Coldiron Continuum

Album Review: Kava Kava's "Forwards"

2009-12-22T10:14:00.000-08:00

About a month ago I had the chance to interview Kava Kava, a six piece eclectic band from the UK. From that alone, I knew there was something special here. Their new album is called Forwards, fitting of the direction this band is headed.

This is one of those cross- genre bands that would be hard to place in any one category, but also impossible to dismiss from any either. Bringing vocals, guitars, bass, a horn section and plenty of electronics, this band pushes the pace, controls the tempo and warps your mind all at once.

Over the course of this album I hear elements and influences of bands all over the spectrum, ranging from U2, Pink Floyd, NIN and most of all, The Crystal Method. This is a very good thing. The album keeps me enthralled, but also keeps me guessing, with the variety of sounds and surprises. Every song turns another corner and around the new corner comes a new story and excitement.

With songs featured all over the TV, in such shows as Weeds, Dirt, and John from Cincinnati, it's not difficult to see that this album is chalk full of memorable songs.

Opening with a slow buildup of tension and leading right into the electronica and artsy stuff, “Tic”gets the album going strong right off the bat. Two minutes into the song and I already feel like I've been wished away to another universe. The slow bass progression sets the pace, while the spoken vocals are enchanting, hypnotic and catchy. A sound that I can only assume is some kind of synthesizer sound winds the track down. It fits perfectly with the music as it winds and repeats over and over. I am already completely into this music.

Next comes perhaps the album's most well- known song, “clarity.” It begins and ends with the repeated spoken part, “I want a moment of clarity.” “I want to know where you keep the truth,” leads into a bridge of sorts with sounds and instruments all over the place. I am overwhelmed. This is a song that I could imagine being played in a dance club, with ravers sweating all over themselves, dancing and throbbing to every beat. At the same time, with the catchy vocals ('which kind of keep me hypnotized') and pumping pace, I could see this played at rock clubs also. This is a song that needs to be heard... over and over.

Before I know it I hear guitars coming through my speakers. What happened? The disc moved onto “Everything.” This song freaking rocks. Maintaining the catchy vocals and peripheral sounds, but adding some sweet, groovy guitars, this song is off the hook. I continue to be blown away by this music. The chant of, “everything” permeates over the rocking guitar rhythm. For a moment, I have a flashback to U2's “vertigo.” I just can't help myself, I want “everything.”

“Bank job” has a unique opening, that leads to some sounds so morphed I can't even tell if it's a sound or synth of some sort, or if it's vocals that have been run through a machine. Regardless, it works big time. The mid- song vocal run adds another element to the song. Singer Pat Fulongi brings a poise and confidence to the music that suits the style while adding his own flair. This is good shit.

The title track, “forwards” comes along with a nice, slow opening. I sense a slowdown in the album coming. Maybe a transition that gets the album going in a different direction? A minute later, a heavy bass (Martin Chung) picks up steam and the groove gets going. I am in bliss yet again. I could listen to this song for 28 straight hours on a road trip. It takes me on ups and downs, but with a sense of calm that could help me through anything. Heck, the song itself is kind of like a road trip and Fulongi is my tour guide. Before the song is over I'm being blown away by a winding guitar solo of all things. Matt Bond is on point here, the best guitar work on the album. Fucking sweet.

“Rise above” comes on and we're hearing yet another different sound. A riff driven by Chung's bass is paced to let me catch my breath after blowing my load on the last song. The chorus is a 'chant' of sorts, again, keeping it fresh and not really having two songs on the album that are too much alike. With four songs left, my mind is starting to build in wonder and expectation of how this is all going to finish.

Next comes, “nfa.” It starts with a minute and a half of instrumentation, before Fulongi comes in with the vocals. The pace is calm, the lyrics are insightful, and the groove is steady. There is also an element of building energy. Mid- song there is a shift in tone, going in a softer direction. The lyrics get more thoughtful, the mood changes, and the band shows their versatility. No sooner can I write this than it shifts again, gaining speed and momentum. Fulongi spreads his wings, the rhythym rocks out for a minute... then back to the slower part again. I am blown away. “nfa” has taken me on a ride, separate from the ride the album has me on. Since I am now speechless, I will move on to the next track.

“Don't stop the music” jumps in quickly. Did we just transport back to the 70's? This is not bad, but not at all expected. The funk has put in an appearance on the album! So has disco! Normally I might be appalled by this turn of events, but in this case, it actually works! Very well, in fact. Bear in mind, I'm a rocker, so for me to be approving of this song should tell you something... it's really fucking good.

Next comes a remix of, “Don't stop the music” featuring Andrea Fiorino. This is basically similar to the original, but slightly different, with it's own twist or two. This one seems more suited to be the last song played of the night at a dance club. It's good, but I'm not sure that it needed to be on the album, especially not right after the original.

Ending the album is the 'Jon Kennedy remix' of Tic. Again, this is VERY similar to the original, maybe slightly slower and more moody? In contrast to the previous remix, this one makes a lot of sense to me. “Tic” is definitely one of the best songs on the album and this different interpretation on it works. It's moody sense about it also makes it a suiting finisher to this album.

So, having made it through the entire album, I gotta say that this is really freaking good. The album has balance, every song seems to have a purpose (with the possible exception of the 'Don't stop the music' remix), every song adds something original to the album and shows off the musicianship of the band.

I am truly blown away here. I love my hard rock, but I also love my electronica and art. This album gave me just enough of the guitars and rock to appeal to that side of my brain. More importantly, the artistic side of this album is amazing. The combinations of horns and machines, with perfectly fitting vocals and bass grooves.... yeah, this is good shit.

I think this is a band that needs to be heard more and more. I can't say how impressed I am with this work..

I give this album a 4 gun salute.

Find more on Kava Kava at: http://www.myspace.com/kavakavamusic

and stay tuned for more from them, here as always, in the Continuum.

Rocking Illinois, meet Apocrypha

2009-12-21T11:35:00.000-08:00

Bringing you the best in young metal, today I present Apocrypha, a metal slinging band playing out of Illinois, where they play regularly. I got a chance to talk to them about their music, their band and their process. Along the way I was able to get into their heads a bit and see what the source of their creativity is. I think it comes across in the conversation.

Follow the conversation here:

Stoked to be talking to me (00:05)
Who am I talking to?
How the band came to be. (00:45)
The band's evolving lineup (1:30)
How Ozzy and others got us here (5:30)
Ridiculous guitars and strong composition (6:45)
“Creatures of the night” EP (8:45)
“Into the grave” EP (9:15)
The lead song, “Neverwhere” Composition and lyrics (10:30)
The drummer speaks (14:30)
“Killing my mind” (17:00)
“Swing state” Playing shows in a hookah bar. (19:00)
What's next? (22:15)
They have a shot (23:30)
The Greek fan (24:00)

Look for Apocrypha in 2010 as a rising force in metal. Stay tuned for more from them, here as always, in the Continuum.

Find them at: http://www.myspace.com/havocil

Metallica rocks Sacramento: 12/8/09

2009-12-09T18:04:00.000-08:00

Having completed my interview with Michael Paulson of Volbeat (check it out here: http://cwgcoldiron.blogspot.com/2009/12/interview-with-volbeat-before-metallica.html) it was now time to start thinking about the rest of the day. By my side was my co- pilot for this operation, resident metal head and lead guitarist of Flawless Design, Jon Tobin. It was now 3:00pm and doors didn't open until 6:30. Being in the middle of a cow town and not wanting to leave, and risk having to pay $12 bucks for parking when we came back, we decided to stick around. Our options were limited and it was freezing, so we decided to hang by the car. So, we got out to the car and assessed how the Volbeat interview went. From there, we listened to Death Magnetic and talked music for a couple of hours. Much Dr. Pepper was consumed.

The time flew by. Next thing I knew it was 5:45 and time to go pick up our tickets and press passes from will- call. By 6:30 we were in line on our way into Arco Arena to see Volbeat (who I'm a huge fan of and had interviewed earlier), Machine Head (who I had never seen live), and the gods of metal, Metallica. By 7:00 I knew what a $9 beer tasted like was still munching on the most expensive popcorn known to man.

7:00 came and Volbeat hit the stage like clockwork. They tore it up for almost exactly 30 minutes (as scheduled). They rocked songs like Caroline #1 and Sad Man's Tongue. They brought it. Opening for Metallica is no small task. They did their thing and got off the stage. I was happy to see them play, but disappointed they didn't play longer.

Machine Head came on next. I had never seen them play live before. They rocked the shit out of Sacramento. I honestly don't know the name of a single one of their songs. It didn't matter. They put on a show and got the place ready for Metallica. The highlight of their set was their cover of Pantera's “fucking hostile.” Tonight was the fifth anniversary of the death of Dimebag Darrel. They paid homage... big time. He would be proud of their performance. The last song blew the place up the place, “the burning red.” (or something like that... Machine Head fans- help me out!)

This set the stage for Metallica. It was a solid 45 minutes of setting up the stage, tuning instruments, preparing the pyrotechnics, etc. I met a nice guy sitting behind me. When I told him it was my first Metallica show he started talking to me like I'd never heard of the band. Never mind that I know every fucking riff they've ever played. He offered to buy my press pass. I actually thought about it, but thought better and kept it.

Eventually, the lights went down and “fields of gold” came on, signaling the arrival of the band.

They hit the stage and ripped through, “that was just your life.” After that, Hetfield got the crowd going with some conversation. He talked a lot about the crowd bringing the energy for the band. That was a theme of the night.

Next came, “broken, beat and scarred,” which went over well.

From there, Hetfield said it would be a special night and that we would do it together, “with some old stuff.” That led to them killing it for the next two hours.

Here are some notes from the rest of the show:

They played about half of “Death Magnetic.” There were no songs from St. Anger or Load and only “fuel” from Re-load, which was a good thing. “Kill em all” was grossly underrepresented in my opinion. The Black album got three songs played.

Hetfield butchered the acoustic opening of, “fade to black.” Hammet botched the first couple of notes of each section of, “One.” Hammet did a sweet electric solo at one point and an acoustic one right before, “nothing else matters.”

Trujillo was basically awesome on every song. Ulrich was hardly noticeable, but solid. He also must be a fucking track star or something to play the way he does for that long.

The pyrotechnics were damn hot on my skin from my seats and I was 50 feet from the stage (see pics).

I would guess that there were about 10,000 fans in attendance. I would further guess that about 8,000 of them (myself included) knew the words to every single song. There is nothing like the camaraderie of fans at a Metallica show.

Halfway through the set one fan started yelling, “one more song.”

Hetfield noticed a girl in the front of the crowd, which led to a conversation. The result was him noting to her, “you're 11 years old and in the front at a Metallica show... where do you go from here?” One of life's great questions.

Their performance of, “master of puppets” was the loudest thing I have ever heard... that record lasted about 25 minutes.

When the set had wound down, Hetfield teased the audience for a while. He suggested, “You can go back to your jobs tomorrow, tonight you are with Metallica, and this is our night.”He finally offered up one more song if, “we give him every last bit of energy we have.” So we did. Our reward: the loudest thing I have ever heard, their performance of, “seek and destroy.”

The show ended and we got the hell out of there. It was a loooooooooooong day. It was also one of the greatest musical experiences of my life.

Jon and I hardly said a word on the way home. An occasional, “that was awesome” was all we said... and it was all that was needed.

Interview with Volbeat before the Metallica concert 12/8/09

2009-12-09T14:14:00.001-08:00

Last night, December 8^th at Arco Arena in Sacramento I got to see one of the greatest shows of my lifetime. Headlining the show was Metallica, being supported by Machine Head and Volbeat. Volbeat is a band I am very familiar with, having followed them for a couple of years and interviewed them over the summer.

Before the show, I got to sit down with Michael Paulson (lead singer) and talk once again. We talked about the tour, the show, his recent illness, opening for Metallica, writing a song for a boxer's entrance, NOT playing my favorite song while I'm there to see them (soulweeper), the price of fame, family and being so far from his home in Denmark.

Listen here to the entire conversation.

This was a great conversation with a band who is opening for the biggest heavy band of all time, a couple of hours before their first show in the U.S. It is great listening. Michael Paulson is one of the most humble rock stars ever. Anders (bass) chimes in a bit also. I hope you enjoy.

Stay tuned for more updates on Volbeat, here as always, in the Continuum.

Continuum conversation with Rhett Frazier Inc.

2009-12-09T07:33:00.000-08:00

Rhett Frazier Inc. is a synth- based soul band, originally from Detroit, currently playing out of Southern California. The band IS Rhett Frazier and Donny Gruendler. Their sound crosses all genres, but are most often compared to the Roots. It is a sound that they have labeled, “rock soultronic,” incorporating elements of many different styles, ranging from rock to soul to electronica.
Rhett and Donny went deep with me on a wide variety of topics.
Listen here to the entire conversation:

Our long conversation covered such topics as:
The origins of the band. (1:00)
Naming the band. (1:30)
Why have a band? (2:55)
Who does what in the band? (3:15)
Working together (5:00)
What the heck do they sound like? (7:30)
The band is a family? (10:00)
“A deep brotherhood”? (11:45)
Describing the sound (14:30)
“Rock soultronic” (15:30)
Integrating sounds (17:35)
How long they have been making music together (19:15)
“The record made them” (20:50)
The first song, “U can't stop.” (21:45)
The future, the past and the difference. “the future is coming from behind/the future's caught you from behind.”(24:00)
The song, “Mirrors” and the opening line “don't hate the player, hate the game.” (25:45)
“If you were a douche bag when you got to L.A, you'll still be a douche bag late.” (27:15)
Why is Detroit so much better than L.A? (28:30)
Your label is Digi- Soul. (30:15)
The label will not rescue you. (30:45)
“Being on with you is like being on with Barbara Walters.” (33:10)

Rhett and Donny are great guys. They were very open and it made for a fantastic conversation. The humor and honesty they brought to the table made for a wonderful interview.

Stay tuned for updates on Rhett Frazier Inc. in the coming year, here as always, in the Continuum.

Find more from the band at:
http://www.myspace.com/rhettfrazierinc

In the steps of Suicide Silence come, "Ruins of Tomorrow"

2009-12-06T13:23:00.001-08:00

Continuing my vision of bringing you the best in up- and- coming metal, today I present you with “Ruins of Tomorrow.” For the hardcore metal fan, these guys are a must- listen. Following in the line and style of Suicide Silence, this band is well on their way. I see a future for them that looks similar to the path of Suicide Silence before them, and that's a hell of a path, considering the success of that band.

They are coming out of a Colorado town (Greeley) I am very familiar with, one just an hour or two from where Trey Parker and Matt Stone once had a vision for South Park. Perhaps the Rocky Mountains have something to do with it? Something in the air? The mindless boredom of the area? Whatever it is, something great is happening there and Ruins of Tomorrow is a part of it. Could they be a symptom of the disease of the area or (more likely), its' cure? You be the judge.

Particularly getting my attention is their imaginative song, “Surgery is a door prize.” This is a song that carries the weight and power of hardcore metal, while adding an element of humor and satire. Look for the download of this song in the free music section of this website.

Listen and follow along with the full interview with lead singer Trax here:

Interview with Ruins of Tomorrow

Jason Coldiron's Podcast

Q: How was practice last night?
Q: Who is Ruins of Tomorrow and how'd you get the name “Trax?”
Q: How'd you come up with the name of the band?
Q: You are playing out of Greeley Colorado. Are you all from there? What do you think of the town and state? Were you effected by the big tornado last year? I actually spent six months last year near you (Westminster, Co), but I didn't get a chance to get into the music scene. What can you tell me about what's going on there?
Q: How long have you guys been at it and how has your progress as a band been coming along?
Q: What is it about each member that makes you believe they are the right person for the job?
Q: Some of your song names carry a theme: “Malicious dissection,” “animal exorcism,” “carnivorous.”What is it about these topics? Tell me a little about these songs.
Q: “Surgery is a door prize.” Hilarious spoken opening, breaking right into shredding and metal from hell. Two minutes later, another little spoken part, then back into the mayhem. Freaking sweet.
Q: Tell me about your show Dec 11th at Union Station in Colorado Springs.
Q: You have a couple of shows in January, then a semi- tour in the spring, tell me about those shows.

Trax is a hell of a character. I had a lot of fun talking with him. He has rock star written all over him.

Find more on Ruins of Tomorrow at:
http://www.myspace.com/xruinsoftomorrowx

Stay tuned for more from this band, here as always, in the Continuum.

Interview with "Suicide Silence"

2009-12-01T10:19:00.000-08:00

What would you consider a good gig for a rising metal band? Suicide Silence is currently touring in support of Megadeth and Machine Head. I recently caught up with lead singer Mitch Lucker.
Here is what he had to say.

Interview with Suicide Silence

Jason Coldiron's Podcast

Among the highlights of the conversation:
Opening for the biggest metal band in the world.
Concepts for the new album and the writing process.
Utilizing each instrument and finding 'the formula for songwriting.'
The raising of a metal singer, how he came to be.
Touring 300 days a year.
Why the term “screamo” implies, 'little bitch.'
4:35: “If you're intelligent enough to hear the message, then you're intelligent enough... if not, you're just a fucking idiot.”
The video for “wake up.”
6:00: The best songs to play live.
Covering the Deftones' “Engine #9” and paying homage.
9:20: A career arc for Suicide Silence? The two ways to do it.
A love of all things extreme.
Taking care of California.

Mitch is a metal singer and metal personality in every sense of the word. He kicks ass, takes names and makes no excuses. His attitude comes across in his speech and makes (this) metal fan a happy camper.

Suicide Silence is currently on tour in the U.S.
Find more from them at:
http://www.myspace.com/suicidesilence

Stay tuned for more from Suicide Silence, here as always, in the Continuum.

Getting to know the acoustic sounds of "Echo Falls"

2009-12-01T09:43:00.000-08:00

Echo Falls is Alex Mandel (vocals, guitar), David Brandt (drums, vibraphone, vocals), and David Arend (double bass). This is an acoustic band playing out of San Fransisco. They are described as indie, but really fit more into the singer/songwriter category. I heard their album when our website reviewed it and was taken back. It is great stuff. I wanted to know more about the music, the band and how they came to be.

I set up an interview with Alex, but ended up getting David Brandt as well. This turned out to be great. The two of them were incredibly nice and insightful. I felt like I got a really good feel for what this band is about, where they are headed, and what makes them who they are.

Some of the topics we touch on include:
From an Oakland living room six years ago to the present.
The coming together of the album.
“The road to Parnassus.”
A reply to Bob Dylan's “Watchtower.”
Acoustic guitar solos?
Composing acoustic songs/ the writing process.
The drummer's perspective.
Moving forward.
Playing San Fransisco venues.
Alex's work with Pixar Animation.
Life outside of music.
The joy of wonderful management.

Listen to the entire conversation here:

The Echo Falls Interview

Jason Coldiron's Podcast

Echo Falls plays a unique brand of music that I like a lot. For anyone who loves acoustic music, I think this is a great band to check out.

Find more from them at:
www.theechofalls.com
www.myspace.com/echofalls

Ech Falls is a friend of CWG. Stay tuned for more from them, here as always, in the Continuum.

Q. and A. with "Legend" of Rise records

2009-11-30T09:05:00.000-08:00

Q: To the unfamiliar reader, tell us the basics of the band.

A: We are Legend from Detroit Michigan, we love hangin out and the heavy!

Q: How did the band come together?

A: Chris started the band a year ago adding his long time friend Keith. They knew i wasn't currently doing music so they sent me the stuff they had demo'd and i love it! Later on down the road we added Dylan and Scott.

Q: Give us a quick roll call of the members of the band. What does each member bring to the table that makes the band special?

A: Chad, Chris, Keith, Scott, and Dylan. Chris writes a majority of the music, he is an AWESOME song writer and its awesome to be in a band with a guy who just GETS it and will do what it takes to make this band. Keith is the oldest in the band and with age comes wisdom haha. He keeps us on track financially. Dylan is the funny guy, always there to keep everybody in high spirits and make everybody laugh when weve been in the band for hours. Same with scott always down to make everyone laugh.

Q: How do you feel about signing on with Rise Records? What does that mean for the band?

A: We couldnt be happier than to be apart of the Rise family. Its really rare in the industry and the people you work with give a shit about your band and the music. Craig is just an all around cool dude to work with. Wouldnt want to work with anybody else.

Q: You're hitting the studio in January. Does that mean you have already written the material you'll be recording, or still in progress?

A: We have written 6 of 10. The new songs are going to surpass whats up right now for people to listen to. There going to be happily surprised!

Q: You guarantee this will be the heaviest album of 2010. How can you be so sure? Convince us, tell us why!

A: We feel like every band out these days or even in the past few years have strayed away from what kids LOVE about heavy bands and why they come to see them live and hangout. Thats why we are here, Its heavy, in your face, and straight to the point we are here to bring back what every lost sight of. Whether you like us or not you will still be able to say "That band is heavy...why are my ears bleeding" haha

Q: Shall we expect a big tour next year also?

A: We hope so!!! We have an AWESOME team of people behind us right now and we are very confident that there is going to be some BIG shit in the works for the year of 2010!

Q: Why is NOW the time for the band to make a big move?

A: Getting kids hooked right off the bat, kids love when they are with a band from the get go and get to watch them grow and expand everytime they come to there town. We are here for good!!!

Q: What was your favorite album of 2009?

A: Oh man so many! Right now im gonna go with the new Despised Icon record, and the new Terror album. Both awesome records and if you havent heard them you need to do so.

Q: Favorite album of the passing decade?

A: Miley Cirus, Taylor Swift, and Buried Alive.

Q: Band to watch in the next decade? (besides yourself)

A: American Me, Smash your Enemies.

Plug your website(s), merch, management, anything and everything:

http://www.myspace.com/LegendMichigan

http://www.purevolume.com/LegendMichigan

http://www.myspace.com/Crimsonmanagement

http://www.districtlines.com/Legend

http://www.riserecords.com

Q. and A. with Apse

2009-11-30T08:55:00.001-08:00

Q: What was the inspiration for the new video (3.1) and how did it come together?

A: We wanted a straightforward performance video rather than something narrative or gimmicky. I had been talking with director Lance Drake for nearly a year about doing a video as he had been a fan of the band since the early 00's. He and his director of Photography, Andrew J. Whittaker flew out from LA for just under a week and shot the 3.1 video and a video for the track 'All Mine' - both on an absurdly low budget.

Q: What is the song about?

A: Jealousy in a long distance relationship.

Q: In 2007 your line- up changed. Talk about what happened, the process of rebuilding, etc.

