February 2014


Diva Suicide formed in 2009, since then they have released material, played shows, and been busy working upon their new album which is said to be more aggressive, capturing a whole another side of these Diva Suiciders. Frontwomen vocalist -XS- and guitarist RM-Dox discuss this new album and the future plans.


1. Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in Diva Suicide.

-XS-: Hey, this is XS, I'm Diva Suicide's singer.

RMDox: Hi I'm RMDox and I play guitar for Diva Suicide.

2. How long has the band has been together?

The current line up has been together for over a year now.

3. Tell me where is the band based and what is the music scene like?

We are currently based in LA. Music scene is not great anywhere but here is definitely better than other places and if, you've got a good sound, people notice you.

4. How would you describe your style? Which bands influenced your music?

XS: We don't really like labels, but I guess we could say alternative rock with electronica. We are influenced by many bands, from My Chemical Romance, I See Stars and Of Mice & Men to The Black Dahlia Murder. However, I don't think we fall under any label and we do not resemble other trendy popular bands.

RMDoX: Its a very unique style of music, we describe it as HappyGore hehe. we get our inspiration from loads of bands from different genres of music.

5. What lyrical theme do you guys use in your music? What message do you want to send?

It depends on the song. What we want is that the kids think out of the box, and do not just listen to what media has to say. Just think for yourself and understand the world from your own point of view using your brain and do not follow what they want to impose on you.

6. Can you tell me about your new song/single for "振り返らないで (furi kaera naide)"?

Furi Kaera Naide means "Don't look back" in Japanese. As the title says, it's about looking forward ahead without getting stuck in the past, as this only stops you from evolving and improving.

7. Do you plan to make the new video for this song as well or pick another song, when can we expect to see it released?

We are preparing a lyrics video for Furi Kaera Naide and it will be released together with the album, very very soon. :)

8. Does "振り返らないで (furi kaera naide)" come off your new album "If there's no unicorns, I'm not going"?

Yesss!

9. What's your take on "If there's no unicorns, I'm not going" as a whole?

Our take is that we are not going there if there are not unicorns. Wouldn't even discuss it. ;)

10. Where are you in the recording process of the new album?

"If there's no unicorns, I'm not going" is finished and, as I say, it will be released soon. We are just finishing the last touches at the moment.

11. Who is producing the album? How has the producer aided the recording process?

Production and recordings are all done by us in our home studio, with the help of our friend Nika Skerkrow from Death Makes Pretty.

12. Where are you recording the album?

RMDoX: Everywhere haha. Some of the songs were done in LA, and some were done in London.

-XS-: Some were even finished in Italy!

13. How is the vibe in the studio?

-XS-: It's great, when someone has a bad day, the punishment is to eat a cracker with deadly spicy sauce. If the victim does not eat it, could get kicked out of the band ;)

RMDox: The studio vibe is fuckin awesome, I love working with our producer, I have leveled up in making coffee haha.

14. Who did the cover art for "If there's no unicorns, I'm not going" and how much input did you have on it?

RMDoX We worked with amazing people to get the promotional pictures done, make up and hair was done by Shelly D'inferno, photos done by Alexander Blair and the artwork was done by Citra, my sister! We loved working with them since we gave them all our ideas and combined them with theirs.

-XS-: Yes, the process was lots of fun and the result was exactly what we wanted!

15. What label will be releasing the album?

Battered Vinyl.

16. Is there any story or concept behind the "If there's no unicorns, I'm not going" title?

-XS-: It all goes back to a night out with the band… and that's all I remember!

17. Is it important for you to paint visual pictures with the songs?

RMDoX: Well it's always good to have visual imagery through songs, i think it would be easier to visualize our songs since each song gives off a certain atmosphere from the notes and various effects we use.

-XS-: Uhh, what?? :)

18. What would be the cinematic equivalent of "If there's no unicorns, I'm not going"?

-XS-: Over the Rainbow from the Wizard of Oz and Matrix. Yeah, definitely Matrix!

RmDox: Hmm, i have would have to say imagine an over the top happy kid's cartoon that turns horribly violent which would forever leave a mental scar. Haha thus the name HappyGore was picked up for our style of music.

-XS-: Yeah, you picked it, not me! Haha.

19. How would you describe the overall sound of the new album?

A punch in the face of someone stupid with an electric guitar lol. No, I don't know, better listen to it when it's released. :)

20. Did the band have any definitive goals they were shooting for before the recording process began for this album?

XS: Hmmm not really.

21. Are you using any new instrumentation you've never used in the recording process before?

-XS-: We experimented with new synthesizer software and the result was good.

22. When did you start writing for this album? How was the songwriting process different/similar to previous Diva Suicide releases?

We are always writing stuff and then we decide to get some of the best tunes together to put an album out.

23. What's your favorite song on the album right now?

-XS-: Furi Kaera Naide and Before She Kills.

RMDoX: I like all the songs but my fave song would be Furi Keara Naide and Before She Kills.

-XS-: Haha, that's why we get on so well.

24. When can we expect the new album to be released?

If all goes well, it will be released next month.

25. How about 2014 what are the plans you guys have in-store?

-XS-: We can't wait to hit the stage again, so I'd say mainly start playing good shows and also we have another video in mind, but this will come later on.

26. Anything else you'd like to say or want to add?

Like us on FB, come to our shows and … Furi Kaera Naide!!!!


Returning with the fifth full-length of their decimating career, there is no stopping the juggernaut that is WHITECHAPEL. Our Endless War is the culmination of everything the Knoxville, Tennessee sextet have worked toward since their inception. A ruthlessly honed album that refuses to compromise on brutality, it is also by far their most streamlined, atmospheric, and emotionally powerful release, pushing every aspect of their sound to the next level.

Our Endless War will be released April 29th in North America via Metal Blade Records. Today WHITECHAPEL have revealed the album artwork track listing and have released the first single entitled "The Saw is the Law" from the new album.  Listen to the first offering from Our Endless War and pre-order the album, in exclusive bundle packages at http://www.metalblade.com/whitechapel.   "We are excited to announce our fifth full length studio album Our Endless War.  In typical WHITECHAPEL fashion, this CD takes the sound we have been developing over the past 8 years of our career and pushes it to new levels.  We want each record we release to sound different, and this one is no exception. With dashes of every record we have done so far mixed with the intensity of a new sound, this record is sure to please fans of WHITECHAPEL, old and new", says guitarist Alex Wade.

Having progressed with every record, onWhitechapel the band took a stylistic leap forward, garnering a whole army of new fans and greater critical respect in the process. This determination is immediately apparent. Having started to "seriously" write in February of 2013, the album was a year in the making, the band letting the writing develop organically while putting everything under a microscope, working harder on perfecting every song than they ever had before.

Famed for their three-guitar lineup, the band have always packed a crushing sonic punch, but on Our Endless War they take greater advantage of this than previously. Frequently, the seven-stringers build dramatic, incredibly heavy walls of thrilling noise through interweaving their parts, making for a sonic richness that pulls listeners even further into the songs.  As with all of WHITECHAPEL's releases the heaviness does not just stem from the music but Bozeman's lyrics, showing characteristic diversity across the record's ten tracks.

When it came to tracking the album the band considered no one beyond Mark Lewis, who helmed Whitechapel. "Making the self-titled record went so well, we loved the way it came out, our label loved the way it came out, and our fans kept telling us that it was our best sounding record so it would have been stupid not to work with him again!" laughs guitarist Alex Wade.  For the artwork, the band turned again to Aaron Marsh, who supplied WHITECHAPEL with its stark, arresting imagery, but again they wanted to push things to the next level. "With the sound maturing we felt like the artwork needed to reflect that. We also introduced a new logo - our old logo is classic Whitechapel, and that's not something we plan on getting rid of, but as the band grows and changes we felt like we needed the logo to represent the maturity of this new Whitechapel."

