Rousing one and all: getting to know The World Over

With a new album starting to stir up real attention, it is fair to say that LA based rockers The World Over have grown in sound and stature with increasing attention on their ear gripping music in close quarter. Shows with the likes of Attila, As Blood Runs Black, Meytal Cohen, The Browning, and many more have only added to their nudge on new ears and support; so with big thanks to front-woman Tiaday Ball, granddaughter of Ernie Ball (world renowned creator of Music Man guitars and Slinky Strings), we got down with The World Over to see what is at the heart of the band and their increasing impact on the music scene…

Hello and thanks for sparing time to talk with us.

Can you first introduce the band and give us some background to how it all started?

Hi! I’m the vocalist, Tiaday. On guitar we have Ryan Knecht and Donovan Allen on bass.

The World Over was created in 2013 by founders Xavier Moreux, Ryan Knecht, Anthony Dellaripa, Eric Gledhil, and myself who had all moved to Los Angeles from around the world with the mutual goal to make music. We conceptualized a band which could represent many different cultures and promote messages of hope and empowerment!

Have you been in other bands before? If so has that had any impact on what you are doing now, in maybe inspiring a change of style or direction?

We’ve all been in bands before coming together as The World Over and we all can agree that we’ve learned from our mistakes. Even our last album as The World Over we’ve taken as a growing experience to finding our sound that is in our new album, MOUNTAINS that we just released. You can check it out here: https://itunes.apple.com/album/id1146557304

What inspired the band name?

Our original line-up had consisted of band members from around the world so we really wanted to have a name that could represent our diverse cultures and continuity. The World Over just felt right and even though our most diverse members couldn’t remain in the band, it still holds true to us in other ways. We will take The World Over one fan at a time! Haha.

Was there any specific idea behind the forming of the band and also in what you wanted it and your sound to offer?

Not really. Xavier just really wanted to start a band and got all of us together to make it a reality. But our new sound was definitely created to break the boundaries of the Rock world reaching a much broader spectrum of listeners.

Has that idea and intent evolved and broadened over time?

I think it’s definitely evolved because of the line-up change and us three particularly wanting to make The World Over as big as it can possibly become. In the beginning, we didn’t really know what we wanted and had not much guidance or direction for where we saw ourselves in the upcoming years.

Since your early days, how would you say your sound has evolved?

The big difference between our last record, Rampart District, and our new record, Mountains (available on iTunes, Spotify, etc.), is significantly more under the blanket term of “rock”. We stay true to our roots of post-hardcore but we have definitely diverged into a new category.

Has that expansion been more of an organic movement of sound or the band deliberately wanting to go there?

It was both! We knew we needed to branch out and explore other ideas but we didn’t know how at first. Over time it became more apparent of what we wanted and we made it happen.

Presumably across the band there is a wide range of inspirations; are there any in particular which have impacted not only on the band’s music but your personal approach and ideas to creating and playing music?

The new Bring Me The Horizon has influenced all of us because of how they forced themselves out of their comfort zone to create something that everyone can enjoy and executed it well…Also Deftones biiig time. We just took the same approach and it’s been working for us. We’re just having fun at this point and whatever is created is created haha.

Is there a regular process to the band’s songwriting?

For Mountains specifically, we spent a lot of the time recording demos at Ryan’s studio, either jamming ideas acoustically, writing over vocal melodies or going off of other recordings we did on our own. After we collected the demos we knew we definitely wanted on the album, we flew to Canada to work with Siegfried Meier (Kitty, DMX) at Beach Road Studios which was an amazing experience to have as a band. He has an amazing studio and is a great producer to work with!

Where do the lyrical inspirations to side of your songs predominantly come from?

Sometimes I’ve pulled from lyric piles that I’ve had for years that never fit in other songs and just so happened to work in these. But a lot of inspiration for my lyrics is from my perspective on life and my experiences like Liberosis and Swervewolf. But then there are some songs like Invisible and Traitor that are just storytelling.

You mentioned Mountains earlier; can you give us some background to it.

We named our new album, Mountains because it references to our hardships and obstacles we’ve had to overcome through the period of time between this release and our last album, Rampart District as well as how we plan to move mountains with this record.

Would you give us a closer insight to its themes and the premises songs?

There usually isn’t much of a reoccurring theme to our songs, but I always end my lyrics with a message of hope and empowerment instead of constant complaining like some songs out there and I plan to keep it that way.

Are you a band which goes into the studio with songs pretty much in their final state or prefer to develop them as you record?

A little bit of both. Structurally, we have it done. But there are little nuances that we change on the fly in the studio.

Tell us about the live side to the band?

It’s a very high energy and in-your-face performance! You should come see it for yourself some time! We have shows listed on our website at: http://www.theworldoverofficial.com/

It is not easy for any new band to make an impact regionally let alone nationally and further afield. How have you found it your neck of the woods? Are there the opportunities to make a mark if the drive is there for new bands?

There definitely is, but you have to line yourself up with the right people and a good team. You have to put in the work and not expect things to fall in your lap. Especially in Los Angeles as there is a lot of competition. You have to hustle to survive.

How has the internet and social media impacted on the band to date?

We think it’s helped us reach a greater international audience as we have fans all over the world. You can never gain too many fans. Personally we think you need to utilize all of your social media platforms in order to get yourself established as a band. Also post nudes. Jk don’t do that.

Once again a big thanks for sharing time with us; anything you would like to add or reveal for the readers?

