-Interview- Faith In Jane (4/24/14)

Faith In Jane
www.facebook.com/faithinjane
From: Thurmont, MD
Sounds like: Doom Metal




1. How did the band come together and form? Who thought of the name “Faith In Jane” and is there any meaning behind it?

We’ve all been best friends since high school and the 3 of us have always had a passion for music. We used to play more punk rock type stuff but we’ve drifted far from that now. We’ve had the name Faith In Jane since the beginning and anyone can take the name however they want it haha.


2. What do you want listeners to take away from the "The Words Of Evil Men" album? How has reception to it been thus far? How's the new music coming along?

We want people to hear the album and then come see us live because that’s what we’re all about. We’ve gotten a lot of positive response from "The Words Of Evil Men" and we’ve gained more fans since we released it. The new music is coming along great we’re recording at Antithesis Studios with our boy Ashley Maccabee. We did all the instrumentation live, 6 tracks all in almost 1 take each. We’re doing the vocals soon. The next album will be self-titled and will be finished around the end of May.


3. How would you describe your music to the average listener?

Low grooving evil trippy fusion metal.


4. What can people expect from your live show? What are your favorite songs to play live?

They can expect a musical adventure. We improvise a lot of parts in our songs and strive to make it different every time we play. We love playing "Smaug". "Samurai Psalm". "Whale Riders", "The Occultist" and all our new songs. We try to mix up sets a lot too.


5. Who are three bands you’d like to tour with?

High On Fire, Iron Maiden haha, and Hank 3.


6. Any crazy show stories?

Hahaha none we’d wanna talk about.


7. What’s your take on the current state of metal?

Too many clichés nowadays with no soul and that includes most current music not just metal. There’s too many good bands not getting recognition.


8. What’s the current music scene like there in Maryland both locally and state wide?

There really isn’t much of a scene where we’re from but we’ve played a wide variety of bands around Maryland and a lot of good ones. There’s a lot of awesome musicians around the area.


9. What’s your take on legal/illegal music downloading?

Do what you gotta do. The bible is the most stolen book in the world.


10. What’s next for Faith In Jane?

A new album and a lot more shows. And merch!


11. Any shoutouts?

Kurt Hasselhoff for all our artwork. Thom Mize for everything. Ashley Maccabee for recording us. John Coltrane and all our fans and everyone who supports or hates us.

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-Review- Blindside Drop - The Otherside EP

Blindside Drop
www.facebook.com/pages/Blindside-Drop/215979488429234
From: Lexington, KY
Sounds like: Rock



Kentucky based rock band Blindside Drop released this EP a few months back and it shows a very strong sense of potential. "Lullaby" kicks off "The Otherside" EP with a nice driving guitar riff then breaks into a haunting melodic section. The sound expressed on the track is comparable to early Halestorm. "The Otherside" track has strong radio appeal. The chorus and bridge on the track are strong enough to set the foundation of a sure radio hit. The vocals really shine on the track. The last track is their cover of The Eurythmics hit "Sweet Dreams". They nail the cover perfectly. Everything works on the song to make it their own rendition and to have it still hard hitting.

Verdict:

The EP is only three songs and about 12 minutes. There's a lot to like here including great instrumentation, awesome female lead vocals, and a brand of rock that is truly Blindside Drop's own sound. An extremely good EP from the band that really shows their skill set.

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ALBUM RELEASE - Faith In Jane - The Words Of Evil Men

Faith In Jane
www.facebook.com/faithinjane
From: Thurmont, MD
Sounds like: Doom Metal

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-Interview- Cause Of Affliction (4/18/14)

Cause Of Affliction
www.facebook.com/causeofaffliction
From: Wilkes Barre, PA
Sounds like: Hard rock/metal




1. How did the band come together and form? Who thought of the name “Cause Of Affliction” and is there any meaning behind it?