A: Our lineup has always been changing. However this time we had a lot of issues with creative direction - some of us wanted to go different places than others. We kicked someone out at first, then ultimately talked it over with them, told them our issues, they thought about if they wanted to actually stay or not, but ultimately left. With that, someone else quit who had said under no circumstance that he would. So we dealt with it, had to find a new drummer and guitar player, who are both excellent musicians and within only a few months rehearsed 16 songs for an already-booked 6 week European tour. It was a lot of hard work but we made it happen.

Q: How has the move to Cape Cod effected you all both musically and personally?

A: It helped me grow up in a lot of ways. I had 2 years of a lot of idle time, being unemployed for most of it and with little to do socially I learned a lot about myself and about where I wanted to go with the band. Spent a lot of time outdoors. It was also horrible. Long quiet winters and quite a bit of relationship issues / emotional instability. Though as much as I couldn't wait to get out of that place by the time I left...I miss it deeply in a lot of ways. Some of the guys still live there.

Q: Talk about the impact of the re- release of “spirit.”

A: ATP/R rereleasing Spirit did exactly what they intended - allowed it to reach a much larger audience. It's been great that it's gotten out there and circulated so much more than the original release. The only issue I have with it is that people often bill it as '9 years in the making' - when really it was written between 2005 and 2006. That's it. After we wrote it we made another album called 'Eras' which was put out on vinyl-only and limited to 425 copies on a label called Equation Records. It is the link between Spirit and the new record Climb Up. People wonder where the big change came from between the two records, when really if they listen to Eras it's plain to see how we went from A (to B) to C.

Q: The new album is “Climb up.” Tell me all about how it came together and what some of the struggles were in writing it.

A: It came together as a mix of existing demos-turned final tracks and also out of recording hours of improvisation, cutting up the 4 track recordings, layering on top of loops and then rerecording them from scratch. There were a lot of struggles in working this way and 'solving' some of the various songs proved to be really challenging. Since we did everything ourselves as usual, we had complete control but it was also thus a very difficult record to make. It was made in a garage, a living room and a basement with limited equipment and no input or advising outside of the band.

Q: The album has been called, “a step out of the darkness of 'spirit'.” Would you agree?

A: Absolutely. It is still dark and at times strange, but in a much different way than Spirit. We have always experimented with more pop-oriented and electronic elements but never fully delved into it until now and I'm glad we finally have.

Q: I am very impressed and drawn to the use of electronics on this album. What is the inspiration and motivation for incorporating these kind of aspects into your music? Did you listen to that kind of music growing up?

A: We all listen to so many different kinds of music, which has a lot to do with why our sound is so varied. Inspirations are coming from many different places. Different genres, cultures, eras in music. Electronic music has a special place I think in all our hearts and so we wanted to incorporate electronics a lot more on this record than ever before. Who knows, we may one day do an LP or at least an EP that is almost entirely electronic and vocal based.

Q: What can we expect from the band moving into the new year?

A: Not so sure where we're going to go next. I've been working on new material and I know so has Jed. We might put out an EP sometime in the first half of next year. We're doing a 2 week tour overseas in December and a much larger European tour in the spring but I'm hoping we'll do a proper U.S. outing in between the two.

Ok, plug your websites, albums, label, anything and everything ya want:

www.myspace.com/apse
http://www.atpfestival.com/
http://apsecraft.tumblr.com/ - music blog I started a year ago to release peripheral recordings, soon to be updated regularly now that the new album is out.

Q. and A. with Phantom Communique

2009-11-20T15:49:00.001-08:00

Q: To my readers who may not be familiar with you, tell us a bit about the sound of this band and what you are all about.

A:The sound of this band can only be described as rock metal. We love epic melodies and we love crushing riffs. I wanted this band to reflect that, so rock metal is what you get. What we are mostly all about is energy, raw vicious energy. Our record is well thought out and quite under control, but when you get us on the stage you may not even recognize us as the same band. The music is just as tight but the energy will singe your eyebrows. To make it easy, take some of the euro metal like "in flames" and "sybreed" and American metal like "killswitch", "all that remains", and infuse it with some good solid catchy hard rock like "foo fighters", mix it up with a bit of "faith no more" and here we are.

Q: Your new album is coming out in February. Bring us (the fans) up to speed on the album, how it came together, what it's all about, etc. Catch us up!

A: We have had a few bumps in the road with the economy and some other things getting in the way, but we busted our asses on this record and are very proud to get it out there. Jim Kaufman, who produced it, is also my best friend, he said he wanted to produce my band and loves the material. I gave him the shot and he killed it. There ya have it.

Q: On the album. Quote from label, “With a respect for the rock of old and a knack for heavy hooks, the Los Angeles foursome perfectly captures that spirit in the studio.” Would you say this is accurate?

A: Damn straight!

Q: You also have a four song EP that will be available at your upcoming shows. How did you pick the four songs? Do you feel they are representative of what we can expect from the album?

A: We suggested the ones we thought were a good introduction to what we are and the label agreed.

Q: Brandon Thomas has come over from Bleed the Dream. Talk about the process of leaving one band and forming another. Can you tell me how that came about and how this project came together?

A: I am Brandon Thomas and I can tell you that guy Brandon Thomas is a real jerk! Well I was in an LA band called bleed the dream, we toured the world a few times, sold some records and rocked for a few years till it just wasn’t working and we parted ways. I wanted to get back to my metal roots and originally this band was supposed to be heavier then the fucking devil. Didn’t work out that way, people convinced me that hooks is what I’m good at and they were right. So heavy we are, but hooky we are too. I went back to Baltimore and formed ranks and then hooked up with American voodoo and Jim Kaufman in LA to put the final spin on things. And now we set out to run amuck on the rock and metal world.

Q: What can we expect from the upcoming show on Nov 23rd at the Key Club?

A: Pure raging, rocking, debaucherous times. A 30 min set of great energetic music mixed with visual stimuli to go with it. And a little funny funny between songs. I’m a loudmouth. I like to fuck with the crowd and make the best of what I have in front of me.

Q: With the new album coming out in February, can we expect a big tour and a huge year from this band?

A: YES!! we are currently scoping out what tours make sense for us and look forward to unleashing hell on girls and boys all across the lands and sands of time. Epic....

Plug your websites, albums, management, anything and everything ya want:

well, the usual myspace.com/phantomcommunique and purevolume.com/phantomcommunique. you can also follow my silly ass at twitter.com/broshianis. I tweet a lot and get into some silly shit and I like to share it with the world.

We are self-managed right now but I would like to shout-out the whole American Voodoo team and family for busting heads and never even asking questions after. We rule.

Continuum Conversation with John Baizley of Baroness

2009-11-19T12:57:00.000-08:00

Today I spoke with John Baizley, singer and guitarist of Baroness, one of the biggest names in Metal today.

Baroness just started a new tour that has them playing basically every night from now until Dec 11^th, from the East Coast to the West Coast and back. Then in February they're on to Australia. Some of the bands they're touring with include Pig Destroyer, Earthless and Iron Age, all artists featured at Chicks with Guns.

Their new album is Blue Record and has been out for about a month. It has drawn rave reviews from such publications as Rolling Stone, Spin, and Metal Hammer.

The album debuted at #117 on the billboard top 200. It's been incorrectly called the sister album to The Red Album of 2007. It is a clinic in duel guitar wizardry. With ups and down's, slow and speed, the album is balanced from beginning to end. John Baizley and Pete Adams share guitar duties and each bring a symmetry in style and substance. The result is metal harmony.

The album is bookended by, “Bullhead's psalm” and “bullhead's lament.” These two slower, instrumental pieces are the perfect open and close for this brilliant album. The album also features, “A horse called Golgatha” with a new video for that song, and the very artistic “O'er hell and hide,” featuring spoken word lyrics.

Listen here as John and I talk all things Baroness. Among other things, we go into depth on the new album and the songwriting process. John is very open and shares his thoughts and processes that went into making this record.

Find more on Baroness at:

myspace.com/yourbaroness

Stay tuned for more updates on Baroness, here as always, in the Continuum.

Q. and A. with Kava Kava of Britain

2009-11-19T10:10:00.000-08:00

Q: Tell me about the origins of this band and how you came together.

A: The original line up met at University in Huddersfield, Yorkshire. We shared a mutual love for deranged partying and all kinds of music.

Had a few releases on UK labels, for example Delerium Records (who established acts like Deadflowers, Porcupine Tree, Praise Space Electric) and my own label Chocolate Fireguard. We've toured all over Europe and played some pretty amazing festivals including Glastonbury Festival,

Cork Jazz Festival in Ireland, Trutnov Festival (Czech Republic) Rockmarkt (Belgium). Toured China too. In 2007 I managed to get us on at SXSW in Texas and that lead to us being licensed by New York label Midnight Swimming- founded by publicist Paula Amato from Pai Media.

Q: To the unfamiliar readers, talk about your sound a bit. Does the term “psychedelic funk” fit accurately? Maybe “electronica” fits better? How would you describe your music?

A: I'd say right now we are rock / electronica with added soul and psychedelic vibes! Its true to say that Kava Kava started out as a psychedelic funk band. UK mag NME referred to us as this, saying the music was like a cross between George Clinton and King Crimson (Discipline era). Early on we played gigs with bands like Porcupine Tree (but were probably a bit too freaky and funky for their audience).

Since then we've developed the sound to incorporate electronica and dance genres. Our music is now very much at home in clubs and festivals.

Q: What are some of the elements you use to make such a unique (i.e psychedelic) sound? Sampling, bass, etc. Talk about how you use the various tools.

A: Fundamentally the band is a 4 piece rock band set up- vocals, guitars, bass and drums. Most of the album was recorded in home studios using Cubase and Logic so it was really exciting to be able to add beats, real strings and brass sections, extra keys etc. Some of the album was recorded at Faust Studios in Prague. We then mixed the tracks down in various studios based in the North of England.

Q: It is said that the band has a 'revolving lineup.' Would you say that is accurate?

A: I get musicians where I can, some are recruited in parks others from shopping malls. Seriously, we all do other projects, for example I'm singing for a lot of drum n bass projects at the moment eg Hospital Records acts London Elektricity, Logistics etc and recently with Tak over in Japan. I try to keep it the same line up for Kava Kava but we go out live as a six piece, which is quite a large line up - so there's a pool of musicians especially brass players.......

Q: What has the transition in moving from Britain to the States been like? Living here now? Just touring here? Etc.

A: We are still living in the North of England! Wouldn't mind spending some time in NYC or the Bay Area though!

Q: How did you end up with songs on the show “Weeds” and the XBOX 360 game “stoked”?

A: In recent years I've been lucky enough to have been at a few music conferences in the States, sometimes with my own label Chocolate Fireguard or repping a few other music projects that I've been involved in. Kava Kava's first synch to US TV was "Weeds". Over at at SXSW I had a few beers with Amine - the first series music supervisor and she was interested in using "Don't Stop The Music" for the very first episode. Happy days there really. It's a dream for bands to get the chance to air their music in cult TV shows. "Weeds" was a particularly good show. I think it got a Golden Globe, right? This placement introduced us to the world of Synchs. We've worked with placement Agents who have helped - tracks in shows like "Dirt" (Courtney Cox) and "John From Cincinnati" followed. Also raunchy Hollywood independent film "Boys & Girls Guide To Getting Down" It's amazing for us to get in a show like "John From Cincinnati" when the only other tracks are from peeps like Bob Dylan, TV On The Radio, Kasabian, Elvis Costello, David Byrne, Joe Strummer, U2, Muse etc and its really helped draw attention to the band's music. This year it's been good to get our music into video games. Again meetings with contacts at conferences secured our music into the snowboarding game "Stoked" and last month "Bank Job" became a free track in iphone app "Tap Tap Revenge 3" which I understand is pretty good coverage.

Q: The new album came out this summer. I just finished listening to it and am completely blown away. What has the response to the album been? What have you been doing to support it?

A: Thank you very much for that response. Appreciated. This particular album has only been released in the US so far, although a few singles like "Tic", "Bank Job" and "Don't Stop The Music" have been released worldwide on itunes already. The reaction has been very positive, lots of great US press but we are itching to get back to the States to do some touring in support of it. Any ideas?

Q: Talk about some of the lyrical concepts on the album. Have a favorite song or lyric?

A: I'm feeling "Bank Job" right now. Lets face it, we've all been taken for a ride over these last few years! Also "Forwards" - we all need some love. If you find yourself in a situation where its repeatedly the opposite, then it's time to move on or change your surroundings.

Q: I am a metal head at heart, but I also love my experimental/psychedelic stuff. The album grabs me immediately with the start of “tic.” How do you come up with sounds like that? From there, what made you decide to lead off the album with that track?

A:With you there - us Kavas are partial to a bit of metal now and again too. About the sounds in "Tic"........... at one point the band was based at this old run down house in Huddersfield, Yorkshire. The house was a bit depressing - none of us had any money, but it was good because we could make a lot of noise there. The opening sound you hear on "Tic" is actually the sound of the taps and pipes shaking the house! We ran the water from the taps to the point when the pipes were making the worst possible noise and recorded them. It was a really nasty sound. From hell in fact. Jason manipulated this sound in the sampler! One of the reasons why "Tic" opens the album is due to the great response we've had from it being in shows like "John From Cincinnati" and "Dirt". The single, which I released on itunes on Chocolate Fireguard Records has done well in the States and we've enjoyed some really nice contact with people in America via the Myspace site who keep telling us they love the track .... So I figured it was a good idea to start the album with it.

Q: “Clarity” has drawn a lot of attention. What do you think it is about this song that draws people in?

A: Thats good to know. I think having a video helps. Michael Slavens directed this for the label Midnight Swimming who are releasing the album for North America. I'm also hoping the track is more immediate than others have been in the past. Being self produced, we have a tendency to write longer songs, but "Clarity" is just over 4 minutes which is something of a breakthrough for us! I think lyrically its pretty straight forward and hard hitting too. I worked on the beats with Gav Whyte from "Nursery of Naughtiness.” I think the change of groove on this track gives us a different feel and it sounds pretty fresh. Christophe B helped us mix this one down in Manchester.

Q: “Everything” rocks pretty nicely. Tell me a bit about how that song comes together.

A: Elements from a jam around a simple blues lick from Matt (Guitars). I changed the rhythm, added the vocals and a load more keys, organ sounds. Worked with Jason on the acid sounds and he worked the beats in - this time manually. The track was mixed on my laptop with the help of James Reid (Blue Amazon / Darcadian).

Q: What is the future of this band? What is next?

A: World Domination! Off to play some gigs in Switzerland soon. We'd love to tour the States. We had such a great time at SXSW but that was a while ago. I think U2 should offer us a support next time they tour your Stadiums.

Want to know more about Kava Kava? Find them here:

www.myspace.com/midnightswimming

Watch their video here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJrJ-evjUsI

Stay tuned for more from Kava Kava, here as always, in the Continuum.

Up close and personal with Quinn Allman of The Used

2009-11-13T15:55:00.001-08:00

This past Wednesday night, 11/11/09, I had the privilege of seeing The Used at the Warfield in San Fransisco.

I arrived at the venue at 3:30pm for a 7:00pm show. Why did I do this? Because I had an interview scheduled with Quinn Allman, guitarist of The Used. By my side was my friend and photographer Brett Gulbrandson. I have to admit I am a fan of the band, but having a true fanatic of the band like Brett with me gave me a lot of added confidence.

We were met by their tour manager around the back of the venue. We were invited down to the green room while we waited for Quinn to finish his sound check with the band. As we waited, I was a bit nervous. Soon enough, the tour manager came back in and advised us that it would be more quiet in the dressing room. We walked down a series of hallways until we were there. Turning a corner, there was Quinn. I have talked with a lot of rock- stars, but this was the first time in this type of environment.

I sat on the couch next to Quinn and began a conversation. (see photos). He seemed nervous or agitated at first, so I tried my best to put him at ease. This seemed to happen quickly. Next thing I knew, we were breezing through a great conversation about the band, the venue, the tour and how the heck he plays the verse of, “Buried myself alive.” Quinn turned out to be extremely nice, polite and thoughtful. I was very grateful for his time and the chance to talk to him.

Listen to the entire conversation here:

20 minutes felt like five. I knew my time was running short. We got some photos with Quinn and told him what big fans we are, etc. (below is Quinn and Brett)

Within minutes, we were back out on the street with the rest of The Used fans, waiting to get into the show. The show turned out to be amazing, one of the best I've ever seen. Look for a review of the entire concert coming soon in the “Live and direct” section of this website.

Stay tuned for more updates on The Used, here as always, in the Continuum.

Want More of The Used?
Feature - Two Nights OF The Used
CWG review of Artwork
CWG Review of Loss Of Desire
View all of Brett's photos of The Used
Rock/Metal Editor, Jason Coldiron interviews Dan of The Used
Rock/Metal Editor, Jason Coldiron interviews Quinn of The Used

Meet up and coming metal gods, "The Cyrus"

2009-11-13T14:39:00.000-08:00

As I continue my ongoing quest to discover up and comers in the metal scene, today I introduce you to “The Cyrus.”

This is a band that caught my attention with their furious brand of screamo death metal. They are currently struggling to escape the confines of their home in Chicago, while recording more songs and building their fanbase. They are well on their way in this endeavor.

The origins of the band go back about three years with the first two members. They have a presence and maturity, combined with youthful energy that is amazing.

The band has come together and produced several songs, including the riveting “lattice of flesh,” which can be found in the free music section of this website. These guys are still so young and so raw, and already so powerful and dynamic. The sky is truly the limit for them.

I caught up with them recently after they finished a night practice session. Listen here for the entire conversation:

Along the way, they eloquently state that, “to be someone, you have to know someone.” Well, they know me and I'm telling you, you need to know them also.

It is exciting to have found these guys early on in their career. I look forward to watching them blossom in the coming months and years. Follow their success moving forward, here as always, in the Continuum.

Find more on the Cyrus at: http://www.myspace.com/thecyrusmusic

Continuum conversation with Bobby Ellsworth of Overkill

2009-11-10T16:55:00.000-08:00

Today I spoke with Bobby 'Blitz' Ellsworth, vocalist of the legendary thrash metal band, Overkill. Overkill is a band that has been at it for over two decades, outlasting most of their peers. With this in mind, today I set out to talk to Bobby and find out what made his band and sound sustainable, what keeps him going today and what his plans for the future are. Along the way I'd find out what the current state of the band is, what is going on with the new record, and a bit more about Bobby personally.

It turns out that with a character like Blitz, it is relatively pointless to have a plan entering a conversation. Within a couple of minutes we had hit seven different topics and were all over the place. To a true metalhead, this was fantastic! Some of the stories interweave and tie together. The main points get through though. Bobby has seen and done it all and has the stories to prove it. He is one heck of a character.

You can read all about the details of their new album, their forthcoming tour, their signing with E1 records and all the standard stuff at the links below.
If, however, you want to hear a real conversation with a real rocker about real life, listen here (you will not be disappointed):

Find more about Overkill at:

http://www.wreckingcrew.com/crew/

http://www.myspace.com/overkill

Stay tuned for updates on Overkill in the coming year, here as always, in the Continuum.

Continuum conversation with Art Alexakis of Everclear

2009-11-06T12:00:00.000-08:00

This morning I got to speak with Art Alexakis, lead singer of Everclear. I could not have imagined how the conversation would go. I planned to ask him about the new album, In a different light, which came out October 6^th. This is an album that features many of their hits redone, many with different arrangements, reflecting how the songs have changed over time. We would talk about what it was like to re-record many of his hits and to work with new musicians. I would talk to him about the West Coast leg of his tour, which kicks off tonight at the Rialto Theater in Tuscon, Arizona and finishes November 19^th at the Crystal Ballroom in Portland, Oregon.

There is a point about halfway through the conversation where we get disconnected. When we reconnect, the conversation goes in a completely different direction and I get inside his brain and heart.

What I could not have imagined was how personal he would be willing to get, how much he would let me in. By the time the conversation was over we were talking about parenting and not making the same mistakes both of our parents made in raising us. It turns out we have a lot in common. We talked about balancing career and personal lives, making choices and sacrifices for your kids and the toll his life as a musician took on his life as a Father and husband.

He plugged the new album and tour, which was expected, but the conversation took a major turn and I got a peek inside the mind of this musician that I've been following since I was a teenager. It helped me realize that he is not just a rock star, not just a musician. He's a person, like everyone else. He deals with many of the same problems we all face. He is real.

Listen here to the entire conversation. Enjoy what he has to say about his music, but also about his life.

The new album is out now and Everclear is on the West Coast leg of their tour.

Find more on Everclear at:

www.everclearonline.com
FOLLOW EVERCLEAR ON TWITTER: @EverclearBand
OFFICIAL FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/everclear
OFFICIAL MYSPACE: www.myspace.com/everclear

http://cwgmp3.blogspot.com/2009/11/everclear-here-comes-darkness.html
http://cwgontour.blogspot.com/2009/11/everclear-new-lineup-new-tour-new-album.html

Stay tuned for updates on Everclear, here as always, in the Continuum.

Want more Everclear?
Download Everclear’s "Here Comes The Darkness"
Everclear Feature - 10 Reasons Why Everclear is Still Relevant
Rock/Metal Editor, Jason Coldiron interviews Art Alexakis
Everclear Tour News
View all of Ed’s Everclear Photos (Roxy)
View All of Ed’s Everclear Photos (House of Blues)
CWG's review of In A Different Light

Flawless Design, part 2: The running blog of the night

2009-11-03T13:59:00.000-08:00

How do you take a conversation that is over three hours long and condense it? How do you maintain its' essence? How do you trim some fat but keep all the goodies? I'm going to attempt to try right now.

Flawless Design was in my home a week ago. I recorded the conversation in its' entirety. The following is a running account of the evening, including some sound clips of the highlights. I hope you enjoy it!

The conversation begins simply enough. Guitarist Jon Tobin and vocalist Patrick Lucas arrive before the rest of the band. The two of them, my coworker Brett and I begin some basic chat, getting to know each other, that kind of thing. Gradually, we start talking about the band.

We start with the basics, as Jon begins the story of how the band came to be. He talks about his first band experiences and his first attempts at forming a band. He speaks in detail about the many band members and incarnations they have gone through. I can relate to him on so many levels. He is talking about experiences that most bands go through. How some people flake out, others start strong and fade, others talk a big game but can't deliver and so on. He is honest as all hell. He knows he's being recorded, but that doesn't matter to him at all. He wants me to know. He wants me to understand. And I do... quickly.

As he reaches the point where Patrick (his cousin) joins the band, Patrick jumps into the conversation. It doesn't take long to feel where Patrick is coming from. He is sincere. He is a nice guy and it shines through. He is quickly interrupted as Jon works the phone trying to get the rest of the band over. The conversation shifts a bit to talking about Brett and I, our living situations and work. We tell them about us. They seem genuinely interested. They take interest in Brett's schooling and my (quasi) musicianship. After a few moments the other vocalist, Mason Lowe, arrives.

