NYS Music 20​12

Author: Joy Houle

  • MAN OVERBOARD Announce Lost Tape Collective Holiday Show 2012

    MAN OVERBOARD Announce Lost Tape Collective Holiday Show 2012

    Man Overboard and their label, Lost Tape Collective, have announced their annual holiday show in Philadelphia. This year’s event will take place on December 15th at the Theater of the Living Arts on South Street. Here is a quote from the band about this years show:

    “Every year we curate the Lost Tape Collective holiday show. We try to comprise the show of bands that are friends, tour mates and bands we enjoy and support. We spent the summer on Warped Tour with Alan Day and I Am The Avalanche… Seahaven was on our headline tour in February and Daylight + Citizen are old buds so its going to be a great night of friendship and hangouts…. we hope everyone with an interest in these bands can make it out to the show!… we will be announcing a special guest and final act fairly soon”

    Tickets for the show go on sale Friday, November 2nd at noon via LiveNation’s website.

    Saturday, December 15th @ Theater of the Living Arts
    334 South Street – Philadelphia, PA

    Lineup:
    MAN OVERBOARD
    I AM THE AVALANCHE
    SEAHAVEN
    CITIZEN
    DAYLIGHT
    ALAN DAY (of Four Year Strong)

    www.facebook.com/ManOverboardnj
    www.losttapecollective.com
    www.defendpoppunk.com
    www.riserecords.com

  • Review: Dead Channels – C.R.E.A.M.

    Dead Channels – C.R.E.A.M. (Manic Progression/Shattered Ego Records)

    This is 2012. Bands often spend more time coordinating outfits than worrying about silly notions such as their own integrity or what their legacy will look like if they manage to kiss enough ass to seperate themselves from the herd. When the quality of your music is dictated by desperate businessmen or the ability to make drunken women with daddy complexes wet, you’ve produced the equivalent of a walmart quality landscape painting in what should be a wall reserved for Picassos. With that said, it makes the occasions when you do find someone worthy of holding a brush that much more special. Dead Channels gets it.

    What Dead Channels has released here is a three song 7″ titled Cash Ruined Everything Around Me. Bassist/Vocalist Angelo Mosca told me it’s ‘somewhat of a concept EP’. The trilogy of songs within cover the topics of being in an honest band in a very dishonest, and I’ll just say it, bad time for music. The first song, Substance Abuse, tackles the topic of bad bands in positions of success. “Won’t sing along to your preacher song, like sirens to deaf ears/You work the stage like an usher the plate”. The second song, PMA vs. 401K, is an ode to the frustration of having to work a day job that you hate. The last song in this trilogy to the thankless joy of being in a band, Dirt Poor, deals with the illusiary quality of material things and the inner struggle to search for what truly matters in a world where you need to eat to survive. “Father don’t label me failed yet, I only want good things same as you. My blood, and my friends, this band is my family./ And I’ll keep working on quote “meaningless things”,like love and respect. And when I’m finished you can cash the checks, but the ground hasn’t covered me yet.” I don’t generally like to do reviews song by song like this at all, but I feel the topic and the flow of this ep call for it. As someone who was in an underground band for a good many years, this speaks to me.

    Musically, this is no departure from 2011’s Soul Pollution. The music is hectic and conveys a sense of urgency. Much like on Soul Pollution, the vocals are used as a fourth instrument to round out this three piece. This adds to the raw quality and makes the subject matter feel sincere. This ep shows Dead Channels achieving a stride and comfortablity in their music that should make people eagerly await their next album.

    http://www.facebook.com/deadchannels
    http://deadchannels.bandcamp.com/
    http://www.youtube.com/DEADCHANNELSNY

    -Brian Lawrence

  • Aggro Or Die! – Summer Dies is angry thrash perfection

    Aggro Or Die! – Summer Dies (Overdose on Records)

    Detroit is a hellhole. There’s entire streets where they just shut the power grid off because fucking no one lives there. In 2009, when a reporter asked mayoral candidate Stanley Christmas why the murder rate had recently dropped 14%, he answered “There just isn’t anyone left to kill.” This is of course a fertile breeding ground for angry punk rock. Summer Dies, a 13 song offering by Aggro or Die, illustrates this nicely.

    AOD describes themselves as ‘Detroit Hardcore Nerd Rage Wood Pushing Concrete Surfing Radd Reggae Thrash Punx’. That’s a lot of words. With songs a bit longer than what I generally expect in thrashier bands, I didn’t find myself losing interest in the middle… the songs seem to ebb and flow effortlessly and maintain dynamic throughout. I hear DRI meets Agent Orange (check guitars in Punch Out!) meets glimpses of The Suicide Machines, with some Citizen Fish thrown in for good measure. That’s a pretty potent combination, and one the world needs more of.