Cause of Affliction was formed in September of 2011 by Bassist Matt Van Fleet and Guitarist Bill Tobin. After several failed attempts in auditioning drummers, Matt decided to ask his close friend Mandy Touch even though she was practically a beginner. Although she didn’t have the most impressive chops, she made up for it in determination and reliability which gained her an official spot in the band. After only a few short months, Matt, Mandy, and Billy wrote 12 songs, but still could not find the right person to fill the vocal position and compliment their unique sound. In February of 2012, CoA was asked to play their first gig. Despite the small setback of still not having a good set of vox, they accepted the gig and played their first show as an instrumental 3-piece. Following their first gig, the trio continued to play out instrumentally in hopes of finding the last piece to their rockin’ puzzle. Finally after over 20 gigs and a dozen auditions, in June of 2012 they found the lungs they were looking for. With the addition of Gary Edrington as their frontman, the beast known as Cause of Affliction was finally in its final and most powerful form. Gary quickly wrote lyrics to the instrumental songs Matt, Mandy and Billy had laid out and they have continued to play out on a regular basis and have been writing new material as a whole since then.
The name Cause of Affliction was thought of by drummer Mandy Touch and is biblical based. Without going into too much detail, it basically means we are all afflicted in some way, shape or form. Whether it is emotional, physical or mental, all of our afflictions have specific causes and we all have our own ways of dealing with and overcoming them.


2. What do you want listeners to take away from the "Freedom Is A Lie" album? How has reception to it been thus far?

As musicians/songwriters, we know our limits. Instead of trying to be the fastest, or the most technical band out there, we stay true to ourselves and don’t follow any trends. As a result of this, we write solid, high-quality material that blends heavy metal, thrash, nu-metal, hard rock, funk, and hardcore. Lyrically, Gary writes a lot about good and bad experiences endured throughout life. Although our lyrics are written on a personal level, our songs can still be interpreted by each individual listener in their own way.
We have gotten great feedback on our album so far. Most fans have told us that they have not taken it out or their CD player yet.


3. How would you describe your music to the average listener?

Our debut album “Freedom is a Lie” is more on the hard rock side, but with the newer material we are writing, we are leaning more towards the heavier, more metal side of the genre spectrum. The most common feedback that we receive is that our sound is very unique and it is hard to think of other bands to compare us to. The few comparasions that we have gotten are Metallica, Pantera, Biohazard, Machine Head, Godsmack, and Korn.


4. What can people expect from your live show? What are your favorite songs to play live?

Energy, and lots of it! We all have a great amount of passion for what we are doing, and our live show really proves that. We are known for our super energetic live shows which include, but are not limited to, lights, fog, mosh pits, band members jumping in the crowd and walking on the bar, sing-a-longs, and of course, a crowd favorite…”The Keg”. The keg is a metal keg that Gary and fans hit with a baseball bat at certain points in our songs. We've always believed that a live show should be just that; a show. People come out to be entertained, not to watch a band rehearse. We make sure to give the crowd 100% of what we have to offer. Of course things happen live, drummers drop sticks, guitarists hit wrong notes; but if you want perfection, listen to the album. Favorite songs to play live? Our new songs Time To Rise and Halo are awesome, in your face songs. Salami gets great reception and the crowd always gives us something back on that one. We do have so many songs now, so it is difficult for us to decide what songs to put in our set-list.


5. Who are three bands you’d like to tour with?

Only three? (laughs) I guess we will say Alice In Chains, Metallica, and Machine Head.


6. Any crazy show stories?

Unfortunately we do not have any crazy stories so far. We have had a few train wrecks and gear issues during live shows, but every band goes through that.


7. What’s your take on the current state of hard rock/metal?

The musicianship and talent out there is unreal. We do not criticize other bands and genres, but try to learn from them as far as stage shows, musicianship and what elements are used to make a band succesful in their respective genre. Every musician/band is different in their own way. We wish that people in America were as supportive of Metal as they are in say Europe, but we do believe hard rock/metal is on the rise again here. Hopefully the “overly sampled and electronic sounding” music phase everyone seems to be going through will start to dwindle down and people will want to go back to good old fashioned raw sounding music that hard rock/metal is known to provide.


