Screamer

Are you familiar with Screamer from the USA? No? Well, let me talk about these guys… About twenty years ago they released an album called ''Target: Earth''. I can't say they shocked the world with it but that had nothing to do with the band nor the music. A lack of support must have been the reason this album isn't well know amongst the fans of true US (Progressive) Metal. Although a lot of bands are sounding similar, only a few bands wrote an album like ''Target: Earth'' . Who? Queensryche with ''The Warning'' and Lethal with ''Programmed'' but this last album was released two years after ''Target: Earth''! . Although this is an outstanding CD, only the mediocre production was a weak point. I can only hope for a decent re-release or re-recording in the near future.

Almost two years I have contacts with Bill Carter, singer from Screamer. The man with the mind blowing high pitched voice seems to be an ultra friendly guy. Bill created a myspace.com page about Screamer and I sent him a mail to tell him how fantastic Screamer was to me. The more important question was if Screamer had a future… I don't know if it was my message that convinced Bill to re-start Screamer but at least I can give you, today, the official first review for their upcoming album. Screamer has no label yet, only the songs are recorded and they're awaiting support! Be sure we will because it is disgraceful this album is infamous and because of the fact the new album is irresistible!

I admit, when Bill told me about the new album, I was waiting for a new ''Target: Earth'' or should I say a new Progressive Power Metal album in vein of the old Queensryche, Fates Warning or Lethal. It didn't actually turn out that way and the new Screamer sounds different from the previous album. Nevertheless a lot of similar musical elements can be discovered. The first time I've heard a new song I wasn't that thrilled at all but today Bill e-mailed me the entire album. I am speechless, wild, bowled over, stunned…

The big difference between both albums is that Screamer sounds more melodic than before. Each particular song contains fantastic vocal lines and although Bill isn't searching anymore for the highest notes he still has a wonderful clear voice. His timbre is strong, his vocal sounds overall unique. His throat contains a very warm touch and is varied enough to label him as a top singer. Although on the debut album his voice was comparable with Geoff Tate, John Arch or Tom Mallicoat it sounds different nowadays. The vocal lines are lower but are still overwhelming. Only a song like 'Filtered' is enough to show me right!

Another strong point on this new album are the amazing guitar riffs. During the entire disc you'll be surprised by the fast fingered riffs and screaming, touching solo's. Talking about styles these guitar arrangements are reminding me to Georg Lynch in his best period ever; with Dokken! If you were excited of what George Lynch did on albums like ''Back For The Attack'' or ''Under Lock And Key'' you will adore this. If you would hear a song like 'Into Sublime' or 'Sweet Laraine' you will understand what I mean! Sophisticated riffs, without any form of exaggeration, are holding your attention and are making this disc into a Metal masterpiece, improving it with the addition of Melodic and Progressive metal elements. Time after time Ronald Valeo and Michael DeRose pull the strings on a way it gives me a cold shivering!

Old Dokken is as a matter of fact a good band to be compared with, although Screamer sounds darker. If you would mix this thought with music in vein of Q5 (both albums), Stryper, Heir Apparent (''One Small Voice'' era) or Wycked Synn (another infamous first class band) I suppose you'll get the perfect idea how Screamer sounds nowadays. It has been a long time that a band in this particular genre electrified me the way Screamer does now!

It is not that pleasant to constantly match up a band to other bands… Screamer deserves more but I suppose it is the only way I can convince you US Metal fanatics to go search for this band. After multiple listens I'm quite sure also labels will be delighted by Screamer. This addictive 'magnum opus' won't leave my tuner for the next weeks!

I would end my review by begging the labels to give Screamer a fair chance! This band has so much skills that they deserve to be treated right. I can't wait for the official news from the band, saying they signed a decent deal. Awaiting this CD you can try to find ''Target: Earth'' (easy to find on the Internet) or you can surf to: http://www.myspace.com/screamertargetearth My Points: 95/100 - Metal to Infinity

1. I understand the band members are scattered from Texas to Wisconsin. How do you feel about the process? Or is making an album via the internet the way to go??

Carter:
Recording an album over the Internet is certainly possible with today's technology, but I don't recommend it. I think you loose something without that collective magic that happens when the right people are playing together face to face.

We wrote the music remotely from each other, and traded mp3 files over the Net sending revisions back and forth. It was not an easy writing process but it was effective only because we had no other choice. I think you loose something when you don't have the face to face contact with your band. When we got together to rehearse prior to recording, we had to make up for lost time and we were fortunate that it gelled quickly for us.

The recording process was done together as a band at Belle City Sound in Racine Wisconsin USA. What we learned during the recording of What Excites You was that it's not necessarily about the equipment or the technology, it's about people. We had state of the art technology at our fingertips and we used some of it when it made sense, but in the end it's about the song and about people. The people you work with as a band are critical and they sometimes don't get the credit they deserve, such as your Producer and Engineer. In our case they made a huge difference.

2.You have two new members in the band..were you friends before?? If not, how was the first "real" meeting??

Carter:
Thanks for asking that. It's a bit of a misnomer that we have two new members. It started with a newspaper article a while back and continues on today. Let me clear this one up for good. Pat Hainault was the drummer in the band performing many, many live shows in support of Target Earth. While he did not perform on the Target Earth CD we consider him an original member.

