Rock is dead, they say? Hogwash. Don’t even bring up such an idea with the four-piece Cullman, Alabama-bred rockers Shallow Side, who have taken it to be their personal holy mission to spread the glory of modern rock & roll as far and as wide as they can to anyone who will listen. “The energy and excitement of rock & roll is missing nowadays, and we need it now more than ever,” believes Shallow Side’s frontman, vocalist Eric Boatright. “Our goal is that we want to revitalize that entire genre and remind the world how rock & roll can be such a strong force in everyone’s lives.”

The proof of Shallow Side’s pure rocking prowess can be found within the deep grooves of their new EP titled ONE, which is being released by Thermal Entertainment on January 13, 2017. ONE is one tight, ass-kicking affair from the get-go, from the wham-bam all-out jam of the opening track “We Roll” to the fist-waving defiance of “Rebel” to the put-up-or-shut-up manifesto of “Fight or Flight” to their all-guns-a-blazing modern-day take on a well-loved rock classic, Styx’s “Renegade.” (Oh, mama!)

Ultimately, Shallow Side is creating new music that fuses the best intentions of classic rock with modern crunch by planting their flag at the intersection of where Shinedown meets Styx and Journey meets Daughtry. One song Shallow Side fans will be grooving along with right from the start is the current single from ONE, “Fight or Flight,” which unifies the ideas set forth with the one-two punch of “Rebel” and “Renegade,” the EP’s initial radio hits songs. “That’s the heaviest song on this EP,” Boatright clarifies. “It tips the hat to the rock & roll market that exists today and also says, ‘If you guys want to run heavy, we’ll run heavy with you. We can do that — and we’re not scared of it, either. We’re very good at it.’”

Shallow Side’s main message is one of unity. “When we first started, rock & roll wasn’t for us,” Boatright concludes. “We wanted to go to a concert, enjoy the music, sing along, and be a part of the overall song and dance. We’re now looking to bridge that gap to bring the family together to where rock & roll was at one point. The mission since we began was to take the wheel and steer it back into a direction where everyone from all walks of life could enjoy a good rock show.”

Considering the band’s all-in philosophy, it appears that ONE is most definitely the best name for this raucous EP. Let’s all join together and revel in having Shallow Side show us the ONE true way to the future of great rock & roll.injuries while touring and it hasn’t slowed us down enough to lose momentum.”

The band just received their highest honor to date being selected Loudwire’s Best New Artist of the Year (past winners included Saint Asonia and Baby Metal).

The new 6 song EP is a prelude to a full length release to come out later this year.

Shallow Side are:

Eric Boatright (Vocals)

Cody Hampton (Bass/Guitar)

Seth Trimble (Guitar/Keyboard)

Heath Fields (Drums)

WEBSITES

http://shallowside.net/

http://www.facebook.com/ShallowSideBand/

http://twitter.com/ShallowSideBand/

http://www.youtube.com/user/shallowsidemusic

UPCOMING TOUR DATES

01-13-17 in Cullman, AL at Cullman Civic Center (CD Release Show & Kick Off)

02-01-17 in Knoxville, TN at The Open Chord

02-02-17 in Johnson City, TN at The Hideaway

02-03-17 in Spartanburg, SC at Ground Zero

02-04-17 in Jasper, AL at Jars 64

02-08-17 in St Louis, MO at The Firebird

02-10-17 in Junction City, KS at The Devils Tail

02-11-17 in Omaha, NE at Shamrocks Pub

02-12-17 in O’Neil, NE at The Chesterfield West

02-13-17 in Sioux Falls, SD at Bigs Bar

02-15-17 in Colorado Springs, CO at Sunshine Studios

02-17-17 in Las Vegas, NV at Radio Contraband Convention (performing awards night – private)

02-19-17 in Scottsdale, AZ at Rock Bar

04-29-17 in Las Vegas, NV at M Resort Spa Casino (Rock Into Spring)

05-27-17 in Madison, WI at Alliant Energy Center (Bratfest)

Global Music Award-winning heavy metal group Enemy Remains are set to release their second full-length album on January 20th titled “No Faith In Humanity”. After a lengthy hiatus the band which features original Fates Warning drummer Steve Zimmerman along with Tommy Blardo, Frank Morin, Scott Kadish and Jeff Curtis are ready to unveil their latest creation. Media Mikes had the chance recently to speak with Tommy and Frank about the new albums creation and what it was like reforming the band after their extended break.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us about the work you have put in on the new album “No Faith in Humanity”?

