kMNR v2006.112 ~ "Accidents Happen In The = Dark"

kMNR...=20 March 30, = 2006

Get=20 This In Your Email=20 Weekly!

In This Issue:

Deftones = Interview/Article=20 Part One
CD = Review: Inner=20 Surge ~ Signals Screaming
Billy Talent's = New CD=20 Details; Drummer's Personal Revelation
Calgary=20 Concert Announcements Roll In
In = Stores Next=20 Week
Chart's=20 Weekly CD Reviews
Upcoming=20 Shows

Part One of = Two:

You can=92t deny the = Deftones=92=20 track record; they=92ve been together for well over ten years = releasing four=20 studio albums spawning ten singles and most recently a CD/DVD = combo titled=20 B-Sides and Rarities. So it=92s no surprise that getting a = phone=20 interview with one of the band members in the midst of their Taste = of=20 Chaos tour and impending album was relatively difficult. However I = did=20 manage to get some time with samples/keyboard player Frank = Delgado=20 the night of their San Jose show.

It seems fitting that the = Deftones are = headlining=20 the second installment of the Taste of Chaos tour. =93This tour is put on by = a guy named=20 Kevin Lyman who actually puts on the Warped Tour,=94 = Delgado told me.=20 =93When they hit us up for it we=92re like =91Yeah man!=92 = Y=92know, we=92ve got a=20 history with Lyman.=94 He=92s referring to the fact that they have = played on=20 the Warped = Tour in=20 the past. As far as the current Taste of Chaos tour (which is = about half=20 way through), Delgado may not have any crazy stories to provide us = with=20 but, as he says, =93We=92re having a blast, we=92re rocking. All = the bands are=20 really cool, everyone=92s getting along=85it=92s a good = tour.=94

On earlier Deftones = albums, Delgado=20 was known for his turntable skills while on their last self-titled = release=20 he played more samples/keys. When asked if he would return to = turntable=20 work or not, he explains how his contribution continues to evolve. = =93When I=20 first joined the band I didn=92t know how to play an instrument. I = just had=20 a bunch of records and I tried to incorporate that into the = songs,=94 he=20 told me. =93The way I did that was try and manipulate sounds and = stay within=20 a song and create melody or harmony=85That snowballed into me = tweaking with=20 effects, guitar pedals,=94 he continued. =93That just led to me = playing with=20 keyboards and instead of searching for records, I could just = create my own=20 sound collages.=94

When it comes to the = forth-coming=20 album, Delgado doesn=92t divulge too much information. He states = that =93the=20 record is pretty much done. We were doing some vocal stuff on the = bus out=20 here actually on this tour. We brought our ProTools gear, we=92re = tweaking=20 some last minute vocal things that [singer] Chino = [Moreno]=20 wants to fix here and there.=94 As far as the release date is = concerned,=20 they=92re hoping to have it out in the late summer/September. He = also=20 dispelled any rumours of the album title saying that =93we don=92t = have an=20 album title, we don=92t have art done. We=92re in the middle of=20 that.=94

Once the album does come = out, the band=20 intends to continue touring in support of it. In fact, when Taste = of Chaos=20 wraps up mid-April, they only have a couple of weeks before = heading off to=20 Europe for most of the summer. =93We=92re plotting right now,=94 = said Delgado.=20 =93We definitely plan on being out for a long time.=94 His final = message for=20 Deftones fans is, =93Get ready =91cause we=92re coming=20 through!=94

(Make = sure to check=20 back next week for part two, where Delgado and I speak more about = the=20 upcoming album, the recording process and more!)

Inner Surge = Continue Their=20 Assault With Third Album

As promised, this week I bring you the CD = review for=20 Inner Surge's third album, Signals Screaming. = Last=20 week, my article featured my conversation with = front-man=20 Steve Moore. Next week, we'll have a live review from = their=20 CD release party at The Warehouse on April 1st.

If you're not really a fan of the whole = metal-core,=20 scream-o deal, you may not initially be into this record but I do = urge you=20 to give this record it's fair due. There are some impressive = vocals=20 and harmonies beyond the screaming and more importantly, the = message and=20 lyrical content is much more than washed-out, over-used personal = messages=20 of strife. As Moore explained to me in last week's article, = the=20 themes are mature and deal with issues on a more global scale = (which is=20 glaringly evident in song titles like No Profit in the = Cure).

