A lot can change in five years and, for Die Mannequin lead singer Caroline "Care Failure" Kawa, it has.

Five years has passed since Toronto’s Die Mannequin released a full-length album and with the band’s latest offering, called Neon Zero, Mannequin singer Kawa is putting it all out on the table with fresh lungs and a revitalized spirit. Not only has the band released its latest album but they’re on tour with none other than Kawa’s musical idol Marilyn Manson – for the second time. Die Mannequin opened up for Manson on his 2010 tour and Kawa is excited to be included again.

Describing the band’s sound as "way fucking better", Kawa says it feels good to hit the road again with a new set of bandmates. While she says the new tour feels "less hiatus-y and more tour-y" than ever, they’re still hitting the road for the first time together and they’re ready to put their stamp on the EDM scene  although – to Kawa – it’s Evil Dance Metal. Die Mannequin opens for Manson’s Hell Not Hallelujah tour in both Lethbridge and Edmonton this month.  Kawa opens up – and not so much – about touring again with her new band and what to expect on the road again here.

GC: What have you been doing the past few years?

CK: I was improving my baking skills along with binge-watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer... Naw... I just didn’t really feel like writing or releasing an album for a couple of years there... but it didn’t take long until I felt bored but also hungry enough to make music again and tour heavily. Music is in my blood and in my bones. It is also one thing I feel I do slightly well. So I got my shit together, signed a new deal, wrote a slew of new music I felt truly represented me, and came back more bulletproof and dangerous than I ever was before.

GC: What do you love about touring Canada?

CK: Vancouver is great for its whale art. Calgary is great for its rampant homophobia. And Las Vegas is great for its slot machines. (That’s in Canada... right...?)

GC: Describe the energy of opening up for a Manson crowd?

CK: We toured with Marilyn Manson once before across Canada back in 2010, I believe. And sometimes, when you are the opening band, you fear that no one wants to see you and they just want to see the headliner. So I am always surprised and stupefied to see the crowd all singing and moshing along to all of our songs...Maybe I am just lucky with the Manson crowd and fans either being extra tolerant and cool, but so far we have had a super warm and fuzzy reception, and lots of sweaty dancing and rocking fans jumping along.

GC: Tell us about your new album?

CK: It’s white and colourful on the front. The back is a puke-y mis-match of nauseating colours. The middle has a lot of photos of me and other people. And the actual CD is made of plastic. In a pinch, you can also use the CD as a mirror to shave the back part of your head. I think it also makes music-songs.

I very recently went through a bunch of line-up changes which lead me to a completely new band. I was already looking for a new drummer and second guitar player when my bass player Tony (Anthony Bleed) and I broke up after being together for 10 years. So when we split six months ago, Tony wisely decided to leave, so it left me in a strange position of having to then re-build my entire band.

So I got my long-time friend/musician/producer Kevvy from Fake Shark (Real Zombie!) on bass and backup vocals. Keith Heppler is now on drums – he is also in a band I love a lot called Secret Broadcast, who is also on the same label as Die Mannequin. And last, but not least, my secret weapon j.c. Sandoval on guitar – he also plays in yet another great Toronto band, Savannah.

So although losing members sucks, I at least got to re-build my dream band of players and musicians that I have always wanted to play with. So, in the end, it became the most deadly and tightest line-up I have ever had. So what was first chaotic ended up being an amazing new chapter for the band and me.