Nathan Hunt is the lead vocalist for the rock band Shamans Harvest. The group hailing from Jefferson City, Missouri recently released their 5th studio album titled “Smokin’ Hearts & Broken Guns”. Media Mikes had the chance to speak with Nathan recently about the albums creation, health issues that occurred during the process and how those events shaped the material contained on the new album.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us an idea of where the band was at prior to starting work on the new record?
Nate Hunt: We had just finished up a tour run and everyone was pretty much dead. (Laughs) It took about 2 months for everyone to get back together and starting writing for the new record. We were sort of struggling through the process and before we knew it a few months had gone bye and we knew we had to get going. We jumped in the studio and just started writing as we were recording. Someone would bring in a riff here and there and then we would make a song out of it. Once things got going it was a pretty painless process.

AL: At what point in the creative process do you start working out lyrics/vocals?
NH: It tends to be different for every experience. Generally things happen as the song progresses. I look at the core of things to see where the lyrics need to go. A lot of times it’s the guitar riffs that inspire the lyrics but again it is different just about every time.

AL: You had some major health issues happen while you were recording. Can you tell us about that?
NH: That was a very intense process. I think me being diagnosed with throat cancer certainly it helped from an emotional aspect as I sort of followed the 7 stages of grief. I started pissed off and sort of freaked out before settling down and deciding I was going to beat it. A lot of the songs were written of the stages I went through during the time I was sick.

AL: Did you guys ever discuss putting the album on hold till you were feeling better?
NH: I think we all felt the sense of urgency even before I had gotten the diagnosis. We were coming off of a successful single and we knew we needed a follow up as soon as possible. When I got the diagnosis things took on a whole new meaning. There was a chance that this album was going to be our last so we wanted to make the process as enjoyable as we could. Thankfully everything worked out in the long run and we now get to enjoy the fruits of our enjoyment.

AL: Did you have to alter your signing style at all while you were going through treatment?
NH: Oh yeah. The radiation treatment I was receiving doesn’t allow you to create your own saliva. There were a lot of different techniques I had to do just to be able to sing a few lines. This happening has really made me a better singer in the long run as I never really paid much attention to technique before now. I started seeing a vocal coach who helped me through everything and she was really like my savior throughout this whole thing.

AL: The album features a bunch of different musical styles. Was this something that occurred naturally or was that a conscious decision you guys made as a group?
NH: Things happened pretty naturally. I think this was sort of a byproduct of us all not listening to the same type of music. Personally I don’t want to listen to or play the same thing every time. Things just get boring when you’re doing the same thing over and over. I like when you are able to listen to an album from front to back without its vibe every getting tiresome.

AL: What are the bands plans for a new single and video release?
NH: We just shot a video for the song “Dangerous” in St. Louis. There is another portion of the video being shot in Chicago but as far as I know our parts are done. That should be out very shortly. I think there are plans to do another video as well however I am not sure which song it will be for.

AL: What are the bands upcoming tour plans?
NH: We are working on putting together a tour as we speak. We are kind of late in the game with this release as tour season generally starts in the early spring. We will definitely be hitting as many markets as we can here in the states during this quarter. We hope to be out till about February and then go from there.

A Sound Of Thunder
“Lesser Key Of Solomon”
Number of Discs: 1
Release Date: September 9, 2014
Tracks: 10
Running Time: 61 minutes
Label: Mad Neptune Records

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

I came across the heavy metal band A Sound of Thunder with their third album “Time’s Arrow”. From the moment, I started that album, I knew I was in love. Due to that, I was eagerly awaiting the release of their next album. Luckily, “The Lesser Key of Solomon” is easily their best work to date, though I have to admit, I wasn’t sold from the first listen. What I enjoyed about this album though and why I now love it, is how it grew on it. The more and more I listened this album, I felt like I was being slowly put under a spell. I listened to it for hours on end and it just gets better and better. I honestly thought it couldn’t get any better than “Time’s Arrow” and the band has once again proven me wrong. No question, my favorite album of the year to date!

“The Lesser Key Of Solomon” is not just a typical metal album though it can be summed up simply as a powerhouse. The tracks are catchy and extremely well-done. You can tell that these guys really love what they do because you can feel the blood and sweet ooze out of each track.  Leader singer Nina Osegueda really takes her talent to the next level with this new album. She is simply outstanding. The tracks are definitely some wicked heavy metal but I love that they are also mixed with a touch of power metal, classic rock, and progressive rock & metal as well. So you will find plenty of variety from the start to finish here. When you think you have figured out this album though, it turns a 180 and goes in a whole new direction and I really like that cause it keeps your ears at attention!

Compared to their last album, “Time’s Arrow”, this is definitely much more darker and most definitely heavier. I love the supernatural theme that is built around these tracks as well. Easily some of my favorite tracks are “Udoroth”, “Master of Pain” and “Elijah”. They are all very different and yet have this similar feeling to them like these could easily become instant classics.  I am not joking! Watch the video below for “Udoroth” and honestly tell me that you aren’t rocking out! Even though there are only ten tracks, this album adds up to a solid hour of music. The best way to listen to this I found is is definitely on repeat. I find that “The Lesser Key Of Solomon” really helps to move along a slow work day for sure. For if you are having a lagging day, kick this one and watch time fly!

If you are a member bands fan base known as the “Legion of Thunder” or just finding them for the first time, I recommend you kicking back and spread the word on this amazing piece of art. Also be sure to catch the band on the road this fall and support them since the fans are the reason why this album was completed. If it wasn’t for fans, I am sure the road to release would have been must more difficult for the band, thanks to a successful campaign on Kickstarter. I also just got word from Nina and guitarist Josh Schwartz  that the band is already in the studio working on new music for their next album. Yes! you heard right their next album! These guys are non-stop and I honestly can’t get enough. So keep rocking guys and I will look forward to catching a show this fall!

Track List:
Nexus Of Realities
Udoroth
Fortune Teller
The Boy Who Could Fly
Elijah
Master Of Pain
Blood From The Mummy’s Tomb
Black Secrets
One Empty Grave
House Of Bones

Blake Shelton with The Band Perry, Dan + Shay & Neal McCoy
“Ten Times Crazier Tour 2014”
Amway Center
Orlando, FL
August 30th, 2014

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

Blake Shelton is no question one of the best thing that country music has going for it in recent years. His music is fun, careless and if you don’t like it you can kiss my country music loving ass. The “Ten Times Crazier Tour 2014” is not your regular concert. It features Blake Shelton along with The Band Perry, Dan + Shay & Neal McCoy (who not plays once but three times).  This is a real party. The event started at 6:45pm and went all the way to just past 11pm. Now if you ask me that is one hell of a concert and these fans are really getting their money worth.

The night kicked off with Neal McCoy, who only took stage for 15 minutes and sang some fun cover songs…but don’t worry we didn’t see the last of him and his band. Next up was Dan + Shay, who I did not get to see due to being backstage  meeting up with Blake Shelton! That’s right baby meet and greet! He is one cool (and tall) dude! What I did hear though, there were really stealing the crowd and getting them warmed up. Neal McCoy came out again after that for another 15 minutes before The Band Perry really stole the show.

I have never seen The Band Perry live and not really a huge mega fan. I know (and like) a bunch of their songs but not really a number #1. Well after this performance, I am now a number #1 fan! The Band Perry took the stage and literally tore the roof off the Amway Center. Kimberly Perry is such an amazing performer and has such presence. She is also quite theatrical and dramatic, which really adds to the performance. Of course they song their classics like If I Die Young and Chainsaw, which really drove the crowd into an all out singing fest.

