PSYCHOSTICK, humorcore/comedy-metal band from Arizona, have been trekking back and forth across America on their “My Tour Can Beat Up Your Tour” Tour for the past couple months…

 
…and they’re just about ready to wrap things up and head home — but they’ve got one last stop to make, in Pittsburgh! They’ll be hitting the Hard Rock Cafe tonight, and you won’t want to miss it…

 
If the name doesn’t sound familiar to you, by some chance, well that’s not a big deal — but you may already know who this band is, if you happen to have been one of the 500,000+ people who’ve seen their hilarious “Dogs Like Socks” video (which was just released four months ago, by the way)…

 
For plenty more fun music and entertaining moving pictures (including the perennial favorite “Because Boobs”), be sure to check out the band’s video page on their website! And for those in the Pittsburgh area, like I said before, you won’t want to miss seeing them LIVE in concert…

The show is TONIGHT (14 May 2013) at the Hard Rock Cafe (230 W. Station Square Drive, Pittsburgh PA) — see more detailed information right here!

 
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Psychostick: website, Facebook, ReverbNation, Youtube

Six Questions with Lycosa Guitarist “Tree“

by Asya Yanyo

So my next Person or Persons Unknown interview subject is someone I did not know very well before I decided to ask him for an interview, but I suppose that was the point of these: to shed some light on people not very many people knew much about. This one definitely qualifies. I first officially met Tree when his band Lycosa was having their Innervenus dual-release show with Grisly Amputation. Over the course of meeting all these new people, I would say that I am constantly surprised at how warm and friendly they are — which is a vast contrast to the mood and feel of the music that they play. No one surprised me quite as much as Tree — he’s sweet and kind and, just like my husband, you sometimes have a hard time hearing him because he really doesn’t talk all that loud (when he talks at all!). I have since gotten to know him slightly more speaking to him via Facebook messages and seeing him out at shows, and I am happy to now call him a friend. I hope you guys will find him as interesting as I do, and that you’ll check out Lycosa — maybe even venture out to Kent, Ohio, this weekend for a mini road trip to check them out. The band is great on CD, but even better live! Take it from me, it would be worth the drive from Pittsburgh.

(1.)

Asya:

So first of all: everyone calls you “Tree,” a name I assume came from the fact that you’re like eight feet tall, but nobody seems to know your real name. Would you mind sharing that information?

Tree:

The nickname “Tree” does come from my height ([although] I’m only 6’7″, not quite eight feet). I got that name from a place I used to work at; I was around 20 years old, and the name kinda stuck. To answer your question, I’ll have to say, “as a man I’m flesh and blood, I can be ignored, I can be destroyed; but as a symbol, I can be incorruptible, I can be everlasting.”

Asya: Yeah, I didn’t think I would actually get away with that one. So…

(1.)

Asya:

Can you describe who or what inspired you to play guitar, and do you have any particular musicians that you feel have inspired your personal musical style and direction? Do you play any instruments besides guitar, that people may be surprised to learn that you play?

Tree:

I have always wanted to play guitar, but it would have to be my friend Matt — he owned an actual real guitar and knew how to play it, which was amazing to me at the age of 12. Seeing him and his band play was what made playing guitar seem within my grasp! I saved up all summer to buy my first guitar, which was a cheap Fender Strat knock off, but to me it was the greatest thing I every owned! Matt showed me a few things on it, but it wasn’t until I was almost 17 that I actually started to learn how to play it. I began taking lessons at the local guitar store with one of the best local guitar players and teachers, Rick Mals, who was another big influence on me. I only ever learned guitar; I do play around with keys and some bass, but thats more just for songwriting than anything.

(2.)

Asya:

Imagine that Lycosa no longer needed your services on guitar, and every band ever in existence is on your speed dial. If you could have your “dream” assignment playing for ANY band in ANY time period, what would be your perfect situation?

Tree:

The first band that comes to mind is Megadeth! I would love to be added to the ever-growing list of Megadeth guitarists! But I always wanted a band like Lycosa; I get to play with highly talented individuals that I’ve looked up to for years, and have a lot of fun doing it! I guess you can say, I have reached my realistic “dream”!

(3.)

Asya:

What was one album or piece of music that was a pivotal turning point for you, either as a music fan or as a musician, and how do you think this has influenced you as a musician? Name one song that you makes you say to yourself “Damn, I want to write a song this good!”.

Tree:

I would have to say that Metallica‘s …And Justice for All was one of the biggest influences on me, both as a music lover as well as a musician. Not only was it the doorway into heavier music, it also helped develop my picking hand! Before that album, I really only knew what was on the radio, so I really didn’t get that much into music — I was more into art and drawing — but the heaviness drew me in and increased my desire to play guitar.

I can’t recall one song ever really standing out to me, there’s so many good songs out there. I hope that one day someone will answer that question with one of Lycosa‘s!

(4.)

Asya:

What are the last 5 CDs you listened to? Anything that you find yourself listening to over and over lately, either an old favorite or a new discovery that you’d like to share?

Tree:

I listen to an excessive amount of music, mainly at work, but we can’t pick up radio in the building and the damn I.T. guy keeps changing the internet password on us, so it’s normally limited to whatever I bring in and save on the computer. My week kinda goes like this: Mondays are “mellow” Mondays — The Animals, The Doors, Tom Petty, stuff like that. Tuesdays are 8 hours of all Megadeth! My boss now refers to Megadeth as “that devil’s penis band”; not sure why. Wednesday is Judas Priest and Anthrax; Thursday is Prong; Friday is “black Friday,” so Black Sabbath, Black Label Society, etc.; and Dean Martin Saturdays! At home I’ll go with heavier stuff, since there’s no one around to complain about it.

The last five albums other than my usual musical ritual: Arkona – Goi, Rode, Goi, Dying Fetus – Descend into Depravity, Blotted Science – The Machinations of Dementia, Nevermore – This Godless Endeavor, Acid Bath – When the Kite String Pops.

(5.)

Asya:

I know that Lycosa has played with a TON of amazing bands — just look at the CD release show [EDITOR'S NOTE: in addition to Grisly Amputation, the show in February also featured Storm King, Victims of Contagion, Torrential Bleeding, Lythem, and Meth Quarry.] — but what band(s) would you like to do a show with that you haven’t been able to yet?

Tree:

There are a lot of bands I would love to share the stage with; any of the kings of thrash would be exceptionally awesome! Locally, since I started playing with Lycosa, I got to scratch a lot of names off my list of locals that I wanted to play with, but I also had to add a lot of names too! Solarburn, to name one — I would love to play a show with them and have a improv jam out with them sometime too! I think a Slaves BC and Lycosa show would be legendary! I’ve been wanting to reunite the punk and metal scenes for a while now, so Killer of Sheep is definitely on my list. Way too many to name them all!

(6.)

Asya:

Can you describe your musical style in six words or less?

Tree:

“Slightly burnt buttered toast with gravy.”

 
Lycosa will be appearing at The Outpost in Kent OH this Saturday (27 April 2013), along with a handful of heavy Ohio bands: Showboy, The Ravenna Arsenal, and The Rats are Coming, the Werewolves are Here. Check out the full details right here.

 
And if you just can’t get enough of Lycosa, you can also see them next month (Friday, 17 May) at Trio’s Lounge in Washington PA with VEGA and Pale Ryder.

 
—————————————————–
Lycosa: Facebook, Bandcamp, Innervenus (record label)

I WAS SO CLOSE!

 
 
…by which, of course, I mean that my article from a few days ago analyzing Dethlehem‘s mysterious image (above) speculated that the answer had something to do with Dethlehem doing something. That much of it turned out to be absolutely 100% accurate. (The rest of what I wrote, not so much. Although those who are interested in the ins and outs of the recording process still can benefit greatly by visiting producer Patrick Lammie‘s blog as he details the creation of the band’s third full-length album!)

So what I thought was a crazy eye thing actually turned out to be a representation of a magical portal; the fact that the middle part of the “eye” looks like the number zero wasn’t just a coincidence; the other numbers superimposed on the image, surprisingly, had NOTHING to do with an encrypted message, but rather they indicated a significant date. That date, 04.13.13, was this past Saturday — and at some point during that day, the band uncovered a really exciting secret project…..

INTRODUCING The Ghorusalem Codex: THE COMIC BOOK SERIES!

 
The first of the series, “Portals: Issue #0″, has just been released in digital format and you can download it (as a PDF file) for free!

The story picks up with the aftermath of the previous volumes of the Codex, apparently setting the groundwork for the next album, as well as addressing the fate of former band members Lord Bonecrush and Davidicus the Black — (I don’t want to have any spoilers about the end of the issue, but I will say this: the way it’s presented is absolutely GENIUS, if you happen to know what happened to those guys in real life!)

