Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Awesome review by "MTUK 'Zine"
Imagine the scene: you're just had a jam, setting out your musical agenda. You know everything is ticking over just nicely, it's just you can't think of a name. Especially so if you're an immensely talented, intelligent and versatile trio, who solve the problem of what genre to occupy by simply ignoring such petty concerns, and simply playing whatever you like. I imagine the conversation of a name went thus:
"Hey man, what name should we give our band?"
"Huh? Sorry, I was busy putting in this 17/5 time signature. What were you saying?"
"We need a band name"
"Fuck it, we'll call us Name"
"Hell yeah! 17/5 you say? Let's hit it!"
To say there's a lot to get your teeth into is a bit of an understatement. Never mind the kitchen sink, they also throw in the rest of the showroom, the car park, and the retail park slip road in too. In contrast to that tortuous metaphor, the music here is as seamless as a lycra catsuit. The base style, as it were, will be instantly familiar to those whose tastes run towards the likes of War From A Harlot's Mouth and Dimitri-era Dillinger Escape Plan: dense riffing in a compressed hardcore mode, together with the occasional jazz-esque free-roaming breakdown that borders on the progressive.
Where Name stand out from the crowd is the generous dollops of other genres they spread tastefully among the songs. The close-out of opening cut 'Killer Whales, Man' builds up a furious head of steam, but then someway, somehow, seamlessly segues into a riff that could easily have Phil Anselmo growling over the top. 'My Sweetheart, The Whore' makes use of that aforementioned breakdown, but the intricate bass wanderings echo the late Jaco Pastorius; a technique further used on 'Charmer', together with delicate cymbal strokes, suggests something more is going on here.
Even when they are being somewhat conventional, there's a breathtaking control to their music. While the songs might serve, it's clearly all tightly under control, rather than just madcap careering: 'Dave Mustaine' does have a bizarre synth breakdown that sounds like they're taking the piss out of New Order, but it still fits in among the fearsomely drilling music. It's a mark of craftsmanship that you scarcely notice the seven minute running time, nor indeed the running time of any of the songs, such is the absorbing talent on display here. As incongruous as the name Name is, they have a damn good sound here that may even prove to be one of the highlights of 2010.
http://www.myspace.com/name
Steve Jones
http://www.metalteamuk.net/mar10reviews/cdreviews-name.htm
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Review on "Cosmos Gaming"
Our Take
"My first encounter with California's NAME came back in late 2008, when the band sent me over a couple preview tracks of their upcoming album Internet Killed the Audio Star. It was clear from the songs that I had access to that these guys took a great deal of influence from mathcore and hardcore bands but also had plenty of their own ideas. Internet Killed the Audio Star was originally due out last year, but finally came out this past February. Offering over an hour's worth of material, it appears that the group ended up being even more ambitious than I initially anticipated and the results are stunning.
As you might expect from a mathcore act, NAME's vocals do tend to favor intense screaming/growling. However, listeners might be surprised to discover that the group has also included quite a bit of clean vocals as well. This gives many of the songs on the album a nice level of variety and also gives listeners a bit of time to breathe, because even the screaming/growling can start to get so aggressive that it tires listeners out. When one considers how long the album is (it clocks in at around an hour and seventeen minutes), the decision to offer some mellower vocals from time to time seems like a smart one. However, it is worth mentioning that when clean singing is utilized it sometimes seems a little weak and this is one area that NAME could certainly keep working on. It isn't a very big issue, but if the group was to tighten up this style a bit they could probably utilize more often and add even more variety to their material.
NAME's instrumentalists have clearly been influenced by a wide variety of music styles and it comes out in their music. As I mentioned earlier, the entire album lasts for over an hour and in this period of time the group offers everything from spastic mathcore to jazz inspired experimental metal. There are a few moments here and there where things feel slightly disjointed, but for the most part things flow very well. The four part "Empathetic Communicator" is a perfect example of the group really hitting their stride, as there is a perfect blend of atmospheric melodies and heavy hitting riffs. Compared to many of the other metal bands out there, NAME is easily one of the most unclassifiable due to just how many different elements they are able to combine. It may be a lot to take in all at once, but once you've given this disc a few spins it becomes clear of just how brilliant it is.
There are some slight issues with the clean vocals, but that shouldn't stop anyone from checking out Internet Killed the Audio Star. NAME may have taken a long time to get this album out, but the wait has certainly been worth it. If these guys can keep this kind of experimentation up, they could end up being one of the most exciting bands that the scene has spawned in the past few years."
http://www.lifeforcerecords.com/
Chris Dahlberg
March 26, 2010
http://www.cosmosgaming.com/articles.php?id=2584&articletype=review
"My first encounter with California's NAME came back in late 2008, when the band sent me over a couple preview tracks of their upcoming album Internet Killed the Audio Star. It was clear from the songs that I had access to that these guys took a great deal of influence from mathcore and hardcore bands but also had plenty of their own ideas. Internet Killed the Audio Star was originally due out last year, but finally came out this past February. Offering over an hour's worth of material, it appears that the group ended up being even more ambitious than I initially anticipated and the results are stunning.
As you might expect from a mathcore act, NAME's vocals do tend to favor intense screaming/growling. However, listeners might be surprised to discover that the group has also included quite a bit of clean vocals as well. This gives many of the songs on the album a nice level of variety and also gives listeners a bit of time to breathe, because even the screaming/growling can start to get so aggressive that it tires listeners out. When one considers how long the album is (it clocks in at around an hour and seventeen minutes), the decision to offer some mellower vocals from time to time seems like a smart one. However, it is worth mentioning that when clean singing is utilized it sometimes seems a little weak and this is one area that NAME could certainly keep working on. It isn't a very big issue, but if the group was to tighten up this style a bit they could probably utilize more often and add even more variety to their material.
NAME's instrumentalists have clearly been influenced by a wide variety of music styles and it comes out in their music. As I mentioned earlier, the entire album lasts for over an hour and in this period of time the group offers everything from spastic mathcore to jazz inspired experimental metal. There are a few moments here and there where things feel slightly disjointed, but for the most part things flow very well. The four part "Empathetic Communicator" is a perfect example of the group really hitting their stride, as there is a perfect blend of atmospheric melodies and heavy hitting riffs. Compared to many of the other metal bands out there, NAME is easily one of the most unclassifiable due to just how many different elements they are able to combine. It may be a lot to take in all at once, but once you've given this disc a few spins it becomes clear of just how brilliant it is.
There are some slight issues with the clean vocals, but that shouldn't stop anyone from checking out Internet Killed the Audio Star. NAME may have taken a long time to get this album out, but the wait has certainly been worth it. If these guys can keep this kind of experimentation up, they could end up being one of the most exciting bands that the scene has spawned in the past few years."
http://www.lifeforcerecords.com/
Chris Dahlberg
March 26, 2010
http://www.cosmosgaming.com/articles.php?id=2584&articletype=review
Hotmail: Trusted email with powerful SPAM protection. Sign up now.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Amazing review by Decoy Music
First off the 4 bands they compared us to were Napalm Death, Karsh Kalae, Mare, and Botch... Which, in my opinion, are the best bands we've had named dropped YET. So, that already pumped me up. But read on:
"Wow. After taking a listen to this album I am a little bit dizzy and feel like I've been bludgeoned to death five times over. This is not Phil Collins, and this is not James Taylor. There is no easy listening here. Name's Facebook page states the following credo, "Repetition is the death of art... Tradition is the enemy of progress." Internet Killed the Audio Star is a strikingly bold debut manifesto by a band that is not only ambitious, but able enough to deliver on those high-minded goals.
The top two reasons that I'll write a negative review for an album are that the artist doesn't seem to have any passion for what they're doing and that the artist doesn't challenge their abilities. Name will not get a negative review from me. Name is amazing in that they constantly challenge not only themselves but the listener, and they are all passion. I will be honest. I don't like music that consists of a singer just screaming maniacally over squealing guitars with double kick drums spewing out 64th notes all the time. It seems to me to be a sonically limited muse to follow. On first listen, I thought that's the kind of band I was dealing with here, but I learned quickly that although there is a lot of that, Name is so much more.
Check out the song "Mare." There are great angular guitar lines peering out from underneath the screaming at the beginning. Then it turns into a poppy ditty, then into a bluesy swing. "The Sycophant, The Saint & The Gamefox" begins with jazzy cymbal riding and guitar noodling. These people are not butchers, but are instead one of the most boundlessly versatile bands I've heard.
There are a couple things that I love about this album. First off, there are the song titles. You've got to love a band that entitles their songs, "My Sweetheart, the Whore" and "Killer Whales, Man." Also, the fact that they named their four-part mid-album suite "Empathic Communicator" when I couldn't understand five lines of lyrics on the whole album was amusing to me. Secondly, unlike most music that sticks very well to a chord progression repeated over and over with maybe a bridge thrown in to add some variety, this band seemingly doesn't repeat itself at all. It's as if they're just taking two minute long snippets of music they've created and pieced them together to create a "song." Very prog. Very good! Finally, there is a mellow jazzy instrumental near the end called "You'll Never Die in This Town Again" which is a much needed break in the intensity-fest that is this album.
The major qualm I have with this album is that it is too long. I cannot listen to this album in one sitting. It is 79 minutes long. Especially with all the brutality and violence that it brings to the ears, I can only listen to about ? of it until I just have to turn it off and go to sunnier music. In fact, I can't say that I really like more than half of the music on the disc. It reminds me of My Bloody Valentine and Stereolab in that way. I can't take long stretches of their music, but they have a definite creative vision and stick to it. And I absolutely respect Name for their vision. I just hope that they never lose their creative restlessness or energy. Name is a band that aims to shake up the stagnant nature of commercial music. If this album reaches a lot of ears, they just may do it.
4 out of 4 stars"
http://www.decoymusic.com/reviews/name-internet-killed-the-audio-star
A laid back interview...
(a more laid back interview with SMNnews.com)
Hey Wes, hope all is well. Looks like the response to Internet Killed The Audio Star has been great so far. It is such an expansive yet monstrous release. You guys must be pretty proud, huh?
W: Incredibly proud. We spent years trying to put the pieces together to make the album and when it finally fell into place, I wanted to just go on a celebratory drinking binge and smash things out of joy. We're definitely pumped about getting the record out there and especially pumped about the response its been getting. We've put so much of ourselves into this record, that every positive aspect surrounding it has been twice as rewarding.
