STRIFE MAG A Z I N E
ALTERNATIVE MUSIC NEWS
MAY 2016
About us!
This months highlights
We are Strife Magazine, an online magazine who’s focused on the alternative music scene. Everything from Punk to Deathcore, if there’s news, we’ll cover it! News is not all we have to offer! We’ll review newly released albums, photograph and review great gigs, have awesome interviews with your favorite bands & we’ll have a lot of giveaways with albums, tickets and much much more. We’ll keep you up-to-date on; Facebook Twitter Instagram Snapchat
This month, we would like to introduce you to the new members of our team, writer Melissa Wilke, and our new graphical designer, Rasmus. Read a bit about them below
My name is Melissa (31), I’m from Germany and work as an Account Manager in an advertising agency in the beautiful city of Duesseldorf. I’ve been blogging for 7 years on several websites and started working as a freelance writer for music magazines in 2013. I believe in the social value of music and its power to change the world for the better.
News feed: Page 3 - 5 Album Reviews: Page 6 - 10 - Andy Black - Enter Shikari - Pierce The Veil - Against The Current - ISSUES Concert Reviews: Page 11 - 14 - Melanie Martinez - Beartooth - Asking Alexandria - Bring Me The Horizon Interviews: Page 15 - 17 - Hundredth - Neck Deep - Northlane Track of the Day: Page 18 UPCOMING TOURS: North America: Page 19 Europe: Page 20 UK: Page 21
My name is Rasmus, I’m 18 and from Denmark. I
have always loved music, started out with my dads old Thin Lizzy vinyls, and since then it have grown to genres like metalcore, heavy rock and pop punk. At a daily basis, I study at a music college in Sweden, where I’m rocking out behind the drums.
Do you have any tips, complaints or do you want to get involved with Strife Magazine?
CONTACT:
Strifemagazine@gmail.com 2
News feed
Melanie Martinez reveals lyrics for upcoming album
Piece by piece, we’re learning more and more about the second album from Melanie Martinez. Do not mistake the album is coming out anytime soon, cause Martinez takes every chance she gets to ensure everyone of the fact that it is still a very long way down the road. Nevertheless, she did release a little part of a new song’s lyrical content again.
Panic! At The Disco release music video
Panic! At The Disco have released a music video for ‘Don’t Threaten Me With A Good Time’. They announced the coming of this video yesterday. The song is off of the band’s latest record ‘Death Of A Bachelor’. Stream the video below!
You can check it out on her Instagram post which we’ll be posting below.
Paramore fan stumbles on stage, band joins in!
Of Mice & Men share live video
Paramore let a fan on stage to sing ‘Misery Business’ together with the band. However in all the excitement, the girl fell from the platform on stage. Paramore, thoughtful human beings that they are, joined the girl on the floor.
Of Mice & Men are releasing a live DVD from their gig in Brixton last year. Today, the released another sample of this gig. Earlier, we received ‘The Depths’.
The footage? Priceless. Check it out below!
Today, we’re receiving another live video off of the DVD. This time for newer material! The song in question is ‘Feels Like Forever’, featured on the band’s latest album ‘Restoring Force’! Live at Brixton will be available May 27th! Check it out HERE.
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News feed
Sum 41 signs to Hopeless Records
As Sum 41’s new album is taking shape, the band revealed that they’ve signed a record deal for the comeback album. Sum 41 signed with Hopeless Records for this album. The last Sum 41 album was ‘Screaming Bloody Murder’, which came out in 2011.
Earlier today, Real Friends started streaming a new song on Spotify/iTunes etc. Later that day, the band released a music video to go with this song!
Check out the announcement video below!
Check out the music video for ‘Mess’ here!
Beartooth have unveiled a new song
Beartooth’s new album ‘Aggressive’ is coming out in a few weeks. Today, the band have released the fourth song from this album! The song is called ‘Hated’ and well.. it’s a freaking jam.. again! Stream the song via Youtube below!
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Real Friends release music video for ‘Mess’
The music video shows footage from the band’s recent US 5 dollar tour, in which they played shows in usual and very small venues.
Watch Blink-182 perform ‘Bored To Death’ live
Blink-182 made a surprise appearance at the KROQ Weenie Roast this year. They played a set, in which there were two surprises! First of all, the newly released song ‘Bored To Death’ was being played live for the first time. You can check that out right under this text.
News feed
Dream Drop have unveiled a new song!
Dream Drop teased the coming of a new song for quite a while now. May 22nd, the day is finally here! The band have released the first new song since the release of their debut EP back in January. The new song is called ‘Solitude’ and it comes with a lyric video! Stream the new Dream Drop jam below!
Frank Iero announced a tour with a new band(?)
Frank Iero announced an Australian tour on his Instagram yesterday. In which he releases the tour dates and venues for the tour. However, the tour is from a band called ‘Frank Iero and the Patience’. This doesn’t really sound familiar to us. Perhaps it’s just a name change? Or maybe, just maybe.. the ex-My Chemical Romance guitarist has a new band going? Anyway, check out his Instagram post here and see for yourself!
Billy Talent release new song, announce album
Billy Talent have released a new song! This is the first new material we hear from the band since their last album, which was released back in 2012. The new song is called ‘Afraid of Heights’ and is the title track on the band’s upcoming album ‘Afraid of Heights’. This album is set to release on July 29th via The End/Warner Bros.
I See Stars release a new song
I See Stars have released a new song today! The song will be featured on the band’s upcoming album ‘Treehouse’ which will release on June 17th. The song is called ‘Running With Scissors’ and it arrived accompanied by a 360 degrees visual video. Stream it below!
