INTERVIEW BY JOE FITZPTRICK
PHOTOS BY TRAVIS ILAPIT
Earlier this year Virginia Beach’s biggest metalcore band HONOUR CREST signed to Rise Records making them one of the first metal bands to sign to a major record label since 2008, and this past week they released their debut full-length Spilled Ink. Consisting of drummer Cory Beaver, guitarists Chad Orange and Zach FitzPatrick, vocalist Lucas Borza, and bassist Jimmy Dillon, HONOUR CREST have been inciting mosh pits and melting faces since 2009, in the Virginia Beach and Norfolk areas of Virginia. Since being signed to Rise Records, they have set their sight on conquering uncharted territories but remain very close to their local scene that helped them rise to success. I had the opportunity to get inside the mind of Orange about the band’s recent success and some of the secrets behind Spilled Ink.
In preparation for the release of your debut record Spilled Ink, you guys went on your first national tour with THE BROWNING. Do you have any fond memories you can share from that tour?
Oh, there are plenty for sure. I’m sure one thing that stands out from any tour is getting the chance to visit distant family and friends. Like before tour even officially started, we stayed with Zach’s sister in Chicago and we got to do some great stuff like trying chocolate cake shakes at Portillo’s, seeing the city from the train, and one of our favorite places—Headquarters Beercade! Getting to know the bands is great too. One of my favorite memories was when Jonny from THE BROWNING let us stay with him, and we just cooked out, played Kan Jam for the first time, and attempted to watch the entire Frieza Saga of Dragonball Z on our day off. I think Garrett and I were the only ones to make it to Frieza’s final stage (laughs).
Why did you guys choose to sign with Rise Records?
Well, we had been talking with them as soon as Metrics dropped. After months of working out deals and talking with lawyers, we finally had a good idea of where we wanted to go as a band and how Rise was going to help us get there.
Are you happy with that decision?
Without a doubt. They’ve definitely given us everything we need to get to the top. Now it’s our turn to show everyone that we can.
Why did you choose to name your new album Spilled Ink?
For this album, we really came together with ideas more than any other previous album. I know I sat down with Cory more on the drum parts. Jimmy had a lot of input on both instrumentals and wrote a lot of the lyrics for it. So it just felt like all our ideas were being thrown together for the first time, spilling out all over and creating this album as a whole.
What song on the record has the most personal meaning to you?
I’d have to say “Glaciers” for sure. For me, it has the most vocal parts I’ve ever had to perform live. Lucas and I put a lot of time into coming up with new ideas for vocal parts and changing how we would normally embrace writing for a metalcore song.
Do you think that your band being signed to a major record label gives hope to other bands from Hampton Roads that there is hope to get their band signed and receive the same level of recognition?
I’d like to think so. One of the last bigger names I can remember was WE WERE GENTLEMEN from Virginia Beach, and unfortunately they broke up in 2010. So I think there’s definitely a little more light being shown on the area.
What are your thoughts on the current metal scene in Virginia?
I think there’s definitely a new wave of people being brought in, and I think that has a lot to do with some of the newer bands that have been building their reputations and fan base.
What is your favorite memory of the band since you started HONOUR CREST?
I just love looking back and seeing what we started as and how we got to where we are now. When it was just a guitarist, vocalist, and laptop with drums, and now we’re a five-piece nationally touring band.
What does HONOUR CREST have planned for 2014?
We have another national tour coming in February with WE BUTTER THE BREAD WITH BUTTER and LIONS LIONS!, and we plan on shooting a music video, touring, writing for our next album, and some more touring! ALLLLLLL THE TOURING!
