The No Label Needed Contest & Series is a collaboration between Metal Insider and Scion to give one unsigned artist an entire DIY music industry education and launch a release without the help of a label. We’ll be posting features and updates on the contest & series periodically on Metal Insider. Find out more about No Label Needed here.
Over the next few weeks, we’ll be taking a closer look at each of the No Label Needed finalists. Today, we’re featuring Lorus.
Formed in 2005 in Chicago, the band is comprised of Dylan Burr on guitar, Chris Brown on bass, Alan Lawrence on keys and Dino Panzani on drums. Burr took some time aside from campaigning for the lead in public votes to answer a few of our questions.
Why should people vote for you over the other finalists?
We strive, above all, to write music that excites us and has energy, inspired, and heart. We have no limitations to what Lorus is. If it feels right to put a drum n’ bass groove underneath a funky overture, lets try it. You never know what works until you do it. We bring new ideas to the table rather than beating old ones to death.
Who’s career do you admire?
I think we admire Mike Patton’s career quite a bit. He is willing to take chances and go into different forays than just doing the same kind of record over and over again. I mean the guy has been in two highly respected bands (Faith No More, Mr. Bungle) and started many others that are different from each other (Fantomas, Tomahawk, Peeping Tom). He done some scores for film, and even did the voice work of a bunch of zombies (I Am Legend). Some may be better than others but he continues to work and experiment.
What is the local scene like in your home town?
There are a lot of bands here, some of whom are doing inspired work, many of whom are striving to play Pitchforkfest and sell Apple products (note: we would probably accept offers to play Pitchforkfest and/or sell Apple products). Pros: There are a lot of good places to play, you can catch live music any given night of the week, and there lots of talented musicians who live here. Cons: It’s cold for about half the year, meaning it’s really difficult to get people out of the house to a show in negative degree weather. The city’s cultural department is ineffective at promoting creative local bands (but you can catch a platter of overpriced lame national acts at the Taste of Chicago every year, and lots of cover bands at local street festivals).
What metal trend would you like to see end?
I would like to get rid of this idea that metal needs to be tough and dark and no melody. “Metal” vocals could use a rework. “Meee wanttt cooookieeee sooo gooood enooough toooo eeeeeaaaaattt” or “I AM SCREAMING AT THE TOP OF MY LUNGS FOR ALL 7 MINUTES OF THIS SONG AND YOU CAN’T UNDERSTAND A SINGLE WORD OF IT” is played out and boring for a whole record. Not that I want hair metal vocals, but having your band picture in front of some dilapidated brick wall, barbed wire, train track combo doesn’t make me think your music is super evil and heavy. It just makes you look like you fear cleanliness and nice architecture. Also, the over-compression of modern records. Dynamics are incredibly important and when you squeeze eveything to the same loudness it’s just that, LOUD.
Public voting for the No Label Needed Contest & Series presented by Scion runs through March 8. Visit the No Label Needed microsite to listen to Lorus and the 19 other finalists and cast your vote!
