Mat Hall – Guitars
Dan Boese – Drums
Joe Felton – Bass
Roger Weyandt – Guitars
Jon Windholz – Vocals

Killwire is composed of 5 dedicated and unique musicians. Each member brings their own influences and talents to the song creation process. With a combined goal of self expression, friendship and the need to continue the metal scene, Killwire will never compromise.

To define what Killwire is cannot be done in a few sentences. Orchestral sounds mix with punishing breakdowns, deep stomach churning growls, and vocals that put the harmonies over the top…and that is just describing “World of Pain!” Other well-arranged and thought provoking songs include “Red Lake,” “Down and From My Past.” Showcased in other songs are intense drum beats, syncopated and harmonic guitar riffs, soul empowering lyrics and bass lines that pound your chest. “Lovely” has become one of Killwire Nation’s favorites. “Bound For The Sacrifice” has almost every element of what Killwire brings to the table. Off the wall changes, vocal range of all sizes and the hook of any great song, this proves to be a great song to mosh to.

With a no-bullshit, deep commitment to providing new and un-tainted metal to the world, Killwire is here to reign. We have been fortunate enough so far to have created our group of friends called Killwire Nation, and hope to continue to add to our much loved and indebted to friends. STAY METAL!

While supporting the local scene and the entire way of life for metal in general, Killwire always loves meeting new friends. Whether it’s over a beer, at a show, meeting new bands or any other time, Killwire are all real guys who enjoy a good time.

Until next time: STAY METAL KILLWIRE NATION, STAY METAL!

Killwire "From My Past"

“Day Zero” is the moniker associated to the now defunct Mayan Prophecy of 2012 being the end of existence. It is an appropriate title to attribute to Eldergaad’s futuristic sound as well. The beginning of new era for the band, “Day Zero” also marks the beginning of the relationship between Zerobudget and Eldergaad.

Mixing elements of thrash and death metal with a progressive approach to riff crafting and song structure, Eldergaad has created a sound that is immediately recognizable and yet doesn’t sound exactly like anything you’ve ever heard before. The Twin Cities based band formed in early 2010 from a low-expectation jam by the four long-time friends and collaborators. “We just wanted to get together and have a good time, drink a beer or two and rock out. We were all surprised by how well it went and how quickly Eldergaad came together,” says drummer Thaas. Quickly indeed; within 15 months they had written, recorded, and self-released their debut 8-song CD Children of Gaad, which has generated reviews like these:

“If you’re looking for inventive, prog-minded death metal that’s both technically sophisticated and crushing, Eldergaad is well worth your time.”
- Islander, No Clean Singing
“This [Children of Gaad] is a really cool effort…a promising beginning with a pinch of originality.”
- Ivan Muhov, The Thrash Metal Guide
“…like the corners of an old mansion haunted by a lot of departed spirits who manifest themselves at night.”
- Translated from a French review
While other current metal bands focus on increasing their “brutality,” the members of Eldergaad are only concerned with one thing: writing good songs. “We only impose one limit on what we write,” says lead guitarist Shaa, “It has to be metal.” Who determines what is “metal” for the band? That role falls to Thaas, whose ear can detect true-north-metal flawlessly. “If we start getting too progressive,” says vocalist and guitarist Raa, “Thaas lets us know and pulls us back like a magnet.” The songs on Children of Gaad have riffs and arrangements inspired by Tesla’s “Modern Day Cowboy” (“Aristocracy of Lies”), Led Zeppelin’s “Black Dog” (“Cult of the Void”) and Billy Joel’s “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” (“Eternity at a Glance”). “Our influences are far too varied to list. We just make sure that whatever goes in, it comes out sounding like Eldergaad,” says Shaa.

Besides the focus on writing great songs, the band has also put thought into their stage show which features the band wearing makeup designed by Thaas and custom made robes. Smoke machines, banners, and their one-of-a-kind black light finale make for an intense image to accompany their intense sound. “We wanted to bring back some theatricality to metal,” says bassist Vaas. “The four of us grew up with the stage shows of ’80s metal bands like Iron Maiden and Dio. Every band has an image, even if that image is jeans and t-shirts. We want Eldergaad’s visuals to be as entertaining as our music.”

When asked about their attempts to remain anonymous behind their pseudonyms and costumes, Raa responds, “we decided early on that this band is going to be about what the four of us can do together. It’s not a vehicle to showcase any one of our talents at the expense of the whole or to build a resume for the next project. Besides, it’s fun to get off stage, take off the costume and blend back into the crowd to eavesdrop on people’s reaction to us!”

With Day Zero, Eldergaad has released a true follow up to Children of Gaad. Says Shaa about “Day Zero”: “If you like the first album, you’re going to be pleased with what’s coming next.”

