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I pulled this question below from the comments section of a previous post. If any of you have more questions leave them in the comments (or email me) and I'll do the same.
What approach are you taking on the new album? Are you going for a more Thrash approach? Or will it be more Speed/Traditional Metal? If it's one or the other, do you think you'll do another style to keep your discography a little diversified?
Those are all good questions. But I don't really approach writing a song or a record like that. It's just not the way I think about it as far whether it's more "thrash" or "traditional", etc. All of that labeling of things makes for very narrow thinking and limits the possibilities when you're in the writing process. You can't really think like that and it never really enters my mind. Some of the songs are a bit faster on this record than on Closing In but the approach hasn't really changed. I write a shit ton of riffs that are then compiled and structured into songs. Some riffs are immediate keepers because I'll get very specific ideas of how they'll work with certain vocal patterns. My main concern when writing a song is whether or not I see a potential hook in it somewhere early on in the process, a hook that I personally like and will be stoked to hear for years on end every time the song is played. That's really the only thing I'm thinking about and to me the most important element in writing a song. I don't think enough song writers pay attention to that in heavy music. If the vocals and the riffs don't have some kind of unique magic happening between them the song is going to be shit no matter how good any of the parts are or the individual playing might be. So rather than looking at things in terms of traditional or thrashy or whatever, I think the key is writing a good song and that's my main concern when approaching a recording. You'll hopefully see what I'm talking about when the record comes out. Hope that answers your question at least somewhat. Later!
What approach are you taking on the new album? Are you going for a more Thrash approach? Or will it be more Speed/Traditional Metal? If it's one or the other, do you think you'll do another style to keep your discography a little diversified?
Those are all good questions. But I don't really approach writing a song or a record like that. It's just not the way I think about it as far whether it's more "thrash" or "traditional", etc. All of that labeling of things makes for very narrow thinking and limits the possibilities when you're in the writing process. You can't really think like that and it never really enters my mind. Some of the songs are a bit faster on this record than on Closing In but the approach hasn't really changed. I write a shit ton of riffs that are then compiled and structured into songs. Some riffs are immediate keepers because I'll get very specific ideas of how they'll work with certain vocal patterns. My main concern when writing a song is whether or not I see a potential hook in it somewhere early on in the process, a hook that I personally like and will be stoked to hear for years on end every time the song is played. That's really the only thing I'm thinking about and to me the most important element in writing a song. I don't think enough song writers pay attention to that in heavy music. If the vocals and the riffs don't have some kind of unique magic happening between them the song is going to be shit no matter how good any of the parts are or the individual playing might be. So rather than looking at things in terms of traditional or thrashy or whatever, I think the key is writing a good song and that's my main concern when approaching a recording. You'll hopefully see what I'm talking about when the record comes out. Hope that answers your question at least somewhat. Later!
