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Throwing a mixture of death metal, deathcore, classical, experimental, and progressive, Flub has got everything going for them since being a project of ex-acts Beyond All Ends from Eloy Montes and Nightmare In The Twilight's Michael Alvarez. The duo had decided on making this project for a while now later grabbing other members Charles King, Jared Klein, and David Kloss. Once they had the members in order they began writing and recording for their EP "Purpose" and plan on performing live shows very soon! These guys got some time on their hands to discuss themselves and their musical whits and ways of creativeness.


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

Flub is the project of Eloy Montes (ex-Beyond All Ends) and Michael Alvarez (ex-Nightmare In The Twilight) After many years in the music scene and playing shows together, Mike and Eloy had discussed many times to work together in a new music project. In May the two released Flubs first single entitled "Colors" with programmed drums. Shortly after releasing the single they recruited Charles King, also a former member of Beyond All Ends, to fill the bassist position and Jared Klein of Reno, Nevada's tech death band Enslave The Creation. Releasing 2 more songs to finish their EP Purpose with programmed drums in July they recruited David Kloss, former member of Flower Violence, to complete their line-up as a 2nd guitarist.

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

The band name came about unplanned. While in the studio tracking our first single we were trying to think of band names to release the song under. While Eloy was tracking the guitars, every mistake he made he said "Oh shit, can I do that again? I Flubbed it up". After disputing if the word was real or not we decided to look up on Google to see if it was and found out it was indeed a real word. And as a joke we said we should just name the band Flub. And some how we just decided that was a good name so we kept it.

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

The best way to describe our style would be to quote one of our fans. He described our sound as "Pre-post-tech-pre-jazz-post-metal-far future-post-pre-space-future-rock". There are so many influences our band takes on musically its hard to pinpoint an actual style. We experiment with many styles and incorporate them into a very melodic metal structure.

Many bands/musicians/artists have influenced us. One of Eloys main writing influences is Frédéric Chopin, a Polish composer from the Romantic Era. As well as todays modern metal projects like Between The Buried and Me, The Faceless, Cynic and others. Mikes vocal influence is derived from several vocalists including Johnathan Davis from Korn and Travis Ryan from Cattle Decapitation.

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

Lyrically, Flub's lyrics are just mythical stories. I for one enjoy writing short stories and trying to paint a picture for those to see through my words. My messages can be interpreted in many ways. Our EP "Purpose" is a concept EP. The story follows 3 different events in each song that are tied together. The story goes, God is in the sky and notices a human he created has lived past his purpose in life and he is baffled as to why and feels sorrow for him because he can not intervene. Then later in the other two songs it explains the events of this humans failed purpose and how he lives on filled with despair. The lyrics are not in anyway "religious", but I do have many emotions that can be related to in the story, much like the feeling of regret, the want of suicide, the sorrow of losing a dear friend and many other subjects. It can all be interpreted in different ways depending on the reader. My goal is to write emotions that people can relate and connect to.

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

We so far have just one release. Purpose EP. A 3 song concept EP that we released via Bandcamp in June.
The release had somewhat positive feedback. Our released was featured on several deathcore blog sites and a djent metal video channel. Our fan base tripled after the EP was dropped and we continue to get support for the EP, being posted on music pages on Facebook.

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

We have yet to play live, We are in preparation in getting our live set together with several new songs in the mix. Hopefully we will be hitting the stage in mid October and plan to hit all across California before the end of the year.

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

What people should know about Flub is we aren't one of those cliche metal bands. Nor do we wish to be one. We don't write music to impress the majority, we mainly write music that we ourselves enjoy listening to and playing.  We like to have fun with what we do, it doesn't mean we aren't professional about it, it just means we aren't one of those metal tee shirt, tough guy serious face metal groups. We believe peoples should be interested because we strive to create something familiar yet unheard.

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

We are currently in planning stages of shows, merch, new music and a music video. We are taking our time and not rushing anything to make sure when we hit the stage we can put on something remembered for people to enjoy. Our new album is entirely written and just needs to be recorded and printed before its released. and we will be touring to support the album come 2014!

