MUSHROOMHEAD Drummer Talks About MEGAFORCE Deal, Upcoming Album

MUSHROOMHEAD drummer-producer Steve "Skinny" Felton recently spoke to D.X. Ferris of the Cleveland Scene about the group's decision to sign a worldwide deal with Megaforce (as reported here on Dec. 8),the New York label that released pioneering albums by METALLICA and ANTHRAX.

"We had a couple labels interested," Felton said. "But this deal was right. They came to four or five shows on the last tour, and they came to Cleveland for the Halloween show. They really did their homework."

Felton said the deal includes options for up to two albums and a DVD. In the United States, the disc will be released on MUSHROOMHEAD's Filthy Hands imprint, with distribution by Megaforce, which will be the group's label for releases to the rest of the world. The band's last LP, "XIII", made for Universal Records, was MUSHROOMHEAD's major-label debut. It sold more than 175,000 copies, but left both parties disappointed with the deal.

MUSHROOMHEAD's new disc will mark the group's recording debut with singer Waylon, who replaced frontman J. Mann. The as-yet-untitled album is due in late May 2006.

"It's all over the map," Felton said of the band's sixth studio record. "A lot of people who've heard it think of the first album, mixed with a little bit of 'XIII'. It's a harsh contrast between songs. There's some brutal, brutal, sick stuff, like old-school HATRIX or LAMB OF GOD. And with Waylon able to sing so well, there's some more melodic stuff going on. The one thing Waylon doesn't do that J. did is rap."

The disc will be mastered by Bill Korecky (MUSHROOMHEAD, INTEGRITY) at Mars Studios. Felton says the band plans to release versions of the disc with eight different covers, one designed by each member.