Rock%20Sound

THEY'RE
BACK!
“Change iS gOOD…”
NO CD? HAVE A WORD WITH YOUR NEWSAGENT!
BMTH BREATHE
CAROLINA HIM BLACK I KILLED THE
VEIL BRIDES PROM QUEEN
SUM 41
WWW.ROCkSOUND.TV
ISSUE 172 £3.99 APR. 2013
USA $9.50 / CAN $10.99 / AUS $9.99

CONTeNTS 58 Paramore
Score!
When the call came to say Paramore wanted to talk
to Rock Sound – and only Rock Sound – about everything
to do with their new album, there was much
air-punching and group-hugging in Rock Sound Towers.
Being invited into the inner circle of one of the
biggest bands in the world is something of an honour,
especially at such a crucial time for them as this, and
we knew if we were going to do something to justify
such an exclusive we’d have to pull something special
out the bag. Thankfully, Ryan Bird’s insightful probing
was more than sufficient, and we’re delighted to
present this issue to you. As well as Paramore we’ve
got great stuff from the likes of Sleeping With Sirens,
I See Stars, Mallory Knox, Bullet For My Valentine and
a butt-load more. It’s one of the best we’ve done in
ages so, y’know, we’re off for a nap. Until next time…
Ben Patashnik,
Editor
40 Finch
THe NOISe 06-28
06 What’s on your free CD this month, and just how broken is
Ben Patashnik’s mind? Read the latest CD page to find out the
answer to both of these questions.
08 Earlier this month, we had a photographer change his flights
in order to attend one of Fall Out Boy’s last-minute ‘comeback’
gigs. Think we’re kidding? We’re not…
10 What do you do when you conquer Wembley Arena armed
with a cluster of gold records? We asked You Me At Six this very
question.
18 We’re a nosey lot here at Rock Sound, and to prove this point
we headed inside the studio with Sleeping With Sirens as they
continue work on album number three.
PLUS: Austin Carlile and Corey Taylor have their say on your
problems and the world at large respectively, and we unveil the
latest additions to Ghostfest, Hit The Deck and a whole host of
festivals set to rock your summer. Phew!
08 Fall Out Boy:
Back in business!
[4] rocksound.tv
10 18 I Sleeping Divide: With Sirens:
Jammy Penning gits! a classic.
70 Set It Off
66 Bullet For My Valentine
44 Papa Roach

IN rOCk SOuNd ThiS moNTH:
oN The cover
58 ParamOre
After a lengthy period of silence akin
to your mum and dad having the
mother of all rows over who broke
the telly remote, Paramore are back.
And because we’re nice, we’re giving
you the full story before anybody
else. Win? Win.
38 CaNcer BaTS
They like to ride their motorbikes,
they like to ride their biiiiiiiikes!
40 FiNch
We want you to know that we’ve
missed them. We’ve missed them so.
44 PaPa rOach
Cut my life into pieces / Here are
some fan questionssss!
56 BuCkCHerry
Josh Todd talks drugs, movies, and
doing it your own way. We only
recommend two of these things.
93 Enter Shikari
78 Killswitch Engage
reVieWS 78-95
alBum reVieWS
78 Killswitch Engage
81 And So I Watch You From Afar
83 Kvelertak
85 The Story So Far
liVe reVieWS
88 AAA: All Time Low
92 We Are The Ocean
93 Enter Shikari
94 AAA: Funeral For A Friend / Such Gold
PLUS: Black Light Burns, Feed The Rhino, Your Demise
66 BulleT FOr
my ValeNTINe
Recently, we discovered there’s a
vibrator called Bullet For My Valentine.
This feature is not about a vibrator.
70 SeT IT ofF
Say hello to pop-punk’s next theatrical
flag-bearers. HIIIII GUYSSSSS!
74 mallory KNox
Who wants to see the UK’s next rock
titans pissing around in lab coats? Oh,
you do? Well, you’re in luck…
76 I See STarS
We like popping along to our local
planetarium every now and then, but
we like listening these guys more.
76 I See Stars
74 Mallory Knox
83 Kvelertak
19 NEW
BANDS
YOU NEED TO
HEAR!
EXPOSURE 30-37
New music is ACE, right?
We know all about that. So
listen up and listen to this lot,
m'kay?
ALCOA .......................... 34
AXIS OF .........................33
BAPTISTS ......................36
BRICK MOWER .............37
CAPTIVES ......................33
COASTLINE................... 34
EAGER TEETH .............. 34
FOR THE IMPERIUM .....37
HELL OR HIGHWATER ..35
INTER ARMA .................33
MAJOR LEAGUE ............37
MEGACHURCH ..............37
MY FIRST TOOTH ........ 34
NECK DEEP ....................33
NEXT STOP
ATLANTA ...................... 34
RAT ATTACK .................33
RIVALS ...........................37
THE PLOT IN YOU .........32
WITH ONE
LAST BREATH .............. 30
rocksound.tv [5]

1. KVELERTAK ‘BRUANE BRENN’
Taken from the album ‘Meir’
This band are from Norway, and in 2011 Norway
was the highest-ranked country on the Democracy
Index. Poor old North Korea was right at the bottom.
Where would Rock Sound be, if it was a country?
Middle. Probably.
2. BUCKCHERRY ‘GLUTTONY’
Taken from the album ‘Confessions’
The seven deadly sins, of which gluttony is one, have
been humanity’s motivation to do anything since the
dawn of man. One could argue they’re simply basic
human urges, and repressing them might lead to
worse crimes. Like being boring.
3. WITH ONE LAST BREATH
‘UNTIL THE END’
Taken from the EP ‘Wake The Dead’
There are loads of bands with respiratory references
in the name these days. Black Breath. Breathe
Carolina. Throats (RIP). Air. Breath From Above. All
Time Lung. Etc.
4. AS THEY BURN
‘DREAM COLLAPSE’
Taken from the album ‘Will, Love, Life’
At time of writing, the central heating in the Rock
Sound office has carked it, and it’s snowing outside.
What this means is we’re about to start setting things
on fire in order to thaw out our poor fingers. Send hot
drinks, sympathy and wood to the usual address.
[6] rocksound.tv
5. THE PLOT IN YOU
‘PREMEDITATED’
Taken from the album
‘Could You Watch Your Children Burn’
More references to fire. Someone’s taunting us.
Andy Ritchie’s fingers have turned into icicles
and Ryan Bird’s started jogging laps just to keep
warm. Why The Crudge is hunched in a corner and
wrapped in clingfilm, is anyone’s guess, though.
6. FEARLESS VAMPIRE KILLERS
‘THE PRINCE: DIAMOND DUST AND
CRIMSON REIGN’
Taken from the EP
‘Exposition: The Five Before The Flames’
Are vampires always cold, too? If they’re not
allowed to be in direct sunlight they must have
to always wrap up warm or stay near some kind
of heat source. See, it’s not all immortality and
glugging blood.
And THE TRACKS
on youR fREE Cd
THiS monTH ARE...
172
7. MEGACHURCH ‘RECEIVE IT’
Taken from the album
‘Megachurch 2: Judgment Day’
You can put the word ‘mega’ in front of anything
and it’ll sound a bit more impressive. Try it. “Mum,
the megafridge is empty! Can you get some more
megadrinks, and would it kill you to pick up some
megasnacks?”
8. LOST SOCIETY
‘BRAINDEAD METALHEAD’
Taken from the album ‘Fast Loud Death’
Back in the early ‘90s, every single punk band
on the planet had a song that was either called
‘Society’ or involved repeating the word society
over and over again. Why? Who knows. Why did
we include this bit of info? IT IS SO COLD.
9. TURBOGEIST ‘BLACK HOLE’
Taken from the EP ‘Ancient Secrets’
Rock Sound Science 101: we know that black holes
exist, but we don’t really know what it’s like to
travel through one. Which makes them kind of
like Rochdale – we can see it on a map, but we’re
fucked if you think we’re going anywhere near it.
10. COASTLINE ‘CHAPTERS’
Taken from the EP ‘Taken Under’
Oh to be on a nice hot beach, drink in hand
(maybe served in a coconut? Or a pineapple?
Either way, there’s gotta be an umbrella involved),
waves lapping at our feet. The whisper of wind
rustling through a palm tree, maybe some kind of
steel drum. Bliss.
11. EAGER TEETH
‘GOLDEN TONGUES’
Taken from the album ‘Eager Teeth’
Everything King Midas touched, as the popular
legend goes, turned to gold. If he put gloves on, to
try and mitigate the effects, would the gloves then
turn to gold? These questions need answers.
12. FIGHTS AND FIRES
‘BACK BONE’
Taken from the album
‘We Could All Be Dead Tomorrow’
Boxing is pretty boring, right? One way to improve
what is a traditionally dull sport would be to hold
bouts in a ring that’s on fire, and after each round
conduct some kind of raffle so one crowd member
gets to use a flamethrower. It’d make it way better
than cricket, that’s for sure.
13. NEXT STOP ATLANTA
‘GET IN THE VAN’
Taken from the EP
‘The Things You Do Best’
Atlanta’s a bit of a weird city – something of a
transport hub, has some poor areas as well as some
rich ones – so the UK version of this band’s name
would be something like Next Stop Birmingham.
Which we can all agree would be a disaster.

[8] rocksound.tv
FALL
OUT BOY
WEBSTER HALL, NEW YORK CITY
FEBRUARY 2013
PHOTO: Mark Forrer
Not content with sending pretty much the entire internet into meltdown
with the bolt-from-the-blue announcement of their recent reformation,
Fall Out Boy take to the stage for an intimate showing in New York
City barely 24 hours later. Much like when the band made it over to
UK shores for an equally intimate show just a few days ago, there were
tears. Hundreds and thousands of tears.

For more Fall Out Boy
live action see
www.rocksound.tv!
rocksound.tv [9]

SILVER SCREEN,
GOLDEN FUTURE
INTERVIEW: Andrew Kelham / PHOTOS: Tom Barnes
YOU ME AT SIX ARE SET TO RELIVE
THEIR BIGGEST NIGHT EVER IN
DVD FORM. BUT WHAT EXACTLY
COMES NEXT?
TELL US: HOW EXACTLY DID YOU GO ABOUT
GETTING THINGS IN PLACE FOR A DVD?
Says drummer Dan Flint: “The DVD came from a
place of complete selfishness, to be honest! We
were working out how we could capture the show,
so that we could look back on it in 10 or 15 years
time, and the idea really grew from there. It went
from something we’d spend a bit of money on and
do for ourselves, to a project that ended up with
Abbey Road Studios being involved.”
WATCHING THE FILM BACK, WHAT ARE YOU
MOST PROUD OF? “The DVD really captures the
show from our point of view. As a punter you’re
always looking from the crowd to the stage, but
you never get to see or feel how it looks the other
way round. I think we conveyed our experience well
and managed to share how amazing it felt to be
onstage that night. There are some awesome shots
that are tight framed, almost music video-style
shots of us. It looks incredible.”
[10] rocksound.tv
“we knOw ThAT whATever cOmes
nexT needs TO Be speciAL.”
Dan Flint
THE FINAL NIGHT OF SIN AT WEMBLEY ARENA
AS BIG AS THAT NIGHT WAS, DID IT STILL FEEL LIKE YOU AND YOUR
MATES PLAYING SONGS TOGETHER? “You always want it to feel like
that; however, that night was hard for us as we’d not played much since
the festivals that summer. It was a difficult show for all the expectations,
but the muscle memory was still there and it still felt natural. For the first
few songs I was definitely over-thinking things, but once the adrenaline
was flowing I got lost in it as I usually do. Listening back it sounds really
good, so I can’t complain too much.”
WHAT’S YOUR OVERALL RECOLLECTION OF 2012 IN TERMS OF
SUCCESS? “2012 was a very successful year for us. All of our albums went
gold and we sold out Wembley, so I guess the question now is ‘where do
we go from here?’ We’ve not really got an answer to that yet, but the good
thing about having this DVD is that we’ve got a great advert of what we’re
capable of while we figure out what we should do next.”
A US TOUR IN MAY WITH ALL TIME LOW IS ABOUT THE ONLY THING
YOU’VE GOT CONFIRMED FOR 2013. HOW IS THE YEAR SHAPING
UP FOR YOU ME AT SIX BEYOND THAT? “[2013 is] an exciting year, I
think. We’re ready to plan out what we want to do for the next few years
of our lives. We just played our biggest ever show so it’s a great time to
look forward. We’re thinking about new music but not writing anything at
the minute; it’s not something you can rush. We know that getting to this
point and then putting out rubbish music would destroy us. Ultimately, we
know that whatever comes next needs to be special.”
‘The Final Night Of Sin At Wembley Arena’ is out on March 25 via
Virgin.

SHIT YOU
NEED TO
KNOW…
ESCAPE TO VICTORY
Las Vegas metallers ESCAPE ThE FATE have
confirmed that their forthcoming album ‘Ungrateful’ will
be released in the UK on May 13. The follow-up to 2010’s
eponymous third album features production work from the
likes of John Feldmann and former Atreyu man Brandon
Saller, and will be released via Eleven Seven Music. The
album’s lead single, also titled ‘Ungrateful’, is available
online now.
ROCKET MEN
California rock gents QuEENS OF ThE STONE
AgE have announced that their sixth studio album will
feature a collaboration with none other than the ‘Rocket
Man’ himself, Sir Elton John. The as-yet-untitled effort –
which also features the likes of Trent Reznor and Scissor
Sisters frontman Jake Shears – will be released later this
year. Wow…
BANDWRITESALBuM
Post-hardcore veterans BOYSETSFIRE have confirmed
that they are currently working on a new studio album.
The follow-up to 2006’s ‘The Misery Index: Notes From
the Plague Years’ arrives on the back of a turbulent few
years that saw the group split up, before reforming in
touring-only form. “We are writing for a new record. We
have tours booked. We are looking forward to another two
decades. Dear God…” read a statement from the band.
Sweeeeet.
LOVELY YOuNg MEN
Boston pop-punkers and firm Rock Sound favourites
TRANSIT will release their new album ‘Young New
England’ on April 01 via Rise. Head over to
www.rocksound.tv to check out a new track, titled
‘Nothing Lasts Forever’, this very second. Because we’re
good to you, and we said so.
ThE STREWTh, ThE WhOLE
STREWTh AND NOThINg BuT
ThE STREWTh
Aussie rock maniacs AIRBOuRNE will return on May
20 with their brand new album ‘Black Dog Barking’. The
quartet’s third album – and first since 2010’s ‘No Guts. No
Glory.’ – will be released via Roadrunner and comes with
free beer (NOTE: free beer not included).
[12] rocksound.tv
PEOPLE IN COLLEgE ARE CALLINg ME BORINg
AND STuPID BECAuSE I DON’T DRINK, BuT ThE
REASON I DON’T DRINK IS BECAuSE MY MOThER
IS A RECOVERINg ALCOhOLIC. hOW DO I COPE?
Claire, 16
First off: good for you! Never let the opinions of others
influence your actions in a negative way. If you don’t want
to drink, then don’t. They don’t have to understand why, nor
is it any of their business. Your closest of friends will realise,
respect, and support your choice. You are you, and no one
can take that from you. Be there for your mum, support and
help her. She is going through something difficult right now
and I’m sure attention and affection from her daughter will
help with time. Alcoholism isn’t something that’s fixed over
night – it takes hard work and other people to be there to
help. Leave her a nice note here or there, surprise her with
some flowers, or simply ask her for a movie night together.
Remind her that she’s your mother, that you need her, and
that you love her no matter what, and don’t for a second
think it’s your fault. I’m very proud of your decision to not
drink – stick with it and stick with your mum.
I’VE BEEN REALLY STRESSED ABOuT ALL
ThE SChOOLWORK, PROjECTS AND ExTRA
CuRRICuLAR ACTIVITIES I DO – I CAN’T SEEM TO
BALANCE IT ALL. hOW DO YOu hANDLE BEINg
SO BuSY? Kaylin (age not given)
The band, the clothing brand, this column... It
takes time. I didn’t wake up one day and have
everything down perfectly: it took years of
practice and hard work. Balancing all that life
brings can be really difficult. My best advice
would be to start with a whiteboard, and
write down everything you have to accomplish
that week. Write down goals, plans, ideas –
anything to visually show you what’s ahead and
that you need to take care of. Prioritise the things
you have to get done in order of importance.
Maybe studying for an exam over surfing Tumblr
for cute photos of cats, or finishing a project
you started instead of going out with
a guy. Focus on what is best for
your future and focus on how
you are going to make that
future better for yourself,
but remember to take a
second to breathe! Love
yourself. Take a break.
Refuel. Then look at
that whiteboard of yours
and get back to work!
IN ThE PAST I’VE
hAD PEOPLE I REALLY
TRuST BETRAY ME.
SINCE ThEN I FIND
PEOPLE ThAT ARE
REALLY SINCERE AND
LOVELY, BuT I juST
PuSh ThEM AWAY.
hOW DO I STOP?
Kayla, 16
ASK AUSTIN!
FEELING STRESSED, WORRIED OR TRAPPED? NEVER FEAR
– HELP IS AT HAND AS THE OF MICE & MEN FRONTMAN
PENS THE LATEST OF HIS MONTHLY COLUMNS…
That’s completely normal – don’t think there is
something wrong with you. You are guarded
and protect yourself for your obvious reasons,
I understand this all too well. I build walls up
to keep people out in fear of being hurt again.
Turns out I’m only trapping myself inside this
self-created ‘safe zone’. It’s okay to have walls
but you also have to know exactly the kind of
people you want inside of them with you. Don’t
be completely turned off to people, just learn
to get to know them before you open that door
and let them in. If they are genuine and really
care about you they will find ways to earn your
trust, and a spot inside your guard.
I’VE BEEN SEEINg AN AMAzINg gIRL
FOR NEARLY SIx MONThS, BuT ShE
WON’T COMMIT TO ME. ShE SAYS
WE’RE NOT IN A RELATIONShIP AND
IF SOMEONE ASKS hER IF ShE hAS A
BOYFRIEND ShE SAYS NO. IT’S REALLY
BRINgINg ME DOWN. james, 17
Give her time and keep showing her that you
care. If more time passes by and she continues
to do the same things, talk to her about it. Tell
her how you feel and let her know that her
actions really hurt you. If she doesn’t
seem to care, or keeps talking to
you secretively, then leave her. You
should never be with someone
that isn’t ecstatic about you. You
should be with someone that
makes you feel like a million
dollars. Be with someone who
is proud to be yours, and proud
to tell others you are hers. Never
settle for anything less than
what makes you full of complete
happiness. Life is too short to waste
it on someone that doesn’t want
all of you. The good, the bad,
the ugly – save yourself for
someone that is crazy
about all of you.
GOT A
QUESTION
FOR AUSTIN?
EMAIL RSVP@
ROCKSOUND.
TV

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FESTIVAL
FEVER!
All of the lAtest
reAsons to get
excited About the seAson AheAd
DOWNLOAD
WHERE? Donington Park, Castle Donington, Derbyshire
WHEN? June 14 – 16
LINE-UP: Slipknot, Iron Maiden, Rammstein, 30 Seconds
To Mars, Bullet For My Valentine, Limp Bizkit, Korn, Queens
Of The Stone Age, Down, Asking Alexandria, A Day To
Remember, Parkway Drive, Stone Sour, Enter Shikari,
Young Guns, Papa Roach, The Gaslight Anthem, HIM, Alice
In Chains, Mastodon, Converge, Motionless In White,
Cancer Bats, Architects, Bury Tomorrow, Escape The Fate,
The Ghost Inside, Rise To Remain, Airbourne, Heaven’s
Basement, Earthtone9 and more.
INFO: www.downloadfestival.co.uk
READING & LEEDS
WHERE? Richfield Avenue, Reading / Bramham Park,
Leeds
WHEN? August 23 – 25
LINE-UP: Biffy Clyro, System Of A Down, Fall Out Boy,
Deftones, Bring Me The Horizon and more.
INFO: www.readingfestival.com / www.leedsfestival.com
SLAM DUNK
WHERE? Hertfordshire University, Hatfield (South)
/ Leeds University (North) / Wolverhampton Civic Hall
(Midlands)
WHEN? May 25 (North), May 26 (South), May 27
(Midlands)
LINE-UP: All Time Low, Deaf Havana, Four Year Strong,
Sleeping With Sirens, Pierce The Veil, The Skints, King
Prawn, We Are The Ocean, Memphis May Fire, Senses Fail,
Polar Bear Club, Mallory Knox, The Story So Far, Jonny Craig,
The Word Alive and more.
INFO: www.slamdunkmusic.com
TAKEDOWN FESTIVAL
WHERE? Southampton University
WHEN? May 11
LINE-UP: The Blackout, While She Sleeps, Don Broco, We
Are The Ocean, Mallory Knox, Arcane Roots, Glamour Of
The Kill, Max Raptor and more.
INFO: www.takedownfestival.co.uk
BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR
WHERE? Catton Park, Derbyshire
WHEN? August 08 – 11
LINE-UP: Slayer, Lamb Of God, King Diamond, Anthrax,
Devildriver, Municipal Waste, Whitechapel and more.
INFO: www.bloodstock.uk.com
THE GREAT ESCAPE
WHERE? Various venues, Brighton
WHEN? May 16 – 18
LINE-UP: Marmozets, Title Fight, Dinosaur Pile-Up and
more.
INFO: www.escapegreat.com
REDFEST
WHERE? Robins Cook Farm, Redhill, Surrey
WHEN? July 26 – 27
LINE-UP: Bury Tomorrow, Bleed From Within, Feed
The Rhino, Turbowolf, Hacktivist, Heart In Hand, The
James Cleaver Quintet, Demoraliser, Zico Chain, Empress,
Gnarwolves, Palm Reader, Freeze The Atlantic and more.
INFO: www.redfest.co.uk
[14] rocksound.tv
TERROR-BLY EXCITING
Terror Top The bill as GhosTfesT 2013 GeTs even heavier!
Hardcore titans Terror are the latest
band to be announced for this year’s
Ghostfest extravaganza. The California
heavyweights join the previously
announced The Devil Wears Prada as
this year’s bill-toppers as 2013’s festival
looks set to be the biggest and best
yet. “We love being in Europe for the
summer festivals,” comments vocalist
Scott Vogel. “We’re really excited to be
asked to play Ghostfest, and it’s great to
be coming back to the UK again. Maybe
Broken Teeth, Brutality Will Prevail and
Knuckledust will play, too!”
Mallory Knox and Pure Love are among
the latest and, in turn, last bands to be
added to Hit The Deck 2013. The twocity
event, which takes place in Bristol
on April 20 and Nottingham on April
21, will be headlined by Don Broco and
We Are The In Crowd, who will perform
alongside the likes of We Are The
Ocean, Never Shout Never, Sonic Boom
Six, Bleeding Through, Devil Sold His
Fellow new additions to the line-up do indeed
include London hardcore legends Knuckledust,
who join the likes of Azriel, Grader, Breaking
Point and Mind X Control in the latest wave of
acts announced. Bands already confirmed for the
weekend mosh-fest include The Acacia Strain, Bury
Your Dead, Veil Of Maya, Iwrestledabearonce,
Harms Way, Vanna, Odessa and Continents, with
many more to be announced in the weeks and
months ahead.
Ghostfest will take place at Leeds University on
June 29 & 30. For more information including how
to grab your tickets, head over to
www.ghostfestofficial.com
RAISE THE ROOF!
MAllory Knox, Pure loVe And More join hit the decK!
Soul, Rolo Tomassi and many more across multiple
venues and stages in each city. Joining the dynamic
duo on the bill for the event are Feed The Rhino,
Bossk, Fearless Vampire Killers, Landscapes,
Great Cynics and Fort Hope. Also added are local
acts Sinners Highway and Show It Off, who join the
bills in Nottingham and Bristol respectively.
For the full list of bands taking part, as well as
details on how to book your place, see
www.hitthedeckfestival.com

MEIR
THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED
NEW ALBUM
FEATURING THE SINGLE
BRUANE BRENN
CD • DIGITAL DOWNLOAD • PRe-ORDER NOW AT AMAZOn.co.uk
IN STORES
25 MARCH
LIVE!
5.3.13 Talking Heads, Southampton 6.3.13 Club Academy, Manchester 7.3.13 Corporation, Sheffield 8.3.13 O2 Academy 2, Newcastle
9.3.13 Stereo, Glasgow 11.3.13 O2 Academy 3, Birmingham 12.3.13 Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff 14.3.13 CAMDEN Electric Ballroom, LONDON
KVELERTAK.COM | roadrunnerrecords.co.uk

KIER KEMP
FEARLESS
VAMPIRE
KILLERS
Johnny Depp or Tim BurTon?
“Johnny will always be my man. I’ve had a man
crush on him since… well… forever!”
FrankensTein or Dracula? “I’d
have to say Dracula! It really appealed to my
sense of camaraderie. It’s obviously an old
book, but it’s still very chilling.”
halloween or chrisTmas?
“Christmas is my favourite day of the year –
always will be. I love the tradition, the food,
and the fact that everyone just lets go a little
and gets trolleyed!”
heroes or Villains? “Heroes! I
want to be one so badly. I often dream that I
can fly. Sometimes I even shoot lightning out
of my hands!”
alice cooper or roB ZomBie?
“Definitely Alice Cooper. I met him at his
Halloween show two years ago and he was
a really lovely chap. I even have a picture to
prove it!”
nighT Time or DayTime? “Night
time, because It’s when I do most of my
work. [Us FVK lot are] all ‘goffs’, you see, so
we wouldn’t want to ruin our pearly white
complexion!”
TaTToos or piercings? “Tattoos
are much more addictive. You get one and it
fucking hurts, but then you somehow forget
how much it hurt almost immediately and do
it again. It’s a vicious circle!”
loVe or lusT? “I don’t believe the two
to be mutually exclusive, but I suppose I’d pick
love. I’m a massive softy and really do try my
best to believe in that fairytale ending.”
huge For a monTh or esTaBlisheD
For a DecaDe? “Fearless
Vampire Killers is very much about the long term.
We’ve been here for a while already. Plus, we’ve
got plans for four albums of material. What are
we going to do with those in a month?!”
Fearless Vampire killers’ new ep
‘exposition: The Five Before The
Flames’ is release on march 11 via
goremount.
[16] rocksound.tv
One night, I found myself at a table on a private jet,
sitting with Rick Springfield and Rick Nielson from
Cheap Trick, listening intently about the various
pieces in their respectively extensive collections of
Beatles memorabilia. I was like a kid who woke up and
realised he was listening to a conversation between
a firefighter and an astronaut – I am sure the two of
them shot me a couple of curious and amused looks
because of the shit-eating grin I had on my face. But
what they did not realise was that the whole time I
was tuned into their talks, the same crazy question
kept creeping through my damn head: When in a
million years did I ever think I would be in a situation
like this?
Now, I know you might be thinking to yourself, ‘Surely
this is not the first time Corey has found himself with
guys he grew up listening to and singing along with?
You would think he would be used to it by now.’ The
easy answer is: HELL NO, ARE YOU MENTAL? The
more complex answer is this – as much as I love what
I do and I give it everything I’ve got no matter what
the project or the stage, I am still, and will always
be, a fan of music, whether it is my generation, the
generation before me or the generation I will follow
into the sunset. I am a fan, a lover, a supporter, a critic,
a bastard, a hero, a villain and a sucker when it comes
to music, and I make absolutely no fucking apologies
about it. I am also not one of these guys who only
listens to the genre he happens to write in, be it metal
or rock. I have an extremely varied taste in music, and
I don’t care who knows – when it comes to listening to
music, I’m not trying to impress anyone. I’m just trying
to enjoy it. I have had the privilege (and sometimes
the displeasure) of meeting a lot of the people who
were responsible for shaping the semi-professional
version of Corey Fuckin’ Taylor, and I do the same
thing every damn time: I try my very best to keep cool
but inevitably I end up blushing through my red Irish
leprechaun beard because in my eyes, I am standing
with a legend. When I met Lee Ving from Fear, I went
back to the first time I laughed and pumped my fist to
‘Beef Bologna’, singing it as I walked down the street
as a homeless kid just bumming change for smokes.
NOISES FROM THE
GREAT BIG MOUTH
When I met James Hetfield, I was so fucking
speechless all I could do was steal his beer (this
was back in 2000) because this man has written
damn near 90 per cent of the soundtrack of my
life and just being in the same room with him was
enough to make my younger self scream ‘I’M NOT
WORTHY’ inside my head. I still feel that way to
this day: I met John Fogerty and nearly pissed
myself because he called me “Mr Taylor.” You may
think I’m just dropping serious names all over this
magazine and that I’m just being a braggadocios
c**t bag. Well, part of me is, but that’s beside the
point. My real point is this: my musical love is pure.
Its purity astounds me because it may be the last
“When I met James hetfIeld, I Was so
fuckIng speechless all I could do
Was steal hIs beer...”
real pure thing left in life after you hit a certain age.
When you’re a kid, nine times out of 10 everything
is pure depending on how you grow up. Everything
is new as a kid so it is all amazing and wonderful;
from your belief in Santa to the money you find
under your pillow when the Tooth Fairy takes your
old molar. But as we get older, things start to lose
their luster or possibly their relevance. Things don’t
mean as much as they did then. I know the feeling.
Certain things in my life are not nearly as precious
or important as they were back before work, family
and responsibility. But my love for music and the
people who have made my favorite music has
never been tarnished, never diminished – honestly,
it has probably intensified because of what I have
done and the work it took to get here. To sum up:
find that thing in your life, that you love and have
never let die since you were a child, and cherish it.
Carry it with you no matter where you go or what
is happening in your life. I believe everyone should
have that one beautiful place in their hearts that
they can retreat to at the end of a bad day, whether
it is music or movies or books, or things like family
or marriages, or whatever. Keep that virgin territory
safe and cared for, because when things get bad –
and we all know life can be a cocksucker sometimes
– that place is your haven. That place is your home.
And sometimes, there really is no place like it.

