Rise 2 Brutality

In the the '80s L.A strip there were two main genres- hair and thrash, and they never mixed well. Lately, however, death metal and hardcore seem to be the music of choice in Tampa. Alot of bands are selling out, following the trends and becoming full hardcore. Some bands, who were initially death metal, taint their vocals or music with hardcore, going against what their Thrash cousins stood for. Now, not all hardcore and metal hybrids are bad, but alot are not as good as they would be pure of hardcore or death. Some bands are good, they have the talent, the drive and the presence. The only thing that hits a snag is the drastic difference in music one way or another.

One band that has the potential to be the face of Tampa metal, but the two different music limits their audience, is Rise 2 Brutality. Playing off their name their vocals are rich with death metal influence, singing from virtually all stages of death metal. Lyrics range like a metal band should, from positive to negative. Variety of lyrics create dynamic work ethic, which is shown in their stage performances. The guitars is where the hardcore comes in. Heavily impacted with hardcore style riffs, the sound of Rise 2 Brutality itself is creative. The drums are basic but important. Basic drum lines, hardcore guitars and metal singing, is a complex combination that can easily crumble, but this band somehow found a way to make it work.

Hardcore or metal, this hybrid band has been here since 2005 and shows no sign of slowing down. After finding their edge in two virtually different landscapes of music, Rise 2 Brutality is starting to look like a double edged sword. So, what is the band doing now? Rise 2 Brutality is still in the making of their debut album, The Alpha Tyrant (shown left). They will be making an appearance at Gasoline Alley on the 21st and the Pegasus Lounge on the 29th. Be sure to witness this brutal rise live!


Click the link below to read full review at examiner.com on Rise 2 Brutality


http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-19429-Tampa-Metal-Music-Examiner~y2009m8d19-A-brutal-rise


- Wes Cambron

If you missed the Consinity and Rise 2 Brutality concert last night, don't worry. I'm here to tell you what you missed at the new Gasoline Alley. If you were there, but got too drunk to remember, I'll tell you as well. Before I start, I'd like to inform you that the Alley has moved, if you were unaware. It was my first time at the new Alley and it was bigger and scarier than the old. Good news was there was no steel poles to hit when in the mosh pit. From experience, that is a very good thing. Below is is the lineup and what you may have missed.

Are you open to Suggestion? Hope so, this new act has been roaming the Tampa scene for a year now. Cutting away from brutal or scary sounds, these boys try to have a funky sound. Three guys having fun... in wolf masks. Well, one was a wolf and two were whatever they felt like. Looking like they just got out of a scene of An American Werewolf in Paris, they really didn't do much though. Standing like gargoyles and not commanding the crowd, their performance last night was fit for an opening act. Potential is what they have, and the entertainment factor is high. I suggest to go see Suggestion.

Stepping it up a notch or two was Melbourne, Florida's pride and joy, Simone. Who knew East Florida had a music scene? These bluesy rockers have one of the most unique sounds in Florida. Not claiming to be metal, just good old rock n roll fun makers. With vocalist Simone leading the group with her charm and ass shaking, she also brought some great sounds. Unlike many female singers who take after Pat Benatar or Janis Joplin, she sings uniquely. Not to be outdone by their front woman, the guitarists sound can go quick and then slow it down, and then back up in a single verse. What got the whole crowd moving and grooving, is their ability to make their guitars weep in the way B.B King would be swaying his head around to. If your ever on the East coast, check out Simone.

Who says Sobriety sucks? Obviously they weren't talking about the Canadian-fronted hard rocking Sobriety. This band is what modern rock should be, with stage presence felt all over the bar, and the sounds to match. The vocalist had a clean style of vocals that had passion and style. Sadly, with the near-drunken middle aged crowd, he couldn't generate enough reactions for a pit, which he totally could of. If they play the younger crowds, they will find out that Sobriety doesn't suck.

Don't go Falling Awake on me. Unless your the singer who almost pulled a Rock Star and fall off the stage. Like a swan he not only caught himself, he didn't even miss a note. Stage presence was a huge factor in this band too. Plus their hot wives. Between songs the vocalist rambled on in monologues that were pretty funny. Maybe he could have been the comedian between sets. Sound was good, but it ultimately down to their presence and how they interacted with the fans. Good band, I was quite impressed.