Stream the title track here!
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Album reviews
Andy Black - The Shadow Side Andy Black, The alter-ego of Andy Biersack of Black Veil Brides, is destined to take the alternative music world by storm
with his debut album ‘The Shadow Side’ finally released yesterday. The album has already been overhauled with love from fans who have had a taste of the album with the songs which have been released prior to the album ‘We Don’t Have To Dance’, ‘Stay Alive’, ‘Ribcage’ & ‘Beautiful Pain’. If there is one thing that is certain, is that it is a ‘fun’ album to show the maturity of an artist who is so much more than Black Veil Brides. The album is perfect in highlighting him as a solo artist and more importantly works effectively at showing the talent he holds as an individual. With each song carrying true emotion lyrically, with there being some fun in the lyrics aswell (listen to ‘We Don’t Have To Dance), this is definitely a personal album for Andy Black and that in itself is the reason it was so easy to connect to the album even in the first time of listening. The tone of the album is a total shift from the material we know Andy Biersack from (Black Veil Brides), but is bound to be enjoyed by both Black Veil Bride fans and new fans of solo Andy Black alike. When listening to the tracks, the heavy beats, with many songs containing a range of drumming styles, allow Andy Black’s voice to carry the melody the song, further highlighting the fact that in this form the music is solely his to take control of,with the album containing various songs that highlight Andy Black’s extensive vocal range, something that can sometimes be overshadowed within Black veil Brides. I found my favourite song on the album to be Ribcage, with the perfect mixture of lyric content and beat, held together with Andy Black’s voice. The song that could be held as the song that highlighted how far Andy Black has come as a solo artist was ‘Beautiful Pain’, with the soft sound of the piano allowing Andy Black’s voice to echo through as song that could be held on such a personal level. This is certainly the album to watch over the next few weeks as the hype for it is bound to take off. Along with an upcoming tour of Andy Black as an artist in his own right, he is certainly an artist to watch out for in 2016. Songs in which you can really capture a taste of Andy Black’s vibe: ‘We Don’t Have To Dance’, ‘Drown Me Out’, ‘Ribcage’.
Written by Emma Sherar
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Album reviews
Enter Shikari - The Mindsweep When Rou Reynolds from Enter Shikari screams “Focus on me!” in the intro of the UK band’s fourth studio al-
bum, you can’t help but feel spoken to. The Mindsweep is an album that needs to be focused on, otherwise the listener will miss the assault of odd sounds and deeply emotional lyrics with the unique zest Enter Shikari are known for. The first full track “The One True Colour” deals with the small-mindedness of religious upbringing and the epiphany when you suddenly see the full spectrum. Lyrically this is one of Enter Shikari’s strongest songs to date. It emotionally visualises the internal struggle of faith and losing one’s religion. A beautiful anthem for the ones who aren’t satisfied with “one true colour” but instead seek a wider perspective. The next songs of The Mindsweep are a full blown onslaught on the senses. “Anaesthetist”, “The Last Garrison” and “Never let go of the Microscope” are sonical gems, a perfect mix of dance and metalcore elements. Reynolds aggressive vocals and lyrics transform the songs into acoustical weapons. It’s no surprise those three were released as singles. “Myopia”, on the other hand, sneaks upon you to hit you when you least expect it. The imagery provoked by the lyrics, animals fighting for their sheer existence while their habitat - the arctic - melts right under their toes (or paws), is haunting. When the refrain breaks out into shouts of “They’re living in denial of science!” you can’t help but feel their desperation. It’s no surprise that the next track on the record, “Torn Apart”, has become a fan favourite by now. In a time of terrorism and the refugee crisis, lyrics like “Defined by your skin, forget we share kin, we’re torn apart” hit a nerve. The breakdown of the track merges Reynolds powerful voice into a musical landscape that is more than just the usual EDM part of a Shikari track. This song is rightfully one of the most celebrated tracks at an Enter Shikari show. The following track “The Bank of England” sounds bland after this sonic firework and I catch myself often skipping the verses to get right into the fast paced dance part. Oh well, no record is flawless. The spastic “There’s a Price on Your Head” is a great wake up call after the slumber party. In a System of a Down-esque shouting match, Reynolds questions the class system in the UK just to end the song with a beautiful string outro - a nice bridge to the love song “Dear Future Historians…”. The fragile ballad is so radio friendly, it almost seems out of place if it weren’t for the poetic lyrics which make this song a stand out track. The album closes at full circle with “The Mindsweep II”, an outro that picks up right where “The Appeal & The Mindsweep I” started the musical journey of Enter Shikari’s album #4. The Mindsweep is Enter Shikari’s most diverse but also most polished album so far. They show that they have internalised their own unique style and were able to take it to another level. It’s definitely the best album of the British band, but also makes it more than apparent that Enter Shikari won’t ever rest on their laurels. There’s more to come and it’s almost scary to imagine a record even better than this one.
