The AP Fall Tour dates revealed; featuring Miss May I, The Ghost Inside, Like Moths To Flames, and more

Dates and info for the tour are below

10-16 New Haven, CT (Toad’s Place)
10-17 New York, NY (Irving Plaza)
10-18 Boston, MA (Royale Night Club)
10-19 Philadelphia, PA (Theatre of the Living Arts)
10-20 Sayerville, NJ (Starland Ballroom)
10-21 Baltimore, MD (The Recher Theatre)
10-23 Norfolk, VA (The Norva)
10-24 Charlotte, NC (Amos’ Southend Music Hall)
10-25 Atlanta, GA (The Masquerade)
10-26 St. Petersburg, FL (State Theatre)
10-27 Ft. Lauderdale, FL (Revolution)
10-28 Orlando, FL (House of Blues)
10-30 Houston, TX (House of Blues)
10-31 Dallas, TX (House of Blues)
11-01 San Antonio, TX (Backstage Live)
11-03 Mesa, AZ (The Nile)
11-04 San Diego, CA (House of Blues)
11-06 Los Angeles, CA (House of Blues)
11-07 Anaheim, CA (House of Blues)
11-08 Sacramento, CA (Ace of Spades)
11-09 Portland, OR (Hawthorne Theater)
11-10 Seattle, WA (El Corazon)
11-12 Salt Lake City (In The Venue)
11-13 Denver, CO (Summit Music Hall)
11-15 Minneapolis, MN (Station 4)
11-16 Sauget, IL (Pops)
11-17 Chicago, IL (House of Blues)
11-18 Grand Rapids, MI (The Intersection)
11-20 Pittsburgh, PA (Altar Bar)
11-21 Cincinnati, OH (Bogart’s)
11-23 Detroit, MI (St. Andrews Hall)
11-24 Cleveland, OH (House of Blues)

Pre-sale Add-on: Purchase of a ticket + $17
• A one-year subscription to AP
• All 3 covers of the AP Tour Fall 2012 issue

 

VIP Bundle: Purchase of a ticket + $48

• One-year subscription to AP

• All 3 covers of the AP Tour Fall 2012 issue

• Meet & Greet with Miss May I

• A sit-in on Miss May I’s soundcheck

• Signed copy of Miss May I’s new record At Heart

• VIP AP Tour laminate

• AP Tour USB wristband with exclusive MP3’s, videos and more from this year’s fall tour line-up

 

TICKETS

Pre-sale: August 7 - 9 http://theaptour.ducatking.com/

On Sale: August 10 at 10 a.m. local venue time

More Info: http://www.altpress.com/theaptour

MISS MAY I to Headline THE AP TOUR FALL 2012

Cleveland-based youth-culture magazine ALTERNATIVE PRESS has just announced MISS MAY I as the headliner for their annual fall tour, THE AP TOUR FALL 2012, sponsored by PETERSAYSDENIM. The tour, featuring a line-up handpicked by the AP staff, will be heading out on a 32-day trek that kicks off mid-October till the end of November. Tour dates will be announced soon.

MISS MAY I will receive direct support from California heavy hitters THE GHOST INSIDE, melodic metal act LIKE MOTHS TO FLAMES, Australia’s modern metal quintet THE AMITY AFFLICTION, and technical metal up-and-comers GLASS CLOUD.

Once again, THE AP TOUR includes built-in incentives for both the fans and the bands. Presale purchasers will be given the first opportunity to buy a limited VIP package along with an exclusive add-on offer.  With the purchase of a ticket and an additional $17, fans will receive a one-year subscription to AP and all three covers of the AP TOUR FALL 2012 issue.  In addition, AP is offering a limited VIP Package with the purchase of a ticket and an additional $48. This package includes all three covers of the AP Tour issue, a one-year subscription to AP, access to a meet & greet with MISS MAY I, a sit-in on MISS MAY I’s soundcheck, a signed copy of Miss May I's new record At Heart, a VIP laminate and an AP Tour USB with exclusive MP3s, videos and additional content from all your favorite AP Tour bands.  Don’t miss out on this first-come-first served opportunity before they sell out!

Pre-sale tickets go on sale from August 7^th through 9^th at http://theaptour.ducatking.com/ and go on general sale on August 10^th at 10 am local venue time. To read more about the tour, please visit www.altpress.com/theaptour and www.twitter.com/theaptour.

 Guitar World Magazine and DRUM! Magazine recently posted exclusive videos highlighting MISS MAY I’s gear that they are using on this year’s VANS WARPED TOUR. You can check out the guitar/bass video here and the drum video here. Take a behind-the-scenes look at specific gear the band uses and hear explanations straight from the guys on why they use the gear they do and how it shapes their signature sound.

Additionally, MISS MAY I posted their third official VANS WARPED TOUR video update today! Head to the band’s official YouTube page right now to check out the video.

MISS MAY I’s most recent album, At Heart, was released on June 12, 2012 with Rise Records and reached #32 on the Billboard Top 200 it its first week.

