Lacuna Coil Tread Familiar Water

Italian rockers Lacuna Coil have been fine tuning their musical machine over the last fifteen years. They are one band that you know will turn out a really good album. They are one of the most successful bands on their Century Media Records label. Singer Cristina “there’s no H in my first name” Scabbia has become known worldwide as one of the hottest chicks in metal. Still, after five albums and countless tours, the band has never elevated to that next level of success and notoriety.

Will their new album Dark Adrenaline take them to that level? Well, let’s take a listen and see what we find. This is the band’s first album since 2009’s Shallow Life. The band went with producer Don Gilmore who also produced their last album. It opens with “Trip the Darkness” and is also the first video released. Musically, it’s familiar territory for the band as it opens with singer Andrea Ferro’s on the first verse before Cristina comes in and then takes over the chorus. The chugging guitars and bass throughout the song are that trademark sound from the band that we have come to know and love.

“Against You” has more of a rock edge to it and the guitar work between Cristiano Migliore and Marco “Maus” Biazzi is close to perfection all the way down to the superb solos midway through the song. “Give Me Something More” is a really catchy song from the band and Cristina’s delivery of the chorus is very infectious. You will be singing along after the first listen.

“Upside Down” is one of the strongest tracks on the album and it definitely rocks. Andrea and Cristina trade off vocals on this track. I like the contrast in their styles, but at times you wish Andrea just had a bit more grit to his delivery. “End of Time” is a power ballad that would sound right at home at album rock radio. This is another great vocal delivery by Cristina on the lead and Andrea taking over on the chorus.

“The Army Inside” shows the band turning up the guitars again on this catchy song. There have been many comparisons to Depeche Mode, especially after covering one of their songs. At times, to me this sounds like what Depeche Mode would if they added heavier guitars; plus a very hot female singer. “Fire” is, no pun intended, a very hot song by the band. It has great vocals, a catchy riff throughout and a great hook in the chorus.

Although “End of Time” would make it radio much easier, I think “My Spirit” is the better of the two ballads. I think it’s a much richer song in composition and Andrea’s and Cristina’s vocals shine on this track. This song has some of the darker elements from the band’s earlier work that seems to have faded throughout the years.
The band is known for doing some great covers in the past and on this album they decided to take on a classic in R.E.M.’s “Losing My Religion”. As much as I wanted to like their new version, it just doesn’t work for me. It’s as if they have stripped away the core emotion of the R.E.M. song and turned it into a generic rock song. It really lacks that emotional connection that Michael Stipe made when he originally recorded the song.

So, will this new album vault Italy’s finest to that next level of superstardom? There are moments on here in which they seem poised for that. They have all the right elements working in their favor. Cristina’s vocals are full of emotion and energy and can switch from sweet to savage in note. Andrea’s vocals are great, but as mentioned before, need a bit more grit on the more aggressive lyrics to convey the feeling that is warranted. The musicianship is top notch as always, with the guitar attack being taken to a whole new, heavier level on this album. Although, I do miss some of the heavier, darker goth sound that the band had in their earlier days.

There are a few songs on the album that, given the right push my marketing, could blow up at radio and expose the band to a new fan base. There have been so many bands throughout time that have been on the verge of super stardom, but never got that one lucky break needed to crossover to the next level. Will Dark Adrenaline launch them to the next level? Stay tuned to find out.

Halestorm Teases With Hello, It's Mz. Hyde EP

Halestorm seemed to come out of nowhere in 2009 with their song ultra sexy song and video for “I Get Off”. Led by lead singer Lzzy Hale, who was a deadly combination of leather and lace, the band was called an overnight sensation by many. What many did not know was that the band had been together for a long time and paying their dues. They released an EP in 2005 entitled “One and Done” and became road warriors, playing just about anywhere and everywhere.

Their self-titled full length album spawned numerous hits including “I Get Off”, “Familiar Taste of Poison” and more. Here we are three years and hundreds of shows later and the pressure is on as all eyes are on these childhood friends from PA. Will they rise to the challenge or suffer the dreaded “sophomore slump”? Well, for now, we are getting a 4 song EP entitled Hello, It’s Mz. Hyde to serve as a teaser for what’s to come.