Thanks for having us! Lastly, we’d just like to add that our album is out on all music platforms: iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, Google Play, iHeartRadio and more so give it a listen! We also have merchandise available on our website: http://www.theworldoverofficial.com/ or on our bandcamp where you can stream our album for free at: http://theworldover.bandcamp.com/

You can subscribe to our channel at: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheWorldOver

https://www.facebook.com/theworldoverofficial/   https://twitter.com/TWO_band

Pete RingMaster

The RingMaster Review 28/09/2016

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

Seeds in a wasteland: engaging with Remnants of Hope

Forging a potent reputation with a sound going against the general trend of their local music scene, Remnants of Hope is an Atlanta bred band on the rise. Their Industrial/punk rock sound has seen the band have their most potent year yet since forming in 2014, the sharing of stages with the likes of Eyes Set To Kill, Famous Last Words, Wednesday 13, Allegaeon, Byzantine, and Not Tonight Josephine among numerous all adding to the reputation of Remnants of Hope. With thanks to vocalist Alexander Death, and guitarists Nykii Nightmare and Paul Graveyard, we grabbed the opportunity to find out more about this growing force…

Hello and thanks for taking time out to talk with us.

Hello and thank you for having us!

Can you tell us about the band and how it all started?

We’re a band called Remnants of Hope from Atlanta, Georgia. We started out covering songs from bands we liked then making our own music videos and putting them up on YouTube. After we became more passionate we started writing our own material, not long after that we came up with the name “Remnants of Hope” and started performing.

Is Remnants of Hope your first foray into music or have you been involved in previous outfits?

Group: We’ve not been in any bands before this one.

What inspired the band name?

Group: We’re an industrial band and most of our songs take place in a post-apocalyptic setting. We wanted a name that would describe fighters for the greater good in that setting.

Was there any specific idea behind the forming of the band and also in what you wanted it and your sound to offer?

Group: We wanted to be an industrial rock/metal band. We wanted to have flaming guitar solos as well as screaming and singing. We wanted to put on a very theatrical live show, when we’re afforded the time to set-up and we’re allowed to bring extra stage items we take fog and lights with us, as well as stage props.

Do the same things still drive the band when it was fresh-faced or have they evolved over time?

Group: Our passion for music. That will never change.

Since your early days, how would you say your sound has evolved?

Group: Heavier with much more complexity.

Has it been more of an organic movement of sound or do you deliberately push yourselves into trying new things?

Group: Both, as artists we want to progress and do new things, that plus the natural maturity of our song writing progressing makes our sound change.

Presumably across the band there is a wide range of inspirations; are there any in particular which have impacted not only on the band’s music but your personal approach and ideas to creating and playing music?

Zander: Danny Worsnop. His vocal style on Death to Destiny was very intriguing and encouraged me to change up my own style.

Nykii: Bullet for my Valentine. The way their songs are composed is inspiring to me in creating my own compositions.

Is there a process to the songwriting which generally guides the writing of songs?

Nykii: I compose all the music then Zander and I get together for the lyrical content of the songs. After that we go down the list of what vocal style the song needs to sound the best. Once the vocal style has been selected me and Paul write the guitar solos. That’s the process and steps we usually go through each time we write a song.

Where do you, more often than not, draw the inspirations to the lyrical side of your songs?

Group: Real life experiences, video games we’re playing…Possibly horror movies for some songs (Afterbite).

Please give us some background to your latest release and some insight to the themes and premise behind it.

Group: Mirroring My Pain. We put it out last April. The EP is about dealing with and defeating your demons.

Mirroring my Pain [the intro] is the start of the story line, the realization that the character of the story can change certain aspects of his life. See Me Fall is about the character confronting his demons, saying how they only want to see him bleed. Every time he looks into the mirror his demon self is threatening to slit his wrists. At the end he confronts and defeats his inner demons. Digging Graves is the part of the story where he buries the worse half of himself, once and for all letting go of his pain. The character has inner turmoil as he fights against his darker emotions to move on. Worth Fighting For is the final song on the EP. The character has taken care of all of his inner demons, but his emotions that lash out are still plaguing him. He fights and kills “Anger” and “Pain” in a symbolic measure that he now has them both under control.

Are you a band which goes into the studio with songs pretty much in their final state or prefer to develop them as you record?

Group:  Yes, we do a lot of pre-production to make sure we get things right once we start recording them.

Tell us about the live side to the band, presumably the favourite aspect of the band?

Group: Whether we play for fifteen minutes or forty minutes, we give it our all the whole time. To us it’s what we live, breathe and train for. The live show is everything to us.

It is not easy for any new band to make an impact regionally let alone nationally and further afield. How have you found it?

Group:  Sometimes, we’ve been really really lucky this year with opportunities to open for bigger bands. Last year we were not nearly as fortunate, so we were basically just trying to push out as much online promotion and campaigns as possible.

How has the internet and social media impacted on the band to date? Do you see it as something destined to become a negative from a positive as the band grows and hopefully gets increasing success?

Nykii: Where we’re from bands are either death-core or pop-punk. This has put us in both a fantastic and a terrible place at the same time. Thanks to social media other band members from different bands can quickly go to one of our sites and comment on the fact in a negative manner that we’re not exactly the same as them, making the exact same music as them. On the other hand, we’re different and we fit better on some shows than others would. I think social media for the most part is already becoming a negative thing at our current place. Keeping it working to your advantage is just a massive game of X’s and O’s. Every time you get three in a row the game appears to restart and you need to find a new corner to try and occupy with your work.

