If recent flicks like Daybreakers take a cinematic psycho-political introspective at concepts of what a world might be like if it were devoid of humans and inhabited only by vampires with a voracious lust for blood (*cough* OIL), then The Book of Eli peers into a world sans Bibles. Many may argue such a world is fast approaching via the tornado of post-post-modernism that seems to simultaneously form and demolish the foundations for current trends of thought. Eli fleshes out a world where people not only don’t know how to pray correctly but literally don’t know what prayer is. In a scene which serves as a thematic crest for the film, the main character Eli teaches his would be companion Solara two long lost practices, both how to sit and enjoy breaking bread together as well as how to utter a simple grace before a meal.

The Book of Eli is cast in a post-apocalyptic setting which takes artistic license to showcase some of what humanity unrestrained might be like, a torrential wasteland of hopelessness and lawless deterioration. Eli stands out in his composure as well as his values, reminiscing upon the world that was with quotes such as, “People had more than they needed, people didn’t know what was precious and what wasn’t, people threw away things they kill each other for now.” Eli is a film that calls for a simplicity in values and a course for life that while far from easy, may allow humankind to experience a taste of what they were created for.

Eli builds for a while in subtlety but quickly unfurls a core message that speaks to the significance and impact of the Bible. Through a simple yet well executed action adventure story with clear shots at American culture, which boasts of its Christian-Biblical roots, yet only seems interested in the ancillary blessing rather than the actual content as well as Western Christianity which can be seen to abuse its power of religion. Eli has a message to both the religious and the irreligious, calling both to recognize the significance of the voice of God rather than the voice of man, to reject the appeal of pietistic self-flattery or religious power mongering.

In the end, The Book which Eli has been carrying and protecting is finally put into print and placed on a shelf amongst the other religions of the world while his would be disciple dons his pack and sword to return home. The cynic might note that the only thing Eli transferred to Solara was his Crocodile-Dundee-chomping blade, yet sword is often a Biblical metaphor for The Bible and perhaps that is a subtle point in the movie – even if your life only transfers to one person directly, that may be mission accomplished as you may never know the full extent of your actions in impacting this world. Eli’s closing prayerful overture rather poetically self-eulogizes a man who lived for an audience of One, the finale of a character who came to a realization of his own, “In all these years I’ve been carrying it and reading it every day, I got so caught up in keeping it safe that I forgot to live by what I learned from it…to do more for others than you do for yourself.”

In parting, we leave you with Eli’s closing prayer:

“Dear Lord, Thank you for giving me the strength and the conviction to complete the task you entrusted to me. Thank you for guiding me straight and true through the many obstacles in my path. And for keeping me resolute when all around seemed lost. Thank you for your protection and your many signs along the way. Thank you for any good that I may have done, I’m so sorry about the bad. Thank you for the friend I made. Please watch over her as you watched over me. Thank you for finally allowing me to rest. I’m so very tired, but I go now to my rest at peace. I fought the good fight, I finished the race, I kept the faith.”

FYI: The Book of Eli starring Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman, Mila Kunis and Ray Stevenson is Rated-R with a running time of 1:18. Directed by Allen and Albery Hughes, released by Warner Bros., grossed over $94 million domestically, with a $32 million opening weekend for January 15, 2010 and is the 3rd highest grossing post-apocalyptic movie of all time according to boxofficemojo.com

For more information on local music, band interviews, concert updates and promotional content. Local bands, artists, concerts, venues, tours and events from rock, hip-hop, metal, pop, punk, hardcore, acoustic, indie, organic, progressive, funk, rap and more. Stay tuned to hurdcore.com, friend us on myspace and join us facebook Hurdcore is open to partnerships to promote local arts, music and entertainment as well as advertising opportunities – hurdcore@gmail.com – be specific in “subject” line.

Singing dreams may start in the shower, but once you’ve stepped out of the security of home and suited up for the stage, how do you keep your dreams from washing down the drain? All over the world there are bands who are emerging from behind the roll up door, to light up stages upon their local scenes, possibly even touring through their home states and if fortunate enough to embark upon national or international ventures. For love of music, for conviction of a cause or simply to chase the Benjamins, whether these artists are mega stars, start ups or somewhere in the middle, they share in the same challenge to keep the fire burning internally and bridge a connection with potential fans. The music landscape has become a hyrid of evolution utilizing the best of both traditional music powers in combination with user friendly technologies such as social networking and variations of pro tools. How does a band who stands in both worlds, a band who is neither an internet phenom nor a corporate chemistry experiment, continue to push itself to harvest the best of its internal creativity and build upon the foundation of support from a seasoned label? The members of Georgia based metal band Becoming The Archetype continue to helm a battleship of brutality that combines conviction with talent, grassroots craze with an international following as well as an epic metal sound with melodic progressions. With sticks ready for battle, BTA drummer Duck took some time to share his perspective on life, music and chasing the dream. Whether you are a fan or an artist in the grind, words from a veteran of the scene can encourage and challenge, especially from a man who wants to, “help you unfold your dang arms.”

As you look back on your discography, do you enjoy each release as its own monster or do you hear more of a progression towards what you’d like Becoming The Archetype to be?
Duck I would have to say yes to both. I like each album for what it is, but I love to hear how we have developed as song writers as well as entertainers.

To my ears, Becoming The Archetype has been on a steady ascent towards more of an epic sounding metal, there is a depth to your music that boasts both maturity that honors your roots and a perpetual growth that is challenges your genre. Who have been some of your influences that have shaped your approach to music?
Duck Individually we all listen to all kinds of things. This means we bring every kind of sound and colour to the table. We enjoy country, hip-hop, jazz, classical, and metal. As far as the epic metal, we are influenced by: Extol, Opeth, Dream Theater, Living Sacrifice.

Do you remember the first metal album you ever listened to?
Duck I think it was Embodyment: “Embrace the Eternal”, I just couldn’t get it out of my head. Either that or Living Sacrifice: “Reborn”.

