Artist
Righteous Vendetta is a metalcore band out of Wyoming. The band released their latest album, The Fire Inside, last year. Currently the group is on the road with (hed) p.e. and Smile Empty Soul. Below, the band contributes the third in a series of guest blogs.
With the extensive amount of time we spend driving, it honestly is a straight up miracle we don't have more close calls with collisions. It's the thing our family and loved ones worry about every night and day. It is obviously a risk that is just accepted when coming into a life of touring. Even though we have been very blessed with safety in our last five years, we have had our fair share of butt-clinchers that almost sent the ol' white Vandetta into a fiery rolling inferno, and the latest just happened this last week.
We were on our way to Flint, Michigan, to play the legendary Machine Shop, a sold out show with (hed) p.e. and Smile Empty Soul, driving our trusty 40-foot long Sprinter/trailer combo. As always, the road is just completely littered with semis, most either going way too fast or way too slow. Our vocalist Ryan was driving and I was sitting shotgun, and we were in the left passing lane ,slowly making our way past the slow-moving vehicles. I soon realize there is a semi passing us in the right lane and he is intently staring at us. This man was sporting a glorious grey flat-top haircut which I like to call "The Top Shelf," along with a handlebar mustache so thick that guy could be mistaken for a for a motorcycle. He stared at us until his vision was blocked by the back of his truck, and continued on at his steady slow speed, inching in front of us. His trailer was about two feet from clearing the front of Sprinter when he decided to very abruptly switch lanes to get past the semi in front of him with complete disregard of our vehicle, forcing us to slam our brakes just to even have a chance to avoid any sort of collision. Then, as to be expected, he picked his speed up to 80 and sped off to avoid having to deal with the fact he almost caused a massive interstate collision.
After we regained composure, we knew that there was no way we were going to let this guy get away with being so reckless for the sake of all the other drivers he would be sharing the road with. We picked up our speed to 85 and set off after him, knowing good and well that he would see us coming up behind him. Once we gained some ground on him, our first goal was to make it very obvious to him that we were taking pictures of all the numbers on his vehicle, from the back of the trailer to the front of the cab. We have our phones out pointing towards his vehicle snapping photos and then got right up next to his window where I took a picture of him. Somehow, this triggered something in him that gave him the idea that he needed to report us for something. So as we are driving right next to him, he pulls down a notebook, and points at us as he is looking for our license plate as to tell us, "You guys are in for it now." The whole time he is writing down our information, we couldn't help but laugh and picture how the conversation would go when he calls us in to tell the police we were getting his information after he almost ran us off the road.
Once we get everything we needed, we called the company he worked for and reported the trailer number. They informed us that they had absolutely no tolerance for behavior like that, and that they would handle the situation accordingly. I can only imagine how quickly they got a hold of this driver, possibly while he was still on the phone trying to report us for almost dying at his hand. As simple of a task as it was, there was an overwhelming feeling of success—like we just won an intense battle. There is only one word that can describe all of the events that occurred, and this word we will wear as a medal of achievement.
Justice.
Righteous Vendetta is a metalcore band out of Wyoming. The band released their latest album, The Fire Inside, last year. Currently the group is on the road with (hed) p.e. and Smile Empty Soul. Below, the band contributes the second in a series of guest blogs.
We just finished our first SXSW experience, and anyone who has ever been to it knows that if you don't know what you're doing, you're screwed. First things first, we want to send our prayers to all those involved in the tragedy that occurred. We spent most of our time there with heavy hearts, knowing that everything could've been avoided by simple responsibility.
Now at SXSW, if you don't get into the designated parking sections by 10 a.m., you cannot under any circumstances, get in to unload your gear. We had to pick up our Sprinter from the shop and we figured as long as we left ourselves two hours before we played to unload everything and get setup, we would be fine. Well, we weren't aware of the 10 a.m. rule until well after 10 a.m., and all of the exits were closed as well as the streets. Half our band was at the venue already, but we couldn't get within two blocks to unload our gear. Time was running out, so we pulled our tried and true "act like you're broken down in the middle of the street with the hazards on while everyone throws our gear onto the sidewalk." Once we dumped all the gear, the rest of the band got to work walking the gear two to three blocks to the venue.
