WASTED! Magazine issue #22

WE ARE THE OCEAN | HITCHCOCK BLONDE | VAN SUSANS | BENEATH ALL KAOS

WE CHAT TO

AS I LAY DYING

R.I.P MITCH LUCKER WE CHAT TO IN RUINS & GET UP TO DATE WITH ABANDON THE FAITH

NEWS! NEWS! NEWS! | INTERVIEWS | ALT BEAUTY | REVIEWS | EVENTS

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Editor Zoe Blush Designers Zoe Blush Imagery Jake Owens Ash Nash Paranoid Android Film Writers Craig Elvy Zoe Blush Jake Owens Interviewers Jake Owens

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CONTENTS

THIS MONTH:

05 NEWS! NEWS! 07 INTERVIEW: ABANDON THE FAITH 10 ALT BEAUTY: WHIPLASH

15 INTERVIEW: IN RUINS 21 INTERVIEW: AS I LAY DYING

27 REVIEWS 29 EVENTS

[W! #22] Well this month is a bit of a heavy one, saying goodbye to the late Mitch Lucker - our thoughts go out to all of his family & friends, especially his wife & beautiful little daughter Kenadee. R.I.P Mitch.

We’ve also got quite a personal message from myself on the news page alongside Jake’s message on Mitch.

But hey on a brighter note!

We’ve got intereviews with the likes of ‘AS I LAY DYING’ and Croydon boys ‘IN RUINS’ for you to check out.

Along with tonnes of reviews of the latest & greatest by Craig Elvy!

As for now, we’re going to be taking a well deserved break over the Christmas period but we shall see you again in the new year with a fresh new look, new team, bringing much more to your eye balls!

I hope you all have a lovely Christmas & get all the shit you’ve asked Santa for but hey, we always did say it’s more fun being naughty than nice!

Have a good one, Zoe xo

t o g !

D E T S A Have W ! u o y r o f S W E N

Hey you sexy WASTED! readers, this is Editor/Cheif Designer Zoe here, just taking a minute to tell you a little bit about our current situation and future plans for the mag.

It’s actually an extremely small team that keep WASTED! stocked with content and up and running. As you’ve probably worked out, we’re not a particularly organised bunch, nor are we professional, especially when it comes to release dates buy hey, did we ever claim to be? We just take life as it comes and keep the mag running in the mean time. After all, we’re only human!

Anywho, I’ve come to tell you that after having a daughter just over three months ago and recently taking on a new job and lots of other life hoo-ha’s going on, I don’t actually, physically have the time to carry on with WASTED! the way we’re currently going about it. As I said, there really aren’t many of us running the show and we need a lot more pairs of hands and able brains behind us before we can actually seriously take this anywhere. In other words, we all need a serious kick up the backside.

So! Here’s the deal. We’re going to be taking a (hopefully) short break and won’t be releasing another

issue until we have a new plan and solid, loyal and dedicated team. We have already worked through a number of team members in our short time on the scene and I thank you all for your time and effort but we’re looking to take the mag to the next level! And for that we need better, faster, stronger team to take into the future with us.

I am particularly looking for designers who are familiar with BOTH InDesign and Photoshop (InDesign being the more important of the two), releases will be once a month and will have some sort of structure to the release date so you will need be reliable and be able to work to a set deadline.

There will also be a ‘three strike’ rule - we plan to go pro and we need a team who understand that and want to come with us. It’s going to be one hell of a ride.

We’re also always looking for writers and other team members. If you think you could bring something to the table or qualify for the above please send us your portfolio or a few examples of your work to zoe.wasted@gmail.com - No time wasters please, we take this very seriously.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed or been featured in the magazine so far, obviously we wouldn’t have been able to do it without you. Anything that was meant to be featured in this issue and hasn’t shall be worked into a future issue. We look forward to the future!

Lots of love, Zoe xo

Rest In Peace Mitch Lucker.

It was with a huge amount of sadness and grief that the Wasted! Team have to say that one of the greatest frontmen in metal has passed away. Mitch Lucker (of Suicide Silence) was involved in a motorcycle accident late on October 31st, before eventually succumbing to injuries early on November 1st. This is a massive loss to the metal community; Mitch was one of the most inspiring frontmen, who literally thousands of fans have looked up to and aspired to replicate.

There are endless bands who want or try to sound like Mitch, or have half of his formidable stage presence, but there is genuinely never been anyone like him, and it’s difficult to imagine anyone coming near to him in the future. Fans of the band are encouraged to share their memories and photographs of Mitch on the bands facebook page.

