What began as drummer Matt Shaw’s acoustic demos back in 2017 quickly developed into a six-piece band, bonding over a love of artists like American Football, Minus The Bear, and The Appleseed Cast. The group has taken influence from mid-western emo, math-rock, and alternative indie and combined those with Fleetwood Mac style dual-vocal pop melodies and twinkling glockenspiel to create their trademark “Glock-Rock” sound.
Earning their stripes in pubs and clubs of the Watford music scene, Lakes have been emboldened with a DIY attitude that was born from the frustration of life on the peripheries of a capital city. The group’s fiercely independent attitude has led them to record all their own music, produce their own music videos, and with families of their own – organize child-friendly matinee gigs in their hometown.
After self-releasing their first two EPs, Lakes joined The LP Cafe in the UK and Friend of Mine Records in Japan to release their debut full-length album in August 2019 entitled “The Constance LP”.
This led Washed Up Emo to label them “your new favorite band” and Punktastic to include them on their list of the most important bands of the next decade stating “it’s hard to look past their potential as future frontrunners of the UK emo scene.
With nods to midwestern emo giants in American Football and Braid, Lakes create a truly unique take on the genre interlacing shimmering glockenspiels, beautiful harmonies, and pop sensibilities in everything they do.”
The album was recorded entirely by drummer Matt Shaw in a spare room using a couple of mics and a PC over the space of a year. With no timing or financial restraints that would come from a proper studio, the band took their time crafting the songs and discovering their sound. This has resulted in a truly unique album, one that is completely holistic in its presentation with band members also taking control of photography, graphic design, web design and accompanying music videos.
Lakes’ ‘This World Of Ours, It Came Apart,’ was released in July 2020 via Know Hope Records in North America and The LP Cafe in the UK.
LINKS:
https://www.ourbandlakes.com
https://www.facebook.com/ourbandlakes
https://www.instagram.com/ourbandlakes
https://twitter.com/ourbandlakes
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The Vex – Education Kills
‘Education Kills’, the new video for the track of the same name by the U.K. juggernaut know as The Vex, contains three of my personal guilty pleasures. A gnarly, gritty, dirty bass, buzzsaw attacking guitars, and a penchant for rebellion. The Vex not only combines these very guilty pleasures in such a sublime and cheeky way as to make an anthem for the angst but conveys the musical attitude that they live that angst. By doing that, they show that they are at the heart of indie music.
Whether these guys get signed or not, they will be huge. You heard it here first. As a matter of fact, I put that in here so we show up first on Google when it happens. No shame in my game. And no shame in the future of The Vex. Education kills, but take the risk in learning that.
About ‘Education Kills’
An electrifying injection of no-holds-barred punk rock, ‘Education Kills’ is a tribute to the extraordinary bravery of Malala Yousafzai, shot in the head by the Pakistan Taliban while campaigning for women’s rights to education. With this now Nobel Laureate in mind, The Vex’s treatise on the evil that men do is set to overdriven punky-reggae riffage and a fiercely anthemic chorus.About The Vex
Though hailing from London’s outer fringes, where the capital unceremoniously bleeds into Kent, The Vex actually came into being some 1,500 miles away, with an Eighties pop superstar playing his part. While on tour in Moscow with a previous band, the schisms in the group were made apparent by an offer of management from one Adam Ant. The faction that opposed the deal broke away to form The Vex, playing their debut gig at Moscow’s BlastFest, where the only thing that wasn’t ice-cold was, typically, the band’s beer rider.Back in the UK, Josh (guitar/vox), Jacko (guitar/vox), Andrew (bass) and Joshua (drums) soon honed a sound inspired by the classic roots and rock of both Kingston, Jamaica, and London, England. Dealing in dirty guitars and big beats, played with passion and precision, the quartet’s heavy rocksteady sonics became a draw on both sides of the Thames, their ferocious shows earning them a rep as one of the best live bands on the circuit. The Vex hit hard and they cut deep. Spin this EP and hear for yourself.
LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/thevexofficial
https://soundcloud.com/thevexofficial
https://www.instagram.com/the.vex
https://twitter.com/thevexofficial -
The Digital Masquerade – Straight Jacket
Covina, CA based metal band The Digital Masquerade has released the Official Music Video for their single, “Straight Jacket,” off of their full-length LP, Digital Train Time Machine. “Straight Jacket” was directed and edited by renown Society 1 front-man and artist Matt Zane of Lord Zane Productions.
“Straight Jacket,” Digital Masquerade’s first music video, was filmed in Glendale, CA at the old abandoned police facility. The song is a story about getting institutionalize in a criminally insane asylum and tortured. Then the inmates overtake the asylum and escape, which story is visually captured by director Matt Zane.
The Digital Masquerade started back 2013 in the city of Azusa, California. It all started when Kurt and Trevor met each other at a party through Kurt’s old guitarist from his previous band, Sixteen Till. Immediately, they clicked and started jamming. They wrote a couple songs and knew that they had something going, so naturally, they picked up a bassist and drummer and formed ‘The Digital Masquerade’. Before acquiring a bassist and drummer, Trevor and Kurt pretty much wrote the entire first album.
