April 3, 2013

Well, it’s that time again: the time where I apologize for not writing updates on a more frequent basis. Sure, I could blame it on the rain or I could blame it on Canada, or on everything that’s been going on in the life of a young Gramlich and in the VPND camp, but I’ll just blame myself: I’ve failed you. I’m sorry, Jake, I’m sorry. I think at this point we all need to accept that the updates will come when they come and you should follow us on Twitter and Facebook to stay fully informed.

However, I will try to do better. That’s all we can do: try, no matter what Yoda said, because honestly, I trust Ian MacKaye over a puppet with a hand up its behind. Much has been happening in the world of Vilipend over the last several months, the main thing being that after nearly six years of loyal service, guitarist Derek DelVecchio has abdicated the Vilipend guitar throne. While Derek will always be associated and involved in some way, shape or form with Vilipend, he will no longer be our touring or full-time guitarist. That illustrious position will now be filled by Luke Roberts, who contributed the incredible guitar solo in “Meant to Be…,” from Inamorata (http://a389recordings.bandcamp.com/album/a389-105-vilipend-inamorata-12). He has quite the musical pedigree, attending Humber Jazz College, teaching guitar lessons and serving in numerous T.O. acts over the years, such as the Womb and the Great Collapse, not to mention his solo endeavours. Having a member leave and replacing them is never an easy task, but we’re confident that Luke is the man for the job and people will be blown away by his playing and our new material.

Speaking of “new” material, Bodymore, Murderland’s A389 Records has just unleashed a gigantic, gratis mixtape of the murders’ row they consort with. Amongst the countless A389 artists and exclusive tracks (Eyehategod, Young and in the Way, Full of Hell, the Love Below, Junior Bruce, among so much more), you can subject your hearing to irreparable damage from a brand-spanking new, previously unreleased VPND offering, “Fool’s Gold.” Simply follow the link and stream or download: http://a389recordings.bandcamp.com/album/a389-mmxiii-free-digital-mixtape-sampler

What else? Well, we’re currently working on writing material for a new EP with the aforementioned Mr. Roberts. We have a number of shows and appearances coming up, including what will undoubtedly be our triumphant return to T.O. with noise violators Eyeswithoutaface in April, a quick run in the U.S. with the hot Old Wounds (their new album is great, by the way, you should go buy it) and Eddie Brock, as well as the A389 Canadian Invasion, which is also in May, featuring the likes of Integrity, Ilsa, Homewrecker and more.

Lastly, we’re currently working on returning once again to the Great Satan (the States) in the summer for a more extensive run. And you never know what will come up in the mean time…

January 4, 2013

I’m not one for New Year’s resolutions, as if you need to make a change in your life, just do it (like a famous murderer once said, and then a shoe company stole). However, one resolution I will make for 2013 will be to update our website more often, which I’ve most definitely been slacking on (although we’re a bit better on Facebook and Twitter). So, here’s the first of 2013 and there’s a great deal to talk about.

To start, we made a video for “The Last Stand of the Hopeless Romantic,” with the help of our good friend Daniel Godwin, and premiered it on Metal Injection. It’s almost at 3,500 views, which is amazing (to us, at least), so feel free to watch it on an endless loop and share it with your friends, enemies, parents and co-workers. I’m not going to lie: we look good, like, really good.

We’re also finishing up mixing a new song we laid down recently with Adrian Kinney at Metalworks Studios. The new track is entitled “Fool’s Gold” (no, it’s not a His Hero is Gone cover) and will hopefully surface in the not too distant future in some capacity. We’ve been playing it live for a little while now and there’s some footage of it from a couple different shows floating around on Youtube, if you want a preview.

Speaking of live shows, to kick the New Year off in style, we’re playing with the legendary Integrity on January 17th in Bodymore, Murderland as part of our American label A389′s Anniversary festivities. Also just announced, Integrity will be spearheading the A389 Canadian Invasion in May and we will be on both shows (Toronto and Montreal), along with a number of our excellent label-mates.

Lastly, we’ve been very humbled and appreciative to see people including Inamorata on their personal year-end lists and have been lucky enough to be included on some best-of lists from the likes of Hellbound and Tight to the Nail. Thank you very much for checking out a band from the Great White Nothing.

