, while he was playing for them. We had some bizarre mutual friend connections and had a solid couple of hangs. Haven’t heard Legend or I Declare War yet, but we’ve tweeted a bit.

Switching gears now, Good Fight Music was recently announced. How did you guys get involved with these guys?

RA: Carl Severson from Ferret just randomly called me while we were on tour and asked if we wanted to be on the label. Can’t describe how surprised I was. Ferret was the label I wanted to be in when I was a little guy working in a record shop, spinning the comp CDs they sent us.

Definitely sort of surreal.

What was the signing process like?

RA: Because of the legal stuff it took over a year. It became clear real early on we were all cut from the same cloth.

You guys have released two songs online in promotion for Haunt What’s Left so far. How do these tracks compare to the rest of the album?

RA: Well, we got to throw up some drastically different stuff. First it was a heavy song and fans were wondering if we went all dark pain on them and then we threw up the most uplifting and melodic song we’ve ever written.

What can the listeners expect from Haunt What’s Left?

>> Interview with Ricky Armellino (vocals) by Ryan Williford >> Shared with www.audiopinions.net

RA: They will definitely hear me do a lot more on vocals than I did on Monuments, I can tell you that.

You guys are currently on tour with Gwen Stacy and Inhale Exhale. How has this tour been?

How have the early reports been like from critics?

Ricky Armellino: I’ve known the GS dudes for a while, great guys. No reservations on our end.

What is it like being a non-Christian band touring with Christian bands?

RA: To be honest, it’s usually not a problem. Belief is beautiful. I don’t like that it’s become a strong marketing point for a lot of bands, but then again, you don’t get into heavy music with the intention of having things go your way. You do it because it’s unpredictable. We’ve turned

RA: Mostly the reception has been incredible! I think that some are coming to terms with the fact that we are not necessarily trying to be heavier, or more hardcore, or whatever. We’re just being us.

If you guys could cover any song ever released, which song would it be and why?

RA: Always wanted to do “Never Meant” by American Football or just about any Rage Against the Machine song.

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com What are your thoughts on illegal downloading and CDs getting leaked onto the internet?

RA: Embrace the leak, man. You’re getting thousands of kids hearing your stuff and potentially making emotional connections to it. That’s the type of marketing people would pay double the cost of the downloaded albums for.

Thank you for your time! Any final thoughts?

To Speak Of Wolves

RA: Can’t practice a stage dive in your Mom’s basement.

>> Interview with Phil Chamberlain (Drums) by Nathaniel Lay Let’s begin with the album cover. It’s very cool. Who did the art,who came up with the design, and what is its meaning?

PC: Thanks man, yeah we love the artwork! Ryan Clark at Invisible Creature did the cover and layout. It was a collaborative effort between his initial idea, our singer Rick’s idea, and some input from our manager Leah. The meaning behind the drawings in the layout and on the cover are an interpretation of the album name; the set of “dead hands” bound on the cover are being pulled by a string by a live hand on the last page, the string goes through a few items like a ring, a knife and a key which are meant to symbolize different aspects of your life you may need to let go of. The ring could be a bad relationship or the knife violence in your heart of whatever.

Tell us about the album title.

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com PC: The album title is Myself < (is less than) Letting Go, and it's really about putting what's right ahead of what's wrong, letting go of your vices and the things in your life that bring you down. It may not always be the easy thing to do but it's something that you know is right.

How did you come to signing with Solid State?

PC: Well, I was in a band for about five years called Sullivan. During that time, we signed with Tooth and Nail and released two records with them. Solid State is the same company for the most part and it's their heavier bands. When TSOW first got started, we were with Tragic Hero Records and we did an EP with them. We were also supposed to do a full length with THR, but after playing some of the songs for some friends at Solid State, they negotiated a way for the band to move up to Solid State now, which after a few months of negotiations and talks is where the band really wanted to be.

How was it working with Jason Suecof? Where did you record?

PC: Suecof is awesome, but he actually mixed the record. The recording, tracking, and production took place at The Fort Studios in Winter Springs, FL ,and we had Brooks Paschal and Tyson Shipman produce the album. After we were finished tracking Suecof (who’s studio is close to Winter Springs as well) took over the mixing duties and did a killer job. He was really awesome to work with and was stoked on working on a more “rock” feeling album.

Are there any lyrical themes on this album?

PC: Most of the album is spiritual in context without being overbearing. Different songs, of course, have different meanings, but all in all it's a collection on songs that have a positive message about being a better person.

How has it been received by fans and critics thus far?

PC: Man, we’ve gotten an awesome response so far! We are so blessed to have kids and critics enjoy what we’re doing. There's always going to be people that love your band and people that hate it, and if you get too caught up in the negative, it doesn’t do you any good. Can’t please everyone but so far the majority seem to really enjoy it and that's more than we could ask for!

What tour are you currently on or about to begin? What plans do you have through the summer?

PC: We just got home from a run with Becoming the Archetype and it was a great time! A short run through the south and all those dudes are some of our best friends now. Next up, we have Cornerstone and then a few shows on the way home before we head out with Underoath, Between the Buried and Me, and Blessthefall. We’re super stoked to do those dates then we head back out with our friends in Becoming the Archetype again. It’s looking like the majority of the summer and fall are falling into place nicely, which we couldn’t be more happy about!

How does this new album compare to your EP? PC: Well I’m actually the only member that's on both the record and the EP. We had a few member changes over the first year and a half of being a band, and different people that were on the EP didn’t end up working out over time. So there is quiet a difference in the EP and the full length. The full length is heavier and darker, but also has more melody and more singing parts. That's probably the best way to compare the two, but I think if you played them one after another you’d hear a lot of changes.

The best parts of this album are when you guys seem to be going for a darker, more progressive feel. One of my favorites is “Dimming The Light”. Tell me about that song and how it was written.

PC: Man, “Dimming The Light” almost got cut. We didn’t think we liked the song until we made a few changes musically after taking a few weeks away from it. Then once we heard what Rick and Brooks did vocally we were like, wow this song really came together great! It seems to be a favorite on the album by a lot of people I’ve talked to. I guess we need to add it to our set! (haha) “Quercus Alba” really stands out as being unique. Tell us about that track.

PC: That song was an idea we had a few months before recording. We wanted to do a dark radio head/portis head type feeling song that exploded at the end into a heavier, slower song. It's a piano part that we had and then decided to change up a little when our friend Luke Davids made some changes right before we put vocals to it. My brother Spencer came out to the studio to hang out and hear some tracks and wanted to do guest vocals on the song, which we also thought would be great. So he and Rick sat in a room for a few hours and wrote the lyrics out and went over which part was going to be sung by who, etc. That was another song that we didn’t know what its end result would sound like until we were pretty much finished tracking it, and again we were super happy with how it came out.

What songs seem to be fan favorites? Band favorites?

PC: So far its hard to tell. “You Should’ve Locked Your Doors Days Ago”, “Quercus Alba”, and “Nothing Ever Ends” seem to be fan favorites. My personal favorite songs to play are “You Should’ve Locked Your Doors” and “Trust But Verify”.

What’s next for the band? Final words, announcements, etc.

PC: Next, we’re planning on being on the road all summer and through the fall. We have plans for a few international tours as well when we can work them into our schedule. We’ve also started writing a few new songs and will start getting some rough ideas for our next record in the coming months. Thanks so much for doing this interview Nathaniel! Come hang out with us at a show sometime!

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UPON A BURNING BODY

on the internet and because the venue was a bar we need a work license so they denied us. We then called our management and agent to let them know what was going on. We worked out a few things and spoke to the owner of the venue who said we didn’t need a license to play there and had him fax a notarized sheet to the border stating that. We then tried another border about 15 miles away but they already had it in the computer that we were denied and told not to let us in. They then told us they could arrest us for trying again. We were bummed to say the least.

You recently released your Sumerian debut. How has it been received thus far?

Since the record has come out, the response at shows has been undeniably better! We are very happy kids seem to be taking to the record very well!

How do you feel about the album and its final product? Any things you weren't so sure about along the way that ended out working in the end?

We are very proud of the record we have made. We feel it is a great opening record and the way we set it up is purposely for the sound we want on the second record...which will sound a bit more...(stop!) no, no...you will just have to wait and see! (haha) Tell us about the Carlitos Way music video and the filming of it.

Oh man, it was so fun but sooooo tiring as well. We had to perform the song 15 times in a warehouse that was freezing. We kept wetting our hair, so I ended up getting sick for like a week after shooting the video, all while still having to play a show right after the shoot and every day after cuz we were on tour at the time. Woooooo rock 'n roll!

