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A Wilhelm Scream
A Wilhelm Scream
Background Information
A.K.A. Smackin Isaiah
Koen
Adam's Crack
Origin New Bedford, Massachusetts
Genre Punk Rock
Melodic Hardcore
Hardcore Punk
Years active 1992-present
Label(s) Nitro
Jump Start
Fork In Hand
Tank
Website http://www.awilhelmscream.com
Members
Nuno Pereira
Trevor Reilly
Mike Supina
Brian J. Robinson
Nicholas Pasquale Angelini
Former Members
John Carvalho
Jonathan Teves
Curtiss Lopez
Mat Demelo
Chris Levesque

A Wilhelm Scream is a punk rock/melodic hardcore band from New Bedford, Massachusetts[1]. Many people have referenced Strung Out, Hot Water Music, Propagandhi[2], and Strike Anywhere[3] as the band's similar artists. Their name is a reference to the Wilhelm scream, a famous stock sound effect which mainly is used in films[4]. The band previously went by the names Smackin' Isaiah, Koen and Adam's Crack, though the former was the only name to be used in any major release. The reason for the name changes "from Koen to Smackin' Isaiah to A Wilhelm Scream was really a matter of them adding new members, and progressing/maturing as a band."[5]

History[]

Early years (1992 - 2000)[]

In 1993, Trevor Reilly, playing drums at the time, guitarist John Carvalho, and bassist Jonathan Teves formed the band Adam's Crack and recorded a Nirvana-inspired demo cassette. In 1994 Reilly (still on drums)and Carvalho started a side band with Nuno Pereria on vocals, and others. The side band played one show before disbanding. Members from the two bands would merge into one, taking the name Koen. The lineup of Koen consisted of Pereira (vocals), Reilly (drums), Teves (bass),Carvalho (rhythm guitar)and friend Mat Demelo(lead guitar and trumpet). Under the name Koen, the band released one cassette titled "The Big Fall...", this time with their sound evolving more into skate punk and ska. In 1997, the band changed its name again, this time to Smackin' Isaiah, and released a cassette titled "Give Girls More Beer...". Mat DeMelo left the band shortly after. During this time, Reilly would switch between drumming and guitar duties, with an unknown drummer playing in the band for a brief amount of time. Nicholas Angelini, was eventually tapped to play drums. In 1998, the band released a cassette titled "Gets Eaten Alive".

Tank Records era (2000 - 2001)[]

The band's first CD release was on on a record label created by Jon Teves and John Carvalho called Tank Records. The CD was a split release with Moronique and Merrick, entitled 6:6:6 after the number of tracks each band contributed. Soon after, the band released its debut album, The Way to a Girl's Heart Is Through Her Boyfriend's Stomach. The band considers this their first "real" release as all the songs had been written after Angelini joined the band. In retrospect, they consider it their most cheerful record.[6] It was reissued the following year on All About Records, but the band stayed with Tank Records to release its second album, Benefits Of Thinking Out Loud. During the album's recording, the band members had a strained relationship as they argued over its production. Six outtakes from the album's recording sessions were compiled onto an EP entitled The Champagne of Bands... We Know Sexy released by Fork in Hand Records. Following its release, Carvalho left the band. Christopher Levesque quickly replaced him.[7]

Final name change and move to Nitro (2002 - present)[]

With the band moving to a more serious style with Benefits, they decided to once more change their name, finally settling on A Wilhelm Scream. Signing with new label Jump Start Records, they re-released Benefits of Thinking Out Loud under their new name. After touring the United States and Canada a few times, they then began recording their next album, Mute Print, with Jump Start. For the recording of the album, the band decided to put "as much shit as you can possibly fit into a song and pull off live" into the songs, to which they attribute their faster, more aggressive and more technical sound. The album was produced by Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore, whom the band looked up to.[8] Although the album was finished while the band was signed to Jump Start, the rights to the album were then bought by Nitro Records, who released it in 2004.

Only a year after Mute Print, the band released a second record on Nitro, again produced by Stevenson and Livermore. The record, entitled Ruiner, was released on August 16, 2005. Following stress from touring, founding member Jonathan Teves left the band, and was replaced by bassist Curtiss Lopez. They then embarked on their first European tour with Lagwagon, and also toured with Less Than Jake. Midway through the latter tour, Lopez abruptly quit the band.[9] This left A Wilhelm Scream without a permanent bassist until Brian J. Robinson joined in April. The band continued to tour throughout 2006. They also released an 7-inch record titled Diver on Jump Start Records. This was because the title track was recorded during the Mute Print sessions, but left off the album, and thus was not purchased by Nitro Records.