See below for all current VANS WARPED TOUR dates:

2012 VANS WARPED TOUR

7/26 -Atlanta, GA @ Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood

7/27- Orlando, FL @ Central Florida Fairgrounds

7/28 -West Palm Beach, FL (Miami) @ Cruzan Amphitheatre

7/29 -St. Petersburg, FL (Tampa) @ Vinoy Park

7/30 -Charlotte, NC @ Charlotte Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

7/31- Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center

8/01 -Milwaukee, WI @ Marcus Amphitheatre

8/04 -Redmond, WA (Seattle) @ Marymoor Park

8/05 -Portland, OR @ Rose Quarter Riverfront

As I Lay Dying post new song, "Cauterize" for free download

Download a new As I Lay Dying song entitled “Cauterize” here. The band’s new album, Awakened, is due out on September 25th via Metal Blade Records.

MISS MAY I Releases Full 'Hey Mister' Music Video with Revolver Magazine Today!

MISS MAY I have released the official new music video for the track ‘Hey Mister’ with Revolver Magazine. Fans can view the full music video at this location now. ‘Hey Mister’ is the first single cut from the band’s upcoming full-length album, At Heart. The band plans on releasing a few more video trailers and full music videos in the coming weeks, so keep an eye out!

At Heart, a pummelling album that Revolver Magazine describes as having “plenty of monster tracks, propulsive riffs, and searing breakdowns” (album review: May/June 2012),will hit stores on June 12, 2012, and was produced by famed record producer Machine (Lamb of God, Every Time I Die, Suicide Silence). The band’s first album, Apologies Are for the Weak, reached #29 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. Their 2010 sophomore release, Monument, charted on the Billboard Top 200 and hit #10 on the U.S. Hard Rock chart. Churning out over 450 performances since 2009, the band is regarded as one of the hardest working young bands in the metal genre.

MerchNOW is offering several MISS MAY I merchandise bundles. The first 1,000 fans to purchase a bundle that includes the At Heart CD O Card or pre-order the At Heart CD O Card non-bundle will receive an autographed copy of the At Heart CD O Card.  Head to www.missmayi.merchnow.com now and check out all available merchandise bundles!

MISS MAY I is confirmed to perform on one of the Kia main stages at this year’s Vans Warped Tour! View the full announcement at www.vanswarpedtour.com. See below for all Vans Warped Tour dates, as well as the rest of the band’s 2012 touring schedule.

2012 VANS WARPED TOUR

6/16 -Salt Lake City, UT @ Utah State Fairpark

6/17- Denver, CO @ Sports Authority Field at Mile High

6/20 -Las Vegas, NV @ Luxor Festival Lot

6/21- Irvine, CA @ Orange County Great Park

6/22 -Pomona, CA  @ Pomona Fairplex

6/23- San Francisco, CA @ AT&T Park

6/24 -Ventura, CA @ Seaside Park  

6/27 -Chula Vista, CA (San Diego) @ Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre

6/29- Las Cruces, NM @ N.M.S.U. Practice Field

6/30- San Antonio, TX @ AT&T Center

7/01- Houston, TX @ Reliant Park - Main Street Lot

7/03- Dallas, TX @ Gexa Energy Pavilion

7/05 -Maryland Heights, MO (St. Louis) @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

7/06- Auburn Hills, MI (Detroit) @ The Palace of Auburn Hills

7/07 -Tinley Park, IL (Chicago) @ First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre

7/08- Shakopee, MN (Minneapolis) @ Canterbury Park

7/09 -Bonner Springs, KS (Kansas City) @ Sandstone Amphitheater

7/10- Noblesville, IN (Indianapolis)  @ Klipsch Music Center

7/11 -Cuyahoga Falls, OH (Cleveland) @ Blossom Music Center

7/12- Burgettstown, PA (Pittsburgh)  @ First Niagara Pavilion

7/13- Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center

7/14- Montréal, QC @ Parc Jean Drapeau

7/15 -Mississauga, ON (Toronto) @ Molson Canadian Amphitheatre

7/17 -Darien Center, NY (Buffalo) @ Darien Lake PAC

7/18- Scranton, PA @ Toyota Pavilion

7/19- Mansfield, MA (Boston) @ Comcast Center

7/20- Camden, NJ (Philadelphia, PA) @ Susquehanna Bank Center

7/21- Uniondale, NY @ Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum

7/22 -Hartford, CT @ The Comcast Theatre

7/24 -Columbia, MD (Washington, D.C.) @ Merriweather Post Pavilion

7/25 -Virginia Beach, VA @ Farm Bureau Live

7/26 -Atlanta, GA @ Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood

7/27- Orlando, FL @ Central Florida Fairgrounds

7/28 -West Palm Beach, FL (Miami) @ Cruzan Amphitheatre

7/29 -St. Petersburg, FL (Tampa) @ Vinoy Park

7/30 -Charlotte, NC @ Charlotte Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

7/31- Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center

8/01 -Milwaukee, WI @ Marcus Amphitheatre

8/04 -Redmond, WA (Seattle) @ Marymoor Park

8/05 -Portland, OR @ Rose Quarter Riverfront

Interview: Levi Benton of Miss May I

Miss May I are currently out on tour with Parkway Drive, and we had a chance to interview Miss May I from the road. Levi and I spoke about the tour, finishing their new album in the studio, meaning of the album art, future touring, and more!

