Upset, August 2018 by Upset

ISSUE 35 AUGUST 2018

“THERE’S A PHRASE, ‘DON'T BE SAD THAT IT'S OVER, BE GLAD THAT IT HAPPENED’” DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE, P.26

UPSETMAGAZINE.COM EDITOR: Stephen Ackroyd

(stephen@upsetmagazine.com)

DEPUTY EDITOR: Victoria Sinden (viki@upsetmagazine.com) ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Ali Shutler (ali@upsetmagazine.com) CONTRIBUTORS: Alex Bradley,

Chris Taylor, Dan Harrison, Dillon Eastoe, Jack Press, Jamie MacMillan, Jasleen Dhindsa, Martyn Young, Linsey Teggert, Rob Mair, Sam Taylor, Steven Loftin PHOTOGRAPHERS: Sarah Louise

Bennett

All material copyright (c). All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, in whole or in part, without the express written permission of The Bunker Publishing Ltd. The opinions of the contributors do not necessarily bear a relation to those of Upset or its staff and we disclaim liability for those impressions. Distributed nationally. PUBLISHED FROM

DEAR READER,

TEENAGE KICKS

STEPHEN ACKROYD, EDITOR

THIS MONTH RIOT!

04 GHOST 08 DZ DEATHRAYS 10 MUNCIE GIRLS 12 PVRIS 14 JIMMY EAT WORLD 16 GLASSJAW 18 MARMOZETS

ABOUT TO BREAK 20 OH, WEATHERLY 22 THE FRIGHTS 23 PAGAN 24 HOMESAFE 25 ORCHARDS

FEATURES W E LCO M E TOT H E B U N K E R.CO M

58 DOWNLOAD

Some bands have special powers - that one aspect that means, whatever they do, we're hooked regardless. Of all those abilities, Death Cab For Cutie's trick might be the greatest of them all. Frontman Ben Gibbard could sing back our deeply depressing bank statements, and we'd still really feel it. With a brand new album out 'soon', we're bloody delighted to welcome one of our very finest to the cover of Upset for the first time. Maybe he can give us a rendition of page 23 while we're at it?

26 DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE

34 AS IT IS 38 TROPHY EYES 40 BURY TOMORROW 44 TRASH BOAT 46 REAL FRIENDS 50 DEAF HAVANA

RATED

52 AS IT IS 54 BURY TOMORROW 55 LIKE PACIFIC

LIVE

62 YOU ME AT SIX

DISRUPT THE NOISE 3

EVERYTHING HAPPENING IN ROCK.

GHOST

“WE'VE ALWAYS GOTTEN STICK FOR NOT BEING HEAVY ENOUGH” A LOT HAS CHANGED FOR GHOST SINCE THEIR LAST ALBUM, OWING TO THE UNMASKING OF THEIR PREVIOUSLY MYSTERIOUS FRONTMAN, TOBIAS FORGE. THEIR MISSION STATEMENT, HOWEVER, IS THE SAME AS EVER - "I WANT IT TO BE ENTERTAINING". WORDS: ALI SHUTLER.

OBIAS FORGE HAS A SHORT LITTLE SHIT LIST OF PEOPLE WHO AREN'T WELCOME TO EXPLORE THE WORLD OF GHOST. Since 2014's Grammy Award-winning ‘Meloria', the once nameless ghoul has been unmasked. Sure, it came via a lawsuit issued from people who used to play onstage with the band, rather than as part of the ever-growing tale that Ghost are writing, but really nothing much has changed. Ghost has always been about the suspension of disbelief. It's always been about playing make-believe. It's always been about exploring these masked worlds that reflect our own. It's always been for everyone. Their new album ‘Prequelle' takes that crack in the door and swings it wide open. Playful, pulsating and full of rainbowbridged adventure, it's Ghost at their most welcoming. "There's been so much happening since the last record," Tobias admits, jetlagged and nursing a neck injury. "If I think about how things were when we left off in 2014, then yes that is a big gap. But I was surprised when we started this tour how little it took before it felt like I was home and back on track." Ghost don't enjoy looking back. "I see the faults like, ‘Oh you thought that was good, you should have seen what the original plan was. It was so much cooler', but such is life." Instead, they're concerned with the now. Despite the success and the scale of what his band has already achieved, Tobias still had something to prove with their fourth album. "You always do. After the hard second

record comes the hard third record. Then it's the crucial fourth record and the 'win or lose' fifth record. I don't know when you reach that plateau of untouchable. I don't think you ever do. I don't think I'd want to. "This band takes up so much time and is such a huge sacrifice for a lot of people, especially the ones very close to me, that sometimes you're exposed to the questions of, ‘When are you going to be done? When is this accomplished?' And I don't know. I don't think it ever will be done. You just try to do things as good as possible all the time. Sooner or later something will put a halt to it and hopefully, when it does, you've done it as well as you can." That full-bodied commitment to doing things a certain way wails through ‘Prequelle'. The record, focused around the idea of annihilation, finds threads between The Black Death of the 1300's and today. The winking, grinning, rampage of ‘Rats' sings: "In times of turmoil, in times like these. Beliefs contagious, spreading disease," prods at today as much as it does The Middle Ages. "I was trying to shine light onto the idea that the turmoil of the black death is not something that was isolated just to death." There's also trauma in survival. "There are numerous extreme metal records that have touched on the subject of dark and evil times, specifically the plague, so I wanted this record to be about survival rather than annihilation. I haven't heard any records that are about that. I have plenty of records about the ordeal of death but not the survival aspect. The record is about perseverance. From a personal point of view, persevering is exactly what I've been doing for the last two years." Even on the cusp of the end of all things, which is where ‘Prequelle' finds itself

TWENTY ONE PILOTS ARE ON THEIR WAY BACK WITH TWO NEW SINGLES, AN ALBUM, AND SOME UK TOUR DATES (PHEW)

Twenty One Pilots have come roaring back into our lives with two new tracks - ‘Jumpsuit‘ and ‘Nico and the Niners‘. They’re the first tasters of the followup to 2015’s ‘Blurryface’, with the duo dropping their fifth full-length ‘Trench’ on 5th October. They’ve also announced a big ‘ol tour for early next year, which features a few nights over our way - Birmingham, Genting Arena (27th February); Dublin, 3Arena (1st March); Belfast, SSE Arena Belfast (2nd); Glasgow, The SSE Hydro Arena (4th); Manchester, Manchester Arena (5th); London, The SSE Arena Wembley (7th). Exciting stuff. DISRUPT THE NOISE 5

teetering, there's defiance and resistance throughout. "I'd like to see myself as a fairly humorous person," Tobias offers, and so with Ghost, "I want it to be entertaining. I like a lot of different things but what I try to achieve writing a Ghost record is way more Pink Floyd than it is AC/DC, even though I am influenced by ‘Back in Black'." He views it as cinema. "A good film isn't just a 90-minute car chase. If you want the film to just be a 90-minute shoot-out, you probably won't like this record. I want things to be very different; it's supposed to be a trip." Ghost records are put together like blockbusters. The songs are connected, the scenes have to flow. It has a beginning and an end. There are trial and redemption in every turn. "It's a lot of me throwing things back and forth for it all to fit. I knew that that the record was going to have a heavier, more close to home sort of sting, so it was also important to add a percentage of, I don't know if I dare to call it comic relief, but just moments to loosen it up a little." It's in the wondrous, beaming instrumental ‘Miasma' that the band smile with their whole face but across ‘Prequelle', there's a grin that can't be shifted There's also honesty. There are lines drawn between the personal and the

pretend. "It is very close to home," Tobias admits. But rather than wallow or twist his means of escape into something cynical, Ghost have once again embraced the playful spirit that makes them radical. "In every record, I've tried to recreate or have some sort of gateway back to where ‘Opus Eponymous' [the band's debut] was made in terms of playfulness. For the fourth time in a row now, it feels surprising to me. Wow, I'm still able to access that. "Of course there are some rules, some things you don't do, but I'm not thinking about whether this band is heavy metal or not. We've always gotten stick for not being heavy enough," but the band have never pretended to be pure, or follow the rules. "Even our debut was a complete mixture. From a purest point of view, it was very much on slippery ground. It was Bambi on ice." There's no fear about shining bright on ‘Prequelle'. There's no fear about pushing things forward. "It stems from the fact that regardless of what we are or what Ghost is, it's theatrical. I grew up in a scene where there was a very strict credibility complex. Whether I like it or not, there's still going to be a group of people who are going to judge whatever I do based upon those criteria. I have chosen not to live my life based on or adjusting to those rules. Because it's something I grew up with, I guess this is my rebellion. I'm not

“I'M NOT THINKING ABOUT WHETHER THIS BAND IS HEAVY METAL OR NOT” detaching myself from the family, but I'm speaking up at the table. "I guess what I've learned, especially over the past year, is that my idea of what I thought this project was going to be was naively utopic. It was very much an idea of a control freak who was trying to dictate a career of a made-up band that was more interesting than he was. You'd read about all these other bands and their stories. Before, we didn't really have a story, and now there is one. It wasn't the story I wanted to have, it would have been so much cooler if I was born 30 years earlier and we started in 1972, but there you go." P GHOST'S ALBUM 'PREQUELLE' IS OUT NOW.

P R E S E N T S

UK TOUR OCTOBER 2018

11 BRIGHTON

17 GLASGOW

12 EXETER

19 DUBLIN

13 FALMOUTH

21 NEWCASTLE

14 BRISTOL

22 SHEFFIELD

16 BIRMINGHAM

23 LONDON

CONCORDE 2

BARROWLAND

LEMON GROVE

ACADEMY

PRINCESS PAVILION

INSTITUTE

MOTION

LEADMILL

O2 ACADEMY2

O2 FORUM KENTISH TOWN

THE ALBUM SOMETHING ELSE OUT NOW A CROSSTOWN CONCERTS & FR I E ND S PRESENTATION BY ARRANGEMENT WITH X-RAY

DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE UK & IRELAND TOUR 2019

THURSDAY 24 JANUARY

UK & IRELAND TOUR 2018 NOV 12 — DUBLIN OLYMPIA THEATRE NOV 14 — LONDON O2 ACADEMY BRIXTON NOV 15 — OXFORD O2 ACADEMY NOV 16 — BRIGHTON THE DOME NOV 18 — CARDIFF THE GREAT HALL NOV 19 — BIRMINGHAM O2 ACADEMY NOV 20 — GLASGOW O2 ACADEMY NOV 21 — NEWCASTLE NORTHUMBRIA UNIVER SITY

DUBLIN OLYMPIA

FRIDAY 25 JANUARY

MANCHESTER ALBERT HALL

SATURDAY 26 JANUARY

GLASGOW O2 ACADEMY

MONDAY 28 JANUARY

NOTTINGHAM ROCK CITY

TUESDAY 29 JANUARY

LEEDS O2 ACADEMY

WEDNESDAY 30 JANUARY

BRISTOL O2 ACADEMY

FRIDAY 01 FEBRUARY

LONDON EVENTIM APOLLO

COURTNEYBARNETT.COM.AU

WITH SPECIA L GUEST

LAURA JEAN

A CROSSTOWN CONCERTS & FR I E N DS PRESENTATIO N BY ARRANGEMENT WITH X-RAY A CROSSTOWN CONCERTS & FR I E N DS PRESENTATIO N BY ARRANGEMENT WITH X-RAY

NEW ALBUM

TELL ME HOW YOU REALLY FEEL OUT NOW

D E AT H C A B F O R C U T I E .C O M THE NEW ALBUM THANK YOU FOR TODAY AVAILABLE AUGUST 17 A CROSSTOWN CONCERTS, SJM CONCERTS, DF CONCERTS & DHP PRESENTATION BY ARRANGEMENT WITH CAA

MONDAY 10 SEPTEMBER

FRIDAY 14 SEPTEMBER

TUESDAY 11 SEPTEMBER

SATURDAY 15 SEPTEMBER

LEEDS BRUDENELL

MANCHESTER CLUB ACADEMY

UK TOUR 2018 PLUS

WEDNESDAY 12 SEPTEMBER

GLASGOW SWG3

AND (ALL DATES)

LONDON ELECTRIC BALLROOM BRIST0L THEKLA SUNDAY 16 SEPTEMBER

BRIGHTON CONCORDE 2

A CROSSTOWN CONCERTS & PCL PRESENTATION BY ARRANGEMENT WITH WME

(LONDON ONLY)

T I C K E T S AVA I L A B L E F R O M

SEETICKETS.COM - GIGANTIC.COM - TICKETMASTER.CO.UK EVENTIM.CO.UK - STARGREEN.COM - GIGSANDTOURS.COM - GIGSINSCOTLAND.COM @CROSSTOWN_LIVE -

/CROSSTOWNCONCERTS -

@CROSSTOWNCONCERTS

GAME NIGHT

UMMER IS USUALLY KNOWN FOR FESTIVAL SHENANIGANS, RIGHT? Well, move over Reading & Leeds - August has a new event that’s going to top our ‘cool shit we’re doing’ list. Upset is teaming up with indie label Alcopop!, London bar Four Quarters and top brewery Signature Brew for DZ Deathrays’ Bloody Lovely Bar Takeover. Taking place on 21st August, it’ll be a mega night out consisting of the DZ Deathrays Arcade Challenge, an album playback, free merch, a still to-beannounced live band and loads more. To celebrate, DZ drummer Simon has put together a guide to video game arcades. WELCOME TO MY FIRST EVER ARCADE GUIDE! I'm not entirely sure how to handle such a broad subject even though it's one I have personally wasted plenty of hours and money on over the years. So get ready for a lot of inconsistencies, ignorance, pointless knowledge, and I'll most likely forget to mention all of your favourites. Now that the bar is set nice and low, the only way I can break this down well is to group each game into its genre and list some of my favourites. So here we go!

RACING When I think about racing games in arcade parlours, the first thing I can think of is Daytona USA. One of the first arcade machines to have a full sit in build complete with gearbox, surround sound, and you can link like up to six I think? I played this bad boy so much as a kid. The best bit in the game was cutting your friends off and making them flip after they

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crash into the walls. Other notable mentions would be Sega Rally and also Cruising USA, which are rad. Crazy Taxi is also of notable mention however that game has not aged well... Still doable, but not nearly as enjoyable as it once was.

FIRST PERSON SHOOTERS One of the easiest ways to judge if a FPS game was gonna be rad is if it has the little curtain around it to protect kids from seeing the screen. The developers/ marketing teams must have known this would have the opposite effect as it's probably the first things to look for when you arrive at the arcade. Anyway, House of the Dead was one of these games, and it was totally worth teaming up with a friend for cause that shit was hard. There are a few exceptions to the curtain rule. One is Time Crisis, which has a cool foot pedal mechanism that would allow you to take shelter while you reloaded. The other was Terminator 2: Judgement Day. This game is basically just two Uzi's setup in front of a screen, and you just pay to spray. BEAT 'EM UPS Beat 'em ups are like beers: There are many different types, they all do the same shit in the end, but there are a few which you'll always wanna come back to. For me, those are X Men, Double Dragon, Metal Slug and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. All of these games are definitely worth having some back up on, however. So if you're alone, or your friends are chumps then it might be worthwhile befriending that other weird kid alone in the arcade cause you're gonna need all the help/ coins you can get! All these games have the same thing in common, a joystick,

four buttons and basically, the overall objective is just walk to the right of the screen and lay the hurt down on anyone in the way. Also, a little button mashing on these never hurt anyone.

VINTAGE This is about the games that are the classics and usually get overlooked these days. Like Pac Man, Donkey Kong (the barrel throwing Kong), Galaga, Frogger, Space Invaders etc. The classics stay around for good reason: they're simple and usually hard as fuck after a few levels/ beers. My favourite by far is Galaga. The best advice I can give is let your ship get captured by the enemy then shoot that shit free in the next round, and now you got double the ships, double the firepower and if anyone was watching double the high fives flying your way. PINBALL I was going to try tackle this, but there is just way too many to start on, so fuck it. CONCLUSION? Well by now you've probably stopped reading or are surprised that I totally missed the entire Fighting genre (psych it's here: Street Fighter or really any Mortal Kombat is worth your shitty loose change. Killer Instinct can be a good time if you know the moves, if not then it's a bit 'meh' along with Tekken. So I guess on that final note, good luck out there, may all the high scores be yours and may you find all the unclaimed coins in the refund/ change slots or on the arcade ground! P DZ DEATHRAYS’ BLOODY LOVELY BAR TAKEOVER WILL TAKE PLACE AT FOUR QUARTERS IN LONDON ON 21ST AUGUST. IT’S FREE ENTRY, SO WE’LL SEE YOU THERE, YEAH?

D E BU T F U L L L E N G T H O U T N OW

LIKE PACIFIC

IN SPITE OF ME OUT JULY 27, 2018

E XC L U S I V E VINYL COLOR

MUNCIE GIR ‘FIXED IDEALS EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT...

