February 2025

 


Heavy metal rock outfit BLVKOUT have released a compilation of songs, from previous content, an EP, with an all new single expected out soon enough. The show schedule is set with a show coming up soon, and summer time plans set as well. Otherwise the band plans to just continue doing what they do best, releasing music, playing whenever possible, and simply as they put it whatever happens, happens! The band talks about it all right below.

 

1. Where did you get the idea for the band name, you planned it or came out just like that?

BLVKOUT (pronounced blackout) was originally our vocalists (Jay) solo project under the name “JET BLÆCK” before putting together the band. When we first started putting this project together, we wanted to keep the same idea for the name but create something new to kind of make it everyone else’s band as much as Jay’s. After throwing a few names around (We Three Kings, The Black), nothing really stuck until we saw a note that Jay had written out titled “BLÆCKOUT”, which was going to be the title of Jay’s first solo album. We liked it so much, we decided that would become who we are. We went on to play with the spelling to make ourselves stand out a little more.

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

Everybody in BLVKOUT came from different backgrounds musically. Alessandro (Bass) played Jazz for a little, Aaron (Guitar) played in a Ska band & our vocalist started making music as a hip-hop artist. But one thing we all had in common was the fact that we loved heavy metal and hard rock. So when we put all of our influences together, we happened to just create a massive modern metalcore band.

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?

Oh, god no. This is actually a long and funny story. The first two people to meet were Jay & Alessandro. They started playing in a band together previously before BLVKOUT was created. The first time they met though… Alessandro found Jay online and showed up to one of Jay’s solo shows and Jay ended up ignoring him for 4 hours before realizing who he was. Jay would end up meeting Aaron & Erik (Guitars) both online… but ended up ignoring both of them for a period of time before reaching back out to them with interest in joining the band. Our drummer Kaylee, was the only person to not be ignored by Jay. In fact, she ignored him for a year before reaching back out to Jay with interest in joining the band.

4. 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 from Santa Rosa, CA (Northern Bay Area) but our main following is out of Sacramento, CA. We could list a million bands to check out, but some our personal favorites would have to be 2morrows June (Pop/Punk), Seaside Massacre (Metal), A Hero To Fall (Metal), Beauty Is Betrayal (Alt Metal) & Hellheart (Metal). Our area is very over-saturated, so it’s hard to really make a mark unless you’re doing something different and fresh. The Bay Area is mainly known for its hip-hop roots, so you have to break that barrier and find a way to appeal to the mass audience.

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

We all have our own influences, but I think it’s the love and passion we have for this band and the music that really pushes us to continue doing what we love. We all have a dream of becoming the next biggest band, and that motivates us to the fullest.

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

We have a quote that we like to use a lot. “Embrace the darkness”. Too many people ignore the fact that there is a lot of scary things in this world, so we try to shine some light on the fact that it’s okay to be scared and to accept the dark things in this world as a part of life. So whether we are talking about death, struggle in any aspect, or even a simple “Fuck you” message; we embrace and accept the darkness in this world and bring a positive aspect to it.

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

We like to outsource producers, collaboration is a huge part of our process.  Lately, we’ve been working with A Skylit Drive’s own, Nick Miller on our production, but every member of this band has their hand on the demo process. Lately, it’s either Jay produces a starting point and we all build from that or one of the guitarists brings a riff to the table and we kind of work our way into a structure for something new. Nick will always throw his ideas in and it helps bring it to life in a whole new way.

8. What have you released so far and what can someone expect from your works?

As of February 2025, we’ve released one compilation of songs from previous releases, an EP titled “The Mourning”, and a few other singles. We try to be outgoing with our music while still sticking with a signature sound. An average listener can expect some pop friendly vocal melodies, some hard hitting guitar riffs, filthy bass and complex drums. That’s what makes BLVKOUT.

9. Do you have any new music in the works?

As we’re talking, we’re actually listening to a rough version of a new single that we just recorded today. This is probably our favorite song to date and we can honestly say that this next single is the exact sound of what we want to be known for.

10. How about playing shows and touring, have anything planned out?

Our next live show will be on March 22nd, 2025 in Sacramento at the Goldfield Trading Post. We’re currently booking for something huge this summer so be on the lookout for that!

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

Just continue thriving and doing what we do best. Whatever happens, happens. We’ve won a few awards the past few years and we’re showing real progress as a band. So, we hope to keep that ball moving as much as possible.

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

Online, duh. Nah, I’m just kidding. You can go on our website at www.BlvkoutBand.com or find us on all your favorite music listening apps. Just search “BLVKOUT”!

 


Melodic hardcore act ON THE CINDER have not one but three full-length albums under their belts. As well as an EP, with all new music, with another form of an EP or possibly that could even change into something more, only time will tell for certain.... But for now, music is in the works, shows are set for play time, and the band just wants to keep releasing music, playing more and doing it again and again and again! The band has this discussion with us below.

 

1. Where did you get the idea for the band name, you planned it or came out just like that? 

The band name On The Cinder comes from a quote from the comic book The Watchmen. It refers to what is left of the world after the human race destroys ourselves. We also take a positive look at the name because cinder means there is still material to burn, energy to be carried on.

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

The three of us were really in love with bands like Propaghandi, The Lawrence Arms, Strike Anywhere, and A Wilhelm Scream. That sort of early 2000s melodic hardcore, skate punk sound. It's fast and politically considerate, while also being emotionally empowering.

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?

We were all roommates living in a punk house in the university heights neighborhood while we all attended the University at Buffalo. So being roommates made it easy to just pick up and go do whatever since we were all hanging out so much already.

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

On The Cinder is based out of Buffalo, NY. There is a thriving hardcore and all ages music scene in Buffalo. There is a rich history of alternative rock bands coming out of Buffalo, though some current ones to watch out for are Spaced, Monomaniac, The Abruptors, Robbery Club, Jeweltone, and Autoignition. So many more, but those are the ones that pop to mind.

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

We all contribute writing lyrics, though the majority of our songs are inspired by friends and family, along with our view of the world and how we try to manage living in it while horrible things are happening at all times.

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

Each release tends to have its own arc, with our EP Sedentary Escape (2021) being about living vicariously through others and media, while our new full length LP Heavy-Handed concentrates on the evolving relationship everyone has to their home and reflecting on the things you love even when where you live is a harsh place.

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

Historically we focus our efforts on writing songs, to a meticulous degree of nitpicking and redrafting. We have thrown a cover in once in a while, though it's rarely something we do on tour and more for a favor to a friend or just for a laugh.

8. What have you released so far and what can someone expect from your works?

We have three full length LP's out since we started: 2016's The Fight Against Ourselves, 2019 Lamplighter, and 2024's Heavy-Handed. We also had the Sedentary Escape EP in 2021. Our releases tend to be spaced out since touring and throwing shows at home are both time consuming endeavors and once you press records the best way to sell them is to grind it out on the road.

9. Do you have any new music in the works?

We have an entire EP in the mixing stage right now, though it could be the first half of another album, hard to say, we'll see what we write next and if it plays along with those other songs in a cozy way.

10. How about playing shows and touring, have anything planned out?

On The Cinder is going to England for the first time this July, playing New Rock City Music Festival in Birmingham along with a bunch of shows throughout the UK. Prior to that we'll be at Camp Punksylvania, which is a cult mind you, and then we'll see how things shake out after the summer.

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

Keep releasing new music, hope to get into more video work now that we'll be in a quiet time before the runs of shows this summer. Keep doing our part to develop the Buffalo music scene in what ways we can help. Opening for La Armada in Rochester, NY March 20th will be a fun one too.

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

We're on every major streaming service, Spotify seems to be where everyone is at so we'll do the obligatory "drop" campaigns as we release singles, though we also sell our records through our Bandcamp store. The last three releases from OTC have been through our own DIY label Flower House Records so any purchase there goes right to supporting our band and future releases.

https://linktr.ee/onthecinder
https://open.spotify.com/artist/4KZzta3yB7g75fEbce4fRY?si=vld506e1Q6e2i-9rYlwD0Q
https://onthecinder.bandcamp.com/merch

 


Emo hardcore band DROWN THE PLANET is some sad, angry, stupid, music but it is good music! With that, this band has gone on to release an EP, and has some shows coming up fast, with all new music coming in the form of a debut album! This band will be keeping very busy within the next few months, them wanting to make it into a full fledged career and touring full force! See what the band talks about with us below!

 

1. Where did you get the idea for the band name, you planned it or came out just like that?

There’s a story in the Bible about Noah’s ark and the great flood that wiped all life from earth other than those on the ark. I thought it was a cool concept so I named the band after it. That’s where “drown the planet” comes from, because in that story everyone and everything drowned during the 40 day flood. I also run a house venue for local shows, and I call the venue “the ark” for the same reason. It’s a neat little thing that goes with the band name having the venue name being connected to it.

