Overall, you just can’t escape the fact that it’s pretty rare for a band to put out only two records, and go on tour with Metallica.
Yeah, I would say that it’s pretty rare. Pure luck was the cause for that. It really hasn’t changed for me personally, I wish I could say that I have a brand new car or I just bought a house, but we are all still at the point where are barely making rent. Regardless of the position that the band is in, things haven’t really changed so much. We just got a bus, we are used to riding in a van, and I personally miss the van quite a bit. I did a lot of driving, and that’s what I could count on happening everyday.
Like, ‘There is a going to be show today, and I am going to be driving for six hours.’ Drive for six hours, talk to the dudes, and listen to some music. Now, usually nine o’clock is when load-in is, and we are at the venue, and there is no driving to be done. There is something really romantic about the road and being on ‘tour.’ For sure, the last couple of van tours that we did were brutal with lots of long rides, and it’s like a job and you’re on 24/7, but when other people start to pick up the things that used to take up a big part of your day, it becomes a weird deal. Now I have to start finding things to occupy my time with. Whereas like before, you’re moving equipment, you’re fucking with the merch, talking to people. I can’t go out into the crowd and like talk to people; there is no bar to hang out at. That’s the biggest transition for me. These are like heavy metal concerts, and I am used to playing bar shows. That’s been the biggest transition for us, this other band lifestyle that none of us have ever experienced before.
You mentioned making a shorter record, does that mean you’re already writing new material?
No, Trivett and I were just talking about the next record being 30 minutes; I don’t think JD and Kyle are a tune to the fact that we are going to try to make a short record. We have two songs that are playable, we could play in a live setting with no issues. Which is good, because songs usually come pretty slow for us, it takes time to string together parts and arrangements. Sometimes it comes fast and sometimes it’s really slow. I think people are just inspired by all the new experiences. Personally, I am just excited about becoming a better player, and learning how to shred my instrument more. That’s a constant quest for me, I am always going to try harder.
Do you ever wonder what’s next? Especially since you have climbed so high so fast?
I try not to think about what’s next too much. Like we are going to Europe for six weeks and I am trying not to think about it. I’ll deal with it when it’s dished out to me and think about it later. I’ll reflect on it rather than be apprehensive. For this band, I had no idea what to expect and shit just fell into place in this really weird way. So I am like, ‘Shit, I am not going to think about this at all, because that seems to be the way that the cookie has crumbled in the best fashion.’ I chose not to think about it, and hope for the best, and it seems to have worked out alright thus far.
I mean, what’s next after touring with Metallica? I mean, you can’t go up from there, so there is going to be the inevitable return to the club, but I am not worried about that at all. If anything, it would just make our club shows more rowdy. Even if 50 people want to investigate our music further after seeing us at a Metallica show, that will make it that much bigger. It’s in the same bracket of people that heard about us through Guitar Hero.
Catch The Sword at the Bowery Ballroom in NYC on Jan. 29 and at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, on Jan. 30, 31 and Feb. 1. For more info, visit swordofdoom.com.
