Hawthorne Heights have had a storied career with some of the most extreme highs and lows a band could possibly experience. They've not only survived these obstacles but have grown as a band because of them. Between starting their own record label and releasing a new EP, drummer Eron Bucciarelli took the time to speak with Scene Point Blank.
Scene Point Blank: Were you eager to get back on the road?
Eron Bucciarelli: Absolutely, it’s been a few months since we've toured. We've been squirreled away in a studio for the last couple of months working on our new EP, Hate, so it’s refreshing to get back out and actually perform.
Scene Point Blank: Hawthorne Heights has faced a great deal of adversity, what keeps you motivated to stay on the road?
Eron Bucciarelli: I know it sounds cliché, but it really is the fans and their support which keeps us going. We have such loyal and amazing fans that have stuck by us through thick and thin, so getting out there and performing for them is such a morale booster!
Scene Point Blank: Were there any points where you guys seriously considered ending Hawthorne Heights ?
Eron Bucciarelli: Yes. There were times after we lost Casey and we were in the depths of our lawsuit with Victory that I think we didn't know whether we could carry on or not. There was a really dark period there for us of about three years where everything kept falling apart and everything seemed to be out of our control.
Scene Point Blank: You recently released the first EP in a new trilogy, why did you go with the trilogy instead of a new full length?
Eron Bucciarelli: Several reasons, the first being that full-length albums are totally irrelevant these days. We live in a digital age where people demand new content at a much faster pace than ever before. EPs allow us to deliver that content much faster. Additionally, as artists our tastes and influences are constantly evolving, so doing a series of EPs allows us more creative freedom.
Scene Point Blank: Could you explain the theme of the three EP's?
Eron Bucciarelli: I can explain the theme of Hate. The others we aren't divulging just yet. Hate is the culmination of years of pent up frustrations over the bad decisions we've made and bad luck that's befallen us.
Scene Point Blank: What should fans expect from the new material?
Eron Bucciarelli: A way more aggressive and angrier sounding Hawthorne Heights than they've ever heard.
Scene Point Blank: You've also started your own record label, Cardboard Empire, how did that come about?
Eron Bucciarelli: Out of necessity, really. We wanted to release our own music, so it made sense to form our own label to do just that.
Scene Point Blank: Do you plan to release material from other musicians as well?
Eron Bucciarelli: Perhaps in the future. We're going to work the kinks out on our own releases first before we start to mess with other people's careers.
Scene Point Blank: You've been through a few lawsuits and changed labels. Has all this changed your image of the music industry?
Eron Bucciarelli: Absolutely. It has formed the very basis of what we're doing now and the way in which we do it. We've learned from our mistakes and the mistakes of others and that experience has shown us the right path to go down.
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Photography: Kristen Terpak
