We’re all critics in our own right. The age old adage of “Everyone’s got an opinion” has never been more true… Maybe the internet has something to do with it? *wink, wink* I don’t have a problem with critics at all. I love seeing records get shit-canned, especially when they are good records. What I don’t love seeing is critics analyze a record and act like they know exactly where a band is coming from. That shit annoys me. Whether it’s a good record or bad record, just review the songs. Don’t review the overarching idea of the album. I want to know about your thoughts about the record, not your thoughts about your presumptions about the record.

This has become a problem nowadays with the “cool” magazines and the “cool” bands. There don’t need to be reviews where people are looking up words in the thesaurus to “paint” the picture for the reader. Or fans on a message board talking about why they won’t listen to new stuff from a band because they think the band is “over the hill.” A lot of you may be wondering if I’m talking about us; yes and no. We’ve always been lucky enough for the critics to shoot God Forbid a lot of love. I guess there is media bias for GF. hehe. But, at the same time you don’t really need to look into the shit that deep. And we’re well regarded for the most part so, no, I’m not talking about us. But, yes, I am.
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By now a lot of you have had a chance to hear some of our new shit floating around, or you’ve had the chance to hear the whole album if you’ve been SO LUCKY… I can say that I’m very excited to have this record come out on February 24th 2009. By the way, February 24th will be a huge day for metal. Us and Lamb Of God have our records coming out the same day. The coolest thing about this is every one can see how far metal has progressed from each of our first albums to our latest. We’ve come a long way. And I think both of our bands haven’t compromised. I also think we’ve produced quality material through our respective careers. So big ups to us and them!!! Big ups to metal!!!

I keep saying big ups because this blog is going to be all about one thing: Haterade. The big ups is a precursor to the new words or phrases that come out over time. Yeah, maybe being in a metal band makes it harder to say things like true dat, big ups or haterade but I’m gonna say that shit anyway. I am in a metal band but I am also from the streets so I have carte blanche to say all that ghetto shit.

Seriously, I’m talking about haterade because I think bands that get hated on generally become more successful. Right now, I’m hoping, pleading and wishing for this album to be panned by critics, internet trolls and whoever wants to shit on it. You may ask me, “Why Dallas? Why dost thou-eth needest us to protesteth soeth mucheth?” Because we need some boiling water in our career. We need people to hate. We need people to defend. We need to fight a fucking war for this record to push us to another place. We are a successful band. I want to be more successful. I want anyone out there who hates God Forbid to say they hate us. I don’t want reasons. I don’t want debates. I want hate!!!

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Well, it’s finally over. The presidential race was a hard fought battle and there was a clear winner that was chosen by the American people. Anyone who reads this blog regularly knows who I voted for. This isn’t a time for gloating. It’s a time of reflection and a time of congratulations to President-Elect Obama. It’s weird to type it but after January 20th 2009, it’ll be President Obama. It gives me goose bumps.

It’s still hard to digest. I’m really proud of the fifty three million people who voted in this election. I am surprised by the result honestly but I also expected it. It’s funny. The conservative talk show radio hosts are saying it wasn’t a landslide victory which I have to disagree. It was definitely a landslide. Not in popular vote but by strategic electoral vote. This was a brutal beating in wits and strategy which I think is way more important.

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Election day is only a couple of days away and it’s excruciating. For that reason alone, I’m not going to talk about politics at all until this election is done with. It seems things are so contentious right now that having an objective point of view about things causes arguments that aren’t even intended, so for now: FUCK POLITICS!

Let’s talk about metal music. Every single record we put out seems to get better and better for us musically. Our last record did slightly better than our last worldwide and the record before that did three times better than the last one. So we always seem to step up to the “Next Level” so to speak.

