You guys never cease to amaze fans with your ever evolving sound. No one will ever say that AHFH made the same record twice. Are you guys just addicted to change or what?

Matt Ellis: (Laughs) I would love to say that every musical step we have taken has been planned and organized from the get-go, but that is just not true. The reality is that we usually just make everything up as we go and write from the tips of our fingers as opposed to accessing something that we have been planning for months, if that makes any sense. I think what happens is that we just forget the context of our past records until we are almost done- say, mixing it or something- wherein we find ourselves on the couch, listening back to mixes, thinking, “holy crap…how are we ever going to sell this?”

I don’t think anyone saw your last album Realis coming. Its certainly not typical Facedown. How has the label nurtured your band as its something completely different than the rest of the roster?

ME: Thanks man! This one is going to be even worse (laughs). We are really in a bizarre place. Jason, who owns Facedown, is far less our boss or A&R guy as he is just one of my good friends. He came out on tour with us and My Epic last summer, and we basically just goofed around all the time, rode jet-skis down in Florida, and geeked out on Ebay buying out of print ISIS and Cult of Luna vinyl. So when it comes down to business stuff, it’s more of a, “Hey, lets just put out some music, and do something crazy like put a film with it, because it would be fun.” We obviously aren’t one of his best selling bands, but we feel incredibly blessed and lucky to be in the position where we are, especially now that we aren’t touring, where we can pretty much just put music out without a big commitment. It’s not lost on us, though, that the fit is really weird musically.

When this change began to occur, what did you see in touring life that maybe discouraged you from it? And how have you seen your fanbase change?

ME: I don’t think there was a specific day where a noted change occurred, but there were certainly big milestones along the way toward becoming who we are now. I’ve always felt like I wanted to be “This kind of a band” or “That kind of a band,” and I think it took a conscious decision to stop touring full-time for us to just put our hats in the ring and write exactly what we wanted without worrying about crap like what kind of tour we could get on, or how many records we would push the first week or whatever. That said, it’s definitely been a gradual process, as I’ve mentioned previously. I think you can hear a clear and delineated path from Here, The End to In Abstraction, but it was never a conscious decision to be crazy different with each new record or anything. The reality is we are all completely divorced from the scene, we hardly listen to heavy music, and it just so happens we are in a band somehow related to bands that honestly have nothing to do with us. And that’s where all the weirdness comes from, I think. As far as our fanbase goes, its hard to tell. Most people I talk to through our social networking sites seem like awesome people who get what we are doing. Its inevitable that we get the weekly “OMG play mroe breakdownz like Iniquity!” but we have no right to be mad, because even though we hate playing that song, it means someone was impacted by something we created in a positive manner, and I can honestly tell you that that is the ONLY thing that has ever mattered to us on an external note, beyond writing music that satisfies us as musicians.

You’ve made a decision that you won’t be touring much, or at all, anymore. How did this decision come about and why wouldn’t a band tour?

ME: I can remember and vividly replay the day we made this decision in my head. We were on tour with So Long Forgotten and My Epic playing somewhere in Virginia, and a few of us had been talking about it for a little bit in the previous week. We “A Hope For Home’s In Abstraction is their most mature and creative release yet.  It feels like they finally got to a place where they are writing the music that they want to write and I couldn’t be happier about that!  It’s my goal to have a roster of bands that are passionate about their art and A Hope For Home definitely portray that with In Abstraction.”

-Facedown Records Owner Jason Dunn got done playing and all went our separate ways to change or whatever, and I called my parents to tell them that I was thinking about going back to school. I was wandering around on the phone in some empty parking lot kicking rocks when I saw Nathan and Lance over in the distance talking about the exact same thing between themselves. The thing is that we had pretty much been on the road for two years, with different kinds of bands, different kinds of tours, and we saw there were two options: One, we could tour with other Facedown metal bands and be the weird band that everyone waited through so they could mosh to In The Midst of Lions or two, we could tour with other Christian Indie bands and play youth groups because our booking agency didn’t know what else to do with us.

