Hurdcore readers from the Northwest should not be ignorant of Portland based progressive hardcore artists A Hope For Home, especially after our official introduction to the band in late 2009 (LINK). AHFH adds a depth to the movement within the hardcore scene which has been fighting against the syncronicity of sound that has been eating away at any progression or diversity in tone that might otherwise drive the scene to flourish as a creative beacon. Whether you’d label it post-hardcore or progressive, this West Coast quintet of melodious brutality remains humble in their pursuit to express themselves through music, inviting those with an open mind and divergent tastes to explore the outer limits of where innovation can take us. A Hope For Home will be releasing their 3rd Album ‘Realis’ on Facedown Records on March 30th, 2010 so we thought we’d catch up with the band to get an idea of what we might expect from this incarnation of the bands progression.

2010 is kicking off as a busy year for A Hope For Home, you are launching a national tour and preparing to release a new full length album ‘Realis’ on Facedown Records. The tour takes you from the Northwest into the Midwest and down South with several different bands meeting up with you along the way. Looks like you pick up In the Midst of Lions, Hands and Onward to Olympus once you hit the Midwest. Have you played/toured with these bands before?

AHFH We did a little stint with Hands last summer. They are probably some of our best friends in the whole world, and we are so stoked to be out on this tour with them. We’ve never met any of the other dudes, but it’s definitely been a great time so far.

In touring what has the reception for A Hope For Home been like and what are some of the most rewarding elements of being on tour?

AHFH Touring is an interesting monster. It can be really tiring, but I personally love it. My favorite part is honestly just hanging out with the bands every night. Getting to know another group of dudes and seeing new places every night. It is difficult to gauge reception because every tour we’ve done so far has been drastically different. But its always amazing going to a place you’ve never been and meeting one person who has been impacted by your music- that’s all I could ever ask for.

Last we spoke, you mentioned that you aren’t really a “dancy band” and I agree that AHFH’s sound while clearly hardcore in its roots is quite unique in the complexity of sound that you bring to your craft. What about your writing style and/or approach makes your sound so unique?

AHFH Haha. I just honestly write with my influences in mind, and that’s what I can say about everyone else. We aren’t consciously trying to be weird all that much. Being creative is definitely always in the back of our minds, but I would just say we are wearing our influences on our sleeves. Bands like Cult of Luna, This Will Destroy You, Thrice, etc.

If samples such as Post Tenebras Lux are any indicator of the direction you are headed with your latest release ‘Realis’, this is possibly a more brutal A Hope For Home than ever. How have your tastes in music as fans and performers changed over the years?
AHFH We definitely wanted to make this record heavier than The Everlasting Man. We tuned down to B and focused on bigger riffs and grooves rather than shredding and double kick. Our tastes have definitely changed as we’ve grown, I’ve been in this band for 4 years and gone from being influenced by bands like Beloved and Underoath to bands like the ones I mentioned previously. And honestly, I would rather create music I like to play rather than try and emulate whoever the biggest band in the scene is at the moment.

How have you seen fans respond to your music? Do you think AHFH is a sound that has to grow on you?
AHFH Some reactions have been a little disappointed, as I expected, but others have been really stoked that we are trying something new. We try to not really even think about that though and just write what we like to play. The minute you start thinking about who you are trying to please artistically is when, in my opinion, your art loses its value.

Your previous release, “The Everlasting Man,” was a concept album based upon a work by GK Chesterton of the same title, what drew you to this literary piece?
AHFH I was reading the book while listening to instrumental demos of the songs on that record we were recording, and thought that some of the themes would translate really well to the songs we had recorded would make for a good concept.

Writing music is a difficult enough process, does having the textual outline for what you want to communicate (ie Chesterton’s work) already laid out help the process or make it that much more difficult?
AHFH Well, we pretty much wrote all of the music for The Everlasting Man before any lyrics were written, and decided halfway through the recording process to base it off of the book. Realis was done the other way around.

You’ve hinted that your latest release might be a concept album as well, what direction did you go with “Realis”? For AHFH do you define “concept album” as an attempt to build upon a theme, where content drives the project or does it start with a tonal outline?
AHFH The Everlasting Man and Realis are two very different records and different concepts. The Everlasting Man is, I feel, an 11 song record with a bunch of songs and lyrics that allude to a concept. Realis, however, was imagined and outlined before it was written, and the concept pulls and pushes both the lyrics and the music. So, to answer your question, we have done it both ways, haha. While we wanted give Realis a lot of content conceptually and lyrically, we also did not want that to come at the expense of the music. So at the end of the day, concepts and ideas and all this lofty stuff can play a huge role in what we do, but if the music suffers because of it, then we are going about this the wrong way.

Your first single from “Realis” is entitled “The Machine Stops” which takes themes from a short story published in 1909 by EM Forster. What drew you to this work and how did you adapt that into your music?
AHFH The Machine Stops is somewhat of a one-off idea for the concept. I stumbled across the story one day, which you can read for free online, and was really impacted by it. The Machine Stops tells the story of a future where humanity basically begins to worship the technology it has built and in effect, becomes enslaved by it. The key part of the story is where the main character basically disconnects himself from that machine in order to regain his humanity. I thought it was an amazing metaphor and it fit really well at a point in the concept, so we decided to allude to it.

