sailor’s talk magazine ISSUE 3 | SEPTEMBER 2015
WHILE SHE SLEEPS - PIANOS BECOME THE TEETH - MAJOR LEAGUE SIRENS AND SAILORS - SECRET EYES + MORE
STAFF & INFO OWNER/FOUNDER/ART DIRECTOR: JAKE LAHAH
PHOTOGRAPHERS:
ALEXA FRANKOVITCH, BROOKE LONG, CAITLYN WILLARD, HANNAH BRANIGAN, PENELOPE MARTINEZ
WRITERS: ELNA DIEZ, KAMNA TALWAR
CONTACT US:
jake@sailorstalkzine.com
WEBSITE: sailorstalkzine.com
TWITTER:
@SailorsTalkZine
SPECIAL THANKS TO: ATOM SPLITTER PR // AMY SCIARRETTO HEARTIST SIRENS AND SAILORS HIGH ROAD PUBLICITY // JESEA LEE SECRET SERVICE PR // AUSTIN GRISWOLD MAJOR LEAGUE WHILE SHE SLEEPS EARSHOT MEDIA // MIKE CUBILLOS SECRET EYES SAM SHAPIRO EPITAPH RECORDS // MICHELE STEPHENS PIANOS BECOME THE TEETH BIG PICTURE MEDIA // DAYNA GHIRALDI // REBECCA KOVACH SPENCER SUTHERLAND
CONTENTS : SAILOR’S TALK | 4
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ALBUM REVIEWS // 6
FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER // 8
SECRET EYES // 14
SPENCER SUTHERLAND // 16
SIRENS AND SAILORS // 18
PIANOS BECOME THE TEETH // 20
MAJOR LEAGUE // 24
WHILE SHE SLEEPS // 28
HEARTIST // 32
TOURS TO LOOK FOR // 40
GALLERY // 42
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SAILOR’S TALK | 5
ALBUM REVIEWS We recommend...
Miss May I - Deathless Rise Records Released August 7th 2015
Ohio-based metalcore band Miss May I released their fifth studio album, Deathless, on August 7 courtesy of Rise Records. The band collaborated with producer Joey Sturgis at The Foundation Recording Studio in Connersville, IN for this release. Sturgis worked with Miss May I on their first two albums and Deathless stands as a testament to the band’s progression while remaining true to their traditional sound. As their fifth release, it’s no doubt that Miss May I have grown and matured as musicians. In general, the band has progressed to becoming an overall metal band and picks up sounds of thrash and other features of older heavy metal, breaking away from their metalcore sub-genre. The vocals, for example, include harder rock sounding clean signing and choral gang vocals as well as a wide range of high, mid, and low screaming that is to be expected from Levi Benton. Expanding into this theme of more traditional metal is an arena-rock sound that can be heard in tracks like “Bastards Left Behind” and “The Artificial.” These songs feature choral vocals and catchy riffs that captivate listeners and breed high energy. “Empty Promises” is another track that follows this theme and serves as a ballad on this release, although it also features a fast pace from relentless snare snaps and a raging guitar solo that showcases great musicianship The first track on the release, “I.H.E.,” which probably stands for I hate every thing or I hate every one, sets the stage for the remainder of the album by teasing several different styles of metal. The slow, droopy and somber introduction quickly shifts to a fast, bass-driven song that sounds very thrash-influenced. The song also features an awesome guitar solo that harmonizes beautifully into the remainder of the song and ends with a strong breakdown. “Trust My Heart (Never Hope To Die)” has the well-recognized features of the Miss May I sound and is reminiscent of their older work. The high-pitched guitar tremolo rounds out the heavy sound that Miss May I achieves so well. “Psychotic Romantic” is one of the top tracks on the release. Right from the start, the song kicks off with aggression. The track is fast, but keeps a flowing pace with double-bass triggers on drums and harmonizing guitar melodies. This track is a great example of Miss May I’s maturing sound while keeping up with their older work. The title-track starts off with an extremely heavy introduction that teases the heaviness of the rest of the song. Drums and bass dominate this song while the opening guitar riff keeps up the energy throughout. Miss May I’s wide vocal range is displayed from low and high harsh screaming to low-pitched clean signing, and then the track closes with an arena-rock sounding chorus of “ohh, ohhs.” “Arise” is arguably the best track on this release. The guitar work is well-done in the introduction and the mixing and production quality makes everything sound crisp. The breakdown, which is heavy and daunting, is the heaviest one on the release. “Turn Back The Time” is a pretty generic track that follows a traditional heavy metal sound and features a heavy bass groove. The track features a unique middle transition that is much slower than the rest of the song and the vocal-to-guitar harmonization carries a mature, well-rounded sound. Deathless closes with “Born From Nothing,” a relatively short song that is worth every second. It starts out heavily and pairs piercing guitar parts with a crushing beat from the drums and bass. Miss May I blends many elements together in this track to create a masterpiece that ends the album on a strong and uplifting note. Overall, Miss May I have really put out a well-polished metal album that retains their unique energy and sound while fusing in more traditional and arena-rock atmospheres. Deathless is a mature release that solidifies Miss May I’s position as a leader in the metal scene. Stay metal. review by Kamna Talwar SAILOR’S TALK | 6