My favorite song on Internet Killed The Audio Star is "Charmer". It's quite charming and I love the melody and its intensity. What are some of your favorites off of Internet Killed The Audio Star?
W: That's very cool that you brought that track up. "Charmer" is one of my personal favorites. Its dark and ugly, definitely the angriest song I've ever written. It was actually the last track written for the record and at that time, my frame of reference was incredibly clear and focused to the atmosphere we converged around the album. So at that point, I was incredibly disappointed in the genre/scene, so that came out lyrically. Which is funny, because that's what "Killer Whales, Man" is about as well, haha... But, as far as favorites, it's hard to choose, being that we had basically 30-40 demos and narrowed it down to the tracks we used. If I had pick some, I'd have to say I love the "Empathic" chapters. It was an incredibly fun and challenging piece to work on. Another one would have to be "Avaler l'Ocean". I had that song for YEARS and my brother just ask about it towards the end of the writing/rehearsal process. I think it showcases a direction we always toyed with but never went the complete distance with. Then theres "My Sweetheart, The Whore", "Mare", and "The Sycophant, The Saint, & The Gamefox"... Like I said, its hard to pick just one, haha.
I know this is a generic question, but how did NAME get their band name?
W: I just had the name for awhile, was writing a lot of poetry, short stories, and music under the name, but nothing big time. We didn't rush the process, we just kind of worked with the songs until a name felt right. The name "name" just made so much sense to us, we knew it was the right pick.
Who / what are some of your main influences when composing?
W: That's always a hard question to answer directly. Musically and ethically I usually refer back to the aesthetic of the late 60's, early 70's. I just respect music then because people were so open minded to the genres involved and the bands were just touring monsters. They wrote such cerebral music it blows my mind to this day. So ahead of it's time. But if I had to name bands, I'd say Led Zeppelin, Yes, Pink Floyd, The Beatles, Massive Attack, Deftones, Faith No More, Napalm Death, Sepultura, Silverchair, Soundgarden, Cannibal Corpse, Tears for Fears, Depeche Mode... These are just a few of my personal influences. Every one of those bands are just burned into my mind and influenced everything from my vocals, guitar playing, lyrics, writing and composing in general.
You recently played a show on the METAL AS ART Tour with our bros in Hypno5e, Revocation, and The Binary Code. That must've been a fun one, eh?
W: It was a fucking blast to say the least! All amazing bands. It was refreshing as hell playing with like minded people. We all played large and loud and then had the after party at my place, which lead to drinking literally every last drop I had in my place, which is a lot, mind you. I always keep reserves around and it just led to loudness, punching, cougars, Michael McDonald ("she drives my rapey!"), man cuddles (Phil!), and drinking a shit load of Tapatio in their sleep (Todd!)... Goddamn that was a fun night. Homies for life, those guys.
When we come to San Francisco, where are some good places to catch a show, grab a bite to eat, party it up?
W: That's one thing I love about living in SF, there's so much to do here. It's such an amalgam of culture and art. For shows, you want to hit up Slims and Great American Music Hall. I actually worked for the company for a long time and GAMH is literally right across the street from me, so I'm never without music. Theres also Thee Parkside, Submission, Bottom of the Hill, and about 50+ other places. This whole fucking city is surrounded by it. Food, man oh man, you have the best around. Bobby and I are vegetarians, so there are so many options for us out here, which can usually be harder. Burritos, hit up Chunkys on Hyde & Ofarrell. Best goddamn burritos ever. Lahore, best Indian food in town. Shit, I could go on forever. Bars, theres my "Cheers" on Polk called Hemlock. Its a punk bar which seems to be the central hub for all musicians, tattoo artists, writers, etc. So theres always someone interesting to talk to, awesome music, cheap beer, endless whiskey, and an awesome staff. Definitely check that place out. You also got Whiskey Thieves, Nitecap, Beauty Bar, Kilowatt, and my house, haha.
So have you got some tour plans in the works?
W: We have plans in the works which we hope to announce soon. We're trying to keep as busy as possible, but it's more difficult then one would think. We just want to tour this album into the ground, so once we take off, don't expect us to stop anytime soon.
What are some guilty pleasures that one might not expect to see on your ipod?
W: I never really feel guilty about anything I listen to, but there ARE some artists people give me shit for like Sade, Justin Timberlake, Dido, Sara Mclachlan, Bjork, Inara George, my collection of vintage bossa nova, Brian Eno, etc. I love it all. I'm very into female vocalists and synth pop, so people tease me for it. Fuck 'em.
Here's a fun and tricky question. If you were to organize a dream tour, who would be on it?
W: Oh man, that is tricky. Dead bands, I'd want Yes, Led Zep, and Pink Floyd. Just cause each band could have an hour set each and still only play 3 songs. Or Soundgarden and Faith No More. Without those bands we wouldn't exist. Ooo, Sepultura. OG though, with Max and Igor. Miles Davis, Jaco Pastorious, Pat Metheny, John McLaughlin. That's a goddamn tour... I could seriously go on and on. But, I won't. As a musician and a professional music appreciator, it's an endless well of unearthly possibilities.
Again, congrats on your success with Internet Killed The Audio Star so far. How does the future look for NAME?
W: The futures so bright, I gotta wear....those thing..what are they called? You put them on your face and the lens' dampen the rays of the sun. Creating a shade like effect... Eh, I can't think. But yeah, gotta wear those... Keep an eye out.
Hey Wes, hope all is well. Looks like the response to Internet Killed The Audio Star has been great so far. It is such an expansive yet monstrous release. You guys must be pretty proud, huh?
W: Incredibly proud. We spent years trying to put the pieces together to make the album and when it finally fell into place, I wanted to just go on a celebratory drinking binge and smash things out of joy. We're definitely pumped about getting the record out there and especially pumped about the response its been getting. We've put so much of ourselves into this record, that every positive aspect surrounding it has been twice as rewarding.
My favorite song on Internet Killed The Audio Star is "Charmer". It's quite charming and I love the melody and its intensity. What are some of your favorites off of Internet Killed The Audio Star?
W: That's very cool that you brought that track up. "Charmer" is one of my personal favorites. Its dark and ugly, definitely the angriest song I've ever written. It was actually the last track written for the record and at that time, my frame of reference was incredibly clear and focused to the atmosphere we converged around the album. So at that point, I was incredibly disappointed in the genre/scene, so that came out lyrically. Which is funny, because that's what "Killer Whales, Man" is about as well, haha... But, as far as favorites, it's hard to choose, being that we had basically 30-40 demos and narrowed it down to the tracks we used. If I had pick some, I'd have to say I love the "Empathic" chapters. It was an incredibly fun and challenging piece to work on. Another one would have to be "Avaler l'Ocean". I had that song for YEARS and my brother just ask about it towards the end of the writing/rehearsal process. I think it showcases a direction we always toyed with but never went the complete distance with. Then theres "My Sweetheart, The Whore", "Mare", and "The Sycophant, The Saint, & The Gamefox"... Like I said, its hard to pick just one, haha.
I know this is a generic question, but how did NAME get their band name?
W: I just had the name for awhile, was writing a lot of poetry, short stories, and music under the name, but nothing big time. We didn't rush the process, we just kind of worked with the songs until a name felt right. The name "name" just made so much sense to us, we knew it was the right pick.
Who / what are some of your main influences when composing?
W: That's always a hard question to answer directly. Musically and ethically I usually refer back to the aesthetic of the late 60's, early 70's. I just respect music then because people were so open minded to the genres involved and the bands were just touring monsters. They wrote such cerebral music it blows my mind to this day. So ahead of it's time. But if I had to name bands, I'd say Led Zeppelin, Yes, Pink Floyd, The Beatles, Massive Attack, Deftones, Faith No More, Napalm Death, Sepultura, Silverchair, Soundgarden, Cannibal Corpse, Tears for Fears, Depeche Mode... These are just a few of my personal influences. Every one of those bands are just burned into my mind and influenced everything from my vocals, guitar playing, lyrics, writing and composing in general.
You recently played a show on the METAL AS ART Tour with our bros in Hypno5e, Revocation, and The Binary Code. That must've been a fun one, eh?
W: It was a fucking blast to say the least! All amazing bands. It was refreshing as hell playing with like minded people. We all played large and loud and then had the after party at my place, which lead to drinking literally every last drop I had in my place, which is a lot, mind you. I always keep reserves around and it just led to loudness, punching, cougars, Michael McDonald ("she drives my rapey!"), man cuddles (Phil!), and drinking a shit load of Tapatio in their sleep (Todd!)... Goddamn that was a fun night. Homies for life, those guys.
When we come to San Francisco, where are some good places to catch a show, grab a bite to eat, party it up?
W: That's one thing I love about living in SF, there's so much to do here. It's such an amalgam of culture and art. For shows, you want to hit up Slims and Great American Music Hall. I actually worked for the company for a long time and GAMH is literally right across the street from me, so I'm never without music. Theres also Thee Parkside, Submission, Bottom of the Hill, and about 50+ other places. This whole fucking city is surrounded by it. Food, man oh man, you have the best around. Bobby and I are vegetarians, so there are so many options for us out here, which can usually be harder. Burritos, hit up Chunkys on Hyde & Ofarrell. Best goddamn burritos ever. Lahore, best Indian food in town. Shit, I could go on forever. Bars, theres my "Cheers" on Polk called Hemlock. Its a punk bar which seems to be the central hub for all musicians, tattoo artists, writers, etc. So theres always someone interesting to talk to, awesome music, cheap beer, endless whiskey, and an awesome staff. Definitely check that place out. You also got Whiskey Thieves, Nitecap, Beauty Bar, Kilowatt, and my house, haha.
So have you got some tour plans in the works?
W: We have plans in the works which we hope to announce soon. We're trying to keep as busy as possible, but it's more difficult then one would think. We just want to tour this album into the ground, so once we take off, don't expect us to stop anytime soon.
What are some guilty pleasures that one might not expect to see on your ipod?
W: I never really feel guilty about anything I listen to, but there ARE some artists people give me shit for like Sade, Justin Timberlake, Dido, Sara Mclachlan, Bjork, Inara George, my collection of vintage bossa nova, Brian Eno, etc. I love it all. I'm very into female vocalists and synth pop, so people tease me for it. Fuck 'em.
