Alison Bauer

Twitter | Noxii Arena

Since their 2017 album debut, the band has been perfecting their craft performing with Bury Your Dead at The Palladium, Whitechapel and Carnifex at Fete Music Hall in Providence, RI. 

Noxii Arena draws influence from popular bands such The Acacia Strain, Veil of Maya, and August Burns Red.

Exclusive Interview with Andrew Shea | Vocalist | Noxii Arena

Gif | Andrew Shea via "The Pillaging" Live  | DP: CT Studios

HRTV:THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY ANDREW! ​ACCORDING TO PREVIOUS INTERVIEWS WITH MOTIF MAGAZINE AND UNCIVIL REVOLT; THE  BAND IDEA FOR NOXII ARENA ORIGINATED IN 2011 THROUGH (3) MEMBERS. THE TERM "NOXII" REFERS HISTORICALLY TO THE COLOSSEUM​; WARRIORS FACED AGAINST LIONS, DEAD IN ARENA?

Andrew: Yes; Jon, Mike and Jared are the heart of the band, they all formed in 2011. They were researching ancient history trying to come up with the band name and they stumbled across the term, "Noxii." They read that the Noxii gladiators were common folk that were sentenced to combat in the arena to be judged for their crimes more or less. Matt formed in 2013; When I joined (January, 2016), I was given a couple of months to develop lyrics for the music. 

Gif: "The Pillaging" Live  | DP: CT Studios

HRTV: DESCRIBE THE INTEGRATION BETWEEN JOINING (JAN. 2016) AND PUBLISHING THE DEBUT ALBUM (SEPT. 2017)? WHICH PRODUCERS DID YOUR BAND COLLABORATE WITH?

Andrew: Most of the song titles, I didn't name; I did create the lyrics for all the songs. After the lyrics were formulated, we practiced as a full band to get everything tight; we played some shows and decided to publish an album. We tried to self-produce our album for a while but it didn't work out to our best interest; instead we sought Producer Julian Mazzola for our album; he helped us throughout the entire process. It was a great experience, I definitely recommend him to other artists out there.

Gif | "Bred For Annihilation" | DP: Kristian Van Opijnen  

HRTV: HOW ABOUT THE SEARCH FOR FILMMAKERS PRIOR TO THE ALBUM RELEASE?
(TRACK 01) | "BRED FOR ANNIHILATION - LYRIC VIDEO" &
(TRACK  07) | "THE PILLAGING - LIVE MUSIC VIDEO"?

Andrew: [The search] was through mutual friends and people throughout the music scene. Working with Julian, he also works with another producer Ian Van Opijnen who runs the Echo Room Studio out in Boston. Ian gave me his brother’s contact information: Kristian Van Opijnen.

(Track 01) "Bred for Annihilation" | ​Kristian is the one who formulated the lyric video. He hit the nail on the head with the visual lyric video; the video came out how we envisioned the entire thing to go.

Gif | "Bred For Annihilation" | DP: Kristian Van Opijnen  

(Track 07) "The Pillaging" | We went through CT Studios for this, his name was Matt Lariviere. He was a friend, he did some photos for us at a show we did and then he gave his contact information for us at that show. We hit it off then; he did a live video for us when we were playing with White Chapel and he agreed to the terms and went from where; the video came out spectacular.

Gif | "Bred For Annihilation" | DP: Kristian Van Opijnen  

HRTV: WE DISCOVERED THAT SOME OF THE NOXII ARENA MERCH DISPLAYS:
A ZOMBIE THEME; DESCRIBE THE GLADIATOR / ZOMBIE SPIN-OFF?

Andrew: With the "Noxii" name, the theme of the gladiators and that time period, we sought that with our album cover being the Colosseum and the name representing ancient times and the Roman era; why don’t we have a gladiator-mix in our merch as well; that's how our theme was going.

​The first track "Bred for Annihilation" is based on a zombie feel, we used that to tie in with our merch as well. We developed the merch so our fans; new fans would also like the merch.