The EP is a digital download only, but that’s familiar ground for the band. They released a covers EP last year entitled ReAniMate: The CoVeRs eP as a digital download only. For anyone who is familiar with the band, they know that they have been infamous for doing killer cover songs for years now and that EP was no exception.

The first track and single, and maybe even song title of the year, is “Love Bites (So Do I)” and it shows off a bit of an aggressive edge for the band that brings to mind Skid Row’s “Slave To The Grind”. Lzzy vocals are diverse on here and effective to bringing true emotion to the lyrics. Joe Hottinger offers some tasty guitar work in this song. Lzzy’s brother Arejay also is a beast on the drums on this track

The band showed us on their last album that they definitely know how to create a catchy song that will get stuck in our heads. “Rock Show” is another example of one of those songs that you will immediately be singing the chorus after only one listen. This is one of those songs that all fans and music lovers can relate to. As Lzzy sings, ‘At the rock show, you’ll be right in the front row’, you just start rocking your head in agreement. Josh Smith also lays down a solid bassline that carries this song from beginning to end.

“Daughters of Darkness” is a great track with Halestorm doing what they do best. The chorus screams for audience participation and would fit in great at a live show. The last track, “Here’s To Us”, shifts gears and shows that Lzzy and the boys are no strangers to the old school power ballads from the eighties. The acoustic intro sets a great tone as the boys slowly join in on this track and establish a great melody. Lzzy’s reflective lyrics are sure to strike a chord with everyone who listens as I am sure we can all relate.

A mere four song teaser and I am so hungry for more. We have been served an appetizer and now we must wait until April for the main course. This EP is everything that we would expect from Halestorm, but they raised the bar. Anyone who has seen this band live knows that they are diverse and rich with talent. This EP taps into that a little more than their debut album did. Lzzy’s vocals are stronger than ever and even more convincing in her lyrical deliver. You actually feel what she is singing. Joe, Arejay and Josh sound tighter than ever and have really pushed themselves. Man, April needs to get here as soon as possible!

In This Moment: Closing The Chapter On The Star Crossed Wasteland Tour

In This Moment is a band that doesn’t just sit back and relax after releasing an album. They have that old school mentality of proving yourselves life. Each release sees the band hit the road and tour endlessly. The have played everywhere from the Garden in New York City to quite a few “dumps” as they pursue their dream.

The band has played festivals such as Ozzfest and Mayhem that you would easily associate them with. In 2009, the band decided to try a different approach to touring and signed on board for the Vans Warped Tour. A brave mood on their part considering that they stood out like a snowflake in the summertime compared to the majority of the bands there. It was a smart move and gave them major exposure to a lot of people who may not have listened to them before or even those who had no clue as to who they were.

Well, the summer of 2011 saw the band take that same approach as they geared up for the first All-Stars Tour. One look at the roster and many were thinking the inclusion of In This Moment was a typo. Their style of music is a far cry from the “breakdown, breakdown, scream, scream, breakdown” style of many of those on the bill. Yet, it was another similar opportunity to expose their music to a new audience. We caught up with Chris Howorth and Travis Johnson on their stop in Charlotte, NC to talk to them about the tour and what’s ahead for In This Moment.

Music Is My Drug Of Choice: The tour has been going on for a few weeks now. I guess you’re about 2/3 of the way through it. What are your thoughts so far?

In This Moment: This tour seems to have been going on for a long time. It’s 36, 37 days; it’s like a mini Warped Tour. There are a lot bands, a lot of activity, a lot of disorganization and stuff. It’s definitely been hectic for us, but it’s also the ending of the tour cycle too, so we want to give it the best we can. Richmond (Virginia) was a great show, probably one of the better shows. The East coast has been ruling over the West coast on this tour. Well, we haven’t actually hit the West coast but the mid west and Texas and places like that are usually good for In This Moment. With this tour, it’s a different lineup of bands and we really don’t fit in that much with them. We’re really the odd ball on the whole tour, but we noticed that on the East coast that doesn’t matter at all. We’re being very well received by all the people there.

Music Is My Drug Of Choice: What about Detroit the other day? Doesn’t seem like there was a lot of love in the house for you guys at that show. Do you want to talk about that?

