NataliezWorld

Sacred Oath talks to me about their latest albums in their musical career span and their touring plans and activities for the 2009 year. Also how the band first started out and what the hidden symbolize behind their name really means....



1. Whats the deal with the name, what does it symbolize?

Rob Thorne: From the very beginning we were fascinated by the struggle between good and evil. Sacred Oath was a perfect name for a band that wanted to explore that lyrically. Plus, it sounded cool!

2. Can you briefly summarize how the band formed and what you do in Sacred Oath?

RT: We formed back in high school in 1985 when I was a sophomore. We had a vision of combining melodic metal and thrash, and within 6 months we had a demo recorded. Once that demo hit, we were established. The rest is history. I am the lead vocalist and guitarist and I write most of the music. I also produce the recordings.



3. Who writes the lyrics, what are they about? Is there any concept in them? Are the lyrics an important aspect of the band or are they just there to guide the music?

RT: I write most of the lyrics, and they are a very important part of our music. Most of our lyrics explore the epic struggle between good and evil in the world around us. We've certainly got a lot to write about these days. Sometimes we'll use fantasy as metaphor, but my lyrics always come from a place deep inside. You can always tell what I'm thinking!

4. You guys are from Connecticut what is the music scene like there? Any bands you'd recommend?

RT: The Connecticut scene is like any other, I suppose. The club scene is a struggle. Only the bands that hustle survive. Check out a band called Suicide jack, their singer is the real deal.

5. Youre signed with Angel Thorne Music and Sentinel Steel is it better to be on an indie label than a big label or no difference? What went through the process of elimination to choose them?

RT: It isn't always easy on smaller labels. But things have changed in the last few years to make it much easier to promote and distribute on a smaller label. Angel Thorne Music works as hard for us as any major label, probably harder. It's working out very well for us this time around.

6. Going back to the music business, what do you think of everyone downloading music, possibly even your music?

RT: You mean without paying? Eventually we'll all settle on a system that works, and it will probably be subscription-based. In the meantime, it is what it is. It certainly makes it harder to earn a living. You have to be smart to survive, and clever to get noticed in today's internet dominated music industry. The only part that saddens me is that albums have lost their valued place at the center of the industry. That is a loss.

7. When it came to releasing "Darkness Visible," how did that whole package come together?



RT: Kenny and I jammed one weekend and I recorded it. It was just supposed to be a rehearsal, but I figured what the hell, let's set up some mics. Kenny's drum tracks were solid, and we built the album from there. It took a while to finish though because we wanted to have all four original members on the disc, and organizing that was difficult. Pretty soon it became apparent that we had something special happening, and Sentinel Steel requested a license to press it. Things took off from there.

8. Then your live album "Till Death Do Us Part," where was that recorded how was the crowd's reaction, what was running through your head that night?




RT: That was recorded the opening night of our tour in Germany in 2007 and we had no idea we were being recorded. Maybe that's why it turned out so good. We were just so happy to finally be with our European fans after all these years, and they were great! Very enthusiastic, those Germans. Good drinkers, too.

9. Now that the past is done and over with and the last release your self titled is out in the open how does it compare to your previous live album and earlier recording?

RT: The new album is our best work yet. Don't get me wrong, I'm very proud of all our albums. They each have something special about them, but the new album really establishes the power of the band. And having recorded it right after touring, the band is really on fire,and you can hear that.

10. You guys have been around Europe a lot, when will we be seeing some United States action?

RT: We want to tour the US in 2009, coast to coast. We hope to be making an announcement about that soon.



11. What is currently playing on your iPod or CD Player?

RT: More like record player. I really enjoy listening to vinyl, probably more out of nostalgia than anything else. British Steel is sitting on my turntable right now. Kind Diamond Abigail is next in line.

12. What are the upcoming plans for Sacred Oath?

RT: We're working hard to promote this new album and make sure EVERYONE hears about it! We just finished a video for Counting Zeros, and Headbanger's Blog will world premier that in April. We've also got an exclusive feature with iTunes coming on April 7th. They've chosen Counting Zeros as their Discovery Download Pick of the Week, and they'll also be selling the complete album a full 5 weeks ahead of the street date! And for 5.99! It's almost ridiculous. You could practically buy it twice.

13. If you had a chance to go back in time, where, what, and why?

RT: Oooh, that's a tough one. I try not to obsess on the past or live with too much regret. I like to be in the present, all the way, all the time. Maybe I'd go back to an early Black Sabbath rehearsal or something like that. Wouldn't that be fun? To be a fly on the wall watching history like that? I had the privilege to see Sabbath reunite in '98 in a private soundcheck on the David Letterman show. They played Into the Void. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven.

14. How do you think the recession is affecting musicians like yourself? Is it at all?

RT: Money is tight for everyone, including musicians. It's tough for us, because everything we do is a calculated risk. It gets harder to take some of those risks. But we're doing OK right now, and I'm thankful for that. I know a lot of people are not, and I think about them all the time.

15. Whats your reaction when a fan tells you a very meaningful statement such as "Your music changed my life," or "You helped me get through depression or certain habits?"