 Leading up to the release of Our Endless War, WHITECHAPEL have confirmed a string of dates including an appearance at this year's New England Metal & Hardcore Festival.  These dates will being April 16th in Columbus, OH and run through April 27th in Birmingham, AL.  These shows feature support from Carnifex, Within the Ruins and Cruelhand.  More dates including a North American co-headlining North American tour are in the works and will be announced shortly.

Tracklisting:

1.    Rise
2.    Our Endless War
3.    The Saw is the Law
4.    Mono
5.    Let Me Burn
6.    Worship the Digital Age
7.    How Times Have Changed
8.    Psychopathy
9.    Blacked Out
10. Diggs Road


The Silver Shine is a vintage punk rock and roll / punkabilly trio with a thunder-handed female double bassist from Budapest, Hungary. They have released 7 albums, toured relentlessly, and plan on touring and releasing more material in the future. Krista Kat upright bassist and vocalist, and Anti Edge guitarist and vocalist discusses their band's releases, touring, and more!


1. What type of band are you?

The Silver Shine is a punk rock band with upright bass.

2. Tell us the brief history of your band.

The band was founded in 2004 by Ati Edge and two of his friends. He's the only former member in the band since 2007. Then Krista joined the band on upright bass and Furo, our drummer joined later in 2008. At
 the beginning we played punkabilly, 7 albums come out since then and our style turned more into punk rock during the years. We define it as "vintage punk rock and roll".

3. What's the origin of the band's name?

Some tattoo artists calls the starting of peeling stage of a new, fresh tattoo as silver shine.

4. How did you come together?

Well, there were no punkabilly band in Hungary way back in 2004. We played in different hardcore and punk bands and we traded punk, psychobilly, rockabilly CD's as maniacs and after a while we decided to
start a band. The Silver Shine was a side project for 2 years and then Ati realized there's no time for both bands so he left his main band and started to doing The Silver Shine with 120% power.

5. You guys have a unique sound, which bands would you say influence you the most?

Reverend Horton Heat, Social Distortion, Motörhead, Living End, etc. Just a few of our favorites who inspired us. But we like a lot of good bands from different genres from blues to hardcore and the list would
be damn long if we would name them all. :)

6. What are your dreams and goals?

We do what we love to do. We are doing the band as full-time job for 6 years now. Do we need more? Actually Krista is dreaming of a Gretsch White Falcon bass gitar. Maybe some day she's gonna get it. :)

7. Who writes the songs, what are they about?

Ati writes all the songs. At the beginning we had horror lyrics mostly but lately we don't have any kind of horror in our songs. The songs are about feelings, love and hate. We have a couple of songs about ourselves like " If I Was To Start It All Again" or we have songs about being on the road "On the Way Back Home". We have some cover songs on our last record also. "Jolene" from Dolly Parton and our version of the million times covered "Tainted Love" song.

8. How did you getting signed with Wolverine Records happen - are you happy with their services?

We were in contact with Wolverine Records before our "Same Old Song" CD came out and we got an offer from the label that they are interested to release our new album. It came out in April 2013 and yeah, we are happy with the release. Since then Wolverine released a split 10" with Graveyard Johnnys for our US tour with Nekromantix, and released a split 12" LP with The Rocketz for our EU tour.

9. Do you ever feel pressured because your a 3-piece act?

No, we never felt pressured about it and to be honest it's more easy to work this way. Less people - less trouble :D

10. What are your plans for new music?

We're working on new songs continuously but new album will be out only next year. An EP will be out this year for sure because we have our 10 years anniversary this year so we would like to release a limited
edition 7" or something like that for our Europe tour this Autumn.

11. What about the band what have you guys been up too as far as music and shows go?

Ati has a rockabilly solo project.... but that's music also, hehehe. Well, we don't really have another hobbies, our hobby is our band. Ati likes old vintage guitars. Krista likes singing but that's in the same topic again :D

12. You played last year's Ink'N'Iron Fest, how was it?

It was great to back at Ink N Iron last year. In really we played at the festival first time in 2010. Last year we played the same day when Offspring and NOFX played. We met a lot of our US friends and we had a
great time there. This festival is awesome, definitely one of the best ones around!

13. What are your upcoming touring plans and plans for 2014?

As I mentioned before, we will have a 10 Years Anniversary tour this Autumn in Europe and an EP will be out for the tour. We will play at Satanic Stomp, one of the biggest psychobilly festival in Europe this April. We will play some great festivals during the summer (some of them confirmed but the line up haven't published yet). Please check out our website or FB site for dates: www.facebook.com/thesilvershine
or www.thesilvershine.com

14. Anything else you want to say to your fans?

Thanks for the interview Natalie! We would like to thank you all of your support!


Modern death metallers The Morphean have been doing their thing since 2008, they have gone on to release several singles, an EP, and 2 full-lengths including most recent "Mechanical". Frontman vocalist Burns Biermayr talks about the album, shows, and future.


1. Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in The Morphean, and how long the band has been together.

Burns: Hey, my name is Burns and I am the singer/shouter in the band. In the end of 2014 we will have our 10th anniversary.

2. Can I get a backstory on the band/band biography?

Burns: Since our foundation in 2004 we played several gigs in our home country and produced two demos and a video. In 2008 our first successful output hit the music business. Our EP “Divine”. Because of so many positive reactions we decided to enter the studio in 2010 to produce our first full-length record “Enter The Illusion” which was released via “Refused Records”. After some line-up changes and cool live shows with Soilwork, Hatesphere, Born From Pain and so on we hired Uli Meisinger as our new drummer and produced a single called “Crossroad”. This was the first step into a new era. So we hit the studio again in 2013 (Studio Suiseidl, Germany) to record our second album called “Mechanical” which will be released via Noisehead Records this year.

3. Where is the band based out of and what is your music scene like there? Are there any local bands you could recommend?

Burns: We are from Austria and we have a really good underground metal scene here. Of course there is a bigger scene in our neighbor country Germany but we have some awesome bands here. I can recommend THE SORROW, IN SLUMBER, BELPHEGOR, and many more.

4. How did you guys come up with your band name?

Burns: Oh, that is not easy to explain. In our early history we had to change our name and it took us a long time to find the right one. We spoke about our lyrics and what we want to express with them. So it is a synonym for the fact that every person has its good but also bad sides. And when the bad ones (which can slumber deep inside) awake our emotions can overwhelm us.

5. What bands have influenced your band and its sound?

Burns: Here we have to distinguish between our early times and now. But I would say that bands like In Flames, Soilwork (many swedish bands) influenced us the most. But also american bands like As I Lay Dying or Machine Head. Basically we try to mix up as much sounds as we can to create our own style and I think we did this well on “Mechanical”.

6. What lyrical theme do you guys use in your music? What message do you want to send?

Burns: Basically all lyrics deals about humans and their emotions (hate, anger, fear, love, …). I see our music and the lyrics I write as a balance to my/our normal life. I want to write lyrics which hit the people at their hearts. We hate to write violent lyrics, so we didn't.

7. What have you released so far and how were your releases received by the public/media?

Burns:

2008 EP “Divine
2010 LP “Enter The Illusion”
2012 Single “Crossroad”
June 2014 LP “Mechanical”

So far we are very happy with the reactions of the fans and media, especially with our last outputs. With the experience of 10 years we definitely know what we want and how we can set it up. The best prove is the new album deal with Noisehead Records.

