THE NEARLY DEADS ROCKY WALLACE SHIPS HAVE SAILED SLEEP SIGNALS + MORE!
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CONTENTS
WHITE NOISE
EDITORIAL
2
ROCKY WALLACE
4
REMEMBER THE MONSTERS
10
SHIPS HAVE SAILED
14
LOST IN ATLANTIS
20
SLEEP SIGNALS
24
THE NEARLY DEADS
28
MAKESHIFT
30
REVIEWS
34
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EDITORIAL
17 EDITORIAL Here we are, issue number 18 in the books! Every time we put out a new issue I can’t believe that we’ve come this far, and we have so much more that we’d like to accomplish! Yet again we 02
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partnered up with ReverbNation to find some of the newest up and comers, and popular artists out there today. In this issue you’ll hear from Remember the Monsters, Rocky Wallace, Sleep Signals, Ships Have Sailed, Makeshift, Lost In Atlantis, as well as The Nearly Deads. All of these bands have released some pretty awesome music, or are in the process of doing so. You should definitely give them all a read, you might find your new favorite band. That brings issue number 18 to a close, however, it brings us to the start of summer with new music, new tours, and plenty of other things in store for you guys. See you for issue number 19!
CRISANNE GL ASSER & DANIELLE GIT TLEMAN
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ROCKY WALLACE BIG CITY DREAMS WORDS BY \\ GIANLUCA D’ELIA
ROCKY WALLACE
R
ocky Wallace has been singing in her small town since she was a child. Now, she’s
ready to take on a global audience with her recent release of her debut album, Love Like Destruction.
Originally from Michigan, she grew up on the
music of Fleetwood Mac, Carlos Santana and Jimi Hendrix while studying opera and singing gospel music. The result of her mixed influences is a bold blend of pop, radio rock and soul.
“When I was first starting out another musician
told me the best compliment he ever received from a fan was, ‘you sound like you,’” Wallace recalled. “I always thought that was very powerful. I use my influences as learning opportunities, to learn how they sing, how they write, their individual techniques and then I process that and translate it into my own style. The overall goal is to sound like me.”
Wallace’s new album is a bold, personal
statement of who she is, and as a result, she was initially fearful about showing it to the world. Proving herself as a versatile artist, she pours out her heart 06
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through different musical styles, whether it’s over the infectious pop beat of “Single Forever” or the upbeat rock number and title track “Love Like Destruction.”
“I was so nervous to release it,” Wallace said,
reflecting on her months of work on the album. “It really has a piece of my heart and soul and I was nervous to have it crushed but I couldn’t be happier with the response. I have been so incredibly blessed.”
Wallace also opened up about the experience
of creating her debut album, describing the process as “crazy” and “atypical.”
“The process for every song was different
but I think, in a nutshell, it kind of went like this: a song would start out with me and my songwriter and executive producer, Frankie Turner, on a piano or with a beat going back and forth with ideas for lyrics and melodies,” she said. “Frankie really pushed me as a writer, we redid pretty much every song countless times until they were right. It was a lot of learning but I couldn’t be happier with the results.”
WHITE NOISE
“When I was first starting out another musician told me the best compliment he ever received from a fan was, ‘you sound like you’”
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ROCKY WALLACE
At first, she was unsure of her direction when she began to work on the album, but through trial and
error, she found her sound.
“The first song on the record, ‘Riot,’ was really our ‘ah ha’ moment. We found where my heart was and
what was the most authentic sound to my personality and my artistry. After that, the rest of the album kind of fell into place. I gained confidence in my writing and just myself as an artist.”
Wallace said she has been inspired by her favorite artists, from Aretha Franklin to Carrie Underwood,
but she also gets her ideas from real life and the world around her, and sought to capture those experiences and feelings on Love Like Destruction.
“I pretty much draw inspiration from everywhere, personal experiences, things I read, stories I hear
from other people,” she explained. “It also depends on how the song evolves. If I get a beat from a producer I write based on the emotions that the music evokes. If it starts from a lyric idea or a melody it’s the opposite, I like the music to portray the emotion of the story being told.”
Now, Wallace is on the road to spread her new music and expand her fanbase.
“I’ve actually been on the road quite a bit over the past year and I intend to take Love Like Destruction
to other cities,” she said. “Right now I’m playing in Detroit for a few dates, but all of the tour dates will be posted to social media.”
With a debut album already out, she hopes to achieve even more in the near future.
“I have a very exciting list of goals for the coming months, different collaborations both on stage and in
the studio, music videos, venues I would like to play,” she said. “But the biggest goal I have is really just sharing the album and seeing how far it can fly.”
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ABOUT// Rocky is stepping out as a solo artist after signing with Zen Bulldog Entertainment, out of New York City, in early 2015. She has a revitalized sound and show. Under careful guidance from, attorney, Thomas Valentino and songwriter, Frankie Turner, Rocky's new sound and show offers an edgy soulfulness with strong modern influences intertwined with legacy inspirations yet delivering each performance, whether in studio or on stage, as a completely original performance as she continues to grow and developing her unique style.
