2007 Update: I got an email from Eric with some updates: Ian our singer of 10 years left the group and we replaced him with Joshua Vandergrift and released a new album " Distinctive Design " in 2006. Signed with Foley Entertainment for artist development, managment, and carrer guidance. Did a college radio campaign through Planetary Group, added to over 150 stations nationwide.
Toured regionally in support of new release. longtime bassist Neil switched to guitar and added Joe Walbrown as bassist Got a gig at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on August 4th 2007.

2007 Bio Update: I also was sent a new bio, I'm going to put in here everything that was mentioned since this interview: Shortly after the release of “Hypocrite”, LIECUS added Bassist- Neil Rosenbohm of the group Arcayne replacing Bassist- Jim Pierce. With the addition of Neil to the group, LIECUS took another step forward increasing the level of musicianship and original creativity within the band, helping shape the new sound and face of LIECUS. In the following year, after the release of “Hypocrite,” LIECUS ventured to New York City trying out for Battle for Ozzfest and winning best Heavy Metal band at the New York International Music Festival, expanding their fan base even further while gaining confidence and exposure to industry representatives. While putting together a music video for LIECUS at My Good Eye Inc., LIECUS suffered another loss with the departure of founding member and lead vocalist Ian Leary in October of 2005. Although this was a major shock and set-back, LIECUS remained steadfast in their endeavors, and with no time to waste LIECUS quickly filled the vacant front man spot with Josh Vandergrift of the group (Yesterday’s Ashes). “Vandy” has brought a more dynamic and melodic influence to LIECUS making the music as a whole a perfect blend of Metal and Rock, crossing boundaries that were once impassable while broadening the potential audience and marketability of the group. With just under two weeks and the addition of “Vandy”, LIECUS quickly compiled six songs with the new line up. Proving to themselves and their peers that when it’s crunch time and momentum is rolling, you have to step it up to meet deadlines. With everything in place, the sound more sonic than ever, and momentum on their side LIECUS returned to 101 Productions to record the new material. In August of 2006, LIECUS completed their new EP “Distinctive Design” produced and engineered by Aaron Fisher of 101 Productions and mixed and mastered by Grammy award winning producer John Seymour (U2, Dave Mathews Band, Biohazard) of Media 51 and Treefort Studios. With the help of their new friend and team member, industry consultant Eugene Foley of Foley Entertainment, LIECUS has devised a plan to execute their goals for the upcoming year, including the release of the new EP “Distinctive Design”, National publicity, touring, and shopping. Soon after, LIECUS joined efforts with the Planetary Group (a college radio promotion/ management co. based out of Boston, MA) to execute their radio campaign starting Sept 25th 2006. In March of 2007 LIECUS Long time bassist Neil Rosenbohm transcended to guitar and LIECUS added Joe Walbrown on Bass, making LIECUS a five piece and more dynamic than before. With the addition of Joe to the group and Neil being a phenomenal guitarist, LIECUS has opened up new possibilities for their past and future songs allowing for more haunting guitar and vocal melodies while still delivering a thick and driving rhythm section. In the meantime LIECUS continues to write and perform, crushing their home state opening for National acts such as Nonpoint, Ten Years, Silent Civilian, and Hurt to name a few, while pushing their latest CD “Distinctive Design” to packed houses. Crossing over into a new beginning of creative infinities, fusing all influences into one solid mass of power and energy, this is the new LIECUS; overcoming adversity while maintaining a focus on what is real and true, the music.