IN THE
STUDIO
SLEEPING
WITH SIRENS
“If you don’t
take rIsks then
there’s no poInt
makIng musIc.”
Kellin Quinn
[18] rocksound.tv

WHERE: CHANGO STUDIOS,
FLORIDA
PRODUCER: CAMERON MIZELL
[MEMPHIS MAY FIRE,
A SKYLIT DRIVE]
TITLE: TBC
RELEASE DATE: SUMMER
LABEL: RISE
Waxing lyrical.
INTERVIEW: Max Barrett / maIN phoTo: Adam Elmakias
YOU’VE BEEN LOCKED AWAY
WORKING ON THE NEW ALBUM
FOR A WHILE NOW. HOW’S IT ALL
COMING ALONG? Says vocalist Kellin
Quinn: “It sounds really fucking cool!
We have 12 or 13 full songs and each
one has a totally different vibe, so it’s
really cool to hear them all together.
I have one more song to track all my
main vocals on and then we just have
some polishing up to do before postproduction
and mixing.”
HOW ARE THE SONGS SOUNDING? IT
SOUNDS VERY VARIED FROM YOUR
DESCRIPTION… “This record is heavy
in a way that makes you jump and move
around, but in a way that still sounds
like us. It’s something we’ve wanted to
do for a while because we still want that
energy in the band. Our last record has
songs like ‘Tally It Up, Settle The Score’
and ‘Do It Now Remember It Later’ and
those songs are great to play live; they
have the energy without sacrificing the
SWS sound. We’ve taken those songs
a step further, along with the more
heartfelt and meaningful songs, too.”
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO GO BACK
TO CAMERON [MIZELL] AT CHANGO?
“When you write a record that’s going
to be a huge thing for you, it’s good to
go somewhere you trust the person
that’s working on it, and a place you
feel comfortable doing the things you
want to do. We got to try stuff without
feeling nervous and took the extra time
to see what worked and what didn’t. I
think that’s going to make this record an
awesome thing for us.”
SWS: Fuelled by caffeine.
Kellin prefers a different type of can.
HOW HAVE YOU BEEN KILLING TIME
BETWEEN TAKES? “Jack [Fowler, guitar] brings
his X Box and a million games. Our Roadie / PA,
who’s been hanging out with us, is there for the
comedy aspect and he’s the funniest dude I know.
He and Jack just play video games for hours and
we end up watching them; for some reason it’s
really entertaining. Then we’ll get food, have a few
drinks and hang out. It’s really chilled and that’s a
big help in terms of creativity and comfort.”
WAS THERE A DIFFERENT MENTALITY THIS
TIME AROUND? “It’s hard to describe without
giving everything away, because I want it to be a
surprise. This is our third record, so we wanted
to try shit that we’ve never tried before. It’s not
different – like we’re playing Bruno Mars-style! –
but you’re going to see us evolving, for sure. There
are still the songs that people love us for, but
there are also a lot of different styles. The newer
ones, if not immediately, will grow on people.”
IS THERE AN ELEMENT OF RISK IN
MODIFYING YOUR SOUND? “You have to take
risks; you have to. If you don’t then there’s no
point making music. You make music because
you love doing it. People are always going to be
susceptible to change at first, but then sometimes
you realise that change is good. Everybody grows
up and figures shit out, and they become better
for it. That’s definitely how our new record is in
relation to us as a band.”
CAN WE EXPECT THE UNEXPCTED, THEN?
“We have some interesting [collaborations] on
the record. There are a couple where people will
be like, ‘Okay, that makes sense’, but then there
are a couple that will be more, ‘Whoa, shit, that’s
insane! I can’t believe that person is on a track!’
It’s really exciting. We can’t wait for people to
hear this.“
rocksound.tv [19]

SMASH
& grAb
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JÄGERTRAIN!
WIN A MASSIVE JÄGERMEISTER
TOUR PRIZE, PLUS TICKETS TO
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We’re all sensible drinkers here at
Rock Sound, but we don’t half love our
Jägermeister. You know what else we like?
Live music. So when the two things are
married together, we just lose our shit.
This March sees The Jägermeister Music
Tour hitting the road once more, and with
Ghost, Gojira and The Defiled making up the
bill, you can put your money on it being one
hell of a party. All of this makes us happy and
we’re in a giving mood!
So how do you fancy winning yourself a
massive Jägermeister Music Tour bundle?
One lucky winner will get their hands on:
•
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A Jägermeister presentation tin (this is
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Plus LOADS of Jägermeister merch, as
well as merch from all three bands on
the tour.
Oh and if you don’t win, we’ve also got
another nine pairs of tickets to give away
to runners up! Fancy winning? Head over to
www.rocksound.tv, click on ‘WIN’ and fill
out the Jägermeister Tour competition form.
EASY! Oh, and if you need a reminder of the
dates, just have a look below:
MARCH
18 – SHEFFIELD Academy
19 – GLASGOW Academy
20 – BRISTOL Academy
22 – BOURNEMOUTH Academy
23 – BIRMINGHAM Academy
24 – LONDON Brixton Academy
EntEr this
compEtition and morE at
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- simply click on ‘win’
Closing date for entries is Thursday March 14, 2013. Winners will be notified by post, email or phone. GOOD LUCK!
[20] rocksound.tv

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ROCK SOUND #169

ON THE
ROAD
GiG
GuiDE
ACODA
WITH LAY SIEGE
FEBRUARY BEXLEY Duke (27),
KINGSTON Peel (28)
MARCH NORWICH Marquee
(01), DERBY Victoria Inn (02), SELBY
Riverside Bar (03)
ANDREW MCMAHON
MAY BIRMINGHAM Glee Club
(20), MANCHESTER Ruby Lounge (21),
LONDON Union Chapel (22), GLASGOW
Oran Mor (24)
ARCANE ROOTS
APRIL CARDIFF Clwb Ifor
Bach (30)
MAY KINGSTON Bacchus (01),
NOTTINGHAM Rock City Basement (02),
COVENTRY Kasbah (04), GLASGOW
ABC II (05), NEWCASTLE Think Tank
(06), MANCHESTER Sound Control
(07), LEEDS Cockpit III (08), LONDON
Electrowerkz (09), WOLVERHAMPTON
Little Civic (10), TUNBRIDGE WELLS
Forum (12), MILTON KEYNES Craufurd
Arms (14), GUILDFORD Boileroom (15),
BRISTOL Croft (16)
BIFFY CLYRO
WITH CITY AND COLOUR
MARCH NEWCASTLE Metro Arena
(20), BIRMINGHAM Arena (21), CARDIFF
Motorpoint Arena (22), SHEFFIELD
Motorpoint Arena (23), MANCHESTER
Arena (25), BOURNEMOUTH
International Centre (26), DUBLIN o2
(28), BELFAST Odyssey Arena (29),
ABERDEEN AECC (31)
APRIL GLASGOW SECC (01),
LONDON o2 (03)
BLEED FROM WITHIN
APRIL SOUTHAMPTON Joiners
(16), CARDIFF Clwb Ifor Bach (17),
LONDON Underworld (18), PLYMOUTH
White Rabbit (19), BIRMINGHAM
Academy III (23), MANCHESTER
Academy III (24), LEEDS Cockpit (25),
GLASGOW Cathouse (26)
BOUNCING SOULS
WITH CHEAP GIRLS & LUTHER
MARCH LONDON Garage
(08), BRIGHTON Haunt (09),
PORTSMOUTH Wedgewood Rooms
(10), BRISTOL Fleece (12), READING
SUB 89 (13), CARDIFF Clwb Ifor Bach
(14), BIRMINGHAM Institute (15),
MANCHESTER NQ Live (16),
Edited By
Amy Bangs
What's rocking the live
circuit this month...
[24] rocksound.tv
GLASGOW Stereo (17), NEWCASTLE
Academy II (19), LEEDS Cockpit
(20), SHEFFIELD Corporation (21),
NOTTINHGAM Rock City Basement (22),
KINGSTON Peel (23)
BRING ME THE
HORIZON
WITH CROSSfAITH
APRIL MANCHESTER Academy II
(29), NEWCASTLE University (30)
MAY INVERNESS Ironworks (01),
GLASGOW ABC (02), PORTSMOUTH
Pyramids (04), CARDIFF Solus (05),
WOLVERHAMPTON Wulfrun Hall (06),
LONDON Koko (07)
BROADWAY CALLS
WITH GNARWOLVES, GREAT
CYNICS & MOOSE BLOOD
MARCH LONDON Underworld
(23), MARGATE Westcoast Bar (24),
STOKE Minsters Bar (25), MANCHESTER
Star and Garter (26), BRISTOL Croft
(27), KINGSTON Fighting Cocks (28),
SOUTHAMPTON Unit (29)
BULLET FOR MY
VALENTINE
WITH HALESTORM &
MISS MAY I
MARCH BIRMINGHAM Academy
(12), GLASGOW Academy (13),
MANCHESTER Apollo (15), LONDON
Roundhouse (17)
COUNTING CROWS
APRIL BIRMINGHAM Academy
(19), BRISTOL Colston Hall (20),
LONDON Hammersmith Apollo (22),
MANCHESTER Apollo (25), GLASGOW
Academy (26)
CANCER BATS
WITH BRUTALITY WILL
PREVAIL & EMPRESS
MARCH PLYMOUTH White Rabbit
(08), CARDIFF Great Hall II (09),
BIRMINGHAM Library (10), NEWCASTLE
Academy II (11), GLASGOW King Tuts
(12), MANCHESTER Academy III (13),
LEEDS Cockpit (14), LONDON Koko (15)
CANTERBURY
APRIL BOURNEMOUTH
Sound Circus (19), LONDON Garage
(23), BIRMINGHAM Institute (24),
MANCHESTER Deaf Institute (25),
NEWCASTLE Academy II (26)
COMEBACK KID
APRIL LONDON Underworld (22)
GO AND SEE woe, is me...…
BECAUSE THEY GO NUTS ONSTAGE
Says Hance Alligood (vocals): “Our intro / first song are
heavy hitters, so the initial reaction from the crowd is
pretty intense and the floor explodes. It’s always more
exciting when you can tell the entire band is giving it
their all and having fun, so that’s what we try to do every
night. For the 40 minutes or so we have on stage, the
amount of love and adoration I have for all those people screaming and
going crazy is indescribable. It’s the best feeling in the world.” MB
Woe, Is Me tour with Pierce The Veil and play Slam Dunk Festivals in May
and June.
DEAD SWANS
MARCH LONDON Old Blue Last
(29), LONDON Garage (30)
DEAF HAVANA
APRIL LONDON Union Chapel
(03 / 04), BATH Komedia (05),
MANCHESTER Royal College Of Music
(06), NOTTINGHAM Albert Hall (07)
DECADE
WITH LIGHT YOU UP
MARCH BIRMINGHAM
Asylum (22), LONDON Barfly (24),
SOUTHAMPTON Avondale House (25),
LEEDS Cockpit (26), MANCHESTER
Retro Bar (27), GLASGOW Ivory Blacks
(28), LIVERPOOL Academy (30)
DON BROCO
WITH MALLORY KNOX &
HEY VANITY (*)
FEBRUARY NEWCASTLE
Academy II (28*)
MARCH GLASGOW Cathouse (01*),
MANCHESTER Academy II (02*)
APRIL PRESTON 53 Degrees (13),
WOLVERHAMPTON Slade Rooms (14),
BRIGHTON Concorde II (16), OXFORD
Academy II (17), LONDON Koko (18)
EMMURE
WITH CHELSEA GRIN,
OBEY THE BRAVE, ATTILA &
BURIED IN VERONA
APRIL BRIGHTON Concorde II
(07), BIRMINGHAM Academy II (08),
DUBLIN Pint (09), GLASGOW Garage
(10), BRISTOL Fleece (11), LONDON
Islington Academy (12), MANCHESTER
Club Academy (13)
ENTER SHIKARI
WITH HACKTIVIST
APRIL DORKING Dorking Halls
(04), FROME Cheese & Grain (05),
PLYMOUTH University (06), FALMOUTH
Princess Pavilion (08), SALISBURY
City Hall (09), WESTON SUPERMARE
Grand Pier (10), SWANSEA Brangwyn
Hall (12), EBBW VALE Leisure Centre
(13), NEW BRIGHTON Floral Pavilion
(15), KILMARNOCK Grand Hall (16),
INVERNESS Iron Works (17), ABERDEEN
Garage (18), GALASHIELS Volunteer
Hall (21), LINCOLN Engine Shed
(22), SCARBOROUGH Ocean Rooms
(23), SCUNTHORPE Baths Hall (24),
HATFIELD Forum (26), NORTHAMPTON
Roadmender (27), PETERBOROUGH
Cresset (28), BELFAST Mandela Hall (30)
MAY DERRY Nerve Centre (01),
CORK Pavilion (02), DUBLIN Academy
(03), COVENTRY Kasbah (06)
FINCH
MARCH MANCHESTER Ritz (19),
GLASGOW ABC (20), BIRMINGHAM
Institute (21), LONDON Brixton
Academy (22)
FOALS
MARCH MANCHESTER Academy
(02), LIVERPOOL Academy (04),
GLASGOW ABC (05), BIRMINGHAM
Institute (06), NORWICH UEA (08),
LEEDS Met University (09), BRISTOL
Academy (11), NOTTINGHAM Rock
City (12), PORTSMOUTH Pyramids (13),
LONDON Royal Albert Hall (28)
FOR THE FALLEN
DREAMS
WITH ABANDON ALL SHIPS,
DREAM ON DREAMER &
NO BRAGGING RIGHTS
MARCH BIRMINGHAM Ballroom
(25), BRIDGEND Hobos (26), GLASGOW
Ivory Blacks (27), YORK Duchess (28),
LONDON Underworld (29)
FRANK TURNER
APRIL MANCHESTER Academy
(17), GLASGOW Academy (18), LEEDS
University (19), BRISTOL Academy (21),
BIRMINGHAM Academy (24), LONDON
Forum (25)
FUCKED UP
WITH TITUS ANDRONICUS
MAY BRISTOL Fleece (26), LEEDS
Brudenell Social Club (27), GLASGOW
SWG3 (28), MANCHESTER Sound Control
(29), LONDON Electric Ballroom (30)
FUNERAL FOR A
FRIEND
APRIL SOUTHEND Chinnerys
(05), LEICESTER Academy II (18), HULL
Welly (19), WAKEFIELD Warehouse 23
(20), PRESTON 53 Degrees (21)
GHOST
WITH GOJIRA & THE DEfILED
MARCH SHEFFIELD Academy (18),
GLASGOW Academy (19), BRISTOL
Academy (20), BOURNEMOUTH
Academy (22), BIRMINGHAM Academy
(23), LONDON Brixton Academy (24)
GREEN DAY
WITH ALL TIME LOW &
KAISER CHIEfS
JUNE LONDON Emirates Stadium (01)
GUNNING FOR TAMAR
MARCH OXFORD Academy (16),
MANCHESTER Castle (18), LINCOLN
SCY (19), LEEDS Nation Of Shopkeepers
(20), YORK Stereo (21), NEWCASTLE
Head Of Steam (22), LIVERPOOL
Shipping Forecast (23), LEICESTER
Cookie Jar (25), LONDON Power
Lunches (26), BIRMINGHAM Flapper
(27), DERBY Ryans Bar (28), BRISTOL
Exchange (29), NOTTINGHAM JT Soar
(30), SOUTHAMPTON Avondales (01),
BRIGHTON Green Door Store (02),
CARDIFF Clwb Ifor Bach (03), KINGSTON
New Slang (04), PORTSMOUTH Edge Of
The Wedge (05), BATH Moles (11)
JIM LOCKEY & THE
SOLEMN SUN
FEBRUARY NORWICH Waterfront
(27), LONDON Borderline (28)
MARCH GUILDFORD Boileroom
(01), CHELTENHAM Frog & Fiddle (02)
KILLSWITCH ENGAGE
MAY MANCHESTER Ritz (02),
GLASGOW ABC (03), BIRMINGHAM
Institute (04), LONDON Shepherds Bush
Empire (05), CARDIFF University (06)
KVELERTAK
MARCH SOUTHAMPTON Talking
Heads (05), MANCHESTER Club
Academy (06), SHEFFIELD Corporation
(07), NEWCASTLE Academy II (08),
GLASGOW Stereo (09), BIRMINGHAM
Academy III (11), CARDIFF Clwb Ifor Bach
(12), LONDON Electric Ballroom (14)

DEAf HAvANA
AS yOu'vE NEvER SEEN THEm bEfORE
THEy'RE TuRNiNG THE vOlumE DOwN AND THE ATmOSpHERE up. THiNGS ARE AbOuT TO GET... NicE.
SO wHAT DO yOu HAvE liNED
up fOR yOuR SET?
Says frontman James Veck-Gilodi: “We’re
basically going to play the whole ‘Fools And
Worthless Liars’ album as it was re-recorded,
and then throw a whole bunch of other things
in there. It’s more of an acoustic evening, with
some different instruments and quite a relaxed
atmosphere.”
HAS THiS bEEN A wHilE
iN THE mAkiNG?
“Well, it’s taken ages to plan, as we’ve been so
busy preparing to do the next album. I’ve always
wanted to do this, though. I’m pretty sick of rock
music at the moment, to be honest, so this is a lot
more like what I listen to. The line-up’s going to be
the same as we currently play live, which is the
four of us, my brother playing guitar and singing,
and Max [Britton] on keyboards... but with banjos
and stuff thrown in. Hopefully people will get it.”
ARE yOu wORRiED AbOuT
GOiNG uNpluGGED?
“No, not really! Every single song on that last
album started off acoustic. If I thought they were
good songs when I started out, surely taking
it back down to that is a natural progression.
Another thing is that I’m more comfortable in
an acoustic environment, it’s more my scene.
Hopefully we’ll go more in that direction in the
future. I don’t know, all the others love rock
music!” RS
The An Evening With Deaf Havana tour takes
place this April; check the listings for dates.
© Ben Gibson
rocksound.tv [25]

GO AND SEE
the bouncing
souls...…
BECAUSE THEY’LL
TAKE REQUESTS
Says guitarist
Pete Steinkopf:
“We just did
our annual
Home For The
Holidays club
shows in December, and for
part of that some of our
friends in the bands we
played with [including Make
Do And Mend, Man Overboard
and Paint It Black] picked
the setlist – and they were
all completely different.
Mostly it just depends on
when in their life they
discovered us, because we’ve
been a band for 25 years. But
generally, if you shout loud
enough, we’ll probably play
whatever you want!” AB
The Bouncing Souls play the
UK in March with Cheap Girls;
see listings for dates.
JOB FOR A COWBOY
MARCH NOTTINGHAM Rescue
Rooms (03), GLASGOW Cathouse
(04), LEEDS Mine (05), LONDON
Underworld (06)
LOWER THAN
ATLANTIS
APRIL DUBLIN Academy (14),
CARDIFF Solus (16), WOLVERHAMPTON
Wulfrun Hall (17), MANCHESTER
Academy II (18), GLASGOW QMU (19),
LEEDS Met Uni (20), YEOVIL Westlands
(21), NORWICH Waterfront (23),
PORTSMOUTH Pyramids (24), LONDON
Shepherds Bush Empire (25)
MAKE DO AND MEND
WITH DAYLIGHT & CHAIN Of
fLOWERS
MARCH SOUTHAMPTON Unit (14),
LONDON Borderline (15), MANCHESTER
NQ Live (16), LEEDS Cockpit III (18),
GLASGOW Audio (19), BELFAST
Limelight (21), CORK Cypress Avenue
(22), DUBLIN Fibber Magees (23)
MEMPHIS MAY FIRE
MAY LONDON Underworld (23)
MINUS THE BEAR
APRL CARDIFF Clwb Ifor Bach
(24), KINGSTON McCluskys (25),
BIRMINGHAM Academy II (26),
[26] rocksound.tv
GLASGOW King Tuts (27), LIVERPOOL
Kazimier (28), MANCHESTER Academy
III (29), LEEDS Cockpit (30),
MAY PORTSMOUTH Wedgewood
Rooms (01), LONDON Garage (02)
MUSE
APRIL COVENTRY Ricoh Arena
(22), LONDON Emirates Stadium
(25 / 26)
JUNE MANCHESTER Etihad
Stadium (01)
MY BLOODY
VALENTINE
MARCH BIRMINGHAM Academy
(07), GLASGOW Barrowlands (09),
MANCHESTER Apollo (10), LONDON
Hammersmith Apollo (12 / 13)
NARROWS
WITH COLISEUM
APRIL BRIGHTON Green Door
Store (29), LEEDS Brudenell Social
Club (30)
MAY BRISTOL Exchange (01),
LONDON XOYO (02)
PIERCE THE VEIL
WITH WOE, IS ME & HANDS
LIKE HOUSES
MAY BRIGHTON Haunt (15),
PORTSMOUTH Wedgewood Rooms (16),
LONDON Koko (17), BRISTOL Fleece (18),
DUBLIN Academy (20), DERRY Nerve
Centre (21), BELFAST Mandela Hall
(22), STOKE Sugarmill (30), SHEFFIELD
Corporation (31)
JUNE NEWCASTLE Academy II (01),
MANCHESTER Ritz (03), READING Sub
89 (04), NORWICH Waterfront (05)
POLAR BEAR CLUB
WITH ME VS HERO &
LANDSCAPES
MAY LEICESTER Firebug (28),
GLASGOW Ivory Blacks (29),
NEWCASTLE Trillians (30), MANCHESTER
Sound Control (31)
JUNE LONDON Underworld (01)
PROPAGANDHI
WITH COMEBACK KID, SHAI
HULUD & WAR ON WOMEN
APRIL NOTTINGHAM Rock City
(15), LONDON Electric Ballroom (17),
GLASGOW Garage (18), SHEFFIELD
Corporation (19)
ROCK SOUND AND
DEEZER PRESENT:
SET IT OFF
MARCH LONDON Upstairs @ The
Garage (03)
SENSES FAIL
WITH HANDGUNS
MAY KINGSTON Peel (18),
SOUTHAMPTON Talking Heads (19),
BRISTOL Thekla (20), CARDIFF Clwb
Ifor Bach (21), NOTTINGHAM Rescue
Rooms (22), GLASGOW King Tuts
(23), NEWCASTLE Academy II (24),
MANCHESTER NQ Live (28), NORWICH
Waterfront (29), LONDON Underworld
(30), EXETER Cavern (31)
JUNE OXFORD Academy II (01)
SLEEPING WITH
SIRENS
MAY NORWICH Waterfront (14),
LONDON Forum (16), BRISTOL Academy
(17), CARDIFF Solus (18), NOTTINGHAM
Rescue Rooms (20), NEWCASTLE
Academy (21), GLASGOW ABC (22),
MANCHESTER Ritz (23)
JUNE SOUTHAMPTON Talking
Heads (01)
STICK TO YOUR GUNS
WITH fIRST BLOOD,
HUNDREDTH & DEPARTURES
APRIL GLASGOW Cathouse (22),
MANCHESTER NQ Live (23), BRISTOL
Fleece (24), LONDON Underworld (25)
THE GASLIGHT
ANTHEM
WITH JAPANDROIDS
MARCH BRISTOL Academy (21 / 22),
LEEDS Academy (23), GLASGOW Academy
(24 / 25), MANCHESTER Academy (27 /
28), LONDON Troxy (29 / 30)
THE JOY FORMIDABLE
FEBRUARY MANCHESTER
Ritz (28)
MARCH WOLVERHAMPTON
Wulfrun Hall (01), SHEFFIELD Leadmill
(02), BRIGHTON Concorde II (04),
EXETER Phoenix (05), PORTSMOUTH
Wedgewood Rooms (06), LONDON
Roundhouse (08)
THE OCEAN BETWEEN
US
WITH DOOMED fROM DAY ONE
MARCH WORKSOP Frog and Nightgown
(23), DUNDEE Non Zero’s (24), GLASGOW
Audio (25), NEWCASTLE Trillians (26),
LEICESTER Cookie Jar (27), WORCESTER DNA
(28), KINGSTON Peel (29)
THE POSTAL SERVICE
MAY MANCHESTER Academy (18),
LONDON Brixton Academy (19 / 20)
THE RED JUMPSUIT
APPARATUS
WITH TANTRUM TO BLIND
MARCH BRISTOL Thekla (18),
EXETER Cavern (19), BOURNEMOUTH
Sound Circus (20), MILTON KEYNES
Craufurd Arms (22), LEICESTER
Soundhouse (23), WOLVERHAMPTON
Slade Rooms (24), NOTTINGHAM Rock
City (25), NEWCASTLE Academy II (27),
GLASGOW King Tuts (28), LEEDS Cockpit
II (29), LIVERPOOL Academy (30),
GUILDFORD Boileroom (31)
APRIL LONDON Underworld (02)
THE STARTING LINE
APRIL LONDON Forum (26)
THE SUMMER SET
MAY OXFORD Academy II (20),
BRISTOL Thekla (21), CARDIFF Clwb
Ifor Bach (22), NOTTINGHAM Rock City
Basement (24), GLASGOW King Tuts
(28), NEWCASTLE Academy II (29),
LIVERPOOL Academy II (30), LONDON
Kings College (21)
JUNE MANCHESTER Deaf Institute (01)
THE STORY SO FAR
WITH THE AMERICAN SCENE &
GNARWOLVES
APRIL LONDON Old Blue Last (30)
MAY BRISTOL Croft (01), CARDIFF
Clwb Ifor Bach (02), PLYMOUTH White
Rabbit (03), BIRMINGHAM Asylum (04),
SHEFFIELD Corporation (05), LIVERPOOL
Shipping Forecast (06), MANCHESTER
Star & Garter (07), ABERDEEN Tunnels
(08), GLASGOW King Tuts (09),
NEWCASTLE Trillians (10), NOTTINGHAM
Rock City Basement (11), NORWICH
Waterfront (12), SOUTHAMPTON Joiners
(13), KINGSTON Fighting Cocks (14)
TITLE FIGHT
WITH DEAD END PATH & WHIRR
MAY BIRMINGHAM Institute (11),
MANCHESTER NQ Live (12), GLASGOW
King Tuts (13), LEEDS Cockpit (14),
LONDON King’s College (15)
WE ARE THE IN
CROWD
WITH NEVER SHOUT NEVER
APRIL NEWCASTLE Academy (22),
NORWICH Waterfront (24), CARDIFF
Solus (25), PORTSMOUTH Pyramids (26)
MAY BIRMINGHAM Institute (04),
DUBLIN Academy (05), LEEDS Met
University (07), GLASGOW ABC (08),
MANCHESTER Ritz (09), LONDON
Roundhouse (10)
WHILE SHE SLEEPS
APRIL LONDON Borderline (22),
BRIGHTON Haunt (23), KINGSTON Peel
(24), LEICESTER Academy II (30)
MAY CREWE Box (01), YORK Duchess
(02), CARLISLE Brickyard (03), PRESTON
53 Degrees (04)
YELLOWCARD
WITH SET IT Off &
LIKE TORCHES
FEBRUARY GLASGOW QMU (28)
MARCH MANCHESTER Ritz (01),
COVENTRY Kasbah (02), NORWICH
Waterfront (05)
© Carla Mundy
cREw pROfilE
Of Mice & Men
BACKSTAGE. SIDE OF STAGE.
THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN!
BEN RAY
Promoter
WORKS WITH:
Everyone who’s ever
played Slam Dunk
WHO GAVE YOU YOUR
BREAK INTO THE INDUSTRY? “I was lucky
enough to discover a little band down
south a few years ago who helped me
gain a few contacts while I worked
with them... they were called Me And
You At Six or something like that?”
[Editor’s note: what this means is
Ben used to manage You Me At Six]
HOW DID THAT LEAD TO RUNNING SLAM
DUNK? “I started off by organising
shows for my band, then did parttime
work for Leeds University’s
events department, then I worked
with Futuresound Music and the Slam
Dunk brand was formed. The festival
actually started because I didn’t
have a venue big enough in Leeds to
put on Fall Out Boy in as ‘From Under
The Cork Tree’ exploded. I came up
with the idea for them to headline an
outdoor festival, so Slam Dunk was
born.”
WHAT’S BEEN THE HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR
CAREER SO FAR?“It happens every year
at the festival itself. I always take
a minute to look at the masses of
people partying and I say to myself
‘I made that!’. Also, watching You Me
At Six headline Wembley recently was
a highlight!“
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE
WANTING TO BECOME A PROMOTER? “Do
your research and find a gap in the
market; don’t try to start doing
hardcore shows if there are already
three people in your area doing the
same thing!” AB
Turn to page 91 to see the latest
line-up for this year’s Slam Dunk
festival, and all the info on the
regional dates.