WHITE NOISE
REMEMBER THE MONSTERS
WNZ: FIRST OF ALL, CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT REMEMBER THE MONSTERS? HOW DID YOU COME TO BE? Remember the Monsters originally started with Ashten (lead guitarist/
INTERVIEW BY \\ songwriter) and our original singer in Tucson, AZ. It started small, but there DANIELLE GITTLEMAN were always big plans for it. Sean (bassist) came on later, who met and recruited Dom (guitarist) into the band. Zach (drummer) been involved on and off, but recently became a permanent band member. It just came together piece by piece, with some of those pieces still changing. WNZ: YOU GUYS RECENTLY RELEASED A NEW SINGLE, “ROMEO & JULIET.” HOW HAS THE RECEPTION BEEN SO FAR SINCE ITS RELEASE? Pretty good for what we expected. It’s definitely different than our first single “The Pieces Remain,” and wasn’t meant for as wide and mainstream of an audience. It’s heavy, crude, catchy, and wild. We love it, we wanted to release it, so we did it. WNZ: YOU’VE BEEN TEASING A NEW SINGLE, “CLOSE ENCOUNTERS.” WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE TRACK? WHEN CAN WE EXPECT TO HEAR IT? It’s out on YouTube now with an awesome video! We’re planning on polishing up the song itself a little before putting it up on popular streaming services, but you can watch it now on our YouTube channel. It’s the first track we recorded with our new singer, Julian. We’re pretty excited to be working with him and seeing how our sound evolves. WNZ: ARE YOU GUYS WORKING ON ANY NEW MUSIC? WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT IT? Oh definitely. We’ve got so much stuff tracked out and in the demo stage that we feel people are really going to enjoy. Plus with our new singer we’ve been hard at work polishing up our sound and working on new material WNZ: WHAT’S IT LIKE WORKING WITH CAMERON MIZELL? ARE YOU GUYS INVOLVED WITH HIS NEW PROJECT, MORLA COLLECTIVE? WHAT’S THAT BEEN LIKE FOR YOU GUYS? Cam is definitely a heavy hitter with a grand vision. However at times it overshadows the work we’re trying to get done, which occasionally leads to butting heads. Every new organization experiences growing pains, but
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REMEMBER THE MONSTERS
we wouldn’t be where we are today without it.
recording and work stuff. So unfortunately we don’t
Working with Morla has been an interesting ride,
have anything coming up quite yet, but we’re all
but we’re learning a lot about the music industry
itching to play some shows, we love playing live and
and have met a lot of really talented people that are
can’t wait to get back out there
passionate about music. It’s been an educational experience for sure.
WNZ: WHAT ARE SOME GOALS THAT YOU HAVE FOR YOURSELVES AS A BAND? WHAT WOULD
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WNZ: WHAT’S YOUR WRITING AND RECORDING
YOU LIKE TO ACCOMPLISH?
PROCESS LIKE? CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH
Of course we have our big dreams of being rock
IT?
stars, who doesn’t right? More immediately
Well we can bore you with the details or we can put
though we aim to be self-sufficient. We want to be
it like this. The writing process is usually like taking
free to write music, record, and present it to the
a very emotional and heartfelt dump. The recording
world on our terms. We’ve become dependent on
process is like the extra soft toilet paper that cleans
certain aspects of the industry that have caused
it all up.
unnecessary delays and hardships.
WNZ: WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR MUSICAL
WNZ: WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU GUYS IN THE
INFLUENCES? DO YOU FEEL LIKE THEY MAKE
UPCOMING MONTHS?
AN IMPACT ON YOUR OWN MUSIC?
We’ve got a lot going on, from finishing up our
While we try to maintain our own unique sound,
first major release, to getting our merch store up
there are definitely a wide range of artists and
and running. Everything’s moving pretty fast for a
music that have influenced our style. Everything
relatively new band and we’re just trying not to trip
from classic rock (ex. Guns n Roses, Mötley Crüe)
over ourselves.
to modern post-hardcore bands, and even big film score producers like Hans Zimmer. We like having a
WNZ: IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO
big, diverse sound
TELL YOUR FANS? You guys have been so patient with us, and we
WNZ: DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY PLANS TO
appreciate that. Thank you guys so much for being
TOUR? WHERE CAN FANS EXPECT TO SEE YOU?
awesome! We’ve got a lot in the works that we think
We’re in the middle of some big changes, as well as
you’ll all love and we can’t wait to get it to you!
WHITE NOISE
“Of course we have our big dreams of being rock stars, who doesn’t right? We want to be free to write music, record, and present it to the world on our terms.”
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SHIPS HAVE SAILED A DANGEROUS DUO WORDS BY \\ EMILY KLINGMAN
WHITE NOISE
F
using together pop and alternative rock,
pushing Ships Have Sailed when create new music.
Will Carpenter and Art Andranikyan of
Though their actual recording process varies each
Ships Have Sailed form their unique sound by criss
time, there’s some songs that won’t leave them
crossing genres and shaking expectations.
alone — like how Carpenter came up with the first
pieces of “Let’s Just Dance.”
