Miss May I Tread Familiar Ground On New Album

Ohio’s Miss May I have been a favorite of the metalcore genre since their 2009 debut Apologies Are for the Weak. After touring with such heavy weights as The Devil Wears Prada and a run on the Vans Warped Tour, Miss May I have moved closer to the forefront of the genre. With all that being said, the impending release of their newest album At Heart had the eyes of many on this band. Would this new album propel them over so many copy cat bands and to the front of the pack? Well, let’s look at the new album and see what it has to offer.

Vocalist Levi Benton and the boys start off with a short instrumental that also doubles as the title track, but track two is where we really want to turn up the volume. The song is called “Hey Mister” and it’s the lead-off single. By now, I am sure many are familiar with it. There’s a pretty good riff that weaves it way throughout the song, buzzing along and weaving in and out. The chorus features a mix of clean vocals, provided again by bassist Ryan Neff, and Levi’s screams. It’s not a bad choice for a lead-off single and it’s worthy enough of getting the listener’s attention.

“Opening Wounds”, in my opinion, is a stronger overall song both musically and lyrically. I think this song would be an excellent choice as the album’s second single. “Ballad of a Broken Man” is also a good track with some nice riffs and a good hook and it kicks some pretty major ass. Don’t worry; there are definitely plenty of breakdowns on the album for all of those who haven’t grown tired of them.

The rest of the album will certainly appeal to the die-hards of the band and maybe even some of the non die-hards because it sounds a lot like what they have been doing. I don’t mean that to come across as a slam, but you are getting what you expect from these guys and to some fans, that’s a good thing. I just don’t think that they have broken any new ground on this new album. They haven’t raised the bar, yet they haven’t lowered it either.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying it’s a bad album, yet it’s not an amazing album either. Levi’s vocals are pretty consistent with what he has been doing, but in a genre that is becoming almost over-saturated, you have to stand out and not just blend in. He’s solid in his delivery and he is good at what he does, but on a lot of songs there was nothing there that made me go “Wow!”  As for the rest of the band, they put in a solid performance. Lead guitarist Justin Aufdemkampe is really good and he really did shine on several tracks, as did rhythm guitarist B.J. Stead. The rhythm section of Jerob Boyd on drums and Ryan Neff on bass are as solid as they come and they definitely can hold a song together when it may falter in other areas.

I guess I was just looking for more originality, something to make these talented guys stand out from the sea of similar bands. I’m not sure if the changing of producers from Joey Sturgis to Machine was the right thing to do. If these guys are going to want to run the marathon and not just sprint, then they need to stand out in some way from these other bands. The talent is there and maybe they just need to find their metal core Yoda to guide them to that next level

August Burns Red Unleashes Leveler On The World

August Burns Red made a giant leap to the forefront of their metal core genre with their 2009 release Constellations. That album opened a lot of doors for the band and literally took them places that they had never been before. Two years and countless dates out on the road later and it’s 2011 and the guys are preparing to release the follow-up to that landmark album.

Vocalist Jake Luhrs and the guys could have chosen the safe route and recreated the magic that happened with Constellations, but that just wouldn’t be the August Burns Red that we have come to love. They have pushed the envelope and created another soon to be epic release entitled Leveler.

“Empire” kicks off the new album with an intensity that long time fans of August Burns Red will love. The dueling guitar work of JB Brubaker and Brent Rambler is stellar on this track. Wait, don’t get too comfortable with that because the next track, “Internal Cannon”, is about to take you on an adventure. This is definitely one in which the proverbial envelope is being pushed. Midway through the song, there is a salsa inspired breakdown that will have you shaking your head and wondering if what you just heard actually happened. This is one of the cooler and more original tracks on the album, but it may not be for everyone.

“Carpe Diem” is also a very interesting track, especially surrounding the slide guitar work. “Pangaea” is another great track that shows how Jake is really pushing himself with his screams. It’s one thing to just go out and scream every single word, but when you can do it and put feeling and emotion behind it, then you’re touching on something pretty special. I say hats off to Jake and to producer Jason Suecof for the progression that has been made in that area.