State your name and role in the band, please.

Levi Benton Vocalist in Miss May I

You’re currently on tour with Parkway Drive; how is the tour going for you guys? Is it nice playing to a different crowd than maybe you guys are used to?

It’s been great so far on this tour and HUGE! Also yes it’s been so nice to play to a real metal crowd and the fans are being great to us as well. Most of them are seeing us for the first time and they are great! Can’t wait to come back!

I noticed the release date for At Heart has been pushed back to June 12th; was it due to a change in the album cover? I know numerous people have wanted the lion to come back.

I know we have been bashed quite a bit on the new album cover but I feel like since we are finally having an OFFICIAL Lion Logo for Miss May I then the story and meaning of At Heart would be lost with just the logo. Also the packaging is great so just you wait ;) The push back was due to some last minute changes on the album.

Speaking of: what’s the significance behind the album title, and how does it tie in with the album art?

Throughout the album artwork it shows how each song is sang from the heart and that is all that matters. No more just trying to be tough and in a metal band but play music worth playing and feeling. The child on the cover shows that even from the beginning of life you have to speak from the heart.

What’s one thing that you can tell us about the album that everyone wouldn’t know on their own?

The album is actually all recorded with the same microphone I play with live a SM58 and its the first time I ever held a mic in hand and recorded on a album.

How is At Heart a progression from your last album, Monument?

Well, we definitely spent way more time on this album more than we have ever spent on a album before. We actually got a chance to do pre-production and sit back and listen to the album before we tracked it so we made sure the best of the best made it to the album.

What song changed the most during the recording process?

The biggest track of the album and the most meaningful song “Hey Mister” probably changed the most and got rearranged at least 3-5 times before ever officially tracking. But the final product turned out great!

What guest vocals did you have on the record, if any? I’m guessing Telle from The Word Alive returned the favor since you appeared on “2012”.

We actually didn’t have any guest vocals this time on the record. We are more about playing live as good as possible and we feel the more guest vocals that clutter the album the more it would not sound the same live.

Did you return the favor on Attack Attack’s newest album? (not This Means War; they made an announcement that they have completed ten songs, produced by John Feldmann, for another album)

Actually I didn’t and I wish I could have!

At Heart is your third album on Rise; that being said is your contract fulfilled, or can we expect another album on the label?

It is our last album on Rise Records but we have not yet looked into new labels yet. WE have put most of our time into making At Heart as large as possible first.

Any more songs about video games like Rust?

Not yet haha. If it was up to us though there would be one about Skyrim or Battlefield 3 on this record.

In your live performances, as soon as your start screaming, you have a much harder time doing more demanding vocal parts. Eventually by the end of the set it sounds like you find it almost impossible to hold a scream out. What impact has this had on how you arrange your set list, and how you take care of your voice outside of your performance? Have you considered going to Melissa Cross for vocal lessons?

I have went to Melissa Cross and I have had a great performance ever since!

I’ve read in other interviews that you’re influenced by As I Lay Dying but what do you say to the critics who think you’re a watered-down version of AILD?

Well we are very big fans of AILD and I know sometimes it seems like we are alike but I guess thats what happens when you are inspired.

What do you hope the remainder of the year holds for MMI, with a new album looming and everything?

Well we will have the year packed with tours and magazine press and have some surprises already scheduled so keep your eyes peeled.

Last question: What are one book and one band that you’d recommend to anyone that listens to your band?

I don’t read books and As I Lay Dying.

Miss May I to play Main Stage on this years Vans Warped Tour

Troy, Ohio melodic metal band MISS MAY I has just been confirmed for a slot on one of the Kia main stages at this year’s 2012 Vans Warped Tour! View the full announcement at www.vanswarpedtour.com and stay tuned for more updates and MISS MAY I exclusives coming in the next few weeks.

 “We are more than excited to play the Vans Warped Tour this year, especially main stage with the bands that got us into music in the first place,” comments frontman Levi Benton.  “Summer will be a hell of a ride and all we can say is…. CIRCLE PIT!”

 MISS MAY I recently announced details about their new album entitled At Heart, now being released with Rise Records on its new release date of June 12^th, 2012. At Heart was produced by famed record producer Machine (Lamb of God, Every Time I Die, Suicide Silence) this past winter at Machine Shop in Belleville, New Jersey. The newly released album artwork was created by graphic artist Zac Schwiet.

 MISS MAY I is currently on tour with Whitechapel, After The Bruial, The Plot In You, and Structures. The tour will travel through the United States until March 30^th, taking a month long break while MISS MAY I heads to Europe to tour with Parkway Drive, The Ghost Inside, and Confession, and kicks back up again on May 3^rd in Louisville, KY. The tour closes with two east coast shows, including the 2012 Bamboozle Festival in Asbury Park, NJ.

 The band’s first album, Apologies Are for the Weak, reached #29 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. Their 2010 sophomore release, Monument, charted on the Billboard Top 200 and hit #10 on the U.S. Hard Rock chart. Churning out over 450 performances since 2009, the band is regarded as one of the hardest working young bands in the metal genre.
 

