#okay the Australia thing isn’t surprising because that’s where most people debuted

[il-predestinato]

Fun fact: Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc both made their Formula 1 debut at the Australian Grand Prix (2015 and 2018 respectively), and both finished P13 in their first race.

[x--daughters-of-darkness--x]

Lacuna Coil’s Cristina Scabbia wants you to “lay down on your bed, close your eyes and come on a journey with us”

For two decades now, Lacuna Coil have been one of the most consistent voices in heavy metal. Since their debut album ‘In A Reverie’ in 1999, they’ve averaged a new record every two or three years; always ambitious, always as gothic as Hallowe’en in a bat roost, always abrasive… and at the heart of it, always featuring the gargantuan lungs of singer Cristina Scabbia.

Surprisingly for a band so far into their career, new record, ‘Black Anima’, their ninth, contains the best songs the Italian band have ever committed to tape. It’s a deeply personal work, with recent events in Cristina’s life inspiring much of its content. “This isn’t just a heavy record in terms of it’s sound,” says Andrea Ferro, who shares vocals in the band with Cristina. “The words are heavy, the tone of the record is heavy, it’s a very emotional record. I think this and our last record are the most personal records Cristina has made…”

NME thought it time we asked Cristina about the making of ‘Black Anima’, a record that explores sadness and pain in unflinching detail – but also that revitalises the veteran stars.

Cristina, you’re recently described your new album as ‘the heaviest and darkest’ album you’ve ever made. Metal bands always say this. Do you really mean it or is it just something to say?

“We really mean it. I’m even more convinced of it the more I listen to what we made. I think our last record [2016’s] ‘Delirium’ was heading in that direction and ‘Black Anima’ is a natural progression from that record…”

You’ve been doing this now since 1994. Normally bands get more mellow the longer they go on…

“Well, I certainly don’t feel like that as a person. The older I get the more curious I get. I feel like going from ‘Delirium’ to ‘Black Anima’ taught me so much about myself. I lost both my parents in a very short period of time and they literally were the world to me. We’d talk every day. Multiple times a day. It was so shocking to me to lose them…”

I’m sorry that happened to you Cristina…

“It happens. They lived a long happy life and I was lucky to have them for so long. But I have realised that I am much stronger than I thought I was. For years before I was trying to prepare myself for it happening. I was trying to visualise how I’d cope. I used to tell myself what it would be like. I thought I’d lock myself indoors, shut out my friends and be completely depressed – and then I learned that you do just go on. You have to carry the torch. I feel bulletproof now. I’ve lost the most important thing in the world to me, and I’m still here.”

In all the time you’ve been doing this, what’s the biggest change you’ve seen? Being in a band now is so different to how it would have been starting out in 1994…

“Everything is so much more complicated. Social media has made everything so fucked up. Everyone wants to look beautiful and perfect and smiley and rich and that’s just a distorted version of anyone’s reality. I think people dug deeper before these times. Now everything is so transient. A band release a new single and in another two days another band releases a new single and the previous song is forgotten. I’m sick of hearing about views and numbers and streams and… shit. I think there’s poetry behind the creation of music and songs – and there’s nothing poetic about social media.”

Lacuna Coil come from Milan, Italy – not a country famed for its export of heavy metal…

“Well it was just so different back then. We used to send cassettes with our songs on to record labels. No email, no smartphones… I still can’t believe how lucky we were to be noticed – this little band from Italy – by our label, Century Media, who we’re with even now. We were the first band they signed outside of their circle in France. We were so surprised to get a call from them. Metal is, even now, a real underground genre in Italy. There’s a few more bands now – we’re good friends with the band Fleshgod Apocalypse – but the scene is still very underdeveloped. There’s not many opportunities for bands to break out. The radios don’t play metal, the clubs are weird sizes – loads of 500/600 capacity venues in Milan just closed down, so venues that are left are either too small or arenas, so it’s hard for touring bands to find anywhere to play.”

This is a question that separates the progressives from the old farts. Were things better then?

“Ummmmmmmmm… Yes and no. I think things were more exciting back then, because there was just less of everything. Things that have largely been eradicated now, like waiting for the release of a record, have been lost – and these were great things! I miss queueing up outside record stores! I miss patience! Everyone wants everything immediately now, and I don’t think that’s always good for you. I think there was probably more respect for music as art too…”

Would you like me to warm your slippers by the fire, Cristina?

“Yes, well, the good thing about the present times is that bands can access a bigger audience easier. I would have loved Lacuna Coil to have had access to something like YouTube in the beginning. The idea you can form a band, record a song, upload it and someone in Australia can be listening to that song the same day is still mind-blowing to me. There’s just more chances. More opportunities to showcase. This is a great thing – I just wish it all wasn’t such a clusterfuck! I think the idea of bands having 25-year careers now is quite unlikely.”

What it sounds like to these ears, Cristina, is you’re looking for music to have more permanence than it does right now…

“I think there’s something in that, though I’m just frustrated with how much music has to compete with right now, really. There’s so much noise competing with people for their attention. Why is everyone trying to go viral by kicking a bottle top off a water bottle?”

Can you kick a bottle top off a water bottle Cristina?

“No I cannot. I haven’t tried. But I get it. People want to be entertained. Little fixes of entertainment. That’s what we’re competing with. To be something more.”