​[Circa 2016; Upon joining] I was heavily watching The Walking Dead; my favorite zombie films like Evil Dead (2013) & Dawn of the Dead (2014), where I drew inspiration for the lyrics from.

HRTV:  WE WOULD LIKE TO TOUCH BASE ON THE MEANING BEHIND A FEW SONG TITLES:
(TRACK 04) "ZIARI" AND (TRACK 02) "QUEEN CITY INN."

Andrew: So for (Track 04) "Ziari" [not a different language / or / vocabulary word]; it's a song dedicated to Jon, Mike and Jared's previous English school-teacher; representing [achieving] a better life. I didn't personally know her; in fact, I didn't know the meaning behind this title until after the lyrics were written for the entire song. It's weird how the name of the song and the written lyrics before I knew the background kind of match similar meanings.

[Cont'd]:

​(TRACK 02) "Queen City Inn" | This song title came from when some of the band went to a show out in New Hampshire, to see After The Burial; they stayed at an inn called Queen City Inn and they named that song title throughout the experience of that inn; I guess they said it was pretty sketchy. 

​The lyrics are based on a guy who wakes up in a bed and sees a person he once loved, next to him covered in blood. Trying to remember what happened; he kind of spirals down throughout the entire process of the song.

HRTV: MAY WE EXPECT ANOTHER MUSIC VIDEO FROM THE DEBUT ALBUM,?

Andrew: Yes seeing as all we've put out for the the album thus far has been a lyric video and a live video. We feel a standard music video is due. We want to give the fans a solid production for another favorite on the album so you'll have to watch out for what we're up to!

HRTV: YA'LL ARE PLAYING THE NEW ENGLAND METAL & HARDCORE FESTIVAL! 
ADDITIONAL NEWS TO SHARE WITH FANS?

Andrew: 'Noxii Arena'  (09.01.17) was the very first album we put out; we're in a current process of writing our second album right now as well. As far as upcoming shows:

"""[Cont'd]:

1. Friday, March 30th | Tattoo & Music Festival with Hatebreed | Providence, RI:
"Big event for us and our community; a lot of people attending & a lot of unique tattoo artists. The fact that Hatebreed is running the entire show; they've done a lot for metal and inspired so many people. We're really pumped."

2. Sat, April 21st | New England Metal & Hardcore Festival | Worcester, MA:
"We're playing the Saturday date; Been attending this festival for 6 or 7 years; [at the time] I was 15 or 16 years old. It's been an ultimate dream to play this festival; we're beyond excited!"

Gif: "The Pillaging" Live  | DP: CT Studios

HRTV: KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, VEIL OF MAYA, AUGUST BURNS RED, ACACIA STRAIN.
HOW IS NOXII ARENA INSPIRED FROM THE LIVE PERFORMANCES OF THOSE BANDS?

Andrew: When we were younger, those were some of our favorite [live performances] so they always made some of the biggest impressions on us. We just want to be able to leave that kind of impression on our young fans whether it's playing the songs on point or keeping the crowd involved, feeding off of their energy. 

 'Noxii Arena'  (09.01.17) | Album Review

Highly recommended! After my first stream of 'Noxii Arena' , my first appreciation post goes out to the mastering of each instrument on each of these tracks; the collaboration with Producer Julian Mazzola renders an epic work of art.  

You know how some albums require a few episodes of streaming until you're consciously enjoying it? In my opinion, the first stream of 'Noxii Arena'  made an immediate impression; feeling as the genre and lyrics were genuine and thus quickly adaptable into playlist favorites. The guttural depths and interval changes on their singles "Bred For Annihilation" and "The Pillaging" stand out for recognition.

Additionally, throughout the interview, the history of the band's debut anchored around seeking the platform for an altruistic voice; this band is ferociously talented yet equally humble!
 
May Noxii Arena tour from Rhode Island to play Chicago, LA and NY next?

