Conspire: The Scenic Route

Written by Robin Ervolina

"We can break the shackles of belief ... we wouldn’t have to feel like we’ve been chained to these ideals." - Conspire

Conspire is a post-hardcore band that sprung from the soil of my own backyard, Tampa, Florida. The five-piece outfit signed with InVogue Records over the summer and release their first EP, The Scenic Route tomorrow. In an act of sheer serendipity, I gave it a listen last night. In this highly charged post-election climate, Conspire cuts through the anger and confusion to illuminate common ground for a divided nation.
Each song on The Scenic Route has a different tone, incorporating elements of metal, punk, and space rock. One distinctive sound unites, and one overriding message permeates: we are flawed, but humanity is good. We’re making horrible mistakes, but we’re redeemable if we do the hard work. Open up to possibilities, look inside yourself, clear out the hate. Rinse and repeat.
“1971,” is the first track and the first release of The Scenic Route. The haunting intro lays the foundation for a mix of clean and unclean vocals, and hard-hitting spoken word. It’s rhythm-heavy auditory CPR pounds your heart toward self-awareness. The message of internal housecleaning is clear. Says lead singer Parker Armstrong, “1971 is about learning lessons from humanity's low points. Different forms of oppression seem to stay alive cross-generationally. When and where one is born never justifies carrying on hate for the sake of tradition. We all have potential to make a positive impact in the history books of tomorrow. This song isn't so much a cry for political correctness, but more a pursuit of personal convictions in sorting out the genuine from ghosts of our past.”
Two songs feature guest vocalists, though not out of necessity, as Armstrong handles all forms of delivery flawlessly. Garrett Russell of Silent Planet makes an appearance on “Rescind.” These two minds occupying the same space is incendiary. Together they implore us to break from the cultural ideology of group think.

Cuz who are you really fighting if you can’t even explain who they are to begin with, or find comfort in that so many others feel like you, think like you and talk like you, and reward you for it. I wonder if you’ve been had. You’ve been tricked. I wonder if I’ve been too? 

Ricky Armellino of This or the Apocalypse, lends vocals to “Row.” Parker's Facebook states he wrote "Row" in response to "the division that election season brings about.” This is the impact of spoken word and the prophets that deliver them: with remarkable insight and a desire for change, they react to the world around them. If you listen, you learn.

We're going nowhere and there's a storm, It's bearing down to where we are. I need you to row. I need you to row. I need you to row.
And if redemptive violence is a deadly sin, I couldn't even imagine what God thinks of preemptive violence. And it's wrong to broadly classify others as enemies. No rationalization solves this, and clinging to hatred only clouds it further.

A peaceful musical interlude makes up the fifth track, "By The Sword," giving a moment’s pause before the onslaught of ideas resume. The hypnotic beat settles you while the ethereal guitar and synth work lifts you. "Congruency" then comes on strong, emphasizing two inseparable commands: “Listen. Forgive.” "Sustain" is the song I want to experience live. I want to be present when Parker says, “I’m here” so I can witness every adoring fan twenty rows back, reaching out and affirming their “here-ness.”
The final track, “Enola,” is another instrumental. I’m reminded of a tough pilates class I took years ago. We always ended with guided mediation. It helped the work settle in, helped our souls accept our strength. This is "Enola," a restorative necessity allowing Conspire’s words to settle in so we can, recharged, continue to build strength within ourselves to affect change in the world.
Some music isn’t for everyone. Conspire’s A Scenic Route is. Different points of view can point you in a different direction. It’s not something we should be afraid of. Opening yourself up to being wrong opens you up to something bigger than yourself. Listen to A Scenic Route over and over. Let every word sink in. These are Conspire’s thoughts, our lessons, and a communion we desperately need right now.

