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Home , All Shall Perish, Animals as Leaders, Buzz Osborne, Chicken Switch, Corrosion of Conformity, Deeds of Flesh

METAL ZINE VOL. 6 SCIONAV.COM

MELVINS / PROSTHETIC RECORDS / HOLY GRAIL STAFF SCION A/V SCHEDULE Scion Project Manager: Jeri Yoshizu, Sciontist Editor: Eric Ducker MARCH Creative Direction: Scion March 13: Scion A/V Presents: The — The Bulls & The Bees Art Direction: BON March 20: Scion A/V Presents: — I Am Colossus Contributing Editor: J. Bennett March 31: Scion Label Showcase: Profound Lore, featuring Yob, the Atlas Moth, Loss, Graphic Designer: Gabriella Spartos Wolvhammer and Pallbearer, at the Glasshouse, Pomona,

CONTRIBUTORS Writer: Etan Rosenbloom Photographer: Mackie Osborne CONTACT For additional information on Scion, email, write or call. Scion Customer Experience 19001 S. Western Avenue Mail Stop WC12 APRIL Torrance, CA 90501 ‡$WODV0RWK³

Scion Metal Zine is published by BON. $SULO6FLRQ$93UHVHQWV0XVLF9LGHRV For more information about BON, email [email protected] April 3: Scion A/V Presents: Municipal Waste April 10: Scion A/V Presents: All Shall Perish — Company references, advertisements and/or websites The Past Will Haunt Us Both (in Spanish) OLVWHGLQWKLVSXEOLFDWLRQDUHQRWDI¿OLDWHGZLWK6FLRQ $SULO6FLRQ$93UHVHQWV3URVWKHWLF5HFRUGV/DEHO6KRZFDVH OLYHUHFRUGLQJ unless otherwise noted through disclosure. April 24: Municipal Waste, “Repossession” video Scion does not warrant these companies and is not liable for their performances or the content on their MAY advertisements and/or websites. May 15: Scion A/V Presents: Relapse Records Label Showcase (live recording) May 19: Scion Label Showcase: A389 Records Showcase, featuring Integrity, Ringworm, © 2012 Scion, a marque of Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A., Inc. Young and In the Way, Seven Sisters of Sleep and the Love Below, at the Glasshouse, All rights reserved. Scion and the Scion logo Pomona, California are trademarks of Toyota Motor Corporation. 00430-ZIN06-MT JUNE June 19: Scion A/V Presents: Profound Lore Label Showcase (live recording) Cover: Illustration by Pär Olofsson June 23: Scion Label Showcase: Southern Lord, featured acts Pelican, Black Breath, Martyrdöd, Burning Love and Acephalix, at the Glasshouse, Pomona, California

Be on the look out for national tours by Meshuggah, the Melvins and All Shall Perish VSRQVRUHGE\6FLRQ$9WKLV$SULODQG0D\ Over the course of ten years and four albums, Oakland quintet All Shall Perish has honed an increasingly powerful combination of savagery, hardcore pit-incitement, neo-classical shred and sharp sociopolitical critique. The title of their most recent album, This Is Where It Ends, may as well be their mission statement.

“When I was seven years old, I got put into an elementary school assembly. In walks a quartet of people, and they all have different instruments. They all start talking about playing music and what it means to them. I remember the trombonist was just tearin’ it up that day. I went home to my mom and I said, ‘I want to start playing music. I really love it.’ And she went and rented me a trombone and I joined up for elementary school band. I started learning the basics from there. I actually ignored a lot of what my teachers were saying to me. I was like, ‘This doesn’t make any sense. I’ll do it my way.’ I think that mentality was what brought me to be a death metal singer. I’m not going to go by the guidelines of popular choice. I’m just going to go do what feels right. And here I am today.” —Hernan “Eddie” Hermida, vocalist

As told to Etan Rosenbloom

allshallperish.com

Download live tracks from All Shall Perish’s performance at Scion Label Showcase: in Hollywood at scionav.com/nuclearblast Santa Cruz’s Decrepit Birth is known for their startlingly colorful take on death metal’s often monochromatic musical style. Vocalist Bill Robinson’s lyrics reach for metaphysical planes, while the band’s labyrinthine riff structures and fusion-forward guitar harmonies ensure that they get there.

³,Q WKH EHJLQQLQJ D ORW RI WKH IHHOLQJV ZH ZDQWHG WR SXW LQWR WKH PXVLF ZHUH MXVW EUXWDO slamming, technical death metal. At the time, a lot of the California bands that were playing that really technical, brutal style started sounding a little bit alike. I wanted to branch RII LQWR VRPHWKLQJ WKDW ZDV GLIIHUHQW ZLWK LQÀXHQFHV IURP PRUH (XURSHDQ VWXII DQG WKH Canadian death metal scene. That was, in turn, what we got with [2008’s] Diminishing Between Worlds—a lot more melody. It was more about structure than about riff salad and KRZPDQ\QRWHVFDQ,WKURZRXW´²0DWW6RWHORJXLWDULVW

