Black End Coda

(Photo: K Jones Photo Project)

    The world is a never ending cycle of darkness and death. At least, that's what Downey, CA metalcore band, Black End Coda believes. This is represented in not only the band's name, but in the band's music as well. In Downey, there isn't much of a metal scene, so the band has taken to playing surrounding areas, such as Southgate, Huntington Park, and Compton.
    In October 2010, Brian De La Torre (guitar/vocals) was attending Whittier College and wanted to participate in an open mic night held on the campus. Brian asked his friend Devin Keogh to play bass for the performance and Devin agreed, also inviting Brian to play with his band some weekend. After playing together, they decided to make it a permanent set-up.

(Photo: Dbrandphoto)

    The band showcases a rough, gritty form of metalcore, drawing influence from metal and hardcore bands alike. Among their influences are bands like Lamb of God, As I Lay Dying, Motionless in White and Miss May I. The band describes their sound as dark and heavy. Their performances are visual and like most bands, they like to give it their all.
    "We have done many types of shows, e.g. bars, lounges, night clubs, venues, multiple genre, etc. but we always try to put on the best show possible. We like to be as visual as we are musical, so we put a lot of movements and energy into our performances."

(Photo: Dbrandphoto)

    The band recently started work on their debut EP, Dead Walk. The EP will consist of 5-6 tracks and is still in it's early stages. The first track is nearly complete and the band is working on the guitar tracks for the next song. They hope to release the EP early in the New Year and say the EP will be released by the end of January at the very latest.
    Their main focus is currently on getting the EP done, but the band will continue to play shows around Hollywood and will also be working on album art as well as art for merchandise, such as t-shirts. Be sure to keep an eye out for Dead Walk and keep up-to-date with band news through their Facebook.

Perils Rise

    Perils Rise is a metalcore band out of the small town of Dover Plains, NY. The band formed in August 2010 and took their name from a Devils Wear Prada song lyric. "We chose the name because it reflected what we were going through with the band at the time. By standard definition, peril is a danger spawned by a specific action. We've all taken risks an encountered problems by choosing to put all of ourselves into our music. It seemed fitting." Says the band.
    Unfortunately, Dover Plains is not large enough to have it's own music scene, but the community does give the band lots of support. The band drives nearby to Poughkeepsie and plays shows through Killer Cool Entertainment. "The scene in Poughkeepsie is awesome, people actually care about their local bands. We're a new band around there, but we're quickly becoming part of the family." Says the band.

    The band started in early August without a guitarist, but soon recruited Travis Tompkins after his band broke up. Travis wasn't very interested in the music the rest of the band wanted to make, but brought along his friend Kyle. For a while, it wasn't clear if Travis and Kyle were in the band or not, but soon it became apparent that they were there to stay.
    The members of the band have a diverse music taste and the band itself tries to make music that sounds good. Some influential bands include The Devil Wears Prada, August Burns Red, and Every Time I Die. The group describes their music as metalcore with surprises. "We mix it up a lot from song to song. From a lyrical standpoint, our current release has a very specific theme. It follows the struggle of life and how it is never acceptable to give up. Never give in, keep following your dreams."

    On August 22, 2011, the band released their EP Persevere, Persevere. The EP contained 5 tracks that the band had written over the course of a year. "the sound of the EP changes from song to song. It's pretty crazy. I touched base on the lyrical meaning of the album, but to really understand you would have to read the lyrics of each song. It's a journey in every sense of the word. All in all, we couldn't be more proud with how everything came out."
    Currently, the band is working on writing their debut full-length album. "Things have been a bit busy for us with a few important shows coming up, but it's going pretty well so far. We have some rough ideas that you are certainly going to like, and you'll be hearing some things you wouldn't expect from us. At the moment, we're looking to release a single in the next few months."

    Recently, the band's single,"Let's Have A Serious Conversation" reached #1 on the Purevolume metalcore chart. "[It was] mind blowing and such an honor. We did not expect such a huge reaction from the single. And to continually get back to the top with each release was equally as mind blowing every time. Our fans are the absolute best."
    The band will continue playing several local shows while they focus on writing the album. "Expect some lineup changes around December due to Travis' unfortunate departure for the Navy. And if all goes according to plan, expect to see us touring to a city near you starting Summer 2012!"

