DEVIL'S ISLAND featuring Catalysis
Welcome to this weeks edition of Devil's Island! Every week we maroon a band or artist on the island and see what they get up to, how they cope with being all alone on a small island in the middle of the ocean. It's not your average desert island and we'll see just how each person copes with the extreme conditions.
This week when we arrived at Devil's Island we find Catalysis sat on the beach. The island is far from their home, so how did they end up here and how did they cope with life on Devil's Island?
Find out now...
Welcome to The Razors'e Edge and our somewhat lovely, warm desert island. Don't worry about it's name I'm sure it's not as bad as that would suggest.
You're marooned here on this island, but before you ended up shipwrecked you chose one album that you couldn't live without. Which album did you each chose and why?
Drew: It’s an easy one for me, I’d pick The Impossibility of Reason by Chimaira. The most formative album for me guitar playing/songwriting wise, and absolutely the NWOAHM movement that I love so much.
Sean: I would pick In Flames - Soundtrack to Your Escape, as encompasses everything I love about metal, tonnes of melody, huge riffs and massive choruses and I’m a big fan of how raw the production is.
Calum: Woods II by Woods of Ypres. I love the blend of black metal, doom metal and acoustic ideas, I love the lyrical themes of the album and it's an album that I just never get tired of listening to.
Col: I’d pick Metallica - Master of Puppets, for me, it’s never been beaten as an album that showcases everything a metal band can do.
Pabs: Iowa by Slipknot. I was fairly new to metal when this was released. I'd never heard anything so dark, heavy, aggressive and energetic as this. It just blew my mind.
Just behind that palm tree is a shack for each of you to stay in, with enough space for you to put up a poster on the wall of one album cover. What album cover do you each chose?
Sean: I’d also have to go with the cover from Soundtrack to Your Escape, because if I’m on a desert island I’d rather be reminded of something I can actually listen to. Plus, it’s understated and a cool concept.
Calum: I've always loved the album artwork for Orchid by Opeth. Orchids are beautiful flowers and I love how juxtaposed that is with the sound of the album, it's so simple and doesn't suggest that the album will sound the way that it does.
Col: I’d go with Thy Art is Murder - Hate. Just such an evil and evolving piece of art.
Pabs: Again, Slipknot – Iowa. You don't get more metal than a big scary goat! Just looks menacing. I plan to get this tattooed at some point!
There's also a bar on this here island. But alas each of you only get to choose one drink for the entirety of your stay. What's your tipple of choice?
Drew: Can I pick a cocktail? I’m picking a cocktail. Years ago, we had a cheap cocktail bar with the biggest menu I’ve ever seen. They had one called Sex In the Disabled Toilet, which is Passoa, Archers and lemonade (I now refer to it as “Pink drink”) but it’s the absolute business!
Sean: I like a lager, a good Corona goes down well
Calum: Red wine!
Col: Single malt – either a Lagavulin or Laphroaig. Don’t make me pick!
Pabs: A nice cold pint of Brewdog Lost lager.
Your suitcases were lost when your ship sank, but you each managed to salvage one item of band merch. What’s the merch and for what band?
Drew: A few years ago, it’d have been my Ten Ton Hammer shirt from the Machine Head secret show, but a combination of too many crisps and going to the gym means that’s never fitting again. I’d probably go with my Dyscarnate beanie – the best fitting hat ever. I’ve lost it a load of times and always managed to get it back, but I love it so much that I’ve legit bought 2 spares in case I lose it again!
Sean: My Rammstein hoodie – it’s been about forever, it’s well loved. It’s got paint on it – which is regularly pointed out by Drew.
Calum: My At The Gates – Slaughter of The Soul long sleeve shirt. What can I say, I’m a big ATG fan and I love a long sleeve.
Col: I had an old Biohazard long sleeve from the 90s that I wore to actual death a few years back. Could shoot peas through it by the end, so it already resembled something saved from a boat wreck.
Pabs: My CFH hoodie. C’mon, it’s Pantera. Do I need to explain any more?
You’re sat on the island thinking “I’m stuck here on this island with my bandmates for eternity”… who would you rather have been shipwrecked with?
Drew: That’s easy, my dog. People suck, dogs are great.
There's a walkman in your pocket, on the tape inside is the recording of the one live show that stands out for you. It could be any show, from any band, anywhere in the world. What show is on that walkman?
Drew: If we’re talking about an ACTUAL live album, then definitely Machine Head – Hellalive, I’m not really a live album person, but the mix on this is killer, and they’re my favourite band of all time. If we’re just talking about a memorable show, then probably night one of the Chimaira The Impossibility of Reason anniversary shows in Cleveland this year. I’d given up on the thought of ever seeing them again, so seeing them in their home town, playing my favourite album was just magical.
You're getting desperate, you decide the only course of action is to put a message in a bottle and hope someone finds it. Your message could be to any member of any band, but should be the most suitable for a rescue attempt. Who is it?
Drew: Well, logically you’d be better just putting a letter to anyone in there as the chances of the of a specific person finding it are extremely small, BUT I reckon if you were going to address it to someone specific, someone with extreme wealth and resources to get you back home would be the one, so let’s go with Hetfield – he’s got the scratch sitting around to send a boat or helicopter or whatever for you.
You've been stuck here for a while and food supplies are running low. There's only one thing for it... which fellow band member gets sacrificed to help the others survive?
Drew: Sean is probably the least capable of putting up a fight, but there’s not much eating on him. I think the logical choice would probably be Calum, our drummer.
Finally, when the ship sank you each managed to save one person from the wreckage. That person is the one musician that has influenced your career the most, shaped your way of thinking and your outlook on life. Who did you save?
Drew: It’s an easy answer for me, Phil Demmel – ex-Machine Head, Vio-lence and all round great guy. He was my number 1 guitar influence growing up, and I’m very fortunate to have gotten to know him pretty well over the years, even playing at a Jackson clinic with him and having him guest on our 2020 album Connection Lost.
Sean: Alexi Laiho, although he’s obviously passed on, this is a hypothetical anyway. Alexi totally shaped me as a guitarist, and was a huge influence in my teenage years.
Calum: Dave McClain (Sacred Reich, Ex-Machine Head) – much like Drew with Phil, I was lucky enough to get to know Dave and even play a show alongside him. Nothing quite like looking up mid set and seeing your drum hero at the side of the stage!
Col: Scroobius Pip. Just a phenomenal lyricist.
Pabs: Joey Jordison. I was a drummer first, before picking up guitar and bass. Joey had a huge influence on my playing growing up!