DECKS
OF DEATH
WHAT’S bEEn SHAKing
ROCK SOUnD TOWERS
THiS MOnTH…
BEN PATASHNIK
BRING ME THE
HORIZON ‘Sempiternal’
(advance album, RCA)
CAPTIVES ‘My Eyes Are
Open’ (EP, Reveille)
HRVRD ‘From The Bird’s
Cage’ (advance album, Equal Vision)
THY ART IS MURDER ‘Hate’ (advance
album, Nuclear Blast)
LCD SOUNDSYSTEM ‘Sound Of Silver’
(album, DFA)
RYAN BIRD BRING ME THE
HORIZON ‘Sempiternal’
(advance album, RCA)
BLEED FROM
WITHIN ‘Uprising’
(album, Century Media)
I SEE STARS ‘[digital_renegade]’ (album,
Sumerian)
KILLSWITCH ENGAGE ‘Disarm The
Descent’ (advance album, Roadrunner)
THY ART IS MURDER ‘Hate’ (advance
album, Nuclear Blast)
ANDY RITCHIE
FALL OUT BOY ‘Save
Rock & Roll’ (advance
album, Mercury)
TRANSIT ‘Listen &
Forgive’ (album, Rise)
COASTLINE ‘Taken
Under’ (EP, self-release)
KILLSWITCH ENGAGE ‘Disarm The
Descent’ (advance album, Roadrunner)
SCHOLARS ‘Always Lead, Never Follow’
(advance album, Banquet)
THE CRUDGE
TERROR ‘Live By The
Code’ (advance album,
Century Media)
SEVENDUST ‘Blackout
The Sun’ (album, 7Bros)
PURE NEGATIVE
‘Insert [Twist] Pull’ (album, Self Release)
EARTHTONE9 ‘IV’ (advance album, label TBC)
ANAAL NATHRAKH ‘Domine Non Es
Dignus’ (album, Candlelight)
ANDY KELHAM
STRAY FROM THE
PATH ‘Rising Sun’
(album, Sumerian)
JP COOPER ‘EP 3’
(EP, self-release)
JOHNNYSWIM ‘Home
Vol 1’ (album, self-release)
LAYLA ‘The New Year’ (album, self-release)
FLUX PAVILION ‘Blow The Roof’
(album, Circus)
[28] rocksound.tv
THE ISSUE
BY NUMBERS…
62
Number of times the phrase “He’s mugging you off, mate”
was uttered in the office this month.
Number of actual muggings off that occurred.
0
Number of song titles that Editor Ben P’s new
5 magazinecore band, Deadline, have drawn up
(include such gems as ‘Flatplan’, ‘Wordcount’ and
‘Green Like The Pages Of My Heart’).
1 Dartboard
123
received in the post this
month. Shout out to Sonic Boom Six
for their generosity.
Approximate number of man
hours lost to darts. Honestly,
it’s amazing you’ve got anything to read
this month. We’ve been slack as fuck.
Can of fake snow that was penetrated by
1 a stray dart one afternoon. You wouldn’t
believe the mess that made.
Minutes Editor Ben P spent lying on the floor
7 in despair when the idea for And So We Watch
Slomo From Afar was pitched to him (turn to page 81
for that bad boy).
Age in years Deputy Editor Ryan Bird
17was when the picture opposite was
taken (that’s him giving Adam Dutkiewicz’s
bum a good squeeze). Why has that made
it into the magazine? BECAUSE WE CAN,
RYAN. BECAUSE WE CAN.
Times we listened to the new Fall
175Out Boy track. LIGHT ‘EM OOP
OOP, LIGHT ‘EM OOP OOP OPP.
Number of minutes it took for Fall Out
-2Boy’s London show to sell out. Minus
two minutes. Yeah. Work that one out.
80
Per cent of Rock Sound staffers who
came down with full-blown flu this
month. Wamp wamp wamp.
Approximate number
232of Lemsip sachets
cumulatively consumed. Can we
have an endorsement now please?
HIT US UP
WE’RE LISTENING…
rocksound
rocksoundmagazine
rocksound.tv rocksound.tumblr.com
rocksound
rsvp@rocksound.tv
…and what their specialist subject would
be on Mastermind…
Rock Sound, Unit 22, Jack’s Place,
6 Corbet Place, Spitalfields,
London, E1 6NN
Tel: + 44 (0)20 7877 8770
Fax: + 44 (0)20 7377 0455
Editor: Ben Patashnik
(The Nando’s menu)
ben.patashnik@rocksound.tv
dEPUtY Editor: Ryan Bird
(Facial hair trends of the 1980s)
ryan.bird@rocksound.tv
rEViEWS Editor:
Andy Ritchie (The Drive Thru roster
2001-2003)
andy.ritchie@rocksound.tv
ProdUCtioN EXECUtiVE:
Dominique Marshall (The WWE
Attitude era)
dominique.marshall@rocksound.tv
Art Editor: Alistair Cook
(Baby poop)
alistair.cook@rocksound.tv
gig gUidE Editor: Amy Bangs
(Duke Nukem 3D [PC edition])
amy.bangs@rocksound.tv
oNLiNE Editor: Andy Kelham
(The life and career of Harry Houdini)
andy.kelham@rocksound.tv
EVENtS MANAgEr: Iain ‘Slomo’ Scott
(The Bristol Scale)
iain.scott@rocksound.tv
WEB dEVELoPEr: Sonic Network
WordSMitHS: Tom Aylott, Max
Barrett, Giles Bidder, Richard Cartey, Helen
Catchpowle, Peter Clark, Alex Deller, Alex
Gosman, Chris Hidden, Mike Kemp, Joe
Marshall, Andy McDonald, Giles Moorhouse,
Tim Newbound, Oli Robertson, Rob Sayce,
Chris Shipman, Jack Stanton, Pete Withers,
Jack Pudwell, Kevin Stewart-Panko, Ollie
Pelling, Adrian Kelly, Gareth Pierce, Jen
Walker, John Phillips, Marc Burrows, Neil
Gardner, Alex Reeves, Caren Gibson
HAPPY SNAPPErS: Tom Barnes, Duncan
Bryceland, Nigel Crane, Steve Gerrard, Ben
Gibson, Zen Inoya, Mark Latham, Mei Lewis,
Carla Mundy, Al Overdrive, Andy Stubbs,
Joe Watson, Gary Wolstenholme, Ashley
Bird, Gobhinder Jhitta, Carl Fleischer, Mark
Forrer, Charlie Raven, Andy Ford, Giles Smith,
Justine Trickett, Duncan Howsley, Kevin
Estrada, Adam Elmakias, Kane Hibberd
oNLiNE iNtErNS:
Lucy Goodwin, Tom White
CoLUMNiStS:
Corey Taylor (8), Austin Carlile
SPECiAL tHANkS: Clara Cullen
AdVErtiSiNg MANAgEr:
Ben Crudgington (The Rock 1999-2001)
Tel: 0207 877 8776
ben.crudgington@rocksound.tv
PUBLiSHEr: Patrick Napier
(Train problems on the Chelmsford line aka
reasons why The Crudge is always late)
Tel: 0207 877 8779
patrick.napier@rocksound.tv
Newstrade distribution by Marketforce. If
you have any trouble getting hold of Rock
Sound in the shops please call: 020 3148
3333. Subscription rates are as follows: UK
£37.99, Europe / US / Canada £49.00, Rest
of world £69.00. To subscribe or if you have
a problem with your subscription please
call: 0844 249 0217 or email: rocksound@
servicehelpline.co.uk
Rock Sound cannot accept responsibility for
any unsolicited manuscripts and photographs
or for material lost or damaged in the post. All
material remains the copyright of Rock Sound
Ltd. No part of Rock Sound may be reproduced
in whole or part without the prior permission
of the publisher (and that includes scanning
and uploading it to the net, kids). Our lawyers
will be round (and they’re very scary).
ABC Member of The Audit
Bureau Of Circulation
Jan-Dec 2011:
Average net circulation
14,227
ISSN: 1465-0185
Printed in the UK by Polestar
Published by Rock Sound Ltd – a 100 per
cent independent operation.
CoVEr PHoto: Nigel Crane

WITH ONE LAST BREATH
Having played second-fiddle to rock’s big boys for two years, this is their time.
[30] rocksound.tv

© Carla Mundy
EXPOSURE
THE BEST NEW
MUSIC
For Fans oF: Glamour Of The Kill, blessthefall, Yashin
“Last year we were a bit stupid,” admits With One Last Breath vocalist Sam Graves. In 2012 the
York quintet supported Asking Alexandria, Yashin, Of Mice & Men and Motionless In White but
somehow failed to release any new music for the thousands of people who had discovered the
band for the first time at venues across the UK. “Don't get me wrong, it was an amazing year for
the band,” he continues, “but we didn't back up all those massive shows with a release. We had
an old EP out and that was it.”
Their self-titled EP was released in 2010 when the band had different influences and ideas about
aggressive music; by the end of 2012, With One Last Breath sounded and looked nothing like
the unit that made those songs. “We were only playing new material at those shows,” Graves
continues. “The older songs just didn't represent what we were about, so we played music from
our debut album that no one had really heard before.”
To further complicate matters the band also lost their frontman at the end of the
year. “Spencer [Costello] was becoming a dad and this just wasn't right for him any
more,” Graves adds. “As everyone knows, there’s no money in a new band and he
had higher priorities. We didn't want to replace him, as he's still a good friend and a
great frontman, so I stepped up and we brought in a new guitarist.”
After a year of incredible touring opportunity and musical drought, With One Last
Breath (rounded out by guitarists Joe Graves and Alex Scott, bassist Joe Lancaster
and drummer Chris Bowling) have learned a lesson and come back brighter in 2013.
The 'Wake The Dead' EP (a re-imagined version of their debut offering) has just been
released with an album to follow by the autumn and, if all goes well, the group will be
back in the van whenever the opportunity arises. “We're really happy with the music
we've got coming out this year,” he admits. “Even though this EP has been released in
a different form before, we've changed the songs around a lot [and] some tracks are
barely recognisable. The sound on the EP and album is exactly what we want – it's
taken a lot of songwriting but this is where we want to be as a band.”
After sharing stages with some of the best in the business, With One Last Breath have
found their own contemporary blend of melody and aggression. All they need now to
get in front of crowds to prove it. “The first show with the new line-up is at Radstock in
March,” says Graves. “I'm a little bit nervy but it's gonna be good. After that we want
to focus on the UK, play in Europe and eventually get to America.” Why not, right?”
From: York, UK
release: 'Wake The Dead' (EP, Smalltown. Out now)
Tour: Playing Radstock on March 30 with The Blackout,
Don Broco, We Are The Ocean and more TBA.
andrew Kelham
f | http://www.facebook.com/withonelastbreathofficial
© Tom Barnes
rocksound.tv [31]

The PloT In You
Super-intense mosh fury from a man with more than
his fair share of demons.
FOR FANS OF: Controversy,
aggression, feelings (mainly anger)
The PloT In You hold noThIng back lYrIcallY – do You ever
worrY abouT beIng mIsundersTood? Says vocalist Landon Tewers:
“For sure, I do worry about that. Especially with our last album [’11’s ‘First Born’],
which was about child abuse and some experiences I went through growing up with
my family and friends, I was worried that a lot of people that would take it the wrong way.
The first song on that was called ‘The Father’s Seed’, and people thought it was about me
having a kid I didn’t want; actually, it was about one of my friends who was born to a family
that didn’t want him. He was an unplanned pregnancy and they treated him like shit as a result.
On the new album [‘Could You Watch Your Children Burn’] there are songs about people I've
come across and groups that I'm not exactly fond of, and when people make assumptions about
what I'm talking about they are usually wrong, which is frustrating.”
whaT Is The worsT mIsTake PeoPle could make lIsTenIng To ThIs new record?
“Obviously, I'm not a murderer going around killing people. Some of the songs talk about really
intense violent situations, but in real life I don't go around acting those out. Those songs are just
the thoughts I have – everyone has fucked-up thoughts and things in their head that they wish
they could do but can't. Music is how I get release.”
do You regreT PuTTIng a song abouT oF mIce & men FronTman ausTIn carlIle on
The album [‘dIggIng Your grave’]? IT seems To be The mosT Talked-abouT asPecT
oF Your musIc These daYs… “I didn't try and do that for attention, and I probably could
have handled the whole situation better. I wrote the song a year-and-a-half ago, and it was
fresh hate then. I don't really even think about it any more.”
From: Ohio, USA
release: ‘Could You Watch Your Children Burn’
(album, Rise. Out now)
Tour: Stateside mostly – get on a plane, lads!
andY kelham
[32] rocksound.tv
f | http://www.facebook.com/theplotinyou

RAT ATTACK
Raise your glass to the new kings of good-time punk…
FOR FANS OF: Big grooves, even
bigger melodies and nights to
remember… just not the next morning.
Competing for the crown of ‘Britain’s rowdiest’,
Rat Attack are interested in one thing and one
thing only: getting the party going.
“We can play to a crowd of 20 and still get
crowdsurfers,” laughs frontman Mike Hodges.
“When I joined a couple of years ago, Rat
Attack started turning from the same old
hardcore punk band into a good-time, party
mob. We’re all about getting drunk and doing
stupid stuff, and encouraging other people to
do the same. Our shows are crazy.”
AXIS OF
It’s rock, but not as you know it.
FOR FANS OF: Everything from the Foo Fighters to
The Bronx, and everything in between.
YOU’RE IMPOSSIBLE TO PIGEONHOLE, SO HOW
DID YOU DEVELOP YOUR SOUND? Says bassist /
vocalist Ewen Friers: “We started off from a punk rock
perspective, but have gradually evolved. All of us agree
to stick to two fundamental principles: that we’ll always
make music we want to hear, and that we’ll write about
things important to us. The music we want to hear has
changed, influenced by touring so much and the Irish
vibe that we have. We’re not gimmicky in any way, just
interested in exploring new things.”
Fortunately, they have the tunes
to compliment the shtick, and
their self-titled EP is packed
with breathless, catchy and
swaggering anthems-in-waiting
like ‘Bad Catholic’ and ‘Heartbeat’,
the latter featuring Liam Cromby
of We Are The Ocean. “Liam
loved the song, and he did his
vocals in one take, while drinking
a beer,” Mike chuckles. “The
poppier our songs are and the
more party vibes they have, the
better they sound to us.”
FROM: Devon and Birmingham,
UK
RELEASE: ‘Rat Attack’
(EP, self-release. Out March 11)
TOUR: They support Red Jumpsuit
Apparatus in the UK through
March and into April;
check gig-guide for dates.
ROB SAYCE
f | http://www.facebook.com/ratattackuk
HAS THAT POSED PROBLEMS? “Actually, the opposite.
It means that we can easily do a show with someone like
Twin Atlantic, and a couple of months later open up for
The Bronx. There are people out there who’re genuinely
looking for different new music, and I just hope they dig
what we’re doing.”
WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU? “We’re finally releasing our
album ‘Finding St Kilda’, which has been a real labour of
love, and then we’ll be hitting the road as much as possible.
This should be our busiest year by far.”
FROM: Portstewart, Northern Ireland
RELEASE: ‘Finding St Kilda’ (album,
Smalltown America. Out March 18)
TOUR: A few headline shows in April.
ROB SAYCE
f | http://www.facebook.com/axisof
EXPOSURE
THE BEST NEW
MUSIC
NECK DEEP
FOR FANS OF: New Found Glory,
The Story So Far
To get personal for a brief moment,
girls have caused this writer no end
of grief over the years. With that in
mind, it’s nice to know that in Neck
Deep we’ve found a band who aren’t
afraid to shout ‘Hey, girls – you
suck!’ over some of the most urgent
hardcore-tinged pop-punk this side of
the Atlantic. Sit up and listen, because
the UK’s answer to The Story So Far
are going places. ASB
f | http://www.facebook.com/neckdeepuk
CaPtivEs
FOR FANS OF: Brand New,
Make Do And Mend
It sounds almost childishly obvious,
but a combination of simple, heartfelt
lyrics and clever hooks will never go
out of fashion. Enter Utah’s Captives,
who on debut EP ‘My Eyes Are
Open’ marry the above with enough
personality to put them in the pile
marked Once These Dudes Have A
Debut Full-Length They Could Be
Pretty Special. And let’s face it, we’ve
all got a pile like that. BP
f | http://www.facebook.com/weareallcaptives
iNtER aRMa
FOR FANS OF: Neurosis, seriously
heavy shit
After toiling away in the underworld
for a while, Virginia’s Inter Arma have
signed with Relapse for the release
of their sophomore full-length ‘Sky
Burial’. Expect a swirling vortex of
sound that’s built loosely around
the epic grumbles of Neurosis while
casting oozing tentacles into the dark
domains of cackling black metal and
fraught psychedelia. Titanic stuff
for sure, and it’ll expand your mind
whether you want it to or not. AD
f | http://www.facebook.com/interarma
rocksound.tv [33]

EXPOSURE
THE BEST NEW
MUSIC
My First tooth
FoR FAns oF: Charlie Simpson,
Neutral Milk Hotel, Slow Club
Hands up if you like scrumptious
orchestral-influenced folkery?
Well that’s good, because here are
Alcopop!’s My First Tooth to brighten
up your day. Not only do they make use
of the violin to great effect, but they’ve
also got that boy / girl harmony shit
going on. Get on it now so that you can
be all hipster and pretend you knew
about them all along. CC
f | http://www.facebook.com/myfirsttooth
CoAstLiNE
FoR FAns oF: The Shins,
Balance & Composure
Every so often, a band comes along
spouting something that belongs
a world away. Case in point: Kent’s
Coastline, whose radiant, emoinfused
rock fits right in somewhere
over yonder America. The band’s
staggeringly upbeat EP ‘Taken Under’
is an irrepressible, catchy and not-sogentle
reminder that emo bands are
allowed to be happy, too. It’s okay, USA,
we’ll hang onto them for now. ASB
f | http://www.facebook.com/coastlineuk
NExt stop AtLANtA
FoR FAns oF: Paramore,
We Are The In Crowd
Hailing from the cultural wasteland
that is Preston, Next Stop Atlanta are
determined not to let their hometown
bring them down. With shouty
choruses and a knack for a good
singalong, their new single ‘Get In The
Van’ bristles with exuberance. With a
March tour on the horizon, Next Stop
Atlanta are doing exactly what Rollins
espoused in his diary of the same
name and hitting the road. CC
f | http://www.facebook.com/nextstopatlanta
[34] rocksound.tv
EAGER TEETH
Your mum won’t like it,
but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
For Fans oF: Mallory Knox,
Spycatcher, Gnarwolves
If frontman Will Blood were to describe Eager
Teeth's sound to his mum he'd simply say,
“it's weird pop rock. You wouldn't like it.” The
difference between Will's mum and you, dear
Rock Sound reader, is simple. You'd like it. The
Brighton quintet formed in 2010 with members
of Telegraphs and This City among others. A
band of UK rock veterans? Possibly. “This is the
ninth or tenth band I've been in, fuck knows
what keeps me coming back,” he laughs.
AlcoA
Defeater’s frontman is finally committing to a solo project.
“I guess I just love creating
music; writing and recording is
what makes me.
“The joy of music is that you
decide what you want out of this,”
he continues. “You can try and
become something massive or
you just do exactly what you want.
Eager Teeth is about the latter, we
are not subscribing to anything.
We're pretty eclectic, we do
melodic hardcore songs and weird
poppy songs then shove them on
an album together.”
FRom: Brighton
RElEAsE: ‘Eager Teeth’
(Album, A Wolf At Your Door.
Out March 18)
TouR: Nothing planned, Get
some dates sorted!
AndREW KElHAm
f | http://www.facebook.com/eagerteeth
For Fans oF: The Gaslight Anthem, the quiet bits
of Defeater, Charlie Simpson
YouR dEbuT Album ‘bonE & mARRoW’ HAs bEEn A lonG
TimE cominG, RiGHT? Says Derek Archambault: “I’ve been
writing songs for this project for nine years, but it’s strange
because it’s something I thought I would never do anything
with… and now I’m actually putting it on a record.”
WAs iT HARd To REcoRd bETWEEn All THE dEFEATER
TouRs? “The whole process took much longer than
having a band, going into the studio and laying it all
down. We recorded the skeletons then added all the extra
instrumentation, sat on that for a while, came back from
tour, did vocals, went on tour, mixed it, went on tour, mixed it
again, mastered it. It took, like, eight months.”
HoW doEs AlcoA compARE To THE quiETER dEFEATER
mATERiAl? “I wrote the songs on ‘Sleepless Nights’ [the
second, acoustic part of Defeater’s last album ‘Empty Days &
Sleepless Nights’] the same way I would write an Alcoa song.
It’s just stripped-down, real conflicted stuff. The songs are way
more fleshed-out. It’s a full band – not just me and a guitar –
but I don’t think people are going to see a huge difference.”
FRom: New Hampshire, USA
RElEAsE: ‘Bone & Marrow’ (album, Bridge 9. Out now)
TouR: Eventually, when Derek gets some time out
from Defeater.
AlEx REEvEs
f | http://www.facebook.com/alcoaxo

HELL OR HIGHWATER
Drummers are just frustrated frontmen, right? Atreyu’s
sticksman’s new band would certainly suggest so.
FOR FANS OF: Avenged Sevenfold, Papa Roach,
Star-Spangled Banner-waving hard rock.
HOW HAs THE REspOnsE bEEn fROm fAns Of ATREyu
TO HELL OR HIGHWATER? Says frontman Brandon
Saller: “Absolutely. Obviously there’s gonna be the run-off
from Atreyu fans, and everyone else in the band comes
from other bands so a lot of [attention] will be from
our older fans who want to check it out. Obviously with
straight metal fans, it might not be their cup of tea, but
I think people have responded really well. The band can
easily speak to a lot of people, and we can make our own
name and our own identity.”
“I think it’s time nu metal reared its
ugly head once more. And it did
have an ugly head, but that’s what
everyone loved about it. Brash,
boisterous and outright cocky, bands
like Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park and Papa Roach
wrote genuinely killer albums that have stood
the test of time. Dust off your ‘Significant Other’s,
‘Hybrid Theory’s and ‘Infest’s and you’ll find
yourself singing, screaming and rapping along
to every word. Of course, there was a lot of crap
out there too but we’ll try to ignore that.”
Rob Damiani, Don Broco
“Sleaze and rap. People want to
start having fun again. There’s a
load of younger bands out there
trying to bring back the flamboyant
vibes and stadium-filling sounds
enjoyed by ’80s hair metal bands. I also feel
like rap is going to make a big comeback in
the rock world. I’m not talking about a Crazy
Town reunion (please God no), but rather
newer bands incorporating rap into their vocals
alongside the scream-then-sing-then-screamagain
style currently prevalent in our world.”
Adam Sagir, publicist / Dripback noise-maker
AND WHAT YOU THOUGHT…
@EndL3ss_sky: “CountryCore. The birthchild of Billy Ray Cyrus and Bury Tomorrow”
@TAnkTRApbAnd: “Grunge-blues… there’s an element of 80s today so I predict
tomorrow’s forecast to have a hint of 90s… get your cardigans out!”
@pIERcETHEbEkAH: “Pop punk! Especially bands like The Story So Far, they’re gonna
be huuuuge this year.”
dEbuT ALbum ‘bEGIn AGAIn’ cAmE OuT bAck In 2011.
WHy RE-RELEAsE IT nOW? “We released the record as
a soft release initially, because we just wanted to take
everything from the ground up, let the band grow naturally
and just go grassroots with it. So we released it totally on our
own and did a few tours, [then we] decided it had gotten to
a place we were pretty happy with, but it still could use the
extra push and we wanted to get it worldwide and give it the
attention it deserves.”
HOW dId IT fEEL InITIALLy, fROnTInG THE bAnd As
OppOsEd TO dRummInG? “I think the first time I had to
step out, there was a little bit of nerves. But I think it’s just a
lot more fun being able to be more interactive and getting to
be closer to the crowd. Playing drums, you’re far back and
you can only be engaged so much. I’m having a blast being
able to actually be up in people’s faces.”
THE buRnInG QuEsTIOn
WHICH GENRE WILL RESURFACE THIS YEAR?
What do we want? Answers!
When do we want them? Each issue!
fROm: California, USA
RELEAsE: ‘Begin Again’ (album,
Pavement Music. Out now)
TOuR: Hopefully later in the year.
GARETH dAvIEs
f | http://www.facebook.com/hellorhighwaterofficial
“Early signs are that the more
metallic end of the rock spectrum
will thrive in 2013. You only have
to look at the anticipation around
new releases from the likes of Bring
Me The Horizon and A Day To Remember and
the ever-increasing profile of bands such as
While She Sleeps and Of Mice & Men – not to
mention labels such as Rise and Sumerian – to
see that no matter which sub-genre they may
each fall under, aggressive music is currently
thriving. Don’t expect to see that slow down.”
Ryan Bird, Rock Sound Deputy Editor
@buRkAbum: “Nu-metal seems to the obvious one, Papa Roach, Korn and Limp Bizkit
all at Download? Can’t wait.”
@jOffy_knOxvILLE: “Hip hop. Not joking, if Dre releases Detox and Eminem new
album along with headlining Reading could be huge.”
@jAmEsTHEGILL: “Freeform thrash jazz polka will rip up the charts in 2013.
I’ll put my house on it.”
© Sonia Hanafi
rocksound.tv [35]

BAPTISTS
Dunk yourself in the dirty waters.
For Fans oF: Converge, Black
Breath, insane heaviness
Let’s keep things simple: Vancouver thrashers Baptists
are here, as vocalist Andrew puts it, “to make some loud,
fast noise in a more straight-up manner than we had in past
projects, maybe?”
Maybe?!
There aren’t too many ‘maybes’ on offer from Baptists debut LP,
the caustic ‘Bushcraft’, as a scungy (yup, that’s a word) Kurt Ballou
production dirties up the band’s furious mélange of crust, doom, hardcore
and punk. “Things like Botch, Converge [and] Neurosis had a real impact
on all of us, and still do,” he explains. “Both Converge and Neurosis just
keep releasing amazing record after amazing record after being at it for
20-odd years, which is inspiring. Then there are lots of bands that have made
hardcore / punk / whatever more exciting than ever in the last few years, or
have pushed it into new places, like Trap Them, Black Breath, Coliseum, Nails…
too many to name!”
If that went right over your head, you have some serious homework to do.
Their label Southern Lord is a revered home for all that is unholy in the realms
of hardcore, punk and metal, so Baptists come readily approved.
“Shortly after forming we recorded four songs to post up online,” says Andrew.
“We got a message out of the blue from Greg [Anderson, co-founder of
Southern Lord and Sunn O))) member] asking about the songs. We sent him
the rest of the songs, he dug them, and from there Southern Lord went out on
a limb and put them out, without knowing us from a hole in the ground.”
And as soon as Rock Sound saw the name Baptists and heard the
accompanying cacophony, we thought “Man, that’s really cool. I bet
there’s a wicked story behind it!” Andrew, though, promptly ruins any
illusions. “Not much to it really, no.”
Baptists: Quietly spoken. Fucking loud on record.
FROm: Vancouver, Canada
RELEASE: ‘Bushcraft’ (album, Southern Lord. Out now)
TOuR: TBC
SARAH O’cONNOR
[36] rocksound.tv
baptists.bandcamp.com

MAJOR LEAGUE
Pure pop-punk perfection plucked from New Jersey.
FOR FANS OF: New Found Glory, early
Blink-182, The Story So Far
LET’S TALK NEW ALBUM ‘HARD FEELINGS’.
WHAT, ER, FEELINGS DRIVE IT?
Says guitarist / vocalist Brian Joyce: “It’s not
really supposed to be an angry record as much
as it is just us getting stuff off our chests. The
record goes from an incident that happened
when I was six all the way up to dealing with
the early 20s angst and all that stuff.”
WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL THE
FIRST TIME THEY HEAR YOUR MUSIC? “We’d
definitely compare ourselves to the New Found
Glory style of writing. I hope in the end people
find specific songs that really hit a chord with
them, and I hope above all else that it helps
them move on from their situations, that’s what
the record is mainly about.”
MEGACHURCH
And now for something completely rifferent.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE
YOUR LIVE SHOW? “Once we
get on the stage, every issue,
every problem, everything that’s
gone wrong that day disappears.
It doesn’t matter how bad a day
you’ve had. We grew up as just
dorky suburban kids and we
found love in our instruments. The
minute I put a guitar on all the
problems go away – you live in
that moment and just have fun.”
FROM: New Jersey, USA
RELEASE: ‘Hard Feelings’
(album, No Sleep, Out now)
TOUR: Just missed them!
They were on tour with Funeral
For A Friend and Such Gold last
month. Chin up.
ANDY BIDDULPH
f | http://www.facebook.com/majorleaguerock
FOR FANS OF: Queens Of The Stone Age,
banging your head
If you’re looking at their picture and thinking, “Oh
great, another Exposure band who look like nerds,
whateverrr…” we hear you, man. But don’t worry:
beneath Megachurch’s door-to-door Bible salesman
garb beats the heart of a truly weird band; two bassists,
loads of riffs and no singer.
As bassist number one Brian Michael Hill tells Rock
Sound, “It was always our intention to have a band with
two basses and a drummer. We decided pretty quickly
that no one wanted to sing. Once we came up with the
name, the idea of the samples came quickly.”
The samples Hill refers to are terrifying snippets of
Middle America at its absolute worst – evangelical
preachers ranting about a vengeful god, politics,
exorcisms and fiery damnation. That these wild
samples are laid over a solid bed of Queens Of The
Stone Age-aping heavy alternative rock and wildly
inventive bass playing means that Megachurch are
meant for knocking beers out of blokes’ hands in a
packed, sweaty bar and waking up with a vicious
bangover. Enjoy; we certainly will be.
FROM: Cleveland, USA
CURRENT RELEASE: ‘Megachurch 2: Judgment Day’
(album, Stressed Sumo. Out now)
TOUR: Um, unless you live in Ohio, not much.
SARAH O’CONNOR
f | http://www.facebook.com/megachurch
EXPOSURE
THE BEST NEW
MUSIC
Brick Mower
FOR FANS OF: Title Fight,
Hot Water Music
There’s something pleasingly meaty
about this New Jersey trio. Having
been releasing music in fits and starts
since ’09, their second full-length
‘My Hateable Face’ (what a name!)
surfaced last year but, because the
internet’s a weird place, only hit our
radars this month. And not before
time – it’s a hummable collection
of bittersweet punk rock anthemica
that’s purpose-built for jumping
around your bedroom to. BP
f | http://www.facebook.com/brickmower
riVALS
FOR FANS OF: Shellac, The JCQ
There isn’t much more punk-rock
than releasing music on tape. Having
members from decidedly more
‘normal’ bands like The Futureheads
and The Mercury League might have
something to do with the rebellion,
but you’re going to have to dig out
your Walkman to hear first single
‘Wax’ anyway. A storming punk ‘n’ roll
romp that gets arses moving and feet
stomping, this is what Rivals are all
about. And we like it. ASB
rivalsband.tumblr.com
For The iMperiuM
FOR FANS OF: Blood Brothers,
The Dillinger Escape Plan
Perhaps it’s Finland’s long and
stupidly cold winters that help foster
brutality, but whatever it is, Helsinki’s
For The Imperium are certainly keen
to feast on all things dark and twisted.
And on the strength of new album
‘Hail The Monsters’, with its vicious
drumming, chugging riffs, surprisingly
tuneful choruses and left-of-centre
electronics, expect the unexpected
from these dudes in the future. CC
f | http://www.facebook.com/fortheimperium
rocksound.tv [37]

do you reMeMBer your first
Motorcycling eXperience? “The very
first time I ever rode a motorcycle
was when I was about 16. It was at
my cousin’s – they live out in Alberta
on a big old farm in the prairies. I got
to ride their dirt bikes, and their dad
collects old motorcycles – old Nortons
and Harleys – stuff like that. They
always had dirt bikes at their house,
and whenever we would go and visit
them we’d get to go ride them around
their farm and go trail riding. It wasn’t
until a few years later that I actually
got a motorcycle, and then it was
my girlfriend who got me into it. Her
family owns a motorcycle dealership
and she grew up around it, so she got
me into riding properly and I haven’t
looked back.”
wHat was your initial attraction
to it? “It sounds corny, but I suppose
it’s the genuine sense of freedom and
liberation that comes with being able
to hop on your bike and go pretty
much wherever you like. Even just
riding downtown is a fun thing to do
when you’re on a bike. It’s kind of like
when you’re a little kid, the first time
you learn to ride a bike, and you’re
like, ‘I can go aaaaaanywhere!’ When
you’ve got a motorcycle you’re exactly
the same, even as an adult. It’s like,
‘Oh man, I just want to start going on
trips, and riding across the country so
that I can see everything!’”
so it’s tHe actual eXperience tHat
draws you into riding, ratHer
tHan tHe MecHanics? “I love the
technical and engineering side of it
as well, but we’re never home so I
barely get a chance to do anything
to my bike. I pretty much just turn it
over and then go. My first bike died,
so I ended up buying a brand new
Triumph Scrambler, because I was
MY OBSESSION
LIAM CORMIER
HE MaY SpENd MOSt Of HIS lIfE ON fOur wHEElS, But tHE CaNCEr BatS
frONtMaN IS NO StraNgEr tO SpENdINg aS MuCH tIME aS pOSSIBlE ON twO…
[38] rocksound.tv
words: Gareth Davies / illustration: Ash Jordan
just like, ‘I’m never home!’ When I am home I’d
rather spend more time riding than wrenching,
y’know? However, that side of things is definitely
something that I want to get into. My hope this
summer is to buy a dirt bike – just a shitty one –
and fix it up to get a bit more of the mechanic side.
I share a garage with 10 other friends, and they’re
always working on old bikes and fixing up ones
as well as having newer bikes that they ride. I just
need to get a little bit of time off the road so I can
actually do it!”
so, wHat was tHe first Bike tHat you actually
owned? “It was a Suzuki LS650, which is
basically like a ‘mum’ chopper. It’s pretty much
the bike that every woman can ride on, so when
I saw it I was like, ‘That’s the bike for me!’ There
was a really cheap, used one at my girlfriend’s
shop, so I figured that would be a pretty good
place to start. That was my first bike, even
though it’s hardly the most bad-ass of choices!
These days I’ve got a 2011 Triumph Scrambler. It’s
the fucking best! I love it so much.”
How often do you Manage to get out and
ride? canada seeMs like tHe type of place
wHere conditions MigHt not always Be ideal…
“The upside with living near Toronto is that it
actually has a pretty mild winter. A lot of our
friends in other spots can’t keep their bikes out,
but because we’re next to the lake it thaws a lot,
so you’ll have days where the roads are dry and
you can actually take it out. Last year I rode all
the way up until December before I put my bike
away and we had to go on tour. This year I was
riding super late in the season, and friends of
mine were even riding through to the New Year.
You only need to do a little bit of winter storage
in Toronto, and as long as there’s no salt on the
road you can get out and ride.”
are you one of an entire society of rock ‘n’
roll Bikers? “Jaye [Schwarzer, bass] just got his
licence, so we’re looking at getting him a bike for
this summer. We’re trying to get Mike [Peters,
drums] into it, and I think Scott [Middleton,
guitar] wants to get a bike because I’ve definitely
seen him eyeing them up. Matt Tuck actually
rides as well. I forget what bike he had
– I wanna say he had a sports bike of
some description – but he actually
ended up selling it because he was
so busy with touring. He was like,
‘I’m not gonna get to ride this bike for
a whole year, so I might as well let
somebody else ride it’.”
Motorcycles were featured in your
videos for ‘road sick’ and ‘Bricks
and Mortar’. Have you considered
Making any cancer Bats Motorcycle
apparel? “[My girlfriend] sells Cancer
Bats bandanas and patches at her
shop, so that kind of thing has worked
its way in already. When we’re at that
barbecue with all the motorcycles
out front in the video for ‘Bricks And
Mortar’, that’s actually her shop.
That’s where I hang out pretty much
every day when I’m not on tour, so
I suppose it’s no wonder that the
bandanas and patches have worked
their way into the merch lines. I’m
not sure we’ll be doing any jackets or
helmets in the near future, though!”
wHen every tiMe i die released
‘new Junk aestHetic’, keitH Buckley
rode witH His fans froM epitapH
HQ in la to tHe Band’s sHow in san
diego. would you ever do anytHing
like tHat? “Oh, totally! I’ve ridden
to a couple of shows before, but
sometimes because you’re going
against so much wind it makes you
pretty tired. You show up to the gig
and you’ve already been riding for five
hours; I don’t know if I could do that
for a whole tour! As a one-off, though,
I’d definitely be into that. It’d be like
a real life version of the movie Wild
Hogs. Who wouldn’t want to see me
riding next to John Travolta?!”
Cancer Bats tour the UK in March;
see the gig guide for dates.

