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Interview Interrogation: Gabe Crisp of Whitechapel (USA)

3/11/2017

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Whitechapel. To some it's the area of East London famed for Jack The Ripper, but in metal context it's an American Deathcore band with a splattering of various influences pocketed here and there from Black Metal to Groove Metal. However this quintet (drummer Ben Harclerode left this year) are more than your generic breakdown-laden, riff chugging clone that seems to dominate the ever-exasperated Deathcore genre. They are the leviathan of the genre, avoiding the cliches and common aesthetics found entrenched in most Deathcore bands and thus pose themselves as truly unique.

They were welcomed back to Bloodstock this year with open arms and certainly gave the punters their monies worth.

GMA took time out to talk to Gabe Crisp, the Whitechapel bassist about the band's history,


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"I'd love Whitechapel to be part of a video game, that would be cool. I'd be down for something action-packed for sure."


Whitechapel has been going for 11 years now, what has been the most challenging part of the band's career so far? Did the band name originate from the East London area?

     "The fact that you're constantly leaving home and things like that, we're all home buddies... things like driving 5 minutes to work is a lot easier than flying across the world you know? But nah we love it, it comes as part of the territory.

     Our band name came from the Whitechapel area in London, I was proposed to be the man to go on to call our band name and Phil said 'Whitechapel', I was like 'what the f*ck?' Why would you call it Whitechapel?' It's weird because that's where Jack The Ripper killed a bunch of sluts back in the day. I was like 'oh shit that's pretty hard, that's metal as f*ck' and so here we are.

     I mean another thing, I'll give you this one, Whitechapel is kind of like in a similar way; not saying we're in any way like the band, but the name Black Sabbath... I thought about this a couple of years ago, Whitechapel, see it's like black and white, Sabbath and chapel and it's like it works, I think Whitechapel works, I don't hate our band name. Some bands they're like 10 years in and man I f*cking hate our name, it sucks."



Whitechapel is often regarded as a Deathcore band, but on 'Mark Of The Blade' you leaned more towards Groove Metal right?

     "Yeaahh so, I mean we've been a band for 11 years so we try not to write the same record twice, we don't want to do that, we never have, what we were into and writing you know ten years ago... I don't know it's kinda hard for us to not evolve, that's pretty much what it all is - growing up and changing, we just want to be a metal band and not really sub-genre it and all that sh*t, keep it fun for us and try to play shit that people had gotten in to.

     Whatever you refer to us I don't care, to me that term [Deathcore] reflects our early years kind of vibe. It's just 10 years ago for us, we already done that kind of sound you know what I mean? Not that there's anything wrong with it, but we just can't write the same record over and over like we're going to be on our 7th record. If you're talking 10 songs a-record, that's 70 songs sounding exactly the same and if you're putting yourself into that genre, defining yourself as such - there's sh*t all you can do there right?"


Aside from metal music, do you have any influences from outside of metal? What does your family think of your music?

     "Yeah I was telling a guy earlier about this stuff, when I was 14 I started playing bass guitar and that lead me to become a part of this band. The first band I fell in love, went to see and why I got into guitars was Green Day actually and not a metal band. I was a big fan of Green Day back in the day, just thought that the bass, being loud and proud in that band was super sick, it was cool man.

     My parents are awesome, they know I do big sh*t, they're stoked. It's not the greatest job in the world I guess for some people, but it is to me and that's how it works. My family usually come to the out-of-town shows once every a couple of years or so they'll come to a show, my dad loves to have a few beers and watch me play and my mum has no idea what's going on - she has a good time."



Would it be fair to say that Phil Bozeman is one of the fastest Death Metal-style vocalists out there?

     "I hope so, sure why not? I think he's the best for sure, I don't know that's just me. I think he's the best for sure. I like watching some frontmen from other bands, but as far as vocals go yeah he's a bad ass - he's very good at what he does. I think he can stand beside anybody in anyway."


Regarding your song 'The Saw Is The Law', what does the song title actually mean?

     "I have no idea man, honestly all it is we use that song live as like our logo, those two words rhyme and makes sense I guess? I don't write the lyrics but I think it was just a kind of play on words that kind of rhyme and everybody seems to like it so it works out. There's a lot of saws, we have a lot of saws in our designs, in our album artworks, something like that."


Are there any major festivals in Knoxville?

     "No we don't really have anything like that, we play our home town once a year usually, and it's not really a metal town by any means. We're a local band that travels a lot, we have our fans but as far as metal music goes in general, there's not much going on. If there was a festival it would not be metal, how about that? Yeah we'd play a non-metal festival without a doubt, I mean we played Warped Tour which is considered non-metal, it's more metal than it used to be for sure. But yeah we'd play anything, we like good music but it has to be metal for sure; if they want to listen to us then we wouldn't want to play in front of people who wouldn't want to hear us but at the same time we'd love to play anything."

Credit goes to the Bloodstock Open Air Festival Team

You've just finished your set, how was it?

     "It was a great time, it was early but at lot earlier than we're used to but everything went well, because we were having a good time. It was easy, played all the songs well so can't really complain. It would have been cool if it was a little sunnier out but I'll be honest, it's not hot right? It's not raining so I'm not going to complain."


For the New Blood Stage bands, some have only just started out, some have never played a major festival before, what advice could you give them (and future unsigned bands at Bloodstock)?

     "I'm assuming that the shows are going to be bigger than they're used to or something like that, for me I never had a problem with the size of the crowd. Don't even worry about the crowd, it's easy just play your show on stage and whatever is happening down front don't even worry about it. Just play your show on stage, that's what I'd say."


Is it relatively hard for American bands to go on tours across the States?

     "Nah nah, I mean for us we've always been lucky I guess but at the same time it's fairly easy as long as you have a somewhat of a following and, maybe starting up is kind of hard - I think that would be for anybody, shows in America go well."


When Whitechapel is on tour, what do you guys get up to to occupy yourself whilst travelling?

     "PlayStation 4, some of us try to go to the gym every now and then if there's a way to get out and get the pump on, get a shower you know? Let's see, yeah usually just PlayStation, we play a lot of PlayStation. We've been playing a lot of NHL 17, Uncharted 4, but I'm usually watching Zach (Householder) whilst drinking beers - it sounds boring right? But it's what we do."


Speaking of PS4, if a game developer was to ask Whitechapel to provide a song for a new PS4 or Xbox game would you do it?

     "As many as would, forever, why not yeah. I used to learn about bands who liked Tony Hawk back in the day, that had awesome soundtracks. I'd love Whitechapel to be part of a video game, that would be cool. I'd be down for something action-packed for sure."


Does Whitechapel have any plans confirmed for 2018 so far?

