Formed in 2016 and the creative outlet of Texas native Aaron Wall, Red Beard Wall’s delivery of heavy, hooky and concise compositions would eventually see the band signed to Argonauata Records with their debut self titled LP released in May 2017. With riffs that could level city blocks and vocals that are the perfect combination of soaring melody and caustic screams of despair, Red Beard Wall are back and set to deliver their most bone crunching material to date in the form of new long player 'The Fight Needs Us All' which will be hitting all good stockists on February 22nd 2019 as Digital Download, CD and Vinyl. The album pre-orders are now available in the following editions, bundles: HERELP: HERECD: HERE
Influenced by amazing bands such as, Floor, Helmet, Conan, Yob, Pallbearer, Baroness, and countless others, today we have a double helping of Aaron and his 7.5 tons of beard, as THE SLUDGELORD exclusively premieres a brand new track entitled “The Warming” which you can check out below. Not only that we invited Aaron to discuss some of his favourite records. Welcome to this Red Beard Wall edition of “Records of Their Years”.
THE SLUDGELORD: Favourite album from the year you were born?
Aaron: First off to you, oh mighty SLUDGELORD...thank you so much for having me!
I was born in 1977. Therefore the answer is Motorhead’sself-titled debut. Really not much elaboration needed.
THE SLUDGELORD: First record you bought with your own money?
Aaron: Yes! I remember well! I was 8 years old, I had saved up a little cash from mowing yards and such, specifically I got Van Halen “1984”, Beastie Boys “Licence to Ill” and Run D.M.C “Raising Hell”. All 3 of those records are still very dear and close to my heart. The very 1st time I ever performed was in a 3rd grade talent show. I did a mean version of the Run D.M.C.deep cut “You Be Illin.” Oh the memories from years gone by! Haha!!
THE SLUDGELORD: Favourite non metal / rock album?
Aaron: That’s a tough one, but I’d have to say Wu-Tang’s“36 Chambers”. I was a bit of a hip-hop nut in my formative years, and honestly still am, although obviously my love for the heavy eventually overtook to top position musically in my life.
THE SLUDGELORD: Album that most disappointed you?
Aaron: I guess I don’t think that way about records I don’t necessarily like. I just feel like it wasn’t made for me. I definitely try to look for something in it, that I do enjoy. If I cant, I move on to something that does move me.
THE SLUDGELORD: Favourite album of all time or if you prefer album (s) you’d run back into a burning building to rescue?
Aaron: I’m gonna choose 3. All from Mastodon, “Remission”, “Leviathan”, “Blood Mountain”. Those three albums reinvigorated my enthusiasm for heavy music. After growing up in Texas in the 90’s with Pantera being a huge early influence, a lot of metal had gotten stale for me personally. Mastodon brought a renewed and energetic love back that I though may have been fading away. That love and passion has not waned since.
THE SLUDGELORD: Favourite album (s) of 2018?
Aaron: Daughters, “You Won’t Get What You Want”. The intensity is so palpable throughout. The songs are just on another level. 10 out of 10!
THE SLUDGELORD:..and finally The last album you bought?
Aaron: The last album I bought, ironically enough is a pre-order of the new Red Beard Wall album “The Fight Needs Us All.” Extremely shameless self promotion, I know...but in my defence, it’s also 100% the truth. Once again, much much gratitude and appreciation for allowing me to be a part. ALL LOVE. ALL APPRECIATION. ALL HAIL!!!
By pure coincidence, for the second successive week, we feature a band from Boston, and today it is none other than sludge/doom emissaries Fórn,who have returned with their highlyanticipated sophomore record, "Rites of Despair". A record of such quality that it in a frankly in a league of its own.
With “Rites of Despair” having been in the public domain for a couple of months now, there has never been a more opportune time to feature them on THE SLUDGELORD, so I hooked up guitarist Joey Gonzalez to discuss some of his favourite records. Welcome to “Records of their Years”,
THE SLUDGELORD: Favourite album from the year you were born?
