Pop Evil crushes Boise and prepares to unleash War of Angels (video)

Last night, Tuesday May 3rd, Papa Roach, Finger Eleven and Pop Evil hits the Boise Kntting Factory. While most are familiar with papa Roach, and to a lesser degree, Finger Eleven, Pop Evil is the band that everyone needs to know. While they only had a 30 minute set to work with, they made a statement to the Treasure Valley that surely earned them a new set of fans..

It’s funny how sometimes your opinion of a band can change overnight. Michigan’s Pop Evil are one of those bands that sort of surfaced quietly a few years back. They had a decent sound, some catchy tunes, and showed potential. Just like 100 other bands whose names and albums have become a blur. Then I got my ears on the band’s sophomore album, War of Angels. To me it’s hard to believe it’s even the same band. Read our review here.

Pop Evil will be the first to tell you their upcoming release is in many ways really their debut album. Their first, Lipstick On The Mirror in retrospect is more of a sketch of the band. A tease of what might be. With War of Angels they have painted in broad strokes, with a record full of emotive aural stories and straight-up balls out arena rockers. The record has only one major flaw… it’s stuck in limbo.

Originally slated for a February release through their label Universal, the waters became murky and ultimately bloody, as the band had to essentially buy their own record back and take it to a new label. While the fine print is still being ironed out, the band’s management says fans can expect a summer 2011 release. In the meantime they’ve released the single, “Last Man Standing”, and a free track, “Save The World” is available on their Facebook page. All ya have to do is LIKE ‘em. And what’s not to like? A foundation of 80′s arena rock with a modern influence built on top. War of Angels is a dozen excellently crafted hard rock masterpieces of inspiration, innuendo and melodic power.  This month the band will tease us some more with their second single, “Monster You Made”.

Earlier this year I had a chance to sit down and talk with front man Leigh Kakaty as the band was on the road with Rev Theory on the Monster Energy Outbreak tour. This time around the band is joining Papa Roach and Finger Eleven on the Raid The Nation tour. Pop Evil was kind enough to let the Boise Examiner raid their tour bus for a face to face with the whole band so we could discuss the new album in depth.

Check out part one of the interview here, then jump over to Metalholic Magazine for part 2.

Be sure to check out the band’s new website evil-nation.com

Pop Evil is:

• Leigh Kakaty (lead vocals)
• Dylan Allison (drums)
• Dave Grahs (guitar)
• Tony Greve (guitar)
• Matt DiRito (bass)