Evansville, Indiana (USA) metal band DELIVER US FROM EVIL have been one of underground metal’s ‘best kept secrets’ over the past several years. They are as brutal as LAMB OF GOD and as precision-perfect with their musical execution as a surgeon is with his knife. The band still remains unsigned, but that should all be changing soon. With a fiercely dedicated drummer leading the band into battle, through the harrowing landmines of the music biz, they are a band that seems to to be in this for the long haul… no matter how popular they get.
The Metal Den’s Randy “Rocket” Cody has conducted an exclusive interview with DELIVER US FROM EVIL drummer Alex Morgan for his loyal worldwide Den Headz.
Rocket: How has 2010 been treating you so far?
Alex: Very productive and promising. A lot of things that we’ve been working toward for the last 4 or 5 years have come to fruition just recently. It’s been refreshing… but really stressful at the same time… but it’s been awesome that everyone involved have really stepped up to the plate and gotten the work done. And the work is something that all involved have been proud of so far. Most if it is all DIY, and I don’t think that we/I could be happier with all of it. Still have a few more steps to complete the vision of the band, but it’s nice to see an end to the tunnel of the “beginning or developmental” phases of things.
Rocket: DELIVER US FROM EVIL just released a rocking video for “Only Ashes Remain”. I love it!
Totally brutal and very well done. Who directed it and did you guys have a good time making it?
Alex: It was directed by Mitch Massie (http://www.youtube.com/maddogmtch), located here in Evansville Indiana. As far as we’re concerned, he does an amazing job. Yeah man, it was a blast! For us, it took about 2 twelve hour days of shooting. But I know there was at least 4 days of shooting involved to get everything we needed. Plus we had around 10 extras. They were amazing. They destroyed themselves for 12 hours one day, and were totally into it. It’s because of them this video turned out so awesome. We have a documentary on the making of the vid. You can find everything on the bands youtube page @
www.youtube.com/playtillibleed, and the new official youtube page at www.youtube.com/dufemetal.
Rocket: I understand your band has completed a new EP, correct? What can you tell us about that?
Alex: Yeah, dude. We recorded an EP at AUDIOHAMMER STUDIOS with MARK LEWIS. Which was an AWESOME experience. We also stopped in ATL for three days to hang out with my homie EYAL LEVI from DÅÅTH and do some pre-pro. We learned ALOT about writing songs and working in a real studio and how fast things can really go. It was great. On the song STILL I RISE, we went in with only three riffs, and wrote that song in the studio. Love playing that one. DEATH MORTAR is the song that people seem to be reacting to the most to. I think it’s because its more mid-tempo than most of our songs, and normal people tend to be able to move to that region of speed. Then you’ve got Walk Into My Grave..….guitar fucking hero.
We also just re-did our myspace layout with the new songs and with the artwork of RAVEN EBNER. Find some of her work here. www.corviid.deviantart.com. She is amazing. The artwork on the page is an oil painting she did for us. Totally rules. The layout was done by Simon Bondar at www.imperial-industries.com
You can find the myspace page at www.myspace.com/deliverusfromevil.
Rocket: You guys played a bunch of shows in 2009. Which one stood out the most?
Alex: I think opening for the Black Dahlia Murder, UNEARTH, and playing WOE OF TYRANTS record release party in their hometown of Chilicothe ohio were the best shows for us in 09. Great responsive and supportive crowds. Not that our normal crowds aren’t the shit, its just a different sense of energy when the crowd is 300+ and every band on the bill kicks ass. We played a lot of killer hometown shows too. We were really busy writing in 2009 too.. and communicating with the “right” people finally. We just opened for DROWNING POOL recently as well, and played to almost 900 people. We also opened for SKINDRED which I found out totally kills it live. Benji’s a hell of a frontman. I did a shoot with them after the show… we drank a bottle of Jager and had a blast. About 6 months later, the club we were at burned down. Bummer.
Rocket: What current equipment endorsements does the band have right now?