REMAINING 2012 TOUR DATES:

W/ WHITECHAPEL, AFTER THE BURIAL, THE PLOT IN YOU, STRUCTURES

3/22 - Ventura, CA @ Ventura Theatre

3/23 - Fresno, CA @ Club Retro

3/24 - Tucson, AZ @ Rialto Theatre

3/25 - Las Vegas, NV @ Hard Rock Café – Vegas Strip

3/26 - Farmington, NM @ Top Deck

3/28 - San Antonio, TX @ White Rabbit

3/29 - McAllen, TX @ El Rey Theatre

3/30 - Corpus Christi, TX @ House Of Rock

EUROPEAN TOUR W/ PARKWAY DRIVE, THE GHOST INSIDE, CONFESSION

4/6 - Amsterdam, Holland @ Melkweg

4/7 - London, UK @ Indigo2

4/8 - Birmingham, UK @ HMV Institute

4/9 - Glassgow, UK @ ABC

4/10 - Manchester, UK @ Academy

4/11 - Cardiff, UK @ Uni Great Hall

4/12 - Obergausen, Germany @ Turbinenhalle

4/13 - Paris, France @ Bataclan

4/14 - Lyon, France @ Transbordeur, Rockstorm Fest

4/15 - Madrid, Spain @ Sala Heineken

4/16 - Barcelona, Spain @ Sala Razzamatazz

4/17 - Toulon, France @ Le Vox

4/18 - Milano, Italy @ Alcatraz

4/19 - München, Germany @ Tonhalle

4/20 - Wien, Austria @ Gasometer

4/21 - Leipzig, Germany @ Agra, Impericon Fest

4/22 - Wurzburg, Germany @ Posthalle

4/23 - Copenhagen, Denmark @ Pumpehuset

4/24 - Gothenburg, Sweden @ Trädgårn

4/25 - Oslo, Norway @ John Dee

4/26 - Stockholm, Sweden @ klubben

4/27 - Hamburg, Germany @ Große Freiheit 36 

4/28 - Meerhout, Belgium @ Groezrock Fest

W/ WHITECHAPEL, AFTER THE BURIAL, WITHIN THE RUINS, THE PLOT IN YOU

5/3 - Louisville, KY @ Expo Five

5/4 - Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel

5/5 - Birmingham, AL @ Zydeco

5/8 - Lake Buena Vista, FL @ House Of Blues

5/9 - Jacksonville, FL @ Freebird Live

5/10 - Charleston, SC @ The Music Farm

5/12 - Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall Indoor Stage

5/13 - Huntington, WV @ Big Sandy Supercenter Grand

5/15 - Clifton Park, NY @ Northern Lights

5/16 - S. Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground

5/17 - Portland, ME @ State Theatre

5/18 - Asbury Park, NJ @ North Beach (Bamboozle 2012)

5/19 - Syracuse, NY @ Lost Horizon (NO Whitechapel)

MAIN STAGE -  2012 VANS WARPED TOUR

6/16 Salt Lake City, UT @ Utah State Fairpark

6/17 Denver, CO @ Sports Authority Field at Mile High

6/20 Las Vegas, NV @ Luxor Festival Lot

6/21 Irvine, CA @ Orange County Great Park

6/22 Pomona, CA  @ Pomona Fairplex

6/23 San Francisco, CA @ AT&T Park

6/24 Ventura, CA @ Seaside Park  

6/27 Chula Vista, CA (San Diego) @ Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre

6/29 Las Cruces, NM @ N.M.S.U. Practice Field

6/30 San Antonio, TX @ AT&T Center

7/1 Houston, TX @ Reliant Park - Main Street Lot

7/3 Dallas, TX @ Gexa Energy Pavilion

7/5 Maryland Heights, MO (St. Louis) @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

7/6 Auburn Hills, MI (Detroit) @ The Palace of Auburn Hills

7/7 Tinley Park, IL (Chicago) @ First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre

7/8 Shakopee, MN (Minneapolis) @ Canterbury Park

7/9 Bonner Springs, KS (Kansas City) @ Sandstone Amphitheater

7/10 Noblesville, IN (Indianapolis)  @ Klipsch Music Center

7/11 Cuyahoga Falls, OH (Cleveland) @ Blossom Music Center

7/12 Burgettstown, PA (Pittsburgh)  @ First Niagara Pavilion

7/13 Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center

7/14 Montréal, QC @ Parc Jean Drapeau

7/15 Mississauga, ON (Toronto) @ Molson Canadian Amphitheatre

7/17 Darien Center, NY (Buffalo) @ Darien Lake PAC

7/18 Scranton, PA @ Toyota Pavilion

7/19 Mansfield, MA (Boston) @ Comcast Center

7/20 Camden, NJ (Philadelphia, PA) @ Susquehanna Bank Center

7/21 Uniondale, NY @ Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum

7/22 Hartford, CT @ The Comcast Theatre

7/24 Columbia, MD (Washington, D.C.) @ Merriweather Post Pavilion

7/25 Virginia Beach, VA @ Farm Bureau Live

7/26 Atlanta, GA @ Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood

7/27 Orlando, FL @ Central Florida Fairgrounds

7/28 West Palm Beach, FL (Miami) @ Cruzan Amphitheatre

7/29 St. Petersburg, FL (Tampa) @ Vinoy Park

7/30 Charlotte, NC @ Charlotte Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

