Carnage causing metalers DevilDriver from California have just announced their return to Australian shores in May to promote their 2011 album Beast, which is self-explanatory in description. After winding up the Soundwave Festival with his other outfit Coal Chamber, vocalist Dez Fafara has returned to his band of brothers in DevilDriver on a tour bus throughout USA. We had a chat while he was on the road.
DevilDriver and Coal Chamber have now toured Australia separately, Dez outlines the difference between the two experiences: “Yeah, it’s two totally different animals. I mean not to mention the music is so different, the people are so different. The one common denominator is that Australia’s always rockin’. The shows are really great, so I keep comin’ down.”
With direct supports Six Feet Under announced only weeks ago for the upcoming DevilDriver Australian tour, it turns out Dez had some logistical play. “Well, we started the tour — this tour we’re on now — a while ago. Chris Barnes [Six Feet Under] and I were hanging out the back lounge for about four hours and he said he hadn’t been down to Australia in ten years. I told him to check it out, we sent out a tweet and AJ [Maddah, Soundwave promoter], a real close family friend, hit me back and said, ‘Hey call me I got an idea’. So I called him, put Chris on the phone and we worked out that night that we’re comin’ down with Six Feet. I would say that I am a matchmaker,” he laughs. “I’d say I’m instrumental in having them come down.”
With a reputation for endorsing the biggest circle pits in history, DevilDriver still know where to draw the line and utilise their power onstage. Dez has had to stop shows before when the crowd have become too out of control. “You know we want to make sure that everyone takes care of each other in the spirit of camaraderie. I believe one hundred per cent that it’s always important to keep people’s health and safety in mind. One of the most important forefront things, you know?”
DevilDriver have been dropping albums of an incredibly high calibre over the past decade with never more than a two year gap in between. This is generally a reasonable timeframe for the fans compared to some artists who leave many years in between releases. “I believe that two years is a really long time to make people wait but that’s about the quickest that we can get out new music. I think the future should be about going into recording 24 songs and releasing two songs a month for two years. Now that would be fair.”
As I acknowledged the strong efforts for a quick turnover of albums released, Dez justified it with a simple explanation of the production process. “The collaboration begins when we all start writing. They send me some tunes, I download some vocals and give it them. When it comes to where we are going to go and what styles and what songs are going to make the record I like to keep it pretty democratic you know.”
The production of an album can be a long process but the end product reflects strong results when done correctly. One of tracks on DevilDriver’s latest album Beast is called “Shitlist”.
“It’s a saying that goes around the camp, you know,” explains Dez. “Don’t invite that person on the ‘shitlist’ don’t bring that person; so I thought that definitely has to be song, I’ve been using that word for several years. Everybody’s got someone on their shitlist.”
Part of touring a new album is choosing the new tracks which will mould in well with the older tracks for the touring setlist. “Well, I think, you know when you’re writing a song whether it’s going to go well live or not. That being said you also have the chance to test songs you’re not sure will go well live or not. Guess you got to decide which tracks are going to groove or not live. Right now, we have five records; we’re playing two songs off Beast and playing around 3 songs off each record.”
Dez reckons if you’re going to see DevilDriver, this is what you can expect: “Total energy. I mean we’re doing a great package. We’re going to play a bunch of songs we’ve never played live. So there’s going to be some different stuff for the Australian fans. It’s going to be a good time and overall I’m really excited for this tour, man.”
DevilDriver tour Australia in May with support from Six Feet Under and Darkest Hour. Beast is out now on Roadrunner.
