Detroit, these days, may be making the most noise for its garage rock scene, but there is a plethora of heavier bands bursting out of the Motor City and metalcore monsters Walls of Jericho are leading the charge. The inimitable Candace Kucsulain fronts the band, and her unholy bellow is an integral part of the WOJ sound. The ferocious and energetic singer is joined by Mike Hasty (guitar), Chris Rawson (guitar), Aaron Ruby (bass) and Dustin Schoenhofer (drums).
On Tuesday, July 29 WOJ will unleash its fourth studio release “The American Dream.” Recorded in Cleveland with acclaimed metal producer Ben Schigel (Chimaira, Ringworm), WOJ’s latest delivery promises to be their most ambitious effort yet. Kucsulain certainly thinks so, as she told MMX recently…
Do you think of yourselves as a hardcore band?
We have hardcore influences, but we also have metal influences and garage influences. I think, nowadays, you don’t have to call yourself anything because everyone’s so mixed up. We play heavy music, and that’s enough.
Are you influenced by any of the other Detroit hardcore bands, like Negative Approach or the Meatmen?
I really appreciate their music. There are so many Detroit bands that I respect. I wouldn’t exactly say that they’re an influence -- I prefer heavy, heavy bands like Deicide and Slayer.
Do you think there’s a healthy Detroit scene right now for heavy music?
Yeah. It comes and goes like every other scene, but there is a good scene right now. There’s a good scene for every type of music here. That’s the beautiful thing about Detroit. The people are passionate, and there’s a lot of interesting music coming out as a result.
I remember seeing you in London in 2004 with Sick Of It All, and you went down a storm. Is your reputation blossoming outside of the United States?
That was a great, great tour. We do well, especially in mainland Europe. Not so much in the UK yet, but we’re working on it. We just like playing in front of people that care about us, and having a good time with them.
Are people more open minded nowadays about a female singing heavy music, or do you still encounter meat heads?
Oh, we still encounter meat heads. It is more acceptable and people are less likely to think that it’s a gimmick because we definitely got that a lot when we first started. That sort of thing just makes me push harder. I want to be as good as I can possibly be. I don’t want anyone to think that I’m good for a woman. I want to be a really good front woman. And I am.
Your new album, “The American Dream” is coming out next week. How do you think it turned out?
I am stoked. This is my favorite record by far that we have ever put out. I listen to it every day. It’s like thrash metal meets your worst nightmare.
How has the band’s sound progressed since the last album?
You always want to keep the sound that you like, but push yourself as a musician. On this record, we just wanted to do what we thought was fun, what we wanted to hear on stage. That added a completely different element to the record.
What are your plans for the rest of the year?
Taking over the world. We’re headlining a tour called Hell On Earth, and we’ll be playing throughout the year to promote the record. We just want to destroy, and have a good time with it.
Walls of Jericho's fourth studio album "The American Dream" (Trust Kill Records) will be available Tuesday, July 29.