Once again a big thanks for sharing time with us; anything you would like to add or reveal for the readers?

Group: Once again, thank you for having us. Our music video for A Warriors Heart is out now! (or will be by the time this interview is posted). You can watch it here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94ZNBLFhA8c

https://www.facebook.com/RemnantsOfHopeBand/   https://twitter.com/RemofHope

Pete RingMaster

The RingMaster Review 26/09/2016

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

Twisting sounds and textures; exploring the sonic roar of Fero Lux

Casting their own fusion of math and hardcore upon the senses, Fero Lux is a South Florida quartet beginning to spark richer attention. The release of latest album No Rest has played a big part; the raw but addictive sound it shares demands attention as in infests the imagination. Live the Broward County hailing band has similarly earned a formidable reputation so we thought it was high time we got to discover more about the band. With big thanks to vocalist Victor, we look at the heart of Fero Lux, its beginnings, that latest album and more…

Hello Victor and thanks for taking time out to talk with us.

Yo! Thanks for talking TO us.

Can you first introduce the band and give us some background to how it all started and what brought you all together?

We’re a band called FERO LUX from south Florida. When we started, we all played in other bands. Our guitarist, David, wanted to start a heavy, mathy band. So he recruited us all. I was in something else at the time that I wanted to take seriously, and realized this was more fun. So…over five years later, here we are.

So you have been involved in other bands before so has that had any impact on what you are doing now, in maybe inspiring style or change of direction?

Oh yeah. We’ve all been playing in bands for 12+ years. I think FERO LUX is a HUGE melting pot of all of those bands combined. Our sound certainly has an overall heavy theme, but we’re all over the place if you listen to our latest record from front to back.

What inspired the band name?

We were huffing the smell of 100 unwashed turtle tanks. And boom…FERO LUX.

Was there any specific idea behind the forming of the band and also in what you wanted it and your sound to offer?

Yeah, like I mentioned we started with a sound in mind, but after half a decade we certainly found what we were aiming for all along. I think it shows on NO REST.

Do the same things still drive the thoughts of band from when it was fresh-faced or have they evolved over time?

I think we’ve become more socially aware. We always wanted to be a band with something to say, and I think we’ve harnessed that a little better over time.

Since your early days, how would you say your sound has evolved?

It’s more refined. The song writing is far more structured, but there are still a lot of riffs you have to hear more than once to kinda fully understand; still heavy, still mathcore. Also, this line-up–myself, Ben, David, and Nick are the most cohesive we’ve had to date.

Has it been more of an organic movement of that sound or plenty of moments where the band deliberately wanted to try new things?

It was certainly organic. We just lock ourselves in our warehouse and jam until new songs come out. We don’t really vocalize how we want them to sound. They just…sound.

Presumably across the band there is a wide range of inspirations; are there any in particular which have impacted not only on the band’s music but your personal approach and ideas to creating and playing music?

At The Drive-In is one we all say we can agree on musically. They pushed it like no other. They mesh all sorts of ideas and themes into each record…and ALWAYS had something to say. We consider them a very brilliant and selfless band.

Is there a process to the songwriting which generally guides the writing of songs?

Nawh.

Where do you, more often than not, draw the inspirations to the lyrical side of your songs?

Global strife.

Give us some background to your latest release.

NO REST came out on March 25th, 2016. It’s about a bunch of different things happening all over the world and locally. There’s heavy stuff, and not so heavy stuff. I personally like to think it has something for everyone.

Can you share some insight to the themes and premise behind it and its songs?

The opening track is called No Insignia. It’s about the war crimes committed on Ukraine and Crimea upon the invasion from Russian soldiers who wore no identifying insignia. People were forced from their homes, people were killed, and we here in America cared more about what was taken off Netflix that month.

Are you a band which goes into the studio with songs pretty much in their final state or prefer to develop them as you record?

They’re finalized beforehand. I’d say the lyrics are usually 85% done beforehand and I just top it all off whilst in the studio.

Tell us about the live side to the band, presumably the favourite aspect of the band?

It’s certainly my favorite. Live, we like to jump on people and have them jump on us. What fun is a live show if everyone is just standing around? And when we’re tuning and whatever, I like to try to make people laugh. We’re a “serious” band who tries to not take ourselves too seriously.

It is not easy for any new band to make an impact regionally let alone nationally and further afield. How have you found it your neck of the woods?

It’s hard in south Florida. We have to drive over 6 hours just to leave the state. We’re always envious of the north eastern states that can cross three or four borders in the time it takes us to get to Georgia. We’ve found the cities we do well in down in Florida, so it’s been cool to revisit them. But we’re planning some longer stuff for Fall and Winter and we’re very excited to share these dates with everyone.

How has the internet and social media impacted on the band to date? Do you see it as something destined to become a negative from a positive as the band grows and hopefully gets increasing success or is it more that bands struggling with it are lacking the knowledge and desire to keep it working to their advantage?

It’s honestly crazy. Bands that seem to know how to manipulate Tumblr and Instagram get huge. Unfortunately for us, we don’t know how to do either of those things. We also don’t know how to sign unfair record deals. So I feel like we’re destined to remain the size we currently are. But who knows…maybe Myspace will come back?

Once again a big thanks for sharing time with us; anything you would like to add or reveal for the readers?

Thank you again! Check out our music and videos at https://www.facebook.com/feroluxmusic and http://fero-lux.bandcamp.com

As far as a reveal, not yet! But we’re doing a small run in August, so if you’re in the south east, come check us out!

