Noisecreep

Royal Family Has Full Service T-Shirt Line, Sponsoring Tour

Amy Sciarretto — 2010-03-18T23:00:00+00:00

While Royal Family has come to attention because of their limited edition T-shirt line where they've designed shirts for A Day to Remember and Whitechapel that are strictly limited to 300 pieces, the company also peddles a full line of non-limited edition shirts.

"We create three seasonal lines a year, usually based on a theme we choose," Royal Family's Cliff told Noisecreep about the process. "Once we lock down our theme, we start brainstorming different ideas based around the central idea we've come up with. We only do the limited edition shirts when we feel really strongly about a band. So sometimes they happen a few at a time or we can go months without doing any."

'The Runaways' Movie Review

Amy Sciarretto — 2010-03-18T22:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Movies

There's an ass load of hype surrounding biopic about the Runaways that's in theaters March 19. With 'Twilight' teens Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning -- she of the saucer-sized doe eyes -- starring as guitar goddess Joan Jett and and sex kitten frontwoman Cherie Currie, respectively, this isn't your average mall teen's rock drama! The Runaways may have been jailbait glam punk, but most metal fans have a soft spot for the Queens of Noise.

Many may be tuning in to see the quick make out session between Stewart and Fanning, but the film does more alluding to and glossing over the nature of the pair's relationship than it does dissecting it. There's always tension among singers and guitarists in the rock pantheon, and it was no different for Jett and Currie. But the film doesn't explore that as in-depth as it could and I'd have liked it to.

Dio Comments on Prosthetic Records Charity Auction

Amy Sciarretto — 2010-03-18T21:00:00+00:00

Filed under: News

Prosthetic Records is currently auctioning an Epiphone Prophecy Futura Custom EX on eBay, with all proceeds benefiting the T.J. Martell Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports research for cancer, AIDS and leukemia. The guitar was signed by the six Prosthetic acts that played the label's inaugural SxSW showcase.

Turns out, it was rock god Ronnie James Dio's management that that recommended the Martell Foundation to Prosthetic. The diminutive Dio -- whose last name literally translates to 'god' in Italian -- has been battling stomach cancer for the past year and it was the Martell Foundation will has helped him to receive key treatments in his fight.

Janus Don't Wash Their Uniforms Very Much on the Road

Amy Sciarretto — 2010-03-18T16:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview

The members of Janus wear red and black, militaristic uniforms in their video for 'Eyesore' and when they perform on tour. But they have to be careful, as these custom pieces are one of a kind. Literally.

"They came out of a concept that started with the record," vocalist David Scotney told Noisecreep. "We wanted the artwork to be different and not look like four guys in black t-shirts. I presented the band with a1920s Russian constructivists war poster vibe that was really graphic and bold. They loved it. It made a concise statement. I love the idea, too, since the record is personal in moments to me, lyrically. The artwork and the uniforms are a nice contrast to that, those more personal lyrics." The video for 'Eyesore' follows along with the semi-political style of their stage attire.

Hammerfall Are Beefin' With the Term 'Power Metal'

Amy Sciarretto — 2010-03-18T15:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview, Metal Minutia

Power metal is a polarizing genre. People love it or hate it, as it borders on self-parody, simply due to the style's bombast and large, sweeping, epic nature. Sweden's Hammerfall make music that can be categorized as power metal -- but they have serious beef with the phrase.

"I've never seen Hammerfall as anything other than a heavy metal band," guitarist Oscar Dronjak told Noisecreep. "When we began playing this music, heavy metal was an outcast style. If you played heavy metal, you were a dork. And we suffered through that phase for a bit, but like Manowar, we held our heads high and said, 'F--- off.'"

High on Fire Slay, Anew Revolution Hang Out at Action! PR SXSW Showcase

Amy Sciarretto — 2010-03-18T14:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Festival, Shows

On the first night of Austin's annual SXSW, March 17, metal reigned supreme, with Dillinger Escape Plan slaughtering a crowd at Emo's, while Prosthetic Records held court downstairs at the Mohawk, as Action! PR occupied the outside upper deck. It was a battle of deafening decibels -- and was sponsored by Decibel Magazine -- that nearly reduced the Mohawk to a pile of rubble and smoldering ash. While Withered slayed downstairs and inside, Gates of Slumber, featuring ex-members of Burn It Down, spread the doom outside and upstairs!

