Tag: Dehumanized

Hothfest 2016 lineup and interview with Jamie

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Hothfest- 2016

Maximum Capacity Chicopee, MA 01013

01/09/2016-01/10/2016

 

Metal Festivals happen every year all over the world, these festivals are one of the greatest shows metal heads end up going to. Getting a chance to see metal bands from all over at the same venue, be it an open air stadium, or other concert halls. Many metal heads like myself have great memories from going to big festivals, hearing and seeing bands we are stoked to see, to discovering bands that we had never heard before. In the Northeast U.S. there is really only one big festival that has been happening annually since 1999. But that is just not enough to satisfy the appetite of metal heads across the region. This is when a drummer and tattoo artist from the Massachusetts area decided he had waited long enough, and was going to take matters into his own hands. Jamie Cross came up with Hothfest last year and is doing it again this year around. Hothfest -2016 we will be witnessing 30 bands over the course of two days. To make things even better its on a weekend, Saturday and Sunday, that means for most you wont have to miss work to go to an awesome metal show.

I had the chance to talk to Jamie and ask him a few questions about Hothfest 2016 to get an idea,  what started it all, and what to expect.

 

 

Badger- So this is the second annual Hothfest, have you already noticed more exposure of this festival than when you did it last year?

 Jamie- A little bit, I mean I’m trying a bit harder, I went to other shows and have been passing out postcards to everybody. Of course there’s Facebook and doing the old school thing driving around and putting up flyers but I’m just hoping for the best. It should be good

 Badger- Yea I think so, and what prompted you to organize a metal festival in the first place?

 Jamie- When I did it last year I kind of did it just for fun and it turned out pretty good, and then I had bands from across the states offering to play so, I mean I probably had one hundred bands offer to play this year so I had to pick and choose but yea it’s awesome.

 Badger- That’s cool, that very promising now I am looking forward to 2017 already hearing that.

Jamie- I know right me too, I can’t wait

 Badger- So what has the general reaction been from the bands last year? Were you like reaching out to bands last year, and this year they are coming to you to do it?

 Jamie- Yea I reached out to a couple that played last year and they did well, and a lot were friends of bands so I had people say “ you gotta check out this band,” so I got a lot of that and bands started hitting me up offering to play, offering to get on it.

 Badger- Now here is a metal festival with  a lot of bands playing,  do you have any sponsors for this? Or is it all you?

 Jamie- No I do it all myself man,

Badger- That’s pretty cool, good for you man that’s awesome.

Jamie- Yea I just put like the music stores and logo on our artwork because they were letting me hang stuff up there to help out.

 Badger- Now do you have any times for what time the doors open and what time it’s going to run till on Saturday, and then the same for Sunday?

Jamie- Yea I am not positive on that last year doors opened at noon, and bands started at 1. So I’m assuming the same, I haven’t figured out the times yet, I have a few other shows going on right now also that I am working on.

 Badger- What other shows do you have going on?

Jamie- Well this Saturday I have what’s called jingle jam, it’s a toys for tots thing with 9 bands on that, it’s a metal show all ages two bucks bring a toy. It’s called jingle jam and there is a Facebook page for that too. I got a couple of tribute bands on that and some locals playing.

Badger- Any shows besides that one?

Jamie-Then after that, the next one is actually after Hothfest and its January 23rd and called musical masterpiece theater the art of the guitar edition. It’s going to be a metal show for the sickest guitar players. I have Mark Rizzo from Soulfly headlining, and then I have Dave Sharp and the Solar Power, a few other ones are going to be on that, and I am still waiting to hear back from them.

 Badger-So I know, I can’t remember where the venue was originally going to be, but was it a case of so many bands and people showing interest that caused the venue change?

Jamie- No actually something had happened and they switched owners so I am actually having shows there now. I had already moved it so we are going to keep it where it is (Maximum Capacity) I know the guy that owns it now so and they own both venues so I will be throwing shows at both venues. Yea I have a big summer show I throw that has about 30 bands called rocking on the river and it’s my birthday bash, and we have that at the waterfront. So I already booked that again this year.

Jamie-That one’s kind of like Hothfest but the summer instead. I do about four or five big shows a year, when bands play every weekend people sometimes don’t want to show up. So (with a big show they are more likely to show up)

Badger- yea I know my old band we would play the same club almost every weekend because we were tight with the owner. But we knew that some people didnt want to come and see us every Friday or Saturday, it is what it is, and you always have the group that wouldn’t miss a show for the world.