Not only has metal lost one of it’s most symbolic figures, Mitch’s beautiful daughter Kenedee has lost her father. It’s incredibly hard to think of a child growing up without her papa, but we’re sure that she will grow to be as proud of her father as any daughter ever was. Mitch was a truly kind and thoughtful man, and acted selflessly and generously throughout his life. The band famously went and purchased two trolley’s worth of toys for underprivileged children last christmas, which was a heartwarming thing to witness.

We send all of our love and good wishes to the Lucker family during this terrible time.

They should all be so proud of everything that Mitch achieved in his short 28 years on this earth, it seems clear that he lived life with no regrets and always to the maximum in everything he did.

A truly inspiring man.

Thank you for the memories.

Rest In Peace.

Mitchell Adam Lucker 1984-2012

GOOD OLD KENT METAL THAT YOU CAN REALY SINK YOUR TEETH INTO!

FOR THOSE WHO DON’T KNOW, WHO ARE YOU? We are Abandon The Faith, 6 piece melodic metal outfit from Kent.

DESCRIBE YOUR SOUND TO A FIRST TIME LISTENER? Full on Metal, so many influences varying from Lamb of God to Parkway Drive…we wear our influences on our sleeve, but always add our own spin on the material before taking it live.

HAVE YOU GOT ANY NEW MATERIAL COMING SOON? We are currently in the process of finishing the writing stages for our debut album, what with finding a drummer and Metal to the Masses this year, the writing process had been put on hold until recently.

But new songs are on the way for our live shows, and the debut album is in the planning process YOU’RE RUNNING A HUGE SUMMER FESTIVAL OF YOUR OWN, WHO WOULD BE PLAYING & WHAT WOULD IT BE CALLED? It would be called FuckFest and Amon Amarth would be headliners!

(Adam) TELL US ABOUT YOUR FIRST EVER GIG? We played downstairs at Leos in Gravesend, had a massive crowd waiting for us to start, and for many of us, it was our first gig ever, so to have a pit that crazy felt so good!

Never forget that day!

HAVE YOU EVER HAD ANY

HORRIFICALLY EMBARRASSING MOMENTS ON STAGE? Probably the worst thing to happen so far was merely Big D’s amp just completely losing power and we had to play the rest of the set with just one guitar, not really embarrassing, but defo the worst thing so far :S WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT AS A BAND TO DATE? Probably bandquest this year, coming in 1st place, being crowned number 1 band in Kent is a pretty good feeling, and getting on the Perfect Storm industry showcase at Camden Underworld, best gig so far!

YOU’VE OBVIOUSLY SPENT A LOT OF TIME TOGETHER, HAVE THERE EVER BEEN ANY SCRAPS BETWEEN BAND MEMBERS? Ooooh yeah, big scrap with Dan Amos (drummer) which inevitably ended with him leaving the band that same night, was not a pretty incident, lol, water under the bridge now tho :D IF YOU HAD TO GO INTO THE DRAGON’S DEN & SELL YOUR BAND, HOW WOULD YOU GO ABOUT IT? Wouldn’t even know where to start, no1 wants to buy this band, we smell, we’re drunk and very very fussy at writing! Lol! THEY SAY YOU LEARN SOMETHING NEW EVERY DAY. TELL US YOUR FAVOURITE, MOST USELESS FACT? The average human body contains enough fat to make seven bars of

soap….there ya go, howzat? :D WE’RE NOT GRACED WITH MANY OF THEM, BUT WHICH LADY IN MUSIC ARE YOU CRUSHING ON? If anything atm, has to be Maria Brink from In This Moment, a woman with that scream and those tattoo’s?! Yup. WHAT IS THE MOST LISTENED TO TRACKS ON YOUR IPOD’S AT THE MOMENT? For me (Pete) its gotta be Andy James, amazing solo guitarist!

Adam – Amon Amarth IF YOU COULD BE ANY OTHER (LOCAL) BAND FOR THE DAY, WHO WOULD YOU BE & WHY? We’d probably be Denounce, just so they’d still be around, we miss them! Lol! WHO HAS BEEN YOUR FAVOURITE BAND TO PLAY WITH SO FAR? The Denounce farewell show was amazing fun, so many great bands that day, we don’t have an actual favourite, but that day was amazing!

WHAT’S NEXT ON THE AGENDA? We have a gig lined up at New Cross Rehearsal and writing the album then off to the studio.

HAVE YOU GOT ANYTHING TO SAY TO THE W! READERS? Just the usual, like the facebook page, spread the word, and if anyone wants a 5 track CD, for FREE, just contact us via facebook or email.

WHIPLASH

22 | LONDON

TELL US THREE INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT YOURS ELF? 1) I’m mixed race – my mum is originally from the Carribbean and my dad is Dutch.

2) I didn’t properly learn to swim till I was 12, and I can ride a bike with no hands.

