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@mindrazerofficial
We’ve got another show coming up and this one is special. We are doing an intimate show at our rehearsal space with some of our closest friends in the tristate scene. It’s a celebration of the awesome local scene and also our frontman Nick’s law school graduation (thus the poster 😉). Tickets are limited for this show so get yours fast before they’re gone. (at Backroom Studios) https://www.instagram.com/p/CqIiIVGOwl8/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
We have a bittersweet announcement about a big shake up in the Mindrazer family. Unfortunately, due to circumstances related to career and personal life changes leading to the inability to perform live, Zack Larmer has chosen to resign as the lead guitarist of Mindrazer. Zack is a great player and an even better friend and we wish him the best on all of his endeavors in music, lifting and his career in the medical sciences. We would like to thank Zack for his two years of valiant service and steadfast professionalism on and off the stage as well as his willingness to help the one who will fill his post. Zack is directly responsible for some of the finest music in our catalogue and we are eternally thankful for his contributions. Losing him is a true loss. Our friendship remains strong however, so this certainly isn’t good bye. That’s the bitter, now for the sweet. Zack’s departure has made way for a reunion of sorts. Through the disappointment of losing Zack, we have found new energy and excitement with the triumphant return of our original lead guitarist, Mo Uddin, after almost three years of absence. We are beyond pumped to have Mo back. Thus far, he has provided a breath of fresh air and a new wave of creativity that we are itching to capitalize on. We had our first jam with him yesterday and it was a fantastic experience. Expect to see the new/ old lineup hit the stage in January of 2023. We’ve got a really cool show to announce in a place we’ve never played before. (at Hackettstown, New Jersey) https://www.instagram.com/p/ClgfclHLSLx/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
We’ve been hitting the grind hard rehearsing for our next string of upcoming shows (yes, SHOWS, more on that later) We can’t wait to bring our show back to New York in its new and improved incarnation. As a special treat for our NY family, we’ve got some HUGE surprises as an apology for not playing in the state since ‘19. See you all in Endicott on the 25th. Useless tags: #thrashmetal #thrash #thrashmetalband #powermetal #blackmetal #metal #metalhead #metalmusic #heavymetal #metalcore #metalshow #livemusic #localband #localmusic #deathmetal #mindflayer #dnd #cosmichorror #horror #horrormetal #picoftheday @fractalaudiosystems @schecterguitarsofficial @espguitars @emgpickups @seymourduncanpickups @evhgear @warwickbassesofficial (at The Pines Pavilion) https://www.instagram.com/p/CeggxMSrPna/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
“You feel its call, the psionic pull and you feel the wicked tendrils creeping down your neck. There's numbness now, a soothing haze as the mindrazer extracts your fucking brain” ~From “Extractor” 📸: @rocknation_ac . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #metal #rock #music #heavymetal #metalhead #guitar #deathmetal #metalmusic #blackmetal #metalcore #thrashmetal #hardrock #punk #guitarist #rocknroll #art #metalband #newjerseyband #metalheads #musician #metallica #hardcore #drums #headbanger #thrash #localmusic #powermetal #mindflayer #heavymetalmusic #dungeonsanddragons @seymourduncanpickups @officialjacksonguitars @espguitars @rickenbackerofficial @evertune @fractalaudiosystems @evhgear @randallamps @meinlcymbals (at Clifton, New Jersey) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cbu5ExIrih6/?utm_medium=tumblr
Some sick shots from our last show. There was unreal energy at this latest gig. The momentum keeps moving. Keep an eye out for what’s to come next. 📸: @rocknation_ac . . . . . . . . . . #metal #heavymetal #thrashmetal #thrash #speedmetal #powermetal #blackmetal #localmusic #guitar #guitarist #slay #deathmetal #njmusic #njmusicscene #concert #concertphotography #metalhead #melodicmetal #espguitars #jacksonguitars #rickenbacker #metallife #metalcore #metalfamily #metalmusic #pictureoftheday #picoftheday #guitarsofinstagram #guitarporn #dark @espguitars @officialjacksonguitars @rickenbackerofficial @evhgear @fractalaudiosystems @randallamps @evertune @seymourduncanpickups (at Clifton, New Jersey) https://www.instagram.com/p/CbaZgO3rmdF/?utm_medium=tumblr