Are you ready for the show stopper? Rise 2 Brutality rose to their promised title. First band to actually generate a pit. And not to brag, I started it. Small but brutal, it was a great reaction to the hybrid-metal band. After sitting down to take a breather, I was accompanied on my first sit down with a singer. While singing, the vocalist was sitting across from me. If that wasn't motivation to throw your horns in the air, nothing is. Personally, they were my favorite set. Presence was felt, sound was significant, and crowd control was amazing. Rise up to see Rise 2 Brutality!

Lastly was the main event. Where all the 20s and up came to see. Consinity. Before I start I have to ask. Consinity, honestly, what the hell is wrong with your vocalist? Is he a pretty boy who needs sound effects to sound good? All I ever heard was the PA effects on his voice. All he did while singing was step on buttons to change his microphone sound. HEY! There such a thing as making that sound yourself you know. You would know that if you watched the same concert I was. Other than the poor singing skills, the sound was heavier with their new sound. It didn't generate a big response like Rise did, but the show was good. Not them, but apparently they have a decent female fan base that likes to drink and dance with each other to music.

Overall, the show was great. Young comedian James Yeargin was the nights entertainment. He was young but he was good under pressure when a few hecklers were showing their "support". With a few snappy comebacks, which got quite a few laughs, I say not only support local music- support local comedy as well. So if you missed the show, hope my review helps.
- Wes cambron

Rise 2 Brutality is one of the most dynamic, innovative and charismatic hybrid act in Tampa today. Also my second most reviewed band. On the afternoon of March 27th I was able sit down with Rise 2 Brutality's front man, the one and only Jeff Zerin. We touched on the history of the band, his own personal history and of course the contrast of metal styles of yesteryear and today. He would like to have me inform you that he was conducting this interview while in his boxers. A brief jab at my near-homoerotic interview with Kosmo Burns? But none-the-less, here is the interview of Jeff Zerin, vocalist of Rise 2 Brutality, in its entirety.



Tampa Metal Music Examiner: Like Mitch from Ulcer you are from Illinois. Is that where you got into metal?

Jeff Zerin: Yes, I'm from Illinois. I came down here after my parents divorced, around the tenth grade. Illinois seems to have a big impact on people....either your gonna be a serial killer, be into metal or be a awesome vocalist for a band, or be a Satanist. It just has that impact. I still remember when Jeffrey Dahmer was on the front page of the newspaper. Creepy. Illinois should change from "The Land Of Lincoln" to "The Land Of Metal". Back in middle school, me and my friends would sneak out to go camping , build a huge bonfire, drink, smoke and mosh around the bonfire listening to Slayer. Slayer was my first big impact to draw me into the DARKSIDE, it wasn't Darth Vader, it was Slayer. HELL AWAITS!

TMME: Good album, before they started to recycle their sound. So Illinois is a metal state. Were you in any bands before Rise 2 Brutality?

JZ: Well, I'm originally a guitarist. I tried so hard during high school to put a band together but it just never worked out right. I had the awesome guitarist whom I went to school with, "Chris Miller", who we practiced everyday together writing music. After high school I lost track of him as the years went by. If I knew where Chris was he would probably be in my band today. Chris is who first got me into Death Metal. He turned me on to the first Deicide album when it was released. Don't get me wrong though, I love Nick and JD to death, they make the band. Other than that, I never really found that I had a voice until I had reached the age of thirty. So to answer your question, "NO", only jam sessions with other friends throughout the years. I was a virgin until Rise 2 Brutality.

TMME: Wow, never heard it put that way before. Speaking of the band that, er, I guess popped your cherry, how did Rise 2 Brutality come about? Name and all?

JZ: Well, we originally had two vocalist in the group. Larry Wilkins was my other half of the lyrical party of the band. He named the band. Originally he came up with Rise of Brutality... but then the whole band stepped back and realized it sounded to much like a Hatebreed album. So we tweaked it a lil bit. Rise 2 brutality. We allowed Larry to name the band because Larry and Nick were founding members of the band. So it was up to them. He stepped up to plate.

TMME: And what happened to Larry? I have actually seen both of you perform when Boomerz was still around. First time I ever saw y'all play. Which one had the 8 year old son in the pits?

JZ: Larry had the 8 year old son. I don't have kids yet..so ladies...I'm single and I need a hot metal mommy in my life! But Larry was awesome! I miss him so much from not being in the band. Our music was meant to have two vocalist. It's the way the lyrics were written, for two people. The way the lyrics overlapped each other, you needed two people. It's just not the same without him. Larry had some personal issues outside of the band. The band backed him on everything. We were there for him. We told him to take a break and come back when he was ready, but unfortunately he never came back. Larry had so much going on in his life that I couldn't even keep track of what was going on with him. I hope hes doing well and OK. If he would call me today, I would tell him to come to our next practice to get updated. Hes been gone about a year and a half now.