Self-describing themselves as “conscious,
feel-good, indie rock,” their sound is diverse and
hard to exactly nail down, yet the duo ensures it all
head at 2 a.m. one night and just wouldn’t leave
fits sonically together as well.
me alone,” he said. “When I went to continue on
the writing and production I kinda got stuck on the
The band released newest single, “Let’s
“The idea for the chorus popped into my
Just Dance,” a few months ago, and it has been
verses, and so I brought in a friend [Robert Gillies]
“making some waves” among listeners. Currently
to help finish writing it.”
at over 100k streams on Spotify and a music video to complement the track, the single has been progressing nicely.
“My mantra this year is to not set goals - I’ve always been extremely goal oriented, which can be a very good thing, but you can also get tunnel-vision that way, so I decided that this year would be focused on fewer expectations and more forward motion.”
“We’ve been thrilled with how people are
Carpenter admits some songs don’t
responding,” said Carpenter. “Folks have been really
always just come to him, sometimes “they’re more
resonating with both the video and the music, we
deliberate” in its creation.
couldn’t be happier.”
said. “I try to let the song itself guide where it needs
Starting with just Carpenter in his home
“It really just depends on the song itself,” he
studio working on a small group of personal
to go.”
material, apart from a former band he was in at
the time. The project soon sparked an interest in
coming for fans in 2018 as well. It’s “a huge part” of
others around him, giving him the push to focus on
what the band has in store for the year, as they’re
it more.
currently in the early phases of developing new
“I felt a connection with them and just
Even more new Ships Have Sailed music is
material.
couldn’t bring myself to let them go, so I started
producing them myself in my home studio,” said
an album, or just a collection of singles,” said
Carpenter.
Carpenter, “but I find that tends to work itself out as
“It’s not clear whether this will be an EP,
the creation process moves ahead.”
It’s that nagging feeling which keeps
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SHIPS HAVE SAILED
“I try to let the song itself guide where it needs to go.”
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Solore, te dolore simpos ilis prae cusam eossus esequi inull
WHITE NOISE
In their writing and recording process, as a
duo Carpenter and Andranikyan found they are able to connect and create in a really special way.
“I think the best part of being in a duo is
that we really get to hone in and lock with each other, musically speaking,” Carpenter said. “We wind up having to be creative with how we use technology on stage, but we have no complaints.”
Any new Ships Have Sailed fans will have
to wait to see them on stage this year — or at least head on over to California. The two don’t have any plans to tour this year, coming off a couple years of tours, but they’re open to performing locally.
“At the moment we’re coming off about
two years of being on the road (on and off) and so we really want to focus in the studio this year,” said Carpenter. “However, we’re not turning down good live opportunities. We always keep our calendar up to date on our website and our socials, so stay in touch.”
In addition to focusing on studio time, the
band also is working on a video series called “Color Commentary,” a video blog about being a musician in today’s music industry. After talking to several people Carpenter knew, but weren’t in the industry, he decided to create a video blog talking about everything.
“A light bulb kinda went off, and I thought
to myself it would be cool to start a video blog based (mostly) around industry related topics, said Carpenter, “but presented in a way that everyone,
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SHIPS HAVE SAILED both musicians and consumers, can learn something from watching. Obviously it’s still early in the process, but we’ve gotten some great feedback so far.”
Despite so much going on this year already, Carpenter’s goals for Ships Have Sailed is to let things
happen as they come. So far, it’s been a successful experiment in letting go of control a little bit.
“My mantra this year is to not set goals,” he said. “I’ve always been extremely goal oriented, which can
be a very good thing, but you can also get tunnel-vision that way, so I decided that this year would be focused on fewer expectations and more forward motion.”
Although Carpenter isn’t setting goals this year, the upcoming months see Ships Have Sailed as
keeping busy. Between selective local live appearances in California and taking the studio time to develop their backlog of ideas, the band isn’t taking a break at all.
“Things are really fluid this year,” said Carpenter. “Things have been popping up and presenting
themselves super quickly, so definitely stay in touch on our socials and mailing list. New things tend to happen when you least expect them.”
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| ABOUT// Since their inception, Ships Have Sailed have always struck a balance between exuberant pop and substantial alternative rock. Their debut EP ‘Someday’ (2014) was well received throughout the US, Canada and the UK, catalyzing a Northeastern US tour and landing the band showcases at SXSW, CMJ Music Marathon, Canadian Music Week, & NAMM in 2015. They took home accolades from ISC and Unsigned Only that same year, furthering the band’s impetus for the release of their first full length album, ‘Moodswings’. The eleven song studio effort earned glowing reviews from Blackbook, Wild Honey Pie, and The 405, again receiving notice from ISC, Unsigned Only and The John Lennon Songwriting Competition, and spawned a sister release ‘Re: MIX’, whose tropical house remixes seemed in perfect step with the evolving music climate. Not prone to sitting still, the band was working behind the scenes on something new in between bouts of touring. In an effort to push his own limits, Will brought in a new songwriting partner (Robert Reid Gillies) and sought out a co-producer (Wally Gagel of Wax Ltd. – Family of the Year, Zella Day, etc…) to assist with the creation of the next single
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LOST IN ATLANTIS
WNZ: FIRST OFF, CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT LOST IN ATLANTIS? HOW DID YOU GUYS COME TO BE?