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

We have a few links on YouTube if you look up Flub Band. Or you can listen to our EP streaming of our Bandcamp page. The EP is also available for FREE download but if you would like to leave a donation, itd be much appreciated. Every cent we make from donations is thrown into the fund for new recordings. But we understand not everybody has money and would like for our fans to enjoy the EP we worked hard on.

http://flub.bandcamp.com/album/purpose - FULL EP STREAM

10. Why should a metalhead buy your demos/albums?

In all honesty, our music is for every one who appreciates well thought out music, be it a "metalhead" or a punk rocker dude who enjoys some heavy tunes. We will have our new release for a small price of course to cover costs of printing and recordings but I believe they SHOULD buy our albums IF they truly want to support us and see us go somewhere with our music. Every dollar helps keep this project going and pushes us further.
10:46 AM
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Los Angeles thrashers WARBRINGER are back with their fourth studio album programmatically entitled, IV: EMPIRES COLLAPSE and is set for release on October 29 via Century Medias Records.

IV: EMPIRES COLLAPSE is the studio recording debut of former Mantic Ritual members Jeff Potts (Guitar) and Ben Mottsman (Bass) rounding off WARBRINGER's five-piece line-up.  The album was recorded by producer Steve Evetts (Sepultura, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Suicide Silence), mixed by Brett Eliason (Pearl Jam, Heart, BoySetsFire) and mastered by Alan Douches / West West Side Music (Cannibal Corpse, Hatebreed, Converge). The album's cover artwork, which can be seen above, was designed by Adrienne Rozzi.

The band commented on the artwork as follows: "The artwork for "Empires Collapse" came about from wanting to take a much more focused and simplistic approach. Previous WARBRINGER album covers are extremely detailed, busy works, so it was a conscious decision to have art that was the antithesis of what we had done before. John Laux came up with the concept, so we had our friend Adrienne Rozzi to make up a sketch, which led to us having her follow through with the final piece. It's incredibly different from what most fans would expect for a WARBRINGER album cover, but we wanted the art to visually reflect the music. The piece reminds us of a Tarot Card illustration and sets a very cryptic, somber vibe which associates well with the music that ties into the album's title."

Tracklisting:

1. Horizon
2. The Turning Of The Gears
3. One Dimension
4. Hunter-Seeker
5. Black Sun, Black Moon
6. Scars Remain
7. Dying Light
8. Iron City
9. Leviathan
10. Off With Their Heads!
11. Towers Of The Serpent

WARBRINGER have documented the recording process and can be seen below:

Episode #1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMzz1PiX9VQ
Episode #2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNRb7JOCCY8
Episode #3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gguX72LRyxQ
10:59 AM
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BUTCHER BABIES have partnered with REVOLVERMAG.COM to premiere "Magnolia Blvd," the first music video from the band's debut album 'GOLIATH'. The band offered fans a sneak peek of the clip last night during a live YouNow video chat before unveiling the clip.

The video was directed by Daniel Gomez [EYES SET TO KILL, BUCKCHERRY] and produced by Los Angeles-based Marco De Molina and his Veva Entertainment Company. A behind-the-scenes making of the video can be seen HERE.

Check out the video HERE.
10:54 AM
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Bleeding Through are going on their final U.S. tour alongside Wings Of Plague, Oceano, Gideon, and Sworn In. Check out the dates below with more to follow!

TOUR DATES:

11/1: Denver, CO @ The Summit Music Hall
11/3: Minneapolis, MN @ Skyway Theatre - Studio B
11/4: Joliet, IL @ Mojoe's
11/5: Louisville, KY @ Expo Five
11/6: Pittsburgh, PA @ Altar Bar
11/8: Detroit, MI @ The Majestic Theatre
11/9: Milwaukee, WI @ Wisconsin Metalfest
11/10: Cleveland, OH @ Ohio Metalfest
11/11: Allentown, PA @ Crocodile Rock
11/12: Clifton Park, NY @ Upstate Concert Hall
11/13: Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom
11/14: Springfield, VA @ Empire
11/15: Greensboro, NC @ Greene Street
11/16: Jacksonville, FL @ Roc Bar
11/17: Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade
11/19: Houston, TX @ Walters
11/20: Dallas, TX @ Trees
11/21: San Antonio, TX @ White Rabbit
11/22: Lubbock, TX @ Jakes
10:49 AM
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Hard rock metallers NeverWake have written and recorded material for their latest release "Vitality" and have follow-up release "Sleepwalkers" due out soon enough. The whole band got together to talk how these two releases differ, compare, and have evolved and what plans they have the remainder of this year.