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Neck Deep - Life’s Not Out To Get You Hopeless Records Released August 14th 2015 Windows rolled down, stereo cranked up; hair blowing wild and sunshine soaked skin. Summertime means popsicles and pop punk, so as Labor Day rolls in and whisks the season away, grab a Bomb Pop and crank up Neck Deep’s newest anthem-ready album, Life’s Not Out to Get You. Hailing from Wrexham, Wales, this five-piece group is following suit of bands like New Found Glory and The Wonder Years to create a delightfully addictive album you can’t help but sing along to. Between their breakout album Wishful Thinking and their production team stacked with the likes of Tom Denney, Andrew Wade, and Jeremy McKinnon, Life’s Not Out to Get You is sure to put these guys on the map for years to come. Opening with the spirited “Citizens of the Earth” and moving into the comically titled “Threat Level Midnight,” Neck Deep knows how to pack a punch at the start of the album, and carry it through to the end. “Gold Steps” and “Smooth Seas Don’t Make Good Sailors” are quintessential pop punk tunes and “Can’t Kick Up the Roots” will have you singing along for weeks to come. “December” delivers a soft, heartfelt ballad, and “Kali Ma” comes in with a classic sound not only reminiscent of A Day to Remember’s early hits, but actually featuring frontman (and producer) Jeremy McKinnon. The heart of this album carries the sound of a time-honored pop punk album, but with a surprising amount of variation that lets the tracks flow instead of mesh into one continuous guitar riff. “The Beach is for Lovers (Not Lonely Losers)” is a plucky sing-along, while “Serpents” offers a deeper, smoother sound. “Lime St.” is an upbeat jam with an irresistible hook, “I Hope this Comes Back to Haunt You” proves that Neck Deep can pen a fantastically laid-back tune, and the album’s closer “Rock Bottom” is an electrifying sprint to the finish line that will make you play the album all over again. Neck Deep broke out of the scene in 2014 with a very typical, but catchy, album, but these guys are proving what a difference a year can make with the 2015 release of Life’s Not Out to Get You. With the foundation of a solid pop punk melody, this album offers a refreshing spin that will leave you craving more. Whether you’re new to the genre or a longstanding fan, Neck Deep is certainly a newcomer to keep your eye on. Life’s Not Out to Get You was released August 14th via Hopeless Records. For more of Neck Deep, you can find them on tour this fall with Sleeping with Sirens and All Time Low. review by Alexa Frankovitch
DIVIDES - Broken Tooth Independent Release Released August 11th 2015
DIVIDES, a five piece rock band from Anchorage, Alaska just released their newest album Broken Tooth released independently on August 11th. The album contains similarities to PVRIS bringing on nice vocals with a little more hardcore and punkish edge. The album opens up with their album” Holes In The Floor” having a heavy edge to it. The song contains a bunch of breakdowns contrasted well with clean vocals from their lead singer. “Supersymmetry” contains a lot of dynamic elements such as heavy breakdowns that clash well with the soft vocals. The song has a wide range of heavy driving guitar riffs that give the song some tempo. “Echoes Fade” is a bit softer while still containing the heavy elements. They are lighter making the song sound a bit airier compared to the rest. It is full of emotion and is backed up by some male vocals that make the track well composed and layered. My favorite song “Vines & Thorns” is the slow song on the album. This song contains a raw sound in both vocals and lyrics creating an emotional atmosphere that gives the band a unique sound compared to other female fronted bands like PVRIS, Paramore, and Eyes Set To Kill. Overall, Broken Tooth is well produced keeping the raw sound and more composed element making the whole experience dynamic and layered. review by Jake Lahah TWITTER: @sailorstalkzine
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SAM
photo by Danny Suede
IA D E M O PHER R A R G O T SHAPI HO F E AT U R E
D P
Photographer and videography Sam Shapiro, just wrapped up being on the Vans Warped Tour. After successfully providing coverage for the Full Circle Tour featuing Of Mice & Men, Crown The Empire, and Volumes, his photography gained a lot of publicity making him one of our favorite photographers. We decided to ask him a couple questions and pick out his brains to get some information about his work and practice.