I have a problem with this term “The Next Level.” When bands say, “This album is our best yet! It’s going to get us to the next level,” it makes me wonder. Are bands and musicians playing the music game like it’s Super Mario Brothers? Do we beat final bosses or get power ups on the way? In a way we do. One of the power ups we get when we’re on the road hustling to push a record is fame. Our band over the last five years has become a lot more known so when I go places people recognize me. I get clothes for free because we have endorsements. Our guitar company (ESP) treats us well as does our amp company (Randall). We get to the special level where we don’t to spend as much money on gear, clothes and beer!

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Mistakes

Last week’s blog was a fiery debate about politics, racism and the age old subject of musicians keeping their mouth shut and just sticking to music. As most of you know, I don’t adhere to the policy of musicians or artists keeping their mouths shut about politics whether they’re informed or not. I think people should be able to say what they want especially if they are given a platform to do so.

I will admit, my words about McCain’s comment were said out of anger and I stepped over the line. For that I apologize and I will say I made a mistake in charging McCain and his supporters with charges that aren’t necessarily true. If they are true I have no way of knowing so I concede the point that I was too harsh and I take my statements back in inferring that he may have deep rooted prejudices that will affect his style of governing.

I do think the debate on the blog last week was healthy and it was great to see people rage against me because of my regrettable comment. Someone said in a comment responding to the blog, ‘It’s better to be hated for who you are, than loved for who you are not.’ I’ll live by that standard and I can deal with it. I can fly off the handle and last weeks blog proved it.

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Here we go again. After the most boring debate in history we were given a McCain soundbite that will live on for the rest of the campaign. McCain’s derogatory remark of “that one” referring to Senator Obama was pretty much a game changer in my opinion. This little remark showed the inner nature of John McCain and the Republican, conservative base. “This is mine. You don’t deserve to be here, you people…”

When you look at a small remark such as “that one”, it makes me think about going to vote. I was going to vote for Obama regardless but back during the primaries I was one of those Obama supporters who would have considered McCain if Hillary Clinton were the nominee. Now as I think about it, I should have had my fucking head examined. McCain is harboring some deep prejudices regarding black people and it clearly showed in that remark.

Do you want a bigot in the highest office in the world? I know I don’t. The funny thing is I’m sure there were a good amount of presidents who were bigots behind closed doors, but we live in a new time and a new day and that aggression will not stand. The fact that McCain’s disposition toward Senator Obama reeks with disdain, contempt and disrespect shows me he is unfit to be a president. I’m going to say it. McCain is a fucking loser. And he’s a punk.

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After all the Metallica hooplah from the last couple of weeks, I decided to take last week off. I thought about all of the responses to the blog I wrote last week and thought that people needed a break from my stupid face. It’s cool to see a blog get a big response but sometimes it can become too much for your own good. I felt I needed to step back from it and let the dust settle. With that said, the overwhelming consensus of people’s views regarding my last blog was, “Yes, the Metallica album kicks ass.” I give credit to the people out there who know a good thing when it’s staring them in their face.

The new album is out, its selling like wildfire and we should all agree to disagree at this point. One thing I will say is that Metallica doing well means that metal does well, so I’m happy I can enjoy the album and it’s effect on the metal scene.

One thing that became very apparent to me was the sensitivity in the ‘blogosphere.’ I hate that word but I don’t know what else to call it. When a new Metallica album comes out, every site that’s worth it’s salt always has a wealth of responses from ‘mostly’ faceless names spitting out their worthless opinions. I say worthless because when you talk shit you should at least say who you are so you’re held accountable.

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Why The World Needs Metallica…

It’s funny. It really is. I’ve been bothered by the bullshit I’ve seen regarding the new Metallica album. People are shitting on the album left and right, not paying respect to one of the greatest bands ever and it’s complete fucking bullshit… I’m not saying you should like something just because it comes from a certain band, I’m saying you should like it if it’s good. And news fucking flash: THE NEW METALLICA IS THE SHIT!

The really sad thing is Blabbermouth got it right with the new Metallica record! What in the fuck world are we living in? With this new Metallica album and the reviews I’ve been seeing, I feel we’re living in an opposite reality. How is it that Blabbermouth gets it right and the majority of Metalsucks reviews looked like an Iann Robinson night at the movies? Straight haterade. It makes me think of politics (again). Why is McCain holding on? People just don’t see good shit in front of them when it’s there. Or it’s like Katt Williams says: people hate good shit.

