Rise to Remain – Austin Dickinson

Rise to Remain have been steadily building a strong UK support base for the last four years. They have released three EP’s – all viral and their unique take on metalcore has seen them win “best new band” and “best british newcomer” at the Metal Hammer ‘Golden Gods’ awards and Kerrang awards respectively.

Now that they’ve had some serious credentials – not limited to their appearances at Download and Sonisphere festivals (two of the world’s biggest alternative music festivals), they are making their way to Australia in February for our much-loved Soundwave Festival. Soundwave is set to be the first international performance for the band, and they are sure to deliver.

Vocalist for the band, Austin Dickinson (son of Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson) was kind enough to have a chat to Metal Obsession about Soundwave, father/son comparisons and and their upcoming debut album. Fittingly, Rise to Remain will be sharing stages with Iron Maiden both at there Soundwave and Sideshow appearances – make sure you don’t miss the father/son combo.

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Metal Obsession: Austin, looking forward to coming over to Australia for Soundwave?

Austin Dickinson: Oh yeah, we are pumped. We are absolutely stoked to be on the Soundwave lineup – so many awesome bands. We are really excited to just take in Australia as much as we can because we have no idea when we will get another chance to visit!

MO: Sweet, if only your new album was dropping before the festival – we’re getting it just after!

AD: Yeah man, but it will be there in spirit. We will be playing a bunch of new material on the Soundwave dates. It will be great introducing Australian crowds to the new Rise to Remain and getting the vibe going for the new album.

MO: Let’s talk a little bit about the new album, how does it separate itself from Bridges Will Burn?

AD: Obviously Bridges was a 6-track and this is an 11-track, it’s also faster, heavier and more melodic. We’ve been recording sounds for the last four months and have been making sure that it sounds like nothing else that we’ve ever done. Expect nothing, go into it with an open mind and hopefully you will come out feeling absolutely rocked! Expect brutality.

MO: Soundwave’s going to be your first touring festival, what are you expecting?

AD: It’s going to be hectic I think. Whole new country, fresh faces and an awesome lineup of bands. Stone Sour, Avenged Sevenfold – it’s going to be crazy watching M. Shadows freaking out because he wants to have a shower and can’t find his towel. Stuff like that will be great.

MO: This year’s Sonisphere festival boasted probably the best metal lineup the world has ever seen – it must have been a bit of a buzz to be part of it?

AD: It was absolutely insane. We were lucky enough to play the year before, but coming back after releasing Bridges and having a lot more experience we felt like we got a much better reaction this time around. And yeah, as you said the lineup was incredible.

MO: I got the chance to hear your cover of The Rage by Judas Priest, do you ever incorporate covers into your live set?

AD: That cover was actually requested of us by Metal Hammer for a compilation CD and we absolutely love those guys and would do anything for them. It’s actually the only cover we have ever done. We’re the sort of band who likes to do our own thing and focus on our own material but it was a lot of fun changing up the style of another band’s music.

MO: Vocally you are essentially the full metal package – having a good set of both cleans and dirtys. Where do you draw your biggest influences in that regard?

AD: Jesse Leach, former vocalist for Killswitch Engage would have to be my biggest influence, I love the texture in his voice. Either him or Mike Patton from Faith No More.

MO: Quick rave from me: PATTON IS GOD. Faith No More at Soundwave Festival this year was one of the best things I’ve ever witnessed.

AD: Yeah oh my god man, they are so good. Mike Patton has a ridiculous range of vocal capabilities and seeing him at Download 2009 was almost like a masterclass for me on how to scream your head off. It was incredible.

MO: Australia is going to be your first tour outside of the UK so we feel very privileged to have you, but if you could play a show absolutely anywhere, where would it be?

AD: Antarctica.

MO: Oh yeah. You’d get a pretty good crowd over there, let me know when you get the gig and I’ll book some flights!

AD: Yeah for sure, a bit of Eskimo Rock can never be bad.

MO: Too true! I have to ask: It’s unavoidable that you will be compared to your father Bruce at almost any given opportunity, is it something that annoys you?

AD: It does a little, but obviously I expect it. Next to Metallica and maybe AC/DC, Maiden are the biggest metal band in the world. It does happen, but I’m not too fussed about it. We’ll just keep on doing our own thing and hopefully people like our music.

MO: Well I’m keen as hell to see two Dickinson’s at Soundwave! If you could say there was a song that inspired you to want to play music, what would it be?

AD: Self Revolution by Killswitch Engage is a big one. It’s tough because I constantly listen to songs that get me pumped to write music – any Pantera song you could play me and make me want to get up and shout. Floods is a song by Pantera that I always keep coming back to.

MO: If the world were to follow you now, where would you lead them?

AD: To the pub, we’d set up a PA and have a chat. Then hopefully to a stadium for a massive gig!?

Make sure to catch Rise to Remain at the 2011 Soundwave festival across Australia. Limited tickets are still available for certain states. For further details go to www.soundwavefestival.com or ticketek.com.au

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Q’s: Jake Schatz
A’s: Austin Dickinson
Band: Rise to Remain
Date: 30/10/2010
Origin: UK
www.myspace.com/risetoremain