Xtatic Line – Dubbed ‘The new Linkin Park’

Just as Linkin Park announces the news of their new album ‘LIVING THINGS’ that’s due for release this June 2012, another band has been causing a stir on the Rock/Rap scene. Xtatic Line, from the west coast of Florida gave the details of their new EP ‘RE:Dawn’ and their views on being dubbed ‘the new Linkin Park’ to our Collaborator Matthew Trevett.

MT: Details of your new EP ‘RE:Dawn’ were released only a couple of days ago, what has the reaction been like so far and what can we expect from the EP musically?

XL: “It’s been a crazy past couple of weeks so far. The support shown to the production, not only by the fans but also by the media, has been downright incredible and I’m truly appreciative of that. Well, the new EP consists of 5 re-imagined versions of tracks that appeared on the demo. The goal was to create and deliver a more energetic and vivid experience and I think I was able to accomplish that with this record. It also serves as a good indication of the direction I’m heading in with future productions. I had a lot of fun working on this project and I truly hope the fans enjoy it as much as I did putting it together.”

MT: You are the Producer/Vocalist, who else is involved with the Xtatic Line project?

XL: “No one else, just me and my laptop. Everything you hear on every Xtatic Line song was composed, recorded and produced by me. I play the guitar and piano so I thought I could pull it off and I think it worked out pretty well.”

MT: What do you make of comparisons between yourself and Linkin Park’s early material is it nice to be compared to such a big band or does it add extra pressure?

XL: “It’s an honor really. I’m very proud of being mentioned alongside Linkin Park when people talk about Rap/Rock. When it’s all said and done, I want Xtatic Line to be remembered as one of the biggest acts that represented the genre. As far as pressure goes, I don’t do music to live up to others standards. I don’t make music and then go compare it to someone else’s work to determine if it’s good or not. I don’t put that kind of pressure on me because I don’t believe in that. So being compared to LP is fine due to the fact that I’m not trying to fill their shoes or live up to their name. I work on what I think would be interesting to try and create, and as long as I keep doing that, I’ll feel no exterior pressure.”

MT: You were name dropped by Mike Shinoda, is he someone you look up to and do you think you two have similar styles lyrically?

XL: “Definitely. He was a big inspiration growing up and one of the biggest reasons I got into the production side of things. I don’t know if I would say we have similar writing styles due to the fact that Mike and I have gone in different directions over the years. Maybe at some point we had similar styles but I don’t think we do at this particular moment.”

MT: If you could choose any Festival to perform at, where would it be and why?

XL: “It’s difficult for me to mention a specific festival due to the style of music that I play. Perhaps the Download Festival? I’d like to prepare a show for that event.”

MT: Funniest thing that’s ever happened to you?

XL: “Well I don’t know if this is the funniest thing that’s ever happened to me but recently I went through a ‘drive thru’, paid, thanked the person who gave me the change and then just drove off. One of the employees had to run outside to remind me I had forgotten the food. It was more embarrassing than funny now that I think about it, I had a lot in my mind that day – or so I like to believe.”

MT: Often the ‘Nu Metal’ tag is slapped on aggressive Rock/Rap bands, do you put yourself in that category or do you see yourself as more experimental with your sound?

XL: “I think any type of label is toxic to an artist or creative mind, if they let it define them that is. Of course, musically, you have to somehow categorize yourself and that’s fine as long as you don’t let it become a cage. I don’t really want a tag slapped over Xtatic Line, the project is what it is and will always be a product of how I’m feeling creatively.”

MT: You have over 20,000 likes on your Facebook page and over 12,000 followers on Twitter; do you find social media is a good way to connect with your fans?

XL: “No doubt, no doubt. It’s such a powerful tool nowadays. It’s pretty much the reason why Xtatic Line blew up like it did in such a short period of time, I launched and presented the project online and it just spread like wildfire. It was truly unbelievable. It’s also the reason why I’m releasing “Re:Dawn”, because of that interaction with the fans. I do listen and look at what people are saying or requesting, I truly value my fans and what they have to say.”