INTERVIEW BY \\ Lost in Atlantis is a rock electronic group originating from Phoenix, Arizona. DANIELLE GITTLEMAN We formed approximately 8 to 9 years ago with our vision of our band to be the perfect blend of rock and electronic. The band relocated to Los Angeles 3 years ago and had a recent line up change. WNZ: WHAT’S IT LIKE BEING A FEMALE FRONTED BAND IN AN INDUSTRY THAT’S PRIMARILY MALE DOMINATED? I honestly think that being a female in today’s industry and our time right now is so empowering. Women are dominating the airwaves and we are putting our full force through the doors. The women in music are rising and it’s such a beautiful thing to see so many talents females accomplishing such amazing things! It does seem like there’s always this added pressure to be perfect, to sound perfect, to look perfect, to be “sexy,” wear makeup, blah blah. You know what I say?! Screw it! Be whatever version you want to be! Wear makeup, don’t wear makeup...heck I don’t care! What I do care is the remarks I hear men say on the sidelines that devalue and demean everything we’ve worked so hard to accomplish. We just gotta be stronger because we are. WNZ: FOR SOMEONE WHO’S NEVER LISTENED TO YOUR MUSIC, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR SOUND? Rocktronica. A little bit of lady gaga and Paramore in a perfect sexilicious blend. WNZ: YOU GUYS HAVEN’T HAD A RELEASE IN A FEW YEARS. ARE YOU GUYS WORKING ON ANY NEW MUSIC? WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT IT? WHEN CAN WE EXPECT IT? We have a five song album waiting to be released at a good time. Just waiting to play our cards right. The songs are amazing! Especially since our rad producer Erich Talaba did it. WNZ: HOW HAS THE RECEPTION BEEN TOWARD YOUR LAST RELEASE, THIS WORLD IS OURS, PT. 1 OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS? It’s been good. However, we noticed that touring really helps with album sales so doing shows here and there hasn’t really garnered an enormous response in comparison to our Lover Freak album which did amazing! We
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LOST IN ATLANTIS
just need to figure out a better plan when releasing
He’s provided an outlet for bands and fans to unite
our next album so we can get our music in the
in a safe and beautiful music lovers world. Being
hands of more people.
the last tour is sad but when one thing ends another begins.
WNZ: WHAT’S YOUR WRITING AND RECORDING PROCESS LIKE? CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH
WNZ: HAVE YOU GUYS EVER PLAYED WARPED
IT?
BEFORE? WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS
For the most part, Eric usually writes the heart of
GOING IN TO THIS YEAR’S TOUR?
the songs. He lays down the foundation and sends
We played Warped back in 2013! Man we’re old! We
it over to me. I do this process of elimination and
expect lots of heat...more heat...mixed with mosh
write to the songs I’m “feeling.” After we do that
pits and fun times!
we send it over to David where he puts his input. Then the whole band just chimes in, being a whole
WNZ: WHAT ARE SOME GOALS THAT YOU HAVE
collaborative effort.
FOR YOURSELVES AS A BAND? WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO ACCOMPLISH?
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WNZ: WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR MUSICAL
We just want to be able to support ourselves with
INFLUENCES? DO YOU FEEL LIKE THEY MAKE
our music. Travel the world making new friends.
AN IMPACT ON YOUR OWN MUSIC?
We don’t want to be rich...just to be able to wake up
Our music influences range all over the place. We’re
and write music and not have to worry about rent/
fans of: Underoath, Muse, Paramore, Lady Gaga,
mortgages etc.
Thrice, Incubus, Finch, PVRIS, SIA, Foo Fighters (to name a few). I’m sure everything we’ve been
WNZ: WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU GUYS IN THE
influenced by has in some shape or form influenced
UPCOMING MONTHS?
our music.
New music video release for our single “Real You.” We recorded our whole last album acoustically with
WNZ: YOU GUYS ARE HEADED OUT ON WARPED
some video stuff so there’s that too. Our upcoming
TOUR THIS SUMMER! HOW EXCITED ARE
show will be May 23rd at The Viper Room.
YOU GUYS TO HEAD OUT ON THE LAST EVER WARPED?
WNZ: IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO
It’s really sad but we’re so excited to has been
TELL YOUR FANS?
chosen to perform. It’s a bittersweet moment.
Thank you for still being here with us as we grow up
We don’t want it to end but we do see this shift in
in this crazy world. Some of you have been with us
the music industry that’s making it harder for the
since you’ve been in middle school! Thank you for
rock world to succeed. Kevin Lyman is an amazing
the love and we can not wait for our new music to
inspirational man whom we are eternally grateful to.
come out!
SLEEP SIGNALS DON’T STOP THE GRIND
WORDS BY \\ DANIELLE GITTLEMAN
WHITE NOISE
“For us, it’s all about getting out to shows and sharing our music with people.”
