Interview with Dave Peters of Throwdown
By Marc Halverson
Crave: How were the shows you recently played over in Japan, Australia
and New Zealand?
Dave: Amazing! We went to Japan over a year ago and they were great
but this time around, the kids were just awesome. Even in
Australia, the scene has doubled since the last time we played
there and the response from everyone was really great. Also, it
was like a vacation to us as well.
Crave: Have you had any time off since the last time I spoke to you back
March when you were on tour with As I Lay Dying, All That
Remains and Life In Pictures?
Dave: No. We went home for about 5 days and then headed back out on
tour. We have been home for about a week now and we have the
next few weeks off before we head out on Sounds of the
Underground.
Crave: How stoked is Throwdown about the Sounds of the Undeground
Tour, and playing with so many great bands on one bill?
Dave: It should be awesome. There are a lot of great bands and
personally, I am looking forward to seeing Maball and Otep
because I am a big fan. There are so many great bands on this
tour and a lot of good friends as well.
Crave: Let’s talk about “Vendetta,” your new album which is being
released June 28th on Trustkill Records. I think it is a
phenomenal album and it is exactly what the metal and hardcore
scene needs right now.
Dave: We all grew up being big fans of Pantera and Sepultura. I think
on this record it was a natural thing for us to do. We have done
things in the same vein for a long time and we limited ourselves
on past albums. “Vendetta” was a way for us to have no limits
and a good way to progress as a band which is a good thing. I
grew up on metal and I have metal to thank for getting me into
hardcore and bands like Madball and Sick Of It All.
Crave: You can definitely hear influences of Old Sepultura and Pantera
on “Vendetta” (which is a good thing). Vocally, it reminds me of
Phil Anselmo back in the Vulgar Display of Power and Far
Beyond Driven days. Describe how you have vocally matured
and your sound this time around is more metal oriented.
Dave: Time. “Haymaker” was kind of rushed because it was the first
album we recorded when I was on vocals. I had only been singing
a short time and I did not know what I was doing, and some say I
still do not know what I am doing! But, “Vendetta” is clean and I
was able to put more thought into the lyrics, instead of dropping
an “F bomb” every time I was trying to fill a gap in a song back
on “Haymaker”. Also, being on the road has helped me a lot with
my song writing and vocals.
Crave: What are your favorite tracks on “Vendetta” (I dig ‘We Will
Rise’, ‘Speak The Truth’, ‘Vendetta’, ‘To Live Is To Sacrifice’,
‘Give My Life’)?
Dave: 2 of my favorite songs that almost did not make the final cut for
album are ‘Speak The Truth’ and ‘Discipline’. But, now ‘Speak
The Truth’ is one of our favorite songs we ever done. ‘Discipline’
is a song we struggled with but if finally came together and is one
my favorite songs. We are stoked about the entire album and
cannot wait to get it out.
Crave: What plans do you have after Sounds of the Undergound?
Dave: Our agenda after Sounds of the Underground are to do a
dedicated US tour to the smaller cities that we are going to miss
on Sounds of the Underground. After that, the future is open.
Crave: See you on Sounds of the Underground.
Dave: Thank you and see you there.