-gramlich

November 7, 2012

It’s funny, when you actually have things to update people on, to hopefully get them excited about what you and your band are doing, and have upcoming, it’s so very difficult to find the time to write something, anything, because, well, you’re incredibly busy doing them (in-between working full-time and trying to finish Borderlands 2). The paradox of updating your website, I imagine. Anyway, hello! November has already turned out to be fairly exciting, as we just shot live performance footage for a video we’re putting together with Daniel Godwin (Flashpoint, yes, that Flashpoint) for “The Last Stand of the Hopeless Romantic,” off our debut full-length, Inamorata. The footage turned out better than we could have hoped and we just received a rough cut, so keep an eye out for that, as it will be released sooner rather than later on blogs and video sites everywhere. As well, we have some awesome shows with old comrades (Ken Mode, Meek is Murder, Biipiigwan) and hopefully new (Full of Hell, Code Orange Kids, Gaza, Burn Everything) this November. All dates can be found on the right side of the page at vilipend.ca, and we’ll be once again returning to the Great Satan (America) for a bunch of them, including first times in Buffalo and Rochester. Lastly, before I hit you with the customary “you can still purchase Inamorata from A389 (vinyl, http://www.a389records.com) or No List (digipak, http://www.nolistrecords.com/),” which recently received a perfect review onGhost Cult (http://www.ghostcultmag.com/2012/10/villipend-inamorata.html), some friends of ours, Sofy Major, recently were majorly devastated by Sandy, the super-hurricane that hit NYC. They were in NYC from France to record their new album before beginning tour with Uncle Touchy and lost pretty much everything in the storm, which flooded the studio they were recording in. There’s no page or kickstarter yet, but go check out their music (http://sofymajor.bandcamp.com/) and buy something (http://sofymajor.bigcartel.com/). They need the help.

-gramlich

September 27, 2012

Wow, a whole month since updates, I’d like to say we’ve been slacking off, but sometimes life just throws things in your way and you have to deal with them while not updating your site. Since we didn’t mention it previously, we had an awesome run in late August in the U.S. with our NYC comrades in Meek is Murder (check out the tour vid: http://youtu.be/EdUi-nVqpL4), playing some amazing shows in NYC, Phili, Chi, etc., and selling a ton of merch (for us, anyway). Meek is Murder are legit amazing dudes (yes, even Keller) and an awesome band. It’s disheartening to see so many crap groups peddling the weakest types of “aggressive music” get signed when an explosive act like Meek is Murder are the total package, yet do everything on their own. I don’t think for much longer though — someone will notice them soon. Check them out: http://meekismurder.bandcamp.com/

Due to some surgeries on frontman Chris Gramlich’s upper right back/shoulder area, Vilipend mainly spent most of September writing in the lab, with a pen and pad, although we did hold a yard sale this past weekend that was pretty rad, even if no one purchased those hi-hat cymbals that’ve been in the van(s) for years. As well, there was a bit of controversy/fall-out from the “It Should Have Been Lars” shirts we were selling on tour (and still have available: simply email us) when we got back, with MetalSucks even picking it up. I guess a lot of people really likedSaint Anger. Who knew?

However, despite our brief “hiatus” in September, October and November are shaping up to be incredibly busy. First, we have a great show with Southern Lord’s Enabler in T.O. (http://www.facebook.com/events/439286769456113/) and then a number of shows in November (potentially in Ajax, Ottawa and Windsor), as well as a super-awesome Nov event in T.O. that will be announced shortly. Trust me, if you’re in T.O. or within driving distance, you’ll want to be at this one. Hopefully we’ll be able to announce it shortly.

Lastly, we’re going to be returning to the States for a few select shows in late Nov/early Dec (potentially Rochester, Phili and NYC), and, if you’re really, really good, maybe even tracking a new song (“Fool’s Gold”) in late Nov as well.

Remember, you can (and should) still purchase our debut full-length, Inamorata, through A389 (vinyl, http://www.a389records.com) or No List (CD, http://www.nolistrecords.com/). As well, we have both CD and vinyl versions at shows and apparently, it’s also up on iTunes.

