(EDITOR’S NOTE — Loveboxx has been back in the studio recording a new album and was kind enough to grant 1120 Press access to a recent session with producer/mixing engineer Nick Borgosz. As part of its work on the new LP, the band will also reunite with Nashville producer Skidd Mills and mastering engineer Brad Blackwood, both of whom are multiple Grammy winners. You can catch Loveboxx live this Saturday, Feb. 10, at Timeless Babez, where doors will open at 7 p.m. The band is comprised of Mary Fantrazzo, vocals; Angelo Fantrazzo, guitar; Seth Welty, bass, and Ricky Leonard, drums. — Photos by Matt Smith/1120 Press.)
Inside the studio at Black Rock EPS, Loveboxx singer Mary Fantrazzo is laying down
vocal tracks for the group’s forthcoming album, which the melodic Buffalo metal band has been working on the past handful of months with producer/mixing engineer Nick Borgosz of Sound Authentic.
Take after take, the voice that emanates from the booth is so near flawless that it seems almost unrealistic. At the same time, it is so remarkably steady that after 20 or 30 minutes, you begin to take it for granted, the same way you give no thought to the air you breathe.
“This is the oddest vocal session you’ll ever see me record,” said Nick. “Because frankly, she’s insanely consistent, and for me to say something like that is extremely rare. But there’s nothing for me to coach into, or out of, her in the slightest. It is — let her do her thing and I’ll slice together three different takes later of the best fits because they are almost going to be completely the same anyway.
“Especially, given too that she is a new vocalist, I’m not trying to get in her head. That’s a very conscious decision,” Nick added. “I’m paying enough attention to ensure there’s nothing terrible, or that I blatantly need to correct. She’s pushing herself a lot on these songs, in range and power. I like that she’s becoming more dynamic because the music is very dynamic. If you had something monotone in terms of power, that was just even the whole time, to me, that’s exceptionally boring. She’s not pushing herself to the point where she’s eating up her voice. The dynamic is completely appropriate for the context of the music.”
“I was sick for two months straight. So, I’m still getting over that and my recovery time after singing each take is not as good right now,” said Mary after emerging from the vocal booth. “I was feeling a bit raspy. Thankfully we have Nick, who is super supportive, because he knows I will just trash myself more than anyone else will.”
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Loveboxx’s new album, which remains untitled, will include seven songs, including two previously released singles — “P.S. I Hate You” and “Anxiety.” The new tunes also will be part of the setlist when the band plays this Saturday, Feb. 10, at Timeless Babez. The 7 p.m. all-ages show also includes The Living Brain Dead, Spud and Watch Your Step.
Among the new material Loveboxx will feature at the show will be a recently written song called “Europa.”
“It’s a heavy one, along the lines of Seven Dust — a real kick-in-the-teeth type of song,” said Loveboxx guitarist Angelo Fantrazzo, who added the band plans to embark on a run of shows outside Buffalo later this year when the album is completed.
“We are constantly evolving our sound. We always have a less-is-more approach and that has not changed,” said Angelo. “This album reflects the fluidity of our genre and will showcase all sides of this band and our abilities. We are leaning into heavier riffs and lower tones all around, while also maintaining our melodic sound.”
“Angelo and Seth,” Mary said, “are always changing gear to create a different feel
sonically. Whether it’s a different guitar or bass or a new pedal, there is always something new they are bringing to the next song.”
She added: “The subject matter is similar on this album, where it is taken from personal experience. The majority of our songs are written about my relationship with my husband, Angelo. Listening to these songs will give you a peek inside of our personal relationship. I really put it all out there, especially in ‘P.S. I Hate You.’
“If you haven’t noticed, Angelo’s the band’s problem child,” Mary added, laughing.
As for “Europa,” Mary said “Ricky gave it the name as a working title because he loves all things space related, so I kept it for him. I wrote specifically about Europa, which is one of Jupiter’s icy moons, and I spent a lot of time researching it. My lyrics are reflective of Europa’s physical attributes, but also serve as an analogy to life experiences. I may be writing about an inanimate object, but I want the listener to also connect to the song emotionally.”
The band acknowledged that while it thrives playing live, it tends to struggle in the studio with structure, and playing and recording their parts individually as opposed to the togetherness of a live show during which they feed off one another. It’s another reason, they say, why they value their relationship with Borgosz.
“Nick is excellent at what he does. He’s meticulous about every single thing, and he is honest,” said Mary. “He will tell you if something isn’t working and will make suggestions to improve it. He has great ideas and actually cares about what he is doing.”
Once the band wraps up its work with Nick, the recordings will be sent off to Nashville for mixing and mastering by nine-time Grammy winning producer Skidd Mills and three-time Grammy winning mastering engineer Brad Blackwood, both of whom the band has worked with previously.
“With Nick, Skidd, and Brad, we have an amazing team,” said Mary. “We’re very proud of the work we put out.”
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