As Forever Fades finds fame

   They’ve opened for bands such as Bring Me the Horizon and Whitechapel. They’ve gained over 2,000 fans on Myspace in three days and tally over 52,000 plays on their songs. Having just signed to uThunder records, you’ll be able to find their new EP in Best Buys and FYE’s around the nation in a few weeks. As Forever Fades is currently one of the hottest bands on the metal/hardcore scene in the US and over in Europe, so would you be shocked to find out their lead singer is a USI student?

   While he is on campus there is little about 19-year-old Jeremy Luman that fits the look of the typical metal/scene kid.

   As we sit in the radio station listening to the bands brand new EP, a tall and lanky Luman, sits across from me in his blue, furry, Hollister hoodie, and devours a bowl of macaroni and cheese with cheese and more cheese. The man likes his cheese, no doubt, and if you’re not a fan of hardcore music, well at least you can love Jeremy for his dedication to curded milk.

   But I assure that even casual rock fans will be blown away by the amazing tracks on As Forever Fades new EP. Luman talks then frequently interrupts himself to turn up the music to explain the tracks, but after fifteen seconds, it becomes clear that brilliance needs no explanation.

   “The purpose of this EP was to define our sound, and every track is a different part of our sound,” Luman says over the blistering opening guitar riff courtesy of the bands 18-year-old guitarist Seth, who gathering from his quotes and Myspace, is the living breathing personification of chaotic confusion.

   If As Forever Fade’s goal was to produce the most heavy, yet melodic album of the decade, they’ve succeeded with flying colors, and not just the rainbow colors, the forest greens and aqua blues as well. The EP is filled with intense vocals, brilliant lyrics (of course you may have to read them…), and the rhythmic breakdowns (break-beats) that have quickly become AFF’s signature style. Cap it all off with the incredibly diverse growl of one Jeremy Luman, and you got something the kids can tap their toes too.

   “Learning to scream was really hard, at first, it really stripped my throat, and it’s a lot harder than it looks.” Having been admitted to the hospital with a collapsed lung after a long practice, Luman’s early attempts were hampered but he kept at it and has possibly accomplished the prettiest sounding voice in the world of hardcore screaming.

   Luman laughs, “It’s supposed to be brutal sounding, I mean the genre itself extended from punk music so what do you expect?” Well to be honest I never expect much good to come out of punk music, but hey if these guys came out alright, then I guess there’s still hope Iggy Pop will come out normal.

   After two years of toil and countless line-up changes, Luman is content and proud to announce that AAF’s will forever be a four-piece band consisting of their bassist John (who is a respiratory therapist and recorded the bands first EP, Words Unclear) their guitarist John (you’ll find out why this dudes a trip soon enough) and their youngest member 16-year-old drummer Ryan.

   Together they have trudged through shows ending in natural disasters, long roads to ruin, and gay truck drivers, but in the end it landed them a record deal, but the tale of As Forever Fades is far from over, Luman says. “Even if we do get as big as some of the biggest names out there, we are going to continue changing our sound, and defining ourselves.”

   So does this mean there may one day be singing on an AAF song? “Singing and I don’t mix,” laughs Luman.

   With influences such as As I Lay Dying and Lamb of God, fans of metal would do a service to themselves to check them out.

   You can follow the links on this page to the bands Myspace and listen to the songs from the bands first EP.

   Or listen to the live interview on Dr. Mick’s and Pineapple Bill’s Three Ring Rockfest this Friday from 3-5 on 820 AM The Edge to get a sneak peek of the bands new EP and exclusive interviews with Jeremy and Seth (the crazy guitarist) who is quite possibly AFF’s biggest devotee. “I don’t want to play or listen to any kind of generalized music, I would not cover those (other bands) songs because it would change my style, I don’t believe in magic but I believe in bones.”…Told you the kid is a trip.