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

This genre has a special place in my heart growing up I loved the heavier music with breakdowns and screams, but also pretty choruses with singing. It fascinates me and it’s a great way to get some anger out.

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?

This band has had countless member changes, with me (Jason Wayne) being the only original/core member. The current lineup consists of Dylan Wayne (my younger brother) Berkie Allen and Sergio Stevens who I met years ago through another band, and Cooper Hutchinson, who was originally a fan of the band, and eventually became a member. However, Cooper just recently left the band so we are working on a replacement. We have a couple people in mind.

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

The band originated in the Phoenix (chandler) part of Arizona, USA. However currently we have some members that live in Tucson, and some of us that live in Phoenix. The Tucson scene and the Phoenix scene are both great but very different from eachother. Some of our favorite local bands are Of The Lost, Marked;Life, deathdotgov, Navagon, and many many more.

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

Most of my songs are inspired by tragic events that occur in my life. Whenever something bad happens or I struggle with something, I usually end up writing about it in one way or another. Bands like Dayseeker, Alphawolf and VCTMS are big inspirations to me too.

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

My most recent EP is a 5 song concept album about a relationship I got out of. I was engaged to a girl I thought I’d marry, but after I proposed and we started planning our wedding, she grew more and more distant. We were living together at the time, but she ultimately ended up moving out and leaving with no notice while I was out at a concert. That sucked. So I started writing a song called “leave” that was basically a theme of wanting her back and wishing she wouldn’t have left so abruptly and suddenly. But then I later found out she was hooking up with a friend of mine while we were together, and that they ended up being together. That was obviously lame news, so I wrote some more songs about her, but now with a new theme that was basically saying how dumb she is, long story short haha. Every song on that EP has a different meaning and were written at different times of me processing/grieving the situation.

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

I do write my own songs, I write and record everything myself currently. Most of the time I write the lyrics first and then add the instruments around that. But recently I’m starting to write with my brother a little, and I’m wanting to start introducing Berkie and Sergio to the writing process as well. Drown The Planet has been my solo project for a very long time and I’ve never liked the idea of letting others collaborate on it with me, but lately that’s been slowly changing. I’m excited to see what comes.

8. What have you released so far and what can someone expect from your works?

So far, I have two EP’s out and several singles out. People can expect anything and everything from my work. I have some brutal deathcore songs, some pop punk, and even some acoustic stuff. The nice thing about DTP being a solo project is I can do whatever I want, whenever I want, without necessarily sticking to just one sound/genre. But as the band has grown over the years, especially this past year, I think I’m gonna start leaning towards one main sound that people can always count on when they listen to the music. It was fun experimenting with so many different things early on, but now I think I’m ready to just be a recognizable band rather than having a million different sounds.

9. Do you have any new music in the works?

Yes, I am currently working on recording my first full-length album. I’m working on the first few songs of it right now, and writing the rest with the boys. We’ll be releasing singles one at a time for a couple months before dropping the whole album. The first of these is expected to be a song called “Last Limb” which I am hoping to release in March or April.

10. How about playing shows and touring, have anything planned out?

We have a busy month in March, with shows all around Phoenix, and some in Tucson and New Mexico… possibly even Nevada. On March 25th we will be playing at the Nile in Mesa with A Skylit Drive and Awake At Last. After that we will be taking April off to focus on recording/writing the album. But then in summer, we’re hoping to do a big tour around the US.

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

The whole goal of this band is to make it a career and tour full time. I’m working every day to get there. We’ve been doing small local tours for a while now, and I’m hoping we start to get picked up for bigger tours with bigger bands.

12. Where can we listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff?</pre>

“Drown The Planet” on all streaming platforms, our most recent EP is titled “Nothing Is Forever // Forever Is Nothing” and can be found on any streaming service. Our Instagram is @drowntheplanet , and all other socials are linked on our Instagram page at the link in the bio, including our online merch store!

 


Dark extremists LINISTIT  released a Valentine's single, with further plans to play shows and go out on tour, and just wanting to release more music, getting themselves out there, reaching their goals and aiming to be the best! The band discusses all of this plus more right below!

 

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

The history of Linistit started in 2012 when Triria (vocalist) and Angelus (rhythm guitar) decided to form a band together and from this idea they decided to write the first 4 tracks. After few years in 2016 they
met Katros that becomes the lead guitar of Linistit. In the next years also Black Beast and Damevil joined
the band as the drummer and bassist of the band. In 2021 we released our first album “Evil Arises” and
after few years Damevil decided to leave the band so Valak joined Linistit as the current bassist. In 2024
also the drummer decided to leave the band, so in 2025 they finally found a new drummer, named as
Nøkk.

2. What’s the origin of the band’s name?

The name of the band came out when Triria Angelus thought about vampires that are described as creatures that cannot breath so due to a wrong translation they chooses Linistit that is written in Romanian but they realized later that the real Romanian translation was quite/silence.

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

The band is based in Modica in the south of Sicily (Italy). The music scene in this province is not really
open minded for metal bands, but there are some cool bands, like MassTurbo an hardcore thrash metal
bands.

4. How would you describe your style?

Dark and extreme.

5. What have you released so far and what can someone expect from your works?

Our last and new release is the single Rose Of Eden Garden, released by Volcano Records & Promotionso n February 13th 2025, is inspired by the story of Mircalla and the love between her and a lover that she
turns out into a vampire. We created also an Amazing and dark music video. People that listen to our
works can expect to enter in a dark and obscure dimension full of dark dreams, infernal themes, exorcism.

6. Do you have any new music in the works?

Yes we are composing new tracks for the next album that we hope to complete and release soon.

7. How about playing shows and touring, have anything planned out?

We are also planning to make some live concerts around Sicily and a mini tour in Italy.

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

We always do our best to follow the flow of music industry but also we work constantly to reach our
aims.

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

You can find our music on all digital platforms, our album is also available as CD if people request for it,
you can also find us on YouTube where you can find our music videos, follow us on Instagram, Facebook
and Tiktok.

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

The first thing we would like for them to enjoy our music, is to entertain the listener, but also to catch
them with our melodic and dark riffs.

 


Modernized alternative rock artist FAE FATALE says much about her latest releases, number of singles, music videos, with much more in-store! You can find her on all social media formats, stream her music online, and expect the unexpected with new material, merch line, and hopefully someday shows!

 

1. What can be said about your history and experience as an artist?

I’ve been an artist my whole life. Since the time I could phonate I have been singing. I was always coming up with songs and singing them to my family and friends as a kid. My whole life I’ve been into various mediums of the arts as well. I love fashion, cinema, and photography. I consider myself to be an all around artist and I live a fully creative life. I’ve always been more than just a singer-songwriter; I’m also a director, a designer, a stylist, a producer, and writer. I  stay open to new experiences and that’s usually how I discover a new artistic medium to explore. I love the creative process of bringing an idea to life and I’m constantly discovering new hats I love to wear throughout each project.

2. What’s the origin of your name Fae Fatale?

I was inspired to use Fatale after reading the ballad, La Belle Dame Sans Merci, which in english is, “The Beautiful Lady Without Mercy.” It’s a Femme Fatale about a woman who essentially attracts men into the woods, seduces them with her love, and then tortures and kills them. It was very instrumental in inspiring my name because the woman is considered to be “faery like” and “otherworldly.” I felt this poem aligned well with the world I’m building since I lean heavily into my love for cinematic horror, writing about darker themes, and feel each of my songs are their own twisted dark fairytales. Fae came from my middle name, which I dropped the consonants out of. I had the name Fae planned out for years and was looking for the perfect secondary name to go with it; so when I discovered La Belle Dame Sans Merci, Fae Fatale felt so aligned for my name.

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

I’m based out of Los Angeles where the music scene is thriving! There’s a live show pretty much every single night with awesome new talent. There’s no shortage of incredible talent here. Some local bands I’m loving right now who have killer stage presence are Bruvvy, Jackie Blames Herself, and Billy and the Kidz.

4. How would you describe your style? (Are they asking about your style of music?)

I never want to put myself in a box because I’m constantly evolving as an artist. Right now my style is a blend of nu-metal, industrial, punk, and alternative rock. My last release, “Raw Meat” is a visceral, heavy-hitting modern metal track blending industrial production with distorted nu-metal. From the eerie, childlike hook—accompanied by a creepy music box—to the aggressively shouted chorus driven by 90’s-inspired riffs, it ebbs and flows between hauntingly melodic and brutally intense.