    With a majority of songs about skating, video games and of course Detroit living in extremely desperate times, AOD has produced a fine document with Summer Dies, one that’s well worth the money spent to check it out. And who knows, you might just save Detroit’s economy by buying it.

  • Racebannon Show Review – 4/26/12 The Haunt – Ithaca, NY

    30 people in attendance, 300 decibels. That’s an appropriate way to sum up Racebannon’s performance at The Haunt last Thursday. Diligently working to bring some of the finest in underground music to the 607 area code, Bubba and Ithaca Underground presented the Indiana based noise group to a modest crowd, but that didn’t stop the band and sound guy from doing whatever it took to make ears bleed.

    Unaware I would ever get the opportunity to see the group, all I can say is they are heavy… Very heavy. Opening with a crushing, sludgy jam, I knew right away that it was going to be a fun evening. The 4-pc from Indiana makes A LOT of noise.

    While not overtly psychotic, Racebannon’s stage presence is definitely crazy… The chaotic nature of the noise punk scene necessitates a bit of off-the-wall antics. Not to say the band totally loses it or in any way endangers themselves or their audience, but it is certainly something to watch.  Racebannon’s atypical song structure and punctuated rhythms throughout their songs left you wondering what state of mind the guys are in during their writing.

    Their first time in Ithaca was sparsely attended, but they went for it on stage, anyway. Vocalist Mike Anderson kept it fun onstage between tracks, his maniacal laughter and spastic outbursts adding a layer of humor to the spastic, sludgy grooves and spitfire changes offered by the music.

    Offering a solid selection of tracks off their latest release, , as well as some tasty bits from their array of previous output, their set was dense, crushing, and again… very loud.

    I’d really like to see a tour consisting of Racebannon, The Jesus lizard, and Melvins… It’d be almost too perfect. Check out “The Hard Way” video on Youtube for a dose of what the band is all about… Good jam!

    Cattledrums

    The first thing I’ll say about Cattledrums is that they are a “listeners” band. You’re probablt not going to not going to be able to follow it the first time out, whether you’re into the music or not. The band is very tight, and all 4 members are proficient musicians, but it’s like watching A.D.D in music form. Their songs are spazzy, technical, have lots of time changes and unique melodies and riffs, and progress like they were written out on a chalkboard. Progressive, experimental hardcore/punk type bands are always fun to watch, at least.

    The players are very busy onstage, and you have to really know the changes to truly appreciate what they’re throwing down. The drummer is sick, and his easy yet powerful transitions were a pleasure to see in person. The singer was on the floor the whole time, back to the crowd, undoubtedly watching his band mates lay waste to their instruments. The very small crowd (less than 20) watched eagerly as they tore through their tracks.

    They closed with an incredibly heavy drum/guitar track, ala Hella, making for my favorite song of the evening by the group. ATDI, Volta, Dillinger fans will be pleased, so check it out.

    My apologies go out to Hi, Donna Here who opened the show this evening, as it was necessary to indulge in my longtime calzone obsession. D.P. D’oh!

    www.racebannon.net

    www.ithacaunderground.com

  • “Greg’s 10” Interview with… CLUTCH!

    Chevy Celebrity. 1983. Not nearly as cool as the vehicle described on “Spacegrass,” my introduction to Clutch back in high school, but it got me around. A staple on the Top 9 at 9 on K-Rock for months, a buddy of mine and I would hop into my ride, pack a bowl, and anxiously await the DJ to drop the tune. A fan is born.

    Clutch may not have reached to upper echelon of commercial success as some of their contemporaries, but most of their contemporaries aren’t even around anymore. Riding a wave of success that is, in many ways, unparalleled, Clutch’s fan base is cultish, rabid, and fiercely loyal. My last experience with the group found them selling out 2 consecutive nights at Irving Plaza in NYC… Not an easy feat anywhere, let alone a Mecca of the music world.

    I was able to check out the show this evening, and Dan Maines from Clutch was cool enough to answer a few questions about the band, their longevity, tour, and recordings for Upstate Metal.

    Interview:

    G- What’s going on, man, and thank you for taking the time to speak with Upstate Metal! How’s everything going on your current tour? I see you are playing several headlining dates in addition to sharing a bill with Hell Yeah! How have the shows been?