Like most literary pieces, the word pictures can be taken to mean many things, when you close in your adaptation with,

“Detach: can we pull these wires from our veins? Divide our flesh, our blood, our names. In the face of the machine I see my reflection stand and turn, as I walk. I’m never coming back.”

Is this primarily a reference to cutting the cord between man and technology or are you addressing something deeper than that?
AHFH Realis deals mainly with a struggle of faith and belief. I really think there comes a time in everyone’s life when they begin to look at the world around them and try to decide where they fit into it, or how it relates to them. I think it is very important to understand what your beliefs mean for your life and the rest of the world around you. Different ideological systems will lead to a completely different understanding and relation to ones environment. Maybe that is something wrong, or divisive, or whatever. But I think it is true. At this point in the concept, and not to condone his actions, the Man sees the world around him as a metaphoric machine, churning gears toward no specific goal. He decides to “unplug” himself from his fellow man and abandon everyone.

Often fans want to pigeonhole their favorite bands into a corner of what they expect that band to sound like, will this AHFH be recognizable or will we hear significant differences?
AHFH Not sure. I try to not think about that too much. It is definitely different, but we didn’t come out of left field with anything. I would like to think of it as a drastic progression.

For AHFH, the studio process is _____? (ie a grind, the most beautiful experience, all of the above). What do you like/dislike most about the recording experience?
AHFH I really wish I was doing this in the 60’s or 70’s sometimes. Everyone talks about how the Beatles got tired of performing live, so the last however many years of their careers, they just sat in a studio and recorded music. That is so awesome. I wish I could do that, honestly. I love recording and writing music and as soon as we finish a record I always wish I was back in the studio working on another one. We always end up getting rushed toward the end or not being as prepared as we should be, and that kind of sucks. But at the end of the day, I feel much more comfortable recording in a studio than I do on stage.

As musicians are you at the place where you are able to get your instruments to communicate all the nuances and subtleties of emotion that you are trying to express or is there still a struggle to work through that process?
AHFH I think we have come a long way as players since our first record. I’m pretty un-confident with myself as a guitar player. I think we could all do more, and that’s actually something I’ve been thinking about. I really want to push myself as a player on the next record, to step it up a notch. That said, I’m pretty proud with a lot of things we’ve done in the past. I think the day you achieve total comfort and ease in your ability is when you start to lose perspective though. There is always room for improvement, and in our case, I think a lot of improvement, haha.

In our previous interaction, you mentioned that your founding member had passed away early in the founding of AHFH. I’ve since read some more from you, particularly the superb write up in Hopecore Magazine (LINK) and there is so much more to this story. How has God continued to use your very personal story to draw you and others to Himself?
AHFH Those were definitely a very difficult couple of months. Kyle never wanted anyone to feel sorry for him, or to be the focus everyone’s pity. I remember sitting with him on the couch in the last days of his life, skin and bones spitting blood into a plastic bowl, asking me how I was doing. I would be stupidly complaining about something and he would always tell me that he couldn’t understand what struggle I was going through, and that it must be tough to be going through something so difficult. I always felt like an idiot after he would say something like that, but the fact is that he always put other people first and never once felt sorry for himself. He was by far the most selfless person I’ve ever met. After his death we weren’t too sure what to do, but one thing I remember thinking about was how mad he would have been if we would’ve given up or made everything we did be about him afterward. I think it would’ve been a disservice to him if we had become “Kyles band” or something like that. I felt the best way I could honor his life was to keep pressing on and let the band evolve, just as life was evolving after Kyle’s death. Kyle never let cancer keep him from anything, and I know he would’ve been pissed if we had stopped the rest of our lives at that point.

AHFH started as a local project and through continually taking it to the grind, you have built the foundation for your rock empire with Strike First and Facedown Records. What is the biggest difference between being on your own and having the backing of a known label?
AHFH Its hard to say. I don’t really think of it as that different. It is such a blessing to be able to get connections for booking and the promotion that comes from having a national company push you. I would honestly say the promotion is half of it. Jason and the rest of the Facedown family are so supportive and just knowing that we have somewhat of a solid foundation to build off of is very encouraging. I always see bands so worried about the next record, or the next show, or the next tour, and how much better things will be next year, or whatever. It never ends. Getting signed doesn’t change everything, we are still just as broke as we were before. We are only busier if anything. If we start to worry about “getting huge” or the difference between being signed and not I think we all will forget that we are doing what we want to do right now, playing music every night.

Now that you are full time musicians, how do you stay fresh in your approach to music? Is it ever a battle to keep the passion as you labor day-by-day to make your mark in a competitive and arguably saturated market?
AHFH We are definitely trying to do something different with our music. What gets difficult at times is not trying to be different as much as it is feeling that we never really fit in with any scene or any band we tour with. Most kids who go to heavy shows these days just want to dance, and they just look at us with crossed arms while we play. Playing with softer bands is just as weird since we don’t have catchy choruses. Like I said before, we write what we want to play. That’s really all there is to it.

