Page 14 - Black Velvet Rock Magazine Issue 102

BV102 pg14-17 Art Of Dying interview_BV102 pg14 15/09/2019 00:59 Page 1

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Blazing A New Trail
Blazing A New Trail

t’s a long way to the top, if you wanna rock n’ roll,’ AC/DC declared back in 1975. Those words
‘Icouldn’t be any truer than they are for many musicians who are trying to survive in the music
industry today. For the past 15 years, Jonny Hetherington, frontman of Canadian rockers Art Of
Dying, has been helping lead his band through the numerous changes, not only within the industry,
but also within the band itself. One thing that hasn’t changed since Art Of Dying’s 2006 self-titled
debut album, is that the songs they create help you to realise that no matter how dark things seem,
you are not alone in the struggles that you face.
or those who may not be familiar with ication Records in 2009. By this time, Art Of This venture helped the band push for-
Fthe band Art Of Dying, let’s do a back- Dying consisted of founding members ward and saw the release of their second
ground summary... Jonny Hetherington and lead guitarist Greg album, ‘Vices And Virtues’, in 2011. For the
Following its release in late 2006, their Bradley, alongside guitarist Tavis Stanley, next couple of years the quintet hit the road,
self-titled debut album helped generate bassist Cale Gontier and drummer Jeff playing alongside some of the biggest
enough exposure to attract the attention of Brown. After the signing had been an- names in rock while performing at some of
Disturbed’s David Draiman and Dan Done- nounced, Donegan was quoted as saying, the most high profile rock and metal music
gan. After the two bands toured together, im- ‘I’d never seen a band with the same work festivals across the US.
pressed by the band’s captivating live set - ethic and hunger as Disturbed until I met Art The third album, ‘Rise Up’, was released
which backed up the hard-hitting rock Of Dying. They have a way of connecting and digitally in 2015 by Better Noise/Eleven
melodies - Draiman and Donegan made Art interacting with a crowd, not only onstage Seven Music. It was during the making of
Of Dying the first signing on their label Intox- but off as well.’ this album that the five-piece would become

ART OF DYING