The illustrations (created by Hildor and the Bloodbeard) are absolutely spectacular, and it’s my understanding that the whole band worked together on adapting the story into graphic novel style. The whole thing, in my opinion, is a pretty tremendous achievement that anyone should be able to appreciate — even someone who is not necessarily a fan of comic books in general.

 
To get your FREE download of “Portals: Issue 0″, just head on over to this page and enter your email address. Then stay tuned for future editions from the Ghorusalem series!

  
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Dethlehem: website, Facebook, Twitter, Bandcamp, webstore

What the hell is Dethlehem up to??

 
I’m sure that is the question that’s foremost on everyone’s mind this week. Recently, the above image — some kind of creepy hypnotic eye thing, with a cryptic numeric code imprinted in front of it — mysteriously surfaced on the internet, leading to a huge flurry of speculation from all over the place.

Some people are hazarding guesses about what these symbols mean and have even gone so far as to speculate that they represent a specific date — on which something new and exciting will be revealed to us. Like, “A new video, perhaps? The first single from the upcoming album? An update on Overlord Brom’s beard growth?”

Not bad, GeekDad. But those are all the sort of things the band probably wants us to think about — anything that will keep us off the scent of their TRUE plot! But through painstaking and fastidious research, I have uncovered the real meaning of the numeric code in the mystical JPEG sigil!

Dethlehem at The Foundry (Lakewood, OH) in November 2012. Photo courtesy The World’s Worst Camera Phone Ever.

 
As you surely recall from the last time we spoke with the RPG-metal band, following a couple line-up changes and the occasional dragon-slaying quest, they were soon intending to get to work writing and recording their third full-length album, the as-yet-untitled follow-up to The Ghorusalem Codex Vol. 1: Enthroned Upon a Spire and The Ghorusalem Codex Vol. 2: Of Magick & Tyranny.

Well, apparently the writing process has concluded, because over the past month or so the band has started on the actual recording. I know this because their producer/engineer Patrick Lammie began tracking their progress in a studio blog.

BUT SUDDENLY with a blinding flash of TRUTH, it hit me. What is disguised as an innocent commentary on recording gear and microphones and stuff, is actually the solution to the whole mystery! One of the oldest known tricks for encoding information is to write a bunch of nonsense words and hide the REAL message in the middle of it, totally undetected to anyone who doesn’t have the decryption key. OBVIOUSLY the scary green eye holds that answer: the numbers 4, 13, 13 are a key to deciphering the hidden meaning among the (otherwise nonsensical) technical jargon in that studio report!

 
So without any further ado, I give to you:

TO HERE ON ALBUM
GHORUSALEM VOL. AS WITH ON ENTER
THIS I BLOG
TO ONLY MAKE COURSE OF REGRET OF MIXERS
SO THAT BE WHAT
IN THAT’S EVERYTHING RECORDING TALK
AND SPEND IT CHOSE
TRY PROVIDE THE DON’T YOU AND SWEETWATER
WANT IF THEM OFFER
NEEDING WOULD TO SCORE

HAVE CAN AT SO
HAVE THIS ENTIRE
WHEN THE UP EVERYTHING DETAILS
THE HAVE XLR
WHAT PATCHES IT WHILE
PLACE THEN OF EQS OUT
TO GO SNAKES ARE SNAKE
NOTHING IF A AROUND AND EITHER
OUT A ANY PROJECT
IF AND MY TEST
TAKE SO REPLACEMENTS TRACKING

 
It goes on and on like that, but I think you get the general idea. Really earth-shattering stuff, huh? I mean, you still have to read between the lines a bit to get the actual meaning they are trying to get across — it’s pretty deep and metaphoric, and requires a bit of extra thought to make it out. But I’ve already done most of the hard work for you, right? That makes everything an awful lot clearer at least, doesn’t it?

 
*
 
*
 
*
 
*

Okay, okay. I hate to admit it, but it looks like I was wrong. It seemed like such a brilliant idea, too, but I guess in truth I’m just as clueless as the rest of you. To be honest, I think I wrote the title of this article a bit prematurely, and once that was set in place, I had to really try and sell the concept, to avoid being totally embarrassed. But it looks like it didn’t work out that way.

Anyway, it seems as though we’ll all just have to sit here and wait til the brave warriors of Dethlehem decide to tell us all what they’ve been dropping hints about!

 
——————————————————–
Dethlehem: website, Facebook, Twitter, Bandcamp, webstore

Six Questions with Annakarina‘s Craig Hodgkins

by Asya Yanyo

Have you ever been going to an event somewhere, where you don’t really expect things to be different — you figure it’s totally going to be a fun night, but nothing out of the norm — then suddenly after you’ve walked in the door, something begins and BAM!, you are completely blown away?

Yes? No? Doesn’t matter, that’s basically the exact scenario of how I first heard Annakarina: I was attending a punk show with Eric in Charleroi, PA, last December. This show was about five minutes from our house — quite a change from our normal hour-plus drive, so I was happy to be attending for that reason — but with the inclusion of the word “punk” I didn’t expect to be hearing something that Eric later described to me as “Post-Mathcore,” but we did. It was seriously gorgeous in its expression of angst and precision side-by-side.

So Annakarina and their music really never left my mind after the show. Soon afterwards, I found out that someone had taped their whole set and put it on Youtube, and I’ve probably watched it like five times since then — needless to say, I was a fan.

Anyway, last month we were attending another punk show at the same venue — where as it turns out, Annakarina was going to be making another appearance — and on this day I happened to decide that I needed to drink A LOT of tequila before the show (and during). Probably because we were so close to home I was feeling a little more rebellious, I don’t know. Drunk or not, I was extremely excited to see Annakarina again, but this time I decided that I needed to talk to those guys. In my drunken stupor, I basically poured my inner fandom out for them, sharing the fact that Eric was a blogger, that we attend shows at least once a week in Pittsburgh, all sorts of stuff.

[Editor's note: at one point, I recall she had told bassist Kurtis Kelley about the description I made up the first time we'd seen them. He seemed a bit puzzled, but then said, "Well, I know what post-hardcore is, and I know what math rock is, and -- yeah I guess I can see that."]

I’m sure they were like, who’s this crazy lady, but even so they were all very kind. I got introduced to them all one by one, and in particular I felt drawn to [guitarist/vocalist] Craig. In between bands I talked casually to him (or as casually as I could manage — remember I was very drunk) about his music, his friendship with the drummer and other bandmates, and soon I realized this guy was special pretty special.

In a way, I was feeling sort of annoyed that no one else we knew really knew anything about this band — because I’ve never seen them at any shows in Pittsburgh, and (I mean this in the nicest way possible) honestly they’re better then a few bands that we’ve seen playing other shows in the past. So I decided I needed to introduce Craig and his music to more people — so there’s the core reason for this interview. I think you’ll agree he’s quite a special guy — that magical combination of intelligence, wit, weirdness, awkwardness, and sincerity that you couldn’t fake if you tried. So here he is, pouring his heart out to you, via my six questions; I hope you will find him as endearing as I do, and I hope you will venture out to the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg this Sunday to see his band playing a charity show benefiting PLEA. Trust me, Annakarina is a band you won’t want to miss, and this guy is one of the major reasons for that.

(1.)

Asya:

Can you describe who or what inspired you to play guitar, and do you have any particular musicians (guitarists or otherwise) that you feel have inspired your personal musical style and direction?

Craig:

I’d say no one in particular inspired me to play guitar. I’ve always been into music ever since I was little. The first time I started searching for my own music was in 4th grade; I was nine years old and my tastes at the time were really immature. I thought stuff like Korn was cool, and I thought Coal Chamber was super tight — like, anything that was angry or heavy, I thought was awesome. I also took piano lesson and voice lessons then; my dad was a keyboard player and was always playing music. Around tenth grade is when I discovered guitar. A friend of mine had one and I started plucking around on it, trying to recreate some song, I don’t remember which one it was, but it had a really distinctive guitar line in the beginning that I was trying to figure out. And when I finally did figure it out, I felt this supreme feeling of success and accomplishment and that was very exciting to me because I was really searching for something at that time that could give me that feeling, something that I can I could feel proud of doing. Something I could do at my own pace, on my own time, my own way. Playing guitar and figuring that song out was the very first time that I had ever felt something like that. So I think that was the inspiration there, the feeling of success and accomplishment, and I think that’s why I still continue playing guitar and making art today. I still get that feeling of accomplishment, that feeling of pride that I created something that I’m happy about and want to present to other people, and that I feel is great, and, you know, putting all this work into something. So that’s what inspired me.