     "So far I don't know if I'm supposed to talk about it, I talked about it earlier though in some form of it, but we're going to be back early Spring of next year and I don't want to say who we're coming back with, but yeah we'll be back early next year. I think it's mainly Europe stuff, maybe some UK stuff but it's very early stages but it looks like we're going to be over here next year, early next year."


Gabe, have you got any hello's, greetings, etc you wish to send out to fans, family, etc.?

     "Well yeah I just got married, so I'll say hello Corinna, what's up girl? I'll figure out that she manages to read / listen to this, it's awesome. Anybody that listens to Whitechapel, that would be cool I feel like I'm a pretty lucky person in talking to you guys so, I just want to say thanks to anybody who has checked us out, liked us or not, who cares, I appreciate it - thanks to the bands."


http://www.whitechapelband.com/
www.facebook.com/whitechapelmetal


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Interview Interrogation: Jaime Ross of Omotai (USA)

2/11/2017

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It's always nice to see individuals or groups giving the their input towards a relief effort and Omotai are no exception. Having provided a track for the Hurricane Harvey Benefit Compilation, this Texas unit are committed to bringing charity to those affected by the hurricane in late August / early September.

GMA had to catch up with the guys to talk about this sensational venture, their origins and the extreme weather Texas has to deal with, that being tornadoes as well as hurricanes.

Vocalist / Guitarist Jamie Ross gave the honours.

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"Just the sheer number of people that lost everything is hard to wrap one's head around [from Hurricane Harvey]"


Hi guys, firstly could you give us a brief history of how Omotai came about as a band? What does the name mean? 

     "It all started back in 2010, when Sam Waters (vocals / guitars) enlisted the help of Melissa Lonchambon Ryan (vocals / bassist) and then-drummer Anthony Vallejo to record the debut EP, Peace Through Fear. That line-up remained unchanged through the next two releases, 2012's Terrestrial Grief (the debut full-length) and 2014's Fresh Hell--both released on local label The Treaty Oak Collective. I joined the line-up as a second guitarist in 2013, pretty soon following the recording of Fresh Hell, but prior to its release.

     Anthony left soon after, his final show being at a 2014 SXSW appearance. Danny Mee took over drumming duties in time to complete some touring in support of Fresh Hell in 2014 and 2015. We've been hard at work ever since, writing and recording our latest double LP, A Ruined Oak, which is set to debut on October 6th on Tofu Carnage Records. A West Coast excursion is planned to promote the record. The name Omotai is the Japanese word for "heavy," which Sam felt was an apt designation given the artistic direction of the band. Credit for the idea goes to our friend Evan Jones, who taught English in Japan for a spell."



Would you say that the 2017 hurricane season has been one of the worst in recent years? 

     "Most definitely. Sam's family tragically lost their home in the Bellaire section of Houston, which was hit especially hard. The season would have been horrific enough if Harvey and its aftermath were the extent of it. But Irma came along and devastated much of the Eastern Caribbean and Florida, then Maria recently ravaged Puerto Rico (which is in the midst of a humanitarian crisis). Houston's had its share of weather-related disasters--especially in the last few years. But here we are a month out from the date that Harvey made landfall, and many areas are still impassable. Also, the waste from homes being gutted has built up into a logistical nightmare for removal companies that are still struggling to make inroads."


As you're from Texas, a state within tornado alley, have you ever seen a tornado? Has there been any notable ones hit Texas?

     "We're a bit close to the Gulf of Mexico to be in the heart of tornado alley, but there were several in the area while Harvey was stalled over Houston. One hit the neighbourhood next to mine on that first Friday night--I could hear, but not see it. North Texas is the unlucky recipient of most of Texas' tornadoes."


Tell us about you getting involved in the Hurricane Harvey benefit compilation, where are the participating bands located? How can people donate?  

      "We were approached by Miss Champagne Records about contributing a track to the benefit record, Making Waves, the week following the Harvey disaster. It was the brainchild of the MCR staff and Mercy Harper from Football, etc. All of the bands are local to Houston, so the cause is obviously very meaningful to us all. We think it turned out wonderfully and we're honoured to be in the company of so many stellar Houston bands included on the compilation. All proceeds from the benefit comp go straight to Harvey relief, so it's a perfect way to donate AND listen to some rad music."


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Did you sit out the hurricane or did you evacuate further inland? What were your thoughts at the time of Harvey's landfall?

     "Danny was safely in Austin for the storm, but everyone else toughed it out here. When the storm finally hit, we knew that we were going to be in for an extended confinement at our homes (fully anticipated by the Houston masses, as evidenced by the the local grocery and liquor stores being completely fleeced), but no one anticipated how crippled the city would become. Just the sheer number of people that lost everything is hard to wrap one's head around. "


Would you agree that extreme weather events such as hurricanes and tornadoes are a staple part of Mid-West and Southern American life?

     "For sure. And, to make matters worse, the events are becoming more frequent and increasingly destructive."


Given the damage caused by Harvey, I can't imagine there being much band activity this year - please correct me if I'm assuming wrong and inform what you will be getting up to?

     "There are several benefit shows sprouting up in the area, so the music community has been surprisingly resilient. As for Omotai, we've been concentrating on getting A Ruined Oak released, and we'll be embarking on a Western U.S. tour starting this Friday, September 29th. All of the dates are posted to our social media for those that would like to come out and hang."


Finally are there any hellos, thank you's you wish to send out? 

     "Firstly, our thoughts are with the Waters clan and all of our other Houston friends and family that are dealing with the loss of so much property, and coping with the resulting emotional challenges. Special thanks to Sean Mehl and Tofu Carnage Records for helping us put out the LP. And, finally, thanks to all who have supported us over the years--it truly means a lot."

https://www.facebook.com/omotai

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Interview Interrogation: Unlocking The Truth (USA)

6/3/2017

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They've been making a name for themselves since their inception a decade ago, not just because of their age at the beginning but also due to their bold move at performing live in Times Square which took the social media world by storm. Having racked up the press attention, fan numbers and even striking a monumental deal with Sony Music, it was about time that GMA gave the trio Unlocking The Truth an interrogation to find out what ticks these three lads from Brooklyn and what it means to 'unlock the truth'... all three lads - Malcolm Brickhouse (MB), Jarad Dawkins (JD) and Alec Atkins (AA) - gave their answers.

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Hi guys, so firstly how did you get into metal music? Are you surprised by it's global spread?

MB:
"We got into metal music by hearing the genre through the intro music to WWE and the background music of anime. No, I'm not surprised by metal's global spread. There's a crowd for every kind of music and I know from experience that people can really connect to this music."

AA: "I got into metal music through Ana, me, Jared and Malcolm ."