H
igh energy rock
We’ve put out a couple singles
band Sleep Signals
from ATEOTW so far, and we’ve
have been working non-stop
had a really good response from
since late 2014. Starting in
radio, having a lot of stations
Minneapolis, all five members
spinning a couple of tracks.
were living in different states at
We’re really grateful for that!”
the time, meeting one another
through mutual friends, and
band is always working on new
playing in touring bands. The
music. They are, however, a little
band immediately began touring
more focused on supporting
in 2015, and they’ve been on the
ATEOTW and touring, but that
road ever since. In three years
doesn’t mean they completely
they’ve played over 250 shows,
stop writing.
released three albums, and are
showing no signs of stopping,
on new music in one way or
the other, but we’re touring
It’s been nearly a
Lucky for fans, the
“We’re always working
year since they band released
pretty heavily right now. We
At The End Of The World,
have a lot of ground to cover
releasing it this past September.
yet with ATEOTW, and we plan
According to lead vocalist
to continue pushing that album
Robert Cosgrove, the reception
for a while,” Cosgrove explained.
has been really great. It was
“We have plans to head back
something different for them,
into the studio to record a
and it really worked.
couple new songs including
a cover that we really enjoy
“I had just moved to
vocals from guitar for this
playing live, but we have no
album after parting ways with
release dates set for anything.
out previous vocalist and a ten
We may drop something with
month hiatus while we rebuilt
little to no notice though, so stay
and wrote new material,” said
tuned!”
Cosgrove. “We explored a lot
more with samples and synth
making new music, there’s an
on this record, and we also
abundance of songwriting,
dropped the tuning further.
between band members, but
When it comes to
Cosgrove has a huge hand in
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SLEEP SIGNALS it. Together they pool their song ideas and demos, and pick their favorites. During the production of ATEOTW, the band had about 40 songs that they had to narrow down to six to make the cut, according to Cosgrove. The band is always writing new material.
Sleep Signals have been heavily touring in support of ATEOTW, and recently kicked off a brand new
tour on May 24. The Free Music Tour kicked off in Ames, IA, and the band will be on the road for about a month. The band loves to tour, and it’s one of their favorite parts about being a band.
“We’re always excited to get back out onto the road, it’s why we do what we do,” said Cosgrove. “For us,
it’s all about getting out to shows and sharing our music with people. We love to connect with our fans.”
One thing that they’re doing out of the ordinary this time around is the band is giving away a free
copy of ATEOTW with each admission to the show. “We decided to give our a free copy of ATEOTW with each admission on this tour because we wanted to give something back to our fans that have helped us to make this record a success,” Cosgrove said. “It’s a cool way for new fans to hear us who maybe haven’t heard of us yet, and we’re excited to give out a lot of free copies of the album over the next month!”
For the next couple of months, the band plans to stay busy, planning on announcing another tour,
that will have them on the road for a few more weeks. The band also wants to start touring outside of the US, looking into setting up a Canadian tour, as well as heading over to Europe. As for the guys? Well they know that none of this would be possible without the fans, and they’re grateful to them.
“Come out to a show! Come say hi to us, come introduce yourself and tell us your name. We love to
hang out with our fans. We love to take pictures, we love to sign stuff for people. Our fans are the main reason we do what we do and it means a lot of us to meet as many of them as possible!”
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ABOUT// 2017 promises to be a huge year for Sleep Signals, starting with the release of their new single, “I’ll Save You”, on 1/27/17, along with an accompanying music video that the band shot in the frigid woods of Minnesota. The single was produced by Justin Rimer (Saving Abel, 12 Stones) at Crosstrax Studio in Memphis, TN, and is the precursor to the upcoming EP the band plans to release in mid 2017. The “End of the World Tour” has the band on the road through most of February and March, so plan catch them near you. Founded in 2014, Sleep Signals have garnered a dedicated following through relentless touring, their explosive live performances, and their ability to blend catchy hooks with their high-energy songwriting style. Since hitting the road in early 2015, the band has played more than 125 shows in twenty-five states, building a solid fan base across the country. The band released their second EP, Transitions, in early 2016 and followed it up with US tours with heavy hitters Screaming for Silence and Lydia Can’t Breathe. They have also shared the stage with bands like Saving Abel, Bobaflex, Ill Nino, Alesana, Capture the Crown, The Browning, 3 Pill Morning, Romantic Rebel, and Cold Kingdom.
THE NEARLY DEADS MAKING BIG STRIDES WORDS BY \\ CASEY WOLFE
WHITE NOISE
H
ailing from Tampa, FL, The Nearly Deads
new releases. “Patreon is a whole new journey for
are a female-fronted punk band who
us and we are very excited! Our fans have deemed
are making big strides in the music industry. While
themselves ‘zombies’ ever since we released our
the punk scene has been one that is predominately
video for ‘Never Look Back,’ and we’ve taken the
male-driven, lead vocalist Theresa Jeane (TJ) has
theme and run with it,” explained TJ. “With Patreon,
something to prove, and some great influences to
we think of it more like an ongoing fan club, versus a
follow.
traditional crowdfunding campaign. We’re able to see
“We always tell people we fall somewhere
month to month how much we can budget for new
between Halestorm and Paramore, and that usually
music and videos, and we’re able to talk to fans one
gets them intrigued enough to check us out,” said the
on one and give them a more personal in depth look
vocalist. “We also have a bit more of a punk edge.
into what keeps this band going.”
