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Canten Vandala July 2014 8 Album Reviews B-Lines"Opening Band " (Punk) Pennywise"Yesterdays" (Punk) In The Whale "Nate & Eric" (Classic Rock) Sand Paper Skys "ST" (Electronic/Alternative) "Do to the Beast" Revives the Muscle of The Afghan Whigs Darkest Era "Severance" (Celtic Metal) Crosswind "Vicious Domination" (Metal)

16 Reviews & Live Music Album Cover Pick: Get Dead "Bygones" Up and Coming Artists: Bloodmoon Pure Heavy Metal. Ascension Up and Coming Artists: Inner Temple - The Saviors of Grunge?

Farmageddon Open Air 2014 NNE - Photo Highlights Sled Island Festival 2014

40 Interview - Live On Location With Stefana Fratila at Sled Island Fest 2014

56 Cover Interview - Local Natives Touring Half Way to the Moon We were lucky enough to catch up with Taylor Rice whose band has toured half way to the moon.

Seriously, they won an award given by Songkick.

Plus news on a new album and more.

44 Editorial How I Won and Lost The WCMA Nomination

By Josh Martinez Stagecraft 101: WARNING! ATENCION! ACHTUNG! DANGER WILL ROBINSON! The Importance Of Image & Impact For Musicians

64 New Releases Strumbellas: A Juno/ A SiriusXM Indie, Polaris Nod & New Album In-Flight Safety Set to Release Conversationalist and Hit The Road San Diego's Delta Spirit Sign Deal, Release Single and Announce Tour

_ t Conten s Vandala July 2014 65 More New Releasesr The Darlings Releasing New LP, 'Made of Phantoms' on July 30 Simian Mobile Disco's New Live System and New Album

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Weiss Releases "Weiss City Vol 3" Borealis (Jesse Somfay) Set To Release New Album: Kallionyma Xeno & Oaklander Send postcards of Love in a Cold Age For Their New Album Par Avian Southern Lord Confirms Collective Recordings LP From Late 19805 Seattle Hardcore Band Brotherhood Every Time I Die Releases Album "From Parts Unknown" Unique Leader Confirms Impending Full-Length From Acrania Dragonforce Announce Release Date for "Maximum Overload"

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B-Lines"Opening Band "(Punk) www.b-lines.bandcamp.com Review by Dustin Griffin - 5/5 Dragons B-LINEB - OPENING BAND 1:1

Half nonsensical sneer-ready sarcasm, half heart on the sleeve sincerity, Vancouver's punk rock brats B-Lines (who take their name from the bus line that runs through the downtown core of the city) unleash their newest gestation of scrappy punk songs in Opening Band.

Racing by in a musical blitzkrieg in just under 20 minutes, Opening Band is further proof that early 80's hardcore will never truly die as long as there are bands like B-Lines to carry the torch.

Touching on the issues of the day, from vitamin supplements as an excuse not to exercise in "Supplements", to wanting desperately the comfort that comes with being boring in "Normal Again" to establishing their particular brand of sarcastic poetry with "Nervous Laughter", a song about a painfully awkward person (perhaps the person singing it?) who can't help laughing in the face of pain and embarrassment. And finally ending with the album's title track, a gleeful salute to the unambitious, the songs on Opening Band contain some of the band's best lines and euphemisms. Musically, its utter simplicity is almost archaic and its ambitions seem to be no more grandiose than to get the listener from the beginning of the record to the end with as few paper cuts and stubbed toes as possible. And to saddle the ruminations on life and love with a guttural backbeat.

Singer Ryan Dyck spits forth the lyrical assaults with a refreshing conviction and often sounds so excited to share that the rest of the band are straining to keep up with him. It keeps the whole aura of the record sounding as if it's constantly teetering on the edge of total destruction, like a train about to jump the tracks.

Appropriately for a punk band in the digital age, the B-Lines' ambitious don't extent beyond playing shows for small handfuls of people, drinking drinks of choice and releasing records that sound as if they were recorded on one of those old brown Fisher Price tape players in a closet.

Which is, perhaps touchingly, perfectly in line with how such a band would've operated in the early 80's in southern California.

Opening Band is fast, and chaotic, but all of it infectiously so. Still, 20-ish minutes of straight B-Lines is probably about right. Any less would feel like a tease and anymore and your jaw may begin to slack as you fall into a mental stupor. Which I would presume is no accident on the part of the band.

This record then doesn't feel so much a record made BTFU by them for us), but a record made BTFT. Something to do, an excuse to go out and play shows and cut into the monotony of the daily grind. See new faces and places and remain perfectly content making peanuts as the opening band. So if punk rock still means doing what you want, then B-Lines are punk as f*ck. And Opening Band is their battle cry.

08 VandalaMagazine.Com - July 2014

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Pennywise"Yesterdays" (Punk) www.pennywisdom.com Review by Dustin Griffin - 5/5 Dragons Punk rock and nostalgia often go hand in hand. Those who are old enough to remember its first incarnation in the late 70's won't ever stop talking about what a wave it made in their lives and in the world. People who have grown up with punk will often remember the song or the album that first turned them on to it and encouraged them to dig deeper into the genre to a treasure trove of discovery.

If you grew up in the 90's, particularly the first half, as I did, and had a fire lit up under your caboose for this type of music, it should go without saying that you crossed paths with Pennywise at some point in your musical journey.

Pennywise formed in 1988 and from their self titled debut onwards (released in '91, just as Nirvana's Nevermind was breaking), they have remained one of the most musically consistent, influential and exciting bands in the scene. Even 2012's All Or Nothing, which featured Ignite's Zoli Teglas on vocal duties, after Jim Lindberg jumped ship to focus on other things, sounds like a Pennywise album, albiet with a different singer.

But that's what fans have come to expect from Pennywise. And that's part of what we love about them. We don't want any Sgt. Pepper explosions of creative rediscovery. We don't want any branching out. And we don't want any damn acoustic albums. We want Pennywise. Fast, hard, catchy, white hot punk rock fury.

Yesterdays then, is like a dream come true. A throwback album. A lost album of ancient tunes, many of which have never, or barely, seen the light of day. A album that sounds like classic old school Pennyâ–ş ise, but with the polish and tightness of present day Pennywise.

And what's remarkable about that is that despite sounding like an early 90's playlist, the songs on Yesterdays stand up perfectly well with the songs that have come off of their last few records.

In fact in some instances, on "Restless Time" and "Violence Neverending" in particular, this album contains some of the best songs in Pennywise's entire catalogue.

Considering how fast the band put these songs down (they say on their website the whole album was tracked in a matter of days with only a couple of takes for each song), Yesterdays sounds incredibly tight. Some of these came in their original form off of muddy cassette tape recordings from backyard barbecues or basement shows the band played before anyone outside of their immediate circle of friends knew who they were.

A handful were written by original bassist and founding member Jason Thirsk, who died tragically in '96, just as the band was taking off. So it seems entirely appropriate that Lindberg's return to the fold should ring in with an album in which the band pays tribute to their legacy and their roots. By going back to the beginning, in some cases before the beginning, Pennywise has ironically done something which allows them to sound fresher and more alive than if they were to crank out another thirteen to fifteen songs of new material. And something much less cheesy than a retrospective record or a bloated box set, possibly filled with as much filler as gem material.

10 VandalaMagazine.Com - July 2014

Album Reviews The record starts off with a police radio broadcast before a waltzing bass line and some mash ready riffage takes the listener right back to the glory days of independent punk rock. And immediately you know, this is a record that celebrates youth in all its nihilistic rebellion.

The record ends with "I Can Remember", one of the band's catchiest songs and nearly as touching a tribute to Jason Thirsk as "Bro Hymn". It's a song filled with the regret and sting of losing someone close to you, but also a song that looks toward the future with optimistic eyes.

So Yesterdays is a record that sounds as if it was written by a bunch of snotty punk ass kids, but performed by seasoned veterans. And it ends with those kids in transition. The loss of innocence, but the start of something new. Much like Pennywise themselves right about now. All in all a fitting tribute to their scene, their legacy and to Thirsk himself.

In The Whale "Nate & Eric" (Classic Rock) www.inthewhale.bandcamp.com Review by Alex Slakva 4.7/5 Dragons In The Whale's latest release is a combination of two of already released EP's, unexpectedly titled as "Nate & Eric". Some may argue that classic rock is dead and there is irreparable disparity between old and new school rock.

"Nate & Eric" bridges this cultural niche: writing blues and classic rock inspired material that is sure to appeal to the modern millennial, as well as the nostalgic rock veterans. This is a deceptively difficult feat, because, let's face it, the genre has long been evolving to reflect the changes in world since. The majority that tried to replicate that distinct rock n' roll sound fail to appear relevant to the youth of today, because they only focus a single era of rock that ultimately comes off as cheesy.

This is where Nate Valdez and Eric Riley, the duo from Denver, really shine by comparison by the virtue of living in the Internet Age. This record is an infrequently researched homage to several celebrated era's of rock, down to its blue's roots. Every track is a concoction of riffs and verses that will sound downright nostalgic to those raised on the classics. These never overstay their welcome, because the entire pace of the album is kept brisk by a constant variety within every song's general song. As a result you have tracks like "Subeam", whose first few lines of vocal delivery briefly sound like Danzing, Johny cash, but carry a Queens of The Stone vibe that will slow down into a slow guttural bridge that wouldn't be out of place on a hardcore album. Another equally varied track is 'Girlfriend" which utilizes Elvis/ Led Zeppelin sounding verses with Ramones style choruses. In The Whale is truly an omnipresent time machine that tips it's hat as far back as Robert Johnson, hint at Blue Cheer and nod at The White Stripes. Did I mention that all of this is only made possible by the musical talents of a duo from Denver?

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Sand Paper Skys "ST" (Electronic/Alternative) www.soundcloud.com/sand-paper-skys Review by Darian Magee - 4.6/5 Dragons Under the pseudonym of Henry Miller, young musician Callum Beckford is conquering a variety of genres spanning from glam rock, dubstep, ambient, and even blues. Graduate of Rundle Academy and current pupil of Alberta College of Art and Design, the reputable artist has seemingly found the perfect balance between his academics and passion for music - and avid followers of his soundcloud (such as myself) couldn't be happier. Tracks 'Dr. Strange Acid', 'Light REM Sufocation' , and 'laming Moves' are rough around the edges in all the right ways, while 'Beat Grage' and Vampsyl give fans a peek into his unique vocals that carry dreamy resonation. His latest release, a beautifully executed cover of Coheed and Cambria's IROBOT', provided listeners old and new alike concrete proof of his unlimited potential in the music industry. Callum Beckford's songs don't have much in common, but one aspect they share is the striking sense of immersion achieved when played. It's a welcome escape that's become so hard to find in today's music.

No one is quite sure where the name Henry Miller will go, but one thing is for certain, his exploration of the various styles of symphony is a journey worth following.

"Do to the Beast" Revives the Muscle of The Afghan Whigs www.theafghanwhigs.com Review by Eli lace In 2006 The Twilight Singers-Dulli's main post-Afghan Whigs group-were playing Paradise Rock Club in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Dulli, dressed in all black, mopped the stage with the sweat of his movements, sneering at the audience and lumbering to the edge of the stage with every song's moment of impact.

When an older woman heckled Dulli, he relished the exchange, sensing an opportunity to break the glass between performer and spectator. His grinned was soaked. He shot back at the woman with venom, on a level nearing flirtation-a sequence the man, in life and song, is no stranger of. The moment was borderline worrisome, the tension raw. Dulli seemed close to walking off stage to buy the woman a drink and disappear down the dark hallways of the club with her. Each song was more exacerbated as he continued to bark back.

The performance is marked as one of my favorites.

Dulli is a man who does not apologize for who he is and the music he has been involved with, first with the Afghan Whigs, then The Twilight Singers and The Gutter Twins, reflects that. Do to the Beast is The Afghan Whigs' return album. And this one 12 VandalaMagazine.Com - July 2014

Album Reviews. @uest is for real. Their last, 1965, was released 16 years ago in 1998.

Their seventh album comes appropriately in line of the The Whigs' discography.

Sound comes out thick as a steak, guitars of raunch rip and rumble, and somewhere along the way you'll think to yourself, "I should make a drink for this."

The perfectly titled, "Parked Outside," starts the album off with a mudflap drumbeat and dirty guitars that gird and goad. Dulli sneers and rasps and whines as Dulli most skillfully does. "Matamoros" has a palm-muted guitar that warns then slithers into a snake-charmer trance. Dulli smokes a cigar and puts an old love firmly in the past.

