RMP Magazine #12 by RMP Magazine

RMP Magazine #12

THANKS TO

CEO

Writers

Kenny Leys // CEO

Cameron Smith // Copywriter liaison

David Marote // Managing Editor

Renske Gommer Stefan Van Den broek Arne Vangheluwe

Design

Jonas Hoflack

Jolien Krijnen // Chief designer

Jesse Mouart

Lena Stahl

Tara Bosman

Ray Slavenburg

Marianna Rousaki

Lisa Leysen

Lazlo Cootmans

Editors Frederik Geuvens // Editor in chief Krystal Cole

Photography Daria Colaes Matt Howard Lisse Wets Biesemans Kurt Charlotte Davidson Daniel Buyle Joshua Eric Stronko

www.rock-metal-punk.org 2

RMP Magazine #12

Holly Reijs Eloise Doherty

CONTENT

Inter view//Against Me!

Inter view//I Am The Avalanche

6 I n t e r v i e w / / PUP

12 Inter view//Upon A Burning Body

16 Inter view//Memphis May Fire

24 Inter view//Get Off My Shoes

Album r eviews

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Thanks To

A W

FROM THE EDITOR

Hello again! Wow, is it that time again? Time does fly by too fast sometimes. Well, RMP Magazine is here again with issue number 12, for you all to enjoy. Also it’s time for us at RMP to get ready for what many of you are looking forward to for months now. Everyone is counting the days until the ‘fest-season’ officially opens with the magnificent Groezrock fest. We at RMP are already sharpening our pencils, cleaning of those camera lenses and we even perform a daily series of squats to be fully prepared of what’s to come pretty soon in the small, quite village of Meerhout. As each year we will be at the front row to bring you the latest and most obscure details about Groezrock and the contributing artists. But that’s for our next issue, we’re not up to par yet for such a challenge, at least I’m not.. yet! We’ve got still tons of work to do before that. So let me leave you, anxiously ticking away the time, with our latest issue of RMP Magazine: another sedating dose of fresh interviews, reviews, foodporn and a mixtape. We even had a little preview of the Groezrock fest by interviewing some of the performing bands that weekend. So time to catch up while you’re getting prepped with some interviews with Against Me, Upon A Burning Body, PUP, Memphis May Fire and I Am The Avalanche, so you will be prepared for them when you see them at Groezrock. I hope to see you all in Meerhout very soon!

David Marote

Managing editor RMP magazine

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THE EDITOR’S CHOICE

Fifty Foot Combo feat. Rever end Beat-Man – Alligator Wine The return of the Monstrophonic sound! Ghent’s finest combo, blending Surf, Rock, Exotica and other crazy sounds into a swinging groove, is back again. Fifty Foot Combo took a hiatus for a couple of years, much to the distaste of many of their fans, but now they are back with new live shows and a brand new 7”. Alligator Wine is their latest release in which they collaborated with Reverend Beat-Man, leading man behind Voodoo Rhythm and The Monsters, to record the Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ track “Alligator Wine”. Besides that the eclectic gang of Fifty Foot also released a new original track titled “Galaxy Of Terror” and to close this comeback EP, they went for another cover song, this time of Glenn Campbell’s master tune “Buzz Saw”. Combined with the iconic and typical artwork of Matto Le D, it seems that the Monstrophonic sound is back with a bang!

Arcade Fire – Reflektor This one is a “not so new” release, couple of months old actually; I just recently tuned into this album and instantly fell for it! I really liked their previous album, The Suburbs, from a few years back, so in an impulsive moment I purchased Reflektor in the record store. As I remembered from their previous work Arcade Fire floats between many genres during an album and Reflektor is no exception. Reflektor even consists of two volumes. They should have stopped at volume I. Both volumes are completely different and to be honest, I don’t really like volume II that much. The band is rumoured to have an arsty fartsy level to them (remember the ‘wear a suit to the show’ debacle?) and volume II is just too slow, too ‘artiste’ for me. As said before Volume I luckily provides enough material for an instant love affair. From opener “Reflektor”, into “We Exist”, to “Here Comes The Night”,up untill “Joan Of Arc” you get sucked into this experience. So let Arcade Fire take you on a world trip with calypso sounds, Dub, Disco tunes, Pop, Rock and various tempo breaks as your travelling buddies. If Reflektor reflects Arcade Fire, then there’s just about as many reflections as there are band members.

Inte g rity – 7th Revelation : Beyond The Realm Of The VVitch Integrity, love them or hate them, they don’t care and so do I. For over fifteen years this band has been gracing my ears and they are one of the few bands that I have followed vigorously over that time span. Known for their constant output and many releases, the hated of the world have released yet another new song: “7th Revelation : Beyond The Realm Of The VVitch”, another co-op with the Baltimore based A389 records. But that’s not all: this release is done, one time only, with the original 90’s band members like the Melnick brothers (Aaron and Len) and former drummer Mark Konopka. For those who know Integrity, you know what to expect when A2 picks up the guitar. Combine that with Dwid Hellion’s horrifying vocals and release the fiend upon the world. Frantic guitar solos guide this tale about witches to the deepest abyss. A classic Integrity sound becomes one with the current incarnation of Integrity, to fuse the lamb and the goat into one. It seems that Jack Abernathy has summoned his cvlt to preach the end time again...be it for a one time occasion. As it is, so it be...

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Writer // Lisa Leysen

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gainst Me! frontwoman Laura Jane Grace was formerly known as frontman Tom Gabel; she´s one of the few transgender women in the punk world. The latest Against Me! Album ´Transgender Dysphoria Blues´ exists of personal stories about Laura Jane Grace´s personal struggle with herself. RMP had the honour to have a chat with this exceptional woman.

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INTERVIEW// AGAINST ME!

Transgender Dysphoria Blues has been wellreceived. Did it feel like a weight falling of your shoulders? Yes, kind of. It´s cool that people like it. I try not to think about it too much. Expectations are hard to deal with. You performed on David Letterman, how was that experience? Do you think it´s a good way to reach a bigger audience? It was great; it was the second time we played there. I wasn´t nervous at all, I felt very comfortable and everyone who worked on the show was very kind to us. I´m not sure if performing on Letterman is the way to reach a bigger audience. I think it´s more something for your parents to watch, to make them proud. Unfortunately my dad hasn’t talked to me since I came out ,but my mom is supporting me. The lyrics of Transgender Dysporia Blues are very exceptional. For example in the song you sing “You want them to notice the ragged ends of your summer dress. You want them to see you like they see any other girl. They just see a faggot, they hold their breath not to catch the sick.”.

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Is this the soundtrack of your life? It kind of is; it´s all very personal, it´s about how I experienced things and how I deal with my problems. What mood do you have to be in to write the best songs? It depends on what I want to achieve. If I want to write a happy song I think I should be in a happy mood to get a good result. The mood should be reflected in the song. I´m probably better at writing angry songs, I think that fits me better. [laughs] You collaborated with Christopher Norris for the visual art of TDB. Can you tell me more about your relationship? Well, we´ve been working with him for a while already, we´re all huge fans of his work and we love to work with him. Usually he comes up with ideas and we´ll select the things we like. This time it was different. I was just hanging out in his house and I saw an awesome artwork on the wall. So we asked if it was okay to use it for our artwork and he thought it was a good idea. It was very spontaneous.

It really was my choice to be open about everything. I didn´t want to hide, I didn´t want to sacrifice being in a band.

You´ve been very open about your personal life. You also could´ve gone under the radar but you chose to be honest about everything. Did you think this through or did it just happen? It really was my choice to be open about everything. I didn´t want to hide, I didn´t want to sacrifice being in a band. I wanted people to know more about the transgender community and about misconceptions that exist about transgender people. I wanted to help educate people about the subject. I think that´s important. You´re active on social media and you talk a lot with your fans. Some artists say that fans want too much attention and expect too much interaction with an artist. What is your opinion on this statement? I really enjoy talking to my fans on social media. I love Twitter, it´s a great way to break down the separation. It makes me more accessible for them, it cuts out the middleman. I love to answer questions from fans. I think giving interviews is also good; my fans might have the same questions in their head as you. It´s important to interact with each other and to start a dialogue.

