Weirdly enough, one of the most exciting bands in heavy metal stems from the same man behind one of its most maligned. Until 2014, Caleb Shomo was best known as the lead singer in Attack Attack!, and was a genuine laughing stock in the metal world for giving the world Crabcore. The internet meme based around a seconds long clip from one of the band’s videos massively overtook the popularity of the actual band but all was not well in the Attack Attack! camp for a different, far more serious reason. While the band were getting more and more popular, Shomo was constantly dealing with clinical depression that on more than one occasion left him suicidal, and he left the band in late 2012 for the sake of his health and safety.
Fortunately, he’d already been working on some Beartooth material, and in an attempt to reconnect with music as something he loved, rather than his job, he put together a full line-up for Beartooth with members of fellow Columbians My Ticket Home. By January 2013, Shomo had put his first batch of Beartooth songs on the internet and announced their first run of live shows in the Midwest. By June they were signed to Red Bull Records and their debut album “Disgusting”, was released in June 2014, followed by extensive touring, most notably on the 2014 Warped Tour and then in the United Kingdom on the 2015 Kerrang! Tour. Shomo has managed to gain something that has evaded many in the world of rock and roll, and that’s a second chance. Rather than be written off as a novelty act, he formed one of the most exciting acts in heavy metal and earned the respect of the very same people who derided him in Attack Attack!, and for that, Beartooth come highly recommended.
When guitarists Diego Farias and Daniel Braunstein began collaborating and producing new material in their hometown of Los Angeles, US, in early 2009, it marked the beginning of the journey that Volumes would embark on. With line up additions including Gus Farias (unclean vocals), Michael Barr (clean vocals) and Raad Soudani (bass), the band began creating the masterpiece which was their debut EP. With the support Outerloop Mangement and Mediaskare Records, the band released “The Concept of Dreaming” EP in 2010.
The following year Volumes released their debut album “Via” and in 2013 the band released their second album “No Sleep” which reached number one on the iTunes Rock and Metal chart headed by the lead single “Vahle”. With tracks such as “Edge of the Earth”, “Erased” and “Across the Bed” saw Volumes on the cusp of success.
2014 proved a pivotal year for the band as they saw their popularity soar as they were invited to play the entirety of the eponymous rites of passage, Vans Warped Tour- the largest touring rock festival in the US which opened them up to a whole new audience who embraced them with open arms. Later that year Volumes took part on Fearless Records compilation series “Punk Goes Pop” on the sixth edition covering Drake’s “Hold On, We’re Going Home”. Volumes have toured the world sharing the stage with bands such as: Betraying the Martyrs, Of Mice & Men, Woe Is Me and Crown the Empire.
Volumes are a band who pride themselves on self-production, writing, mixing and recording adding the definitive quality allowing them to fully reach their potential as they aim to fuse their individual music influences with everything ranging from jazz, post-rock to rap to breathe new life in to heavy music. The dual lead vocals which the band use extensively, creates these intricate layers which adds whole new dimensions to Volumes, ensuring the always remain ahead of the pack.
With their debut full-length released this year, Beartooth look set to establish themselves in the hardcore scene with a raw, punk-edged record that straddles the middle ground between Every Time I Die's rowdy swagger and A Day to Remember's metallic tour de force. What started as an alternative creative outlet for Attack Attack!'s Caleb Shomo soon grew into his main pursuit, offering an entirely different beast to his former band. Their music is a fun new take on a scene that is heavily inundated with bands which they combine with an energetic, wild live show.
Their performance in support of Memphis May Fire on the Unconditional Tour this year displayed their ability to offer a visceral, energetic live show, with their songs translating well to a live setting. It was a powerful performance, with songs like "Beaten in Lips" setting the crowd into a frenzy of flailing limbs and screams in unison with Caleb. Their breakdowns are heavy and choruses anthemic and melodic, making a perfect combination for a quality hardcore act. WIth their album recently released, the band seem eager to perform these new songs and spread passion for their music through riveting live performances, making them definitely worthwhile checking out.
For a long time, the idea of Christian Metal seemed ironic to me, mainly because when I think of metal I think of anger and rage. But then comes along Fit For A King, who has taken something like metal, infused it with Christian thoughts and praise, and has made songs that, while I still may not fully understand, open up a genre to a variety of people who would never have thought to love metal. With the current lineup of Ryan Kirby on lead vocals, Ryan O’Leary manning the bass and providing backing vocals, Bobby Lynge on guitar and also backing vocals and Jared Easterling on drums, the band continues to tour throughout the United States.
I must admit that viewing their live shows are a bit weird. Not in a bad way, just in a very different way. For the most part, when they are performing, I have no question about their talent as a band, but when I think about the Christian metal combination I don’t quite know how to process it. They are high energy, and everything you expect from a metal band with only the key difference being the lyrics. I do really respect that they are clearly doing what they love, based on the faith that is so important to them.
I love Volumes and I was incredibly stoked when a local band booking agent posted that Volumes was performing in st. Petersburg with a lot of great local talent. The punk/hardcore scene in Tampa and St.Petersburg is just incredible first off so there was an amazing turn out. Every band that played was just absolutely wonderful on stage and was just an enjoyable show. The only bad part about the show was that Volumes' van broke down a few hours away in northern Florida. Luckily, Lights Out Booking got a substitute band to drive all the way from Ft. Lauderdale, FL to perform in place of Volumes. I think that the fact that Volumes couldn't make it made me appreciate my local scene more because of the intensity of the show even though the headliner couldn't perform. So I will definitely be hitting up the local music scene more now because of this experience!