Dulli aches all over Do to the Beast. "It kills to watch you love another," he laments over the piano-driven burner, "It Kills." On "Lost in the Woods" he slumps over two hard slabs of piano that rock back and forth. The trees pass until he arrives at a lake.

"Sitting outside in the cold, I can see that you're not alone," he sings, unable to pull himself away.

The album is saturated with lonesome regret. On "Algiers" Dulli gives the ultimatum: "Dream your sins away, sin your dreams away."

On most Afghan Whigs' and Twilight Singer's records there is one recurrent comfort: The Car. "Can Rove finds Dulli strapped in for a slow drive out of town, away from the haunted past. "I can't see you anymore," he gulps down. The sinewy song takes off wistfully into a burst of hyper drum beat, then ends.

Do to the Beast is a strong return album for The Afghan Whigs. The darkness of the night comes in swinging and never lets up. If they're looking to make up for the 16-year hole, be listening.

Eli .lace is an arts journalist living in New York City. He is a staff writer for Independent Music Promotions and Quiet Lunch Magazine. He works at the New York Post. There is quite often a drum-set being played in his mind. www.EliJace.blogspoticom and www.Quiett unch.com

YOUR B IS A VIP Behind-the-Scenes &Viral Marl tin for the Independent Musician

Darkest Era "Severance" (Celtic Metal) www.darkesteramet - 3.5/5 Dragons I'm gonna try to write a review for an Irish metal band without mentioning another group that starts with "P" and ends with "rimordial" so bear with me. Some people call this "folk metal" but that's confusing because this music eschews flute and fiddle for actual riffs. At their worst the squeaky-clean singing reminds me of the dude from o!beat, with his best work on the big choruses in tracks like "The Serpent and the Shadow" and "Trapped in the Hourglass," Musically the album is modern Heavy Metal packed with rich harmonies, plus occasional forays into blastbeats and tremolo-picking. Severance carries a vaguely Celtic edge, meaning you could do a grim waltz to most of it and it's got that melancholic vibe that evokes misty mornings and long nights. I dig, but some of the songs are too interchangeable to make this as memorable as it could have been. Tracks 3 and 9 are my choice cuts.

:rosswind "Vicious Domination" (Metal) www.crosswind.gr - 4/5 Dragons Do you remember Power Metal? Crosswind sure does.

They probably couldn't give a dry fart about your "progression" or your "maturity." As Hammerfa II experiments with modern themes like zombies and Blind Guardian writes fewer songs about Moorcock anti-heroes, Crosswind flies on Hellenic Gryphons to deliver a sermon from the leatherbound pages of 1997.

Vicious Domination's got the double kicks, the fantasy lyrics and the cherry-busting vocals nailed down, all doused with that galloping intensity of the wounded hero riding into the dark castle in order to save the lands of Hargoth or whatever.

By definition this is one of the most generic and ridiculous albums I've heard this year and yet it's a moung the most fun and memorable. It's refreshing. No ballads, no bullsh*t, just nerdy bliss. Where my Dungeon Masters at

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Album Cromer Pick Get Dead "Bygones" www.getdead.tumblr.com and www.fatwreck.corn Review By Dustin Griffin If polished, clean punk rock is like taking a pair of sharp scissors and a ruler and carefully using them to cut into a piece of paper, then Get Dead's brand of gritty, heartfelt punk n' roll is like taking that same piece of paper and ripping the f*cker with your bare hands.

Straight lines be damned. It charges forth with excitement and is unabashedly forthright in its rumination's on life, love and waking up on the wrong side of the pub floorboards.

Their 2013 Fat Wreck Chords debut Bad News is a perfect mix of hard and soft, acoustic and electric windstorms rushing through a forest of angst. It's refreshingly honest and refreshingly gritty music in a genre that's sounding increasingly polished all the time.

Bygones is the band's follow up EP to Bad News and doesn't betray the path they've set with that previous release. It also happens to feature some nifty, albeit dark as hell, cover art. Colored with neons and oily blacks, the cover of Bygones is a scene right out of a gothic nightmare on LSD. Looming castles, jagged skies, bats with razor blade wings in attack mode. And a cluster of undead punks crowing the scene and reaching up for, what I can only guess, is human flesh. If I was the hot tamale female with the black lipstick in that scene, I'd be putting my lungs to work as well.

As for what the cover has to do with the content...I can't say, as I haven't heard the EP as of this writing, but I'm assuming it follows suit with the rest of the band's catalogue: passionate San Franciscan punk rock devoid of compromise or pretension.

After all, this is a band who have featured similarly disquieting scenes on two of their previous releases. With one, a half naked girl in a bathtub, possibly and, quite frankly, probably dead, surrounded by an army of fallen Pabst Blue Ribbon soldiers, in disturbingly darkened water (just as disturbing if urine as blood). And the other, not to be outdone by the dead bathtub girl, a drawing of another half naked women stabbing herself in the neck with a butterfly knife and spewing forth blood. Wow. Parental discretion advised.

Get Dead are one of my favorite newer bands and every release has been unique and enjoyable. Here's hoping that continues, along with the Heavy Metal meets Lars Von Trier artwork, well into the future.

16 VandalaMagazine.Com - July 2014

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Bloodmoon - Pure Heavy Metal Ascension www.bloodmoonslo.bandcamp.com Article By Matt Baggins

The West Coast is exploding with heavy bands right now all of whom have recently put out top notch records, these bands include, Witch Mountain (Whose t-shirt I am currently wearing), Agalloch, Ash Borer, Blackwitch Pudding and more. Yet for me, there is one rarely mentioned rising act who people should really start taking note of, I am speaking of the almighty Bloodmoon. With two records under their collective belts, these guys are only rising in popularity and talent. Through a deep knowledge of the scene, innovative marketing and a huge cloud of pot smoke, Bloodmoon have been able to climb the ladder of doom and black metal bands in their region, all while preaching a message that goes into the beyond, a band who is truly voidbound.

The origins of the band are murky at times. Once described as "two friends and a stranger making music together" Bloodmoon has an incredible ethos behind them.

Asides from being inspired by shamanic wanderings, these guys essentially write their music through jamming, giving the entire thing a very open and engaging feel. The mix of dynamics is refreshingly direct and gives new power to classics like Come Whatever Storm (Which is a tribute to Chuck Schuldiner). Jason Goldie is a master of the drums and a pioneer in the mysterious Moeller method. Pat Mullholland has been reknown for having some of the most interesting and heavy bass lines on the scene. Meanwhile, Peter Tomis dropped out of high school to learn Death's Sound of Perseverance album in full, need I say more? The line-up is the stuff of legends, and it has set Bloodmoon as a force ready to climb to the top.

Now, I've been friends with Bloodmoon frontman Peter Tomis for almost two years now, and since then he has become very much a mentor to me. As a doom metal fanatic I go to a lot of shows in my home city of Paris, and I am regularly shocked with how many friends he has in doom bands passing through. This is just one example of how Bloodmoon have been able to cultivate an incredible dedication to the genre in order to 20 VandalaMagazine.Com - July 2014

bring more people to listen to their good words.

Another illustration of the magic of Bloodmoon lies in the bands who they play with, Tomis is a show booker, and the band helped to create a DIY venue in their hometown of San Luis Obispo. Through this, Bloodmoon has been able to play with noted acts like Agalloch and High On Fire. This has only helped to push the bands inevitable rise to popularity ever forward.

Perhaps the most important element in making Bloodmoon what they are today has been their seminal second album Voidbound which brings us from the black metal oriented and slightly more traditional approach of Orenda into a doomier and oftentimes more experimental context. It opens up with the seventeen minute long Voidbound which brings the listener into a brave new world and establishes this strange new context that Bloodmoon seem to be working in.

These guys have broken rules and made new ones, all to create one the West Coast's best bands. They are poster children of the DIY culture that has started to take this scene. More than that, they understand the beautiful spirituality that makes some of this music so special. Lines like "Awaken with the vision of your presence in a dream, Take the path that seems to fit for time grows shorter still, Diving higher, flying down, embracing the unreal, We are but the constructs of an ever turning wheel" prove that there is much more going on here than just the music.

So, Bloodmoon drive ever forward, masters of their own reality, worshipping Death and Black Sabbath without ever really imitating them. Fans are often left overcome, in awe of the triumphant trudge of this band. You see, Bloodmoon are not afraid to carve out their own niche. With a similar ethos to bands like Eagle Twin or Windhand, the fact that they don't sound quit like anybody else doesn't bother them, in fact, it only drives them forward. Combining so many elements it boggles the mind, Bloodmoon seem fit to capture the hearts and imaginations of fans across the globe. Falling into the strange void they have created for us to explore is a pleasure and is solid proof that this band is going somewhere. Now that they're starting to get label backing and increased international interest their rumored upcoming split could very well push them to tour the East coast, and soon even Europe.

Perhaps Peter put it best when he said "The ultimate goal for me is this, I don't want money or anything like that. I just want to be able to sit at home in my studio and work on music all day.The ultimate goal is just to have a home studio where we can record everything ourselves which will make the one album a year goal a lot easier. I just don't want to work a normal job. I know it's hard to use music as your only source of income but if there is anything that I have to say about it. I want it to get to a point where we wake up, meet up at the studio, work on our music, better ourselves, do band business for the rest of the day and just repeat. Go on tour whenever we can and play live. We just love doing this. It's something that each of us has spent a good deal of time on.

We've all been musicians for 10+ years. We've spent so much time on it it's become an be sitting at work thinking about all the riffs that I haven't addiction, an obsession.. translated to guitar yet. That I need to keep looping in my head until I can get to my guitar to play it. The ultimate goal is to always be in a spot every day so that when this idea pops into my head I can immediately stop what I'm doing and start working on that idea."

July 2014 - VandalaMagazine. Com 21

Inner Temple-The Saviors of Grunge? www.facebook.comi in nertemplepa Article By Matt Baggins

Snuff Jettyte

It's 4 in the morning in Benton, Pennsylvania, normal people are asleep, preparing to go to the 9 to 5 grind the next day. Meanwhile, 20 year old Dustin Schumacher sits in front of his computer and messages with fans from across the globe. The connection is important to him, and this mysterious insomniac is just trying to push his band to a new level.

What band is this you ask? Inner Temple, one of the most promising new groups from Pennsylvania, a state whose music scene is simply incredible right now.

Schumacher is simply trying to find a place for grunge in this brave new world, and it seems like he's starting to succeed.

Why grunge though? Isn't the genre dead, now only filled out by Nirvana imitators?

Well, if you look at it, there's actually a lot of strange parallels between new Pennsylvania scene and the old Seattle Sound. The spread out nature of the scene and the lower class pride it's members have are dominant ideas from both scenes. On top of that, independent labels, like the Paris based Contorted Records are starting to take an interest in bands from the region.

Grunge is, as Schumacher puts it "The bastard child of metal and punk." In Pennsylvania right now, both the metal and punk scenes are taking off, so maybe it makes sense for grunge to be starting to spread its wings, trying to find it's own solution to our culture spanning disillusionment.

This cultural sadness is really what Inner Temple are trying to speak to us about. In a recent interview, Schumacher said "I don't think anyone is truly happy anymore." This starts to get at the beauty of Inner Temple as a band. They are willing to face the harsh truths that make our everyday lives so difficult, and oftentimes bleak.

Schumacher is depressed because the world around him is depressed, and the only way out might just be, in his words, "coming together as one and stop fighting each other because that gets you nowhere." Benton, Pennsylvania might not seem like the ideal place to come into Buddhist ideologies, but it certainly has worked for Dustin.

After a critically mixed self titled debut EP it seemed that Inner Temple was really starting to get somewhere. While a lot of critics seemed to pan the record based on the vocals, others thought that it represented the heart and soul of the band. The fans loved it, the band has garnered a dedicated international fanbase which is crucial when coming from a scene as small as theirs. While dealing with criticism has discouraged them, Inner Temple aren't taking any sh*t, they simply want to evolve their sound to a point that they can get the respect and acclaim that they so richly deserve. The problem is simply that they are too far removed from a lot of their peers.

Here's the thing, Inner Temple do their best to distance themselves from accusations 22 VandaiaMagazine.Com - July 2014

Up and Cominig of Nirvana worship. These guys are trying to find their own path rather than follow the modern 'soft grunge' trend. One only needs to listen to some of the simply sick roars that Dustin unleashes upon his public in songs like Red or Father. While there is clearly a very marketable side to grunge music, Inner Temple are not especially trying to take advantage of that. While Schumacher does feel the youth need an icon to look up to, he's not trying to be Kurt Cobain, but simply Dustin Schumacher. Or as he said "Trying to be Nirvana is sad. To that I say F*ck off. I'm not Kurt Cobain, I don't want to be Kurt Cobain. My drummer is not Dave Groh!, he doesn't want to be Dave Grohl.