 Jamie- We have our first show in NH playing at the Shaskeen pub in Manchester. It’s January 2nd and I am pretty psyched because we haven’t played anywhere else except from around here so it should be fun.

 Jamie- We sound like COC and Pantera that who we get compared to all the time, two of my favorite bands so I will take that. We are half rock half metal so.

 Badger-Are there any updates you want the readers and local to know about this show? Your band? What you are putting into this, other stuff about you? I know you do tattoos so…?

 Jamie-Yea I own a tattoo studio, I do some work for bands cd artwork, t-shirt all that stuff. At the shows the background for Hothfest that’s one of my paintings I did I actually just got the posters in for Hothfest, so I will be driving around and hanging wherever places will let me.

 Bader- I know you had just done a painting event,

Jamie-Yea called who wants to paint with me. We had a blast, it was a lot of fun.

Badger-Is that something you think you will be doing more of?

Jamie-Yea every couple of months I am going to do it, this time around I am going g to limit it to around 25 people so I know and have them pay up front. We had a blast, listened to metal and local bands all night.

 Jamie-If I could add one more thing the band Defeated Sanity will be here all the way from Germany they haven’t been in the states for about 5 years. So that’s going to be a pretty cool deal that they are playing at Hothfest and they are bringing a band called Iniquitous Savagery from Scotland with them so we have this whole European/ UK tour coming this way and also a band from California, and then metal bands from NH, MA, Vermont pretty much everywhere around here.

Jamie- Dehumanized will headline Saturday, and carnivore will headline Sunday

Jamie-Sunday is more of a local thing, and closer, and the travelling bands are playing on Saturday.

 Badger-That’s pretty good planning, especially for like Defeated Sanity who are on tour. Thank you for setting up a sick metal festival, thanks for trying to keep the metal scene going around here, and thank you for the phone call.

Jamie- Cool thanks man.

So there you have it, I for one am looking forward to Hothfest 2016.

The set lists are TBA, however the lineups for both days are already determined;

 

Saturday January 9th

Dehumanized

Immortal Suffering

Defeated Sanity

Abnormality

Dysentery

Iniquitous Deeds

Iniquitous Savagery

Torturous Inception

Hypoxia

Incontinence

Assault on the Living

Open the Nile

Dream of Scipio

Forest of Remorse

To Kill Again

 

 

Sunday January 10th

Carnivora

Thunderforge

City Of Homes

Western Massacre

Sevenday Curse -first show with new members

Goblet

The Aberration

She Walks Without Legs

Godeater

Oxblood Forge

Disguise The Curse

My Pet Carcass

One Ton Tommy Gun

Roadhorse

Grzelakurse

 

If you want to check out the bands before the show, here are a list of their FB pages

Dehumanized (OFFICIAL)
Dysentery
Torturous Inception
Abnormality
Hypoxia
Incontinence
Open The Nile
Thunderforge
Goblet
Godeater
Western Massacre
Oxblood Forge
City of Homes
Sevenday Curse
One Ton Tommy Gun
To Kill Again
Grzelakurse
ROADHORSE
My Pet Carcass
The Aberration
Disguise the Curse
Forest of Remorse
Immortal Suffering
Assault on the Living
Dream of Scipio
Defeated Sanity official
Iniquitous Deeds
Iniquitous Savagery
She Walks Without Legs
Carnivora

Also check out the event page for Hothfest 2016

 

-Badger \m/
http://www.badgersmetalbreakdown.com

Olivier Pinard the masterful bassist for the one and only Cryptopsy

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As some of you have seen I was able to interview Chris and Flo from Cryptopsy, now for my third interview I was able to ask Oli a few questions. and to talk about their current indiegogo campaign ( http://igg.me/at/Cryptopsy/x/10796470  )

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When I saw these guys in Syracuse, I got a chance to really talk to all of them, and also get some impressions from all of them. To watch these guys on stage is just a great show. For all the people in the crowd just thrashing and head banging, a pit only broke out a few times, but for the most part there was a group of people myself included just really taking in the whole experience. These guys give it their all, and part of that is because they are an independent band. They do not have a label backing them up and supporting them. They have the fans as their support. When they get the support they need,  they want to give back, and that’s what helps with their energy  to put on a great show. Oli was in the zone, what I mean is that he was like a different person on stage. After their show when I talked to him, he was just the most down to earth guy. I asked him what one of the first things he would do when he got back home after the tour ended, showered unpacked etc. and he said go to his favorite pub with good friends. After they got back home I ended up reaching out to all of the guys from Cryptopsy, and this is how it went with Oli.