August 27, 2012

Just a note that being from the great white north, all of the merchandise available in ourBigcartel merch store currently does not ship to the US or internationally (including the “Lars” shirt that everyone has an opinion on.) If you’d like to order anything to the US, please email michaeljcrossley [at] gmail.com and we will work out shipping to your area. Thanks for bearing with us!

August 15, 2012

The Rolling Stones once sang, “time, time, time, is on my side, yes it is.” But it sure doesn’t feel like that, what with the chaos of a U.S. run coming up and our full-length dropping. That’s right, Inamorata is now available for ordering from A389 Recordings (vinyl) or NO LIST RECORDS (CD digipak). Also, if you distrust on-line ordering and Vilipend are not playing near you in the immediate future (more on that in a second), feel free to request Inamorata (the vinyl version) in your local record store or shop, as A389 has distro in the States and now Canada!!! Also, if you’re one of the uninitiated and you’d like to hear it before ordering, you can stream it currently at Exclaim.ca (http://exclaim.ca/MusicVideo/ClickHear/vilipend-inamorata_album_stream) or, if your faith lies in the written word, read an excellent review atHellbound.ca (http://www.hellbound.ca/2012/08/vilipend-inamorata-lp/).

Returning to the “playing near you” theme, Vilipend will be performing with the louder than loud Jucifer (Aug 16th in T.O., with our comrades Kosmograd) before embarking upon a U.S. run with NYC’s mighty Meek is Murder. Tour dates are to the right, and we’ll be playing with some amazing bands in select cities as well (Pristina, Imbroglio, Jar’d Loose, Tiger Flowers, Hivesmasher, and many more). It will surely be a run of monumental musical proportions, so miss at your peril.

July 31, 2012

As many of you may have noticed, especially if you’re on any form of social media, the story of our bassist Michael J. Crossley being denied a lease (after reaching a verbal agreement) due to the music he and Vilipend create has been making the rounds, growing larger and larger. It’s to the point now where we’ve actually been asked by a couple of sites to issue an official statement. Since the story, not to mention the point, is starting to be obscured, as bigger news outlets jump on it and twist it to service whatever segment story they wish to tell about “metalheads” or their “noise,” hopefully this can help clarify our position and focus on larger issues. We have many great things coming up in August (a new record, a tour with Meek is Murder, etc.) and would much rather discuss any of them or the actual music we make and play (or Gramlich’s continued love of Hole and Courtney Love). While we will not shy away from discussing this incident, any of the issues it has raised or how people into aggressive music can be unfairly judged, the point was never to garner sympathy or press, but purely express astonishment at the situation.

—-

In the year 2012, a person’s musical preferences or the type of art they create shouldn’t affect how they’re treated, viewed or judged. Sadly, and increasingly, musicians attuned with aggressive music are seen in a derogatory manner, deserving of less respect, dignity or, in some cases, even human rights, than other types of musicians and artists. The music they create is considered less valid, or worthy, than that of other genres.

We need only look to Lamb of God’s Randy Blythe and his on-going ordeal and wrongful imprisonment in the Czech Republic (where he’s continually been denied bail) or the fact that punk group Pussy Riot are on trial in Russia for a musical protest (facing a seven-year jail term if convicted), to see how musicians associated with aggressive music are viewed and, sadly, treated. Honestly, if these had been any other types of artist, the uproar would be deafening.

Aggressive musicians are generally more vulnerable to prejudice and eliciting less than ideal reactions from the uninitiated, as they communicate emotions that can be seen as negative. Their music can be ugly, harsh and abrasive — difficult for those not familiar with it to understand. But it can also be incredibly cathartic, as well as intensely beautiful and comforting to artist and audience alike. The fact that they engage with the negative to create something positive doesn’t make their art any less valid, or the people who create it any less deserving of being treated equally.

In no way are we in Vilipend trying to equate Mike being denied a lease with that of a singer or group being put on trial and possibly losing their freedom, or the daily struggles and ordeals numerous disadvantaged people face the world over. We are four white, employed, middle-class individuals who are very lucky to live in a first-world country and have the ability to create and play music for ourselves and for anyone willing to listen.