Puscifer: 11/2/16 at The Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie Gleason Theater in Miami, FL

Written by Robin Ervolina
Long before Sia mounted a bow over her face, Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan was tucking himself into the shadows, forcing fans to listen undistracted and unaffected. It should come as no surprise that his “creative subconscious” AKA Puscifer, finds him underlit, underexposed, and nearly impossible to photograph. This photojournalist jumped at the opportunity to capture the elusive MJK, but alas I emerged without the trophy. Here’s what I captured for you instead.

Puscifer often sells out, so don't count on last-minute tickets. If you want to experience this marvel of shadow, sound, and music, purchase your seats early. Scalpers were shoo’d away at the door to the box office.
VIP ticket holders receive top-notch merch and their own entrance. In return for this great perk, please note that when tickets say the VIP entrance closes at 7:30, it doesn’t mean 7:31. Maynard respects your time. Respect his.
"No phones" mean no phones. Do not take it out; do not take a photo. Tales abound of ushers confiscating phones and deleting photos. Heed the warning.
Luchafer, the luchadores wrestling opener, is oddly entertaining; it's vibrant and loud, full of flips and mat slamming. The hokey plot with predictable twist crosses a line, tapping into my guilty pleasure center. I don't mind. It's also brightly lit. Thank Maynard for small favors.
[gallery type="slideshow" ids="8587,8588,8589,8590,8591,8593"]
The luchadores cleared the stage at the end of their act, but the ring remained. After a brief video reminding the audience, once again, to pocket their cell phones, one spotlight illuminated the drummer. Sort of. Illuminated is the wrong word. One dim light cut though heavy fog to reveal the silhouette of the drum kit manned by the remarkable Paul Barker. A few moments later the curtains rose to reveal MJK and Carina Round in the ring. Revealed is the wrong word. The curtain rose to reveal a stark lighting contrast between the two vocalists. Oh Maynard, you stealthy genius you.

Puscifer played an incredible 20-song set, balancing older material and songs off their latest release, Money Shot. There were jam sessions, ("Vagina Mine"), more appearances by the luchedores, and a mock cock fight that got the better of our hero. A special thanks to MLK for taking a break in the show to drop a world series update on the audience.
Not for lack of trying, but I couldn't capture this show for you. Maybe that's a good thing? In a world where concert photographers accept the challenge of shooting the stage through audience-members' cell phones, it’s refreshing to see a fully present crowd. Imagine attending a show at the historic Fillmore without snap chatting and Facebook live-ing. And let’s be honest, friends of those phonetographers; has one of their cell phone pics ever made you book a concert ticket? I didn’t think so. Do yourself a favor; whether you're a fan of Puscifer or not, grab a ticket and check out one of their shows. Great music should be experienced, and more artists should have the balls to embrace that.

Chase Huglin: You Deserve An Ocean

Written by Robin Ervolina
The moment he sings those first four words, “I know that sound” I close my eyes and smile. The tone and timbre of his voice strike a chord of agreement with my ears. I’m talking about Chase Huglin, a boy and his guitar taking on the world one lyrical adventure at a time. Huglin hails from Fort Wayne, Indiana and released his full length CD You Deserve an Island last month via InVogue Records.
You Deserve An Island is an EP so honest it hurts. From the first sweet serenade “Wind Chimes,” to the final heartbreaking “Folded Hands,” Chase Huglin lays his life before us. In between are song after song of gems and hooks, weaving into my brain and strangling my heart. Self-deprecating delivery and delicious irony sneak into moments throughout the CD, a welcome respite from the sadness that creeps into every song. “Pills” opens with a John Mayer-esque guitar riff, and a little pop punk flavor follows. This painful tale of unrequited love lured me into a silent nod.

How drunk do I have to be when you drop me off? Cuz I don’t want to talk about my problems like that will solve anything at all…Breathe in, breathe out, and now I am filled with doubt. I tried to call you, but your foot’s inside your mouth.

“Here Right Now” is just about the sweetest stalking song, holding its own with the likes of “Every Breath You Take” by the Police, and Smashing Pumpkins’ “Ava Adore.” By the time I hit track four, “Niagara” I am weak for his voice. I'm lulled into this dreamy tune, then jolted by his brutal delivery of anger.