Pete RingMaster

The RingMaster Review 21/08/2016

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

Uncaging the roar: in interview with Fivefold

Formed in 2007, St Louis, Missouri hailing Fivefold has earned a strong reputation for their melody thick and emotionally rousing rock ‘n’ roll. Taking in a quartet of albums and a host of shared stages with the likes of The Offspring, Buckcherry, Redlight King, 10 Years, Switchfoot, Sick Puppies, Greek Fire, The Urge, Shamans Harvest, Broadway, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Memphis May Fire, Jamies Elsewhere, HURT, Cavo, among many others, the quintet is one of the fresh breaths on the current music scene. We talk to the band to get a feel of their passion and invention…

Can you introduce the band and tell us to how it all started; what brought you all together?

Ryan Cheney – vocals

Matt Amelung – guitar, vocals

Matt Benne – guitar, vocals

Coco – bass

Derrick Huskey – drums

Derrick (drums) and Matt Benne (guitar) met through our late guitar player Jesse. Derrick met Ryan (vocals) at a church camp they were both attending. After a few line-up changes, Derrick, Matt Benne and Ryan met Coco (bass) from playing shows with his Hold On.

Have you been/are involved in other bands before? If so has that had any impact on what you are doing now?

Most of us have played in local St. Louis bands before Fivefold. I think we’ve each taken elements from previous projects and applied them to what we do in Fivefold.

What inspired the band name?

At first we did what every other band does…we looked through dictionaries. Haha! But really, we decided on Fivefold because it essentially means five different units/things that come together to accomplish one goal.

Was there any specific idea behind the forming of the band and also in what you wanted it and your sound to offer?

We just wanted to be “good”…and to promote positivity.

How would you say your sound has evolved over time?

We’ve tried to push ourselves to continually refine our sound. In our case, I think that has meant approaching our music with more pop sensibility.

Has it been more of an organic movement of sound you deliberately setting out to try new things?

A blend of both.

Presumably across the band there is a wide range of inspirations; are there any in particular which have impacted on the band’s music and your personal approach to creating and playing music?

I don’t think anything one element impacts itself into our music. Rather, all of our inspirations impact our music.

Is there a process to the songwriting which generally guides the writing of songs?

Most of the time we just start jamming on a riff and take it from there.

Where do you, find inspirations to the lyrical side of your songs?

Honestly, our lyrics have no bounds. They are about anything and everything, whether it’s something one of us has been through personally or something greater than all of us.

Can you give us some background to your latest release?

Our latest release is Open Letter. We released it in December of last year and it’s the first batch of songs written with Matt Amelung on guitar.

What about its themes and premise.

Open Letter is our response/interpretation of the world around us.

Do you go into the studio with songs pretty much in their final state or have looser ideas to develop as you record?

We’ve done both over the course of our 4 albums. Both have their strengths and weaknesses.

Tell us about the live side to the band, presumably the favourite aspect of the band?

I think it’s definitely our favorite aspect. We like to make every show bigger and better than the last.

It is not easy for any new band to make an impact regionally let alone nationally and further afield. How have you found it your neck of the woods?

To be honest, we don’t know the answer. We just continue to work extremely hard and push ourselves and our band.

How has the internet and social media impacted on the band to date?

The internet has enabled us to delve deeper into the life of Bruce Willis.

Find out more about Fivefold @ https://www.facebook.com/FivefoldOfficial and http://www.fivefoldband.com/

https://twitter.com/fivefoldrock

Pete RingMaster

The RingMaster Review 19/08/2016

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

The beating of shadowed wings and inflamed hearts: introducing Darkstone Crows

Hailing from Mississauga, Ontario, Darkstone Crows is a fresh metal bred fire on the Toronto music scene with a sound which simply demands attention. Now as they prepare their debut album for release later in the year, the quintet is beginning to poke at ears and spotlights further afield. With thanks to the band, we take a look into the heart and creative passion of alternative metallers…

Can you first introduce the band and give us some background to how it all started and what brought you all together?

Chanel Martins-lead vocals, Nick Sawicki and Jiv Marshall-guitars, Russ Shipman-bass and backing vocals, Matt Skypas-drums.

Jiv and Elle started the band back in 2014 and went through a bunch of line-up shuffles. Russ joined in July 2014, Matt was February 2015. Nick replaced our last guitarist in January 2016. We’re just a group of friends making metal music, we want to do it the best we can and not cut corners, really make a work that we can be proud of, that means something.

Have you been/are involved in other bands before? If so has that had any impact on what you are doing now, in maybe inspiring a change of style or direction?

Russ, Matt and Nick have been involved with bands before, and Chanel has been singing since she was four years old. We all bring something from our experiences to the table but we’re learning a lot as well so our personal style has evolved with the music we’re making.

Russ: I’ve been in a ton of bands before Darkstone Crows, but I would have to say that my first real band (Get!Wise punk-metal, 2008-2013) was very influential on my ethics and approach to songwriting. I learned to jam and to listen to the other players in the band, to build and to lock into groove. I wouldn’t say that any other band I’ve played in before had any direct impact on what I’m doing now.

Elle: No bands, but I’ve been heavily involved with a lot of contemporary music and lessons since I was four years old. Discovering metal definitely made my previous training and experience have an impact on my current endeavours, in a backwards way.

Jiv: Nothing really.

Nick: Prior to the band I was just working out in the gym and studying hard in school. I write and produce a lot of my own music as well, so I was into that before this.