The Fallen Empire

      June 16th, 2009 marked the beginning for Howell, New Jersey metalcore/progressive deathcore band, The Fallen Empire. Forming while the members were still in high school, they agreed upon the band name after much brainstorming. "We needed a band name that people would easily remember and find catchy."
      The band's fast, hard-hitting sound is reminiscent of bands like Asking Alexandria and Miss May I. The band will even be releasing a cover of "Reclaim This Gold" originally by the band, Beheading of a King. The band uses unique breakdowns and catchy choruses to get their sound across.
      The current line-up consists of Johnny Marmora (vocals), John Purcell (guitar), Devon Bosque (drums), and Felipe Pratas (rhythm guitar).

(Claim This Photo)

      When the band released their 5-song EP titled "Atmosphere" on July 23rd, 2011, they only had one goal in mind. "We wanted to show people our talent and make music people would find catchy and love, and as a band we felt like we accomplished our goal."
      The band is looking to recruit a new bassist before hitting the shows hard. "We first focused on getting our music recorded first. Once recorded, we would practice and gain more fans. We are currently in the process of finding a bassist, once we do we would teach him the songs and start playing live!"

We The Creator

      Patrick Weaver (guitar), J.R. Williams (guitar/vocals), and Dylan Deiotte spent the summer of 2010 jamming along with two fellow musicians. After several disagreements, the three musicians decided to split of from the group. Through J.R., they recruited Jake Spencer on the drums. Dylan quit the band for about 3 months before returning in December. In the time of his absense, the band looked into alternative bassists and new vocalists, and ended up recording two songs.  In January of 2011, Tyler Stockston joined on as the band's vocalist. We The Creator was born.

      The 6-piece metalcore/melodic deathcore band from Portage, IN has since recruited Mason Bryan as the second vocalist after he did guest vocals on the band's track, "Liberator." The band describes their sound as "melodic and heavy with lots of grooves, 2-step, and 'hardcore' parts, tasteful breakdowns and rhythms with ridiculous over-the-top leads". Their lyrical content focuses on breaking free from cliches while speaking their beliefs. "We believe that everyone should be their own personal and not feed off of what society tells them or deems as cool."

      According to the band, Portage is a decent place as far as support goes. The only drawback being the ratio of band members to fans. "FAR too many bands. Not a whole lot of venues. Not very many promoters. We are trying to expand our territory. We have been talking to promoters and venues in Ohio, Indy, Michigan, and Illinois. We do get quite a bit of support from the locals. We are good friends with people in bands such as Corruptor, Betrayer, and The Oppressor. Although most people support, there are lots of ignorant, trash-talking people around, that want nothing but for themselves."

      The band listens to bands like The Ghost Inside, For Today, A Plea For Purging, and many more. "On a non-musical level we all have different beliefs, but we share a common interest in being positive, and taking negative things that have been handed to us and trying to basically make the best of what we can of it. Not saying we all have had terrible lives, but some of us have had a rough background, and we all put that aside for the music that we love and play."

      The band only has two songs available on their Facebook, but they hope to get some more recording done in the summer and fall seasons. "We look to being able to have enough songs for a full-length by next summer." The band hopes to get merch soon and improving their stage pressence. "The only thing that is truly important to us is the music. We're not in this to become famous or rich, or to prove a point. We just believe in what we can write together as musicians, and what we can accomplish. We play the music we love, and we hope others will love. We just want our music to be heard by the masses."

West of Worthy

      Young metalcore band, West of Worthy, is ready to take the scene by storm. Self-proclaimed performing addicts, the band is actively looking for shows to play hoping to rack up more experience and spread their music to as many ears as possible. When asked about the meaning behind the band's name, the band replied, "Sometimes, no matter what you do or how much you give, it's never worthy of the praise of society or whoever matters most in your life. Hence, West of Worthy."

      The band comes from Mukwonago, WI, a suburb of the greater Milwaukee area. According to the band, the local music scene is "becoming pretty lively these days" and the band is getting support slowly, but surely. The band describes their music as aggresive and hardcore, laced with ambient guitar melodies and hard hitting breakdowns. The band doesn't label themselves as a christian band, but they have positive messages in their music that draws from the religion.

