Issue 6 | Exotype by Sailor's Talk Magazine

sailor’s talk magazine ISSUE 6 | JANUARY 2016

E m e r g i n g A r t i s t Fo r 2 0 1 6

THY ART IS MURDER - SO MUCH LIGHT - LIKE TORCHES - EVERYTHING EVER + MORE

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STAFF

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF // FOUNDER // PHOTOGRAPHER // ART DIRECTOR // JAKE LAHAH DESIGN ASSISTANT // TIFFANY CHACON PHOTOGRAPHY CONTRIBUTORS // ALEXA FRANKOVITCH, BROOKE LONG, CAITLYN WILLARD, KRIS KOELEWIJN, PENELOPE MARTINEZ, RYAN STACY, TIFFANY CHACON

INFO

WRITING CONTRIBUTORS // ALEXA FRANKOVITCH, KAMNA TALWAR WEBSITE: sailorstalkzine.com CONTACT: jake@sailorstalkzine.com GET CONNECTED FACEBOOK: /sailorstalkzine/ TWITTER: @sailorstalkzine INSTAGRAM: @sailorstalkzine TUMBLR: sailorstalkzine.tumblr.com

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TABLE OF CONTENTS ON THE COVER:

EXOTYPE | 40

INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT FEATURING

Syke is an organization located in Virginia that centralizes in the education of tobacco smoke and the industry as well as creating a smoke-free scene in the hardcore scene. We spoke to the brand manager, Katelyn Almeda, about the organization and how peoeple can get involved. So explain to us who you are and what is Syke? My name is Katelyn Almeda and Syke is my brain child. Syke is a movement for a tobacco-free music scene in Virginia. Unlike most anti-tobacco campaigns though, we rarely focus on health-related issues. Instead, we talk about the tobacco industry itself. Everyone knows cigarettes are bad for you – that’s no secret. But did you know that tobacco companies have tested cigarettes on animals to find ways to make them more addictive? Did you know 20-50 million trees are cut down every year just for tobacco production? While the tobacco industry makes about $35 BILLION each year, tobacco farmers in developing countries barely see any of that. Land that could be used to grow food is instead used to grow a highly addictive, deadly product. Tobacco companies spend millions and millions of dollars in efforts to directly influence

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political decisions in the US. Do we hear about any of this? Syke is here to bring these issues to the forefront, so people can make their own educated decisions when it comes to smoking. How difficult is it working for a non-profit in a scene that has such a strong focus on smoking in it? Do you find any difficulties in that or challenges? I’ve always been fascinated by this connection. One of the main reasons I originally fell in love with the alternative music scene was because people weren’t afraid to stand up for what they believed in. They weren’t scared to question authority and go against the stream. Yeah, the music was great, but I also learned about animal rights, human rights, environmental justice, and corporate greed. I thought it was

so cool that bands like Black Flag, Rise Against, Strike Anywhere, etc. were using their talent to educate people about these seriously important issues. While most people are very positive and understanding, it can be difficult to get through to some people. Cigarette smoke contains over 7,000 chemicals, making it more addictive today than ever before. This industry specializes in products that literally mess with your brain, so that you’ll become a loyal customer. OF COURSE you’re going to continue to want something that makes your brain light up like that. I totally get why this topic can stress people out. When people actually take the time to listen and talk through things though, they realize that we all have very similar goals, values, and morals. A lot of people simply don’t know about these issues, and to what extent the tobacco industry is involved. That is why Syke was born.

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What are some of the general challenges of running a non-profit in general? Just to clear things up, Syke is not a 501c3 nonprofit. While Syke does not sell anything and make profit off customers, the brand is funded through a lawsuit against the tobacco industry. In my opinion, this is fantastic because we get to use their money to raise awareness about how awful they are. I think one of the biggest challenges is just getting people to listen. Tobacco is a hot topic, and people have very strong opinions. Sometimes people judge the brand or assume we are a certain way, before they even talk to us. If you have an issue or a question, COMMUNICATE IT! Talk to people. Do your research. Ask questions. We are not telling people what they should or should not do. Syke is here to educate people so they can make informed decisions on their own. Tell us some of the cool things Syke has done. Is there any memorable experience working with a particular artist or band? We’ve been able to work with a whole bunch of amazing artists in the scene. It’s always cool to part-

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ner up with people you really admire and respect. One of my favorite interviews was with Jona Weinhofen of I Killed The Prom Queen/Bring Me The Horizon. Jona is a true activist in every sense of the way, and he had a lot of great things to say. Stick To Your Guns, Miss May I, BlessTheFall, and The Wonder Years have also been a pleasure to work with. Love him or hate him, one pretty emotional moment for me was when Fronz (Attila) told me a story about how he was wearing our “Die Old” shirt at the grocery store and an older lady asked him what Syke was. He explained and she started to tear up. She told him that her husband had passed of lung cancer a few years prior and she really loved how young people were taking a stand against tobacco. That story had a pretty big impact on Fronz, and on myself. So you guys are an organization that works closely with shows in the Virginia area, ever thought about expanding outward? Or is this something that is going to stay in Virginia? Syke is just in Virginia but there is a movement across the country where the alt-rock scene supports being tobacco-free. Blacklist is another similar

campaign, and their scene has spread through New Mexico, Utah, Nebraska, and is even heading into Canada. So what’s coming up next for Syke in 2016? Anything cool you can share with us? We have some really exciting plans in the works – working with bigger bands, putting on bigger shows. Unfortunately, I can’t give away too much info right now though, so you’ll just have to wait and see! Where can people go to learn more about Syke or how to get involved? Any advice for those prospective people that are interested? You can learn more about Syke at SykeVA.com or on any of our social media pages (Facebook.com/ SYKE, Twitter.com/SykeVA, Instagram.com/SykeVA). We’re always looking for new street team members to help promote and work events and spread the movement. If you’re interested in becoming a street team member, you can sign up for more info at SykeVA.com/join. Also, feel free to email me directly with any questions you have: Katelyn@SykeVA.com.