To those people who gave the Metallica album a BAD review, give a good fucking reason why. And spare me your Barack Obama voting, elitist post-Black album bullshit. Give me something real. How does this new record NOT sound like Metallica? Cause it’s not TR00? Fuck all that. My bro and I were chilling out and listening to the new Metallica rocking out like when we were kids. It was crazy. We’re talking about the record and he says,’You were the first person to give the album a good review…’ I thought about it and I thought, ‘That is fucking sad.’

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I don’t know about all of you, but Metallica has been and will always be my favorite band in the whole world. I put down the trumpet and picked up the guitar for one reason: Metallica. When I used to draw comic books for 8 hours a day I never did it better while I was listening to …And Justice for All. The first two rock bands I discovered were Guns N’ Roses and Metallica. Why do I say rock? I got into Metallica on The Black Album. Before The Black Album I used to listen to R&B and Hip Hop. It was so bad, I would never say the word “awesome.” I thought it was too white. I called Metallica rock because for a kid like me, metal was too heavy. For a kid like me ,Metallica was the only band to get me in touch with my angry side without being too angry.

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For all of you who may call bullshit on my last blog regarding the St. Nigger idea, our old management The Syndicate sent me the artwork that we mocked up for a St. Nigger album cover. The original idea was to do a St. Nigger medley taking all the best parts from St. Anger and making them into one song reminiscent of the And Justice For All… medley Metallica did on Live Shit Binge & Purge. If you notice the old GF logo is on the artwork which means this was before we released Gone Forever. Once again the power of Metallica is within the history of God Forbid. One question: Would you have liked to hear a St. Nigger medley from God Forbid? If so, would it have ruined our second-rate metalcore (emocore according to Blabbermouth posters) career? Thanks to the Rev for the artwork!

The other day I went to NYC to check out In This Moment at their record release party. Needless to say, I had a good night because I got to see a lot of people I haven’t seen in a little while and the night turned out to be very interesting. In This Moment were very good and their new direction gave me hopes about the type of success they may have. I kept joking with them and telling them I can’t wait for them to sell really well so GF can have some cash for fine foods, wine and expensive sex! They are label-mates and we’re supposed to share.

I was joking obviously — well, half joking…

I saw Vince there channeling Hetfield with his new handlebar mustache. It kind of makes him looks like a child-killer. It was an open bar so people were getting their buzz on and just shooting the shit; getting hungover is more precise. Well-liquor is shit-pile! In the midst of all this buzz worthiness, at a bar around the corner Vince, myself and one of the first MetalSucks readers Factor got on the subject of Metallica. In all reality, I’m the biggest fucking Metallica fan. I bought all of their albums and they can do no wrong as far as I’m concerned. Well, as far as I was concerned. Now that I do this blog for Metalsucks I’ve turned into an opinionated asshole who has to dissect everything.

I love Metallica so much that I wanted to do an EP of all my favorite parts on St. Anger and call it “St Nigger.” That’s for real shit. No lie. It was discussed and we decided we wanted to have a 2nd rate metalcore career instead of no career…

Long story short, the St Nigger EP was panned.

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What Is Real, Neo…

Most of us have had those moments where an opportunity comes up that hits our senses so hard that there are three ways which things go down in our body: there’s a good feeling, a shady feeling and a bad feeling. There is a rush of blood that hits our brain so fast that the only reaction we get is of the gut.

When we found out we were going to be signed I got that GOOD feeling. The feeling of goose bumps. The nervous energy in the pit of your stomach we call butterflies. That was a good feeling. Those moments where you wonder,”Am I dreaming? Is this real?” Then there’s the fear that something can go terribly wrong and you don’t want to look like an idiot for having that feeling that things are going to be OK. Misery is an easy friend and feeling good has it’s consequences. In most cases, the better you feel the worse it can get.