5. What have you released so far and what can someone expect from your works?

I have three singles out now and two music videos. Lobotomy was my debut single, followed by Know You Best, and then my most recent release, Raw Meat. Each song is sonically distinct, yet they all share a common theme. I envision my songs as dark fairy tales that take the listener on an auditory journey.

Expect the unexpected. I come from a vastly diverse musical background. I grew up in a musical household—my dad was a jazz fusion artist who loved psychedelic rock, blues, and classical music, among many other genres. My older brother was into metal and punk when I was growing up. He was actually the one who introduced me to my first-ever metal song: Number of the Beast by Iron Maiden. That moment opened up a whole new world of music for me.

I write whatever comes to me in the moment, and often, those melodies and lyrics are unconventional. I get lyric and melody ideas from sudden sparks of inspiration throughout my day, letting them burn like wildfire. I flesh out the lyrics and melodies for the entire song before bringing it to my producer. From there, we collaborate; letting our creative influences and diverse backgrounds collide until we feel it's ready to share with the world.

I believe each of my songs are unique from one another. They highlight different emotions, experiences, and stories I want to share. I love that I can just write a new character and bring to life an entire new world with each song.

6. Do you have any new music in the works?

I do! I have a ton of songs we are working on now to record and produce to release throughout the rest of this year!

7. How about playing shows and touring, have anything planned out?

Nothing planned at the moment. I’m primarily focusing on getting my new music ready to be released and creating visual projects to go out with the songs. You can follow me on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Spotify @faefatalemusic to ensure you don’t miss any new releases!

8. What do you have planned for the rest of this year?

As of right now, my plan is to finish recording my unreleased music with my producer, get those songs released, bring to life new music videos and visuals, collaborate with some other musicians on new music, launch my merch line, and take whatever opportunities come my way that I align with.

9. Where can we listen to your music and where can we buy your stuff?

My music can be streamed on all major platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, Soundcloud, YouTube, and a ton of other streaming platforms. Once my first merch collection is ready, which will be very soon, I will announce it on all my social media pages. It will be available to purchase on FaeFatale.com.

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

Music is such a personal experience to the listener. I never want to impose my own ideas of how the listeners should interpret it because then it holds the possibility of changing their experience. My songs are deeply personal and once I release them to the world they are no longer just mine; but for others to make their own.

 


Alternative rockin metal titans ALIVE IN STONE have a few song's out there, with much more songs set to come soon enough. The band has plans to hit the road with some shows happening, and touring be very hopeful come the future. For now, they want to release music, play when possible, and evolving ever so far as they can go with themselves and their music creativity. The band talks about all of this below!

 

1. Where did you get the idea for the band name, you planned it or came out just like that?

LOL yeah it kind of did, just the words on their own were cool and we just joined them. Strangely enough subconsciously there is some meaning though. It's like a juxtaposition thing.

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

I think what's so attractive about alternative rock is how intense and untamed it is but also how beautiful and melodic it is at the same time.

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?

I had met Matt briefly before just over phone, however Matt knew Doug and Herman.

4. 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 from Orlando, Florida our music scene there is pretty good, it's leaning more to the metal side of things but its a wonderful scene. There's some great bands, Let Me Bleed, We're Wolves, Fluxe, Disorient, Feedtherightwolf, Soulswitch just to name a few.

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

Anything and everything that inspires us, we tend to lean toward positive things, like overcoming obstacles or inspiration.

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

Everything from the price of fame, to inspiring people to chase their dreams to romance.

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

Yes, our songs go through a vetting/demo process then they go over to a producer that can see the songs objectively and can make moves and string everything together.

8. What have you released so far and what can someone expect from your works?

Our latest song is called "Kalifornia" and we have a new song with Eddie Bleeds from Let Me Bleed called "Fear" coming out March 4th 2025 and a whole lot of other music to go; so yes lots of stuff coming soon!

9. Do you have any new music in the works?

Yes, 3 more singles this year plus 4 more!

10. How about playing shows and touring, have anything planned out?

Definitely we have 4-5 shows booked for the next couple of months and we are definitely going to want
to get our tour legs under us here soon.

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

Touring, releasing more music, evolving artistically, taking it as far as it can go.

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

www.aliveinstonemusic.com you can find merch, downloadable music for free and we are available on all streaming platforms.

 


Post-electronica BLINDNESS AND LIGHT have gone on to release twelve single's with an all new album released on of all days Valentine's Day (today)! With that release, the band hopes to gain a reception with promotion from said release, so they can head out on the road soon! Besides this release, the band has been already writing and creating all new material, set for release soon enough. The band talks of all of this content right below.

 

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

We are an informal collective of like minded musicians that are into post-punk/indie. We are spread across North Wales, Northern England, Argentina and 2 members live in Tokyo. Singer/song writer guitarist Colin M Potter is based on the Isle of Anglesey. Redundancy 3 years ago left Colin with time on his hands. There was unfinished business with a bunch of unfinished tracks which quickly gathered momentum.

2. What’s the origin of the band’s name?

Joy Division’s track Atmosphere was initially released on the French label Sordide Sentimental as an art package called Licht und Blindheit, which translates to Light and Blindness. We decided to swap it round. In fact Blindheit und Licht is etched on the run-off of our 2nd album “ I Dreamt I Had Insomnia”.

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

There’s not a great deal going on around here. People tend to form covers bands to satisfy the tourism trade. Holy Coves and Celavi are the exceptions and do pretty well with their own individual indie styles.

4. How would you describe your style?

Post-punk / guitar based indie, although we have wandered into electronica from time to time.

5. What have you released so far and what can someone expect from your works?

We’ve released about 12 singles so far and we’re just about to release our 2nd album out now. Three tracks have been released off the album already and all reached number 1 in the European Indie Chart (Aug, Oct, Xmas). It has been said in a review that if “If The Smiths were to have a child with Joy Division and Radiohead raised it, the chances are likely it would be Blindness & Light." – The Other Side Reviews.

6. Do you have any new music in the works?

New album, “I Dreamt I Had Insomnia” out now on digital, CD and limited edition colored vinyl. There are 5 super rare test pressings available too. All on Bandcamp…..oh and t-shirts on Amazon.

https://blindnesslight.bandcamp.com/merch
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?rh=n%3A83450031%2Cp_4%3ABlindness%2B%2526%2BLight&ref=bl_sl_s_ap_web_83450031

7. How about playing shows and touring, have anything planned out?

Just trying to get everyone together and organized is a nightmare. Hopefully a good reception to the new album will spark us into action.

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

We are constantly creating new songs and recording. The aim is to get the 3rd album released in Summer 2026. We always aim to release a single every 2 months.

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

On top of the links given already we are on all streaming platforms. Here’s the Spotify link: https://open.spotify.com/artist/19pK0lMcSxbAVWrVw55NPl

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

Our lyrics are actually thought through and are not just a compilation of obvious hook lines.
There is a reoccurring theme of hope and liberation. Be sure to stream and follow. Thanks!

 


Metal titans SOULMIRROR have their debut album out for the masses to absorb. Shows and tour are set for this year, with the band even going back to the studio later this year! Their goal is to get out there with playing as much as possible, spending the year doing just that, and connecting with many across the net too! The band chats about all of this below!

 

1. Where did you get the idea for the band name, you planned it or came out just like that? 

Both really, picking something like this is a big decision, cause your stuck with it for life. We never want to do the whole rebranding thing, so we took our time with creating the name. We tried to figure out a way to tie all of our themes and deeper meanings in the art into one simple thing that really spoke for itself. We went through a few different variations before we landed on the final name, SOULMIRROR. A lot of what we focus on with our music is self empowering, being able to look in the mirror and feel powerful in what you do. Life is hard enough as it is, one should always take time to try to be the best version of their true selves and not hide that or suppress it. Be unique, be genuine, live with love.

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

Metal has always been a huge part of all of our lives. From every kind of modern core and djent and symphonic blackened death whatever, to old school thrash and the big 4 era of music, it's always been loud, it always kicks you in the chest live, it's always heavy and brutal. Such is life. The music and genres go hand in hand with what we are doing lyrically and thematically, and we wouldn't want it any other way.

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?

Nope. We met to form the band.

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

Half in Connecticut, half in Massachusetts. Both of which have thriving scenes, and we've met some of the coolest people out here doing shows this last year. The first few that come to mind are always Accursed, Overtime, Skin Crawl, and Cytokine just to name a few. The whole Five Nine crew up in Mass and New Hampshire have definitely been some of the most welcoming people to us. Love them!

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

We all have and bring different influences to the table. we're definitely going to dive deep into that on the next release of music we do for sure, but of course a lot of the lyrics come from Kats perspective on life and his story growing up in the environment that he did. So definitely life inspires a lot of it, as well as our personal influences.

