"Making a Constant Racket": Amped & Doomed with Mike McGinnis (Fight Amp)

By: Aaron Pickford & Mike McGinnis

A synonym of “Noise” refers to a din, racket, clatter and blast, indeed to describe the sound of today’s featured artist Fight Amp, those words would not be out of place.  Hailing originally from NJ, but natives to Philadelphia for the last 5 years,  Fight Amp have been creating their own brand of off kilter dissonance for the last 8 years, noise rock as their music is affectionately known, is nothing new of course, indeed the genre perhaps garnered notoriety due to the influx of more popular bands during the early 90’s, with bands commonly known in the AmpRep style stemming from the formation of the influential label, where many of the purveyors of the off kilter style, found their home during perhaps the scenes most influential period. 

Bands such as Helmet would eventually sign to major labels and as was the case back in the day, with any specific trend of music, other labels followed suit, signing up bands such as Barkmarket, featuring renowned producer D. Sardy.  Of course bands such The Jesus Lizard would have their day with Duane Denison, perhaps gaining wider recognition years after their split for his contribution to Mike Patton side project, Tomahawk. 

But for me on a personal level Steve Albini is synonymous with the scene and his work with Big Black, Rapeman and latterly Shellac, who continue to produce some of their best music to date has had perhaps the biggest influence and his/their influence can still be heard in new bands today.  Indeed whilst it would be unfair to specially credit those bands for creating the “noise rock” sound or style alone, what is true is that those bands especially Albini are often name checked by many or most people when referring to “noise rock”.  All in all, whilst I do not profess to be an expert on this scene, it is clear the sound is in the ascendency once more, with artist such KEN mode, Great Falls, Whores. and Fight Amp helping to continue the tradition of producing superior and yet off kilter music, latterly you could also add Kowloon Walled City into the group, indeed the list is endless. Just this month Grizzlor and Kowloon Walled City featured in our very own “Sour 16” feature, so clearly top quality music is still being produced and remains an integral part of the heavy rock/metal scene. 

Having released their strongest album to date with “Constantly Off”, Fight Amp is certainly a band who needs to be heard and having stumbled across them back in 2012, following their contribution to the awesome Hell Comes Home 7inch package, I have been following them ever since.  Therefore I am stoked that guitarist Mike McGinnis agreed to talk to us about his love for Melvins, Kowloon Walled City, Gibson SG’s and his response to folks who ask him  “how much pussy you got on tour” So check it out and thanks for reading. 

SL). Mike, welcome to Amped & Doomed, could you perhaps give us a brief history of your playing career?

Mike McGinnis) It’s a little hazy, but I started playing guitar when I was around 13. It all stemmed from skateboarding and being exposed to the music surrounding that culture and from liking Nirvana and digging deeper into their influences like Black Flag and The Melvins. At some point playing guitar started cutting into my time skateboarding and it eventually took over. I took maybe 3 guitar classes and two years of music theory/history in high school, but the book always bored me and I found a lot of flaws in my peer’s use of music theory in that they would generally use the rules to write music instead of writing what they heard in their head and using theory to transcribe it and communicate with other musicians.

From that point on I was self-taught and playing guitar was just a means to an end; writing the riffs and music that I was hearing and still hear, in my head. I played in some weirdo hardcore punk bands with friends in high school in the late 90s (Pride of Youth) being the first and only that really played shows), bounced between a couple metal/grind type bands shortly afterwards in the early 00s, and spent a couple years doing short tours in a punk band called The Funeral Bird (which had members of Creepoid, Into It. Over It., Ladder Devils, Gunna Vahm). After a short lull I started writing what would become the first Fight Amputation riffs sometime in 2003, played our first show in 2004, and really didn’t start putting out real albums and doing any real touring until 2008 when we became something a little more “serious” than a part-time band.

SL).  Are there any bands, guitarists, currently on the scene that continue to inspire you and push you to try new things? 

MG).  The obvious answer for me is always The Melvins / Buzzo. Their / his approach has always been extremely influential to me. It’s never anything but honest and my playing/writing style is very similar to his. Steve Albini is another obvious answer for me. It’s weird because those guys are classic examples yet they remain on the scene currently because of their prolific nature, which is exactly why they’re so hugely inspirational to so many musicians. Lately I’d have to say Scott Evans and Jon Howell of Kowloon Walled City. Yeah, they’re my buddies, but they put together some of the best dual guitar interplay I’ve heard lately, and it’s tonally on point yet simple.

