(((((OPENmind/SATURATEDbrain))))): ***LOCKTENDER exclusive interview***

Tuesday 1 April 2014

LOCKTENDER exclusive interview

Band: LOCKTENDER

Genres: Post-Rock / Post-Hardcore / Post-Metal / Screamo / Punk / Art
Related artists: Men As Trees.
Country: Cleveland, USA
Years Active: 2011-present
Song: "Aphorism #63"
Album: "Kafka"
Year: 2013
Label(s): Zegema Beach Records / Halo Of Flies / Desordre Ordonne / I Corrupt Records / Middle-Man Records / Replenish Records / The Ghost Is Clear Records / Adagio830 / Galt House Records / Bear Records / Dzsukhell Rekords / Itai Records / Antithetic Records / Blake Lake Records
This post's artist is from the April 2014 Mix. This is track #16.
You can download the April 2014 Mix#4 right here.
For fans of: Fall Of Efrafa, Envy, Amber, Milanku, Le Kraken, Kowloon Walled City, The Alaskan, Arktika, (old) Hopesfall, Castle, Evylock, Old Man Gloom, Breag Naofa, Gifts From Enola, Finger Of God, Black Heart Rebellion and Neurosis.

LOCKTENDER have been gaining steam and recognition for the past few years, but in the course of a single year, they released 2 full-length albums and a 7" split. Not only is that a staggering nugget of info, but the band has pretty much completed writing their next LP as well (using artist Caspar David Friedrich as inspiration! This commitment to music, touring and being all-around stand up gents has culminated with some serious international attention.

This band is the closest thing to aggressive music as art that I've ever listened to and seen simultaneously. The detail, lyrics, art and epic nature of the music are so cohesive it's a little intimidating and inspiring at the same time. The music can be calm and serene or massive and destructive and generally both extremes are reached within the same song on numerous occasions. Take the band's all-encompassing 20-minute epic, "The Burghers of Calais", for example. This song has so many twists and turns, from slow atmospheric and delicate instrumental rock all the way to spastic hardcore/metal chaos and truly shows all sides of LOCKTENDER. If you like your music heavy like The Fall Of Efrafa, pretty like Envy, fast like Rorcal and serene like Rosetta then you will probably have a new favourite band, but that's assuming you don't know LOCKTENDER, which seems unlikely.

I could go on for a few pages regarding LOCKTENDER's history, sound and my opinions about their songs and albums, but considering Andrew (guitar) poured a vast amount of time and energy into more than 10 pages of an interview with me, I'll stop there and let him explain that stuff himself with much more accuracy than I could ever hope to muster. If you really want to read more of my stupid words, check out the Zegema Beach Records LOCKTENDER page here. I also posted a full set from a show they played Michigan here. Lastly, the band will be travelling to Europe this summer for a tour and some dates with Amber.

Here is my favourite question/answer:
What is the most frustrating thing about the "music industry"?
"For me, the fact that industry is made up of entertainers, not musicians. Peddling garbage to the masses. No one writes their own songs. Just a lot of fake looking puppets pushing sex, greed, violence and hate. Seriously fuck the radio. Outside of NPR I don't even turn it on. Being a part of the DIY scene gives me hope that one day there will be enough of us tuning out the filth that the big wigs will have to foreclose a vacation home or something equally annoying to them. Music should never be about making money. Takes the honesty out of it."

***massive LOCKTENDER interview here***

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DISCOGRAPHY

2012 - Brighter Arrows Split 10"EP (order here)
2012 - Cassilis Split 7" (stream/download here)
2012 - Collected 12"LP (stream/download here) (includes tracks from 2012 releases and the 4-Way split 12")

2013 - Kafka 12"LP (order here)
2013 - 4-Way Split w/Coma Regalia, Wounded Knee & Oaken 12"LP (order here)

2014 - Rodin 12"LP (order here)
2014 - Amber Split 7" (order here)

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(2014) LOCKTENDER - "The Burghers Of Calais" (from 'Rodin')