How do you do that, though?

“Well we’re trying to do things in a quite old-fashioned way. We’re trying to write records, not songs. On the new record there’s an intro and an outro, and you should try to enjoy the record in its entirety. We’re trying to get an hour from people to lay down on their bed, close their eyes and come on a journey with us. That’s the goal. We like to try to add a visual element to our records too. This time we’ve made tarot cards with the record, which I think suits it because it’s a very – how do you say? – esoteric record, in a spiritual way. There’s a card for each song, designed by the artist Micah Ulrich. I don’t really believe that tarot can tell the future, but I do think they’re a good visual to show where you’re at in your life.”

“There’s a book we read that we found inspiring – it was the spark that led to ‘Black Anima’ really. It’s called The Physics Of Angels [Full title: Exploring The Realm Where Science And Physics Meet, by Rupert Sheldrake] which is a conversation between a theologist and a scientist. It got us thinking about why people need to believe in a protecting presence – where does that come from? It inspired a lot of the album’s artwork and theme, and even a few of the songs.”

Which side of the fence do you fall on Cristina? Are you team science or team theology?

“Science. 100%. Actually, let’s call it 80%. I still understand the spiritual part and I do hope there is something in us that lasts. I want to believe my loved ones are still around me in the form of energy, but I don’t have any proof. That stops me from blindly believing. Obviously Italy is a very religious country. We have the Pope. But while I grew up going to church – my parents were believers – I never did believe. I used to just be confused why I had to go to church every week. I didn’t understand why people didn’t behave like they said they did in church. I always thought it was more important to be a good human being, to be a respectful human being, without any fear of God attached to it.”

Before we part ways, I just wanted to say that my assessment of ‘Black Anima’ after living with it for a while, is this is absolutely a record made by a woman who is living with an unbelievable amount of pain…

“In parts, absolutely. There is a realisation throughout this record that it is sometimes okay to not be okay. I don’t think darkness is wholly negative. We learn who we are in darkness. Sadness is a huge part of life. It’s okay not to be happy. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’m always trying to look for the light in the darkness, but it’s okay to live within the darkness for a bit too. I think when you embrace all the shades of life you can live a happier life than if you deny any of it.”

On a scale of one to ten – ten being very happy, one being very sad – where do you think Cristina Scabbia ranks right now?

“I think I’m on an eight. I’ve been down, but I’m here.”

[shadyb00ts]

My Top 12 Favorite Pop Albums of 2017

Man, 2017 was a great year for pop music especially. This year was also when I started actually using Spotify, subscription and all, for the first time, so the new music I discovered just kept on piling up and I was so here for it. I decided I’d compile a top 12 list of my favorite albums, since it’s the end of the year, why not. And yeah I know the “normal” format is top 10, but bitch I have 12 favorites, whaddaya want. And even these I had to really narrow down. If you follow me on Twitter at all though, you probably know exactly what my number one album is. It’s an album that’ll probably be on many people’s number one spots, but I think I’ll do this list descending. This is also only the music that I’ve discovered personally, so if a big pop album/EP from this year wasn’t mentioned, means I either didn’t really like em that much or I have yet to discover them.

#12. BETTY WHO - THE VALLEY

Spotify | iTunes

I actually first heard of Betty Who through Troye Sivan’s song “Heaven” which she featured in. She strikes me as Australia’s equivalent of Carly Rae Jepsen because her songs are all just the completely infectious, bubblegum pop sound that I find irresistible. Some of my favorites from this album are “Mama Say”, “You Can Cry Tomorrow” and “Human Touch”. This is a great album to put on when you’re getting ready with your friends or just wanna jump around and be crazy. If you’ve never heard of her and you’re a pop music freak like me, this album is right up your alley cause it’s chock-full of bops. I’d also recommend checking out her debut album, Take Me When You Go, which has more of the Carly Rae-esque 80s-y feel to it than this one.

#11. TOVE LO - BLUE LIPS (LADY WOOD PHASE II)

Spotify | iTunes

Oh, Tove. What else can I say? If you love pop music then you know exactly why this album made the list and it probably made yours too. She is just the ultimate master of making unapologetically sexual bops. She’s always been very sex positive and seriously, the production on her songs is always spot on as fuck. I’d say “shivering gold” is one of the songs that I keep coming back to the most, as well as “stranger” and the addictive lead single “disco tits”, but this entire album is filled with solid and sultry pop songs that you can pop your pussy to any time. Tove is just always so unabashedly nasty and honest, I always love that about her.

#10. ANNA OF THE NORTH - LOVERS

Spotify | iTunes

One of the indie artists I discovered on Spotify which I’m immensely grateful for. Her music is right up my alley; modern yet very much rooted in dreamy, 80s-inspired synthpop. I pretty much like every single song across the board, but some of my favorites are “Money” which is a really cute song about warning a guy about dating a gold digger, and then “Feels” and the title track “Lovers “ which both just make me drift off into a dreamlike state every time and zone out, and I find most of the songs on this album have the same effect on me. “Dreamy” really is the perfect adjective to describe it. I strongly suggest checking her out if what I’ve described is your thing.

