Arts & Entertainment
Metal Band Miss May I Feels At Home In Jersey
Ohio metal band makes frequent stops In Garden State
New Jersey is becoming a second home for Miss May I.
The Troy, Ohio-based metal band spent the start of the year recording its new album in Essex County, played the Bamboozle Festival in Asbury Park in May and returns to the Garden State with the Vans Warped Tour on Friday, July 13, at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel.
“Playing on the pier in Asbury Park was awesome,” said singer Levi Benton. “We actually got chilly because the stage was facing the ocean. It was cool to be a part of Bamboozle. All of the fans were great.”
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Miss May I’s third album, “At Heart,” was released last month on Rise Records and entered the Billboard Top 200 Chart at No. 32. “At Heart” is easily the band’s best work, Benton said.
“It’s our first CD that I’m proud of,” he said. “On our other albums there were some songs that were not that great. On this CD every song is a good one.”
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Benton said “At Heart” benefited from the band having the luxury of extended studio time and working for the first time with producer Gene “Machine” Freeman. Benton said “Machine” extracted every ounce of energy and passion from Miss May I during the recording process.
“He wanted to make sure that we were feeling what we were playing,” Benton said. “How many times we played a song to get the right sound didn’t matter.”
The band spent two months at the Machine Shop Studio in Belleville writing and recording “At Heart.” Its previous album, “Monument,” was recorded in three weeks.
“It’s the first album we worked a long time on and that made a big difference,” Benton said. “We had time to write our songs, listen to them, see what we didn’t like and fix it.”
The band’s maturation is evident on “At Heart,” a solid slab of crushing metal driven by swarming guitars, a relentless drum and bass attack, and the seamless tradeoff between Benton’s harsh growls and bassist Ryan Neff’s clean harmonies. The band is rounded out by guitarists Justin Aufdemkampe and B.J. Stead, and drummer Jerod Boyd.
On standout tracks such as first single “Hey Mister” and the triumphant “Found Our Way,” the band shows it can play fast and furious yet melodic and memorable metal.
Lyrically, Benton said that he’s excited that most of the songs on “At Heart” carry a positive message. “It’s better to be an inspirational band and bring something good to kids instead of being like, ‘we hate everything,’ ” he said.
Benton, 21, said Miss May I is looking to bring back the sound and attitude of metal albums and bands from the late 1980s. As a child, Benton had to look no further than his mother’s record collection for inspiration.
“She’s a metal head,” Benton said. “She loves Miss May I. She’s always watching us from the side of the stage. I’ve never see her at a show without a Miss May I shirt.”
For more on Miss May I, visit www.facebook.com/MissMayIMusic.
IF YOU GO: The Vans Warped Tour, noon Friday, July 13. Featuring Miss May I, Senses Fail, New Found Glory and Taking Back Sunday. PNC Bank Arts Center, Garden State Parkway exit 116, Holmdel. Tickets are $36.50. More information: www.vanswarpedtour.com.