My only advice is to have an open mind and realize that everyone comes from a different background and has a different perspective. Don’t assume people think the same way you do or know the same things you do. Talk to people and LISTEN. Communication and compassion are key, especially when it comes to such a massive issue like tobacco. Anything else you’d like to add? Find something that you are passionate about, and get involved! Whether that’s anti-tobacco efforts, animal rights, education, environmental issues, whatever. There are so many awesome organizations and nonprofits out there. Dosomething.org is a great place to start. & I’ll leave you with one of my favorite quotes: “Here’s to the crazy ones. The rebels. The troublemakers. The ones who see things differently. While some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

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I T’ S ALWAYS EX T R EMELY R EWAR DI N G T O S E E M E TAL B AN DS E X C E E D B E Y O ND THE EX PEC TAT IONS O F T H E FAN . F O R T H Y ART I S M UR D E R, T HE B A ND HA S REA C HED MA NY G R E AT AC C O M P L I S H M E N T S O V E R THE PA ST Y E A R INCLU D ING T HE R ELEAS E O F T H E I R N E W E S T AL B UM H O LY WA R A N D THE BAND TA K ING ON O N E O F T H E B I G G E S T T O UR S T H E Y ’VE B E E N A PART O F SUPPORT IN G T HEIR AUS T R AL I AN F R I E N DS I N PAR K WAY D RIVE A R O UN D T H E G L O B E . Thy Art Is Murder closed out 2015 with a string of raging shows supporting Parkway Drive on the North American leg of the IRE Tour. Also on the bill were Miss May I and In Hearts Wake. Thy Art’s distinctively dark sound and menacing stage presence added a unique dynamic to the tour, which packed out venues of fans eager to see this combination of bands. “It’s been great,” said guitarist Sean Delander of the North American tour. “There’s been a lot of sold-out shows.” Thy Art is Murder delivers captivating sets that range from looming atmospheric grooves to quick intricate pieces and occasional guitar solos. Everything down to the lights are dramatically eerie and exciting. Crowd control is usually maintained by former vocalist, CJ McMahon, who left the band late December.

“He kind of dictates where the show goes in terms of crowd response and we kind of just focus on playing our instruments and banging our heads,” said Delander. Thy Art anticipates the upcoming European dates of the IRE tour with Nick Arthur (Molotov Solution) filling in for McMahon. When it comes to live performances, the main intention is simply to deliver a solid and flawless set, a testament to the overall integrity of the band. “For me, personally, I just have to get out there and try to deliver the songs to the people that want to see the band and play the songs the best you can so you can live up to what they might think the band is just by listening to the record,” said Delander. “Being able to deliver a tight live set is probably the number one priority.” sailor’s talk | 11

Compared to the more traditional metal-core sound of the other bands on the bill, Thy Art Is Murder blends technical death-core architecture, like fast tremolos and intricate drum fills, with more staccato and aggressive breakdowns common in the more traditional “core” scene. This range of extreme metal translates to a much heavier show than the rest of the lineup. “We’re all metal bands, you know, but [we’re] definitely more extreme,” said Delander. “If we’re playing to some people who have no idea who we are, we might have a chance to wow them, or they might hate it. But at least we got a chance to play to new fans and possibly win them over.” “I think it’s definitely a positive thing for us,” said bassist Kevin Butler. “There’s probably a lot of kids that wouldn’t normally come out to a heavier show; but, every night they’re all getting into it. The crowd’s been crazy so they must be enjoying it, I suppose.” Because of the dynamic lineup, the audiences that are drawn to the shows each night are also uniquely varied. This wide exposure was the perfect opportunity for Thy Art is Murder to play songs off of their most recent release, Holy War, with good feedback from crowds. “It’s about half-and-half old stuff and new stuff,” explained Butler. “There’s fans out there that know the new stuff, so it’s pretty awesome.” Holy War is undoubtedly their heaviest and most intense release yet and features darker elements from the death metal tradition than their previous releases.

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“It’s a little more melodic, I’d say. Definitely got a more atmospheric, grim, bleak [feel],” said Delander.

Big Bang Theory and then hang out, drink a can of Mountain Dew, and then go to bed.”

These dark elements of the album translate well with the menacing demeanor of the band, making their performances strong and memorable. The lyrical content in Holy War, surprisingly, actually has a positive message despite the ominous and aggressive tone of the rest of the release. The band is introducing an ideology to the crowd because of the meaning behind the album.

Delander says there is actually a “positive, uniting message” behind the release.