Do you remember the moment when you decided you had to get the metal out of your system and the only solution was performing?
Duck I always knew I needed to perform, but metal came in around 2000.

Without a doubt in my mind your song “Ransom” was my favorite song from 2009 – from the haunting opening keys to the climactic chorus, “My hands have taught me terrible things, His hands have set me free!” I’m always enthralled with the depth of conviction that comes across in your lyrics especially when paired with your creative brutality.

Have you reached a place as a band where you can get the instruments to transfer all of the components you are attempting to express –where do you feel Becoming The Archetype is at in terms of mastering the communication process through music?
Duck I think that for the most part we have. Music has a way of expressing what we cannot say with words. If anything we have said many things already with our music that we do not have the vocabulary to express.

Last time we spoke, Count Seth was rather prolific in stating,

“Music is a portal to something deep within yourself. Other things can take you to those places, but for many people, music is the strongest connection to that place in their heart where the mind can’t enter. When you hear a certain riff, your heart feel like it gets pushed over two inches in your chest and there is no explaining it. That is what you try to do with a song. If your music doesn’t have that effect on a substantial amount of people, you’re doing something wrong.” (see hurdcore.com interview w/ Count Seth of BTA)

How have you seen your music connect with fans – are you at a point where you carry enough swag with you that connection is almost automatic or do you still have to work to get the crowd moving?
Duck That is a good question. The answer is a “yes” and “no”. At our shows there are always those who would not care how well we played and they would be blown away, in a manner of speaking of course. And there are those fans who are always positioned to go either way. I feel like I am that way too. I like the challenge of having to win people over. But, that assumes that they can be won. The world is fast becoming a place of cynicism. It is our language and currency. It is almost the norm for people to pay to go to shows only to go and fold their arms. I also admit to being that way. I hope that with our material, especially our new stuff where we can help people get back to when they thought things were cool. Or maybe they will just have fun. I am not sure how well that covered all of that question but it was certainly on my heart. We want to help you unfold your dang arms.

In the vein of observing the connection between artist and fan through music, I have a question that is perhaps pseudo-psychological…I recently finished Warren Wiersbe’s “50 People Every Christian Should Know” where he observes that Great Awakening preacher Jonathan Edwards, “Would first aim for the heart and move the affections before trying to instruct the mind.” I don’t believe Edwards nor Wiersbe argue for the power of formula over the Spirit, yet a principle is observed. Whether you group heart/affections or you treat this as heart, affections and mind distinctly, there is a perceived formula for connection with people:

HEART –> AFFECTIONS –> MIND.
In observing artists connecting to/with fans through music, would you say the channel is as simply normative as something like:
BEAT (music) –> ENERGY (performance) –> CONTENT (lyrics)?
Duck That is a very intricately worded question! Simply put, people are drawn to authenticity. So, if our spirit and heart are obvious and authentic; people are more willing to see and hear our words and thoughts. We have been captivated by grace and His kindness leads us to repentance. The fans for the most part are like a mob sometimes and when a fraud is spotted they quickly expel them. This taken to mind and heart; we should aim to be the best at all things that we do and do them with all of our hearts. They will see our good works and give Glory to whom it is due.

From what I understand, you have all taken more of a hands-on approach to editing and production, what is the writing and recording process like for Becoming The Archetype? Which comes first the music or the lyrics?
Duck The music certainly comes first. Sometimes the lyrics are not even all of the way complete before we are most of the way done recording the album. I think it is the setting of the studio that really lets us open up. The writing process is different for almost every song. For the most part however, one of us will come up with some riffs or a song skeleton. That person will bring it to practice or record it. We will all listen together and try whatever they envisioned and then elaborate from there. Sometimes it goes differently.

I know you have been playing at least one new riff at shows, where are you at in terms of preparing to head to the studio with new material?
Duck As of right now we have the skeletons of approx. 11 songs. A skeleton consists of a few riffs with some variation and some suggested transitions. We typically run through all of the ideas in pairs and then add one member at a time. It is a lot of fun but admittedly very exhausting.

Dudes! South African Tour in September 2010 sounds incredibly exciting. This will not be your first trip overseas but will be your first tour in that continent, what do you know about the state of metal in South Africa?
Duck As far as I know thy have a scene down there. Our message boards and sales reports tell us that they want us soon. We want them back. I really do not have much information on their scene but I know there are some pretty good bands coming out of there.

Metal can be pretty cut throat in America, have you found that fans are more or less receptive to Becoming The Archetype in places like Europe?
Duck Everyone in Europe has been amazing. I think they jump at the opportunity to come see us there because they don’t take us for granted. We are not just over there all the time.

What have been some of your favorite spots to play overseas?
Duck I love playing in Norway, Germany, Denmark, I really love them all.

Who have been your favorite mates overseas?
Duck We have so many friends over there it is so hard to think of who to name. Tobe our European tour manager, all of the guys from Sub-scene Norway. So many good memories flooding my brain right now.

Coming from local band to blazing trails with the Solid State crew and storming across the globe, how has the music scene changed over the last few years?
Duck It has changed through the sway of the internet. When we started it was a big thing but you still had to play whenever you could. Now, some of these bands are coming out of the woodwork it seems by virtue of Facebook and Myspace and other social networking sites.

How do you stay fresh in your approach to music?
Duck We stay fresh in our approach by branching out. We love to dive into other genres. We also try to lear other music and play with other people. It keeps us from getting musical cramps.

Do you remember your first show, your first tour, your first studio session?
Duck I remember our first and last everything. Our first show was a battle of the bands in which we were booed and mooned. Our first “tour” was mostly Virginia. That is a long story. And, our first real studio was with a guy named “Steve”. He was awesome and I realized then that I loved recording.

You are based out of Georgia, what were the early days for BTA like?
Duck The early days of the band consisted of collecting ourselves every Sunday at my house to practice and write. We practiced whether we needed it or not. I think that was god for our work ethic. We also played any show we could get onto, including some really awkward moments with Youth groups and New Years parties.