We aren’t a traditional Facedown metal/hardcore band, or a worship band (try quoting Nietzsche to nine year olds) – so we were stuck somewhere in the middle. And maybe we have changed since The Everlasting Man, but the reality is that what we were doing with Realis (and what we are doing now) doesn’t fit into that world- so we had to figure out something else. And what we decided was that we needed to pretty much go back to square one and redefine who we were as a band. Any touring we could possibly do at this point would just be a money drain. And I don’t mean worthless, but when some of us are married, engaged, and in school, we can’t really live in a van anymore- and we were making absolutely no money. We really want to get back on the road someday, but our goal now is to find a true home for us where we aren’t the weird boring band. And if it takes being a tiny local band again and finding some great friends to play shows with, thats what it takes.

Later that night, we convened in the attic of Jeremiah’s (My Epic) now wife’s house with the bands on the tour, rating our favorite films and making our arguments for why The Village and Woody Allen were important artifacts in American art history- and I saw a tiny glimmer of light beaming out from the eyes of my band mates, excited about art again after being crushed under the reality of economic decisions grounding us, suggesting that maybe there was a different way we could approach the future of our band, a different path we could take to keep creating this art that meant and still means so much to us.

What is the label’s and some of your peers’ reactions to this? Is music now just a part time thing in your lives?

ME: Oh man. That’s a bizarre question. I would say that no, music is not a part time thing, but we are all doing crazy crap right now- Nathan is in school for English and working retail, I’m working and double majoring in Film and English, Tanner is working at Starbucks and writing music for about eighteen thousand different projects, Dan is finishing up his engineering degree and working at a machine shop, Eric is working at a huge camera shop, and Lance is working at Apple and finishing his linguistics degree…so its inevitable that life keeps going on.

I’m not sure who our peers are at this point, but the one thing that has always been true since the days before Here, The End is that we have always written music solely for ourselves- and that is something we hold really dear. I’ve heard a thousand different bands say it, but its really true- the day you start writing music to please anyone other than yourself, is the day your music becomes dishonest. I would much rather hold a record in my hand that I am one hundred percent happy with than fling soundscans out left and right for something I don’t even want to listen to.

So In Abstraction is just beautiful. How do you feel you’ve grown as musicians and writers since your first release on Strike First The Everlasting Man, or even since Realis?

ME: Thank you so much. As I’ve mentioned, I think that by far the most important step we took was to tear ourselves out of the Touring Band thing and just write music we like to listen to, which has always been a slow and gradually changing process.The earliest genesis of A Hope For Home was Kyle Cooke and I aimlessly driving around in my ’94 Ford Ranger listening to Brand New’s Your Favorite Weapon and Thrice’s The Illusion of Safety, deciding what parts of both bands we should rip off in our goofy high school band- but honestly, we aren’t that far behind that now, five and a half years after his death, listening to the same bands writing different records and saying different things, realizing we are a band writing different records and saying different things.

The least I can say is that everything we write is utterly immediate to us at the time. The next record we put out will honestly be 100% different than In Abstraction, solely because I will be 25 and listening to different bands than I am now, and the same goes for everyone else. For me, those are the most important things between The Everlasting Man, Realis, and In Abstraction: the difference between 20, 22, and 24.

The scene that you guys found yourself so deeply ingrained in, yet maybe you don’t feel truly a part of, seems to be slowing down. Some say it’s completely on its deathbed. What are your thoughts on this?

ME: I think it needs to die- and furthermore I think all “movements” in art need to die and be replaced by something new every couple years- or else it becomes nothing more than a factory churning out clones of clones of clones.

I don’t really care what happens at the end of the day, because we just want to play the music we like to play, and will keep playing it until we can play no longer. We will never be the next big thing or a part of whatever the next big thing is- so more power to them. Except for dubstep, that stuff is awful.

AHFH is very literary and I know you don’t do anything without mass amounts of back story. So what is In Abstraction as a whole?

