LIGHT THE TORCH Frontman HOWARD JONES On Listening To Hip-Hop: 'It's A Way To Get Away From Heavier Music For A Little While'

Former KILLSWITCH ENGAGE and current LIGHT THE TORCH and vocalist Howard Jones recently spoke with Metal Nexus. The full conversation can be viewed below. A few excerpts follow (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On whether he enjoys performing more when venues are sold out:

Howard: “I don’t really think that way. It doesn’t matter how many [people] there are — two or 200, I’m going to do the same thing. It’s just what I’ve always done. I’m going to walk off, and I’m going to be very wet and gross, because I’m going to sweat like a beast.”

On whether, as a fan of hip-hop, he agrees with recent comments voiced by Adam Levine and Josh Todd that the genre is currently more “innovative” than metal:

Howard: “For me personally, I enjoy it. It’s a way to get away from heavier music for a little while. I just appreciate good stuff. If I hear something and I like it, I’m into it, and right now, there’s a lot of good hip-hop out.”

On his recent writing collaborations with CROBOT and Dee Snider:

Howard: “Each individual is an individual. If they’re writing an album, just try to help the songs suit them. I try to write from the perspective of what they’re looking for. That’s the challenge of it. I enjoy that part — I enjoy the creative part of that. That’s one of the things I almost enjoy as much as the live performances — just figuring out what works for the song. When you get that, that’s a blast to me.”

On guesting on Snider‘s 2018 solo album, “For The Love Of Metal”:

Howard: “We really didn’t even get to meet. He was in the studio and then I was out, or then I’d be in the studio and then he was out, or I’d be doing with Jamey [Jasta] and he couldn’t make it. I grew up watching this man’s videos, and he still has lungs for days. That man can sing. Who gets an opportunity to sing a song with him, but also to write one for him? It’s fantastic. I didn’t think I’d get to do this stuff again, so to do it at this sort of level — or any level, but just to be involved with a man who’s an icon… wow.”

On LIGHT THE TORCH‘s recent single, “The Safety Of Disbelief”:

Howard: “That whole album [‘Revival’] was our thing. We didn’t have a contract; we paid for it; we did it all ourselves; That song just came from a lot of… just like the whole album. For some reason, I just went outside and started walking and writing. Over the course of the first half of 2017, I wrote it all outdoors. It just all kind of came that way — it just slowly but surely came, [after] a lot of miles and a lot of rewrites. That was one that came kind of quick. I don’t know why — just, there it was. Every once in a while, you get lucky. You can’t bank on it.”

On the band’s aggressive touring schedule:

Howard: “We’ve got a lot of lost time to make up for, so we’re coming… We’re still actively booking things right now even up to the end of the year. There will be a lot more of us around.”

“Revival” was released in March 2018 via Nuclear Blast Entertainment.

In addition to Jones, LIGHT THE TORCH features guitarist Francisco Artusato (ALL SHALL PERISH), bassist Ryan Wombacher (BLEEDING THROUGH) and drummer Mike “Scuzz” Sciulara (EXTINCTION A.D.).

DEVIL YOU KNOW‘s name change was prompted by a dispute with the band’s former drummer, John Sankey, who left the group in June 2016.

DEVIL YOU KNOW released two albums through Nuclear Blast Entertainment: 2014’s “The Beauty Of Destruction” and 2015’s “They Bleed Red”.

Fonte: Blabbermouth.net