How has being a part of Solid State benefited what you want to accomplish as a band?
Duck Being on Solid State was what I wanted to do since I figured out what it was. That is the honest truth. It was a dream come true. They have let us do anything we wanted with the songs that we wrote and albums we have prepared. They have paid for us to record with some of the best in the business and bailed us out numerous times from the side of the road. They also give us killer distribution and promotion. What more could you want?

What were some of the highlights in 2009 for Becoming The Archetype?
Duck Playing the festival circuit is the highlight of almost every year for myself and the band collective. But, I would say that since we got to go to Europe that had to top it. That tour flat wore us out but, I would do it again in a second.

What are you looking forward to most in 2010?
Duck We look forward to this super busy summer. We are touring with some upstanding fellas. We are also heading to South Africa which has blown my mind a few times to think about.

You’ve been very straight forward in your lyrics and clear about your faith as a band. What do you do personally to keep your faith fresh, especially when on the road?
Duck Well, I read the scriptures daily and keep accountable with someone at home. I use the “Little Book of Hours” and the Lectionary to guide my studies. I also listen to podcasts and teachings from my favorite thinkers, as well as try to spend adequate time in silence.

Do you do anything corporately as a band to keep each other on point?
Duck To keep on point we like to play sports with each other and other bands. We also like to attend movies pretty regularly. Sometimes if a member is making bad decisions we lock them in the trailer with another member in the dark and they fight it out. You know the usual stuff.

As it relates to faith, who have been some of your greatest times of fellowship with other Christian bands?
Duck Some bands that have effected us are Showbread, the Overseer, Extol, Mortal Treason. There are also so many others. We have been blessed to have some really amazing tour mates over the years and sometimes even the bad stuff teaches us allot if we are in the right posture.

Is it ever a struggle to get tunnel vision and only grow as musicians? How important is it to develop as an individual, and what do you do to ensure you aren’t just defined by your music?
Duck I don’t think so. Honestly, it is easy to put your instrument down for a bit when you get home from a trip. But, your life is not something you can step out of in a realistic sense. Being an individual is what makes a band good. We each have a totally different approach to almost everything. Those differences file everything that we do down into the unit known as BTA. We each live our own lives and have interests and social circles that the others don’t fit into. I believe that is extremely healthy

Becoming The Archetype > Metal/Hardcore > Georgia > Solidstate Records
BTA’s third full length album with Solidstate, Dichotomy is available now wherever most records are sold – see BTA on Solidstate or BTA Myspace for more info and tour dates.

Becoming The Archetype is: Jason – Vocals/Bass; Count Seth – Guitar/Keys; Duck – Drums; Alex – Guitar.

For more information on local music, band interviews, concert updates and promotional content. Local bands, artists, concerts, venues, tours and events from rock, hip-hop, metal, pop, punk, hardcore, acoustic, indie, organic, progressive, funk, rap and more. Stay tuned to hurdcore.com, friend us on myspace and join us facebook Hurdcore is open to partnerships to promote local arts, music and entertainment as well as advertising opportunities – hurdcore@gmail.com – be specific in “subject” line.

My first introduction to As I Lay Dying came several years back when murmurings about the band quickly turned into fandemonium, some of those discussions centered around whether a Christian based band could be THAT good while others wondered if they were REALLY Christians at all. It seems every few years there comes a band that soars beyond categories and genres to make an imprint upon those beyond their core fan-base who wouldn’t typically be interested in a similar band’s sound and/or message, As I Lay Dying has definitely been one of those rare groups. With the release and accompanying tour for their 5th and latest full-length album, The Powerless Rise, it’s near inconceivable to fathom of a more-better-er As I Lay Dying, yet comments from band members and early reviews all seem to indicate that these San Diego based metalcore gents have raised the bar yet again. We recently had a chance to complete our first phone interview and incredibly enough it was with with bassist and background vocalist Josh Gilbert, a young man who is foremost a fan of music and just happens to be a member of one of the hottest as well as one of the most grounded acts in all of music. Take a moment to peer behind the curtain with us and if you haven’t already, get yourself a copy of The Powerless Rise by As I Lay Dying!

So, you are from Birmingham, Alabama, how did you get hooked up with this band based out of San Diego, California?
Josh Gilbert I’ve been playing metal or hardcore music ever since I was 14 or 15. The last band [This Endearing] that I was in won a contest for The Cornerstone New Band Showcase. It’s a contest where the fans vote for bands from all over, the top 6 get to play at Cornerstone and we won 3rd place. We had a new drummer and he had met the guys from the band [As I Lay Dying] when he was working with another band on Pluto Records. This guy Eric who worked for Pluto Records and also did A&R for Metal Blade sent a demo to Tim Lambesis, but nothing really came of it at the time. Our band soon broke up due to two members getting signed for another band that they were in. When Clint left As I Lay Dying, Tim called Eric who suggested me and it ended up that Tim called me for a tryout. I flew out to San Diego and they offered me to go on sort of a tryout tour, as they had done with a few other guys previously, and they decided to offer me the spot as bassist for As I Lay Dying.

Are you still living in Birmingham and commute to California or have you since moved to San Diego?
JG When I first started with the band, I drove out and lived there for about the first year and a half but we’re always on the road with touring and I would go home after tours. It didn’t make sense to keep a place in San Diego where it’s more expensive while I was on the road so I moved back to Birmingham for about another year and a half. When we started recording this new album [The Powerless Rise] I moved back to San Diego.