For the second part of the question: was there anyone that influenced me? Absolutely. Everyone that I’ve met has influenced me in a particular way, almost everybody that I’ve met. A lot of my close friends have influenced me in a lot of different ways, in terms of who I am as a musician and certainly who I am as a person. I have a really strong opinion that who you are as a person is an amalgamation of everybody that you’ve met throughout your entire life. Since we’re all perpetual input/output machines, yeah, of course, lots of people have inspired who I am as a musician whether I know them personally or not. There are a lot of people.

One person was the first person who introduced me to harsh noise, a friend of mine named RJ who lives in Pittsburgh. He plays under the name RJ Myato. He was a good friend of mine for a long time. He and I used to always jam to just make nonsense sounds, and to us that was fucking awesome. But I think he was definitely the first person [between the two of us] to discover that it was an actual genre of music and people did stuff like this. It was purely DIY, and there was a whole crew of people who did music like this. And he was the one who introduced me to that scene and he would show me a bunch of shows and show me different bands. He showed me Merzbow, he showed me Prurient and that was mind-blowing to me. Truthfully, I was resistant to it at first because of my pride and sensibilities as a conventional musician and guitar player who wanted to be the best guitar player you can be, and wants to dissect every song in terms of structure and theory. To hear a style of music that rejected those principles was against my sensibilities and offended me and offended my pride and things like that. Eventually, I started to realize that it’s important to have a malleable sense of self, because that’s what avoids ego and helps you grow as a person. So as I started to grow up and really, truly start to see and feel, and apply that in my everyday life, I started to accept noise and I started to see it for the power in it and the freedom in it, and to really see that that’s kind of what attracted me to playing music in the first place, that freedom of being able to do whatever it is you want. But this harsh noise that I was seeing took it to the next level in terms of freedom. I started to meet people and hear things that were pretty mind-blowing. Being active in noise helped me meet a lot of my close friends who themselves are doing great things. A friend of mine Matt Boettke out of Richmond, Virginia, who I just toured with this past March, plays under the name Scant — he’s playing some next level stuff, I really look up to that dude musically. He’s like the epitome of control when it comes to playing a set, you know? Matt Goodrich of Buffalo, NY, who plays in a few different projects like Deceiver and Pacing, but who also is a part of a really cool grind band, Water Torture. A good friend of mine Brad Kline from here in Pittsburgh who is doing some really great cold minimal techno as LIABILITY, I ended up touring with him twice when he was doing noise under the Centrescape moniker.

So definitely what took me, in my opinion, to the next level was hearing harsh noise for the first time, and watching these guys play. Stuff like that is what brought me to a more unconventional sense of playing and writing music in a particular way. And as much sense as it may not make to someone else, to me it makes plenty of sense, but you can sort of see that influence coming through in my guitar playing; at least I like to think that.

(2.)

Asya:

What was one album or piece of music that was a pivotal turning point for you, either as a music fan or as a musician? Can you explain what age you were when you experienced this, and how has it affected the person you are today, again either as a fan or as a musician?

Craig:

I think that album is definitely going to be, without a doubt, Pedestrian Deposit‘s Fatale. When I first heard that album, it opened my eyes to what music can be because of the textures that were created, because of the sounds, because of the composition that was there. It’s a masterful record and when I first heard it I was amazed by it. To hear the tracks with the piano, and then the harsh behind or on top of it, it really blew my mind and it was exciting for me, and it was an exciting time for me. From there I started to explore others and see what the possibilities are, and see the freedom that noise can give you as a musician — consequently, how that freedom can be translated and applied to more conventional kinds of music. When I would go to shows and see, as I mentioned, this freedom where these guys would come with these contraptions that they’ve built themselves, like, this metal contraption of thin wire that they’ve welded themselves and they have contact mics, one or two, on various portions, and they run it through different pedals and by hitting it harder or softer or by manipulating it in other ways, they can create this whole composition and this whole soundscape about it and be extremely entertaining and harsh and abstract, but at the same time still be palatable and still be a valid art form. Or you can see a guy playing a tape measure with that, too, being contact mic’d and run through distortion pedals and, depending on how he manipulates it — softly scraping it across the ground it creates one type of noise, or shaking the fuck out of it and it gets super harsh, super abrasive and really dynamic. There are so many things you can do. And then of course you see others that play feedback loops: sending the output of a mixer into the input of the mixer, or making a chain of pedals to manipulate that feedback loop which is something I do in my other project, Cincinnatus C. But doing stuff like that is amazing and it’s so vast and you see all these things. And this next person you see after that aggressive, harsh act, you see this guy playing this beautiful, hypnotic drone that’s just a couple different oscillations, or two tones playing at once that are a couple cents from one-another and making a natural oscillation, and he has the bass maxed-out so it creates this rumble that you can feel, physically. And it’s just an amazing thing, the freedom that can be attained.

And it was definitely Pedestrian Deposit‘s Fatale album that opened me up to that. And then from that album showing me the possibilities of music and validating so many different ways of playing, it turned me on to other forms of conventional music that I otherwise would have been too rigid to accept or too closed-minded to accept because of my preconceived notion of what music should or should not be. Like, there was actually a time where I thought that screaming vocals was not a valid vocal style. I didn’t feel that it was a valid form of art or a valid way to express yourself vocally in a band for whatever bullshit reason. But then seeing all this wildly abstract art and connecting with it and understanding that these people aren’t just doing it because it’s abstract and they want to be so avant-garde and what-have-you — no, it’s just because that’s what resonates with them and that’s what they want to do and that’s what they feel like is a great art form that they want to invest their time in, and that totally fucking rules.

But after finding and discovering that record and that paradigm shift within myself, I started to explore other forms conventional music that I normally would not have found intriguing or valid. In terms of the kind of music we play in Annakarina, it’s going to absolutely be Suis La Lune‘s Quiet, Pull the Strings!. Everything they have in the record is beautiful for me. That album was definitely something that I could relate to and was something that, when I heard it, I absolutely loved the guitar parts. I thought that they were genius; I thought they were very well done. The composition was just incredible to me. The juxtaposition that they used between the vocals and then that sort of angular sound. Then that started introducing me to other bands as well in that genre.

A friend of mine named Justin Lloyd who has a few projects, but specifically one of his older bands, Age Sixteen, has an album that I really like listening to because of the guitar work in there and the compositions, the intervals that he uses in his guitar. Stuff like that is really inspiring to me. I guess that’s where it comes from: Pedestrian Deposit‘s Fatale album. It may be strange for someone to hear that I’m influenced in Annakarina by harsh noise, I guess because they’re not directly connected, I guess that’s weird for some people and I know that it’s kind of a roundabout way that I’m going about calling harsh noise an influence to what I do, but it very much is an influence to everything that I make actually.

(3.)

Asya:

I know that you and your bandmates are all good friends, you and [drummer] Travis [Lamanna] especially. Can you describe how this relationship has lead to Annakarina‘s current musical direction? How long have you known each of your band’s members, and how much of the writing process are each of you ultimately responsible for?

Craig:

Yeah, Travis and I are close friends and we have been for a long time. I’ve known Travis since Middle School and we’ve jammed together for a very long time and done a whole lot of that. How has this relationship led to Annakarina‘s current musical direction? Travis is a huge part of this band. Here’s the thing: Travis has been playing drums since as long as he can remember. I asked him one time how long he’s been playing drums and he said to me “I don’t remember not being a drummer.”

The reason for that is because when he was two years old, his dad was showing him basic drum beats, basic patterns and things. He’s been doing it all of his life, so to have somebody who’s that adept at what he does and who’s that proficient at drums, it’s really a pleasure and it’s really a privilege to have somebody like that playing with you. Because here’s the thing: when there’s somebody who’s been doing it for that long (since they were born), it’s different than somebody who learned how to play drums high school or something. Because when you were doing it since you were two years old, it’s like, in your bones, it’s second nature. It’s a part of who you are as opposed as what you do in a much more literal sense than somebody who just loves playing drums and who has been doing it since high school. I know I may be generalizing, but I think in a general sense, that’s normally how it goes.

So for that reason we tend to be a drum-first band, really. When we come up with things, I want Travis‘ drums to stand out in every section. I want his ability to really shine through because he is a really talented dude, and he does come up with a lot of really great things, and he does a lot of really exciting things. Every time we go to practice and every time I hear him play, it’s mind-blowing to me and he does it so effortlessly. So it’s really great.

But an important thing to note, though, is that even though we have been friends since high school and we have jammed together a lot, we actually come from wildly different backgrounds. As I explained before, I listen to harsh noise and to me that’s my ultimate music to listen to, but I also love (keeping it relevant to Annakarina) of course I love screamo and stuff, I love Welcome the Plague Year, I love Loma [Prieta], I love Ampere, Joshua Fit for a Battle, you know, whatever. So that sort of music is stuff that really gets me excited. For him though, he listens to a lot of metal. Like, he loves Dream Theater for example. He loves hearing precision in music and he loves hearing next-level songwriting, these virtuoso instruments and stuff like that; people who are really on top of the game. He loves Between the Buried and Me, — [BTBAM drummer] Blake Richardson is a huge influence on him. I don’t mean to speak for him, but I don’t think he’ll have any protest to what I’m saying.