8. What’s the current music scene like there in Pennsylvania both locally and state wide?

Our scene locally is starting to pick-up. It was awesome back around 2000-2001 when bands like Breaking Benjamin, Lifer, Strength For A Reason, Cyphilis (Spitcan) had broke through. People were all about original music then. For about 10 years, it went pretty pretty stale and venues/bars were only having cover bands and playing club music. Now there are a good number of great, solid bands in our area such as The Curse of Sorrow, Behind The Grey, Threatpoint, 3 to Breath, Beyond Fallen, Graces Downfall, A Fire With Friends, Sucker, and that’s just to name a few! The big problem our area has is not the lack of talent, but the lack of actual live music venues. If you want to see a show around here with local acts, you have to go to a bar, which limits our fan base to the 21 and over crowd. Although we don’t mind playing in bars, all ages shows are where its at! We want to play to people that are hungry for music and are going out with the main intention of seeing a show. The majority of the bar crowd wants to hear covers and top 40 songs on the jukebox with the main intention of getting their drink on. That’s why we love playing to the under 21 crowd especially. They are there for the music and they give us back the same amount of energy we give them. We believe our scene is starting to slowly come back, but we need venues that are there for the music, not for the bar sales alone. As far as state wide, it is tough everywhere.


9. What’s your take on legal/illegal music downloading?

We feel that legal downloading sites such as iTunes and Amazon are great ideas not only for the artist, but also the listener. A lot of people may only like a handful of songs by a band, so purchasing a particular song works best for that listener. Also, with the advancements in technology with iPods, iPhones, and Smart Phones, legally downloading songs to your device is more convenient for the listener, while still allowing the artist to benefit from song sales and helping them continue to do what they love. We personally believe that illegal downloading has ruined the music industry. Today, bands make very little profit on CD sales as it is and they have to rely solely on merchandising while on tour. There is so much undiscovered talent because most bands cannot continue to self-fund their business. People complain about ticket and merch prices being too high; however, when you aren't making any money off your songs, you need to make a living somehow. Although serious musicians play because they have a passion for what they do, they also need to be able to handle all the hefty expenses it takes to keep the band a float, just like you would in any other business. A lot of people fail to realize that a band is in fact a business and although we play because we love what we do, we also need to make profit to advance to the next level as an artist, and to be successful. Musicians have bills to pay just like any other working class citizen out there. When you steal off the artist, you are not only taking off the artist, but their families as well. How would you feel if 50-75% of your wages were garnished because someone feels it is their right to take what you've earned. It may sound greedy and selfish, but who is going to work for nothing?


10. What’s next for Cause Of Affliction?

Hopefully get out on a tour soon. We continue to play out not only locally in our area, but regionally as well. We are always writing new material, so we will be in the process of recording our 2nd album within a few short months.


11. Any shoutouts?

We would like to thank all our friends, families, the bands we share the stage with and most importantly, the Afflicted Family, for all they have done and continue to do for us! We would not be able to do what we are doing if it was not for all of you. The amount of faith you have in what we are doing and the support you have given us is really just amazing. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

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-Interview- Mind Over Time (4/17/14)

Mind Over Time
www.facebook.com/mindovertime
From: New York City, NY
Sounds like: Alternative/Indie Rock




1. How did the band come together and form? Who thought of the name “Mind Over Time” and is there any meaning behind it?

Xavier - Wes and I played with the idea of forming a band while we were in college. We jammed a few times with our buddies but nothing really took shape until we returned back from a road trip to Canada. It was then that one of us made the solid suggestion of starting a band. Interpol's japanese b-side "Mind Over Time" was playing on the car radio and somebody, whom of which is still hotly disputed to this day said "you know, If we start a band, We should call it Mind Over Time. BOOM! band name. At first it was a place holder until we formed the final line up but it ended up sticking due to how appropriate it seemed to be. As the years passed by, writing demos, lyrics and fine tuning our sound and instruments, we realized we have given the whole process a lot of attention, time, patience and dedication. Mental stamina over all of the obstacles that seem to challenge us. I'm glad to say we met and climbed every wall head on. Mind Over Time, to me at least, means staying focused no matter how long it takes to achieve a goal.