We all love the rumble of the earth that comes from a great baseline but not everyone appreciates the art/science behind the instrument. How do you approach writing and pushing yourself as a bassist?
JG There are so many different bassists and approaches to styles, there’s a fine line between being interesting and taking away from what the guitars are doing. As I Lay Dying, especially for this latest album, at times has five or more layers going already, so there are some areas where we lead into a song with just the bass and drums or a few flavor licks but doing so without taking away from the other elements and layers. Pre-2007 the albums had bass primarily played by the rhythm guitarists for the recordings. For the 2007 album [An Ocean Between Us] the parts were pretty much already written, so I learned the parts and played them. With this album we did a lot more with the bass and playing with things like leads so that’s been cool but nothing too crazy, I’m not looking to be on the cover of Bass Player magazine or anything like that. [laughs]

You primarily stick with the 4 string base, have you ever played around with 5 or 6 string models?
JG I really don’t know all that many metal or hardcore bands that use 5 or 6 string basses, I mean there are bands that use them but not that many who actually use them. I mean, there are some people that do and I totally respect that, like Alex Webster of Cannibal Corpse or like Les Claypool of Primus. I respect people that want to use them but it’s pretty rare that they get full use out of it and you can only go so low, something crazy like Drop Z tunings or whatever. People say they need to tone down but there aren’t that many tunings that require an extra string or people who actually get the full use out of that extra string or something that you couldn’t do with a 4 string.

The two things I keep hearing about this album, The Powerless Rise, are that it will be heavier and that you all are excited about the layering. In working to improve your sound, are you mindful of the balance between the drive to experiment with your sound and keeping an edge to what makes your sound unique – were you all conscientious during recording to push your sound without losing it?
JG I really don’t think so, it’s not that we’ve changed the sound. The layering best describes the vibe-ier songs from the last album [An Ocean Between Us] like Forsaken. So it’s not like we’re changing the sound but getting more of that Pink Floyd esque layering and leads. Our songs are still to the point, we won’t have any 8 minute songs or anything, but really worked to bring out the feelings and bring out more of the elements that were part of the last album.

I’ve read/heard that Tim and you dedicated a lot more time to the vocals as well to finely tune the sound that you wanted for this album.
JG For the vocals we spent a lot more time on them than we did in the past but not in the sense that we changed anything. In the past we would spend less than a week and they were more rushed, now we spent at least two and a half weeks of legitimate pre-production. We even recorded two months ahead of time to get more of a feel and work out the kinks with the choruses. For the last album we were writing choruses as we were recording but with the preparation we experimented more with singing, the takes were so much better and stronger.

So your part has a lot more to do with the melodic and singing elements? How did the extra time dedicated to vocals play out with the recording?
JG Yes, my vocals are all singing, I don’t do any of the yellier or screamier parts. Again, nothing is really changed for the sound just the singing and guitar parts were more planned. The vocals match the melodies rather than by chance and not as rushed, so not a change in sound as much as making the vocals much more of a focus.

You’ve been involved with music from a young age, so aside from you talent and love for music, what keeps you grinding?
JG I couldn’t imagine not being interested in music. In this band, we all are fans of music, even this last Tuesday we all ran out to get the new Deftones album just because we love music. I never been like, “I’m bored so I’m just going to pick up a guitar.” It’s just what I am programmed to do and even outside of it being an occupation I can’t imagine not being involved with music in some way.

You all have been pretty forward about your beliefs, even in your previous bands you personally have made your message an emphasis. How have you seen/heard your music making a difference?
JG There have been all kinds of crazy stories that we hear about, of course Tim [Lambesis] hears a lot more of those, but stories of the lyrics to our songs helping people in some similar struggle or saying something like, “Your music convinced me not to kill myself.” In a less direct way, which is important to me, we try to go on tour with bands that don’t share the same beliefs as we do in our band. I’d say most of the bands we tour with don’t share or agree with what we believe. We’re want to be “just dudes”, rather than becoming someone’s friend just to get “your moment” where you can harvest their soul for the Lord or something. I think people see past that kind of agenda and sense that you’re out for your motives rather than just being someone’s friend which is more effective. Every now and again there will be a band or dudes who don’t share our beliefs but will say something like, “You surprise us with how you are, not making us feel awkward about what we are doing.” I think just being dudes it’s the first step to making a change in how people perceive things and it’s better than just beating people over the head with something.

In the vein of making a difference with your music, is there a theme or meaning behind The Powerless Rise?
JG The first thing that you see on the album is the artist’s depiction of our original idea for the cover. There’s an upside down crown, which whenever you turn a symbol upside down it’s usually a sign of disrespect. Like if you don’t believe in Christianity and you turn the cross upside down or when people don’t agree with countries they turn their flag upside down. Our lyrics address how the focus of people is on having money as the key to political or social power, where that is all we are striving for in America and really all over the world, not just America. Like somehow if you have money and power that will equal happiness. The title for this album comes from the song Upside Down Kingdom. The whole message is about simplicity, but simplicity is seen as like a small house and only having one TV – God forbid. It may not be a glamorous life but more value on simplicity would bring us closer to a community rather than just being about ourselves, cars, houses or money. This record sort of calls that out, calls ourselves [in the band] out, on putting merit in things that really don’t matter.

Man, you guys have played everywhere, on some of the largest stages nationally and internationally, will this be your first time to Oregon [on Tuesday, May 18th at The McDonald Theatre in Eugene]?
JG Since I’ve been in the band, we’ve been to Oregon a few times. I know we did like two shows there and at least one stop with the Warped Tour a couple years back which I think was in Portland. I think this will be my fourth trip to Oregon with As I Lay Dying and probably the eighth time or so for the band.

As I Lay Dying has been all over the world with stops in places like Indonesia, Singapore, Europe and more, do you have a favorite place to tour overseas?
JG I think if we had a favorite, other that being in the states, it would have to be Germany.

What makes Germany so special?
JG The fans over there just go nuts about metal. It’s the only place that I know of where hard music and metal top the charts and the fans are so enthusiastic.

When you are overseas are the crowds different from fans here in America? Do you ever look out into the crowd and see moves that just blow you away?
JG No, not really. It’s pretty much the same as far as new dances, I wish there were unique or crazy moves in other places like a human triangle or something but everything is pretty much the same. Especially with the internet, everyone can see what everyone else is doing.