After The Band Perry, Mr. McCoy took the stage once more again singing some amazing classics and keeping the crowd ready when the stage was being set for the main attraction, Blake Shelton. Having met the man, a mere minutes before, it was surreal when he hit the stage and he was belting out his hits literally six rows from my seat (thanks to his management team for the outstanding seats BTW).  What I love about Shelton is that it just seems so effortless for him and yet at the same time, the guy seems like an average Joe who at points honestly seems nervous. He is just a great performer and keeps his audiences attention from the moment he comes. He is funny and also a great storyteller.

The top selling/Grammy winning country singing artist played his hits like “Kiss My Country Ass”,  “Mine Would Be You”, “Some Beach”, “Hillbilly Bone”, “Sure Be Cool If You Did” and “My Eyes”. Also in one of the coolest things that I have ever been a part of, Blake actually recorded the video to his latest single “Neon Light”, which is set to be released on his new album “Bringing Back the Sunshine”, due out September 30th. It was a blast to get to be a part of such an amazing event.

As the night grew later, Shelton went all Acoustic on us and came up to the front of the stage solo only with a guitar and really poured his out with tracks like “Austin”, “Drink On It” and one of my favorites, “Home”, which is of course a Michael Bublé cover. But the mood didn’t end on a quite not as he closed out the night with his biggest hits “Honey Bee” and “Boys ‘Round Here” and brought in the night with fireworks. I do not think that there was one person not singing or screaming those lyrics.

This was no question of the most fun that I have had at a concert in recent years. When I left the Amway Center, my cheeks were killing me and mine and my wife’s voices were shot due to singing for hours straight. I hope Blake and his team realized that Florida has its share of country fans and knows how to tear it up with the best of them! Till next time Mr. Shelton! Thanks for a great night, you sure know how to throw a great party!

The Band Perry Setlist:
Done
Night Gone Wasted
You Lie
All Your Life
I’m a Keeper
Timber (Pitbull feat. Ke$ha cover)
Chainsaw
Fat Bottomed Girls (Queen cover)
Don’t Let Me Be Lonely
If I Die Young
Better Dig Two

Blake Shelton Setlist:
All About Tonight
The More I Drink
She Wouldn’t Be Gone
Doin’ What She Likes
Kiss My Country Ass
Mine Would Be You
Nobody But Me
Some Beach
Ol’ Red (George Jones cover)
Who Are You When I’m Not Looking
Hillbilly Bone
Sure Be Cool If You Did
Neon Light
My Eyes
Over You
(Acoustic)
Austin
(Acoustic)
Drink On It
Home (Michael Bublé cover)
Honey Bee
Boys ‘Round Here
Encore:
Footloose (Kenny Loggins cover)
God Gave Me You

Shaman’s Harvest
“Smokin’ Hearts & Broken Guns”
Mascot Records
Tracks: 12

Our Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Shaman’s Harvest the 4 piece southern tinged hard rock band who’s independent debut release “Shine” spawned the successful single “Dragonfly” are back with a brand new album titled “Smokin’ Hearts & Broken Guns”. The album features 10 brand new tracks along with an extended acoustic version of the hit song “Dragon Fly” and a rousing rendition of the Michael Jackson song “Dirty Diana” which only adds to albums overall appeal.

To be honest I was pretty much in the dark when I first put “Smokin’ Hearts & Broken Guns” into my player. However by the end of track 1 I was hooked! From start to finish each track has the potential to become a hit. The bands catchy lyrics and rhythms will have you singing along and bobbing your head almost instantly especially on tracks like “Dangerous” and “Ten Million Voices” while tracks like “Blood in the Water” and “Country As Fuck” showcase the bands southern rock twist and diversity.

Due to the sheer power and in your face performance of each track you would have never guessed that just prior to the recording of the album lead vocalist Nathan Hunt was diagnosed with throat cancer. Despite the grim diagnosis Hunt and company fire on all cylinders making “Smokin’ Hearts & Broken Guns” a must have!

Track Listing:
Dangerous
Here it Comes
Ten Million Voices
Blood In The Water
The End of Me
Country As Fuck
Hero
Dirty Diana
In The End
In Chains
Silent Voice
 Dragon Fly (Extended Unplugged Version)

Camden Cruz is the guitarist for the power metal band Seven Kingdoms, based out of DeLand, Florida. Camden also runs the Deland Rock & Metal Festival. This Rock and Heavy Metal event will host it’s first multi-day, with camping event and will feature 50 bands. Media Mikes had a chance to chat about the festival with Camden, find out about the show and what’s next for Seven Kingdoms.

Mike Gencarelli: This November brings us the 5th Deland Rock & Metal Festival, how did this whole thing start?
Camden Cruz: Well, I was tired of not having a place to play in my home town of DeLand. So, when Seven Kingdoms was ready to release ‘The Fire Is Mine’ album, It was a perfect storm to try and host it right here in my hometown. We started talking to a few possible places, and realized very quickly that this was probably going to be an outdoors event. That right there made me think “Festival”. So after a long process of finding the Festival’s Home, we landed right outside the downtown at OB’s. It worked out very well and we have kept this thing running, and are always trying to improve over every year.

MG: What is the process for how you managed to find 50 bands for this amazing line-up?
CC: I still don’t have a ‘Set Protocol” for booking the bands, but usually we will go and book the headliners or biggest acts first. Once we have released that info, we set the date and put it online. I think people really dig being able to watch a festival develop, even if on an event page. We start to put it together right in front of everyone online. We have TONS of bands apply for the festival from the state, and it increases every year. We try to base our selections on if we have an established relationship with the band, talent and drawing capability. We like to book bands that can really get behind the event and push it.

MG: What else can fans expect from this 3-day festival?
CC: This is the first multi day year. We are offering camping for the first time as a package, so that will be very interesting to see how it changes from a one day deal, to a whole weekend. It’s only going to be better, as we have split the days up almost by genre, so its even better for the bands, and fans as far as who they want to see, and who they are paired up with. I think that having a three day deal, will start to get more people there all weekend, rather than just there for one day. There is a LOT of music, a lot of drinks and a lot of food here!

MG: What are you personally most excited about this year?
CC: The Camping feature really is a huge deal this year. Also the VIP packages are starting to really get solidified. We have a package this year that is a really good deal and it comes with a lot of free things and perks. I think people will be really happy at the end of the weekend. I am also very excited to see how it all turns out, as this is expected to be our biggest year by far. We also have a large promotional video package that we will be filming on site that day, to try and do a bunch of footage and promos to put online shortly after we shoot that weekend, almost in real time! Doing what we can so people at home can see what they’re missing!

MG: Besides running this show, you are also lead guitarist with Seven Kingdom; tell us you are juggling all these hats?
CC: Haha, this honestly is only my second item to juggle out of about 4 jobs that I have. I play and organize in Seven Kingdoms, I work full time custom painting at Chris Cruz Artistry, I launched CCE Presents this year in January, and we’re really starting to pick up the number of shows we put on in Florida. I also help manage bands and tours when the offers come in, but that’s more of a side thing. It’s pretty stressful sometimes, but I would not trade the mix I have for anything. I seem to have a really nice balance right now actually. I have been booking shows for years, but this is the first year that I really set out to make a big difference and make it something. I’ve already put on 20+ shows this year and two festivals. Along with day work, the band and these other things, I hope the only way to go is up!