How's the tour with Haste the Day and MyChildren MyBride going?

It’s been such a fun time so far, we don’t want it to ever end. It’s Haste The Day, come on!

What do you have planned after this tour?

To be the biggest band in the world!!! (haha) Right now, we have a tour lined up with We Came As Romans. So we’re stoked for that. After that it’s whatever, whenever and hopefully forever!

>> Interview with Danny Leal (Vocals) by Nathaniel Lay You guys were recently denied at the Canadian border again. Tell us about how that went down and why it happened.

Yes, we did get denied. It was the strangest thing because we have gotten into Canada before as a band with not much haste at all. We showed up at the border as normal, gave them all the paperwork the other bands had that was prepared the day before. Then we sat and waited for like an hour, they finally called us up and asked us if we had a work license to play these shows, so we told them on the cover sheet it said we were exempt. The lady then said she looked into it

What are your favorite songs from the album and why?

I like “City Hall” the most I think. It’s just me putting my heart out there and hoping for the best! It means the most to me.

What was the experience for writing and recording this record?

To know that you’re recording a record that is going in stores is the best feeling I have ever felt!

Writing took a lot of hard work and struggle and a lot of bus rides for my guys. It’s whatever

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com you gotta do to get it done.

Which songs came along easiest, and which came about hardest?

I think the older songs like “Scarface” and “Donnie” came easier just cuz we been playing them for so long. The newer ones, like “City Hall” and “Righteous Kill”, were a little harder just cuz of how new they were going into the studio.

VersaEmerge

What do fans seem to like most about your music?

I think it’s that we give the kids what they want out of a show; for example, a pit, some nice jump parts, and a ton of sing along lyrics. As well as giving them real skill and complexity in some of our music, something that may take a bit to learn.

How would you describe your sound to a new listener?

Heavy metal baby! We don’t like to put our music in a box and name it; we let it run free and tickle your ear holes before it punches you in the balls (sorry ladies).

Are there any themes on this album?

There is a Al Pacino/old school God Father type thing we try to put out there that you can see if you visit our MySpace, Facebook or just come on out to a live show.

What do you have in store for the remainder of the year?

Time will tell, but we can only hope for the best! Thank you guys so much for including me in your work and allowing me to be heard. I look forward to seeing you grow and hopefully working with you again. >> Interview with Blake Hardage (Guitar, Vocals, Prog) by Ryan Williford >> Shared with www.audiopinions.net You guys and girl are set to release your debut full-length Fixed At Zero June 22nd. What should listeners expect from the album?

BH: Expect a much more mature and bold take on the sound we have already started to make.

How would you compare the new material to the older material?

BH: I feel that the newer a band is, the more their influences show through in the music. I think that with each album we release, we will get closer to reaching the sound we're trying to reach.

Is there a concept or meaning behind the cover art? If so, can you share it with us?

BH: The vulture on the cover comes from one of Sierra's lyrics in the title track “Fixed at Zero”.

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com The lyric is "There's a vulture on my shoulder..."

You guys and girl were featured on Punk Goes Classic Rock earlier this year. Can you take us through the whole process of choosing, arranging, and recording the cover?

BH: When the idea of covering a song for Punk Goes Classic Rock was first brought up to us, we all have vary ideas of what songs we would have liked to cover. Our manager Matt actually had the idea for us to cover “Paint It Black”. When I listened to the song, I could hear it translating well into a more versa-esque version. I demoed it out at home and we all loved it!

THE WORD ALIVE

You're set to play the entire Warped Tour this year. What are your thoughts on this?

BH: We are so excited! We head out in a few days for the start of Warped and cannot wait.

Having been on Warped Tour before, do you feel prepared for this year’s trek?

BH: We had the privilege of doing the entire Warped so this year we can go into it knowing what to expect. It’s pretty crazy...

What are your thoughts on the stereotypes and stigmas that come about with female fronted bands nowadays?

BH: People will say what they will and make comparisons. There's not much we can do about it except to try and make unique music that we love and think captures a certain feel. Sierra's lyrics are very image-based which allows us to make interesting music that compliments them.

What are your thoughts on illegal downloading and CDs getting leaked onto the internet?

BH: As long as people have our music in their possession, I’m not too concerned as to how they get it...

Thank you for your time! Any final thoughts?

BH: Come see us all summer on the Warped Tour. Our CD comes out on June 22nd! Thank you for the interview!

>> Interview with Tyler Smith (Vocals) by Nathaniel Lay >> After this Q&A, make sure to check out our Track-By-Track review!

What made you guys decide to re-do "Battle Royale" for Deceiver?

“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?

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?

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

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com 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 something even better?

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.

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?

Definitely Warped Tour on the Glamour Kills stage, our CD being released August 31 st, 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.

TRACK-BY-TRACK REVIEW

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?

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 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?

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 say about your album? How they translate lyrics?

I know the band really put all we had into this album, so we can only hope that people will recognize that and be half as stoked on Deceiver as we are. We really feel like we made a great record; we hope 2010 and beyond shows that. Personally, I really hope the lyrics stand out to everyone. 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.

How has it been on Fearless thus far?

Fearless has been great for us and to us from the start. We have a very close relationship with

Score: 9 Track 1 - “The Hounds Of Anubis” A brutal beginning to a vicious album, “The Hounds Of Anubis” sounds like a cross between blessthefall, Live, and The Fall Of Troy. The bursts of speed and crazy guitar solos sound great,

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com and the structure of the song itself is very elaborate.

Track 2 - “Epiphany” Speckled with some gang vocals, “Epiphany” will probably become a live favorite for fans interested in getting the crowd moving. It features several powerful breakdowns, and feels like an intense assault for the majority of the song (even when the clean vocals jump in). It does, however, include a slow moment of reflection, which also sounds great.

Track 3 - “The Wretched” This one is more diverse in structure, and as a result stands out. The clean vocals have a punk/rock feel to them, though they don't make up the entire track. “The Wretched” feels like a wild ride, and the 'deceiver' line is a blast of energy each time it is used. The song also comes to a cool ending with a gunfire-esque explosion.

Track 4 - “Consider It Mutual” The first real track to slow things down, “Consider It Mutual” is a smooth moving number that will relax you until its build up a minute and a half through. At this point, things play off one another in a game of control. You can almost imagine two enemies yelling at each other during these breakdowns, trading spiteful words as everything crashes down around them. This is definitely one of the best songs on the record.

Track 5 - “2012” Lyrically, this is one of the angriest tracks on the album. It also features some interesting electronics thanks to Dusty Riach on keys. If you're looking for a song to let anger out during, this would be it. “2012” has some really great vocals throughout, and the instrumentation has some varied moments of grandeur.

Track 6 - “Dream Catcher” This one opens up in a spiritual way, as you may expect from a title like “Dream Catcher”. These sad keys and distant vocals soon become something strained and energetic. The screams come out like stabs, and the line 'Don't you see? Don't you see' is enough to get anyone exhilarated.

Track 7 - “Like Father Like Son” The 'Don't fuck with family' lyric is more intense than most of these songs combined. The electronics surrounding it add to the atmosphere, which is one of horror. The track then slows down near the end with some ghost-like vocals and light drumming before going back into it all.

Track 8 - “Battle Royale” This is a song taken from the band's debut EP, Empire. It's been made faster and more frantic.

Some of the instrumentation has also been altered. Whether or not it's a better version is up to the listener. Both recordings have their better moments over the other, so it probably depends on your mood.

Track 9 - “You're All I See”

This starts off sounding like an 'aftermath' track. It's the only song to really remain soft throughout, and it's a nice change of pace. It does a good job in breaking things up in preparation of the final song. It does build up faster from time to time, but all in all stays pretty low key for the most part. The vocals sound often beautiful here.

Track 10 - “We Know Who You Are” The introduction to this song is awesome, and the electronics throughout really help flesh things out. It's definitely a metal song, as it is primarily drum bursts and screeching vocals. This is like the final bomb to the battlefield. This is a damn good finale.

Verdict This is one helluva follow up to a great debut EP. Deceiver is diverse, well constructed, and intense throughout. If this doesn't make a fan out of you, then nothing will. It will be hard to top this one when it comes to their sophomore record.

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com

REVIEWS RATING SCALE 10 – Perfection 9 – Excellent 8 – Very Good 7 – Good 6 – Decent 5 – Mediocre 4 And Below – Bad *Want your album reviewed by LMP? Send a digital stream or download to nathaniellay@live.com for consideration.