TMME: So is it same to assume you are on the lookout for a new member? Or have you got it all set with the release of The Alpha Tyrant?

JZ: I think we are pretty much set on the vocals. We always discuss about bringing someone else in, but I took over the whole job. When we first started R2B, I only did very heavy growling. Now I am expanding more to a mid range voice alongside my growling. I am trying to expand myself.

TMME: What is your favorite song to perform? Is it the one that you're always screaming in my face?

JZ: I think my favorite is "As They Burn". We need to get in the studio and record that song. It was originally called "Vampires Hunting Witches". I changed it to as they burn because that's how I started out the lyrics of the song and it sounded more catchy, "As They burn, ashes fill my night". Ha ha ha it's about vampires killing off the witches world. Must be the world inside my mind. If vampires and witches were real, I think vampires would dominate. And the song that you and I had a sit down on was "As They Burn".
A hunt for you, for making witches stew. Insane they be, a magic fantasy. Therefore I am, Immortal to this land. You witch! I'll burn your destiny!
I've always had a wide imagination about vampires.

TMME: Good, now I know what you've been screaming at me. You've been here for awhile, you seen and heard things. What is the key differences between the old days and the current state of Tampa metal?

JZ: Well, in all out honestly. I think it kinda cheesed out. Nobody has long hair anymore! Well, some still do, but most upcoming metal bands don't. Back in the 90's Death Metal was about gore, about killing, Satan and being against the world. It's just not the same. Everybody now sounds the same with screaming. I wanna hear more growling dammit! That is why I keep the growling in our music. It's passion for me. It's my inner demon being released. Some of these new school vocalist have some weak inner demons. I represent from the roots of Cannibal Corpse, Morbid Angel, Monstrosity, etc.. Now our music isn't all blast beat like the old days, but I keep it real with the low growls. It's more modern and catchy. Now if I was to pick of what generation I liked better, it would have to be the old, not the new metal bands. I am so happy to see Morbid, Cannibal and Six Feet Under still around. They are my heroes. For most of these new bands, they do have more energy and stage presence. On to the next question. Mind if I smoke?

TMME: Get you're Vitamin C. So you like the old ways better. Do you believe in 'a metal scene' or a community?

JZ: Well, that's easy for me to answer. I believe in both. As long as everyone helps and supports each other in every way. A "Metal Scene Community". At least we are not all shooting each other out there like all the big rap artists. Ha ha! Can you imagine that, walking down the street, I see A broken Machine hanging out on the street corner and them shouting out "There's Rise 2 Brutality", gettem! "Shoot'em up, we don't want them getting more song plays than us on myspace!" That's one thing that I have learned about the scene in the Tampa scene, everyone supports each other. If we didn't have that, we would all be nothing here. We might not be signed, at least not yet, but we are metal god's around here in our own way. That is because of all the other bands whom work together. Two bands we would like to thank for that since the beginning is "A Broken Machine" and "Dementia", they've backed and supported us since the beginning. They are awesome and great guys. They go way outta their way for other bands.

TMME: It's no secret how I feel about Dementia. But recently someone has suggested for me to interview one of them. You think that would be an interview worth reading? Besides this one?

JZ: Hell yes. They are actually all cool guys. I think they just need to realize that everyone has an opinion out there. My band already knows that in the future that we cant listen to anybody but ourselves. We do what we do because we love to do it. If every band thought like that, we would all go a lot farther and that is what we are doing. Every band will have a good critic and a bad critic, it's only opinion. It's the same as I just say a killer movie last night and I loved it, but my drummer went and saw it the next day and said that it sucked.

TMME: Should metal be on the radio?

JZ: Metal should have national 24/7 radio! I can't believe it hasn't happened yet. If I ever win the lotto, because I play every Weds and Sat, I will be the one to start: Your listening to smooth metal radio on 67.8 with your host Jeffrey "Dahmer" Zerin. "First caller in with a live stabbing will win tickets to Rise 2 Brutality! I'm just kidding about the stabbing part! Ha ha! Well, at least we can thank XM and Serius radio for at least trying.

TMME: I'd support that. It's been awhile since I hosted the Wildside. Speaking of free tickets, any shows coming up?