As they were slaving away, I frantically took off to find a parking spot. After 10 minutes with no luck and two miles from the venue, Ryan called me and said we play in 15 minutes. I told him to make sure the gear was semi-organized as I cranked into a pay-to-park lot. I figured a ticket would be better than missing this show. I locked it up and began sprinting down the street. Thankfully, halfway there, I got a call telling me the schedule was switched and we didn't play for two hours. Everything after that went perfectly smooth and the rest of our experience there was great. Moral of the story is, prepare yourself for your first experience at SXSW, because it will likely be the most stressful experience of your band's career if you don't!
Until next year, SXSW!
Righteous Vendetta is a metalcore band out of Wyoming. The band released their latest album, The Fire Inside, last year. Currently the group is on the road with (hed) p.e. and Smile Empty Soul. Below, the band contributes the first in a series of guest blogs.
Hey guys, this is Righteous Vendetta checking in from the road. We are chilling at the Elbow Room here in Wichita, KS and we are glad to finally be out of -20 degree weather and 4 feet of snow. You'd think we would be used to stuff like this being a bunch of dumb kids from Wyoming and Montana, but it instantly becomes much more stressful when all of our gear and our tour rig are in jeopardy. Winter is not a fun time to tour.
We have started this year off hard, kicking it off at NAMM 2014 right into a month-long tour with the mighty American Head Charge and our friends in Cathercist. We just completed that tour with the last show being in St. Cloud, MN where there was a -35 degree windchill. From there, we started the tour we are currently on with Blue Felix. We love the smaller tours like this because the venues are much more intimate, and it makes for some great crowd interaction. After tonight, we will be hitting up SXSW to join the stage with some bands we have toured with in the last eight months: (hed) p.e. and Smile Empty Soul. This tour will last the remainder of the month, so check out our tour dates at www.righteousvendetta.com and catch a show!
P.S.: We have very important information for touring bands. When you play Sioux City, IA, go to La Juanita Mexican Restaurant. There are $1.25 steak and fish tacos that will instantly ruin your insides in the best way possible. It is a MUST! You'll love it, we promise.
It's been over a decade since Taking Back Sunday released their debut, Tell All Friends, but you wouldn't guess that from listening to their sixth album, Happiness Is. The second release from TBS' reunited original lineup sees them getting their groove back via everything from upbeat anthems such as "Stood a Chance" to catchy compositions like "Flicker, Fade" and acoustic closer "Nothing at All." However, maybe most satisfying is the way enigmatic frontman Adam Lazzara gets personal on the love song "Like You Do," proving that you can be emotional without relying on emo clichés—even if you helped popularize them. JONAH BAYER
Check out "Flicker, Fade" off Happiness Is below:
Mark Hunter is the vocalist and founding member of Cleveland metal act Chimaira. For more than a decade, Chimaira has been imposing its gravity on the metal community by continually touring the globe and selling more than a million albums worldwide. Their brand of heavy music has evolved and transcended both itself and the trends while maintaining its persistent, bludgeoning force. The band released its newest album, Crown of Phantoms, last year. Watch the video for "Wrapped in Violence" at the bottom of this post.
gratitude |grat-i-tood|
"Gratitude is one of the least articulate of the emotions, especially when it is deep." –Felix Frankfurter
Until recently the word "gratitude" was not part of my daily vocabulary. Other than singing along to a Beastie Boys song, I barely expressed it. I'm not sure why exactly, because deep down I certainly felt it.
Between projects, deadlines, and touring, it's easy to lose track of time and get caught up in everything but gratitude.
It's also common for artists to be picky and see flaws. Darkness makes great product.
But I'd go a little too far down the rabbit hole becoming irritable and unbearable.
Nothing seemed to be good enough. How could I be grateful if I felt I hadn't succeeded?
Blind.
We can also include that musicians lead a life that tends to be on the spoiled side. We are flown around the world, paid to do so and fed well. We are put on a pedestal of sorts and praised in a way Kings were in ancient times. When I come home, I'm just some dude. When I was younger, it was hard to see that reality and understand that paradigm.
When Chimaira went through the darkest of times, it was brought to my attention by bandmates that I didn't seem as though I appreciated things. As this couldn't be further from the truth, I definitely didn't know how to articulate it and I'm thankful it was brought to my attention. I also spent a lot of time looking at our failures and unfortunately, it's all I saw.