“wHO wOuldN’t waNt
tO SEE ME rIdINg NEXt
tO JOHN traVOlta?”
Admit it. This is
Jack misunderstood the coach's pretty bad-ass instructions,
and now this is happening
rocksound.tv [39]

WORDS: Andrew Kelham /
MAIN PHOTOS: Nigel Crane
In the early moments of this century
the loose-trousered misogyny of
nu metal was at its peak, but in a
teenager’s bedroom in California a
few friends were starting something
that would challenge alternative
music and leave it forever
changed...
Randy Strohmeyer (guitar): “We all
crammed into my room to practice
when we were done with school. We
would go pretty late some nights but
my parents didn’t mind at all – in fact
they liked it. I think before I was in
Finch my mother was friends with the
neighbours, but our band lost them
most of their friends on the street,
which is pretty rad because those
people sucked! One pair – an old,
crusty couple from across the street –
typed up a manifesto for a new noise
ordinance that would ban music after
8pm, so that they could go to bed or
watch TV. We obviously ignored it.”
Alex Linares (guitar): “It’s shocking
really, but Finch got signed after we
had played less than a dozen shows –
I think we were signed by our eighth
live performance. We started writing
a record, played a few more shows,
put the record out and went on tour.
We went from Randy’s bedroom in
Temecula to national tours, with only
a few stages in between. Our path
was certainly different to most.”
Randy Strohmeyer: “We always
went crazy onstage at those early
shows – it seemed like the only thing
to do when we played our music.
It came from the weirdest, craziest
place in our head and when we let
it loose we lost ourselves in it. We
were the only band in the area that
sounded like we did.”
HALL OF FAME
OF ALL tHE pOst-HArdcOrE ALbuMs rELEAsEd in tHE OpEning pEriOd OF tHE
21st cEntury, FEw rEMAin quitE As vitAL As tHE dEbut FrOM cALiFOrniA
quintEt FincH. HErE, in tHEir Own wOrds, is HOw tHEy wEnt
FrOM tHE bEdrOOM tO tHE strAtOspHErE…
[40] rocksound.tv
‘What It Is To Burn’
RELEASED: March 12, 2002
LABEL: Drive Thru
PRODUCER: Mark Trombino
PERSONNEL: Nate Barcalow (vocals), Alex Linares (guitar),
Randy Strohmeyer (guitar), Alex Pappas (drums), Derek
Doherty (bass).
ARTWORK: P. R. Brown
Drive Thru Records heard the promise of
the band’s heavy melodies, signed Finch
immediately and put them to work on their
debut album ‘What It Is To Burn’.
Alex Pappas (drums): “Drive Thru asked us who
they thought would be cool to record with once
we signed to them and Randy mentioned Mark
Trombino. He was available and it happened. It
was a trip.”
Mark Trombino (producer): “I still remember
hearing their demos for the first time. A friend
of [Drive Thru founders] Richard and Stefanie
Reines forwarded them to me because they
had heard that the band wanted to
work with me. He downplayed the
demos but when I listened I knew I
had to work with them because they
were doing exactly what I was into.
It was heavy, intense music but with
poppy, catchy melodies. I don’t know
how many other bands were doing
something like that at the time – I
know a lot were copying it later – but
to me it sounded fresh and exciting.”
Nate Barcalow (vocals): “Back then
Deftones were a huge influence on
me, vocally especially. There was
also a band called Hum, who made
a record called ‘You’d Prefer An
Astronaut’, and it was the heavy
spaciness of that record which
resonated with me so well. Those two
bands were the biggest influence on
my writing at that time.”
Alex Pappas: “We actually wrote
the title track for the album after
the initial recording sessions for the
album. We went back into rehearsal
and we wrote an extra song, got
in touch with the label and told
them we had something that we
think should be on the album. We’d
demoed it really quickly, shot it to
them and they agreed immediately
that it had to be part of the record.
Mark Trombino was finishing up The
Starting Line’s ‘Say It Like You Mean
It’ album, we met him at the studio
where he was finishing that record
and tacked on two days so we could
get this song down. I’m glad we did.”
Alex Linares: “We were obsessed
with Mark as he made some of our
favourite records. Most days we were
awestruck and we hung on every
word he said – it was ridiculous.
Overall it was such a tremendous
experience and it defined my life for a
long time.

“it's grAtiFying
tO LOOk bAck On
sOMEtHing yOu did
tEn yEArs AgO And sEE
it ApprEciAtEd.”
nAtE bArcALOw
rocksound.tv [41]

We made the album in a tiny studio
so we were on top of each other all
day; it felt like a summer camping trip.
That was the end of the beginning for
us, because after that we might have
started taking things too seriously.”
Mark Trombino: “I am super-proud
of that record. I think I had more
freedom working on it than any
other record I’ve ever done,
and I got to do so much
fun stuff! Creatively I look
back on ‘What It Is To
Burn’ very fondly. The
recording budget was
tiny so I opted to mix
the album in Pro Tools,
which very few people
were doing at the time. I
had never done it before
myself, and it shows. It’s a
little crunchy sounding
to say the least,
but I still love
it and I would
do it the same
way if I had
to do it all
over again.”
Nate
Barcalow:
“Writing
for that
album was easy
as the melodies
were so obvious.
Looking back my
lyrics were a little
juvenile as there
was not too much
going on in my
head – I don’t think
I had too much to
say on anything
other than boy-girl
issues. I’m not
embarrassed
by it, but I’m
glad we got the
opportunity to
make a second
record as I had a
lot more to say
on that.”
THE AMITY AFFLICTION
‘CHASINg gHOSTS’
(ROADRUNNER RECORDS, ‘12)
Although released a full decade after
‘What It Is To Burn’, the Australian posthardcore
mob’s most recent offering
sizzles with the same intensity as the
album in question. Talk about making a
lasting impression...
From the studio, the road and the
upsurge of an audience latching on
to their emotive songs; what started
in a bedroom after school now drew
crowds of thousands across the
globe.
Alex Linares: “My whole goal was
to write and go on tour: welcome
to the mind of an 18-year-old! I just
wanted to go and live that tour life.
As soon as it happened I was more
than thrilled to be driving around the
country, living on a bus. I was easy to
please.”
Alex Pappas: “The community
growing with us was so important,
and I don’t think it would have
happened the same way if we were
on our own without the other bands
around us and Drive Thru Records.
A whole swell of bands rose to that
magnitude together and given how
much the industry has changed I
wonder if we were the last people to
be part of a music scene like that. I
hope I’m totally wrong on that, but I
do watch and wonder sometimes.”
Nate Barcalow: “Going to Japan for
the first time was amazing. How
many 20-year-old kids get to do
that with their rock band? All the
travelling was a highlight for me, and
we did things people never get to do
in a lifetime in one year. That was
really special.”
Randy Strohmeyer: “I have zero
regrets of that time; it was probably
the most fun time I have ever had
and it was all so uncomplicated.
Finch at that time was like going to
Disneyland as a kid – it was pure
magic. I always wanted to be in a
band from the moment I decided I
didn’t want to be an astronaut, so to
be in one that was doing so well was
like a dream come true.”
Alex Pappas: “In hindsight I can see
the cracks in the foundations during
that time, but we were just blinded
by the bright lights. For me the
arrogance of youth was pretty strong
back then. I don’t think I understood
the reality that it will always come
FivE ALbuMs inFLuEncEd by ’wHAt it is tO burn’
[42] rocksound.tv
SAOSIN
‘SAOSIN’ (CAPITOL, ’06)
Forming not long after the release of
‘What It Is To Burn’, Saosin quickly
set about claiming the soon-to-bevacant
crown. With hooks aplenty
and a distinctly heavy crunch, ‘Saosin’
promptly sold a truckload of copies.
Funny, that.
A DAY TO REMEMBER
‘WHAT SEPARATES ME FROM YOU’
(VICTORY, ’10)
Blending melody with brutality, ‘What
Separates Me From You’ displayed
ADTR’s knack for melding the more
melodic elements of pop-punk with
the harshness of metalcore. Thank
Finch for that.
to an end, no matter how good the
moment is. At the time we got big
we were young and some of our
heads went in different directions,
but with the upcoming reunion I’m
super-stoked because now everyone
is grown up and we have more of a
shared mindset. We want to give fans
something great, support ourselves
and support our families. We all have
that in common now.”
Truth be told, the band never
recaptured the spark and form
that marked their first few years
of existence, but as the 10-year
anniversary of ‘What It Is To Burn’
shows, when Finch were at their
best they were untouchable.
Alex Linares: “My only requests for
the 10-year anniversary shows was
that we had to have fun doing it,
and that we had to play in England.
I still remember how it felt playing
Leeds Festival for the first time to
thousands of people. I knew that we
had to come back.”
Nate Barcalow: “As we moved
past that record and started more
of a career I put that record behind
me, but I didn’t realise how stoked
everyone was on that album until
recently. When you’re in a band you
make music and you always move
on, but that record really struck a
chord in a lot of people. It’s gratifying
to look back on something you did
10 years ago and see it appreciated
almost as much as when you first
wrote it. It’s phenomenal.”
Alex Linares: “For a while listening
to that album felt like looking at a
high school yearbook, where your
hair looks awful and you’re wearing
a fucking awful shirt. Now I look
fondly at that yearbook. I love that
people wear that album as a badge of
honour, and that it marked a point in
their life. It did the same for me, too.”
YOUNG GUNS
‘ALL OUR KINgS ARE DEAD’
(LIVE FOREVER, ’10)
Bursting onto the scene in 2010 with
the same epic sense of melody, drama
and showmanship, ‘All Our Kings Are
Dead’ shared much of Finch’s hardhitting
and visceral approach to
songwriting. And we like that.
Finch play their ‘What It Is To
Burn’ 10-year anniversary shows in
March; see gig guide for details.
D.R.U.G.S.
‘D.R.U.g.S’
(SIRE / DECAYDANCE, ’11)
Formed in the ashes of Chiodos and
From First To Last, D.R.U.G.S. were
always set to have a ‘Finch twang’
given their own roots. Hard guitars +
singing about being a bit nostalgic x
melodies = influence!

RISE AGAINST
BAD RELIGION
BILLY TALENT PENNYWISE
ROCKET FROM THE CRYPT
KILLSWITCH ENGAGE FLAG
HATEBREED TURBONEGRO
TEXAS IS THE REASON PULLEY
BRING ME THE HORIZON COMEBACK KID INTO ANOTHER
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FRANK TURNER AND THE SLEEPING SOULS SPARTA
THE AQUABATS, THE STARTING LINE, THE ATARIS
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... AND YOU WILL KNOW US BY THE TRAIL OF DEAD
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STREETLIGHT MANIFESTO THE KIDS THE FLATLINERS
STICK TO YOUR GUNS, A WILHELM SCREAM, PURE LOVE
THE RIVERBOAT GAMBLERS MIDNIGHT SOULS ADEPT
IMPLANTS SMOKE OR FIRE MASKED INTRUDER AC4
TRAPPED UNDER ICE OLD MAN MARKLEY, STRIFE
OBEY THE BRAVE JOEY CAPE'S BAD LOUD CHELSEA GRIN
THE STORY SO FAR, FAR FROM FINISHED NOTHINGTON,
THE DOPAMINES WHILE SHE SLEEPS THE ROCKET,
IRON CHIC ATTILA, BURIED IN VERONA, CROSSFAITH
CRUSHING CASPARS JOHN COFFEY SIX FT DITCH
THE FRONT BOTTOMS KRISTOPHER ROE DAVE HAUSE
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WWW.GROEZROCK.BE

IN THE
fIrINg lINE
Papa Roach
SARAH: IF YOU COULD PLAY A SHOW
AT ANY FAMOUS LANDMARK, WHICH
ONE WOULD YOU PICK?
Tony Palermo (drums): “I’d like to
play on top of the four presidents
at Mount Rushmore. I’m not a
particularly massive fan of politics,
but carving four faces into the side
of a mountain is pretty bad-ass!
Playing on top of something like that
automatically makes you the biggest
bad-ass of all.”
Jacoby Shaddix (vocals): “Come
on, man, you’ve got to think of
somewhere with better weather than
that! I’m tired of this cold ass shit.
That place is damn near Canada!”
Jerry Horton (guitar): “It can get
pretty humid up there in the summer,
though…”
Still Swimmin’. GEDDIT?
[44] rocksound.tv
VagINas! TurTlEs! THE BaHamas!
PaPa roacH sIT dowN wITH fIVE of
THEIr BIggEsT faNs To dIscuss all of
THEsE THINgs aNd morE. as You do...
WORDS: Ryan Bird / PHOTOS: Zen Inoya
Jacoby: “I don’t care, dude! I want
somewhere I can get a tan. Somebody
help me out here!”
Tobin Esperance (bass): “There’s a
really awesome National Park called…”
Jacoby: “Fuck it, dude! We’re playing
at a landmark in the damn Bahamas –
next question!”
ROB: JACOBY, HOW DO YOU MAKE YOUR
HAIR LOOK SO AWESOME, DUDE?
Jacoby: “You’ve either got it or you
don’t, home! This shit only takes seven
minutes! I swear to God, man – that’s
all it takes. It’s unnaturally awesome.”
Jerry: “It’s a process built on several
stages, and each one is more complex
than the last.”
Jacoby: “It really is. I like to start things off with
a nice shower – a little scrubba-dub-dub in the
tub – and then after a little blast with a hairdryer
I get some thick old gunky shit on the go. Primp
it up, comb it out, and then get some more
gunky shit on the go before finishing off with a
bunch of super-hold hairspray to achieve the
final result. It’s like art, man.”
Jerry: “He also has a fruit basket next to him
when he does this, just in case he needs a little
mid-style power boost.”
Jacoby: “The real reason that I have fruit next
to me is because I like my fruit to taste like
hairspray.”
CARELLA: WHAT DO YOU MISS MOST WHILE
YOU’RE ON TOUR?
Jacoby: “I think we’d all probably say our kids,
and our families…”
Tobin: “Our kids and burritos!”

Jacoby: “There you have it! Family and Mexican food: sideby-side
on the exact same level of importance!
Tobin: “I’m just saying that although you can get burritos
anywhere in the world, they’re just not as good as they are
back home. You can recreate a lot of things, but you can’t
recreate a fucking awesome burrito.”
Jacoby: “Do you know what else you can’t recreate? My
wife’s vagina!”
Jerry: “Oh, no…”
Jacoby: “Oh yeah, baby! We’re going there! I miss that
warm, lovely place…”
Tony: “So who has another question?!”
HANNAH: IF YOU WERE FORCED TO GET A TATTOO OF ANY
CARTOON CHARACTER, WHO WOULD YOU GET AND WHY?
Jacoby: “Wile E. Coyote, and the good news for you is
that it’s actually going to happen! I already decided just
yesterday that he’s going to be my next tattoo, so your
question is both informative and light-hearted!”
Jerry: “You’re actually getting that?”
MEET THE FIRING SQUAD…
NAME: HARRY THEAKER
AGE: 17
FROM: FLEET
NAME: CARELLA BIGNALL
AGE: 19
FROM: GUILDFORD
NAME: HANNAH ROBINSON
AGE: 22
FROM: LEEDS
NAME: SARAH KIDNEY
AGE: 20
FROM: LONDON
NAME: ROB TAYLOR
AGE: 19
FROM: NORFOLK
“You caN'T
rEcrEaTE mY
wIfE's VagINa!”
Jacoby Shaddix
rocksound.tv [45]

Jacoby: “Fuck yeah, dude! He gets
fucked up time after time, yet he keeps
on coming back and going for what he
wants. I can relate to that.”
Tony: “Jacoby has a weird way of
taking things that are supposed to be
fun and making them serious. I don’t
even want to say what I’d have now.”
Jacoby: “Tonyyyyy… come on, dude.”
Tony: “No!”
Tobin: “So much tension…”
Jerry: “…Taz, the Tasmanian devil.”
SARAH: HAVE YOU HAD ANY FAN
ENCOUNTERS THAT YOU WISH YOU COULD
FORGET?
Jerry: “Now that’s a minefield!”
Jacoby: “Right?! I don’t know – I’d
say that I probably have one of those
every few days. People be crazy!”
Tobin: “It can definitely get awkward
sometimes…”
Jacoby: “I think that’s the thing – it’s
the awkward moments rather than
anything particularly scary or intense.
It’s probably just a nervous reaction
of some kind, but every now and then
I’ll meet somebody who will freak me
the fuck out. They’ll start shaking,
staring at the floor and then blurt out
something totally ridiculous like, ‘I love
your toes!’”
Tobin: “Those are actually some of the
more normal ones. Nobody has ever
mentioned my toes, though…”
Tony: “I think they’re cute.”
Jacoby: “I’m feeling that love! See?
Our strange fans really are capable of
bringing us together.”
CARELLA: DO ANY OF YOU HAVE ANY
UNUSUAL HOBBIES?
Tony: “I like to play Angry Birds on the
toilet, but I don’t class any part of that
as being strange or unusual.”
Jacoby: “It only gets awkward when
your leg falls asleep, and then when
you stand up you fall to the floor with
your jeans around your ankles.”
Tony: “Man, that’s the worst! Where’s
the dignity in that?”
Jerry: “I’m starting to feel as though
dignity is a thing of the past…”
Tony: “Don’t even get me started on
the part that comes before that, when
you’re wiping your butt-hole and you
can’t feel a thing. Keeping everything
clean is such a nightmare.”
“Jacoby's hair actually looks like this...”
[46] rocksound.tv
Tobin: “At times like this, you realise that you
need to get out more.”
HANNAH: CAN YOU SUGGEST A NAME FOR MY PET
TURTLE?
Jacoby: “Speedbump!”
Tobin: “Punchbowl.”
Jacoby: “That’s a good one too! You can turn
him into a punchbowl when he’s dead.”
Jerry: “Turtles live for a pretty long time…”
Jacoby: “Then you call him Speedbump-
Punchbowl. When you want to turn him into
a punchbowl, you use him as a speedbump.
Perfect!”
ROB: WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE SUPERHERO?
Jacoby: “I love The Incredible Hulk – Hulk’s my
boy. I really relate to the fact that he’s fighting
a constant battle to contain this huge, raging
maniac inside of him, but that when it comes
out he has infinite power. The rage only seems
to get more and more severe, and I fucking
love that.”
Tony: “I like Iron Man.”
Jacoby: “Iron Man’s pretty dope. Not only
is he smart and rich, but he’s also a total
ladykiller. Come to think of it, I have no
idea why I tried to get so poetic over Hulk a
minute ago – Hulk isn’t gonna get laid!”
Tobin: “That’s not necessarily true, but if he
gets too carried away then it certainly has the
potential to end pretty badly!”
HARRY: IF THE WORLD WERE TO END IN TWO
WEEKS, WHAT’S THE LAST THING YOU’D LIKE TO
DO BEFORE YOU PERISH?
Tony: “I can’t think of anything better
than being mid-orgasm when that
happens. You’d be like, ‘OH MY –
OOOOHHHHHHHHH….’”
Tobin: “I’m totally into that, but in
my version I’m holding a burrito
as it happens. I give the burrito a
big old squeeze, the insides fly
everywhere, and then right as I
ejaculate I turn into a pile of ash.
Peace out.”
Still Kickin’. EH? EH?!
Jacoby: “And that, boys and girls, is
how to leave this world!”
Papa Roach’s latest album ‘The
Connection’ is out now.
“ “I loVE THE INcrEdIBlE Hulk
– Hulk’s mY BoY.”
Jacoby Shaddix

HIM
© Shannon Morris

© Nigel Crane

BLACK VEIL BRIDES

BRING ME TH

E HORIZON

BREATHE
CAROLINA

©Jonathan Manion
SUM 41

I KILLED
THE
PROM
QUEEN
©Zen Inoya

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE EARLY
YEARS OF YOUR LIFE? “Well, I definitely
had an interesting upbringing, but it
led me down the path to starting this
amazing musical journey. It drove
me to make my mark. My father
committed suicide when I was 10, and
that changed a lot of things for me…
though I didn’t realise how much until
later, until I became a man. That was
a turning point in my life, for sure.”
WHEN DID MUSIC BECOME A PART OF
YOUR LIFE? “When I was growing up I
struggled a lot with drugs and alcohol
addiction, and music was the only
way I felt like I could express what
was going on inside of me. Music is
the only thing in my life that’s been
consistent, the thing that’s always
made me happy, you know? Thank
god for music!”
SO, WOULD YOU SAY THAT MUSIC SAVED
YOU? “It gave me a road, but I had
to work for everything. It’s like they
say – what doesn’t kill you makes
you stronger. I certainly haven’t
done anything the ‘right’ way, but
have always been looking towards...
something. That’s what’s saved me. I
think that sometimes you have to hit
a bottom to really grow, to get to the
next stage in your life. That’s always
been my experience.”
WHAT DO YOU THINK WAS AT THE ROOT
OF YOUR PROBLEMS GROWING UP? “I’ve
always had to deal with the struggle
to find moderation. Most musicians...
well, most entertainers, are fucked
up. They all have these crazy life
stories that have led them to the
[56] rocksound.tv
WELCOME
TO MY WORLD
JOSH TODD
ThE BUCKChERRY fROnTMan TaLKs DRUgs, TURning pOinTs,
anD ThE REDEMpTivE pOWER Of MUsiC…
INTERVIEW: Rob Sayce / MAIN PHOTO: John McMurtrie
creative arts, and I’m no exception.
It’s manifested in other areas of my
life though, not just through drugs. I
overdid everything, and that’s always
been a challenge for me.”
WHEN DID YOU REALISE THAT YOU HAD
TO GET OFF THE DRUGS? “Fortunately,
I got a hold on my addictions fairly
early on in my life. When I was 23 I
had to rethink the whole way I dealt
with myself. I realised that I had to
make a change so I could just be
around, you know? It wasn’t easy
though: people who live in excess
are stubborn. I wanted to do things
my way, even when I knew it wasn’t
working. There’s help available, but
you have to reach out for it, and that’s
the hardest thing to do. I remember
being arrested [for driving under the
influence] and spending a night in
jail, knowing that if I didn’t get clean,
I wouldn’t be able to carry on, that I
would have no future. Here I am now;
clean and in this incredible band,
travelling the world. It makes it so
easy for me to access anger; all that
shit that’s pent up inside of me. It’s
actually become a fun thing for me
to let that out now, because I have an
outlet to do it.”
NOWADAYS, WHAT DO YOU VALUE
MOST? “I value my family and my
band, it’s as simple as that. My band
are my family away from home. I
have three kids, I’m a father and
a husband, and I want to be there
for them. Chilling out with my kids
means everything to me. Sometimes
I’m with my band mates more than I
am my family, so it’s really important
that we have respect for each other,
and have a positive relationship. We
go through shit as a team, you know?
A great example is when we came
back with our album ’15’, in 2006.
We really had to believe, because
no one cared and no one would sign
us. It was all about focusing on our
goal and chasing it down, not giving
up. After going through that and all
the shit I experienced growing up,
I feel like there’s nothing I can’t do.
I want to take over the world, to be
the frontman of this huge, arena rock
band. And I will do it.”
WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES FOR THE
FUTURE? “I’ve actually been working
on a screenplay about my life, which
has now been condensed down into
a 30-minute film. This new record
‘Confessions’ is a kind of soundtrack
to that, the soundtrack to my life! We
have a cast together and a director,
we’re just having a hard time getting
it funded. I’m excited to get that out
there though, it’ll feel good to tell
my story. I’d like to get some more
challenging acting roles too - my
father was a struggling actor, so
I used to watch him, and I have a
knack for it. But music and family
come first.”
ANY FINAL WORDS OF WISDOM? “I’ve not
been lucky, but I’ve worked hard for
everything. I truly believe that if you
put in the work, everything will work
out. That’s how I try to live my life.”
Buckcherry’s new album
‘Confessions’ is out now on
Eleven Seven.

“i WanTED TO DO
Things MY WaY,
EvEn WhEn i
KnEW iT Wasn’T
WORKing.”
rocksound.tv [57]

[58] rocksound.tv
Paramore in 2013: letting
the good times roll
(L-R) Jeremy Davis,
Hayley Williams, Taylor York

After months out of the spotlight,
Paramore are finally back.
The only UK magazine they wanted to talk to was
RocK SoUnd, so this is the incredible story of three people
determined to make the most of a second chance.
Because, at the end of the day…
on ocToBeR 15, 2006, in front of a capacity crowd at
London’s now-demolished Mean Fiddler venue, Hayley Williams
strode onstage with the above statement written proudly across
her T-shirt. That show, the final night of their first-ever UK
headline tour, was the moment the rock world realised this was a
group on the verge of something special. For the band, though, it
was the message itself that rang loudest.
Fast-forward a little over six years and two of the people who
played that show – Williams and bassist Jeremy Davis, who
have since been joined by guitarist Taylor York, also present and
correct – are laughing as they attempt to run up the curved wall
of a photo studio. With the band visiting London for the first
batch of promotional duties in support of their upcoming, selftitled
fourth album, Rock Sound is one of just two media outlets
(and the only magazine) who will be given the time of day. And
right now, we’re watching them literally climb the walls.
“We must’ve done a thousand photo shoots by now,” smiles
Jeremy, “but this feels so fresh right now. I actually feel able
to appreciate where we are and what we’re doing right now. It
feels amazing.”
WORDS: Ryan Bird / PHOTOS: Nigel Crane
©Isla Miskelly
rocksound.tv [59]

FIVE
OF THE BEST
COMEBACK ALBUMS
With ‘Paramore’, the band
have shown they can return
stronger after a rough few years.
Here are some of our other
favourite triumphs over adversity.
All Time lOW
‘Don’t Panic’
(HoPeless, ’12)
after the relative
disappointment of
major label debut
‘Dirty Work’,
all time low
knew they had to do something
special. Good thing their return
to Hopeless Records was packed
with tunes, then, and with
frontman alex Gaskarth taking
an active role in its production,
‘Don’t Panic’ marked the arrival
of all time low v2.0.
[60] rocksound.tv
DefTOneS
‘DiamonD eyes’
(WaRneR, ’10)
Deftones endured
tragedy when
bassist chi cheng
was seriously
injured in a car
crash, placing not only cheng
in a coma but the future of
Deftones in doubt as well. they
regrouped with Quicksand
bassist sergio Vega and, after
a period of intense reflection,
came back with the stunning
‘Diamond eyes’.
GReen DAy
‘ameRican iDiot’
(RePRise, ’04)
success is an
elusive thing,
especially for
punk bands. in
’94, ‘Dookie’
elevated Green Day to global
superstardom but subsequent
album sales were poor and
many thought they’d slipped
into irrelevance. But 10 years
later, ‘american idiot’ captured
the disaffection of a generation.
neW fOunD GlORy
‘not WitHout a FiGHt’
(ePitaPH, ’09)
let’s be honest,
nFG’s fifth album
‘coming Home’
was a bit weak.
and as much a
mission statement as an album
title, ‘not Without a Fight’
was the sound of a band with
something to prove. and prove it
they did, in some style.
BRinG me
THe HORizOn
‘suiciDe season’
(VisiBle noise, ’08)
Had BmtH not
written ‘suicide
season’, they
probably wouldn’t
be a band today.
it proved that they were more
than just skinny jeans-wearing
scenesters, and cemented
them as having the potential to
emerge as the credible face of
British metal.