SL). Whilst we’re on the subject of inspiration or heroes, do you have 5 records that stand out as favorites, what influence did they have upon you and what is it about those records in particular that resonates amongst others?  

MG) Man, top 5 of all time? That might be impossibility for me. I’m not a fan of top lists in general because they’re so steadfast and concrete. My moods often dictate my taste and my favorites list probably changes every day. I’ll use this as an opportunity instead to tell you my five favorite albums of 2015 because all-time is gonna dig back decades and turn into a top 20. 

So my 5 this year are: 

Cherubs – “2 Ynfynyty” 

Kowloon Walled City – “Grievances”

The Hex Dispensers – “III”

Ecstatic Vision – “Sonic Praise”

Spray Paint – “Punters On A Barge”

SL). Can you remember your first electric guitar?  

MG) A black Squier Stratocaster. The only Fender-ish guitar I've ever owned. Still had its remains until recently. 

SL). What guitar(s) are you using today and how did you gravitate towards the guitar you currently use?  

MG) I play a Gibson SG. I gravitated towards SGs early in life, love the way their necks feel, how lightweight they are and their simple setup. I don’t exactly know why, but I’ve never been comfortable playing most other guitars. I also use a rebuilt Epiphone SG that I’ve owned since maybe ‘99. I generally only play that on songs that are tuned below drop C# and as a backup guitar/extra tracks in the studio. I do like Jaguars and Les Pauls though and if I feel like adding guitars in the future it’d be one of those next. 

SL). What amps and pedals do you currently use?  Do you use a combination of amps, or a full/half stack? Talk us through your set up both in the studio and in the live environment.  

MG) I really subscribe to a bare-bones (yet oddball) philosophy when it comes to rigs. I play two half stacks currently, a Peavey Classic 100 tube amp through a Marshall 4x12 and an Acoustic Model 450 solid state amp through an Ampeg 2x15 loaded with EV 100s. I’ve always tried to pair a tube amp with a solid state amp to get the best of both worlds; some warmth from one and some attack from the other. I basically get the best clean tone I can out of them and then run a RAT and an MXR Micro Amp to boost the signal. I occasionally use a delay pedal for certain riffs but I’m not a big pedal guy and focus on tone and riffs more than effects or bells and whistles. I use the same setup in the studio but generally go back with accent riffs and a third guitar track with different combo amps and/or a Musicman HD150 through a 2x12. 

SL) What’s one pedal you could not live without and why?  

MG) My tuner. And I’m still out of tune sometimes because I strum hard naturally. Kill me. 

SL) What tunings do you use and why, and as a result is there a specific brand / gauge of string you prefer?    

MG) Mostly in drop C#, lately some songs have been way down in double drop G#.

I like D’Addario 11s.

SL). Do you have any advice for up and coming guitar players, bands?

MG) Yeah, a ton, but I doubt they’d listen, and maybe they shouldn't. Do what makes you happy, not what other people are telling you you’re supposed to do. Anyone that tells you there’s a strict set of rules for bands has an agenda and can fuck right off. 

SL). Do you feel there are deeply held misconceptions about being in a band?  

MG) Yes. The next person that wants to know “how much pussy I got” on the last tour can take a fuckin hike. 

SL). Moving on a little then,  what can you tell us about any of your current projects, tours, CDs, etc you’re currently promoting, completed and anything else band related we should know about? 

MG) Fight Amp put out a new album, ‘Constantly Off’, in June on Brutal Panda Records, we also released a new two song 7” on Reptilian Records in September. We recently wrapped up a west coast run with Kowloon Walled City and currently have no shows scheduled and are pumping out new material for future releases. I was also part of a self-released EP last year with a band called Pale Shelter with the guys from Bubonic Bear, but that's now defunct. 

SL). What springs to mind when you think about the completion of your new/current record and how is the mood in the camp at present?

MG) We’re happier than ever with our new releases and view it as a jumping off point for our future sound and albums. Personally when I listen to “Constantly Off” I hear the album I’ve wanted to make for the last 8 years. We hit the nail on the head with the new stuff and now we’re ready to make more. Hopefully people get as excited as us about it, but either way we make the albums we want to hear and if it doesn’t please people then that’s just a by-product of us having off-kilter taste I suppose. Every second on “Constantly Off” was calculated. 

SL). What are your favorite songs to play live? What is it about them that makes them so good to play live?  Anything from your catalog that you wouldn’t play and why?