Make sure to include release information and album art.

Writers: Nathaniel Lay (NL), Mario Trevizo (MT), Ryan Williford (RW)

FEATURED REVIEW

MOZART 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 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) 1.

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“Famous Last Words (You're Nothing Without Me)” “Look Mom, I'm On TV” “Rage Factor 11” “Saint Peter” “Ankle Deep Ocean” “Nightmares”

Release Date: July 20, 2010

AND HELL FOLLOWED WITH Proprioception [Earache Records] Score: 8 Stream: “The Night Is The Coroner’s” When we last heard from And Hell Followed With, they had just released their debut album Domain on Statk Factory Records. Now they are set to release Proprioception on Earache Records. They have experienced

Dance Gavin Dance syndrome throughout.

And Hell Followed With’s vocalist Nick Holland has left the band after the record was finished, but before it was released. So did Nick go out with a bang or just a little whimper? Proprioception begins with “Mara” slowly building up and then the drums and guitars come in, and you can already get a feel of how heavy the album is going to be.

Rapid fire double bass and chugging guitars are to be found, and the introduction leads us into “This Night Is The Coroner’s.” Holland does almost all the vocals found on the album, and they are beautiful in a metal

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com sense. He can easily switch from one style to a completely different style in an instant, and it makes for a powerful experience for the listener. His delivery is excellent and will be missed while he is attending college. The guitarists are absolutely amazing on this album. Such great riffs and leads are found on this album, along with above average breakdowns. They also tend to showcase some technical riffing throughout the album, all this while the drummer is showcasing his skill behind the kit. There are some great drum arrangements, but some fall flat. The drummer also tends to add a lot of rapid fire double bass. One of And Hell Followed With’s downfalls from Domain was that the album started to get boring and dull near the middle and the end. That was with ten tracks; Proprioception has thirteen tracks. This album is also ten minutes longer than Domain. While it does get a bit bothersome near the middle to listen on, the guys have made it where all the songs bring some excitement. Even with some minor flaws, Proprioception has the possibility to be the sleeper album of the year. If this album is not on your radar, you should fix that right now.

Nick leaves the band in glory with his vocal performance and the rest of the band should be proud with their additions to this album.

This band is just getting started; they have the potential to be huge if they keep at it.

Their next album may be “make it or break it” though as the new vocalist has big shoes to fill. (RW)

EVANS BLUE evans/Blue [FOF/EMI] Score: 7.5 Stream: "Who We Are" With the loss of their original vocalist, some

fans may feel a bit shaky picking this one up in fear that replacement Dan Chandler might not measure up. However, those concerns can be swept aside. Chandler's debut is more than solid, and his vocal capabilities are a good match for Evans Blue. While the band's debut is still their strongest effort, this newest collection is a step up from The Pursuit (2007). The album begins with "Buried Alive", an enjoyable rock number that successfully introduces the new singer, and therefore restoring faith in the band. "Sick Of It" is of the heavier breed, and is somewhat reminiscent of the hit "Cold (But I'm Still Here)", so it will probably go over well with long time listeners. evans/Blue hits its stride about halfway, staring with "Say It", a track that features a fresh blend of genre elements and angry lyrics. Is then followed by the focus song of the album, "Who We Are". The beautifully written track is fueled by a chorus based on catchy repetition ("Here we are / going down, down, down") that will likely stick in your head for the remainder of the day. "Bulletproof" is also a contender for the #1 spot, as it is energetic and also quite addictive. evans/Blue goes onto hand out other enjoyable songs, like the soaring nature of "Through Your Eyes", but it's the closing track that really leaves a good, final impression. "Erase My Scars" - which was also the single for this disc - is a dark and foreboding hard/rock anthem that plays out quite powerfully. Evans Blue have not only released another winning album, they have introduced a great new vocalist fans will surely embrace once they've heard what he has to offer. (NL) Score: 9.5 Stream: “Say It” When it comes to rock music, artists seem to be a hit or miss. You either put out an album that catches everyone's attention, or you put out an album that is just there. With this new

release, Evans Blue has really stepped up to the plate and hit hard. From the beginning to the end, this album rocks. Not only do they have their own unique formula, they have mastered it. Whether it's the start of a guitar riff or the sound of a piano, the song catches your immediate attention. With strong vocals filled in with passionate lyrics in every song, Evans I Blue is a masterpiece in itself.

Introducing songs like "Say It", "Can't Go On", and "Erase My Scars" will have fans coming back for more time and time again. It is truly a crime for any rock fan to not own Evans I Blue. (MT)

HASTE THE DAY Attack Of The Wolf King [Solid State] Score: 9 Stream: “The Quiet, Deadly Ticking”

is a killer album that puts the shit-talking to rest. “Wake Up The Sun” gets things rolling, showing off a revived passion and skill that has been absent since Pressure The Hinges.

Like that album, this disc blends the heavy and soft to create a dynamic sounding soundtrack of brutality and beauty. “Dog Like Vultures” features a vocal stressed chorus that shines, “Un-Manifest” is propelled by some interesting and more varied instrumentals, “That Place That Most Deny” is the most powerful lyrically, and “Crush Resistance” is an angry anthem of sorts. This album isn't all one “thing” either – it's not one long collection of heavy songs. There are slower moments, like with “White As Snow”, and each song manages to have an identity all its own (something a lot of bands struggle with). One of the most memorable tracks is “The Quiet, Deadly Ticking”, a fast and aggressive song that is accompanied by some great breakdowns and gang vocals. It doesn't really matter to which track you skip to with this album; every song has something unique or entertaining about it. This is an excellent comeback from a band we've missed. Attack of the Wolf King is most definitely worth your time. (NL)

IN FEAR AND FAITH Imperial [Rise Records] Score: 7 Stream: "Pursuit" Whether or not it was partly thanks to some member changes, Haste the Day have returned to glory with Attack of the Wolf King.

After a highly disappointing last outing (which sold the least copies of the four Solid State releases), it was hard to expect something special. Luckily for everyone, this

First off, Your World On Fire is better than Imperial. While this latest effort is more diverse, it lacks the powerful energy that pumped up listeners through their Rise debut. Second, this album will take a handful of listens before it reaches its potential. The first few will likely leave fans feeling

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com unfulfilled and disappointed, but once you get passed that, Imperial does become more appealing. There are some really well constructed tracks here, even if most of these songs don't leave a lasting impression.

Surprisingly, the clean vocals tend to be what take away from the experience. They're not bad in any sense, but they seem to be missing out on personality this time around. The singles, to no surprise, are the better songs on the disc. "Bones" is probably the best of the three, with "Counselor" following behind - both are a balanced and feature some great breakdowns. "I Know You Know" features the most memorable lyrics, with 'You want forgiveness / Then go find religion' being the most striking line of Imperial. Probably the most stand out track on the album is "Pursuit". The song opens with some interesting electronics and sounds before opening into a soaring assault about a minute and a half in. "Once Is Enough" is one of the faster numbers, "Heavy Lies The Crown" is the vocal highlight, and "The High Life" starts off sounding like a lost Emarosa track. While this album does take some getting used to, it will gradually become more entertaining when given the chance. Just don't expect it to one up Your World On Fire. (NL)

PIERCE THE VEIL Selfish Machines [Equal Vision Records] Score : 8 Stream : “Caraphernelia” It’s been a long wait (the band’s debut released back in ’07), but well worth it.

Selfish Machines is quite the powerful, energetic, and impressive sophomore effort.

