FEAR, EMPTINESS, DECIBEL: THIS MONTH’S HALL OF FAME IS A REAL TRAGEDY
Before there were blogs there were these things called magazines, and the only metal magazine we still get excited about reading every month is Decibel. Here’s managing editor Andrew Bonazelli…
Three weeks ago we played a little hide the salami “Guess the Next Decibel HOF,” and “Mark” busted right out of the gates to correctly identify Tragedy’s self-titled debut. Like, for real, on the very first comment. One might assume Mark’s exploiting some inside info, but if you ain’t cheatin’, you ain’t trying, and since everyone here’s exhausted from fledgling fatherhood and binge-drinking, fuck it, he wins! We’ll be in touch regarding the subscription soon, dude.
The feature itself—conducted by Kevin Stewart-Panko with the whole band in the back room of an Indian buffet in Baltimore—is a slow-burner. Yannick Lorrain, Billy Davis and the Burdette brothers were originally reluctant to sit down and talk about their evolution from His Hero Is Gone, but once they got comfortable, the anecdotes started to ricochet in all directions, mirroring the adventurous chaos of Tragedy’s music. Was the album’s cover randomly pulled out of the trash at Kinko’s? Possibly. Did the band almost get curb-stomped by a cabal of neo-Nazis in Poland? Perhaps. Are they one of Portland’s last legitimately awesome exports before that city became a stronghold of sniveling pussy indie bullshit? Could be! Read all about ’em in the MegaDave issue.
-AB
The December 2011 issue of Decibel also features Municipal Waste, Animals as Leaders, Landmine Marathon, Hammers of Misfortune, and an awesome Goatwhore flexi disc, and can be ordered here. But why not just get a full subscription to ensure that you never miss one an issue?
