Hot for 2016 - ROAM

From seemingly coming out of nowhere in late 2015, ROAM are set to have a very successful 2016. I spoke to bass player Matt Roskilly to discuss influences, touring life, festival appearances and what he thinks 2016 will bring for the band.

ROAM first came to my attention when they appeared on Scuzz TV's UK Throwdown special earlier in the year, where I first heard their single 'Deadweight'. Their pop punk necessities mixed with a heavier intro and thrash guitars got me very excited for what else this brand new band could produce, and the release of their debut album in January was far from disappointing; it was great to hear pop punk return even further to its roots, and for a band to bring classic elements that made up 90s and early 00s pop punk into 2016. Matt hoped the appearance on Scuzz would increase their fan base by rock fans happening to stumble across them, and I can confirm they have at least one new fan in the shape of myself.

When listening to the tracks from Backbone, it is very easy to pick up on some of the band's influences, especially the era they came from. It came as no surprise when Matt told me their influences lie with bands like Sum 41 and Set Your Goals, as well as taking inspiration from their very varied music taste as a band, with Matt admitting they all listen to 'stuff like Slipknot to Shakira', and whilst heavier undertones are easy to pick up on, I couldn't personally detect any Latin American influences in their music (maybe next album, lads?). It's great to see that the band are still inspired by the bands they listened to growing up, with bands like Blink 182 and Good Charlotte arising when discussing topics like their dream gig line up on the long journeys in their van.

Being enclosed in a van for hours on end with 'zero privacy' doesn't strike anyone as a great time, but Matt assured me he 'wouldn't change [touring life] for the world'. The band are currently supporting Against the Current on their European tour, and are gearing up to play alongside bands like New Found Glory, Mayday Parade and Four Year Strong at Slam Dunk Festival this year, celebrating their 10th year with an incredible line up. I'm glad the band enjoy each others' company and their beloved van, because they have a very busy year of tours ahead of them, and Matt couldn't be any more excited.

The band as a whole are looking forward to whatever 2016 throws at them, as well as their already set in stone plans. As well as 'endless touring' and seeing the world, Matt let me know that they will also 'get on with writing some new material', which he describes as 'always exciting', and I don't know about you, but I am definitely excited about hearing how the band develop further in the future, and build on their already solid foundations. 2016 sounds like a very promising year for the band, and we could be hearing the name ROAM around the pop punk scene a lot more by the time 2017 rolls around.

Make sure to check out ROAM when they return home for the UK leg as support for Against the Current, playing in London, Leeds, Birmingham and Hatfield in May, before hitting up Slam Dunk Festival. Also make sure you give their debut album Backbone a listen on iTunes or Spotify.

Top 5 Bands of 2015

2015 was such a good year for music that it's almost sad to see the back of it! With some killer festival lineups, record breaking albums and a lot of huge bands going to extraordinary lengths to prove why they are just so loved, it would be a shame not to look back over the past 12 months in music, and see who really stood out.

Bring Me The Horizon

The lads from Sheffield have gone above and beyond towards the end of 2015, and after the long awaited release of their album That's The Spirit, everyone wants a piece of the band who used to be shunned for their heavy riffs and often deep lyrics. Claiming both the second and top spot on most definitive rock countdowns of 2015 singles with Drown and Throne, this look back over the year would not be the same without mentioning the success the band has gained.

Their newest album has recently gone gold, and I don't think it will be long before we see pictures of the band clutching a platinum disc, which would be well deserved. Many have said the band have changed their sound, and I cannot disagree, however, I also cannot fault That's The Spirit, and it is definitely up there with my favourite albums of the year.

To celebrate, here's a stunning acoustic rendition of Drown:

Foo Fighters

A huge tour, a Glastonbury headline spot and a broken leg, if you haven't heard about the Foo Fighters this year, where have you been? Dave Grohl has yet again become one of my heroes by showing everyone that shows and tours are still doable with a broken leg, even finishing the shows you broke you leg in the middle of! I'll admit, I was a little disappointed when the headline slot had to be given up, and although Florence and the Machine did a great job of stepping up to the plate, it would have been great to see some of the most influential musicians of today teaching Glastonbury how it's done.

The band released their surprise EP Saint Cecilia right at the end of 2015, and after the Paris attacks in November, decided to use it as a way to raise money for those affected, proving once again how amazing the band can be. For now, you can stream the EP for free on the usual outlets, or download it for free from the official website.

Fall Out Boy

Not only did Fall Out Boy release yet another stonker of an album in early 2015, they also treated UK fans to their second arena tour in two years. With questionable support from indie pop duo Matt and Kim and British rapper Professor Green, the pop punk quartet proved that you don't have to be a rock fan to appreciate their music.

While it may have been released in 2014 in the States, I cannot mention Fall Out Bot without commenting on their theme song for the incredible Disney film Big Hero 6. The film featured a young boy interested in robots who gets his design stolen and with the help of his brother's friends seeks the person who did it, as well as Baymax, the huge white robot everyone wants in their squad. Fall Out Boy's Immortals was the huge theme song, not only played in the credits but also in the film, and I'm still hoping that it overtakes Let It Go as the most popular Disney song in the world (a girl can dream!).

Pierce the Veil / Sleeping With Sirens

Sharing the fourth spot is Sleeping With Sirens and Piece The Veil. Their incredible world tour back in April was a force to be reckoned with and proved why the two bands are often categorised in the same genres. Pierce the Veil definitely bought the heavier side out of Sleeping With Sirens, and hearing Kellin Quinn feature on King For A Day Live was an experience I wish I could repeat every single day.

2016 looks set to be major for both bands. Pierce the Veil's long awaited new album is set to be released early in the year, whilst Sleeping With Sirens take their Madness album on tour for the second time in the UK in Spring. I certainly cannot wait for either, it will be great to hear some new music from Pierce the Veil and Sleeping With Sirens never fail to please.

Pvris
It's hard to believe that Pvris have only been in the mainstream since late 2014, as it feels like they have been around forever. After supporting huge established bands like Bring Me the Horizon and A Skylit Drive, the band have finally announced their first headline UK tour, and we are expecting amazing things from them.

For a band that have only been around for a couple of years, their statistics are incredibly impressive. Streams of their songs have reached over 6 million on Spotify, and having to upgrade venues for over half their UK tour dates, Pvris may as well have been around as long as bands selling out arenas. They started 2016 by playing on Jimmy Kimmel's prime time show in the States, and it will be interesting to see how the Massachusetts trio wave goodbye to what will be the biggest year in their careers so far.