Talk Talk, “Spirit of Eden” (1988)
I actually didn't discover this record till either just before or just after I was entering my 20’s. I had kind of begun deep diving on a lot of atmospheric music and this album was elevator pitched to me from a friend as the “predecessor to post-rock.” I don’t think this album is that or even remotely post-rock to me. Post rock has always felt more to be about long build ups, carefully constructed to reach a point of overwhelming glisten, but this album is quite beautiful in its nature to deconstruct more traditional foundations and to place a great magnitude of emphasis on space, and sparseness, and an emptiness that can feel like chaos sometimes. It did me a great deal in teaching me song writing.
THE SLUDGELORD: First record you bought with your own money?
Green Day, “Nimrod” (1997)
I’m counting this because it’s a pretty vivid memory in my mind, and even though technically it was my mom who bought this for me, it was a pretty special experience hearing something on the radio in the car and enjoying it with my mom, and we drove to what I believe was a Tower Record store, and I picked up this cd, because we had just heard “Hitchin’ a ride” come on the radio, and I wanted to listen to it. I also picked up alongside this gem, Blink182’s “Dude Ranchand” the Self titled Back Street Boys album, so least to say, 8 year old me was batting a 1000.
THE SLUDGELORD: Favourite non metal / rock album?
Moses Sumney, “Aromanticisim”(2017)
This might come as a shock to maybe those who don’t know me, but in reality, I don’t have much metal/rock music in heavy rotation in my life currently, so the vast majority of music I have been consuming for the last 6ish years has been not that. As such, my “favorite” album in this broad realm is always changing, but my latest obsession has been Moses Sumney. This record hit me like a fucking truck, emotionally, and in terms of the production, to me it is flawless. I was introduced to this record By our engineer Alec Rodriguez so I have to drop his name here for this one.
THE SLUDGELORD: Album that most disappointed you?
I’ve been let down by some records when I was younger, but the older I get, I don’t really hold other peoples art to my standards or expectations. I am way more interested in the process of the creation of what I am consuming then I am if its living up to some expectations I’ve had, so I can’t say anything has ever really disappointed me. I have been let down by a couple of records, but I’m not going to list them here
THE SLUDGELORD: Favourite album of all time or if you prefer album (s) you’d run back into a burning building to rescue
Deftones, “White Pony” (2000)
Opeth, “Blackwater Park" (2001)
So when someone poses this question to me, I always feel like it’s hard to scope out something that has been a favorite of mine, or something that’s definitively my all time favorite. I always feel like the root of the question is like what are the “keystone” records for me in my life, and these two would be a good start. A lot of people may not know, but before I ever wrote a riff or anything, I played drums for a long time, and these are the two records I really learned how to shape my style around. These are two records I really felt were integral to me for really jumping head first into music. They’re some of the only records that elicit an honest nostalgia out of me anymore. If I had to add one more record, I would add pg.99 – “document 8”. Not only do the songs still hold up, but this band and record was my stepping stone into the ethics of art, music being an individual and part of a community, and what that responsibility entails. It’s just every bit as important to who I am as a musician now.
THE SLUDGELORD: Favourite album (s) of 2018?
Serpentwithfeet, “Soil” (2018)
This record is painstakingly crafted, and it pays off in dividends on repeated listens, and it’s pretty much been all I can listen to lately. It’s almost obnoxious it’s so intoxicating. I’ve been searching for music that really elicits and invokes the feelings it’s crafted in wake of and listening to the record, the nature of it is obsessing and a celebration of the feelings of grief and melancholy. It’s beautiful in the most painful of ways.
THE SLUDGELORD:..and finally The last album you bought?