A lot of our tracks are piano-driven, and vocally I’m
very pop influenced. We love bands like Foo Fighters,
you so much for checking us out and taking the time
Jimmy Eat World, and My Chemical Romance.”
to get to know us a little better. We couldn’t continue
to do what we do without the support of our amazing
In a time when feminism is at its peak, TJ
TJ’s message to fans is this, “First of all, thank
and The Nearly Deads reflect on and revel in the
fans. We love you guys just as much as you love us,
transition. “I have never felt a lack of respect from
and together, the sky’s the limit.”
any other artist, but I used to get asked if I was the
merch girl or someone’s girlfriend by venue staff a lot,
and for their fans. “We’d love to play Wembley
which really used to set me off. That really doesn’t
Stadium, to have zombies invade the Super Bowl
happen anymore, because more and more people are
halftime show and to tour all over the world and meet
checking their sexism and realizing that there’s more
all of our amazing fans. We want to empower people.
and more women in music, there always has been,
To show that there’s life after struggle, and that we’re
and there always will be.”
all in this together,” said TJ.
The band catered to their fans wishes with
The band has some big goals for themselves
Fans may not catch The Nearly Deads on
their latest release, while sticking to what they love
tour this coming year, but they can expect new
as well. “Our heavier songs were always our most
songs, videos and reanimated versions of their older
successful, so we went back down that route. We
material.
also included a piano ballad on it because our fans were asking for it!” The music video for “My Evil Ways”
has already surpassed one million views since its release.
The support of their fan base has been
one of the driving forces behind their music and all
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WHITE NOISE
MAKESHIFT
WNZ: FIRST OF ALL, CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MAKESHIFT? HOW DID YOU COME TO BE?
INTERVIEW BY \\ MAKESHIFT is a band that has had many different forms over the years. DANIELLE GITTLEMAN
When we first started out we were just a couple sophomores and juniors in high school who met in music theory class with a common interest in punk music. A couple of us had played in bands over past years but had never done anything substantial with our music before. We started writing music and playing out for fun and eventually got to playing all around Long Island. Years later our sound evolved as we grew individually and as friends and band members filtered in and out of our lives. What we have now is basically the result of years of growing up together. WNZ: FOR SOMEONE WHO’S NEVER LISTENED TO YOUR MUSIC, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR SOUND?
Due to our vast differences in musical interest, our sound has been described in many different ways. The most simple way that I can think to describe it is kind of like a pop meets rock meets punk with an aggressive edge. WNZ: YOU GUYS JUST ANNOUNCED THAT YOUR NEW EP, REFLECTION WAS RELEASED ON MAY 11. WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE EP? WHAT CAN FANS LOOK FORWARD TO? Reflection dropped last Friday and the response has been great so far. It’s really awesome to see people vibe with a record that we’ve put so much time and thought into over a better part of the last year. We wanted to really blow everyone’s expectations out of the water with this record from the songs, to the packaging, to the live performance. Everything that’s gone into this record has taken more time and more dedication that anything that we’ve done before and we’re so proud of how everything’s come out so far. WNZ: WHAT’S YOUR WRITING AND RECORDING PROCESS LIKE? CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH IT? Writing this record compared to our past releases was very unique due to the different ways we approached writing these songs. In the past, generally Andrew would come to the band with the skeleton of a song and we would kind of build off of that. While some of these songs were definitely written this way, a lot of them were built from the ground up with the whole band
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MAKESHIFT involved throughout the process. I think this can be
REALLY HELPED YOU OUT AS A BAND?
credited to the fact that our “new” drummer Ethan
I think that taking a step away for the band for a few
was actually the first drummer of the band and
months helped us astronomically. We were working
we’ve been writing with him for years. The whole
on the band pretty steadily for about 5 years at
process of writing Reflection all felt completely
the time when things kind of fell apart. I think that
natural which was a refreshing feeling to come
us taking a breath and focusing on ourselves for
back to after being unsure of the band’s future
a little bit was very important to the health of us
during our hiatus. We have a lot of the same to say
individually and as a band. When it came time to
about our recording process honestly. Every time
take a break, we all agreed to not rush back into
we get to work with Adam we all just feel right at
anything and only come back to the band if it felt
home and super comfortable knowing that we’re in
right. We didn’t want to push ourselves to be doing
good hands. He’s straight forward in giving us his
something that we felt like we had to do anymore
opinions on songs and ideas and knows what we’re
since we were at a point where we could pick back
looking for when it comes to the finished product.
up or leave the band where it was. Coming back after this break helped remind us of the bond we
WNZ: YOU ALSO JUST RELEASED A NEW
share as band members and the love that we have
SINGLE “HORRIBLE.” HOW HAS THE RECEPTION
for this band and what we’re able to do with it.
BEEN SO FAR?
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We were unsure what to expect when releasing
WNZ: WHAT ARE SOME GOALS THAT YOU HAVE
our first single in over a year, having announced
FOR YOURSELVES AS A BAND? WHAT WOULD
our comeback only one month prior. We were
YOU LIKE TO ACCOMPLISH?
pleasantly surprised to see that people were so
We just really want to tour and share our music with
excited about us releasing a new single and the
as many people as possible in as many areas as
potential of a new album. “Horrible” has become
possible. I think that’s our only real goal right now,
one of our favorite new songs to play live due to the
to just get out there and be able to show people
reaction that we get out of the crowd when we play
what we’re made of.
it. It’s a high energy jam and when the opening riff kicks in you can feel the excitement in the room.