7/31 Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center

8/1 Milwaukee, WI @ Marcus Amphitheatre

8/4 Redmond, WA (Seattle) @ Marymoor Park

8/5 Portland, OR @ Rose Quarter Riverfront

MISS MAY I is:

B.J. Stead - rhythm guitar

Jerod Boyd - drums

Justin Aufdemkampe - lead guitar

Levi Benton - lead vocals

Ryan Neff - bass guitar, clean vocals

For more information on MISS MAY I, please visit these sites:

 www.facebook.com/MissMayIMusic

www.twitter.com/missmayiband

www.youtube.com/missmayiband

Miss May I announce new album title and release date

Troy, Ohio melodic metal band MISS MAY I are pleased to announce the name and release date of their brand new full-length album. The new album, entitled At Heart, is being released with Rise Records and will hit stores on May 29^th, 2012. At Heart was produced by famed record producer Machine (Lamb of God, Every Time I Die, Suicide Silence) this past winter at Machine Shop in Belleville, New Jersey.

 Fans can view a special video announcement featuring MISS MAY I vocalist Levi Benton at the band’s official YouTube page now. “We are so stoked for everyone to hear this new record. It is the best thing we’ve ever recorded from beginning to end,” states Levi. “We decided to name the album At Heart because this is the first thing we have ever created from the heart. Everything is exactly what we have always wanted to say and we didn’t hold back. No gimmicks or computers. Just five guys thrashing their hearts out.”

 ”The individual member’s performances on this record are fantastic!  This is why I say, MISS MAY I has arrived as a BAND.  A real fucking band,” adds At Heart producer Machine. “We have created an unstoppable, pure, metal, freight train of a record. My instincts tell me that when people hear it, it will be infectiously unstoppable. There’s more feel and power musically, lyrically, than I have heard from the band before. It is a pleasure for me to work with such a young band who knows who they are and are not afraid to focus on the big picture.”

 MISS MAY I are set to kick off their upcoming tour with Whitechapel, After The Bruial, The Plot In You, and Structures this Saturday, March 10^th in Memphis, TN. The tour will travel through the United States until March 30^th, taking a month long break while MISS MAY I heads to Europe to tour with Parkway Drive, The Ghost Inside, and Confession, and kicks back up again on May 3^rd in Louisville, KY. The tour closes with two east coast shows, including the 2012 Bamboozle Festival in Asbury Park, NJ.

 MISS MAY I was discovered by Rise Records through the direction of former manager Chris Rubey of The Devil Wears Prada in 2008. The band’s first album, Apologies Are for the Weak, reached #29 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. Their 2010 sophomore release, Monument, charted on the Billboard Top 200 and hit #10 on the U.S. Hard Rock chart. Churning out over 450 performances since 2009, the band is regarded as one of the hardest working young bands in the metal genre.