Mike DeRose is a brand new member. Mike and Ron have known each other for years and years, but didn't hang out much. At first Ron wanted to do the entire project on his own, but when he thought of what Mike could bring to the project he brought him in. I basically got a phone call from Ron saying "we have a new guitar player"...... That's Ron all the way, he get's into it like crazy and there is no stopping him. Luckily for the band Mike is a perfect fit not only from a personality perspective but as a friend. He's a hell of a player, but I believe playing ability is secondary to likability. You can't be a great band if you aren't friends first and foremost.

3. It's been 20 years since the first 'Screamer' CD came out--what has everyone been doing in the intrim?? Just general answers will be fine..

Carter:
We could write a book Let me sum it up for you. We've all continued to play music these twenty years with other people. It just never seemed to be as unique or as rewarding as Screamer music in the studio or live.


4.What made 'Screamer' come out of retirement and back out into the real world after 20 years??

Carter:
Screamer had quite a colorful "retirement", so if you had asked me twenty years ago I would have said we would never play a note again together. As they say, time heals all wounds. It was actually stunning the way it all came back together. Ron's best friend looked at him and said he needed to pick up the phone and call Paul and put something together, a wake up call of sorts for Ron since his buddy thought he was stagnating. Paul was down with it, and he reached back out to Pat. I had sense moved away and no one knew were I was or how to contact me. I mentioned the colorful breakup..... I hadn't spoken to these guys in twenty years.

One of my good friends happened to call me about a month after Ron's friend called him out. He started in on me about how he loved Target Earth, and look it's still selling well on the internet and why don't I get off my ass and connect with the band. He wore me down a bit for a couple of weeks, and I dismissed the thought. But then I started to think.... what am I doing right now that is great? What if we do it again and we can bring our musical maturity and experiences to the table? What would that sound like? I reached out to someone in the industry who hooked me up with Paul, and now about 1 1/2 years later we have What Excites You.

5.I understand you are looking for a label..how is the process going?? How do you find the music industry now as compared to 20 years ago....

Carter:
It's an exciting time for music. Technology has evened the playing field for independent musicians. It's still changing every day, some changes for good and some things are still evolving.

I'm not sure we are shopping a label right now. What can they offer to us that we don't already have? We have a professionally recorded and produced mastered disk with artwork, we pressed it professionally, we financed it all ourselves. I think a label would take our hard work, pay us nothing, and distribute it and keep the proceeds. Still to this day we have not received one dollar from Target Earth, not one.....What Excites You is on our label, 2021 Productions. I suppose that if a label offered us something that would help get the word out about the new project we would entertain the offer......carefully.

What we need are distributors on every continent in the world, and promotors who want Screamer to play at their shows and festivals. We are pushing hard to find the right partners to get in bed with to get the word out about What Excites You. What we need is the fans to keep the word on the street and continue their fantastic support of this record.

6.Has the "bug" bitten you again now that this CD is out...or are you waiting to see the results..or are you going to stay alive in the music scene---recording and playing??

Carter:
I can only speak for myself, but I have been hit by lightning with this project. I'm going to stay alive in the scene for as long as my body will allow. If you have read my lyrics, you know my mind is already gone so that's not an issue (laughs).


7.2021--omg..I love this song..you nailed "it" to a 'T'....hehehehe personal experience I assume???

Carter:
Every song on the record is a representation of a personal experience of mine with the exception of Outside, which is based on my love of books written in the first person killer or assassin perspective. With 2021 I saw this beautiful woman at the Dallas airport. The way she dressed and walked, I could almost smell her perfume in my mind, almost taste her. Then she slapped me (laughs). When I got home that night, I wrote the lyrics to 2021 with the thought of "what if". It only took about an hour to write the lyrics for that one. Was it good for you?

8. I have never heard the first CD..so, in your words..how is this CD different compared to the first? I know you have 20 years of life under your belt now since the first release...has that been an influence in the writing, the ability in playing??

Carter:
There are similarities between the first CD and What Excites You, but they are very different records in my mind. You can hear it's Screamer, but that's where it goes another direction. The guitar riffs and melodies are along the same lines as Target Earth, but the guitar sound is dirtier in a good way. The drums and bass are more up front and are heavy and pounding compared to the first one. Also, I approached my vocals in a totally new way. The song structures are more mature, and the lyrical content is more mature. Time influenced everything.


9.Anything you want to tell me?? Anything you want the people to know about 'Screamer'??? About the band, the music, the music scene...feel free to say whatever you want....

Carter:
I want people to know that we love the music, and we love them very much for supporting us in the past as well as today with our new release. Music is our connection to ourselves, and to the people around us and around the world. We want to play for you live, so please tell everyone you know about the new disk and talk with your local club owners and festival promotors and tell them that you want us to play. We want to get on a bus or on a plane and play for you wherever you are. We want to show the US, Belgium and Germany and anywhere else where rock is still alive, what Screamer is all about. Reach out to us on our myspace page, myspace.com/screamertargetearth and let us know how you like the new disk. If you don't have it, there is a link there for downloads or disk purchases. Thanks again for the kind words about What Excites You.

- Metalmadman.com