 

      The band consists of Hunter Burris (guitar), Kevin Wysocki (drums), Brett Lackey (bass), David Coman (vocals) and David Woznicki (guitar). The band is influenced by As I Lay Dying, Lamb of God, August Burns Read and Underoath.

      Their upcoming EP, The Illusion of Depth, is filled with face-melting melodies, intense breakdowns and meaningful, postive messages in their lyrics. The EP was recorded at JTW Studios. "Recording at JTW was amazing. Joel, who runs the studio, is one of the most down to earth guys we know, and he knows what he's doing. We couldn't have gotten an EP that sounded this good from any other studio." Says the band.

      The band hopes to play an inhuman amount of shows and an even larger amount of fans. They want to release a full-length later this year and hope to get signed.

~joeEFFINGmayo

And The Greatest of These

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. and the greatest of these is love."

- 1 Corinthians 13:13

      And The Greatest of These, metalcore band from Sioux City, made reference to this biblical passage when coming up with a band name because they believed that the passage encompassed their mission statement. "Love is the one thing the world could never have enough of and God Is the only everlasting source of this perfect Love. We want to do nothing but spread His Love." says the band.

      In November 2009, Matthew Mika brought everyone together. Matthew was in an all-girl metal band (being the only exception) before it's demise. He brought on a few former band mates together to form the new band. In the beginning, the band had three female members which sometimes got them some extra attention. "It had been a draw for so many fans, to see and hear three girls on stage doing what they do and doing it very well. From Nichole's lead vocals to Katie's shredding, it was definitely a huge thing that set us apart. The time that this oddity really drew the crowd was at Cornerstone. Kids walking past our tent while Nichole was doing her sound check would hear the sweetest voice followed by a beastly low growl. However, Nichole and our bassist Erin have decided to leave to pursue other ministries, but we are still very supportive of them in every way we can be."

      Although categorized in the metalcore genre, the band ranges in influences from Indie to experimental metal. The band tries to keep their own sound very original while exploring their full spectrum of influences. The band consistently tries to keep their music fresh, making sure their portfolio has a nice variety of sound in hopes that the listener will stay attentive and interested. The band is sometimes compared to For Today, War Of Ages, and In The Midst Of Lions.

      The current band line-up consists of Matthew Mika (vocals), Katie Linder (guitar), Joel Ysselstein (drums), Wade Folkerts (guitar), and Chris Davenport (bass). The band has played nearly 90 shows, so it's safe to say that the band is no stranger to the stage. They try to stay away from too much choreography, using it only to get an effect they're aiming for. They aim to put on a great intense show that stands out from the rest. They feel that performing on stage is an opportunity to make a lasting impression on the listeners. In recent years, the local music support in Sioux City has been left a dim light as opposed to the bright one it was 5 years ago. In turn, the local shows are either hit or miss, so the band tries to tour as often as possible.

      By the end of the summer, the band hopes to have accomplished three things. First and foremost, the band hopes to finish writing their album. "This album is already very close to our hearts. This will be a concept album over the beatitudes found in the book of Matthew [in the Bible]. It has been such a learning experience for us to learn about and incorporate everything those verses have to teach us about everyday life. You can expect an emotional album with lyrics you'll really need to delve into, while still keeping your blood pumping."

      Second, the band will be touring June and July while also hitting up their favorite music festivals including Cornerstone and Sonshine. Last and certainly not least, the band hopes to get the album laid down with famed producer and engineer, Jaime King. As far as long-term plans go, the band hopes to get signed by a quality label that can provide them all the necessary resources for them to continue doing what they do and Love while being able to afford to continue touring, living and eating,. Most importantly, the band hopes to find a label that will continue connecting them with their fans and helping building real and lasting relationships with their supporters.

~joeEFFINGmayo

An Hero

      An Hero, a metalcore band from Warren, IL takes it's name from the act of suicide for petty reasons. Although the name holds a dark connotation, the band is far from depressing. In October of 2010, five guys came together to rock and have fun, the band forming was kind of unexpected. Three of the five members are from Warren, a small town in Illinois, less than a mile from the IL/WI state line. The other two members are from Lena, IL, about twelve miles southeast of Warren.

      The band consists of Kyle Smith (guitar), Jim Curran (bass), Dylan Mckee (guitar), Jarrett Winder (drums) and TJ Davis (vocals).