You want me to drive, but I don’t want to. I don’t want to go to Boston University unless I have to, unless I fucking have to.

It’s a powerful and shocking moment before he returns to sweetly pulling and pleading, prayerfully begging love to stay. And so he trips around my psyche with songs sung to crushes, lost loves, even himself. I'm silenced again as he closes the final line of the last song to one strumming chord, and this tragic, simple confession.

Six feet under the ground, and you’re still the best part of the earth. It hurts.

Huglin is a poignant lyricist who wraps his unique voice around his gift of words. You Deserve an Island tells tales we don’t fully understand, but taps into emotions we’ve all experienced. There are no weak songs; every moment is bittersweet, each melody and arrangement perfectly suited to a moment in time Huglin openly shares. You Deserve an Island is streaming now on bandcamp.com, and you can pick up some sweet merch while listening at www.youdeserveachase.com. Follow him on Facebook to keep up with his coming and goings, and to make sure the world and the proverbial girl are treating him right.

Ashes Of My Regrets: Interview with Chris Ferland

Written by Robin Ervolina
Ashes of My Regrets is a five-part metalcore outfit from New Jersey. Don't be fooled by their baby faces. AOMR combines inspired arrangements, expert musicianship, and unbridled emotion, into their new EP Caricatures. I had a chance to listen to Caricatures and was super stoked to fire off a little Q&A with lead singer Chris Ferland.
Shockwave Magazine: Tell me how you five came together as a band.
Chris Ferland: To be honest we were all pretty much just best friends who loved the same style of music and happened to play different instruments so it kind of just came together. Brandon joined a little later after we parted ways with our original guitarist.
Caricatures released 11/4. Do you feel like there's an overall message or theme for this EP? 
110% the message overall that we would like for this EP is really focused in the first single "Daydreams." That song focuses a lot on learning to love the rain and learning to just be happy even when things are going really bad. In your life you choose what to dwell on and you choose what to exaggerate, so you could dwell on everything terrible in your life or you can accept it and mold yourself a better future.
What led you to choose "Daydreams" as the first release?
One of the biggest reasons was personally we felt like it was one of if not the best song off the entire EP. It was the first to be finished and the song that captured a very strong message.
What was the filming of the "Daydreams" video like for you guys? Will we ever see Juan bang his head? How does he not? I'm banging my head right now. 
It was a lot of fun to be honest. It took about five or six hours and we did about 12 takes I think in whole. We did like two or three for every shot. Haha, he definitely does at shows. To be honest, a big part of that was that when we were filming the video, the PA that we had was really hard for him to hear over his drums. So he was really focused and playing the parts right so the video didn’t look kind of weird.
Lately a lot of new bands have found success via viral video covers of popular non-metal genre tunes. Would you ever consider doing an unexpected cover, and if so, who/what song? If no, then let's say you have to cover either Garth Brooks or Cher? Which one of you would go into witness protection first?
We definitely would. I think when it comes to a song that we would cover it would probably depend on what has a lot of buzz around that time. I can’t even lie; my guilty pleasure has been "Closer" by the Chainsmokers, so I honestly would love to do a cover of that song. Oh god, that is such a painful question to answer. I think I would have to say Garth Brooks if I absolutely had to choose one.
