Blabbermouth Sep. 2, 2008
SPYLACOPA — the new studio project featuring John LaMacchia (CANDIRIA), Jeff Caxide (ISIS), Greg Puciato (THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN) and Julie Christmas (MADE OUT OF BABIES, BATTLE OF MICE) — has posted the song "Bloodletting" at this location. The track is featured on the band's debut five-song EP, due out this November on Rising Pulse Records.
Commented Lamacchia: "The song 'Bloodletting' was originally written by Greg Puciato. When I heard the demo of the song I was blown away by the chorus. There were all these vocal layers of just screams that sounded like dying banshees. It was an inspiring new step forward for SPYLACOPA because before this the music we were writing for the project was based mostly on experimental ideas and sounds and a more unorthodox style of writing. When we passed it off to Julie, she just took the song to a whole new level with her eerie lyrics and disturbing vocal melodies. Jeff also played a great part in taking the song to new heights adding these incredible bass layers and textures. After that the whole thing just kind of came together in the mix by the man behind the curtain, Michael Barile (mastering/engineering). He did this thing in the bridge with one of Jeff's bass performances. Jeff was playing the part and theres a note that rings out and as he's recording the part he's reaching over to Jeff's bass and slowly down tuning the low bass string. It's just perfect for the part... he tunes it so low it just slowly disappears into the mix..."
The band, which LaMacchia formed to explore experimental and hypnotic compositions while playing guitar in rock/jazz/crossover band CANDIRIA, has been working on the EP since 2006. LaMacchia states: "These are some of the best musicians I've ever worked with and the music on this EP speaks volumes of their talent. Fans will definitely be pleased."
Blabbermouth
Hard Times November 13, 2008
SPYLACOPA -- the new studio project featuring John LaMacchia (Candiria), Jeff Caxide (Isis), Greg Puciato (The Dillinger Escape Plan) and Julie Christmas (Made Out of Babies / Battle of Mice) -- have posted a "Making of the EP" video online.
You can watch the video - which includes behind the scene footage of Puciato in the studio doing vocal tracks -- by visiting the band's official SpylacopaTV Channel on Youtube.com or clicking here:
....
BIO:
Fueled aggression, experimental precision, and driving infectious hooks are just some of the parts comprising the whole that is Spylacopa – a musical venture spearheaded by Candiria lead guitarist and songwriter John LaMacchia. The band can be described as painters of a vast audio landscape, putting listeners on a constant musical journey. And while Spylacopa often changes gears, and is far from pedestrian – it is very feel-oriented.
Formed by LaMacchia in 2000...
For more check out Hard times
Spreading Like Wings September 25, 2008
Spylacopa is a band that consists of members of such underground heavy hitters like; Candiria, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Made Out Of Babies and ISIS what you get when these musicians join forces is a new animal. Spylacopa sounds like a progressive emo band. That’s right I said it a progressive emo band. If you can imagine a more emotional melodic Page Hamilton backed by a progressive modern rock band then you’d get a pretty good idea. Spylacopa like you might expect have fantastic chops but they don’t show off they pull off a great contemporary sounding album. The first two tracks “Haunting A Ghost” and “Bloodletting” are fantastic if we get more explosive stuff like these two tracks then lord help us all. I want to hear a complete album right now.
Review by Pivotal Rage Lite.
Spreading like wings
Metal Review 11/25/2008 Michael Roberts
For those not in the know, Spylacopa is something of a post-metal supergroup consisting of Greg Puciato (Dillinger Escape Plan), John LaMacchia (Candiria), Jeff Caxide (Isis/Red Sparowes), and Julie Christmas (Made Out of Babies/Battle of Mice). As you might expect, you can hear bits and pieces from each members’ respective day job in this band. It’s a little difficult to pinpoint their sound at this stage, simply because each track on this EP is either significantly or drastically different from the one before it. What’s not in doubt though is that the music on Spylacopa is written and performed to the high standard you’d expect from a band of this pedigree, and despite how up-and-down it is stylistically, it’s plenty enjoyable.
Barring the graceful piano piece “Together We Become Forever,” there are four songs proper on Spylacopa. The first, “Haunting a Ghost,” is a pulsing, abrasive rocker with Greg Puciato switching between his familiar holler and melodic singing, while Julie Christmas gets more of a look in during the disturbing lurch of “Bloodletting.” The later half of this release is more interesting. “Staring At the Sound” is a strangely funky art-rock number featuring a smooth Puciato croon over a lumbering groove that isn’t unlike some of the more commercial moments on DEP’s Ire Works. Final song “I Should Have Known You Would” is the real anomaly though. Recalling some of Red Sparowes at their mellowest, it’s a laidback, acoustic-led number complete with prog-rock flourishes. The songwriting is very smooth and it’s an enjoyable track in itself though it does throw you a little given the EP’s hard-edged beginnings.