Written by Melissa Wilke
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Album reviews
Pierce The Veil - Misadventures Friday the 13th marked a very lucky for Pierce The Veil fans across the globe as the band’s long awaited fourth studio album
was (finally) released. After much anticipation, online hype and years of waiting the album entitled ‘Misadventures’ was unleashed into the world. We now need to ask ourselves the most important question – was it worth the wait? Yes. Yes it was The San Diego locals have cemented their position as one of post hardcore’s best modern acts since their first release in 2007, but their 2012 effort, ‘Collide With The Sky’ earned them a place in every alternative rock listener’s collection as well as providing them with some commercial success. Four years later, this long awaited release was set from the beginning to be their defining work. Musically, this album definitely feels like a Pierce The Veil record, featuring their iconic heavy guitars and Fuentes’ layered vocals. The feel of this album is very ‘if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it’. This said, the quartet have definitely gone back to their musical roots and dug out some new and interesting influences that set this album apart. From grunge to the great guitarists of 70s and 80s rock, this album has it all, signed and sealed with PTV’s signature sound. You can also tell the band had a lot more to do with the mixing, as in the past they have had a few issues with levels, making this record polished and complete feeling. Lyrically, this album is much less sad and emo and overall more aggressive, while keeping the melancholy feel traditionally associated with Fuentes’ writing. The first full released track, 'The Divine Zero', is definitely a throwback to the previous album. Musically it’s very fast paced with alternation between clean and unclean vocals intermixed with layered almost haunting harmonies. No doubt this is set to be a fan favourite and will be one to lookout for in their live sets. The main thing that sets this work apart from the previous record is the sincere lack of ballads. Overall the work is very fast paced with few opportunities for breathers between songs (bar the bands signature drawn out endings which are featured on many of their tracks). This said, the second half of the album takes on a slightly slower pace which is accentuated by the two acoustic numbers at the end of the record. 'Circles' was probably one of my favourite tracks overall. Once getting past the similarities with 'Run Baby Run' by We The Kings, I found it struck the perfect balance between the old much harder and new faces of the band. The track has a distinctive pop punk flavour and is practically written to be featured on a road trip playlist. Floral & Fading definitely had a different feel than anything the band has done before. The distorted introductory vocals and slow, simple, distorted guitars give the song an air of confusion but somehow they manage to pull it off. The acoustic version of this song makes it take on a completely different life and the guitars a style reminiscent of Nirvana’s later live sessions. 'Gold Medal Ribbon' manages to capture everything we love about the 80s- well executed shredding and synthesised keyboards to the max. This track manages to be current yet reminiscent without losing the bands signature feel. As in many of the tracks across their back catalogue, the lyrics feel as if Fuentes is trying to communicate with some kind of ghost or spiritual entity. This part of his writing style has gone quite unchanged over the course of their career and it sets them apart from other groups in the same genre. Overall, this is a very well rounded and varied record that has a lot to offer to any listener. All four members manage to showcase their sheer talent throughout the 11 studio and 2 acoustic bonus tracks and as a band they explored a whole range of new avenues they hadn’t had the opportunity to before. Pierce The Veil are shaping up to be like a fine wine – they keep getting better and better with age and musically are managing to grow more and more with each new release. ‘Misadventures’ is available at all good music outlets and through all online music services and I would encourage anyone to pick up a copy as it was definitely worth the wait.
Written by Rylan Skelton
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Album reviews
Against The Current - In Our Bones Having already released about half of the album already, Against the Current gave their fans a taste of their new album In Our Bones. The five tracks released were pop inspired hits like 'Forget Me Now' and 'Running with the Wild Things'. 'Young & Relentless' was a bit more alternative but still has a great vibe to it that you can’t help but bob your head along to- which to be honest every Against the Current song has the ability to make you do. Runaway is quite a hit with Taylor Swift-esque sound to it but still manages to be purely alternative. The last of the five songs pre-released was Wasteland that is quite the love song paired with symphonic vocals. With this being Against the Currents first full length album to release since the band's formation in 2011, they have a lot to prove, but with the songs on this album there won’t be any doubt Against the Current is better than ever. In February this year Against the Current went on a arena tour through the UK as support for All Time Low and recent comeback band Good Charlotte, after which they toured mainland Europe as headliner together with ROAM. they will continue tour all summer long with Vans Warped Tour. This is prime time to introduce a new album for fans, and will give them a chance to generate new fans. In Our Bones showcases Chrissy Costanza’s beautiful voice even better than the EPs and singles before it. Her voice gives chills throughout all of the songs and is that amazingly catchy that everyone loves to hate. 'Chasing Ghosts' emphasizes her phenomenal vocal ability with low and high key switches at the perfect opportunities to create a beautifully painful song. Fitting in right alongside drummer Will Ferri provides a heartbeat that literally flows in our bones. His talents really shine in 'Wasteland' and 'Blood like Gasoline'. The mesmerizing drumming in 'Wasteland' adds to the song in such a way that it is easily my favorite song on the album and gives it a kick that will be the perfect song to see at Warped Tour this summer. Guitarist Dan Gow is boldly presented in 'One More Weekend'. Gow’s sound in the song magnetizes in a way that seems as if he is playing right in front of you and you’d be able to see each movement of the strings. Beginning the album with a killer song, 'Running with the Wild Things', sets the pace for the rest of the album. 'Running with the Wild Things' is fast paced, edgy, and highly vibey. This song includes an impressive vocal range from Costanza, head bobbing beats from Ferri, and catchy chords from Gow, right along with an increased reason to dance and hold your head high. Be ready to see this song live from now on as I’m sure it will be a constant on their upcoming set lists for quite some time. 'Chasing Ghosts' is one of the top songs from this album. The lyrics are well written and relatable for everyone; it’s chilling and haunting as its title would suggest. Costanza performs this song with such passion and heart that the effect is beautiful and painful. In Our Bones, of which the album is named after, will be a great summer jam song. This acoustic jam is perfect for the sunshine, tan lines, and good vibes time. Costanza’s voice is simply phenomenal throughout this song and paired with Gow’s picking In Our Bones is definitely the roots of the album. Of all the songs on In Our Bones, 'Wasteland', is definitely the most vibrant of all the tracks. 'Wasteland' is hypnotizing because of the almost siren like vocals and the chest rattling drumming. This song also promotes a feeling of free falling and being on top of the world simultaneously. The effect is chilling like much of the album is. Overall In Our Bones can be described as an out of body experience. The songs will transport listeners to another place that is both untroubled and chilling. Chrissy Costanza’s vocals throughout the album are impressive and entrancing creating that feeling of soul travel. She captivates in each song and continues to hold the listeners attention. Dan Gow is truly a shining star for the album and creates such a distinct sound for Against the Current. I believe this is their best work to date, but will not be their best work forever. Don’t miss them on tour this summer because these songs are sure to pop up on the set list and are worth seeing live as well.
