Case In Point

      Originally, the hard rock/metal band from Rockford, IL, Case In Point, went by a fairly different name. The band formed in 2007 and changed it's name from Spider Monkeys to Case in Point somewhere along the way.
      Every member of the band has slightly different influences, from Disturbed to Bon Jovi and Red Hot Chili Peppers to Breaking Benjamin. The band is inspired by A7X for their drumming, and even Rise Against for the bass. They are often described as a Breaking Banjamin/Avenged Sevenfold hybrid.
      The band's lineup consists of Neil Andrews (vocals), Jake McIntre (lead guitar), Jake Nelson (rhythm guitar), Andrew Bergman (bass), and Richard Wauchope (drums).

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      Since the band's formation, they have not only improved in skill, but have just about perfected the bass and guitar sound. "When Case In Point first developed it was just a test to see what could happen to the band. I'm sure Neil didn't imagine that Case In Point would become the band it is today."
      The band often has a tough time defining their sound into one style or genre. "We have songs that we play that are really hardcore and in your face, yet we also have mellow songs that slow down the tempo and the mood. So if you really wanted to say our band sounds like anything, I guess you can say we are just a well diverse hard rock band." says the band.

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      You can catch the band on the stage of a bar, a festival, and basically anywhere that sports a stage. The band really doesn't care what venue they play as long as the crowd is energized and ready to have a good time. In their performances, the band likes to be high energy and intense. "We want everyone to participate and we make sure that happens." Says the band.
      The band recently released their EP, Taste of Misery, releasing it on July 8th of this year. "The EP took about a month to record and have mastered. It was a huge undertaking. Andrew and Jake N. were brand new to the band so they had to learn the songs, and Neil was in school in Carbondale, IL. The whole band practiced together one time before going into studio and actually recording so there was a lot of pressure, but after starting it was pretty smooth."
      It's definitely a hard rock EP, according to the band, and the band tried to stay away from anything too soft, making sure to add a few good licks to their softest song "Cursed".

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      The band spoke breifly about the EP and what it meant.

"The cool thing is the EP kinda tells a story in a way. The first song is “So Be It” and it talks about always getting messed over in a relationship and saying that your out. Then the next song "Run" is about your daily struggles and wondering where you're future will take you

“Taste of Misery” is our track title and it really just kicks in the point of having someone screwed you over now your through and you want them to taste your pain. “Feels Like Fire” talks about the pain of breaking up. In the bridge of the song it talks about wanting to be taken back to the way things use to be. 

"Not Enough" is basically about bullying. although it can also be open for interpretation to a breakup, the song talks about how being bullied is not enough to change the person you are. the message of the song is basically to have respect for yourself, and to not let others oppose on who you are and who you wanna be. Our last song on the EP is titled "Cursed" and it's about hopelessness, and how that hopelessness can make you feel unworthy of anything that you treasure in life and this hopelessness can come from a painful breakup, death of a loved one, or failing a task that is important to you

I feel that the EP has been very well received and that people are digging our sound and direction."

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      The band is hoping to get more exposure and to maybe one day get signed. They dream of playing bigger venues and live the life many people just dream of.

S.Y.F.T.

      Hard rock/heavy metal band, S.Y.F.T. from Seattle, WA won't reveal what their acronym really means (if anything), but they do enjoy the many meanings friends and family have come up with. One of their favorites being, "See You F@#kers Tonight."
      About 16 years ago, Taylor Klise (guitar), Sean Ingalls (vocals), and Nick Switzer (drums) started a band in high school. They weren't exactly good, but they had plenty of fun. After graduation, everyone wen their seperate ways until 2004, when miraculously, the friends ended up jamming again. They picked up Eric Sorensen (bass) on Craigslist and have been an active band since.