August Burns Red had tried a lot of new things on this album as well as expanding on others. The incorporation of more “gang singing” is a plus as well as using bassist Dustin Davidson more on backing vocals. There are fewer breakdowns on this album as opposed to what we heard on Constellations and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The album, even with all of the changes and experimentation, seems to be a bit heavier to me. It is a bit more reminiscent of the Messengers release in that aspect.

I think the band made a great choice in using producer Jason Suecof again. He is not the type of producer that is going to sit back and watch a bunch of talented guys just go through the motions. He challenges them and pushes them to be better. A major tip of the hat needs to go to drummer Matt Greiner for some of the most intense and chest rattling drumming that he has ever done in this band. I am not sure what motivated or inspired him, but his game on this album was stepped up quite a few notches. Principal songwriter and guitarist JB Brubaker also gets major props for not only his guitar work, but especially the songwriting on here as well.

You have to respect a band like August Burns Red who continually want to push the envelope and grow as a band. There are quite a few new things on this album that, hopefully, the fans will like. It may not be for everyone, but yet I don’t think the hardcore fans will feel alienated. The band will be on the main stage for the entire Vans Warped Tour this summer, so go check them out when they hit your city.

August Burns Red's Guitarist Talks About Their New Album

Following up a breakthrough album is tough to do. August Burns Red was launched to the forefront of the metal core scene with their 2009 album Constellations. They seemed poised to follow it up with an album just as strong, if not even stronger. Mark your calendars and prepare to have your senses assaulted. August Burns Red is about to unleash their latest assault on the world of metal core on June 21 entitled Leveler.

I was lucky enough to catch up with guitarist and principle songwriter JB Brubaker and talk to him about the new album.

JP: Hey JB, thanks for taking the time from your busy schedule to talk to us. We want to tell your fans about your new CD Leveler that comes out June 21. Can you give us a sneak peek? Tell us about it.

JB Brubaker: Leveler is our most diverse album to date. We incorporated some new sounds into the sound you’ve come to expect from us. This includes some gang singing, slide guitar, wah effects, way more backing vocals from our bass player Dustin, expanded clean guitar sections, full blown guitar solos, etc. While we’ve incorporated a lot of new elements, the songs are still heavy and fast. We have plenty of odd time signature breakdowns and crazy drum parts. I think Matt did a phenomenal job drumming on Leveler; his best performance to date, in my opinion.

JP: Your last album Constellations really seemed to push you guys to a new level of popularity. Did you feel any pressure going into recording the album because of this?

Brubaker: Not anymore than usual. We always push ourselves as a band to make an album better than our previous releases and that goal remained the same while we wrote Leveler. We wanted to write an album that pushed the genre a bit and broke some of the general ‘rules of metal core’ and I feel like we succeeded in doing that.

JP: Constellations……Leveler…..Compare and contrast the two albums.

Brubaker: Constellations is less diverse than Leveler. We introduced some new elements to ABR’s sound on Constellations (clean guitar, solos, more melody, etc.) and on Leveler we took some of the new things we tried on Constellations and ran with them. Leveler, while having maybe less overall breakdowns than Constellations, does a better job using dynamics. For that reason I think that Leveler is heavier than Constellations. I also think the song writing is much better. That’s simply a result of practicing and growing up.

JP: You worked with producer Jason Suecof again, who also produced your Constellations album. Why did you choose him again?

Brubaker: We knew Jason would make our album sound awesome sonically and we knew he would have lots of good ideas and tweaks to take the songs to better places. We get along with Jason and he’s pretty much a musical genius so it wasn’t a hard decision to make.

JP: Are there any surprises on the new album….banjo, bagpipes…that might shock the fans? Did you push the envelope any?