Introduce yourself to us. Who is Sam Shapiro? Hey! My name is Samuel Shapiro and I am a touring media director as well as Artist Developer within today’s rock music industry! Essentially my job is to provide different types of media work to artists who on the road by handling their music videos, live photos, and other forms of content to push toward their social sites for them, so that artists can focus 100% on what they’re best at, their music! Where did you get your start with videography and photography? I bought my first camera on my 16th birthday. I started shooting in the local Arizona music scene for a couple years before jumping on the road and starting my touring career soon after. Videography didn’t come until the past couple years. Not for any particular reason, except the fact that I wanted to focus on one thing at a time! What was your first tour that you covered? What TWITTER: @sailorstalkzine
was it and how did it go? I honestly don’t know if I remember my first tour haha. When I was younger I would jump on for a week or two here and there just to gain some experience here and there, but I know one of my very first full tours was with a band called The Browning. It was one of their headliners and went really well minus getting stuck in New Mexico for a few days after the van broke down. What did you learn from that tour? Did you develop as an artist? Did you learn anything new about the industry? I honestly learned a lot from it. I learned that not all touring is as easy as it is made out to be online. I think we as fans struggle to realize how difficult it is for musicians who are on the road sometimes because we think that all they do is drive and play shows, not realizing there is so much more struggle that goes on behind all of that. So make sure you SAILOR’S TALK | 9
tell your favorite bands that come through how much you appreciate them! haha As a photographer on the road I quickly learned how to adjust to different types of low light situations and prep for difficult shooting enviroments at a faster pace. I recommend shooting smaller tours or shows to anyone trying to do this for a living because those tours really help teach you a lot about your camera that you can plug into larger shows and tours as you grow down the road. How would you describe your style to someone who has never seen it before? What do you try to achieve with your photos? Your photos contain a lot of high contrast. Was this intentional? I have a very “aggressive” style to my work. There is a lot of energy that is put out through heavy music and rock & roll in general, and feeling this energy as a fan myself, I try to capture as much of it as possible through my photo and video work. I have always had a thing for very colorful, vibrant images. Images that just pop out and grab you somehow. That is why you’ll see more contrast and intense coloring at times, so when you’re scrolling through your feeds online, the images and other visuals really pop out and grab you! What are some of your influences as an artist? Are there other photographers or videographers you are influenced by? If so, who? Rick Craft is by far one of my favorite photographers. The way he captures color is unlike anyone else I’ve seen. You can almost feel the emotion through what he puts out just from the way he works his magic. Constantly inspiring me. As for video, the filmwork done by Guy Richie has been really inspiring to me for quite some time. If you’re not familiar with his work, he does a lot of darker suspenseful types of visual work like in his Sherlock Holmes movies, and even does some intense editing work in the video game realm too, for example, he puts together the game trailers for Call Of Duty. His work really is “Epic” in many ways, from the way he stacks his videos to just his overall visions that he creates for all his work is very inspiring to me. You were on the Full Circle Tour in 2015. Describe that experience of working with Of Mice & Men and Crown The Empire. How were they? That tour was by far one of my favorites. The Crown The Empire guys are some of my best friends and I always have nothing but the best times working with them. As for Of Mice & Men, I have been listening to them since Day 1 and have always been a huge fan of their work, so it was a great pleasure getting to know those guys personally and working with them after SAILOR’S TALK | 10
all these years. Don’t forget about the Volumes guys too! Those guys opened the show for us every night and killed it every time. I would definitely love to tour with all of those guys again soon. This summer you were on the Vans Warped Tour doing videography for New Years Day. How was working with them? It was great getting to know the NYD team and establishing friendships over the summer with them. This was my first time working with them, and we all quickly connected and were able to put out some really cool work as the tour continued. That band is going places and I’m looking forward to watching them take off and continue work with them in the future. Did you do any other interesting work on this summers Warped Tour? If so, give us some detail on what you did. I had my hands in a few different places this summer. As I was living and touring with New Years Day on a daily basis I still had work with a couple vendors (Trojan, Cold Cock Whiskey, etc) as well as doing video work with Fronz and the Attila crew. We were capturing a lot of extra footage of the Attila crowds for a project that we’re currently working on low key. I can’t discuss details about it just yet but keep an eye out on Fronz’s social sites as we’ll be releasing some cool stuff once our next tour takes off in September! What is your goal over the next couple of years? Any plans for new tours or working with new artists? I want to dive head first into artist development. I will be touring full time for another year or so but in the long run I don’t plan on being on the road as much as I have the past couple years because I want to really start focusing on the development side of things. You’ll see me on tour with a few artists as the year finishes off and probably roll over into next year, but in the next couple years I will be settled in LA, focusing strictly on working hands on with up and coming artists who need to get their names out into the industry, and helping put them on a fast track to where they need to go visually as an artist! I can only do that so much while on the road full time. Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years? I will have my hands in a couple different music genres. Rock music is where my heart is, but not many people realize I also love different styles of music too like EMD, Hip-Hop, Pop, etc. Different styles of music make me feel different ways, and I want to see what I’m capable of putting out visually due to my mixed feelings through different styles of music. As much as I love being on the road and touring full time I want TWITTER: @sailorstalkzine
to start making that transition that I talked about above with Artist Development, and really start to focus my energy in that direction. Anything else you’d like to say about yourself? I’d just love to reach out to any aspiring photographers that are trying to break into this industry and want to provide similar types of media work, but don’t really know where to start, I’d love to talk to you! Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions you may have and I’d be happy to help any way I can. When I started this journey I didn’t feel that many photographers were willing to take the time to help explain how things worked, and I don’t ever want that to be the case. So please don’t hesitate to talk to me. all photos by Sam Shapiro interview by Jake Lahah TWITTER: @sailorstalkzine
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INTRODUCING SECRET EYES Progressive-rock with an experiemental edge is the perfect way to describe Secret Eyes. They recently released their newest LP Comotose via Tragic Hero Records. The LP contains multiple collaborations with notible musicians such as Jonny Craig, Craig Mabbit, and Michael Jagman. Being compared to various acts like A Skylit Drive and Circa Survive, Secret Eyes has broke the boundaries redefining experimental hardcore with new creative and ambient sounds intermixed in their checks.