Ilsa, “Corpse Fortress” (2018)
Ah, you thought I’d make it all the way without listing a single metal album, but you’re WRONG. Ilsa are some of my favorite people and they are easily one of my favorite bands doing heavy shit out there. Plus they’re from DC (*cough* silver spring*cough*), and we go back a ways. I love my boys, and this record rips harder than any other heavy music I’ve heard this year.
“Rites of Despair” by Fórn is out now and availableHERE
Few bands over the last 6 years have kicked my arse as much my Boston brethren Gozu, a badass American rock band with heavy riffs in tow and bang out tunes loud enough to piss off the neighbors. But Gozu is more than this. Gozu is a songwriting machine, one that is able to churn out loud, hard hitting compositions without sacrificing the meaning behind the songs or the band. Gozu is gruff and dirty when it needs to but also sweet and soulful when the time is right. On April 13 2018, Gozu released their new album “Equilibrium” via metal heavyweight Metal Blade Records. With 2016′s ‘Revival‘ they took their sound in a somewhat new and more aggressive direction, and in doing so, dropped the most compulsive, exciting and downright badass release of their career – and ‘Equilibrium‘ has only raised the stakes. “We wanted these songs to hit a nerve, make people shake their ass and enjoy simply being alive,” says vocalist/guitarist Marc “Gaff” Gaffney, who founded the band with lead guitarist Doug Sherman. Much of the record’s strength stems from the unit growing since ‘Revival‘, the first full-length featuring drummer Mike Hubbard and bassist Joseph Grotto.
With the announcement that Gozuwill play selected shows with Goatwhore, The Causalities, Black Tusk & Great American Ghost, as part of the Metal Alliance Tour, kicking off in Kansas City on Nov 18,I hooked up with Marc “Gaff” Gaffney to discuss some of his favourite records. Welcome to “Records of their Years”,
THE SLUDGELORD: Favourite album from the year you were born?
“Harvest”, Neil Young(1972).
In 1972 this beautiful piece of art came out and like myself, I am sure it moulded many minds, lyricist, guitar players and humans to what can be done with heartfelt music. “Out on the weekend” is one of my favorite songs. It hits me deep and makes me think about many different issues, especially the way the world is today. Neil is a treasure and pretty much anything he does I am a fan of.
THE SLUDGELORD: First record you bought with your own money?
“Back in Black”, AC/DC. (1980)
The older hoodlums in my neighbourhood were huge AC/DCfans. When playing basketball, football, whatever, they would always be playing music. I had my own money, my mom took me to the local record store in Watertown, NYand I was grinning ear to ear when I bought it. I remember coming home, throwing it on my record player and feeling like this was fascinating. It was 1980, I was 8 years old and hooked. “Let me put my love into you babe” has a different meaning when you are in second grade.
THE SLUDGELORD: Favourite non metal / rock album?
“Voodoo”, D’Angelo. (2000)
This album is brilliant from start to finish. It combines Sly, Prince, James, George and Stevie in a bombastic groove fantasy. Also, Pino Palladino on bass and Questlove on drums, forget about it. Charlie Hunter destroying bass and guitar duties on a tune. If you are a fan of soul music and do not have this album, take 2 steps back and go fuck yourself. Then get it, listen to it, and thank me later. “Devils Pie”, puts such a nice dip in your hip. If this album doesn’t make you feel good and I mean good, then go directly to the hospital, turn and cough.
THE SLUDGELORD: Album that most disappointed you?
I have been disappointed by albums, but being older, I hear different things that now make sense. I am a bit of an impatient fuck so I either like or hate things quickly. Take a few of the Queens of the Stone Agealbums, I was far from in love with them, however, after hearing a few tunes live, I went back to listen to the albums and they moved me in a way that did not initially happen. I also feel I need to be in the correct head-space when listening to music that I am hitting for the maiden voyage. I am sure there are a few albums that have dealt me an awful auditory experience but they are probs kept right next to the Linda Ronstadt file in my mind.