There aren´t many famous people that are transgender, which automatically makes you a role model. How do you feel about that? I´m ok with that. I really don´t have all the answers. I still have flaws and I still think I´m a fuckup. [laughs] If I can help, that´s fine but again: I don´t have all the answers. I still struggle with myself too. What about Against Me! in the future? Does it make a difference now that you´re a frontwoman and not a frontman? In general it won´t make any difference. For me it does. I kind of hit a wall, I blocked because I had issues. I didn´t know how to deal with myself because I felt trapped in my own body. Now I feel better.

New Album : “Transgender Dysphoria Blues”

Out now!

Next Belgian shows: 1/6 - JH Klinker //Aarschot facebook.com/AgainstMe

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TRIX - Antwerp, Belgium March 25, 2014 Photographer // Daria Colaes

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Writer // Lisa Leysen

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fter a cancelled Euro/UK tour in 2012, we at RMP finally got the chance to catch up with this New York state-based band. Find out all about their creative process from tripping on mushrooms to handling your music like a newborn baby.

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INTERVIEW // I AM THE AVALANCHE

“Eating before a mornin

How would you describe I Am The Avalanche for people who´ve never heard of you before? An American punk band that drinks just the right amount of beer. You´re a New Yorker band, does the place where you grew up influence your music or lyrics? It really does. New York has so many different aspects to it. I live in a beach town on the Atlantic Ocean, spent a lot of time in Manhattan and Brooklyn, and also spent time in the mountains. The City,

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the sea and the mountains have a profound influence on me. What´s your motivation to make music? These days I pay as much attention to my music as I would to my own child. I don’t have children, I have music. Music allows me to be myself and to be a happy person. I’m constantly motivated to remain immersed in music at all times. You all have been in bands before you joined I Am The Avalanche,

do you think it makes a difference (music wise) when you have experience in the music scene? Touring experience was definitely helpful in the beginning. We have been in this band for 10 years, so it’s not something we think about. Do you have a certain way to write your songs or is the process different every time? I usually write music in my bedroom alone. I keep and open notebook on the table and a pipe packed with weed.

poisonous mushrooms and tripping all night ng recording session is never a good idea.“

Occasionally I’ll have a glass of scotch. You released a new album ´Wolverines´, what standards did you set for the album? We set out to take what we achieved on ‘United’ and progress from that vibe. We wanted to keep that same heart to it, but expand upon the sound of ‘United’ You worked with Barrett Jones, who also produced the Foo Fighters’ debut album,

what did you learn from him? We learned that eating poisonous mushrooms and tripping all night before a morning recording session is never a good idea. Barret added a nice Seattle feel to what we are doing. In 2012 you cancelled a European/UK tour, when are you coming to Europe ? (yes, we´re waiting.) We will be back in early May for Groezrock, Monster Bash, and Pirate Satellite Festivals. We are also doing a club date

in Amsterdam in May at Sugarfactory. After that we will be on our way touring the UK.

New Album : “Wolverines”

Out now!

Next Belgian shows: 2/5 - Groezrock//Meerhout facebook.com/iamthe avalanche

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Writer // Lazlo Cootmans

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here must be something special in the drinking water of the city of Toronto. PUP is yet another young Canadian band that is taking the world by storm these days. RMP racked their brains to find out how PUP started and to find out some more on their vision on music. They started playing and recording with no expectations, just tons of joy and love for music. Learn all the inside knowledge on PUP and their globetrotting urge to do over 200 shows a year!

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INTERVIEW // PUP

How did you guys meet? Three of the dudes grew up together in the same neighbourhood. They went to school together and got into music together, and played in a bunch of bands together all through high school. I showed up a bit later. Which bands influenced you the most? Built To Spill, The Bronx, Weezer, QOTSA, Hot Snakes, Titus Andronicus, Cloud Nothings How was the first album received in Canada? Really well! Lots of positive press and lots of people coming out to shows. There’s a pretty vibrant scene here and we’re really lucky to be a part of it. What are the expectations of the international release? Our expectations are, and have always been, just to stay busy. We love touring. We love seeing new places and playing shows. We just want to keep doing what we’re doing for as long as possible. If in 6 months’ time, we’re not working jobs at some shithole burger place, we’re happy.

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What are the plans after the international release? Touring. Lots of it! We’re going to be doing a UK run with Pure Love in May, including a few European festivals. Then we’ll go home and immediately start a 6 week American tour with The Menzingers. And after that, we’ll go somewhere else and play some more music. What is the ultimate goal the band wants to achieve? This year we hope to play 200 shows. In the grander sense – I don’t know. We’re really happy with where we’re at right now, and we’re just taking it day by day. On the first record, we had no expectations; we just made a record that we thought was cool, and things have been going really well. So we’re going to go into the next record with that mentality as well. How did your Canadian roots influence your music? There’s a lot of “Canadian” imagery in our lyrics. Songs like “Yukon” and “Dark Days” really took shape in my mind while I was camping in Northern Canada, and there’s a lot

of geographic references to places I’ve been in Canada, scattered throughout the record. Also, we’re from Toronto, which (in my opinion) has one of the best punk scenes in the world right now. We’re really lucky and being a part of that scene has definitely helped to shape us as a band, sonically.

“We’re really lucky and being a part of that scene has definitely helped to shape us as a band, sonically. ”

PUP is often called a very good live band. What do you think is the key to a good live performance? We just love playing. We have so much fun on stage. We feel really lucky to get up there every night and play music with each other, and I think it’s pretty obvious to most people in the audience that we’re really excited to be doing what we’re doing, and that’s infectious. People seem to have a good time at our shows because we always have fun. When it’s not fun anymore, we’ll stop being a band. What did you guys want to achieve with the first album? We didn’t really have many goals or expectations. We just had a bunch of songs that we thought we’re kind of cool and wanted to make a record that sounded like our live show. To be honest, we’re really shocked that people like this little punk rock record we made. We didn’t expect to get to tour the world or play with some of our favourite bands, or anything like that. It’s been a really nice surprise.

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INTERVIEW // PUP

How did you try to capture the same feeling from the live shows on the album? We recorded the album mostly live off the floor. Most of the songs we just did maybe 2 or 3 takes and chose the best one. And a big part of the recording process was standing in the same room, rocking out together, having fun, joking around, like we were playing a show. And the result was raw and loud and pretty cool. It’s not a super polished record. None of us are really into overproduced, “slick” rock albums. So we kept it simple and true to our live show, and we’re all pretty happy with how it turned out. What is it that makes PUP different from other punk bands out there these days? I think a big thing is that the three other guys are really incredible musicians. They come from a technical background and really know how to play. I suck at music, big time. I just play and write by ear, and I think the combination is pretty cool. I write a lot of the melodies and they add the “geeky”,

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technical element to our music, which is I think what makes the songs unique. The result is a lot of weird time signature riffs with poppy choruses and heavy noise textures. Then we try to squeeze it together to make something that sounds cohesive, something that sounds like PUP. How did you guys end up with Royal Mountain Records? Royal Mountain is just this really small Canadian label run by our friends who put out records they like. It’s an amazing thing to be a part of, because it’s only a couple of people that work there and we’re best pals with them, and good friends with all the other bands on the roster. It feels like a little family. They love what they do and love the bands they work with and I think it really shows. How was it to work with Dave Shiffman? The best! Dave is the man. He knew exactly what we were going for from day one, and he really helped us find our sound. He’s an amazing producer. We’re really lucky to have worked with him.

How important is the band now in the lives of its members? It’s pretty important. It’s what we do every day. We all quit our jobs to do this band thing. It was kind of a “go big or go home” moment. We spend most of our lives on the road now. The guys and myself – we’re like brothers. We’re around each other nonstop, sleep in the same beds, eat together, hang together, write music together. The band is just our lifestyle now. What would you do differently on the next record? Is there going to be a second album? Of course there will be a second album! We’ve already started writing it, in little chunks between tours. I think the main thing is just getting to know ourselves and our sound better.

kind of band we are and what kind of band we want to become. And I’m sure that will be reflected when the time comes to record the next album.