Obviously there is a spiritual component to your band and you’ve been pretty open about that, how do you maintain a closeness with God while on the road? How do you keep from killing each other when several smelly dudes are packed into a van for an extended road trip?
AHFH Tensions definitely rise when 6 dudes live in a van for months at a time, haha. We just try to stay as grounded as possible. It helps that we are all on the same page goal-wise and, I feel, all in this for the same reason. No one in this band is expecting or wanting to be famous or sell a million records. We are just playing music because we like to play music.

A Hope For Home (Portland, OR)
Hardcore – Facedown Records
Nathan Winchell/Vocals
Matt Ellis/Guitar,Vocals
Tanner Morita/Guitar
Dan McCall/Bass
Lance Taylor/Drums

To Book AHFH contact The Radiant Group – matt@theradiantgroup.net. Visit AHFH’s MySpace Page for music, concert info and news

A Hope For Home has posted a blog on their MySpace giving a full write up and rundown of the lyrical content (LINK) for their latest release Realis, set to launch March 30, 2010 on Facedown Records.

For more information, interviews and updates for live local music concert tours. Local bands, artists, concerts, venues, tours and events from rock, hip-hop, metal, pop, punk, hardcore, alternative, acoustic, power pop, thrash, R&B, soul, reggae, indie, heavy metal, organic, progressive, funk, death metal, 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 there is nothing better than that old school punk edge with salty vocals summoning you to circle pit with your friends. From what I have seen recently the circles may be a thing of the past, but hearing Rendered Useless of Portland, Oregon reassures me that classic punk rock is far from dead. While the band is still primarily a local act and fighting to turn dreams into currency, they have made enough of an imprint to secure their song, “Rose City, Our City” not only into a rally cry for fellow Portlandians but the actual anthem for local soccer team the Portland Timbers (soccer too is alive and well on the West Coast). Rendered Useless continues to build upon the momentum of years past and are working to record a full length album for 2010.

Tell us a little about the history of the band. How did you all come together as musicians and at what point did you decide to take a serious run at going public with Rendered Useless?

RU Three of our boys (Brad, Caleb, and Omar) grew up together in the same small town of Hood River, OR and have known each other since they were kids. Guitarist Caleb and singer Brad had played together in various bands over the years and decided to start what became RU with Omar in the summer of 2008 with then drummer, Scoots. Guitarist Omar and bassist Guy had previously played together and Guy’s playing was a good fit for the sound. Things didn’t work out stylistically with Scoots and Benny stepped in on drums in early fall. Benny is a veteran of multiple projects and a transplant from the East-Coast.

It became obvious from the first few times we got together that there was something pretty special going on both musically and personally. Everything just seemed to “click”. We all got such a charge out of playing together! We got busy writing and arranging songs. We played our first “show” at The Matador in Portland as part of Benny’s birthday celebration. We only had four songs! The response from the crowd was so enthusiastic that we knew, without a doubt, that this thing was gonna take off. We worked hard to put a set together and set off into the scene to start networking and setting up shows.

Rendered Useless has that great old school punk edge, with salty vocals and high energy, how would you describe RU’s sound?

RU We all grew up listening to a lot of the same music and your description pretty much nails what we sound like. As individuals, we have a lot of the same musical sensibilities and influences. Combine that with our friendships, differences, life experiences, and common goals and you get our “sound”. It’s not really something we’ve crafted, but rather something that “happened” as a result of our coming together as this group.

When you write and play, what do you hope fans of Rendered Useless come away with?
RU When we write and play I think the essence of what was described above is translated to the audience. There’s a sense of camaraderie, a feeling of being “part of” at our shows. The music begs to be sang along with! We engage the crowd and make them a part of the show. It’s about having a good time with your friends and releasing some of the tension life has dumped on you. It seems to go over pretty well.

Rendered Useless is currently based out of Portland, Oregon – “Rose City, Our City!” What are some of the local influences that have helped the development of RU?

RU We love Portland! It’s our home, why not sing about it? “Rose City… Our City” is actually an anthem for our local soccer team, the Portland Timbers, and their fans (including us). There’s some pretty avid hooligans in this town! Other then that, there’s so many incredible bands and musicians in the Pacific NW that we can’t help but be influenced and inspired by them.

What are some of your favorite places locally to perform or attend shows? Where is the best and/or most unique place to eat in Portland?

RU Once again, there’s so many places to play in this town it isn’t even funny. We’ve played small rooms, large rooms, living rooms, basements, etc… you name it! Now where to eat in this town is even more complex then where to play! There is so much good food here that we couldn’t possibly relate all the cool joints in this interview. I’ll throw a quick plug for Eastside Deli on 46th & Hawthorne though cause they ROCK! Best $5.50 you’ll ever spend on a sandwich, hands down.

Rendered Useless is currently signed to Horns Up Records, how long have you been a signed entity and how has your relationship with Horns Up been?

RU Horns Up pretty much embodies our work ethic. It’s more of a co-op then a label. It’s about hard working, hard rocking bands getting together and helping each other out. Everyone involved is a musician. We met them in Jan ’09 and it was quickly apparent that we’d be a good fit for their roster. They’re having their 1yr anniversary showcase this coming Jan 15th and the Tonic Lounge on 31st & Sandy in Portland, 9pm. We’re on the bill along with some other awesome bands, come out and show your support!

