Cory Von Bohlen (Halo of Flies Records)
1. What are your top five albums that were released in 2015? (In order 1-5)
- Not On Tour - Bad Habits LP
- Black Tower - The Secret Fire LP
- Thurm - s/t LP
- Ultha - Pain Cleanses Every Doubt LP
- Arch Enemy - War Eternal
2. What band did you discover in 2015 (can be a brand new band or an older band) that had an impact on your life? What made them significant?
Svalbard. really great UK hardcore/post hc/etc. I got really excited for a 'hardcore' record which is rare these days for me, even though it's the overall/umbrella genre I release.
3. How will you remember 2015? (In terms of music)
Record pressing plants being overrun by major label dreck and watching myself and others go insane because of it.
Musically I think 2015 was similar to 2014, re: mostly good.
4. What can we look forward to from you in 2016?
New records from Rorcal, Ancst, Dark Circles, Abstracter, Totem Skin, Northless, Primitive Man, Anopheli, maybe more. (Note half of this list should've happened in 2015, see above answer.)
5. What records are you looking forward to most in 2016?
Primarily ones I'm involved with to be honest. I cant think of a band that has a record coming in 2016 that I'm on the edge of my chair about, though that might change.
6. How relevant is the physical format record/cd/tape in 2015 and going into 2016? What do you see changing in terms of physical vs. digital discussions?
Super relevant. Physical means more than ever in a world where everything goes by in a second and everything seems part of a temporary new feed.
That said, digital players/services from Bandcamp to iTunes to Youtube is where most people actually discover and listen to music. So that, in of itself, speaks to the need to have access to those platforms whether you are a label or a band. I think we will see more 'digital' releases well ahead of physical until manufacturing catches up (it's possible). And we will see far more discussions about how payments to artists/labels are made as a growing portion of sales are coming from digital, at least where larger artists/labels are concerned.