When the lineup started to fall apart things got real dark.
The past couple years have been drastically different. Chimaira are doing well—better than in a long while. I've started a coaching career that's picking up. Those closest to me are in the best health they've been since I've known them. I have a lot to be grateful for. The biggest change is that I'm more cognizant of my surroundings and emotions. I'm more aware.
At the start of 2014, I started to document the things I am grateful for on a daily basis. It's part of my routine. I start and end my days writing about gratitude. There are no rules.
One day I was grateful that I was able to find Police Squad episodes on YouTube. Ridiculous.
What I've noticed from this hack is an ability to see the bigger picture much faster, and I'm able to appreciate in real time instead of way after the fact. I also notice an overall consistent positive mood throughout the day. Calmness increased. Dealing with extremely stressful situations is straightforward.
An expert in the field of gratitude and my source of inspiration is UJ Ramdas, a hypnotherapist that co-authored the book The Five Minute Journal. I discovered UJ on the Bulletproof Podcast and was inspired by the conversation. By keeping track and answering the questions in the journal, you have an advantage to take charge of your emotions like never before.
Along with gratitude The Five Minute Journal puts an emphasis on daily goals and how you can approach them. The reward that comes along with achieving short term goals is highly beneficial. You raise dopamine in the body, and that makes you feel awesome. Party.
I'm not a P.M.A. preacher, or a book salesmen, and I find a healthy dose of pessimism to be beneficial, but there is scientific evidence that shows positive thinking can increase longevity, reduce depression, and lower stress. While there's no rhyme or reason to it, the fact of the matter is positivity works.
It might sound a tad hippie but focusing on gratitude has had a profound effect on my personal life, strengthened my relationships, and helped my businesses grow. It's not a magic wand, but it does help make each day more enjoyable. Writing it down is key.
Here is an excerpt from one of my days in Mexico earlier this year-
3 Amazing things that happened today:
1. Climbed an ancient pyramid
2. Met interesting fans that made killer artwork
3. Stayed in an epic hotel and got to make food for the band
The next day in Guadalajara we were robbed. Yin-Yang I suppose. Finding anything "amazing" that day was rather difficult, but I made it happen.
1. We are safe
2. We bonded and came together despite thieving fuckery
3. Thankful for my life at home and supportive family
Taking the time to bring in positivity helped me stay sane in an otherwise insane moment. I'm extremely grateful I was with a group of people who supported one another. We wound up playing the show that night. The show would have been number 4 on the list. The fans certainly brought the band's spirit up, albeit temporarily.
I find travel brings out a deeper appreciation for life. After Mexico, I was thankful beyond words for having been raised in a safe environment. Some of those folks down there have it rough. It's extremely humbling if you allow it be.
The founder of Buddhism, Siddhartha, traveled outside the comforts of his palace to witness suffering for the first time. I understand the philosophy behind this aspect of his enlightenment.
Coming from a comfortable suburb, walking the streets of an extremely poor country definitely changes you.
It's easy to focus on the negative. So easy that it becomes boring. Try your best not to let it consume you. While noticing it is okay, it's what you do with it that matters.
Take a minute and reflect.
What are you grateful for?
TL;DR: Spoiled musician sees the error in his ways through gratitude.
Thanks for reading.
www.markhunter.net
www.facebook.com/crom77
www.twitter.com/chimairamark
Chris Krovatin is the author of three young adult novels, Heavy Metal & You, Venomous, and Gravediggers: Mountain of Bones. He is currently working on multiple new writing projects, as well as new material with his local New York metal band Flaming Tusk. He is a contributing writer for Revolver and generally comes off as a good-natured pain in everyone's collective ass. This column represents his opinions–and probably only his opinions.
First things first, an announcement: if Slayer win the Revolver Golden God Award for Most Dedicated Fans, I will get a Slayer tattoo. I will allow Revolver Readers to vote on which design I get, and I will post a video of me getting it. You can hold me to this. So Slayer fans: Get voting.
