Interview with Phil/vocalist

In a time when there are so many bands, it’s sometimes tough to make yourself stand out. Some people think it’s about trying to look a certain way, or trying to appeal to certain “markets.” But this is music! And what it’s all about is the music. All That Remains have no marketing gimmicks, and they don’t dress like the flavor of the month. They’ve done something more bands should try, writing an amazing record that shuns the trends of the current scene and taking it out on the road to punish eardrums until people pay attention. 2004 is the year that All That Remains will become a household name within the metalcore genre.

As with most bands that are touring and trying to make a living, there are always unexpected twists and turns you’ll be faced with. With All That Remains, these came in line-up changes. Hot off the heels of their debut album and after touring, they kicked out their guitarist, and their bass player quit unexpectedly. Phil, the vocalist, elaborates, “When Dan Egan left, our old bass player, It was kind of a shock. He just called me up one day and was like "I can't do it any more" It was kinda out of the blue. Chris Bartlett we had had some problems with on the road and with the new stuff we were writing. A lot of things had become a power struggle so we did have a game plan. We had Mike (Martin, our newest guitar player) in mind for a while before we had to make the change. It definitely did slow us down when Dan left though. To top it off Mike Barteltt (our drummer) broke his arm at the same time Dan left. So we were down for nearly five months less than a month after the release of the first disc. “

They weren’t down long however as they already had a replacement in mind for the vacant guitar position, bass players however seemed to be a bit of a problem at first. “Mike Martin replaced Chris Bartlett. Mike is much more solid rhythm player so it makes the band a bit tighter and more focused live. As for Bass, we first had a few months with Josh Ven, (Blood Has Been Shed). He had some personal issues he had to take care of so it didn't last too long. When Matt Deis joined things just kinda came together. His first practice was a show. I knew him from the area a bit but I didn't realize how good he was. When Oli told us he had a dude to try out for bass but he couldn't practice with us before this particular show we had booked we were kinda worried. But Matt came to the show and just knew all our stuff. He had only a heard the new songs we were doing at the time from Oli on an acoustic guitar. So this kid, 19 at the time, came down and played a show. Having never actually practiced with the whole band and totally blew us away.”

I asked Phil if he thought the bands brand new disc, This Darkened Heart released by Prosthetic Records, was what he thought was the next logical step for the band, turns out he doesn’t agree. I was unaware that the band wasn’t very pleased with the direction of some of the material from the debut. The new album is more of what they were shooting for all along. “No I wouldn't say it is the next logical step at all. This disc is far removed from what we did on Behind Silence And Solitude. The power struggle that I spoke of earlier had a pretty big effect on the disc. If you listen to BSAS you can hear a difference in three songs in particular that kinda have a more metalcore feel. I had written three songs before I had even left Shadows Fall. and that is the direction I had intended to go in the first place. When we actually got together it kinda strayed from that idea and became much more solo and instrument oriented. So this disc isn't so much a natural step as it is reinventing ourselves as a band. I do believe that this is the better of the two records. We do much more and pushed ourselves quite a bit more on This Darkened Heart.” While he may not think it’s the next logical step, one listen and you’ll know that All That Remains is firing on all pistons on this album and this is a band that has a lot of potential to become a heavy hitter in the heavy music scene.

In the world of melody filled metalcore music there seems to be one producers name who comes up a lot, that name is Adam D of Killswitch Engage. Not only can the guy write an amazing song, he’s also responsible for some amazing sounding records. I asked Phil why they decided to work with Adam D, and it turns out they’ve known for quite sometime that they wanted to work with him. “We had decided we wanted to work with Adam nearly a year before we actually went in to do the record. And the reason is I trust him. I don't like people screwing with our music. So it's more than just to get a big name on the record or some such crap. I have known Adam for years and years. Mike Martin had worked with him on his old band Flatlined. We knew what kind of work he did with KsE and we wanted that kinda drive and punch for our stuff.”

With new members in the fold, I was curious to ask if the writing process for the band was changed at all from what they did on the debut album. It actually turns out that Phil writes most of the music as well as the lyrics, more so on this album then ever. “We wrote this disc a bit differently than the last one. With This Darkened Heart I wrote most of the songs basic bones and then we all got together and added to it. I would come in with three or four riffs and say "I think these work well together" and then Oli would take it home and elaborate or come up with ideas that worked well with it. Matt did the same thing but to a lesser extent due to most of the record being written when he joined. That isn't to minimize anyone's contribution, it's just the way it worked out. And I think it worked very well. We have a record that we are very proud of and feel very strongly about.”

The first time I saw the cover for This Darkened Heart, I thought to myself “that really looks like the cover from the last Killswitch Engage album.” Well, I mentioned this to Keith and low and behold it was done by the same artist, who also happens to be a member of Killswitch Engage. “It was done by Mike D. from KsE. He does great work. We are having him do a few different layouts for shirts as well. Again it is one of those things where you work with people you feel comfortable with. I have seen a lot of the stuff Mike had done and I had NO idea what I wanted but I have an overall idea of how I wanted the art to make you feel. I wanted it to be a bit abstract but not completely off the wall. That is what I told Mike and he delivered a great piece of art and a killer layout.”

