The Bled on Rise Records Signing: ‘They’re Huge Fans of the Band’

This March, Arizona-bred post-hardcore quintet the Bled will release their fourth LP, 'Heat Fetish,' on Rise Records, the label the band signed with after being dropped by Vagrant Records. For the band, it was a wise move. The label is on 'the rise,' and signing incredible up-and-coming acts like Attack Attack, Those Who Lie Beneath, the Devil Wears Prada, and Bleeding Through all the time.

Guitarist Jeremy Ray Talley says it feels amazing being on Rise Records. "I feel so much less pressure to be successful, in terms of record sales, and 'Are we going to get on Projekt Revolution?,'" he says. "I feel like, just having been through what we've been through and almost losing it all, I have a much different perspective of what its like to be in this band and what I love about being in this band. Now, its just about enjoying the ride and having fun with it."

While the Bled were courted by a number of labels, Talley says the good folks at Rise "were huge fans of the band, and pursued us from the get-go and they really wanted us on their label, and it was just real comfortable signing with them. It's real personal and it's a nice. Rise pursued us the hardest and made us feel the most comfortable."

In mid-November, the Bled finished tracking 'Heat Fetish,' an album about their native state. At the moment, they're trying to figure out which of the 12 songs they've recorded to drop from the LP.

"It's so painful trying to figure out which one to leave off, because I genuinely love all the songs we wrote for this record," Talley tells Noisecreep. "Is this record heavier or catchier than other things we've done? It's hard to compare your stuff to your own stuff. All I can say is, when we play it live, it feels more energetic. These songs," including 'Shouting Fire in a Crowded Room' and 'Wine Money,' "that we have right now are definitely my favorite to play out of the whole set."

The album is the first to feature new members Josh Skeebar, Robbie Burbidge and Brad Murray, who were fans of the band before the became members of the Bled.

"It's been cool to get an outside perspective and bring that into the writing process, and they have a different idea of what kids like about our band, so its cool from that perspective," says Talley. "We just wanted to make a record we'd have fun playing live. That was the main goal."

One song the band always plays live? A little number off of 2003's 'Pass the Flask,' which almost landed them in civil court.

"It's the song with two names," he explains. On the album, its listed as 'You Know Who's Seatbelt,' but was originally recorded as 'Dale Earnhardt's Seatbelt.' The name was changed for obvious legal reasons. "We hated doing it, and we tossed around changing the song title altogether, but kids knew about it because we released a demo of it early on," Talley says, of the ode to the late NASCAR legend's safety belt. "Now it's the song that has two titles, and a song we've played at every single show we've had since we wrote it."