As told to Etan Rosenbloom facebook.com/decrepitbirth

Download live tracks from Decrepit Birth’s performance at Scion Label Showcase: Nuclear Blast in Hollywood at scionav.com/nuclearblast I’ve been making music videos for to get into !lm or to get something on your underground and indie bands since résumé then please !nd something else to 2003. Most of my work has been in do. You’re disrespecting the hard work and rock and metal. I’ve been into music the art that the musicians have made. If you for as long as I can remember. I spent have to work with an artist you don’t like, try to a few years singing in bands and at !nd what he loves about the music. Do I love the same time making those big 3D everything? No. But the only way I can hope to displays for Tower Records. Tower properly represent an artist is to do everything Records closed and I started doing I can to appreciate their art. corporate work for some ad agencies. I learned way too much about renal CONCEPT failure and PowerPoint. I tried to Ask the band what they have on their mind. put “art” into it, but overall, it was a Each band is unique. Some have amazing soul-draining horror. ideas. Some don’t even think about videos. Regardless, it’s your job to represent the band’s I transitioned into music videos as an music, so it makes sense to !nd out what they editor, then became a “chair director” think. If they have an idea, great, run with it. (a dude that sits in a chair and tells If they don’t, try to get an idea of what they people what he wants to see), then like and what they hate. One thing I’ve learned grabbed the camera and learned to use is that it’s nearly impossible to guess what a a jib (a camera on a stick). I have now band’s tastes are, so why bother guessing? directed, shot and edited about 200 music videos. Here are some things I learned about music videos while making them that may help you if you want to make them.

MUSIC VIDEOS ARE STILL IMPORTANT Now that MTV has effectively decided against actually playing any music videos, many people feel that the music video is dead. That’s wrong. A video I shot for over !ve years ago gets views and comments on YouTube every day. This is far more exposure than the same video PRODUCTION STORY: DAVID BRODSKY would have gotten on MTV, even in its heyday. On most shoots it is necessary to hire a producer to help arrange things that the I don’t believe you need a million to make a good director doesn’t necessarily have the time or video, but a video presence is a must. One of inclination to handle. The producer’s role is the !rst things that people do when discovering getting all the ducks in a row so the director a band is go straight to YouTube and watch the can show up and be creative with the band. video. It’s an essential part of a modern artist’s ability to connect with their audience and to If I can offer just one piece of production advice, expose themselves to new fans as well. it’s this: Don’t shoot without insurance. It may appear needlessly expensive in many cases, We released a video for Devin Townsend that but it is far less expensive than replacing a had !fty thousand views in a few hours. Is that $10,000 camera or $20,000 in medical bills an internet phenomenon? No, but that’s a ton out of your own pocket. You can get insurance of people. from a number of sources—I typically use Film Emporium—and you can get a variety of types REQUIREMENTS of coverage. It’s my opinion that in order to properly make a music video, you have to love music. It helps Part of the producer’s job is to secure crew to also love visuals, but a love of music is and gear. Having done over 200 videos, I have essential. The end result is not about you so solid relationships with very talented crew much as it’s about the band. I try not to look people and a number of vendors. It pays to at videos as short !lms with a soundtrack, have a good working relationship with the but as a visual accompaniment to the music. crew. I !nd it important to allow them to be If you’re only making music videos in order creative as well. A lighting designer got into editing programs like Avid Media Composer. lighting design presumably because they love a semi-familiar environment, they can let loose doing lighting design, so let that artist express The HVX200’s weakness is primarily the !xed and enjoy. I also let them know that I know I think that the single most important thing himself as well. If as a director you can clearly lens. That means you cannot remove the lens that they may feel stupid, but that there’s no to know when making a video is how to edit. communicate to your crew what you want and are therefore “stuck” with what that one reason to feel that way. I let them know that Being an editor will inform your shoots. You’ll them to be doing and allow them to enjoy their lens is capable of. It does have a zoom with we’re all here because we all want to be here, know how and what to shoot because you’ll creativity, you’ll be golden. only a bit of light loss, but you cannot get the and we all love what we’re doing. have some idea of how it can all !t together same kind of depth of !eld as you can with a in the edit room. Also you’ll know what you DSLR. The Canons have much more "exibility UNCOMFORTABLE OR NERVOUS ARTISTS can get away with not shooting and still make in the “look” of the shot because you can I’ve found that bands can get uncomfortable it work. This is especially helpful when you’re swap lenses. So you not only have the option because shooting a video can feel somewhat running out of time. Directors that have no of using a zoom lens, but you can pretty easily stupid to some people. I can’t argue this editing experience, in my opinion, tend to swap out for a prime lens that yields better position and telling them to sack up will only overshoot things simply because they can’t put visual results at the expense of zooming. make it worse. What I try to do is let them it all together in their heads. know that I understand and get them to think A DSLR’s footage can only be immediately about what it is they are getting to do today. A good editor can make bad footage acceptable. used, however, by supercomputers. Otherwise, I let them know that we are all here for them But the reverse is true as well: a bad editor the Quicktime !les it generates need to be and that we want to watch them perform. If can ruin good footage. And remember, not converted before editing. This takes a lot of it helps, I ask them to think back to before everything can be !xed in post. time, but you can set it up to convert overnight if they were in a band, when they were just SHOOTING need be, so it’s not the worst thing in the world. discovering music and they’d blast their stereo COLOR These days, I generally shoot in HD. Way as loud as it could go and air guitar or sing or Modern non-linear editors offer amazing color back I used !lm, but I have seen very little For each shoot, I assess which type of camera bang on drums in the basement. correction tools. One of the freedoms that a solid reason to do so for many years. Post- best suits it. Often I’ll use both and match music video can afford is the ability to go beyond production and digital cameras have come a them in post. a “safe” color correction. It’s hard to describe, long way and while this isn’t necessarily the but color can change the mood of a visual. It’s forum for a !lm vs. digital discussion, I will say The point is, the more familiar you become surprising how powerful and beautiful complex that digital is vastly more affordable. with the tools available to you, the better you colors can be. I have my preferences for many will be able to do solid work. things, but I always try to work within the The Panasonic AG-HVX200 camera may be con!nes of the footage. Uncolored footage can the most famous camera in indie metal. It’s SHOOTING STYLE look "at and dull, whereas a minor adjustment shot hundreds of videos. It shoots HD footage The music informs the shooting style and how in the color, brightness, saturation and contrast, at 60FPS so you can get some awesome to move the camera. Shooting style is purely a or the levels and curves can drastically alter and slow-motion effects without needing higher subjective thing, but my preference has always improve the look. cost cameras. It’s about !ve years old now been to shoot “in motion.” One thing I try to and is slowly aging out, but it’s still a terri!c do is make the camera another instrument EDITING mgenyc.com multi-purpose camera. More recently, the in the band, but that’s another long esoteric Get used to this idea: The best shot you ever use of DSLRs, like the Canon 7D, has added conversation. If you’re going to be the shooter, took may get cut for the betterment of the Watch David Brodsky’s workshop on making an increased ability to get more “cinematic” it is imperative that you know the music. This video. I have a saying that goes, “I don’t edit music videos from the Scion Music(less) Music looks for music videos with lower budgets. should be obvious, but you’d be surprised. ’til I’m editing.” That simply means that I work Conference at scionav.com/mmc with the footage I shot as opposed to the Whatever your tool of choice, learn about its THE PERFORMANCE footage I wanted to shoot. Expectations can strengths and weaknesses and work with Remember that in many cases you are trying be a funny thing, and while I certainly strive them. For instance, in the strength department, to capture the band as they are. It is important to accomplish what I planned to get, so many the HVX200 is durable as all hell. And digital that they are as comfortable as they can be things can happen that it pays to be organic. cameras shoot compressed footage. This given the situation. It has been my experience means that the footage, basically, is encoded that if I try to drastically alter the way a band When editing music videos, I tend to prefer using some complex math that’s beyond performs, even in the way they stand relative hearing more than the beat. Cutting on the my understanding in order to crush all that to one another, they get uncomfortable or beat is easy, and it can be effective, but it’s information into usable data at a usable speed. overthink things and I cannot capture them as also obvious and dull. It’s important to me The HVX’s compression is crisp and typically they are. I will suggest minor improvements, to be able to have the video "ow within the footage from it can be used immediately within but I !nd that once the band is comfortable in music as opposed to sitting atop it. Interview: J. Bennett