Matt: I was involved in a small band before, nothing too serious, but it set my mind on where I wanted to go and led to where I am now.

Any particular story or inspiration behind the band’s name?

The shared inability to utter a complete sentence without stumbling over our swollen tongues…The name was discovered by accident. Jiv stumbled over her words while saying the original idea “Dark Storm Crows” and said “Darkstone Crows” and we all liked it.

Photo by Carey Costa

Was there any specific idea behind the forming of the band and also in what you wanted it and your sound to offer?

As the initial birth of the band was Jiv’s brainchild, her original concept follows:

Jiv: Initially we were called “Pariah”, and the meaning behind the name was to represent a band that wrote songs for people who felt like social outcasts. Even though Darkstone Crows still speaks of injustices lyrically, we identify with a broader collection of movements and issues with many varying opinions. For me, I was very engrossed by the female punk movement of the 1970’s, so I wanted to create an all-girl punk band. My musical approach was very raw and simplistic. But obviously, as musicians grow and change the music changes with them, especially when all the different members offer their own influences. As we grew together, our exposure to different music exploded, even as our vision, direction and music did too.

Do the same things still drive the band when it was fresh-faced or have they evolved over time?

The same things still drive us and many more things as well, we’re constantly finding inspiration around us, and there’s a real drive to succeed and explore, to push boundaries that keeps driving us forward.

[Equally, things have] definitely evolved, but not to the point that we lost sight of what the end goal was. We want to travel the world, bring our music to as many people as we can, make our mark too, and have fun doing it.

How would you say your sound has evolved since starting out?

Our sound was very raw and stripped down, influenced by a lot of older rock and metal; from bluesy rock/metal in the early days to the pseudo-progressive alt-metal it is now, though we haven’t removed many elements of our early sound, but sculpted around them and experienced different types of rock and metal and how they can meld together tastefully.

Has it been an organic movement of sound or more the band deliberately wanting to try new things?

A bit of both inherent in the evolutionary process; we’ve become better musicians and writers so that was a very organic growth and a natural evolution. We naturally started writing differently as we expanded our playing, but there was a definite wish to push in different directions that we acted on. The better we got, the more comfortable we got, the more our music grew in complexity. Of late, since our initial guitarist left and Nick joined, we have been deliberately shaping our sound. He’s especially good at listening to ideas and improvising, so that has been a big step forward.

Presumably across the band there is a wide range of inspirations; are there any in particular which have impacted not only on the band’s music but your personal approaches and ideas to creating and playing music?

Lamb of God, Disturbed, and Periphery definitely cap the list, to a lesser extent Halestorm, Slipknot, System of a Down, and Tool have been big influences on our sound.

Definitely Halestorm, Slipknot, and Periphery, all those bands are wild performers and incredible musicians as well, truly inspirational.

Is there a process to the songwriting which generally guides the writing of songs?

Just try not to think too hard, and keep our minds open and concentrated simultaneously. Gold nuggets of music could come from the strangest things and at the weirdest moment. It could be an elbow knocking the strings a certain way that produces unique feedback that kicks off a whole song, you never know.

Usually we start with a riff and build around it, adding other parts that fit nicely and connecting the different parts afterwards. Once we establish parts and the vocal melody is written lyrics are drafted and we start fine-tuning.

Where are inspirations to the lyrical side of your predominantly songs drawn?

Photo by Rachel Carys Gosling

Anything around us, in our world, any thought, any emotion, cause and effect, pertinent global issues like the environment, war, famine, and poverty. Personal struggles with alcoholism, drug abuse, homelessness, ire, rage, depression, euphoria, and victory. Our songs are very dark in mood, however not necessarily darkly worded (although more often than not darkly worded).

Predominantly Jiv, and Russ write lyrics, Jiv takes ideas from injustices she see in the world around her, the media, while Russ’ lyrics hit closer to home and tend to be more metaphoric in content.

Give us some background to your latest release.

Our newest release, our first full length album, is going to be available later this year (we’re aiming to release it in October). We’re currently recording and producing the album ourselves and it’s going to be massive. This album is very different from our debut EP (Darkstone Crows, June 2015), it’s much sleeker, the songs are more complex, and we’re incorporating far more instruments, as well as some feature performances. You’ll experience a more broad sonic adventure that delves into many facets of rock and metal. Our first EP, which was recorded and mixed by Dr. Sean at TRH Studios in Scarborough, CA, is much more raw; recorded stripped down and very loud. There is a punk aesthetic to this EP, hiding behind the pounding rock beats and shredding guitar solos. Definitely an honest, solid debut, perfectly illustrating the drive and hunger we were feeling at the time.

Would you give us some insight to the themes and premise behind it and its songs.

The album’s themes are directed at injustices around the globe, from the environment to civil rights, as well as a couple that delve into the human mind and touch on addiction or mental illness.

[In regard to the first EP] Hell To Pay was written in opposition to police brutality (this was written back in 2014, before any major organizations like BLM were even founded). Easily the darkest song on the record, and still one we play today. Sidewinder, so named after the missile and the desert snake. An apt title, as this song was written near the conclusion of the coalition occupation of Afghanistan that began with the World Trade Center attacks in 2001, loosely referencing 9/11 conspiracy theories but more importantly expressing outrage at a protracted military occupation. Deadhead is an ode to street kids and the homeless struggling to scrape a living and fight their demons every day. Fathoms is our salute to the men and woman who come out to our shows, who we’ve met and befriended, partied and laughed with. It’s about the feeling of hitting the stage and having really awesome people love what you’re doing, and scream the words back at you over the PA system.