In This Moment: No, it’s cool. We can talk about it. Like I said before, we’re definitely the odd ball band on this tour and it’s a “scene” type of tour where by “scene” I mean these kids are really young and they like what their friends like. If you’re not the bands that they like with the breakdowns, then they don’t want to support the show. They don’t want to give you applause or anything. They just want to stand there and be mean until the band that they want to hear comes on. Detroit was one particular show where Maria got particularly fed up with it and told the whole place to “F” off. It does get annoying and we do apologize to our fans because we have our fans that come out to all of the shows. Some of these places it seems like our fans are dwarfed by the scene kids. Now, she’s giving a speech every night now about supporting the whole tour. We come from the hard rock, heavy metal world and those people come out and support the entire show and even if the band isn’t their favorite band, they won’t be rude to them.

Music Is My Drug Of Choice: You guys get roughly 30 minutes to play, which averages out to about 5 songs. How hard is it to narrow it down to just 5?

In This Moment: It can really be a pain in the butt sometimes because everyone has what they think will be the best for this particular type of audience. Throughout the history of the band, what I think and what Maria thinks has been two clashing things. We also play a few shows and see if we need to make any modifications to the list also, but we’ve pretty much had the same set list on this entire tour.

Music Is My Drug Of Choice: What can you tell me about the new CD that you’re working on?

In This Moment: We’re just writing and doing little demos here and there. We got into the studio in January. We’re just preparing as much stuff as we can now before we go in. Kevin Churko is locked in again and we’re just looking at sticking to the same formula that we have been using, but we still want to grow so that it’s not the same record again. We’re shooting for a summer release in conjunction with the Mayhem Festival. We’re putting it out there pretty strongly because we really want to do that again.

Music Is My Drug Of Choice: I saw online that Soundwave is cancelled. I guess that frees you guys up. What’s on your agenda?

In This Moment: Yeah, I was really bummed that it got cancelled. All of our Australia and Japanese plans are out the window now. All it really means for us is that we are really going to focus on the new record and make sure it has the best songs possible. The only other thing we have lined u is the Shiprock cruise in November.

Music Is My Drug Of Choice: So Chris, are you going through gaming withdrawal on this tour?

In This Moment: I usually get some gaming time while we’re out on the road. The last three tours that we did I had my X-box with me and we had a different crew on those tours too. They were some of my gaming buddies and some of them aren’t here anymore. I could have brought my X-box with me this time, but I just chose not to. I love it though; I’m just going to wait until I get home. We can’t get online on the bus and I like to do the on line gaming more than the regular kinds, so I’m not going through withdrawals too bad.

Music Is My Drug Of Choice: Is there anything else that you want to throw out there for the fans?

In This Moment: We’re just looking forward to going back into the studio in January and start recording. We will probably be doing some touring in the spring before it comes out and then hooking up on a big, juicy tour like Mayhem hopefully. We loved doing it last year and we had a great experience. It’s definitely our audience!

Music Is My Drug Of Choice: That would be great to see you guys on there again. We will definitely put the word out there and keep our fingers crossed that it works out!

Arch Enemy Unleashes Chaos On It's Fans

There are many one word labels that come to mind when discussing Swedish death metal veterans Arch Enemy: aggression, brutality, extreme. One word that pops into my mind would be “consistency”. The band has released nine studio albums beginning with their debt in 1996 Black Earth, and has consistently delivered to their fans impressive bodies of work. They have evolved and grown as a band, yet remaining true to a sound that converted many listeners into fans.

Their newest studio album Khaos Legions definitely ranks up there with the best work that they have created to date. The album kicks off with a short instrumental, the first of three, but really gets things charged up with the second track and first video “Yesterday is dead and gone”. An adrenaline charged assault of aggression on which the Amott duo shines. These guys pack a one, two punch of shredding wizardry that commands the listener to bow in their epicness.

Fans of Arch Enemy are expectant of the delivery of aggression from the band and this album is no exception to that rule. That element of the band shines through on songs such as “Vengeance is Mine” and “Cult of Chaos”. They remain true to the trademark sound of Arch Enemy, yet they manage to raise the bar with the technical riffs and hooks on both of these. A band has to continue to grow in order to thrive in this tumultuous industry and Arch Enemy proves that on this album.