“[We try to] bring light to some of the injustice that’s going on in the world and the way that children are treated around the world, the way women are treated around the world, the way minorities are treated around the world,” said Butler. “Some people are just stuck in their day-to-day and stuff like that doesn’t really cross their mind. They just watch fucking The

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“Everyone is pretty much helpless as individuals, and as like peasants what can we change to governments and big corporations?” Delander explained. “It’s like we’re nothing to them. A lot of people are aware of this, but I guess the band is a way for us to have a voice and even make some people aware of these things.” Thy Art Is Murder was extremely excited to be supporting Parkway Drive on this tour because it was the first time the two Australian bands toured the US together.

“Parkway have been who we’ve all looked up to for years,” said Butler. “Obviously, they’re from Australia as well, so to finally get to play with them properly is pretty exciting.”

“We’ll be due for something new, not sure when or what’s going on,” said Delander. “Probably towards the end of next year we’ll be getting back in the studio.”

“We always said like, ‘It’d be fucking insane if Parkway and us were ever able to tour the US together,’ and it actually happened,” added Delander.

According to the band’s Facebook page, Michael Crafter (I Killed The Prom Queen) is the current vocalist from 2016-on. Stay tuned for the latest updates.

The IRE Tour will finish its final leg in Europe with Thy Art is Murder and Architects starting January 22nd. Following that, Thy Art will hopefully be back in the US.

In the meantime, be sure to grab a copy of Thy Art Is Murder’s latest release, Holy War, which is available everywhere.

“We’ll be touring, either supporting or headlining, in the springtime in the US,” said Delander.

photos by Jake Lahah interview and story by Kamna Talwar

Fans can also expect new material at the end of 2016 and into the following year.

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S E S A E L E R ICKS 2015

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REFLECTING ON 2015, THE YEAR WAS FILLED WITH TONS OF GREAT MUSIC AND RELEASES FROM SOME OF THE YEARS UP AND COMING ARTISTS. OUR STAFF REFLECT ON THEIR FAVORITE ALBUMS AND WHY

CAITLYN WILLARD // PHOTO

HIGHLY SUSPECT - MISTER ASYLUM Highly Suspect is the first up and coming band that I’ve been this excited about in a while. This album has such raw energy and is super catchy and makes for the perfect road trip tunes. Get ready to see more of this band in 2016!

TIFFANY CHACON - DESIGN ASSISTANT

CHVRCHES - EVERY OPEN EYE This was my go-to album for road trips. CHVRCHES always used the 80’s as an inspiration for their music, but there was something more elegant about this year’s album. Every Open Eye (Special Edition) was a top release of mine for 2015 because of their unique melodies, and also for the meaning behind the words of these songs. The song “Bury It” is my top song off the album. I went crazy when the chorus came up. Listen to the beat at that point! I promise you won’t stop head banging. Their use of synths and pop culture put you in a great mood; makes you wish Shiny Toy Guns would collaborate with them.

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ALEXA FRANKOVITCH // PHOTO

TWENTY ONE PILOTS BLURRYFACE To say this album was well done is an understatement: Blurryface, Twenty One Pilot’s second studio album, was released this year on May 19th and debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200 charts, selling almost 150,000 copies in the first week. With chart topping singles including “Tear in my Heart” and “Stressed Out,” this album truly put Twenty One Pilots on the map as an artist to watch. Twenty One Pilots has been a favorite of mine since their release of Vessel two years ago, so this album was highly anticipated for me. While the band is typically placed in the genre of alternative/indie pop, Blurryface really showed off their range of sound with songs like “Stressed Out” and “Lane Boy” more in the category of hip-hop, and “Goner” and “Hometown” with an indie rock feel. When this album was initially released, my best friends and I took a 10-hour road-trip to the beach: Blurryface was on repeat the trip there and the trip back, as well as most afternoons sunbathing in the sand. We all listen to different types of music, yet we all adored this album, and the fact that we’re not sick of it after 30+ hours of listening time in the first week alone speaks volumes to the quality of this album. With a completely original sound as well as stunningly poetic lyrics to match, Blurryface was by far my favorite album of 2015, as well as my most listened to. If you have not yet given it a listen, I highly recommend – with the variety of sound, there is bound to be something everyone loves, no matter how off the wall. Because as Twenty One Pilots frontman Tyler Joseph said, “it’s called ukulele screamo and it’s art.”

PENELOPE MARTINEZ // PHOTO

THE MAINE - AMERICAN CANDY 2015 was a great year for music, which makes it even harder for me to choose a top album. However, one album stands out amongst the multiple I have in mind: American Candy by The Maine. As much as I love Peripheral Vision (Turnover), All Around The World (State Champs), and Purpose (Justin Bieber), American Candy is special. It’s not everyday that I enjoy every single song on an album, and there are only a handful of records that I truly fall in love with on the first listen; American Candy is one of those. The tracks talk about everything; from heartbreak, to self acceptance, to helplessness. There is a song for every emotion you could possibly have, and that is rare. The Maine continue to put out amazing releases throughout the year, and each time my love and passion for them grows. They were the first band I saw live, and they are responsible for a handful of my friendships. In 2015 I was able to see them 4 times I believe, one of those was when they played this album in full. That day is one that I will never forget. I was lucky enough to see them play this perfect album, with some of my favorite people, in a city that I love. Seeing them play “(Un)Lost” and “24 Floors” was incredible, and it was even more special knowing that it was the first time they played them because who knows if they will ever play them again. American Candy is truly the soundtrack to my life for now.