Written by Ashley Long
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Album reviews
ISSUES - Headspace Issues have been quickly moving up in the scene since their start in 2012.
They started off with an EP called Black Diamonds, which was followed by their debut self-titled album in 2014 Later they also released a Diamond Dreams acoustic EP. On May 20, 2016 they released their newest album, Headspace. This album is one of the best albums that I’ve listened to this year. In this album Issues embodies their classic sound but they also add something new. This album features regular singing from Michael Bohn, who usually does the screaming lyrics, and also includes screams from AJ Rebollo, their guitarist. They also have 2 music videos already for songs off of this record, 'The Realest' & 'COMA'. However these aren’t going to be the only ones released for this album. One track that I believe is really memorable is the track 'Home Soon' not only are the lyrics catchy but at times they appear softer and slower. But they pick up to speed throughout the song and this contrast really makes the song stick out to me because the musicality of this song is just outstanding. Also in the track 'Yung & Dum' Issues collaborated with Jon Langston, a country artist. This is unique because country and the alternative genre aren’t usually combined. The combination works exceptionally good as this song includes a hint of country without straying far from their original sound. Another song that really sticks out is 'COMA' and its colorful music video. This song contains clean vocals by Michael Bohn which go absolutely amazing with the instrumentals. Also the drum beats during the song is catchy and has me tapping my foot to the beat. The bassline is a great backbone to the song as well, without it the song wouldn’t have as full of a sound as it does, and that really makes a difference. A track that I would like to focus on independently for a bit is Blue Wall. This song is very controversial as it comments on police brutality. I applaud Issues for writing this song and speaking out on this issue as it is very prevalent in today’s society. They have a dedication on the YouTube video that states “Dedicated to the victims of overzealous police violence. Black lives do matter" This is a very important message to convey and I appreciate that they took the time to include it. You can read Sky Acord’s statement about Blue Wall here. I suggest taking a read as it is very enlightening. Overall, I believe that this track is monumental and is something that needs to be heard. Headspace is Issues' second full length album, and it does not disappoint. Overall I give the album 9 out of 10. I’d give it this because it embodies different types of music and brings them together and it really shows what Issues is capable of as a band. Also because it includes the track Blue Wall, although some may view it as controversial I think it is needed and it brings up and displays real issues that are happening worldwide. If you haven't already, I highly recommend you check out 'Headspace'! ISSUES will also be on the Rebound Tour in Europe and the UK. This summer, the band will perform on the Vans Warped Tour!
Written by Ashley Weltner
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Concert reviews
Melanie Martinez, took the world by storm with her debut album ‘Cry Baby’. This tour would be the first time she’d tour overseas and of course we were there to cover it for you! The night before (May 1st) we were at the same venue for the Impericon Festival in Amsterdam. When we left the venue, there was already a handful of gals seated in front of the venue covered in blankets. They were already queueing for Melanie Martinez, 20 hours prior to the time at which the door was scheduled to open.
For Melanie Martinez her first European tour, she got direct support from Alvarez Kings. An indie band from the UK. Unfortunately, due to the gigantic queue and the venue opening only 30 minutes prior to the start of Alvarez Kings we were unable to witness this band. Our photographer got in on time. Luckily we were able to enter the venue on time to see Melanie Martinez take the stage. As the lights went down, an eardeafening screaming echoed through the room and phones were massively hold in the air to video Melanie’s entrance. After an extensive introduction, the weeping with which title track ‘Cry Baby’ starts started playing. A lot of dedication and time has gone into the decor on stage. It was filled with building blocks on which ‘Cry Baby’ was spelled and a crib. Fittingly, Melanie Martinez jumped out of the crib when it was time for her to sing the first notes of title track ‘Cry Baby’. With only one album, it was pretty obvious what Melanie was going to play. Luckily for her, her entire album played well with the fans and every song seemed like a favourite. She played her entire debut album ‘Cry Baby’ from front to back. Second song on the list was ‘Dollhouse’ which was aswell the first song Melanie Martinez released. elanie Martinez almost had no voice left, which was noticable when she was talking. At some point you could hear and see the M struggle in her face as she tried to sing some high notes. Overall, her performance was spot on and eventhough the throat difficulties, her vocals were exquisite. Her vocals match what they sound like on the album and for a new artist with just one “her show is outstanding.” album, her show is outstanding. Her band, which consisted out of two gentleman, one behind the drums and one behind a keyboard, were dressed up as cartoon characters with bunny ears. An effort that didn’t go unnoticed! While Melanie Martinez comes across adorable, her songs are not so much. Her songs, which title wise have a childish theme, lyrically are not. Matters such as infidelity, today’s attitude towards ‘beauty’ and sexual assault are all being discussed in her songs on debut album ‘Cry Baby’. As Melanie Martinez raced through her 13 songs set (and album), she left the stage. Having looked online, and seeing she plays an encore, almost everyone stood still and waited for her to come back out, however she did not. Perhaps it was the soar throat that stopped her from coming back to perform the encore, which consists of the tracks that are bonus on the deluxe edition of debut album ‘Cry Baby’. All in all, Melanie Martinez’s first show in The Netherlands was remarkable. The crowd knew every word to every song, and miss Martinez obviously had a lot of fun doing what she does. We’re hoping to see her back in Amsterdam real soon. Most likely in a bigger venue!