New Album : “PUP”

Out now!

Next Belgian shows: 2/5 - Groezrock//Meerhout facebook.com/puptheband

This first record was a bit of a trial run to get these songs down and listen back and hear what we like about our songs and what we don’t like. And I think now that the record is done and coming out, we have a much deeper understanding of what

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The Palladium Downstairs Worcester MA, USA March 25, 2014 Photographer // Matt Howard

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Writer // Lisa Leysen

Writer // Jesse Mouart

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he stars at night are big and bright, deep in the heart of Texas! One of those rising stars are the very stylish guys from Upon A Burning Body. A strong five piece who give us some real grooving sounds, marinated in brutal beat downs. These guys love to party and they party hard, that is for sure. One thing is for certain, Upon A Burning Body are some badass Texas boys who have been growing in popularity very fast the last couple of years. Let’s take a look with frontman Danny Leal, behind the scenes, on how these sympathetic guys live their lives. Welcome to their party, or should we say:

“WELCOME TO THE FAMILY ?”

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INTERVIEW // UPON A BURNING BODY

You guys are touring Europe for about two weeks now with Five Finger Death Punch. How has it been up till now? I believe it is three weeks almost. Yeah, it is great. You can’t ask for anything better. We’re on the road again, and we’re touring with a band as big as Five Finger Death Punch. It is kind of a pain to find laundry places and haircuts, aside from that we’re pretty okay [smiles]. We saw that you are planning to release a new record, tell us something more about that. It is pretty much done. We did most of the recording at the same place, where we did the other records. We are working on the final kind of touches on it and of course it still needs to be mixed and mastered and what not. Hopefully, it will be out during summertime in the US. Does it already have a title? I really can’t spill it yet, not that I have one [laughs]. I’m still working on it, but even if I had it, I really couldn’t tell you. We are keeping it a little secret, if you know what I mean? The most recent record is the “Red. White. Green.” album, which did amazingly well in the States

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and also in Europe. It is more popular than “The World Is Ours“, your first album, but this one really launched Upon A Burning Body. Tell me, which one is your favorite? Easily, the “Red. White. Green.” album. It helped us grow as a band. That is the one that most people who know us, got to know us. “The World Is Ours” was a good record, but it really didn’t get as much attention as our most recent one. So if I had to chose a record, taking in mind the growth of my career, it would be “Red. White. Green.”, without a doubt. The next record should be, hopefully, in the same trend [laughs]. This also included a growing fan base. You guys just went to Thailand and Australia, it is really growing fast. These days a lot of people get to know bands through social media. Do you have to thank social media for your fast growth? We’ve been really working hard for a long time. We started in 2005, not a lot of people know that. We’ve been touring a very long time on our own and after we landed the deal with Sumerian Records, we really started to hit it big and tour professionally.

We are not that kind of band that came out of nowhere, you know? It has been a while coming, so I really can’t say that we are a social media band, but we are involved. We try to do it more, because that is what people do nowadays. We are on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook and when you don’t have these things, people wouldn’t really know what is going on. We really try our best to put that out there, so our fans could see the other side and not just the music. I think it is fun, because I would have liked it as a kid. Being able to look at people I’ve been listening to and see what they are doing outside their music, you know? Yeah it is fun, because I have you guys on Facebook and I see a “what is in the UABB fridge” picture every once and a while. Now you can see for yourself [laughs]. We really try to do anything we can to give some extra. We are all pretty characteristic guys, we all like to have fun a lot. It is also not a secret that we drink alcohol and smoke and stuff like that. That is obvious right [smiles], but we like to add other stuff that just comes to mind.

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INTERVIEW // UPON A BURNING BODY

“First of all, they shouldn’t be the way they are and judge people anyway and second, they should be proud, exactly. “ As a kid you would never know what one of your favorite bands has backstage. What do they got? What do they drink? Is it like Whiskey or Vodka? I don’t know, so your imagination goes wild. I think little things like that are the things that people appreciate. If you would want know it, that is it. It could be anything, like we are at the barbershop getting our hair done. It is like almost infinite, the possibilities that you can do. I guess it is just what you want to make it, how creative you want to be.

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It gives something special, I’ll give you that. Something else now; you guys have a very obvious gangster or mobster theme. How did you come up with this idea? [Smiles] That’s not a first. It was kind of a combination of the label and us. They came up with the idea and we were really into it and kept going with it. We made it what it is now and decided to keep it. Right now we are talking with some people to get a different outfit, not too different, but it would just look a lot cooler. So basically we have some ideas and we are working with some companies to

make this into a reality. Wow, now already it looks very classy. It is not just a button up shirt. It is going to be even more. You will definitely notice it. It is going to be a notch up [smiles]. It is going to be better. You guys are from Texas and you have Mexican roots, right? Yeah, we are all born in Texas. We have parents or grandparents who are originated from Mexico, but we are all Texas boys [laughs]. Of course in Europe we have a prototype vision of Texans. [start smiling] yeah, like the horses and fuckin’ everything. Exactly! Also Bush and stuff like that. [laughs] Yeah we get that a lot. Were not like that at all. I imagined you wouldn’t be. I don’t feel like you guys really represent that, right? Not at all, but what you are saying is true. The horses, the cowboys and stuff like that, a lot of people in Texas are like that.

Those people are the ones that live on the outskirts, on farms and stuff like that. The majority of the population is in the city and we are real city boys. We don’t dress like that or don’t do shit like that, you know [smiles]? I’m not saying I haven’t ridden a horse or I’ve never been out in hill country, but that’s like as a vacation. You go hiking on trails and stuff like that. We heard that more times then we can count. We even got asked: “Do you even drive cars?”. What the fuck? Of course we drive cars. How do you think I’ve got here, on my horse? A Jesus horse that walks on water [laughs]? So, yes, and also no.

all the time. Even in our home state , because a lot of people in Texas are real conservative. Definitely in the outskirts, not all of them of course. Even if we are in our home state and how much we represent that, they do not have an idea. Sometimes when we walk in to a small town convenience store or a restaurant, the entire place just stops and stares at us. They are looking at us like: “ Who are these people and why are they in here?”. It gets kind of uncomfortable and it upsets us, because no matter how much we represent our state, they will still treat us like that. But hey, they don’t know, so we shouldn’t give a shit.

Off course because you have some major cities in Texas, right? Like Houston, Dallas and San Antonio, where you guys are from, right? Yeah, we are [smiles].

Oh yeah, you really shouldn’t. You guys are very proud, that is very obvious in the lyrics. They should be also proud of you guys, because you really represent your state in a very good way. Yeah indeed, ‘cause if they knew that, they would probably change their attitude towards us. First of all, they shouldn’t be the way they are and judge people anyway, and second, they should be proud, exactly. In the end we really don’t give a shit, whatever they would want to think about us is

Another stereotype that we have is racism, but this is something which is present in every country. Is it something that you guys get confronted with often? Oh, yeah. Being Mexican in the lifestyle that we are and with the way that we look and dress, we get racist people against us

fine. They can go on an do about their way and we will continue ours. Enough Texas stereotypes. Your turn, what are your European stereotypes? I don’t know… From movies we get told that girls don’t shave their armpits but that we know for a fact that is not true. This is the third time that we are here so, we know that this is not true. The younger generation isn’t really into that. Maybe the older ladies are so, but I wouldn’t know. It would be nasty though, to see girls wearing tank tops without shaving their arm pits. I couldn’t agree more. Being in Belgium, do you have any idea what we are famous for? Of course, the beer. How could I not know that [smiles]. Last time we were here, we were in a bar where they served like twenty five thousand kinds of beer. It was in the Guinness world record book or something really insane. We went there with Trivium and yeah, I’ve… [pauses], I have had a few beers [laughs]. Can’t really remember, but the ones I do remember are like a weird coconut beer. It came into like half a coconut shell type cup or so.