Let's take a look at the bands in the Most Dedicated Fans category of the Revolver Golden Gods. We have Pop-Punk Worshipping Something-Core, we have Metal's One-Time Brightest Hope Who Are Now Basically Nickelback, we have Jock Party, we have Unexceptional Screamo Band Named After An Exceptional Novel, we have The Taylor Momsen Runny Eyeliner Hour…and we have Slayer, the greatest extreme-metal band of all time. The fact that these other bands, and their fans, are up against Slayer, is absolutely ridiculous. We all know Slayer, and their legions of rabid followers, deserve this award.
But, as a noted metal journalist recently mentioned to me, it's the teeny-boppers who stay up all night clicking 'Vote' over and over again, and not all of them are as versed in Slayer as moi. So I figured I'd weigh in here and tell everyone, teeny-boppers, and old thrasher fucks alike, the Six Reasons Why Slayer Should Win The Most Dedicated Fans Award, and the Six Reasons Why These Other Bands Shouldn't.
The Six Reasons Why Slayer Should Win The Golden God For Most Dedicated Fans
- Slayer have been doing it forever: It's tough to gather a legion of dedicated fans. It's even tougher to be doing it for as many years as Slayer have been doing it. These guys have been firing up the masses for three-plus decades now, and remain kings within their field, with more fans signing on every year.
- Slayer fans have been dedicated without mainstream help: I've seen all of the other bands on this list featured on MTV and other major mainstream outlets. Until 2001's God Hates Us All, Slayer saw little to no mainstream music industry support. Their fanbase has remained dedicated in the underground, happy with the music and not needing any of the rock star glitz.
- Slayer fans are more rabid live than any of these fans: I've seen some of the bands listed above, and I've never, ever, seen a crowd at their shows go half as crazy as a Slayer crowd does. When Slayer fans hear Slayer, they put their very flesh and blood into it. Dedication is proven through rabid fandom, not the amount of merch or publicity a band has.
- Slayer fans do self-mutilation right: Slayer fans were cutting on camera before any other fans, and they weren't just marking their bodies, they were carving the Slayer logo into their arms and heads. And I bet there are more Slayer tattoos than there are tattoos for all of these bands combined. Spill the blood.
- Slayer's fanbase is solid the world over: Yes, American teens may prefer some of these bands over Slayer, but if you hosted two shows across from each other in any other country in the world, one featuring Slayer and one featuring any of these bands, we all know who'd have the larger crowd. Slayer's fans are dedicated worldwide. Slayer is the international language.
- They're fucking Slayer: Look at all the bands listed in this category. Which of them wrote Reign In Blood? What about South of Heaven and Seasons In The Abyss? Yeah, exactly.
The Six Reasons These Other Bands SHOULDN'T Win The Golden God For Most Dedicated Fans
- A Day To Remember: I know plenty of people who love this band, but I can't see them headlining Wacken. Fact of the matter is, A Day To Remember are a really solid opening band, across the board. The most dedicated fan bases are the ones that spread like wildfire.
- Avenged Sevenfold: This is the only band on this list who is truly in any way suited to stand up against Slayer. Their fan base is rabid, intense…but young, and changing. I know plenty of people who were massive A7X fans who fell off as the band went less metal, more hard rock. Give them another decade to solidify their presence further, and who knows. For now, Slayer wins.
- Five Finger Death Punch: See both entries above. Five Finger's fans are into them, but I've never seen them take charge of a truly massive crowd, and many of their fans I know like or dislike them from album to album. They just haven't proved they have the staying power that Slayer does.
- Of Mice & Men: I'll be perfectly honest, I don't know a goddamn thing about this band's fan base…and that's just the problem. Everyone knows that Slayer fans are crazily dedicated, because their displays of dedication to Slayer are so fucking nutty and over-the-top that they make the news. Of Mice & Men…well, they're emo-core, right? And they have hoodies? And folks, mostly younger emo-core fans, like them. I do know people like them. But that's about it.
- The Pretty Reckless: I guess someone must really like this band, because they're still around, but honestly, do you know anyone who's fucking bananas for The Pretty Reckless? Anyone who has multiple Pretty Reckless tattoos? The only time I ever hear about this band is in relation to their attractive singer. This one's filler, if you ask me.
- Slayer: The primary reason these other bands shouldn't beat Slayer for this award is that they are not Slayer, and their fans are not Slayer fans, and fucking SLAAAAAAYEEEEER.