The conversation shifts back to the band. It doesn't take long to establish that in this band Patrick is more of a “singer” and Mason is more of a “screamer.” Having established this, I am fascinated by the dynamic. I start thinking in the back of my mind about all the things I want to ask them about how they make it work. Why does it work for them? I want to know. I catch myself and realize that patience is the key here.

As Mason joins the mix they continue to talk about the drama of how the band came to be. They talk at length about the many characters and musicians they came across, worked with, etc. Stories about people auditioning that couldn't even tune their own instruments, a bassist with only one pectoral muscle... these guys had gone through so much.

Gradually, the stories of how each band member came to be are revealed. I am riveted. The picture is coming together one piece at a time.

Along the way, some funny stories are told, both about the band and about myself. One golden note was Patrick talking about the importance of stage presence and putting on a show. “People want to be entertained,” he proclaimed. He touches on it early, but before the night is over it is clear that this is a core value of his.

The topic of where the band name comes from is discussed. Listen to that story here: (clip 1)

Bassist Blair Deleon and drummer Derek Rauh finally arrive, a stylish 45 minutes late. We all break. Mason has a cigarette. Vodka and shot glasses come out of the kitchen. With one stroke, the night becomes much more social and casual. At the same time, the arrival of the rest of the band means that more business is ahead. We are one hour into what turns out to be a three hour conversation.

Everyone reconvenes in the living room and the talk resumes.

We quickly jump around from Slipknot's tendency to bang on kegs, to Seal somehow landing Heidi Klum, to my loud cat, to the Sunday night Football game on the TV in my living room. Jokes abound about the guys and a good time is had by all. We talk about recent shows we've all seen. I vow to match Mason shot for shot (which only turns out to be three).

I am not surprised that it takes several minutes to get out of the fun talk and back into the music.

Soon enough, Derek is telling a story about how he met Patrick, which was backstage at a show where their two bands were playing.

Next comes a conversation about the six songs on their website. Each song is discussed. I ask them a lot of questions about the writing and recording processes. We talk about their favorite songs to play. Listen to that talk here: (clip 2)

They tell me all about how they write and record on their own. They pay for their own studio time.

They have fielded requests to be signed, but at this point are not ready to do so. I am surprised at first that they would shrug off such an opportunity. As I listen to them talk, it becomes clear. They have the desire and ability to do it on their own. They want to use current media formats, such as iTunes and myspace, to expand on their own. When the time comes and they are big enough, they will pursue management. Until then, they will self- promote, keep the overhead down and make it happen. They do not speak of this in loose terms. They have a plan and are happy with how they are carrying it out.

This leads to a talk about forms of media, how the technology has changed the business and how artists can use this to their advantage. The end result of this is the realization that 'albums' as we know them are dead. Hear that conversation here: (clip 3)

Next we discuss everyone's day jobs, such as students, personal trainers and health care workers. We share our stories of poverty, hard times and how they actually lead to greatness. We talk about a universal desire to be known as musicians and how nothing in the world matters more than music. Mason even claims he has known he wanted to be a musician since he was three years old (he follows this with another shot). It dawns on me that we are all bound and drawn together by our love of music. Looking around the room, it is in the air and we can all feel it.

Somehow we end up talking about my grand theory of how to change the world. This is a theory that revolves around making “Master of Puppets” and “Cowboys from Hell” required listening in High School. (Look for the details of that theory in a future column)

Next, we all talk about the band's influences. They range from Jazz to blues to classic rock to European metal. Mudvayne, Incubus, Blink 182, Buddy Rich, Tool, Led Zeppelin, John Lee Hooker, Rage Against the Machine, many many more.

From there the conversation moves to their interest in writing a ton of music early on. We talk about the “sophomore slump” that most bands go through. They want to record three albums before being signed. In doing so, they will maintain the sound, energy and hunger that they have now. They will have a wealth of material written before they gain fame and fortune, which will inevitably change them This seems like a novel idea and concept. I think it just might work.

We talk at length about the writing process. I probe them about how most of their songs come about. The unanimous sentiment is that the songs basically all start with Jon's guitar playing. They agree that Jon is the most established musician and the source of most of their original material.

Is Jon over their heads as a musician? Listen here to find out: (clip 4)

Eventually, I ask them about their favorite songs to play. I had spent many hours listening to their music and so I wanted to know what it feels like for them to play. In their response, I end up getting a story (mostly from Patrick) about the concepts of the band, their artistic vision and “The Flawless Design.” Here are their thoughts on this: (clip 5)

This closed out an incredible night. I learned so much about these guys and this band (and maybe myself as well). I see big things in their future. You can count me in on their bandwagon. These guys are going to be stars. They are going to change the world. I am blessed to know them so early on.

Learn more about Flawless design at: http://www.myspace.com/341964248

Check out part one of this article for more.

Listen to their single, "Rooted down" in the free music section of this website.

Look for a review next week of their show this Saturday night at the Boardwalk in Orangevale, Ca, here as always, in the Continuum.

Sean Peck of Cage re- enters the Continuum

2009-11-03T13:40:00.001-08:00

Two months ago I got to speak with Sean Peck, lead singer of “Cage.” We had an incredible conversation. Sean is a heck of a character. At the time, I had just begun recording interview conversations. The result was a recording that was very shaky and couldn't be edited. I had to transpose the entire interview. Much of Sean's character was lost in the translation. Flash forward to the present and things have changed. I have all my equipment in order and optimized.

As promised at the time, Sean agreed to join me once again. Today we spoke about all things Cage.

We covered:

The big Prog Power USA show they played September 11^th.
The 'summer of Cage.'
Plans for the new record and its' development.
Comic book characters and their connection to music.
The pro's and con's of Nickelback.
Bands to watch in the coming decade.
Sean the standup comic.
Twitter twitter twitter!

I could tell you so much more, but better to hear it from Sean. More of the artist and less of me is never a bad thing.

So, enjoy the conversation here:

Find more about Cage at:

www.sonicbids.com/cageheavymetal
cage@heavymetal.com

This was his second visit to the Continuum and I expect to hear from him again sometime in the new year.

Watch for all things 'Cage' here as always, in the Continuum.

Podcast interview with Dave from "Throwdown"

2009-11-02T15:12:00.000-08:00

Throwdown is a metal band out of Orange County. They have existed in many forms since the 90's and in their current form for the last several years. They have a versatile style of metal that draws comparisons to Slipknot and Sepultura, among others. Next week their latest release, “Deathless” hits stores. (See the all things heavy column for a review of that album). They will be supporting the album with a tour of smaller Cities, being backed by Bury Your Dead.

Today I spoke with lead singer Dave about all things Throwdown. You will find that Dave is intelligent, insightful and colorful. He has a unique and interesting take, noting that “music should inspire thought, not require it.”

Listen here for the full conversation:

As we speak, the band is preparing for the new tour and release of the new album.

Find more on Throwdown at:

http://www.myspace.com/throwdown

twitter.com/throwdown

Stay tuned for updates on the band, here as always, in the Continuum.

The Continuum discovers Sacramento's Flawless Design

2009-10-28T12:42:00.000-07:00

I've been a professional writer for many years. I have been a lover of music forever. I became a music journalist because I wasn't a good enough musician to make it in that walk. I live and breathe music with every beat of my heart and breath of my lungs. I get excited about a lot of things musically. What happened this past Sunday night will rank among the greatest experiences of my life. This is one of those stories that changes the way the script goes.

It began with me setting up an interview with the Sacramento based band, “Flawless Design.” I miss connected with them a couple of times in the last month. In one case, they were out of town. In another case, I was assigned another work project last minute and had to reschedule once again. I kept chasing. I wanted to make this happen. This time, it finally came together.

For a solid three hours they were here in my living room. Technically, it was an interview, but it was so much more. For three hours the seven of us (the five band members, my business partner and myself) sat and talked music, life, business, school, work and even some politics. I got into their heads (and they into mine) on a level I could not have expected.

When I interview bands (which I do a lot) I try to go into it with a different mindset than many journalists. My perspective is that my job is to have a conversation. I am a guide, not an attraction myself. I want to bring out the personality, character, artistic vision and truth of the band. I want to know what makes them who they are and “to find out what makes great music possible.”

On this night, I got all of that and more. These guys did not have “rock star” attitudes by any stretch. They didn't have an agenda, they weren't trying to sell me anything. Instead, they showed me their truth. They let me in. I'd like to think that a lot of this was because of me, how I treated them and how I spoke to them. That may or may not be true, but that's not the point. The point was them. They sat on my couch and talked to me. They treated me as one of their own. I was not the enemy. I was not media. I was not a journalist. I was not an inconvenience.

I was just like them.

I was just another person whose greatest life passion is a love of music. By the end of the night, I believe I understood why they are a band. I understood why their music is great. I understood why they're going to get where they want to go. I understood what makes their great music possible. I could see that their success in music is so very similar in creation to my success as a writer. It is a combination of two major factors. One is a deep seated love of music and a desire to express that love. The second is a work ethic that is true and sincere and is brought to the surface for the right reasons. If they never make money with their band they are going to be just fine. They have a passion that transcends money or any material gain. These guys truly do what they do because they love it.

They are just like me.

They are playing out of Sacramento and doing everything on their own, from the music to promoting and everything in between. They pay their own money for studio time to lay down their songs. They do not compromise in the recording process. If they have to come back and re- do a song, they do it. If they need to re- track, they do it. They are currently not looking for management, as they want to do as much as possible on their own.

Their efforts are well worth it, as they have defined their own sound. In comparing them to other bands, the first that come up would be Incubus (especially with vocalist Patrick Lucas) and Tool. There is definitely also a taste of Rage Against the Machine in them, particularly lyrically. To my ears, they are the music of Incubus with the lyrical content of Rage.

The dual vocal style employed by the band suits their music beautifully. Patrick Lucas brings more of a true singer's touch, while Mason Lowe brings the lower, growling, screamo aspect. They work both as individuals and in tandem creating beautiful symmetry. Drawing on music, art, life, politics, school, and each other, the two of them write lyrics with meaning and purpose. They have stories to tell. They have points to make and lessons to teach... and they can make their ideas sing- literally.

Lowe is the closest thing to a rock star personality in the group. He talks shit (more than average), he takes smoke breaks, he shoots vodka when offered. At the same time, his music intelligence and business knowledge are off the charts. He knows he is talented. He knows he is a key player in an amazing group. And yet, he still comes across as humble. He seems to appreciate how lucky he is to be where he is. He loves music more than anything.

Playing the foil to Lowe is Lucas. Lucas shares the love for music that everyone in this band has. He is talented, to say the least. Singing is something he is great at, but it seems more like a means to an end. In talking to him, my impression was that his natural drive is to want to change the world. If he couldn't sing, I would expect him to be a teacher or philosopher. In the 60's he would have been a hippie on the streets holding anti- war signs. This band gives him what his good heart and brain so desperately need: an outlet to express his wealth of knowledge and emotions. Through his lyrics and singing he has found one outlet for his creative energy. I am looking forward to providing him another forum for what he has to say. (stay tuned)

Leading the way musically are the phenomenal guitar chops of Jon Tobin. He is arguably the most experienced member of the band. He has a way about his speech that demands attention. He doesn't speak loud, but when you hear him talk, you can't stop listening. As soon as his mouth opens, everyone stops joking around and listens to him. He sounds like James Hetfield in his speaking voice and understated authority. He has been around the block and learned from his experiences. He is able to play any number of styles for any situation. His band- mates look to him as the source of origin for their music. To a man, they agree that his riffs are the basis for most of their songs. The rest is filled in around his one- of- a- kind guitar work.

Holding down the low end is bassist Blair DeLeon. When I asked him, and the band, about his style they said that he definitely holds down the low end and also plays the role of the rhythm guitar (as there isn't one in this band). At 18 years old, I wouldn't call him a prodigy, but he definitely plays far beyond his years. I have been playing bass for almost as long as Blair has been alive and I have to admit his skills with the instrument are far superior to mine. He draws on his main influence, Blink 182 and definitely has that vibe about him as well. In this band he and his instrument play a complementary role. I have little doubt that in time he will be a leader, whether in this band or in the world and his life.

Filling out the band and holding it all together is drummer Derek Ruuh. Ruuh is a longtime friend of DeLeon. In fact, he recruited DeLeon to the band. Their similarities only begin with their age. It is their maturity and musical knowledge that defines them. When asked about some of his favorite drummers and influences, Ruuh spills out a list of jazz musicians and drummers from the 60's. Buddy Rich is his favorite drummer ever. I find myself asking, “what 18 year old listens to that kind of music?” The answer is that Ruuh does. His responses are not just talk, he lives it. The evidence is in his playing, which is far more complicated than what you might expect from a drummer in a metal band.

I bring up the ages of DeLeon and Ruuh only to make a point. If these guys are this knowledgeable and talented at this age, how good are they going to be in five years? In ten years? The ceiling for these guys is set absurdly high, in my humble (expert) opinion.

Grouping these two amazing young talents with the guitar wizardry of Tobin and the artistic vision and expression of Lowe and Lucas... even modestly speaking, there is no limit to how good these guys can be. How high is the ceiling for this band? As high as they want, and I believe they want a lot.

It is one thing to have ability. It is quite another to have a vision that can lead a person (or group) beyond where they are. All the elements are in place here. Put in a room with their instruments, I have no doubt they could do anything they want. The only force that could possibly stop them from achieving their dreams is themselves. Bet on that. I will.

Stay tuned for part two next week, which will be my running blog of my conversation with them.

Hear their song, "Rooted down" on the free mp3 section of this website.

Learn more about them here: http://www.myspace.com/341964248

Flawless Design is now a major friend of Chicks with Guns... and of the continuum.

Talking shit with Brendan Kelly of The Lawrence Arms

2009-10-27T12:21:00.000-07:00

Today I spoke with Brendan Kelly of the Lawrence Arms. The Lawrence Arms is a punk rock band out of Chicago with attitude to burn. Brendan is the bassist and one of the vocalists in the band. They are notorious for running their mouths. While some may find them offensive, the truth is that they aren't looking for trouble, they just talk about things that they see that are wrong. Really, isn't this what punk rock is all about?

Kelly's anti- Bush sentiments landed him on the daily Show with Jon Stewart. They also ended up with a song on the 2004, “Rock against Bush, vol 2” collaboration album, which featured songs by Green Day, Foo Fighters, Rancid, Dillinger Four and many others.

They were kicked off of the warped tour for talking so much shit. Come to find out, he was just complaining about a situation that was obviously wrong. This topic became a source of creative material, generating the lyrics, “These thieves in their flip-flops and bro attitudes are the very reason we do what we do, When I say ‘fuck the man’, it’s what I believe, No matter who that man happens to be…”

Brendan and I talked about the new album, the origins of the band, living a family life, fighting injustice, politics and the current tour. Listen here to the entire conversation:

Interview with Brendan Kelly of The Lawrence Arms

Jason Coldiron's Podcast

Their new record is called, “Buttsweat and Tears” and hits the stores today.

Find more from the Lawrence Arms at:

http://www.myspace.com/thelawrencearms

www.fatwreck.com

The Lawrence Arms is another member of the Fat Wreck family and friend of the Continuum. Stay tuned for more from them, as well as updates on the tour here at Chicks With Guns.

10 minutes with Keith Whallen of Adelita's Way

2009-10-23T14:28:00.000-07:00

Adelita's Way is a hard rock band playing out of Las Vegas. They are a story that began with lead singer Rick DeJesus moving from Philadelphia to Vegas and creating a band. Things came together quickly for them, leading to their self titled debut album coming out this past July. Their time since then has been a whirlwind. The single “Invincible” from their album has blown up and connected with many people. It's the kind of song that many people find to be motivating and energizing. It has been featured on Monday Night Football, WWE Superstars, the upcoming WWE video game and CSI Miami. Tonight they are in Tennessee on one of the last shows of their current tour playing with Shinedown. Next month brings an even bigger tour that will see them sharing the stage with Breaking Benjamin. Signed to Virgin Records, with a great album and single out, they look poised to remain a force for the foreseeable future.

Today I spoke with rhythm guitar player Keith Wallen. Keith was knowledgeable and insightful, telling stories of the band's history, how the album came together and what the road has been like.

Listen here for the full interview:

Interview with Keith Whallen of Adelita's Way

Jason Coldiron's Podcast

Find Adelita's Way at: http://www.myspace.com/adelitasway and stay tuned for more from Adelita's way, here as always in the Continuum.

Interview with Chad Butler of Switchfoot

2009-10-23T12:36:00.001-07:00

Today I spoke with Chad Butler of Switchfoot. Coming from San Diego with a love of rock and surfing, Switchfoot was created. Ten years and six albums later they bring Hello Hurricane, the landmark album for the band.

The highlights of our conversation included:

The origins of the band.
Building their own studio.
Writing an album they love.
The creative process, writing great songs.
Working with Bro Am.

Chad was a pleasure to talk with and was very insightful. I hope you enjoy the conversation. Listen to it here:

Chad Butler from Switchfoot

Jason Coldiron's Podcast

Look for the new album coming out in November and stay tuned here for more updates here as always, in the Continuum.

Want More Switchfoot?
Jason Coldiron's Interview With Switchfoot's Chad Butler
Show Review - Roxy (Sold Out Show)
View all of our Switchfoot Photos (Roxy)
News/Tour Dates
Review of Hello Hurricane (Coming Soon)

Album Review: Beyond the Shore, "The Arctic Front"

2009-10-22T09:34:00.000-07:00

About a month ago I had the pleasure of interviewing Andrew from “Beyond the Shore.” This is a band that blurs the boundaries between Christian rock and hardcore metal. Talking with Andrew was great. During that conversation we talked about their coming album, The Arctic Front. The album is now available through youtube and iTunes. Following up with the band, I was excited to sit down and take in the new album. Here are my thoughts as I listened to it.

The album begins with the title track, “The Arctic Front.” The songs sets the stage for the rest of the album with driving drums, screamo vocals and sweet guitars. I hear elements of many great metal bands. The transitions maintain the power of the song seamlessly. The running guitar part starting around the 2:20 mark is smooth and fast and leads to a winding down end of the song. Good stuff!

“The Higher.” Quick and brutal vocals highlight this number. The lyrics are also great here, grabbing me with, “Upon us now, a land of fire and ice. With an eye for deceit and a heart of piracy. A burning essence, a sacred burial. For the call for blood was too great.”

“Shotgun Sunrise.” Once again we get a fast and brutal start that never lets up. Growling, screaming vocals over top of smooth guitars with escalating complexity. The song hits a plateau in the middle, which turns out to be the calm before the storm. From there the explosion continues and chaos reigns.

“Thrown to the Sharks.” This song actually takes it's time (20 seconds) to get going. From there, the fury continues. I particularly like the transition lyrics, “Thrown to the waves, humanity has brought this land to its ruins.....the blood leaks in. Thrown to the sharks.” The song also has some 'singing' as opposed to just screaming... that runs it's course and the screaming continues.

“Order of Oceans.” Beginning with a nice guitar lead in and some melodic moments and then building to climax, this is a balanced song. The guitars remain hard and strong, but are perhaps the most complex and intricate of any song on the album. I really love the guitar breakdown around the 2:30 mark.

“Descendants.” At 1:19, this is the shortest song on the album. It is entirely instrumental and calming (compared to the rest of the album at least). It feels like coming up for a quick breath while swimming. It really provides balance to the album and puts a nice wrapping on the package that is 'The Arctic Front.' This is a well- timed song, well designed and well conceived. It is a fitting end to this hour of great metal.

Having only heard a couple of songs by this band before hearing this album, I wasn't sure what to expect. I was very happy I had the chance to give this a listen. The trademark elements of metal are definitely here, but there is more to it than that. This is not just six great songs. As most great albums are, it is an exercise of the mind, taking the listener on a journey that includes a buildup, climax and resolution. The album appeals to both the metal- head in me and the artist in me.

I give this album three guns. I recommend it to any hard rock or metal fan. Maybe most importantly, this was not the last time I'll be listening to this album. I'll be looking forward to taking this journey again soon.

Beyond the Shore is a friend of the continuum. Stay tuned for more from them in the future, here as always.

The rise of "Continuance"

2009-10-20T10:54:00.000-07:00

Today I spoke with John Saad, drummer of “Continuance.” Continuance was signed just a couple of weeks ago to Rise Records. They are currently on tour, playing tonight in Buffalo. Their debut album is slated for release in spring of 2010. The band came together as a previous band, “Saints never Surrender” evolved and changed their lineup. The result was Continuance. They bring a fresh, hardcore punk sound that rocks your socks off.

Some of the highlights of the conversation included:

Joining the band.
The rise of Continuance.
Getting signed and hitting the road.
Recording the new album.
The drummer's role.
Growing up punk.
Life outside the band.
The future.

Listen here to the entire interview:

Interview with John Saad of "Continuance"

Jason Coldiron's Podcast

Look for a big end of the month here at Chicks With Guns. We have a HUGE November lined up both here in the Continuum and at Chicks with Guns. More interviews, more stories, more bands to watch. The end of the year is leading up to big things. Read it here as always, in the Continuum.

The Continuum rides the "Teenage Bottlerocket"

2009-10-16T10:01:00.001-07:00

Teenage Bottlerocket is a punk band out of Wyoming, currently on tour. They are led and founded by twin brothers Ray and Brandon. Channeling the Ramones and many other classic punk rock bands, they bring the energy and style expected with a solid punk band. Their skater attitudes and carefree spirit show through in their music. Their new album, “They came from the Shadows” is out now.

I caught up with Singer/guitarist Ray. Listen here for the entire conversation.

Among the highlights:

Playing with his brother.
Dueling lead singers and guitars.
Rebelling against the emo scene.
An evolving band with a similar sound.
“Skate or die”
Writing music.
Origins of “Teenage Bottlerocket”
The current tour, rocking out a Monday night.
Road trip games.
Having regular jobs and lives.

Teenage Bottlerocket can be found at:

www.fatwreck.com

Look for updates from them about their tour and album, here as always, in the Continuum.

Q. and A. with "Ahimsa Sunrise"

2009-10-12T14:15:00.000-07:00

Ahimsa Sunrise is an over the top metal band from Dubois, PA. With an aggressive sound and all the attitude in the world, they look poised to make their mark on the metal scene. I had the great pleasure of speaking with them. As always, I wanted to get underneath the obvious and understand what makes them the musicians they are. Here is how it played out:

Q: So, for the readers who aren't familiar with you, tell us about the band.

Brian: We're a 4-piece screamo/metalcore band from PA. Our sound is diverse, while featuring brutality and atmosphere in a catchy sense. We take pride in our energetic, live shows. While achieving great experience and some success along the way, we've been a band for around 5 years now. Currently we're unsigned, not managed, and definitely ready for that to change.

