Noisecreep

Danko Jones, 'Below the Belt' -- New Album

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski — 2010-03-31T09:00:00+00:00

For their forthcoming release 'Below the Belt,' the Canadian rock trio Danko Jones went back to basics, cultivating the sound for which they are known. "I think [2008's] 'Never Too Loud' was kind of our take on classic rock," Jones, the lead singer/guitarist of the eponymous band, told Noisecreep. "We kind of slowed things down a bit. A lot of people didn't like it. They wanted it faster and heavier.

"When we sat down and started writing this album, we realized we wanted that as well. We wanted to get back to the fast, heavy shit. So we did just that. We wrote it and we did it really quickly. We didn't really think about it too much. We didn't hem and haw about parts. We just wrote it. If it sounded good--done. Put it in the bin. Take it to the studio. Put it on tape."

Helmet, 'Seeing Eye Dog' -- New Album

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski — 2010-03-26T17:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview, New Music

Helmet singer/songwriter/guitarist Page Hamilton isn't looking for that elusive 'radio hit' with his band's forthcoming collection 'Seeing Eye Dog.' Instead, he's seeking happiness within his music career. "I've kind of come to terms over the 21 years," Hamilton told Noisecreep. "I do what I do and some people appreciate its honesty in not trying to fit in with what's going on out there. I'm not looking for a radio hit or whatever. I don't expect MTV and Rolling Stone to suddenly go, 'Wow yeah. These guys are really good!'

"It's a cool album. I'm really into it. It's really good. The mastering guy was freaking out. That makes you feel good. You have to take some time to step back from it. I'm the singer, songwriter, guitar player, producer. I do all the backing vocals and all the extra instruments. It's just about putting everything into it and making it great. You can't really worry about what people are going to say ... a lot of people have a musical agenda or a stylistic agenda," Hamilton said. "'I like emo.' Well, we're not emo. 'OK fine.' We're not metal. We're not hardcore. It's just Helmet."

Danko Jones Tour Dates With Clutch

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski — 2010-03-24T21:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview, Tours

Just like most people, Danko Jones has good days and bad days on the job. The nights his eponymous band are going to spend opening for Clutch are definitely a bonus.

"I'm a huge Clutch fan," Jones told Noisecreep via telephone from his Toronto home. "When we got the offer, we were really happy about that. I've been a fan for a super long time. My favorite album is ['Transnational Speedway League: Anthems, Anecdotes and Undeniable Truths']. I also like 'The Elephant Riders' and 'Pure Rock Fury.' They're one of those solid bands that you can pretty much rely on. Over the years, they've gotten little bluesier and rocky, so it's cool."

Lajon Witherspoon Interview: 'I Knew Clint was Going to Come Back to (Sevendust)'

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski — 2010-03-18T18:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview

For Sevendust lead singer Lajon Witherspoon, having original guitarist Clint Lowery back in the band means bringing the act full circle. Lowery returned just in time to record Sevendust's forthcoming collection 'Cold Day Memory,' his first since the group's 2003 effort 'Seasons.'

"It's great," Witherspoon told Noisecreep. "It closes the part that was missing as far as when it comes to vocals, the singing. If there's a comparison, I told him, 'You're like my Richie Sambora to Jon Bon Jovi.' I'm Black Jovi. [Laughs] You know what I mean? It's silly but that's what it's like. That team really works. I feel like with him back it's just the band the way that it's supposed to be.

"We always knew he'd come back anyway. I think everyone has to follow their destiny and follow their dreams. Ultimately, I knew Clint was going to come back to the band."

Trans-Siberian Orchestra Leader Calls Beethoven First Heavy Metal Star

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski — 2010-03-17T14:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview, New Music

Trans-Siberian Orchestra creator Paul O'Neill calls Beethoven the "world's first heavy metal musician." After all, the main theme in Beethoven's 'Symphony No. 5' could easily have been written by Led Zeppelin or Black Sabbath, he said.