3) I absolutely despise cucumbers. I can’t stand to eat them unless they’re disguised in with other food or if I can’t taste them.

WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO GET INTO ALTER NATIV E MODE LLING & HOW DID YOU GO ABOUT IT? I only really got into it because I knew a few girls who did it, and they suggested I gave it a go. I never, ever thought it would go anywhere and I still cringe at some of the shoots I did when I first started out.

In the beginning it was all about fun, and it’s only been in the past two years that I’ve really gone for it, started networking, building up contacts and shooting every week. It’s not easy but the hard work pays off eventually!

WHAT DO YOU DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME?

In my spare time I’m a freelance music journalist and work for a site called Sonic Shocks. It means I get to go to a lot of festivals and gigs and get to interview some awesome bands. Music has always been one of the biggest parts of my life, and you’ll always see me trying to fight my way to the front of a gig crowd. I also run my own jewellery company called

GutterQueen Jewellery, so spend a lot of my time knocking up spikey/studded accessories. A lot of the jewellery is stuff that I make because I want to wear it and can’t find it anywhere else online!

WHAT IS YOUR CURRE NT FAVOU RITE BAND/STYLE OF MUSIC? I will always have a huge soft spot for old

school grunge like Alice in Chains and the Melvins, but lately I’ve really gotten back into hardcore. I used to love the genre when I was in college but overplayed all my favourite bands, and have only started listening to bands like Trapped Under Ice and Dead Swans again in the past year.

At the moment I’m digging the hell out of Touche Amore.

WHAT WAS THE BEST LIVE SHOW YOU’V E BEEN TO & WHY? I’ve been to some killer shows in the past, but the most recent one was when I saw Refused at this year’s Download Festival and they blew me away. They’re all nearing their 40s but they still know how to kick ass! They were running up

and down the stage, spraying water out of their mouths and doing high kicks, and it was fucking insane.

TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR INK? So far I have a sleeve on my left arm which has some roses, cassette tapes, a key and an octopus (called Frank). I think I’ve racked up about at least 20+ hours of

tattoo work, and I don’t plan to stop any time soon! I’m currently saving up money and once I have enough I’m planning to get covered in them! I eventually want to have my thigh, back of my neck, feet and knuckles tattooed, as well as another sleeve. I’m going to be a human canvas!

WE FIND YOU PASSE D OUT IN YOUR

TOWN CENTR E, DRUNK OUT OF YOUR TROLL EY ON A SATUR DAY NIGHT. WHER E HAVE YOU BEEN & WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DRINK ING? Haha, that sounds like a normal night out for me. If you find me like that just buy me a pizza and send me on my way, and my drunk directions radar will get me home. By the sounds of that I’ve probably

been to the local rock pub, danced like a fool, fallen over several times and drank lots of vodka or tequila (or both). People who go on a night out with me have to be prepared to leave all dignity behind!

TELL US ABOUT YOUR FUNNI EST DRUNK EN MOME NT? There’s been far too many tales of stolen

road signs, unexplained bruises and riding in shopping trollies in my life. But I think the moment I found funniest was one that I can’t remember but I have proof of it happening – I got in one night after a heavy drinking session and eventually managed to pass out in my living room.

I then woke up the next day to find that sometime between passing out and

getting in I had logged on to Amazon and ordered myself a pair of Mickey Mouse ears. I had no idea why or what I ordered them for, but it was too late as everything had already been paid for and I had no excuse for cancelling the order!

DO YOU HAVE ANY UNUSUAL HABIT S OR HOBBI ES?

It’s not really a hobby but I have a weird fascination with serial killers and have done for years - I generally enjoy sitting down and watching documentaries about their lives and can name at least 18 of them off the top of my head. One of my worst habits is that I bite my nails like I’m getting paid to. I’ve done it ever since I was about 5 and the longest I’ve gone

without doing it is a month. I also drink black coffee like it’s water.

CELEB CRUSH/HOTT EST MAN/WOMAN IN MUSIC? I used to be in love with Davey Havok when I was in my teens, but now he’s cut his hair and has a girlfriend, so I’ve stopped sending out the wedding

invitations. But at the moment I really have a thing for Schuylar Croom, the vocalist from He Is Legend – something about his beard, nose ring, tatts and raspy voice has me weak at the knees.

WHAT IS YOUR CLAIM TO FAME? Not sure if it makes me that famous but I can fit my fist in my mouth, and once

when I was drunk a mate of mine filmed me doing it and put it on youtube and it got over 200 views. It’s under a weird name though, but if you look hard enough you may be able to find me putting my entire fist in my mouth. Good luck!

when a random, drunken guy asked me if I had fake eyelashes on, to which I said no. Then he told me to close my eyes so he could check and when I did he kissed me. Shame he was really creepy or else it might have worked on me!