MG) Currently all the songs from “Constantly Off” and the new 7” have made their way in heavily. We’ve never made an album that was front-to-back so much fun to play live. Every other album has some songs that ended up being “studio” songs that we’ve never played live. Other than that, personally I love playing “Dead is Dead” from “Hungry For Nothing” and “Fly Trap” from “Birth Control”. There’s probably nothing we’d ever take off the table for playing live depending on the circumstances.

SL) Who are some of your favorite bands you have toured with and what has been your proudest moment and/or performance of your playing career?

MG) We’ve seriously formed such great relationships with almost every band we’ve toured with and there’s not a single band we’ve toured with that we don’t enjoy musically. I’d have to say standouts are definitely Black Tusk, KEN Mode, Weedeater, Whores. and Kowloon Walled City. 

Proudest moment…. Hard to say, first thing that comes to mind is playing the Naked Raygun reunion show in Austin in 2008. Crazy show and an honor to play with such an influential punk band. 

SL). What can fans look forward to from you over the next 12 months? How is your schedule shaping up?

MG) We’re writing heavily. Maybe some shows in 2016 but we’re not hell bent on playing live unless the circumstances point towards killer shows for the bands and the crowd. We’re focused on new material above all else, but it’s too early to talk release schedule especially with how current production times are so lengthy because of pressing plant backups. 

SL). Right on man, thanks for taking the time to talk us.   Before we sign off, do you have any final comments/word of wisdom you’d like to bestow upon us? 

MG) Don’t believe everything you read on the internet. 

The End

Band info: Facebook | Bandcamp | Official | Twitter | Instagram

Live Review: Kowloon Walled City, Fight Amp, Mercy Ties, Glose @ The Highline, Seattle, Washington. 5/11/2015

By: James Ballinger

Photographs by: Melissa Bird

In case you're not an everyday reader of the blog over at VH1, recently they've put up a poll of 13 of the most metal cities in the United States. Seattle made the list, and in the article they specifically mention the Highline Bar as the metal Mecca in our town. It's fair to say that it's known as such in part thanks to owner and manager Dylan Desmond (Bell Witch, ex-Samothrace), while also being a home to so many other heavy bands both in and out of town. And while there are plenty of other places to see live metal in Seattle, the Highline was the absolute best spot to be tonight for the Fight Amp and Kowloon Walled City tour that rolled in town.

Part of a joint booked Ladies' Choice and 1000 Knives production, the bill seemed to have most of the genres of all things heavy represented, thanks to a pair of well-rounded local openers. 

Seattle's Glose and Mercy Ties don't have much in common musically (other than being both great heavy bands around town); the one common bond between them is they both have recorded with Kowloon Walled City frontman/guitarist Scott Evans. This added a great dynamic early on in the evening adding some diversity to really fill out the bill.

Evans produced Glose's ironically titled debut “The Very Best of Glose”, released in 2013, and the band brings that same energy live. Perfectly noisy, and tight, Glose puts their own spin on that AmRep style of thick riffs, and grinding drum and bass breakdowns.  

Equally energetic was Mercy Ties, whose show tonight also doubled as the bands record release show for the Evan's produced “Proper Corruption”, their first full length and second for label Glory Kid. Violent and dynamic, Mercy Ties ripped through the punk and hardcore influenced LP in its entirety perfectly, proving that the band is equally intense live as they are on record.

By the time Philadelphia "sludge-punk" band Fight Amp took the stage, the Highline filled up nicely, no doubt with people eager to catch the touring bands. I've seen Fight Amp several times now, and they never cease to blow me away. They get better every single time, and the songs and riffs seem to get wiser with age. The set was full of tracks off their release “Constantly Off” from this past summer, and they come across fantastic live. While slightly more focused and melodic, “Constantly Off” represents what I love the most about the band. That's their impeccable timing, their ability to shift in and out of riffs and grooves so seamlessly that they never quite go on as long as you'd like them, but they follow it up with something just as good. Always a fun set.

Finally, it was time for San Francisco's Kowloon Walled City. The first time I caught the band, they had the daunting but esteemed honor of opening for Sleep here in Seattle. I was instantly blown away by the band, and I've been a huge fan ever since, catching sets by the band in 3 different states. This would also be the first set of shows with new drummer Julia Lancer (The New Trust) replacing longtime drummer Jeff Fagundes, and absolutely crushed it. Their set tonight consisted mainly of the new record “Grievances” played in its entirety, news I was most definitely happy to hear. While the record doesn't necessarily make for the most intense live set, it makes up for it in pure emotion, and I prefer that-especially after getting pummeled by these three other bands.

