Hero.

Defiler Interview

We’re very proud to welcome, all the way from California, USA - Defiler!

Hero: So Jacob, welcome to Hero. Tell us a bit about yourselves: 

Defiler: Whatsup! We’re Defiler. I’m Jake, I do vocals, Nathan Miller and Ethan Lewis are our guitarists, and Ian Poole plays the drums. Me and Nate started the band back in winter 2010.

Hero: You have a very beatdown Emmure kind of sound, what kind of influences would you say you had?

Defiler: Well for me, all of my influences are bands like Slipknot, Disturbed, System of a Down and Mudvayne and such; so I consider Defiler a heavier take on bands like that. Nathan’s influences are mainly Whitechapel, Mudvayne, and Trivium.

Hero: Now, you’ve had one album release, ‘Pangaea’. Have you got any new material coming out soon?

Defiler: Yes! We’ve got a whole new CD that’s in the works right now, and should be released very soon. All that have heard the demos have said the material far surpasses Pangaea, so I’m really excited to drop this one.

Hero: Any interest from record labels?

Defiler: Oh yes, quite a few labels have contacted us asking for showcases, etc. We’re working on a contract right now. We want to make sure we make the right decision that will affect us in the long run, and not just jump at the first big name that falls into our laps.

Hero: You toured with Demolisher around the US in August, how did that go for you?

Defiler: Demolisher were awesome guys, so that made it really fun, but the tour booking was fucking retarded. We ended up playing boy scouts clubs, a convenient store, and places like that. But it was our first tour, so I can’t complain much.

Hero: It was also sponsored by IsAnyoneUp.com – Are you fans of the website?

Defiler: Not really. I think it’s fucking stupid. But, that’s just me. They have more fans than we do, so they’re doing something right.

Hero: Do you have any more tours on the horizon? Maybe to sail across to British or European waters?

Defiler: We’re gonna be hopefully doing another U.S. one in November, but I really want to make sure we make it over to Europe very soon. It’s a high priority to us to make sure we get out and have fun with everyone we can.

Hero: Is there any bands from the UK that you’ve got your eye on?

Defiler: Unfortunately I’m not very much into the underground heavy scene, so I’m not aware of many bands over there. I’m sure there’s many great ones that we will soon share the stage with, though!

Hero: Well thank you very much for your time, and we hope to see you in the UK very soon!

- Hero.
Alternative Music Webzine
United Kingdom

(Source: facebook.com)

Despite My Deepest Fear - Dimensions review

The main problem with metalcore nowadays is it has become very commercial. Following the success of bands like Attack Attack!, Asking Alexandria and many more, a new wave of bands with autotuned vocals, abrasive blast beats and generic riffing have flooded in without adding anything new to the genre. Despite My Deepest Fear’s debut album Dimensions follows the path of these specifications, but does add a little more oopmh to the genre. The band themselves are passionate about the music they make and for a first release, it is fairly promising.

The album expresses the genre to a tee instantly, with guitar chugs and overuse of double bass, before a half-time build up into a breakdown. The songs are all structured well and the autotuned clean vocals seem to fit perfectly inbetween the growls, although at some points you can tell that they want to be reaching higher notes. With the odd bit of synth and gang vocals splashed in here and there, Dimensions follows suit of what is hot and what’s not in the world of metalcore, being very Asking Alexandria-esque in parts.

The band has a vast online fanbase and a very American style, which is very effective when producing this genre of music and they certainly have the ‘metalcore look’. Although the album doesn’t stand out in the crowd, it does fit in well. This band easily has the structure and potential to reach the size of others in their field and with constant touring, we’re sure they will. This won’t be the last we see or hear of Despite My Deepest Fear.

[4/10]

For fans of Asking Alexandria, Miss May I, Attack Attack!

Check them out at www.facebook.com/dmdfuk 

Heart In Hand - Only Memories review

After treading water for around 3 years, Heart In Handhave finally surfaced in the underground hardcore scene with their album release, Only Memories. Having toured with It Prevails, joined the SGR Management family alongside and signed a deal with Siege of Amida Records to release their incredible debut album.

The album opens with the title track, which is arguably one of the best. Alike Heights,Heart In Hand contrast the giant melodies with rage-induced screams and do it very well. The heartfelt lyrics that soar through the track, and the entire album, pace a journey of love and destruction from beginning to end; telling the tales that relate very well to the audience. The beautiful tones made by Andy Convey of Burn The Fleet to add an emotional twist to a very good album. His clean vocals flow perfectly with Charlie Holmes screams of desperation and vigour.

The album has very memorable riffs and chants, and everything just seems to piece together so effectively. The band have progressed very successfully from the EP and playing Hevy festival later this year and tours with The Eyes of a Traitor & Martyr Defield, the band have a lot to look forward to, and so do we.