But, like, those are two way different styles, but here’s the thing: on a really basic level, they’re still connected. I know that, like, somebody who’s educated (I mean educated in punk and hardcore and screamo and this kind of music), they would say “Welcome the Plague Year and Between the Buried and Me have nothing to do with each other.” But an outsider or a casual listener who doesn’t really know much about either genre, or even a non-musician would hear it and basically say it’s the same shit. Because it’s heavy guitar and a dude screaming and a guy playing drums fast, you know what I mean? So in that sense, even though they’re two vastly different kinds of music (super-technical metal, and super-fast hardcore), at the same time they’re able to mesh. And when Travis and I first started playing together, it didn’t mesh too well. But as we became more comfortable with one another in our playing styles and our certain nuances, it did start to mesh, it did come together and that was pretty exciting to hear.
And it actually came together pretty easily.

The first song we wrote together was “Five Dings and a Clack.” [EDITOR'S NOTE: This song appears on the band's name-your-price-download EP Seeking Shelter -- see below -- and you can also see a live version in the video embedded above.] The way it came to be was, I was living in Philadelphia at the time, playing as Annakarina with another group of dudes — you may not know this, but this band actually started in Philadelphia with completely different band members. That’s actually where the majority of these songs were written. But anyway, I had written “Five Dings and a Clack,” which at the time was an untitled song, I had just wrote this really cool guitar part and I knew that Travis was a fantastic drummer and I was like “I really want to hear what Travis could do on this.” So, just for shits as well as giggles, I sent the audio clip to him. I recorded a little guitar clip, sent it to him and said “Travis, put some drums on this, it’ll be fun, it’ll be cool. Lets see what you could do.” I didn’t tell him anything at all about it, I didn’t tell him what to do, and I didn’t tell him what I wanted. I just sent him the guitar clip. I did have ideas in my head: where I wanted little blast beats here-and-there. I had little ideas and he nailed it. He got all of it, exactly what I was hearing in my head. That was so auspicious, I feel. To hear it come together so well like that, it was extremely exciting. Being in Philadelphia, I was like “Dammit, I really wish I could play music with this kid who’s all the way out in Pittsburgh — well, all the way out in Charleroi, PA — and I’m on the other goddamn side of the state.” As much I loved being in the band, playing with Travis, it’s another thing entirely.

If you were to go back and listen to Annakarina in 2011 versus in 2012 and 2013, it’s a night and day difference. I mean, Travis is, as I said before, an extraordinary player so he brings a lot out of me in terms of skill as a guitar player and a different way to think, he brings a lot out of me. But eventually when he and I got together and started playing, it didn’t work out too well. I mean, it worked out, but it wasn’t perfect. But we worked on it and it ended up being great and we recruited Kurtis [Kelley] to play bass for us. I had known Kurtis since high school. I had jammed with him just a few times and it was fun. But I knew Kurtis had a really good musical mind and he was very precise in the way he played and he had a really good ear for melody as well. However, I did have a concern about music background because, once again, he’s coming from another direction entirely. But it worked out really well, he came in and learned the songs pretty quickly, we ended up playing a show at Howlers with just the three of us, and then he eventually brought in his friend, Brian [Dellinger], to play guitar with us as well. That’s where we are right now, with the four of us.

To address the second part of the question: A lot of these songs were actually written by me and taught to the rest of the band. As I had mentioned before, it started in Philadelphia where over the course of 2010 and 2011, I wrote a lot of these songs, every single song that’s on Seeking Shelter as well as the other songs we play live like “Lemmy Kilmister‘s Mole” and “Nightmares.” There’s a bunch of songs that aren’t on there. But those songs were written by me, put together in Philadelphia with the other guys in the band and then when I moved over here, I taught them to Travis first. These guys learned these songs and we completely transformed all of it into something way different than what it originally was. It was really cool, personally, to see it all come together; to see this completely different personality in these songs and for it to be something way different that it was originally intended. It was really cool in terms of everything.

How much responsibility do each of the guys have? Well, they write their own parts for these songs. Like, the structure is already there, my guitar parts are already there, and the specific feel for each part is already there. Whether this guitar riff is supposed to have a driving beat behind it, or if it’s supposed to be kind of lax, you know, that’s already there. But in terms of the specifics, they write their own shit. Kurtis writes his own bass parts and he’s really good at what he does and he’s a perfectionist. We all are which is pretty cool. It takes a long time for us to write each part individually. We go note by note, Kurtis and I do, which is cool. Kurtis and I work well together because we go note by note. Travis sits patiently when we’re going over this — he doesn’t complain about “Come on guys, you’re taking forever,” or something like that, he doesn’t wank on the drums and make it hard for us to listen to each other, we work really well together.

But, their responsibility is their own. Sometimes we all give each other ideas and stuff just like any band, but they write their own stuff. And where we’re trying to get to right now, is now that we’re more comfortable with each other in terms of music styles, we want to be able to come into a room with a riff and all know the direction of the song, and where it’s going because we know the identity of Annakarina as a band, we know what the sound is. That’s where we’re getting to right now and I think we’re doing a pretty good job at getting there.

(4.)

Asya:

Where would you like to see yourself and your band musically in the next year or so? Any goals you are particularly working hard towards right now? Any local or professional bands that you look towards for inspiration for these goals?

Craig:

Musically, in the next year or so where do I want to be? I don’t really care because, musically, we’re all changing, we’re all pretty malleable. We’re human beings, we evolve, and we change. That’s not really something I’m too concerned about. Wherever it is is wherever it is; wherever it goes is wherever it goes. When we start writing songs, the songs are going to change based on whatever we’re feeling at the time, whatever we’re into. That’s not really a big deal; I don’t want to put a linear path on where it’s going, that’s not a big deal to me.

Any goals that we’re working hard towards right now? I mean, really right now we just want to be a respectable band who’s doing a lot great things on our own under our own power, who’s just known as a band who plays good songs and stuff like that. Like, I don’t have any false aspirations for this band. We’re not going to get a Grammy or anything because this isn’t the kind of shit that gets Grammys; we’re not going to be on the radio, this isn’t the kind of stuff that gets on the radio. Like, Saetia was never on the radio or anything. But there is a degree of success to be found within this kind of music and it’s a very real kind of success and in my opinion it’s a much more valid form of success and one that’s much more desirable.

Any local or professional bands that I look towards for inspiration? Yeah, anyone who’s doing things on their own, anybody who’s built their own success, anybody who’s working with a community of musicians who book their own tours, who make their own artwork, who records their own shit. Those are people who inspire me.

(5.)

Asya:

I know that Annakarina has done quite a few shows locally, and I’ve seen you twice at the Charleroi VFW, but what band(s) would you like to do a show with that you haven’t been able to yet?

Craig:

There are a lot of bands that we’d like to play with. I actually like to play with bands who are better than us, people who do things that are similar to what we’re doing, but who do it better. Like, to play a show with Loma Prieta — we do something similar, but in my opinion, they do it better than us. It’d be super cool to play with a band like them. But otherwise there are some bands around the country who are doing some pretty cool things. Like, Kilgore Trout, they’re a band from DC area. They’re doing some pretty cool stuff; it’d be pretty cool to play a show with them. That’d be a really sweet show for dudes that are into drums because John Crogan is a sick drummer; Travis Lamanna is a good drummer. It’d be super cool for dudes who are into drums.

But other than that, there’s another band from DC that I think is really sick. Thick Skin, they’re a hardcore band. In Pittsburgh there’s a lot of Twinkle and pop punk going on right now, which isn’t really my thing, but there are a lot of cool bands who are doing that stuff. Of course, there’s Relationships, they’re fantastic, it’d be cool to play a show with them. There’s a band called Us, they’re a two piece, it’d be super cool to play with them as well. There are a lot of cool bands that it would be a lot of fun to play with. Motörhead, that’d be sick, to play a show with Motörhead.

(6.)

Asya:

Can you describe your musical style in six words or less?

Craig:

“Motörhead worship.”

 
In December 2012, Annakarina released a five-song EP called Seeking Shelter, which you can hear or download here:

 
They have also stated that a limited number of physical copies of that EP will be given out at their show this Sunday (14 April 2013) at The University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg — which will feature quite a few bands and support a worthy cause. See the full details on that show right here.