Written by Glenn van den Bosch
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Concert reviews
To say I was excited for seeing Beartooth is a bit of an understatement. Since seeing them on the 2015 Warped
Tour I’ve been hyped to see them again. Their shows are knockoutand badass and very much worth the going to. This time around Beartooth toured with twofellow bands from Ohio, Former and My Ticket Home, and a band from Long Island, New York, Stray From The Path. The lineup was nothing short of perfect and absolutely killed all expectations I had prior to the show. First up were the boys from Former. This is a relatively new band to the scene, and they have just released an EP titled The Dangers Of Growing up. Former put on an amazing show that showcased some major talent that will surely blow up. Each of the members were actively engaged with the crowd and put on one hell of a performance. The passion that flows through these guys is amazing and worth taking a listen to the EP. I did notice they played a cover of Nirvana’s Breed during the show which instantly took me from seeing them in a stage to seeing them at a personal jam session playing their hearts out over a frayed carpet covering the floor of one of their garages. The bassist This band gives a show that radiates individuality and passion. I will look forward to seeing them again in the future. Next up was a band that set up a heavier tune for the rest of the show. While Former played melodic jams, My Ticket Home picked up the tempo and had the crowd sweating. My Ticket Home looked right at home on the stage and captivated everyone’s attention. Their movement on stage amplified tenfold in the crowd leaving all of us wanting more. I could tell this band had seen a few people in this crowd before and definitely gained quite a few more. While most of their setlist was heavier songs with amazing breakdowns, the strength of their musicians and the lyrics sung were in tune with what anyone would want to see as hype for Beartooth. Adding My Ticket Home to the tour made for an eventful show. Up next were Stray From The Path, and they have quite easily become a new favorite of mine. They came in hot and continued to bring the heat throughout their entire set. The vocalist, Andrew Dijorio, has so much energy that it was almost impossible to ignore. Even the people not in the pit were bobbin right along with us. The crowd went absolutely insane and even had Dijorio climbing up the walls, well on a beam but the fact still stands that this was an all out riotous show. This band brought a high amount of energy and unity that displays their importance in the scene today. They reminded me of a love child of Limp Bizkit and Attlia that included unfeigned lyrics, heavy breakdowns, and an amazing drummer, Dan Bourke, that kept the crowd on its toes the entire time. There is a definite place for bands like Stray From The Path, and that is on stage doing what they do best: giving fans a good time by pounding out music that screams 70s protest and 80s metal. They are a prime example of using the voices you’re given to promote social change, justice, and support- see their song Talking Tragedy dedicated to prior tour buddies The Ghost Inside. Bassist Anthony Altamura gave one hell of a performance that had me absolutely mesmerized throughout. Stray From The Path is without a doubt someone any music fan should take a look at. With their combined talent and one of a kind stage personality their shows are bound to be all kinds of fun. The pit these guys incite is one of the most brutal pits I’ve endured, but not once did I ever want to miss being a part of it. These guys completely blew me away and can count on me to see them again in the future. If anyone wants to check this band I would recommend listening to A Badge & A Bullet part II or D.I.E. P.I.G. Long awaited, Beartooth, finally came on stage and doubled the excitement the crowd had. They even played a Blink-182 cover of Anthem Part 2, something vocalist Caleb Shomo claims has only occurred one other time in their entire 4 year career. Seeing Beartooth is always fun and brings lots of movement from the crowd, this show was no different and the crowd surfing didn’t seem to stop. Guitarist Kameron Bradbury even joined in by making his way through the crowd then fell backwards to crowd surf back to the stage. This made for one sick video, but not so great for the few fans he fell on, but everyone took it like a champ and kept on rocking out. This show afforded me my first experience with a bloody nose, and how not to deal with one (protip: just because they tilt their heads back in movies when they get a bloody nose doesn’t mean you should.) Getting down to the nitty gritty this show exposed exactly what Beartooth means to the fans of Atlanta. I can say the atmosphere of this show will stick with me for a few days. Seeing bands live gives fans a chance to see individual member reactions to the music, so I could tell the music Beartooth produce is genuine and I’m sure that the band could feel the mutual respect from the crowd. In short I’d like to take a minute to appreciate what an amazing lineup of this tour and for introducing me (and probably many others) to great bands. This past Tuesday was one for the books and I cannot wait to see Former, My Ticket Home, Stray From The Path, or Beartooth again!
Written by Ashley Long
12
Concert reviews
Every band has something that they stand for, and after meeting then seeing Asking Alexandria perform live at their New Jersey show at Starland Ballroom on May 10th, I can honestly tell you that one of the many things they stand for is love.
