Author with Ronnie and Dave of BOO. Photo: Jason Gilbert

Born of Osiris is an interesting crew of miscreant musicians, to say the least. Their mix of death metal, hardcore, and breakbeat electronic won over legions of pubescent listeners with their debut The New Reign (2007, Sumerian Records), and resulted in a sleeper hit, the two minute anthem “Bow Down.” Their latest offering, A Higher Place (2009, Sumerian Records) debuted at #75 on the Billboard Heatseeker charts. Not bad for a group of kids whose average age is 18 years old. The Kosmo interviewed the entire group at Dirtfest 2009.

BOO live. Photo: Jason Gilbert

The boys were bright-eyed, energetic, and eager to answer questions. “I wrote the whole first album!” drummer Cameron Losch interjected, while his other band mates nodded. “After that, our old guitarist wrote the lyrics.” Born of Osiris tend to have some fairly obscure and esoteric lyrics, which is fitting for a technical and virtuosic group known for writing songs nearly devoid of any repetition. “We actually are just inspired by normal life,” said vocalist Ronnie Canizano, “We’re drawn to things that set us apart, and we set them to music. We try to make others understand, you know?” The boys in BOO also seemed very unfettered by their rising prominence at such a young age. “We cut the first album over spring break our senior year,” Cameron said. “It was a few new songs and a lot of old ones we’ve been playing for a while. When we found out we got signed, school just went out the window.”

“Yeah, only one of us graduated from high school.” Said bassist David Darocha, although the boys were silent as to whom exactly did get their diploma. Apparently their signing at such a young age had nothing to do with the band looking for success, either. “Sumerian records contacted us,” said Ronnie, “And of course we said yes. Everyone wants to tour in a band in high school.”

BOO's new album A Higher Place

BOO were proud of their work on the new record, and rightly so—it’s a definite step up from their impressive debut. Cameron said “there was this running theme on The New Reign of…” “Conquest!” Ronnie butted in, inciting laughs and approving nods from every member of the band. “Well now we’ve conquered. There are more challenges, but we’re on top.” When asked how the boys specifically picked the new record’s title was picked, the answer was simple: the boys really were in a higher place. “We were taking bong rips in the studio, trying to name the song (the eventual title track) and Dave asked me what we would call it. I blew a bunch of smoke in his face and just said ‘a higher place, man.’” If the numerous ganja leaves on their tour shirts are any indication, Born of Osiris, like many Kosmo staffers, are definitely pro-legalization.

“We were always really inspired by good bands with good melodies, like The Faceless, so when (The Faceless’ Lead guitarist and songwriter) Michael Keene was willing to produce the record, we jumped on it.” BOO shared a few stories of what it was like working with Keene. “Yeah, he’s a great guy, working with him was easy, absolutely no conflict,” Cameron said, “But he’s kind of a weird guy. He freaks out sometimes. He’s actually afraid of aliens. [The Faceless’ 2008 concept album Planetary Duality was a concept album about alien abductions and invasions] Like, this one time he got too high and started crying in the shower. After that he said he couldn’t smoke anymore.”

Around then, their tour manager burst onto the bus wielding a supersoaker and pretending to be a policeman. Clearly, hijinks are just part and parcel of BOO’s lifestyle, which is evident to anyone who’s seen the mayhem they ensue when they close their live gigs with “Bow Down.” That particular song has become something of a modern metal anthem; there’s a sense of barely restrained madness when the crown screams along the first words of the song, “fucking bow down,” which adorns the back of their best selling shirt. When the boys were asked if they felt the strain of recording a memorable anthem on their debut that they may not top, they seemed nonchalant.

Photo: Jason Gilbert

BOO performing “Bow Down,” note the violence“I’m sure we’re going to close every concert we ever do with ‘Bow Down,’ but whatever.” Ronnie said. “Yeah, they’re going to keep asking for ‘Bow Down,’” Cameron said, “But hopefully by then we’ll have more songs to play, and sets longer than twenty minutes, so it’ll still be fun to do it in twenty years, I think. In the future we want to be remembered as a band that played and inspired great melodies in metal. Songs that bring out emotions and feelings… we want to play songs that put a chill down your spine, just like the songs that inspired us.”