Here's a fun and tricky question. If you were to organize a dream tour, who would be on it?
W: Oh man, that is tricky. Dead bands, I'd want Yes, Led Zep, and Pink Floyd. Just cause each band could have an hour set each and still only play 3 songs. Or Soundgarden and Faith No More. Without those bands we wouldn't exist. Ooo, Sepultura. OG though, with Max and Igor. Miles Davis, Jaco Pastorious, Pat Metheny, John McLaughlin. That's a goddamn tour... I could seriously go on and on. But, I won't. As a musician and a professional music appreciator, it's an endless well of unearthly possibilities.
Again, congrats on your success with Internet Killed The Audio Star so far. How does the future look for NAME?
W: The futures so bright, I gotta wear....those thing..what are they called? You put them on your face and the lens' dampen the rays of the sun. Creating a shade like effect... Eh, I can't think. But yeah, gotta wear those... Keep an eye out.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Review on "Blistering.com"
[7.5/10] Math metal is forever going to keep chasing the tail of Dillinger Escape Plan. We know that already. Yet if the scene wants to have any success, there has to be some attempt at branching out, whether it's through more shoe-gaze avenues or going the industrial pop route like Dillinger themselves. Considering the two options, San Francisco's N.A.M.E. (which stands for New Approach For Martyrs Expressions) took both and ran with it on The Internet Killed the Audio Star and ran with it they did.
In terms of the math metal structure, N.A.M.E. don't pelt anyone with a flurry of notes; rather they operate in frazzled, noisecore regions on "Killer Whales, Man" and the humorously titled "Dave Mustaine." Sure, there's a lot of what has already been done going on here, yet N.A.M.E. keep things interesting by adding melodic flourishes to their music, something that drives home the four-part "Emphatic Communicator" series. EMO territory is partially, if barely explored during these portions, although one has to say the melodies present are too strong to lambast with such a tag.
Additional passages of the shoe or metalgaze nature are unveiled during the gentle "Avaler l' Ocean," while a brief techno ditty pops up on "The Sycophant, the Saint, the Gamefox," thus warranting those Dillinger-circa 2007 comparisons. The kitchen-sink approach is in full effect, obviously.
For a scene that is so accustomed to aping one another, N.A.M.E. has gotten off to a promising start, primarily because of their melodic tendancies. Bear in mind they don't sound like your Johnny-Come-Lately mathcore band; this more disciplined, expansive metal of the math variety that is a few sticks of dynamite away from full detonation.
By David E. Gehlke
http://www.blistering.com/fastpage/fpengine.php/link/1/templateid/18402/tempidx/4/menuid/2
Review on Slugmag.com
Name
Internet Killed the Audio Star
Lifeforce Records
Street 02.10
Name = Psypus + Cursed + The Chariot
If you like Between the Buried and Me half as much as the members of San Francisco's Name do, then you'll get a kick out of Internet Killed the Audio Star. That's not an insult-Name truly have crafted an album worthy of your time, combining legitimate musicianship with smart songwriting and unconventional lyricism. Wes Fareas' versatility as a vocalist is apparent, and though his attempts at melodic singing come across a bit emo, he hurls everything from a guttural growl to a strident screech like a pro. The album opener, "Killer Whales, Man," dazzles with technical prowess, then ends so thunderously that after first listen, I had to restart the track just to get my fill before moving on. I will say that this album is long, at almost an hour and 20 minutes, but despite the fat, IKAS is a healthy portion of tasty metal worth the chewing.
Internet Killed the Audio Star
Lifeforce Records
Street 02.10
Name = Psypus + Cursed + The Chariot
If you like Between the Buried and Me half as much as the members of San Francisco's Name do, then you'll get a kick out of Internet Killed the Audio Star. That's not an insult-Name truly have crafted an album worthy of your time, combining legitimate musicianship with smart songwriting and unconventional lyricism. Wes Fareas' versatility as a vocalist is apparent, and though his attempts at melodic singing come across a bit emo, he hurls everything from a guttural growl to a strident screech like a pro. The album opener, "Killer Whales, Man," dazzles with technical prowess, then ends so thunderously that after first listen, I had to restart the track just to get my fill before moving on. I will say that this album is long, at almost an hour and 20 minutes, but despite the fat, IKAS is a healthy portion of tasty metal worth the chewing.
-Andrew Roy
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Interview w/ "Lords of Metal Magazine"
INTERVIEW from LORDS OF METAL
Name of the band: name
Website band / artiest: http://www.myspace.com/name
Magazine: Lords Of Metal
Website LoM: http://www.lordsofmetal.nl
Questions by: Richard G.
Answers by: Wes Fareas (preferably)
(This will be published in their next issue.)
Interview:
First off many congratulations with the Lifeforce release of your new record ‘Internet Killed The Audio Star’. The music that is on display there blew my mind completely! Could you give a short description of what our readers can expect when they put on your record?
Answer: First off, thank you sincerely for the kind words. But, the record encompasses the long, hard road it took to complete this beast of a record. Its an amalgam of everything we've ever been influenced by. That being said, we feel there is something for everyone to appreciate on the record. We've never limited ourselves from taking in influence of all the music we've come to love, the art we appreciate, the films we relate to or adapt to, the literature that inspires us, etc. We just reflect the product of this melting pot of influence. If you listen to it with an open mind, you will definitely be able to understand where we're coming from.
The title of your album asks for a short explanation as well. The play on words and reference to ‘Video Killed The Radio Star’ is obvious, but what is the theory behind this idea that the internet is responsible for the death of music?
Answer: The concept of the record focuses on the obvious evolutionary step we've come to take in music. I feel the internet has damaged the integrity of artists. Yes, it has opened so many doors and created a wonderful platform for exposure. Yes, it does make it easier to connect with your fans. But, I feel it also limits the work ethic behind being in a successful band. Some "bands" don't tour at all, they just make music on a home recording device, upload it to myspace and add a million people. All of a sudden, this false sense of legitimacy takes over, others believe that bullshit, and then suddenly they're making money. I just feel its a slap in the face to those who get out their and work to make it happen. I do believe the internet is a great tool to take advantage of and use in your favor, but not to rely on.
I am sorry to be the umpteenth interviewer to ask you this, but another aspect of your band that begs for some explanation is of course your band name. Could you enlighten us what it stands for and why you chose this as your moniker?
Answer: The name itself is an acronym for "the new approach to martyrs expressions". The name applies to us with the aspect of how we treat our art. Its part of us, we have no say in the matter. Our bodies and minds and infused with art and music. We accept it and find peace in it, regardless of what style we choose to approach on any song. Or from now until the future, for that matter. That being said, the name "name" though allows us some breathing room with our genres. We feel some names can limit you in your genre. "name" just implies you'd have to listen to us for yourself to decipher it, in some sense, and call us whatever style you may.
Stylistically you guys are all over the place, though musical extremity seems to be at the core of everything you do. What is your philosophy behind making music?
Answer: We believe in honesty. The mind of anyone with a vision or goal is as sporadic as any of us could imagine. The music simply represents that trait. The chaos and extremity behind our music is as cerebral as the ideas that put these sections in our music in the first place. We believe to make any good thing work, you need to do it with total conviction. That's why, when we apply odd styles in our aggressive, metal sections, we try to make it as authentic as possible. From the gear we use, to the state of mind we're in when we write and record. But referring back to the aforementioned point, I feel if you aren't honest in your music, you're just going to look back at your body of work and wish you had done things different. No one should feel guilt because of their art.
How do you feel about bands that adhere to different principles?
Answer: There are going to be varying, unique views on their music and art as a whole. I think its refreshing to know that can't be controlled. Even if they are opposing views to my own, as long as they believe in what THEY are doing, I can respect it. I don't respect those that deliberately set out to be a carbon copy. But alas, there will always been new bands with an identity crisis.
Are there any bands out there that you feel stylistically, or maybe philosophically related to?
Answer: Not really any bands specifically as it is more the aesthetic we feel related too. We respect the bands from the 60's and 70's big time. We usually make that pretty apparent, because we really respect their ethic. They played honest music. Didn't matter if the songs were 3 minutes or 27 minutes. They were a band of musicians on a similar plain. They had to be, they recorded the tracks all together because they felt it. They toured for years on end behind the music. I just appreciate how hard the pushed to make it a career. Nowadays, they aesthetic is alive and well in certain bands that are aware that they have to go out and make it happen. But for the most part, bands have just gotten lazy.
While composing songs, does the thought ever occur to you that all those styles might be experienced as incoherent by your listeners?
Answer: Yes, we're totally aware of that. We make music for us. It is kind of selfish in a sense, but that's what has made us fans in the first place. Which, in turn, forces us to be more selfish every time we go back to write more material. Its kind of a funny cycle. We commonly make the joke that we love fucking with people. Which more means we like the fact people don't know what to expect. By applying different styles into the album collectively, we feel people can approach the record as somewhat of a soundtrack. Listen to the album as a whole or listen to the tracks that pertain to your mood at the time. It also allows us to play with different genres of bands, giving us the ability to adjust a set list to whatever we feel is necessary to the bands involved.
One piece that stands out on your record is the four-partner ‘Emphatic Communicator’, why did you decide to cut this up into parts, whereas ‘Mare’ and ‘The Sycophant, The Saint and The Gamefox’ are pretty long (nine and ten minutes respectively)?
Answer: "Empathic Communicator" is roughly 22 minutes in length. It is intended to be looked at as a story with 4 chapters, musically and lyrically. As natural as it would be to make it 1 track, we're aware of some peoples attention spans not being able to handle it, so we felt it was smarter to split the tracks up so listeners could experience all 4 songs equally, in their own right, rather then get impatient and anxious 14 minutes in and skip a track. We feel it worked better this way.
Should we consider you guys releasing an album of 77 minutes length with so much diversity on it as a statement against the current state of music?
Answer: To be honest, we just happened to have a ridiculous amount of material. Upon choosing the songs for the record, we still had a shit load of songs that we didn't even get to. We're constantly writing at home, on the road. So, expect EPs and what not probably happening next year... But, the aspect of making a statement still stands relatively true. We understand that its incredibly easy to just download the album on some torrent page, but we thought by putting as much music on there as possible, it would be easier to pay $10 or so. I can understand if the album costs $13 and there's only 9 or so tracks on there. We approached it with the "more bang for your buck" ethic.
