GREYHAWK

Anybody who loves traditional heavy metal with a healthy dose of melody needs to have GREYHAWK on their radar. Rising out of rainy Seattle, they have been subtly growing in power and influence over the last ten years until they can no longer be denied. Their trademark sound is an interesting blend of NWOBHM, power metal and even AOR influences that reaches across multiple genres and bangs a lot of heads.

I left the safety of Wormwood Laboratories to head into the dungeons of Greyhawk and talk with bassist Darin Wall…

WORMWOOD CHRONICLES: The band has a brand new album out titled "Warriors of Greyhawk" which I just listened to a few weeks ago and was really impressed with. I think it is the best album yet for the band. The band has always done a great mix of power metal and traditional metal. This one seems tolean more towards the power metal side which is great. Was this a planned thing or something that was fluid with song writing this time around?

DARIN WALL: It definitely was planned. There's a few factors as to why. When we got Anthony Corso our new vocalist in the band and heard him sing a bit we realized quickly that his voice is very suited for the power metal tendencies of GREYHAWK. He can hit those notes and soar with the best of them , so artistically we felt like we were setting him up with the best chance to shine by leaning into the power metal. If I am being candid and honest here - it was also a business decision. I love Traditional metal, i love the bands, i love the scene, but there is a glass ceiling if you are going to hitch your horse to that wagon. Fact is, if you aren't a band from the 80s, then you are always going to be stuck going on around noon for not a lot of money and there is not much in the way of upward trajectory. Even bands with big followings in that world like VISIGOTH don't get to headline before bands from 40 years ago. The power metal scene is just as accepting of new bands as they are of old ones. So for us it made both artistic and business sense.

WC: Another aspect of the new album is you now have a new singer in the band, Anthony Corso. Did the songwriting style change to fit his vocal style or were the songs pretty much set when he joined?

DW: 100%. His voice is vastly different than Rev's, so we knew we had to pivot what we were doing.I wanted to get someone different vocally so we could pivot the sound a bit. Rev is amazing at what he does. If we were to seek another baritone singer i think people would wind up saying we got "Temu Rev", or "Rev from Wish.com" so i did not want to subject the band or a new singer to that. So when we found Anthony it was definitely time to adjust the musical direction, which was very intentional. I think when you are playing melodic heavy metal, be it traditional or power metal, the vocals are the first thing people listen to and make up their mind about your band so if you are not writing with your singer in mind then you are blowing it.

WC: With a new singer, did it change any  other dynamics within the band on how things are done or even playing live? Is it odd to now have a new guy in the band and like all new things you have to get used to it or get him up to speed on things like how the band works and operates?

DW: Yes, big changes. Anthony brought a set of unique skills to the band that we did not have before. For example, he is an audio engineer, and was able to do all the recording in house which made things a lot cheaper and more comfortable on that end. Anthony learned how we operate very fast. He is a diligent worker and super talented so it did not take him long to fit in.

It was however, his first time ever as a lead singer for a band, so it took him some time to adjust to that role live but he really learned his craft fast and now is super charismatic and entertaining live.

WC: When Rev your past singer announced that he was stepping down from the band to focus on his career, did you think that this could be the end of the band? He bought a lot to the band, I do think Anthony brought is own magic to the line up and has given the band some new wings so to say. But was there a small time around Rev leaving where you thought maybe the band should end and then start something new?

DW: No. I never thought we would stop. There were certainly a lot of people who thought we would. "You're screwed now" was something we heard a few times. I am definitely not one to take something like that lightly or lying down. Many people may have small narrow minds and may give up that easily, but i view things as challenges to overcome, rather than an automatic defeat. Rev left the band for perfectly understandable reasons on good terms, so there wasn't even any negative energy to overcome really, we just saw it as the next thing we had to figure out. It was a big challenge, yes. But when presented with a big challenge I am truly in my element.

WC: What was done with the writing of this album that you did to make sure that you just didn't pump out songs to fill an album. I see a lot of bands who it seems they fall into a rut and rush into an album. What steps do you take as a band to avoid this?

DW: One thing with GREYHAWK is we are ALWAYS writing and compiling demos, and I save absolutely everything. So any time we decide to embark on a creative project there will always be a back stock of riffs, demos, melodies, ideas etc that we can fall back on, as well as churning out new ones. When it came time to choose songs for this album I think we had almost 30 songs in demo form that we had on deck. So we took one night to sit down as a group and listen to all 30 songs together and narrow the field down to 12 songs that we thought could make the album. In the end we cut one and wound up with 11. The way to avoid rushed creativity is to always be creating.