Kowloon Walled City - 'Grievances' (Album Review)

By: Charlie Butler

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 09/10/2015

Label: Neurot Recordings (CD) |

Gilead Media (Vinyl)

Passages of minimal melodic interplay give way to shards of dissonance and outbursts of lean, razor-sharp riffing. The languid tempo of the drums reinforces the weight of the music and together with the gnarly bass, act as the perfect backdrop for intricate guitar interplay.

‘Grievances’ CD//DD// LP track listing:

1. Your Best Years
2. Grievances
3. Backlit
4. The Grift
5. White Walls
6. True Believer
7. Daughters And Sons

The Review:

Sometimes understatement and restraint can hit harder than an onslaught of volume and noise. San Francisco’s Kowloon Walled City have dialled back the distortion on “Grievances” at no detriment to the emotional heft of their music.

From the spare picked intro of “Your Best Years” to the final ringing chords of “Daughters and Sons”, the band weave a hypnotic path through pared down heaviness and fragile calm. Passages of minimal melodic interplay give way to shards of dissonance and outbursts of lean, razor-sharp riffing. The languid tempo of the drums reinforces the weight of the music and together with the gnarly bass act as the perfect backdrop for intricate guitar interplay. Scott Evans world-weary vocals add the final element to the mix, lending an air of frazzled urgency to proceedings particularly on the excellent slow burning “True Believer”.

The overall effect is something that straddles the worlds of metal and post-hardcore, not sitting comfortably in either but instead creating something interesting and unique. Imagine These Arms Are Snakes playing Slint or Shellac slowly melting in the sun.  As an album, “Grievances” really holds together well and feels more like a single piece that ebbs and flows rather than a collection of songs, although each of the seven tracks are distinctly great in their own right.

 “Grievances” piques your interest on first listen then really digs its claws in as further plays reveal its full depths. You may hear many records this year powered by towering walls of amplification delivering rivers of molten sludge, but few will leave the same lasting impact as this fine collection.

‘Grievances’ is available here

FFO: Fight Amp, Shellac, Fudge Tunnel, Theory of Ruin

Band info: bandcamp | facebook

The Sludgelord 'Sour 16' For August 2015

By: Aaron Pickford

As the haze of sunshine finally appears to be descending for the last time and with it the end of summer, let us not despair and instead rejoice as we usher in another feast of music for your listening pleasure, a veritable smorgasbord of riffs, this can only mean one thing? The Sludgelord’s ‘Sour 16’.  Welcome, all lovers of the riff, you know the deal by now, however for those of you that do not, let us recap.  Each month, you the reader are unwittingly compiling a list of the top 16 records of the month, covering all genres of metal, but predominately the best the doom, sludge, stoner-psychedelic genres have to offer.  It is not a chart, in which reviewers or contributors extol their opinion about their favourite music, but simply, the ‘Sour 16’ are the records you guys (readers) have been most interested in over the last month and checking out on this page.

So here is the The Sludgelord’s ‘Sour 16’ for August 2015, the 16 records you’re most looking forward too or are currently checking out.  Dig in, spread the word and perhaps revisit some records you may have overlooked.  The results are compiled based on page views alone and calibrated into the list below. So without further ado, enjoy the ‘Sour 16’. Roll up, kick back, chug a beer and Hail the riff! All review/band links can be accessed by clicking on the artwork. (Total views at the time of publication are highlighted in red)

16). Eschaton – ‘Sentinel Apocalypse’ (312)

For anyone with an interest in death metal from Revocation to Morbid Angel to Immolation to Death, then this album should definitely be checked out. I enjoyed it hugely and recommend it highly.

15). Nightfell – ‘Darkness Evermore’ (320)

“Rebirth” sees the band playing with different melodic black metal elements… which make for a wonderful musical counterweight to the resonant doom n’ death rumbling of the album’s general comfort zone.

14). Fight Amp – ‘Constantly Off’ (348)

‘In short, I’ve been missing out. I’m really happy to have had a reason to sit down with a band I already thought I knew and find out there’s still so much more to them. I can only highly recommend ‘Constantly Off’, and after this I’m off to check out all the stuff I’ve missed.’

13). Lucifer ‘Lucifer I’ (352)

‘All in all, “Lucifer I” is a solid release, song-per-song. It’s sure to be a hit for all the ‘70s obsessive’s and the proto-metallers, but it also has moments that are evil enough and dark enough to satisfy those who need a little more intensity beyond the black rainbow.’

12). = Myrkur  - ‘M’ & Gnaw Their Tongues – ‘Abyss of Longing Throats’ (354)

At this juncture, Myrkur has proven to be capable of material that is truly special, with the sort of vivid musical imagination welcome in any genre, metal being no exception. What’s most exciting is what an even deeper exploration of this kind of folkish black metal, rich with creativity might yield a couple of years from now.