ROMA NTIC EXPER IENCE? I’m not going to go into the gory details to save myself further embarrassment, but it involved waiting in lingerie in a guy’s living room for him to get home, only to have his housemate get home first and walk in on me...

GIVE US YOUR BEST CHAT UP LINE? The best one I ever had tried on me was

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FUNNI EST/ MOST EMBAR RASSIN G SEXUA L/

WHER E DO YOU SEE YOURS ELF IN 5

YEARS TIME? With a successful jewellery line, a shitload more tattoos and hopefully making a mark on the alt modelling world. It’s either going to be that, or I’ll be purchasing my first of a long line of cats and preparing myself to become that lady that lives in a box behind a takeaway shop and shouts at moving buses...

IN RUINS

“We saw Peter Jones when we were driving to Portsmouth once, we go back years, Owen and Peter are Twitter pals, so he’d invest in us at the drop of a hat.”

“TYP JUST CUT AL OFF, SA DID

FOR THOSE WHO DON’T KNOW, WHO ARE YOU?

We’re ‘In Ruins’. We’re a 5-piece Metalcore band from Croydon, South London.

DESCRIBE YOUR SOUND TO A FIRST TIME LISTENER?

Our music is a combination of melodic metal, with a dash of hardcore.

Consisting of punchy breakdowns, catchy choruses and some djenty grooves thrown in there as well. Band wise our music is influenced by BMTH, Parkway Drive, TDWP, Volumes.

WE HEAR YOU HAVE A NEW E.P COMING VERY SOON, WOULD YOU SAY IT HAS MATURED BOTH LYRICALLY AND MUSICALLY COMPARED TO THE LIKES OF ‘DISSONANCE’?

We do indeed, it’s a 4-track EP called ‘Prologue’ we begun writing it before

‘Dissonance’ was even released. The reason it’s taken so long to record and release is, we weren’t happy with ‘Dissonance’ after it came out, we felt we could have put a lot more effort into the writing of the songs.

Whereas now, if we looked back there is probably 7 different versions of each song from the new EP, where we’ve tweaked and tinkered with them, until we were completely satisfied with the way they sound. Our sound has matured the more time we’ve spent together, and with our ‘new’ drummer, he’s not really new anymore, we can really push the boundaries of our musical talent.

HOW DID YOU FIND THE WRITING & RECORDING PROCESS?

Writing was such a fun experience.

We chose to write together this time around, all in the same room, and every time we wrote something

awesome we’d all flip out and get excited. When 5 musicians heads are totally in sync musically, it is the best feeling. We agreed to let no stone go unturned, and we’d all speak up if we felt something could be improved, hence the several different versions of each song. Recording was just as fun, as some of you may know, we chose to record at Vini’s House (Guitarist) again, because no one knows our sound better than us. After Owen and Vini spent months finding the perfect guitar tone, it was time to get down to business, and recording literally flew by.

WHAT ARE YOUR PERSONAL FAVOURITE TRACKS FROM THE NEW E.P?

Kane – On record I really love ‘Set in Stone’, but to play live it has to be ‘Borderlines’.

Vini – Mine is definitely Illusions, the

PICAL THAT T AS KANE LL HIS HAIR AM CARTER D TOO!”

meaning of the song always gets me going and I like knowing that a song I’ve been a part of writing does that to me.

Cary – Illusions, it has a lot of meaning, not just a straight up heavy song.

Owen - My favourite is Set in Stone on record, but I like playing The Not So Great Escape live.

Ryan – Illusions.

ANY TALK IN THE PIPELINE OF AN E.P RELEASE SHOW?

We’ve decided not to do a release show, because we want all of the focus to be on the recordings. Give people a chance to get to know the songs, and learn the lyrics. Although our first show after the release is 15th March at Scream Lounge, Croydon, with Azriel, Demoraliser and a few other amazing local bands. Tickets are £6 and you can

buy them off of us in person so just send one of us a message, or comment on the In Ruins wall.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR FIRST EVER GIG?

Our first ever gig seems like years ago.

It was at Scream Lounge in Croydon, upstairs. We were headlining believe it or not, and the other bands were, Through Her Veins and October Sky. At the time we thought we were the bees knees, but looking back the only person that had any stage presence was Vini, because he had been in a proper band before. We played two covers and 3 of our own songs. I think the setlist was: Bad Habits Die Hard Dogs Can Grow Beards All Over (TDWP Cover) That Ship Has Sailed Eyeless (Slipknot Cover) A Handful of Nothing Every band starts somewhere, and if

we could go back, we wouldn’t change a thing.