RT: There is no greater feeling than knowing that your music touched someone, that they connected to what you were singing about. It's deeply satisfying.

16. Describe Sacred Oath in three words.

RT: Energetic. Perseverant. True.

17. Who are your main influences that you cannot live without remembering.

RT: Sabbath, Maiden, Priest, Metallica, Mercyful Fate.

18. Anything else you'd like to add?

RT: Thanks to the Oathbangers out there who've been supporting us all these years! This album is for YOU!

1. Could you tell us more about the history of the band, how things started.

The band started with Rob Kersey and Josh Key who went to high school together in Odessa, TX. They started a band called "Asinine", but Rob soon moved and eventually landed in Phoenix, AZ for a well-paying web job. Josh moved to Phoenix to join Rob and so did the name "Asinine". Through an ad in the local musicians wanted section of the Phoenix New Times, we found our drummer Alex Preiss, whose ad stated that he was looking for "a band with a sense of humor". He fit right in. Alex hooked us up with a bassist named Hunter Alexander, who helped get Psychostick off the ground. But he didn't last because he wasn't totally into the comedy-metal thing. That's when we met Mike Kocian, who played bass on "We Couldn't Think of a Title" and "The Flesh Eating Rollerskate Holiday Joyride". When we started tour, the stresses of the road got to him though, so we parted ways with him. Replacing Mike was Jimmy Grant who was in the band Indorphine from Florida. At the same time we added our second guitarist, Jake McReynold's from Phoenix, AZ. We figured while we were going through a lineup change we would do it all at once. That brought us to the current kickass lineup that recorded "Sandwich". We are now ready to take over the world.

2. What's your opinion on your second album "The Flesh Eating Rollerskate Holiday Joyride," nowadays? Where did you record it? Are you still satisfied with the songs on it, the production, and the artwork? How were the reactions on this album?

Under the circumstances, the "Flesh Eating Rollerskate Holiday Joyride" turned out pretty well. Originally, it was supposed to be a split CD - half of the songs us and the other half by Indorphine. Indorphine ended up not having enough time to do it, and we didn't have time to write another half an album, which is why it's so short. We recorded it at Toxic Recording in Phoenix, which Josh tracked and mixed. The common comment we got was that our fans liked it because it was really heavy, but it wasn't as funny as the first album. We agreed. Production-wise, Rob pointed out that it didn't sound as "big" as our first album "We Couldn't Think of a Title". This was fixed on "Sandwich". I'm really glad we did "Flesh Eating Rollerskate Holiday Joyride", because we learned a few critical lessons that would be applied to "Sandwich" to make it truly great.

3. You've recently released your new album "Sandwich," where did you record it, who produced it, and are you still satisfied with the songs, production and artwork? Can you tell us more about the recording process? How are the reactions on this one so far?

We are VERY proud of Sandwich, and satisfied with it all-around. I would say "Sandwich" is the band Psychostick after mastering the art of being Psychostick. Like "The Flesh Eating Rollerskate Holiday Joyride", it was recorded at Toxic Recording in Phoenix, AZ. Josh did the tracking and mixing. Like our other two albums, it was self-produced by Josh and the rest of the Psychostick band members. We're getting crazy feedback from our label, DJs, other national bands, managers, pretty much anyone who has been allowed to hear it. Nearly everyone who has heard "Sandwich" so far says that it blows away our other two albums. I can't WAIT for our fans to hear the whole album; their wait for the album will have been worth it. Our only regret is that we had several songs we wanted to put on the album that got the axe because we ran out of CD space. I guess they'll just have to go on the next CD.
Recording-wise, there's a couple of interesting things we did. First of all, in addition to using a regular AKG D112 mic on the kick drum, Jason (owner of the studio) built a mic using a 10-inch subwoofer. You put in front of the kick and it picks up MEGA LOWS that gate very cleanly with little bleed from anything else. The kick sound we ended up with was a very big, "live concert" kind of kick sound, which is exactly what we were going for. We are a live band, and we like to be imagined live when you hear our cd. A second thing we did was how we got our guitar tone. We employed a technique called "re-amping". Re-amping allows you to not have to worry about guitar tones until you are DONE tracking. This is a blessing when you are layering 6 tracks of guitar on each song. What you do is make sure you have a direct signal of the actual guitar itself (I used a VHT GP3 guitar preamp with a DI that is CRYSTAL clear). When you are done tracking, you play the clean guitar track back to a guitar amp, and the amp responds just as if you were actually playing through it right then and there. Just set up whatever combinations of amps, cabs, and mics you like, and hit play. What's great is that you will already have bass, drums, and maybe vocals tracked, so you can tweak based on what blends well with what you have, rather than "hoping" the tone you are capturing will mix well with the drums, bass, and vocals later on.

4. Who writes the lyrics, what are they about? Is there any concept in them? Are the lyrics an important aspect of the band or are they just there to guide the music?

In the past, Josh has written most of the lyrics, but on "Sandwich" all the band members have stepped up to the plate. Special recognition goes to Jimmy, whose sense of humor and lyric writing helped this album overflow with hilarity.

