Dubstep and rock are becoming more and more compatible, thanks to collaborations by the likes of Korn and Skrillex. And honestly, they have a lot in common, with heavy-hitting bass and wicked drops. So why not combine the two?
That's exactly what the band I'm introducing today, Blacklite District, does. "Hearing the same sounding rock albums over and over is what I believe has almost killed the rock scene. The way we look at it is, we should be embracing new technologies, and not sticking to the same formula," says guitarist Kyle Pfeiffer, who lists some of the band's influences as Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Linkin Park, and Metallica.
This strategy has clearly paid off for the band. The first single off their upcoming 4-song second EP"Take Me to the Grave," has received extensive airplay on Sirius XM Radio, recently making the Top 5 on the "Big 'Uns" countdown and climbing to #1 in airplay last month. The band also had the chance to play the hugely famous Whisky-A-Go-Go in LA. "So many of our favorite bands launched their careers at the Whisky. It's the only venue still around that's in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame," says Pfeiffer.
The music lives up to the hype. It shows all the possibilities of combining genres that are becoming more and more prevalent in today's interconnected music world. If Linkin Park came right up to the edge of electronic nu-metal, Blacklite District leaps right off that cliff, experimenting boldly with new hybrid forms.
Blacklite District goes on tour with Sevendust in May. That's going to be a show to see, trust me.
I've always had a huge respect for industrial performers. It's fascinating to me how solitary and contemplative the genre is, how one person can take a melody running through their head and turn it into a dark, gritty symphony. I like the traditional guitar-bass-drums setup as much as anyone, but I think industrial and electronic music is a way to push emotion even further.
I recently interviewed Trev Kill, the singer/guitarist and mastermind behind the industrial/electronic project Negative Earth. The Calgary, Alberta musician calls his sound "electronic gravity rock" and has this to say about its formation: "When I discovered dark and heavy sound, I fell in love with it. So my music was always of that style that resonated from within. I could relate. So with having that already inside, the electronic influence came from giving myself access to different electronic tools. Recording my ideas could then be supported by new, interesting sounds. That combination birthed electronic gravity rock."
Kill recorded his self-titled EP with producer Myron Wegner. It was then that he recruited keyboardist/vocalist Esther Widmann and guitarist David Blitt to play live sets. The band is still trying to round out its lineup by trying out drummers and bassists. "I met Esther first," Kill says. "[We] began working on music acoustically immediately. I then met a drummer who introduced me to David Blitt. From there we all rehearsed twice a week to get into the groove."
And what a hell of a groove that is. @bored_gazm tweeted: "Negative Earth is one of the hottest new bands...Sexy, dark, enthralling, and absolutely spectacular." I agree wholeheartedly. At times crawling, seductive, howling, and mysterious, Negative Earth is an edge-of-your-seat ride through a psyche.
Kill, who lists his main musical influences as Tool, Meshuggah, American Head Charge, Opeth, A Perfect Circle, and Alice in Chains, says he doesn't have a set-in-stone songwriting process. "[It] varies with where I am and what I have with me. If I am at my tracking station, the song is usually conceived by a groove, either sampled or created. It is always random with what I use next - whatever sounds best to push out what I am hearing in my head."
My favorite of the album's tracks was "Cut Implant Stitch." Besides being a great title for a song, it is ruthless and haunting, basic and yet almost symphonic in its scope. Kill said of his inspiration for the song: "That song was inspired by the forced, unwanted feeling of confusion - one that drives your mind insane with questions where you eventually act into some sort of sick behavior. The opposite sex is a very powerful creation."
What astounded me about this EP was that literally every song was fresh and resounding, from the rapping on "Eye For Dumb" to the booming thunder in the background of "Slither." The music is all about creation and experimentation, rather than writing formulated chart-toppers. It really makes for brutal, brilliant songs ("Slither" and "Proof" being two of my other favorites).
With all the would-be singer-songwriters out there, caterwauling in front of a camera, it can be hard to find anyone with any actual talent - let's face it; the Internet has made people WAY too bold. But this does not apply to the young songwriter I'm introducing today.
Charlotte Hackett is an intense Taylor Swift aficionado who just picked up the guitar a year ago and has been singing "as long as I can remember." She's also just thirteen years old. The Manchester, U.K. singer has posted numerous videos on her YouTube channel, covering everything from Justin Bieber to The Pistol Annies' "Hell on Heels," simply playing in her room for enjoyment. And Hackett has others enjoying along with her: the comments pages are brimming with praise for Hackett's simple, sweet melody lines and her mature, Deschanel-esque voice.
Hackett, who also plays the ukelele and lists other influences as The Fray, Ed Sheeran, and Nina Nesbitt, says of her songwriting process: "I might get a line or a tune in my head, or I might just strum the same few chords until I have something. It's all very rushed and disorganized with me."
The song posted above, "Empty Double Decker Bus," is the first original song I heard of Hackett's. She says of the song: "It's about a particularly wonderful bus journey I had recently, where I felt comfortable, and genuinely happy for the first time in a while. I only write songs about things that I have been through; I struggle to do anything else."
Hackett is due to be featured on the UK blog One on One Music soon. All I can say is, someone this young and talented should not be ignored. It's a shame that her videos only have several hundred views - I'm trying to change that by introducing her on this blog.
This week's band has no picture (in my interview, they said they "are slightly strange when it comes such things as keeping the band members and certain information anonymous."), just a really cool name - Saturn's Virtue.
The Kilkenny, Ireland group lists their influences as Soundgarden, A Perfect Circle, The Dillenger Escape Plan, Alice in Chains, and Tool. If you listened to the song I posted of theirs a couple weeks ago, "Torn in Two," you probably guessed at least some of these bands. They have a spare guitar style and softer vocals that are very reminiscent of early grunge.
As far as inspiration and identification goes, the band says: "We aspire to anyone who is a dedicated artist, whether it's a musician, a painter, a filmmaker, a poet or a photographer. We respect the hard work and dedication these people put into harnessing their own unique voice."
They let me in on the songwriting process, too: "The songwriting process is usually based on a series of themes. These are built from lyrics or taken from a riff or rhythmic pattern, which we try to incorporate into the song. This is usually done by jamming out the parts until we achieve a direction and it feels natural. Once we get to that point and we know what we're conveying the song tends to write itself." This is a question I always like to ask, because, while I'm musically inclined and play several instruments, I wasn't gifted with the ability to compose music, so it can be cool to see how people who were do it.
As a fan of grunge, I definitely am interested in this band. But what kept me listening was their interesting lyrics and melodic guitar.