Tommy Blardo: Funny thing about that, when we signed with Skateboard Marketing we didn’t have one track written for the album, zero, not even ideas. We put a single out, “No Faith in Humanity”, and that’s all we had at the time. It was pretty scary but, I think when you set deadlines it motivates you. Everyone worked really hard on this new album. I wanted to take the band in a whole new direction, new line, new sound, new writing style, new everything! We kind of things a facelift and I think we nailed it.

AL: What were the first couple of writing/rehearsal sessions like after getting back together from your hiatus?

TB: Honestly it was weird, with Steve coming from Fates Warning and playing old prog metal stuff, it was a big change for him, but he was willing to adapt to the new modern style we are going for with hooks but still keeping his roots grounded musically with the off time changes. With the addition of new vocalist Frank “Heretic” Morin, the musical transition seemed to work very well. What Frank has brought to the table just takes so much weight off Steve and I and it really enforces the new sound we were going for.”

AL: At what point did new members come into the picture and, how have they further shaped the new direction of the band?

TB: Frank was added first, I knew we needed a vocalist that could really catch the attention of the listeners with that “radio voice” as they call it – to really fit the new style we had in mind. Scott Kadish (guitars) and Bobby Byrk (keyboards) were added a little later, but were totally involved in the whole writing process. I’ve got to say, this is the strongest line up of professionals we’ve ever had. Band practice has become fun again.”

AL: What can you tell us about the two tracks the band has released thus far from the album?

Frank Morin: I can tell you they were a pain in the ass! Tommy and Steve first approached me with the music to “No Faith In Humanity” and I got really pumped! I had been waiting to jump into a rock/metal project of this caliber for a while, so that song kind of wrote itself based on how I was feeling about the world and the people in it. “Trust in No One” was a little more difficult. It was the first time I played with progressive riffs in a 5 count. It took Tommy and I about an hour to write the hook. Both tracks, like the entire album, touch on personal issues from a singular point of view, though we all share the same ideologies on them. Like the rest of the album we wrote all the music based on the concept, and I just started with the lyrics.

AL: Do you have any touring or performance plans in place to support the release?

TB: At this point we have full press and radio campaigns hitting hard the first week of January and the release of the album is on Jan 20th. After that we have plans to tour the east coast, mid-west and extended dates throughout the west coast by summer. After that hopefully we will be jumping on as a support act for a national artist!

For more info on Enemy Remains you can check out www.facebook.com/enemyremainz

“Kings of Chaos”
Kings of Chaos, Franky Perez
Thursday, December 22th 2016
Turning Stone, Verona, NY

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Rock’s Ultimate Super group Kings of Chaos made a rare appearance in the Upstate New York area on December 22 where they performed for an intimate crowd within the Turning Stone Casino. The group consisting of Matt Sorum, Chester Bennington, Robin Zander, Billy Duffy, Robert DeLeo, Steve Stevens and Billy Gibbons performed a variety of hits from each of the member’s careers making for a unique concert experience.