MT: If you could pick any, which TV show would you love to be on?

XL: “Easy, The Office! I love that show.”

MT: The biggest influence on your life?

XL: “My parents. I know that is kind of cliche and perhaps corny to some but it’s the honest truth. It’s hard not to be influenced by people who have always been there for you regardless of whatever the situation may be and truly love and care for you unconditionally.”

MT: Where do you see Xtatic Line in 10 years?

XL: “I hope that by then I was able to establish Xtatic Line as a household name and had built something special enough to be remembered for a long time.”

MT: Do you have any plans for live dates this year after your EP is released?

XL: “I plan on touring in the fall but I haven’t worked on specifics yet. That’s going to be the next step now after I’m done with all the stuff regarding the EP.”

MT: Describe yourself as a person in five words?

XL: “Humorous, carefree, moody, weird and determined. Sounds like a great combination.”

MT: Which artists/bands currently on the scene would you love to work with?

XL: “Probably Adele. I think she’s a breath of fresh air in the industry and she’s extremely talented. So if I had the chance, I would definitely work with her.”

MT: If you could give one piece of advice to any other band trying to break into the music industry what would it be?

XL: “Act on your ideas and make them happen. I’ve met so many peoples who have great ideas but they never get around to making them a reality. If you are passionate about something, take action.”

Facebook: www.facebook.com/xtaticline

Official Website: www.xtaticline.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/xtaticline

By Matthew Trevett

Linkin Park – ‘Burn It Down’ Single Review

‘An epic anthem, combining electronic vibes with crashing synths that hints at a more song based album for us to look forward to in 2012’

After the experimental ‘A Thousand Suns’ Linkin Park are gearing up to release their fifth studio album entitled ‘Living Things’ this coming June 25th/26th. Chester Bennington and the gang have already moved away from the thunderous guitar riffs and ‘teenage bedroom screamers’ that made Hybrid Theory and Meteora such compelling successes and ‘Burn It Down’ continues their more recent musical direction into electronic rock.

As the synthesizers build up and ease you into the track we are enclosed into a calming and relaxing atmosphere that gains momentum with a continuous thumping drum beat. As the snares build the energy is released and Chester’s vocals kick in “The cycle repeated, as explosions broke in the sky” – “All that I needed, was the one thing I couldn’t find”. The harmonious sound of the electronic waves crashing against a shore of bold kick drum beats create a thunderous background while Chester moves onto the chorus “We’re building it up, to break it back down” – “We’re building it up, to burn it down” as the anthem reaches its high point Mike Shinoda comes in with the lyrical punch of a boxer “You told me yes, you held me high, and I believed when you told that lie” bringing back memories of the interchanging rock/rap that gave Linkin Park their break back in 2000.

‘Burn It Down’ shows signs that ‘Living Things’ could be an album of epic proportion for the band who continues to develop and push the boundaries of modern rock music. The song is available on iTunes now while the album is due out late June 2012.

By Matthew Trevett

 View article on www.Croon.co.uk

Festival and Concert Photography

This gallery contains 35 photos.

Perfect Festival?

iPod Nano (5th gen) Review

Apple’s rise as the leading light in the portable music industry has been quick and effective. iTunes has been the winning alternative to buying CD’s in shops such as HMV and the easy ‘iTunes to iPod’ system has truly helped Apple monopolize the market in how people get and listen to their music nowadays. Even though the market has moved on to include the new Apple iTouch, the iPod Nano remains one of the most popular and practical music players around at the moment.

Available in a variety of colours from the standard black and white to the more personalized purple, green and blue, you can pick your Nano to match your wardrobe, Football team shirt or just simply your favorite colour and after a few months of it being in your pocket you won’t be worrying about scratches too much. What sets the Nano in such high stead is its simplicity yet futuristic appearance, usually new gadgets are packed full of additional add-ons and complicated button systems leaving you spending ten minutes every time you want to add a new playlist or look at your photo’s but with the iPod I feel comfortable to say its accessible to every age generation. Unlike the new iTouch or old iPod Shuffle the Nano is small enough to slot easily into any pocket without it falling out or being visible to pick-pocketers, this has to make it the most practical portable music player to carry around with you all day long and because of its value compared to the for mentioned iTouch you won’t spend the whole day worrying about scratching it against the keys or loose change you’re carrying around in the same pocket.