"So many of his musical motifs were guitar riffs," O'Neill told Noisecreep. "Unfortunately, nobody realized the dangers of PA systems and their decibels. A lot of rock stars I know from the '60s and '70s lost their hearing. Beethoven lost his hearing in his 20s. He was ahead of his time with his musical style. A nod to the teacher, he went deaf before his time. It's really interesting."

Sevendust, 'Unraveling' -- New Song

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski — 2010-03-02T14:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview, New Music

Sevendust lead singer Lajon Witherspoon has high hopes for his band's latest single, 'Unraveling,' the debut track from their forthcoming album 'Cold Day Memory.' "You have a lot of people out there who will say, 'Oh man. That's radio friendly,'" Witherspoon told Noisecreep via telephone from Indianapolis. "Well, you know, it's damn good, though. You can listen to it in your car driving to work. So I don't think we would ever be a sell out, but we've grown by being able to just play the music we enjoy. This might be the song of the summer."

With back to back double-digit add weeks at Active Rock before its actual add date this week, 'Unraveling' is the most well-received Sevendust track in the last decade, according to their publicist. The song is now available on iTunes and is available to stream on Sevendust's MySpace page. Witherspoon explained that it's a song most people can relate to.

Richie Sambora: Performing Is 'Kind of Like Having Sex With 70,000 People'

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski — 2010-02-26T08:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview, Metal Minutia

For established acts, playing older tracks can get, well, old. But for Bon Jovi, performing live is almost a sexual experience, according to guitarist Richie Sambora, so that keeps it fresh.

"Honestly let's put it this way -- I'm not going to sit around in my house and play 'Livin' on a Prayer.' But when I'm playing in front of people and I'm playing it for people it becomes something different," said Sambora during a recent teleconference. "And it becomes an experience. And we're proud of the songs that were the big hits that got through because those are the communicators and that's what music is about the communication part of it."

Taddy Porter Learned About Debauchery From Saving Abel

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski — 2010-02-25T11:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview, Metal Minutia

Taddy Porter lead singer Andy Brewer admitted he owes his band's success to "meeting the right people at the right time." As lore has it, the act's current management team went to see a show by a different band when it was struck by the openers, Taddy Porter. Subsequently, the management team put Taddy Porter out on tour with Saving Abel, another group with which it worked, and gave the Stillwater, Okla., act the exposure it needed.

"We had never been on a real tour, an extensive tour that is," Brewer told Noisecreep. "We got to see how it all goes down. We're not necessarily the same type of band as Saving Abel, but it's still rock music. We got to see fans and how [Saving Abel] live their lives on the road. There's debauchery that goes on. It was fun. They're a bunch of crazy guys. We're kind of like the new kids. We were watching them to see how they do it and see how we would do it. It was extremely fun."

Five Finger Death Punch Guitarist Moved by Lead Singer

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski — 2010-02-24T11:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview

Five Finger Death Punch guitarist Jason Hook has worked with some of rock's greats, ranging from Alice Cooper to Vince Neil. But nobody has touched him the way that Five Finger Death Punch's vocalist Ivan 'Ghost' Moody, formerly of Motograter, has.

"Ivan, our singer, is probably the best front man I've ever been involved with," Hook told Noisecreep. "He's very good on stage. He's animated. He talks to the crowd like they're real people. Calls the shots as we go. He's a take-no-prisoners kind of guy. People who haven't seen the show and don't know what to expect, by the end of the show, they're hooked for life. He also has a very strong presence, as far as the marketing of the band -- the visuals, the branding, the merch and the graphic work -- it's very bold.

Saving Abel Rock for the Troops in the Persian Gulf

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski — 2010-02-23T16:00:00+00:00

Filed under: News, Shows

Rockers Saving Abel are in the Persian Gulf to perform for servicemen and women as part of a USO/Armed Forced Entertainment tour. During their eight-day run, Saving Abel will visit three countries and perform a series of concerts, one of which will be streamed back to the States via Ustream. You can also visit www.uso.org for concert updates.

