By snoadmin
In a hardcore and metal scene where every band tries to top each other in the “We’re so badass because we always try to be serious and intimidating” department, Every Time I Die has taken a novel approach: having fun.
The Buffalo, N.Y.-based quintet has acquired a large following with a Southern rock-influenced sound that combines the intensity of hardcore with the down-and-dirty vibe long associated with rock ‘n’ roll. While countless other harder-than-hard bands dwell in doom and gloom, Every Time I Die wants to turn your frown upside down in the harsh-yet-satisfying way that only a shot of Wild Turkey can.
“The problem with bands nowadays is that everyone is smug-faced and everyone has problems,” guitarist Andy Williams said. “The thing is, if you’re a typical human being, you know everyone has problems. You don’t have to make it a point to wear it on your sleeve.
In fact, even though Every Time I Die has long been classified as a metalcore band and has toured with metalcore acts such as Poison the Well and Bleeding Through, Williams said he hates the “metal” moniker.
“There’s no physical characteristics that would classify us as a metal band. We’re not like meatheads who wear fucking Oakley sunglasses,” he said. “I’d say [the band’s sound] is punk rock. If you listen to Black Flag and then listen to Every Time I Die, there’s a really similar feel to both of them. When it comes to our sound, the only thing that’s different is that we have better quality recordings and gear than Black Flag.”
The band’s latest album, “The Big Dirty,” is an aptly titled collection of kick-in-the-face-that-hurts-so-good rockers such as the first single “We’rewolf,” a reckless romp that makes room for both bruising guitars and a hint of cowbell. According to Williams, the band sought to bring a shot of adrenaline to its sound for the new record.
“There’s an urgency and an attitude to what we’re doing now that wasn’t on [the band’s 2005 album] ‘Gutter Phenomenon,'” Williams said. “That album just feels boring. It doesn’t seem like we were trying to do anything different. On ‘The Big Dirty,’ we tried different things we’d never tried before, and never once did we say no.”
It helped that the band had motivation to pursue this throw-caution-to-the-wind direction in the form of producer Steve Evetts, who has worked with a wide array of acts ranging from respected experimental metal act The Dillinger Escape Plan to pop-punk favorite Saves the Day.
“The first thing that came out of his mouth was, ‘You guys need to get your balls back,’ and he just got all of us to be open to trying new things,” Williams said. “He tells it like it is. If you’re doing something lazy, he’s going to let you know.”
So far, the shift in approach has paid off: “The Big Dirty” debuted at No. 41 on the Billboard album charts upon its release in September, making it Every Time I Die’s highest-charting LP.
The band has also earned more exposure thanks to its recent high-profile tour with Underoath and Poison the Well, and it was even featured on the cover of the November issue of Alternative Press.
“[Alternative Press] contacted us and said, ‘We want to put you on the cover,’ and we were like, ‘Whoa, really? Us?'” Willams said. “They typically put bands that sell shitloads of records on the cover. Their whole M.O. is, ‘Whoever the kids are talking about, that’s who we’re going to put on the cover,’ so bands like Chiodos end up on the cover. We’re not selling nearly as many records as bands like that. But they kind of knew that something cool was going on, and they decided to do it.”
Although Every Time I Die has had a sound influenced by Southern rock since its formation in 1998, it wasn’t until the band’s second album, 2003’s “Hot Damn!,” that this element became a major part of the band’s music. According to Williams, this was a conscious move designed to give the band a distinct identity.
“It was just kind of like, ‘Oh fuck, everything is starting to sound the same, so let’s just set ourselves apart,'” he said. “The worst part is that now everything is starting to sound the same again, where every band seems to have that Southern influence. Now we have to find the next thing to set ourselves apart.”
Still, with an ever-increasing cult following, high-profile gigs such as the Underoath tour and critical respect in the punk and metal communities, Every Time I Die’s shift to a bourbon-drenched sound has clearly been a wise one.
The band has even brought aboard former From Autumn to Ashes bassist Josh Newton, who could finally bring stability to a bass slot that Williams described as “cursed” (while the rest of Every Time I Die’s original lineup remains together, as many as 11 bassists have come and gone).
“In the last few years, I haven’t constantly looked over at a bass player and said, ‘This guy’s great,’ and now I’m like, ‘Fuck, this dude’s awesome,'” Williams said. “I’m blown away by him every night.”
Despite its success, Every Time I Die remains down-to-earth amid a sea of bands looking to present themselves as guitar heroes meant to be worshipped.
“Why would you want the people who like your band to think you’re this fucking god?” Williams said. “We don’t want people to think, ‘I’m so scared to walk up to him. He probably spits venom.’ We’re like, ‘Come party with us.’ If I see you out there, I’m going to buy you a drink. That’s exactly how we do things. There’s no reason to put us on a pedestal.”