However, the bigger issue at play is that aggressive music and its creators, listeners and performers continue to be discriminated against, judged by the fact that they make, or enjoy, a certain type of music. It’s 2012; we’re supposed to be over this by now.

Friedrich Nietzsche once wrote: “without music, life would be a mistake.” And for the members of Vilipend, and millions of people across the world, this includes aggressive music

-Vilipend

July 18, 2012

With the release of our debut full-length, Inamorata (on coloured vinyl and digitally by Baltimore’s bestial A389 Records, and on limited Digi-pak by Canadian noise institution No List), and the beginning of our tour with the mighty Meek is Murder (NYC, http://meekismurder.bandcamp.com/) just a month away, things are starting to transpire fast and furiously in the world of Vilipend.

Today, in an exciting turn of events, the mighty Cvlt Nation website (http://www.cvltnation.com/) premiered an exclusive streaming track from Inamorata, entitled “Great White Nothing.” You can check it out here: http://www.cvltnation.com/exclusive-cvlt-nation-streaming-vilipendgreat-white-nothing/.

Speaking of new, exclusive music from Inamorata, this past Monday, the Toxic Breed Funhouse blog (http://toxicbreedsfunhouse.blogspot.ca/) released their latest comp/mixtape, Casa de Diversion Vol. 3, which featured “Last Stand of the Hopeless Romantic” from Vilipend, as well as new music by the likes of Ancient Shores, Full of Hell, Young and in the Way, Cynarae and many more. You can check that out here: (http://toxicbreedsfunhouse.blogspot.ca/2012/07/casa-de-diversion-vol-3.html)

Lastly, the Skullsnbones website (http://blog.skullsnbones.com/) recently asked a number of musicians, including Vilipend screamer Christopher J. Gramlich, their thoughts on the Randy Blythe (Lamb of God) situation, as well as how they handle people who get on stage, but won’t get off and if anyone has “accidentally” been hurt during a show (the answer, for Vilipend, is an unequivocal yes). You can read that here: http://blog.skullsnbones.com/artists-speak-out-about-the-randy-blythe-case/

July 6, 2012

Greetings and Salutations!

A great deal has transpired since we went live with this site and our initial update, and, without hyperbole, I can say it’s been an incredibly busy, stressful, hectic, but exciting time in the VPND camp. First up, our debut full-length, Inamorata, will be released by Baltimore behemoth A389 Recordings (http://www.a389records.com) on August 13 on vinyl and digital download, and on limited edition digipak by Canadian noise institution No List Records (http://www.nolistrecords.com/). It’s been a long time coming, and an absurd amount of work by many parties has been invested, but we feel the ends justify the means, in this case. We will of course post ordering info for all formats when it’s available. In the mean time check out “To Impede the Healing Process” below.

While we’ve been putting kilometres on the second Hate Tank, spreading live “northern hostility” to many different locales over the past few months (from Toronto to NYC to the French-speaking parts of the Great White Nothing), we’ve also been hard at work putting the finishing touches on our August U.S. run with the mighty Meek is Murder (http://meekismurder.bandcamp.com/). Dates are up under our show section and we can’t stress enough how awesome Meek is Murder are, as well as some of the acts (Hivesmasher, Tiger Flowers, Astronomer, etc.) we’ll be playing with along the way. We will also be playing our allies in Titan’s Burn full-length release show August 3rd at Sneaky Dee’s in T.O., and with lords of loud Jucifier on August 16, at the Garrison in T.O., with our comrades in Kosmograd.

I can’t say Vilipend are really about “fashion,” but we do know what looks good, and we recently commissioned the very talented Patrick Sparrow to design a new shirt, which he has, and it’s amazing. Although we just received them last week and have only played a single show since, this striking B&W shirt, featuring that iconic Canadian symbol of hostility — the wolverine — is already moving quickly. You look good, but you could look better, so order one (we have XL, Lrg, Med and Sml) and be ahead of the curve.

That’s it for the moment, but on top of everything, we’ll of course continue rehearsing hard in a windowless, hot, carpeted box, and banging our heads against the wall in an effort to continually generate new noise. One such new offering, “Fool’s Gold,” has been added to our set and played live over the last few months. As always, much thanks.