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INTERVIEW // UPON A BURNING BODY

So yeah, to answer your question, I do know that you are famous for the beer. I’m hoping to drink some of them tonight, I don’t really know if they serve any here. There is some in the fridge but I don’t really know what that one is, so… That is just one of the regular beers, nothing too fancy. It looks like that, regular beer is just beer to me, so not really interested in that specific one. I want the good one, in a glass, not from a can [smiles]. If you have some time to go sightseeing in Antwerp, you might just get your beer in a glass. We really don’t have the time, which sucks. We got here early this morning, so that means unloading again, sound check and stuff like that. So we really didn’t had the time to check out anything, but hopefully we leave late. That way we can go see the city by night, hit the bar and get those fancy beers. Do they have them here in the venue? I don’t know about that, but if there are any, you will probably find Duvel.

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A very tasty one, but be careful, the man with the hammer will be waiting for you. [laughs] Yeah, I’ve met him a couple of times! Back to the interview. Is it something you really try to do, the sightseeing and stuff? We try to do as much as we can. Obviously you can’t do it as much as you like, ‘cause you’re working and stuff like that. If we get a day off in the city, we’ll go take the train around and see some stuff. Tomorrow we are in Paris, so that is one of the cities you would really want to see. I’ve been there a couple of times before, we’ve checked out the Louvre and the Eifel tower. This time I’m hoping to see something that is not as touristy as the other ones. These places that only the locals know about, you know? That is really something that we would like to do this time. We also have friends living there, a band called Betraying The Martyrs and I think they are home right now. So hopefully they can show us around.

Do you have some places that stayed in your mind, things you will never forget? A lot of them. London, Paris, Sydney Australia, Bangkok [laughs]. Why the laughs at Bangkok? Is it just the name? No, just how amazing that city is. The tons of people, the small bars with the cheap beers, the little underground shops with clothes. The city is also enormous, so it really never sleeps, and a lot of stuff happens all the time. It is such an interesting city to be in. You can also get food on the street for two dollars or something, which is ridiculous, you know what I mean? We were there for like three days and we tried to do every tourist thing that we could. It is funny that you mention the small clothing shops, because not so long ago, a guy from Antwerp found his own face on a t-shirt in such a shop in Bangkok. He is tattooed all over his body and face and probably someone found a random picture of a tattooed guy and made a t-shirt of it.

RMP Magazine #12

INTERVIEW // UPON A BURNING BODY

Maybe someday you’ll find your chest piece in such a store. Oh shit, that would be cool, I’d buy that shirt [laughs]. Being on the tattoo subject, you guys have a lot of body modification, with the tattoo’s and piercings. No regrets? I have some tattoos that I really don’t care for too much. Maybe my ears? I took out the gauges, I don’t kind of want them anymore, so I just leave them out like this. I had like a septum, in my nose. Also took that one out.

lot of money for a tattoo. At the same time, if you have to pay ten dollars for a tattoo, you will probably get a ten dollar tattoo. Don’t come and tell me it looks like shit, ‘cause there is a reason why they are so cheap. That’s just what I would want to say, think about it and don’t be afraid to ask what

[laughs]. Maybe just work behind the scenes of the music industry. I think I really know enough about it to be able to work on the other side of things. You never know, right? That is true. Is there something left on your bucket list with Upon A Burning Body? Wow, it is running low I guess. I’ve almost done everything I wanted or met people I wanted to meet. I wanted to meet Dez [red. Fafara] from Devil Driver. Well, now he’s from Devil Driver, but when I was a kid he was in a band called Coal Chamber.

We even got asked: “Do you even drive cars?”. What the fuck? Of course we drive cars. How do you think I got here, on my horse?

Maybe some advice to the kids that want to get tattoos? Oh, I’m nobody to judge, you know what I’m sayin’ [smiles]? If they want to get tattooed, just get them, you know? I would maybe say: take your time and make sure that the artist is good. Don’t be afraid to put in some money. I mean, don’t get ripped off, because sometimes they really charge a

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you want. It is on you for the rest of your life, you know? Let’s say you wake up tomorrow and you are like: “fuck it, I’m done with this job”, what would you prefer to do for the rest of your life? I don’t know, maybe I’ll try to be an actor or something ridiculous like that

So that is someone I’ve met, which I really wanted to meet. Phil [red. Anselmo] from Pantera I just met in Australia. The singer from Ill Niño [red. Christian Machado] I wanted to meet, so I’ve met him. I even text with him now so, that is pretty cool [smiles]. Also Matt [red. Heafy], we toured with him. Haste The Day was a big influence,

toured with them. I guess the thing on the list is trying to be the band that other kids want to tour with. To further our career it would be cool to be a band who can stand the test of time. That would be a good goal since I met most of my childhood fantasy artists [smiles], so it is time to get real [laughs]. I can imagine that the kid Danny inside you would go insane, but you are more like colleagues with those guys. How do you deal with that when you meet them? You just need to try to be cool, you know? For example, Phill from Pantera is an intimidating man, I mean he is a real scary looking guy. If you talk to him he really has this deep voice and stuff like that, so it was very hard for me to go up and ask for a picture with him. The next day we stayed at the same hotel and he came up to us and he was talking with the guys. Just hanging out, you know? Every day he saw us he was like: “Hey, Texas boys” and that is just weird. It was like, are we dreaming this or something? It is not like we are best friends now, but just to know that

he acknowledged and appreciated us in what we do because of where we come from, that feels good. Did he know about Upon A Burning Body? He knows of us, but I don’t know if he actually listens to us. I know another situation with our bass player, he met Head from Korn. He told him about the band and he was like: “yeah I heard about you guys. You guys are the ones that wear the suites, right?”, so he got super psyched. He was like “ I’ll check out your music, I never heard it, but I know who you guys are”, so a couple of days later he came up and told us that he liked it. That was like, what just happened [laughs]? You have one of the biggest bands in the world and your looking us up and stuff, shit. That is just what you work for. It is those things that give us the real satisfaction, aside from watching the crowd grow. Those behind the scenes moments really matter to me, I think.

So we are at the end of the interview, I want to thank you, and ask you just one more question: Do you have anything left for our readers, your fans? The new records is really coming out soon, so keep your eye on that. If you can, buy it and don’t steal it from the internet [smiles]. I mean, you got to do what you got to do, but we would really appreciate it. It really does help, you know? Other than that, we will see you at the show. No matter if you stole it, let’s just party down.

New Album : “Red White Green”

Out now!

facebook.com/upona burningbody

RMP Magazine #12

TRIX - Antwerp, Belgium March 25, 2014 Photographer // Daria Colaes

RMP Magazine #12

Writer // Stefan Van Den Broek

RMP Magazine #12

emphis May Fire has been a band that has grown with me for the past years, creating masterpiece after masterpiece. I truly envy this band for their efforts and performances so far. So I was pretty excited when I got the chance to interview them, and especially because of the fact that I saw them not long ago at the Warped Tour. I asked them how their new album is coming along, when they are planning to come back to the Benelux and much more!

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INTERVIEW // MEMPHIS MAY FIRE

Thank you guys for doing this interview with me. Let’s start off with the first question! How is your new album coming along, because I heard it’s coming to us around the end of March? Jake : Yes it’ll be out March 25th! We’re all amped for everyone to hear it! Cory : She’s dang near wrapped up and ready to go! We’re beyond proud of the final product and itching so bad to deliver it to the ears of the world!

How did you experience the Warped Tour through the European mainland, because it has been a long time since a Warped Tour passed through our countries? Jake : We loved it! The shows were phenomenal, big thanks to Kevin Lyman for letting us be a part of it!

there but hey, we’re not complaining! Everyone knows the weather at Warped U.S. is gruelling. What’s the funniest thing you have experienced on one of your tours or recording sessions? Jake : It’s hard to specify one thing; we have had quite a few comics in the band/crew so everyday there’s something new that we’re laughing about. But one thing for sure is Ant’s twerking!