Once Asking Alexandria (Denis Stoff, Ben Bruce, Cameron Liddell, Sam Bettley, and James Cassells) finally hit the stage, the AA Family (their fans) went crazy. The band didn’t fail to disappoint with a stunning setlist featuring the songs, “I Won’t Give In,” “Run Free,” “The Death of Me,” “Here I Am,” “To the Stage,” “The Black, “Not the American Average,” “A Prophecy,” and “The Final Episode (Let’s Change the Channel.)” Heading onto the stage Denis Stoff (Ukrainian singer and lead vocalist of the band) started off the set saying, “What the fuck is up Sayreville?! Let me hear you sing it,” proceeded by a performance of “I Won’t Give In” off of their newest album The Black. It’s amazing how Denis’ vocals came out so effortlessly. While meeting the band, he was one of the sweetest and most down-to-earth people I’ve ever met. You would have never thought that such phenomenal unclean vocals could emerge from his voice. Yet… here he is. But a band is nothing without the instruments. Ben (lead guitar), Cameron (rhythm guitar), Sam (bass), and James (drums) were all absolutely incredible as well. At one point, Cameron even took the time to point to the woman trying to catch his attention the whole time in order “Anytime, thank you to show his appreciation, later give his guitar pick her.
for making our day.” - Ben Bruce and enjoying themselves.
When their hit singles were performed, such as “The Black” and “A Prophecy” just to name a few, the crowd went crazy and consisted of multiple people crowd surfing. Between being in the photo pit for the band and out of the pit, the security at Starland did an incredible job making everyone was safe
At the end of their set, Denis told the crowd, “Holy fucking shit Sayreville. Thank you so fucking much. You guys were fucking mental tonight, so make some fucking noise for yourselves one last time. We are Asking Alexandria. Have a good fucking night.” After that, Ben jumped down towards the crowd in order to touch as many fan’s hands as he could in order to show his support. In front of the barricade where he was passing by was a younger fan who was jamming out the whole time, maybe 9-years old, and Ben took the time to personally take a moment with the kid to show his appreciation. Before their show started, while outside the venue I was able to witness the band call over the security guard who was guarding their tour bus. There was a girl in an Asking Alexandria shirt crying, and they took the time to open their bus door and ask the security guard to call her over to them just so they could speak to her in order to see what was wrong. Since the windows were tinted and the door was closed, the girl had no idea the band was even there. Also before the show and but after attending their meet and greet, I saw Ben outside and told him getting to speak to him made my day. He then mentioned something we spoke about, proving he remembered me, then happily responded saying, “Anytime, thank you for making our day.” I can go on to how compassionate these five guys are to their fans, all within just a day of being with them. You can tell they truly love what they do, so if you do anything today, be sure to check these guys out if you haven’t already.
Written by Melanie Gomez
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Concert reviews
Bring Me The Horizon hasn’t been through Atlanta, Ga in right at two years where they had previously toured with Of Mice &
Men for the American Dream Tour, therefore attendance to such a show was necessary. I was more than thrilled to be seeing them again. This time around they came through with Silver Snakes, a soulful punk band with edge, and ‘68, a two man band that incorporate an interesting vibe into their set. These bands were somewhat unusual to tour with Bring Me The Horizon, but it did make for a great anticipation for the headliner. Silver Snakes set was short lasting a little over 30 minutes. They seemed to not have many fans in the Atlanta area. The four piece band included soulful lyrics and lead singer. Alex Estrada gave it his all for a passionate set that included belting the lyrics all the while playing the guitar. Drummer Garret Harney was the most notable asset to the show possibly due to the vibrantly colored and glowing drum kit and partly due to his ability to play. He is talented beyond belief, and used his ability to make a sound unlike any I have heard before and introduced a new meaning to performing a set. He used mechanical aspects of a synthesized drum set as well as a traditional drum kit that created a sound similar to mixing Bring Me The Horizon and Nine Inch Nails. Both the bassist and guitarist, Mike Trujillo and Jeremiah Bignell, add to the show perfectly by using soft but steady rhythms and long drawn out chords. Silver Snakes will not likely be a band I would get behind, they are definitely worth listening to simply because their music has an interesting sound that isn’t easily forgotten. ‘68 got a little bit more enthusiasm from the crowd. This two piece ensemble put on a show that I initially wasn’t certain would be worth touring with Bring Me The Horizon. They certainly played a unique set, to which I mean they literally played until they had completely packed up their instruments. The guitarist, Josh Scogin, an Atlanta native, literally finished the set by packing up the drum kit while drummer, Michael McClellan was still beating along. Their set became interesting the second they stepped on stage wearing full blown suits decorated with red socks and converse. This, however, fit for some reason because the stage decorations included a vintage powder blue suitcase and vintage vibe they brought on stage with them. Their sound was just as unique and would be worth listening to outside of a concert setting. These guys brought a one of a kind show and eventually got the crowd moving, something that hasn’t happened in the Silver Snakes set. Thankfully ‘68 was a worthy opener for Bring Me The Horizon, and while they do sound a bit strange to be touring with them, they added to the experience and blended perfectly with the atmosphere of the Tabernacle. I don’t really need to hype up Bring Me The Horizon. They are a chart topping and have moved from the brutal metalcore to a less traditional alternative pop sound that still manages to be pure Bring Me The Horizon as only they can be. Seeing them live is no different than hearing an album, that being said the momentum they carry as a band still warrants a line beginning to form outside the venue well before the doors are set to open. The now 6 piece touring band includes a drummer, two guitarists, a bassist, keyboard and percussionist, and a vocalist. Everyone is sure to be familiar with long running members Lee Malia, guitarist, drummer Matt Nicholls, vocalist and percussionist Jordan Fish, Matt Kean bassist, and vocalist Oli Sykes.