Well guys, it’s that time of year again. The Super Bowl is this weekend and that means it is time for the second edition of Mindrazer’s Not So Sweet Victory Challenge. This year reigning champion Hawky will face off against Weissman. Hawky has the rams and Weissman has the Bengals. The rules are simple. The loser will have to eat a putrid salsa crafted by the winner, Nick and last year’s unlucky loser Zack who is out for revenge after having to take several bites from the sandwich from hell. The loser will be consuming the putrid salsa on both Instagram and Facebook live on the weekend of March 5. Specific date and time TBA. . . . . . . . . #challenge #superbowl #disgusting #foul #tombrady #metal #funny #stupid #food #thrashmetal #picoftheday #spicy #salsa #band #bet #prank #heavymetal #bass #drums #slayer #putrid #sweetvictory (at Hackettstown, New Jersey) https://www.instagram.com/p/CZuVYUEpIG2/?utm_medium=tumblr
According to the astonishingly diligent folks at Encyclopedia Metallum these are the artists that we sound the most like. What do you guys think? Is this accurate? Who do we sound like? Tell us below in the comments or head over to metal-archives.com and join the conversation. . . . . . #soundslike #metal #heavymetal #thrashmetal #thrash #paradox #skeletonwitch #heathen #paladin (at Hackettstown, New Jersey) https://www.instagram.com/mindrazerofficial/p/CYje6lNLkVT/?utm_medium=tumblr
Today is a very special day in the Mindrazer family. Not one but two of us have birthdays today. Please join us in wishing a very happy birthday to our two favorite mad lads Zack and Hawky. #happybirthday (at East Hanover, New Jersey) https://www.instagram.com/p/CVK-RrKJg_c/?utm_medium=tumblr
Mindrazer Album Rigged
Since tracking has wrapped for the recording of our debut album, we thought we would document the gear we used during the process. Hopefully you enjoy this peek behind the curtain
Nick’s Guitar rig: ESP LTD EC1000ET (Equipped with an Evertune Bridge and Seymour Duncan JB/Jazz Pick ups), Ibanez TS9 (Circa. 1990s), Mooer 90 Orange, Peavey 5150 Block Letter, Mesa Boogie Recto 4/12 with Celestion Vintage 30s, Shure SM57 Mics, positioned with the Fredman technique.
Clean Guitars: ESP Standard Series FX (Equipped with EMG 81/60s), Roland JC120 Jazz Chorus.
Zack’s Guitar Rig: Jackson Pro Series Soloist (Equipped with Seymour Duncan Distortion/JB and a Floyd Rose), Axis Effects Savage Drive, EHX Electric Mistress Flanger, Friedman Phil X Signature Amp, Friedman 4/12 with Celestion Vintage 30s and Greenbacks, 2 Shure SM57s on the V30s and a Sterling Audio Allen Sides Signature Ocean Way mic on the Greenback
Hawky’s Bass Rig: Rickenbacher 4001, Ampeg Bass Preamp DI, Sans Amp plugin, Crybaby John Petrucci Wha, EHX POG
Weissman’s Drums: Various Ludwig and Tama bass drums and floor toms, Ludwig Black Beauty Snare, a combination of Meinl HCS, Zildjin K and Sabian Neil Peart Signature Cymbals
Additional Percussion: Claves, Meinl shakers, a Scottish Arming Sword, a replica Civil War Cavalry Sabre (Union issued of course) and a Machete.
Vocals were recorded with a Sterling Audio Allen Sides Signature Ocean Way mic.
Our weapons are carefully chosen to deliver maximum carnage. The carnage starts tonight @dingbatznjofficial @electrocutioner_ny @crimson_mask_ny . . . . . . . . #guitar #ax #shred #shredguitar #metal #metalguitarist #metalguitar #thrashmetal #thrash #lespaul #superstrat #explorer #bass #bassguitar #gear #gearporn #espguitars #jacksonguitars #schecter #weaponsofmassdestruction #weapons #blackmetal #picoftheday #pic #deathmetal #metalcore #guitarsofinstagram #guitarplayer #guitargear #guitarlove If you like our gear, check out the brands below (no affiliation, just admiration) @espguitars @schecterguitarsofficial @officialjacksonguitars @framuswarwickofficial @rickenbackerofficial @evertune @seymourduncanpickups @emgpickups @floydroseofficial (at Clifton, New Jersey) https://www.instagram.com/p/CU2oIHgLh2k/?utm_medium=tumblr
Why we still call ourselves Thrash Metal
The simple answer to this question is that we unequivocally are a thrash band. While we do some things that are not really conventional for thrash such as brassy tenor melodic vocals, consonant natural minor melodies and modern style guitar solos, we still check off the main boxes to fall into the thrash genre. We are just exploring a side of the genre that we believe too few bands are exploring.