    D- They’ve been good. I’m sorry, but I’ve just noticed that they have Rockin’ Pies down there? This place… Do they make their own pie for sale during shows?

    G- You know, I’m not quite sure but if they do, I haven’t had dinner yet so I’m definitely down to grab one.

    D- That’s fantastic!

    G- I’ve been coming to this club for about 18 years and I’ve never seen that.

    D- Never seen anything about pies?

    G- No.

    D- OK. Moving on, tour’s been going good. We started the tour off with headlining shows. We did a few of those, and then Hell Yeah! Jumped on, or we jumped on with Hell Yeah! For the past 4 shows. Everything is going great.

    G- How’s life on the road with Mr. Vinnie Paul and crew… You guys been partying hard or what?

    D- Not yet. We’ve know Vinnie for a while. We did a tour back in the day with Pantera and we’ve been on a few tours where he’s come out to see some of the other bands. We’re just looking forward to spending some weeks on the road with them. All those guys are great guys… I’m looking forward to it!

    G- Excellent! So, Clutch has been around for more than 2 decades (They formed in 1990) and there is no indication that the group is going anywhere anytime soon… Can you talk a bit about the band’s formation and how everything came about?

    D- Yea, well we first started playing together in 1989. That was our senior year of high school. My first show was trying out for the high school talent show. I can’t even remember what we were calling ourselves, but it was me, Neil, John Paul, and this other friend of ours Brian, and Eric. It didn’t make the cut, but luckily there were so many bands that tried out for the talent show that they just decided to have a totally separate school concert, which we ended up playing.

    God, what was the name of the band? I can’t remember the name of the band… It was something terrible (laughter). And then we got Tim in the band and it was narrowed down to 4 of us. We put out our first 7” in 1991 with our friend Dave and then put out Transnational Speedway League, our first lp on Atlantic Records, or East West, in 1993. And we’ve been releasing albums ever since.

    G- Your recordings run the gamut… You incorporate many different styles into your music, and each album is a bit different, but purely Clutch. Is this intended?

    D- Umm, I think you’re gonna run into that phenomenon of a band sounding like the previous album because it’s the same people. It’s difficult to kinda stray away from your core sound in a lot of ways, and we try to do that, and we don’t try to make the same record we made the last time. We may end up making 10 albums that, in our minds, were vastly different from each previous album, but I think, as a whole, it’s pretty easy to identify our music, if you’re listening to it. I’m too close to it… I can’t tell.

    G- Can you tell me a bit more about your writing process? Who in the band typically comes up new music? Is there a primary writer, or do you guys just drink a few beers and jam out until something clicks?

    D- As far as writing the music, it is definitely a group process. All 4 of us are heavily involved in the writing. Vocally, Neil is the sole lyricist and vocalist. But we just get together at John Paul’s place and start jamming. He pushes record until we start playing something we like playing for more than 2 minutes, and we move on to another idea. Neil will take those instrumental ideas home with him and come back a day or 2 later with some vocal ideas. And usually the vocal ideas will dictate which direction a song goes in. We may drop a part altogether. A part we thought was the chorus of the song may turn out to not be the chorus of the song once you have vocals put on it. You just build it like that. It’s very rare that somebody comes to the table with a completed song.

    G- So Clutch now has their own record label, WEATHERMAKER, and you have been reissuing your classics. Are you currently working on any new releases right now? What else is in the works for Weathermaker?

    D- Well, we have a lot of things coming out, actually. We just re-released the last 3 albums we put out on DRT Records, which has folded. We acquired ownership of those 3 albums, so we’ve re-released those on cd last year, and this year we are releasing them all on vinyl.

    G- Nice!

    D- Yup. And we have a 7” inch that we are releasing right now called “Pigtown Blues” and it’s a picture disc 7”. One side is an acoustic song called “Pigtown Blues,” and the other side is an acoustic version of “Motherless Child,” which was the first song on our last full-length album “Strange Cousins.”

    And at the end of this Summer, we plan on going into the studio with the songs we are working on right now and record those and put those out on an album that should be out early 2013.

    G- Will you be demo-ing or premiering anything during this tour?

    D- Yea. We don’t have anything established as far as titles go, but we’re definitely playing new songs on the road right now. It’s Tim’s set list… We change the set list every night… and I think tim was talking about putting 3 new songs on the set tonight, which would be fun.

    G- That’d be great!

    D- But yea we have about 10 songs right now that we will be playing throughout the tour, and when we get home we are gonna continue writing and then go into the studio with, hopefully, 15 ideas and see what happens.