A few months previous, the trio returned
to British shores for the first time in nearly
two years to perform as direct support
to headliners The Cure at Reading and
Leeds Festivals. Their first visit since the
departure of brothers Josh and Zac Farro
in December ’10, the performances came
halfway through making an album that is
arguably their most important yet, not to
mention the fact that they took place in
front of a collective audience of more than
150,000 people over two nights. It’s no
wonder the band seem relaxed today.
“It was like dipping your toe into a pool filled
with piranha,” laughs Hayley. “I was scared.
To. Death. The way that I saw it, we were
making a record that was going to hopefully
secure our future as a band, yet there we
were, stepping out of that in order to play
what could easily be career-defining shows.
“But you know what?” she continues with
a wry smile. “Those [shows] were the
very things that made me realise
exactly what we have, and what
we’d been missing out on
for almost two whole years.
Standing on those stages
made me sit back and go,
‘Alright, enough messing –
let’s do this!’”
And now, much like that
night in 2006, the world
really is watching…
AlThoUgh TheiR ciRcUmSTAnceS may have
changed, that defiant message of unity remains exactly the
same. Today, the band are very much together both personally
and professionally. When it comes to the job at hand, all three
will separately refer to ‘Paramore’ as “the album [they’ve]
been waiting to make [their] entire career”, just as they’ll
describe their collective state of mind as being in “the best
[shape] it’s ever been”.
On a more intimate level, however, is where things are most
interesting. At one point during our conversation, Jeremy will
pause to berate a stray hair that he claims has been “bugging
the heck out of [him] all morning”, before Hayley sweeps it
back into place. Minutes later, Hayley will playfully toss an
olive in Taylor’s direction, drawing a look of mock bewilderment
from the guitarist, while cracks and jokes fly thick and fast in
between. Although they may be commonly recognised as one
of the world’s biggest and most successful rock bands, behind
the glitz and the glamour they’re simply three close friends who
have been through a hell of a lot together. They behave exactly
as you do when you’re around your nearest and dearest.
“I see us as a group of regular people,” offers Hayley, “and I feel
as though we’ve grown immensely over the last 12 months. I
think we’d be growing as individuals no matter what [our
occupation], but the thing to keep in mind is that a big
chunk of our lives have been lived in front of people.
This last year or so has been the first chance we’ve
had since we started this band to grow up on our
own, and although we may have posted the odd
picture or sent the occasional Tweet, this has
been our only real opportunity to live without a
million people watching our every move. It was
a chance for us to learn the lessons that every
young person learns in everyday life.”
©Duncan Bryceland
rocksound.tv [61]

liSTening To Some of the songs that make up
‘Paramore’, the feelings of “freedom and liberation” that the
vocalist speaks of are very much present in the music. Whether
it’s the scuzzy, awkward, borderline-garage rock tendencies of
lead single ‘Now’, the gospel-tinged soul of ‘Ain’t It Fun’ or the
gentle tale of love that is ‘Still Into You’, the band’s fourth album
appears to be one built on comfort and confidence. Which,
when you consider the environment in which it was crafted,
should come as no surprise. Having lived virtually the entirety
of his adult life on the road or in the studio, September ’11 saw
Jeremy marry his British-born girlfriend Kathryn in Las Vegas,
while after what she brands as “years of broken promises and
laziness” Hayley found herself getting to grips with life in the
kitchen (“We’re still waiting for proof of this, though,” laughs
Taylor). It may not sound like much, but try living life in front
of an increasingly intrusive audience for years on end, before
you’ve even waved goodbye to childhood, and something
as trivial as going to the supermarket or watching television
becomes more than a mere breather; it becomes positively
vital. On the flipside, in a time when attention spans appear
shorter than ever before, upping sticks on the back of your most
commercially successful period ever is a gamble.
“i’ve spent so
much time
trying to
please people.”
hayley Williams
“[I’d] always hear people in bands saying that if you take a long
break, you’re done,” says Taylor, “so when you’re looking at an
entire year and suddenly your schedule is pretty much blank,
it’s difficult not to be scared. In retrospect, though, it was the
best thing we could have done. I think that both emotionally and
physically, we’d pushed ourselves so hard for so long that we
almost didn’t realise how much of a break we needed. We didn’t
have any idea just how vital it was.”
“When you work pretty much non-stop from the age of 15 to
21, it really does take its toll,” continues Hayley. “You eventually
realise that you need to slow down, because if you’re not
enjoying it as much now as you did a few years ago then it’s
probably only going to get worse. I’ve spent so much time
running as fast as I can in every which way to constantly try to
please people, and eventually you have to pump the brakes and
look after yourself.
“It probably sounds so narcissistic and weird, but when you’re on
tour every day you get used to people telling you positive things.
You’re constantly being told how great you are at your job, but
when you get home that goes away. I think that’s the biggest
lesson I’ve learned during this whole break; I had to get a little
better at living without that. I needed to be able to validate myself
as a person and not have other people doing it for me.”
[62] rocksound.tv

ocksound.tv [63]

[64] rocksound.tv
While iTS PRedeceSSoR was recorded in
a little under four weeks, ‘Paramore’ was crafted over
a period of nearly five months (“It was weird being
able to play something until we were absolutely
happy with it, rather than doing a couple of takes
and going, ‘We’ll figure it out later, let’s just get
this next part done,’” offers Taylor). Simply put, the
experience was nice and normal. “It felt so good
to watch everybody doing their own thing and really
thriving as artists and musicians, particularly given the
[album] that came before it,” smiles Hayley. “[’09 third
album ‘brand new eyes’] was an exercise in me trying
to hold things together. I’m the girl in the band – my
instinct is to try to make sure that everybody is happy.
In reality things were very much the opposite, but
now we’re in a position where the three of us can stop
focusing on all of those problems.”
“We owe it to
our fans to be
true to them.”
hayley Williams
Of all the speculation revolving around
the band, these “problems” are perhaps
the most widely discussed of all. On
December 21, 2010, midway through the
support cycle for ‘brand new eyes’, Josh
and Zac Farro released a statement via
Josh’s blog informing the world that the duo were
no longer a part of the band. In it, accusations were
made regarding the band’s inner workings both past
and present, describing the band as “a manufactured
product of a major label, riding on the coattails of
‘Hayley’s dream’”, while simultaneously stating that
the band “had split into two sides”. In terms of the
latter claim, this perhaps came as no surprise. In
contrast to their previous albums, ‘brand new eyes’
was an album rooted in lyrical aggression – an angry,
occasionally bitter effort that Hayley herself describes
as “a bunch of angry songs about myself and certain
individuals not getting along” – released on the back
of a recording process referred to by the vocalist as
“awkward and pretty uncomfortable”.
“I can honestly say that it was one of the weirdest
situations I’ve ever encountered,” says Hayley of
the incident in question. “When you go through
something like that – especially in front of the whole
world – you can’t be the same person when you
come out the other side. It’s hard to go through
an ordeal like that without coming out with
some pretty hefty scars.”
Even today, those scars are very much
visible. When the subject is broached, Taylor
will bring his knees into his chest and Jeremy
fixes his gaze firmly to the floor, leaving
Hayley to field these particular questions
alone. In this moment the trio appear their
most vulnerable but also their most sincere.
“It sucked,” sighs Hayley, “and it sucked because without going into
it too deeply, we thought things had happened differently. We’d
already spent several months going through [the pain] on the road,
knowing that the changes were about to happen. Suddenly, the
game changed and it turned into some weird online feud, and I
don’t think any of us anticipated anything like that happening.
It really affected me, because when something like that goes
down you go from being upset to being angry, and you hit just
about every emotion in between. I’m someone who can hold a
grudge from time to time, but eventually you just have to draw a
line. You have to move on.”
And moving on is exactly what Paramore have done. Speaking
of the group’s hometown of Franklin, Tennessee, Hayley will
confess to finding it a difficult place to visit (“everywhere you
look there are memories and reminders of the way certain
things used to be,”), while a closer look at some of the lyrics
found on ‘Paramore’ reveal a certain level of turmoil. Whether
it’s the line of “Bringing my sinking ship back to the shore” found
on ‘Now’ or ‘Ain’t It Fun’’s seemingly cutting refrain of “Ain’t it
fun being in the real world? / Ain’t it fun being on your own?” – a
song Hayley claims was written about herself facing life away
from the band rather than anybody else – there’s a certain level
of struggle and self-doubt present that lends strength to the
claims that Paramore in 2013 is a different beast to the one that
first went into hibernation.
“[Being in this band] feels like such a blessing,” offers Hayley. “It
feels like the days when we started the band all over again, and I
can honestly say that the three of us sitting here are even better
friends now than we were a year ago. It feels very full – there
isn’t a trace of emptiness anymore.”
“It feels like a fresh start,” adds Jeremy. “Sometimes in order to
realise just how special something is you have to come close to
losing it, or at least see it damaged in some way. These days we
all have the same goals and the same ambition as each other,
and that’s a great feeling to have.”
AS fAR AS STATemenTS go, Paramore are
making all the right ones. Beneath the flashbulbs the trio come
alive – their smiles wide and their eyes full of excitement when
discussing the future. In just under six weeks, when ‘Paramore’
is unleashed upon the world at large, there’s every chance that
the band will be enjoying their second successive UK Number
One album almost four years after their last, while by the year’s
end it’s impossible to imagine anything other than the biggest
arenas in the country being conquered. Or at least that’s the
plan. It’s always the plan. But while many are the bands who
launch their new albums with tales of redemption and triumph
over adversity, few are those who seem believable. With
Paramore today, however, there’s warmth, honesty and humility.
“We’re never promised tomorrow,” agrees Hayley, “but if we’re
lucky enough that the next few months are successful, I hope
we’re able to live out our purpose, which is one of bringing
positivity and hope. We want to have a positive impact on
the lives of the people who listen to our music, and that’s
something I think we’ve had a lot of chances to do in the past
but have perhaps failed in.”
Failed how, exactly?
“I think we didn’t always do the best job of showing people that,
first of all, it’s fun to be in a band,” she continues. “We perhaps
represented creativity and friendship in a way that wasn’t
particularly positive, and as much as we always give everything
that we have for our fans, we maybe weren’t always being
ourselves in some small way. There was just a little something
that wasn’t quite right, but we owe it to our fans to be nothing
less than true to them, and to ourselves. We owe it to them to
be exactly who and what we really are.”
And now, perhaps more so than ever, what that is has never
been clearer.
Paramore is a band.
Paramore’s self-titled album is out April 09 on Fueled By
Ramen; the single ‘Now’ is out now.

All We KnOW iS fAllinG WORKinG
oR RatHeR, tHey used to Be WoRKaHolics.
HaVinG sPent some time aWay FRom tHe
sPotliGHt, Hayley, JeRemy anD tayloR HaVe
Been tRyinG out some neW tHinGs…
BRanD neW Pies;
or, Hayley learnt to cook:
“i’ve been putting it off for years,
but i didn’t have any excuse not to
do it during our time off. as it turns out,
i’m pretty good! i’m someone who likes
spending time alone, so it’s pretty much
perfect. Plus, it’s great for relaxing. i’m
really bad at doing that – i don’t go on
vacations or anything – so getting in
the kitchen has been really good
for me.”
cRusHcRusH
cRusHmaRRiaGe;
or, Jeremy got married: “my
girlfriend and i have been together
for a pretty long time now and it was so
awesome to be able to take the time to
commit to each other, and actually spend
some normal time together as man and
wife. it may sound silly but having the
time to do that, and to just be normal
and doing regular, everyday things
was amazing.”
metH Business;
or, Taylor got addicted to TV
show Breaking Bad: “my
girlfriend and i have actually been
over to Hayley’s place a few times for
what we call Breaking Bad sunday.
it’s pretty sweet, but it’d be even better
if Hayley would actually cook for us
like she’s always promising. it’s
always, ‘oh, i think there might be
some potato chips in the pantry’.
so many broken promises...”
rocksound.tv [65]

AFTER
TWO YEARs
THAT
ALMOST
BROKE
THEM,
BULLET
FOR MY
VALENTINE
ARE LOOKING
TO JOIN
THE GREATS
WITH ‘TEMPER
TEMPER’,
AND THEY’RE
not LETTING
ANYTHING
STAND IN
THEIR WAY…
[66] rocksound.tv

Sometimes, the finest records
come from the very edge of
collapse. Sharper, fresher and
more urgent than anything since
debut album ‘The Poison’, Bullet
For My Valentine’s fourth album ‘Temper
Temper’ might just send them into the
rock stratosphere, but its dark overtones
speak of a period that brought them
to their knees. Leaving them jaded and
homesick, their time supporting 2010’s
‘Fever’ forced them to consider whether
the life of a professional band was worth
the sacrifice, and for one member at
least, there seemed little future.
“I got to a point in touring ‘Fever’ where
I doubted whether the band would carry
on at all,” relates drummer and founding
member Michael ‘Moose’ Thomas, as
we catch up at Sony’s London offices.
“For a while I didn’t want to be in the
band – I didn’t want anything to do with
drums. I couldn’t even put on a CD or
anything. It all got to me, the grind and
the repetition of it all, and dragged me
through the dumps.”
“Moose took it hardest,” nods frontman
Matt Tuck, “but we were all struggling
in our own way. When we were on the
road we’d pretty much disappear into
ourselves and hide in the corners of
dressing rooms.
We literally weren’t talking, straight up. It
got to the stage that we were just doing
our own thing, we couldn’t be bothered
with any of the band shit.”
“You can get lost in a world of stress, and
that definitely happened to me off the
back of ‘Fever’, bassist Jay James chips
in. “I was drinking a lot on the road, not
talking to people. I think we all learnt
a lot about ourselves and about this
band from that album. For me, I had to
quit everything for eight or something
months to get through it.”
Their experiences in 2010 and ’11 forced
Bullet to remind themselves why they
loved playing this music in the first place,
“WE’RE STILL SITTING AT THE TOP OF OUR
TREE. NO ONE’S REALLY CHALLENGING US.”
MatT Tuck
and to put some serious thought into
striking a balance between the demands
of the road and that of being a real part
of their kids’ and partners’ lives.
“It wasn’t so difficult to deal with it all in
the early days of us being a professional
band,” Matt reflects. “We were so excited
that we didn’t really care, we went along
for the ride. As we’ve gotten older and
a bit more successful we’ve matured as
people – three of us have kids – it totally
tilts your priorities, against your passions.
It’s a tough one to deal with in a way. We
want to spend time with our kids and
families, but at the same time we love
what we do in this band, and for that we
need to get on the road.
WORDS: Rob Sayce
PHOTOS: Al Overdrive
DOMINATION
rocksound.tv [67]

It’s this constant struggle, this tug of war between
sacrificing our home lives and doing what we love. It’s
lonely out there on the road, and at the end of the day
that got to us.”
TAKING A STEP BACK to reassess their priorities
has evidently given Bullet a new lease of life. ‘Temper
Temper’ might reflect the bitterness of their “long
dark tunnel”, but it’s also the sound of a band utterly
in charge of their own destiny, and with a renewed
fire in their bellies. As far as they’re concerned it’s the
start of a new chapter, and they’re determined not to
repeat past mistakes. Moose explains how he found
inspiration in an unexpected place.
“Talking to my mum about the problems in the band
was the biggest turning point for me,” he explains. “She
took the little issues and scaled it all up for me, helped
me see the bigger picture. If I’d have left and seen
someone else replace me in the band I started with my
friends over a decade ago, it would have killed me.”
“If we’d given Moose an ultimatum, I don’t think
he’d have walked,” adds Matt. “It was about getting
perspective, which we’ve found again. If we had a bad
show off the back of ‘Fever’, it felt like the end of the
world; we were done. Now we know it’s about the
vibe, we’re better able to deal with the shit.”
That rediscovered ambition and confidence is reflected
in the dark but defiant and brilliantly polished ‘Temper
Temper.’ Describing the writing process as “total
freedom” they’ve emerged with a set tailored as much
for Radio 1 as it is for Download Festival. They’ve never
made any qualms about shooting for the stars, and this
time they’re ready to go all out.
“I DIDN’T WANT TO BE IN THE BAND.
I DIDN’T WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH DRUMS.”
Michael ‘MoOse’ Thomas
[68] rocksound.tv

“There’s nothing wrong with having your
niche of cult followers,” laughs Matt, “but
we’ve always wanted to play with the big
boys. This record has a style that should
appeal to people who aren’t even into
hard rock and metal, we’ve got something
for everyone. We don’t give a fuck about
being anything apart from us. If people
think we’re a gateway band, fine.”
“We still get shit from the old school metal
fans,” Moose comments, “and it pisses me
off. People have chanted ‘your 40 minutes
of fame are over’ at us, even after we’ve
sold hundreds of thousands of records all
over the world. Well, fuck them, I don’t care
anymore. We’re not doing this for them and
their ‘true metal’ shit. This is for us.”
IT’S FIGHTING TALK – but the big
question is, how far can ‘Temper Temper’
take Bullet? Fixtures at the top end of the
summer festival circuit and comfortable in
the arenas, they’re already a huge deal all
over the planet (see sidebar), but are they
ready to take the leap to bona fide festival
headliners? Matt is quietly assured.
“We’ve only just hit 30, so we’re not going
anywhere anytime soon,” he notes. We
know where we could get to in the next
couple of years – if big offers come in, we’ll
snatch ‘em.
TOP BILLING
WiTH BulleT lOOking TO make
THe STeP uP TO THe TOP TieR,
We Take a lOOk aT five OTHeR
POTenTial fuTuRe feSTival
HeaDlineRS...
Avenged Sevenfold
of all the heavyweight contenders,
A7X might be the heaviest hitters.
As anyone who caught them at
download 2011 will attest, it’s
a question of when, not if.
30 SecondS To MArS
love them or loathe them, Jared
leto and co. inspire more devotion
in their fans than almost anyone
else, and they never fail to put on
a spectacle.
SkrilleX
PArAMore
Sonny Moore looks unstoppable
at present, and his crossover
juggernaut seems bound for top
billing in the near future. Set
phasers to ‘wob’...
With their fourth record set to
drop in April and last year’s
reading triumph still fresh in
our minds, a festival headline
slot looks to be inevitable.
Bring Me The horizon
look at how far ‘There is A
hell...’ has brought BMTh. now
think how big ‘Sempiternal’ could
get. Then consider the record after
that… See where we’re going?
The best is yet to come, for sure. We’re not in the
league of bands like Foo Fighters and Metallica
yet, we still have work to do, but the only way to
learn is to take those opportunities. I don’t think
anything’s daunting anymore, it’s just a matter of
whether the time’s right. It’s definitely coming –
we’ve earned our way up there, we’re getting really
fucking good.
“We went through that infancy, the massive debut
record and difficult second record. Then there was
the comeback... now we’ve beaten it again. We’re
definitely on the right path.”
“We’re in the right frame of mind to do those
things now,” smiles Moose. “Soon we’ll be topping
the festivals, and that’s my finger up at the people
who’ve dismissed us.”
“Four or five years ago we were the buzz band,” Matt
concludes, “and we’re still sitting at the very top
of our tree. No one’s really challenging us, either –
we’re just chasing the tails of the greats now. We’re
itching to get in their shoes, and we’ll gladly do what
we need to until that happens. There will come a day
when Maiden and Metallica won’t be topping bills
anymore, and while that’s a sad thing for rock music,
there has to be a next generation waiting in line.
We’re definitely sitting at the top of that pile, waiting
to do it. In 15 years, I genuinely believe we’ll be right
at the top.”
'Temper Temper' is out now on Sony.
Bullet hit the road next month; see the
gig guide for dates.
ROCkin’ in
THe fRee WORlD
Bullet for My valentine are proud to fly
the flag for British rock on the international
scene, and as Matt Tuck relates, they’re setting
their sights far and wide…
“We went down to South Africa for the first
time in 2012 and headlined a festival,” he recalls,
“which was incredible. We fucking killed it, to be
honest. That’s something we’re really passionate
about; playing new places and taking every
opportunity that comes our way. if an offer
comes in and it’s possible for us to do it,
we’ll do it, wherever it is.”
For more on Bullet For
My Valentine head over to
www.rocksound.tv!
rocksound.tv [69]

WORDS: Amy Bangs / PHOTOS: Kevin Estrada
Show us a person who says they don't need need an
escape from the confines of their daily life and we’ll
show you a liar. For some, loud guitars and sweaty
rock shows provide that release, but for Set It Off
vocalist Cody Carson that release is squarely set
within the big screen.
“There’s a scene in The Dark Knight when The
Joker first comes in and talks to a mob of men,”
he explains. “It’s the first time the mob see him
– they’re all dressed to the nines and they look
like typical gangsters. Then, [in] comes this
crazy guy wearing clown face paint and his
own custom-made suit, but he puts them all
in the palm of his hand immediately, because
they know that he’s totally unstable and he’ll
do anything.” Fans of the band will already
recognise a few similarities between this
scene and Cody’s onstage persona, with the
Tampa, Florida five-piece notoriously winning
over US crowds with their theatrical live show.
For the 24-year-old, though, it’s more than
just an alter ego.
“Every time [The Joker] came on screen,
I immediately felt something. It’s not like I
thought ‘I’m going to do this too’, but the role
had that effect [so] that whenever I go onstage
I switch it on, and everything I do offstage is
not me anymore. Everything I don’t deal with
in the real world, I deal with onstage, and I
fight it out as this amplified version of me.”
It’s a pretty dramatic approach, given that
the band – also comprising Dan Clermont
(guitar / vocals), Zach DeWall (guitar),
Austin Kerr (bass) and Maxx Danziger
(drums) – have such a clear-cut identity
after only forming in ’08. But that sense of
theatrics has only seen Set It Off’s career
gather speed since the release of their ’11
EP ‘Horrible Kids’, and actually underpins
the very foundations of what they are, too.
[70] rocksound.tv
Already winning over US fans in their
droves, Set It Off’s orchestral pop punk
is about to explode onto our scene…

“I don’t care that people know
what I’ve been through.”
Cody Carson
rocksound.tv [71]

Being an outsider is something most people can relate to,
but Carson’s particular experience is also what sets his band
apart sonically. Having initially played in high school marching
bands (meeting Dan along the way), Cody later moved on to
the prestigious Oberlin Conservatory Of Music in Ohio to study
as a classical clarinet player. However, he quickly realised he
wasn’t exactly like his peers.
“I was showing up to the orchestra room and all of the people
around me were dressed very nicely, with clean cut hair that’s
all the same colour,” he recalls, “and there’s me wearing My
Chemical Romance and Fall Out Boy T-shirts and bleached hair
to play Mozart, Beethoven and Tchaikovsky.”
After dropping out to work solely on Set It Off, Cody’s classical
nous actually gave his band an edge in a bustling pop-punk
scene. As well as sharpening his technical skills, it’s also
lent him a meticulous way of writing and perfecting songs,
culminating in coining their very own genre in their selfdescribed
“orchestral pop-punk”.
“If there’s ever somebody that’s involved in classical music they
kind of have to be over-analytical and beat themselves over the
head with it,” Cody says of the band’s songwriting process. “But
it’s actually made the writing more enjoyable; I love writing the
strings for these parts.”
after carefully layering their riffs and melodies
around intricate string parts (a musical combination that Cody
describes as My Chemical Romance meets Beethoven), it
was time for that release, and the frontman had no shortage
of lyrical inspiration, having spent years publishing covers and
original songs through his YouTube channel.
“I used to have problems when I was in middle school because
I didn’t know how to deal with things; I didn’t know how to talk
about things,” Cody reveals. “I was a kid [who] was bullied growing
up – I know what it’s like to be abandoned by your friends.”
Orchestra
of Wolves APOCALYPTICA
Having started life
Set It Off aren’t the Only
band tO brIng the wOrldS
Of claSSIcal and rOck
clOSer tOgether. here are
three Other OrcheStrallOvIng
traIlblazerS…
[72] rocksound.tv
as little more than a
cello-toting Metallica
cover band, the Finnish
quartet now stand
as a multi-million
selling behemoth who count the likes
of Corey Taylor and Cristina Scabbia as
collaborators. Suit you, sirs!
Eventually, though, there was something about the neatness
and complexity of classical music coupled with a candid,
personal lyrical approach that really allowed Cody to purge his
demons. With current album ‘Cinematics’ that identity is set in
stone, and more emotionally charged than ever.
“When we were working on ‘Cinematics’ there were so many
things going on in my head that I didn’t want to talk about,” the
vocalist says. “As I’ve grown up I’ve gotten sick of writing about
girls, so I thought, ‘What else have I been through that I want
to lay out there for the world to see?’ and I realised that I don’t
really have any shame! I don’t care that people know what I’ve
been through – I’m human just like anybody else.”
that aBility Both to provide a point of relation
(“Everything you’ve been through, someone else has gone
through before you,” Cody reasons), and a legitimate escape
for fans is what’s made them such a live force on the American
club circuit. Having the guts to really transition into a theatrical
band, the end result totally one-ups their peers who are too cool
to put on a show.
Before their string of UK dates supporting Yellowcard this
month, the band spent some time laying down the beginnings
of their next chapter, and while he’s ultimately still writing along
the same lines, Cody’s taking the drama to the next level this
time around.
“In one song, I tell a story,” the singer explains. “It’s a unique
thing for us – and you never know, that might turn in to a
concept album – but I never know what I’m going to do until I’m
in the studio. If I do tell a story, I’ll make it sure it’s something
people can relate to. I’m incredibly proud of ‘Cinematics’, but
I’m really excited to see how people take to these new songs.”
Whatever happens, you can guarantee they’ll put on a show like
you’ve never seen before.
‘cinematics’ is out now on equal vision. set it off are
supporting yellowcard on their uK dates now. the band also
headline a special rock sound deezer session at the london
garage on March 03; see the gig guide for details.
YELLOWCARD
With more than 15
years of pop-punk
service to their name,
the Florida mob’s
violin-infused melodies
have divided opinion
like few others. Still, they’re bringing Set
It Off to our shores for the first time. We
like that.
ELLIOT MINOR
Arguably the loosest
example of pop rock
in quite some time,
the Yorkshire lads
enjoyed moderate but
ultimately short-lived
success with their ’08 debut. Must’ve
been that tour with McFly…

THE
WORDS: Alex Gosman
PHOTOS: Al Overdrive
ILLUSTRATION: Si Mitchell
FORMULA
TO SUCCESS
WiTH A TOp 40
dEbUT ALbUM UndER
THEiR bELTS, MALLORy
KnOx MiGHT WELL bE
On THE vERGE OF
SOMETHinG
SpECiAL.
GOGGLES,
pEOpLE!
[74] rocksound.tv

You’d think that with plaudits flooding in for
their debut album ‘Signals’, plenty of national
radio airplay and a sold-out London Garage
show under their belts, Mallory Knox would be
on the brink of collectively bursting with joy.
Alas, it seems that there is trouble afoot in the
Cambridgeshire quintet’s camp…
“Dave [Rawling, drums] and I have recently quit smoking,” grins
guitarist James Gillett. “One person giving it up is bad enough,
but with both of us trying to do it at the same time, we often end
up arguing with hilarious consequences. Dave’s the jester of the
band; he keeps everyone in high spirits unless he himself isn’t in
high spirits – then all bets are off!”
“We’Re gOINg TO PUSH THIS
bAND AS HARD AS We cAN.”
Sam Douglas
STILL, DeSPITe THe PAINS of getting the nicotine monkey
off their backs, Mallory Knox are a relentlessly upbeat and goodnatured
bunch – effectively a bunch of mates who decided to form
a band together. They’re deservedly proud of the aforementioned
‘Signals’; a startlingly confident collection of punchy, addictive
pop rock anthems that recently received a 9/10 review in this very
publication. It’s been a year in the making, and a busy year at that.
“This is only our second release, after [2011 EP] ‘Pilot’,” explains
bassist Sam Douglas, “and we didn’t realise that we’d almost be
living in a studio for so long! We were happy with the songs we’d
written, and we thought 2012 could be our breakthrough year,
but instead we spent it gradually building ourselves a following.
I think it’s better that it happened that way.”
“We’d all just quit our day jobs to focus on the band full-time,
which was a relief,” adds Dave. “Don’t get me wrong – we wouldn’t
have got this far without working to support the band, but I was
getting tired of having to beg for extra time off to go on tour.”
It wasn’t long after the band’s inception that vocalist Mikey
Chapman, initially sceptical of getting involved after the demise
of his previous band, sensed that Mallory Knox were onto
something special.
“Dave, Sam and Joe [Savins, guitar] invited me and James
along to their practice session, and even though Mallory Knox
had only existed for about two months at that time, there was
this amazing chemistry between us. Everyone was on the same
page; we were all there for the right reasons and we were all as
competent as we could be at the time. We’d all played in local
bands before, but this was different from the start.
“We’ve been very blessed as a band. On a personal level, it was
a bit difficult getting used to the lifestyle that most new bands
have to deal with – sleeping on sofas, staying with your parents,
having to borrow money from time to time, that kind of thing! It
can be a bit depressing at times, after having previously worked
a nine-to-five job, and being used to having spare cash to do
what you want. But the rewards of being in this band are such
that we’re happy to make those kinds of sacrifices.”
As luck would have it, these sacrifices appear to be paying off.
Two of their recent singles, ‘Beggars’ and ‘Lighthouse’, were
heartily endorsed by Radio 1 DJs Zane Lowe and Dan P Carter,
while lead single ‘Wake Up’ claimed the station’s coveted
Single Of The Week spot – something that took the whole band
by surprise, especially James.
“The first time I remember hearing our band on the radio was
during the Radio 1 Rock Show. I was sitting on my bed, in my
underpants, eating Coco Pops, and I sort of spazzed out a bit – I’m
pretty sure I spilled some of my breakfast! We’d been told it was
going to happen, but we didn’t truly believe it until it was played.”
“When I know that we’re going to get radio play, I’m usually
all over social networking sites telling people to listen in,”
adds Mikey, “but it still throws me when I hear our songs
unexpectedly – like when I’m driving around listening to the
radio, and the DJ says ‘Mallory Knox are up next.’ I’m always
like, ‘What the fuck?!’.
WITH A TOUR ALONgSIDe fRIeNDS and fellow British
rising stars Don Broco currently drawing to a close, the band are
sure to hit the festival circuit hard later this year. Beyond that,
however, they’re reluctant to predict what 2013 might hold for
them, but are clearly itching to give it their best shot.
“I’d love to see us increase our profile even more,” admits Sam.
“We’ve got plenty of faith in ourselves and in the album to do
well, and we’re just going to push it as hard as we can. Now
that ‘Signals’ is out, we’ll see how well it does, and take it from
there. It seems like British rock is really on the rise again, and
we’d love to follow in the footsteps of bands like Deaf Havana
and Twin Atlantic – bands that we look up to and that are
getting mainstream exposure.”
One thing is for sure; if their current form is any indication,
you’ll be hearing plenty more from Mallory Knox this year.
‘Signals’ is out now via A Wolf At Your Door.
THEy ARE SCiEnTiSTS
So what exactly
is the secret
ingredient to being
in a successful band?
We bent the ears of
those in the lab coats
to find out…
Joe: “Hard work,
dedication and
belief.”
Dave: “Oh…just
crackin’ on with it, I
guess!”
Sam: “Surrounding
yourself with people
who you trust and
who believe in what
you’re doing.”
James: “Having thick,
chunky guitar tones.”
Mikey: “Having a
ginger frontman!”
rocksound.tv [75]