My bassist is not Kris Novoselic, he doesn't want to be Kris Novoselic. We're Inner Temple, we're not Nirvana and we don't want to be Nirvana." This creates a certain sense of honesty which I personally feel we don't get in a lot of new grunge music, and if grunge isn't honest, it's kind of pointless. Instead of conforming to rules on how you are supposed to sound and look, Inner Temple feels free to innovate and explore.

In fact, Dustin's so sick of Nirvana connections he actually has difficulty listening to the band.

As for the future, things seem a bit weird right now. Schumacher has entertained the notion of moving out to Seattle, but also appreciates the beauty of his Pennsylvania heritage. There was a proposed summer tour, but even that seems to be falling apart in front of him. Yet, we get the sense that the band will live on, crafting their own distinct path. Their first full length is set to drop in just a few months and acoustic demos have been made for all the songs. Inner Temple are now at a point in their career where it's do or die. If they fail to deliver with their debut record, they have a lot to lose. But if they meet the potential shown on their EP, well, these guys might just take over the world.

In the end, we have to sit here and simply appreciate the strange triumph of this band.

They've broken all of the rules, they're riding a step ahead of disaster, bodies flying and balls out. These guys have gotten fans from Brazil to India, and demands to play shows across the globe. Now as they try to find the money to meet these demands, and simply record, we find the group at a strange position. Big enough to have the love of hundreds of die hard fans, but small enough to not be able to profit off of it, this is the moment where we see a separation of boys from men. Can Schumacher lead his grunge stalwarts to victory? Well, if you want to see the revolution that popular music so desperately needs, you should certainly hope so!

Photos by Dana Zak Photognaphy

If I say "Ryley, Alberta," you probably don't think "Open-Air Heavy Metal Festival" so let's cut to the chase: Almost 40 bands (most of whom you've never heard of and paintball in the flatlands of central Alberta. Round two for Farmageddon, hosted by Excalibur Productions out of Edmonton/Devon area. Work commitments allowed me to attend the Thursday pre-party in Edmonton, then the main festival event on Saturday/Sunday.

THURSDAY The pre-party was a speed metal smackdown at Filthy McNasty's on Whyte Ave featuring Riot City, Hazzerd, Powerslave and Vicious. No cover charge; the gig had a pretty healthy run of attendees throughout the night. Powerslave kicked off the proceedings with a tribute to Iron Maiden, with an eye on tunes from the self-titled album all the way through to Fear of the Dark. Decent background music for slugging back pints of Grasshopper, but the singer and drummer both had trouble keeping it together.

Filthy McNasty's is a cool place that has been loyal to heavy metal bands for years and years now, and their free-cover shows are a regular deal, plus they make a mean plate of nachos. In addition to band merch, there were two tables of CDs, tapes and LPs set up, lending the show a nice metal market quality. Vicious (Halifax) struck the stage next. Great band, wild antics, wailing lead vocals from behind the drumkit. Rest of the band pulled their weight, throwing shapes to spare. Lots of riffs, lots of fun.

We nabbed a double-shot of Cow-town madness from Hazzerd and Riot City. The former played some straight-up thrash in the old bay area vein, very tight though not nearly as untamed and explosive as the previous group. Riot City on the other hand were that burst of energy needed to close off the night. It was their first show, and they worked the room with a drunken ham-fisted grace, absolutely perfect for the event. Musically I dig `em more than Skullfist or Axxion. With a few more gigs under their belt I think they'll be a force to be reckoned with. Played a great cover of "See You in Hell" by Grim Reaper. Pounding Metal.

SATURDAY I rolled into the festival grounds at about 7:00pm, after trying (unsuccessfully) to tow some bleeding drunken idiots from the ditch on Highway 14. Saw them at the festival a few hours later thanks to AMA. Promptly after emerging from my van I was assaulted by five different people asking if I was sober enough to make a beer run in Tofield. After some banter I eventually convinced some bloke to pay me 20 bucks for my trouble. When I finally made it to the stage area with a 18-pack of Pilsner under my arm, Idolatry were on the stage with ravishing grimness, complete with corpse-paint. Watching black metal with the sun shining in your eyes takes you out of the experience, but what can you do? Tyrants Demise from the 'Peg went on next and their derpy brand of Deathcore wasn't for me.

Farmageddon is a largely all-ages event, which should be a godsend for the young and impressionable metal fans in the Alberta area. The stage arena was separated by a chicken-wire fence, with one side as the licensed area (where you could drink the Alley Kat beer for sale, but not your own beer) and the non-licensed area (where you could drink your own beer but not the Alley Kat beer) which sounds stupid on paper 26 VandaiaMagaZine-COM - July 2014

KTOKTYS Drummer Ryan Boykoparing up the drums!

and looks even more ridiculous in practice when one side of the stage is crammed with people and the other side has two viewers carrying red solo cups. The fence was taken down on Sunday morning.

Local heroes Death Toll Rising blasted through a set of death metal which was about as tight as a bug's ear (pretty damn tight, from what I've read) which is what we've come to expect from them. Death Toll Rising were one of the semi-finalists in Canada's battle for Wacken, and guitarist Drew Copland was selected as a judge for the finals in Toronto.

The camping grounds for Farmageddon are pretty swell. The location is surrounded by rows of trees and farmers fields and the sun floats across the sky for a solid 18 hours per day. At the center of the grounds sits a fire pit which serves as a communal kitchen and also a place to escape the sun during the burning hours of the afternoon.

On one side of the fire pit lies a sea of tents. On the other is the market area, featuring band/festival merch and a handful of other stalls such as my good comrade Ragnar the Trader from Saskatchetoon. Beyond the market, more camping and RV units. I'd estimate that the current site of Farmageddon could accommodate 500+ guests with proper organization.

Most of the Farmageddon lineup consists of regional/local acts, meaning that socializing was the strongest commodity for the weekend. I ended up hanging out and chatting away Psychotic Gardening's doom-encrusted set, but they sounded great from my aural vantage. Calgary's own pagan horde Dark Forest invaded the stage next, bathed in blue and purple glow. David Parks rasped and snarled his way through tunes from both albums which was well-received by those in attendance. Steel clashed and rivers ran brown with cheap booze. The partying continued well into the night thanks to the dudes from Ironstorm, Mongol and Eye of Horus who brought their own beer-pang equipment. It was probably 3:00am before I passed out in the back of my van, drunk and bleary-eyed.

SUNDAY Fact: When you are camping, you will always wake up at 8:00am, no matter how late you went to sleep. I was dismayed to find that all but one of my beers (thanks, asshole) had been stolen from the cooler of our campsite. Pilfered Pilsner was a common theme of the festival that morning, which I attribute to the average redneck Albertan metalhead being a herculean dickweed. The food-vendors opened up an hour later and doles out egg+bacon sandwiches to the slavering crowds. Fact: You can never eat just one.

Bands kicks off bright and early at 10am. Cryptosis (from Stettler or some damn place) sounded like two bands playing at the same time thanks to the Nu-Slayer riffs and a mixture of Halfordian wails and death grunts from their indigo-haired vocalist.

We then got a triple-dose of Calgary from bands like Afterearth (playing shreddy melodic death metal), Shrapnal (Old-school thrash metal played by new blood, easily the most entertaining band of the weekend) and Vile Insignia doing beastly death/black metal.

Edmontonian three-piece Display of Decay went up next for another death metal assault featuring hyperactive guitar solos and gut-churning bass tone. They're touring western Canada this summer, so keep an eye out for three hot singles in your area.

The west coast got their kicks in with Witch of the Waste playing some grinding 28 VandaiaMagazine.COM - July 2014

hardcore punk. Their style didn't jive with the rest of the festival and their set went largely unwatched. Following them were Victoria's Scimitar who were a hit with the sparse Sunday crowd, complete with belly-dancing, swords, banjos and piratical lyrics. I unfortunately had to bounce back to Edmonton at this point so I missed out on the rest of the bands, such as Ironstrom, Mortillary, Sanktuary and Havok.

I want to get serious for a second here because it seems that 2014 is the year for metal festivals in Western Canada. In the months of June/July/August we've got Calgary Metalfest, Armstrong Metalfest, Farmageddon, Loud as Hell, Beaverfest, Shred the Loops, Vernstock, Metalwizard Open Air and then maybe one or two more I'm forgetting. That's eight summer metal festivals in BC, AB and SASK alone, and most of these are camping events.

I've got bad news: Less than half of these festivals will be able to sustain themselves for future years. Our climate of fans and bands cannot support them all.

Some of the felts have different goals than others, but in the Game of Festivals, success will come down to management, marketing and booking bands that draw a crowd. Farmageddon 2014 was a massive improvement from 2013 and features some of the best lights and sound I've ever heard at a festival. Despite this, Excalibur needs to take some serious steps to tighten up their game if they want to go any further with this event.

The Numbers: - 4 Days of music (three days at the campground) - 39 bands (approx 28 from Alberta) - $100 for a 3-day pass (add $30/night for RV camping) - $5 for a festival beer (provided by Alley Kat, Edmonton) - $4-7 for festival food (Burgers, fries, hot dogs, pulled pork sammiches, etc) - 80km east of Edmonton (Just past Tofield) - 9 beers stolen - 4 ratchet straps ruined

Farmageddon Online www.farmageddon.ca and www.facebook.com/Farmageddonfest

Highlighted Bands Online Tyrants Demise - www.facebook.com/tyrantsdemiseofficial Idolatry - www.facebook.com/idolatryblackmetal Death Toll Rising - www.facebook.com/DeathTollRising Ragnar the Trader - www.facebook.com/ragnarthetrader Psychotic Gardening - www.psychoticgardening.com Dark Forest - www.darkforest.ca Cryptosis www.facebook.com/CryptosisMetal Afterearth www.facebook.comimetalafterearth Shrapnal www.facebook.com/ShrapnalBand Vile Insignia - www.facebook.com/VileInsignia Scimitar - www.Scimitar.ca Display of Decay - www.displayofdecay.net KYOKTYS www.facebook.com/KYOKTYS Mongol - www.facebook.com/MongolCanada Witch of the Waste - www.facebook.com/witchofthewaste Photos by Dana Zuk Photography July 2014 - VaridalaMagazine.Com 29

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Sled Island Festival 2014 Review and Photos by Darian Magee Day i No one's going to rain on this parade! Except the forces of mother nature, because it is merciless and cruel. Still - compared to the flooding last year, Ill take it as a major improvement Fans weren't sure if the festival could bounce back from last year.

Apparently having all your venues destroyed by walls of freezing cold water really hits you hard financially. But it's back and better than ever, featuring headliners such as Spiritualized, Neko Case, Chelsea Wolfe, and St Vincent.

Since its creation in 2007, Sled Island has continued to grow and amaze the crowds of Calgary, Alberta. 5 days and 4 nights, it makes for a wild week. The musicians, the art, films, there is nothing you could ever want that this festival can't provide and it looks like 2014 is going to set a new bar for Calgarys music scene.

I started off the week by checking out 36? and Tigervving at Commonwealth, one of the festivals more popular venues. At one point during the concert, there were 3 different types of music playing simultaneously and it both baffled and amazed me that the building had the ability to support that kind of acoustics. Downstairs, the sweet sounds of experimental electronic filled the room with indict pop riling up a crowd upstairs. There was even some sort of top 40 club music playing in the entrance, somehow still discernible over the two bands performing. Club architecture is not to be underestimated. Within the next few hours, I was whisked away to a church in the depths of Calgary where I listened to Rhye execute a beautifully intricate symphony. Long listed for the 2013 Polaris Prize, it was an honor to hear them let it out in the pews. But music isn't all the festival has to offer.

Just down the road, the exhibit Zoloft Gardens was being hosted at the Royal Canadian Legion, a cultural centre dedicated to helping veterans and jamming out. Quirky and beyond comprehension, the work showcased was colorful and the highlight of Day 1 - err, 2, arrived at midnight in the form of the most underground band your mind can possibly conceive. With no actual recorded music, it blew my mind how many people showed up to the Operators concert to see their 7th show. Dan Boeckner's (lead singer for Wolf Parade) new band was silly, fun, and a great way to end the night.