As for how we write, with each song, we try to paint its own little comical story and mood. What that mood is depends on what we're talking about. If "Sandwich" had a theme, we would say it is an ode to typical everyday life. Some examples of song subjects on "Sandwich" is working a crappy minimum wage job (Minimum Rage), dealing with bad roommates (Passive Vengence), being broke and wishing you had something better to eat than Ramen Noodles (The Hunger Within), the soul-cleansing ritual of taking a shower (Shower), and an addiction to caffeine just to make it through the day (Caffeine).



5. How did you get in contact with "Rock Ridge Music?" Are you satisfied with their work? Why did you signed with them?

We were contacted by Scott Frazier (manager of Bobaflex). Knowing that very few labels would "get" what Psychostick was going for, we concluded it best to go for a simpler distribution deal so that we wouldn't end up in a position of owing a bunch of money to a label, obligated to do what they wanted. Scott introduced us to Rock Ridge Music, which ended up being exactly what we were looking for. Rock Ridge Music has totally respected our creativity and been a lot of fun to work with. They are very "up on the times", constantly learning and adapting to the changes going on in the music industry. Tom Derr (Rock Ridge Music owner) seriously knows the music business inside and out, and we have learned a tremendous amount thanks to him and his experience.

6. When it comes down to writing a new song or an album whats the process like?

It all starts with a song idea. Ideas usually randomly come to us while simply going about our daily business. Funny observations or jokes are made, then it's, "Dude, we should write a song about that!" and the idea goes into the mental song idea archive. We will usually have a library of 10-50 song ideas going at any given time. Sometimes they are forgotten. But a good idea goes on to become a song.

The transition from "idea" to an actual song with meat to it happens a lot of different ways. Alex and Josh can go write a full song alone out of a good idea. Jimmy can write alone, but seems to do better when he has someone to bounce ideas off of. Josh, Jake, and Jimmy write songs together. Jake and Josh write songs together sometimes, and Jimmy and Josh write together a lot too. Each combination yields its own flavor, which gives our songs variety while still staying within the ballpark of the Psychostick "feel". All songs eventually go to Josh to be nailed down in demo form. We listen to the demos, learn the songs, then change and tweak them from there. We will continue tweaking, changing, and adding all the way up to the point to where the song is completely mixed down. You know the songs done when you play it back and just feel in your gut that "This is it."

7. What tours have you done in the past? What tours are going to take place or are there plans for a tour as a support for a "bigger" band?

We have done 9 tours ranging in length from 4 weeks to 3 months since the summer of 2006. Starting May 5th when "Sandwich" hits the stores, we will be doing a self-headling 4 month tour hitting the entire country, playing our favorite spots, as well as doing multiple festival-type shows. After that, we're looking to open for some larger bands, preferably bands like Dethklok, Gwar, or Snot. Although we wouldn't mind at all opening for bands like Chimaira,

8. Tell some of your experiences playing live.

We had a living room crowd-surfer one time! Let me explain. We were playing a show at a venue in Heath, OH and right before we were to go on stage, the power went out in the building. It never came back on. We had a lot of fans at that show that were disappointed, until one of them suggested that we go play our set at their house. We agreed. We set drove to the house followed by about 25 people in their own cars, set up our gear in the main lobby of the house, and hit the first song at about midnight on a Sunday night. I don't know how the cops didn't get called on us. The fans were hardcore dancing in the living room, spilling beer EVERYWHERE, and then one dude actually started CROWD SURFING. I think some furniture got damaged, but the owner didn't even care. We played for about 30 minutes then finally decided it would be a good idea to stop, and everyone hung around to party.

Another time, we had over 30 people on stage with us for the last song at a sold-out show in Omaha, NE. You couldn't even see us behind everyone. "Crazy" is an understatement.

9. What are your expectations for "Psychostick" in the future?

Assuming that "Sandwich" really hits, we expect to be touring with as many other bigger national acts as we possibly can, as well as eventually do some touring overseas (we already have a lot of fans in the UK, Germany, and Australia).

10. What do you guys do when you're not out on the road? Do you guys work or school?

When we're not touring, Rob usually designs websites, Josh records bands at Toxic Recording, Alex works at an animal kennel, and Jake and Jimmy do whatever they can.

11. Are there any cool touring/recording experiences or other bizarre stories you would like to share with us?

It was Jake's first tour ever (the "Holy Crap, We're Touring!" tour). Being on the road is different than the common perception of what it is, and it's not uncommon for band members to decide they don't want to tour the rest of their life once they've actually experienced it. We were worried about this with Jake, so this tour was a "test" to see if he was touring material.