8. Do you play live as well? How's your live activity so far?

Burns: Sure, we play as much as we can and we met some awesome musicians like Björn “Speed” Strid so far. Playing live is the best thing of being a musician. We all have normal jobs and on weekends we grab our guitars, drums, mics and play. :)

9. Do you remember your first show and what was it like?

Burns: Oh yes, I remember our first show, but I didn't want to. I was awful. Haha.

10. Has The Morphean ever played in the states or plan to do so in the future?

Burns: No, it's a pity but that is a question of money. So if we had the chance to do this, we would love to play in the states, especially in California.

11. What made you guys decide to form a band?

Burns: The most of us played an instrument and we were all friends. So we began to jam a little bit and at some point it became a more and more professional project.

12. Who produced Mechanical and what was it like working with them?

Burns: We produced Mechanical at Studio Suiseidl in Germany. Philip Seidl was the producer who also did the sound on “Crossroad”. It was very fun and professional to work with Philip. His experience as an producer and also as a well known musician in Germany helped us a lot. We love the sound he created.

13. Is there any story or concept behind the Mechanical title?

Burns: There isn't such a strong central theme behind “Mechanical” as it was on “Enter The Illusion”. The title of the album (and also for the song) stands for a person which hides it's emotion with the intent not to be hurt. If you want, the person is an emotionless machine. And in this emotional state it is hard to be in a good relationship with friends or a girl-/boyfriend.

14. Who did the cover art for Mechanical and how much input did you have on it?

Burns: The cover artwork did Matthias Bäuerle and SeasonZero who did awesome cover artworks on metal bands but also well known pop bands like Sunrise Avenue. We told him about our musical concept and about the lyrics and he made this awesome work.

15. Select two songs from Mechanical and what inspired the lyrics.

Burns: “Light On The Horizon”: The lyrics deal with the fact that every person has it's future in it's own hands. This person has to wake up, to fight and turn the bad times into good ones. It means that you to have to do something in order to reach a goal.

“Shadow Kingdom”: This song deals with a couple of riots in london, caused by a tragedy that happened to a citizen and caused by the fact that the rate of unemployment is very high. In this district the poverty rate is also very high. So I described this situation from two opposite points of view.

16. What's your take on Mechanical as a whole?

Burns: Mechanical is more aggressive, emotional and faster than all we had done before. We put our drum lines and guitar riffs to the next level and adapt the vocals much better to songs. It's also the first time that we had guest vocalists who did a really great job. The whole concept (artwork, production, …) is more professional than ever.

17. What's your favorite song on the album right now?

Burns: Hm, I love them all, haha. But if I had to choose, I personally would say “The Mass Infection”.

18. How did you guys get signed onto Noisehead Records? What's the relationship been like with them?

Burns: We prepared a landing-page with access for some labels and NHR was directly interested to sign us. So we talked to them and we also were very interested in their very fair deal. So the relationship is still fresh but we know that this was absolutely the right decision.  

19. What is it you'd like a listener to remember the most when hearing your music for the first time?

Burns: For us it is important, that the listener hears that this music comes from five musicians who put all their passion into this album. We tried to combine old school death metal with newer modern elements and melodies, so we hope that the people will like this mixture and will remember, that The Morphean is a really cool band. Haha.

20. What sould labels/zines/promoters know about your band? Why should they be interested in it?

Burns: They should know that we play all our songs live in the same intensity as they are on CD. We do all shows with passion and we bring all our emotions and energy onto the stage. Our new records is just the first step into a new era of The Morphean.

21. What plans do you have for the near future as a band?

Burns: We want to promote “Mechanical” as good as possible live and in the media. So we're planning a lot of shows in the near future. Their will be a new video very soon and more videos are also planed. Of course their will also be a release-show in June.

22. Where can we listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff?

Burns: You can listen to us on Facebook, YouTube or on our website (links below). You can buy our older stuff on bandcamp or on bigcartel. Our new album will be available over noiseheadrecords and the established online shops.

http://www.themorphean.com
http://www.facebook.com/themorphean
http://themorphean.bigcartel.com
http://themorphean.bandcamp.com

23. Any final words of wisdom?

Burns: Thanks so much for the great interview. Check us and our new album out. Cheers, Burns & TM


Samantha Scarlette is an American Alternative Rock singer/song writer, originally from Saddle River, NJ. She has joined in an array of various activity from being a fashion designer, to doing some skateboard competition, to then doing her thing with music. Samantha herself discusses her musical abilities, new album in the works, and other plans she has planned ahead.


1. What type of artist are you?

Samantha: To pick a traditional genre of music, I'd say I'm an alternative rock artist.  If you listen to my stuff, there's a lot of a early 90's alternative & grunge as well as pop influence.

2. Tell us a brief history of how you became the artist known as Samantha Scarlette.

Samantha: I've always wanted to do music since I was a little kid.  As a teenager I did vocal training and performed at the state fair and stuff, I had a major music manger interested in me back then but I wasn't ready so I put music on the back burner.  I'd say I became "Samantha Scarlette", around 2011 when I recorded my debut EP "Into The Darkness".  I dyed my hair blonde around then (as a nod to Courtney Love), and tried to adopt a more confident attitude, if that makes sense.  You need a thick skin to make it in the music business.

3. How did you get labeled with being called "soft grunge" do you agree with this label or do you not care for labeling who you are as an artist?  

Samantha: I definitely agree with the "Soft Grunge" thing.   As I said before my music, is influenced by early 90's alt and grunge…. But I'm a lot more pop/rock then solid grunge… I also tend to dress in the style that the Tumblr crowd refers to as "Soft Grunge" which is a mixture of goth & 90's fashion… So I think "Soft Grunge" is the most accurate way to describe my music and me in general.

4. What are your songs about? (What specific themes do they cover?)

Samantha: My songs tend to be about love and vampires.  Maybe not so much love as heart break.   I like a lot of dark imagery, I always have.  So I try my best to write stuff with dark metaphoric lyrics.  I guess thats why vampires come into play a lot, because the vampire is always such a romantic yet tragic figure.

5. Do you write your own songs? (Discuss the songwriting process in detail.)

Samantha: Yes! I'll usually pick up my electric guitar… I know most people write on acoustic, but I don't even own an acoustic guitar; I've always loved electric… And I will start stringing together chords and creating riffs, and what not until I've got something I like. Then when I've come up with the basic music structure, I'll write the lyrics.  I usually write the music before the lyrics. Though in writing songs for my new CD (that I will be recording around May), I have written a few sets of lyrics that I later wrote music to go with.     The funny thing with lyrics is I feel like lyric ideas always strike me at the worst times, like I'll be in the shower and lyric ideas will pop into my head.  Or I'll be out and about and write song ideas on my iPhone's  memo AP.

6. Who are your musical influences?

Samantha: I'd say my biggest influences are Courtney Love (Hole), Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins), Ville Valo (HIM), and Jared Leto (Thirty Seconds To Mars).  I'm also very influenced by bands from my childhood like Fall Out Boy, The Used, and My Chemical Romance.

7. Why did you want to take "Fallen Star" that was originally released in 2011 and release a video for it now after it's surpassed it's release date?

Samantha: "Fallen Star" was my favorite song that I recorded for "Into The Darkness", back in 2011 I'd intended to release it as a single and do a video, but I never got around to it.  This past December winter, I knew I was going to be working on a new CD next year (2014), and so I figured why not release a video for "Fallen Star".  I'd though of doing videos for "Mourning Fantasy" as well, which I may if I have time before I enter the studio for the next CD.   These days with technology what it is, you can make a decent music video without breaking the bank, so why not?   Also to anyone who thinks that video was shot on green screen, it was not.  I was legitimately out in the snow in in those tiny clothes freezing.  The day I shot the scenes with the candles, I was kind of ok.  But the day the cemetery scenes were shot, it was oh so very cold.