What were some of the highlights from 2009 for Rendered Useless and what are you looking forward to in 2010?

RU Through hard work we’ve landed some pretty cool shows, opening for the likes of A Wilhelm Scream, Death By Stereo, and Less Then Jake. We’ve gotten to play with so many other incredible bands from all over as well. Kinda hard to nail down the highlights! It’s all been pretty awesome so far. In 2010 look for our first full-length record and a tour of the Western US.

What are the weapons (instruments) of choice Rendered Useless?

RU Necessity being the mother of invention (as in we’re broke) we’ve all come to rely on function over form. Both guitarists play Epiphone Les Pauls, the bass is an old Fender Jazz, and the drums… we can’t tell you due to statutes of limitations!

Any funny and/or scary stories from recent shows or tours?

RU I’d have to say the best so far would have occurred at an event called “Creepshow”. It was a big deal with lots of different acts like fire-dancers, magicians, acrobats, suspensions , and of course, punk rock! We took the stage and there were many props off to the side for other acts. Most notably some black sandbags that were to weight down a pole for one of the dancers. They were next to Caleb, stage right. On that side of the stage there’s a stairwell.

Well… at some point Caleb managed to trip over the sandbags and fall head-over-heels off the stage and down the stairs. He managed to knock himself out and break is guitar into three pieces! Once we realized what had happened our friend Dillon (My Life In Black and White) hopped on stage and played the rest of the song. The stage crew had no intention of letting Caleb back on stage. We got the crowd to chant “Let Caleb play!” and after a little coaxing we got him back up there and finished out the show!

That guitar was his baby and he was crushed. We took what we were paid and pitched in a few more bucks and surprised him with a new one (in black this time) at our next rehearsal. We put it in his old case and as we were unloading the van told him to check it and make sure we’d grabbed all his cables. The look on his face was PRICELESS!!! He’ll never cop to it but I swear he shed a tear or two. Good times!

See more on Rendered Useless and concert information at their myspace

Regiment 26 has been on scene locally since 2006 and has already rallied local fans and attracted the attention of national acts, including an upcoming show with renown Mike Thrasher Presents at the Hawthorne in Portland, Oregon slated for February 24, 2010. Regiment 26 isn’t a band that is still working out the bugs, they are a force in motion with a biting hardcore sound crisply weaving speed with range and energy with sheer brutality.

HC Tell us a little about the history of the band. How did you all come together as musicians and at what point did you decide to take a serious run at going public with Regiment 26?
R26 We formed originally as a four piece sometime about five years ago. The only original members are Tim (drums) and Cole (guitar), who got together out of a mutual love of music. At the time we had no idea of what was to come or how far we could possibly go. Now with the current line-up, with a new second guitar player AJ, bassist Per and vocalist Eric anything seems possible as we strive to create unique and brutal music.

HC Regiment 26 has a solid hardcore sound with a range of rumbling lows, blistering guitars and guttural vox, are there particular influences or intentional dynamics that you have sought to accomplish through the music of R26?
R26 As a band we try not to take too much from other bands and create our own original sounds. Some of the bands that have probably influenced us are August Burns Red, Black Dahlia Murder, and Veil Of Maya. We see our band as an entertainment act so we hope that fans can come out of a show and say they had a blast watching as well as listening. We also hope the music we write will stick with them for a long time to come.

HC When you write and play, what do you hope fans of Regiment 26 come away with?
R26 We see our band as an entertainment act so we hope that fans can come out of a show and say they had a blast watching as well as listening. We also hope the music we write will stick with them for a long time to come.

HC Regiment 26 is currently based out of Salem, Oregon, correct? What are some of the local influences that have helped the development of R26?
R26 Actually R26 is based out of Portland, OR only the vocalist is from Salem. We have a lot of bands we consider friends and think very highly of their music.

HC What are some of your favorite places locally to perform or attend shows?
R26 Some of the best places we like to play are the Hawthorne Theatre, Satyricon, and Roseland Theatre. Other awesome places are The Space in Salem, and the Samurai Duck in Eugene.

HC What were some of the highlights from 2009 for Regiment 26 and what are you looking forward to in 2010?
R26 In 2009 we had the opportunity to play with many national touring bands like Within The Ruins, Seneca, Knights Of The Abyss just to name a few. We also have booked a show with Mike Thrasher Presents at the Hawthorne Theatre [Feb 24, 2010 - Portland, Oregon] with Winds Of Plague, Despised Icon, For Today, The World We Knew and Stray From The Path. Hopefully 2010 will bring lots of new opportunities for us!

HC What are the weapons of choice for Regiment 26?
R26Eric – vocals – loves his Shure 58a mic; Cole – guitar – uses Peavy head and cab and ESP axe; AJ – guitar – Crate head and cab and ESP guitar; Per – bass – Ampeg cab and head with Ibanez Prestige 5 string; Tim – drums – Pearl drums with zildjian cymbals and DW pedals; Jason – lights – lots of cans and strobes with his magic fingers!