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

All of the songs on our record "I Am" focus heavily on mental health issues, starting with unfortunately common experiences of early childhood abuse. The how's and the why's of that are explored a bit; what that does to a human psyche and the effects that has. There's a lot of really brutal detail in there that come from a real place. We go on from there to the experience of living your life with these occurrences embedded in your brain as trauma, and how that can, over time, manifest in different, very negative ways as we grow older and try to find our own way in life. Towards the end of the record we kind of pivot, now that we are where we are in life, and try to take the listener to a place where they can find comfort in understanding that you can conquer these things. It is hard, and it doesn't happen at once, but little by little you can really build yourself up to be stronger. Mentally, physically, whatever you want as a person. Understand that it takes some work, but anybody can do it in time, and just believing that, is the first yet most important step and getting there.

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

Yes! We write, record, revise, edit, and produce everything ourselves. From the song structure, lyrics, vibe, music video scripts, it all gets thought about and intertwined with whatever theme or mental space we're exploring. With this album, we figured out the stories first; figured out the journey we wanted to take and wrote the music around it. It would usually start in a jam room with some of the early members; we'd scratch a few parts down to tracks and if we liked something, we'd say "what vibe is this giving?", and then match it to the themes previously conceptualized. From there it was just a matter of meeting up and working on structures and individual parts. A lot of the finer details like orchestral stuff, or guitar solos and sound effects got saved til the end, as we wanted to make sure the meat and potatoes of the track (i.e. drums, bass, guitars, vox) were banging from front to back first, and then use the other stuff as some extra sauce. Some songs came together quick, like within a couple days, some took longer. Overall there's so many different layers and things to listen to across the entire album, and they all have a purpose or place within that song.

8. What have you released so far and what can someone expect from your works?

So far we're on our debut album, with a couple really, really dope videos out, both filmed by the guy Eric DiCarlo of Square Up Studios. We also got Caelan Stokkermans on board for the album artwork and Barnaby Oakley to do our logos and sigil. An absolute dream team, all with Mix and Masters by the man himself, Chris Wiseman of Shadow of Intent and Currents. Needless to say, we offer you only the finest of works.

9. Do you have any new music in the works?

We'll be looking at studio time towards the later half of 2025.

10. How about playing shows and touring, have anything planned out?

Absolutely, we're hoping to hit a lot of different states over 2025. We've got a handful of performances scheduled for this year currently, and way more coming down the pipe. Should be a very busy year on the road for us, very excited to meet some new faces. We've not booked a full tour yet, but we are hoping to get somebody behind that this year as well, maybe mid-late summer.

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

Right now our immediate goal is getting in front of people, finding those who really connect with what we're doing. We've lined up a solid marketing campaign for these next few months, so we'll spend a good amount of time with that as well as shows over the summer. Record deals, sponsors, touring nationally, all these things are something we'd be grateful for and hope to accomplish one day.

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

Our debut album "I Am" can be streamed on any major streaming platform of your choice! Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Music, Apple Music, Deezer, anything you'd like! We also have a handful of music videos and TONS of behind the scenes on our YouTube Channel! (@soulmirrorUS)

 


Emotionally driven band AIR DRAWN DAGGER have released their debut EP and have a debut album out this spring! Aside from that, they will be playing an album release show in celebration, along with playing a festival, and a ton of other things in alignment as the year progresses.... The band discusses their music, content creation, and further plans ahead.

 

 

1. Where did you get the idea for the band name, you planned it or came out just like that? 

It’s from Shakespeares Macbeth and characterizes an emotional outburst, we felt it really best fit our music.

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

We’re all into both completely different and overlapping genres and since day one we decided there was no rules so we never really aimed for a specific genre we just write what feels right at the time.

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?

No, I met Lewis when I messaged him thinking he was in another band but we decided to meet up and for a writing session anyway. The rest is history!

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

We’re based in Sheffield, the scene is pretty good. Loads of great local bands currently, our friends in Displacer and S.T.A.T.I.C who are joining us at our huge home town show on April 5th. Mustard Mitt, Bait Britain, Period Drama. I could go on and on.

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

Everything and anything. One of the singles off our upcoming debut Castle was inspired by a painting, I get inspired by strange interactions with people, of course other music.

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

I write about political themes, emotions. Anything that makes me rage I’ll write a song about.

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

Yes we do! I love songwriting. We don’t have a set process but a lot of our stuff starts with Lewis bringing me something on acoustic, I’ll put a melody and lyrics over it and Ross takes it and builds it out then we all bounce back and forth over different bits of the song. We also tend to write a huge amount of songs to hand pick a few.

8. What have you released so far and what can someone expect from your works? 

We’ve been releasing for a while but mostly recently our E.P. ‘Songs to Fight the Gods to’ came out in 2023. We’ve just announced our debut album ‘A Guide for Apparitions’ which is out April 4th which we’ve released 2 singles from ‘Castle’ and ‘Apparitions Feat Tobi Duncan of Trash Boat’.

9. Do you have any new music in the works?

Yes, our debut album’A Guide for Apparitions’ is out April 4th 2025.

10. How about playing shows and touring, have anything planned out? 

Our biggest ever headline show is April 5th it’s also our album release show. It’s at Corporation in Sheffield and it’s gonna be mega. We’re also playing Radar Fest this year and a ton more to announce.

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

We just want to keep creating. We love writing, we love touring, we love making music videos we just don’t want to stop.

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

Our music is available everywhere! Fine us on Spotify and Apple Music. Head over to YouTube where we’re building worlds in our music videos and you can find our merch on band camp. We also have a Patreon where we post loads of exclusive stuff and have member events.

 


Mix up metal artist RETRO CHAMP has a number of single's out and about, with all new material in the works too! Some shows and festivals may be happening but nothing set up just yet. With uncertainty at play, there is no telling what exactly is in-store next, except more music for sure, with anything to happen let it play out and go from there on out! See what else is talked about only with us below.

 

1. Please tell us about the history of why and how you got involved with music?

When I was a kid I used to watch BET's 106&Park and I remember seeing a performance by Bow Wow and Jermaine Dupri that made me go, "Man, I wanna do that". It just looked really cool to be an emcee, so I started to dive deeper into Hip Hop. I grew up on Jeezy, Da brat, Fabulous, MC Lyte. I also got introduced to heavy metal as a kid as well and grew up with god forbid, Metallica, Linkin Park, Disturbed, Slipknot, Skindred, Breaking Benjamin. I'm also a drummer and started playing when I was 2, so music has literally always been apart of my life.

2. What’s the origin of the name Retro Champ?

Retro Champ evolved from my old stage name, Lil G which really was a childhood nickname that just stuck with me. I also love pro wrestling and on this wrestling video game there was a song by ghost face killah called "the champ" and it motivated me to call myself a champ so I just added da champ to Lil G. As I got older I out grew the Lil G stage name and wanted to change it. I saw the word Retro on an old poster somewhere and thought maybe, but also thought I'm not a copy or throwback of nobody, I'm me and I have my own style. I thought on it for a while and Retro Champ just sounded so right and the name is original so why not! The rest is history lol

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

I'm from St. Louis, Mo and the local scene is a little different than most but we have talent here for sure! Some artists I'd recommend from here are my bros in Discrepancies, who really are more national now than local. Dead7 is amazing! White Rose is another band who I think are incredible, This is Falling, Armani Abomb and Dave Napalm are two of the coldest emcees in the city.

4. How would you describe your style?

I really don't know how to describe my style because I do a lot. I've done rap mixed with metal, I've done just straight up metal, I've done a semi heavy pop punk rock song, I just love to create different type of music man. I honestly just don't want to be in a box you know! I want to have a different flavor style for everyone to enjoy  

5. What have you released so far and what can someone expect from your works?

 I've released a few singles in the last few years like "Road to nowhere", "Didn't Know", "Right now", "Responsible" and I just released something with my brother NandoSTL called "One shot". People can expect some more heavy stuff this year and some singles that may touch their hearts.

6. Do you have any new music in the works?

I do have some things in the works that I can't wait to share with you guys! Just can't say yet, don't want to jinx it!

7. How about playing shows and touring, have anything planned out?

I have a few things lined up, just not set in stone yet. But I would love to do more festivals and shows for sure!

8. What plans do you have for the future as an artist?

I never know exactly what I have planned in the future foreal because things can happen and things can fall through so I'm just here for the ride and pray things work out in my favor!

9. Where can we listen to your music and where can we buy your stuff?

My music is on all streaming platforms, just search Retro Champ! You can follow me on Instagram @theretrochamp and TikTok @theretrochamp

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

I just want the listener to have an open mind going in and hopefully they feel something when they hear my music. Whether it's something that hits them personally or something that motivates them, regardless of what it is I just want the listeners to FEEL the music and understand the message.