It was about 11pm on a cold night in Cheyenne, WY. Jake had pneumonia and pink eye in BOTH EYES all at the same time. He had a strange premonition that we shouldn't drive that night, but it was only a 45 minute drive from Cheyenne to Laramie (where Rob's dad lives), so we decided to make the drive anyway. Halfway through the drive, the roads were icy, and we slid and spun off the road. While waiting for help, we were nearly hit by another car that slid and hit the same icy patch, so we figured we'd be safer away from the road. We grabbed some blankets and trudged out into the snow about 40 feet from the road or so out of the danger zone. That's when we noticed Jake off by himself not saying much. For some reason, he had worn shorts that day. So there he was, standing in the snow in shorts freezing his ass off after a near-death experience he tried to warn us about, with pneumonia and pink eye in both eyes. It's hard to fit more "suck" into a situation than that. He never bitched or complained. That's when we decided he was a trooper that he had what it takes to tour in a van. He passed the touring test with flying colors.

12. Could you give me a top 5 of your favorite albums of all-time and a top 5 of your current favorite records?

Rob
ALL TIME:
1. Weird Al: Straight Outta Lynwood
2. Jewel: Pieces of You
3. Meshuggah: Destroy, Erase, Improve
4. Nsync: Celebrity
5. Madonna: Like a Virgin

RECENT:
1. Tegan and Sarah: The Con
2. Look What I Did: Minute Man for the Moment
3. Alkaline Trio: Agony & Irony
4. Sevendust: Hope and Sorrow
5. Reel Big Fish: Monkeys for Nothin


-------------
Josh
ALL TIME:
1. Pantera - "Vulgar Display of Power"
2. Sevendust - "Sevendust"
3. Nothingface - "Violence"
4. Glassjaw - "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Silence"
5. Dream Theater - "Images and Words"

RECENT:
1. Indorphine - "Glowsticks for Clubbing Baby Seals"
2. Thrice - "Vheissu"
3. Muse - "Absolution"
4. Sleepytime Gorilla Museum - "Of Natural History"
5. Sikth - "Death of a Dead Day"

-------------
Jake
ALL TIME:
Pantera - "Vulgar display of Power"
Alice in Chains - "Dirt"
Tool - "Aenima"
Snot - "Get Some"
Meshuggah - "Catch 33"

RECENT:
Sevendust - "Animosity"
Thrice - "The Alchemy Index" all volumes
Indorphine - " Glowsticks...."
Opeth - "Water Shed"
A Perfect Circle - "Mer De Noms"

--------------
Alex
ALL TIME:
Blink 182 - "Enema of the State"
Brand New - "Deja Entendu"
Alkaline Trio - "From Here To Infirmary"
The Hope Conspiracy - "Endnote"
From Autumn To Ashes - "Holding A Wolf By The Ears"

RECENT:
Thursday - "Common Existence"
Spitfire - "Cult Fiction"
Fear Before - "Fear Before"
Warship - "Supply and Depend"
Spylacopa - "Spylacopa"

(Couldn't get ahold of Jimmy)



13. What's your opinion on the whole music industry scene right now? Like do you think they're trying their hardest to get albums out on shelves and not seek their way onto the net?

The music industry is in a state of flux right now, things are changing, and nobody has any idea where things are going to land, so it seems like everyone is waiting for somebody else to make a move. This means taking a risk, which scares labels who have made a killing looking at what's popular and then cranking out similar artists like McDonalds does hamburgers. Unless the majors embrace change and let go of their comfy way of doing things and try something different, they are doomed.

However, thanks to the internet, it all seems to be shifting in favor of the artist. We are definitely an example. If it wasn't for the internet, our songs would have never reached DJs at XM Radio or the Beer song cartoon would have never appeared on Ebaumsworld.com.

14. How do you think the recession is affecting musicians like yourself? Is it at all?

In times of stress, a lot people turn to music. People will have less money to spend to buy CDs, but they will be looking for new music to help them through their days. So although people have less money, there are more people looking for music, so perhaps it sort of balances out in a weird sort of way. If there is a major increase in file sharing during this period, then this hypothesis was correct.

15. Going back to the music business, what do you think of everyone downloading music, possibly even your music?

Yes, downloading music technically IS stealing. But herein lies the conflict between art and business. Artists should value being heard over making money. Here's why:

Writing genuine, meaningful, or creative music is a right brain process. If you're thinking about how well the song will "hit" when you write it, then you are in left-brain dominance mode, and your song will probably suck because your focus is in the wrong place. To write a good song, you have to write music that affects people. You have to be genuine, and you can't fake that. Having written your masterpiece that will change people, getting it heard by others will always be the priority over making money.

16. What is currently playing on your iPod or CD Player right now?

Screaming Mechanical Brain - "In Defiance of Science"

17. What are the upcoming plans for the '09 year?

Lots of touring, including a tour in the fall/early winter with Beatallica.

18. What do you think about all these different sub cultures such as "emo kids, scene kids, metal-heads, punks, goths, etc?"

Groups such as these form out of a need to belong, but can actually PREVENT new original music from happening. Say you are starting a band. Already, you have bandmates saying, "What style are we going to be?" There's already a limitation right there. Then you have all the worries of what this group of people will think and what that group of people will think. Are we metal enough? Are we punk enough? That sounds too emo. That sounds too indie. Many bands form under unspoken rules of what they should sound like and shouldn't sound like. That's not creativity!