Right from the start, Pierce the Veil are splitting scalps with “Besitos”, a track that is basically about love needing more than just

words. The song is then followed by a sweet sounding interlude that opens into “The Boy Who Could Fly”, an immediately fast and scream-filled track. The focus number here, however, is “Caraphernelia” – its chorus will burrow itself into your head, causing you to replay the track again and again. One of the few problems with this album is the occasional Auto-Tune vocals, which are first heard at the start of “Fast Times At Clairemont High”. The band would have been better off not using those sort of instruments, but they’re there whether we like it or not. In reflection, this track falls to the side as undesirable. After this point in the album, things do slow down slightly. The middle portion of Selfish Machines will likely be skipped through as a result. Luckily, the cute “Bulletproof Love” helps in picking things back up, bringing the album back around for the listener. “Stay Away From My Friends” is one of the more interesting tracks due to its acoustic/piano combination, and “Disasterology” brings back the more chaotic feel that is reminiscent to Alesana. “11 Million Dollar Houses (The Painter)” is a primarily electronic track that is executed extremely well, and the closing “The Sky Under The Sea” is a boost of energy and power. Pierce The Veil have successfully avoided the sophomore slump by following A Flair For The Dramatic with something much more memorable. Selfish Machines isn’t only damn entertaining, it’s doing its scene much justice. Bravo, gentlemen. (NL)

WAR FROM A HARLOT'S MOUTH BURNING SKIES Split EP [Lifeforce Records] Score: 8

Stream: “The Shape of Nothing To Come”

only is it a successful cover, the track is one of the most entertaining found here. However, it is followed by the worst track of the split: "Trife Life". This is the joint operation, and it's embarrassingly bad. Luckily, the cover of "Fighting Dwarves With Keytars" (performed

by War) collects all the band's strengths into one slot. When all is said and done, some sixteen minutes of play time, this split comes out fairly triumphant. Consider this a job well done. (NL)

VERSAEMERGE Fixed At Zero [Fueled By Ramen] For War's latest split, the group has teamed up with Burning Skies to record a rather brutal EP that is as fast as it is chaotic. It's this attribute that appeals most, as the songs are crazy enough to entertain and short enough that they don't become tiresome.

There are three original song from each band, two covers by War From A Harlot's Mouth, and a joint operation track. War steps up to the plate first, starting things off with "The Shape of Nothing To Come", which is basically a string of breakdowns accompanied by a mid-tempo pacing. It is then followed by the hardcore-esque "Monolith", a minutes of quick drum attacks and raspy vocals.

"Omega" is the heaviest War track, and feels like a missile launch during battle. This is when Burning Skies take helm, starting their assault with the screech-filled "Precision Crippling". "Shitfarmer" has a short, but interesting drum opening that leads into one of the most developed tracks on the split.

Their last original appearance, "Morbid Engel", doesn't do much to stand out, unfortunately. It's feels pretty straight forward, and therefore goes fairly unnoticed.

War From A Harlot's Mouth then returns with a cover of "RKD", a Burning Skies song. Not

Score: 4 Stream: “Mind Reader” Let us take the time to thank Hayley Williams and Paramore for their success that has led to an influx of female-fronted bands in the past two years. VersaEmerge did not start out with a female vocalist, but when their old vocalist left, Sierra auditioned for the band and was chosen. This will be their third release with Sierra, and the album has been surrounded with hype as they seem to be primed to be the next Paramore. Now as this is 2010, the year of disappointments, you have to wonder before even taking a listen if you should lower your expectations for Fixed At Zero. “Figure It Out” does not really grab you into the album as a proper opener should. It really paints a lackluster opening scene for an album that has been hyped and anticipated for quite some time. There is still hope though as “Mind Reader” comes out with some promise and a good, not great, vocal performance from Sierra. Sierra makes up for that though with vivid lyrics throughout the album that you could imagine in your head. Sierra’s vocals are great, but they are also predictable with her only

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com throwing one or two pitches with no curveballs to keep the batter in check. I have been leaning a lot on the vocal aspect of the album, but there is a good reason for that.

This is a very vocal led album with nothing really in the background to make note of. The instruments are simply background noise to have something there when Sierra is not singing. The only thing to really compliment on is the synth/keys as they add atmosphere to the tracks, but even then they are not the best that is around right now. By track five, “Stranger,” the listener should be ready to turn the album off as Sierra has almost no diversity in her delivery and there is nothing in the background to help keep your attention focused on the current track. What makes it worst is the fact that you see that the final track is seven minutes long. When you finally get to “Lost Trees” you realize that it takes parts from all those songs you just slogged through and adds them into the song.

Fixed At Zero is another victim of Disappointment 2010 and VersaEmerge is another victim of Paramore comparisons.

Fixed At Zero sees the band stumbling on their first full length and maybe not ready to be on the main stage of the music world just yet. Sierra is one of the leading female vocalists out there right now, but the band behind her does not do anything to help or the band out as a whole. For now, stick with their EP's. (RW) Score: 6.5 Stream: "Mythology" When a band with high potential falls short of expectation, it can hurt more than creating worse music to begin with. That seems to be the problem here with Fixed At Zero. There is no doubt that vocally, front woman Sierra, is pitch perfect. Now that doesn't go to say that musically there is a problem, but there does seem to be something missing. Together, each track sounds good. That's where the line

seems to be drawn though. The first time through there aren't really any songs that stand out more than the others. It seems to be the same sound in a different tempo going from track to track. Now in terms of sound and quality, the album sounds great. There just doesn't seem to be anything glamorous going on. A few times through and some songs will begin to catch your attention.

"Mythology" for example will keep you coming back for more once you find it hiding towards the end. Its playful chorus, and catchy verse will grab you right in. In terms of expectations, Fixed At Zero seems to be a letdown. If you focus on the fact that this is VersaEmerge's debut full length, there is still great hope for their future. Fixed At Zero is only but a starting point to a great and exciting career ahead of VersaEmerge. (MT) Score: 6 Stream: “Figure It Out” Fixed At Zero, VersaEmerge’s debut full length, opens with an egyption like intro before “Figure It Our” gets going. The track is not only a solid opening, but it comes out as one of the favorites due to the memorable beat of the verses. However, as the album plays on, you can’t help but feel like you’re missing something. This was such an anticipated release that listeners were expecting to be blown away by. That’s not the case, unfortunately. That being said, this is NOT a bad album. It’s very solid and has some worthy moments worth returning to, but it never really reaches out and grabs your attention. Vocally, VersaEmerge is very similar to Paramore. Musically, their sound is more experimental and varied. This is part of their appeal, but the songs don’t do enough to reel you in. A good song gets you thinking about long after it has stopped playing. There aren’t any tracks that really do this with Fixed At Zero. The title track has a catchy chorus, but when you listen to the lyrics, it’s hard not

to feel like it was all going for “imagery” rather than actual “meaning”. “You’ll Never Know” features some nice acoustics, but doesn’t really get off the ground. This seems to be the case with most of the songs. There are, of course, tracks that do manage to poke out above the rest. “Stranger” is one of these, as it does have more of an edge to it, which is pleasantly welcomed. In conclusion, this is a decent record, but nothing extraordinary by any means. I think we were all expecting much more than this. (NL)

CAMERA CAN'T LIE Not Everyone Leaves [Atlantic Records] Score: 6 Stream: "Call Me Crazy" Who? Camera Can’t Lie is a Minnesota poprock band that is signed to Atlantic Records.

This is their second release on the label, and third overall. How is it? The EP starts out with “Losing You” and you can immediately hear the blend of pop and rock in their current sound. “Losing You” sees poppy verses and rockfish choruses. Think of the American Idol rockers and you should have a good read on what to expect right off the bat.

“Call Me Crazy” has a little funk rock infused into the verses before the poppy chorus hits.

The last half of the song sees a decent modern rock guitar lead. The final two songs are your basic pop-rock songs that you would come to expect in this genre. Camera Can’t Lie is not trying anything new here, but they have a talented vocalist with a great voice on him. (RW)

SWINGIN' UTTERS Brand New Lungs 7”

[Fat Wreck Chords] Score: 7.5 Stream: “Brand New Lungs” This three track 7” is more of what you've come to expect from Swingin' Utters. Their formula hasn't changed, but that's not a bad thing at all. Each song is upbeat and catchy punk rock, so long time fans will love this like any other release. Each track stays under three minutes, so the short length of this 7” will serve well when dressing for work or doing some other simple task. The title track is definitely the most memorable song here, but each track is enjoyable enough to make this a worthy purchase. (NL)

PARKWAY DRIVE Deep Blue [Epitaph] Score: 8 Stream: “Alone”

The first thing fans will likely notice about Deep Blue is the change in vocals. Winston McCall's screams have become deeper and more gritty to the point that it sounds like a new frontman. Luckily, the adjustment

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com doesn't take long to get used to. Since their last album in 2007, Parkway Drive have kept busy touring and even recently released a DVD featuring the Horizons disc. Deep Blue is certainly a heavy record. Everything feels just as raw as before, which also means the band hasn't done much expanding in sound. If that isn't a problem for you, then you'll probably love this one just as much as their previous material. “Unrest” does a pretty good job in getting things going, while “Wreckage” becomes the first truly standout track due in part to its well constructed play out. The album goes onto to bring you more of the same – furious lyrics and hardcore breakdowns. There are some exceptions, however, such as the unique track, “Alone”.