Brubaker: Yes, we pushed the envelope a good amount as far as traditional metal core goes. There aren’t any banjos or bagpipes, but there are plenty of random percussion sounds we’ve never used before as well as some sounds that aren’t close to what we’ve ever done before stylistically. I think people who have been hoping we’d push the envelope a bit on this record will be quite pleased upon hearing the entire album.

JP: Is there a particular track that you might be extra proud of or one that really stands out?

Brubaker: I’m most proud of the song ‘Internal Cannon’, it is possibly the most diverse and different song on the album. There are some parts in it that are really going to surprise people the first time they hear it. There’s a big section that has some tasty Mexican flavor complete with a huge saucy solo. It’s a fun positive song that is a real rollercoaster. I love it and can’t wait to play it live.

JP: We have seen a video for ‘Empire’ and your Facebook page mentioned that you have shot one for ‘Internal Cannon’ and the album isn’t even out yet. That’s a pretty aggressive marketing approach. Is that the label’s doing or you guys or a combo of both?

Brubaker: Well the “video” for ‘Empire’ is just basically the song streaming on YouTube with the lyrics so people can read along with the song. We did shoot one for ‘Internal Cannon’. We’re hoping to have it ready to go around the same time the album hits. We just want to have lots of content ready to rock when Leveler comes out. The label and the band are very much in tune with the approach we want to take in terms of marketing. We just want to make sure everyone knows about the album. We want people to be excited for it.

JP: You guys are going out on the Warped Tour this year. Are you doing the entire tour?

Brubaker: Yes, we’ll be doing the entire tour on the main stage. This is our first time doing the whole thing and we’re psyched! We did two weeks in 2008 and it was so much fun we didn’t want to come home. We are honored to share the stage with some awesome bands and some close friends. We all have high hopes for the tour and I think we couldn’t be luckier to have a new album coming out right as the tour starts.

JP: I have seen in the press that sometimes you guys get double categorized as a ‘metal core’ band and also as a ‘Christian rock’ band. Does that ever present a problem with having to feel like you have to represent both?

Brubaker: Well we obviously aren’t a rock band. Whoever says that is misinformed, ha-ha. I don’t feel like we have to represent both. We’ve always just done our thing. We don’t analyze the Christian vs. Secular thing. We’re here to play good music and that’s always been our goal.

JP: That leads into this question. You were nominated last year for Best Rock Album ay the Dove Awards. How was it to get recognized for the work that you created?

Brubaker: It was a nomination and I’m not sure who we lost to, but it really doesn’t matter. It was nice to be nominated. I think it’d be a lot more exciting to be nominated for a Grammy. The Dove Awards are cool, but it’s just limited to Christian music and it’d be a little more special to get nominated for an award that isn’t limited to a religion.

JP: Last question: Do you have a message that you would like to send to all of your great fans out there?

Brubaker: Thank you for the years of continued support. We can’t wait to get Leveler into everyone’s hands. It’s my favorite record we’ve ever written and I hope you feel the same.

I See Stars Throw A Party

I See Stars gained a huge fan following after the release of their acclaimed debut album 3-D. The release defied genres and really captured the attention of many on the music scene. The guys brought forth the emergence of electronicore to the scene that proved to be a popular entrée to hungry music fans looking for something new. What exactly is electronicore? Well, you take one part auto-tone, add one part electronic, mesh in just about every genre imaginable and add a dash of screamed vocals.

The band toured heavily in support of their debut release, including the 2010 Warped Tour, and their live show gained new fans with each and every performance. Those fans have waited five years for new material and the result sees the band taking path in a new direction, while trying to stay true to their roots. The new album entitled The End of the World Party is definitely a party album with more focus on techno/dance and less on hardcore.

Lead singer Devin Oliver and his band mates have decided that, instead of recreating that magic that they captured with 3-D, they wanted to step it up and take it to a new level. The album tends to lean heavier on the electronic and techno edge, with less emphasis on the hardcore. Auto tune is something that a lot of bands are experimenting with and for some fans, it’s a “take it or leave it” addition. There is some experimentation with it on tracks such as “Home for the Weekend”, but I don’t think that the guys over saturate the music with it until the point of overkill.

