Release Date:

So I am about four months late on this but damn it deserved some recognition, Destruction of a Rose‘s Suspended in Time dropped July 21st on Standby Records. From the mesmerizing riff of Elixir Vitae, DOAR shows that deathcore is still relevant with solid riffs and devastating vocals to grab anyones attention. Moving on the shrill villionous screams of Evan Foxx alone make DOAR relevant but then the riffs of Gordon Lamont, Nick Rose, and Daniel Castro truly make DOAR worth the listen. Personally We Own the Night is my favorite song off this rather impressive ep. Aside from the confusion of Blame it on the Alcohol I thought it was going to be a cover for sure. Destruction of a Rose shows much promise a little fine tuning in the lyrical department but other than that they really need to just get a chance to get into a studio and release a true full length and this six track album is an excellent prelude to that. The riffs are in place but aside from that the lasting impact isn’t quite there yet, but again an excellent starting point on a new label with a bright future ahead. ~James Terry
Score: 3.5/5

Drummer Bobby Weglarz commented:

“We just feel like we have finally gotten so far and that all that hard work and dedication has paid off. Thanks to everyone who believed in us and has supported us, and after all this time, we still have a long way to go and a lot of hard work ahead of us. What were mostly excited about with signing to Standby is the fact that we can say our album is ‘in stores now!’ and also that we are going to get the chance to tour with some national acts that we really look up too.”

Record Label: Standby Records
Interview Date: April 6th, 2009
Interview Type: Email

How did you come up with the name Vice on Victory? What does it mean?
Simply enough, we just liked the way the letters VoV looked… and then filled in the blanks… and “literally” the phrase Vice on Victory makes no sense… So fans can define it however they would like.

You’re from Ohio, which has been a hotbed for music lately, lots of new bands coming from there. Has it been difficult to get noticed with so many other bands popping up or do you think it’s helpful for you as a band?
It hasn’t been quite as difficult as you would think. Since there are so many, kids in Ohio seem to be very open minded to new music. It also keeps us really motivated to cross boundaries and try new things to stay ahead of the game.

Being a female fronted pop group, do you find that you’re always fighting off comparisons to Paramore? What would you say to someone who would automatically assume you sound like Paramore?
We do get compared to Paramore a lot, but we find it flattering to be compared to such a successful band.
I’d say, “I would hope you could be open minded enough to look past the genders of the band members and listen to the music… you will quickly find that we are extremely different than Paramore”

Could you explain the meaning behind your album title Glitter and Gold?
The term “Glitter and Gold” is just used by us to express our goals as a band and as people… Getting a label, management, and team to back us was our “Glitter and Gold” while we were writing the album… and when we finally met our goal, we thought it was more than appropriate as the title.

As your debut album, what excites you most about the record coming out?
Getting one great big chance to put our hearts and music on the line and see where it goes from there… its so exciting to wait and watch what happens with something that we poured so much of our time and effort into for so long.
It’s also really exciting to hear a fan say “your music made me happy” or “your music changed me”…We love to know that our music means something to someone else besides just us.

Who was the album recorded with? Are there any interesting stories associated with the recording of the record?
It was recorded at Chin Studio in Cleveland, OH with Johnny Burke as our producer.

How did you end up signing with Standby Records?
We sent over a dozen press kits out while we were on tour last summer and after getting no response from almost all of them, a month or two later we got a response from Neil Sheehan saying he wanted us to record a demo at Chin and see how it goes… The demo turned out really well and we signed to Standby soon after.

What are your touring plans for this summer?
Summer tour schedules are still in the making, so for actual plans, we don’t know just yet.. But our goal is to hit the road and stay on it as long as possible.

How did you decide on your sound when you started the band? Did you all have the same style in mind or did it take some shifting to get where you are now?
We really didn’t settle on a style until we recorded the album. We knew what sounded good and what is hot at the moment, but we really didn’t have a sure grasp on an idea. We tried a few different writing styles and just kept experimenting with it until something clicked. We all come from EXTREMELY different musical backgrounds and after mashing those together for a year we figured it out. It was really like a light bulb going off.

If you could create your own tour package to go on the road with, who would be on it and why?
Forever the Sickest Kids… they are so hot right now
Kill Paradise…Since they are amazing live and are our good friends
A Day To Remember…they’re fans would like our heavier material;)

Any additional statements for fans?
We appreciate the support we get from our fans so much. When someone buys our album, or buys a t shirt, or lets us crash at their place after a show, they make it possible for us to do what we do. We owe everything to our fans, and friends, and family, and we want to let everyone know that every chance we get!

<strong>Interviewed By:</strong> Staff

The Ohio based label that has nearly doubled in size in the past few months added the band to their roster on the strength of a recently self released Consumed EP. “We had been actively seeking a label and Standby came around at the perfect time, this just worked out for us. Jon King (label president) approached us about signing with Standby and we felt like it was the right step to make at the right time in our career.” Singer/guitarist Joey Moser commented. Formed in April of 2007, Return From Exile have built their careers from the ground up with a DIY work ethic and a drive to prove themselves to fans.