“WE WANT TO BE A BAND
THAT STARTS THE WAVE.”
Devin Oliver
[76] rocksound.tv

Intent on stamping
their own print on the
electronic metal scene,
I SEE STARS
have made their mark
Stateside, and now
they’re gunning for
the rest of us….
words: Max Barrett
STAR QUALITY
I See Stars are no
slouches when it comes to calling in
a favour or two. Here are some
associates you might already be
familiar with…
It wasn’t so long ago that I See Stars – who hail
from the fairly inconspicuous surroundings of
Warren, Michigan – were begging their parents
to let them play a show in the neighbouring
state of Ohio. At that time, the answer
was a non-negotiable ‘no’. Fast-forward to the
present and those same upstarts have played
to a tonne of audiences in a host of different countries,
engaging with a strong and ever-growing fan
base along the way. What began as six kids drawn
together through family ties, school friendships and
a shared love for music, has evolved into a real band.
And now, they’re targetting the world.
“We never want to be a band that rides the wave –
we want to be a band that starts the wave,” states
vocalist Devin Oliver. “I like to think that we are just
one of the bands that helped pioneer this new age
hardcore sound into the scene.”
A well-rehearsed statement maybe, but I See Stars
stand by their mantra. Having spent January of this
year working on the follow up to 2012’s
‘[digital_renegade]’, they aren’t about to disown
their roots. Blending their staple of dirty electro
beats with an increasingly aggressive hardcore
barrage and a collaboration or two, ISS are going
with the feeling in their stomachs, which hasn’t
failed them yet. With three full-lengths under their
belts and a littering of drawing pins stuck in
the globe, the sextet won’t be resting on their
laurels, despite consistently raising the bar and
clearing it comfortably.
“We look forward to the things that constantly
make our jaws drop,” says the frontman.
“Playing Soundwave in ‘11 had that impact of
realisation on all of us of how serious this is,
and just how insane it was that our little idea
of starting a band was becoming our career.”
A prime exAmple in the wAys
of the 21st Century music industry machine,
Oliver and the rest of his band (completed by
brother and drummer Andrew Oliver, guitarists
Brent Allen and Jimmy Gregerson, bassist
Jeff Valentine and keyboardist / vocalist Zach
Johnson) owe much of their success to the power
of the World Wide Web. Having engaged with
and ultimately generated a loyal following that’s
seen them clock up well over 300,000 Facebook
likes and a cool 60,000 Twitter followers (“70 per
cent of it is because people actually like our music,”
quips Oliver), ‘[digital_renegade]’ crashed into
the US charts at Number 45 upon its release less
than 12 months ago – a jump of 99 places compared
to its ’11 predecessor ‘The End Of The World Party’.
Such a huge and undeniably respectable jump in
numbers serves as proof that, ultimately, ISS are a
prime example of how to ride the virtual wave.
“It’s one of the biggest reasons we are where we are
today,” admits the frontman, “and as much as I hate
it, it’s the truth.”
Not only has their online presence allowed hundreds
of thousands to share and promote their
brand of electronic-infused hardcore on a global
scale, it’s allowed the vocalist and his cohorts to
connect with their fans on a deeply personal level.
DANNY WORSNOP
Featured on the
track ‘Endless Sky’,
taken from last year’s
‘[digital_renegade]’,
D-SNOP (as we like
to call him) certainly
isn’t opposed to
lending a hand when it comes to
cameos. The greedy swine…
CASSADEE POPE
Formerly of pop rock
upstarts Hey Monday,
the female vocalist
was recently crowned
winner of the
US version of
X Factor rival The
Voice. Personally, we prefer her when
she’s lending her pipes to the likes of
‘Electric Forest’.
“We are all original members and it’s
allowed our fans to grow to love everybody
as individuals,” he proudly states.
“They like us, they know our story and it
has never changed.”
There was, however, one night last
November that really tested the relationship
between the two. Even if you have
never heard a note of I See Stars’ music,
you probably know them as the band
that Ronnie Radke infamously kicked
off Falling In Reverse’s US headline tour,
sparking one of the year’s biggest online
talking points. Maintaining his dignity
(“The story is out there if people want to
read it,” he offers), the singer insists that
the fans were always at the forefront of
his thoughts. So, when Asking Alexandria
invited them to join their own Stateside
trek within hours of their departure,
enabling them to play to many of the
people who previously been denied the
opportunity, the group were quick to bite
their new hosts’ hands off.
“[Situations like that are] why I always
say that things happen for a reason,”
smiles Oliver. “It was a good thing for us.”
respects pAid Across the pond,
I See Stars now have the UK fan base
firmly on their radar. Recalling their first
UK visit as part of last year’s Slam Dunk
line-up, Oliver confirms that the band
were given a reason to return that day.
“We had no idea that we had such a
big following over there until that day,”
chuckles the vocalist. “It doesn’t even
make sense to us. I guess it just shows
that kids can go online and find out all
about a band that has never played
there before.”
Dates are still to be confirmed for this
year’s road trip, but the frontman has
promised it will happen, and soon at
that. And though I See Stars aren’t
world-beaters just yet, what they are
is stable, and that’s the weapon that
they believe will see them negotiate the
storm of an ever-shifting trend better
than most.
“My band has stability,” Oliver insists.
“We’re not just a band, we’re a family,
and that fact really shows our fans that
whether we’re on the rise or not, we will
at least be there, giving it everything
we’ve got.”
Watch this space…
‘[digital_renegade]’ is out now on
Sumerian. The band will return to
the UK this spring; keep an eye on
www.rocksound.tv for details.
FRANKIE PALMERI
Although it’s still
early days in terms
of writing, ISS’ fourth
album is set to feature
the Emmure frontman
on a song described
simply as being
“heavier”, and we’re inclined to believe
such a description. MOSH!
rocksound.tv [77]

IllustratIon: Stephen Kelly
[78] rocksound.tv
LISTEN NOW ON DEEZER.COM

REVIEWS
Edited by Andy Ritchie
KILLSWITCH
ENGAGE [8]
‘DIsarM tHE DEsCEnt’(ROADRUNNER)
In terms of the heavy metal headlines, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a bigger
story while sifting through the ashes of 2012 than the one concerning Jesse
Leach and Killswitch Engage. Almost a full decade on from his sudden departure
– an event that occurred almost immediately following the release of the band’s
ground breaking second album ‘Alive Or Just Breathing’ – the news that Leach
was returning to the fold in place of his long-term replacement Howard Jones
last February was the cause of both intrigue and excitement. More than 12
months on from that most unexpected of announcements, the opportunity to
sample the fruits born from the mother of all about-turns has arrived in the form
of ‘Disarm The Descent’ – the band’s first new offering in almost four years.
Although it’s certain that most eyes and ears will be fixed firmly on the changes
up front, to focus solely on the situation would be to do ‘Disarm...’ a grave
injustice. For while there may be more obvious talking points, those willing to
look a little closer will discover an album that’s both fresh and vibrant, bringing
an end to a four-year wait for new material in occasionally glorious fashion.
Perhaps understandably given such a lengthy period of inactivity, there’s an
urgency to many of the tracks present that reveals itself from the off, as opener
‘The Hell In Me’ roars into life in a hail of blast beats and guttural screams. It’s
a flamethrower of an introduction, and in terms of energy there are very few
moments to be found where things drop too far below the red zone. ‘All That
We Have’ sees the quintet once again at their thrashing, pacey best with yet
more blast beats and a hulking groove that was once their signature, while the
chainsaw guitars and frantic rhythms of ‘The Call’ are tailor-made to ignite the
biggest circle pits from the biggest of stages.
It’s a real shot in the arm, and there are moments present throughout when it
becomes clear that while it may be somewhat noble to attempt to dance around
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the issue, the reintroduction of Leach has played a vital role in ways that
go beyond a mere microphone. Though his replacement / predecessor
remains a more than capable vocalist – arguably one of the best in metal
– there were times on previous Killswitch albums when choruses would
be delivered with so much gusto that it was akin to being bollocked in
sweet nothings, making Leach’s more subtle delivery a welcome change.
Be it the slow, sombre ‘Always’ that sees the band changing from fifth
gear down to second or Leach’s own ability to deliver a catchy, anthemic
chorus at pace (as witnessed on the bouncing ‘In Due Time’ and the
galloping ‘A Tribute To The Fallen’), the simple fact is that with the vocal-
“Killswitch EngagE oncE
again sound liKE thE
rightful Kings of a
modErn mEtal scEnE
thEy almost singlEhandEdly
crEatEd.”
ist’s return, Killswitch Engage once again sound not only rejuvenated and
comfortable in their own skin, but also like the rightful kings of a modern
metal scene they almost single-handedly created. And although the
past several years may have seen the rise of a whole new generation of
bands itching to get their cheeks onto the throne, ‘Disarm The Descent’
serves as a reminder to those in line that they’re going to have to wait at
least a little bit longer.
FOR FANS OF: As I Lay Dying, Trivium, rekindling old friendships
RYAN BIRD
rocksound.tv [79]

DEGREES
of john
fElDmann
John Feldmann: Goldfinger frontman,
king knob-twiddler and the Kevin Bacon
of rock. This month, we find out how he’s
connected to last year’s Rock Sound Riot
headliners Billy Talent…
BILLY TALENT
One of our favourite bands and yours, the
lads are set to top Belgium’s Groezrock
Festival in April, alongside…
RISE AGAINST
One of punk rock’s most reliable bands,
they’re yet to put out a dud record. And
they’ve even seen themselves immortalised
in the videogame Guitar Hero III: Legends
Of Rock, alongside…
ThE FALL OF TROY
This lot were bloody mental, and we were
all super sadface when we found out they’d
split a few years back. However, the good
news is that TFOT frontman Thomas Erak is
now playing guitar for…
ChIODOS
With a revitalised line-up, Chiodos are
once again fronted by Michigan badman
Craig Owens, who spent his time between
2009 and 2012 fronting the excellent…
D.R.U.G.S.
And who produced the one and only
D.R.U.G.S. album ever to exist? Good old
Feldy, that’s who!
[80] rocksound.tv
“I love D.R.U.G.S.!”
AMPLIFIER [8]
‘ECHO STREET’
(KSCOPE)
Things have changed for
Amplifier since ‘The Octopus’
was released; long-time bass
player Neil Mahony has left
the fold, while Steve Durose -
formerly of Oceansize fame - has rounded the band
up to a four-piece. So what does this mean? Well,
they’re still as elaborate yet strangely accessible
as ever but the layers are thicker, darker and the
attention to detail is as intricate as it comes. Take
‘The Wheel’ for example; there’s so much going
on during the last minute or so that your head
could burst trying to separate it all out… but you’d
never realise unless you knew to expect it. You can
always identify an Amplifier record despite them
all being completely different, and though it’ll take
longer to get into, ‘Echo Street’ is another gem.
FOR FANS OF: Porcupine Tree, Anathema,
Pure Reason Revolution JEN WALKER
AS THEY BURN [6]
‘WILL, LOVE, LIFE’
(VICTORY)
These rebellious Frenchmen
strive for heaviness and
aggression in a sea of
accessibility but, in doing
so, fall into the trap of
becoming what they hate – part of a samey
scene. Unsurprisingly for music with such a
reactive foundation, there isn’t much here
that separates them from other bands only
using the bottom two strings, but the visceral
side of the onslaught is still pretty effective.
Somewhere between djent and hardcore, they
chug out palatable technicalities and, as shown
by vocalist Kevin Traoré, there’s a fire in their
collective belly. At the moment though, they’re
short of really burning bright.
FOR FANS OF: Meshuggah, Despised Icon
ANDY MCDONALD
AXIS OF [8]
‘FINDING ST KILDA’
(SMALLTOWN AMERICA)
Life can’t be easy for a fuzzdriven
sludge-pop band
from rural Northern Ireland.
Luckily though, Axis Of have
slipped through the cracks
and started to come into view of the rest of the
world. And when you hear the trio’s debut album,
it’s not hard to understand why. Frontman Ewen
Friers’ youthful recklessness is a ferocious layer
of grit over a British rock sensibility, resulting in
a charm that’s hard not to like. As ruthless as it
is introspective, ‘Finding St Kilda’ creates its own
kind of noise-pop that goes down very nicely. An
original, sterling first record.
FOR FANS OF: At The Drive-In, Biffy Clyro,
Arcane Roots GILES BIDDER
BAPTISTS [6]
‘BUSHCRAFT’
(SOUTHERN LORD)
It seems Southern Lord
has become the go-to label
for mongrel hardcore that
traipses oily footprints
across genre boundaries, be
they sludge, crust, black metal or grind. Baptists
are the latest addition, and their full-tilt racket
is serviceable enough if not quite up to the dark
brilliance of Enabler or The Secret. Much of
‘Bushcraft’ is torn between hurtling adrenaline
rushes and tangled discords, but it’s cuts
like ‘Bullets’ or ‘Soiled Roots’ that shine the
brightest – moments less reliant on wholesale
mania that struggle to contain themselves,
trying to count slowly to 10 before they buckle
and punch you hard in your smug, smiling face.
FOR FANS OF: Trap Them, Enabler, Cloud Rat,
Cowards ALEX DELLER
LISTEN NOW ON DEEZER.COM
BILLY BRAGG [7]
‘TOOTH & NAIL’
(COOKING VINYL)
While he’s known – and
occasionally written off – for
his political leanings, Billy
Bragg’s first album in five
years is strictly personal.
And while his lyrics about love and loss are
still peppered with the occasional reference to
the state of our nation, there’s plenty on offer
for fans of emotional lyrics or blues-tinged
acoustic songs. With the end product a little
more folk than punk, ‘Tooth & Nail’ might not
instantly grab the attention of his more anarchic
fans – but there’s enough character in Bragg’s
unmistakeable delivery that older punks could
easily get lost in this album.
FOR FANS OF: Elvis Costello, Bob Dylan,
Frank Turner AMY BANGS
BLEED FROM WITHIN [8]
‘UPRISING’
(CENTURY MEDIA)
These metal-minded Scots
have penned something of
a monster. ‘Uprising’, Bleed
From Within’s third album, is
far more dynamic than the
deathcore mirroring of their ’09 and ’10 efforts.
Beastly record-kicker ‘Colony’ heaves earpleasing
life into a thrashcore frame, packing in
everything from anthemic heaviness to metallic
melody – and gang vocals everywhere else.
And that’s echoed (a little too much) throughout
the following 11 tracks. Rhythmically creative,
groove-laden, lead-focused metal, ‘Uprising’
easily stands up to the output of Bleed From
Within’s longer established peers. If Lamb Of
God had formed in Gothenburg, this could have
been the result. Impressive.
FOR FANS OF: The Haunted, The Black Dahlia
Murder, Lamb Of God RIChARD CARTEY
BODUF SONGS [6]
‘BURNT UP ON RE-ENTRY’
(SOUTHERN)
Mat Sweet’s quietly
understated doomy
acoustics have been
slipping under the radar for
a few years now, but this
shift towards a more widescreen production
should garner him more attention. Sweet’s
stripped-down but bloody folk tales now come
embellished with bursts of fuzzed guitars and
crackly electronics, not a million miles from
Gravenhurst’s barbed melodics or Trent Reznor’s
more reflective moments, particularly on the
bittersweet ‘Everyone Will Let You Down In
The End’ and the brooding, organ-driven ‘Song
To Keep Me Still’. Sadly the spiky Wire-ish
‘Whither Thou Goest, Cretin’ doesn’t quite
match up to its splendid title though.
FOR FANS OF: Nine Inch Nails, Notwist,
Gravenhurst NEIL GARDNER
BUCKCHERRY [7]
‘CONFESSIONS’
(ELEVEN SEVEN)
Look past Buckcherry’s
novelty anthems and you’ll
find a quality rock ‘n’ roll
band, and on latest album
‘Confessions’ they aren’t
afraid to bare their souls. The LA mob take a
surprisingly successful foray into the world
of concept records here, with frontman Josh
Todd recounting the travails of his early life
in typically forthright fashion. Songs like
‘Wrath’ and ‘Water’ pack a punch, but one
that’s offset by a semi-sugary, arena rock
edge that lodges them in a listener’s mind
and refuses to quit. This record might not
change your life, but it’ll definitely show you
a good time. Sometimes, that’s enough.
FOR FANS OF: Black Stone Cherry, Shinedown,
Velvet Revolver ROB SAYCE
CLUTCH [8]
‘EARTH ROCKER’
(WEATHERMAKER MUSIC)
Many a band have
stagnated by Album Number
10. Not Clutch. Not yet:
20-odd years hasn’t dulled
them a bit. Instead they’ve
solidified, concentrating down their essence of
bluesy, oddball rock into ‘Earth Rocker’: a deeply
satisfying and perfectly contained 45 minutes
that suckerpunches with a succession of dirty,
head nodding riffs and never outstays its
welcome. Harmonica-aided 12-bar (‘D.C. Sound
Attack’), shuffling post-rock (‘Book, Saddle &
Go’) and touches of hardcore (‘Unto The Beach’)
all put in an appearance in the company of the
big, meaty rock ’n’ roll riffs that are definitively
Clutch. Welcome back.
FOR FANS OF: Down, Motörhead, Faith No
More, Black Sabbath MARC BURROWS
“If BRItISh Rock’S SEt foR anothER BumpER yEaR,
thEn coaStlInE aRE moRE than REaDy to takE
thEIR placE In thE fRontlInE.”
COASTLINE [8]
‘TAKEN UNDER’
(SELF-RELEASE)
Embracing the muchmaligned
emo tag, Kent’s
Coastline serve up rock
with heart and passion
on their debut release
‘Taken Under’. Gently melodic and tightlycrafted,
these six tracks are set to slow burn,
but reward patient listeners with soaring
emotional peaks and the odd widescreen
chorus. Tugging at the heartstrings, cuts like
‘Chapters’ are reflective rather than morose
and should connect with the struggling,
confused twenty-something in everyone,
their melancholic edge subtle rather than
overbearing. If British rock’s set for another
bumper year then, judging by this, Coastline
are more than ready to take their place in
the frontline.
FOR FANS OF: Jimmy Eat World,
The Get Up Kids, Spycatcher ROB SAYCE

“‘all haIl BRIGht futuRES’ ultImatEly EmERGES
aS an alBum of ExtRaoRDInaRy hEaRt.”
AND SO I WATCH YOU FROM AFAR [8]
‘ALL HAIL BRIGHT FUTURES’ (SARGENT HOUSE)
Having risen to the top of the instrumental post-rock
heap with formidable second album ‘Gangs’ back in ’11,
‘All Hail Bright Futures’ finds Belfast-based behemoths
And So I Watch You From Afar steadfastly refusing
to rest on their laurels. Gleefully experimenting with
everything from hypnotically-chanted vocal refrains to
calypso-style steel drums, ASIWYFA masterfully weave
an intriguing variety of fleeting sonic adventures into
their well-established sound; an intricate combination
of shimmering beauty and outright aggression that
seeks to bludgeon as much as beguile. Admittedly,
the majority of the album does evidence an increasing
tendency towards the latter, and as such there
are moments here where a touch more breakneck
ENDLESS UPDATES = SAD SLOMO
A while back, Slomo had his laptop
stolen from a pub near our office.
This made him sad. So we all
chipped in and bought him a new
computer. This made him happy. Unfortunately,
it came with Windows
8 which has to download updates
every 16 seconds, thus making
Slomo sad again. Ungrateful shit.
SLOMO: DARTS KING OF ThE
NORTh
We recently got a dartboard sent
to the Rock Sound office (thanks,
Sonic Boom Six!). Since then, our
productivity has decreased by
approximately one billion per cent.
And Slomo has managed zero live
events. SOMEONE COME TAKE
THE DAMN THING AWAY.
fury wouldn’t go amiss. Nevertheless, by way of
compensation ‘All Hail...’’s greatest anomalies are
among its most striking inclusions, the onomatopoeic
‘Ka Ba Ta Bo Da Ka’ being a case in point; with the
band’s collective vocals forming a kind of harmonic
percussion, this might be the only ASIWYFA track to
date that would actually sound better a cappella. For all
its wilful invention and dazzling musicianship, however,
‘All Hail Bright Futures’ ultimately emerges as an album
of extraordinary heart; steeped in emotional resonance
and fuelled by an utterly insatiable lust for life.
FOR FANS OF: 65daysofstatic, Torche, Biffy Clyro
PETE WIThERS
And So We WAtch Slomo From AFAr
Our Live Events Manager Iain ‘Slomo’ Scott is a fascinating character.
So, to give you a bit of insight into his life, we decided to, uhm, watch him from afar. This is not weird at all. Promise.
ThE DAILY SOUP CONUNDRUM
Slomo’s from Sheffield, and therefore
hard as nails. But how does
he keep up all that hard bastard
strength? By living on a diet of
soup, of course. But for the love of
god, which one will he choose?!
(This is an actual thing that happens
every day. Every day he goes
for the same option: The Big One).
ORGANISED CUPBOARD = hAPPY
SLOMO
Slomo has battled OCD all his life,
and nothing makes him fill with
rage more than a messy cupboard.
Here he is, pictured after tidying
up the office kitchen. Look at that
neat stacking system! Look how
all the cups face the same way!
LOOK AT HIS FACE!
ThE POST-POO SLOMO
The Rock Sound office toilet is a
shady place at the best of times,
not least after Slomo’s paid it
a visit. Here he is trying to get
away with doing the dirty deed
with nobody noticing. (Note: he
later declared, “That was the
smoothest poo I’ve ever had. It
just slid out.”) Right.
rocksound.tv [81]

MiPOD
MENU
Ryan Key
(yeLLOWCaRD)
THE SONG…
…I WISh I’D WRITTEN
BEN FOLDS FIVE
‘EVAPORATED’
“I think everyone can enjoy the sentiment
that a certain song had to have been written
just for them, by an artist they love. In
this case, at 18 years old and leaving home
for the first time feeling so completely lost,
‘Evaporated’ was my song. I wish I’d been
able to write it the way Ben Folds did. It
was exactly what I wanted to say.”
FIND IT: ‘Whatever And Ever Amen’
(550, ’97)
…I BOUGhT LAST
PARAMORE
‘NOW’
“I can confidently say my most anticipated
album of 2013 is the self-titled Paramore
record. I don’t have a lot of newer bands
in my regular playlist at any given time, but
I’ve always been a nerd for Paramore. The
news of the single got me excited to see
which direction the band was heading in,
and I’m still guessing as to where the rest
of the record will take me.”
FIND IT: ‘Paramore’ (Atlantic / Fueled By
Ramen, ’13)
…ThAT ChILLS ME OUT
EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY
‘YOUR HAND IN MINE’
“I am quite afraid of flying. This is a massive
occupational conflict of interest, as I
pretty much live on an airplane. Thankfully
I have EITS! This eight-and-a-half minute
opus puts my mind at ease, no matter
when I turn to it.”
FIND IT: ‘The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead
Place’ (Temporary Residence, ’03)
…ThAT MAKES ME MISS SOMEONE
FOO FIGHTERS
‘HOME’
“The first time I heard this song, I was in
my bunk on the bus. I don’t know that any
song has ever invoked the kind of emotion
in me that this one does. I miss my family,
my friends, my lost, my fiancé, all at the
same time. There is something in each
verse of this song that puts everyone you
love in the forefront of your mind.”
FIND IT: ‘Echoes, Silence, Patience &
Grace’ (RCA, ’07)
Yellowcard tour the UK this month; see
gig guide for dates.
[82] rocksound.tv
COMBICHRIST [7]
‘NO REDEMPTION’
(OUT OF LINE)
This is not so much a
new Combichrist album
as an exercise in bringing
the ultraviolent world of
videogame Devil May Cry
to vivid musical life. The official soundtrack to
the latest instalment of the perennially favourite
fuckshitup-‘em-up, ‘No Redemption’ favours the
short, sharp shock approach, ditching their usual
synthetics and replacing them with a wall of
thrashing guitars that shows Andy LaPlegua has
learned a lot more from Rammstein than merely
how to put on an awesome live show. As the aural
equivalent of war in heaven, ‘No Redemption’
succeeds magnificently, but what the Combichrist
faithful will make of it is anyone’s guess.
FOR FANS OF: Crossfaith, The.Invalid, Ministry,
Paresis GILES MOORhOUSE
DARKTHRONE [7]
‘THE UNDERGROUND RESISTANCE’
(PEACEVILLE)
Once proud purveyors
of grim and frostbitten
black metal, these days
Darkthrone are more like the
mad, cackling uncles of the
Norwegian scene, having cast off their muchimitated
classic sound in favour of a raucous,
alcohol-fuelled mishmash of dirty punk rock
and primitive ’80s metal. Muddying the waters
further, ‘The Underground Resistance’ finds the
enduring duo letting rip with some galloping
NWOBHM-inspired riffage and ripping melodic
solos. Somewhat perversely, the clunky lyrics
and occasionally off-key vocals only add to its
ramshackle charm, with epic closer ‘Leave No
Cross Unturned’ being a particular highpoint.
Here’s to growing old disgracefully.
FOR FANS OF: Celtic Frost, Venom,
Mercyful Fate MIKE KEMP
“‘maRy RoSED’ chaRGES out
thE GatE wIth aS much
poSt-haRDcoRE GRIt anD
pREcISIon aS EaGER tEEth
can muStER...”
EAGER TEETH [8]
‘EAGER TEETH’
(A WOLF AT YOUR DOOR)
Brighton: home to worldclass
beaches, bronzed
babes, year-round
sunshine (okay, not all of
that is true) and a fucking
good new band called Eager Teeth. This is
Eager Teeth’s debut album, and they’ve all
played in other bands before, but who cares?
Eager Teeth are all that matter now. ‘Mary
Rosed’ charges out the gate with as much
post-hardcore grit and precision as the quintet
can muster, and the following 12 tracks don’t
mess about either. ‘Exorcise Bike’ in particular
will kick the shit out of your face. Oh yeah, and
the whole record is loosely based on an 18th
century poem by William Blake. In summary:
this album is better than this review of it.
FOR FANS OF: Hot Water Music,
The James Cleaver Quintet OLLIE PELLING
LISTEN NOW ON DEEZER.COM
FIGHTS AND FIRES [8]
‘WE COULD ALL BE DEAD TOMORROW’
(SELF-RELEASE)
As lyrical touchstones within
melodic hardcore go, a
reference to the film Forrest
Gump is one of the more
surreal examples we’ve seen.
Still, Worcester geek rock mob Fights And Fires
make it work, transforming Forrest’s bus stop
banter into a rallying punk rock anthem in ‘If I’m
Forrest, Then You’re Jenny’. Cut ‘We Could All
Be Dead Tomorrow’ anywhere along its half-hour
running time and you’ll find a bevy of chunky
riffs, titanic hooks and fantastic songwriting:
‘Cat’s Lives’ is a glorious exercise in tension and
‘You Don’t Always Reap What You Sow’ is a
beefy two-minute face-splitter. A triumph.
FOR FANS OF: The Ghost Of A Thousand,
Crash Of Rhinos, The Computers
ChRIS ShIPMAN
FOR THE IMPERIUM [4]
‘HAIL THE MONSTERS’
(GRAPHITE)
A dizzying musical medley
of heavy metal genres past
and present inform this
sophomore effort from For
The Imperium. Sonically boxchecking
literally everything from the classic
sounds of Megadeth, to modern electronica
via ’90s industrial metal, nu metal, furious
tech-hardcore – even a dash of alternative
rock - often within the space of one song, this
is a head-fuckingly schizophrenic listening
experience. The fact ‘Hail The Monsters’ sounds
like it was recorded inside a crisp packet
doesn’t help, and while experimentation and
progression is obviously not a bad thing it
needs to be cohesive enough to appeal – not
baffle and ultimately alienate.
FOR FANS OF: Umm…pretty much everything!
ChRIS hIDDEN
FUCKSHOVEL [5]
‘THIS IS WHAT WE ARE’
(SELF-RELEASE)
It’s hard to imagine how a
band like Fuckshovel would
appeal to most people out
there in Rock Sound land.
Perhaps if your dad is a total
burnout and still throwing most of his wages
down on the horses at the bookies, you’d be
familiar with this sort of primitive proto-punk
metal soundtracking all the worst parts of your
childhood. However, for some folk this white
knuckle bar room brawl noise is the stuff of wet
dreams – which sort of person are you? Short
on new ideas and long on piss and vinegar,
Fuckshovel are raw rock for the already converted.
FOR FANS OF: Danko Jones, The Bronx,
Unsane, Rollins Band SARAh O’CONNOR
GATEWAYS [5]
‘DEPARTURES’
(HOTFOOT)
While it’s clearly from the
posi end of rasping hardcore,
this album from the Detroitbased
Gateways sits in a
confused position musically.
Combining a very syrupy sweet guitar sound
with song structures and nail-throated screaming
reminiscent of the darkest of hardcore bands,
‘Departures’’ musical contrast is at times quite
stark and distracting. The likes of ‘Retaliation’
and ‘From My Side’, though, are tempered with
soaring choruses and pop-punk -type vocals
much more befitting of the overall tone of the
music. It all makes for a bit of a mixed bag,
though, that isn’t quite one thing or the other.
FOR FANS OF: Youth Of Today, H20,
Four Year Strong ChRIS hIDDEN
HARDCORE SUPERSTAR [8]
‘C’MON TAKE ON ME’
(NUCLEAR BLAST)
Something of a missing link
between ‘80s glam metal
and its recent resuscitation,
Hardcore Superstar have,
for 15 years now, peddled
such leather-clad sleaze with poignancy and
nostalgia-laced honesty that sets them apart
from both over-the-hill old-schoolers and
modern day revivalists. More emotive than
emulative, the Swedes are, like they’ve proven
in the past, capable of comfortably stretching
the bracket of the genre to more bittersweet
extents like ‘Above The Law’, while retaining
hard rock joviality. By largely avoiding the
macho-isms of the serious Steel Panthers in
today’s scene, they humanise a cocksure genre’s
traditional excess into honest success.
FOR FANS OF: Faster Pussycat, Papa Roach,
Skid Row ANDY MCDONALD
HELL OR HIGHWATER [7]
‘BEGIN AGAIN’
(PAVEMENT ENTERTAINMENT)
Anyone expecting Brandon
Saller’s new outfit to sound
anything like Atreyu should
probably look away now.
Here, the Atreyu drummer
takes centre stage with his soaring vocal
abilities, and while ‘Begin Again’ is totally
lacking in the metalcore vibes of his dayjob,
‘Gimme Love’ and ‘Hail Mary!’ show that his
foray into the melodic radio rock market isn’t
without good intentions. There are moments
of brilliance here and crucially, the man’s
knack for a chorus is all but wasted behind
a drumkit. He might not be Dave Grohl, but
Saller’s transmogrification into a frontman is
entirely convincing.
FOR FANS OF: Atreyu, Shinedown,
Heaven’s Basement ANDY RITChIE
HOLD THE FIGHT [7]
‘WITH A BREATH & A HOPE’
(NOTHING BUT LOVE COLLECTIVE)
It could be an exciting year
for Eastbourne three-piece
Hold The Fight if this six-track
mini-album is a statement
of intent. ‘With A Breath &
A Hope’ is choc-full of catchy tunes and shapethrowing
energy, delivered in a refreshingly
original fashion. Songs like ‘How Many Times
Man…’ and ‘Face It Kid…’ cram in as many
infectious melodies, ideas and riffs as possible,
without over-complicating things at the expense
of their poppy brilliance. Throw in some ace gang
vocals and you’ve got a kind of stripped-back
early-The Fall Of Troy meets the evergreen Funeral
For A Friend. Which is a very good thing indeed.
FOR FANS OF: The Fall Of Troy, Funeral For A
Friend, Blakfish, Tubelord TIM NEWBOUND