Whereas some bands seem to wrestle with whether to be public about their faith and defining themselves, you’ve been pretty upfront with your position as a band. What do you do personally to keep your faith fresh, especially when on the road?
JG A lot of us have churches that we go to when we are at home and we all used to bring our personal Bibles when on tour but now with the internet there are so many tools and internet Bibles where you can just find what you are looking for so much faster. You can find basically anything on any topic and its really useful. There will be times when we are stressed and we’ll all sit down and talk, not always like a Bible study, but sometime we’ll do that depending on what is needed. Again, with the internet you don’t have to scour the Bible to look for something, not that that doesn’t matter or isn’t good, but when you are on the road there is so much going on and being worn out so having that easy access is huge.

As I Lay Dying > Metal/Hardcore > San Diego, CA > Metalblade Records
The Powerless Rise available now nearly everywhere – Metalblade, Best Buy, Hot Topic, iTunes…Currently on tour with Demon Hunter, Bless The Fall and War of Ages (see AILD Myspace or AILD Website for more info and tour dates)

As I Lay Dying is: Tim Lambesis – Vocals; Phil Sgrosso – Guitar; Josh Gilbert – Bass/Vocals; Nick Hipa – Guitar; Jordan Mancino – Drums. If you are new to As I Lay Dying, fan favorites include Nothing Left and 94 Hours or for a more melodic feel, check out Forsaken – or just take the plunge and get yourself The Powerless Rise!

OREGONIANS – As I Lay Dying w/ Demon Hunter, Bless The Fall and War of Ages on Tuesday, May 18, 2010 @ The McDonald Theatre. May 16 @ The Knitting Factory in Boise, Idaho and May 17 @ The Knitting Factory in Spokane, Washington.

For more information on local music, band interviews, concert updates and promotional content. Local bands, artists, concerts, venues, tours and events from rock, hip-hop, metal, pop, punk, hardcore, acoustic, indie, organic, progressive, funk, rap and more. Stay tuned to hurdcore.com, friend us on myspace and join us facebook Hurdcore is open to partnerships to promote local arts, music and entertainment as well as advertising opportunities – hurdcore@gmail.com – be specific in “subject” line.

In an iTunes era, where we consumers pick and choose our playlists from a virtual buffet of musical offerings, a day full of local metal ought to inspire even the most casual of fans to sample a exhibition of live local music. Savage Fest was not only a stage featuring a perpetual onslaught of metal, hardcore, progressive, melodic and a whole host of other -core local artists, The Camas Courthouse served as a theater showcasing the finest of Washington and Oregon skull melting rock. As hurdcore.com continues to team with local artists, agents and venues to promote what is happening in your neck of the enchanted musical forest, we hope to inspire an army of fans who don’t just observe but who participate in the best of what music has to offer. We are fans supporting local music and it was our great pleasure to get our metal on with the bands who performed Saturday, April 24th, 2010 for Savage Fest at The Camas Courthouse (hopefully the first of many).

Local acoustic favorites Jack Devore and Andy Hokanson (drummer for If All Else Fails) opened Savage Fest with back-to-back intimate sets. Both utilized the emotional tone of the acoustic with great skill and each had a commanding presence of their voices, Jack the quieter of the two would hit higher notes in stride without straining whereas Andy’s sound had a distinct pop-edge. Mourning For Memories was first up to bring out the brutal, operating with a youth and energy that make it clear that these dudes are developing a chemistry in their sound that won’t soon be forgotten. Mourning for Memories brought with them a significant segment of the local crowd and introduced the savage throngs to what will heretofore be distinguished as hello-kitty-core (note pic). On a day full of metal, scheduled for nearly 10 hours of back to back riffs, shreds and breakdowns, the diversity of what blossoms under the “metal” umbrella was already a feature note. Transitioning from thrash to popcore with Portland based Chin Up Rocky, mixing elements of pop, screamo, punk and what many are calling post-hardcore. Chin Up Rocky carries a positive if not happy tone that still has enough bite to induce you to get low.

The first and only band of the night to have two members dedicated exclusively to vocals was local hardcore/death metal quintet Edessa, sharing duties with guttural and serpentine screams. Edessa taps into the sound of old school hardcore bands such as Point of Recogniton with a proper mix of current dynamics to have already attracted for themselves a devoted local following. The band that perhaps traveled the farthest, hailing from Maple Valley, Washington also introduced the Savage Fest crowd to an apt use of simple props by backlighting their set with floodlights to create an ambiance that brought the band seemingly in full 3D into the crowd. We Move Mountains turned the mayhem dial up to 11 with a forceful combination of energy, creativity and dark mystery enough to be the backdrop for any number of Burton-esque films, inciting the crowd with cryptic incantations such as, “I’m normal. I’m normal. I swear to God, I’m normal.” While we at hurdcore.com may be slightly prejudice being that We Move Mountains was one of our first interviews (see WMM Interview), an experience with self described “catchy melodic McDonald’s-core” will be enough to get any bi-pedal creature fiending for more of their fierce riffs and spaztastic live performances. Look for more of We Move Mountains as they just wrapped shooting their video for popular song “Dan Nettekoven Snakes the Win” and a full length album to drop later this year.

Portland, Oregon doomsday death metal brought its local rep in Daematta who is in a period of transformation to break from a self-perceived pigeoning in the bland “name-your-core” mix of local artists and into a more distinct blackening of their metal roots. Savage Fest continued to showcase the best of heavy local music introducing the crowd to a band that was so dialed in as a professional act that perhaps the only pieces missing from this Portland thrash/metal band was a tour bus and personal roadies. Almost Is Nothing has the presence of master, gear legitimate enough to make even the casual fan salivate and a sound so shred-tastic that the only question remaining is whether your face or the dueling fret boards will last long enough to complete an entire set of this audio assault. Even the casual fan can see that Almost Is Nothing is on the brink of greatness, those who have the opportunity to witness them live while they remain at this level of public recognition should realize that it won’t be long before rocking with AIN won’t come at such a bargain.