“We’ve always been a metal band but with the new album there will definitely be some power metal influences. We tell people we’re not a metal band, we’re a rock band. We just want go out every night and rock as hard as possible.” Moser added. “After finishing the album, we’ve got some shows lined up for May and working on finalizing tours for June and July leading up to the release of the album. We’re anxious to get on the road and build up momentum to carry us into 2010.”

For information about the band, their upcoming album or tours, you can check out their myspace page here.

Emerging from the heart of Ohio, Columbus’s own Vice on Victory emerges from their DIY roots to release its debut for Standby Records. Vice on Victory has been playing their version of catchy pop rock since 2007. Believe me it’s catchy, I tend to stray away from pop punk but I can not help but tap my foot to this. With a little help from producer John Burke (Driver Side Impact), Vice on Victory has put together a twelve track debut for Standby entitled ‘Glitter & Gold.’ With the vocal styling’s of Dany Melette with some assistance from guitarist Trevor Boggs; Vice on Victory belt out their pop rock anthems for the masses. All to the beat provided from guitarist Marko Skugor, bassist Patrick Stockhausen, and drummer Billy Arnett.

‘Glitter & Gold,’ starts off with what may be the catchiest song on the album entitled “Straight Jacket Strategy.” Dany’s vocals remind me of one other pop rock behemoth that everyone has heard of. Now with that comparison out of the way, Vice on Victory creates very addicting melodies that will be implanted with you for weeks. The great thing about Vice on Victory is that easily ever song on the album can easily make it onto the college radio circuit and beyond. The band shows a softer side with a deep message with “Life Worth Living.” ‘Glitter & Gold,’ has all the right elements of pop rock to please fans of the genre and beyond.

At the same time the album can become, a tad plain. While again alluding to the obvious comparison of the pop rock behemoth’s Paramore it becomes a double-edged sword. For fan’s of the genre and Paramore they will love Vice on Victory, while others will write it off before they even give Vice on Victory a chance. All in all it’s a pretty standard album for the genre with a few small surprises here and there but nothing that blows you away.

The bottom line, if you like the genre pick this album up. If you are on the fence at least give the myspace tracks a listen you may get infected with the overall catchiness and want to pick ‘Glitter & Gold’ for further listening. You’ll most likely being hearing some of these tracks on your local college radio station so I advise you to be ahead of the game and check out Vice on Victory now before hand. The album drops tomorrow so if your already addicted to the myspace tracks be sure to pick it up. ~Staff

Score: 3.5/5

Track Listing:
1. Straight Jacket Strategy
2. The Getaway
3. Sidelines
4. Ivy
5. Hearts Like These
6. Glitter & Gold
7. Sirens
8. Hit The Ground
9. Leave Love Alone
10. Life Worth Living
11. This Way

I’m sure there has been a moment in your listening for a certain year that has you think to yourself “Wow, this album is fucking awesome.” There could be many reasons for this. Maybe the album has catchy hooks, anthem shouts, memorable lyrics, or something that has you humming its bars all week long. Welcome Count Your Blessings. I was introduced to this band late last year and had actually bought their new record “Like Gum In Your Hair” before I was asked to review it. Plainly that means that I will be singing this album’s praises just as much as I’ll be singing its lyrics.

Count Your Blessings follows suit delivering this year’s best pop-punk/rock record. Much like 2007′s “Rise Or Die Trying” from Four Year Strong, and 2008′s “Underdog Alma Mater” from Forever The Sickest Kids, it is filled with unrivaled infectious tunes from start to finish. It has everything. The shouting punk anthems from Four Year Strong and Set Your Goals, coordinated melodies from bands like FTSK and Rufio, and lyrics that will never leave your head.

Some like to write off records like this, saying “Oh it’s just the regular pop-punk, that’s boring.” But there’s no way people can be that cynical. You have to use a fair amount of logic and emotions to grade something. So does the record have addictive and memorable collections of melodic guitars? How about streamlined bass lines? Carefree keyboaards? What about lyrics that can be quoted as mottos? Well, “Like Gum In Your Hair” has all that and more. There is no way you can seriously dislike this record because half thetime you will be catching yourself nodding your head with the beat while you are thinking of something negative to say about it.

So 2 months into 2009, I have one of the year’s best right in my hand. CDs like this make my job easy. The album speaks for itself and it will have you listening constantly. Just count your blessings that you stumbled onto this band, you won’t regret it. ~Staff

Reppin’ that MD, V-necks and all.

Score: 5/5

Track Listing:
1. Coming Back To You
2. The Way You Move
3. I’ll Drive
4. Fell For This
5. Sweet and Petite
6. Friday Night Alone
7. Tore Up
8. Take It Easy
9. Where I Want To Be
10. Sucker For Sweet Girls

Formed a little over a year ago the band has already started to create a huge buzz garnering over 4.5 million plays on Myspace and playing dates with The Medic Droid, NeverShoutNever!, and Every Bridge Burned. With a buzzing dual-guitar crunch and nosebleed anthemic heights Handshakes and HighFives is creating the kind of music that announces something exciting under rock’s sun.