ME: For the first time in A Hope For Home’s history, we didn’t write a concept record. Our goal this time around was to write a record with interconnected ideas and themes that bled together thematically and lyrically as opposed to conceptually. Nathan and I got together about halfway through the writing process to talk about ideas, and we realized we were totally unorganized and unable to find middle ground. In our conversations, though, we realized that pretty much every record in the history of the band has been introspection- analyzing the forces within ourselves that define who we are and the decisions we make. We really wanted to try and look outward this time, which is, I think, something we never do enough as people.

You know, everyone has an opinion now. Everyone has a voice and an outlet, our world is becoming way more connected than it has ever been. And I think there is a strong tendency for some people to be afraid of people who might be different than them, whether it be people of a different religion, region, ideology, or whatever. Its really easy to resort to traditional stratified lines and lump “others” into boxes that are far, far away from the comfortable boxes we place ourselves in. If In Abstraction has one central idea or theme, it would be one addressing that- and perhaps trying to remember that we are all one human race, we are utterly and completely responsible to be our brother’s keeper, and those of us who are even called into a place of love are often the first to build up walls between themselves and others.

What made you want to include a full documentary along with the album? What does it add to the overall experience of the record?

ME: It was a couple different things, really. First- we wanted to do something different than Realis, or at least, not just “another” record. I’ve always been really fascinated by bands that tie in a visual aesthetic (beyond a fancy backdrop and matching speaker cabinet grilles) and definitely wanted to experiment with it, especially since our songs are getting longer and less driven by vocals. The original plan was to film a complete narrative that would run alongside the running time of the album, but we ran into a huge time crunch and had to improvise.“I think it needs to die- and furthermore I think all “movements” in art need to die and be replaced by something new every couple years- or else it becomes nothing more than a factory churning out clones of clones of clones.” So we decided to basically tell our story and the story of the record with the time we had.

For one song in particular, you talk about how as you grow older, your core group of friends who had previously sort of had similar mindsets, start to drift apart and follow different paths. You also touch on the idea of speaking to your younger self. What have you seen in your own life as a big deviation from the path you thought you’d continue on?

ME: It’s really an all encompassing thing, touching so many different parts of my life. I definitely always thought I wanted to be in a band more than anything else, didn’t care about paying rent or school, being home, or a job. Just, you know, being young, eff the world, and rock and roll. I also felt like we had this super crucial mission to go out and fix everybody else- that the band was some sort of chosen and important mission that superseded something dumb like working a part time job- we were on a much more important path than that, and everyone that does that is somehow failing themselves.

It’s weird because suddenly you find yourself older and caring about different things, wanting different things. My younger self would probably think I sold out or gave up or something like that, but I wish I could go back and ask myself why I thought being in a cool band made me any better than the guy making my sandwich at Subway. What does he think about the world? Who does he impact and talk to every day? What has he gone through that I could never understand, and what perspectives does he have that would far outweigh my own? I know it sounds so basic and dumb, but I see it in myself back then and still see it all the time.

How has faith played a part in the path of A Hope for Home?

ME: We have always wanted to have this project be a way for us to express ourselves, and nothing more. There certainly were times in the past where, as I mentioned, I let this awful sense of entitlement get to my head, but at the end of the day, we’ve always just wanted to write music we like to listen to, and a have a chance to express ourselves the way we want.

I could go on about this for days, but it really comes down to a few things. If you read any of the lyrics to Here, The End or The Everlasting Man and don’t get what we were saying, then, well, I don’t know what else to tell you. We wrote The Everlasting Man before signing with Facedown and being plunged head first into this huge Christian music industry, and it definitely changed us. We went from being this band that was a part of the diverse Northwest scene one thing to this band that was, willingly or unwillingly, a part of the Christian scene saying the same thing. Today, I’m pretty sure there are more Christian bands than non Christian bands- thousands upon thousands. I started to ask myself why on earth we even needed to bother being that kind of a band if there were so many others, obviously doing it better than we were, reaching more people. We want to express ourselves, but also, if we are not striving to say something that would warrant writing a record and touring, we shouldn’t even bother- because we wouldn’t even be trying to make art, we would just be salesmen. And that is what disgusts me the most about the Christian music scene- settling with a lackluster and mediocre product or a rehashed message because you are in doing it for the “right reason”- and giving a halfhearted attempt at expression to who you claim to love the most. We aren’t interested in that at all. We just want to express ourselves and what is happening in our lives without consequence or pretense, with the sole purpose of creating art (or at least trying to).