Bring Me Solace is fairly new to launch upon the Portland area melodic/progressive metal scene, yet it doesn’t take long to notice a care to their sound the reaches far beyond a fashionable title. In the span of a 30 minute set, the bassist for Bring Me Solace walked, jogged and ran through every inch of his six-stringed fretboard multiple times, part symphonic Jedi mixed mixed with the shear brutality of Paul Bunyan dropping his behemoth axe through a withering forest. Longview, Washington based Upon Departure is another band that we at hurdcore.com had a previous interaction with, interviewing them in late 2009 as they began working on their latest release (still in the works – see UD Interview). Live, the riffs of Upon Departure oozed with some of the heaviest breakdowns of a day full of metal madness. Firmly grounded in their hardcore/metal roots, the young men of Upon Departure continue to challenged themselves to expand the experimental aspects of their music venture.

With an impressive local following and a willingness to experiment with intriguing harmonic concepts, as Focus On The Skyline continues to hone their craft and perform together they will acquire the synchronicity needed to produce a crisper edge to their sound. And The Sirens Sang appears to be on the fast track with live performance laced with a blue collar creativity that both imprints their set into the recesses of your memory as well as begs the question what they might be able to assemble with a larger budget. The largest band of Savage Fest by numberic standards, rocked double axes with bass, rapid drums, thoroughbred keys and a team approach to vocal responsibilities in addition to the designated throat. And The Sirens Sang literally filled the comfortable stage of The Camas Courthouse while flooding the crowd with an impressively polished sound that brandished a full-time commitment to exploring the potential of Key-core (or as my good friend aptly remarked, “It’s like Anberlin on a massive dose of steroids”). Combining skill, creativity and an unparalleled work ethic with most members holding responsibilities in multiple music related ventures without losing a step in the progression of And The Sirens Sang.

To my own dismay, I awoke the morning of the long awaited Savage Fest with a throbbing headache and bronchitis-esque cough. I held out as long as possible but illness and responsibilities at home lured me away from witnessing the combined brutality of local favorites Aleen, Settle’s Idols and the pit-masters of Portland, Proven. On a day full of metal at its purest, hardcore at the grassroots ever accelerating through the local atmosphere, and yet still “fans” balk at the opportunity to experience the music with abandon. Every major band started somewhere and whether you are a fan of a particular band or genre, the thrill of a live performance is a display of those who have dared to put their dreams in motion. Keep rockin’ local and when I see you next, let’s get moving!

GET DOWNZ TOUR to kick off at The Camas Courthouse (89 C Street, Washougal, WA) June 19, 2010 featuring And The Sirens Sang, We Move Mountains and Upon Departure – Tour runs North and East through Washington and then South from Eugene, Oregon (June 28th – rock with hurdcore.com!)

Check out the bands from Savage Fest:
Jack Devore (Blues, Camas, WA)
Mourning For Memories (Thrash – Washougal, WA)
Chin Up Rocky (Happy Hardcore, Portland)
Edessa (Hardcore – Camas, WA)
We Move Mountains (Metal – Maple Valley, WA)
Daematta (Death Metal, Portland)
Almost Is Nothing (Thrash, Portland)
Bring Me Solace (Progressive, Portland)
Upon Departure (Metal – Longview, WA)
Focus On The Skyline (Post-hardcore, Camas, WA)
And The Sirens Sang (Screamo, OR)
Aleen (Screamo, WA)
Idols (Death Metal, Seattle)
Proven (Metal, Portland)

Hurdcore.com – Midwest discovers River Music Experience’s Redstone Room >> RME Article

Interview with A Hope For Home
> Portland, Oregon based Progressive/Hardcore band recently released their 3rd full length album “Realis” on Facedown Records. >> AHFH Interview

Interview with Ivan de Prume of Metalopolis
> Former drummer of White Zombie now working with Portland, Oregon alternative rock radio 101.1 FM KUFO broadcasting Metalopolis every Saturday night from 10PM to 12AM. >> IDP Interview

Interview with Legionnairre Apparel
> Creative collaboration with Joe Moxely and Mike Hererra (of MxPx and Tumbledown) producing men and women’s clothing out of Medford, Oregon. >> JM Interview

Hurdcore.com – Midwest experiences When Bears Attack (thank you for the shirts!), Renae, Eagle Scout, Kidnap The Sun and Sleeper Wakes Society @ Mixtapes in Moline, Illinois >> Mix Article and Mix Videos

Interview with Will Breitner
> Perhaps the hardest working local music grassroots mogul, spear heading bands And The Sirens Sang and Legion of Lepers, pioneering Siren Studios to help local musicians record and organizing Savage Fest (4/24/10), an all metal festival showcasing some of the best of Washington and Oregon metal. >> WB Interview

Interview with Hopecore.com
Feedback from Jameson Ketchum and Jeremy Seick on their work with online entertainment magazine and online radio, hopecore.com works with some of the finest artists in the Christian/positive music scene. >> HC Interview

See some live videos of Oregon metal (We Move Mountains, Almost Is Nothing, And The Sirens Sang) and hip-hop (Suganuts, Pynt Syze) on our [hurdcore.com] – Northwest Myspace VIDEO PAGE as well as Illinois screamo/hardcore on our YOUTUBE PAGE – this month includes the hilarious “drunk guy” giving rock advice to touring bands as they wait for the show to start at Mixtapes (Moline, Illinois).

For more information on local music, band interviews, concert updates and promotional content. Local bands, artists, concerts, venues, tours and events from rock, hip-hop, metal, pop, punk, hardcore, acoustic, indie, organic, progressive, funk, rap and more. Stay tuned to hurdcore.com, friend us on myspace and join us facebook Hurdcore is open to partnerships to promote local arts, music and entertainment as well as advertising opportunities – hurdcore@gmail.com – be specific in “subject” line.