JZ: Oh ya! I'm still in the middle of booking a ton of shows for spring and summer, but let me mention a couple we got coming up already...
May 13th @ The Roosevelt in Tampa, with Brought to Their Knees, Illbourne and MGP.
May 15th @ Gasoline Alley w/ Dead Heroes and Scar City
May 28, 29, 30 in Brooksville for "Wake Up Florida" 3 day music festival. We are so stoked on this! We will be playing on Sat the 29th, not sure what time yet. You can get tickets early at http://www.wakeupfl.com This festival is Rock, Metal and Techno!
June 11th @ Gasoline Alley for the Tampa Metal Awards Fundraiser with one of our favorites: Catalysis

-or see and read the page @ examiner.com by clicking the link below-

http://www.examiner.com/x-19429-Tampa-Metal-Music-Examiner~y2010m3d27-Jeff-Zerin-interview
- Wes Cambron

Last night there was three big metal events in our little area. End of The Rope headlined in Bourbon Street, Cannibal Corpse returned to the State Threatre and then there was Dead Heroes and company at the new Gasoline Alley. After carefully considering which shows to attend, I found myself inside the very spacious and newly (again) improved Gasoline Alley. This was a night of mosh pit action, without a doubt. So if you missed it or got drunk and forgot, this is what you missed or don't remember. This was May 15th, 2010 at the new Gasoline Alley!

The privilege of being the curtain jerkers was bestowed on Terra Ferma. Because they were up first, sadly they didn't get any pit action. Terra Ferma was also the cleanest sound of the night, dancing on the border of heavy metal and hard rock. At times you think the vocalist is in the wrong band, but that is always shaken away with his powerful yells and meaningful lyrics. Also, the drummer is incredible and pretty much makes the band. A total mainstream band that holds creativity and originality to the highest respect. Don't be surprise if you hear Terra Ferma on the radio by this time next year.

Next are the Tampa metal masters themselves, Rise 2 Brutality. What can I say that hasn't already been said before? They started the pit action from their first song with a 2 point pit. Another thing they added to their stage persona is a large banner that is actually pretty cool. Hopefully that will go on sale soon. The vocalist once again proved why he is Mr. Charisma. With their sweet riffs and heavy beats and brutal vocal style, Rise 2 Brutality remains as what death metal should be today. They even closed the set with a 7 point pit.

Up third is one of the top 10 bands to watch out for this year. The very lively Dead Heroes. These guys were good, but they seem to sound better on their CD. However, that didn't stop them from having an 8 point pit that pretty much lasted their entire set! Great band to see with your buddies, full of energy and drive. Clean but heavy sound. Dead Heroes don't waste much time with introductions so they know how to keep the mosh pits going. Then again when your best song is about being in the pits, of course your going to have stage dives and stuff you haven't seen since the '90s!

Then comes up Sledgegrinder. Still one of the driving forces in the New Wave of Florida Death Metal. Very technical riffs and heavy blasting drums with a brutal vocal style. They might of only had a 6 point pit, but that eliminated the only teeny boppers there. Sledgegrinder has earned the nickname "the Teeny Bopper Killers". Very good stage presence by the vocalist and the band kept a really good sound. The only bad part was when the lead guitarist got cocky and thought he could imitate the late great Dimebag Darrell and play during a mosh pit. Let's just say it didn't work.

Here's a question. What does a 6 foot bush creature thing have to do with Scar City? Never mind, forget it. Scar City was up last, which means I finally get to review them live. The start begins with dim lights and a war siren. We still at war with the teeny boppers? The nice groove sound begins with the very in your face vocalist. Pretty energetic at 1 in the morning. No pit action but just a band to have a good time with. Scar City is all about stage presence. And at the end of the night, those who remained were lucky enough to hear them cover Skid Row's "Youth Gone Wild". Great band, great show.

Well that was all there was. Good showing despite the two other shows going on at the same time. Dead Heroes got pit of the night. Sledgegrinder and Rise 2 Brutality had two of the best sets, it's hard to say which was better. Scar City was indeed worth the wait and hopefully I get to see them again. For those who aren't big with the overrun and redundant death metal scene (if there still is one) then Terra Ferma is for you. Overall it was a Two Devil Horns kind of night. So if you missed the show, that's what you missed and if you got drunk that's what you don't remember. Until next time, Horns High.



Continue reading on Examiner.com 5/15 Concert Review - Tampa Bay Metal Music | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/metal-music-in-tampa-bay/5-15-concert-review#ixzz1NUcK6FIT - Wes crambon