NEW ALBUM UPSET FAVES MUNCIE GIRLS ARE BACK WITH A NEW ALBUM. VOCALIST LANDE HEKT GIVES US THE LOW-DOWN ON THEIR SECOND FULL-LENGTH.

sums up the themes of the record so I’ll think of ‘Fixed Ideals’ as a nickname. I have a tattoo from this poem as well!”

VOCALIST & BASSIST LANDE HEKT IS ON SIX STRINGS THIS TIME AROUND

THE ARTWORK WAS INSPIRED BY A ZIZZI’S PUDDING

“I write our songs on guitar, and as much as I love playing bass, it’s always felt a bit weird. I’ve wanted to move onto guitar for years now, and I’m so excited! I just need to get one of those Flying V guitars then I’m good to go.”

“After ages of trying to come up with an idea for the artwork, I just drew this moon and stars out of nowhere. Then I remembered! The day before I’d been at Zizzi’s with my sister. I had this pudding calzone served on a dark blue plate with honeycomb all over it, and it looked exactly like a crescent moon and stars! Delicious.”

THE TITLE IS INSPIRED BY SYLVIA PLATH

“I wanted to call the record ‘Perfume, Politics and Fixed Ideals’ from a Sylvia Plath poem, but it seemed like a bit of a mouthful. But that long title somehow 10 UPSETMAGAZINE.COM

WE RECORDED 19 SONGS ALL IN ONE GO, AND IT WAS A STUPID IDEA

“We absolutely love the record that we

made, but recording 19 songs all in one go when it’s the first time you’ve recorded as a four-piece and there are only three of you, isn’t a very wise move. I thought I wasn’t gonna be able to finish it and I was gonna have to go home with half a record, two enemies and grey hair. But we did finish it! We picked 13 of the 19 songs, and it was (probably) all worthwhile. And only half my hair went grey!” MUNCIE GIRLS WILL BE TOURING THE UK AFTER ITS RELEASE

“Although last year we went to America and Australia and this year we went to Japan; we haven’t toured in the UK recently. After the record comes out at the end of August, we’re gonna be playing as many shows as poss, and we can’t wait! Having a break from touring always seems

KNUCKLE PUCK TOUR THE UK FROM 3RD OCTOBER. OCTOBER 3 BRISTOL FLEECE 4 SOUTHAMPTON 1865 5 LONDON ELECTRIC BALLROOM 6 LEEDS KEY CLUB 7 NOTTINGHAM RESCUE ROOMS 9 GLASGOW SWG3 10 NEWCASTLE RIVERSIDE 11 MANCHESTER CLUB ACADEMY FIND OUT WHAT YOUR FAVE BANDS TAKE ON THE ROAD. THIS MONTH...

KNUCKLE PUCK

RLS’ S’

“This sports jacket is our good luck charm and it looks hot on anyone who wears it." - Nicholas Casasanto

"This thing is crucial on the road. Service is often spotty when you’re traveling, and with this thing, I never need to worry about streaming services.." - Joe Taylor

“Need to have a good book. It’s important and healthy to take a break from looking at a screen all day.” - Kevin Maida

"A fun thing to do. Also a good way to get around." - John Siorek

like a good idea when you’re tired and smelly and have been on the road for ages, but when it actually happens it’s rubbish! Hurry up, September.

FIXED IDEALS IS COMING OUT ON SPECIALIST SUBJECT RECORDS (UK) AND BUZZ RECORDS (CAN)

We’re super excited to work with our best pals Specialist Subject again and to be working with our new pals over at Buzz Records in Canada! It’s really hard to find labels that: A. understand what you’re trying to do, and B. have other bands we like on their roster. We feel incredibly lucky to have two of those releasing this record! P MUNCIE GIRLS’ ALBUM ‘FIXED IDEALS’ IS OUT 31ST AUGUST.

DISRUPT THE NOISE 11

EVOLVE OR DIE PVRIS

A LOT HAS CHANGED FOR PVRIS SINCE THE RELEASE OF THEIR SECOND ALBUM - INCLUDING A NEW LIVE SHOW INFLUENCED BY LYNN GUNN'S HOMOEOPATH, NO LESS. WORDS: ALI SHUTLER

T'S BEEN ALMOST A YEAR SINCE PVRIS RETURNED, BROKEN MIRROR IN HAND, AND FOUND A NEW BALANCE BETWEEN ‘ALL WE KNOW OF HEAVEN, ALL WE NEED OF HELL'. BACKSTAGE AT SLAM DUNK, LYNN GUNN REFLECTS ON A CRAZY TWELVE MONTHS, AND WHAT'S COMING NEXT... . IT'S COMING UP TO A YEAR SINCE THE RECORD CAME OUT, HOW'S THE PAST YEAR BEEN FOR YOU? It's been good. This whole record cycle has been a big learning and growing experience, as a team and as a band but also internally for me. Personally, a lot of it has been difficult, but it's also been good. We're all in a really good place right now. We're ready to take on whatever's next. DO YOU HAVE ANY REGRETS ABOUT ANYTHING YOU PUT OUT OR SAID ON THAT RECORD? I don't regret it. It's hard to regret things that shape you, so I'm proud of this record and I'm glad I got all that out. I feel like we're through all of it, for the most part, knock on wood. Things will always come up and remind you of where you used to be, but I'm in a good spot, and I've figured out how to handle things a lot better. LET'S TALK ABOUT ‘NO MERCY', BECAUSE OUT OF ALL THE TRACKS ON THE RECORD, THAT'S THE ONE THAT'S CHANGED THE MOST. You could look at it through the scope of what's going on in the world, or a really internal little one that's basically, ‘Throw it at me, I'll take it on'. THERE'S A FURY TO THAT SONG.

Yeah, and I feel like a lot of people have that fury in them that, whether they recognise it or not, definitely comes out for that song. Sometimes it's not even anger it's just that defiant, ‘Yeah, come and get it'. HOW'S THE LIVE SHOW CHANGED OVER THE LAST YEAR? It's a lot more dynamic. I'm hopping to and from three different instruments throughout the set which has been fun, and the boys switch around a lot. DOES IT TAKE SOME GETTING USED TO, GOING FROM BEING FRONT OF STAGE TO BEHIND THE DRUMS OR ON A PIANO? It did for a second, just being confident enough to do it because I'd never played drums live or at all, so it was intimidating at first. I've gotten used to it, and I've got comfortable up there. It's kind of nice to hide for a second. Being up front is very exposing, so it's nice to be able to step away and pull people into that as well. ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE PERFORMING SONGS THAT ARE SO PERSONAL TO ESSENTIALLY A ROOM FULL OF STRANGERS. I had a meeting with a homoeopath and an energy healer. The homoeopath held up my birth chart and went super far into it; whether you believe in it or not I think there's something to it. She did this whole personality analysis where she was like, ‘Alright, you're an introvert being forced to be an extrovert, you are influenced by the sun, but you're forced to work at night. There's all these weird contradictions. Find a way to make your touring and your live show something much more soothing to your character and your wiring.'

That whole discussion made me try to find a way to make performing comfortable. It was really about sitting back and calming down a bit and being able to hide all of it on stage even though we're up front. I feel like I've gotten to a comfortable place on stage where I used to be terrified. It's just nice to realise that you don't have to be a certain projection of yourself, that other people expect you to be. If you're present with yourself, then that's going to be authentic to whoever's watching. DO YOU KNOW WHAT'S NEXT? After Europe, we go home, and we get to start working on new stuff. I don't want to say too much, it's still very early in the process, but I feel like a lot of it is discovering a new perspective. Discovering how to live life and process emotions through perspective, through a different headspace and just looking at a lot of the similar topics or situations. I'm figuring it out. I don't have this impending doom on my chest anymore, so what do I talk about now? What do I feel now? I'm exploring all the other colours now which is nice. It's almost overwhelming though, because there's so much freedom where I'm scared we'll go down the wrong route, but I always tell myself to follow your gut, follow your heart, just like with any record that's going to speak to people. ANY DEADLINES? No deadlines! For the last record, there was a lot of crazy stuff going on with the release date, just like with everything going wrong, but it's okay, everything unfolded how it was supposed to. I think if things had gone the way they were meant to I wouldn't have personally been ready, so I'm kind of grateful things happened the way they did. P DISRUPT THE NOISE 13

"THERE ARE NO RULES ANYMORE"

JIMMY EAT WORLD ARE FORGING AHEAD AND HAVING THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES. WITH NEW MATERIAL ON THE CARDS, THERE'S STILL MORE TO COME.

IMMY EAT WORLD HAVE BEEN BUSY. Their new album ‘Integrity Blues' came out in 2016 and since then, they've been hitting the road hard. Today they're at Slam Dunk to close out the day. It's 6pm, and there's a lot of jetlag going on. Rather than looking towards a pause though, it's full steam ahead. A week earlier, they surprise released two new songs. Showing off both sides of the band, anthemic and reflective, they're a friendly reminder that Jimmy Eat World are still a force to be reckoned with. ‘Love Never' is urgent and swift, a dash of basement grime with plenty of swelling arena comfort, it's a warning anthem about "the unrealistic expectations you put on relationships to fulfil you on a personal level." ‘Half Heart' is quieter, turning that brash encouragement into something vulnerable and uncertain, it shimmers in the moonlight as it looks at "just being present with people. That's the short version, the CliffsNotes," grins frontman Jim Adkins. "We're always working on new stuff," he continues, excitement dancing on his tongue, but ‘Love Never' and ‘Half Heart'

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were designed to play off one another. "We've just been working on new stuff. We have our own studio which we just upgraded with some gear, and we just went in and did them." No expectations, no grand plan. "It's fun now. There are no rules anymore about what you can do or what's available to you. We thought of it as a seven-inch, with an A and a B side, although most people will listen to it them in a playlist. "Obviously, we have more songs than those two," he teases, "but we felt like those two would be best for the kinda release we wanted to do. They're drastically different," and see the band playing with what comes next. In this moment, it feels like Jimmy Eat World are free to do what they like. Since the release of latest album ‘Integrity Blues', things have "been awesome" for the group. "It's been an amazing year and a half," reflects Jim as guitarist Tom Linton, choosing his words carefully, admits: "It's almost like it's better than ever." "We have this odd thing that we've not had to deal with before," adds Jim, "where older fans might have gone away and are now coming back. It's a revolving door of support, and we're really grateful."

WORDS: ALI SHUTLER

But the band are not about replaying past glories; writing new music is a big part of what they do. "Old is always going to be there, you don't need to work on that anymore. So if you're going to spend your time, we choose to spend it working on new stuff." There's a new album coming, because "eventually what you're working on becomes an album's worth of stuff." After the deliberate stances of 2013's ‘Damage' and ‘Integrity Blues', the next Jimmy Eat World album is still to be discovered. "It usually shows itself after a handful of tunes have formed. Right now, everything is too nebulas to give it a real direction." Inspired by "continuing to try things that seem like a stretch of your identity," and "knowing there are fans out there that are interested in what you do," the band are still heading forwards. The more they adventure, "the more places it seems there are left to go." As for their status as a band, "we're closing the stage, so people expect you to be a dick a little bit," Jim starts, tongue firmly lodged in cheek. "We don't want to ruin that. It would ruin the entire rock and roll myth if we were nice to everyone." P

“WHY DOES THERE HAVE TO BE AN END?” ARCTANGENT 2018

AHEAD OF THEIR HEADLINER AT THIS YEAR’S ARCTANGENT, DARYL PALUMBO AND JUSTIN BECK TALK ALL THINGS GLASSJAW. WORDS: LINSEY TEGGERT

ONG ISLAND, NY POSTHARDCORE HEROES GLASSJAW ARE ABOUT TO HEAD TO UK SHORES FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE RELEASE OF THEIR LONG-AWAITED THIRD ALBUM ‘MATERIAL CONTROL’ BACK IN DECEMBER 2017. THEY’LL PLAY JUST TWO SELECT SHOWS THIS AUGUST ON A WHISTLESTOP VISIT, THE FIRST BEING FRIDAY NIGHT’S TOP SLOT AT RISING MATH-ROCK/NOISEROCK FESTIVAL ARCTANGENT, FOLLOWED BY A HEADLINE SHOW AT BRIXTON ACADEMY. Despite being their first album since 2002’s ‘Worship and Tribute’, ‘Material Control’ picks up right where they left off. Perhaps their heaviest material yet, the mammoth-sounding record proves that Glassjaw are just as vital as ever, 25 years down the line since their formation. In typical Glassjaw fashion, the band had cryptic plans surrounding the much-rumoured release of the record, all of which came crashing down when Amazon leaked the album title and tracklisting. “I think there’s a large part of me that expects things to be done in that way rather than have it be smooth sailing,” explains vocalist Daryl Palumbo. “We

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wanted it to be a complete surprise - for the people who cared to be able to piece it together. Everyone was going to get sent a piece of the record at random and then they would communicate, and everyone would realise that there was a record. But when you invite other people to be part of it, you add lots of links to the chain and work with people you will never meet. Maybe sometimes people in this chain of command have an agenda to disrupt the big vision of ‘let’s execute X, Y and Z in this way and have it make a large impact’.” Is Daryl insinuating the album was leaked on purpose? “I wouldn’t even know! It could be an indirectly-onpurpose thing, I’m not a terribly bright guy, I don’t own a record label,” laughs Daryl. “But I know that when it’s just Justin [Beck, guitarist] and I doing things, two people that have known each other their whole lives, doing a bunch of shit that they don’t tell anyone else about, those things never happen!” “Sure, we’ve mourned the way it went,” adds Justin. “I still feel like it didn’t really get released. I’m still getting messages, asking if we dropped an album. But it is what it is, and for anyone who has actually discovered the record, the reception has been overwhelmingly awesome.” Most fans would agree that the

words ‘Glassjaw’ and ‘smooth sailing’ rarely go together. Whether it be record label disputes, health troubles, or lyrical criticisms, they are no strangers to controversy. When it comes to the aforementioned lyrical criticisms, press surrounding ‘Material Control’ has included much discussion of the misogynistic lyrics that fuelled Daryl’s earlier work, to the point that he openly brings the issue up with very little prompting. “You learn early on how to speak to people and what’s witty and what’s just trash and disrespectful, I had a lot of lessons to learn with that. I have anger in me, but I don’t ever enjoy being angry, I’m not an angry character, it’s unfortunate that’s how I came across. Maybe it comes across on stage because for me, playing heavy music is inseparable from confrontational art. There are ways to portray that anger and still be respectful.” “With ‘Material Control’ the subject matter has matured a lot, and I needed that. The lyrics are more focused, but they’re still pretty broad and cryptic, I try to leave a lot open to interpretation. When most of the lyrics were written, I was crossing over into a different phase in my personal life, and as a near 40-year-old guy, I’m not going to be writing about the concept of who’s

ALSO PLAYING ARCTANGENT… And So I Watch You From Afar, Shellac, La Dispute, Jamie Lenman, Zeal & Ardor, Arcane Roots, Rolo Tomassi, Black Peaks, Pianos Become The Teeth + more

sold out the scene, or who’s doing drugs. Those things have never re-entered my mind in years. Politics, taxes, people’s concept of religion, government, gun control – those are the things that are at the forefront of making art as you become older.” Throughout the quarter of a century of Glassjaw’s existence, Daryl and Justin have been the only constant core members. The two have a dynamic that is born out of a mutual understanding of what ‘Glassjaw’ is, a shared history and an easy working relationship that many bands would envy. Though ‘Material Control’ was a long time coming, the actual recording process comes across as effortless. “We recorded over a series of Sundays, we just hashed it out in a very natural, painless, eye to eye way,” explains Justin. “We weren’t hoarding tracks for 15 years; everything was conceived within a few months time frame, it was all very current and all done in real time. There wasn’t even too much musical dialogue between us, we speak more in metaphors and analogies of what a song should be, like two children writing a comic book, more so than two musicians writing an album.” “We’re very similar sort of neurotic, hyper-focused, driven, creative guys from the same town,” adds Daryl. “We

know what Glassjaw is; whether it’s a shirt, a vocal melody or a chorus, we just know what is and isn’t us. It’s hard to articulate; I think we’re pretty honest – a lot of the time there’s a lot of theatre and bluster around bands, it’s hard to be a heavy band and not have a schtick these days. I don’t think we do, what you see is what you get, just us.” Keeping a band dynamic fresh and interesting for its members is one thing, but after 25 years, fans will have a certain expectation when it comes to live performances. “We don’t want to bore them with shit that they don’t necessarily give a fuck about,” states Justin. “When we did Reading & Leeds in 2011, we came out and did the’ Coloring Book’ EP front to back. At that point, the record wasn’t public, and you could only get it at shows, so nobody had heard it. We thought that was punk rock as fuck, but I don’t know if everyone was cool with that!” “There’ll definitely be an array of material from the whole time when we do these UK shows. With the two newer, younger guys we play with, Chad [Hasty, drummer] and Travis [Sykes, bass[ who are outrageously talented, I think we sound better than we ever have. It’s definitely heavier, we’ve trimmed a lot of the fat in terms of what we’re playing.” Before ‘Material Control’ finally

emerged last year, it had taken on an almost mythical status, the hardcore version of ‘Chinese Democracy’ so to speak. But unlike Guns N Roses, Glassjaw delivered an album worthy of the wait, capable of both satisfying long-term fans and being relevant enough to attract fans who weren’t even born when ‘Worship and Tribute’ was released. “In our world growing up, the ultimate goal was to do a split 7” with a band that you liked on Revelation Records, recorded by Don Fury,” says Justin. “We never even sent a tape round to any labels. 25 years later it’s like, are we still doing this fucking thing?! But it’s a hobby, like fishing – you don’t suddenly say ‘I’m going to stop fishing’, so why would we stop doing this?” “I love connecting and looking at people’s faces, seeing what music does to them,” adds Daryl. “Music still shakes me to my core every day. I consider us so lucky to be doing this for so long. Glassjaw is such a weird thing, musically and lyrically, that I’m honoured that after all these years it still works. As long as there’s a demand and we can do it, why does there have to be an end? If things ever slowed down, I don’t think we’d ever have to say it was over. If we want to do it, we do it. That’s Glassjaw.” P GLASSJAW PLAY ARCTANGENT FROM 16TH - 18TH AUGUST. DISRUPT THE NOISE 17

BLACK HONEY HAVE ANNOUNCED THEIR DEBUT Black Honey’s self-titled debut will be released on 21st September, a month before their upcoming headline tour which will see them on the road from 13th October. The album will feature previous hits, 'Hello Today' and 'Dig'.