Wes - It was the strangest thing, There were times when we tried to change the name for something better but just as it was discussed something would happen that lead us to use the name in the situation. Sometimes it just takes to have patience and composure over the situation presented in time. you have to have "Mind Over Time". Musically it works perfect as well.


2. What do you want listeners to take away from the "A New Kind Of Romance" album? How has reception to it been thus far?

Xavier - I hope the listener becomes intrigued and sticks around. So far the reactions have been positive. The single "Northstar", is doing very well on Youtube. At this moment, I believe its passed the 4,000 views mark. We released the video a little over 2 weeks ago. Not too shabby, lol

Heather - The reception has been phenomenal, haven't had any negative responses. This album is something that anyone can relate to, and I hope that people do.

Wes - I hope the listeners take away the potential that is in this bands sound and music. There are so many directions we can go into sonically. I hope they fall in love with our melodic musical stylings as well as our personalities. The reception has been like a dream and the support has been incredible.


3. How would you describe your music to the average listener?

Xavier - Take the synths of the 80's, alternative rock stylings of the 90's, the vocals of the 00's and there you have it.

Heather - It's genuine and its heartfelt, It's very easy to listen to and it's something to put on whatever mood you're in.

Ben - Required listening.

Wes - All of the above and more, everyone in the band has different music tastes, and is always listening to something different from each other. When we come together, everything comes together and those influences become apparent in the music.


4. What can people expect from your live show? What are your favorite songs to play live?

Wes - People can expect a high energy, fun time with everything under the sun. My favorite songs to play live from "A New Kind Of Romance" are "Farewell Until We Meet Again", "The Ways You Remind Me", "Northstar" and "Closer". There are some new songs that we are going to mount to our live show. We love to practice them and think they will be great to play live. So we are definitely excited about that.

Xavier - Even though we haven't played them yet, I have a feeling the next batch of songs we have coming up will be my favorite to perform live. On "A New Kind Of Romance", "The Mirror" and "The Ways You Remind Me" are a few of my favorites.

Ben - Hopefully something that they like and remember the next day (we have all kinds of A.D.D up in NYC). Usually "Northstar" and "The Ways You Remind Me" but, nothing is better than playing fresh new songs which I'm definitely looking forward to.

Heather - "Closer", "She's Evil", "Bill", "Northstar", "Farewell", "Until We Meet Again". I'm excited to try the new ones out as well.


5. Who are three bands you’d like to tour with?

Ben - Brand New because I've got to go with a fellow NY band. U2 because duh! They are the biggest band in the world so even if 90% of the audience hates us we are still get like 500 new fans, and Hasselhoff for sex appeal.

Xavier - Phantogram, White Lies, and Frankie Rose.

Wes - I would love to tour with the Kings Of Leon because we would have great pool games after shows. U2 because they are the biggest band in the world and it would be massive exposure. It would be a dream to tour with them. The 1975 is my third just because I feel their audience would love us and the back stage shenanigans would be great. I know you said three but The Killers are another band that would be a blast to tour with.


6. Any crazy show stories?

Wes - Our first show was nuts, The night started very quiet when we got to the venue and the place was empty but about one hour before our start time we were informed that we had sold out the show. When we got our equipment set up there was no room anywhere for us to play. There were people standing in places they weren't suppose to and I remember having someone on my bass rig during the whole set. It was a lot of fun. Great reception. After the show, we partied with everyone all night.


7. What’s your take on the current state of alternative/indie rock?

Ben - See Coachella/Lollapalooza line ups every year and that's pretty much the state.