So with five very different but tasty little morsels, Spylacopa is quite the appetizer. While I’m not completely blown away at this stage, the quality and professionalism of this release can’t be denied and it certainly leaves me hanging for more, if only to find out which of the various directions displayed here the band chooses to go in. While hardly what you would call extreme, Spycalopa are an uncompromising and intense outfit consistent with the adventurous, forward-thinking spirit its various members are known for.
Metal review
Mind Inversion October 22, 2008 Spylacopa ’s new song rocks hard (and a future Candiria album?
Spylacopa began as an obscure ambient-electronic side-project for Brooklyn-based Candiria guitarist John LaMaccia, but after accruing a band of notables – namely Greg Puciato of Dillinger Escape Plan, Jeff Caxide of Isis, and Julie Christmas of Made Out of Babies – the project was bound to gain momentum. Judging by the sounds of the new song “Haunting A Ghost” that was posted to the band’s MySpace earlier this week, Spylacopa has evolved into an entirely different beast all together. While LaMaccia proved to have a knack for combining head-pounding beats with ambient soundscapes on Spylacopa’s earlier output, this song is far more rocking and metal-friendly than anything I’ve heard from them so far. LaMaccia’s distorted guitar progressions and electronic sequencing seems to have matched perfectly with the lush mix of Puciato’s own touches and his trademark vocal approach – the high contrast of soaring melodies and screaming and bellowing – and the thick layer of groove from Caxide. The forthcoming debut self-titled EP (available November 18th) has already garnered high praise from Terrorizer Magazine, and Puciato seems to like it well enough… but don’t just listen to us! Listen to “Haunting a Ghost” for yourself online here.
In related news, John has finallly made an update regarding Candiria and LaMaccia also revealed more about the 4 volume (!) series of remix/interpretations 12" LP’s entitled Toying With The Insanities that will be released on his label, Rising Pulse Records. The release is said to feature contributions from members of Suicidal Tendencies, Dillinger Escape Plan, Dysrhythmia, Dub Trio, Kayo Dot, Dälek, and more. However, this great collection will only be released as a limited edition available on vinyl (with free mp3 download with purchase) with only 250 of each volume pressed!
More intriguing perhaps is that LaMaccia implied that there will be new Candiria recording in the future, saying that the band is “moving forward” and was “back on track”. After news last year, that Candiria wasn’t allowed to release their last album through Type A records since they couldn’t tour, many people were unsure if we’d ever hear from them again. I’m looking forward to hopefully getting my hands on this remix collection, and now I’ve got hope for more Candiria in the future. Stay tuned here.
Mind Inversion
Metal Injection October 22nd, 2008 SPYLACOPA began as an obscure ambient-electronic side-project for Brooklyn-based CANDIRIA guitarist John LaMaccia, but after accruing a band of notables - namely Greg Puciato of DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, Jeff Caxide of ISIS, and Julie Christmas of MADE OUT OF BABIES - the project was bound to gain momentum.
Judging by the sounds of the new song "Haunting A Ghost" that was posted to the band's MySpace earlier this week, SPYLACOPA has evolved into an entirely different beast all together. While LaMaccia proved to have a knack for combining head-pounding beats with ambient soundscapes on SPYLACOPA's earlier output, this song is far more rocking and metal-friendly than anything I've heard from them so far. LaMaccia's distorted guitar progressions and electronic sequencing seems to have matched perfectly with the lush mix of Puciato's own touches and his trademark vocal approach - the high contrast of soaring melodies and screaming and bellowing - and the thick layer of groove from Caxide. Their forthcoming debut self-titled EP (available November 18th) has already garnered high praise from Terrorizer Magazine, and Puciato seems to like it well enough… but don't just listen to us! Listen to "Haunting a Ghost"yourself online here.
In related news, LaMaccia has finallly made an update regarding CANDIRIA and has revealed more about their forthcoming Toying With The Insanities 4 volume series of remix/interpretations 12" LP's that will be released on his label, Rising Pulse Records. The release is said to feature contributions from members of SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, DYSRHYTHMIA, DUB TRIO, KAYO DOT, DÄLEK, and more...
For more check out Metal Injection.