JD: "I got into Metal music, by an entertainment network known as the WWE. In addition, AMV also known as, Anime music videos, were a source of entertainment that introduced me to metal music. Bands such as, Disturbed, Linkin Park, Three Days Grace and more."


What did your high school friends and your family think of your choice of music? What do you aim to achieve?

MB: "My high school friends support me. They may not listen to metal, but they think it's cool that I am doing something unique and making something out of it. I aim to carve our own path in metal. Making it okay for people who are scared to stand out and be themselves, feel like they can show the world how unique they are. I also want our music to touch people's souls."

AA: "My high school friends think highly of my music and most of my high school friends like my music because in order for you to be considered my friend you have to like what I do"

JD: "They believe my choice of music is unique. I aim to achieve a platinum album, and a few Grammys"


You performed in Times Square, that surely must be a highlight of your career? Would you do it again? Perhaps organize a festival?

MB: "Performing in Time Square was a highlight of my career. It pushed us into the mainstream and got us used to performing in front of a large crowd, but I would not do it again. That was only chapter 1 of our journey. We have to keep improving and moving forward."

AA: "Yeah it would be cool to organize a festival but I don't see us going out to Times Square playing for four hours with a bucket."

JD:


Since NYC is steeped in music history e.g. hip-hop being a popular choice of music, was it hard to break out of that social convention and do something different? Do you / have you ever been subject to racial discrimination for playing what some still call a 'white man's music'?


MB: "I think the fact that hip-hop is so steeped in New York City, it was good for us because it helped us stand out from a lot of other artists. Also being black helped us stand out, so I can't complain. We did not necessarily face racial discrimination. We would show up at venues and people would automatically assume we were rappers or called us the Jackson 5. But they were surprised when we started playing metal." 

AA: "Yeah it was kinda hard to break out and do something different, but the real thing is people want different so it was easy for us to get our name out there and for people to get in on unlocking the truth. Some people think we play white people's music but that's not true because we know that the origin of the Heavy Metal table comes form rock 'n' roll, rock 'n' roll key from the blues and soul and that's black peoples music so we didn't care about what people said as far as race."

JD: It wasn't hard to break out and, do something different because in NY, people don't really care on what you do until they see it, and the improvements you make for yourself. I've also been subjected to racial discrimination, and it wasn't just for music."


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Back in the day

How do you feel signing to Sony Music? Surely this blew you back at the time, signing to one of the world's largest labels?

MB:
"Signing to Sony was a huge part of why we are where we are today. It was a great opportunity and even though everything didn't workout, I am still grateful for everything that came along with signing the deal."

AA: "Signing to Sony music was a blessing, even to have the opportunity despite the fact we are no longer with them."

JD: "Signing to Sony gave the band a fresh start to the music industry. Also it gave the band, a new start to the music industry and the people to help you succeed. Furthermore, being independent is better."


Do you have any plans in touring Europe? Where have you played so far?

MB: "We have not played in Europe yet but we are finalizing the deal for two shows in Warsaw, Poland this coming May."

AA: "We do not have any touring plans for Europe as of yet. But we have played at Coachella Bonnaroo warped tour etc."

JD: "Yes we do have plans of touring in Europe. Furthermore we have toured the states and parts of Canada."


You've just released your debut album last year, what was the reaction like?

MB: "The reaction to our debut album was great. We received tons of great feedback too. Now for our next album, we'll just have to capitalize on what we did so far."

AA: "People reacted nicely to the album, gave us good feedback and we gained a good fan base from it."

JD: "The reaction was okay, its our first album and, we have much more improving to do."


What advice could you share with aspiring metal bands or indeed the youth in the metal music community?

MB: "I think that aspiring metal bands and the youth should try to find ways to be different. People want new, not recycled artist. When times are the hardest (and they can get hard), just keep pushing through it and never give up. Thank you for this interview."

AA: "My advice stay true to yourself and do what you want to do and don't do what others want you to do."

JD: "Be the best you can be, don't let nobody stop you from what your trying to achieve. Always do better, exceed the average, never want to be the average. Furthermore, surround yourself with people that want to win and, you'll win."


https://www.facebook.com/UTTBand
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Interview Interrogation: Eternal Halloween (USA)

13/11/2016

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Halloween is once a year, or is it? Not according to American quintet Eternal Halloween whose demonic stature is sure to garner attention from overseas as arguably the States answer to the UK's Evil Scarecrow. Moreover this Los Angeles (or as they might call Los Hellos), California-based horde have only been around a year and are already causing a buzz across the American Metal underground, let's just hope their name is not a reference to the Aiden song otherwise things could get quite confusing. Eternal Halloween were happy to spare some time to answer some questions GMA had in store for them...


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"There are bigger things destroying youth and humanity than Satanism don’t you think?  Racism, hatred, greed, ignorance, stupidity, politics and the list keeps going. "


Hi guys, firstly your band name, is the meaning self-explanatory or is there a story behind it? Have you been in any bands before?

          "The meaning is pretty self-explanatory for sure but it goes beyond that. We’re Halloween lovers as many people are out there, but don’t get me wrong, Halloween has a deeper meaning than just being a night of dressing up in costumes and kids walking around town asking for trick or treats. It’s the night where spirits from the underworld cross the portal to the land of the living to feast and celebrate while claiming their rewards.

          Sadly Halloween has mutated to accommodate a society that gets easily offended by every single thing. Now everything is racist, everything is inappropriate or politically incorrect. Twenty years ago if you wanted to dress up as a Jewish refugee or a cross-dresser everyone would get it. Now? Pfftt! Good luck if you try to play that card… It’s so ridiculous and sad but people like weakness and conformity in their lives. We’re here to make you think deeper and to open some eyes. Everywhere we go we want people to enjoy that celebration the way they want with no restrictions so we invite everyone to the Sabbat. That’s why we are the Eternal Halloween.

          Now regarding your second question, have we been in other bands? Yes we have been and we are currently in other bands but you won’t know which..."



How would you distinguish yourselves from the likes of Lordi, Evil Scarecrow and GWAR, all of whom have similar imagery?

          "There are a lot of differences, not only visually but also musically. I think each of the bands mentioned and Eternal Halloween have their own personality. Some like Lordi and GWAR take it to the extreme and they look great. Evil Scarecrow is more like a comedy club with cool music. We’ve been compared also to Rammstein, Rob Zombie, Mushroomhead, Slipknot or Manson; I see us pretty different under a common line: We all have a concept, ours happens to be purely Halloween under the Devil’s command."


Are you worried that some states or countries might ban you from touring due to the Satanic connotations?