 

      With nothing to do, the band set out to play shows all over the area. Most recently, the band played Pajama Jam in Apple River, IL, where they debuted three new songs. The event, coincidentally put together by An Hero vocalist, TJ Davis, had a decent turnout and had other local bands Still The Sky and In The Year of The Plague playing, as well.

      Being fans of A Day To Remember, August Burns Red and Parkway Drive, the members of An Hero decided on the metalcore genre. Althought metalcore in spirit, the band often times doesn't know how to label their sound. Sometimes, during show performances, Tj Davis will drop the mic and join the moshing taking place in the crowds. The rest of the band is a bit more timid, but make good use of their rock boxes.

      This summer, the band hopes to play several shows and make a little extra cash. They will be playing An Hero's own TJ Davis's Graduation party alongside Still The Sky and will also be playing FSU 2011 alongside Witness The Burning, In The Year of The Plague and Charybdis.

      Like the band on Facebook!

~joeEFFINGmayo

Still The Sky

Still The Sky

      Still The Sky, Rockford metalcore band, formed in October of 2010. The band consists of Tarek (vocals), Brett (synth/samples/vocals), Dustin (guitar/programming), Travis (guitar), and Tony (bass/vocals).

      The band started when Dustin and a friend were playing in his basement. Travis was first to join and the drummer they were playing with was the first to quit. Travis and Dustin had no interest in stopping there, so they called upon Josh (formerly of Mariana) to play drums so that they could continue working on songs. Tony (formerly of The Rage Inside) and Austin (formerly of Mariana) met them at a get-together and somehow, they all ended up jamming together and joining the band.

      Then drummer, Josh, left the band for numerous reasons after tensions arose between the band as they searched for a bassist.The band was at the very end of their rope and everyone started fearing for the worst. Just as the band was considering calling it quits, they received a surprise phone call from band friend, Tyler, a talented drummer, who took up the position. Tony moved to bass and the band started making music again.

      Soon, Austin would leave the band and Tarek (drummer for A Journey To Fall) would take his place as the lead vocalist. "Tarek's vocals definitely brought alot to the table. His vocals bring the calm to the music. But it's great because he also has a powerful scream." Says the band. After joining the band, Tarek felt the band needed some synths so he brought in Brett, who would go on to wing it at his first show. He has been with the band since. Brett will also contribute more vocals in the newer music.

Tour Flyer

      When asked about their music, the band replied "Our music is intended to make you feel the basic emotions. Happiness, love, hate, sadness, and apathy. Because music to us is more than something you listen to. It's something you want to feel." The band has no interest in being the poster child for metalcore. "We live for music. It's what we love, and it's what we will continue to always have in our life. So why not make the best of it while we have it? We're not wanting to be your average "Oh hey dude check out this breakdown!", or "Look at these really high vocals!". We want a dreamy upbeat sound that can effect you emotionally, and that's precisely what we're going for."

      The band went on to win the 104.9 Battle of the Bands, held in downtown Freeport and plan to do some early summer touring with A Journey to Fall and Circuits to help promote their upcoming EP, Something Devious Is Upon Us.

      The EP has been confirmed to be a concept album that won't disappointed.  According to the band, the EP tells the "underlying story of a man's insane life. Finding new love, suffering through a broken heart, turning into a murdering cannibal, and living as an old man regretting the mistakes he's made." says the band.

      Check out the band's Facebook and keep a lookout for their EP this summer! The band will be playing lots of shows and you can catch them touring with A Journey to Fall and Circuits!

~joeEFFINGmayo

Joemayo91@gmail.com

Reckless Redemption

Reckless Redemption

      Rockford metalcore band, Reckless Redemption, though formed in February of '08 (earlier attempts to start the band date back to '06), didn't really hit the scene until January of '11. The band is vocalist, Matt Huff, guitarists, Craig Goodwin and Tommy Gray, bassist, Nick Masingill, and drummer, Matt Masingill.

      With the exception of a song about zombies, the band tends to try and write really honest and real songs about life experiences, violence, and overcoming struggles.

      The band has done well, considering they have played just one show shy of ten. Their first show took place in late November and went as well as it could have. "(we had) Matt on drums, Craig on guitar, (and) I (Huff) did vocals. We played in Scott Snow's garage. he is in a great band called Witness The Burning. We didn’t even have a bass player. (I was) nervous as hell and freezing my a@$ off. it was pretty good did 5 song set" Recalls Matt.