8. Your other single "Iron Maiden" and "Fallen Star" will be free downloads why did you want them to be available for free?

Samantha: "Fallen Star" has been out since 2011, like you said, so why not give it away as a free promotional single?  People have already bought it, so lets give it out for free to a new crop of fans. "Iron Maiden" I will give out for free when the music video for "Fallen Star" reaches a certain number on YouTube. Anymore, bands and artists rarely make money off of album sales anyway.  Singles are essentially a commercial to promote your "brand" so giving it away for free vs. people tracking it down and downloading it illegally.  It also provides you with being able to know how many people have downloaded it vs having no clue as to how people getting it off a file sharing web site.  So fans get it free, and I know how many people are really listening.

9. While you do plan to release these as freebies - you do know people can always find a way around it - what do you think about downloading music online?

Samantha: The internet destroyed the music industry.  In every way. Prior to Napster and the iPod, major label artists could spend 10 million dollars on recording an album and know they'd make the money back.  Now no matter who you are whether your Lady Gaga or the kid on the corner, anyone can pirate your music.  They don't even have to go on a file sharing site.  You can just go on YouTube, copy a link and paste it into a website that strips the audio out, it's that easy to pirate an album.  That's why I'm personally a big fan of Spotify.  You, the fan, basically has access to every CD ever made for FREE with ad's in between.  When someone listens to my song on Spotify, I, the artist, gets anywhere from 1 to 5 cents.  If someone listens to your song 100 times you make the same amount you would off of one iTunes download.  It's not great but it's a lot better than people illegally downloading the song.  I rarely buy CD's, and I know if I'm going to spend $10 on an album, I'll probably listen to it more than 100 times, which I think is how a lot of music lovers are, so Spotify is kind of a win/win for me at least.

I feel like the internet has lowered everyone's standard of success when it comes to music.  One of the biggest examples of this is in 2002, Nick Carter went solo from the Backstreet Boys and Justin Timberlake went solo from Nsync.  Justin's album was considered a success and went to #2, Nick's album was considered a flop peaking at #17.  Nick Carter's "Now Or Never" album sold 70,000 units to go to #17, went on to sell over half a million albums and be considered a "failure" in 2002.  Yet in 2014 selling 70,000 units in one week would easily land you in the top 3 on Billboard.

10. What's your outlook on the record industry and music scene as of today?

Samantha: I think the music industry today, depending on how far you want to make it or what level you want to get to, is more about selling a full package than just music.  Some artists like Adele can get by on music alone, or if you're in a technical metal genre.  But most pop and rock music, seems to be very image based.   You have to sell a personality, a look, a brand, and your music.  I try to stay as close to being me and my true self as possible. I've always been kind of a emo/goth kid.

11. You will be entering the studio to start working on the follow-up to "Into The Darkness". How many songs will there be on this release, this time around?

Samantha: I'm not sure yet.  I'm hoping to do around 10.  But nothings set in stone.  I've literally got 3 note books worth of songs, and I'm still writing new ones.

12. Do you already know of how you want this album to turn out, as far as the title, album artwork, whether or not it will be a concept release, producing, etc.

Samantha: I've got some ideas for a title.  I'm not 100% sure yet.  I've though about naming it "My So-Called Life" or something funny like "Stay Rich Or Die Crying", but I don't really know yet.  I've got to kind of see what songs are on the album.  As for the album artwork, I don't know yet.. I'm sure I will be wearing black. haha.  As for a concept album, I've always wanted to do a heavily themed concept like how My Chemical Romance always have a story with their CD's.  I might do that I might not, if I do it will be something with a vampiric undertone.

13. Where do you plan to record this album?

Samantha: So…On my previous EP, I didn't use a producer…I went into the studio at the Saltmine in Mesa, AZ and my friend Justin Salter (he's very talented. He was the drummer for Scary Kids Scaring Kids, he now as of last year lives in LA and does music production & score composing), engineered the EP.  Justin played the drums and bass on all the songs (I played guitar on all of the songs, except for Fallen Star, Justin played on that), he'd give input here and there on stuff to change.   This time around though I decided I wanted to go with a big time producer, so I picked out a bunch of albums I like, and found out who produced them and got in touch with a few people.  Initially I was going to go with this producer out of LA, but I didn't really like the vibe, you had to put down a massive amount of money that was non refundable, just to speak to the guy.  So I decided against using him. Around the same time I received an email from a producer out of Europe, who'd produced some of my absolute favorite albums, and it was just night and day how he was; I got an absolute good vibe from him.  So I'm going to record with the European producer.  I'm pretty excited about it.  So I will be recording over in Europe.  I might also do a track or two with a different LA based producer.

14. Do you plan to use any new instrumentation you've never used in the recording process before?

Samantha: I don't really know yet.  I used a synth for the first time when I recorded "Iron Maiden" this past September. You can't hear it that pronounced because I'm basically playing a dark baseline that follows the same notes as the lead guitar, but it's there.  As for the new CD, I'm not sure, it would be cool to add in something spooky like theremin.

15. When did you start writing for this album? How was the songwriting process different/similar to previous Samantha Scarlette releases?

Samantha: I wrote a whole note book of songs around "Into The Darkness". After that I bought another note book (that had a picture of Justin Bieber on the cover, hahah) and wrote songs on and off. But there was a big gap in 2012 and the first half of 2013 where I didn't really write much.  I had a really awful breakup situation last August, and I bought a new notebook (that I wrote "book of the dead" across the front of) and started writing immediately to cope with it.  "Iron Maiden" came from the Book Of The Dead note book.  Most of the new stuff will probably come from that and my Justin Bieber ( lol ) note book.  If I use anything from the original note book, it will probably be something that I rework.

16. Do you feel any pressure whatsoever to do this follow-up?

Samantha: I do feel pressure, but not necessarily from the people you'd suspect. I mostly feel pressure from myself to live up to certain things and people.  On one hand that's not good, and on another hand it's a huge motivator and driving force.  I'm lucky I have really supportive family and friends.  My friend Kit and my assistant Jasmine are always there cheering me on.

17. How do you think the vibe in the studio will go?

Samantha: I'm not sure.  It definitely will be different than previous times I've recorded.  I had been friends with Justin Salter for about 6 years before he worked with me on Into The Darkness.  And the engineer I used on "Iron Maiden", John Gray, I'd known from when he worked at the Saltmine.  So this is going to be new, working with someone I've never met before.  I'd say the first day might be a bit nervous, then it will be cool.

18. Why did you want to go for a harder and darker vibe on this release?

Samantha: I feel like my stuff is a bit too pop-ish.  I want to have more edge and more soaring guitar, etc.  I don't want to seem too bubble gum.

19. When can we expect the new album to be released?

Samantha: I'm hoping for end of August early September, but it's not set in stone.

20. Where do you shop your clothing, you wear what looks like a Victorian mini jacket in your photos am I right or wrong?

Samantha: The jacket in the picture isn't a real Victorian jacket (I do have one though), it is a brocade bolero style jacket I purchased a few years ago from "Trash & Vaudeville" in NewYork City.  "Trash & Vaudeville" is one of my absolute favorite stores, it has everything from $20 vintage reproduction band t-shirts to several hundred dollar hand made punk items to gothic morning jackets.  Jimmy, the stores manager, is an absolute sweet heart and has picked out clothes for pretty much any band you can think of.    My favorite shops in New York are Trash & Vaudeville, OAK, Gothic Renaissance and Search + Destroy.  I also like to customize or make my own clothes.  Most anything you see me wear with spikes or studs on it, I've done myself.   I've also got my clothing line A Goth or Goth By Samantha Scarlette, that's got a pastel goth/soft grunge/Victorian vibe to it.