Many bands employ two vocalists, one for dirty vocals and one for clean vocals. You cover both styles flawlessly. What's your "vocal care kit" to protect your instrument?
Thank you so much, I really appreciate that. A lot of it I think has to do with making sure I warm up and cool down after every practice and every show. I steam my throat a lot in the morning and before I go to bed every single day which I think helps a lot too. It is one of the best things that you can do for your voice. Even when I was learning screaming, if it at any point it ever hurt I made sure to stop immediately and rest my voice for the day because there are a lot of screamers who will just pound their voice constantly with it hurting and destroy it.
My favorite song on the EP is "Fooled Me Twice, Now Pay The Price." It's personal to me, so I'm wondering if it's personal to you? What's the inspiration behind the song? Is there someone out there will hear this and think, "Oh shit, that's me?" Anything left unsaid in the song that you'd like to blast out to her now?
Oh yes. This song is actually about my ex-girlfriend who I was with for a couple years, and she ended up cheating on me when she went away to college. The whole thing was really fucked up and left me scarred for a long time. So if she ever listens to that song, I hope she knows it’s about her because I wrote the lyrics to this song in about 10 minutes, I was so fucked up from it. There definitely was a lot said, but pretty much she’s just completely irrelevant to me and honestly the lyrics to that song pretty much sums it up. I’m glad the song could relate to you. I definitely know what you’ve gone through.
Can we talk about the cover art for Caricatures? There are five reflections in the mirror, and five songs on the EP with lyrical content. Coincidence? What's the inspiration behind the art, and who is the artist?
Carol Aldrighi did the cover art. She has a company called Moonlover Visual Arts. She is extremely talented and we couldn’t be happier with how it came out. To be honest I didn’t realize that coincidence until now, but it definitely does work because what the mirrors are portraying are different parts of personality. In real life a caricature exaggerates a physical trait. We did a spin on it where it exaggerates human emotions. Anxiety, Depression, Betrayal etc etc.
Your press release states you put a "new spin on metalcore." What's your musical philosophy in that regard, and what is the song writing process for the tunes you bring to life? 
The song writing in this case was actually different for every single song, to be honest. Every single one kind of has its own story. For example "Daydreams" was actually a lot different in the beginning, but when we were recording we changed it up a lot. I remember locking myself in the vocal booth for like two hours trying to get the lyrics and melodies perfect. Brandon and I wrote most of that song at my house. "I’ll Be Damned" started as a live intro I was making, but Juan and I kind of revamped the intro and made it into the start of the song, and most of it was written on tour. Mostly though the writing process consists of Brandon and I working on the instrumentals together, and then me going over the song after the fact and writing the lyrics and melodies over it .
What are your tour plans? Where can we catch you on the road?
As of right now were booking a tour at the end of this year in the Midwest. However in 2017 our plans are to just hit touring as hard as possible.
I love this EP so much. First time I've downloaded to review AND pre-ordered in the same hour. Kudos, guys! Hope to catch you soon. 
Thank you so much for all of the support man, it seriously means the absolute world to us.