 
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Annakarina: Facebook, Tumblr, Bandcamp

Slaves BC / Cousin Sleaze – Split 7″ (self-released, 11 April 2013)

 
 
Several months ago, I wrote about a new EP from the Pittsburgh-based dark, caustic hardcore/metal band Slaves BC, which was titled we mean nothing. If you’re feeling especially adventurous, you could look it up if you searched for it, but I’m not linking to it here. Because honestly, it was among the worst articles I’ve written, and I wouldn’t advise taking the time to read it. Instead, just listen to the songs and download the EP, which you can do it you follow the Bandcamp link at the end of this page.

About that review — I’ve noticed sometimes when I really like something or really connect with a piece of music on some level, I feel inadequate to convey that in words, and so I end up rambling about some other nonsense that isn’t related to the actual music. In this case, we mean nothing. centers around the concept of someone struggling and perhaps questioning the validity or value of religion — and I sort of ran with that idea, focusing more on people who place too much value on religious principles, at the expense of common sense and moral decency.

Sort of lost in all of that was my opinion of the actual music — dark and caustic, as I just said; abrasive, ultra-heavy. Some music is described as “doom metal” which usually seems to foretell a bleak, dire outcome; some music is “post-apocalyptic,” representing that tragic new reality. What Slaves BC bring is more like DURING the apocalypse: there isn’t doom coming, it’s happening RIGHT FUCKING NOW.

Anyway, one thing I did point out in that review was that the sound had improved dramatically over their first release, the demo album This World Shall Pass Away. With that in mind, the appearance of any new Slaves material should be really exciting. And GUESS WHAT — today we have exactly that! Two new songs, to be exact, coupled with a pair from the band’s comrades from New York, Cousin Sleaze.

The four-song split is available as of today on CD (if you come to the bands’ joint release show TONIGHT at The Smiling Moose in Pittsburgh — see below for details), and the 7″ vinyl version (in three different colors) can be ordered now, and will be out in the very near future!

 

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The first thing that strikes me about this new split was that they chose not to give it an actual title. Slaves BC / Cousin Sleaze Split 7″ is fine, and accurate and descriptive, but it doesn’t quite roll off the tongue like Cousin Slaves, Sleaze BC, or even Basin Sleaves might have. But that’s okay, I suppose the bands chose to expend their creativity on the actual music instead — or perhaps that sweet cover art, which I understand was adapted by Slaves vocalist/drummer Josh Thieler from an engraving by French artist Gustave Doré (who was most famous for his illustrations for books such as Paradise Lost, The Divine Comedy, and even the Bible).

  
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So, let us look first at the Slaves BC half of the split. (By the way, did you know “Slaves BC / Cousin Sleaze” can be anagrammed as “A Less Concussive Blaze”?)

Once again, we see the band showing a bit of a progression since their last release; while not groundbreakingly new or unrecognizibly different by any means, they definitely seem to be embracing the darkness and heaviness even more now. The two songs here, “To My Beloved Bride” and “Place Axe to Root,” feature plenty of the noisy feedback and aggression that is characteristic of the hardcore genre, but unlike a lot of their peers, this band always injects high levels of passion and pain into everything they do — beyond just pure aggressiveness for its own sake. It’s very fast and in-your-face stuff, but clearly rooted in a very dark place, which comes through plainly in the recording to the point where the listener him/herself can actually feel that pain and emotion.

 
You can listen to this side of the split, and grab a download of these two songs, here:

 
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Then on the other side of the split (which could also be anagrammed as “Loveless Zinc Abacuses”), we find two songs, “Indecision” and “Begin Again,” by the New York band Cousin Sleaze.

This starts out similarly to the first side of the record: feedback and anger. But then the vocals jump in, resembling a more Anselmo-esque type of aggressiveness. Musically, too, I find these songs to be comparable to the groove-metal style prevalent on Pantera‘s last couple albums, for the most part, but with a healthy dose of hardcore influence thrown in as well — especially in the drumming. Halfway through the first song, everything cuts out suddenly, leaving only a dramatically slowed-down bass line, that then ramps sharply back up in intensity as the other parts re-enter; small details like this tend to add interest to what this band is serving up, in stark contrast to the ultra-cheesy breakdowns that are far too common among some bands nowadays…

 
You can also sample the Cousin Sleaze side of the split on Bandcamp, here:

  
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The Slaves BC / Cousin Sleaze 7″ Split (another possible alternate title: “A Sizable Success Novel”) is available in your choice of black, white, or clear from Slaves BC here, or from Cousin Sleaze here. The records are limited to 300 copies total — 100 per color, 50 of which will be available from each band.

 
Tonight’s show celebrating the release of the split (okay, okay, one last anagram: “Soulless Cave Is Zen Cab”) will be taking place at The Smiling Moose on East Carson Street, Pittsburgh. Full details on the event, which will also feature locals Under Everything and Sikes!, can be found here.

If you won’t be near the Pittsburgh area, perhaps you can still catch the sleazy cousins on one of their other upcoming tour dates.

 
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Slaves BC: Facebook, Bandcamp
Cousin Sleaze: website, Facebook, Bandcamp

Six Questions with Steve Kaczynski (guitar) and Aaron Kaczynski (vocals) of Jericho Theory

by Asya Yanyo

Here I am again, writing another Person or Persons Unknown about another Pittsburgh band member, but this time I decided to change things up a bit. This time I am focusing on two guys actually: Steve Kaczynski and his son Aaron.

While I have never really had too much interaction with Steve in the past, I have seen their joint band Jericho Theory and was impressed with the chemistry and talent they both posses. I must admit, doing this particular article was one of the main reasons for starting these interviews. In truth, I have known Aaron for a while now, and I’ve liked him from the first time I met him. He’s got an infectious enthusiasm that you couldn’t fake if you tried. I have gotten to know him better through this journey of Facebook messages, attending shows together, and also attending shows that his bands have played. I am not sure if I have ever met a more honest and caring person in our music scene. He is that guy that knows all your songs, and knows what shows you’re playing; he’s the kind of fan that makes playing in a band in Pittsburgh worth it. I don’t even think people realize what a positive and caring member of this circle he really is. He has a way of making shows I attend with him more fun — even with my weird habit of buying him a PBR at least once a show — it’s more a level of comfort and happiness when I know he’ll be attending a show. He’s kind of turned into an unofficial little brother for Eric and me, and listening to him tell me at least once during each show that this is his favorite band or his favorite song makes me happier then I could ever state — because his influence has actually made me want to be a better fan.

So with that, I figured that this kid with his infectious nature and love of music had to have an amazing musical role model just like I did. Now that I have the ability to figure that out, I was on a mission to do so — hence the reason for this interview, so I could see if my inkling about him was correct. I am very proud to call Aaron a friend, and I hope after reading this you’ll want to be friends with him and his dad too, and I hope it will make you want to see them in action this Saturday, March 30th, at the Bloomfield Bridge Tavern.

First up is Steve — the man, the myth, the legend. This dude has played in some bands I didn’t even realize! His musical story is more like a novel, and makes for an interesting read; it definitely explains one thing, that it’s no wonder Aaron is as cool as he is. With all this inspiration around in childhood, how could he not be?

(1.)

Asya: Steve, you’ve been a musician in Pittsburgh for many years, with many bands. Can you please describe some of the bands and projects you’ve been involved in the past, the current projects you’re involved in, and anything that you’re looking forward to in the future?

 
Steve: I left high school with a road gig playing drums for Al Latta (formerly of The Duprees) waiting for me. I was a guitar player, but took up drums as a school band instrument, upon hearing a local kid by the name of Livingstone Johnson, then later Neil Peart, play. I couldn’t keep a spot in any school ensemble, but I landed this gig. They actually wanted me to quit school early to take it, and I said no, but then the timing with graduation turned out alright anyway, so I took it then. I shoulda taken notice while still in high school of my knack for getting tossed out of bands, because it has never ever stopped happening.

That lasted at least a year before I started joining Pittsburgh based bands like 11th Hour, Ron Obvious, Brownie Mary, PUSH, Vern’s Winnebago, Cloud, Abominable Honkies, and so many gigs as a drummer — usually in the side projects of those already in the blues scene around Pittsburgh.

Steve Kaczynski – undated photo (“shortly after high school”)

(2.)

Asya: Your son Aaron is currently in Jericho Theory with you; how much influence does his music style have on you, and how much of the writing and creative process do you find yourself doing together as father and son?

Steve: I don’t think Aaron and I do much as father and son. It’s really more as bandmates on a mission. It started without him, but now I wouldn’t dream of using the Jericho Theory name if he were not involved. Aaron writes some of our best songs. It’s also hard to say how much we may inspire each other, as we are coming from completely different styles and influences. We don’t ever seem to clash though, and connect in our own Fugazi/Nirvana sort of DIY world.