Do you enter the studio with songs pretty much in their final state or prefer to develop them as you record?

For the most part we write before the studio. Only recently, with a home studio being acquired, were we able to implement recording into the writing process. It has many benefits, not the least of which is it’s now almost impossible to forget parts! It’s worked both ways for this record, plenty of trial and error, but with such high costs to record in studio we like to be prepared to nail those takes.

Tell us about the live side to the band, presumably the favourite aspect of the band?

Our live shows are full of energy, we try to project our excitement onto the crowd, even joining them in the pit occasionally. We’re constantly in motion and want to turn up and just go for it. If you come to our shows, expect to meet at least one of us in the crowd. We aren’t afraid to get close to our audience, mosh with our guitars, whatever it takes to get everyone having a good time. We try to put on a bombastic show, something memorable and huge. Showmanship isn’t out-dated yet, right?

It is not easy for any new band to make an impact regionally let alone nationally and further afield. How have you found it your neck of the woods? Are there the opportunities to make a mark if the drive is there for new bands?

Every scene has an opportunity for a band, the trick is making your mark and being able to leave for a bit, tour around, and come back to find your mark still there. You have to make an impression on people, really work the excitement out of your audience.

Toronto has exploded recently, not on the metal front, but in the general vein of music, so that’s generated a kind of Mecca for producers and label reps. That being said, these guys aren’t necessarily looking for a metal band, which is cool because we have more to offer than just grinding riffage and double bass. We definitely have our foot in the door, but we’re still growing as a unit and brighter horizons await.

How has the internet and social media impacted on the band to date? Do you see it as something destined to become a negative from a positive as the band grows and hopefully gets increasing success or is it more that bands struggling with it are lacking the knowledge and desire to keep it working to their advantage?

It can definitely be a tedious task, continuously having to type updates and promote shows, mail out merch, upload photos/songs, the list goes on. But, if you love something, you’ll deal with the boring and the crap times because it will come back to you in the end. Social media is definitely helping us at the moment, not only are we diligent about it but we have the right people for the job. Matt is a brilliant graphic artist and designer and Elle is a promoter and Event Management student. All things good must come to an end, but global reach on social media hasn’t gone bad just yet. Bands these days should definitely invest the time into learning how to mould social media, it is invaluable. Anything has the possibility to become negative if overused or utilised improperly, the trick is the learn all you can about using social media and keep your content professional.

Once again a big thanks for sharing time with us; anything you would like to add or reveal for the readers?

We’ve had it under wraps for a couple months now, but we are featuring the amazing Lindsay Schoolcraft, keyboardist/vocalist of UK metal band Cradle of Filth, on two tracks from our upcoming release. So we’re pretty excited about that. Beyond that just more music and we’re beginning to shoot more videos as well, so following our YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiJ2zCXgHfsnUurrge-UyoQ ) and Instagram (@darkstonecrows) will keep you up to date on that stuff.

http://darkstonecrows.wixsite.com/darkstone-crows   https://twitter.com/darkstonecrows   https://www.facebook.com/darkstonecrows

Pete RingMaster

The RingMaster Review 19/08/2016

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

Uncaging the emotional beast: an interview with Owleye

Formed in the late half of 2013, Owleye is a snarling post hardcore roar from Denver. After a potent couple of years across their local scene, last year saw a line-up change and short hiatus with the departure of their previous vocalist. The release of their new EP this past April announced and confirmed the welcome return of the quintet and we seized on the opportunity to talk with the band and find out what makes them tick…

Hello and thanks for taking time out to talk with us.

Thanks for having us.

Can you first introduce the band and give us some background to how it all started?

We are Owleye, a post hardcore band from Denver, Colorado. The band started in 2013 with a group of friends DJ (guitar) Brad (bass) and Frank (drums) getting together and wanting to make something new and unique while keeping true to their roots. Myself (Tim vocals) and Dave (guitar) came into the band mid-2015.

Is Owleye your first musical venture and if not have previous experiences had any impact on what you are doing now, in maybe inspiring a change of style or direction?

We’ve all be involved with other bands with different experiences. Having different paths always is super cool cause we can throw so many different elements and styles and blend it into what Owleye really is.

Tell us about the band name.

The band was originally I Will Lie but Owleye was always in the back of our heads so it quickly changed to that.

Was there any specific idea behind the forming of the band and also in what you wanted it and your sound to offer?

I mean really we just wanted to play music that is relevant and also very unique at the same time. I mean listening to our new EP No Wounds, the listener will notice every different tone and feel to each song ‘cause they are all similar but different at the same time, it’s really cool.

Do the same things still drive the band when it was fresh-faced or have they evolved over time?

I mean my vocal style was a lot different than the previous vocalist, so I mean we are pretty fresh still but the overall outlook of the band has evolved tenfold over the past year and with this EP.

Equally since your early days, how would you say your sound has evolved?

I know it is very cliché but we’ve all just matured as musicians and it really shows in our new sound and new music. Even writing now our songs we are working on are growing bigger and more mature.

That change has been more of an organic movement or you guys deliberately setting out to try new things?

Well again with me coming in, I wanted a different sound and wanted to write music that is very comfortable for my vocal style so it was basically starting all from scratch again and trying new things until we were all on the same page.