1. What type of band are you?

We are a Rock / Metal band  just outside of Pittsburgh, PA. We strive to merge those two genres for several reasons. Everyone loves metal, they just don't know it yet. We try to package it in a way that is presentable to a wide range of people. This way we bridge the gap and possibly open people's musical horizons.

2. Tell us the brief history of your band.

We released our debut full-length album "VITALITY" in August 2011. Since then our online presence has rapidly grown from a local 2,000 fans to an international 87,000 fans. On Halloween of 2012 we released a new single “Cut You Down”. In just 2 years we've taken a large step into the industry. We've shot photos with experts such as Jeremy Saffer, shared the stage with several national acts, and released a professionally shot music video.

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

When we were writing the tracks for Vitality, we were listening to how each song sort of took the listener on a ride. Each one told a little bit of a story, one right after another. So we classified it as a messed up dream that you never wake up from. And so spawned the name. It also relates to the next project we have in the works that will be revealed soon.

4. Who are your musical influences?

We have several influences that range from metal to rock, to even orchestration. We've grown up listening to bands like Godsmack and Disturbed, with a tad of Metallica mixed in. As we grew older we started listening to even more metal. Pretty soon we were listening to all metal, every genre and it just seems like we've naturally pulled a little bit of influences from each area. Usually you just write and try not to focus too much on what you want to be like. You just do it. But after listening to what we've created, we can sum up that we like melody overtop of metalcore / hardcoresque instrumentals mixed with a tad of orchestration.

5. Have you recorded any previous CDs or posted any audio files on the Internet?

We do have an old demo with 6 songs that we've actually cut from the internet. They were recorded back under a different name, when we were still finding ourselves musically. From time to time we still do get people asking us to play a couple of the older songs.

6. What are your songs about? What specific themes do they cover? Can you discuss the songwriting process in detail.

Our songs are probably the most deceiving when it comes to lyricism. We are strictly a metaphorical band. A lot of songs reference death and other dark subjects. But when we talk about those things, it's not the actual subjects we are referencing. It's really just a soulful representation of our mental struggle through this artful industry we strive to succeed in.

7. Tell me about the album artwork, who designed it and what does it represent for this release?

The album artwork was done by artist Dave Syliagi. We found him online and basically gave him the concept of what we were looking for. We really liked his work when we came across it, and we thought it fit us best. It essentially a representation of the long and screwed up road we travel with this business. But it doesn't just end with that, there are some dark ominous trials that still lie ahead that we know we will eventually have to overcome.

8. How do you think being from the Pittsburgh, PA/Steubenville, OH areas has changed your sound?

Well our actual town is absolutely obsessed with Halloween. Therefore you can say that had we not been born in this place, there may have been no NeverWake. I consider it a large contributor to our sound.

9. What are your plans for new music?

Our next release is the big one. It's basically going to be the introduction to what we have planned in the future. Not to mention more hard hitting than ever.

10. What can you say about the single "Cut You Down"? Why pick and choose this particular song out of all the others offered on this release?

Fun fact: We're nerds. We love video games. One night we were playing Call of Duty zombies, the astronaut level. We were playing and all of the sudden just thought, can we please write a song about zombies? This is awesome. We didn't want to write about the game but essentially the concept of taking on hoards of enemies and just pwning. So we basically masked this subject on people we've come across in the industry. These are the people who just try to take you down and drain you mentally. So we called 'em zombies and took them all out.

11. How would you describe the overall sound "Vitality"?

Vitality is basically our first statement to the public. It's kind of like "Hey, we're  here and we aren't messing around." We wanted it to be powerful but melodic so people in the mainstream world could say "woah, I actually like this music!". And that is exactly what has happened so far!

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

It's exactly as stated above. We wanted to really hit people with something hard but them come overtop with melody so they can sing along to it. The goal was basically to show people that they shouldn't fear metal. Rather they should embrace it and give the genre more of an opportunity.

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

Well most of us have been trained with the software we use to record in the studio. So when we decided to make orchestration, the process came naturally.

14. When did you start writing for this release?

We are writing hoarders. We have had several of these songs written a while ago and some finished on the day of recording. It's all about when you are at your creative peak. Once you get into that groove, you write as much as you can for as long as you can. Because when you lose it, you may be lost for a while.