WNZ: WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU GUYS IN THE UPCOMING MONTHS?
WNZ: WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR MUSICAL
In the coming months we’re going to be pushing
INFLUENCES? DO YOU FEEL LIKE THEY MAKE
this record out as much as possible. We want to be
AN IMPACT ON YOUR OWN MUSIC?
out and about playing shows in both familiar and
We all have influences from very different genres
unfamiliar areas, hopefully sharing our songs with
and musical styles. Some of our biggest influences
people that can relate and find comfort within them.
include Green Day, blink-182, Foo Fighters, Less Than Jake, NOFX, Slayer, Rancid, The Used,
WNZ: IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO
Underoath, Taking Back Sunday, Bayside, and
TELL YOUR FANS?
countless others.
Reflection is out now anywhere that you can purchase or stream music. Stay up to date with us
WNZ: YOU GUYS TOOK A LITTLE BIT OF A
on social media and be on the lookout for shows in
HIATUS. DO YOU FEEL LIKE THE SMALL BREAK
your area within the next few months.
REVIEWS
5/5
30 Seconds to Mars, well known for their darker alt-rock music,
recently released their latest album, America, defying their normal standards in a fantastic way. The first track, and popular single, “Walk on Water,” features dramatic and almost theatrical gang vocals and an intense beat backing Jared Leto’s naturally attention-grabbing voice. It leans toward the pop genre while maintaining the specific, nearly undefinable rock sound that 30 Seconds is known for.
30 SECONDS TO MARS // AMERICA WORDS BY \\ CASEY WOLFE TOP TRACKS // “DANGEROUS NIGHT” “REMEDY” “WALK ON WATER”
With such a great track right out the gate, listeners will be thinking
that the band better follow it up with something awesome, and they do. “Dangerous Night” begins with Leto’s ominously emotional vocal track backed by the usual works. It has more of an upbeat feel to it, however, giving listeners immediate variety.
In “Rescue Me,” 30 Seconds continues to explore the pop music
genre without sacrificing the histrionics they do so well. While this track is more laid back, the intensity it is performed with refuse to let it become just another pop song.
30 Seconds to Mars takes on a guest vocalist in “One Track Mind”
featuring A$AP Rocky. The music is dreamlike and dabbles in the other end of the alternative music genre than fans are used to. I believe fans will either 34
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like this or they won’t, and personally, I’m not crazy about it. However, 30 Seconds to Mars deserve a huge amount of respect for exploring so many different styles so successfully.
Keep the guest appearances coming! Halsey joins 30 Seconds to
Mars for their track, “Love is Madness.” The slow and deep vocals in the verses bring the chorus in with a bang. It is still moderately paced and dreamlike, following suit of the rest of the album so far.
“Hail to the Victor” continues with the nontraditional sound effects
for a rock band. Layered vocals at just the right moments give the song dimension, however, emphasizing the band’s natural talents. “Remedy” drops the effects, presenting a melody with a simple acoustic track. It’s not only a break from the intensity of the rest of the album, but a beautiful display of the artists’ real, raw talent. The emotional value in this track comes purely from the band themselves. If I heard this song apart from the album, I wouldn’t even guess that it was a product of 30 Seconds to Mars.
30 Seconds to Mars has achieved something great with America,
and it is a whole lot more than I, or most other listeners probably, expected. It is theatrical without being over the top and emotive without being too vulnerable. My expectations were high, and this band surpassed them with ease.
WHITE NOISE
4/5
Breaking Benjamin’s newest album, Ember, gives listeners a sort of
continuation of their 2015 album, Dark Before Dawn. Keeping with classic Breaking Benjamin sounds, the band dives into some darker themes lyrically. As a whole, Ember both appeases fans and brings the band into new territory.
The album opens with an instrumental intro track, before diving
headfirst into the heavy and dark “Feed the Wolf.” Several of the next few songs that follow are similar, with Breaking Benjamin’s signature breakdowns,
BREAKING BENJAMIN // EMBER WORDS BY \\ EMILY KLINGMAN TOP TRACKS // “THE DARK OF YOU” “TORN IN TWO” “CLOSE YOUR EYES”
guitar riffs and heavy percussion beats. One of the last tracks in this half is “Psycho.” A steady breakdown starts off the track, which then moves along and lead singer Ben Burnley goes into his mix of snarl-y and melodic vocals. Lyrically, it is one the stronger and stands out from the others on the album. Burnley brings a lot of emotion to this song, where he depicts an inner struggle between him and the darkness, or “psycho” within. Tying the track together overall is the breakdown from its beginning being repeated throughout, representing the cyclical nature of the inner struggle.