ENTER SHIKARI HAVE A CRAZY LONG TOUR

Enter Shikari are heading out on tour this December for an absolutely massive headline run in support of latest album ‘The Spark’. Their longest tour to date, it’ll kick off in Lincoln and includes a night at Brixton Academy. Find the deets at upsetmagazine.com.

PARAMORE TEAMED UP WITH DUSTIN FROM STRANGER THINGS

Following some pretty heavy teasing earlier this year, Paramore have finally managed to hook up with Dustin from Stranger Things – aka Gaten Matarazzo – to perform live on stage at their recent show at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Check out some footage on upsetmagazine.com. 18 UPSETMAGAZINE.COM

DEEP CUTS

MARMOZETS

ACK BOTTOMLEY DELVES INTO MARMOZETS’ TWOALBUM OPUS TO PULL OUT SOME OF HIS FAVE LESSER-KNOWN TRACKS - IF YOU WANT THE BIG SINGLES, YOU WON’T FIND THEM HERE.

‘Insomnia’, from ‘Knowing What You Know Now’ A word that was fitting in the time we had all felt reaching the end of writing ‘Knowing What You Know Now’! The experiences of back and forth thoughts and ideas, wake up write record eat, sleep and repeat. We were tired but hungry to deliver something free and easy. This was a well-deserved song for us to write in all the pressure we had put on ourselves. ‘Cry’, from ‘The Weird and Wonderful Marmozets’ We believe ‘Cry’ is our hidden gem from our debut ‘The Weird and Wonderful Marmozets’. A tear you shed that no one witnessed but no one needed to see because of the fighting spirit inside that determines you to move forward. Everyone has been there… First piano song we had ever written and also a song we’ve never performed live. A time will come. ‘Arrive Alive’, from ‘Vexed EP’ This song represents an epic time of realisation. We are not just writers put passionate beings in everything we’re doing musically. Living in our own nightmares but wanting to have more of a presence in what we are achieving as a band. Hence the lyric “I wanna arrive alive”.

‘Hit The Wave’, from ‘The Weird and Wonderful Marmozets’ One of our faves to play live it’s always a song that gets a great reception at our shows from both old fans to newer ones that may not be as familiar with it. The atmosphere always seems to change during this song. It makes us feel so free stood together strong on stage. There’s always a glimpse of strength, this all stems from the moment this song came together in band practice. One of the best memories. ‘Weird and Wonderful’, from ‘The Weird and Wonderful Marmozets’ This was the last song we wrote for ‘The Weird and Wonderful Marmozets’ album. We literally didn’t have this song to record – it didn’t exist. We wrote it at the back end of the recording process in a bit of spare time we had. It was a lot of fun to write... picking up the pace again for the last leap of the album. This is what we’re all about. Pushing ourselves as the individuals we are. ‘Vibetech’, from ‘The Weird and Wonderful Marmozets’ This song sticks out like a sore thumb but equally complements every other song on the album. We felt like it was a deserving nod to the previous EPs we’d released. At this point, we felt like we had moved forward musically but at the same time still had some left over craziness that we wanted to get out into a song. We still get people shouting “Vibetech!” at our shows, and when we do play it the crowd goes off! It’s a song we’ll never get bored of playing live that’s for sure. P MARMOZETS’ ALBUM ‘KNOWING WHAT YOU KNOW NOW’ IS OUT NOW.

THERE’S A WHOLE UNIVERSE OF MUSIC OUT THERE TO ENJOY. HERE’S WHAT WE’VE BEEN LISTENING TO THIS MONTH. D CHECK IT OUT, YOU MIGHT FIN SOMETHING NEW. ALL TIME LOW BIRTHDAY

All Time Low's new track 'Birthday' is so much fun, and they teased it by sending a fan a birthday cake. Top stuff, lads. You have our address, yeah? Chocolate's our fave, btw. STREAM ‘BIRTHDAY’ ONLINE NOW.

MUNCIE GIRLS FALLING DOWN

The latest taster from their (much anticipated, hurray!) upcoming second album, ‘Falling Down’ sees Muncies add another heartfelt hit to their arsenal. FROM NEW

ALBUM ‘FIXED IDEALS’, OUT 31ST AUGUST.

HELLIONS FURROW

It's not the cheeriest tune, this one, as Hellions detail a relationship where "clashing values and morals are constantly challenging not only commitment to another person, but our own happiness." STREAM ‘FURROW’ ONLINE NOW.

DILLY DALLY I FEEL FREE

Dilly Dally are back!! "This feels like the album we’d make if the band died and went to heaven,” says singer Katie Monks. Can't wait. Check out this here snarling lead track in the meantime. FROM NEW ALBUM ‘HEAVEN’, OUT 14TH SEPTEMBER.

LOST IN STEREO SAVE ME

Glasgow newcomers Lost In Stereo make New Found Glory-ish pop punk about the pains of growing up including rubbo relationships, which is what you'll find in 'Save Me'. STREAM ‘SAVE ME’ ONLINE NOW.

LISTEN TO THIS

TWENTY ONE PILOTS

JUMPSUIT / NICO AND THE NINERS TOP have spoilt us with not one, but two new tracks - big things are coming. FROM NEW ALBUM ‘TRENCH’, OUT 5TH OCTOBER.

BLACK HONEY

I ONLY HURT THE ONES I LOVE

This one has a bit more edge than recent shiny pop hit 'Bad Friends', showcasing the defiant streak Black Honey are most loved for. FROM DEBUT ALBUM 'BLACK HONEY', OUT 21ST SEPTEMBER.

MENACE BEACH BLACK RAINBOW SOUND

Leeds duo Menace Beach drop another fuzz-filled good ‘un, and this time they’ve teamed up with Brix Smith from The Fall. Dream team. FROM NEW ALBUM ‘BLACK RAINBOW SOUND’, OUT 31ST AUGUST.

BLOOD RED SHOES

CALL ME UP VICTORIA

Victoria is the name drummer Steven Ansell's parents were going to call him if he were a girl, 'FYI'. "I started imagining this other version of me," he says. FROM THEIR 'ON THE WAY' NEW ALBUM (PROBS).

DISRUPT THE NOISE 19

THE BEST NEW BANDS. THE HOTTEST NEW MUSIC.

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WANT A NEW BAND CRUSH? CHECK OUT THIS LOT! >>>

LOTUS EATER

Self-described as “dark" and "groovy", Glasgow metallers Lotus Eater are best played at window-rattling volume - assuming you don’t have any neighbours, that is. Keep an eye out for new material dropping this summer.

BLOODY KNEES

After a false start a few years ago, now’s Bloody Knees’ time with their not-long-released 5* EP ‘Maybe It’s Easy’ full of retro-indie charm and hooks for days, and a new EP on the way too. Top stuff.

LOWLIVES

This alt-rock four-piece consists of former members of The Defiled, Amen, No Devotion and The Ataris. They’re playing Reading & Leeds, and their debut EP is due on 31st August - keep an eye out for ‘Burn Forever’.

OH, WEATHERLY

LAKE ROSES HAS HAD A BIT OF A TIME OF IT. FROM THE DEATH OF HIS DAD, TO HELPING RAISE HIS BABY SISTER, TO HIS FIANCÉ BREAKING OFF THEIR ENGAGEMENT - ON OH, WEATHERLY’S DEBUT, HE BARES ALL. HEY BLAKE, HOW’S IT GOING? EXCITED FOR THE ALBUM? Hey! It’s going great. We are very excited for our first full-length album. One of my biggest goals was to put out a fulllength, so it’s kind of like having an extra Christmas this year. HAS ‘LIPS LIKE OXYGEN’ BEEN A LONG TIME COMING? There are a couple of songs on the record that I’ve had in the works for a little over a year now, but most of the material was written about six months before recording. I took that time off work to buckle down and get in my feels. WHAT WAS IT LIKE WORKING WITH JAKE FROM MAYDAY PARADE? My experience with Jake was amazing. He’s an incredibly talented, humble, and down to earth guy and I don’t think this album would be the same without him. HAS HE GIVEN YOU MUCH BAND LIFE ADVICE? There were a lot of “Dad moments” as Jake would call them where he’d help guide and give his input where it was needed. He definitely helped shed some light on what the music business is like and shared his own personal experiences. HAVE YOU GUYS HAD TO OVERCOME MANY CHALLENGES DURING YOUR TIME IN THE BAND? We have had our fair share of challenges and setbacks within the past couple years that we’ve been together. Although we’ve wanted to throw in the towel at

“ONE OF THIS BAND’S MOST DEFINING QUALITIES IS THAT WE ARE ABLE TO PUSH THROUGH FAILURE” BLAKE ROSES times, I think one of this band’s most defining qualities is that we are able to push through failure until we see success. WHAT DOES BEING A MUSICIAN MEAN TO YOU? Being a musician to me is having the power to help people with the same life struggles that pushed me into starting a band. I know what the lowest of lows are like, and I’ve been there. Nothing feels more right to me than being able to make a difference in people’s lives just by sharing my story. TO WHAT EXTENT DO YOU USE MUSIC TO FIGURE OUT HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT LIFE? I don’t think I use music to figure out how I feel about life necessarily, but rather to express how I feel or felt about my darkest and brightest moments. YOU’VE SAID THE ALBUM IS A TRIBUTE TO THE LESSONS YOU’VE LEARNT, AND THAT YOU NO LONGER EXPECT ANYTHING FROM ANYONE BUT YOURSELF - HAVE YOU BEEN LET DOWN A LOT? This album will definitely show that I have been let down on many cases and I’ve never quite shared this much personal information. I try not to look at it as being let down anymore, but more or less as a lesson learned. The lesson

being, expect nothing from no one but yourself. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE ALBUM’S VIBE? The album has a more poppy and sometimes punky vibe than our earlier releases, but it still has that good oldfashioned Oh, Weatherly emotional touch. HAS ANYONE HAD YOUR LYRICS TATTOOED ON THEM YET? I haven’t actually seen any tattoos yet, but I’ve seen people saying they are getting them and I think that’d be pretty kewl. (Hint, hint.) ARE THERE ANY LYRICS ON ‘LIPS LIKE OXYGEN’ THAT PARTICULARLY MEAN A LOT TO YOU? In the song ‘Where Have You Been’ I have the most descriptive, personal lyrics I’ve ever written. Basically, every word in that song makes me feel a certain way and gets me every time. Also, my mom sang with me in it. WHAT’S ON YOUR BUCKET LIST FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS? We are hoping lot of tours. We’ve also been dabbling a bit with a vlog and other videos to keep things interesting, but in the meantime, I’ll be writing new tunes for the future. P OH, WEATHERLY’S DEBUT ALBUM ‘LIPS LIKE OXYGEN’ IS OUT 27TH JULY.

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THE FRIGHTS

HE FRIGHTS STARTED ON A WHIM. MUCKING ABOUT AFTER HIGH SCHOOL TO PASS THE TIME AND ONE THIRTYMINUTE SET QUICKLY GREW INTO A CAREER, FIVE YEARS IN THE MAKING. Their second album, ‘You Are Going To Hate This' toyed with expectations and confronted self-doubt head-on, under a flurry of fuzzy surf-punk abandon. Third album ‘Hypochondriac' sees them once again team up with FIDLAR's Zac Carper, but that's where the similarities end. Lead single ‘Crutch' is a gnarled, vicious attack on the band itself, all frustrated beating heart and end of their tether release. "I do have a serious love/hate relationship with being in a band," admits Mikey Carnevale, ahead of The Frights first ever show in the UK. "I feel like a piece of shit for feeling shitty about it because it is sick. This is my job, and everyone wants to do this. If you're into music, you want to be in a band. But it is fucking exhausting. It sucks a lot, and no one really wants to talk about that." A few hours later, as the band tear

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through their set at Brighton's Green Door Store as part of Upset's Great Escape show, it's nothing but glorious fun. ‘Crutch' might pull apart how hard being in a band is, nowhere to hide and with no shame in the struggle, but The Frights haven't lost that spark. 'Hypochondriac' crackles with blistering, bubbling newness. It's the sound of a band letting go and getting loose. "There's only one ‘Crutch' on that record," promises Jordan. Everything else is completely different. "It's not for everyone, but it has a lot for everyone. I think a lot of people are going to surprised," warns Mikey. "The last record was about growing up and being little scared. Now we're full-fledged adults, we're not mature, but we're supposed to live adult lives, and this record is about how do we deal with that and shit that's going on with us. "It gets a little scary, but once you realise who you are, it gets a lot easier. When you're a teenager, you're trying to work out who you want to be. You try and figure I out. Now, we're in our twenties, and you realise this is who I am, this is

the way it's going to be, and you've just to work with that." That peace, "breathes through the record," explains Jordan. "That's why the record is so comfortable going to so many places." Despite the band dealing in the personal, pouring their hearts out and wanting to help others, they're not set on changing the world. "It's just music," explains Mikey. "Don't take everything to heart and don't be so fucking serious about it. There are certain songs that talk about certain stuff, and if someone hears those songs and realises ‘Hey, this guy has serious anxiety as well, and he deals with it,' that's fine, but I don't want to press anyone into listening to my message. If they take something from this record, that's a bonus but for me, listen to it when you're sad. Listen to it when you're hooking up. Feel good about it. Don't take yourself too seriously." "That's our mission statement," grins Jordan. "To a fault," adds Marc. "To a serious fault." P THE FRIGHTS' ALBUM 'HYPOCHONDRIAC' IS OUT 24TH AUGUST.

PAGAN W ATCH OUT, NO ONE IS SAFE FROM PAGAN'S SELFDESCRIBED "BLACKENED ROCK AND ROLL" - THEIR DEBUT ALBUM IS A MONSTER SET TO PROPEL THEM INTO HEADPHONES AND STEREOS ALL OVER THE WORLD. “I DISCOVERED PUNK MUSIC, AND FROM THAT MOMENT I WAS TOTALLY OBSESSED," SAYS VOCALIST NIKKI BRUMEN. HI NIKKI, HOW'S IT GOING? EXCITED FOR THE ALBUM? I'm great! I'm super excited for the release of 'Black Wash'. I'd be lying if I didn't say I was a little bit nervous, it's our debut album so I have no idea what to expect in terms of how it will be received. We've created something that we are truly happy with, which to me, is the most important thing. WHAT FIRST GOT YOU INTO WANTING TO CREATE MUSIC? When I was a young teenager, I discovered punk music. From that moment, I was totally obsessed. I would come home from school and listen to all of my favourite punk and metal albums on repeat - I remember listening to Murderdolls' first album 36 times in a row! I would play my records and dream of standing on stage one day and singing for a band. When I was about 16, I saw Yeah Yeah Yeahs play a set at a music festival. This moment was very pivotal for me as I hadn't seen many women fronting bands up until this point. I thought to myself that one day I was going to do what

Karen O does. To this day, she is still my biggest musical inspiration! DID YOU HAVE A NATURAL AFFINITY FOR SONGWRITING, OR HAS IT TAKEN A LOT OF PRACTICE? I used to play in another band before joining Pagan, and this made me comfortable with the songwriting process. When Pagan started, I found it quite challenging to write songs because the music was a lot more technical than what I was used to. We would record a rough version of the song (drums, bass and guitar) on a phone and I would listen to it on repeat until I developed some ideas. From there, I would write and rewrite until I was happy with it. WHAT DO YOU MOST ENJOY WRITING ABOUT? All of my favourite albums are ones that cover a songwriter's personal struggles, which I, as the listener, can relate to somehow. With 'Black Wash', I had just gone through a breakup, and a lot of my writing came from the grieving and healing process at this time. I would hope that someone going through a similar thing could hear our record and be able to relate to it in some way. This is kind of stating the obvious, but I also love writing about anything occult or true crime related. DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE TRACK ON THE RECORD? If I had to choose, I'd say the Intro and Outro. Xave's guitar work on them is my favourite, and lyrically, they sum up the whole concept of the album. When I was recording the outro, I went through a wave of emotions, and I think it really translates into the song. I love that they bookend the album as well.