‘Gnaw Their Tongues has opened up a portal into hell and is dragging you with him. Fear the worst. Expect to suffer. If you make it out alive, expect some severe emotional trauma.’

10). Six Feet Under – ‘Crypt of the Devil’ (357)

‘This is as pure a strain of death metal as you are ever likely to find: crushing, sawing guitar riots? Check.  Throat-expanding guttural vocals?  Check.  Lurid, obscene song titles, including ‘Broken Bottle Rape’ and ‘Compulsion to Brutalize’?  Check mate.  If it’s classic death metal grooves you’re after, look no further.’

09). Limb – ‘Terminal’ (371)

All in all, Terminal builds on what Limb have already achieved and is ultimately better than their top notch debut. The tracks on Terminal are well crafted, and the whole piece is tighter throughout. Absolutely no time is wasted on the album with every note being completely integral to the success of the album

08). Locrian – ‘Infinite Dissolution’ (400)

‘Standout track ‘An Index of Air’ leans into emptiness with a rattling drone, an almost imperceptibly off-time drum pulsing the intro before expanding out into tidal-waves of anguished convulsions blended with blissed out droning black that Deafheaven would burn gasoline-soaked churches to attain.’

07). Carousel – ‘2113’ (420)

‘2113’ is a blur of dynamic, late night booze fuelled journeys filled with timeless hooks and immensely powerful solos. A band that knows how to capture your attention; they filter the music of their childhood heroes add a contemporary twist and their unique flair and create magic. They build on their concrete foundation of strong vocals and catchy choruses, wrap up some tight backing and present a very pleasing album complete with a jazzy little bow.

06) Hivelords – ‘Tapered Limbs of a Human Star’ (424)

'Cavern Apothecary' was a glimpse into the potential this band had at that point. On ‘Tapered Limbs of a Human Star’, they've smashed through the glass ceiling and surpassed the promise they showed. The fact that they're signed to Anthropic Records is both a blessing and a curse; it makes those who know about the band seem like part of a secret club and preserves their cult status. However, had this been released on a label like Relapse, Profound Lore or Candlelight, everyone would be losing their shit and proclaiming this as the best album they've heard this year. It’s simply stunning.’

05). DoctoR DooM – ‘The Seed We Have Sown’ (534)

‘It's a monstrous sound, reminding me of a club scene in many a Bond film, but replace lounge piano or jazz with a much more upbeat rock band. This is Everyman Rock. And they love to stay around with their songs, so look forward to an album full of 4+ minute slabs that will take you along sonic highways of old.’

04). Ahab – ‘The Boat of Glen Carrig’ (551)

‘It's hard to sum the record up, such is the scope and depth on offer within the record, but suffice it to say this: it will feature in year end lists, it will grow on you and is definitely one of the more unusual and ambitious releases of the year. This is fine stuff, but then again coming from Napalm Records, does anyone expect anything less?! Dark, atmospheric and powerful. A fantastic record.’

03). Pentagram - ‘Curious Volume’ (710)

Overall, for my money, Curious Volume is a better album than Last Rites- more focused, more inspired and it crackles with life, it really does. It is the best album from Pentagram in a long while and for that we should all rejoice. Legendary for a reason!

02). The Sword – ‘High Country’ (1377)

The length of the album, at 15 tracks, does make getting acquainted with this record a slow process, but in the end you’ll discover there aren’t any dips in form. ‘High Country’ is rich in consistency and across its span, Cronise, Shutt and co. dispel any fears you may have about this release all the while oozing a slick professionalism. They’ve been at this song writing malarkey for a while now, they’re hardened pros and this stands testament to their brilliant legacy.’

01). Ghost – ‘Meliora’ (5382)

‘Today, Ghost still manage to shock and surprise us in a society where we’ve seen and heard it all before. People are fascinated, fixated even with finding out their true identities. Their music is more powerful than it ever has been too. ‘Meloria’ is a spellbinding listen and one which will see them elevated to greater plains of existence. It affects you, leaves you shaken. They can make you laugh or cry without so much of a flick of the wrist and, although the music we love is basking in something of a purple period right now, a band as potent as this is still a rarity.’

This list features reviews by, Chris Bull, Philip Weller, Kat Hilton, Hunter Young, Richard Maw, James Harris, Dominic Walsh, Chris Markwell, Daniel Jackson, Erik Sugg & Greg Sheriff