15. Can you go into one or two tracks on this release? If so, can you give us the track title and brief description of how the track sounds and how it came about?

The most popular track "Pulse" was our way of stepping into the scene. We know that this is hard path to be on and we just wanted people to know that we are going to give it our all. We've seen so much talent fall by the wayside and we are making sure we don't go down the same road.

16. What are your expectations for this release?

Our expectations have already been fulfilled. We've taken a large step into this industry and really have made our mark so far. We've built a fan base that is looking forward to our next release and really, we couldn't ask for more. We also couldn't have asked for a better group of people to help us along the way. But it only gets bigger from here and the expectations for the next album are already planned.

17. Your plans for 2013 are what?

We can't reveal anything at the moment due to secrecy but you will find out in late August :).

18. Anything else you want to say or add?

Thank you to all of our fans for being so supportive of NeverWake. Really that's what keeps us going. Stay tuned and be ready for more, SleepWalkers!
10:24 AM
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Rock n' rollers XO Stereo is an all new rock band from Los Angeles, California featuring members from acts like LoveHateHero, From First To Last, and others! Expect them to release more material to follow-up to their current single and video "Show And Tell". Guitarist and piano player Justin Whitesel discusses this new project and where it plans to go.


1. Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in XO Stereo.

Justin: My name is Justin Whitesel. I play guitar and piano in XO Stereo.

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

Justin: We are based out of Los Angeles, CA. The rock scene out here isn't as cool as you think it is…unless you're in your 40's and have residency at one of the sunset strip venues.

3. What type of band are you?

Justin: The kind that plays instruments and sings and likes to dance. Sometimes.

4. Tell us the brief history of your band.

Justin: Well we met the same way a lot of bands do, in Vietnam. I know what you're thinking and no, we weren't in the war. We actually all met there before the war sometime in the year 1957. You see, we're the first 5 people to actually master the finer points of time travel and figured we should probably start a Rock N' Roll band. The rest is history. Or the future. Or the past.

5. How did you guys get your band name?

Justin: The name we originally chose was actually taken (somewhat) so we came up with this little devil of a name. It's based around Love (XO), Stereo (you know, stereophonic sound), and exoteric (which basically means "easy to understand").

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

Justin: Musically our influences range from Refused, Nine Inch Nails, Acceptance, and Muse.

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

Justin: We don't really have a formula to our music. We literally write what we want and everyone adds their own form of individuality.

8. You guys are in the process of releasing your first single and music video can you tell me more about those?

Justin: Yes, we just released the first single and the response has been amazing. Myself and Cooper Campbell (Vocals) wrote this track. I'm not going to give away which lyrics I wrote and which lyrics he wrote, but the sections I wrote pertain to the downfall of a band I was in called LoveHateHero.

9. What type of release can we expect to see from you guys a EP or LP?

Justin: First release is an EP. Already have begun writing for our LP, however.

10. What are your dreams and goals?

Justin: Like any rock band, become as big as possible and have the ability to touch as many peoples' lives in the process.

11. The band is made up of other members from other bands and projects what's happening with those bands anything?

Justin: Nope. If those bands were still active, we'd probably all still be apart of them!

12. What advice would you give to fellow bands?

Justin: Fall in love with your instrument and get tight with your band before worrying about a gimmick or what brand of eyeliner to choose.

13. What are the biggest obstacles for bands?

Justin: Being an actual band. It's hard to hold down other forms of income, relationships, social lives, etc when this is your job 24 hours a day.

14. What can we expect to see from you in the future?

Justin: More releases including a lyric video for a cover song we did in the very near future.

15. What inspires you to do what you do?

Justin: Always creating something new brings a level of satisfaction that nothing else can top. Knowing that those creations potentially help people through their day is just a bonus.
10:14 AM
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Black metal act Highland got their start way back when but since then, they have played showcases written and recorded material and have got a whole lot more going on for them than ever before. Frontman vocalist and guitarist Gevork Matevosyan talks about their latest works and upcoming plans from here on out.


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

Gevork: Read about us HERE and HERE otherwise.....