Mark Hunter is the vocalist and founding member of Cleveland metal act Chimaira. For more than a decade, Chimaira has been imposing its gravity on the metal community by continually touring the globe and selling more than a million albums worldwide. Their brand of heavy music has evolved and transcended both itself and the trends while maintaining its persistent, bludgeoning force. The band released its newest album, Crown of Phantoms, last year. Watch the video for "All That's Left is Blood" at the bottom of this post.
Fear |'fir|
"I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer"–Frank Herbert
It was 2007 and there were over 60,000 screaming metalheads eager to lay waste to a mud-soaked field. This was the biggest show Chimaira would play to date. We were at the legendary Castle Donnington ready to rock Download, an annual slamboree in the U.K. that hosts the biggest and best of the genre. Heroes of ours like Metallica, Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath graced the same stage we were now standing on. We were stoked, to say the least.
Five minutes to show time and an anxious feeling wreaked havoc on my nervous system. I've experienced stage fright before, but what I was about to do was insane. This many people? Yikes. Commence dry heaves, frantic pacing and elevated pulse!
I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, when out of nowhere this unexplainable calm settled me. It felt as if gravity had been stripped from my skull. I was no longer the same person I was 10 seconds ago. The symptoms of anxiety disappeared and I was free from bodily stress, free of worry and all of my frantic behavior vanished. There was only one focused thought—destroy this crowd.
I've entered an altered state of consciousness and am now in battle mode. If I say, "Jump!"—I guarantee you will see 60,000 people jump. My confidence was that strong. How did I transform at the blink of an eye?
Had I failed to recognize the chemical signals as good stress, I would have let fear get the best of me and we wouldn't have played an epic show. It's possible that interpreting this as a panic attack would have induced one, causing a disaster of epic proportion.
Instead, I went with it and understood exactly what was happening to me. I had been this character hundreds of times, and this was no different.
How do entertainers, athletes, politicians and the like, get up and perform in front of all those people? Where does the confidence stem from? What are we channeling?
In my opinion, some of the biggest obstacles to overcome are ridding the mind of unnecessary fear, and replacing internal melodrama with courage. In "dude" terminology, it takes balls, but there is a little more to it.
Fear is a response to perceived threat. Note the word perceived. We'll get back to that later. Without fear, we would not be able to detect danger. We need it or we would not survive. Even though it's quite common to fear things like death, confined spaces, and the unknown, when we start letting fear swallow us whole, it's a problem. Like when the little things cloud the big picture.
Anyone can Google fear and come to understand that the limbic system and amygdala glands are responsible for our emotional response system. You can learn about flight or fight response, simple methods to better deal with fear etc., but when it comes down to it, every individual is different.
For me, it was learning how my body works and a bunch of trial and error, but at the end of the day it's mind over matter.
Whether you're a salesman tackling the corporate world, or the singer of a metal band corrupting the youth—the same part of the walnut shaped glob of crap in the middle of your head you call a brain is responsible for fear in all of us. What's important to note here is that anyone can conquer it. Animals sense fear, and I believe humans subconsciously do as well. If you walk into a job interview with a fear that you won't get hired, or you're negative, chances are you're going to continue collecting unemployment. Are you the type that says, "Bad shit always happens to me" and it does? While this isn't about the law of attraction, there is something to be said for the notion of creating your own phobias.
When facing fear try:
1. Deep concentrated breaths
2. Visualize victory over defeat
3. Tune out all distraction
4. Stay positive
5. Be in charge
If you take a moment to analyze the situation and take your feelings out of the mix, the situation will become clear as day and you will be able to let go of that paralyzing, self-inflicted fear.
The things we worry about hinder progress.
Lately, I've been using heart math and apps to monitor stress levels. I'm now able to detect when I'm in a reptilian state of mind or stressed state, and am able to get myself out of it quicker than ever before. I haven't had stage fright since my youth and when I walk on stage now, I'm extremely relaxed. I prefer a Zen state of mind.
Hopefully some of these tips can help the next time you're faced with an event that leads you to fear. Channel that inner sniper and stay in the zone.
Heading back on tour this week. If you're in the area, stop by and say hello!