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I’ve lost track of how many of these blogs I’ve done so far. I used to number them but now I don’t know what number I’m up to. Speaking on the phone with Vince, we both realized I’d been doing this blog for over six months and it blew my mind.

Where does the time go?

I let the cat out of the bag when I mentioned we were covering a MUSE song. I’m not sure if I should have told everyone but I don’t think that information needed to have a chastity belt on it. Just to clarify though, the cover is NOT going on the album. We just recorded the song for some extra diddies and maybe some extra sack action! Women love angelic voices and skinny dudes with pale skin. We’re the exact opposite of that but maybe sack action can be in our future because of that song! I’m sure MUSE will hear our cover and say in an English accent, “Ian, these niggas have ruined a fucking classic…”

Ok, enough heehawing. On to the real news! I was blown away by the Poison vs. Def Leppard debacle. I mean come the fuck on. What the hell is our world coming to? Remember East Coast vs. West Coast rap? Motherfuckers were getting shot. Back then it was who was the hardest most stone cold motherfuckers out there. With Poison and Def Leppard this shit reminds me of one of those Ben Stiller movies like Zoolander or Tropic Thunder. What are they fighting about? Who sucks worse? What over-40 chick wants you more?

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Please, Enough Already!

I don’t know about you guys but I’m getting sick of this presidential campaign. The moment Paris Hilton is giving advice on energy policy is the moment things need to take a ‘Slow Down’. I have an idea. Instead of people forcing Congress to have a vote on offshore drilling let’s have ‘W’ call congress together for a vote to force both candidates to take a month off. Not for them. But for us. The American people need some time off of this fucking campaign.

Now the two candidates are searching for shit to say and do. I’m an Obama supporter but I can’t even watch his speeches anymore. Speeches that once inspired me seem like reruns of a TV show I used to enjoy but now they just kind of annoy me. Why? He HAS to do them. He must stay out there and give these speeches because people aren’t ‘sold’ on him. Running for president is like a long, grueling, shitty job interview. But the people who hire you are mostly uninformed, scared and just plain following what their parents have done in the past. People say they are Republican so they vote Republican. Hey, I’m guilty of that shit too. I voted Democrat.

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Last week I talked about recording a record and how tough it can be. Some people were giving me props for being honest about how I felt about the recording of our new record and the doubts I had. I think this is a natural thing when you’ve been doing something for so long.

When we first started optimism was the name of the game. Every record we did it got better and better. It was like living in a dream. But now that certain things have bottomed out, from our scene to the music industry in general, there is a true question mark revolving around the release of our new record. Can our next record be bigger? Is it the right record at the right time?

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[That's right bitches, God Forbid guitarist Dallas Coyle's "The Hard R" blogs now have podcast brethren. We aren't really sure whether these will be in addition to or in place of Dallas' 'Hard R' column, or whether they'll evolve into some sort of MetalSucks official podcast, or something else entirely. But for the time being, enjoy it for what it is -- an audio version of The Hard R column that you've come to know and love. In this inaugural edition of The Hard R Podcast, Dallas plays some music, talks about politics, the latest God Forbid news, his thoughts on the Dino Cazares / Tommy Vext drama, Blabbermouth, and a whole bunch of other shit. Enjoy! - Ed.]

The Hard R Podcast #1 (click to download)

A sample excerpt from the podcast (thanks to Blabbermouth for transcribing!):

“I read Blabbermouth ’cause the shit is really just great. I mean, the guys on Blabbermouth, whoever is responding to this stuff, you guys are geniuses, really. I’m not saying that with any malicious intent either — I actually really love the disses. It gets really… Some people give you guys shit, but I respect the fact that you guys hate a lot of shit and you guys love Meshuggah. I love Meshuggah too. I love Meshuggah so much that I would like to scream it the way you guys type it in all caps and fourteen thousand exclamation points, but I have to keep my composure because I’ve gotta ‘act cool.’”

