X Factor X--Metal Spotlight

Article by Andrew Smith
"Nothing ventured is nothing gained..."
--X Factor X, "Over the Edge"
X Factor X is a relatively new band on the current metal scene, and bring across a fresh style of music which at times reminds of the riff-heavy days of the eighties, and at others hearkens towards the power-progressive genres of current day. In all, they are a determined troupe of musicians on a mission, with the skills to give them a good shot at success.

UMR recently caught up with guitarist John Bruno, who offered some insight on the band and its music, background, and intangibles...

XFX started out in 1994 in Milford CT, which is just outside of New Haven.
Guitarist John Bruno had met vocalist Andre Vanchot at an open mic night at a club called Jay Jay's (now called Cool Breeze). Both men were in different bands at the time, but kept each other in mind for possible future projects.
John eventually left the band he had been in and got in touch with Chris McCarvell, a bassist whom he had heard before.

"I was blown away by his playing," John remembers. "We jammed and started searching for singers and drummers. I immediately thought of Andre. We got together with a couple of different local drummers and began playing out."

This "playing out" stage basically consisted of playing hard rock and metal covers, and from 1994 through 1996 the band played mostly area venues and gained a fairly large following. However, they all desired to play they own material, but something just never clicked...

"Sure we were having fun doing the club and cover scene," John states, "but each one of us wanted something more."

Never being able to gel with any of the band's past drummers, the group set out to find that "missing link." The search turned up Tony Mei, a drummer whom Andre had gone to high school with, and who was playing with another band they knew.

"One day Andre and I stopped by Tony's work," John remarked, "and he told us he was looking for a band. A fiendish grin came over my face when Andre and I were leaving, and that week we parted ways with our old drummer."

The band's first jam session with Mei produced the ground work for the song "Over the Edge," and everything rolled from there.

"We all had the same attitude, and were focused and dedicated to our music," John explains.

So just what's in a name, anyway?? There are plenty of intriguing monikers in the metal industry, with wild stories aplenty as far as the origins. This band's answer is both cerebrial and mystical...

"Chris McCarvill and I both came up with the name," John divulges, "when we were about 13 years old, before we had ever met! It was pretty strange that we both pondered band names when we were younger, and especially that we both came up with the same name."

But what does it mean?

"It's basically a math equation," John explains. "Any number factored into itself equals one: X/X=1. The band should always function as one, each member as vital a link as the others."

The band has been playing consistantly on the East Coast of the U.S., opening for acts such as Lynch Mob, Great White, Warrant, L.A. Guns, Overkill, Slaughter, and MVP.

Recently the band has joined up on a tour called the New Terror Tour, which currently consists of Enertia, Division, and Without Warning, along with X Factor X.

"Everyone has level heads," remarks John, "and we all get along really well."

What about the band's "dream gig?"

"I'd love for us, Enertia, and Division to all get backed by major label support, and be able to do an all-coliseum world tour," John says. "That would be the dream gig!"

The immediate plans for the band is the completion of the New Terror Tour, but the members would like to get into the studio soon to start working on a new CD. Many new songs have been written, and preproduction is currently underway.

As with most up-and-coming bands who are finding the industry a bit tough going, X Factor X is no different when it comes to having strong opinions about the current state and scene of metal.

"The metal scene has been corrupted by record company politics," John states bluntly. "It seems society lets these huge companies dictate to them what is 'in' or 'cool'."

All metal fans know of the degenerative force known as eMpTyV, and there is no love loss between XFX and the MTV sheep-herders...

"Be an individual and stay true to what you love," John encourages. "If the youth of today could actually experience the real metal scene, they might wake up from their EmpTV induced sleep."

Don't worry, John---We all agree!

Influences:

Official X Factor X Site

X Factor X--X Factor X (1997/Klytus)
Rating--7.8
Playing With Fire--RealAudio  Nightmare 7--RealAudio
Sharp metal, drawing from a number of both eighties and power/prog influences. Reminds at times of bands such as Edwin Dare and Radakka, and also the spunkiness and inventiveness of an Extreme. Extremely talented and well-rounded, as each musical facet shines.
Smooth vox power "Over the Edge," and funky metal riffs move both "The Scream" and "B.A.M.F."
An acoustic, atmospheric beginning gives way to an excellent distortion churn in "Shadow," and the verse work in "Kingdom" is pure stalk.
Check out the nasty grind in "Playing With Fire"; "Nightmare 7" is a highlight as well.
Another impressive new band to help re-light the torch of metal; check out the Metal Spotlight on the band.
TRACK LIST: Amducias/The Scream/Over the Edge/Lie/Shadow/Kingdom/ B.A.M.F./Playing With Fire/Ghosts/Nightmare 7/ Devil's Lobotomy
TGOS