BLACK VEIL BRIDES Wanted To Make A Record That Replicated, On Every Level, METALLICA's Black Album

In a new interview with Rock Feed, BLACK VEIL BRIDES frontman Andy Biersack spoke about his band's collaboration with legendary METALLICA and MÖTLEY CRÜE producer Bob Rock on the 2014 album "Black Veil Brides". He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Look, this is something that bands can't do, because a lot of bands are not in a position financially to be able to do this. We've been very lucky, where we said to our label, 'We want to make a record that replicates, on every level, on a sonic level, [METALLICA's 1991 self-titled album, also known as] the 'Black Album.' … So much so that we wrote all the record in the same room that they wrote the record in, in Burbank, with Bob in the room. We recorded all of the drums in the same room that they recorded in Burbank with Bob. We used the snare drum that was used. On Kempers — this didn't end up working out; we ended up making our own deal — but we tried on Kempers to steal the signal chain of their amps and use that for a tone, which ultimately didn't sound good. But we tried even that. We flew to Vancouver to record on the Little Mountain [studio] desk that they recorded that record on. They made a booth that was identical for me to what James [Hetfield, METALLICA frontman] had when he did vocals, using the same speakers and using the same handheld microphone. Bob — and I don't wanna give this away; this might be a secret — Bob gave me James's personal warmups to do every day. So, to this day, I have a CD of James Hetfield singing his warmups that he does every single day that I would do every day. I was still drinking, so I made the same hot toddy drink, I guess, that James made every day."

Biersack continued: "You have to understand, I was 23 at the time. So I'm just, like, everything. And then once that's all done, we went to the same room on the same mixing desk at Henson [studios] in L.A. and mixed everything in the same room. And the backup singers, we had the same exact backup singers come in and do harmonies. Like, we did it all. And the record was successful for us. It's a great record. I love it. We did not make the 'Black Album.' Spoiler alert — that didn't happen. But it was more about getting the opportunity to do that and to live out this dream. We would every day be, like, This is unbelievable,' like wish fulfillment to the millionth degree."

This past May, BLACK VEIL BRIDES released the title track from their "Bleeders" EP, inspired by Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's "Sweeney Todd". The band paid tribute to the classic musical with a music video for the title track that is inspired by the musical's 2007 Tim Burton-directed film adaptation.

Released in June, the three-track EP, which included "Bleeders", a cover of "My Friends" from the Sondheim classic, and a cover of U2's "Sunday Bloody Sunday", was BLACK VEIL BRIDES' first release for Spinefarm.

In support of the American Red Cross, BLACK VEIL BRIDES recently hosted a virtual blood drive during the U.S. "Bleeders" tour, inspired by the "Bleeders" single. Fans attending the tour were asked to present their proof of a blood donation to the American Red Cross (e-mail, app confirmation, donation photo, sticker, etc.) when they visited the BLACK VEIL BRIDES merchandise booth to receive an exclusive merchandise package, consisting of a signed poster, pin and patch.