Interview: Spider Rockets

Unapologetically fueled by rage and inner power, Spider Rockets’ discography feels like you are standing in the eye of a hurricane. Frontwoman Helena Cos’s vocals rain down upon the multilayered instrumentals with thunderous vibrations that shake the earth while guitarist Johnny Nap electrifies the soundscape with his guitar riffs. Spider Rockets started in New Jersey, and eventually scaled up to premiere venues and music festivals such as the Vans Warped Tour, Popcomm, and touring with Puddle of Mudd, Saliva, Framing Hanley, Trapt, Saving Abel, and Pop Evil, among others. Their in-your-face approach to the rock/metal scene brings back the distinctive edginess crafted by their musical inspirations, such as AC/DC and Led Zeppelin, in a modern frame. The group’s other videos, “Casual Violence,” “Going Down” and “Rip Your Heart Out,” have garnered almost two million views on YouTube, as well as receiving film festival winner awards. Spider Rockets’ ability to draw listeners in with evocative themes and lyricism makes them a top act to watch.

In their most recent single, “Monster of Your Dreams,” Spider Rockets explores the threat of terrors that extend into our waking hours. Crashing onto the scene with distorted riffs and pounding drums, the band manifests an atmosphere of disturbed confusion. Seductive and sinister, Cos wails out the perfidious proposition of a lurking, menacing presence. Over whomping bass runs, Cos’s lyrics mock the insanity of temptation and our enslavement to subtle evils that coax us from our peace. As the tempo accelerates, Nap howls through a solo before Cos chants this banger to bed.

Feast your eyes on the music video for “Monster of Your Dreams,” directed by Spider Rockets’ frequent collaborator and producer Jason Nappi. Peppered with footage from Cos and Nap’s favorite thriller flicks, the video features the band members navigating within a nightmare. With mounting musical intensity, the band becomes more maniacal as Nappi drops in clever horror tropes along the way. Rage along with the crew in this taunting traipse through terror.

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The music video for “Monster of your Dreams” has a lot of horror tropes and themes. What is the story behind the video?

The idea for the video is monsters that linger in your nightmares and carry over to your waking hours. Remember that nightmare about the creature under your bed? Or “in your closet, in your head.” Ah, Metallica…. Actually, spin that around and turn that monster into a real live person that haunts the living sh** out of your every moment. Now, THAT is “Monster of Your Dreams.”

What are your favorite lyrics from “Monster of your Dreams”?

“You can’t hide from me I’ll never leave you. I’m sitting in your mind to watch you sleeping. Clawing at the secrets that you’re keeping.” I’m putting a mirror in front of myself in these lyrics. Yes, I am my own monster. Surprised? I didn’t think so. Lol.

What can you tell fans about your upcoming album?

“Monster of Your Dreams” is the second single and music video from our upcoming album. We are thrilled with the reception so far. People seem to like it and it goes over really well live. We just got off tour and it was one of the high points during the show. Some of our fans even identify with the monster as we were told after our live set each night. I love it! “Casual Violence”, our first single and music video for our upcoming album, got over 1 million views on YouTube which blew our minds. More singles are coming so keep an eye out later this year.

Who are some of your biggest musical inspirations?

Some of our biggest influences are AC/DC – in your face catchy rock anthems, Godsmack – the rhythm is absolutely infectious, and Metallica – the sheer power and killer songs. 

How has your music changed and evolved throughout your time as a band?

We continue to grow. Like an exotic and beautiful plant reaching towards the sky…. Or like crabgrass overtaking your mom’s favorite rose bush. I’d like to think of us as the prior, though. We remain rooted in our sound, post grunge mixed with metal riffs, but we are climbing and spreading. Songwriting, performance and production! Take a listen to one of our earlier albums, then listen to our new single, “Monster of Your Dreams,” and you can hear it.  

What were your favorite parts about filming the music video for “Monster of your Dreams”?

The bedroom scenes! We were falling off the bed, the resident dog kept coming into the filming area and giving us sloppy wet kisses, and we had some serious balancing issues performing on a mattress. Graceful? No. And the final bed scene was harder than it looked. We managed to coordinate the movements of four people on a bed without causing serious injury to anyone.

We see some footage from classic thriller movies in this video. What are some of your favorite thriller flicks?

I love vampire movies. They literally haunt me. From Nosferatu to Bram Stoker’s Dracula to Interview with a Vampire. The darkness in the shadows. How terror mixes with a kind of wacked sensuality. You know what’s coming but seeing it unwind always gives me chills.

What do you want fans to feel when listening to “Monsters of your Dreams?”

Fear, terror, overwhelming emotion. For example, “Monster of Your Dreams” was inspired by a recurring nightmare and old horror movies. Imagine being pulled under the bed by a monster and clawing on the floorboards to break your slide into the darkness. That cold terror. Then, in the bright sunshine of the morning. Talking about it and realizing how ridiculous the dream is. Making fun of yourself and your fear, but, silently, still remembering the feel of that terror.