#9. BILLIE EILISH - DONT SMILE AT ME

Spotify | iTunes

I know this is technically an EP since it’s under 10 songs, however I couldn’t possibly skip out of putting it on my list. Billie Eilish is one of the biggest breakout artists of this year I think. I saw a tweet recently from someone who said and I quote, “Whatever ‘it’ is, Billie Eilish has it.” I agree 1000%. She’s got star quality all over her. Looks, talent, all of it. The thing I love about her songs is that her attitude is always present in every one of them. Like in “my boy”, when she’d go “WHAT” or “Alright, dude, go trip over a knife” in between the breaks, and in “COPYCAT” where she does this long, drawn out apology only to top it off with a “sike”. “party favor” is also a very interesting song since it starts off with an answering machine message and it gradually fades into the actual song, and I thought that was such a cool effect; her personality just shines through in her music and that’s what makes her such a star. I have a feeling Billie is going to take 2018 by storm.

#8. DUA LIPA - DUA LIPA

Spotify | iTunes

Yet another new artist who is just oozing with star quality. I had a bit of a slow-to-grow thing with Dua though, for whatever reason. I held off from actually listening to her debut album because I wasn’t really feeling the singles she’d released prior to it. I recognized that she had an incredible voice, but for some reason I just wasn’t warmed up to her enough yet. Enter “Scared to Be Lonely”, her duet with Martin Garrix, which I think is one of the best EDM songs ever made. When I heard that song, I was like okay let me just sit down and listen to this bitch’s album and see what she’s all about. And I was pleasantly surprised. I was surprised at how diverse this album was especially cause she explored a lot of different sounds for almost every song. “New Rules” will always be my favorite, because obviously. That followed by “Genesis” and “Begging” are just a few of the stand-outs for me. Just like Billie, I have a feeling 2018 will also be a big year for Miss Dua.

#7. MUNA - ABOUT U

Spotify | iTunes

God, I am so happy I found this group. I first discovered them through their song “Winterbreak” which I thought was so beautiful and melancholic, I had to dig up more of their songs. Even just thinking about this album gives me a feeling of joy because I just fucking love their music so much. It’s not even something I can explain, you just have to hear it really. The stand outs for me are, well shit, there’s a lot actually. As well as “Winterbreak” I also really love “So Special”, “Loudspeaker”, “I Know A Place” (which I think of as a queer anthem tbh and it is such an empowering, joyful song) and “Crying on the Bathroom Floor” (which has a pretty morbid subject matter but is I think one of the best songs on the album). Please please check them out and support them if you like what they’re giving. I can’t wait to see what they do next cause I am all aboard the MUNA train for sure.

#6. LANA DEL REY - LUST FOR LIFE

Spotify | iTunes

I thought for sure LFL would make it onto my top 5 but it just scraped it. I think when I first listened to the album I was a little too quick to say that it was Lana’s best album to date. I think I was just so wrapped up in the fact that she was back that the excitement and how much I stan for her had me caught up in the moment. I mean let’s be real, even though I do love all her albums, I think most people are in agreement that Born to Die will always be her best. I did really enjoy this album however, especially Lana’s new happier outlook and the fact that she’s a little more political with her lyrics. Even just looking at the album cover, you can tell that she’s in a much better place in her life My favorite song from the album is without a doubt “13 Beaches”, it’s just so stunning and so quintessentially her. Overall I was just happy to hear that she didn’t stray too far from her sound for this album; she’s still unmistakably Lana.

#5. KESHA - RAINBOW

Spotify | iTunes

The long-awaited comeback that at one point I honestly thought would never come. I remember the #FreeKesha movement and how horribly Kesha was treated in the entire case against that monster Dr. Luke. It made me sick how he literally owned her soul at one point, and I’m glad that now despite the fact that she isn’t fully free of his influence, she was at least able to work without him and produced this magical little album. When the video for “Praying” first dropped, I was in tears. In legit tears, because it was the perfect comeback. Her vocals in that song gave me chills, and even though those of us who are massive fans of her have always been aware of her vocal ability, I feel like Kesha always has to constantly prove to the world that she can sing all because for the longest time she was known as “the autotune girl”. While Animal and Warrior were really good albums in their own right and I have a lot of nostalgic affection towards them, I feel like Rainbow was the album she always WANTED to make, just like Joanne was for Gaga. It gave her a chance to truly showcase her talent, which people often forgot or didn’t even know she had. But the thing I love most about this album is that it comes from a place of triumph. I am so proud of my girl. I hope one day she’ll be free of her disgusting abuser and can truly be happy.

#4. ALLIE X - COLLXTION II

Spotify | iTunes

I hesitate to use the word “perfect” a lot of the time, but Jesus Christ I can’t describe Allie in any other way. Even when I first discovered her via her 2015 EP CollXtion I, I immediately described her music as “pop perfection”. Because that’s literally what she does. She takes everything that sounds good about current pop music and makes it her own. She is such a hit maker and it boggles my mind how underrated she is. I think her song “Sanctuary” from her first EP I would even go as far to say as one of the best pop songs I’ve ever heard in my life. IN MY LIFE. In this particular album, every song is a certified bop. “Casanova” is for sure my number one song from it because that production is so flawless it’s criminal. If you’ve never heard of her and are listening to her songs for the first time, make sure to hide your wigs because I’m telling you; they’ll all disintegrate by the time you’ve gone through her discography. Allie X is the real deal, and she deserves WAY more fame and success than she’s getting.