Xavier - It's going strong but not through the mainstream sources. This is a positive statement as it means that the mainstream sources are no longer the most used means of music listening. That's awesome! Gives us little guys a chance.

Wes - It's not as strong as it could be but, everything works in circles and when it comes back full swing we will definitely be there to capitalize.


8. What’s the current music scene like there in New York both locally and state wide?

Ben - In the NYC area, it's pretty much the indie/electronic thing going on (The National, Vampire Weekend, Animal Collective, etc). If you look throughout the state there's probably more scattered isolated metal and punk scenes in the burbs (especially Long Island and around Albany).

Wes - Besides what Ben pretty much stated from what we see is that there isn't much of a scene but we are definitely working towards building that up by making friends with like minded bands and building something back up.


9. What’s your take on legal/illegal music downloading?

Heather - It's in the title itself, "Illegal!", I'm not saying that I haven't done it before but it's not right. Music is someones living or means of survival. Creating songs and albums for an artist takes them away from their families, friends, lives, children, etc. so that they can create this and support both themselves and their families with it. When you go on and download it illegally it's just a slap in the face. If you really like the music and the artist, you should go out and spend your money and support them so they can continue to put out great music for your enjoyment. Otherwise we are always going to be overrun by "artists" like Justin Beiber and Miley Cyrus.

Ben - I was for it when I was younger and broker but, now that I'm in a band and trying to actually be successful at it; I would totally kick my own ass from 5 years ago.

Xavier - It's happening whether you like it or not and there's not much anyone can do about it. Even if bans, or blocks are put into place, someone will find a way to continue to do it and the method will always spread quickly. The plan of action a band takes on has to include this fact into their strategy.

Wes - I can write a huge book on this subject but, I go with Ben and Heather on this. As an avid collector of vinyl records, I definitely feel you should go out and support. I do love free LEGAL downloading for unreleased stuff, demos and rarities. Music has a value in everyones lives and that's something that should be worth paying for. Look at Wu Tang's latest album. It sold for millions because they only released one copy and feel that music is an art and should be appreciated and valued as such, and I agree wholeheartedly.


10. What’s next for Mind Over Time?

Ben - "The same thing we do every night Pinky…"

Wes - We are working on new material to release in the summer time and are gearing up to play everywhere and anywhere we can. Our ultimate plan is cheesy, but it is world domination.

Xavier - The new material we have been producing as a group is a lot more organic and a real collaborative effort between all of the members. It's great and I really believe that whats coming is going to be excellent. We are also looking to build a strong fan base by playing a lot of shows in the tri-state area as well as expose people to the music. Now that we have a music video for "Northstar" we are using it as a big part of our marketing. New videos are to come soon.


11. Any shoutouts?

Xavier - Jaqi Medlock, Ryan Phillip Thomas, for doing our photos and first music video. All of the independent magazines, internet radio stations, and promo companies that have been helping us out. So many to name , I apologize that there's nothing specific here but you're all in our hearts and minds. Thank you so much.

Ben - Greg Dunn (Moving Mountains), every bar and liquor store, that diner in Poughkeepsie, and The Entourage.

Wes - I would love to give a shout out to my brother Brian, Farrah, Linette, Aki and the Entourage, Abslans Family, Heathers Family, Moe, Kishwar, Billy, Jaqi Medlock and Ryan Phillip Thomas, Beau Hill, Devin, Carlos & Karla, Our boys in And You & I, Signal For Pilot, Doug and the rest of Cerenkov and everyone else whose lend us an ear and listened or have gone to one of our shows. We love you all.

Heather- All of our friends and families for understanding when we have had to bail on things or not be able to show up to things because we were 'working'. And to those same family and friends for coming out and supporting us.