“YEAH YEAH YEAHS' KAREN O IS MY BIGGEST INSPIRATION” WHAT DO YOU THINK IS KEY TO PAGAN'S SUCCESS SO FAR? I think the key is that we have never conformed. From the beginning, we never even knew what style of music Pagan was going to be. We just drew on different inspirations and really created something that was true to us. I think in any form of art, truth and authenticity is incredibly interesting and stands out among something unoriginal. I think people are drawn to Pagan because of this. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE THOSE LOOKING TO START THEIR OWN BAND? Don't hesitate, just do it, now. If you don't, you probably never will. As an artist, there will never be a perfect time to start anything. Also, remain humble, be nice to everyone and be willing to sleep in some really uncomfortable places! WHAT’S NEXT? We're playing a couple of Australian festivals over the next few weeks and have our national album tour during August. Let's hope we can make it an international tour sooner rather than later! P PAGAN'S DEBUT ALBUM 'BLACK WISH' IS OUT NOW. DISRUPT THE NOISE 23

HOMESAFE

OMESAFE ARE THE NEW PROJECT FROM KNUCKLE PUCK VOCALIST AND BASSIST, RYAN RUMCHAKS. NEWLY SIGNED TO PURE NOISE RECORDS, THEIR DEBUT ALBUM HAS JUST LANDED. HEY RYAN, HOW’S IT GOING? Hello! It's going just dandy. Life is good.

A lot of riffs and song ideas were existent far before we decided to sign with anyone actually! We're always writing. We did a bit of touring last year, talked with some labels and decided it was time to record a record. WHAT DO YOU MOST WANT TO ACHIEVE WITH YOUR SONGS? Keeping everything as raw and honest as possible. And loud.

YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN KICKING AROUND FOR A LITTLE WHILE NOW, HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING ON YOUR DEBUT ALBUM FOR? We started recording 'One' in midDecember last year (2017) and finished it up at the end of January (2018).

HOW DOES YOUR RECENT MATERIAL COMPARE TO YOUR EARLY STUFF? Our newer stuff is definitely more rocky, loud and driven. But at the same time, we always like to mix in slower, softer stuff once in a while. We like to keep things dynamic. We don't like when two songs sound too alike.

HOW MUCH OF THE ALBUM WAS COMPLETE WHEN YOU SIGNED YOUR RECORD DEAL, WHAT WAS THE PROCESS LIKE THERE?

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES FACING NEW BANDS THESE DAYS? I feel like it's really easy nowadays to

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get caught up in all of the bullshit that comes with being a band, rather than just getting on stage and playing a God damn song. A band's live performance will always be the most important part of being a band, in my opinion. It's easy to get distracted by all the extras, I guess is what I'm saying. ...Also BBQs, Mario Kart 64, and Teddy and Maggie, the studio dogs. IF YOU WEREN’T A MUSICIAN, WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING WITH YOUR LIFE? I'd be quite the useless person, haha! DO YOU LOT HAVE BIG PLANS FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR? Yes! We're leaving for a headline tour this summer in support of our new record, 'One'. More touring and more touring and touring on top of that... Come see us live! P HOMESAFE'S DEBUT ALBUM 'ONE' IS OUT NOW.

ORCHARDS C HILDHOOD PALS SAM RUSHTON (GUITAR) AND DAN FANE (BASS) MET WILL LEE-LEWIS (DRUMS) AND LUCY EVERS (VOCALS) IN THEIR FIRST WEEK AT UNIVERSITY IN BRIGHTON, AND THEY'VE BEEN MAKING BANGIN' TUNES EVER SINCE.

HEY ORCHARDS, HOW’S BRIGHTON AT THE MO? IT'S SUPER STRONG FOR NEW BANDS RIGHT NOW. Brighton has always been such a vibrant and eclectic city. Ever since we all moved here in 2012, there has always seemed to be a new scene cropping up buzzing with great new bands appearing all the time. There are so many genres, and it’s one of the things that we truly love about it. DO YOU ALL LIVE TOGETHER OR WOULD THAT BE A BIT MUCH? Does a van count?! Think it’s safe to say that being the 2018 version of the Young Ones would be amazing but, nope. Sorry to disappoint. We have all lived with each other at different points over the years, but currently, we live half and half over two flats. We do see each other all the time though so it often feels like we live together. DOES LIVING IN SUCH CHILL PLACE IMPACT THE VIBE OF YOUR MUSIC? Totally! You take such influence from your surroundings. I think most people in Brighton are very easy going and there is no way that mentality wouldn’t seep into you somehow. The thing about Brighton that makes it so good for creative is the

fact that it is so accepting, you can truly be anyone you want down here, be your true self and no-one is judging.

YOUR NEW EP IS CALLED ‘LOSERS/ LOVERS’. WHICH SIDE DO YOU LOT FALL ON? Everyone has their moments, right? It’s safe to say that everyone in this world at some point has experienced loss and love and going through those intense emotions shapes who people are. However mostly, I’d say we’re lovers. Sam and Dan have been best friends since they were three so they love each other I think…

IT’S REALLY LONG AT EIGHT TRACKS, ARE YOU CLEARING THE DECKS BEFORE AN ALBUM PROPER? We had planned originally for the EP to be five tracks, but after signing to Big Scary Monsters, they gave us the idea to put our previous three singles alongside it as we hadn’t physically released them. These tracks are the result of three years of hard work - we are so proud of them and how our songwriting has grown. If we didn’t put our first three singles ('Peggy', 'Honey', and 'Darling') on this EP, they might not have got the chance to see a physical release, and we couldn’t do that to our babies! Ooh there’s that word again: album! Everyone’s asking, and we always say the same thing. We’re constantly writing music, and we have so much to prove, but we’re waiting for the right time to get the big scary debut out there. HOW DO YOU BALANCE MAKING SUPER FUN TUNES ABOUT WEIGHTY

“THE DREAM, OF COURSE, IS TO SELL OUT WEMBLEY”

SUBJECTS LIKE MENTAL HEALTH? I believe mental health is only weighty because it’s still classed as a taboo subject. The more we talk about it, the more it filters into our daily language, the more acceptable it will be to admit you’re suffering and realise that you’re not alone. The juxtaposition of the fun music alongside sometimes quite serious subject matter is the ‘spoonful of sugar’ that people might need to allow the message to reach them. WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU LOT WILL BE UP TO IN FIVE YEARS’ TIME? WHAT’S THE DREAM? The dream? Well, the dream, of course, is to sell out Wembley but let’s not run before we can walk. We just want to keep doing what we are doing, writing and playing music. I guess in five years’ time we would expect to have released a lot more music (an album maybe?!). We also really want to travel more, we would love to go over to the States and meet some people over there (we’re coming for you don’t worry). Other than that we just want to get as many people as possible involved in this party that we’re having if we can help everyone to have fun then we’re doing our job. P ORCHARDS' EP 'LOSERS/LOVERS' IS OUT NOW. DISRUPT THE NOISE 25

SUNNY SIDE UP COVER STORY

WITH TWO (SORT OF) NEW MEMBERS AND A BRAND NEW ALBUM, DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE ARE A BAND REFRESHED.

WORDS: STEVEN LOFTIN. PHOTOS: SARAH LOUISE BENNETT.

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EATH CAB FOR CUTIE FRONTMAN BEN GIBBARD HAS BEEN PONDERING THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF HIS BELOVED SEATTLE. IT'S A STORY THAT'S RELATABLE THE WORLD OVER; AS TIME GOES ON THE PLACES WE KNOW AND LOVE CHANGE, FAVOURITE SPOTS ARE TAKEN OVER BY MODERNITY AND GENTRIFICATION. It's a physical evolution that has become something of a metaphor for Ben's life. At the age of forty-one, twenty years deep into his band's career, the irony isn't lost on him. The first glimpse he offered into Death Cab' newest chapter, ninth studio album 'Thank You For Today', specifically focused upon the idea of a changing world, once again neatly falling into the wheelhouse that's previously served them so well - an emotive resonance few can match. The reaction to ‘Gold Rush' was positive, but vulnerable to backlash following the departure of co-founder, producer and guitarist Chris Walla with their last record 'Kintsugi' back in 2014. "We've all done this right?" Ben begins, chuckling. "Fans tend to be very reactive with very little perspective when they hear the first note of a new album, so you want to make sure that you can reassure them that the band hasn't become something too different to what they're used to. "Over the years, our singles have tended to be a little bit divisive or atypical of the time. ‘I Will Possess Your Heart' was the first single from [2008's] 'Narrow Stairs', and that's an eight-anda-half minute can-jam, you know?!" he says, laughing. "We've always wanted the singles to be a little bit of a left turn than what the tone of the album is. I've always preferred to have songs be hotly debated than to have them be universally loved or hated." Mission accomplished, then. "When Chris left the band that was a really emotional time," he continues. "Chris's contributions to the band and his playing and production are a huge part of this band's story and sound. One would not be able to go through that transition without having to ask themselves some really tough questions." The future of the band was one of those questions, but Death Cab are still here. With touring musicians Dave Depper and Zac Rae moving up to fullfledged band members, they're raring to go. "We never intended to replace Chris with a capital 'R'," Ben explains. "It wasn't like we were going to find somebody like

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“WE HAVE A LOT OF REALLY GREAT ALBUMS STILL IN US” him. I think why it's been so inspiring for us is that while we may have lost a particular skill set - and a brilliant musical mind - Dave and Zach are unbelievable musicians with skill sets that I wasn't even aware they had until we got in the studio. "I believe that this record, it sounds a little cliché, but it's the beginning of a new chapter. It's one that I'm excited about because we haven't even begun to tap the potential of the music that we can make with Dave and Zach. Will people like it as much, or will it be as revered as these albums we made in the early-mid oughts that have become our calling cards? We'll see, who knows?" Ben openly admits. "I mean, obviously the realist would say that it's unlikely. When we've had a run of albums as we did in the early-mid 00s that have really defined the sound of this band, it's impossible to recreate those zeitgeist moments. "That said, I feel like we have a lot of really great albums still in us, and whether or not people speak of them in the same tone that they do 'Transatlanticism' [2003], or 'Facts' [2000], or 'Plans' [2005] or whatever else, will be to be determined. But I certainly think that I am more excited about the future of this band, and the songs that have yet to be written than I have been in quite a while. Twenty years in, I think that's saying something." The loss of Chris from the Death Cab ranks, while unfortunate, offered the opportunity for a much-needed shake-up. "Oh, it was incredibly freeing," Ben divulges. "Certainly, without speaking out of turn, when you have a creative relationship with someone like Chris - who is a very brilliant and yet very opinionated and strong-minded person, and that is your working relationship for sixteen years - as with any long relationship, you end up in situations.

Ones where you're like ‘Oh I see, you don't like my guitar part because I didn't buy dinner three weeks ago at that place'." "It's like the emotional water has become muddied," he quickly clarifies. "When you start the band at twenty, and you've grown up together, in some ways, there are elements of the relationship that do grow, and some are frozen in the embryonic stages when you're still learning how to communicate with other human beings. "When I look back on those early years of the band, I'm just shocked at how poor we were at communicating with each other. I haven't had this much fun making an album since we made 'Transatlanticism'. "When we were leaving the studio at night, sometimes one or two of us would end up walking along back to the apartment together. Nick [Harmer, bass] and I would end up talking, like: ‘Hey, you know, this is really fun, right?' "We were very reticent, very quick to make sure that we weren't equating a fun environment with making a good album. Just because you're having a good time doesn't mean what you're making is good - I think that goes without saying. But in the history of this band, the records that we've had that have been the most enjoyable for us to make, have tended to be the better albums because ideas are flowing, creativity is flowing, people are communicating well, we're enjoying each others company. We're not bringing whatever bullshit that just kind of piles up after you've been a band for as long as we have, that just doesn't exist anymore. "As we make more records with Dave and Zach we'll start to build our own little pile of bullshit, but I think Chris would probably say the same thing - that after sixteen years of playing music together he just realised that he had accomplished what he wanted to

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;GOLD RUSH'

AND THE HAUNTS THAT MADE IT BEN OFFERS UP A WHISTLE-STOP TOUR OF THE MISSING PLACES THAT INSPIRED 'GOLD RUSH'. "The Green Cat, or The Globe, or Orpheum Records or Fall Out Records or Eileen's sports bar. I could keep throwing them at you. Just so many placesâ&#x20AC;Ś you know the bunker where we recorded [2000's] 'The Forbidden Love EP'? That's now just condos. I would go to a bar and work on lyrics at night, that bar is now a Starbucks. "If there's one thing I hope people take away from the song it's that I don't view these shifts and changes in the demographics and the geography of the city as things that have been done to me. I don't feel like I'm a victim of some kind of invisible hand of capitalism. It's more-so that this is something that I've done to myself, I have formed this relationship with the city that I live in and the places in the city that are no longer there. "This is what happens when one connects their geography to memory, as I have. One thing I really wanted to make sure in the song is that it didn't come off as like an old guy complaining about how everything has changed. It's more so that this is the experience of when you place your eggs in that basket; this is one of the outcomes of that."

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“THERE’S A PHRASE, ‘DON'T BE SAD THAT IT'S OVER, BE GLAD THAT IT HAPPENED’”

accomplish with it. At the time he left we weren't on poor terms by any stretch of the imagination, but we made all the music we had to make together. "I completely understand why there would be fans out there that would have been concerned about this new chapter, or maybe those who are just big fans of Chris and don't like the idea that we chose to continue. I guess all I can say is no one's holding a gun to your head and making you listen to our new album or to come to a show. "You can have those memories if you like, but for me, I'd much rather live in the moment, where we are now, grateful for all the years that we had with Chris and the records that we made with him, but also realising that that's in the past and not to dwell on it. "There's a phrase that I heard relatively recently that I'm sure is one of those platitudes that's been repeated a number of times, but I found it while a little bit trite, still a fairly beautiful sentiment; ‘Don't be sad that it's over, be glad that it happened'. And I think that certainly applies to how I feel about the past twenty years of the band, and Chris's contribution for that matter." Ben's attitude offers wisdom that only getting older can bring. "I'm forty-one years old now, so if I'm lucky, I'm at the middle point of my life. Where I stand now, I feel like I'm both looking forward and backwards in equal amounts," he offers. "When one is looking both forwards and backwards at the same time, one can't help but be very present in the moment and grateful for the people

around them, the life that one gets to live, family, these kinds of things; I feel more present. I really do feel more present in my daily life at this point than I have to date. I think that is very related to my age, and where I am in my life and my career and everything else." Which brings us nicely to ‘Thank You For Today'. It's a record that evokes feelings of embracing the moment, not to mention the open blue sky that features on the artwork. It all feels refreshing; the result of a band that have consistently pushed their boundaries tested the mark, and more often than not hit it. "It's boring when bands stay the same the whole time," Ben enthuses. "As I look at my favourite bands that are still active, one of the reasons that I enjoy them [is that] every album they put out there are elements of the group that remind you why you love them and connect you to their catalogue of music, while also providing you with some new sonic information or new lyrical information. "To me, two bands that come to mind immediately are Low and Wilco. When Low began it seemed like there was nowhere for that band to go, they were a very slow, three-piece guitar band. Over the years they've continued to innovate and make interesting records while always reminding me, a fan, of why I love them. "Wilco is the same way. They went through a fairly large line-up change at the beginning of the century that left a lot of people wondering what their future would be. [2001's] 'Yankee Hotel Foxtrot' might go down as their

most well-known album, the record that they're remembered for, but they've had a shit tonne of awesome records since then." An obvious thing that often feels forgotten is that bands are fans of music too. They go over the same thoughts and feelings as the rest of us, even when it comes to their favourites' developments - which is why Ben finds it so easy to relate to those that throw him under the same magnifying glass. "A lyric that's like, ‘Change, don't change, stay the same'," he says, referring to the ghostly refrain in the outro moments of ‘Gold Rush'. "Could easily be applied to a fan of the band hearing the song - or this record, and being like ‘Oh I just want them to be like they were on Transatlanticism'. "It's like, well, if you're looking for your favourite band to stay the same forever you are destined for a lifetime of listening disappointment. If that's what you want out of your favourite artists you are doomed to be disappointed forever." Though light-heartedly reneging on this idea, he states, laughing: "I think the only band that I'd want that from is AC/DC. I want every AC/DC record to be songs about girls or guitars and rocking or not rocking. You don't want anything more from AC/DC, but I don't think we're the kind of band that people would still be paying attention to if we had made 'Transatlanticism' for the last seven albums. There are people out there who would claim otherwise, but if they actually had to listen to those albums, they wouldn't be paying attention anymore. "It's one of the reasons that AC/DC, I believe, is the greatest rock band of all time. They were just like, 'We are a rock band with a capital ‘R'', and they just did that. Even the Ramones had songs with strings. Even the Ramones had a cover of [The Ronettes'] ‘Baby, I Love You' on [1980 album] 'End Of The Century' - that may be a side conversation! But I like to think we're one of those bands that wouldn't have the audience, and people wouldn't care as much if we had just recycled the first couple of albums over and over again." ‘Thank You For Today' keeps things moving forward, yet still lends itself to everything that makes up the Death Cab DNA. Taking a little piece from all of Ben's influencers' ideas leading to nuances such as the repetitive refrain of ‘gold rush' in its titular track to the driving rock sounds of opener ‘I Dreamt We Spoke Again'. ‘You Moved Away' meanwhile is a classic Death Cab brooding emotional wreck that deals with a broken relationship still filled with unrequited DISRUPT THE NOISE 31

love. It could as easily be about a romantic one as dealing with the loss of Chris. There's a little bit of something for everyone on ‘Thank You For Today', but one of the most interesting tracks is the album's finale. ‘60 & Punk' is an acoustic number that revolves around a single protagonist that Ben doesn't quite feel comfortable disclosing. "It's a person who is a huge hero of mine, and who was going through some incredibly difficult times and made some really poor decisions," he says. "It was a very difficult thing for me to watch because he's a person that's one of the main reasons I started doing this in the first place. Thankfully - the happy ending - is that this person has been sober for two years now and has shifted at a really important time of their life where if they hadn't they'd be dead now. "In one verse, I'm the age I am now watching this person I admire so much just kind of fall apart, and the second

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verse I'm a kid looking up to this person. The song lives in the negative space between those two spaces in time. How do you rectify the admiration you have with somebody, with the fact that they're a human being? Human beings make mistakes, they stumble, but that they're also capable of self-correction. "The person in question doesn't know - obviously the record's not out yet, but maybe they'll pick up on if that's about them. I like to think they'll be kind of flattered," he says with a hearty laugh. "Especially given that the person is in a much better place now. But yeah, and not to mention the fact that I am in the middle point between the beginning of my career and the age this person was when the subject matter of the song was taking place." As the career that's served him so well ticks nicely along, the approaching sunrise for the new dawn of Death Cab begins its ascent, and the only thing he wants to do is progress.