Eldergaad "Your Undoing"

Erik Keyes – Vocals
Kyle Skogquist – Guitars
Tim Morton – Guitars
Chris Hunter – Guitars
Mike Andrie – Bass
Kyle Palma – Drums

Ever wonder what would happen if members of Judas Priest, At the Gates and Immortal all started a band together? You don’t have to anymore: meet Climactic. Any Twin Cities natives will recognize this band as a variable super group of musicians from several current and defunct Twin Cities musical projects. Initially founded as a solo studio project by Kyle Skogquist (guitarist), Climactic started as a collection of riffs and ideas written and recorded with friends Andrew Oltmanns (Bass), Nick Wellner (vocals) and Pat Ruhland (Drums). However, midway through recording “Set the Rapture Ablaze”, it was quite clear this monster could not be caged.

Enter the live lineup: Skogquist and Oltmanns, additional guitarists Timothy Morton and Chris Hunter and finally rounding out the lineup vocalist Eric Keyes. Several drummers came and went before Kyle Palma finally joined the band fulltime. Sharing the stage quickly with several nationals and making a name for themselves, they quickly caught the attention of Zerobudget Records. Thrashy deathy classic sounding metal is what Climactic does. It is timeless and it is heavy. Once the live lineup was set the band started playing live shows and it became apparent this was a band. The songs were retouched and Eric rerecorded all the vocal tracks and put his own twist on the tracks and made them truly sound the way the band sounds live.

Driven by old school metal: Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Slayer, Pantera
The riffs derive a lot from Thrash: At The Gates, The Haunted, Arch Enemy
Also incorporating modern metalcore: Unearth, Himsa, God Forbid
“Set the Rapture Ablaze” will certainly get people talking and listening. Produced by Skogquist and Will Maravelas (We are Legion, Shadow Society) and mixed and mastered by mad scientist Adam Tucker (The Crinn, Ambassador Gun, Blue OX), this album now sounds alive. Pick up your copy of “Set the Rapture Ablaze”.

Climactic "Of Musk And Rut"

Dustin Fennessey-Bass, Vocals
Mike Trepanier-Guitars, Vocals
Tim Simmons-Drums

The Twin Ports are a quiet, historic but in some ways dismal area to grow up. Its cold and dreary most of the year due to its northern location. It boasts an odd landscape of both modern american innovations and old americana falling apart. Its an odd dichotomy, but it boasts one of the best music scenes in the Midwest. Ire Wolves are one of the bands that have helped to put and keep this music scene relevant.

Zerobudget first hooked up with these individuals years ago from a former project and kept the lines of communication open when that project disbanded. Years later a new monster evolved into today’s Ire Wolves. Forming originally under the name Soma, the band began honing their sound and crafting their unique approach to Doomy Sludgy Post Rock. The band has a demo recorded and is working on their Zerobudget Debut as this is being typed. Look for an update soon.

Ire Wolves "A Theme Of Human Suffering"

Justin Sherman – Vocals
Lucian Zamfir- Guitars
Nathanael Ashwood- Guitars
Josh “LJ” Dombroski – Guitars
Casey Harris- Bass
Patrick Murphy- Drums

Echoes of the Fallen is a Melodic Death Metal band based out of Minneapolis, MN. Formed in February 2010 under the name Bury The Martyr by Justin Sherman, and Josh Dombrowski, Echoes of the Fallen was designed to be thick, extreme, and with gut wrenching brutality in mind. With their current line up of demonic vocals, obese bass, unrelenting drums and 3 guitarists playing thick riffs, harmonic leads, and bloodthirsty solos it is no wonder that they have made an impact on the Minnesota metal scene. EOTF are planning to release their first E.P. “A Generation of Flame” with Zero Budget Records in the summer of 2013.

Echoes of the Fallen "Prophets of Exile"

Melissa Ferlaak
Will Maravelas
Christopher Quinn
Aaron Lanik

In 2012, four months before the impending Mayan apocalypse date, a Plague of Stars was first engineered. Alchemist Melissa Ferlaak (Aesma Daeva, Visions of Atlantis, Echoterra) and vibratory physicist Will Maravelas (We Are Legion, And Hope to Die, Hawthorn Guild, Producer) formed an idea and got to work. The two discussed the initial formula then brought in two additional scientists, resonance engineer Christopher Quinn (Aesma Daeva, A Whisper in the Noise, Dodd) and metallurgist/percussive engineer Aaron Lanik (We Are Legion, Figure of Merit, Pink Gorilla vs. Panda Bear) to add their expertise to the formula.

Initially concocted were two surprising reactions, “In the Pines” which replicated earlier known reactions produced by Lead Belly and Nirvana and “When Morning Came” an original design that surprised those who came in contact with it. These two strains officially became a plague in October 2012. Throngs of believers began to support the group in ways unthinkable. A full length album will be released Summer 2013. Look for it!