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-Interview- Clumsy Words (4/11/14)

Clumsy Words
www.facebook.com/clumsywords
From: Akron, OH
Sounds like: Pop Punk




1. How did the band come together and form? Who thought of the name “Clumsy Words” and is there any meaning behind it?

We actually all met via craigslist. Thankfully, none of us turned out to be serial killers. The name Clumsy Words originally derives from a Blink-182 lyric, but we also liked it a lot because of the deeper meaning that is evoked...the thought that things you want to say never go exactly how you plan, or exactly how you want to say them. We're always tripping over our words and stumbling over our tongues.


2. What do you want listeners to take away from the "Clumsy Words" EP? How has reception to it been thus far?

That good music isn't always about what you say, but rather, how you say it. There are a million songs about girls and hating your parents, but we strive to create that one or couple of lines in each song that is going to make you remember us. And as for reception, I would say that people not only seem to like the EP, but seem to be in love with it. We expected a lot of people to say "It's pretty good" but we find that we hear a lot more "I can't stop listening to this, give me more!" and that's very encouraging because we totally didn't expect it.


3. How would you describe your music to the average listener?

A rich blend of melodic guitars, fast-paced drums, and sugary vocals.


4. What can people expect from your live show? What are your favorite songs to play live?

A lot of crappy jokes, terrible dance moves, and sweaty bodies.


5. Who are three bands you’d like to tour with?

Blink-182(as if you couldn't already tell that we like them), The Wonder Years, and Neck Deep.


6. Any crazy show stories?

One time, we played a show at The Agora in Cleveland, and just happened to run into an A&R from Standby Records in the restaurant next door, and after a short conversation, he seemed enthused to check out our show. Long story short, he walked out on us 2 songs into our set, so I don't think he liked us very much.


7. What’s your take on the current state of pop punk?

It's full of bands that want to be angry and shout a lot in their music. Not that it's a bad thing, but it's certainly a noticeable trend when you look at the bands getting picked up by bigger labels and management companies.


8. What’s the current music scene like there in Ohio both locally and state wide?

It still isn't as great as it once was, but it's definitely a more supportive scene now, than it has been in recent years. More kids are stealing their parents' cars to come to shows and actually enjoying the music and really getting into it. 3 or 4 years ago, it was just family, and girls standing in the middle of a moshpit, texting and taking selfies. It's nice to see people who actually put down their iPhone for something.


9. What’s your take on legal/illegal music downloading?

It's love and hate. It's very unfortunate that unless a newer band literally gives their first release or two away, nobody cares enough to buy it or listen to it. But on the flip side, free music is more accessible and therefore, by giving it away, it's more likely to gain exposure and spread that band around faster.


10. What’s next for Clumsy Words?

Definitely a little bit more touring for the EP this summer, and we are currently writing an album, so stay tuned!


11. Any shoutouts?

Our parents, friends, bandcamp addicts, and all the other internet people helping to spread our music and get us out there. We love you <3

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-Review- Inside A Sinner - Son Of Violence EP (2014)

Inside A Sinner
www.facebook.com/insideasinner
From: Uppsala, Sweden
Sounds like: Metalcore



Tracklisting:

1. Broadcast Pt 1; The Epidemic
2. Influences
3. Son Of Violence
4. A Perceptive Line
5. Life Changer ft Viktor Nordendahl
6. Peak & Dagger
7. Broadcast Pt 2; Closure

Buy here

Inside A Sinner is a melodic metalcore band from Uppsala, Sweden. The opener "The Broadcast Pt 1; Epidemic" has a very 28 Days Later vibe to it as it sets the tone with its apocalyptic vibe and synth laden breakdown. Not too gloomy, not too cheery. "Influences" kicks in with an almost Bury Tomorrow type riff. Right off the bat, it's aggressive metalcore right in your face. "Son Of Violence" features a tad more electronics than the previous track but doesn't get too much in the way. It's very passionate metalcore and has an early The Ghost Inside comparison to the track. "A Perceptive Line" is a five minute track but would be a fan favorite. It has a lot going on and is a must hear. "Life Changer" features Viktor Nordendah and doesn't disappoint. The track opens with a gang chant followed up by Parkway Drive esque vibe. The track is a standout and builds up to an utter explosion of sound. "Peak & Dagger" has an Feed Her To The Sharks like aggression. It's a solid track that sets the tone for the closing track. The closing track is "Broadcast Pt 2' Closure" and just like the intro, its moody and atmospheric. It brings to mind that after listening to the EP, it all makes everything that much better.

