Page 15 - Black Velvet Rock Magazine Issue 102

BV102 pg14-17 Art Of Dying interview_BV102 pg15 15/09/2019 01:03 Page 2

BlackVelvetMagazine.Com - 15

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 four, when Greg delivered the news that he kept himself busy expanding his Jonny Het- ally helps define what kind of record you’re
was leaving the band. The following year herington Essentials artisan sauce busi- going to make.”
‘Icouldn’t be any truer than they are for many musicians who are trying to survive in the music saw the departure of Jeff; long-time drum ness. Tavis joined Adelitas Way as their After writing what would become the
industry today. For the past 15 years, Jonny Hetherington, frontman of Canadian rockers Art Of tech and stage manager, Cody Watkins, touring guitarist; meanwhile, Cale stepped title track, Jonny started to do a little more
filled his position. in to replace Corey Lowery as bass guitarist research into what Armageddon really is.
Dying, has been helping lead his band through the numerous changes, not only within the industry, In 2016, the new ensemble independ- in his cousin Adam Gontier’s band, Saint “We all know it’s something from the Bible,
but also within the band itself. One thing that hasn’t changed since Art Of Dying’s 2006 self-titled ently put out a six-track EP, ‘Nevermore’. Asonia. Thankfully, this hasn’t signalled the that’s really the end of the world-ish scary.
Garnering great reviews from critics and end of Art Of Dying, confirmation of which But, truth be told, it’s only mentioned in the
debut album, is that the songs they create help you to realise that no matter how dark things seem, fans alike, ‘Nevermore’ showcased a band has arrived in the form of album number Bible once and it’s in the Old Testament; the
you are not alone in the struggles that you face. that had grown musically. With a renewed four, ‘Armageddon’. New Testament doesn’t even mention the
sense of determination, there were plans to “We spent a long time writing for this word Armageddon. That kind of got me cu-
or-
get an album done and dusted soon after. record,” Jonny tells us when we give him a rious about what Armageddon truly is,”
nd
he Then, from an outsider's perspective, as far call to chat about the long-awaited album. Jonny explains. “It is a place, a grassy hill
ad, as new music was concerned, it all went a “Funny enough, ‘Armageddon’ was the first area in the Middle East where an actual
est little quiet in the world of Art Of Dying. After song we wrote for the album and ultimately human battle was waged. It was a big battle.
of tours with Scott Stapp in the United States became the first worldwide single,” he re- The place is actually called Megiddo.”
and with Skillet in Canada, the members veals. “It’s interesting as a writer to go For the cover artwork, the band chose
sic
took some time to do separate projects. through that process of writing songs, to to use an image of one of Egypt’s greatest
ed Jonny worked on solo material, which saw know that the first one we wrote was actu- pharaohs, Thutmose III, to represent the
en him collaborating with Five Finger Death ally ‘the one’, it’s kind of cool,” he laughs. album. “He led the battle of Armageddon,”
of Punch guitarist Jason Hook to write and “I’ve talked to the producer [Davor Vulama], Jonny tells us. “It was the first battle in
record the theme song for the original mo- quite a bit since then and he and I both feel human history where they took a death toll
me
tion picture, ‘Hired Gun’. The frontman also like, that first song you write for a record re- and a body count. You know, most of the
ART OF DYING