Into the Moat
Into the Moat |
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Into the Moat is an American technical metal/Mathcore band from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
Band history
Into the Moat is an American Metal Music band that first achieved national acclaim when profiled in Alternative Press (AP) Magazine (November, 2003). The band was subsequently recognized in AP's "100 Bands You Need to Know in 2005." After signing with Metal Blade Records, the band completed four national tours during 2004 and 2005 in support of their two albums. In 2005 alone the group played 200 shows in 41 states and 95 cities. In early 2006, Into the Moat toured Japan with legendary Japanese Metal band "United." After shows in Osaka and Nagoya, Into the Moat concluded with a performance at the annual Metal Music Festival in Tokyo.
In addition to coverage in numerous netzines from 2003 through 2006, Into the Moat received featured reviews or interviews in a dozen international alternative music industry magazines including Poland's Violence magazine (July 2005); the UK's Exlplicitly Intense magazine (Issue 18, 2005); American Music Press (AMP) magazine (April-May 2005); Outburn magazine (Issue 23, 2005); Metal Maniacs (August 2005); and the UK's Terrorizer Magazine (No. 130, 2005).
The band got its start as Matthew Gossman's one-man project. He soon recruited Brett Slutsky as the original vocalist in May 2001 and began writing songs to record a demo. Gossman contributed his personal performance on guitar, bass and drums to this initial effort while Slutsky provided vocals. Slutsky soon left the band to pursue a career in graphic design and later contributed cover art to the band's first EP. Recruiting fellow highschool students to rehearse for a debut performance at Miami's legendary "cradle of indie music"--Churchill's Pub [1]--the band's lineup included Kit Wray on bass, Steve Walbroehl (since departed) on guitar, Earl Ruwell's vocals, and Gossman on drums. Into the Moat matured as a full quintet in January 2002 with the addition of Johannes Naranjo on bass (since departed) while Wray moved to guitar. A home studio version of the group's early work was well received in the local music scene and, soon thereafter, Wray's talents emerged as he assumed principle writing duties. Gossman then redirected his primary attention to shaping the intricate dynamics of their arrangements as well as providing the percussive input while Ruwell and Naranjo collaborated (with input from Gossman) on the band's remarkably skillful lyrics.
Within a year, the group had crafted and internally financed their debut EP entitled Means by Which the End is Justified . Engineered by Jeremy Staska at Studio 13, the album was "discovered" by Kevin Bean after a song on the group's website drew his interest. With only an informal agreement, Bean released the EP on his label Lovelost Records in May 2003. Bringing the guys a lot of attention, brief promotional tours for the EP were instrumental in cementing a core of influential fans including an associate at a major metal record label as well as current labelmates The Black Dahlia Murder. Their recommendations helped in securing the attention of--and subsequent signing by--metal label Metal Blade and their first full-length album Design was soon in the works. Released in March 2005, the album--produced at Mana Recording Studios by Erik Rutan (Hate Eternal; Morbid Angel)--has met with much critical acclaim.
Derivation of the Name
Founder Gossman and a fellow band member were considering several options early in the formation stage but none of the alternatives seemed appropriate. Frustrated, they agreed to mute their television and channel surf, ending on the Christopher Lowell [2] interior design show. They further agreed to naming the band after the first words they heard after un-muting. Of course the phrase "into the moat" was next spoken by Mr. Lowell and the band's name was born. The exact context in which this phrase was uttered remains unclear.
The name remained controversial for several years as some metal fans were uncomfortable with a moniker that seemed difficult to categorize. Seeking a reference more representative of their genre, the group at one point ran a website contest to rename the band but, as their fame grew, they realized this would have been counterproductive. Now, with acceptance and growing respect in the metal scene, the name is more likely to be celebrated for its distinctiveness than rejected for its unconventional feel. In fact, the unusual designation has served in separating it from the clichéd "death, blood and guts" references usually reserved for groups in this genre. Moreover, the medieval warfare theme suggested by the tag has been invaluable in driving their lyrics, stage presence, and merchandising. As its chosen name, Into the Moat has proved to be a fortunate--if random--find and true fans of the tech metal scene have learned to judge the performers by their extraordinary musicianship rather than their break with traditional nomenclature.