KVELERTAK [9]
‘MEIR’ (ROADRUNNER)
With ‘Meir’, Norway’s Kvelertak have matched the
triumphs of their acclaimed debut. Which is good –
and bad. ‘Meir’, the metal-meets-punk-meets-Zeppelin
group’s second album, goes blow-for-blow with the
remarkably high benchmarks set by their eponymous
2010 release and their trademark soul-gripping rock
rises and punk plunges are abundant. Hell, the band
punch above their weight with sways into uncharted
Southern rock-type territory on ‘Evig Vandrar’, and
Enslaved-shaded prog on ‘Nekrokosmos’ which is
all to the album’s credit. Their widely, and rightly,
lauded self-titled debut was a tornado of dramatically
contrasting influences that spat out a gloriously
chaotic Converge-meets-Queen orgasm. All that is
here on ‘Meir’. But the group’s fantastic harmony-
KVELERTAK
‘KVELERTAK’
(INDIE, ‘10)
“Creating an album that
plays with both the retro
rock imprint and the
traits of extreme metal
is highly commendable.
Kvelertak’s self-titled debut, with its equal
blend of barked vocals and Zeppelin-like
riffing, is just that. The occasional black
metal taints of cold guitars and frantic
blasts aren’t presented with unnecessary
caustic intent though. Instead, they
provide contrast to the classic harmonies
of their homage.”
RICHARD CARTEY
HUMANFLY [8]
‘AWESOME SCIENCE’
(BREW)
The fourth album from
the talented Leeds postmetal
quartet sees
them delve even further
into the progressive
realm hinted at by previous release ‘Darker
Later.’ Combining intense, reverbed-to-themax
riffage and bonkers time signatures
with soaring Peter Gabriel-esque vocals,
‘Awesome Science’ is both deftly layered and
satisfyingly heavy. Album centrepiece ‘The
Armour Science’ races along at blistering
Mastodon-like pace before decelerating into
stoner territory, while the controlled menace
of ‘Frozen In Time, Billions Of Light Years
Away’ provides a suitably grandiose finale.
FOR FANS OF: Voivod, Mars Volta,
Mastodon, Neurosis NEIL GARDNER
INTER ARMA [8]
‘SKY BURIAL’
(RELAPSE)
There are some beautiful
moments peeking out of
the sludgy post-metal mire
that is Inter Arma’s ‘Sky
Burial’. Like the dreary-tojubilant
journey of ‘The Long Road Home’ for
example, made all the better by lashings of
darkness, such as the mid tempo black metal on
opener ‘The Survival Fires’. Virginia’s Inter Arma
fuel the gloom of sophomore full-length ‘Sky
Burial’ with imagination (largely scarce in their
discipline). And it’s that which pushes you on
a fascinating 67-minute multi-textured voyage
– though, there are times where genuinely
interesting movements devolve into superfluous
dirge (see ‘Westward’). Regardless, ‘Sky Burial’
is a fantastic piece of work.
FOR FANS OF: Minsk, Mastodon, Neurosis
RIChARD CARTEY
rife nods to ’70s rock occur with such frequency and
perfection, that a sense of procedure faintly dulls
the experience. Similarly, the six-piece’s black metal
influences keep a lower profile, leaving both less
variety and fewer thrills of contrast. Yet those gripes
are minor bumps in the landscape of what is ultimately
an excellent record bursting with subtle songwriting
mastery, not to mention utterly fantastic crescendos
of luring, clattering mayhem as the Norwegians’
blast-inclined side steps meet soaring metal ‘n’ roll
melodies. ‘Meir’ has less danger but a bigger, slicker
sound. Pay attention, because this is too good to miss.
FOR FANS OF: Baroness, Turbonegro, Red Fang
RIChARD CARTEY
“‘mEIR’ haS lESS DanGER But a BIGGER, SlIckER SounD.
pay attEntIon, BEcauSE thIS IS too GooD to mISS.”
KEATON HENSON [8]
‘BIRTHDAYS’
(OAK TEN)
The first half of Keaton
Henson’s ‘Birthdays’ revisits
the aching fragility first
explored on home-recorded
debut ‘Dear’ – all threadbare
guitar strings and heart-wrenchingly brittle
vocals, occasionally buoyed by an ethereal
harmony or swelling cello. Having bared his
soul, Henson proceeds to bare his teeth; ‘Don’t
Swim’ and album standout ‘Kronos’ positively
throb with the plugged-in crunch many thought
Jeff Buckley had taken with him. Rounded off
with some Iron & Wine-style North American
vastness, there may be louder releases this
year, but few will match this deeply personal
collection for heaviness of sentiment. A wistful
soundtrack to those more reflective moments.
FOR FANS OF: Jeff Buckley, Iron & Wine,
Damien Rice GARETh PIERCE
LONG DISTANCE CALLING [7]
‘THE FLOOD INSIDE’
(SUPERBALL)
As far as Münster,
Germany’s Long Distance
Calling are concerned,
bigger is most certainly
better. Not content with
opening on a vocal-free, psychedelic post-rock
freak out that veers wildly between melodic
bliss and weighty riffs with all manner of
musical reference points, they then drop an epic
curveball of a title track pitched somewhere
between Alice In Chains, Pelican and Mastodon;
if it all sounds a bit bonkers, that’s because
it is. ‘Ductus’ displays a clear love for the
proggier side of the musical spectrum, a building
undercurrent punctuated with long rolls across
the tom drums. Oh and did we mention the
references to ’80s thrash? Indulgent stuff.
FOR FANS OF: Pelican, Alice In Chains,
Red Sparowes, *shels OLI ROBERTSON
rocksound.tv [83]

Wax on, Wax off
VInyl junkIES
WAX ON, WAX OFF
ANTI-FLAG / HOSTAGE CALM
‘SPLIT’
(RUN FOR COVER / A-F)
DETAILS: Old meets new on this neat lil’
split 7-inch, with veteran political punks
Anti-Flag and newcomers Hostage
Calm doling out one new track apiece.
The B-side is etched, and while that
might mean less music to digest you
can apply salve to your conscience
knowing proceeds will be donated to
community organisations in the two
bands’ hometowns.
PRESSING: 1,500 copies: three red,
white ‘n’ blue colour variations.
COLLECTABILITY: 7/10
HÜSKER DÜ
‘AMUSEMENT B/W STATUES’
(NUMERO GROUP)
DETAILS: Without Hüsker Dü you
wouldn’t have Leatherface. Without
Leatherface you wouldn’t have Hot
Water Music. Without Hot Water Music
you and / or your favourite gruff punk
band wouldn’t have a neckbeard. This
is the Hüskers’ debut single, remastered
and bulked out with two additional
tracks in a neat 2 x 7-inch format.
PRESSING: 4000 copies in gatefold
sleeves.
COLLECTABILITY: 6/10
QUICKSAND
‘MANIC COMPRESSION’
(SHOPRADIOCAST)
DETAILS: Having already done the right
thing and re-issued Quicksand’s classic
‘Slip’ last year, SRC are following it up
with the band’s last hurrah, the brilliant
‘Manic Compression’. Rangier, grittier
and more dynamic than their debut LP,
this ’95 masterpiece needs a place in
any self-respecting post-hardcore fan’s
collection!
PRESSING: 500 green / black swirl, 500
red / black swirl, 500 green, 250 red.
COLLECTABILITY: 8/10
THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER
‘NOCTURNAL’
(METAL BLADE)
DETAILS: While it was originally
released back in ’07, this is somehow
the first time the Detroit melodi-death
metallers’ third album has found its way
onto vinyl. Why? Only Satan himself
may know, but now that it’s here be
sure to snap a copy up quick before
they vanish...
PRESSING: 500 copies on blue / black
vinyl.
COLLECTABILITY: 8/10
UNCLE ACID AND THE
DEADBEATS
‘POISON APPLE’
(RISE ABOVE)
DETAILS: The name might be daft and
you mightn’t have heard of them, but
UA&TD are rapidly becoming one of
rock’s worst-kept secrets. A devilish mix
of garage rock, creepy psychedelia and
occult rites, their excellent ‘Blood Lust’
LP has been selling for mad money, so
be quick if you wanna play catch-up!
PRESSING: Shrouded in mystery at the
time of writing.
COLLECTABILITY: 9/10
[84] rocksound.tv
LOST SOCIETY [8]
‘FAST LOUD DEATH’
(NUCLEAR BLAST)
A big shout out to Lost
Society for adorning their
album with the image of
a rather jovial grim reaper
crunching the gears in a shitty
van; cheers for the heads up, lads. Surprisingly,
‘Fast Loud Death’ is more bullet belts and
straight-up thrash than 50/50 rail grinds, but Rock
Sound is A-OK with that. These Finnish teens
already have chops beyond their years and vocalist
Samy Elbanna already has his Scandy metal
scream down – the important thing to know is
that Lost Society actually pump out some serious
tunes! Long hair, white Reebok pumps and a
frayed denim vest are mandatory to listen.
FOR FANS OF: Sepultura, Warbringer, Anthrax,
Death Angel SARAh O’CONNOR
MASKED INTRUDER [8]
‘MASKED INTRUDER’
(FAT WRECK CHORDS)
If you like your punk mixed
with some nerdy pop rock,
then recent Fat Wreck
signing Masked Intruder
have a fine treat in store
for you with their self-titled debut. Though the
band’s shtick live is basically that they’re a
bunch of escaped convicts (yep, really), you’d
be well advised to get beyond that to unearth
the excellent Get Up Kids / Weezer-esque
punk sounds underneath. Each track is well
constructed, full of melody and tied together
with subtle dynamics, so forget tight jeans and
screams for 40 minutes and soak yourself in
some excellent melodies made by a bunch of
balaclava’d reprobates.
FOR FANS OF: The Get Up Kids, Weezer,
Prison Time TOM AYLOTT
MEGACHURCH [8]
‘MEGACHURCH 2: JUDGMENT DAY’
(STRESSED SUMO)
Comprising a drummer
and a pair of bassists
and overlaying their
instrumental jams with
the impassioned ravings
of televangelists and right-wing politicians,
the racket emitted by these Ohio misfits is,
to put it mildly, a bit of a headfuck. Still,
unorthodox and abrasive they may be, but
Megachurch also know their way around a
killer riff, as evidenced time and time again
on their second full-length. Driven by the
propulsive drumming of Dan Price, it’s equal
parts math rock complexity and straight-up
heavy metal thunder, while every bit as
crazed and zealous as a Southern Baptist
preacher, only with way better riffs.
FOR FANS OF: Keelhaul, Lightning Bolt,
Big Business MIKE KEMP
LISTEN NOW ON DEEZER.COM
MY FIRST TOOTH [8]
‘LOVE MAKES MONSTERS’
(ALCOPOP!)
My First Tooth are
somewhat of a hidden
gem – blossoming on
the excellent Alcopop!
Records, the band have
grown rapidly over the last few years into a
mature and diverse songwriting entity, and
with ‘Love Makes Monsters’ they’ve really
hit their stride. Full of wonderful, violinpeppered
indie, the band have reached
perfection in writing uplifting movements
here, and the record as a whole is sure to flip
even the most set-in frown. A truly eloquent
and endearing adventure, and one that should
see the band’s bright future realised over the
next few years.
FOR FANS OF: Tellison, Johnny Foreigner,
Stagecoach TOM AYLOTT
NECK DEEP [6]
‘RAIN IN JULY’
“unoRthoDox anD aBRaSIVE thEy may BE,
But mEGachuRch alSo know thEIR way
aRounD a kIllER RIff...”
(WE ARE TRIUMPHANT)
Despite not being able to
pick up a magazine without
reading about another poppunk
band, Wales’ Neck
Deep are another pop-punk
band. This, their debut EP, includes six songs
about girls and one song about posers (which is
only 42 seconds long - punk as fuck). Regardless
of looking distinctly average on paper, Neck Deep
are more than distinctly average. You won’t find
many bands writing better pop-punk hooks, and
they even manage to nail a genuinely tender
acoustic ballad with ‘A Part of Me’; it’ll move
you. Yeah it’s derivative, but there’s enough
passion, energy and talent here to make it count.
FOR FANS OF: The Story So Far, New Found
Glory, Deaf Havana OLLIE PELLING
OLD MAN MARKLEY [7]
‘DOWN SIDE UP’
(FAT WRECK CHORDS)
Self-described as ‘newgrass’,
the punk injection that
California’s Old Man Markley
give to their predominantly
bluegrass sound makes their
second album a pretty refreshing listen. There’s
a clear similarity with down-to-earth, three-chord
songwriting here that should bend the ears of
melodic punk rock fans, with their lyrics touching
on politics and relationships in equal measure,
too. And that’s contrasted with a layered, sevenpiece
line-up (including banjo, autoharp and
fiddle players) that does their country roots
justice, supplemented by both harmonies and
gang vocals. It’s an impressive amalgamation of
two worlds, and one that you shouldn’t discount
for its country leanings.
FOR FANS OF: Cory Branan, Chuck Ragan,
Tim Barry AMY BANGS
POMBAGIRA [5]
‘MALEFICIA LAMIAH’
(BLACK AXIS)
Pombagira hit a bit of
a plateau with ’11’s
‘Iconoclast Dream’, their
lumbering doom stalling
when the quality really
needed to be taken to the next level. This
two-track return represents a slight change
of tack, backburnering the clamouring
Sabbathisms while integrating quieter,
chantier elements that allude to the likes
of Om, Bong and Amon Düül II. Moments
of intrigue abound, but the band still seem
to falter when it comes to confidently
knitting the different elements together,
stumbling over how to make the pieces fit
when seamless, hypnotic fluidity is required.
Maybe next time, then. Again.
FOR FANS OF: Electric Wizard, Bong,
Riti Occulti, Serpent Omega ALEX DELLER
RAT ATTACK [8]
‘RAT ATTACK’
(SELF-RELEASE)
With a crisp production,
punchy tunes reminiscent
of a more accessible
The Bronx and guest
vocals from We Are The
Ocean’s Liam Cromby, Exeter’s Rat Attack are
surely onto a winning combination already.
Bearing in mind that this self-titled EP is
being released without the backing of a
label, just imagine what they’ll be able to
do when things do inevitably pick up; this is
no-bullshit, agenda-free music, played by four
normal looking guys, packing a real swagger
that demonstrates a willingness to take the
world on and beat it at its own game. You’d
be advised to watch this space.
FOR FANS OF: The Bronx, The Ghost Of A
Thousand, The Computers OLI ROBERTSON
SILVERSTEIN [7]
‘THIS IS HOW THE WIND SHIFTS’
(HOPELESS)
Silverstein’s latest effort
sees the seminal posthardcore
crew following
much the same sing /
scream formula they have
for the past decade-and-a-bit. This is no bad
thing. Which of their peers can claim to have
released an album as engaging and intense
as when they first put music to tape over
a decade ago? Exactly, so while some will
be disappointed that it fails to be the game
changer it never promised to be, ‘TIHTWS’ is
the sound of band who know what they are
good at and are good at what they know, and
there’s nothing wrong with that.
FOR FANS OF: Hawthorne Heights, Senses
Fail, Alesana ANDY BIDDULPh
SNUFF [6]
‘5-4-3-2-1…PERHAPS?’
(FAT WRECK CHORDS)
There’s little doubt that
Snuff have advanced
beyond their peak, but
a new full length from
one of the legends of the
pnk scene after a decade (ish) is nothing
to be sniffed at. Unfortunately, ‘5-4-3-2-1...
Perhaps?’ is a bit of a mixed bag. The faster
the record is, the better it is (naturally), but
one can’t help but feel it’s all bark and no
bite, and ultimately the album feels a little
directionless. The fact that a new record exists
at all will be a great start to the year for Snuff
fans, but there’s just not a lot to write home
about for newcomers.
FOR FANS OF: Bad Religion, Rancid, Swingin’
Utters TOM AYLOTT

THE STORY
SO FAR
‘UNDER SOIL AND DIRT’
(PURE NOISE, ‘11)
“’Under Soil And Dirt’
isn’t anything that
hasn’t been done
before, but, for a
debut, it’s a confident
start that will hopefully act as a building
block for the band to find their
own unified voice an album
or two down the line.”
CHRIS HIDDEN
THE STORY SO FAR [8]
‘WHAT YOU DON’T SEE’ (PURE NOISE)
Having torn up the pop-punk scene for the last two
years, Southern California’s The Story So Far are now
free from the constraint of balancing their college
educations alongside the band. And the elements
that made up their ’11 debut ‘Under Soil And Dirt’ are
all present and correct, but this is a statement of an
album, with some serious emotional release behind it.
‘What You Don’t See’ celebrates their original sound,
with ‘Things I Can’t Change’ cementing their knack
for a melody, ‘Small Talk’ demonstrating their most
soaring, euphoric chorus yet and ‘The Glass’ changing
up frenzied, pummelling beats. Placing New Found
Glory guitarist Steve Klein at the helm production-wise
means that it’s sonically in good hands, but whether
SOILWORK [5]
‘THE LIVING INFINITE’
(NUCLEAR BLAST)
Coming nine albums into
a career spanning two
decades, this sprawling
double album from
Swedish melodi-metallers
Soilwork is about as sturdy and accomplished
a piece of work as you’d expect. Tumbling
death metal(core) riffs, Satriani-inspired solos
and typically clicky drums set the stage for
the inevitable trade-off between gah! gah!
gah! roars and their bombastically melodic
counterparts. It’s enough to help further
eradicate the memory of the band’s mid-career
decision to fondle nu metal’s greasy balls, and
while it’s slick, glossy and ultimately rather safe
you at least get plenty of metal for your money.
FOR FANS OF: Scar Symmetry, At The Gates,
In Flames ALEX DELLER
SOPHOMORE [7]
‘THE BLUE EP’
“thIS IS a StatEmEnt of an alBum, wIth SomE SERIouS
EmotIonal RElEaSE BEhInD It.”
(SELF-RELEASE)
Decade frontman Alex
Sears wrote and recorded
his second EP sat alone in
his bedroom, programmed
drums and all. From bracing
opener ‘Young Adult’ right through to the
sludgy ‘XYZ’, these four tracks showcase one
of Britain’s most promising songwriters trying
his hand at something different and something
interesting, while making everyone else look
bad in the process. Sure, it lacks the hooks of
Sears’ day job, but Decade’s vim and vigour is
present throughout this punchy effort, which
is heartwarming proof that not all music made
in a dark, suburban bedroom sounds like an
arcade game throwing up everywhere.
FOR FANS OF: Balance And Composure, Sunny
Day Real Estate, Decade ANDY BIDDULPh
or not his presence had a bearing on the end product
is debatable. Maturity isn’t the right word for it – if
anything, vocalist Parker Cannon is more effusive than
ever – ultimately, it’s confidence, and maybe working
with one of their heroes gave them more of that. What’s
most exciting, though, is that it steers them away from
other bands; their choruses are becoming The Story
So Far choruses, rather than becoming trapped in the
guess-the-band sound that so many pop-punk rock
troupes end up in.
FOR FANS OF: New Found Glory, early Four Year Strong,
Man Overboard, The Swellers
AMY BANGS
STARS OF THE SEARCH PARTY [7]
‘STARS OF THE SEARCH PARTY’
(HOLD YOUR TONGUE)
The debut mini-album from
Guilford rockers Stars Of
The Search Party singles
them out as Britrock ones
to watch in 2013. An
impressively accomplished record for such a
young band, the music here is well crafted
both in terms of songwriting and production.
Rooted in post-hardcore but with elements of
emo and alternative rock, opener ‘The End’
and its follow-up ‘Tourniquet’ pay respects to
scene stalwarts Funeral For A Friend, while
the laid-back angular groove of ‘Can’t Move
The Moon’ owes more than a nod to Incubus.
There’s much to like here and lots to get
excited about.
FOR FANS OF: Funeral For a Friend, Deaf
Havana, Incubus ChRIS hIDDEN
THE GOOD THE BAD
& THE ZUGLY [8]
‘ANTI WORLD MUSIC’
(FYSISK FORMAT)
Nihilism never sounded so
good. Oslo’s The Good The
Bad & The Zugly (bonus
points for silly moniker
of the year) go all-out to
offend on this aptly-named debut; their songs
are catchy as hell, but about as welcoming
as a steel-capped boot to the balls. The ‘fuck
everything’ shtick might not be to everyone’s
taste but the sheer urgency of shock-punk
anthems like ‘Smoke Em’ can’t be denied, the
riffs grimy and choruses gloriously ragged, and
Turbonegro’s Tommy Manboy contributing a
stellar production job. The spirit of punk never
died, it seems... it just moved to Norway.
FOR FANS OF: Turbonegro, Dead Boys,
Poison Idea ROB SAYCE
rocksound.tv [85]

compIlatIonS
& REISSuES
CANCER BATS
‘DEAD SET ON LIVING (DELUXE)’
(HASSLE)
When we reviewed its original release
last year, we said “you can rattle off a
never-ending list of cool stuff on ‘Dead Set
On Living’”. Well it turns out that list wasn’t
as never-ending as we expected, because
it didn’t include the band’s set of Black
Sabbath covers. This deluxe edition does,
as well as a few more bonus tracks. So
that list of cool stuff just got longer.
EXTRAS: Includes a handful of bonus
tracks and the band’s Bat Sabbath
covers put to disc (HELL YES!)
AT THE DRIVE-IN
‘ACROBATIC TENEMENT’ /
‘RELATIONShIP OF COMMAND’
(TRANSGRESSIVE)
Cynics might see ATD-I’s announcement
of reissuing these two records the day
after The Mars Volta split up as a bit of a
shameful cash-in. For everyone else, it’s
a damn good chance to complete your
essentials collection. Both are available on
vinyl, CD and digital download, and both
come with enough loaded venom to piss off
your parents, no matter how old you are.
EXTRAS: Nope, but ‘Acrobatic
Tenement’ has never been pressed on
wax, and ‘Relationship Of Command’
is super rare. So get the vinyl edition,
basically.
THE ELIJAH
‘LIVE AT ThE UNDERWORLD’
(SMALL TOWN)
Post-rockers The Elijah played a packedout
show at London’s Underworld in
November last year, complete with a fullblown
string quartet. The first time we’ve
seen a string quartet in The Underworld?
Quite possibly. Either way, that was
one hell of a night that saw the band
performing their debut album ‘I Loved I
Hated I Destroyed I Created’ in full, and
this CD / DVD recording captures it all in
excellent sound and vision. Lovely.
EXTRAS: The DVD version contains a
documentary, exclusive interviews and
all the band’s music videos to date.
BUSH
‘LIVE!’ (EARMUSIC)
They’ve clocked up 16 million album
sales in their time and with this release,
Bush look set to start notching up the
tally on Blu Ray and DVD sales, too.
Comprising a full-length concert filmed
at Portland’s Roseland Theater as well as
a stripped-down acoustic performance,
‘Live!’ is Bush in all their glory, and a great
introduction for the uninitiated. Glorious.
EXTRAS: Includes five unplugged tracks
and music videos for ‘The Sound Of
Winter’ and ‘Baby Come Home’. Also
available as a CD and DVD package.
ANTHRAX
‘WORShIP MUSIC – SPECIAL EDITION’
(NUCLEAR BLAST)
Anthrax’s 10th (!) studio album marked
the return of Joey Belladonna to the mic
back in ’11, which was great. What’s
better is that Nuclear Blast are reissuing
the album this month with their ‘Anthems’
covers EP bundled in (they take on the
likes of Boston, Journey and Cheap
Trick – seriously!) and a remix of ‘Crawl’.
WHAT MORE DO YOU BLOODY WANT?
EXTRAS: Includes a bonus disc of their
‘Anthems’ EP. This is worth it for the
Journey cover alone.
[86] rocksound.tv
THE KARMA PARTY [7]
‘DARK MATTERS’
(BEAUTIFUL LIFE)
The Karma Party are angry,
and debut EP ‘Dark Matters’
is their state of the nation
address. The Blackpool
quartet have come well
prepared; taking on the troubles of Broken Britain
with abrasive punk guitars, scattergun dubstep /
drum ‘n’ bass beats and vocalist Merc’s rapid-fire
delivery. They’re closer to a more guitar-heavy
Pendulum than the Prodigy in their prime, but still
sound like they’d be an absolute riot live, and
you’d be hard-pressed not to feel at least a tinge
of adrenaline in your veins as ‘Collapse’ explodes
into life with a turbo-charged riff. A band worth
keeping an eye on, for sure.
FOR FANS OF: The Prodigy, Enter Shikari,
Sonic Boom Six ALEX GOSMAN
THE OMEGA EXPERIMENT [7]
’THE OMEGA EXPERIMENT’
(LISTENABLE)
What are The Omega
Experiment? Ambitious,
proggy noodling from
American duo Dan Wieten
and Ryan Aldridge, that’s
what. In the greatest traditions of the genre, this
re-release of the band’s eponymous debut album
is an epic journey through the senses, from the
glorious triumph of ‘Gift’ to the ethereal calm of
‘Tranquility’, that soon becomes anything but as
it segues into the aggressive fervour of ‘Furor’
which is soon engulfed in insanity. Championed,
quite rightly, by the Godlike deity that is Devin
Townsend, if The Omega Experiment are good
enough for Devy then they are surely good
enough for the likes of us mere mortals.
FOR FANS OF: Chimp Spanner, Andromeda,
Dream Theater GILES MOORhOUSE
THE PLOT IN YOU [7]
‘COULD YOU WATCH YOUR
CHILDREN BURN’
(RISE)
Metalcore albums are being
thrown out of Ohio by the
bucket load these days, so
the second full-length from
this native bunch has done
well to stand out. First track ‘Premeditated’ is
scattered with schizophrenic riffery from all
over the fretboard before moving into some
glacial chugging, meaty enough to serve up at
a barbeque. ‘Sober And Soulless’ takes the foot
so far off the pace that you’ll be reaching to
see if you’ve accidently hit shuffle on your iPod,
before ‘Bible Butcher’ triggers a reassuring
descent back into a pit of breakdown fury. Ohio
should be proud of their boys.
FOR FANS OF: Whitechapel,
The Devil Wears Prada ChRIS FRANCIS
THE TOSSERS [5]
‘THE EMERALD CITY’
(VICTORY)
In a year when Dropkick
Murphys have released an
album, you sort of have to
feel sorry for bands like The
Tossers. And then again, you
don’t. They’re doomed to those comparisons,
but despite being fast and fun, it’d be nice if
some effort was made to try and break some
new ground. Songs like ‘The Break Of Dawn’
are made of the same rehashed Irish folk punk
formula, and you can’t help but roll your eyes a
bit. ‘The Emerald City’ doesn’t really break from
the confines of this unimaginative nonsense, and
it’s hard to see anyone sticking with it too long.
FOR FANS OF: Dropkick Murphys, Flogging
Molly, Ireland TOM AYLOTT
LISTEN NOW ON DEEZER.COM
TIME IS A THIEF [8]
‘WE’RE NOT STRANGERS’
(SELF-RELEASE)
Being unsigned doesn’t
present the same hurdles as
it did in very recent memory,
but the A&Rs out there have
either been very lazy or very
stupid to overlook Irish quartet Time Is A Thief. The
songs that make up this debut album are chockfull
of huge melodies and polished production
without ever sacrificing their gritty edge. A prime
example is ‘Keep Running’, a tune that seasoned
rockers and types who like a bit of Foo Fighters
and Muse will enjoy in equal measure. ‘We’re
Not Strangers’ is full of stadium-sized quality that
deserves mass exposure. Major labels, please
take a punt on these guys.
FOR FANS OF: Jimmy Eat World, Foo Fighters,
glassjaw, Billy Talent TIM NEWBOUND
TRAILS [7]
‘SIGNS’
(LOCKJAW)
It’s been a year and a bit
since Trails released their
self-titled debut EP, and in
that time, the Guildford /
Brighton four-piece haven’t
calmed down at all. If anything, ‘Signs’ sees
them taking all their angular, off-kilter early
appeal and amping it up tenfold – opener ‘SHT
FKR’ flits between a gun-cannon middle eight
and a chorus doused in the swagger of a band
that gives zero fucks as to convention – and the
results are refreshingly original. ‘Signs’ is the
sound of a band being in a band because they
want to, and while there’s an inevitable glass
ceiling above their we’ll-do-what-we-want
approach, there’s at least some great music
coming out of them in the meantime.
FOR FANS OF: RX Bandits, Minus The Bear,
Blitz Kids ANDY RITChIE
TURBOGEIST [9]
‘ANCIENT SECRETS’
(SPINEFARM)
Goodness knows what
Turbogeist are on that
makes them sound so
damn unhinged, but
after hearing ‘Ancient
Secrets’, you’ll want some too. The south
London quartet have already carved out a
fearsome live reputation for themselves,
and here they’ve just about captured that
energy on record. Opening track ‘Mermaid’s
Revision’ initially skulks out of the speakers
on a languid groove, but rapidly grows into
a distortion-drenched monster, and from
then on this EP is largely thunderous punk
‘n’ roll of the highest order, topped off with
vocalist / guitarist Jimmy’s impassioned
howl. Their forthcoming debut album
should be well worth the wait.
FOR FANS OF: The Bronx, Cancer Bats,
Pulled Apart By Horses ALEX GOSMAN
VESSELS [8]
‘BLACK TEETH’
(HOTFOOT)
If you’ve picked up this
album looking for the postrock
sounds of Vessels
from Leeds, there’s an
upset headed your way.
This debut release from Vessels of Albany
NY, is a barrage of hardcore from the
starting gun, rushing undiluted aggression
into your head with the lyrics “I hate this
city more than you’ll ever know”, and
powering all the way to the finish line with
their chunky Southern noise in tow. The
vocals, breakdowns and pace changes are
inescapably comparable to those of Every
Time I Die, so if you’re after something
meaty, beardy and hefty, you’ll love this.
FOR FANS OF: Every Time I Die, Maylene And
The Sons Of Disaster ChRIS FRANCIS
WHAT NOW [5]
‘MOVE LIKE A SINNER’
(HEY & ARGH)
If there was ever a band in
need of a healthy injection
of good, old fashioned
chutzpah... the title and
lyrics (“I need what you’re
selling, I need it now,” anyone?) of What
Now’s second record promise a clutch of
sexy, scuzzy, techno-tinged anthems. It’s all
very sultry, but it doesn’t really romp like
an album almost exclusively dedicated to
the horizontal tango ought to. The likes of
‘Should’ve Said So’ have enough verve to
briefly set hearts racing, but there’s a distinct
lack of brawn here that means this record
stays firmly in the middle of the road.
FOR FANS OF: Buckcherry, Every Avenue,
Canterbury ANDY BIDDULPh
“tuRBoGEISt haVE alREaDy caRVED out a fEaRSomE lIVE
REputatIon foR thEmSElVES, anD hERE thEy’VE juSt
aBout captuRED that EnERGy on REcoRD.”
WITH ONE LAST BREATH [8]
‘WAKE THE DEAD’
(SMALLTOWN)
Having spent the last
18 months on the road
supporting every band
with beatdowns under the
sun, York’s With One Last
Breath have re-imagined their debut EP with
their road-honed sound while they tackle the
job of that pesky debut album. The good news
is, it’s cracking. ‘Wake The Dead’ straddles the
metalcore sound in all the right ways – see:
actually decent riffs, a good balance between
harsh and clean and importantly, an awareness
of structure – and while it doesn’t do anything
entirely new, it shows a band that have
harnessed all the confidence of their live CV
into six tracks of blinding stereo goodness.
FOR FANS OF: A Day To Remember, Of Mice &
Men, Asking Alexandria ANDY RITChIE