Founded in 1998 by former Columbia Records employees E.J. Johantgen and Dan Fitzgerald, Prosthetic Records has grown into one of metal’s biggest independent labels. Based in Los Angeles, Prosthetic has released albums by metal heavyweights Lamb of God, All That Remains and Kylesa alongside burgeoning stars like Landmine Marathon, Skeletonwitch and Holy Grail. We spoke with Johantgen about the realities of running an independent metal label in an era of downloads, piracy and declining album sales.

Why did you want to start your own ODEHOLQWKH¿UVWSODFH" Because I saw a lot of major labels signing acts that basically appeared to be write-offs. The bands that should have had the money and the marketing spent on them weren’t getting it, and the bands that really A&R-wise, what are you looking for in didn’t deserve any of that had millions dumped DEDQG"Stuff that’s great, stuff that’s unique. I into them. And much like anyone, I wanted to don’t think we’ve ever really followed the trends, work with bands that I love and put everything I think the trends have come after. For example, I can into them because I feel they deserve it. I asked Tosin [Abasi] from to do an instrumental record when he was still What are your duties at Prosthetic as the LQ KLV ROG EDQG DQG QRZ WKDW¶V WKH ÀDYRU RI ODEHO VWDQGV WRGD\" Dan and I both oversee the month. We signed Through the Eyes of the the ins and the outs of just about everything, but Dead, one of the early bands, and that we also have nine employees worldwide. I do the EHFDPHWKHÀDYRURIWKHPRQWK A&R, Dan does a lot of the sales stuff. We both handle the marketing. Prosthetic puts out records from many different metal subgenres, but do you feel like the label has a general overall DHVWKHWLF" I think the core of it is stuff that’s heavy, stuff that’s extreme, even though that’s a word that has no meaning anymore. But if you look at a band like Animals as Leaders, 7RVLQ¶VIRUPHUEDQG>5HÀX[@ZDVRQHRIWKHHDUO\ bands. He grew as an artist, and what he delivered to us was light years beyond what he had done before. He made an accessible record, in a way, but if I woke up one day and decided that I wanted to get involved with radio rock bands, how could I compete? That’s a major label business. That’s a “go big or go home” business. All That Remains evolved into a radio rock band over time, you know? If an artist becomes that, like did, that’s much more appealing to me. How do you strike the balance between industry. On the plus side, you can have were bands we didn’t think would sell well on putting out music that you enjoy and the music you put out heard instantly by vinyl at all, but we through the copies making sure you don’t lose your shirt anyone in the world who has access to we pressed. Scale the Summit, for instance— LQ WKH SURFHVV" :HOO ZH¶YH GH¿QLWHO\ EHHQ a computer and an internet connection. amazing band, but we didn’t think their fans involved in talking to bands where the money Conversely, that instant availability would buy vinyl. We were wrong. gets a little ridiculous. And we’ve certainly has made people less inclined to overspent on some of them. But I don’t know, actually buy music, because it’s just too Do you think vinyl sales will continue I get caught up in stuff that I like. We just did easy to steal. Dude, it’s always been hard to to increase, or do you think it’s a trend a deal with a band that I can’t mention right VHOO UHFRUGV :KHQ ZH ¿UVW VWDUWHG WKH ODEHO WKDW¶V SHDNLQJ ULJKW QRZ" I don’t know. now, and I overspent on them, no question. But metal was dead. People forget that. There were I think it’s always getting better. I mean, my I love ’em, so what are you gonna do? You gotta no bands. Lamb of God couldn’t get arrested. 11-year-old is into vinyl now, although he listens do what you love, or there’s no point. People hated them because they couldn’t tell to mostly . We blew through a what they were. A hardcore band? A death metal thousand pieces of Acacia Strain vinyl, and But you must go into negotiations like band? There was them and Shadows Fall, and their crowd is a younger crowd. I think that says that with a cutoff number in your head. that was basically it. Killswitch Engage came a something. So I think it’s going to get bigger, Five or ten years ago, it was easier to get a little later. The biggest death metal band at the and I don’t think it’s going to go away soon. But sense of what a band’s ceiling was and what you time was probably Six Feet Under. Cannibal who knows? Maybe this year’s the peak. could sell initially. If you could get to this sales Corpse was still popular, but certainly not like number, you could spend this much money, that they are now. And today, I think most metal is Have you ever been approached by a kind of thing. But now it’s a crapshoot. No one back underground. You’re not gonna see the What do you think of those types PDMRU WKDW ZDQWHG WR EX\ 3URVWKHWLF" can tell you. huge sales that you used to see. Some bands can RIGHDOV"7KH\VHHPWREHVWDQGDUG Yes, and I heard what they had to say, but it go out there and do well, but they’re few and practice for major labels now. just didn’t make sense. I don’t wanna stop far between. I think the next wave is coming, Well, if you can manage all those assets that putting out records. And once a label becomes but whether it will generate more record sales, you’re taking from the band and account for DERXWSUR¿WWKHPXVLFJRHVWRV WGRHVQ¶WLW" I don’t know. Overall, we had a really good year everything properly—and the band is still That offer happened years ago, though, and I last year, but who knows about next year? getting everything they need and want— think neither party—me or them—really had what’s the big deal? If a band wants a lot of an idea about where this could go at the time. As far as the internet goes, there are obviously money, they have to give something up. That’s But if I had taken the deal, I wouldn’t be here fewer printed metal magazines out there, so just reality. But I think most younger bands right now. I think if you do what you love, the we’re spending less on advertising. But Facebook understand that there’s not a lot of money money will follow. helps. Twitter helps. You just have to get more to be had these days in terms of advances, creative. You know you’re going to sell fewer because you honestly don’t need that much Did you think you’d get this far when records, but I think if the record is good you can money to make a record anymore. \RX VWDUWHG WKH ODEHO" I knew we could sell physical product. You’re just not gonna sell get here. Working at a major label was very it at Best Buy anymore. If the band is out there The death of the record industry is weird. I just saw so much stupidity. I mean, DQGDFWLYHLWFDQZRUN7KHUH¶VDGH¿QLWHFHLOLQJ essentially viewed as a foregone do you really need to give that band a million if the band doesn’t tour, though. It’s hard for me conclusion at this point. Do you think dollars? Then their record would come out, no to market something that’s not visible. record sales will ever actually increase one would care, and the label would basically again, even from present levels, or have lose the band’s phone number. They have Is that a conversation you have with ZH RI¿FLDOO\ EHJXQ WKH UDFH WR WKH the ability to do that. They still do that. But EDQGV EHIRUH \RX VLJQ WKHP" Yeah, we ERWWRP" I don’t think physical product will if you’re an indie, you’re committed to the Clearly, the record industry has changed GH¿QLWHO\DVNWKHPLIWKH\¶UHJRQQDSXWLQWKH ever come back to high levels. I don’t look at that record. You’re in it to win it. You just have to quite a bit since you started Prosthetic work. I go into the conversation asking, “What as a negative, though. I’d much prefer if things ¿JXUHRXWWKHEHVWZD\WRJHWLWJRLQJ in the late 1990s. In what ways have you are you looking for? What do you want to do?” were digital. I have issues with the way KDGWRDGMXVWWRWKHFXUUHQWFOLPDWH"You If they say they want X number of dollars, then compensation for digital sales works these days, try not to overspend. You try to be realistic. I need certain things to happen in order for it to but I think that’ll get worked out. Metal kids still prostheticrecords.com Some bands want this, that and the other thing, PDNHVHQVH7RXULQJLVGH¿QLWHO\RQHRIWKHP want physical product—whether it’s CDs or vinyl and when you hear that, you instantly know I think most bands want to be successful, and or even tapes—and I think they always will, to a Download live tracks from Prosthetic acts Holy that you’ll never make a dime. But I think mail they want to build something up. But it’s always certain extent. You’re just not gonna do the same Grail, Scale the Summit, Last Chance to Reason order has been a positive thing for labels like a gamble. A band like is the rare volume as before. But right now, our vinyl sales and the Greenery, recorded at Scion Label mine. It makes it a little easier, let’s put it that exception that’s been able to do it their own way are through the roof. Showcase: Prosthetic Records in Hollywood at way. It gives me hope. At the end of the day, the without touring much. Bands like Pelican and scionav.com/prostheticrecords hardest part of running a record label is that Converge tour regularly and also do things their Which sells best for you these days: there’s no place to ship records anymore. You own way. But most bands can’t. &'VGLJLWDOGRZQORDGVRUYLQ\O" CD sales have to adjust, and the way that we’ve adjusted are the majority of what we do, but our vinyl is by selling direct to fans through mail order. Do you do 360 deals with bands where you sales have improved considerably, especially take a piece of their tour revenue and merch internationally. We have certain bands that do It seems like the digital age has been sales to make up for the fact that you just three or four thousand copies on vinyl, which I a double-edged sword for the record FDQ¶WVHOODVPDQ\UHFRUGVDQ\PRUH"No. think is phenomenal in this day and age. There I don’t do real well with idle time. I don’t watch I’m at musically feels like a cross between TV or anything like that. I have no interest in it. George Clinton, , Venom and TV is great for some people, because it keeps Lenny Bruce. A simpler way to say it would be them off the streets. Not me. Captain Beefheart playing heavy metal.