01.30.14 - Worcester, MA - The Palladium
01.31.14 - Wilmington, DE - Mojo 13
02.01.14 - Poughkeepsie, NY - The Chance
02.03.14 - Springfield, VA - Empire
02.04.14 - Amityville, NY, Revolution
02.05.14 - Pittsburgh, PA - Altar Bar
02.06.14 - Reading, Pa - Reverb
02.07.14 - Jacksonville, NC - Hooligan's
02.08.14 - Fayetteville, NC - Drunk Horse
02.09.14 - Charlotte, NC - Tremont Music Hall
02.10.14 - Norfolk, VA - The Norva
02.11.14 - Knoxville, TN - NV Nightclub
02.12.14 - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade
02.14.14 - St. Petersburg, FL - State Theatre
02.15.14 - Pensacola, FL - Vinyl Music Hall
02.17.14 - Broussard, LA - The Station
02.18.14 - Shreveport, LA - Riverside Warehouse
02.19.14 - Tulsa, OK - Vanguard
02.21.14 - Kokomo, IN - Center Stage
02.22.14 - Louisville, KY - Diamond Pub
02.23.14 - Newport, KY - Thompson House
Mike Hranica is the frontman of metalcore act The Devil Wears Prada. Recently, Hranica wrote a short fictional book, Home for Grave, which you can purchase on his website. The Devil Wears Prada's most recent album, 8:18, was released earlier this fall. The band is currently on a headlining tour of the country and dates can be found here. Below, the vocalist and writer contributes the third in a series of guest blogs.
It seems that most people have a tendency to periodically segment their lives. Most often, one will hear folks categorize specific events as to when they were in college, or when they were single, or working a different job, or this, or that.
For the past six years, since the cessation of my time in high school and the commencement of full-time The Devil Wears Prada, I've sectioned everything into tours and record cycles.
Following the end of Warped Tour 2008, I got my dog, Marj.
Sweet Brag Tour acted as the predecessor to our third full length, With Roots Above and Branches Below, which is right before I moved to Chicago.
When we acted as direct support to Killswitch Engage (or Philswitch Engage), I made the decision to stop eating meat.
New relationships, new cities, new habits—all can be partitioned to that certain tour or that certain album.
I thoroughly inspected this inevitably monotonous process and "the tragedy of routine" while concocting the song and short story, Home for Grave. Nonetheless, not until recently did I realize that my own evolution and life span may be just as painfully mediocre as to that of "the normal man." While the steps I've taken and the means of categorization may be less ordinary than that of most, one would be blind to not notice the repetition.
2014 awaits. 8:18 will continue tour after tour, each with something new or a different story. It takes years to realize that it all tends to blend together from a distance. Although, I believe it is grace that acts as a beacon in what is to be remembered.
Jill Janus is the vocalist of heavy-metal act Huntress. The band released its sophomore album, Starbound Beast, earlier this year. Currently the group is on the road with Lamb of God, Killswitch Engage and Testament. Below, the vocalist contributes the final post in a series of guest blogs.
Hey Revolver!
I'm writing my final guest blog from Los Angeles, days after returning from tour. Huntress has just wrapped up our North American run with Lamb of God, Killswitch Engage and Testament. We're in LA for December, then we join forces again with Lamb of God overseas in January 2014 for a wintery tour in Europe/UK with Decapitated.
When tour ends, I always feel a little misplaced. The same thing occurs after I record an album. I've become very good at shaking it off and getting back to songwriting. I never stop working on music. I've always had a vicious determination to maintain my creativity – this is one reason I can write and release an album a year with Huntress. From the age of ten, I would do four theatrical productions a year. A unique feeling from childhood creeps back into my life every time a tour ends. I feel it strongest standing alone in the wings—I smell the musty old theater and I'm clutching the heavy velvet curtains while watching those hot colored lights burn the dust in rings of goodbyes. I know the scene will end soon, I've memorized each line. Soon, the stage will be cold again and the old theater will sleep. The end of another tour.
I know there will always be more shows. I wouldn't have it any other way. This year has been surreal. I'm so grateful to have bandmates that have become my family, who look out for me and keep me on the level. These dudes have seen some shit and stayed with me and I couldn't take on this world without them. Endless thanks to Lamb of God, Killswitch Engage and Testament. And thanks to the crew for being so kind and helpful to Huntress. We learned so much on this tour and will treasure the memories forever.
