Cue The Dagger; And Justice For All

 

Many would believe us to be a nation of the free and the home of the brave. Although true for some, the general consensus says we need many changes in our country before that can be a reality. Nobody knows this better than 5-piece hardcore band, Cue The Dagger.

Politically fueled lyrical content is something many bands and artists opt out of in fear of alienating would-be fans, but Cue The Dagger's strong sense of justice and brand of "technical hardcore" mixed with the ultimate goal of spreading awareness and making a change gives the band a layer of passion and authenticity.

The bands fast and heavy sound comes together with intricate details and aggressive vocals, with the band paying very close attention to the technical aspect of their music. Paired up with their politically themed lyrics, covering police brutality, religious discrimination, and even the death penalty, the band offers a great source of entertainment that doesn't withhold substance.

Cue The Dagger recently made a bold statement by dropping out of a local benefit show after statements made by the show's promoter. "That was the easiest decision we've ever made as a band," says band vocalist, Nate Gustafson. "The promoter of that show made some super offensive remarks about the death of Freddie Gray in Baltimore, using racial slurs to refer to the protestors. I believe it would've been hypocritical to play a show with a promoter that's blatantly advocating racism and is ok with cops murdering people in cold blood when that is something (we are) extremely opposed to on stage, in our music, and in our personal lives."

Their 5 song EP, Stand Defiant, is currently in the works and the hope is to have it released come August. You can catch the song "Texas Death Trap (#474)" on the band's YouTube page. The band will also be playing Summer Bash on June 13th at The House Cafe in Dekalb along with My Oh My and Those Dirty Thieves.

Be sure to like Cue The Dagger on Facebook!

Faith In Vain; From Fully Loaded with Love

To call metalcore band, Faith In Vain, newcomers would be dangerously inaccurate. Though the current incarnation of the band is relatively new, these rabble rousers have been writing and performing around the area for quite some time as a different band, Fully Loaded.

"Jake Wellington, the rhythm guitarist in the band, called me up one night and asked me to come sing for then," remembers Michael Hertzner, the band vocalist. "I'd never sung a note on stage before. I mean, I was used to screaming, but that's it. I had two weeks to jam all the material into my head. It was unreal."

 

After playing a handful of shows for Fully Loaded, Michael started to gain confidence in his abilities on stage. At the time, the band wrote "Drink You", an original song they ultimately decided would work best as the first single for their new band, Faith In Vain.

They recorded the single at Gray Angel Productions and booked their first show as Faith In Vain. Unfortunately, a work accident involving their drummer cause the band to pull out of the show. "Eric Cline smashed his finger in a pallet jack, snapping the tip of his bone, so we had to drop out so he could heal," recalls Michael. "He missed almost 5 weeks of practice."

The band's single deals with substance abuse and life struggles and is currently being mixed and mastered through Gray Angel productions and should be released in the near future.

The band is also scheduled to play for the first time under the new name at Take 20 for Gapstock 2015 on June 13th, followed by a headliner slot on the 26th with Off The Grid and Prone to Infection. The band plans to play more shows these coming months, playing new venues and trying to travel outside their comfort zones. 

Don't forget to like the band on Facebook for more Faith In Vain news!

My Oh My's New EP; Aberration is a Lonely Path

My Oh My, the five piece post-hardcore band has been writing and performing music for years, making them veterans in their own right. So when the band finally gave us a release date for their new EP(4/29/15), Aberration is a Lonely Path, Culture Chaos was more than happy to share the news.

As band tensions rose, the EP was put on hold until the band could work out the internal conflicts. "Studio sessions were scheduled and then never followed through with because of a lack of communication from one of our members," explains Emmett McDermott, the band's vocalist.

After a lineup change. The band was able to hit the studio and finally work on the record. My Oh My turned to Sound in Silence Studios for their recording needs. "It took a total of three days to track instrumentals. The actual recording process went relatively quick," says Emmett. "(We) recorded with Aaron at Sound in Silence. Working with him was a great experience."

The EP's themes cover loneliness and overcoming the darkness we've all faced. "We want to show people that we all have to walk our paths of life alone to truly figure out ones purpose and how to overcome the world's negativity," says David Link, the person behind the EP title and one of the band's guitarists. "No one can magically save you from depression."

The sound and style of the record can be expected to feel familiar to the band's fans while still maintain a fresh sense of uniqueness. "Listeners can relate to the lyrics, which are close to me, but (the lyrics) could be interpreted many different ways," says Emmet. "I feel that (the EP) is also instrumentally superior to anything released by My Oh My in the past."

Be sure to like the band on Facebook and subscribe to their Youtube for news about the band and the new EP!

Liotta Keeps Rap Vintage

Hip-hop is a tough genre to be accepted in. With so many rap artists doing the same thing, it's tough to do something different while getting noticed. Chicagoland rapper Liotta approaches the dilemma head on, using vinyl samples and lyricism to shape his tracks and create something a little more unique. As his own producer, he also has more control over the sound of the tracks, making Liotta stand out from the crowd.