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JAKE LAHAH // EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

JAMIE XX - IN COLOUR My vote goes towards Jamie xx’s In Colour. Seeing all the hype and release of In Colour over the year and the final drop was a huge advancement for him as an artist. I feel like In Colour is a different form of electronic music. It makes the listener really slow down and understand what it is like to actually perceive themselves listening. “Loud Places” from the album is definitely single of the year for me. The whole album is cohesive and simple; but also complex in the way that someone could analyze the way they listen to it in a philosophical way. All the songs are catchy and use creative and genius engineered sounds to create a versatile range of electronic elements. Definitely my favorite album of 2015.

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RYAN STACEY // PHOTO

STATE CHAMPS - AROUND THE WORLD AND BACK 2015 was an amazing year for music and its hard to just pick one, but because I have to choose one I have to say it goes to State Champs. I was never a fan of State Champs, I always thought they were that “tumblr pop punk band” and never really gave them a fair chance. Their new album, Around The World and Back, was perfect from start to end. It had upbeat music, mellow tracks and even the classic acoustic songs. I found that the lyrics were not your typical pop punk ones and they put in a lot of effort on what kind of message they wanted to give their fans. I can now say that I am a fan of State Champs and I look forward to seeing them in 2016.

KAMNA TALWAR // WRITER

FOUR YEAR STRONG - SELF TITLED Four Year Strong’s June 2015 self-titled release, courtesy of Pure Noise Records, is the powerful return of Four Year Strong. The release perfectly singled-out and maximized the trademark features from their earlier work, Rise or Die Trying (2007) and Enemy of the World (2010), recharging the band after their most recent full-length, In Some Way, Shape, or Form (2011). Four Year Strong blends heavy grooves with playful riffs to create a dynamic and engaging release. Epic, arena-rock choruses and bouncy verses keep the album flowing at a consistently high-energy pace. The lyrics are easy to remember and sing along to, and the album easily becomes an instant favorite after a few plays. “I’m A Big, Bright, Shining Star” is my personal favorite song. This release always puts me in a hyped, uplifting mood. I can’t help but dance and groove along to the songs, making it my undeniable selection for album of the year.

KRIS KOELEWIJN // PHOTO

THE MAINE - AMERICAN CANDY My favorite album of 2015 would be American Candy by The Maine. I started listening to The Maine since they first started. I personally think they get better with each album. Their sound also changes with every album and this album is a mixture of pop and rock. The reason to why I chose this album is mainly because I can relate to some of the songs on the album. For example, the song “Am I Pretty?” is one I can closely relate to. It’s an upbeat song but the lyrics are meaningful. The song is about social acceptance. Everyone looks different and is pretty in their own way but don’t see it. Another song that I can closely relate to is “My Hair”. In this song it talks about doing whatever to your hair and not listening to what others say about it. Even though these are two songs out of the 10, almost everyone can somehow relate to any of the songs on the album. ‬

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HONORABLE MENTION

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VOTED ALBUM OF 2015

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ALBUM R Wage War - Blueprints Fearless Records - November 27th, 2015

Various Artist - It’s All Accoustic Revival Recordings - January 29th, 2016

Wage War’s Blueprints released on November 27th via Fearless Records, shows off the bands ability to be a dynamic group that incorporates a heavy, in-your-face vibe with a more dramatic flair to your typical metal-core band.

Revival Recordings will be releasing their record compilation album titled, It’s All Accoustic on the 29th of January. The record will include acoustic songs from a variety of their artists such as Famous Last Words, Alesana, Megosh, and many others.

The album opens up with “Hollow,” which is slowed down and more dramatic giving a mysterious vibe. The beginning chugging drives the listener into the next song “Twenty One” as it speeds and incorporates some blast beats showing the bands full potential for their dynamic style. Wage War offers some vocals that are sweet and inviting to the rest of the album. This sharp contrast to the heavy instrumental and unclean vocals creates a vibrant sound that is not only appealing to the listener, but attractive to the everyday metal-core fan. Blueprints definitely taps into the average metal-core fan by bringing something new and fresh to the ears. Songs like “Alive” and “Deadlocked” give listeners a chance to experience the fast thrill Wage War brings out while songs like “Basic Hate” and “The River” offers killer melodic guitar fills. The melodic nature of these parts allow for the listener to get lost in the intricate ways the song is constructed. The musical language Wage War uses between the guitars and drums is constructed in a complex manner that breaks the normality of metal-core as a genre. By combining a wide range of vocals, Wage War creates a change of pace within each song offering this nice battle between the furious and the serene. Overall, Blueprints is driven mainly by the drum component of the album that dominates and pushes the listener through it while keeping a level of aggression that is fueled by the heavy breakdowns in the record. That teetering line between the heavy and serene is what Wage War’s album Blueprints is about. For a band that is putting out their first recorded, it’s evident that this is groundbreaking material that will create a lasting impression and image. For fans of: August Burns Red, Betraying the Martyrs, Glass Cloud review by Jake Lahah