A little while later, they recorded the first album, “Welcome to the Masquerade”. However, before recording had begun, the former bassist had left to join the Air Force. This left Trevor to record all the bass parts. The former drummer had moved to Tennessee after recording and before the album was ever released. With only a singer and a guitarist, the band was going through a bit of a hiatus. Even though all of this had happened, Kurt and Trevor decided to keep the band alive and start jamming again.
They wrote a few more songs before finding a bassist. Trevor had known of a guy that played bass and guitar by the name of Collin. Collin filled in on bass before finding now bassist, Jim. Jim had been in a band Mind-vent on the east coast and moved to California. After being recruited to play bass, Collin then moved to rhythm guitar.
Now with Kurt on lead vocals, Trevor on lead guitar, Collin on rhythm guitar and Jim on bass, all the band needed was a drummer. This brings us to Red. Red had found an ad on craigslist for a band seeking a drummer and immediately contacted them. The band asked if he could try out and he did. They immediately connected and thus completing The Digital Masquerade. With a complete band, they recorded their first album together, Digital Train Time Machine. They played a few local shows, promoting their album. Then set out for more rewarding shows. They received their first show in the “light” at The Whisky A Go Go in Hollywood, Ca.
They opened up for Circus of Power and got great reviews. Since then they have opened for other national acts such as Stephen Pearcy from Ratt, LA Guns, Dizzy Reed from Guns N’ Roses, Motograter etc.. They since have been playing and continuing to write music. They recently made a music video for their single, “Straight Jacket” in which they are touring to promote it along with writing new material to be recorded in the fall of 2017.
SOURCE: Official Bio
LINKS:
http://www.thedigitalmasquerade.com
https://www.facebook.com/thedigitalmasquerade
https://twitter.com/Thedigitalmasq
https://www.instagram.com/thedigitalmasquerade -
Beauty in Chaos ‘The Storm Before the Calm’ Album Taster
Beauty in Chaos have officially released ‘The Storm Before The Calm‘ on May 22, 2020. It would appear that Michael Ciravolo, the curator of Beauty in Chaos, is in the midst of a clear stylistic shift with ‘The Storm Before The Calm’. On some levels, this is not surprising. With the roots that were ‘Finding Beauty in Chaos‘, and the almost extreme re-interpretations that were ‘Beauty Re-Envisioned‘, the remix album that followed.
What we get here, in turn, is a project that is in transition. The title track, for example, is an exotic and captivating and almost operatic, and sometimes erratic, soliloquy featuring Adrienne LaVey. That in itself is a bold move. And it works. It works so well that the album, in some ways, steers clearly into the post-modern and art-concept realms. That can either work or backfire, but here, it works in such a way that it becomes the third act of the concept that is the album and even defines the title of that album.
While the title track can be considered the peak of the crescendo that is the album as a whole, what we get within that perceived buildup is songs that reveal themselves as chapters of a grand story. Each with contributions of characters that we meet along the way. And, to me, that is what Beauty in Chaos is. A celebration of music and the people within it and what makes music universal.
‘The Storm Before The Calm’ will be released on CD and digitally tomorrow (May 22, 2020), with June for a 180g-vinyl release (black & blue duo-tone numbered limited edition vinyl). CD and digital orders come with an 8-page digital booklet with lyrics and a 25+ minute title opus not found on the vinyl version. The CD and vinyl release also come with the full digital download. ‘The Storm Before The Calm’ can be ordered here.
WE HAD A CHANCE TO ASK MICHAEL A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT ‘THE STORM BEFORE THE CALM’ TO GET A CREATOR’S INSIGHT!
How did the concept for The Storm Before the Calm form and how do you feel it is different from the last album?
I certainly set out to do a darker, starker EP. Both of our other records, ‘Finding Beauty In Chaos’ and ‘Beauty Re-Envisioned’ were such ‘big’ listens, that I felt a more easily palatable release was in order! I had delved back into some of my favorite vinyl from the ‘80s. ‘Pornography’, ‘Disintegration’, and ‘First and Last and Always’.
I loved that those records evoked a ‘mood’ … wanting you to take the top-to-bottom listen journey. And for the most part, forsaking the big grand ‘hooks’. This was what I set out to do. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to tell which 4 songs would have been the EP! In typical BIC fashion, we expanded a bit with a few curve balls to end each side of the vinyl … which is my preferred listening medium.
The songs are a bit of a departure from the last album. What do you feel was the biggest stretch or derivation from the previous music in your opinion?
I think I had more of a ‘sonic’ concept going into this one that I had on ‘FBIC’. The music, at least to the first 4 songs were written over a 2-week period. It really was just me in a room with a drum machine and guitar, recording the ideas on my iPhone. Pretty low tech, huh! I think the stretch comes in the last 2 songs written, ‘Temple of Desire’ and, my personal favorite, ‘Stranger’.
