John Slater
Rise to Addiction
•
October 8, 2007

Hi there. Steve and myself occasionally talked about starting a new project together whilst on tour together. Whilst writing the music for BLAZE's last album, Blood And Belief, at Steve's home we also wrote a couple of songs for this unnamed project. They became Falling As One and Everlasting Wave.
It was actually four members! Jeff Singer left BLAZE followed by Rob but we always kept in touch and still hooked up for drinking sessions. There was always a strong chemistry between us so I never really considered working with anyone else. Unfortunately for us though Jeff was working with PARADISE LOST and is now their permanent drummer and Rob was training to become a pilot so it was always known their time was limited.
It was never an intention for Madman to release our full-length album - in fact; it wasn't our intention that they release our E.P. as we hadn't really decided what we wanted to do with it. More than anything the E.P. was a promotional tool. Madman heard the CD via someone from the pressing plant and out of the blue I received a phone call offering us quite a prestigious deal to say were a brand new band with no gigs under our belts or any exposure whatsoever.
That's quite a flattering statement I must say. I suppose it is what came out of the melting pot. We are all influenced by a variety of different music other than Rock/Metal or whatever you choose to call it and I think you will find that most rock fans are too. So we just went with the flow. Some of our songs are instant and others have a little more depth. One reviewer complimented us stating that one or two of our songs could sit on an ALICE IN CHAINS album yet another mentioned METALLICA. Being compared to bands like TOOL, ALTER BRIDGE, SOUNDGARDEN and ANTHRAX even, proves that what we're NOT doing is following any trends. Those bands couldn't be any more different to each other. We are writing music that we genuinely love to play and listen to and people are finding it refreshing. It doesn't get better than that.
We have worked with Andy so many times now which has resulted in becoming good friends. He always achieves great results but don't take my word for it. Ask Dave Mustaine. In fact, when he saw us perform at Bloodstock in 2005 he called Steve asking when we intend to record the album.
There are so many genres and sub genres that it all becomes a blur. Personally, I like to stick to the traditional titles like Thrash, Classic Rock, Heavy Metal, Grunge, Prog, Gothic and Punk. So I'd probably place us somewhere in between good ol' Classic Rock and Metal. So far we have been compared to ALICE IN CHAINS, METALLICA, MACHINE HEAD, SOUNDGARDEN, TOOL and even ARMORED SAINT by one reviewer!
OK, I've added that one to the list now. The bands we are all influenced by are not necessarily shared equally throughout the band though if you were to construct a Metal/Rock family tree then I am positive we would all cross branches at various points. Some of the bands I have already listed are in there.
Absolutely. We had a few deals on the table to begin with but Mausoleum Records made perfect sense to us. Their experience along with their commitment matched what we had planned.
We've been overwhelmed by the feedback we've received over the past couple of months. The press has certainly been on our side in most cases and has also landed a couple of 'Album Of The Month' features. The fans have also been very kind to us. We have received tons of letters from all over the world asking us to go over and play their hometowns or countries. It's incredibly rewarding.
Right now, we are writing material for the new album and rehearsing for the festivals we have lined up but we would like to get out again before the end of the year so yes, we're working on that too.
Well we try to make a living out of our music but yes, we do have other strings to our bows. For example, I produce videos, which I have done almost as long as playing the guitar.
Don't hesitate too much. Stay focused, be committed and have fun! That's why we do it. It's hard work trying to succeed but that's part of the challenge. Just don't give up. I can guarantee that everyone who has recorded an album and plays live has struggled and sacrificed many things which goes to show how powerful music is.
The same as it was in the 70's and 80's I think. There were a lot of incredible bands rubbing shoulders with a lot of shit bands jumping on the same wagon. I think it dipped a bit during the 90's but the best stuff seems to have re-surfaced along with a lot of the original creators. I think we're in good times right now.
We started working seriously on the new album straight after coming off the 'Trouble' tour last month. We don't have songs completely wrapped up yet but I would say we have half the album under way. Looking into release dates for the second album is a little early right now but I would say we'll be ready to record in the new year.
Thanks to everyone out there who have supported us by coming to the shows and buying the album. Keep checking the website for updates and I hope we see you sooner than you think!
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