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Interviews

Interview: Fire From the Gods

Austin natives, Fire From The Gods, are the full forced musical embodiment of empowerment. Blending a variety of genres including Hip-Hop, Metal and Hardcore, the Lone Star State gang has a lot to deliver and a lot in store. I caught up with the guys to further discuss being a part of Rise Records, not taking shit from anyone, how social media has expanded their artistry and more. 

Photo Credit: Zizi Friesen

First and foremost, introduce yourself to our readers. How did Fire From The Gods come to life?

My name is AJ and I am the vocalist for Fire From the Gods. FFTG has existed since 2007. FFTG under its current guise has been together for about 2 years. After various lineup changes over the years we now have a solid 5 member setup that we are very pleased with. 

Your Rise Records debut, ‘Narrative’, was a total hit with fans. Tell us about the creative process behind the album.

We wrote this record in about three parts. A majority of the pre-production was written and recorded in Texas with our co-writer and producer Robby Joyner of Black Book sound. The vocals and lyrics which took the most time were written by me in NYC where I lived at the time and the final product was recorded with David Bendeth at the house of loud in NJ. There is a lot lost in translation when sharing files back and forth. The plan was to record in Texas then have the record mixed somewhere else. Fortunate for us a window of opportunity was opened and we got the chance to record with David Bendeth in New Jersey. That move took the record and creative process to a whole other level.  Over about 30 days during the holidays we knocked it out. The end result was ‘Narrative’. 

Did you have any goals or intentions going into the studio before the recording process began? 

We went into the situation with D. Bendeth and The House of Loud knowing that we were going to have to step our game up. Many great records have come out of that place. The only real intention was to take full advantage of the opportunity. We had some prepro but we were unsure of what we were going to produce.  The label was very chill and very supportive. The folks at Rise were like give it your best shot. Everything we sent they loved so we kept going without hesitation. 

Have you been on the road testing any of the new material? If so, how have your fans been reacting to it? 

The last two tours we’ve played all new music from ‘Narrative’. The response has been mega! We played two very different tours. The Browning tour was closer to the metalcore “scene”  that FFTG comes from. There wasn’t much of a surprise that the fans of The Browning were into the music. The Otep tour was a very different landscape. Her fans are very dedicated to her and they embraced us. Many had checked out “excuse me” prior to the show. They came prepared to see us. We had great time.  

Is there another band that is signed to Rise Records that you would like to recognize for their musicality?

For sure. Rise has such a diverse roster at the moment. It’s very easy to find something for everyone. I really dig Of Mice and Men’s transformation over the years. Their last two releases are a testimony to the band’s maturity and experience. Tiger Army is an awesome band I grew up listening to. Their current Rise release is just as good as anything they’ve put out in the past. The new Crown the Empire is great another band that is changing and maturing. Cane Hill is the very embodiment of the best aspects of 90’s and early 2000’s Nu metal. Rise is a pretty cool place to be right now.

What bands or artists influenced the sound and playing style of Fire From The Gods?

So many. We talk about our diversity in the band a lot. Because we have such contrasting backgrounds. But we all share a common love for heavy music which ultimately influenced our record. There’s a bit of The Deftones, Poison the Well, Slipknot, Metallica, Rage against the machine, Sevendust, Sick of All, Hatebreed, Norma Jean, The Bled, The Used, Meshuggah, 90’s hip hop, NYHC, pop punk the list goes on. We could chat for days about the bands that influence us.

Have social networks been a key asset of creating your audience?  

FFTG had a pretty solid social media before our signing. Due to the band having an already extensive history. Each release prior to Narrative had a distinct sound with attracted fans from all over. So ppl have been talking about the band for a long time. It definitely helps. I don’t think it’s the end all be all for a band’s career. But it is certainly a fantastic tool to help build a career. I believe in the old school formula, you write a record you tour the record and you sell the record. Too many bands live and die on social media these days. There’s no substance especially if that’s your only method of reaching fans.  You have to play shows compounded with a solid social media presence to survive these days.  

You guys have a fierce amount of energy which is highlighted on your album but as well as in your live performances, Do you guys have any pre-show rituals to harness that energy?

Besides the usual stretching, warming up stuff we all just kind of do our own thing before the set. Bonner jams super high energy bands before showtime to The Bled, Every Time I Die, etc. Rich does as well sometimes. Jameson, Drew and I kind of zone out and get our minds right. FFTG shows are very high energy. We try to be relentless on stage.  

Last but certainly not least, do you have anything that you would like to share with your fans? 