“(...)IT’S SUCH AN INCREDIBLE FEELING HAVING SO MANY AMAZING FANS THAT SUPPORT US(...)”

Can you tell me what the theme of this album will be, because you conduct various themes on your albums, like ‘The Hollow’ for example which was about some darker issues? Jake : It covers a variety of topics! All the way from depression and anxiety, to issues in third world countries, and about the unconditional love that God has for us, and in your darkest hours looking to him as the answer!

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And thanks to everyone who came out to the shows! Cory : That experience was unreal! First of all, we are so honoured to have been a part of Warped Tour coming back to Europe. The response from the crowds in all five cities was nuts. The only off-putting thing about Warped Europe was that it’s an indoor event over

How did the recordings of the new album get along, where there any struggles, points you guys wanted to improve on,

etc.? Jake: It took some time, especially around our touring schedule, but it got done eventually! Everyone in the band is pretty specific about the mixing process so that took some time going back and forth between each of us making sure it was perfect, but the end product was worth it!

I really like your EP, which came out several years ago, what’s the record you guys are the most proud of ‘till now? Jake: Thanks! I would definitely say Unconditional. We put so much into this record, and I think we would all agree that this is the album we’re most proud of! Cory : We’ve released two EPs so I’m not sure which one you’re referring to but thanks anyhow! We’ve never been the guys to pick favourites so we’re equally proud of each and every record we’ve released. I will say that we have a beast of record for everyone and we can’t wait to unchain it! How do you guys withstand the enormous fan base you’ve built through the years, because MMF is really hot nowadays? Jake: It can get crazy at times, but it’s such an incredible feeling having so many amazing fans that support us, we wouldn’t be here without you guys! Cory : Ice cubes. Do you have a kind of ritual before starting your gig, like eating something, praying, you name it? Jake: Not too much.

We all kind of just stretch and warm up a little bit. We just started using in-ear monitors so before we go on we all make sure our mix is good and all that as well! Cory : All of the above plus a solid stretching regiment. We definitely don’t eat too close to the set though. Doing so usually results in feeling like a human paper weight while onstage. For the audiophiles and music techs out there, do you guys want to share the main gear you’re using on the stage? Jake: For a quick rundown, we use Axe-fx with Mesa cabs, ESP guitars, Ernie Ball basses, Truth Drums, TRX cymbals, and Sennheiser wirelesses! What’s the worst experience you have ever experienced on tour? Jake: Well I wasn’t in the band at the time, but I know the rest of the guys would mention when the old band van broke down 5 or 6 years ago in New Mexico and were stranded for a while! Cory :Being stuck in Las Cruces, New Mexico for a week with no money or support from our previous

label was gnarly. There’s a song titled “Deuces Las Cruces” from our second EP, Between The Lies. Are you thinking about coming to the Benelux anytime soon? Jake: I hope so! I’m not exactly sure on our overseas touring schedule this year, but it’s possible! Is there something you want to say or share to your fans? Jake: Just a big THANK YOU! Your support means the world to us, and we can’t wait for you to hear Unconditional!

New Album : “Unconditional”

Out now!

facebook.com/Memphis MayFire

RMP Magazine #12

The Palladium Downstairs Worcester MA, USA March 25, 2014 Photographer // Matt Howard

RMP Magazine #12

GET OFF MY SHOES T

hese Belgian young bucks are aiming for the stars. With influences from Bloc Party to Weezer, the five-piece from Aarschot are eager to play on your local stage! As their debut album is right around the corner we thought it would be nice to unveil a tip of the mysterious cloak surrounding these guys. Follow Get Off My Shoes as they speak of their experiences in the recording studio and on stage!

You’re just finishing off recording your debut album. How was the recording process? The recordings went amazingly smooth. It was a long and tough process to get all the songs written and moulded to a point we were all happy with them, but once we started tracking we felt like all our hard work paid off. And I guess that’s what matters most.

Writer // Lisa Leysen Writer // Jesse Mouart Writer // Eloise Doherty 42

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Next to the songs themselves we’re really happy with the sound and atmosphere the album has; we have our producer Jasper Maekelberg to thank for that in no small amount. He really helped us to get to the core of the new material and we feel like he genuinely understood what we were aiming for from the start. I guess he was the right person at the right place. As a band, we learned a great deal from him both artistically and technically during the last few weeks, and mixing hasn’t even started!

What can fans expect from the album? The sound will slightly differ from our EP but it’s definitely still Get Off My Shoes. Get Off My Shoes 2.0, if you will. New band members mean new influences, new playing styles, new sounds, new gear and so on and we think you’ll really be able to hear a reinvented and matured band. With the album, we also tried to explore new ground for us personally, as musicians. Most of us have been around playing music in various (mostly harder) bands for some time and this time we really tried to push the envelope musically. You know, getting out of our comfort zone and trying

new stuff. We’ve learned that you don’t have to have your guitar amplifier gain on 10 at all times to get a point across, ha. Your band was faced with several departures last year. Would you say this has changed the sound or dynamics of the band? Definitely, all the new members did bring a new wind in the band. Which, as it turns out, is something we really benefit from now. Steven, Criek and Bo all have their unique part in the new songs and the songs wouldn’t sound the same without their influence and presence in the band. It just clicks right now and I think that’s something we all feel.

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INTERVIEW // GET OFF MY SHOES

What’s really worth mentioning as well is that, next to purely musical stuff, we’re really lucky to be able to count on the support of our ex-members as well. Robin (our previous bass player) turns out to be a kickass photographer who’s now working closely with us; Niels (one of the founding members of the band and Jonas’ brother) helped us out with loads of drum gear in the studio; Thomas (another founding member of GOMS) engineered while we were at AudioWorkx, and so on. All in all there’s just a great atmosphere surrounding us right now and we’re really grateful for the support we’re getting all around. Get Off My Shoes played their first show in 2010. What has been the most important thing you’ve learnt since then? I think that is loving every minute of being in the band. Whether you play shows for a full venue or five people, we always want to play the best we can, because playing music is the coolest thing in the world.

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Making great friends along the way and being able to express yourself in a way mere words would never suffice are nice added bonuses. As for the studio sessions these last few weeks, we obviously learned a lot of musical/technical stuff that would be a tad boring to talk about here, but one thing that springs to mind is that we learned to look at music with a broader view. Jasper helped us to create a rich creative atmosphere in which there was room to experiment and basically go crazy. Music thrives in that sort of environment. You’ve played opening slots for some great bands including The Subways. Did these bands teach you anything or give you any advice? Again, in a technical sense you always pick up loads of stuff from playing with touring bands: “Oh, they use those amps for that” – “Oh, look at how he does that thing with his voice” - and so on.

That being said, most of us already have a pretty good idea of what it is to be in a low-key touring band, haha. Your Facebook page cites Bloc Party, Weezer and Two Door Cinema Club as influences. These influences cover a broad range of genres. What genre would you say Get Off My Shoes fits into?

header… That’s counterproductive. Have you started planning your tour(s) to support the new album? We actually are planning a tour for this summer, booking shows as we speak. We don’t have a definitive release date for the album yet, but once we’ve got a timeframe established, hopefully we’ll be hitting the stage

“IT’S REALLY COOL TO BE A PART OF AN EVER-CHANGING, CREATIVE AND HEALTHY MUSICAL ENVIRONMENT.” We mostly just call ourselves “an indie band”, as our own musical tastes are quite diverse. Besides, what’s the point in labelling your music so specifically? We don’t want to exclude potential fans purely because we put this or that tag in our

in Belgium a lot as well. I’m really looking forward to that.

RMP Magazine #12

INTERVIEW // GET OFF MY SHOES

How has the involvement with Thanks But No Thanks Records helped the band? As Thanks But No Thanks Records is our guitar player Stijn’s label, it provided us 100% freedom in how to handle things. TBNT doesn’t have a huge amount of resources so we didn’t get rich from it, obviously, but it’s nice to have direct control over things. And the EP didn’t do too bad either, so everyone’s happy. This way of working leaves us complete freedom over how we’re going to handle things for this album as well, which is a serious luxury. As a band, what is your biggest goal? Foreign tours? Playing your favourite festival? We just want to play as many shows as possible. Everywhere. And we’d like our music to be heard by as many people as possible so some airtime would greatly help with that but you just can’t force those kind of things. Aside from that, we just hope to play music that people want to hear for a long time and enjoy the hell out of it.