a rock sound guide to...
aussie rock
THE BASICS
(sun + surf) x loud shirts - creepy crawlies
and shit + riffs = aussie rock
six albums to (ayers) rock your world
Crikey mate, CheCk out the stereotypes on this one! We piCked out a
bunCh of bonza aussie albums for you to sink your teeth into...
mosH? yeaH,
we Like mosH.
parkway Drive
‘Horizons’ (Epitaph, ’07)
Not heard parkway Drive yet?
Your life is around 25 per cent
worse than those who have. in
‘horizons’, the Byron Bay boys
turned in what might be the
essential metalcore album of
the last 10 years. turn it up,
buy a surfboard and soak in
this ripper of a record. then
go get yourself their newie
‘atlas’, because that rips too!
DoubLe bass?
DoubLe THe fun.
THe Living enD
‘sTaTe of emergency’
(EMi, ’06)
a word to describe tLE’s
fourth album: FUN. See also:
FUN. these jubilant, double
bass-led blasts of punk-cumrockabilly
madness left loads
of us wishing we were a) in an
awesome australian rock band
and b) strong enough to hold
a double bass upright. those
things are heavy, man.
aTTenTion karnivooL:
Hurry up wiTH
aLbum #3.
karnivooL
‘sounD awake’
(SoNY, ’09)
as staggeringly huge as
their homeland, Karnivool’s
second album is choc full of
crisp, ethereal and ultimately
accessible prog rock. it’s
rare for a band’s influence to
stretch across such a wide
spectrum of their modern-day
counterparts, but you’ll hear
traces of ‘Sound awake’ in
everyone from tesseract to
Canterbury. Enough said.
new kiDs on THe bLock
(HaD a buncH of HiTs)
TonigHT aLive
‘wHaT are you so
scareD of?’
(SEarCh aND DEStroY, ’11)
there was a time a couple
of years ago when we were
(not literally) neck deep in
female-fronted pop-punk. it says
everything that this record has
stuck in our minds like some
of the most ridiculously, erm,
sticky glue going. plus ‘thank
You & Goodnight’ features
guest vocals from some bloke
called Mark hoppus too.
parkway Drive ‘CarrioN’
TonigHT aLive ‘BrEaKiNG & ENtEriNG’
karnivooL ‘SiMpLE BoY’
THe Living enD ‘WE WaNt MorE’
me ‘iNSErt VoiCE hErE’
cLosure in moscow ‘hErE’S to ENtropY’
Heroes for Hire ‘FaCE WithoUt a NaME’
THe amiTy affLicTion ‘opEN LEttEr’
sLeepmakeswaves ‘to YoU thEY arE BirDS, to ME thEY arE
VoiCES iN thE ForESt’
woLfmoTHer ‘WoMaN’
HanDs Like Houses ‘thiS aiN’t No pLaCE For aNiMaLS’
penDuLum ‘ShoWDoWN’
THe vines ‘GEt FrEE’
Deez nuTs ‘toNiGht WE’rE GoNNa partY’
© tom Barnes
criminaLs? naH!
JusT criminaLLy
unDerraTeD!
THe amiTy affLicTion
‘cHasing gHosTs’
(roaDrUNNEr, ’12)
only three full-lengths in and
amity produced the album
that looks to transform them
from metalcore also-rans
into potential world-beaters.
Brutal and uplifting in equal
measure; you need to hear this
record yesterday. although it’s
probably technically tomorrow in
australia right now... Now will
do just fine.
new noise
sLepT on THese? geT on iT, ya wombaT.
me
it’s probably fair to say ME are big fans of
Queen. We’re talking the whole shebang
here: a choir, orchestra and more hooks than
you can shake a sequined stick at. if Queen
crossed with late panic! at the Disco and
spoonfuls of Danny Elfman sounds like your
kind of thing, look no further.
cHeck iT: ‘Even the odd ones out’
(Lizard King, ’13)
HanDs Like Houses
Electronica-tinged post-hardcore merchants
hands Like houses rock like the bastard child
of issues and Sleeping With Sirens in the
best possible way. Soft, smart album ‘Ground
Dweller’ proved they’re not the rise band
with the most fire in their bellies, sure, but
maybe the one with most substance between
their ears.
cHeck iT: ‘Ground Dweller’ (rise, ’12)
Deez nuTs
party. party. party. We think this lot might
like a bevvy or two. after (probably) drinking
Melbourne dry, the hardcore mob look set to
rule the world with their good-time hardcore.
Forthcoming album ‘Bout it’ makes us want
to drink all the beer then kerb-stomp a koala.
that’s a good thing, in case you were wondering
(also, we won’t actually do that second bit).
cHeck iT: ‘this one’s For You’ (roadrunner, ’10)
Heroes for Hire
Want to get ahead in pop-punk? Working
with New Found Glory’s Steve Klein helps,
as does being more fun than a sack full
of puppies. their video for ‘Set in Stone’
features a load of bands drinking from
shoes. Can that be a thing now? that should
definitely be a thing.
cHeck iT: ‘No apologies’ (halfcut, ’12)
woLves in your
moTHer’s cLoTHing
woLfmoTHer
‘woLfmoTHer’
(iSLaND, '05)
Big hair, big riffs and good
old-fashioned, groove-laden
rock ‘n’ roll meant Wolfmother
threatened to become one
of the biggest bands on the
planet in the mid-’00s. they
may have hit the buffers in
recent times but hands up
who didn’t freak out the first
time they heard ‘Joker & the
thief’. Nobody? Exactly.
rocksound.tv [87]

BRAS, BRUNO MARS AND BOOTY:
WELCOME TO LIFE ON THE ROAD
WITH ALL TIME LOW AND FRIENDS!
[88] rocksound.tv
Zack Merrick: what gravity?
AAA
ALL TIME LOW,
LOWER THAN ATLANTIS
AND THE SUMMER SET
ACCESS ALL AREAS
WORDS: Rob Sayce / PHOTOS: Carla Mundy
LTA’s Mike Duce: hard at work
The Summer Set: fisty

DAY 1: WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 06
ACADEMY, BIRMINGHAM
1500 Despite taking an unintended detour around most of the
city centre, Rock Sound arrives at Birmingham Academy. Ironic
high fives all round.
1515 Fans are already congregating around All Time Low’s
tourbus, chattering expectantly despite the bitter cold. We
don’t have the heart to tell them it’s empty.
1600 We bump into the one and only Mike Duce, who can’t
shake our hands as they’re covered in ‘Lemsip’. We back away.
1615 ATL’s soundcheck gives us a taste of their ridiculous new
lighting rig. Retinas are duly melted.
1700 It turns out that The Summer Set experienced one hell of a
‘welcome to Britain’ experience on the way: a van crashed into
them outside of Euston station. No one was hurt, thankfully,
but they’re especially glad to be here. “Everything was in slow
motion,” recalls vocalist Brian Dales. “It was like Inception, but I
was so jetlagged I thought it was kinda funny.”
1730 The tour’s first meet ‘n’ greet is here, and the lucky fans
are swooping around the Academy like sharks smelling blood.
What follows is utterly ridiculous. Imagine a really civilised
Dawn Of The Dead with twice as much screaming and you’re
half way there...
1745 All Time Low are still being politely mobbed. Happy /
hysterical tears are shed, and everyone gets a picture. Which
is nice.
1800 Doors open and the fans roll in, the first few sprinting for
a place at the barrier. You can get out of the way, or you can get
knocked down: it’s your choice.
1830 As The Summer Set take to the stage, the room explodes
into life. Though it’s still stupidly early they’re treated like
headliners, with a cover of Bruno Mars’s ‘Locked Out Of
Heaven’ sparking an ear-rending screamalong. Incredible
scenes.
1900 We high-five All Time Low guitarist Jack Barakat, who’s
still stoked on his beloved Baltimore Ravens winning the
Superbowl. “Things are amazing at the moment,” he smiles,
“plus it feels so good to be back in our second home.”
1915 Any doubts about Lower Than Atlantis’s reception on this
tour are quickly dispelled, as they work the crowd like true pros.
‘If The World Was To End’ is met with out and out pogo-mania.
1945 ATL are feeling the jetlag this evening, but the prospect
of a post-show Subway trip perks up frontman Alex Gaskarth.
Simple pleasures, innit.
1950 The pre-show party hots up, with Jack busting out his
finest hip hop jamz. All Time Low: fuelled by booty shakin’
beats since 2003.
2000: Alex finds out about The Summer Set’s Bruno Mars
cover. “Those bastards,” he laughs. “We were gonna do that!”
Pop rock’s a cut-throat world, ladies and gents.
2020 And so it begins. A deafening wall of screams goes up as
All Time Low launch into their set and the volume’s only getting
higher. ‘Somewhere In Neverland’ is a perfect opener, anthemic
and catchier than a really catchy thing, and they’re only just
getting started...
2045 Jack’s mic stand is completely engulfed in bras by the
time ‘Damned If I Do Ya (Damned If I Don’t)’ finishes up. Fans
are crying, screaming, crowd surfing... it’s quite something.
2110 Alex goes solo for a double whammy of ‘Remembering
Sunday’ and ‘Therapy’. Serious faces, everyone.
2140 It’s our last chance to dance for the night, as perennial
closer ‘Dear Maria, Count Me In’ kicks in. Jack finishes up the
set in among the front rows, as you do.
rocksound.tv [89]

2220 ATL are noticeably chirpier after
all that. “That was completely insane,”
grins bassist Zack Merrick, towelling off
in the dressing room. “I don’t know what
makes people so crazy over here, but I
love it!”
2240 Leaving the venue, we see that fans
are still lining the streets, desperate for
a piece of ATL. The police have been
drafted in to help with crowd control –
it’s like Beatlemania in miniature. Roll on
day two....
DAY 2: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 07
ACADEMY, MANCHESTER
1400 There’s already a sizeable queue
snaking along the street as we pull
in to Manchester’s Academy, many
armed with sleeping bags to survive
the February cold. Even the touts are
out early: a sure sign that something
special’s going on.
1430 Lower Than Atlantis are putting
the finishing touches on their latest
masterwork: a two man, bass-only mash
up of Gotye’s ‘Somebody That I Used
To Know’ and ‘Bah Bah Black Sheep.’
#ladsontour?
1530 A terrible scream goes up outside.
Has something blown up? Is it the
zombie apocalypse? Did someone insult
Manchester United? Nope – it’s just a
very groggy Alex getting off the bus. “It’s
not me, I’m not here,” he insists.
1645 We check in with The Summer
Set, who seem determined to challenge
for the Nicest Band Ever award. “We’re
hoping to be in the UK a lot this year,”
explains guitar-wrangler John Gomez,
rocking a rather snazzy bowler hat. “The
goal is to finish 2013 by doing Warped
Tour UK, so Kevin, if you’re reading this,
you know what to do!”
1715 A debate rages in the Lower Than
Atlantis dressing room. It’s all about the
nature of fangirls, apparently. “Is it just
a fan who’s a girl, or is it like a girlfriend,
in that it means more than it actually
says?” asks Mike Duce. “I don’t know
what the fuck’s going on there.” Answers
on the back of a postcard please.
1730 ATL head to the bus for some
pre-show downtime. “OMG, my brain!”
squeals a nearby fan.
1754 The conversation turns to David
Hasselhoff, of all people. “There’s a lot
of Hoff love over here,” muses Alex. “I
reckon he could do arena shows and shit.
But man, ‘Jump In My Car’ is one of the
greatest songs ever written, so it’s cool.”
Uh, right...
1832 It’s meet and / or greet time again.
“These things are always fun to do,” Jack
insists. Getting a load of presents each
time probably helps, to be fair.
1845 The laws of reality seem to dictate
that for every 59 female All Time
Low fans, there’s one dude in there
[90] rocksound.tv
“Yo! Who put the monochrome light on?”
“This is my beer face.” Seriously, who is he? “...Sorry mate, no idea.”
LTA: too many cooks and all that...
Nice pecs, bro. All Time Low: ready to go!
somewhere. Such is the case today, the
chap in question resplendent in his Who
The Fuck Is Jack Barakat tee. Kudos.
1900: With that over and done with it’s
time to play the music and light the
lights....
2100 Following stellar sets from The
Summer Set and Lower Than Atlantis
(three word reviews: ‘bright and shiny’
and ‘what a band’ respectively), ATL are
getting ready to go on. Which involves
more booty shaking to Blink-182,
obviously.
2120 And we’re go. Cue screams... again.
Meet ‘n’ greet funsies with JB
2215 Alex and Co. have a go at ‘American
Idiot’, and absolutely nail it. The sound of
a band picking up the pop-punk torch? A
few thousand folks here certainly think so.
2230 “LONG LIVE THE RECKLESS AND
THE BRAVE...”
2240 And it’s all over for us. Sadface.
2300 We bid farewell to a very sweaty
ATL (strategically placed towels all
round) and are chased down the hall
by the middle fingers of Mike Duce. A
standard end to tour then...
For more
behind-the-scenes
pictures, head over to
www.rocksound.tv!

© Ben Gibson
WATO: triumphant
Black lighT Burns [7]
SuPPOrT: JayCe LeWiS [5]
rOCk CiTy, nOTTinghaM
SaTurday, January 26
With the flamboyant costumes and theatrical make-up of his
larger-than-life Limp Bizkit persona scarcely in evidence, tonight
it’s abundantly clear that Black Light Burns is where Wes
Borland’s heart truly lies. Offering little more than an innocuous
aperitif, Jayce Lewis swaggers forth with charisma to spare,
but his pulsating electro-industrial rumble suffers from a lack
of variety as much as a horribly reductive live mix. By contrast,
Black Light Burns unleash a succession of huge, churning riffs
that recall the likes of Nine Inch Nails in their prime, their furiously
impassioned delivery neatly counterbalanced by a terrific
line in self-depreciating between-song banter; evidently, this is
a band that take themselves far less seriously than the music
itself. They might not bring much in the way of a spectacle, but
this evening Black Light Burns manage the rare feat of translating
an inherent darkness into a seriously good time.
PETE WITHERS
[92] rocksound.tv
Your Demise [8]
The Cavern, exeTer
SaTurday, February 09
Tripping over each other on a shoe-sized stage possibly
isn’t something that Your Demise are used to. But tonight,
halfway through their headline tour in support of new EP
‘Cold Chillin’’, the UK hardcore mob testify their ability of
being so much more than their often-placed role as a tour
package support. “This is our first time to Exeter - well with
me, anyway,” grins frontman Ed McRae as he leads the pack
to thrash through a mix of material old and new. He’s keen
to encourage the stage dives tonight, which are well met
with some lavish flails. While the hype-man approach - with
the occasional backing of bassist Jimmy Sampson - feels
slightly contrived at times, there’s a sense of genuine conviction
somewhere beneath. Perhaps that’s where YD are at
their matchless best; behind the muscle flexing and slogan
buzzwords. But for tonight, this will do nicely.
GILES BIDDER
We Are The
OceAn [9]
Support: YaShin [7], Straight LineS [6]
KoKo, London
Friday, February 01
Koko’s notoriously early doors may have been a
daunting prospect for Straight Lines, but despite
playing to a floor that’s only a third full, their
buoyant spirits and nod-along pop rock leaves the
early birds with an equally chirpy mindset. Cue a
different picture entirely for Yashin’s arrival. With
circle pits breaking out and frontman Harry Radford
orchestrating 360-degree spins during ‘Make It
Out Alive’, on the surface it looks like any other
day at the office. As Radford and his co-frontman
Kevin Miles bounce between the stage, crowd and
staircase, visually there’s never a dull moment,
but sonically it’s slightly shy of their usual high
standards. It takes a hearty cover of Linkin Park’s
‘One Step Closer’ to really bring it back, rather
epitomising their night.
For We Are The Ocean, tonight is a biggie. Out on
their grandest UK headline tour to date, these shows
may well map the flight of WATO’s future. Feeding
largely from their more recent material, there’s not
a moment lacking in colossal sound. Liam Cromby’s
raw and heartfelt vocal is tailor-made for such
occasions and when the crowd aren’t blaring back
the lyrics, his delivery is of hair-standing-on-neck
proportions. Winding up with ‘The Road’ before ‘The
Waiting Room’ and ‘Young Heart’ secure victory,
WATO have not simply just come through this, they
have obliterated any preconception that they might
not stand a chance.
MAX BARRETT
Yashin: jumpy
Straight Lines: fringey
FeeD The rhino [9]
SuPPOrT: MarMOzeTS [8], STeak nuMber
eighT [7]
CLWb iFOr baCh, CardiFF
ThurSday, February 07
Shocking a ’90s Seattle heart into life with the pitch-black bludgeonry
of Unsane, Belgium’s Steak Number Eight provide a suitably aggressive
aperitif to Marmozets’ flailing limbs and tech-metal noodlings
tonight. Becca MacIntyre’s versatility keeps the audience captivated
throughout, and the UK underground’s worst-kept secret continue
to astound. Despite this impressive one-two, tonight’s crowd remain
disappointingly static, and it is only with the incendiary Lee Tobin
at its epicentre that the floor finally begins to match the stage for
energy. Having recently toured with Gallows, Feed The Rhino bring
a similarly keen sense of dynamics to their hardcore, and there can
be few better soundtracks for transforming the room into a sea of
hulking collisions. With smiles plastered on every face, it is clear the
band are enjoying this as much as the audience, and a tour (and year)
that should see all three acts soar is launched in glorious style.
GARETH PIERCE

Chris shows off his best chicken dance...
“What does this button do?”
“I’M NOT COMING DOWN ’TIL SOMEONE GIVES
ME MY GUITAR BACK.”
WHAT YOU MADE OF IT
We had a good night. Judging by
Twitter, you lot did too…
@francadimicco
btw, enter shikari last night were
still HAMAZINGG in an overcrowded,
smelly room of 300
people, with brown shit dripping
from the ceiling
© Al Overdrive
@pat_morgan
okay it was my first enter shikari
gig but I still fucking crowd
surfed.
@joely_
That was the perfect kind of
Enter Shikari gig, where you’re
not too far away from the stage
and still have space to dance
...but Rob reckons his is better.
It really was as mental as it looks.
@abentoremember
Tonight has been the best night
of my life, best gig ever, Enter
Shikari are amazing
@rawrrreece
That gig was fucking mental.
Definitely the craziest I’ve ever
been to. Being on stage with
Enter Shikari was just.. surreal.
enter Shikari [8]
100 Club, lONDON
MONDay, JaNuaRy 28
There’s a moment about 15 minutes into Enter
Shikari’s set tonight, when they tease up the chaotic
‘Hello Tyrannosaurus, Meet Tyrannicide’ and
frontman Rou Reynolds clambers up the mixing desk,
that the real glory of what these four dudes have
achieved over the past 18 months becomes clear. In
an underground venue made famous by The Clash
and the Sex Pistols over 35 years ago that’s now used
as a marketing tool to sell shoes, Rou’s singing about
the supremacy of nature over man-made systems of
control to a crowd that’s not just paying attention,
they’re shouting back every word. Anyone who caught
them on tour or at a festival last year will know what
sort of havoc they can wreak on a large scale, but in
a sweatpit like this, Enter Shikari are no less potent.
There’s a tension to the likes of ‘Destabilise’ and an
absolutely monstrous ‘Mothership’ that means that
while they’re familiar, there’s enough frayed edges
to make them still exciting. And when they drop ‘OK
Time For Plan B’, or ‘Gandhi Mate, Gandhi’ or ‘Gap
In The Fence’ – tunes culled from the full range of
their career – the response is the same: full-bodied
devotion expressed through a constant stream of
crowdsurfers and stagedivers. Sure, they miss their
full-scale production, but the raw punk fury of their
performance makes up for that, and the fact Rou
can command 350-odd people as easily as he can a
few dozen thousand shows that his is a band high in
confidence. For all their expansion into new territories,
their single-mindedness as regards to message and
musical direction, they can still turn a basement into
a battlefield on an otherwise unspectacular Monday
night in January. And that’s the important thing.
BEN PATASHNIK
@joshmeatsix
I knew i was meant to go somewhere
tonight. @rocksound i
wanted to go to @ENTERSHIKARI
@0pentheirmindz_
not sure if I should go in the
crowd at enter shikari might
get killed
rocksound.tv [93]

AAA
FUNERAL
FOR A FRIEND,
SUCH GOLD,
MAJOR LEAGUE & I DIVIDE
ACCESS ALL AREAS
WORDS: Andy Ritchie / PHOTOS: Zen Inoya
Two days on The souTh
CoasT wiTh welsh legends
Funeral For a Friend and
new york upsTarTs Such Gold?
don’T mind if we do…
DAY 1: SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 03
WEDGEWOOD ROOMS,
PORTSMOUTH
1615 Rock Sound arrives in Portsmouth.
We’re welcomed into the Wedgewood
Rooms by Such Gold’s guitarist Nate
Derby, as he makes himself a cup of tea.
A rock ‘n’ roll start to the day, then!
1625 A few minutes down the road,
Funeral For A Friend are signing all sorts
in a vintage clothes shop. We hop along
for the ride. It’s a last-minute event,
but there’s still a decent amount of
FFAF fans queuing patiently to get an
autograph or two.
1649 Back to the venue, and FFAF’s Gav
Burrough has got his bike out and is
getting some mad exercise in before
showtime. “I’m a sadomasochist,” he
chirps to Rock Sound. “I like inflicting
pain on myself!” Meanwhile, bassist
Richard ‘Boosh’ Boucher is tucking in to
a freshly-made toasted sarnie. FFAF: A
band in balance.
1755 We pop backstage to see what those
[94] rocksound.tv
Such Gold scamps are up to. Vocalist Ben
Kotin is passed out in the corner (bless),
while drummer Devan Bentley is showing
off his graffiti skills by personalising a
drum skin with the tour party’s band
names. It looks bad-ass.
1830: Gav is still going strong on his bike
and he’s worked up quite a sweat now.
We wonder if all of FFAF are as fitnesskeen
as Gav is. “Boosh is quite into it
– we go running together – but he’s just
had a baby so he finds it hard. The rest
of them are lazy shits, though!”
1835: Meanwhile, FFAF frontman and
all-round lovely man Matthew Davies-
Kreye is studying all the gig posters at
the entrance to the venue. A Frightened
Rabbit poster catches his eye. “Are they
the ones like Biffy?” Rock Sound nods.
“But is it good Biffy or bad Biffy? Because
I’ve heard some of the new stuff and I’m
not sold…” Rock Sound wasn’t aware
there’s such a thing as ‘bad’ Biffy…
2100: After a decent warm-up from Red
Bull Bedroom Jam winners I Divide and
New Jersey pop-punks Major League,
Such Gold hit the stage. ‘Two Year Plan’
hits straight for the throat, and the lads
sound impeccable.
2155: All of the FFAF boys are limbering
up getting ready to hit the stage. Poor
old Kris Coombs-Roberts is looking a bit
worse for wear, though. He’s suffering
from a hefty case of man flu.
2157: The chants of “FUNERAL! FUNERAL!
FUNERAL!” begin from out front. Four
hi-hat hits and boom: ‘She Drove Me To
Daytime Television’ is unleashed.
2202: They haven’t even finished their
first song and Gav finds himself on the
floor. An over-zealous scissor kick sees
him landing on his bot-bot. Whoops!
2255 Funeral wrap things up with ‘History’,
and it’s a set that show 11 years into their
career, this lot haven’t lost their knack.
2330 A band’s job is never done. As we
depart, the lads are all milling around
merch signing and posing for snaps with
whoever wants them. One girl is far too
eager to show off her FFAF tattoo… on her
arse. Oo-er.

Pat really has this many arms.
Honest.
For more behind-thescenes
pictures and
videos from the tour head
over to www.rocksound.tv!
Naughty!
Lungey lungey!
“Mmm... lemons.”
DAY 2: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 04
HAUNT, BRIGHTON
1300 Rock Sound arrives in Brighton and after a
quick breakfast, we bump into Such Gold milling
around The Lanes on a bit of a shopping spree.
Ben Kotin is especially pleased as he’s found a rare
Fugazi seven-inch in a junk shop.
1345 We stumble across a second hand clothes shop
that has more than captured this lot’s imagination,
partly because it’s full of plaid and denim, and partly
because the owner’s a Such Gold fan. Eventually,
the guys exchange a couple of guestlist spots for
tonight’s show for some frankly horrific jumpers.
1630: After heading back to the venue for
soundcheck, FFAF’s Matthew whisks Rock Sound
off – nay, demands – we go find him some slammin’
vinyl. On the way, he waxes lyrical on last night’s
show in Portsmouth. “It was a lot of fun, but it was
one of the only ones where there’s been a barrier, and
I found it a little bit difficult to fully get into. But all in
all, the tour’s been brilliant so far!” There’s no barrier
tonight, so let’s see what you’ve got later!
1715: Matthew’s happy with his purchases: a Rites
Of Spring demo and an Archers Of Loaf LP. We feel
inadequate in our knowledge of late ’90s indie rock.
1830 Back to the dressing room and FFAF drummer
Pat Lundy has just returned from Nando’s. “I
would kiss Mr Nando’s on his Portugese arse,” Pat
proclaims, looking content. Wouldn’t we all?
2000: Such Gold hit the stage for round two,
and tonight the crowd seems to be 10 times as
energetic as the last. “That was a sick show,”
bassist Jon Markson tells us afterwards. “The
stage sounded like it was in the house, the kids
were way more into it tonight. We’re stoked!”
2100: It’s time for Funeral to show Brighton that
they’ve still go it. But halfway through their
set, Matt stops everything as a girl in the front
announces she’s had her phone stolen. “Right, close
the fucking doors. Nobody gets out, nobody gets in.
This shit is not cool.” We didn’t catch the bastard,
but he must’ve felt pretty stupid getting called out
like that. Dick.
2145: ‘Juneau’ sees the entire crowd invading
the stage, while set closer ‘History’ ends with a
powerful singalong from every voice in the room.
2215: “That was another fucking level, that was!”
Matt proclaims after the show. “I felt like I was in
Bane! People were dancing, people were singing, it
felt like everything came together tonight. It felt like
a family.”
2300: With a day off tomorrow, we part ways and
head back to London. Two days on the road with
Funeral For A Friend and Such Gold has left Rock
Sound wanting bed. Badly.
rocksound.tv [95]

PLUS GUESTS
MARCH
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MAY
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Magzter.
Next month iN Rock Sound
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in the next iSsue you will find:
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SoRry about that.
the new iSsue of Rock Sound iS oN sale Wednesday maRch 27.
put it iN youR calendaR now, oR subScRibe aNd we’ll send it to
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