#3. SZA - CTRL

Spotify | iTunes

Okay, yes, I know that technically this is an R&B album, but it would’ve been criminal for me not to put SZA on the list. She joins Billie and Dua as some of the biggest breakthrough artists of the year. I don’t really know why I fell in love with SZA and this album so much, because it’s normally not the kind of music I go for or am interested in. But for some reason I got lost in her gorgeous voice and the insanely crisp production of the songs that I was just hooked the house down boots. Initially my favorite song was “Prom” because it was probably the most pop-sounding song out of the bunch, but it wasn’t long before I grew to love the entire album as a whole, which I didn’t expect to happen since it’s so out of my comfort zone. SZA has this honest way of writing that really cuts deep at times, for example in “Drew Barrymore” when she says: “I get so lonely, I forget what I’m worth / We get so lonely, we pretend that this works” that shit hit hard. It’s REAL. “20 Something” is another one of those songs that anyone in their twenties could probably relate to due its pure honesty. Ctrl was seriously the surprise hit of the year, and I can’t wait to see what SZA does next. I low-key hope her next two albums will be called Alt and Delete.

#2. LIGHTS - SKIN&EARTH

Spotify | iTunes

I have kind of a special connection with Lights. I first discovered her through her song “Savior” back in like, 2010-ish. I was in eighth grade at the time and it was a very tumultuous period in my life. I was in an Islamic school, I had zero friends and I was still coming to terms with the fact that I didn’t fit in with anyone and I never would. I was in a deep depression, and her debut album The Listening helped me through a lot of that period of time. While most people coped with depression through listening to music that mirrored those feelings, I dealt with it by listening to songs that were happy and upbeat. Lights’ songs at the time were adorable and cheerful, sort of akin to if Owl City had a female vocalist. Ever since then, whenever she would release an album, it always helped me out of slumps, and I became really devoted to her. I was obsessed with her follow up albums Siberia and Little Machines, and now Skin&Earth falls into that category. I adore this album, and it’s one of those albums that I have to listen to from start to finish all the time because I just love it so much as a whole. At this point I know she could never disappoint me, and she’s one of the girls I always look to for catchy pop sounds with beautiful lyrics. I love her dearly, and I implore you to go through her catalog if you’ve just now discovered her. She is a true pop gem.

Before we get to the #1 (which I’m sure is pretty obvious at this point), some honorable mentions, most of which are EPs. I’ve attached each of them with their respective Spotify links in case you wanna have a listen to any of em. In no particular order:

Astrid S - Party’s Over (EP)

Monogem - 100% (EP)

Khalid - American Teen (this one almost made the list)

Superfruit - Future Friends (this one too)

PVRIS - All We Know of Heaven, All We Need of Hell

Terror Jr. - Bop City 2: TerroRising

Terror Jr. - Bop 3: The Girl Who Cried Purple (EP)

Sigrid - Don’t Kill My Vibe (EP)

Daniella Mason - Daniella Mason (EP)

Echosmith - Inside a Dream (EP)

Phoebe Ryan - James (EP)

Charli XCX - Number 1 Angel

Fickle Friends - Glue (EP)

FRND - In Your Dreams (EP)

Paramore - After Laughter (another one that just scraped the list)

Transviolet - Kaleidoscopes (EP)

Zara Larsson - So Good

Lola Marsh - Remember Roses

Thomas Azier - Rouge

Halsey - hopeless fountain kingdom

Ralph - Ralph (EP)

Sabrina Claudio - About Time

Demi Lovato - Tell Me You Love Me

Vera Blue - Perennial

Brother Sundance - Honey (EP)

Fifth Harmony - Fifth Harmony

MØ - When I Was Young (EP)

Stalgia - NOMAD

EMBRZ - Progress (EP)

Aly & AJ - Ten Years (EP)

LP - Lost on You

Mothica - Heavy Heart (EP)

SAKIMA - Ricky (EP)

Ella Vos - Words I Never Said

I highly suggest checking these artists out. Just because they didn’t make the list, doesn’t mean they’re less good; my favorites just sorta overpowered them. Anyways, now that that’s outta the way, onto my not at all surprising number one pick.

#1. LORDE - MELODRAMA

Spotify | iTunes

I told you this was Melodrama. How could I not crown this masterpiece of an album number one? Ever since I first listened to it, I was adamant in saying that it would be THE album of the year and I’ve stuck to that. I strongly believe that it should win the Grammy, and deservedly so, because Lorde really outdid herself with this. I mean, holy fuck. When I first heard Pure Heroine I knew she was a talented writer and that was a great album, but I had no idea she was THIS talented. Melodrama really captured the depth of her ability and also how much she’s grown as both an artist and a person. Pure Heroine was all about teen life and coming of age, it was a very cohesive and uniform album and also a very influential album musically speaking, since Pure Heroine along with LDR’s Born to Die has such a heavy effect on the pop music of today. Melodrama still has some of that Pure Heroine charm but it’s unmistakably more adult, darker and grittier, and maintains the cohesive theme of the rise and fall of a relationship. I don’t know how Ella’s mind works but she writes like a dream. All of these songs are masterfully written, and her and Jack Antonoff make an amazing team. One of the songs in particular, “Supercut”, gives me a very euphoric feeling in a way that it makes me want to dance around while laughing and crying at the same time. It is very reminiscent of my feelings toward Gaga’s song “Gypsy” from ARTPOP. “Liability” is a standout in regards to songwriting also, because a lot of artists like to promote their work as “personal”, but this song and really this entire album is pretty much Ella baring her soul, and that’s as personal as “personal” can get. I’m just really in awe of her talent, and Melodrama deserves to top every “album of the year” list out there. It’s an incredible piece of artistry and I think decades from now it is going to be remembered as a classic.