"There are elements to the work that we do that are not the things you get into it for; like photo shoots and interviews and press trips and stuff like that, but, especially with this album cycle, I've been enjoying it so far. Even as it takes me across two continents, and four time zones in eleven days; this is an amazing opportunity that I've been living with for the last twenty years, and I want to make sure that I move forward as an artist and a songwriter. "Nothing lasts forever, and everything is finite," Ben declares, spreading more of his authentic wisdom. "One only has a choice either to live in the moment or not. We would rather choose to live in the moment; in the world in which we currently exist, where we have this new blood in the band, and we have this new palette to play with. We're moving forward into a new chapter." P DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE’S ALBUM ‘THANK YOU FOR TODAY’ IS OUT 17TH AUGUST.

W AL BU M AS IT IS ’S NE D H TH E IN S AN DE AL S W IT PR ES SI ON . OU TS OF DE IS RE CO RD “I WAN T TH PO RTAN T TO SPAR K IM TI ON S,” CO NV ER SA Y TM AN PATT SAYS FR ON . WALTE RS WO RD S: JA

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CK PR ES S

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N A WORLD WHERE MILLIONS TUNE IN TO THEIR TV SCREENS TO WATCH WANNABE CELEBRITIES COMPETE OVER WHO’S HOT AND WHO’S NOT ON LOVE ISLAND, WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY TWEETING THEIR WOES OF NOT SIZING UP THE SAME AS THE SILHOUETTES, YOU CAN’T HELP BUT WONDER ABOUT THIS DANGEROUS GAME OF OBSESSION AND SUBSEQUENTLY DEPRESSION. Spending some time in the confines of their ice-cold air-conditioned bus, As It Is frontman Patty Walters’ unfolds their grand vision for their taboo-breaking rulebook-ripping concept album ‘The Great Depression’ ahead of their first date on the last ever Warped Tour. “You see it when you’re scrolling through social media, you see it when you turn on your television and watch certain shows, you see it at every moment on every screen,” states Patty. He’s embroiled in our generation’s love affair with depression, the central theme to their pop punk-departing third record that ups the ante in the way of harsh vocals, heavier riffs, and a heartbreaking expose of the problems at hand. “It was very important to combat the idea, if not for anyone else then for myself, that we were not part of the problem. The majority of bands in this scene are a comfort for people who suffer from depression or anxiety or anything under that umbrella, and I think there are bands and media outlets that contribute to glamorising, to romanticising, to even fetishising mental illness which is not something I want to be a part of in any way.” Split into four of the five stages of grief – denial, anger, bargaining, and acceptance – with the fifth, depression, taking centre stage, As It Is take the listener on an explorative narrative of depression in the modern age, tackling subjects as varied as toxic masculinity, the idolisation of death, and the acceptance of needing help. “So much of this subject matter and the topic of discussion comes from the at-length conversations we’ve had before and after our sets, hearing their stories and talking about ours. I don’t think this record would even exist, or be nearly half the record it is, without those conversations, so I’m very thankful for everything the ‘Okay.’ cycle gave us and the vulnerable conversations that we share with our fans.” 2017’s ‘Okay.’ took As It Is to new heights commercially and critically, but it left them disillusioned with personnel changes and in-house tensions. “A lot of the celebrations that

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should’ve been had with releasing this triumphant record that really grew our band and cemented these deep connections with our fans was put on hold to write this record and to create this vision, and we were living in this world of ‘The Great Depression’ throughout the entirety of the ‘Okay.’ cycle.” There were bumps in the road so heavy that if it wasn’t for the vision that underpins As It Is’ brave new world, there might not be another cycle at all, “There were months where the only thing that kept me in this band was writing this record to completion, and that’s why some of the songs are so brave because in my mind we had nothing to lose and everything to prove to leave this legacy behind.” Their legacy, however, is cemented within the conversations that came prior to ‘The Great Depression’ with their fans and the ones that will come afterwards, which above all, is Patty’s hope in opening the floor to a new perspective. “I want this record to spark a lot of important conversations that need to be had not only in our scene but in our society as a whole. With ‘Okay.’ we encouraged people to speak out if they weren’t okay, but with that being said, the receiving end of that needs to be listening. We’ve seen it with celebrity suicides, that people are not getting the help they need that they’re desperately crying out for. We saw it with Chester Bennington and it was nothing short of a tragedy, and a lot more work needs to be done regarding our perceptions of mental health in our society and with this record I want to have these conversations and not shy away from them.” In outright refusing to shy away from the conversations the world needs to have, Patty has simultaneously ensured As It Is avoids shying themselves away from change in all possible ways. Musically and aesthetically, from new hairdos to heavier sounds, they’ve moved on from ‘Okay.’’s poppy pop-punk. “I wasn’t experiencing the same lows I was experiencing while writing ‘Okay.’ because I was in a much better place, and maybe it’s a result of getting older and maturing, but writing another record about myself didn’t artistically fulfil me in the same way it did previously. I wanted to write something more universal, more mature, and more important.” To fulfil this newfound artistic need, they enlisted the help of idols and influencers in the shape of producer Machine (Lamb Of God, Every Time I Die) and Underoath vocalist Aaron Gillespie for incendiary track ‘The Reaper’.

“WE HAD NOTHING TO LOSE AND EVERYTHING TO PROVE” “An integral reason of why we wanted Machine as a producer was Armor For Sleep’s ‘What To Do When You’re Dead’ which he produced, because it’s not a dissimilar concept, it’s not a dissimilar subject matter, and it’s not a dissimilar genre from the era we were paying homage to with this record.” Ironically, the era in question is the very same Aaron pioneered with Underoath. “Underoath have been a huge influence to this band before this new direction. Our first record was recorded with James Paul Wisner who recorded Underoath’s ‘They’re Only Chasing Safety’, so we reached out to Aaron not entirely expecting a no, but if you don’t ask then there’s no chance. We were lucky enough that he wanted to collaborate and what makes ‘The Reaper’ so special and so strong is that we wrote that part with Aaron in mind.” Much like ‘The Great Depression’ as a whole, every single aspect of As It Is’ new era is a multi-faceted, thoroughlyplanned world that was created not only to inform and educate listeners, but to ease fans into a new model of As It Is. “What Machine is so incredible at is knowing what’s important to a band, what their fans really latch onto. Through a lot of choruses, the vocal deliveries are quite clean intentionally, some of which were intended to sing quite aggressively. He told us to use other sections of the song to make those moments shine, so they’re more dynamic, not too exhausting to listen to or too alienating to people who know and love As It Is already.” As a summer of Warped Tour appearances approaches and ‘The Great Depression’ brings itself upon us, Patty defiantly commands attention in laying out his plan away from sparking the conversations we need to have – and that’s to simply be the biggest band they can be. “It’s our vision to not pursue dreams of the pop and mainstream world but to stay true to our roots and become the biggest and best band within this alternative scene, instead of trying to transcend into some entity of success in a pop world. That’s what matters.” P AS IT IS’S ALBUM ‘THE GREAT DEPRESSION’ IS OUT 10TH AUGUST.

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"EVERYONE CHANGE" TROPHY EYES

IS CAPABLE OF

NEW ALBUM 'THE AMERICAN DREAM' FOLLOWS A PERIOD OF TURMOIL FOR AUSSIE PUNKS TROPHY EYES THAT COULD'VE SEEN THEM CRUMBLE, BUT THEY'VE OVERCOME AND HAVE RETURNED MORE SURE OF THEMSELVES THAN EVER BEFORE.

ROPHY EYES HAVE BINNED OFF SOME OF THEIR BAGGAGE OF OLD FOR A MUCHNEEDED FRESH START. THEIR THIRD ALBUM 'THE AMERICAN DREAM' SEES A LINE-UP CHANGE AFTER THE DEPARTURE OF DRUMMER CALLUM CRAMP, VOCALIST JOHN FLOREANI UPPING STICKS FROM AUSTRALIA TO FIND HIMSELF IN (YOU GUESSED IT) THE US, AND A WHOLE NEW SOUND INFLUENCED BY SOME ARENA ROCK LEGENDS. “WHERE OTHER PEOPLE MAY HAVE FELT IT TOO HARD TO CONTINUE, WE PERSISTED,” JOHN EXPLAINS. WHAT PROMPTED YOUR MOVE TO TEXAS? THAT’S A CRAZY LONG WAY FROM AUSTRALIA.

Like every good story, I met a girl. Australia held some pretty dark memories and ties to my past that I no longer wanted to bare. I decided to go to Texas and start new. I think we’ve all craved that at some point in our lives – a fresh start where no one knows who you are with a chance to live a normal life; settle down and enjoy the quiet. WHAT IMPACT HAS THE MOVE HAD ON YOU, DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’RE STILL THE SAME PERSON AS BEFORE?

I did a lot of growing up in Texas. Learning the values of family and community and letting people in definitely changed me. I’m grateful to have experienced normal life for a little while. If you spend enough years being an asshole, you’ll eventually convince yourself that way of life is all you deserve. Overcoming that kind of self-image was hard, but eventually, I grew to understand that I didn’t have to live like

WORDS: SAM TAYLOR

that. Everyone is capable of change, and everyone deserves at least a taste of who they aspire to be. THERE'S BEEN A LINE-UP CHANGE TOO, DID CALLUM HAVE MUCH OF A HAND IN ‘THE AMERICAN DREAM’? HAS HIS DEPARTURE CHANGED THE VIBE OF THE BAND AT ALL?

We signed on our brother and dearest friend Blake Caruso to play drums for Trophy Eyes and cemented him as a member a few months ago. The vibe inside the band has changed for the better, and it’s obvious on everyone’s faces that the change has been a good one. Vibes are high, and it’s an absolute pleasure to come to work again. Callum didn’t have anything to do with 'The American Dream' throughout this writing and recording process. Despite the obvious emotional gymnastics of a member change, we managed to create our best work yet. I think that anyone who can’t see the positive difference in Trophy Eyes’ energy intertwined with this body of work is delusional. WAS THE FUTURE OF TROPHY EYES EVER IN DOUBT?

There will always be times where you question what it is that you do. I think everyone in Trophy Eyes is guilty of that. The closest we ever got to calling it quits was because of the unhealthy creative environment we’d found ourselves in and being subject to extremely antisocial behaviours. We worked together to find the problem and fix it. Now the bond between everyone in Trophy Eyes is stronger than I can ever remember, and our dream as a group of starry-eyed musicians has been realised again. I think that’s what defines the difference between here and now bands, and those that we’ll still be listening to in ten years

– their ability to overcome and persist. Where other people may have felt it too hard to continue, we persisted and can now wholeheartedly deny that the future of Trophy Eyes was ever in question, or ever will be. YOU'VE CITED U2, THE KILLERS AND COLDPLAY AS AN INFLUENCE, AND IT FEELS LIKE THAT COMES THROUGH IN THE ALBUM - WHAT ABOUT THOSE ACTS RESONATES WITH YOU?

They’re my favourite bands, so I’ve always listened to them – since I was a child, even. What appeals to me about those groups is the ability to write a rock song that appeals to so millions of people. Also, the older I get, the more I appreciate their ability to convey emotion and genuine feeling without screaming or banging on their instruments like Neanderthals. I listened to Blink-182 when I was younger because I was full of angst and had so many questions that their sound seemed to answer. Now I’m a little older I tend to enjoy being transported to memories of mine and feelings I’ve had by well-written and tenderly considered pieces of art instead of guys whining about their town and boners and whatever. WILL THE REACTION TO ‘THE AMERICAN DREAM’ INFORM WHAT YOU DO NEXT? It won’t. It never has. We write the music we love and will continue to do that for the rest of our careers. I think you’re wasting your time if you don’t intend to go into the studio and write your favourite ever record every time. The one thing that I’d love to happen for Trophy Eyes is to be the first band to play in space. That would be cool. P TROPHY EYES' ALBUM 'THE AMERICAN DREAM' IS OUT 3RD AUGUST. DISRUPT THE NOISE 39

E T ER NAL FLAME BURY TOMORROW'S NEW ALBUM 'BLACK FLAME' SEES THEM CROSS THE DIVIDE FROM CULT FAVE TO MASSIVE, WORLDWIDE CONTENDERS. WORDS: JACK PRESS

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RCHITECTS? HEADLINED ALEXANDRA PALACE. BRING ME THE HORIZON? GATECRASHED THE CHARTS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE POND. WHILE SHE SLEEPS? TOOK MATTERS INTO THEIR OWN HANDS AND INDEPENDENTLY REDEFINED THE WORD ‘METALCORE’. For the first time in over a decade since the glory days of the mid-noughties British invasion led by Bullet For My Valentine, British heavy metal is in the midst of a renaissance period. Led by the aforementioned flagbearers Architects, Bring Me The Horizon and While She Sleeps, and redefined by the likes of Venom Prison, Employed To Serve, and Loathe, heavy metal is breaking out of

Brixton Academy and into arenas and mainstream charts. Between it all there’s been one band who’ve held the scene through thick and thin for the last twelve years, having quietly risen through the ranks by paying their dues and earning their reputation as the fan-favourite underdogs. That band is Bury Tomorrow, and as they begin the touring cycle for their fifth album ‘Black Flame’, Upset speak with frontman Dani Winter-Bates, who’s assessing his band’s position in this new world order. “Look at bands like Architects, While She Sleeps, Bring Me The Horizon; they’re doing amazing things in the metal world, and it’s got us talking about how we want a top twenty album in the charts, and how we’re headlining the Forum [in London], and we’re going to sell it out. That’s madness, and when DISRUPT THE NOISE 41

you’ve got people like Architects who went and sold out Ally Pally - it’s not a dream anymore, it’s an absolute metal revolution.” Bury Tomorrow have practised and preached their melodic metalcore through the good times and the bad, wearing their hearts on their sleeves and climbing the ranks of festival line-up’s, earning themselves a reputation as a British institution. That, amidst the revolution, will never go to their heads. “We’re a band that’s long in the tooth now, and we carry the scene because we care. We care about our fans. The only reason we’re still a band is that we care about our fans because they care about us, we put in the time and the effort because we feel like its morally the right thing to do.” For Dani, Bury Tomorrow is a key piece of the puzzle and understands his duty as a frontman unlike some of his peers. “There are bands that haven’t been around as long as us that have been pushed and pushed and pushed and just don’t care, which is the bitterness in music, the bitterness in the artistic industry, that is what it is, and we’ve made peace with that.” ‘Black Flame’ is by far and large Bury Tomorrow’s loudest statement. Taking their tried and tested penchant for melodic metalcore and instilling it with the anthemic hooks that launched the likes of Bring Me The Horizon and Bullet For My Valentine into the stratosphere, ‘Black Flame’ is a band on the brink of explosion, having got their head back into the game thanks to their loyal homegrown fanbase. “There are three reasons why our band are still here: One, kids absolutely gave a shit about our band and continued to support us through a lot of dark times in our career. Two is perseverance; we stuck by it, that’s what our part of the bargain is, that we gave enough of a shit to stick by it through all of that crap. Three, we’re very, very lucky to do this as a career. “Once you keep those three things in your mindset you can’t deviate away from it; you can’t think there’s some divine power that’s made you this godlike figure. If someone walks down the street, taps my shoulder and tells me they love my band, my first thought isn’t going to be, ‘Oh, what do they want?’ It’s going to be gratitude that someone has taken time out of their day to come and speak to me about something I’ve made artistically.” Bury Tomorrow are masters of their craft, and they’re proud of what they’ve achieved but with the arrival of ‘Black Flame’, one thing is clear: they’re done with being the underdogs. 42 UPSETMAGAZINE.COM

