Torry Jasper: Vocals/Guitar
Jonathan Kelly: Drums
Johnny Abdullah: Bass/Vocals
Adam Rodgers: Lead Guitar

The members of A Change of Pace, the Peoria, Arizona foursome, have just dropped their sophomore release, aptly titled Prepare the Masses, and they’re armed and ready to assault fans with their latest batch of songs.

Twelve months ago the band was winning over new fans on a daily basis on the Warped Tour in support of their Immortal Records’ debut, An Offer You Can’t Refuse. This summer ACOP find themselves again on the traveling punk rock tour rocking out under the blazing sun. Older, wiser and as hungry as ever, the new songs on Prepare the Masses are indeed a welcome change of pace under the current state of stale rock.

“We have a lot more confidence now,” drummer Jonathan Kelly declares. “When we finished touring we took a two-month break and got our heads together and thought about what we wanted to do with this next record and how we could make it not so typical and write what we wanted to write. When Torry wrote the last record he was a young man coming to grips with who he was,” Kelly adds. “Now, since he’s toured and been through a lot of stuff, he’s experienced a lot more of life outside of Peoria, Arizona. This record is way more personal. Every song on the album is a true story and is based on an event that affected him in some way. This record is a lot more mature for us. We’re 19 and 20 years old so we definitely have a lot more maturing to do but this record is a huge step for us.”

“I think it’s impossible to have not matured,” singer Torry Jasper adds. “I’m almost three years older now and I’ve been on the road for about two years. I’ve gone through a lot of things in these last years. It’s been change after change so I’ve got a lot to write about and I’m really happy with the way everything turned out.”

Prepare the Masses is unadulterated rock with something to say. The record cover alone depicts fists raised in unison among a stack of speakers letting you know to play this record loud!

Having won over a legion of fans on the strength of their manic live performances. ACOP is looking at the August 15th release of Prepare the Masses as a new beginning.

Destined to be a cathartic release for fans to vent to, the record’s dozen tracks show growth and confidence. The song “Weekend Warriors” is destined to be the feel good anthem of the summer, while other standouts include “Shoot From the Hip,” “Prepare the Masses” and “White Lines and Lipstick.”

“I love that song,” Torry says of ‘Weekend Warriors.’” Adding, “It hits really close to me personally while giving that ‘lets get messed up and have a good weekend’ [attitude] at the same time. This is one of the band’s favorite songs on the album.”

The track “White Lines and Lipstick,” one of the record’s more raucous songs, deals with addiction, drummer Jonathan Kelly notes. “That song is about drug abuse and there’s a lot of that in the music business and Torry was encapsulated with that whole thing and got caught up in it and it’s pretty much about his battle. Torry definitely has an addictive personality but he’s battled it and has come out stronger.”

But Torry is quick to point out that the song is more than just about drugs. “I’ve been through a lot of addiction recently and i wanted to write about it,” he explains. “It’s not just about drug addiction, it’s about having an addictive lifestyle and I’ve been trying to get over having such an addictive personality for a long time now. I think I’m finally starting to come around.”

As has the band. Just listen to “A Song the World Can Sing Out Loud.”

“Every time we sat down we wanted to write anthems,” Kelly says. “We wanted to write songs that kids could come out to shows and sing to. We’ve been playing that song recently and by the last chorus everyone is singing along.”

Teaming up once again with producer Elvis Baskette (Incubus, Three Days Grace, Chevelle), the band recorded in Matthews, Virginia, just outside of Richmond, for a month “in the middle of nowhere” as Kelly likes to put it. “We were in this tiny house on the beach, isolated with nothing to do besides wake up and focus on the record.”

“It was a much more relaxed environment this time around,” Torry points out. “The time restraints were lifted to a certain extent and we were on the beach all by ourselves. It was the most amazing month of my life.”

While recording their debut the members of ACOP were still in high school. “This time we came to the table with a lot stronger songs,” the drummer notes. “We’re all so confident in Torry’s writing ability that we have absolutely no fear of what he writes. We were excited to make another record and show people that we weren’t a made band that got lucky with a couple of songs.”

Anxious to get back out on the road and take these new songs to the masses the boys are revved up for another year of touring in the van. Living what Kelly considers a “dream come true,” A Change of Pace is ready…Prepare the Masses…you’ve been warned!