[bthenoise]

Q&A: Hear Trenton Woodley Discuss Hands Like Houses’ Most Daring Release Yet ‘-Anon’

This interview previously aired on idobi Radio and is for everyone who was too lazy to tune in. Enjoy!

Hands Like Houses are gearing up to release their Hopeless Records debut -Anon this Friday. Now before you think there isn’t much more to that statement than just the facts, really look at it for a second. 

This Friday, Hands Like Houses will be starting a new chapter of their career with a brand new label and a record that some fans might not have seen coming.  

Stepping away from the constraints of the “post-hardcore” genre, the Australian act has really taken a leap of faith with their new release in hopes of shedding any previous notions about the band. 

“The big thing about the record was kind of that idea of Anon [which] came from the idea of us kind of wanting to sperate expectations of what we are, where we come from and what defines who we are,” explains the band’s soft-spoken frontman Trenton Woodley. “It was a big part of our process, just like separating from our own intentions and expectations of others and we very intentionally let go of what we thought we were and what everyone thought we were so that everyone would approach this with an open mind.”

With one of their biggest singles to date, the rock-driven thumper “Monster,” blowing up on active rock radio (specifically Sirius XM’s Octane), longtime HLH fans have certainly had to make an adjustment as to who the “new” Hands Like Houses are. However, does that mean the band who wrote Rise Records staples such as 2012′s Ground Dweller and 2013′s Unimagine are gone?

Absolutely not -- at least, according to Woodley they’re not. 

“I think more people, as they spend time with [”Monster”], are actually kind of hearing that the lyrics are certainly Hands Like Houses and very much us. I guess surface-level, it's quite different and that's kind of where if you listen to it a few more times you think to yourself, “Okay, this actually is the real band I’ve spent the last three, five, ten years listening to.”  

Now before you make any judgments or preconceived ideas of what -Anon is all about, we highly suggest letting Woodley explain it for himself. To do so, make sure to check out our in-depth interview with the multi-talented vocalist below. Afterward, be sure to pre-order -Anon and grab tickets to see Hands Like Houses tour the US with Emarosa, Devour The Day and Arlington here.  

So we're getting closer to release day. What are you like leading up to the release of an album?

To be honest, it kind of snuck up on me but I think I'm ready. We recorded the album back in April -- I'm sorry, back in May I should say -- and in the meantime, obviously, it's just been about getting the marketing, and the videos and the strategy and all those pieces lined up to make it happen. So we kind of got to that point where it's not up to us and we're just ready for it to come out. I'm very excited which is probably pretty predictable. The initial excitement of having it done has kind of worn off and now it's like that anticipation of like, “Alright, let's do it!”

Do you find yourself searching the internet reading comments before an album is released?

Certainly, yes. I usually find the first 24 hours of putting something out is the best time to do that. After that, that’s just when the idiots come out. I feel like trolls generally have about, more or less...  just give it 24 hours cause that's when the trolls and the facepalm comments [are posted]. So the first 24 hours or so is usually the best time to get in and see what people are actually responding to because the first 24 hours are usually the core fans that enable you to be in a band and make a job out of it. Those are the people to first latch on to it and the first to give you honest feedback.

Well it must feel good to know “Monster,” one of your more unique singles, is doing so well despite what some of the comments might say.

Definitely. Certainly. We released “Overthinking” and “Monster” for different reasons. They're both at opposite ends of the spectrum that is the album as a whole so it was probably a bit of a jarring jump for some people to go from “Overthinking” to “Monster” and fans seem to have one clear favorite over the other depending on which stage of the journey they jumped on the wagon. So yeah, we're stoked that both have done such good things. It's almost kind of jilted our release plans a little. We were actually planning to release our third single [earlier] but they're both doing so well that we can kind of -- the third single is the one we’re most excited for; it's my favorite song on the record [and] we think it's got the highest ceiling of where it can go. But having to almost sit on that [song] an extra bit longer has been a bit of an exercise in patience and playing the game carefully because we're so stoked how well the other songs are doing. It's made us kind of rehash our release plans just ever so slightly to give it the best opportunity and give these songs time to play out. Especially now that “Monster” has landed the license and syncs for the WWE Show-Down that's in Melbourne. It's been blasting all over the WWE on TV. Yeah, it’s pretty exciting to be a part of that. Whether it's through [Sirius] Octane or Hopeless or a bit of both, it's pretty exciting to see where that takes us.

It must be bittersweet to want to drop a single but have to wait because the other single is doing so well. It must be even more rewarding considering “Monster” was a bit experimental for you guys.