There are two standout tracks in my opinion on this release. I absolutely love “Cruelty without Beauty” in all of its glory. Sharlee is a beast on this track and brings his drumming to a new level. The Amott’s are shred worthy gods on this one. These guys are not afraid to flat out wail away on the guitar. I also love the addition of the synthesizers on this track as they raise the bar and add a rich layer to this song. They are very effective, yet without becoming overkill. “Through the Eyes of a Raven” is similar in ways to “Cruelty” as it is an adventuresome song with many layers to it. The aggression is still there in full force and the hooks definitely pull you in and refuse to let go. The shredding is even bigger than the hooks on this one. A complex song that is full throttle from beginning until the acoustic conclusion, which definitely catches you off guard.

There has been a lot said as far as the vocals of Angela Gossow. I have read on fan boards that she is a “one-trick pony” and that the band relies on her too much to get attention. I am sure that most female fronted bands have gone through this, especially in the “metal” genre. I think her screams can be as fierce as any man in this genre, if not more. Is the complaint a fair one in this genre? I don’t think I have heard of a male singer who is told he needs to “scream it down a little” and show some versatility.

Overall, this new album was well worth the four wait. The band sounds tighter than ever and the song writing is top notch. The three instrumental tracks on here really don’t do much for me, but maybe other fans will like how they tie the songs together. Angela proves on her that she is not just “eye candy” and that she is a strong front woman and deserves some credit. I think her growls are gut wrenching and brutal.

I don’t know if you consider them extreme metal or melodic death metal, but the band are bringing their sound to the stage in the states for a series of dates. I encourage you to check out their new album Khaos Legions and try to catch their live show and see how this band can truly melt your faces live.

Sister Sin: Sweden's Metal Export to America

The word Sweden brings to mind different things to different people. One may think Volvo or Swedish meatballs or even Dolph Lundgren, but one usually doesn’t think of metal. There’s a group from Gothenburg that are on their way to being the first thing that comes to mind when hear Sweden and they are kicking it old school metal style.

Sister Sin emerged on the scene in October of 2008 with their debut album Switchblade Serenades. The band gained a great deal of US exposure by touring with Motorhead and OTEP. Their follow up entitled True Sound of the Underground was released in 2010 and they have been tearing up the road in a major way here in the US. We were lucky to catch up with Sister Sin’s dynamic front woman Liv Jagrell recently to see how life on the road was going.

JP: Hey Liv, it’s great to talk with you today. I see you guys have just finished up the Revolver Hell Hath No Fury Tour with In This Moment, Straight Line Stitch and System Divide. How was it?

Liv: It was an amazing tour with amazing bands. We all had a lot of fun and we found friends for life, which always makes a tour so much better. We already miss all of those bands and their crews! I’m so happy to have been on a tour with such great females, it’s nice to have some women around you too, ha-ha.

JP: Do you have any memorable road stories, either good or bad, from the tour?

Liv: We have been very lucky most of the time on the tour except for some bad luck with the police pulling us over for nothing, four times in four days! Otherwise, this tour has gone smooth without major problems. Oh wait; we almost got stuck in the swamp close to Mississippi. The roads were all drowned in water and it was the middle of the night and suddenly, the road just disappeared and there was only water and fish jumping around. Very strange!

JP: How has your fan base here in the US changed since your last tour supporting your debut album?

Liv: We see new fans every time we tour here, so it’s getting better and better. We also have our “comebacks” that come to every tour that we do and that is so amazing. A band is nothing without its fans.

JP: Speaking of touring, you just started a tour with OTEP, Blackguard, Destrophy and One Eyed Doll. Tell us about that awesome tour package.

Liv: We have been out with OTEP once before, so that’s going to be fun. The rest of the bands seem like nice bands, so I think we are going to have a good time together. As for the music, I think it’s a good variety between all the bands and it should be a good crowd.


JP: You guys seem to constantly be on the road. What would you say are the good points and bad points of being out on the road?

Liv: I would say the best is being able to play live in front of new and old fans, that’s what we are living for. Nothing beats the feeling that you get on stage: nothing! The worst part is that you don’t get enough sleep, you eat bad food and you don’t have time to do stuff. I mean, you see a lot from the window of a van, but not so much more than that. Sometimes it would be fun to actually go out and enjoy the amazing nature or cities that we drive through.

JP: Ok Liv, that leads into my next question for you. How in the world do you manage to stay in such great shape when out on the road?