Atlanta's Zoroaster also gave off an amp buzz, better than any libation could ever provide and Landmine Marathon's Grace Perry pretty much ripped my face off, playing and screaming like a woman possessed by something demonic.

1349, 'Demonoir' - New Album

Amy Sciarretto — 2010-03-18T12:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview, New Music

1349 are pumping the black metal brakes on their latest, 'Demonoir,' due out on Prosthetic Records on April 27. "'Demonoir' is an incredibly dense album," drummer Frost, who has been with the band for a decade and who is perhaps best known for his other gig behind the kit in Satyricon, told Noiscreep. "We truly challenged ourselves when making and recording this piece of music. A core principle was to make the five intense songs on the album become alive, bursting with force and conquering, relentless brutality."

We wouldn't expect anything less from these dastardly, corpse-paint slathered black metal rabble rousers. Frost continued, "The title track was meant to feel more like a dark, uncanny world conveyed through a black metal song. The tunnels bind everything together and strengthen the sense of totality and the weird, dark atmospheres of the album. By and large, 'Demonoir' sounds more intense, twisted, merciless and darker than anything 1349 have done up till now. You might say it's more of everything."

MyChildren MyBride Got Off the Road to Record 'Lost Boy'

Amy Sciarretto — 2010-03-18T08:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview, New Music

"It's taken so long to get it out, because we've been touring nonstop," MyChildren MyBride vocalist Matthew Hasting told Noisecreep about the band's forthcoming album, 'Lost Boy.' The band wanted to get the album done, but tour offers took them away from the task at hand, which was writing and recording.

"We were getting sick of our old songs and our old set list, so we made it happen," Hasting said. "We took off last November, December and January, wrote the record, went in the studio and did it in a month and a half. It's different because different people are writing it." Hasting said the band played four new songs on its tour with the Red Chord, and the new tunes went over well.

Iwrestledabearonce Touring With Dillinger Escape Plan

Amy Sciarretto — 2010-03-17T23:00:00+00:00

The Dillinger Escape Plan headlining tour is full effect, and spastic tourmates Iwrestledabearonce are jacked up about the tour like a Marine cadet who actually digs the process endured during boot camp. "We couldn't be more stoked about all the stuff we have going right now," guitarist Steven told Noisecrep. "Dillinger and Darkest Hour are influential and amazing, so touring with them will be insane!

"Also, Tosin and Animals as Leaders are just mind-blowingly ridiculous, so getting to be owned by them every night will rule. On top of that, we have not one but two awesome videos coming out soon that are totally different than anything else out there and should definitely make people frightened and aroused. Hoorah 2010!"

New England Metal and Hardcore Fest Invades SXSW on March 19

Amy Sciarretto — 2010-03-17T20:00:00+00:00

Filed under: News, Festival

The New England Metal and Hardcore Fest, an annual event held at the Palladium in Worcester, Mass. every April, is invading Austin, Texas and South by Southwest. So, in effect, NEMHCF does SXSW, with the help of promotion/management firm Heavy Hitter, on March 19 at Emo's Annex. It's almost like a miniature teaser version of the much anticipated festival in the Northeast, which will lay waste to Worcester April 23 and 24.

The lineup is ripe for feral, robust headbanging, with MyChildren MyBride, Goatwhore, Defeater, We Are the End, Lions Lions, Acaro, Wrath and Rapture and Legend all set to take the stage and play the show, which kicks off at noon and runs through 6 PM. Be sure and add the NEMHCF-meets-SxSW show to your Friday calendar.