          "No, not at all. You have to remember that society is ruled by humans and that is the main problem. If there is anyone dumb enough to get offended by us, our music or our videos there will be a hundred who will like them and will get our stuff somehow. Let’s take the example of Poland where most metal bands are not allowed to tour but Polish people are always travelling somewhere else to see these bands live, why do you think this happens?"


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Given the history of metal in the US and it's court cases against censorship and 'Satanic support', are you simply mocking those who claim metal music is Satanic and destroying the youth?

          "Absolutely! There are bigger things destroying youth and humanity than Satanism don’t you think?  Racism, hatred, greed, ignorance, stupidity, politics and the list keeps going. As we said before, people like blaming what they don’t fully understand in order to feel safe or right. Good and Bad is a necessity in each aspect of life since it’s the natural balance. What I can assure you is that we’re already in hell so there is no need to worry about the devil any more, let’s just “sit back and enjoy the ride, it will get bumpy so you better hang tight!”"


Your debut album is out now, will you be touring in support? If so where? Could Hell in Norway be a future place to play?* Would you stream your album launch gig (if there was one)?

          "We will be touring in support of the album for sure and we will play in as many places as we can since we want to share the Eternal Halloween with as many people as we can to wake them up so Norway, Finland, Poland, China, US, Brazil, Mexico, Germany, Greece, Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Hawaii, Blah Blah Blah…  all the places on earth and beyond must get ready for what is coming. Streaming or live you’ll have a chance to experience us, we’re coming for the kill!"


How long does it take to get all your gear on (make-up, etc)? Will there be variations?

          "Our human faces take about two hours to take them off and put on. What takes the most is sticking the horns back inside your skull so we need to numb the pain with tons of Jager, Vodka or Scotch. About variations we don’t know what future awaits so stay tuned."


https://www.facebook.com/eternalhalloweenofficial
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Interview Interrogation: Attila from Sun O)))   (USA)

11/8/2016

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Following their stint across their homeland, US Drone Metal purveyors Sun O))) were more than accommodating to sit down and talk to GMA, although we could only see Attila's face underneath the cloak.


Hi guys, how was the recent US tour? What did you enjoy about it the most?


          "Hi, the US tours went great. We split the US into 4-5 legs and we did separate runs. My favourite show was MOOG festival in Durham. It was pretty loud, they moved us to the outdoor stage cause they were expecting the building ceiling to fall down and I heard we still cracked some walls... also it was good fun to hang out backstage with the guys from Wutang Clan."


Will there be a UK / EU tour surrounding your European festival appearances? Or will it come later?


          "We will have a smaller European tour at the end of August. There will be no UK date this time cause it is mostly south / middle and east parts of Europe. Though I love to play in the UK with Sunn O))) personally so I am looking forward to more dates in the UK. Hopefully next year.."


For those who don't know, could you explain in simple terms what 'Drone Metal' entails?

          "I think it has something to do with the tradition of meditation, Indian ragas, mantras and altered state of consciousness. In a way it is a contemporary representation of the same ideas. It is called "Drone Metal" because it is heavy, loud, extreme and psychedelic... but the message is similar: open your sub / supreme conscious, open your mind, fall into a trance, leave your body behind, take a spiritual journey... "


What is the hardest part of touring for you as a band ?


          "For me it is packing at home and travelling, missing flights and connections all the time.
But once I made it up to my people I enjoy it still so much. I love all the guys in the band (and the crew) and it is super fun to hang out every single time! Once I am there I just love touring!"


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Regarding your latest album 'Kannon', what is your favourite song and why? What makes 'Kannon' a stand-out album?

          "My favourite is probably 'Kannon III'. It has some cool melodies behind it. For me the most special aspect of this album is it's spiritual connection to the female potential and female energy in general. It is something I wanted to write about for a long time. It is obvious that female potential and energy has been suppressed big time through the history. Every single mainstream religion has been suppressing female potential and energy big time. I think it is a really big shame of mankind and I think we should bring back the balance one day. In a way you could call me a "spiritual feminist" ;-) (you can call me whatever, but I think that in a real society all leaders should be 50 / 50 woman and men)"


After your tour and festival appearances, what will your next plans be?

"I still have the same plan: making more albums and playing them live."



Finally have you got any hello's or thank you's you wish to send out?

          "Yes. I would like to thank all of our fans for being with us on this spiritual journey. We keep banging and opening the doors to higher realms together, stay with us!"


https://www.facebook.com/Sunn-O-38871438839/
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Interview Interrogation: Mick from Corners Of Sanctuary (USA)

14/7/2016

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The American Metal scene is so vast and so populated with metal bands that trying to name them all in one go would be near to impossible as you can get. That said, there are those who make progress and make a name for themselves, on the conveyor belt of progression are Pennsylvania's Corners of Sanctuary. GMA caught up with guitarist / keyboardist Mick to find out what drives this concrete force.


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"If you like all that is Amish, we have Lancaster, which is home to one of the State's best and well-known all-you-can-eat buffets" - (Mick on what to do in Pennsylvania)



Since your latest release 'Metal Machine', what has the COS horde been up to?

          "Not too much. Since “Metal Machine” came out we released three music videos as part of the album's promotional campaign (“Left Scarred,” “Wrecking Ball” and “Tomorrow Never Comes”). Shortly after “Metal Machine,” we released a Holiday album last December. We’ve been touring as well to support the album which has included shows with Butcher Babies, Grim Reaper, Green Jello and Act of Defiance.

          We have a new band member, Mad T, on drums. We are set to release a best of compilation on July 26th titled “Declaration of Metal.” The compilation will have tracks from each of our albums plus a brand new song. A music video will also accompany the compilation's release. Along with more shows this summer into the fall, we will begin working on recording our next album in August and look to release it sometime in 2017. So like I said, not too much."



You signed to Metalizer Records for the release of 'Metal Machine', surely this has to be a step forward for the band?

          "Signing with Metalizer Records has been great for us… a lot of new doors have opened. The label really supports what we are doing and has offered us the opportunity to expand our fan base. Our market reach has definitely increased. It has been a great experience."


What is the current status of the Pennsylvania Metal scene? Is it alive and well?

          "The music scene here is alive and well and it’s very diverse. Metal definitely has its loyal contingent but it is somewhat one-sided with respects to the genre style of choice. The majority of Metal bands seem to lean more towards the heavier to extreme styles. The classic, traditional sound, like that of Corners of Sanctuary, is more of a niche and a small niche at that. The upside to that for us is that we are offering something different enough to get noticed. Another factor for us is that we do a lot of travel. So we are regularly in other markets and don't play our home area that often…  when we do it’s always something special."


Is it hard nowadays for American Metal bands to make a name for themselves?