Those who do something difference first have to face criticism and not "fitting in". They will have trouble finding other bands to open for, and once they do, they end up being at the mercy of how open-minded the audience is.

It all comes down to the fact that music cannot be limited to categories, but we end doing that when we come up with subjective labels and then form groups to argue about which subjective label is the best one. Musical labels are helpful in describing a band's music, but they are NOT SET IN STONE.

19. Thanks so much for taking the time to do this interview, any thoughts or comments?

Thanks for the interview! You ask really great questions. We have one final comment for anyone who plays to go to our shows in the future:

When we finally play your town, come to our show and DO SOMETHING RIDICULOUS and HAVE FUN! WEAR A STUPID OUTFIT, BRING PILLOWS AND HAVE A PILLOWFIGHT IN THE PIT, MAKE BALLOON ANIMALS, BRING FOAM SWORDS, WEAR DUMB HATS! A few of our fans get this, but not enough! Only when the whole audience adopts this attitude will a Psychostick show reach its full potential.

Cycle Of Pain talks to me about the current tour and the album and everything else caught up in between. What can we expect from a band that knows how to dish out nothing but good listening music.

1. Could you tell us more about the history of the band, how things started.

We were actually in a band when we were 14! We've been friends and jammin’ on and off since then, so when I got a deal, I wanted to get my brothers in on it.

2. What's your opinion on when you guys first started out in comparison to now, being on a label and having a new album out in the open.

It’s awesome to get it from the basement to the stage and hopefully the world!

3. You've recently released your album "Cycle of Pain," where did you record it, who produced it, and are you still satisfied with the songs, production and artwork? Can you tell us more about the recording process? How are the reactions on this one so far?

The recording process was very drawn out. I was gone a lot, and I had to deal with the studios schedule as well. We recorded most of it between Barbershop Studios in Jersey and my house. I'm very critical of my own shit so I'm never satisfied.

4. Who writes the lyrics, what are they about? Is there any concept in them? Are the lyrics an important aspect of the band or are they just there to guide the music?

Lyrics are just as important as the music. If you don’t have something cool to say, who cares then? I wrote almost all the lyrics. It’s all life experiences -- what they mean to me, might mean something different to you. John Lennon said it best. He said his lyrics don’t mean anything. What do they mean to you?

5. How did you get in contact with "Reform Records?" Are you satisfied with their work? Why did you signed with them?

My buddy took me up to their studio. It's a beautiful place, and they dug my music. Now it's up to them to get it heard!!!!

6. What are the plans for 09 year?

I’m gonna try to support this record.

7. What tours have you done in the past? What tours are going to take place or are there plans for a tour as a support for a "bigger" band?

The Black Label Society tour is our first tour so we're psyched. Hopefully, we'll get on with another big band after this run.

8. Tell some of your experiences playing live.

It’s always amazing!!! Every time! Our fans are the best.

9. What are your expectations for "Cycle of Pain" in the future?

Global domination!!!!



10. What do you guys do when you're not out on the road?

I sleep in MY bed!!!! We miss home. It gets tough sometimes.

11. Are there any bizarre stories you would like to share with us?

Nah! This is a family network!!!!

12. Could you give me a top 5 of your favorite albums of all-time?

Any Zep, Sabbath, Marvin Gaye, Sly, James Brown, Aretha, Ray Charles, etc... too many to name for just five.

13. What's your opinion on the whole music industry scene right now?

Like do you think they're trying their hardest to get albums out on shelves and not seek their way onto the net?

The label is becoming irrelevant anymore. More people are doin’ it themselves nowadays. They need to be on the shelves as well as the internet.

14. How do you think the recession is affecting musicians like yourself? Is it at all?

It affects everybody.

15. Going back to the music business, what do you think of everyone downloading music, possibly even your music?

I wish peple would pay for it. I always do.

16. What is currently playing on your iPod or CD Player?

My mixes!

17. What do you think about all these different sub cultures such as "emo kids, scene kids, metal-heads, punks, goths, etc?"

The more the merrier! I may not dig it, but they might not dig my shit!

18. Thanks so much for taking the time to do this interview, any thoughts or comments?

I hope people dig the record!!!! Peace.

Autumn Hour is an act unlike any other that brings out the good in music. Having an aggressive style and sound wave that just hits you instantly dishing out all the good spots music has to offer. In this interview the band talks to me about their current release and upcoming plans.

1. Could you tell us more about the history of the band, how things started.

Alan Tecchio-Our guitarist Justin Jurman and I had recorded about twelve songs acoustically back around 2004. That was the genesis of Autumn Hour though we did not know it at the time. I joined Seven Witches in 2005 and had to put my project with Justin on hold. After doing two 7W cd's, Jack Frost (7W guitarist) was going out on tour with Joey Belladonna so I was looking at almost a year of downtime. With that in mind I called Justin up and we started working together again. Once we knew we wanted to put a band together I thought of the coolest guys I knew with the best chops and in came Dave Lescinsky and Clint Arent. I had previously worked with Dave in Hades and he and Clint had contributed to some of the 7W recordings as well.

