A string of successful tours, a very popular third LP and some of the best breakdowns in the business. Of course I am referring to Minnesota's After The Burial. Signed to one of the fastest growing record labels in the metal industry (aka Sumerian Records), these guys are wasting no time showcasing their newest release "In Dreams" to hungry metal fans. The band current consists of:
- Lerichard "Lee" Foral - bass guitar (2004–present)
- Trent Hafdahl - lead guitar, backing vocals (2004–present)
- Justin Lowe - rhythm guitar (2004–present)
- Dan Carle - drums (2008–present)
- Anthony Notarmaso - lead vocals (2009–present)
(Photo via ATB's Facebook page)
I managed to get in contact with some of the guys from ATB for a string of Q&A (just to provide you newly acquired readers with what these guys are all about):
Q: We all know the musicians love almost every song they add to an LP, but in regards to 'In Dreams', what song do you feel most accomplished with and why?
"My personal favorite is "Your Troubles Will Cease And Fortune Will Smile Upon You", not only because the title is incredibly long, but because it's the kind of song I've always wanted to write. The kind of song that is completely driven by a powerful rhythmic force the entire time. It's definitely a crusher."
(Your Troubles Will Cease And Fortune Will Smile Upon You)
Q: How was working with Rusty Cooley on 'Encased in Ice'?
"It was quite easy actually! We asked Rusty if he'd be down to do a solo on the record, and he said was. Once "Encased In Ice" was near completion, he sent us DI'd recording of his solo, which we sent right to the mixing studio to be re-amped and voila! There it was, a guest appearance from Rusty Cooley."
Q: You start to hear some melody in certain songs such as Pendulum. Can we expect more harmonies in upcoming material?
"Anyone who has been following us for a long time knows that our music has always been full of harmonies and rich with melody. People can absolutely expect us to retain the style of music we've always been true to creating."
Q: You have been on a string of very popular tours such as Norma Jean, All Stars and now Crush Em All. Any more plans in the future? Touring outside North America? New material?
"Currently we are getting ready to embark on our co-headling trek across North America with our good friends in Veil Of Maya. That will last throughout the end of October then the tentative plan is to begin working on our next album."
Q: @ Justin Lowe: You have been a producer on both 'Rareform' and 'In Dreams'. Do you feel you get more creative control with the albums when you take on responsibilities of producer and guitarist?
"Of course, but it's not me personally that is getting the creative control, it is the band that is getting the creative control. 'In Dreams' was the first album where we took on co-production by working with producer Jocke Skog. It was a great experience working with him, and a learning experience as well. He did a fantastic job. Leading up to 'In Dreams' we had always been a self-produced band with Trent and I taking care of the production duties, and we will most likely move forward with our next album that way. We will be outsourcing the mixing and mastering for the new album as well, but it's too early to say with who and where that will be happening."
Q: @ Justin & Trent. What made you decide to go with the Ibanez RG2228 compared to other respectable guitars such as the Agile Interceptor or the ESP H-308? Personal taste? Endorsement?
"The reason we went with Ibanez is because they were the first ones to make an 8-string production model available to the general public back in '07. We've been playing Ibanez guitars as long as I can remember, so it was really a no brainer moving to the RG2228. I personally have never have tried an Agile."
(Trent Hafdahl with his Ibanez RG2228) (Photo courtesy of returntothepit.com)
Q: Do you guys find it hard to be touring the extensively and being away from friends/family, or do you guys feel you're over that hurdle?
"I feel like it's a hurdle that will always be there no matter what. However, with the convenience of having things like FaceTime and Skype available almost all the time, that really makes things a bit easier. Being on the road is what we live for and it's definitely a top priority, and being away from friends and family is just part of the gig."
Q: Last but not least, the random question! What is your favourite band/song of all time and why?
"This is a hard question to answer because I have a lot of favorite songs, but if I had to pick one it'd be ''I'm Broken'' by Pantera, because it is a fucking devastator and will always withstand the test of time."
Be sure to catch After The Burial on the Crush Em All Tour:
Now I don't mean to sound biased by any means, but since I work out of the GTA, the ticket information for their upcoming show can be found here
Good Interview...I'll have to give em a listen.
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