War On The Range: Caleb Shomo of Attack Attack!

     Attack Attack! steamrolled back into their home state of Ohio to wage War on the Range. The band unleashed their brutally heavy brand of metalcore at Rock On The Range 2012 on Sunday in front of a hometown crowd. They set the tone by opening with the title track from their latest record, “This Means War.” Earlier in the day, lead singer Caleb Shomo stopped by to talk with me for a bit about the band’s latest album and more.

     He said the band really wanted to strip down production and mix some different elements into the music this time around. Much of this is credited to Shomo. He produced the album himself. It was the first time the band had not used an outside producer on a record. And with the incorporation of lighter melodies, Shomo mixed in clean vocals with his trademark gut-wrenching screams and growls. The result? This Means War – the band’s most well rounded and commercially successful album to date. While the guys are still touring on this record, Caleb told me that the band is excited to get to work on their next album. Even though the end result was a success this time around, he said the band rushed to put out This Means War. “We’re really excited to get back into the studio, write as many songs as we can, and really take out time with this one the way we want to.”

     Attack Attack!’s third studio release, This Means War, peaked at #11 on the Billboard Top 200. The band headlined the Vans Warped Tour in 2011, and just got off a world headlining tour with fellow rock rangers Escape The Fate. The band is heading out on tour again this summer with We Came As Romans on the Scream It Like You Mean It Tour. Get your tickets, scream it like you mean it, and CRANK IT UP! – by Matt Bishop