'The World Needs' DISTURBED, Says TRIVIUM Frontman

TRIVIUM guitarist/vocalist Matt Heafy and GODSMACK drummer Shannon Larkin, whose respective bands are currently on the road with DISTURBED as part of the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival tour, spoke to Artisan News about the speculation regarding DISTURBED's future, which DISTURBED singer David Draiman started last month when he hinted that the group's current tour could be its last for a while if not for good.

When asked if he has heard grumblings about a DISTURBED split on the Mayhem tour, Heafy said, "As tours go, it's like high school, so anytime you hear anything, it spreads like wildfire and it always changes up a little bit. But I've said to the guys in the band myself, even last night, and I'll say it here The world needs that band. We're big fans of them, we look up to them. I don't know what's going on, I don't know what the deal. I'm sure it's a lot of rumor-mill stuff and there's some stuff No one really knows what's going on but them. They're one of the best bands in what they do. There's so many other bands that are gonna try to take that, and they're the kings at it they can actually play and sing what they make. There's so many bands that can't do that, there's so many bands that can't perform what they say they can on their records. And DISTURBED are an amazing bunch of guys. They treated us better on [the recent] Australian [leg of the 'Music As A Weapon'] tour than any band's ever treated us. So [I] at least [hope] for them to stay around so they can keep bringing us out."

Draiman confirmed to The Pulse Of Radio that DISTURBED plans to take an indefinite hiatus, and gave some hints about the "personal reasons" behind the decision. "Many of those reasons are have to do with the state of the music industry in general and, you know, the demise of hard rock and heavy metal right now, and I think it's just a good time for DISTURBED, after 10 to 12 years straight of touring, to go away for a little while and kind of wait for the phoenix to rise from the ashes here," he said. "It's frightening times right now, and it's just a good time for us to go away."

But Draiman also admitted that DISTURBED may in fact never come back. "It could be a concern," he said. "You don't know. We don't know. I can't definitively tell you one way or the other at this point. We really haven't gotten that far in our discussions. We all agree that we are going to step away for an indefinite period of time."

Draiman said that the band, which has toured for 12 years and issued five albums, is playing "stronger...and with more passion" on the current trek, adding, "We're all viewing this as our last hurrah for awhile, and we're making them count."