While in the Persian Gulf, Saving Abel will hand deliver an assortment of cards of appreciation and artwork to the troops from the students of St. Albert the Great School in Louisville, Ky.

Fireball Ministry Reappear With Fourth Album

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski — 2010-02-23T11:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview, New Music

It's been a tough five years for Fireball Ministry vocalist/guitarist Rev. James A. Rota II. But he's very excited that 'Fireball Ministry,' their fourth album, is slated for release March 16. "It's been a while," Rota told Noisecreep with a chuckle. "It's been five years. We are definitely very excited. I had some personal things happen. I lost my mom, and she was sick for a while. That really kind of held us back. Right after that, we weren't really up for doing the Fireball stuff the same way."

So Rota stepped back from Fireball Ministry and tried his hand with a different act -- the Company Band, a rock supergroup featuring Clutch frontman Neil Fallon, CKY drummer Jess Margera, guitarist Dave Bone and Fu Manchu bassist Brad Davis.

Five Finger Death Punch Guitarist Calls Solo Effort 'Dark and Disturbing'

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski — 2010-02-19T11:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview, New Music

Five Finger Death Punch guitarist Jason Hook doesn't like to play it safe when it comes to recording his own music. So fans can expect an edgy instrumental album when his sophomore effort, 'American Justice,' is available later this year.

"I'm really anxious for everyone to hear it," Hook told Noisecreep. "There are some very dark and disturbing moments on there. I don't believe in playing anything safe. 'Safe' goes unnoticed, so I tend to push the envelope a little bit when it comes to political correctness. There are previews on my Web site, if anyone's curious. It's jasonhook.com. There's a player on there with the title track."

Bon Jovi Tour Is Going to Be 'Spectacular'

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski — 2010-02-18T14:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview

When it comes to Bon Jovi's world tour, which starts in Seattle on Feb. 19, fans can expect variety, according to guitarist Richie Sambora. "Well the reportoire is going to be vast let's put it that way," Sambora said during a recent teleconference. "We're going to go back and we're going to play some stuff that we haven't played in 20 years like, stuff from the maybe first two albums. And we have so many records to choose from and so many songs to choose from.

"We sold out the three nights at Giants Stadium and I think we're putting up four and five next week. I think Kid Rock is going to be accompanying us for nights four and five at Giants Stadium which will be a great show for people. And then when you're doing like 15 nights. We're doing like 15 nights at the O2 in London we're going to be a lot of different stuff. I think, you know, there'll even be stuff like we might do 'Slippery When Wet' in its entirety or 'Lost Highway' in its entirety, you know, stuff like that."

Nonpoint, 'Miracle' -- Song Premiere

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski — 2010-02-18T12:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview, Exclusive, New Music

After more than 13 years in the music business, Florida rockers Nonpoint aren't ready to throw in the towel just yet. That vibe is carried over into the track 'Miracle,' the title track and first single from the album that hits stores April 27. The song will be available on iTunes and other online retailers March 30.

"A few days ago I was asked to give a quote about this song that I think summed it up pretty good," lead singer Elias Soriano told Noisecreep. "'Just when you think I can't anymore ... When you think it's the end of the fight left inside of me ... When you've written me off for defeat or even disaster ... I will show you a miracle.' In other words, watch out world, we're not finished with you by a long shot."

Day of Fire Get by With Help From Daughtry

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski — 2010-02-18T08:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview

Life is not easy. Just ask Josh Brown. A native of Jackson, Tenn., Brown picked up songwriting and a serious drug habit at age 15. Seven years later, he inked a record deal as the lead singer of the band Full Devil Jacket. After touring with Creed and Nickelback, Brown overdosed on heroin in an Orlando bathroom and put his career on hold while he rehabbed and rethought his life.

Now the lead singer of the rock band Day of Fire, Brown is in a better place in life, having just released his act's third album 'Losing All.'