YOU SEEM TO HEAR A LOT OF COMMENTS ABOUT ‘ARCHITECTS’ FOLLOWING YOU GUYS. DO YOU THINK YOUR MUSIC ACTUALLY SOUNDS ANYTHING LIKE ARCHITECTS? OR IS IT JUST BECAUSE KANE LOOKS LIKE SAM CARTER’S BABY BROTHER?

We definitely have musical influence from Architects, but the majority of comments is the way Kane looks. He’s trying to shake it off, hopefully he’ll start being recognised as himself soon, and not another metal vocalist. Typical that just after Kane cut his hair, Sam Carter did as well haha.

YOU’VE OBVIOUSLY SPENT A LOT OF TIME TOGETHER, HAVE THERE BEEN ANY SCRAPS BETWEEN THE IN RUINS LADS OR IS IT MORE

ABOUT BROMANCE?

We’ve had our arguments, but nothing more than that.

There is a very strong bond between the band, we could go at each other all day, and then the next, it’s as if nothing has happened. We’ll never let something go further than an exchange of a bit of verbal abuse. We all know anything harsh said would be spur of the moment.

We all love each other and the band too much to fall out over petty arguments.

IF YOU HAD TO GO INTO THE DRAGON’S DEN & SELL IN RUINS, HOW WOULD YOU GO ABOUT IT?

We saw Peter Jones when we were driving to Portsmouth once, we go back years, Owen and Peter are Twitter pals, so he’d invest in us at the drop of a hat.

WHAT IS THE MOST LISTENED TO TRACKS ON YOUR IPOD’S AT THE MOMENT?

Kane: While She Sleeps – Love at War Vini: Touche Amore – Amends Owen: I the Breat her – False Prophet Cary: As I Lay Dying – Distance is Darkness Ryan: Ingested - Crowing The Abomination

IF YOU COULD BE ANY OTHER (LOCAL) BAND FOR THE DAY, WHO WOULD YOU BE & WHY? Kane – Foundations for the pure beefy content, I’d just stand on stage making filth faces.

Vini - Our friends in Nouvelle, they’re doing something passionate and they actually mean it, unlike a lot of similar bands in that scene at the moment.

Owen – Press to Meco. Everytime I see them live, I want to be them. So good at what they do!

Cary – Press to Meco, purely cause I love their music.

Ryan – Against the Flood, for the amazing opportunities they’ve been given.

Who has been your favourite band to play with so far?

Kane – Heart of a Coward Vini – Heights Owen – Heart of a Coward Cary – Heights Ryan – Walking with Strangers WHAT’S NEXT ON THE AGENDA FOR IN RUINS? We’re heading on a European Weekender with Belgium based band Resurrection from November 1st-4th, which I cannot express our excitement for. We’re playing with Betraying the Martyrs on the 2nd date which is nuts!

We’re also writing new stuff, which I know sounds so cliché, it’s so much heavier and the structure of the songs is much better. We’re not going to be recording at Vini’s this time round so we’re really excited to go to a studio and sit back and focus on the music, rather than worrying about any problems.

HAVE YOU GOT ANYTHING TO SAY TO THE W! READERS? First of all, thanks for reading this interview. Please check us out our EP, it’s free after all you can’t lose, and if you could like our Facebook page we would be so grateful.

Come out to shows we play, seeing people enjoy out music is the biggest buzz. Thank you Wasted!.

D E N E K A W A IS OUT NOW VIA METAL BLADE RECORDS

As one of the heaviest tours of 2012 rolled into town earlier this month, we caught up with As I Lay Dying guitarist Phil Sgrosso to chat about the band.

SO YOU GUYS ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF TOURING THE UK AND THEN EUROPE, HOW IS THAT GOING FOR YOU GUYS?

Phil: Yeah it’s going great, almost all the shows have been sold out, it’s a great package and there’s always been a great energy at the shows, so it’s been awesome so far.

AND IS IT GOOD BEING ON TOUR WITH BANDS LIKE TRIVIUM AND CALIBAN?

Phil: Yeah, we’ve toured with Trivium several times, mainly in the States and mainland Europe so this is our 1st time hitting the

UK together. Caliban we’ve played festivals with, but have never actually toured together, so it’s package, and a load of good guys.

SO YOU RECENTLY CELEBRATED 10 YEARS AS A BAND, HOW HAS IT BEEN FOR YOU GUYS?

Phil: It’s good you know. For any band to be around that long is definitely an achievement, so yeah it’s been great. We know each other like brothers essentially, so hopefully we’ll last another 10 years, and another 10 years after that. As long as we don’t kill each other haha.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY WOULD BE THE DEFINING MOMENT OF THE PAST 10 YEARS?