Opening up the night was Apocalyptica front man Franky Perez who along with his solo band performed a blend of rock infused blues that helped set the tone for the night. Though the crowd was a bit slow to respond Perez and company forged on and by the end of their forty minute set had the crowd primed and ready for the night’s headliner. After a minimal set change the night’s headliner hit the stage running as they launched into Stone Temple Pilots “Vasoline”. With Linkin Park/STP vocalist Chester Bennington at the helm the band also performed Billy Idol’s “White Wedding” and The Cult’s “Fire Woman”. Bennington would then make way for Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Robin Zander to perform a handful of Cheap Trick songs which were then followed by a few ZZ Top songs song by none other than the one and only Billy Gibbons who’s gravelly voice permeated every nook and cranny of the venue. Zander, Bennington and Gibbons would alternate in the lead vocalist spot throughout the night as they performed hit after hit from each of the members groups culminating with all of the members performing at the end of the night on “Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers”, “Going Down” and the Led Zeppelin classic “Whole Lotta love”.

Though the nights set was absent of any Linkin Park or Guns N’ Roses numbers there certainly was still a solid mixture of songs pulled from the members impressive back catalogs. Each player looked to be performing at their best making it very hard to pick out one performance over another. Everyone definitely brought their A game and appeared to be working very well together despite minimal interactions with one another. Getting to see just one of the members in this group let alone seven is sure to bring a nights worth of entertainment but when the Kings of Chaos are all together in one spot it truly is a special occasion and one you won’t want to miss.

Kings of Chaos Set list:
1.) Vasoline
2.) White Wedding
3.) Fire Woman
4.) Hello There
5.) Surrender
6.) I Want You to Want Me
7.) Waitin’ For the Bus
8.) Sharp Dressed Man
9.) Tush
10.) The Flame
11.) Edie (Ciao Baby)
12.) Interstate Love Song
13.) Jesus Just Left Chicago
14.) Ace of Spades
15.) Sex Type Thing
16.) Love Removal Machine
17.) Rebel Yell
18.) Dream Police
19.) La Grange
20.) Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers
21.) Going Down
22.) Whole Lotta love

BILL & PHIL: Horror Icon Bill Moseley And Metal Legend Philip H. Anselmo Unite To Release Songs Of Darkness And Despair Via Housecore Next Month.

Horror icon Bill Moseley – most notable as Chop Top in Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, and Otis in Rob Zombie’s House Of 1000 Corpses and Devil’s Rejects – recently joined forces with extreme music legend Philp H. Anselmo (Down, Pantera, Superjoint, Scour, Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals, Arson Anthem etc.) for a very special collaborative release entitled Songs Of Darkness And Despair.

Set for official unveiling on January 20th 2017 via Anselmo’s own Housecore Records, the five-track offering was produced and performed by Anselmo and Stephen “The Big Fella” Berrigan (Down, SYK, Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals, Eyehategod, haarp, Classhole, etc.), and mastered by Scott Hull of Visceral Sound. Songs Of Darkness And Despair includes guest appearances by Kevin Bond (Superjoint) on guitar, Squizzy Squires (King Parrot) on bass and guitar, and José “Blue” Gonzalez (Superjoint, Warbeast, Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals) on percussion.

“The Duke”
Lamb of God
Epic Records
Tracks: 5

Our score: 4 out of 5 stars

Richmond, VA heavy metal band Lamb of God has just released a new five track EP via Epic Records titled “The Duke”. Written in honor of the band’s late friend and fan Wayne Ford, who was named after “The Duke” John Wayne the album features two new tracks and three live performances from the bands recent “Sturm Und Drang” tour.

Over the past few years Lamb of God has become one of my favorite bands both from a recording stand point and as a live band. “The Duke” EP is a solid blending of both of those attributes as rarely do you find a band that is solid in both. Both “Culling” and “The Duke” showcase the bands writing and musicianship. Randy Blythe again gets to stretch his legs vocally similar to his performance on the “Strum Und Drang” track “Overlord” as the EP’s title track flip flops between catchy sing a long verses and choruses to ear shredding break downs and backing vocals. The second new track “Culling” takes off like a rocket with drummer Chris Adler’s machine gun like double bass drums laying a solid foundation for the rest of the band to build up. The remaining three tracks are live cuts taken from the bands Rock AM Ring and Bonnaroo performances. Though I found the mixing of the tracks to be a little on the thin side each song was a still a fun listen and is worth checking out especially if you were fortunate enough to attend one of the shows where these were recorded.