At times the hardcore music genre can seem like a state sponsored fishing hole, with an annual stocking of nameless bands drawing both avid fans as well as the fresh-from-Walmart posers looking for the next big catch only to find that soon after opening day the crowds die down and many of those dream catches were less than advertised. Demon Hunter continues to break the mold both musically and creatively, each year further endearing their die hard hunter-core to the mission of “storming the gates of hell” while simultaneously expanding their fan base by blowing the minds of those joining the hunt for the first time. With a complexity to their music that bears the edge of projects long deceased (note Training for Utopia) they continue to wrestle the sharpest melodic elements and fuse them with components that are just plain brutal. Demon Hunter has forged a sound which causes listeners to sing along, enticed by a depth in content, conviction and tonal package that will keep pits circling long into the night. To a large degree, Demon Hunter is a reflection of its lead singer and founding member, Ryan Clark, who is both a dominating presence as a creative mastermind as well as a man of clear convictions yet also a very private and humble individual. The Clark brothers have crafted a brand in Demon Hunter that serves as a model for successful marketing in the indie music scene without selling out your personal or musical values. Ryan continues to carry the mantle after his brother Don decided to step away from his role within Demon Hunter at the end of 2009, but this “newly” formed Demon Hunter will continue to challenge, inspire and motivate global hunters to carry their convictions forward, cowering to no one.

Are you originally from Seattle? How much do you enjoy local culture there and how has the local scene helped you get to where you are today?
RCI was born in Southern California, raised in Central Oregon and Northern California, and I moved to Seattle almost exactly 10 years ago. I love Seattle. Not every aspect of it, but it’s certainly my favorite place on earth. It’s an incredibly diverse city, and there’s never a shortage of things to do. Mountains an hour away, on the ocean, Portland and British Columbia 2 hours away, thriving arts and music scene. On the other side of the coin, I do hate the bleeding-heart hippie culture (which is massive here) and all of their phony compassion (honestly, they’re like the angriest, coldest people on earth), but truly, living in a city with such adversed ideals to my own makes for great lyrical material. I don’t have to go very far to see and understand who my enemies are.

If I recall correctly, you were raised as PKs (Preacher’s kids), what was that like growing up? Your music has never been “church music” by any stretch, were your parents always supportive of your music or have they grown into Demon Hunters?
RC Yea, that’s correct. When we were growing up, it was a love/hate thing for sure. Especially in our teens, we were probably more uncomfortable with the idea that it wasn’t cool or whatever. That’s just how kids are… some of those kids take that mentality into their adulthood and stay bitter at the church, and some are able to see it for what it is. I think that usually comes down to two factors: how your “church” experiences were (how great/terrible the people of said church were), and the effectiveness of parenting. If you attended a legalistic, judgmental church… chances are you are going to have a very jaded view of church or Christianity in general.

Our parents were awesome. They instilled values in us without being overbearing. It took them a little bit to get used to the style of music that we became so involved in, and the aesthetic that followed, but their real concern was in regard to our character. They’ve come to really appreciate our music and they’re extremely proud of what we’ve done.

The metal power duo of Clark & Clark (Ryan & Don) have been together since birth, how did this evolve into your earlier musical ventures such as Training for Utopia?
RC Well, our musical tastes progressed at a very similar pace… we liked old hip-hop growing up (Beastie Boys, Grandmaster Flash, Run DMC, etc.) and when we were in our young teens, we were turned onto punk rock by some friends (Pennywise, Bad Religion, Face To Face, etc.), around the same time, we were also getting into metal (Pantera, Sepultura, Metallica). Punk and metal gave way to hardcore… and that was really the scene that we dove into.

I started a hardcore band called Focal Point in 1993 and we were signed in 1995… shortly after, Don started a noisy hardcore band called Training For Utopia. After one tour, Focal Point was ready to hang it up, and ironically TFU had lost their singer at the same time. I assumed the vocalist position in TFU, and that was the start of about 15 years of doing music together.

The Clark brothers have a deep portfolio of music, especially when it comes to styles as you’ve ranged from hardcore, industrial and now metal. While Demon Hunter retains a thread of heavy lyrics and music with an edge, each progression seems to have a dynamic sound all of its own. What is different about your perspective on life and music that has come to craft the sound for Demon Hunter?
RC I would really chalk it all up to a disinterest in being “cool” or “current,” by way of maturing through a vast number of flash-in-the-pan trends. In the past, we were definitely wrapped up in whatever was happening at the time, and that was fine. However, from the very beginning with Demon Hunter, it was our goal to do something that didn’t fall under the umbrella of a fleeting scene. The fact that Demon Hunter happens to have a broader appeal than our previous projects has nothing to do with selling out our own musical tastes. Our influences are almost solely from the 90’s. The music that we create with Demon Hunter is out of pure love for a particular sound and style. The progression that you hear from record to record is just a natural maturity process- finding our style, and honing it, building upon it.

There was a hiatus from music, at least front-lining in a band, between Training For Utopia and your resurgence as Demon Hunter, was there some burnout in performing and touring with music? What got the wheels turning for Demon Hunter?
RC The biggest factor was moving to Seattle. TFU was kind of falling apart, due to a shift in priorities… and we really had to wait to get our feet planted in Seattle before feeling comfortable enough to start playing again. The desire to write and play music was/is always there.

You’ve been successfully involved with several facets of music outside of performing, from Asterik Studios, to Invisible Creature and art direction for Solid State and Tooth & Nail. Did you set out to be involved with graphic design professionally or did this aspect of your creative nature develop more organically?
RC The visual art career for me was a very organic thing. I’ve always enjoyed drawing, painting, etc. but when I got to be an adult, I didn’t really know what to do with any of it. My brother had been designing for a number of years… and when we moved to Seattle, I really started taking an interest in graphic design. Shortly after I’d really started dabbling in design, a job opened up in the T&N art department. Although my knowledge at the time was VERY limited, Brandon Ebel (owner) took a chance on me and gave me the job. I’ve been the art director here for over 9 years now. Asterik Studio and Invisible Creature both happened while I’ve been here at T&N… they’ve all kind of coincided together.