I think there are some really great tracks on here including “The Common Hours 2” and the title track, with “Over It” being probably the strongest track overall. There are plenty of catchy and heavy riffs and the overall feel of the album is very upbeat and fun. Yes, they also still have their screams before the breakdowns also. It is still a heavy pop/electronic album, but nowhere along the lines of heaviness heard on their debut.

Overall, I found it very enjoyable. I am sure that there will be fans who want to hear that same formula again that they fell in love with and they may feel as if it comes up short in the heavy category. A band must be allowed to grow and try new things in order to expect any form of longevity in this fickle music industry. I commend I See Stars for trying something new and hope that it pays off for them.

http://www.barebonesmusic.com/barebonesmusic/Reviews/Entries/2011/3/10_I_SEE_STARSThe_End_of_The_World_Party.html

In This Moment Rocks Warped Tour

The Vans Warped Tour celebrated its 15th anniversary this summer. Southern California’s In This Moment decided to help celebrate by taking parting the annual summer ritual. The band was kind of out of their element, but they soon found out how well they fit in. "These kids are very receptive to music, it’s like they are hungry for something new," said guitarist Chris Howorth.


The band took part in the entire nine week tour and could not be happier with the outcome. "The crowds have been great and we have made so many new fans. We’ve also got to meet so many great bands. It’s been very a lot of fun and a lot of partying," said lead singer Maria Brink.


The band reissued their CD "The Dream" before the tour. How did that come about? "We wanted to do something special for our fans to coincide with the tour. We decided to re-release ‘The Dream’ and put some unreleased tracks on it and some video footage. Our manager also suggested that we do a cover song to include on it. We had done some in the past, but we wanted to do something a little different this time. So, we chose to do ‘Call Me’ by Blondie. The response has been amazing and we’re getting a ton of airplay with it also," commented Maria.


The band’s set that night that I saw them in Charlotte, NC was only 5 songs long, but they drew a big crowd on the Ernie Ball stage. That show was their first attempt at "the pit" during "Daddy’s Falling Angel" and it was a special moment. Chris, Jesse and Blake went out into the crowd at the beginning of the song and Maria and Jeff stayed onstage. The song began and the crowd swarmed around Chris and Jesse and Blake went back to play on the stage. Maria ventured out to the guys and made the crowd form a mosh pit circle around them and run. It was pretty intense to say the least!! Footage posted on You Tube the next morning and pictures were posted online and the buzz was overwhelming. The band continued it each night of the rest of the tour.


Chris and Maria told me that day on their bus that they would be taking two months off to write material for their next CD to hopefully be out in early 2010. There was going to be a major announcement for the fans in the near future. It ended up being posted on their My Space that in November, the band would venture out on their first headlining tour until before Christmas. The set list will be much longer with several surprises thrown in for the fans. Revolver magazine has jumped on board as a sponsor for the tour, which is major news. The band will take Christmas off and then head into the studio for about two months and record.

The band that I met on Ozzfest back in 2007 just keeps continuing to grow. I was in Walmart a month or so ago and up on the Walmart network in the electronics department was, you guessed it, In This Moment. It was part of their Warped Tour Sound check and they talked to the band about the tour. It was kinda surreal for me to look up and see the band.

This band is going to just blow up big really soon. Their headlining tour should prove interesting to the fans that have been along for the entire ride plus their newly found fans from Warped. It should be very interesting next year to see what happens after they release their new CD next year. The road ahead for In This Moment is one full of promise and opportunity.

American Sixgun (Formerly Switchblade Killers): The New Rock and Roll Militia

American Sixgun were out of their element this summer. Instead of being in a smoke filled bar, they decided to take part in the Vans Warped Tour. "We definitely do not fit in here! The crowds have been great, they’ve been very receptive; actually a lot better than we expected," said lead singer Zach Neil.