Alex: I’m endorsed by TRICK DRUMS (www.trickdrums.com) and the rest of the band endorses Kramer and Epiphone guitars and basses, and SHURE mics. John just got picked up by Kramer guitars. He’s stoked on that Nite – V that they have. The rep came out to a show in Nashville and just gave him a fuckin guitar! Sweet! He’ll be getting one more as a backup. I’m glad he’s getting the recognition he deserves for his playing. No one can say he doesn’t deserve it. And I endorse TACO TIERRA and KILLER SKATEPARK and HAMMERHEADS BAR and THE DUCK INN… in Evansville. And my guitar player John and SINGER Brent endorse RICKS SPORTSBAR.
Rocket: Killer. What do you think is the biggest misconception people have about DELIVER US FROM EVIL?
Alex: Well, for one, people tend to think that we are a christian band because of the imagery and name of the band. Really, that’s like thinking that the movie LEGION is a christian movie because it’s about angels. What it boils down to, is that the statement of the imagery and music relays the message of keeping ourselves in check. There are a lot of distractions in this world that can become addictive and really screw people up, and take them off of their chosen path. When we first started, we were told that we wouldn’t be successful playing metal and original songs, and that we wouldn’t get the gigs that we wanted locally, and all sorts of other negative things due to the fact that we live in such a conservative area. But 5 years later, we’ve stuck to our guns and produced the best material we possibly could, and have had first dibs on many of the local and regional shows featuring national acts, and played to huge crowds in our region and hometown. So really the name and message stands for keeping our heads straight, and following the path that WE have chosen for ourselves… while destroying all distractions and obstacles in our way.
Rocket: In a perfect world, what three big name metal bands would you love to share
the stage with at this point?
Alex: We’d like to tour with GOJIRA, DÅÅTH, or THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER… and CANNIBAL CORPSE.
We’ve shared the stage with a bunch of bands. That’s cool and all, but we’re ready to tour with this shit.
Rocket: What was your favorite heavy metal album of 2009?
Alex: DÅÅTH the Concealers
Rocket: What about in 2010? Have you been into anything that’s been released so far? Did you
listen to the new Fear Factory?
Alex: Yeah, that drumming is sick. I’ve always dug Hoglan’s work. Very Fast and smooth changes. Fear Factory and Morbid angel were the first time I heard drums played like that, and it made me want to play like the way I do now, so I hold a special place in my heart for Fear Factory and Raymond H. Plus, DINO is back!
I’m also looking forward to GOJIRA and DÅÅTH’s next releases. The highly respect the two drummers in those bands, and am lucky enough to know them both personally… and, we were in the studio the same time as Whitechapel, and I’ve heard most of that record… and it’s gonna be good.
Rocket: You also have been getting some killer work as a rock photographer, working with some big names on that end. Who are some of the bands you’ve worked with so far?
Alex: I’ve been lucky enough to do a lot of work with GOJIRA and DÅÅTH. I shot Gojira’s first show with Metallica in ARRAS france. An amazing experience. I’ve probably gotten about 15 shots of GOJIRA published, got shots in their music book for “THE WAY OF ALL FLESH” and did the shot on their myspace page. I also took all the shots in the booklet for DÅÅTH the Concealers, which are two of my favorite two recent records. I also got to fly to Tampa and do a promo shoot and chase armadillos with CANNIBAL CORPSE. Which was awesome. I had just did about 7 dates with GOJIRA in Dec. of 08 when they were on the IN FLAMES tour. After St. Louis, Gojira and I went Bowling and I forgot my license at the bowling alley…..unknowingly, and when my friends dropped me off at the airport at 4 AM… I opened my wallet and saw that it was missing. My flight took off at 6AM. Luckily I had my passport in my camera bag, and that is the ONLY reason I could get on that plane without my license. WHEW! When I landed in Tampa, Pat O’ Brien from Cannibal picked me up and took me to the state park where we did the shoot. Afterwards, Alex Webster took me to their practice space where we did some endorsement stuff. It was a good time for sure. Then I flew to LA, hung out with EYAL for a few days there, and then flew to Phoenix Arizona where I hung out with Eyal and Kevin Talley and worked for a few bands out there… Dylan Rowe and Split the Enemy. I flew home for two days, did christmas with the am, and flew to Orlando on Dec 26th where I shot the singer from DÅÅTH’s wedding. I flew 8 times that month, and was in 11 different states. It was INSANE. I stayed with DÅÅTH and did a 5 day shoot in Sept of 08. I shot the portraits in THE CONCEALERS album and several of their promo shots floating around out there. And I also did most of the photos on KEVIN TALLEY’s website at www.drummerkevintalley.com at that shoot as well. I did three dates with Gojira on their most recent Metallica tour. I got some great live shots of Lamb of God, Metallica, Slayer, Manson, Chimaira, Devildriver, Lamb of God, A7X, Behemoth, Cannibal Corpse and MANY others on my website. ALEX MORGAN IMAGING.com (www.alexmorganimaging.com)
Rocket: What are some of the upcoming gigs for DELIVER US FROM EVIL that we
need to watch out for?