THE SLUDGELORD: Favourite album of all time or if you prefer album (s) you’d run back into a burning building to rescue
Stevie Wonder, “Innervisions” (1973)
Allman Brothers, “Live at the Fillmore East”
Beach Boys, “Pet Sounds”
These three works are musical diamonds in my world. They for me, depict what is beautiful about music and why it is a necessity in everyday life. From the opening synth line in, “Too High” to the guitar hierarchy on “Don’t keep me wondering” and the delicious harmonies on every song on “Pet Sounds”, sparks an immense physical and emotional flame that has always burned. I could wax poetically about these albums but I think the best thing for people to do is to listen to them. If you dig it, wonderful, if not, go back to the stuff you love and that brings you joy, heartache, and triumph all in one sonic blast.
THE SLUDGELORD: Favourite album (s) of 2018?
Sleep, “The Sciences” (2018)
Holy fuck is this a beast of an album. The guitar tones alone make me want to arm bar someone. This triumvirate have put together a musical piece so tasty that it needs to be blared on stadium PA’s and out of car stereos while doing 95 in a 15 mph zone. The bass tone is so right on and deviant that it literally drove my car the other day. The low end, held the steering wheel and ushered me home, as if I was in a golden chariot, a la Ben Hur. Drums, oh mamma. The pocket laid out is so infectious and thus, this is why I so dig this album. Thus, you are immediately drawn to the one, your head bobs while others weave. Put the mix together and it is a perfect meal of fulfilling musicality. It tastes so good, it sounds like more.
THE SLUDGELORD:..And finally The last album you bought?
Arctic Monkeys, “Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino” (2018)
I enjoy every song on this album as it is a very mature, concept based piece that embodies many influences in a proper way. It is well layered instrumentally and vocally possesses an infectious clarity and harmonious jaunt. It reminds me of an album that was tracked with candles on, bottles of merlot strung about the room and 3 footers strategically placed for the immediate purification of the air and dendrites. “Four out of Five” is my favorite track. The chorus is so…
Gozu’s new record “Equilibrium” is out now and available HERE
ENSLAVED's latest album, "E", was released last October via Nuclear Blast. The follow-up to 2015's "In Times" was recorded at Duper & Solslottet Studios in Bergen and was once again mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studiosin Örebro, Sweden.
ENSLAVED are currently on the road in support of “E” undertaking a co-headline European tour with riff masters HIGH ON FIRE. The string of dates started in late September and will run through to mid-October, 14 shows across seven countries. Following two UK headlining shows in Milton Keynes and Leeds, ENSLAVEDwill take in the following shows below: Oct. 08 - Academy 2, Manchester, UK Oct. 09 - Tivoli, Dublin, IRE Oct. 10 - Limelight 2, Belfast, UK Oct. 12 - The Mill, Birmingham, UK Oct. 14 - SWX, Bristol, UK Oct. 15 - The Dome, London, UK Oct. 16 - La Machine du Moulin Rouge, Paris, FR
During a break in between touring, we were fortunate to hook up with ENSLAVEDsongwriter and guitarist Ivar Bjørnson to discuss some of his favourite records. Welcome to Records of their Years…
SLUDGELORD: Favourite album from the year you were born?
Ivar: 1981 - it’s got to be ‘Animals’ by Pink Floyd. It’s such a wonderful album with such a great mythology around the cover artwork, surrounding the flying pig above the factory and how it broke loose. It ended up in some, I think Welsh farmer’s field? He found a name tag on it and returned it. When they did the next shoot for the album they had some local posh dudes with shotguns hanging around, just in case the pig broke loose so they could shoot it down.Just the music on the record is incredible, like the songs ‘Sheep’, ‘Dogs’, ‘Pigs…’ it’s amazing. I know with Pink Floyd there’s other albums that tend to get mentioned more, but ‘Animals’ is a big one, a really important one.