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The album itself focuses on the slower and acoustic songs. While most listeners would recognize bands like Alesana and Famous Last Words, some of the songs by the smaller more underground bands on the label are just as successful. Cabaret Runaway’s song on the album, “Broken Maiden” along with The Legitimate Excuse’s song “Long Nights, Stupid …” are different and unique providing a modern revival the more emo metal-core similar to Alesana’s old releases. Alesana has two songs on the album: “Dancing Alone” and “Hiatus”. “Hiatus” has a more faster passed and aggressive feel while “Dancing Alone” is more somber. Both have the same Alesana aesthetic that they encompass. Famous Last Words’ song “I’ll Be Home Soon” shows off a more pop-punk song style and opens the album setting the mood for the rest of the CD giving off the dramatic vibe that most of the Revival Recordings bands hold. The album in total, encompasses a mix of the labels roster. Other artists featured on the album include: Uh Huh Baby Yeah, The Things They Carried, Tempting Paris, and The Funeral Portrait. review by Jake Lahah

REVIEWS Secrets - Everything That Got Us Here Rise/Velocity Records - December 11th, 2015 Secrets released their album Everything That Got Us Here on December 11th 2015 via Rise/Velocity Records. This is the bands first album since the depature of unclean vocalist Aaron Melzer and the introduction of the new unclean vocalist Wade Walters. Even though the album contains a new unclean vocalist, the release itself has a very similar sound to their previous releases. Songs like “Left Behind”, ““In Loving Memory””, and “I’ll Be Fine” are some of the heavier songs on the album that are genre crossers. These songs are what are considered “standard expanders” in the way that they introduce a new and unique sound to the metal-core sound bank. These songs focus primarily on a nice shift and balance between the more pop sounding choruses versus the unclean versus and fills. This creates a heavy sound the band is notable for producing in their music. Secrets song “Learn To Love” concentrates on the clean vocals and chorus creating a more uplifting sound that contrasts well with the more bittersweet lyrical content of the song. The song itself is one of the more personal songs on the album touching on the concepts of self love that any listener can relate to. “For What It’s Worth” has a similar tone to “Learn To Love” but has a more upsetting tone that also contrasts with the happy tone of the song. Lyrically the song has a more direct meaning in the way that it talks about letting someone go. Other notable songs on the album are “Rise Up” and “The Man That Never Was” that has a really strong emphasis on the unclean vocals and breakdowns that they contain. Overall, Secret’s Everything That Got Us here has a very dynamic range of styles and concepts into the album. No wonder the band chose that title for this album. For fans of: Alive Like Me, Issues, and Memphis May Fire. review by Jake Lahah

Grayscale - What We’re Missing Anchor Eighty-Four Records - February 12th, 2016 Up and coming pop-punk group Grayscale are releasing their newest album What We’re Missing on February 12th via Anchor Eighty-Four Records. Their upcoming release finds a way to make pop-punk super catchy and unique in the structure of their songs. The album opens up with the song “Tense” which is a nice build up involving vocals that sound a bit rawer and acoustic guitar to lead into a pop-punk sound. Follow this, the song “Palette” introduces a catchy vocals and guitars that are easy to follow throughout the song. The tone is more somber but still making the choruses catchy with the synth fill-ins. Songs like “Bloom” and “Change” are a bit slower giving a nice sound that is easy to vibe to. Pop-punk wise, it has a nice mood that isn’t necessarily aggressive, but shows a slight but of frustration with content. These songs have similar elements to 90s pop songs that intermix really well with the pop-punk aesthetic the band is trying to achieve. “Say Something” has a much higher tone in sound, while lyrically showing the content of a struggle. With the use of phrases like “can’t let go” and “will it be anything like…”, the band clearly articulates a relatable message throughout the album. It’s also interesting to note the juxtaposition with these two concepts. The album closes up with the song “August Is Love”. Grayscale creatively introduces a new style of pop-punk that has an edgier vocal and slower paced sound to it. Overall, the bands release What We’re Missing creatively and intelligently introduces lyrical contents that everyone can understand while creating a new edge of pop-punk with the slower paced tempo and grungier sounds. For fans of: Major League, Citizen, and Hostage Calm. review by Jake Lahah

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EMERGING A NEED TO HE sailor’s talk | 24

While 2015 was full of music and tons of great outcomes. Tons of bands and artists released som eof the most monumental albums of the year; however, there are many bands that prove themselves of being worthy enough for some hard recognition. While this list is not limited to just these bands, here are some of the most notible artists that you need to hear in 2016.

ARTISTS YOU EAR IN 2016 PHOTO BY ALEXA FRANKOVITCH sailorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s talk | 25

TOOTHGRINDER are a little more tradition in the sense of metal with their clean vocals, but they still bring in a progressive metal vibe that is killer. Much of their music is dark while containing serene yet distanced sounding choruses. Their album Nocturnal Masquerade will be available January 29th.

Bad Seed Rising - Roadrunner/Atlantic Records Why should you listen to them? Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve accomplished so much for a group of teenagers. This punk rock group hailing from near Baltimore, MD just recently finished up a tour opening for Ghost Town. Lead vocalist Francheska Pastor has an aggressive in your face attitude that is perfect for this group. Talk about impressive for a group of young ones.

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EMERGING ARTISTS FOR 2016

TOOTHGRINDER - Spinefarm Records

EMERGING ARTISTS FOR 2016

Infinity Girl - Topshelf Records Infinity Girl are what we consider a surf rock/punk rock type of group. Hailing from Brooklyn, NY, their newest album Harm is out now via Topshelf Records. Most of their jams are fast paced and have a light mood sounding mood to it giving it that beach vibe on the verge of punk rock. These guys are a must see listen to for 2016.