So you guys are a fairly new band. Introduce your band and give us a little bit about you? Brian: Originating from Northeast of Pittsburgh, PA, we are Secret Eyes (Seth Cooper – Vocals/Guitar, Patrick Gallagher – Drums, Brian Caine – Bass, Jarrod Currin - Guitar). For years now, we’ve been playing together with the same members, and this new album/sound is really what we’ve been aiming for in our development as a band. Our style of music is often categorized in the alternative, progressive rock genre – with some of the compared artists being Circa Survive & Coheed and Cambria. This new record has a lot of other elements added to it as well. We’re extremely excited to have it released, and see what open-minded music fans think of it. You guys just released your LP Comatose via Tragic Hero. How does it feel to have that first LP out? How do you think fans are reacting to it? SAILOR’S TALK | 14
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Brian: It feels great! To have a full-length album released under a label such as Tragic Hero is a major goal we’ve had on our minds for a long time now, in order to help get our music into the hands of more fans, and we couldn’t be happier with the reception Comatose is receiving. The fans are really embracing the new album, and have made us feel right at home within the music industry. So yes, the fans have been beyond great, and we couldn’t be more appreciative of them supporting us and spreading our message. Comatose contains some collaborations with some cool artists. What was it like working with those artists? Was there any specific reasoning for choose those artists and why? Brian: Working with these artists was a tremendous experience. We looked into who was available among the top singers within our genre, and wanted to see how their style could fit into, and enhance, our sound. Everything came together, and we couldn’t be happier with the contributions made by Craig, Johnny, and Jag. They were all super cool dudes to collaborate and hang out with. Your album contains a lot of ambient and different style of vocals? What was the reasoning for doing this? Seth: I’ve always been a fan of noises and sounds that lift you up or feel inspirational. We want the
vocals to take you into a new world a dream world to allow the listener to embrace what hey are hearing. I want them to feel it mind body and soul. Where does the root of your inspiration spur from? What are your songs talking about lyrically on this album? Seth: Our songs are about our relationships we have had. Love stories of course. Some tracks are about the time we have spent together and how the struggle is real within he music. Any high or low people go through and what we have gone through is in this album. What can we expect from Secret Eyes in the future? Any touring or new music videos? Brian: Yes, we do have a couple more videos we plan on releasing in the near future. Our 2nd music video/single release is for our song “Ships,” with Craig Mabbitt joining in on guest vocals. We had a lot of fun shooting this video, and can’t wait for people to see it. It really sends the viewer on a journey through the ocean/mind, while also spreading a positive message that suicide is never the answer. That will be released in the upcoming weeks. We’re also very excited to get some shows going very soon, and hope it leads to extended touring sometime in the near future. interview by Jake Lahah photo: provided
COMO T OSE OUT NOW VIA TRAGIC HERO RECORDS
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SPENCER SUTHERLAND
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You released your Unveiled EP in January. Since this was strictly acoustic, how different was this from recording previous songs (like “Heartstrings”) which were very upbeat and pop based? VERY different! I love that I am able to show different sides of my artistry through different versions of songs! I also love that the acoustic version is strictly bare bones vocals and guitar! I get to show the raw side of my voice. How do you go about choosing which songs you cover? How do you go about putting your own spin on a top 40 song? I usually choose one that I am really vibing with, one that I connect with super well. As long as I feel the song, I know it’s good. I take the approach of “how would I perform this song if it were mine?” and it comes out a little different each time! Do you have a favorite YouTube cover you’ve done? Why did it stick out so much? I loved doing a cover of “Hey Mama” by David Guetta and Nicki Minaj because I got to change everything about it; singing it from a male perspective, making it acoustic, and throwing my own vocal spin on it! Also we filmed a one-shot take too, which was so fun! Do you have a favorite tour you’ve done? What’s a specific memory you’d say stood out on that tour? I was fortunate to tour with my buddies in Emblem3 on their last tour, and it was SO FUN! They’re my
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best friends, so we hung out the whole time and had a blast! We did everything from working out to exploring the town, it was great! Use one word to describe your relationship with your fans. LOYAL. What has been your most memorable fan encounter (good or bad)? I’ve never had a bad encounter that I can recall, but one time, a girl drove 11 hours to come to my house in Ohio to say hi. It’s so crazy and I’m so lucky that someone cares that much! What upcoming plans can you tell us about? Tours, new music, etc.? As a lot of people know, I’ve been in the studio the last few months creating so much new music (and it’s almost time for that music!). Also, more shows will be coming too, check out the “Shows” tab on my website for more info! Anything final you’d like to say to your fans? By now I hope they know how much I love and appreciate them ;) But I would love to just say that without them, nothing is possible, so thank you! So much love. interview and photos by Hannah Branigan
