-PRESS- Phoenix New Times: Element a440 Wants to Break the Synth-Metal Mold By Lauren Wise Thursday, Jan 31 2013 Looking on the surface is often deceiving. A simple glance at local band Element a440's press photos might lead you to believe it's a typical industrial/goth outfit. At first listen, you may compare the band's sound to Marilyn Manson, '80s punkers Big Black, or Stabbing Westward. But Element a440 doesn't comfortably fit the mold - something the band takes great care in making sure of. When vocalist Halo, drummer Animal, bassist Katt, and guitarist/bassist Graven hit the stage with their heavy but hooky electronic rock sound, they usually try to do it with bands from different genres, including punk and electro pop. When it comes to throwing it up the flagpole, Element a440 knows how to let it's freak flag fly, audibly and visually. Watching the band open for former MTV favorite Orgy at Joe's Grotto in December illustrated just how much the band enjoys making a scene: During the band's song 'Kookie Kutter,' Katt sipped from a plastic cup and spewed it's contents all over singer Halo, perched in front of his mechanized, moving mic stand, writhing out of a straitjacket. 'Oh, that was real blood,' Halo says. But whose? 'I think it was a cow's that night,' Halo says. 'We don't mess around - no fake blood.' -PRESS- Phoenix New Times: Synth Metal Band Element a440 Hoists It's Genre-Defying Freak Flag By Lauren Wise Thu., Jan. 31 2013 at 5:00 AM 'It doesn't matter who synth metal band Element a440 is playing with. It could be a punk band, a DJ, or death metal group. The outfit's only concern? To put on a theatrically, entertaining show, visually and audibly.' I've noticed your microphone stand. The mechanics are pretty cool. Did you make it? Halo: Yeah, it was me and one of my good friends. We thought it would be great to build a new mic stand, and were looking in my yard and I had some scrap car pieces, along with some old windshield wipers. I drew up a sketch, we bounced ideas back and forth. It was really difficult to make, but he and I made that out of scrap parts and a couple pieces of scrap aluminum. You guys just were the 2013 Project Independent featured artist. That's going to bring some solid opportunities. Halo: Yeah, it's the first time an Arizona band has taken the win in nine years. Project Independent is the world's only independent metal showcase. We won a nine-week tour of the United States and 6,000 CDs pressed through his winning. The tour is gonna kick off in Tempe in August and ends in Phoenix in October -PRESS- Element A440 wins 2013 Project Independent Featured Artist, 60 day national tour !