Outline In Color - Standby Records This Tulsa, Oklahoma electro-hardcore/metal-core band brings a unique blend of the electronic and fast paced breakdowns to create a completely new and dynamic style within their music. It has a fast paced and adventurous quality to their sound that brings a new and engaging style to typical metal-core listeners. They will be on tour with Slaves this March.

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LIKE TORCHES So explain a little about who you guys are as individuals. What were you guys like as children and what influenced you to create music? Ok so there’s me (Jonathan) who sings, my brother Daniel who plays guitar and sings, our childhood friend Zak who plays bass guitar and Jimmy who plays drums. I started listening to Green Day, Blink 182, The Offspring and other bands like that when I was eight or nine years old. So music for me has always been a great inspiration. And it was all because of my older brother Daniel, I basically listened to everything he listened to. Because I was always so interested in rock music, and also really bad at sports and other things normal kids did, I started my first band when I was thirteen years old. I wrote a lot of shitty punk rock songs back then. It just made sense, and since then I’ve just kept doing it. From what I’ve heard Zak wanted to start playing bass and had a natural talent for it right away. When Daniel found out, they started playing together in 2008. It all started off as a joke but pretty quickly a lot of kids started to show up at their shows. So explain who Like Torches are. What are you guys about? How would you describe yourself to someone? I would say that Like Torches is a punk rock band who try to write happy, poppy and melodic songs. But because we’re from Sweden they always turn out dark and heavy. We can’t really help it, it’s probably because of the cold and dark viking blood that’s running through our veins. So you guys will be releasing your new album Shelter in January. How exciting is that? Has been a crazy or extraneous process getting ready for this release? Our new record Shelter is coming out January 22nd, we are celebrating it with a close and intimate show in Stockholm and couldn’t be more excited. For me personally, I can reference this record to so many things in my life. It’s like letting everyone know what I’ve been through the past two years. It’s kind of scary, but also exciting. I hope we can share what we felt writing this, I want everyone to take part of it. What’s it like working with Rude Records? How important is it working with the right record label? It’s been great, so far they’ve done everything we expected. I feel like they really listen to what we want, and I’m very excited to be working with them. Finding a record label that suits you is very hard, there are so many bands to compete with, and there are also so many bad record labels. So finding one that seem to really care about

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your music is hard. I feel like we did! What can fans expect on this release? Is this something that will be totally different than your release Keep Your Head High? If so, how so? You can expect more variety on this record. It has everything from slow to fast, dark and heavy to more poppy songs. We end the record with a really cool acoustic song. Can’t wait for people to hear it. What’s the inspiration behind your album Shelter? Anything that is influencing the

creation of the album? We wrote most of the album in Norrland, far up north in Sweden, in a cabin in the woods. That really set the tone for the record. I think that the ending track “Shelter” can describe what I’ve been through the past two years. It was also recorded in a studio that reminded us a lot of a bomb shelter. So it made sense to call the record Shelter. Listening to some of the singles you guys released such as “Walking Home” and “Swing by Swing,” I noticed a different transition to a more pop-punk sounding experience from the punk. Was that intentional with these releases? Do you notice the same changes I do? Yeah we have noticed, but it was never intended. That was just the kind of music that we felt inspired to write at that moment. As long as we feel a strong connection to the music that we write, it doesn’t really matter if it’s pop punk or punk rock. If it’s good, it’s good! Do you guys have any touring plans for this upcoming year? If so, is there anything you can share? Yes. We want to tour a lot 2016 and we have some really cool plans. Unfortunately, nothing can be announced yet. But expect to see us on the road a lot! What can we expect after this release? Any new music or videos coming up? There are so many songs on this record that I want to make a music video for. So yes, there will be more videos… Anything else you’d like to say to fans? We are really happy with the positive feed back we’ve gotten on Shelter this far. Seeing you guys tweet/Instagram or Facebook about it really makes us happy. Thank you so much for that. I can’t really describe how it feels to see you guys when we tour around in different countries. It’s so cool. You guys make us want to play music forever! interview by Jake Lahah photo sailor’sprovided talk | 29

Currently releasing music on ODESZA’s newest record label Foreign Family Collective, Kasbo introduces a mystical and atmospheric feeling sound to typical EDM. Kasbo challenges and creates a new and inventive form of electronic music within the industry.

Sylar - Razor & Tie While these Queens, NY natives have been under the radar and haven’t toured since The Word Alive and Chelsea Grin co-headliner, we are expecting something big from these guys. Why should you listen to them? They have created a style of metal infusing elements of hip-hop and modern and contemporary metal instrumentals. Their most recent album To Whom It May Concern was absolutely phenomenal creating an in-your-face experience that converges fans of all types of metal in to listen to it.

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EMERGING ARTISTS FOR 2016

Kasbo - Foreign Family Collective

EMERGING ARTISTS FOR 2016

Take One Car - Broken World Media Take One Car are a progressive-rock and “talk” group from Upstate NY. The group opening for Pianos Become the Teeth and The World Is A Beautiful Place... this summer on their co-headliner tour. This group is similar sounding and has elements of bands like Defeater, La Dispute, and Title Fight in the way they have this grungy and raw vibe to their vocals with heavy instrumentals.

LVL Up - Standby Records LVL UP introduces a new style and blend grungy-rock while keeping a pop-punk edge to it. These guys peaked this summer opening for pop-punk group Basement.