21. What about your hair, why the two tone style, and how long did it take you to grow it that long?

Samantha: I dyed the two tone myself, believe it or not.  My hair is usually blonde, but I had dyed it pastel purple.  I wasn't really feeling the purple and decided to go for the two tone hair.  I'd been wanting to try out the two tone look for a few years so I did it.. Nervously.   I never use foils when doing my own hair, but this time I did… Very patiently and carefully. I was terrified I was going to wind up with gobs of black on the blonde side.  I'm still shocked at the fact I was able to do it without messing it up. haha. As far as growing it, it took me 5 seconds.  I will be the first person to admit I wear hair extensions.  Do you know how hard it is to grow out hair when you're bleaching it? haha.

22. Did you think of doing the two tone hairstyle or did you get the idea from New Years Day's frontwomen Ashley Costello?

Samantha: No & No, I don't even listen to NYD.  Cruella DeVille was the original chick to rock the two tone hair in Disney's 101 Dalmatians cartoon.  I wish I could say I got the idea from there, but I really fell in love with the look of two-tone hair when I saw Porcelain Black rocking similar styles a few years back, I think Lady Gaga had it as well.  So if anything when I think of half black/half blonde hair I think of it as "Porcelain Black Hair". haha.   I felt kind of bad copying Porcelain's hair style, but she got rid of it about two years ago, and I've seen a bunch of people with half black half something (I've seen people do it with pretty much any color) hair online and in real life (heck in NYC I think I have at least 2 or 3 friends with this color way).. So I feel like at this point two-tone hairs been done enough for it to be fair game. Heck Ke$ha recently had pastel two tone hair in her video for "Timber".

23. Tell us a story about a day in your life?

Samantha: It just depends if I'm in New York, or Scottsdale, or traveling somewhere.   My days fluctuate from boring, to going to the VMA's then being mistaken for One DIrection going to a bar afterwards (this really happened). haha..  I guess my average day in Scottsdale is: I wake up, check internet stuff, go to the gym, get dressed, get lunch (usually sushi or salad), write music, dinner, internet, Netflix… New York, for some reason I get up early so: wake up, internet, breakfast, gym, get dressed, lunch, work on music, go shopping, dinner, get dressed again, go clubbing.

24. What's your claim to fame?

Samantha: Music & Fashion.

25. What inspires you to do what you do?

Samantha: I love music, and I love fashion.  I also can't really picture myself in a regular 9 to 5 job.  So it's the drive to do something I like to do.  If music stops being fun, then I'll stop doing it.

26. How does music affect you and the world around you?

Samantha: Music is the soundtrack to your life.  It's there through the good and the bad events.

27. What are the biggest and smallest obstacles for artists and bands?

Samantha: The biggest and smallest obstacle is getting people to listen to your music & take notice.

28. Do you have any advice for those artists and bands known or unknown who want to do what you're doing?

Samantha: If you don't enjoy doing it, you shouldn't do it.

29. What do you have planned for this year besides the new album?

Samantha: I'll probably release new stuff with my clothing line, possibly a tour in the fall.  I also am going to be attending some film festivals this spring for a documentary film that I was the music coordinator on.

30. Is that your final answer?

Samantha: Go after your dreams not matter how big or small they are! <3 p="">


Known for his intense songwriting, unforgettable melodies and heavily constructed instrumentation; Michael Addison shows off an effortless harmonic and subtle side to himself on the new single, “We’ll Be Coming Home.”  The steady hum of the acoustic guitar aids the ebb and flow of the whispering vocals, encompassing a beautiful harmony that floats along courtesy of guest vocalist Vanessa Bryan.  All the elements of the track come together in an expertly crafted sound that truly brings the storyline to life. An emotional electric guitar solo gives breath to a climactic rush of instrumentation, raising the listener’s belief in the heartfelt words and inseparable love story developed throughout the lyrics. Michael Addison is a songwriter that fearlessly explores all aspects of human emotion and “We’ll Be Coming Home” is yet another example of the honesty he ingrains in his music. Take a listen to “We’ll Be Coming Home” HERE.


Progressive rock alternatives The Android Meme have been through a lot over the last few years. But now that some time has passed on they are ready to continue onward with new music, new shows, and a new future. Frontman vocalist and programming guy Stefano S. Amelio discusses the band's good times, bad times, and future.


1. Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in The Android Meme, and how long the band has been together.

Stefano: My name is Stefano S. Amelio, I am the Vocalist and all around founding member of the band. This band started around 2005 as mini solo project but later became a full band around 2008.

2. Tell us the brief history of your band.

Stefano: After attempting to write, record, and perform everything on a few homemade songs I realized I wasn't very good but I had solid ideas and concepts for themes and style. I enlisted the help of a close friend to play guitar and help me out musically, since I really didn't have any musical talent or knowledge. I did have a great sense of performance and acting skill, this is something that always attracted me to theatrical bands and artists. Later we formed a full band and began to write songs and record an EP before we ever even played a show. After recording an EP with producer/engineer Rob Sanzo here in Toronto, we played a bunch of shows and started recording and writing new songs with producer/musician/engineer Matthew Von Wagner. Around this stage I started to replace band members because of commitment issues, starting with kicking out my other original founding member who played guitar due certain bad habits. He was replaced by Mathias Devereaux. Eventually, the whole band changed over and we became a 4 piece instead of a 5 piece band. Then we finished recording the full length album Ordo Ab Chao which got picked up and released by Magna Carta Records. Whom we have recently parted ways with.

3. Where is the band based out of and what is your music scene like there? Are there any local bands you could recommend?

Stefano: The band is based out of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. However, in all honesty I have never felt to close to this city's musical scene. Our scene is very fragmented and not overly healthy and helpful, it doesn't seem like most bands care to help each other out and its just over saturated in general. At least not for our style of music. I really consider us a more internationally based band. We are far more accepted in Europe. The only band close to us that I can recommend is A Primitive Evolution. They are a great band with a great live show and solid songs.

4. What type of band are you?

Stefano: If you read any of our reviews you will find that we are very hard to classify. However, I would say we are a hard rock/electro/prog/death pop type band. :) We use very rich and deep symbolic themes in our lyrics and try to promote an intelligent and multi-layered approach to what we do.

5. Why did you want to name the band The Android Meme? What does it symbolize and represent for the band?

Stefano: I borrowed the name from Bob Dobbs. He conceptualized the term to mean "the programmable environment". Using the term MEME, far before it was ever popular due to social media and viral memes. Basically, it can be said that it represents an AI life of technology and ideas/concepts that can be used to manipulate the masses. These concepts and ideas spread like viruses (MEMES) and multiply themselves, creating a life of their own. I wanted the name to represent the concepts and ideas we talk about to spread in the same manner and to also make aware that such viral spreading of ideas can be abused to enslave and brain wash just as it can be used to free and enlighten.

6. Who are your musical and non-musical influences?

Stefano: Our musical influences are way too long to list, but if I could narrow it down to a few bands or artists I would have to say; Nine Inch Nails, Tool, Muse, Genesis, Peter Gabriel, Orgy, Deadsy. Our non musical influences are anything that promotes the enrichment of our existence. everything from the ancient mysticism and occult knowledge, to the many orders and secret societies like freemasonry, and the magical orders that have kept the secrets and hidden mysteries of nature and science safe from the masses. We are very much into the philosophical studies and symbolism of all ages and we do not believe in any one particular party or point on the political spectrum. We recognize that the issues and ideas go beyond partisan politics and there our society is brainwashed into a false dialectical paradigm, such as the left/right political spectrum.

