Category: Band/Artist Profile

An in-depth look at bands and solo artists

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Band/Artist Profile

Band of the Week: Slipknot

Ahh, Slipknot, one of the bands that got many people into metal for the first time. When talking to my friends and interviewing members of local bands, almost all of them said that the band that got them interested into metal was, in fact, Slipknot. I found this really interesting and I am trying to figure out why this band has influenced so many people and others did not.

I believe that one of the reasons that Slipknot was the first band that got a lot of people into metal is because they are VERY different. I haven’t seen or heard a band that sounds like Slipknot or that looks like Slipknot. I think this is what attracts people to them because it is like they are characters of a show. They set themselves apart from all the other bands in this realm of music and it refreshing to see. I have seen Slipknot twice: once at the Carolina Rebellion and on their tour with Marilyn Manson and Of Mice & Men.

Slipknot is from Des Moines, Iowa and was founded in 1995. After several lineup changes, the band settled on nine members: Shawn Crahan, Joey Jordison, Paul Gray, Mick Thomson, Corey Taylor, Sid Wilson, Chris Fehn, and Jim Root. Paul Gray died on May 24, 2010 and was replaced by Donnie Steele (2010-2014).

Slipknot is known for their attention-grabbing image, aggressive style of music, and high intensity stage performance. They rose to fame with the release of their debut album, Slipknot, in 1999. Their 2001 follow up album, Iowa, made the band even more popular. Their stage show is what also contributed to their success.

Slipknot is considered a Nu Metal band but their sound distances them from other Nu Metal bands, such as Korn. They describe their sound as “metal metal” and link the connection to Nu Metal as a coincidence since they emerged when that wave of metal was also emerging.  

The members perform wearing unique, individual facemasks and matching uniforms. Each member is typically assigned and referred to by a number based on their role in the band (#0 through #8), although this practice has not been used since the death of Paul Gray. The concept of wearing masks on stage derived from Shawn Crahan. Corey Taylor stated that it’s their way of becoming more intimate with the music. It is a way for the band to escape their normal and everyday lives. The uniforms and masks change when they release a new album.

Slipknot has 6 full length albums: Slipknot (1999), Iowa (2001), Vol. 3 Subliminal Verses (2004), All Hope is Gone (2008), .5: The Gray Chapter (2014), and We Are Not Your Kind (2019).  

Have you seen Slipknot? What is your favorite Slipknot song?

Stay Metal,

THE SAW

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Band/Artist Profile

Band of the Week: Suicide Silence

Suicide Silence is a band that has gone through a lot of changes throughout the years: mainly, Mitch Lucker passing. But before we get into that, let’s look back at the history of Suicide Silence.

Suicide Silence is an American Deathcore band from Riverside, California. The band formed in 2002 and has released 5 albums and 1 EP in their discography: The Cleansing (2008), No Time To Bleed (2009), The Black Crown (2011), You Can’t Stop Me (2014), Sacred Words (2015), and Suicide Silence (2017). They have recently released a few singles in 2019: Feel Alive, Love Me To Death, and Meltdown. In 2009, they were awarded Revolver’s Golden God award for “Best New Talent.”

During the time the band was formed in 2002, it was a side project made up of musicians from other bands. After their demo, Death Awaits, they recorded a self-titled EP, and a few other songs. While on Century Media Records, in 2006, they recorded their first full-length album, The Cleansing. It was the bestselling debut albums in Century Media history. They then played at the Mayhem Festival and also went on tour with Parkway Drive, A Day to Remember, and The Acacia Strain.

The band then started to record No Time To Bleed and in April, they won Revolver’s Golden God award for “Most Innovative Band.” In 2011, the band started to record The Black Crown which was released July 12, 2011. This was the last record with Mitch Lucker on vocals.

Mitch Lucker passed away on November 1, 2012 due to a motorcycle crash. His passing was a huge shock to the metal community. That December, the band performed a memorial show in honor of Lucker and the money from the show went into an account for Lucker’s daughter, Kennedy, so she can use the money to go to school. At the memorial show, the friends of the band who were vocalists of other heavy bands, performed one song alongside the rest of the band. The show can be viewed on YouTube and the audio is out on Suicide Silence’s Spotify page. I thought this show was a cool way to honor Lucker because it was in a way that I believe he would enjoy; people jamming and moshing to his songs. It was great to see the metal community come together during this time.