I saw the band play in Charlotte, NC on the Warped Tour and spoke to them shortly after their rain filled set. "Yeah, this is our fifth show as a band. We seem to play right about the time a rain shower is coming along. We’re kind of like the underdog on this tour. It’s like us and Shooter (Jennings), the great American musicians who are not being produced right now. We want to work with Shooter and maybe go out on the road. We’re working on him about that. Each night we end up smoking his pot and he drinks our whiskey!" said Zach.

The band plays a style of rock that is sorely missing in music today. " We’re going back to the rock that we grew up with. We’re influenced by Zepplin ,Sabbath, Guns and Roses, Motley Crue and pretty much all rock between 1968 and 1989. The rock show seems to be missing these days. There are a lot of sissy bands on this tour and a lot of bs going on. We’re the rock and roll militia and we’re here to show this kids how to rock," responded drummer Mike Lucchetti and Bassist Tim O’Grady.

The band’s name definitely does not in any way resemble a sissy band. "We wanted something badass, an American badass name. Switchblades were associated with gangs in the fifties. It just paints a picture of who were are about," said guitarist Josh Bodwell. Shortly after this interview, the band was forced to change their name to American Sixgun.

Their debut CD is entitled "The Devil In Your Bones" and it is pure testosterone driven rock and roll. "Let It Ride" is one of my favorite tracks and it has a sort of sixties feel to it. "Friends And Lovers" has a Guns and Roses meets Buckcherry groove. "All For Lovin’ You" is a tongue in cheek song with very insightful lyrics. The entire CD is showcase for this up and coming band.

If you are hungry for some "ballsy" rock and roll that has more substance than style, then these are your guys. They put their main focus on writing great songs and performing them live. These guys are putting the swagger back in rock and roll. Go to their My Space and check them out and relive your glory days when rock and roll actually did rock.

The Chaotic Tales of Kelsey and The Chaos

Kelsey and The Chaos. Never has a name been more appropriate than with this young, upstart group. Chaos is definitely an accurate word to describe the last year for this four member band originating from the New York/Tri-state area. More has happened to them in a little over a year than happens to most new bands in their entire careers.

Lead singer Kelsey Merritt spoke to me recently to fill me in on all that has happened. "Well, the band was created by myself and our drummer, Nick Rotunno. We met at the Berklee College of Music. Brian Pascoe and Justin Stabler entered the picture a short time later and we had found all our parts. That was in January of 08 and we played our first gig in March of 08."

The band has definitely had its share of exposure also. They were part of MTV2s Battle of The Bands. "We saw it on a website called Addicted To Noise, which is an interactive site. We entered the contest which was to see who would be crowned the top band in New York City. It was judged by Chris Carrabba from Dashboard Confessional and Brendon Urie and Ryan Ross from Panic At The Disco. We did really good and placed in the top 5 and got some amazing works of praise from the judges."

That wasn't the only national exposure obtained by the group. They performed several dates on last year's Vans Warped Tour and were picked to open for Bret Michaels on his Rock Of Love Tour. "Opening for Bret and being in front of that big of a crowd, that was the point that I knew in my mind that this was what I really wanted to do with my life. I've been singing since I was 12 and I always knew I wanted to be a performer, but that was the moment that solidified it for me," said Kelsey.

The band released it's EP, "Against The Wall", in late 2008 and it was picked up by Hot Topic for distribution. The group's inspirations range from Pat Benatar and Joan Jett to more modern artists as No Doubt. One obvious comparison, given the sound and having such a visually captivating female front person, is Paramore. Kelsey commented," Wow! The comparison is very flattering, I'm honored by it, but we do want to stand out. Yeah, there are some similarities but we are also alot different too."

The band is currently on the road touring and will be on this years Vans Warped Tour. So, what does Kelsey see as the best and worst parts of touring? "The best would be , of course, doing what we love to do and that's play our music in front of people. Also, meeting our fans is really cool. Worst part? It would have to be having no actual home. It is kinda hard to take care of yourself when you don't have a stable environment."

