DEATH ANGEL Singer: 'Our Mindset Isn't To Be The Fastest, Angriest Thrash Metal Band Out There'

Simon Milburn of Australia's The Metal Forge recently conducted an interview with DEATH ANGEL vocalist Mark Osegueda. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow:

On working with producer Nick Raskulinecz on the group's new album, "Killing Season":

"It was a huge decision, because he had worked with the FOO FIGHTERS and he had just produced the new RUSH record, too, and the tones on those albums are just 'Wow!' What was happening was a friend of ours, Danko Jones, who is a great musician, he was working with him and Danko walked into the studio and was wearing a DEATH ANGEL hoodie and Nick Raskulinecz said 'DEATH ANGEL!!' and picked up a guitar and started playing the riff to 'Seemingly Endless Time' (from 'Act III') to him, saying 'I love those guys!' Danko emailed us and told us this story and at this point, we were talking to different producers and what not already and Danko was like 'You should just FedEx me some stuff you're working on.' So we FedExed him some demos, 'cos I think they only had like two days left in the studio, and he gave them to Nick and Nick loved them and got in contact with us, and the timing worked out. So we got into the studio, and it was just magical! It was magical, and it's the greatest recording experience we've all had, and he brought the best performances out in everyone, and we absolutely loved it. Y'know, I hope to not work with anyone but him! And the thing with us is that we've always tried to be a little left of what's going on in thrash, always have, probably always will. Back in the day, and as now, there's always the kind of hot producer of the moment who everyone's using and we always try to veer from that producer. And it's nothing against him, but somehow, their style affects the tone on everyone's album and we don't ever want out tones to remind someone of another contemporary of ours' tone."

On how happy is with how "Killing Season" turned out:

"Oh, to tell you the truth, this is the proudest everyone in DEATH ANGEL has been of an album. We're all on the same page with this one. We can't wait for it to be released so people can really absorb it and we can't wait to tour for it because I think these songs are just made to be played live. We're just gonna explode!"

On DEATH ANGEL's place in today's metal scene:

"I think, to a certain degree, with this type of genre, I think we always will be just 'cos of our song writing style. We always go for… our mindset isn't to be the fastest, angriest thrash metal band out there. We want to bring every bit, every emotion into our music, where I think a lot of metal bands are just trying to be angry, tough and pissed where we think music is an expression of all emotions. We're not afraid to show vulnerability, either, and I think that's what's always going to put us apart. At the same time, I think musically we're writing much more solidly so it's not going to put us a bit left just on our own. I think we're gonna be able to play with your thrash bands let alone if IRON MAIDEN wanted to take us, we could play with them too!"

Read the entire interview at www.themetalforge.com.