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Artery Recordings signed artist Sirens and Sailor’s are making a new mark in the music industry. After this past summer playing the Vans Warped Tour on the Ernie Ball stage, and releasing their newest album Rising Moon: Setting Sun, the band has a lot of show for their accomplishments. The band played a couple of selected days on the Vans Warped Tour showing off their high energy and extremely heavy breakdowns which opened up an atmosphere for intrigued spectators to come and watch. Playing Vans Warped Tour offers bands a huge opportunity to network and build a larger and solid fan base with new and upcoming artists being on the tour each year. Sirens and Sailors used the tour as means to try and build a larger fan base and to reach out to SAILOR’S TALK | 18
current fans that have not had the opportunity to see them. With amazing crowds for an artist on the Ernie Ball stage, the lead vocalist Kyle Bihrle explains that “it’s an amazing opportunity that could put us in the right direction to get us on a bigger stage next year.” Sirens and Sailor’s also spent the summer on this years Vans Warped Tour promoting their new album Rising Moon: Setting Sun. Their second to most recent release titled Skeletons, put them as one of the under the gun artists for quite some time. With fast and energetic songs like “Go For The Throat” and “The Chosen One” the band introduced a new style of metal-core with heavy versus that has solemn sounding vocals. Rising Moon: Setting Sun recreates that signature style going into deeper and more in depth content. TWITTER: @sailorstalkzine
Kyle Bihrle explains when talking about what Sirens and Sailor’s stand for as far as lyrical content, “I often write stories that relate to various events of my life but I cover it up with different scenes. It applies to life and things that people can relate to. I’ll throw in some mythology type of things once in a while.” What can you expect from this album? Besides it being a new and improved Sirens and Sailors with a cleaner and more composed sound, the album touches a new level with it’s complexities in the dynamics of it. The album has a stronger in your face appearance even though the band has done that in the past. Songs like “Undefeated” and “Two Faced” from the new record bring a new level of intricacy with the bands use of electronic elements that fill in gaps of the songs in a TWITTER: @sailorstalkzine
fresh and unique way. Kyle says that “this is Sirens and Sailors’ favorite record we have done so far.” With these two major accomplishments the band has done, their next adventure is opening up for Escape the Fate on The “Hate Me Tour”. Also joined on the tour will be A Skylit Drive, Sworn In, and Myka, Relocate. The band will have the opportunity once again to move forward and prove themselves to a new crowd and expand their music out to new listeners. Be sure to check out Sirens and Sailors opening up for this tour and to get their newest record Rising Moon: Setting Sun out now on Artery Recordings. story and photo by Jake Lahah
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Signed to Epitaph Records, Pianos Become The Teeth are striking people with their musical appearance and lyrical content. As a band, they represent a deep and emotional performance touching on very interesting themes and topics. We got to speak with Michael York in the band to learn about the bands views on artistic credibility and what this band is trying to achieve.
You guys released Keep You via Epitaph Records a little under a year ago. Compared to previous releases, how does this one stand out both lyrically and stylistically? Stylistically I think that it was the natural step from the last album and singles we released. It may not have really seemed that way to the general public but I feel like it seems like the next logical progression. It’s a bit more subdued but I think the aggression in our past releases can still be heard in this release. You guys have also released 3 split EP’s. What was the purpose of releasing those? As well, what is the importance of artist collaboration to you guys? They seemed like the best idea at the time with the material that we had. It all seemed like the proper releases since those songs probably would not have made sense on a full length. How would you guys describe the way the lyrics in your songs transcend a message? I think all lyrics are personal and people can relate to them regardless if they mean one thing or another. With the most recent release, talk about a theme or two that are discussed in it and whether or not these themes are specific to a song or the overall album. The overall theme on the record that is explored on almost every song is basically wanting to tell somebody something but not being able to because they are no longer in your life anymore, whether that means they are no longer living or just not within your everyday interactions. Also, that’s just my interpretation after the discussions we have had while making the record. I am sure Kyle would be able to describe that better, but that’s the basic idea of a theme from the record. What makes an artist credible and what steps has Pianos Become The Teeth taken as a band to make yourself a credible group?