“Pressures” also makes things more interesting with its larger sound and whirling guitar solos. When examined as a whole, Deep Blue really does get better as it plays through. Nonetheless, the band really doesn't do too much exploration or expansion with this album. That being said, it is still a brutal and powerful release that deserves your attention. After all, some people firmly believe that “if it ain't broke, why fix it?”. (NL) Score: 7.5 Stream: “Deadweight” Finally, the long anticipation for the Australian metal heads' new release, Deep Blue, has come to an end. As a fan, the wait for this release almost seemed unbearable at times. Unfortunately, the new album has failed to amaze. Anyone who has listened to a previous album or has even seen a Parkway show knows how high of a bar the band has set. It is almost expected that their next album would raise the bar even higher.

Instead, it seems as though the band hasn't gone anywhere with their sound. Don't be let down quite yet. By all means, Deep Blue is still a very worthy album you don't want to ignore. Taking elements from their previous

releases, Parkway Drive exemplifies a wide range of diversity with songs like "Sleepwalker" and "Alone". This is truly a full package of intense brutality that will add some extra leverage to their live show. It just feels like there could have been more.

Nonetheless, this is definitely a Parkway album that all fans should be able to appreciate. (MT)

debut. (NL)

MY EPIC Yet [Facedown] Score: 9 Stream: “Author”

PICTURE ME BROKEN Wide Awake [Megaforce] Score: 6.5 Stream: “Forevermore” Newcomers Picture Me Broken resemble the older material of Flyleaf in the sense that their songs tend to soar in a metal fashion, while offering screams from time to time.

Unfortunately, Wide Awake suffers from a lack of focus. Things are at their best when the songs are breaking down and erupting in screams. The first example luckily comes about two and half minutes through the first track, “Dearest (I'm So Sorry”). The problem is the band doesn't do this sort of thing often enough. Instead, their songs tend to go flat or never really reach any height of true interest.

The mostly acoustic “Forevermore” certainly aids in making Wide Awake more appealing, but then Picture Me Broken follows it with some awkward experimentation. For example, “Nerds And Cigarettes” goes to hell about three minutes in when the band decides to add some Auto-Tune to the vocals and electronics to the musical mix. It also doesn't help that the deep growls feel out of place during this track. It's definitely the slower songs that work best here. If Picture Me Broken could just balance their formula, they may have something here. But for now, Wide Awake comes out as only a decent

brilliant, while the instrumentals are constructed in intricate manners to take the listener on a ride as each song plays through.

“Patience And Silence” is an interesting track that keeps restrained and quiet, while “Pour” keeps rather energetic and fueled from start to finish. It's hard to categorize the sound of this band. They aren't just one genre, but a handful. What's ever more impressive is the band's ability to blend everything together so well, keeping everything in flow. Not too many band possess this ability, so make no mistake that My Epic are special. Yet is a thunderous and amazing album that really needs to be heard for yourself. Don't just take our word for it. (NL)

EMAROSA Emarosa [Rise] Score: 9 Stream: “Live It. Love It. Lust It” Fans of Dance Gavin Dance, The Messenger, and Lower Definition need not look further.

My Epic's latest record, Yet, is an impressive blend of passion, hardcore, indie-fused rock, and more. Both the vocals and instruments really stand out during this album's ten tracks. Most albums make you wait until later in the game to bring out their big guns.

Luckily for us, My Epic start off with their talents and strengthen them throughout. The first focal point can be found in the opening number, “Author”. The soothing and beautiful choir moments here are followed by an eruption of frantic cries of desperation and exhaustion near the end, causing the song to seemingly explode near the end. This unique style of writing makes everything feel much more personal and intense, which is where the main appeal of My Epic lies. The screams, when used, sound chaotic and emotionally

Jonny Craig doesn't know the meaning of rest. In the past year and a half, the vocalist has put out the Rise debut from Emarosa (Relativity), recorded a solo album for the same label (A Dream Is A Question You Don't

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com Know How To Answer), and helped front the side project Isles & Glaciers. Now, somehow, he has managed to follow it all up with the sophomore disc from Emarosa. This self titled disc is a step forward from the last outing in almost every way. The songs are more balanced and well constructed, making them more memorable and stand out. While Relativity certainly featured some impressive moments, this new collection seems to be thoroughly entertaining throughout without any missteps along the way. Jonny has pulled his vocals back a bit this time around, allowing them to sound more melodic and experienced (if you even believed that was possible). “Share The Sunshine Young Blood” is an upbeat track that will really get fans moving, while “Live It. Love It. Lust It” is lyrically brutal in the likes of “7 AM, 2 Bottles And The Wrong Road” from his solo record.

While none of these songs really strike us as 'catchy', the album does still beg to be replayed after you've heard it all. There's something addictive about Emarosa that just can't be denied. Jonny, you amazing fucker: you have done it yet again. (NL)

THE PRETTY RECKLESS The Pretty Reckless [Interscope] Score: 8.5 Stream: “Make Me Wanna Die” This four track EP follows the likes of Spinnerette and Joan Jett. This dirty rock n' roll formula is a breathe of fresh air (despite not being new at all) considering what kind of music is populating the airwaves these days. While not necessarily a blast from the past, it does bring back fond memories.

These songs are grungy, raw, and just fun to hear. You'll soon be singing along and jamming to them after you've heard this one.

Expect to be surprised. (NL)

STEEL TRAIN Steel Train [Terrible Thrills] Score: 9 Stream: “Bullet”

In This Moment have done a lot of growing over their years, and their latest effort is mainly characterized by arena-like hard rock and classic metal. “Gunshow” is instantly entertaining and becomes a quick favorite, while other tracks like “Just Drive” and “A Star-Crossed Wasteland” prove that In This Moment have even more to them than meets the eye. In all honesty, this is a pretty diverse record that features some really heavy moments and some really soft ones. There's a lot of gaps bridged throughout this disc, and Maria Brink has really stepped up her game vocally. A Star-Crossed Wasteland is not only a pleasant surprise, but an interesting and unique one. You don't have to like metal to get into this album (although there are some tracks that may be too heavy for you if you aren't). Consider this a job well done. (NL)

FIGHT FAIR California Kicks [Triple Crown] Score: 5.5 Stream: “Party Girl”

HONOR BRIGHT Wow, what a catchy and indie-fused album. A handful of records into their career, Steel Train are still bringing their A-game. This is definitely their best work yet, and a must for anyone (even if you aren't already a fan).

Tracks like “Bullet”, “Soldier In The Army”, or any other song for that matter will please your ears and get you swaying side to side.

This is one of the best surprises of the year for this genre.

Catchy, relaxing, lighthearted...Steel Train are fucking pros.

(NL)

IN THIS MOMENT A Star-Crossed Wasteland [Century Media] Score: 8 Stream: “Gunshow”

Action! Drama! Suspense!

[Triple Crown] Score: 7 Stream: “Sleepless In Syracuse” It should be noted that Honor Bright sound a lot like their influences. There are plenty of Mayday Parade vibes to be found here, for example. ADS is a punk/rock record that doesn't stray from its genre. As a result, not too many songs stand out, but the album is enjoyable nonetheless. This strange balance leaves listeners entertained enough to keep the record on, but not enthused enough to actually learn the songs and start playing them back in their heads. This is an above solid release, but it doesn't do much to separate itself or stick out from the crowd.

You pretty much know what you're going to get right from the start. (NL)

This record would sound more at home with 50's and 60's beach rock. If this was the sound Fight Fair was going for (we'd be surprised if it wasn't), then they certainly succeeded. California Kicks sounds like a blast from the past. This will either excite fans or turn them off. There are some similarities to pop/punk bands here (like Farewell or The Maine), but the fact remains that this album is based around one old formula. As a result, a lot of these songs sound more or less the same. Fight Fair does have this going for them, however: these tracks are pretty catchy. It's just too bad they come off embarrassing and generic at times, like with “I've Got A Secret”. In fact, a few of these tracks are just plain annoying. At best, this is a guilty pleasure outing. California Kicks won't win any awards for originality, that's for sure. Why the band decided to go with a Kids Bop album is beyond us. Humorously enough though, California Kicks will probably draw in the older crowd. As a result, these

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com guys will probably lose some fans with this one, but gain their parents in exchange. (NL)

change that. This album is an incredibly powerful follow up to The Anti-Mother, and tops anything the band has done previous to it. Major kudos to NORMA JEAN with this one.