Phil: Err, we embarked on a special headliner last year in the States to

celebrate the 10 years as a band. We did big production, big everything and it just felt really special to us as a band. We really enjoyed celebrating our time together.

SO NEXT WE HAVE TO ASK, WHAT’S IN STORE FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS? Phil: Keep making music and keep touring! Hopefully we’ll keep touring and progress, get bigger everywhere you know? There’s still plenty of developing that we can do, especially in the UK. Coming back here more would be great!

THE NEW ALBUM IS OUT NOW, TELL US ABOUT THAT?

Phil: The album’s called Awakened, it came out late September. We all feel that this is our strongest album

to date, it’s got all those familiar elements that are within our sound, and we even branched out and tried some brand new things like we try to do with every album. We worked with a new producer, Bill Stevenson who plays drums for The Descendents, so it was a fresh change for us on this album. We’re proud of all the songs and the work that went into it, so please, check it out!

LISTENING TO THE ALBUM, IT SEEMS LYRICALLY TO BE A BIT DARKER, WAS THAT INTENTIONAL?

Phil: Well it’s kind of hard to make things like that intentional in a way, it just has to come out you know? I think Tim was just focussing more on himself and looking back on his outlook on himself and I guess that

yeah, it did come out a little darker in a way, which is good because everyone needs to go through that so that they can figure their stuff out. The music just kind of came out as it does, and we just wanted to make the best of our sound, so there’s a whole lot of melodic parts, but it’s heavy at the same time as well. We didn’t want to go too blistering metal, but didn’t want to go too soft, so we went in the middle and we’re proud of the results.

IT’S NOT A SECRET THAT RELIGION IS A FAIRLY BIG PART OF THE BANDS SOUND, DIRECTION ETC, IS THAT STILL THE CASE?

Phil: Err... I mean, the only way you’d be able to tell is through the lyrics, but what’s funny is that

people tend to twist the lyrics to make them like they’re religiously based, whereas in reality they’re often based on experiences that our singer has been through.

SO IT’S NOT A BIG INFLUENCE ON THE WAY THE BAND WRITES MUSIC? IT’S JUST THERE?

Phil: Well the band was pretty deep rooted in the Christian scene, we all grew up going to church and playing music in church, although that was more at the beginning, and I think since then we’ve all grown up and become different people, though I think our morals are still there in how we communicate with people, I guess that’s just how our band works.

(Continued on next page)

WHAT WOULD BE THE ULTIMATE GOAL FOR THE BAND?

Phil: As a band I would say... keep touring with bigger bands, keep playing those big festivals and getting a good spot on them, there’s nothing like looking out from a stage and seeing 40,000 people going nuts for your music, we have that a lot more in the States though, so it’d be nice to come back here and play Download and those big festivals and progress like that. A dream tour would be probably Metallica or Iron Maiden you know, it’d be great to see them every night!

SPEAKING OF TOURING, YOU WERE ON MAYHEM FESTIVAL THIS SUMMER, HOW WAS THAT?

Phil: It was great, our 1st time playing Mayhem and it was just a great package, all the bands from the side stage to the main stage were just... w Very energetic crowds too! The weather was so insanely hot as well, everywhere haha. It was like a big summer camp with a load of metal bands!

WHAT IS NEXT FOR AS I LAY DYING? Phil: After today we go to mainland Europe for a few weeks, then it’s off to Canada for a couple of shows and then a few weeks back in the States, so we’ll be busy till mid December.

Then we’ll celebrate the holidays and hopefully get back on the road around January or February kind of time, then I’m hoping we’ll be back here for a European and UK festivals next summer.

REVIEWS! REVIEWS! REVIEWS!

Hymn For The Fallen – Flatline Hymn For The Fallen describe their music as “melodeath”, which judging by their debut E.P. ‘Flatline’ is another way of saying ‘technical deathcore with a few nice singy bits’. Luckily, whatever genre HFTF fit into quickly becomes irrelevant because ‘Flatline’ is an accomplished and highly enjoyable debut effort from the Cheshire boys that should propel the band onto the radars of a wider audience than they currently enjoy.

Whilst ‘Melodeath’ may be a reasonably accurate description, it’s fair to say that there is much more ‘death’ than ‘melo’ on ‘Flatline’. The songs are raw, brutal and hit like Amir Khan having a bad day, pummelling your eardrums with all manner of breakdowns, blast-beats and everything that lies in between. For me, the record’s centrepiece is fourth track ‘Times Have Changed’, which provides the best example of what HFTF are all about and would make for an excellent choice of single in the future. The track reaches almost murderous levels of heaviness but juxtaposes the brutality with a chorus composed of thoughtful, passionate guitars and tender vocals that gives HFTF’s sound an added dimension without compromising the band’s natural aggression.