Bon Jovi's Richie Sambora: 'Luckily a Lot of People Love Us'

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski — 2010-02-16T14:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview

Even though Bon Jovi have sold millions of records, there are critics out there that refuse to give the New Jersey-bred band their due. Guitarist Richie Sambora said during a recent teleconference that he just tries to ignore those writers.

"It's not the easiest thing in the world," Sambora said. "But I mean there's so much good stuff that's happening in our careers that it's really hard to get stuck on it. It's definitely like you're a boxer and you're in the ring and you get smacked a couple of times. You're bound to get smacked a couple of times. I mean, that's what's going to happen. And not everybody's going to love you, and, you know, we always just kind of just stuck to who we were."

Killing Time 'Really Psyched' for New York Album Release Show

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski — 2010-02-16T08:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview, New Music

Members of the New York hardcore band Killing Time are inspired by each other as well as their fans. Thanks to shows they played upon reconvening in 2006, the act began writing new material. Killing Time will celebrate the release of the CD 'Three Steps Back' with a show at New York's Knitting Factory on Feb. 27.

"By being together and playing these shows, we were like, 'Wow, we're playing shows. We haven't played in six years, but all these old heads are out, and there are all these new kids,'" Killing Time guitarist Carl Porcaro told Noisecreep. "Things are vibrant and we like playing with each other. We like playing shows and we still got all these creative ideas, and we like to develop them with each other. We still got a lot of stuff to show people that are into the band and hardcore. That was really the inspiration behind 'Three Steps Back.' It's as simple as that. We weren't inspired to go after something else. We were inspired to do our own thing and do it the way we've been doing it for over 20 years."

'The Big Shiny Prison' Takes on Metal DIY Ethos

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski — 2010-02-12T18:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview, Metal Minutia

In penning the book 'The Big Shiny Prison,' Ryan Bartek yearned to smash every stereotype about the metal subculture. "As a music fan and individual, I've always leaned toward the metal scene as 'home base' while solidly retaining the DIY punk spirit at core," Bartek told Noisecreep. "'The Big Shiny Prison' is aggressively tailored to communicate that DIY ethos to the metal community in the most relevant way I could possible conjure.

"Extreme metal, as a subculture, is the most ripe for direct action. For instance, you go to Seattle/Portland, Ore. and the punks have taken over the city -- every street has a house venue, printing press, record label, a 'crust barracks.' Yet in the metal world, most are still pissing around with pay-to-play gigs, 'battle of the bands' contests, FM airplay attempts, know-nothing local 'managers' or just waiting for the magical label deal that will somehow book all their tours for them. Well, sorry, but that world is dead and never coming back--and all that remains is The Cyber Wild West and your own two hands."

Killing Time Moving Forward With 'Three Steps Back'

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski — 2010-02-08T09:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview, New Music

Killing Time guitarist Carl Porcaro is psyched. His hardcore band is set to release 'Three Steps Back' on Feb. 9, the first new collection from the New Yorkers in more than a decade.

"We put a lot of work into it and it's been like a two-year-long process, between writing the stuff and getting in the studio and mastering and mixing," Porcaro told Noisecreep. "We're really excited. It's got a good mix of all the types of styles that we've touched on throughout the years, which is New York hardcore with some punk elements and metal elements. We're ready to go."

Iron Age Singer Is 'Not Very Savvy on the Internet'

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski — 2010-02-05T22:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview, Metal Minutia, New Music

When it comes to running his record label, Cyclopean Records, Iron Age vocalist Jason Tarpey takes an old-school approach. "I'm really old fashioned," Tarpey told Noisecreep. "I handwrite all the labels. I pack everything myself. I'm not very savvy on the Internet. It's time consuming, but it gives me something to do."

Cyclopean Records has been keeping Tarpey busy while he awaits the Feb. 17 start to Iron Age's tour with Skeletonwitch, too. "It's going to be cool," Tarpey said of the tour. "We played one show with them; our last show on our European tour. I think it's going to be really awesome. And we're playing cities we don't normally play or had a chance to play really recently."