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So, where do you see the band this time next year? It’s always dangerous to make predictions, especially in a music scene and business where everything changes from week to week, seemingly without noticeable cause and in complete randomness. That being said, we can only hope that our album will be released and promoted decently in a year and that hopefully we’re amidst doing a huge load of shows. It’d be amazing to hear our songs on the radio and more importantly to see people liking our new stuff, singing along and all that. We’ll be working hard to make that happen in the coming months but like we said, you just can’t force stuff. How would you describe the Belgian rock scene? It’s vibrant, which in itself is amazing considering that EDM and electronic music in general has taken away a lot of the spotlight from rock and alternative bands. We’re not saying that with a grudge, just to be clear. But anyway, there’s a lot of good bands out there right now;

there’s distinct scenes in Ghent, Brussels, Antwerp and more recently in de Kempen which all have their own bands and flavours (for the lack of a better word). While we don’t necessarily fit in with one of them geographically we’re seeing a new generation of musicians, engineers and producers stepping up and making things happen all over Belgium; and we’d like to think we’re a small part of that. It’s really cool to be a part of an everchanging, creative and healthy musical environment, and we hope that doesn’t change in the foreseeable future.

Next Album : “#OWOH ”

Coming out this year!

facebook.com/GetOff MyShoesband

Kavka Jc -Antwerp, Belgium April 4, 2014 Photographer // Lisse Wets

RMP Magazine #12

BLOG // FOOD

FOOD BLOG

CARDINAL CARDINAL (DADS) recommends the best vegan spots in the USA! monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Foodporn is hosted by John T his Bradley, of Cardinal Cardinal and Dads.

He shares with us his favorite US vegan spots. As food evokes feelings that last in memories, John has written down some of his favourite recollections. He even connected all of those memories to a song to relive that par ticular moment.

RMP Magazine #12

BLOG // FOOD

FOOD BLOG

TOP VEGAN SPOTS IN THE COUNTRY: • The Lunch Room (Ann Arbor, MI) “I’ve Had the Time Of My Life” - You know what I mean. This is a place my girlfriend and I visit almost daily, an amazing place that used to be a food truck that turned into it’s own building. This, to me, is the “I’m home” meal I have after each tour and before I leave. “I’ve Had the Time of My Life” fits it because my girlfriend and I are usually singing it at some point on the walk to or from the restaurant.

• Real Food Daily (CA) Icona Pop - “I Love It” The first time I flew to see one of my best friends, Carly Hoskins, in LA, we went to Real Food Daily four times in the span of four days. Any time I think of Carly, I think of her singing this song. This place is a great bridge of the gap of being able to eat so much food but not feel terrible afterwards.

• Chicago Diner (Chicago, IL) The Good Life - “Album of the Year” Chicago Diner is one of the first major vegan spots I ever hit, maybe on my first tour as a vegan, where I realized I wanted to use the tour as an excuse to try out different vegan restaurants. During this time I was also (as usual) obsessed with Album of the Year. Also, Tim moved to Chicago and our friends talk about running into him at parties often.

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• Aux Vivres (Montreal) Any Godspeed You! - “Black Emperor song” The first time I played Montreal was at a venue owned by someone in Godspeed You! Black Emperor, but the best part of the whole trip (even though the show was amazing) was eating a VegePate and BLT sandwich from this place. The perfect mixture of rich flavor and sandwich consistency. I want to visit Montreal for a week and eat every item on this menu.

• Kaya’s Kitchen (Belmar, NJ) Desaparecidos - “What’s New for Fall” Every time we visit my favorite vegan spot in NJ, I think about the time I saw Desaparecidos twenty minutes from the spot. This is the vegan place I recommend to anyone looking for something good in NJ.

• Thai Vegan (Albuquerque, NM) Death Cab for Cutie - “A Movie Script Ending” We were on a tour in the summer and I was falling in love with someone who didn’t live in my same state, and we talked about being together, and we had both been in long distance relationships before, so she brought up how she always thought of this music video when long distance relationships came up. I had never seen it, so she showed it to me while we sat outside of the venue. Earlier that day we had all gone to Thai Vegan and she bought this huge veggie tempura appetizer that she demanded I help her eat. I think by that point we were a thing, either way.

RMP Magazine #12

BLOG // FOOD

• Wild Cow (Nashville, TN) Taylor Swift - “All Too Well” I have a hard time not spending too much money at Wild Cow, because everything there tastes great, though I usually always get nachos to start. All of the employees have always been great, much like most cities. Wild Cow is one of the reasons I want to go to Nashville all the time. The last time I was in town they were doing a huge promo run for Taylor Swift’s new album, so that reminds me of Wild Cow.

• Angelica Kitchen (New York, NY) The Sidekicks - “Daisy” The first time I tried Angelica I was flying back from four days of Real Food Daily. This was a great companion to keep me from post-meal depression. I was also falling in love with “Awkward Breeds” by The Sidekicks this entire trip; it’s all one big Sidekicks blur.

• Watercourse (Denver, CO) Limp Bizkit - “Re-arranged” Any time coming in or out of Denver is a too long drive from whatever other city we were in before, but when I was a kid, it was a flight in to see relatives. When I was in fourth grade, my dad and I flew out to see my grandmother. At some point we went to a CD store, and I of course had to buy Significant Other and blast it in my grandparents’ living room. Denver is always a funny memory in general.

• Wayward (Seattle, WA) Champion - “The Decline” One of my favorite bands and one of my favorite consistently solid vegan spots. What more can I say?

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Kavka Jc -Antwerp, Belgium April 4, 2014 Photographer // Lisse Wets RMP Magazine #12

BEST THREE PARTY’S

Three of the biggest parties taking place over the next couple of months. Do all those concerts and festivals make you feel dizzy? Don’t you really know where to start or do you just want to try something new? No worries, we’ve put out some of the top upcoming events that you sure as hell don’t want to miss.

GET YOUR TICKETS!

Photographer // Matt Howard

RMP Magazine #12

BEST THREE PARTY’S

GRASPOP METAL MEETING 2014

// Dessel (BE), Friday June 27th – Sunday June 29th

The smell of trampled grass mixed with beer, mud and food leftovers: that’s the perfume of a solid metal festival. Graspop Metal Meeting is the biggest metal festival in Belgium and it will be their biggest edition ever. They’ve traded in a marquee for an extra full size main stage. This means twice the amount of pure awesomeness and even more metal to go around. SLAAAYEEEERRR! An all too familiar sound on the festivals. Well guess what, prayers have been answered, because Slayer will be playing this year’s edition. Be ready for some immense shredding and high pinched screams, because you’ll be singing some “Angel Of Death” this year. A question we should all ask ourselves: will Black Sabbath perform this time or is it going to be Ozzy and friends again? This floats in our heads every time when we see Black Sabbath on the bill. This is a shame, but don’t let that cause your horns going down! There are already complaints about Limp Bizkit showing up again. The weird part is if people hate them so much, why do we all sing along “Rollin’”? They might be very commercial, but they sure as hell know how to party and how to give you a good time. Be real, you also have their albums somewhere in the back of your closet. Let the younger you have some fun. For some of us the death of Mitch Lucker still lingers at the back of our heads, but Suicide Silence is back on tour folks. One of their first European shows with their new lead singer and friend Eddie Hermida (former All Shall Perish) will be taking place this festival. We cannot forget our glamrockers of Steel Panther. Let’s put on our tight jeans, get a leopard scarf and put on the bandana, because death to all but metal! Be sure to lose all of these things before you go to Behemoth though. If you won’t, you will probably be sacrificed in a rather satanic way; just a heads up.