You were a KISS fan growing up. How The Melvins have gone through a lot of did you go from the most commercial bass players over the years. Has that rock band of the 1970s to ? been a frustrating process for you and Well, I liked a wide variety of bands, and KISS Dale? It’s always frustrating. You never want was just one of them. They wrote good songs, that kind of thing to happen, but it takes two and they were wild rock & roll to some degree. to tango, you know? I’m an eclectic weirdo, But at the same time, I liked bands like Queen, and I understand that. I’m a strange person, , the Rolling Stones and . a strange guy. I mean, my world seems !ne I still like all that stuff. But I started getting into to me, but when I get out into the rest of the bands like the Sex Pistols at a very early age, world, I don’t have a lot of patience for things and at !rst it was solely because of the way that drive me crazy, whatever they may be. I’m they looked in Creem magazine. I remember single-minded, but I’m not sorry I made any of I mail-ordered their record, and I didn’t think it those decisions. I made the right choice every was that much different from regular rock stuff single time. I wasn’t wrong about any of it. at all. I thought the vocals were a little weirder, People can think whatever they want, but I’m but that’s about it. I mean, if you like Mott the not making excuses for it. Those people knew Hoople, you can like the Sex Pistols. From the job was dangerous when they took it. there, I kinda !gured out what the Sex Pistols were into and discovered other punk bands. Did that situation ever get so bad that you thought about packing it in? At the time I was 13, so I wasn’t really able to Whenever I would think about packing it in, go to any of the huge rock shows because we I’d realize that what I really wanted to do was MELVINS lived so far away from the city. The town we just get rid of the bass player. And that was lived in didn’t even have a record store. When I always the truth. Interview: J. Bennett well, my best work at home, anyway. It’s hard was !nally able to go to a rock concert, I went Photography: Mackie Osborne to get people to show up to the studio before to see all different kinds of bands. I would’ve From an outsider’s perspective, it seems 9am. But I’m a strange bird, you know? I’m not gone to a lot more had I lived closer. I got into like the current Melvins lineup has Nearly 30 years into existence, the Melvins normal by any means. But I understand that. punk rock and realized that was more along been the most hassle-free. Prior to Jared IZMWNÅKQITTaIV]VLMZOZW]VLQV[\Q\]\QWV Sleeping in for me is 7am. On tour, maybe the lines of what I wanted to do, because of [Warren] and Coady [Wills], Mark [Deutrom] They’ve released dozens of super weird, 8:30 or 9:30 at the latest. the intimacy of the whole thing. played with us from 1993 to 1998, and then super heavy records (including nearly Kevin [Rutmanis] played with us from ’98 to 20 full-lengths) on labels of every size, Which is still probably a couple of hours ?PI\ _I[ \PM ÅZ[\ JQO KWVKMZ\ aW] 2005. So it’s been the better part of 20 years from the majorest of majors and the before the other guys. Yes. And I like to do a went to? I think it was Three Dog Night or with only three different lineups, so it’s not smallest of indies. Over the course of lot of the driving myself, unless we’re in Europe. something. I thought it was cool. I saw a like every other week [there’s a new member]. those three decades, they’ve experienced So I’ll just get up and take off. I usually travel bunch of good bands back then—KISS, Van Those other guys played with us for as long several semi-infamous lineup changes— separately from everyone else, besides the one Halen—but then I also went to see punk as most bands even exist. We’re not like the almost exclusively in the bass player other crew guy who I make get up early. bands like TSOL, Black Flag and the Damned. Brian Jonestown Massacre, where they’ve department—but the band’s musical core had like 900 different people in the band. has almost always comprised vocalist/ It’s the complete opposite of what you ?I[ \PMZM I [XMKQÅK UWUMV\ _PMV aW] guitarist and drummer Dale would expect from someone in a band. thought, “I want to do this”? I didn’t even Has having Jared and Coady in the band Crover. We recently got up early to speak Oh yeah. I’m the exact opposite of what you start playing guitar until I was 18 and almost opened up the songwriting process for with Osborne about the Melvins’ ability to would expect from rock & roll people in every out of high school, so I went pretty quickly you? Sure, but I was always open-minded consistently defy conventions. way. Nobody believes it, but I don’t care. I from playing guitar to playing in a band. It was about that sort of thing. I’ve always wanted don’t think most people would actually enjoy a matter of months, but it seemed a lot longer people to contribute. It’s a band, you know? It’s about 9:30am right now, and you’re walking a day in my shoes. at the time. The !rst music I wrote in the early But if nobody wants to contribute, I’ll be a notorious early riser. How long have was relatively simple, and I think that had more than happy to !ll up the gaps. I’m all been up? I got up at 4:30 today. I don’t even Because you’re far more on the straight more to do with the fact that I wasn’t a very for people bringing whatever they have to need an alarm clock to get up that early. I and narrow? Well, it’s straight and narrow, good guitar player. As I got better, I got more into the table, always have been. I’ve never had a usually get up anywhere between 4:30 and 6, but I’m by no means straight. Even straight weirder rhythms and strange music, and just problem with that. unless I’m on tour. Then I get up a lot later and narrow people aren’t doing what I’m kind of took it from there. At this point, where than normal. I do my best work before 9am— doing. I have a really hard time unwinding, and Has having two drummers made for new the business side of the Melvins? Obviously do that. It’s less impressive than something you’re not gonna sell as many records, but that is handmade. “My advice to bands is to be as peculiar there’s nothing I can do about that. All I can do is keep making music. I’m into the idea Last year, the Melvins were in New as you can. You can’t be peculiar that the exchange of information now is better Zealand during the earthquake, and than ever, so we should be happy for what then in Japan during the earthquake and we get, not what we don’t get. I’m happy that tsunami. Did that spook you? What are the enough, as far as I’m concerned.” there’s someone out there who likes what chances of someone being present for both we’re doing at all. of those catastrophic events on two different continents? Gotta be billions to one. I’m still possibilities? Sure. In that sense, we’re only , on which you gave artists At the Satellite residency, you were selling not over it. It was horrible. I’m still spooked by limited by what we can come up with. And entire Melvins albums to create their own