Suicide Silence then brought Hernan “Eddie” Hermida into the band as vocalist and a lot of people were skeptic. Will the band sound the same? No. Like any other band, they too, must adapt and evolve. A lot of people were not a fan of the band’s new sound and they did voice their opinion about it when the band released their self-titled album in 2017. Since then, the band has not created another album, but has dropped live versions of songs and covers. In late 2019, they did release a few singles and stated that a new album is coming soon.

Did you get the chance to see Suicide Silence with Mitch Lucker?

Stay Metal,

THE SAW

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Band/Artist Profile

Band of the Week: Knocked Loose

Knocked Loose is easily one of my favorite bands because of their energy both on record and live. They have a distinct sound that anyone can recognize (mainly Bryan Garris’ voice), but also their heavy hitting riffs. Immediately when you listen to them, it’s like they are in your face and barking at you. They don’t hold anything back on any of their songs. There has been some debate on what genre they are and people have different reasons to justify both. Some believe they are a metalcore band, while others believe that they are a hardcore band. I can see how they could be considered both – either hardcore or metalcore – because of their sound. I would argue that they are metalcore because of Garris’ vocals, but I would say that they are hardcore because of their chunky 2-step riffs. Now, people disagree with me and that’s okay, this is simply my opinion.

Granted, I have no idea what any genre any band is for 3 reasons: one, there are too many sub-genres of music. Two, the technicality of what qualifies a band as a particular genre is baffling and confusing. And three, I really don’t care what genre any band is. If it’s heavy, then I like it. When I play Knocked Loose during my set, I play them in my hardcore (The Meat Grinder) simply because they fit the overall sound of that set more than my metalcore (Diamond Cuts) set. But putting genres aside, in the scene, we can agree that Knocked Loose is awesome and no matter what genre they are, you can jam out to it and have a good time.

Knocked Loose is from Oldham County, Kentucky, formed in 2013 and are currently signed to Pure Noise Records. They released their first studio EP, Pop Culture, in 2014. They also did a split release with Damaged Goods on No Luck Records. And in 2016, the band dropped their first full length titled, Laugh Tracks. They released their second full length in 2019 titled, A Different Shade of Blue. You can hear the evolution of the band just by listening to their music; primarily on their newest record. Their sound is angrier and darker, which I really like. They still have their signature breakdowns and Garris’ very familiar voice.

They have gotten a lot of attention, here, recently, and for good reason. They have been on stacked line-ups such as tours with A Day to Remember, Every Time I Die, Parkway Drive, and Thy Art is Murder. They have also been on a few Warped Tours and also played a handful of festivals. I got to see them when they played at Epicenter in Rockingham, NC last May. If you haven’t seen them live, I definitely recommend that you do. They sound the same live and their energy will wear you the hell out.

Knocked Loose is one of my mom’s favorite bands, too; after she got into a fender bender and her tooth got knocked loose. She was laughing at the fact that she used their band name and it was accurate! She finally got to see them at Cat’s Cradle in Carrboro last month and she was not disappointed.

Members:

Bryan Garris – Vocalist

Cole Crutchfield – rhythm guitar, and backup vocals

Isaac Hale – lead guitar, and backup vocals

Kevin Otten – Bass

Kevin Kaine – Drums

Favorite songs: Guilded By the Moon, Forget Your Name, All My Friends, Separate, and Counting Worms

Have you seen Knocked Loose? What are some of your favorite songs?

Stay Metal,

THE SAW

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Band/Artist Profile

Band of the Week: After The Burial

Ahh, this band…. After The Burial (ATB) is one of my favorite Djent bands. Their overall sound is technical and melodic. The vocals are strong and passionate. Overall 10/10 band.

The first time I saw them was back in 2016 for the Sumerian Records 10 Years in Black tour with Asking Alexandria, Born of Osiris, I See Stars, and (one of my all-time faves) Upon A Burning Body. I primarily went for Upon A Burning Body, but once ATB stepped on stage, I was in awe!!! Their stage presence is AWESOME and never they fail to put on a great show. Since then, I have seen ATB probably 5 times and they never get old. I remember one time I saw ATB, I was at Arizona Pete’s in Greensboro and I was in the front for their set, I was headbanging and jamming the entire time. Their guitarist, Trent, kept throwing guitar picks at me so I have tons of ATB picks now!

ATB is from Minneapolis, Minnesota. They are signed to Sumerian Records and have released six full-length albums: Forging a Future Self (2006), Rareform [Re-Issue] (2008), In Dreams (2010), Wolves Within (2013), Dig Deep (2016), and Evergreen (2019). To me, Dig Deep is probably one of their best albums, not because of the sound of the record (which is awesome) but the story behind the album. In 2015, founder and rhythm guitarist, Justin Lowe (RIP), was found dead. He was missing and a hiker found his body beneath a bridge. His car was found on the side of the bridge. Authorities believe that the cause of his death was with a fall.

