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Most bands just want to make an album and hit the road. Not Hail The Villain. They are patient. They have a plan. And they will not compromise.
Of course, everything starts with the music. The tracks on Population: Declining, HTV’s debut record, stand on their own. From the first single, “Take Back the Fear” and the screw-everyone-I’ve-had-a-REALLY-bad-day approach of “Pyro” to the riff-y guitars on “Runaway” and “Evil Has a Name,” this is a intricate and angry piece of rock’n’roll.
But what if there was something more you could do? What if these songs were made to come alive in a way that no one has done before? Hail The Villain had just such a plan.
The Concept: Create a unified, multi-media musical experience that transcends anything anyone has ever seen from a rock band.
The Plan: Working backwards from a solid body of songs written over three years, create two comic books, an interactive website and a series of animated films that pull everything together. Blow everyone’s minds.
The Pitch: We follow Drake Carter, a rough blue collar worker into an affair with his co-worker Thea Landa. Buried behind Thea’s bedroom eyes, is a dangerous spark of deceit and destruction that pulls Drake into a tragic Unworld. The result is not so much a battle between good and evil, but one between evil and lesser evil, fraught with gut-wrenching moral dilemmas involving sex, violence, guns and blood. Much, much blood.
Chances are you’ve never even imagined a band like Hail The Villain. Population: Declining is part of a package that is far, far ahead of its time. Hail The Villain has a plan.
Bryan Crouch and Chad Taylor have been friends since they met in kindergarten in Whitby, Ontario. By the time they were sixteen, they were forming bands together. Bryan later wrote a solo album that didn’t quite pan out as he had hoped, however, it was a great starting point for Hail The Villain as we know them now. Chad was looking for an escape from his cubicle, working as a business analyst for a major wireless carrier. If you have ever seen the movie “Office Space”, he was definitely that guy.
Drew Dockrill had tried to join the army but was a little too honest on the recruitment form and never even made it to the physical. Around the same time fifty miles away, Joseph Stamp had an epiphany while working as an assistant on the recording of a Rush album. Suddenly, he didn’t want to be on the control room side of the glass. He wanted to be making music, not recording it for someone else. So he quit.
So far, we have four stories of disappointment. But at least Joseph had the shoes.
The day after he quit his sweet recording studio job, Joseph walked into a bar where someone pointed out that he was wearing the same cool shoes as a singer named Bryan, who just happened to be in the room. They started talking. Commiserating turned into planning. The planning resulted in a band.
This first iteration was called Farenheit, a punk-y high-energy group formed in September 2003 who were good enough to attract actual patrons—committed financial backers—to underwrite the recording of a 2005 album called Disconnected. This album led to meeting producer Darryl Romphf, and engineer Alex Aligizakis who would later work endlessly on Population: Declining. The more they played, though, the heavier, darker and more technical they became. The music became a mix of influences, ranging from the mysterious and untouchable Tool to the scream of Soundgarden and Propaghandi. Something unexpected was evolving. They were headed towards being more than just a punk band.
Every member of the band is steeped in comic book culture, tilting towards characters like Batman, Spawn and The Crow. A lot of post-gig discussions centred on a mutual fascination and respect for this culture. What if there were a way to mix comic books, animation and music in one solid package? What kinds of characters would be involved? What would be the storyline? How would it all end? And how could they pull it off?
On New Year’s Day 2006, Farenheit became Hail The Villain and the plan began to take shape. The goal was to create a new visual and musical entity on stage, on screen and online. All forms of artistic expression would be pulled together in a way that transcended the typical rock experience.
The attention to detail needed to be exquisite. The songs had to be right. The live performances needed to be re-thought and re-staged. Graphic artists, designers and other experts had to be sourced out. And above all, patience was needed. This was going to be done right.
Hail The Villain has a plan. Population: Declining is part of it. But wait until you’re hit with the rest.
Hey Guys!! Had a blast at the video shoot!! I am so excited for you guys!! You deserve it all!! ...and I couldn't have asked for a better b-day present!! RAWK ON!
hey i saw you guys last wednesday with lacuna coil and you guys were amazing. i just wanted to tell you that Take Back The Fear played on metal hammer set list on the radio in london i think. Here is the link hope to see you guys soon in ottawa
Hey folks! I loved the show in Quebec city, you guys know how to communicate your energy :) Is there any way I could have some of your songs to put on my mp3 player, even if the album isn't out yet?
So happy you guys got signed to a great label. This should help get you guys out there. You have an amazing record and now more people will be able to listen to it. I hope now you will get to tour the us and get to michigan soon!!
your CD's are sold out....how can i buy one when they are sold out....been dyin to get one! where else can i find them? i tried amazon....and everything....nothin.....help!!
