WHITECHAPEL- Adam Wade

\r\nOn the event of the release of WHITECHAPEL’s latest album This Is Exhile –released on July 2008 by Metal Blade Records - Metalzone.gr and Elena Mihailidou had the chance to discuss with WHITECHAPEL’s guitarist Alex Wade. WHITECHAPEL stands out in today’s overcrowded metal scene due in part to their ability to fuse memorable and even groovy riffs with crushing breakdowns, tremolo picking at neck breaking speeds, and incredibly evil and dissonant sounds. Their songs demand repeated listens and gang vocals at shows are common place. This is a band that is true to their music and honest in their delivery. They refuse to be ignored and will continue to bring their crushing metal to show after show until metal heads worldwide have experienced the manic intensity that is WHITECHAPEL!
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\r\nMetalzone: First of all I’d like to congratulate you on your latest release and welcome you in Metalzone.gr
\r\nAlex: Thank you very much!  I’m happy to be here doing this interview.
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\r\nMetalzone: I’d like you to begin by giving us in a few words the story so far for WHITECHAPEL
\r\nAlex: The band was formed in February of 2006 by Ben, Brandon and Phil.  They were just writing and jamming riffs for this idea they had for a band and I knew Phil mutually through our local scene, we both played in smaller bands.  Phil showed me the stuff they were writing and I loved it, it was so heavy and exactly what I wanted to play so I left my current band and brought the drummer of that band and my friend Gabe in on bass and that was the first line up.  We had a drummer change and Brandon was injured in a motorcycle accident rendering his arm useless so our friend Zach stepped in and took his position, and that’s the line up as it is today.
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\r\nMetalzone: THIS IS EXILE is your latest release and as we listened to it, it’s a step further from other bands in the genre, bazing guitars, sharp breakdowns  and a cool mixture of brutal and high pitched vocals. Tell us a few words about this album, your inspiration, the theme, the production, the recordings, and the artwork. Is it everything you expected it to be? Do you wish you’d done something differently?
\r\nAlex: When we set out to write this album we wanted to do something different with it.  We didn’t just want to write The Somatic Defilement part 2 you know.  So we wanted to incorporate new things for us like dark and evil atmospheric parts which I think turned out great and something we’ll use in future writing.  We just wanted to make the album the darkest, most evil sounding album ever.
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\r\nThe CD was recorded and engineered by Jonny Fay from Ex-The Red Chord and mixed by Zuess who has done acts like Shadows Falls, The Acacia Strain, Hatebreed, etc.  I think the combination of those producers really made the album shine, Jonny made sure it was tracked properly and all the tones were perfect and then Zuess polished it up and made it ridiculously heavy.
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\r\nThe Artwork was handled by Colin Marks of Rain Song Design, I think he did an amazing job of creating artwork that flowed with the concept of the album.  Its very dark and evil in a realistic way.
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\r\nWe’re very happy with the way the album came together in all aspects.  If there is anything at all we could change it would be to be able to spend more time on the writing process.
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\r\nMetalzone: What do you feel makes you differ from other bands in the genre?
\r\nAlex: I feel like our music is darker and more evil than most deathcore bands today, and we utilize 3 guitars which is pretty unique for the deathcore genre, I don’t know of many bands that do that.  It really gives us our signature sound.
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\r\nMetalzone: What are your influences?
\r\nAlex: We draw influences from all over the metal spectrum.  Some of those are Blood Has Been Shed, The Acacia Strain, Meshuggah, Cannibal Corpse, Suffocation, Aborted, Dying Fetus, etc.  Anything dark and heavy.
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\r\nMetalzone: What expectations do you have after this release?
\r\nAlex: Tons and tons of touring.  We’ve got to support the album and get out there and play live and gain new fans who can support us and buy the album.  Then after that album cycle itll be time to write a new album that tops This Is Exile ;).
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\r\nMetalzone: What feedback have you gotten so far?
\r\nAlex: It’s been very positive, it’s being received by fans and critics very well. All the reviews have been great and rated very highly.  The fans are loving the new album and have been giving us a lot of praise.  We sold 15,000 copies the first month in the US so I think that’s a good way to judge how the scene has been receiving it.
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\r\nMetalzone: Are you planning on touring in support of this release?
\r\nAlex: Yeah our tour schedule is slammed for 2008.  4 US tours, 1 Canadian tour, and 1 European tour.  It will be hectic for us but will be well worth it once we’re done in December and take a break to write.
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\r\nMetalzone: Where do you put your limit of success?
\r\nAlex: Hard work from all of the band members, the hard work and push from our label Metal Blade and our manager, the amazing support from our fans and families all contribute to the success of this band.  It not one thing specifically, it’s a group effort from all of those things.  We have a strong team of supporters backing us.
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\r\nMetalzone: What is the purpose you feel you serve with the music you make? Do you want to criticise politics, religion, etc?
\r\nAlex: More so criticise the human race.  The human race is idiotic and we’re eradicating ourselves off the face of this earth.  We’re all expendable and one day that will show true.
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\r\nMetalzone: Do you feel that being recognized today and having a record deal is easy? How easy was it for you to make a breakthrough?
\r\nAlex: It’s really not that hard if you have the will power and strength to do it in your band.  We set out to make something of ourselves in the music industry from the beginning and have always had a business mindset when it comes to the band.  It wasn’t easy for us by any means, but I will say it was probably easier for us than it is for most bands seeing as how we got signed and blew up with just being a band for two and a half years and a lot of bands don’t even accomplish that in 5 years.
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\r\nMetalzone: Are you satisfied with your label, Metalblade? Do you feel discography is in a rough point because of the internet?
\r\nAlex: We absolutely love Metal Blade.  Their an amazing label as well as amazing people, we couldn’t be any happier.  They really believe in us as people and as a band and push us as hard as they can.  Internet downloads do make it harder but at the same time I think it’s here to stay, so all we can do now is learn how to utilize it as promotion for the album and the band and hope that the true fans will still buy the album.
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\r\nMetalzone: Thank you for your time and I wish you all the best in the future.
\r\nAlex: Thanks so much, it was my pleasure!\r\n

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\r\nLine Up
\r\nPhil Bozeman - Vocals
\r\nBen Savage - Guitar/Leads
\r\nAlex Wade - Guitar
\r\nZach Householder - Guitar
\r\nGabe Crisp - Bass
\r\nKevin Lane - Drums \r\n

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\r\nElena Mihailidou\r\n

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\r\n(On the photo Adam is the second one on the right) \r\n

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\r\nWHITECHAPEL
\r\nMyspace
\r\nOfficial Page\r\n

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