(NL)

3OH!3 Streets Of Gold [Photo Finish]

BURNING TWILIGHT

Score: 8 Stream: “Touchin On My” While their debut was a unique collection of rap/electronica, Streets Of Gold will likely fall to comparisons more than anything. It's easy to hear similarities throughout, like with Cobra Starship (“My First Kiss”), Head Automatica (“Deja Vu”), or Hollywood Undead (“We Are Young”) to name a few. That being said, this is an enjoyable sophomore release to say at the least. 3OH!3 may have lost their identity along the way, but it's hard to deny how catchy these songs get. A lot of the rap is absent this time around, but the duo does visit it from time to time, like with “I Can Do Anything” at the start of the album.

While “Touchin On My” has to be one of the most addictive tracks on Streets Of Gold, nearly every song here begs to be heard again and again. 3OH!3 are definitely making a sound move from their 'street' attitudes of Want to a more mainstream formula, but is that really such a bad thing? If it's good, it's good. Some fans may be turned off by this natural expansion, but there is little adjustment needed here. After all, it does feel very 'natural'. Streets Of Gold is entertainment from almost every angle. (NL)

NORMA JEAN Meridional [Razor & Tie Records] Score: 9 Stream : “The Anthem Of Angry Brides”

The Reckoning [BLK Heart Group] Score: 8.5 Stream : “Blood And Thunder”

It's been said before, but Meridional is NORMA JEAN's heaviest work yet. There is very little breathing room from track to track with this album – it's constantly furious and brutal. Cory's vocals have never sounded better, and all the members have tightened their arsenals to make everything faster without sacrificing originality. The “you're not getting under my skin” breakdown in “The Anthem Of Angry Brides” will easily creep into your head at work, and it's these kind of addictive moments that you will find again and again on Meridional. The band has revisited their more chaotic side with this album, while at the same time keeping things somehow experimental and progressive.

Nothing is straightforward or simplistic – even the fastest moments feel well written and intricate in their own ways. The haunting interludes are sparingly used, and sound even better as a result (hear “Deathbed Atheist” in its entirety). There is still singing on this release, by the way. “A Media Friendly Turn For The Worse” is such a song to show Cory during his more vulnerable stages, and his vocals on that track are some of the best he's done to date. What ever part of this album you play, you are sure to be impressed.

If you weren't a fan before, Meridional will

Burning Twilight play powerful metal that surprises with how melodic and catchy it can become. One second, the band is tearing shit apart, and then the next they're singing like a pop/punk band. Luckily, none of it sounds messy or out of place; the combination not only works well, it also helps the band stand out more as a result. Songs like “Blood And Thunder” and “Peacemaker” really get the room shaking, but this album as a whole is thunderous to say at the least. This EP will definitely leave an impression for many, and the scene. These six tracks are brutal without venturing into the domain of death metal.

The intensity is often broken up with some sung verses and choruses that sound great, so the band knows how to keep things diversified and interesting. The Reckoning is just the beginning for these guys; Burning Twilight are going to rise fast with an album like this. (NL)

THE TONY DANZA TAPDANCE EXTRAVAGANZA Danza III: The Series Of Unfortunate Events [Black Market Activities/Metal Blade] Score: 6

Stream: “Vicki Mayhem” 2010 currently has a stigma of being the year of disappointments and sleeper hits. The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza, or Danza for short, because the former is a damn mouthful, is set to bring forth their brand of grindcore to the masses on July 6th. Danza III: The Series Of Unfortunate Events has not been one of the most anticipated releases in the metal scene, but it may just end up being another one of those sleeper hits that seems to be popping up this year. “Vicki Mayhem” quickly hits you in the fast with grinding guitars and blasting drums. The guitars and drums are definitely the nucleus of this album. They seem to be in the front of the production order, with the vocals being buried a little on this release, and bring a very chaotic factor to them. You should expect the guitars to change up their riffs at least three times in each song and each riff seems to fit in, most of the time. The guitarist likes to use the slide guitar technique, and it could possibly get on the listener’s nerves throughout the hour long album. The drummer switches up using blast beats and not really using the bass drum as per norm.

The drummer uses his cymbals and snares perfectly near the end of “Sammy Jankis.” As mentioned earlier, the vocals seem to be behind the guitars and drums in the production. This may have been purposely done, as the vocals never seem to change their tone or pitch. When a band has a bit of a chaotic flair to their sound, one would also expect the vocals to be chaotic as well. When the vocals are not chaotic and are even on the verge of being called monotone, it hurts the band and album directly. Any atmospheric presence the album had or could have had is ruined, for example “There’s A Time And A Place For Everything.” Is Danza III: The Series Of Unfortunate Events: A sleeper hit? No. A disappointment? Not really. An album that

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com will bore and eventually get on the listener’s last nerve? YES! Danza has the protential to be a band with a lot of followers and sales at Hot Topic, but their vocalist is holding them back. Hopefully the guys get their act together and finally make a splash into the metal scene as a whole. Until then, they will only be classified as one of the top grindcore bands around. (RW)

GRAVEMAKER Ghosts Among Men [Victory Records] Score: 5 Stream: "Never Be Like You" Figure Four was one of the bigger names in the early to middle years of Facedown Records. As they dissolved, two members went on to create Comeback Kid. Jason Bailey, former Figure Four bassist, has now found his way back with Gravemaker. Gravemaker has recently been signed by Victory Records and is set to release Ghosts Among Men. Given the pedigree of one member of Gravemaker, one should expect some sort of hardcore sound, which is exactly what Gravemaker gives us with this album. The title track starts the twenty eight minute rise through Ghosts Among Men. Half of the track is without vocals, but when they do start, you almost automatically get the gang chants. With ten of the twelve tracks being under three minutes, this album is quickly paced and allows for the listener to not get weary of the album. A downfall is the fact that the songs are not allowed to grow and have the album gain an identity. All you hear is straightforward hardcore, with nothing new incorporated into that sound to keep the listener coming back. The album also suffers from monotone vocals, nondynamic guitars, and basic drumming. The vocalist’s screaming never

seems to change in pitch or tone and while sometimes this is great, his voice is one in which this does not work well. It would not surprise me to see his vocals give out on him in a few years, as they give a sign of weakness throughout the album. The guitars add onto the monotone screaming by just chugging along and just being there. They add nothing and do not bring anything noteworthy into the sound presented here. This also is the problem with the drumming. Ghosts Among Men is in-your-face hardcore that starts to get a bit diversified near the end where it is too little, too late. If you are a fan of this type of hardcore or Comeback Kid/Figure Four this is a release you may want to check out, otherwise you should stand clear of Comeback Kid Jr.’s average album. Their sophomore release will need to be diversified a bit for them to see some type of major success. Let us hope they get that far. (RW) Score: 8.5 Stream: “Vlad the Impaler” There is something very satisfying about a foul mouth hardcore band shouting obscenities and bringing the house down.

Grave Maker is such an artist, and Ghosts Among Men is completely entertaining from start to finish. A good portion of this disc consists of tracks below 2 minutes, so expect fast and brutal songs following one after the other. This is not a problem by any means, however. Grave Maker is partly so appealing because the songs are so short and easy to get into. The in-your-face formula works well, especially when it sounds this good. The vocals don’t vary too much, but there are some later tracks where they become more strained and chaotic. “Melt To The Mold” has a chorus breakdown that never gets old, “Vlad The Impaler” features a bevy of gang vocals and well constructed sections, and “Laid To Rest” is fueled by some interesting drum work. Chances are, wherever you skip

to in this album, you’re going to find something worth swinging your arms to. The last handful of tracks are the most varied (just listen to the closing song, “Never Be Like You”) and therefore are the best on the disc, but Ghosts Among Men is an entertaining record throughout. There are plenty of breakdowns, memorable lines, and speed changes to keep anyone listening. Even if hardcore isn’t necessarily your cup of tea, you should give this album a chance. If you are a fan of the genre, then this is a must buy. (NL)

ROSALINE The Vitality Theory [Good Fight] Score: 9.5 Stream: "London Lost Its Fog”

Paul Conroy and Carl Severson have a knack of finding up-and-comers in the music scene.

After Ferret was bought out, they decided to start Good Fight Music. Each of the bands on Good Fight Music are newcomers to the game and could be huge in a couple of years if they make the right moves. Rosaline released their debut of Eulogy records back in 2009. They are back this year to release The Vitality

Theory on Good Fight Music. So what does Rosaline have in store for us on their sophomore release? The first thing the listener will notice is the clean vocals. At first, they may seem whiny and inexperienced, but as you listen through the album you will find that they fit the music and style amazingly.