WC: Now one very important question and it always hits me after I see the band play live the next day. Who is Jesse Berlin? He is a guitarist of mystery. He only seems to appear on stage and then vanishes into thin air right after. Even after our lunch the last time you played Chicago it hit me he was not around. Rumor has it he is like the Ric Flair of the metal scene and the dirtiest player in the game? I mean he wore a bowtie in a band photo and if you can pull that off which he did, he has to be a guy who can kick ass and take names. What can you tell us about the Secret Life of Jesse Berlin?

DW: Ah yes, Jesse Berlin, international guitar player of mystery and intrigue. To tell you the truth, sometimes he vanishes after a set and we don't even know where he has gone to! His secret life is exactly that, a secret. We don't ever usually know what he is doing or what he is up to, but one thing is for sure he shreds a mean solo. And you're right, anyone who can rock a bowtie can certainly rock a stage!

WC: Now that the new album is out, the band has played all the important US Festivals and a handful of Euro ones. What is your plan for the band and things you would like to do now with this new era of GREYHAWK. Is the band able to jump on tours like GLYPH is able to or are the members of GREYHAWK not able to do tours but only short weekends?

DW: We can definitely tour! We are ready and willing to hit the road. In fact we will be out in Canada with ALESTORM and TWILIGHT FORCE in May for a run right across the country. So if there's any bands, bookers, touring companies or promoters that need some power metal on the road, please contact us! We also love doing the festivals and fly outs too!

WC: I always use GREYHAWK as my example when talking to new bands and offering advice on getting shows / festivals. Since here we are now, what advice can you give to any band who is trying to break into the festival circuit or even on out of town shows. How did GREYHAWK pull this off and what can you tell them? From what to expect and what not to do. Be harsh and honest.

DW: Rule number one is don't be an asshole. When you approach a promoter, make sure you are being polite and respectful. Also, have your music readily available. Give the promoter a link where they will be one click away from hearing the music. A music video is ideal as it will be a one click to YouTube and this promoter can then get an idea of not only the sound but an image and vibe of the act. You do not want to give someone a dropbox or google drive - it is unprofessional and you do not want to make the person you're selling yourself to work to get it.

Additionally, get out and play live on your own. Hit the road, play shows, pay dues, build a fanbase and hype. If you are just some people with a few songs on Bandcamp who have no live audience or draw, why would you get booked? I also strongly suggest if bands are unsigned that they use a publicist for their releases so that it will go beyond their friends on facebook. Clawhammer PR is a great one that is affordable. Your band should be visible, you should be active on your social media.

Do not be a punisher. If i have to explain what that means then you just might be a punisher yourself - but do not consistently bombard these promoters you are pitching to with message after message, and questions after question.

Once you get the gig, understand that the first festivals you play, you will probably not make any money. Don't worry. Accept the offer - get on the plane, go to the show and play it, and be seen. Also, no, the festival promoter is not going to book a tour for you. And if you book a tour around the fest make sure to ask for what the distance radius is for acceptable bookings.

Be easy to work with - follow the instructions the promoter and festival crew give you. Show up on time, load in when and where you are supposed to, set up your merch where you are supposed to, be ready to play your set on time, load on and off efficiently, and do NOT go over your allotted set time. Be rehearsed and ready to kick ass onstage, and realize the changeover will be fast and the gear is not exactly what you are used to.

Be polite and grateful - watch the other bands. Say hi and get to know them. Be nice to the crew and venue staff and promoter. Say thank you and express your gratitude. Don't get too drunk and act like an idiot. If you do all of this, you MIGHT get booked and invited back to this fest and others!

WC: Do you hate the term “NWOTHM” as much as I do? To me it is a name for looping in new bands. What is your opinion? Also with labels like this it can shoehorn bands too.

DW: It is a played out term at this point. At what point is this not new anymore? I think when younger bands get this label attached to them it is limiting for them as to how far they can go in your career. We have never fully rejected it as a band, but we have also cautiously not leaned into it too hard. I think it was fun back when it first popped up like 16 years ago but I think we can say nowadays it is no longer new. Maybe it is the WOTHM now? There are so many bands labeled as NWOTHM that I love, but i think it is time to let that term go. Nothing wrong with just labeling it Traditonal Metal or....here's a concept....HEAVY METAL!!

GREYHAWK