By Tara Bosman

RMP Magazine #12

BEST THREE PARTY’S

6K FEST: THE UNREAL NIGHT 2014

// Venue Caserne Fonck, Liège (BE), Saturday May 17th

One of the upcoming shows is the 6K Fest with headliner Born Of Osiris. This tour will have many stops in Europe and Belgium is one of them. It has one of the sickest, most multicultured line-ups you’ve ever seen. There is even a little piece of Belgian pride on the bill, represented by Planey and Crimson Falls. These two hardasses will warm up the audience for some of the craziest bands on our planet. Buried In Verona is one of the bands worth checking out. This Australian metalcore band is rocking your socks off since 2006. They mix heavy guitars with some very cool cleans, which will make you go insane and as well as sing along! They are a perfect fit with the second band Betraying the Martyrs. If you’d like to be taken to another world during a concert, this is the band that will make it happen. Frontman Aaron Matts will take you on a journey with his dark energy, an experience you won’t forget. But if you’re a bit more into the progressive stuff, please give After the Burial some love. They released their new album Wolves Within last year and it is about time they were going to promote this awesome masterpiece. You can be sure of getting some real pit action with these guys. Pumped up you will enter a new world: here you will escape from the machine you call life. It would be a form of blasphemy to use the word technical and not mentioning Born Of Osiris. Their most recent album, Tomorrow We Die Alive, hasn’t been introduced properly in Europe, so this is the chance to set things right. Surrender to their awesome sound and take in the music until you lose control over your body. When you leave the building that night, you will see the world through different eyes; you will feel like a different person.

By Tara Bosman

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BEST THREE PARTY’S

VLAMROCK 2014

// As (BE), Saturday July 26th

We cannot stress enough on how important it is to support your local scene and organizations, who give small bands the opportunity to play live. For a reasonable fee you will get entrance to such a small festival this summer. Vlamrock makes sure that metal and hardcore fraternize to make this edition worth remembering. One of the many Belgian bans is XvicousX. With their straight edge hardcore mentality, they will get this place jumping in no time. Be sure to watch out, because hands with black crosses will be flying everywhere. Let’s stay with the hardcore scene now shall we? The Setup isn’t really the new kid on the block. This Antwerp-based five piece has been around for a while now, released several albums and played with giants like Ringworm, Born From Pain and Death Before Dishonor. Be sure to check them out and give a shout back at them. Expire is one of the international bands on this year’s edition. What the Milwaukee men will bring is straight to the point hardcore with a big oldschool sound. Imagine close contact mosh pits, straight in your face shouting and fists and feet everywhere. That beautiful picture is exactly what you can expect from Expire. If you’ve had enough hardcore you can always check out one of the bigger names that is joining this heavy line up, like the Dutch band Hail Of Bullets. Their death metal sound isn’t something new to European ears; last year they have released their most recent album III: The Rommel Chronicles under Metal Blade Records. Don’t you dare keeping your head static on their fierce music, you will be sent straight to the slaughter for this kind of treason!

By Jesse Mouart

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MIXTAPE

The mixtape from Lee Jackson, drummer of Fights & Fires. Containing 10 songs and the reason why they chose them.

1. Iron Chic - Wolf Dix Road

The chorus in this song is absolutely massive. The new album has been one of my favourite new releases.

2. Bouncing Souls - Lean On Sheena

The hook in this song has been stuck in my head for weeks! “ Better yet, don’t forget, leave the keys on the TV set, hoping you’re gone for the corner bar.”

3. Seahaven - Silhouette (Latin Skin) I’m a sucker for a miserable, slow song. This is just absolute melodic perfection.

4. Modern Life Is War - Health, Wealth & Peace

What do I say about this band? They are the perfect hardcore band.

5. Balance & Composure - Tiny Raindrops

It’s miserable, melodic and atmospheric. It couldn’t be any more perfect!

6. The Menzingers - I Don’t Wanna Be An Asshole Anymore

I’m so excited for the whole record. They are such a great band!

7. Citizen - The Summer

I stumbled across these guys on Spotify. This record is now a firm favourite of mine. Looking forward to seeing them on tour in the summer.

8. Rotting Out - A Question

I love a goodtime, hardcore band. These do that perfectly. “A Question” is a headbanging, circlepitting anthem!

9. Grandview - Seeking Out Gold (The Former)

Such a perfect song: upbeat, fiddly guitar playing, great production, vocals full of despair. Brilliant.

10. Spraynard - We’re Pretty Nice Guys

Everything in life is awesome when you listen to Spraynard. Funtitled is a seriously infectious record. I can’t listen to it just once.

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ALBUM REVIEWS

60/100

85/100

65/100

Black Market Weapon Deal Black Market Weapon Deal

PUP Pathetic Use of Potential

TrafficjaM Lonely Happy

“Black Market Weapon Deal” is the debut and self-titled album by this newly founded, Belgium-based band. With influences like August Burns Red and Parkway Drive, the record delivers a rather well-rounded hardcore sound, considering this is only their first work. Standing out the most are the repetitive guitar tones and the deep, powerful vocals.

Imagine Mike Tyson’s best hook, directly to your face: painful, devastating, and oh so skilfully done. That is the feeling you have after listening PUP’s debut all the way through for the first time. I honestly didn’t know what to think. Songs like ‘The Reservoir’ – the band’s first single – are instantly liked. The rest needs some getting used to.

TrafficjaM is no longer an unknown name in Belgium’s underground scene. Though the gentlemen hate to be placed into a single genre their own “Alternative Hardness style” gives them that little bit outside the box. Creating your own genre of music isn’t as easy and it sure isn’t for the people who want to listen to it. From the beginning on, you need to empty your mind off what you know about music and fill it up again with this new kind of style.

Fast-paced drums and strong lyrics are also present to complete the songs, although it might seem like the recipe stays the same throughout the album. While that doesn’t take away the good accents mentioned before, the lack of really distinctive moments is noticeable. Overall, Black Market Weapon Deal is a promising band that hardcore lovers will enjoy listening to and perhaps even watch evolve.

By Marianna Rousaki

The best example of that is opening song ‘Guilt Trip which combines raw, loud and barely structured riffs with lovable tunes. PUP shamelessly goes for a crappy ‘We don’t care what you think’sound that gives this entire album a homemade touch, even though this Canadian band managed to record this ten-song-long blizzard with David Shiffman (Rage Against the Machine, The Bronx, ...). ‘Never Try’ definitely is the best song of this very lovable and unique debut. A good start for a promising band!

By Lazlo Cootmans

Electronics, Metal, Rock, Pop and even crazy sound effects in just 9 tracks. Cramped full of different ideas and genres, you might get lost in the midst of all this chaos. This isn’t a typical Sunday morning album, that’s for sure. For fans of more obscure and bizarre songs and genres, this is the record you want to buy. And I? I’ll give it another shot after my head stops spinning.

By Arne Vangheluwe

RMP Magazine #12

ALBUM REVIEWS

75/100

72/100

Chuck Ragan ‘Till Midnight

Somos Temple of Plenty

Chuck Ragan, known as the singer of punkrockband Hot Water Music, has released his fourth solo album on Side One Dummies Records, called “ ‘Till Midnight”. His previous albums sounded very well, so I was very curious about this new one! Once again, the album sounds great. The raw voice of Chuck Ragan fits wonderfully with the sound of his acoustic guitar. He is also very well-supported by other instruments like drums, a violin, etc. Sometimes, I think he’s using a little too many different instruments, which made me feel like I was no longer listening to Chuck Ragan, but to a full band with Chuck Ragan as a singer. The accent Chuck uses, is really accumulated by his guitar and the supporting instruments. The support shouldn’t have taken over from time to time like they sometimes do in songs like ‘Something May Catch Fire’ and ‘Bedroll Lullaby’. Other songs like ‘For All We Care’ and ‘Wake With You’ are sounding somehow smaller and more like a singer songwriter/ solo project to me. This, however, doesn’t make it a bad album. The songs on the album are very good and the album never gets boring because there’s a good mix between slower and faster songs. My favourite song on this album is ‘Whistleblowers Song’ because it starts from scratch and builds up to a strong chorus. This album is a ‘need-to-listen’ for everyone who likes the acoustic solo projects by singers of punk rockbands going acoustically! For fans of Frank Turner, Brian Fellon and Tim Barry! By Jonas Hoflack