Touring and doing all you can to release the best music you are capable of. As long as you’re honest with the art you create, people will see that. Do you guys think musicians hold a certain level of responsibility to be a change or make a change in the world with their music? I think musicians are allowed to do whatever they want with their art. I don’t think as a musician I have a responsibility to change anything or anyone, but I have a responsibility to be honest in the art that I make. When writing, do you all ever find yourself with writers block or some external force making it difficult to write? If so, what did you do to overcome it? Oh definitely! I think every artist falls into a world where the creative process get stalled. I think it’s a natural part of that creative process. Overcoming it can happen in a few different ways, but mainly I think it’s just trying to not overthink something and do your best to try and move past it and hope a solution comes along. What sort of message would you like to give fans through your music? Give an example. I think it’s most important to just make the most honest music you can and don’t write anything for anyone but yourself and your bandmates. Regardless if people like it or don’t like it when you release it. People will tell its honest. What’s up next for Pianos Become The Teeth? (writing, touring, music videos, etc.) A little of everything! Touring, writing, etc. trying to stay busy. interview and photos by Jake Lahah
Pianos Become The Teeth will be joining The Menzingers and mewithoutYou on their fall co-headliner tour. Be sure to check them out on tour and listen to their most recent release Keep You that is available now via Epitaph Records.
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One of the most exciting fall tours to have been announced this season is the Stray From The Path and Comeback Kid tour with Major League. Also on the bill are Being As An Ocean and Deez Nuts. This well-stacked lineup features a healthy dose of many genres in the scene, from hardcore to punk. “It’s a heavier tour that we are all very excited about,” said Major League guitarist Matt Chila. Major League bridges the gap that ranges between the varying artists on the bill by capturing the danceable and catchy hooks and choruses of pop-punk as well as the raw, relentless aggression that is characteristic of hardcore. Although this lineup is a unique assortment of varying bands, it is not unusual for Major League to be featured on a tour that crosses genre lines. Major League recently played on this summer’s Warped Tour, sharing the stage with bands as diverse as animals in a jungle. “A bunch of people come here to find new music and don’t know who a bunch of these bands are,” said bassist Kyle Bell about Warped Tour. “So if you impress them they’ll start listening to you.” Major League has also shared the stage with Mayday Parade, Silverstein, The Ghost Inside, and various other bands in the past. “As a band we aren’t really afraid to tour with anyone,” said Chila. “We enjoy touring with other bands that sound completely different than us.” The band may receive mixed responses about the tour, but it doesn’t really faze them. In fact, playing on tours with diverse lineups is beneficial in spreading awareness of the band and reaching more fans. “I’m sure there are people out there that are going to say we don’t fit the bill for this tour,” said Chila “We don’t really worry about what people think when we take up on opportunities like this, because in the end we want to be able to branch out to all genres of music and their fans to give them a taste of what Major League is all about.” As for their own opinion, Major League is eager to go on tour with such influential hardcore bands. SAILOR’S TALK | 24
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SHARING THE STAGE WITH DIFFERENT STYLES...
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“I don’t think we ever thought we’d have the opportunity to tour with Comeback Kid or Stray From The Path. The fact that we can tour with both together is pretty crazy,” said Chila. “I think Comeback Kid might have been the first hardcore band I ever listened to back in high school, so it’s crazy to think 10 years later I’d be traveling across the US and Canada playing shows with them every night,” he added. Fans can look forward to a mix of new and old songs while new listeners can expect an awesome live experience. “We will probably throw some new songs into our set, but we are going to bring the same high energy feeling on stage as we do at every show,” said Chila. “We like to get the crowd into it even if you don’t know the songs.” Major League is currently writing and will be back in the studio early next year to record their new material. “We plan on recording in January or Februaryish,” said Chila. Until then, be sure to catch Major League with Deez Nuts, Being As An Ocean, Comeback Kid, and Stray From The Path this fall. story by Kamna Talwar interview and photos by Jake Lahah
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After a successful run on the Vans Warped Tour, and recently releasing their newest album Brainwashed, UK metal band While She Sleeps shows off their dynamic style of performance making a mark in the books for the metal music industry.