some limited-edition vinyl and CD box sets the whole thing, and I live in California, where I have faith in those guys’ abilities to play song. By doing that, it seemed like you were that you had put together yourselves. That’s we have earthquakes regularly. But we gotta whatever we come up with. I quit worrying saying that music isn’t necessarily sacred. the future. We’ve always done lots of different be members of some kind of club now. We about that sort of thing a long time ago. It’s Yes, absolutely. I believe in artistic freedom, projects along those lines. Now you have to were actually in the middle of soundcheck not up to me whether people are gonna like it which means I believe in letting people do what ask: Why should people buy our records? when the Japanese one hit. It was the longest or not. What I have to do is keep working. So they want, whether you like it or not. If I hire The answer is that we should give them earthquake I’ve ever felt. It just went on and I just keeping making music, and it’s up to the somebody to paint a portrait of my wife, I’m not something that nobody else is giving them, on and on. I’m not wired correctly anyway, public to decide if they like it or not. It’s got gonna stand over their shoulder and tell them whatever that may be. But packaging means never mind having that kind of stuff happen. nothing to do with me, and I don’t want it to. what to paint. I already made that decision by nothing compared to what’s in the package. You can’t win in that scenario. But I know I’m hiring them. If I didn’t want them to do what I don’t care what vehicle people listen to my Do the Melvins mean something different right. I’ve never been wrong about anything, they do, I’d paint it myself. Far too many people music in, I just want them to hear it. I think to you today than when you started the not as far as that’s concerned. I wouldn’t have way too many rules about music. But I our music should be loved by everyone in the band? Maybe. I’m more relaxed now than I change anything on any of our records. I’m think music should be malleable. Our albums are whole world, but I’m not trying to have mass was then. We spent a lot of time with a lot of happy with every single one of them. mere suggestions. That’s all they are. appeal. There are a lot of things that should people not really caring about what we were happen that don’t happen. That’s !ne. That’s doing. It was sort of a reverse-entropy thing. I Last year, you guys played a residency Have you always felt that way? I never really the way the world works. have pretty thick skin because of that. But I’ve at Satellite in Los Angeles. At one of the thought about it. At some point when we were had enough people—people I respect—tell shows, you did a set with original Melvins playing songs live, I’d realize that there would Your wife [Mackie Osborne] often does me that they like what I’m doing, so it’s good drummer . How did that come be certain parts that I didn’t like anymore, so I’d the artwork for Melvins releases, but to know I wasn’t wrong about it. It is possible about? We did that a couple of years ago, too, play those parts differently. I don’t care, and no you’re okay if people don’t necessarily see to play weird, eclectic music and make a just for the hell of it. We thought it might be one else cares, either. If they do, they need to it, as long as they hear the music? That’s career out of it—as long as you’re careful. But fun. I’m still really good friends with Mike, understand that there’s a massive difference the way it’s always been. If you hear a song we didn’t have high expectations when we even though I’m not friends with , between albums and playing live. I think most on the radio, you’re not hearing the packaging. started. I just wanted to play a show. So we who was the Melvins’ bass player at that time. people subconsciously understand that they To me, the music is what’s important, not surpassed all that relatively quickly. Now, I’ve But if you look up Matt on Google or Facebook want a different thing, one way or the other. I if it’s on vinyl or CD, if it’s recorded analog been able to support myself by playing music or something, you’ll know why we didn’t want don’t listen to albums thinking, “How are they or digitally. Most of the people in the world for the better part of 25 years. I mean, we to continue playing with him. So we got Dale gonna pull this off live?” Bands get hung up listen to music on computers. That’s just the don’t have trust funds. I wish we did. I’d like to play bass [at Satellite] instead and did songs on that kind of stuff all the time. I can’t explain way it is. I’m not a move-in-reverse type of the trust fund to kick in right about now. You’d from ’83 and ’84. We actually just recorded a it. Musicians are some of the most conformist person. I like to move forward. Embrace the never see me again. four-song record with him on drums and Dale people you’ll ever meet. I don’t know why. It’s new and take it from there. Right now, our on bass—three new songs and a song from never made sense to me. My advice to bands music can be heard instantaneously by more themelvins.net back then. It’s sort of in the style of ’83, but it is to be as peculiar as you can. You can’t be people all over the world than ever before. But came out really good. peculiar enough, as far as I’m concerned. if you wanna sell them something, you gotta Hear Scion A/V Presents: Melvins — The give them something they can’t get like that. Bulls & The Bees, a collection of new songs at You’re also about to do a Melvins record You’ve consistently said that you’d Then you gotta go the extra mile and give scionav.com/melvins with from Fantômas. Does rather have half the admiration you get them something they can’t get at Best Buy. switching up personnel help you keep a in cash. Well, I don’t have any problem with And I’m all for that, because there’s nothing I fresh musical perspective? Maybe, I’m admiration, but in the end, I’m not doing this like better than working. Which means we sit not sure. Quite honestly, the way I’m wired, so people think I’m cool. I hope they do, but down and make the stuff ourselves. We have I don’t think I’m doing anything that’s that out if they don’t, that’s okay. The easiest thing a target audience of a very few people who of the ordinary in terms of the volume of music in the world to do is to look around and do appreciate that sort of thing, but it works. The we make. I know it is, when you see how what everyone else will think is great. There’s problem is that most people are too lazy to do everybody else does it, but I don’t feel like I’m nothing hard about that. But usually if it’s easy, that sort of thing. So what’s impressive is that overstating myself by any means. I feel like I it’s not good. we sit down and make the stuff ourselves by don’t do enough, as weird as that sounds. hand, instead of getting a bunch of people in a How has downloading and declining factory to do it. If you have money, anybody can In 2009, you put out a remix record called music sales changed the way you approach Interview: J. Bennett