Make sure you click on the links for Ashes of My Regrets to follow their social media and stay up to date If you haven't already downloaded Caricatures, that link is provided for you as well because you need this music in your life.

Blessing A Curse: Satisfaction For The Vengeful

Written by Robin Ervolina
Blessing A Curse hails from Orlando, Florida just a few hours north of me. I’m convinced they’re the sirens luring me to the land of the mouse over the last few years, and though we’ve never crossed paths in the past, they elude me no longer. The five-piece metal band just released their new CD Satisfaction For The Vengeful  and it’s a masterpiece I’ve greedily woven into my playlist.
The first track is, no other word for it, disturbing. If an actual demon got his hooves on an actual script for an exorcism, it would sound no less menacing than this intro. Please pardon my unbridled review, but it’s dark as fuck. I hear vocals in various octaves layered one over the other. I reach across the bed and into the top drawer for the Gideon bible. I pull out the room service book instead. I order a bottle of wine and pretend it’s communion.
As Satisfaction For The Vengeful continues, I find that my head is cocked to the side like a curious collie. Yes, I went from possession to puppies, but to be fair, so does Blessing A Curse. One moment the darkest parts of my soul are running for cover, and the next I’m flustered and smiling, all at the hands of vocalist Joshy Singer and some truly unique musical arrangements. Due to their creative wizardry, there’s something for every fan; whether you’re screamcore, postcore, metalcore, whatevercore, you’re covered. Solid guitar work from Brandon Swanson and Jorge Romani are highlighted by actual guitar solos. It’s old-school repurposed, and it’s what this genre needs more of.
Going forward, by the end of track two, “Devil Eyes,” I’m already looking for tour dates, convinced that Blessing A Curse must be experienced visually too. There are so many unexpected turns to their tunes. “Every Single Lie” comes out of the gate with a little Dance Gavin Dance feel, mostly in the haphazard structure of the song, but a little in the clean vocals as well. “Strangers Again” is a slow acoustic piece, dripping with pop punk appeal. It’s got radio written all over it (in Latin?), and an ear worm to boot: “I’m never drinking again.” It’s got crying power, sing-along power, and bounce power. It’s a sweet as hell song, and I mean that literally. The layered growling as the tale reaches its end takes this tune from sweet to scary in under 10 seconds. Suddenly those lovely radio-friendly verses don’t feel so innocent. “Caving In” contains my favorite lyric: “So swallow me up, strip me of hope, and spit me the fuck back out.”
Track six, “Attic In The Sky,” is a special gift. The attic in the sky was an imaginary safe place Joshy would go to in his mind as a child to escape the pain of his tumultuous home. The melodic moody entrance invites us to take a minute and seek refuge from the feelings dredged up by the songs thus far. It’s a masterful interlude that offers respite just in time, because now we’re heading “Down The Rabbit Hole.” The vocal stacking is perfect, unusual, and gorgeous, and the guitar work is elevated. Highlights on the second half of this CD include the symphonic production that is “Sewn In” and the perfect radio tune, “Cocoon.” “Pray for Someone Else,” could be a nod at those who may disapprove of Singer’s decision to leave his Christian metal roots behind, and the closing song “Leather Wings” is lovely acoustic bliss with clever and perfectly constructed lyrics, heavenly harmony (yep, they went from hell to heaven), and a choir of voices that set me on fire.
Florida is not known as the home of great music, but when we birth it (Anberlin, Tom Petty, Tremonti, Nonpoint), we do it right. I'm proud to call Blessing A Curse one of my hometown bands. It's almost spooky to think how good they'll be in a decade when they're packing stadiums and playing songs I'll remember when.
Satisfaction For The Vengeful is available for purchase and download now, and if you're one of the lucky ones, consider attending their release party Saturday night (11/5/16) at Backbooth Orlando in Orlando, FL. Ticket purchase comes with a physical copy of their new CD, holy water not included.

Ashes Of My Regrets: Caricatures

Written by Robin Ervolina
The press release for Ashes Of My Regrets says, “If you’re a fan of headlining bands like Asking Alexandria, Crown The Empire, The Word Alive, Memphis May Fire, Bring Me The Horizon and Motionless In White …” well, hell, that’s my playlist lately, so I dive in eagerly, and find myself suspended in a pool of unearthly vocals, metalcore riffs and beats, and piercing lyrics. The five-part outfit’s new EP, Caricatures, combines inspired arrangements and expert musicianship that provides their fans with a sense of strength through release.
The opening track is an instrumental of sorts. It sounds like a record that has a groove so deep it keeps skipping and sticking. It plays like an auditory flashback. It’s a cringe; a blinking and shaking off of something that hurts or shames you as it comes to the front of your mind. With over screams, sound bites, and monologues, this dreamy intro sequence sets the stage for the emotional assault to come.
Lead singer Chris Ferland carries both the clean and unclean vocals. His growl comes from somewhere deeper than the ground. With a range that goes from hell to heaven and back again, he delivers his wrath over a slamming rhythm section, and the guitar work of a thousand nimble serpents. The synthesized underbelly supports the feeling that you can rise and recover, but pins you to the melody like a succubus.
Their first release, “Daydreams” is highly hypnotic. The synthesizers coming through my headphones cut my flesh so the music can run deep and the pain can bleed out. The driving melody and even rhythm feels transportive, but I’m scared to let it take me down because I think living where this song inhabits is a bad idea. I would, however, like to mosh with these guys, heartbreak for heartbreak, despair for despair.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ole9wt-mlfM
“Fooled Me Twice, Now Pay The Price” is another standout tune. Ferland delivers a sharp message with inspired vocals. Anger and vindication are played out over off-the-chain drum work. When Ferland sings, “Wipe my name from your filthy fucking lips” my fist punches the air in a show of solidarity and an act of unbridled emotion.
I'm going out on a limb, but confidently, and saying this is not your average metalcore band. After a few spins, I have a solid bangover and I may have blown a speaker. There is something unique and special in their vocal and instrumental arrangements, and it beckons a listen. Ashes of My Regrets' debut Caricatures can be pre-ordered here. We’ll also be talking to them in the days to come, so check back soon.