Satan's Host Reunite With Singer to 'Pound Metal From Hell'

Amy Sciarretto — 2010-03-17T18:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview, New Music

Get out your party hats! Vocalist Leviathan Thisiren -- Harry Conklin on all legal documents -- has returned to the Satan's Host fold. Thisiren, who also handles vocals for Colorado power metallions Jag Panzer, is rejoining the band for good. "This is going to be a permanent arrangement," the metallically-named guitarist and founder Patrick Evil told Noisecreep. "We wanted to do this for many years, and the timing was right. We never wanted to do 'just a reunion.' We wanted to do 'a revival' and finish what we started many years ago!"

Furthermore, P. Evil said, "Now, Satan's Host can reach deeper into the masses and bring a truly dark element so many bands lack. Together, as we set these flames burning, we want to take the music to where no one has been before: adrift into the unknown, to forge new paths for others to follow."

Doom Metallers Moth Eater Rear Their Partying Heads

Amy Sciarretto — 2010-03-17T17:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview, New Music

Ex-members of Scar Culture -- remember them, as they were briefly signed to Century Media in the early '00s? -- and Dirty Rig have formed Moth Eater, a New York-based, sludge-caked doom band. "We think our music is like Motörhead driving to a Black Sabbath concert with Scissorfight sitting in the back seat, High on Fire riding shotgun and the Doomriders driving the car behind us with a full keg of beer. It's all about partying before the show even begins," bassist Steve 'Buckshot' Seabury -- who has long worked behind the scenes in the music business at various metal record labels and marketing companies -- told Noisecreep. We have to say, that's a vehicle those of us at the 'Creep compound want to hitch a ride on, for sure.

You can check out the band's dirt-caked new track, 'Aftermath' on Moth Eater's MySpace page. It features world-renowned hurdy gurdy player Geoff Kooris, and it will be featured on the 'Shredmaster' video game, due out later this year. The band is in the studio, and Buckshot has secured himself a book deal with Simon & Schuster. His tasty book will be out Oct. 5.

Hollywood Undead Working on New Album

Amy Sciarretto — 2010-03-17T15:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview, New Music

Hollywood Undead are one of the few newer gold-selling -- that's 500,000 copies sold -- bands in today's faltering music industry! They are working on the follow-up to 2008's sleeper hit, 'Swan Song.' If you've not been exposed to Hollywood Undead yet, they Los Angeles based band is like a darker, edgier Linkin Park.

"We are in the studio, and our studio right now is basically our bedrooms, for the most part," Hollywood Undead's J Dog told Noisecreep. "It keeps the costs down. We went to big studios and spent thousands of dollars every day for our last record, since we didn't know any better and the label was paying for it. Now we do the writing at our house. We will take it to producer when we're done writing. I sleep in my studio, on Oralex, the foam that pads the room. It's like egg-crate foam."

Stone Temple Pilots Guitarist Doesn't Envy Frontman for New Album

Amy Sciarretto — 2010-03-17T13:00:00+00:00

Filed under: News, New Music

In a recent interview about their forthcoming, self-titled album for Atlantic Records, Stone Temple Pilots guitarist Dean DeLeo admitted that vocalist Scott Weiland isn't in an enviable position! "I don't envy Scott when it comes to making an STP record, because that guy gets a lot of material thrown at him very quickly. I'm sure it's pretty overwhelming!" From the description of the album, it sounds as though Weiland handled everything hurled his way with his signature aplomb.

Stone Temple Pilots have endured their share of ups and downs, break ups, makeups and crippling drug addictions -- yet they always seem to come out on top and have constructed a patented songwriting formula that works for them, despite the sometimes tenuous intra-band relationships.

Chiodos Exclusive Video Interview: The New Album

Amy Sciarretto — 2010-03-17T12:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Festival

It's time for our third exclusive video interview with Chiodos, the band -- who are currently recording in Weehawken, N.J. -- talks about the upcoming new album. They made their way through the Lincoln Tunnel to our New York City offices, but they didn't reveal the title or bring any tunes for us to hear, but that's OK.

They did tell us that there are some varying influences -- Latin and Oriental, to name a few -- and sounds on the new album. And new singer Brandon Bolmer opens up about his input on the album, which is due out through Equal Vision sometime this year.