It all began in 2006. “We had already been in previous bands before. Since Mat, Sav, and I have always been jamming, While She Sleeps was just another name for this long friendship of musical fun. When While She Sleeps was born, it seemed to be the one that fit and worked,” Sean Long, the says. This life long friendship worked out extremely well in the formation of their band. Sheffield, UK band While She Sleeps has proved to be one of the most dynamic bands out there. While on their Facebook you can find their genre as “Decide for yourself”, this post-hardcore band has an aggressive attitude giving fans an in your face experience. This band just finished up Warped Tour this summer showing off what they’ve got making a huge impression on the metal music industry. When describing what While She Sleeps sounds like, it’s difficult to pinpoint an exact sound that describes them. Their stimulating aggression in their sound attracts new listeners bringing them closer to discovering the appreciation in their second studio album Brainwashed. Brainwashed brought While She Sleeps best out their introducing a new musical approach to the metal industry. Sean Long when talking about the musical direction they took explains, “Definitely a mixture of Rage Against the Machine’s political power and TWITTER: @sailorstalkzine
the likes of Thrice, Darkest Hour, Joze Gonzales and Killswitch Engage for more the musical side of my influence. As I started to write more and more in the least big headed way possible, I got a lot of my influence and drive off of the music that I had created myself.” Brainwashed embodies this description perfectly. Watching While She Sleeps live is a treat for viewers. Their set opens up with chaos and madness released. Vocalist Lawrence Taylor goes into an immediate head spin with his hair wind milling like crazy. This hostility comes out in the band with their live sets, but it’s inviting from the outside perspective. Crowds slowly became larger and larger at each date of the tour increasing their audience base tremendously. The heavy sound While She Sleeps introduces to concert goers, becomes an invitation to get crazy at their shows and to partake in the madness. While She Sleeps have made an insane impression in the craziness of their shows in the U.K. But still being smaller in the U.S., the band has been working insanely hard to create their image in other countries. When asked about how difficult it is, Sean Long says it’s one of his favorite things to do. SAILOR’S TALK | 29
“It’s my favorite thing to do! It’s like staring again and proving your self and making new fans. It’s really what keeps it fun. If everyone knew your band, it would be great but not as fun as this.” Some bands may seem this as a problem, but it While She Sleeps has had some of their other problems as a band. In 2013, the lead singer Lawrence Taylor had gone through some vocal surgery. Sean Long explains that “It wasn’t scary. I think just because we all knew we could get through it together because that’s where our intention was.” The bands sense of insight knew that everything was going to be okay after the surgery and have taken measures to further keep themselves healthy. Sean Long says, “Personally health wise I’ve pretty much stopped smoking and drinking and really just trying to be a little more productive towards what we’ve created rather than just the live fast party vibe.” For such a dynamic band, While She Sleeps have proved themselves in the scene giving them a fresh new edge to the metal community along with dealing with hardships that can be difficult to overcome. The band has more in store for after doing a full run on the Vans Warped Tour. Sean Long says, in remarks for what’s next for While She Sleeps, that fans should expect, “A breath of fresh air and a whole new sleeps that you will never forget!” Be sure to check out their newest album Brainwashed that was recently released via Search and Destroy Records. photos and interview by Penelope Martinez story by Jake Lahah
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Heartist: the combination of the two words heart and artist. What seems to be just a simple mathematical approach to language, is actually the name of an American rock band. Heartist is a rock group located in southern California and from their start in 2011, the band has released an EP, a full length album, and have been included on some incredible tours. The band formed in 2011 in Orange County after many of the members’ previous bands had fallen apart. Lead singer Bryce Beckley had never met any of them before. After showing up to one practice, everything fell together for the band. “I hadn’t known any of the guys before showing up to a tryout the first day. Everything sort of fell into place from there,” Bryce remarks in regards to the bands formation. Heartist released their first EP in 2012 called Nothing You Didn’t Deserve. The album is very experimental from Bryce’s perspective. “We were kind of trying to figure out what we were going to be as a band. We wanted to show off what we could do as an artist.” Nothing You Didn’t Deserve has some of their hit songs such as their title track and “The Answer”. After their first EP, the band spent some time touring opening up for a diversity of artists such as Blessthefall, Our Last Night, and Crown The Empire. Their guitarist Tim Koch says that they try to create a new and unique live show every single time while improving their overall perfromance. TWITTER: @sailorstalkzine
“We try to change up the set list pretty often as well, it keeps the shows feeling fresh, especially if we hit the same city multiple times in a year,” Tim says. Along with touring, Heartist explained what their breakthrough moment was as a band. Bryce said that the Killswitch Engage tour they did in Europe was one of the revolutionary moments in their career. “It was way above what we thought we should have been doing. It was something that we got thrown into that I don’t think any of us were really prepared for. It was like a sink or swim situation. We really had to buck up and get better as a band.” Bryce says that this tour was like “tiny fish thrown into a pond” as the band adjusted to opening up for such a larger act. Feeding Fiction, Heartist’s first full length album, was released in 2014 via Road Runner Records showing off the bands dynamic shift in sound. Bryce explains that Feeding Fiction was more attentive to unity than their previous release. He says, “Feeding Fiction is definitely more focused on the rock genre. We didn’t just want to throw things together like the EP was.” The album shows a more concentrated and motivated style from the band creating a cohesive release that flows well. Songs like “Skeletons” and “Unbreakable” show the bands rock driven style that they were aiming to achieve contributing to the unity and new style the band was going for. Bryce from the band comments when explaining the style and direction Feeding Fiction was going towards. “I think we relate to SAILOR’S TALK | 35