Yeah, and each song is kind of blowing up for its own reasons. I guess we were anticipating “Monster” kind of doing the most and having the most reach but it’s been 50/50 [between “Monster” and “Overthinking”].  So yeah, it's developing for the right reasons. And there’s some of that initial reaction and I always expected that from “Monster.” I know that we kind of took risks with it and there was very much a reason. It's a very intentional song in terms of what we made it to do. We wrote it for reasons to be a fun rock and roll song that didn't take itself so seriously and I think that's where people, you know, a tiny subset of our fans, have kind of latched on to the seriousness of everything or just the fact that we're having fun with what we're doing. It kind of created a little bit of that, I don't know, not a disconnect but I think it's just kind of people's interpretation. Like, you know, if you're about to bite into a chocolate and it tastes like bacon, it's not that either are a bad thing, it's just when you're ready for one thing and you get the other, I think that creates a little bit of a “hang on” moment. I think more people, as they spend time with this song, are actually kind of hearing that the lyrics are certainly Hands Like Houses and very much us. I guess surface-level, it's quite different and that's kind of where if you listen to it a few times you think to yourself “Okay, this actually is the real band I’ve spent the last three, five, ten years listening to.”

Yeah, that’s an interesting way to look at it. Maybe fans are just on their toes a little after you guys released a heavier song in “Drift” in 2017, a softer song in “Overthinking,” then the radio-ready track “Monster.” Do you like kind of keeping fans on edge as to what you’ll release next?

Certainly. The big thing about the record was kind of that idea of Anon [which] came from the idea of us kind of wanting to sperate expectations of what we are, where we come from and what defines who we are. It was a big part of our process, just like separating from our own intentions and expectations of others and we very intentionally let go of what we thought we were and what everyone thought we were so that everyone would approach this with an open mind. And I think kind of putting people on their toes and kind of knocking them off balance with the songs we put out was very intentional so that the record would have the most opportunity to be interpreted as its own thing, its own animal. It's just like, at first listen, it doesn't matter if you've heard of Hands Like Houses before or you haven't. You still get that same feeling of “What is this?” That feeling of originality, it’s like that idea of falling in love with someone for the first time. It’s not something you can recreate. It’s kind of like having that fresh opportunity and that excitement and that fear and anticipation [which] makes it worthwhile when it does become a part of you. And that’s kind of the hope with how we set up the record and how fans take it.

So talking about the musical style of “Overthinking” vs “Monster,” do you notice as much of a disconnect between the “active rock” and “Warped Tour” worlds in Australia like there is here in the US?

I wouldn't say there's a disconnect here. Certainly, there's always going to be different things and different demographics and different sort of stuff but in Australia we have this unifying thing in Triple J radio -- that is like our government funded station that plays Australian music; it's like a big single radio station that plays alternative music in Australia and it's created this kind of interesting demographic where there are people who will listen to band’s like Tash Sultana and then listen to Drake and Kendrick Lamar and then Hands Like Houses and The Amity Affliction within an hour of each other. And all that gets played on the same station and you'd be surprised how many crossovers there are between those different [audiences] and I think we have, as a country, a bit of appreciation where a good song is a good song regardless of what style it is. Sure, we all have our tastes and we all have our things but in America, everything seems so divided. Like, your entire culture is built around dividing people along the demographic line where if you dress like that, then you listen to this and you hang out in these places. And if you eat here, then you do this and watch that. It’s so broken up and now that the Warped Tour has kind of I guess, let's say ended -- I think there's obviously going to be a continuation in terms of a few select dates or something. But I feel like with Warped Tour going away as a national tour, I think it will kind of be a bit of a settling period where people kind of drift back and forth between other demographics and sort of sounds and there's been an intentional effort to bridge that active rock and Warped Tour world over the last few years. You are seeing bands like us, bands like Sylar and Palisades, crossing over into that world of the active rock and the radio rock and doing quite well in that regards on the stations like Octane. I don't know, I think the bridges were being built before Warped Tour ended so I think that there will certainly be a change in the way people address it but I'm kind of curious to see how it plays out.   

It’s kinda sad to hear you say America is built around dividing people, especially considering who our president is. But talking about active rock vs Warped Tour, you’re going to be going out on tour with Devour The Day (primarily an active rock band) and Emarosa (primarily a Warped band). Was that intentional to kind of help bridge the gap?

Yeah totally. And having Arlington along as well is pretty exciting. Their a unique, young band who just signed to Rise and put their first single out. They’re bringing kind of a cool crossover into the indie rock, West Coast kinda world who kinda dip their toes in the world in Coachella more than say Rock On The Range. We wanted to make a bill that made sense and not so much, “Oh this band only gets to play with this band because they sound like that band.” That was something we certainly wanted to break away from in that sense of genre divides along the demographics. Let's just put together a bunch of great bands that write great songs in their individual genres and I think that will make more sense than having a bunch of bands that sound like us but not sound like us. So yeah, it made a lot of sense for us and I’m pretty excited to see how it goes down because I think no matter which band you go for, you're going to at least enjoy one or two of the others.    

It’s awesome you guys are taking out Emarosa considering they’re on a similar trajectory as you guys sort of branching away from the sound people heard when they were on Rise Records…

Just wait until you hear the new stuff!

Oh really!?

