|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Darkest Hour
|
|||
|
By Travis Tutwiler |
|||
This is in large part to a change that took place while the band was on the Thrash And Burn Tour in 2008. When Guitarist Kris Norris (with the band since 2001), decided to leave, they needed look no further than their guitar tech Mike “Lonestar” Carrigan. Schleibaum describes the sound check audition as that of a concert. “Everyone on the Thrash And Burn Tour, like 80 people, were crowded in that room to see if Mike could play “Sound The Surrender.” He killed it, and everyone was clapping – it was great. He learned the rest of the songs in a day, and we played the next set in Long Island (NY) a day later and it was sick.” After the tour, Carrigan headed into the studio with Schleibaum, John Henry (vocals), Ryan Parrish (drums) and Paul Burnette (bass) to record The Eternal Return. After two successful albums produced by Devin Townsend, the band decided to change things up and tapped Brian McTernan for production duties. “You start to feel like the sound of the band becomes the sound of Devin and the band,” Schleibaum explains. And so, honestly, we tried to find a way to make it different. I’m sure Devin would agree. We needed to really change things up and we had a different band member. We definitely didn’t want to go back and keep pressing inch by inch with the sound we had concocted. We wanted to shake it up and try something crazy.” The Eternal Return finds a more noticeable low-end than previous records. “It’s crazy to be a bass player in a death metal band,” advises Schleibaum. “You get buried in the mix and you get covered up. You seem to be the least important musical instrument — even when it’s really not. We’ve always been struggling to get the bass out. And, so much of the drive of the band is in the drums, because Ryan has got a pretty sick style — a little bit punker than a death metal drummer. We wanted the rhythm section to push through, because great metal music like Pantera, Slayer, Metallica, Megadeth – all those had rhythm sections with kick-drums in your face.” Not only has the sound expanded, The Eternal Return is oozing with guitar goodness. “Maybe it’s because we’re crazy,” Schleibaum states with a chuckle. “It was written by two dudes who are obsessed with guitar, but it’s supposed to be covert and all of our obsessiveness is very behind-the-closet. Mike and I are connoisseurs of all types of shreddage. We like the Dimebag Darrell crazy-ass, the Tom Morello, the Paul Gilbert shred — but we also like the Marty Friedman, Randy Rhoads and Alexi Laiho shred.” That shred loving has translated in Darkest Hour having a song featured in the upcoming Guitar Hero 5 game. No official word as to which song will be featured, but Schleibaum mentioned “The Tides” will be part of an expansion pack. So pick up a copy of The Eternal Return and listen to how the big boys shred…. while you wait to take the stage on Guitar Hero 5. |
|||
|
|||
Website by
© Harder Beat Magazine All Rights Reserved