Q: Where are you guys from?

Jarrod: We're from Dubois, PA. It’s a small town in western PA..

Q: I'm always fascinated by where band names come from and you certainly have a unique one. How did it originate?

Pat: Ahimsa means non-violence and Sunrise is a new beginning. So to me it means a non-violent beginning – a brand new day, or a clean slate for humanity.

Jarrod: We wanted something different that would stand out and grab peoples attention. Ahimsa means to do no harm. It originates from religions of ancient India. Ahimsa is against the hurting or killing of living beings, which is something we all agree on. As far as sunrise goes thats the beginning of everyday, so its sort of like a new beginning. Little did we know that people would have such a difficult time pronouncing it. I mean it’s really not that hard c'mon say it with me AH-HIM-SAH.

Q: If I had to compare you guys to one band I might say Sepultura (among my favorites). The diversity of vocals, the guitar solos and the driving bass and drums seem to be stock elements of your sound. Talk about your sound and influences, who you look up to, etc.

Brian: I can definitely see where you get that comparison from. From the surface we may not fit into a similar genre but when you dig deep down we both have a knack for combining many different elements of heavy and atmosphere, and just have a desire for creativity. Most of us listen to a ton of different styles and have countless influences. Some of our modern day influences that also kind of fit into what we’re doing include Underoath, Circa Survive, A Skylit Drive, The Devil Wears Prada, and Coheed and Cambria.

Seth: Personally, I've always been fascinated with effects and delay since we started. That's what drove me to play guitar and I think that is the style I mostly bring to the band - the space and atmospheric feel.

Q: You guys have played a wide range of shows and festival atmospheres. What have been some of your favorites and what is your current touring schedule?

Pat: Taste of Chaos and Warped tour have been by far the most exciting and fun tours to be a part of. Right now we are writing a full length for a hopeful label release followed by touring.

Jarrod: My favorite would have to be Warped Tour. It’s a great environment and there’s such a wide variety of music. To be able to play the entire tour would be mind blowing. At the moment we recently recorded some new tracks, are writing more, and look to be touring soon.

Q: You have a lot of songs up on the website. Is there an album forthcoming?

Pat: Yes, we are writing a full length right now.

Brian: We recorded 5 new songs recently that have gotten considerable attention from managers and labels. 3 of them are on our Myspace page. Our goal is to pick up a quality manager and label that will allow us to record our other new songs so we can combine them into a full-length release. We’ve had a tragic summer, because of too many people close to us passing away, so some of our inspiration has been drawn from them and our experience.

For Seth:

Q: Your vocals range from high pitched melodies to growling screams (for example, “save it”). How did you develop your singing chops and how do you think it effects the group's sound?

Seth: I’ve just slowly developed my sound. I never really sat down and said I want to sound like anyone. I just started singing and it definitely isn’t what I expected, personally, at first. Being told you sound like a girl singer wasn’t the intention I had when I began. haha I still think there isn’t a band our there that has this high pitch of vocals with such a brutal scream. As for the screams, that is just something I cannot explain. It comes from deep within and is something that is difficult to do. There are people that can scream, but then there are screamers that can scream. We are talking highs, mids, lows - all ranges. I think I can do a lot of different styles of screams and have a very broad range, which brings a difference.

For Pat

Q: (Unless I'm mistaken) I hear a lot of double kick drum beats in your playing. Is that a big part of what you're trying to do and is that part of your own style or more suited to the band?

Pat: Yes it is a part of my style and I try to play what feels right for each song. In my opinion heavy music just wouldn't be the same without a lot of double bass pedal. However, in a band that is also part space rock you have to back off at times.

Q: “Black sky rescue” features what I might describe as 'smooth' guitar solos. Is that Seth or Jarrod playing those?

Seth: We both do some of that in most songs but you might be referring to Jarrod in that one. We never really say who plays what with guitars since we both play many of the same roles. Both of us write heavy riffs, atmosphere leads, etc. Whatever we come up with we play, sometimes we even exchange riffs and make riffs for each other. Our main goal is what’s best for the band. We know we are far from being the greatest guitar players in the world, but we are creative and that is what makes us "Ahimsa Sunrise"

Q: What do you feel the role of the guitar solo plays in your music?

Jarrod: The guitar solo is an important part of music. I wouldn’t say it’s a giant part of our band, but when needed it can definitely complete a song. Many times I feel bands over do the solo and it becomes dull. Less is more, shredding in every song gets old. I think it makes a solo stand out that much more when you bust it out only occasionally.

Stepping back a bit to the more general:

Q: What do you see as a trend in music today you guys like? Something you don't like?

Pat: I like how social tools like Myspace, Twitter, and Facebook are allowing our fans to interact with us on a daily basis and know what we are doing in our lives. I do not like the constant decline in physical album sales.

Brian: I completely agree with that. Another thing I don’t like is the popularity of generic music. Society has embraced bands like NIckelback – I mean, come on. Haha. And what happened to music television? Do they show anything on MTV other than reality shows nowadays?

Q: Top five favorite bands of all time? (as a group or individuals)

Seth: Coheed and Cambria, Glassjaw, A Skylit Drive, Underoath, and of course Circa Survive. Those are the bands I listen to most.

Brian: Tough question. I’d say Led Zeppelin and The Mars Volta for sure. If Circa Survive and Coheed & Cambria keep it up then they’ll be included. I’m one short… hmmm...?

Pat: Very tough…I can tell you the top five albums on my play list right now. In no order: Lamb of God – Sacrament, The Devil Wears Prada - With Roots Above and Branches Below, Circa survive - On Letting Go, A Skylit Drive – Adelphia, and Marilyn Manson - The High End of Low.

Jarrod: Led Zepplin, Pink Floyd, Coheed and Cambria, Sublime, and the Deftones.

Q: Where do you see heavy music headed going into the end of the decade and beyond?

Seth: There are just things out there that keep surprising me. The sky is the limit.

Pat: Making a bigger push to the forefront of the music industry.

Brian: Maybe our style of heavy music, and the bands we’re like, will become an even bigger part of heavy music’s future?

Hear more from Ahimsa Sunrise at:

www.myspace.com/ahimsasunrise

I love their music and I love their attitudes. I'll be rooting for them to get signed and expand. Ahimsa Sunrise represents another great group you can follow, here, in the Continuum.

The Continuum goes ill (Scarlett)

2009-10-10T18:20:00.001-07:00

illScarlett is a young band out of Canada, bringing a funky reggae sound and a ton of energy and excitement. Drawing comparisons to Sublime, they have a style and swagger fitting of the Southern California music scene. I recently caught up with them to see what is going on in their world.

Q: For my readers who may not be very familiar with you, tell me the
short version of who you are and what we need to know about you.

A: We are 4 strapping young lads from Mississauga Canada that play
Rock Reggae, tour the world and we have a great time doing so.

Q: Your music has been called a mix of Sublime and No Doubt. A mix of
reggae and rhythm. What are your thoughts on this?

A: we grew up listening to sublime so i can see the influence come
through certain aspects of our music. We don't try to sound like any
band in particular but its most definitely and honor to be put the
same category as Sublime.

Q: Coming from Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, what has the process of
spreading your music been like?

A: lots of touring. Radio and MTV/much music support. And obviously
the use of all the modern social networking on the world wide web !!
ie www.facebook.com/illscarlett , twitter , youtube , myspace and
such.

Q: Do you find that most of your audience tends to be kids or teenagers?

A:Teens i guess. We have a very wide age range of fans. I've seen 10yr
old kids - 40yr moms at the shows. But its definitely the college kids
that love to get iLL !!

Q: You are a band that got where you are by working your asses off and
playing a bazillion shows. How do you think that has shaped who you
are as musicians and people?

A: Builds character, trust and friendship. We're all very good friends
and we're very focused on being successful. The key is to always have
fun, cuz once its stops being fun then theres no real point to
continue. Kids will see through you if you're trying to fake it.

Q: Your first release is called, Epdemic. Talk a little about how the
project came together, what you tried to do in making it, etc.

A: the "project" came together like any other band that wants to make
a record. We wrote a bunch of cool tunes, saved up couple G's ,
recorded the songs and put out the record for our fans.

Q: "First shot" is an artistic and energetic song. It definitely shows
your Incubus' influences, especially in the first minute. Anyone who
has heard Incubus's "Science" will love this. Was Incubus a big
influence of yours? Where does your desire for sampling come from?

A: Incubus definitely inspired us from the fact that they were a band
that did their own thing. Kept it real and stuck with it. Incubus are
amazing song writers and one of the most original bands out there to
make it big.
Re: sampling. There was no real process to it. It prob comes from all
the hip hop we listen too. I honestly dunno.

Q: "Heaters" goes in a more funky direction. More like a happy Bob
Marley song (with turntables). The parallels to Sublime cannot be
ignored here. Talk a bit about this song.
A: heaters is a straight up reggae jam. So yes i can see how the
sublime or bob or any reggae artist comparison will come up.

Q: As the album continues, the art of the music really comes through.
What was kind of the inspiration for the album and putting together a
complete piece of music?

A: our life and experiences were the inspiration for the songs and as
musicians and songwriters the next logical step was to make it "a
complete piece of music" aka a record.

Q: The next release, "1UP!" is now available in Canada. What can you
tell us about the making and sound of that album?

A: we recorded the record in LA this past spring. In my opinion its
our best work to date. We had a great time write and recording 1up!
And it fully comes through the music.

Q: What are your plans and aspirations in terms of touring and
growing? Can we expect you in the states' soon?

A:we'll tour everywhere and anywhere. we're actually on tour with a
great so-cal based band called "pepper.” Great dudes we met on tour in
Europe last yr. We're touring all over the states for the next couple
months.
Check www.myspace.com/illscarlett for dates near you.
IllScarlett is yet another up-and-comer that has grabbed my attention. I will be following their future closely. Here as always in the Continuum.

The Continuum finds, "Something to Burn"

2009-10-09T11:58:00.000-07:00

“Something to burn” is a refreshing dose of something different. They bring the rock, but there is much more to it than that. There are unusual artistic elements and complexities within their music that appeal to both the brain and heart. Their new album is called, “Transitions” and was recorded on Scott Weiland's record label. The band has worked with him extensively and will be opening for him on an upcoming tour. In speaking to vocalist Greg Wayne, I quickly gained perspective on what he is about and what the band is all about. As always, I tried to get underneath the obvious and see what makes it possible for Greg and the band to make the music they make.

The highlights of our conversation included:

Writing 15 songs in a month.
In depth talking about Softdrive records and their interactions and experiences with Scott Weiland.
Opening for Stone Temple Pilots.
Learning to sing.
Writing a dynamic new album and talking about the writing process.
Greg turning the tables on me and asking me what their new album is about.
The 2010 tour.

Listen to the full interview here:

Greg came across as a rock star, but he was also very friendly and candid. I felt like he has a genuine interest in his fans and a true love for his music.

Learn more about “something to burn” on their websites:

www.myspace.com/somethingtoburn

www.somethingtoburn.com

Stay tuned for updates on their album and tour, here as always, in the Continuum.

'Chase Long Beach' enters the Continuum

2009-10-07T17:03:00.000-07:00

Chase Long Beach is a band that has been in progress since 2002. They have toured all over North America, over 200 dates a year. They bring a funky sound that channels Bob Marley and Sublime. The result is an exciting brand of music, fitting with their Southern California roots.
I recently spoke with the band. Here is how it went:

Q: Who is Chase Long Beach and how did you come to be here? How did the seven members come together?
A: CLB is 7 Friends, from the Long Beach, CA Area. We all met either through school, shows or the scene.
Karen and I (Pattie Fitz) met at a local youth center, where bands would play gigs. We decided to start a band. 40 EX members + 7 years later = The CLB you know and love today : ) Along the way not all the members quit, died, or sucked enough to fall off the CLB wagon. Currently CLB is: Joe on Guitar for the last 2.5 years, Meagan on Trumpet for the last 3.7 years, Tristan also on Trumpet for the last 4.2 years, Drew on Trombone for the last 3 years and Jose on drums for the last 2 years.
I think Chase Long Beach is still going today because there is this drive in my heart not to have some lame ass life like a: fast food employee, construction worker, or a college graduate. And everyone else in CLB hasn't figured out how to get the fuck away from me.

Q: Is the term, “ska- punk” appropriate for this band?
A: No. I would like to believe that CLB is trying to break the Ska-Punk habits of our fore-Skafathers and mothers.

Q: Listening to the music, I hear elements of bands like, “Subime,” “No Doubt,” “Mighty Mighty Bosstones,” and many more. Who were some of the band's inspirations?
A: CLB is inspired not only by music, but by life in general. Some of the bands musical inspirations are: Radiohead, Sublime, Akaline Trio, Miles Davis, Steely Dan and Bob Marley.

Q: The new album is, “Gravity is what you make it.” How did this album come about?
A: Gravity... is 2 years of touring, writing, and meeting people, all squeezed on to 43 mins of a disc. For all of us this was the first time we really got the opportunity to write an album that was to be taken seriously.

Q: How would you say your style, voice, and attitudes have changed over the course of your seven years together?
A: We are better musicians, better at life, or maybe even better at faking it. With that aside I think we know what we are doing, for the first time.

Q: What do you think could be done to create and inspire more of this type of music? What advice would you give to similar young bands?
A: Better Music Programs At Schools!! Some advice i could give would be to tour as much as possible and watch your money.

Q: With the security you now have, what can we expect from you over the next few years and four albums?
A: I wouldn't say we have security yet..... Over the next few years you can expect lots of touring and experimenting with our music. I honestly can't wait to see what the future wholes for CLB and myself.

Q: What is the current project? Touring?
A: We will be touring North American, Europe, Asia, and Australia nonstop for the next 2 years as we write album number 2.

This is an exciting band with a long past and an exciting future ahead. We will be following them moving forward as always, here in the continuum.

Chase Long Beach can be found at:
www.myspace.com/chaselongbeach
www.victoryrecords.com

America, meet "Volbeat" of Denmark

2009-10-02T12:23:00.000-07:00

They are arguably the biggest heavy band in Denmark. They have been playing shows in excess of 10,000 people for several years now. They have opened on tour for such metal Gods as Metallica and Megadeth.

While they are heavy, they are also incredibly unique. Singer and founder Michael Poulson has channeled the inspiration of vocalists like Elvis Presley, Little Richard and Johnny Cash. He brings to the band a style and flair that I've never heard before. I've actually never heard anything remotely like this band. He inserts his vocal originality over top of trademark machine gun guitars and other elements of metal. Imagine for a moment Elvis Presley singing Metallica's “Enter Sandman.” Now you're starting to get the picture.

Having formed “Dominus” in the early 1990's and having that band run its' course, Michael created Volbeat. In Volbeat he is able to pay homage to his vocal heroes, while creating a powerful sound and style of his own.

The result to this point is three incredible albums, a spot opening up for Metallica on the World Magnetic tour, and legions of fans drawn to the unique power and style of the band.

I got to catch up with Michael Poulson recently. Listen here to the podcast of our conversation.

Among the highlights:

1:07: Michael tries to be modest about the success of his band.

2:03: Where the band fits in the big picture of European metal.

2:46: Coming to America?

4:25: Making noise with Metallica.

4:53: Opening up for Metallica and Megadeth.

6:00: James Hetfield wants to hang out.

7:35: “God walks into your house.”

9:50: From Country to Metal, Elvis to Poulson.

11:25: From Dominus to Volbeat.

13:30: Where does it all come from?

14:20: The influences.

15:00: “I only wanna be with you.”

18:35: Having fun playing on stage.

22:15: What's going on right now.

24:00: The next album.

Find Volbeat at:

http://www.volbeat.dk/

http://www.myspace.com/volbeat

http://www.mascotrecordsusa.com

Michael and Volbeat continue to tour in support of Metallica. We will be watching, waiting, and hoping for them to make it as far as the West Coast. Here as always, in the Continuum.

Metal with a message, meet "Phinehas"

2009-09-28T09:08:00.001-07:00

Here in the Continuum I am always on the lookout for great metal bands and great musicians. If that music happens to have a great message, all the better. “Phinehas” is a Christian metal band bringing the goods in a big (and loud) way. I had a chance to catch up with their drummer, Lee. He blew me away with his honesty, intelligence and perspective.

Among the topics we spoke about:
The origins of the band.
Why metal and religion go hand in hand.
Replacing a lead guitarist.
Their evolving sound.
Being a left-handed, right-footed drummer.

It was a genuine pleasure speaking to Lee and learning about the band. Please give a listen to the podcast found here, I'm sure you'll enjoy hearing his insights.

Find more about Phineas and hear some of their music at: http://www.myspace.com/15388466

Stay tuned for updates on Phineas, here as always, in the continuum.

Interview with Phineas

Jason Coldiron's Podcast

All hail the Yeti!

2009-09-25T10:50:00.000-07:00

“Yeti” is a comer in the Southern California metal scene. In a town of so many bands, they feel no fear that they will blend in with the crowd. Their brand of metal is truly unique enough to stand on its own. Yeti is not just a band, it's a concept. The myth of bigfoot and his unimaginable power runs strong through the blood of this band. They will not be denied. All hail the Yeti!

Q: Tell me what we need to know about Yeti.

A:Connor: you need to know that a change is coming in the heavy metal music scene. In a world saturated with dueling iron maiden esque metalcore, and deep growling deathcore....that change is Yeti. we want to bring back the groove and sludge to metal that got lost somewhere in the masses!

Q: The Yeti is not just your band name. It is a concept, an idea. Tell the readers what they need to know about this.

A:Connor: Yeti is not only a band name but an entity!. bigger than just a myth being told for thousands of years... the mystery of not knowing whats out there, and how giant and massive this creature can be!

Q: Your sound is described as, “metal/hardcore/grime.” Talk about this a bit and what it means to you?

A:Connor: well first and foremost we are a heavy metal band, there is so many sub genres nowadays its hard to place music in the proper category. we have a mixture of sludgy grimey slow swampy songs, and a blend of hardcore style breakdowns and moshy parts as well. We play what we like to hear!

Q: Something I like a lot about you is that your lineup consists of vocals, guitar, bass and drums (no second guitar). How do you feel about the one- guitar setup? What advantages and disadvantages do you think it provides and how does it effect your sound?

A:Connor: well originally one guitar is what we wanted but i think in the future we are gonna expand to two..it just opens up so many doors to the live show and makes the sound that much heavier and chaotic!..as far as advantages there is less difficulty in the writing process cause too many hands in the pot always messes things up!!

Q: Playing out of Los Angeles brings both opportunity and competition. How has it effected the band?

A:Connor: well for us this is where we live so its home!..opportunity is just what you make of it!..as far as the competition our sound is so unique to the Hollywood scene that we seem to not have any competition.

Q: “Deep Creek” starts with an explosion and never lets up. It has a feel of violence and uncontrollable energy. Somewhere amidst the chaos and screaming are some incredible guitar melodies and vocal runs. Talk about creating this atmosphere of chaos, while at the same time bringing moments of reason. How do you do it? Is it intentional? What is the process like?

A:Connor: our writing process is very democratic as a band we feel that there is no "star" just four guys that want to make good music..when we wrote that song there was a bit of chaos going on.. the song felt right to make it about a place where it is known for bigfoot sightings..i spent a lot of time there when i was growing up.. so for me it seemed the perfect place to write a song about....especially for YETI!

Q: Talk a little about the lyrical concepts of your songs.

A:Connor: there is no reasoning behind what I write! if i feel a song needs to be about an ex who broke my heart i will. if i feel the song needs to be about a girl i fell in love with i will....its all just emotions on paper that become lyrics...we have songs about getting high!..we have songs about bigfoot. and songs about murder!...so whatever's right for the music is what gets used!

Q: What do you think about the direction of hardcore metal today and what do you think the future holds for it?

Connor: like i said before there is a change coming almost like a cleansing of the saturation of generic cookie cutter metal...and we are that thunderstorm...we will be there for the uprising.....we are the revolution!!”

Yeti can be found at:

www.myspace.com/allhailtheyeti .....

www.twitter.com/allhailtheyeti....

“Take the time to listen to music and not just like it cause your friends do...there is so many great bands out there that never get heard...support unsigned music!!!
ALL HAIL THE YETI!!!”
Connor

Yeti joins the list of up and coming metal bands that have been given an opportunity to be heard... here in the Continuum.

The Continuum enters, "This Century"

2009-09-22T13:53:00.000-07:00

“This Century” is a pop/rock band out of Arizona. They are currently unsigned, but are represented by Earshot media. They bring a youthful energy and upbeat attitude to the genre. The Continuum recently had a chance to catch up with them.

Q: For the readers who may not be familiar with you, what are the most important things we should know about the band?
A: Pop/Rock band from tempe, az...trying to do something different in the scene...devilishly good looks...great charmers...B+ students.
Q: What were some of the musical influences that helped shape this band?
A: We were really into brit-pop (coldplay, radiohead, U2, etc.) for a long time...and still are...but now we've gotten a lot more diverse with our influences....some people more folky, others more into bigger pop records...we try to mix it up as much as we can.
Q: Talk about playing out of Tempe, Az, what the pop/rock scene is like there, etc.
A: There are a couple of solid bands. The music scene isn't as diverse as it could be though. I think people latch on to a certain sound a try and replicate it one thousand times to the point where the scene lacks originality.
Q: September sees you playing a lot of shows. How is your schedule coming together, do you like playing a lot of consecutive nights, etc?
A: We would love to play 100 days straight if we could! The schedule is piecing together nicely. A lot of these cities we've never stepped foot in before so it will be great to meet a lot of people for the first time.
Q: For most of your shows, you're playing with a band called, “The summer set.” What can ya tell us about that band?
A: The most adorable people you'll ever meet! But seriously, another really hard working band, always touring and writing. I couldnt be happier to get play shows with these guys (and girl! sorry jess).
Q: The new album is, “To love and back.” What were some of the inspirations and ideas that brought this album together?
A: That was the song that really shaped the writing process for us. I think in some ways it was a departure in direction from some of the funkier music we had been doing. The beginning riff actually came together the night of a show just hanging out in a dressing room.
Q: Where was the album recorded? How long did it take from start to finish?
A: It was recorded at flying blanket studios in mesa with some over-dubs at our producer's house. All of the initial tracking for the 6 songs was done in 1 day...we wanted to play the songs in a room together...we thought it would create the right vibe...all of the synths and vocals were added later...took about 2 weeks if i remember correctly...
Q: Most (if not all) of your songs carry a positive message and have elements of storytelling. Talk about this type of music and the writing process.
A: I try not to get to preachy with the songs but I think for this EP there was a lot of self-reflection so that tends to lead to preachy-ness....the writing process was grueling as we were trying to move from different sounds...I think we may have scrapped about 10-12 complete songs in the process.
Q: The song, “to love and back” has a catchy hook and utilizes some keys. How did this song come together?
A: Most of the song derived from that beginning riff...I had the hook "I went to love and back" for a while and just didnt know where to place it...that song has about 4 different versions...I just really liked the idea of looking at love as a cycle...finding it, losing it, finding it again....its one of the reasons why the hook is said at the beginning and end of the choruses.
Q: What are some of the long and short- term goals for this band?
A: We hope to be able to tour on this EP for a couple of months and then record a full length...Releasing a full length is the big goal at the moment!
Q: Ok, here's your free chance. Plug your website(s), album(s), shows, other bands, whatever ya want!
A: alright here we go! go to www.myspace.com/thiscentury , make sure to pick up our new EP "To Love and Back" on Itunes or any other download site!!! go check out our friends in a band called Gita!!
We'll be watching “This Century” with close eyes. Here as always, in the continuum.