I’ve only heard a couple snippets when Bradley was recording down the road from us. Yeah, it's very different but it's pretty exciting. I think they're feeling [good] with what they’re doing and I feel like this was the perfect opportunity for us to tour with them together on the back of what we've done before but with putting our best foot forward into where we're headed. It's pretty exciting to kind of put that all in one room... or many rooms considering how many shows we’re doing [laughs].   

So going back to the album, can you touch on the title a little more? Where did -Anon come from?

Yeah, totally. For me, I think the idea of -Anon came as I was flying to meet the guys in the studio. And I was kinda going through the whole [writing and recording] process, and I was feeling stress and pressure on me because I was basically coming in with two weeks to write 2/3rds of an album because a lot of the songs that were already written had been kinda dropped along the way and I was kind of freaking out. And I’m like, “Well look, I’m always struggling with figuring out new ways to write about the same thing because I’m still me and I still have my own experiences, my own challenges, my own mental perspectives on how I connect with the world around me, so there's only so many ways to skin that cat” [laughs]. But for me, I don’t know, it came out of the balance of wanting to create this thing that people have no idea -- you don't have to know who we are to get it and if they know who we are that just adds deeper meaning because when you first listen to an album of any band, it’s like when you first fall in love with the band, you can’t ever recreate that. But when you find something and you're like “Hey this feels right,” we wanted to almost kind of recreate that experience as best we could and separate that idea of who we are from what we do and -Anon kind of came from that. Like, as if this album came out anonymously and no one knew who it was, then how would they take it and that kind of helped shape my lyrical input and it shaped the way that we viewed the album and the fans’ expectations and things like that. And it shaped the way that we approached it with this pure instinct and intentions that kind of make it into this thing that no matter who you or what you know of the band, you can still take this on and still kind of be on your toes with fresh expectations like “I don’t know what’s going to happen next.” I guess that was the catalyst moment for me and for the record and I guess that's what kind of gave birth to the title.

So -Anon is short for Anonymous, yes?

[laughs] Yes, I forgot to mention that. -Anon is short for anonymous specifically -- for example, there's a whole lot of anonymous poetry out there from 50 to 100 to 200 years ago and no one knows who wrote it but the reason it still exists today is because there was something about it that's worth sharing regardless of who originally wrote it. So if you remove the context of it and you only have the words -- that's kind of, in a modern context, like memes. No one knows who created any given meme because it's just impossible to know because everyone removes watermarks and removes watermarks and no one knows [who made them]. But the reason it exists and the reason it's shared is not because of who created it but what the actual content is and what it's relatable to and that's kind of what we wanted to recreate. Just that sense of poetry in that if you don't know who and why, it's still worth sharing and still worth relating to because the content is there and not who created it.  

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

[ttawoabw]

FairyLoot: February ‘Emperors & Fugitives’ Box

Okay, so if you don’t know what a book subscription box then;

Where have you been?

Check out my blog post about them HERE. (I really need to update this…)

FairyLoot is another big Book Subscription service.  The way I see it is it’s the UK’s equivalent of the US’s OwlCrate.  I’ve ordered one of their boxes in the past (you can read the review HERE) but I made that order as a single purchase and haven’t been able to secure a place as a subscriber since.  BUT I FINALLY DID IT, managing to get a place as a subscriber for this company is part of the reason I’ve decided to give Owlcrate a break (among other more significant reasons).  I loved the box I ordered way back then and I’ve loved most of the boxes I’ve seen since then.  I researched what book would be included in this box since I like to do this and I had never heard of it but was intrigued immediately. So without further ado lets get into the unboxing/review.

Okay, so way back when I first ordered this box it wasn’t that strong.  It worked well, but the cardboard was a little weak, it may just be my imagination but the box is sturdier now.  I could be imagining that but yeah.  I still love the logo for this company.

Something cool about FairyLoot’s boxes is the quote they include on the boxes (I think they sometimes change it up) but it’s just a cute little extra touch that shows an extra level of care that’s been put into creating this product.  I also really love the fact that they have a colour scheme of purple (the packing worms are purple and as you’ll see in March’s review it carries through).

“Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.” – Neil Gaiman, Coraline

I like this introduction/information card art, the other side is nicer (I’ll include it at the end) – it does fit with the theme and it can be used as an art piece.  But I just don’t really like the picture itself (meaning the art is good but it isn’t a design I would put up). The information side is clear, descriptive and quite frankly, beautiful.

So first thing I found in the purple packing worms was this full size candle created by Happy Piranha.  It’s called Kalusian Sunset and was named by February’s featured books author. I don’t know what the scent it, it smells a bit florally – I love the smell but think I can only have it in small doses. It actually had melted in transit and I was so worried it had melted throughout my box, thankfully it had not.  I also love the designs on the candle, both the wrap around and lid.

Next up, sticking to the scented things, we have this Celestial Gunpowder bath bomb by Bathing Beauties.  I think the description is cute, “If you’re on the run through the galaxy, you’re going to need a Celestial Gunpowder Bath Bomb to keep you squeaky clean.  Okay, maybe not, but it might help make the whole ‘on-the-run’ thing better, right?” It’s cupcake scented, which I am all for, and was made exclusively for this box.

Now this is possibly the coolest item included in this box; a Baby Groot bobble head keychain by Funko.  Even if you don’t like superhero movies, or specifically Guardians of the Galaxy, no one can say they don’t love Baby Groot.  He’s possibly the best Marvel character on screen at the moment. He lives happily on my Percy Jackson keychain.  I love him, he’s so cute!