They also have the unique factor to them, as no one else sings like Cody does. You then find on the opening of “London Lost Its Fog” some great ambient guitar work. This song was the best choice to release in promotion of the album as it has a balanced dose of screaming and singing with some superb drumming and guitar work. It also shows their unique sound and brings the listener into their world. When the third song starts, “Model Ships,” you already have three different song types and yet you know they are from the same band. “Model Ships” has been the softest song of the three, but still has the metal influence and screaming in it.

The guys in Rosaline are playing honest music that is just very spastic, but also very tactical. They know that most albums today are held back by the monotone bug, so they keep changing up their base sound to keep the listener invested into the album. This is helped by the skilled guitarists who have written some spectacular guitar riffs. The first breakdown that I have heard is found on the fifth track, “Face Like Thunder,” and it is superbly placed in the album. One of the biggest pluses on this album is the ambient sound of the band. You really do not see that often, most bands just decide to use keyboards and synth. It is really sad to see as ambient, if used correctly, makes an album and song that much better. “It’s Just Better For Everyone” is a prime example of a great ambient presence on a song. “Repeat After Me!” is one of the most ambitious songs, as it goes without guitars or drums for over two minutes, yet it works. It is also one of the only songs to not have screaming. The drummer

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com and bassist are mostly in the background of this album with everything else going on, but they provide a great rhythm section for the album to be based on. The Vitality Theory has something for everyone to love. This album should hopefully gain the band at least some recognition, but bands that do not fit the mold usually do not get the recognition they deserve. A band and album like this comes along very rarely and music listeners should take note and support the band. Without bands pushing the boundaries, we may be overrun with the 3OH!3s and Brokencydes of the world. This album is an album of the year AND sleeper album of the year contender.

(RW) Score: 9 Stream: “London Lost Its Fog” How I never heard of this band before is beyond me. Rosaline are amazing musicians that know how to write one helluva record.

The Vitality Theory is a ride through the best and worst of mankind, combining heavy and soft moments to create something really unique and addictive. While the first half of the record is easily the better portion, the album as a whole is damn impressive. The first few tracks will bring you back for more again and again for days to come. I've been replaying “The Messenger, Infinite”, “London Lost Its Fog”, and “Model Ships” nonstop for the past month. The vocals also have incredible range to them, which is a big plus in my book. The song structures are expansive and bring in so many elements, it'd be an effort to list them all. The gang vocals are always welcomed and sound great, the screaming is intense and frantic, and singing is some of the best in the scene. About half way, The Vitality Theory does seem to slow things down a lot, but if that doesn't bother you, then you'll probably reward this disc a score of 10. There is a lot to love here and you'd be truly missing out if you didn't pick

this one up the day it releases. (NL)

SISTER SIN True Sound Of The Underground [Victory Records] Score: 4 Stream: "Outrage"

One of the recent musical trends has been classic rock bands releasing new albums, and new bands sounding like classic rock bands.

Either way, most of these albums have been laughable releases and only serve as a reminder that classic rock is called "classic" for a reason. One of these new bands is Victory Records’ Sister Sin. Sister Sin is one of the only new classic rock bands to have a female vocalist. Is this enough to save their sophomore release True Sound Of The Underground from embarrassment? Sister Sin has made the experience very authentic with the guitar sounds that are presented throughout the album. The title track starts off the album and it soon appears that the band may have removed the memorable choruses from their debut. “Outrage” then shows up and puts those fears to rest with a decent chorus even with some questionable

lyrics. “Outrage” then gives us our first taste of a guitar lead on the album. It was decent at best and was generically placed, but it was a nice treat to add to the song. Two songs through, and the biggest complaint is the production. This album is WAY too polished for the sound Sister Sin should be going for.

They need rawness in their sound, but there is none to be found and it takes away from the atmosphere of the album. The vocalist changes her delivery for “24/7” and it really helps bring a dark feeling to the verses on the song. “24/7” also sees backing male vocals that are decent enough. They should try to incorporate that more into their sound moving on into the future. The drummer is mostly left out and has no opportunity to showcase his skills. He is forced to play in the background and pave the way for the song. It is a bit disappointing to hear this, as he could be a great asset to the band and we would not even know it. By the time “I Stand Alone” hits, the vocals start wearing thin on you, but then the guitarist gives you a present in the form of a guitar solo. Unfortunately, however, by this time, you just want to call it quits. True Sound Of The Underground is a respectable release that just eventually flounders into boredom and monotone. They give you nothing to latch on to that keeps you interested all the way through. This album is more enjoyable than their debut, so there is still hope for these guys and girl to gain a footing in the industry. Their third album may be a make-it-or-break-it album for them, so hopefully they realize they will need to step it up. Ultimately, if you are a huge fan of the classic rock sound you should find this album enjoyable, and that is all that matters.

(RW) Score: 7.5 Stream: “Outrage” Sweden’s Sister Sin is like a cross between The Distillers and Walls Of Jericho. The

formula is punk fused with metal, so there are plenty of raw anthemic moments to be found on this disc. True Sound Of The Underground is just that in case – anthem after anthem about rising up and taking control. While this is a common theme, Sister Sin make it feel fresh somehow. “Outrage” is addictive and memorable, “Better Than Them” is a great classic rock grasp on it, and “Heading For Hell” would make for a great chase sequence. These songs live on energy and dirty edge. Not every track hits hard, but each song is solid at the very least. There isn’t much diversity in song types, but if you’re just looking for a punk record to jam to, then this makes for a perfect match. Sister Sin aren’t redesigning their genre, but considering there aren’t too many female lead punk bands these days, they aren’t quite generic either. This is fun record, and that should be enough. (NL)

THIS OR THE APOCALYPSE Haunt What's Left [Good Fight] Score: 8.5 Stream: "Charmer" This Or The Apocalypse released their debut album in 2008 with praise and with hopes that their sophomore effort will be their breakout record. Well folks, we have hit judgment day, as This Or The Apocalypse have released Haunt What’s Left on Good Fight. Critics loved the technical aspect of the debut and the fact that the band was so young. The owner of Lifeforce Records was also very amped on this band. Will this be a sophomore slump or the breakout album that critics were hoping for? “Charmer” comes out and shows us that they still have their technical side, but they have it more

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com contained. On their debut where it would be technical all the way through, here they have matured their songwriting and song structures to tactically place the technical parts. Another change is Ricky’s vocals. His vocals have really come into their own and have a unique edginess to them now. He also diversifies his pitch and tone so he does not get hit with the monotone bug. “Subverse” continues with the technical aspect of their sound, and keeps with the discreetness that they established in the song before. Two great things have happened with the compact and better placed technical parts: the album’s flow has been improved and the album is more easily accessible. Yes, people love the technical/”Sumeriancore” bands, but only a small niche. With the focus now on Ricky’s vocals and the overall songs, more possible listeners can be reached and obtained while staying true to the band’s sound. The better flow also helps with new listeners while also making for an overall better sound. A fantastic example of this is “Lamnidae” when the song is great and it leads into an even great solo without sounding forced. There really is not a lot wrong with this album.

Some people may not like the fact that they changed from being a primary technical based band to being more of an all-around based band, but it works for the guys as Haunt What’s Left is better than their debut and still has that This Or The Apocalypse sound to it. This is the band’s breakout album, and they are rising quickly among the ranks. The sky’s the limit with Good Fight backing these guys, and the band has taken that stance with the rocket ready to shoot them up to infinity and beyond. (RW) Score: 8.5 Stream: “Subverse” Haunt What’s Left wastes no time in proving how explosive it is. “Charmer” immediately takes charge with speed and aggression, and

the haunting chant near the end is just a taste of the atmospheric elements experimented with during this album. The vocals are always frantic and stressed, which sounds great. The schreeches and growls are similar to Every Time I Die’s style, while the sung portions are reminiscent of All That Remains. “Subverse” features an awesome guitar opening and an ending that is intense as fuck. “The Incoherent” feels like a metalcore anthem of sorts (think Avenged Sevenfold or Atreyu), “Lamnidae” is more of a thrash/punk nature, and “Hellish” is fueled by some attackoriented gang vocals. There are plenty of moments throughout this album that will leave you at the edge of your seat. The instrumentation is a lot more complicated than most of the bands coming out these days. For example, the rhythm of “Deadringer” feels both reserved and intricate, while being later fleshed out by some chanting and a brutal ending. This Or The Apocalypse is a breath of fresh air whether you like this type of music or not.