The Northwest is known for it’s indie music scene mainly, a lot of coffee, and hippies. Do you think living in that environment has shaped your evolution at all? What do you love about the scene in your hometown?

ME: There are certainly few experiences like driving down the Gorge, westbound on 84 after a few months in the Midwest and South. I don’t think I could ever stomach living anywhere else, to be honest. We don’t really have a huge scene here, which I’m reminded of every time I go to Southern California. But I think there is a healthy amount of isolation up here that allowed us to just, well, kind of be us, and not get too deep into a “scene” that has stupid rules and style cops and preordained models for bands to follow. Then again, we were just talking the other day about how almost mutually, our favorite artists across different mediums have all come from Sweden. So maybe there is ground left for us to tread!

Thank you for speaking with us. Anything else you’d like to add?

ME: Thanks for putting up with us over the years, still supporting us even though we don’t have touring plans, downloading, buying, and talking about our music. Also, we will never play “Iniquity” again, so stop asking.
www.facebook.com/ahopeforhome

One glance at the boys of Blessed By A Broken Heart explains it all; this band is a force to be reckoned with. Though there may be an apparent obsession with the eighties, BBABH is not stuck in the past. Instead they continually challenge musical trends and mainstream fads, simply by playing music that they enjoy. After three years of transitioning and building a sound for the new album, BBABH is finally releasing the beast that lies in Feel The Power. Far from predictability, Blessed once again conquers technicality and melody, though there is certainly a mystifying quality about the music. Lead vocalist Tony Gambino embraces that mystery in a recent Hopecore.com interview.

What sets you apart from the mass of the metalcore and hardcore rock bands?

Tony Gambino: Well I guess because we don’t play metalcore or hardcore anymore. We’re really doing this whole metal, rock n roll thing. I think that is where everyone’s heart is as music goes. We are kind of fed up with metalcore and hardcore. It’s just like it’s so oversaturated and it’s become this thing where you don’t really have to be a musician.  Anyone can pick up a guitar and figure out how to play hardcore. Our band is full of musicians and we want to play music that is art, it’s not just dun-dun-dun-dun-dun-dun. It’s like come on anyone can do that so that’s what sets us apart, our love for actual music and not just trends. We really pour our hearts and souls into what we do as a band and that’s how we do it.

There definitely seems to be a transition with the upcoming release of Feel The Power. So how would you describe the style that you guys are playing?

TG: It’s definitely matured a lot since the last album. Our plans as far as lyrically and content goes, it’s not as cheesy as the last album. It’s still very much Blessed and very much 80’s but with a little less cheese in it.

So I guess I wanted to talk a little about where does your obsession with the ’80s derive from?

TG: I guess because we were all born in the 80s. All the members — and we have had a few member changes here and there — anyone we have ever gotten in he band has also had that same mentality or love for the 80s. And that’s the way it’s always going to be with Blessed. I guess it is because it is one of the best decades of all because of how the music was and how obvious their fashion and culture was back then. It’s definitely one of the best decades of all time. I love it, I think it’s cool. I think they had some of the best music. I think it kind of paved the way for metal and so many awesome things came from the 80s, including myself (laughs).

Are you in any way associated with the mafia? I’ve been dying to know.

TG: My family has some huge roots in the early mafia but I have no ties to it anymore. My great great grandfather was Carlo Gambino and they made the movie the Godfather after him. I never knew the guy, this was way back in the days.  But yeah it is pretty cool history that I have. Not like I honored what they did because it was definitely bad stuff but just the fact that my family has history in that is just kind of neat.

What are some of the topics that you’ve delved into in this record?