UPCOMING LIVE SHOWS:
Jan 8, 2010 – 7PM @ FCC, w/ LIFERUINER
111 West 19th St., Vancouver, Washington – $10

Jan 9, 2010 – 6:30 PM @ The Domino Room, w/ LIFERUINER
Bend, Oregon – $10

Life is a journey that is not traveled without its trials, thankfully it is seasoned with its share of beauty as well. A Hope For Home assembles as a group of young men grafted together through tragedy and committed to pressing forward in pursuit of their dreams, a process that they invite others to share in through the medium of music. So, whether you are a dancy dude or not, I think you will find a sincerity and even a challenge in A Hope For Home that can be appreciated by all.

Is there any significance or story behind your name? What are the origins of A Hope For Home and how long have you been at it?

AHFH When we first started up, our guitar player, Kyle was dying of cancer. It was a rough time, and it was actually a name he came up with, that obviously had a lot of meaning to him. That was 3 years ago and while that hardship has come and passed, I think its a really cool reminder of him.

For those who are unfamiliar with your set, how would you describe yourself? What can we expect from a A Hope For Home concert?
AHFH Well, for starters we aren’t really a dancy band, which doesn’t really go over all that well sometimes when we play with a lot of the bands we do, haha. Nothing against that! Its just not really our thing. We try to convey a lot of emotion, I guess, and we actually have a really cool concept we might be trying to convey live with this record we are doing.

A Hope For Home is currently based out of Portland (Oregon), are you all natives? With your signing is the band discussing relocating or will you stay local?
AHFH We are actually technically from Vancouver [Washington], except for our guitar player Tanner, he lives in Portland. I (Matt) grew up in Portland though, and other than that, most of us have lived here in Portland for the greater part of our lives. We won’t be relocating, but we probably wont be home a lot!

You were signed earlier this year to Strike First Records and have recently signed over to Facedown Records, how have you enjoyed being a member of the Strike First and Facedown families? How has being signed benefited the band?
AHFH I can’t say enough good things about Facedown and Strike First. Since record sales have so violently plummeted over the past couple years some might see signing as a foolish thing to do, but it honestly has been such a blessing. They help keep us on the road and push us in ways we couldn’t do otherwise.

Strike First Records is a subsidiary of Facedown Records, is it not? In signing with Facedown are you working with a completely new team or is there some carryover from the relationships you’ve already established at Strike First?
AHFH Strike First is basically somewhat of a “training ground” for Facedown Bands. Its run by the same people. Its not at all that the bands aren’t as good as Facedown bands, its just that they are not as well known, so it becomes somewhat of a megaphone or stepping stone. All the bands on Strike First are really great at what they do.

A Hope For Home has worked the local and national scenes, gained a strong following and obviously the recognition of established indie labels, how often do you reflect on the process of getting to where you are?
AHFH It is quite humbling but to be honest I try to not think about that too much and just kindof live in the moment-focus on what is ahead of us and what we are currently working on.

As you move forward, what are some of the defining moments that have brought A Hope For Home to this point?
AHFH So many to count! Lots of days where things felt pointless and that we were accomplishing nothing, and I can definitely say its not the case. I don’t really think of us as at a different place than before we signed other than semantics like having an album ad in a magazine or getting better tours.

You have stated that your upcoming album will address the concepts of dealing with doubt and the search for meaning from a first person perspective of reconstructing reality from meaninglessness. Is this a reflection of where you are at as a band ideologically? Is your purpose to create a discussion platform or do you hope to inject some insight and/or experience into the conversation?
AHFH Well I can’t speak for everyone in the band and the things they go through, but we will all bring our perspectives to the table for this record. This concept is something that sort of sprouted from conversations with Nathan, our singer, and just emotions and things we have been feeling. We had been exposed to a lot of different kinds of bands and scenes as we toured this year, seeing a lot of different facets and faces to the idea of a “Christian band.” We have never been too comfortable with that label, because there are a lot of expectations that come along with it. I’m not denying faith, but I’m simply stating that I (and we) believe in what we do because we believe it, not because we are a part of this “Christian band” club. I also don’t really feel like I have some grand metaphysical truth that no one else understands, and that this record will be me telling people that they are wrong, or whatever. It comes from a point of trying to understand what is real, what I believe, which is something that, at least I think, anyone who claims a particular ideology should do. I hope we can reflect the emotions that go through peoples minds and the doubts people fear, but are too afraid to talk about when your favorite band might tell you you aren’t a “good” enough Christian if this, or that, or whatever. My goal is mostly just for us to express ourselves, and maybe it will resound with other people.

What are some of your early influences that got you into music? Who were some of the influences that helped you launch A Hope For Home?
AHFH I think all of us can safely say that the mid 2000′s bands like Thrice and Thursday are the bands that really got us heavily into music. For me anyway, those two bands have had the most effect on my life and I don’t think I would be doing what I am now were it not for them.

Where are you currently grabbing inspiration from and how has this been affecting your music?
AHFH I got really burnt out on heavy music touring this year, just playing and listening to it every night. Everyone else in my band is probably going to hate me for bringing this up but I really heavily got into Pink Floyd this year and honestly probably spent the better part of the year really digesting their album concepts and music, which is definitely and inspiration for making this concept. Bands like Sigur Ros, Isis, This Will Destroy You, and of course the mainstays are probably what I can say for the rest of the guys.