I first heard the album when I was about to turn 11 years old. At some point during the year when I was 10, my dad told me that when I turned 11, he would hand over his entire vinyl collection to me. Around ’87 many of his friends started getting rid of their LPs and buying CDs, you know. Many of his friends threw their LPs out or gave them to pawn shops, second-hand stores or charity shops. Luckily for me, he had a moment of clarity and thought - ‘at least the Pink Floyd albums gotta keep on going, so I’m going to give them to my son.’ I remember listening through the collection and listening to ‘Animals’, and it was really an eye opener. It was quite a lot to take in for an 11 year old, but I had already been listening to ‘Wish You Were Here’ and ‘Another Brick in The Wall’ quite a lot, and some of the stuff from ‘The Dark Side of The Moon’. But there was something about ‘Animals’ that has been following me ever since.
SLUDGELORD: The first record you bought with your own money?
Ivar: The first record I bought with my own money wasEurope‘The Final Countdown’ I believe. I think it was at around the same time that I inherited my dad’sPink Floydcollection. I don’t know why I made that specific choice; I must have heard ‘The Final Countdown’ and it had an impact on me. No matter how cheesy that one is, it’s still a good song. I got hooked on it, and there are so many other good songs on that album. The circle was finally completed when I went and saw them play live at Sweden Rock festival in 2004. It’s still one of the best concerts I have ever seen. They’re a very underrated band because of ‘The Final Countdown’ thing. They have so much more to offer than that one track. They’re amazing instrumentalists, with an amazing singer, and quite an intellectual band I would say actually, when you read their interviews and hear what they have to say about what’s going on in their minds behind all of these heavy metal classics.
SLUDGELORD: Your Favourite Non-Metal, Non-Rock Album?
Ivar: That’s a tough one… I would say ‘Bitches Brew’ by Miles Davis. It’s a very psychedelic album, a weird album. When people said he had a psychedelic period, I was like ‘hmm what do they mean, it’s still jazz I guess?’ but when I listened to it closely I was like - ‘WOW, now that is something really different’. And it opened my eyes to a lot of jazz from that time, the fusion that was going on from that sort of pure jazz, that lead into something so wild and psychedelic. I guess it was sort of around the same time when rock music went into the psychedelic era, but it just feels like the jazz people got even more out of it in a sense.
SLUDGELORD: The Album that most disappointed you?
Ivar: That would beW.A.S.P ‘The Last Command’ – it came about quite early in my days as a record collector. Everyone was talking aboutW.A.S.P, and about how fantastic they were and so on. EVERYONE. I guess that I’m talking about the 3 other kids where I lived who were into heavy metal. I bought the record and I kind of liked the title song for a little while, but then I listened to more of it… Nowadays it’s okay to not likeW.A.S.P, but I lived through many years where people would really give me shit for thinkingW.A.S.Pwere crap. I guess it helps that Blackie Lawless started acting weird, and not being so nice to people. But I’ve said it for 30 years now; they’re not a good band. SLUDGELORD: Favourite album of all time or if you prefer album (s) you’d run back into a burning building to rescue
Ivar: If the building was on fire I would make sure that I grabbed from my vinyl shelves;Pink Floyd’s ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’,Mayhem’s‘De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas’,Bathory’s ‘Hammerheart’ and King Crimson’s‘In the Court of the Crimson King’. Those defined me when all else was lost, those four albums would be the perfect soundtrack for a new start. SLUDGELORD: Favourite album (s) of 2018?
Ivar:Krakow ‘minus’.
SLUDGELORD: The last album you bought?
Ivar: Emmerhoff and the Melancholy Babies ‘Circle Six’ (on vinyl).
Enslaved’s latest album ‘E’ is out now via Nuclear Blast, available HERE.
The third edition of Psycho Las Vegas hit the jackpot with those that attended the 4-day bacchanal recently. Dozens of bands from both the United States and abroad descended on Sin City, more specifically, the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino to perform, party and partake in other sinful delights. One of those bands, Wolvhammer, sat down with THE SLUDGELORD to discuss Psycho Las Vegas, what they’re up to and what’s next for them.