Pierrick Berube of LoveHateHero enters the Continuum

2009-09-20T22:34:00.001-07:00

LoveHateHero is preparing to reclaim their spot in the place of today's music scene. Their new album, America Underwater hits stores September 29^th. I recently caught up with lead singer Pierrick Berube. Among other things, we talked about how the band has reinvented itself on the new album, playing the summer Warped tour, and the future of the band.

Listen here for the full interview.

Stay tuned for more from LoveHateHero. Here as always, in the Continuum.

Pierrick Berube of LoveHateHero

Jason Coldiron's Podcast

The Continuum goes, "Beyond the Shore."

2009-09-17T22:49:00.000-07:00

Today the Continuum welcomes, “Beyond the Shore.” This metal quartet brings the noise, to be sure. They also bring music with a message. I caught up with them to talk about their origins, their methods, and their message.

Q: Tell us about the band (short version)

A: Andrew: We're just a buncha dudes who like to hang out and play music, have fun and do so in a positive light. We do what we do for the glory of God. He has blessed us with the ability to play this music so we owe it to Him.

Q: Your band definitely qualifies as metal/hardcore, but there's much more to you than that. You talk about having spiritual, heartfelt messages, but also of smashing the “Christian hardcore band” limits. Talk about these ideas, what this all means to you and how it is expressed through your music.

A: Andrew: Our lyrics show messages of hope and love to people who need to hear it, myself included from time to time. We defy the Christian hardcore band label by introducing our own feel and taste on the genre, stepping away from the synth and random guitars you see a lot of today. Instead we play what we like, hardcore mixed with heavy breakdowns.

Q: What can you say you've learned about the music world and metal music, in your experiences of rocking out with a positive message? Have you had some good and bad experiences?

A: Andrew: We have had a lot of both, really! We have learned that it takes a lot of work and practice to be able to play a show haha. Good experiences, traveling to San Diego, CA to record our debut album! So much fun, good times! Bad experiences, too many haha. We have had our van break down, blow tires, wrecked our e350 van, had members quit or skip shows, not show to practice, the list goes on. But what the important thing is, you have to look past all that and focus on the positive side of things, realize where you want to go and stay focused! Set goals and plan to reach them.

Q: Playing out of Lexington, Ky, what can you tell us about the music scene out there?

A: Andrew: Its lame haha. Pretty much no music scene really, due to no venues around the area. If there were an all ages venue it would be pretty sick I would say, need to look into that! We usually have to travel and tour to play shows, so we are always on the road.

Q: Your website talks about your music as, “From hammering melodic riffs followed by explosive breakdowns, machine gun sounding drums and such brutal vocals.” Talk a bit about how this comes across, what your methods are like, etc.

A: Andrew: Well, we write sort of melodic metal, coming from influences in our genre, the hardcore scene and so forth. Our breakdowns hit hard and our drummer uses a lot of double bass - hints the machine gun reference haha.

Q: Your debut album, “The Arctic Front” is now completed and available online. Talk about how it came together, what concepts and ideas you had in mind when you recorded it, how long it took to make, etc.

A: Well, it will be available on October 1st on iTunes world-wide. It took a lot of work and effort to make this record happen, and I mean A LOT of work. We sold pretty much everything we owned to friends, having yard sales, etc. just to raise the money to cover the costs. Then we had to buy plane tickets and everything, pay for all our food and lodging at the studio. We spent 2 weeks tracking at Lambesis Studios in San Marcos, California. Before the studio, we would spend days writing and piecing together what you hear now, up all night writing and re-writing because something didn't sound good enough or we weren't pleased with it. The idea of the album comes with the title, "The Arctic Front", dealing with the topic of the world we live in today. It has so much hate towards everything. It basically says that love will return and we all have to work together to make it happen.

Q: “Order of Oceans” gets off to a quick start that leads into some growling vocals. What was the process like that led to this song coming together?

A: Andrew: Basically, we wrote that song in the studio, Jared had ideas written previously and took them with us to the studio and we pieced them together there. The whole topic of that song is about saving grace and how it is such a big deal and we often over look, even as Christians.

Q: You guys have a busy schedule of shows coming up. How are you keeping yourselves on top of your game and ready to bring it every night?

A: Andrew: RedBull.

Learn more about Beyond the shore at:

MySpace- www.myspace.com/beyondtheshore

Facebook- www.facebook.com/beyondtheshore

Twitter- www.twitter.com/beyondtheshore

Their debut album "The Arctic Front" is out October 1st! Check it out on iTunes world-wide!

Stay tuned for more from this band, here in the Continuum.

Q. and A. with "Guilt by Association"

2009-09-16T12:01:00.000-07:00

“Guilt by Association” is an up and coming hard rock band out of Chatsworth California. The band brings a moody, emotional style with an underlying sense of artistic expression that will remind listeners of bands such as Alice in Chains, Tool and Deftones. I had a chance recently to talk with them and find out more about what is going on in the Guilt by Association picture. They did not disappoint.

Q: For our readers who may not be familiar with you, tell us what we
need to know about the band.

A: Britt: Guilt by Association is a 4 piece rock band from Los Angeles, CA. I ( Britt ) play bass and sing backups, my brother JD sings and plays guitar, Sean plays guitar and sings backups and Jake is our Drummer! We've been together with various members for 10 years and have toured nationally and down into Mexico.

Q: Your website says that you, “write style-clashing hard rock with a
distinct voice.” Talk a little about what this means to you.

A: Jake: We try and put as many different elements into our music as a quartet can. With every song, we work carefully and tirelessly to make sure each part has it's own identity within the body of the song. For CHAPTER 1: END OF STORY, the songs seemed to fall into their
structures effortlessly. Right now we are working on writing another EP with a totally different approach to the music as well as writing and structure. Our goal really is to make everything we do a different voice, within the sound we have been working so hard to create.

Q: Your list of influences includes bands such as Pink Floyd, Alice in Chains, Deftones, Tool and Dredg. How did some of these effect you in developing your sound and style?

A: Jake: All of those bands fuel our love for music, as well as many other bands and artists do. Specifically, the handful of bands we list on our site are a good representation of places we draw our senses too. Sometimes if you can't figure out why a certain part does not mesh
with another part, it helps to see how bands you respect may have done a similar transition, etc. In the case of influence, we really pull from our own minds first and foremost, then we use the other bands to 'bounce' ideas off of so to speak.

Q: How much has your lineup changed over the last 10 years and which
original members are still with you?

A: Britt: Well we have definitely been through our fair share of members. JD and I started the band 10 years ago with Sean. After a few years Sean decided to take a break and pursue other interests but he came back to the band in 2008. Jake was also a member in the early years and took a break and now he's back as well. We have all put a lot of effort into Guilt by Association and these current members make a great team!

Q: The website talks a lot about the theme of “evolution” of your
music, art, people, etc. Talk about this a bit.

A: Britt: Like I explained above we have members that have left, grown, changed, evolved and come back Guilt by Association with new things to offer and new skills to explore. Every time we start writing it's a different process and we just roll with it. We're always learning new things and constantly striving to be better version of ourselves.

Jake: Without evolution, we wouldn't be here. Without the growth we have experienced as friends, foes and band mates, we would not be able to get the songs that we create to work.

Q: Where do you see yourselves in the scope of metal today?

A: Jake: I don't think we really fall into a strict 'metal' category. I
think in the 'scope of metal' we are exploring new avenues of our
sound everyday. We have called ourselves 'Indie-Metal' in some
circuits, but who knows what we really are.

Q: Your EP: CHAPTER 1: END OF STORY came out in June. Talk about the
album and what it's all about.

A: Britt: We had been writing and working on new songs for a long time. We'd even started recording twice and felt that we could do better. We scrapped some songs, rearranged a few, wrote some new ones and finally came up with a cohesive sound that we felt really represented the direction we wanna go! We decided to break up the the songs into EPs. That's why our newest album is called Chapter One: End of Story. We are currently working on Chapter Two!!!! Our last two albums have been recorded and produced by Guilt by Association and Greg Hayes. We fund our own recording and do a lot of it ourselves. Chapter One: End of Story was recording in an office building in Chatsworth, CA! It's a very guerilla style process but I think it works for us!

Q: “Before Goodbye” is a smooth, guitar driven song (with sounds of
the Deftones and Tool all over it). It's very artistic and moody. Talk
a bit about this song and how it came about.

A: Britt: Before Goodbye is a song that defined itself. One day in practice Sean started messing around with the lead line and I just instantly felt a connection. The bass line of the verse came together really quickly with the open hollow sound of the drums and I like the contrast that the chorus offers with the full chord syncopation and the lead guitar line really shining through. We felt we were really on to something. We love the groove of that song and space it leaves for the melody. It's a blend of the commercial sound we think is important and the driving rhythms and aggression that we feel keeps our music interesting!

Q: “Living in Silence” starts with some distorted guitars and moves
into some vocal melodies, transitioning in and out of screaming. Would
you say these elements are characteristic of the band's music?

A: Britt: I think so. We are always blending those elements in different ways to keep it interesting but I think that is a good observation of what makes a Guilt by Association song.

Q: It looks like right now you're only playing about one show a month,
is that right? Are you looking to be playing more, any tours in sight?

A: Jake: We are always looking to play as many shows as possible. We want to
get out there as much as we can this fall and winter, hopefully out of
LA for a while. No tours planned just yet, but always willing to play!

Q: What are your goals for the future as a band and personally?

A: Britt: . We want to make music our full time careers and tour the world having a blast and we work hard to try to make that happen but there's no guarantee. We love what we do and that's the most important thing to us. If we aren't having fun and enjoying ourselves right here right now then what's the point?!?!

Q: What do you think about the state of metal and hard rock, both in
California and in general?

A: Britt: It's always been a smaller market than mainstream rock and pop and especially in the crashed music biz and down economy it's a pretty tough genre to break in to! We personally think the music scene in and around Los Angeles kinda sucks. Bands are a dime a dozen and shitty bands pay you to listen to them so it's hard to really catch anyone's ear. But I think if we've survived here as long as we have than hopefully we can pretty much rock anywhere!

Q: Ok, here's your free chance. Plug your website(s), album(s), shows,
other bands, whatever ya want!

A: Britt: If you want more information on us than check us out at myspace.com/gba or www.guiltbyassociation.com. If you're in the Los Angeles area we have a huge show on Oct. 24th. You can find more info for that on our myspace page! If you would like to purchase our music you can find us on Amazon.com and Virgin.com. Keep a look out for our next album Chapter 2... and thanks for supporting indie music!!!!

Guilt by Association is another up and coming band we'll be watching with close eyes in the future... here as always, in the Continuum.

The conversation with Ralph Buso of Serpent Underground

2009-09-14T10:14:00.000-07:00

After playing phone tag for a couple of weeks, I recently caught up with Serpent Underground front man Ralph Buso. It turned out to be well worth the wait. Ralph was not like any metal singer I've ever met. He had an honesty and wisdom about him that I found refreshing and insightful. After a good 20 minutes talking with him, I came away not only knowing a lot about him and his band, but about the music world in general, the business and what it takes for a band to come together.

Serpent Underground can be found at: http://www.myspace.com/serpentunderground

Enjoy the conversation and look for more from Ralph and the band, here as always, in the Continuum.

Interview with Ralph Buso of Serpent Underground

Jason Coldiron's Podcast

The Continuum welcomes Hiss of Atrocities

2009-09-11T08:24:00.000-07:00

Hiss of Atrocities is a metal band that brings an energy and excitement commensurate with their name. Classically trained, with roots in Europe and Africa, HOA brings a brand of metal that is at once exciting, intelligent, and will melt your face.” Catching up with them was quite an honor for me. Here is the account of our conversation.

Q: For our readers, who may not be familiar with you, tell us what we need to know about the band.

Giovanni (drums): H.o.A. was formed about 4-5 years ago in Boston by Roy (guitar) and I.
Francesco (guitar) and the rest of the line-up joined the band right after. After moving to L.A. we changed line-up (new bassist and singer).
Francesco: 5 passionate musicians with unlimited desire.
Mike Orrigo (bass): We're Hiss of Atrocities, a metal band based out of Los Angeles, CA, and we sound like no other metal band you've ever heard before.

Q: Your music is described as, “Driving, battering power.” (and in listening to your music it seems a fine description) Elaborate on this a bit more.

Mike Z (vocals): Well I believe that it is true in our hearts and minds that we want to bring something a bit fresh to the stage. Above all, regardless of the music we are each listening to we all tend to enjoy music that really has a good punch to it while delivering an epic sound. Powerful music hits people and leaves them coming back for more. We want our songs to hit really hard and at the same time drive home the qualities we each enjoy about the music we feel inside us. Like the beauty of a hurricane. So beautiful and pristine yet the power she unleashes is everything you could want from an awe striking powerful burst from mother nature.

Q: Having formed in Boston, how did you end up on the West Coast?

Fran: After graduating from Berklee College of Music we decided as a band to move to Los Angeles looking for a more wide-open musical scene and in general looking for more opportunities in the music business.
Gio: The weather! I’m kidding. We thought that being closer to the “industry” would have been a good thing for us in the long run.

Q: Your website references your European influences. You also have band members from Kenya and Italy. Talk about them a bit.

Gio: Francesco and I are both from Italy with a really strong accent! That’s extremely good for hooking up chicks. Roy is from Kenya…but we don’t talk about that.... it scares people. I don’t know why.
Roy: I was born and raised in Kenya even though I am of Italian and Israeli descent. While living in Africa I must admit that American metal was what inspired me to become a musician. Bands like Metallica, G n' R Megadeth and the whole Nu metal movement played a big part in my musical growth. It was towards my last years of high school and when I came to America that I started getting into the more European style of Metal. The more I improved on the guitar the more I was interested in new sounds that involved being technical and more experimental in terms of harmony within the metal Genre. Bands such as Opeth, Meshuggah, Dimmu, Archenemy, Behemoth and American bands like Dream Theater, Nevermore, APC, really inspired me to eventually write and perform music in the vain of what can be heard on our albums.
Fran: I’m 100% Italian…I grew up mostly listening to European classical music and European metal, even though I love so many other artists and genres from different countries…I think what most people regard as “European” music is really what my musical foundation is based upon.

Q: You have rocked venues such as The Key Club (where your video was filmed), The Knitting Factory, Crash Mansion, The Jumping Turtle, and Musician Institute. What have been some of your favorite places to play and what do you think makes a great venue?

Roy: The Key Club is definitely a special venue to play at because of how great the stage is set up and plus the lighting is phenomenal, it is definitely a venue in which a lot of cash was spilled into. During our latest tour we played in many different venues across the states and although most of them were great I must give out a special shout at Bozeman's Filling Station for how great they treated us and how well we were received by the audience. In terms of vibe and atmosphere I thought he Dragon's Den in New Orleans was really sick.
Gio: It was in Montana at the Filling Station. Crowd was great. They responded really well to the music and the show. Fran: My favorite venues were definitely the Key Club in Hollywood, CA and the Filling Station in Bozeman, MT. In the first case the stage was really great plus we had all our best friends here in LA in the crowd and it was our album release party. In Montana we probably had the best show on our last tour. People went crazy during the show!!! We had two guys who drove 4 hours from Wyoming to come see us …we had so much fun that night.
Mike O: For me, a great venue is all about vibe. You can be in some little dive bar with a milk crate for a stage and have a totally memorable show as easily as you could playing the Whiskey. It's all depending on the vibe. During our summer tour, one of my favorite shows was in this small bar in Northern Cali. We probably had the best collective performance of the tour that night, playing for a small, engaged crowd and drinking free beer!

Q: What can you say about what your live show brings to the audience?

Fran: It’s all about emotions; it’s a musical journey…great energy, professionalism and technicality…always trying to reach that perfection.
Mike O: It's all about the show. We're all highly trained (myself especially) individuals in the art of face-melting, and when we combine our talents together on stage it's devastating. Our show is what every metal show should be; electric, fast, hard, brutal, at times dangerous and always fun. We have a blast playing live and show does our crowd.
Gio: A lot of energy and excellent music!

Q: What is your current status label-wise? Fran: We are still not happy with the offers we had so far, so we are just waiting to find or to be found by the right Label. Meanwhile we are proving that we can do this on our own too…producing our music, promoting it and ultimately bringing it to the crowds across the country.
Mike O: We are currently unsigned, but we are gaining a strong buzz in the LA area, so anything can happen.
Gio: Looking for some label to hook us up with a great distribution deal?!?…..please.

For Mike Z:
Q: You do plenty of screaming, but also have moments of beautiful singing. How do you decide when to do what and what a song really calls for when you're writing it?

Mike Z : Well it’s really a very emotion filled experience. Depending on the concept we have agreed on, the present status of the world and my own emotions go into the writing. Once I finish the framework for a song it is presented in the studio from there we will try different things and collaborate in the production together as a band. I wrote most of vocals and lyrics for this album while traveling through Europe in 2008. The experience gave me lots of time to let the music soak in and speak to me.

Q: How did you develop your screaming voice?

Mike Z: Developing the screaming and heavy vocals was something that took a lot of time to really mold and develop. I started the transition into screaming and growling along with melodic when I was about 20 in one of my first bands. The key to being able to be consistent is being able to produce the sounds and power behind them while protecting your vocal chords for wear and damage. When you are going to scream like this every night on tour you must be able to collaborate with the proven techniques along with that many heavy metal singers use as well as know your limits and be able to brand your own techniques and grow from this foundation. Singing like this is such a hidden art in the fact that most people don’t understand how much practice and technique is involved in being able to produce these kinds of vocal sounds on a consistent basis without destroying your voice. The main way I developed is by practice and study of the ways not to scream along with just getting to know how my throat and vocal chords work in particularly. Everyone is different I guess.

For Roy and Francesco:

Q: The guitar solo seems to be a bit of a dying breed in the mainstream today, but you provide no shortage of them. Would you agree with that assessment? What do you think your solos bring to the table in this band?

Roy: Mainstream metal has decided that the "Solo" moment in music is not needed anymore. In my opinion we can blame Nu-metal and MTV for that. But I think that in the background "solo's" have always been there and never really left. The breed of guitarists that strives for technical emotions by playing fast licks, sweeps and whaling lines is a big part of what metal is all about. I don't think there is one band I listen to nowadays that doesn't have any solo's and every-time I see these bands perform live they have thousand of people in-front of them loving every-moment. In terms of HoA I approach the solos as musical moments in order to enhance the colors of the music. It is a tool to take the songs into different emotional plateaus.

Fran: I think that a solo provides an instrumentalist with an opportunity to speak on an individual level, as opposed to as he would normally speak within a band or ensemble, that is, collectively. Very much like in a “cadenza” in the classical music tradition, solos played by me are generally characterized by a more virtuosic approach. For me a solo is mostly a musical moment in a composition/song that still has to communicate with the rest of the underlying “notes”…it doesn’t matter if it is improvised or written-out, it has to be part of the overall “design”.

Q: From an artistic standpoint, would you say you both are trying to do what has been done in the past but do it better, or do you feel you're more into pushing and doing brand new things with the instrument?

Fran: My goal is definitely to push and bring something new to what has been done for years; there are so many great guitar players with their own “thing” going on that the only thing that is important to me in this regard is to create an individual and distinguished voice for myself. Take for example someone like Allan Holdsworth, who I find to be one of the most unique and incredible voices on the instrument. His individual approach to harmony and his freedom in improvisation are things that I have always admired and strive to achieve within my own playing.

Roy: I think that it has always been part of my desire to be as original as possible and not imitate other players and just create my own sound. But whether you like or not every musician is always influenced by the music he or she likes the most. I suppose that theoretically my originality stems from how others have approached their own original sounds. For example Opeth in terms of Harmony and Meshuggah in terms of rhythm. I should also include that after having studied at Berklee and learning so much about music theory it has really opened up my eyes in terms of how much Harmony can be explored and isn't used in metal. Therefore being able to manipulate different kinds of harmonic systems and translate them into cool sounding metal is one of the keys nowadays to be an original metal artist.

For Mike O:
Q: As a bassist myself I'm always curious about what other bass players are trying to do fundamentally and artistically. Would you say you just hold down the low end or is there much more to it than that for you?

Mike O: I most certainly hold down the low end. That being said, there's an awful lot to just holding down the low end. Fundamentally speaking, it’s a support instrument, so it's important to be über confident with your playing and your knowledge of song forms. You also must be the strongest in the band physically, because gear is heavy, and guitarists are weak.

For Giovanni:
Q: What impact would you say your Italian roots have had on you as a musician? (if any)

Gio: None. I don’t play tarantella on my drums. My influence has been and still is the all mighty DAVE LOMBARDO. He is a genius.

Back to the general,

Q: Where do you all see this band going, moving forward?

Fran: We are currently writing new material for a second album…we keep improving everyday…we are musical minds that can’t stop creating. Our live shows will keep getting better and our music will keep getting more mature and unique. The drive behind this "creature" is too strong to be contained; the extent of this obsession has reached a point of no return for me.

Gio: Hope as far as possible.

Mike Z: Well like Fran said we're working on new material and I think there is a shared approach throughout the band on continuing to bring new things to the table instead of rehashing what we have done before or what other bands are doing. We are looking forward to touring and growing in this career path. I know I speak for all of the guys when saying we are really passionate about getting in front of people and giving them a new experience in the genre.

Mike O: Oh I dunno, In-n-Out, the Asian Diner, Jack-in the-Box. It's hard to get everyone to agree on something.

Q: Who might you say is the face of metal today?

Roy: Lamb of God is probably the band that is achieving the most success right now by playing extreme metal music. I think that they are doing a great job by bringing metal to the huge masses without mellowing down, which is a tendency many metal bands have. So respect to LOG.