RMP Magazine #12

Boston indie-punk band Somos has released a brand new album and it is a corker! “Temple Of Plenty” is filled with fun-filled songs with huge choruses, wispy vocals and it’s been produced beautifully. It grabs your attention as soon as you hit the play button, filling your ears with the addictive beats. Sounding similar to Polar Bear club, it is a straightforward pop rock album with a twist of punk heaviness. The vocals through this album are thick and strong and the lyrics keep you listening all the way through; each song has its own uniqueness. The song ‘Lives of Others’ stands out the most to me personally; it sounds totally different to the other songs and has a catchy chorus at the end. It makes you sing along, like you already know the song. This is one of the best choruses you will ever hear. ‘When You Pass’ is a song that you emotionally understand as soon as you listen to it all the way through. It grabs the listener with bold, relatable lyrics and the guitar rings through your ears making you listen to every chord. The whole album is very catchy, entertaining and polished. When it ends, it leaves you craving for more or wanting to listen to it all over again. Go and check it out now, they will not disappoint you!

By Holly Reijs

ALBUM REVIEWS

75/100

Trailers The Radiant Mess

Class of Kill ‘Em High Gaphals

Belgium can boast a legitimately fresh sound with these new-age rockers. Trailers composed this album with pure vigour and badass individualistic traits that could very well develop into the next popular sound in the alternative rock scene.

After two years of hard work, new born Swedish Indie grunters Class Of Kill ‘Em High will release their debut album “Gaphals”. A sense of passion rings from every heart-melting chord and lyric, these musicians have modernised the framework of the Grunge era.

“The Radiant Mess” is the underground essence of a blue-collar life, the struggle between pop culture and being singled out. The mix and mash of southern solos and punkrock power chords run rampant throughout every song. One will notice the constant chorus-like EQ overlay, which gives the general theme a very reverbed and heavy veneer.

It seems we can now adorn ourselves in black but have a good time anyway. Their upbeat and swinging third single ‘Ultima Hombre’ was a platinum new entry into the Indie Rock scene.

‘Lights’ gets the party started in a flash and will have every party animal striking an air guitar position on the dance floor in a pinch. ‘Mapmakers’ draws to mind a Hell’s Angels biker club, taking no nonsense and promoting no patience. The bellowing serenades in this album are held together with a smooth ballade of harmony, and a thumping but time-keeping bass track. Impressive. Interesting. Fresh.

By Cameron Smith

The album is sleek and happy, but underlying bleakish tones dull the senses. ‘Into the Abbys’ reverts us back to an era of content stability. Beautifully mastered guitar sessions truly pay tribute to honest rock. ‘Wake Up’, ‘Rhino’ and ‘Death is Forever’ are personal favourites – the swift and flowing mid solos portray heavily emotional sentiment. I hope to review these colourful voyagers of the night again!

By Cameron Smith

RMP Magazine #12

ALBUM REVIEWS

81/100

70/100

The Hotelier Home, Like NoPlace Is There

Lacuna Coil Broken Crown Halo

The Used Imaginary Enemy

A feeling of warmth and homeliness invades your ears when you pop in “Home, Like NoPlace Is There” for the first time. The Hotelier is at its best when playing loud rock songs. Opener ‘An Introduction To The Album’ immediately sets the mood and is followed by the very likeable ‘The Scope of All of This Building’. It’s songs like these that make The Hotelier stand out.

“Broken Crown Halo” is the seventh and much-anticipated album from Lacuna Coil. And the anticipation was justified indeed, as the band has once more succeeded to live up to the standards they’d set over the years. Fusing heavy and classic sounds with beautifully harmonized vocals between the two front voices, this record takes you right on the border between real life and fantasy.

While listening to the new album “Imaginary Enemy” by the Used, I find myself thinking: ‘What kind of music is this?’, because it’s not really emo, it’s not really grunge, sometimes it sounds a little like screamo, but at the same time it’s a bit to cheesy and smooth to be just that. While for some songs on this album this means that they sound kind of original, with others it’s just confusing.

The songs are mostly fast-paced and anthemic, with a dark attitude both musically and lyrically. Remarkable is the use of lyrics in Italian, carrying a piece of the band’s own culture; Italian soundtracks and horror movies to be exact. Additionally, songs like ‘Die And Rise’ and ‘Zombies’ are particularly standing out instrumentally due to their thumbing guitar riffs. All things considered, whether you want to listen to something heavy or calming, Broken Crown Halo has the kind of synthesis that won’t fail you.

Take ‘El-Oh-Vee-Ee’ for example: I think it’s supposed to be rebellious, but it’s a little hard to get that across with corny lyrics like ‘All we need is El-Oh-Vee-Ee, love, El-OhVee-Ee, love!’. On the other hand I can’t deny that songs like ‘Revolution’, ‘Cry’ and ‘A Song to Stifle Imperial Progression (A Work in Progress)’ are good. All in all I think Imaginary Enemy is entertaining and occasionally innovative, but maybe not as raw as some The Used fans would like.

While listening to the album I couldn’t help thinking of some tracks as a combination between some Frank Turner songs and the unique post-hardcore vibe of bands like Pentimento. At times the Hotelier edges more towards a loud hardcore sound; sadly enough those moments drag the quality of the album to a lower level, leaving you with a mixed feeling. Especially ‘Life In Drag’ sounds uninspired and seems in sharp contrast with the album’s twin peaks ‘Your Deep Rest’ and ‘Housebroken’.

By Lazlo Cootmans

85/100

RMP Magazine #12

By Marianna Rousaki

By Renske Gommer

ALBUM REVIEWS

85/100

90/100

50/100

The Pretty Reckless Going To Hell

Not So Much Not so Much

Memphis May Fire Unconditional

The lifestyle of sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll is once more addressed by a band that surely lives up to that title. With their second studio album, “Going To Hell”, The Pretty Reckless continues to shock and discomfort the comforted. Stripped down on instrumentals since their last work “Light Me Up”, this record pulses with raw talent, a rather pure rock sound and addictive guitar riffs.

Not So Much presents their selftitled EP! This Antwerp reincarnation of The Kids brings a mix of pop, poppunk and even a slight portion of hardcore Don’t take them too seriously though; laughter and fun is one of the most crucial elements on this EP. From ‘F.O.A.T.I.G. (First Of All This Is Gay)’ until ‘Guilty As Charged’ they manage to put that little smile on your face.

Taylor Momsen’s rough vocals are thrilling throughout the album, whether she screams ‘Going to Hell’ or carries out heart-felt ballads like ‘Waiting For A Friend’. Touching matters like religion, sinful feelings and social behaviour, in combination with a fierce, classic sound and vocals, this New Yorker band is most definitely one of the best things that happened to the scene lately. Amongst various influences from blues and country, Going To Hell is a perfectly executed hardrock album that’ll make your adrenaline rise considerably.

Next to that, I really can’t make any false comments about their musical talents. It’s all in sync, nicely put together in one big mix. It’s all just one big hit machine! Let’s dance, dance, dance and just shout a silly “wohoo”!

After their success with Challenger the expectations were raised high for the fourth album from Memphis May Fire. They promised this would be a theatrical album from beginning to the end. Unfortunately this isn’t the case. Yes, they use a lot of orchestral music, but this isn’t their first time using it, so it doesn’t feel like this is anything different. The album sounds a lot like Challenger. While listening, it doesn’t feel like you listen to different surprising songs. They all sound the same.

By Marianna Rousaki

By Arne Vangheluwe

The lyrics are not as good as they used to be, they are farfetched. My personal favourite songs are ‘Beneath The Skin’ and ‘The Answer’ because they are like the old Memphis May Fire when they didn’t just make songs for their 14year old fan girl base. They used to have their own sound and it feels like they’ve lost it.

By Tara Bosman

RMP Magazine #12