 


Metal act THE WAVE AND THE PARTICLE have two full-length albums out, with no new music at the moment. They want pure focus upon reaching more listeners, gaining more of a fan base gathered, but show and touring plans are a work in progress! It is simply whatever opportunities come their way is what lays ahead, they chat with us about all of this below.

 

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

The Wave and the Particle began in 2015 as a collaboration between Vasiliy and Katie, blending dark industrial beats with symphonic vocals. What started as an experiment quickly developed into a distinctive sound, merging electronic textures with sweeping melodies.

In 2016, guitarist Chandra joined, bringing a love for progressive rock and intricate solos that added depth to the band's evolving style. This fusion culminated in their 2019 debut album, Event Horizon, described as “a rich atmospheric sound, highlighted by colorful guitar solos and expressive soprano.” The album reflected their diverse influences and marked the beginning of their journey. The COVID-19 pandemic slowed the search for a complete lineup, but by 2021, Abhiram (drums) and Alessandro (bass) joined, solidifying the band’s foundation. Over the next two years, they refined their sound, experimenting with structure and sonic landscapes.

As 2023 came to a close, the band began work on their second album, Electric Sheep, which was released in January 2025. Inspired by cyberpunk literature and film, the album explores themes of transhumanism, globalization, and identity in the digital age—balancing awe and unease over the future of technology.

2. What’s the origin of the band’s name?

Vasiliy, a materials engineer by education, has always been fascinated by science and technology—especially the ways they mirror human experience. In physics, waves and particles behave in fundamentally different ways, yet at the most basic level, all matter exists as both. Human nature is just as paradoxical: we can do harm in pursuit of good, helping others can sometimes cause pain, and surrender can be an act of courage. In many ways, every song we create explores these contradictions, and The Wave and the Particle reflects that duality.

3. 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 in Bay Area, California. The music scene here is rich and diverse – you can find everything from jazz to extreme metal. The local bands we would recommend are Utopian Trap (and not just because our guitarist Chandra plays in it as well 😊), Infinite Bits, and Diamantide (among many others!)

4. How would you describe your style?

Whatever the opposite of minimalism is. Our sound blends elements of prog, symphonic metal, and dense electronic layers, drawing inspiration from a wide range of artists—Muse, Nine Inch Nails, and Amberian Dawn, to name a few. Rather than sticking to a specific genre, we focus on capturing the right feel for each song. On Electric Sheep, for example, the album opens with a fully electronic track that flows directly into a more traditional symphonic metal piece. We like to explore contrasts and let each song evolve naturally, creating a sound that’s layered, dynamic, and unpredictable.

5. What have you released so far and what can someone expect from your works?

We have released two full albums, “Event Horizon” and “Electric Sheep.” Expect a mix of soaring melodies, intricate guitar work, heavy synth textures, and dynamic shifts in tone—sometimes within a single track. We love contrast and complexity, so our music moves between the cinematic and the intimate, the electronic and the organic, the heavy and the ethereal. Whether it’s an industrial-driven pulse, a sweeping orchestral section, or an introspective acoustic moment, every song is its own journey.

6. Do you have any new music in the works?

Not at the moment—right now, our focus is on growing our local presence, reaching more listeners, and making sure Electric Sheep gets heard. There are some vague ideas for a 3rd album floating out there, so new music is never off the table.

7. How about playing shows and touring, have anything planned out?

Working on it!

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

Gigs, tours, new music—whatever opportunities come our way. Right now, it's hard to say exactly what we can plan for, as self-promotion has never been our strong suit. We were incredibly lucky to sign Electric Sheep with WormHoleDeath, and we’re excited to see where that leads. For now, our focus is on getting our music heard and seeing what doors open next.

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

You can find our music on Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes Store, Deezer, Amazon Music, SoundCloud, and Tidal. We’re also working on putting together some merch, and once it’s ready, we’ll announce it on our Facebook and Instagram—so stay tuned!
    
10. What is it you’d like a listener to remember the most when hearing your music for the first time?

More than anything, we want our music to be an experience—something immersive, something you can get lost in. Our songs are layered and cinematic, meant to pull you into their world. Even when we explore darker or melancholic themes, the goal is always to create something beautiful rather than just dwell in sadness. If a listener walks away feeling like they’ve been transported somewhere—whether to a vast cyberpunk cityscape, a moment of quiet reflection, or a sweeping, otherworldly soundscape—then we’ve done what we set out to do.

 


Up and coming artist GEOFFREY PAIRS is a bit of everything, blogger, socialite, make up artist, product, model, photographer, writer, and musician of course! Releasing several single's, an album, with more music coming soon, including a re-issue of said album! No show or touring plans just yet, but there will be some someday! For now, Geoffrey himself, talks with us about all of this stuff below!

 

1. Please give us a brief history of how and why you wanted to be an artist, A.K.A musician?

I have always been interested in working in the entertainment industry. When I was a kid, I wanted to be an actor, and so my dad put me in acting classes with the Tucson Actors Studio. I dont know if it's still around, but while I was in it, I was part of a series of plays that we put on for an audience, and I was given an agent to get me auditions for movies and commercials. So, I learned what it was like to perform in front of an audience. I ended up with an agent who got me auditions for movies and commercials. I didn't begin to experiment with music until a boyfriend of mine, in high school, hooked me up with the software "Reason." I experimented & had a lot of fun doing it. So when I finally finished a track, I would upload it to MySpace and soon had my own audience, who encouraged me to make more.

2. If you are using a stage name, how did you come up with it?

My best friend introduced me to the movie Party Monster & inspired me with the story of the New York club kid movement. We were both so inspired with creativity that we began to experiment with creating looks and becoming characters. I originally started out drawing a thin mustache & goatee on my face, naming myself Francais. We put on makeup and would wear whatever we could find that looked simi-fabulous. Then, after a while, I found Jeffree Star on MySpace and realized that I didn't necessarily have to "change my name." He took pride in being named Jeffrey, and I would as well. But I would put a European spin on my name, so I decided on Geoffrey. I chose Paris for my last name, since Paris is the fashion Capitol of the world and I was already drawing a French goatee, it seemed like a decent fit. Of course, I always joke to myself that, since Jeffree Stars fans would, eventually begin to compare me to him, I should have named myself "Jeffree Heart"

3. Where are you based out of, and what is your music scene like there? Are there any local artists or bands you could recommend?

I am based out of Phoenix, Arizona. I grew up in Tucson but moved to Phoenix in 2008.  Arizona. Chris Donathon from the Medic Droid is literally the only musician i know personally from Phoenix. Since I was out of the scene for over a decade, & just recently came back into the public spotlight, I dont know much about the music scene here. However, as I release new music, performing live again will inevitably happen, so I'm excited to meet new people and form relationships in the music scene here.

4. How would you describe your style?

My style is complex. I am very emotionally driven, and I like to have a theme. Most of the time I I will just use what I have at my disposal to put together a character. Sometimes, I feel like dressing like an alien, sometimes like a monster. I've had my Scene Kid looks, & my Club Kid looks. When I'm not "dressed up," I wear all black and have a minimalistic blend of street, punk, grunge, gothic, and casual fashion.

5. What have you released so far, and what can someone expect from your works

I have and will continue to produce electronic music. I'm not sure how else to put a genre to my music. I want to start experimenting with dubstep and blending other types of music as well. Most of the time, I am simply listening for sounds I like and then figuring out how to put them together to make a song. My audience can expect more of that.

6. Do you have any new music in the works?

I previously released a handful of singles that I eventually just put together as an album, which is titled "Supafabulust." I'll be doing a re-release very soon, and the album will be available for download again. I've also released a few other singles, like Money&What? & Drop Dead Gorgeous & i released a handful of old songs without vocals, i named "Robot Tunes" on Soundcloud. These were made when I was first starting out experimenting with music. I'm looking forward to opening a new chapter of music for Geoffrey Paris, experimenting with new sounds and collaborating with a handful of artists.

7. How about playing shows and touring, have anything planned out?

Nothing is planned out yet. I would love to tour, but if so, I would want to put together a show that leaves an impression. Meaning there needs to have a certain level of blood, slime, fog, & bondage, maybe with withcraft like ceremonial spins on it. It needs to be weird, and I wouldn't be mad if it made the audience uncomfortable. That would maybe even be a plus, as long as people are talking about it for days afterward. In the book Party Monster, a drag queen pulled a 25-foot lit Christmas light strand out of her ass with the battery pack. This would be the type of shit you would see at a Geoffrey Paris show. Not for the faint of heart. Of course, I wouldn't mind doing more low-key shows as well.