 Normally on a Thursday night, the Tsongas Arena in Lowell, Massachusetts is home UMass River Hawks. However, there was metal to be played. First up, The Devil Wears Prada.
 
Regardless of where TDWP plays, havoc and sore necks are reoccurring themes when showing up to one of their shows. Setting the tone was necessary for the remaining artists to play that evening. Lead by Mike Hranica (vocalist) and all his hair, The Devil Wears Prada broke the metal-ice to get the blood pumping. Popular tracks like, “Worldwide” off of Transit Blues (2016) and “Danger Wildman” off of With Roots Above and Branches Below (2009) left people off their feet, signing along and bulldozing those to their left and right. The Devil Wears Prada is certainly talented enough to have a headlining tour, themselves. When it happens, it’ll be madness.
 
Next up, Falling in Reverse. Chatter throughout the crowd indicated some resentment towards Ronnie Radke (lead vocalist) after his legal accusations in 2017 (that’s for another article). Although many have their own opinion, at the end of the day, they put on an energetic set. For starters, Ronnie is beyond expressive on stage while performing. This may be the appeal to the Falling in Reverse crowd.
 
Although the genre is a bit different compared to The Devil Wears Prada and A Day to Remember, it gave the evening a sense of variety. Many of their songs were a bit upbeat and almost “poppy.” In the same breath, you could also sense a hip-hop vibe when they performed “Alone” off of Fashionably Late (2013). Having those varying tempos made the performance by Falling in Reverse to feel more dynamic. Overall, this was a well-rounded set with lots of light, energy and voices.
 
Hop of your time machine. Next stop – the high school years. Papa Roach came up next and they were not messing around. Throughout the duration of Papa Roach’s set, you saw: a mosh pit, a circle pit, a wall of death, everyone jumping at the same time, injuries, laughs, smiles and SO much nostalgia. Lead by Jacoby Shaddix (lead vocalist), the Papa Roach faithful blew the doors off the previous Baltimore show (said Jacoby). Newer singles including “Born for Greatness” off of Crooked Teeth (2017) and “Falling Apart” off of F.E.A.R (2015) set them apart from what they previously have recorded. But to address the elephant in the Tsongas Arena, everyone wanted to chant, “CUT MY LIFE INTO PIECES. THIS IS MY LAST RESORT,” at the top of their lungs. Once everyone had a chance to sing along to “Scars” off of Getting Away with Murder (2004) and “Last Resort” off of Infest (2000), a little piece of everyone listening felt more complete than they did before.
 
With fifteen years recording, touring, on the road, rocking and moshing, A Day to Remember took over the stage. Straight out the gate, “Sticks and Bricks” off of What Separates Me and You (2011) caused an eruption of CO2 cannons, confetti and screaming voices. A Day to Remember concerts are not just concerts. They are parties. Large beach balls get thrown into the crowd. Fans were told (asked) to participate in a competition which involves surfing on the body of another fan crowd surfing themselves. Large LED screens displayed Sonic the Hedgehog while “You be tails and I’ll be Sonic” off of What Separates Me and You (2011) rocked the house. There were themes for every song. And who can’t resist belting along to “If It Means a lot to You” off of Homesick (2009) with your best friend or significant other next to you.
 
But don’t let all of these party favors distract you from A Day to Remember’s ability to bring the heavy. Classic example of these can and will always be found in “2nd Sucks” off of What Separates Me and You (2011). With the overwhelming surge of voices screaming, “YOU’RE AFRAID,” Jeremy McKinnon (lead vocals) corralled the entire city of Lowell to sing and mosh. It was also normal to see bass guitars be slung across the stage in replace of, say, a football.
 
Fifteen years down and hopefully many more to come for A Day to Remember, Papa Roach, Falling in Reverse and The Devil Wears Prada. Rock on.  
 
Until next time.
 
Cheers! 