MG: What was your first experience to metal that locked you in for life?
CC: I discovered heavy music around 2004, while I was in Highshool and racing Motocross. I raced all my life until that point, and pretty much discovered this side of music in the last years that I raced. It was a pretty tough time for me when I was 16-19 as my parents were going through a major divorce and it pretty much drove us to stop racing, along with injuries. Because of the seriousness of racing, I was very disconnected from people at the private school that I went to at the time, and didn’t have a lot of friends until I was at the track. When it all went down, I didn’t have a lot of local friends, and I didn’t want to be at home. I found a plethora of people in the scene that became my friends because of the love for music. I was able to ‘get away’ from all of that when I listened to this music, which turned into me in a band with a new set of friends. I was able to escape my life in away and go to this completely different and new thing. It really made that time, not so hard, because I was either discovering new music, playing in one of the first bands I was in, or just hanging out, not thinking of things at home. So, I suppose you can say that that’s what made me a lifer!

MG: You guys were born out of Florida but have a worldwide fan base including Europe in which you just completed your final tour to support the last album; how does touring abroad differ from here in the states?
CC: It is completely different, but not so different all at the same time. I believe that the fans in EU truly have a harder time trying to afford the shows. I believe that is why there seems to be more die hards over there, because people are literally budgeting money they probably shouldn’t spend on concerts for their favorite bands. There is also just not nearly the amount of opportunity for people in general over there as it is here in the USA, so we are very lucky for that. I think that fans are fans, anywhere you go. Just sometimes the farther away you are from home, sometimes it adds to the ‘stigma’ of a band playing in a certain area, and gets people more excited knowing you are from far away.

MG: Seven Kingdom’s last album was “The Fire is Mine” in 2012, is there a new album in the cards and what can we expect?
CC: There is a new album in the works as we speak. We will take all of 2015 to write and record the album. We have a lot of inner workings to figure out, on how the album will be released, and through who. We are really hoping for an early 2016 release, with a full and proper tour to be booked along side that shortly after, but we just need to see how it all works out. It’s still way to early to nail those official things. The music itself will sound much like a continuation of ‘The Fire Is Mine’ but with more experience and maturity. We all are always growing together as musicians so the music will always improve over time. With every album we do, we start to sound more like Seven Kingdoms, rather than a bunch of other bands mixed together. So, we are just focused on writing a very solid album that will top TFIM, make us happy and also make our fans happy!

The DeLand Rock & Metal Festival has just finished booking its 5th installment of it’s ever growing Rock and Heavy Metal event. This Fall, The Deland Rock & Metal Festival will host it’s first multi-day, with camping event. The festival will feature bands from all over the east coast, one from Puerto Rico and also DeLand’s very own, Seven Kingdoms. Tickets are on sale, and it is expected to draw 800-1000 over the weekend at OBs in North Deland. This year will also include local business vendors ranging from Vapor products, beef jerky, chocolates and jewelry all the way to CD and Merch tents.

Visit the event page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/468548056578993

The Deland Rock & Metal Festival is BACK for its FALL edition!!!

This FALL FESTIVAL will be a MULTI-DAY Event!

NOV 7 – PREPARTY
NOV 8 – FESTIVAL – DAY 1
NOV 9 – FESTIVAL – DAY 2

Camping will be available overnight on festival grounds!

TICKETS ONSALE SCHEDULE:

-ALL INCLUSIVE BADGE (VIP and Camping)
ON-SALE-NOW – $95
http://ccepresents.bigcartel.com/product/deland-rock-metal-festival-all-inclusive-pass-vip-camping

VIP PASS only: ON SALE NOW – $65
http://ccepresents.bigcartel.com/product/deland-rock-metal-festival-vip-pass-only

CAMPING PASS only ON SALE NOW – $30
http://ccepresents.bigcartel.com/product/deland-rock-metal-festival-camping-pass-only

General Admission prices:
Preparty – $12
Saturday Festival – $25
Sunday Festival – $15

**VIP BADGE** – $65
– VIP FOIL LAMINATE
– EVENT T-SHIRT
– EVENT POSTER
– Masters Of Metal Productions Sampler CD
– **FREE ADMISSION** to the PreParty
– ENTRY TO SATURDAY AND SUNDAY
– 22oz SOUVENIR DR&MF BEER MUG
– EXCLUSIVE DRAFT BEER / CIDER OUTSIDE WITH BEER MUG ONLY
– VIP BAR and PATIO LOUNGE ACCESS
– ONLY **100** AVAILABLE

CAMPING INFO:
Camping will be PER PERSON – $30
– CAMPING STICKER CREDENTIAL
– Camping Friday, Saturday, Sunday nights
– HOT DELUXE BREAKFAST Saturday and Sunday Mornings
– ONLY **100* CAMPING STICKERS AVAILABLE
**we will be in touch with all our campers to see who is sharing tents – paid per person because we are including breakfast for campers**

More info, Bands, Lineups to be announced! 50 bands!

FRIDAY – NOVEMBER 7th **PREPARTY**
-OB’s MAINSTAGE-
1|6:15-6:45 – Stand Well Among Giants – Post Hardcore from Orlando
2|7:00-7:30 – Almost Winter – Metalcore from Orlando
3|7:45-8:15 – Unsung Hero – Metal/Hard Rock from Tampa
4|8:30-9:00 – Cover The Sun – Rock/Metal from Orlando
5|9:15-9:45 – ShadowStrike – Power Metal from NY
6|10:00-10:45 – Judicator – Power Metal from Tuscon, AZ
7|11:00-11:30 – Project: Roenwolfe – Power Metal from AZ/FL
8| 11:45-12:30 – Fathom’s Pass – Prog/Power from Tampa

SATURDAY – NOVEMBER 8th
-FESTIVAL STAGE-
1|12:00-12:30 – Koffity – Metal from Panama City
3|1:00-1:30 – Sinister Circle – Metal from Tampa
5|2:00-2:30 – All Hell – Death Metal from Longwood
7|3:00-3:30 – Atlas – Metal from Melbourne, FL
9|4:00-4:30 – Darkness Rising – Metal from Deltona
11|5:00-5:30 – Sarcophagi – Deathcore from Pensacola
13|6:00-6:30 – The Bride Wore Blood – Deathcore from Orlando
15|7:00-7:30 – Orbweaver – Experimental Metal from Miami
17|8:00-8:30 – Promethean Horde – Death Metal from Tampa
19|9:00-9:30 – Ovid’s Withering – Death Metal from Tampa
21|10:15-11:00 – Warforged – Death Metal from Chicago

-OB’s MAINSTAGE-
2|12:30-1:00 – Slow Motion Suicide – Metal from Jacksonville
4|1:30-2:00 – Denied Til Death – Death Metal from Jacksonville
6|2:30-3:00 – Martyr’s Asylum – HardRock from Orlando
8|3:30-4:00 – Psykotribe – Metal from Tampa
10|4:30-5:00 – Impurity – Death Metal from Gainesville
12|5:30-6:00 – Death Before Dying – Death Metal from Panama City
14|6:30-7:00 – City Of Stages – Metalcore from Orlando
16|7:30-8:00 – Zafakon – Death/Thrash from Puerto Rico
18|8:30-9:00 – Thrash Or Die – Thrash from Miami
20|9:30-10:15 – Abdomen Canvas -Death Metal from Orlando
22|11:00-11:45 – Visceral Disgorge – Slam Death from Baltimore
23|12:00-1:00 – Massacre – Death Metal from Florida