Where can those interested best connect with you to find out about news, releases and tours?
AHFH We always have dates posted on our myspace and keep it updated with info. Recently we have been using twitter a lot (twitter.com/ahopeforhome) and started up a blog (ahopeforhome.tumblr.com) that we will be updating during this process. A facebook page too. So definitely check those out!

What do you enjoy most about the local music scene? Who have been some of the funnest bands and venues to play with locally?
AHFH It definitely comes in waves in Portland, and we are gone a lot so I can’t speak with the best authority. I know that we always have some good friends to come home and jam with like Something About Airplanes and Fallstar. Recently some awesome new bands have propped up like The Sky Electric from Seattle and this amazing new band called Amos Val that you need to check out now. They are all on our top friends so go check them out!

What have you tasted of the national scenes? What have been some of your best experiences on the road?
AHFH Southern California is nuts. The midwest has some pretty rad scenes too. We recently did a tour with our label mates in Hands and every show had a really solid group of kids, and that was in like the midwest/north area of the country. It was a lot of fun.

What are the weapons (insturments) of choice for A Hope For Home?
AHFH We’ve been experimenting with a lot of different things recently! So other than the usual guitars and keyboards we’ll see what ends up being used on the record.

Favorite place to eat in Portland? Craziest thing you’ve eaten on the road?
AHFHThis is difficult! Chipotle is always good but I feel like a tool plugging a national chain. I might have to say the Montage. Get the spold mac!! Craziest thing on the road…there is this gas station somewhere on I-90 in Washington, I forget where, and they sell pickled eggs…which, seriously who eats pickled eggs? One of our friends pretty much told us we had to try it and I seriously wanted to puke, it was awful.

What have been some of the most important lessons for you as an aspiring artist? Any words of wisdom for those wanting to pursue their dreams of music stardom?
AHFH Umm….just work really hard, play music because you like it, not because you A) look cool on stage doing it or B) can get really famous and popular. I mean, I guess if you really want do to that, go ahead, but I don’t see much worth in that.

Any funny and/or scary stories from recent shows or tours?
AHFH We aren’t too crazy, but every touring band has had their share of stories. Driving the van off the road in a snowstorm in Montana, getting stuck on a hill about 34 times when it rained at Cornerstone while everyone walked past and laughed, meeting interesting people at gas stations in rural America at 4:00 AM, the like. Mostly weather for me. I’m dead scared of driving in snow. hah!

A Hope For Home is currently in the studio, look for them to explode onto the local and national scenes again soon and an album ready for listening pleasure! *All pictures taken from A Hope For Home’s Myspace album – give credit where due to these talented photographers!

If you like crowd surfing with 80 year old ladies and are scared of shred-master 10 year olds, this band may be the melodious incarnation of your troubled soul. This band combines their talent for skull rattling hardcore with a robust knowledge of out-of-date dance moves. Is this band the jilted stepchild of Richard Simmons? No, this band is I Am The Monster based out of Portland, Oregon and it’s time for you to get acquainted.

HC Is there any significance or story behind your name? What are the origins of IATM and how long have you been at it?

IATM We were in the middle of recording our EP Scream These Words and were having legal trouble with our name at the time (Hold Steady, Atlas) and actually ended up changing our singer during the process. Cody has a lyric saying ‘I am not a monster, I am a simple man’ in The Life We Never Led, we were in a hurry and landed on that one. I Am The Monster is only two months old but we have been playing since 2005 and really started taking the band seriously this year.

HC For those who are unfamiliar with your set, how would you describe yourself? What can
we expect from an IATM show?

IATM Brian: Interceptors, running mans, european carry-alls, and chopping blocks, are all ‘moves’ you can expect to see at any of our shows. But really its one rowdy, sweaty, loud good time.

Jacob: Lean-Backs, Hairnados, Thinking-Mans, Cranes

HC IATM is currently based out of Portlandia, are you all natives?

IATM Brian: Ya, I’d say more the Portland Metro area, we’ve got a guy in Clackamas, Vancouver, Hillsboro, and two in Portland, so really all over the place. I think I am the only one born out of the area, Hawaii.

HC What are some of your early influences that got you into music? Who were some of the influences that helped you launch IATM?

IATM Brian: Ah man I listened to a ton of horrible music growing up ranging from every pop boy band to rap, to alternative rock. But what really got me into what we are doing today would be bands like Haste the Day, I remember seeing a show of theirs before I knew who they were and was just blown away.

Jacob: Early influences include, Patsy Cline, Roy Orbison, Marty Robbins. Then Slipknot, Mudvayne etc., and for IATM Norma Jean, Haste the Day, ABR, etc.

HC Where are you currently grabbing inspiration from and how has this been affecting your music?

IATM Brian: I love how older Chiodos didn’t follow the traditional verse, chorus, verse and made every song like a story with a beginning, middle, and end. For the most part we try to do the same to challenge ourselves. August Burns Red, Oh, Sleeper and Underoath haven always been pushing the creative envelope with every album and push me to come up with something better.

Jacob: Currently I am all about August Burns Red. Their drummer is a huge inspiration. Like Brian said, Underoath, Oh, Sleeper, also play a big part in how I try to play. Listening to these bands has really pushed us to play better and smarter. We all have to improve as musicians outside of jamming and writing, and we always write stuff that pushes our abilities.