TG: You know someone else asked me that and I kind of don’t want to go into that. I want it to be organic for the listener or come as a surprise to the listener.  Everything is pretty straight forward but I don’t want to give away too much, I want it to be a surprise. I don’t want to say this song is about that and this song is about that and here is the meaning behind it and these are the notes that we use you know what I mean it’s just like I kind of want to leave that alone. But definitely a good variation from Christianity and having a good time and just rock n roll. And it’s just a good variety. That’s for sure, I’ll say that.

What are some of the challenges you’ve experienced in producing the record?

TG: Well I’m going to go back to the hardcore thing. Personally I could probably write a hardcore album in a matter of a few days. You know music, lyrics, everything. But when it comes to Blessed, like I said we want to pour everything into it. It’s not just generic music. It’s shred, it’s crazy drums, it’s life lyrics, you know what I mean. And it took us three years to make this album and get it into production and all the crazy preproduction that we went through and everything. It’s just been a long ride and at times it was definitely getting frustrating at how long this was taking but I know for a fact it is going to be worth it. I know kids are going to love it and I know people who have never heard of us are going to love it. I know good things are going to come out of it and I’m just super pumped about the whole thing.

So is exposing your personal faith an intrinisic part of making music or do you feel like that is an underlying subtle theme?

TG: It’s just part of who I am, that’s for sure. As far as Blessed goes I guess I can say it’s more of an underlying theme because we don’t want to turn people off. We want to appeal to the masses and then let our personalities do the talking when it comes to Jesus. I think that is a good way to do it. It’s called discipleship and that is kind of where my heart is for stuff like that. Kids don’t listen to Striper, you know why? Because they were blantantly Christian and they failed to reach certain people because of that. Was it a bad thing? No, they were awesome but we also need people who will go the extra mile and appeal kids who never want to step foot in a church. So that is what I think about that.

Along with that theme of discipleship and ministering to the masses, who is your target audience?

TG: Everybody. I think we appeal to Christians as well as people who don’t want nothing to do with that. I guess people who enjoy our type of music. But we can only go so far.

Where does the title Feel The Power come from?

TG: Where doesn’t it come from? Yeah you will understand as soon as you listen to the album. That’s kind of what that means I guess.

What are your favorite songs on the new record and why?

TG: I guess when it comes to liking songs, whether it be the bands or some other group that I listen, it has to do with melody mostly to me. That is what I look for and there are a lot of songs on the album that allow me to put some feeling into the vocals and I love that.  So I would definitely say “Here I Come” is one of my favorite songs. “Rockin All Night” is probably one of my favorite songs and the other one I would have to say is “Innocent Blood”. So those three songs I have really been able to put some feeling into the vocals and some soul. So that is why those are my favorite songs and you will see as soon as you get to hear the album.

What is in the future for Blessed By A Broken Heart?

TG: Well as soon as the album comes out we are planning a world wide tour from America, to Canada, to Australia, to Japan, to the UK.

No plans for a new record?

TG: Well we are always writing so there will be another record at some point.

I heard you guys did a lot of recording on the road. What was that like?

TG: We have our own pro tools rigged so we are able to record on the tour bus and venues; wherever we’re at so we can just lay down tracks. That is extremely helpful when it comes to song writing because you can put your ideas down digitally and can always go back and revisit them and put them together as songs. So instead of putting it together in your head and trying to remember, you can demo out songs right away.

You plan on doing that with the next album and just continually writing?

TG: Oh yeah we are already doing that.

One of the most well known unsigned bands in the heavy genre right now , Harp & Lyre gave Hopecore.com a sneak peek into their time at Glow in the Dark Studio where they are currently wrapping up their next record with producer Matt McClellan. McClellan, most known for this work with Hawkboy, To Speak of Wolves, Becoming the Archetype and more, was also kind enough to weigh in on the process alongside vocalist Tyler Carder. Expect the new record from Harp & Lyre sometime this spring.

How is the album coming along and how do you feel about the progress so far?