          "I think it's hard for any band, anywhere to make a name for themselves. There is so much music available and so many bands out there that it is easy to get lost in the crowd. But the beauty is that listeners’ tastes run the gamut and there is a place for everyone. The key is to do something that is honest and true and not fake it. The fans can tell. Whatever it is you do, just do it well."


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For those who don't know who COS are, could you give us a brief background history?

          "COS formed in early 2011 after a couple of us had been working on a short-term reunion project with the band Seeker. We wanted to get back to our musical roots and do what we weren't hearing at the time. After writing a handful of songs we released our first album, “Breakout”, in 2012. In 2013 we brought Frankie on board as lead singer. And this year we brought on Mad T as our new drummer. Since forming, the band has released four full-length albums, a Holiday album and a few EP's."


What hobbies / interests do you have outside of your day job and band work?

        "Spending time with my family is how I indulge most of my free time. Hanging out with them and watching movies and eating Asian cuisine is always great. I also actively pursue health and fitness. I believe it to be an essential part of maintaining quality of life. And I enjoy studying Eastern philosophy and culture. I find it gives me perspective."


Will you be doing a nationwide tour anytime soon? Have you performed outside of the USA before?


          "Already this year we have done an East Coast and Midwest tour of the US in support of “Metal Machine”. We will be doing a short New England tour in late July and part of the fall. To date, we have yet to performed outside the United States but are looking to go to Germany in 2017. We are keeping our fingers crossed."


For those visiting Pennsylvania, what attractions should metal fans check out?

        "Depending on your interests we have the PA Grand Canyon and Valley Forge for those nature and history buffs. If you like all that is Amish, we have Lancaster, which is home to one of the State's best and well-known all-you-can-eat buffets. And of course there is the City of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia...plenty there to do and see: South Street, the historic district, Chinatown and Penn's Landing. You’ll definitely find some great restaurants and a thriving nightlife. For those who like to gamble and catch a show, Atlantic City is only a stone's throw away."


Finally have you got any greetings you wish to send out?

        "Thank you Rhys for speaking with me and giving us the opportunity to share with your readers some info on Corners of Sanctuary. We also would like to thank all of our friends and fans who have supported us - we are so very grateful!

          A special thanks to our COS Staff as well as to our labels Metalizer Records and Exquisite Noise Records, and to our sponsors Coldcock Whiskey, Sinister Guitar Picks, George L's Guitar Cables and Explore Apparel."



https://www.facebook.com/CornersofSanctuary
http://www.cornersofsanctuary.com/
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Interview Interrogation: Izzy from Conquer Divide (USA)

9/6/2016

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Being a female metal or rock musician over the course of history has always dragged up challenges and problems that otherwise might not be experienced by their male counterparts. Firstly the immoral and unforgiving stigma directed towards said musicians has always proved an issue, but it's one that has been been challenged head on through arguably a whole plethora of successful artists and bands.

From the likes of Siousxie & The Banshees to Annie Lennox, from Sabina Classen and Orianthi to Vanilla Ninja and arguably the most prolific all-female metal band, Girlschool. These are musicians who stood up to the male-dominated arena of rock and metal, stuck the middle finger up and alluded to the notion of 'who said girls can't rock or mosh?' As AC/DC once put it, 'for those about to rock, we salute you' and for the female rock / metal musicians and subsequent all-female bands, we do exactly that, we salute you. One of these bands is Conquer Divide, who are rampaging and setting the USA on fire with their own unrelenting and uncompromising style of Alternative Post-Hardcore / Metalcore.

Let's be honest, it does not matter who or what you are, as long as you are happy playing music then those who remark on it can stick their opinion where it should belong. As Tamara quite rightly put it when speaking to Blabbermouth, "We are all girls, and you cant hide that, but we want people to focus more on the quality of the music," (http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/all-female-metal-band-conquer-divide-to-release-debut-album-in-july/), so with that in mind we asked our own questions and Izzy (guitarist) duly decided to respond to them.

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Will the ongoing debate about female musicians disappear or has it already seen the end? What about the youth of today, could Conquer Divide offer themselves as inspiration for female musicians (whatever style of music) to aspire to? Izzy believes they can (we do too):-

          "No, I don't think it's something that will fade away easily. I mean its pretty common for our musicality to be undermined because we are girls, that's the sad reality. On the flip side being an "all girl band" in a male dominated industry has given us an edge to create something different and stand out from the crowd. We definitely want to have a positive impact on young girls and show them that there is always room for girls in metal, you just have to dedicate yourself to do it!"


It would seem logical that giving girls instruments would open doors for newer creativity and ideas, just like the Japanese Metal scene has recently experienced with the phenomenal yet completely unforeseeable rise of Babymetal; well they did go completely viral in a very short space of time, truth be told not many people knew of their existence outside of Japan. Here's hoping that more and more females worldwide grab hold of an instrument or harness some sort of musical skill and form a band, or at least join one. So what about their heritage? Well they do have members originally from the USA, the UK and Serbia and so did this work out for them? Well clearly it did!

          "The concept for Conquer Divide was originally formed in Michigan, USA. However to complete the line up the band had to outsource to different areas. It's hard enough finding dedicated musicians to create bands, and when you're specifically trying to find female musicians that's even harder, so that's why naturally we are from different areas. We write music with each other via the internet! Yay technology!"


With their debut self-titled album already out, surely the chances of a tour to support it's release seemed likely, well actually this is not the case. See, Conquer Divide have done the opposite and toured prior to the album release in support of it as Izzy goes on to explain (as well as speaking about current endeavours):-

          "We released our album last summer whilst we were on the 2015 All Stars tour, so I guess that was our album release tour! We just came off tour with Slaves, Capture The Crown, Myka Relocate, Outline In Color and currently we have no tours coming up. We are busy doing some writing but we would love to hit the road again soon!"


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"Conquer Divide" track-list
 
01. Sink Your Teeth Into This
02. Self Destruct
03. Eyes Wide Shut
04. Nightmares
05. Lost
06. What's Left Inside

07. At War
08. Despicable You
09. Heavy Lies The Crown
10. Broken
 

With the band essentially coming fresh off the block on the international stage, we asked Izzy if she could describe the album's sound without the ill-fated genre tagging, what track(s) are her favourites and why. Most musicians have a stand-out track and usually these take the form of a single or music video as a way to showcase the track(s) they're most proud of. Logically speaking differentiating your song styles offers you greater choice at electing a song you like the most, moreover it allows a plethora of fans from different style preferences to come to like the release in question. However Izzy offered some unique advice when it comes to their album, "We just would advise fans to listen to the album from start to finish to really get a taste of what we are about." before adding:-

"Our album is pretty varied, we have heavy songs like "Heavy Lies The Crown" and "Despicable You" which are more screaming / guitar orientated and then lighter songs like "Broken" and "What's Left Inside" which really focus on Kia's singing abilities. I honestly like all the songs on our album (I know I know, a cop out answer) but for different reasons, for example "Heavy Lies The Crown" has awesome riffs, which for me being a guitarist is fun, "Nightmares" has some sweet synth sections in it."