Is there a way back according to you guys? What should change?
Answer: Due to evolution, art will always be an adaptive element. I don't think theres a way back and I slightly take comfort in that fact. Its frightening, but exciting, since we don't know how music will be 10 years now. In retrospect, we are slowly learning as a culture about where these subtle influences come from, and I'm not limiting it to just music, and applying that ethic. I have my own theories as to what should be different, but its more introspective with a sense of opposition than a demand towards our current music makers. We're ready for whatever the future brings. I just hope we progress as a culture, rather then treating music like a fashion show.
So when looking at your MySpace, it seems that name is actually a three-piece, how the fuck do you pull off that wall of sound live?
Answer: I don't really know how to answer that, haha. Sonically, we've seemed to find the sound we wanted to make it sound warm, honest, and big. But other then that, we've never really looked at it as anything other then just play the songs how we wrote them. We are proud that we've successfully managed to re-interpret our record to the stage, while still giving the songs a unique personality live.
Speaking of which, what can we expect from an average live show by name?
Answer: You can expect one of the most intense shows you've ever been too. We love music and enjoy the music we make. Yes, we have a serious standpoint on our music, but that doesn't change the fact we became involved with music in the first place because it was so much fun. We make sure to keep that trait live. We have fun every show, every night. We're just happy to be up there. Being that we play aggressive music, it definitely fuels the ol' proverbial fire. Especially if the crowds respond in turn with intensity. We guarantee you'll have fun at a 'name' show. Just do yourself a favor and don't hold back. Never hold back.
And the most important question, of course, is when will we be able to see you guys play over here in Europe?
Answer: A big goal for us is to get out over seas before the end of the year. We're hoping to get that email or phone call sparking the opportunity being that its figuratively and literally foreign territory. Like I said, we just need that spark that can take us over to you folks and play everywhere possible.
These were my questions for now. Thanks a bunch for your time, but even more so for your music! Hope to see you guys soon over here and good luck promoting ‘Internet Killed The Audio Star’! If you have anything to add, please go ahead.
Answer: We sincerely appreciate anyone who takes time out of their day to just learn more about 3 music nerds from the bay. Thank you for checking out the record, thank you to those who will be checking out the record and an extra special thank to those who have already purchased it. Keep in touch with us through our various streams of media and keep checking back for tour dates as the WILL show up. Thank you again and spread the word to your friends. Cheers.
Name of the band: name
Website band / artiest: http://www.myspace.com/name
Magazine: Lords Of Metal
Website LoM: http://www.lordsofmetal.nl
Questions by: Richard G.
Answers by: Wes Fareas (preferably)
(This will be published in their next issue.)
Interview:
First off many congratulations with the Lifeforce release of your new record ‘Internet Killed The Audio Star’. The music that is on display there blew my mind completely! Could you give a short description of what our readers can expect when they put on your record?
Answer: First off, thank you sincerely for the kind words. But, the record encompasses the long, hard road it took to complete this beast of a record. Its an amalgam of everything we've ever been influenced by. That being said, we feel there is something for everyone to appreciate on the record. We've never limited ourselves from taking in influence of all the music we've come to love, the art we appreciate, the films we relate to or adapt to, the literature that inspires us, etc. We just reflect the product of this melting pot of influence. If you listen to it with an open mind, you will definitely be able to understand where we're coming from.
The title of your album asks for a short explanation as well. The play on words and reference to ‘Video Killed The Radio Star’ is obvious, but what is the theory behind this idea that the internet is responsible for the death of music?
Answer: The concept of the record focuses on the obvious evolutionary step we've come to take in music. I feel the internet has damaged the integrity of artists. Yes, it has opened so many doors and created a wonderful platform for exposure. Yes, it does make it easier to connect with your fans. But, I feel it also limits the work ethic behind being in a successful band. Some "bands" don't tour at all, they just make music on a home recording device, upload it to myspace and add a million people. All of a sudden, this false sense of legitimacy takes over, others believe that bullshit, and then suddenly they're making money. I just feel its a slap in the face to those who get out their and work to make it happen. I do believe the internet is a great tool to take advantage of and use in your favor, but not to rely on.
I am sorry to be the umpteenth interviewer to ask you this, but another aspect of your band that begs for some explanation is of course your band name. Could you enlighten us what it stands for and why you chose this as your moniker?
Answer: The name itself is an acronym for "the new approach to martyrs expressions". The name applies to us with the aspect of how we treat our art. Its part of us, we have no say in the matter. Our bodies and minds and infused with art and music. We accept it and find peace in it, regardless of what style we choose to approach on any song. Or from now until the future, for that matter. That being said, the name "name" though allows us some breathing room with our genres. We feel some names can limit you in your genre. "name" just implies you'd have to listen to us for yourself to decipher it, in some sense, and call us whatever style you may.
Stylistically you guys are all over the place, though musical extremity seems to be at the core of everything you do. What is your philosophy behind making music?
Answer: We believe in honesty. The mind of anyone with a vision or goal is as sporadic as any of us could imagine. The music simply represents that trait. The chaos and extremity behind our music is as cerebral as the ideas that put these sections in our music in the first place. We believe to make any good thing work, you need to do it with total conviction. That's why, when we apply odd styles in our aggressive, metal sections, we try to make it as authentic as possible. From the gear we use, to the state of mind we're in when we write and record. But referring back to the aforementioned point, I feel if you aren't honest in your music, you're just going to look back at your body of work and wish you had done things different. No one should feel guilt because of their art.
How do you feel about bands that adhere to different principles?
Answer: There are going to be varying, unique views on their music and art as a whole. I think its refreshing to know that can't be controlled. Even if they are opposing views to my own, as long as they believe in what THEY are doing, I can respect it. I don't respect those that deliberately set out to be a carbon copy. But alas, there will always been new bands with an identity crisis.
Are there any bands out there that you feel stylistically, or maybe philosophically related to?
Answer: Not really any bands specifically as it is more the aesthetic we feel related too. We respect the bands from the 60's and 70's big time. We usually make that pretty apparent, because we really respect their ethic. They played honest music. Didn't matter if the songs were 3 minutes or 27 minutes. They were a band of musicians on a similar plain. They had to be, they recorded the tracks all together because they felt it. They toured for years on end behind the music. I just appreciate how hard the pushed to make it a career. Nowadays, they aesthetic is alive and well in certain bands that are aware that they have to go out and make it happen. But for the most part, bands have just gotten lazy.
While composing songs, does the thought ever occur to you that all those styles might be experienced as incoherent by your listeners?
Answer: Yes, we're totally aware of that. We make music for us. It is kind of selfish in a sense, but that's what has made us fans in the first place. Which, in turn, forces us to be more selfish every time we go back to write more material. Its kind of a funny cycle. We commonly make the joke that we love fucking with people. Which more means we like the fact people don't know what to expect. By applying different styles into the album collectively, we feel people can approach the record as somewhat of a soundtrack. Listen to the album as a whole or listen to the tracks that pertain to your mood at the time. It also allows us to play with different genres of bands, giving us the ability to adjust a set list to whatever we feel is necessary to the bands involved.
One piece that stands out on your record is the four-partner ‘Emphatic Communicator’, why did you decide to cut this up into parts, whereas ‘Mare’ and ‘The Sycophant, The Saint and The Gamefox’ are pretty long (nine and ten minutes respectively)?
Answer: "Empathic Communicator" is roughly 22 minutes in length. It is intended to be looked at as a story with 4 chapters, musically and lyrically. As natural as it would be to make it 1 track, we're aware of some peoples attention spans not being able to handle it, so we felt it was smarter to split the tracks up so listeners could experience all 4 songs equally, in their own right, rather then get impatient and anxious 14 minutes in and skip a track. We feel it worked better this way.
Should we consider you guys releasing an album of 77 minutes length with so much diversity on it as a statement against the current state of music?
Answer: To be honest, we just happened to have a ridiculous amount of material. Upon choosing the songs for the record, we still had a shit load of songs that we didn't even get to. We're constantly writing at home, on the road. So, expect EPs and what not probably happening next year... But, the aspect of making a statement still stands relatively true. We understand that its incredibly easy to just download the album on some torrent page, but we thought by putting as much music on there as possible, it would be easier to pay $10 or so. I can understand if the album costs $13 and there's only 9 or so tracks on there. We approached it with the "more bang for your buck" ethic.
Is there a way back according to you guys? What should change?
Answer: Due to evolution, art will always be an adaptive element. I don't think theres a way back and I slightly take comfort in that fact. Its frightening, but exciting, since we don't know how music will be 10 years now. In retrospect, we are slowly learning as a culture about where these subtle influences come from, and I'm not limiting it to just music, and applying that ethic. I have my own theories as to what should be different, but its more introspective with a sense of opposition than a demand towards our current music makers. We're ready for whatever the future brings. I just hope we progress as a culture, rather then treating music like a fashion show.
So when looking at your MySpace, it seems that name is actually a three-piece, how the fuck do you pull off that wall of sound live?
Answer: I don't really know how to answer that, haha. Sonically, we've seemed to find the sound we wanted to make it sound warm, honest, and big. But other then that, we've never really looked at it as anything other then just play the songs how we wrote them. We are proud that we've successfully managed to re-interpret our record to the stage, while still giving the songs a unique personality live.
Speaking of which, what can we expect from an average live show by name?
Answer: You can expect one of the most intense shows you've ever been too. We love music and enjoy the music we make. Yes, we have a serious standpoint on our music, but that doesn't change the fact we became involved with music in the first place because it was so much fun. We make sure to keep that trait live. We have fun every show, every night. We're just happy to be up there. Being that we play aggressive music, it definitely fuels the ol' proverbial fire. Especially if the crowds respond in turn with intensity. We guarantee you'll have fun at a 'name' show. Just do yourself a favor and don't hold back. Never hold back.
And the most important question, of course, is when will we be able to see you guys play over here in Europe?
Answer: A big goal for us is to get out over seas before the end of the year. We're hoping to get that email or phone call sparking the opportunity being that its figuratively and literally foreign territory. Like I said, we just need that spark that can take us over to you folks and play everywhere possible.
These were my questions for now. Thanks a bunch for your time, but even more so for your music! Hope to see you guys soon over here and good luck promoting ‘Internet Killed The Audio Star’! If you have anything to add, please go ahead.