8. What plans are in store for you for this year?

I plan to start making new music and would like to start my YouTube channel that will have me react and review movies and TV shows. I watch so much TV it only makes sense to turn it into something that I can include Geoffrey Paris fans in on.

9. Where can we listen to your music and where can we buy your stuff?

Right now you can find my music on Soundcloud and YouTube, but after the re-release of Supafabulust, I will be opening a Geoffrey Paris website and a merch store.

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

I am a connoisseur of art and self-expression, and I love my fans very much. I consider them more than fans, but friends. The future is full of possibilities. If you're a Geoffrey Paris fan, don't forget to express yourself through your own art. Who knows, maybe I might ask you to collaborate with me on a project.

 


Hardcore titans GODS END had had some life thrown into them, releasing two EP's, with a yet to be released full-length debut, underway! Life isn't just a lifestyle for these guys, but a problem at times, with some blockage getting in the way, causing some mischief, causing some mishaps to happen but it hasn't stopped them just yet! The band does plan to play shows when available, release said album, and keep moving onward! Frontman vocalist Kevin, discusses with us the life matters at hand.

 

1. Where did you get the idea for the band name, you planned it or came out just like that?

Thanks for the interview opportunity! The band name...well, I knew I wanted it to be _____ _____, two words. Something hard. I was an English minor in college, so I love little word plays. I thought "hmmm, Gods....hands? Hand? No, that's not the mood". Believe it or not, the name came from Marvel's Thor: Love & Thunder movie. Christian Bale played the antagonist Gorr the God Butcher and he had a quote that made me have that "aha" moment when he said "All Gods must die". I said GODS END sounds hard, and it's a little play on Godsend.

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

Hardcore really has a movement behind it, and I love watching all the live videos from bands like Harms Way, The Acacia Strain and more. Sure, something more mainstream would probably pay the bills but having people jump the barricade to stage dive to your music? You can't beat that.

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?

I knew my guitarist Tyler for the last.....well forever haha. We're best friends. Tyler 2 (T2) was recommended by an employee and Bobby was recommended by Ty's friend. We all get along well. It's not a business relationship, it's a friendship that has some business behind it. We all have fun and enjoy being around each other.

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

We're in a unique area along the Ohio River called the Ohio Valley. We're based out of Wheeling/Weirton WV, but I can walk out on my porch and see Ohio. We're about one hour away from Pittsburgh, PA and two hours from Columbus, OH. The actual physical scene here is hard to explain. It comes in waves just like anything in life. There will always be people who say "the scene was thriving back in my day". I remember going to fire hall shows at 13-14 and probably 200 people would be packed in every single time. Fast forward to now? That's simply not the case. That's the advantage/disadvantage to being here. At any time we can get on the highway and be somewhere with maybe some actual venues and an actual metal scene. Down the road from me is the high school country music star Brad Paisley was born, so metal (especially hardcore) isn't the main genre people flock to unfortunately.

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

Not to sound cliche, but life experiences. For the music, maybe I'll wake up in the middle of the night with an intro song idea. I'll record a quick voice memo or video and pass back out. Randomly I will stumble upon the recording later, and try to work something out. Sometimes I will think of full songs and the guys will add their own flavor to them. Sometimes I will have just an intro, and that'll spark some inspiration and we write the rest.

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

As far as lyrics go, without sounding any certain way, life hasn't been the kindest to me. Trauma, grief, and loss shape a lot of ideas. Lyrics are....hard for me to write because I edit and change trying to make it the best it can be, but it always works out in the end.

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

Yes we do. Just touching on what I mentioned earlier, it just depends on what's going on in life. We're all crazy busy individually, but sometimes it is easier if a couple guys write a song or something to keep everything moving.

8. What have you released so far and what can someone expect from your works?

Currently we have two EP's released. Fans can expect the chainsaw sounds of the HM2, mixed in with a little West Virginia twang.

9. Do you have any new music in the works?

We have been chipping away at a full-length album for a little while. When I say life keeps giving us road-blocks, man haha it's wild. We'll finish it as soon as possible. It's some of our best material for sure, and I guess that's why it's going on an album.

10. How about playing shows and touring, have anything planned out?

Not to sound like a broken record, but we have such chaotic lives to where it's hard to plan that kind of stuff. We want to for sure, but then 3,000 things come up for us individually. We decided if we get offered something and it's pretty sweet, we'll do it. If we can't, that's okay!

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

New music, shows when we can, see new areas, and keep on keepin on.

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

Gods End is streaming everywhere you listen to music! Our merchandise (pretty hard by the way) is available on our socials. Currently, all of our socials are @godsxend.

 


Heavy metal band OBSOLESCENCE have not one but three EP's, and a single released just this year. With new music in the works currently! Playing live has been a thing actively going for sometime, with a tour set this spring! With the rest of the plans set for more show playing, and releasing more music. The band discusses all of this plus much else below.

 

1. Where did you get the idea for the band name, you planned it or came out just like that?

We were actually originally called Exit To Eternity back in 2020, but there was another band from New York who threatened to sue us with a cease and desist if we continued using that name. So we went back to the drawing board to search for a new name, and our original drummer had come up with a list of about 50 different ones. The one that stuck out to all of us at the time was Obsolescence, taken from Gojira’s song “Planned Obsolescence”. When we realized that Obsolescence is just another form of the word ‘obsolete’, which is an adjective to describe technology being no longer produced, we found it fitting. At the time, our music was very 90s and early 2000s inspired, being a form of music that was no longer produced, and so we ran with Obsolescence and have been ever since.

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

Heavy music has just always been a way to exert energy. I’d say that everyone in the band is a pretty chill or positive person, so we use the music to put out our negative thoughts. Keeps us all balanced.

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?

I have probably known Dan (bass player) the longest. His other band and my former band played many shows with each other, so we just became known to each other that way, but became way better friends when we started playing music together. Then I met Liam in 2020 or 2021, we worked at the same music school. We had asked him to be in the band in 2021 around the time of our first EP, but he did not officially join until about May of 2022.

And then we met Nick when he was in another band, and we played a basement show together. I’ll be honest, I didn’t remember him until he showed up to one of our Philly gigs and when it came time to look for a new guitarist, our former drummer said “we gotta get this guy.” We asked him and the rest has been history!

4. 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 primarily based out of the Philadelphia, PA and Wilmington, DE area, but our music scene expands across many different states. The scene we typically run in is the best, every band is super dope. Everyone has each other’s backs, we support each other, and we all do it for the same love for music. Highly recommend checking out Desolation (Philadelphia, PA), Farsight (Long Island, NY), Choke Out (Westfield, MA), Lost Continent (Wilmington, DE) and so many more. 

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs? 

I can’t speak on behalf of the rest of the band, but my inspirations come from so many different avenues. A lot of the melodic stuff that you hear in our music comes from Linkin Park or Avenged Sevenfold, but then the heavier stuff can come from Knocked Loose, Norma Jean, or The Acacia Strain. One day we will write a riff that sounds like it could have come off of Laugh Tracks, and another day we write a chorus that could have come off of Meteora. We definitely do not pigeonhole ourselves to one specific style!

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

We have a lot of different themes that we cover. Dan is really great because he puts in a lot of effort into his lyrics, and I put just as much into mine. So together, we have a pretty vast catalog of themes.

A lot of Dan’s themes surround mental health issues and coping with death, where my lyrics are questioning my beliefs, things that personally make me angry, or writing horror stories. We also both take shots every now and then at the political climate of our country if we feel the need to, haha!

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

Absolutely! The way we have done things in the past, we all individually write our own music. Once we have all written a handful of music (sometimes up to 60 songs), we’ll get together, listen to the demos we have, then narrow down and select songs that feel like a cohesive piece of art. We rarely sit down together to write a song. At most, two of us will get in a room and we can bounce ideas back and forth to each other. The only song in our catalog where all of us were in the room together was “Fed Up”.

8. What have you released so far and what can someone expect from your works?

We currently have three EPs and a standalone single released right now, which I will list below. You can expect a wide variety of music from classic metalcore to beatdown. If you’re looking for that late 90s nu metal and early 2000s metalcore, check out our first EP, Ways To End It All, Vol. I. If you are looking for more deathcore and hardcore inspired music, check out our second EP, Ways To End It All, Vol. II. And if you are looking for mathcore inspired hardcore, check out our latest EP, Natural Violence.

Ways To End It All, Vol. I (2021)
Ways To End It All, Vol. II (2022)
Natural Violence (2023)
Kentucky [Single] (2025)

9. Do you have any new music in the works?

We do! I will not speak on it too much to keep it under wraps a bit, however I can confidently say
that we are finishing up recording and will have our tracks shipped off for mixing and mastering
by March.