Presumably across the band there is a wide range of inspirations; are there any in particular which have impacted not only on the band’s music but your personal approach and ideas to creating and playing music?

We are all inspired by different genres and things but we kinda just write how we are feeling at that moment in time. This last EP was me getting a lot of things off my chest that I’ve been holding in for years. So who knows what is to come in the future ha ha.

Is there a regular process to the songwriting?

We kinda just pre pro little ideas and grow off said idea. Being able to hear an idea over and over again in earphones is so beneficial and every band should do it to help them get the best product.

Where do lyrical inspirations more often than not come from?

I wrote a lot of past experiences that have been held over my head for a long time and just trying to find the positive. Sometimes life sucks and I’m just trying to make light of things in my lyrics and find the true beauty that comes with hardships.

You mentioned it earlier, so can you give some background to your latest release?

Our latest release No Wounds is really all about finding ourselves with this new line-up and touches a lot on my past insecurities at least lyrically. It’s struggling with different things in life and trying to find the light of stupid fucking situations.

Every song is pretty different themed with tones and the overall feeling it gives. I mean there are parts where you wanna punch your best friend in the face to the next song that really tugs at your heart strings and makes you want to cry. Cycles especially is really emotional and talks on losing a loved one and trying to grasp that one thing that will stay with you long after they are gone. It’s a very interesting EP for a debut release with so many different sounds, which is real cool.

Are you a band which goes into the studio with songs pretty much ain their final state or prefer to develop them as you record?

I mean we like to do pre-production a lot but really change the song at least 10-15 times before even going into a studio to work with a producer to get the best product we can get from it. I think having the ability to hear things back is the most beneficial thing a musician can ask for.

Tell us about the live side to the band, presumably the favourite aspect of the band?

I think what sets us apart from some other bands is our live performance because we go hard in the paint every single time. You can feel the energy during our set where even if you don’t like our music you are going to want to move around just cause we put so much of our souls into every performance.

It is not easy for any new band to make an impact regionally let alone nationally and further afield. How have you found it your neck of the woods?

We are still currently starting to branch out from our local scene to a more national scale and really the only thing we can do or any band for that matter is just work your ass off to get what you want from your art.

How has the internet and social media impacted on the band to date? Do you see it as something destined to become a negative from a positive as the band grows and hopefully gets increasing success or is it more that bands struggling with it are lacking the knowledge and desire to keep it working to their advantage?

I don’t think it really brings anything negative for us personally but that’s the fun thing with social media people really only care about the negative. We are so quick to jump on anyone’s mistake ‘cause you know everyone is perfect but I think if society could easily cut through the bullshit then social media sites could be a positive outlook on everything.

Once again a big thanks for sharing time with us; anything you would like to add or reveal for the readers?

Thank you so much for having us guys, and to the readers we love you so much and thank you for making our lives liveable by allowing us to play music.

Check us out if you haven’t yet and expect to see us coming to your city in the near future!!

https://www.facebook.com/owleyebandco    http://www.owleyeofficial.com/   https://twitter.com/owleyeofficial/

Pete RingMaster

The Ringmaster Review 08/07/2016

Infectious roars: talking Rosedale with founder Mike Liorti.

The brainchild of Torontonian Mike Liorti, Rosedale is an aggressive pop band which commands attention. Formed in 1989, the band has moved and evolved through numerous personnel and situations, all the time Mike honing the sound and imagination which has lured potent praise to EPs and albums. With thanks to Mike we recently explored deeper into the world and body of Rosedale…

Hello Mike and thanks for talking with us.

Can you first introduce the band and give us some background to how it all started?

Thanks for having me. Rosedale is currently just me. I have different members all over the place but I’ve been solo for almost 5 years.

Have you been involved in other bands before? If so has that had any impact on what you are doing now, in maybe inspiring a change of style or direction?

I’ve produced, managed, and played keys/lead guitar for my friend Alex Baker. We recorded his album January Blues in 14 hours and toured it for a couple months. He’s an incredible artist and has definitely influenced me to keep it simple. I also filled in on guitar/guest vocals for a couple bands that played as my band such as Time and Distance (Charleston, WV) and Your Favorite Coastline (Virginia Beach). Both were very fun experiences. I programmed some FX and lights into their back tracks for fun. And they both taught me a lot about writing even before I played for them and I was just a fan. I also sang vocals on a Disney musical called Radio Rebel. I sing all the vocals for the GGGG’s character, Atticus Mitchell.

What inspired the band name?

The band name came from a street that was on our way to the local music store, L&M. We would walk to that music store almost every day and write songs on their awesome gear. We ended up becoming friends with all the employees and recorded with some of them. So that store and the walks to it represent our roots and where we came from. Still, to this day, I’ve met some of my musicians while checking out music stores, taught parts and sold gear to people in music stores, and we often get people saying “I feel like I walked into the lighting room at Guitar Center” as we’re about to start our set. So it’s safe to say I’ve always been the store rat. And it’s taught me more than a college degree would have.

Was there a specific idea behind the forming of the band and also in what you wanted it and your sound to offer?

Initially we were very influenced by our local heroes, Moneen. The Used and Boxcar Racer/Blink 182 were also up there on our direction list, but every time we hit the clean channel, it was for Moneen. We were about growing pains and dreams to leave our home town (very original…) As everyone sort of fizzled out into real life and new bands, I migrated the message of Rosedale to more of a motivational message to stay focused on your dreams, show the world what you’re made of, be grateful for what you have, and never give up.

Do the same things still drive the project when it was fresh-faced or have they evolved over time?