Answer: We sincerely appreciate anyone who takes time out of their day to just learn more about 3 music nerds from the bay. Thank you for checking out the record, thank you to those who will be checking out the record and an extra special thank to those who have already purchased it. Keep in touch with us through our various streams of media and keep checking back for tour dates as the WILL show up. Thank you again and spread the word to your friends. Cheers.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Happy little green irish guy day!
Spring Break is here, St. Patrick's Day is here and the court just took away my daughter. My rampant alcoholism has never felt so validated. See you at graduation, Pookie! Save an awkward hug for mommy.
SOOOO, other then jokes and false information, another thing has landed, so strap in for some self-esteem boosting words, some laughs, and the next generation of stereotypes.
SOOOO, other then jokes and false information, another thing has landed, so strap in for some self-esteem boosting words, some laughs, and the next generation of stereotypes.
If you haven't noticed by now, our new record "Internet Killed The Audio Star" is slowly but surely contaminating music bins everwhere, so make sure to pick that up!!
Tour dates will also be announced soon so you little kiddies better be prepared for a sonic raping of sorts.
I'd like to also add at this point that we have landed a deal with Orange Amps, so youll be seeing the big, bright beautiful Orangey orange color on stage soon.
Last thing, just because we love you lots and lots, visit our merch store over at http://www.alexamachine.com.
Find something you like and input the code "audiostar" to get an addition 20% off!
Thats right, get 20% off of ANYTHING in the store!!
Just put in the code "audiostar" and help yourself!
Also, spread the love and have your friends add us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/nameband) and Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/name).
More reviews and interviews on the way.
Thank you chitlens.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Wesley's Interview w/ Fuze Magazine
(The interview was with European publication, Fuze Magazine... The theme of the short interview revolved around our name and the idea behind names in general. This is to be somewhat of a teaser to a bigger piece that will be written later on. The interview is with myself, Wesley.)
1) How important is the name of a band in general?
- I feel, weither you like it or not, it plays a vital roll in the perception of your music and nature to others.. Regardless if people are aware consciously or sub-consciously, it places a pre conceived notion at the forefront of their expectations of you. A lot of bands disregard that and, basically, just recycle the same names over and over again, especting people to take them seriously. By time they realize it, its to late.
2) What’s the meaning behind your band name? What do you want to
express with it?
- I always say it has 3 basic meanings. 1) It means "the new approach to martyrs expressions".. Which means we have always approached things with our art OUR way and we believe in it enough to die for. 2) Its slightly tounge-in-cheek. Who names their band NAME? Haha people either like it or hate it, but they never forget it. 3) The name clouds the listeners assumption of what we sound like. If you hear the names Cannibal Corpse or Dying Fetus, you think death metal.. "Name" makes you have to listen to know what we're about.
3) Whose idea was it to call your band NAME?
- It was mine (Wes). At the time, we had an old band that had broken up. When we had decided to get back together (most of the originals anyways) we agreed that it was a totally different band, just with familiar people. So when we had looked for a name to describe where we were at and after a few choices, I happened to have this name that made a lot of sense.
4) What are the advantages/disadvantages of naming a band NAME?
- Haha more then youd think. It has made it hard for others to find us online, being that we live in a digital age. But its allowed us to be part of most social networking sites out there, making it capable to be in contact with anyone who enjoys our music directly. But there inlies an advantage. We enjoy the fact we can remain connected with anyone who has given us a chance.
5) If your band name wouldn’t be NAME how would you call your band?
- One of the original names we were writing under for awhile was called "The Rise and Fall of Liars", which we obviously abandoned. But that title will definetly pop up very soon.
6) What are the best/worst band names you’ve ever heard?=
Band names that bug the shit out of me include all these carbon copy bands that include 2 or more of the following words, such as "bleeding", "blood", "autumn", a girls name, a word with complicated spelling and no relevance to the music itself in an attempt to confuse you into thinking theyre metal, etc. Names I DO enjoy personally, are usually the 1 word names or somewhat sarcastic names, which I feel shows personality. Such as, Them Crooked Vultures, Converge, Isis, Cynic, Muse, Baroness, I Am The Ocean, Intronaut, Swallow The Sun, Mono, Neurosis, Old Man Gloom, Cave In, Pelican, A Storm of Light, Year of No Light, Narrows, Young Widows, Yes, Wolves In The Throne Room, and others I cant think of at the moment. Let it be known I am jealous of every single one of those names, haha.
1) How important is the name of a band in general?
- I feel, weither you like it or not, it plays a vital roll in the perception of your music and nature to others.. Regardless if people are aware consciously or sub-consciously, it places a pre conceived notion at the forefront of their expectations of you. A lot of bands disregard that and, basically, just recycle the same names over and over again, especting people to take them seriously. By time they realize it, its to late.
2) What’s the meaning behind your band name? What do you want to
express with it?
- I always say it has 3 basic meanings. 1) It means "the new approach to martyrs expressions".. Which means we have always approached things with our art OUR way and we believe in it enough to die for. 2) Its slightly tounge-in-cheek. Who names their band NAME? Haha people either like it or hate it, but they never forget it. 3) The name clouds the listeners assumption of what we sound like. If you hear the names Cannibal Corpse or Dying Fetus, you think death metal.. "Name" makes you have to listen to know what we're about.
3) Whose idea was it to call your band NAME?
- It was mine (Wes). At the time, we had an old band that had broken up. When we had decided to get back together (most of the originals anyways) we agreed that it was a totally different band, just with familiar people. So when we had looked for a name to describe where we were at and after a few choices, I happened to have this name that made a lot of sense.
4) What are the advantages/disadvantages of naming a band NAME?
- Haha more then youd think. It has made it hard for others to find us online, being that we live in a digital age. But its allowed us to be part of most social networking sites out there, making it capable to be in contact with anyone who enjoys our music directly. But there inlies an advantage. We enjoy the fact we can remain connected with anyone who has given us a chance.
5) If your band name wouldn’t be NAME how would you call your band?
- One of the original names we were writing under for awhile was called "The Rise and Fall of Liars", which we obviously abandoned. But that title will definetly pop up very soon.
6) What are the best/worst band names you’ve ever heard?=
Band names that bug the shit out of me include all these carbon copy bands that include 2 or more of the following words, such as "bleeding", "blood", "autumn", a girls name, a word with complicated spelling and no relevance to the music itself in an attempt to confuse you into thinking theyre metal, etc. Names I DO enjoy personally, are usually the 1 word names or somewhat sarcastic names, which I feel shows personality. Such as, Them Crooked Vultures, Converge, Isis, Cynic, Muse, Baroness, I Am The Ocean, Intronaut, Swallow The Sun, Mono, Neurosis, Old Man Gloom, Cave In, Pelican, A Storm of Light, Year of No Light, Narrows, Young Widows, Yes, Wolves In The Throne Room, and others I cant think of at the moment. Let it be known I am jealous of every single one of those names, haha.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Incredible Review on "SMN News"
San Francisco experi-metallers NAME have created one of the most creative releases of the year so far. The way NAME takes metal with such an open mind is incredible. If one were to compare, think a mixture of The Dillinger Escape Plan, Converge, and maybe some Genghis Tron, and NAME takes these influences, combines them, and finds a way to make their own sound. Their latest Lifeforce Records release Internet Killed The Audio Star is beautiful with all of its rich melodies and elaborate soundscapes, while at the same time on the heavy side, absolutely craaaaazy! The album is a great play from start to finish, and is definitely a thinker. Do you really think you know what metal sounds like?
Internet Killed The Audio Star mixes progressive metal, technical and obscure structures, groovy jazz rhythms, and pretty much everything in between - these guys aren't your average musicians. And would you shit yourself if I told you that NAME is a threesome?! Yes, the 3 band members create this colossal of a sound. Guitarist/vocalist Wes Fareas puts on one hell of a performance with his bluesy and jam-based clean vocals, and he's tearing off faces the next second with deep and sincere screams. NAME's transitions are really going to catch you off guard (in a good way).
Like a bull in a china shop, NAME opens up Internet Killed The Audio Star with "Killer Whales, Man", and bring back that crazy and techy mathcore sound, and sprinkle on some mean distortion, too. Next up is "My Sweetheart, The Whore", and holy shit does NAME catch you off guard! The approach here takes some polyrhythmic breaks, tons of speed, and the delicacy of the clean rhythm almost explains the song title as if you had to deal with this sweetheart/whore, sweet (clean rhythm) one second, whore (brutal mathcore) out of the blue the next. Brilliant song! The 4 part epic of "Empathic Communicator" shows an expansive NAME, and each part lets loose all sorts of hell. Sometimes I wonder if these guys are on speed, because of their off tempo mathcore greatness, then a Deftones influence pops up, then later some ambiance, and like I've said before, they really catch you off guard. Point being, there is so much good influence being drawn into Internet Killed The Audio Star that hell, you could just call this release as a tribute to music as a whole. The heavier more straight forward side of NAME comes out in such songs like "The Spark Of Divinity" and "Mare", but keep in mind these still aren't your average metal songs.
NAME saves the best for last on Internet Killed The Audio Star with "Charmer", and let me tell you this is the jam right here! An eerie and experimental soundscape claws along in the intro complimenting Wes Fareas' creepy yet catchy clean vocals, to only be blasted away by some huge melody. The verses go psycho, and "Charmer" is quite the charming song (yeah, pun intended) for those metal minded. The guitar tones in this badboy are different, and I love the production done here. Anyways, "Charmer" is going to move you, and this is a side of NAME I'd like to see some more - possibly a new musical direction, boys?
ee, I like those metal albums that I'm not going to expect when to headbang, unlike much of the generic metal these days you already can tell when the heavy part is building up. Internet Killed The Audio Star is bloody fucking brilliant, and this is the type of album that will grow on you. I mean, you're not going to catch every single detail within first listen, though NAME will create a great first impression. Keep this one in constant rotation to witness its true beauty. There is a difference between want and need, and I'm telling you with all honesty, you NEED to go buy this album now! NAME could very much brand their name (no pun intended) in the future of metal; the future by keeping the unique side of metal alive.
9/10
http://www.smnnews.com/2010/03/12/name-internet-killed-the-audio-star/
Movinnnn' onnn UUUUuuuUUUPPP!
We just made the top five releases in the current issue of FUZE Magazine! Pretty sweet.