There’s no doubt that the ability to rotate your finger around the circle set of buttons to scroll up and down is the unique selling point to the iPod. This function allows you to find the perfect song in seconds, even if you have Ziggy Marley on your list. The graphical display is also faultless, with clear menu layouts and the option to customize every aspect of them; once you spend a few minutes setting your iPod up you won’t have to enter the settings menu again.

Once you get your Nano, you are going to have to sync it up with you iTunes library on your PC. For anyone new to this it isn’t like copying music across to your old MP3 player, iTunes requires you to select the iPod once it has been connected and then select the music you want by either artist, album or your own specifically created playlists. At first this may seem a little complicated but once you get used to it, it is a very good way of organizing your music. For those with old mp3 tracks that haven’t got the artist embedded in the file you are going to have to edit the file manually and then add it to your library for it to be recognized by iTunes and to allow you to copy it to your iPod.

If you’re looking for a portable music player (not an all in one camera/video recorder/Social networking device etc.) just a music player, there’s none better than the iPod Nano. Despite the hefty price tag of around £100 keep in mind that you are getting the official iPod, Chinese replicas for £15 or £30 MP3 players made my Samsung or other makes may do their Job but when it comes to longevity and practicability your be thankful when you buy the Nano.

By Matthew Trevett

Pick your colour?

Kerrang’s ‘The 50 Greatest Rockstars In The World Today’ Review

A quick rundown.

As always with countdowns of ‘The Greatest’ you’re not going to be able to please every reader and it’s 100% impossible to incorporate everyone’s opinions but despite this, it’s the perfect way to build discussion and create debate so this month Kerrang Magazine have done there best to compile a list of ‘The 50 Greatest Rockstars In The World Today’

To start with the list only includes Rockstars who are alive today; hence the tag ‘In The World Today’ this already eliminates some real Rock Legends of recent history who have passed away such as Kurt Cobain or Jimi Hendrix, either of which would have been worthy of the No.1 spot. Perhaps making a list of ‘The 50 Greatest Rockstars Of All Time’ would have caused too much debate and alternatively however, even been too ‘predictable’

To create a list like this first you have to define the question, what makes a great Rockstar?

Is it there Lifestyle, Looks, Behavior, Beliefs, Musical Talent, Wealth, Tattoo’s, Record Sales or a combination that makes them great? Kerrang described the perfect Rockstar as the person who makes music that ‘Thunders forth with a deafening Kerrang!’ surely then this is a popularity contest?

We start the list at No.50 with Alexis Brown, the metalcore equivalent of Hayley Williams. She’s big, bold and the complete modern day representation of what a female Rockstar should look like. A long way behind Hayley on this occasion although it can clearly be put down to the mainstream success that Paramore has achieved. Metalcore has a long way to go before it ends up a frequent sound on our radios. Moving on to No. 44 and we have Enter Shikari front man Rou Reynolds. When it comes to passion on stage and appealing to the younger generation through music there’s none better than this Charismatic idealist, supported by an energetic band, there’s no stopping Rou’s rise as one of the greatest pioneers in the ‘Ravecore’ sound.

Skipping to No.40 and we realize that you don’t have to be the lead singer to gain plaudits as a Great Rockstar. Red Hot Chili Peppers ‘Flea’ proves that even a bassist can gain a reputation as a legend of our time, mixing the genres’ of Funk and Rock Michael ‘Flea’ Balzary has gained a reputation for providing infectious bass hooks and a talent matching up to Jimi Hendrix and many of the best. Dropping down to No. 39 and Chino Moreno, lead singer of the Deftones and alternative metal ‘figurehead’ he’s been described as a regular guy.. well as regular as u can be being a Rockstar and has his unique voice has been the penultimate reason why the shadowy music created by Deftones has helped them shake off their Nu Metal tag.