10. How about playing shows and touring, have anything planned out?

We have touring plans in April of this year, where we will be heading up along the east coast. After
that, we plan to do a handful of one-off shows to keep active, and then possibly tour again in late
summer.

Tour Dates w/ Choke Out:

03/29/25 - Newark, DE @ Halftime Sports Bar*
04/03/25 - Philadelphia, PA @ MilkBoy
04/04/25 - Baltimore, MD @ Shamrock Inn
04/05/25 - Summerdale, PA @ The Champ
04/06/25 - Newark, NJ @ QXT’s
04/10/25 - Manchester, NH @ TBA
04/11/25 - Feeding Hills, MA @ The Tank
04/12/25 - Burlington, VT @ Despacito
04/13/25 - New Haven, CT @ Cafe Nine
04/19/25 - TBD*
04/26/25 - Providence, RI @ AS220
04/27/25 - TBD
*no Choke Out

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

For right now, we are going to continue playing shows while we plan our new record. To stay up to
date on new information, look for us at our socials at @obsl.pa!

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

We are on all streaming platforms, but I will link everything below!

Landing Page: https://flow.page/obsl.pa
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6IxEerSy0GrEJo2At5NIKd
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/obsolescence/1580483450
Merch: https://obsl.bandcamp.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/obsl.pa/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/obsl.pa
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@obsl.pa

 


Rocker AKLOH has an anthology of releases in the form of some EPs, single's, with an album expected out soon, with another EP also coming soon! A whole lot is set for the rest of this year, with more live shows, including with a live band, a lot of the shows happening have been done with solo acoustic performances. So much is set for this up and coming artist, because as he puts it simply "I'm Not Dead Yet" a recent single found HERE and he says much with us below!

 

1. Please tell us about the history behind why you wanted to create this music project?

Though music has been a fundamental component of my life for as long as I can remember, I largely put my musical aspirations on hold after completing my undergraduate degree at SUNY Fredonia in 2018 in order to dedicate all of my energy to establishing and elevating my career in fitness. However, after five years of building a hugely successful career with Orangetheory Fitness, I came to the realization that the "itch" to dedicate myself fully to music in order to see what I can manifest would never simply go away - it was either scratch it or forever let it remind me of what could have been. As such, I quit my five-year and near-six-figure career in fitness at the end of 2023 to pursue music full-time and that is where akloh. was born.

2. What’s the origin of the name is it Akloh or Akloh Music or Jorian Akloh Holka?

"akloh." is the correct stylization of my artist pseudonym, and you may notice that it's simply my last name ("Holka") backwards - this is meant to represent that while I am still the person I've always been, I essentially "flipped my life around" in abandoning my aforementioned career. Lastly, the period at the end represents the fact that while the name may be backward, I am nevertheless moving forward as an artist in seeking to achieve new goals.

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

I am based in Buffalo, NY where we have a relatively strong local scene! It has some unique quirks such as generally seeing the most community participation within the hardcore/metal/hip-hop genres as well as the general public not being the most engaged in consuming/supporting local music, but generally speaking there are a large number of artists who can find opportunities to perform at a large number of venues. There are definitely other Buffalo acts I'd recommend checking out such as Letter to Elise, Heart for Sale, Little Liar, Robbery Club, Prairie Pavement, etc.

4. How would you describe your style?

I characterize my sound as "anthem arena rock" - songs that convey relatable topics in a positive/upbeat manner that breeds unity amongst listeners and cultivates a collective energy that lends itself to these songs being played loud and proud. And while there are moments of musical complexity, my music places much greater emphasis on quality songwriting, composition, and recording in order to make it both attractive and accessible to as many listeners as possible.

5. What have you released so far and what can someone expect from your works?

I am currently in the process of putting out my debut release "anthology", which is a 9-track LP comprised entirely of songs I wrote prior to akloh.'s inception that I wholeheartedly believe in and want to carry with me into this new chapter. So far, "anthology part i: the world's most dangerous man" and "anthology part ii: the man in a dangerous world" - each featuring three songs - have been released in addition to the first single from "anthology part iii: the man's world", leaving only the final two songs yet to be released. Listeners can expect the aforementioned sound with the understanding that it encapsulates components of many of my influences from classic rock to pop punk to radio pop and beyond. Every track introduces something new while maintaining characteristic undertones that ensure cohesiveness and flow from one to the next.

6. Do you have any new music in the works?

Work is well underway on my sophomore EP, which will likely be titled "twenty-twenty me" and feature five songs chronicling the life-altering year that 2023 was for me (i.e. ending a 3-year relationship, going on a life-changing trip, deciding to quit my job, and taking the first steps toward dedicating myself entirely to music). This will likely be released in 2026.

7. How about playing shows and touring, have anything planned out?

While I have no concrete plans for touring yet (I will begin doing so when the time is right and it makes sense to do so), I am in no way hitting the breaks on live performances - I played ~85 shows all around Western New York in 2024 and am on track to either match or beat that in 2025.

8. What plans do you have for the future as far as the rest of this year goes?

The first portion of this year will center almost entirely around executing the remainder of the release timeline for "anthology". From there, I'll shift focus to not only recovering from what has turned out to be a roughly 8-month release cycle in which I've done nearly everything (i.e. content creation, marketing, networking, etc.) myself, but also finalizing my live band (all performances to date have been solo acoustic) as well as creating less formal and more fun social media content. Toward the end of the year, I hope to see my live band's debut as well as to put out a three- to five-track acoustic Christmas release.

9. Where can we listen to your music and where can we buy your stuff?

Everything can be found at linktr.ee/akloh.music, and merch is currently only available for purchase at shows!

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

When a listener first hears my music, I'd simply like them to remember how it made them feel. Whether it be the quality of the recordings, the compositions themselves, the lyrics, etc. - it is my hope that one or a combination of those items lend themselves to the listener feeling something. And if it makes them feel something positive? I hope they'll take a deeper dive into my music, check out my social media, and become an active part of the community I'm working day in and day out to foster.

 

Photo by Alexa Jae

Alternative rocker CARTER BRADY has released two full-length album's, EP, an assortment of single's, with so much new music, that several albums could come forth from it all! But not yet, but in time more new material should move forward in due time. For now though, new music is set, with even playing live coming up, with much else to grow as an act and release, release, and release as much as possible over time. The man behind this artist project, does the discussion about all of this below.

 

1. Where did you get the idea for the band name, you planned it or came out just like that? 

This is a funny answer, because the name of my band name/artist name is just my name, Carter Brady. If you can picture other male solo artists like Mac DeMarco, Tame Impala, etc. who write and record most of or all of the parts on their song recordings and play live with a band, that's me. I have been in many bands and groups over the years, but right when Covid happened it became harder to keep doing shows and recording music with my college band at the time (I left school in South Carolina to finish out my senior spring semester at home in New York), so it kind of happened naturally. That's when I decided to carry on the foreseeable future making music under my name as a solo artist (not with an alias name or anything) and I just stuck with it and never looked back. That's not to say I'm not open to pursuing that side of me in the future (because truthfully I do really like the different dynamics, influences, and experiences you get from being in organically-formed bands); in fact, I'm currently working on a side project that I will certainly front as a band (so kind of doing half of what I mentioned with the branding at least haha) so stay tuned for updates on that.

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

While I have experienced and am versatile in many different musical genres, 90's alternative rock has always gravitated to me the most from a pure songwriting and music creation perspective. I find it to be the most natural and fun at my age of 26 and since I really got into a groove with songwriting a little over 5 years ago. I also find that it allows me to channel my raw emotion and feelings the best through the lyrical themes and complimenting chord progressions and riffs I build most of my songs around. I think that while a lot of amazing music exists already and has come out of this genre and that decade, there is still a lot of new interpretation and refreshing sounds to be brought to light to new and existing audiences. 

I am determined to make that happen, and it is not a chore given how much I enjoy writing, recording, and producing music (minus the mixing and mastering which I hope to one day be able to do at a high enough level so I can make my own records for far cheaper ,but still involve people in the process so it's collaborative). Many amazing bands are already been doing it as of late and many did even 10 years ago, but don't always get as much attention given rock is not currently the mainstream genre in today's society and pop culture. That doesn't matter to me, however, which is why I continue to make the music I want to make and know that while the ceiling of my potential audience is currently a lot smaller than that of a pop artist, I am fully content with that. 

I do like to occasionally dip my feet in pop, EDM, lofi, and other genres for either alternate versions of my songs or collabs with other artists, so always open to releasing other music genres despite what I said above. I would also love to make albums one day when I'm a bit older with more diverse genre overlap outside of rock, perhaps a jazz record once I get my music theory back up to snuff!

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?

