Having built their name and reputation for writing punishing heavy metal songs that feature high-speed guitar work and relentless drumming framed by progressive song structures, Moncton extreme metal band Dischord is getting set to finally release its sophomore record.
It has been a long four years since the band’s debut, however its new record, Casualties of War, is set to be released nationwide on Tuesday, July 12 via influential heavy metal label Diminished Fifth Records. The band is getting its new album release kick-started with a hometown show at Moncton’s Manhattan Bar & Grill tonight.
Asked about the lengthy delay between efforts, Dischord guitarist-vocalist Luc Gagne explains that not long after their debut record was released in 2007, a series of line-up changes swept through the band that at one point stood to permanently ice the group.
“We lost our original drummer just a few months after our first record was released,” a cordial Gagne explains. “Then approximately two years ago, we lost our bass player and guitarist.”
Gagne admits that with all the comings and goings of Dischord’s band members, he did briefly consider disbanding the group altogether as only he and vocalist Norm Robichaud were left standing. Fate would intervene before such a decision had to be made however.
Current Dischord drummer Eric Gibbs joined the band soon after Gagne had pondered shelving the group, which in turn encouraged he and Robichaud to stick to their guns.
Before long, Gagne’s cousin Sylvain Francoeur joined the Dischord ranks as a second guitarist; the final piece of the puzzle fell into place when bass player Jimmy Hamilton joined the band.
Looking back, Gagne admits that although four years is a relatively long time between records, he likes to consider the time between albums as having been for the best.
“Though Dischord is pretty much a brand new band at this point, we really do feel that the current lineup of the group is solid,” he explains.
Recorded at Trimedia Studios here in Moncton, Casualties of War was made over last summer and fall with the assistance of engineer and producer Michael Marucci.
Marucci, a London, Ont. native, happened to be in the Metro area last summer and crossed paths with the band at Trimedia almost by accident.
“We had heard some of Michael’s previous work and decided that we would get together to see what happened. It was a very chance thing that we ended up meeting but in listening to the record, it really turned out for the best,” Gagne says.
He is the first to admit that the band has grown by leaps and bounds in the past four years, having matured as songwriters and musicians.
“I find that our songwriting is much more varied on Casualties of War compared to our first record,” he says. “We are painting with many more colours, so to speak. The songs are more mature and we feel they represent a good progression and evolution in the band’s sound.”
Article published in June 24, 2011 edition of the Times & Transcript