Also, interview w/ Wes posted: http://www.metal-revolution.com/plugins/content/content.php?content.2865
And please visit http://www.savewolves.org Or http://www.defenders.org
Thursday, March 11, 2010
031310
This Saturday will be our CD release show for our new record "Internet Killed The Audio Star". We will be playing the entire record (well we hope to atleast) so don't miss it. Chances are something like this won't happen again. Please come have fun with us. This is going to be one of those shows where youll be at home and say "goddamnit! I shouldve gone. What the hell was I doing that night?..ahh fuck, I cant remember.... But shit... Goddamnit... I wish i'd gone". That night will rock so much cock, not even Apache Chief can handle the thunder. Don't be that guy.
<a href="http://s302.photobucket.com/albums/nn109/namemustaine/?action=view¤t=NameFlier1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn109/namemustaine/NameFlier1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Sunday, March 7, 2010
An in-depth interview with Metal Revolution...
I recently had an interview with Metal Revolution Magazine which ended up being the most in-depth interview i've done to date. It felt good answering different questions for a change. It dives into a few things we've never touched base on in previous interviews.
(Metal Revolution is a zine from Denmark)
Read on for an idea of how the band NAME came to be, why they chose
such a name and why their latest album is called Internet Killed The
Audiostar, as I have a talk with them about these and other things.
(This interview is with, myself, Wes Fareas. Ill be labeling my answers "WF".)
MR: Let me first thank you for taking the time to do an interview, as
you are undoubtedly busy around the release of your new album - an
album I hope to understand a little better following the next hours
time.
WF: Thank you. Hopefully I can shed light for you.
MR: So, NAME, eh? How did you end up calling your band this? And more
importantly, does it ever provide any, say, logistical problems, for
lacking a better term. I know searching for it on the net, at least,
can be a tad difficult.
WF: More often then not, we are asked what it means. But the meaning and means are closely related. First off, name is an acronym that stands for 'the new approach to martyrs expressions'. It made sense for us to name ourselves this because of how we felt about the music we make and our love for music. Names are labels. Branding if you will. I feel if you aren't careful you can limit yourself from a natural progression in art. Musicians, particularly, will always excel, subconsciously or consciously. Its inevitable. Being involved in an ebb and flow that is music, sound will change. A basis of music in itself will change. We're aware of this and applied it to the name of the band. It allows you to experience who we are through the music, not a name that implies we're "brutal" or "we're sensitive" or "I tuck my penis between my legs". Yes, its does pose a problem being an entirely un-"google-able" name. But we want the section of the bands personality to be represented from album to album. We have been very vocal about the fact we are going to make a different record everytime. For the time being, it definitely will be on an aggressive side, but doesn't mean it always has to be straight metal. But, that being said, we feel a more efficient way to find us online is putting in "Internet Killed The Audio Star" or both "name" then the album title. You'll find results more involved with the band during that time period. Trust me, its definitely easier that way. As far as telling people our name in person, I feel like we're in the Abbot and Costello joke "who's on first?".
MR: And on to your album, titled Internet Killed The Audiostar, which
I am very interested in hearing more about - other than asking why it
was named such. Right off the bat, screaming vocals and menacing tunes
assault the listener, engulfing them in the firestorm that is "Killer
Whales Man." Actually, the vocals are immensely strong throughout the
album, leaving very little wanting. How did you come from the idea of
making music to that point?
WF: We've always been absolutely head over heels in love with music for as long as the 3 of us can remember. Every aspect of it. Aggressive music stood out to me personally because I got chills when everything aligned. I say this a lot to those around me, but my body and mind react to when everything falls into place in a song. The perfect words with the perfect melody, the perfect notes over the perfect rhythm, in this case the perfect words with the perfect scream. I think based off of how we are naturally, certain things can just be said normally. When we get angry, we say hurtful things by screaming them at another person. Same thing with metal and all forms of aggressive music. A very applicable quote to us is from John Doe in the movie Se7en: "Nowadays, to get someone's attention, you can't just tap them on the shoulder anymore. You have to beat them over the head with a sledge hammer, then you'll fine you have their full attention"... We named the album "Internet Killed The Audio Star" because of current sordid, stagnant state of music today. It obviously is a parody of The Buggles song "Video Killed The Radio Star". When that song came out it put a title to the chapter of an ending era and the birth of a new one. MTV used to be the next evolutionary step from where radio was. Nowadays, its your myspace, or facebook, or weither or not you can buy the album on Itunes or download a torrent for free. It seems music has become more of a fashion show then the music itself anymore. So the title is a somewhat tounge-in-cheek offering to the elephant in the room. We're all aware its happening, but no one wants to talk about it.
MR: Before leaving names behind totally, I must also ask to the song
titles, for no other reason that they are wonderfully different. Where
do you guys come up with this?
WF: Well I approach song titles in usually 2 similar forms. 1, its a title reflecting the concept of the song or 2, its a sarcastic, cynical commentary to the message in the song. As random as some of them can be, it has something to do with the song in nature, no matter how unlikely it might seem. The titles are as big a deal to me as the lyrics themselves. I look at my lyrics as my main instrument, so I don't half ass anything. When I die, of course I want my music to be connected with me, but I want my lyrics to be remembered over anything else ive done.
MR: I am having a hard time drawing parallels between you guys and
previously established bands. Where do you get your inspiration from?
WF: We more pull inspiration from the aesthetic of music itself. How its progressed (for better or for worse) over the course of time. Bad or good, it is an evolutionary progression. We also feel things come in patterns, it seems. The hair metal aesthetic seems to have come back. Big hair, guys wearing makeup, you project the illusion of success and how life is a 24 hour party. Things like that. We're big fans of the late 60's, early 70's aesthetic of making music naturally. Getting out there and making things happen. Led Zeppelin never had myspace, or couldn't burn CDs to pass out even. You went to a show, you liked it, you bought the record, you went home, showed your friends, they liked it, then came to the next show and bought the record, and so on and so forth. Of course we pull specific musical influences as well, but a lot of them aren't metal. For instance, we apply our jazz influences to our metal style. Odd progressions and meters, unpredictable changes, even jamming on certain sections of the piece. We apply 90's rock to the drums of an obvious death metal riff. Euro electro-pop vocals to the doom sections. We could name artists we're inspired by all goddamn day, but that would get tiring for the reader.
MR: Also, please tell me about you guys and when you were younger -
did you always know you'd end up playing in a band with NAME for a
name, shredding and tearing violently as the music progress into a
cascade of controlled noise? How did you come together and form the
band?
WF: We've all been playing music for a long, long time, but when we originally came together, we were 14 years old. My brother, Jeremy (bass), and I were living in the central valley of California at the time and eventually were separated where he stayed in the valley and I moved to the bay area. I knew no one there. Bobby (drums) was literally the first person I met in the bay area and we just got to talking about music and jamming together sometime. I brought up my brother, who at the time has just picked up bass, and the rest is history. So we've basically been a family for over ten years. When we started writing music it wasn't named "name", we had a similar style then as to now, but not as... Mature, I guess is the word I could use. When "name" came into play, we were still very young. We just wrote what was natural and it ended up being aggressive and heavy, it pumped us up just to practice. But we still applied sections of jazz, bossa nova, trip hop, etc. We don't get asked about the noise sections very much though. To be 100% honest, it just felt natural to apply it to the song. It gave it a personality and we never looked at it any different. Simply put it sounded "cool" and just seemed right. Now we seem to apply that a lot into our songs. We hadn't really noticed it for this record until AFTER the record was completed. I know at times a lot of our responses could sound pretentious, but we're just being honest. We could lie and say "its just brutal, bro!" but that would go against what we believe in the first place. We don't take ourselves to seriously, either. Our music is serious, but as people, we enjoy having fun, smiling, laughing just like everyone else. That in itself is going to come off in our music, which in certain spots on the album you can hear it. But, then again, it is simpler to say we just love the music we make and love playing intense, cinematic, expansive, sarcastic, violent, honest, massive music.
MR: There can be no doubt in anyone who listens to your album that, in
concert, you guys must be quite a spectacle. How do you like playing
live?
WF: As I've said before, we love what we do. I believe, in a band, you need to be a fan of your music or else why are you making it? What else do you have to offer? Ive also mentioned before that the songs just pump us up when we're rehearsing them. So live is a totally different beast. To be honest, that's our baby. Yes, we're proud of our record, we put a lot of ourselves and a lot of time on it. But live is our bread and butter. We are aware we're playing intense music, so if the crowd picks up on that vibe, we feed off of them and its just fucking insane. We put on the same show if we're in front of 3, 300, or 3,000 people. We just have fun up there and are just welcoming you to join that energy. We can guarantee it will be one of the most intense shows you've ever been to. We don't want you to hold back. We sure as hell don't, or else we just feel cheated. There's going to be a time when we can't physically do this anymore. Its going to catch up with us. So, until then we'll make it worth it.
MR: Who is your typical fan?
WF: We've noticed musicians have been the most vocal with their appreciation for what we're trying to do. We were once referred to by a friend/musician as a "bands band". At first, I thought of that negatively because his comment immediately following that was "but those aren't the ones that are gonna come to your shows or pick up your record". But, I realized he was wrong. Fellow musicians have been there, hanging out with us, purchasing the record and enjoying it. I think they understand that in a dying scene, we could use all the comradery we can get. We also have fans that aren't musicians, just die hard music appreciators. They've also been overwhelmingly supportive. We sincerely appreciative of every single person who has come to a show or bought the record. Being that its so easy to download the record for free and listen to it from the comfort of your home. Its nice to know that their are people out there who understand being in a band in this era is an uphill battle. Every record bought helps push the integrity of music and allows us to defend the idea that heavy music will always have a home.
MR: So what are your plans now? What can we expect from NAME in the future?
WF: We plan on touring this record into the ground. The bedlam of creating the record is now done and the next chapter is getting out there and making everyone listen. They don't have to like it, but just acknowledge that its out there... We will be around for a long, long time. Regardless to the constantly changing tide of music. We'll always do what we love and will continue to make honest music/art. Nietzche once said "we have art in order to not die from the truth.". I feel that makes more sense now then it ever has.
MR: I wish to thank you for your time and wish you the best of luck
from here on. Looking forward to hearing more from you guys.
WF: Thank you very much for taking time out of your day for this. You could of been doing anything else. It was refreshing to not have to answer the same ol', run-of-the-mill questions. Thank you again and you'll definitely be hearing a lot more from us. Weither you want to or not...