Again, thank you all for taking your time to speak to us. Keep your head up and don’t take shit from anyone. Peace.

Fire From The Gods Social Links: 

Facebook • Instagram • Website 

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Music Reviews

Rising Texas Rapper, J’Moris, Releases New EP: ‘Extra’

Rising Texas Rapper, J’Moris, is making major plays in the game and we’re delighted to see him bring the wild thoughts that cross his mind to life throughout his latest EP, ‘Extra. Here’s our track-by-track thoughts.

Kicking off with the first and title track, “Extra”, crisp production walks listeners into a hypnotic beat as J’Moris showcases qualities of a seasoned vet right off bat with lyrical reminders of the hustle days when his vision was set on the free lunch line rather than the stars. The second track, “Misbehave”, slows it down into a mixture of 90’s R&B and 2000 Hip-Hop as J’Moris candidly puts his sexual urges and fantasies on blast over a beat that incorporates a soft piano so fluidly that it leads listeners into a state of trance. “Not At All” is the third track in which J’Moris takes his fans through the days of his childhood when he had nothing but crumbs on his plate yet switches it up to the motivation that he has cultivated within which has served to his burgeoning lifestyle and shifting experiences. Closing out with “Speed Boat”, J’Moris lyrically puts it all on the line and twists his intention to take no prisoners throughout each bar while tip-top production takes the track to a level that wouldn’t necessarily be expected from an unsigned artist.

Through his ability to get down to the nitty-gritty, J’Moris spits with no pity and 2019 is his time to shine. If you’re a fan of fellow musicians such as Big K.R.I.T, Jadakiss and Meek Mill, then keep an eye on the ride ahead for J’Moris on Spotify.

J’Moris Social Links:

Facebook • Soundcloud • Twitter

 

Categories
Music Reviews

Austin-Based Rockers, The Stone MG’s, Release New Single – “I Need You”

Austin-Based Rockers, The Stone MG’s, leave it all out on the line throughout their dynamic new single, “I Need You”. Ensuring to make it known that there is a lack of satisfaction felt within Lead Vocalist, Rodney James, The Stone MG’s are close to throwing in the towel on a deeply entwined interpersonal connection or addiction that is now beginning to cause mental friction. Metaphorically rich and full of cool undertones that match the mood of unease, The Stone MG’s lyrically pick at a scab that they know in the back of their head is bound to form into a scar.

Smokey, rich and seasoned vocals of Rodney James add an invigorating touch to the track that flows seamlessly with songwriting that is abysmally deep and unafraid to dive beyond the surface. As the track flows, the pace gets picked up as the rose-covered glasses that once served to cover-up reality begin to be removed. Growing up in a family whose central core was centered around the love of music, the passion seeped into the veins of Rodney who is a natural when it comes to being an artist. 

The Stone MG’s are a bundle of Rock ‘N’ Roll soul and we recommend to add “I Need You” to your weekend playlist. If you’re a fan of fellow musicians such as Kings of Leon, Arcade Fire and Arctic Monkeys, then keep an eye on the ride ahead for The Stone MG’s on Soundcloud.

The Stone MG’s Social Links:

Facebook • Twitter • Bandcamp • Instagram

Categories
Interviews

Interview: Blacktop Mojo

Texas Rockers, Blacktop Mojo, are rattling the masses with their heavy-hitting bundle of intense songwriting and powerful instrumentals that speak of the emotively rich lives of five guys who are telling a story that is entirely their own. Through molding an electrifying and polished style and sound throughout their two studio albums that are full of howling vocals and soul, Blacktop Mojo is set to make an even bigger splash over the years to come. I caught up with Lead Vocalist, Matt James, to discuss his favorite Tool albums, the incredible support of their fans, the meaningful bond shared amongst the band members of Blacktop Mojo and more.

You guys have a really cool campaign going on on PledgeMusic for your upcoming third album. Tell us about your experience so far and anything that you can about the upcoming release.

We ran a campaign with PledgeMusic to fund our second record, ‘Burn The Ships’, which went really well. We liked how we were able to interact with people on there and how it was sort of like having them with us making the record, so we wanted to do it again for this next album. I’m really glad we did because our fans really got after it and help us hit our minimum goal way faster than we ever thought we could, which helped us to be able to concentrate more on writing songs and have a little less to worry about on the business side of things. We’re very excited to get to work tracking the album. We’ve got what we feel like is a great group of songs, and we’re chomping at the bit to lay them down. I think we’ll make the folks that got behind us for this go-around proud.

What is the most personally meaningful track that you have ever recorded with Blacktop Mojo? Tell us about what it means to you.

