- Things have been going great! We’ve just been touring now for the last month for the new record and shows have been going awesome. I couldn’t be happier with the response we’ve had to everything so far.

2. I don’t know if you will remember, but the night we last chatted you tore the shit out of The Paragon in Halifax sharing the headlining spot with 3 Inches of Blood. That was the best I have ever seen you guys and one of the greatest shows I have ever been too! Do you know on stage how a show is going? Do you remember that night?

- I totally remember that show because it was Hot As Hell hahaha that whole tour was amazing! Coast to Coast ripping it up with 3 Inches we had so many rad nights everywhere we went. It’s too bad that the Paragon isn’t doing shows anymore because it would be awesome to rip that place again next time we roll through

3. That night you mentioned the band was working on new material, but you neglected to mention it was the most solid stuff The Cancer Bats has produced. Dead Set on Living is an incredible piece of work. You must be very proud of it?

-Thanks so much! We are so proud of how the record turned and I really think it’s full of bangers! We’ve been having so much fun playing the entire record live on these last couple of tours, which makes us feel like all that hard work is paying off, when everyone is singing along and partying for every song.

4. The reviews from fans and the media have been so positive. Is that what you’re hoping to accomplish when you record an album or do you need something else out of it?

- When we set out to start writing this record we all were talking about what we loved about the band and why we still wanted to keep playing and touring and it was because we loved making this music and playing show with all of the rad people that have supported us for so long, So we really wanted to write an album with that spirit in mind, where we knew that we were playing songs we loved and that we knew Cancer Bats fans would be down to rage along side us.

5. Since The Cancer Bats can lay claim to being one of the hardest working bands in the world; is it important when writing an album that the new songs will come across live?

- That was huge in writing this album. We wanted something that we could play start to finish live and that it would flow the same way one of our set lists would. For us being a solid live band has been so important to our existence, so to really step up and write something that rips just as hard on stage as off.

6. Was this an easy album to write? Lyrically it is quite dynamic and one would think you had to get in your own head quite a bit. It must be scary to put yourself out there like that?

- I’ve been really lucky over the years that all of the honesty and personal elements I’ve put into songs have been met with lots of really great feed back. I think it also helps that so many of our fans know that we’ll all be hanging out at shows and we all down to just hang out and have conversations about whatever. In lots of cases it’s people coming up to me and telling me how much songs like sorceress or regret or scared to death or Lucifers have made such an impact on them and helped them through similar times. It’s those conversations that really give me the confidence to be even more open and personal with what’s going on in all of our songs. I truly understand now that we’re all in this together.

7. We’ve talked at length in the past about your time spent with Alexisonfire. It must have been shocking when they packed it in? I thought they had finally broken through!

- I know its a bummer that they’ve called it quits, but I do know that they have so many other things going on in their lives. They’ve been a band for 10 years so i can understand them wanting to try different things at this point in their lives.

8. Is there any place the band hasn’t toured? Any place you don’t want to go back to?

- There are still lots of places we’ve never been to and are dying to go and play shows. We really want to do Mexico and South America very badly. We constantly get emails from fans in those regions asking us to come and we’re currently trying our best to sort it out. It’s tough when you’re a band our size, some of those harder to get places are even harder for us haha. So far there’s no places that have treated us poorly. We’re very fortunate to have had amazing times where ever we go, it could also be that we’re very laid back and have fun every where haha but I guess life is what you make of it

9. You make reference on Dead Set on Living to being away from home so much. As the band gets older, does it become more difficult? Do you think you are missing out on things that normal 9 to 5 people get to do?

- I think there are defiantly ups and downs to the whole thing, but I love what we do and we have so many amazing and supportive friends and family that want us to travel and see the world. So that side of things make it so much easier.

10. We recently named The Cancer Bats the #4 top Heavy Band in Canada! Do things like that come as an honor, or just another list?

- I’m honoured to be considered on anyone’s top anything lists. We started this band just to tour and have fun so the fact that people now 7 years later think we’re worthy of any accolades is awesome to me!

11. Last question: With the recent hologram projection of Tu Pac at Coachella, would you be excited to perform on stage with a hologram of anyone… say Randy Rhodes or would it just be too creepy?