Fan’s of the band already know that “The Duke” EP is a must have however what I think really stands out is that the EP is accessible enough to where new comers and more casual listeners can easily get into as well. The two new tracks and three live tracks makes for a fun familiar listen while adding just enough newness to warrant cracking open your wallet or dipping into your ITunes balance.

Track Listing:
1.) The Duke
2.) Culling
3.) Still Echoes (Live from Rock AM Ring)
4.) 512 (Live from Bonnaroo)
5.) Engage the Fear Machine (Live from Bonnaroo)

Related Content

• CD Review: Lamb of God “VII – Sturm Und Drang”
• CD Review: Lamb of God “As the Palaces Burn: 10th Anniversary Edition”

TRAVIS BARKER PRESENTS: MUSINK

“True North”
Crystal Lake
Artery/Cube Records
Tracks: 10

Our score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Japanese hardcore/metal band Crystal Lake has just released a brand new full length album titled “True North”. The album (the bands 6th full-length) is being released via Artery Record in the United States features 10 tracks which blend and blur a mixture of unique styles and sounds which instantly sets them apart from other bands in the genre.

Being somewhat unfamiliar with Crystal Lake I jumped in blindly as I hit the play button. Right away the band had my intention as the albums opening track “Alpha” teases your senses with underlying synth rhythms before hitting you like a ton of bricks. Vocalist Ryo Kinoshita pushes his voice to the near edge on tracks like “Omega” and “True North” while tracks like “Breathe Deep” and “Metro” showcase the bands diversity and musicianship as they bounce between light melodic verses, aggression fueled choruses and fist pumping breakdowns providing a unique rollercoaster like listening experience. Even if you are not a fan of heavy music there is enough substance in “True North” to make this a worth-while listen.

Despite finding some of the sound structures a little redundant mainly in the way of the albums electronic elements it wasn’t enough to pull my attention away from the core elements of each song. For fans of heavy music looking for something a little different give the latest offering from Crystal Lake a try as you won’t be disappointed.

Track Listing:
1.) Alpha
2.) Omega
3.) Hatred
4.) Metro
5.) True North
6.) Breathe Deep
7.) Black and Blue
8.) Six Feet Under
9.) Walk on Water
10.) Waves

Related Content

• CD Review: Me First and the Gimme Gimmes “Rake It In: The Greatestest Hits”
• CD Review: Nekrogoblikon “Heavy Meta”
• CD Review: John 5 “Careful with That Axe”
• CD Review: John5 “Season of the Witch”
• CD Review: “This is Jerry Pearce”

Jimmy Buffett “‘Tis The SeaSon”
Released: October 28, 2016
Genre: Christmas
Length: 39:31
Label: Mailboat Records
Producer: Mac McAnally, Robert Utley

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

In our house if Jimmy Buffett’s music is not playing then something must be wrong. With the holidays coming, that is still no excuse to get in the mood. For the last 20 years, we have spent each season listening to Jimmy Buffet’s first Christmas album, “Christmas Island”. It is a must listen every Christmas season. So now finally after 20 years of waiting, Jimmy has released his follow-up to that album with “‘Tis The SeaSon”. I have to admit, I was hoping that it wasn’t going to disappoint especially how high “Christmas Island” was held in our household but it delivers nothing but non-stop holiday cheer and smiles all around. Definitely a perfect way to get into the Christmas mood.

Some highlights for the album definitely have to be the very funny “The Twelve Days Of Christmas” with its Parrothead version of the classic track. It is a must listen. I think I almnost have it down pat to repeat after numerous listens. “What I Didn’t Get For Christmas” is a great track written by fellow Coral Reefer, Mac McAnally, who also produced the album. Paul McCartney’s “Wonderful Christmastime” is easily one of my favorite Christmas songs and Jimmy has taken it and made it better!