In 2007, the band returned to the studio with Stevenson and Livermore to record their third album with Nitro Records. The record, according to the band, was "very very fast" and a few songs were dropped for not being fast enough.[10] The record, Career Suicide, was released on October 9, 2007. However, only two weeks before its street date, long-time guitarist Chris Levesque announced that he was leaving the band[11], elaborating with the following statement:

"I have maintained for the duration of my time in Smackin' Isaiah/A Wilhelm Scream that when it stopped being fun, I would give it up. The bottom line here is that I just don't enjoy the day-in, day-out grind of being on tour anymore.... There are no personal or creative differences between any of us. None of that bullshit. I still love this band and everything it stands for. The six years that I've spent in SI/AWS have been the best of my life. We've accomplished more than I ever expected, and I take with me with more amazing memories than most people experience in a lifetime.

The band began their tour in support of Career Suicide with several rotating guitarists, before Mike Supina, formerly of the Detroit-based band Alucard, was announced as Levesque's permanent replacement. The tour brought the band to over eighteen different countries, finishing in September 2008. Following its conclusion, guitarist Trevor Reilly announced in his blog that the band would take a break for the rest of the year, but implied that they would write new songs soon.[12]

Band Members[]

  • Nuno Pereira - vocals
  • Trevor Reilly - Guitar, vocals
  • Mike Supina - Guitar
  • Brian J. Robinson - Bass, vocals
  • Nicholas Pasquale Angelini - drums

Former Members[]

  • Christopher Levesque - Guitar (2001-2007)
  • Curtiss Lopez - Bass (2005-2006)
  • Jonathan Teves - Bass (1996 - 2005) Current manager for AWS
  • John Carvalho - Guitar (1996 - 2001)
  • Mat Demelo - Guitar and trumpet (1996-1998)

Gear[]

Trevor Reilly[]

  • 1982 Gibson Les Paul Custom
  • Seymour Duncan Duncan Custom SH-5 Bridge Pickup (neck pickup is unused)
  • Ernie Ball Skinny Top Heavy Bottom Strings
  • Mesa Dual Rectifier, Mesa Boogie Oversized 4x12
  • Sennheiser Wireless System

Mike Supina[]

  • Gibson Les Paul Standards (Silverburst and Brown Sunburst) with Seymour Duncan Distortion Pickups
  • Peavey 5150 and Marshall 1960B and OD-808

Discography[]

Full length releases[]

Year Title Label Notes
2000 The Way to a Girl's Heart Is Through Her Boyfriend's Stomach Tank Records
All About Records
Released under the name "Smackin' Isaiah."
2001 Benefits Of Thinking Out Loud Tank Records
Jump Start Records
Originally released under the name "Smackin' Isaiah," but later reissued under the current name.
2004 Mute Print Nitro Records Japanese edition, including a video for 'Mute Print', was released in 2005 through Nitro Records and
2005 Ruiner Nitro Records Japanese edition was released through Nitro Records and xxxx. Austrailian tour edition, including b-side 'Bodies and Suitcases', was released through xxxx, both in 2006.
2007 Career Suicide Nitro Records

EPs[]

Year Title Label Notes
2002 The Champagne Of Bands... We Know Sexy Fork In Hand Records Released under the name "Smackin' Isaiah."
2006 Diver Jump Start Records

Demos and miscellaneous releases[]

Year Title Label Notes
1996 The Big Fall... Koenmusic Released under the name "Koen."
1997 Give Girls More Beer... Numbskull Productions Released under the name "Smackin' Isaiah."
1998 Gets Eaten Alive! Numbskull Productions Released under the name "Smackin' Isaiah."
2000 6:6:6 Tank Records Released under the name "Smackin' Isaiah;" split with Moronique and Merrick.

Notes[]

External links[]


Smallwikipedialogo.png This page uses content from Wikipedia. The original article was at A Wilhelm Scream. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with Less Than Jake Wiki, the text of Wikipedia is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.


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