In 2004, Narek Avetisian and Gevork Matevosyan met for the first time in Glendale, CA and it was apparent that both individuals had an undying passion for metal. During the next two years, the duo set the foundation for a thrash metal band called "Raze." On the hunt for a capable drummer, one of their mutual friend suggested to them to check out a band called "Manic Sadist" at the Key Club in Los Angeles, CA in 2006. This particular band featured a young Michael Semerdjian. After one set, and a spectacular performance, it was apparent to Narek and Gevork that Michael had to be the drummer for Raze. After a bit of musical courting in the following weeks, Michael agreed to join Raze.

Raze entered the recording studio in the spring of 2007 to begin recording a 4 song EP that was never completed. The reason being...the band's music needed to be more aggressive, and darker. It was Narek's Raze song "Fatherland" that was the first step into the new direction the band wanted to take. With that inspiration, the band abandoned the Raze moniker and Highland was born. These days are affectionately referred by the band as the "Raze days."

In 2008, Highland officially became a band. Narek had introduced the riffs that would eventually become "A Seed Once Spread." With momentum on their side, Highland members knew they had something special and continued to plow through obstacles through the next five years leading to their first EP.

Highland entered the studio in the second half of 2012. After months of recording, mixing, and mastering, the Highland EP was released on February 1st, 2013. Highland is a brotherhood that consists of longtime friends who are like-minded musicians. This is definitely not your run-of-the-mill metal band from Los Angeles. This is only the beginning. The best years are yet to come.

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

Narek came up with it. It was actually the one and only name that was suggested. I liked it right off the bat and the decision was made to keep it.

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

Gevork: We're based out of Los Angeles, CA. Our rehearsal space is in Van Nuys, CA. There are countless bands in Los Angeles. The metal scene is experiencing a revival and we are out to make a meaningful contribution to it. We have been well received so far by Angelenos. Obviously, we hope that continues.

While they're not from Los Angeles, we got to play with these guys when we were in Georgia and Armenia earlier this year, so they were temporarily local to us; Outstanding musicianship and great guys, too. A band that we really enjoy is Symphonic Black metallers "Signs" from Tbilisi, Georgia. Suicidal black metal kings "Psychonaut 4" (Georgia) are remarkable as well.

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

Gevork: Hate, darkness, pride, blasphemy. The message we want to send through our music is for people think critically and objectively bout the world around themselves.

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

Gevork: Various black, death, and thrash metal bands. Big names like Slayer, Death, Emperor, and Immortal, of course. We love Inquisition’s music. We like metal. We write metal. We like to write fast, machine gun riffs as well as slow and grimy riffs that crush with their heaviness.

6. Who produced HIGHLAND and what was it like working with them?

Gevork: We worked with Caleb Bingham (Ascension, Zonaria) for the 5 song EP. He was at the helm of he recording effort and mixed the songs. We are very happy with the way the disc came out. Caleb is really knowledgeable, a great individual, and an amazing musician. Nothing but great things to say about our friend and we wish him the best in his endeavors.

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

Gevork: We had friends of ours with knowledge in this area prepare the cover based on ideas that we had. We wanted to keep it simple for the EP. We have our logo on the front cover. It does look like a metal record, certainly, but not much else. We want first time listeners to associate the music with our logo. I guess it is our effort to have it "gimmick-free" and let the music stand on its own. There will be opportunities for grand artwork in the future, but our main concern is writing quality compositions.

8. Select two songs from HIGHLAND and what inspired the lyrics.

Gevork: I Am Victory - This song is about strength of an individual. What type of person it takes to be victorious and the effects on various entities due to the relentless pursuit of victory.  

Rituals in the Twilight’s Darkness - As nightfall makes its inevitable onset and the anticipation of the arrival of dark forces is at its highest, a human medium is prepared in a sacrilegious ceremony for one of the princes of hell to enter the realm of earth.

9. Do you guys have any new music in the works as far as a follow-up release?

Gevork: New Highland music can already be heard if you're in the audience at one of our shows. Expect a full-length Highland album some time in 2014.

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

Gevork: Most listeners (especially first timers) are amazed and sometimes perplexed at Mike's talent and skill behind the kit. Mike is a very modest person and his biggest critic. He is always improving and that's why he gets noticed. He is very crucial to the group.

11. What are your upcoming touring plans?

Gevork: We just capped off 3 shows in Yerevan, Armenia and Tbilisi, Georgia. That was a wonderful experience for all of us. We finally returned to our homeland to play for them and our neighbors to the North. More Los Angeles area shows will happen.We are always looking for an audience with a thirst for metal.