Kristen and Art of WoP with Joseph Schafer. Photo: Jason Gilbert

By the time the Kosmo crew sat down with Winds of Plague at Dirtfest 13 to talk about life on the road and their new album, they had already played their blistering set to a massive crowd, possibly the most massive of the day. Their short set, culled almost entirely from their 2008 album Decimate the Weak was nothing short of a tremendous success, despite technical difficulties, thanks to the group’s outstanding stage presence and adoring fans.

Despite all that, the band seemed strained, irate even. Keyboardist/backup Vocalist Kristen Randall stomped into the tour bus without a word and instantly poured herself a tall glass of Bacardi, light on the ice. Busmates Born of Osiris took that opportunity to berate her drinking habits (“Jesus, woman, you drink so much at the weirdest times!”), earning a staunch middle finger as her only response. Randall spent most of the first half of the interview regaining her composure in an adjacent part of the bus. Drummer Art Cruz just slumped back in a seat in a nearly meditative state of exhaustion. Clearly life on the road can tear young hopeful rock stars down, even after playing to legions of rabid fans who know every incomprehensible lyric to their first album.

Lead guitarist Nick Piunno was more lively. He jovially sat next to us, eager to take the first question.

“What are your influences on the new album? (The Great Stone War, out August 11, 2009)”

“Do I have to be serious?”

…

“Yes.”

“Ok! I’d say a little bit of the Bach, the Dimmu Borgir from Norway, the Hatebreed, the Behemoth, Danny Elfman, and John Williams.” Piunno happily responded, poorly imitating a difference accent for every influence. “The old influences are still there, but we’re trying to put our own sound out there.”

The Great Stone War, image c/o amazon.com
Cruz, a new addition to the group after the departure of Jeff Tenney was quick to point out that The Great Stone War will be their first album as a band proper. “We’ve really matured musically.” He said. “Personally, I think all the rolls and fills on the album flow better. The last album was mostly a bunch of old songs put together. This one was fully written by everyone—it’s much more mature.” Quite the statement, considering Decimate the Weak was one of the stronger death metal debuts of the past decade. Its themes, lyrically, were a bit generic, which is one of the areas Winds of Plague seem to have improved upon the most—The Great Stone War will be a concept album with its own storyline and emotive arc, not just gore-core lyrics.

Winds of Plague aren’t the only band striving for greatness on their much-hyped sophomore release. They have often been lumped in with other young late-00’s metal bands bringing big melodies, violent lyrics, and breakdowns to a newer, younger crowd of music lovers. But, when asked about their feelings on their contemporaries and the genres progression, the band got a little critical.

“We try not to be associated with deathcore.” Cruz said. “We’re trying to do something else from that.”

“Deathcore is falling apart,” said Piunno. “It’s all nu metal coming back now, just look at Suicide Silence and Bury Your Dead.” Piunno may be right, Limp Bizket, the oft-maligned face of late-90’s nu metal (or rap metal, sports metal, whatever anyone wants to call the cavalcade of MTV-endorsed crap that Korn kick started) have sadly reunited.

Winds of Plague live. Photo: Jason Gilbert

Around then, Randall made her presence known, bit more eager to partake in the journalism. We only had one pressing question for her.
Winds of Plague live

“Kristen, you’re one of the few prominent women active in metal music right now, one of the even fewer making excellent music. So we’ve got to know, as a feminist-friendly blog, what’s it like being a woman professional in what is sometimes seen as a closed-minded and chauvinistic genre?” Randall took a deep breath…

“Well, let me tell you. It’s interesting. Sometimes it’s hard and a little condescending, as if men think they’re better. I still have a lot of fun, I mean, I’m used to fart jokes and jackassery… poop pictures sent through everyone’s email and stuff. So, it’s not crazy, but it can be brutal sometimes. A lot of the men are really nice. I don’t find it too difficult because all my friends have been guys since middle school. Girls are crazy. I come from a big family and had all sisters, so I’m kind of done with girls. But after being on a bus with guys for months… Men are retarded.” Randall took a deep breath after that, looking visibly relieved.

