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Friday, June 10, 2016

OMEN.....2009


In 2009, we travelled with Soulfly to record in LA. Logan Mader was on an artistic roll with Max. Logan seriously is a super chill person to produce with. He also is not afraid to make suggestions to the artist. I appreciate that! He scheduled Soulfly to hit up one studio first to record drums, because the room was bigger, and after, we would tuck the band into Logan's studio in Hollywood.





In the drum room, there was a video game, so everyone was addicted to playing it, in-between tracking! The studio was comfortable and really set up nice so hanging out was not crammed!! Richie, Zyon and Igor came to hang for a bit. Max had the idea to do the 2 B-sides with each one of them drumming a track. He chose Refuse Resist for Zyon. It was a natural and he zipped it in one or two takes! Igor did an Excel track, Your Life, My Life.




I don't have many photos in the studio of this particular recording. I think we had a photographer and anyway, I tend to stay out during the recording. Marc Rizzo on lead guitar, Bobby Burns on bass and Joe Nunez on drums. Max on guitars and vocals, was also toting the electric sitar he has used on every record. Weapons complete!


After the drum tracks were set in stone, we transported ourselves to Logan's nook in Hollywood, and Kenny and I set up our lounge in the parking lot outside the studio door. Damn we had some great times chilling in that parking lot!!

As the recording wrapped up, Max added a couple special guests for his finishing touch....Greg Puciato (Dillenger Escape Plan, Killer Be Killed), and Tommy Victor (Prong) completed the Maxterpiece! They each came on separate days. Smooth as the river flows, thats all I can say! I love Rise of The Fallen and Lethal Injection! Each collaboration of Max's has the DNA of 2 or more (Pain) great artists entwined through it.

When Greg came to the studio, I remember he came buzzing around the corner and zipped up the driveway in this little black sports car. He clipped a parked car on the way in and got out of his car just like a Cool Breeze! He didn't even flinch. Kenny and I, in our parking lot lounge were like "Whoa!" He was ready to throw the smack down!



Tommy Victor has known Max and me for ages...going back to the early days of the Foundations Forum Convention. He is a pro in all ways and humble. I saw him jam Lethal Injection with Soulfly and it was brutal! I can say that Tommy never stopped his art when many others did. When many of the bands out now had given up due to alternative and nu-metal taking over, Tommy kept Prong going. He didn't wait till Metal resurged and the new generation wanted to see the bands that paved the way. He kept it real the entire time. Much respect!




It was killer to wrap the recording with Greg and Tommy there! And Kenny and me?// We went back to the parking lot......




Class dismissed....