Creating music as a musician or band, or working in the music industry in one of many outlets such as PR or record labels, show promoters or engineers etc., can be a strenuous job sometimes and as a result it can take toll on your body to the extent you just want out, so to avoid this dilemma musicians often indulge in other interests and or hobbies to take a break from said profession(s). So what does Izzy like to do?

          "We all have different hobbies which is pretty cool, I know Kristen really likes travelling because on tour we don't really get to "see" a lot. I still like jamming guitar outside of tour, I'm pretty into working out and I like snowboarding!


And obviously by travelling you are able to take your music with you and not just on tour. Naturally with the internet lending itself as a major driving force for globalization, bands are finding that their music is being picked up in the unlikeliest and remotest parts of the world unbeknownst to them. Even for GMA as a media outlet we see people from the likes of Greenland to French Polynesia take note in what we do, so we have to thank the internet for that. But what of Conquer Divide? Has Social Media aided them well, and what does Izzy think of it's darker side?


"We seem to have a lot of fans in South America which is pretty sweet, our album actually debuted in Japan as well and people seem to dig our music there too! We are actually hoping to tour Japan soon so that's super exciting. I feel social media has been nothing but positive for bands, but modern technology kind of killed CD sales which makes it harder to make a living from music... but as a musician you just have to go with the flow and constantly adapt to the changes."



And with changes in mind, could we see Conquer Divide's debut album take on the form of being released in vinyl format as it's unprecedented resurgence continues to grip tighter on music consumerism?

"We have talked about it yes, but we haven't got any solid plans for it because we are unsure how much demand we have for vinyl..... so if anyone is reading this and wants our album on vinyl let us know!!!"


So what plans alongside the potential for their self-titled debut album being released on vinyl is there and what greetings does Izzy want to send out?

"More tours (hopefully outside of the USA), writing an acoustic EP and getting stuck into writing our second album! I think I can speak for all the girls when I say we want to thank our team at Artery, our supportive family and friends and of course our awesome fans who inspire, motivate and have created a platform for us to live our dreams on."


Check out their lyric video for 'At War' by clicking the inserted video above this text.

Conquer Divide's self-titled debut album is out via Artery Recordings

https://www.facebook.com/ConquerDivideUSA
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Interview Interrogation: Gone In April (International)

26/5/2016

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Gone In April started in 2011 through their debut album "We Are But Human", culminating in the band playing across North America and Asia; the latter seeing this group co-headline 'The Great Indian Octoberfest' held in Bangalore. They also headlined the WaveTransform Festival 2014 (North America), as well as other events in the USA.

Following Gone In April's second album "Threads Of Existence" which saw new members joining from the USA and Canada, and another appearance at the WaveTransform Festival, GMA decided it was time to collar this group and excavate the facts behind this multinational facade.
 
So we bound Julie to a chair in a leather catsuit and placed Yanic in confinement, at least that way they could not escape... mind we did not give Julie the catsuit in the first place... another story for another time. Read below to see how it went.


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"It is nice to see the diversity and unity continue to grow within the metal community" (on metal music)


Firstly, how did Gone In April come to prominence and how do you maintain communication? Seeing as it's key to an international band / project, what limitations have you overcome?


Yanic:

"Yes, some aspects of international projects are indeed managed a little differently than bands whose members all reside within the same region, however, many aspects are not any different at all. In terms of communication, my belief and experience over the last decade is “if there is a will, there is a way”. Communication between Gone In April team members is very efficient. Through emails, text messages, video chats, etc, we typically get replies from musicians within 24 hrs, which enables us to move forward with our planning efficiently."


Julie:

"Writing new material is an aspect which is managed a little differently. Since writing is not done during rehearsal with all musicians in one room, each musician writes his parts in his home-town, and sends recordings of his parts by email. One of us will start to work on new material, and send audio files to the other musicians. Then, another musician will work on the material in his home-town, and send his parts to the others, and the work continues in that fashion over a period of several months. All musicians work separately, listening to the other musicians’ audio files, focusing on, and analysing, the composition, and providing feedback to other team members. Once everybody has reviewed and approved all the parts, the official recording begins and all parts come together. Some musicians record in their studio, and some travel to the studio where the majority of the production is taking place, which in this case, is WaveTransform Recording Studio in Knoxville, TN, USA."


"When it comes to band rehearsals and live performances, we all rehearse in advance by ourselves, and the group meets in the same city for rehearsals a few days before the series of live performances. Working with musicians from different countries also requires travel (flights, lodging, etc), as well as working with immigration organizations to get work visas for the musicians which are not citizens of the country where performances are taking place. Therefore, there is a bit more administrative work to be done by the band, however, once a band has experience with international management, international touring becomes a much easier task and many opportunities open up for the band.

For example, Gone In April had the opportunity to travel to Bangalore, India, to perform as a metal co-headliner, alongside Children Of Bodom, at The Great Indian Octoberfest 2012, a 3-day festival with a typical 60 000 attendance. This opportunity might not have been possible without the international management experience of the band. The band also performed at the WaveTransform Festival, in Knoxville, TN, USA, in 2014 and 2016, as well as for other dates in the USA between 2012 and 2016. These international concerts have helped the band get more international visibility. In addition, getting amazing support from magazines, webzines, etc, from various continents, through album reviews and interviews helps a great deal as well. Global Metal Apocalypse is a great example of that! Thank you!"



Having played in India, would you say that metal music unites the world regardless of social, political or religious differences?


Yanic:

"Yes, from my experience, the metal community is a very diverse community. I believe the diversity promotes a sense of open-mindedness, unity, and adaptation. I have had the chance to perform in North America, in Europe, and in Asia, and fans have always been very supportive, regardless of social, political or religious background. In addition, metal musicians are constantly pushing the limits of music composition and performance, and the diversity of the metal community has contributed to creating the sub-genres of metal. I believe that musicians who have contributed to creating sub-genres of metal have come from several different backgrounds, have been exposed to and have had interest for various cultures, which has led them to be interested in several styles of music, and hence, help create a new blend. It is nice to see the diversity and unity continue to grow within the metal community."


You recently released your second album 'Threads of Existence', could you give us a break down of what each song means? What did you do different on this album in comparison to your debut 'We Are But Human'?


Yanic:

"The concept of the 1st album focused on the psychological evolution of a 13th century warrior. The concept of the 2nd album focuses on survival of an individual, or a group or a society within various environments and situations, through its existence, hence the title “Threads of Existence”."