Hymn For The Fallen’s sense of rhythm is another of their strengths. The interplay between the music and Saul Ennett’s vocals is superb on tracks such as ‘Disconnected’ and this allows for a more natural sounding type of metal that’s intelligent without being over-thought. Some listeners may find the rhythmic grunts and relentless guitar chugging a little too primitive but fans of bands like After The Burial and Carnifex will feel right at home and HFTF never linger on riffs for too long, keeping the E.P. fresh and well-paced.

The one issue I had listening to ‘Flatline’ is the lead guitar sections, in particular on the E.P.’s title track. The parts themselves are great and clearly, guitarists Jack Bradshaw and Gary McNeil are talented musicians, but the shredding is way too far back in the mix and compared to the titanic tone of the rhythm guitars, the leads sound quiet and a little weak in an otherwise awesome sounding production.

Hymn For The Fallen impress because they have perfected the art of making chaotic music whilst also sounding very much in control; something not many bands of their age achieve (the current line-up isn’t even a year old). An E.P. for fans of every shade of metal.

7.5/10

Lilygun are music’s answer to Jekyll and Hyde. Their Jekyll is a potent mix of 80’s hard rock with grungey undertones whereas the Hyde brings the band into some seriously atmospheric territory reminiscent of The Cure or Radiohead. Think Jane’s Addiction fronted by Tori Amos and you’re more or less there.

The good news is that the clash of styles does work, fantastically so at times, but it does take a while to get used to. The quality of the record won’t hit home immediately but when it does, the pay-off is worth the wait.

A few issues back, we featured a promising young group of whippersnappers calling themselves ‘Avenge Vulture Attack’.

Remember them? Well it doesn’t matter because the five-piece from London have realised how utterly shite their band name was and wisely decided to reinvent themselves. Wasted! would like to introduce...Hitchcock Blonde!

The gender-proportionate four piece’s self titled debut kicks off with ‘Sunlight Dream’, a track which showcases the Lilygun philosophy perfectly. It rocks your socks off with brash beats and sassy guitar licks but then gently caresses your bare feet with chilled ambience, quirky lyrics and vocals that run delicately up and down your spine. One of the great things about this album is that there is no obvious standout track; each listener will find different things they enjoy because unlike many bands, Lilygun make music that has enough depth and intrigue to be open to artistic interpretation.

The band’s debut E.P. ‘Five Pounds’ mixes indie tunes and a punk attitude with some added rock ‘n’ roll sass, concocting a sound that lands just on the right side of retro.

HCB also have a secret weapon in the shape of frontwoman, Ella Grace, whose delicate tones contrast with the band’s grunge-like fuzz with mostly positive results. Opening gambit, ‘Baby Knows Best’, is an awesome track for example. A driving, anthemic blast of rock with a killer chorus that brings out all of Hitchcock Blonde’s strengths in one glorious shot.

Likewise, ‘Sexy Like You’ is a hit waiting to happen, boasting a ridiculously catchy hook that sounds ready-made for radio and seductive edge that will have men eating out of poor Ella’s hand.

Being a debut effort, the album understandably has its flaws. Firstly, the production fails to do the music justice. Anna-Christina’s vocals sound crystal clear and pristine but the instruments are begging for a better mix; the guitars sound sludgy and restrained when they should be sharp, crisp and cutting through the mix rather than skulking about in the background. The other noticeable problem is that the Lilygun sound is not yet perfected. Obviously this is to be expected on a debut release and there’s more than enough here to demonstrate Lilygun’s potential but there are certainly moments where the band miss their mark when shifting gear between ‘rocking’ and ‘chilling’. Mostly, the transitions are spot-on but now and again they can feel clumsy and out of place and some of the shifts into ‘rock mode’ simply don’t have enough power to sound as impressive as they should.

Despite the drawbacks, Lilygun’s self-titled debut is a valiant effort at something different that succeeds far more than it fails and should help the band build upon their growing fan base. Frontwoman Anna Christina is clearly a star-in-waiting; blessing her band with fascinating song-writing and a commanding, yet charismatic vocal and if Lilygun continue on their upward trajectory, she will soon be leading her band onto bigger and better things.

7.5/10

It’s not all sex, hugs and rock ‘n’ roll though; some songs on ‘Five Pounds’ fall flat on their arse harder than a fatty on Takeshi’s Castle. ‘Animal’ is the worst offender; its ‘rock-song-by-numbers’ vibe and unsuccessful attempts to sound quirky mean that this, the E.P.’s final track, sounds very much like the filler song no one loved but no one had the nads to ditch either.

