DEVILDRIVER's DEZ FAFARA Credits His Faith, His Love Of Family And Support Of His Fans With Helping Him Get Through Difficult Times

In a new interview with Headbangers Australia, DEVILDRIVER and COAL CHAMBER frontman Dez Fafara was asked what has kept him going for more than three decades through all the ups and downs of the music business as well as his personal life. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "My love and belief of God and a higher power watching over me. My wife, my children, my eight cats, my dog, my home. But — and I don't wanna say 'above all that', but to the side of all that and equal with my relationship with the universe and my family is… ah, it's almost emotional to say, it's all of you. I wouldn't, I couldn't... This actually got me, actually; that question got me. I'm sorry. I have a heart, like other people. But I think it's the fanbase. I hate even that word. Some kid ran up to me at the airport, 'I'm a huge fan.' I was, like, 'Don't call yourself that. Let's just be people.' I think all of you guys, anybody who's ever supported me from 1995 on.

"The next [DEVILDRIVER] single is called 'Dead In The Water', and it's actually about that — that I would be dead in the water without all of you guys," Dez revealed. "And that's why the first sentence is, 'Let the fire rise, you were born for this, stay the course. Turn pain into power. Build from the ashes. Hope is never wasted.' And I don't wanna give away the next single, but it's very much to all of you, to anybody who's ever gave a fuck about this guy. I mean, I'm just a glorified plumber or what have you. I'm just some dude. I just happen to be able to pick up a microphone and... But I'm no more special than you or anybody else that's watching this. I'm very grateful and humbled. And it makes me wanna dedicate myself even more to what I'm doing, and to keep going until it doesn't look right, feel right, act right, sound right."

DEVILDRIVER's new album, "Strike And Kill", is due out July 10 via Napalm Records.

In addition to Dez, DEVILDRIVER's current lineup includes the guitar duo of Alex Lee and Gabe Mangold, drummer Davier Ortega Perez and returning bassist Jon Miller.

Fafara previously stated about "Strike And Kill": "My headspace hasn't changed, I have not become complacent or soft in my view of the world or in my music. Metal is our outlet as listeners and writers, so on this record we focused on 'getting it all out' lyrically, and backing those lyrics with savage, relentless music that fuels the heavy California groove like no other. DEVILDRIVER has never sounded like any other band, we do our own thing in our own way, and I'm the most proud of that."

DEVILDRIVER will tour across the western United States with UPON A BURNING BODY and OV SULFUR. Kicking off August 14 in San Diego, California, the "Strike And Kill" North American tour 2026 will hit a slew of major cities, including Dallas, Chicago, Salt Lake City, and Reno, before its conclusion on September 5 in Anaheim, California.

After COVID-19 nearly took Fafara out in 2021, Dez was very vocal about his brush with death and COVID's after-effects, which were brought into view when DEVILDRIVER canceled its appearance at the 2023 Bloodstock Open Air festival in the U.K. due to inflammation in his lower heart.

In January 2025, COAL CHAMBER canceled its previously rescheduled "Fiend For The Fans" U.S. tour. The trek, which was originally slated to kick off in August 2024 before being postponed to March/April 2025 due to Fafara's health emergency, was supposed to feature support from FEAR FACTORY, TWIZTID, BLACK SATELLITE and FRAYLE.

Photo credit: Stephanie Cabral