This was a hard time for the band because they were working on their upcoming album, Dig Deep. The band said that they weren’t going to finish the album but with the love and support from their fans, they decided to finish it after all. There is so much emotion on this album and I am so proud of this band for sticking together and being there for one another. You can also hear the same emotion and aggression on their latest album, Evergreen, which their vocalist, Anthony Notarmaso, said to be a continuation of Dig Deep. One of my favorite songs off of Dig Deep is Laurentian Ghosts. The opening riff you hear is actually a mix done by Lowe and was added to the song. It gave me chills when I first heard it.

Overall, this band is great. I love what they stand for, their courage, and their fight to press on and continue to make music. Respect.

Favorite Songs: Lost In The Static, Behold The Crown, and Laurentian Ghosts

Stay Metal,

THE SAW

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Band Highlight // Modern Diet

 

Modern Diet has grown to be one of my absolute favorite bands. I first heard the band back in 2016 with their song ‘Red Eye’. That song is still one of the first I mention when people ask what my favorite song is. Needless to say, I was pretty excited when they released a 5 track album earlier this year, they’ve also released two singles since. Personally my all time favorite tracks of theirs are that Red Eye song and Echo Parade, I’d definitely recommend those two if you’re interested. 

I would describe their sound as indie rock, but the vocals and instrumentation definitely have a unique style about them that is hard to describe, you’ll know a Modern Diet song when you hear it. I’ve always loved their lyrics too, it’s not too ambiguous but not too obvious, it’s like that perfect mix of poetry and chaos that makes you really think. I love focusing on their lyrics when I listen but I always get lost in the music too. I’ve played their music on one of my radio shows before and they actually saw it on my instagram story and reached out to give me a download of their newest album on bandcamp, so I’d say their pretty cool people and I can’t wait to see what this New York based band does next.

– DJ Psyched

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Band of the Week: Miss May I

Miss May I was the first band that got me into heavier music in general. When I first heard Miss May I, I was with my cousin and he was playing Relentless Chaos and 14-year-old me loved what I was hearing. It was the perfect blend of harmony and heaviness.

Miss May I was the first band that I went and saw alone. Back in 2015, I went to Warped Tour in Charlotte just to see them! I got to meet the band at Warped Tour and they are the most genuine guys I have ever met. They were so nice and down to earth and I really enjoyed talking to them. At Warped Tour, I was in the front for their set and I was singing the words back to them; their singer, Levi Benton, pointed at me and when he ran into the crowd during Hey Mister, he was right in front of me. What a great first show (alone) experience.

From there, I have seen Miss May I two other times: at the Filmore in Charlotte, when they went on tour with Thy Art Is Murder, In Hearts Wake, and Parkway Drive. I also saw them in Greensboro on their headlining tour with Upon A Burning Body, Kublai Khan, and Currents. I met the band again at that show and they were just as nice as the first time I met them. They put hearts around their signatures when they signed my ticket at Warped Tour and on my poster when I saw them in Greensboro. I love them.

The band formed in 2007 and are from Troy, Ohio. They signed with Rise Records in 2008, released their debut album, Apologies Are for the Weak while the band was still in high school. Their song, Forgive and Forget, is featured in Saw VI and Apologies are for the Weak is featured in the video game Saints Row: The Third.

The band has kept the same lineup since its formation. Their bassist, Ryna Neff, left the band in 2007 but rejoined in 2009 and has stayed ever since! Since then, Miss May I has released 5 other albums: Monument (2010), At Heart (2012), Rise of the Lion (2014), Deathless (2015), and Shadows Inside (2017). The band left Rise Records in 2016 and signed with SharpTone Records.

In other news regarding the band, their singer, Levi and his wife JoJo, just had their first child! JoJo gave birth to a beautiful baby girl and named her Jax. I am so happy for the both of them and can’t wait to see where this path of their life leads them! Relationship goals af.

Favorite songs: Forgive and Forget, Hero With No Name, Turn Back The Time, The Artificial, and Swallow Your Teeth.

What are some of your favorite Miss May I songs?

Stay Metal,

THE SAW

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Artist Spotlight: Who is Leikeli47?