The Curtain Will Rise:

An individual, whose goal is to climb Mount Everest, begins his climb after having trained for years for this challenge. On the way up, the climber faces mental and physical challenges, and wonders whether or not the top will be reached, or if death will be faced. If the top is reached, the curtain will rise to reveal the achievement.


Our Future Line:

A young boy’s family passes away in a tragedy. The boy is brought to a guardian. The guardian, who owns a sawmill, treats the boy as a slave, does not provide proper food and shelter. As the boy faces these challenges, he becomes stronger and eventually takes ownership of his future time line and makes changes to his life, by confronting the guardian, and freeing himself.


Remember The Days:

A group of sailors leave their home country to travel overseas, to a land which they believe will be filled with better opportunities. The sea is a challenging environment. The group struggles, and, in their fight for survival, many of them die of malnutrition. Sailors remember the old days in their former country and wonder if they took their life for granted. In their search for greener pastures, they might not survive the trip, and if they do, they hope it will be to find a land that contains opportunities which were worth risking their lives.


As Hope Welcomes Death:

Soldiers are injured at war and are taken to the infirmary. Although they are now on safer grounds, another battle begins: a battle for survival. Medical staff do their best to take care of soldiers, and keep their spirits up. Some soldiers hope to make it out alive and fight daily for survival, and others wish for death in order for their suffering to come to an end.


Julie:


Embracing The Light:


At the end of his life, an older gentleman holds his grandson in his arms. While his own life bleeds away, the baby’s life is just starting. The old man passes down his knowledge to the boy, telling him all he knows about this world where beauty is weaved with horror, where time stretches forever, and then suddenly flies away. He hopes that he will continue to live in the memory of his descendant once he draws his last breath.


Yanic:

A Million Souls Gather:

Cancer begins to grow and invades the body. After much growth, the individual feels symptoms and finds out about the cancer. Treatment is necessary. The patient will fight for survival alongside powerful allies: technologies such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The treatment begins as the allies, the million souls, gather and begin the annihilation of cancer.


Relentless:

There are 16 personality types per the Myers Briggs Type Indicator. One type, the “ENTJ”, is organized, productive, motivated, with high willpower, determination, and leadership skills, has vision and a desire to achieve. The “ENTJ” will not sit back and see what life brings, but will proactively make things happen and relentlessly work to achieve its goals. It takes many types of personalities for a society to survive and be healthy. The lyrics present the world in the eyes on an ENTJ personality type, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of the personality type.


The Great Contemplation:

An author’s inspiration is constantly challenged throughout his lifetime, hence his survival is threatened. At the start of the author’s career, all ideas for the first publication are fresh as the author has not yet written and released any works. As the author grows, he gets challenged to find new ideas for the new publications, as to not repeat or release the same content as the first books. The author evolves and develops new tools and ideas to generate inspiration.


The Will To End A Life:

A fighter pilot during war has 2 choices: kill to survive, or be killed. Although the soldier fights to rid the world of evil, the soldier realizes that “overtaking evil begins with the will to end a life”, and that “evil begins with the will to end a life.” Survival sometimes involves surrendering to evil. The soldier begins to questions his actions.


Regarding your new album, have you got any plans to take your album promoting shows to Europe? The UK?

Julie:

"We are currently working on dates for the North America, Asia, and South America for autumn 2016. We look forward to opportunities in Europe in late 2016 or 2017."


You played the WaveTransform Festival, what can you tell us about the festival? Are there any more festivals near to where you are situated?

Yanic:

"The WaveTransform Festival is a series of prominent music concerts presented at one of East Tennessee’s theatres, the US Cellular Stage at the Bijou Theatre. The line-up consists of artists from WaveTransform Recording Studio. The festival features events which cover several styles of music, and which include both local artists and international musicians. Gone In April was fortunate to perform at the last 2 festivals, and we look forward to the next festival. Another great festival in the area is Progpower USA in Atlanta, GA, featuring national and international acts."


What hobbies does the band have outside of playing music? Do you have any pastimes you indulge in?

Julie:

"I play with symphony orchestras, sing with opera companies, and teach voice and violin. When I have a little bit of time, I enjoy hiking, crossfit, D&D, as well as spending time with friends.

Marc teaches music in college, and outside normal hours, is hired as a session guitarist for live and studio. At the moment, he is doing a Masters degree in Music, therefore, most of his spare time goes to academic work for his studies, and rehearsing. He enjoys watching movies and playing video games.

Steve spends most of his time on tour and in studios, away from home, but to answer the question, he just texted and said his hobby involves “trying to play bass half as good as Yanic does air-bass”.

Now you know Yanic enjoys to air-bass…! Yanic works over 100 hours per week. He is a Physicist and Engineer, and designs nuclear medicine scanners, and also runs a recording studio (as an engineer and session drummer) and event management company. “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” This applies to Yanic’s crazy lifestyle. He loves what he does, so everything is like a hobby. He does enjoy watching movies and TV shows to relax a bit before his little amount of sleep.

Aaron likes to spend time with friends, watch movies. He also plays in another band, produced at Yanic’s studio, so he spends time writing and performing for his band."



What plans does the band have for the rest of the year?

Yanic:


"As mentioned earlier, we are currently planning live performance dates for autumn of 2016. We look forward to growing our fan base, and meeting a lot of fans on the road who support the band."


Finally are there any hello's / thank you's you wish to send out?

Julie:

We would like to thank all the fans who have supported us throughout the years. We look forward to meeting many of you on road! If you would like to see Gone In April perform in your home-town, contact us and let us now! We will be glad to pursue opportunities within your region! Many thanks to you, Rhys, from Global Metal Apocalypse for all the support!

https://www.facebook.com/GoneinApril
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Interview Interrogation: Red Sun Rising (USA)

26/5/2016

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So whilst Hard Rock / Post-Grunge / Metal outfit Red Sun Rising are in the midst of their US / Canada tour, GMA decided to catch them off guard on route 66 and interrogate them by the wayside.
Not only are they touring, but there latest single 'Emotionless' is now out for your listening pleasures.
So here is how the interrogation went, suffice to say it was less horrific than interrogations undertaken at Guantánamo Bay.


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"I do think that everything is cyclical and the time may be now for a revolution for these types of (metal & rock) music"


Guys you have a huge US tour ahead of you, how will you prepare for this? Can you give us a background report on how bands in the USA deal with touring?