Badger- Did you have fun while you were on the Back to the U.S. tour? Also you had a birthday so what was that like while being on the road touring and promoting the new E.P. and crowd funding campaign.?

Olivier-Lot of fun , old and new friends! The crowd were amazing, I think on that tour we got a bunch of new fans ….And for the birthday , it was an awesome night ,We played Amytiville that night and the guys from Suffocation, Internal Bleeding and Dehumanized show up, good times!!

Badger-I have been both a Cryptopsy fan, and a Neuraxis fan for some time. The technical metal coming from Canada has been just brutal (which is why I like it so much) For you how did it feel going from one killer metal band like Neuraxis, to then playing the bass for the legendary Cryptopsy? And how did you get involved with Cryptopsy?

Olivier- Neuraxis recorded the album ”ASYLON” during the summer of 2010 at Garage Studio with Chris Donaldson . I love to think that he liked working with me , otherwise I don’t think that he would have called me for Cryptopsy haha!

But yeah , the trasition was huge , It was a big challenge for me to play with those guys. I spent a lot of days at Jon Levasseur place’s to learn the old stuff and write the bass line for the Self-Titled as well ….So I didn’t have time to waste!!

Badger- Have you always been a fan of metal? Who are your influences for metal, as well as playing the bass?

Olivier- HUGE Metal fan! Since forever.

I started with alot of classic like :

Iron Maiden (Steve Harris …duh!) , RUSH , Motorhead , Metallica , Megadeth,  Testament , Dissection , Martyr , Gorguts ,Augury ,Neurosis , Pantera , Sepultura , Opeth , Emperor , Suffocation, Voivod and 10000 more…

Now , I’m still interested in the underground scene , bands like Ulcerate , Dead Congregation , Gigan are constantly in my CD player!

Badger- After the E.P. is released will we be seeing any play through videos from you in the near future?

Olivier-Maybe , maybe not haha. I’m actually not a big fan of play through video . I understand why people like that …but for me, magic happen on stage in front of people , not behind a camera in my basement.

Badger- If you could describe The Book Of Suffering E.P. in five words. What would those five words be? Again I want to thank you for your time to answer my questions, I wish you guys the best, I hope you guys make it to your goal, and wish you safe travels for your next trip of touring to promote the new music.

Olivier- Extreme , Dark , Groovy , Fresh , Brutal

Thanks , see ya on the road!

So there you go, words from the bassist extraordinaire himself, Olivier Pinard, The guy is just killer on the bass, and a really cool cat. I personally cannot wait until the E.P. comes out, I have been a Cryptopsy fan for a long time. When other bands were playing typical “death metal ” styles, Cryptopsy was playing a much more technical style of metal.

Make sure to click on this link http://igg.me/at/Cryptopsy/x/10796470

Check out some videos of Oli

Bass and Guitars for this one, hey Oli and Chris tearing it up!!!

So go on and click here http://igg.me/at/Cryptopsy/x/10796470  

The pricing is pretty fair, you have to figure the cost of things these days, everything is going up. And these guys are trying to keep the prices competitive as well. The cost of Gasoline, and all other goods out there, everything is expensive these days. However the way I look at it.  I am a sucker for a physical CD. for $20.00 I will get my E.P. shipped to me with a digital download, and while some may argue its too expensive. I believe in spending a little more to get a better quality. These guys offer a better quality, and raise the bar every time. Even if you don’t have 20 dollars for the CD. Do some research, a lot of bands are doing digital E.P.’s for $5.00   So Cryptopsy is on point with that, I have never been disappointed by these guys, and i will always be a fan. So whether all you have is $5.00, or not even that, they have a perk for $1.00 contributions. That way you can at least be a part of something cool, and help out one of the pioneering bands of technical death metal.

-Badger \m/

http://www.badgersmetalbreakdown.com