Verdict:

Inside A Sinner's debut EP is raw and powerful. Their style of melodic metalcore will put Sweden on the map for the genre. The EP will blow the ears off of any metalcore fan. Welcome to your new favorite band metalcore fan.

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-Interview- Skysleeper (4/9/14)

Skysleeper
www.facebook.com/skysleeperband
From: Bangor, PA
Sounds like: Rock




1. How did the band come together and form? Who thought of the name “Skysleeper” and is there any meaning behind it?

The band came together when I found Cory through my younger sister. One day when I was at CVS I met Dave and it pretty much fell together from there. We all just started to jam and that lead on to more serious things. I got the name from my love of both flying and sleep. I later learned that we share our name with an aircraft, making it all the more interesting. Not super symbolic of anything, because we really want people to form their own opinions about what the name means.


2. What do you want listeners to take away from the new "The Year Of The Cicadas" EP?

We want people to take away that our sound is unique. On “The Year Of The Cicadas” all of our songs sound different. We don’t want our originals to sound the same. We want all of them to have their own exclusive sound. We want people to take away that we are a young new band that can provide catchy energetic music that is one of a kind.


3. How would you describe your music to the average listener?

We describe our music as sporadic. Everything we play is from hard rock to ballads.


4. What can people expect from your live show? What covers gets the crowd going? What original tracks are your favorite to play?

Our fans and viewers cannot predict anything at our shows. Every show we play is very energetic and it reflects on the audience. With Mick and Dave jumping up and down, me slamming the drums and Dave doing what he is best at, we throw an amazing show at the crowd. Some originals that get the crowd singing along, moving or even moshing are, Stay Together For The Kids (Blink-182), Monument (A Day To Remember), Ain’t No Rest For The Wicked (Cage The Elephant) and many more. We all have our favorite original tracks. I like to play “Stupid Worthless Kid”. Mick’s favorite song to play is “Wild Flight” and Dave really likes “Fired Up” and “Strange One”.


5. Who are three bands you’d like to tour with?

The three bands that we would love to tour with are Neil Young, Black Sabbath and A Day To Remember.


6. Any crazy show stories?

We don’t have any crazy band stories so far.


7. What’s your take on the current state of rock?

Rock is DEFINITELY in recovery, with bands like Pearl Jam and The Offspring and Blink-182 still going strong, and new bands like Cage the Elephant being as awesome as they are and having the total throwback sound.


8. What’s the current music scene like there in Pennsylvania both locally and state wide?

Especially around us, people are very supportive of the music scene. Statewide, there's plenty of bands with dreams as big as ours. Every band that plays at shows just do it for the love of music. There isn’t any bashing on other bands. Everyone is their because they love music.


9. What’s your take on legal/illegal music downloading?

Our take on legal/illegal music downloading is that legally downloading music would be preferred for the artist. A lot of work goes into writing music, recording, and touring. The average listener might not understand how much needs to happen to put songs together or other things if they have never done it before. If you are buying your favorite bands songs that is helping them pay for all the behind the scenes work that goes on in a band and helps them continue their dream. Illegally downloading songs does not compensate the artist but it still gets their music out to the world. There are a lot of bands that say as long as their music gets to their listeners then they are satisfied. We want our music out there either way. If you have the money you should buy the songs from any band.


10. What’s next for Skysleeper?

The next big thing for Skysleeper is just trying to get out and play as much as possible. We are hoping by the end of this summer to have a new album. We are also trying to go on a summer tour.