Day Day 2 - or, evening 2 - kicked off with Sarah Davachi, an electronic artist from California. Deeply immersive, her performance gave me an anxiety attack so powerful I took up smoking again. The weird part is, I actually really enjoyed it. Not the smoking, that was filled with a lot of regret and a sense of mild frustration. A master of the analog and synthesizer, she provided an intense 35 minutes that left the audience in a trance hard to shake.

34 Vandaialtfagazine.COM - July 2014

Next on my agenda came Onetrix Point Never, a man hailing from Brooklyn. Much to the annoyance of the photographers surrounding him, he spent the entire performance shrouded in darkness. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!

Above him, a projector screen played a beautiful sequence of images that could only be described as enchanting. A treat for both the eyes and ears, the crowd walked away breathless. Feeling rather disoriented, I decided to take a break and head to the artists lounge, situated atop Alberta's most iconic building.

Something about being at the top of the Calgary Tower made me feel incredibly smug and as the elevator door opened, I quietly whispered "none of these VIP's know how poor I actually am". With a $4 blazer and dress pants I stole from my mom, I was the picture of deception. Anyways - apparently Sled Island did not cut corners this year, because the minute I entered the room, I was presented with the offer of a free massage. Free massages? What! I backed away in a hurry then, vowing no one would touch my painfully gangly 19 year old body while I was on the job.

Despite the initial awkwardness, it was a sight to behold. The rap artists, goth musicians, stoner rock, indie pop - all had gathered in this place of harmony. There was no fear to be found, only promises of baked goods and gummy whales.

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3

By the time day 3 hit, I was pretty well versed in how to survive and with the cancellation of Neko Case, I had some time to reflect. Here's some festival tips to make your experience as rocking as possible.

Wristbands: If you're unlucky enough to be saddled with a flimsy paper ring of itchiness, there's a few quick ways to preserve it. But before you try any of these methods, remember this - don't wear it any longer than you have to. If pickup starts a week before the event like mine did, wait it out They will have enough. No sense in unnecessary erosion. After you've been burdened, paint the outer surface with clear nail polish. When dry, cover it with a coat of hairspray and show off your handiwork.

Congratulations! You just bought your token of awesome a few more years.

What not to do: I know you don't want to smudge the writing on your Coachella

bracelet, but for the love of God, shower. When enjoying a good mosh, the only thing I want to be punched in the face with is the cool fist of a metal head - not your terrible smell. Concerts can get pretty sizzling. Prepare yourself and lather, rinse, repeat.

Dancing: Not sure how to dance? That's perfectly fine! There are exactly 7 people in this crowd of hundreds who know how to move their body properly and they're too drunk to notice your flapping limbs. Get weird, get crazy, and see how long you can go without accidentally brushing your hand across someone's invasive butt. Try not to jump up and down too much unless everyone else is doing it, because smashing toes is only okay when you're doing it collectively.

What not to do: Don't be that guy. I promise you, if I want to start grinding, make sure you know. But I don't. I came here to scream myself hoarse and deafen myself.

No one wants your crotch anywhere near them, so leave it at home if you can. I don't know how you think it feels for a girl, but nowhere near what you're getting - point that thing away from me.

Clothing: Dress however you want, you'll look cool no matter what. But keep in mind that concerts can get hot and most venues don't spring for an AC unit. Bring a jacket you can stow in your purse for later or suffer the consequences and make sure to take July 2014 - VandalaMagazine.Com 35

a pair of sensible shoes.

What not to do: I wore a pantsuit throughout the festival. Don't do that, only media scum do that and we hate ourselves.

Day 4 Saturday was a day for girl power and having seen Stefana Fratila, White Lung, and St Vincent within a span of a few hours, I felt like I was on top of the world.

Hailing from Romania, Ms. Fratila moved to Vancouver as a young girl and made new roots. Showcasing her new album, a compilation of songs remixed from old inspirations, she granted us a peek into her inferno of a mind at the Ironwood public house before traveling to Germany for her next gig. Akin to that of falling rain, her instrumentals and vocals are sure to give you chills and her live performance delivered just that. I had the chance to sit down with her minutes before the show to discuss the festival and even managed to squeeze in a few questions about her music. On page 40) Next on my dance card came White Lung, a punk/rock band from the great white north. Exciting and dancy, the outdoor venue was probably for the best because no stage smaller could contain Mish Way's powerful vocals and the rest of her ensembles energizing riffs. Despite their deliciously aggressive voices, the band harmonized beautifully and crowds comfortably head bobbed til the wee hours of the night.

But - more importantly - Annie Clark is a beautiful robotic flower and I touched her leather clad thigh on the 21st of June after she fell off the stage. That's what's up.

With theatrics only comparable to that of Michael Jackson, St. Vincent made for a mesmerizing show and with the help of guitarist/partner in crime Toko Yasuda, hypnotized the eager audience of a jam packed Flames Central.

Day 5 Having spent all my money on concert tickets and late night McDonalds, I was not able to make it to Sled Islands wrap up karaoke party or pig roast. But it gave me some time to think about all the people I had met - and the rare few I wanted to.

I) The stoner: I don't know how they did it or what orifice they used, but somehow, they smuggled in the smelliest of marijuana's and right now it's all you can concentrate on. Are they smoking out of a beer can? Damn, they're getting good at this.

2) The waterboy: We're not sure how much this guy is getting paid, only that he's 36 VandaiaMagazisie.COM - July 2014

really good at his job and intensely annoying. Every venues got one, and if you're lucky enough to score a spot at the front, he will completely disarm you by swooping in and gathering drinks off the stage. It's not that you miss those empty glasses, you're glad they're no longer precariously perched on the edge. But every 10 minutes, this dude is going to come in and create a unified shuffle and lose your spot in the process.

3) The Eager Mosher: This is the kind of jerk that goes to a Wiggles performance and punches out a baby. I love your enthusiasm, I really do, but right now we're at a bubblegum pop concert. Know the audience and keep those body checking hips away from me.

4) The sidewinder these are the kind of people I want to weaponize, because surely they know something I don't. Boneless men and women of all shapes, colors, and sizes, who somehow manage to squish themselves through the wall of a crowd and make their way to the front row. You are a marvel, ladies and gents.

5) Media: We're here, were loud, and our camera lenses are digging into your back something fierce. For the first 3 songs, we will be your living nightmare. With the ability to bend ourselves in any pose, no matter how contorted (gotta get that perfect shot), no member of the audience will annoy you more.

6) The band: Wait, you've never met them? Here's how.

There are two fool proof ways to meet the person performing, both of which require a lot of dedication. You can either a) be rich or b) extremely patient.

If you're aspiring to meet a top 40 musician, publicists will frequently offer a package deal meet and greet! Awesome! Often going for twice the cost, this can be quite the purchase and may not be worth the money. But there's another way. The bus.

There it is, parked behind the auditorium. Tall and mighty, it makes for an impressive sight and your fingers are itching to find out what it's hiding. Do you run up and knock? Not Not if you're looking for an amicable conversation. Chances are, if you wait there long enough after the concert, they'll make an appearance. They have to return at some point, so be patient and kind to the security guards. They can boost you to the top in a minute or topple you down just as fast. They're just doing their job, so if they tell you to back off, listen.

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Live On Location With Stefana Fratila at Sled island Fest 2014 Interview and Photo By Darian Magee

I don't know what you were doing as a teenager, but it probably wasn't as cool as Stefana Fratilas after school activities. At just 15, Stefana Fratila (left: performing at Sled Island 2014) began creating music surpassing that of even the most seasoned of musicians and has kept herself busy since then. Vocals smoother than silk but often overshadowed by spellbinding rhythms, her mixes make for an exciting listen. Prior to her show last week, I was given the opportunity to sit down with her and discuss her new album.

What about Sled Island stands out to you?

Stefana: I guess for me it's just the opportunity to visit Calgary. I've only ever been here for Sled and it's very pleasant to be here, everyone's really lovely and nice. The festival is well organized and they're doing wonderful things for Canada in general, bringing everyone together, and they do a great job of curating the whole thing. They get a lot of deserving artists into the spotlight and it's fantastic.

What about performing in a festival is different than going solo, how do they compare?

Stefana: Honestly? The amount of emails I get. You get a lot more emails when you're at a festival. They're not too bad about it here, but there are more people involved and it's a bit more difficult to organize. I'm used to just emailing one person back and forth and I'll just show up eventually, but there's a lot more involved with this. I really like how Sled Island is in touch with real venues and we're not just all outdoors with giant crowds.

When did you start incorporating feminism into your music and what inspired you to do that?

Stefana: I think implicitly from the very beginning, but I wasn't aware of it because I was around 15 years old. When I was in high school I started identifying as a feminist. My high school boyfriend older brother gave him a copy of 'Feminism is for everybody' and we read it together. That was kind of the beginning of it, when I was 17. The older I got, the more I started to read. But what really set me off was being in Paris for a year, that's when I really got triggered to get into that sort of thing. I was constantly being objectified, I got very angry, and after being forced to confront that every day I started using it as a theme in my music.

40 vandaiamagazine.Com - July 2014

I ideraviiew S lefra n 0 Frati I a .

You're from Romania, when did you move to Canada?

Stefana: I moved to Canada when I was a young girl with my family. live been back almost every summer, spending the rest of my year in Vancouver.

What's the music scene like there, how does it compare?

Stefana: I went on tour 2 years ago and I went to quite a few different places, ones I've never been to, and there's a really vibrant contemporary art scene in the bigger cities. All of them really have that vibe, the music is mostly electronic. I didn't know about it till 2 years ago, I was mostly just visiting my grandparents before. But there's actually a lot of crazy artists there.

Germany next! I'm excited for you Stefana: Yeah! Berlin is great, I haven't been there for a few years. My first tour was when I was 17 and I booked that just as I was finishing high school. I hung out with my best friend for a few weeks, playing together, it was a great time.

I only went there for 2 days, all I remember is eating everything Stefana: It's really cheap compared to a lot of Western Europe, you can buy crates of beer for around 6 Euros.

What equipment do you use?

Stefana: I've got a bunch of stuff, tonight and for the rest of the summer I've kind of scaled it down, just because I've got to carry most of it myself. It's a nice challenge for me, I'm very comfortable with my gear and just thought to myself "take it all away! See what happens". I've got a synth and my laptop, which operates 5 pieces of software simultaneously. It makes it a little messy. Usually I've got a bunch of pedals, electric guitar, and a ukulele, but I had to leave it at home.

You've got a first official album release coming up, right?

Stefana: I do!

Most readers, including myself, have no idea what kind of work goes into that, so I'm curious. What kind of experience is that like?

Stefana This one is totally insane! The model is very anti music industry. It was basically recorded and mixed in a really nice studio within the last year, but the project was completely stalled and it was just sitting on a desktop for four years. Now it's been mastered and we essentially finished it this month. Its nice to have it out Has your music changed since then?

Stefana: Oh God, yes. It's a totally different album from anything I'd ever record today. Full band, very nice studio recording, I almost do the opposite now There are some similar elements, like the way I was writing songs back then. Most of what I do is very A to B to C to D, no repeats, refrains and choruses. But yes, way more folk pop. I'm more electronic now, Is it just you doing that, the mixing and recording?

Stefana: Everything is me, it's been me for a long time now, that's the last project I've worked with other people.

This July, Stefana Fratila will be proving that she is once again cooler than everyone I know by touring through Western Europe and if you're lucky enough to be in her tornado of mega-wicked-awesome, make sure to check out performance dates on her tumblr. www.stefanafratiia.bandcamp.com and www.stefanafratila.tumblr.com July 2014 - VandalaMagazine.Com 41

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Touring Half Way to the Moon - Interview with Taylor Rice Interview By Gideon Greenbaum-Shinder How are you doing?

Taylor: Really, really well. It's kind of been-, it's actually my birthday tomorrow. I'm having a surprise party this weekend.

A surprise party that you know about?

Taylor: It's a really nice weekend of celebration so I'm kind of like it's a start of a new week but it's already been a great birthday week so far.

Well, that's fantastic. [Laughter] So you guys are doing a pretty huge tour right now, so I guess taking a break would be kind of a treat.

Taylor: Yeah, totally. It's funny that you say that because this is like not on tour for us - at all. This is the equivalent of not being on tour. We're just doing a lot of fly outs and accessible stuff this summer. But we've kind of finally just finished up all the regular touring. The other things we're doing for this record when we're home, and we're working on another album right now.

Oh wow, another album is in the works?

Taylor: Yeah, the wheels are turning.

That's always good to hear. I noticed that you guys are jumping around a iot this summer.