Kelsey was then subjected to my question about being stuck on a desert island with only one cd, what would her cd of choice be? "I have to pick two. One would be the Kaiser Chiefs "Off With Their Heads" and the other would be Michael Buble "Time". Two different styles but I love them both."

I encourage people to pick up their EP at Hot Topic or on their page on MySpace. It contains only six songs, but it gives you a small taste of what the band is capable of. Songs such as the "You Can't Stop" and "Wrapped Around Your Finger" are stand out tracks that really showcase how amazingly tight the band sounds to be so early in their career. Kelsey is an amazing front person. Visually, yes she is stunning, but this young lady has some serious chops. She's not just another "gimmick" in this cash cow industry more concerned about cashing in on your talent today and not producing an artist with staying power. This band will be around for many more Warped Tours and their own headlining tour is not too far off in the horizon.

Charlotte Sometimes: Words Beyond Her Years

Have you ever felt like an outcast? Have you ever felt like you didn't belong? Did you ever just want to escape? Well then, you can sympathise with VH1's Artist You Outta Know Charlotte Sometimes. Growing up in her hometown of Wall, New Jersey, she felt like the weird one in her school. You know, we all have had that person. Kinda like Alley Sheedy's character Allison in The Breakfast Club. So misunderstood, but deep down, they were just like you and me.

Well, Charlotte did escape through writing and performing. Her name was taken from a children's book and is the name of a boarding student who is magically transported some 40 yeas into the past and into the body of another girl. The book was written in 1969 by Penelope Farmer. The whole premise of the book really caught her attention. The whole idea of escaping into another personality or another person's persona intrigued her.

Charlotte has always been into performing. "I took dance and theater until I was 14. That's when I decided to pick up a guitar and start performing songs about how I was feeling," said Charlotte. The lyrics that poured out of this young woman were far beyond her young age. "My mom used to say that I had a 40 year old woman trapped inside my body!" She drew alot from bad relationships and there was plenty of material to draw upon.

Her debut cd "Waves and The Both Of Us" draws heavy upon relationships and the constant struggle between men and women in these. The lyrics tend to be deep and brooding in parts and somewhat explicit. One tends to wonder what all is going on inside the head of this young woman to be so inspired to write lyrics of such twisted substance. Take the lyrics of "Sweet Valium High" in which she sings of a bad relationship and asks "Do you think of me when she screams your name?" Other songs questioning the different aspects of relationships include the stand out tracks "In Your Apartment" and "Build The Moon".

"I guess I have never really been very good at relationships. I don't think that I have these false expectations, but I know I do have standards that just never seem to work out," said Charlotte. Well, on her cd, she has put all these trials and tribulations to pen and music and has crafted a lesson in relationships 101 that. It may not read like a Harlequin romance novel, but it does prove to be very interesting listening.

So, what does the future hold in store for this blossoming young talent? "I went out on tour with Gavin DeGraw last year and that was alot of fun. I am hoping to go out in maybe February in support of myself." Of course my last question was my stranded on a desert island with one cd question. What would young Charlotte take along for the ride? "Probably Photo Album" by Death Cab For Cutie. I would want to have something to listen to that inspires me."

In today's every changing industry, there seems to be alot of female artists popping up who get compared to Fiona Apple, Sarah McLachlan and Tori Amos and I can see similarities with all three, probably most with Tori Amos who draws on bad past experiences in her music. Charlotte also has a very unique voice that definitely grabs your attention from her first words. I would definitely suggest the cd to everyone, especially those bored with the typical influx of blonde wannabe singers talking about the perils of being pretty while showing off their boobs. Charlotte is very old school in that aspect. She is a very sexy performer, yet she doesn't rely on cheap gimmicks such as overly sexual lyrics or cleavage. Check it out and give it a listen and you to can escape into another world like in Charlotte's favorite book.