Also, Jericho Theory has sort of become a side project for everyone involved rather than a primary band. This was a real downer for me at first, but I came to realize that it can exist happily this way, and has to in order to keep all four of us together on any level. It’s a good situation where everyone can be himself without compromise and fit in. I also feel like I have the best front guy in town, hands down.

(3.)

Asya: As stated above, you’ve been in several musical projects in Pittsburgh; what were some of the artists in your life that defined your musical style and direction? Is there anything in particular that really inspired you to want to play music? Anything that you still listen to today for inspiration?

Steve: 11th Hour will always be special, because they formed me into a streamlined hard-drivin’ type, musically. We got to be a regular opener for The Clarks (who used to open up for 11th Hour before I was in the band), and meet bands like The Cynics and Kelly Affair. With Brownie Mary came much bigger things. Big offers, bigger promises, and that whole elevated level of regularly opening up for an assortment of Rusted Root, They Might Be Giants, The Tragically Hip, The Smithereens, and Hootie and the Blowfish. It became somewhat of a “pop” world, although as old video with Mike Marks and myself in the band would show, [it was] an aggressive alternative to what the band would later become, which is likely why it didn’t work out for me in that band.

I personally started the band PUSH, with Albert Hill on guitar. Mike would follow and join me in PUSH. These were great times playing regularly with Dharma Sons, D.O.S.E., and Ike McCoy, but my theory of “start your own band and you can’t get thrown out” had some holes in it. It may, in fact, be true though, if you’ve got an extra twenty years to stick it out. PUSH is currently recording a new CD with all four original members (myself, Lonnie Schwartz, Albert Hill, and Mike Marks).

As for inspiration? My version of Spinal Tap begins with my mother teaching me to play “You are My Sunshine” on guitar, and I took it from there! As far as current music, anything that is able to elevate me into another mood, or somehow provoke me to get up and take some kind of action -– even if it’s just participating in the music itself, is to me inspiring. Locally, Long Time Divided and Vega have recently caused me to take notice.

Steve with Jericho Theory (Nov. 2012)

(4.)

Asya: Life can sometimes get in the way of music; what is it for you that keeps you coming back to it? What is it about writing, performing, and recording that drives you?

Steve: Great Question! I don’t think that life can get in the way unless you are wearing some sort of mask. The music is my life, but my life is often summed up in the music. Joey Granatti says, “be yourself, it saves time,” and I live by that. (Thanks Joey!)

This is a good question though, ’cause I have a career, and I’ll often get “are you still doin’ that?!” from friends and colleagues. Then I’ll usually laugh at them for golfing or whatever, so it’s all good. (I’m an avid gardener, too!) The point is, it’s my experiences in life, daily, that feed this “music” stuff.

(5.)

Asya: You’ve been playing music for several years and have played with some pretty impressive bands. Besides the March 30th show at the BBT, who would you like to see Jericho Theory playing with in the future? Do you have any dream shows that you would like to do?

Steve: Something involving monster trucks! Or dirt track racing with local music before and after! Oh, I know — I want Jericho Theory to kick off the NASCAR season as the musical opener at Daytona next year! Or even pair up with Megadeth for something. Dave Mustaine is way into Formula One. He even wrothe a song about it on the Endgame album, “1320.”

For Jericho Theory, I REALLY REALLY have a deep need to complete an independent release that captures this fine line-up. (Randy Thomson on drums, Ken “Machine Gun” Walzer on bass, and Aaron and myself on vocals and guitars.) Every time I plug in to play JT stuff, I know that I must because I really do love this band.

And personally for me, there are a lot of friends and people that I admire in Pittsburgh music that I’d still really love to work with, like David Musick, Jeff Babcock, Rob Trackoffler, “RuDogg” (Chris Ruane), Mike Marks, my other son Steve, John Bechtol, something for Innervenus, and many others before I call it a life!

(6.)

Asya: Can you describe your musical style in six words or less?

 
Steve: This should be fun. Okay; “Human and Guitar Lo Fi Noise!”

Next is Steve‘s protégé Aaron, bassist for Meth Quarry, singer for Jericho Theory, and a member of the Innervenus street team. His passion and dedication to the main love in his life, music, shines through. Even with his random mumblings of bands you’ve never heard of, or songs you’ll never hear, his heart and decication are omni-present. He often will describe himself as erratic and confusing, which at times may be true, but no one can deny his dedication and loyality to the things he holds most dear: his music, his friends, his bands, and his family. He’s one of the best people I know, so I hope you will get to know him too, just a little bit, even for just this interview.

(1.)

Asya: Aaron, your dad is a musician, as are a lot of your friends, and you are very active in the metal, rock, punk, and alt-rock scenes here in Pittsburgh. How much of that was an influence on you wanting to play music, and which came first — playing music, or getting involved in the music scene? Can you describe the moment when you knew that you wanted to be in a band?

 
Aaron: I’ll answer the last question first. I think the moment I wanted to be in a band was when I was four or five years old. I had this little silver toy guitar and was standing on a festival stage during my dad’s band’s soundcheck — thrashing on the guitar while screaming. I’m pretty sure I was told to calm down and get off the stage, hahaha.

My dad is by far the biggest influence on me. He really taught me by living through it. I only had a few friends growing up that were very active in music. I never really got into the local music scene until about two years ago, when I joined my dad’s band Jericho Theory.

Steve Kaczynski (center) with Aaron (left) and Steven Jr. (right)

(2.)

Asya: You are currently in two active bands, Jericho Theory and Meth Quarry, which are very diverse in style, and which do not necessarily appeal to the same fan base. How much writing do you find yourself doing for each band, and what artists do you look to for inspiration? Any projects that you have up and coming that you are looking forward to?

Aaron: These two bands are very different, for sure. I write a little bit for both bands. A lot of Jericho Theory material was there before I joined the band. I’m the third vocalist that has fronted the band! I’ve modified the lyrics on a few songs that were already written, to better suit myself, and I have written full lyrics to about two songs. That’s something you can get away with when you haven’t had an official release yet, though we do plan on recording our album this summer.

With Meth Quarry, we all have written a lot in the band. I’ve written some lyrics, some bass parts, and even given ideas to Kevin [Hogue] and Chris [Smith] on guitar. Those two are definitely the main writers in the band, though. Luckily, everyone seems to play what they want to play and has almost equal influence going into each song. We also plan on recording our album this spring. It’s all coming together nicely.

I also have a couple other bands that are in their infancy with a few different friends of mine. I don’t think I’m ready to talk about them yet. Both are very different from each other, and what I’m doing in JT/MQ. Songs are written and some things are recorded, so who knows. Watch out.

Anyhoo… When it comes to being an artist, I’m still very new to writing something and it becoming a reality. There is a lot of trial and error. Mostly error. I do think I’m learning and becoming better at what I do, though I wouldn’t say I’m anywhere close to being a professional musician and writer.

(3.)

Asya: Your dad is the guitarist for Jericho Theory, and has been in several former Pittsburgh bands. How would you say this defined your musical personality, and how influential was he on you in learning to play bass and guitar? Do you find yourself encouraging him to branch out in style, as well as turning to him for advice?

Aaron: My dad instilled in me a great love of music. Music of all forms. Since my dad was most active in music during the 90s, I can’t help but love almost everything that has come out of that era of rock. I’ve even started to fall for some 80s metal that I used to try my best to rebel against. You can’t hate what’s good, though. He also purchased my first guitar when I was in elementary school, and did the same with a bass in late middle school. So I’ve been poorly playing music for a long time! I never really learned how to play either instrument. I took a couple guitar lessons and went from there, just playing what sounds cool to me and is simple enough for me to pull off.

My dad and I have traded CDs more times than I can count. I like to think I’ve influenced his playing style with stuff I listened to in high school and bands I’ve seen at shows. He also helps me with everything. I go to him for advice on gear pretty much every single time I make a musical purchase.

Aaron Kaczynski (center) with Meth Quarry (Kevin Hogue, left; Brandon Baker, rear; and Chris Smith, right) at Winter’s Wake (Feb 2013)

(4.)

Asya: I know you listen to a wide range of music; do you have any bands in particular that you listen to that you feel are underrated? Any artists or albums that you find yourself coming back to for inspiration?

Aaron: That is an extremely tough question to answer. I really am influenced by everything I hear. I like so many different genres and sub-genres, that it’s nearly impossible for me to list even a tiny bit of what I like. It seems that every week I discover a new local or touring band to obsess over! Many don’t realize it, but I also love folk-punk, pop-punk, indie/garage rock, indie hip-hop, instrumental post-rock, industrial, emo, post-hardcore, gothic, Americana, and everything in between.

