Post-Sabbath Geezer Butler isn't ready to throw in the towel just yet, and helping the bassist along in the creative pursuit of new heavy, bluesy rock are former Guns N' Roses/Velvet Revolver drummer Matt Sorum, Billy Idol guitarist and the Duke of Darkness Steve Stevens, and Apocalyptica singer Franky Perez. The supergroup's first outing "Down in Flames" carries the sinister, devilish tones trademarked by Butler, but the exultant vocal performance by Perez and groove-laden syncopations of Sorum lend a distinctly contemporary hard-rock feel. Grungy and discordant but radio-ready, the song's catchy refrains give it a widely palatable appeal while maintaining the heft of its respective creators' credible prowess.
While no full-length is recorded, the band is pushing ahead with writing and will play two festivals next June: England's Download Festival and France's Hellfest. Butler says of the project, "I had to get used to the idea of starting from scratch again, which is good. It's a challenge for me, but I really liked the music that I was hearing. It's not your typical metal stuff or hard rock stuff."
Stevens was thrilled to work with Butler, a musician who influenced his own playing. He says, "There's a lot of times in the studio as a guitar player, you get a guitar sound and you're trying to make it work, tweaking it. There was none of that bullshit. It just fit against his bass sound and it was really exciting to me. I get to hear my guitar against a bass guitarist that I've idolized forever."
Perez is eager to get onstage with the new united crew, who were all close friends of his (with the exception of Butler) before they came together. "One of the things that I want to really emphasize is that this is an honest to God, down and dirty rock and roll band," he says. "We're energized, and we want to put on an incredible show."
Follow along for more info on the band's official site, Facebook, or Instagram.