Mike O: Mastodon and Meshuggah are the some of the very few bands in metal doing anything interesting today, but for someone to say metal has a face these days is wishful thinking. Hair metal is dead and most people in metal bands are ugly now.

Fran: I personally think that bands like Meshuggah and Opeth (two of my favorite bands) have opened new doors in this genre. Both bands pushed the “language” of metal by creating something new and fresh, this is what I like to hear and feel when I listen to bands.

Mike Z: Well for me I guess that depends on what you mean by the face of metal today. If you mean bands I really couldn’t tell you since there are so many out there and they all differ from each other so much. I believe there is a strong connection and family oriented bond shared by the musicians and fans out there. I think that’s the face.

Q: Ok, here's your free chance. Plug your website(s), album(s), shows, other bands, whatever ya want!

Gio: Hey if you are reading this and you are a hot metal chick then I am really interested in you. Contact H.o.A. at www.hissofatrocities.com and send a message to the drummer! If you are not a hot metal chick it’s ok you still can enjoy our music!
Thanks again for this interview. Horns up ImI

Fran: Check us out at: www.hissofatrocities.com www.myspace.com/hissofatrocities www.sonicbids.com/hissofatrocities
Come to see us live, contact us and get your copy of “Rituals of the Lost”.

Keep an eye out for more from Hiss of Atrocities, here as always, in the continuum.

Q. and A. with Mike Keller of Park Lane

2009-09-09T13:36:00.001-07:00

Park Lane is a young metal band coming out of the bay area here in California. I recently caught up with lead guitarist Mike Keller. The following are some of the highlights of our conversation:

On the basics of the band:

Mike Keller: “we're different dudes, we all have different musical backgrounds. We're a brand new band. March of this year was our first show. We got some good help from other bands like 'destroy the runner.' They heard our first demo tracks from the studios. Dwayne Reed, their guitarist, decided to help us out. We did our first studio spot in December. Since then we've been doing shows and getting on festivals. We played the 'Whiskey a go go' in Southern Cal. We were pretty stoked. I'm more of the 80's guy, so listening to bands that played there was a huge deal. I was really excited to play there. As far as the band, we're very into our fans and friends. We make music for ourselves but also for our friends, many of whom we've met on myspace. We want to be the kind of band that's always accessible.”

On labeling their style of music:

Mike: “we're definitely a hard rock band. We're kind of like everyone's favorite band in one. We all have such different musical backgrounds. Some of us listen to the more heavy metal stuff. I listen to more of the cheesy 80's stuff. The other guitarist listens to more of the modern metal. It all combines into what we hope is a different and unique sound and that you can also hear our own inspirations in the music.”

On playing with the other guitar player, Grayson Hurd:

Mike: “We kind of share the leads on most of the songs. Most of the solos are me. Most of the softer leads are him.”

On their musical inspirations:

Mike: “My personal hero is of course Metallica. I grew up listening to them. When I was 13, I went to my first Metallica concert, actually my first concert ever. I saw them and just said, wow, that's what I want to do. I picked up the guitar and started plating and have been ever since. Bands like “Killswitch Engage” have also inspired us a lot and kept us going. Seeing their DVD and learning about how they overcame their obstacles taught us a lot about what to do and what not to do.”

On auditioning over 80 singers:

Mike: “We went through myspace and craigslist and heard lots of singers, but nobody had that right fit. The last guy on the list, who only lives a couple of miles away, ended up being the guy. We tried him out four different times to make sure he was the guy. We waited so long, we just wanted to make sure we got it right. He just kept coming in and improving. His first studio experience was the first song you hear on our myspace. He just blew us away and we knew he was the guy.”

On playing out of the bay area:

Mike: “The area obviously has a lot of history as far as bands coming out of here. Thus far it feels kind of combative. There are a lot of promoters here that don't really care about the bands. They put on these shows and it's flooding the music scene. The only bands getting attention are the already nationally known bands. It's a lot harder for local bands to get their start. We've been fortunate to have a lot of loyal fans, so we're still able to draw 350 kids to a show, which has been big for us. It has also become important for us to go to other states and Cities and no so much just at home.”

On making more music:

Mike: “we actually have 15 more songs written and a few more that we play live that may or may not go on the new record. We're gonna be doing two myspace exclusive songs, which are ones we play live. We're constantly writing. We were supposed to record in December, but we decided to tour more instead. We felt that our EP wasn't dead yet. I'm not sure when we'll be recording new songs, but we do have new songs written and ready to go.”

On the upcoming tour:

Mike: “we did a mini- tour in Southern California, then a mini- tour in Washington and Oregon. This is gonna be the biggest tour we've done so far, something like 14 straight shows, which we love. Being away from home is a great experience for us. Most of us are in school still, so this will be our Christmas vacation. Most of the tour is already booked. Playing shows every day is obviously very tiring and tough. We play and practice every day. We're gonna start working out together as a band; running and getting physically fit to be able to put on a great show every day.”

On playing with “I am empire”:

Mike: “They're another local band from the bay area. They're kind of, I wouldn't say competition, because they're really good friends of ours. They're kind of a band that we try to one up. They're kind of our running partner, they keep us going. They're good friends of ours, we hang out with them a lot. They've been touring a lot also. It's good to go out with them, just to have a familiar face on the road.”

On things to come:

Mike: “We're obviously grateful to be doing this interview. We're just ready to get out there and play shows for everybody. We're doing our best to get out further East. We're in talks with a couple of labels right now. Hopefully we can get signed by touring non- stop.”

Park Lane can be found on myspace at: http://www.myspace.com/155351587

Their merchandise and music can be found and purchased there as well.

This is an up- and- coming band that we will definitely be keeping our eyes on. Here, in the Continuum.

"Cream Pie" enters the Continuum

2009-09-06T20:26:00.000-07:00

Channeling the late 80's Los Angeles rock scene, Cream Pie brings something to the table that in many ways is missing from music today: attitude. That attitude comes across in their music and is one of the great things about these comers'. I recently caught up with them. The following is my account of our conversation.

Q: Tell me about how the band came to be.

A: Nikki: I started this band in 2004 with Joey Florenz (former singer/guitarist) in Italy and we went through some line up changes till this year. In 2006 we hooked up with Brian Kent (drums) and Michael Drake (bass). Then in 2008 Joey quit and we got Rachel O’Neill (vocals) and Vito Losito (guitar) which we had our first American tour together. Then later in 2008 Phantom joined the band as new guitarist and Rachel left right before the tour in Florida this year. So we got Alexander as new singer just in may.

Q: The band has had it's share of lineup changes. How has that effected the music?

A:Nikki: Well fortunately we always had really talented musicians in this band. And I’m not just talkin’ about instrumental abilities. The first thing we always kept our focus on has been the song writing.

Q: What's the first thing people should know about your band?

A: Nikki: I think everybody should keep an eye on us. We aren’t just another band and what we are trying to do is something really important. We’re really tryin’ to put together some great music.

Phantom: Nothing and none is gonna bring us down, keep that in mind!

Brian: We're really willing to become a new reality.

Q: What would you say makes your sound unique? What defines you?

A: Nikki: Well you know, we still sing & play guitars, I mean we aren’t one of those bands of today that make just noise and is loud as hell. For us the melodies are really important. And we are not tryin’ to copy anybody else’s music in 2009. We just play what we like and what we know to do. I mean we’ll never wake up tomorrow morning and change our music genre cuz Tokyo Hotel and Linkin Park are on the top of the charts!

Brian: And we don’t really care about the 80's sound or the new wave of Swedish glam metal. Usually we don't write music thinkin' what the style of the moment is. We just put in music our ideas so a song could sound punk, rock or metal…it doesn’t matter… the important thing is that our music is a glare of what we are.

Q: Talk about “downtown pirates.” When is it coming out, what is it's status, what has it been like recording it, etc.?

A: Nikki: All I can say is that after this tour in Florida we will keep our focus on the new album Downtown Pirates for the next months. We already have like 10 songs ready but we’re still writin’ a lot. We started the pre-production of songs like Downtown Pirates, Take Me Back, Have Fun, It’s All Gone and Missin’ You. You can hear the preview of a new song called No Love Remains on our websites (www.myspace.com/creampieblue and www.creampierocks.com). So anyway we still don’t have any release plan for this new album but we’ll try to release it next year for sure. I would say that it will sound a lot different from our first album Dirty Job.

Q: Talk about your single, “No love remains.” How did it come about, what was the writing process, what's the song all about?

A: Nikki: I wrote No Love Remains earlier this year (2009) in January. I didn’t plan about writin’ it but it just came out spontaneous. It was the best picture of my feelings at the time. I was going through a lot of stress and some personal crazy stuff. I first wrote the whole rhythm guitar and the vocals melodies at the same time in like 2 minutes. I didn’t even have to change any part of the song. Then some days later I wrote the lyric. We recorded this song in like a week right before to leave and go play in Florida. There’s a lot of stuff on it. Which every musician in the band recorded his own instrument, Michael took care of the orchestral arrangements too makin’ a great job, and our engineer Domenico Colonna recorded the harp. It has been always clear on my mind how to record the song and I’m really satisfied of the final result. Everybody put all his-self in this song and Rachel recorded a great voice on it. I recorded the acoustic guitar, the electric, some fills during the chorus and the first guitar solo. Phantom recorded the electric, some clean arpeggios during the pre-chorus and the second guitar solo. Brian did an awesome job on the drums. I think that if you listen to this song you can really feel that it comes from the heart and I can say that I still have chills listening to it. For me it’s a old style song, I can place it in the 70’s and sounds like Led Zeppelin style but with a modern sound.

Complete the following sentences:

Cream Pie sounds like: a mix between Guns N’ Roses, L.A. Guns, Skid Row, Motley Crue and Wasp.

Radio music today is: Nikki: No comment; Phantom: Business; Brian: I prefer to listen to my cds.
The best band nobody has ever heard of is: Nikki: I’m keepin’ an eye on this new band in California called Sick Loves…
Playing live makes you feel: Wild and crazy

- In 2012 Cream Pie will be: Nikki: Hopefully something big…; Brian: Probably dead cause the end of the world, ahahahahah!!!

Chad from "Six Ounce Gloves" enters the Continuum

2009-09-04T10:45:00.000-07:00

“Six Ounce Gloves” is a metal band rocking out of Fresno and Northern California. Their lead guitarist, Chad, took some time to chat me up about the band and their goings on. Chad had some great insights into both his own band and metal music in general.

Some of the highlights of our conversation included:

The pros and cons of sounding like Tool.
The benefits of playing out of “ORWACA” California.
The closeness of the group and why there is no rhythm guitar player.
Why Metallica should be opening for Godsmack.
The excitement of being a musical, “free agent.”

Enjoy the podcast!

Wanna hear more from “Six Ounce Gloves”?

Find them at: http://www.myspace.com/14822897

Q. and A. with Saints of Ruin

2009-08-31T18:05:00.000-07:00

Saints of Ruin is a modern goth- rock band playing out of San Francisco. With a mixture of musicianship and personalities to rival any band I know of, they are a growing power both in the bay area and spreading throughout the country. This is a band that will not be denied now or moving toward the future. They recently took some time to catch up with 'Chicks with Guns.'

Q: For our readers who may not be familiar with you, tell me about how the band came to be and what you're all about.

A: Tommy: I moved from NYC to California, so I could form a band with Ruby. She was absolutely the singer I was looking for. So, we formed SOR. We started writing together, and then we began auditions for the other members.

Q: Your website describes the band as, “a modern Goth-Rock band, combining powerful melodic vocals and mysterious lyrics with elements of metal guitars and electronic undercurrents.” Tell me a little more about this and how would you describe the band on a more personal level?

A: Ruby: I think that's an apt description, but of course there's So much more to anyone's sound. We infuse our sound with a lot of vocal harmonies and try to write songs with not only style, but with substance as well. Sometimes we resemble Alice In Chains, while simultaneously being influenced by Sisters Of Mercy.
The members of SOR have musical backgrounds in Goth, Punk, Metal, Classic Rock and Classical. It's always interesting to blend all of these backgrounds into our distinctive Dark sound.

Q: When I'm introducing bands, I often try to compare them to someone many fans might know. In your case, I'm struggling to even begin to find a comparison (Drain STH maybe?). How about I just let you cover this one?

A: Tommy: Well, I hate to be compared to anyone. I always hope that we are unique. But, if you want some comparisons, I have been told several after some of our live shows. I've heard: Sisters Of Mercy meets Alice In Chains with a female singer. I've heard the obvious ones...Evanescence, Lacuna Coil. Of course Concrete Blonde comes up a lot, since we do our own version of their song Bloodletting". I'm sure I'll hear some more. But hopefully , we'll stay unique and interesting.

Q: To state the obvious, something that makes your band unique is that you have two female members. Talk about how this came to be. Intentional choice? Just kinda happened? Friends? Proving a point?

A: Ruby: It was intentional. We wanted to get another female member. In art, for vocal harmonies and in part of overall appearance. We looked for a while, and were close to giving up, and then we found Stacy.

Tommy: Yeah, the band was a four piece, with Ruby playing the Bass and singing. Ruby is a great Bass player. The only reason we started to look for another Bassist, was because we wanted Ruby to be the Front person. Holding only a mic. She has an amazing voice and she's beautiful. I wanted SOR to have a powerful, beautiful, female front person to command the stage. Ruby has that. Now we do.

Q: The rest of this year will see the band playing in a wide range of cities and venues (including my town of Sacramento on September 18^th!). What are your thoughts on touring and the kinds of places you play?

A: Tommy: I love touring. We are planning on doing a lot of touring next year when our new album "Nightmare" is released in Europe. That's going to be crazy fun.
We are playing some cool venues lately. Really looking forward to the show at Last Day Saloon in Santa Rosa. That one is with Meldrum. Sacramento should be a blast as well.

Q: Playing out of San Francisco, how do you think the area has affected your sound and the way you approach music?

A: Tommy SF is a very hard place to make music. There seem to be tons of people who want to go to a dance club and stare at a DJ playing records. That's pretty confusing to me.
As for writing. I thing I'm influenced by my inner thoughts and my closest environment. But, I think I would write the same music and lyrics, no matter what city I live in. I don't think SF provides my inspiration.
Ruby: If anything, knowing this isn't a strong scene for live music, I strive to write music that can be danceable.

Q: In listening to some of your music, there are a lot of moody, atmospheric sounds throughout. Slow, building up sounds that lead into the music (like say, the first 40 seconds of “bloodletting” and the first 25 seconds of “end of days”). In fact, some of your entire songs fit this mold. Talk about the effect and impact of this kind of element.

A: Tommy: I would like to sum this up in two words. EPIC and DRAMATIC. That's how I like my music, movies, hell, MY Life !!

For Ruby Ruin:

Q: To say that you are a one of a kind vocalist would be an understatement in my estimation. Tell me a bit about how you became a singer, your inspirations, what you're trying to accomplish as a vocalist, etc.

A: Ruby: First, Thank You. I always loved singing as a child. I had informal training in Public Schools. As I got to the age where I could join a band, I felt my voice was too sweet for playing hard music. So I played Bass Guitar instead. Until, I rediscovered how much I love singing. I finally managed to develop a style that works with music that I love.
I strive to become a better singer by constantly trying to outdo myself. No matter how good I feel after a show, I will absolutely try to be better at the next one. Also, there is a lot of music in my head and in my dreams. I always try my hardest to get it out and on paper exactly the way I imagine it. To achieve the closest reproduction of the soundtrack of my mind.

For Tommy and John Paul:

Q: In this band, it seems that the guitar and keys work every bit as well as the traditional lead and rhythm guitar. You have some solos and other parts that I'm honestly not sure if they're being played on the guitar or keyboard. Talk about this effect and dynamic a bit.

A: Tommy: I would say , yes John is a bit like the rhythm guitarist. He keep the rhythm pulsing and strong, while I do my thing. Of course , he also does a lot more. The keyboards are very important in this band. We use them, not only to set a vibe for the song. But also to create and present a hook. Something you'll be humming for a while.
And of course, I get to do the ripping guitar solos !

Q: Q: Ok, here's your free chance. Plug your website(s), album(s), shows, other bands, whatever ya want!

A: Ruby: our primary point of contact is www.myspace.com/saintsofruin. And you can join the RuinNation fan club at www.myspace.com/saintsofruinfans.
Also join us on Facebook at facebook.com/saintsofruin.
As for shows, we are playing in and around the Bay Area through December. Including the Folsom Street Fair on Sept. 27th. Also, If you're lucky enough to be able to join us in New Orleans, we are headlining the Anne Rice Vampire Ball on Oct. 30th. And we're at Corrosion for the Endless Night after party on Nov. 1st. Going to be a Great Halloween.
Our first full length CD "Nightmare" is going to press next month. It will be available for pre order on our myspace page very soon. Then it will be released on Oct. 18th and available through CDBaby.com as well as iTunes, Amazon.com and all the online stores and download sites. The European physical store release will be Spring 2010. Of course you can always order it from us. We will ship it anywhere you live.
Tommy: Don't forget our first CD, "Fairytale" is available right now. It features the single "Labyrinth". We hope you will purchase a copy. As so many people stop buying CDs, bands suffer. To keep the music alive and growing, we all need to get back to purchasing CDs. It really makes a difference for the struggling artist.

Tommy: thanks Jason.
Ruby: Thanks Jason. We'll see you soon.

Look for a review of their show in Sacramento on October 18^th and updates on them in the future, here as always, in the continuum.

"The Used" Dan Whitesides enters the Continuum

2009-08-28T14:47:00.001-07:00

In 2007, the Used scored big with , “lies for the liars”, which debuted at #5 on the Billboard top 200. It went on to become their second straight gold record.
This Monday, August 31st, their follow up Artwork hits stores.
Drummer Dan Whitesides caught up with chicks with guns to talk Artwork, touring, Jimmy Kimmel and more.
Listen here to the podcast of our conversation and stay tuned for more, as always, here in the Continuum.

"The Used" Interview

Jason Coldiron's Podcast

Album Review: Cage's "Science of Annihilation"

2009-08-28T12:37:00.001-07:00

Two days ago I had the pleasure of talking with Cage vocalist Sean Peck. Today I delve into their latest work, “The Science of Annihilation.”

This is a diverse album on many levels. On one hand, Peck has stories to tell and statements to make. On the other hand, Garcia, McGinnis and Girodano have riffs and solos to blow away any metal fan. On top of that, a veteran band of 16 years shows that it can rock your socks off while making your mind work on an intellectual level. “The Science of Annihilation” is a metal masterpiece. Here are my thoughts, track by track.

(Intro) “The power that feeds”

This is a short lead in to the album. It is very dark and powerful. It has an evil sounding voice that sets the theme and tone for the album, culminating with, “behold, the science of annihilation.” ...and a chill goes down my spine. I'm ready, this is gonna be awesome!

“Planet Crusher”

Starts off with blistering double- kick bass drums and screams of 'planet crusher.' Peck goes straight into a fast vocal run. Channeling Rob Halford he rises up the octaves, leveling off just before a screech. The guitar solo kicks in and the pace is insane. A couple of verses later the guitars go absolutely berserk, creating an atmosphere of chaos. Back into the vocals, the theme of the song (and the band?) is summed up best with the line, “master of speed, master of death, fall to your knees and take your last breath.” Wow, this is only the second song?!

“Scarlet Witch”

Beginning with a quick guitar riff up and down a major scale (I think?), 'scarlet witch' keeps the pace pounding and doesn't let up. Guitar solos go crazy. The song changes tempo only by going faster. One thing is for sure: “she'll crush you with her own mind... and into the darkest night you shall die.” As Peck correctly warns, “beware the witch.”

“Spirit of Vengeance”

Jumping out at me on this one is the complementary guitar work by Dave Garcia and Anthony Wayne McGinnis. The solos are there as always, but the guitars as a whole seem to be truly working together. Rather than taking turns exploding, they start a fire and nurse it together, keeping it burning strong. Peck goes to his comic- book roots for the lyrics on this one. “The evil inside you will eat you alive, wheels burning through night, the spirit of vengeance will be by your side.” 'Ghostrider' represents on this one!

“Black River Falls”

Beginning with a ripping guitar riff and fantastic drum work at high speed by Norm Leggio, 'black river falls' is an exercise in technical musicianship. Transitions move seamlessly from verse to chorus to solo and back. Leggio lays the foundation for the transitions with stopwatch- accurate drum timing and beats. This is seemingly effortless work by musicians doing work that is anything but easy. The song also takes it down a notch around the midpoint. A slower, harmonized melody takes over for a couple of minutes before Peck roars again. Mike Giordano's backup vocals are perhaps most evident here as on any track on the album. On top of all of this, Peck finds time to get a satanic- sounding vocal part in and Garcia throws in a quick high pitched solo, making it all seem easy.

“Operation Overlord”

Begins with a quote from “D-Day” and then jumps straight into the ripping. Peck works in lines about war throughout the song. “Face the terror of tyranny.” “We'll defeat the rusty iron cross.” Beautifully complementing guitars back the chorus. While it has been there all along, I particularly notice the low- end work by Giordano on the bass here.

“Power of a God”

“Power of life, power to kill, vengeance I will.” So, those lyrics being screamed by Peck. Brutal guitars by Garcia (matched only by the size of his muscles?). Giordano chanting, “power of a God,” while his low end sinks six feet below ground. Leggio pounding the double- kick in perfect time.

... Nuff' said.

“Speed kills”

Fittingly it starts at, well, mack 4 maybe? Guitars and drums speeding by so quickly I can hardly think. So fast I don't even know how to describe them. I really hate to compare bands to other bands... but I will anyway. The dueling guitar solos on this song remind me of just one song I've ever heard: Megadeth's “hangar 18.” Ever try writing while headbanging? It's pretty hard, trust me.

“Stranger in black”

“Catch me or kill me, I'm not going back. Foot to the floor, all dressed in black.” Peck is on point once more. Moving from that line to some evil sounding talk (more speak than scream). Guitars here are extremely riff- based, mathematical, systematic, brilliant. As the album goes on I can feel the complexity of the solos increasing. The album seems to be turning direction a bit in general as well. Getting a bit harder in a thrash kind of way.

“Die Glocke”

A slow start (for about five seconds) lulled me in. Then it bashed me over the head. The guitars kick in and I'm blown back from my speakers. No sooner did I say I thought the album was going in a different course than it hits right back where it started. Peck is back to channeling Halford (he is at his best when he's doing this). Drums are driving, low end is growling, solos are smooth, seamless and brilliant. “Die Glocke” has put this thing right back where it was heading to start with. I can't wait for the big finish on these last three songs.

Oh- and, “fight, fight for your life, fight to the death.”