You guys are playing TURF Fest in Toronto and going right out to Keloha Fest in BC the next week and then coming back for Osheaga, then Montreal and all these other things Taylor: Yeah, yeah exactly, it's nice to do all these Canada ones. We haven't done any festivals in Canada. I'm really looking forward to all three of those.

So you were saying that even that amount of going around isn't really considered touring for you guys; what's a heavy tour, then?

Taylor: Oh well, so we were named I think it's an award - for the most touring band in the world of 2013. Given by Songkick. They track all your shows and they tracked how many shows each artist did and how many miles they traveled - they could determine that, and we had the most shows of any band. We travelled around the world five times or halfway to the moon.

Having been on tour so much, one of the questions I actually wanted to ask you was about the things that you miss on tour and maybe a specific act of generosity; or somebody had just been nice to you guys on tour and made you guys feel like you were at home?

Taylor: Oh yeah, that happens all the time which is kind of like your saving grace I find when you're on tour and you're sick of another hotel room or whatever and it always seems, you know, strangers just kind of come up and make you a home cooked meal or take you out to their restaurant. They show you the cool places in the city and one example is when we played a show in Switzerland.

At this venue, it was just really awesome and the people that were into the venue took us around to this coffee shop, the best view of a coffee shop I've ever seen, by far. It's sort of hard to explain but just imagine the craziest Swiss Alps view just from this coffee shop and they cooked us all this amazing home cooked meal and opened up all this wine. It was just this family oriented thing right at the venue.

Things like that definitely help us out when we're so far away from home all the time.

Do you guys feel a huge difference when you're traveling around so much just kind of popping into all these festivals. Is there a big difference from festival to festival?

44 VandalaMagazine.Corn - July 2014

Iiiitteraviiew Taylor Riâ‚Źe Taylor: Yeah, the festivals have really different cultures around them, just kind of based on how they started, where they are and what they're about and what's going on at the festival.

Does the band have any sort of ritual or anything like that before going on stage?

Taylor: We do actually. We do have a ritual that we do. It's sort of secret though. I don't think, I don't know that I can divulge the exact ritual or the specifics of it but I can say we sort of have this little, you know, its a ritual that we do. Its something that we all do together, right before we go on stage; we're all on the same page. We center ourselves and being a live band is really important to us. I consider ourselves a live band. In some ways we've just toured so much -It's really important that we're all together and on the same page. Everybody's just supportive of each other and in a good state. This ritual that we do right before we go on stage.

Wow. Yes, absolutely you guys have an extremely high powered live show and it's been said that you're even better live. So that's a big compliment in my book.

Taylor: Thanks man. We're trying to change that on our next record and make a better record than we are live but it's been a challenge, Do you guys find that you're different when you go on stage opposed to when you're jus normal guys not on a stage?

Taylor: [Laughter] Yeah, definitely. I mean, I don't know, to some degree. It's sort of weird.

It's like when I don't go on tour for a long time and then-, like in a situation we're in now, I toured a lot in the last year but now I've been really used to just getting home and just having a normal life again. And then I have my thirteen inch schedule where I am not like some crazy person with this live whirlwind tour thing that's happening. And then we go to play a show and it kind of strikes me how insane it is. My job is to basically go play music in front of 5,000 people or 10,000 people or something. You know, we just played this festival this weekend in Dover, Delaware called Firefly. It's kind of a new festival. It's the biggest one on the East Coast now. There are 80,000 people.

I thought it was this tiny festival that we were going to play for a few thousand people, I don't know, I don't want to quote the number but it was definitely one of the biggest shows that I think I've ever done live. We hadn't rehearsed at all or anything. It just sort of came right back. It was like riding a bike for us. It's something we've done so much and it was such an amazing time doing it but being out of it for so long, it just really struck me how weird it is that's our job and I feel lucky but it's sort of strange.

It's a little surreal, maybe?

Taylor; Yeah, it totally is but then once we're on the stage it's very natural and very comfortable place for us to be. There's a long band history, the three songwriters in the band; kelcey, Ryan and myself. We have been playing together since we were kids in high school. It's been 12 years now that we're just really kind of connected.

I wanted to ask you a little bit about your song writing process and that is: does someone come in-, one of the three of you, that is-, with a fully formed idea or is it that they've got a riff or a melody or some lyrics and you all hash it out? How does the process work?

Taylor; It's definitely both. A song has its own story of how it came to be. But the one thing, no matter how fully formed the song is when one of us brings it, the band really always moulds it and changes it into something that the person probably wouldn't expect. So when I bring a song and I'm like, Alright, I've got this song, it's all together, I have this vision for it, and this is something that we've learned over a decade. I think we really recognize that we're at our best when we let each other just drive our music in different directions that not any one of us by ourselves can do and that what kind of makes a band All the guys in my band have unique strengths and every song that I bring sometimes I'm July 2014 - VaridalaMagazine.Com 45

Cover Story. Loâ‚Ź,a Natimes really precious with it. I won't want them to change anything but in the end, after the dust kind of settles, I can look back and say, "Yeah, this song is way more amazing now that I've let my band mates get their hands on it and sup it up."

Absolutely. You guys clearly have a whole bunch of different styled players in your band with different sorts of influences. I personally would see that as a positive thing. How does that come out in the song writing?

Taylor: It's pretty straightforward. Well it's not straightforward actually; it's really complicated. So if I have this song and I'm like: here's my idea for this song that I'm going to play, I kind of want this-, it's hard for me to give a really concise non-specific nerdy answer to this question. But say that Ryan is really into [dubb] at the moment, he'll say this and we'll say, 'No, we need this dubb and different opening kind of beat behind it", and then we'll jam on that feel for a while. Then the total feel, you know the chords and the melodies, all stay the same and the feel of the song just shifts all of a sudden, completely drastically.

And everybody's like, this is amazing. I think that's how everybody's allowed to try their ideas. It's really frustrating but it's also really cool I think it's really cool.

Taylor: We go through a lot of iterations of the song until we find something that everybody is really excited about in the moment and all our influences are changing all the time so I think it's like, each album we make there's definitely a point in time that's very reflective of how we're feeling in that moment.

For sure. Besides obviously being artists as musicians, you guys are extremely artistic. Even just looking at your Facebook wall and some of the pictures are great. Your videos are all really interesting as well. Where does this other creativity come from?

Taylor: I think all of us are just excitable, creative, artistic people. When we get to make a music video that's an exciting opportunity for us to try something that's not in our reel house. None of us are directors but we make music videos completely ourselves with a friend of mine, Jeff [Stin]. He shot it and co-directed it with us. It was just the five of us and my buddy, Jeff making this video and I think that's actually my favourite that we've ever done and it didn't even cost anything. It was really fun to make and I think that video is the most direct example of us.

Because we're not directors, we get other people involved. We always want super control over everything. We do all our own art work, all the videos. There's another video afterwards that we didn't make but we wrote it. We found this company in Portland who made the video for us. It was really cool. Just an example: all our merchandise and everything, all the designs we make ourselves as well.

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46 VandaiaMagazine-Corn - July 2014

I actually did want to talk to you about this video of Heavy Feet which I found to be so touching but also bizarre as well, obviously. I wanted to ask where that idea came from?

Taylor: So Heavy Feet is the one I can't take any credit for.

It's the one video that we had done probably literally over 100 video treatments. We weren't seeing the vision for any of them then all of a sudden this one popped up

Irdetaview Taylor ilige which is the one we chose and was made. We were like, "Whoa, this is really bizarre and really awesome." Let's just run with it. It's a rare example of collaborating with someone a little but it was kind of like their vision of that and I really love that video. I agree with you. It's kind of sweet, but very bizarre and kind of sad...

Absolutely, it was just this whole story of the blind guys flying the airplanes and it was just so captivating.

Taylor: It's real-, there is a real flying club with blind people, which is pretty cool.

You guys put your second full length album last year and you said that you were kind of working on something else. What are the recording plans for the future then?

Taylor: We're just kind of in our studio in L.A. right now writing and jamming which is how we do it, you know. We'll kind of do all the pre-production and recording ourselves before we talk about whether or not we're going to go to the studio or get a producer. Our last record we used [Aaron]. Before Aaron got on board we had all these demos and all these songs flushed out. So, we're in that stage right now where the record is starting to find its own life and its own shape and everything.

Very cool. Last question was going to be what's the importance of production in your process when it comes to recording everything; working with a producer, working with your label? How does that influence your guys' sound?

Taylor: Well, we've only made these two records and in each case it was pretty different.

Aaron, we certainly let be more hands-on with us than in our first record than the experience we had there and that was cool, because he was kind of like he-, he basically became a surrogate band member for the time for this couple of months that we were recording the album. That was a really good experience for us, because he wasn't too pushy. He has his own band and his own thing, where he gets to be the boss of everything, so that was actually really nice that he would let us hold the reigns, but then still kind of like push and give his opinion. It was a good experience.

I know that because we do like to have so much control, the vision for us would definitely to be more and more by ourselves. For this record we're building out a more serious studio and hoping that in the writing stage we can actually achieve all we write for the record.

Of course. Absolutely. Taylor, it was absolutely great to talk to you and I'll be seeing you guys at TURF Fest very soon and our editor can't wait to see you at Keloha.

Be to sure to grab the bands current album "Hummingbird" and stay tuned online for news about their next album. And you can catch Local Natives on the live for yourself in a city near you including Kelowna, BC, (Keloha Music and Arts Festival), Montreal, QC (Osheaga Festival Musique Et Arts), Columbus, OH, (Fashion Meets Music Festival) and in many more cities all summer.

ONLINE AT:

www.thelocalnativesscoin vvrww.facebook.comilocalnatives www.youtube.comiuserilocalnativesband July 2014 - VaridalaMagazine.Com 47

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Lost tine WAMA Nomination I was very excited to get the email from Breakout West. They said I'd been nominated for a 2014 WCMA award for my solo record "Blotto", for Best Rap/Hip-hop Album (of all time). I was thrilled to be nominated. The competition was fierce and all titles chosen were worthy of the award this year. Here's what it looked like: Rap/Hip-Hop Recording of the Year Evil Ebenezer - Howl (BC) Josh Martinez - Blotto (BC) Shad - Flying Colours (BC) SonReal - One Long Day (BC) Sweatshop Union - Infinite (BC) It was exciting to be nominated for the award for best rap album. I don't get nominated very often. The last time I was nominated for this award was for Midriff Music, a 2005 rap masterpiece that many of my fans will say was my best solo work (others say Buck Up Princess), that I somehow won. Even though I was surely a long shot this year, it was nice to be nominated.

Well the good times didn't last long. Within a week of the nomination, I received a new email questioning my residency status for the award. Not sure who or why, but someone snitched me out. As we all know from my extensive time reporting from the cold unforgiving streets, yall know I'm no fan of a snitch. I wear my 'Stop Snitching' extra tall T-shirt every other day (I wash it thoroughly on the off day) and though the block is very hot, you'll often see me on the corner in a flossy mink coat (like Will.i.am) serving up that wisdom to all the gods and all of the earth's. So that's me and how I do.

Now I've lived in Portland, OR on and off since 2007, after my domestic life in East Van fell apart. I travel constantly for music tours and business travel. While trying to wear that snapback rap hat, plus also the fitted hat that involves bringing resources and opportunities to my peoples as the head of Camobear Records, the record label I've owned and run out of Vancouver, BC since 2003, I often find myself at cross-purposes, sacrificing my own career for the longevity and growth of the whole team.

In my time being an artist and a business man, I've learned everything about the music business that I could. My skills include bookkeeping, grant writing, ability to decipher contracts, knowing the difference between publishing and licensing, dealing with broke rappers and their angry girlfriends, managing expectations, dying on the inside, lying when asked how's the music business is going, day-drinking, crying without tears, defaulting on credit cards and pretending to be in Hawaii. So you know I got skillz.

I call both Vancouver and Portland my homes, but calling it your home, and qualifying for the vaunted title of WCMA residency status are two different things. Regardless of where I am, Camobear as an entity exists in BC, and therefore in Western Canada. I pay my personal taxes as well as the Camobear Records INC. business taxes in BC, Canada.

Always have. All my banking is done in BC, at Vancity Credit Union, for both personal and for business purposes For the last 10 years I've used a BC address as my primary source 52 VandalaMagazine.Com - July 2014

of business and admire reception as I was constantly on the move, pursuing opportunities and touring nonstop.