12. What can the fans expect to see from you in the future?

Gevork: A full length album and more shows. That's what a band is supposed to do, right?

13. Any final words of wisdom?

Gevork: Fight tyranny.
12:19 PM
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American Standards is a punk infused Hardcore band from Phoenix, Arizona signed to We Are Triumphant. The album "Still Life" was released June of 2012 and is distributed worldwide in stores and online by Victory Records. Since forming the band has gone on to tour relentlessly playing festivals from all over from the UK to the US and have a new EP in the works and a whole lot more planned out. Frontman vocalist Brandon Kellum discusses the newest EP and upcoming plans.


1. Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in American Standards.

Brandon: My name is Brandon Kellum and I'm the vocalist for the band American Standards.

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

Brandon: The band is based out of Phoenix, AZ. It's an interesting time here for the scene. Long time venues closing. New venues opening. Established acts calling it quits and bands in long term hiatus doing reunions. Another thing I've noticed in AZ is that for as long as I could remember, it's always been easy to point out the predominant genre and bands that are buzzing. It's cyclical though. It's like a style will grow so quickly that it goes from everyone loving it, to it being so popular that it's no longer "cool" to like. With this,  theres a trend of bands recycling styles and riding the coat tails of "the next big thing" for their shot at fame.  For the first time in a long time though, I feel like that predominant style isn't there. Maybe as I grow older I'm just not as in tune to it, but part of me wants to think that we've finally got to a point where bands are realizing that to stand out you really have to do your own thing. Otherwise, you'll always be a step behind the ones you're following. As for recommendations, I'm big into Lariats, Hot Skin, Andrew Jackson Jihad and Sleepwalker. All these bands  I feel have that sound that garnishes respect from across the board, regardless of what genre you're into.

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

Brandon: So far we've released a 3 song demo, a few one off singles and our 2012 EP "Still Life". We're on the verge of releasing another EP entitled "The Death of Rhythm and Blues" September 14th. To date we've been overwhelmed with the positive feedback from both fans and publications stateside and internationally. It's crazy to see Merch and CD orders from countries we've never even been to.

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

Brandon: I would hope the sound speaks for itself in a way. We've found this weird spot where we never quite fit in on a show and we're always the odd band out. It's worked for us though. It's also allowed us to play these shows with bands ranging from indie, punk, hardcore and metal but still get the crowd going.
It also really comes down to the message in our songs that we all live day in and day out. Regardless of who you are and what your past is, you have the choice to take control and really do something beyond yourself. It's up to you to change your perception of seemingly negative experiences and know that in the end, these experiences are something we all share. American Standards is about pushing forward. It's about the movement that makes us feel alive. I think people really connect with that and see that passion and intensity at our shows.

5. Who produced The Death Of Rhythm And Blues and what was it like working with them?

Brandon: Joe Gerhard with JM Studios in Mesa, AZ. He's a great guy and also plays for the local band Sleepwalker. He worked with us on Still Life and over the years has grown with us and learned how to help us do what we do best.

6. Is there any story or concept behind the The Death Of Rhythm And Blues title?

Brandon: The Death and Rhythm and Blues has a personal meaning to me that goes beyond what's just in the lyrical content. We named it with the story of Robert Johnson in mind. The idea that a poor and struggling musician spent his life trying to do what he loved with little notoriety. He was then said to have sold his soul to the devil and almost instantly became more noticeably skilled in both his craft and  stature. At age 27 (the age I am currently) he died as had many of the great legends in rock and roll did. This really hits home with me in the sense of that struggle and working to do more despite any obstacles. In addition to these ties, the EP is actually the last album we will record with the original band line up. After its release, both our drummer and guitarist have made the choice to part with the band. So in a sense, it's the death of a chapter and birth of something new for us.

7. Who did the cover art for The Death Of Rhythm And Blues and how much input did you have on it?

Brandon: The art was actually painted in canvas by our bassist Corey Skowronski who going forward will be on guitar. We had a very clear vision in mind how we wanted to tie it into the album concepts and the famous scene of the crossroads in which Robert Johnson "sold his soul".