Nothing More in a lot of ways. We’re both attempting to bring an updated heavy feel to what felt like a really dry rock scene for years.” Tim explains that Heartist took a different approach to the style of their music when they wrote Feeding Fiction. “We focused more on the lyrics and melodies. We wrote the music around the bare bones of the songs structure, as opposed to focusing on the music element first and writing the vocals around it, like we did on Nothing You Didn’t Deserve,” Tim explains about the album. Lyrically the album is different as well. Tim describes that they write music on the concept of love and involving relationships. “Some songs were written from personal experiences, and some were purely fictional scenarios that we came up with.” But Heartist have opened their horizons creating new and unique stories. “We like our songs to be personal enough for people to identify with, but also in the same way, ambiguous. We like the idea of the listener being able to insert their own characters to the story. We write songs as an outlet to vent some of our deepest frustrations in life.” With creating their newest album, the band has started to begin the writing process with the album currently up in the air and open to ideas. Bryce articulates that he doesn’t really know what kind of vision they have for the next album. “It’s one of those things that comes together when we know we have the right songs. We are just writing a bunch of stuff so we have a lot to choose from.” The band will be taking all the experiences they have had from the previous releases and implementing it into their new album as well. Tim from the band expects the new album will dial in on a heavier sound. “I think this time around we’ll dive a SAILOR’S TALK | 36
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little deeper into the guitar side and bring back some more riffs. I’d like to mess around with some more uptempo stuff as well. We want our music to be heavy, but for the heavy parts to have a purpose,” Tim says. “Bryce and myself have been on a major 90’s alternative rock kick for the past six months or so, trying to rediscover the mood and impact those songs had at the time. It’s going to be very interesting to see what comes out of the studio next year with these difference influences in the back of our heads.” All in all, the band is passionate about what they do and they just want to be a group of guys that create music in a credible and true manner, and for people to relate to their music and find meaning in it. In honor to the connection they have with their fans, Tim answers saying, “We pour it out in our music and put it out into the world, hoping that someone out there is going through the same thing at the same time and can connect with what they’re hearing. I love the concept that a single song can effect 1,000 different people in 1,000 different ways, and every single one of them will have a different reason for why that song saved their life.” For now, be sure to check out Heartist’s newest album Feeding Fiction out on Road Runner Records now. photos by Hannah Branigan interview and story by Jake Lahah
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TT OO UU RR SS TT OO LLOO OO kK OO uU tT FF oO rR
TOUR DATES FROM: 10/17 - 11/27
TOUR DATES FROM: 10/28 - 11/22
You should all be excited for this tour. Featuring You Blew It! and State Champs as an opener, the Wonder Years and Motion City Soundtrack co-headliner brings out a powerhouse pop punk showcase that will bring on a fantastic performance. The nature of this tour brings a great blend of all sorts of pop punk artists creating a diverse and unique lineup. With Motion City Soundtrack being the veteran band on the bill with The Wonder Years bringing a newer edge, this tour is one that can’t be missed.
Why should you attend this tour? Not only is it a great lineup, but there are great things to say about all these bands. Turnover will bring us a packed performance of their softer music with a punk edge. Basement and The Story So Far will battle it out with an edgy co-headliner bringing a packed performance. Both bands are known for stylistically different sounding pop punk. Each band brings out large crowds so you better get your tickets soon before the tour sells out.
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TOUR DATES FROM: 10/25 - 11/27 Australian experimental-rock band Hands Like Houses announced a killer world tour. The U.S. tour will contain direct support from I The Mighty and Lower Than Atlantis along with openers from Brigades and Too Close To Touch. Why is this tour our pick for a must see? All these bands have been under the gun radar bands. Hands Like Houses have become increasingly popular in the music scene. Them headlining along with a bunch of bands that rarely tour or come to the U.S. will make a show to go down in the books.
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TURNOVER BY JAKE LAHAH ROCK N’ ROLL HOTEL, WASHINGTON, D.C. TWITTER: @sailorstalkzine
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UPON A BURNING BODY BY HANNAH BRANIGAN PICO RIVERA SPORTS ARENA, PICO RIVERA, CA TWITTER: @sailorstalkzine
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HIT THE LIGHTS BY JAKE LAHAH BALTIMORE SOUNDSTAGE, BALTIMORE, MD SAILOR’S TALK | 46
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NORTHBOUND BY JAKE LAHAH BALTIMORE SOUNDSTAGE, BALTIMORE, MD TWITTER: @sailorstalkzine
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WHILE SHE SLEEPS BY PENELOPE MARTINEZ VANS WARPED TOUR CHICAGO, IL TWITTER: @sailorstalkzine
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THINK YOU’D MAKE A GOOD TEAM MEMBER? CURRENTLY ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS AND WRITERS. APPLY BY EMAILING JAKE@SAILORSTALKZINE.COM
A SKYLIT DRIVE BY HANNAH BRANIGAN PICO RIVERA SPORTS ARENA, PICO RIVERA, CA