2012 TOUR DATES:

W/ WHITECHAPEL, AFTER THE BURIAL, THE PLOT IN YOU, STRUCTURES

3/10 - Memphis, TN @ Newby’s

3/11 - Knoxville, TN @ The Valarium

3/12 - Bloomington, IL @ The Castle Theatre

3/13 - Grand Rapids, MI @ The Intersection

3/14 - Indianapolis, IN @ Egyptian Room @ Old National Centre

3/15 - Springfield, MO @ Remington’s Downtown

3/16 - Kansas City, MO @ The Beaumount Club

3/17 - Wichita, KS @ The Scene-ary

3/20 - Reno, NV @ Knitting Factory Concert House

3/21 - Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades

3/22 - Ventura, CA @ Ventura Theatre

3/23 - Fresno, CA @ Club Retro

3/24 - Tucson, AZ @ Rialto Theatre

3/25 - Las Vegas, NV @ Hard Rock Café – Vegas Strip

3/26 - Farmington, NM @ Top Deck

3/28 - San Antonio, TX @ White Rabbit

3/29 - McAllen, TX @ El Rey Theatre

3/30 - Corpus Christi, TX @ House Of Rock

EUROPEAN TOUR W/ PARKWAY DRIVE, THE GHOST INSIDE, CONFESSION

4/6 - Amsterdam, Holland @ Melkweg

4/7 - London, UK @ Indigo2

4/8 - Birmingham, UK @ HMV Institute

4/9 - Glassgow, UK @ ABC

4/10 - Manchester, UK @ Academy

4/11 - Cardiff, UK @ Uni Great Hall

4/12 - Obergausen, Germany @ Turbinenhalle

4/13 - Paris, France @ Bataclan

4/14 - Lyon, France @ Transbordeur, Rockstorm Fest

4/15 - Madrid, Spain @ Sala Heineken

4/16 - Barcelona, Spain @ Sala Razzamatazz

4/17 - Toulon, France @ Le Vox

4/18 - Milano, Italy @ Alcatraz

4/19 - München, Germany @ Tonhalle

4/20 - Wien, Austria @ Gasometer

4/21 - Leipzig, Germany @ Agra, Impericon Fest

4/22 - Wurzburg, Germany @ Posthalle

4/23 - Copenhagen, Denmark @ Pumpehuset

4/24 - Gothenburg, Sweden @ Trädgårn

4/25 - Oslo, Norway @ John Dee

4/26 - Stockholm, Sweden @ klubben

4/27 - Hamburg, Germany @ Große Freiheit 36 

4/28 - Meerhout, Belgium @ Groezrock Fest

W/ WHITECHAPEL, AFTER THE BURIAL, WITHIN THE RUINS, THE PLOT IN YOU

5/3 - Louisville, KY @ Expo Five

5/4 - Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel

5/5 - Birmingham, AL @ Zydeco

5/8 - Lake Buena Vista, FL @ House Of Blues

5/9 - Jacksonville, FL @ Freebird Live

5/10 - Charleston, SC @ The Music Farm

5/12 - Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall Indoor Stage

5/13 - Huntington, WV @ Big Sandy Supercenter Grand

5/15 - Clifton Park, NY @ Northern Lights

5/16 - S. Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground

5/17 - Portland, ME @ State Theatre

5/18 - Asbury Park, NJ @ North Beach (Bamboozle 2012)

5/19 - Syracuse, NY @ Lost Horizon (NO Whitechapel)

 MISS MAY I is:

B.J. Stead - rhythm guitar

Jerod Boyd - drums

Justin Aufdemkampe - lead guitar

Levi Benton - lead vocals

Ryan Neff - bass guitar, clean vocals

 For more information on MISS MAY I, please visit these sites:

 www.facebook.com/MissMayIMusic

www.twitter.com/missmayiband

www.youtube.com/missmayiband

Interview: Joey Sturgis

Chances are, if you’re into heavy music, then Joey’s probably produced the record you’re listening to. He’s currently recording Emmure’s follow up to their 2011 release, Speaker of The Dead. Joey was cool enough to answer some questions in the midst of recording.

State your name and profession

I am Joey Sturgis, and I am a producer, engineer.

Do you remember the moment in your life when you knew that a career in music was what you wanted to do?

There actually wasn’t a moment like this for me. Everything just sort of fell into place. I was working towards a strong career in computer science, starting in high school with an extra curricular activity in A++ computer education. That landed me job placement in 11 and 12th grade with a local computer store. I was working there as the boss’s right hand man fixing computers and handling networks for the tri-county. I worked there for a few years until I came to the conclusion that I was doing $70.00/hr service calls and only getting paid $6.00/hr. It was time to stop going in to work. Around this time, I was at the studio more often doing stuff with music and my band. Eventually the boss called and said he’d call me if he needed me (aka, you’re fired) and the rest was history. My band put out its demo on myspace and other bands heard about it and wanted to work with me after finding out I was the one who made the demo.

Looking at your discography, I think maybe it would be better to call you the “King of Metal/Post-Hardcore Producers.” What are the essential elements you need to make a Metal/Post-Hardcore record?

I do want to address this question very carefully, because I feel like with my name being out there in the scene, people just have no clue who I am and where I come from with my musical background. I listen to everything. I really mean that. I love country, techno, 80’s, 90’s, rock, piano ballads, dub-step, folk, bluegrass, blues, metal, death metal, hardcore, metal-core, post-hardcore, Shania Twain, Nickelback, Rascal Flatts, Gloriana! I can go on and on and on. At the end of the day, you’re not going to find me listening to breakdowns very often! The artists I work with know what it takes to make their music, and they are in touch with their fan base and understand what their fans want. I could go my whole career without having to understand this. All it takes is for me to understand where the artist is coming from and where he wants to go, then I connect the dots. It’s really that easy. On a side note, please stop putting people in categories because of what they like or believe. You are the reason everything is so messed up in our country. 

How did you learn how to work the software and ultimately do what you do?

Open the same program every single day, and eventually you’ll learn how to use it. Trial and error, reading the fucking manual, and searching on Google taught me everything I needed to know about how to use digital audio workstations / software.

What do you say to critics who think that every band you produce sound the same?

I’ll start out with an obvious defense. Please listen to Let’s Get It, the Digital Spaces EP, then head on over to Oceano’s debut LP on earache. Please tell me how those sound alike. Next, I’ll reveal to you that VANS makes shoes, and most of them go on your feet… Best Buy sells mostly electronics… and Joey Sturgis records Joey Sturgis records. If you are mad about a band working with me, go to their show and complain to them. Bands practically kill people and make huge investments to work with me. Believe me when I say they’re doing it on purpose and going after something they want.

How did you get that bass tone on Of Mice and Men’s “The Flood” album?

Run your bass through a simulated Guitar amp… and no that won’t work live.

How do you get your guitars/screams to sound so big?

People think this is a big mystery. It’s not. You need good takes. When I say good takes, I mean takes that are precisely on time (down to less than 1 - 10 ms shy of grid), and good playing. Palm being in the right place, pick hitting string in the right place, right strings for the right tuning, right guitar to hold the tuning… the right pick ups. All of these factors matter. Finally, you need a good listening environment. You need to be hearing things properly or you won’t be making proper decisions. Armed with all of those things in line, you will be able to choose the right tone, the right takes, and ultimately get the right sound.

What kind of artists do you prefer to work with?