“WE’VE BEEN THE UNDERDOGS FOR A LONG, LONG TIME” “We’d love to headline festivals. I feel like we’ve been the underdogs for a long, long time, both through self-admission but also media-wise, we’ve been very much avoided from the mainstream push. That’s okay; we’ll get there. We’ll get there on our own terms, and it’s going to feel so much sweeter. We can look back and say, ‘Yeah, we were pushed, but the main people who pushed us were our fans’. They’re the ones who’ll take us to the next level.” ‘Black Flame’’s opener ‘No Less Violent’ explodes in your ears, erupting mosh pits in your eyes and that pace never fizzles out. The album is riddled with some of their biggest, catchiest, and loudest choruses and yet it’s their heaviest outing so far. Uncompromisingly embracing their roots, Dani is certain they’ll never sell-out, whether they break the barrier or not. “We can never be branded as sellouts because it would be a ridiculous thing to say. We’re heavier now than we were when we started out - we write catchier songs, no doubt about it, but they’re written so people will remember them. That’s the important aspect of songwriting; you need those songs to stick in peoples brains. That’s what I’m a master of, and I’ve done for many years and carved my craft in.” To achieve the sound and statement they’ve been searching their entire careers to make, they holed themselves away in a residential studio with renowned producer and SikTh mastermind Dan Weller who pushed them to tear apart their album until it was perfect. “It was quite a brutal process, but it was an important one. We recorded full vocals for the whole album then ripped them to shreds, took parts out and put new parts in. No song was good enough; we couldn’t let any song lie, we tore them to shreds and rebuilt them back up. We’ve never been brutal enough to do that, and it’s helped us find the best songs we’ve ever written.” Not only are the songs heavier albeit more accessible then they’ve ever been in sound, but they’re also far more open thematically. They’ve embraced change

in their writing, and it’s made them a complete unit. “We’re not writing thematical albums anymore; we want to write albums that connect. Everyone has gone through the same feelings - one song’s coping with the loss of a loved one, another one is a reflection on how screwed up the world is. These are things that affect everybody - we’re saying we’re all the same. “There are always two meanings, but as a whole, it’s about togetherness. We need to work together as a world community, not silent areas of ignorance and arrogance. There’s a lot of that in there, but there are also overviews of how people can get to the brink of giving up - whether that’s on life, on being in a band, on anything, and how they came back from that.” Writing open-ended double-edged songs provide Bury Tomorrow with a platform on which to present their views and continue to stoke the fire that is their connection with their fans. “That’s the beauty of it; it adds so much more to it when people can run with it themselves. I talk to fans every night about the lyrics they like, the songs they like and the meanings they take from it, and that means the world to me because it shows they’ve taken the time out to think about.” Hunger. Desire. Passion. Three traits Bury Tomorrow have built themselves on. They’ve paid their dues, they’ve waited patiently, and they’ve held the scene, but now it’s time for them to take charge and lead it through the ‘Black Flame’ revolution. “I just want to be able to get bigger and better, that’s what we’re about. A lot of people shy away from saying they want to be in a massive band - well, I want to be. I want to play in a band that can headline Download one day or who can headline Wembley. To crossover, that’s my drive, that’s my goal, but I want to bring along the feelings I’ve pushed to people all the way. ‘Black Flame’ can do that for us and for the first time in our lives we’ve got an album that is produced and sounds as good if not better than our peers.” P BURY TOMORROW’S ALBUM ‘BLACK FLAME’ IS OUT NOW.

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44 UPSETMAGAZINE.COM

CROWNING GLORY TRASH BOAT

HEY IF YOU'RE GOING TO THEME YOUR ALBUM, WHY NOT TREES, EH? TRASH BOAT'S LATEST SEES THEM DELVE DEEP INTO THEMSELVES WHILE FLEXING THEIR CREATIVE MUSCLES. WORDS: SAM TAYLOR

RASH BOAT’S NEW ALBUM ‘CROWN SHYNESS’ IS AN IMMENSELY PERSONAL ONE FOR VOCALIST TOBI DUNCAN. ACROSS ITS TEN-TRACKS, HE WRESTLES WITH HIS INNER SELF AND DEALS WITH LIFE’S HARDSHIPS VIA METAPHORS ROOTED IN NATURE. "MY WORST ANXIETIES, MY FAMILY, MY PAST, MY FUTURE, MY RESPONSIBILITIES," HE LISTS. "I SPENT A LONG TIME LOOKING INWARD." THE RESULT IS SOME OF THEIR MOST VITAL MUSIC TO DATE. HEY TOBI, HOW’S IT GOING? ARE YOU GUYS GOOD?

All doing great. Got a full year of touring ahead of us!

WHAT WAS YOUR MINDSET LIKE GOING INTO YOUR NEW ALBUM? HOW WERE YOU FEELING AFTER ‘NOTHING I WRITE…’?

We knew we had to step up our game. We did something right on the last album, so we had to do even better. ‘CROWN SHYNESS’ LEANS HEAVILY ON NATURE METAPHORS, WAS THERE A SENSE OF WANTING TO SHED BAGGAGE OR GET BACK TO BASICS?

Not exactly. I felt an affinity with the idea of being the lone tree in the middle of a dense canopy of crown shyness. So much going on around you but never truly connecting. I structured all of the songs around this foundation. HOW HAS THE BAND TAKING OFF AFFECTED YOU, HAS IT HELPED YOU ALL GROW UP?

It’s kept us busy doing something we love. That’s all that matters. DO YOU FIND YOURSELF WANTING TO

“I DO FEEL LIKE BRANCHING OUT WITH MY CONCEPTS” WRITE ABOUT DIFFERENT TOPICS NOW THAN WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED OUT?

Now that I’ve finished ‘Crown Shyness’ I do feel like branching out with my concepts. I’m not sure where I’ll go with the next record. We’ll have to wait and see. HOW DID HAVING A CENTRAL CONCEPT HELP WITH THE RECORD’S EVOLUTION? IS THAT A METHOD YOU’LL CONTINUE TO UTILISE IN THE FUTURE?

Constructing my ideas around a central theme made for a lot of good jumping off points. I had a lot of fun writing this record. I’m not sure if I’ll do the same thing again. I’m out of a creative mindset, for the time being, definitely focusing on performance for now. YOU’VE PREVIOUSLY TALKED ABOUT THE BAND’S LITERARY INFLUENCES, ARE YOU AN AVID READER?

I myself am an avid reader. I like nonfiction sociological and psychological books as well as a handful of poetry. HOW DO YOU DISCOVER NEW LITERATURE?

I usually find new books by checking out the reading lists of authors I already like. DO YOU TEND TO LOOK MORE TO HIGHBROW PURSUITS FOR INSPIRATION THAN POP CULTURE?

I don’t think pop culture has ever influenced my writing. It’s all been very

introspective. I aim for personal retribution and responsibility with most songs. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE ‘CROWN SHYNESS’’S VIBE? IT FEELS IMMENSELY PERSONAL.

Very personal. I guess you could call my writing style selfish. Throughout my life. I’ve always seen music as something that relates to me and challenges me. Sometimes you hear a song that hits so hard it feels like it was exactly why you needed to hear at that moment. And that spark could change my day and translate into good future decisions. So that’s what I did with 'Crown Shyness'. I challenged myself. My worst anxieties, my family, my past, my future, my responsibilities. I spent a long time looking inward, and now the album can reach out. Singing these songs every day makes it routine and keeps me disciplined. HAVE YOU PLAYED THE SONG ABOUT YOUR GRANDAD, ‘OLD SOUL’ TO HIM?

I haven’t yet!

WHAT ELSE DO YOU GUYS HAVE COMING UP? YOU’RE ABOUT FOR READING & LEEDS, RIGHT?

Warped Tour, main stage Reading & Leeds, 'The Great Depression' tour with As It Is. We also have most of 2019 booked up as well. A lot to announce! P TRASH BOAT'S ALBUM 'CROWN SHYNESS' IS OUT 20TH JULY. DISRUPT THE NOISE 45

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REAL FRIENDS HAVE PULLED THEMSELVES BACK FROM THE BRINK TO CREATE AN ALBUM THAT’S JUST AS CONFUSED AS THEY ONCE WERE. “IT’S ABOUT UNCERTAINTY,” EXPLAINS DAN LAMBTON. WORDS: JACK PRESS

O BE COMPOSED IS TO BE IN A STATE OF CALM AND IN CONTROL OF ONESELF. NAMING THEIR NEW RECORD ‘COMPOSURE,’ POPPUNK UPSTARTS REAL FRIENDS ARE IRONICALLY AS UNSTABLE AS A CHOCOLATE-DEPRIVED CHILD IN A CANDY SHOP AS THEY TALK THE TALK JUST HOURS BEFORE THEY KICK OFF THE FINAL RUN OF AMERICA’S GODLIKE TOURING FESTIVAL, WARPED TOUR. “If you’d have told me when I was fifteen that I’d be in a band that gets to play Warped Tour on four different years, I’d slap you in the face and call you a poser,” exclaims frontman Dan Lambton. “To me, that wouldn’t have come true, but here we are, and it’s fucking awesome.” Being asked to aid in bowing out one of the biggest alternative extravaganzas the States have been lapping up for years is just cause for lack of composure, but the excitement dies down when the record itself comes calling, a sea of calm washing over the waves that is Dan’s face. It’s no hidden secret that Real Friends have been through the wars and back in the two years since the release of their second effort, ‘The Home Inside My Head’. Dan was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and soon found himself caught up in a carousel of prescription pills, hallucinogenic drugs, and alcohol, and it slowly began to rip into the fabric of Real Friends. “I feel like there were a lot of reckless things that I did that made the rest of the band question whether they wanted to do Real Friends anymore, simply because of how unpredictable and off the wall I was,” reflects Dan sombrely. He found comfort in rediscovering who his real friends were. “Luckily I had people that cared about me enough to sit me down and be like, ‘Look, something’s not right. You’re not you right now. Something is off and smoking a shit tonne of weed and dabbling in drugs isn’t going to fix whatever’s going on with you’.” Through a series of band-to-band, manto-man, and friend-to-friend conversations, Dan was able to acknowledge the need to seek out help and get himself back on DISRUPT THE NOISE 47

“THERE WERE A LOT OF RECKLESS THINGS THAT I DID THAT MADE THE REST OF THE BAND QUESTION WHETHER THEY WANTED TO DO REAL FRIENDS ANYMORE ”

the straight and narrow. With a clearer head, the band ripped up the Real Friends rulebook for album number three, teaming up with one-time co-write Mike Green (All Time Low, Neck Deep) to paint the poppiest pop-punk they’ve put out in their career. Everything on ‘Composure’ is bigger and better, from the opening call-toarms of ‘Me First’ all the way to finale ‘Take A Hint’. The choruses are catchier than a common cold, the sing-alongs are set to strain your vocal chords, and you’ll be jumping up and down more than an Olympic trampolinist. “We felt like ‘The Home Inside My Head’ played it a little too safe, and so bringing Mike in was our way of opening it up because this was the first time we’ve ever written a good portion of the record in the studio, so we were nervous about that, too.

“If you’d have talked to us a couple of years ago saying that we would do that, we’d have had a panic attack because not everything would’ve been done before we had gotten in there. It’s good to be able to have an opinion outside of our own to weigh in on what we’re doing, and it wasn’t weird at all. It was just like having an extra person in the room doing the same shit that we do anyways on our own, so it felt natural to bring Mike into the equation.” While the sessions upped the ante musically, they also brought a fracturing band back together through group-like therapy sessions that repurposed ageold lyrics. “We had myself, Kyle [Fasel, Bass], Dave [Knox, Guitar], and Mike all in the room, so everyone could give their own perspective into the lyrics. It was nice to be able to talk openly about the subject

manner and get across how I’m feeling, what I’m feeling, and how I’m getting through it. To be able to paraphrase and rephrase some things to mould into how I’m feeling in that exact moment in comparison to how I was feeling in the days, weeks, months of when I was writing them.” ‘Composure’ sonically is Real Friends at their happiest, a kaleidoscope of alt rock-infused riff-heavy emo-conscious pop-punk, but the optimism stops there for Dan, who’s very much still stuck in his ways. “I wouldn’t peg this one as a more hopeful record; I’d say this one’s a little more down in the dumps if I’m honest. I think the record showcases a lot of uncertain feelings and not necessarily knowing what’s going on or how to solve certain problems. “The record is about uncertainty,

the idea of not knowing what’s going on, and that was something that went as far back as when we were in California writing the record. I was extremely manic the entire time, and I had no idea whatsoever about what was going on with me or why my moods were suddenly changing. It’s about questioning what’s good for me, what’s bad for me, whether that’s taking medication, whether it’s taking hallucinogenic drugs, or drinking, or talking to people and connecting with others, whatever works and what doesn’t.” ‘Composure’ is as much about the tranquillity and peace that comes with the state of calmness being composed is all about as much as it’s about the moments the composure crumbles and the instability and fragility of the human mind peels open like an onion, its layers exposed once and for all.

Having spent some serious downtime debating the meaning of life, of Real Friends, and most importantly of why he’s here on this very planet, Dan hopes that listeners leave ‘Composure’ not only feeling more composed about the life they lead, but that they simply understand once and for all that no matter what they’re going through, they’re genuinely not alone. “Honestly, other people deal with not necessarily knowing where or how they fit into things and just because everything seems like it’s going well for us doesn’t mean we’re in the mindset that everything is going well for us. You’re not alone in having these feelings that there may be things out of your control that you very much want to be able to figure out. Trust me, it gets better.” P REAL FRIENDS’ ALBUM

‘COMPOSURE’ IS OUT NOW.

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THE SHOCK OF THE NEW DEAF HAVANA HAVE POLISHED OFF THEIR KEYBOARDS AND ARE TRYING THEIR HAND AT A BRAND NEW SHINY POP SOUND. IT'S RESULTED IN A NEW ALBUM INFLUENCED BY... JUSTIN BIEBER?!

WORDS: DILLON EASTOE. PHOTOS: SARAH LOUISE BENNETT.