Con Etiquette: Resulting In ...

Written by Robin Ervolina
"So fix yourself up a glass of whatever the fuck you'd like. What kind of monster will you transform into tonight?" - Con Etiquette

Grab a bottle of Vodka. Tequila? Don’t tell me you’re a Cap’t Morgan drinker? That’s fine. Fine. Pick your poison and pull up a bar stool. Con Etiquette just released Resulting In ... and it's frightfully reminiscent of a succession of drunk voice mails I may or may not have left a half dozen times in my life.
You know where this is going. You got in a fight with your boy/girl. Maybe you broke up. Whatever the case, you’re out drinking way too much, and your supposed best friend (irresponsible jerk) forgot to confiscate your phone. This is you on gin and rejection. “Got this Way” is your first drunken text. Like an alarm waking your ex-lover from a dream filled slumber, it’s full-on rage. Then you remember how much you still love your love, so you take it mellow but still drop a few f-bombs for effect. The long drawn out vowels that exist in the land of Trash’sylvania are personified by long-note guitar playing. The simple rhythm section holds up the mood like your friends who hold your hair while you puke. “1,2,3,4” is the second call, the one where you tell your beloved you don’t need them, they need you, and they can just call someone ELSE the next time they’re lonely or broke, or need someone to fill the passenger seat in the carpool lane. It’s whatever. You don’t care. “Lead The Way" hopes they break their fucking heart, and “Human and the Divine” is that regrettable moment where you cry "you're stupid, you don’t know anything and just shut up, shut up, shut up."
“Interlude” is an instrumental. It’s a peaceful, space-rocky kind of … oh, you’ve passed out, haven’t you? You’ve finally gotten someone to put you to bed, and now you’ve passed out. No words. Reset.
“Timing” perfectly puts into words that feeling you get when you wake up hungover and then suddenly look at your phone and remember what you did the night before.

If you aint got nothing good to say, don't let those words escape. Just keep it to yourself, for goodness sake.

The next four songs follow suit, working through the phases of a break up like a Ross ( Kübler-Ross that is). The final song, “Now You Know” is the shit-eating grin of reminding said ex that even though you’re fine and you have transcended their bullshit and moved on, everything you do will always have an underlying “fuck you” for that sad sack of shit you used to call your lover.
Or, if you’d rather, you can just listen to this CD the way they intended it; a collaboration of musicians who wrote first separately, then together. You can enjoy their mastery of balancing angry sucky emotions with some pretty mellow instrumentation. If you’re a fan of The Cure, drunken binges, poor coping mechanisms, and great music, pick up your copy of Resulting In ... now. You can stream it first, but I recommend you just lick the salt, shoot the CD, and chase it with a little lime.