Alison Bauer

Photo | Good Fight Management

Knocked Loose otherwise abbreviated to 'K//L' released their first official [11 Track] album: 'Laugh Tracks' on September 16th, 2016 via Pure Noise Record and are currently signed to Good Fight Management. We reviewed the album through selecting our favorite lyrics. Find the band's tour line-up for 2018 below; browse this link for upcoming tour tickets or an active roster of their touring schedule.

Members include Bryan Garris (Vocals), Cole Crutchfield (Rhythm Guitar, Back-Up Vocals), Isaac Hale (Lead Guitar, Back-Up Vocals), Kevin Otten (Bass), and Kevin "Pacsun" Kaine (Drums).

In 2014; K//L independently published a [5 Track] EP titled, 'Pop Culture.' According to public records, Knocked Loose have been active since 2013; originally from Oldham County, Kentucky. 

Photos | K//L Twitter

Recent Accomplishments & Upcoming Tours

1. Summer of 2017:  K//L toured the U.S. Warped Tour festival "every date; on the full Sail Stage alongside bands such as Trophy Eyes, Boston Manor and Movements." Live recap video available for view directly below!
(Quote | K//L Wikipedia).

Video | Vans Warped Tour Twitter

3. Spring of 2018:  K//L is currently (02.28) to (04.01) headlining with support from Terror, Jesus Piece & Year of the Knife: cross-country U.S. & Canada; packing sold-out shows.

Poster | 'Knocked Loose' via Twitter

K//L with Terror, Jesus Piece & Year of the Knife | Tour Dates:

02.28 | Nashville, TN @ The End; 03.01 | Greensboro, NC @ Blind Tiger
03.02 | Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade; 03.03 | Tampa, FL @ Crowbar
03.04 | Jacksonville, FL @1904 Music Hall; 03.06 | Houston, TX @ Walter's Downtown
03.07 | San Antonio, TX @ Alamo City Music Hall; 03.08 | Dallas, TX @ RBC
03.09 | Kansas City, MO @ Davey's Uptown; 03.10 | Denver, CO @ Marquis Theatre
03.11 | Salt Lake City, UT @ In The Venue; 03.13 | Seattle, WA @ El Corazon
03.14 | Portland, OR @ Analog Theatre; 03.16 | Berkeley, CA @ 924 Gilman
03.17 | Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom; 03.18 | Anaheim, CA @ Chain Reaction
03.19 | Phoenix, AR @ Nile Theatre; 03.21 | Oklahoma City, OK @ 89th St. Collective
03.22 | Omaha, NE @ Sokol Underground; 03.24 | Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge
03.25 | Columbus, OH @ Skully's; 03.26 | Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick
03.27 | Toronto, ON @ Velvet Underground; 03.28 | Montreal, QC @ Fairmount
03.29 | Rochester, NY @ California Brew Haus; 03.30 | Worcester, MA @ Palladium
03.31 | Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Bazaar; 04.01 | Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts

4. Summer of 2018: ​

 June |  K//L will participate at the Download Festival UK & a headlining show in Copenhagen Denmark.

​July | Alternative Press confirms Knocked Loose will perform [5]  'Special Guest'  appearances at Warped Tour 2018; select cities:

K//L Warped Tour Summer of 2018 | Tour Dates:

07.10: Nashville, TN | 07.18: Cuyahoga Falls, OH
07.19: Cincinnati, OH | 07.21: Tinley Park, IL
07.24: Noblesville, IN.

Press & Interview Quotes

Billboard Magazine:
1. "I booked all the bands that should become the next Sleeping With Sirens or Pierce the Veil. I booked Neck Deep and Knocked Loose and I Prevail and Beartooth -- all doing really well as bands." 
(2017 | Billboard Interviews Peter Lyman; Founder of Warped).

Kill Your Stereo:
1. "[K//L] is one of the most hyped bands 'in the scene' right now - that is with good reason;"
2. "The drumming is consistently two-step inducing - regular high-hat employment."
3. "Spoken word sequences on multiple tracks are menacing."
4. "They genuinely give the impression - there's no gimmick - that their anger is not forced;"
5. "A favorite for the live-oriented listeners."
​(2016 | Kill Your Stereo Reviews 'Laugh Tracks').