- I think the whole Hologram thing is pretty rad. We just started doing lights so i think a hologram Notorious BIG is pretty far off for us hahaha… if I could choose anyone I would get Elvis to sing Hail Destroyer with us, that would rule!

Now, to be honest, when I started this journey into back country hard core, it didn’t feel natural. The first couple of songs on WIS(H)KEY’s self-titled album didn’t sit right, they came across as heavy and energetic, but in a jarring manner. However, by the time we hit the third track, “Mag Dog”, we find ourselves in territory the band obviously knows well. They mix — mash really — metal and country together and I’ll be damned if they don’t make it work. Their sound is part Metallica, part Garth Brooks, it’s electric guitars paired with country living, tractors and piercings, whiskey and tattoos.

At times I will admit I was a bit thrown by the combination. It’s hard to know what to think of an album where half the songs practically have a southern drawl and the other half sound like they came out of a Scandinavian thrash concert. Still, the sound, the mixture, does grow on me. The group really hits hard with songs like “Reclaim Your Voice” and “Train To Pardon”. It’s inspiring, powerful stuff. And, despite the contrast in the genres, it feels genuine, as though these guys had a message to share and this is just how it came out. What I mean is, it feels natural and, because of that, the messages hit me deeper.

I would certainly say WIS(H)KEY falls under my category of “something different”. Heck, not only do they blend country and metal, but they also toss in a touch of blues in one song, “Diablo”, just to really turn the whole twelve track album on its head. Or maybe it’s me who has ended up on his head. Either way, WIS(H)KEY is giving away some of their music on Reverbnation and I think their sound is different enough, deep enough, you should hear them, especially “Reclaim Your Voice” as I think it’s got a pure power to it.

You can check out WIS(H)KEY’s music on Reverbnation and check out what they’re doing on Facebook.

Let me hear you!
Surdus

10 – “Here I Go Again” Whitesnake – what can you say. This became one of the anthems of the 80s and although massively successful certainly makes me laugh a bit at the deep emotion Coverdale tries to put into the song. Even to this day if you say “here I go again” in a group; someone will chime in with the chorus.

9 – “Round & Round” Ratt – this was Ratt’s biggest hit and I have to ask; does anyone know what it’s about? The song grates on me a bit, but I can’t help getting the chorus stuck in my head and thinking of the big days of glam.

8 – “Seventeen” Winger – I’m not one of those Kip Winger haters, in fact our interview with him was a favorite of mine, but this song always creeped me out. I know he was looking at it from a younger angle; although the video didn’t help. Still a huge hit that keeps playing.

7 – “The Lumberjack” Jackyl – a chainsaw comes out on the stage, enough said. The effects of that chainsaw make the song laughable, but I still sing along when I hear it on the oldies stations. Maybe it’s the danger element!

6 – “We Will Rock You” Queen – it might be sacrilegious to talk ill of Queen, but when you’re Canadian you have heard this track in every hockey arena across the country. The song really has no meaning and is heavy, heavy, heavy on the cheese, but damn it’s fun.

5 – “Cherry Pie” Warrant – what? What in the hell are they talking about? It certainly is a catchy song, but even Jani Lane (RIP) regretted this one. The ladies love to sing it, but I prefer apple.

4 – “Smokin In The Boys Room” Motley Crue – the bad boys of metal’s biggest crime was smoking in the boys room? Really? Come on! I have sung along at live shows, but this wasn’t a great move for their image overall.

3 – “The Final Countdown” Europe – my god. Most songs on here I love, but this one is the exception. I hate every lyric and chord from this iconic track. With that said… I always have it stuck in my head and know almost every word.

2 – “Rock You Like A Hurricane” Scorpions – this one wasn’t on my radar until The Simpsons talked about it being played at every airshow in the world. I went to an air show and there it was. Do any of us really wanted to be rocked like a hurricane? Apparently so!

1 – “ Unskinny Bop” Poison – I used to make fun of this song unmercifully, then something happened. I went to see Poison and ended up singing along with Bret Michaels right up to the “bop, bop, bop.” He put the mic in the crowd and everyone was eating it up. I have no idea what it means, but we certainly had fun with it.

Metal on,

Martell