In a genre that has splintered into what seems like a million different cliques and subcategories, Holy Grail have more in common with the fist-pumping arena metal of the early 1980s than almost any of the bands formed in the past 20 years. Crisis In Utopia, Holy Grail’s full-length debut released in 2010, is bursting with the kind of infectious riffs, twin-guitar harmonies and sky-scraping vocals that made bands like and famous. We sat down with Holy Grail vocalist James Luna and drummer Tyler Meahl the night before they headlined the Scion Label Showcase: Prosthetic Records concert at the Roxy in Hollywood. near famous rock clubs like the Roxy and Download live tracks from Holy Grail’s performance the Whiskey and knowing everything that at Scion Label Showcase: Prosthetic Records in happened there is part of our experience Hollywood at scionav.com/prostheticrecords living here. It becomes a part of you without you knowing it. IDFHERRNFRPKRO\JUDLORI¿FLDO Meahl: Yeah, my dad grew up with Eddie Van Halen and was good friends with him in high school. But the other side of being from here is that there are a lot of people who live in L.A. who are super jaded. They moved out here trying to make it, but it didn’t work out. Luna: Being native to L.A., you see a lot of transplants moving here trying to make it, and you learn how to detect phonies right off the bat. You get to see exactly how you don’t want to act once you start getting some notoriety.