11. Any shoutouts?

Anyone that has helped us get where we are now, we would like to say thank you! A huge shoutout goes to Aaron Hallett. Aaron helped us record “The Year Of The Cicadas”. We couldn’t be more impressed of how professional he was and how much time he invested with us. He spent many more hours working with our music then he had to. Without him, we wouldn’t be where we are now. We would also like to say thanks to other bands that have supported on our journey and all of our friends and family that come out to all of our shows and provided us with the equipment to play.

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-Interview- Vengeance (4/1/14)

Vengeance
www.facebook.com/vengeance213
From: Kalispell, MT
Sounds like: Metal




1. How did the band come together and form? Who thought of the name “Vengeance” and is there any meaning behind it?

The band was first formed in the spring of 1998 as a three piece thrash metal band. While playing local shows over the course of the next 10 years, band members came and went, while I was on the search for the right combination of musicians to complete the project. I met Mat in 2003 and then Dalton joined the band in 2013, which is our current lineup. We have toured across the northwest since 2009. The original drummer of the band came up with the name. The name means a lot to us. Vengeance means sticking to our guns, following our dreams and ultimately succeeding in the face of all of those who think we are wasting our time. \m/


2. What do you want listeners to take away from your music?

Two things: Lyrically - to expand their minds and make them really think because our lyrics are deep and not to be taken completely literally. Musically - to make them head bang and move to the music, releasing their bad emotions through it so they are left happy and satisfied.


3. How would you describe your music to the average listener?

We have a lot of old thrash influence at our core, with hints of speed metal, death metal and some progressive. We are very 'riff' oriented and draw from influences all over the musical board.


4. What can people expect from your live show?

To be punched in the face (metaphorically speaking). There are no distractions, no unneeded extras, just 100% intense heavy metal.


5. Who are three bands you’d like to tour with?

Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax to name a few.


6. Any crazy show stories?

We played a show in December of 2012 in Portland, OR @ The Tiger Bar, I will never forget it. Our alternator died on us 4 blocks from the venue. Right across the street, there was a santa clause party where everyone was partying while dressed in santa suits. Long story short, we recruited somewhere around 15 "santa clauses" to push our RV and trailer 4 blocks through downtown Portland towards the venue. There were so many people on the streets giving us the craziest looks. Our new crew sang 'ho ho ho' while they pushed us ultimately into a parking spot. We even had to stop at a few red lights and then get going again, it was unbelievable!


7. What’s your take on the current state of metal?

There are bands out there I like and bands I don't like. Musically, I feel like the metal genre has become so spread out and convoluted. There are so many sub genres, I can't even keep up with it. Some bands are trying to push the envelope so far that it doesn't sound like metal or even make any musical sense. I appreciate originality, but if it doesn't sound good, it doesn't sound good.


8. What’s the current music scene like there in Montana both locally and state wide?

Our hometown has no music scene. It is very difficult to find a venue that will accept metal bands. The rest of Montana is much better, there are some amazing metal bands in MT (namely Missoula, Billings and Great Falls) and there are some great venues in the bigger cities. In Butte, there is a college radio station that has done wonders for the underground metal scene here in MT. (KMSM FM and The Mistresses of Mayhem).


9. What’s your take on legal/illegal music downloading?

We just want you to listen to our music and come see us live. If you download it illegally, I guess that is between you and the authorities. And kudos to you for risking yourself by breaking laws to listen to us! Our live show cannot be matched by any recording though, so catch us on tour.


10. What’s next for Vengeance?

Recording a new album soon, releasing a music video and lot's of touring. We are going to expand our tour routes from the northwest down to the southwest and then head east. Spreading the VENGEANCE NATION.


11. Any shoutouts?

Our sponsors - Underground Herbal Spirit and Five Wives Vodka from Ogden, UT. Our brothers American Head Charge who we have toured with in the past. Kronos Kustoms - Missoula, MT, The Mistresses of Mayhem (KMSM FM) - Butte, MT, Pat from Sir Smooth Entertainment - Salt Lake City, UT and all of the bands we have shared stages with!

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