“ATR: Yeah, we’re not Christian and we’re not metalcore, so tell the people on the message board to stop calling us that.” Mike Martin- All That Remains
MishMash: Well, Michael Mullenix from MishMashMagazine.com, sitting here with…
All That Remains: Mike from All That Remains
MM: Hey, I’m Mike, you’re Mike
ATR: Yes, Mike and Mike
MM: I don’t think we’ve ever really met. I mean, I’ve been following you guys forever…
ATR: Yeah, I don’t think we have
MM: Well, today that changes. You said [a few minutes ago] that you had a lot of press coming your way, and from where I’m standing you are “All That Remains”*
*Bad Punn intended
ATR: Yeah, someone told us we are one of the more requested bands on the tour, which is flattering and cool. To me it’s awesome, people actually want to know something about us.
MM: Well I find it incredible, and since this is my third interview with All That Remains I think it’s time we go through the history. First meeting you guys at Ozzfest 2006, and now all the way here at Mayhemfest, is there a tour you have not been on yet?
ATR: We haven’t done Gigantour. Is that still happening?
MM: I think it is… I’m hoping it is.
ATR: We haven’t done that one yet. We haven’t done Taste Of Chaos. I think that’s it.
MM: Oh wait, Taste Of Chaos. I was mixing it up with Sounds Of The Underground.
ATR: Yeah, that’s over, but we did that. We were on the very first one. I think we’ve done just about everything.
MM: The first time I interviewed you guys, it was all about your past, the second time was all about your future. Now it makes sense to cover your present.
ATR: That works.
MM: All three ghosts. The Ghost of Christmas Present maybe, more like the the Ghost Of Catching The Hell Up because you are a year into the new album
ATR: About 10 months, almost exactly 10 months. What day is today
MM: Ummm…… the 12th
ATR: In four days, exactly 10 months
MM: Well, first question that comes to mind when we talk about a marking point for an album: why does no one ever have a cake….to mark the year anniversary?
ATR: Heh, well I know for the Fall of Ideals when that broke 100,000 we had some celebration in a bar. I didn’t go to it though (laughs). I don’t know, there’s never any cake. We had a cake the other day though. First day of the tour was Oli’s birthday.
MM: Awwww
ATR: Yeah, it was chocolate, delicious too.
MM: What type of frosting?
ATR: It was blue and sugary, delicious
MM: Let’s talk Overcome. What goes in, especially on your end in reinventing the wheel from The Fall Of Ideals?
ATR: I don’t know, we don’t really have a plan. It always seems that the music goes first and it’s always what comes up naturally, and we don’t hear vocals till the record is done. Phil doesn’t even sing in practice, or if he does, it’s one song. Everything just goes with the flow of everything, whether it’s the music or the vocals, and for the finished product, we just make sure it doesn’t sound forced and that we’re happy. Also we like all kinds of metal, we’re past the whole “oh that’s gay, we can’t do that” phase. If it sounds cool……
*”Two Weeks” is broadcasted over the PA for the festival, and he takes notice*
ATR: I think that’s…
MM: Yeah, I think that is Two Weeks
ATR: That’s making it right there
(Burst Out Laughing)
MM: Perfect segue. Of course “Chiron” was the first single, and “Before The Damned” was the most br00tal track on the record.
ATR: That one wasn’t a single, but was the opening track. Yeah…
MM: But talking about “Two Weeks” specifically. It’s a song that really sticks out from the rest of your discography.
ATR: “Two Weeks” is our biggest song to date BY FAR. It’s kinda strange because we were afraid to put that on the album. It was our first song that had singing the full way through it, and we said “here we go with all the haters,” and they are gonna come flowing at all the clean singing in the song. But, the few death metal kids were pissed that we didn’t write it death metal, and after that it went to number 6 on rock radio in America. It’s the biggest song we ever had and it’s selling ridiculously well because of it. We have no regrets now with that song on the record.