Kongh Look to Directors Like Kubrick and Lynch for Inspiration

Amy Sciarretto — 2010-03-17T09:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview, Metal Minutia

Swedish metallers Kongh don't look to their fellow musicians for inspiration as much as they do to directors like Stanley Kubrick and David Lynch, who've lensed eye-splitting classics like a 'A Clockwork Orange' and 'Mulholland Drive,' respectively.

"Rock 'n' roll music has been around for like 60 years, and the traditional way of writing rock songs just isn't what we're about," vocalist/guitarist David Johansson told Noisecreep. "Instead of looking at our songs as actual songs, we see them as musical journeys, dynamically built together by different passages through darkness and light, thunder and silence, despair and pleasure."

MyChildren MyBride Singer Gets Tattooed on the Road

Amy Sciarretto — 2010-03-16T22:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview, Metal Minutia

Taking care of a healing tattoo is a pain. It scabs. You have to keep it moist. You must resist the urge to scratch the itch of flaking skin. You have to be religious about cleaning it. It is, after all, permanent. So it might seem counter-intuitive to get ink while far, far from home, on the road, and touring with your band, playing sweaty, germy clubs.

But MyChildren MyBride screamer Matthew Hasting has caring for new tats down to a science. "I got three new tattoos on tour," Hasting told Noisecreep, with two on his leg and one on his arm. "After the third tattoo, I got sick, but I'm good now. I have gotten all my tattoos on tour, so [I'm] accustomed to taking care of them on the road, washing them really well in a gas station!"

Metal Blade Launches Video Portal

Amy Sciarretto — 2010-03-16T18:00:00+00:00

Filed under: News

Who needs MTV when you've got MBTV! That's right, Metal Blade Records has launched Metal Blade TV. While you can barely find a music video on 'Music Television' nowadays amidst cultural cesspools like 'Jersey Shore' and hormone orgies like 'The Real World,' Metal Blade TV exists to spread the gospel of metal in the visual medium. The content-driven channel will be a central destination for metalheads to watch video interviews and assorted segments featuring -- but not limited to -- the label's artists as well as other prominent metal bands.

Metal Blade CEO Brian Slagel said in a statement, "We want to take you behind the scenes and see all the bands in a different way. Also there will be a lot of rare live video clips, too!" This rare footage Slagel alludes to is from his own personal vault, which spans over 30 years. So if you missed some of this footage on the first go-round or simply weren't born at the time, you can do your heavy metal homework now.

Dirge Within Fear Campaign 2010 Tour Dates

Amy Sciarretto — 2010-03-16T16:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Tours

Dirge Within are headed out on tour with Fear Factory and Winds of Plague as part of the Fear Campaign 2010 tour after a brief respite from the road during the holidays.

"When we got asked to do the tour I was flattered that Dirge Within would be going out with one of the originators of extreme modern metal," guitarist Shaun Glass told Noisecreep. "We're stoked to be on this tour and ready for the campaign of fear!" Glass also warned fans to "prepare for a night of earsplitting sonic mayhem." So either throw caution into the metal wind and sacrifice your hearing or bring a freakin' pair of earplugs.

New England Metal and Hardcore Fest Founder Top Metal Moments

Amy Sciarretto — 2010-03-16T15:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview, Festival

The New England Metal and Hardcore Fest is entering its 12th year of headbanging and moshing in 2010. The annual fest, held this spring at the Palladium in Worcester, Mass. April 23 and 24, is a can't-miss event of the metal calendar year. The fest has gone through many incarnations -- two to three nights, three venues -- but this year will be two nights, with a Thursday night, Atticus-sponsored pre-party on April 22, and two stages. Festival founder Scott Lee chatted with Noisecreep about his top NEMHCF moments.

Five favorite moments: "DragonForce's first time on American soil. The return of Overcast. Lamb of God playing at 1 AM one year. All That Remains playing when they were no one ... and then headlining. Those are the memories I love, and it's like watching your kid grow."