Invicta Magazine:
1. "There aren't many bands that receive this much attention within just a couple of years [in] the scene."
2. "The success of EP 'Pop Culture (2014)' & extensive touring to build their following has paved the way."
3. "These ['Laugh Tracks'] songs; pit-inducing sections - heaviness and agression is constant."
(2016 | Invicta Reviews 'Laugh Tracks')

Revolver Magazine:
1. "The group's cardinal rules are to never turn down an interesting gig offer."
2. (Garris): 'We'll play with any band in any genre.'"
3. (Garris): [regarding writer's block] "I've got more to say."
(2017 | Revolver on K//L: 'Humility and Hard Work - Midwestern Hardcore') 

Peck Metal Picks:
1. (Garris): "Nobody is in charge of hardcore; it's for everybody."
2. (Garris): "Kentucky is very close knit and everyone works hard to maintain (the scene)."  
(2017 | Knocked Loose Interview by Andrew Pecoraro)

'Laugh Tracks' (2016) | Album Review

Two years ago; 'Laugh Tracks' (2016) was released; Today this album still conquers global word of mouth as one of the most recent contributions to radicalize the hardcore / metalcore the scene. With a screaming attention-to-the-public delivery of lyrics and eclectic drum patterns; guitar and bass riffs drive senses to dis-control. We at HeadRush listened to the album and our favorite lyrics are highlighted below.

Music Videos:
​K//L released an MV for "Deadringer" & "Billy No Mates" // "Counting Worms."

Spoiler: The last song on the album concludes with a literal sampled laugh track.

Album Tracklist | Favorite Lyrics

1. "Oblivions Peak" | "Institutions supporting murder; No, I won't support it."

2. "Deadringer" | "My tombstone was made at birth" - "Wish I could get away with murder."

3. "The Rain" | "The rain brings fear; and it burns my skin" - "The sky rains eternal."

4. "Blood Will Have Blood" | "Victim of deceit" - "Blood will have blood."

5. "Counting Worms" | "I wrote a song about getting better; It's a feeling I can't remember - Counting worms."

6. "My Heroes" | "I lost a stranger and my heart is crushed" - "All my heroes went to hell."

7. "Billy No Mates" | "Reject the blame" - "I did away with the poison; But I still feel like I'm dying."

8. "Last Words" | "Make me bleed; Master of pain." "The season of despair."

9. "No Thanks" | "Sentenced a life in hell" - "Time has passed; I still feel the same."

10. "A Fetish" | "If it wasn't me to pull the trigger; And my eyes roll back; As your spirit leaves."

11. "Laugh Tracks" | "Forget my words; Fall back in line; Do what you're told."

Pure Noise Artists | Bearings, Boston Manor, Can't Swim, Counterparts, Drug Church, Elder Brother, First Blood, Four Year Strong, Gardenhead, Hawthorne Heights, Homesafe, Jule Vera, Less Than Jake, Like Pacific, Lizzy Farrall, Masked Intruder, Reggie & the Full Effect, Seaway, Senses Fail, Sharptooth, Speak Low if you Speak Love, State Champs, Stick To Your Guns, Terror, The Story So Far.

Good Fight Manages: '68, The Acacia Strain, Anthony Green, Between the Buried & Me, Bless the Fall, Cannibal Corpse, Circa Survive, Children of Bodom, Comeback Kid, Counterparts, The Devil Wears Prada, Eighteen Visions, Every Time I Die, Galactic Empire, Harms Way, In Motive, Martyr AD, The Menzingers, Miss May I, Nails, Old Wounds, Restorations, Saosin, Stick To Your Guns, Terror, Turnstile, Unearth, Whores.

Video | 'Vans Warped Tour' via Twitter