Breaking Ember in half is “The Dark of You,” the ballad track of
the album. Featuring long time fan, Dancing with the Stars dancer, Derek Hough sings backing vocals on this track. A seemingly odd choice on the outside, however Hough’s softer voice blends well with Burnley’s melodic and rougher vocals. Another lyrically powerful track, Burnley describes the peace which can come from giving into the darkness haunting one’s existence. It’s haunting and otherworldly sound, and placement as a midway point on the album, make it a standout track.
Although not the final track off Ember, “Close Your Eyes” serves
as the final track with vocals and leaves one of the last impressions on the listener. Having gone through the darkest parts of the soul and body with the previous tracks, Burnley brings the album to a close with tiny drops of hope. Another classic Breaking Benjamin sounding-track, “Close Your Eyes” brings the listener glimpses of the light while maintaining the loud guitar riffs and drums which mix perfectly with Burnley’s melodic vocals.
Overall, Ember is a solid addition to Breaking Benjamin’s discography.
Exploring darker themes than before, it’s an album full of tracks which will surely resonate with listeners in unique ways. And despite the band not bringing anything new or stand out to the album, Ember serves as a great continuation of the sound that fans love.
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REVIEWS
4/5
Cardi B trotted into the rap scene on her golden camel in mid
2017 and hasn’t stopped kicking up sand since. The world fell in love with the former stripper from New York and her don’t give a f*ck attitude for better or worse with her first big hit, “Bodak Yellow.” Whether you deem her problematic or a feminist icon, Cardi B doesn’t seem to care. Her debut album, Invasion Of Privacy, has gotten praise from across the music scene and seems to rise above genre barriers.
CARDI B // INVASION OF PRIVACY
With opening track, “Get Up 10,” Cardi invites us in to her world
setting her origin story straight, but also displays a subtle signature in sound that grows through the album. Most rap albums are cluttered with boasting lyrics about three things, women, money and drugs. While similar imagery is present in IOP, there is no denying that what Cardi brings is a special blend of
WORDS BY \\ LAYNE EDWARDS reality TV and city streets. She isn’t saying she’s better than you, but she wont
TOP TRACKS // “GET UP 10” “BODAK YELLOW” “BEST LIFE”
shy from telling you that she worked ten times harder and earned her throne.
Probably the most shocking thing about Cardi’s songs are that they
are actually relatable. We aren’t all sniffing coke off the bathroom sink in the Chateau like Blackbear or wondering what to do with the extra space in our twelve car garages like 21 Savage. But, everyone can jump on tracks like the soulful “Be Careful” and hype vibes from “Best Life (ft. Chance The Rapper).”
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Cardi takes us into the day to day of a crazy fast pace life that may be more eccentric than average but still grounded in raw human emotion. This album could be anyone’s gateway into the rap world
WHITE NOISE
5/5
The Wonder Years are back at it again with the release of their
newest album, Sister Cities. The new album includes eleven brand new tracks that’ll leave fans wanting more.
Sister Cities kicks off with “Raining in Kyoto,” a track with raw vocals,
and a buildup that makes for a really catchy song. I thought that the track was a good one to start the album off on, as the energy of the track starts off slow, but intensifies, really setting the tone for the rest of the album.
THE WONDER YEARS // SISTER CITIES WORDS BY \\ DANIELLE GITTLEMAN TOP TRACKS // “SISTER CITIES” “WE LOOK LIKE LIGHTNING” “THE ORANGE GROVE”
“Pyramids of Salt” and “It Must Get Lonely” have the similar build
up, starting off slow in the beginning, and eventually bringing the energy. Between the two tracks, “It Must Get Lonely” had to be my favorite. I felt like it was a really raw, emotional song, which is something I admire when I’m listening to a track for the first time. Not to mention, the energy toward the end of the song was my absolute favorite part.
“Sister Cities,” the title track has to be one of my favorite tracks on
the album. It’s one of those songs that you look forward to a band playing when you see them live. I can picture the crowd going crazy when the song starts, jumping around and singing the lyrics right back to the band. If you listen to any song on this album, definitely listen to this one.
Both “Flowers Where Your Face Should Be,” and “Heaven’s Gate (Sad
& Sober)” really bring the raw emotion to the album, with the sad, honest, and heartfelt lyrics that will definitely tug at your heartstrings. “We Look Like Lightning” continues with the raw emotion, repeating the lyric, “what song do you want to die to?”
I loved the energy of “The Ghosts of Right Now.” Just like “Sister
Cities,” it was one of those songs that you would absolutely love to hear live and just lose yourself in. “When the Blue Finally Came” slowed things down a bit, and “The Orange Grove” brought things right back up to a high energy yet again.
“The Ocean Grew Hands to Hold Me” brings the album to a close, and
I thought it was a good track to end on. It’s the longest track on the album, and pretty low key, but still really works. Toward the end, the song builds up a little instrumentally, but then comes back down. I really thought it brought the album to a close, and made it complete.
Overall, I really enjoyed Sister Cities. There wasn’t a single song that I
honestly didn’t like off of this album. To me, each track was better and better. I loved how the songs could go from upbeat, high energy songs, to slow, raw and emotional ones. I feel like this album really showcased how diverse The Wonder Years really are. Whether you’re a fan of the band or not, I would definitely give Sister Cities a spin. WHITENOISEZINE.COM
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