In the 80s, during thrash’s golden age, there was a lot of diversity, even among the titans of the genre. The Big Four sound nothing alike. Metallica is chunky and has simple melodies, Megadeth is complex and has a lot of influence from jazz, Anthrax is much closer to hardcore and Slayer is... well, they’re just fuckin’ Slayer. Its not limited to just that though, There were bands all over pushing in weird directions. Remember, Blind Guardian was more or less a thrash metal band for their first two albums and much of their third. Some thrash bands went in that direction, becoming power metal, bands like Watchtower and Anacrusis got really weird with it and other bands like Dark Angel and the teutonic bands went in a direction that became the catalyst for extreme metal.
When thrash had it’s renaissance, the genre did not have the same experimentation that it once did. Almost every band was either trying to imitate Municipal Waste or tried to fuse thrash with something else. Some of these bands are particularly great. Skeletonwitch and Warbringer implemented a lot of black metal into their sound to varying degrees and Vektor fused the Watchtower with sound with old school sci-fi sound tracks along with black metal to create something wild. All of the other bands just did what Municipal Waste did, played crossover thrash heavier and with better production than the old school crossover bands did. Power Trip was (is?) astonishingly good at this, as is Havok.
What all of these neo-thrash bands have in common is that they tried to be heavier than the first wave of thrash by playing harder or fusing thrash with extreme metal. It is almost sad because so many great bands come out with a thrash record but get no attention because they arent doing anything substantially different than Municipal Waste and Havok to warrant any attention. It is a vicious cycle because the underground thrash culture encourages this. At your little back yard shows, dive bars and other local shows, the audience doesn’t often care about the content of your song. They will say you’re awesome if your band is thrashy enough to mosh to and doesn’t slow down for your 30 minute set. Then when you try something new, the pit doesn’t open and your cred is flushed down the drain. Or even worse, you end up getting traction like Evile and then put out a second record that isn’t as thrashy as the first and your fanbase abandons you.
That leaves a whole untapped sonic space in thrash that hasn’t been touched with a fresh approach since Metallica and Megadeth. Perhaps its because everyone is afraid of copying these giants or afraid of falling into the pitfalls of the local thrash scene as mentioned above. But we are of the opinion that the melodic side of thrash has a lot to gain from these new influences available to us. You can still be heavy as hell and play melodic thrash. You can still get the pits fired up every song while exploring different sides of the genre. You just have to approach it from a different angle, and that is what we did.
We all know how Metallica approaches melody. We knew from the start that if we tried that approach, we would be doomed to fail. So we took from two different sources, Iron Maiden (mainly for vocals) and black metal. Iron Maiden is almost all melody which is great and old school thrash capitalized on that excellently by harvesting their twin guitar approach and sneaking in harmonized parts between heavy riffs. Testament is GREAT at this tactic. Few thrash bands, especially those with any major notoriety (except of course for Death Angel) tried to use the Bruce Dickinson vocal approach. We thought, if Killswitch Engage’s Howard Jones could do it in Metalcore, why cant we in thrash. With black metal, we used it only slightly differently than Warbringer and Skeletonwitch. We use black metal for melodic guitar passages, something Warbringer notably did on their fourth album but then abandoned. Skeletonwitch does it almost the same as we do but we counterbalance it by including classic melodic passages as well along with clean vocals to contrast with them. I suppose if there is a band to be “the most like Mindrazer” Skeletonwitch would be it save for the vocals.
Just because we wanted to be a more melodic band does not mean we didn’t want to be heavy as hell though. We draw heavily from European extreme metal (Dissection, At The Gates, Mayhem), neo-thrash (Warbringer, Skeletonwitch, Power Trip) and even modern metalcore to bring heaviness that otherwise would not have existed in a band like us, had we limited ourselves to the classics for influence.
So in essence, we are doing the same thing that the Warbringer branch of neo-thrash is doing but we are building upon that base that Warbringer established for us and going further back to the roots of the genre to create a sound that has never been heard before. To be blunt, we feel like there is a major vacuum for this type of sound. People like heavy music and people like songs to sing along to so it stands to reason that a band with a sound like ours will be in some level of demand. At the very least, it is the type of music we are aching to listen to.
Even if our band fizzles out of existence, I hope that more thrash bands begin taking risks and trying to explore a new side to the genre otherwise, thrash might decline again.
An Average Band Practice
We’ve fallen into this routine of sorts that some of you may find mildly interesting so we figured we would share it here.
We rehearse once or twice a month. We typically always practice on Sunday evenings from 7pm to 9pm, however, Weissman always likes to try to move the usual time to the afternoon because he likes to go to bed early. Unfortunately for him, our rehearsal studio opens at 7pm, a fact he usually forgets.