Moving on past Zack De La Rocha and we get to our first ‘rapper’ on the list, No.37 Hyro Da Hero, such is his impact this year he has been placed ahead of rock rap icon Mike Shinoda who surprisingly wasn’t included at all on the list. Described as the rapper who captured rock fans’ hearts Hyro has won over the rock community with his natural performing ability and desire to produce music that rocks! Respected by the likes of Chino Moreno and Sean Smith there’s no stopping this rappers rise to the top.

At No.32 we have Jacoby Shaddix; the Papa Roach front man has gone from zero to hero. From being a nu metal burn out to a modern rock pioneer he is the closest thing to a dictionary definition of rockstar as you could ask for. As we get closer to the top 20, Jared Leto slots in at No. 27. There’s not much the actor-come-singer hasn’t been able to achieve in the industry so far, from being included in People’s Magazine’s ‘List Of The 50 Most Beautiful People In The World’ to dating the likes of Cameron Diaz and Scarlet Johansson to currently being the frontman for the latest Hugo Boss ad campaign, Jared Leto is more than your typical rockstar. 30STM haven risen to become one of the most popular rock bands of recent history, songs like ‘Closer to edge’ ‘The Kill’ and ‘This is war’ have become stage anthems bringing the crowd to feel like they are really connected with the music.

Fred Durst has been excluded from this list possibly on the basis of chosen lifestyle but guitarist Wes Borland sneaks in at No.26 proving that Limp Bizkit has a place in the rock world today and it’s difficult to argue against it. Tunes such as ‘Break Stuff’ ‘My Generation’ target the younger generation and not many other bands can claim to have such an impact when they play their music live. Next up is No. 17 Ian Watkins, like Jacoby he’s got that ‘typical rockstar’ look. Black hair, Tattoo’s, and a dress sense that screams YEAHHHH! No doubt his placement on this list is represent-ant of Lostprophets mainstream success, creating sing-along anthems is a spatiality and insures that fans all ages will be singing the words “Everybody scream your heart out” for many years to come.

As we get closer to the top ten we find well known rockstars of previous years and current moguls of the industry, AC/DC’s Angus Young is at No.15, Matt Bellamy of Muse at no.14 and Gene Simmons from Kiss at 13. Bille Joe Armstrong, David Grohl and Corey Taylor complete 10, 9 and 8 leaving Hayley Williams as No.7. Known as the pop-punk princess Hayley is an icon for all female rockstar wannabe’s and a shining star in a male orientated industry (shown by her four male band mates) small of frame but a composed and self confident personality brings out the best in Hayley when she’s on stage.

Spaces 6, 5 and 4 are taken up by Lemmy from Motorhead, Frank Iero of My Chemical Romance and Frank Carter from the Gallows leaving us with the top 3..

And… it’s Lars Ulrich who nicks the 3^rd spot. Famed for being the reason why thrash metal is around today his including on this list is less about his ‘talents’ as a drummer but more about the timeline of events that made Metallica the band they are today. It’s difficult to see how this justifies his high ranking on this list but nevertheless he is a key figure in the industry today.

New boy to the scene Oli Sykes hasn’t been around long but being placed at No.2 proves the impact his band Bring Me The Horizon have had since the release of their debut album. Covered in Tattoo’s from neck to foot and with an army of the new rock scene behind him Oli is the freshest breed of Rockstar. A risky move putting him so high on the list instead of proving rock icons but it wouldn’t be surprising to see him nicking the top spot next time.

NOW finally No. 1 and as soon as I turned the page I had no idea who he was, Jason Aalon Butler anyone? The lead singer of ‘Letlive’ and acrobatic rock band member is who Kerrang have picked as there ‘Greasiest Rock Star In The World Today’ you can do your own research on this guy as I have yet to do mine.

