Heartless Romantic – DREAM TOUR

In this Dream Tour segment, the rock band, Heartless Romantic, let you know who they would like on their ultimate tour lineup. You can check out the feature, after the break.

Putting together a hypothetical dream tour is one of the best examples of option paralysis. Where do you even begin? There are so many bands that have influenced and inspired us that it’s difficult to narrow down. We all have fairly divergent tastes, but some things that we do have in common are a love for over-the-top theatrics, high-energy performances, and an eclectic mix of songs that tell engaging and transporting stories. If you’re going to dream, dream big. These are our picks:

Protest The Hero
“Fortress” was an incredibly influential record for us: bombastic and technical, a wall of sound disregarding traditional song structures, and instrumental achievements that serve the songs perfectly. Each member demonstrates a level of mastery that doesn’t scream for attention at the expense of the song’s message, which says a lot about the strength of the writing. The political, religious, and metaphysical themes in the lyrics are subtle, yet create a cohesive message about humanity, history, and our place in it. This is a band that has clearly done a lot of homework, and it shows. They’re a force to be reckoned with, more than deserving of their place in the modern metal pantheon.

The Dear Hunter
Listening to Casey Crescenzo’s writing for the first time is akin to stepping into another world. To call The Dear Hunter a progressive band is to do them a bit of a disservice, as their approach to storytelling in songwriting is truly unique. Equal parts Danny Elfman and Coheed & Cambria (two of our other favorites), their live performances, especially the rare occasions when they play with a full orchestra, create an ethereal, otherworldly atmosphere that must be witnessed in person to be fully appreciated. Most of us have backgrounds in theater, and anyone else who does knows that there’s something special about keeping those traditions alive. Being able to experience that every night would be an incredible opportunity.

Avenged Sevenfold
In a time when many people have declared mainstream rock music to be “dead”, watching the continuing rise of Avenged Sevenfold has been a real treat. Comparing them to Metallica (or any stadium-stomping rock band of the past three decades) would not be a stretch. They are a distillation of everything great about the rock and metal music that we all grew up listening to. They combined metalcore, pop-rock, guitar heroics, and Burtonesque theatricality in a way that was fresh and accessible to an all-new generation of music fans, becoming one of the few bands to break away from their contemporaries and become bonafide American rock stars. It’s definitely a polarizing project, but the innovation outweighs the criticism, and their continuing success and influence are the proof. Their tenacity, even in the face of nearly-constant naysayers during their early years and the loss of a founding member, is inspiring. “A Little Piece Of Heaven” continues to be mentioned every time we talk about what kind of band we’re striving to be.

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