Tyler Carder: The album is coming along really well. We are so stoked to be working with Matt McClellan here at Glow in the Dark. We have a little less than a week left to finish the album and have only a handful of songs that require any tracking. Matt has already begun mixing the songs that are completed or near completion and they are sounding big but natural at the same time. We may have trouble matching the enormity of the sound at shows. I’m very excited because I feel that this album will be able to more accurately portray our band and match our live sound.

Matt McClellan: We have a week left. We have to finish some vocals and I’ve already started mixing and it’s some of the best mixes I have ever done. It’s really heavy hitting but it still retains a sense of rawness. So, I think the progress is going great. They are doing good.

How does it compare to expectations prior to coming into the studio?

TC: It’s hard to know what to really expect coming in because every engineer/producer is different but it’s been really great. Matt is a great dude. He is very passionate about what he is doing and understands what it takes to capture a heavy sound. He stands behind what we are trying to do with this album and I think that makes the difference. That combination leaves nothing but room for a great creative environment and it’s something that we really needed in order to do this album.

Matt, what were your expectations prior to Harp coming into the studio?

MM: I had heard Harp & Lyre’s older music and it had a lot of keyboard and stuff kids are into these days. Before they came in they told me they had two new guitar players in the band so that was a big change and I was wondering what the new music was going to sound like. It came in being a good bit different than what I had heard them do before but it’s still in the same ballpark. But I think it’s even better.

What was the tracking process and why was it tracked in that way?

MM: The tracking process went really well. We started with drums like most projects but from that point on we did a song at a time. That’s something I had noticed from the way the last The Chariot album was tracked and it seemed to work really well. It keeps everybody fresh so there’s not a bunch of guys sitting around not getting to do anything. So, we tried our best to get guitars out of the way for one song then bass then vocals then move on to the next song. This process seems to keep everyone happy.

TC: Tracking this way was different than how we have done it in the past for sure but I think it really helped having it all spread out like it was. I have had a lot to work on myself so it was nice to not feel super pressured to do it all at once. I was able to track the songs I was finished writing and not have to worry about them after that and focus on the work that I still had in front of me.

Sounds like there is some down time for some of you as you approach the end of recording. What have you guys been doing to keep yourselves occupied?

TC: Netflix. That is about it. Well, that and the Nintendo 64 that is down in the game room. Dylan has been finished tracking drums for two weeks and really has nothing else to do on the record so he has been watching everything on Netflix. We are usually not so boring but our sleep schedule got kind of screwed up preventing us from getting out to explore what ATL has to offer. The average bedtime for us has been 10am so our mornings are pretty dark. Only seeing the sunlight for a couple hours a day or less is starting to wear on us.

What are the plans after the studio?

TC: We will be rushing to get back to our families for Thanksgiving and will be home through the end of the year. We still have gear we will need to acquire before touring again so jobs are going to be a priority until then. Once we get back on the road we will be trying to spread out and hit markets we have yet to tour. We plan on being on the road as much as we possibly can in 2012.

As things come and go from this scene few will be sure to stand. Others will rise but surely most shall pass. This band is among the “rise” catagory. Yes tech metal has been done. However, less done than most and ITMOL adds in such elements which seem to allow them the position to stand out among this scene of “now what once was’s.” Get what I’m saying? In The Midst Of Lions:

So you guys are back for your sophomore release on Facedown Records, fill us in on what the last year and some has looked like for you guys!

Alex Livingston: It’s been absolutely crazy. Super busy, a little too busy almost. It’s been really fun, but very hard as well and we have definitely been challenged as a band. Life on the road gets tough! Constant touring takes a toll on you for sure.

I am so amped on this new record. You guys always bring some of the heaviest jams to the table. Why do you feel metal is such a powerful median for the message you guys are bringing?

AL: Just like you said, metal is heavy. What better way to project a heavy, powerful message than metal? Plus the crowd metal draws are the exact kids we want to minister to.

Easy ‘nough. This album is titled Shadows, talk to me about the theme or themes that run through this album and how it relates to this title. I know The Heart Of Man was very focused. Is that something you tried to do on this album as well?