Liv: Thank you! Yeah, that’s one of the harder parts and one thing that I really miss being away from home is being able to work out. I try to hit the hotel’s fitness room pr swimming pool as often as I can on tour, but sometimes there’s just no time. I’m use to working out five days a week, so I get pretty cranky and start climbing the walls! I do manage to get a lot of energy out on stage; I’m not still for very long.

JP: If you do get any downtime, other than what you just mentioned, what do you guys try to do?

Liv: On the last tour, there was almost none, but hopefully on this new tour we will get some downtime. It would be fun to hit a movie or go out to a really nice dinner and for me, I would like to be dropped off at a mall; it’s much more fun to shop in the US! We are also talking about getting new tattoos and maybe going to a wrestling show.

JP: All of that time on the road can lead to mischief. Who is the practical jokester in the band?

Liv: I have three of them and believe me; they are not as funny as they will think! I still love them and I just shut my ears and let them have their fun. If I am tired, then I’ll be the bitch and yell to them to shut up!

JP: What’s next for Sister Sin?

Liv: This year we will mostly focus on touring. We would like to hit Europe for a longer tour also, but we have been planning to start to write new material and hopefully release a new album early next year.

JP: Liv, we appreciate the time that you took to speak with me and we encourage everyone to check you guys out on the current OTEP tour and your newest album True Sounds of the Underground.

Ashes Of Erin Scorches The Arizona Desert

The sun in Arizona is known to be smoldering hot and not much can grow in its desert like conditions, until now. Ashes of Erin, a group a five separately influenced individuals with a common motive: to create a sound unlike anything they had ever heard before. The band consists of Jenna Slate on lead vocals, Bryan Diehl on guitar, Josh Rafferty on guitar, Drew Alnas on bass and vocals and Andy Schroeder on drums. The band was named after a friend of theirs named Erin who was a huge supporter of their local scene early on. She died of cancer in 2007 and her husband suggested to Bryan, as they were spreading her ashes out in California, that they should name the band after her. They all agreed that it would be a great way to honor her for her support.

Ashes Of Erin began forming back in the summer of 2007. Josh and Bryan were in a band together and decided to leave to start forming their own band. Drew and Josh had been friends for a very long time and had even played together in another band. The guys saw Jenna performing with a friends band and asked her to come down and audition. She then proceeded to belt out the heaviest of all the songs that the band had and they knew then that they had found their new lead singer. They found their solid foundation in November of 2008 when Andy answered an ad that he saw on My Space.

I spoke with Jenna and Bryan to learn more about the group and how they got to where they are now. "The recording of this Cd was a nightmare....Ha ha! Seriously though, we started recording the album with some of our old members. It was almost finished by the time that Andy joined the group, but we decided that the sound had changed drastically just from him joining. So, we thought that it would be best to scrap that recording entirely and start over. we re-recorded everything at the beginning of 2009. Those sessions were a lot of fun though. Byron, who recorded the album, was a blast to work with and we worked very hard with him to achieve the sound we wanted on the album."

The five members of the band bring a very diverse mixture of styles and influences, from the Human waste Project to eighties rock to death metal, that mesh together to help form a unique twist to the common metal core style. Jenna's vocals run the gauntlet from gut wrenching growls to a very melodic vocal styling. One moment she sings to steal your heart away and the next she's screaming like she's going to rip it out of your chest! The band's music style also crosses back and forth across the "typical" metal core stylings. The band mixes aggressive, fast paced lines with slower, more melodic ones, henceforth creating a style that is very unique to this growing style.

Their CD entitled "This Somber Eve" is an assault on the ears of mind. The opening title track is an instrumental that kicks the door down at the end and explodes into the song "I". Jenna vocals run all over the board her ands sets the pace to let the listener know to expect the unexpected.Other standout cuts include "Abnormal Drifter", "One Pill Kill" and my favorite "Denounce The Air", which I think is Jenna's stellar vocal performance. "'Distorted Revelation' is probably our most "radio-friendly" song we have on the album. It is my favorite because of the meaning behind the lyrics. Most of my lyrics are fictional stories but this one was based off a traumatic event that happened to me so I think I'm more emotional when I sing it," stated Jenna.

"I think Distorted stands out a bit from the rest because of it's mainstream sound. But my personal favorite is probably Dead Fish. That one is just so brutal and fun to play," responded Bryan.