Bring Me The Horizon, ‘68, and
These guys really vamped up their game with the release of That’s The Spirit in the fall of 2015; Silver Snakes did a phenomenal theirs was the first time Atlanta had seen this album live. The notable difference between this job of giving fans a show worth show and the one in 2014 was the addition of Jordan Fish. Watching him play and sing was an attending. indescribable experience; he adds so much to the already amazing show. Oli Sykes utilized every inch of the stage to incorporate all attendees into the show, he even called for an ever famous wall of death that was nothing short of painfully blissful. While Bring Me The Horizon have never been one for huge stage theatrics the electric mural hanging behind them allowed for showing off artwork, lyrics, and the simplistic symbols from the new album. This gave a vibrant touch to the stage and complimented the band’s performance to a tee. I liked how the backdrop switched from rain like scenes to shooting lyrics across the screen. It was unlike anything I had seen a band utilize before. Overall the set was noisy and pumped which gave for an unforgettable experience especially being barricade. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire set, and hope to them next time they come through to Atlanta. This tour was as unique to the scene as the bands are themselves. Each of the bands incorporated a different reaction from the crowd and engaged the entire venue in a contrasting way. This called for an intense concert that was bound to be stuck in everyone’s mind for days. Bring Me The Horizon, ‘68, and Silver Snakes did a phenomenal job of giving fans a show worth attending.
Written by Ashley Long
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Interviews
Interview Hundredth (Chad Johnson) Q: First of all, the key logo, who came up with it and what does it stand for? C: This is one of the most asked questions we ever get, so I answer it a bunch. I created it, I do all of our merch designs, so I made it for a merch design one day and we liked it so it became our symbol because it stuck. As far as meaning goes, I probably explained it in like 30 different ways, but today I’ll explain it as, it’s a lot of things to a lot of different people, it represents freedom. The key is a symbol to unlocking your full potential or freeing you from a situation where you can’t be who you are or who you wanna be. Q: If you could work with any musician right now, for let’s say your next album, who would you wanna work with? C: It probably wouldn’t make our band sound any better, but probably Drake. Because I just think he’s awesome and I love everything he’s doing right now. In rock music maybe like Dave Grohl or something. Q: What’s your favourite song off of ‘Free’? C: I think my favourite song is ‘See Beyond’ right now. Why? Because we had never done a song that’s that style. It’s kind of a punk song, we didn’t know if we wanted to do it or not and then we decided we would do something different for that song but when we started recording it and put vocals on it, we decided we really liked it. It’s two different styles and I think it’s like where we should be going. Q: Do you guys have any pre-show rituals? C: No. It’s so random every day. Today I got here and we walked around the city for a while, ate some falafels, we came back and it was about time to play, so I just changed into my clothes, did a couple of warm-ups on my way down the stairs, stretched out a little bit and walked on the stage, everyone else was already on the stage when I got there. Rituals always felt forced to us. Q: What has been the biggest influence for ‘Free’? C: Lyrically, I wanted to write lyrics like some of my favourite bands. I wanted them to the point but leave some level of interpretation to the listener. Q: How has the Impericon tour been so far? C: It’s cool, very metal bands compared to us so it’s hard to hang with that crowd as far as music goes. The crowd seems to love the mix, so it’s cool to play in front of some new people. Q: Do you guys have any favourite city you’ve played or really want to play? C: We really wanna play Hawaii but only so we can surf. But I like to play in Russia, it was insane. Q: If you could make any tour, who would you really wanna tour with? C: Damn, I don’t know man, that’s so hard. Maybe like Linkin Park and Crossfaith and Breaking Benjamin. Q: You are in the studio already, so when can we expect new music? C: We just recorded two songs, that are potential singles. We just decided to go ahead and start, we had a lot of time off, so we just started writing songs and recording them. I think maybe in the fall you’ll hear one or two. Q: Do you guys have any advice for starting bands? C: Tour your ass off and don’t expect a hand out. Work hard for it.
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Interviews
On Neck Deep’s most recent European headliner tour, we were lucky enough to spend some quality time with vocalist Ben Barlow and guitarist Matt West. While the both were seated in two very comfortable chairs, we chatted with them about their current tour, Mark Hoppus and Bring Me The Horizon among many other things. The guys were feeling chatty, it’s a long one. We’re sure you’ll love it though. Here’s to your further Neck Deep education! Q: Do you guys have any pre-show rituals? M: We talked about this the other day and we don’t do anything. B: We obviously get our stage gear on and I kinda walk around and yell and make noise and stretch. That’s about it really. And then by the time we get on stage we’re usually pretty chill. Obviously if you know it’s gonna be a good show, then you get more pumped up, but we kinda take it easy. M: Yeah, I just walk around, have a bottle of water. But we don’t do a high five in the group or something. B: We did that one time after the show in Manchester, that show was awesome. B: I think it’s gonna be sick tonight (Amsterdam). It’s not sold out but I still think it will be cool either way. Our shows in the Netherlands are always sick, like when we played in Eindhoven, that was probably the best show on that tour. Utrecht was pretty sick as well, doing the All Time Low tour helped us a bit in Europe. This time we’re getting a bigger and better crowd. Q: You guys opened for Bring Me The Horizon a while back. Considering you are both completely different genres, what was that like? B: We share the same fan base. M: Especially nowadays, had it been years ago I doubt we would have gone down as well as we did. B: People who go to Bring Me The Horizon shows expect it to be the same sort of thing, the similar sort of vibe. I mean, at Neck Deep shows you’re gonna be bouncing around a bunch and getting involved, it’s not like a stand there and watch kinda thing. We enjoy it when there’s mosh pits, so if people wanna mosh, that’s sick. It’s a high-energy show, I remember London on that tour was really, really sick and obviously watching BMTH is insane, their set-up and stuff and their show in general, you can’t stand there and watch, it’s just insane. Yeah, it was cool.