SUNDAY – NOVEMBER 9th
-FESTIVAL STAGE-
1|12:00-12:30 – Primitive Hard Drive – Rock from Jacksonville
3|1:00-1:30 – Jack Mantra – Rock from Brandon
5|2:00-2:30 – Armor Of God – Power Metal from Orlando
7|3:00-3:30 – Slikk Wikked – Metal from Tampa
9|4:00-4:30 – Chernobyl – Heavy Metal from Orlando
11|5:00-5:30 – Archangel – Thrash/Heavy Metal from Tampa
13|6:00-6:30 – Maverick Hunter – Heavy Metal from Tampa
15|7:00-7:30 – Everthrone – Epic, Symphonic Metal from SC
17|8:05-8:50 – Draekon – Symphonic Metal from Indiana
19|9:35-10:20 – Widow – Traditional Metal from NC

-OB’s MAINSTAGE-
2|12:30-1:00 – The Hanging Chads – Hard Rock from Tampa
4|1:30-2:00 – Embrace The Envy – Metal from Orlando
6|2:30-3:00 – Absolon – Goth/Power Metal from Orlando
8|3:30-4:00 – Frostfang – Thrash Metal from St. Pete
10|4:30-5:00 – Skyliner – Power Metal from Jacksonville
12|5:30-6:00 – Sons Of Ragnar – Viking Metal from Longwood
14|6:30-7:00 – Arcsin – Prog/Power from Miami
16|7:30-8:05 – MindMaze – Female Fronted Power Metal from PA
18|8:50-9:35 – A Sound of Thunder – Female Fronted Power Metal from DC
20|10:20-11:20 – Seven Kingdoms – Power Metal from DeLand

MISC INFO:
Your EXCLUSIVE draft beer and cider will be Yuengling and Angry Orchard. VIPs you will be the only people allowed to even have draft beer at the festival, all others are bottles/mixdrinks. Fillups will range (depending) from $4-$6 for whichever one you want and 22oz of it! you will get 10 tickets per day, which you will need to use each time you pay for a fill up. Its super exclusive draft just for you! IF YOU DON’T WANT BEER, there will be bottled water and Soda fillups for $1. PLEASE REMEMBER you will not be able to get the special draft, if you BUY THE CUP ALA CARTE at the fest, YOU MUST be a VIP holder! CAMPING BREAKFAST will be open each fest morning from 8AM-10AM. We will have Eggs, Bacon, Sausage, Biscuits & Gravy, Toast, Coffee and Orange Juice. Breakfast will be open for TWO HOURS. Breakfast will also go on sale, ala carte for those that didnt camp, that are Hungry, however we are only guaranteeing enough breakfast/per day for presold camping passes, so get your camping and breakfast passes!

Kevin Riepl is the composer of horror films like “Silent Night”, “Contracted” and a segment from “The ABC’s of Death”. His latest film is the horror/thriller “Cabin Fever: Patient Zero” directed by Kaare Andrews (Altitude and The ABCs of Death) and staring Sean Astin (The Lord of the Rings Trilogy), Currie Graham (Pompeii, “NYPD Blue”), Ryan Donowho (Soldiers of Fortune), Mitch Ryan (“One Tree Hill”) and Jillian Murray (Bad Ass). Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Kevin about the score and working in the horror genre.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you get involved to score the film “Cabin Fever: Patient Zero”?
Kevin Riepl: I met the director, Kaare Andrews, when we worked together on his contribution to THE ABCs OF DEATH, “V for Vagitus”. When I heard he was selected to helm CABIN FEVER: PATIENT ZERO I was eager to have a chance to work with him again. Likewise for Kaare, so we submitted my reel to the producers and once they were on board, we were all set to go.

MG: Did you look back at the previous two films for any ideas?
KR: I refreshed myself a little bit with the first film’s score. As much as we wanted to create something new, we also wanted to carry over some of the ‘rawness’ of Nathan Barr’s score and incorporate a lot of scratching and dissonance in the string instruments.

MG: What was your biggest challenge you faced with this film and was this score unique in any way from your previous scores?
KR: I think the main challenge on the film (even though it wasn’t really a big challenge) was coming up with and deciding on the palette for the score and what style would best support the story and its setting. I do believe this score is unique from any of my previous scores and that is because this film is different from previous films I’ve scored. Yes I’ve scored a decent amount of horror and thriller, but each of those has been artistically different from each other as well. A film’s story dictates the sound and style of the score. If you look back through my previous films many of the scores are quite different and unique to the film. That’s the ultimate goal – to give each film its own sound. Of course it is a collaborative effort with the director since it’s their vision, but I try to bring ideas to the table that will help their vision stand out and be that much more unique.

MG: You have worked in the horror genre before with projects like “The ABCs of Death” and “Silent Night”; what do you love about the genre itself?
KR: It’s usually dark, gritty and fantastical. Ever since I started music at a young age I’ve always wanted to explore the darker side of music, melody and sounds. As much as I love writing all styles of music, it seems that the horror genre lets me experiment a little more when writing scores. Being a creative person, how can I pass that up?

MG: “Contracted” was a sick film BTW; tell us about your process for this film?
KR: CONTRACTED, indeed, was sick and A LOT of fun to work on. Eric England is a young director and has so much to offer the film world. It was great to work with him on this film. At the very start, Eric knew he didn’t want traditional ‘horror’ music. So we approached the score with a synthetic, almost ethereal sound to help support the main character’s innocence and naiveté, until of course things start to go south. At that point I start to include more grit and experimental sounds and rhythms to help throw the viewer off balance so they can feel as much angst as the main character does as she goes through her changes.

MG: How is it going from scoring video games to TV or film? Which is more challenging?
KR: I don’t find it to be challenging. It’s all music. Yes, there are specifics and deadlines you need to be concerned about during the process of creating for each medium, but in the end it’s still about coming up with ideas and you’re still supporting story and visuals. The most important thing and it is sometimes a challenge, is scheduling…especially when you have a video game, a TV show AND a film on your plate.

MG: What else do you have in the cards coming up next?
KR: I just recently completed the action thriller THE NIGHT CREW directed by Christian Sesma. Hopefully I will have more news concerning the release of the film and an official soundtrack. Other than that, I am currently working on Ubisoft’s and Signal Studios’ TOY SOLDIERS: WAR CHEST video game as well as a small independent feature.

Goo Goo Dolls, Daughtry, Plain White T’s
Saturday, August 16^th 2014
Tag’s Summer Stage, Big Flats, NY

Our score: 2.5 out of 5 stars

The quiet town of Big Flats, NY sprung to life on Saturday, August 16^th as New York natives the Goo Goo Dolls made a stop at Tag’s Summer Stage as part of their summer tour which also featured season 5 American Idol finalist Chris Daughtry along with the Plain White T’s. Though the weather was touch and go throughout the night it didn’t stop those in attendance from enjoying the night of music.

Opening up the nights show was Plain White T’s who burst on the music scene a few years back with their hit song “Hey There Delilah”. The group performed an intimate acoustic tinged set that sounded great however with the exception of one or two more well know songs the bands time on stage did little to ignite the crowd’s attention. Daughtry would take the stage next opening up his set with the title track off his newest album “Baptized” and instantly had the crowd in his hand. As the set progressed Daughtry and company treated the crowd to a variety of songs from his current and previous albums including hits like “Feels like Tonight”, “It’s Not Over” and “September” before closing out his set with “Long Live Rock & Roll”. Though the crowd seemed appreciative of the bands performance there were several points during the set where Daughtry seemed to push his voice a little too far past his range making those parts a bit harsh on the ears. Personally I also would have enjoyed hearing a few more of his edgier rock tunes this time around however that did not happen.