The musicianship in the band is also top notch. Bryan and Josh definitely trade off some intense guitar licks. In the meantime, the back beat propelled by the rhythm duo of Drew and Andy help to maintain that driving aggressive attitude that is expected from this band.

As my last question, I always ask the bands that I interview what CD they would want with them if they were trapped on desert island. Jenna replied with, "It would be 'E-lux' by the Human Waste Project. Seriously, one of the best Cd's that I have ever heard. I totally wish they were still around."

Bryan said, "That's a tough one! I think I'd have to take a Pink Floyd album, maybe 'The Wall', since it's a double disc."

"This Somber Eve" is a CD that will certainly appeal to lovers of the metal core style of music, but it is also diverse enough to cross over that line to appeal to fans of other stylings of new rock. It is fast, furious and in your face metal. Be prepared when you push play...it will grab you by your neck and demand your attention through it's entirety. It is most definitely a workout of epic proportions on your senses.

Halestorm Proves Overnight Sensations Can Take A Long Time

How many times have you heard the first single from a band and thought the band was an overnight sensation? Now, some bands do get lucky and break it big right out of the box. In the case of Pennsylvania’s Halestorm, this is the furthest thing from the truth. I was fortunate enough to see the band on their tour with Shinedown, Chevelle and Staind a while back and caught up with lead singer Lzzy Hale as the band was traveling on the road .

“Yeah, most people don’t realize how long we have been at this. We’ve been doing this for like 15 years now. I was 13 and my brother Arejay, who is our drummer, was 10 when we first started the band. We would play wherever they would let us,” said Lzzy.

Now, most girls that age are not thinking about being the next Lita Ford or Joan Jett. Most are having slumber parties and talking about boys. “You’re right, it was very hard finding young kids that shared our passion for music and succeeding at it. Most didn’t want a career in it or they lacked the drive or parental support that is needed,” replied Lzzy.

The band’s leadoff single from their debut self titled CD is entitled “I Get Off” and about the time I saw the band back in July, it had just begun to blowup. “Oh my god, it has just been amazing. We have the opening slot on the tour and a lot of people have not gotten to the arenas when we are playing our set. I have noticed though, that the crowds are getting a little bigger for our set. I can look out and see people with our t shirts on and they are singing our songs word for word. It’s a very humbling experience,” stated Lzzy.

“I also like the different reactions that “I Get Off” is having with guys and girls. It’s funny because the guys see it as a very sexy and naughty song. On the other hand, girls see it as a very powerful song for them. It’s like they are saying ‘I’m in control here and I am calling the shots”, so it’s pretty funny. I guess it’s great that a song can have different interpretations like that,” stated Lzzy.

So, who does Lzzy draw her influences from? “Well, it’s very flattering to me because I have been compared to some of the greats. I mean Joan Jett, Heart, Janis Joplin, it’s amazing. I have to say that some of the girls from my generation, no offense to any of them, but they just didn’t do it for me. They didn’t have enough power for me. In this gendra today, it shouldn’t be seen as a gimmick when a woman is in front of a band. It’s not a rock band fronted by a girl, it’s a girl fronting a rock band,” said Lzzy.
The band’s CD has a definite old school 80s metal feel to it. The catchy hooks on songs like “What Were You Thinking” and “Dirty Work” show elements of that. There’s even the 80s staple power ballads in songs such as “Bet You Wish U Had Me Back” and “Familiar Taste Of Poison”, on which the aqua net just radiates from your speakers!

The second single, as of the conducting of this interview, had yet to be determined. The CD is very deep in material and probably could go at least 4 singles deep if not further. That kind of feat is almost unheard of given the state of the music industry today. Just recently, the second single and video were chosen for the song “Love/Hate Heartbreak”.

So, does Lzzy have any guilty pleasures that may surprise her fans? “I actually am a pretty good seamstress. I like to make out stage outfits. I take different articles of clothing and try to see how many different outfits that I can make it into. So, yeah, I spend my free time sewing,” said Lzzy. My last question was my question for all bands/artists that I interview. If you were trapped on a desert island with only one store bought CD, what would you want there with you? “It would definitely have to be some Black Sabbath. I seem to be going through this re-appreciation of their music. It’s some powerful stuff,” stated Lzzy.

Check out their debut self titled CD and you will not be disappointed. It is a little retro 80s but still modern sounding. I told Lzzy in our interview that she had a great mix of sexuality and innocence. She can look at you and make you think she wants to jump your bones and then give you a look like she is going to rip your throat out. She is a multitalented front person and she and the boys are serious about their rock. They are still burning up the road and show no signs of letting up. Brave the storm and see what all the fuss is all about. You will not be disappointed!!!

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.

Agonist Singer Stands For Her Beliefs

Mama always told me never to judge a book by it's cover and man is that so true. I first saw pictures of Alissa White-Gluz in Revolver's Hottest Chicks In Metal. I have to admit that she is a very striking woman. A pure natural beauty, whose hair is a wild combo of purple and blue. So, I decided to check them out. I picked up their first Cd entitled "Only Once Imagined" and popped it in my player and was shocked. I knew they were a metal core band but it was Alissa's vocals that caught me by surprise. She has the amazing ability to go from a growling type of screaming to singing in this very melodic tone.

I saw them a while back at Volume 11 in Raleigh,NC and shortly after go ta chance to talk with Alissa.

JP- "Hi Alissa, let me start by thanking you for taking time out of your busy schedule to talk with me."

Alissa- "No problem! We have been very busy on the road touring to promote our latest CD 'Lullabies For The Dormant Mind'."

JP- "I'm curious as to when you first decided that this was what you wanted to do with your life, take off on the rock and roll journey?"

Alissa- "In 2003 I was in my first band called Dream Theater. We were a progressive metal band. I always performed in school programs and plays."

JP- "Now, I saw where the band was first called Tempest and then changed its name to The Agonist. How did that come about?"

Alissa- "We were called Tempest until Simon joined. That's when we found out that there was another band with the same name. There were some legal problems, so we decided to change our name to The Agonist. I really didn't think the old name fit us very well. This one is more appropriate."

JP- "Your vocal styling is very amazing. I was blown away when I saw all that power and emotion coming out of such a small person. I can't get over how you go from growling to singing very melodically. How do you accomplish such a feat?"

Alissa- "Well, thank you. I have to take care of my voice to make sure that I don't strain it. I have to watch how much I use it before a show and I even have to watch what I eat."

JP- "You are such a creative person that I am sure you must have a wide range of influences?"

Alissa- I am actually inspired for songs from painting. I love Salvador Dali. I am also inspired by Gwen Stafani, Poe, Freddie Mercury and Andrew Lloyd Webber. I also love Angela Gossow, who I know, of Arch Enemy. I think she is just amazing."

JP- "The lyrics that you write are not typical in this day and age. Your lyrics do have somewhat of a serious tone to them. You have very strong beliefs that you express through them."

Alissa- "That's true, my lyrics are a mixture of things, but mostly I write about what I believe in. This is entertainment and it's art. I know that people who listen to our songs may not share my beliefs but I would still want them to listen to what I have to say. If they don't share my beliefs they can still enjoy our music. I don't try to shove it down their throats or anything. I just want to share a different look on things."

JP- "So, what are your best and worst road stories?"

Alissa- "I have so many great road stories, not many bad ones. We just get to meet so many amazing people out on the road. we crash at alot of peoples houses while we are touring. We actually got to crash at Bam Margera's house not too long ago. We found out that he is a huge fan of the band. That was very cool."

JP- "Do you have any guilty pleasures , if printable, that may surprise your fans?"

Alissa- "I love Vegan ice cream, I could eat a whole tub of it. There is this cappuccino flavor that I just love"

JP- "On your new CD, at the beginning of '....And Their Eulogies Sang Me To Sleep', it sounds like a vocal slip. Was that a blooper or what?"

Alissa- "That is so funny, you are actually the first person who has asked me about that. Our producer Christian Donaldson likes to keep all of the tape of my exercising my vocals and all the bloopers that may come along. When he's mixing the finished product, he likes to sneak those slip-ups in and see if anyone catches them. I actually liked that one and we left it in."

JP- "One last question, if you were trapped on a desert island and could have only one store bought CD, what would you want there with you?"

Alissa- "Wow, I would probably want to have something by Arch Enemy or 'The End Is Begun" by 3."

The Agonist is definitely a standout in the growing genre of metal core. Musically, they are a tight unit. Lyrically, I challenge you to find a band who has more to say in their lyrics. You can check them out at www.myspace.com/theagonist.