AL: We went a little more relaxed conceptually with this record. It’s just very dark compared to our last two records, and Shadows seemed suiting for the feel of the record.

Spiritually, how hard is life on the road? How do you all get fed Spiritually?

AL: It can be difficult just because of how busy we are on the road, but at the same time, “I don’t understand how secular bands continue to live this life without doing it for a purpose. It takes everything out of you, and if it weren’t for Him we wouldn’t be doing it.” Jesus is the only reason we keep doing it. If it wasn’t for Him we would have quit a long time ago. It’s not worth the hassle of being in a band to not do it for a bigger purpose. We try to have frequent bible studies and listen to sermons from podcasts as much as we can.

Everything gets old and tiresome after a while, even the greatest of things. I don’t understand how secular bands continue to live this life without doing it for a purpose. It takes everything out of you, and if it weren’t for Him we wouldn’t be doing it.

You guys have such a great reputation among other bands and fans. I’ve honestly never heard a bad word spoken about ITMOL. Talk to us about the importance of presenting a good image.

AL: They must not know us very well…. (Laughs). Just kidding. We just try to be as down to earth and humble as possible because being big-headed gets you nowhere. Not with other bands or fans. Especially since the only reason we are anywhere is thanks to our fans. If anything we should be thanking them and getting their autographs. Besides we have no reason to be conceited, were just dudes that play music.

What are your tour plans for the Winter?

AL: We are on the Trash and Burn 2011 tour right now until Dec. 15th with Winds of Plague, Chelsea Grin, As Blood Runs Black, For the Fallen Dreams, Upon a Burning Body, Like Moths to Flames and Volumes. We plan on taking a little time off afterwards cause we have been on the road constantly the past few months, and we need a break!

From a Gospel and Scriptural standpoint this album is sound. Musically it is brutal. I cannot wait for fans to get a hold of it. Thank you guys for talking with us here!

AL: Thank you for giving us the time! God bless!

www.facebook.com/inthemidstoflions

CHOSEN AS FINAL CHARITY IN VEIL ARMS’ INSPIRE/PRODUCE/INFLUENCE CAMPAIGN

Most well known as being a part of the family at xxxchurch.com, HEARTSUPPORT.COM was recently given a makeover by well known front man Jacob Luhrs, his wife Kris and a few close friends acting as bloggers and accountability partners to those in need. The site itself is a welcoming haven for those who wish to be heard and, in turn, inspire others to speak out. Luhrs and company provide insightful and honest blogs and resources ranging from overcoming addiction to truly valuing the relationships in your life. Topics run the whole gamut of issues dealt with by each and every one of us. HEARTSUPPORT.COM is a safe place run by people to care enough to share their lives in order to help others with theirs.

Head of Heartsupport.com Jacob Luhrs had this to say about the collaboration:

“Teaming up with Veil Arms has been a blessing! Not only are they great people and personally run Heart Supports merch store but their message of hope and love is amazing! The fact that they would start a campaign such as this one is commendable and we are thankful for being apart of it! Thanks for all of the support and when you wear this Heart Support T designed by Veil Arms it’s truly wearing your heart on your sleeve. A message of overcoming struggles and fighting the good fight! One of encouragement, hope, and restoration! Heart Support is for everyone, and through fellowship we take a step in the right direction to reclaim your life, to restore your spirit and rise above all that stands in your way of living the dream and life you were created to live! God is good and we are thankful to be blessed with the opportunity to share our hearts on heartsupport.com. Thanks for being apart of the community and supporting this Campaign! God Bless you!”

Please visit www.heartsupport.com to learn more.