SLUDGELORD: I'm here with Wolvhammer and they're playing Psycho Las Vegas tonight at...
Adam: 8:30 on the Vinyl Stage.
SLUDGELORD: So, what do you guys think of Psycho Las Vegas so far?
Adam: Amazing. I've always heard really good things about the festival, so it was really, really awesome for us to get asked to do it, and a lot of friends here and shit, so I'm looking forward to it.
Gary: We've been running into people left, right and center, hanging out, having a great time so far. Bunch of great bands we get to go watch, you know. It'll be fun.
SLUDGELORD: Cool, and how long are you guys sticking around in Vegas and what do you plan to do while you're here?
Adam: I actually fly out tomorrow. It's my birthday tomorrow, so I'm going home to hang out with my girlfriend. But, yeah, these guys will be here all weekend.
Adam: Yeah, John, Garrett are all going to be here watching bands, hanging out, and then we're leaving Sunday night to go head back to Chicago.
SLUDGELORD: And you're going to Chicago and you're going to?
Adam: Minnesota.
SLUDGELORD: You're in Minneapolis?
Adam: Yeah, right outside Minneapolis.
SLUDGELORD: So, does anybody in the band gamble?
Gary: I won a hundred and eighteen bucks playing the Sharknado slots earlier this morning.
SLUDGELORD: Yeah? Is that what you play? You play the slots?
Gary: I mean, I play anything that strikes me, I like black jack. Video blackjack's good, but we're just sitting there, sat down, threw some money into it and couple spins in and it was just a hundred and eighteen bucks. It's like, "Time to leave!"
SLUDGELORD: How about you Adam?
Adam: I'm too frugal with my money.
SLUDGELORD: Ah, okay.
Adam: I spend money like stupidly enough as is I don't want to start gambling on top of it.
SLUDGELORD: Anybody else in the band play tables or anything like that?
Gary: I don't think so. I don't think anybody else really gambles. I like drinking and bad decision making.
SLUDGELORD: You're in the right place.
Gary: Put me in Vegas.
SLUDGELORD:Yeah. Have you been to Vegas before?
Gary: Oh, many times. I tour for a living outside of the band. Driving, doing merch, touring around, stuff like that with bands so I'm here fairly regularly. But this time we're here and I'm not having to actually like, you know, go do a different show and be there for eight, nine hours. So, having free time means that I spend a little bit sitting at the tables and the machines, you know?
SLUDGELORD: Cool, now what bands do you guys plan on checking out or have you checked out since you've been here?
Adam: I really want to see Homewrecker, Survive ...
Gary: Yeah. Eyehategod, High on Fire, definitely going to see them.
Adam: Of course, I want to see Danzigtomorrow but I'm flying home. I would love to see Godflesh.
Gary: Yeah, Godflesh is gonna to be great. I’ll make sure to take pictures for you.
Adam: Oh Yeah? Thank you! There's so many good bands on this so, I'm just again so excited they asked us to be a part of it.
SLUDGELORD: So I'm assuming it's your first time?
Gary: Yeah, it's our first time here.
SLUDGELORD: Didn't you guys roll through Phoenix a few weeks ago?
Gary: On our last tour yeah with Uada we did. We did that and it was like right towards the end, 'cause it ended in Texas.
SLUDGELORD: Now, you know what The Metal Archives are?
Adam: Yeah.
SLUDGELORD: So, they label you guys as blackened sludge metal. Do you think that's accurate?
Adam: The sludge thing has always been interesting to me, 'cause like, when the band first started, before I was in it, I feel like it had a lot more of that sound going on, but like ever since I've been in the band, I don't really think we do anything that I would personally put in like the sludge genre. I think it's just because we play kinda slowly, sometimes? It's like a lazy label to just throw at it because we play somewhat slower tempos. I don't really think it's sludge influenced at all, personally, but I mean, if that's what people hear, you know. I get it.