Reckless Redemption

      In February, the band opened up for national act, Adema. "The Adema show went very well, probably one of the best shows we played." Says Huff. "Meeting them was cool, our drummer actually keeps in touch with their drummer, I guess they have a new album (in) the works as well"

      The band played April 16th at Bar 3 with Force Fed Chaos, Shellshock Rodeo, Witch Beulah, and Patchwork. The band estimated a turnout of 60-70 people.

      The band is excitedly awaiting Knockout Mayhem 5, the metal show being held at 5PM on Saturday, June 11th at Take 20 Bar & Grill in Cherry Valley. Beyond Threshold, Force Fed Chaos, Valiant, Warmouth, Nihilist Nation, 29 Needles, Witness the Burning, Reckless Redemption, Truth Burns Cold, & Marquette are all set to play.

Take 20 Bar & Grill

      "We're all pretty stoked about (the show and) playing with a bunch of great metal bands. I think it will be a great turn out, We're just getting noticed and its on Craig's birthday, (we) can't wait and (we) hope we get some good (mosh)pits" Says the band.

      The band has an EP in the works, and is looking to record new music and continue playing shows with bands they Love and hope to get signed somewhere down the road. Don't forget to like the band's Facebook and show them support at Knockout Mayhem 5 this June! They are also looking to book some shows before June!

Contact Email: Reckless0729@gmail.com

Contact Phone: 815-980-8683

~joeEFFINGmayo

Joemayo91@gmail.com

Witness The Burning: A New Chapter EP debut today

originally posted 4/22

Witness The Burning
Photo: Courtesy of Witness The Burning

      Witness The Burning, a 5-piece Hardcore/Metalcore band from Rockford is just about ready to burst at the seams with the debut of their EP, A New Chapter, tomorrow.

      The band members range in age from 18-26 and the name came from Josh Cofield (guitar). The band, unable to come up with a band name that really stuck, agreed on the name after having come up with and disliking previous name.

      Scottie Snow, the band screamer, joined Cofield, Brandon Worley(bass), and Josh Creviston(drums) who had been in the band, Aftermath. "When (Aftermath) seperated, we brought in Scott on vocals and started writing music.

      "Scott likes to focus about us being guys trying to find a better life though our music, being a better person, staying positve and not giving up on life even when your in the darkest corners of your life." Says Creviston. "We like to think that even our music tells a story, theres many changes and ups and downs in our music and we feel we try to blend all of our very different influences and make it one polished product."

Scottie Snow
Photo: Courtesy of Witness The Burning

      The band's first show went a lot better than expected. "Everyone nailed the songs and the crowd reaction was very good." Says Creviston.

      Prior to joining the band, the members had fairly good music experience. "Crevy was a drummer for about 2 years with a recent Rockford band called 'Drop Faith' and around that time Brando was playing bass for a band called 'Reamer', this is how Crevy and Brando met. Cofield has played for years and dabbled in many projects and Scottie Snow use to be the vocalist for 'Reckless Redemption' with whom are good friends with WTB and still share the stage with." Says the band.

      With only 3 shows as Witness The Burning. the plan hopes to get many more shows done and with the release of the EP tomorrow, they hope to garner some attention and get their name out. They would Love to see WTB go as far as possible.

Scottie Snow
Photo: Courtesy of Witness The Burning

      "We love our music and all the work that comes along with it, we are willing to put in the hard work and dedication it takes, all we ask, is that you listen." Says Creviston.

      Find the band on Facebook, and don't forget to see them tomorrow, April 23rd (Today!) with SOIL at Bar 3 in Rockford! The band will also be playing Feckbawlz Fest '11 and Knockout Mayhem 5.

~joeEFFINGmayo

Joemayo91@gmail.com

(Originally posted on Examiner)

Look, I'm Burning

Look, I'm Burning
Photo: Courtesy of Look, I'm Burning

      Look, I'm Burning. The melodic metalcore band from Madison, Wisconsin will be playing at The Lodge next month, but why should you care? You don't know these guys? Unfortunately for you, that excuse is not valid.