The Veil Arms/Heartsupport collaborative tee is on sale now here with all proceeds going to benefit HEARTSUPPORT.COM

http://heartsupport.theanchorfront.com/#af_link=281:Heart_Support_VA_Collab_tee_

www.heartsupport.com

www.facebook.com/heartsupport

www.twitter.com/heartsupport

Highly influenced by the 80s decade, Blessed By A Broken Heart has broken free of modern day cultural norms by immersing themselves in all things over-the-top. This pushing of musical boundaries persists in their new album, Feel The Power. The title speaks for the entire album and alludes to the demand for listeners to “shut up and rock!” Each song consists of layered harmonies, driving beats, clutch guitar riffs, and excessive synthesizer, combining classic rock, hair metal, pop, and hard rock. Topics that are discussed have little depth, which may be refreshing for some. Overall, Feel The Power cascades the listener with nuclear energy and an overwhelming amount of sound. -JL

For a band that has put out eight full length albums, toured for fifteen years, been a band for twenty and circled the globe countless times, MxPx still seems to be going full steam ahead, even with the decision by drummer Yuri Ruley to quit touring with the band and guitarist Tom Wisniewski settling down at home with a “real” job.  On their newest documentary Burning at Both Ends, the Bremerton trio show their fans that they’re the same old tame as ever punk rockers. The band takes the audience from one adventure to another; floating down poop infested waters in South America, flying planes, playing their fan favorite album Life in General in its entirety, exploring past merch in Herrera’s mom’s garage and so much more. Aside from the standard tour shenanigans, Burning at Both Ends will serve to surprise you.

The DVD opens with statements from each member commenting on the band’s transitional phase in the last few years. I wish they would have focused a bit more on that and how the industry and scene has contributed to the band slowing down. Hearing these opinions from such well respected veterans would have been interesting to say the least. This release also serves as a tribute to a band that no one can seem to deny being influenced by. Scattered throughout the DVD are interviews with the likes of A Day to Remember, Simple Plan and others who share their devotion to the punk rock pioneers. We forget that MxPx has been consistently putting out records and touring the world for almost twenty years now. I’m not sure how many bands gracing the cover of so many magazines today will be able to say that two decades from now.  -JK

It was hard to know what to expect from A Hope for Home after the heaviness of their last record, Realis. And no, I don’t mean “heavy” as in the most brootal of breakdowns bro. A Hope for Home has transcended a music scene that they were unfairly lumped into to begin with. In Abstraction is 51 minutes of pure thought, clinging to the listener, pleading that they explore the revelations presented within its melodies. Vocalist Nathan Winchell has picked up a guitar to add some more beautiful tones to the mix this time around. You’ll hear less of his scream but still enough to keep you believing that A Hope for Home has not completely abandoned their roots. Clean vocals by guitarist Matthew Ellis sound more heavenly than ever, often closing tracks, wrapping up the thought to the point of (almost) closure. The lyrics are deeper than ever, employing more maritime references to convey moving on, growing up and paths diverging. At times, In Abstraction feels other-worldly, begging for repeat listens as you drift off to sleep. -JK

I realized I haven’t really anticipated the start of an album in a while like I did this one as I clicked play starting track number one. Three things always set ITMOL apart for me. The low guttural scream, crazy blast beats, and super unnecessary, yet extremely rad, pitch harmonics.

All aspects remain as this five piece trek on to their third release. These guys are straight heavy and doing tech metal right. Their last release The Heart Of Man lyrically got me stoked.

This follow up, Shadows, is no different. Inspired is the term I would use. There is yet hope for this scene, I can feel its pulse beating through this album. – JS

As if the title of this album isn’t enough to make you run to the record store, let me tell you what else will be included in your purchase (or most of your cases, illegal download (admit it it is true)) of this album. First off a raw look into what makes Plea tick (see “Heart of a Child” and “Living The Dream”). Also included is some straight angry metal (see all tracks) and some revisited melodic clean vocal portions (see “Words Misread” and “Hands and Feet”) that give the album depth. I am always impressed by A Plea For Purging and the heart behind their metal (see our interview in the November 2011 issue) and that though life seems to pass them by as they hang in this strange limbo between adulthood and adolescence, they continue to live without regrets and give this scene a hundred percent of themselves for little more than free burritos. So if you are the case stated above run out and buy yourself a hard copy of The Life and Death. Long live this scene. – JS