“Just sitting behind my kit, I could look out at my other bandmates. And I was just so proud of everyone. We put a lot of time into that performance, and everyone delivered! And when we got off stage, even before they announced the winners, I was just so proud to be a part of this group.”
Drummer Josh Cook is describing a Battle of the Bands competition that took place last month at the Dragway in Rockingham, North Carolina. He may have had the best seat in the house. From the back of the stage, he could look out and see his friends putting their entire body and soul into every note and lyric.
Beyond his friends, Josh could also see the audience and could tell that they were really getting into the music. And somewhere in the crowd, whether Josh could see them or not, were five judges who would spend the day critiquing ten different bands based on appearance, song choice, crowd involvement, musicianship, and overall performance.
The judges clearly also liked what they were hearing and seeing, because in the end, they awarded the grand prize, which included a check for $5,000, to Josh and his friends, who together make up the group Audiomelt.
“I am my own worst critic. So after we played, there were spots here and there where I know we, or at least I, could’ve been better,” said lead singer and rhythm guitarist Landon Clark. “So I was convinced we weren’t going to win. I was actually packing my car when they started to make the announcement, and then they called our name and I had to run from the parking lot to the stage.”
How Audio Melt Started
Audio Melt is a four-member band made up of two Laney High graduates (Nico Holt on lead guitar and Owen Wasterval on bass guitar), Landon Clark, who attended South Brunswick, and Josh Cook on drums, who attended North Brunswick. Together they have mastered the modern metal sound, which is a combination of heavy metal, alternative, and grunge genres. They have been compared to groups like Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Metallica, and White Zombie.
Nico and Owen are lifelong friends who first started messing around with music in middle school. They met Josh through Instagram and created a three-part instrumental group. When it came time to add a singer, Josh invited his friend Landon Clark to join the cause.
Their first performance was a spontaneous set at a house party in August of 2020. Roughly two months later, the band had booked its first gig. “Most of our shows have been local,” said Nico Holt. “We’ve been trying to branch out recently. We’ve done a few shows in Myrtle Beach and South Carolina, and then we heard about this Battle of the Bands competition on Facebook.”
The Competition
Organizers in Rockingham designed a showcase that would require musicians to compete in two different rounds. The first was on social media. Bands were instructed to share their desires to perform at the show, and the bands that got the most likes and reposts would be invited to take the stage. In all, more than 20 bands took part in the first round, with only 10 being asked to perform.
Audiomelt led the way in the first round with more than 800 social media interactions. That won them the coveted honor of the headliner spot, which meant they’d take the stage last. For a show that started at 2 p.m., Audiomelt would have to wait for nearly nine hours to go on.
“It was rewarding. We had a lot of confidence going into the show. We know that we are very good at what we do, but it was also very humbling because we had to watch these other nine bands perform before us, and they were all very good.”
Audiomelt prepared a thirty-minute, seven-song set, which included five original tunes. They practiced for the performance twice a week, for two months straight. And although they brought a few friends with them, in a way, it really felt like they were playing on someone else’s home turf.
“A lot of the bands, at least three or four of them, were from Rockingham,” said Owen Wasterval. “They packed the crowd with their own fan bases. So for us to come there, travel three hours away, and to win… that was really awesome!”
What’s Next
All the members of Audiomelt plan on pursuing music as a full-time career. They have one more gig scheduled this summer. On the 19th, the group will play at Seven Mile Post. And then Nico will leave to go to college at Appalachian State, with the hopes of helping the band extend their reach up to the mountains.
And there is a chance the group may be able to extend their reach on a national level. The foursome is now competing in something called America’s Next Top Hit Maker. They have already advanced past the first round. If they pull out another grand prize victory, Audiomelt will win $10,000, a trip to Texas, and a featured spot in the Austin Music Showcase, along with an article in Rolling Stone.
“We just have passion for what we do, not just performing but writing music,” said Nico. “There are so many good ideas bouncing around between us. We just want to keep on writing music together because that’s the one thing that gives us energy.”
The winner gets $10,000, a trip to Texas, and a featured spot in the Austin Music Showcase, along with a featured article in Rolling Stone.
(Click here to vote for Audio Melt’s in the Next Hitmaker competition.)