For starters, what bands were you each a part of prior to Devanation? How long has the band been around?
Craig & myself were in Defiler for a few years. Jesse was in Heart of A Warrior, and we've basically been best friends forever so it just made sense.
For the record, what is the status of Defiler?
The best way to put it is "dormant." At this point it's uncertain whether or not Defiler will return. I gained amazing memories and friends thanks to Defiler, but because of the way that I built that band, I just felt like I was backed into a corner stylistically. My heart was going in another direction, man.
What’s the origin of that name, and have you changed the band’s name before?
Devanation was kinda inspired by the current state of the world, which, in my opinion, is like a really sad joke that everyone wants to laugh at, but they just sigh instead. Devastated nation - Devanation.
Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs, and do you think these topics will change over time?
I wrote the majority of the album - Craig wrote basically all of the drums, but besides that, this is a concept album that I've been writing since 2011. It follows a man on his journey through a parallel dimension, and if we're able to, I'd love to put out either a short story or film to accompany the album. It's been a lot of fun to put all of the pieces together over the past few years.
Do you remember what you were listening to when you were writing the record?
There's no way I could pinpoint what I was listening to, because I've been writing the album for so long. But I listen to everything, bro. I was much more inspired by rock bands than metal, to be honest. I'm just a sucker for a huge dick swingin hard rock chorus. Hahaha
Are there certain songwriters that you’d like to emulate? Just in the way they write their lyrics, you know?
I wouldn't say that I'm necessarily trying to emulate or bite anyone's style, but I think because of the fact that this is a concept album, I listened to a lot of Coheed and Cambria (because Claudio's a god-tier storyteller) and the double Stone Sour work, HoGaB. It kinda helped me figure out how to say what I wanted to say a little better.
Out of all the lyrics you’ve done during the years, which are the best lyrics you have done in your opinion? Favorite lyric from the EP?
I'd still have to say that Nuclear Anomaly is my favorite song I've ever written, lyrically. It was about letting go of everything that plagued me when I was a kid and I still appreciate it. On the EP, my favorite lyrics are the entirety of the Spark, for sure. That song was originally an anniversary present for my ex (LOL), so when it came time to piece the story together, I changed around some of the lyrics and now the song has a totally new meaning. I love it.
Are there any references to video games this time around?
There's only one, because of the concept album thing - I never wanted to deviate from the story, so it's just the song title of track 10 - Sharp's Curse.
Did you record the screams line by line? Similar to this video when you were in Defiler.
Actually this time, I challenged myself to record as much screaming at once as I could. It wasn't about sounding "perfect" to me, it was more about the intensity and the emotion that I was trying to convey, which is difficult to accomplish when you stop recording every 4 seconds. The song "Legacy" is actually only like, 3 takes, and then layers on top of that.
What bands are currently inspiring the music that you’re making?
I can't really say I'm inspired solely by any artists, because I'm inspired by life altogether. Music, movies, games, nature, anything that piques my interest. BUT, lately I've been jamming Lindemann, Thy Art Is Murder, the new 5FDP joint, the new Disturbed album - there's a lot of good rock and metal coming out this year.
What made you start wearing make up/uniforms? Are you afraid people will think it's a gimmick?
The makeup was because I have a lot of respect for artists who go the extra mile to bring the "theatrics" element to their craft - Slipknot, Mudvayne, Mushroomhead, hell even Jeremy from Death Punch dresses like a skeleton on tour. I couldn't really give any less of a shit if people think it's a gimmick, honestly. I know why I'm doing it and that's good enough for me. The makeup isn't permanent, though. The next song + video we release, it will be different.
How would you say you’ve grown as a musician just from the time-span between starting Defiler and present day?
It's like night and day, man. When I started writing music (which was around the time Defiler started) I didn't know what the hell I was doing. Now I know how to actually structure songs and put shit together. That's another reason I wanted to start a new band - this album is, in my opinion, a colossal difference in terms of songwriting and composition than anything else I've ever done.
What's the most interesting thing about you that has never been revealed in an interview before?
I don't think I'm all that interesting. I spend an incredible amount of time in solitude - I'm always hiking by myself, playing video games or writing music. When I'm with my close friends we don't really go out much. It's not that I don't like meeting people or going out, I'm just happy with who I am and who I surround myself with, so I don't feel the need to spice things up, I guess.
At this point in your career, is there any uncharted territory that you haven't been able to get to yet?
Oh dude, I wanna play Download, Wacken, all the huge festivals, I want to play the Middle East and Siberia, I haven't done an eighth of the shit I wanna do. I've only scratched the surface. And I'll do whatever it takes to turn these from dreams into memories.
An exclusive look into the recording process and inspiration for the upcoming debut album by Devanation.