I do have to say that we could have done = without the=20 short, quiet intro track Azura. I suppose though, that the = band=20 considered this a nice buffer before truly starting things off on = The=20 Outcome. Scott Taylor's guitars prepare you for the = song as=20 it crescendo's to Moore's vocals and Brian Sandau's frantic = yet=20 precise drumming. This song quickly became one of my = favourite=20 tracks as it's a great example of how to balance harmony and = screaming in=20 the vocals.

On Retribution Song, Sandau's drumming = really=20 explodes. He's fast and intense and you quickly learn by = this point=20 in the album that this guy is a BIG fan of the double-bass. = Some=20 drummers use this blasting technique to excess but for some = strange and=20 wonderful reason, this is not the case in this album.

If I had to pick on something, it would have to = be that=20 there are few moments on the album that really stand out among the = rest. You may consider that a good thing if you find that = all the=20 songs are of excellent caliber and I tend to lean towards that=20 myself. The other complaint I have is that Jim Fernandes' = bass=20 guitar isn't as noticeable as it should be. Of course, = knowing him=20 personally means that I very well could be biased but I do think = that on=20 the album mix-down the bass guitar could have been given a little = more=20 presence.

All in all, this is a very good album and I'm = looking=20 forward to hearing these songs live as they will undoubtedly = manifest=20 themselves on stage with intensity that most bands aspire to = have. =20 Make sure to check back here next week for the live review and = some=20 photos.

New Billy=20 Talent Single; Shocking Personal Letter From Aaron=20 Solowoniuk

The wait will soon be over for fans of Billy = Talent. The band has recently announced on their web site = that the new=20 album is finished except for the mix down. The first single has = been=20 confirmed as Devil In A Midnight Mass, a song which they = previewed=20 for fans on Christmas day on their MySpace web=20 site.

It's odd that while the band is looking forward = with this=20 impeding new release that drummer Aaron Solowoniuk posted = on their=20 site a revelation of surprising proportions. "As a lot of you may = know the=20 first song on our first record is called This Is How It = Goes. This=20 is a song about one of Ben's friends that has multiple sclerosis," = he=20 says. "Today I would like to let you know that I am that friend = with=20 MS."

Solowoniuk goes on to explain how he discovered the = disease,=20 his struggle with it and how he was able to overcome the = challenges faced=20 with having MS. Reading through the detailed accounts of his = experience=20 thus far is truly something and I recommend you read it for yourself.

Getting back to the forth coming = album, the=20 boys planned to shoot the video for Devil In A Midnight Mass = at the=20 end of this month. The disc is expected to hit stores on June 27th = and is=20 to be titled Billy Talent II (as in the Roman Numeral for = 2, they=20 explain.) A European tour will commence prior to it's release and = they=20 will play a number of Warped Tour dates in July which hopefully = means=20 we'll see them in Calgary and probably get to hear some new = material=20 live.

Tour = Activity=20 Starting To Ramp Back Up In Calgary

This winter seems to have = been a cold=20 and dark one as far as tours passing through is concerned. = That=20 appears to be changing in a big way though.

Aside from the recent = announcements of=20 Franz Ferdinand, The Strokes, Metric and = Our Lady=20 Peace (among others), this week brings two significant artists = that=20 will soon grace our presence.

First, The Tea Party = may be no=20 more but that hasn't stopped Jeff Martin. He's = completed his=20 first solo album and naturally is embarking on a tour to support = it. =20 The show takes place on May 4th at MacEwan Ballroom (although I'm = always=20 skeptical that it will actually take place downstairs at Mac Hall = and not=20 at the ballroom) and tickets go on sale this weekend.

Also going on sale this = weekend is=20 this surprise show; The Cult. That's right. = Now, I=20 wouldn't blame you if you think it's a version of the band that's = missing=20 key members and depending on how you look/interpret it, you may be = right. However, for many fans the two most important members = will be=20 on hand; Ian Astbury and Billy Duffy. The May = 20th=20 show will be at the Corral (why bands are booking at this venue is = beyond=20 me since the last time I was there, the sound SUCKED.)