7. What are your songs about? (What specific themes do they cover?)

Stefano: Our songs tend to use deep personal or global society experiences expressed through layers of symbolism. We try to use social awareness issues expressed in conspiracy culture but also balanced enough to make people try and understand that critical thinking is very important. Using themes such as self purification through understanding your own nature and existence, to how society is manipulated and guided by the powers that be like puppets. Bands like Muse express this very well. We try to incorporate occult symbolism as a means to balance the conspiracy stuff. because often a lot of great truth has to be filtered out through different avenues. All of this comes together in our songs in one way or another.

8. Do you write your own songs? (Discuss the songwriting process in detail.)

Stefano: We write our songs in different ways. some songs are jammed like in a live practice session, while others start out as ideas in the studio. Most of our album Ordo Ab Chao was written in a live band session then reworked and reshaped by myself and our Pproducer/engineer/current drummer, Matthew Von Wagner. He has a very heavy hand in our style and does most of the electronic programming. Since joining our band on drums, he also has put a lot of his style into our songs. Lyrics are generally the last aspect but I sometimes have poems or pre-written ideas that I work into the music. Other times I let the music dictate the formation of the lyrics. We try to keep things fresh and avoid having one way of doing things. Our creativity is fluid and cant always be structured and quantifiable

9. What do you guys have in the works as far as new music?

Stefano: We released a new song called "So Vile" in January and it is part of a album we want to release in 3 major stages a triptych of EPs with specific themes. We hope to release the entire thing within 2014. We are currently finishing a cover of Peter Gabriel's "Big Time", where we bring it down to a darker more electronic element. Then finally we'll finish our first part of the 3 part album and we'll have another original song called "Window" released.

10. What are your dreams and goals?

Stefano: After running into major issues with our former label, we really hope to strive on our own and make an impact wherever possible. No matter what happens and where we end up our dreams are to make the music we want and work hard to get the exposure necessary. Conquering the world was something I might have said a few years ago, but we really have grown up and become very satisfied with our lives and happy to just be, to live, and work our craft with that integrity and respect that makes for the greatest of truth for ourselves and our listeners. Fame and fortune does not a happy life make necessarily.

11. What should labels/zines/promoters know about your band? Why should they be interested in it?

Stefano: In all honesty, we are who we are. We do what we want and how we want and we hope that our music is enjoyed by those who are drawn to it. We respect our listeners intelligence and I can no longer expect or try to dictate why anyone should like us. We put a lot of meaning in what we do, and we hope that resonates with people. Our deep themes and great music should be enough, but we are aware of the politics of the industry. They should just know that we love what we do and there is a wealth of knowledge and meaning in every musical crevice of our songs. We hope people try and see that. Oh and we are also very awesome live and put on a great show with theatrical flare. :)

12. Where can we listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff?

Stefano: We used to have a domain/website but when we went on a hiatus for a year we lost it. A couple of us went through intense strife after the release of Ordo Ab Chao and we couldn't afford to host it. But we will have a new domain and website up very soon. However, right now we have music on SoundCloud, but I would suggest our Reverbnation page at reverbnation.com/theandroidmeme. This page has all of Ordo Ab Chao to listen to, as well as our new song So Vile for stream and free download. We will be putting up new music as we go along. You could buy our album online from most major retailers like Amazon and such, but we probably won't see a cent from those sales, so its up to you. :)

13. What plans do you have for the near future as a band?

Stefano: Other than the year long plan of releasing our triptych, we hope to start playing live as much as possible and garner some buzz once again, to gain interest from booking agencies and European management if possible.

14. What is it you’d like a listener to remember the most when hearing your music for the first time?

Stefano: That there is a lot to take in. To try and listen with an open mind and to not be afraid to ask questions and listen closely to the little things, as well as to break down the concepts and lyrics symbolically, wherever possible, but, overall do and listen however you want. You are free to decide for yourself.

15. Any final words of wisdom?

Stefano: I have learned that you can't force anything in this life. Things happen and flow in such a manner that might see us be super successful or not. At the end of the day, we must love ourselves and just enjoy the journey. You can work hard and do what you love and the universe will reward you in its own way, sometimes that is with fame and fortune and most times in far more subtle ways.


Metal/Hardcore zombie band Call Us Forgotten has a story all their own. It's explained by their live performances, lyrical context, videos, and much more. They have a lot in the works new music, new shows, and everything is just all new for them. Frontman vocalist Joshua Oliveri discusses this new deal for the band.


1. How would you describe what band you guys are in 1 word?

Joshua: Tight.

2. Tell us the brief history of your band.

Joshua: The band started as a studio project with myself and Kory back in 2007. The first few years were a growing experience as musicians and friends as our writing styles became more cohesive and fluid. After writing some songs we were excited about, we went into studio with Aiden Franklin (ex-Blessthefall from way back when they were on taste of chaos with Atreyu). I wrote/tracked guitars and bass and did the lead vocals and Kory beat the dreams and screamed his face off and sure enough we had an EP. I had been getting my photoshop chops up and put together some design collateral that made us look more legit than we were and after 6 months of it being on MySpace, we were charting and named #1 Metal Song for consecutive months, landing us a featured article on MySpace music. This small buzz got the attention of some management and after a series of different conversations, I decided to lock it in with our current manager, Eric Fowler. He's an amazing man in general and has invested more in this band and myself as an individual than I will ever be able to pay back. We put up some classified ads on MySpace and Craigslist and received a really great response that allowed us to have an array of options. After some conversations we landed on another music project that was looking for a vocalist and a drummer. They agreed to fold their current project and become a part of ours and so our official lineup was formed. We are all original members besides our current bassist, Dillon. Our original bassist, Jesse Wright, was offered a job that he was excited about and left the band on amazing terms. We're all still great friends. Dillon has become a part of the family and adds an amazing dimension to our writing and group dynamic on the road, which is essential if you're going to be living together on the road for months on end, eating crap food, breathing farts and running on low morale at times.

3. Who are the musical influences you look up to the most?

Joshua: This is really tough to tie down. We obviously pull from a lot of the greats that really got us into this music (Atreyu, Underoath, August Burns Red, etc) but also pull a lot of influence from other genres. We aren't really at a place where I feel we have a truly original sound but pulling from other genres and styles of music is a great way to get there. I personally listen to a lot of folk, pop, hip hop and ambient music aside from heavy music and everyone in the band has a wide array of musical tastes. Our playlists on tour are chaotic haha.

4. How did you get the name, Call Us Forgotten? Why would you want people to forget about you?

Joshua: Haha, I would want them to forget what spilled pickled asparagus juice in the tour van smells like. I (Josh), grew up in an abusive home situation and after coming in contact with this genre of music, became addicted to it. It was an outlet and I can genuinely say that this music saved my life. I have had the opportunity since then to work at some summer camps and other activities for troubled youth and it really put a lot in perspective. I wasn't alone and none of these kids were either but when you're in it and you feel alone, things can seem pretty bleak. Heavy music provided an escape and I know it does for a ton of the kids I've talked to. The name "Call Us Forgotten" came to mind while we were brainstorming names and trying to find something of substance that didn't have anything to do with oceans, shattering or any other sort of scene cliche and it just stuck. We hope to write music that speaks for a generation and want our fans to always feel that they are a part of this, because they are the most important factor of all of this. Our lyrics are inspired by different stories that I've come in contact with and want to create a mentality of "Us" with out music because we are all in this together. We may be forgotten by the system, bad parents, uncontrollable circumstance but together, we can overcome the odds.

5. Who writes the songs, what are they about?

Joshua: See above response.

6. You released a video for the song "Contender" and it has a zombie theme - what do you think it is about the zombie that makes everyone crazy about it?