2. What made you want to base this CD off the book entitled “The Singularity Is Near," by Ray Kurzweil.

Justin turned us on to that book. We are all tech geeks to some extent and the future of mankind is a pretty compelling topic in this uncertain day and age. Putting both of those ideas together and fuelling it with Ray's own forecast of the future, we wrote our own story which became our debut concept CD-dethroned.

3. You've recently released your new album "Dethroned," where did you record it, who produced it, and are you still satisfied with the songs, production and artwork? Can you tell us more about the recording process? How are the reactions on this one so far?

We recorded it with Jonny Rod up his facility in New City, NY. He and the band produced it and we are very psyched about how it came out. We tried to be as efficient as possible in the studio and I believe we were. Jon went above and beyond with the sounds and mixing. We are all very proud of the results. Drums and bass were tracked in one day-the same day! Guitars and vocals took a bit longer but overall we were awesome with regard to time management. Jon mixed it himself and then had us come in with our own notes to tweak it to what we felt was perfection. So far the reaction has been very good. I know that we are very stoked about it-that's for sure. The artwork was done by Monowasp from Sweden. He did the last two 7W CD's as well and I had such a good time doing those with him and was so impressed with his work that I knew I wanted to use him for this disc too. I think he went above and beyond to capture the essence of the tale we had written.

4. Who writes the lyrics, what are they about? Are the lyrics an important aspect of the band or are they just there to guide the music?

I write the lyrics and for this CD they tell the story of a post-apocalyptic world in which man-made machines (nanobots, etc...) save the remaining members of the human race from extinction. Each song's lyrics tell a part of that tale. I would say they are pretty important to the overall story.

5. How did you get in contact with "Rock Ridge Music?" Are you satisfied with their work? Why did you signed with them?

I have known one of Rock Ridge's founders since my days in Watchtower-Tom Derr. He is a dear friend and a great guy. I think that in today's changing musical landscape (both in terms of musical styles as well as the consumer end-ie: how people buy & listen to music today) Rock Ridge is totally up on things. They have been great to us so far and we are very psyched to be working with them.

6. When someone asks you what does Autumn Hour sound like, what do you tell them?

Heavy, dark rock.

7. What tours have you done in the past? What tours are going to take place or are there plans for a tour as a support for a "bigger" band?

This is the first CD for this band so we have not toured as yet. Plans are in the works for one-off shows at the moment but if the right bill comes along or if we can jump on some legs of existing tours that would be phenomenal.

8. Tell some of your experiences playing live.

Our first show is this Saturday in Clifton, NJ so I have no real stories yet. The only public performance was at a bar in NJ for their open mic night. We got up and played three songs and got a very good reaction from the crowd.

9. What are your expectations for "Autumn Hour" in the future?

Hopefully to sell enough music to do another CD. We want to play a lot and just keep the ball rolling.



10. What do you guys do when you're not out on the road? Do you guys work or schooling?

We all work a variety of jobs. I sell advertising and write two columns for Steppin Out Magazine here in NJ. (so-mag.com) I am also a part time motorcycle safety instructor. Justin is in management at ABC television. Clint is an undercover secret agent who also teaches at Rock School in Philadelphia. Dave owns a rehearsal studio and works in the computer field. He is also an ex-federal agent.

11. Are there any cool touring/recording experiences or other bizarre stories you would like to share with us?

Not yet. If we told you anything we would have to kill you. lol Seriously though, we have not had that many experiences yet as a band. I guess the strangest thing might have been how lucky we were when we shot our video for the song Fade Out. We did it in the freezing cold in an empty warehouse. Not having any electricity, we had to rely on the sunlight coming through the greenhouse style roof. It was so good that the video looks better than if we had lit it ourselves according to the guys who shot it. We are very happy with the results but we just totally lucked out.

12. Could you give me a top 5 of your favorite albums of all-time and a top 5 of your current favorite records?

That is really hard to do but I guess for me, I would say the all time faves include:

1-Physical Graffiti by Led Zep
2-Ride The Lightening by Metallica
3-Prone Mortal Form by Only Living Witness
4-Sabbath Bloody Sabbath by Black Sabbath
5-Age of Quarrel by The Cro Mags

Current Faves:
1-Viva Emptiness by Katatonia
2-Slip by Quicksand
3-Watershed by Opeth
4-Death To The Pixies-The Pixies
5-Electric by Broken Teeth

13. What's your opinion on the whole music industry scene right now? Like do you think they're trying their hardest to get albums out on shelves and not seek their way onto the net?

I guess it depends who you are talking about. As for our label they are totally dialed in to the trends and are very in touch with how people buy music these days. They still believe in the old school stores etc.... but they also work the music online. I have a special place in my heart for physical music stores but I think if you ignore the power of the internet and fan sites, etc.... you are an idiot.

14. How do you think the recession is affecting musicians like yourself? Is it at all?

I know it has negatively affected my sales numbers at the magazine. As for playing music, we will find out this Saturday if anyone has the ten bucks to come see us play! lol

15. What are your plans for the 09 year?

To play as many shows as possible and to turn on as many listeners as we can to our music. I think we will also be writing a whole new CD this year if all goes well.