As darkness fell on the semi-remote venue the Goo Goo Dolls would take the stage to close out the night with an impressive 21 song set which ran the gambit of the bands 20+ year career. The group opened the set with the song “Dizzy” which gave way to other classic tracks like “Big Machine” and “Slide” before the night was closed out by songs like “Broadway” and “Iris”. I found the band’s sound to be tight and well rehearsed however with the exception of bassist Robby Takac whose energy kept the show interesting the other members seemed to be just going through the motions. It was also a little disheartening to see the absence of vintage Goo songs like “Long Way Down” and “Naked”.  Despite my own feelings toward the nights set those in attendance seemed very appreciative of the bands performance and showed that by large periods of applause after each and every song. If you have never seen any of the bands or you are a seasoned show going fan make your way out to one of the remaining shows for a solid night of music and fun as the tours lineup has a little something for everyone.

Plain White T’s Set List:
1.) American Nights
2.) Helium
3.) The Giving Tree
4.) 1,2,3,4
5.) Should’ve Gone to Bed
6.) Hey There Delilah
7.) Rhythm of Love

Daughtry Set List:
1.) Baptized
2.) Feels like Tonight
3.) Over You
4.) Renegade
5.) Traitor
6.) It’s Not Over
7.) What About Now
8.) Wild Heart
9.) Battleships
10.) Home
11.) September
12.) Waiting for Superman
13.) Long Live Rock & Roll

Goo Goo Dolls Set List:
1.) Dizzy
2.) Big Machine
3.) Slide
4.) Rebel Beat
5.) When the World Breaks Your Heart
6.) Already There
7.) Another Second Time Around
8.) Come to Me
9.) Black Balloon
10.) Stay With you
11.) Here is Gone
12.) Caught in the Storm
13.) Name
14.) January Friend
15.) Bringing on the Light
16.) Better Days
17.) Slow It Down
18.) Broadway
19.) Let Love In
20.) Iris
21.) Give a Little Bit (Supertramp cover)

“Annihilate America Tour 2014”
Doyle, Ashylus, The Isotopes
Date: Friday, August 15^th 2014
Venue: Montage Music Hall, Rochester, NY

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Former Misfits guitarist Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein kicked off his “Annihilate America Tour” at the intimate Montage Music Hall in Rochester, NY on August 15^th and despite several last minute set backs which included being stranded in New Jersey the night before and the band’s drummer quitting several days prior the band simply named “Doyle” proved that nothing was going to stop them from hitting the road in support of their debut release “Abominator” and pulverizing the masses.

Tension was certainly in the air for the tours opening night as band and crew members scurried about the venue after a late arrival due to Doyle and company experiencing last minute transportation issues. Combine that with the group’s drummer Dr. Chud leaving the band only a few short days before and any lesser band would have called it quits even before starting. Thankfully that wasn’t the case. Kicking off the night was Rochester’s own The Isotopes. The 4 piece instrumental act took to the stage donning horn rimmed glasses, green ties and pocket protectors flanked by an impressive light show complete with two lovely go-go dancers. Equally impressive to the bands stage show was their tight sound which seemed to mix 60’s surf music with Iron Maiden like solos and pure punk rock energy.

Though the crowd was still filing in through the venue doors it did little to sway the bands presentation. Up next was the direct support act for the tour Ashylus Hailing from the Pacific Northwest the 5 piece metal-core band quickly elevated the rooms growing excitement as they blasted through songs of their album “Leave Your Mark” which was released earlier this year. After the bands powerful 30 minute set headliners Doyle would take the stage to close out the night. The band consisting of Cancerslug vocalist Alex Story, Bassist Left Hand Graham, Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein and the bands newest member drummer Anthony “Tiny” Biuso.

The band took the stage basked in a red and green glow as Doyle’s signature guitar tone blasted through the towering stack of speakers which flanked both sides of the stage. Before you could blink the band launched in to “Abominator” the title track off the group’s debut album. Doyle pummeled is guitar repeatedly as singer Alex Story belted out lyrics with a guttural growl. The bands set was a perfect mixture of new songs like “Valley of Shadows” and “Headhunter” to Misfits classics such as “Hybrid Moment” and “Where Eagles Dare” and “Last Caress”.

Though the band still had a few kinks to work out as working in a new drummer just days before a tour requires quite a few adjustments however a few small bumps in the road didn’t stop the band from delivering a blistering set that left peoples jaws on the floor from just the sheer impact of the bands volume. Doyle and company proved that they are hell bent on domination and If the same power they brought to the tours opening night continues throughout the rest of the tour then nothing will stand in their way.

Doyle Set List
1.)   Abominator
2.)   Learn to Bleed
3.)   Valley of Shadows
4.)   Where Eagles Dare
5.)   Cemetery Sex
6.)   Headhunter
7.)   Hybrid Moment
8.)   Attitude
9.)   Love Like Murder
10.) Last Caress
11.) Die Die My Darling
12.) Hope Hell is Warm

Former Misfits guitarist Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein is currently out on tour in support of the band’s debut release titled “Abominator”. The band which also features vocalist Alex Story, bassist Left Hand Graham and drummer Anthony “Tiny” Biuso will be out on the road through August and Media Mikes had a chance to speak with the band prior to the tours kick off in Rochester, NY where we talked about the recent departure of drummer Dr. Chud as well as what the band has planned for the rest of this year and beyond.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us what happened with Dr. Chud deciding to leave the tour prior to its start and what your most looking forward to about getting out and playing the new material live?
Doyle: He just decided not to come out on the road with us. That’s pretty much all there is to it. We are looking forward to just ripping stuff up every night we play. Tiny our new drummer came in on short notice and just really energized all of us. Tiny is a guy I met at the NAMM show one year and we just hit it off and became friends from there. He was always asking me about who was drumming for me at the time and what not and now he is the guy.

AL: Can you tell us about the VIP packages that you are offering at each show?
Doyle: We are doing VIP meet and greets after every show on this tour. Along with getting to meet the band you get a free music download, a tour laminate and a signed photo. It’s a chance for fans to get a little more out of coming to us.

AL: You shot a DVD for your previous band Gorgeous Frankenstein. Will you be doing any shooting while out on this run?
Doyle: I think we have a guy coming out to film the New Jersey show and also to do some footage at the Connecticut and Los Angeles shows. Alex and I will also be doing a new photo shoot with Jeremy Saffer while we are out on the road which should be really cool.

AL: With “Abominator” being out for a couple months now what has been people’s reaction to it?
Doyle: I think everything has been really great. I really like the album and I think if people haven’t done so yet they need to go out and buy it! (Laughs)

AL: You have said before that during the writing process you wrote enough material for two more albums. Can you tell us the status of those?
Doyle: Everything has been recorded. All we have left to do is finish the drums and then mix them. From there we will get the artwork done up and proof all the words for the album notes. We are shooting for a spring 2015 release date.

AL: Alex, when you were putting this material together what type of process did you guys have for writing?
Alex Story: When we were first putting this all together Doyle gave me a list of things that he liked to hear songs about. There was a lot of stuff about strippers and Satan in there. (Laughs) I really challenged myself and tried to write a song about everything he mentioned in his list. That’s really where we went from. Doyle writes all the music and arrangements. He gives me full bass, drum and guitar tracks and I really don’t like to ask him to change things around for me so I just go with what I am given. I try to write vocals that accent his playing.
Doyle: Sometimes he writes songs in a day and sends them over to me which is just crazy. He sends me stuff that he has screamed in to his laptop.