What’s up party peoples? I just got back from LA after finishing up the vocals for the new album. After hearing this record for almost a year now I can say I’m tired of it and excited for it at the same time. Is that possible?

We worked on the vocals for a month when we thought it would take two weeks. This has been the M.O. with this record. The label is pissed off because we didn’t meet certain deadlines, we’re pissed because the person who was supposed to mix it pulled out on us last minute. In all honesty, we deserved it because we did the same thing to him when we couldn’t finish up everything before the Death Angel tour. The tit for tat was well deserved. Karma.

With a ridiculously saturated fall schedule it may be a blessing. Metallica, Trivium, All That Remains, Mastodon, Gojira, Dragon Force, etc, etc. Would you want to put out a record with all of those records coming out too? We seem to be a band that gets lost in a shuffle if our timing is shit.

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The Past

After reading a lot of responses to my blogs I decided to do something a little different. I’m going to post a DRUG induced blog I did over a year ago. I could really give a shit what anyone thinks about me, especially if they don’t know me. So if my use of the word ‘nigger’ bothers you, or my political talking points annoy you — Good.

Maybe this will just cause you to be outraged…

Rock…

June 9th 2007

Armageddon: The Age of Aquarius

What up people?! I haven’t been up on here too much lately because I haven’t had much to say. But, now I think I’ve got a ton of shit to say. What will I say? I don’t even know. I talk a lot. Any of you who really know me, know that I’m a living mouthpiece and I love to hear the sound of my own voice. Even when I’m wrong. Actually, no, especially when I’m wrong — Have you ever convinced someone of something you knew was wrong but actually succeeded in convincing them? I have. It’s fun. And cruel. But that’s why I can usually always get what I want.

Now what am I actually saying here? What am I trying to project to you — The ones who are reading this? I have close to 2000 friends on myspace and it’s quite funny to me because I don’t understand why so many people would request to be my friend. But since I do have an “audience”; what am I trying to say about influence and convincing someone of something you know not to be true?

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Conservative Vs Liberal

Now that Obama is the presumptive Democratic nominee, things have become really boring with this presidential race. The best thing about it now is watching these Republican and Democratic strategists push their agendas. It truly is sad sometimes when you see a person give themselves a title that paints them into a corner so they have a place to fight from. Conservative. Liberal. Progressive.

These titles people give themselves show how hard it is for them to find their own opinion. Sometimes if you ask someone why they are voting Republican they’ll say,’I have conservative values. I’m a conservative.’ You ask them why they vote Democratic they’ll say,’Because Reagan was an asshole! He took a lot of jobs from people.’ Usually responses like this are from people who haven’t done their homework. In this day and age getting on a computer to get info shouldn’t be a chore. The info is out there.

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The Touring Problem

After doing the open letter to Light This City, which I don’t consider a true blog, I saw that The Fresh Meat Tour that Metalsucks sponsored was canceled. It didn’t surprise me at all considering the money problems we had on the latest tour we just finished. In my past blogs, I talked about how we went over budget on tours because of dumb mistakes. On this tour I can say we didn’t make any dumb mistakes. We were totally on budget but what put us over budget was the fact that gas went up about 50 cents a gallon in about a 5 week period. Diesel actually was close to 5 dollars a gallon towards the end of our tour.

One night on the road I was HAMMERED and we stopped at a rest stop to go get food after a night of drunken shenanigans. It was daylight and as I stepped out of the bus I looked at the price for diesel and I immediately became sober. It was like getting hit by a fucking car. This was two weeks ago and gas was cheaper then than it is now.

At that point, I realized that the touring world and the metal touring world specifically was in a very shaky position. I knew that God Forbid was not going to be able to tour. We’ll go on tours if we’re a little over budget these days because we generally do well enough on merch to balance out those sorts of things but with the oil market it’s just too much of a risk to go out there and piss in the wind. Now imagine going out as a band who doesn’t have the name to be able to go out and headline and must rely solely on support tours?

Fucking impossible.

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