Once we agree on a date Weissman has the duty of booking and paying for the space. We usually practice at Woodrock Studios in Raritan NJ, due to it’s central location to our homes in Hackettstown, Mansfield, East Hanover and Middlesex. Unfortunately, Nick spends 8 months out of the year in White Plains, New York where he goes to law school so his commute is quite long.
On route to practice, Nick and Weissman tend to drive together if Nick is home in Hackettstown due to Nick’s house being on the way for Weissman. If Nick is not around, Weissman has a tendency to call Nick and babble about nonsense for the entire ride as he gets lonely. Nick doesn’t mind.
Once we arrive, we start setting up. Nick harasses the tech about his in ear monitor system. To the group’s continual dismay, Hawky brings his two giant hardshell bass cases into the studio and places them in the middle of the stage area making it very hard to navigate. We suspect he does this to irritate Nick because they like to mess with each other.
Once set up, we warm up with an easy song. Often the Revelry. Then we decide what the setlist will be and then we play through it song by song. Zack or Nick may stop the band mid song if there is a particularly bad passage that needs immediate redress but we are getting much tighter (especially due to Nick and Weissman adopting in ear monitoring) so this happens rather infrequently now.
Between each song, we stop and go over what needs to be addressed from that song. Zack often takes the lead at deciding what needs addressed. During these breaks, we devolve into stupid side conversations. Weissman is almost always the catalyst for these distractions and Zack is usually the one roped into his nonsense.
Then we do a full show run where we put ourselves on a timer and play the entire set, including any banter between songs and any planned gags. Once the show is finished we do one last check for any mishaps or things that need addressed and then we pack up.
We usually go out for pizza and drinks after practice because Nick does not eat anything after 2pm on show and rehearsal days to minimize phlegm and acid that might hinder his vocals (For lunch, he eats grilled chicken, salad and mashed potatoes in some combination without fail before every show/practice). Weissman complains about being out late but comes to dinner anyway. When in Raritan, we usually eat at Central Pizza in Somerville, right down the road.
So yeah... That is an average Mindrazer rehearsal.
13 Things you might find when you listen to our album
1. A sword fight
2. Nick hitting an Eb5
3. Hawky tapping on the bass
4. Claves on 3 separate tracks
5. Harsh vocals from Weissman
6. An homage to the game “Undertale”
7. Multiple references to Batman
8. Two separate tracks about D&D monsters
9. A shaker
10. Vocals from a person who is not in the band
11. A Classical Guitar
12. Swedish, German and English all in the same song
13. The word “sarcophagus”
Album Progress Update
As mentioned in our last post, we have been hard at work this summer tracking our upcoming debut album. It has been a grueling yet rewarding process and we are so excited to share what we have created with you. The process has by and large gone well. Thus far, we’ve tracked and edited drums and rhythm guitars and we have begun work on vocals. All that is left to do is to complete the vocals, bass, solos/ harmonies and “cherries” as we call them. We have a great team behind us facilitating the project and we couldn’t have gotten this far without them. Its not time to reveal their identities yet but if this is you, you know who you are. Do note that we are grateful. Get ready, the album will be here soon.
Also, come see us on August 7 at 214 Farm to Market Restaurant. We will be playing new songs from the album.
The Nightmare Begins
Unlike our usual doctoral dissertations in the guise of blog posts, today I (Nick, Vocals/ Rhythm Guitar) am going to share my thoughts on what is going on in the band right now. On a personal level, its better than ever. Our minds are aligned and we are all happy. I am happy to say that the guys that I get up on stage with every show are some of the best friends I have in the world. Even the new guy Zack. He’s only been around for a few months but he has really proven himself to be an asset both professionally and personally. We are very happy with him on the team. Musically, we are also on a huge high note. Album 1 is in the books (more on that in a minute) and we have 3 songs demoed out for Album 2. They are sick. I am almost more excited about those songs than I am the songs that we’ve been hammering away at for the past 4 years.
So whats going on with album 1? Well writing is done. Tempo mapping is done and we start tracking drums this coming Sunday. This is an amazing feeling. I have wanted to do this for as long as I can remember. Some of these songs have been coming out of my amplifier since I was in high school. Now here I am finishing my first year of law school (after a 4 year degree and a gap year) and the dream is finally going to become a reality. Some of the songs on this record have really moved me in a deep way. They have meaning to me because I injected myself into the lyrics. Even though I tend towards lyrics that are less outwardly personal and fit more in the realm of concept, I still have my own meaning in each of the fantastic or historical stories that I am trying to convey to you, the listener, through my words. The song I suppose that I am most excited about recording would be Entombed in Time. I think that we all feel this way too. This song really does something for us. We just love playing it live and I don't really have interest in playing a show where we don’t moving forward. It has this emotional hurricane of riffs an melodies that just drive us to insane adrenaline fueled rages on stage. I know that our manager has her own idea for which song should be the “single” but in my heart, I really wish that all of you find that song and get as much love out of it as the four of us do.