Metal Sucks October 23rd, 2008 Vince Neilstein
A couple of months back I published an article declaring that Spylacopa, the new supergroup featuring John LaMacchia (Candiria), Jeff Caxide (Isis), Greg Puciato (The Dillinger Escape Plan) and Julie Christmas (Made Out of Babies / Battle of Mice), was sounding surprisingly tame for a band whose members usually spit such intense venom. Now I eat my words.
The ambient drones of “Out West” have now been replaced by the fury of “Haunting a Ghost” on Spylacopa’s MySpace page, and the results are much more in line with what you’d expect from such a group of shit-kickers. In short, the new song is fucking awesome and more or less exactly what you’d expect and hope for from this cast of characters.
Spylacopa’s self-titled EP drops November 18th on LaMacchia’s Rising Pulse Records.
-VN
Metal Sucks
Ixmati Media
Press release:[Oct 22, 2008 / SPYLACOPA]
Track by track synopsis of SPYLACOPA's debut EP from DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN frontman; New mp3 posted online
THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN's frontman Greg Puciato, and member of new studio project SPYLACOPA (which also features Candiria's John LaMacchia, Isis' Jeff Caxide and Made Out of Babies/Battle of Mice's Julie Christmas), has posted an online synopsis of each of the songs found on SPYLACOPA's self-titled debut EP being released this November on RISING PULSE RECORDS.
You can now hear the new song "Haunting A Ghost" by visiting the band's official MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/Spylacopa
The full tracklisting:
1. "Haunting A Ghost"
2. "Bloodletting"
3. "Together We Become Forever"
4. "Staring At The Sound"
5. "I Should Have Known You Would"
For the rest of the this release visit Ixmati Media
Metal Underground September 2, 2008 Spylacopa Announces Release Date For Debut EP
While no well-versed metalhead would ever consider the ambient sounds of SPYLACOPA to be "metal" by any stretch of the imagination, there are good reasons why news of a debut release from a band that unites members from so many noteworthy metal bands to be of importance. Although this slowly developing project has been Brooklyn-based former CANDIRIA guitarist John LaMaccia's baby since the band disbanded few years ago, the project has accumulated a cast of cohorts over the course of its life that have turned it into a kind of supergroup of sorts. As of now, SPYLACOPA consists of LaMaccia, Greg Puciato of DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, Julie Christmas of MADE OUT OF BABIES and BATTLE FOR MICE, Jeff Caxide of ISIS, (and formerly Chris Hornbrook of POISON THE WELL). Their debut EP will be independently released on November 4 in an extremely limited pressing.
In SPYLACOPA, LaMaccia and friends are delving even further into the atmospheric and decidedly "non-metal" aspects that makes their respective bands so unique within their sphere of music. SPYLACOPA approaches electronic music from a much different point-of-view than is typical for the genre, and as such they layer their songs with a brooding intensity that is not very different structurally from the heavier sounds of their other bands. Although SPYLACOPA has much more in common with artists such as MASSIVE ATTACK or LUSTMORD than the likes of DEP, ISIS, MADE OUT OF BABIES, or CANDIRIA, there is a different kind of rage and a chaos subliminally present within the music that makes it a great listen for even a casual fan of these musicians. Either way, it's an interesting experiment that might give you a better perspective of what is inspiring the artists in all these bands right now. If you're interested in hearing more, check out the band at their MySpace page.
Metal Underground
About.com November 20, 2008
Spylacopa was started by Candiria’s John LaMacchia.
The band’s current members also include Greg Puciato (Dillinger Escape Plan), Julie Christmas (Made Out Of Babies) and Jeff Caxide (Isis). Their self-titled debut EP is being released on the band’s own label. LaMacchia fills us in on the band’s formation, the new EP, if we’ll see them out on tour, the status of his other band Candiria and some other subjects.
Chad Bowar: How did the current lineup of the band come together?
John LaMacchia: Spylacopa started out as a solo project. I was going to put out music on my own. Then, in the end of 2004 I spoke with Greg Puciato at a Dillinger Escape Plan show and he asked what I was up to musically. I told him about Spylacopa and he expressed interest in contributing some music and some vocals. Shortly after, Jeff Caxide of Isis happened to be moving to Queens. He also expressed interest in working on the project as well and me and Jeff started fleshing out some rough ideas at my place in Brooklyn. Up until recently it was pretty much the three of us.
Then, in 2006 Isis was on tour with Tool. Jeff was kind enough to invite me to a few of the shows and at one of them I happened to sit next to Julie Christmas. At the time I’d only heard of Made Out Of Babies, but after listening to Made Out Of Babies and Battle Of Mice I knew that I wanted to work with her. So I reached out and asked her to be part of what we were doing and after some consideration she agreed.
To read the complete Spylacopa Interview go to Heavy Metal About