Haunt What’s Left is an exhilarating and diverse release that breathes both action and power into anything it tries. (NL)

CORPUS CHRISTI A Feast For Crows [Victory Records] Score: 8.5 Stream: "A Portrait Of Modern Greed" Last year saw Corpus Christi’s debut release on Victory Records. Back then, the band did a decent job at an album and gained a steady fan base. Little over a year later, the band is back with their second album A Feast For Crows. One would think that a year would not change a band’s sound much. So should the listener be expecting the same thing as on the band’s debut, or should they be expecting

something new and different from the band?

After a slow building intro track that slowly introduces the drums and then guitars you have that track melt away into “A Portrait Of Modern Greed.” You quickly find out that the album is so much heavier than the debut album. The chorus is then introduced and you again quickly realize that the clean vocals are much better. After the second chorus, the band gives us a superb guitar solo. It is like the band listened to the critics and worked on their weak points. The technical aspects from the debut are still here and are well placed. They do not overpower the listener and do not sound forced most of the time.

While the technical parts are at the same quality, let the focus switch to the improved aspects of Corpus Christi. On their debut, the clean vocals were on the verge of whiny emo status. On this album, you can tell it is the same singer, but his voice has a much more manly tone to it. It is surprising how much a year or two can help a vocalist nowadays. The other improved aspect is the fact that this album is a lot heavier than their previous.

They have made it their mission to cut a lot of the melodic parts out of their sound and stay with the metal. Some bands would not be able to make this work; Corpus Christi is not one of those bands. Corpus Christi went quickly back to work after their debut, and it has paid dividends to them as A Feast For Crows is one of the better releases in 2010 so far. The has pointed out the flaws on their debut and fixed every single one of them.

Judging by how fast they released this record, they knew they needed a better representation of themselves out there. While the wait begins for what should be the band’s anticipated third album, music fans will greatly enjoy this album. (RW) Score: 8 Stream: “Monuments” This is a excellent metal core record. A Feast

For Crows has made a fan out of me with Corpus Christi. These songs are brutal, aggressive, and well performed. The sung portions also add variety to the mix, so there's plenty of vocal work to love with this album. Think Evergreen Terrace meets Atreyu. If either of those bands is appealing to you, then you owe it to yourself to pick this one up. It is perfect for online warfare or a shitty day. (NL)

MENOMENA Mines [Barsuk] Score: 8 Stream: “TAOS” This is the kind of indie rock that is fused with electronics and other random sounds to create something unique. It seems to either be silent and soothing, or abrasive and loud.

Either way, Menomena do quite a job in entertaining the listener. Mines isn't for everyone, but if this kind of music is your thing, then chances are high you will love this new Menomena record. “TAOS” is definitely a fun track to play in the car. Mines would sound great on vinyl. (NL)

A PLEA FOR PURGING The Marriage Of Heaven And Hell [Facedown] Score: 8.5 Stream: “Trembling Hands” If you thought Depravity was intense, just wait until you hear The Marriage Of Heaven And Hell. A Plea For Purging have essentially 1-up themselves in every way on this record.

To get things going, the band immediately hypes the listener up with a live introduction

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com before bursting into brutality with “The Eternal Female”. This album rarely lets up; it is basically an assault from start to finish.

There are plenty of breakdowns to behold, and the vocals are “pure hardcore” epic. Best yet, the band makes sure to expand upon their formula about half way through. Things become more diversified and larger in sound around the time of “The Fall”, and by the time of “Trembling Hands”, all hell is breaking loose. “The Jealous Wings” is the only track that really slows things down for more than a couple seconds. The album then comes to a close with “The New Born Wonder”, which is a track that is powered by distant and brooding vocal work that aids in making everything feel more haunting. The fade out and whispers also really help in ending things on an awesome note. The Marriage Of Heaven And Hell is definitely worth your time, and if you weren't a fan before, this will change that. (NL)

FOR ALL THOSE SLEEPING Cross Your Fingers [Fearless] Score: 9 Stream: “Never Leave Northfield”

contributing factor to the band's sound is their ability to be undeniably catchy with their soaring choruses and well sung vocals.

“Run Away” is one of the lighter and more poppy tracks, while “Favorite Liar” goes down as one of the heavier and angrier songs.

Cross Your Fingers won't only increase this band's fanbase ten fold, it will win them praise and awards from all over. This is an excellent debut from a band that will quickly rise through the ranks. (NL)

36 CRAZYFISTS Collisions And Castaways [Ferret] Score: 8.5 Stream : “Mercy And Grace”

Score: 8 Stream: “Violence” While not that original in sound, Impending Doom make up for diversity with speed and power. There Will Be Violence is plenty fast and heavy, that's for sure. “Violence” proves that instantly. You won't have anything to sing along to with this album, but there are plenty of breakdowns and such that will surely open up mosh pits. This is essentially a metal head's dream. Impending Doom are balls-tothe-wall aggressive and energetic. More tracks like “Love Has Risen” would better serve the band, but as it is, There Will Be Violence is certainly entertaining and destructive as its title suggests. (NL)

KORN Korn III: Remember Who You Are [Roadrunner] Score: 4 Stream: “Oildale (Leave Me Alone)”

IMPENDING DOOM There Will Be Violence [Facedown]

the larger and more involved song structures for their latest effort. None of the tracks really stick with you after hearing the album, but as you're hearing them, they are highly enjoyable. You probably won't have parts stuck in your head during the day, in other words. Despite this problem, Collisions improves upon the band in a lot of ways. The vocals have never sounded better, and the instrumental set ups are the most elaborate yet. It still isn't A Snow Capped Romance, but it will probably take the number two spot for most fans. Collisions And Castaways restores 36 Crazyfists to glory and shows fans that they still know how to create expansive and impressive metal. (NL)

If you were to combine the best elements of I See Stars, Sleeping With Sirens, and A Day To Remember, your ending product would be For All Those Sleeping. Their Fearless debut, Cross Your Fingers, is characterized by a variety of genre melds executed in exemplary fashion. From the start of this album, For All Those Sleeping are reeling you in and keeping you fixed on the stereo. “Outbreak Of Heartache” is an excellent track to introduce the band to new fans, and the following “Never Leave Northfield” will make your playlists for months to come thanks to its heavy breakdowns and addictive chorus. The most prevalent formula is screamo, but there is more to this album than that. Electronics play a fairly big role here, and there are some hardcore elements from time to time to get the crowd more interactive, but the best

Remember the brilliant formula of A Snow Capped Romance? Well it's finally making a comeback with Collisions And Castaways.

While the last two albums were above solid metal releases, they were complete let downs when compared to the Romance that came before them. They both felt too simplified and, therefor, slightly generic. Luckily for long time fans, 36 Crazyfists have brought back

There's always a lot of hype around this band.

They are well known, but why? Yes, they have had some good singles throughout their career, but how do their records stand up as a whole? I can't speak for previous releases (as I've never listened to a full Korn record before now), but Remember Who You Are is embarrassing to put it simply. The vocals feel so uneven and awkward, the instrumentals are uninspired and simplistic, and almost all the songs sound the same more or less. The lyrics are also generic, and it just feels like Korn have absolutely no ideas left.

Sometimes, it doesn't even sound like there's a full band there. It sounds like there willl be a couple of strings plucked here and there, and some light drum tapping (almost the same beat in every track), but nothing else really. I can't confirm this of course, but that is how it sounds. Maybe I just picked a bad

www.lexingtonmusicpress.com time to hear an entire Korn record, but this has certainly turned me off for the band from

this point on. Remember Who You Are is just...not worth your time at all. (NL)

next issue AUGUST 2010 NO.7 It's too early to have exact content listings of course, but here are some of the features we are hoping for: MOZART SEASON I AM ALPHA AND OMEGA EYES LIKE DIAMONDS LETLIVE A PLEA FOR PURGING ROSALINE NORMA JEAN JONNY CRAIG 36 CRAZYFISTS CRUEL HAND TIDES OF MAN AMERICAN HI-FI MISS MAY I WOE IS ME ABANDON ALL SHIPS We are also shooting to review these and more: THE MAINE – Black & White DESTRUCTION OF A ROSE – American Hell MAD CADDIES – Consensual Selections AVENGED SEVENFOLD – Nightmare AMERICAN HI FI – Fight The Frequency THE LAST FELONY – Too Many Humans THIEVES AND VILLAINS – South America IN THE MIDST OF LIONS – The Heart of Man CLOUD CULT – Light Chasers + We hope to have way more than this of course. This is just some of the bands we already have or are trying to set up. We are also trying out some new page ideas, looking for a much more involved unsigned section, and our graphic designer will be making the next issue. It's going to be awesome!