(Metal Revolution is a zine from Denmark)
Read on for an idea of how the band NAME came to be, why they chose
such a name and why their latest album is called Internet Killed The
Audiostar, as I have a talk with them about these and other things.
(This interview is with, myself, Wes Fareas. Ill be labeling my answers "WF".)
MR: Let me first thank you for taking the time to do an interview, as
you are undoubtedly busy around the release of your new album - an
album I hope to understand a little better following the next hours
time.
WF: Thank you. Hopefully I can shed light for you.
MR: So, NAME, eh? How did you end up calling your band this? And more
importantly, does it ever provide any, say, logistical problems, for
lacking a better term. I know searching for it on the net, at least,
can be a tad difficult.
WF: More often then not, we are asked what it means. But the meaning and means are closely related. First off, name is an acronym that stands for 'the new approach to martyrs expressions'. It made sense for us to name ourselves this because of how we felt about the music we make and our love for music. Names are labels. Branding if you will. I feel if you aren't careful you can limit yourself from a natural progression in art. Musicians, particularly, will always excel, subconsciously or consciously. Its inevitable. Being involved in an ebb and flow that is music, sound will change. A basis of music in itself will change. We're aware of this and applied it to the name of the band. It allows you to experience who we are through the music, not a name that implies we're "brutal" or "we're sensitive" or "I tuck my penis between my legs". Yes, its does pose a problem being an entirely un-"google-able" name. But we want the section of the bands personality to be represented from album to album. We have been very vocal about the fact we are going to make a different record everytime. For the time being, it definitely will be on an aggressive side, but doesn't mean it always has to be straight metal. But, that being said, we feel a more efficient way to find us online is putting in "Internet Killed The Audio Star" or both "name" then the album title. You'll find results more involved with the band during that time period. Trust me, its definitely easier that way. As far as telling people our name in person, I feel like we're in the Abbot and Costello joke "who's on first?".
MR: And on to your album, titled Internet Killed The Audiostar, which
I am very interested in hearing more about - other than asking why it
was named such. Right off the bat, screaming vocals and menacing tunes
assault the listener, engulfing them in the firestorm that is "Killer
Whales Man." Actually, the vocals are immensely strong throughout the
album, leaving very little wanting. How did you come from the idea of
making music to that point?
WF: We've always been absolutely head over heels in love with music for as long as the 3 of us can remember. Every aspect of it. Aggressive music stood out to me personally because I got chills when everything aligned. I say this a lot to those around me, but my body and mind react to when everything falls into place in a song. The perfect words with the perfect melody, the perfect notes over the perfect rhythm, in this case the perfect words with the perfect scream. I think based off of how we are naturally, certain things can just be said normally. When we get angry, we say hurtful things by screaming them at another person. Same thing with metal and all forms of aggressive music. A very applicable quote to us is from John Doe in the movie Se7en: "Nowadays, to get someone's attention, you can't just tap them on the shoulder anymore. You have to beat them over the head with a sledge hammer, then you'll fine you have their full attention"... We named the album "Internet Killed The Audio Star" because of current sordid, stagnant state of music today. It obviously is a parody of The Buggles song "Video Killed The Radio Star". When that song came out it put a title to the chapter of an ending era and the birth of a new one. MTV used to be the next evolutionary step from where radio was. Nowadays, its your myspace, or facebook, or weither or not you can buy the album on Itunes or download a torrent for free. It seems music has become more of a fashion show then the music itself anymore. So the title is a somewhat tounge-in-cheek offering to the elephant in the room. We're all aware its happening, but no one wants to talk about it.
MR: Before leaving names behind totally, I must also ask to the song
titles, for no other reason that they are wonderfully different. Where
do you guys come up with this?
WF: Well I approach song titles in usually 2 similar forms. 1, its a title reflecting the concept of the song or 2, its a sarcastic, cynical commentary to the message in the song. As random as some of them can be, it has something to do with the song in nature, no matter how unlikely it might seem. The titles are as big a deal to me as the lyrics themselves. I look at my lyrics as my main instrument, so I don't half ass anything. When I die, of course I want my music to be connected with me, but I want my lyrics to be remembered over anything else ive done.
MR: I am having a hard time drawing parallels between you guys and
previously established bands. Where do you get your inspiration from?
WF: We more pull inspiration from the aesthetic of music itself. How its progressed (for better or for worse) over the course of time. Bad or good, it is an evolutionary progression. We also feel things come in patterns, it seems. The hair metal aesthetic seems to have come back. Big hair, guys wearing makeup, you project the illusion of success and how life is a 24 hour party. Things like that. We're big fans of the late 60's, early 70's aesthetic of making music naturally. Getting out there and making things happen. Led Zeppelin never had myspace, or couldn't burn CDs to pass out even. You went to a show, you liked it, you bought the record, you went home, showed your friends, they liked it, then came to the next show and bought the record, and so on and so forth. Of course we pull specific musical influences as well, but a lot of them aren't metal. For instance, we apply our jazz influences to our metal style. Odd progressions and meters, unpredictable changes, even jamming on certain sections of the piece. We apply 90's rock to the drums of an obvious death metal riff. Euro electro-pop vocals to the doom sections. We could name artists we're inspired by all goddamn day, but that would get tiring for the reader.
MR: Also, please tell me about you guys and when you were younger -
did you always know you'd end up playing in a band with NAME for a
name, shredding and tearing violently as the music progress into a
cascade of controlled noise? How did you come together and form the
band?
WF: We've all been playing music for a long, long time, but when we originally came together, we were 14 years old. My brother, Jeremy (bass), and I were living in the central valley of California at the time and eventually were separated where he stayed in the valley and I moved to the bay area. I knew no one there. Bobby (drums) was literally the first person I met in the bay area and we just got to talking about music and jamming together sometime. I brought up my brother, who at the time has just picked up bass, and the rest is history. So we've basically been a family for over ten years. When we started writing music it wasn't named "name", we had a similar style then as to now, but not as... Mature, I guess is the word I could use. When "name" came into play, we were still very young. We just wrote what was natural and it ended up being aggressive and heavy, it pumped us up just to practice. But we still applied sections of jazz, bossa nova, trip hop, etc. We don't get asked about the noise sections very much though. To be 100% honest, it just felt natural to apply it to the song. It gave it a personality and we never looked at it any different. Simply put it sounded "cool" and just seemed right. Now we seem to apply that a lot into our songs. We hadn't really noticed it for this record until AFTER the record was completed. I know at times a lot of our responses could sound pretentious, but we're just being honest. We could lie and say "its just brutal, bro!" but that would go against what we believe in the first place. We don't take ourselves to seriously, either. Our music is serious, but as people, we enjoy having fun, smiling, laughing just like everyone else. That in itself is going to come off in our music, which in certain spots on the album you can hear it. But, then again, it is simpler to say we just love the music we make and love playing intense, cinematic, expansive, sarcastic, violent, honest, massive music.
MR: There can be no doubt in anyone who listens to your album that, in
concert, you guys must be quite a spectacle. How do you like playing
live?
WF: As I've said before, we love what we do. I believe, in a band, you need to be a fan of your music or else why are you making it? What else do you have to offer? Ive also mentioned before that the songs just pump us up when we're rehearsing them. So live is a totally different beast. To be honest, that's our baby. Yes, we're proud of our record, we put a lot of ourselves and a lot of time on it. But live is our bread and butter. We are aware we're playing intense music, so if the crowd picks up on that vibe, we feed off of them and its just fucking insane. We put on the same show if we're in front of 3, 300, or 3,000 people. We just have fun up there and are just welcoming you to join that energy. We can guarantee it will be one of the most intense shows you've ever been to. We don't want you to hold back. We sure as hell don't, or else we just feel cheated. There's going to be a time when we can't physically do this anymore. Its going to catch up with us. So, until then we'll make it worth it.
MR: Who is your typical fan?
WF: We've noticed musicians have been the most vocal with their appreciation for what we're trying to do. We were once referred to by a friend/musician as a "bands band". At first, I thought of that negatively because his comment immediately following that was "but those aren't the ones that are gonna come to your shows or pick up your record". But, I realized he was wrong. Fellow musicians have been there, hanging out with us, purchasing the record and enjoying it. I think they understand that in a dying scene, we could use all the comradery we can get. We also have fans that aren't musicians, just die hard music appreciators. They've also been overwhelmingly supportive. We sincerely appreciative of every single person who has come to a show or bought the record. Being that its so easy to download the record for free and listen to it from the comfort of your home. Its nice to know that their are people out there who understand being in a band in this era is an uphill battle. Every record bought helps push the integrity of music and allows us to defend the idea that heavy music will always have a home.
MR: So what are your plans now? What can we expect from NAME in the future?
WF: We plan on touring this record into the ground. The bedlam of creating the record is now done and the next chapter is getting out there and making everyone listen. They don't have to like it, but just acknowledge that its out there... We will be around for a long, long time. Regardless to the constantly changing tide of music. We'll always do what we love and will continue to make honest music/art. Nietzche once said "we have art in order to not die from the truth.". I feel that makes more sense now then it ever has.
MR: I wish to thank you for your time and wish you the best of luck
from here on. Looking forward to hearing more from you guys.
WF: Thank you very much for taking time out of your day for this. You could of been doing anything else. It was refreshing to not have to answer the same ol', run-of-the-mill questions. Thank you again and you'll definitely be hearing a lot more from us. Weither you want to or not...
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Pop Rocks VS Fury Rocks... An interview with Wes.
Name's Wes Fareas' Interview with the European Magazine Furyrocks
FuryRocks: You probably get this one a lot; how did you came up with your band name?
Wes Fareas: We always give a few reasons as to why, but basically, its an acronym which means "the new approach to martyrs expressions". Its direct, no real mystery to it. We strongly believe in what we do as artists and that will not faulter. Another reason is that in a sea of ironic names for bands, we felt something as basic as 'name' would just imply that you had to listen to us for yourself. No real attempt to sound clever or brutal. We like it, we dont care what others think, haha.
Furyrocks: You’ve been busy for 10 years before releasing this Debut. What took you so long?
Wes Fareas: Well we formed around 2003, released a record called "Portrait" in which we sold and distributed ourselves. Then it was just a series of EPs over the course of years. But it did take years to complete this record. We went through member changes and just kept re-working the songs until everything fell into place.
