ION INDIE MAGAZINE November 2016, Volume 30 | Page 59

Our “ReverbNation Artist of the Month” for this lively November 2016 edition of ION Indie Magazine, hails from the town of
Madison, Wisconsin. They are the Modern Metalcore rock band…LEVRAGE! Our readers may remember LevRage, as they have
previously appeared in our monthly feature “Artists To Watch”, which includes some of the best high-quality commercial
videos that are submitted for our consideration. And “watch” we did! Thus, it was a “no-brainer” when LevRage applied
through our campaign with ReverbNation…and the selection was made from the thousands of candidates…justlikethat!
Apparently, our partner ReverbNation shares our opinion about this hard-working, mega-talented band’s original music—as
they have achieved the prestigious ranking of #1 in the Metal/Hard Rock/Heavy Metal category for the Madison region. And
the good news keeps coming—they have also received the nod as the ReverbNation “Metal Artist of the Month” for January
2016! We can only assume that when it comes to RN and ION…great minds think alike! 2016 is definitely shaping up to being
a milestone year for the band LevRage.
This band is no stranger to accolades—rounding off 2015 and kicking off the New Year in style—they received word that they
captured the coveted “Hollywood Moving Pictures Film Festival Music Video Award” for December 2015. While almost
simultaneously, Roku added LevRage’s impactful music video “Pushing Resistance” (released in 2014) into their on-air
rotation! Not too shabby!
LevRage consists of JOEL BEAULIEU (vocals), CHRIS KILDAHL (guitar), MIKE
BEAULIEU (guitar), JOAQUIN LUEBANOS (bass) and ERIC CAMPBELL (drums). Native
to Wisconsin, Joel Beaulieu, possesses the powerful vocals that resound with the
LevRage fan base—with a bold in-your-face assault that has become the hallmark of
the LevRage sound. The music as a whole unapologetically takes no prisoners, yet
leaves in their wake with every show, an audience that wishes they would…as they’ve
been solidly rocked to their core…and are left wanting MORE.
Their CD “Lost Nation” just dropped on September 21st—the perfect debut for this
bodacious band of bros. “Lost Nation” has definitely found its mark…and delivered
it smack between the eyes to their dedicated following--serving up what they’ve come
to expect—a heapin’ helpin’ of pure American Metalcore ROCK music!
I had a few questions to pose to the band LevRage…and Mike Beaulieu graciously submitted to the journalistic whims of a
certain fairy. Here is the banter that followed:

FRM: Let’s start at the beginning. Tell our readers about the inception of LevRage. What was the catalyst
that lead to the birth of the band?
Mike Beaulieu: So, Chris Kildahl and I have been a guitar duo for a long time. We formed a band years ago called “Substance”.
We were the ONLY band with that name at the time. Things did not pan out with that band and within two years there were four
or five bands named “Substance”. Band names are always difficult to come up with and we wanted to stick to a one word
name. Well, the word “leverage” came up and I thought LEVY RAGE…LevRage: to levy rage or to impose rage upon…COOL! So
after we got the name out of the way, Chris and I stuck with it and began searching for the right pieces to complete the lineup.
It was a tough task to find people with the right chemistry--and then we found our bassist Joaquin Luebanos in 2012. In 2013
after a run of several vocalists and drummers, we found the drummer we were looking for in Eric Campbell. We had just let go
of a vocalist and drummer while Eric just so happened to be looking for something heavier. At that same time, my brother Joel
Beaulieu was itching for an opportunity and we gave it a shot--and he worked his ass off to hone his style to one that would fit
what we were looking for. We have not looked back since! This lineup has been together since March of 2013. It was extremely
difficult to get five guys together with chemistry and the tools it takes to succeed--guys with similar goals, ambition, open
minded, who simply “GET IT.”

FRM: What makes LevRage “different”?