Stay cool,
Jill Janus
Mark Hunter is the vocalist and founding member of Cleveland metal act Chimaira. For more than a decade, Chimaira has been imposing its gravity on the metal community by continually touring the globe and selling more than a million albums worldwide. Their brand of heavy music has evolved and transcended both itself and the trends while maintaining its persistent, bludgeoning force. The band released its new album, Crown of Phantoms, on July 30th. Watch the video for the new song "No Mercy" at the bottom of this post.
ego |ˈēgō|
"I like the moment when I break a man's ego." — Bobby Fische
Date: July 4th 2011
Location: Farmland – Middle of Nowhere
The second it hit my tongue I felt my entire body tingle…although it was probably adrenaline. Either way, I was in for a ride. After studying psychedelics for years, I was past the point of ready and it was time to have my own experience.
LSD can act like a computer or the Internet, this infinite world full of information blasting through your psyche at the speed of light, changing your thought patterns. What seemed implausible is somehow real. New questions emerge. Time stops.
For the first few hours I had the time of my life. Everything around me was alive and vibrant. I saw the world in new and bizarre yet titillating ways. There was a moment where a dragonfly buzzed around near me in what seemed like 3D IMAX. I was in awe.
Synesthesia. I saw and felt music. I heard colors.
Isolation. Wandering the vast farmland. Breathing with the flowers. Their beauty engulfed me.
I met God.
It felt like the front of my brain exploded with wonder and love. Harmony. Zen. The clouds were a perfect orange, purple, and green. The sun radiated and filled my soul with the warmth I so desperately needed.
The hippies were right…it's all there. Life is love!
Hold up.
Hour five and things started to turn. God was dead.
I became a biological accident with limited time on a spinning rock. I controlled nothing. Beauty was impossible to find. We destroy. Our world is a virus eating itself from the inside.
My ego shattered. Demolished. I was a worthless carbon life form, an invisible spec of dust in the multiverse. Nothing mattered.
I panicked. Vomit spewed as fireworks blasted. "How long would this last?" I pondered frantically. I lost control of my nervous system and the ability to think rationally. Flight or fight was activated…but where am I running to and how? I then realized I was "tripping my balls off".
The next ten plus hours were spent on an illusory cliff observing Hell. The Hell I created for myself over the past 30 some years, and my role in any wrongdoing. Could I handle it? What could I do to fix it? How could I use my ego when I need it vs. trying to control the impossible?
Why did I put myself through this craziness? There is a lot of medical data showing the positive effects hallucinogens in treating depression and anxiety. It's not news that they are tools musicians have used over the years to enhance creativity. They've also been used as Shamanic practices for thousands of years to heal and the evidence of use in ancient religion is overwhelming. The list goes on and on.
There was a lot in my head that needed rearranging. I had problems with anger, ego, and generally being out of touch with my inner soul. Being the singer of a band – LSD means something entirely different. Lead Singer's Disorder. It's hard to escape it… even if you try.
I couldn't find a reason not to try and improve.
The next day I felt reborn. I barely remembered "the old me". It was as if I walked on the left side of the street for the first time. Did I step up a level in evolution? Was my brain turned on in new ways like the guy in Limitless? It sure felt like it.
My first trip was life changing similar to how Steve Jobs said it was one of the most important experiences of his life. But it would be a lie to say it was perfect. There was a lot of rearranging and rebuilding after. The ego pyramid was destroyed. Rumination and heartache took front and center.
Ego is important. It's part of what makes us human. But it can get us in trouble. While I don't condone the methods I used to learn how to control it, they helped me understand it and get a grip on it. The filters of my own bullshit were stripped away long enough to see how I could help myself.
If you're going to play around with psychedelics - and evidence suggests you are - then do it smart. It's highly rewarding to learn about yourself…but should you encounter inner demons and learn from them. Change. I also recommend waiting until your brain is fully developed.
I love this article by neuroscientist and author Sam Harris. He breaks down psychedelics eloquently and it was an essential guide to my re-entry.
Have you "turned on"? What was it like?
There's a lot of ego floating around. Look in the mirror from time to time. Shatter it. Rebuild.