HC Where can those interested best connect with you to find out about news, releases and tours?

IATM Our myspace (myspace.com/iamthemonstermusic) is the best place to keep up with anything and everything IATM.

HC What do you enjoy most about the local music scene? Who have been some of the funnest bands and venues to play with?

IATM The local music scene tends to be a pretty tight knit group and everyone seems to get along for the most part. The kids that come out to shows just to see a show. I’ve meet several people that come out and don’t know a single band that’s playing. It’s a tough choice to pick between Club Satyricon and the Hawthorne Theatre but Aleen has always been one of our favorite bands to play with, those dudes are awesome.

HC What are the weapons (insturments) of choice IATM?

IATM Brian: Bryan and I both use a Gibson SG Special, mine is rockin a EMG 81 at the bridge. Nolan has a Ibanez Bass starter pack which proves that price doesn’t give you quality… And Jacob has a custom Truth drum kit currently in the works.

HC Favorite place to eat in Portland?

IATM Rock Bottom is always good when we are feeling like high rollers and Rogue Ale House too some goooooood brews.

HC What have been some of the most important lessons for you as an aspiring artist? Any words of wisdom for those wanting to pursue their dreams of music stardom?

IATM Brian: Biggest lesson is things never go the way you plan, whether it be recording or booking, or really anything that comes along with a being in a band. Word of wisdom would be to start playing young. At my age looking up youtube videos and watching 10 year olds shred way harder than you could possibly dream doesn’t do too much for the self-esteem…

Jacob: Make sure you are playing what you love to play.

HC Any funny and/or scary stories from recent shows or tours?

IATM Haha yeah actually, our last show on tour in Grants Pass we made a hugggeeee fan. Only catch is she was probably close to 80 years old. She was head banging with a fist in the air the whole show and when our set was finished she came on stage and gave us all hugs and said we were the most energetic band she has ever seen since Machine Head in 2000. She had us all autograph our EP and even gave us a tip, but ya I think its safe to say we wont meet anyone like her again.

HC You recently completed your first tour, venturing down even into Southern California, how was the tour and what are your plans for building upon this momentum?

IATM Ha well like I mentioned before NOTHING goes the way you planned. We originally planned on playing a straight week of shows but with a month or two of the booking process missing a singer in our lineup its made things a little tiny bit difficult. We played a couple shows on our tour/vacation and got awesome responses from the places we did play and made some really good connections. It was a huge learning experience for us and are planning a spring tour. But next for us is just working our ass off to get our name out there and make sure that everyone knows about IATM.

UPCOMING SHOWS:
10/31/2009 7:00 PM at Halloween Show @ The Barn
w/I Am The Monster, Roseway, 66 Lover Letters and All I Ask
2005 NW Cornelius Schefflin Rd,
Cornelius, Oregon 97113
Cost: FREE

We’ve had plenty of hardcore and hip-hop lately, so if your dosage of pop is running low, we’ve got the solution. All She Wrote is as high energy as high energy pop-core can get, a constantly lit flame that is ready to spark a positive energy dance party any time, any place and at any moment. Every aspect of ASW has been motivated by it’s founding member’s sold out relationship with Jesus Christ. ASW is band on a mission, a band with clear convictions that wants to reach the world with Jesus so that everyone can enjoy the eternal dance party. ASW is currently in the studio, thanks to them for taking the time to share with [hurdcore.com], so be ready for their stamp on the pop-core scene to expand from their base in Portland, Oregon to the outer reaches of our universe.

HC Is there any significance or story behind your name? What are the origins of ASW?
ASW Everyone has their story, everyone has their problems, obstacles and joys they deal with, and were hear to give hope to them. In our songs we give the answer to the problems and obstacles in life, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The name is a spin off of To Write Love On Her Arms.

HC Jeremy and Andrew were added into ASW in July of this year, were they in addition to the existing lineup or did they replace vacancies? How has this helped the development of ASW this year?
ASW Andrew and Jeremy were additions to open spots in allshewrote, both filling very important spots the band was then able to hit the studio and begin playing shows.

HC In August you posted video updates for your studio sessions to record you EP, what is the news on that effort?
ASW We are actually on our last day at the studio as this is interview is being done, after this the entire record is sent off for mixing and mastering! Title and release date are yet to be confirmed.

HC The titles to your songs are pretty pithy, i.e. Breakdance Not Hearts and Barrack You Like a Hurricane. Obviously you guys like to have fun with your music, what is different about ASW and your brand of Portland, Oregon Pop-core?
ASW Our music is all about God, positivity, being happy and having fun! With songs about God, hope, dance parties, and just having with friends we want kids to be able to listen to us while just driving around with friends, or help them get through tough times.

HC ASW is currently based out of Portlandia, are you all natives?
ASW We only have three native “Portlandians” Jeremy, John and Grafton. The Rest are from Astoria, Alaska, and Boston.

HC What are some of your early influences that got you into music? Who were some of the influences that helped you launch ASW?
ASW Blink 182, DC Talk, Reliant K, and Emery are what inspired some of the members to begin playing music. To launch allshewrote, yes sounds cheesy and cliche but its the truth, being saved and giving his life to Jesus Christ is what inspired Erik and every aspect of this band.