Alex: We just played out most of our big shows this year. We are now releasing our newest EP “STILL I RISE” on JULY 2nd and 3rd at our release show at the DUCK INN here in Evansville Indiana. Then going back in and finishing our second full length album. After that, we are going to figure out how and who we will record with, and we will be going for the “RECORD DEAL” on this one and totally want to start touring with this shit. Time to step it up and do it for real.
Rocket: Anything I forgot to mention that you want to cover here, brother?
Alex: We will be shooting another video this summer for the single off the new EP STILL I RISE….which will be with the same dude who did ASHES and it will be a sequel type of thing, so keep your eyes and ears open for that. And of course… finishing the second full length.
Rocket: Thanks for rocking this out with me. Best of luck with your music. Go ahead and give special thanks to any of your friends, family and supporters.
Alex: I just want to thank the following people:
First of all, our families and our women for all the support and always being there and being patient, Eyal Levi and the rest of DÅÅTH, Mark Lewis, Brenden at Metal Armada, Jon Munnier and Ryan Key for the pre-pro sessions, Simon Bondar, Raven Ebner, Richard Gamba, Joe and everyone with GOJIRA, Emma Salzard, Mitch Massie and all of our extras in our video, David Coomer, Mark Truxal, LES AND BILLY for making our lives a thousand times easier, Nick Unfried, Aaron Schenck, Everyone at the DUCK INN, Zak Grimes and Kelo at Woody’s, Joes records, Sandman and Chelsea at 103 GBF, Our homies at Coconuts records, Bonnie @ Dungeon Promotions, Dan Titzer, Everyone who has covered Brent and Johns shifts at RICKS SPORTSBAR so they could play shows, and RICK for being cool with John and Brent being in the Band, Chip for letting Jeff of work when we need to play, John Turner and Scott Henze for playing our shit when they come out to fight, Tony Trip for tattooing our logo on his leg, Heath McKinnley – Mitch Ellis – and Greg McGee for the photos, Rhonda Taylor Gassman, anyone who has told anyone about the band or likes our music or has shown our music to other people, Derondi Thomas Jackson for the promotion in Japan, Matt Easterling for the hookup in Seattle, all the bands and people that have paid me to photograph them so far, and of course Rocket here at the Metal Den. Sorry if I forgot someone here or misspelled your name. It’s hard to remember everything!
http://www.myspace.com/deliverusfromevil
I have had the privalege of seeing D.U.F.E live and have their 1st album. These guys are seriously brutal and extremely talented. I have known them for several years and they are a great group of guys who work hard. My cousin passed about a year and half ago, and D.U.F.E donated their time to play at a benefit we held. Alex helped spearhead the entire benefit with the family, and Breakers Bar where it was held. Since that time I have really gotten into their music. I have always loved metal music, but their music opened me up to a whole new world of metal groups. You can just hear the talent from the moment you first listen to their music on their CD, but LIVE is insane!!! I hope that their dreams are realized soon because they absolutely deserve it. If you don’t check these guys out you are seriously missing out on kick ass band.
The new IN FLAMES video for “Deliver Us“ will be premiered on http://new.music.yahoo.com.