Leikeli47 (pronounced La-kay-lay) is a both Virginia and Brookyln raised rapper, singer and producer. Leikeli47 has never released her real name and wears a mask made of bandana, denim or other cloth material for all public appearances. Her “tom-boy” style of baggy pants, denim, hoodies, chains and butter colored Timbs mesh well with her waist length braids, eyelashes that are highlighted by her mask’s concealment of her other features and her lyrics about acrylic nails, men and braids (tuh’da flo). Leikeli47, when performing and in her music, effectively brings out the bad bitch in all of her listeners. Her lyrics exude confidence and attitude while simultaneously allowing her listeners into her life and black life which makes up for her concealed image. Her sophomore album, “Wash & Set” (2017) is the first in an upcoming trilogy, with “Acrylic” (2018) being the second in her “Beauty Series.” In this series she draws on black spaces such as nail salons and barbershops to relate to her listeners and to normalize these spaces. She is definitely a quickly up and coming rapper with an amazing flow, great lyrics and a mysterious image. I can’t wait to see what she does next.

My favorite tracks by her: Top Down, Don’t do it, Girl Blunt, CIAA, No Reload, Miss Me and Ho

-cellar door xxx

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Band/Artist Profile

Band of the Week: Upon A Burning Body

Ahhh yes, the boys from San Antonio, Texas.  Upon A Burning Body (UABB) is one of my favorite bands, they were one of the first metalcore bands that got me into metal. Me and my cousin (who helped me find the bands that got me into metal) were going to go to a show and he showed me UABB. The first song that I heard was Intermission and I was instantly hooked.

UABB has this charismatic energy to them that immediately makes you want to move around. They also bring that same energy when performing. They are all running around and you can easily tell that they are having a good time.

I have seen UABB tons of times (and it never gets old!!!). I saw them twice back in 2016 at Amos’ Southend in Charlotte, NC, twice in 2017 at the Blind Tiger in Greensboro, NC, and once at Groundzero in Spartanburg, SC.  

When I saw UABB in Greensboro that one year, and I was in the front of the crowd singing the lyrics back to the band. Their bass player, Joe, always gives me a guitar pic when I see them. But their singer, Danny, dedicated Texas Blood Money (one of my favorite songs) to me and thanked me for jamming out during their entire set. After their set, Danny came down and gave me a hug and thanked me again. I went over to their merch booth later after the show and hung out with the entire band! It was a great moment and it honestly made my entire life. Now, when I see UABB, I hang out with the entire band! They are such cool guys!

UABB formed in 2005 in San Antonio, Texas. They have five albums: The World is Ours (2010), Red. White. Green. (2012), The World Is My Enemy Now (2014), Straight From The Barrio (2016), and Southern Hostility (2019).

UABB received some backlash with their publicity stunt in 2014. Danny Leal did a kidnapping hoax. Leal tweeted some weird tweets prior to his “disappearance” and then the UABB Facebook page wrote a post stating that he has gone missing. Come to find out, he was never actually missing and it was all a publicity stunt. It was said that the band did this behind the label’s back and it was not appreciated. This stunt did have some serious backlash that the band would have to deal with in the coming years.

UABB was then dropped from Sumerian Records sometime after they released Straight From The Barrio in 2016. This record was personally, my least favorite. They then got signed by Seek & Strike and released Southern Hostility in 2019 and it is honestly one of my favorite releases! They brought back the aggression and bone cutting riffs that we all know and love.  

Favorite songs: Intermission, Texas Blood Money, Sin City, All Pride No Pain, and The Champ is Coming.

Have you seen Upon A Burning Body? What are some of your favorite songs?

Stay Metal,

THE SAW

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Band of the Week: Dying Fetus

If y’all know me, then you already know how much I love Dying Fetus. This band will hand out beatings like it’s nothing. They are one of the most intense, skull crushing bands that I have ever listened to and I love them for it. When I first saw Dying Fetus back in 2017 at Summer Slaughter, I was in pure shock. Why you ask? BECAUSE I DIDN’T KNOW IT WAS POSSIBLE FOR THESE THREE MEN AND ONLY THEM TO MAKE THIS KIND OF MUSIC. When you hear a Dying Fetus song, it is very intricate and technical, I thought there were more people in the band. But when I saw that there was ONLY THREE… I was shook.

Dying Fetus is an American death metal band originally from Greater Upper Marlboro, Maryland, that was formed in 1991. The group is known for their song titles, insane blast beats, slamming riffs and heavy ass breakdowns. There has been various line-up changed throughout the years, but John Gallagher (guitar, vocals) is the sole remaining original member.