“Spectre of War”

Beginning slow, Peck starts with, “my last drop of blood, has bled from my wound, now I'm returning to dust.” This sets the mood for the rest of the song. Peck is on point here. Showing his range, he goes to the lower end of his voice to articulate some of the powerful lyrics, before rising up once more to a scream as he belts out, “haunting our minds is the spectre of war.” The guitars hold steady and lay the foundation, but it's Peck delivering the goods here on the shortest song of the album that makes this a great song. As we'll soon see, this sets the stage for the album's big finish.

“Science of Annihilation”

Opening big, fast and powerful, Cage unleashes an assault on the senses here. Leggio's driving drums and Garcia's riff attack are the key elements in this twist through darkness as, “religion and science collide.” Peck has something to say and it's not just comic- book dreams. He's making a statement. About war, about religion, about rage, about the duality of civilization and man's impact on the earth. And he does this while being backed by blistering guitars and a metal sound that complements the power of the lyrics. On a fantastic album, “annihilation” is the masterpiece.

“Edge of the infinite”

The album closes with what Peck calls the, “science of annihilation trilogy.” “The song at the end is like a guy who gets killed on the battlefield and becomes a demigod. He becomes the specter of war and through the ages he eventually meets god way in the future as the universe is collapsing on itself.” Peck uses a satanic sounding spoken voice to finish his story. “Edge...” closes out the story in glorious fashion.

Topping out at a modest mack 2, 'Edge' is excellent in music. Garcia winds it down with a twisty guitar part that leads the album to a fitting conclusion.

So, where does Cage go from here? To quote Peck once more, “We make jokes that on hell destroyer we destroyed the earth, but on this one we destroy the whole universe. Now we're trying to figure out on the next record what the heck is left to destroy... we're in a quandary right now.”

Quandary or not, Cage will be back. The story, and their story will continue forward. They have much more to say and many more stories to tell

We'll be waiting and listening. Waiting for the next act from this incredible band... here in the continuum.

Wanna hear more from Cage?

https://rcpt.yousendit.com/732538665/deb6428ce8bc69c12b5b6c4ac8c169ce

"Cage" singer Sean Peck enters the Continuum

2009-08-26T17:11:00.001-07:00

Q: For those who aren't familiar with you, tell me what we need to know about your band (short version).
A: “We are an old- school heavy metal band that has stuck with the classic metal style that has developed and been doing what we do since 1992. It's been very successful for us. When it comes to this long forgotten genre we're almost second to none.”

Q: Your website describes you as, “The sikkest, meanest and most vicious heavy metal band in the world.” Make that case to me.
A: “Haha. I think our manager came up with that. It's really the song. You have to display your music ability, but the songs have to be catchy. We come from the Iron Maiden, Judas Priest school of metal. When I was a kid I remember going to huge shows, fighting my way to the stage, huge explosions, huge fires, insane energy that only classic heavy metal can deliver. We're not necessarily innovative or revolutionary or anything, but most bands like that lose the imagination that we've been able to capture. It's what attracted me as a fan of the music first, then wanting to be a singer. When we play live we're able to deliver that huger- than- life arena metal experience. It takes a combination of everything; the look, the sound, the singing, the stage presence and the songs. You have to have all those elements together to really be something special. Don't take my word for it, go online and read reviews of our live shows, they can probably tell it better than I could. Some of the reviews are so over the top, better than anything I could have wrote. So, there's my case.

Q: I can certainly hear Maiden and Priest influences in your vocals. Would you say that these and others contributed to your own development as a musician and singer?
A: “I was a late bloomer as a singer. The leather and stuff like that, we decided early that we're gonna go out there and look like a metal band. Not shorts and shirts like some of us just walked in off the streets and decided to jump on stage. So, the look has been an important part of what we do. As a singer I was a late bloomer. I didn't get into metal until I was 16, so I wasn't really a singer, just a fan of the music. I was kind of a class- clown kid that made funny voices and impersonations. When I was really getting into metal I played air guitar and ran all over the room screaming. Then I decided, 'maybe I could impersonate these.' So I kind of taught myself how to sing and realized maybe I could do this. It turned out it's a lot harder than it looks. Being able to make the sounds is one thing, being able to perform them correctly is quite another. It's only in the last six or seven years that I've really come into my own and been able to deliver the most full- on crushing live performance. It's taking me a while to really get all the tools. Every album fans can hear that not only is the band progressing, but me as a singer, I'm progressing more as a singer than I ever have before. What I'm singing now I couldn't have even thought of singing on the first album. I'm always looking to get better and always looking to push the limits.”

Q: “The science of annihilation” is your most recent work. Tell me about this album. What it's all about conceptually, etc.
A: “We had just come off a big concept album, “hell destroyer” which was like 80 minutes, with a full- on graphic novel and illustrations with an over the top apocalyptic story and segue pieces. We had just come off of doing the most epic of concept albums. For this one we wanted to go back to basics, stripped down, grab a bottle of Jack Daniels and put the pedal to the metal and crank the science of annihilation album. We got a new drummer, Norm Leggio, formerly of Psychotic Waltz. Waltz was one of the first pioneers of the prog- rock movement. In Europe they were on the verge of becoming superstars out there. They toured like 13 times or something. Like any successful, ground- breaking band, they broke up just in the nick of time. The drummer we picked up and Norm is a real student of drumming. It was his new level of technicality and speed that put elements of thrash that allowed us to make this album that was even more vicious than Hell Destroyer, which led to a faster, more speed, overall album. The theme of the record is more of a cosmic vibe, especially with the science of annihilation trilogy. The song at the end is like a guy who gets killed on the battlefield and becomes a demigod. He becomes the specter of war and through the ages he eventually meets god way in the future as the universe is collapsing on itself. We make jokes that on hell destroyer we destroyed the earth, but on this one we destroy the whole universe. Now we're trying to figure out on the next record what the heck is left to destroy... we're in a quandary right now.”

Q: Do you write all the lyrics or is it more of a group effort?
A: “I write all the lyrics and all the song titles usually. I come from a really comic book, science fiction, conspiracy theory kind of background. The only thing I haven't really written about yet is sasquatch. I've been joking online that next I'm gonna be writing, “scream of the Yeti.” I did write two songs about comic- book characters on this album. “Planet crusher” and “spirit of vengeance” which were about the silver surfer and galactus and the ghostrider, so I did get some of my comic- book nerdyness out on this record and its actually been going really well. We're already working on the new album and I'm working on a song right now on Dr. Doom because he's one of my favorite villains. Comic books and heavy metal go hand in hand as far as I'm concerned... just like chicks with guns!”

Finish the following sentences:
The best thing about touring is: “The adventure and the camaraderie.”

When you hear current metal on the radio today you feel: “One of the things is that we play a lot of all ages shows now. We're with a lot of the screamo bands. We completely make them look one- dimensional because the screamo stuff with all the hardcore singing... I don't see how any of them will stand the test of time. I don't see 20 years from now how 'bury your dead' is gonna be a classic band on some classic rock channel. Like, “we play only the 2000's on this station.” With those screamo bands, I don't see how we'll ever be able to distinguish any of them apart. That whole genre, the musicianship is a lot of killer stuff. But when they start with, “this song is called despair” and then that's the only part of the song you understand the whole way through. You're losing half of the power of the music since the words are indiscernible and that's my opinion on that. I'm not down on the nu- metal thing because it brought metal out of the abyss to where now the metal roots are far into the ground now that it will never get kicked to the curb again like it was.

The most underrated band in the world is: “Cage”

The most overrated band in the world is: “Nickelback.” “A band that sells like a gazillion copies, people probably don't even know how many they sell. I actually like a couple of their songs, but the level of massiveness that they've reached is really astounding. I think they sold like 6 million copies of their last album and I don't know if anyone reading this could tell even one song off that record. I liked them a little more after I read the singer's interview in Playboy magazine. It turns out that he used to rob cars and be a total badass...”

Q: You guys have quite a hectic touring schedule. What has that been like and what have been some of your favorite venues and Cities to play in?
A: “Our whole thing is that we did this kind of backwards. Like most people get in a band and start out and tour all over. Then after about five years they never make it, so they burn up and fade out. We're kinda the opposite. We started kinda local and played but never really toured. We had opportunities overseas and a lot of acclaim on our last album. So what we did was kind of sacrificed the success of the band for personal lives. We all have families and we're all pretty well financially set just because we've taken some really good career paths. If we'd have been doing the Winnebago and macaroni and cheese tours we'd have never achieved the financial freedom. Now that we've got that and we're five albums in, we're finding ourselves semi- retired, it's like now that we're older we can go out and play all these places, which is kinda cool because we're like a hundred times better now then we were then, plus we have all this amazing material to choose from. Our first full tour was in May in Europe. We'd played a lot of festivals and a lot of little shows, but that was our first full length tour, here on our fifth album. It really worked out great because we had already built a big fanbase and they flocked in to see us. We got to stay in nice accommodations and travel nice. It was an interesting strategy and it cost the band some popularity in progression. We keep slowly building up the mountain and it's been kinda nice this way.”

Q: September 11th you'll hit the Prog Power USA X Festival in Atlanta, Georgia. What can you tell me about that and what are your expectations for that event?
A: “Prog power USA, the guy has been doing it ten years at least. It's always sold out. It's in Atlanta. And this guy basically flies in all the killer underground heavy metal and prog metal bands that you would like never see in the United States. He flies them in and they all conglomerate at the show. It's just an amazing two days of European and South American, with some killer American bands. There's always some special reunion or something going on, some kind of one time event. This year is no exception and this is our first year playing this thing. The line up is really cool and the people that go there are like the top thousand hardcore, deeply into it metal fans in the world. They buy every record and know all your songs and know when you play a solo wrong and say like, “I noticed you missed a note on blackbeard revolves and the solo was a little off. It's just a really cool event because it's the most into it metal people. The promoter rewards everyone by bring the top talent in the world in, bands that you would never see unless you flew into Holland or something. We're really excited about playing it. It's on September 11th and I'm a pretty big patriot so I think for the final song I'm gonna put on the Captain America baseball jersey, take off one of my leather coats and show some Captain America action.

Q: Ok, here's your free chance. Plug your website(s), album(s), shows, other bands, whatever ya want!
A: “Our website is cage@heavymetal.com. You can go on there and get any of the CD's and shirts. We've got a pretty cool store there where you can get all the stuff. It's probably the easiest place to get the record. Our record has been our for a while but it will probably be in in about three weeks. We're pretty excited about that. Myspace.com/cageheavymetal and I think twitter.com/cageheavymetal. We've been having fun with the twitter, like we played a show outside of Pheonix and the car broke down. We're like 'car broke down, mechanic just pulled up.' Ten minutes later it's like, 'looks like it's the pump.' All the full intimate Cage dealings are on that account. On the 12th and 13th we're playing two shows in New York. One at the Binghamton metal fest. We're a co- headliner at that, we're really excited about that. It's gonna be pretty cool; it's for cancer which is near and dear to my heart. Then we're playing our first show in New York City at the club Europa on Sunday the 13th. We've had a ton of people in New York saying, 'ya gotta come play,' so we're finally making it our there. Then on the 9th we're playing the state theater in Tampa. We played Tampa before and had a really great time and we're really looking forward to that, so that's a little run. Then we gotta hide back deep in the studio and start getting some writing put together before we head to Mexico in November for a couple of big shows in Mexico City, Monterey and Guadalajara I think. It's gonna be fun, it's gonna be an adventure. Now people pay us to come out and play. One of the things is that we're kinda known for our live performance. So anyone that comes to see us, or promoters that risk it and put down their hard- earned money for us to play, we deliver the goods. We've never had anyone say, 'ya, it was cool, but you didn't do this or that.' They're always like, 'oh my God, we've gotta have you back.' It's been a long hard road trying to get to that point. 16 years. Thanks to people like you and people that put out webzines and internet radio and stuff that really support metal in general. It's a really tight- knit underground community and I really appreciate people like you putting in their time and effort toward the webzine. It's a labor of love and I wanna make sure I thank people like you for doing what you do and having me on. We have a San Jose trip coming up so we'll definitely let you know and have you come out.”

We will be in touch with these guys in the future for sure. Keep your eyes open for more, as always, here in the continuum.

More CAGE news can be found at:
www.sonicbids.com/cageheavymetal

Cage interview

Jason Coldiron's Podcast

Warbringer takes time to catch up with CWG

2009-08-26T11:12:00.000-07:00

Warbringer is a combat thrash band playing out of Ventura California. They played a summer tour of European festivals and are currently touring all over the West Coast, Midwest and Canada. They've played alongside the likes of Exodus, Kreator, Soilwork and Overkill.
Lead singer John Kevill took some time out of his hectic touring schedule to catch me up on what's going on with the band, their tour and their album.

Q: Tell me about the origins of the band, how you came to be, etc?
A: It really started when John Laux and I, who had both been trying to form bands, met in his garage and started writing songs. From there we just tried to get a full lineup together, which took a good 6 months, and started playing shows and progressing forward.

Q: In regards to the “thrash revival”, your website says the band, “fought to distance themselves from the flock and the rest of their peers with an extremely aggressive energetic live performance and a determination to drive the old-school sound forward into the next decade with a sense of fresh air and originality.” It also describes you as, “combat thrash.” Talk a little bit about this on a more personal level. What have you done as a band and as individuals to set yourselves apart?
A: Well, we try to have our own sound and style within the old styled thrash metal sound. I think if you've heard us before you can pick out that a song is us very quickly. We tend to have songs that are structurally very quick and a very "no-party time" take on thrash metal. I think that's part of what sets us apart, a lot of the neo-thrash bands go for the fun beer times sound, while we try to sound like getting shot repeatedly by machine guns or something. This is where the "combat thrash" description comes from.

Q: You guys are playing a touring schedule that is simply ridiculous, playing nearly every night for an entire year! Talk about why you do this and what the effect has been on you.
A: Well, we live in a van now, and because we are so active with it, the band is basically our whole lives. I think this is the reason we've gotten as much attention as we have though.

Q: A little more on this topic, do you prefer the 'festival' type of shows or the traditional clubs, concerts, headliners and opening acts kind of of events?
A: Depends! This last tour in Europe one day was the with full force festival, which was a massive gig, and onstage you just feel huge when you stand in front of that many people. A couple days later we were playing at this bar that was so small it didn't even have a stage, but we were literally right in the people's faces and I could reach and grab someone by the throat and those kind of things, making it really intense. Both were awesome shows for entirely different reasons.

Q: 08' Brought “War without end” and 09' brings “Waking into nightmares.” Compare the two, what you did differently, what worked and what didn't, etc.
A: The most important difference I think is the increased tightness of the band, and the production being clearer and heavier. Waking Into Nightmares has a little more death-thrashing stuff on it I think, and also a bit more experimental stuff going on, where War Without End was a straight manifesto of "we are here to thrash."

Q: On 'Waking into Nightmares' you got to collaborate with Gary Holt (exodus). Getting to collaborate with someone with his resume had to be something special. Talk about that a bit.
A: It was! Working with Gary was excellent, and I think he did a great job as the overseer of the project and getting a good sound and all of that. Adam Myatt the engineer gets a special mention too for being excellent.

Q: Playing out of Southern California brings out a lot of competition but also a lot of creativity. What would you say the pros and cons have been of where you are based and where you come from?
A: Well, as soon as we started playing shows we soon saw that there were other bands playing old-school metal like we are, and before long more and more started coming to the shows, and now there's a royal shitload of bands playing thrash. That is both a pro and a con because it means there's a scene and an audience for the music, but there's also a pack you have to stand out from.

Q: The first song I heard on your website was, “living in a whirlwind.” The first thing I notice (within a few seconds) is the trademark thrash guitars (a riff eerily similar to Metallica's “jump in the fire”). Is this song pretty typical of your guitar style(s)? What are your guitar influences, your 'guitar gods', so to speak?
A: Ha, its funny whenever we get a Metallica comparison because John Laux is totally one of those guys who's completely on the Megadeth side of the old Megadeth vs. Metallica battle, to the point where he never really listens to Metallica. I see a similarity for like the first 2 seconds of the riff myself, the whirlwind riff is a lot choppier sounding I think though where the jump in the fire riff is more melodic.
Anyhow, I can say that both John and Adam are very influenced by Chuck Shuldiner, Dave Mustaine, Kreator, Slayer, and also by the classic metal duos like Tipton and Downing. But both of them have a ton of wide-ranging influences.

Q: If I had to compare you vocally to someone I might say Enselmo from Pantera. Do you think that's a fair comparison and is it one you might welcome?
A: Really? To tell you the truth im not much of a Pantera fan at all. I think I have more in common with the rapid-fire kind of thrash singers like Mille Petrozza, Tom Araya, Steve Reynolds, Rob Urbanati, Paul Baloff, etc.

Q: What do you (all) think about the state of thrash metal today and where do you think it's going?
A: More and more people are interested in it because its non-bullshit metal! A thrash band is there to destroy your neck at high velocity, and to write an actual fucking song while doing so. I think that as with anything that's current theres some overcrowding in the scene going on, but I think there are also awesome bands around too.

Thanks so much for your time, we'll be following you with close eyes.

Warbringer can be found at: http://www.myspace.com/warbringer

Their upcoming shows will be all over the West Coast and Canada (and many more). See their website for more details.

Their latest album, Waking into Nightmares is in stores now.

And, as always, look for more of them in the future, here in the Continuum.

Q. and A. with Johnny Death from So' Cal's Death Pilot

2009-08-13T10:03:00.000-07:00

"Death Pilot" is a heavy metal band rocking the socks off of Southern California. They play a brand of music that is both heavy and artistic. With themes of War and Zombies, there is much more to this band than just music. I had a chance to catch up with Johnny Death himself.

Q: Describe what people should know about your band in five sentences or less.

Johnny Death: Well, we’re a metal band. We play heavy music, put on a kick ass live show and have a great time doing it. Were a visually based band, with a zombie WWII military theme.

Q: Talk about the names of your band members, where they came from, etc.

JD: Well our "Names" embody the idea of the band. We all strongly believe that it takes more than just good music to truly put on a show. I can’t count how many times that I have seen good bands and couldn’t tell the difference between the band members and the crowd. That is great if your into the straight ahead approach, but with the industry being where it is it takes more now to stand apart from the rest, especially in metal. It is not necessarily for our audience that we chose our names as much as it is for ourselves. When the lights go out and I hit that stage, I become Johnny Death and I’m there to make the dead rise!!! It’s different for all of us but you get the idea.

Q: Tell me an embarrassing story about your band-mates or other bands you know that you'd like to share.

JD: Oh man, ha ha well….. Here’s a story about a couple of bands. Earlier this year we did a five day run with Trivium, Taking Dawn and From Sword to Sunrise. One of the nights I was watching Taking Dawn, I think we were in Utah and Chris is on the microphone after a song and says “I don’t know how ya’ll deal with this cold weather. If my D*** was as hard as my nipples I would be able to please a manatee!!!” I was having a drink in front of our merch booth at the time and immediately started laughing my a** off with the rest of the crowd. I laughed so hard that I threw up all over my shoes in front of like ten people that were buying shirts from us.

Q: Your song “sea of faces” has some very melodic and also some very metal elements (and it kicks a^^). How did this song come about and would you say it's a good example of your overall sound?

JD: Thanks bro. Sea of Faces is a good representation of our sound as a whole. The song was actually written by Adam “Midian” Ryan and our production team Dirty Icon (Logan Mader and Lucas Banker) as with all of the music, we are trying to balance aggressive playing styles with a defined message that everyone can connect with. This is just one piece of the puzzle connected to the big picture that makes our sound what it is. Imagine what it’s like to be away from home for prolonged periods of time, the effects that it takes on your family and the people that you care about, and yourself for that matter. It’s hard and has the ability to hurt the people you love. That’s what Sea of faces is to me.

Q: Your band has an official tattoo artist. How did that come about?

JD: Justin Lewis, I’m proud to have him as a friend and even more proud to wear his art work. He has known Ares for years and does amazing work. When he was asked to team up with us he was stoked and so were we. We are all into the same things and have a great time when were hanging out having BBQ watching movies etc... it just fit what we were all looking for really.

Q: What is your current status label-wise?

JD: Ha Ha Ha That’s classified info bro, lol.

Q: What do you think about the current Southern California music scene and what do you see as your place in it?

JD: In all honesty, I have never been more proud to be from So Cal. It was awesome to watch the east coast metal scene take over and dominate. Cali has a similar scene that spreads through AZ, NV and WA that is growing and growing. We're right in the middle of it, there is music out here for everyone and it’s only a matter of time before it takes over.

Q: What would be your top- five favorite bands (or artists) of all time?

JD: Yikes!!! Way too many to pick out but, most influential would be:
1) Pantera
2) Slayer
3) Metalica
4) Machine Head
5) In Flames

Q: Your video for “until the end” is a bit of a 'trip.' It includes some animation, some war images and some performance footage (not to mention a wicked guitar solo). Talk about how the video came about, who put it together, the idea for it, etc.

JD: The idea of the video was to portray the concept of the band. Much like our live show, we wanted to instill that sense of a hellish WWII purgatory where the dead are living and you can’t escape. We shot the video with Konstantin from Dommin, he also did all of the editing for it which reminds me I owe that man a beer. Lucas, Konstantin and Adam came up with the plan for the video and worked out the details and made it happen. It was awesome because we killed two birds with one stone in the video. We were showcasing for our booking agent Tom Hoppa during the live shoot for the video, so the performances are as live as they can be.

Q: Have an album and/or shows you'd like to plug here?

JD: Make sure you make it to our show on August 22nd 2009 at Slims in the bay. Go to our myspace page ( www.myspace.com/deathpilotmusic ) for details. Also I live with a couple other dudes that are in a pretty awesome metal band called Jameson (www.myspace.com/jamesontheband) Check em’ out!!! Keep Rockin' - Johnny Death

Les Claypool plays Sacramento 6-19-09

2009-08-10T15:05:00.000-07:00

Early this summer I had a chance to see one of my musical heroes live. Les Claypool played live in my town of Sacramento and I was there. The show was just two days before my birthday. The following is an account of the events of the night... a night I will never forget.
6-19-09
So, last night I went to the Les Claypool show with my Dad. He picked me up at 4 and we had a nice dinner, then headed out to the show, which was outdoors at the Radisson Hotel in Sacramento. The show started at 6:30, doors opened at 6, we got there at about 6:10 and picked up our tickets at will- call. We got in and had a seat on the planter/garden thing, whatever it's called.

It was all general admission, but there were supposed to be some seats on a first- come, first- serve basis. My Dad asked someone and it turned out that the contract for the show didn't have a provision for seating, so, no seats. This was bad for my Dad (who has a bad back), but didn't really affect me as I was going to be as close as possible in the thick of the crowd anyway. It remained to be seen what my Dad would do.