"Well at this stage of the game touring changes from day to day and week to week. Budgets are up and down because we are a new band. So on some runs we can afford to be a little more comfortable and some we have to penny pinch. This could mean the difference between a bus, RV or a van. That sort of inconsistency can be really tough when it comes to being organized which becomes frustrating. It's one thing to live out of a suitcase but when it's 24 degrees and snowing and your suitcase lives in the trailer it just makes a simple task a lot of work. Thankfully we are coming up on the warmer months."



How long can UK / EU fans wait before you reach our side of the Atlantic? 


"It is getting to be about that time isn't it? We are definitely actively pursuing opportunities to get there and we cannot wait to play there. So my answer would be as soon as possible."



Please give us the low down behind your phrase 'we are thread'?

"Thread was sort of an 'anti-genre' genre that we created. And in many interviews because we are a new band we are asked what our influences are and how we would describe our sound. We realize that our influences were a wide variety of genres, styles and from different eras. Anywhere from The Beatles to Soundgarden. So we like to take a little bit from all of these influences and thread them together to create our sound which focuses heavily on the melodies, structures and thought provoking lyrics of the songs. The core of the song we call it. We feel these ingredients have been missing in modern rock. So we didn't want to just be a rock band or a metal band we wanted to be our own thing which is Thread. Thread it represents the fact that we do not put a label or a limit on our songwriting we just write songs that we love the sound of no matter what genre it may fall in."



What challenges do US rock / metal bands tend to face these days? Have you had any yourselves?

"I think the challenge right now for a rock or metal band is that rock and metal music have both been kind of suppressed for the past 15 to 20 years. There hasn't been a big movement for rock or metal since really the grunge era in my opinion. However we see in other countries that are music is sometimes appreciate it more and we don't know why that is yet because we have not played in those countries. But I do think that everything is cyclical and the time may be now for a revolution for these types of music. Can only hope that we are on the forefront of that. But I think us not writing for the genre but rather just writing good songs will help break the stale rock airwaves of the US."



On your forthcoming tour, will there be any cities you will be playing at for the first time? Do you suffer from jet-lag touring the country?

"Yes actually we have never played Orlando and we get to play Earth Day birthday which is a festival that we are looking forward to playing. Of course when you think of Florida you always think of vacations and tropical weather but being able to play outdoors at a festival in these types of environments is much better than any vacation you could ever take. We have been pouring pretty extensively in the US so there are a lot of cities that we have already played that we are repeating but that doesn't make it any less exciting. There'll always be new faces."



How has the American media reacted to your new single and debut album? Have you had any international reception?

"It's really cool to watch the growth of the band because we had our first single go to number one. So basically many people were kind of blind-sided by that because they had never heard of us. So of course that put more pressure on the second single because people wanted to see what we could follow that up with. Thankfully in our case we believe that the second single was the right choice and has been received very well, even better than the first one. Yes we have seen definite growth internationally via social media and we think the second single which is Emotionless is even gaining more traction internationally, making it even more and exciting to get overseas."



What plans have you got for the rest of the year? Do you have any hello's or thank you's to send out?

"Nothing like to thank all the fans and keep supporting us and spreading the word about us because we are seeing the shows grow and we are seeing more people sing the songs back to us and that is such a surreal feeling that could never get old. And for the rest of the year we plan to continue to tour on our record however we are continuously writing new music so I am sure we will be back in the studio no later than early 2017."



Finally, how heated do the American elections get out there?

"They can usually get pretty heated especially with social media. I used to be a little more active in speaking my voice but now I just voted and exercise my rights as an American citizen and keep my opinions to myself because I realize that it's really not worth arguing with someone about it because you are very unlikely going to change their mind. But let's just say this election has been sort of a joke here."



https://www.facebook.com/redsunrisingmusic

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GMA Interview Interrogation: Alesana

22/3/2016

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"A part of what makes a piece of art beautiful is that it is one of a kind that is meant to be experienced a certain way"


Since the American Metalcore / Post-Hardcore / Screamo unit Alesana unveiled the second part of their "Comedy of Errors" music video / mini-movie, GMA decided it was about time to take the band to the grill and interrogate them via the use of pincers. The conclusion of this chapter highlights a critical turning point of "The Annabel Trilogy" (the story in which their three album concept was based on). "Comedy of Errors" (from the new full-length, "Confessions") and it's accompanying video series is complete with an intriguing storyline of love, mystery, and time travel.


Let the interrogation begin...


Overall how hard (or easy) was it to construct and release the "The Annabel Trilogy"? Will there be any more trilogies?


"The trilogy was definitely an involved venture but one that has been very rewarding. I think that over time fans, both new and old, will really begin to appreciate the level of care that went into writing these albums and stories this way. I've been finishing up the complete short story and it has reminded me just how cool and involved this idea was and how proud I am that we were able to stick with it and see it through."


As you guys call yourself 'Pop Metal', do you feel the term has had backlash over the years? Is there a stigma towards pop music that metalheads generally have?


"If there has been I have not witnessed it first hand. Genres are, and always have been, a way to categorize and pigeonhole art. On one hand, it allows for people to siphon through things and get to new things that they may appreciate more quickly. On the other hand, it causes pre-emptive opinions to be formed. For me, if somebody doesn't like my art or music solely because of a genre lent to it then that is most likely a person I wouldn't want to invite into our creative world anyhow."


You've just released your second part of the "comedy of errors" music video, would fans of your music need to listen to the trilogy to understand the mini-movies?


"It certainly wouldn't hurt. I would definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys the videos to try to submerge themselves into the whole universe that we have created."


What plans do you have for the year ahead? Any tours over in the UK / in Europe?

"This year we are scaling back and taking a break to focus on our families and some other ventures. You haven't heard the last of Alesana just yet, however."


What challenges do you feel up-and-coming bands these days face more than ever? Is social media too heavily relied upon?



"Social media is 100% too heavily relied upon. Back at the beginning of our career we were immersed fully in the MySpace revolution. It was a huge help for us but that is because we used it to compliment our grass roots approach, we didn't rely solely upon the internet. A lot of young bands these days write a record, record it, take some photos, slap everything on Facebook and Bandcamp, sit back and wait, and then wonder why their band isn't blowing up. Playing shows, meeting people, and building relationships both with new fans and other bands is so important and a point that I think too many bands are missing these days."


A Heavy Metal movie hasn't really been done before, so could you imagine a film being made with purely metal musicians acting out characters? If you could remake a film, what one would you choose and why? Who would act the parts?

"That sounds like a fun idea. I'm a huge fan of movies and good television and honestly I do not like remakes. A part of what makes a piece of art beautiful is that it is one of a kind that is meant to be experienced a certain way."


Finally have you got any hello's, greetings etc you wish to send out?

"Shout out to my entire Revival family of artists!  You can check everything out at revivalrecs.com"

https://www.facebook.com/alesana

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