Experimental; I recorded this band called Rosaline once… no one really knew about it because they fell apart shortly afterwards. I love to work on weird stuff like that. I would also really love to record country music. You can fill a room with country musicians and just stand there with zero microphones and listen… it will sound like a record. Amazing!

Can you describe how it feels to be associated with the number of hits that you’ve worked on?

Honestly, it’s kind of a out-of-mind type of thing. It’s something you’ve accomplished and something you can remember, but you’re always looking forward and always moving on. I am very grateful to be where I am right now, but its not something I am looking at from a nostalgic point of view. From my perspective, I’ve been helping groups of 4 - 6 dudes stay on the road, which is essentially where most of them want to be. So that’s a great gift to be giving in any sort of way.

How has social networking benefited your business?

My business, these bands, this scene would not exist AT ALL without social networking. I had a buzz about me generating in forums before there was the giant explosion of myspace. So even in the early days, it was all about the web.

Are drums always the first thing recorded or do some bands work backwards?

In my studio, drums are first and foremost… and very key. I do not do ANYTHING else until the drums are completely finished, including mixing.

What are your thoughts on the continual volume increases in the industry, where music has just gotten louder, or more crushed, at the expense of dynamic range?

For all the people who don’t understand the loudness war, go grab a Rush cd or an old Metallica cd and put it in your car. Now turn up the volume to where you normally listen to cd’s. Now turn it up a little louder. Listen to how much more punchy it is than a modern cd. Why? Dynamic range. By destroying dynamic range, you achieve every softer sound being as loud as the louder tones, effectively giving you a louder cd. but what you lose is the snare or kick always being x amount of volume over the guitar…

Honestly, I don’t really care where this goes or what happens because of this. But people should definitely know what its all about. Ultimately, the fans and the artists and the record labels will all meet somewhere in the middle at some point. It’s not really up for me to decide I guess.

Last question: Is there anything left for you that you haven’t accomplished that you want to accomplish?

When I was in high school, I was really into programming and game development. It is one of my goals to actually complete my ambitious idea for a game and not be poor afterwards. I am already working on it so if you know any pixel artists, please send them my way… I will pay for pixel art!

Interview: Justin Lowe from After The Burial

I first saw After the Burial back in October on the Crush Em All Tour II and was impressed by their command of the 8 string. They’re currently writing for a follow up to their 2010 album, In Dreams. You can catch them this spring on The Recorruptour which will be headlined by Whitechapel and features Miss May I and The Plot In You with Structures and Within The Ruins on certain dates. Justin was kind enough to answer some questions about his guitars, and advice to upcoming guitar players.

Please introduce yourself and your role in the band.

I’m Justin and I play guitar and have been known to handle some production duties here and there.

How many years have you guys been playing, what sorta of practice did you do to get where you’re at now, and what is your warm up routine?

We’ve been a band for a little over 7 years now. We used to practice quite a bit more as a band compared to now.  Back then, we had all of our members living close together around Minneapolis, and now only 3 of us live in the Minneapolis area.  The difference is now, compared to the way things were back then, is we are almost always on tour. My warm up routine is simple, it usually just consists of me having a beer and playing my guitar for a few minutes. Anything to get the blood flowing.

The latest album, “In Dreams” is a year old. What are some misconceptions people have about the album?

I’m not sure, I don’t really look into that very much.  However, I think people may not know that some of the album’s music actually has come from demo material that was written from as long ago as when the band started.

What made you decide to want to use an 8 string guitar for your songs and what are the advantages using it over a classic 6 string, if any?

I wanted to tune lower, without detuning my guitar too much.  I was big into the 7 string guitar for a really long time before making the switch to 8. The 8 just made sense, because we could stay relatively close to standard tuning and still have the opportunity to tune very low as well. If anything, it was a bit of a challenge trying to decide what the best tuning for the bass was going to be.

What type of gear do you use in the studio and how does that correlate and translate to a live touring rig?

My studio and touring rigs are similar in that I use the Fractal Audio Axe-Fx Ultra pre-amp for both.  Studio-wise, the setup I use for almost everything is pretty simple; MacBook Pro, Logic, Toontrack and Spectrasonics software instruments, Nord Lead 2, Axe-Fx Ultra, a pair of Yamaha HS-80m monitors, and an Apogee Duet interface.  Live I use the Axe-Fx Ultra, powered with a Rocktron Velocity 300 power amp and controlled by the Voodoo Lab Ground Control Pro.  I also use the Line 6 g90 relay wireless system.  The main guitars I use live and in the studio include 2 Ibanez RG2228’s, one custom Ibanez 8 string, featuring a body similar to that of the RG2228 with a maple fingerboard, and an Ibanez RG3570z.  All of the 8 strings are fitted with Seymour Duncan Blackout 8s.

What goes through your head when writing your songs; where do you draw inspiration from?

Sometimes there are too many different things going on in my head at once, so it’s tough to actually decide and be set on one riff/idea.  Inspiration comes from all over though…For example, I got the idea for the riff at about 1:21 in our song “Berzerker” from reading the prices of the first three beers at the top of a drink menu at this bar Jimmy’s in Vadnais Heights, MN.  Inspiration truly can come out of anywhere.  With all members of the band, there are quite a few different inspirations and influences spread between all of us which I think can help give us a unique sound when we bring them all together.