FR: How are you feeling about the record?
WF: We're incredibly happy with it. We put a lot of ourselves into every bit of the process and wouldve spent more time on it if we could. We're meticulous as hell so we would pull an Axl Rose and spend forever on it if time and money permitted, haha. But we're just excited to play behind this thing for awhile now. The record, as a whole, showcases the different styles we're capable of, so it allows each performance to sound unique with a shifting set list.
FR: Are you happy with the reception it had?
WF: Definetly. We've been getting a lot of positive reviews and feedback from fans. We understand our record is not for everyone being that we've been told certain people don't have the attention span for it. But what is refreshing is that it's finding its way to the openminded people. Supporters of integrity. We tried to make the album seem more like a score or soundtrack to a series of circumstances and human connectivity. A lot of people are picking that up and finding the dynamics sonically so it makes for an intense live experience.
FR: There’s a lot of comparisons made with bands like The Dillinger Escape Plan, how do you feel about that?
WF: Comparisons will always find its way into any style of music, no matter how unique. We are aware of our influences (which are usually not the first comparisons made) and we are aware of the similairities people will place on us because those bands are influenced by the same artists WE are. People find comfort in relating anything, we just kind of sit back and let it happen.
FR: I can imagine you don’t write songs overnight, could you tell us how you guys build up a song?
WF: The 3 of us are constantly writing. It just seems right with the sordid state of things. I usually base the instrumentation on a perceptive feeling. Such as relating the feel of the music to the ocean or the desert and slowly build around that concept.
FR: And how long does it take you guys to write a new song?
WF: Its taken us 3 months to write 15 seconds worth of material and sometimes its taken a day to write a full song. We just work with the song until it feels right. Thus why some songs are 3 minutes, some are 10. Some are raw, some are swimming in layers. We just like to jam on the song until it reaches a conclusion naturally.
FR: When did you guys decide, "I want to be in a metal band"?
WF: We all grew up listening to so many different styles of music. From 80's hair metal to synth pop to death metal to 90's rock to free form jazz to 70's progressive. But we found ourselves always making our way back to aggressive music. The intensity is overwhelming and its part of great community that led to, in my opinion, the most expressive form of music. Yes, it does apply to other styles of music, but in its own way. Which is why we apply outside aesthetics into aggressive music, including multiple types of "heavy".
FR: How are you feeling about the metal scene today?
WF: To be honest, im disappointed. Well, im more upset with what is passing off as metal nowadays. I can believe its aggressive, but metal, no. There are so many subgenres that it just waters down the idea. I believe in different forms of metal, which is how I see us, but when we start inventing our own genre titles, please, beat me to death in the head with a piece of heavy mining equipment.
FR: What inspires you to make music?
WF: So much. Interaction, environment, opposition. This record, lyrically, is mainly commentary on a series of introspective and retrospective thoughts. I like providing an open forum for the landscape I hope to paint for the listener. I dont write whiney "woah is me" shit. It gets old even listening to it. I know its cliche to say, but in its own way, everything inspires me. But more specifically, its what I pull out of the situation.
FR: I’m really interested to see you guys play live, any chance you’ll be doing any shows in Europe soon?
WF: Our album comes out in Europe on April 19th, so we're hoping to make our way out there sometime after then. We've been wanting to make our way overseas for a long time now. So we're hoping we get a call soon with a good tour offer, haha. But seriously, we plan on making it happen before the end of the year.
FR: Any last words for our readers?
WF: Thank you so much for those who have been supporting us for some time now and who continue to support us. We love what we do and we're glad there are people out there who share the same love for music as we do. If youre reading this, please visit us on line at www.myspace.com/name and say hello. Keep supporting underground music.
FR: Thanks for your time!
WF: Thank you very much
Perry Rodenrijs for Furyrocks
FuryRocks: You probably get this one a lot; how did you came up with your band name?
Wes Fareas: We always give a few reasons as to why, but basically, its an acronym which means "the new approach to martyrs expressions". Its direct, no real mystery to it. We strongly believe in what we do as artists and that will not faulter. Another reason is that in a sea of ironic names for bands, we felt something as basic as 'name' would just imply that you had to listen to us for yourself. No real attempt to sound clever or brutal. We like it, we dont care what others think, haha.
Furyrocks: You’ve been busy for 10 years before releasing this Debut. What took you so long?
Wes Fareas: Well we formed around 2003, released a record called "Portrait" in which we sold and distributed ourselves. Then it was just a series of EPs over the course of years. But it did take years to complete this record. We went through member changes and just kept re-working the songs until everything fell into place.
FR: How are you feeling about the record?
WF: We're incredibly happy with it. We put a lot of ourselves into every bit of the process and wouldve spent more time on it if we could. We're meticulous as hell so we would pull an Axl Rose and spend forever on it if time and money permitted, haha. But we're just excited to play behind this thing for awhile now. The record, as a whole, showcases the different styles we're capable of, so it allows each performance to sound unique with a shifting set list.
FR: Are you happy with the reception it had?
WF: Definetly. We've been getting a lot of positive reviews and feedback from fans. We understand our record is not for everyone being that we've been told certain people don't have the attention span for it. But what is refreshing is that it's finding its way to the openminded people. Supporters of integrity. We tried to make the album seem more like a score or soundtrack to a series of circumstances and human connectivity. A lot of people are picking that up and finding the dynamics sonically so it makes for an intense live experience.
FR: There’s a lot of comparisons made with bands like The Dillinger Escape Plan, how do you feel about that?
WF: Comparisons will always find its way into any style of music, no matter how unique. We are aware of our influences (which are usually not the first comparisons made) and we are aware of the similairities people will place on us because those bands are influenced by the same artists WE are. People find comfort in relating anything, we just kind of sit back and let it happen.
FR: I can imagine you don’t write songs overnight, could you tell us how you guys build up a song?
WF: The 3 of us are constantly writing. It just seems right with the sordid state of things. I usually base the instrumentation on a perceptive feeling. Such as relating the feel of the music to the ocean or the desert and slowly build around that concept.
FR: And how long does it take you guys to write a new song?
WF: Its taken us 3 months to write 15 seconds worth of material and sometimes its taken a day to write a full song. We just work with the song until it feels right. Thus why some songs are 3 minutes, some are 10. Some are raw, some are swimming in layers. We just like to jam on the song until it reaches a conclusion naturally.
FR: When did you guys decide, "I want to be in a metal band"?
WF: We all grew up listening to so many different styles of music. From 80's hair metal to synth pop to death metal to 90's rock to free form jazz to 70's progressive. But we found ourselves always making our way back to aggressive music. The intensity is overwhelming and its part of great community that led to, in my opinion, the most expressive form of music. Yes, it does apply to other styles of music, but in its own way. Which is why we apply outside aesthetics into aggressive music, including multiple types of "heavy".
FR: How are you feeling about the metal scene today?
WF: To be honest, im disappointed. Well, im more upset with what is passing off as metal nowadays. I can believe its aggressive, but metal, no. There are so many subgenres that it just waters down the idea. I believe in different forms of metal, which is how I see us, but when we start inventing our own genre titles, please, beat me to death in the head with a piece of heavy mining equipment.
FR: What inspires you to make music?
WF: So much. Interaction, environment, opposition. This record, lyrically, is mainly commentary on a series of introspective and retrospective thoughts. I like providing an open forum for the landscape I hope to paint for the listener. I dont write whiney "woah is me" shit. It gets old even listening to it. I know its cliche to say, but in its own way, everything inspires me. But more specifically, its what I pull out of the situation.
FR: I’m really interested to see you guys play live, any chance you’ll be doing any shows in Europe soon?
WF: Our album comes out in Europe on April 19th, so we're hoping to make our way out there sometime after then. We've been wanting to make our way overseas for a long time now. So we're hoping we get a call soon with a good tour offer, haha. But seriously, we plan on making it happen before the end of the year.
FR: Any last words for our readers?
WF: Thank you so much for those who have been supporting us for some time now and who continue to support us. We love what we do and we're glad there are people out there who share the same love for music as we do. If youre reading this, please visit us on line at www.myspace.com/name and say hello. Keep supporting underground music.
FR: Thanks for your time!
WF: Thank you very much
Perry Rodenrijs for Furyrocks
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Michael Keaton
March is finally here, which means it is officially "Stripper Season." Just make sure you bag one of those "middle of the day" strippers. No reason to murder part of the strip club's starting lineup just because you can.
If stuffing and mounting "Stretch-Mark Betty" doesn't take too much of your time, check out the tunes over at www.myspace.com/name. It's got a fresh batch of noise that we will be playing at our upcoming CD RELEASE SHOW out in Walnut Creek, CA on Saturday, March 13th from our seemingly inexhaustible supply of intolerance for current music. Also come to experience potential jokes about whatever the media is calling "news" this week, and some children's books that are sure to be soul-crushing classics.
Or you can shoot right over to our shirts at http://www.alexamachine.com. They're even better the second time around. Like Chinese food or Chinese panties.
If stuffing and mounting "Stretch-Mark Betty" doesn't take too much of your time, check out the tunes over at www.myspace.com/name. It's got a fresh batch of noise that we will be playing at our upcoming CD RELEASE SHOW out in Walnut Creek, CA on Saturday, March 13th from our seemingly inexhaustible supply of intolerance for current music. Also come to experience potential jokes about whatever the media is calling "news" this week, and some children's books that are sure to be soul-crushing classics.
Or you can shoot right over to our shirts at http://www.alexamachine.com. They're even better the second time around. Like Chinese food or Chinese panties.
On another note: Now that Jay Leno is once again gainfully employed by NBC, you could use a distraction. That's where we come in. Enjoy the tunes. Add us on those social networking websites that we all know youre a part of.
New goal. If we reach 300 Facebook friends (http://www.facebook.com/nameband) & 350 Twitter friends (http://www.twitter.com/name), we'll start giving oppurtunitys to win free shit. Including our brand spankin new compact disc. So, dont try to lie. We know you have these internet social networking website profiles, so might as well join in the fun. Have your friends join the fun as well... It'll be sexy. And once again, if youre a bay resident, come out to our CD release show. Its gonna be a fucking blast. We'll be playing a good portion of the record, including songs we havent played live yet.
Love you, you little fuckable faces, you..
- W
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