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EVERYTHING EVER

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2015 brought some great albums from our favorite pop punk artists – Sleeping with Siren’s Madness, All Time Low’s Future Hearts, Four Year Strong’s self-title album – but if you’ve found that you’ve out-listened to those tracks, or you just want to hear something new, look no further than Everything Ever’s album Solid Ground. Channeling classic punk melodies reminiscent of Blink 182 and Sum 41, the twelve track album is truly something you can jam out to. The edgy mix of smooth guitar solos and perfectly angsty lyrics is exactly what you long for on summertime drives. Tracks like “This Destruction” and “Big Ideas” remind you of sweaty evenings on Warped Tour, while “Transit Girls” is an intense, spacey tune that you can zone out to while scrolling through NASA’s Instagram feed. In mid-January, Everything Ever began recording their newest album, and while their most recent re-

lease, Solid Ground, already had a ragged feel, the boys are planning to produce their new songs with a twist: while most artists record songs one instrument at a time, layering them over one another for a clean-cut sound, Everything Ever will be recording straight performances of their songs that will hopefully result in that perfectly noisy, grunge rock you have been searching for. Perched right on the edge of something classic yet brand new, Everything Ever is a band to keep your eye on in 2016. Besides the arrival of a new record, the trio is bringing something to the table we haven’t heard in quite some time. With Spotify playlists full of pop punk bands that all sound the same, make a resolution to spice up your sound this 2016 and keep an eye out for new Everything Ever coming later this year. story and photo by Alexa Frankovitch

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Too Close To Touch are an alternative rock group from Lexington, KY. Signed to Epitaph Records, these guys just opened for the previous Hands Like Houses fall headliner. These guys are a perfect listen for those that are fans of old school Emarosa or Broadway.

Clarence Clarity - Bella Union Records If you like pop, experimental, and avant-garde, this is for you. Clarence Clarity blends a mix of it all making him one of the artists we’d love to see you listen to. It’s creatively genius pushing the boundaries of electronic and solo, experimental pop.

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EMERGING ARTISTS FOR 2016

Too Close To Touch - Epitaph Records

EMERGING ARTISTS FOR 2016

It Lies Within - Luxor Records This metal-core quintet will definitely be one to keep under your radar. With a metal-core sound that incorporates electronics that increase the dramatics and mood of their tone, this an artist you won’t want to miss. Their newest album Paramount is release on January 8th making it one of the first albums of the year out there.

Baio - Glassnote Records Well, if you like Vampire Weekend at all, this may be the thing for you. Chris Baio’s side project named Baio, is an electronic/alternative DJ type of project that has a similar sound to artists like Classixx and Robert Delong. He just announced a tour so keep up on his Facebook page to see what’s up with that.

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So Much Lightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Damien Verrett has been working diligently and have recently released his newest release Idiot Soul via Anti-Records. As he prepares to create new music and the possiblity of touring in 2016, we sat and talking with him about his writing style and what So Much Light is all about.

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Since you are fairly new artist signed to Anti, tell us a little about yourself. Who is So Much Light? What do you do as an artist? I think of myself as a singer/songwriter, producer, engineer and musician. I grew up learning to record at the same time that I was beginning to play guitar and sing. For me, writing, recording and performing are all closely interwoven. Having a multidisciplinary background helps me be more expressive with my music. There are a lot of artists coming out with this kind of creative aesthetic. Artists like Grimes and FKA Twigs come to mind. I think it’s a good direction for things to be headed. Your music from a listener’s perspective focuses a lot on your voice and the ambient tone of it? Do you search for a specific balance between these two? Do you lean towards one versus the other?

anything you struggled with when writing this release? With this release all of the songs began as sound design projects. I wanted to create a palette of sounds to use before I began writing song structures. I think that’s a major part of creating a record that feels like it exists in its own world. It’s like how the Star Wars films rely on familiar elements in their set and costume design to draw the listener out of their own world and into the Star Wars universe. I want to be able to do that with an album. I think I could have pushed a little harder for that result on this release, but with an EP’s short run time it’s difficult to convey any big over arcing ideas like that. I guess it’ll have to wait for a full length release. Where did the name “Idiot Soul” come about for this release? How does that name translate to the rest of the tracks (if it does at all)?

I used to be a little shy about having what I considered to be an abnormal singing voice, but I’ve come to regard it as one of my strengths. Listening to artists like Bjork, Joanna Newsom and Bright Eyes showed me that having an unconventional vocal delivery can elevate a project’s sound when embraced. That being said, I write with a “vocals first” mindset almost every time. It’s the only explicitly human component in a song so there’s a lot riding on a track’s vocal performance.

Originally I came up with the term as a self-deprecating subgenre. It’s a joke really. There’s soul, neo soul and now, where I’m concerned, Idiot Soul. “Soul” implies wisdom. I don’t think So Much Light is quite at that point yet.

What are some of the artists that influence your work especially with your newest release Idiot Soul? Do they become apparent or evident that they influence you within your work?

I’m really fond of “Soap Box”. Somebody told me that it sounded like a song from Animal Crossing. That made me really happy. I couldn’t quite put my finger on what I liked about the production until I heard that. It feels like a throwback to video game soundtracks I grew up with. It’s definitely like an Animal Crossing meets R. Kelly vibe.