I did not know my band at all before our first show and my New York City debut gig at The Bowery Electric in September 2022. It was crazy how it all happened and fell into place so perfectly. My producer for my 2021 album 'Blue Reverb', Joe DiGiorgi, had his friend and one of his go-to guys for rock drums in Westchester, Matt Graff, play on a bunch of songs off that album. So, that summer of 2022 I decided to reach out to him and let him know I was trying to start a band and play my first show in New York City. So, he said he'd be part of it and help me put a band together, and put me on an email thread with a few other guys. 

I soon learned that those guys, Michael Iaciofano and Ryan Datino, were go-to session musicians he booked for work at his studio in Irvington, NY (The Koop Studio), and he kicked it off and we started coordinating availability and who would play what for the show. I could tell everyone was very musical, and after a short while we were locked in for the date at The Bowery Electric. But then Matt got back to all of us and said that he now wasn't going to be able to do the gig, so he got his friend from Berklee and co-owner of The Koop, Sammy Wags, to step in as an alternate. Given Sammy had learned the songs and Matt clearly had a lot of other ongoing projects keeping him busy, I decided to keep having Sammy do shows. And by a certain point, it was clear that our band was a thing and we were sticking with our lineup. Again, it really was meant to be and I am so lucky and thankful to have them in my life.

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

In terms of live performing, we are mainly based out of New York City thus far in the time we've been a band. I would like to venture out as much as we're able to other markets in close by regions, but that is still something we're working towards. I work a 9-5 job in marketing/advertising, so I am a bit tied to that weekly schedule but I still manage to find a lot of time to dedicate to this and plan shows around that. Whenever we need to rehearse, we go to my drummer's studio The Koop up in Irvington, and sometimes practice at my family's house in Pelham where I have a basement music room studio.

In my opinion, the New York indie rock scene is awesome and is very prosperous at the moment, with a lot of up and coming bands spawning out of it and going on to become bigger acts and more well-known. What's great about it is that as long as you can get a good draw and generate enough ticket sales, venues let you play sets of entirely original songs (we like to mix in a couple covers here and there but you get what I mean). Bands like Momma (who of which I did a fun cover of their song "Medicine" with my friend Deanna who goes by the artist name smudgeout) and The Backfires in particular have exploded from this scene and are representing the NY and Brooklyn indie rock community very well by doing more expansive national and global tours. 

In terms of more local bands and artists, I would totally recommend Cry Baby, Middle Part, Book/Spirit, and The Powerviolets, who are all awesome acts and some of which I have seen perform at some shows in the past year (I am about to be on a bill at Brooklyn Made with Book/Spirit). But I along with a lot of people can do more of their fair share of going to local shows and getting out to watch newer groups shine and seeing who all is out there making a statement.

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

I think what mostly inspires me to write songs are the underlying feelings and emotional responses I seem to get from either small things that might not go my way, or a simple desire to pair a cool melody and chord progression I had already put together with lyrics that match that energy. I think given I am in my mid-late 20's and still young enough to feel and channel that rebellious side of myself, I am able to get myself musically excited and self-inspire my songwriting through those feelings and musical ideas I hear in my head. I also of course have listened to so much rock over the years (from all decades despite me saying it's mainly 90's rock) that my music inherently is going to lean in that direction.

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

My songs are mostly about self-reflection revolved around life's challenges in your 20's, feeling stuck in a moment or hopeless sometimes because of certain roadblocks or societal biases that might get to me no matter how much I try to ignore it, or self-created concepts or themes loosely paired to cool-sounding lyrics and phrases put together into one cohesive idea that flows somehow. It's usually one or the other. But I do find that when I try to go into a songwriting session with a clear-cut objective that it needs to be about something very particular (unless something significant enough recent just happened that provokes an emotional response), those usually either take longer to formulate or don't end up being as good quality songs. Sometimes I'm able to create a fake love song I'm proud of that sounds like I actually experienced it, and I guess for those I just get lucky haha!

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

Other than some collaborations with my band mates in a couple high school and college groups, I have always been the one writing the songs. And I write everything I do in my first last name solo project, and often play most of or all of the instruments on my songs. Since I'm prominently a guitar player, I almost always start with that instrument and usually come into a spark of a song idea from a progression or riff I come up with in the moment. Sometimes on the rare occasion it's bass if the song is centered around that, and one day I do want to do a song stemming from the drums (if I'm good enough to play the part!).

Anyway, once I have that I mess around with it for a few minutes and if I am inspired in the moment a melodic idea(s) will pop into my head and I'll start singing gibberish in order to come up with subconscious phrases or words that follow from that. Then, if the ideas are flowing and I've improvised/jammed with myself for a few minutes and built out enough of a song structure (and recorded a bunch of voice memos to have saved down to reference later), I'll start writing lyrics over that. At this point in my career, I really try to finish songs like that where something feels special about it all in one sitting, and if it seems forced I'll either come back to it or usually shelf it for a while. Lots of musicians and songwriters also record directly out of their DAW and lay down instrumentals and build from there; I do a little bit of that too, but I still find the most success and enjoyment out of the above process with just an acoustic or electric guitar and singing until I get in the zone, and once the song is finished or near finished I'll then start the recording process in my DAW for guitar, bass, and vocals (sometimes synths, piano, or mandolin too if that's the vibe I want to add to it). 

For drums, I have recorded some rough recordings at my basement studio in the past that have made it onto records I've released, but now I only record drums at other people's studios and do the demoing in my basement for songs I'm either playing on or creating ideas to inform what the song could sound like, as well as give whoever plays on it a little bit of direction while still letting them do their thing and leave their mark musically and stylistically.

8. What have you released so far and what can someone expect from your works?

So far, I have released two full-length albums, an EP of acoustic versions of songs from Blue Reverb, a handful of standalone singles and pre-album singles, and a cover of Momma's "Medicine" as I mentioned earlier. In terms of what someone can expect from the work I have already put out, be ready for some unique and refreshing emulations of rock sounds from the past several decades, particularly 90's alternative. I never want to release a song if I think that someone has released something already that sounds identical to it (well that would be plagiarizing anyway haha) and while something always can be compared to something else, I really try to make it my own as much as I can so it's not derivative. I used to find that when I did this exercise too much, it often resulted in more obscure songs that didn't always get positive attention from listeners. So, I would say that now I have found the perfect middle ground between writing songs with potential mass appeal and originality, while still making the music I want to make on my own terms.

9. Do you have any new music in the works?

Yes! This is something that I have a lot of. I never thought I would ever have this problem back when I first started writing songs seriously in high school, but I do now. Truthfully, without sounding too full of it, I have enough album-quality material to put out 4 LPs this year, but the problem is that no one in their right mind would or can do that (especially an indie artist like myself on a very limited budget paying rent in New York City). My day job in marketing/advertising pays the bills and funds my music, but without going broke it still is not nearly enough to pump out release after release given I do not and can't mix and master my own records at this current moment. But, the good news is that this day in age is built around putting out singles once a month, so I see it as only being a good thing to be in my current position.

10. How about playing shows and touring, have anything planned out?

Right now my band and I are playing a New York show at Brooklyn Made on March 20th, and we'll see what I can put together from there (I am currently not on a label, just my self-created Shopping Cart Records I did for branding purposes because my latest album is called Shopping Cart and my nickname is Cart, so I have to book everything on my own). Would be great to be able to lock in enough shows this spring so I can market it as a regional micro tour and get a buzz going, but that is still up in the air so stay tuned!

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

Right now, the plan is to keep playing live when we're all free, grow our audience as much as we can through that, releasing as much music as humanly possible in the next two years, and of course self-promoting on social media with a consistent release of content across all platforms. I am still not in the mindset of pitching to labels just yet (even though I am confident in my latest material) given my fan base is still on the smaller side. If something went absolutely viral on TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube Shorts, I would absolutely consider that route and take a break from the corporate life to pursue that dream. And of course there are a ton of benefits to being on a label, so we'll see what direction I decide to go in depending on the terms. But for right now, I am in a good developmental period in my music career and I am just taking in as much of it as I can and appreciating the small wins and fun moments along the way.

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

You can listen to my music on all streaming platforms (universal link to 'Shopping Cart' below) and also buy my music on Bandcamp if you want to support that way (link below)! I also released music videos for every song off of 'Shopping Cart' as well as live show videos on my YouTube channel, that if you like the music I encourage you to go check out as well. Thank you all in advance for taking the time to give my music a chance and hope you enjoy listening and resonate with something you hear.

Listen to 'Shopping Cart'
https://ffm.to/shoppingcart

Carter Brady on Bandcamp
https://carterbradymusicofficial.bandcamp.com/album/shopping-cart

Carter Brady on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@carterbradymusicofficial

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