Joshua: Well, we hope that zombies will help win some fans over but also feel that metaphorically, the idea of being a post-apocalyptic survivor really mirrors a daily struggle felt by a lot of people and ties in with the message in the lyrics.

7. Can you tell me about the song for "Contender" what's it about, does it have a meaning to it, that you would like people to follow?

Joshua: I have met so many people, it seems like an epidemic these days, that constantly complain about their problems, let their dreams slip and give up on the world or become jaded and cynical. There's a lot of entitlement with no effort and a perspective that things just "aren't meant to be" when basic opposition is encountered on your way to achieving something you believe in. The song is a call to take control of your destiny and fight for the things you want to see come to fruition in your own life. Stop blaming the world around you, circumstances, bad friends or anything else for where you are and start moving towards where you want to be. Writing and recording this song was a battle for us due to circumstances outside the band. To our fans and everyone that has stuck with us through it, we have nothing but the deepest thanks. We have had everything from close family deaths, financial crisis and some other extenuating circumstances that really made getting this released and completed the biggest struggle we have faced so far. We were undergoing and are always undergoing some music changes as our writing styles are influenced by our personal growth in musicianship and varying musical tastes along the way. This song was actually recorded two years ago and I was in a very dark place. I had some personal struggles come crashing down that had me in a deep depression and while fans might get the impression that the lyrics to this single are aggressively directed outward, I actually wrote the song to myself to get me through.

8. Are you guys ready for the zombie apocalypse, if so how are you prepared for it?

Joshua: Bears, beets, Battlestar Galactica.

9. What type of zombie would you want to be and why?

Joshua: Brutal and still tight.

10. You guys are currently unsigned, do you hope to get signed or do you prefer the self approach?

Joshua: This all depends on the deal. We have turned down record deal offers in the past. The numbers need to add up and we can plan out every detail of our careers but realistically, we just have to make decisions as they come and be flexible to make decisions when they arise. We have a great management team and those are decisions we work on together when they arise.

11. What's your outlook on the record industry today?

Joshua: Oversatured. The internet provides access to recording software, presets and a myriad of methods for spitting music out quicker than you can keep up. I think there are challenges financially that are induced by downloading, streaming and other factors. I think it's still an industry ripe with opportunity for those who can calculate their approach, gain an undeniable fan base and be flexible as technologies and strategies change.

12. What do you think about downloading music online?

Joshua: I think it presents challenges but also advantages. On one side, it can create strain and artists have a lot more difficulty gaining recognition but on the flip side, anyone has access to more exposure online than was ever possible before. I think there are creative ways to make this work to your advantage.

13. What inspires you to do what you do?

Joshua: Being 45 and be able to look back at a life of accomplishments that were thought to be "impossible and irrational" by people who didn't understand why we would choose this path rather than play it safe, go to school and sell off to a 9 to 5.

14. What advice would you give to fellow bands?

Joshua: Don't be a douchebag, work hard, accept criticism, constantly work to improve, people skills and professionalism are invaluable and networking is everything. But most importantly, no matter how important the business side of music is, don't ever forget to do what you love and don't stop loving it. At the point where the passion runs out, this lift isn't worth it anymore, so never forget why you started when things get rough.

15. How does music affect you and the world around you?

Joshua: It brings the vibes haha.

16. Tell me what it was like to have, held down the #1 spot on MySpace Unsigned metal charts and made the Top 5 Overall Metal Charts along with a centerfold in Billboard Magazine?

Joshua: It was really surreal, haha. I just remember looking at it and realizing, "We have a shot at this" and started making moves to try and capitalize. It really provided a substantial perspective on branching out past our local scene and trying to be noticed by people in the industry who have a lot of experience and still see potential in our music. It was a rad feeling.

17. You mentioned that you have new music on the way, so when can we expect to hear the new tunes?

Joshua: Very soon. We are working hard and this new music will be the most current music we have ever released. That sounds like a stupid thing to say but all of our material released so far was released years after it was written. The new material will be the first that is written and released when we are still on on the high of it, if that makes sense.

18. How does the new music differ, compare, and evolve from your previous EP "A Hope Remains"?

Joshua: A little more polished. I have been playing with different vocal styles, mainly rapping (I know, I know) and we're trying to meld something together that creates a fusion of what fans liked about us at the start, along with a blend of music influences we draw from now. We want it to sound progressive, like the music has grown up with us, but still have the touches that make it sound like us for the fans that have been with us since way back.

19. What else do you guys have lined-up for this year?

Joshua: There's still a lot in the works. We'll be re-branding (new logo, promos, mercy), releasing new music and hopefully getting back out on the road. Stay in touch with us on our social media for updates on all that as it substantiates.

20. Anything else you'd like to say or would like to add?

Joshua: Thanks so much for taking the time to feature us on your website and your interest in the band. We really appreciate it. Also a huge thank you to our fans, we have some amazing people that have believed in this project and reached out and told us stories of how our music makes them feel and those interactions keep us going. Seriously, thank you guys and also a huge thank you to our manager, Eric, who is just a rarity in this industry. Hard working, honest and supportive. Has always believed in us even when we doubt ourselves, Thanks, E, we all love you.


Alternative rock band Unveiled is a female fronted act that seeks the truth into the lives of it's listeners. They have played shows, released singles, and have more shows and more singles in the works. The band discusses these releases and what the future holds for them.


1. Please tell us about the history of your band and its members.

Caleb and Elijah started the band originally as a worship team and served on their college campus with several other musicians, most of which became part of the beginning line-up of Unveiled. After some of the original members decided to leave, including our original singer and drummer; Cierra (vocals), Mikey (guitar) & Jonathan (drums) joined the band to replaced those who had left.

2. Where is the band based out of and what is your music scene like there? Are there any local bands you could recommend?

We are based out of the Dallas/Fort-Worth Metroplex where there are a huge variety of musical acts; from country, metal-core, hip-hop & gospel, Texas has more than its fair share of talent. Our scene, rock, tends to be on the smaller side but has a dedicated following and boasts many quality acts. Bands like Thirtyseven, Mouth of the South, Forever The Sickest Kids, Veridia, Fit For A King, have gotten their start here and continue to go strong.

3. How did you guys come up with your band name?

The name Unveiled was derived from the scripture 2 Corinthians 3:18 “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” This wasn't necessarily the original inspiration for our name, but has come to represent us far better than we could imagine.

4. Are you guys a Christian band and if you are, why are you one?

The short answer, yes, we are a “Christian” band, but we do not limit ourselves by playing only churches and Christian venues. We find ourselves much more comfortable playing smoky bars and clubs around the country than in the “safe” environments in which people host shows. Seeking out those who are sick and in need is much more important to us than preaching to the choir.

5. Do you think talking about spirituality in music is becoming more popular and accepted in mainstream music?

There are definitely bands who have been able to bring Christ into the forefront more so in recent years, but no so much as others have done in the past. Mainstream acts, especially in the metal scene, have a greater respect for the bands who top the charts and are humbled by the success that God has given them. When it comes to “pop” music, there isn't much room for Christ when the money starts talking and those sought out to use their music for the right reason originally, begin to get brainwashed.

6. Does the band ever get criticized for not being Christian enough?

Sure we do, but that’s one of the ways that we are able to witness to more people than if we scared them by preaching to them on the stage. Human interaction is much more effective than bible thumping, the few individual relationships we have made will save more people than making an acquaintance with thousands.

7. How do you respond to those people?

We share our convictions and back our words up with action.

8. If Jesus walked the Earth today and had an iPod, what five songs would definitely be on it?

“Arm the Masses” – For Today, “Turning Point” – Killswitch Engage, “The Lesser Worth” – The Wedding, “Children of Light” – Lecrae, “Dead Man” – Wolves at the Gate.

