Album Review: Kava Kava's "Forwards"

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

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

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

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.

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"

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"

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"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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"

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

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.