FOR EVILE, “CEMETERY GATES” TAKES ON A WHOLE NEW MEANING

Following my post yesterday about Metal Hammer’s Dimebag tribute album, Earache Records has sent out a press release confirming that Evile’s cover of the Pantera classic “Cemetery Gates” was, indeed, late bassist Mike Alexander’s final recording with the band before he passed away. That means the track has obviously taken on new meaning for the band – both because of the lyrical content (a study in death and grief) and because what was intended to be a tribute to one fallen brother will now also serve as a tribute to another.

You can watch video of the band recording the track above; after the jump, read a quote from Evile’s lead guitarist, Ol Drake:

“The day we got the call from our manager, Julie Weir, saying Metal Hammer have asked us to pay tribute to Dimebag Darrell by covering a Pantera song, we couldn’t have been more excited and honoured.  I mean, how many more bands are there more worthy of paying tribute to the man?  With us all being fans of Pantera, we swiftly said yes.  Mike though was the biggest Pantera fan.  He’d seen them years ago and absolutely worshipped Dimebag.

“After Dime got killed, Mike couldn’t listen to “Cemetery Gates” anymore.  He’d always ask us to skip the track in the car/van/bus because it was too much for him.  So when we chose to do the track it was tough for Mike, but I’m glad he did it.  It turned out to be the last song he recorded, which to me is a strangely “appropriate” tribute to him and Dimebag.  I remember him nearing the verge of tears whilst I was doing the tremolo bends at the end of the track.

“We hope Pantera/Dimebag fans find this a fitting tribute from us, as we’re simply fans ourselves who’ve been given this rare honour.”

So I think it’s safe to say that this just became the most heavily anticipated cover on the album, no?

-AR