They’ve definitely evolved over time, especially with new members coming in for tours. I try to take titbits of their influences into the parts/intros/endings so they have a little more fun every night and it keeps things fresh for me. And I definitely still enjoy playing old songs and putting a twist on them. Right now we’re doing an 8 minute “anniversary version” of our 2006 single you’ll count to Ten (for whatever ten people care) which I just now realized has some serious irony in the title.

Since your early days, how would you say your sound has evolved? Has it seen more of an organic movement of sound or more deliberate intent to try new things?

Rosedale’s sound has definitely matured into more of a listenable aggressive pop. We no longer put our amps on 11 and sing/yell from our throats the whole set. But there’s definitely a lot more raw passion and expression on stage and in the recordings so it’s overall much more authentic. There’s also a lot more orchestration and traditional symphony/big band instruments in the tracks now- big choir vocals too. That evolution just sort of came naturally through my classical upbringing and appreciation for classic movie score composers like John Williams and Hans Zimmer. I just figured ‘hey nobody has really mixed that with punk rock’ and it’s made some cool songs. It takes a lot of time to score them out and program them to sound realistic but it’s a really rewarding process to hear them back.

Are there any in particular inspirations which have added colour to not only on the band’s music but your personal approach and ideas to creating and playing music?

There are definitely influences all over the place in my music and approach on life (Some more surprising than others). You might not think Lil’ Wayne has a strong influence on the decisions I make, but he does. I don’t smoke or drink syrup, but I often think “what would Weezy do?” whenever I feel like closing up shop early after a long day in the studio. I watched a documentary on how Michael Jordan switched from basketball to baseball and I was just as inspired to work on my show from it as I was from seeing an Angels & Airwaves concert. So influences are drawn from everywhere for me. If it sounds good to me, I’ll roll with it, if it has meaning to my life, I’ll write about it.

Is there a general process to your songwriting?

My process is No Process. I like to change it up every time I write a song and challenge myself. If I started writing on piano last song, the next one I might write on guitar, or uke, or acoustic, or just a pad. If I was using pro-tools to demo it out, I’ll try Logic or ableton or Reason for the next demo. If I just finished a sad song, next one is gunna be happy; slow song, fast song etc. The last thing I would ever want Rosedale to be is a recipe that has every song on the album sounding the same…as much as that works for bands these days.

Where do you, more often than not, draw the inspirations to the lyrical side of your songs?

I just write. Personal life memories, something that is on my mind a lot, whatever the chords/song reminds me of. I try not to decide what I’m gunna write about before writing a song. I usually just dive into it, even if there’s no music yet, and realize what I’m writing about once there are a few lines down.

Give us some background to your latest release.

Rosedale was released February 2016 and is a self-titled release because it’s basically all about Rosedale; where it all started, my personal story, why I am who I am, and the struggles I currently face. I recorded it at the studio that mentored me into the recording world, Drive Studios in Woodbridge Ontario. I’ve been good friends with Steve Rizun for the past few years and knew that studio inside-out so it made perfect sense to do the album there. It’s every control freak’s dream to have the key to the studio and I was like a kid in a candy store. 14 hour days flew by in that place.

Give us some insight to the themes and premise behind its songs.

The on-going theme, naturally, is to do what you love and never give up. Sacrifice everything else for the one thing you truly wanna do with your life.

Do you go into the studio with songs pretty much in their final state or prefer to develop them as you record?

A little bit of both. I do like going into a studio with all the ideas mapped out and just replacing the tracks with better tones/takes. But sometimes I’ll just have a couple tracks and a tempo laid out and say “I’m saving this one for the studio…I wanna get crazy with this one”.

Tell us about the live side to the band.

We have a programmed light show and a bunch of automation on our mics to make it sound like (and sometimes bigger than) the record. We also bring our own fog machine. It helps make every show epic and works well with our music. Whenever I think “man, I set all this stuff up for nothing” I’ll see someone taking a picture or video and lose all regret.

It is not easy for any new band to make an impact regionally let alone nationally and further afield. How have you found it your neck of the woods? Are there the opportunities to make a mark if the drive is there?

Toronto is very tough to have as your home base. I rarely play it because it’s always such a let-down seeing everyone bail last minute. [With] most Canada shows that seems to be the case for some reason; like you have to create a big buzz elsewhere before your hometown cares about you again. I wish all it took was good music. The best place for music is Germany/Austria. Anywhere where German is the main language, good music prospers. I hear the same thing about Japan too but I’ve never been there myself.

How has the internet and social media impacted on the band to date? Do you see it as something destined to become a negative from a positive as the band grows and hopefully gets increasing success or is it more that bands struggling with it are lacking the knowledge and desire to keep it working to their advantage?

The internet and social media should be much more useful than it actually is. Contemporary social media has ruined music, straight up. It’s the independent musician’s worst enemy. It was great in the MySpace days but now, thanks to the corporate sharks taking over, it’s just one big useless distraction polluting everyone’s common sense. Will it ever be useful/free again? One can only hope. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a lot of positive things that social media is to thank for, like connecting with new fans personally has never been easier! But overall it’s just become one big cess pool of gimmicks, memes, vented personal matters, and ads.

Once again a big thanks for sharing time with us; anything you would like to add or reveal for the readers?

Keep your stick on the ice.

https://www.facebook.com/ROSEDALEmusic   http://www.rosedalemusic.net/

Pete RingMaster

The Ringmaster Review 01/07/2016

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright