PHOTOS & INTERVIEW BELOWOn The Verge Of Greatness… By: Evan J. Thomas After 17+ months of dealing with a global pandemic with numerous concerts and festivals cancelled on my schedule I was covering my first Chicago area show on Wednesday night and with great luck it was with one of my favorite bands over the past few years, rock band Joyous Wolf hailing from Orange County, California. Joyous Wolf features vocalist Nick Reese, guitarist Blake Allard, bassist Greg Braccio and drummer Robert Sodaro. The band took this headlining gig while finishing up a run touring and opening up for Dirty Honey that started on June 3. Four Chicago area bands opened up the evening and one really stood out to me. That band being Atomic Love who had a Soundgarden like sound to them as their vocalist sounded a lot like the late Chris Cornell and he had a very similar look on stage. They were my favorite of the local openers. Joyous Wolf took the stage around 10pm for their 75 minute set. I had the opportunity to sit and talk with Nick and Blake prior to the show for my Bad Ass Podcast and the guys had revealed that this set would feature about 80 percent NEW music. For those people that know me I obsess over finding new music. For me it’s like opening up a new present on Christmas Morning each time I hear a song for the first time and I get to play it on my radio show. Tonight’s new music set list did not disappoint. Joyous Wolf kicked the show off with “Fearless” while then filtering in their most popular songs “Quiet Heart” and “Mother Rebel” off of their 2019 debut EP “Place in Time”. Reese at times during the set was trying to coax the masses to come to the front of the stage to see a rock show and most did oblige. Reese is a very active frontman on stage especially when he is doing flips, cartwheels and stage jumping into the crowd to then do more flips. Not many people let alone singers can pull off his daring and jaw dropping antics. I do have to say after seeing Joyous Wolf numerous times I enjoy it when Reese gives a stare down and scowl to a specific member of the crowd, lucky for me I wasn’t his target. He seems to pull more energy and motivation out of that interaction. Two of the new songs really stood out to me, the first being “Mechanic” and the other finishing off the set “Talk To Me”, both are amazing tracks. Reese's voice has an incredible range that is rare. During my pre show interview it was revealed that the band is working on a new full length album. Unfortunately the guys were hush hush on the time frame of releasing singles and the album, But I get it… as the band Stillwater said to journalist William Miller in the movie “Almost Famous” stating that “he is the enemy”. Joyous Wolf has experienced a meteoric rise in the past few years opening up for bands like Deep Purple, Fozzy, Buckcherry and as stated before, finishing up this run with Dirty Honey. They have also been on several festival lineups and have some this summer and fall including Upheaval Festival, Welcome To Rockville, Louder Than Life and then the stacked 2022 festivals Hellfest and Tons of Rock over seas. With new music coming out, a top notch social media presence that is led by Reese, mark my words... Joyous Wolf will be a band you’ll wish you saw them now before they blow up in the coming years, they are on the verge of greatness. I just hope I haven’t “Said Too Much”. SHOW PHOTOS
0 Comments
BOSTONS HARD HITTING ROCK BAND SILENT SEASON BY STEPHANIE STEVENS SILENT SEASON Boston’s hard hitting rock/metal band is back with intensity, rage, aggression and a lyrical journey through dealing with drug addiction in the bands new song ADDICTION. These dudes never cease to amaze me with the emotion and musicianship as they grow every year in their career. The band was founded by Jeremy Rae (vocals) and David Pappalardo (drums) in 2008 And the full lineup gelled in 2012. Since then the guys have released a debut album entitled BREAKING ME DOWN and received rave reviews from a ton of radio stations including Sirius-XM Octane with the hit single CHANCE With a fan base growing the guys kept releasing singles through the years that kept leveling up each time! You can tell how passionate dedicated and driven they are to make SILENT SEASON a household name. If you truly want to get blown away (like I did) then you need to take a hearty listen to the bands 2019 EP release THE WAR WITHIN, VOL 1. From that hard hitting blast in THE NEGATIVE to the pretty and sensational sound of STARS. These dudes know how to bring all the elements of a good rock band to the center stage each time they create a tune. I had a chance to speak to the band about the new release ADDICTION, the positive outlook they bring out in their songs, the band name and where they think they improved the most as musicians. Q: I love the name of your band can you give me the reason you decided on the name and through the years has the names meaning changed for you guys? A: When we first started a lot of the bands that we had played shows with in previous projects started to fizzle out. The music scene kind of fell silent for a bit and we wanted to fill that void. So we came up with the name Silent Season. I think though the meaning hasn't changed we are still here to finish what we started. Q: Being a boston based hard rock band what is the biggest struggle and most positive thing being in the area? A: The biggest struggle is that the rock scene is not as alive as it used to be. Venues that used to be hot spots have closed and it's a shame. Luckily, there's a lot of great local acts that support each other at the shows we manage to put together. Q: You guys have been making music since 2008 and have had a gelled band member line up since 2012. For you guys how do u get inspired to create music and what does it take to keep a lineup solid for so long? A: Jeremy, Dave and I are the original three. The way we are just so comfortable with each other makes the writing process easier. Q: Your newest single ADDICTION deals with a heavy lyrical standpoint which a lot of bands have covered, when you started writing this song what inspired you to touch on this subject and how did you wanna make it different from other rock tunes that talk about this subject matter? A: We tried to make the song through the eyes of someone watching another person deal with addiction. I think it is more relevant now than ever with people being so depressed about covid and life shutting down. A lot of people chose to use again because of all that. We just wanted to shed some light on that and let people know they can get help and are not alone. Q: The one thing I love about ur music is you bring out the positive and try to help people through struggles is that something on a personal level you strive to do and also if you do on a personal level how does that differ then putting it to music? A: I think growing up as a kid there were a lot of bands talking about some pretty dark subject matter. People can relate to that, but they also want to know that they can overcome all the crap that life throws at you. It was important to us to make it known that even though life gets tough there is always something you can do to make it better. Q: What is the biggest improvement as a musician you think you have had since the beginning of the career as SILENT SEASON? A: For me, I have gotten into recording and mixing, which helps when you have an idea you have to get down before you forget. And also, I've gotten into a lot in the live perspective. For example, when we play live, I handle our rack which handles our mics, in ear monitors, click tracks, samples and light show. Q: Do you guys have new music as in a EP or full length coming out in 2021 or do.you feel the single releases are the way to go in this current music world? And how do you view both ways of getting music out? A: With the way things are being an unsigned band we are currently just focusing on singles. Q: What is the biggest thing you guys have missed in a live show atmosphere and why? A: The crowd/fans. The way they react to the songs and the conversations we have with them after the shows. Many tell stories on how the music helped in some way. It's really rewarding in a way. Q: Do you have local shows gearing up or tours coming your way for the end of 2021? A: We are starting to put together some shows now that things are getting back to normal. TBA! Q: What does it mean to you that people take the time to listen and connect to your music? A: Honestly it means the world to us. I’m pretty sure that if it wasn’t for the listeners this all wouldn’t be worth doing all these years. Q: Anything else you want to let people know about your band or new stuff coming soon? A: We are always making new music so don’t be surprised if you start to hear about the next single sooner then later! We are always on social media so stay tuned on there for any announcements. Keep in touch with the band IG: @silentseasonband FACEBOOK: @silentseasonmusic https://www.silentseasonmusic.com Heavy, Rock Chameleons of the music world
Welcome to the world of ZERO THEOREM By Stephanie Stevens I always love hearing that ZERO THEOREM is coming out with new stuff or working on new music because this Los Angeles band always bring out fresh n new aspects to their music and they always grow on each new single or album they put out. This time around the guys in ZT collaborated with the Violent Idols to mix up and remix the hell out of one of their hard hitting tracks called THREAT. Bringing in that “industrial, electro” feel to the song really puts it on another pedestal of interest. But the guys in ZT always bring that interesting vibe and the heavy hitting intricate memorization of music into everything they do, just give their song JOKE a listen and you will get it! Then they can swoon you with a track like AREA with that infectious chorus, it’s a total solid track. Or the darker and rocking vibe of BECOMING with that impactful and massive vocal display. This band are the chameleons of the hard rock world and I am loving every moment of it. I had another opportunity to catch up with lead vocalist Caesar about the work they did with Violent Idols, future collaborations, how they make some cool ass videos for their music and their up n coming tour with Fozzy Q: First off how Is the camp of ZERO THEOREM doing getting back to some normalcy in life? And is your sanity still intact after this past year and a half? A: It’s certainly great to begin returning to normalcy, and we’re especially excited to experience live music again. We all particularly enjoy live shows, whether we’re performing or part of the audience. We’d like to think our sanity is completely intact, but we’d probably be fooling ourselves. The virus has undoubtedly affected us all and may continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Q: Congrats on the release of the Violent Idols remix of “THREAT”. This track has been a crowd favorite at your live shows - was this the main reason you wanted to put a new twist to it? What does the song mean to you? A: Yes, that was part of it. It’s always been an effective closer and generated a lot of positive feedback. When we toured with Nonpoint, multiple people who showed up toward the end of our set told us they were sorry they didn’t attend earlier. The song was never a single, so we wanted to give it some attention in a different way. Q: When picking a song to remix - do you guys have a vision of the “twist” you want it to take? Or is it more of a fluid collaboration with Violent Idols to get to this new version? A: It starts with an idea, and “Threat” seemed to lend itself to a more industrial or electronic interpretation. From there, Violent Idols began to work on the remix while continuing to consult and collaborate with us. We love what they did with it and how it turned out. Q: In your years as music fans were you big on the industrial and electronic genre? If so - what do you find is the most interesting about that way of creating music & songwriting? A: We’re definitely influenced by those genres, including work by artists such as Nine Inch Nails, Ministry, Fear Factory, Prodigy, and Static X. For us, the most interesting aspect is blending sounds that are more synthetic or mechanical with a traditional hard rock or heavy metal approach. It’s fun to widen the range of the sound spectrum and explore different textural possibilities in that way. Q: Do you plan to keep working with other artists down the line on new material as ZERO THEOREM continues to evolve? A: We had great fun collaborating with Violent Idols and will definitely work with others in the future. ZT will always be looking for ways to work outside the box creatively. Q: Do you feel your songwriting grows more when working with other artists outside the ZERO THEOREM camp? Does that motivate you as a creator? A: Others constantly inspire us, so having the opportunity to work directly with them is a genuine pleasure and definitely provides us more perspective and motivation. Q: You also did a cool thing working with YouTube artist Goop Wizard on a really gnarly visualizer video - how did that partnership happen? A: We were fans of his work and felt it would be a good fit for the remix. Thankfully, he was available and agreed to work together. Q: All your videos are very different and pretty sweet to watch - is someone in the band into videography and how important do you feel a video is to a song on a whole? A: The founding members of the band have always been heavily into film and animation, especially within the genre of science fiction. Zero Theorem is meant to be a multimedia project with the visuals offering another layer to the experience. Additionally, some of the newer videos we’ve created offer a stand-alone interpretation of the songs that connect to a wider fictional universe we’re building. Q: Your EPs THE KILLING I and THE KILLING II have been out for a while and brought your fans and music world some heavy hitting singles. You just recently put out a limited edition of this two-part series. Other than it including the “THREAT” (Violent Idols Remix) what did you do in addition for this special limited-edition release package? A: First of all, thank you! We wanted it to be special, so we’ve made it available in physical form, both CD and our first ever vinyl, along with different pieces of art, which are the last of THE KILLING series. Fans can also purchase a shirt made for the release. Q: Looking back on both EPs - what is your proudest moment of those songs you created (if you could narrow it down to one) and why does that moment stand out the most for you? A: I think I’m most proud of the progression and how we’re continuing to expand the sound of the band. It’s difficult to pick favorites, and we all have different ones, but I’m a big fan of “Joke” and “Swarm” and can’t wait to play those live. Q: Rumor has it in September you are back on the road with Fozzy. Are you guys putting an even more intense look into your shows with everyone having that live aspect missing for so long? A: We’re going to need to contain ourselves a bit because we are beyond excited. We’re committed to busting that tour open every night. Q: What’s one thing you’re going to have to brush the rust off of tour life when it happens? A: Long drives become second nature once you’re out there, but since it’s been a while, those first couple drives might be rough! Q: Has the band been writing for new EPs or full-length album and if so - can you give the world a small hint into the sound or vibe you’re currently creating for new music? A: We have! I think we’re really pushing the metal and industrial vibes with the new music. It’s our heaviest material to date along with some of the most personal. We’re also working on our first ever cover. Q: Anything last comments to your fans? A: Thank you so much! Also, anything you can do- follow us everywhere you can and spread the word about ZT…it all matters! And don’t forget to come see us or shoot us a message! Connect and Share with Zero Theorem: Smart URL: https://found.ee/Io2g Official Website: http://www.zerotheoremband.com IG: @zerotheoremband Facebook: @zerotheoremband BY STEPHANIE STEVENS The world is so much better with San Antonio, TX hard hitting band KINGDOM COLLAPSE in it. The band features, Jonathan Norris-voice, David Work-G, Aaron Smith-B and Elijah Santucci –D. and they came together to make some prominent, exceptional hard rocking music. I got introduced to the band when I happen to find them on Spotify and heard there single SUFFER which was just appeasing to the ears due to the hard hitting, diverse melodically impressive tones and a storyline everyone can relate to one way or another. The next thing I knew I had a press release about the band in my inbox and I was stoked to get to know the band better. They are releasing a new single in their arsenal UNBREAKABLE, an anthem that will jolt you emotionally and bleeds with honesty. The band just signed with Dynamic Talent International’s roster (which includes Red, Alesana, The Veer Union and more) and with the partnership in hand tour dates will be coming soon as life gets back to normal. So once you fall in love with the sound of this band You can jump on tickets to see them kill these killer hard rock tunes live. I had a chance to chat with Singer Jonathan Norris about the lyrical value in their music, how the band got together, videos and being on mainstream radio so early in their career. Q: INTRODUCE ME TO THE WORLD OF KINGDOM COLLAPSE, HOW IS IT BEING A BAND COMING OUT OF TEXAS AND HOW YOU ALL MET? A: How's it going, Stephanie! Good question! Me and the guys grew up playing in several different bands and I knew everybody for a while before we actually formed this line up! Aaron Smith and I go way back to our early childhood days. David Work and I played in an old band together and Elijah, our drummer used to play in another band in the Houston area that we would play shows with when we came to town. Being in a Hard Rock band from Texas is funny because everyone and their mother listens to country around here. So we're very much against the grain of what's going in the area right now, musically-speaking. Q: AFTER HEARING A FEW TRACKS IT SEEMS YOU GUYS ARE ALMOST LIKE THE THERAPIST ROCK BAND LYRICALLY BRINGING OUT RELATABLE AND RELEVANT TOPICS IN YOUR MUSIC. HOW DOES IT FEEL HAVING FANS BEING HELPED BY YOUR MUSIC AND FOR YOU PERSONALLY HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE ABLE TO WRITE MUSIC THAT CAN BE REAL AND HONEST? A: Thank you! That's exactly what music did for me growing up. It's always been a form of therapy and an emotional release. I write about real-life struggles and situations that left their mark on me. It's been so awesome seeing our songs have that same effect on people and help them in a positive way. That's something that is signature to Kingdom Collapse and we never want to lose that. Q: YOUR NEWEST SINGLE UNBREAKABLE IS KEEPING ON TRACK WITH EMOTION AND HONESTY ON A PERSONAL LEVEL HOW HAS A PAST STRUGGLE HELPED YOU GUYS AS A BAND GET STRONGER AND GROW? A: Definitely! "Unbreakable" was written last year, (fun fact) shortly after I actually had COVID-19. I could hardly breathe for almost two months after the fact and had to really push my lungs back into shape to sing again. But to really dive deeper, the song was written about WAY more than that. It's about all of the life struggles that we all go through from the time we're born to the time we die. Loss, cancer, heartache, betrayal, divorce, financial disaster, etc. The list goes on and on, but it's about those things making you stronger. Q: WHEN WILL OR WHEN DID THE NEW SINGLE DROP AND IS THIS A TEASER FOR A FULL LENGTH OR EP COMING OUR WAY SOON? A: The single drops Friday, June 18th and will be available everywhere! This will be a single from the upcoming album. Still in the album process as of right now but this is the first taste of the new album, sometime in 2022. Q:YOU GUYS ALWAYS HAVE SOME KILLER VIDEOS TO GO ALONG WITH YOUR SONGS DO YOU THINK THE TOPICS YOU WRITE ABOUT IN THE SONGS A VIDEO IS VERY IMPORTANT TO BASE THE STORY AROUND IT AND HOW DO YOU GUYS ENJOY THE VIDEO PROCESS? A:We love doing our music videos! Kevin from Kreuked Media has been with us since the beginning and it's incredible to see how much we've grown as a team since our first video, "Suffer". Q: YOU COVERED SALIVAS ALWAYS WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO TAKE ON THAT PARTICULAR SONG AND BAND? A: Good question! I always loved Saliva growing up and "Always" was a favorite of mine. It started as something fun during the shutdown and then I went to the guys with the recording and was like "We got to put this out!". Q:WHAT OTHER ARTISTS OR MUSICIANS INSPIRES YOU GUYS AND WHO WAS THE FIRST BAND THAT MADE YOU WANNA BE A MUSICIAN IN A SERIOUS MANNER? A: I would say the first band to really inspire me as a kid was definitely Creed. Love them or hate them, they were the SHIT back in the day! Tremonti inspired me to pick up the guitar in the first place. I know David would say the same thing! Haha Q: ONE SONG AND VIDEO I WAS VERY INTERESTED IN WAS YOUR SONG PAYBACK TELL ME IN A BRIEF DESCRIPTION WHERE THIS LYRICAL TOPIC CAME FROM AND WITH ALL THE VIDEOS YOU DID HOW DID THIS ONE DIFFER IN THE MAKING OF IT? A: Yeah! "Payback" was written about the feeling of being backstabbed by someone that you thought was there for you and had your back. It's just about immersing yourself in that angry feeling and letting it all out. Which is why it makes such an awesome workout song too! Haha Q: BEING A UP N COMING BAND ON THE SCENE HOW DOES IT FEEL KNOWING YOUR MUSIC HAS BEEN ON BILLBOARD MAINSTREAM ROCK TOP 40, AND SIRIUS XM OCTANE AND IF YOU HEAR YOUR STUFF ON THE RADIO WHAT EMOTIONS RUN THROUGH YA? A: It's so surreal! We're coming up on our third single that has gone to Sirius XM Octane and it's crazy to see us wedged in between bands that we've looked up to for so long! The Billboard thing is nuts! It's something that we always had our sights on and it's awesome to see things consistently moving up and in the right direction. Q:IF YOU HAD ANY ADVICE TO PEOPLE HEADING INTO THE LATER HALF OF 2021 WHAT WOULD IT BE? A:My advice would be too keep your head up! It's been a crazy last year and a half but it's awesome to see life somewhat return to a sense of normalcy. Q: IN MAY 2021 YOU SIGNED WITH DYNAMIC TALENT INT. ONE OF THE LEADING BOOKING AGENTS. BEFORE THIS WERE U GUYS BOOKING YOUR OWN TOURS (PRE COVID) AND ARE YOU GUYS READY TO BECOME ROAD DOGS? WHAT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT WITH THIS? ANY TOURS YOU CAN LEAK OUT OR LOCAL SHOWS YOU ARE GEARING UP FOR? A: Yeah! Everything booked before this point was booked by us, DIY. With the success of our last radio single, "UPRISE", that really changed the game for us so we're ready to get out there and meet all of our incredible fans. Q: ANY LAST COMMENTS OR WORDS TO YOUR FANS YOU WANT TO EXPRESS BEFORE WE END THIS INTERVIEW? A:Thank you so much for reaching out and having us do an interview with you! Looking forward to meeting you out on the road and we will see you soon! "Unbreakable" out June 18th! STAY IN TOUCH IG: @kingdomcollapse Facebook: @kingdomcollapse https://www.kingdomcollapse.com/ BY STEPHANIE STEVENS Dallas, TX hard hitting, hard rocking, energy driven sensation EMPIIRES is coming in strong with the bands latest single and video for THROUGH THE FLAMES. Fire riffs, hooks that pull you in with ease and the catchy melodic nature that slides in and out of the track just confirms these guys are going to be excelling in the music community in no time. They are putting excitement back into the game of music bringing a unique approach of blending modern metal and hard rock soundscapes with groovy melody and ear catching choruses with dynamic and killer guitars that will pull you in and you will be content to stay and enjoy. I had a chance to ask the guys about how the band became, what the process is for songwriting and found out some fun facts about the members. Enjoy! Q: I’m so excited to have you guys a part of the East Coast Romper, I pride myself in helping people get to know up n coming bands and you guys have such catchy, high energy and relatable sound that I can’t wait to promote the hell out of you. So on that note tell me How EMPIIRES became a band and what each member brings into the overall sound of the band? A: We all knew each other and have worked together in some capacity prior to this band. We started talking about writing and that led to working on some ideas. The next thing you know, we’re making demos. Each member of the band has their own strengths but I think it’s the chemistry of the four of us together that makes it work. Q: Being from Dallas, TX how has that inspired you guys as musicians and just your look into the world of art in general? A: There are lots of rock and metal bands from Texas so it’s an inspiring environment to be in as a band. Q: You have a special spelling for your band name; can you tell me the reasoning and what the band name means to you? A: We were looking for something to make the name stand out. Our graphic artist friend showed us a couple of logos with this spelling and thought that looked cool. Q: Your newest single THROUGH THE FLAMES is addicting. I have had it on repeat since I got introduced to it. How was the writing process for it? And was it a fun song to write because the sound makes me feel like it was a hi-energy and a lot of positivity when it was all coming together? A: Thanks for checking it out, it’s always great to hear someone tell you that they connected with our song. We did have a good time writing it! The riff and the lyrics worked well together live and we were hoping that would translate in the recording process. Q: Along with the track being just badass, the lyrical content shines with overcoming obstacles in life. How do you guys pick subject matter to write about and with a song like this does it feel cathartic when it's written and you listen to what you came up with? A: The lyrics and the story just kind of wrote itself about fighting through adversity. We were thinking most people could identify with the feeling of going through tough situations. Q: If you could look back on any song the band has written and take a lyrical line you're proudest of that you wrote; what song would it be from and what is the line? A: I think we’re really proud of the chorus in "Through the Flames." It tells the story of why we can’t walk away from situations even when they are really tough. Q: Another single you guys released prior to this new one is a song called LOVE OR HATE a darker side of the band, do you guys pride yourself on being diverse in your sound and if so how do you know when to pump the brakes about being overly diverse you should be in that aspect or does it not matter? A: We’re always trying to write the best song that we can and not repeat ourselves. We write a lot of different songs and see which ones make it through the process that a band goes through with new material. It’s kind of like a dating show, the ones that stick around make it! Q: In your opinion what makes you really go insane? Love OR hate? A: I think they both come with their own level of insanity, just depends on what part of the process they’re in! Q: With the singles doing well have you guys thought about releasing a full album or EP or do you feel that singles are the way to go in this day and age of rock music? A: We’re thinking about creating some type of package once we have enough singles to put that together. Whatever format that’s on, we just want to make our music available to the listener. Q: Mentally how did you guys deal with the chaos we all endured the last year and half and how does it feel that Life for the music world is slowly coming back to normal? A: We dealt with it by focusing on writing and recording. We knew things would get back to normal at some point and wanted to be prepared as a band to go out there and kick some ass when it did. Q: Have you spoken about touring and if so any hints or info you can share with the public? A: We’ve been playing shows and talking about doing some touring. We’re just looking for the right situation and will probably have something put together for this fall. Looking forward to getting back out there on that level! Q: What is one thing about live shows you feel will be the hardest to get the rust off personally for you? A: Pacing ourselves and not getting too excited from the beginning of the show. That was the hardest thing about our first few shows. We’re ready to go out there and slay it because we’re excited about what we have to deliver. Q:Three fun facts that people may not know about the band or band members you would love to share? A: We worked on a TV show together. Toured in other bands together. Have written and recorded together for film and television. Q: What inspires you guys when you think about the fans of EMPIIRES and has there been one highlight from a fan interaction that stands out for you? A: When anyone tells you they identify or connect with your music, that’s really cool. Probably the best ones are when people tell you that they put on your music for workout motivation or deal with a tough day. Q: Anything I missed touching upon you guys are working on you want to share before we end this? (Plus I just want to wish you all the best of luck, you have something really motivating and powerful in these tracks I heard? A: We’re working on a video for our next single release, looking forward to that and playing more shows! We want to thank everyone who helped us put out our music and the people listening. Thank you all! Stay connected IG: empiiresofficial Facebook: empiiresofficial |
AuthorLook here for the newest releases and news in the Rock, Metal and Alternative genres! Archives
March 2025
Categories |