You’ve been doing a ton of touring lately. What kind of lessons have you learned from those experiences? Meahl: Don’t lie about how much merch you have when you’re crossing the Canadian border. We didn’t learn that !rsthand, but we did tour with bands that got !ned for it. Luna: People also think touring is a party Since you play in a very traditional early guitar players in just a couple of years. Has every night in every city, but it’s not. Or at ’80s style, are there certain things you it been difficult to keep the band together least it shouldn’t be, not when you need to feel like you can’t or won’t do when you’re with so many personnel changes? perform every day. You don’t want to ruin that, writing songs? Luna: We’ve had trouble trying to !nd the because you want to put on the best show Luna: I don’t think so. We try not to limit perfect lineup. A lot of it was trying out possible. ourselves. The whole purpose of us starting different guys and seeing if we could get this band was because we’d been in other along with them on the road. It’s an interesting What kinds of things do you do to keep your bands where there were rules. But we have relationship, being in tight quarters with four voice in shape? really unique tastes within the band—modern other dudes for two, three or four months Luna: I do vocal warm-ups and these yoga- metal and a lot of classic metal and hard rock. at a time. Any little nuance they have that type exercises. Some of the vocal exercises That fusion is what makes the Holy Grail you didn’t like before is ampli!ed tenfold. If come from an instructional DVD by Melissa sound. We’ll write a riff thinking it sounds like you’re in a band with someone who’s rude to Cross called The Zen Of Screaming. It really Pentagram, but once the band starts playing people, it makes you look rude because he’s lubes up the pipes, so to speak. it, it’ll come out sounding like Amon Amarth representing the band. So we had to weed out or something. a lot of people. We just want the band to be Many of the tours you’ve done recently have Meahl: Freedom is a big part of this band a brotherhood, which I feel like we have now. been as a support act. Is there a different because Luna and I were in a band before Everything’s awesome with Blake [Mount, protocol when you’re in that position as called Jet Fuel, and the guitar player in that bassist] and Alex [Lee, guitarist]. opposed to being the headliner? band was trying to run everything, including Meahl: It’s also hard when you’re going on Luna: There’s de!nitely an unspoken code “People think touring is a party our personal lives. He didn’t even want us tour in two weeks and you need to !nd a bass that says you respect the headliner. to go out of town or do anything on our own. player quickly. We’d meet these guys that we every night in every city, but it’s Meahl: Well, it’s an unspoken code for us. We lived in this warehouse in Huntington Park wouldn’t be thrilled about, but we’d think, not. Or at least it shouldn’t be, We’ve been on tours like that where the band together, and we had to be around to take out “Oh, it’ll work out on the road.” But it never that’s even playing before us has no respect for not when you need to perform the trash because he was letting us stay there did. We should’ve trusted our gut. Some of anybody. I mean, you don’t go around calling for like $100 a month. It was the worst year these guys made touring hell. every day. You don’t want to ruin the shots or eating all the food in the green of both of our lives. After that, we were in a room before everyone else has a chance to that, because you want to put on band called , which also had a Southern California has a strong heavy metal get there. You don’t use up all the towels. You guy who was trying to run everything. So now and hard rock lineage. Being from here, do the best show possible. ” don’t lock yourself in the bathroom with your we have a band that’s a democracy. you feel any connection to that history? girlfriend for an hour while everyone is waiting Luna: There is a connection that we feel, just to use the shower. It’s just common sense. The core of Holy Grail is you two and in the sense that Tyler’s parents and friends guitarist Eli Santana, but you’ve been of my parents would go see Van Halen and through a string of bass players and second party with them in their heyday. Growing up ..Pär Olofsson Story: J. Bennett

Swedish artist Pär Olofsson is known for illustrating incredibly detailed album covers. He’s created art for titans Immortal, Exodus and Immolation, as well as rising stars , Abysmal Dawn and Pathology. Though he says that it wasn’t always this way.