Jimmy Buffett, the usual suspects also appear on the album including Robert Greenidge, Jake Shimabukuro and the lovely Nadriah Shakoor dueting with Jimmy on the classic “Baby It’s Cold Outside”. This entire album is done in true Margaritaville fashion and I literally loved every single second of it! These are classics taken my Jimmy and giving such a perfect island “Jimmy Buffett” feel to them. If you are looking for something new this holiday season, then look no further, this album has it all! Merry Christmas!

Track listing:
1. Wonderful Christmastime
2. Jingle Bell Rock
3. All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth
4. Drivin’ The Pig (Manejando El Cerdo)
5. The Twelve Days Of Christmas (Parrothead Version)
6. What I Didn’t Get For Christmas
7. Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree
8. Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer
9. Santa Stole Thanksgiving
10. Mele Kalikimaka (Feat. Jake Shimabukuro)
11. Winter Wonderland (Feat. Robert Greenidge)
12. Baby It s Cold Outside (Feat. Nadirah Shakoor)
13. White Christmas

“The Best of 2005-2013”
Avenged Sevenfold
Warner Brothers
Tracks: 18

Our score: 2 out of 5 stars

Warner Brothers has recently released a new “Best Of” double album featuring Avenged Sevenfold. The album titled “The Best of 2005-2013” features select tracks from the bands four albums with the label (City of Evil, Avenged Sevenfold, Nightmare and Hail to the King) along with three cover tracks and two previously unavailable songs from the bands eight year run with the famed label which are spread across two discs.

Having seen dozens and dozens of ”Best Off” albums come and go with little to no fan fair I was sort of hoping for a little more from Warner Brothers in regards to Avenged Sevenfold. However knowing the relationship between WB and the band was coming to an end in a not so pretty way we have this rather lackluster piece. Pretty quickly I noticed something sounded a little off with the tracks as they all seemed a bit thin and not as powerful as each track sounded on its original release. At first I had thought maybe it was just my speakers however re-listening to the album on a different system yielded the same results. Disc one of the set features three tracks from “City of Evil”, five tracks from “Avenged Seven Fold”, three from “Nightmare” and two from “Hail to the King”. Basically they stripped away some of the more unique pieces on the bands catalog and went straight for all the radio friendly stuff listeners have heard a million times over by now. What fans of the band might enjoy most is disc two of this release as it features three cover tracks pulled from two tribute records the band was a part of along with the tracks “Carry On” which was featured in the video game “Call of Duty: Black Ops II” and “Not Ready to Die” featured in the “Call of the Dead” video game. These two tracks along with “Walk”, “Flash of the Blade” and “Paranoid” were certainly the shining stars as they are not tracks heard as often as those found on disc one.

I would have thought that with the invention of ITunes and other digital media services that greatest hits releases like this would be a thing of the past or at-least reserved for late night info-mercials. Yet there are still handfuls of them released year after year where they are doomed to take up shelf space. Avenged Sevenfold “The Best of 2005-2013” seems to be another one of those releases as it really offers little to longtime fans of the band. Yes you get a hardcopy of a few rarer tracks but, how many people out there are rocking a Discman these days or don’t have some sort of mobile hook up for the media player where they would really need a hard copy? My advice, skip this release as all these tracks can be found on various streaming and download sites. You will not be missing anything by not purchasing a hardcopy of this release as even the packaging is a simple as it can be offering nothing new or original to fans of this era of Avenged Sevenfold.