I’ve mentioned a lot of the artists who I consider major influences already. Bjork, Joanna Newsom and more recently FKA Twigs are some of my favorites. Each of those artists has a knack for creating a world all their own with their music. You listen to their music and it’s like you’re going through the looking glass. That’s something I’d love to be able to do someday. In my mind Idiot Soul is just the threshold into the world that is So Much Light. Give us a brief explanation of the writing process for this release. What goes on in an artist’s mind when they are writing music? Is there

Is there any one track that you feel like you have a deeper connection to versus the rest? What about that track makes you feel that way if you do?

So what’s up next for So Much Light? Can we expect any new releases or tours going into 2016? Getting a live band together is something I’m very excited about for 2016 and of course touring! interview by Jake Lahah photo provided

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#1 Emerging A

A r t i s t Fo r 2 0 1 6

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EXPERIMENTATION IS KEY TO PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES AND THE EVOLUTION OF NEW MUSIC IN GENRES SUCH AS METAL. WHILE MANY ARTISTS MAY TAKE A TRIAL AND ERROR TYPE OF METHOD, EXOTYPE HAS A STRATEGIC PLAN TO THEIR SUCCESS WITH THEIR INCORPORATION OF ELECTRONICS INTO THEIR SOUND. WE SPOKE WITH EXOTYPE’S GUITARIST ROB WALDEN ABOUT THEIR MUSICAL PRACTICE AND ABOUT HOW IT RELATES TO THEM BEING THE EMERGING ARTIST OF 2016.

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How’s 2016 treating you guys so far? This is the second date of the tour so how does it feel to be back on the road again?

better because we are now more honed and more into our craft and really know what we are doing now.

It’s been pretty awesome. We’ve been home the last two months and we’ve been cutting singles for our next album, doing some pre-production and demoing out songs. We just shot a music video for our song “Stand Up” two days ago in Birminghan, Alabama. This is the second day of tour and it’s been awesome so far.

I notice similar styles to bands like Crossfaith and I See Stars. Do you notice these similarities or do you consider Exotype to be completely distinct from those bands?

So it’s been about a year since your self titled release. How does it feel knowing now that it has been a year, and do you think Exotype has made any improvements since then? It’s been awesome. We’ve been touring a lot so there’s been as far as tightening up and practicing our sound along with figuring out what a real sound is. This next next album is shaping up to be one thousand times more impressive than the first. You guys seem like you are very passionate about being an experimental artist. What in regards to this was the writing process behind the first release? Was it more of a trial and error type of process or was there more strategic planning? It was strategic planning. We really wanted to have the certain sound of electronica and metal the way we always dreamed of. We always watched how other artists tried to do it, but it was never the way we wanted to do it. So we figured we would combine forces. We also have a DJ/keyboardist in our band who helped program a lot of the material. And we had other producers who would contribute as well. We felt that help a lot with getting the first album prepared. Going into 2016 you guys are writing I’m assuming?

We notice the similarities in the way that they have keyboards and a little bit of electronics. Most bands have keys in their music as far as the production of electronics. But I feel like they don’t mix EDM the way that we do. We use it almost as like it’s own instrument. Instead of having “dance club” sections of the songs, we have it as an instrument behind the entire music. I feel like it is different than most stuff you normally hear. What EDM artists do you think influence the way you create your music. We would say like Datsik and Downlink. Bassnector is a big one. Excision is the obvious big influence. Album cover, title, everything? Yeah, our artist does the same stuff for him. He does the same logo for Exicision as well as designing ours. Anytime we get a comparison we are like “Oh, that’s the same artist.” He does Datsik’s and Downlink’s logo. They happen to have that three dimensional look. So what’s the main goal of this tour? Are you guys trying to collectively accomplish something as a band? Uh, I say we are just trying to get our name out there to some cities we haven’t played before. Some are cities we have played before. We are just trying to give people a good show.

If so, how do you think this process will change? Do you think it will change at all?

What does it mean to be an emerging artist? Do you think this is a difficult time for an artist? And is it difficult to stay true to yourself under the social pressure?

It’s not going to change much because it is the same members and such. It’s just going to be

We feel like it is not too difficult. As long as we stay true to ourselves and almost put blinders

Yes

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on to all that and continue grinding and doing what we do, whatever happens when we do it happens. We don’t want to force anything or plan anything. We just kind of grow organically instead of trying to force attention out of people. When you talk about growing organically, do you think that is a crucial part of being a credible artist that is true to themselves? It is an extremely crucial part because you can do anything you can and have money and do things without the hard work in life. But once you fall from grace, you just fall. With us we have the backbone of we know what we are doing. We started out with nothing but writing and being a local. We’ve been working hard to get where we are. We are going through all the grinding you have to do as a young baby band. So that when the time comes that we finally achieve the success that we really want, we know that we earned it and what it feels like to work for it. Last question, what is Extyope’s goals for 2016 in general? Are you guys setting out to accomplish? Basically the new album and trying to get as many tours. Also to make new relationships as we can and to cover as much ground with touring as we can. We would like to go over to Europe and to places like Australia. interview and photos by Jake Lahah

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ALL THAT REMAINS PHOTO BY ALEXA FRANKOVITCH

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LIKE MONROE PHOTO BY JAKE LAHAH

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BAD SEED RISING PHOTO BY CAITLYN WILLARD