16. What do you have currently playing on your iPod or CD Player?

Evergrey, Sade, Exodus, Shift, Mastadon, Tree, Killswitch Engage and tons more.... I just leave the pod on shuffle and let it pick the tunes for me. If something I do not like comes up I just click to the next track.

17. What do you think about all these different sub cultures such as "emo kids, scene kids, metal-heads, punks, goths, etc?"

I think it is interesting to see just how trendy Americans can be while the Euro fans stay true to what they love. As for sub genres of music, I think it is fine for there to be a wide variety. What I like seeing is the younger generation getting into all of the various fragments. It does not always happen but more and more I see kids who love all styles of music and I think that is extremely cool.


18. Thanks so much for taking the time to do this interview, any thoughts or comments?

Thank you for letting me do this interview. Cheers!

The Acacia Strain have unleashed upon the world their current release "Continent," and have been touring non-stop showing what they got to their loyal fans all over the place, their front man Vincent talks to me about how it's all been going.


1. So how is "Continent," current going?

Vincent: It’s doing really really well probably the best selling we’ve ever had and getting a lot of great responses from the crowds and probably my favorite album of everything we have.

2. What's the story behind the album title?

Vincent: Basically it’s about one person’s quest to destroy the human race and to do that he creates his own continent. He lives ironically and sober.

3. How did you feel when you guys released your first record and performed for the very first time?

Vincent: It was pretty exciting, it was the first time we really got to showcase what we had to offer and we played shows before but nothing with a CD to back it up and very exciting and I’m always excited to hear about what people have to say about what we’re doing.

4. If you had a chance to go back in time, where, what, and why?

Vincent: Back in time eh, I’d probably go back to the prehistoric age, because there’s no people and there are a lot of dinosaurs and I’d always want to see dinosaurs in person but I don’t think I’ll ever be able too. Actually science is working on a way to clone dinosaurs so it’s kinda fucking weird. But yeah prehistoric age would be the age for me.

5. Have you ever met an over obsessed fan?

Vincent: hmmm I’ve met some BIG fans but nothing over obsessed when you say that I think like they find my phone number of follow me around no I’ve never met a fan that has gone that far. But I did meet one fan of a girl that made a collage of our bass player it was weird because it was all these sneaky shots. It was creative but weird.

6. How's this current touring going for you? Getting along with all the other acts.

Vincent: It’s awesome, I was friends with two of the bands before we started and getting to meet Bleeding Through and touring with them it’s been a dream of mine and today is the last day and I’m really excited for it to be over but I’m also kinda bummed out because it’s such a good tour.

7. What’s the one place in the world you have yet to tour or play?

Vincent: We have never been to Japan, never been to Russia but we are going to both those places this summer very excited about that. And some places we never really been but I’d like to go is probably South Africa and Brazil I really want to go to Hawaii and Alaska because those are places in the United States I’ve never really been too.



8. If you were to compare your band to another band in the same category as you guys who would you pick and why?

Vincent: I would pick probably compare us to Bloodshed and we’ve been compared to Messugah a lot.

9. What's coming up next for you guys after this tour and the rest of the 09 year?

Vincent: We’re playing new England Metal Festival and play Bambozle and we’re going to Europe in June with Aborted and then going to Japan in August and the rest of the year is wide open but we’d like to play the U.S. again so we’ll see what happens.

10. How's it been being a part of the current record label you're on, toured with any of the other bands?

Vincent: Yeah we’ve toured with all of them toured with Through the Eyes of the Dead, Light This City, and a bunch of the bands on the label and it’s good to be on a small label there’s a lot of one on one focus with the owner and I could pick up a phone and call the label directly and always good to have that family style and vibe and I’m really happy with it.

11. What do you think when you hear the word "emo"?

Vincent: emo? I think of back in the day bands like Pinball, and Saves The Day and I think of kids wearing sweater vests and big framed glasses and mopy hair cuts is what I think of.

12. Any technical difficulties during any of your performances?

Vincent: Always, always what of our first shows we ever played the drummer’s stumble came down and hit the bridge of my nose and there are always wires and guitar straps and strings everything happens. When we first started playing we would forget certain songs we would play. But it’s a lot different now.

13. What do you prefer seeing when performing in the crowd, hard dancers or mosh pits?

Vincent: I honestly don’t have a preference as long as the kids are having a good time whatever helps you feel good and have fun at a show I like seeing people headbanging and people holding their beers in the air and whatever has you have a good time.

14. Describe an Acacia Strain show.

Vincent: Well its loud, it’s violent and very intense and we try to keep the intensity level during the show and try to keep it loud because that’s what people want to hear.

15. Thanks a lot for taking the time to do this interview, anything else you'd like to say?

Vincent: If you come out to a show, expect a loud and violent performance and have a good time.

Impending Doom shall we not be scared by hearing this name? I think not because that what it is, is just a name right? Impending Doom's bassist talks to me about the band's upcoming plans and newest album set to be unleashed upon the masses soon!