“So do you think your presence in Winds of Plague is opening the doors for more women in metal? Do you have anything to say to the girls out there?”

“I think so. I get really positive responses from female fans. Some of them even say they want to make babies with me!” that one got rousing laughs from everyone on the bus, and a few affirming nods from Cruz. “Some of them call me an inspiration. I hope it pays off and makes for more females in metal. And it’s never too late to be in a band, I mean I started this whole band thing at age 26. Girls, grow some balls and go for it. Let’s all get out there and rule music, fucking dominate metal. Don’t be afraid, and have a strong soul, because people are fucked up and the world can be a hard place.”

Trey Williams shows The Kosmo his invisible orange. Photo: Jason Gilbert

Under a hot midday sun, the Kosmo briefly met with Trey Williams, drummer of sometimes-controversial death metal trio Dying Fetus. Dying Fetus, perhaps most famous for popularizing the phrase “Kill your mother, rape your dog,” (often shorthand for a metal or hardcore song that is profoundly brutal or violent) are known for their technical style and political lyrics.

Trey seemed a bit weary of touring. “This is our first tour this season, one of many,” he said after a deep breath. Trey is not a founding member of Dying Fetus, In fact he is their sixth drummer, but was pleased to be a part of metal history. “I was listening to Dying Fetus for years before I joined. I was a fan first, member second.”

Trey was somewhat reluctant to discuss the politics of Dying Fetus—understandable, since he wasn’t a member during the most intense political records of their career: 2000’s Destroy the Opposition, and 2003’s Stop at Nothing. “You really want to talk to Sean (Beasley, singer, bassist, lyricist) about the political angle… All I can say is we grew up. We think about more than just gore now.” Despite his hesitation to talk about the group politique itself, Trey definitely had an opinion about the reaction to said politics. “At the start they called Dying Fetus wigger metal, they thought DF was a bunch of rednecks. After that we were supposed to be this really left wing band, but now they call us right wing… Personally I think the music is just about thought.

Trey was extremely excited about the next Dying Fetus record, Descend into Depravity, which will be released on September 15^th, through indie label Relapse Records. “We spent so much more time on production. This will be the best sounding Dying Fetus record ever. It’s got everything you wanted, and more you didn’t even know you wanted. It all has a place and builds off what came before. I spent a lot of time playing with new kicks and fills, just getting the best sound possible.”

Trey hopes Descend into Depravity will stand proudly aside great records by the newer, younger metal bands they’ve been touring with, many of whom were actually inspired by Dying Fetus’s use of hardcore inspired breakdowns and tempo changes. “It’s a cycle of influence, playing with all these young kids who used to listen to Dying Fetus. We inspired them, now they inspire the crowds who are going to start new bands. Like I said, they used to call us wigger metal, now apparently there’s bands calling themselves wigger slam (bands like Emmure and Waking the Cadaver), I don’t know where it’s all going. I know this, lots of these deathcore kids are going to grow out of it.” Hopefully Trey, like the metal fans at the Kosmo, and intelligent metal fans nationwide, is excited to hear what will happen when these younger bands find their own political and artistic maturities.

According to Trey, those bands are going to have a rough time in their careers. “We’re from Marlyand. People always come up to me and say ‘oh, Maryland has a great scene, the big Maryland Deathfest every year.’ They don’t live in Maryland. They don’t know what it’s like. Metal loves America, but America does not love Metal, that’s for fucking sure. All these fests are losing money, we need these huge package tours just to keep the metal alive.