I’ll try to list some bands that I keep coming back to, though I may get some guff for it: Emery, Underoath, Against Me!, Two Hand Fools, Death From Above 1979, Rock N’ Roll Soldiers, The Vines, The Hives, Nirvana, Kerbdog, Sonic Youth, The Menzingers, Atmosphere, Glue(adeem), A Prior I, Queens of the Stone Age, Saosin, The Misfits, Samhain, Senses Fail, Taking Back Sunday, Gogol Bordello, Brand New, The Committee For Getting Attention, Dangerbird, Fist Fight In The Parking Lot, From Ashes Rise, Have Nots, Heartless, Hollow Earth, Nirvana, O’Death, Ok Go, Pagoda, Raunchy, Death Cab For Cutie, The Postal Service, Straylight Run, Boxcar Racer, Say Anything, The Smithereens, Soul Asylum, Soundgarden, Star Fucking Hipsters, The Suicide Ghouls, Whipping Boy, Zyanose…and sooo many more. It’s completely out of control. My brain hurts.

EDITOR’S NOTE: I don’t know whether he included Nirvana in that list twice on purpose or not, but I left them both in, just because it totally made sense to do so.

(5.)

Asya: I know that Meth Quarry has already played with tons of bands (Heartless, Wrought Iron, Lycosa, Grisly Amputation, etc.) and Jericho Theory has also played with a lot of great bands (Lo-Pan, Fist Fight, etc.). Are there any bands you think would be perfect for each of your bands to play with? Any shows in the future you are looking forward to (besides Jericho Theory‘s March 30th show at the BBT)?

Aaron: With Meth Quarry, I really want to play some local shows with Complete Failure, Wrathcobra, and Oh Shit They’re Going To Kill Us! I also would like to play with some out-of-town acts like Protestant, Dead in the Dirt, Masakari, Old Wounds, etc. I’m looking forward to some amazing shows we have with Full of Hell and Exhumed. I’m still new to the underground world of hardcore and the more extreme metals — call me a ‘poser’ if you will — but I like what I’ve been hearing the last couple years.

With Jericho Theory, I’ve been trying to setup shows with Supervoid and Chux Beta for what seems like forever. Those bands are so elusive to me, even though I personally know them, hah! I’d also like to play with some other locals like Gene the Werewolf and Long Time Divided. Maybe LoveSICK again, whom we haven’t played with for well over a year, and are releasing their album in April. Also, I always want to play with Fist Fight in the Parking Lot. Jericho Theory doesn’t have anything planned when it comes to shows after the show on Saturday — it’s really hard to get the whole band together on a weekend because everyone (besides myself) has careers and families they are responsible for. So that can be frustrating at times, but we do what we can. Contact us at least a month ahead of time and we’ll see what we can do!

(6.)

Asya: Can you describe your musical style in six words or less?

 
Aaron: “Erratic and all around confusing”

 
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Jericho Theory: Facebook, ReverbNation

Next show: Saturday 30 March 2013 at Bloomfield Bridge Tavern
with Deadiron (Cleveland OH) and one more TBA.
More details here.

Meth Quarry: Facebook, ReverbNation

Next show: Tuesday 02 April 2013 at 31st Street Pub
with Exhumed and Liquified Guts.
More details here.

 
It’s been nearly two years since Borracho, the heavy stoner-fuzz-rock band from Washington DC, graced the world with their debut album Splitting Sky. Since that LP was released (and subsequently landed on my Top 11 of 2011 list), there has also been a 7″ single (and video) for “Concentric Circles”, a video for “All in Play”, and a 10″ single for “Plunge/Return” (which was included in the digital and CD versions, but didn’t fit on the vinyl pressing of Splitting Sky).

Now, all that has been really cool, but we haven’t heard any NEW songs in a while! Well as it turns out, that’ll be changing soon, because in a few months the band will have a follow-up album out…

[In mid-February], we entered the studio to lay down brand new music for a proper follow-up release. We’ve reunited with Splitting Sky producer Frank Marchand at his brand new Hudson Street Sound studio in Annapolis MD. The as-yet untitled record will be co-released on limited edition 12″ vinyl by No Balls Records (Germany) and Ghost Highway Recordings (Spain) in June.

 
So that’s pretty exciting, huh? But that’s not even all of the good news I have for you! Although it’ll still be a few more months ’til we get some new material, right now you can get treated to some OLD stuff — plus select east-coast cities are due to be visited by the band this weekend!

Back in the spring of 2009, we began work on what was planned to be our debut studio release, recording in an old, abandoned art deco mansion nestled in the woods of Arlington VA. These early “Mansion Sessions” wrapped up that summer, but we opted to not release the recordings. In the end, only two tracks from the mansion sessions were used as publicly-available demos in 2010, and some of the material was re-recorded for what would become our debut Splitting Sky, released in 2011.

The rest never saw the light of day… until now. Dusted off and polished up with a brand spanking new mix by Frank Marchand, these two tracks offer an historical glimpse into the early sounds we were crafting nearly four years ago. Shorter, faster, but with the requisite twists and turns, they offer something new for the Borracho fan and anybody just discovering us.

 
Those two tracks, “Mob Gathering” and B-side “Short Ride (When It’s Over)”, just came out as a limited-edition 7″ single. While both songs are relatively short (each a little under four minutes), they are still jam-packed with plenty of heavy riffs, as well as each featuring great fuzzed-out instrumental sections.

Giving off a fairly angry vibe that nicely matches the mood of the cover art, the A-side conjures images of precisely what its title suggests: throngs of pissed-off people, chaos, destruction, and shit getting set on fire.

While the second song’s lyrics seem a bit more introverted and reflective, the delivery conveys an irate mood similar to its predecessor. Regardless of this fact, both of these songs manage to be extremely catchy — just like the “Concentric Circles” single, or most of the songs from Splitting Sky, even during the first or second listen, you are almost guaranteed to find yourself singing/shouting along.

This new 7″ single has been co-released by No Balls and Ghost Highway, with a limited edition of 300 copies. 200 are available in black vinyl, while another 100 feature an orange/black swirl.

 
The songs are also available for streaming at Bandcamp, where you can also order a copy of the 7″.

 
You can catch them in Washington tomorrow night, in Pittsburgh on Friday, or in Philadelphia on Saturday! All three shows will be accompanied by Been Obscene (Austria) and Supervoid (Pittsburgh)…

Artwork by Chris Smith (burzum.deviantart.com) Click for larger image.

http://www.facebook.com/events/134685326705052/
March 28, 2013
Velvet Lounge, Washington DC
w/ El Grande

http://www.facebook.com/events/562134170464668/
March 29, 2013
Howlers, Pittsburgh PA
w/ Neon Warship

http://www.facebook.com/events/346206095490835/
March 30, 2013
Kung Fu Necktie, Philadelphia PA
w/ Clamfight

 
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Borracho: Website, Facebook, Bandcamp

Dendritic Arbor – Sylvan Matriarch (self-released, 26 March 2013)

 
Good morning, folks! What’s new with you?? I have to tell you a story about what happened to me recently, but it’s a little bit embarassing…

So I’m sure you all remember Quercus, guitarist/vocalist for that band of black metal eco-terrorists Dendritic Arbor — he and I had a conversation about his band last month when they were performing at the Winter’s Wake pre-fest show (which you can read here). As you’ll recall, there was some discussion at that time about their forthcoming release Sylvan Matriarch…

Anyway, fast-forward to a couple days ago, and I got a message from Mr. Quercus, where he asked me whether I do album reviews on this website. Well. That was sort of a reality check for me — I know that I’ve been very preoccupied lately and have been writing very, very little. And what I have been posting recently has largely consisted of interviews, either conducted by myself or by someone else. But at that moment I realized, geez, you really couldn’t tell just by looking — unless you were to dig pretty deep — that reviewing music is sort of supposed to be the primary purpose of this website!

So I got my hands on a copy of Sylvan Matriarch, which is officially available today — it actually went up on Bandcamp yesterday, but tonight Dendritic Arbor will be playing a show to celebrate the release. I’ve got all the information you need about the album, the show, AND a special super-limited bundle were you can get a whole bunch of goodies for a really low price, IF you’re one of the first few people to jump on this deal!

 
The first time I heard of Dendritic Arbor — which, besides Quercus, also includes Honorary Blakius (guitar/vocals), Boris Malus (bass/vocals), and Thaddeus (drums); current or former members of Colossus, October, Bear Skull, and Oroku Saki — was when the details of the Winter’s Wake pre-fest show first got announced.

When I shared that news, having read a description of the band but not having actually heard them yet, I referred to them as a black metal version of The Lorax. The funny thing is, I didn’t realize at that time just how appropriate that comparison would be.

In the story by Dr. Seuss, the title character repeatedly claims to “speak for the trees” — since they have no voice of their own. What he means, though, is that he stands around like some hippie protester, shouting lectures at people.