The opening act was the called the black and blue burlesque show (or something like that). They held my attention for about ten minutes, then played for about another half an hour. As soon as they stopped I told my Dad, “catch ya later” and made a bee line for the front of the stage. I was able to get about five feet from the very front rail, which was 10 feet back from the stage, with event staff and the like in between.

The road crew came out and moved out the first act's gear and started the process of bringing in Claypool's gear, along with that of his three band-mates. The gear was considerable. I am quite familiar with a lot of these things and as such was quite interested. I watched them bring out Claypool's stand up bass, his one string bass (the Whamola), and finally his main four string bass, “the Carl Thompson.”
Next, I watched them carefully set up the percussion section consisting of the traditional drum set for the drummer, along with a complicated rig of drums, xylophone, and a couple of other things my Dad could probably describe better than I.

Last, I saw them bring up the cello for that musician. I quickly noticed that this thing was not only rigged up with a built in cable and electric rig, it was being run down to a pedal board (the cello had effects pedals!). I had never seen anything like this. I correctly identified the main pedal as a phase shifter, which he used at various points in the performance. As an aside, I realized that in this set up, the cello was being used as a lead guitar, pretty unconventional, but absolutely awesome.

So, Claypool comes out and the show begins. He plays his trademark bass for a few songs, playing his expected insane bass style so effortlessly that it seemed quite 'normal' to the untrained eye. Looking beyond this, one could tell that what he was doing was far from ordinary. As a bassist myself, I can tell you that I've never seen anyone play that fast on a bass with only finger plucking (that is to say, without a pick). So, they played for about an hour with no breaks. Then Claypool and the cello player went offstage as the two percussionists played a duel-solo that lasted about 10-15 minutes. Neither my Dad nor I had never seen anything like this. They arguably stole the show with this performance. How crazy and out of control did they get? Well, I have to say that in all my life I have never seen a symbol hit so hard that it first cracks, then half of it shatters, sending shards of metal flying across the stage!... can't say I've ever seen that before, lol.

Claypool and the cello player come back out and play for about another hour. Absolutely awesome. Among others, he plays his stand up bass (at break neck speed), three different traditional basses, his custom built bass-jo, and his also custom built Whamola with a gigantic whammy bar (he used this one for just one song, as this instrument goes out of tune in minutes due to the stress the bar puts on it; awesome regardless and like nothing you've ever seen).

So, they rip it up, eventually ending the set after a solid two and a half hours of play. Awesome show, among the best I've ever seen.

Seeing Claypool (one of the reasons I became a musician) was obviously pretty darn sweet as well. It was a fantastic early birthday event. This was a very special night.

Enter the 'Tones'

2009-08-09T15:55:00.000-07:00

Being from Kentucky I have some roots back East. I've been wondering about the music back there and wanted to hear about something other than the country music of Nashville and the like. Enter 'Robby and the Passing Tones.' I recently had a chance to catch up with them and pick their brains a bit.

Q: How did you guys end up together? How did you meet? How long have you been a band together? What is the basic origin of the band?
A: Robby: Damn, this an interrogation, or an interview? I met Chris in December of ’85 when I was about 19 months old, Chris plays the drums. Chris and I have been causing a ruckus since about the ages 10 and 8, or somewhere around there. Thomas Boyd who occasionally plays bass has been a partner of mine for about 10 or so years now, I met him when he was a little tike, he just turned 21. The basic origin of the band is Soul and Rock and Roll.

Q: Where did the band name come from?
A: Robby: What? You don’t like it?

Q: What is your current status label- wise?
A: Robby: We are currently unsigned. However, I am not too concerned with the state of the industry, just the music.

Q: Aside from playing your instruments, talk about what else each member brings to the table in this band.
A: Chris brings love, timing, and logic. Thomas brings chops, taste, and the funk.
I love playing with these guys, and they are no slouches when it comes to conversation or hanging out. We share a lot of common interests, and I love spending time with them.

Q: You call your music “Psychedelic Blues.” Talk about what that means.
A. It has taken me a while to really develop a style I am super comfortable with and some how, it landed on blues. In addition to just being bluesy, I really enjoy trying to achieve an ambient, almost hypnotic sound. It is like a kind of music that captures your attention until you almost lose perspective, of your current state of being.

Q: Your website features the songs “Dig on change” and “Music critique.” What can you tell me about these two songs?
A: Robby: I can tell you that they both come from experience, and the heart. I leave it up to the listener to decide how it pertains to them individually.

Q: “Music critique” definitely has a garage feel to it. Is that intentional?
A: Robby: Say what Jason, you knockin’ my production skills? No, No, I am just messin. Truth be told, I do all the production, with some assistance from Chris and actor/director L.E. The songs that are currently on my website can be considered “rough drafts.” I am in the latter stages of production on a full length, which should take care of this so- called “garage sound,” Jason. However, I do like to keep it real, and raw.

Q: I can hear elements of many blues- type influences in your music. What are some of the bands that led you to the creation of your sound?

A: Robby: Anything and everything that actually has some soul, from Mississippi Fred McDowell, to the Beatles, to James Brown, Hip-Hop, Metal, Soul, Soul, and Soul.
A: Chris: I am really feeling soul, reggae, punk, and ska music right now, but my past musical influences are vast and keep on growing. I am also very interested in the hard-bop era, and earlier forms of rap and hip-hop. There have been various artists that have flipped me end-up and changed my whole musical outlook.

Q: Coming from Knoxville, Tennessee, would you say that the area and region has influenced your sound?
A: Robby: Sure. I believe everything around me influences my decision making.
A: Chris: Knoxville, not really. Tennessee, yes. Knowing that such great music has been recorded and produced here really does mean a lot to me. When I went to the Stax museum in Memphis, it really opened my eyes to some of the greatest soul music ever produced.

Q: There is something about your music that seems somewhat 'detached.' Talk about this a bit.
A: Robby: If by detached you mean, I don’t give a fuck, you are correct sir.
A: Chris: I am in my own world when certain music hits me. If it is detached, so be it.

Q: What do you think the future holds for your band? Touring? Recording?
A: Robby: I am not sure what the future holds. I am just happy to be alive, most of the time, and to have the ability to make music with good people.

Jason: Well said my man. Thanks for the conversation.
Robby and the Passing Tones are currently working on a record. When it is done, you can hear all about it here in the Coldiron Continuum.

Q. and A. with Southern California's Project1

2009-07-27T12:03:00.000-07:00

Project1 is a rising force on the Southern California Metal scene. I recently had a chance to chat with them about how they came to be, their insane stage shows and their upcoming album.

Background:

Q: How did you guys end up together? How did you meet? Were you already friends? How long have you been a band together? Is the original lineup still in tact? What is the basic origin of the band?

A: John: Joe and I are brothers so we were kind of stuck with each other. We found Marc through the world famous Recycler, the same one which Lars Ulrich (Metallica) met James Hetfield through.

Marc: Yeah, Joe called me and we ended up meeting at a Good Guys parking lot so I could hear their demo. Everything sounded cool, I had an audition, and the rest is history.

Joe: I met Jimmy (drummer) at one of his shows when he was playing in a band called Cheva. I was watching him the whole show and he blew my mind. I decided that we needed somebody of that caliber so I approached him and asked him if he knew any drummers just like him. I was wearing my Project1 shirt so he mentioned that he had seen us open up for Skinlab and offered to fill in for us. So, needless to say, we took him up on it.

Q: Where did the band name “Project1” come from?

A: Joe: We were looking for a name that wouldn't pigeonhole us and wasn’t your typical Metal band name like Dark Destiny or Savage Animal. Project1 is a reflection of the music coming first and foremost, before genre, image, or any sort of trendy gimmick.

Q: What is your current status label- wise?

A: John: We're unsigned but we’ll be shopping labels when the album is finished.

Q: Your listed influences range from Metallica, Gypsy Kings, Pantera, Primus, Tool and many more. How would you say these bands helped shape your sound? Are there particular aspects of certain bands that you tried to emulate or incorporate into your style?

A: Joe: I think you can hear elements of our influences in our music, but we try not to emulate any particular band or sound. Our ideas for songs actually emerge pretty organically. A lot of it comes from jamming in our studio together and feeding off one another.

Q: Aside from playing your instruments, talk about what else each member brings to the table in this band.

A: Joe: Marc brings managerial prowess to keep us on task since the rest of us like to go off on major tangents.

Marc: Musically, we all contribute to the writing process. Joe writes most of the lyrics and vocal parts with a little help from John.

John: Jimmy brings great stories about past escapades and the finest in Metal commentary.

Q: On your website you feature covers by Slayer (raining blood) and Rush (The working man). Were these songs you particularly love? How did playing these covers come about?

A: Marc: When we play live, we try incorporate one cover each set. We rotate amongst band members to pick the cover for each show. I think John picked Raining Blood and Joe picked The Working Man. We've also done songs like "Blackened" and "Damage Inc." by Metallica and "Fucking Hostile" and "Use Your Third Arm" by Pantera.

John: We even did “New Years Day” by U2.

Joe: They're definitely songs that we love. But we also try to pick covers that the audience will likely know and sing along to.

Jimmy: Except for the occasional obscure cover like Nevermore's The Tiananmen Man.

John: Who?

The stage show:

Q: Your website describes your shows as, “a hybrid of a concert and an athletic event.” Talk about what this means to you, how this came to be, etc.

A: Joe: Music is very kinetic to us. Some music calls for dancing. Our music usually calls for thrashing, stomping, jumping, head-banging, etc. I don't know how you can't move to music.

Marc: I look at it as a give-and-take relationship with the audience. The more energy we give them, the more we get back, and it feeds off of itself.

Q: What kind of venues have you played? Places you've toured?

A: John: To this point, we've played mostly clubs around Southern California.

Jimmy: We plan on touring in support of the album when it's finished.

Q: How hard is it to carry the kind of energy you guys bring on a nightly basis? What do you do to help keep the energy up?

A: Jimmy: The music and the crowd reaction is all you need. You can be dead tired but as soon as you get ons tage, play that first note, and get that reaction from the crowd, it revitalizes you.

Joe: None of us party too hard. We watch we put in our bodies and try to take care of ourselves. We treat it like a job.

The Album

Q: You have been working on your first full-length album for some time now. Talk about that process a bit. What has that been like? Where in the process are you currently. Where have you been recording?, what kind of set-up do you have?, what has the mastering process been like? What are some things you like and dislike about the whole experience?

A: Marc: We could write an essay to answer this one, but we'll try keep it brief...

Jimmy: You may have to come over and have a couple drinks with us for the answer to this one.

Joe: We're about 68.26% of the way done. No, we're actually about three quarters done. We're tracking at "The Cave", our own recording studio in Orange County, which is both awesome and horrible. Awesome because we can take our time and do it right. But horrible because we can take our time and do it right.

John: Once we've completely tracked a batch of songs, we take them to get mixed and mastered by Paul Miner, who's worked with AFI, New Found Glory, and Atreyu. You can actually see him and his studio on an upcoming episode of LA Ink.

Q: You made the decision to film various parts of the recording process. What are your thoughts on how that has been? Do you find that a camera in the room effects the way you play or record? Do you like it? Do you expect to do the same or even more of this kind of thing in the future?

A: Joe: The filming hasn't been very extensive thus far so it hasn't been invasive at all.

Marc: That damn camera must add about 50 pounds because I'm only 150 in real life...ha ha ha.

John: We definitely hit go when Jimmy starts rolling about various topics. That's always the best footage.

Seriously, though, we mostly do it for the fans. We enjoy getting to see an inside perspective of the recording process of our favorite bands. So we figured, rather than wait around for a year and a half with very little contact from us, our fans would enjoy getting a taste of our process and seeing what the hell is taking us so long.

Q: Since you've been recording, you haven't done shows in a while. How long has it been since you've played live? How has that effected each of you? When do you expect to hit the stage again and where might you be playing (tour?, etc)?

A: Marc: We haven't played since before we started writing and recording, which was last summer. We're definitely itching to play.

Joe: We'll be playing non-stop when the album's done. We'll play anywhere we can plug in. We can't wait to start playing this new material for people.

Jimmy: I can't wait for people to hear my tambourine solo.

Q: It is now nearing the end of July. Do you have an update on when the album may be coming out? Have a name picked yet?

A: Marc: The album is due out in late Fall and is tentatively titled "Inalienable".

The single

Q: The first single looks to be, “Embrace the imperfection.” One of the first things that jumped out to me when I heard it was the driving drum track. It really seems to keep pounding and sets the tone. What can ya tell me about that? Is that an aspect that is indicative of your style of music?

A: Jimmy: The album goes through many peaks and valleys and doesn't stick to just one theme. It's metal, but definitely not one-dimensional.

Joe: It spans as wide of a range as you can within heavy music. It always sounds like us, but I think that we're putting out something that will stand on its own.

But back to your question about the drums, Jimmy is an extremely creative drummer. Regardless of the feel of the song, he always brings interesting and exciting drum ideas to the table. As a drummer myself, I'm always impressed with the ear candy and intricate rhythms he creates.

Marc: This is a very drum-oriented album. I think drummers and fans of percussion in general are going to have a lot of fun with it.

John: Plus, we're bringing back the drum solo in a big way.

Q: How did the song come about lyrically? What's it all about conceptually?

A: Joe: Conceptually, the song is about challenging a cultural and individual disposition towards perfection. The message is about coming to grips with the fact that life isn't perfect.

Q: Do you expect this to be your first single? Do you have any other favorites on this album so far?

A: John: This isn’t necessarily our first single. From the first batch of fours songs that we mixed with Paul, we thought this would represent us well and get people pumped.

Jimmy: Are there actually singles in Metal?

Marc: "Coexisting" is one of my favorites from the album because it takes the listener all over the musical map, from odd-time riffs to mellow grooves to metal thrashing madness.

Jimmy: I don't think there will be a skipper on the whole album. Musically and vocally, there's a lot to listen to. People will probably hear things on the 10th listen that they didn't get on the first nine.

The Future

Q: Presumably the album will be out later this year. Where do you expect to go from there? (touring, more recording, etc?)

A: Joe: We'll do whatever it takes to get this album out to the masses so we'll probably be doing a ton of shows.

Marc: We're very proud of the way things are turning out with this record. It's been a lot of work, but I think that will pay off when people hear the final product.

Q: What does the future look like for this band?

A: Jimmy: If the reaction we get from our shows and this new song "Embrace..." are any indication of how we'll be received, then I think the future looks promising.

Marc: It just a matter of taking our product to the masses and getting the exposure we need.

Metallica's Death Magnetic; a year later

2009-07-18T14:48:00.000-07:00

Album Review: Metallica: Death Magnetic

It has now been nearly a year since the release of Metallica's Death Magnetic. As Metallica rips it up all over the world on the World Magnetic tour (coming soon to California), it seems like a good time to take stock of where this album stands in the Metallica catalog.

With the release of Death Magnetic, Metallica took a major step into the future. From a musical standpoint it is clear that Metallica is making an effort to get back to the style that made them famous, metal, while at the same time not abandoning their mainstream fan base. This album represents an attempt to get back to playing faster, harder and louder than their last four studio albums, an endeavor that should help them reconnect with their hardcore metal fan base while holding onto the catchy choruses and guitar riffs that helped them build a mainstream fan base over the last 18 years. Their early work on such albums as Kill em all, Ride the lightning, Master of puppets, and … and justice for all was characterized by machine gun style rhythm guitars, elaborate guitar solos, growling vocals, long instrumental pieces and a speed that the world had not yet experienced at such a high level.

Most of the songs on those albums were very long, in the 6-9 minute range. On Death Magnetic the machine gun guitars, growling vocals, long songs (most in the 6-9 minute range again), and especially the guitar solos have returned in full force. On their last four studio albums, (St. Anger, Garage Inc, Reload, Load) they had abandoned many of these qualities in favor of more radio friendly vocal hooks and a pace that was more accessible to a wider audience. While this exposed them to new audiences, it led them away from what made them great in the first place and what they do better than anyone else: play faster and harder, while still under control. Once upon a time, they were not just four guys in a garage playing as fast as they could, not caring what it sounded like. They once were four world-class musicians playing as fast as they could, crossing musical boundaries and barriers that the music world didn’t even know existed. Death Magnetic represents an attempt to get back to the style that made them great, while holding onto some elements of their mainstream success.

This album finds vocals and choruses that are catchy, while at times still very bold. Lead guitarist Kurt Hammet, having been given the green light to solo like the days of old, emerges at times with the fury of a caged beast and at times with the restraint of a professional doing what he needs to do to be true to the music, putting his abilities in check for the good of the band and the music when he needs to. His solos on such songs as The day that never comes, unforgiven 3 and The Judas Kiss will remind old school Metallica fans of what they once loved about the band. Drummer Lars Ulrich is as solid as ever, displaying his skills in particular with double kick bass drum playing that lends to the tempo, style and pace of the album and helps hold the music together.

New bassist Robert Trujillo does a fine job of holding down the low end and clearly shows his musicianship and professionalism on a level far exceeding his predecessor in the band Jason Newsted. Lead singer and rhythm guitar player James Hetfield is a mixed bag on this album. His guitar playing and trademark growling vocals are as strong as ever, however, his lyrical concepts and execution leave much to be desired. Lyrics and choruses like, “we die hard” and “I burn my eyes to force it out” may seem ok today, but once upon a time in this band’s history would have seemed ridiculous and wasteful. Perhaps this leads to an important issue with this band: perception. It seems that the Metallica of today is judged more harshly than that of 20 years ago because of their history of success. Had this album come out in 1985, it may well have been viewed as a musical landmark. Today, it is compared to their masterpieces of the past and as such, just doesn’t measure up.

The album begins with “That was just your life”, which opens the album very slowly, before building up to a fever pitch, with two full minutes of instrumentation before the vocals jump in. When all is said and done, this song is seven full minutes of metal anger and rage, peaking with a Hammet guitar solo that would make any metal-head happy.

The next song is, “End of the line”, which starts out very quickly, going straight into some fast instrumentation then moving into a more traditional guitar riff. The main riff of the song will remind many of the tuned down but very clean sounding Master of Puppets. The song is also chalk full of trademark Ulrich double kick bass drums and Hetfield growling through the main verse, “nevermind, you’ve reached the end of the line!” Watch for a blistering Hammet solo around the 5:00 minute mark of this 7:52 long song, leading into a powerful dual guitar closing overtop of Hetfield’s screams of, “the slave becomes the master.” This is a song that would easily have fit right into Ride the Lightening or Master of Puppets.

Next comes, “Broken, beat and Scarred.” This songs gets going strong with a very bendy guitar riff, chalk full of 'palm mutes' by Hammet that flows smooth and hard, leading into a decent riff. Ulrich backs him with double kick bass, eerily similar to Load’s, “Hero of the Day.” “Broken…” has some of the best music on the album. The problem with this song comes from the lyrics. Hetfield is unconvincing as he tries to hit some high notes while singing, “what don’t kill ya make ya more strong… show your scars!” I’m just not buying him on this one and I’m not sure anyone else is either.

The next track brings, “the day that never comes.” In contrast to the previous song, this one displays Hetfield at some of his best moments. The chorus gives him ample room to display some range in his voice and he executes to perfection. The name of the song and the chorus are mirrored in the length of the song, which is nearly 8 minutes. There are several points where it feels like the song may be ending, but it builds back up and keeps rocking. This is a good thing, as the instrumentation is fantastic, moving seamlessly from riff to riff, changing tempo while holding it all together. This is truly an example of what can happen when four world class musicians find their groove.

Next comes, “all nightmare long,” an 8 minute speed monster with the bite to boot. It begins with a nice little bass groove and leads into some old fashioned shredding on the guitars and a hell of a hook as Hetfield screams, “still you run, what’s to come, what’s to be?” This is arguably the most 'catchy' song on the album.

The first single off of this album, “cyanide” follows. I found this song a bit bland and I’m really not sure why it was the first single released. There’s over six minutes of some pretty stock guitars and vocals, nothing that impressed me or inspires me to comment further.

Next up is “Unforgiven three.” This is arguably the best track of all on this album. Beginning with a slow piano and string accompaniment, then picked up by some slow guitars that sound a whole lot like the original “ The unforgiven.” From there it leads into some smooth but powerful guitars that sound a lot like re-load’s “unforgiven too.” The guitar chord progressions flow naturally, leading to the chorus that Hetfield nails as he sings, “how can I be lost if I got nowhere to go… how can I blame you when it’s me I can’t forgive?” After a few times through, with some brilliant ups, downs, and tempo control, Hetfield finds himself screaming, “forgive me, forgive me not!” This leads into a one minute Hammet solo that is nothing short of spectacular, easily the best guitar solo on the album and comparing favorably with his work of the last 23 years… outstanding! A final note about this song is that the lyrics do not resolve the story, leaving open the possibility of the unforgiven franchise continuing on future albums.

Next comes the 8 minute metal piece, “The Judas Kiss” a song about that one thing in life that you know is so bad for you, but you can just never seem to escape it (the Judas Kiss). Here, Hetfield’s lyrics and vocals come through as strong as ever. Metal guitar riffs, heavy bass lines, and complementary drums also highlight this song that steps up and kicks the listener in the gut as hard as possible.

Next comes the entirely instrumental, “suicide and redemption.” This song is just short of ten minutes long and is an exercise in musicianship. No vocals, only two guitars, a drum and a bass, with each instrument being highlighted at various points in the song. The foursome of Metallica repeatedly move seamlessly from brilliant riff to brilliant riff. It sounds like an old jazz band improvising and moving around effortlessly as they transverse the musical spectrum… only hard! As the song moves along the listener finds themselves asking when it will end… but they don’t want it to. There is an obvious parallel between this song and Master of Puppets’, “Orion.” Both are very long instrumental pieces that come late in the album and set the stage for the big finish. “Sucide…” doesn’t quite match the brilliance of Orion… but it’s definitely in the ballpark.
Closing the album is, “my apocalypse,” running just five minutes long but closing the album with a bang. Speedy power chords, but with a sense of urgency that can be felt in your gut fill this song. This song moves probably the fastest of any song on the album. Hetfield’s vocals move outside the box a bit into more traditional metal singing, while the lyrics address issues such as claustrophobia, violence and death.

Meanwhile, Hammet’s solo brings the sound to a boil before Ulrich’s drums slow it down to a stop and you realize the journey through Death Magnetic has concluded. Short and sweet, “my apocalypse” is a fitting finisher to the album.

On Death Magnetic Metallica has taken a major step toward the great heavy metal they once consistently produced and is quite an achievement in it’s own right. It is also, arguably, better than most of the similar styles of music that can be heard on the radio today. If, however, a fan is hoping for something as great as the Puppets or Justice of the past, they are sure to be let down. Compare this album to the Metallica of the past and you will be disappointed; compare it to all the other music of the day, and you will be blown away and happy.