As far as residency goes, I am considered and promoted as a Canadian artist, wherever I go, and whatever festival, show, radio or press, that I play. I write songs with titles like `BC Trees', and 'Going Back To Hall'. I am constantly promoting myself as a representative and cultural ambassador for the Canadian arts and culture scene as I tour and travel worldwide. I identify with Vancouver as my home base. I consider Portland/LA to be a business venture in the pursuit of new opportunities. And Halifax, NS is where I come from, and where my family lives. Its tear jerking stuff, I know.

Anyways, that's not good enough for the WCMA, which decided that I wasn't sufficiently Western Canadian enough for them. So I lost my nomination and have been replaced by Madchild, who also deserves to be nominated (and who in 2005, held me up at gunpoint after one of my shows for a perceived slight of his group The Swollen Members, in a story that came out in the Georgia Straight, one of the worst weekly rags to exist). But I'm out here digressing. Lets focus on the now.

So now it looks like this. Even alphabetically, Madchild was a perfect replacement for me.

Rap/Hip-Hop Recording of the Year Evil Ebenezer - Howl (BC) Madchild - Lawn Mower Man (BC) Shad - Flying Colours (BC) SonReal - One Long Day (BC) Sweatshop Union - Infinite (BC) In conclusion, I'm saddened to have lost my nomination. I think this year's crop of nominees is the strongest yet. I enjoyed being in their company. I also think the WCMA, like all its award brethren, is a jerk-off session for irrelevant industry wanks to feel self-important, like they are gift-wrapping the next generation of talent with all the brilliance that being good at administration involves. The truth is awards have never represented great work or generational importance. They just represent people who have name recognition to those who know nothing about genres other than the ones they follow. I continue to live and breathe and write music for the fans, the people I love and for myself. Music is a stupid business, now more so than ever, but who am I to kill the dreams of the next generation (if you're going to be a 'musician', at least get yourself a trade first so you can make money while you explore how financially awful the arts business really is).

And just to prove how stupid all of this is, let us remember the 2011 .Junos (Canada's Grammy awards) when Drake was at the top of every chart with Thank Me Later, blowing up all over the world, and being for sure the most successful Canadian rapper ever, as well as being in his prime. He was nominated for best rap album (and 6 other awards), was asked to host the event, did so graciously, and then received zero awards. 6 Nominations and Drizzy doesn't win at least one award? That's so Canadian. We hate success. It makes us feel too American.

F*ck awards. F*ck Business. Long live music. And Good luck to all the nominees, who are all people I actually like.

About Josh Martinez He is a sucessfull hip-hop artist and Founder/Owner of Camobear Records.

Check him out along with many of the Ca moBear Roster online at www.joshmartinez.com and www.CamoBear,conJuly 2014 - Vandalamagazine.Com 53

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it'@ al. Stageeiraft 101 WARNINP! ATENCION! ACHTUNG! DANGER WILL ROBIN41!

By Jeff Black Amongst the discussion and responses for my original article, I stumbled across this comment "Thanks for the advice, guy whose played in go-nowhere never f*cking heard of them bands. This "scathing article" from a f*cking creatively bankrupt hare-brained idiot who thinks that covering Ozzy songs "sets him apart". from being a cheesy moron prancing around with choreographed Fr back street boy bullsh*t moves. Pathetic. What a tryhard...

You can't please everyone.

Fact: you probably don't know who I am. You've probably never heard of me. Does this make my advice worth any less than if it came from, say, Gene Hoglan or Rob Halford or Steve Harris or whomever? Nope. Maybe? Probably. Shut up.

You heard it in that quote above, I'm just a creatively bankrupt tryhard hunched over his computer, drinking Warsteiner at 8:30am on a Thursday with no pants on when I should really be booking studio time. You probably don't want advice from me. And yet, I feel compelled to give it.

So here's how I see things: Do what makes sense to you.

My semi-coherent stage-monkey babble will not work for everyone, nor for every band.

Your mileage may vary and every band is trying to accomplish something a little different then the rest. Do what makes sense to you.

Just do it well.

PRACTICE FOR PERFORMANCE Have you ever gone out and watched a play? Like a musical production? I'm talking Phantom of the Opera, West Side Story, Les Miserables, Game of Thrones: the Musical (hopefully that'll be a thing by the time this article gets published) Footloose, whatever.

How often do you see a professional-level production where the actors screw up the choreography and ruin the song? It happens, sure. Youtube is a treasure trove for that stuff.

However, in my experience as a viewer and a performer its pretty rare for things to go wrong in a hugely noticeable way. Unless we're talking about your nephew's Christmas pageant. That sucked. Do little Jimmie a favor and tell him not to quit his day job, because his rendition of "Frosty the Snowman" was a less of a song, and more of a smear campaign against the holiday spirit.

Anyways.

I have a huge amount of respect for those in the Theater Arts. Those nutty thespians have to memorize and rehearse melodies, harmonies, lyrics, soliloquies, monologues, stage blocking, dance choreography and lighting queues and all kinds of crazy sh*t. Most of them shell out thousands of dollars for a BFA program to learn these skills.

Bands can learn a thing or three from these people.

Let's get Hypo... no, not Hypodermic, put your damn belt back on you junkie. I mean Hypothetical: You play in a five-piece rock band (or black metal, or post-new-age-funk, or Icelandic 56 VandalaMagazine.Com - July 2014

jacuzzi thrash, whatever moistens your berries). You've been jamming for like two months now and you've got your first gig tomorrow. You spend twenty minutes drawing up a set list and brainstorming some ideas for things to do onstage. You all leave your jam space with eager hearts and warm smiles, ready to ascend the heavens on a staircase made of fire to the annals of Rock and Roll legendry; to sit alongside Zeus and Odin in their golden hall where winged groupies slather themselves in Jim Bean and/or the blood of your enemies as they welter in fits of orgiastic bliss.

The gig is a mess. And not a hot mess.

A CAUTION

Your drummer tries a stick-toss that she saw Mike Portnoy do on a DVD once. The stick hits your bassist and knocks him unconscious. Your rhythm guitarist tries to run to the other side of the stage, but trips over your singer as she crouches down to chug a beer. Now your setlist and $2,000 pedal board are drenched in lukewarm Budweiser (because god damn, stage lights are hot). Also, it turns out that resting your foot on a monitor wedge isn't as easy as Zakk Wylde makes it look. You lose your balance and tumble into your crowd of (let's be real here) eleven people. The headstock of your Jackson Warrior stabs some poor jerkoff in the eye. Guess what? You're being sued! To top it off, the video is uploaded to Youtube, entitled "Worst Band Ever!" and it's grabbed 12,034,879 views in under four hours.

ets

EPIC FAILURE

What went wrong?

I'm not a doctor, but lots of these brutal screw-ups can be prevented by - drumroll please...

PRACTICING. YOUR, SH*T. This may not apply to everyone. Some people are blessed with an innate talent for using their bodies and strong hand-eye-coordination. These are the same sort of people who excel at dancing and sports with uncanny ease. People like this might spend their band practices sitting in a chair and frowning for two hours, only to become a whirling dervish of rockstar badassery when it comes time to work the room.

If you're one of those people, congrats. Get in the van, hit the road and share your wealth.

The rest of you? Stick around.

I had to learn this crap the hard way. Once you've worked out some ideas for your performance, you've gotta follow up with practice and rehearsal. You think that Robert Wise put all the Jets onto the set of West Side Story, called "Action" and prayed to the gods of finger-snapping and slicked-back hair for a miracle? HELL NAW. Those actors practiced their shit. If they couldn't pull it off, their asses got fired.

People forget. People make mistakes. Some people have better short term memories than others. Things get unpredictable in the heat of the moment. Without correct preparation, your ideas will be as useful as shoving chili cheese-dogs through your input jack with a spork, which isn't useful at all so don't try it, weirdo. Good gigs start with great rehearsals, great rehearsals are best prefaced with home prep.

Let's talk about practicing at home.

When I was first learning to head-bang while playing keyboards or walk around while strumming a guitar or singing and playing at the same time, I had to spend time, sometimes HOURS at home to get it running even a little bit smoothly, especially during difficult July 2014 - VandalaMagazine.Corn 57

passages. Even the simple act of tearing my eyes away from the guitar (I still don't know why I epoxied my eyeballs to my fretboard in the first place) and playing songs while looking elsewhere was a Promethean-level struggle for yours truly. But I worked on it and I got better. That's what practice is all about.

Ever been to a dance studio? One wall is a giant mirror. I love mirrors. Buy a mirror. Hell, if your bathroom's big enough then you can try practicing in there. Toilet doubles as a monitor, right?

This will probably feel stupid at first. GET OVER IT. If you feel stupid by yourself, how are you going to feel doing this in front of 10 people? 50?

200? You'll need to get comfortable in your own skin. That's what the mirror is for. Cut loose, have fun, act like you're twelve years old again, discovering Randy Rhoads or Yngwie or Angus Young for the first time.

Don't force it, though. If you're doing this stuff because you feel like you "have to" and not because you WANT TO, it'll look contrived and weak. Some musicians pull off the "rooted" stance quite well. Do what makes sense for you and your music. But whatever you do, you've gotta MEAN IT. Vocalists having trouble with their feet being glued to the floor while they're singing/growling/eating wombats should practice this. You can use a hairbrush or rhinestone buttplug if you don't have a mic at home, and chinchillas make excellent wombat substitutes in a pinch. The best thing about being a singer is that you carry your instrument wherever you go. Squandering your practice opportunities should be punishable by fifteen sporkings. I'll let your imagination run wild with that one.

Watch yourself in the mirror. Better yet, RECORD yourself - What kind of body language are you conveying as you sing? As you wide open, ready to receive the world and it's pleasures, or are you cowering and cramped?

Hint: There is no right or wrong answer. There is only "What Works Best." Let the song tell you what to do.

As you go you should work on playing without looking at your instrument. Using eye contact is crucial to establishing a personal connection with your audience which can create those golden moments that turns a simple "gig" into a life-long memory. Sometimes it's the little things, like a wink or a smirk or an eyebrow wiggle that worms itself into people's brain-holes. It's golden moments like these that will put asses in bars time and time again and put those dollars in your pocket.

If you REALLY want to separate the (wo)men from the (girls)boys, Practice with the lights off. Ever had the lights go out onstage in the middle of a song? I have It sucks, unless you're prepared for it.

What we are doing here is practicing the way we intend to perform.

If you spend all your time sitting on your ass in some comfy chair with your guitar chafing your nipples as you stare at your fretboard in a well-lit and well-ventilated bedroom, then that's what you are preparing yourself for Next time: How to prevent Hoover-level suckage at the rehearsal space.

Jeff Black is a professional musician and piano teacher based out of Edmonton, Canada.

He has toured across the nation with groups such as Scythia, Samandriel, The Oozy Osbourne Experience and has performed on nine studio releases to date. When he's not busy in the lesson studio or onstage, he's probably reading or writing, often enjoying a cold opean ale in the process.

58 VandalaMagazine.Com - July 2014

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1/47

The Importance Of Image & Impact For Musicians

By Bryan Staggers

IPP I.M.P artist Damian Wilde's image matches his music. Dark and thoughtful.

Band image is the cause of so many debates in the scene. Whether you agree or disagree with the fact that it really can help a band's progress immensely, you'll be sure to have your opinion greeted with fierce contradiction - see for yourself with this article! (Tumbleweed?

Awkward.)

But seriously, just how much emphasis should you put on image? Should it be relevant?

Seemingly, it is already being used as a tool, whether for furthering careers or justifying levels of respect for other artists. Of course, what you do to gain fans is entirely your choice, but there's no denying in some cases, more certainly is actually more. It's no longer a question really of 'if' image makes the difference, it's more a case of 'should itT. Some bands, rather frustratingly, seem to climb the charts on looks alone. It's something that tends to invite a lot of criticism, because of the age-old cries of selling out - or worse. Bands that don trendy clothes or make-up, for example, are often subjected to homophobic slurs, which just doesn't have a place in an industry that is supposed to unite traditionally marginalized people.

At the end of the day, you might accuse someone of placing too much emphasis on image, but if it bothers you so much, then you're obviously being distracted from what really matters too - the music. So, why not? If you're ready to look a little slicker, create some hype and stand out, a little image change could well be on the cards for you. After all, the 60 VandalaMagazine.Com - July 2014

scene as a whole has always been known for allowing people to express themselves freely - maybe it's time you embrace it.

