INTERVIEW: Volumes

GENRE: Groove Metal

HOMETOWN: Los Angeles, California

LABEL: Mediaskare Records

BIO: Rhythmic, Groove, Technical, Brutal, Captivating, Face Melting are all adjectives that do not even come close to touching the tip of the iceberg when it comes to describing the sound, image and movement exploding right now out of Southern California. The source of this decibel shattering, mind-numbing, captivating phenomenon? Los Angeles metal outfit, VOLUMES.

SOUNDS LIKE: rooks, Uneven Structure, Vildhjarta, Centuries Apart,

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How did you guys get started?

Well, Daniel Braunstein and Diego Farias started the band. They are excellent recording engineers and multi-instrumentalist and had similar interests in music production. They started sending each other riffs back and forth, working on them just for fun. I guess just spontaneously they decided to start a live musical project. They showed me their music production and jammed with me and recruited me as a bassist and our two vocalists Michael Barr and Gus Farias were the two local well-known front men. Recruited both for two different ranges as two is better than one? We recruited Chris Khoury as a drummer but he parted ways with Volumes due to personal circumstances. We have been using temporary drummers for tours. Daniel decided to become a non touring member and so we recruited an excellent recording engineer/producer/friend of Diego and Daniel, Daniel (DJ) Schwartz. Signed to Mediaskare Records before our first show. Met Outerloop Management at a show and signed to them. Now he we are two weeks from an International tour with some of our favorite bands. And we couldn't be more happier with the end result.  

Can you describe Volumes sound?

Volumes sound is low tuning, heavy, technical, groove/rythem-based riffs, with melodic entities as the melodies are there most of the time with heart-felt lyrics and eye opening lyrics and technical yet fun to play drumming. A mix of Meshuggah and Misery signals. The two vocalists bring the straight to your face metal aspect.  

Are there any bands/musicians that have inspired your music?

They are so many bands/musicians from all sorts of genres that inspire us daily. Two main influences are Meshuggah for their complicated and detailed rythem, Misery Signals for their beautiful melodies and guitar work inspire our music writing process.  

Do you have a favorite song to play at shows?

Intake, and Wormholes! Intake has a lot of emotion and feeling so we get a lot of reesponse and wormholes is all about having fun and bouncing! We will be performing some new amazing music very soon. 

What has been your favorite band to tour with so far?

The funnest??? The funnest band we have toured with is most likely Arsonists Get All The Girls. Thier whole lives consist on and having fun. They are such great people it was an honor to tour with them and we will be seeing them in Canada in two weeks! Check our facebook for tour dates! We had our first van war with them. We were driving on the highway alone when all of a sudden their van pulls up and they threw milkshakes, etc at our van and we couldnt see! We got them back though for sure with the hair covered poop!  

If you could go on tour with any band, who would it be, and why?

I'd say Animals as Leaders because their music is real and actually has a tone and balance, and skill to it unlike many bands these days that sound like recycled metal just to be able to say I'm in a band. Also MESHUGGAH because they are metal gods. And we are worshippers.  

What has been the most interesting tour so far?

Most interesting tour has been our most recent one with AGATG, The Contortionist, A plea for purging, and Lionheart. The Return To Motherland Tour 2011. We went through a lot as musicians and friends. We met some people who we will never forget through their life stories and musicianship. We had so much trailer problems it was off the chain but we figured it out calmly and fixed all problems without any inconvienece. Every tour is interesting. But we love Canadian girls! A lot of partying, practicing instruments, technical issues, 

sex, drugs, and rock n roll.  

What are your plans for the rest of the year?

We are planning on announcing some sick tours with some of our favorite bands and releasing our first full-length album for listeners everywhere! We are just working on the road and in the studio. We also plan to have as much fun as possible while being as professional as possible on these tours.  

Are you guys currently working on a full length?

We have been working on a full-length album since we released "The Concept of Dreaming EP" back in Novemeber 2010 and even before that. This full-length album will better define our sound and image as a band. We record in our own home studios which has so many great advantages these days. Keep a look out for it to drop within a few months on Mediaskare Records.  

Any closing words?

Thank you everyone out there who has been going to shows, buying CD's, supporting their favorite bands. We need more of this to happen. Also hearing your music and hearing about your life stories motivate us and captivate us! Thank you and keep chasing your dreams and following your passions! STAY IN CONTACT WITH US ON FACEBOOK.COM/VOLUMESBAND AND TWITTER.COM/VOLUMESBAND

Volumes is:

Michael Barr
Gus Farias
Diego Farias
Raad Soudani
DJ Schwartz
Daniel Braunstein