9. What lyrical theme do you guys use in your music? What message do you want to send?

The theme never comes to mind until after I write the lyrics. When I am writing, I write how what comes to mind and what is in my heart sometimes I am not even sure of what I am writing until after the first draft of the song. I usually surprise myself when I do realize what the song is about and how it resonates with my life and how it can resonate with others.

10. So "Burn The Diary" was how I discovered you guys off JCTV's Music Blender Hardcore Edition - what can you tell me about this single both song and video?

I wrote Burn the Diary when I was cleaning out my room before moving out to college. I was ready for a new experience, a new slate. Performing the song live over the past year I realized that Burn the Diary is such a versatile song and that it will always be relate-able. Burn the Diary is about letting go of the past but accepting that it has made you a stronger person and that God will always be there through it all.

11. Before this single was released you released your 2010 release "Unveiled - EP" then this single came forth in 2012 - can we expect to see this single off an upcoming EP or full-length or is it just a single?

We are currently in production for a new single & music video and full-length album to be released in the late spring or early summer.

12. How have your releases been received by the public/media?

Our music has been met with mostly positive reviews, some people feel our music isn't heavy enough, others feel it isn't blatantly Christian enough. Burn The Diary achieved many things for us and we’re eager to see where the next single takes us.

13. What's new in the recording of your music?

Currently we are writing and getting ready to go into the studio to record a full-length album.

14. Do you play live as well? How's your live activity so far?

We perform live in Dallas on a semi-regular basis, getting out of town every so often. Trying not to flood our scene, has been key to creating a demand for our performances when we do get out. Once our new album is out we plan to do more touring and promotion to reach beyond the Midwest.

15. What should labels/zines/promoters know about your band? Why should they be interested in it?

As musicians, we strive to use as many genre’s available to us to pull ideas into our music. Having a mixture of classical training in music theory and drawing from years of songwriting experience, we have a broad spectrum of influences to draw from. In addition, we don’t believe that Christian bands should be limited to playing certain types of venues, in fact we should play the ones that people least expect us to and with bands that have completely different beliefs from ours.

16. What plans do you have for the near future as a band?

We are in the process of writing and getting ready to head to the studio to work on our first full-length record. Songwriting has been an unique experience for us and we are looking forward to putting the finishing touches on songs that will best represent who we have become in the last 2 as a new band.

17. Where can we listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff?

Our website, www.unveiledband.com, is a good portal to begin finding out what we currently have available. All of our currently released music is available through all the major and also available on www.cdbaby.com and also our store unveiled.storenvy.com.

18. What is it you’d like a listener to remember the most when hearing your music for
the first time?

Don’t expect us to sound like anyone, but also expect us to sound like everyone. Keep an eye out for guitar solos and breakdowns, but also be ready to hear a catchy melody and get caught off guard by a nice color chord.

19. Any final words of wisdom?

Don’t give up on the passions that God has set on your heart, He has given you certain talents for a reason and has a perfect place already prepared for you. It may take time, but God will not give you more than you can handle and once you've shown you can handle the little things, He will given you more. 


Italy's Upon This Dawning has just gotten signed to Arteru Recording's, has a new vocalist, new single, and new album all under their belts. Guitarist and vocalist Matteo Botticini or "Teo" discusses all of this and much more!


1. First off, please introduce yourself and what you do in the band.

Teo: I'm Teo, I'm the guitarist and I sing.

2. Dani Nelli replaced Giani Molinari, how do you go about finding a new member that you know clicks with the band and meshes well with your music?

Teo: The first time I met Dani I had this feeling like I've known him since forever, he's one of the greatest people I've ever met and it's crazy how we got so close real fast. He's one of my best friends now and everybody in the band loves him, so that's the main reason why we decided to have him in the band. We actually didn't know how these new songs would've came out with Dani's voice, we just tried to change our sound, we made it darker and heavier to get the best from his voice, and we found a good combination actually. We're very proud of how these new songs sound.

3. Do you think Dani Nelli has adjusted to being a part of band and his style as being a vocalist has accompanied what the band is all about? How have the fans adjusted to the change?
 
Teo: Like I said we changed our sound to get the best from Dani's voice and I personally think that this new sound is more mature and it's definitely a good change for us. I feel like this band has grown up and that we took the right way. We just released a new single called "OBEY" and it seems like most of our fans are digging this change a lot.

4. Upon This Dawning, where does a name like that come from and does it have a particular meaning or representation for the band?

Teo: When we first started UTD, we all came from other different bands, and this was like a fresh new start for everybody, that's why we picked the name Upon This Dawning, like a dawn of a brand new day, a new beginning to start doing what we love the best way we can.

5. Why did you want Artery Recordings to be where you call home record label-wise? What have they brought to the table for you guys?

Teo: We decided to switch to Artery for so many reasons, we felt like the guys in Artery really dig our new sound and they really believe in this band. We're glad to have such a great team to work with

6. Can you tell us how this album differs from the previous ones? What can we expect and what is the message behind it?

Teo: Well obviously "We Are All Sinners" sounds pretty different from "To Keep Us Safe" because of the vocal change, we've also put more orchestral stuff to create that dark atmosphere we wanted. Also we tried to do something different with a couple songs, idk what our fans are gonna think about em, i guess we'll find that out soon. The message behind "We Are All Sinners" is basically a way to say that everyone has his skeletons in the closet, but there's no shame in that. Being yourself without caring about what other people think and thinking with your own head. It's definitely a brand new Upon This Dawning sound, but we love the way it came out.

7. What was the recording process like this time around? Was there anything different that happened or was it the same old studio thing?

Teo: Personally talking it was a totally different experience for me, cause i always used to write & record shitty pre-production with the rest of the guys at home and when all the pre-pros were done we went to record everything in the studio. This time instead it's been way different, since Dani has his own studio. We basically locked ourself in the studio and we started writing and recording in the same time song by song. That way It was more comfortable, everything went very smooth and chill, it was a great experience.

8. Could you describe your song writing process? What comes first –the music or the lyrics?

Teo: Well that's very funny cause basically it all comes out from Dani's mouth. Haha He literally starts singing a guitar riff with his voice and then he reproduces that riff on the guitar, and then we record everything. I love the way he works and he inspires me a lot. Once we're done with the instrumental parts we write the lyrics and track vocals.

9. Are there any surprises or collaborations on the album?

Teo: No, there's no featuring acts in this new record. Dani and i tried to switch a lot our vocal parts to make everything sound different. He's also gonna do some clean vocals in a few songs.

10. You've released a lyric video for "Obey" what's the story behind the song and will there be an official video to follow?

Teo: Obey's concept is the same concept we decided to have for the whole record, we're gonna make an official video soon but not for Obey. It'll be another song.

11. Aside from "Obey" possibly being a favorite, do you have any other favorites on the album right now?

Teo: I don't know if I can tell you the titles of the other tracks yet, but i can say that all the songs definitely worth a listen hehe.

12. What’s the touring cycle going to be like for “We Are All Sinners”?

Teo: We'll be headlining the Artery Foundation Across The Nation tour in the States in April, and the new record's gonna come out in the meantime. We really can't wait to go back on tour.

15. What accomplishments are you most proud of as a band?

Teo: It makes me really proud that, despite all the shit that happened, we haven't lost our focus and we're still working hard to do what we love.

16. Describe your relationship with your fans in one word?

Teo: True.

17. Finally, anything you’d like to tell your fans, friends, and family?

Teo: Thank you so much for the big support, we love you all! We Are All Sinners' coming out on April 29th, make sure to grab a copy ;) Peace. 

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