A more practical item, this Illuminae quote coaster by Read At Midnight was included and I love it.  It’s really sturdy, an actual coaster, and is really pretty.

“She is catalyst. She is chaos. I can see why he loves her.”

Up next we have a sampler for The One Memory of Flora Banks by Emily Barr.  I couldn’t get a photograph of it but this was an accordion sampler ant it was just really cool.  It sounds really interesting – similar to The Memory Book by Lara Avery- and heartbreaking.

Up next we have a bookmark by Till and Dill.  I don’t really care for this bookmark and I’ve put it in my ‘guests take a bookmark pile’ so someone else can appreciate it.

Something I’m really excited about; a discount code for MyBookmark – I love their bookmarks.  They’re 3D and poke out at the ends of your books, like feet!  But they’re really expensive, especially with shipping to Australia, so I can only get them when I have a discount code (it’s how I got my first one).

Next up we’ve got this double sided Throne of Glass print by Taratjah.  One side has Dorian, the other had Manon.  I actually haven’t read the Throne of Glass series (I read the first two/three) but I really liked the picture of Dorian so I put that up on the back of my bedroom door.

The last item before the book is this cute little canvas pouch with a quote from rebel of the Sands on it, it was designed by Alisse Courtier.  It’s the perfect size to hold all my USB’s and SD cards!

  And now for the book…

Empress of a Thousand Skies by Rhoda Belleza. I hadn’t heard anything about this title before FairyLoot announced their theme and I researched what book would fit with it, and I’m glad it ended up on my radar. It sounds like a great sci0fi adventure and I think it’ll be a great read.

CROWN PRINCESS RHIANNON TA’AN WANTS VENGEANCE.

The only surviving heir to an ancient Kalusian dynasty, RHEE has spent her life training to destroy the people who killed her family. Now, on the eve of her coronation, the time has finally come for Rhee to claim her throne – and her revenge.

ALYOSHA is a Wraetan who has risen above his war refugee origins to find fame as the dashing star of a DroneVision show. Despite his popularity, Aly struggles with anti-Wraetan prejudices and the pressure of being perfect in the public eye.

Their paths collide with one brutal act of violence: Rhee is attacked, barely escaping with her life. Aly is blamed for her presumed murder.

The princess and her accused killer are forced to go into hiding – even as a war between planets is waged in Rhee’s name. But soon, Rhee and Aly discover that the assassination attempt is just one part of a sinister plot. Bound together by an evil that only they can stop, the two fugitives must join forces to save the galaxy.

In this exhilarating debut for fans of Marissa Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles and Pierce Brown’s Red Rising trilogy, RHODA BELLEZA crafts a powerful saga of vengeance, warfare, and the true meaning of legacy.

The book and the items included with it came in a cute little dust bag with the FairyLoot symbol on it.  I didn’t know they did this but I think it’s such a cool thing to do.  Kind of like wrapping the book to keep the element of surprise but you get to keep the bag!

Something FairyLoot does is include a mini magazine that features an interview with the author, books to read after you’ve read Empress of a Thousand Skies and the next month’s theme (which for March is Myths and Monsters, it’s their one year anniversary box so it’ll be purple and just full of amazingness!).  I like this as it allows the reader to really connect with the author, FairyLoot also include a letter from their authors so it’s like double the awesomeness!

To my dearest, fiercest Fairylooters: Excuse the mushiness, but it absolutely has to be said: it means the world to me you’re reading this. I wrote Rhee and Aly because I’d always come back to this theme of expectation.  Our skin color, perceived gender and age, a million other things – they feed into expectations everyone else had, and as a young person it had been so easy for me to adopt this as truth.  To let someone else define my identity, to tell me who I was supposed to be.  That external pressure was key, in a way.  I’d felt this immense, impossible heat bearing down – so that the only way to survive was to form on my own terms.  Like that gem of truth was always in my DNA.  Aly and Rhee are different expressions of that idea.  And while they’re in a faraway galaxy, surrounded by advanced tech with an interplanetary war as a backdrop, they’re both trying to survive – in body, mind and spirit – and find their own truth.  I hope this speaks to you.  Ad at the very least, I hope you like the fight scenes. :) 

And of course a signed bookplate!

  Final Thoughts:

I really liked this box, in fact I loved it. It was filled with SO MUCH and it fit all the expectations I’ve developed about what I expect from a YA book subscription service.  Everything was of a high quality, fit perfectly with the theme and was something I have used or can see myself ctually using.  I’m really impressed with this box and I’m glad I was able to secure a subscription so I can see what other amazing products they include in future boxes!

You can order your FairyLoot box HERE for £26 pounds (not including shipping). If you want to check out past boxes you can click HERE and HERE.

  My Links:

Goodreads : Becca Winter

Instagram : becca_theory

Twitter : @Becca_Theory

Facebook : The Troubles And Woes Of A Bookworm

Becca

xxx

The opinions expressed in this review are mine and mine alone.  This post is not sponsored I paid for the box myself.

Book Subscription Box Review: FairyLoot's February 'Emperors & Fugitives' Box FairyLoot: February 'Emperors & Fugitives' Box Okay, so if you don't know what a book subscription box then;