Plague of Stars "When Morning Came"

Zerobudget is proud to welcome Progressive Metal band Neuralizer to our roster. Their sophomore release “Echoes of Existence” will be hitting shelves through Zerobudget before the end of this year. Until then, check out their page! More soon.

Neuralizer! "Stasis"

Will Maravelas (guitar, backing vocals)
Allan Towne (vocals)
Aaron Lanik (drums)
Paul Wallace Esch (guitars)
Neal Pruett (bass)

In the trend ridden world of modern music, who would think an independent death metal band would last as long as We are Legion. 5 years from its inception We are Legion offers to the listener their second full length “Exit Humanity”. We are Legion has spent the last two years writing, rehearsing, traveling and of course recording “Exit Humanity”. Audiences from all over the greater Midwest road tested the material for the band and the result certainly shows its teeth. Recorded and produced by WAL guitarist Will Maravelas and mixed and mastered by J.F. Dagenias of Ex Deo and Katakylsm. Dagenias described “Exit Humanity” as “a masterpiece in the making”. We hope you will feel the same.

Started in December of 2009 with founding members Allan Towne (vocals), Will Maravelas (guitars, backing vocals) and Aaron Lanik (Drums) the band formed under a common love of traditional death metal. Shortly after the inception of the project also featuring Nick Vukelich (guitars) and Kyle Rod (bass), Aaron Lanik opted to step down from the band to focus on his family. Drummer Chris Lemke joined up and helped the band record release and tour behind their initial demos and debut full length “The Institution of Disharmony” (Zerobudget Records, 2010). The sound the band created does absolutely show a love of death mainstays like Morbid Angel, Deicide, Carcass, Napalm Death and Suffocation but that is not all; the band also has hinted at modern metallers influences like Black Dahlia Murder, Bloodbath or Abysmal Dawn. After two and half years Vukelich, Rod and Lemke all opted to leave the band to pursue other musical endeavors. Re-enter Aaron Lanik and two additional musicians who took the band to the next level: Bassist Neal Pruett and Lead Guitarist Paul Esch. Resolidified, the band hit the road and the rehearsal studio. Around the same time, Will Maravelas opened his 14:59 studios with long time friend Zachary Letourneau. It was decided very early the next album would be created not only on their home turf but on their own terms.

“Exit” shows the band diving more into their roots while deviating even more so with effortless musical aptitude. Unlike the first album being very polarized, where one or two members wrote the majority of a song: “Exit” was a true collaborative effort. Every member’s influence is clearly present song to song. Its still very much death metal, but fans of the original version of the band and “Institution” may really love the new album or hate it. With three new members stagnation was not an option or a desire. Pick up your copy at select record stores, through the Zerobudget online store or at a local show near you.

National Credit: Katakylsm, Chimaira, Abysmal Dawn, Diecide, Vital Remains, Krisiun, Destruction, Into Eternity, All Shall Perish, Veil of Maya, A Life Once Lost, Emmure, Tony Danza Tap Dance Extravanaganza, Psyopus, Ambassador Gun, The Crinn. Oblige, Silent Civilian.

We Are Legion "Brutalis Invictus"

In American culture, the average amount of time you have to catch someone’s attention is less than 5 seconds. So it’s quite the feat when anything lasts any amount of time, especially 25 years! Such is the case with Midwest-born independent record label Zero Budget Records.

Formed in 1986 by Stephen Harm (owner, musician, promoter) as a vanity label for his band The Victims, it became quite apparent that the key distinctions between a vanity label and a “real” label were actually not that great. They both promote, distribute and emphasize music as an important and necessary part of everyday life. The only real difference was money. So why not take the goals of a traditional label and position it to be successful because of the its connections to its principal investors, the musicians in the bands themselves? The idea of a label for the musician by the musician became the goal.

This philosophy may very well be the reason the label has had such longevity and continues to see growth so many years later. The bands and musicians are in essence the stockholders for the label. The musicians as a group make decisions in regards to every facet of the label; coming aboard doesn’t guarantee your band goes to the top of the priority list: you become part of a community.

Hundreds of bands have been a part of this history and ideal throughout the label’s ups and downs. There have been periods of dormancy, but in the last 8 years the label has seen tremendous growth and opportunity. Some of our artists have gone on to bigger and “more lucrative” ventures, but the music industry can be a terrible mistress. We could bore you with a litany of dates and accomplishments, even a list of releases to accentuate the enormity of material this label has helped promote, but we would rather leave you this idea to ponder: is a life without music really even worth living?

ZERO BUDGET RECORDS

Popular tracks