(Photo: 'Iron' Mike at Savoiaphotographylive.com)

      The band's heavy sound has been compared to bands like Sevendust, Mudvayne, and even Deftones. They describe their sound as a pinch of Alice in Chains, a sprinkling of Tool and a generous splash of Sevendust.
      The band has stayed together and motivated for several years, partly due to the steady growth and clear goals. At first, their goals were fairly simple, get out of the garage, play shows, play bigger venues with bigger bands and get on the radio. "It’s never been boring.  The shows have gotten bigger, and bigger.  The challenge lately has been to reproduce the tightness of the new record in a live setting.  There’s a lot of stops and starts, odd time signatures, etc…We’ve been striving to make the live experience as good as possible."
      The band is very active in the local scene, claiming that the locals are mostly responsible for their success thus far. "You have to get out there and press flesh.  Make your presence known, even if it’s not your show.  We’re lucky that Seattle has not only a good music scene, but one where the local bands really support each other."
      As far as live shows go, the band tries to keep it high energy with a bit of a twist. Often times, bringing on a guest musician or performing a unique cover. Just a little something extra to get people to remember them.

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      Last Chance for a Legacy, the band's first album, was a bit faster and more metal than what the band does now. "We weren’t sure at the time that there would ever be a second album, hence the title, so we threw the kitchen sink at it.  A lot of big endings on that album."
      When asked to compare their latest album, New Beginnings, the band replied, "New Beginnings is definitely more complex, more polished, and a little heavier in intensity and less in speed.  There’s also a large variation in styles between tracks.  If you just picked any song at random you probably wouldn’t get the full scope of the band."
      With New Beginnings, the band was able to work with Grammy-winning producer, Justin Armstrong. "Working with Justin, you see why he earned his Grammy.  He gave us everything we were looking for and had many a great idea of his own.  He doesn’t waste a lot of time in the studio either; quick setups, quick changes, very efficient with takes.  Drums are by far the most difficult to record and he is amazing at it, knows exactly what he’s doing."

(Photo: David K. Archer)

      The band has a music video for "Ten Brick" up on the band's website, and you can get their music on iTunes, CD Baby, and Amazon.

The Raygun Girls

      Geoff Saavedra is the man behind the music for the Hard Rock project, The Raygun Girls. The name was inspired by a song on The Clay People's self titled album. "I liked what Trent Reznor was doing with Downward Spiral, but the Clay People was much rougher, much more guitar oriented.  Also, the lead singer (Dan Neet), was singing how I did - with a rough growl.  Even through the anger, they had melody.  So, we picked that name as sort of an homage to them."
      Geoff works with artists all over the world to create Raygun's heavy, guitar driven sound. "There's a Punk attitude along with the heavy Sabbath grooves.  It's a little too Industrial to be called Heavy Metal, and a little too Heavy Metal to be called Rock, so I've been calling it Hard Rock.  Gothic Rock sometimes works, but we're also a little too Metal to be just Gothic Rock." Says Geoff.

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      The Raygun Girls haven't always been a one-man show. Geoff and Jamie Lendino collaborated in a heavy metal band with Geoff on guitar and Jamie on the drums. After getting a bit bored, the band began playing with guitar loops with Geoff singing. What started as a side project quickly came to the forefront when the heavy metal band threw in the towel. "Jamie and I started to seriously record an album under The Raygun Girls name.  We got backing vocal help from a female friend who was in a folk band- I thought that we needed a contrast to my gruff sounding vocals."
      "When we started, the music was much more electronic, and it was only going to be a studio band.  Also, it was just me and Jamie writing all of the music.  We got such a good reaction to the first album, "Mars Eclipsing", that we put together a live band.  In 2004, Jamie left, and the core of the band became me and George Tsolekas (bass and backing vocals)." Their next album, The Ones I Denied, featured female vocalist, Maya, to the front of the band. "There has always been an underlying darkness to the music.  I once described it as looking at life from the opposite angle- expressing anger, sadness.  There's a lot of themes of loneliness in the lyrics."
   

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      The band was signed to an Indie Label, replaced Maya with Cila, and originally recorded their album, Dirt Collector, for the label. Unfortunately, the label went belly-up. After releasing Dirt Collector on their own, Geoff underwent emergency heart surgery. Without label support and due to Geoff's health issues, the band took a break. Geoff continues to work on music under the name, releasing the album, The Taker on July 25th.
      "After trying to, unsuccessfully, find other band members, I decided to stop waiting and just began to record, enlisting help, through the internet, from female vocalists around the world.  I'm very happy with what turned out, and I truly believe that it is the next step for The Raygun Girls. George still helps out a lot with opinions and lyrics (he wrote "Designated Killer" on the new album), and Cila might return at some point." Says Geoff.