I could say more, but I think that should be enough. I will post studio updates throughout the process. Until then \m/
MYTH DEBUNKED: Nick DeFuria only owns two shirts.
If one were to peruse Mindrazer’s Instagram, Facebook and Website, one might take note that our front man, Nick DeFuria, has a habit of wearing two particular t-shirts (with the sleeves cut off) when participating in Mindrazer related activities. One being his Power Trip shirt with the red on yellow logo and the snake on the back, and the other being his Emperor shirt with the horsie guy on the front and the edgy corpse paint clad band members in a pentagram on the rear. It has become something of a running joke among those close to the band that Nick in fact only owns those shirts and no others. If we scroll through the band’s socials we cannot find photograph bearing Nick’s face on screen until as far back as August 2019, where he can be seen in a Motorhead shirt, and at this point, he can only be seen in said Motorhead shirt.
This myth holds no water because of three posts. The first is a pair of videos taken in July of 2020 where we see what is supposedly Nick playing a handful of riffs ans solos. Here he is clad in a Mindrazer Miles Skull shirt. However, in both of these videos, his face is out of the shot and one could argue that this is an imposter, in Nick’s house, with his guitar, amp and access to his social media profiles. This cannot definitively debunk the myth. The damning evidence, comes from a video of Mindrazer rehearsing Entombed In Time from March 13th, 2020, the last rehearsal with former lead guitarist/ good friend Mo Uddin. Here we see Nick wearing a green Metallica ...And Justice For All t-shirt.
So at the very least, Nick DeFuria owns 4 shirts. Unless you subscribe to the imposter theory, in which case it can only be proven that he owns 3 shirts.
In all seriousness though, if you go to his personal social media pages, you can find that he owns a plethora of metal shirts and *gasp* even formal attire. He just has a set of clothes that he prefers to wear on stage, and he likes to rehearse and take photos in his stage attire. Perhaps this blog post will encourage him to buy some more stage worthy t-shirts.
Mindrazer: The Story Behind the Name
Our band is named for a race of ancient malicious alien creatures from far beyond our star system. They have evolved to consume knowledge as a form of sustenance and have have a craving for new and untapped wisdom. They accomplish this by wrapping the tentacles on their face around the head of an unsuspecting victim and then boring their proboscis it’s skull and physically consuming the knowledge centers of the brain. Less advanced creatures are simply killed by the Mindrazer’s feeding however, some more intelligent victims are left as soulless husks which are doomed to spend the remainder of its days as the Mindrazer’s zombie-like servant. This image is an artist’s rendering of a member of the species that was recently spotted consuming the brain of a victim near our HQ in Hackettstown, New Jersey. This one uses a human skull to hide it’s hideous eldritch features.
The Mindrazer is a creature often depicted in fiction. Many of those who write such stories believe that their interpretation of the creature is of their own creation but in fact they simply met one of them and lived to tell the tale. Not before it did serious brain damage mind you. A musician we often talk about, the decidedly insane Varg Vickerness of Burzum was likely driven insane due to an encounter with a Mindrazer. Many of his songs depict horrific encounters with enlightenment which one could interpret as a botched brain extraction. This could explain some of his bizarre, evil behavior and absurd political/ social views. Some might recall a popular villain from our band’s favorite table top game D&D. It is likely that Gary Gygax met a Mindrazer and then unknowingly added the creature to his game, albeit with a similar yet distinctly different name. Gygax seems to have had the most success in his encounter with the creature as he maintained his senses and was a genius. It is possible that he bested the creature in combat and as a reward was granted enlightenment. Perhaps this is why Gygax’s version of the creature is the most accurate depiction of the monster in human fiction. Authors such as HP Lovecraft and his progeny have written tales that illustrate eldritch horrors that resemble a Mindrazer. It is likely that he encountered one at one point in his life. Others believe that Lovecraft WAS in fact a Mindrazer himself. It is even believed by some that several of the emperors of the Mayan civilization were Mindrazers and assisted with their technologocal advancements and ultimate disappearance.
It is our intent to find the skull clad Mindrazer depicted in the artist’s rendering above and swear fealty to it in hopes that he may show us the secrets of the universe...
...and help us make heavy fucking metal.