So that was a quick run through of the list Kerrang created and there are a few names that they haven’t included who many would expect to be on a list of this caliber. Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington and Mike Shinoda were nowhere to be seen despite being in possibly the most well known rock band of the decade. Fred Durst was left out even though he has been a key figure on the scene since the rise of nu metal. Many other bands failed to get any members mentioned – Sum 41, Feeder, Korn, Blink 182, System of A Down, Tenacious D, A Day To Remember, Rise Against, Fall Out Boy and many more. I guess it all comes down to what makes a good Rockstar? And everyone has their own opinion about that.

By Matthew Trevett

Download my music

A cover by Linkin Park of ‘Rolling In The Deep’ by Adele

“The passion in his voice gets more and more evident the longer you listen”

If you had to guess from any musical act in the world that you thought would choose to cover this song live, few, if any would have picked Linkin Park but its hard to believe if there is any other musical act in the world that could have done a better job.

Coming from the singer who has sung the lyrics ‘Shut up when I’m talking to you’, ‘You try to take the best of me, go away’ and ‘Put me out of my F****** misery’ you would half expect a mellow and emotionally driven song like ‘Rolling In The Deep’ to loose its meaning behind such a Rock ‘n’ Roll singer like Chester Bennington but the passion in his voice gets more and more evident the longer you listen and there’s no denying how well the vocals connect with Mike Shinoda’s piano backing.

Below is Chester’s performance of ‘Rolling In The Deep’ live at the iTunes Festival, London on July 4th 2011. And below it is the original song, written by Adele.

Thank you Adele and THANK YOU Chester.

Reading Festival 2011 – Preview

What to look forward to this year!

After last years Reading festival its difficult to see how 2011 could get any better, we had punk rockers Blink 182 who had recently got back together, the reformation of The Libertines and or course rock legends Guns ‘N’ Roses who all performed big in their headline slots. The main stage also played host to a collection of well known and mainstream bands including Lostprophets, Paramore, Limp Bizkit, Youmeatsix and Dizzee Rascal, So its no wonder fans where left slightly underwhelmed when the line-up announcement was made earlier this March.

Though bands don’t get much bigger than Muse, The Strokes and My Chemical Romance so what are people complaining about?

Although perhaps not as an all round popular line-up as last year 2011 has some BIG names to offer with some exciting performances across the whole weekend. On the Friday My Chemical Romance return to headline and since their torrid expereince at Reading 2006 where they were bottled on stage they have become an exciting live act with a lot more fans under their belt. For me though the real performance on the Friday will come from 30 Seconds To Mars. Since the release of their latest album – This Is War, they have come an alternative rock sensation, bringing their ‘Into The Wild’ tour to the whole world and creating an amazing live experience in the process.  Led by the ever confident Jared Leto, there’s no doubt they will be as enthusiastic as ever in the first ever appearance at Reading Festival. The rest of the line up on the Friday fits in with the headliners and includes well known rock bands ‘The Offspring’, ‘Deftones’, ‘Rise Against’ and Bring Me The Horizon, who are a must see band for any hardcore rock fan.

If rock isn’t your interest on the Friday then the dance tent will be open for those looking to get away from the weather, get a change of atmosphere or quite clearly enjoy some classic dance anthems/new rave. Headliners Simian Mobile Disco have countless classics such as ‘Cruel Intentions’ and ‘It’s The Beat’  to get the crowd going and in the holiday mood. Readings very own Does It Offend You, Yeah? have grown dramatically since their last appearance at the festival and now having supported Linkin Park on their A Thousand Suns world tour they have a wealth of Live performing experience.. a must see for any Enter Shikari or Pendulum fan.

Moving on to the Saturday and we have indie legends The Strokes headlining along side old timers Pulp who will between them create some spectacular festival moments for sure and in turn set a lighter tone for the rest of the weekend. One band who are guaranteed to go a step further and make the whole crowd dance are the classic outfit known as ‘Madness’. With such hits as ‘Our House’ and ‘It Must Be Love’ whether your into hard rock or spend your time in the dance tent you have to appreciate the fantastic festival atmosphere the ‘Madness’ can create wherever they go. Completing the set up for the Saturday the organizers have booked crowd pleases ‘Jimmy Eat World’ and up and coming indie act ‘Two Door Cinema Club’ some might argue not as big as last years bands but both have performed big sets at this years Glastonbury festival with fantastic responses.