    G- So, after 9 albums, rare compilations, live albums, etc… Where does Clutch see itself in the next decade? Are there any countries or continents you haven’t been to yet that you are working on, or any acts you are looking/hoping to share a bill with in the future?

    D- Yea. We’ve been lucky enough to get over to places like Australia and Japan. The European tours are starting to pick up for us. We’re just starting to consider playing European festivals “routine” now, which it never was. But yea we’re still trying to get into places like South America. We’re trying to get over to Japan more often… We haven’t been over there in a while, so we’re working on that. But yea… Global Domination is definitely part of our plan in the next 10 years.

    G- On that note, what’s the craziest show Clutch has played to date, and what was it like? Do you have any particular spots that always go off?

    D- Yea (laughter)… I don’t know. I can’t remember so many shows. You definitely see some weird things. I remember playing a show in Ohio and, uhh… I spend a lot of my time looking down, and I play with a hat on a lot of times, too, so I don’t really see a lot of what’s going on in the crowd. And one show taught me my lessons in paying more attention to what is actually happening.

    (Laughter begins)

    G- Oh boy!

    D- Uhh, I mean, this was a small stage, too. Maybe 3-feet high. But these people were engaging in coitus directly in front of me! They could have touched my feet!

    At this point, I’m cracking up.

    D- And it was that close to a threesome.

    G- I think we have a winner!

    D- But the reason it caught my attention was because you could hear very clearly the guy saying something along the lines of  ‘I can’t do it with all these people around.’ That was pretty bad.

    G- Upstate Metal… I think we’ve got a winner. Clutch has the gold star so far, so it’s gonna take a while to top that one!

    But lastly, so you can go get ready for the show this evening… I just want to ask your professional opinion. You guys have been doing this for a long time, and you’re clearly doing it well. You’ve made lots of waves, and you’re still going strong… What advice can you give for up and coming bands and artists who are looking to record, tour, and make it as professional musicians these days?

    D- I think what helps a lot is figuring out what you can do by yourself on your own. It’s that DIY attitude that was in music when I first started listening to bands. I was really into hardcore, and being from DC and having bands like Minor Threat and Fugazi as your local heroes, you kinda get that DIY attitude exposed to you early on And I think that that kind of mentality is what is gonna save a lot of bands in the long run. Not necessarily having to do everything yourself, but at least figuring out what you can do by yourself and not putting your hopes or expectations on other people or other companies.

    We’re a band that’s learned you cannot rely on a record label. You thought you could… You thought that that was your ticket… That if you could make it onto a record label, your problems were solved, and that’s the farthest thing from the truth. It took us a long time to figure it out, but what was most gonna benefit this band is forming our own label and just trying to put as many things in our control as possible.

    http://www.pro-rock.com/

    http://weathermakermusic.com/

  • Brenden Small’s (Metalocalypse) debuts GALAKTIKON!

    Brenden Small’s (Metalocalypse) debuts GALAKTIKON!

    Dig Metalocalypse? Keep reading. The multi-talented Brendon Small, who acts as primary songwriter, performer, actor and writer for the wildly popular animated series, is back at it with a new project, Galaktikon. If the show is any indication, you’ll probably assume that Galaktikon is going to be somewhat over the top, and it is. But not in a way you may expect.

    Brendon describes the album as “…an audio comic book, an over acted chamber drama, a ridiculous premise that takes itself way too seriously all the way to the end.” This statement definitely has its merit, but the album does come across as a completely serious piece of art. Not in a cookie monster, super heavy, grandiose, or obnoxious way… It’s just ambitious in a way Dethklok is not.

    The songwriting captures the heaviness and intensity one may expect from Dethklok, but with a more progressive rock feel. The tracks offer lots of tasteful melody, excellent guitar work, and exude a completely different kind of tension than the listen may expect, especially coming from the guy who wrote “Murmaider.” The musicianship is superb.

    Oh yea… Gene Hoglan is a hitter, so Galaktikon gets an additional star for that reason alone m/!

    The occasional moment of cheese, particularly the “Mr. Roboto” vocal effects during “Arena War of the Immortal Masters,” threw me for a quick loop. But, given the intention and ambition of the project, everything fits very well into the grand scheme of the album.

    If you are looking for a new Dethklok album or another batch of Metalocalypse, wait for season 4. The pomposity and lunacy that comes from Dethklok, though occasionally present here, is tucked away backstage, guzzling Jack Daniels and doing lines of cocaine while waiting for Galaktikon to finish their opening set. But if you are looking for an album of space aged travel odyssey, look no further than right here and grab yourself a copy!