Into the Moat's music
Into the Moat is representative of the Mathcore genre, although band members prefer the term tech metal. As a sub-category of the tech hardcore or "chaos-core" classifications, at first impression their music is merely chaotic noise. Upon further listening, their technical musicianship comes to the fore. Some of their compositions recall Stravinsky in that they appear almost primitive with atonal notation and rapid rhythmic changes. Moreover, their music often paints a "tone picture" as Mussorgsky's thematic music does. Their songs are not, however, tone poems in the true sense of the word, but can be likened to Disney's use of Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring" and Mussorgsky's "St. Johns' Night on Bare Mountain" (more commonly known as "Night on Bald Mountain") in the film Fantasia.
ITM have released two albums, the latest on Metal Blade, and have two music videos featured on MTV2's Headbangers Ball as well as FUSE's Metal Asylum. The latest video (for Empty Shell) premiered in late 2005. These musicians, all either 20 or 21 as of this writing, have a profound grasp of their instruments and are already mentioned in some circles as world class song crafters, arrangers, and musicians in their chosen genre.
Live Performances
Early critics were impressed with the frenetic pace and near-impossible rhythmic arrangements of ITM's recordings but many reserved judgment on the group's true talent. Specifically, some refused to acknowledge that a group of young musicians in their teens and early twenties could reproduce the album's sound in a live setting, suggesting instead their efforts must have been the product of cut-and-paste audio editing. After attending a number of shows during tour dates in 2005, however, this myth was dispelled. Attendees reported the live high-energy performance was often more impressive than the recorded versions.
Incited by the music, fans at the shows often participate in hardcore dancing, typically performed in a mosh pit setting. ITM's compositions feature breakdowns (see Breakdown (-core)), and blast beat rhythms that provoke listeners into a choreography of kickbox moshing consistent with their musical style. The moves include windmills (circular arm movements) and spin kicks popularized in martial arts Kung Fu movies. Despite the violent appearance of the "dance," participants usually observe a watchful protocol to circumvent serious injury by avoiding deliberate contact. Injuries are not uncommon, however, within the usually confined areas this choreography is performed.
Current lineup
Former members
- Johannes "Hon-Hon" Naranjo - Bass (now with US Marines)
- Josh Thiel - Bass (retired 2005--medical reasons; re-join temporarily in 2006)
- Rob Shaffer - Guitars (retired 2005--personal reasons)
- Steve Walbroehl - Guitars (left to join All That's Left; filled in on bass 2006)
- Jose Escobar - Bass (loaned by Radiation 4 late Summer/Fall '05 tours)
- Travis LeVrier - Guitars (temporary replacement for Shaffer Summer/Fall '05 shows)
Discography
- (2003) Means By Which The End Is Justified (EP) - Lovelost Records
- (2005) The Design - Metal Blade
External links
Citations
Bowar, C (No. 29). "Into the Moat: The Design". Outburn p 81.
Burgess, Aaron (V. 19 No. 200, March 2005). "100 Bands You Need To Know In 2005: Into the Moat". Alternative Press Magazine p 114.
Burgess, Aaron (V.19 No. 202, May 2005). "Into the Moat". Alternative Press Magazine p 144.
Dick, Chris (August 2005). "Into the Moat-Review". Metal Maniacs p 60.
Fletcher, Andrew (No. 18, 2005). "Into the Moat". Explicitly Intense p 10.
Glasper, Ian (No. 130, April 2005). "Into the Moat: The Design". Terrorizer p 76.
"Low Profile"(feature auth not ident) (No. 184, Nov 2003). "6 More to Watch: Into the Moat". Alternative Press Magazine p 28.
Mick, S (April-May 2005). "Into the Moat". AMP Magazine p 219.
Szpirko, Andrew (No. 6, 2005). "Interview with Matt Gossman-Into the Moat". Violence Magazine pp 22-23.