 

But where did it all begin? Although he was writing and rapping throughout junior high and high school, it wasn't until his first mixtape with the late SoLo Tha Ghost in 2007 entitled The TrueFlows Mixtape that Liotta took the craft seriously.

Turning to rappers like AZ, Canibus, Ras Kass and others for inspiration, the rapper put in his work learning the hustle. "(I've learned) the process of writing, producing, recording, mixing and such over the years. Pressing up and handing out CDs. Going to shows and jumping into cyphers," says Liotta. "I lived in New Jersey for a year and learned a lot about performing and east coast styles."

More recently, the south suburban Chicago rapper dropped his album, Rap Music Heaven is an Emcee's Hell. "I bought a bunch of old, early 90s samplers and sequencers and did all the production with hardware and vinyl sampling to give it that vintage feel and character," explained the rapper. "(The album) is pretty much about me. Different sides to my personality. Juggling the good and the bad. The up and the down. Overall, its about upliftment."

Liotta is currently working on an album with his rap crew, Deadly Substance, a 5-piece rap collaborative out of the south suburbs. He's also working on a project with New Jersey emcee, Poe Pro, called Duality. You can catch Liotta networking with Chicagoland artists and trying to put together some projects and shows this summer.

Be sure to check out his YouTube and Soundcloud and be sure to get his album now!

Blackcat Manor; Freeport Ambassadors

 

Most creatures found in mother nature follow a constant cycle. The death of one animal brings life to another and so on and so on, much like Freeport band, Blackcat Manor.

Blackcat was raised from the remains of Abandon All Hope in 2011. Though the band continued using the name until many months later, they knew they would need a name change that better suited their new direction.

The band, having been active since 2011 as Blackcat Manor, has played far too many shows to keep track of. "We have been doing this music thing for about 15 years," says Jake Kaye, Blackcat's guitarist. "We try to hit places that we feel at home at, those places being in Chicago, Madison and Rockford."

So how does this band of music vets get ready for a gig? "Get some booze flowing. We're not there to pick up chicks or try to be the best band at a show. It's really for us," explains Kaye. "The real reason we're out there is because we just love to write and perform hard, fast music."

On April 4th, the band played a show at The Endzone Bar and Grill in Aurora alongside Praise The Sinners and The Kreutzer Sonata. "(The show) was a really good time. The great thing about traveling is being in new places and making new friends. Everything becomes a little surreal," says Jake. "I wouldn't give this life up for the world."

The band has a couple dates coming up, their first being on May 22nd at Take 20 in Cherry Valley. The band will be supporting Arcadia, along with Reckless Redemption and What Sleeps Beneath. Greg Larson, Arcadia's bassist, recorded Blackcat Manor's demo at Gray Angel Productions. "We're really happy about getting to play some sets with them this summer. We're expecting chaos from that show. Rockford knows how to get it done," says Jake.

 

 

The band plays their second show with Arcadia on June 6th at The Mutiny in Chicago. Cases Pending and Rookies of the Year will also perform. This will mark Blackcat's 6th time at the venue and they are very excited. "We have the opportunity to bring our brothers from Freeport to the legendary Mutiny! We have a lot of friends in the city, so it's going to be a real good time!"

Be sure to check out the band on Facebook and catch them at one of their shows!

Sleeze takes Sexcon 2015

After 5 long weeks of living on the road, surviving off of cheap greasy fast food and beer, Rockford's own Sleeze has returned to their Sleeze Mansion.

The band's tour covered several states with over 30 gigs spanning across the United States. The self-described "Psychedelic Groove Metal" band hit both coasts as well as The South and Midwest, making sure to leave their mark wherever they went.

"We slept in every Walmart parking lot we could find," recalls Isaac, the bands vocalist. "We met a lot of strange people throughout the tour. We witnessed a murder in Arizona, we were almost hit by a dump truck in Brooklyn. We woke up to a van engulfed in flames in a parking lot in Louisiana. We made enough money to get to the next gig, so I say it was successful."

After telling me how and where he left his mark(in every bar he played), Isaac revealed some interesting information. "We filmed everything."

Three years ago the band released Sleeze The Movie, a movie documenting the bands journey to record their debut self-titled album. The new film will follow the same idea, but will instead follow the band through the highs and lows of touring the country.

So what happens next? Sleeze will be sharing the stage in front of thousands for the second time, performing alongside strippers and porn stars at the 8th annual Chicagoland Sexcon in Arlington Heights, IL at H.O.M.E. (the House of Music and Entertainment)

The event was annually held at the Castle before it was closed down and promises a night full of adult fun. Party buses, entertainment via dancers and deejays as well as head banging goodness in the form of Sleeze.

"The band killed it last year and we're gonna kill it again this year," says Isaac, who tells tales of dodging dancing strippers and flying shoes during the performance. "By far it is the biggest and wildest show I've ever done."

 For tickets you can contact the band via Facebook and join the party!