AL: When Doyle is out on the road with Danzig what do you do to keep busy musically?
AS: I have another band that I have been doing for years called Cancerslug. I do that in my off time and when ever Doyle is ready I shift gears and we do this.
Doyle: It works the same way for me when I am working with Danzig. When he calls we go out and do it and then we go back working on this.

AL: What are your plans for the next Cancer Slug release? And how have things changed for the group since you first started?
AS: Cancerslug is sort of like my little pet project. Once things sort of slow down here were going to put out a new album. We have a really solid line up right now and our last tour was very successful so we are looking to do another run of shows as soon as we can. With Cancerslug I just sort of throw these ideas down when I have them and if people like it that’s cool if they don’t, they don’t. Once I get some down time from doing this I will start work on all of that. When I first started Cancerslug there was no internet or cell phones which made being independent very difficult. Nowadays it makes doing a project like Cancerslug a lot easier as there are just so many ways to get yourself out there which makes splitting my time between the two bands that much easier.

AL: Can you tell us about your upcoming appearance in Alan Roberts “Killogy” comic book?
Doyle: I toured with Alan years ago when we were out on the road with his band Life of Agony. He called us up one day and asked if I would be interested. I just got the draft of it the other day and it looks really great. I think the plan is to have it out around Halloween time.

AL: This first run of shows is just a month long. Are there any further plans to continue touring throughout the rest of the year? And is there any chance of seeing you do some shows with your girlfriends band Arch Enemy?
Doyle: We are working on a bunch more stuff here in the States for the coming months. As for shows with Arch Enemy we are trying really hard. It’s up to Angela. I am afraid of her! (Laughs)

Mark Heylmun is the lead guitarist for the heavy metal band Suicide Silence. The band recently released their 4th studio album titled “You Can’t Stop Me” via Nuclear Blast Records and is featured on this year’s Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival. Media Mikes had the chance recently to speak with Mark about the new album, the bands new singer and how they overcame the loss of the bands original vocalist Mitch Lurker.

Adam Lawton: With the new album being out just over a month now what has the overall reception been like from the fans?
Mark Heylmun: It’s been really amazing. To be honest I am waiting for this whole thing to become difficult. This time last year I was looking into the future thinking that things were going to be very hard. I knew we were going to have to be comfortable with whatever happened and just ride it out. The record is out and people a really loving it. Were out on Mayhem right now and it feels like were just killing it every day.

AL: What was it like for the band working on both new material and with a new singer all at the same time?
MH: We had to build a working relationship with Eddie. We were of course friends beforehand but Eddie’s the type of guy who when you catch up to him you have to hear all of what he has going on. Building that new relationship was a lot of fun because he is our friend and now he is in our band. Surprisingly it was a very easy transition as he works in the same way Mitch worked. We would give him a song and he would either feel it or not. With Eddie being new to the band things were very fresh for him and us as well which made the experience very exciting. In a week we wrote 3 songs together. After those first three songs were written we knew things were going to be ok. This was the first time as a band that we all collaborated together on material. It was very much a group effort this time around.

AL: The album features two songs written by Mitch before he passed away. Can you tell us about those?
MH: One of those tracks is actually a really old song that appeared on our first EP in 2005. We wanted to redo it because we have had a lot of requests to hear those songs. We chose “Ending is Beginning” because it just made sense with what we are doing. A lot of friends wanted us to do one of these old songs as well to see if Eddie could really pull this off. He just slayed it! “You Can’t Stop Me” is the other track Mitch was working on and it’s one of the two last songs we worked on with him. “Blue Haze” was the other track which appeared on a B side. The music for both of those songs was done in the same writing session in 2012. Mitch had only written lyrics for one and we had to looks at those and figure out which song they were actually meant for. It ended up being very easy to figure out because of the structure in which the lyrics were written. The song had no title but the lyrics were “You can’t fucking stop me!” so we really took a lot from those words as it just all fit so well with what we were doing and what we were going to have to do in the future. That song really built us up. Even though Mitch wasn’t physically there he still had a lot to do with the latest record.

AL: What was it like on an emotional level revisiting these songs?
MH: The whole time we had it in our minds that we wanted this album to really mean a lot. We wanted this album to be all that it could be. We postponed jamming and getting together with Eddie until we could all be there at the same time. We got those lyrics sent to us and we all read them together. From there we just started jamming and playing music together. I remember that first session and we didn’t even really play Suicide Silence songs at first. We were playing songs by Pantera, Metallica, Sublime and Offspring. Eventually we started doing our songs but it was just an emotional time that felt new and very real.

AL: So far you have released 2 songs off the album as singles. Are there plans to release any others?
MH: We have had the discussion. We couldn’t really decide which songs we wanted to roll out first because we liked all of the songs. There is potential to release a video for every song off the album. We have a pretty good video team that is in our world and we facilitate all those things. We have a bunch of ideas right now on what to do.

AL: Have you found people are more focused on this being the band’s first album with a singer as opposed to it being your senior release?
MH: A lot of people ask if we feel like this is our first record. I don’t think it feels like that because we are building off of what we have learned from each other. “The Cleansing” was our first full length and that album was really done because of the response from our EP. We had a lot of offers come our way and we had to decide which would be best for us and then write a record. We wrote the record because we had gotten signed and that record was our reaction to those events. We learned that we had to put ourselves in a position to where we were motivated to write. We learned a lot over the course of three records and this new album is the culmination. I think after this we have really learned to write a piece of music and I am looking forward to continuing with what we are doing.

AL: With Mayhem Fest wrapping up in August does the band have any plans for the remainder of 2014?
MH: We will be a part of this year’s Knot Fest which is being held in San Bernardino, CA in the later part of October. That’s going to be just an insane time. We also will be heading over to Europe in November for a tour run over there as well.

Heavy metal band A Sound of Thunder will release its fourth full-length album“The Lesser Key of Solomon” on September 9th worldwide on Mad Neptune Records.  The album was produced by RIAA multi-platinum-awarded producer Kevin ‘131’ Gutierrez (While Heaven Wept, Raven, Shinedown).  The heavy riff-laden songs are complex yet instantly catchy, featuring razor-sharp musicianship and the lung-busting performances of powerhouse classically-trained vocalist Nina Osegueda.

“If your erection lasts longer than four hours, you probably listened to our new album.  Also, you’re welcome” jokes Osegueda. “On a serious note, this album is our best work to date.  The songwriting and performances from the band are on another level.  The album was a joy to make and that comes through in the final recording.”

Hot off the 2013 release of “Time’s Arrow”, their best-selling and best reviewed release to date, A Sound of Thunder was brimming with confidence and eager to get back into the recording studio.  With too many musical ideas for just one album, the band selected only its darkest and most atmospheric material for “The Lesser Key of Solomon”.  The result is an ominous collection of songs united by supernatural themes.  The album represents the fulfillment of a promise to A Sound of Thunder’s fans, known as the “Legion of Thunder”, who funded the album via the Kickstarter crowd-funding platform in the autumn of 2013, raising over $23,000.

“The Lesser Key of Solomon”, running time 61 minutes, features 10 of A Sound of Thunder’s most intense yet nuanced songs, exploring territory which is simultaneously heavier and more atmospheric than ever before. The steel-armored wail of prodigal vocalist Nina Osegueda (called by some “the lovechild of Rob Halford and Bruce Dickinson”) tops off deft performances by a band that knows how to deliver the goods. From the demonic fire of “Udoroth”, to the crushing Dio-esque “Master of Pain”, to the sweeping scope and dark theatricality of “Elijah”, A Sound of Thunder delivers a timeless album full of metal classics.
“The Lesser Key Of Solomon” available as a digital download, compact disc, and limited deluxe vinyl-book format.