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T'S BEEN BARELY 18 MONTHS SINCE THE RELEASE OF ‘ALL THESE COUNTLESS NIGHTS', BUT DEAF HAVANA ARE BACK WITH A SWING IN THEIR STEP ON THEIR NEW ALBUM. Thirteen tracks of pulsing pop, handclaps and gospel choir vocals, ‘Rituals' is a step change from the reliable rock they've excelled at in the past. After a listless period following 2013's confused album ‘Old Souls', Deaf Havana returned last year with ‘All These Countless Nights', a taut and precise rock record with the emphasis on big choruses and meaty guitar riffs. The five-piece also got back on the road, headlining around Europe and enjoying a stint Down Under with the mighty Placebo. "It was an amazing experience so to be able to go back there was just awesome," vocalist James Veck-Gilodi recalls. "I realised how privileged I was to be able to travel around the world just cos of some average songs that I wrote in my bedroom." Those ‘average songs' saw the band headline a one-off unplugged show at London's Union Chapel in February, accompanied by a string section and with a gospel choir posted up in the wings. "That was amazing. It's any musician's dream to play with as many musicians as you possibly can. And the fact that those guys are so professional - because rock bands just blag our way through it basically, don't we? We're always sort of bedroom musicians who learnt to play by ear and as a hobby. But these are all proper qualified musicians, so it was amazing to be able to play with people who have such high skills and I don't have to worry about them messing up." That triumphant night complete, it was time to thrash out the band's next record, and get it done sharpish; VeckGilodi set himself an April deadline to have it finished. "It came together really quickly because previously we'd taken four years between ‘Old Souls' and ‘ATCN', and I just did not want to risk that again. Everything's so fast-paced now, I didn't want to leave people waiting." Holed up in a Sheffield studio with their sound tech on production duties, Deaf Havana experimented with hip-hop beats, vocal samples and electronic drum loops. It's a far cry from ‘Old Souls'' more organic instrumentation of trumpets, mandolins and strings. After writing some tentative demos last year, James scrapped them, describing them as "budget rock songs" and too derivative of their existing work. This led him to totally invert his songwriting approach, starting with one-word titles and building from the ground up on a computer, only bringing

“IT'S SUCH A DIFFERENT RECORD; I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO THINK” his bandmates into the process when the record had taken shape. "I definitely wanted it to be different, but I didn't realise it would be this different. In terms of the production, I remember listening to that Justin Bieber record when it came out. Although it's Justin Bieber, some of the sounds they've got on this record are insane." That pop production style scales back overdriven guitars in favour of bright vocals that burst through the mix. "A lot of it was experimental; we just sort of tested how weird we could go before it became ridiculous." James compares the writing process to ‘All These Countless Nights', where the band needed to remind the public exactly who they were. "'ATCN' was an album we needed to write, because we'd had such a long period where we hadn't done anything, and also ‘Old Souls' wasn't that well received. I wanted to keep as many fans as possible, but I also wanted to change direction again. ‘ATCN' was quite a calculated album… But for this record ['Rituals'] I just wanted to write the music I wanted to listen to." That tension between what people want from Deaf Havana, and what the band themselves want to play has always been part of following the Hunstanton outfit. "I kind of regretted the music I got into when I was a kid... a lot of people now are smart, and they think about what they wanna play when they're older. But we just sort of wanted to cover bands that were in our scene at the time. I've always been frustrated that I got into that emo, heavy music." In the past, James' respect for the fans has meant he's put out music that often doesn't reflect his own interests and tried to avoid "being a dick and doing exactly what I want." After two years of careful consolidation, however, it was time to make a record for themselves. "I'm getting older, and if I don't do what I want now, I don't know if I ever will. I know it's a massive risk to do, but I had to do it." ‘Rituals' is startling, at times confusing but is delivered with the fizz of an artist scratching their creative itch. Fans of CHVRCHES and The 1975 will

recognise some of the synth effects and vocal tricks on show here, and it wouldn't even be a stretch to hear Ed Sheeran delivering some of these hooks. "I understand why fans might be taken aback by it," James confesses. "The only thing that's changed is the instrumentation. I've always written songs in a pop format, verse chorus verse chorus middle eight chorus. It's still got the same miserable lyrics; it's still got the same lift in the choruses as I've always had. I think the only thing that's different is that there's more electronics." Despite the religious themes hinted at in their titles, the songs largely deal with the same personal struggles that have always been a part of Deaf Havana's music; being lonely, drunk and beautiful. "A lot of the lyrics are about, although I'm not religious, what could be perceived as sin. Some of it's semi-fictional; the way I've treated people in the past was a big subject matter on this record. I like playing with the idea of them being sins and the record was like a confession." Speaking of which, Deaf Havana are returning to their Reading & Leeds stomping ground, and they're hoping to surprise a few people when they bust out the new songs. "People can dance to the record, which couldn't be said of our previous stuff. That's part of the reason I wanted to get it out in the summer, that's something that we've never done. It's always been winter records and misery." After bringing their band back from the brink in 2014, James is realistic about his hopes for the future of Deaf Havana. "I'll say the same thing I always say: if we can keep making music, and people keep listening to it then that's already amazing. It would be amazing if we could continue to grow, but I guess we'll see. It's such a different record I have no idea what people are going to think." After the hesitant period that surrounded ‘Old Souls', Deaf Havana have clawed themselves firmly back on to firm ground by making a solid, safe record last time out. Now they're ready to start taking risks again. P DEAF HAVANA'S ALBUM 'RITUALS' IS OUT 3RD AUGUST.

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TH E ON LY VERDICT YOU NEED.

hen music is at its best, it is capable of holding a mirror up to the human condition in a way few other art forms can ever match. In the hands of the observant, the erudite, the compassionate and the philosophical, music allows us to better understand who we are and feel powerfully less alone.” That’s how the release that introduces As It Is’ third album ‘The Great Depression’ begins. Which of those positive traits they’re attaching themselves to remains unclear, but one thing’s for sure, they’re not lacking in ambition. A band almost unrecognisable, just one look at them is enough to suggest something quite radical has changed. While image is often only skin deep, it’s a move that extends to their music too. You’ve probably already seen the social media snark, ‘As It Is have heard a My Chemical Romance’ album, so the sneering refrain goes. It’s not without foundation, too. A four-part collection of three track movements based around a singular central figure (‘The Poet’), there’s a sense of the theatrical running front to back. But that lazy comparison, it’s one hell of a compliment too. Drawing a line to quite probably the most big picture, culturally important band of a generation is hardly a slight. For a band that previously were no slouches, to risk a jump this big shows a confidence in their own voice that most peers simply wouldn’t contemplate. By and large, they pull it off too. Both more complex and effective than before, there’s both immediacy (lead single ’The Wounded World’) and introspection (‘The Question, The Answer’). ‘The Reaper’ magpies Biffy’s staccato stabs, while closer ‘The End’ has enough melody to keep a glee club active for a full academic year. Sure, there’s THE GREAT a feeling the edges are DEPRESSION too smooth in places, but FEARLESS RECORDS at its heart this is still pop eeee punk, tugging on emotions IF YOU LIKE THIS, YOU’LL with a baited honey trap of LIKE... WE'RE GOING TO saccharine sweetness hiding SAY IT. MY CHEMICAL the shards beneath. ROMANCE. NO. REALLY. Whether observant, erudite, compassionate or philosophical, such descriptions are effectively moot. As It Is aren't prepared to sit back and ride the wave anymore. Are you? DAN HARRISON

AS IT IS

BODEGA

ENDLESS SCROLL eee New York art-punk band Bodega were born from local art scenes, and with a rather large bee in their collective bonnets about mass consumer culture. The odd witticism shines through, but their lyrics often feel “fake deep”. ‘Endless Scroll’ is saved, in part, by the incredible art punk grooves: it’s an album built for angular, robotic dance moves in dark, sweaty clubs with graffiti covering the walls. It’s brief, at just over 30 minutes, but it’s a non-stop rollercoaster. CHRIS TAYLOR

BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE GRAVITY eeee

Taking the lofty ambitions of 2013’s ‘Temper Temper' and channelling them through the hard-hitting hooks of 2010’s ‘Fever' with the rejuvenated passion and spirit that ran through 2005 debut ‘Poison', Bullet For My Valentine’s sixth album ‘Gravity' is the definitive BFMV album in the best part of a decade. Defying the odds, they’ve risen from the ashes and returned fully to form, creating their finest album for the best part of decade. JACK PRESS

CHELSEA GRIN

ETERNAL NIGHTMARE eeee Chelsea Grin's first album with new vocalist Tom Barber, any suggestion the four-piece may soften up for their latest full-length goes quickly out the window within seconds of opener 'Dead Rose'. Like charging head first into a particularly sturdy brick wall, there's no inch given. Indeed, the adversity of line-up changes seems to have fired up a band that need little encouragement to go in hard. While that may result in them sticking to the ground they know best, comfort is rarely that comfortable in the world of Deathcore. An assault on the senses, that 'Eternal Nightmare' has some room to run yet. DAN HARRISON

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DEAF HAVANA RITUALS e ee

Having thrown out their own rulebook, 'Rituals' sees Deaf Havana ditch emorock for indie-pop in what is a startling move on first listen. Fans of CHVRCHES and the 1975 will recognise some of the synth sounds and vocal effects on show, which are ably deployed across this record, even if James Veck-Gilodi's characteristic songwriting doesn't always feel like the most natural fit. It’s well produced and assuredly performed, but there's a natural disconnect between the musical stylings and Veck Gilodi's most successful songwriting sensibilities. Despite its flaws, it's hard to begrudge Deaf Havana for testing their limits. DILLON EASTOE

DEAFHEAVEN

ORDINARY CORRUPT HUMAN LOVE e eee In a genre where it’s easy to find bands who like to stick to the tried and tested, Deafheaven are always going to stand above the field. Expansive and packed with ideas, the five-piece are a blend of unholy influence, always willing to challenge. That’s where we find them on ‘Ordinary Corrupt Human Love’ - an organic mix of flavours that makes something altogether smarter than their peers could ever hope for. DAN HARRISON

FANGCLUB TRUE LOVE EP e eee

True love runs deep, especially so for Fangclub frontman Steven King, who has spoken honestly of a tumultuous year where he fell hard for "drink, drugs, people, actions and habits". From that springs a painfully raw EP full of scuzzy anthems that are another level-up on the promise showed by the Irish trio on last year's self-titled debut. Wearing its truths as a badge of honour, ‘True Love' is just as addictive as the themes that it deals in. At this stage of an album-tour cycle you could expect a couple of fillers, but Fangclub have served up five absolute stone cold killers that only add to a growing reputation. This love could run and run. JAMIE MACMILLAN 54 UPSETMAGAZINE.COM

FLAME ON! BURY TOMORROW STEP UP TO THE PLATE WITH THEIR NEW ALBUM.

rchitects. While She Sleeps. the tendency to deviate into filler, ‘Black Bring Me The Horizon. Flame's' ten tracks are of the finest Three British bands who've vintage, sounding evermore important flown the modern metal to the scene after each and every flag high into the listen. Five-minute clouds over the mountain ‘Overcast' last five years is a progressive or so, national modern-metal institutions wonder that chugs if you will and churns with who've broken machine-gun the barriers precision riffs and between the brain-shattering underground and blast-beats, the mainstream erupting in its by crashing the dual vocal chorus, charts, headlining while ‘More Than Ally Pally, and Mortal' is Bury redefining what Tomorrow's answer it means to be a to Architect's metal band in the Doomsday. modern age. On From the arenaBLACK FLAME their fifth album, ready hook of MUSIC FOR NATIONS ‘Black Flame', the title track to e e e e e Southampton the two-minute DID YOU KNOW? THE BAND stalwarts Bury knockout of ‘Knife ARE TOURING THE UK THIS Tomorrow Of Gold' which DECEMBER make the leap threatens to drift from wallpaper off into melodic veterans to death metal institutional territory, ‘Black superstars. Flame' is Bury Tomorrow at the peak of Whereas much of ‘Earthbound' was their powers, ready and waiting for the weighed down by awkward pacing and Ally Pally call-up. JACK PRESS

BURY TOMORROW

FOXING

LIKE PACIFIC

If Doomsday is as close as Foxing suggest on ‘Nearer My God’ then thankfully this will be an album we won’t have to suffer for long. There are the familiar battles being fought over love, mental health and religion, but Foxing have decided to dress it up with samples and electronic beats sprawled often haphazardly over the tracks. The electro-pop is a dramatic switch for their third album and in tracks like ‘Lich Prince’ it works perfectly, but too often it feels tagged on. Foxing took a bold swing in ‘Nearer My God’ and it’s a big miss. ALEX BRADLEY

There are worse things to be as a rick band that royally pissed off. 'In Spite Of Me' sounds a fairly self-critical title, but wherever Like Pacific's anger burns, it's driving them to new, higher heights. A considerable step up from 2016 debut 'Distant Like You Asked', it fizzes with an energy channelled directly down the nearest microphone. Don't let the sunny day pop punk vibes distract, 'Had It Coming' doesn't just have teeth, but keeps them sharpened just in case, while the title track drips with selfloathing. Like Pacific - you'll love them when they're angry. DAN HARRISON

NEARER MY GOD ee

GLOO

A PATHETIC LOVE e e ee ‘A Pathetic Youth’ is the vicious debut from punk trio Gloo, full of moments that fill you with an infectious fervour. From the offset, Gloo blast with certified beer-raising banger ‘Holiday’, before delving into the stomping ‘No Shit Sally’ that recalls Slaves’ debut. While the record is full of raging anthems, the dusting of pop sensibilities on ‘Let Me Have Some’ and sure-fire crowd pleaser ‘Pissheads’ are more concerned with having a fucking good time. It’s not all brazen attitude either, ‘Say Yes’ is a more uplifting effort that shows a more solicitous side; "Say what you want to say / Be who you want to be," sings Tom. Gloo have executed a monstrous debut. JASLEEN DHINDSA

HOMESAFE ONE eee

Throw a stone into the pond of modern rock, and you’ll be sure to whack a band claiming 90s influence between the eyes, but where Homesafe are concerned it’s less tired familiarity and more a part of their DNA. Opener ‘Point Blank’ rages and shifts, but crucially has genuine weight when it would be all too easy to float away on a sea of identikit peers. It’s enough to make sure Homesafe are considered much more than just a side project for Knuckle Puck’s Ryan Rumchaks. DAN HARRISON

IN SPITE OF ME eeee

NINE INCH NAILS BAD WITCH eeee

In perfect Nine Inch Nails fashion, ‘Bad Witch’ brings the band’s trilogy of EPs to a close with a lot more questions than answers. Instead, ‘Bad Witch’ is like a David Lynch-style dystopia; exploring the choices Nine Inch Nails never made and using their own innovation as inspiration to explore an alternative. The mysteries behind the story in this saga may never be fully realised, but musically Nine Inch Nails are as inspired, angry and as abstract as ever and their resistance to ever follow suit is what makes ‘Bad Witch’ demand your constant attention. ALEX BRADLEY

OH, WEATHERLY LIPS LIKE OXYGEN eeee

The story behind Oh, Weatherly’s debut album is enough to break most of us. Following the passing of his father, so it goes, frontman Blake Roses began focusing on helping raise his younger sister and building a relationship with his best friend from high school. So much, so lovely. But then, following a return from the band’s first tour, the engagement was broken off. With so much upheaval, it’s testament to the band that their commitment to melody remains so strong. Working with coproducer Jake Bundrick of Mayday Parade, there may be lessons learned, but the potential to heal is obvious to see. DAN HARRISON

Q&A

LIKE PACIFIC

ANADIAN PUNKS LIKE PACIFIC MAKE THEIR RETURN THIS SUMMER WITH SECOND FULL-LENGTH, ‘IN SPITE OF ME’. "A LOT OF BANDS GO IN THE POPPIER ROUTE," SAYS VOCALIST JORDAN BLACK. "NOT YET FOR US." HEY JORDAN, TELL US ABOUT ‘IN SPITE OF ME’ - IT’S A PRETTY SELF-CRITICAL TITLE, HAVE YOU BEEN FEELING A BIT DOWN? I was pretty down in 2017. Every year has its ups and down but my god, that year sucked. It’s all good now! DO YOU FIND IT EASIER TO DRAW WRITING INSPIRATION FROM LIFE’S LOW POINTS? Yeah, I feel like I can never write about anything happy. One day, maybe. Who knows? HOW DO YOU FIND THE COURAGE TO PUT YOUR VULNERABILITIES ON RECORD? Sometimes I get super nervous about how my lyrics are gonna translate but I usually never regret it. It’s good to be vulnerable! Who cares! HAS ANYONE HAD AN ISSUE WITH YOU WRITING ABOUT THEM? Hahaha, I’m not even gonna comment anything besides I guess we will have to wait till the record comes out. DID YOU TRY ANYTHING NEW WITH THIS ALBUM? YOU’VE RAMPED UP YOUR SOUND. Honestly, we just tried not to sugarcoat anything. I was upset; our sound has gotten more aggressive. A lot of bands go in the poppier route. Not yet for us. ARE YOU COMING BACK TO THE UK SOON? Wait and friggin see. P DISRUPT THE NOISE 55

ORCHARDS

TROPHY EYES

With enough pop hooks to hang your whole summer wardrobe on, Orchards arrive with perfect timing to guide us all through another festival season. From the first plucked notes of ‘Luv You 2' and its exuberant ‘woooh' onwards, this is a collection of bangers that seem custom-made for summer. As Lucy Evers sings on ‘Darling', "I'm not nothing at all, if I'm something to you". ‘Losers/Lovers' gives you the feeling that Orchards are going to be something to a whole lot of people this year and beyond. JAMIE MACMILLAN

Three albums in, and Trophy Eyes have stuff to say. How we’re supposed to come at a track like ‘You Can Count On Me’ is open to individual interpretation. A reaction to “the growing torch and pitchfork mentality that encircles performers in the era of modern music” (frontman John Floreani’s words, not ours), it’s hard not to wonder exactly where we’re placing the line here, or why we’re so very concerned with placing it at all. Taken with good intent, it's a thought that shouldn't distract from an album of undeniable quality, but it sure makes you think. DAN HARRISON

SAVE FACE

WILD PINK

Concept albums, eh? For a band to go down the storied route for a debut album requires some serious nerve, but Save Face aren’t for blinking. ‘Merci’, the band’s first full-length, concerns itself with the story of “an addict dealing with post-rehab relationship struggles and an eventual paranoiafueled meltdown”. As much of a downer as that sounds, their delivery couldn’t be more different. There’s a hint of Weezer to their college-tinted alt-rock, mixed with the theatricality that infuses all the best bands. A ridiculously strong start for a band of genuine promise. Merci beaucoup, Save Face. DAN HARRISON

It's incredibly hard to separate ideas of time and place from Wild Pink's thematically dense but ever-shifting sound. On the New York trio's selftitled 2017 full-length, such notions were explored in quiet, almost reverential rumination; languid and soft but possessing a steely underbelly. ‘Yolk In The Fur' sees such concepts racing far into the distance, evolving and bending at the speed of sound. It makes for a frequently thrilling, fluid listen, with the group exploring the reaches of their sound and taking faceted turns of style and extended instrumental detours as they grapple with the universe. ROB MAIR

T-SHIRT WEATHER

YOUTH MAN

‘Dinner And A Show’ is the comedown after the highs of Durham trio T-Shirt Weather’s 2016 debut ‘Pig Beach’, but despite the themes being darker they remain a band in thrall to simple pleasures. There’s an engaging charm to the power pop of the ten songs collected here; a bitterness to the sugary sweet joys though that cuts through on ‘Loneliest Bronco At The Radio’, while old habits die hard and the brass bursts out on the rousing ‘Ill Digital’. Music might not be able to solve all our ills, but for thirty minutes with T-Shirt Weather, all's right with the world. MARTYN YOUNG

It’s not so long ago that Youth Man felt like one of the most exciting prospects UK rock had to offer. Then they went away for a while. The fickle finger of buzz shouldn’t be permitted to move on quite so quickly, though. Back as a two-piece, ‘Five Songs’ still fizzes with the raw energy that made them so vital first time around. The raw blast of ‘Constantly’, one minute and forty seconds of elasticated refrain, is the short sharp engine at the heart of a collection of undeniable potential. That debut album is still right up there on our most anticipated lists.