[7/10]

For fans of It Prevails, For The Fallen Dreams, Counterparts.

Check them out at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Heart-In-Hand/168190108576

Heights - Dead Ends review

Ever since the release of Heights debut EP, ‘The Land, The Ocean, The Distance’ in 2009, the band have not failed to impress us. Playing Download, Sonisphere, Hevy festivals, full Australian & Europe tours with Devil Sold His Soul, House VS Hurricane, Hundredth and more; as well as being signed to Mediaskare Records and The Agency Group – the band obviously have very big things to come.

After a short build up, the album opens with brutal vocals pieced perfectly with epic guitar melodies, leaving your body pumped, yet somewhat peaceful. The band’s unique way of being heavy as fuck; but still being melodic and epic is incredible. The tracklisting flows very well into ‘Eye For An Eye’, a track that was previously released with Rock Sound a few months prior to the album release. The emotional lyrics yelled over melodic chords with such passion really is hard to come across nowadays, but Heights pull it off faultlessly.

One of Hero.’s favourite tracks is the incredible ‘Lost and Alone’, which immediately stands out on the album. With its abrupt guitar chords that builds up to epic gang chants of “We are the lost and alone, we are never fucking coming home!”, expressing the intense power and passion in Thom Debare’s screams. Suddenly, in comes an abrupt tempo change that pushes the track into a more upbeat and powerful stance. Tipped off with guest vocals from fellow Mediaskare buddy, Jonathon Vigil from The Ghost Inside, creating an even heavier, more beatdown section to the song.

The ‘hardcore’ genre at the moment is a very mixed place to be, but Heights manage to stand out from that crowd, creating their own individuality that has gained them much respect and credibility. By emotionally blending hard-hitting brutality with a wave of passionate melodies, and a live show that beats the extremities of the music, Heights are definitely the ones to watch in 2012.

[8/10]

For fans of Devil Sold His Soul, The Ghost Inside, Hundredth.

Check them out here: www.facebook.com/weareheights

Design The Skyline Interview

After signing to the well known, ‘Victory Records’, Design The Skyline have created uproar across the alternative music scene. We caught up with the band recently to find out a bit about them, the future and how they are taking the negative criticism.

Hero: We’d like to welcome to the Hero. Webzine, an extremely hyped band at the moment, Design The Skyline. Now tell us a bit about yourselves:

DTS: Hello! The band consist of Daniel, Eric, Julian, Matt, John, Keebler, Ethan and well we come from a small city in Texas called Corpus Christi. We pretty much went to the same high school and started from there. As far as genre-wise, it isn’t anything like the music video anymore; more melodic, but at the same time still trying to find our right sound.

Hero: You’re quite a unique band, what influences or other bands would you relate yourselves to?

DTS: Well, each member has like their own influences, but still in the same loop with each other. John likes grindcore his favorite band is The Number Twelve Looks Like You and Matt likes melodic death stuff along with Julian, Daniel, Eric, Ethan and Keebler like electronic post hardcore stuff.

Hero: Are these bands you’d want to tour with at some stage?

DTS: It would be amazing touring with bands we love.

Hero: You’ve recently been signed to the incredible Victory Records. How did that come about?

DTS: One of the bands from the label referred us to Victory and we just went about. It’s pretty amazing!

Hero: You’ve recently released your single ‘Surrounded By Silence’ and it’s music video; and the studio album will be coming later this year. Tell us a bit more about that.

DTS: Well the album “Neveah” is a whole 180 turn from Surrounded By Silence; you will barely here any math influences or crazy time signatures.

Hero: As well as the some positive feedback, you’ve also gained a lot of negative feedback. A few quotes taken from the bands Facebook page, include: “Why do you suck so much?”, “The shittest band going. How the fuck did you get signed?”, “Just give up, seriously”.

What do you think about that?

DTS: We really don’t mind. We can honestly see why people give us negative feedback for one, the way we look and the fact that we got signed to a mainly hardcore metal label with just one song; we stick out like a sore thumb. And not to mention how young we are. Ethan White, our bass player, was barely 15 in the Surrounded By Silence video and people also think we are some type of gimmick, but it’s not like that at all. We love what we do.

Hero: Does this negative feedback bother you?

DTS: At first it did not anymore, people don’t seem to realize that the Surrounded By Silence song was just a demo song and not every band sounds their best on their first demo, you know, and its crazy how much it blew us up!

Hero: What are your touring patterns for this summer and the rest of 2011?

DTS: Not sure at the moment just focusing on getting the album out there.

Hero: Are you planning to come overseas at all? I think the UK fans would be dying to see you.

DTS: Yes we plan to do it all!

Hero: Well thank you very much and good luck with the album and the rest of your summer. We hope to speak to you soon!

DTS: Thanks a lot and thank you for the interview as well! Take care!


- Hero.
Alternative Music Webzine
United Kingdom

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