  • JONESTOWN discusses influences, religion

    JONESTOWN discusses influences, religion

    Jonestown is a metalcore band out of Syracuse, New York with a strong message and ruthless sound.  Their aggressive style is infused with hardcore undertones and edgy vocals.  Their message rails against corruption, fear and ignorance in society.  The name Jonestown refers to the infamous Jonestown Massacre in Guyana, South America in 1978.  I sat down with Tyler Frisbie, Bobby Backes and Ryan Thurston and spoke with them about their music, message, and style.  The following is taken from that conversation.
    Rob:  What bands have influenced you and inspired you to play music?
    Bobby:  I grew up on metal.  When I was a kid my dad was always jamming and there were always guitars and drums in my house.  The bands that made me want to get on stage would be the old hardcore bands that would play at The Wescott Theatre and Planet 505.  Bands like Norma Jean, Poison The Well, Nora, and Throwdown.  When I went to my first Hellfest that really set it off for me too.
    Ryan:  Well, the first bands that made me want to play music were Guns N Roses and Pantera.  I grew up on that stuff.  But then as I got older and started to play music it was more of the metalcore and hardcore bands.  If it was on Trustkill Records or Ferret Records I probably listened to it.
    Rob: Have there been any changes in style or members in the band?
    Bobby:  If you play our songs from the first to the newest you can hear the progression. At first, we shied away from breakdowns.  We would play the slow, stand out breakdowns like most metalcore bands have.  We found how to use the breakdowns in our own way without throwing them in every song, which I feel is boring.  I still think that we don’t know our sound one-hundred percent yet but we are still young as a band.
    Rob:  How would you categorize Jonestown Hardcore, Metalcore, or a mixture?  I am not a genre expert!  I just know what I like!
    Ryan:  We are the same man.  We like everything and draw influences from it all.
    Bobby:  Genres are so shotty you can say anyone is anything!  But if metalcore is a mix of hardcore and metal than we are true metalcore.  Metal and hardcore fans love it.
    Rob:  Can you tell me more about the song Burn The Page?  What influenced you to create that song?  Does it draw from Turn The Page?
    Bobby:  Ha ha….no, no influence from Turn The Page even though it is an awesome song, it just happens to rhyme.  The song is about the misuse of religion.  Not anti-religion if going to church and reading the Bible is your choice and it makes your life better good for you.  But when religion is used as a tool of fear to make children obey and follow without letting them make their own mind.  I just think its crazy there is nine year old kids that will kill themselves and you because “God” said so…….I just think that is CRAZY!
    Rob:  I agree!  People do crazy things in the name of religion!
    Ryan:  They really do.  I have no problem with what you choose yourself to believe or not believe, but people should make up their own mind.
    Bobby:  Like drinking Kool-Aid with poison, hence the name Jonestown.
    Rob:  Jonestown has a message.  It’s one that goes against extremists and societies obsession with fear in religion and government.  Does this sound right?
    Ryan:  I would say that is pretty spot on.  In my eyes people need to take a hard look at the things they believe and not just take in everything they are told as the absolute truth.  If I told you some crazy facts that seemed almost completely unbelievable,
    would you choose to take that as fact with no research or thoughts of your own?
    Bobby:  But then again we aren’t all about that all the time.  We have fun and our song 909 is just about going out to a party and getting wasted.
    Rob:  What upcoming shows will are you playing?
    Ryan:  We are playing with The Empire Shall Fall on May 24th and the Exposed Music Fest on February 4th at the California Brew House in Rochester.  If people would like tickets they can contact us on Facebook.
    Rob:  What bands and groups have you been playing with lately that you would like the readers to know about?
    Bobby:  We have to let people know about Embrace The Massacre, Suspended In Dusk, Broken Tooth Productions, and of course you can hear our song, Burn The Page, on the new Anarchy Hour Podcast!

    http://www.facebook.com/Jonestown909?sk=app_2405167945

    http://www.reverbnation.com/jonestownreal

    http://www.facebook.com/Anarchy.Hour.Podcast?sk=app_182222305144028

    Vocals: BOB BACKES
    Guitar: ROB PIERCE
    Guitar: TY FRISBIE
    Bass: RYAN THURSTON
    Drums: ALEX FRISBIE

    Rob Born

  • REVIEW: COMMON ENEMY “As the World Burns”

    REVIEW: COMMON ENEMY “As the World Burns”

    As the World Burns, the 5th full length offering from Reading, Pa’s ever vigilant Common Enemy shows no signs of slowing down and indeed finds the band even more the master of their excellent brand of thrashy punk rock than they were on Living the Dream. And that’s saying a lot. The 16 concise, angry, and dare I say slightly more serious songs located within this album are  a needed dose of thrash in a boring music world filled with ten million bands in their little sister’s pants that all seem to be playing the same eight minute long song. I honestly can’t find a more apt simile for this release than from the words of the band themselves in the album description: “pure post-apocalyptic chaos, and good times to be had with friends while sitting back and watching it all burn.”