HC Where are you currently grabbing inspiration and/or frustration from and how has this been affecting your music?
ASW From God, and the way he blesses our lives every single second of every single day. Our happiness and positivity in our music isn’t fake, we don’t use the name God in our music to sell albums, this band is a mission for God.

HC Where can those interested best connect with you to find out about news, releases and tours?
ASW Our myspace at myspace.com/asdub. We LOVE to hear from people!

HC What do you enjoy most about the local music scene? Who have been some of the funnest bands and venues to play with?
ASW We love the people that have stuck with the Portland music scene through the years and still go out to shows and support. The bands that play and write music simply because they love music, and also, the older musicians in the scene that have awesome stories, and can give us their insight on “do’s” and “don’ts.”

HC What are the weapons (insturments) of choice ASW?
ASW Schecter Hellraiser, Fender Telecaster, Ibanez, DW, Truth, Marshall, Shure.

HC (Local Interest) Porltand has finally put a basketball team that is composed of good guys with a lot of potential, how far do you think the Blazers will go this year?
ASW Last year they made the playoffs for the first time in a while, so with improvement we think they will reach, hopefully, the second round of the playoffs!

HC (Current Event) Since you mentioned Barrack – Obama should have put the beat down on Joe Wilson for interrupting his speech? - or - Joe Wilson should have put on the Braveheart cloth and makeup and pillaged all of the Congressional Dems?
ASW WWJD :-]

HC Bowling or Roller Skating?
ASW Well there’s only four of us at the studio right now and we took a vote, three of us (Erik, Andrew and John) chose bowling but one of us (Zach) chose Roller Skating.

HC What have been some of the most important lessons for you as an
aspiring artist? Any words of wisdom for those wanting to pursue their
dreams of pop-core bliss?
ASW Do it right or don’t do it all. You’ve got to present yourself as a big band. However, be humble and professional about everything you do.

HC Any funny and/or scary stories from recent shows or tours?
ASW At one of our shows, our rhythm guitarist/singer tuned right before a song, and forgot to turn off the tuning pedal. Well, as guitarists would know that mutes your guitar, meaning allshewrote didn’t have a rhythm guitar for half the song.

UPCOMING SHOWS:

9/19/2009 1:00 PM at The Camas Courthouse –
Camas, Washington
Cost: $10
w/ All She Wrote, Those Who Lie Beneath, Grab The Camera, Swamp Monster, And The Sirens Sang, AND MORE!

10/30/2009 7:00 PM at Satyricon
A Hope For Home Halloween Party
125 NW 6th Ave Portland, Portland, Oregon 97209
Cost: ?
Dress up and come Halloween party with us!

Roseway & 66 Love Letters (hurdcore alumni) together!!!
When: Friday, September 11, 2009
Where: Life Church
5585 SW 209th
Aloha, OR 97007
Details: 6:30PM; $5 ALL AGES

THEN…..

66 Love Letters, Roseway, Skyward Collapse, and Ezerah
When: Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Where: Hawthorne Theatre
3862 SE Hawthorne Blvd,
Portland, Oregon 97214
Details: 7PM, $8

Portland, Oregon based hardcore band Skyward Collapse brings several firsts to the table for this exclusive [hurdcore.com] interview. This is our first interview with multiple participants as well as our first bro-core (read the interview) offering. Get to know your local bands and enjoy the scene where it is thriving because some of us are planted in regional voids. SC is gaining traction in their local scene and may be heading to your neck of the woods with a live set that is sure to peel back a few layers of your scalp. Thanks to Matt and Tony for taking the time to expose themselves to the masses via this medium.

[Interview Key: MAB = Matt Biddle; TV = Tony Vilorio]

HC What inspired the name of your band?
MAB: Since we’re all religious, we believe we are going to heaven. So when we die, aka collapse, we’re going up, aka skyward. Or I think it was just because the were two conflicting words, because you’d typically think of collapsing as falling down, going up.

TV: My personal take on our band name is that a Skyward Collapse is a fall from a point of personal comfort (whether it be economically, religiously, etc.). Therefore in essence we are all in a state of desperation and the music we create is a form of rebuilding

HC How would you describe your musical style?
MAB: Ummm, I guess its pretty hardcore. I’m influenced by August Burns Red and The Devil Wears Prada, so that’s kind of the mindset I put myself into when I write.

TV: I would describe it as deathcore since we share the same elements, but the lyrics I write are about brotherhood, family, loss, acceptance, and hope. So, i guess you could call us BroCore hah

HC You are currently based out of Tualatin, Oregon, are you all natives? What do you enjoy most about the local scene?
MAB: Well me and my brother Mitch, the drummer, have both lived in Oregon all of our lives, but I don’t know about everyone else.

TV: I was bon in Cali, moved to McMinnville [Oregon] when I was five, and I moved to Tigard [Oregon] about two years ago.

HC Where can those interested best connect with you to find out about news, releases and tours?
MAB: MySpace for sure. www.myspace.com/skywardcollapse. Or if they know us personally, just ask.

TV: Yeah, we are all pretty approachable, drop us a line we would be more than happy to respond.

HC Where are you at currently in terms of writing and/or releasing an album?
MAB: We’re hoping we’ll have that EP by the end of summer.