How does a normal song process go for you? Do you start with guitar riffs and eventually evolve from there?

Most of the time, the song will start out with a riff or two.  One thing I like to do is record a really long demo that has about 10 different riffs in there.  They don’t necessarily all go together in that context, but we’ve been able to pick and choose from them and build songs around maybe one or two specific sections of the demo.  That isn’t how it always works though, sometimes we’ll have a demo that basically becomes the song.  For example our song “Pendulum”, Trent had the skeleton of that song and most of those riffs close to what the final song was.  So it could go either way, sometimes we’ll be working in demo world, and an entire song will just present itself and won’t take on too many readjustments after that.

Are there any new singles and/or music videos coming out soon; maybe one for My Frailty.

As of right now, our main focus is writing our new album.  Things are moving along, and it’s a really exciting time for us.  There aren’t any immediate plans for a new video, but I’m not ruling that out in the near future.

What’s your view on the whole “djent” label/genre? (Even though it’s just a guitar sound)

My view on it, is that it’s cool, but you probably won’t hear me use the word very often.  I think I’m part of an older generation of metal fans that like to keep the genres simple and to the point and stick to the ones that have been around for years.  If it’s heavy, it’s heavy.  No need to go in splitting hairs trying to pinpoint the exact right adjective to classify a genre.   I think it’s taken on a life of its own with the younger metal fans and it seems like media is grasping on to the term as well.  I’m totally fine with this because in my mind, anything that helps someone describe something to someone else and it has a positive outcome because of it I think is a good thing.  For example, let’s say someone who says our band is “djent” has some friends that haven’t heard After The Burial and wants to tell them about it:

KidA- “Hey! You guys should definitely check out After The Burial”

KidB- “Yo, what do they sound like?”

KidA- “Well, I think they might be hellapolydjentcore mixed with a little shredjent”

KidB- “OHH FUK YAAAA.  I love me some djent…I get dowwwwn to that shiiiat”

Then, if KidB goes home and checks us or any band out somewhere like YouTube and digs it, that’s awesome. That is how I think “djent” as a label/genre can be a good/cool/positive thing, whatever it takes to help describe music that people can relate to and understand that can potentially produce genuine results.

Do you have any advice for any guitarists/musicians who have reached a plateau in their playing and wish to go beyond it?

Absolutely, play as many shows as possible, and hit the road for a while.  Constantly challenge yourself musically, in one way or another. 

You guys played the All Stars Tour this past summer; are you playing Warped Tour or anything like that next year?

We had a blast at the All Stars Tour.  It’s a little too soon to say, but we are looking to do some sort of major touring again this summer.

Any last words for people reading this?

Happy New Year!  We’re really excited to getting back out on the road this March with whitechapel.  Look for some new music from us coming later this year!! 

Whitechapel announce Recorruptour

Dates for The Recorruptour featuring Whitechapel, Miss May I, After The Burial, The Plot In You and more can be found below

with Within the Ruins
Sat/Mar-10-2012 Memphis, TN Newbys
Sun/Mar-11-2012 Knoxville, TN Valerium
Mon/Mar-12-2012 OFF
Tue/Mar-13-2012 Grand Rapids, MI Intersection
Wed/Mar-14-2012 Indianapolis, IN Egyptian Room
Thu/Mar-15-2012 Springfield, MO Outland Ballroom
Fri/Mar-16-2012 Kansas City, KS Beaumont
Sat/Mar-17-2012 Wichita, KS The Scene-ary
Sun/Mar-18-2012 OFF
Mon/Mar-19-2012 OFF
Tue/Mar-20-2012 Reno, NV Knitting Factory
Wed/Mar-21-2012 Sacramento, CA Ace of Spades
Thu/Mar-22-2012 Ventura, CA Ventura Theater
Fri/Mar-23-2012 Fresno, CA Retro
Sat/Mar-24-2012 Tucson, AZ Rialto
Sun/Mar-25-2012 Las Vegas, NV Hard Rock
Mon/Mar-26-2012 OFF
Tue/Mar-27-2012 Farmington, NM Top Deck
Wed/Mar-28-2012 San Antonio, TX White Rabbit
Thu/Mar-29-2012 Mcallen, TX El Rey
Fri/Mar-30-2012 Corpus Christi, TX House of Rock

with Structures
Thu/May-03-2012 Louisville, KY Expo 5
Fri/May-04-2012 Asheville, NC The Orange Peel
Sat/May-05-2012 Birmingham, AL Zydeco
Sun/May-06-2012 OFF
Mon/May-07-2012 OFF
Tue/May-08-2012 Orlando, FL HOB
Wed/May-09-2012 Jacksonville, FL Freebird Live
Thu/May-10-2012 Charleston, SC Music Farm
Fri/May-11-2012 OFF
Sat/May-12-2012 Columbus, OH Newport
Sun/May-13-2012 Hunington, WV The Bid Sandy
Mon/May-14-2012 OFF
Tue/May-15-2012 Albany, NY Northern Lights
Wed/May-16-2012 Burlington, VT Higher Ground
Thu/May-17-2012 Portland, ME State Theater