Dendritic Arbor also “speak for the trees,” but here it’s in a much more literal sense: they have described their music as “an attempt to sonically display our universe’s emotions from years of abuse.” In other words, the natural world has been tortured and scarred for the selfish benefit of mankind, and if Nature personified could tell you how it feels, this is what that might sound like.

As you’d probably guess, the result is not very pretty. No, it’s harsh and cold and angry, simultaneously expressing anguish as well as the desire to inflict an equal amount of pain in vengeance. Beginning with the strains of synthetic noise in the introductory track — almost like an unnatural mockery of chirping birds and other sounds one might hear in some sort of grotesque electronic forest — the band’s intention immediately becomes apparent: an ugliness is going to be inflicted upon the listeners’ ears that will be equal in intensity to the ugliness that has been inflicted upon the environment.

Musically, the content here is clearly grounded in black metal — it does sound rather harsh and vile, and is peppered with plenty of blastbeats — and the vocals definitely have a blackened quality to them. But the construction has a bit more variation to it, drawing influence from other genres of metal, in an experimental fashion reminiscent of someone like Krallice. The middle two songs, “Concrete Brine” and “Our Mother Disgraced” combine lo-fi blackness with harsh noise and elements of death metal slow-downs. The latter is a bit more black metal-oriented, while the former might be more accurately described as blackened death-grind.

Approximately half of the album’s running length consists of the closing track, “Drifting,” which veers in an even more avant-garde, experimental direction. Wavering between a plodding industrial march-beat of distorted bass and almost synthesized-sounding drums, and a full-on assault of blackened rage, and then back again, like some sort of hellish two-step in an infernal night club, this song is more like a bumpy ride over rough terrain than its title might imply — or perhaps it could be described as drifting along on a very turbulent river current, or fitfully tossing one’s way through a restless night of half-conscious nightmares.

 
Sylvan Matriarch is now available online: stream it via Bandcamp using the widget below, or you can also buy a copy — the first 30 orders will also include a handprinted set of liner notes, stickers, patches, and a shirt, all for just six bucks! Those limited-edition bundles surely won’t last long so you’ll want to take advantage of this right away!!

 
As mentioned earlier, the band’s release show is being held tonight (Tuesday, 26 March) at Kopec’s Bar; also scheduled to appear are Call of the Void from Colorado, Ambassador Gun from Minnesota, and Pittsburgh’s Wrought Iron. Get additional details (and RSVP to this event) here.

 
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Dendritic Arbor: Facebook, Bandcamp, Soundcloud

Six Questions with Solarburn Bassist Tony Thomas

by Asya Yanyo

    
The first step is admitting it, right? So here goes… “Hello, my name is Asya, and I am addicted to Solarburn.”  I have seen them numerous times, and will again soon; I had their CD in the CD changer in my car for a record 12 weeks straight, and for a long time it was the band that I would talk about every chance I got. It’s not as if I wish to be cured of my addiction or anything; in fact I’ve decided to just own it, and I am perfectly willing to help others get addicted too.

This pretty much is THE band for me, the band that opened up a whole new level of musical enjoyment in my life, and the band that I shamelessly promote every chance I get, quite like I am doing right now. Yes, if you haven’t seen them yet, you’re honestly missing (in my humble opinion) one of the BEST things about Pittsburgh! But you can fix that April 2nd when they open for Otep at the Altar Bar.

They are three of the nicest and most genuinely no-BS guys I have ever met in my life, and these dudes can shred like nobody’s business. So how did I just pick one of them for Person or Persons Unknown? As hard as it was (and honestly it WAS hard, because I am lucky enough to actually be friends with [guitarist] Mike [Stains], [drummer] Russ [Tompkins], and [bassist] Tony [Thomas]), I ended up choosing the person I connected with immediately in the beginning, at the first show at I ever saw Solarburn play — way back in August of last year. Immediately, I felt that Tony was more than just an awesome bass player, but that he also a had deep knowledge of music, which I respected and connected with. As you’ll see from this interview, that is definitely the case.

Asya:

Hello Tony, and thank you for taking the time to do an interview with me for Person or Persons Unknown! As a huge fan (and I mean huge) of your band Solarburn, I have been wanting to talk to you about your musical influences for a long time.

(1.)

Asya:

I grew up in a house where my parents listened to everything from Marvin Gaye to The Ohio Players to Little Anthony and the Imperials to Robert Johnson to Frank Marino and Mahogany Rush to Black Sabbath to Roy Buchanan and back again. In a way, I feel like I am always looking for connections to the music I grew up with in a lot of what I listen to today (which is one of the reasons I love your band so much).

Did you also have someone (a relative or other important person in your life) who was influential in defining your diverse style, and do you still find yourself connecting back to the music you grew up with in what you listen to (and write and perform) today?

Tony:

Many people were hugely influential in how I grew as a music lover and musician. I was blessed to have four older siblings who introduced me to Iron Maiden, Led Zeppelin, Frank Zappa and the Mothers, early Genesis, Queen, NIN, Tool, R.E.M. My best friend since the age of two ([and currently] singer of Old E Allstars) [had a] father [who] was a blues singer; we were always at his shows. He introduced us to a lot of Stax, Motown, and doo-wop. Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, The Temptations. My father was a soul singer who gave me an early education in Parliament/Funkadelic, Curtis Mayfield, Prince.

So all that combined with growing up in the 80s and 90s made for lots of classic and golden era hip-hop as well. As a musician, I feel it’s my job to dissect and understand what I’m listening to. It isn’t enough for music to be mildly entertaining, it has to be challenging. Because of that, I listen to a lot of classical and jazz in my free time. Prince, Zappa and Funkadelic are huge staples as well.

(2.)

Asya:

I know that you also play bass for The Old E All-Stars, and it seems to me that keeping an underlying funkiness in everything is an important aspect to who you are as a musician. What funk or soul artists do you look to for inspiration, and how do you keep it fresh and apply that to Solarburn as a primarily rock/metal band?

Tony:

Definitely George Clinton, Prince, Sly Stone. Funk is always fresh. It’s an attitude and lifestyle, the style of music is just one means of expression for funkiness. It’s who I am. Other than our volume and speed, I don’t even see us as a metal act. The genre and title is more for others looking in. We just try to make the best music we can, and continue to challenge ourselves.

(3.)

Asya:

You are definitely a bad-ass bass player (one of my personal favorites). Is there someone or something in particular that influenced you to choose that instrument? Also, is there any other instrument you play that people might not know about, or something you would like to learn in the future?
 
Tony:

Haha, thank you very much! I started on sax, but it just didn’t stick. My best friend started playing guitar and it was a natural choice for me. I had no idea how much I would love it and that it would become my life. It’s the best decision I ever made. I play some guitar and a little mandolin. The only musical hurdle I haven’t achieved is to refine my voice and learn to sing the way my father did as I was growing up. He has a voice that would shake the neighborhood. I loved coming home from school and hearing him sing.

(4.)

Asya:

Besides being a musician, you’re a pretty diverse, free-thinking type of guy with an interesting sense of humor; what are some things you draw inspiration from or that are important to you, other than music?
 
Tony:

I love history, so documentaries are huge to me. All types, military, religious, cultural. I especially love science on all levels. When it comes to books, I love music bios. I’m a bartender and bar manager; the bar I run (Eclipse Lounge) has no TVs and no jukebox, we select the music and we are the entertainment for customers, so it’s important for me to be well versed in many subjects and be able to hold a conversation on any level. Because of that, I find inspiration in anything and everything. I love breaking rules. Any chance to do things differently is inspiring to me.

(5.)

Asya:

On April 2nd, you are set to play with Otep at the Altar Bar. I heard that this will be your first time playing at that venue, but it seems like you guys in Solarburn are generally open to playing in just about any setting with anyone. If you had your choice, who would YOU like to see your band play shows with in the future?
 
Tony:

The people I want to play with are the ones that will blow us off the stage. I love that challenge and competition. Gov’t Mule, Prince, the bands that just can’t be touched are who I dream about playing with. I would love to have to hold my own around that level of greatness and experience.

(6.)

Asya:

Can you describe your musical style in six words or less?
 
Tony:

“Blue Collar Funk Soul Rock Roll!”

 
Again, Solarburn will be performing at the Altar Bar on Tuesday, April 2nd, along with Otep, One Eyed Doll, Picture Me Broken, and Long Time Divided. More details on that show (presented by Drusky Entertainment) can be found here.

All three band members (Tony, Mike, and Russ) will have advance no-service-charge tickets for that show, which they are selling cheaper than you will find through the venue or the promoter! For more information, contact them on Facebook or via the official Solarburn email address, thescumbag(at)gmail(dot)com.

 
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Solarburn: Facebook, ReverbNation