(EDITOR’S NOTE — It would be an understatement to say the heavy Buffalo rock band Loveboxx has been busy as of late. The group recently spent time in Nashville putting the finishing touches on its latest LP with Grammy winners Skidd Mills (producer) and Brad Blackwood (mastering engineer). It opened for Adelitas Way in June. Then on Aug. 9, it dropped its new album ‘Save Me,’ engineered by Buffalo’s Nick Borgosz. And now, the group’s preparing to open for Saliva and Drowning Pool this coming Saturday in Northern New York. Loveboxx is a band that continues to gain ground. And, given its meticulous and unyielding work ethic, that should be no surprise. Please read our story below on the band’s new album. — Photo by Meredith Snow, provided by band.)
There’s an interesting blend that makes up the music of the Buffalo band Loveboxx: it’s heavy, it’s melodic, it’s clean, and it’s unmistakable. But as polished as the band’s sound is, what lies at its core is a singular element — pure power.
Fronted by one of the strongest vocalists on the Buffalo scene, Mary Fantrazzo’s voice is a weapon and an instrument all its own, and on the band’s new album ‘Save Me,’ she stakes her claim with unadulterated force.
“I love how the songs on this album turned out,” Mary told 1120 Press. “I wrote them specifically to capture an emotion not only sonically, but lyrically as well. I try to push my limits physically and mentally with every new song I write. At the end of the day, I value connecting with people through the songs I have written because I know there are people out there who can relate.”
While the heart of Loveboxx is found in Mary Fantrazzo’s vocal delivery, it’s the group’s rhythm section that pumps this band’s blood. Bassist Seth Welty and drummer Ricky Leonard play with thunderous intention, driving the pulse on songs like ‘Broken,’ ‘Glass Hearts,’ and ‘Anxiety.’ And together, they provide a foundation that paves the way for Angelo Fantrazzo’s searing and anthemic guitar work which fills the band’s music with raw, and sometimes haunting, emotion.
All the pieces fit perfectly in this band, and that’s more than evident on this new album.
Loveboxx’s music also contains a secret ingredient, one that’s exclusive to this band only: Mary and Angelo Fantrazzo’s volatile marriage, which spawns the group’s emotionally fueled songs and soul-baring lyrics that openly examine the chaos of the couple’s relationship.
Save me
I don’t know how to save you
Only know how to break you
I don’t know how to save you
Break me
All you know is to break me
Need somebody to save me
—Glass Hearts (from ‘Save Me’)
“When we started this band, and it was just me and Mary, we didn’t intentionally mean
to base the songs off of our relationship. It just happened,” Angelo Fantrazzo said. “The songs were based off of Mary dealing with me and my bipolar mania. I wouldn’t wish bipolar mania on anyone.
“‘Pure’ was the start of the relationship songs,” Fantrazzo added. “As the band developed, the songs took on different subject matter, but a lot of them are still about us and our marriage. It’s actually pretty awesome that you can write a song about your girlfriend or boyfriend, but in this case, she’s looking right at me singing, ‘cuz you’re fucking insane!’”
Playing your games
Happy is Pain
Empathy Drained
‘Cuz you’re fucking insane…
—P.S. I Hate You (from Save Me)
Fantrazzo has even found a way to take his wife’s frustration with him and use it to the band’s advantage.
“Quite honestly, if we are struggling with a song, I will piss her off to the point of no return and boom we get another song,” he said.
The subject matter of Loveboxx’s music, and the close relationship between all four members, fuels the band’s stage show.
When the band played the Rec Room in June in support of Adelitas Way, one concertgoer commented to 1120 Press that he was struck in particular by the band’s on-stage chemistry and interaction — adding (completely unaware of the Fantrazzos’ marital status) that there existed an “interesting dynamic between the singer and guitarist.”
When told of the comment, Fantrazzo laughed.
““Yeah, the lyrics are definitely not cryptic, but that’s the best part. Mary can let the world know, on stage, what an asshole I am,” he said. “Some of the interactions on stage are funny because she’s singing about me, but the energy and the stage presence is fueled by how much we love each other — and I’m also talking about Ricky and Seth. That’s the magic. Songs, plus band, plus that need to be on stage, is a recipe for success.”
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