    As pointless as it is to draw comparisons with other bands on a 5th album, I get the same rush from this album that I get listening to Rich Kids on LSD. Immediately from the opening track Thrown Away, vocalist Gary sets the tone with his strong, pissed off delivery that will be his trademark throughout the album. The fun, irreverent songs I’ve come to expect from Common Enemy are here in abundance with songs like All I Want For Christmas Is A Bag Of Weed, as well as several songs that even touch serious social issues such as March Them Off To War (This Is Business): “Blasted by the mainstream media, we sit and mindlessly swallow every bit of shit they feed us. They tell us what to wear, what to eat, how to live and whose life has value. And if we can’t make the change, we’ve opened the door for the exploitation of the lower class everywhere.”

    With the majority of the songs clocking in at under two minutes, more guitar harmonies than ever and drum beats tighter than an exceptionally ugly altar boy at a church filled with picky priests, Common Enemy has somehow found a way to refine their noise even further while breathing fresh air into a sound that was already in no danger of growing stale. 2012 is promising to be great in the arena of new punk albums, and As The World Burns is already an early contender for album of the year. With a genuine love for their craft that is both transparent and what punk rock is all about as well as a relentless touring schedule that will most likely have Common Enemy playing near you before very long, you would be making a huge mistake to sleep on this band or this album. You can pick up copies of it now exclusively from the band themselves or Overdose On Records.

    For more info on this album:
    http://www.overdoseonrecords.com/

    To buy As The World Burns:
    http://www.overdoseonrecords.com/store

    -Brian Lawrence

  • BIOHAZARD discusses touring, release of “Reborn in Defiance”

    BIOHAZARD discusses touring, release of “Reborn in Defiance”

    Admittedly, I was first exposed to Biohazard when Beavis and Butthead were rocking out to “Punishment” during one of their old school episodes. No problems, there… That show kicked ass (huh huh.) Since that day, I have always followed the band and checked out their albums. I picked up a limited copy of Urban Discipline and played it relentlessly. Shortly thereafter, I anxiously cracked open the neon orange case when State Of The World Address dropped, and just recently scored a bright orange vinyl promo copy of the album in Ithaca for $10. Score!

    So on February 8th, of course I’d have to check the group out when Amp Entertainment, Black Shoe Productions, and Station 58 brought the Boogity-Woogity Brooklyn Boys to town. Before their performance, I was able to sit down with guitar/vocalist Billy Graziadei to ask a few questions about their latest record, their lengthy career in the music industry, the departure of their longtime bassist and front man, Evan Seinfeld, and what’s in store for “Reborn in Defiance”

    Greg: What’s up, Billy? Thank you for taking the time to speak with Upstate Metal. There were some health issues while you were on tour in Europe… How is everybody doing?

    Billy: The name of the band is Biohazard, and there is always something crazy going on with us. We did 3 shows in the States before we went to Europe, and a couple of days before those 3 shows, we were in rehearsals. Danny’s wife, our drummer… The baby came late. He’s like “Dude, I don’t think the baby is gonna come before we leave… We’re gonna need to either cancel the tour or find somebody else to fill in for me. So we got Danny from Sworn Enemy… We rehearsed with him just in case. Kept him on reserve… Of course the baby didn’t come, so we took Danny with us. He was awesome… Phenomenal! So we get to Europe on tour with Suicidal (Tendencies), Terror, Walls of Jericho, and Lionheart. We get there and Scott is rushed to the hospital. Spends the whole day in the hospital, they run all these tests and they couldn’t find out what was wrong with him. He checked himself out at around 9:30 at night, we went onstage at 10, and he rocked the show, went back to the hospital, and stayed overnight. We picked him up the next morning and we finished the tour. Anybody else would have quit, but that dude’s a fuckin’ vegetarian hardcore dude, a hardworkin’ ass motherfucker, and he did it. Now, today’s the first date of the US run, and Bobby’s got Pneumonia. I just got a call yesterday and he could barely breathe, he could barely talk…

    Greg: He’s got Pneumonia right NOW?!