Track Listing:
Disc 1
1.) Bat Country
2.) Beast and the Harlot
3.) Seize the Day
4.) Critical Acclaim
5.) Almost Easy
6.) Afterlife
7.) Dear God
8.) A Little Piece of Heaven

Disc 2
1.) Nightmare
2.) Welcome to the Family
3.) So Far Away
4.) Hail to the King
5.) Shepherd of Fire
6.) Walk (Pantera Cover)
7.) Flash of the Blade (Iron Maiden Cover)
8.) Paranoid (Black Sabbath Cover)
9.) Carry On
10.) Not Ready to Die

KINGS OF CHAOS ANNOUNCE EAST COAST TOUR DATES

Supergroup KINGS of CHAOS have a announced a string of east coast tour dates kicking off December 17th in Montclair, New Jersey. Following a mini-residency at the House of Blues in Las Vegas December 1 – 3rd, the east coast run will feature former Guns n’ Roses and Velvet Revolver drummer, Matt Sorum, Linkin Park vocalist, Chester Bennington, Robin Zander of Cheap Trick, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, Steve Stevens, guitarist for Billy Idol, and Robert DeLeo, bassist of Stone Temple Pilots.

Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame drummer, Matt Sorum, the creative force behind Kings of Chaos says. ‘ KoC always delivers a badass lineup, and this tour will not disappoint. Where can you hear some of the most iconic songs in rock history packed into one show, performed by the actual artists who created them? Every night is a celebration of rock and roll.”

Tickets are available at www.kingsofchaosband.com

KINGS OF CHAOS w/ special guest Frankie Perez

Dec 1, 2 & 3 Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues

Dec 17 Montclair, NJ @ Wellmont Theatre

Dec 18 Huntington, NY @ The Paramount

Dec 20 Boston, MA @ House of Blues

Dec 21 New York, NY @ Irving Plaza

Dec 22 Verona, NY @ Turning Stone Resort & Casino

“Hardwired…to Self-Destruct”
Metallica
Blackened Recordings
Producer: Greg Fidelman, James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich
Tracks: 12

Our score: 5 out of 5 stars

Rock and Roll Hall of famers Metallica are back with a brand new full length album titled “Hardwired…to Self-Destruct”. The album (the bands 10th studio release) is being released via the bands own imprint Blackened Recordings and features 12 brand new tracks from the heavy metal legends which were produced by Greg Fidelman, James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich.

With the “Death Magnetic” era of Metallica long since past fans of the band (myself included) have been clamoring for some new material from the one of the biggest bands to come out of the early eighties thrash music scene. We all have heard the phrase “Be careful of what you wish for” and that couldn’t be more than true with “Hardwired…to Self-Destruct”. The albums 12 tracks capture the band firing on all cylinders and sounding stronger than ever. Tracks like “Moth Into Flame”, “Halo On Fire” and “ManUNkind” all feature the groups blend of ballad like lyricism mixed with the crushing guitars and drums we have all come to love while tracks like “Atlas, Rise!”, “Confusion” and the Lemmy tribute track “Murder One” go straight for the jugular as each track blazes through your speakers with reckless abandonment and aggression. Hetfield and company appear to be at the top of their games both lyrically and instrumentally making this one of the bands most powerful releases in the past twenty years.

Coming off an eight year lapse between records Metallica surely could have gone a number of different ways with their latest offering however, “Hardwired…to Self-Destruct” is a solid mixture of the bands signature classic sound with just enough newness to make you take notice while not completely alienating the listener. “Hardwired…to Self-Destruct” is a near perfect blending of all things Metallica as it flawlessly mixes both old and new while providing listeners with what could possibly be one of thee best releases of 2016.

Track Listing:
Disc 1
1.) Hardwired
2.) Atlas, Rise!
3.) Now That We’re Dead
4.) Moth Into Flame
5.) Dream No More
6.) Halo on Fire

Disc2
1.) Confusion
2.) ManUNkind
3.) Here Comes Revenge
4.) Am I Savage?
5.) Murder One
6.) Spit Out the Bone

Related Content

• CD Review: Teenage BottleRocket “Stealing The Covers”
• CD Review: Gary Clark Jr. “Live North America 2016”
• CD Review: Brian Fallon “Sleepwalkers”
• CD Review: Royal Blood “How Did We Get So Dark”
• CD Review: Cannibal Corpse “Red Before Black”

Tosin Abasi is the founder and co-guitarist of the progressive metal band Animals as Leaders. Earlier this month the group released their fourth full length album titled “The Madness of Many”. The album follows in the footsteps of the bands previous releases which pull from a variety of musical influences which are repurposed into the bands own unique style of Djent. Media Mikes had the chance to speak with Tosin recently about the albums creation, the group’s current tour and what the band has planned for 2017.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us some info on where the band was at going into the recording of “The Madness of Many”?