Gary: On the new record, there's more crust stuff than there is sludge stuff, so by that it's black and crust, black and whatever, but I mean there's just some slow parts but I wouldn't necessarily call that sludgy either. Not in the sense of New Orleans sludge or anything like that so ...
Adam: That's a tag that's followed the band for ages.
SLUDGELORD: Yeah, if it's on that, that's almost the bible of heavy bands for the most part, people know what they're doing, they're usually hitting that site first. It personally gives me a baseline, who's in the band? How many albums do they have out, and what the general description is.
Adam: Yeah, I definitely go to that website quite a bit.
Gary: Same.
SLUDGELORD: For me, when I research bands, I always hit that site. But, like I said, I've listened to you guys before and I was like...sludge? Really???
Adam: Like I never got an Eyehategod vibe from our music.
Nikos Mixas (c)
SLUDGELORD: So yeah, that's interesting, since you mentioned the new album, how's the latest album "The Monuments of Ash and Bone" been received, so far to your knowledge?
Adam: I mean, the press for it has been great so far. I wish with my scheduling right now, with two bands dropping records pretty close, it's been hard for me to balance schedules. This is the first time I've played shows on the record cycle so far with these guys. I'm really stoked about the record though. I think it's, I know it's stereotypical to say but, It's the best thing we've done, and I'm just excited that it's finally out and the press has been awesome so far.
SLUDGELORD: You guys toured with Taake in 2015? Right? So what is your take or opinion of them having to cancel their U.S. tour, earlier this year.
Adam: See, I don't really know what happened with that, the only thing that was interesting to me was Metal Sucks, kinda like the charge on doing what they do or whatever on the internet, and talking about all this shit that the singer had done in the past. But what was really hypocritical to me is when we did that tour, Metal Sucks was actually like the head sponsor on that tour. It was Metal Sucks presents Taake& Wolvhammer.
Gary: And for those events they're trying to get 'em shut down for too, like years before that, and they said "Oh that we talked to 'em, we knew they're not these kind of people, and there's posts of it, people have screenshots of it and everything where they're defending them, and then they get a tour shutdown and it's like, well, there wasn't a time machine, the events took place before that tour, it was fine to analyze it then, not fine now.
Adam: Yeah and it's not like I can get behind what he did or anything but like I got to spend a month with those guys and I never got any vibe like that from them at all.
Adam: So it was disheartening to see the fact that they had like a really nice tour, really cool package just getting shut down over some bullshit.
SLUDGELORD: And the dates fell too, cities like New York, Chicago, and then the rest of them?
Adam: They just went and, it's unfortunate but it's the climate we live in and, I understand but, It's just unfortunate. 'Cause they're good people. Like, I know them pretty well. It's just a bunch of bullshit to me.
SLUDGELORD: And what do you think about the overall state of heavy music?
Adam: I mean, there's a lot of good bands out, good records coming out, for sure. I've been a nerd about metal and punk music since I was a little kid so.
SLUDGELORD: So you remember when the bottom dropped out?
Adam: Oh yeah.
SLUDGELORD: When it came back, and how it came back?
Adam: For sure. Yeah, it's huge right now which is great, and when I was in Europe you know, you see there's so much more respect I feel like over there for heavy music, and you know, you can get festivals everywhere and then the states, this is pretty much besides Maryland Deathfest, the big one. So, it's nice to see it on the rise.
Gary: Good to see U.S. festivals if you can go to with great lineups and then you'll actually have people come out and you know the festivals will do well, and you don't have to worry about it. In Europe it does seem there's more of a respect for it, cause you end up with these festivals that are just 60, 70, 80 thousand people going to see a bunch of heavy metal bands and, turns out well it's always the holy grail of festivals in Europe. You wanna go over there and play, cause you get to see it and it's just this whole massive undertaking for the course of three days, just so you can have a bunch of kids come together and you know, adults too but like, watch heavy bands and that's it. Nothing else, just get together and have a good time.
