DEICIDE's STEVE ASHEIM: 'Playing The Way I Do Has Given Me Tendinosis'

In a new interview with Highway 81 Revisited, drummer Steve Asheim of Florida death metal veterans DEICIDE was asked what he does to keep up his endurance while playing so fast night after night on tour. He responded: "I used to work out with weights a lot. I don't really do that anymore. [I'm] getting a bit old for that. Playing the way I do has given me tendinosis. Like if someone was working a jackhammer for 20 years, it has an effect on your tendons. I tore my bicep, I blew my calf out, and it's always on the left side for some reason. Just recently even, I stopped drumming because it was affecting my pulmonary and cardio health. At practice, once we get going, I feel like I'm about to have a fucking heart attack. [Laughs] Also my asthma was getting worse.

"I started drumming about January 1 this year [after a break] and noticed all of that stuff was kind of getting a little better," he continued. "My heart felt a little stronger. I haven't needed my inhaler for a few months. In that sense, I need to maintain a certain lifestyle without literally having a fucking heart attack during a gig, because people have done that. Nick Menza [late MEGADETH drummer] playing in a hot club stroked out. That's not happening to me [laughs], I'm tellin' ya. At least I don't want it to happen. I like my weed, and booze was my thing. Now not so much the booze, at least for now. As long as I have to play at this level worldwide, I can't do that crazy shit."

According to an article in the National Library Of Medicine, tendinosis is a degeneration of the tendon's collagen in response to chronic overuse; when overuse is continued without giving the tendon time to heal and rest, such as with repetitive strain injury, tendinosis results. Even tiny movements, such as clicking a mouse, can cause tendinosis, when done repeatedly.

DEICIDE's latest album, "Banished By Sin", was released in April via Reigning Phoenix Music.

This past February, DEICIDE released the second single from "Banished By Sin", a song called "Sever The Tongue". The track was recorded at Smoke & Mirrors with engineer Jeramie Kling, while the mixing and mastering was handed by Josh Wilbur.

DEICIDE collaborated with David Brodsky from My Good Eye: Music Visuals for a visually arresting video for "Sever The Tongue" that complements the track's blasphemous undertones.

To close out 2023, DEICIDE celebrated Christmas with another blasphemous song called "Bury The Cross...With Your Christ".

DEICIDE played its first show with new guitarist Taylor Nordberg (THE ABSENCE, INHUMAN CONDITION) on May 21, 2022 at the Rickshaw Theatre in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Previous DEICIDE guitarist Chris Cannella amicably left the band in January 2022 after a three-year run.

Chris joined DEICIDE in 2019 following the departure of guitarist Mark English.

English became a member of DEICIDE in 2016 after the exit of longtime guitarist Jack Owen.

Photo credit: Gene Smirnov