GOD FORBID Guitarist Talks About 'Metalcore', Upcoming DVD And Touring Plans

GOD FORBID guitarist Doc Coyle recently spoke to MetalAsylum.net about the band's forthcoming live DVD, the metalcore scene, being part of Ozzfest, the next record and future touring pans. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow:

MetalAsylum.net: Do you see GOD FORBID as one of the originators of the metalcore sound?

Doc: I think we were definitely at least part of the first wave of American bands, you know I kind of hate that term "metalcore," but at the time in the late Nineties when we were coming up there weren't that many bands from the States playing real heavy metal. You know at the time there was a lot of "nu-metal," which was really big, and we came from more of the hardcore scene. There was us, SHADOWS FALL, LAMB OF GOD, KILLSWITCH [ENGAGE], TRIVIUM, all started out playing with more of a hardcore sound and playing hardcore shows. You know we had that hardcore vibe, mixed a little with the European metal sound, mixed with the old-school thrash like METALLICA, SEPULTURA, SLAYER, PANTERA, stuff like that. I think we were just trying to bring that type of metal that initially got us all into heavy metal.

MetalAsylum.net: Where do you think that whole metalcore sound has gone in 2007?

Doc: Really, I think it has blossomed quite a bit. I mean we are certainly not as big as some of the other bands I have mentioned (SHADOWS FALL, LAMB OF GOD, KILLSWITCH, TRIVIUM),but those are the current almost mainstream metal bands out there. I think if you are making something that's good enough people will eventually grab onto it, and if it's promoted properly and if you get on the right tours and people can actually hear it then people will buy it. It's really no surprise to me how successful it has become. It is heavy music that people can get into it because it's about writing good songs with something that's catchy and it's not about just being fast, heavy and underground just to prove that you can be underground, you know what I mean. It's about just writing stuff that metalheads will enjoy.

MetalAsylum.net: What has been the best tour you have been part of so far?

Doc: Ozzfest definitely. It was the biggest tour with the most exposure. Plus we played with BLACK SABBATH, the first metal band of all time, JUDAS PRIEST the Metal Gods, SLAYER, SLIPKNOT, HATEBREED, one of the most influential hardcore bands. Plus we got to do many off dates with SLIPKNOT, SLAYER and HATEBREED doing arenas. It really brought a lot of confidence to the band and we went over really well overall. Unfortunately we haven't been able to land on a tour like that since. We are a heavy band but we do have melody in our music. So I think it makes us really appealing to those types of fans and also makes us able to play with heavy bands like the ones we played Ozzfest with.

MetalAsylum.net: Have you started working on the next record?

Doc: Yeah, we have I am actually at home working on it right now. My brother, who is our other guitar player, he does a lot of the writing, has not really been around much and he will be coming home soon. I've been doing a lot of the writing myself. But I think with every two albums we hit a bump so I think the next record is going to be a pivotal time for us. We need to try something different and move forward again with the next one. We don't want to repeat ourselves if we can so it's very stressful and challenging for us.

MetalAsylum.net: Future GOD FORBID touring plans?

Doc: Well, right now we are trying to get the DVD done and out for November and we are looking at a U.S. tour soon after. We kind of keep getting offers like we just got an offer for a DEVILDRIVER European run for September. We really like being on the road and anytime we get a good opportunity to be part of a good tour we like to do it. We may do a tour or two before the end of the year and then start work on the new album in 08.

You can read the rest of the interview at www.metalasylum.net.