I think one of the more meaningful tracks for me was “Where The Wind Blows”, not necessarily because of the content of the song, but because of how we recorded it. We were fortunate enough to be able to record the song at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, AL with Jimmy Johnson and his engineer Steve Melton who were at the helm of some amazing records from artists like Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Rolling Stones, Bob Seger, and so many other greats that we look up to. Needless to say we were kind of intimidated going into the session and we didn’t lay down the final vocals until toward the end of the day, so I kind of had to just sit and wait with butterflies in my stomach all day until it was my turn to get in the booth and sing. I sang through the song a few times and wasn’t sure if I was hitting it right. We got to the end of the pass and they hit the talkback mic in the control room to say something and before anyone said anything to me, I heard Jimmy say to somebody, “Damn would you listen to that voice? That guy can belt it!” It was the first time I can remember feeling like that was where I belong. We ended up releasing the song as the first radio single from the album and it hit the top 30 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart on our first tour. The last show of that tour just happened to be in Muscle Shoals and Jimmy ended up coming out to check out the show. When I walked up to him to shake his hand, he had a big smile on his face and he said, “It feels good doesn’t it?” Then he turned to one of his buddies and said, “These guys have them a hit up on the charts right now.” It really felt cool to have someone I look up to like that be proud of us.

Showcasing the human in you, what is a challenging thought that you recently had and were able to overcome over time?

Very recently, in preparation for this album we’ve been writing a lot of songs and I got to a place where I felt like nothing I was writing was good enough. I thought, “What if I can’t do this? What if we can’t get this done?” Luckily I had the guys in the band to lean on and kind of pull me out of my funk. They helped me remember we started doing this in the first place because we love it and that it’s supposed to be fun. It’s alright to put pressure on yourself, and sometimes it can be good, but you can’t let that overwhelm what you’re doing.

If any of our readers have never been to Texas, tell us about three of your favorite restaurants that you recommended to check out.

Texas has a lot of great food, so it’s hard to choose just three. La Chappara’s in our hometown of Palestine has my favorite breakfast tacos, Stanley’s BBQ in Tyler, TX has some of the best BBQ on the planet earth, and I have to give it up to Salsa Limón in Fort Worth for some of the best Mexican food one can get any time of night.

What is your perception on the digital world that we live in and social media culture?

I think it’s something we’re all still figuring out as we go along. Overall it’s a great thing. No one has to be alone. There is a group of friends out there for everyone no matter where they come from or how they think. You can immerse yourself in all kinds of different art that you would have never been able to find otherwise. In our case it’s helped a band from the middle of nowhere in Texas connect with people all over the world over our music. By that same token, it lets people group up over negative things and spread hate and shame as well, which is never good. I still don’t think the negatives outweigh all the positives. It is an awesome tool that makes the world smaller every day. It will be interesting to see what the next generation creates with all this awesome power having been immersed in it from birth.

No career path or amount of followers negates the fact that you are a human being that has feelings. Tell us about some parts of you beyond being a musician that you take pride in.

It’s kind of hard to separate music from the rest of my life. All the guys in the band live in the same house, so we’re kind of always doing something for music in one way or another. I think the thing I most take pride in is how close we all are. Any one of these guys would take a bullet for me and I would do the same for them. A lot of bands say they are “like family” and that might be true, but in our case these guys are my brothers through good, bad, and everything in between.

As you are exposed to tons of stimulus, how do you proactively take care of your mental and emotional health when you’re out on the road?

When we’re traveling around, I always like to go on random walks through whatever city we’re in and go explore. Most of the time I will turn my phone off and only use it to find my way back if I get lost. It’s always refreshing to just kind of wander around and see if you can find anything cool. Also, The guys in the band and I are always good at taking care of each other. If someone has something going on, everyone is pretty good at helping them out. It’s hard to hide in the 100 or so square feet of space on a bus.

I’ll throw you a random bone. What is your favorite Tool album and why?

I mean if it’s Tool, I’m a fan. They haven’t made a bad album. I always liked ‘10,000 Days’. “The Pot” and “Right In Two” are some of my favorite songs they’ve done and the sardonic attitude in the lyrics of “Rosetta Stoned” is absolutely incredible. I love reading through that one after I’ve listened to it once and then going back to listen to it again to try to catch everything in there.

Last but certainly not least, any closing messages for your fans?!

Thanks for helping us live the life we always dreamed about. Can’t wait to see all of you again next year!  

Blacktop Mojo Social Links:

Facebook • Twitter • Spotify • Website