Demon Hunter takes a pretty balanced approach to music, you guys hit the road hard, but you seem to take your time between tours. Is this a calculated approach to music or more a reflection of your other commitments?
RC Our lack of constant touring has everything to do with our non-band commitments, however, this schedule really worked in our favor. I think a lot of bands tour too much and become somewhat played out. Kids get tired of seeing them every few months and they lose interest. With us, it’s become such an event when we play live, because it’s so seldom. And this means that a lot of fans show up when we play, because if they don’t, it’ll be a while before they get another chance. I don’t think it would work for every band, but this has been a really successful formula for us.

Aside from your hands-on work with art direction at Solid State, you’ve been personally involved in recognizing and developing upcoming bands such as Becoming The Archetype and The Ascendicate. Do you seek out these relationships or as a fan of music are there bands that just grab your attention and you can’t resist promoting?
RC There are a few bands over the last 10 years that have really grabbed my attention… and I felt that if I didn’t reach out and make something happen, nothing would. So despite my job not being that of an A&R rep here at the label, I’ve kind of assumed that position from time to time, in order to work with these bands that I’ve really believed in. Brandon (Ebel) being so cool and trusting, has allowed me to wear that A&R hat from time to time. All-in-all, I’m just a huge champion of the label, and I love the ability to contribute in any way.

This album and tour will showcase a revamped Demon Hunter, most notably the absence of Don, what has been the biggest impact of this transition musically and how hard was it to fill the voids? We definitely want to respect your privacy, are you willing to elaborate any on why Don chose to step away?
RC Absolutely. Don’s reasons for leaving are not necessarily a private matter. It was essentially a shift in priorities. He runs Invisible Creature, and it was getting harder and harder for him to close up shop to tour or record. For me, I’m able to take time off from work, and come back and jump right back into the saddle. For him, it was a real risk when he left each time, hoping that the phone would start ringing the day he returned. Add 2 kids to that equation (the only kids of anyone in the band) and his decision had become a really clear one.

You’ve noted that The World is a Thorn explores greater depths in both technicality and brutality, even elaborating earlier this year, “We’re definitely still working with the DH formula of groove-oriented heavy mixed with melodic… but the heavy is usually faster this time around. And the melodic tends to be a little darker, little moodier.” (Interview w/ Indie Vision Music) What excites you most about the progression in sound that will be heard on this album?
RC I feel like this album is a very natural progression for the band… but in the least boring way, if that makes sense. In other words, we’re a band that isn’t going to stray terribly far from the overall style that we’ve created over the years… but at the same time, we obviously like to keep things interesting with each record. I thing the songs on this record are extremely solid, well-written, well-executed, and are the best version of Demon Hunter to date.

You’ve crafted a PR blitz with 50 Days of Demon Hunter and a tour that includes As I Lay Dying and War of Ages, 2010 is looking like a big year for DH, does the band have any more tricks up their sleeve?
RC Well, at this point we’re just anxious to get out on the road. That’s all that we have on our radar at the moment… but I’m sure we’ll be brainstorming some new ideas very soon.

From The World is a Thorn your song “LifeWar” is basically an autobiographical retrospective on your life, yet most of your music is very personal, is there a song that stand out to you from this album?
RC That song stands out a lot to me, actually, because it is a little more personal and autobiographical. Songs like Tie This Around Your Neck and Collapsing are also stand-out tracks to me. I feel like those songs were maybe more inspired than others.

Your beliefs as a Christian have always come across in your music, what do you do to keep your faith fresh?
RC As for my faith, I do my best to read as often as I can. I get a lot from the Bible and a handful of other books. The last book I read was called The Mortification Of Sin, which was great. I also like to surround myself with like-minded people… but I have a lot of non-Christian friends that, believe it or not, really allow me to understand why I believe what I do.

“Collapsing” shares some of your perspective of living and sharing the gospel with others, in a sense you admit that many are not receptive to the truths that you hold dear yet you believe it is still important to be active in proclaiming truth. How do you approach sharing your faith as an individual (outside of Demon Hunter) and as an artist (through DH)?
RC With DH, it’s easy… I write it, sing it… you can listen or not, but I’m going to wear my beliefs on my sleeve. That’s my platform to do so, and that’s what you’re going to get. That’s the beautiful thing about being in a band- No one has to ask your opinion and you can give it anyway.

With daily life, it’s much more about getting on a personal level. I’m usually not one to speak directly into someone’s life before knowing them. I think people see that as intrusive, and are easily turned off by strangers telling them how to live. Now, I do believe in a generally black and white guideline for living… but if you have a relationship with someone, then you may gain their trust, understanding, respect… and I think you’re much more likely to meet them on an effective level.

Demon Hunter > Metal/Hardcore > Seattle, WA > Solidstate Records
The World Is A Thorn available now nearly everywhere – Solidstate, Best Buy, Hot Topic, iTunes…Currently on tour with As I Lay Dying, Bless The Fall and War of Ages (see DH Myspace or DH Website for more info and tour dates)

Demon Hunter is: Ryan Clark – Vocals; Jonathan Dunn – Bass; Yogi Watts – Drums; Patrick Judge – Guitar; Ryan Helm – Guitar

OREGONIANS – Demon Hunter w/ As I Lay Dying, Bless The Fall and War of Ages on Tuesday, May 18, 2010 @ The McDonald Theatre. May 16 @ The Knitting Factory in Boise, Idaho and May 17 @ The Knitting Factory in Spokane, Washington.

For more information on local music, band interviews, concert updates and promotional content. Local bands, artists, concerts, venues, tours and events from rock, hip-hop, metal, pop, punk, hardcore, acoustic, indie, organic, progressive, funk, rap and more. Stay tuned to hurdcore.com, friend us on myspace and join us facebook Hurdcore is open to partnerships to promote local arts, music and entertainment as well as advertising opportunities – hurdcore@gmail.com – be specific in “subject” line.