I should also note that, = although=20 barely relevant these days, The Black Crowes are also = playing in=20 Calgary in May. Their Southern Alberta Jubilee date is May=20 7th. Let's not forget that Seether returns to Calgary = with a=20 May 22nd show at Cowboys. Just bring ear plugs since shows = there=20 tend to be insanely loud. (Seriously, I'm not just being an = old man=20 here, it's retarded how loud it can get in there.)

In=20 Stores Next Week

Sometimes short really is = sweet. =20 That has more to do with this piece rather than the albums that = hit store=20 shelves next week. Let's get right to the chase, shall=20 we?

If you're hoping to hear = some more=20 angry pop-punk from Pink on her new album I'm Not = Dead, you=20 may be disappointed. Honestly, I really have no idea if = she's gone=20 more pop/R&B rather than punk but does it really matter? = Plus, I=20 thought she dumped that motocross racer?!

Stabilo returns = with their=20 fifth release, Happiness & Disaster. For an = impending=20 release there has been very little press that I'm aware of. = In fact,=20 their web = site,=20 although quirky with it's floating orange devil, has no mention of = said=20 album and it's last post was back in January of 2005. You = may or may=20 not see this album in stores next week but in case it does arrive, = at=20 least I've given you fair warning.

I had no idea that = Queensryche=20 were still around! This is apparently so since Operation: = Mindcrime II (there was a I?) comes out next Tuesday. = Plus, I=20 never would've expected to see Morrissey come out with a = new=20 release, but Ringleader of the Tormentors arrives on April=20 4th. I wonder if that title is indicative of him?

Lastly, The Vines = third=20 release, Vision Valley drops next week. You'll = remember that=20 they broke out with songs Get Free and Outtathaway = on their=20 2002 album Highly Evolved. Since then, they released=20 Winning Days which didn't quite garner as much attention as = their=20 debut but the samples available on their web site for = this new=20 album, including lead single Don't Listen To The Radio = sounds=20 pretty decent.

I suppose this wasn't so = short after=20 all.

Chart's Weekly CD=20 Reviews

Curious what last week's = releases=20 sound like? Didn't get the chance to pick them up for = yourself? =20 Chart Magazine has reviews of Atreyu, Rob Zombie, = Yeah=20 Yeah Yeahs, Curt Kirkwood, Kid Rock, Prince = and=20 many more. Make sure to check=20 them out.

Upcoming Calgary=20 Shows

March 30, = 2006 Kilbourne, = Verbal=20 Deception, Caveat Broken CityMarch 31, = 2006 DOA, Bogart!, = The Mad=20 Cowboys Broken CityApril 01, 2006 Inner Surge = CD=20 Release Party with Revolution, Screams of = Silence The WarehouseApril 03, 2006 The Bled, = Protest The=20 Hero, As Cities Burn, Since By Man The WarehouseApril 04, 2006 Rob = Thomas Jubilee AuditoriumApril 06, 2006 Taste of Chaos = with=20 Deftones, Thrice, Atreyu, Thursday, Dredg, As I Lay = Dying, Adair,=20 Greeley Estates, Street Drum Corps, The Smashup, = Silverstein, The=20 Confession SaddledomeApril 06, 2006 Hawksley=20 Workman Knox United ChurchApril 07, 2006 Cuff the=20 Duke The GatewayApril 07/08, 2006 Sarah=20 Harmer Knox United ChurchApril 11, 2006 30 Seconds To = Mars Whiskey = Nightclub

~~ kMNR = v2006.112=20 ~~

If you would like = to hear=20 about or if you have any information on a particular band or = artist,=20 please email cristovao@kmnr.ca and=20 I will do my best to cover them.

March 23, = 2006 ~ kMNR=20 v2006.111 ~ "A secret born of mischief..."
March 16, = 2006 ~ kMNR=20 v2006.110 ~ "Seems like I'm slipping into a dream within a=20 dream."
March 09, = 2006 ~ kMNR=20 v2006.109 ~ "It's a day that I'm glad I survived = "
March 01, = 2006 ~ kMNR=20 v2006.108 ~ "Fear Is Your Only God"
February 23, = 2006 ~=20 kMNR v2006.107 ~ "Guns Can't Kill What Soldiers Can't=20 = See"