1. How did the name come about?

David: Our lead singer thought of basically he liked the name “doom” but doom is already a band name, so the name came to him one night because it means without God our lives on Earth are impending doom.

2. How is the current album going?

David: Good it comes out in 2 days out on Tuesday.



3. How did the title, artwork, and lyrics come about?

David: The title with the first song we wrote was a while ago back in June and we started playing it on the last tour and after that tour we had to think about the new album and then named the album after it. And our singer Brooke and had an idea of how he wanted it to look.

4. When did the band form?

David: Our first show was October 31st 2005 and the band formed in 2005 as well and we’ve been going strong ever since.

5. When was the first show you played?

David: Well I’m not a originally member I joined 6 months after the band started, and my first show was performed in Coroa,California at the Showcase Theater I was pretty nervous, and that show was with All Shall Perish and The Faceless and Underneath The Gun I’m not too sure but it was fun.

6. How’s the current tour going?

David: It’s going good, it’s a pretty long tour 6 weeks but everyday was pretty insane but the dudes of The Acacia Strain and Bleeding Through are super nice and fun to hang out with so it’s been a great tour.

7. Any technical difficulties during your performance?

David: Oh yeah happens all the time like a cable will go out or break a string that’s the most common one, that’s why you have to have a back up guitar handy.



8. What do you prefer seeing while performing, hardcore dancers or mosh pits?

David: Mosh Pit, not a fan of hardcore dancing if you have crush pits and everyone jumping just everyone having a good time.

9. How you getting along with everyone?

David: Pretty good no bad vibes really. We’ve known As Blood Runs Black, and The Acacia Strain for a couple of years now so it’s been fun hanging with them but Bleeding Through we never met until this tour but they’re accepting and nice dudes.

10. What are your plans after this tour?

David: We have a month off and then we do a week in Mexico and then come home for 3 weeks and then start our headlining tour in June. It will be us and Carnifex for sure.

11. Did you do anything for St. Patrick’s Day or Easter?

David: St. Patrick’s Day we played a show, and everybody in that city was running around drunk and wearing green and Easter probably be with my family.

12. Any final thoughts or comments?

David: Pick up our CD when it comes out “The Serpent Servant,” and yeah check it out!

Set List:

Finnis Fatalis Spei
Declaration
For Love And Falling
Orange County Blonde and Blue
Sweet Vampirous
Revenge I Seek
Germany
Kill To Believe
Confession
Love In Slow Motion

The minor heat wave that was brought upon Hollywood, California that unforgiving Saturday afternoon leading into the evening could only mean one thing that we were going someplace and it wasn't just to a rock and roll show. I think this place was much, much worse it is a place I'd like to call HELL! The night began off as any other night would the crowd slowly began to swarm into the Key Club venue awaiting their faint. The first act began things rough and hard dishing out all the right moves with double the power, having three guitarists one being a female and two vocalists the bassist and drummer probably felt left out but all in all the band rocked out the crowd from beginning to end.






Next up to the stage came Impending Doom an act that loves everything they do! Throwing out a solid 30 minute set list of pure aggression and anger from start to finish these guys got the crowd in a uproar of pure energy and excitement from bouncing off the walls to dance parties in the center of the floor these guys knew how to rock and they rocked out long and hard performing their older material and newest material off their soon to be unleashed album "The Serpent Servant." The guitars were fast and jammed packed with adrenaline the vocals and drums picking up the pace just making the music that more enjoyable. Once they had departed the stage the crowd was just in the right mode to get them soaked in sweat and energy they wouldn't remember that had just occurred.






The next performance was brought on by As Blood Runs Black a young deathcore act that has a powerful punch hidden within their screaming souls. The crowd sure knew their potential and they dished it out hard and fast getting the crowd all caught up in the high heated energy having people being pushed and thrown up in the air to up on stage the entire venue was caught up in all the excitement you didn't know what to expect next.






After their enjoyment and excitement from their fast pacing set up The Acacia Strain just kept the crowd on going putting together a 40 minute set list that kept on going and going the crowd of on-goers just loved every second of it. A massive pit of hardcore dancers got their groove on and people just as before went flying up onto the stage and right back into the crowd while others weren't so lucky and gently sat upon their shoulders of their friends just to grab the mic and give a shout out to the music they so adored.







Wrapping up the entire night of course was Los Angeles' very own Bleeding Through that rocked out 60 minute set list was no talk just pure rushing music from all angles. The whole crowd was in a bigger uproar than ever before pushing and shoving pit falling groove dancing the whole works you name it, it likely occurred, Bleeding Through started off the night right dishing out their new tunes off their latest "Declaration," and then went back in time with hits off "This is Love, This is Murderous," and "The Truth," which included "Germany," Orange County Blonde and Blue," "Love Lost In A Hale Of Gunfire," "Sweet Vampirous," "Revenge I Seek," "Rise," "Love in Slow Motion," and a ton of others. Bleeding Through alone throws out one hell of a show and ride getting you in all the right places. The Declaration has begun and will forever reign by Bleeding Through because they are the ones that hold the power of total disaster.