Interview with Eric from Liecus by Jen

You guys have a great sound to you. You have a Sevendust/Taproot sound during some of the song, then you break into some great metal-core beats. To someone who never heard what you guys sounded like, how would you describe your music?
We have been compared to Deftones mixed with Tool and Pantera, and Fear Factory meets Mudvayne and Sevendust which is very flattering seeing how all of us love those groups. Even though we have been compared to those groups it's still hard for people to categorize our music with so many sub genre's in Metal nowadays. I like to think we are for everyone who likes Metal, I don't care if you like Death, Doom, Nu, Thrash, Old School, Hardcore etc. There's a little of everything in Liecus, maybe not in every song, but the album as a whole.
When did the band get together? How did you all come together and decide to start making music?
Ian (Vocals)and I (Eric, Guitar) started a band called Loaded about 11 years ago in 1994 when we were still in high school. Soon after the departure of our first drummer, Mark was added to the mix. Loaded played around locally for a few years till about 1997 then Mark went off to college at Marshall University in Huntington ,WV. With Mark leaving practices became few and far between so Ian and I started the group Liecus in 1998. Ian and I assuming our accustomed roles in the group, we added Drummer Dan Cole and Bassist J.T. Jones. Liecus became very successful locally and in the surrounding areas within the next few years playing out as much as we could in the surrounding states and locally, releasing a few demos along the way. Through out the years we had a few line up changes working out the kinks picking up Mark again in 2002 and introducing Neil on the Bass in 2004. Things have been good as of late and seem to get better and better as things move along.
Who are some of the band’s influences?
We all have our different and collective influences, and I think that is the key to Liecus' music. I personally have roots in Megadeth, Testament, and Slayer and newer groups like Nothingface, Slipknot, and Mudvayne influence my music also. I hate to speak for my band mates but I will anyway (hah). Ian listens to Ministry, Dead Kennedy's, RATM, and Tool to name a few. Mark has been listening to Sevendust, 36crazyfists, Endo, and God Forbid lately. Neil has always liked Social Distortion, Atreyu, As I lay Dying, and Shadows fall. We all like the same groups but we have our own tastes also, like I said I think that is what gives Liecus our diversity.
Your release, Hypocrite, when was it released?
Oct 2004
When were the songs wrote for it? When was it recorded? Any people or places you want to plug that helped out in the making of it?
Through out 2002 to 2004. We started the recording of "Hypocrite" in April of 2004 in a studio in Marietta, OH and for lack of better words we had trouble and it backed the recording up till August of 2004 at 101 studio in Sissonville, WV, which in hindsight was a good move. Charles "Aaron" Fisher engineered and helped produce Hypocrite as well as Prosthetic recording artists Byzantine's two releases The Fundamental Component and They Shall Take Up Serpents to name a few. Aaron is a great person and is very knowledgeable about recording and engineering. We look forward to following up Hypocrite soon at 101 studio again.
You also have a previous release, What Have They Come For. When did that come out?
What Have They Come For was released in 2001 and recorded at copperhead ridge studio Mason, WV.
How does that release differ from the new CD?
Hypocrite and What have they come for are two completely different albums as far as sound, line up, equipment (analog, digital), and song structure. I could ramble on for hours about the differences, people should just buy the CD's and hear for themselves the vast differences between the two. People can buy both CD's off of our website www.liecus.com or at www.cdbaby.com. We are happy with the new direction/ progression of the music, and the new CD will be even better than the last two.
You are also writing new material for another CD to come out. When will that be coming out?
Liecus has been writing new material since the recording of Hypocrite, some of which that didn't make it on the album + many more. We are currently recording a single for a video which we will be shooting in Oct/ Nov 2005 with Dave Broadsky at My Good Eye. We are very stoked about the video as well as working with Dave. I think this will be a great career move for us and might just be the break we are looking for. Look for a new album soon after, maybe late 2005 early 2006 TBA
What connection do you have with Victory Records? They are doing some of your merchandise?
Liecus has worked with Victory Records in the past in merchandising, and we are in the works with them for a new line of merch soon. Maybe soon they can help us in other aspects but for right now we are happy to have them help us out with merch.
How is the scene in West Virginia? Do you get a lot of kids to show up?
The scene is ever changing, we have been fortunate to draw a good crowd in most of the state, It just depends on where and who you play with. We have the luxury to be based out of two cities in WV- Huntington and Parkersburg, so needless to say the shows there are very good. Morgantown, WV home of the Mountaineer's, treats Liecus very well also. We have had great shows in allot of smaller towns throughout the state, just because it's a small town doesn't mean the kids don't come out, in fact there is nothing for them to do, so they rock even harder. When it comes to small towns numbers don't mean a thing, we are glad to see fifty kids freaking out than go out of town and have three hundred standing still (that doesn't happen very often).
What bands have you played with in the past?
We have played with Misfits, Ill Nino, Karma to Burn, Dog Fashion Disco, Bobaflex, Byzantine, Cannae, At all cost, Chum just to name a few many, many, more
Give me a great show that you had and I want the details on just a terrible show that you had. What happened? And how do you as a band grow to make sure that doesn’t happen again?
One great show we had was a show that I promoted, the "West Virginia Metal Festival" it featured great bands and over and about 1,000 people showed up from all over the state and had a great time. It was the second annual Metal Festival that I put on and the fact that it featured West Virginian Groups, I was glad to help out good friends and in turn made some good friends throughout the state that I still keep in touch with. People still talk about and remember those festivals. Unfortunately the shows started getting to big and "the Man" wanted to control or get his hands in the cookie jar, so I discontinued the shows for now, maybe sometime I'll get them up and running again. As far as terrible shows, being in the biz for over 10 years Liecus has had our fair share of lame ass shows. I would hate to single out any particular one and offend anyone that was involved, so for respect I won't go into details. To avoid future bombs we just weigh our options and look at the people involved, most of the time that tells you what kind of show it's going to be then we can make the decision to go through with it or not. When we try new things it's a gamble, it could be good or could be a bomb, we just do our part promoting and letting our fans know what's going on so to make it the best show possible.
What are you favorite 2005 releases so far? Any thing coming up soon you are looking forward to?
I personally love the new As I Lay dying, Messugah, and our bro's Byzantines new albums in 2005. I'm sure there is allot that I'm forgetting but those are defiantly in my CD player. I'm looking forward to a Nothingface reunion (fingers crossed) and the release of our new friends At All Cost's CD.
That’s all for me, anything to plug or add?
Thanks Jen, anyone who would like to check us out can visit our website http://www.liecus.com, http://www.myspace.com/liecus, and look for our new video on fuse and MTV2, And a new album soon, hopefully national release on __________ records?
http://www.liecus.com/
http://www.myspace.com/liecus