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Don’t forget to check out the reports on Rockharz 2024: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3 and Day 4.
Being disruptive is always a good thing in music. The Metal community only evolves if there are bands who dare to not only test the boundaries of the genre, but also consciously cross them. One such band is LEAGUE OF DISTORTION! The group around singer Ace have set out to spread new, disruptive vibes in a likeable way. It’s only natural that I have a few questions! So read on to find out what inspires them, what their headlining tour is all about and which festival guitarist Arro would like to play at!
Thanks again to lightinmirror.de for the great pictures!
Shieldmaiden’s Voice: If your band had a slogan, what would it be?
Ace: JOIN THE LEAGUE!
SV: How would you explain your music to a person who has never heard Metal before?
Ace: It’s mainly very empowering… I wouldn’t explain our music with “ Metal” at first, because for me it’s a much bigger universe.
Aeon: We draw on so many subgenres that it’s hard to categorize us. We have Electro influences, classic Rock and Metal elements, Nu Metal, Metalcore and the fact that we have clear vocals makes it even harder to classify the whole thing. It’s a colorful bouquet of flowers!
Ace: We have catchy elements, pop-like melodies, but that wouldn’t necessarily make it appealing to someone who doesn’t listen to metal…
Ax: We rather said what it is not…
Aeon: We are Metal for those who don’t listen to Metal!
SV: You can also define it negatively! By excluding what it isn’t, you inevitably end up with what it is! But let’s stay with the music for a while: What inspires you the most?
Ax: It’s definitely social issues.
Aeon: And especially the grievances!
Ace: We’re also very inspired by the things that bother us. Whether that’s in society, in our circle of friends or in our personal lives. We find many topics there that we take and process in order to translate them into music in an empowering way. We give our all to pass on the resulting strength. We are also very often dissatisfied and we want to give others the strength to carry on as we do!
Ax: It’s also a fusion of what we like to listen to, because the four of us have a very broad taste in music. This brings together many different inspirations.
SV: I find it interesting that you say that you want to record and process grievances and on the other hand many people liked your debut album very much. How does that go together for you? Do you have the feeling that you’ve found your niche?
Aeon: I found it very interesting! All the reviews we read had one thing in common: they all found it difficult to put us into a genre category. Many were left a bit perplexed, even if their basic feeling was positive. They liked the record, but they didn’t know which label to put us on. It was good feedback for us that the record was so well received, but that people realized that it wasn’t a run-of-the-mill Metal album.
Ax: You can also interpret it in such a way that when people listen to our music, either the empowering component prevails and people feel that their feelings are being heard, or that they realize that they are not alone in these crises and that someone is finally addressing these issues.
Ace: We address these topics with strength instead of resorting to this “It all sucks anyway, what should I do”? Of course many things are shit, but especially in our community we can encourage each other and that’s very important to us! Musically, we were able to do what we wanted on the first record and it’s even nicer that everyone else liked it so much!
Aeon: One kind of feedback that I really liked was that many people also noticed the power that Ace puts into her voice. You can totally hear all the anger and vulnerability and the bottom line is that it came across!
SV: You were also on stage earlier and presented a good range from your discography. Which songs are your personal favorites live?
All together: SOLITARY CONFINEMENT!
Ace: It’s strange with this song… On the record, this song didn’t have the energy that it develops live. We realized while playing it that the song is just really fun! It’s also about Covid-19 and this feeling of being locked up, and the feeling certainly comes from finally being outside again and being able to perform live!
SV: As an audience member, you can also tell when you really stand up for what you stand for! That also has a certain honesty aspect. Of course, that raises the question of what happens next. Do you already have concrete plans for a new album? Can you perhaps spoil without spoiling?
Ace: We’ve been working on new songs for a while now. We are also planning a headline tour called Galvanize.
Arro: What? You can’t say that a new record is coming in the fall?
SV: Well, then maybe we’d better move on to the tour in the fall! It’s your first headline tour! What are you most looking forward to?
Arro: Definitely having time and playing for a long time! Otherwise you’re always stuck at 45 minutes when things are going well. Having the opportunity to play to the limit is simply something special and we’re really looking forward to it! You often still have reserves left after 60 minutes and you can give it your all at the headlining show. It’s just a different energy. The people are only there because of us and that’s just great.
Ace: Just the fact that you have time to put together your headline set and don’t have to limit yourself to a set time. It will also be exciting for me to see exactly who our community is! Who comes to our concerts? Who might we see again? Because that does happen. We see some people regularly, we know them. When we play somewhere at a festival or as support, there are a lot of people there and you never really know who exactly is there because of us. That’s different on tour, of course.
Aeon: You don’t just transport music, but also so much more. This tour is our tour and we decide everything. It’s completely our thing and I’m really looking forward to it!
SV: Let’s look into the future and beyond the headline tour! What is something you want people to remember about you at some point?
Ace: The feeling! The community feeling, the empowerment feeling, somehow that big feeling. Of course the music should stick, but this overarching feeling is very important to me. Just “Join the League”!
SV: This is certainly not the first time you’ve been interviewed. What’s something you’ve always wanted to say in an interview but have never been asked?
Arro: I met D’ARTAGNAN earlier and they’re going to some festival where apparently there’s some S&M action and people are sleeping with each other in front of the stage. And honestly? I think that’s really cool! How cool would it be to be on stage and there’s a big S&M party going on downstairs!
Ace: But what does that have to do with the question?
Arro: I’ve never been asked if I’d like to play at an S&M festival! The answer is: YES! If you also have an SM festival, book us!
[For those who are interested: The festival is called Burning Pants Festival]
Ace: You can think about including that as a question in future interviews!
Ax: Have you ever thought about playing an S&M festival? [we laugh]
Aeon: To get back to the question, we’ve actually always been asked about what really matters to us. We already explained that earlier. So the community, pointing out grievances and we’ve always been able to do that well!
SV: Unfortunately we have to come to the end… So if you could tell your fans one more thing, what would it be?
Arro: Come to the headline show!
Aeon: It’s so important for any band that’s planning on doing something! It’s hugely important to buy tickets in advance, to support the band from the start, because that’s what sustains the whole thing. It’s also a community and every single person counts!
Arro: Supported the community, supported the small bands, the small club shows that have a hard time. It’s the small club shows that you think about in 20 years when the band is headlining in Rio. That’s the origin of this whole cultural movement! Going out, supporting the little ones and not buying a ticket for band XY in stadium so-and-so, but supporting maybe five small bands for the same price, is so incredibly important! It’s so incredibly important in our scene. So support the scene as such and there are so many great, up-and-coming bands that deserve it.
Ace: That’s also the nice thing about seeing each other at the concert. You don’t even have to go to the concert with anyone if you know you’re going to meet cool people there anyway. Once you’ve realized that, then maybe you’ll go to two or three concerts!
Aeon: All the festivals are the pinnacle of that! So much has to happen for a band to be allowed to play at a festival like Rockharz. You have to build something up beforehand.
Arro: We really appreciate that! You also have the time to look everyone in the face and say thank you!
Well, guys, it can happen that quickly! There are only four interviews to go and the next festivals are just around the corner! Next, we’ll be looking across the pond to Canada… Stay tuned!
Shieldmaiden's Voice 