8. Select two songs from The Death Of Rhythm And Blues and what inspired the lyrics.

Brandon: The first song on the album "The Engine and the Engineer" was one I wrote while on the east coast for work. It was based on how technologically we've made so many advances to connect as humans but they've strangely had this unexpected backfire and in many ways built these barriers between us. It's seems we've become more connected and dependent on the machines and less to each other. As we make those machines more human like, we in a sense become more callous and machine like. It makes me think of how as a civilization we can see a horrific scene of human suffering or the saddest poverty and walk on without a second thought to it. We're conditioned to be unaffected and to treat every situation with little emotion.

The last song on the album is Misery Relapse. This is based that youthful rebellion that everyone has. That stage in life where you want to question everything and fight for what you feel is right. Sadly, when you have this passion, you don't always have the knowledge and experience it takes to effectively achieve whatever it is that you're fighting for. Over time, it becomes almost second nature to build a tolerance and accept things that you feel you can't change. As you become older, and hopefully wiser you are now broken down from the struggle and failures and not as opt to push forward. The song it's self is a personal challenge for me to keep that fire and that desire to progress.

9. What lyrical theme do you guys use in your music? what message do you want to send? What bands have influenced your band and its sound?

Brandon: It varies by song but struggle, progression and sociology political themes are reoccurring themes in several of our songs. I feel it is easy to connect to an audience using primal emotions such as love and hate- for me however, what I find exciting is getting an audience to connect to a more complex idea that runs a gambit of feelings. As for influences, Refused, Every Time I Die, Mewithoutyou, Rage Against The Machine, System if a Down... All huge for me.

10. Was your songwriting and recording process any different than usual for this EP?

Brandon: It was in some ways. We've always wanted to stay true to a very minimalist approach when it comes to production. We're a single guitar, single bass pedal band with little effects and nothing that can't be reproduced in a live show. On this album though, we found ourselves experimenting with different sounds and creative ways that we could incorporate them. It'll be interesting to see how it's received by the listeners. It was also the first time that we could call each song a collaborative approach. In the past, a member would bring a near complete product to the other members to learn. This time we spent plenty of time on the road together and in the practice room bouncing ideas around and building off them.

11. What's your take on The Death Of Rhythm And Blues as a whole?

Brandon: I feel it is a very natural progression from our Still Life EP while expanding on the dynamics. In many ways it's heavier and more anger filled yet also finds melodic aspects that we haven't had in past recordings.

12. What's your favorite song on the EP right now?

Brandon: That's tough and it seems to change by the day. Right now I would say lyrically, Misery Relapse. I also love Dead Man's Victory since its the newest track to us.

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

Brandon: Absolutely. If I'm not recreating the emotion in a way that's connectable to the listener, then all the songs are, are flat non-dimensional noise. At the end if the day, I want to create something that I would want to hear as a fan of music.

14. What would be the cinematic equivalent of The Death Of Rhythm And Blues?

Brandon: That's a tough one. The closest thing to a cinematic equivalent that I can think of for it would be an accumulation of Twilight Zone episodes. I've always loved the irony, existentialism and political themes that Rod Serling was able to incorporate into what would be considered sci-fi or a fantasy world.

15. What are your expectations for the EP?

Brandon: I hope it exceeds all expectations that our fans have for it while also reaching a new crowd.

16. Where is the new material headed?

Brandon: After this EP? I would say you will continually see us expanding in every direction musically encompassing more dynamics but still staying true to our core message. We've always wanted to experiment with new instruments and layers and with our current line up I believe that will become a reality.

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

Brandon: I would like them to remember it as something new and fresh. As a sound that that exposed them to a new way of thinking about heavy music. Something that their excited about and excited to share with others.

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

Brandon: Just touring as much as possible, we have a few festival appearances lined up and hopefully a full length going into early 2014.

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

Brandon: You can connect with us via the following social networks;

AMERICAN STANDARDS Facebook:
www.facebook.com/AmericanStandards

AMERICAN STANDARDS Bandcamp:
http://AmericanStndrds.bandcamp.com

AMERICAN STANDARDS YouTube:
www.youtube.com/AmericanStandardsAZ

AMERICAN STANDARDS Twitter:
www.twitter.com/AmericanStndrds

AMERICAN STANDARDS Instagram:
@AmericanStandards

20. Why should a metalhead buy your demos/albums?

Brandon: I think it'll give them something different that they haven't heard yet.

21. Anything you’d like to say to your fans?

Brandon: Nothing more than a sincere thank you for all the support.
12:03 PM

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