LOSERS / LOVERS EP e e ee

MERCI eee

DINNER AND A SHOW eee

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THE AMERICAN DREAM eeee

YOLK IN THE FUR eeee

FIVE SONGS EP eeee

DAN HARRISON

REAL FRIENDS COMPOSURE eeeee

Real Friends’ first two records were underrated explorations of late-nineties/earlynoughties pop-punk and mid-nineties emo. On their third album, ‘Composure’, they ditch the emo, turn up the dial on the poppunk via way of present-day New Found Glory, and get high off a poppy A Day To Remember-shaped pill – and it's their catchiest collection yet. Jangly riffs roll around vocalist Dan Lambton's raspy vocals culminating in a slew of choruses that are worthy of a room upgrade on upcoming tours. Separating themselves slowly but surely from the self-doubt that suffocated their previous records, Real Friends find themselves fighting through the rough parts of life with a bite rather than a bark, hope ringing through. JACK PRESS

TRASH BOAT

CROWN SHYNESS eeeee In a word, Trash Boat's ‘Crown Shyness’ is raw. Forget the pretty acoustic simplicity of the title-track, this album is a battle with Tobi Duncan’s vocals pushed to breaking point, the bass is thicker and the guitar tones more menacing. It’s a funny thing, in a second album, the benchmark is always against a band's first, but ‘Crown Shyness’ is a completely other beast and that’s largely down to production. Where Dan Campbell (of The Wonder Years) brought a pop sheen, on album two, Trash Boat have turned to Andrew Wade (A Day To Remember) to bring a feistier edge. The aggression is more visceral and there's a lot more bite. It’s not perfect, but it feels like Trash Boat are ready to take on the world. ALEX BRADLEY

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WORDS: ALI SHUTLER, STEVEN LOFTIN PHOTOS: SARAH LOUISE BENNETT

DOWNLOAD 2018

FESTIVALS 2018

ON STAGE. IN HERE.

ONE OF ROCK'S BIGGEST FESTIVAL CONTENDERS,. DOWNLOAD KICK-STARTED THE SUMMER WITH SOME OF THE LOUDEST BANDS AROUND. HERE’S SOME OF THE.HIGHLIGHTS....

DAY ONE It may be raining as the arena gates open, signalling the start to this year’s Download, but there’s more than enough on offer to blow those grey clouds away. First up, and rattling through their Cali-punk . ANDREW WK S . offerings are Culture Abuse, the perfect remedy to a slightly dreary start. Just as immediate as their in-yourface sound are the principals they bring, in songs such as the life-affirming ‘Bee Kind To The Bugs’. Without letting any of the early dust settle, Employed To Serve swiftly bat straight for home. While the Avalanche tent may not be completely packed, those that are in attendance bring much ferocity. It’s an earth-shaking monument to the sheer power that a fiery riff and screaming vocals can bring. There’s excited energy rumbling all over the grounds of Download, but Marmozets are here to take things nuclear. Since returning with their latest album ‘Knowing What You Know Now’, they’ve stepped up to becoming one of the most exciting live acts around. Rioting out onto the behemoth main stage, they turn it from a potentially anxiety-inducing event to one that feels custom made for them. “1, 2, 3, play!” Becca McIntyre screams out, as they waste no time in kicking things into gear. At times it can feel like they’re waiting for the crowd to catch up, mostly because Marmozets are an unstoppable force who abide by their own rules. With the set getting emotional toward the end, it’s easy to watch on in awe. But it’s also important to not forget the blood, sweat and tears that got them to this point – a feeling mirrored by the non-stop flood of bodies cascading over the barrier,

. AVENGED SEVENFOLD S .

urgently trying to join in the moment. This is a defining moment for them; one where they find themselves confidently climbing those steps to being an eventual, and welcome, headliner. Talking of moments, none can come close to defining the true spirit of Download quite like Andrew WK. A mid-afternoon slot on the Zippo stage, and with an astonishingly large contingent of loyal party followers in tow, it swiftly becomes a flurry of swinging long hair, power chords and lyrical positivity. Quite possibly creating one of the weekend highlights, a countdown from one-hundred (something he calls “a countdown to New Life’s Eve”) results in absolute pandemonium for his staple ‘Party Hard’, complete with an unhinged Andrew attacking his keyboard in a volley of hand strikes. This afternoon features a whole host of bands who are returning to Download after some time away, amongst them is Cancer Bats, who last played five years ago. Having released a brand spanking new album, and celebrated one of their career-defining ones (2008’s ‘Hail Destroyer’), at the same time, the rammed Avalanche tent bursts into life the moment they appear. Frontman Liam Cormier stomps about the stage, stoking the already frothing crowd. A crowning moment comes in the form of a brutal cover of Beastie Boy’s ‘Sabotage’ which creates so much bedlam that it’s a wonder the tent is still standing in their wake. Another band who are seizing their opportunity, and are undoubtedly now a staple in British rock, You Me At Six are back in their corner, ready to fight in round six – or ‘VI’, as it became known earlier this week. Closing out the Zippo stage, their first major show since the tail end of last year, they’re rather DISRUPT THE NOISE 59

. BABYMETAL S .

wonderfully bathed in the light of the setting sun. There’s a shining idea that there’s more to come from the five-piece, which is evident from the new cuts that make an appearance. ‘Fast Forward’, which features the line “I might be down, but I’m not fucking out”, couldn’t represent the fight that You Me At Six have better. And the conviction with which Josh Franceschi delivers it signals his own belief in it. Triumphant in every way, the set is a celebration of both new and old, proving they’ve lost none of the thirst that got them here in the first place. Of the three headliners this weekend, two are untouchable legends. The other is extraordinarily close to that marker – all consuming stage show included. The most remarkable part of this whole idea is that every band starts as a group of friends playing for fun. Often it goes nowhere, but sometimes, you end up headlining the opening night of the most significant rock festival in the world with a crowd seventy-thousand strong hanging onto your (anti-)gospel. Enter Avenged Sevenfold. Making their return to the festival, and immediately flanking the wings of the stage, all-out war hits Donington Park in a display that’s meant to both cement and propel Avenged into Download folklore – an impressive feat considering the behemoth nature of the other two acts this weekend. Opening with a ferocious rendition of ‘The Stage’, frontman M. Shadows wastes no time in making himself familiar with all of the stage’s real estate and provoking the audience into a chaotic mob. Knowing exactly how to create that – ahem – crowning moment, ‘Hail To The King’ swiftly makes an appearance, and is dedicated to England. As chants of

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“HAIL!” rhythmically fly back at the band, fists pounding the air as a behemoth zombie king puppet emerges from the rear of the stage, peering out to the army dedicated to his disciples, the set takes on a whole new life. At this moment, if you were to look out of the right-hand side window of any of the number of planes landing overhead, you’d see a zombie king surrounded by bursts of fire as an army chants – a sight that plainly shows the sheer power Avenged Sevenfold now hold. Most notably though, everything seems playful. There’s no apparent seriousness, it feels like the five-piece have only just begun – and the bombardment of pyrotechnics jettisoning out of every seemingly available surface on the stage have nothing on the tricks up their sleeve. As the final bombardment of fireworks pierces the sky above Download, day one comes to a close. And in its wake, leaving some heavy, smoke-filled shoes for the rest of the weekend to follow. DAY TWO For the second day of Download, it’s the Avalanche stage where the underbelly of rock music is showing its gritted teeth. Filled with the kind of vitality that can only come with true hunger, you get the feeling that even if they were met with an empty tent, The Faim would still bring everything they have. Already with die-hard fans in tow, it’s a blistering set that never relents. While The Faim . THE FAIM S .

are propelling forward with superproduced rock tracks, Rolo Tomassi are a melding of brutality and melody. Eva Spence seamlessly goes from dancing to lunging about the stage, giving a physical body to their boundary-pushing music. This weekend, it’s highly unlikely that there will be any other set which comes close to capturing the sheer ferocious spirit of The Fever 333. Throughout the set, nothing is off limits. As Jason Aalon Butler swiftly joins the masses, he embraces a crowd surfer, cementing the connection that he preaches. While his past at Download might be complicated, his return – and The Fever 333’s UK debut – proves there’s something far more significant in the works, and all for the good of the people. Straying away from the Avalanche tent, and over to the Zippo Encore stage something a bit different is afoot. BABYMETAL always deliver a show, with fans thrust into a world of their design with no reasonable escape. As the crowd grows thicker by the minute, the die-hards are clawing their way to the front to get a glimpse of this evergrowing behemoth. Even by-passers are sucked into the lore of BABYMETAL as thousands of hands are raised in the air forming the Kitsune that, if you’re unaware of the whole deal, readily appears like a cult. The moment smoke starts billowing out in front of the stage, and the Kami band appear in full regalia, the crowd become ignited. Thundering along, ‘In The Name Of’ steadily builds the hype until the crowd are at a fever pitch. That is until Su-Metal finally appears. Then all bets are off. She sombrely walks down centre stage, closely followed by Moametal – though a still missing Yuimetal means there are two backup dancers in her place. Their aesthetic is darker, pointing BABYMETAL in a new direction that delves even deeper into their lore. From this point on it’s a blur of choreographed dance moves, powering

metal and most of all, belief that the world of BABYMETAL is growing into an uncontrollable beast that will, at some point, consume you. Following such grand theatrics is no easy feat, but Parkway Drive’s rise to the top over the last few years has cemented a show that’s both strong in sound and stage, and the bombardment of fire helps edge them further toward being future giants. On a day that’s consumed by the brutal, Parkway Drive are a crowning moment in organised chaos. Guns N’ Roses appear on stage a minute early. For any other band, this isn’t noteworthy, but this is one that has been known to be hours late for headline sets. The set is a marathon three-and-ahalf hours, and as soon as the hits start creeping out all hell breaks loose. ‘Welcome To The Jungle’ with an extended teasing intro is the first up, and fully reminds the crowd just why they’re still deserving of being on the main stage. ‘Sweet Child o’ Mine’, appears halfway through the set, injecting a barrage of retrospection and wonder. Throughout, Axl bounds about the wings like it’s still the ‘80s, as they power through their back catalogue, covers including the seminal ‘Live And Let Die’, and a barrage of extended solos. Finishing off with ‘Paradise City’, you’d be hard-pressed to find any negativity against the band; everything sounds immaculate. As day two draws to a close with yet another bombardment of fireworks, and legends cementing their place atop the bill, Download 2018 proves itself once again to be a breeding ground for timeless moments. DAY THREE Dream State have the daunting task of kicking off the final day with a mid-morning slot full of cathartic, confessional tracks – it’s the perfect antidote to a Download-wide hangover, as they swiftly blow all cobwebs away. Milk Teeth are a guaranteed good time, and without fail, they bring a personality and vitality that few others manage to. ‘Nearby Catfight’ is first up, the snotty punk going down a treat with the energised mass that froths with every chord. Inducing pits and climbing the tent staging, Milk Teeth are one of the best bands the UK punk scene has to offer at the moment, and this performance proves why. Next up comes the emotional, intense world of Black Foxxes. As Mark Holley and co. make their way onto the stage, the dark of the tent creates a fitting canvas for their all-consuming barrage. Kicking off with ‘Breathe’, they fill every

inch with the push and pull of Mark’s simultaneous howling and delicate vocals. There’s a magic to Black Foxxes that feels transcendent; they’ll transport you through both heartbreak and self-preservation. No half-measures, the fragile and heavy meld seamlessly. Seemingly channelling . MILK TEETHS . a higher power, the powerhouse that is Thrice bestow a set that gets right to the heart of why they’re so revered. Taking the chance also to air new track ‘The Grey’ for only the second time, it’s got all the makings of a Thrice classic, especially when compared to ‘The Earth Will Shake’ – which, funnily enough, does exactly what it says on the tin. In the shade of the Avalanche, Jamie Lenman’s unique brand of dapper duo-chaos is bringing an important statement that deserves to be unpacked. ‘Hell In A Fast Car’, an ode to the importance of the new generation of music, feels like an apt soundtrack: Jamie is surrounded on the bill by younger bands full of determination and grit, and he wastes no time in showing them exactly how it needs to be done. Sounding like five different bands at once, he’s a master of creating the pleasing-yet-jarring, the digestible-andface melting. Few bands cause a stir quite like Alexisonfire. Since their reunion in 2015 they’ve been popping up with across the world with a few small tours here and there, but now it’s all finally led back to England – and more importantly, Download. This a moment that has

been long in the making, and as soon as the band appear the hordes jump into action. They sound as cutting as ever as they barrel through big hitters such as ‘This Could Be Anywhere In The World’ and ‘Young Cardinals’. George Petit continually steps up, stirring the frenzied crowd, while Dallas Green counters with his perfect, clean vocals. Alexisonfire are finally back on our shores, making up for lost time with an epic set filled with fury. Following on from The Fever 333’s stoking of political fires yesterday, Rise Against relish picking up the torch. Charging through their back catalogue, Tim Mcllrath also seizes the moment to highlight the unity needed to combat the far-right. Musically, they have never sounded better; frenzied fists pump the air, propelling unbridled punk passion. Closing out with a blazing rendition of ‘The Prayer of The Refugee’, while rock monolith Ozzy Osbourne is about to take over the main stage, the real moment has just happened. A unifying force that takes everything Download stands for and plants a seed in onlookers, who will hopefully spread it to the wider world, cascading the light of good away from evil – and it doesn’t sound half bad, either. P

. ALEXISONFIRE S .

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IVE BANDS AND TRACKS EVERYONE HAS THOSE FORMAT IC AND HELPED SHAPE MUS INTO M THE GOT T THAT FIRS MAX HAYLER FROM YOU , NTH MO THIS THEIR VERY BEING. E THE SONGS THAT SOM H ME AT SIX TAKES US THROUG TEENAGE YEARS. HIS ING DUR HIM TO ST MO MEANT THE WITH... YOU

ME AT SIX

NIRVANA - SMELLS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT

This is the song that really got me interested into guitar music at an early age; it’s one of those songs you wish you could hear for the first time again as it was a life-changing experience that made me love rock music. THE KILLERS - MR BRIGHTSIDE

I remember being in school hearing this for the first time and then it becoming an anthem for every weekend going out with friends growing up. A timeless song, in my opinion! QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE - NO ONE KNOWS

I remember a friend's Dad giving me their CD 'Songs For the Deaf' and this being the standout, such groove in the song but a proper bop. Still a song I listen to now and enjoy. GREEN DAY - AMERICAN IDIOT

I went to a Green Day concert with friends back in 2005 when this record came out; it was an amazing show as Billie Joe picked me to come up on stage and shoot a water pistol with him. Shame it wasn’t guitar but 62 UPSETMAGAZINE.COM

to get up in front of a massive audience being that young was a great memory I’ll always have! BRAND NEW - JESUS CHRIST

I remember going to shows with lots of friends seeing Brand New. It always felt like a coming together of friends singing their hearts out. INCUBUS - ARE YOU IN?

A massive summer banger, I remember being in park's hanging out with friends hearing this. It’s almost like you didn’t expect this song on their record and it showed a new side of the band. RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE - KILLING IN THE NAME OF

This song was the first time we in the band heard this band, and it blew us away, We've all have had a massive love for rap and hip-hop since hearing Rage Against The Machine's self-titled record. PINK FLOYD - MONEY

Another one of those important songs that I learnt from my Dad. When I used to play

football at a young age, he would always blast this song in the car on our way to practice. It was only until later on in life I really got into Pink Floyd, and this song reminds me of those times. OASIS - DON’T LOOK BACK IN ANGER

One of the best British bands that has ever been. One of my first records was ‘What’s the Story Morning Glory’ when I was 13 years old, and it changed the way I looked at music. BLINK 182 - THE ROCK SHOW

Blink 182 we’re one of the first ‘pop-punk’ bands we ever listened to, and this song is an absolute banger. We have played shows with Blink, and it’s always amazing to play shows with people that changed your own taste in music. JAY Z / LINKIN PARK - ENCORE / NUMB

Another rock hip-hop tune, what an amazing marriage of two amazing acts with two of their best songs. The whole album 'Collision Course' was full of bangers. YOU ME AT SIX'S ALBUM 'VI' IS OUT 5TH OCTOBER.