All music written and performed by Con Etiquette
All lyrics written by Antonino Lappostato
Con Etiquette is:
Michael Mandanici: Drums,Vox
Vincent Testani: Guitar
Brian Gamse: Bass
Antonino Lappostato:Vox,Guitar
Produced,recorded,engineered and mixed by Ivan Fiallos-Zambrano
at Endeavor Audio, Shelton,CT
Executive Producer: MC Johnny Wae for Villains DC Music (ASCAP)
Mastered by Ivan Fiallos-Zambrano

Memphis May Fire: This Light I Hold

Written by Robin Ervolina
Memphis May Fire released their fifth studio album, This Light I Hold last week, and if you’re hoping I'll tell you it's better than anything they've done to date, you’re going to be sorely disappointed in me. You’ll just fall into one of three camps; This Light I Hold is better, worse, or as good as MMF has ever been. I’m in the third camp; this is the MMF I love, with honest lyrics, amazing Matty Mullins vocals, and inspired guitar work by Kellen McGregor. If you’re looking for Mullins' lyrics to “evolve” to something more esoteric or obscure, more poetic or elevated, stop. Just stop. Mullins writes from where he lives, and he shares his pain, faith, and message candidly. If you’d rather someone pour some sugar on you, that’s cool. If you want someone to meet you where you are, and lead you out of the darkness, take my hand and let me walk you through This Light I Hold.
The first track is dark, perhaps one of the darkest MMF tunes to date, and at first listen seems an odd choice for the opening song (it all makes sense later). "Out Of It" delivers deep despair and unrelenting sadness, unapologetically. Mullins' unclean vocals carry the first half of the song, growling over a driving score that is drum heavy and slightly synthesized, Kellen's guitar fires frantic warning shots without restraint.

I get so deep inside. I don’t think I’ll be coming out alive. I tell myself that everything’s alright, but I can’t believe it when I know it’s a lie.

Guitar riffs explode in waves and the sweet anger in Mullins' clean vocals crash against the break.

When I scream in my dreams no one hears me, and when I wake I’m still alone so I fall back asleep. When I bleed I start to feel but it leaves me empty. I start to believe there’s no saving me.

Finally, Mullins voice explodes in painful desperation.

My walls are caving in. I’m suffocating. Get me out.

If this first song is your intro to MMF, and you’re not a scream fan, stick it out a bit. There are more layers to this band. Unlike a lot of dirty vocals, Mullins delivers every word with absolute clarity, and some of his softest vocals carry the sharpest words.
The second song, “Carry On” is a bitter middle finger, held high with confidence, from a band that has seen their fair share of criticism inside the industry, even amongst their own peers. The message is simple: “I’m not doing this for you," and anyone who has ever felt judged for driving their destiny can relate to this song.

Say I’m selfish. Say I’m changed. Say I abandoned what I set out to be. Say I’m different now. Say I’m lost. But I’ll stay true no matter what, because I’ll stand and fight for what I love and know is right. I’ll carry on till my days are gone. 

I love angry songs. Let’s be honest; that fine line between love and hate is a barrier to some great music. I love that MMF jumped that wall and gave me the cathartic “Sever The Ties.” The lyrics aren't over the top, and I don't want them to be. When you're this raw, words just get in the way, and an emotional delivery demands an uncluttered canvas.
While everyone is tuning into the second release from the CD, “This Light I Hold,” featuring Jacoby Shaddix of Papa Roach, the better collaboration on this CD is “Not Over Yet” featuring My American Heart's Larry Soliman. In the middle of this driving, crying, screaming song, Soliman’s voice provides a precious, tear-inducing break. Pull the car over and just sob. I did.
“That’s Just Life” is another highlight. The instrumentation is dressed down to feature Mullins' vocals and lyrics, which are painfully honest, and honestly familiar. It’s the manner in which MMF deals with chronic sorrow that moves their music beyond entertainment and into inspiration.

I’d be lying if I said that I was fine, because I feel pain sometimes that I cannot describe. So do I raise my fist and curse up at the sky, or do I close my eyes, and realize, that’s just life?

By the time I reach the end of “This Light I Hold” the lightbulb I hold above my head comes on. The abject sadness of the first track is a stark contrast to the last few infectiously hopeful tunes, "Better Things," "Unashamed," and "Live It Well." In this CD, Memphis May Fire draws a road map from despair to peace. "This Light I Hold" takes us at our worst and walks us through the darkness to a place of coping and new beginnings. That's the light Memphis May Fire holds, and oh, do they let it shine.