Read the full interview, and more, on Strifethemagazine.com !!
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Interviews
While the boys from Northlane were on the Impericon Festival run, we were lucky enough to have a chat with their very own Josh. Among other things we talked the EP they created together with In Hearts Wake, touring moments and what they’ll be doing the rest of the year. Northlane has a lot left in store for this year, and we are very excited to see what Northlane will be up to creatively. Check our chat with Josh and get to know Northlane a little bit better! Q: Do you guys have any pre-show rituals? J: We just fist bump each other. We can’t walk on until we’ve all fist bumped each other, otherwise we can’t play. But that’s about it, we’re not that exciting, nothing too crazy. Q: You guys recently released the EP with In Hearts Wake, how did that happen? J: It’s a long story, ‘cause we’ve known them since before both bands got signed. We were playing floorshows for like 20 people and staying at each other’s houses and stuff. We always wanted to do something together and we just thought the time was right now and an EP just seemed like the right thing to do ‘cause of the amount of time we had to spend on it and how busy we all are. So we just got together and made it happen, most of the songs were already written before we got to the studio, but we collaborated on them and it was really, really exciting. Q: If you could tour with any band, dead or alive, what would be you ideal line-up? J: That’s hard, man, there are too many bands that I love. Maybe Deftones, I don’t know, the sky is the limit, right? Q: You just started the Impericon Festival tour, how is it going? J: Really, really good. Haven’t had a bad show yet. Good reception, we did Groezrock as well, that was very cool. We’re really happy with how everything’s going, it’s nice to come over here and not headline, have less pressure and just play a short set, it’s fun. It’s good to be back in Amsterdam too. We’ve never actually played Amsterdam, but we’ve been here before on a day off, but never played here. Q: Any weird or special moment that really stuck with you? J: I could tell you one about us and In Hearts Wake. We were touring with them in Australia on a regional tour and we go to the beach most days before the shows and their drummer dislocated his shoulder while bodysurfing. This is like 2 hours before they had to play so Nic learned their set and they just went on there and played. Q: What is your favourite song to play live? J: That changes every night. I really like Quantum Flux on this tour, I like playing Scarab, I like the more difficult songs. It changes every night, ‘cause one night I’m like I killed that song and the next night it might be a different one. Q: What’s next for Northlane? J: Straight after this we have a co-headline tour with In Hearts Wake in Australia and that’s got Hands Like Houses on it as well. And this really sick band called Ocean Grove, you should check them out, they’re fucking awesome. And after that like 2,5 months off, ‘cause we’re gonna be writing for our new album, so spending a lot of time doing that.
Read the full interview, and more, on Strifethemagazine.com !!
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Track of the day - day by day
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May 1st
Andy Black - Beautiful Pain
May 2nd
Blessthefall - Walk On Water
May 3rd
Halestorm - Daugther of Darkness
May 4th
Chelsea Grin - Clickbait
May 5th
Letlive. - Good Mourning, America
May 6th
Beartooth - Loser
May 7th
Enter Shikari - Anaesthetist
May 8th
Twenty One Pilots - Guns For Hands
May 9th
Neck Deep - Can’t Kick Up The Roots (Mark Hoppus Remix)
May 10th
Blink-182 - Built This Pool
May 11th
Simple Plan - I’d Do Anything
May 12th
River Oaks - Let You Down
May 13th
The Summer Set - Boomerang
May 14th
Billy Talent - Afraid Of Heights
May 15th
Crown The Empire - The Fallout
May 16th
The Used & My Chemical Romance - Under Pressure
May 17th
Parkway Drive - Dying To Live
May 18th
Project XY - Father
May 19th
The Amity Affliction - I Bring The Weather With Me
May 20th
Black Veil Brides - I Am Bulletproof
May 21st
Architects - Downfall
May 22nd
Against The Current - Chasing Ghosts
May 23rd
Mayday Parade - Letting Go
May 24th
Green Day - Boulevard Of Broken Dreams
May 25th
Panic! At The Disco - Nine In The Afternoon
May 26th
New Found Glory - Stories Of a Different Kind
May 27th
Paramore - Ain’t It Fun
May 28th
Blink-182 - All The Small Things
May 29th
The Ghost Inside - Avalanche
May 30th
Ice Nine Kills - Hell In The Hallways
May 31st
Keys & Corridors - Lionhearted
Tours next month - North America
Slipknot tour dates:
9th - Salt Lake City, UT USANA Amphitheatre 11th - Auburn, WA White River Amphitheatre 13th - Concord, CA Concord Pavilion 14th - Inglewood, CA The Forum 15th - Chula Vista, CA Sleep Train Amphitheatre 17th - Las Vegas, NV MGM Grand Hotel & Casino 18th - Phoenix, AZ Ak-Chin Pavilion 19th - Albuquerque, NM Isleta Amphitheater 21st - Morrison, CO Red Rocks Amphitheatre 24th - Austin, TX Austin 360 Amphitheater 25th - Dallas, TX Gexa Energy Pavilion 26th - The Woodlands, TX Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion 28th - Nashville, TN Bridgestone Arena 29th - Atlanta, GA Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood
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Tours next month - Mainland Europe
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Tours next month - United Kingdom
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