Both are a bit of a departure from the other darker songs, but I think they help round this out as a pure album listen. To me, ‘Stranger’ is the perfect lead-in to where we take BIC next. The CD only 29-minute ‘title’ track, which I feel is an odd mix of David Lynch, Pink Floyd, and Trent Reznor, is a departure unto itself!
What are your plans for the next video?
This COVID shutdown has certainly thrown a bit of a wrench into our video plans, but things are opening up a bit here in Los Angeles. Currently, we are planning to shoot a video for ‘Stranger’, which features the amazing Kat Leon from Holy Wars. I think she has an amazing voice and is an extremely talented lyrist, which is very important to me. If my memory serves me, I think you did a feature interview with her a few months ago? Our concept, as always, is to be different from any previous BIC videos.
We both want to do something very somber and cinematic. Hopefully, this will be out in late June… and that it won’t be the last video from this record.
How have recent events reshaped how you are getting the music out there?
Other than delaying us completing a video to go with the album launch, we have probably been affected less than most other bands and artists that depend on touring. The downside to what BIC is at the moment is doing the Zoom concerts that are so popular right now are all but impossible. Each singer involved with this record is each in the midst of dealing with things with their own projects.
Although each singer would have probably done something, I just didn’t feel right about asking them or honestly taking the time it would take to do this on the scale I think that BIC should be done at. Instead, I chose to focus on new videos as well as laying the groundwork for another ‘remix’ record that I would like to release on Halloween. I also have started working on new material … with the first involving Cyn M. from Silence In The Snow.
ABOUT ‘THE STORM BEFORE THE CALM’
Recorded at Ciravolo’s own SAINTinLA Studio, this album was recorded, mixed, and produced by Michael Rozon, Grammy-nominated for his work with Ministry.
Earlier, Beauty in Chaos previewed several tracks from this record, including ‘A Kind Cruelty’ featuring Curse Mackey (Pigface, My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult, Evil Mothers), ‘The Delicate Balance of All Things’ featuring The Mission frontman Wayne Hussey, and ‘Almost Pure’ featuring Steven Seibold of industrial-synth-punk legends Hate Dept. and the Martin Atkins-led Pigface. This album also features collaborations with Ashton Nyte (The Awakening), Rafe Pearlman, Kat Leon (Holy Wars), and mezzo-soprano Adrienne LaVey.
Beauty in Chaos is the brainchild of guitarist Michael Ciravolo. Originally from New Orleans and now based in Los Angeles, he is best known as President of Schecter Guitar Research. He also played guitar in Human Drama for 30 years, in addition to playing live and recording with Michael Aston’s Gene Loves Jezebel since 1998.
“Undaunted and unscathed by the studio software/hardware meltdowns and the unprecedented global pandemic shutdown, here is our new album. I am in complete awe of the amazing artists; some returning, some new that have lent their voices and words to make this record possible. And I‘m eternally grateful to our growing BIC FAMILY that continue this journey with us,” says BIC curator mastermind Michael Ciravolo.
“To me, ‘The Storm Before The Calm’ represents a rewind and a fast-forward. Rewind to the ‘80s and the great albums that lived on my turntable, that set a mood, a vibe… even the feeling of temperature.. as well as a crystal ball, look into the next evolution of Beauty In Chaos. Beauty wrapped in chaos. Dark, but always, with a light”.
In 2018, Beauty in Chaos released their acclaimed debut album ‘Finding Beauty in Chaos’, followed by the ‘Beauty Re-Envisioned’ album (2019). Other BIC artists include Simon Gallup (The Cure), Al Jourgensen (Ministry), Robin Zander (Cheap Trick), Pete Parada (The Offspring), dUg Pinnick (Kings X), ICE-T (Body Count), producer Tim Palmer, guitar icon Zakk Wylde, Ashton Nyte (The Awakening), Kevin Haskins (Bauhaus, Love & Rockets), Rolan Bolan, Michael Anthony (Van Halen), Michael Aston (Gene Loves Jezebel), Paul Wiley (Marilyn Manson), Michael Aston and Dirk Doucette (Gene Loves Jezebel), Pando (A Flock of Seagulls), UMMAGMA, Evi Vine, Johnny Indovina (Human Drama), Danny Lohner (Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson), Betsy Martin (Caterwaul / Purr Machine), Kevin Kipnis (Purr Machine) and KITTY LECTRO, among others.
Featured image photographer: Anabel DFlux.
LINKS:
https://www.beautyinchaosmusic.com
https://www.facebook.com/beautyinchaosmusic
https://www.instagram.com/beauty.inchaos
https://twitter.com/MichaelCiravolo
https://www.beautyinchaosmusic.com/music-store
https://www.beautyinchaosmusic.com/bic-blog
https://soundcloud.com/33-3-music-collective
https://beautyinchaos.bandcamp.com