ASHLYEE HICKMAN
Staff Writer
They are no strangers to Fuse’s “Uranium” or MTV2’s “Headbanger’s Ball,” their latest single “The Calling” is climbing the charts and they just finished Ozzfest — things are looking up for All That Remains.
Tomorrow night, the band will rock the house at The Wiltern LG Theatre in Los Angeles, performing in the coveted opening act slot for the English power metal band DragonForce on their North America tour.
Tickets are still available, and cost $20 on the day of the show.
All That Remains is a Massachusetts-based metal core band that delivers head-banging tunes with a fury, but it is definitely not by accident.
First, you have vocalist Phil Labonte’s guttural screams coupled with the clean singing that create the perfect balance of a sweet and sour medley on steroids.
The raging and technically savvy riffs are complements of guitarist Oli Herbert and his many nights practicing his guitar scales while watching Cartoon Network.
Herbert’s student-turned-band mate Mike Martin, also a guitarist, has a style that differs from Herbert’s attention to melodic detail. Instead, he provides the classic metal vibe.
“I’m the guy who likes to do squeals and long string bends and be really obnoxious,” said Martin in a news release. “Oli’s the super talented guitar master.”
Shannon Lucas’ rabid drumming patterns and Jeanne Sagan’s bass lines put the cherry on top of what British weekly rock magazine “Kerrang!” describes as “an unsurpassable full stop at the end of metal core’s upward crawl.”
Sophomore Joe Steinwedell said he is a fan of the band.
“Every aspect of the band is awesome,” he said. “The drummer is a machine and the vocals are impressive as he switches between heavy and melodic sounds throughout each song. The guitarists have true talent unlike most of the bands that are played non-stop on MTV and the radio.”
Forming the band was not as easy as rounding up a group of musically inclined friends. In the past eight years, All That Remains has had six different people leave the band. Even Lucas took a temporary hiatus.
With what seems like more lineup changes than a soap opera, All That Remains feels like they have it right this time and never lets go of the optimism.
“I like to maintain a positive attitude because I don’t think being negative gets you anywhere,” stated front man Labonte in the release.
“Life’s hard, but just because bad things happen doesn’t mean you should lose hope.”
Their latest album, “The Fall of Ideals,” opened at No. 75 on Billboard’s album sales chart. With their tour and frequent exposure on Fuse and MTV networks, All That Remains hopes to surpass the success of their second album “This Darkened Heart.” But Labonte said it is not all about the sales — it is really about fulfilling a dream.
“We’re now at the point where we’re the band I always wanted to be,” he stated. “Musically, we’re capable of doing what I originally wanted to do. As musicians, we can live up to that goal.”
The concert will be at the Wiltern LG Theatre located on the corner of Western Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard. The theater, whose name is derived from a combination of the street names of the famous intersection, is approaching its four-year anniversary since its grand reopening in 2002.
Built in the Art Deco style, the theater is not only an interesting concert venue, but also a historic cultural landmark.
The Wiltern is known for featuring both new and renowned artists such as Bob Dylan, Panic! At the Disco and Rob Zombie.
With that kind of track record, it seems All That Remains is in good company — and possibly on its way to the top.
09-07-2006