“Back in 2005, I emailed maybe ten labels looking with a special focus on oil painting. Afterwards, to get into the business, but the only person who he underwent a year of digital graphics training got back to me was Erik [Lindmark] at Unique EHIRUH JRLQJ WR ZRUN IRU DQ DGYHUWLVLQJ ¿UP UXQ Leader Records,” Olofsson says. “I did a piece that by one of his instructors. But he always found his used in the booklet for Crown of true inspiration in listening to extreme metal. Souls that later became the cover for their Live in ³7KHHQHUJ\ÀRZLWJLYHVRIILVDUHDOUXVK´KHVD\V Montreal DVD. The pay was a joke, but it gave me “And some of the work, like the Faceless’ Planetary some good publicity.” Duality, was a big step in my evolution as a painter.”

Today, Olofsson specializes in horror scenes and )RUDOOWKHKLJKSUR¿OHZRUNKH¶VGRQH2ORIVVRQVWLOO futuristic landscapes like the ones he created for has at least one band on his wish list. “I’d really Norwegian thrashers Harm’s Demonic Alliance like to work with the Egyptian theme that Nile has and Swedish death dealers Coldworker’s The JRLQJ´KHVD\V³,ZRXOGEOHQGVWRQHDQGÀHVK´ Doomsayer’s Call. His style is the result of a meticulous artistic process. “I very often make parolofsson.se D SHQFLO GUDZLQJ ¿UVW WKDW , ODWHU VFDQ DQG SDLQW in Photoshop using a Wacom tablet,” he explains. See Pär Olofsson’s art on the cover of “The tablet has its limitations, and that’s why I like Scion A/V Presents: Immolation — Providence WRGUDZZLWKSHQFLORQSDSHU¿UVW´ at scionav.com/immolation

Before his career took off, Olofsson attended art school in his native Sweden for two years, where he studied drawing, sculpting and photography, TAMPA Scene Report

For almost four years, promoters Peter Olen and Matt Welch have been putting on metal shows together under the name Two Beards Presents. Here the Florida natives let you know what you need to know about what’s currently happening in Tampa.

The Scene the show. They just recently Tampa is a weird place, moved to a larger space, but we like it like that. because in typical metal We’re not complaining. fashion, they got kicked The shows are going well. out of their old space. /RFDO EDQGV DUH ¿QDOO\ getting out on the road. Transitions The scene is pretty strong. Art Gallery A hardcore band recently Transitions is an all-ages came through and the D.I.Y. space. That’s where vocalist was saying that all of our punk shows and you go through a lot of our smaller metal shows towns and you always see happen. When Torche was new faces, but when you on the up and up, that’s come to Tampa you see ZKHUHWKH\SOD\HGWKHLU¿UVW a lot of the same faces. Tampa shows. Saviours, That’s true, across genres. Kids are dedicated. Wormrot, Tombs—they all played there. A lot of They become the heart of the community and WKHVH EDQGV ZKHQ WKH\¶UH ¿UVW FRPLQJ WKURXJK tend to stick around. Right now we’ve got a WKH\¶UHÀ\LQJXQGHUWKHUDGDUVRWKDW¶VZKHUHWKH\ really good and thriving crust and end up playing. scene. There’s a local band called Cellgraft, they’re starting to pop up on some radars and Swamp Abyss Sorcery are putting out some records. Flyingsnakes This band up in Gainesville called Hot Graves are kind of crust-metal. They just did a tour just put out a compilation called Swamp and have another one coming in June, plus Abyss Sorcery. It’s all Florida bands and a lot they had a full-length come out. Party Time of them are from Tampa. is Jamie Stewart from the Absence and Troi Benjamin from the Holy Mountain. They’re Psycho Realms this really great grind/death metal band. Our buddies in the band Unkempt have a radio show on WMNF called Psycho Realms. The Brass Mug Pub They play metal, hang out and do interviews. The Brass Mug Pub has been a staple in the They have a very metal timeslot, Sundays metal scene for about 30 years now. A lot of the from 1am to 4am. Only metal heads are up at old Florida bands used to play there frequently. those hours. WMNF is a long-standing staple Now they do shows there, people hang out, of the community. It’s a community-run radio they’ve got metal karaoke... It is metal from station that’s been around for decades and top to bottom. There are no posers in that it’s still going strong, regardless of some the place, from the owner on down. On any given hippies in charge. night you are likely to run into both some of the old guard and the young pups of the metal twobeardspresents.com scene. You’ll see members of Obituary, Deicide or hanging out and watching Royal Thunder at Scion Label Showcase: Relapse Records ABOUT TOWN

Last Chance to Reason at Scion Label Showcase: Prosthetic Records

Revocation at Scion Label Showcase: Relapse Records

Exhumed at Scion Label Showcase: Relapse Records

Guests at Scion Label Showcase: Prosthetic Records

The Greenery at Scion Label Showcase: Scale the Summit at Scion Label Prosthetic Records Showcase: Prosthetic Records

Last Chance to Reason at Scion Label Black Tusk at Scion Label Showcase: Revocation at Scion Label Showcase: Tombs at Scion Label Showcase: Prosthetic Records Relapse Records Showcase: Relapse Records Relapse Records