      "(Our music is about) living life to its fullest, regardless of orientation or affiliations. It's about taking chances, finding yourself, breaking traditions, and living meaningfully." Says Paul Wendell Swift. "We put a lot of effort into making very melodic (music) and (keep) heavy chord progressions. We try to keep things interesting by creating several different parts while maintaining a memorable and catchy chorus within most of our songs. We want people to feel our music; we want our live show to be a moving experience and when people listen to our cd, we hope our creations send chills up their spines." The band has a 4 song demo from '09 and A full-length album and has about 50 shows under their belt, so what's next? "We're currently working on writing another full-length that will be out in early 2012, hopefully."

Look, I'm Burning
Photo: Courtesy of Look, I'm Burning

      What brought this group of musicians together? "Well, Matt and Holevio formed the band in Febuary of '08. Jaime joined on bass shortly thereafter. Paul and Brandon replaced original members later that year and In spring of 2010, Jaime left the band due to severe tendinitis. (He) was replaced by Drew a few months later." Recently, Drew, the bassist has needed to put more focus into school and decided to quit the band. The band is looking for a bassist.

      When asked about long-term goals, Paul said, "We are currently managed by Nate Steinheimer of the band Rosaline, who also manages Serianna (Bullet Tooth Records). He's working his magic on helping us get signed, and meanwhile we're writing and shooting for the stars, hoping to be on the road full time within the next year or so."

      Catch the band playing The Lodge next month on May 14 and again at Feckbawlz Fest 2011!

I, The Creator

I, The Creator @ The House Cafe
Photo: Taylor Wadley

      "We all have the ability to create or destroy our surroundings, either on a conscious and/or unconscious level." Says Julian Cunningham, vocalist for the band, I, The Creator. The band writes metalcore music that is inspired by simply 'living life', both the good and bad aspects. Whether it be a life changing event or simply a late night/early morning text message. "It's pretty random, really. (The songs) can be about the state of society or mythical creatures dancing in the moonlight"

      The band consists of Stephen Sporman and Kirk Wedig on guitars, Korbin Fleischer on bass, Dustin Curtis on drums and Julian Cunningham on vocals. "We're 5 guys who take this seriously. We always push ourselves to write better music and we're always looking to improve and grow as musicians and songwriters. This is our life and we want to make this our career." Says Stephen, the 21-year-old guitar player.

      Stephen estimates near a hundred shows since the band started, yet band vocalist, Julian  can still remember the band's first show. "It was at the Stephenson County Fairgrounds and we played a short set because we only had three songs, at the time. We played with Abandon All Hope, The Mill, The Rage Inside and Kryptic Throne. it was a great time in spite of the small turn out."

I, The Creator @ The House Cafe
Photo: Taylor Wadley

      With near a hundred shows, you would think the band would start getting a little cocky. "We don’t take ourselves too seriously. (It's) a part of our charm. We don't walk around like 'we are super awesome' and 'people are SUPPOSED to like us.' If you come to one of our shows, you will see that we do all kinds of silly stuff to entertain ourselves, (as well as) the crowd. It's all about having fun, not the scene or your ego." Says Julian.

      How did this gang of modest goofballs come together? "Our old drummer, Eric, and Julian had known each other for quite sometime and decided to start jamming with another guy." says Stephen Sporman."Our bass player, Korbin, joined them after learning how to play bass after just a couple of weeks and (they) started the band, Push Come to Shove, which would later become the basis for I, The Creator." When the old guitarist quit, they invited Stephen to jam with them. Shortly after, Kirk joined the band. After a year with the band, Eric, quit the band. A good friend of the band, Dustin, was called up to play with the band as the replacement drummer. Leaving only Julian and Korbin as original members.

      Unfortunately, Korbin will be leaving for the army at the end of the summer, "It sucks that he's gonna be leaving, but we, as a group, back him in his decision. He's always gonna be a part of the ITC family, and we look forward to hanging with him when he returns" Says Julian.

      I, The Creator will be playing a show this Saturday at Rock Hollow in Freeport, IL. They will be playing for Metal Protecting Children, which aims to keep children safe from abuse. They will also be playing at Feckbawlz Fest 2011. You can get their CD on iTunes and Amazon. The band is currently looking to play in the Rockford area and is also in search for a replacement bassist for the end of the summer.