The band has released ten studio albums: Killing on Adrenaline (1998), Destroy the Opposition (2000), Stop at Nothing (2003), War of Attrition (2007), Descend Into Depravity (2009), Purification Through Violence (2010), Infatuation With Malevolence (2010), History Repeats (2011), Reign Supreme (2012), and Wrong One to Fuck With (2017).

The band was founded by Gallagher and Jason Netherton. Gallagher first started off on drums because they could not find a drummer. The band soon found drummer Rob Belton and guitarist Brian Latta. This transition moved Gallagher back into the role of guitarist and vocalist.

By 2000, the band caught the attention of Relapse Records, who signed the band. This is when the band recorded Destroy the Oppositionwhere is featured stronger political themes. The songwriting on this album influenced the deathcore scene. After the release of this album their guitarist and drummer left the band and formed Misery Index. Gallagher then recruited guitarist Mike Kimball, singer Vince Matthews, and bassist/back up vocalist Sean Beasley. The band then released Stop at Nothing in 2003.

The Dying Fetus music video for “One Shot, One Kill” was on Headbanger’s Ball which helped them gain exposure along with being signed to Relapse Records and as well as going on a full North American tour with GWAR in 2005. The lineup changed, yet again, when their drummer and vocalist left. Dying Fetus’ bassist, Beasley, took over on vocals and Duane Timlin joined the band as the drummer.

The lineup then recorded War of Attrition in March 2007. THERE WAS ANOTHER LINUP CHANGE when the band fired their drummer due to incompatibilities and their singer left the band as well. Soon, the band found Trey Williams to play drums and the trio has remained ever since. If you need a refresher of who is in the band, they are John Gallagher (guitarist and vocalist), Sean Beasley (bassist and vocalist), and Trey William (drummer).

In 2009, Dying Fetus released Descend into Depravity and three years later they released Reign Supreme. Dying Fetus was trending worldwide when a fan stated back in 2014, that the Download Festival should give “new bloods” a chance. He later asked why they couldn’t give Lamb of God, Dying Fetus, or Carcass a chance. Soon, the hashtag #WhyNotDyingFetus? was trending. Due to them trending, Dying Fetus was soon confirmed to play at the festival. On June 23, 2017, Dying Fetus released their master piece that is, Wrong One to Fuck With.

Favorite songs: Subjected to a Beating, Fixated on Devastation, and Panic Amongst the Herd.

What is your favorite Dying Fetus song? Have you ever seen them live?

Stay Metal,

THE SAW

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Band of the Week: Parkway Drive

Carrion was the first Parkway Drive song that I had ever heard and I immediately got chills during the intro. From there, I went back into the band’s entire discography. This band will forever be one of my favorite bands not only because their music is kickass, but also because they are genuine guys. I met them at the Carolina Rebellion in 2018 and they were all super cool! They said that they liked my $5 Walmart sunglasses, and they also put hearts around their signatures on my poster.

Parkway Drive is from Byron Bay, Australia and they formed in 2003. The band has released six full-length albums: Killing with a Smile (2006), Horizons (2009), Deep Blue (2010), Atlas (2012), Ire (2015), and Reverence (2018).

The band got their name, Parkway Drive, from the street where their home rehearsal space was at. The home was also a venue for live shows because there was a lack of venues for punk rock and hardcore punk bands to play at. Parkway Drive played their first show at the Byron Bay Youth Centre.

The band flew to the United States where they recorded Killing with a Smile with Killswitch Engage guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz in just two weeks. Then the band got signed in 2006 to Epitaph Records. They went back to Dutkiewicz studio to record Horizons. The band hit the studio again to record Deep Blue, and according to Parkway Drive’s vocalists, Winston McCall, this record would be the rawest and heaviest record to date.

And as they say, the rest is history! The band has steadily been going up and getting bigger and bigger as each year passes. They went from playing at small house venues, to selling out big name arenas. Parkway Drive has “IT;” this edge to them, you can hear it in their music and you can see it in them when they perform live. They have this energy that puts their audience in a trance and you can’t help but jam when they play. They have that special combination that assures that the band will be even bigger! You can tell that they love what they are doing and that they’re playing for their fans. Having a band that is so genuine make it so far is honestly a breath of fresh air. Keep grinding, Parkway Drive. I can’t wait to see where you all go from here.

One of my favorite memories of seeing Parkway Drive was back in 2016 when one of their guitarists lost his shoe and a crowd surfer caught it and threw it back deeper into the crowd. The guitarist found this funny! And then out of nowhere, we had toilet paper being thrown around the crowd. It was awesome!

What is your favorite Parkway Drive song? Mine is Crushed.

Stay Metal,

THE SAW