Getting The Right 'Look( Whether you all choose to wear huge black eyeliner, or you all co-ordinate your skinny jeans, the right style at the right time can really get you noticed. Providing your music and talent is still the most important thing, what's the harm? If you're really going to go for it in the image department, it can be something as simple as making sure you're all 'matching' can make a difference. No, we don't mean by wearing white suits a-la-boyband-of-95, but if one of you is a goth and the rest of you look like hip hop kids, you'd better hope you're quirky enough to pull it off. At the very !east, look like you're clean and you actually have access to a shower and maybe even a mirror. It's up to you to take it from there as to whether you're going for 'approachable' or not. Nobody is saying conform, lose weight or even lose sight of yourself completely - that would go against the grain, and we definitely don't need any more pressure in society. Just do whatever you think makes you look the part. You might hate to admit it, but people do notice these things, so why not stop being stubborn and make it work for you? It doesn't have to be all the time, just while you're in the public eye. Which you'd hope would be a lot, right? Dream big.

Getting Professional Photoshoots & Videos Once you've got how you want to present yourselves down, capture it for promotional purposes. Videography is huge these days, and not just for music videos - although this is definitely something you ought to think about, too. Why not hire a music production company, like Posh Gecko, for a documentary? You'll allow your personalities to shine in your own little way, and while you may not see yourselves as 'corporate' or even that important just yet, you've still got a story to tell.

What about show time? After all, that's why you do this. When it comes to worrying about being `posers', forget about it. Your gigs are performances after all, so it's totally okay to be a little 'in character' for these events. You should get in touch with local photographers to shoot your set - many will do it for free for their portfolio and maybe a cheeky bit of guest list. Support the local scene with this grassroots approach, and it can really pay off. It all helps get your name out there, and adds nicely to your collection - you look as though you really mean business! Promo shots will also get you noticed and help you look nice and professional, and the likes of Joe Brady Photography and Emma-Lee can sort you out to suit varying budgets - and there'll be loads in your own city, just search!

Not Getting Caught Out You're probably at the stage where a publicist or marketing campaign is out of the question, so do yourself some favors and follow this advice, okay? As a band, you're also a brand.

Your name and your members all represent you, and what you're trying to get across should be consistent. Unless you're trying to present yourselves as the ultimate anarchists (do so at your own risk...) then there's probably no point whatsoever in being known as 'the ones who always have to be the openers because three of the members have now got a curfew due to a bar brawl'. Ultimately, there's too much criticism in the music industry, so of course, let your own choices be exactly that - your own. But the consequences aren't always just on you.

Remember, you're representing your fellow musicians now, and whilst that may not mean being squeaky clean, you need to think even more carefully about your choices so your career isn't ruined before it's even begun!

Bryan Staggers is a bit of an entrepreneur and a marketing expert who enjoys writing in his spare time. His love of music has been with him throughout his life, and isn't going anywhere, no matter how old he gets!

You can follow him on Twitter: (gbryanstaggersuk July 2014 - VandalaMagazine.Com 61

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serli ow* el l las: A Juno, A SiriusX11 India, Polaris Nod & New Album Strumbe k It's been busybee central for The Strumbellas since the Canadian release last fall of their sophomore album, We Still Move On Dance Floors (Six Shooter Records). Most recently, the group of six can now I check 'nominated for the Polaris Music Prize' off their bucket list!

The long list nod they received last week rounds out an incredible list of accolades for the band that includes their win for Roots St Traditional Album Of The Year at the 2014 JUNO Awards in March, and taking home the SiriusXM Indie award for Folk Group Of The Year in May. This summer, they pull up stakes and head out for a slew of summer festival performances across Canada, with stops that include Winnipeg Folk Festival, Folk on the Rocks in Yellowknife and Live At Squamish, as well as many more stops.

But the buzz doesn't stop there...The Strumbellas pulled out the fancy pens and signed a worldwide publishing administration deal with Domino Publishing Company. We Still Move On Dance Floors hits the streets of America and the rest of the world on September 9th through the band's own imprint, Underneath A Mountain Records The Orchard.

Amidst all this heat, have a gander at the video the band shot for Sailing. You'll appreciate these warmer sunny days after watching this chilly video, shot in the barren lands of Sudbury, Ontario with director Steve Jocz - www.youtube.comithestrumbellasl. For More on the band visit them online at www.thestrumbellas.ca

In-Flight Safety Set to Release Conversationtlist and Hit The Road Halifax, Nova Scotia is a coastal city - a Canadian indie music hub since the 199Ors, nestled among ragged shorelines of the Atlantic Ocean. From this home base, In-Flight Safety has been crafting melodic indie rock and is set to release their latest album, Conversationalist, on September 9th via Night Danger in partnership with Fontana North.

The band will launch a fall tour in Charlottetown on September 5th with additional shows in the Maritimes, Ontario and Quebec before heading over to Europe for the Reeperbahn Festival in Germany and UK dates. The UK release of the album is set for September 16th with Conehead and a US release date will be announced soon.

Pre-2011, In-Flight Safety was by all accounts an extrovert. In 2011, the gears shifted as John Mullane (vocalist/guitarist) spent time scoring films and Glen Nicholson (drums) went to school to study architecture. As these new adventures unfolded, Mullane and Nicholson then came together to construct Conversationalist.

Mullane had this to say about the making of the new album: "The word conversation came up a lot while working on the record. Metaphorically the conversation is a tool, which helps in constructing something meaningful. There's a simple beauty in a conversation. I give, you take, you give and we repeat. Glen and I undertook hundreds, if not thousands, of conversations in person, by text, phone, and email in order to make something that felt both new and honest. Music is a conversation. Its not finished until someone listens." _ - •

_

Inspired by contemporary bands like Wild Nothing, The Walkmen and DIIV, In-Flight Safety created an album that is true to their history, but is their most adventurous and honest. The ten tracks on Conversationalist have the guitar hooks that will get stuck in your head and make you want to dance all night, but the imagery is more mysterious. Mixed by Gus van Go (The Stills, Hollerado) in Brooklyn NY, Conversationalist is a study about beauty in opposites and this record is both pragmatic and ethereal, it builds and burns, leaving you wanting more. It's a love letter and a breakup in one album.

Get a sneak peek if the upcoming album and tour details at www.inflightsafety.ca 64 VandalaMagazine.Corn - July 2014

San Diego's Delta Spirit Sign Deal, r elease ingleland Announce Tour Dine Alone Records is excited to announce the addition of acclaimed San Diego-bred five-piece Delta Spirit to its Canadian roster. The band's fourth studio LP titled Into The Wide will be released on September 9 with pre-orders available as of July 15. Those who pre-order the album will receive an instant download of 3 songs: "From Now On," "Push It," and "Patriarch." (Teasers of the songs are at www.youtube.com/DeltaSpiritMusic) Into the Wide is the much-anticipated follow-up to the band's 2012 self-titled release, which charted #1 on Billboard's Heatseekers and was praised by Rolling Stone for its "broader sonic palette". Born in a flood-ruined, cave-like, rat-colonized room in Delta Spirit's new hometown of Brooklyn, the band spent more than a year writing the new LP together in the windowless studio they rebuilt after Hurricane Sandy. "That sense of feeling trapped in our studio and in the city definitely gave the album more of a weight than our previous records and played a big part in this being our moodiest recording yet," notes Winrich of the experience.

When it came time to record, the band relocated to Maze Studios in Atlanta and teamed up with producer Ben Allen (Animal Collective, Deerhunter), who helped breathe new life and brighter energy into the songs while still capturing the claustrophobia of their creative writing space. Of the recording process, Young explains, "One of the most important things was getting back to all of us being in a room together for every single song and recording everything live."

The band just announced an extensive North American Fall tour in support of the new LP, which brings them to Toronto on October 9. Keeping an eye toward the live experience is always essential to the band. "We just want the songs to be as epic and meaningful as possible when we play them in front of people, which is the be-all and end-all for us as a band," says Vasquez.

Tour dates and more on Delta Spirit at www.deltaspirit.net

The Darlirllatteleasing New LP, ilvIrirof Phantoms' on July 30 LA"s The Darlings will release their 3rd album "Made of Phantoms" on July 30 with iTunes pre-orders launching July 11.

Produced by Andy Carpenter and The Darlings front man Buddy Darling, "Made of Phantoms" captures the band's honest, infectious energy and boasts such special guests as Jason Cruz from Strung Out and Jason Freese from Green Day. The band will support the new album via a summer west coast tour with Jason Cruz and Howl and the Pullmen starting July 16 in Ventura, CA.

2112 Partings Aim& of Picini urn.

The Darlings uncompromising DIY ethic and years of paying their dues in the underground has finally brought them here; To the highly anticipated completion of their compelling third album. Powered by moxie and a coming together of musical solidarity, "Made of Phantoms" is decidedly their most committed, impassioned album to date. A volatile narrative to whoever may be listening.

From the riotous stroll through, "There's a Madman Living in Waco", to the epic build and conquer of, "Little Teenage Thing"; every note is a stout brew. And just like their live performance, the band captivates with an explosion of sound that can only be cultivated by hard work, urgency and soulful intent.

With their weighty upcoming release and notable hard hitting live attack, The Darlings impending tour is sure to be a rousing success that will drip with Rock-and-Roll bravado. iArww.thedarlingsrocknroll.com July 2014 - VanclAalaMagazine.Com 65

Simian Mobile Disco's New Live System Ind New Album In April, Simian Mobile Disco trekked out to the Southern California desert, taking with them their new live set up - two modular synths, two sequencers, and a mixer. Over a period of three days, they jammed and rehearsed in the desert, culminating in a one off sold out live show at Pappy & Harriet's, Pioneertown, allowing 900 fans to witness part of the recording process.

Those sessions, taped under the desert sky, became the basis for their brand new album / live project "Whorl". Now, after completing mixing and mastering, they are pleased to announce that the final studio album will be released through Anti Records on September the 9th.

SMDis new live system was born out of a desire to challenge themselves - to remove computers altogether, going back to hardware sequencers, and limiting themselves to a suitcase sized rack of modular synth gear each -which both reduces the sound palette but allows much more hands on, real time manipulation - constraining themselves technically, to free themselves up musically. .Jas, on the recording process - "The recordings we did in the studio while we were writing and rehearsing the new material for Whorl were simply "live" takes - the system were using has limited ability to save patterns in the sequencer, but nothing like the flexibility of a computer. Live performance and studio composition are essentially now the same process, rather than the common method of writing a track using the computer, and then working out ways to perform it live. We planned not to slavishly limit ourselves just to this performance - when we came to mixdown the album, we used portions of three sessions - the show itself, an extended jam we did in the desert the day before, and a little of our London studio rehearsal." Future live performances of Whorl are currently being planned, with a full list of tour dates to come - each show will be a live recreation of that recording process, so each time "Whorl" will be slightly different.

To reflect the organic, analogue aims of the new musical set up, long time SMD art & video collaborators Jack Featherstone & Hans Lo have built a complimentary bespoke hardware system to create the album's visual aesthetic. The system involves feeding live generated digital content through an oscilloscope, filming the oscilloscope's screen, then further processing the image produced. This system will be used in forthcoming videos and SMD's live shows (it was debuted at Sonar this weekend). The cover image is a still grabbed from one of these oscilloscope jams, capturing a moment of flux in performance.

The accompanying trailer showcases all the elements of the Whorl project, including the desert valley where the rehearsal/jam was recorded, the landscape that inspired the performances, the oscilloscope visuals and the show at Pappy & Harriets. In the coming weeks, further video pieces will explore different elements in more detail. The video is set to a short excerpt of "Tangents".

Video teaser: www.youtube.com/antirecords.

Simian Mobile Disco has also partnered with Vans who came out to the desert for the recording, to shoot a short documentary piece, in which Jas and James explain the background and motivation to the desert recording session. This can also be viewed on Anti- Records You Tube Channel The album will be preceded by a single, "Tangents", on July 1. The album can preordered here: www.kingsroadmerch.com/simian-mobile-disco and more info at www.simianmobileclisco.co.uk 66 VandalaMagazine.COM - July 2014

Weiss Releases " Weiss Oty Vol 3" An artist that's taking the underground by storm, Weiss returns for the third installment in the immensely successful 'Weiss City' EP series.

Embracing House music's rich heritage, the ‘Weiss City' series has proven to be a hit worldwide with fans reaching out from across the globe, infatuated with the Weiss sound. With a string of Beatport successes and support from Groove Armada, Loco Dice, Marco Carola, Richie Hawtin, B-Traits and more, Weiss is going front strength to strength. Ahead of his upcoming MK and Tube & Berger remixes, Weiss returns with the eagerly anticipated "Weiss Vol 3".

