Devildriver are back with a new record titled 'The Last Kind Words', which is out in June.
The band are playing Download as well as a few UK shows around the time of the record's release but are already on the European promotion trail. Room Thirteen grabbed twenty minutes in their West London hotel with drummer John Boecklin.
R13: How long are you here in the UK this time round?
J: Two days, flew in last night, do a bit of press stuff today, more tomorrow and then fly out to Spain. More press stuff there, then France and then I get to go home.
R13: The band has been quoted as saying this new album's sound is "exclusively Devildriver", can you elaborate on that and what has made it different from your previous record?
J: We're definitely trying to make our own niche, like any band does, so we're just trying to solidify that. Through that I guess we're just trying to stay away from sing-songy stuff, try to keep it as heavy as possible, and I think we've achieved that...closely. As far as how it's progressed, there's more guitar solos, stepped up the pace and tempo, longer songs, better arrangements.
R13: Listening to the album the guitar solos are definitely a strong feature.
J: It's something we haven't really gotten into before. We never really took the time when we were writing songs to say "there's gonna be a solo here", and that's why it's never really happened (laughs). When we were recording the demos we would work on a bit of rhythm guitar and say "let's put a solo in here" and took the time to see how it worked.
R13: So how does this work then, does the solo come first or do you have a track that you think would suit?
J: The way it works with our stuff is we usually lay down a rhythm track, which is usually not too fancy, and the solo is written afterwards.
R13: What was working with Jason like, what did he bring to the party? (Jason Suecof produced the new Devildriver album and has worked with Trivium, Chimaira, God Forbid and Bury Your Dead.)
J: He's a character.
R13: In what way?
J: Firstly he's in a wheelchair, but his mind is on camp. His attitude and charisma is like a fucking light bulb that's on all the time. He made a real non-professional environment so that within the first hour you felt that you were tracking a record with a friend...and he had really great ideas. He let us know when shit needed to be cut, he helped us start a few solos.
R13: What was the environment like where you were recording?
J: Well it was in El Paso Texas that's in the middle of fucking nowhere, you ain't walking nowhere! You're in the desert. Once you're there you don't leave, you got nothing to leave for. The point being is that kinda guy is the kinda guy you want around in that sort of place.
R13: That sort of working environment will only work for certain types of people though.
J: It was challenging, I mean with Jason being in a wheelchair this was the first record he'd left home for, people usually go to him. We weren't really into the idea of going to Orlando Florida which is where his studio is and I think it was a good step for him, to prove to himself he could do a record elsewhere.
R13: The lyrics for the last album were said to be more story based or easier to understand simply by reading them, how has this progressed, what was inspiring the lyrics on this record?
J: This album is much more of a middle finger in the air than 'The Fury Of Our Maker's Hand'. He (Dez Fafara) still has a theme of persistence in his lyrics, a never give up attitude. I think this time round it's more offensive and more brutal.
R13: Is there anything in particular that has prompted that?
J: This album definitely has the vibe of a band trying to prove ourselves. I think it comes across in the voice, if you don't believe in us then go fuck yourself!
R13: That proving yourself...
J: ...to ourselves.
R13: Do you still find people look at Devildriver as being Dez and friends?
J: Well no...and yeah...people still look at Dez and say "you were in Coal Chamber" I mean they were a pretty fucking huge band, and we can't get away from that. I don't think it's hindered us in anyway. To people who haven't heard us, they're expecting something lighter and in that sense we have something to prove.
R13: Do you think, even subconsciously, the never give up attitude of this record is in anyway inspired from working with Jason?
J: No, I mean the lyrics were all written before we got there. Jason has a pretty sick sense of humour and he does not play the handicapped card at all.
R13: I appreciate that, I was thinking along the lines of the way that people who have disabilities attitudes' can sometimes rub off on other people.
J: Right, no the lyrics were all done before we met him.
R13: You're back in the UK for Download, have you had chance to see who else is on and if so is there anyone you're especially excited about?
J: I'm not too familiar with who's on but I think we're playing the Sunday which is the day Iron Maiden are headlining. I know Korn and Marilyn Manson have said they're playing the 10th.
R13: If you're doing Sunday that'll be your day.
J: Well that'll be really cool. I used to go and see Marilyn Manson when I was a kid, if he plays some of the older shit that will be great to see him in that kind of environment.
R13: I think Mastadon may have said they're on that day too.
J: Mastadon? They're always fucking brutal, I love them.
R13: Last year you played two Download sets, how come it was you that replaced Soilwork?
J: I don't really know (laughs).
R13: What you just happened to be walking past at the time?
J: No, I think the guy who calls all the shots, he knew we were going to be around the next day anyway. And we put on a great show the first time round. We played on I think it was the Friday, and we were just around. You know it's really cool they've asked us to do Download again, and they asked us to do it twice last year!
R13: So what's the plan for touring after the summer? I've heard talk of a massive tour.
J: Yeah I mean, man we did the In Flames European tour which was like two and a half weeks and then Lamb of God tour which again is like two and a half weeks and then we got Download so we haven't really toured extensively here for a while. So we're gonna do like fifty sixty European dates with a proper headline run so the kids can get a longer set from us, and bring over the best bands we can.
R13: Any idea who you'd like that to be?
J: (laughs) I would love to tour with Gojira. Unfortunately the bands I really really like right now are pretty big bands and wouldn't fucking open for us. We won't come over here with shit, we'll get something pretty good for you.
R13: On a tour that long what do you do to stop yourselves from burning out, how does Dez go about his voice not packing up?
J: Well Dez can do what Dez does. With something like a screamer, if you're hurting on a daily basis from your singing then you're not doing it right. The only thing that would affect Dez is if he got sick. Taking care of yourself is the most important thing because if you do that then you do your shows well. I mean you can't go drinking every night as you're system will shut down, (laughs) but you know drinking is the thing that helps you cope. I mean I get nervous as shit when I'm sitting on a tour bus especially if I'm by the window. You know when like it's three in the morning and this kids fucking driving and I'm like "I'm fucking tired, he's gotta be ready to go down too!" Alcohol can help you sleep at night. Anxiety can get to you when you're on a tour bus on a bunk. I remember driving down the same road that Cliff (Metallica) died on, in the snow, in my bunk with the window right by me and I was thinking Alien Ant Farm were over here and had a massive accident too.
R13: And aside from the drinking how do you stop yourself from getting ridiculously bored?
J: It is ridiculously boring (laughs). I don't drink before I play 'cos I can't then play drums. You just do a lot of bullshit, maybe talk about changing up the set.
R13: You guys don't change it that much though.
J: No, we talk about it though. No I mean you get stoked on where you're gonna be next day, and think about what you're gonna eat. Food's a major part of the day.
Which seemed like a good point to end the interview with lunchtime fast approaching!
For more on Devildriver check out their
Myspace site.