Tracklisting includes:
Nexus Of Realities, Udoroth, Fortune Teller, The Boy Who Could Fly, Elijah, Master Of Pain, Blood From The Mummy’s Tomb, Black Secrets, One Empty Grave, House Of Bones 

Weblinks:
Album pre-order: http://asoundofthunder.bigcartel.com/category/the-lesser-key-of-solomon
 Website: http://www.asoundofthunderband.com
 Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/asoundofthunder
 Reverbnation: http://www.reverbnation.com/asoundofthunder
 BandCamp: http://asot.bandcamp.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/asotband
Management/Booking: asoundofthunderband@gmail.com

A Sound Of Thunder:
Nina Osegueda- vocals
Josh Schwartz- guitars/ keyboards
Jesse Keen- guitars/ keyboards
Chris Haren- drums/ percussion

The southern heavy metal band Texas Hippie Coalition are set to release their fourth studio album titled “Ride On” in mid October of this year and are currently out on tour as part of this summer’s Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival. Media Mikes was able to catch up with the leather vested 4 piece backstage in Scranton, PA recently to discuss the bands upcoming album and the bands progression since their debut release in 2008

Shawn Meas: What can you tell us about the bands upcoming album?
Texas Hippie Coalition: It’s going to be bad ass! We went back to more of our roots on this album and it’s going to be really hard hitting. We went and worked with Skid Mills at the Sound Kitchen and it turned out really well. We are anxious to hear what everyone thinks. We definitely went back to the format of the first record while spending more money. (Laughs)

SM: What type of process do you guys take when starting to record a new album?
THC: We start off by drinking a little moonshine and smoking a little weed. Then we cuss a little bit and things start to work. (Laugh) Cord Pool and I (Big Dad Ritch) are the only guys in the band who can really do math so song structure is pretty easy to come out. (Laughs) I think if we really used any true written format that it was the same every time we wouldn’t have as good of a creative flow as we did. Things are never the just as long we are all in good spirits and have positive energy around us we can write good tunes together. This time we flipped things and worked on the album early in the morning as opposed to late at night because you could never get all of us in the same room at the same time when it comes to working at night. (Laughs)

SM: How do you feel the band’s sound has evolved from your debut album “Peacemaker” to your upcoming release “Ride On”?
THC: I think we have evolved as players. With the new record we certainly tapped into our roots but we are all better players these days. With this band you get what you came for. We try and keep things real and carry out that theme from album to album.

SM: The band has gone through a number of lineup changes to get to where it is now. What do you guys feel each of the new members bring to the band?
THC: This is actually Timmy Braun’s second album with us. He left for awhile to do some side projects that he has and now he back. We are happy to have him back 100% now. Cord has actually been with us since the release of “Peacemaker” however he joined just after we finished recording that album. We have a pretty good team of guys and we are all having a lot of fun. Cord does seem to be everyone’s favorite though and he has said that if he was ever fired he would still show up anyways. (Laughs) Getting out here is like a bull ride with the music business being the bull. It can take a lot out of you and all four of us can take it while some of our previous members couldn’t stay on for the full 8 seconds. This crew is going to be there at the end to get our buckle!

SM: What are the bands plans for the rest of 2014?
THC: The first single off the new album just got released and is titled “Monster and Me”. The full album titled “Ride On” comes out October 7^th and we have a lot of stuff going on leading up to that release date. We are going to be making stops at Gas Monkey Garage in Texas and also playing at this year’s Ride for Dime. Once this album comes out we are going to be going through some tires! There are still a lot of people who aren’t familiar with us so we want to get out there and try to get in to as many homes as possible.

The power metal band DragonForce who burst on the music scene in 2003 with their debut album “Valley of the Damned” are back with a brand new studio album titled “Maximum Overload”. The album features 9 original tracks along with the bands unique take on the Johnny Cash classic “Ring of Fire”. Media Mikes recently spoke with the bands guitarists Sam Totman and Herman Li about the albums creative process, the albums guest vocalist and the bands upcoming tour plans.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us some background on the new album and the story behind its title?
Sam Totman: Whenever we start any album we just start by writing what we think sounds cool to us. Everything else like song titles, album title and cover art all come after that. This one wasn’t any different. We wrote the music first and then the lyrics and then came the title. We chose “Maximum Overload” because it describes the music much like our previous releases. At the same time we had the idea for the cover art which depicts a person being hit with information from every angle much like how we are bombarded with information from television, internet and phone on a daily basis. It’s hard to ignore even for someone like myself who doesn’t really use a lot of that stuff. The title kind of ended up having two meanings so it worked out well.

AL: With Sam and Frederic taking on the writing aspects of the album, at what stage of the process did you come in Herman?
Herman Li: Sam and Fred first started writing together in France. Sam actually worked out the music on his own and then when he had all the structures laid out we started work on the demos in London. Our producer for the album was Jens Bogren and he helped as well.
ST: It was a pretty cool experience because in the past this was something we had never really done before. I would just do demos on my own and then I wouldn’t want anyone to touch them or contribute. It was cool working with someone else. I would come in with a song and then give it to the guys to add their pieces to it whether it is keyboards or Herman’s crazy guitar noises and such. Previously we just always wrote songs individually. Working together certainly brought a different element to the new record. It’s still very much a DragonForce album but there is a lot of cool new things going on which I really like.

AL: Do you guys often do a lot of pre-production then prior to entering the studio?
HL: In the past we did very little pre-production. If you listen to some of those previous tracks the demo versions are quite a bit different. There might be just a drum machine with a chord and melody laid down. Some of the songs would be quite unrecognizable. On the new album we actually had vocals recorded and some demo solos as well. By working with Jens we couldn’t just send him a pile of ideas and expect him to make a song out those. We had to give him a clearer image so that he could help us make the tracks stronger.
ST: With my demos I know what’s going on with them but someone looking at them from the outside in isn’t really going to understand what I was thinking. I often would just throw out some chords and not really try to play all that well. Demoing the songs with proper vocals certainly helped us give Jens tracks that were a bit more complete.

AL: Can you tell us about Matt Heafy’s appearance on a couple of the albums tracks?
HL: We had been working on the songs and we got to a point where we thought they needed something more. We were thinking of wanting different backing vocals on a couple songs and Matt’s name just happened to come up. It’s wasn’t planned ahead or anything like. We sent the tracks to Matt and kind of explained what we needed. Matt went above and beyond for us and did a bunch of different styles for his parts. I was amazed when I heard all of what he did I have to thank Matt for his work.
ST: We knew what we wanted but we told Matt that he could add whatever else he wanted to add. Honestly I think we thought he was just going to do what we were looking for and be over and done with it. When we got the tracks back it was totally cool because he gave us so many different things to work with.

AL: Tell us about the decision to cover Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire”?
ST: It was just fate. We had said that covers were something we had never wanted to do. I have heard so many cover songs over the years that they tend to become quite boring. That’s not to say people shouldn’t do them but it’s not really my personal taste. 10 years now into our career we thought it would be fun to do a cover song as people had never heard us do one before. We wanted the song to be different and fun. It would be boring to just go and cover another metal song where it virtually sounds the same as the original. I heard “Ring of Fire” on the television one day and could envision the vocal line in our style. I thought the song could really work so we made a couple small changes and put our stamp on it. We want people to like it for being a good song and not as something that’s a gimmick.