MM: I’ll say, I really took to it, the only thing that jumped me at first was downloading it on Rock Band and thinking “sure, I’ll just be able to growl through this”
ATR: Hah, it’s hard right. Same thing happened with “Forever in Your Hands” which just got released to radio now. Those were the two songs that there were radio edits for and the radio agreed to play them on the air. For a band like us it’s a big deal, we always get played on those 4 in the morning underground metal shows that nobody is listening to.* Our friends all texted us, “hey, it’s new and they just played you.” People kept listening, and they kept requesting, and then it was beating Slipknot and it was beating Disturbed’s song.
*Journalist’s note: In college, I ran one of those 4am radio shows that played his music.
MM: Well I think it speaks to the longevity of your music. This will be one of those bands that down the road people will be reaching for and…
ATR: Yeah, if you can cross over, without completely tanking your sound, it just adds to the life of the band. Band’s gonna be around longer, gonna be more successful, gonna do a lot more.
MM: So tell me, we are on Mayhemfest, the second one far as I’m counting.
ATR: Third show, Sacremento, San Francisco, and then today.
MM: Ok, a question, maybe not so much for you but more for the management. WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY NOT LA?!
ATR: Why not LA, as in Why’s the show not in LA?
MM: Yeah
ATR: I don’t know really, this was the Ozzfest stop and I have no idea. When we did Warped Tour, that was closer to LA I think.
MM: I look at this whole area as Worcester part 2 for me
ATR: (Breaks out Laughing, *they are from Worcester)
MM: At least now I get a car and a say of when I want to stop seeing a show.
ATR: Absolutely. We’re in San Bernardino, we call it the LA show, we called it the Sacremento show, we were nowhere near Sacremento. Whatever, we just get on the bus and go.
MM: Well this is a really solid list of bands, and looking at the stage you’re on, you are in really good company.
ATR: The whole tour is just awesome. I haven’t like this much music on a tour in a long time. I’ve been doing this for 10 years now, and I get burned on metal, I’m not gonna lie, but man, I’ve been like a 16 year old having so much fun watching Cannibal Corpse, God Forbid, and Killswitch. I like liking bands on a tour, it makes it more fun. But there’s been too much freaking press, I’ve been missing a lot of it.
MM: Well you guys need a chance to get out of California where all of us Bigshots in the Hollywood Hills lounge around. Need a day further on to unwind and chill out with Killswitch or something.
ATR: Yeah, it’s amazing, Adam from Killswitch and I go to a Red Sox game in Mass last week, we only had six days off from tour. This is just a lot of… family-type atmosphere.
MM: Last question about the tour, what do you guys have planned for the homecoming event on this tour.
ATR: (sarcastically) It will just be a pain in the ass, there will be too many friends there, there won’t be enough guest list spots, there won’t be enough time to entertain everyone, there won’t be enough beer for everybody. It’s actually cool to see everyone from your hometown, and the crowds are amazing, but the actual “try to entertain all your friends” can get a bit annoying. They’re all like “oh dude, let’s hang out,” it sucks.
MM: They need to come visit you somewhere else. Alaska, Saskatchuan, someplace like that.
ATR: Right
MM: Well I’ve been kicked off your guestlist before, don’t worry man.
ATR: (In Tears Laughing) Awesome
MM: Well we have the wrap it up cue, and I know I promised we’d stay rooted in the present, but what is in the future for All That Remains?
ATR: We’re gonna stick around as long as possible, we’d like to do it for another 10 or 20 years if we could. As far as short-term, tour for another 6-8 months probably on this record and go do another one. Then, repeat the cycle.
MM: Ok, I was asking more about another CD or another tour, but 10 to 20, I’m gonna hold you to it. Any last thoughts for the kids at home?
ATR: Yeah, we’re not Christian and we’re not metalcore, so tell the people on the message board to stop calling us that.
MM: Strong message, I like that. I think that wraps us up, it’s been a pleasure, and have a great set then. I will see you out there.
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