Tosin Abasi: We had done a lot of touring off of “The Joy of Motion” record and we decided it was time to start working on new material. We stopped booking shows and were off the road for about a year. That time off allowed us more time to work on new material while also allowing for change. I think that if you stack your releases to close together things can end up sounding like a continuation of the previous record. We wanted to have a fresher approach so we took a good amount of time off. During that time we were able to just be human beings and practice independent of the band with our own ideas. We then came back together as a group and everything was very collaborative. This was probably the most collaborative we have been as a band thus far.

AL: Can you tell us a little bit more about your collaboration as members and how it has progressed over the bands four albums?

TA: The first album was basically Misha Mansoor and I. I had a bunch of ideas and demos but, I wasn’t really happy with them until Misha stepped in. I had actually thought about canning the whole thing. Working with Misha really set the inner core of the Animals as Leaders sound. When it came time to do the second album we approached things a little differently as we brought in drummer Navene Koperweis who much more of a death metal and electronic background. You can definitely hear that type of production on “Weightless”. For “The Joy of Motion” we did a lot of work with Misha again as well as Diego Farias from Volumes and we had Nolly from Periphery producing and engineering so you can hear again the inclusion of Misha’s sensibilities and his influences. With the newest record there was very little to no outside contributors helping. It was basically Matt, Javier and I. We thought we were going to maybe work with a producer after do pre-production on our own however once we had multiple songs demoed we liked what we heard and couldn’t see what a producer would change or bring to the mix so it started to dawn on us that we could probably complete this on our own. It almost started to feel like we should let this album be just the result of the three of us working together and for better or worse that was the end result.

AL: Was it difficult in any way from a production/producers stand point being that you were all so close to the material?

TA: You have to at some point trust your creative decisions and know what you want the end result to be. I think it’s helpful to have outside ears which is why we have always incorporated outside people but there was something that felt very personal about this material and I think as the bands musical identity has existed thus far it hasn’t been as pure because of those outside influences. We really wanted the only people making musical decisions were the people playing on the album. I think that’s what really shaped how the album ended up.

AL: As a band and individually are you and the other guys always writing or do you have to separate your work between writing time and performing time?

TA: I think we all are always writing. It is more of a matter of would it make sense to do a new album or not. The label doesn’t really dictate to us when we have to make a record but there are certain cycles which make sense. Each of us I think is always in a state of creativity and writing so it’s more of just deciding when is a good time to compile all of that stuff and start on an album.

AL: Does the band set specific goals for each record being from a production or stylistic standpoint or does everything happen more organically for you guys?

TA: Things are totally organic. We really feel like we don’t have any rules. If we want to do a seven minute song that’s strictly nylon string guitar or a really heavy song with nine string guitars or even a classical piece we can do that. We don’t limit our musical expressions. I think Animals as Leaders is deliberately a space of where we can include a lot of our musical influences.

AL: Being one of today’s players who is at the fore front of extended range guitars/instruments, how much more has that opened up things for you from a creative stand point?

TA: It opens up a lot more options. Harmonically you can voice chords in different positions and you also have a much wider range. Technique wise you aren’t limited to strictly guitar techniques. You can incorporate bass techniques as you have access to lower registers. I think that tambour sounds really cool on a guitar. I think of it as we play stringed instruments. I love the guitar and its tradition however I am not a traditionalist. I don’t feel any nostalgia for it or have any need to say “If I add strings to this instrument it’s no longer a guitar.” We definitely embrace all that stuff as it does give us more creative options.