AL: The band released a video for the song “The Game” back in June. Are there plans to release anymore in the coming months?
HL: We have plans for another video but I don’t think that is going to be done until the album has been out a little bit. We haven’t shot anything yet but possibly towards the end of the year is when we are thinking of doing another. It took a lot of arguing to figure out which song we were going to use for the first video so we have to plan for that as well. (Laughs)

AL: What are the bands current tour plans?
HL: We will be starting the tour on September 18 in the UK. That’s about a month after the albums official release. We wanted to start over in the UK this time around because the last two albums we our tours in the States. The UK fans were always asking why. This time we figured we better start in the UK so we don’t make anyone mad and we can keep getting free beer every now and then. (Laughs) US fans will want to keep their eyes open as we are working on putting together a run in the States.

Linkin Park recently released their sixth studio album titled “The Hunting Party”. The album is a departure from the groups more recent electronic-rock style albums however it is still very much Linkin Park. Media Mikes spoke recently with the groups front men Mike Shinoda and Chester Bennington about the bands direction shift, the new albums unique sound and the bands upcoming tour.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us a little bit about the shift in direction the band took with the new album and how it has been received by fans thus far seeing it was your first album not to go to number 1 here in the States?
Mike Shinoda: When we were making the album, I had a handful of demos that weren’t quite as heavy as this. They were a little more electronic-driven, and there was just a day that I was looking for something to listen to and I couldn’t find what it was that I wanted. I wanted something more aggressive and energetic and I just kept finding either stuff that was modern and progressive and the only stuff I was finding that was modern and progressive tended to be a little more mellow and if it was heavier, it tended to sound more progressive. I think we all found that there was just a style that was kind of being underserved that we wanted to hear and that’s what we decided to make. As far as the reception goes it debuted at #1 in 67 countries. Friends of mine here in the U.S. said, “Hey, I heard it. Sorry that you guys didn’t get to number one on the charts” I feel like the billboard chart is for one thing. It’s for the first week album sales, and this is not really a first week album sales kind of album. It’s a statement album. It’s a live album and an album that should be taken to the stage. That’s exactly what we’re planning to do right now with the Carnivores Tour.
Chester Bennington: It’s funny because I think probably more so than any other record, maybe other than possibly “A Thousand Sons” I feel like critically the record’s been overwhelmingly positive. I have yet to read anything negative about the record on a critical level that has been written, which is pretty amazing, and so for that we’re very grateful. But at the same time, almost on a daily basis I run into Linkin Park fans and I’ll take pictures or say, “Hi,” whatever, and every single person that I’ve met since we released this record has told me that they love the record. They are super happy that it’s out like it is. I’ve heard some other guys in the band say that they feel like it is a record that really the genre needed and that they also appreciate the record that we’ve made, that it is progressive and it is something that they want to listen to. I feel like we have accomplished our goal on this album. I think not only creatively, but personally for the band, but also for a lot of our fans.

AL: Was there initially a lot of reluctance or resistance to make a harder record? Or do you feel like the rest of the band bought in pretty quickly?
MS: For me, it was a bit of a process. I felt like Chester was on board from the beginning but it was still, like, figuring out at that point what we were. Conversations were happening mid-tour last album like, what does a louder record mean? What is bringing energy to the album and what does that mean? How do we do that without it sounding throwback or derivative of heavier stuff that we grew up with. At first it fell on me to kind of find the right tone, so that I could take that to, in particular Brad and Rob, and say, “You guys, like, I know this is something that you don’t naturally gravitate towards at this point in your life, but check out these reference points.”

AL: This was your first self produced album which you chose to recorded via analog tape. Is this something that you see the band doing again?
MS: Yes. I think it’s something that we’ve been curious about for awhile but it had to be the right moment to really dive into it. I’ve had a little bit of experience with tape on previous projects, but not really cutting such large chunks of the song and large performances to tape. It’s was so nice because it forces you to slow down and really consider each performance and each recording of whoever’s playing at the time. It’s definitely something we have experience with now and we could potentially go back and use it again, if the song asks for it.
CB: I’ve been recording the drums in this way. It’s really great in that it does give the feel of the song. It’s a more live feel. For us, I think one of the things that’s always been surprising to a lot of people when they come to see us for the first time, especially my musicians’ friends. There’s raw kind of more prompt and in your face attitude about the band when you see us live. Like, even like our mellower songs; there’s an edge to them that you get in a live performance that kind of gets lost in the studio. I think that with this record we’ve captured a lot more of what we’re like live in the sound of the record and I think that’s very exciting.

AL: With there being a two year gap between your previous albums was there ever a time in the recording process that you guys were worried maybe you went too far with the new sound and that it might alienate some fans?
MS: I think since “Minutes to Midnight” we’ve kind of had this conversation. We knew that when we went into “Minutes to Midnight” that it was going to be different. We wanted it to be extremely different. We knew that it was going to be a risk to take and we could potentially alienate our entire fan base.
CB: Our goal is to make good songs and some are great song. If we accomplish our goal, it will be almost impossible to alienate everybody. Luckily for us a lot of our fans have come along for the ride on the last two records and we really did go and stretch our wings to see how far we could take these. For us going through that process of trying things and making sure that we’re creatively excited and energized helps us create music that still sounds like Linkin Park regardless of what vibe the song is. I think for people to get hung up on us not speaking to a specific sound is kind of a silly idea anyway, considering that we’ve never really been a single genre type of band. I think that going through that process is really a lot of being able to be creative on a heavy record like this. I don’t think we could have been as creative with the guitar or the drums 12 years ago because we’ve kind of gone around and tried new things and kind of alienated ourselves and some of our band.

AL: Were the guest performers on the album brought in to counter balance the bands new sound in anyway?
 MS: The addition of those guys was, in most cases, pretty late in the game. I mean, if you’re just talking about from a fan recognition standpoint, then, sure, if somebody sees the guests names on there, they kind of know what they’re getting
CB: I don’t think those who appeared on the record would have been into working with us if that was the goal. though. If we were coming at this from the idea of “Hey, let’s go work with these people and then that’ll make the record even more cool.” But that’s a weird way of looking at what we do anyway and it’s kind of the opposite of what our intention would ever be. When we do collaborations it’s coming from a holistic place. It’s got to come from a very open, spontaneous kind of grassroots way. It can’t be forced or thought of in a boardroom and written down on a piece of paper. That’s just not the way that anything creative usually gets done.

AL: $1 for every ticket sold is going to benefit your organization; Music for Relief. What can you tell me about the organization and why are you guys passionate about it?
MS: Music for Relief started in the mid-2000’s as a response to the Indian Ocean tsunami. We had just been out touring in Asia. When we got home we were watching the news and the whole place had been destroyed. We just felt like we needed to do something. Music for Relief had been around for a year and we realized that we were actively involved in cleaning up messes, but not so much involved in anything preventative. So, we added an environmental component to Music for Relief, and all in all, I mean, we’ve done projects all over the world. We’ve worked with the UN. We’ve worked with Habitat for Humanity and Direct Relief and the Red Cross and put on concerts with No Doubt and Jay-Z. Most recently we did an awesome show with Offspring and Bad Religion. Travis Barker came out with us and it was just so much fun. This is an ongoing effort that we hope to involve more musicians with. Music for Relief isn’t about Linkin Park. Unfortunately there are always disasters to go get involved after and there are also environmental causes that we can get involved in to help prevent the natural disasters or at least keep our oceans and our land and air clean. The bottom line is Music for Relief is being built up as something that creates trust with the fans. We create trust with the musicians and the industry and let people know that this is a group that does work hard to make sure all the I’s are dotted, or the T’s are crossed.