    Billy: Yea, so… He’s gonna make the show. Same thing… Hardcore motherfucker! Anybody else would’ve cancelled the tour, but we’re Biohazard, you know what I mean… Full of viruses but good, positive energy

    Greg: So, Danny just had a baby girl (Congrats, Danny!) What is it like being a family man on the road? You guys have been doing this so long that…

    Billy: You know what… Even without kids I’ve always been a family man. My family has always been important to me, as it has been for all of us. So, it’s always been tough… You feel like you say more ‘Goodbyes’ than you do ‘Hellos’. Obviously the ‘Goodbyes’ are more painful, but we do what we like to do in life, you know? We love being here, we love playin’, and the unfortunate side of it is being away from my family as it always has been.

    Greg: Well they obviously support you in all your pursuits because you’ve been doing it so long, and you’ve been doing it well.

    Billy: Thanks, brother!

    Greg: So this is the first day of your 10-date run… Is this run a warm up for more extensive touring in the near future? What do you have planned for the upcoming year?

    Billy–  It’s never a warm up. We’ve been on tour for a month now. We came back from Europe and had 2 days off and this is the first date of the next run. We’re doing this for 2 weeks, then we have 2 days off, and then we go straight to Australia for, like, another 3 weeks, and then we come back and go right back out again.

    Greg: Are you guys playing Soundwave?

    Billy: Yup.

    Greg: That’s fucking great!

    Billy: Yea it’s gonna be cool!

    Greg: So, Biohazard has recently released their latest record, “Reborn In Defiance”… Tell me a bit about it…? How was the writing process, and how long did it take to get it where you wanted it to be?

    Billy: The record came out in a weird way for us. We got back together in 2008. We toured around, and I didn’t think the band would last for 2 months. But here we are 4 years later. We ended up having a great time together, got along, nothing was broke. We just rolled with it. During sound checks, we’re jamming and working on new music and we weren’t really conscious of making a record. We were just vibin’ each other out… Different ideas musically and lyrically, and we started trying some things out live and it just became “Reborn In Defiance.”

    Greg: A lot of U.S. fans were pretty pumped to hear that the release was going to be made available as a free digital download here, but it got pulled, like, the day before it was set to drop… Can you tell us a bit about what happened there? Was that just music business bullshit?

    [momentary pause]

    [In unison] Yea.. Music Business Bullshit.

    Billy: I’ve been screaming for 20 years… Music is for me and you, not the fucking industry. The industry has always tried to keep Biohazard down and we come back swingin’ and survive. The record is gonna come out, and for everyone in America that has been behind us and had our backs for all these years, we’re going to release some extra stuff… Make it worth the wait… because we just had a bunch of bullshit to deal with.

    Greg:  Since we’re we are talking about 55 minutes of pure pummel here, how were the new songs received while you were in Europe? What was the response to the new songs?

    Billy: Awesome!

    Greg: Were kids going nuts?

    Billy: Yea.

    Greg: What was the best show of the tour?

    Billy: Berlin was great… Tilberg. Paris was phenomenal! A lot of those shows in Europe were sold out. London (Camden Underworld… Awesome spot!) sold out when we were headlining… It was our last show and it felt like CBGB’S!

    Greg: Have you made any videos for the tracks? Can we expect any on the new episodes of Beavis and Butthead or singles in rotation soon?

    Billy: (Laughs) I hope so! We’re STILL big fans of Beavis and Butthead. We already have something out and it’ll be released real soon, and we’re working on plans for the next video.

    Greg:So let me ask you… How are things between Biohazard and Evan? How are fans reacting to Scott taking over on vocals and bass after playing guitar?

    Billy: Scott was in the band for the last 2 records and toured around the world with us for the last 4-5 years.

    Of course, when Evan quit… We finished the record just the 4 of us (original members). He quit and it was a shock and a surprise for us, but that’s life. Life takes twists and turns and you gotta roll with it. And we did, you know? We decided ‘Fuck that… We’re not going quit, we’re going continue.’  I wish him well and have nothing bad to say about the dude… We share a lot of great memories and I hope he finds what he’s looking for and is happy. And the fans love Scott! He’s full of heart and soul, loves being there, loves doing what he does, and like I said… He checked himself out of the hospital for a show. That’s pretty fuckin’ hardcore! Anybody else would’ve quit… They would have cancelled the tour.”

    Greg: Biohazard doesn’t play that shit, folks… You heard it here first! So, Biohazard has been in the music game for a very long time. You’ve seen a lot come and go, bands ripping each other off, and executives stealing money left and right… How’s the game treating Biohazard right now, and what do you think is going on behind the scenes?