Although it’s a decent first effort, Hitchcock Blonde’s sound is missing a key ingredient. The band have previously been compared to Foo Fighters and Skunk Anansie, however they lack the power of the Foos and the blissful melody of the...Skunks and despite harbouring some first-class songs, the E.P. as a whole fails to make the Earth move thanks to its yo-yoing quality. The songs on ‘Five Pounds’ sound as if they were born out of countless gigs in beer-soaked pubs rammed full of people covered in leather and tatts and in fairness, this is probably how Hitchcock Blonde are best experienced. Live, raw and with a pint in hand.

7/10

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om now!

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A Tale of Two Cities - Four Words ‘Four Words’ is the new single from Bristolians A Tale Of Two Cities taken from their forthcoming E.P. due out next month and comes in the form of an exciting slice of alternative rock in the vein of We Are The Ocean and Deaf Havana. The choppy riffs give the song a sense of urgency that when combined with Steve Elvin’s fine drumming creates an energetic and driving rhythmic backbone for the track. The verses however take a slower approach, forging an ethereal, dreamy canvas for vocalist Karl Ficarotta to croon over and the contrast between these two approaches works brilliantly.

‘Four Words’ is undoubtedly impressive and it’s bang up to date with what’s popular in the British music scene right now, however this particular track could really use an additional special ingredient; some sort of nitro boost to turn it from a good tune into a great one. Because although there is plenty to enjoy here, the single stands firmly within the band’s comfort zone and is almost indistinguishable from other acts in the same genre, We Are The Ocean in particular. Hopefully, the full E.P. (entitled ‘New Horizons’) will offer a bit more panache and take a few more risks.

7/10

ward it should have been for the band.

At times, the new found emphasis on melody is obscenely good, providing some genuinely jaw-dropping moments however as the album progresses, you begin to miss the aggression of days gone by.

History dictates that bands very rarely survive a change of frontman. Killswitch Engage obviously are the exception to the rule and Gallows also look as if they’ve struck gold with the recruitment of Wade MacNeil but for the most part, losing a singer is a mortal blow for a band at any level. Essex boys We Are The Ocean now face the same task after the controversial departure of Dan Brown; he says he was fired, they say he quit but the only thing that matters is whether new album ‘Maybe Today, Maybe Tomorrow’ lives up to expectations or not...

One thing Dan’s exit does mean is that the screaming vocals are long gone, as is any shred of the post-hardcore sound that was weaved throughout WATO’s last two offerings. ‘MT,MT’ documents the band morphing into a proper mainstream rock act in the mould of Foo Fighters or Biffy Clyro. It’s a risky move that could alienate a big part of the band’s fanbase and unfortunately, this mature direction isn’t the huge leap for-

The album kicks off in style; first single ‘Bleed’ is an energetic adrenaline rush that gives way to what is by far the best song ‘MT,MT’ has to offer; ‘Young Heart’. It’s the one moment on the record where the stars align for We Are The Ocean and everything comes together in a perfect storm. The songwriting is impeccable, the chorus is gargantuan and the riffs are big and bastardly but it’s a case of climaxing prematurely for WATO, as the rest of the album mainly consists of mid-paced rock tunes that are decent enough without being particularly special. The title track is undoubtedly impressive and ‘Machine’ is catchy enough but other songs fail to stick in the mind. Closing number ‘Chin Up, Son’ is the weakest of the bunch; it’s a poor attempt at Frank Turner-esque folk music that lacks the soul and the wit this genre demands.

‘Maybe Today, Maybe Tomorrow’ sounds like a transition album. There’s quality stuff here certainly, just not enough of it and with only nine full tracks on the record, you should definitely be getting more bang for your buck.

7/10

Beneath All Kaos – We Be Jamming ‘We Be Jamming’ is the vaguely amusing title of a song from Beneath All Kaos’ forthcoming E.P. ‘Sinking Vessels’. And whilst the song’s title may be an attempt to sound unique, the music is definitely not, as the band re-heat the metalcore sound of the early 2000’s. Luckily, this doesn’t mean Beneath All Kaos can’t write good tunes and despite the fact that ‘We Be Jamming’ could have easily been released by about 25,657 other metalcore acts, it does serve as a good reminder as to why we all fell in love with the genre in the first place.

Beneath all Kaos live up to their name; managing to sound impressively frantic and unhinged at times but it’s the mighty breakdown at the epicentre of the song that acts as the highlight of this number, using some funky sound effects that bring at least a little innovation to the table. However, the inexperience of the band is obvious, both in their composing and their delivery. A couple of the riffs simply serve no purpose other than bridging one part of the song to another and because of this; the momentum created by the decent sections is lost.

Without doubt, these boys have potential; this is their first proper release after all. But in order to fulfil that potential, Beneath All Kaos will, at some point, need to up their game.

6.5/10

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