SLUDGELORD: You guys are currently on tour right now?
Adam: Technically yeah, but this is our last day. We played at three shows just to get down here so that we could do this.
SLUDGELORD: Alright, so it's a kind of like mini tour.
Adam: Yeah, yeah.
SLUDGELORD: How was it so far?
Adam: It was great man, our new fill in guitar player Jarrett Pritchard has been absolutely killing it, so, I have no complaints at all. I think we sound great.
SLIUDGELORD: Are you the writer for the guitars?
Adam: No. Oh that was Jeff Wilson.
SLUDGELORD: Okay, did he do the album? Did he do a little of the tracks?
Adam: Yup.
SLUDGELORD: Is he an old school metal head?
Adam: Yeah.
SLUDGELORD: Does he like Possessed?
Adam: Oh yeah, for sure.
SLUDGELORD: I know. You know how I know? 'Cause he's using the same effects like Larry LaLonde, that echo sound on, I forgot what song, it's like the third song on the album that you guys did. There's a solo in there, and I'm like, that dude, that sounds like Possessed. That effect that he used is on there.
Adam: Is that "Call Me Dead"?
SLUDGELORD: I think it is.
Adam: So that would actually be the guy who's filling in for us right now, Jarrett, He's the guy that did the solo on that song.
SLUDGELORD: Did he?
Adam: Yeah.
SLUDGELORD: 'Cause, that echo that he uses, sounds just like the Larry LaLonde echo, like when he played for Possessed. Possessed is one of my favorite bands so that's why I caught it right away, I was like "wow, like no one's doing that right now".
Adam: Yeah, Jarrett an old school Florida death metal dude so he played in the band "Eulogy".
Gary: That was all Jarrett's bag. He wrote all the stuff Eulogy and had him out on with us great so that just can see, engineered, and you know, played on the record, did solos, all that, helped record the record, so, having he already knows the material intimately, and now he's out here playing shows with us so, awesome.
SLUDGELORD: Now, are there any more festival dates on the horizon for you guys?
Adam: Not at the moment but I hope so. 'Cause I love playing festivals. And I just want to get Wolvhammer in front of bigger crowds. So I really am open to it of course, I would love to do Maryland Deathfest.
SLUDGELORD: If you had to pick one in Europe, which one would it be?
Gary: Ooh, I mean, I don't know if we would fit but, I'd love ... Oh, that is hard. We would do Brutal Assault.
Adam: Yeah, Party San is cool.
Gary: The obligatory Hellfest is one.
Adam: Summer Breeze.
Gary: Wacken, man there's....
Adam: Any of 'em!
Gary: Yeah!
SLUDGELORD: Well, if you had to pick one...
Gary: Personally, I would love to do Obscene Extreme but that's just because I wanna see all the bands that are at Obscene Extreme every year
Adam: Yeah, Czech republic.
Gary: Oh I love it there, it's wonderful.
Adam: Dude, I love that place.
Gary: Yeah, but.
Gary: I dunno how well we'd go over there but, hell I'll do it.
SLUDGELORD: And then, what's next on the horizon for Wolvhammer after this little segment is over?
Adam: I think we're gonna start working on new material for a new record, I'm pretty booked up 'til the end of the year with the Skeleton Witch. So, any touring will probably have to happen like early 2019, but.
Gary: He's got Skeleton Witch, I know I've got tours booked after the end of the year so anything we do is gonna have to be at the earliest, early next year.
Adam: I think the main goal is to hunker down and start working on new material so, just take it from there and see what happens. If anything comes up offer wise, yeah, we'll jump on it.
Gary: Of course there's always bands that you can get an offer from. You figure out how to make that shit work.
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