With a new album out to support and a trouble free line-up, I knew that you could probably expect All That Remains to be on the road for most of this year. If you want to check out this band live, chances are you will have more then a few chances to do so in the upcoming months. “We plan on being on the road as much as possible this year,” Phil says. “We have three months or so booked already and are looking to stay out till the holidays if we can. In this industry you have to be willing to live out of a suit case. That is how you spread your name and your art and where you make your money.”

When you listen to All That Remains, it’s fairly easy to hear that they draw influences from both the hardcore scene and the metal scene. This had me thinking that the band could pretty much play shows with any band out there that it at least somewhat heavy. It turns out that the band does have some fairly diverse tours planned. A line-up consisting of Prong, Dog Fashion Disco, Beyond the Embrace, and All That Remains, while diverse, is an amazing line-up. I asked Phil if he left like they could play with pretty much anyone and here’s what he said to say. “I think it is a bit like that. Depending on who you are playing with. Music is so trendy these days some times you can play a show with bands that sound similar or are in your "genre" and still not make an impression just cause you don't have the look. I do think that we offer more than a lot of band do though. We try to cover the different styles of heavy music we like. That in and of it's self is a lot of stuff.”

It’s pretty damned clear that these guys know how to play their instruments. I was interested to find out if anything ever get scrapped because it’s just too over the top. I’m sure the guys sometimes show a little restraint when it comes to how much they want to do within certain songs. In the end, it’s more important to have a memorable song right? “Yeah, stuff does get scrapped. Both Olli and Matt have gone to school for music and have degrees, so we do need to make sure that things don't get self serving. We are all fans of music and it's kinda hard sometimes cause when one of those two writes a great part it may not be great for the song. But it doesn't make the part any less great. There are a few riffs that we were like "OK, we need to relax a bit here" Or more to the point, I do. I push very hard when it comes to All That Remains. Once or twice I've come in with a riff and Mike and Oli were like "you can fuckin play it if you want it so bad." I write with no regard to playing live or being tight with a band cause I don't have to do that stuff. I just write what I think is cool. Often I'll come in with a riff and be like "play this but I can't play it as fast as I want it, so you guys can just speed it up" or something completely ridiculous. We learned to think about the song first on this record. So yeah.”

If you are expecting music played a million miles an hour, you probably will be disappointed with All That Remains. It turns out that while the band wants to play fast, it just works out better for the songs if they are played at a slower tempo. “That was Adams doing and I think it was for the best. I want everything a million miles an hour. Adam came in and was like "what the fuck are you guys doing?!?!" and pretty much told me I'm stupid and shut up. It took a lot for me to let him slow stuff down and not freak. And again that ties in with how much I trust his judgment. Most of our stuff now is in the 180 to 220 range. With the title track pushing 230 or 240 I think.” Don’t take this the wrong way though, the band definitely isn’t what you would consider slow, it’s definitely not doom. Just don’t expect any blast beats, and you won’t be disappointed.

The vocal patterns and choruses seem catchier then ever on the new album.. The chorus in the Deepest Grey is especially infectious. I was curious to ask Phil if he felt that he had grown lyrically since the debut record. Are the lyrics a personal release? “Yeah, I don't really get too in-depth when I explain songs cause people are gonna get what they get,” Phil says. “I can tell you how I felt or what I was thinking but it won't make the lyrics have more or less of an impact. If you listen to the song and can get something out of it then that is all I can hope for. It is kind of a personal release, I don't really talk about my feelings much so it is a bit like getting stuff off my chest. As far as things being catchy that was kind of an accident. We did want things to stick in your head and stay with you because if you can do that then your music has much more impact.”

With the new record the band has high hopes for what the future will bring. They aren’t looking for fame and fortune, but simply to be able to do what they love and make a living doing so. “We do have very high hopes for this record. We all want to make music for a living. If we can pay our bills and live comfortably then everything else is icing on the cake. Most people go through life working for either someone else or working to pay the bills. It does not get any better than working because you want to.” With an album as good as This Darkened Heart the band should have no problem attaining enough success to be able to take this band as far as humanly possible.

Right now it seems like heavy music is getting more attention then it ever has. The more mainstream side of metal is starting to showcase bands that shun the trends and play interesting, heavy music that more people are finally starting to hear. I asked Phil if he thought this is the ideal time for All that Remains to exist. He definitely thinks that it is. “Yes I do. With the Ozzfest taking out bands like Lamb Of God, Atreyu, God Forbid, KsE, and Shadows Fall. Radio stations are playing Hatebreed. Uranium and Headbangers ball both in prime time 5 days a week. All this stuff is great for bands like us. This style of music has been around for years and years so it's nice to see some recognition. It makes it possible for us to pay the bills and still do what we love.”