AL: Can you tell us about the bands current tour and what you have planned going forward into 2017?

TA: We are on tour through mid December with Intervals and PLINI who are both instrumental bands. Those guys are all super nice and great players. The shows thus far have all been packed out which has been great! After this run wraps up we will be home for the holidays and then we have some international dates booked which will take us to Australia, New Zealand, Japan, China and I think Taiwan and Thailand. That will all be starting in February. We are also working on putting things together for the spring/summer concert season as well.

“Turn Off the Radio 20th Anniversary Tour”
Reel Big Fish, Masked Intruder, Stacked Like Pancakes
Monday, November 14th 2016
The Haunt, Ithaca, NY

Our Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Punk-Ska veterans Reel Big Fish brought the first leg of their “Turn Off the Radio 20th Anniversary Tour” to Ithaca, NY on November 14th where they performed to a near capacity crowd. The tour which celebrates the 20th anniversary of the bands monumental 1996 release “Turn the Radio Off” also featured Madison, Wisconsin pop-punk band Masked Intruder and Stacked Like Pancakes a 7 piece Ska-Rock band from Baltimore Maryland. All three bands were at the top of their game this evening which was packed with plenty of energy and fun for the college town crowd.

You never know what you are going to get with Monday night show performances. Questions like will the band be into it? Or, what will the crowd be like? Began to flood my mind as I made my way to the small lake side venue for a night of reliving my teenage years. Both of these were answered almost immediately as I could tell by the looks of the parking lot that I was going to be in for something special. Things kicked off promptly at 7pm with Stacked Like Pancakes taking the stage first. The group wasted no time at all launching in to their energetic performance which was a mixture of Ska infused rock which ignited the dance floor almost instantly. The groups 30/40 minute set was highlighted by a spot on big band infused rendition of the classic Blink 182 song “Dammit” which was unlike any other version of that song I have heard. Taking the stage next would be the masked hoodlums known as Masked Intruder. The group who’s sound is reminiscent of early Ramones with a twist seemed to be having some issues with the venues PA system at first as the vocals were getting lost in the overall mix however after a song or two everything came together and the band settled in as they poked fun at the crowd and themselves while delivering their unique high energy brand of punk rock. Having first been made of aware of this band this summer during the Warped tour is was great to be able to catch them again in a smaller setting where they seemed to be at home. Reel Big Fish would follow to close out the night by performing the entire “Turn Off the Radio” album from front to back. They even included the albums hidden track “I’m Cool” complete with a brief break before starting back in to close out the night. Though the group with the exception of front-man Aaron Barrett are different from the band that played on the album the latest incarnation of the Reel Big Fish sounded just as good if not better than the album they were celebrating making for a great overall concert experience.

When a band that has been around as long as Reel Big Fish has it’s great no matter what to be able to still them live. When it really becomes special is when all the bands on the bill bring their A game which was definitely the case in Ithaca, NY on November 14th. I highly recommend catching this tour when it resumes in February. Though it will feature a different lineup I feel pretty confident in saying that it will surely be just as good of a concert experience making a show you won’t want to miss.

Reel Big Fish Setlist:
1.) I Want Your Girlfriend to Be My Girlfriend Too
2.) The Kids Don’t Like It
3.) Another F.U. Song
4.) Your Guts (I Hate’Em)
5.) Sell Out
6.) Trendy
7.) Join the Club
8.) She Has a Girlfriend Now
9.) Snoop Dogg, Baby
10.) 241
13.) Skatanic
14.) All I Want Is More
15.) Nothin’
16.) Say “Ten”
17.) I’ll Never Be
18.) Alternative, Baby
19.) The Impression That I Get (Mighty Mighty Bosstones Cover)
20.) Beer
Encore:
21.) I’m Cool
22.) Everyone Else Is an Asshole
23.) Where Have You Been
24.) Take On Me (A-Ha Cover)