Mike Wiebe (Riverboat Gamblers)

Ah, the Riverboat Gamblers. Yes, you read that right. For a year that was lackluster in its releases, it was a breath of fresh air to get a new Riverboat Gamblers release. Their recent album The Wolf You Feed does not disappoint, and sounds like every stereotype of a maturing band you can think of: a progression yet still playful; raw yet polished; lactose intolerant yet in love with Chobani. But, in this case, is that such a bad thing?

Punknews staff writer Ollie Mikse had the great fortune of doing an interview with vocalist Mike Wiebe, the veteran sensation, and ask him a couple of pleasant and not-so-pleasant questions.

Do yourself a favor and pick up the new album, just make sure to skip "Gallows Bird." This interview is dedicated to the Merscheim brothers.

Basement

After announcing last July that they'd be going on an indefinite hiatus, Basement said farewell in October with their final record Colourmeinkindness, but they didn't go out quietly. In fact, they went out with a bang. After a few shows to promote the record in the US and in England, they stuck true to their word of looking at endeavors outside the musical realm to pursue. Punknews staff writer Renaldo Matadeen caught up with them to pick their thoughts on the road looking back while they got sentimental about the journey.

Mike Scornaienchi (Troubled Coast)

Troubled Coast had a pretty amazing 2012. January's I've Been Thinking About Leaving You was a pretty intuitive setup for October's Awake and Empty and Punknews staff writer Renaldo Matadeen caught up with them just after a few shows with My Iron Lung. Vocalist Mike Scornaienchi gave us some insight into the band's progression and the shift in their spoken-word style of delivery.

Jacob Bannon (Converge)

Though this interview is from a few months back, the show still resounds. It's hard to give Converge an intro because they are considered to be some of the most influential artists of all time in their style of music. At the time, Converge was on tour with Whips//Chains, Kvelertak and Torche and I've literally never seen a louder, crazier show. Converge's lead man, Jacob Bannon, is one hell of a busy man.

Catching up with him on a rainy, cold night at The End in Nashville, Tenn., we went from interviewing in the venue itself until Whips//Chains started sound check to finishing the series of questions in their gear trailer. From being a co-owner at Deathwish, a visual artist and musician, Bannon had a lot of detailed, yet simplistic, positive responses to share with us about their latest record, All We Love We Leave Behind, how Converge functions and everything in between as the interviewed unfolded.

Joey Eppard (3)

Experimental, progressive rock band "3" from Woodstock, NY is currently on a short headlining stint to promote their newest album, The Ghost You Gave to Me. Punknews interviewer Jason Epstein sat down with singer/guitarist/songwriter Joey Eppard (brother of Coheed and Cambria's Josh Eppard) at their first headlining gig in New York City to chat about the band's past milestones and future aspirations.

Kyle Durfey (Pianos Become The Teeth)

Pianos Become The Teeth took a breather off their Title Fight/Single Mothers tour to check in with us through vocalist Kyle Durfey. After last year's The Lack Long After, PBTT solidified themselves as one of the most talked-about post-hardcore/screamo bands around. In addition to an array of great music, their disposition as down-to-earth and humble guys have made their following even bigger. Punknews writer Renaldo got to chat with vocalist Kyle Durfey and shoot the shit on how last year's acclaimed release help them establish themselves in the order of things…including what's in their CD player, their diets…and Taylor Swift?

Niilo Sevanen (Insomnium)

Insomnium is currently on tour with Epica, Alestorm, System Divide and Destiny Potato (uh, yep, Destiny Potato), supporting their newest effort, 2011's One For Sorrow. Punknews interviewer Jason Epstein caught up with bassist/vocalist Niilo Sevanen at the band's New York City performance to chat about the band's sound, their tour and his day job as a cultural center's event planner and right-hand man.

Jeff Lohrber (Enabler)

Enabler's Twitter bio: "The world is fucked and this is the soundtrack to its demise." perfectly describes the unforgiving brutality of this Milwaukee metal/hardcore crossover. Punknews interviewer Faye Turnbull caught up with Jeff Lohrber [vocals/guitar] ahead of their set at Fest in Gainesville to talk about his bitterness towards the world, having Andy Hurley from Fall Out Boy temporarily join the band, and the release of their crushing new record All Hail The Void.

Ceremony

Every once in awhile, you get the chance to meet genuinely good people. It's just a plus that they are in a positive, influential band that you grew up listening to and have timelessly made a heavy imprint in the hardcore community. It's extremely rare that you find a band who evolves with age - no sign of regression or loss of energy during their set. Ceremony has actually matured over time and produced records that clearly represent what their sound is and who they are currently as a band. They don't try to produce music for anyone but themselves and this characteristic is a rarity in this day and age. Sitting down in the smokey back room at the Hi-Tone of Memphis, TN around pizza before their show, we got the chance to get a better understanding of their debut release on Matador Records, Zoo, how the group works as a whole and also how each individual plays a unique role in Ceremony. Ross started us out with how pizza was invented in Italy in 1793 and it was actually vegan. Also, the interview is with Ross Farrar, Anthony Anzaldo and Andy Nelson and conducted by Punknews' Copy Editor, Amelia Cline.

Greg Bennick (Trial/Between Earth & Sky)

In August 1999, Seattle hardcore band Trial released Are These Our Lives?, an absolutely brilliant, passionate and essential modern hardcore record. Unfortunately, the band broke up the following year leaving tons of fans disappointed. Trial have been playing shows again sporadically since 2005 and will perform a bunch of dates in November throughout North America. Punknews staff writer Alexis Charlebois sent frontman Greg Bennick a few questions by e-mail and some amazing answers came back. Greg Bennick seems to be all about communication. And that's pretty cool in our book.

Track by Track: Boots Riley (The Coup)

The Coup is basically a riot masquerading as a party. Lead by emcee Boots Riley, the band blends hip hop with funk with rock with punk to make music that is driving yet smooth, aggressive but poppin', all the while Riley spits out rhymes about socialist revolutionaries, anarchism, and guillotines. Five years after releasing Pick a Bigger Weapon, The Coup is releasing Sorry to Bother You the soundtrack to an upcoming film written by Riley, which finds the group expanding their sound into something more than the sum of its parts while Riley uses his unique poetry to describe revolution and revelry. Plus, there are kazoos.

In Track by Track Punknews sits down with an artist and has that artist talk about each track off an upcoming album. In this episode, Punknews staff writer John Gentile sat down with Riley to talk about the new LP.

Sorry to Bother You can be streamed at The A.V. Club.