'Weiss City Vol 3' kicks off with the irrepressible and upbeat "I Feel Better', the perfect follow-up to his Beatport and radio smash, 'My Sister'. Deep and highly addictive with its classic 303, Can't Stop' is set to be an underground favourite; whilst 'Alright With Me' is a heavy & stripped back raw cut of underground House that rounds the EP off with style.

Deep jacking grooves, warm rumbling subs, sweet sharp percussion, delicate vocal treatment...

Whatever it is about House music that stimulates you the most, you're guaranteed to find plenty of it in 'Weiss City Vol 3'. www.facebook.com/WeissUK

Borealis (Jesse Somfay) Set To Release New Album: Kallionyma Hailing from Canada's Tri-City the Ontario based experimental electronic artist Borealis (Jesse Somfay) is set to release, Kaliionyma --- his first full-length album since 2013. Available this July and released on Tipping Hand Recordings, the new album twists and turns through both primeval and futuristic soundscapes, while maintaining an almost sensual breath like tone.

Featuring 7 new blistering tracks, nothing was spared on this experimental foray -- the use of bells, voices, samples and synths play out like a storyline in an epic battle of love and war in a mythical fairytale. Ranging from ominous to omnipotent, the album borrows from a range of musical genres including techno, progressive and at times dripping into the psychedelic of acid techno while still remaining free from the restrictions of any one particular genre.

Loaded to the brim with odd time signatures and vibrant beats, the album could easily be embraced by the European IDM market, as well as within the US club scene.

The album opens with a vintage beat, reminiscent of the war games era of the 80's and slowly progresses into the bright musical storyline that Borealis is celebrated for. As the album develops, the almost breath-like component becomes more prominent, as if the music itself is building into its own destined ecstasy. The sound can be described as vast and spacious while remaining heartbreakingly personal. Crafting a sound that is both strong and vibrant, the album captures Somfay at the peak of his creativity, marking an almost bliss like quality to the otherwise ominous material.

A true musician's-musician the 28 year old Canadian born experimental producer has long been

respected by producers and DJ's alike. With over 19 albums, single EP's and collaborations under his belt, Jesse Somfay has turned the ears of both industry talent and media for the last ten years and as a result, he has been featured in some of the best EDM and 1DM publications around the world.

Borealis will hit the road this fall armed with a new arsenal of creative material. Kallionyma will be available on the official Tipping Hand website, 'Tunes, and Amazon on July 8th. For more information about Borealis, check out his soundcloud page at www.soundclowicamijessesomfay.

July 2014 - VandalaMagazine.Com 67

Xeno & Oak!ander Send Polgt cards of Love in a Cold Age On June 24, Reno & Oaklander brought their minimal electronic sounds to Ghostly International with their new album, Par Avion. The album's title is a reference to postcards — it translates as "by plane", and was used to mark airmail sent from exotic places. The songs are postcards of love for a cold age shimmering moments from the present, romantic messages from the past, and love mementos for the future. Together, they make up an album of contrasts the songs move from upbeat to downbeat, slow to fast, light to dark.

Par Avion's rich diversity of sounds comes at least in part from the fact that it's an album-long ode to synesthesia. As singer Liz Wendelbo explains, "Sound makes me think of a scent, which makes me think of an image, which makes me think of a certain kind of light." The sensory experiences are palpable: "Jasmine" calls to mind the intoxicating scent of jasmine flowers that bloom at night, "Nuage D'Ivoire" sweats under a tropical sky full of clouds that hold the key to the past and the future, "Sheen" glistens with reflections dancing in the water and with inner visions of romance, where light and dark meet in the pupil of the eye.

"The lyrics for the songs were inspired by places all over the world, some of them, like Russia, were quite severe, some were more exotic like the Bahamas or the south of France. We wanted the album to convey a sensation of jumping from one extreme to another, be that an arid landscape or a cold, frozen locale," Adding to the sense of exoticism, Wendelbo's whispery vocals are sung in both French and English, calling to mind Jane Birkin and Fran Oise Hardy. Again, there's a contrast between dark and light — the alluring, tropical warmth of Wendelbo's vocals is juxtaposed against duo's signature icy cold, ultra-modern synth sounds. Those sounds have a new component for Par Avion — synth wizard Sean McBride uses an analogue Serge modular synth to create washes of sound that recall '90s shoegaze.

The result is an album that stimulates and fascinates throughout, a rich feast for all the senses, a world to get lost in again and again.

Par Avion is available on LP, CD, and digital formats. A special edition vinyl version, limited to 350 hand-numbered copies, will include flesh colored vinyl and a rose-scented art perfume insert, allowing further personal exploration of synesthesia.

Take a listen at www.soundcloud.comighostlyisetsfxeno-oaklander-par-avion and catch them online at www.xenoandoaklander.comi 68 Vancla/amagazine-Corn - July 2014

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Lord Gonfirms Gollective Recordings LP From 1980s @2D32119 Hardcore Band Brotherhood Late this Summer, Southern Lord will exhume all material from late 1980s Seattle hardcore band, Brotherhood, collecting the influential act's demos and 7' releases in one remastered, cohesive anthology entitled Till Death.

Brotherhood was formed during the West Coast Hardcore surge in the same days of Insted, Blast, Chain Of Strength and Uniform Choice, the members all bred in the Northwest on The Accused, Poison Idea, The Melvins, and with East Coast threads born of SSD, DYS, Corrosion Of Conformity and Straight Ahead all comparatively woven into their sound. A straightedge hardcore band that confronted racism, sexism and intolerance, both in their lyrical delivery and on stage with ill-mannered show attendees, Brotherhood was a ;9 rare band of this scene as they were accepted in all of the subgenres of punk rock and hardcore, even receiving praise in the -- at the time -- very 1111111111111iiillimim..„ anti-straightedge publication Maximum Rock N as they did in the many adamant straight edge fanzines of the time. This near universal acceptance can be clearly be attributed to the many years each member of the band had spent previous to Brotherhood in bands, publishing fanzines, booking shows and promoting bands as well as the bands strong desire to buck most trends that came their way and forge something new.

The band was founded in Seattle by Greg Anderson in 1987, who recruited former False Liberty drummer Victor Hart, friend Ken Hagel on bass and East Coast transplant and Open Your Eyes fanzine editor, John White on vocals. After years as a singer in False Liberty and Inner Strength, Greg picked up the guitar and started writing songs built upon those previously mentioned influences. Following local shows and the opportunity to open for such legends as Youth Of Today, Angry Samoans and Fugazi, Brotherhood began to gain recognition on a much wider scale in the hardcore community. This initial lineup was not to last, as in 1988, Ron Guardipee Of Hateful Youth took over on vocals and Nate Mendel of Diddly Squat joined on bass. Having played many times together in their previous bands things quickly came together for this new and much more solid Brotherhood lineup and in November of that year the Music Bank recording session was conducted. Debuting this new lineup on the Pushead curated Thrasher Magazine's Skate Rock Vol. 7 compilation Brotherhood soon also released their "Of Friends" demo, their "No Tolerance For Ignorance" 7" on Skate Edge Records and "Words Run... As Thick As Blood!" 7" on CR Records, all released in 1988 and 89. Playing throughout the Northwest as well as a North American tour with quite possibly the bands biggest influence Seattle's The Accused, by the end of 1989 Brotherhood came to an end. Their relatively short-lived run went on to inspire many of the seminal bands that have followed in Hardcore and Straight Edge such as Undertow, Unbroken, Champion, No Tolerance and many more.

Members of Brotherhood have posthumously forged numerous other musical endeavors including but by no means limited to Christ On A Crutch, Sunny Day Real Estate, Foo Fighters, Resolution, Digh Down, Burning Witch, Engine Kid Sunn 0)) and Goatsnake.

Southern Lord will release Till Death in deluxe LP and digital download packages in September. A confirmed street date, preorders and more on the album will be made available in the coming weeks. Stay tuned at www.southernlord.com 70 vanclaiamagazirre.Com - July 2014

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Every Time I Die Releases Album "From Parts Unknown" Every Time I Die is currently on Vans Warped Tour and what is even more impressive is they have released "From Parts Unknown" while on the road.

The album title, From Parts Unknown, refers to the band approaching things in a completely different way this time.

With 16 years under their belt, it would have been easy to go into autopilot and do the same thing but that would have been "boring and baseless", according to front man Keith Buckley. With new faith and energy injected into their craft, ETID went into the studio with heavyweight Kurt Ballou at his Godcity Studio in Salem, Massachusetts. "At a time when a lot of bands are going for a more crowd-friendly sound, we wanted to go in the opposite direction," said Buckley.

"Instead of making something that the kids can all sing along to, we wanted to make music that scares them." The band stayed at a notoriously haunted home near the studio where the band was fully aware of the presence of something else. Maybe it was that and the book-obsessed Buckley reading on magic and the occult that inspired the band's most awesomely devastating release.

From Parts Unknown is available at iTunes or the Every Time I Die store. www.everytimeidie.net

Unique Leader Confirms Impending Full-Length From Acrania This Summer, the world will experience the vicious death metal/deathcore of London-based abusers, Acrania, as the trio releases their debut full-length via California's Unique Leader Records.

The politically charged Acrania has spread their message through several independent recordings since their 2012 inception. Their debut split with Blue Waffle and "A Trophy of Corporate Disfigurement" single, both released in their first year as a band, followed by their The Beginning Of The End EP released last year have helped the band forge a devout rq-Proi r.r T.IA rAN rrs -roin fanbase of pit-seeking followers. Having already toured with various acts around Europe including Cerebral Bore and Warpath, and with upcoming shows booked alongside Thy Art Is Murder, Blood Red Throne and many more, Acrania will continue to devour their way through the scene and spread their message of unrelenting hostility through their blistering mix of brutality, slams and blastbeats.

-

Earlier this year, Acrania recorded their debut full-length, Totalitarian Dystopia, with Stu McKay at Studio 6 in London. Following a mixing/mastering job by Chris Foster and having artwork crafted by Par Olofsson, Totalitarian Dystopia boasts a thirty-six minute maelstrom of sonic devastation through ten new tales of pure intolerance for humankind's downfalls. The record includes guest appearances from Tom Barber of Lorna Shore, Mendel of Aborted and Jamie Hanks of I Declare War, and promises to engulf an entire new legion of worldwide death fanatics upon its release on August 19th.

Stand by for audio samples and further info on Totalitarian Dystopia in the forthcoming weeks. www.tacebook.com/Acraniauk and www.uniqueleader.com 72 VandalaMagazine.COM - July 2014

Dragonforce Announce Release Date for "Maximum Overload" Dragonforce have announced that they will be releasing "Maximum Overload" in the US on August 19! The band has just launched a brand new video for "The Game," which was directed by XX. The can be now at video seen www.metalblade.comidragonforce, where fans can also pre-order "Maximum Overload" on CD, digitally, and limited edition vinyl!

Produced by Jens Bogren at Fascination Studios in Orebro and Varberg, Sweden, the new opus will be the band's first ever album involving an outside producer, having historically opted to record themselves in association with Karl Groom.

"Maximum Overload" will be the band's debut album for new label Ear Music, part of the German Edel music group, who will release the album in the UK on August 18th, and in North America on Metal Blade Records on August 19th.

"Working with Jens gave us a different perspective on the songs and a different sound dynamic. We always previously recorded in our own studios but recording in Sweden made us focus and maybe drove us harder, Jens certainly did, he doesn't believe in days off!" said guitar maestro Herman Li. "The album title and album cover artwork is inspired by the constant bombardment of information we are subjected to during our daily lives" Li added. "We were in an airport departure lounge surrounded by TV screens, flight information screens and advertising screens. We then looked around and no one was saying a word, they were all looking at more screens on tablets, laptops and mobile phones, there's no escaping it, it's complete information overload"!

"Maximum Overload" features a couple of surprises, notably a guest appearance on some of the songs from Trivium's Matt Heafy. "We've always gotten on really well with the Trivium guys and it was great when Matt had a couple of days to spare and agreed to weigh in on some of the songs!" added bassist Frederic Leclercq.

The album also features an all time first for Dragonforce a cover song! Guitarist Sam Totman explained: "Just before the last Australian tour, our manager suggested it might be interesting to do a cover for the next album, something we've always refused even to consider. Because we had all had a couple beers every band member wrote down 3 songs each and we compared them all, just for a laugh. I wrote down 'Ring Of Fire' by Johnny Cash, an idea which the rest of the band loved, so we've Dragonforce -ized it"! www.dragonforce.com and www.facebook.comidragonforce

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