As always the best is saved till last and we haven’t been let down this year, the UK’s very own Muse are set to close the festival on the Sunday and having been named as one of the most sensational live bands in the world, up there and possibly even above the likes of Linkin Park and 30 Seconds To Mars we are in for a massive treat on Sunday night. There back catalog of songs is enough to please any festival in the world and with tracks like ‘Undisclosed Desires’, ‘Supermassive Black Hole’ and ‘The Resistance’ the whole crowd is sure to be a sea of festival spirit. There are a few big names and even possible headliners backing up Muse of the Sunday, the likes of Elbow and Enter Shikari would of been worthy contenders and seeing Enter Shikari step on to the main stage this year having seen them perform on the NME/Radio 1 stage last year will be a exciting prospect for any raver in the crowd.

So despite the initial reaction there is tons to look forward to this August 2011 and whether the bands aren’t of your taste or you disagree with the headline choices there’s no denying the great atmosphere a festival provides for you and your mates.

Have a good one!

By Matthew Trevett

Muse are the big headliners that make this Festival a special one

Linkin Park – A Thousand Suns Album Review

If ever there was an unbelievably fan dividing album, this is the one!

Old time Linkin Park rockers looking for the screaming, nu metal riffs and rap interchanging lyrical sounds that made Hybrid Theory and Meteora the genre busting must have albums of the new Melina read no further.. The crushing guitars, powerful vocals and unique scratching that made Linkin Park the popularly rebellious rock band at the start of the decade are long gone.

The dust has settled and now from the slightly tamer sound that was ‘Minutes to Midnight’ has emerged – A Thousand Suns.

Raging synths, haunting piano riffs and electronically enhanced vocals are all apparent on this album; this is like nothing you’ve ever heard before. The first two ‘songs’ open up the gateway almost as if the beginning of a journey through this new genre of sound and musical direction. This is where we hear the vocal’s familiar to us from The Catalyst that introduce us to ‘A Thousand Suns’

When we get to ‘When they come for me’ the mellow vocals that begin the album get twisted around and we get the recognizable sound of Mike Shinoda’s rapping, as always the lyrics are clever and deliver a message to the critics – ‘Everybody wants the next thing to be just like the last’ indicating that this is a new direction they are taking and any fans hopes of them producing music like there nu metal past are not going to happen. There is a hint however of some of that raging energy from the past in the song ‘Blackout’ where we hear Chester screaming/raping some explicit lyrics, this is somewhat an energy boost to the journey of A Thousand Suns and when we get to ‘Wretches and Kings’ there is clearly something different yet familiar about the way Mike and Chester interchange lyrics over the thumping baseline and scratching of Joe Hahn.

The Catalyst is played near the end of the album and is clearly the most commercially friendly track of them all, after this, the last song ‘The Messenger’ feels a little bit lost; an acoustic guitar riff sung over by Chester is warming to the ear but doesn’t find a musical connection to everything we have just heard. A disappointing ending to their fourth record but perhaps instead of an ending, it’s a sign of things to come?

This album has received criticism because there are no more than nine what you would call ‘full length songs’ but from the start Mike Shinoda stated that this was a concept album, the idea behind A Thousand Suns was creating a unique genre of music, mixing the energy of previous albums with a completely re-generated and un-heard of sound, leaving behind the past and taking a new direction. It’s clear to say that in most parts they have achieved this, with the exception of a few tracks that appear to be a carry on from Minutes to Midnight; this is like nothing you would have heard of before on a record. Linkin Park have become a sound in their own right, a band not satisfied with what they are used to but a band that has stepped into the unknown and perhaps opened up a new avenue of music for the future.

By Matthew Trevett

Music or Art?