Integrating Music And Gaming With THE LIVING TOMBSTONE

Interview by Kris Peters
Music and video games are no strange bedfellows, with bands such as Motorhead, Judas Priest, Dragonforce and Iron Maiden, plus a stack of others having their music forever immortalised in the popular platform.
But more often than not, the songs are written first, with executives from gaming companies sensing the potential for more money by adding the songs in at a later date or as a soundtrack. But what if there was a band that actually wrote and performed music that was an amalgamation of the two? A band that combined electronic rock with gaming culture and internet anthems?
Such a thing exists in the form of The Living Tombstone, an LA electronic rock outfit with both feet firmly planted across all three, making them possibly one of the most powerful and influential bands in the world.
The two founding members - Yoav Landau and Sam Haft are in the unique position of being both recording artists and influencers in gaming, and as such have their fingers on the metaphorical pulse of both realms, which can only translate to something special in the right hands. And if the last decade of success is anything to go by, then The Living Tombstone have certainly cracked that elusive crossover market.
With their first album in six years, Rust, coming out this Friday, May 30 and an Australian tour looming in July, HEAVY sat down for an interesting chat with both gentlemen to see if we could pinch some pointers.
"The name itself is inherently inspired by bands that in and of itself are things you feel for, like as a concept," Landau explained, "Like Gorillaz, for example, is a great idea. The name comes up, and you don't just think about the music; you think about the entire visual. It is almost like a snapshot or an obsession over other bands that had this sort of name and idea and big opaque."
We ask about the live show and bringing all of their musical elements to life during a performance.
"The band is very much in and of itself, with characters that are really big and out of this world," Landau answered first. "Gaming and media culture are very much about how much you feel for them and the things you're into, so we translate and try to connect it within our own world."
"We try to have characters people can connect to that are visual and exciting to look at," Sam added. "Beyond just the experience of going and seeing a band play live, you're getting to see these characters perform live."
In the full interview, we had a chat about shoey's and Australian fans' insatiable appetite for the homemade craze. Sam and Yoav discussed their creative process, highlighting the collaborative nature of their work and the integration of gaming into their music, which has become increasingly relevant in pop culture. They expressed excitement for their new album, Rust, and their commitment to delivering a mix of familiar and innovative elements to connect with fans emotionally.
We spoke more about their live show We spoke more about their live show and what to expect, the song they had on the movie Five Nights At Freddy's, the early days of the band and how their vision has changed, integrating gaming with music and finding the balance in the creative stage and more.

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