Look Out Overcranked - Daysendis Nigh!

Wed 8th Feb, 2006 in Features

What do you get when you join the forces of five people whose individual experiences within the Australian metal scene can be classed not only as admirable, but testament to the fact that they definitely know how to rock and, more importantly, rock hard? You get an almighty writhing beast of a band. You get Daysend.

The quintet comprises of vocalist Simon Calabrese, lead and rhythm guitarists Aaron Bilbija and Andrew Lilley, bassist Meredith Webster and Wayne J. Morris on drums. Drawing from their own varied musical tastes, the five joined forces in 2003 and in the last few years have not only toured with metal heavyweights such as Slipknot, Hatebreed, Machine Head, Chimaira, Strapping Young Lad, Skinlab and Otep, but have been signed by US label Metal Blade.

One word can succinctly sum up the band’s reaction to being snapped up by such a reputable label, as Simon Calabrese demonstrates:  

“Stoked! We met the Metal Blade crew when we were there in May/June last year and they were very supportive of us. They’re good people. It’s great to have such an established label behind us.”

Daysend’s debut album, Severance, was released in 2003 and its amalgamation of hypnotic, textured sounds, accompanied by a forcefulness that could kick your arse from here to next week, quickly earned the band a dedicated following, as well as capturing the attention of the American hard rock and metal circles. Instead of relying on pure brutality to make an impact, the strength of Severance lies within its ability to change sonic direction and create a layered atmosphere that holds something new with each listening.

It is anyone’s guess as to what the new album will bring, but you can guarantee that the sky is the limit when you are capable of harnessing such an eclectic sound. And the good news is that the proceedings are already under way.

“We are in pre-production at the moment. The writing is going well and we are very happy with what we are producing. All I can say regarding the direction of the music is that the second album will be a cohesive reflection of Daysend as a unit. We were very happy with Severance in 2003, but this album is getting cranked all the way to 11 and we can’t wait to get it out there when it’s ready.”

Conveying such an involved sound to a live audience must be no easy feat, but Daysend manage to go beyond the boundaries of the recorded product and deliver something that is even more powerful and imposing. Is live performance something that Daysend thrives upon?

“Most definitely. In our first two years of touring Australia, I think we clocked up close to 150 shows and loved every minute of it. It’s awesome that people understand and appreciate our music and we thrive on the energy that the audience gives us.”

Daysend will be playing Overcranked in Brisbane in March and a couple of gigs in regional areas in April. Does the band feed off the energy of big crowds moreso than the intimate gigs, or is it rather a case of every gig generating the same explosiveness?

“Hmmm, good question. Larger festival gigs produce larger amounts of adrenalin and the energy from a huge circle pit at a festival should pretty much be up there on your list of ‘things to do’! That being said, smaller pub-type gigs allow for you to create more of your own atmosphere and to approach the audience on a more intimate, personal level, interacting with individuals as opposed to the beast that is a festival mosh pit. In both cases, the different energies produced inspire us to explode as we walk on that stage.”

Aside from the list of more-than-noteworthy acts mentioned earlier, the band has also accompanied Entombed, The Haunted and In Flames on their travels. Is their any tour in particular that has stood out in Simon’s mind?

“Strapping Young Lad. SYL was our first tour with an international band and it was great to meet those guys and rip it up with a band we both respect and admire. They were awesome, friendly, modest musos, which is very refreshing. We still keep in contact with them and caught up with Gene in Hollywood when we were there last year.”

In the spirit of the upcoming Overcranked festival, which will showcase some of the finest hard rock, metal and punk this country has to offer, I ask Simon what fellow Australian metal bands he admires.

“That’s a hard one. There are so many unbelievably talented bands in this country, many of which I probably don’t even know about! Personally, I’m a big fan of Alchemist. Their music and live shows transcend the ordinary. If we are playing at a festival together, you’ll usually see me somewhere in the crowd during their set! I also think Parkway Drive are pretty awesome. Their live shows are worthy of jam-packed stadiums.”

The very same thing could be said about Daysend. Make sure you catch them at Overcranked at the RNA Showgrounds in Brisbane on the 18th of March. Your ears will thank you for it, even if they’ll be ringing for days afterwards!