    Billy: The Biohazard family and fans, you know, I’d rather refer to them as friends. Without these people supporting us, we wouldn’t be here. There wouldn’t have been no reunion, and the reunion wouldn’t have been successful enough to make us fall in love with what we do again. Playing back together again, for me, reignited that fire inside my heart for Biohazard and what I do. So I love being here and I’m here because I want to be here, not because I have to be here.

    And as far as things are going, check us out on Facebook… You can get 3 new songs for free… Download ‘em! We have a song called “Come Alive,” a song called “Vengeance Is Mine” and a song called “Reborn,” and we’ll be playing those tonight!

    www.facebook.com/biohazarddfl

    Greg: Lastly, as a veteran band with amazing experience and lots of street knowledge, and lots of road dogging, what advice can you give some of the young, up and coming bands out here in Syracuse who want to make it in music, on the road, and as a professional musician?

    Billy: Do it for the love of it… That’s it. Everything else is secondary and not important. If something happens with it, you had a great time and enjoyed it. And if nothing happens, you still had a great time and enjoyed it.

    I want to thank Billy, Biohazard and crew, Amp Entertainment, Black Show Productions, and Station 58 for setting this up and putting on a great show in Syracuse. Stay tuned… Many more on the way!

    -Greg Allis

  • ABORTED discusses “Global Flatline”, influences

    ABORTED discusses “Global Flatline”, influences

    Aborted is a death metal band from Belgium. They’re a four-piece band with members from Belgium, France and the UK. Signed by Century Media Records, and recently released their album, Global Flatline, They are a powerful, heavy band with a passion for mosh pits, blood, guts and horror. I was fortunate enough to be able to speak with Sven De Caluwe, vocalist for the band, between tours.

    Chris: Filming music videos can be a pretty cool experience. What did you think of the experience of filming “The Origin of Disease” music video?
    Sven: It was pretty intense, we shot it right in-between playing festivals—meaning we played a festival in Germany the day before, drove out to Holland, took a plane to England, and then shot the video the next day for about 8-9 hours straight, and we had way too many takes which were all more intense than the previous one at a location that smelled worse than any anus known to man haha. The day after that, we flew back to Holland to drive back to Germany and play Summer Breeze at 3AM. Exhausting to say the least, but we are ultimately very satisfied with the results!!
    Chris: Does this song have a significant meaning to you?
    Sven: It is one of the more instense songs on the record, and it has a good dose of groove at the same time. The theme is “mankind is a disease”, which is exactly what this whole album is about.
    Chris: Your new album, Global Flatline, came out January 24th. Describe the experience of recording it.
    Sven: I think this must have been the smoothest recording session we ever had. The whole album was done in under 3 weeks from start to finish, including mix and mastering. Jacob Hansen did a killer job, and it was very relaxing working with him. He got the best out of everyone and the sound we were looking for.
    Chris: The cover of Global Flatline appears to be a zombie eating Jesus. What inspired this intense album cover?
    Sven: That’s merely the digital single cover. The actual album cover is a completely devastated urban landscape with hordes of zombies eating people and what not. The intense album imagery comes with the intense pile of shit that mankind signifies.
    Chris: How does this album differ from your previous ones?
    Sven: I would say it’s more extreme, brutal, energetic, varied and mature than the previous efforts.
    Chris: Extremefest promises to be a pretty brutal event. What do you hope to get out of playing it?
    Sven: A good time, many crushed skulls, and destructive mosh pits!
    Chris: What do you enjoy most about being on tour?
    Sven: Playing shows in front of responsive audiences, meeting new people, hanging out with the other bands on tour, visiting new places and seeing the differences between cultures.
    Chris: Are there any shows on your tour schedule that you’re especially looking forward to playing?
    Sven: We are going to Brazil for the first time in a few weeks and also playing Norway for the first time in our career this year, so we are pretty excited to see how people bash their skulls in in those places!
    Chris: Who are some of your biggest musical influences?
    Sven: This would vary from member to member, but in general for this band I would say Suffocation Carcass, Entombed, Dismember, and so on! Old school death metal.
    Chris: Personally, I enjoy Cannibal Corpse. What was it like sharing the stage with them?
    Sven: They are great guys and a killer band, they are simply a monument for death metal and it’s always a pleasure hanging out with them or performing with them. They are literally a testament of dedication to the extreme.
    Chris: Where do you see yourselves in one year?
    Sven: Touring, playing more shows and playing more death fuckin metal!