Please list all of your band members and their roles in the band.

Dan Whittemore: Vocals and Programming
Mark Valencia: Bass
Dawson Leyva: Guitar
Brian Perry: Drums

For starters, what bands were you guys a part of prior to The Battle Royale? How long has the band been around?

The Battle Royale started as a string of Corona filled recording sessions between Mark and myself in 2009. Mark was a member of the Nightmare Records' band Clandestine and had a handful of really great riffs in his arsenal. I had been working as a professional music producer for 10 years and had a small home studio in my first apartment in Los Angeles. A buzz started to surround the project and soon attracted Cue The Crickets members Dawson Leyva and Brian Perry. We played shows in and around Los Angeles while constantly refining our sound, releasing singles, and crafting new material. Our debut EP is now available for preorder on iTunes.

What’s the origin of that name and have you changed the band’s name before?

The band's name came from a conversation I had with the youngest of my three brothers. He and I were working on his band's 2nd EP and he mentioned the phrase "The Battle Royale". It struck a chord with me and immediately painted a picture of what this band could become; a voice for something inspiring, powerful, and great.

Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs and do you think these topics will change over time?

The bulk of the writing is done by myself and Mark Valencia. Mark will come to my studio with a riff idea and within a few hours we will have the rhythm guitar, bass, and drums sketched out in Pro Tools. A lot of people find a bandmate that they can jam with and vibe off in the rehearsal room. Mark and I have that same level of communication in the studio. Our strengths compliment each other perfectly when writing in this genre.

Once an instrumental demo is finished, Mark will take those ideas to the rehearsal space and start tightening it up with the guys. I'll spend a few days and marinate on the overall vibe of the song. Once I have a solid concept and vocal demo in the works I'll start to add the keys and programming. While in rehearsals, Dawson and Brian are integral in adding the coloration that makes each song truly sound like The Battle Royale.

What bands are currently inspiring the music that you’re making?

We pull influence from a wide variety of hard rock and metal acts. Our recent influences include Underoath, Between The Buried and Me, Periphery, Deftones, and Bring Me The Horizon.

Was there a particular band/artist or concert that inspired you to start a band?

Our inspiration to start a band came from Sevendust, Deftones, Dillinger Escape Plan, Tool, and the guilty pleasure Nu Metal bands of 1999.

What do you do to prepare for a show? Any flexing, exercises, ect …

We are always ready to perform at a moment's notice. Being able to turn on our stage persona doesn't take much. Brian will do warmups, Dawson will do a few pushups, Mark will make sure his cables are perfectly wrapped, and I usually get a little quiet right before we hit the stage. Once that first beat hits, we light up.

What has been the biggest highlight of the band’s career so far?

One of my fondest memories was filming our first music video at SIR Hollywood. The staff set us up on a huge stage with a full lighting rig and back line. All of our friends came out to have a few beers, eat some pizza, and rock out while we played through our song "Old Flames Die Hard" about 40 times. Everybody had costumes and truly lit up that room. The level of energy left us buzzing for days and is still one of the highlights of my musical journey.  

If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would they be and why?

Deftones, Periphery, Underoath, Bring Me The Horizon. They continually set the standard for amazing recordings and a polished live performance.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Our debut EP is available for preorder on iTunes.

Album Release Show: SIR Hollywood Oct 3rd

Thank you for the opportunity to submit this interview.